Chapter 488: Delicacies from Eight Years Ago

Chapter 488: A Delicacy from Eight Years Ago

Li Wei and Gusewei halted midway up a mountain peak.

Originally, the two had intended to return directly to the City of Ice and Snow.

But when Saint Xi flew halfway, she could no longer bear the hunger, so they had to find a place first to let her eat her fill.

Yet where in the Far North Ice Plains could one find prey that would satisfy Saint Xi's appetite?

If only she could pounce on the Ice Emperor himself and gnaw away—then she could feast until bursting, with no restraint.

Unfortunately, that was but a fantasy.

Relying on instinct alone, Saint Xi located a snow-capped mountain rich in metallic ores.

Then, leaving Li Wei and Gusewei at mid-mountain, she dove into the snowy peak, frantically devouring various metal ores.

Compared to beasts or other foods, these magic-infused special metallic ores were far more beneficial for a dragon’s growth.

Though don’t expect much in terms of taste.

Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!

From within the cave entrance halfway up the snowy slope came the continuous sound of Saint Xi chewing raw ore.

It sounded like a stone crusher grinding massive boulders—deafeningly loud.

Li Wei turned toward Gusewei, who withdrew her index finger after finishing inscribing magical runes.

Noticing his gaze, she said, “I’ve already informed Her Majesty via the magic scroll.”

Li Wei nodded. “Good. I was afraid we’d delay important matters.”

Saint Xi protested indignantly inside his mind:

“Isn’t eating also an important matter? I’m nearly starved to death!”

Hearing her complaint, Li Wei suddenly realized he hadn't eaten proper food in quite some time.

During those eight years trapped in the Time Secret Realm, there had been food at first.

As time passed and supplies ran out, both he and Gusewei relied solely on dream-world illusions to curb their cravings.

Living off magical energy instead of real nourishment was possible—but it left them feeling hollow, as if something essential were missing, making life feel unnatural.

Fortunately, both Li Wei and Gusewei had cultivated elemental bodies through rigorous training.

Otherwise, they might have perished from starvation in the Time Secret Realm.

Thinking about returning home for a good meal, Li Wei recalled having something edible stored away.

He reached into his spatial ring and pulled out a gift given by the Queen Bee—the eggs of honey-gathering bees.

They could serve either as emergency rations or as summoning materials for bee creatures.

Taking one egg roughly the size of a pigeon’s, he handed it to Gusewei.

She looked curiously at the translucent golden oval resting in his palm and asked, “What is this?”

Li Wei smiled. “Food. Try it.”

Gusewei pinched the clear, jelly-like egg between two fingers, studying it intently without recognizing what it was.

After giving her one, Li Wei took another and tossed it into his mouth.

“Aaah…”

With one bite, he crushed the resilient eggshell, releasing a rich aroma of honey throughout his mouth.

It felt almost sweet enough to dissolve his heart itself.

A look of pure bliss spread across Li Wei’s face—he hadn’t tasted such delicious royal jelly in eight long years, and he couldn’t help letting out a satisfied sigh.

Seeing his expression, Gusewei glanced down at the egg in her hand, anticipation swelling within her.

She placed it in her mouth and bit gently—it proved tougher than expected, requiring all her strength to break open.

The moment she did, thick, fragrant royal jelly burst forth in her mouth, enveloping her senses completely, leaving her dazed for several moments.

Eventually, still savoring the lingering flavor, she asked Li Wei, “Just what exactly *is* this thing? It tastes incredible.”

“It’s a honey-bee egg,” Li Wei replied simply.

“A bee egg?” Gusewei’s expression shifted slightly upon hearing that.

She paused briefly before hesitatingly asking, “You mean… the kind that hatches into actual bees?”

Li Wei nodded. “Exactly.”

“Ugh!”

Gusewei felt a wave of nausea rise within her—what had she just eaten?

An insect’s egg?

Even though it tasted divine, the thought made acceptance difficult.

Li Wei looked puzzled. “Why? What’s wrong?”

Slightly pale-faced, Gusewei frowned and said, “Nothing. Just next time, tell me what you’re feeding me beforehand.”

Only then did Li Wei realize—she must be bothered by the fact that she'd consumed bee larvae.

He held up a few more eggs. “Sure, it’s technically an egg, but not quite like what you imagine.”

Gusewei quickly stepped back, raising both hands defensively.

“No way! Don’t show me anymore—I might actually throw up later!”

Li Wei blinked, surprised—he never noticed how sensitive she was to insect eggs.

Well, seeing her disgusted reaction, he decided against further explanation.

Putting the eggs away, he lifted his eyes to scan the sky, found a flat patch of ground, and sat down to wait for Saint Xi to finish dining.

[Sunlight Contemplation Method (Fifth Stage Awakening)] – 8720 / 10000

Before him appeared a line of text indicating his current cultivation progress.

In the resource-scarce environment of the Time Secret Realm, it had taken over seven years for Li Wei to reach the fifth stage—an awakened transcendent trait.

Judging by his pace within the realm,

without additional rare medicines or magical elixirs, completing full awakening would likely take at least six months.

Still, Li Wei wasn’t overly anxious.

Turning his head, he glanced at Gusewei and asked, “Have you figured out your path to becoming legendary yet?”

She shook her head. “Not really. Once I return, I’ll ask Her Majesty directly.”

“I didn’t understand much about the legendary path myself before,” she continued. “All I knew was that anyone aspiring to become a legendary-level powerhouse must walk their own unique legendary journey.”

“As for precisely what that entails—I don’t know. But surely Her Majesty will.”

Levi smiled and said, "When you return, the Ice Queen is bound to be startled out of her wits."

Hearing this, Gusevey also smiled, sitting down beside Levi and gazing out at the vast, azure sky in the distance.

"Indeed, to the Queen, perhaps only a few days have passed, but for us, a full eight years have truly slipped away inside the Time Secret Realm."

She turned her head to look at Levi's profile and said, "Eight years ago, I never could have imagined our relationship would become what it is today."

Levi asked with a touch of curiosity, "Then what did you think back then?"

A look of reminiscence crossed Gusevey's face, and after a moment's thought, she said, "My impression of you back then was rather terrible. The very first time I met you, I was forcefully abducted by you; no one would have a good impression of you after that."

Hearing this, Levi could only let out a foolish grin, "Hehehe..."

Gusevey continued, "When Her Majesty told me to go with you to the Abyssal Cold, I was utterly resistant in my heart. At that time, I never intended to become your companion at all."

"It was probably the first time I saw the ocean in the dream world that my thoughts began to change..."

(End of this chapter)