He had been falling for three days and three nights! It was still pitch black, bottomless! Coupled with the fierce battle with Kong Tianxing, Jue Luo Shang, Wang Tian, and others, Ming Zhi Tian was exhausted and fainted, losing consciousness. In the end, he still instinctively protected Bak with his face up. Even in their fall, he, Ming Zhi Tian, would die first.
...
...
Unbeknownst to him, after a long time...
Ming Zhi Tian slowly regained consciousness. However, all his meridians and bones were shattered, his martial power was crippled, and he couldn't move. He felt as if his entire being, except for his semi-conscious mind, was paralyzed.
He wanted to roar at the heavens, asking, "Heavens! Why are you so unjust? Why do you keep my broken body alive to gasp for breath in this world? Instead of becoming a cripple, wouldn't it be better if you killed me directly! Ahhhh! Why!!"
But he could only roar silently in his heart, for he was utterly powerless. So powerless that he couldn't even move a finger, so powerless that even if he screamed at the top of his lungs, no sound would come out.
This time, it seemed truly over. He remembered the last time he was crippled was when he was saved by Wang Tianci on Earth. This time, even an immortal might not be able to save him, as all his bodily functions had failed.
The little lion Bak, who was lying on him, wagged its tail and moved away when it saw him wake up.
After a while, the little lion returned, having fetched some red berries from somewhere. It first fed them to Ming Zhi Tian's mouth, then began to eat them itself, as it was also hungry.
After eating the red berries, Ming Zhi Tian felt a surge of warmth flowing through his body, a comfortable warmth. He could speak again: "Little guy, I thought you had left. You go, I'm already crippled. You try to find a way, perhaps you can find an exit."
The little lion did not reply, turned, and left. Ming Zhi Tian closed his eyes again, waiting for death.
Then, Bak the little lion returned, carrying a pile of herbs and placing them on Ming Zhi Tian's chest, as if asking him to identify which were for healing.
Ming Zhi Tian shook his head. Bak left again, and returned with another pile of different herbs. It turned out it had gone to find more medicine for Ming Zhi Tian.
Bak held these herbs in its mouth and placed them on Ming Zhi Tian's abdomen. Ming Zhi Tian shook his head again: "Bak, go, leave! I'm telling you to leave now. I'm a cripple, don't let me drag you down."
Bak ignored him, casually picked up an herb and brought it before Ming Zhi Tian. Ming Zhi Tian closed his mouth and shook his head. Bak then put that herb down and picked up another. Ming Zhi Tian shook his head again.
Bak couldn't understand, but Ming Zhi Tian could only shake his head slightly, unable to nod. He said, "Bak, go, you don't need to mind me."
Bak became angry. It let out two "Ao wa!" sounds, which were somewhat similar to its father, the great lion of the past.
Tears welled up in Bak's beastly eyes, and it let out two more "Ao wa!" sounds, seeming to want to express something to Ming Zhi Tian.
Seeing Bak cry, Ming Zhi Tian's heart softened: "Alright, Bak, bring the herbs over."
Bak shook its lion head, then brought the herbs one by one before Ming Zhi Tian. Ming Zhi Tian used blinks to distinguish between healing herbs and poisonous ones.
Bak, following Ming Zhi Tian's instructions, bit and crushed a few herbs and fed them into his mouth.
A day and a night passed. Relying on the warmth of Bak's fur, Ming Zhi Tian spent the night in the bone-chilling cold at the bottom of this fathomless abyss.
Ming Zhi Tian rubbed his face against Bak's belly: "Thank you, Bak, you've given me the hope to live."
Bak let out a happy "Awu~" sound and licked his side.
Ming Zhi Tian laughed happily: "Alright Bak, stop, enough, it tickles."
Bak nudged his body with its nose, then rolled on the ground playfully like a child.
Another half-day passed. Ming Zhi Tian felt time was dragging, and he didn't want to stay here any longer. He still needed to find an exit.