Divine Family Mansion, Chen Linlin's Courtyard.
As the night deepened, a cold breeze swept through the residence, creating an atmosphere of quiet stillness.
After examining the soul realms of the three girls and giving them suitable cultivation techniques, Jing Ya, Mei Lin, and Yue Ling immediately entered a deep meditative state to cultivate.
Because of this, Chen Linlin and Xue Hui decided to leave them alone so they wouldn't disturb their cultivation and went off to do their own things.
Chen Linlin had returned to her room to prepare for a meeting with her parents and several important merchants to discuss business. Spending the evening listening to business discussions bored her to no end.
While Chen Linlin fought the urge to yawn in front of everyone, Xue Hui, perched atop one of his Origin Spheres, flew toward the Holy Orchid Institute undetected.
Earlier that day, Xue Hui had been punished alongside Nie Li and his group. During that time, he happened to overhear their conversation about increasing their soul force and becoming Demon Spiritualists.
The first thing on their agenda was to obtain a large amount of Demon Spirit Coins.
Demon Spirit Coins were the primary currency used in Glory City to purchase goods, including cultivation materials.
Normally, anyone wishing to become a Demon Spiritualist would need to spend at least millions of Demon Spirit Coins just to reach Silver Rank.
It was money that Nie Li and his group didn't have to begin with.
If they were lacking resources, the logical way for them to earn money would be to hunt Demon Beasts.
And judging from the fact that Nie Li had sent his friend Lu Piao to purchase bows and arrows, Xue Hui's assumption was probably correct.
That was precisely why Xue Hui was heading back to the Holy Orchid Institute. It had a facility where students could freely hunt Demon Beasts without having to venture beyond the city walls.
It was called the Hunting Ground.
The Hunting Ground had been established by Ye Mo and the principal of the Holy Orchid Institute to give students a safe place to practice while earning a little money.
Experts regularly hunted Demon Beasts outside the city and transported them into the Hunting Ground, allowing students to earn Demon Spirit Coins by hunting them.
For someone like Nie Li, who hadn't even stepped into Bronze Rank, the Hunting Ground was the safest place he could go to hunt Demon Beasts and earn some Demon Spirit Coins.
It was also the perfect opportunity for Xue Hui to observe Nie Li and learn more about him.
WOOSH!
As the Origin Sphere arrived at the Hunting Ground, Xue Hui leapt down, landing lightly on the trunk of a tree.
He looked around and scanned his surroundings.
The Hunting Ground had been designed to replicate the forests outside the city walls. The area Xue Hui was currently in was known as the outskirts, the safest part of the Hunting Ground.
It was inhabited primarily by Bronze Rank Demon Beasts, most of which were herbivores.
"They're not here," Xue Hui whispered, unable to locate Nie Li and his group.
Unless he had been mistaken about Nie Li's current strength, there was no way their little group would be allowed to venture outside the city walls, let alone hunt Demon Beasts there.
Deciding to look around, Xue Hui hopped down from the tree and landed gracefully on the grassy ground.
As he walked, he heard a faint rustling sound nearby.
Turning toward the noise, Xue Hui saw a Demon Beast emerge from beneath the shadows of the trees. His gaze landed on the creature as it stared back at him and lowered its horn.
'a was a Horned Sheep, a Bronze Rank Demon Beast.'
KREEEEEK!
SHHH-TIK!
FSSHH!
With a furious screech, the Horned Sheep charged at Xue Hui.
Xue Hui stomped his foot against the ground, causing a cold mist to billow from beneath him.
In an instant, the charging beast was transformed into a solid ice sculpture. Its furious expression remained perfectly preserved beneath the veil of ice, completely unaware that its life had already ended.
The frozen sculpture then shattered into countless fragments, scattering across the grass like fine ice powder.
After dealing with the beast, Xue Hui continued his stroll, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of Nie Li and his group.
Suddenly, his footsteps halted.
He sensed a familiar aura nearby.
Curious, he walked in its direction.
His steps were light as he moved through the trees. Eventually, he stopped, and his gaze landed on a girl sitting cross-legged in the heart of the forest.
Her orange hair glistened beneath the moonlight. She wore a dark-colored training outfit as she quietly cultivated alone in the middle of the forest, giving off an ethereal, almost otherworldly aura.
It was none other than Xiao Ning'er, a girl the same age as Xue Hui and a member of the Winged Dragon Family, one of Glory City's noble families.
She looked lonely as she sat in the cold, quiet forest, cultivating deep into the night.
Xue Hui's eyes immediately noticed her faint trembling.
His expression tightened.
'Uncontrollable shaking, disrupted breathing, and uneven sweating were telltale signs of cultivation backlash.' Judging from her condition, Xue Hui was certain she had caused it herself.
Xue Hui sighed, feeling sorry for Xiao Ning'er.
'Young Miss, what has pushed you to this extent? Why would you willingly put yourself through such torment?'
A memory from the past suddenly resurfaced in Xue Hui's mind.
Before the fall of Glory City, news had spread throughout the city that Xiao Ning'er had abandoned her family and escaped into the Black Devil Forest.
The rumor was that Xiao Ning'er had been scheduled to marry Shen Fei before the end of the year. Her disappearance was said to be her final attempt to escape a life of becoming the wife of someone as horrible as Shen Fei.
Divine Family Mansion.
"Life is pretty cruel for those who only wish to live freely, huh, Hui-Hui?"
Inside Chen Linlin's residence, Xue Hui, who had been in the middle of changing the bed linens, looked up.
Chen Linlin was gazing solemnly through the window.
Her long white hair cascaded down her back, framing her emaciated body. Her pale skin stood in stark contrast to the vibrant colors surrounding her.
Her listless eyes held no trace of light.
"Hui-Hui," she said softly. "If you ever have the chance to help someone like Xiao Ning'er, do it. No one deserves to be chained to such a cruel fate."
Xue Hui didn't know whether she was talking about Xiao Ning'er alone or including herself as well.
But he was certain of one thing.
Back then, he had been powerless to help anyone, especially Chen Linlin.
Back in the present.
"WHO?!"
Xiao Ning'er's panicked voice jolted Xue Hui back to the present.
Her calm composure vanished instantly as she stood up and pulled a dagger from her interspatial ring.
Seeing this, Xue Hui quickly raised both hands in a non-threatening manner.
"Lady Xiao Ning'er, there's no need to be alarmed. I was merely wandering around when I happened to stumble upon you. I apologize for startling you."
With a troubled smile, Xue Hui kept his hands raised as he waited for her to calm down.
After determining that there was no immediate danger, Xiao Ning'er returned the dagger to her interspatial ring and released the breath she had been holding.
"This place is way too far from the Divine Family Mansion for you to simply be wandering around," Xiao Ning'er said, her tone cold and distant.
Hearing her speak, Xue Hui chuckled inwardly.
'No wonder she's known as a cold beauty. Even I am not exempt from her icy treatment.'
"Well, no one told me I wasn't allowed to wander far from home. And, in my defense, I didn't have enough time during the day to explore most of the Holy Orchid Institute. There are just too many people around for my liking."
Xiao Ning'er bit her lip before her expression returned to its usual neutrality. She nodded and turned around to leave.
But before she could take another step, Xue Hui spoke again.
"Would you mind sitting with me for a while?"
Xiao Ning'er stopped and shot him an annoyed look.
Only then did she notice the elegant-looking chair he was sitting on. A table stood before him, neatly arranged with expensive-looking china, an assortment of sweets, and a slice of cake.
Xue Hui tapped the chair beside him, gesturing for her to sit.
Whatever little respect Xiao Ning'er had for him vanished instantly.
Earlier, in the Fighter Apprentice Class, she had seen how Xue Hui refused to cower before Shen Yue and even forced him to retreat. She had thought of him as righteous and brave.
After class, she had also seen him getting along with several commoner students, leading her to believe that he didn't discriminate against others because of their status.
That had improved her impression of him considerably.
But all those positive impressions were now cast aside.
Xue Hui's current behavior made Xiao Ning'er see him as nothing more than a lecherous man who simply wanted to surround himself with girls.
"No, I have somewhere to be," she said, her tone colder than before, with a hint of irritation.
"Oh, if that's the case, then I won't bother Lady Xiao Ning'er any longer."
Xue Hui's courteous smile disappeared, and his tone became serious.
"Just make sure to drink plenty of Spirit-Burned Mint Tea every six hours. It won't cure your Arctic Disease, but at the very least, it will help prevent your body from suffering soul explosion."
Xiao Ning'er's body stiffened.
Her gaze unconsciously dropped toward her foot, where a noticeable violet bruise could be seen.
Her body trembled.
No one else knew about her condition, not even her own father. She had deliberately hidden it because she was afraid they would stop her from cultivating.
And that was something Xiao Ning'er couldn't allow, not when she knew time was running out.
Ever since the day of her engagement, when Xiao Ning'er discovered what kind of person her fiancé truly was, fear had taken root in her heart.
The more horror stories she heard from women who had fallen victim to Shen Fei's behavior, the more she found herself unable to sleep peacefully.
That was why she pushed herself so hard in cultivation. She believed that if she could break through to a higher realm, she might be able to fight against the fate that awaited her.
But hearing Xue Hui's words, Xiao Ning'er's heart shattered.
'All those hardships, the pain, and the sleepless nights…'
'Were they all for nothing?'
'In the end, fate still seemed determined to force me into a marriage with Shen Fei.'
Xiao Ning'er didn't notice when tears began streaming down her cheeks.
Her mind was filled with countless thoughts, and none of them were good.
Then she felt a warm, soothing sensation enter her body through her hand.
Xiao Ning'er sniffled.
When she realized that Xue Hui was holding her hand, she suddenly felt vulnerable. Her fingers curled around his as though it were the only thing keeping her from slipping into complete despair.
Her eyes met his.
Beneath the faint lilac glow in his eyes was a look of genuine compassion and understanding.
"Don't cry, Lady Xiao Ning'er. Since I'm here, you'll be fine now."
She wanted to retort, to tell him to let go of her hand and call his words a bluff.
But the feeling of having someone to lean on for comfort made her swallow those words.
Xiao Ning'er felt herself being gently pulled by Xue Hui. Without the will to resist, she allowed him to guide her toward the chair.
"Lady Xiao Ning'er, all I want you to do is trust me. I'm a doctor. I won't do anything to harm you. That would go against my principles," he said as he knelt before her.
"Mhm."
Xiao Ning'er nodded, her face reddening when Xue Hui gently held her foot.
Opening his other hand, Xue Hui summoned a fist-sized blue sphere that hovered above his palm like a bubble.
The blue Origin Sphere released a pure Water aura.
It split into ten identical pieces, each molding itself into the shape of an acupuncture needle before positioning itself along Xiao Ning'er's meridians.
"Ahmm!"
Xiao Ning'er quickly covered her mouth to stifle the sound that nearly escaped.
Xue Hui's method of removing her Arctic Disease was so soothing that her body trembled as gentle energy flowed through her meridians.
"Just let it happen. Don't resist. This method will get rid of your Arctic Disease."
Xue Hui's fingers hovered above the needles.
Each tip emitted a dark blue vapor, drawing the cold energy out of Xiao Ning'er's meridians.
Her body trembled as she realized the pain was fading.
Moments later, Xiao Ning'er stared at her foot in disbelief.
The pain she had endured for months had completely vanished.
The treatment had been so quick that she hadn't even noticed when Xue Hui retrieved the needles, merged them back into a sphere, and made them disappear.
Finished, Xue Hui stood up, returned to his chair, and poured himself a cup of tea.
Taking a sip, he quietly waited for Xiao Ning'er to process everything.
"Why?"
Several minutes later, Xiao Ning'er finally broke the silence with a soft, trembling voice.
"We don't know each other, yet you appeared out of nowhere and helped me. I don't understand why."
Hearing her question, Xue Hui shifted his gaze from his cup to her.
He noticed that Xiao Ning'er no longer carried her usual cold demeanor.
"Because you looked like you needed someone to save you."
Xiao Ning'er's cheeks flushed at his answer. She quickly averted her gaze, avoiding his eyes.
Xue Hui let out a low chuckle, finding it strange how soft and bashful she seemed compared to her earlier demeanor.
After a moment of thought, Xue Hui nodded.
"Alright, that should do it."
Confused, Xiao Ning'er watched as he took out an unused Soul Crystal and handed it to her.
"Take this and inject your soul force into it. I want to check something."
Although she didn't understand why, Xiao Ning'er did as he asked, channeling a strand of soul force into the Soul Crystal.
While she lamented her lack of progress in cultivation, Xue Hui focused on examining her soul form and attributes.
Leaning closer, Xiao Ning'er's face turned crimson as their faces came inches apart.
One thing she noticed was that Xue Hui didn't carry the usual scent of a man. Instead, he had a unique, sweet, woody fragrance. It was strange, yet somehow pleasant.
Her eyes suddenly widened as she realized what she was doing.
She had just been blatantly sniffing him.
Embarrassed, she quickly turned her head away. Her face, even the nape of her neck, flushed red.
Unaware of Xiao Ning'er's predicament, Xue Hui continued observing the Soul Crystal.
"Green Soul Realm, soul force of seventy-eight, soul form… Winged Lightning."
Xue Hui's tone carried a hint of surprise.
Xiao Ning'er was truly one of the geniuses of the younger generation. Her innate talent even surpassed Jing Ya's.
And Jing Ya herself was a hidden talent. With enough cultivation resources, even without the supreme cultivation technique, she would have been capable of reaching Legend Rank.
Yet Xiao Ning'er surpassed even her in terms of innate talent.
Even Xue Hui couldn't help but feel a trace of jealousy.
Xue Hui gave Xiao Ning'er a knowing grin before taking out a black scroll.
With a few smooth strokes of his Horned Sheep pen, he inscribed a supreme cultivation technique suited to Xiao Ning'er's soul form.
"Heavenly Tempest, World Dominator Cultivation Technique."
Xue Hui laughed inwardly.
With this technique, along with the ones he had given Chen Linlin and the others, all of them were above Emperor-level techniques.
'Sage Emperor, you had no idea what kind of catastrophic monsters I was nurturing.'
"Discard the cultivation technique you've been practicing and replace it with this. I assure you, with this technique, you'll be able to reach Legend Rank within a year."
Xiao Ning'er accepted the scroll with a bewildered expression and began reading its contents.
To her surprise, merely reading it caused her soul realm to surge.
Her hands tightened around the scroll as excitement welled within her. She could feel that with this technique, she would be able to reach unimaginable heights.
And when that happened…
Xiao Ning'er's eyes widened as she looked back at Xue Hui.
Her lips trembled as she spoke.
"A-again… why?"
Her gaze lingered on his beaming face.
Xue Hui's grin widened, the soft glow in his eyes intensifying and making Xiao Ning'er's breath hitch.
"Because you and I want the same thing… to fight back against our cruel fate."
End of Chapter 42