Rong Rong's Reluctance to Part, and Xue Qinghe's Investigation

In the rear courtyard of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, scattered petals fell onto the bluestone slabs like a layer of pale purple velvet. Ning Rongrong clutched her skirt as she sat on a stone bench, her eyes red and tear tracks still lingering at their corners. Her voice was thick with tears as she looked pitifully at Wang Chuan beside her. "Brother Chuan, are you... abandoning Rong Rong?"

Wang Chuan had just finished packing. Hearing this, he quickly set down the storage pouch in his hand, crouched before her, and reached out to wipe away her tears, only for the little girl to turn her head aside and avoid him. "How could I abandon Rong Rong?" he asked softly, his tone full of helplessness. "You're the person closest to me in this world besides my parents. It's just that Master said my current Soul Power bottleneck requires me to settle down and train at an academy. I can't disobey my master's orders. I have to go."

"I don't care!" Ning Rongrong abruptly stood up, her little hands planted on her hips, though her nose was still sniffling. "Leaving me alone in the sect means you're abandoning me! From now on... from now on, I won't use my soul skills to support you anymore! Then you won't be able to beat monsters, and you'll level up slowly!" Her words sounded fierce, but her tears fell even harder like beads from a broken string.

Seeing her soft-heartedness beneath that stubborn front, Wang Chuan was both exasperated and amused. He gently rubbed her hair. "All right, all right, my little ancestor. Don't be mad, okay?" Looking up at her, his gaze was utterly earnest. "I promise I'll come back to see you whenever I have time, and I'll bring you candied hawthorns and Osmanthus Cake from near the academy. How about it?"

Ning Rongrong sniffed and secretly glanced at him. Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, the corners of her lips finally curved up slightly, though she still stubbornly huffed. "Then... then fine." Standing on tiptoe, she poked Wang Chuan's arm, her voice soft and sweet but carrying a hint of threat. "You have to come back often, or else... or else I'll bring the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda to find you and use my soul skills to knock you on the head!"

"Okay, okay. I'd be happy even if Rong Rong knocked me on the head." Wang Chuan smiled and agreed. Seeing the clouds finally clear from her little face, the sadness of parting in his heart faded considerably.

Early the next morning, Xue Qinghe arrived at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and waited in the main hall, chatting casually with Ning Fengzhi.

Before setting off, Chen Xin suddenly spoke up. "Xiao Chuan, you must cultivate diligently at the academy. When you return, I will test your progress. If you have not reached the level I expect, don't blame your master for being merciless."

"Yes, Master." Wang Chuan answered and followed Xue Qinghe onto the carriage waiting outside the mountain gate.

As the carriage curtains swayed, the scenery outside continuously receded. Having grown up in a poor rural village and then devoted himself to cultivation within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect after awakening his spirit, Wang Chuan had never seen such bustling sights—street vendors calling out their wares, rows upon rows of shops, carriages passing back and forth... He pressed himself against the carriage window, his eyes sparkling as the corners of his mouth kept lifting.

"Junior Brother Xiao Chuan, look how happy you are." Xue Qinghe watched his childlike appearance, amusement rippling in his eyes. "You don't leave the sect often, do you? The prosperity of this world may be wonderful, but there are always people who cannot stand such peace and insist on stirring up trouble." His tone turned slightly grave, but he immediately patted Wang Chuan's shoulder. "If you run into trouble outside in the future, just give them Brother Xue's name. I'll protect you."

Qian Renxue truly liked this junior brother of hers. It was not only because of the potential of his God-Tier Spirit, but also because she had lacked love since childhood and thus treasured this pure closeness all the more. She had long since regarded him as her own younger brother.

"Thank you, Brother Xue." Wang Chuan turned back and smiled sincerely.

"Oh, right." Xue Qinghe changed the subject, a trace of curiosity flashing through his eyes. "Teacher often mentions that your spirit is extraordinary, but I've never seen it myself. Can you let me take a look?" Though she had already sensed the God-Tier aura, she would not be at ease until she confirmed it with her own eyes.

"Of course." Wang Chuan responded. With a thought, his spirit, "Nothingness," appeared.

It was a long tachi, pristine white throughout and wrapped in purple patterns. Fine silver light flowed across its blade, and though its decorations were intricate, they were not ostentatious. It looked gorgeous, yet not the slightest Soul Power fluctuation could be sensed from it, as though it were merely an exquisite work of craftsmanship. Xue Qinghe frowned slightly. "Can I touch it?"

"You can, but..." Wang Chuan hesitated. "My spirit seems very sensitive to other people touching it. It might become aggressive."

"It's fine." Xue Qinghe reached out without concern. The instant her fingertips were about to touch the blade, a powerful warning suddenly surged from the depths of her heart, yet she still gripped the hilt.

The next second, overwhelming despair instantly drowned her consciousness—endless darkness, heart-rending wails, indifference toward everything in the world... It felt as if it would drag her into an abyss from which there was no escape. At the critical moment, the Angel Spirit within her suddenly lit up. Sacred light washed through her like a tide, cleansing away all negative emotions and forcibly pulling her back from the brink of collapse.

Xue Qinghe released her grip, a layer of cold sweat already beading on her forehead as her fingertips trembled faintly. She handed the blade back to Wang Chuan, her voice carrying a nearly imperceptible hoarseness. "Thank you, Junior Brother." With that, she turned around, closed her eyes, and regulated her breathing, trying to calm the turbulent emotions within her.