After Falling into the Water, He Was Rescued by a Beautiful Spirit Sage

Early morning, on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Liu Erlong sat on a bluestone by the Nuoding River, her feet dangling in the water as she stared blankly into space.

"Xiaogang, where are you? Why are you hiding from me?"

She murmured to herself, her long hair loose around her shoulders, her gaze lonely.

"Who's there?!"

Suddenly, Liu Erlong shattered the river's surface with a kick. Amid the spray of water, a figure crashed onto the opposite bank.

It was an unconscious youth carrying a wicker basket on his back, his clothes tattered. His skin had been soaked pale by the river water, while a faint blue glow emanated from his right leg. His drenched clothes still carried a trace of bloodstained odor that had yet to fade.

Even unconscious, his right hand gripped the hilt of a short blade tightly, refusing to loosen in the slightest.

When Liu Erlong saw his face clearly, she cried out in shock.

"Mingfei?!"

"Jiang Zhu! Jiang Zhu! Get over here!"

The three of them had set up camp not far from the riverbank. Jiang Zhu was packing up the tents with Yin Shu.

The moment she heard Liu Erlong's call, she immediately dropped what she was doing and rushed to the river.

"Xiao Mingfei?" Seeing the person in Liu Erlong's arms, Jiang Zhu immediately summoned her Martial Soul.

Yellow, yellow, purple—three spirit rings lit up in succession, and several streaks of golden light instantly fell upon Yu Mingfei.

She quickly crouched down and examined Yu Mingfei's condition.

Jiang Zhu was a healing-type Soul Master. Besides the healing abilities of her Martial Soul and Soul Skills, she usually studied some medical knowledge at Blue Tyrant Academy as well.

After all, healing Soul Skills were not effective in every situation.

"Headmaster, Xiao Mingfei has been poisoned. His body... is covered in scars. I can't find any wounds." Jiang Zhu spoke with a tremble in her voice.

After pulling aside his shirt, they saw that Yu Mingfei's bare body was covered in dense, crisscrossing scars.

New scars overlapped old ones, a horrifying sight.

Liu Erlong's body trembled when she saw them as well.

The commotion by the river was considerable, and Yin Shu arrived shortly afterward.

"Yin Shu!" She deliberately paused, then looked up at him. "Mingfei only left the academy half a month ago, correct?"

Her tone was filled with anger.

Clearly, Liu Erlong believed that the scars on Yu Mingfei's body had all been inflicted while he was at Blue Tyrant Academy.

After all, Yu Mingfei had spent most of the past six years at Blue Tyrant Academy. Sometimes, he had even remained there to study during breaks.

Liu Erlong knew that bullying existed at other academies, but she had always believed that under her leadership, the teachers at Blue Tyrant Academy handled such matters well.

But she had never expected...

Yin Shu froze. Looking at the scars on Yu Mingfei's body, he did not know what to say for a moment.

"Nothing like this... has ever happened at the academy..." Even Yin Shu's tone lacked certainty.

No matter how confident he was in the students' character, and no matter how many academy affairs he managed, it was impossible for him to know every detail.

The scars on Yu Mingfei's body were far too excessive.

Even after wandering the Soul Master world for many years, Yin Shu had never seen anything so outrageous.

"It had better not have. Once we return, thoroughly investigate the academy's discipline. If there are problems, expel them immediately." Liu Erlong's tone turned cold.

She lowered her head and carefully stroked the scars on Yu Mingfei's body.

At first, when the family had placed this younger member, Yu Mingfei, into Blue Tyrant Academy, she had not paid him much attention.

It was only later, when the academy teachers discovered that Yu Mingfei's Martial Soul had undergone a malignant mutation and concluded that his Soul Power would never surpass Rank 9, then reported it to her, that Liu Erlong began to notice him.

Yu Mingfei's Martial Soul had mutated, and his Soul Power was restricted, yet he had never given up on the path of a Soul Master.

He constantly sought ways to break through the limits of his talent and Martial Soul. Though he always failed, he never gave up in the slightest.

Liu Erlong had seen all of this.

It reminded her of someone in her heart.

They were both from the same clan.

They both possessed useless Martial Souls born from mutation.

Their Soul Power had both stagnated.

Yet Yu Xiaogang had given up early and turned to theoretical research.

Yu Mingfei, however, gritted his teeth and persevered even until his head was bloodied.

Unwilling to submit to fate, he wanted to find a way forward.

Even when he hit a wall, he refused to turn back. He had to smash a hole through that wall and find the light and path ahead before he would stop.

As she pondered, Liu Erlong's arms tightened around him.

Half-conscious, Yu Mingfei was jolted awake by Jiang Zhu's Soul Skill.

After drifting in the icy river for an entire night, waves of pain throbbed through his head.

But the sound of breathing close against his body made him spring up and turn over on instinct.

Staggering back to put some distance between them, Yu Mingfei opened his bloodshot eyes and raised his stiff right hand, holding a short blade across his chest.

After quite a while, his vision finally focused and returned.

Before him was a tall female Soul Master who looked to be in her early thirties. She had a valiant air, picturesque features, and long black hair tied high.

She was crouched not far from Yu Mingfei, her eyes filled with concern.

The youngest girl was only sixteen, standing about 1.63 meters tall, with crimson hair and gentle features.

She gripped a Golden Scepter in both hands. Three soul rings spun continuously around her body, and a beam of golden light connected the scepter to Yu Mingfei.

There was also a middle-aged male Soul Master in his forties standing to one side. His expression was somewhat stiff, and his gaze toward Yu Mingfei carried even more guilt.

Liu Erlong? Jiang Zhu?

And that man looks familiar. A teacher from Blue Tyrant?

Yu Mingfei's mind went blank for a moment, but the pain in his head quickly brought him back to his senses.

"Mingfei, don't be afraid. It's us." Liu Erlong slowed her voice and spoke gently.

Yu Mingfei closed his eyes. His lips moved slightly as he murmured under his breath.

"I Cannot Die!"

Along with the activation of the Word Spirit came the skill of the Blue Silver Emperor right leg bone: [Wildfires Cannot Burn It All, Spring Breezes Bring It Back to Life].

Under his deliberate control, more life force poured from the right leg bone, greatly easing Yu Mingfei's discomfort.

Jiang Zhu said anxiously, "Xiao Mingfei, don't circulate your Soul Power. You've been poisoned. If you accelerate your Soul Power circulation, the poison will worsen."

"Yin Shu, bring a set of clean clothes and all the antidotes." Liu Erlong turned to give the order, then looked at Yu Mingfei. "Mingfei, let Jiang Zhu treat you first.

"Didn't you return to your clan? How did you end up alone in the Star Dou Great Forest? Where are the people from your clan? Did you get separated from them?"

Yu Mingfei silently put away his blade, not answering immediately.

Although his years at Blue Tyrant had not been pleasant, Liu Erlong and Jiang Zhu had taken rather good care of him.

Yet precisely because they were good people, Yu Mingfei found himself somewhat at a loss over how to deal with them.

"There's no need. Antidotes won't work."

The poison within his body came from the External Soul Bone, the Eight Spider Lances. This Soul Bone, which had yet to be subdued, still occupied his body in an energy state. While poisoning him, it also constantly devoured his Soul Power and life force.

That was why, when he had fallen into the river and lost consciousness, most of the life force released by the Blue Silver Emperor right leg bone had been snatched away by the Eight Spider Lances.

What remained could only barely nourish his body.

However, though Yu Mingfei refused the medicine, he did not refuse Jiang Zhu's healing Soul Skill.

Under his control, the Soul Bone skill of the Blue Silver Emperor concealed its radiance and silently continued its work.

"Clan? What does that have to do with me? How would I know where they are?"

Liu Erlong frowned, seeming to understand something from Yu Mingfei's words.

She did not pursue the subject and stepped closer.

"Change out of those wet clothes first.

"How could you come to the Star Dou Great Forest alone? It's dangerous here. Even Soul Masters need to travel in teams..."

Before she could finish, Yu Mingfei interrupted her.

"Why? To find a soul ring, of course. What else could it be for?

"Does the Star Dou Great Forest have any other purpose?"

"A soul ring?" Liu Erlong and Jiang Zhu were both stunned.

They both knew that Yu Mingfei's martial soul had undergone a malignant mutation, leaving his Soul Power unable to break through level nine.

But now...

"Xiao Mingfei, has your Soul Power broken through level ten?" Jiang Zhu's eyes lit up as she hurried to Yu Mingfei's side.

She increased her Soul Power output. The Golden Scepter in her hands brightened further, and a stronger Soul Skill descended upon Yu Mingfei.

"Headmaster, I brought the clothes and antidotes. Let Yu Mingfei change first."

Yin Shu walked over carrying several changes of clothes, with two porcelain bottles placed atop them.

Yet Yu Mingfei did not wish to accept this kindness.

"No need to trouble yourselves. I'm leaving now.

"A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast has appeared in the outer region, and a Beast Tide broke out just yesterday. Take care of yourselves."

He looked expressionlessly at Jiang Zhu and Liu Erlong, who had risen alongside him in an attempt to stop him, and reminded them.

"Yu Xiaogang's student just obtained his third soul ring. If you head to Suotuo City now, you might happen to run into him."

"Stop!"