Overturning Everything You Know

"How are you feeling now?"

By the time night had fully fallen, Ning Rongrong, who had just been chatting with her new friend Zhu Zhuqing about the amusing things that had happened these past few days,

hurriedly yawned and crawled into the tent at time's urging.

Another gentle-spoken girl took the little stool she had just been sitting on.

"I'm feeling much better already." Zhu Zhuqing looked at Tang Ling before her—an instructor Ning Rongrong had described as gentle yet strict—and answered in a friendly tone.

"That's good." Tang Ling smiled and nodded at her, then waved a hand in signal.

Tang San and Xue Qingxi immediately gathered around, while Tang Ersui and Tang Yiyin stood guard by their respective tents.

"Miss Zhu, I'm sorry, but we still need to have the following conversation." Tang Ling smiled gently, but the two people standing a step behind her were expressionless.

"What is it? Go ahead." Seeing the situation before her, Zhu Zhuqing sat up straight and looked over calmly.

Seeing that she did not seem wary, Tang Ling inwardly sighed. Ning Rongrong truly was a social bandit; she had probably already spilled her thoughts about her teammates.

"I know who you are, the second young lady of the Zhu Family in the Star Luo Empire. Would it be convenient for you to tell me how you came here?" Tang Ling smiled at her, her voice low and gentle.

Zhu Zhuqing instantly became alert. Supporting herself on the ground with both hands, she frowned. "I already told you. I was being hunted."

Tang Ling's smile remained unchanged. "Rongrong may have told you that my name is Tang Ling, but you should be more familiar with my other name.

Chloe of Barack sends you greetings."

At those final words, Zhu Zhuqing's pupils contracted sharply. She pressed her lips together and fell silent for a moment before answering in a low voice, "My eldest sister is hunting me down.

If I want to live, I can't return to Star Luo. I entered the Star Dou Great Forest from the entrance on the Star Luo side.

And if I do not return home within a year, I will automatically forfeit my rights as an heir and my identity as a member of the Zhu Family."

Zhu Zhuqing had not lied.

Chloe's reputation was known across the continent. The elder Chloe, Xue Lian'er, had been a general, and the final battle she fought before her death had been against the Star Luo Empire.

The younger Chloe, Tang Ling, was a top merchant. Although the Star Luo capital resisted the Great Tang Merchant Guild, its branches were spread throughout nearly every other city.

"Then how long will you stay in Barack?" Tang Ling's smile deepened, and some of the wariness in her eyes receded.

"I'll probably remain here. If Barack won't take me in, I'll likely go to the Heaven Dou Empire." Zhu Zhuqing answered without hesitation.

Tang Ling shook her head. "Barack welcomes immigrants, especially sincere children."

With that, she rose smiling and directed Tang Ersui and Tang Yiyin to set up another tent. Then she personally picked Zhu Zhuqing up and carried her inside.

Zhu Zhuqing was suddenly lifted into her arms, surprise and confusion filling her eyes.

"The forest gets very cold at night. If you stay outside with your injuries, by tomorrow morning, we'll have lost a teammate." Tang Ling smiled as she tucked her beneath the blankets. After setting down an unopened bottle of water, she rose and headed outside.

"You should have known who I was long ago. Then why did you save me?" Zhu Zhuqing's words stopped her.

Tang Ling did not turn around. Instead, she tilted her head to look at her. Her features shifted between light and shadow, while a gentle smile hung at the corner of her lips. "No matter what, you're still a little life."

After saying that, she turned and left with a smile, leaving behind a "Good night" before stepping out of the tent.

Zhu Zhuqing stared blankly at the tent flap. Having been raised under the doctrine of survival of the fittest since childhood, her mind was now a muddle.

She did not understand Tang Ling's actions, but she was immensely fortunate that the person she had met was her.

"Teacher, should we tell Father about this?" Xue Qingxi looked at Tang Ling with some difficulty and asked with a frown.

"No. Her circumstances are different from Dai Mubai's." Tang Ling stirred the tea in her hand and spoke calmly. Receiving two puzzled looks, she sighed helplessly and explained,

"The Zhu Family really does have such a system. Over the years, those clan members they exiled have all lived well in other countries.

The Star Luo Empire did try to stop those who possessed the Hell Spirit Cat martial soul from leaving, but every one of them was killed by the Zhu Family. So no one else dared to interfere."

"So that's how it is!" Xue Qingxi's face was full of shock, which then turned to relief. "Luckily, my family doesn't use this kind of selection system."

Tang Ling and Tang San were both amused by his words.

"Since you know you're lucky, you'll do extra training tomorrow!" Tang Ling smiled as she handed him a cup of tea, looking at him with mock severity.

Xue Qingxi took the teacup tremblingly, as though he were drinking his last cup before execution.

Tang San watched him with a smile as he leisurely drank his tea. Xue Qingxi shot him a sidelong glance and put on a fake smile. "Thank you, Teacher. I'll definitely train properly."

At his words, Tang Ling smiled and leaned against Tang San's shoulder, then waved her hand to show that she had only been joking.

Xue Qingxi's genuine smile returned, but he immediately yawned and ran into his tent. After Tang Ling and Tang San finished laughing, they too returned to their respective tents to rest.

The night passed without dreams.

With the rising sun, Tang Ling woke everyone one by one. The group followed her arrangements, sitting cross-legged outside and quietly cultivating.

After breakfast, the camp returned to calm. Ning Rongrong continued practicing her reaction speed, while Xue Qingxi and Tang San were once again led to spar with Soul Beasts.

So it continued, day after day. Three days later,

on the morning Zhu Zhuqing had completely recovered, Tang Ling announced that they would seek a Spirit Ring for Tang San.

"So after Third Brother absorbs his third Spirit Ring, we can go home?" Ning Rongrong excitedly set down her chopsticks and looked at Tang Ling with anticipation all over her face.

Tang Ling smiled at her and gently denied it. "No. After A-Xuan obtains his Spirit Ring, you'll still need to cooperate in several more battles before you can return."

"Okay..." Ning Rongrong lowered her head somewhat dejectedly, then regained her smile under the temptation of delicious food.

"Zhuqing, come with us." Seeing that she had recovered her spirits, Tang Ling shifted her gaze toward Zhu Zhuqing on the other side.

Zhu Zhuqing looked up in surprise. When she saw that no one else objected, she promptly nodded in agreement.

After the meal, the addition of one more person did not slow the group down. Instead, they swiftly headed toward the center of the forest.

"Does Third Brother's Soul Beast need to be found in the lake?" Ning Rongrong looked at the deep lake a few steps away, then turned to Tang Ling beside her.

"Yes. A-Xuan's third Spirit Ring requires a water-attributed Soul Beast. There's an Ice Spine Shark here. It's just right." Tang Ling stared unblinkingly at the placid lake surface as she slowly raised her hand and summoned her martial soul.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, an icy blue sword appeared in Tang Ling's hand.

"Watch closely. What happens next will overturn everything you know." Xue Qingxi looked at the sword, then turned to Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing.

Hearing that, the two joined the others in watching intently.

"It's coming!" Tang Ling's gaze sharpened as she stared at the lake surface. She instantly leaped up and swung her sword at the ripples bursting from the water.

Crack! The spray scattered in all directions.

"Second Soul Skill, Ice Shield Heavy Blade!" Two yellow Spirit Rings descended, and a blade of ice as heavy as a boulder struck into the bottom of the lake.

A three-meter-long Soul Beast was then hurled into the air by the erupting lake water.

"Third Soul Skill, Ten Thousand Miles of Ice!" The next second, a third purple Spirit Ring descended, and the lake surface instantly froze over.

The Ice Spine Shark crashed heavily onto the ice. Before it could struggle, a streak of sword qi swept past it. Its throat was slit with a single strike, yet not a drop of blood fell.

"A-Xuan, go." Tang Ling calmly turned around and withdrew her martial soul.

Tang San blinked with bright eyes full of admiration as he walked toward the ice.