Something feels a bit off

Shifting her gaze back to the scroll, Yao Ye read the cultivation instructions on the side several times. A wave of nervousness rose in her heart as she looked at her master, Zhang Nian, with a pitiful expression, her voice trembling as she said, "Master, it says here that during the cultivation process, it is inevitable to encounter a soul attack from the Purple Cloud Eagle within the wings. If one can withstand this soul attack, they may continue to cultivate; if not, it advises the practitioner to give up."

Having said that, she seemed to have completely lost confidence in herself, adding helplessly, "My strength is low, so is it a bit too far-fetched for me to cultivate this flight Dou Technique? It is my poor aptitude that is wasting such a good item from you, Master..." She lowered her head, feeling secretly dejected.

Zhang Nian did not know what to say. In fact, from the wording of her speech and her demeanor, he detected something strange. Why did he get the feeling that this girl was acting a bit "tea-like" today?

Who did she learn that from?

What was she trying to do?

Hearing this, Zhang Nian, as her master, still offered words of comfort: "Do not worry. It is merely the soul attack of a Tier 5 Magical Beast. Even if you were to get hurt, I could heal you. This is just a minor test; there is no need to take it to heart."

In truth, Zhang Nian had many ways to bypass this soul attack, but on the path of growth, things that are too easily obtained are rarely cherished. It might even give Yao Ye a psychological crutch, leading her to believe that she could just find him to solve any future difficulties, which would cause her to lose her independence. He wasn't raising a wife; he didn't need to solve every single problem for them.

"But if you want to obtain something, there must naturally be a corresponding sacrifice. I think you should understand this principle." Zhang Nian smiled faintly. "Although your current soul strength might lead to some trials, it is only a wisp of a remnant soul. If you can steady your mind, I believe that thing won't amount to much."

Hearing her master's encouraging words, Yao Ye nodded solemnly. She then placed both palms onto the scroll, her fair hands gently pressing against the soft wings. After taking a deep breath and steeling her resolve, she slowly closed her eyes.

Shortly after her palms touched the wings, her mind jolted. The image of a fierce Purple Cloud Eagle appeared in her consciousness, and a piercing eagle cry rang out in her ears.

"Screech!"

The sudden sound caused Yao Ye to feel an immediate sense of discomfort. Her body trembled slightly, and her soul shuddered uncontrollably. The cry pierced through her eardrums like an electric drill, striking deep into the depths of her soul. The screeching was like demonic noise flooding her ears; at that moment, she felt the world spinning. So, this was what a soul attack felt like...

Experiencing a soul attack for the first time, Yao Ye inevitably felt uneasy, but she followed Zhang Nian's previous instructions to steady her mind and believe in herself. Just then, a milky-white flame appeared in her mind, winding forward like a swimming dragon. It opened its gaping maw, and with just one encounter, the image of the Purple Cloud Eagle in her heart vanished.

It turned out that Zhang Nian had been observing closely and noticed that Yao Ye's state was precarious. If he had let the Purple Cloud Eagle run wild, it might have caused significant damage. Although he had pills in his apothecary to heal the soul, he preferred not to let his beloved disciple get hurt. Furthermore, he only wanted Yao Ye to understand a simple truth: to believe in herself.

After Zhang Nian intervened, the beast-like, violent screeching in her heart vanished in the blink of an eye as if it had evaporated. At that moment, Yao Ye's body underwent a subtle change; two tiny purple-black rays of light forcibly pulled out two extremely thin meridians from her back, connecting them all the way to her spine.

Afterward, Yao Ye collapsed, her pretty face slightly pale. The exhausted expression and her heavy, continuous panting were the aftereffects of the soul collision.

"Master, did I..." Yao Ye knew she must have succeeded, though it was with Zhang Nian's help. The flame that had appeared in her mind at the end was identical to the one floating in the air within the sect.

"You did very well. I would not stand by and watch you get hurt. Having the courage to face it is the first step, and then comes the confidence to overcome everything. Perhaps you think your aptitude is mediocre, but the world is like this; what needs to change is your own heart. I may be able to help you for a while, but I cannot help you for a lifetime."

His earnest words struck straight at Yao Ye's heart. She seemed to understand why Zhang Nian had said those things. A mist of tears welled up in her beautiful eyes as she looked at the young man before her. The elders of the royal family had never cared about such things, yet a stranger had seen the softness in her heart.

"Silly child." Zhang Nian raised his hand and gently rubbed the young girl's head. From the moment she entered the sect until now, Yao Ye had always been cautious. Zhang Nian had seen it all. At this moment, his caring tone turned into a warm mountain spring, completely opening Yao Ye's heart. "You were never anyone's accessory, do you understand? I don't want to lecture you with too many grand principles. It's the same thing I said when you first entered the sect: in this sect, there are none of those worldly things. You only need to be yourself."

That crystal tear finally fell, unable to be held back. Zhang Nian knew in his heart that Yao Ye's life should not have been like this; perhaps it was his own appearance that had led to all this, though she had been instilled with very negative and pessimistic thoughts before.

With a gentle flip of his palm, a jade bottle appeared silently in his hand. Looking at the teary-eyed girl before him, he placed it gently on the table to the side.

"This is a Ninth-Grade Treasure Pill. Don't say that your master is biased; I originally intended this pill for your Senior Sister Yun Yun, but I have used a different method for her. Alright, for now, I will give it to you."

Smiling, Zhang Nian continued, "This pill is called the Fangzhang Butian Pill. The user can directly break through to the Dou Ancestor realm. At the same time, it purifies the bloodline, compensates for congenital deficiencies, and breaks through postnatal shackles. It can be considered a decent pill."

"Master, such a precious pill should be given to Senior Sister Yun Yun. Besides, it was something you originally intended for her; it wouldn't be right for me to take it." Yao Ye waved her hands repeatedly in refusal, her pretty face full of panic.

Zhang Nian always felt that this way of speaking was a bit "tea-like," though it might just be his own issue. He didn't dwell on it and comforted her, "Alright, you need it more than Yun Yun does. I have other rewards for her."

Having said that, he stopped paying attention to Yao Ye, who had sat down cross-legged, and turned to leave the room. Before leaving, he left behind a sentence: "This is a Ninth-Grade Pill. If it is left out for too long, it will absorb the energy of heaven and earth to condense its own intelligence. If it runs away in a while, you'll be the one regretting it."

[Ding! Detected that Yao Ye's favorability +5, current favorability 85]

Hmm..?!

Zhang Nian was stunned...

This girl's favorability is rising a bit too fast... something is not right...