Within Qixin Palace, the maidservants withdrew. By the bedside, Ning Chen stood quietly, watching Hong Wulei lie unconscious in pain upon the bed. A trace of heartache flickered across his face.
Wulei had studied swordsmanship under him for some time and could be considered half his disciple. Compared with Yin'er, Wulei had endured far more hardships, and thus she was more mature. She trained diligently in martial arts; though he had never said so, he had seen it all.
Effort and reward were not always equal. Wulei's fate had been rather rough as well. This time, affected by the great battle of the Ji clan, she had failed in her attempt to break into the Reality Realm. Though her life had been saved, the difficulty of trying to break through again would be beyond imagination.
On the bed, sweat beaded across Hong Wulei's pale face. The backlash of true essence from her failed breakthrough brought immense pain, one she could not escape even in unconsciousness.
Ning Chen sat beside the bed, took the white cloth soaking in water nearby, wrung it dry, and gently wiped the sweat from the girl's face.
Perhaps sensing the familiar presence beside her, the agony on Hong Wulei's face eased slightly.
"I truly never expected Little Brother Ning, whose fierce reputation shakes all around, to have such a gentle side."
Ji Yuechu entered from outside the hall and spoke.
"She is a girl I taught myself. Of course I would feel for her. It has nothing to do with any reputation. There should be nothing strange about that."
Without raising his head, Ning Chen continued carefully wiping the sweat from the girl before him and replied softly.
"Little Brother Ning speaks rightly. Did we not work so hard to make ourselves stronger precisely so that