You owe me, and you'll never be able to repay it in this lifetime

As dawn approached, Xiao Yuan had already made plans to leave and return again tonight.

However, just as he stood up to stretch his stiff limbs, he suddenly heard a faint, whimpering sound coming from within the courtyard.

To be precise, it was coming from behind the tightly shut door of the room in the courtyard.

Judging by the sound alone, it was clear that whoever was inside was in great pain.

Obviously, Xun'er's affliction had flared up again.

Her delicate, young body simply could not fully withstand the ravages of the Golden Emperor Incinerating Heaven Flame, ranked fourth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking.

Xiao Yuan halted his steps due to the pained groans coming from Xun'er and hid himself once more.

Surely Xiao Yan should be making his entrance by now, right?

Yet, after waiting for a long time, Xiao Yan still hadn't appeared; instead, Xun'er's cries of pain grew louder, and her breathing gradually became increasingly weak.

Xiao Yuan's expression shifted between uncertainty and gloom as he slowly clenched his fists.

No, what the hell is that bastard Xiao Yan doing? Sleeping? Your future wife is literally in here screaming like she's about to die.

Xiao Yuan couldn't help but curse inwardly.

He finally seemed to understand why Xiao Yan had broken into Xun'er's room in the original story.

Anyone would find this impossible to watch!

But he didn't have the protagonist's halo; who knew if Ling Ying might suddenly jump out from some dark corner and slap him to death?

A slap from a Dou Huang must be even more powerful than a speeding truck, right?

"Damn it, if I die, I die!"

Gritting his teeth, Xiao Yuan resolutely stood up and stormed into the courtyard, as if he had made a final decision.

He knew very well that without a protagonist's halo, there was a high probability he would be slapped to death by Ling Ying.

But so what!

If I really cared about life and death, I wouldn't have gone head-to-head with a truck to save a child in my past life!

Inside the room, upon hearing Xiao Yuan's inner voice, Xun'er's heart skipped a beat!

It's over. She had been so focused on guarding against Xiao Yan that she had completely forgotten about Xiao Yuan!

What should she do?!

In her current state, she couldn't do anything—she couldn't even put up a fight!

"Don't come in!"

Xun'er used every ounce of her strength to shout.

How does she know I'm outside?

Xiao Yuan hesitated for a moment, but upon hearing the pained groans from within once more, he decisively pushed open the door.

As soon as he entered, he saw Xun'er curled up in agony on her bed.

Her small face was pale and twisted in pain.

Dense beads of cold sweat were seeping from her forehead, soaking her clothes and dripping onto the quilt, leaving dark, spreading stains.

Seeing this, Xiao Yuan hurried over and grabbed Xun'er's slender wrist.

"Don't, don't touch me!"

Xun'er struggled with all her might.

"Don't move!"

Xiao Yuan channeled his Dou Qi, pouring it into Xun'er's body.

Xun'er's pain was immediately alleviated slightly, but the next second, an even more intense wave of agony struck!

Her entire face became somewhat distorted by the torment.

Damn it, my Dou Qi isn't enough!

He was only at the second stage of Dou Qi; how could he possibly contend with the Golden Emperor Incinerating Heaven Flame inside Xun'er's body?

He had no idea how Xiao Yan had managed it in the original story.

"Don't, don't look at Xun'er, I beg you..."

Under the torture of the pain, the young girl used her last bit of strength to whisper a plea.

Tsk.

Xiao Yuan understood exactly what Xun'er was thinking, and he knew how disheveled she felt right now, and how desperately she wanted to hide this side of herself from others.

Is there really no other way?

Ding. Friendly reminder: items obtained by the system can be gifted to others.

The system's voice rang out in his mind at the most opportune moment.

Damn it, you dog of a system, you're playing me, aren't you? You knew this would happen all along, didn't you?

The system did not respond.

Xiao Yuan felt he had been set up, but he had no energy to dwell on that right now.

Since he had a method, there was no reason to keep watching.

I really have to hand it to you, Gu Xun'er. You owe me so much now that you'll never be able to pay it back in this lifetime!

While muttering to himself, Xiao Yuan channeled the Innate Fire Spirit Body he had obtained from the system lottery into Xun'er's body.

This is an investment in your future, Miss Xun'er. Don't you dare forget about me when you become a Dou Di in the future.

Amidst the pain, Xun'er's little head couldn't process what she had just heard.

Whatever a system was, whatever a future Dou Di meant—it all flashed through her mind without leaving a trace.

A moment later, Xun'er felt the pain receding like a receding tide. It was as if her entire body were soaking in a hot spring, the comfort causing her taut nerves to gradually relax.

Combined with the exhaustion brought on by the agony, she drifted into a deep sleep in an instant.

She did not know how much time had passed before she gradually stirred from her coma.

She had no habit of lingering in bed, so once she woke, she slowly sat up.

The quilt wrapping her delicate, petite frame slid down, revealing her slightly drowsy, youthful appearance.

She stretched out her fair, small hands to rub her sleepy eyes, then turned her head to look out the window.

"...Is it already morning?"

The sunlight streaming through the lattice was bright enough to be somewhat blinding, gradually awakening her consciousness.

Perhaps because she had just woken up, even her voice carried a hint of hoarseness.

Wait, hold on!

Memories of the night began to sprout wildly in her mind like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Xun'er suddenly shuddered, her sleepiness vanishing instantly as she scrambled to check her body.

Finding her clothes still intact, she let out a sigh of relief.

But immediately after, Xun'er discovered that the source of the Heavenly Flame within her had become exceptionally docile, showing no signs of restlessness.

It came at her call and left at her wave.

It was as if it were a natural extension of her own body, hers to command at will.

"Miss."

Just then, Ling Ying, who had been gone all night, suddenly appeared, causing Xun'er to pull back her thoughts and say indifferently:

"Old Ling, how did the task I gave you last night go?"

"Miss, the investigation regarding Xiao Yuan is complete."

As he spoke, Ling Ying pulled the findings from his robes and handed them to Xun'er.

After Xun'er picked them up and read through them, her slender willow brows furrowed deeper and deeper.

Two years ago, the Xiao Clan suffered a disaster, resulting in the death of his parents.

To compensate, Xiao Zhan took him in as a foster son and raised him...

Judging by the content, there was nothing strange about his background or experiences; he was just an ordinary disciple of the Xiao Clan.

But, why did you know so much?

And, last night...

Xun'er put down the paper and subconsciously raised a jade finger, a faint, golden flame flickering at its tip.

In a trance, she felt as if she heard that voice once more—

[Gu Xun'er, you owe me so much now that you'll never be able to pay it back in this lifetime!]

She didn't know exactly what Xiao Yuan had done, but he must have given her something incredibly precious to help her completely master the Golden Emperor Incinerating Heaven Flame.

"Miss is truly the pride of the Ancient Clan, to have mastered the source of the Heavenly Flame at such a young age!"

Seeing that cluster of flames, a look of excitement and shock appeared on Ling Ying's aged face!

Xun'er shook her head, wanting to deny Ling Ying's words, but she didn't know how to explain the situation.

So, she extinguished the flame and asked instead:

"Old Ling, do you know where Xiao Yuan is now?"

At the mention of Xiao Yuan, Ling Ying's expression faltered.

"What is it?"

Xun'er looked at Ling Ying, her autumn-water eyes revealing a faint trace of confusion.

Ling Ying composed himself and said respectfully:

"Miss, I was just about to report this to you. Last night, you had me keep a close eye on Xiao Yan, but Xiao Yan spent the entire night cultivating. Instead, that brat Xiao Yuan snuck into your room..."

Xun'er gave a soft hum, her brows furrowed as she continued to ask:

"I know about that, but where is he now?"

For some reason, hearing Ling Ying's explanation caused a sense of foreboding to sprout within her heart.

"...Young Miss, while you were unconscious, I had already intercepted Xiao Yuan and delivered him to the Xiao Clan patriarch and the clan elders."

"Elder Ling, what did you say?!"

Xun'er stood up with a start, her small face instantly turning pale.

In this moment, she was completely panicked.