Little Monster, It's Time for Your Medicinal Bath

Xue Mingqing's return to Blizzard City this time was for rest, relaxation, and visiting family, but that was only one side of the coin.

The other side was that Xue Mingqing had been stuck at level 20 for over a month.

He needed to obtain a spirit ring to break through his bottleneck and achieve advancement.

While the Star Dou Forest certainly boasted a vast variety of spirit beasts, in the end, they could never compare to the native spirit beasts of the Far North in terms of suitability.

Therefore, to Xue Mingqing, the spirit beasts of the Star Dou Forest were merely a fallback option when there was no other choice; the only ones truly suited for him, from beginning to end, were those of the Far North.

It was precisely because he had considered this point that Mu En had agreed to Xue Mingqing's request for leave to return home without the slightest hesitation.

To him, as long as Xue Mingqing could persevere in becoming stronger and remember the cultivation Shrek had provided him, then where he grew up and who taught him to succeed were of no importance to Mu En.

In any case, even if Xue Mingqing were to grow into a powerhouse, given his personality, he would never strike against Shrek Academy.

Since that was the case, he was more than happy to be spared the trouble of helping Xue Mingqing hunt for a ring.

However, while he was free from trouble, Xue Ningxian was currently suffering from a headache.

The reason was simple.

She had just tested him, and Xue Mingqing's current physical constitution was more than enough to absorb a 5,000 to 6,000-year spirit ring.

But the problem was that the spirit beast enclosure within Blizzard City only housed beasts up to just over 5,000 years old.

Furthermore, it was still unknown whether any of them would be suitable for Xue Mingqing.

If one were suitable, that would be fine; a lower age limit wouldn't be unacceptable.

But if it weren't...

At the mere thought that she might have to run far outside the city to capture a suitable spirit beast for Xue Mingqing, a sharp pain throbbed in Xue Ningxian's head.

"Tsk... what a troublesome brat..."

"Fine, fine... let me go and see what that five-thousand-year spirit beast in the enclosure is first..."

"If it's not suitable..."

Having said this, Xue Ningxian let out a deep, orchid-scented sigh, turned around, and walked out of the City Lord's Hall.

A long sigh remained echoing in the air above the City Lord's Hall.

"Truly a born debt collector..."

On the other side.

Xue Mingqing had returned to his small courtyard after a long absence. Even though he had been away for half a year, his courtyard remained exactly as it was before he left.

Clean, tidy, and spotless.

Seeing this, the corners of Xue Mingqing's mouth couldn't help but curl upward.

It seemed his tsundere of a mother didn't dislike him as much as her words suggested.

With a light chuckle and a shake of his head, Xue Mingqing walked toward the stone bench in the yard, but...

Just as he was about to sit down, the gate to his courtyard was gently knocked.

Knock, knock, knock.

Hearing the sound, Xue Mingqing froze. He turned his head and looked over: "Who is it?"

A cold, indifferent, and always meticulous, melodious female voice sounded from outside the gate.

"It's dark; it's time for your medicinal bath."

Hearing this, Xue Mingqing's mouth twitched. He walked over, opened the door, and looked at Lu Xiaoxiao standing outside with a complex expression.

"Uh... Aunt Lu, we're back in Blizzard City now, and I'm on break. Can't you... give me a day off or something?"

After all, taking a medicinal bath wasn't just about soaking in it and waiting for the medicinal power to enter his body to strengthen it.

It wasn't that simple. While soaking in the medicinal barrel, Xue Mingqing not only had to actively use his spirit power to guide the medicinal energy into his body, but he also had to focus intently on refining every bit of that energy.

Otherwise, if too much medicinal power entered his body without being refined in time, it would only clog his meridians.

It would actually lower his cultivation speed and talent instead.

Therefore, to Xue Mingqing, the medicinal bath was not a rest, but another form of cultivation, albeit one with lower intensity.

And, upon hearing Xue Mingqing's words.

Outside the door, Lu Xiaoxiao, who stood with her hands behind her back and her full, proud curves standing out, gave Xue Mingqing a faint glance.

Then, she shook her head.

"No."

Looking at Lu Xiaoxiao's fair, smooth face, which lacked a single wrinkle and was almost indistinguishable from an ordinary mature woman—

Her long, narrow phoenix eyes filled with a trace of indifference, her tall and straight nose, and her pink, alluring lips that shimmered with a faint, enticing luster.

Xue Mingqing's throat bobbed instinctively, and he took a half-step back, his expression turning rather strange.

Is it an illusion...? Why do I keep feeling like Auntie Lu has become even better-looking...?

Seeing Xue Mingqing retreat, Lu Xiaoxiao took the opportunity to step into the courtyard, heading straight inside.

"Take off your clothes and prepare for the medicinal bath."

Her tone was indifferent and crisp. Lu Xiaoxiao took a bathtub filled with cyan-blue medicinal liquid from her soul storage device and set it down on the ground with a casual flick of her wrist.

Seeing this, the corner of Xue Mingqing's mouth twitched. What else could he say?

He couldn't beat Lu Xiaoxiao in a fight, and whenever he tried to reason with her, she would just hit him with the line that this was for his own good. What else was there to say?

Nothing at all.

With a long sigh, Xue Mingqing obediently stripped off his outer garments and walked toward the tub filled with medicinal liquid.

Great, another sleepless night...

And as for Lu Xiaoxiao?

She stood quietly beside the tub, supervising Xue Mingqing's medicinal bath.

To be honest, when she first learned that Shrek Academy was using her as a bargaining chip to keep Xue Mingqing, Lu Xiaoxiao had been somewhat displeased.

After all, no matter how loyal she was to Shrek or how much she had been indoctrinated by them, she still possessed the dignity of a Soul Saint.

When she was first tasked with interacting with Xue Mingqing, it had truly made her feel completely uncomfortable.

However, at this moment, as she watched Xue Mingqing—who was filled with helplessness yet resigned to his fate—climb into the medicinal tub, the corners of Lu Xiaoxiao's pink lips curled into a beautiful arc.

After spending so much time with this little monster, it seemed...

Staying by his side for a long time wouldn't be so bad, would it?

The thoughts in Lu Xiaoxiao's heart were like the wind and snow of Blizzard City: delicate, yet unlikely to be noticed by anyone.

Xue Mingqing was exactly the same at this moment.

Having shed his clothes to reveal his lean, muscular upper body, he sat cross-legged in the cyan-blue medicinal water, circulating his soul power to absorb the medicinal potency.

The next day.

Waking up from his cultivation, Xue Mingqing clenched his fists.

He felt the soul power within his body, which was so full it had reached its limit and was nearly overflowing.

At this, Xue Mingqing closed his eyes in resignation.

His soul power had been stuck at level 20 for over a month. If he didn't obtain a soul ring to break through the shackles, no matter how many medicinal baths he took, it would only strengthen his physical body without allowing his soul power to advance any further.

It was precisely because he knew this that Xue Mingqing was so resistant to the medicinal baths.

After all, not only did it fail to improve his cultivation, but he also had to divert his attention to refine the medicinal potency, otherwise, it would clog his meridians.

Who would want to do such futile work?

Basically, every time, the soul power Xue Mingqing gained from refining the medicinal potency was poured into Feng Qingyang, who was sleeping within his spiritual sea.

"Sigh... what kind of situation is this..."

Standing up from the tub, Xue Mingqing looked helplessly toward the stone bench in the courtyard not far away, where the stunningly beautiful Lu Xiaoxiao was resting her chin on her hand, eyes closed in a light slumber.

He couldn't help but let out another long sigh.

"Sigh... this is the agony of happiness..."