Jade Pendant

Liu Qinghui was no simple woman, not some pretty vase.

She possessed above-average talent with Three Spiritual Roots. Though she was the same age as Ning Fa, she had already reached the seventh level of Qi Condensation.

More importantly, she had extraordinarily high talent in alchemy and was publicly acknowledged as the Ning Clan's number one alchemy prodigy.

Back when Ning Fa's former self had still been despairing over his inability to become a first-grade low-rank Pill Master, Liu Qinghui had already advanced to become a First-grade High-rank Pill Master two years ago.

In truth, she was already the Ning Clan's second-best alchemist. She merely lacked Wei Chengzong's experience; in terms of potential, Wei Chengzong was far inferior to her.

Wei Chengzong had long assessed that she was highly likely to become a second-grade Pill Master, perhaps even approaching the level of the Ning Clan's ancestor, Ning Chuyun, a Second-grade Mid-rank Pill Master.

Thus, although Liu Qinghui came from a vassal family of the Ning Clan, her standing within the entire Ning Clan was extremely high—not merely because she was the adopted daughter of the Ning Clan's Third Elder.

Though her status and treatment within the clan still fell short of those of the clan elders, she was already on par with the heads of the clan's ordinary halls.

Naturally, the Ning Clan would not let her leave. Third Elder Ning Zhongjiu had long declared that Liu Qinghui could choose any husband she desired within the clan.

Because of this, all the young talents in the clan who considered themselves worthy flocked to her like ducks to water, pursuing her fiercely. At present, Ning Ruiming appeared to have the greatest chance.

Ning Fa had originally thought Liu Qinghui might have come to ease their relationship, but he suddenly felt that something was off.

He was still nowhere near being a threat to her.

Given this woman's current status, there was no need for her to act so... ingratiating toward him, was there?

Seeing that Ning Fa had not touched the Osmanthus Cake on the table, Liu Qinghui let out a soft sigh. Her clear black-and-white eyes fixed on Ning Fa as she said quietly, "I can help you. I can make Ning Ruiming stop causing you trouble, and you can move into the Alchemy Hall without worry."

Ning Fa became increasingly convinced that this woman had ulterior motives. Smiling, he said, "How will you help me?"

"I'll go speak to Ning Ruiming. I believe he'll grant me that courtesy."

Liu Qinghui said, parting her cherry lips slightly.

Ning Fa thought to himself, If my former self had heard that, wouldn't he have been stifled to death by the humiliation?

He drawled lazily, "No need. Such a small nuisance can't stump me. Please leave."

Liu Qinghui pressed her cherry lips together. A mist of tears clouded her beautiful eyes, and her tone suddenly turned agitated. "Ning Fa, I had my own difficulties. The matter of breaking off the engagement before was not something I could decide. I will never forget how good you were to me."

With that, Liu Qinghui suddenly reached into her chest.

Ning Fa was startled. Could this green tea be trying to seduce him?

Then should he accept... or accept?

For a moment, Ning Fa felt rather troubled. For an upright gentleman like him, this was a tremendous test.

Yet Liu Qinghui pulled out half of a milky-white Jade Pendant tied with a red string from her chest.

A strange crystalline gleam bloomed in her eyes as she spoke softly. "Do you remember this half of the Jade Pendant? Back then, you obtained a complete Jade Pendant and split it in two, giving this half to me. I've kept it close to my body all these years. Do you still have your other half?"

After saying that, Liu Qinghui stared intently at Ning Fa, as though she wished to read something from his face.

Faced with Liu Qinghui's display of such deep affection and devotion, anyone else—especially that great sucker of a former self—might have already been moved and perhaps even let go of the barrier in his heart.

But Ning Fa was no ordinary man. He looked at Liu Qinghui with an indifferent expression, and his heart remained largely unmoved.

With his temperament, once someone had betrayed him, regardless of the reason, they had been sentenced to death in his eyes. They would never receive his forgiveness again.

Besides, did Liu Qinghui take him for a three-year-old child?

If the broken engagement had been decided by her father, then after his former self's parents had perished, when he had been in such dire straits, why had this woman never helped him even once?

She could have secretly sent him some spirit stones, at the very least. But the truth was that this woman had always treated his former self as though he did not exist.

"What Jade Pendant? I threw it away long ago."

Ning Fa said lazily. He then raised his head to glance at the moonlight and scoffed. "It's late at night. If you still won't leave, how about sleeping with me instead?"

The excitement on Liu Qinghui's face faded, and a flicker of disappointment passed through her beautiful eyes. She gave Ning Fa a deep look, then rose and left without another word.

After Liu Qinghui had gone far from Ning Fa's home, she suddenly stopped.

She stood on a path between several Spirit Fields. The spirit plants around her swayed gently in the breeze, while soft moonlight spilled across her face, adding a strange radiance to her lovely features, like an immortal maiden beneath the moon.

Her expression was calm as she suddenly said, "What do you think?"

The words came out of nowhere. Though she was alone, she sounded as though she were asking someone else a question, making the scene exceptionally strange.

At that moment, the half Jade Pendant tied with a red string flew out from Liu Qinghui's chest.

A faint white glow flickered across its surface, and a somewhat aged voice suddenly emerged from it. "This old man still sensed nothing."

A trace of confusion appeared on Liu Qinghui's lovely face. The aged voice continued, "It would have been one thing if this old man couldn't sense it when that boy was unconscious several months ago. But this is the time of year when this old man's soul power is at its strongest. If I still can't sense it now, then that half of the Jade Pendant is most likely no longer in that boy's possession. Besides, didn't you search his home without finding it when he was recovering from his injuries at his Paternal Uncle's home?"

Liu Qinghui said faintly, "That is most likely the case. Just now, I took out this half of the Jade Pendant to test him, and he showed no reaction at all... I had thought he would keep that half forever."

The aged voice scoffed. "You wounded that boy's heart so deeply that you even provoked such a drastic change in his temperament. What is strange about him throwing away your token of love?"

Liu Qinghui ignored the aged voice's mockery and asked in confusion, "If he did not have the Jade Pendant's help, how could he have suddenly gained enlightenment in alchemy? How could he improve his alchemy to such an extent in so short a time?"

The aged voice paused before replying dismissively, "There is nothing strange about suddenly gaining enlightenment. My master was originally exceedingly slow-witted in alchemy as well, but after attaining enlightenment one day, his alchemy advanced by leaps and bounds. Perhaps that boy is the same."

"Besides, this old man never believed that half of the Jade Pendant would retain an Artifact Spirit. This old man has never felt any sense of being split. Without an Artifact Spirit, that half of the Jade Pendant is merely a useless object."

Liu Qinghui fell silent at those words. Raising her head to gaze at the moon, she murmured, "Could he really have suddenly gained enlightenment?"

The aged voice muttered again, "If you ask this old man, rather than probing and guessing like this, why not simply capture that boy and interrogate him? Wouldn't you learn everything after forcing the truth out of him? That boy hasn't even reached the Qi Condensation Mid-stage. Dealing with him should take no effort at all for you."

Liu Qinghui shook her head and said evenly, "I might have tried before Ning Zhen'an injured him. But now that the Ninth Elder values him so highly, he may have bestowed some life-preserving treasure upon him. Besides, others saw me enter his home just now. I will not do something so risky."

The aged voice stalled. "Fine. You truly are as cautious as ever. For cultivators, that is both a flaw and a virtue. But if that boy really did attain enlightenment in a single day and his alchemy talent has greatly improved, aren't you afraid that he will threaten you in the future? After all, this old man is still very weak and cannot help you much. And that boy seems to hate you—and your father—to the bone."

A confident gleam flashed through Liu Qinghui's beautiful eyes. "He won't. I'm confident I can make him fall for me again, just as he did before."