Could this be the corrective force?

Ying Huaixu had yet to figure the matter out when the head of the Xu Family came to see them again.

"Greetings, esteemed immortals!"

Ying Huaixu merely nodded slightly.

Ye Ningshuang remained expressionless, but she rested one hand on her sword hilt.

The head of the Xu Family hurriedly explained why he had come.

Ying Huaixu smiled faintly.

So it was just as I suspected?

After the head of the Xu Family finished speaking, Ying Huaixu did not answer immediately. Instead, he looked at Ye Ningshuang.

Ye Ningshuang said without hesitation, "I'll follow Senior Brother's lead!"

Ying Huaixu nodded.

Of course, he also wanted to test whether his actions could change anything.

So Ying Huaixu refused!

The head of the Xu Family felt somewhat disappointed.

Still, he did not persist and took his leave.

Once the head of the Xu Family had gone, Ying Huaixu prepared to head upstairs and rest.

Ye Ningshuang suddenly caught the corner of Ying Huaixu's robe.

"Um, Senior Brother, I... I'd like to talk to you!"

Ying Huaixu nodded.

After they returned to the room, Ye Ningshuang seemed restless.

Several times, she tried to speak, but she did not know where to begin.

Ying Huaixu knew what Ye Ningshuang wanted to say. Seeing her struggle, he spoke directly. "When I killed those bandits, I simply struck. Not to punish evil or uphold justice, but because they wanted to kill me!"

"The power is in my hands. How I use it is my business. As for good and evil, that's for other people to judge. Of course, I don't care what anyone says. I just want to live. If someone doesn't want me alive, I'll slaughter him first!"

Ye Ningshuang froze, then instantly stopped resisting that feeling in her heart.

At the same time, joy welled up inside her.

Senior Brother... he's the same kind of person as me.

Perhaps having him by my side throughout this journey would be enough.

Then Ye Ningshuang recalled the scene of Ying Huaixu rescuing her from the wolf pack, and she could not help blushing.

She also felt that she understood Ying Huaixu now.

He might not be very willing to talk to me.

But he must have a place for me in his heart.

Otherwise, why would he have risked his life to save me?

"Senior Brother, you... you should get some rest. I'll turn in too!"

Ying Huaixu nodded.

However...

None of them slept particularly well that night.

The soundproofing in these old buildings really was fucking awful.

Moans and cries went on all fucking night.

Poor soundproofing was one thing, but these people were getting seriously wild.

Two couples chatted through the wall while going at it.

"Hey, next door! Not much stamina, huh? Done already?"

"Bullshit! Let's see who lasts longer!"

"You're on!"

Ying Huaixu was utterly dumbfounded.

Who the fuck told me people in ancient times were traditional?

These people are fucking wild.

Before long, morning arrived.

Both Ying Huaixu and Ye Ningshuang looked rather drained.

He Xiuyuan finally emerged from seclusion too.

"Hahaha! I've finally reached meridian opening!"

He Xiuyuan was thrilled.

Once they returned from this trip, he would become an inner disciple.

An inner disciple of the Divine Firmament Sword Sect, no less.

Yet Ying Huaixu was not remotely envious. His response was downright lukewarm.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother He!"

Ye Ningshuang sounded equally listless. "Congratulations, congratulations!"

He Xiuyuan's mood instantly soured.

But on second thought, it made sense.

As far as He Xiuyuan was concerned, Ying Huaixu could probably break through whenever he wanted.

Just like during their fight with the Phantom Night Wolf. If He Xiuyuan had not been too weak, Ying Huaixu probably would have kept hiding his strength.

As for Ye Ningshuang...

Her method of advancing was even more terrifying. Perhaps she could reach meridian opening effortlessly after killing a few more demonic beasts.

Compared to those two, he really had nothing to be proud of.

"Forget it, forget it. There probably aren't many monsters like you two in the entire cultivation world anyway!"

"But I'm a mighty meridian opening cultivator now, at least. How about calling me Senior?"

Ying Huaixu narrowed his eyes.

"Certainly, Senior He. But I never imagined you were this kind of man, He Xiuyuan!"

Meanwhile, Ye Ningshuang was considering her next cultivation plan.

Conventional cultivation would never let her catch up to Ying Huaixu.

So... Ye Ningshuang rested one hand on her sword hilt.

She remembered how it had felt to devour the Phantom Night Wolf's soul.

Perhaps that excitement in her heart was telling her that this was what she should do, that this was the path she ought to follow.

"Now that I'm a mighty meridian opening cultivator, let's head straight to Falling Radiance City and finish the mission as soon as possible!"

Ying Huaixu nodded.

But Ye Ningshuang suddenly said, "Before that, I'd like to improve my strength first. At the body tempering third layer, I feel like I'm holding you back!"

Naturally, Ying Huaixu had no objections.

As far as he was concerned, the stronger the protagonist became, the more comfortably he could coast.

He Xiuyuan nodded as well.

"As you should. Geniuses like you ought to get some proper experience!"

They then left the inn and headed straight toward the forest in the distance.

Before long, the roars of wild beasts echoed from afar.

Those roars continued for an entire day.

By now, He Xiuyuan's face had begun to turn pale.

Ye Ningshuang's behavior was just too fucking frightening.

Before this, Ye Ningshuang had been a delicate, pitiful beauty.

Yet overnight, she had transformed into an asura.

Whenever she spotted a demonic beast, she slashed at it with her sword.

And the real kicker was that her sword technique had reached fucking complete perfection.

A few days ago, it had only been at major mastery. Now it was at complete perfection?

What kind of fucking freak is she?

Moreover, He Xiuyuan once again witnessed Ye Ningshuang's absurd rate of advancement.

After slaying a demonic beast, Ye Ningshuang began devouring its soul.

At the same time, her cultivation rapidly climbed.

Body tempering fourth layer, body tempering fifth layer, body tempering sixth layer...

After a day of slaughtering demonic beasts, Ye Ningshuang had reached the body tempering sixth layer.

Three layers in a single day?

He Xiuyuan even examined her, which shattered his composure further.

Despite advancing like this, Ye Ningshuang not only had an exceptionally solid foundation, but her body was also far more formidable than others at her level.

But Ye Ningshuang felt it was not enough. Nowhere near enough.

"I need to kill more!"

Then, alone with her sword, Ye Ningshuang carved her way into the depths of the forest.

"Junior Sister, don't be reckless!"

He Xiuyuan hurried after her.

Ying Huaixu was dumbfounded too.

"No, no, fuck! It's broken! Her characterization is broken!"

Early in the game, Ye Ningshuang had been a bleeding-heart saint.

Her personality had only changed drastically after He Xiuyuan died horribly saving her and the Thousand Mechanisms Sect mocked her.

But now, why had this girl's personality changed ahead of time?

This shouldn't have anything to do with me, right?

Ying Huaixu hurried after her as well.

Yet once they reached the depths of the forest, both Ying Huaixu and He Xiuyuan froze.

Ye Ningshuang and Xu Yaoyang had actually run into each other here.

Most importantly, demonic beast corpses surrounded them both, and between them stood a spirit herb with a deep blue glow!

Ying Huaixu rubbed his brow.

"Well, damn. Even after avoiding the Xu Family, those two still met. Could this be the world's corrective force?"