Chapter 106: She Gave Too Much

Xu Xi's voice was calm as he stated the established facts, but it was precisely these words that the young girl recuperating on the bed found difficult to accept.

"I…"

"How could this…"

Wu Yingxue's eyes were vacant.

From a high-and-mighty Commandery Princess to a fugitive.

The sudden change in status and the sharp turn of fate left her at a loss, even causing her to forget her own injuries.

"This shouldn't be possible. Clearly, I was the one who was attacked, yet I'm the one being wanted…"

"This isn't right, it's not right at all."

Her robes still emitted a faint scent of blood. Wu Yingxue muttered to herself, her right hand clutching her head and her brow furrowed, looking completely unable to accept the truth.

A Martial Artist's eyes should be bright and resolute.

But now, the girl's eyes held only hollow confusion and a faint, trembling fear.

"The officials are searching for you, which means the people who attacked you are from the Great Qian Imperial Court," Xu Xi said, finishing his thought. "Perhaps they are targeting you alone, but it's more likely they are targeting the person behind you."

Wu Yingxue had a powerful background.

Her father.

Prince Dingyuan of Da Qian.

Xu Xi had heard of that man's reputation—a powerful expert of the Xiantian Third Realm, a 'Seeing God' master whose internal Acupoints were illuminated by spirits, just half a step away from the Human Immortal Realm.

If something had happened to Prince Dingyuan, then the attack on the girl would make sense.

After all, as his direct Bloodline, it would be difficult for her to escape involvement.

"I…"

Her eyes dimmed and her lips parted slightly, but Wu Yingxue couldn't manage a full sentence for a long time until she fell into complete silence.

The news of becoming a fugitive was too bizarre.

It implied many terrible possibilities.

The most terrifying among them was that the Emperor of Da Qian could no longer tolerate Prince Dingyuan and had begun to purge everyone in the Prince's manor.

Just thinking of a few possibilities was enough to make the girl struggle with the massive shock. She sat on the bed with her head lowered, staring blankly at her hands.

Looking at her pale fingernails.

Looking at the lines on her palms.

Staring blankly in a daze.

"In the end, she's just a sapling that hasn't weathered any storms," Xu Xi sighed inwardly.

The girl seemed free-spirited and efficient, acting with caution and seriousness. When she first woke up, she even maintained a sense of vigilance toward Xu Xi; everything about her seemed so mature and steady.

But in reality, how mature could a sixteen-year-old girl truly be?

Some people are born precocious.

From a very young age, they are more confident and better at conversation than others.

This is an illusion. A bland life history and shallow past experiences had not provided the girl with any capacity to endure such a sudden disaster.

And so.

The girl shut herself off.

Was she fragile? Xu Xi didn't think so.

The events that had befallen the girl were indeed too shocking and bizarre; even Xu Xi was startled by them.

…

"Although some of the books in Qingniu Town are inaccurate, the vast majority can be trusted."

"According to the records, the members of the Great Qian Imperial Court's royal Bloodline all practice the same Cultivation Technique. Upon entering the Xiantian Realm, they possess the royal family's exclusive Azure Dragon Astral Qi."

"Because of this, the princes and nobles all revere the dragon pattern."

"It's almost certain now."

"This child indeed comes from a noble household."

He walked out of the inner room, leaving Wu Yingxue some private space.

Xu Xi grasped the spear leaning against the door. With a slight application of force, he lifted the heavy spear, which shimmered under the sunlight.

That ray of light was like a whispered touch.

It penetrated the silent body of the spear.

Casting a hazy phantom of a dragon pattern onto the floor tiles.

This exquisite craftsmanship and the dragon pattern exclusive to the royal family were enough to prove the girl's identity.

Xu Xi shook his head. He couldn't imagine what could have happened to cause Prince Dingyuan to fall, leading to the young girl being ambushed.

"Is that child really going to be okay?"

Xu Xi pondered.

Just then, the sound of a wooden door opening came from behind him. Wu Yingxue, her clothes and armor stained with blood, walked out of the room.

The 16-year-old girl had a strong character. After a brief moment of confusion, she had regained her fighting spirit.

She decided that once her injuries were healed, she would personally return to the capital to uncover the truth.

Until then—

"May I stay here?"

Wu Yingxue's eyes showed her strength as she earnestly requested Xu Xi, "I need time to recover. Please rest assured, I will pay you."

Xu Xi was just about to refuse.

Two bottles of Medicinal Pills were forced into his hand.

They were Earth-Grade Blood Qi Pills, which only Xiantian Martial Artists were qualified to possess.

…

[Seventh year of simulation, you are 22 years old]

[Seven years of time have allowed your strength to advance by leaps and bounds. In Qingniu Town, where Martial Artists are scarce, you are a young Genius whom everyone envies]

[Merchants flatter you, thugs fear you; you are known as the Qingniu Saber Hero]

[Qingniu Town is where you reside, and the saber is your weapon of choice]

[Every spring and winter, you fearlessly charge to the front lines of the Demon Tide, using battle to sustain battle and tempering yourself through the onslaught of numerous demons. In the eyes of others, however, this is a selfless display of protecting everyone]

[The entire town's people are deeply grateful]

[In the same year, you unexpectedly pick up a young girl. She claims to be the legitimate daughter of Prince Dingyuan. At only 16 years old, she is already a Blood Exchange Realm Martial Artist, with talent and Comprehension Ability that are both top-tier]

[You had no intention of getting involved, but she really gave too much]

[You went out]

[You confirmed the intensity of the officials' search]

[You discovered that the Great Qian Imperial Court doesn't care much about Qingniu Town; the so-called search was merely verbal questioning. You accepted Wu Yingxue's Medicinal Pills and allowed her to stay at your home to recover]

[Most of the time, the girl would sit alone in her room, silently contemplating the future]

[Occasionally, she would support her aching body and laboriously walk to the hall to watch you practice your punches day after day]

[Your training, which never changed and never stopped]

[Deeply shocked the girl's young heart]

[She had never seen anyone like you, who could persist in performing ordinary punches every single day. She wondered if you had gone mad to do such a thing]

His fingers clenched into a fist.

He gathered his strength and punched forward.

The moment the punch was thrown, a crisp whistling sound rang out.

That was the wind generated by the powerful punch. It struck a falling leaf precisely; with his intent following his Qi, the surface of his fist struck a tall Blue Steel Stone.

"Rumble!"

"Rumble!"

The stone first shook violently, then quickly turned into a vibrating hum.

One fast, one slow.

One tense, one relaxed.

"Whew—" Xu Xi stood in place, slowly withdrawing his punching stance. Hot air was exhaled with his breath, and the spirit in his eyes was piercingly sharp.

"Finally, with the help of the Earth-Grade Blood Qi Pills, I have successfully completed the Marrow Cleansing and Blood Exchange."

Xu Xi's expression was relaxed.

But at that moment, the girl walked out from the side room.

Her brow was furrowed, seemingly very displeased with Xu Xi's training method: "Hey you, Xu, practicing like this is useless. I have a family heirloom…"

The girl spoke up, wanting to teach him a secret Martial Skill from the Prince's manor to repay Xu Xi's kindness for sheltering her.

However.

Just as Wu Yingxue's palm instinctively rested on the rough surface of the Blue Steel Stone.

"…"

The massive boulder turned into powder, collapsing in the light breeze.

"?"