Níng suddenly remembers that she still has to return.
She stands up and turns to Aomi, but before leaving, she asks, “Hey, Aomi. Are you going to stay in this camp?”
Aomi pauses to think for a moment before nodding.
“Yes. I’ll be staying here for a few days.”
Níng’s eyes light up.
She rushes over to him with an excited smile.
“Then why don’t you come to the Xue Sect?”
Aomi considers her offer before nodding.
“All right. But where will I stay?”
Níng tilts her head and grabs his hand without hesitation.
“Don’t worry! You can stay at my house. I have an extra bedroom!”
Without another word, she leads him down the hills toward the Xue Sect, with Aomi following quietly behind her.
…
From a distance, the Xue Sect gradually comes into view.
It is a city built into a massive hill, with towering walls surrounding its sprawling grounds.
Countless buildings stretch across the slopes, while a grand sanctuary lies nestled within the mountain at its summit.
Aomi gazes at the sight with his usual indifferent expression.
Níng proudly points toward the city.
“This is the Xue Sect! Huge, right? I knew you’d love it!”
Aomi merely nods, his gaze fixed on the city as they approach its entrance.
Beyond the walls, the scenery is even more impressive.
A long flight of stone stairs winds up the hillside, leading toward the sect’s sanctuary hidden within the mountain.
Gardens flourish near the entrance, their greenery adding a touch of tranquility to the surroundings.
However, the higher they climb, the more the scenery gives way to rows upon rows of buildings.
Training grounds are scattered throughout the sect, where disciples can be seen practicing their techniques.
Aomi silently takes everything in.
Eventually, Níng stops in front of a house and pushes open the door.
“This is my home! Come in!”
Aomi pauses, slightly taken aback.
Most sects he knows of provide their disciples with communal dormitories or designated residences.
Yet, judging by the layout of this place, the Xue Sect seems to operate under a somewhat different system.
Interesting.
This sect appears to have its own way of doing things.
He follows Níng inside.
The interior is modest but comfortable.
She leads him through the hallway before stopping in front of a room.
“And this is your room!”
She swings the door open, revealing a neatly arranged bedroom.
Aomi takes a quick glance around before turning to her.
“Thanks.”
Níng smiles brightly and waves at him before leaving the room, allowing him to settle in.
But while the sect rests under the cover of night, Aomi remains awake.
He spends the entire night reading through every piece of information he can find about the Xue Sect and the recent events surrounding it.
…
The following morning, Aomi sits hunched over on the edge of his bed, exhausted.
Seo’s voice suddenly rings inside his mind.
“Aomi~ Don’t overwork yourself, honey. You won’t get enough rest like this.”
Aomi ignores her and rubs his tired eyes before looking out the window.
His gaze drifts across the surrounding buildings as he organizes the information he gathered throughout the night.
So, the Xue Sect and the Huo Sect are arranging a marriage between their sect masters’ children to secure an alliance, huh?
What a pity.
Apparently, the daughter of the Huo Sect isn’t willing to go along with it.
A faint smile forms on his face.
Ha.
Now that’s interesting.
Sooner or later, both sects will crumble, and I’ll become an immortal once again.
He slowly rolls his head to the side, staring at the wall beside him.
“I gave up everything. Now, I’ll start again.”
His voice is quiet, yet his resolve remains unwavering.
“One hundred and fifty years to become an immortal, huh? No worries. I’ll do it faster this time.”
He glances down at his hands, examining the young body he now inhabits.
“This body is young. Its aptitude is B-rank. My previous body only had C-rank aptitude, yet I still became a Rank Four Spiritual Demon.”
His expression gradually hardens.
“No matter how far I fall, I’ll always rise again. In the end, I’ll win.”
His eyes darken as he sinks deeper into his thoughts.
Suddenly—
“AOMI! I BROUGHT YOU SOME FOOD! AND GOOD MORNING!”
Níng bursts into the room, startling him so badly that he flinches.
Aomi slowly straightens his back and rises from the bed.
“Morning.”
Níng places a tray of food on the table before turning to examine him.
“You look half dead! What happened to you?”
“Nothing much. I couldn’t sleep well,” he replies tiredly.
“It’s a new place.”
Níng nods in understanding.
“Right.”
She pulls out a chair and sits down with him.
For once, she doesn’t bombard him with questions or drag him into anything.
Instead, the two eat together in comfortable silence.
Aomi occasionally glances at her while eating.
This person is ridiculous.
She can act like an overexcited puppy, a miserable little puppy, or a rabid dog.
And right now…
she’s a house dog.
He quietly shakes his head and returns his attention to his food.
Outside, the morning sun climbs higher, and warm light gradually fills the room.
Eventually, they finish their meal.
Níng gathers the trays while Aomi watches her in silence.
“Hey, Níng.”
She stops and looks back at him.
“Yes?”
Aomi hesitates for a moment before asking, “How do you feel about being a Spiritual Master?”
Níng’s face immediately brightens.
“Well, I feel great!”
She places the tray back on the table and begins explaining with growing enthusiasm.
“I love meeting strong people, and I love fighting! It’s like war is a song to me. When I’m on the battlefield, I feel amazing! And when I get to fight someone strong…”
Her eyes sparkle.
“I get SO excited about beating them!”
Aomi listens without interrupting.
After she finishes, he quietly nods.
Níng picks up the tray again and leaves the room, seemingly satisfied with her answer.
Aomi watches her disappear through the doorway.
So, she’s a born demon.
She loves fighting.
That explains why she killed her own companions yesterday.
His expression remains impassive as he recalls the events on the hills.
She must have a thirst for blood that occasionally gets the better of her.
No wonder she lost control back there.
He leans back slightly, his thoughts drifting toward memories of Earth.
I remember people like this from my previous life.
They were sometimes called psychopaths.
But Níng isn’t necessarily one.
She’s simply…
close to that sort of temperament.
He pauses, considering her behavior more carefully.
She’s not completely insane.
There’s just something twisted about the way she becomes so excited over fighting.
There were explanations for such behavior on Earth.
Certain biological factors could influence how people experienced pleasure and excitement.
His gaze shifts toward the open doorway.
Still, this is a world where violence is commonplace.
Perhaps that’s why she has never learned to restrain those instincts.
He stretches both arms above his head and lets out a long yawn before standing up.
Besides, she has an extraordinary physique.
That might explain some of her physical advantages and perhaps even contribute to her fiery personality.
She could prove useful in the future.
His expression returns to its usual indifference.
But for now, I have somewhere else to be.
Aomi walks toward the window and gazes into the distance.
Beyond the sect’s walls, far across the hills, lies the battlefield from yesterday.
The dead have yet to be cleared away.
And among those corpses are countless possessions, spiritual stones, and other resources waiting to be claimed.
Aomi’s eyes narrow slightly.
Time to visit that land of the dead.