What if he simply took her away?
Brought her back to Lidu.
If she tried to escape, he could lock her wrists and ankles with black iron chains…
Countless dark thoughts flashed through Jia Huo’s mind, but in the end, he merely tossed the blade of grass he had mangled beyond recognition onto the ground and snarled viciously,
“You have no idea what you’ve just missed.”
The moment he finished speaking, his figure vanished from the spot.
An Jin shook her head with a smile.
What a strange person.
She turned to head back toward Jianfeng when a figure dressed in white suddenly appeared before her.
An Jin blinked in surprise.
“Master?”
Xi Qing’s brows were slightly furrowed.
A moment ago, he had sensed a trace of demonic aura. Yet when he followed it, the only person he found was his youngest disciple.
He gave a slight nod.
“There are many outsiders coming and going because of the Hundred Sects Tournament. Your cultivation is still weak. Since you aren’t participating, stay quietly on Jianfeng and do not wander outside.”
If demons had truly infiltrated the sect, someone at her cultivation level would be in grave danger.
However, he chose not to mention the demonic aura lest he frighten her.
The smile on An Jin’s face faded slightly.
She had not expected her master to come all this way just to tell her that.
“Don’t worry, Master. I was already planning to do that. I won’t go around embarrassing you.”
Her head lowered.
Xi Qing could not see her expression, only the ribbon tying her black hair.
For some reason, irritation rose within his normally tranquil heart.
That was not what he meant.
Yet he found himself unable to explain.
In the end, all that remained was a quiet sigh.
…
When Xi Qing returned to Wuya Hall, he found an unexpected guest waiting inside.
A man dressed in black sat calmly before the desk, pouring himself a cup of tea.
Xi Qing’s gaze fell upon the opened tea tin on the table.
His expression darkened.
“What do you want?”
Guan Hen lifted his eyes.
“I saw that child today.”
Xi Qing’s movements froze.
Both men knew exactly who he meant.
The hall fell into dead silence.
Guan Hen slowly spoke.
“I have held the Star Compass for many years. I know better than most that one should not interfere with fate. Yet both you and the Jian Family came to me seeking guidance.”
He paused.
“And lately… I’ve been feeling increasingly uneasy.”
Weariness showed plainly in Xi Qing’s eyes.
His voice sounded dry.
“We did it for the cultivation world.”
No one had forgotten the horrors of the demons.
During that great war, the skies had been shrouded in darkness. Spiritual energy withered. Life vanished.
His master, Daoist Lingyuan, had died.
His junior brother, Jian Hui, had his dantian destroyed and his Dao heart shattered.
People often praised Xi Qing Venerable Swordmaster for defeating the Demon Lord with a single sword strike five hundred years ago.
But that was merely the embellishment reserved for victors.
Without his master’s sacrifice, Xi Qing might never have achieved victory.
If the Demon Realm rose again, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Guan Hen took a sip of tea.
The fragrance was rich and elegant, with a lingering sweetness after swallowing.
Even more precious was the dense spiritual energy contained within it.
From cultivation to harvesting, from processing to storage, every step required painstaking care.
It was obvious how much effort had gone into it.
Guan Hen sighed softly.
“I understand.”
“But we still wronged that child.”
He looked at Xi Qing.
“What do you think of her?”
After a long silence, Xi Qing replied,
“Pure-hearted. Talented.”
Guan Hen’s hand trembled slightly as he set down his teacup.
His all-seeing eyes remained fixed on Xi Qing for a very long time.
…
The lectures lasted three days.
The Main Peak bustled with activity, while An Jin remained alone on Jianfeng.
Cultivation was a lonely pursuit.
Sitting cross-legged upon a stone bed, she circulated her spiritual energy and suddenly noticed a tiny green sprout inside her dantian.
As if sensing her spiritual energy, the little sprout happily swayed its leaves at her.
Searching through the original owner’s memories, An Jin discovered that the sprout had been brought back from Jianyue Sect’s Blessed Land.
Jianyue Sect was recognized as the foremost sect in the Nine Provinces not only because Xi Qing had repelled the demons five hundred years ago.
It was also because of this Blessed Land.
The place was said to have been passed down since ancient times.
It opened once every ten years.
All inner disciples of Jianyue Sect were allowed to enter and seek their own opportunities.
The last opening had occurred four years ago.
That year, Xiao Jiang, the sect’s chief disciple, obtained the famed Heart-Questioning Sword Intent.
Jian Fei’er acquired the semi-immortal-grade Phoenix Cry Sword.
Among all the disciples who entered, only the original owner returned seemingly empty-handed.
She became the laughingstock of the entire sect.
But in truth, she had accidentally entered an inheritance site.
Afterward, the green sprout appeared within her dantian.
She simply never knew what it was.
An Jin asked curiously,
[System, what is this?]
[This is the lost Great Spring Restoration Art.]
[You’re a dual Water-Wood spiritual root cultivator. You aren’t suited for the path of a sword cultivator at all, but you’re extremely suited to becoming a healer.]
[A healer?]
An Jin pondered.
In the cultivation world, sword cultivators and spell cultivators were considered the strongest.
Healers were far from mainstream.
Only the Danxin Medicine Sect in Yuzhou accepted a small number of healer cultivators.
Even then, healer cultivators were viewed as somewhat useless since most cultivators relied on pills to recover from injuries.
The System continued,
[Healer cultivation has been declining for over a thousand years. The Great Spring Restoration Art was the supreme technique of healer cultivators. It’s perfect for your current body.]
An Jin frowned.
[So how do I cultivate it?]
[Although it acknowledged the original owner, she never received the complete inheritance. Try dripping a drop of blood onto the leaf.]
Following the System’s instructions, An Jin projected her consciousness into her sea of consciousness.
She bit her fingertip and let a drop of blood fall onto the leaf.
Brilliant green light erupted instantly.
The next moment, countless unfamiliar memories flooded her mind.
The more she learned, the more shocked she became.
The Great Spring Restoration Art could heal ordinary injuries.
It could even repair damaged dantians.
Not only could its cultivators remain clear-headed and immune to demonic corruption, they could also awaken cultivators already afflicted by demonic energy.
The reason demons were so terrifying was because demonic energy assimilated cultivators, causing them to lose reason and fall into demonic cultivation.
Once contaminated, recovery was believed impossible.
This technique would be incredibly useful to her.
After all, she was destined to be taken to the Demon Realm in the future.
Maintaining her sanity would be crucial to completing her mission.
After understanding the technique, she asked another question.
[If healer cultivators are so powerful, why did they decline?]
[A thousand years ago, healer cultivators needed the protection of powerful cultivators to survive. Those without protection were constantly hunted and fought over. Over time, fewer people became healer cultivators.]
[Even fewer possessed the constitution required for the Great Spring Restoration Art. After the technique was lost, healer cultivators weakened significantly. Eventually, almost nobody chose that path anymore.]
Since she had nothing else to do, An Jin began cultivating according to the inheritance.
Time passed unnoticed during cultivation.
When she finally opened her eyes again, it was the third day.
To her delight, she had successfully reached Foundation Establishment.
The green sprout in her dantian had grown larger as well.
Her skin seemed clearer and more translucent, carrying a faint jade-like glow.
More importantly, her entire body felt lighter.
No wonder everyone dreamed of becoming immortal.
Instead of continuing her cultivation, An Jin headed toward an obscure side peak within Jianyue Sect.
Because she knew exactly why the original owner had chosen the Great Spring Restoration Art.
It was for one person.
…
The Main Peak sat atop a spiritual vein.
Spiritual plants flourished there.
In contrast, this nameless little peak was barren and desolate.
Nothing existed here except a small wooden cabin.
A leafless tree stood before it.
Beneath the tree sat a man playing chess against himself.
He wore a dark violet robe with wide sleeves.
His long hair was loosely tied with a wooden hairpin.
His appearance was refined beyond comparison.
Seeing him, An Jin smiled warmly.
“Martial Uncle Jian Hui.”
Among everyone in Jianyue Sect, Jian Hui had probably treated the original owner the best.
When she first arrived at Jianfeng at six years old, she had not yet entered cultivation.
She still needed food.
Yet her master ignored her.
Her senior sister paid no attention to her.
Everyone forgot she needed to eat.
She often cried from hunger.
It was Jian Hui who had given her fasting pills.
Without them, she might have starved to death on Jianfeng.
Hearing her voice, the man finally raised his head from the chessboard.
A gentle smile appeared on his lips.
“You came at the perfect time. Play a game with me.”
“Alright.”
An Jin sat opposite him and placed a white stone on the board.
At the same time, she remembered her true purpose.
“How has your health been recently, Martial Uncle?”
Back then, Jian Hui and Xi Qing had been known as the Twin Prodigies of Jianyue Sect.
Unfortunately, he had been gravely injured during the war against the demons.
Though he survived, his dantian shattered.
He could no longer cultivate.
His body became even weaker than that of an ordinary mortal.
Jian Hui’s expression remained calm.
“It can’t get much worse.”
An Jin’s chess skills were mediocre.
Before long, her white stones were completely trapped.
Her attention drifted away from the game.
Back then, Jian Hui and Xi Qing had both topped the Glory Rankings.
Xi Qing became a legendary hero after the war.
Jian Hui faded into obscurity.
Such a contrast was difficult for anyone to accept.
Especially for someone as proud as Jian Hui.
Cultivation was already a battle against heaven itself.
Countless geniuses existed.
Even more geniuses fell.
The original owner had always searched for a way to repair his dantian.
That was why she chose the Great Spring Restoration Art.
Suddenly, An Jin spoke softly.
“Martial Uncle, I think I can repair your dantian.”
“Ambitious.”
Jian Hui rested his chin on one hand and smiled as he placed another chess piece.
She had said similar things before.
He had never taken them seriously.
An Jin gazed at him earnestly.
“I’m serious.”
She had already mastered the basics of the Great Spring Restoration Art.
Standing, she walked over and crouched before him.
Then she placed a hand over his dantian.
Jian Hui’s eyes darkened.
He grabbed her wrist.
Looking into her clear eyes, he asked quietly,
“What are you doing?”
The position was highly suggestive.
Yet she seemed completely unaware.
An Jin smiled.
“Martial Uncle, trust me.”
Warmth flowed from her soft fingertips.
Gentle green light bloomed from her palm.
For the first time in five hundred years, Jian Hui felt spiritual energy within his dantian.
His cultivation surged upward.
Qi Refinement.
Foundation Establishment.
Golden Core.
Nascent Soul.
Only then did it stop.
Before his dantian had shattered, he had been a Divine Transformation cultivator.
Now he was merely one major realm below his former peak.
The calm expression on Jian Hui’s face shattered instantly.
He sprang to his feet.
The chessboard overturned.
Pieces scattered everywhere.
Countless emotions flashed through his dark eyes.
His breathing became uneven.
“How… did you do this?”
For five hundred years, he had traveled throughout the Nine Provinces.
He had searched every ancient text imaginable.
Long ago, he had abandoned all hope.
Yet this girl, not even twenty years old and only recently at Foundation Establishment, had restored his ruined dantian so effortlessly.
And of all people…
It was her.