The Night Hunt:
Walking back from Ning'er's home under the moonlight, I kept my illusion-crafted face in place. The streetlights cast long shadows as I wandered instead of rushing home. Five minutes into my leisurely stroll, footsteps echoed behind me.
Shen Fei emerged from the shadows with his two lackeys flanking him. Handsome enough to rival Ye Han if he actually bothered cultivating seriously, but his reputation preceded him. Rape scandals buried by family wealth and power. Now I was his next target.
"You've got a heavenly body but that ordinary face~ nature's cruel joke on commoners." His voice dripped with entitled arrogance. "Come willingly or we'll drag you."
I let fear creep into my expression. "Young Master Shen Fei, please show mercy. I'm... I'm still a virgin."
Victory gleamed in their eyes as they dragged me to a nearby inn. Familiar territory for them, apparently. The goons posted guard while Shen Fei shoved me inside, turning to lock the door.
One neck chop. The majestic silver-rank cultivator crumpled unconscious. Still need to work on my body cultivation.
I opened the door and knocked out the other two before they could react. A mental seal kept them unconscious. Back inside, I removed Shen Fei's pants and glanced at the source of all his problems. Sword intent condensed into a blade.
That's what you get for trying to rape me.
Healing potion from the alchemist guild cauterized the wound instantly. Flesh began growing over the severed area. Now he was just a dickless bastard.
Your noble roots are gone~ what value do you have now?
I tied his limbs to the bed, stripped the goons naked, and bound them together with him. After locking the door, I carved a sign: "Young Master Shen Fei orders you to gather a crowd and open this door at exactly 9 AM tomorrow."
The mental seal would lift at nine. He wouldn't feel physical pain until then.
I ran home without alerting anyone. Impulsive, maybe~ I could have just knocked them down and left. But my presence had already altered too many things. Non-interference was already broken.
In class, Xiao Ning'er sat beside me as usual. We'd grown quite close. Some students noticed, others didn't care. Class started at eight, and as nine approached, I whispered to Ning'er, "Listen carefully."
Ten seconds later, a scream so loud half of Glory City heard it echoed through the morning air, ending in a broken howl.
Two days passed. Rumors of the Sacred Family's young master spread like wildfire. The Winged Dragon Family demanded confirmation before withdrawing their engagement on grounds of immoral conduct. Other major families followed suit. Wanted posters of my feminine disguise plastered the city, but no one could identify the perpetrator. Similar-looking women were questioned, even beaten to test their cultivation levels. Nothing.
Shen Fei remained in shock and denial.
Ning'er approached me, noticeably more relaxed. "Was that necessary? It was... cruel."
"He and two others tried to rape me. I did it for myself and his previous victims. I didn't kill them." I studied her expression. "Judging by his reaction, he'll either become a deranged killer who tortures women, live in constant fear, or cultivate intensively to find a solution. The first option is most likely. If he chooses that path, I'll kill him."
"Don't speak of this outside. Act more aloof~ they might try to blame you."
Three more days brought minor confrontations throughout the city as accusations flew. Nie Li began doubting whether his involvement could cause such massive changes through butterfly effect. Fearing blatant assault, he went to the Alchemy Academy for the primary master exam, presenting three elixir groups and purple mist grass applications supposedly from his master.
I was there, acting amazed at his knowledge.
When questioned about his mysterious master, the alchemist elders began connecting dots to the recent attack on Shen Fei. Feeling guilty, I suggested keeping the source hidden from major families while giving Nie Li's family preferential treatment~ better alchemy material buyouts. These new pills meant better cultivation opportunities for Glory City.
The discussion reached the same conclusion. Nie Li received a sustainable income source, and his companions advanced to bronze rank one.
I seized the opportunity, displaying bronze rank cultivation and gaining permission to refine pills. The elders valued my ability highly~ I could keep five percent of production for myself. I refined superior flawless versions that formed pill veins and attracted pill clouds.
In my room, I consumed two of each pill type. That pushed my cultivation to gold rank two peak. Three days of body cultivation raised me to black gold rank.
I cultivated the law energies I sensed~ light and dark, space and time, motion and state, thunder, nihility. Understanding flowed from my power usage and heaven's knowledge. LoHP perfected everything instantly. In my soul sea, translucent vines extended from the sacred prismatic heavenly vine tree, controlling these conflicting law energies. They were essentially this world's runes.
Snow Wind Family experts inspected the fighter apprentice class. Nie Li remained silent without his usual sleeping issues, but caught an elder's attention. He later met with them, revealing and proving the forgery of Sacred Family's scarlet flame sunburst inscription. The elders informed the city lord. Nie Li was offered a librarian position considering his soul realm grade.
Shen Yue's engagement with Ziyun was also called off. Sacred Family faced hefty fines from the ruling Snow Wind Family for breaking multiple codes. Their family head was forced to emerge from seclusion.
Xiao Ning'er shared her cultivation technique with family elders, who began cultivating rapidly. I asked my father to release the techniques I'd gifted earlier to the rest of our family. I revised and added new ones, sending them via a loyal messenger I'd checked with LoHP.
I invited my girlfriend to my home~ this time she wore a mask. With improved array and runic knowledge, I recreated the transforming array to connect soul seas. I established a master-subordinate connection. She didn't know the specifics, but the benefits were real. I could use her breakthroughs to assist mine if needed, and vice versa.
I shared the Abyssal Lightning Dragon Canon~ a flawless cultivation technique higher grade than Nie Li's gift but still inferior to my Boundless Ascension technique. Cultivating with soul force transfer through our connected array, she broke through repeatedly to five-star bronze rank peak. Soul wings formed. Her body couldn't handle more, so she focused on stabilizing her foundation with prescribed medical baths.
My soul form achieved winged dragon transformation capability. My cultivation increased to gold third rank. Xiao Ning'er stepped into silver realm through my breakthrough.
A week passed. With my physique, I reached black gold rank peak body cultivation. Law energy and soul force circulated seamlessly through my body~ my power gained a huge boost. Concealment techniques could now hide law energy.
Another week brought Chen Linjian to our party. I showed off bronze rank cultivation and got admission to venture outside, requesting Ms. Xiao Ning'er's inclusion too. He teased me with a knowing smile~ people suspected we were together since we spent more time in class recently.
Three days later, Shen Yue's goons attacked Nie Li. He played victim perfectly, gaining Ye Ziyun's sympathy. Combined with her knowing about Sacred Family's inscription forgery from her father and Nie Li's displayed knowledge, she was clearly interested in him without Xiao Ning'er's interference.
Ye Ziyun approached me about being with Ning'er. I answered politely, showcasing modern wit among them. Ning'er and Ye Ziyun conversed and seemed reconciled.
Adventure day arrived. Nie Li somehow joined us. As we walked, Huyun Lanyaro approached me~ obviously attracted by my appearance and proximity to Xiao Ning'er. She teased me, but getting no response, used her demon spirit. I didn't halt. Disappointed, she approached Nie Li, pestering him while he laughed with Ye Ziyun.
Chu Yan, some random guy interested in Lanruo, called him trash and slave, flashing his red soul realm. "Know your place."
The challenge happened. Nie Li won. Huyun Lanyaro became more interested in him, pestering him further. Ye Ziyun joined my company with Xiao Ning'er at the party's back.
Ning'er teased Ziyun about it, then looked at me. "Should I tell her the truth about Nie Li?"
"Find valid reasons on your own if you're going to report such findings." I used subtle soul force manipulation to isolate our voices through our connected soul realm.
Xiao Ning'er explained her suspicions about Nie Li~ how different he acted compared to before, possessing knowledge no person of his stature could acquire in thirteen years. He acted like he knew all his friends, genuinely helping them train. I interjected:
"Nie Li also submitted translated ancient pill recipes for soul nurturing and spirit pacifying pills, claiming they're from his master who appears elusive. But I don't think he has a master. The alchemy association doesn't want to increase street chaos by linking his master's identity to whoever attacked Shen Yue~ theorized to be from outside our town."
Xiao Ning'er explained that even if Nie Li was a different soul, he only wanted Glory City's best. I added:
"You should confront him about it. Better when you're with us~ we don't know what would happen if he didn't want others to know. Currently he's weak. It's better your father doesn't know. He's the city lord~ paranoia is his companion. No offense. If he knew about soul seizure or possible reincarnation, he might connect it to dark guild where such practices are expected. Won't sit well with this guy if his intentions were good for Glory City. We'd lose a lot."
She knew about Nie Li's involvement in Sacred Family scandal, the higher-grade cultivation technique he provided, and his outrage against Shen Xiu in first class~ almost confirming our inference.
The rest of travel went as usual. We received Nie Li's warnings and assistance with various things. When we reached our destination, Sacred Family people began following us. Through Nie Li's early warning about dark guild, we escaped their attack.
Giant ape beasts attacked, but with help from me, Ning'er, and Nie Li, arrows effectively killed all smaller ones. The bigger one came~ a giant blue-armed ape beast. Nie Li lured it toward dark guild, but this time Ziyun, though worried, didn't follow him but us.
We were separated from the rest while running. Having the opportunity I'd waited for, I performed an enhanced soul sweep without giving away our position~ covering miles using concealment technique. Seeing the treasure entrance disguised as ruined buildings, I directed our movement there. We reached it by evening, hours early unlike the original plot.
Looking at the stele: "It's from holy empire's language. I don't know it well, but it has words meaning compliance and destroyed."
Under the girls' admiring eyes, I sent the transcribed note to Ning'er's mind. Girlfriend needed preferential treatment. Checking items in storage rings, I moved to the hole trap trigger.
The ground suddenly collapsed and we fell down.