Closed Doors-
.
"Girl, what happened to you? No, wait don't tell me.." Shen Yue paused. "..you fell down some stairs. Some really strong stairs. Feminine stairs from the looks of that scratch and dainty hand mark on your face. Did you give as good as you got?" He had a smile on the entire time. His hand touching the bruise over.
*Bzzt!* Small traces of blue lighting spirit energy left his fingertips.
"Shut up!" Shen Xiu bellowed. "This is your fault!" She winced in pain a little from the energy that entered from Shen Yue. "Easy there! I am delicate!" The fiery look in her eyes died down seeing the concentrated look Shen Yue had on her treatment.
"This energy is not from an Alchemist. Lacks any medicinal properties in the attack."
"I was attacked by Elder Shen Yuan when leaving the Alchemist Assoc." Shen Xiu was agitated once more. "He didn't like I sold such promising ingredients instead of handing them over to the family. He didn't dare attack me but some others seeking benefits did." There it was, the rage and humiliation of having someone you trusted hurt you.
"Do you wanna continue on this foolish path of being laughed at by your peers and taken advantage of so easily by family?" Shen Yue channeled the Star Martial Arts with his Flame Vortex Lighting to heal her deeper after finding some more lingering injuries. Watching it carefully enough to keep her cultivation from getting damaged. "Taken advantage of by your family in a bad way was not enough to help change your mind? Do you enjoy getting crushed by a pathetic person such as that?"
Shen Xiu trembled a bit. The muddle thoughts that had her fixated on family ties were slowly getting eroded away. The slight tingling of the lighting kept her focused enough to keep from falling asleep from the blood loss.
"Just let me help you. I bare a little fault for this." Shen Yue channeled the energy obtained from the demonic beast that were slowly under refinement in the Flame Vortex. "This will help with the blood loss. Just need you to take it easy for an hour. Well, act ill for a few days to throw them off and take the chance to strike back. You will actually have a higher level of strength after. Looks like you pushed yourself hard when fighting back. Good thing you didn't go back to the Sacred Family..."
"Tsk, how can you help me? What do you have that will change what has happened?" Shen Xiu was able to feel the change as she reflects on the fight. She was able to do a lot of damage before a Gold Rank expert got involved. Even then she did some damage that he won't forget to a certain special area. "Just these few tricks won't change things."
Doubt caused by confusion as Shen Yue was definitely different than before even more so she noticed. Not much to be done about it now however.
"I can help you understand a little of your flaws to make you stronger. A different perspective on what you think will help you. Like what I did with your Demonic Fusion. Let's not forget the changes with your Meridians." Shen Yue said enticingly. "All you have to do is trust me more."
Shen Xiu listens to the words as he continued to work on her. She didn't answer until he finished.
"Such a pity. But your life is your own. What is left of it anyway." Shen Yue stood up to leave. "Oh, the proceeds from selling the glass.." Shen Xiu tossed a ring at him. "Thanks. I will make sure I find something to compensate your.. strained relation with them."
"I agree you little.. she was about to say brat but felt the electricity in her body surge. "Yeowch! That hurts dammit!" Shen Xiu grabbed her side but noticed the wound was gone completely. As well as all the bruises. "Try a gentler approach!"
"Check that spirit of yours." Shen Yue waved over his shoulders. "And keep this little one with you for now." Letting out the Scarlet Flaming Fox Demon. It looked at Shen Xiu oddly for a bit. Sniffing her over in confusion. "It can help you understand your spirit more."
Checking the ring over, he was suprised at the Demonic coins piled inside. As well as a few Herbs. As well as a few Medical Books. Most likely couldn't afford to exchange any more coins at that time for the value of the item exchange. Defintely time to boost his cultivation up some more. As well as Shen Xiu's.
*Doom!* A echoed reverberated in Shen Yue. A "Connection" formed with Shen Xui. He no longer had to stress as much about her betraying him. It sucked that this had to happen for him to pull her over to his side though.
Sitting down in class, he created a few more glass pieces. These containing only violent energy inside them. No benefit would be obtained from taking the energy inside. The outer area had small beneficial energy, however.
'Best way to deal with some greedy people is by giving them exactly what they want.' Shen Yue had an evil glint in his eyes. Enough that Shen Xiu shivered when meeting his gaze. Next to him, Ye Ziyun shivered fearfully. She scooched further away from him a little. 'I will go over a small quick plan with Shen Xiu afterward. Let her give these to them.'
.
End of the Day-
.
The class was quiet as everyone tried to figure out what was going on with Shen Yue and Shen Xui. It had been quite a while since they both left.
Nie Lie whispered to his friends and momentarily everyone knew what happened to Shen Xiu. Nie Lie was not able to get all of it. But he heard what Shen Xiu told about the attack. He did not expect this to have happened. Defintely did not happen in that family originally.
It was chalked up to the few changes he implemented so far.
Shen Yue came back and sat down. Then Shen Xiu a few minutes later. Her clothes were different as they covered up any of the bruises from before. A small bandage was on her face where the smack was no longer visible. The class thinking she just used some healing balms.
Shen Yue made his way to the library immediately after class let out. Asking the librarian for help directed him in the right direction instead of wasting time. Gathering a few quick books to read over as he cultivated.
From the connection, he could tell Shen Xiu went back to the Sacred Family as agreed for now.
Shen Yue went into the woods to perform a sweep while reading the medical manuals over. The snake leading the hunt for strong beasts in the area. Still not finding any really. But quite a few beast herds were whittled down.
The meat will go well for his storage and the blood would help with getting the metal seed back to snuff. A few promising herbs were taken. Soil and all of course.
The hours spent on gathering, hunting, and reading went by quickly. So quickly nightfall was ready upon him.
.
A night encounter-
.
Xiao Ninger was deep in cultivation when Shen Yue came back around for another pass. He was not going to sneak up onto the girl so he announced himself.
"It is late at night, you might get sick dressed like that." Shen Yue walked over closer to her. Seeing a slight shiver, he sent some flame towards her but let it circle around far enough from causing an issue. "Working hard to change your destiny?"
"Of course, why are you out here so late?" Xiao Ninger wouldn't admit it but she was grateful for the heat.
"Checking on you. Such powerful energy fluxes you have." Shen Yue Astral Sense picked up Nie Lie approaching the current location. So he made it quick. "I can tell something is wrong but I will not pry. Just in the morning consume the energy inside of this." He passed a "crystal" over with a snowflake pattern on it. Inside was some of the Flame Vortex Star Dragon Core energy swirling around. "It will help relieve some of the pain."
As well as consume the frost lingering in her body. But she didn't need to know that.
"Thanks." Xiao Ninger took the crystal and stored it away in her sleeve. Curiosity getting the better of her she had to ask. "You are helping me besides just the matter of Shen Fei.. right?"
"Yup." Shen Yue moved in a different direction. Heading further into the wild. "You are a good role model for some people and hopefully you can help in the future with something."
"Help with what?"
"Taking back this little "tiny world" from the Demonic Beasts that are out there. As well as the other enemies out there." Shen Yue said looking back. His eyes containing lighting in them. "Strength will be needed before a Demonic Horde comes as well as the Dark Guild and... the others laying in wait."
Xiao Ninger was spellbound by the lighting in his eyes. Blinking, she missed Shen Yue disappearing but not missing Nie Lie walk up on her. She tucked away the crystal just in time.
"Just out for a walk.. don't mind me." Nie Lie gave an awkward smile. He could swear someone else was here. But he couldn't pick up anything. "Strange." His eyes looked around not detecting anything.
After a little talking, Nie Lie convinced her to allow him to help her. A little teasing and he made to depart.
As Nie Lie left she couldn't help but check over the crystal again. Taking a tiny part of the energy inside, she was surprised words played out. Detailing her condition as well as treatment for it. Which fit what Nie Lie suggested.
Albeit it quicker and a method included for her in the day time she could do to take care of her issues. With both helping her, she would be right as rain in no time.
'Shen Yue.. you could treat it but didn't. You knew Nie Lie was heading this way but left.' Xiao Ninger felt at a lost. She took off heading back home to think matters over fully. 'Did you think it best for Nie Lie to treat me instead of yourself truly? Or was there something else out there that you needed to tend to?'
Xiao Ninger had many questions but no answers for the time being. The little bit of "fire" she took in already working at her body. Making it slightly healthier. The cool air not affecting her at all.
The temptation to head the way Shen Yue went, was tossed aside once more. Part of her thought this all a Sacred Family trap. Arriving home she would run into an issue that would make matters worse in her mind.
.
Ah Stragglers-
.
Shen Yue came across a few Dark Guild members. Only reason he knew that, was because he recognized one of them. The talks they had amongst themselves confirmed it.
This was a situation he couldn't let pass by, Afterall, killing a few Dark Guild members and refining their bodies and souls would give information on the operations and who was doing what.
'Must be my lucky night.' Shen Yue had the Flaming Snake wait in the forest. It would attack those who approached or those that ran away. 'How should I fight them though?' Changing his clothes was the first thing to do.