[A/N: I tried to add some action and give Xiang Yun a little more personality. Let me know if it's good like this or if I need to go back to the previous pace.]
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After everything was done, Xiang Yun walked Xiao Ning'er to her home, ensuring she arrived safely, before returning to the inn himself.
Night had already fallen, and a comforting silence blanketed the streets of Glory City. Upon entering his room, Xiang Yun removed the heavy clothes of the day, feeling the accumulated fatigue.
After a refreshing bath that washed away not only sweat but also the day's tensions, he sat on the bed in a lotus position. His muscles relaxed as he closed his eyes, immersing himself in meditation.
He wanted to fully recover his soul power before refining a few more pills—ones he intended to send to his parents.
The night passed like that.
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The next morning, the first rays of sunlight barely peeked through the cracks in the window when Xiang Yun awoke, feeling refreshed.
He took the fifteen porcelain vials that contained the pills he had refined with such care, and with a swift motion, stored them in a spatial ring and sent them to his parents.
His parents were still Gold Rank spiritualists—strong by current standards—but Xiang Yun knew that within a few months, they would be like any other average spiritualist in Glory City, with little power or influence amid the rising wave of new geniuses.
Moreover, to truly protect them, he needed to find superior cultivation techniques.
The ones they currently possessed had a ceiling at Five-Star Black-Gold Rank. His father was already approaching that level, while his mother was still a bit behind.
The pills would help accelerate their advancement but wouldn't be a permanent solution. Still, it wasn't an urgent matter for now.
First, he needed to resolve the issues here and increase his own influence. Only then—stronger and more experienced—would he return to assist his parents with even more effective methods.
With his thoughts in order and a clear plan in mind, Xiang Yun left the inn.
He was walking calmly through the street when, a few meters ahead, a soft and familiar voice called his name:
"Xiang Yun!"
He turned, and a genuine smile formed on his lips as he recognized Xiao Ning'er approaching.
"Ning'er?" he replied instinctively, his tone revealing the growing familiarity between them.
Xiao Ning'er blushed lightly upon hearing her name spoken so intimately by him, but she didn't correct him. Instead, her smile grew slightly wider.
"Xiang Yun, are you going to the library again?" she asked, her voice a bit more confident now, her eyes shining with sweet curiosity.
Xiang Yun shook his head, and for a moment, his gaze lingered on her smile, getting lost in the delicate features of her face.
Xiao Ning'er blushed under his gaze but was happy to have that effect on him.
Xiang Yun found himself distracted, and the image of the previous night—her skin as white as jade and her soft, delicate figure—rose unbidden in his mind, causing a faint stir within him.
But he quickly composed himself, letting his eyes roam over her figure with more attention. That's when he noticed something different.
"Ning'er, did you... did you become a Bronze Rank spiritualist?" he asked, surprised by the spike in her spiritual power.
A glint of pride and gratitude lit up Xiao Ning'er's face.
"Yes! It's all thanks to the cultivation technique and the medicinal pills you prepared for me. Without them, my progress wouldn't have been this fast," she replied, her voice full of sincerity, not knowing how to express her immense gratitude.
"It's not really because of me. You're very talented and work hard on your own... This is the result of your own efforts," he replied.
When their eyes met again, and hearing that sincere praise, Xiao Ning'er felt a warmth rise to her face. She quickly lowered her head, a subtle blush coloring her cheeks, as if even eye contact with Xiang Yun was too much to handle.
Meanwhile...
At that exact moment, not far away, Ye Ziyun and Shen Yue were walking together, but their steps halted abruptly when they spotted Xiao Ning'er and Xiang Yun.
Ye Ziyun watched the scene unfold between the two with a pang of curiosity and a faint melancholy in her heart. "Since when did they get so close?" she thought, noticing the sparkle in Xiao Ning'er's eyes—a smile she hadn't seen in a long time.
"Hmph!" Shen Yue, however, felt nothing but irritation.
His eyes narrowed at the atmosphere of intimacy between the two. The mere sight of Xiang Yun beside Xiao Ning'er was like slow poison running through his veins. He clenched his fists, his jaw tight.
"What the hell does Xiao Ning'er think she's doing?" he growled, his voice low and full of contempt. "That promiscuous girl! Doesn't she know she's staining the reputation of my Sacred Family?!"
Ye Ziyun frowned at Shen Yue's aggressive tone. "Shen Yue, control yourself. Don't speak of Ning'er like that," she said softly, though it carried the weight of a warning.
But Shen Yue was beyond reason. He stepped forward, striding angrily toward Xiang Yun and Xiao Ning'er.
His face was twisted with rage and jealousy. "Xiao Ning'er!" he called sharply, drawing their attention. "What do you think you're doing walking around with that... that bastard?!"
Xiao Ning'er raised her head, her shy expression replaced by one of annoyance. "Shen Yue, what do you want?" she asked coldly.
Shen Yue ignored her, his eyes locked on Xiang Yun with contempt. "And you, you bookworm! Do you even know who you're messing with? Xiao Ning'er is engaged to my brother, Shen Fei! You have no right to approach her—your filthy presence disgraces the Sacred Family!"
His voice rose, attracting the attention of passersby. "Step away from her right now, or I swear I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget!" His words dripped with threat and humiliation, and Shen Yue looked ready to attack at any moment, body tense, hands clawed.
Xiang Yun stared at him, the smile vanishing from his lips, replaced by a cold, unwavering expression.
The air around them seemed to chill.
"Hahaha. What a fine Sacred Family," he muttered, words laced with biting sarcasm. "Seems like they don't know how to train their dog properly... so let me do it for them."
"You—!!"
Xiang Yun's words were like gasoline poured over the already blazing fire of Shen Yue's fury. The insult toward his family and the contempt in his tone made Shen Yue snap. His eyes widened, bloodshot with rage. "You... you trash! How dare you?! I'll kill you!"
With a feral scream, Shen Yue lunged, blinded by rage, hands outstretched. His goal was clear: grab Xiang Yun by the throat and crush the arrogance out of him. He charged with all his might, fingers ready to strangle.
But Shen Yue's speed was no match for Xiang Yun's calm and agility. The moment he was inches away, Xiang Yun moved. Like lightning, his hand intercepted Shen Yue's outstretched arm, redirecting the attack with controlled force. The strike, meant to be lethal, merely sliced through the air beside Xiang Yun's handsome face.
Before Shen Yue could even register what happened, Xiang Yun's hand moved faster than he could follow, grabbing him by the neck with unrelenting grip.
Shen Yue gagged, throat compressed, panic flooding his eyes. He struggled, but he was trapped, unable to move.
"Xiang Yun, you better let me go or your family—" he tried to shout, but only nonsense came out of his mouth.
Xiang Yun paid no attention to his words. Instead, he glanced at Ning'er, who was watching in surprise nearby. "Ning'er, do you hear that barking? Sounds like a crazy dog." He smiled, making Shen Yue nearly cough up blood.
Then he moved.
With a swift, precise motion—Bang!—Xiang Yun's foot shot up and struck Shen Yue in the stomach with devastating force. A hollow, painful sound echoed.
Shen Yue's back arched, eyes bulging, and he spat out a mix of saliva and blood as he was sent flying like a rag doll.
Bang!
"Argh!"
He landed with a heavy thud several meters away, writhing and coughing in a puddle of his own shame and pain.
Cough! Cough!
The scene had unfolded in seconds—too quickly for most onlookers to react.
But for Ye Ziyun, watching in horror, time seemed frozen. She hadn't expected an actual fight—maybe some shoving, a few punches—but not this.
The strength and power Xiang Yun had displayed shocked her.
She knew Shen Yue as one of the most promising young masters in Glory City, someone who was close to becoming a Bronze rank Spiritualist. But against Xiang Yun, he had been dispatched with humiliating ease, as if he were nothing. Ye Ziyun's eyes widened in complete surprise—and a hint of unexpected admiration.
Still, deep down, she was quite pleased. Shen Yue was always following her around trying to win her over—serves him right to get beaten up a little.
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[A/N: Thanks for reading. Please leave a review or an idea. I'll be reading for inspiration.]