Xiao Jietian controlled his Soul Power, shattering the Illusory Spirit Power within the medicinal liquid. Her soul body's consciousness returned, and she even subtly revealed a relieved expression.
"Concentrate your mind. I'll help you absorb the medicinal liquid."
Xiao Jietian directly infused his Soul Power into her soul, guiding her through the absorption process.
When Xiao Jietian's Soul Power touched her soul, she felt a warm and powerful force surge into her body, instantly dispelling the pain in her soul.
Xiao Jietian guided the medicinal liquid to flow slowly within her soul, repairing the damage.
As the medicinal liquid gradually diminished, she felt an unprecedented sense of ease and comfort.
Over time, all the medicinal liquid was absorbed, her soul trauma completely healed, and her soul body became incredibly solid.
"It truly is the peak of the Mortal Realm."
Seeing that there were no other issues, Xiao Jietian withdrew his soul from her consciousness space.
About five minutes later, she opened her eyes. They were now bright and spirited, and even her pale complexion had become much rosier.
She felt her soul renewed, full of vitality. Gratefully, she looked at Xiao Jietian and instinctively hugged him. "Thank you. You've saved me again."
"It's a small matter. You also gave me compensation, so we're even."
Xiao Jietian sensed her inner excitement. Her confident and strong personality made this period of weakness particularly unsettling for her.
"Alright, my clothes are getting wet."
Xiao Jietian gently patted her shoulder, joking softly.
Hearing this, she sprang away from his embrace, her face instantly turning red to the ears, like a cooked crab, completely crimson.
She lowered her head, turned away, not daring to look at Xiao Jietian, and softly wiped away tears of emotion, murmuring:
"I only did that out of excitement to thank you. Don't overthink it. Thank you."
"Also, I wasn't crying."
"Yes, whatever you say."
Xiao Jietian stopped teasing her. Leaning against the tree hollow, he looked at her back and asked, "How do you feel now?"
"My soul has completely recovered. There's no discomfort. In fact, my soul has grown quite a bit."
Setting aside her shyness, she carefully assessed her physical and soul condition.
"The growth is because your previous trauma can be considered breaking through and rebuilding, plus you absorbed the Illusory Spirit Power from the medicinal liquid. If you develop this Illusory Spirit Power further, you might gain unexpected rewards."
While helping her recover, Xiao Jietian's own soul had also absorbed a small amount of Illusory Spirit Power. If incorporated into a soul skill, it might even create illusions to disorient opponents.
"Indeed, this can be considered a blessing in disguise. How are you?"
She turned and looked at his slightly paler face, asking with concern.
"I'm fine. It's just ordinary soul consumption and mental exertion. A night's rest will do."
Guiding the medicinal liquid required extreme caution; one mistake could damage both their souls.
"Then you should rest quickly. My soul has recovered, so I'll stand guard tonight. Also, take this."
A jade bottle appeared in her hand, which she offered to Xiao Jietian.
"This is a fourth-grade pill, the Spirit Nurturing Pill, specifically for restoring vital energy and spirit."
Xiao Jietian accepted the jade bottle without ceremony, poured out one pill, and consumed it.
"Keep the rest. They're all for you."
She saw Xiao Jietian handing the remaining pills to her, shook her head, and spoke with a gentle smile.
"Alright, consider it an extra fee from you. Then I'll leave tonight to you."
Xiao Jietian put away the jade bottle, glanced at her, and slowly closed his eyes to rest and recover.
She sat opposite Xiao Jietian, her slender body leaning gently against the tree wall, her gaze soft and focused on his sleeping face.
Her arms were crossed over her chest, lost in thought, a faint smile occasionally appearing in her eyes.
Fourth day of the Secret Realm.
In the early morning, rays of sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves.
Xiao Jietian slowly opened his eyes. A night's rest had fully restored his spirit.
"You're awake!"
A soft voice rang in his ear.
Xiao Jietian raised his head and looked in the direction of the voice.
"Mm, thank you for your hard work last night."
"It's nothing. It's what I should do. It's not really hard work."
Xiao Jietian smiled upon hearing this, stood up, and stretched his body, making cracking sounds.
The two briefly washed up, ate a little something to fill their stomachs, and then continued deeper into the forest.
"We haven't encountered anyone this whole way. It seems this place is very large."
Xiao Jietian learned from her earlier introduction that quite a few people had entered this time.
"It is a bit strange. There aren't even any traces of people having passed through."
Xuan Qingying frowned prettily, looking around as she spoke.
As the two continued, they encountered more and more illusions—some so convincing that even Xiao Jietian almost fell victim to them.
However, they also collected many valuable medicinal herbs, even finding two ingredients for the Marrow Cleansing Pill: the Fire Cloud Fruit and the Orchid
Their spoils were generally divided equally; everyone contributed and utilized their respective strengths.
As the two spent time together, they gradually became close friends and trusted each other deeply.
At the same time, in a certain valley within the Secret Realm, two figures with two horns on their heads, pointed ears, and fangs stood up from their meditation.
"Big Brother, it seems this damn confinement has loosened quite a bit. Looks like we'll be able to leave soon."
One of the younger-looking figures spoke.
"Hmm, this damned place. Once we complete our mission and our clan descends, we must smash this broken place to bits."
The older, strange figure spoke in a booming voice, his tone filled with brutality and displeasure.
...
Xiao Jietian and Xuan Qingying were unaware of these events. As they continued walking, the scene before Xiao Jietian suddenly changed.
He arrived at a familiar place—his own Xiao Family courtyard—where a beautiful figure in a light cyan dress stood.
The woman had delicate features, a clear and playful face, bright eyes that seemed to penetrate one's heart, and a cool, indifferent temperament, like a green lotus—elegant yet pure.
"Xun'er."
"Brother Xiao Jietian."
Although he had many women, the one he loved most deeply in his heart was Xun'er, his childhood sweetheart who had accompanied him since childhood.
Seeing Xun'er again, Xiao Jietian's lips curved into a gentle smile, and memories of every moment with her flashed through his mind.
"Alas, though it resembles her greatly, an illusion is ultimately an illusion—merely a form without substance."
"But I'm still very grateful that you allowed me to see her again."
Xiao Jietian's Soul Power spread out, instantly shattering the illusion. The constructed scene broke apart and finally disappeared.
"Xun'er, wait for me. I'll come find you very soon."
Xiao Jietian opened his eyes, the smile on his lips vanishing instantly. He turned and looked at the woman beside him.
Her expression was constantly changing, as if performing a face-changing act—showing fear, smiles, even a slight blush, and anger.
Xiao Jietian secretly regretted that if there were a recording device, he might be able to make her experience social death in the future.
You wouldn't want your embarrassing photos to leak out, would you? Hehehe.
"Wake up."
Xiao Jietian saw that she was unable to break free and seemed deeply immersed, so he directly used his Soul Power to forcibly awaken her.
"So it was an illusion! I actually couldn't distinguish it."
She instantly sobered up, speaking with a bewildered expression.
"By the way, I'm very curious what you saw in the illusion. Your expression changed over a dozen times."