Chapter 418 - 417: How Do You Know I Am Well-Intentioned?

Chapter 418: Chapter 417: How Do You Know I Am Well-Intentioned?

Seeing the worry in Ling Fei’s brow, Lian Shuang was slightly taken aback but said nothing more.

This was the first time she had seen this junior brother of hers looking so troubled.

"By the way, thank you for your guidance during the Martial Arts Competition, Senior Sister." As he was about to leave, Ling Fei suddenly turned and thanked Lian Shuang.

He had come here to talk with Lian Shuang specifically to express his gratitude.

However, the conversation had veered into topics he would have preferred to avoid.

"Guidance?" Hearing this, Lian Shuang smoothed the long hair at her forehead with a slender hand, gazing at Ling Fei with a smile. "And how do you know my guidance was given with good intentions?"

She stared at Ling Fei, her gaze filled with a playful, almost bewitching charm.

This gave Ling Fei, who had been about to leave, pause.

It was the first time he had ever seen his usually aloof senior sister wear such an expression.

At the same time, Lian Shuang’s expression made him feel inexplicably uneasy.

’It seems this senior sister is far from as simple as I imagined.’

As for the reason, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

"I truly don’t know your intentions, Senior Sister. But I do know that without your guidance, my Cultivation wouldn’t have improved so quickly," Ling Fei said.

"Heh," Lian Shuang chuckled. "Perhaps I let you improve so quickly just to gauge your strength... so I could kill you more easily?"

Her eyes held that bewitching charm, making it impossible to discern her true thoughts.

Ling Fei was stunned by her words. He never would have imagined that the esteemed Senior Sister Lian Shuang he held in such high regard would say something like that.

This made Ling Fei’s brows furrow.

Gazing at her now, he felt that he understood her less and less.

This woman was shrouded in an aura of mystery.

"Regardless, if not for you, Senior Sister Lian Shuang, my strength would not be where it is today. That is a debt I, Ling Fei, owe you." Ling Fei’s brow twitched slightly as he stared at the woman before him, then he let out a clear laugh. "However, while this junior brother may be unworthy, if you want to kill me, it won’t be so easy!"

"Haha, I didn’t expect you to be such an interesting person." Lian Shuang smiled, then said, "The North Spirit Ruins will open tomorrow. You should prepare yourself well. It is an extremely dangerous place, and Xu Zitao will most likely not pass up this chance to deal with you."

"Don’t worry, Senior Sister. This junior brother has been through life and death. Killing me won’t be so easy," Ling Fei said with a smile.

He had long anticipated retaliation from the Beiming Sword Sect, so he wasn’t overly concerned.

"Well then, see you tomorrow," Lian Shuang said.

"See you tomorrow." Ling Fei nodded and turned to leave, but then he looked back at Lian Shuang and said, "I don’t know what you’ve been through, Senior Sister, but to be alive is to have hope. The past is the past. What’s important is to seize the present and pursue the life you want. If you ever feel lost and don’t know what you want, just ask your heart. Ask it what it truly desires."

"As you said, just follow your heart."

With a carefree smile, Ling Fei ambled away.

’To be alive is to have hope... But what am I living for?’ Watching the young man stroll away, Lian Shuang couldn’t help but fall into deep thought.

’Family?’ She shook her head.

’For myself?’ A flicker in Lian Shuang’s eyes. ’For friends? Do I have any friends? Is there anyone I want to protect?’

Lian Shuang relentlessly questioned her own heart.

She shook her head, pulling herself from her thoughts.

Finally, Lian Shuang’s gaze lifted toward the Void, just as Ling Fei’s figure gradually vanished from sight.

’Living for his family... He’s an interesting person. What a pity...’ In the end, Lian Shuang shook her head, her brow tightly knit.

She held a favorable impression of Ling Fei; otherwise, she wouldn’t have spoken with him for so long.

But after the events at the North Spirit Ruins, everything would change.

’Why do I feel a bit of reluctance?’ Lian Shuang murmured.

She then looked up to the Void and murmured in her heart, ’Must I really submit to fate like this?’ Her eyes were filled with unwillingness.

’Did I guide Ling Fei just to gauge his strength?’ She shook her head.

If that were truly the case, she wouldn’t have needed to go to such trouble.

Couldn’t she have just let Xu Zitao cripple Ling Fei directly?

Why would she need to let him continue to raise his Cultivation?

’For some reason, from the very beginning, he gave me a sense of familiarity. It felt like family, yet also like the pull of destiny.’ A reminiscent look appeared in Lian Shuang’s eyes. ’Unfortunately, this matter is already beyond my power to change. It’s a shame... if I could, I would definitely live for myself.’

’Yes, live for myself!’ Her eyes showed her resolve.

However, the determination in her eyes was soon drowned by a sense of helplessness, which then turned to sorrow.

’Can miracles happen in this world?’ Lian Shuang gazed into the distant Void, her eyes revealing a profound weariness.

But in the end, she bit her lip, as if determined to make one last struggle.

...

「The next morning, bells chimed.」

Disciples from the various sects pushed open their doors and emerged.

The prodigies who had broken into the top ten of the Alchemy Dao competition and the top twenty of the Martial Arts Competition were all incredibly excited.

Because today, the North Spirit Ruins would open, and they were about to explore the most mysterious ancient site in the Southern Wilderness.

Here, the possibilities were limitless.

The legendary Yuan Feng Pill King had received his legacy in the Pill Hall within the North Spirit Ruins, which was how he rose to become a King in the Southern Wilderness.

In addition, it was said that the Marsh King Xiang Shaoyun’s Heaven-Reaching Hand was also a technique comprehended within the North Spirit Ruins.

In short, many of the Kings who became dominant figures in the Southern Wilderness owed a part of their success to the North Spirit Ruins.

Therefore, for the young prodigies of the Southern Wilderness, this was a rare opportunity.

"Morning, Junior Brother Ling." Yuan Chong was also in high spirits, greeting Ling Fei repeatedly after spotting him.

Thanks to Ling Fei, he had also obtained a Spiritual Token to enter the North Spirit Ruins.

For him, today was undoubtedly a day that would determine whether he could turn his fortunes around.

"Morning, Senior Brother Yuan Chong." Ling Fei smiled; he also had a rather good impression of Yuan Chong.

After all, he had known Yuan Chong even before he had merged with the Celestial Fire.

Furthermore, Yuan Chong was a decent person and had never treated him with scorn or sarcasm.

"Heh, we’re finally entering the North Spirit Ruins today. It would be amazing if I could obtain some kind of Alchemy Dao legacy!" Yuan Chong’s face was full of anticipation.

"It would be even better if I could find a suitable Pill Furnace." For an Alchemist, a suitable Pill Furnace was incredibly hard to come by.

Although the Lingyun Sect had Artifact Refining Masters who crafted Pill Furnaces, they were far inferior to the ones that originated from the North Spirit Ruins.

After all, the Pill Furnaces in the North Spirit Ruins were relics left behind by powerhouses from Ancient Times!

"You’ll have your chance." Seeing Yuan Chong’s expectant expression, Ling Fei also felt his own blood begin to boil with excitement.

Chatting and laughing, they arrived at the training grounds where everyone was assembling.

Lian Shuang strolled over, accompanied by Fang Yuan.

She was as aloof as ever. After a brief glance at Ling Fei, she averted her gaze as if nothing at all had happened the previous evening.

Looking at the indifferent and seemingly heartless Senior Sister Lian Shuang, Ling Fei couldn’t help but sigh for some reason.

At this moment, he found himself more accustomed to Lian Shuang’s aloof demeanor.

As for the Lian Shuang from yesterday with the bewitching charm in her eyes, she had felt like a complete stranger.