Purgatory Mountain in the Underworld was a place reserved for subduing the most

malevolent spirits. From its base to its summit, it incarcerated these wicked entities, with
each level holding more potent and sinister spirits as you ascended. In the entire
Underworld, no more than six beings could venture into this realm, and only one could freely
traverse in and out.

Huang Quan, the master of Purgatory Mountain, resided at its topmost layer. She was a
formidable figure in the Underworld, and no spirit dared to provoke her. Standing at the
pinnacle of the mountain, she gazed down into the abyss shrouded in endless mist. Her
beautiful peach-blossom eyes were filled with disdain, but it was clear that something
troubled her.
The oppressive deathly aura was gradually diminishing.

"Quan Quan, please don't be so scornful," a young and tender voice echoed in Huang
Quan's mind as she continued to look into the abyss. "These evil spirits have suffered as
well. You've tormented them for so many years. Have some mercy."

Ever since those malevolent spirits were imprisoned in Purgatory Mountain, Huang Quan
would occasionally give them a beating. Ostensibly, it was to help them realize the vast gap
between themselves and her. In reality, it was a way to make those spirits resent her more,
motivating them to train harder. This was because the stronger the evil spirits became, the
denser the deathly aura grew.

Huang Quan needed the deathly aura because, as a soul, she inexplicably possessed an
abundance of spiritual energy. This energy had the power to nurture all living things and
even restore life to the deceased. In principle, this was a positive attribute, but Huang Quan's
spiritual energy was overwhelming and uncontrollable, necessitating its suppression with a
deathly aura.

This was the reason why Huang Quan resided at the summit of Purgatory Mountain, the
area with the most concentrated deathly aura in the entire Underworld.

"Releasing them is not an option," Huang Quan replied nonchalantly. "But reducing them to
ashes is certainly a possibility."

The voice in her mind fell silent, leaving Huang Quan alone with her thoughts.

"They desire freedom, don't they?" Huang Quan continued, seemingly oblivious to her little
sweetheart's silence. "Reducing them to ashes will set them free. With a gust of wind, they'll
scatter, truly liberated."

The voice finally responded, "Quan Quan, please, stay calm. If you burn them all, there won't
be enough deathly aura to suppress the spiritual energy."

Before, each suppression would last for a year, but the last one only held for a month, and it
had already expired yesterday. One year had shrunk to one month, and that had infuriated
Quan Quan.
"The amount of deathly aura extracted is enough, and the suppression method is correct,"
Huang Quan mused, her gaze fixed on the abyss. "The deathly aura, the method, and
everything else are the same as before. The only thing that changed was the duration of
suppression. There must be a hidden issue. I reasonably suspect those evil spirits are up to
something."

"What are you planning to do, Quan Quan?"

"The method cannot be wrong. The only possible issue is the deathly aura. So I plan to go
down and have a look," Huang Quan declared. "If they genuinely have had enough, I can
help them gain their freedom."

"The Lord of the Underworld will appreciate you," the voice sighed. "But afterward, my dear,
you'll definitely regret it. In this day and age, evil spirits aren't easy to find."

"That's alright," Huang Quan smiled faintly. "If they behave, and nothing happens, there
won't be any problem. But if they cause trouble, even if I can't control the spiritual energy, I'll
still get rid of them."

"But..."

"Switching to a different world, to a different Underworld, is always an option."

The voice fell silent.

As Huang Quan prepared to descend, an immensely powerful force suddenly emanated

from the abyss. Simultaneously, the jade pendant necklace she always wore around her
neck grew scalding hot. Her body became uncontrollable, lifted by the force, and then
plummeted into the abyss.

As she descended into the abyss, the last words she could manage were, "Oh crap!" Then,
she lost consciousness.

Zhongzhou Continent, Tianhuang Kingdom Capital College

"Ugh..."

Her mind felt heavy, and an overwhelming discomfort enveloped her. However, what was
even more disconcerting than the weight on her mind was the suffocating sensation that
seemed to tighten its grip.

The feeling of suffocation intensified, as if she might meet her demise at any moment.
Death?

What a ludicrous thought.

Realizing that she might be teetering on the edge of death, her previously muddled
consciousness began to clear slightly. Simultaneously, she blinked her eyes open with a
swish.

Her eyes, a stark contrast of black and white, opened wide. Yet, before she could discern her
surroundings, water infiltrated her vision, causing some discomfort. Instinctively, she closed
her eyes once more, then reopened them.

This time, her vision became clear. She found herself submerged in water, steadily sinking.

What on earth was happening?

She had ventured into the abyss many times before. There was a river down there, but she
hadn't fallen into it. Logically, she shouldn't be underwater. What could explain this bizarre
situation?

Huang Quan held her breath and decided to swim towards the surface first. But just as she
was about to propel herself upwards, someone descended from above. As they spotted
Huang Quan, this person swam towards her with urgency.

Upon reaching her, the individual saw Huang Quan with her eyes wide open, and a wave of
relief washed over them. Gently, they touched Huang Quan's face and then grabbed her,
swiftly swimming towards the surface.

Huang Quan: "..." What on earth is happening now?

Who is this person?

Under ordinary circumstances, the underworld contained no living beings, let alone beneath
the water.
As Huang Quan pondered the situation, the young man had already brought her back to the
surface. Emerging from the water, the young man couldn't be bothered by anything else and
turned to look at Huang Quan, his concern evident. "Quan Quan, how are you?"

Hearing the name 'Quan Quan,' Huang Quan's lips twitched, and she was about to say
something when the young man urged again, "Quan Quan, speak, don't scare big brother."

"Big brother?"

Huang Quan's eyelids fluttered. Just as she was about to inquire further, a sudden, sharp
pain shot through her head. The agony struck unexpectedly, catching Huang Quan off guard,
and she instinctively let out a hiss of pain.

The young man heard her distress, promptly lifted Huang Quan horizontally, and hurriedly
carried her to the shore. On the shore, a group of people awaited. As the young man
emerged from the water with Huang Quan, he fixed a cold, stern gaze on them and
declared, "Today's events won't conclude like this!"

"Heh." In response to the young man's words, a woman surrounded by several men sneered
and retorted, "Nangong Mian, your little sister didn't die, and even if she did, you wouldn't
dare to cross us. Besides, this won't be the last time we act."

"Let's go." With this command, the woman signaled to her companions to depart. As she
passed by Nangong Mian, she glanced at the unconscious Huang Quan in his arms and
taunted, "Wow, your luck is something else. You fell for such a long time and still didn't die."

"Boring." After that parting shot, the woman and her group departed with an air of triumph.

Nangong Mian seethed with anger, his entire body trembling. He looked down at Huang
Quan with a deep sense of self-blame and muttered, "It's big brother's fault for not being able
to protect you."

However, at this moment, Huang Quan couldn't hear Nangong Mian's words. She was
overwhelmed by an excruciating headache and an influx of unfamiliar memories.

These memories rushed into her mind all at once, intensifying the agony in her head. Huang
Quan absorbed the memories in a whirlwind, her consciousness becoming a chaotic blend
of her past and these newfound recollections.
After what felt like an eternity, Huang Quan had assimilated all these memories and
gradually regained awareness. She found herself in a room, brought here by Nangong Mian.

Nangong Mian gently placed her on a comfortable surface and reached out to touch Huang
Quan's head. He spoke with tenderness in his voice, "Quan Quan, let's change into some
dry clothes first. Once you've changed, wait for big brother; I'll fetch some water for you."

Huang Quan gazed at Nangong Mian, her emotions a complex whirlwind. She nodded in
agreement and responded, "Okay."

Relieved by her compliance, Nangong Mian left the room to get her some fresh clothing.

Alone in the room, Huang Quan couldn't resist taking a look around. It was an ancient and
elegantly furnished chamber, adorned with minimal possessions, exuding a simple yet clean
charm. This was the environment she found herself in with her new lease on life...

Reflecting on her rebirth, Huang Quan reached up and pinched her forehead. She still felt
somewhat disoriented. Although she had yearned for more spiritual energy in the
Underworld and desired a second chance at life, she hadn't expected to be reborn in an
entirely different world.

The realm she now inhabited was known as the Zhongzhou Continent. In this land, four
major empires held sway, and numerous smaller nations thrived. She had been reborn into
the body of a young lady from a declining family in the capital city of the Tianhuang Country.

The previous occupant of this body bore the same name, Huang Quan, but unlike her, this
Huang Quan wasn't a ghost. In this world, strength was of paramount importance. Those
with spiritual roots harnessed the essence of heaven and earth to cultivate their spiritual
powers, while those without such roots honed their physical strength through martial arts.
The body she had inherited possessed neither spiritual roots nor robust physical attributes; it
was astonishingly feeble.

How frail, you might wonder?

Three steps would leave her gasping for breath, and five steps would trigger fits of coughing.
A few steps further, and even breathing became a laborious task. It was an almost
inconceivable fragility.

Had she been born into an ordinary family, she might have succumbed to these ailments
long ago. However, when the previous occupant of this body was born, the Nangong family
had yet to face its decline. While not the most prestigious clan in the Tianhuang Country,
they still held considerable influence. Consequently, from an early age, the former occupant
had been administered spiritual medicines to bolster her frail constitution, enabling her to
survive her myriad illnesses.
However, as time passed, the Nangong family encountered hardship. The previous
occupant's parents and two older brothers vanished one after another, leaving only Nangong
Mian and the former Huang Quan. Their parents' disappearance occurred when Nangong
Mian was twelve, and the previous occupant was a mere ten years old.

The two older brothers had vanished during the same year when Nangong Mian was
fourteen, and the previous occupant of the body was twelve.

Now, the former occupant had reached the age of fifteen, and over these three years, she
had never been without spiritual medicine. These were the spiritual medicines that Nangong
Mian had diligently procured for her, depleting the family's savings. Given the hefty price of
spiritual medicines and Nangong Mian's need to continue his studies at the academy, he had
been unable to earn money. The family's financial resources were rapidly depleted, but
Nangong Mian remained unwavering in his commitment to obtaining the essential spiritual
medicine for his sister.

He earned the necessary funds by undertaking perilous missions offered by the academy,
firmly believing that providing her with a steady supply of spiritual medicine was his ultimate
duty.

However, he never foresaw the mistreatment his sister endured at the hands of the servants
in his absence. One of them, driven by ill intentions, had nearly caused her harm. If not for
the nanny who had valiantly shielded her, she might have been robbed of her virtue. After
the nanny's tragic demise, Nangong Mian buried her, filled with dread of such incidents
recurring. He pleaded with his teacher to allow him to bring his sister to reside within the
academy, under his protection.

He believed that by taking this step, they would be shielded from further troubles. But, fate
had other plans.

Previously, she had been subjected to numerous acts of bullying, insults, and torment. The
former occupant had chosen not to retaliate, and the tormentors eventually grew bored and
moved on. However, this time, they had pushed her into the water, and by the time Nangong
Mian arrived, she had already perished. And then, she awoke in this new body.

Yet, as Huang Quan contemplated these memories, she stumbled upon a perplexing
inconsistency. The parents and older brothers of the previous occupant bore the surname
Nangong, so why was she called Huang Quan?

Just as Huang Quan was grappling with this enigma, Nangong Mian returned. Observing
that she hadn't yet changed into dry clothes, he hurried over and inquired, "Quan Quan, why
haven't you changed your clothes?"

"You'll get sick like this," Nangong Mian said and quickly walked to a nearby cabinet. He
opened it and took out a set of clothes. After grabbing the items, Nangong Mian returned to
Huang Quan, holding her hand and leading her to the adjacent room.
In that room, there was a folding screen, and behind it was a bathtub filled with hot water,
emitting steam.

Nangong Mian placed the clothes on the side and then looked at Huang Quan. "Quan Quan,
I know you're scared, but you must take a bath, or you'll get sick."

"Big brother will be outside, guarding you, and won't let those people bully you again."
Nangong Mian gently stroked her head and said, "Trust big brother this time, okay?"

Huang Quan looked at him, feeling a bit uncomfortable. However, this discomfort didn't seem
to be a lingering emotion from her previous ordeal but rather something originating within
her.

Huang Quan narrowed her eyes slightly and said softly, "Okay."

Upon hearing that "okay," Nangong Mian smiled and said, "Take your bath, big brother will
be waiting outside." After saying this, Nangong Mian walked out of the room and closed the
door behind him.

Huang Quan stared at the door for a while and then proceeded to undress, entering the
bathtub.

The warm water enveloped her body, dispelling the cold and allowing her to relax naturally.

"Baby, are you there?" Huang Quan asked using her spiritual awareness.[Baby is Huang
Quan’s Pet name]

"I'm here, but I'm not doing well..." a weak voice replied. This was the same voice that had
echoed in Huang Quan's mind earlier. "Quan Quan, what's wrong with you? I just saw so
many chaotic memories."

"It's just as you saw," Huang Quan replied, "I've been reborn, and now I'm not in the
Underworld, but in a different world."

"Then how are you suppressing your vital energy?" the voice asked, "Without the aura of
death, once your vital energy goes out of control, the first thing to be affected will be your
body!"
Vital energy could cause all living things to grow and could even bring the dead back to life.
However, with a physical body, if vital energy spiraled out of control, the first victim would be
Huang Quan's own body. She would age rapidly from youth to old age in an instant.

"Master, every world has its own Underworld. Let's go to the Underworld," the voice
suggested, "Once we're in the Underworld, you'll be safe."

"Living people cannot enter the Underworld," Huang Quan replied, "If I truly want to go to the
Underworld, I would have to give up this body."

"Then give it up."

"I can't do that," Huang Quan frowned and said, "It's not that simple."

"What do you mean?"

"When the Abyss suddenly appeared with suction, my body became uncontrollable, and
that's when the jade pendant heated up," Huang Quan explained. "I was manipulated by the
jade pendant! Normally, even if I fell, I should have fallen to the bottom of the Abyss and not
into a different world. So, coming to this world was caused by the jade pendant."

Here, Huang Quan raised her hand and touched the jade pendant necklace around her
neck. "It's still here."

The fact that it was still there was proof of its extraordinary nature.

Before the voice in her mind could respond, Huang Quan continued, "In this world with so
many people, it deliberately chose someone with the same name as me. That's the first
suspicious point."

"Even though she's the Miss of the Nangong family, she's called Huang Quan, and that's the
second suspicious point," Huang Quan casually remarked. "If I'm not mistaken, there should
be some connection between me and this body."

"Why are you so sure?" the voice inquired.

"The jade pendant has always been quiet, but as soon as it moved, it transported me to
another world. It wouldn't choose someone unrelated to me," Huang Quan explained. "And
don't you find it strange?"

"What's strange about it?" the voice asked.

"I've possessed gods, I've possessed demons, and I've even built my own body. But whether
it's a god, a demon, or a body I've created myself, none of them could withstand my soul,"
Huang Quan said. "The Heavenly Dao once told me that this is because my soul's power is
too strong and has a specific nature, so those bodies couldn't handle it."

"Gods and demons' bodies couldn’t withstand my soul, but this body can not only withstand
it but my soul is somehow fused with it," Huang Quan continued. "Isn't that strange enough?"

The voice remained silent for a while before saying, "I don't understand why it's like this."

Huang Quan sighed "Actually, I don't understand it either."

"But if I'm not wrong, I should belong to this world, not the Underworld," Huang Quan said.
"The Heavenly Dao couldn't trace my origin, and the first Lord of the Underworld said I
appeared suddenly. These are enough to indicate a problem."

"What are you planning to do next?" the voice asked. "Do you want to be this person?"

"Why not?" Huang Quan replied. "She is Huang Quan, and I am Huang Quan. Plus, there's
some kind of connection between me and this body. Why shouldn't I be her?"

"Alright," the voice said. "Since you've made up your mind, I won't dissuade you. Anyway, I'll
be with you wherever you go."

Huang Quan chuckled. "You have a soul contract with me, so even if you wanted to leave,
you couldn't."

"True," the voice agreed. "Even without the contract, I wouldn't leave you."

"Okay," Huang Quan said softly. "I know."

"Quan Quan, I've expended some of my power this time. I need to go into a deep sleep for a
while. You must take care of your safety and any periods of instability. If you can't handle it,
just call for me."

"Sleep well," Huang Quan replied.

"Okay," the voice responded before falling silent.

Huang Quan extended her hand, holding the jade pendant necklace. She muttered softly,
"You brought me here, what do you hope I'll do?"

The jade pendant remained unresponsive, returning to its previous state.

Huang Quan let out a soft laugh. "Interesting."

Since the jade pendant wasn't responding, she decided to go with the flow and take things
one step at a time.

To be the Miss of the Nangong family, to be the sister of Nangong Mian, if she was going to
be this person, then those who caused harm to this person would have to pay the price.

After a comfortable bath, Huang Quan got dressed and walked out.

When she opened the door, she saw Nangong Mian waiting outside, and for a moment, a
warm feeling flowed through her heart.

"Third Brother," Huang Quan looked at Nangong Mian and said gently, "I'm all clean."

Nangong Mian didn't speak but led Huang Quan to sit on a stone bench outside. He stood
behind her and used his spiritual energy to dry her hair. "Quan Quan, I'm sorry."

"Third Brother, you don't need to apologize; it's not your fault," Huang Quan said. "Even if
you weren't attending classes or on missions, as a young man, you can't be with me every
moment of every day."
"If Qin QianQian wants to bully me, she can always find her opportunity somehow."

"If I were powerful enough..."

"Third Brother, you're already very powerful," Huang Quan gazed up at him and said, "You're
only seventeen this year, and you're already a Level Six Spirit Master. Isn't that powerful
enough?"

In the Zhongzhou Continent, strength was paramount. Those who absorbed spiritual energy
and cultivated it were known as Spirit Masters, and those who cultivated martial skills were
known as Warriors. There was a ten-level distinction in both categories.

Most people at the age of seventeen or eighteen were struggling at the third or fourth level of
Spirit Mastery. Those with the assistance of spirit-enhancing medicines might reach the fifth
level, and achieving higher levels required exceptional talent.

Nangong Mian had excellent talent, reaching the Level Six Spirit Master at just seventeen
years of age. Because of this, he had sought his teacher's permission to bring Huang Quan
to the academy.

"It's not enough," Nangong Mian said. "Only by becoming someone whom the royal family
and the nobles fear can you be truly protected."

Qin QuanQuan was the daughter of the Prime Minister, and her grandfather was a Level
Nine Spirit Master. This was why she dared to bully Huang Quan. If even the daughter of a
Prime Minister could mistreat someone like this, not to mention the various princes and
princesses.

"Third Brother, no need to rush," Huang Quan looked at him and said, "You will become that
kind of person. Before that, it's me who will protect you!"

"Quan Quan..." Nangong Mian gazed at Huang Quan, and his eyes gradually reddened. "If
our parents were still here, if my older and younger brothers were here, you wouldn't have
suffered so much. It's all my fault."

"Third Brother, don't say such things," Huang Quan furrowed her brows and frowned. "I don't
like hearing those words from you. You... cough... You're not at fault."
However, she couldn't finish her sentence before being seized by a severe coughing fit.

It was at this moment that Huang Quan finally realized that the frailty was genuine, not just a
superficial condition. This weakness couldn't be avoided even by her.

With a coughing fit, Huang Quan used her spiritual power to examine her body. It seemed
fine everywhere, but she didn't understand why she was so weak without any apparent
reason.

"Quan Quan!" Seeing her start to cough, Nangong Mian panicked. "Don't worry; I won't say
those things anymore."

"Cough..." The response to Nangong Mian's words was more severe coughing.

"Take the medicine; you have to take the medicine." Nangong Mian took a porcelain bottle
from his pocket and poured out a shining pill. "Here, Quan Quan, take this medicine."

Huang Quan obediently took the medicine, but the coughing didn't abate because of it. She
saw the worry on Nangong Mian's face and discreetly used her spiritual power to alleviate it.

With the help of spiritual power, Huang Quan soon stopped coughing, but the already pale
complexion became even paler.

Nangong Mian watched with distress. "Quan Quan..."

"Third Brother, it's an old problem; nothing to worry about," Huang Quan reassured him.
"Once the coughing fits pass, I'll be fine."

Although Huang Quan appeared calm, internally, she couldn't help but be baffled. What was
this situation?

Her body was perfectly healthy, yet this weakness persisted, utterly reasonless.

While she mused on this, she suddenly remembered something and turned to Nangong
Mian. "Brother San, did Master Fo Xin come to the academy today?"
Nangong Mian nodded. "Yes, Master Fo Xin came to lecture on Buddhism."

Cultivators had to attend Buddhist lectures?

Though her inner thoughts were sarcastic, Huang Quan kept her expression unchanged.
"Third Brother, Didn’t you want to meet Master Fo Xin? I'm feeling better now; you should
go."

"No rush..."

"Why not?" Huang Quan asked. "Isn't Master Fo Xin coming to the academy today? I think
you shouldn't miss him."

Nangong Mian had always wanted to meet Master Fo Xin. It wasn't because he liked him
personally, but because of Huang Quan.

Quanquan's body had been examined by many doctors and alchemists, but none of them
could figure out what was wrong. However, Master Fo Xin was not an ordinary alchemist or
doctor; he was a Buddhist disciple with a cultivation level that had long surpassed the Spirit
Master's tenth level, entering the Profound Realm. He was a very powerful alchemist, and
there was a chance that he could identify what was ailing Quanquan.

"Quanquan, come with me," Nangong Mian said.

Huang Quan replied, "Third brother, Master Fo Xin is about to give a lecture, and I don't want
to disturb his students. My teacher advised against it, so I can't go with you right now. You go
to your class first, and after it's over, you can ask Master Fo Xin. If it's possible, I'll join you
later."

Nangong Mian asked, "What will you do then?"

Huang Quan smiled and said, "I want to rest for a while."

"Alright," Nangong Mian nodded. "Quanquan, take a good rest. I'll go to my class, and I'll
come to pick you up after it's over."
"Okay," Huang Quan replied with a smile.

After Nangong Mian left, Huang Quan sat in the courtyard for a while before also leaving the
compound.

The courtyard was located in one corner of the academy and was very peaceful. After
leaving the courtyard, Huang Quan followed the path from her memory to the side of the
Bright Moon Lake.

The Bright Moon Lake was the same lake where Huang Quan had been before. There were
many students by the lake, some of whom were there when Huang Quan was pushed into
the water by Qin Qianqian's group and later saved by Nangong Mian. They had expected
Huang Quan to stay away from this place for a few days, but she had come out surprisingly
soon. Moreover, she had returned to the same spot where she had been pushed into the
water. Wasn’t she afraid?

The looks they gave Huang Quan were a mix of pity, disgust, and disdain.

Pity because they thought Huang Quan was pitiable, Disgust because despite her lack of
spiritual roots and inability to cultivate, she possessed an incredibly beautiful appearance
that many male students in the academy admired. Some of the female students were jealous
of her, and that jealousy turned into disgust. In essence, they were envious of Huang Quan's
extraordinary beauty.

As for disdain, it stemmed from the fact that they saw Huang Quan as a waste due to her
lack of spiritual roots.

"Huang Quan, do you dare to come here?" a few female students walked over, taunting her.
"Aren't you afraid that Qin Qianqian will come looking for trouble?"

Huang Quan curled her lips and smiled. "Not at all. In fact, I want her to come looking for
me."

Upon hearing this, the students used expressions that made it clear they thought Huang
Quan had gone mad. How could someone who had been so scared of Qin Qianqian's group
in the past now say she wasn't afraid and even wanted them to come looking for her?
"Did you lose your mind after falling into the water?" someone couldn't help but laugh. "But
for someone like you, who is completely useless, it's normal to have lost your mind."

"I have a question," Huang Quan looked at the girl who had spoken and said, "Does insulting
me make you happy?"

The girl didn't expect Huang Quan to ask such a question and felt a bit embarrassed. But in
the next moment, her embarrassment disappeared, and she said with confidence, "You're a
waste, and I'm just stating the facts. How can that be considered an insult?"

"Is that so?" Huang Quan tilted her head and smiled. In the next instant, she swiftly
appeared behind the girl, kicked her, and sent her plunging into the Bright Moon Lake.

A scream echoed, followed by a splashing sound as the girl fell into the water. The other
students stared at Huang Quan with disbelief, unable to believe what they had just
witnessed.

What did they see?

Huang Quan... she actually kicked someone into the water?

Huang Quan paid no attention to the gazes of the onlookers and watched the girl struggling
in the water. She said, "I'm a waste, as you said. But what does that make you, the one who
got kicked into the water by a waste?"

" waste among wastes?"

No one saw how Huang Quan had appeared behind the girl or how she had kicked her into
the water. By the time they noticed, the girl had already fallen.

Such speed couldn't be achieved without spiritual power, yet Huang Quan displayed no
spiritual power fluctuations at all. The group had no idea how Huang Quan managed this
without spiritual power.

The girl in the water shouted angrily, "Huang Quan, you waste, dare to kick me into the
water!"

"Don't think I'm afraid of you just because your brother is a sixth-level Spirit Master!"
"Wait and see, I'll never let you off!"

Huang Quan replied nonchalantly, "Wait for what? I'm right here, aren't I? If you want to beat
me, you can do it right now."

The girl, using her spiritual power, leaped out of the water and attacked Huang Quan, trying
to push her into the water.

Seeing the girl's actions, Huang Quan casually moved aside, causing the girl's attack to
miss. Then, she raised her foot and kicked the girl back into the water.

Others: "..."

Huang Quan indeed had no spiritual power. She had simply evaded to the side, but this
evasion allowed her to avoid a third-level Spirit Master's attack, and she kicked the girl into
the water again. How did she do it?

The girl, who had been kicked into the water, didn't expect to be kicked again. She was
beyond infuriated.

Once she got back on land, the girl tried to attack Huang Quan again. However, after
missing her the first time, hitting her a second time was even more impossible. As a result, it
turned into a show of the girl falling into the water.

One time, two times, three times, four times...

It continued until the seventh time when the girl was completely exhausted and couldn't
attack anymore.

Having been thrown into the water seven times, she lay on the ground, thoroughly
embarrassed. Huang Quan remained clean, not a speck of dust on her, creating a stark
contrast.

Huang Quan approached the girl, placed her foot on the girl's chest, and coldly stated, "I
don't like it when people insult me, and even less when people insult my brother. If I hear you
insulting me or my brother again, it won't be as simple as falling into the water." She then
kicked the girl back into the water.

Others: "..."

Huang Quan looked around with a satisfied smile. "Did you all hear that?"

A third-level Spirit Master had been kicked into the water ten times, they could deny they
hadn’t heard it.

But

They simply didn't dare.

Having taught the girl who insulted her a lesson, the next target was Qin Qianqian.

When Huang Quan found Qin Qianqian, she had just come out of her class.

As the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion, the future choice for the prince's
consort, and being incredibly prominent, when she appeared, students surrounded her. She
was truly the center of attention.

As soon as Qin Qianqian left the academy, she saw Huang Quan standing outside. At the
sight of Huang Quan's face, Qin Qianqian couldn't help but feel jealous, which quickly turned
into anger. She wanted to make Huang Quan cry and beg for mercy.

Qin Qianqian, with a group of people, quickly walked up to Huang Quan and sneered,
"Huang Quan, you still dare to come here?"

Huang Quan looked at the woman in front of her, smiled ambiguously, and said, "Why
wouldn't I dare?"

"Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?" Qin Qianqian saw her smiling and frowned, saying, "Did your
brain go haywire? Otherwise, how could you not be afraid of me?"
"Qin Qianqian, I'm here to get revenge on you," Huang Quan said, looking at her and smiling
slyly. "You killed me, so naturally, I want to kill you too."

"Kill you?" Qin Qianqian chuckled, "Aren't you alive and well?"

Huang Quan just looked at her and didn't explain.

Qin Qianqian was unnerved by Huang Quan's enigmatic gaze. "Never mind whether you're
alive or dead. Even if I did kill you, how do you plan to get revenge?"

"I already said that," Huang Quan said with a smile. "Naturally, I plan to kill you."

Qin Qianqian sneered, "You, a waste, want to kill me?"

"Why don't you go back to sleep? Maybe you can kill me in your dreams."

Hearing Huang Quan's words, those by Qin Qianqian's side joined in, "Qianqian, someone
like her can only dream."

"Huang Quan, with your current state, you dare to talk about killing Qianqian? Don't boast
here when even your brother doesn't dare. What are you trying to prove?"

"Did you hear that?" Qin Qianqian said, "If you want to kill me, then go ahead!

Huang Quan, do you dare?"

"As you wish," Huang Quan looked at Qin Qianqian with a gentle smile. "But you're too dirty.
I won't dirty my hands. So I won't use my hands."

After hearing Huang Quan's words, Qin Qianqian hadn't even started to get angry when a
sudden sharp pain pierced her abdomen. Her body was sent flying into the air, and she
crashed to the ground.

Seeing Huang Quan kick Qin Qianqian out, the onlookers and those by Qin Qianqian's side
were left stunned.

They hadn't seen how Huang Quan had moved her leg at all!
Before they could regain their senses, Huang Quan appeared where Qin Qianqian had
fallen. When Qin Qianqian tried to get up upon seeing Huang Quan approaching, Huang
Quan stepped on her, pinning her down.

"Huang Quan, how dare you attack me!"

Huang Quan clicked her tongue and said, "Who are you? I can't attack you?" With that said,
Huang Quan put her foot down forcefully, causing Qin Qianqian to spit out a mouthful of
blood.

Huang Quan looked at her, her face carrying a smile, but her black and white eyes were
devoid of any hint of amusement, appearing cold and frightening.

It was at that moment that Qin Qianqian finally realized that Huang Quan genuinely intended
to kill her, and it wasn't just empty talk.

In fact, Huang Quan had the capability to do so.

Qin Qianqian panicked, shouting, "What are you all standing there for?"

"Why don't you come and save me?"

"Qin Qianqian, do you think it's quicker for them to save you or for me to kill you?" Huang
Quan asked.

"No, you wouldn't dare!" Qin Qianqian said, trying to contain her fear. "Huang Quan, you
wouldn't dare to kill me!"

"If I kill you, my father won't spare you or Nangong Mian!" Qin Qianqian pleaded.

"But even if I don’t kill you, you still won’t spare me," Huang Quan replied nonchalantly. "So
it's better to kill you."
With those words, without waiting for others to act, Huang Quan moved her foot again.
When she landed her foot this time, it shifted from Qin Qianqian's chest to her neck. The
next moment, Huang Quan applied pressure, snapping Qin Qianqian's neck.

The sound of bones breaking, Qin Qianqian's lifeless eyes wide open, shocked those around
her.

They never expected that Huang Quan was truly capable of killing Qin Qianqian. Moreover,
they didn't anticipate that Huang Quan would act after Qin Qianqian had invoked her father's
name, the Prime Minister.

"Her death came too easy for her," Huang Quan remarked, looking at Qin Qianqian, and
then she withdrew her foot.

She initially wanted Qin Qianqian to experience a natural death, watching her appearance
deteriorate and age rapidly until her demise. However, that would have required using
spiritual energy, and she might have been labeled a monster.

Her brother was still at the academy, and to avoid any danger to him, she decided to let Qin
Qianqian off easy.

"Huang Quan, you... you actually killed Qianqian!" The girl who had previously said Huang
Quan was dreaming was now pale, terror-stricken, and said, "You... the Qin family won't
spare you!"

"They don't need to spare me. Let them come," Huang Quan said as she turned to leave.
However, when she turned, she saw Nangong Mian and a monk standing beside him.

She saw admiration in the monk's eyes, but it quickly vanished.

Admiration?

Admiration for what?

Admiration for her committing murder?

Huang Quan walked toward the two of them.

She wasn't worried about Nangong Mian seeing her kill someone. That's just how she is.
She would never let those who hurt her go free, and she had no intention of hiding it. Sooner
or later, Nangong Mian would notice her change.

Whether he noticed it early or late didn't make a difference. She just wondered if he could
accept it.

Huang Quan approached Nangong Mian with a bit of worry and said gently, "Third Brother."

Nangong Mian looked at Huang Quan with complex emotions. He never imagined that one
day he would see Quan Quan commit murder.

Quan Quan was so delicate. How could she kill someone? And she had killed someone with
the cultivation of a fourth-grade spiritualist!

Nangong Mian's feelings at this moment were complicated, and he didn't know what to say
as he gazed at Huang Quan.

Seeing Nangong Mian's silence, Huang Quan lowered her head slightly and asked, "Third
Brother, are you angry?"

Nangong Mian wanted to say that he wasn't angry, but he couldn't say it at this moment. He
just turned to the man beside him and respectfully said, "Venerable Master, this is my sister.
Can you take a look at her?"

Huang Quan, upon hearing this, looked at the monk.

From a distance, this monk was incredibly handsome. Up close, he was even more
breathtaking.

His facial features were exquisitely refined and sharply defined, like a celestial being's
portrait meticulously painted, more handsome than anyone in the mortal world.

Through the myriad lifetimes, Huang Quan had seen many beautiful female and male spirits,
but none of them compared to this man's beauty. If not for the brief flicker of admiration she
saw in his eyes when he witnessed her kill, she would have thought he was a deity who had
descended to relieve the suffering of the mortal realm.

Beautiful but not kind, that was Huang Quan's initial impression of this monk!

As Huang Quan was scrutinising Fo Xin, he furrowed his brow and then turned to Nangong
Mian, saying, "Nangong dono, there are some matters I need to attend to. I'm afraid I cannot
diagnose your sister at the moment. Please forgive me." With those words, without waiting
for Nangong Mian's response, Fo Xin quickly walked away.

"Grandmaster Fo Xin!" Nangong Mian called out, surprised by Fo Xin's abrupt departure.

However, the more Nangong Mian called, the faster Fo Xin walked away.

Huang Quan watched Fo Xin's departing figure and suddenly noticed a trace of deathly aura!

Seeing this, Huang Quan was taken aback, but upon closer inspection, there was no such
aura.

It must have been a mistake...

"Quan Quan." With Fo Xin gone, unable to help her get checked, and with Qin Qianqian's
corpse still present, Nangong Mian grabbed Huang Quan's hand and hurriedly said, "Stay in
the courtyard. Don't go anywhere. I'll be back soon."

Huang Quan understood that Nangong Mian's emotions were very complicated at the
moment, so she obediently complied, saying, "Alright."

Nangong Mian left Huang Quan in the courtyard and quickly departed.

Qin Qianqian was dead, and many people had seen that Huang Quan had killed her. The
Qin family wouldn't let it go. They would undoubtedly send people to seek justice.
Regardless of the situation, Nangong Mian couldn't allow the Qin family to harm Quan Quan!

Watching Nangong Mian's retreating figure, Huang Quan sighed and muttered, "Silly
brother."
She had killed Qin Qianqian, and the Qin family wouldn't let it slide. Hiding her away would
only enrage the Qin family even more. Moreover, it wasn't really hiding when everyone knew
she was staying in this area.

Once she was sure Nangong Mian had left, Huang Quan lightly stepped and effortlessly flew
out of the courtyard.

It was impossible to make her stay in the courtyard. She had to go and see for herself. If the
Qin family didn't take action, she wouldn't say anything. But if they laid a hand on Third
Brother, she didn't mind killing them all.

Coming out of the courtyard, Huang Quan had no intention of following Nangong Mian.

Qin Qianqian had just died, and it would take some time for the Qin family to receive the
news. It was too early to go there now.

As she left the courtyard, Huang Quan planned to wander around a bit, and then go find
Nangong Mian when the time was right.

The Imperial Academy occupied a vast area. The place where Huang Quan and Nangong
Mian resided was tucked away in one corner. The environment here was tranquil and
elegant. It was unusual for both Huang Quan and Nangong Mian to live here. Nangong
Mian's teacher had taken pity on him, which was why this courtyard was allocated for them.

Apart from Huang Quan and Nangong Mian, there were a few other courtyards here, but due
to the distance from the classroom and the construction of another living area on the other
side, all the other courtyards here were vacant.

Huang Quan's courtyard was situated in the innermost part, and there were two or three
courtyards in front of it. As she passed by one of the courtyards, Huang Quan stopped and
looked at the sky above it.

A dense black mist covered the area above the courtyard, and that black mist was none
other than deathly energy!

A towering deathly energy!

Staring at the courtyard in front of her, Huang Quan was puzzled. There was no deathly
energy here when she and Third Brother had returned. How could such strong deathly
energy suddenly appear after a while?

And wasn't this area supposed to be uninhabited?

If there were no residents, how could there be deathly energy?

In general, deathly energy would only appear under two circumstances. The first was in the
underworld, the realm of the dead, or in places with immense death and suffering. It was
normal for these places to possess deathly energy. Areas with an abundance of death would
naturally emit deathly energy. Apart from these situations, there was only one other
circumstance where deathly energy would appear.

That was when someone was gravely ill, near death, and their life force was fading away.
However, even if there was deathly energy in this case, it was very faint and couldn't
possibly be as strong as the deathly energy lingering above this courtyard.

Seeing the continuous spread of the black fog, Huang Quan raised an eyebrow in confusion.
Has the entrance to the underworld opened here? With such intense deathly energy, if
someone entered this area, they would likely have half their normal lifespan cut short due to
the suffocating aura.

Normal people couldn't see deathly energy, and even if they could, they would have long fled
in terror. But Huang Quan wasn't an ordinary person. She wasn't afraid. In fact, she was
excited!

She had been worrying about where to find a source of deathly energy to suppress her
lifeforce energy, but here it was, voluntarily presented to her!

Thinking of this, Huang Quan no longer hesitated. She took a few steps forward, pushed
open the tightly closed courtyard gate, and was engulfed by the black mist. Deathly energy
rushed toward her from all directions.

Reaching the source of the deathly energy, which was a room, Huang Quan didn't even
need to enter. She sensed the faint breathing of someone inside.

A dying person?
What kind of person could emit so much deathly energy when dying?

Full of curiosity, Huang Quan directly pushed open the door. As soon as the door opened, all
the deathly energy from inside the room rushed toward her. Seeing this deathly energy
coming toward her, Huang Quan was overjoyed because she didn't need to worry about her
lifeforce energy going out of control anymore.

The continuous flow of deathly energy was absorbed by her body, and the room filled with
black mist finally brightened. As the room became brighter, Huang Quan also saw the source
of the deathly energy.

Lying on the ground in the room was a young man with exquisite features and a clean
appearance. His long, raven-black hair was disheveled and scattered. He had his eyes
closed, an expression of pain, and appeared as fragile as a porcelain doll that could break at
any moment.

The dense deathly energy continued to seep out from the young man's body, and the black
mist enveloped him like a vast net, as if it might take his life at any moment.

Watching this scene unfold, Huang Quan fell into silence.

When she had entered, her intent was only to absorb the deathly energy and understand the
situation. If it was genuinely deathly energy emitted by someone near death, she planned to
absorb it without getting involved. But now...

The person emitting the deathly energy was so delicate and beautiful. Should she save him
or not?

A little guy with devil horns and wings on her back stood with arms crossed and said sternly,
"You are Huang Quan, the evil spirit. Have you ever seen an evil spirit saving someone?"

A little guy with a radiant halo and tiny white wings on her back said gently, "But right now,
Quan Quan is not an evil spirit; she's a human. As the saying goes, 'Saving a life is better
than building a seven-level pagoda.' How can Quan Quan not save someone?"

The devilish little guy grumbled, "What's in it for you if you save them?"
The pure little angel replied, "He is good-looking. It's pleasing to the eyes."

The devilish little guy roared in frustration, "Appearance won't get you anything in the end!"

The pure little angel just went, "La la la..."

"I think I can save him," Huang Quan said. "I'm a good person, and I can't just stand by and
watch someone die."

The devilish little guy was left speechless.

Huang Quan approached, intending to help the young man up. However, just as her hand
was about to touch his, the young man, who had kept his eyes closed until now, suddenly
opened them.

His clear, deep, and cold black eyes locked onto Huang Quan's gaze.

Seeing those clear and deep eyes, Huang Quan paused.

Seeing Huang Quan's face, the young man frowned and, despite the pain in his body, looked
at her and asked, "Why are you here?"

The young man's voice was melodious, clear, and cold like frost, with a hint of huskiness that
made people want to hear more.

Huang Quan raised an eyebrow and looked at the young man, not answering his question
but instead asking, "Do you know me?"

The young man was taken aback for a moment, realizing that he had misspoken. He quickly
shook his head and said, "I don't know you."

"But you asked how I got here," Huang Quan said. "That implies you know me."

The young man, still frowning, replied, "I told you, I don't know you."
Clearly, he knew.

But if he didn't want to admit it now, Huang Quan had no intention of pressing further. She
said, "I'm here to save you."

"Save me?" The young man chuckled coldly. "Normal people die when they touch me. How
do you plan to save me?"

"Dying when they touch you?" Huang Quan looked surprised. "Isn't that a bit exaggerated?"

"It's not exaggerated, it's true..." The young man didn't get to finish his sentence before he
froze.

Huang Quan shook his hand, causing him to stop, and said, smiling, "See, I touched you,
and nothing happened."

"Huang Quan, are you insane?" The young man angrily asked, "You'll die!"

"You said you didn't know me." Huang Quan grinned. "But you know my name."

"Is that the point?" The young man looked at Huang Quan's playful expression with a trace
of helplessness. "The point is, you're going to die!"

Seeing the deathly energy spreading from his own arm to Huang Quan's hand and then into
her body, the young man immediately struggled to free himself from her grip.
Huang Quan felt him struggling and applied a bit more force to her grip. "Don't move."

The young man stopped moving and looked at Huang Quan quietly.

She appeared so fragile, like a delicate doll. How could she be so strong?

"I won't die," Huang Quan said, looking at the young man seriously. "Not only won't I die, but
I can also save you."

"That shouldn't..." The young man furrowed his brow. "No one can save me..."
Huang Quan raised an eyebrow. "You don't believe me?"

The young man lowered his gaze, hiding the sadness in his eyes.

He had carried this deathly energy since birth. His mother died during a difficult childbirth,
and afterward, even his initially healthy caretaker's health deteriorated. As he grew older, the
deathly energy had grown stronger with his age. Anyone who touched him fell ill or,
eventually, died. Their condition worsened rapidly, and death came swiftly.

From childhood to adulthood, he had seen numerous alchemists and doctors, but none
could help. They ultimately turned to the monks of the temple, but even they couldn't find a
solution.

How could he believe her?

"What are you daydreaming about?" Huang Quan asked, noticing his silence and gently
rubbing his head.

While rubbing his head, she seized the opportunity to touch his hair.

Wow!

It was soft and silky!

Divine looks and divine hair quality! She was all for it!

The young man also noticed her subtle actions and raised his head to look at her, his
expression becoming even more complicated.

Seeing him raise his head, Huang Quan quickly withdrew her hand to show that she hadn't
done anything.

"Can you really save me?" Confronted with the undeniable reality, the young man began to
believe.
Huang Quan was indeed unharmed!

For all these years, she was the first person who had touched him without dying!

The young man didn't know why this was happening, but he wanted to seize this opportunity.
Even if Huang Quan couldn't save him, being able to interact with people like a normal
person would be a blessing.

Even if it meant only touching her!

"Yes, I can," Huang Quan replied with a relaxed tone. "Can you see the deathly energy on
your body?"

The young man nodded. "Yes."

"Now, look at me and concentrate," Huang Quan instructed.

The young man obediently nodded. "Okay."

Without further words, Huang Quan held the young man's hands, and with a thought, her life
force overflowed from her palms.

As her life force appeared, the young man immediately felt comfort wash over his body, and
the pain he had been experiencing gradually subsided. It was as if he had quenched his
thirst with a refreshing spring in the scorching heat, making him involuntarily moan in relief.

The life force was a faint green color, emanating from Huang Quan's palms, wrapping
around the young man's skin and entering his body.

After absorbing the life force, the deathly energy on the young man's body started to be
devoured. The pain that had spread throughout his body disappeared, and he felt like he
was reborn.
The constantly replenishing life force was absorbed by the young man, and the deathly
energy on his body was indeed devoured but then reappeared, not being eradicated
completely as Huang Quan had expected.

Seeing this, Huang Quan was surprised. "What's going on?"

"This shouldn't be happening," she muttered.

The young man looked at her and asked, "What's wrong?"

"It should be within my abilities to absorb all the death energy within you but in reality, my
power is successfully absorbing the death energy, but it seems that the energy within you
resurfaces after being absorbed, preventing complete eradication."

The young man was initially worried, but after hearing what she said, he felt relieved. "It's
normal; one can only suppress the deathly aura inside me, can't completely remove it."

So strange!

Huang Quan asked, "How can this be?"

Her life energy should be able to devour the deathly aura within him!

"Some say it's a curse," the young man said with a gloomy expression. "Without breaking the
curse, the deathly aura won't completely disappear, and one day, I will die because of this
deathly aura."

"Hmm..." Huang Quan thought for a moment and said, "If you hadn't met me, you might have
died, but since you've encountered me, I'm confident that I won't let you die."

The young man looked at her and asked, "What do you mean?"

"If I'm not mistaken, your deathly aura has a specific time of onset. I can help you devour the
deathly aura when it flares up, so you won't suffer and can safely get through the onset
period."

This way, she could save herself while saving others.

With the deathly aura, she wouldn't have to worry about her life energy going out of control.

She could both save others and herself, perfect!

The young man stared at her for a long time without speaking.

Huang Quan wasn't in a hurry and said gently, "I don't even know who you are; you don't
need to worry that I'm saving you for some ulterior motive."

The young man pursed his lips and, after a while, asked, "Then why are you saving me?"

Huang Quan smiled, "Because I'm a good person."

The young man: "... You're a good person?"

A good person who breaks people's throats without blinking an eye?

The young man looked at Huang Quan with a very complex expression. "I don't believe it."

The young man said, "There are no such things as good people in this world."

"Okay, I give up." Huang Quan let go of the young man's hand and gently cradled his face
with her hands, brimming with fresh and lively life energy, as if holding a precious treasure.

Huang Quan looked at the young man and said seriously, "You're too good-looking, and I like
good-looking people. That's the reason I saved you."

The young man asked, "...Just because I'm good-looking?"

Just because of this face?

Huang Quan nodded earnestly, "Yes."

The young man: "..." His emotions were very complex, too complex. After living for so many
years, he had never imagined that one day he would be saved because of his appearance.

At this moment, the young man didn't notice the relaxation in his own heart. Even without the
deathly aura and the ability to touch people, he didn't like others touching his face. But now,
being cradled so carefully by Huang Quan, he didn't feel any disgust.

"Take your time to think about it," Huang Quan withdrew her hand and continued to transmit
her life energy to the young man by holding his hand, just as she had done before. "Think it
over before you answer."

The young man looked at her and asked, "Are you really not making any other demands?"

Upon hearing this, Huang Quan was about to shake her head when she suddenly thought of
something and said, "You have to stay by my side so that I can save you immediately when
your deathly aura flares up." This way, she could collect the deathly aura promptly to
suppress her own life energy.

Saving people and collecting deathly aura were not in conflict.

The young man, with his eyes half-lidded, concealed the fleeting glimmer in his eyes and
said, "I can stay by your side, but there will be times when I have to leave."

"As long as you agree, it's fine," Huang Quan replied. "You can go do whatever you need to
occasionally, and you don't have to worry about me disagreeing. Just make sure to come
back when the deathly aura flares up, or you'll be the one suffering."

After hearing this, the young man smiled and said, "Alright, I agree."

The young man had finely chiselled features and a clean appearance. With that smile, he
gained an extra touch of gentleness. His clear and bright phoenix-like eyes sparkled with a
faint light, making him look more lively than before. He was no longer as vigilant and
resistant as he was earlier, which inadvertently softened the hearts of those who saw him.

Seeing the young man's smile, Huang Quan made a soft sound of disapproval in her heart,
"That smile is a bit too gentle!"
"By the way, what's your name?" Huang Quan raised her head to look at him. "And how did
you know my name?"

The young man's gaze flickered, and he seemed a little guilty as he said, "You're quite
famous."

"Famous?" Huang Quan couldn't quite believe it. "Just because I can't practice cultivation?"

The young man replied, "That's one of the reasons..."

"What's the second reason?"

The young man smiled gently, "There's a ranking of beautiful women in the Celestial Phoenix
Realm, and you're at the top of the list."

"That's about right," Huang Quan realized this when she received the memories. The
appearance of this body was the same as her original appearance, but because she was still
young and hadn't fully matured, her appearance seemed more youthful than her previous
one.

As a self-proclaimed "connoisseur of beauty," Huang Quan was quite satisfied with her looks
and had a lot of confidence in them.

The young man: "..." Can you be a little more modest?

Huang Quan told him with absolute certainty: no!

"You still haven't told me your name." After indulging in some self-love, Huang Quan
returned to the main topic.

The young man looked at Huang Quan, struggled internally for a moment, and then said,
"My name is Ye Qin."

"Ye Qin?"
It felt like the name needed a "pseudonym" in front of it.

"Yes," the young man said softly, "I take my mother's surname."

After saying that, the young man half-closed his eyes, partly concealing them.

Well, it doesn't quite qualify as a pseudonym...

Although this name was likely a pseudonym, Huang Quan didn't care too much about it.
After all, in the end, she and the young man were helping each other. She helped him
absorb deathly aura, and he helped her suppress her life energy.

Moreover, he wasn't aware that the deathly aura on his body could help her. Speaking of
which, the situation was more advantageous for her, as long as they didn't delve too deeply
into things.

"I understand," Huang Quan replied.

Ye Qin waited for a while but didn't hear any further questions from Huang Quan. Hesitating
for a moment, he asked, "Don't you have any other questions?"

Huang Quan looked up at him and said, "What should I ask?"

"Where am I from? Why am I in the academy?"

Huang Quan gave him a strange look. He used a pseudonym even for his name, and he
expected her to ask these questions?

She couldn't understand what he was thinking!

"I'm not asking because I'm not interested in those things," Huang Quan said, looking at him.
"But if you want to share, I can listen."
Seeing that Huang Quan was genuinely uninterested, Ye Qin breathed a sigh of relief while
also feeling some indescribable emotions. Those emotions were very faint, and Ye Qin didn't
delve into them. "Forget it, we can talk about it later."

"Alright," Huang Quan released Ye Qin's hand and stood up. "The deathly aura that flared up
this time has been completely absorbed."

Ye Qin was momentarily stunned upon hearing this, and then he carefully sensed it. This
sensation gave rise to a highly surreal feeling within him.

Is it really... completely absorbed?

"When does this deathly aura typically flare up?" Huang Quan, unaware of Ye Qin's
astonishment, asked.

Ye Qin looked at her with a burning gaze, his eyes intense and difficult to ignore.

Huang Quan raised an eyebrow, finding his gaze unusually passionate. Could he be trying to
seduce her?

"The deathly aura flares up once every three months," Ye Qin stared closely at Huang Quan.
"During the flare-up, the deathly aura can be devoured, but due to the curse, there will
always be some deathly aura left."

"So I can't touch other people."

"And you are the only person I can touch."

Huang Quan nodded, saying, "I understand."

"I can only make it so you don't suffer when it flares up, I can't help you with anything else for
now."

"No," Ye Qin smiled and said, "You can make me feel like I can interact with people just like
a normal person."

Huang Quan raised an eyebrow and looked at the young man but didn't say anything.
Ye Qin stood up from the ground and extended his hand to Huang Quan.

The young man's hand was fair, with long, slender fingers, clearly defined joints, resembling
polished jade, making one want to hold and play with it.

"Tsk."

It was one thing to have a handsome face, but how could his hands be so good-looking as
well?

Huang Quan couldn't refuse that hand and placed her hand on top of it.

The girl's skin was soft and her fingers were long and beautiful, placed in the young man's
palm, it felt like a warm and gentle cloud.

Ye Qin slowly grasped the hand in his palm, but his gaze remained fixed on Huang Quan.
"Just like this."

With those words, Ye Qin released her hand and smiled apologetically, "I hope I didn't offend
you."

It was a friendly handshake, not an offense!

Huang Quan shook her head in silence.

Ye Qin said, "I promise to stay by your side. I might have to trouble you from now on."

Huang Quan said seriously, "You're not a bother."

"I don't have a place to stay, so can I live with you in the future?"

Huang Quan was a bit surprised and asked, "Isn't this where you live?"
Ye Qin replied, "No."

"Why are you here then?"

Ye Qin hesitated, thinking about how to explain. Should he say that his deathly aura, which
was supposed to flare up in half a month, suddenly flared up, and he hurried over here to
avoid being discovered and found a room to stay in?

"I'm a new student, and I didn't want to live in the dorms. The teacher told me to come here
and choose a courtyard. I picked this one, but I hadn't had a chance to check it out properly
before the deathly aura flared up."

"Then you can stay here, just tell the teacher."

"But living alone isn't as lively as having two people," Ye Qin said. "Anyway, you also live
here, so we can live together."

Moving in together so quickly?

Huang Quan replied, "Not a great idea."

It's too fast, and third Brother won't approve.

Third Brother!

Huang Quan suddenly jolted and turned to run outside.

Delay!

The Qin family people must have arrived by now, and she had to go immediately; otherwise,
Third Brother might be bullied by the Qin family.

Ye Qin thought that Huang Quan was frightened by what he said and chased after her,
saying, "Don't run away. If you don't want me to live with you, I won't."
"It's none of your concern," Huang Quan said as she ran. "I have a bit of trouble with Third
Brother. Wait for me here, and I'll come to find you after I've sorted out the trouble with Third
Brother."

"We'll figure out where to live later!"

Ye Qin continued to follow, saying, "I'll go with you."

Without waiting for Huang Quan to say anything, Ye Qin added, "I know the academy's dean;
I have connections."

Implying that he could help Huang Quan with the Qin family.

Huang Quan shook her head, "I'll handle it myself."

Seeing her determination and thinking about her inexplicable power, Ye Qin didn't say more.

After leaving their residence, the two of them quickly arrived at Zhengde Hall.

Zhengde Hall was where the teachers gathered to handle academy student matters.

When they reached Zhengde Hall, there were many students standing on both sides of the
hall's entrance, all with expressions of anticipation, looking inside.

Huang Quan furrowed her brows and walked quickly towards the hall.

A loud "smack" echoed as she entered the courtyard, and she saw Nangong Mian being
slapped by a middle-aged man!

The man's blow was extremely forceful, and Nangong Mian's face was left askew from the
impact.

Seeing Nangong Mian being struck, a surge of anger rose from the depths of Huang Quan's
heart. With a swift movement, she appeared by Nangong Mian's side.
The people around were astonished by Huang Quan's sudden appearance. However, before
they could say anything, Huang Quan raised her hand and delivered a fierce slap to the
middle-aged man's face.

A loud "smack" rang out, leaving everyone in shock.

"Quan Quan," Nangong Mian hadn't expected Huang Quan to come and was immediately
relieved when he saw her. He looked at Huang Quan with concern.

Huang Quan gazed at Nangong Mian and was about to say something reassuring, but the
man who had been struck regained his composure, and with a malevolent look, he stared at
Huang Quan, "You dare to hit me?"

"I hit you!" Huang Quan replied, ignoring the man's murderous intent and turned her
attention to Nangong Mian.

Seeing the handprint on Nangong Mian's face, Huang Quan clicked her tongue, feeling an
urge to kill.

"Quan Quan, I'm fine," Nangong Mian said, smiling as he noticed Huang Quan scrutinizing
his face.

"No, you're not," Huang Quan said, then turned her head to look at the infuriated
middle-aged man and asked, "Who are you?"

The people around were taken aback by her question.

"Damn, she doesn't even know who the person is, yet she's already acted; she's got some
guts!"

"I guess she acted because she didn't know who he was. If she did, she wouldn't have dared
to make a move."

"I think Huang Quan is not afraid. Just now, she appeared in front of Qin San Ye in the blink
of an eye; her speed was so fast that we couldn't even see it clearly. I think Qin San Ye didn't
dodge because he didn't react in time."
"Is that possible?"

"It's possible."

The others fell silent upon hearing this.

If it was indeed possible, it meant that Huang Quan was faster than Qin San Ye, which would
explain why he didn't react in time. However, she was supposed to have no spiritual roots
and couldn't cultivate any martial power.

"How could someone with no spiritual roots be so fast?"

"Even though we don't know how she can be so fast, there's definitely no sign of spiritual
power in her."

"That's right, there's no spiritual power in her; it's confirmed."

"She's so fast without any spiritual power; what did she do?"

Not to mention that the onlookers were unaware of what Huang Quan had done; even
Nangong Mian was completely bewildered at his sister's sudden display of power. How had
his sister become so formidable?

The surrounding people were discussing loudly, and even the man who had been struck, Qin
San Ye, heard their words. He became more cautious, but the thought that Huang Quan and
Nangong Mian had no backing or support emboldened him. He continued arrogantly,
"Nangong Mian, your sister killed a member of the Qin family and dared to lay hands on me.
So, how do you think I should settle this score with you?"

Nangong Mian was about to respond, but Huang Quan quickly interjected, "How do you want
to settle it?"

The middle-aged man didn't expect Huang Quan to redirect the conversation and found it
somewhat surprising. But he soon replied, "Normally, given that you killed our young lady,
we should seek revenge and kill you. However, considering that your brother is a student
favored by the academy, I can show mercy and spare your life if you agree to become a
servant of the Qin family from now on."

"Since when has Qin San Ye become so compassionate?"

"Maybe it's not compassion, but he might have more ruthless tactics up his sleeve."

"Poor Huang Quan. Without teacher Ming Zhao here, she has no one to protect her."

Ming Zhao, Nangong Mian's teacher, a first-grade Xuanling master, treated Nangong Mian
very well. Therefore, in the eyes of the students, as long as Ming Zhao was present, there
might be hope for the Huang Quan. But now that the Ming Zhao is no longer around, there's
no hope for the Huang Quan.

Qin San, the third master, also heard what the students were saying, and he sneered without
saying a word.
Huang Quan killed the legitimate daughter of the Qin family, which was indeed deserving of
death, but her appearance was enough to save her life.

The eldest son of the Qin family is now at the Heavenly Emperor Academy of the Tianqi
Empire, attached to the second prince of the Tianqi Empire. The second prince is fond of
beautiful women, and Huang Quan is the number one beauty of the TianHuang Kingdom. If
she is given to the second prince, he could offer them more benefits than the Qin family can
gain within the TianHuang Kingdom country.

It's not surprising that Qin San has such thoughts of trying to please the princes of the Tianqi
Empire. It's because there are too many small countries around the Tianqi Empire, and all of
those small countries want to establish good relations with the Tianqi royal family.

The eldest son of the Qin family finally managed to get close to the second prince, so he
naturally had to do his best to please the second prince. Therefore, after seeing Huang
Quan's appearance, Qin San abandoned the idea of killing her.

Even if Huang Quan refused to cooperate, Qin San didn't intend to kill her. Beautiful women
are hard to find, and it would be a pity to let her die. If she's unwilling, he could use some
medicine to make her cooperate.

Qin San had a beautiful plan in mind, but reality is often harsh.

"It's absolutely impossible!" Nangong Mian said firmly.

"Third Brother, don't worry," Huang Quan then looked at Qin San, half-smiling, and said,
"Servants?"
"Yes," Qin San replied, "as a servant, you can stay alive. Isn't that a good deal?"

"It's not bad," Huang Quan smiled and said, "but, unfortunately, I don't need it."

With that, Huang Quan kicked Qin San with lightning speed, sending him flying and landing
in a sorry state.

Before the rest of the Qin family could react, Huang Quan appeared in front of Qin San
again, looking down at him from above with a foot on his chest, smiling, and said, "Do you
still want me as your servant?"

That radiant smile was like the scorching sun, dazzling and warm for those who liked her.
But for those who disliked her and were jealous, they found that smile to be terrifying, and
Qin San was one of those people.

As he looked at Huang Quan's smiling face, Qin San's eyes turned bloodshot with anger,
and he attempted to release his spiritual power to attack her.

As the spiritual power fluctuations emerged, Nangong Mian became tense, and Ye Qin,
standing on the side, raised an eyebrow and looked at Huang Quan with a calm expression,
a stark contrast to Nangong Mian's nervousness.

Seeing Qin San mobilize his spiritual power, Huang Quan raised her foot slightly, which
made Qin San think that she was trying to avoid his attack. He immediately strengthened his
spiritual power, intending to strike her before she could evade.

However, before Qin San could launch his attack, Huang Quan's raised foot came crashing
down abruptly. In an instant, his chest bones shattered, his spiritual power dissipated, and
he coughed up a mouthful of blood!

Everyone else witnessing this scene was in shock.

Huang Quan had killed Qin Qianqian, and it was evident that she had learned something
new to accomplish this.

But now, Huang Quan had also injured Qin San, and Qin San's cultivation was much higher
than Qin Qianqian's.

He was a sixth-grade spirit master, which was three levels higher than Qin Qianqian. How
had Huang Quan achieved this?

"Third Master!"

The Qin family members saw Qin San continuously coughing up blood and became anxious.

They had come today to seek revenge for their young miss, but now that the revenge had
not been carried out and the third master was seriously injured, if he were to fall here, how
would they explain to their patriarch?
Huang Quan looked at the members of the Qin family and said, "What are you waiting for?
He's not dead yet."

Qin family members: "..."

Were they supposed to wait until he was dead?

Qin San's trusted subordinates looked at the teachers with an unpleasant expression and
said, "Our Third Master is dying, and you're just standing there watching?"

The teachers were also quite helpless. While Nangong Mian was a student of the academy,
his direct master was Ming Zhao, and he had gone out some days ago and hadn't returned.
Without Ming Zhao present, they were hesitant to take action against Nangong Mian. If they
punished him severely and then Ming Zhao came back and held them accountable, what
would they do?

But if they didn't take action, it would also be difficult to explain to the Qin family.

This situation was indeed a dilemma, and the teachers didn't want to get involved. So from
the moment Huang Quan arrived until she severely injured Qin San, there had been a
standoff between Qin San and Huang Quan, and the teachers remained silent.

"The dean is here!"

"They've brought the elder from the dean's residence with them."

Just as the teachers were contemplating how to resolve this situation, a commotion erupted
at the entrance of the academy. When they heard the voices from outside, the teachers
present collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

With the dean's arrival, they would no longer have to deal with this matter.

Everyone in the academy turned their heads to the entrance upon hearing that the dean had
arrived.
The dean hurriedly entered the scene, accompanied by the elder from the dean's residence.
As soon as they entered, they saw Ye Qin standing beside Nangong Mian. Upon seeing Ye
Qin, the dean was so shocked that he stumbled and almost fell.

Why was this ancestor here?

Ye Qin cast a deep, mysterious gaze at the dean and then averted his eyes as if he had
never seen the dean before.

The dean was left feeling perplexed, with even more questions in his mind.

When the dean received the news that Huang Quan had killed Qin Qianqian, he was left with
a question mark in his mind.

Nangong Mian was a genius, well-known within the academy, and the teachers were all very
attentive to him. Therefore, they were aware of Huang Quan's situation as well. The entire
academy knew that Huang Quan had no spiritual roots and was unable to cultivate martial
power. So, how had she managed to kill Qin Qianqian?

Before the dean could understand the situation, news arrived that the Qin family had come
to the academy looking to cause trouble, seeking revenge for Qin Qianqian. Without any
delay, the dean immediately returned from outside.

With the previous situation unresolved and now this ancestor showing up again...

As the dean walked toward the place where the teachers were standing, he discreetly used
his peripheral vision to glance at Ye Qin, trying to figure out why Ye Qin was here.

Even when the dean walked up to the teachers, Ye Qin didn't spare him a glance, leaving
the dean puzzled. He had no choice but to address the current situation.

"Dean, you've come at the right time!"

Upon seeing the dean, the Qin family members immediately spoke, "Our young miss was
killed in the academy, and our Third Master was seriously injured by people from your
academy. As the dean, shouldn't you provide us with an explanation?"
After listening to the Qin family's statement, the dean furrowed his brows and looked at
Huang Quan. When he saw Qin San, who had been stepped on by Huang Quan, the dean
couldn't help but shake his head several times in his mind. This was truly a sorry state.

A sixth-grade spirit master, how had he been bullied by a girl without spiritual roots to this
extent?

After assessing Qin San's pitiful condition, the dean turned his attention to Huang Quan and
asked, "Nangong girl, was it really you?"

Huang Quan had always been known by her name, Huang Quan, without the addition of
"Nan Gong." However, due to Nangong Mian, the elderly referred to her as "Nangong girl"
instead of Huang Quan.

Out of respect for her elders, Huang Quan was willing to go along with it. Hearing the dean's
question, she nodded and said, "Yes, it was me."

The dean immediately inquired, "How did you do it?"

The members of the Qin family remained silent, wondering “Shouldn’t the question be why
instead?”

The members of the Qin family stared at the dean with bitter looks, and finally the dean felt
he had asked the wrong question. He quickly changed the topic: "Why did you kill Qin
Qianqian?"

Huang Quan looked at the dean and fell into silence.

Should she explain or not?

Explaining would be troublesome, but her brother had to attend classes in the academy.

Well, she decided to explain.

"Qin Qianqian initiated the conflict with me," Huang Quan sighed. "There's a saying that
goes, 'Even a rabbit will bite when cornered.' She has been bullying me all along, and today,
she pushed me into the Mingyue Lake, nearly causing me to drown."
"After being saved by my brother, I kept thinking that if I didn't argue with Qin Qianqian, she
would keep bullying me."

"If I stayed silent, her bullying would only get worse."

"Nearly dying made me decide not to endure it any longer," Huang Quan continued, lowering
her gaze to look at Qin San. She smiled and said, "I thought, if I'm going to be bullied
regardless, why not resolve it at its root?"

"Qin San, do you know what it means to resolve something at its root?"

Qin San's eyes were red with anger, but because he was pinned down by Huang Quan and
had his life in her hands, he couldn't utter a word. He could only glare at Huang Quan in
frustration.

"Seeing your current state, it seems you don't understand," Huang Quan smiled and said,
"Let me explain."

"The meaning of resolving something at its root is that I don't mind uprooting the entire Qin
family, making the Qin family disappear forever."

A gasp filled the air, and the onlookers looked at Huang Quan as if she were insane.

Has she gone mad? Is she boasting so wildly?

Even the expressions of the teachers were hard to fathom. While Huang Quan had indeed
managed to seriously injure Qin San, Qin's family head held the position of the Prime
Minister in the Tianhuang Empire. His family had close ties to the royal family, relations with
other ministers, and even women from their family in the imperial palace as consorts.
Uprooting the entire Qin family?

Blowing such a grand horn without fear of a backfire!

Everyone thought Huang Quan was exaggerating, even Nangong Mian found it impossible.
However, Ye Qin seemed to believe what Huang Quan had said.
Even though Huang Quan didn't currently possess that ability, he believed she would have it
in the future. Moreover, with Ye Qin by her side, she didn't need to think about the future. All
she had to do was ask, and he was willing to help her completely uproot the Qin family and
make them disappear from then on.

Qin San was so enraged by Huang Quan's words that he once again spat out blood.

Upon seeing this, the dean's eyelids twitched. He asked, "Nangong girl, is what you just said
true?"

Huang Quan looked at the dean and replied, "It's true. Qin Qianqian enjoys bullying me, and
most of the students in the academy know about it. You can verify it with one question,
Dean."

The dean, after hearing her words, turned to the teachers beside him and said, "Go and ask
the students outside the academy gate."

The teachers were somewhat astonished. Why did they always get involved in such
matters?

Regarding Qin Qianqian's bullying of Huang Quan, not to mention that most students knew
about it, they all knew it was true. But could they speak about it openly?

Seeing that no one was moving, the dean's expression turned cold, and he sternly said,
"Why are you still standing here?"

The teachers, with a sigh of resignation, went outside to question the students.

As the dean watched the teachers leave, he cast a sidelong glance at Ye Qin. He noticed
that although Ye Qin appeared calm, his gaze was fixed on Huang Quan. The dean had a
better understanding of the situation.

Most likely, this ancestor was here for Huang Quan's sake.
This matter needed to be handled properly, and if they treated Huang Quan unfairly, the
academy would be the one truly in trouble.

The teachers were cautious because the Qin family was a prominent clan in the Tianhuang
Empire. All these teachers were from the Tianhuang Empire and had to consider their
actions in the capital. However, the dean didn't fear the Qin family.

If the Qin family wasn't satisfied with the academy, they could only resort to veiled threats but
wouldn't dare to actually harm the academy.

After all

The backing of the Academy of the Tianhuang Empire was the Imperial Academy of the
Tianqi Empire, and when compared to the Qin family, there was no competition.

The teachers who had gone to inquire returned quickly, each with a grim expression as they
approached the dean.

Upon seeing their faces, the dean already had an idea of what had happened but still asked,
"What's the outcome?"

The outcome?

The teachers wanted to cry; there was no need to ask. Who didn't know that Qin Qianqian
was bullying Huang Quan?

To remain silent would offend the dean, making it impossible to continue working as teachers
in the academy. Speaking out could provoke retaliation from the Qin family.

They were caught between a rock and a hard place.

The dean spoke in a stern tone, saying, "What are you afraid of? This is my academy; is
there anyone here who dares to threaten you?"

Upon hearing these words, the teachers felt a glimmer of hope, and their once dim eyes
began to shine.
Although the dean didn't explicitly state it, his words implied that the academy would protect
them, and they had nothing to fear as long as the academy supported them.

"Dean, we've inquired thoroughly," one teacher said, "Qin Qianqian has been bullying Huang
Quan for a long time, and all the students know about it."

"That's right," another teacher added, "Today, Qin Qianqian pushed Huang Quan into the
water. If it weren't for Nangong Mian's quick response, Huang Quan might have died."

"Not only that, Qin Qianqian often brings people to bully Huang Quan, and Huang Quan has
never fought back."

After hearing the last statement, the people present looked at Huang Quan with mixed
expressions.

Indeed, it was concerning.

Being bullied for so long without retaliating, but when she finally did, she resorted to killing.
She was a fierce individual. She could endure, but when she couldn't, she was ruthless!

The dean had been absent from the academy for an extended period, and even when
present, student matters rarely reached his attention. So he was unaware of the details
between Qin Qianqian and Huang Quan.

Now that he had heard the situation, the dean's expression wasn't great, but Qin Qianqian
was already dead, and there was nothing to be done.

"Qin San, the matter is clear now," the dean said, looking at Qin San, who was under Huang
Quan's foot. "If one student accused Qin Qianqian of bullying Huang Quan, it could be a
false accusation. If two students claimed the same, it might be a rumor. But when three, four,
or even the majority of the students say the same thing, the truth becomes evident."

Qin San angrily replied, "Don't forget, the one who died is Qianqian, not Huang Quan!"

"Nangong's daughter had been bullied for a long time, and she couldn't endure it any longer,
which led to this outbreak," the dean said, with a displeased expression. "If we were to
investigate, it's a situation that Qin Qianqian brought upon herself."
"If she hadn't bullied Nangong's daughter, would Nangong's daughter have killed her?"

Qin San, his eyes red with anger, glared at the dean. "So, you're suggesting that we should
just let this matter go?"

"Our Qin family's legitimate young miss is dead, and not only is the academy failing to
deliver justice, but you're also protecting the murderer. Dean, aren't you afraid of our Qin
family seeking revenge?"

The dean appeared nonchalant, saying, "If this matter were brought before the Emperor,
even the Emperor would find Qin Qianqian in the wrong. As for seeking revenge against the
academy..." the dean coldly laughed, "Qin San, I understand that your family's young master
is involved with the Second Prince of the Tianqi Empire, and that gives your Qin family a
certain prestige. However, you might not be aware that while the Second Prince can speak
in front of the Emperor of the Tianqi Empire, he has no say within the Tianqi Empire
Academy. Our Tianhuang Academy is backed by the Empire's Academy. Before your Qin
family seeks revenge, I suggest you carefully consider whether you have the strength for it."

The dean didn't give Qin San and the Qin family any face at all. As they listened to the
dean's words, their faces turned bright red from anger, and certainly, there was also an
element of shame.

The teachers, observing the dean's actions, were astonished. Nangong Mian was indeed
exceptional, but the person who had provoked the Qin family this time was not Nangong
Mian but his sister, Huang Quan. Huang Quan wasn't even a student at the academy. Wasn't
the dean being too harsh in defending someone who wasn't an academy student?

What the teachers didn't know was that while the dean was confronting the Qin family, he
had been watching Ye Qin out of the corner of his eye. When he saw a hint of amusement in
Ye Qin's eyes, the dean knew that this matter had been resolved.

It needed to be settled!

Who cares about the Second Prince of the Tianqi Empire!

Compared to this young master, the Second Prince was just a peasant!!
Of course, the dean had his own perplexities, mainly regarding how Ye Qin was connected
to Huang Quan.

Though the dean was baffled by Ye Qin's relationship with Huang Quan, he was
clear-headed in handling the matter. Seeing Qin San too furious to speak, the dean
continued, "While it's true that Qin Qianqian initiated this incident, she's already gone. I won't
pursue it further, and it's in your best interest not to pursue it either, or else you'll become my
enemies."

Qin San: "..."

Furious!

Their Qin family's legitimate young miss had been killed, and they couldn't even seek justice.
Now they were being threatened in return. Where could the Qin family's dignity be
preserved?

"Very well!"

Qin San said indignantly, "You're truly something!"

"Since the academy is unjust, then..."

"Hmm?" Huang Quan stepped on Qin San's words, and Qin San coughed up blood again!

Huang Quan responded with a half-smile, saying, "So, what now?"

"Think carefully before you speak," Qin San glared at Huang Quan, intending to make a
strong statement but hesitated because his life was in Huang Quan's hands.

Huang Quan made a slight tsk sound and lifted her foot, then swiftly kicked Qin San to
where the other Qin family members were standing.

The Qin family members, not daring to reprimand Huang Quan, quickly helped Qin San to
his feet.
Huang Quan looked at them and said, "Qin Qianqian wanted to kill me, so I killed her. You
slapped my brother, so I seriously injured you. This is where it ends. I won't harm your family
further. But if you refuse to swallow this anger and want to continue causing trouble, I'm
willing to accompany you. But if there's a next time, I'll take your lives directly."

"When you return, tell your family head my message. Regardless of what your family head
wants to do, I'll be ready."

With Qin San seriously injured and the dean protecting Huang Quan, the Qin family couldn't
confront Huang Quan. They reluctantly left, taking Qin Qianqian's body with them.

"Alright, the matter is resolved. You all can go about your business," the dean told the
teachers. Then he turned his attention to Nangong Mian and Huang Quan. "Nangong kid,
the girl, and that..." The dean looked at Ye Qin, hesitating on how to address him.

Nangong Mian also turned to the young man who had been standing beside him the whole
time.

The young man had a handsome face and an aristocratic demeanor that clearly marked him
as someone from a well-off family. Such a person usually drew a lot of attention, but
Nangong Mian had been preoccupied with Huang Quan during the incident, so he hadn't
noticed the person by his side.

With the issue now resolved, Nangong Mian remembered that this person had accompanied
his sister.

"Who are you?" Nangong Mian asked cautiously. "What's your relationship with my sister?"

Huang Quan looked at Ye Qin with a smile, using her eyes to signal him, "You can talk to my
older brother yourself."

Nangong Mian was still cautious about men close to Huang Quan after the incident with the
servant at their residence. Huang Quan knew this, which is why she didn't introduce the two
of them earlier. She wanted her older brother to feel at ease, and she knew that having Ye
Qin explain himself would be the best way.

When Ye Qin saw her smile, he smiled back, which momentarily left Nangong Mian
speechless. Ye Qin's smile was simply too charming!
Nangong Mian instinctively looked at Huang Quan and saw her looking at them with a playful
expression. This made him realize that he couldn't let the two of them get too close.

Huang Quan was already fifteen years old, approaching the age for marriage, but their
parents, older brother, and second brother were all absent. She couldn't marry someone this
early. Nangong Mian decided that he would stay by Huang Quan's side, watching over her
and deferring any discussions about her marriage until their parents returned.

Ye Qin, unaware of Nangong Mian's intentions, wanted to make a good impression on him
as Huang Quan's older brother. He introduced himself in a mild tone, saying, "I'm Ye Qin, a
new student at the academy. I had a health issue earlier, and Huang Quan saved my life. To
repay her kindness, I plan to stay with Huang Quan to assist her..."

"Stop!" Nangong Mian interrupted. "My sister is beautiful and kind-hearted, and helping
others is just second nature to her. You don't need to feel indebted. A simple 'thank you' is
enough. There's no need to stay with her and be at her beck and call."

Ye Qin: "..." I never intended to be at her beck and call. Thanks!

The dean observed the three of them, but remained silent, simply watching.

Huang Quan panicked when she heard Nangong Mian suggesting that Ye Qin should leave.
She quickly moved closer to the two men, grabbed Ye Qin's hand, and held it tightly. She
looked at Nangong Mian earnestly and said, "Big brother, he's my first friend at the academy,
and you should let him stay."

She couldn't let him go. If he left, where would she find her source of comfort? Her condition
required Ye Qin's presence as much as he required her.

Nangong Mian's eye twitched, and he said, "You've only known him for a day, or rather, only
for a while, less than half an hour!"

Huang Quan said, "I feel a deep connection with him."

"Nonsense!" Nangong Mian gritted his teeth. "He's a man!"

To feel a deep connection with a man? Why not call it love at first sight? What the hell!

Huang Quan glanced at Ye Qin and gave him an apologetic look.

Ye Qin's eyelid twitches, instantly sensing that something was not right.

And indeed...

Huang Quan turned to Nangong Mian and said, "Third brother, there's no need to worry. I
see him as a brother."

Ye Qin: "..."

A brother!

Nangong Mian looked at Huang Quan in bewilderment. The dean quickly lowered his head
to suppress his laughter, but his shoulders twitching gave him away.

Ye Qin gave the dean a cold look.

The dean felt Ye Qin's gaze and quickly raised his head, trying not to laugh. He bit his lips to
hold back his laughter, indicating he wasn't really laughing.

"Big brother, Ye Qin's condition is quite difficult to deal with, but I can help treat him," Huang
Quan said to Nangong Mian. "You also said that I'm kind-hearted, and I can't stand by and
watch someone in need."

Nangong Mian: "..."

Was he shooting himself in the foot by getting involved in this? He refused to admit defeat!

Nangong Mian looked at Huang Quan, puzzled, and said, "Quan Quan, I didn't know you
could save people."
Huang Quan's gaze flickered, and she replied, "Big brother, something happened, I'll tell you
all about it later."

Nangong Mian had always been protective of Huang Quan. Seeing that she wanted to be
friends with Ye Qin, he decided not to press the matter further. He said, "Alright, if you really
want to be friends with him, I won't stand in your way."

He added, "Quan Quan, all I wish for you is happiness, safety, and good health. I don't ask
for anything more."

Huang Quan smiled and replied gently, "Third brother, I know."

While her third brother wished for her happiness, safety, and health, she also wished for him
the same..

Nangong Mian smiled with relief and then turned to the dean, expressing his gratitude.
"Dean, thank you for speaking on our behalf."

"You're too polite, Nangong kid," the dean replied. "You have outstanding talent, and you will
go far. I hope you won't dwell on today's events and focus on your training."

"The reason why people fear the Qin family is not just because they have a Prime Minister,
but also because they have a third-level Spiritual Master. When your cultivation surpasses
his, you won't have to fear the Qin family or any other noble houses anymore. By then, you
will no longer be a target."

"Becoming stronger will allow you to better protect Nangong girl," even though she appeared
perfectly capable of protecting herself.

Nangong Mian nodded and said, "I understand, Dean."

"Good," the dean patted Nangong Mian's shoulder. "Your teacher will return in a few days,
and when he does, you should prepare for the upcoming training."

However, Nangong Mian frowned and said, "Dean, I won't be participating in this training."
The dean inquired, "Why not? Your teacher leads the training, and it's safe. It not only
improves your combat skills but also provides the opportunity to collect spiritual herbs. Don't
you need those herbs?"

"Yes, I do need spiritual herbs," Nangong Mian admitted, looking at Huang Quan before
shaking his head. "But this time, I won't be going."

After her near-drowning incident and her sudden act of killing, Huang Quan appeared
normal, but Nangong Mian still wanted to keep a close eye on her. He wanted to observe her
closely for a while to ensure that she didn't develop any problems that he might overlook.

Huang Quan, fully aware of Nangong Mian's concerns, thought for a moment and said,
"Third brother, you can rest assured. I'll take care of myself. Even that third son of the Qin
family who is a Level 6 Spirit Master couldn't defeat me. There's no one who can harm me.
So, you can relax."

The dean also added, "I will keep an eye on Nangong girl here. You don't need to worry, go
with peace of mind."

Without waiting for Nangong Mian's refusal, the dean continued, "This training will take place
in the inner region of the Tianhuang Mountain Range. Only fifty students will participate, led
by five teachers, with the company of our second and third elders for added security. It's a
rare opportunity, and you might even find a good number of spiritual herbs. Nangong kid,
please consider going."

Nangong Mian wanted to participate but was concerned about Huang Quan's condition. He
felt conflicted and, after a while, said, "Dean, my teacher won't be back for a few more days.
I'll think about it."

He wanted to spend the next few days with Huang Quan and, if she showed no signs of
problems, he would join the training.

"Alright," the dean said. "Take your time to think about it."

Nangong Mian agreed with a nod.

"Go to your classes now," the dean said. "I'll make sure Nangong girl gets back safely."
Nangong Mian thanked the dean and added, "I'll focus on my training to bring honor to our
academy. It's my way of showing gratitude."

He smiled and then turned to Huang Quan, saying, "Quan Quan, I'm off to class. Get some
rest at home."

Huang Quan nodded and said, "I understand."

Nangong Mian nodded in return and prepared to leave. However, he noticed that Huang
Quan was still holding Ye Qin's hand and immediately said with a serious tone, "Let go."

Huang Quan obediently let go.

Upon seeing her release her hand, Nangong Mian nodded in satisfaction and left.

"Brother, I'm leaving. I should go back too," Huang Quan said as she prepared to depart.

"Nangong girl, wait a moment!" The dean called out when he saw her about to leave.

Huang Quan turned around and asked, "Is there something else?"

"There is indeed something," the dean hesitated for a moment but finally asked, "Nangong
girl, how did it happen... exactly?"

Huang Quan appeared puzzled and asked, "What do you mean, 'how did it happen?'"

"You don't have any spiritual power, and you've never practiced martial arts before, so how
did you manage to kill Qin Qianqian?" the dean inquired.

Huang Quan raised an eyebrow and responded, "She was so weak; even without spiritual
power, it's normal to defeat her, isn't it?"

The dean added, "Qin Qianqian was a third-level spiritualist, not weak."

Huang Quan simply said, "I thought she was weak."

The dean cast a glance at Ye Qin, who remained silent, so he continued with Huang Quan's
narrative, "Qin Qianqian was weak. What about Mr. Qin, then? He is a sixth-level spiritualist.
Can he be considered weak?"

The dean questioned this as Mr. Qin was three levels higher than Qin Qianqian.

"Dean, I understand your curiosity," Huang Quan shrugged. "But you've also seen it for
yourself. I genuinely have no spiritual power. It's just pure physical strength. I don't
understand why they were so helpless."

The dean sighed, feeling frustrated, but followed her story. "Nangong girl, would you
consider having your martial level tested at the Martial Arts Academy?"

"Once you determine your martial level, you can take courses within the academy," he
continued. "If you can defeat a sixth-level spiritualist with pure physical strength, your martial
level must be quite high. With that, you'll have access to resources for further training."

Just as the dean's words had barely landed, Huang Quan suddenly turned her head and
started coughing violently.

Seeing her coughing, Ye Qin furrowed his brow and inquired, "What's wrong with you?"

Huang Quan wanted to respond, but she couldn't speak; she just continued to cough
intensely.

Huang Quan's violent coughing fit left her breathless, her face turned bright red due to the
prolonged and forceful coughing.

Seeing Huang Quan in this state, the dean was taken aback.

Many people in the capital knew about Huang Quan's fragile health, having relied on spiritual
herbs since childhood. Nangong Mian had taken on risky missions to earn money to buy
these herbs for her. He had even spoken with the dean about allocating more resources for
Nangong Mian's training to support Huang Quan's medical expenses. Despite not being
present in the academy regularly, the dean was aware of Huang Quan's health issues.
However...
Reflecting on how Huang Quan had faced Qin San, her powerful aura, and her fierce actions
just moments ago, there were no signs of her being unwell.

Now, looking at her coughing fit, the dean was sure that Huang Quan's health was indeed
fragile.

She was both strong and unwell.

Seeing Huang Quan's persistent cough, the dean finally recognized the extent of her poor
health.

For her, it was not a façade, and the dean realized it was true.

Observing Huang Quan's condition, Ye Qin immediately grasped her hand to check her
pulse. However, this action made Ye Qin's expression grow even graver.

Huang Quan's health issue was her fragility, but this type of persistent coughing was not an
ordinary symptom.

At this moment, Ye Qin realized why Nangong Mian had been so eager for Huang Quan to
receive medical attention from master Fo Xin. Huang Quan was frail, but her body exhibited
no obvious abnormalities. This contradiction made it challenging for both doctors and
alchemists to diagnose her. Now it made sense why her condition had been so difficult to
treat.

"Dean, I... I won't go for the test," Huang Quan said after her intense coughing fit subsided.
She looked at the dean and expressed her gratitude. "You've seen my condition, and it's not
suitable for me to attend classes. I won't go. Thank you for your kind intentions."