Chapter 158: Yin-Yang Flame Seal
After the selection tournament ended, Xiao Yuan didn't stay in the academy. Instead, he went straight to Instructor Ruo Lin and requested another leave.
Instructor Ruo Lin was hesitant. She worried that now that Xiao Yuan had taken first place, he might feel the academy was boring and run off again. She tried to talk him out of it, even offering access to the Treasure Pavilion—leaving Xiao Yuan both touched and amused.
Of course, he wasn't really planning to disappear. The reason for his departure was the young girl Qingning, whom he had purchased during the auction in Black Seal City. He had left her in a nearby inn.
As for her safety, Xiao Yuan wasn't worried. The Black-Corner Region was chaotic, but the recent events—Fan Lao's serious injury and the Blood Sect being attacked—had surely spread through all the major powers, including the Eight Gates of Black Seal City.
With their influence, the Eight Gates would definitely know the girl was still in town.
And with their leader's strength, he wouldn't dare risk angering Xiao Yuan by causing trouble for a girl under his protection. More likely, he would treat her with extra care.
She wouldn't consume many resources anyway, and if such a small gesture earned him favor with a Dou Huang-level powerhouse, it would be a bargain.
Still, Xiao Yuan wasn't leaving everything to chance.
Before leaving her, he had given her a flame ring forged from his Yin-Yang Dual Flame. In case of emergency, it would provide protection.
Two days later, as evening fell, Xiao Yuan returned to Black Seal City dressed in white robes. Before he even reached the inn, the Eight Gates' leader appeared before him.
"I am Yuan Yi, master of the Eight Gates. May I ask your name?" the burly man asked with a respectful bow.
"Xuan Bing. You may call me Ice Empress."
A cool, regal voice rang out.
"Hehe, so it's Ice Empress. Then I assume it was you who injured the Blood Sect's master, Fan Lao?" Yuan Yi smiled and asked via sound transmission.
"No."
Xiao Yuan couldn't tell what Yuan Yi was really after, so he replied indifferently.
"Hehe, no problem. I take it you're here for that girl, Qingning?" Yuan Yi didn't press. He simply changed the subject and, before Xiao Yuan could respond with irritation, added quickly, "Don't worry. We of the Eight Gates are true to our word. She's been well taken care of."
"Your goal?"
Xiao Yuan stayed in character—cool and distant.
"In this region, you need either power or allies. You don't seem like a native of the Black-Corner Region, and that can make things inconvenient. I may only be a Two-Star Dou Huang, but my faction is decent. Would you be interested in becoming an honorary elder of the Eight Gates?"
Yuan Yi smiled.
Xiao Yuan was silent for a moment before calmly replying, "Sorry, I'll pass."
"I understand. Either way, the Eight Gates will always welcome you."
Yuan Yi showed no displeasure, bowing again with a smile.
Earlier, when he hadn't sensed Xiao Yuan clearly, he wouldn't have been so respectful. But at this distance, he could faintly detect a vast power within Xiao Yuan—subtle, but formidable. Without his unique detection method, he wouldn't have sensed it at all.
Judging by that energy's strength, this "Ice Empress" could be at least a Seven-Star or Eight-Star Dou Huang. Even if he couldn't recruit her, he definitely couldn't afford to offend her.
Someone that powerful at such a young age surely had terrifying talent or backing. He might need her help one day.
"Mm."
Xiao Yuan nodded, though he didn't intend to get too involved with the Eight Gates.
He'd be back in the academy for the foreseeable future, and Yuan Yi's strength wouldn't help him much. A slight connection was enough. In the Black-Corner Region, favors only went so far.
When real interests were at stake, even father and son would settle accounts coldly.
Xiao Yuan entered the inn and walked to the room where he had arranged for Qingning to stay. He pushed the door open—
"…???"
And froze.
Why was this girl sleeping without clothes or a blanket?
He turned away quickly, blinking at the blanket of pale skin.
On the bed, Qingning stirred, blinking drowsily. When she saw the white-robed figure, she gasped, instinctively grabbing a blanket to cover herself.
After a closer look, confirming it was the person who had vanished nearly ten days ago, she forgot her embarrassment, rushed over, knelt expertly, and said timidly, "Master."
Xiao Yuan frowned and turned around.
She straightened up and looked at him. Xiao Yuan met her eyes—and then saw… well, a deep ravine.
Honestly? Her development was impressive.
"Stand up. No kneeling."
His voice turned serious.
"Yes, Master!" Qingning flinched, sensing his shift in tone. She stood hurriedly—but forgot the blanket.
As it slipped away, her figure was fully exposed before Xiao Yuan.
Damn.
If he said he felt nothing, he'd be lying. But in his current female disguise, he couldn't afford to react. He calmly walked to the window-side table and sat down.
"Put on your clothes. And stop calling me Master."
"Yes, Sir!"
Qingning quickly dressed and approached meekly.
"You seem to have settled in well. If you wish, you can stay here permanently."
Xiao Yuan said calmly.
"You… you don't want me anymore?" she asked, eyes glistening with panic.
"No, not at all. I just want to give you a choice. One: stay here, and I'll have the Eight Gates' master look after you. You won't need to worry about being sold again. You can cultivate Dou Qi or live a normal life—up to you.
Two: come with me. But you're too weak. If you choose that, you'll have to train hard. I'll send you to Jia Nan Academy, the best Dou Qi school on the continent."
"I'll go with you!"
She didn't hesitate for a second.
"Oh? So determined?"
"From the moment you bought me, I was yours. Of course I'll follow you."
She looked up at him with unwavering eyes.
"Alright, we don't have much time. Let's go."
Xiao Yuan nodded and pulled her into his arms. His figure shimmered—and they vanished from the room.
Whoosh—
Back at the Eight Gates, Yuan Yi sensed Xiao Yuan's departure and frowned.
That speed… not quite Dou Huang level?
A mysterious woman indeed.
He shook his head, never realizing the "Dou Huang" he'd spoken to was just a Da Dou Shi student from Jia Nan Academy.
Whoosh, whoosh…
High in the sky, Qingning looked down in awe, excitement sparkling in her eyes.
She had once lived in fear, but now—now she could fly like a strong cultivator and look down at the world from above.
"So you chose to follow me. Then there's something you need to know."
Xiao Yuan's cool, feminine voice snapped her back to reality.
"Yes, sir?"
"I'm not a Dou Huang. And I'm not a woman."
His tone shifted instantly back to his real voice.
He removed his veil, revealing a stunningly handsome face—so perfect it was hard to tell if it belonged to a man or a woman.
Qingning didn't quite understand, but she was stunned all the same.
"My name is Xiao Yuan. You can call me 'young master' or just Xiao Yuan. You're currently at Dou Qi level nine, but your Qi feels unstable—clearly, much of it came from pills, not your own cultivation."
Since she was in his arms, he could sense it clearly.
"They gave me many pills," she said. "That's how I reached this level so fast. And it's also why my body developed this way."
"Mm. At Dou Qi level, using pills is harmful. Yours were probably low-grade and came with side effects—forcing your body to mature and increasing its tolerance for Qi. Outwardly, you look overdeveloped, but inside, you've burned through your vitality.
That's probably why you couldn't sleep well—night sweats, fever, restlessness. If you don't cultivate, you'll begin aging by twenty-one, and by forty, you'll look like a frail old woman."
Xiao Yuan's voice was cold, but calm.
Qingning's face paled with fear. She hadn't realized how dire her condition was.
"But this isn't entirely bad," Xiao Yuan continued. "The vitality you've spent will make you grow stronger faster. If you reach Dou Wang before twenty, you'll recover all of it."
He took out a jade bottle from his ring.
"This is a foundational restorative pill. Don't take it all at once—your body's too fragile. Use a small dose to relieve your symptoms and sleep easier."
"Thank you, Young Master."
She accepted the bottle, tucking it carefully into the deep valley of her chest.
"It's nothing. I just don't want a girl like you used as someone's plaything. Honestly, that technique they used on you—it's vile.
With your fragile body, if anyone had… seduced you, you'd have completely lost yourself in the process."
A trace of cold fury flashed in Xiao Yuan's eyes. Any goodwill he had toward Yuan Yi vanished.
Manufacturing people like products—that's worse than animals.
Even low-tier pills can kill the average person. Qingning had been lucky—not only did she survive, but her forced development gave her rare talent.
But how many girls had died in the process?
Just as Xiao Yuan was thinking this, the girl in his arms suddenly began to feel hot.
Looking down, his expression shifted.
Qingning's eyes were hazy, lips parted, breath heavy, body squirming against his.
Seriously?! Right after I said it?
Xiao Yuan frowned. Ice-type Dou Qi could cool her down—but her constitution was too weak. It might disrupt her balance and kill her.
And none of his pills were suitable either.
Suddenly, he felt his Yin-Yang Dual Flame stirring within him.
Could it be?
A thought struck him, and his eyes lit up.
He raised a finger and gently pressed it to Qingning's forehead. Black and white flames swirled together, forming a circular flame seal shaped like a Taiji symbol.
"With Yin-Yang Flame's dual-nature origin, I can suppress her internal chaos. This should be enough."
As he spoke, Qingning's condition gradually stabilized. After a long while, clarity returned to her eyes.
(END CHAPTER)
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