“Here, you can have it,” Yao Lian said, stepping forward while holding out a pouch filled with healing pills. She had noticed the malnourished woman searching desperately for it and offered it to her.
“….th..ank..you,” Xiu Ying managed to utter in a weak voice, struggling to form complete sentences due to her frail state.
Her heavy eyelids drooped as she looked down, her hands, thin like twigs, trembled as they clutched the pouch.
‘Why….’ Yao Lian thought, keenly observing the behavior of this emaciated woman. This intrigue was the primary reason she had chosen to stay back rather than follow Rui Ke and Esme.
Initially, she wished to avoid engaging in battle; her strength had not yet fully recovered, and confronting those people would only create more problems for her.
Besides, she could sense how easily Rui Ke had killed numerous cultivators in a single stroke.
Yao Lian realized that her presence might only hinder Rui Ke’s efforts, so she opted to remain behind for now.
The other compelling reason was her curiosity about this woman.
When they reached the gate of the inner pavilion, Yao Lian’s attention was diverted when Rui Ke unexpectedly called someone from behind.
She was bewildered, having assumed someone stronger was lurking in the trees.
To her surprise, the woman emerged from the forest unscathed, contradicting Yao Lian’s expectation that she would have been consumed by a monster.
Considering all these factors, Yao Lian pondered Rui Ke’s enormous strength and the unusual attention he paid to this woman.
Unlike Yao Lian, who often felt disregarded by him—as if she were merely a servant—this woman seemed to hold some significance.
This curiosity compelled Yao Lian to seize the opportunity when she saw Rui Ke and Esme heading toward the main palace, feeling the intense surge of internal energy emanating from it like a tornado.
Thus, while Rui Ke battled whatever resided in the palace, Yao Lian intended to extract as much information from this frail woman as possible.
She made sure to speak softly, aware that the woman looked as if she might collapse at any moment or suffer a heart attack.
“So, where are you from?” Yao Lian inquired gently, ignoring the items lying around.
She had already secured all the valuable things she found in her spatial pocket, thus granting herself time to observe as this woman foraged like a rag picker.
“I-I…,” Xiu Ying stammered, having already discerned the intentions of the woman in front of her.
It was clear from the very beginning that instead of joining her companions, this woman had chosen to remain behind, collecting various items yet lingering here, seemingly eager to engage her in conversation.
The woman’s motive was unmistakable: she wanted to learn more about Xiu Ying.
Xiu Ying had anticipated this encounter ever since the moment the young man recognized her.
His acknowledgment had brought unwanted attention from everyone around him, making her situation increasingly precarious.
With lineage tied to the Devereaux family, the young man possessed a mental capacity that far surpassed that of any ordinary Legendary Rankers.
It was evident he had a promising future ahead, one where his growth would likely be exponential.
Xiu Ying could gauge his mental strength from the way he single-handedly controlled hundreds of weapons, a feat that had momentarily taken her by surprise.
While the technique itself wasn’t particularly powerful, the sheer mental ability to accomplish such a task was impressive.
What shocked her even more was the sudden disappearance of the spiritual veins within the inner pavilion.
They didn’t merely dissipate or have their energy drained; they vanished entirely, as if all the accumulated essence from thousands of years had been reduced to nothingness.
“….Lower town,” Xiu Ying finally replied, her voice tinged with hesitation. She lifted her gaze to scrutinize the young woman before her, who clearly possessed the Moon Essence Physique—an attribute particularly well-suited for double cultivation.
Xiu Ying’s keen perception revealed a black-colored root embedded in this woman’s soul, an indication of her enslavement.
With her formidable soul strength, the Empress of the Jade Dominion had the ability to see through flesh, to peer into what lay beneath the surface.
At this moment, she could clearly assess Yao Lian’s plight.
However, her attention soon drifted toward the main palace.
Despite feeling weakened due to a recent problem with her real body, she could still perceive that this young woman was a mere sex slave to that man.
‘…I must leave,’ Xiu Ying thought, troubled by the revelation.
Even her extraordinary vision, which could easily penetrate flesh, faltered against that young man.
She found herself unable to discern anything beyond the superficial—his bloodline, bone age, and physical size, all of which were readily apparent.
For the first time, her ability to see beyond the surface had been obstructed by something powerful enough to shield him.
With the two women encircling him, Xiu Ying deduced that this young man likely reveled in gathering women, indulging in carnal pleasures, and accumulating material possessions.
These realizations compelled her to escape, yet she couldn’t shake her curiosity about how he had come to uncover her true identity in the first place.
Previously, she had observed how those who resided at the pinnacle of their strength often stammered and succumbed to the allure of materialistic desires.
Unlike them, she had devoted herself to enhancing her soul strength, losing interest in worldly possessions.
“I can guess that much…” Yao Lian furrowed her brows as she glanced at the woman who appeared nothing more than a beggar, instantly revealing her origins from the lower town.
The real question was how this seemingly weak woman had managed to reach this place and even gotten Rui Ke’s attention.
Yao Lian hesitated; she couldn’t simply force a confession from someone as fragile as Xiu Ying.
It was evident that a mere touch could spell doom for her.
Moreover, since Young Master Rui Ke had personally shown interest in her, Yao Lian chose to refrain from taking any aggressive measures.
Xiu Ying, however, chose to ignore Yao Lian, focusing instead on her task of collecting objects imbued with any amount of spiritual energy.
Though her recovery wouldn’t be complete, these items could still help restore her physical strength.
Living in her current body was overwhelming, and knowing that the young man was aware of her, she feared the cruelty he might be capable of inflicting upon her.
Additionally, she had to confront Idolse Rhea, the one who had betrayed her and stolen her body.
Just as she was about to pick up a small dagger, intending to imbue it with spiritual energy, an intense sensation of sword intent reached her.
It was powerful enough to suggest that something significant was approaching.
She instinctively turned to gauge the source, spotting a woman emerging from a portal.
The newcomer was clad in an army uniform, with one eye covered by an eye patch.
“…Sword Valley?” The words escaped Xiu Ying’s lips without her conscious intent.
In her current state, still unfit for her strong soul, she struggled to maintain control over her emotions.
Her whisper was barely audible, but she clearly saw the woman’s gaze narrow as if she had heard the words clearly.
“Who are you?” Yao Lian demanded, charging her body with internal energy as she observed the intruder approaching. Yao Lian held a sword that suddenly flickered with flames, causing her to narrow her gaze.
The amber eyes and mask felt oddly familiar, prompting her to raise an eyebrow in confusion. After a moment, Yao Lian spoke again, her voice steady.
“Are you the sister of Young Master Rui Ke?”
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