As the night fell and the chorus of insects began, the candles illuminated the room, but Gong Xue had found no clue about the Soul Reviving Spell.

Seeing Gong Xue’s persistence, Xu Tao sighed and called out to her from upstairs, “When you leave, make sure to put out all the lights.”

“Got it!” Gong Xue responded, continuing her search.

Xu Tao shook his head and left the library.

Hall of Affairs.

The light in the hall flickered. Xu Tao stood before An Xuqian.

“Dean, who exactly is that little girl? She immediately inquired about the Soul Reviving Spell as soon as she arrived. I probed her a bit and found that she seems to have some traces of celestial energy in her.”

An Xuqian waved his sleeve, and a glowing box appeared in front of Xu Tao. When he opened it, he found the Soul Reviving Spell inside.

Xu Tao was perplexed. “Dean, what is this?”

An Xuqian slowly opened his reserved eyes and said, “Place it somewhere she can find it.”

Xu Tao questioned, “We’re just giving her the book?”

“If she desires it, let her have it. To us, it’s just an ornament. That girl has a myriad of connections with our Cloud Academy. Her arrival is destined.”

Hearing An Xuqian’s words, Xu Tao realized Gong Xue might be crucial to the future of Cloud Academy.

Holding the box, Xu Tao stood on the steps of the Hall of Affairs, gazing at the moon and sighing deeply.

Gong Xue, lost in despair, returned only to bump into the sneaky Bing Duoduo.

“Duoduo, you…”

“Shh!” Bing Duoduo immediately covered Gong Xue’s mouth and, after checking both sides to ensure safety, pulled Gong Xue towards the back mountain behind Twilight.

“Duoduo, what are we doing here so late?”

When they reached the lake, Bing Duoduo retrieved a pre-hidden fish spear and basket from behind a tree by the lakeside.

“Gong Xue, you have no idea. This lake is the largest in all of Cloud Academy, and the fish here are the fattest. I didn’t get enough to eat tonight, so I’m bringing you for a snack.”

Gong Xue’s mouth twitched as she took the fish spear Bing Duoduo tossed her.

“Duoduo, fishing without permission doesn’t seem right.”

“What’s there to fear? They have so many fish; they won’t miss one or two. There are too many prying eyes during the day. Night is the best time for this.”

The two of them rolled up their pant legs and waded into the lake to catch fish. Judging by how adept Bing Duoduo was, it was clear she had done this many times before.

After much effort, they finally caught five fish.

They started a fire right there and roasted the fish, sprinkling Bing Duoduo’s special blend of spices, letting the delicious aroma fill the air.

“Gong Xue, here you go,” Bing Duoduo said, handing the first roasted fish to Gong Xue, who hesitated before quickly accepting it.

The last person who had taken care of her this way was her parents.

Gong Xue looked at Bing Duoduo, who continued roasting the fish, feeling touched.

“Cough, cough!”

A familiar sound of coughing made them drop their fish in fright.

Shu Ran emerged from behind a tree, looking at them both with an expressionless face.

Bing Duoduo quickly pulled Gong Xue behind her and forced a smile. “Fujun, what brings you here?”

Shu Ran remained silent, surveying the two of them, the fire, and the fish on the ground. Both girls were dripping with cold sweat.

After a moment, Shu Ran’s expression softened reluctantly. “Don’t let this happen again,” he said before turning and walking away.

Realizing what had just happened, Bing Duoduo hugged Gong Xue and twirled around, shouting in the direction Shu Ran had left, “Fujun, I love you the most!”

Shu Ran hadn’t gone far. Hearing this, his face turned slightly pink, and a warm feeling spread in his heart, causing him to smile.

Bing Duoduo turned to Gong Xue.

“Don’t be fooled by how stern your Senior brother looks. When it comes to protecting us, he’s unwavering.”

“Duoduo, you must be really, really fond of Shu Ran, right?”

“Of course, Shu Ran is the best in the world!”

The passionate gleam in Bing Duoduo’s eyes made it clear that she was deeply proud to love Shu Ran.

Such pure love was something Gong Xue hadn’t seen in a long time.

After filling their bellies, with two fish left over, they decided to take them back to have Yuan Na make fish soup the next day.

The next morning.

Before dawn, Gong Xue was already rushing to the library, disturbing Xu Tao’s pleasant dreams. With a grumpy face, Xu Tao scared off any disciples who came to the library, except for Gong Xue, who took no notice.

“Annoying girl!” Xu Tao cursed inwardly.

Remembering An Xuqian’s instructions from the previous night, Xu Tao reluctantly pretended to pass by Gong Xue and deliberately knocked the book out of her hands.

Gong Xue watched Xu Tao’s smug departure with confusion, assuming he must be angry at her for waking him up so early.

Gong Xue couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. She turned to pick up the book on the floor and noticed another one beside it.

As she picked it up, she saw the title Soul Reviving Spell written in bold characters. Gong Xue could hardly believe her eyes and quickly flipped through a few pages. It indeed contained the method to revive a deity soul.

Her mind racing, Gong Xue realized that Xu Tao had done this on purpose. He had intentionally given her this book.

While she didn’t fully understand the reason behind it, she felt grateful. Holding the book, she walked over to where Xu Tao was lounging and whispered, “Old man, thanks. Next time, I’ll bring you some roast chicken and fine wine.”

Xu Tao’s eyes lit up instantly, but to maintain his aloof image, he impatiently waved his hand and turned away, pretending to ignore her.

Gong Xue saw right through his act and muttered, “Such a face-saving old man.”

Gong Xue spent another entire day at the library. After a full day of cultivation, she noticeably felt more refreshed and sensed that her magical powers had somewhat recovered.

To Gong Xue, this was already a significant breakthrough.