The eastern sky gradually lightened, and the morning breeze swept away the lingering warmth.

Yuan Na busied herself in the kitchen since early morning.

The clang of pots and pans was the pleasant sound that woke everyone up on time.

Bing Duoduo and Shu Ran were the first to step out of their rooms.

Bing Duoduo stretched comfortably and took a deep breath, the aroma of food wafting into her nose. Her eyes lit up, and she dashed to the kitchen.

Shu Ran merely lifted the corners of his eyes, indulgently watching Bing Duoduo’s catlike figure disappear in the distance.

“Morning, Shu Ran.”

Xin Shu, as cold as ever, walked up to Shu Ran with his sword in hand and greeted him.

Shu Ran nodded in response, “Wanna spar for a bit?”

“Sure.”

The two headed towards the bamboo grove behind them.

Ning Chifeng and Mu Xian came out at the same time. Looking at the expansive glow in the east, Ning Chifeng shouted cheerfully, “Another beautiful day!”

Finally, Gong Xue appeared. Ning Chifeng greeted her, “Gong Xue…”

Gong Xue ignored both him and Mu Xian, lethargically walking past them to a corner, looking utterly exhausted.

Ning Chifeng glanced at Mu Xian, who shrugged, indicating he had no idea what was wrong with her.

Noticing what was happening, Bing Duoduo walked over and asked Ning Chifeng, “What’s up with Gong Xue? She looks so tired.”

Ning Chifeng and Mu Xian both shook their heads.

Bing Duoduo approached Gong Xue, her voice soft and gentle, “Are you OK, Gong Xue? Did you not sleep well last night?”

Gong Xue shook her head woodenly, “I’m fine.”

Yuan Na, carrying the finished dishes, also came over. “Gong Xue, if something is bothering you, just tell us. We’re all here to help. If you’re worried about the trouble you caused recently, don’t be. Shu Ran will protect you, and the Dean won’t blame you. We’re all here for you.”

Gong Xue looked up at the four pairs of concerned eyes, feeling a surge of warmth. Ever since arriving here, she had rediscovered the sense of family she had long lost. She was very grateful and fond of this group of senior brother and sister.

Although Gong Xue’s troubles weren’t related to what Yuan Na had mentioned, hearing her words seemed to ease her tension a bit.

“Thank you all.”

Gong Xue agreed, even though her confusion wasn’t completely resolved. She didn’t want to disappoint them and tried to appear more relaxed.

Perhaps among them, only Mu Xian understood Gong Xue’s thoughts—maybe it had something to do with An Cheyan and An Wanggui.

Seeing Gong Xue smile again, Bing Duoduo finally felt at ease and pulled Gong Xue up.

Yuan Na quickly called everyone to the table, “Alright, it’s time to eat. You all start first, there’s one more dish in the kitchen. I’ll bring it over. Leave some for Shu Ran and Xin Shu.”

Ning Chifeng jumped up excitedly, “Alright!” He grabbed Mu Xian and headed to the table.

After the meal, Gong Xue went to the bamboo grove behind them to practice the Soul Reviving Spell.

This time, whether due to her unsettled mind or reaching a critical moment in her practice, her deity soul suddenly trembled, carrying with it a heart-wrenching pain.

Gong Xue tried hard to suppress and soothe the pain, attempting to ignore it, but…

“Ah-!”

Accompanied by Gong Xue’s agonizing scream, a powerful force burst out from within her, flinging her several meters away. The surrounding bamboo grove swayed wildly.

Crack! Crack!

One bamboo stalk after another snapped and collapsed. The rustling of bamboo leaves, the breaking of bamboo branches, and the sound of the powerful force all intermingled, creating a symphony of chaos throughout the grove.

Flocks of birds took flight into the sky, and the few people in the thatched hut sensed the commotion.

“What happened? Shu Ran, is it possible there’s a monster out there?”

Ning Chifeng’s words made Bing Duoduo break into a cold sweat.

“Gong Xue is still out there!”

Just as Shu Ran was about to rush out to check, Mu Xian flew ahead and called back to the others, “I’ll bring her back!”

Mu Xian’s figure soon vanished into the distant forest, leaving the others in the thatched hut exchanging worried glances.

Ning Chifeng looked concerned, “Shu Ran, is it okay to let Mu Xian go alone?”

After careful consideration, Shu Ran decided to follow.

That surge of power just now—Mu Xian knew it clearly belonged to Gong Xue.

Gong Xue’s scream sounded excruciating, and for a fleeting moment, Mu Xian felt as if a huge stone had crashed into his heart. Without much thought, the only thing on his mind was to get to her side as quickly as possible.

His heart raced, and he nearly used divine power. In barely a moment, he saw Gong Xue.

“Gong Xue!”

He called out in panic, running over hurriedly.

The impact brought by the deity soul was too intense. Gong Xue’s vision momentarily blurred, and she sat there, trying to calm her deity soul. Then, a voice like a beacon in the dark broke through the cold and brought her warmth.

“Gong Xue!” Mu Xian grasped her, checking her up and down, his voice full of anxiety and worry. “Gong Xue, what happened to you?”

Gong Xue looked up at him for a moment and then smiled. “I’m fine. But look at you, your face is so pale, and you’re sweating.”

With Gong Xue’s comment, Mu Xian finally noticed his trembling hands, the cold breaths he took, and his pounding heart, which he could hear echoing. If he could see himself now, he would realize his lips had lost their color, and his face was almost ghostly pale. Mu Xian became aware of his actions, quickly releasing her and turning away, unable to meet her gaze.

“I-I’m fine.”

Although he said that, the intense worry that had gripped him moments ago was now replaced by a strong sense of shame and the fear of his feelings for Gong Xue being revealed.

Mu Xian suddenly realized he harbored unusual thoughts about Gong Xue.

How could this be?

Why did this happen?

Impossible!

Mu Xian questioned himself over and over again.

“Mu Xian!”

Gong Xue pulled him back, shouting at him. Mu Xian’s drifting thoughts were jolted back to reality.

“W-What’s wrong?”

Mu Xian looked at her, bewildered. Gong Xue pouted, “I’ve called you several times! What were you thinking about?”

Mu Xian stared at Gong Xue, his eyes unblinking.

To be honest, Gong Xue’s appearance was not remarkable; she was quite average. Compared to Meng Yi, she was definitely not as striking.

Meng Yi had a petite face with a sharp chin, and her eyes were full of allure. In contrast, Gong Xue lacked Meng Yi’s grace; her face was round, and she wasn’t tall but rather skinny.

In the beginning, Mu Xian was indeed drawn to Meng Yi by her looks, leading him to pursue her fervently until he finally married her.

When Mu Xian first met Gong Xue, she was covered in blood and dirt, looking like a living beggar.

After they came out, when Gong Xue appeared in front of him all clean and tidy, Mu Xian didn’t have much of a reaction. He had seen more attractive people before, so he didn’t think Gong Xue was particularly beautiful.

But what was happening today?

Every smile, every movement of Gong Xue seemed so different in Mu Xian’s eyes, as if filtered through a soft, enchanting lens, making her look stunning.

Mu Xian lowered his head, trying to resist the urge to look at her. Maybe if he didn’t look, these confusing thoughts would go away.

However, with his head down, Mu Xian could clearly hear his heart pounding, as if it wanted to break out of his chest, urgent and strong.

“Mu Xian.”

Seeing no response from him, Gong Xue called out again.

“What’s wrong?” Mu Xian’s voice was a bit hoarse, seemingly restrained and hesitant.

Gong Xue just frowned slightly, not thinking too much about it. She sighed, then walked over to sit by the side, curling up her legs. She looked up at the sky obstructed by the tall bamboo leaves and asked gently, “Mu Xian, what should I do?”

Mu Xian looked at her back, then walked over and sat behind her, both of them sitting back to back, talking.

“Is it because of An Cheyan, what happened yesterday?”

“Yeah.” Gong Xue’s voice sounded weary. “I’ve met An Cheyan, but I don’t know how to interact with him anymore.”

“Can you tell me how you offended them?”