Ling Xian's brows furrowed faintly — so faint that no one else noticed.
This...
Not a toxin... not sabotage...
Her constitution itself is special — a sleeping bloodline with vast potential, but extremely difficult to nourish.
Without proper techniques or cultivation methods, it naturally damages its own foundation over time.
He withdrew his hand, his face impassive.
Matriarch Qin anxiously leaned forward.
"What is it?" she asked, barely masking the urgency in her voice.
Ling Xian's gaze flicked briefly toward Feng Lianhua, who was watching from the corner with undisguised curiosity.
He smiled faintly.
"If Matriarch Qin allows... I would like to discuss this privately."
Matriarch Qin blinked, then quickly understood.
Privacy was needed for such matters.
Feng Lianhua was stunned.
Her bright eyes widened slightly, and she pressed her lips together.
Still, she kept her professional smile and bowed lightly.
"I understand. I will take my leave."
As she turned to step out, her heart squeezed with a strange feeling.
'' Why only me...?
Does he not trust me?
I introduced them, didn't I...?''
Unaware of her own slight pout, Feng Lianhua closed the door behind her — but not before casting one last glance at Ling Xian, her mind filled with complicated emotions.
Inside, silence returned.
Ling Xian's voice was calm and steady.
"Matriarch Qin, your daughter's situation is not the result of injury... nor of any enemy action."
Qin Yuxuan's eyes widened slightly.
"Then...?"
Ling Xian continued:
"She possesses a rare and powerful constitution — a dormant bloodline ability that, if properly awakened and nurtured, would allow her to surpass even the geniuses of the region."
Matriarch Qin's heart trembled.
"A special constitution?" she echoed.
Ling Xian nodded.
"But without the correct methods, her own bloodline turns against her — draining her core energy, causing the slow collapse of her foundation.
This... is the true cause of her decline."
The matriarch's hands trembled as she tried to absorb the information.
For years, they had sought healers, searched for poisons, hunted enemies — and yet the cause had always been hidden inside her own daughter's blood.
Qin Wushuang stood frozen, confusion and hope battling in her heart.
Ling Xian's eyes softened as he looked at her.
"But do not worry," he said gently.
"With the right techniques, supplements... and guidance, she can recover. Not just heal, but grow stronger than ever before."
A heavy silence filled the room.
Then, Matriarch Qin Yuxuan rose abruptly from her seat and knelt before Ling Xian.
Her powerful cultivation aura trembled with emotion.
"Young master Mo... if you are willing to save her — the Qin Clan shall owe you eternal gratitude."
Ling Xian calmly helped her up, his movements graceful.
"No need for such formality," he said lightly.
"But if you truly wish to save her... there will be conditions."
Matriarch Qin, still trembling slightly, nodded immediately.
"Anything."
Ling Xian smiled faintly, an unfathomable glint in his dark eyes.
''Anything, huh...?''
Ling Xian's fingers lightly tapped the surface of the tea table, his expression thoughtful.
"In truth, Matriarch Qin," he said slowly, "your daughter's constitution is one that naturally harmonizes with external energies."
Qin Yuxuan leaned forward, listening intently.
Ling Xian continued, voice steady:
"Normally, individuals cultivate by absorbing heaven and earth energy into themselves.
But for her... that path is incomplete. Her body requires a complementary energy source — one refined and compatible with her — to stabilize and awaken her true potential."
Matriarch Qin's lips parted in astonishment.
"Then... what method would be effective?"
Ling Xian met her gaze directly, unflinching.
"Dual cultivation," he said simply.
"But not the vulgar, mindless kind that common cultivators pursue for pleasure.
True dual cultivation — sacred methods where yin and yang energies merge in perfect harmony, nurturing both partners' foundations."
His voice was calm, almost scholarly, as if discussing an ancient art rather than anything improper.
"For someone with her unique constitution," he added, "this is not an optional choice.
It is necessary for her survival — and her future greatness."
Matriarch Qin's breath caught.
Dual cultivation?
She had heard of it, of course, but always with a taint of scandal.
''Could it truly be so pure and noble when done properly?''
Ling Xian, sensing her hesitation, softened his tone further.
"Naturally, the choice lies with you both," he said.
"I will not force anything.
But understand — ordinary pills, spirit herbs, and treatments will only slow the decline.
If she wishes to truly heal... and rise to her destined heights, this is the only way."
His words were heavy with truth.
Even Qin Wushuang, silent until now, felt her heart stir.
For years she had been treated like fragile glass, pitied, despaired over.
But now... for the first time, there was a path forward.
A way to be Strong.
Matriarch Qin Yuxuan lowered her head, torn by a mother's instinct to protect her daughter and the realization that this man, this elegant, handsome youth, might be the only true hope they had.
After a long silence, she spoke, her voice low but steady.
"...If my daughter agrees... then we place our trust in you."
Ling Xian smiled faintly.
He turned his gaze to Qin Wushuang, who hesitated — then slowly, timidly, nodded her agreement, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink beneath her veil.
''Good'' Ling Xian thought inwardly, a touch of warmth in his heart.
I'll definitely save her... and if she agrees then she can become one of my destined companions.
From outside the closed door, Feng Lianhua — who had been 'coincidentally' standing nearby — pouted harder.
''What are they talking about inside for so long...?
Why only them?
Why do I feel... so left out?''
Inside the quiet chamber, the atmosphere grew slightly tense yet strangely serene.
Qin Wushuang sat nervously on the edge of a jade bed, her slender fingers clenching the folds of her robe tightly.
Her heartbeat raced wildly — part fear, part hope — as her mind spun with thoughts.
Ling Xian stood a few steps away, calm and composed, as if everything was under his complete control.
His long black hair cascaded down like silk, his robe fluttering slightly from the lingering spiritual energy around him.
He smiled faintly.
"You need not be afraid," he said warmly, his voice like a gentle spring breeze. "Tonight, we are not rushing anything.
We simply harmonize our energies first. I will guide you carefully, step by step."
Qin Wushuang bit her lip softly, her heart pounding even louder at his words.
For some reason, just hearing him speak eased the panic in her chest.
He walked forward slowly, careful not to frighten her, and extended a hand.
"First, I will align your meridians and cleanse the residual blockages," he explained.
"May I?"
Qin Wushuang hesitated only a moment before giving a small, shy nod.
Ling Xian's fingertips brushed her wrist lightly — respectful, delicate — as he closed his eyes and sent a gentle thread of spiritual energy into her body.
In that moment, her mind blanked.
A strange warmth flooded her entire being, washing away the coldness that had plagued her for years.
It was unlike anything she had ever felt — pure, natural, comforting.
''How... how could someone's touch feel so sacred?'' she thought dazedly.
Meanwhile, Ling Xian's expression remained serene.
But deep inside, his mind was focused like a blade:
''Her body's constitution truly is remarkable. Without a complementary yin-yang resonance... she would wither over time.
Good thing I came across her now. Otherwise... in a few years, it might have been too late.''
After a few moments, he gently withdrew his hand.
"It is as I suspected," he said.
"Your spiritual foundation is stable for now, but it will soon collapse again without a steady influx of harmonized energy."
Qin Wushuang's lips trembled slightly.
"I... I understand," she whispered.
Ling Xian nodded. His gaze was kind, reassuring — almost like a scholar tutoring a nervous student.
"You are very brave," he praised her sincerely. "Most cultivators would have collapsed under such internal pressure already."
A faint blush colored Qin Wushuang's cheeks.
Being praised by him felt different than any compliment she had ever received.
He turned slightly, arranging some spiritual incense around the chamber, the smoke curling into soothing patterns.
"I will circulate my energy slowly," he instructed. "You only need to relax and trust me.
Once our energies align, the rest will flow naturally."
As he finished speaking, he turned his head and smiled at her — a smile so dazzling that even the jade statues in the room seemed to dim in comparison.
Then he turned to look at other two in the room. ''May I request you both, to please leave us alone for some time until the session completes.''
Then without saying anything Yan Ruyin left the room with Matriarch Qin.
Outside the room, Matriarch Qin stood silently, her face full of complicated emotions.
She clutched her hands tightly.
''Wushuang… my daughter… May you be truly become powerful as we need you to recover.''
Meanwhile, Feng Lianhua, hidden just around the corner, stomped her foot in frustration, pouting adorably.
''Why does he speak so gently to her? Hmph! I was the one who meet them!''
As there was no one in the city who had suddenly asked her before to leave them without a proper explanation before, so she was shocked to hear to leave and as such from a young boy like ling xian, who was much younger than her.