It was Xiao Jiuwuo's meow... The boy squinted open his eyes, still heavy and blurry, but he could vaguely see the little cat beside him. She was watching him—then suddenly vanished.
—Could this be... a second layer of dreaming?
A Jun felt confused. He tried to wake himself up, then opened his eyes again.
Hmm? No—it was real. Xiao Jiuwuo had returned to his side. The Saintess arrived too. She checked on A Jun, let out a long breath, and briefly showed a rare smile before walking away.
Then came hurried footsteps. Soon, Xiao Xi carefully brought A Jun a pile of food, while Xiao Jiuwuo stayed close, meowing softly.
A Jun was now fully awake. He slowly propped himself up, with Xiao Xi's help, and sat up. Though weak, he seemed in good spirits.
He first looked at the little cat beside him, gently stroked her head to soothe her. Xiao Jiuwuo had wanted to jump onto his shoulder to get a closer look—but the Saintess gently picked her up. After a brief struggle, she calmed down and followed the girl back to their room to rest.
Meanwhile, Xiao Xi brought his brother hot food, explaining the dishes and praising the Saintess's cooking. When he mentioned her name, his chubby face looked a bit proud.
Turns out, since they returned to the hotel, A Jun had been asleep the whole time. The Saintess, having exhausted herself during the trial, had been meditating in her room. Xiao Jiuwuo stayed by A Jun's side without leaving. So the daily tasks fell to Xiao Xi—though everything besides food was a bit unreliable, he did his best and was very thoughtful.
As for the Saintess, despite her composed appearance, she felt uneasy and unsettled. Her recovery was unusually slow. With lingering worry, her overall state was less than ideal. In the Sacred Healer Clan, this was called "Yu"—a kind of emotional stagnation.
Fortunately, Xiao Xi paid close attention to her. Though he didn't understand her inner world, he could vaguely sense her mood. He found several chances to cheer her up with his stand-up comedy style—and surprisingly, it worked.
This girl had always been calm and steady, with strong emotional control and self-regulation. She never needed help. But this time, for some reason, she felt powerless—her heart couldn't settle.
Yet under Xiao Xi's persistent "harassment," her emotional knot gradually loosened. His warm-hearted efforts helped her regain peace—like a rippling lake returning to stillness. Though the effects lingered, the residual energy seemed to flow into the water, energizing the once-stagnant currents without stirring new waves.
As thanks, the Saintess unexpectedly answered one of Xiao Xi's most frequently asked questions—since their first meeting. Xiao Xi hadn't expected a reply, and was so thrilled he couldn't stop smiling. His muscles stiffened, drool trickled down, and even while serving food and chatting with A Jun, his expression was full of pride.
Of course, it wasn't showing off—just a joyful sharing. A Jun understood his brother's thoughts. He looked at Xiao Xi, smiled, and wiped the drool from his mouth. But the boy had smiled so long, his face was stuck—his mouth wouldn't close.
Since A Jun woke up, everyone had rested and recovered. By noon the next day, A Jun joined them for a meal in the dining hall. The dishes, crafted by the Saintess with Xiao Xi assisting, were all tailored to A Jun's needs—and even better than before. Delicious and satisfying.
Xiao Xi kept praising them, proudly claiming these could be signature dishes at their family restaurant. Hmm? Dream on!
The Saintess smiled faintly at his words, but kept watching everyone's reactions. Of course, A Jun supported Xiao Xi—these dishes were perfectly matched and tasted amazing. Especially the custom meal for A Jun, originally a small restaurant's creation, now nearly fully restored. Though missing key ingredients, it was close—and very tasty.
Even the cat begged to try it. Naturally, A Jun didn't hesitate—he and Xiao Jiuwuo savored it together, reminiscing about old times.
Soon, the Saintess's expression shifted from a smile to brief satisfaction, then gradually returned to coldness. Occasionally, she forced a smile—perhaps that was the norm for her clan. Xiao Xi kept praising, occasionally stealing bites from A Jun and the cat.
That night, after finalizing the next trial's route and plan, A Jun knew his body wasn't fully stable. But he understood—his constitution wouldn't improve much even after full recovery. The trial schedule couldn't be delayed. Time was of the essence.
After discussing with Xiao Xi and Xiao Jiuwuo, he decided to set off early the next morning. The next destination was far—about two days' journey.
Before bed, A Jun wanted to say goodbye to the Saintess—to share their decision and thank her for her help. But the girl wasn't in her room.
Xiao Xi and Xiao Jiuwuo told A Jun that the Saintess had gone out that afternoon. They didn't know the details—only that she said she was going home and wouldn't be back that night. Maybe she hadn't returned in a long time and was feeling homesick. Xiao Xi even seemed a little down, but A Jun comforted him, saying they'd probably see her again tomorrow. After all, people here might be free-spirited, but they were also very courteous.
The next morning, A Jun set off with the little cat, dragging a sluggish Xiao Xi out of the hotel. Just as he'd predicted, when they reached the main gate of the city, they saw—off in the distance—a graceful girl standing with her back to them. Her figure looked familiar. She wore a modified hanfu outfit—less delicate, more athletic.
Xiao Xi immediately recognized her and perked up, rushing over to greet her. The girl slowly turned around, smiled at them, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She was the Saintess. A Jun hadn't guessed wrong—she had come.
"Morning!"
In fact, after hearing A Jun's plan from Xiao Xi, the girl had come early to wait for them. She greeted them gently, then looked at A Jun and the cat and said, "From now on... we'll be classmates."
The words felt a bit abrupt, but A Jun had a hunch—though he couldn't be sure. After all, the Saintess had duties, and by Xuanwu County's traditions, this didn't quite make sense. How?
"Actually, people from our clan can freely choose whether to attend the academy—including me, even as the Saintess..."
Seeing A Jun's surprise, the girl covered her mouth and smiled, calmly explaining. Xiao Xi, meanwhile, was visibly excited and full of anticipation—but she didn't notice, still focused on A Jun. "I went home yesterday just for this. So... shall we go together?"
Faced with her sincere invitation, A Jun was at a loss—not just because it meant changing plans, but also because he wasn't sure how to respond. He'd never been good at interacting with girls—maybe because he'd never had any female friends.
Though this Saintess had fought alongside him and deepened their bond, and A Jun already considered her an important friend, he still felt awkward. Of course, if it were Lan'er standing before him, he'd have agreed without hesitation.
"Great—welcome, welcome!"
Xiao Xi, hearing the girl's words, clapped enthusiastically and waited eagerly for his brother's reply, ready to welcome the new member.
After a brief awkward pause, A Jun finally responded. His instincts told him he had to say something. The Saintess patiently waited.
"Mm, okay."
It seemed Xiao Xi's bold move broke the ice. Though a bit abrupt, it helped A Jun snap out of his hesitation. He smiled and nodded, welcoming her.
After all, treating a friend like a stranger wasn't what he wanted. Xiao Jiuwuo meowed from A Jun's shoulder, welcoming the Saintess. She was thrilled to have a kindred girl joining the journey.
"From now on, just call me Ning'er."
The girl seemed much more relaxed now. She smiled, looked at everyone, and spoke to A Jun. That name—Xiao Xi had spent ages trying to get it, and now his brother got it effortlessly. Luckily, the boy was too happy to care, muttering to himself... "Should've asked my brother to help earlier."
From then on, Xiao Xi kept bringing up random topics to liven up the group. Partly because he couldn't stop talking, and partly because A Jun and the Saintess were both quiet types. A Jun focused on the road; the Saintess was always reserved.
So Xiao Xi's role became crucial—otherwise, the journey would've been dull. Of course, the cat chimed in with meows, playing along with Xiao Xi. Even the Saintess occasionally smiled at his antics.
And so, they left Xuanwu County's main city, following the mountain path and circling the foothills, steadily heading toward their next destination amid Xiao Xi's chatter.
Along the way, they saw winter scenery and layers of massive protective barriers. The kids occasionally spotted workers patching up small cracks—A Jun's guess had been right.
The barrier stretched endlessly along the road—cold as ice, thin as cicada wings, and glowing faintly. But after passing a large forest, they reached a desolate area where the barrier changed.
The once-uniform structure twisted and transformed—multiple layers woven together to enclose a region, then reverting to a single layer along the road. The multi-layered barrier stood tall like a mountain. Under sunlight, a rare aurora—usually only seen at the poles—shimmered before them, beautiful and eternal.
According to the Saintess, A Jun realized this was the energy source of the entire barrier system—the central defense hub. It was the legendary formation recorded in ancient texts, created by three grandmasters working together: the Barrier Formation Aurora.
In the Guardian hierarchy, Grandmasters ranked far above the elder sister from Exotic Beast Town. They were versatile, wise, and highly skilled in martial arts. The top Grandmasters were leaders—once-in-a-century talents.
These three had likely surpassed even that level, creating such a miracle together. They were honored as the Three Masters.
Seeing it with his own eyes, A Jun felt deep admiration. When he asked about the inner workings of the barrier, the Saintess seemed unsure. She only remembered hearing from elders that a war had once broken out here—but the details were unknown. All records were classified, and A Jun had only seen vague mentions in books.
Xiao Xi, meanwhile, stood with the cat, marveling at the sight. He took out his camera to capture it—after all, who would dare visit the freezing poles? And auroras weren't guaranteed.
Then the chubby boy found a good viewing spot and started preparing lunch. It was almost mealtime, and as the team's chef, it was time to shine. He couldn't let the food and scenery go to waste.
At lunch, everyone ate heartily—not just thanks to Xiao Xi's cooking, but also because snowflakes began to fall, blending with the aurora above... wow!
Xiao Xi sneaked a glance at the Saintess beside him, then at the view, and couldn't help but recite poetry in admiration. But the Saintess seemed not to hear—she was fully focused on the scene ahead. Maybe it was just that captivating.
Xiao Jiuwuo jumped onto A Jun's front, perhaps to get a better view. The two kids stared in awe, sharing one thought: if only this beauty could last forever.
Suddenly, A Jun noticed faint outlines of a city within the aurora—surprised, he asked about it. Even the Saintess was taken aback, but quickly explained: it was an illusion caused by the formation's light. She saw the same details.
She said every time she passed here, she saw similar visions—sometimes clearer. Her grandfather told her only those with fate could see it. Very mysterious.
—A city? Really?
Xiao Xi was confused. Why couldn't he see it? Was he... not fated? He squinted for a long time, but it was no use. His eyes were half the size of the Saintess's—no way he'd see it.
Like Xiao Xi, the cat also tried. Her eyes were as big as the Saintess's, but she couldn't see it either.
—How could that be!
Unwilling to give up, the cat stretched her neck to try again—but lost balance and nearly fell.
Luckily, A Jun caught her in time. Xiao Xi had already given up, though his mouth kept insisting he could see it.
Then the girl asked a simple question that shut him up. A Jun and the Saintess exchanged a glance, then looked at silly Xiao Xi and smiled, ready to move on. The cat still wanted to try, but A Jun gently held her back—leaving only Xiao Xi still struggling.
"Xiao Xi, it's getting late. We need to keep moving!"
"Just one more—hey, don't leave me behind! Wait up!"
Xiao Xi and Xiao Jiuwuo told A Jun that the Saintess had gone out that afternoon. They didn't know the details—only that she said she was going home and wouldn't be back that night. Maybe she hadn't returned in a long time and was feeling homesick. Xiao Xi even seemed a little down, but A Jun comforted him, saying they'd probably see her again tomorrow. After all, people here might be free-spirited, but they were also very courteous.
The next morning, A Jun set off with the little cat, dragging a sluggish Xiao Xi out of the hotel. Just as he'd predicted, when they reached the main gate of the city, they saw—off in the distance—a graceful girl standing with her back to them. Her figure looked familiar. She wore a modified hanfu outfit—less delicate, more athletic.
Xiao Xi immediately recognized her and perked up, rushing over to greet her. The girl slowly turned around, smiled at them, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She was the Saintess. A Jun hadn't guessed wrong—she had come.
"Morning!"
In fact, after hearing A Jun's plan from Xiao Xi, the girl had come early to wait for them. She greeted them gently, then looked at A Jun and the cat and said, "From now on... we'll be classmates."
The words felt a bit abrupt, but A Jun had a hunch—though he couldn't be sure. After all, the Saintess had duties, and by Xuanwu County's traditions, this didn't quite make sense. How?
"Actually, people from our clan can freely choose whether to attend the academy—including me, even as the Saintess..."
Seeing A Jun's surprise, the girl covered her mouth and smiled, calmly explaining. Xiao Xi, meanwhile, was visibly excited and full of anticipation—but she didn't notice, still focused on A Jun. "I went home yesterday just for this. So... shall we go together?"
Faced with her sincere invitation, A Jun was at a loss—not just because it meant changing plans, but also because he wasn't sure how to respond. He'd never been good at interacting with girls—maybe because he'd never had any female friends.
Though this Saintess had fought alongside him and deepened their bond, and A Jun already considered her an important friend, he still felt awkward. Of course, if it were Lan'er standing before him, he'd have agreed without hesitation.
"Great—welcome, welcome!"
Xiao Xi, hearing the girl's words, clapped enthusiastically and waited eagerly for his brother's reply, ready to welcome the new member.
After a brief awkward pause, A Jun finally responded. His instincts told him he had to say something. The Saintess patiently waited.
"Mm, okay."
It seemed Xiao Xi's bold move broke the ice. Though a bit abrupt, it helped A Jun snap out of his hesitation. He smiled and nodded, welcoming her.
After all, treating a friend like a stranger wasn't what he wanted. Xiao Jiuwuo meowed from A Jun's shoulder, welcoming the Saintess. She was thrilled to have a kindred girl joining the journey.
"From now on, just call me Ning'er."
The girl seemed much more relaxed now. She smiled, looked at everyone, and spoke to A Jun. That name—Xiao Xi had spent ages trying to get it, and now his brother got it effortlessly. Luckily, the boy was too happy to care, muttering to himself... "Should've asked my brother to help earlier."
From then on, Xiao Xi kept bringing up random topics to liven up the group. Partly because he couldn't stop talking, and partly because A Jun and the Saintess were both quiet types. A Jun focused on the road; the Saintess was always reserved.
So Xiao Xi's role became crucial—otherwise, the journey would've been dull. Of course, the cat chimed in with meows, playing along with Xiao Xi. Even the Saintess occasionally smiled at his antics.
And so, they left Xuanwu County's main city, following the mountain path and circling the foothills, steadily heading toward their next destination amid Xiao Xi's chatter.
Along the way, they saw winter scenery and layers of massive protective barriers. The kids occasionally spotted workers patching up small cracks—A Jun's guess had been right.
The barrier stretched endlessly along the road—cold as ice, thin as cicada wings, and glowing faintly. But after passing a large forest, they reached a desolate area where the barrier changed.
The once-uniform structure twisted and transformed—multiple layers woven together to enclose a region, then reverting to a single layer along the road. The multi-layered barrier stood tall like a mountain. Under sunlight, a rare aurora—usually only seen at the poles—shimmered before them, beautiful and eternal.
According to the Saintess, A Jun realized this was the energy source of the entire barrier system—the central defense hub. It was the legendary formation recorded in ancient texts, created by three grandmasters working together: the Barrier Formation Aurora.
In the Guardian hierarchy, Grandmasters ranked far above the elder sister from Exotic Beast Town. They were versatile, wise, and highly skilled in martial arts. The top Grandmasters were leaders—once-in-a-century talents.
These three had likely surpassed even that level, creating such a miracle together. They were honored as the Three Masters.
Seeing it with his own eyes, A Jun felt deep admiration. When he asked about the inner workings of the barrier, the Saintess seemed unsure. She only remembered hearing from elders that a war had once broken out here—but the details were unknown. All records were classified, and A Jun had only seen vague mentions in books.
Xiao Xi, meanwhile, stood with the cat, marveling at the sight. He took out his camera to capture it—after all, who would dare visit the freezing poles? And auroras weren't guaranteed.
Then the chubby boy found a good viewing spot and started preparing lunch. It was almost mealtime, and as the team's chef, it was time to shine. He couldn't let the food and scenery go to waste.
At lunch, everyone ate heartily—not just thanks to Xiao Xi's cooking, but also because snowflakes began to fall, blending with the aurora above... wow!
Xiao Xi sneaked a glance at the Saintess beside him, then at the view, and couldn't help but recite poetry in admiration. But the Saintess seemed not to hear—she was fully focused on the scene ahead. Maybe it was just that captivating.
Xiao Jiuwuo jumped onto A Jun's front, perhaps to get a better view. The two kids stared in awe, sharing one thought: if only this beauty could last forever.
Suddenly, A Jun noticed faint outlines of a city within the aurora—surprised, he asked about it. Even the Saintess was taken aback, but quickly explained: it was an illusion caused by the formation's light. She saw the same details.
She said every time she passed here, she saw similar visions—sometimes clearer. Her grandfather told her only those with fate could see it. Very mysterious.
—A city? Really?
Xiao Xi was confused. Why couldn't he see it? Was he... not fated? He squinted for a long time, but it was no use. His eyes were half the size of the Saintess's—no way he'd see it.
Like Xiao Xi, the cat also tried. Her eyes were as big as the Saintess's, but she couldn't see it either.
—How could that be!
Unwilling to give up, the cat stretched her neck to try again—but lost balance and nearly fell.
Luckily, A Jun caught her in time. Xiao Xi had already given up, though his mouth kept insisting he could see it.
Then the girl asked a simple question that shut him up. A Jun and the Saintess exchanged a glance, then looked at silly Xiao Xi and smiled, ready to move on. The cat still wanted to try, but A Jun gently held her back—leaving only Xiao Xi still struggling.
"Xiao Xi, it's getting late. We need to keep moving!"
"Just one more—hey, don't leave me behind! Wait up!"