"You really are a kind girl," Xiao Se said with a smile. "I was just joking with you earlier."
As he continued talking with her, Nishimiya Shoko became visibly more animated. This was the first time in her life she had ever communicated with someone through spoken language. The novelty made her excited, as though she had endless things she wanted to say. And Xiao Se, having once lived as a Blue Star human in his previous life, responded to her naturally and effortlessly.
Time flowed quietly as the two chatted.
[Ding. A Silent Voice world travel ticket has five minutes remaining. Please prepare, host.]
Hearing the system notification in his mind, the smile on Xiao Se's face slowly faded. His expression grew serious as he looked at the girl beside him.
"Shoko," he asked gently, "do you want to recover—to become the same as a normal person?"
"I do… I want to be like everyone else…"
At his words, Nishimiya Shoko's eyes instantly lit up, only to dim again a moment later. In her understanding, returning to normal was almost impossible.
"But…"
"Eat this," Xiao Se said calmly. "It'll cure your ears."
Under Nishimiya Shoko's stunned gaze, Xiao Se took out a blue pill about the size of a longan from his storage ring. This was a fifth-grade pill he had refined himself—the Restoration Pill. Forget hearing loss; even if someone's eardrums were completely destroyed, it could restore them.
To Xiao Se's surprise, Nishimiya Shoko didn't hesitate at all. She simply took the pill and swallowed it.
The pill melted instantly upon entering her mouth. Under the effects of the Restoration Pill, her ears—and even her frail, underdeveloped body—began to heal rapidly.
"You're not afraid I might hurt you?" Xiao Se asked, somewhat surprised.
"I didn't see any malice in your eyes," she replied instinctively. Then suddenly—
"Ah… eh?"
Her eyes widened. "I can hear… I can hear now?"
She had just spoken her very first words out loud in her life.
"Your body has already recovered," Xiao Se said softly. "From now on, you can live like a normal person. We were fated to meet—so until fate brings us together again."
He slowly closed his eyes and stood up. Under Nishimiya Shoko's shocked gaze, his figure faded and vanished into the void.
Left alone on the rooftop, Nishimiya Shoko stood frozen in place. Only after a long while did she murmur softly to herself:
"Was he… a god?"
—
Elsewhere, Xiao Se had already returned to the canyon where he had previously annihilated the five fifth-rank magical beasts.
The moment he reappeared, a familiar presence emerged—Medusa Queen, who had not shown herself for quite some time.
And wherever Medusa Queen appeared, Hongkui was never far behind.
Sure enough, the instant Medusa Queen revealed herself, Hongkui floated out from the demonic sword's patterned space. She pulled back a blood-red longbow, standing protectively in front of Xiao Se.
"Longkui, it's fine," Xiao Se said, gripping Hongkui's pale hand. Once she reluctantly relaxed her bowstring, he turned to Medusa Queen and asked, "Your Majesty, is there something you need?"
"Nothing in particular," Medusa Queen replied. "I'm simply curious. That little girl with hearing loss—she wasn't related to you, nor was she your lover. Why were you willing to give up a fifth-grade pill to heal her? Even for you, refining a Restoration Pill takes no small amount of effort."
Perhaps because she had taken the Spirit-Melting Pill and her soul was gradually fusing with the Seven-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python, Medusa Queen's tone was no longer as domineering as before. When she looked at Xiao Se, there was even a trace of hesitation, as though she was afraid of displeasing him.
Xiao Se smiled faintly. "Whether she has anything to do with me doesn't matter. As long as I know she's a kind-hearted child, that's enough."
Medusa Queen was momentarily stunned. Then she nodded lightly. "I understand."
As she spoke, she reverted to her Seven-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python form and slithered onto Xiao Se's shoulder.
"Brother, this woman is dangerous," Hongkui said coldly, glaring at the little seven-colored snake.
The small creature immediately shrank back against Xiao Se's neck, its light-purple eyes wide open, wearing an innocent, pitiful expression.
"Medusa Queen is Medusa Queen. This little one is just this little one," Xiao Se said calmly, gently stroking the seven-colored snake. "Besides, I've never done anything to wrong Medusa Queen. In fact, I've helped her quite a lot. She may have killed many people, but she's always clear about grudges and gratitude."
With Xiao Se having spoken, Hongkui could only helplessly put away her blood-red longbow.
Seeing her sulky expression, Xiao Se chuckled and gave her his usual head-pat. "Longkui, I'm a bit hungry. Let's go find something to eat."
"Then I want grilled chicken wings," Hongkui said, her cheeks faintly red. As expected, the head-pat worked every time—her gloom instantly vanished, replaced by her usual bold and lively demeanor.
—
Night fell.
After completing his day's cultivation, Xiao Se finally enjoyed some rare rest.
The moon hung like a silver plate in the sky, stars scattered across the heavens.
Within the Vast Sea Protective Barrier, Xiao Se lay on the bed. Hongkui nestled comfortably in his arms. At some point, it had become routine for Hongkui and Longkui to take turns "warming" his bed every night—Longkui for the first half of the night, Hongkui for the second.
Holding the beauty in his arms, Xiao Se gazed at the star-filled sky through the barrier, utterly at ease.
"System, open the personal panel."
[Ding. Opening personal panel.]
[Host: Xiao Se
Gender: Male
Age: Fifteen
Cultivation: Nine-Star Dou Wang
Soul Level: Sixth-Grade Alchemist
Domain: Ice-Fire Domain
Sword Intent: 40%
Dou Qi Attributes: Fire (with a trace of Wood), Ice, Time, Space
Martial Soul: Fire
Cultivation Methods: Burning Technique (Earth Rank, Low Tier), Guiyuan Soul Art (Grade Unknown)
Heavenly Flames: Green Lotus Core Flame, Ice-Fire Dragon Flame
Dou Techniques:
Mirror Flower, Shattered Void (Earth Rank, High Tier)
Crimson Flame Sword (Earth Rank, Mid Tier)
Ethereal Mist Steps (Mystic Rank, High Tier)
Roaring Lion Chant (Mystic Rank, High Tier)
Qi Concealment Art (Grade Unknown)
Eightfold Mountain Collapse (Mystic Rank, High Tier)
Exchange Chances: 1
Lottery Chances: 0
System Warehouse:
Peach-Eating Youth's "Eggs", System Patch ×1, Inflatable Doll, Heaven-Seizing Vase, Fox Spirit Matchmaker World Travel Ticket (Permanent), Sword Dao Supreme World Travel Ticket (7 days)]
"Already fifteen, huh?" Xiao Se murmured. "Time really does fly. Still, reaching forty percent sword intent is a pleasant surprise. Looks like all that daily sword practice wasn't wasted."
"System, install the system patch first. Then exchange those damn eggs."
[Ding. Installing system patch. Estimated time: one hour. Please wait patiently.]
[Ding. Congratulations, host. You have exchanged for Jin Renfeng's eyeballs from the Fox Spirit Matchmaker world.]
"…Holy shit."
—
At the same time, in the Fox Spirit Matchmaker world.
Within a spacious courtyard of the Dongfang Spirit Clan.
A middle-aged man wearing a red cloak knelt before a white-haired elder, pleading desperately.
"Master, please marry Huai Zhu to me. I swear I'll treat her well for the rest of my life!"
"Renfeng," the old man sighed softly. "Some things cannot be forced. Let everything follow the natural course."
With that, the elder turned and walked back into the room.
"Damn old bastard…"
Staring at the place where the elder disappeared, a flash of venomous resentment crossed Jin Renfeng's eyes. His expression darkened completely as he cursed under his breath, then turned and returned to his own courtyard.
"Senior Brother! We've found the location of Leech Village!"
The moment Jin Renfeng arrived, a young man wearing Dongfang Clan attire rushed up to him.
At those words, a sinister smile appeared on Jin Renfeng's gloomy face. He muttered softly, "Master… since you refuse to marry Junior Sister to me, you can't blame me for what comes next. Come—take me there."
"Yes!" the young man replied, about to lead the way—
When suddenly, the sound of spurting blood rang out beside his ear.
Immediately after came Jin Renfeng's shrill scream:
"AH—!"
At some unknown moment, Jin Renfeng's eyes had already turned into two bloody, pigeon-egg-sized lumps of flesh.
(End of Chapter)
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