I woke up with a start. Something was amiss. No. Rather, there was something more. It was the same dark cave. There was the same muddy smell. The cave was as silent as it always was.

What is it? I activated [Kaleidoscope Eye] and investigated. Nothing. There was nothing unusual. Was I simply being paranoid due the night assault I suffered yesterday?

“Master!” a crisp chirpy voice spoke in my head.

I propped myself up, my heart on full alert.

“Master!” the voice spoke again. Maybe it was because it was the second time, I didn’t feel as panicked as before. More mysteriously, I felt a strange connection to the voice. It was like it was a part of me. Wait a minute…

“Master! Ling… Ling… Ling can talk now!” the chirpy voice said in a happy tone.

Ling? I rubbed my head. The many things that happened during the day had made me forget that Ling had evolved. I was planning to stay in the forest for a few more days and comprehend some good skills to fill the two extra slots I acquired when I broke through to Foundational Stage. Now, it looked like I needed to change my plans.

Ling, can you hear me? I spoke in my mind.

“Yes! Yes! Ling can hear master’s voice!” Ling’s excited voice reached my mind.

I sighed. I wondered if it was a good thing for the easily excitable butterfly to have the ability to speak. I couldn’t shake off the feeling that my days won’t be quiet anymore.

When I reached home, there was an expected person waiting for me.

“Little brat, where did you run off to?” Yu Chen’er’s grumpy face greeted me near the entrance of the bookstore.

“Sister Yu, I didn’t know you were here,” I said. I always felt a little apologetic towards her. She was always helping me out and taking care of me but I was unable to do anything in return.

“Little brat –”

“Master! Master! Master is back!” I heard the overexcited voice of Ling before I saw her figure come out of the store that we called our home. There wasn’t much change in her appearance except the flame she emitted was more vibrant.

“Father~” Byakko’s little figure dashed out of the store and jumped into my arms.

I caught the little fellow and nestled him in my arms.

The last figure to come out of the bookstore was Xue’er. She gave an exceedingly bright smile when she saw me. “Welcome home, young master,” she said.

“Ling. Byakko. Xue’er. I am home,” I told them. It was only a few days but it already felt like a long time since I last saw them. I seriously missed these guys. “Sister Yu, why don’t we talk inside?”

Sister Yu gave her consent with a nod.

The small table in the dingy storefront that I now used as a study was crowded. Sister Yu, Xue’er and I, we were sitting round the table while Byakko and Ling were sitting right on it. Xue’er had brewed everyone an exquisite cup of tea. We made small talks while we sipped the tea.

“So, what brings you here, Sister Yu?” I broached the topic.

“You have the nerve to ask?” She glared at me. “You make others work for you and you disappear on them. Isn’t that a little too shameless?”

“This…” I rubbed the back of my neck. It was embarrassing. “Sister Yu, I had to go out to train. I am really sorry. I will definitely make it up to you.”

“You promise?”

“Yeah.”

“Young master,” Xue’er interrupted. “Would you like some more tea?”

I looked at my cup and noticed that it was almost empty. I nodded.

Xue’er got up to get more tea.

“You have got yourself a nice maid.” Yu Chen’er looked at Xue’er with a strange glint in her eyes.

“She is not my maid.” I sighed. No matter how I dissuaded her, she refused to wear normal clothes and stuck together with maid uniform. In the end, I could only give up. If I could, I would have gone to the old me who ogled at the maids and punch him in the face. “She is family. Apart from that, it’s true that she’s nice. Byakko, Ling and I feel fortunate that we were able to meet her.”

“Young master!” Xue’er who had returned with a teapot beamed.

She looked so adorable that I couldn’t help but reach out my hand and rub her head.

She purred.

Sister Yu coughed, drawing my attention to her. She withdrew a book from her spatial ring and handed to me. “This book should have the information you want,” she said. “I borrowed it from Brother Chen, so don’t damage it.”

“Thank you, Sister Yu.” I flipped through the pages. The whole book seemed to be about transformations. I couldn’t help but feel happy. Finally some answers. I was still torn between dismissing the [Chimera Transformation] and assimilating the transformation into my body. This book would be a great help to me while making the decision.

“There’s one more thing,” Sister Yu said after some hesitation. “Will you accompany me to the Auction? There are not many people I am close with… And it also feels odd to go by myself…”

“Sure,” I replied. This was the first time she was asking me to do something. Besides, it was going to the Auction, which I was pretty interested in. There was only one answer.

Her expression brightened up. After that, we made some small talks and Sister Yu took her leave soon after.

“Young master,” Xue’er said a few minutes after the departure of Yu Chen’er. “Some of the effects of my ailment have disappeared.

Oh? I looked at her in surprise. Opening [Kaleidoscope Eye: Mode Black], I checked her status. It was true. The restriction on the growth of her attributes and the restriction that blocked her from cultivating were gone. She could even use one of her five yin traits, [Divine Ice Phoenix].

“It was Ling! Ling helped Xue’er!” Ling, who had been quite well behaved for a while started jumping around in excitement.

After a disjointed storytelling between Byakko and Ling (with a little help from Xue’er), I was finally able to understand the whole situation. During her evolution, Ling had spewed out the extra flames, which Xue’er had unwittingly absorbed. And when she did, her ailment had abated.

I was speechless. This can happen, too?

Truly the girl loved by heaven. The hundred and eight in her fate attribute was not just for show.

This incident got me thinking.

Pure Yang Qi was berserk in nature. Not just Pure Yang Qi, all forms of energy were berserk in their natural form. If it weren’t for [Innards of a God], [Photosynthesis] and the almost insane regeneration offered by [Eternal Stratum], I wouldn’t have dared to go anywhere near that magma. Trying to absorb any form of natural energy was equivalent to courting death.

That was why, I wasn’t surprised that her clan in spite of her great talents had abandoned Xue’er. To them, [Touch of Death] effectively sealed her fate. There might be ways to tame the berserk Pure Yang Qi and insert them into her body but it was not available at the place where we were and the place the clan was situated didn’t seem to have it either.

But absorbing Pure Yang Qi through Ling didn’t seem to possess any risk.

Wouldn’t her ailment be solved if I transferred Ling to her? But I paused. No. Before that, she needed to take care of the egos of the traits that were already available to her. If all her traits were unlocked, with her meager stats, the egos of the traits would control her before long. To avoid that…

“Xue’er, would you like to cultivate?” I asked.

Three days later, the four of us were in the forest.

“Xue’er~ Try your best~ Even I did it~” Byakko yelled in encouragement to Xue’er who was sitting in lotus position in a clearing.

“Xue’er, try your best!” Ling cheered.

Xue’er eyed the dark clouds gathering above her with unease written all over her face. “Young master,” she mumbled.

“Xue’er!” I yelled. “Nothing will happen to you. Believe in me!” Similar situation had played out when I had Byakko condense his Dao Seed. I wondered if I had to do this every time I passed my Cultivation Method to someone.

“Xue’er will believe in young master!” Xue’er said with a determined look on her face. But that soon changed to a terrified one when the first bolt of lightning struck. Without giving her any break, the second bolt struck. The third bolt struck. Xue’er stayed frozen for a long while after the tribulation had passed.

She finally came back to her senses. “Young master, I did it,” she said with tears in her eyes.

Byakko, Ling and I went to her location.

“Yes, you did,” I told her, ruffling her hair.

“I told you it was easy,” Byakko said with smug look on his face. I had the sudden urge to tell him how frightened he had been at that moment but dropped the idea in the end. Let the little fellow have his moments.

“Xue’er! Xue’er! Xue’er!” Ling fluttered around her, displaying her delight.

“I am in Qi Gathering Layer 1.”

“Yes, you are,” I told the disbelieving little loli. “Let’s go home.”

She nodded. She made to stand up but her leg gave way, making her sit back on the ground. “Young master, Xue’er is very sorry. Xue’er’s legs are a little weak. It should be alright in a few minutes.”

I bent down, my back facing her. “Get on,” I said.

“This… Young master… I…”

“It’s alright. You are always taking care of us. Let your young master take care of you now and then.”

“That’s not true,” she said in a small voice. Two small hands gingerly crept on my shoulders. When I was sure she was ready, I held her legs and stood up.

“Not fair!” Byakko complained. “I also want to be carried by father!”

“Sorry, little fellow, I am unable to do that.” I could only shake my head helplessly at the little guy.

“No.” He flew in the air and settled on my head. “It’s fine like this,” he said.

“Ling! Ling! Ling, too!” The little butterfly came flying and landed on my shoulder. “So comfortable!” Her little voice was filled with satisfaction.

Xue’er giggled from behind. “Young master has become a horse today.”

I couldn’t help but be speechless. These two fellows had no problem walking. Heck! They could even fly! Still, they insisted on being carried. Were these two fellows getting lazy? I couldn’t help but wonder. But it didn’t feel so bad to be depended on like this.

I ran through the things that I needed to get done. I needed to raise Xue’er’s stats and help her subdue the egos of her traits. Next came curing her ailment. Transferring Ling to her could solve it but I didn’t want to force Ling. If Ling was unwilling, I will look for another way. Now that Xue’er could cultivate and raise her stats, we should be able to buy some more time. I should buy her a jade record.

On my front, I needed to study on [Chimera Transformation].

There was also the auction…

“Young master, Xue’er is sorry for being an inconvenience,” Xue’er said in a really small voice from behind, bringing me out of my thoughts.

“What are you saying? I don’t think you are an inconvenience at all. In fact, I would like it if you imposed more of your wills. Cause us troubles, it’s fine. We are family. We should be there for one another.”

“En.” I heard her say.

Thereafter, we travelled in silence.

From the top of my head, I heard Byakko snore. Ling, who was on my right shoulder, echoed him. Soon, a little snore came from behind me.

I laughed. It was a beautiful day.

Xue'er's status after the tribulation:

GENERAL

Name

Xue’er

Age

10 years old

Cultivation Method

Heart's Yearning

Realm

Qi Gathering 1

(1/200 Essence)

Lifeforce

205/210 (Regeneration: 1% per second)

Qi

320/320 (Regeneration: 1% per second)

ATTRIBUTES

Strength

21

Physique

21

Movement

21

Control

21

Soul

32

Comprehension

30

Charm

55

Fate

111

INNATE TRAITS

Divine Tongue

Nine Yin Body (Locked)

Divine Ice Phoenix

Moon Eye (Locked)

Death Inscription (Locked)

Shadow Travel (Locked)

AILMENT

Touch of Death

QI SKILL LIST

Slot

Skill Name

Rating

Level

1.

2.