Rencarnation Room {Other Story line}

With anger mixed with shame, Ruo Ling launched brutal attacks at El.

The whip roared through the air, each time hitting El's body, creating a deafening sound that made everyone around grimace.

However, El remained standing in place, not budging an inch. His eyes stared calmly at Ruo Ling, while his body began to show signs of damage. Torn clothes, skin that began to bleed, and breathing that sounded increasingly heavy.

"Is he... a monster?" whispered an aspiring disciple, seeing how El withstood every attack without backing down.

Ruo Ling grew increasingly furious. Her hands moving quickly, her whip was now imbued with brightly shining Dou Qi.

This time, Ruo Ling even unleashed the High Xuan Dou Technique, a technique that should be able to paralyze anyone under his realm. However, El still took it all without a fight.

After 40 attacks, Ruo Ling began to show signs of fatigue. Her Dou Qi was drained quite a lot, but her gaze remained sharp, filled with determination.

El, on the other hand, stood with his body covered in lacerations and blood dripping onto the floor, yet he did not fall.

"Ji Lan," Ruo Ling said, her tone of voice still firm though there was a hint of recognition, "I admit you're amazing. I'll give you a leave of absence. But remember, at Jia Nan Academy, you won't have it easy!"

El raised his right hand, trembling from the wound, and clasped it in front of his chest. With a heavy sigh, he replied, "Ji understands."

Without waiting any longer, El stepped down from the platform with limping steps, greeted by the admiring and horrified eyes of the other prospective students.

Ding!

[Congratulations! Beyonder with serial number 120,000 has successfully completed the Side Mission -Year Off-]

[+5,000 Points]

Ding!

[Congratulations! Beyonder with serial number 120,000 has successfully completed the Side Mission -Seduction Ruo Ling-]

[+10,000 Points]

El only sighed weakly as two holographic notifications appeared in front of his. 'What a shitty side mission,' he thought as she turned off the screen.

On the platform, Ruo Ling returned her whip and turned to the students who were still staring wide-eyed. "Does anyone else want leave?" she asked in a sharp tone, sweeping her gaze across the crowd.

No one dared to answer. Instead, they all shook their heads in unison, their faces showing both respect and fear.

Ruo Ling sighed, trying to calm herself down. Although she looked calm on the outside, her mind was still dwelling on El. 'That kid... is really mysterious,' she muttered to herself, blushing slightly as she recalled the previous incident.

"Since no one else wants to apply for leave like Xiao Yan and Ji Lan," Ruo Ling said in a firm voice, her eyes sweeping over the crowd, "then I announce that enrollment is officially closed."

She continued in an authoritative tone, "A shuttle will be coming in a week's time to take you to Jia Nan Academy. Use this time well to prepare."

With a piercing gaze that seemed to penetrate their minds, she added, "Now, you may disperse."

"Understood!" the participants replied in unison, clenching their fists in front of their chests as a sign of respect before starting to leave the field.

Ruo Ling watched intently as the crowd began to disperse. Some of them were talking quietly with their friends, while others were walking home with serious expressions, probably thinking about the next step on their journey.

The afternoon sunlight shone on the now deserted field, leaving a silence that contrasted with the previous crowd.

***

On the path outside Wu Tan City, El strolled leisurely, enjoying the peaceful silence of the afternoon.

A gentle breeze blew, playing with the edges of his new clothes that replaced his previous tattered clothes.

Even the whip scars that previously covered his entire body had now vanished without a trace, as if they never existed.

This was because thanks to his VIT attribute that reached 101 points, giving El the ability to regenerate very quickly when combined with Total Breathing Concentration.

Injuries such as whip wounds that El experienced would recover on their own in no time.

With his physical condition getting better, El is now able to maximize the use of Rinnegan and extend the duration of Demon Slayer Mark activation significantly.

However, the side effects of the Demon Slayer Mark remain unavoidable. After deactivating it, El's body was difficult to move for some time due to his tense muscles.

Suddenly, his steps came to an abrupt halt. His nose caught a very familiar scent, sneaking in amongst the breeze.

"Hmm... this scent..." El murmured softly, his gaze instantly turning sharp, alert. He squinted, as if trying to interpret the scent's hidden message.

Without thinking, El quickened his pace. "Xiao Lan? There's an anxious scent..." he whispered, his tone low but full of curiosity. "What's going on?"

It didn't take long for him to follow the scent's trail. His footsteps turned a corner, leaving the path into the deeper forest. There, in an open area, he saw a large, familiar figure.

"Xiao Lan..." El whispered in a flat but thoughtful tone.

The Magic Beast stood proudly, its body radiating power, but its demeanor seemed uneasy.

When El approached, Xiao Lan turned his head with a gaze that seemed to await his presence.

{Notes: I don't know gender Xiao Lan, so? His or Her)

El walked slowly, observing Xiao Lan who stood still. "Why are you here? This place is dangerous for you because it's near human settlers," he said, both curious.

Xiao Lan lowered beak, handing over the piece of paper was carrying. Carefully, El accepted the paper and immediately read the brief contents: "Please."

Along with the paper, a distinctive scent wafted out, making El freeze for a moment. "The scent of this poison... Xiao Yi Xian," El muttered, his face turning cold. "So she's the one asking me for help?"

El looked at the paper with a sharp gaze, his mind starting to move quickly. "This should be Xiao Yan's job. In the original story, Xiao Yi Xian asked for his help, not me..."

However, the moment the idea of handing this over to Xiao Yan appeared, his body reacted otherwise. His heart beat violently, his muscles tensed, as if rejecting the idea.

"This body..." El murmured, feeling something strange yet profound. "This body is struggling to save itself... it doesn't want anyone to interfere."

Suddenly, a side mission notification appeared before him.

Ding!

[Beyonder with serial number 120,000 triggers the B-level side mission, -Blood With Blood-]

___________

Title: Blood With Blood

Description: Destroy the Wolfhead Mercenary and help Xiao Yi Xian.

Reward: 5,000 Points

__________

A faint smile was etched on his face, there was a mixture of certainty and interest. "This is very interesting...," El said quietly, before looking at Xiao Lan. "Alright, I'll save Xiao Yi with my own hands."

With a determined look, El decided to follow the path he had chosen, even if it meant taking over someone else's destiny.

Before stepping away, El turned to Xiao Lan, his gaze flat yet firm. "Xiao Lan, go away. I don't need your help this time."

Xiao Lan, though seemingly hesitant for a moment, finally understood El's meaning. With a flap of its huge wings, the Magic Beast flew high, leaving El alone in the middle of the forest.

El looked up at the sky, watching Xiao Lan's fading figure. A faint smile was etched on his face. "I will help you, Xiao Yi. But before that... I have something I want to do first."

He let out a long breath, then gazed far into the horizon. "Wait for me, Xiao Yi... I'll come," he said softly, almost like a promise.

As he continued to look up at the sky, his faint smile did not disappear. "If it were the old me, before I lost my temper... maybe I would have panicked."

"Maybe I'd act rashly if something happened to someone I cared about," El murmured, his voice low but meaningful.

He lowered his head, his eyes slowly closing for a moment, feeling the silence of the forest around his. "But now... after all this, after losing my emotions, leaving me with a coldness almost devoid of empathy... I can think more clearly, more strategically."

He opened his eyes slowly, his gaze sharpening again. "Is this an improvement on Rinnegan's power?" El murmured, his voice a little quieter, as if asking himself.

Then, with an almost imperceptible smile, he added, "Or is this just an illusion of my fragility building up?"

After a few moments of silence, El raised his head, took a deep breath of air, and began to step forward.

In his mind, one thing was certain: no matter what, El would keep his promise.