NOVEL NEXT Chapter 22: Heavenly Punishment!
Her Aura!
It wasn't just any aura—it was the presence of someone who had touched the peak of Qi Awakening.
Every cultivator, once they begin their path, develops an aura—a ripple of power that emanates from their body, the manifestation of their control over spiritual qi.
The stronger the cultivator, the more potent their aura, bending the very energy around them. For those at the highest realms, it becomes almost like an extension of their will, oppressive to weaker beings, but in her case... the spiritual qi now flowed around her like a gentle stream, bending effortlessly to her command.
"You... made a breakthrough?" Su Xiaobai asked, disbelief creeping into his voice.
"..."
Xiao Lu blinked and nodded, her lips pressed together as if holding back a secret.
Su Xiaobai blinked. Twice.
Three breakthroughs... in single night? His mind shook from shock.
"Am I... too slow?" she asked, completely misunderstanding his stunned look.
Su Xiaobai snapped back to reality, coughing awkwardly as he adopted a sage-like expression, "Well, you're a bit slower than average, as for your breakthroughs... it's probably because you had too much spiritual qi trapped in your meridians from last three decades. That definitely helped."
Xiao Lu nodded thoughtfully, as if he'd just imparted great wisdom. "So... I was slow after all."
Determination blazed in her eyes. 'I have to work ten times harder!'
Su Xiaobai, seeing her newfound resolve, felt a chill run down his spine.
He had unintentionally fanned the flames of this woman...
"Wait, wait!" he hurriedly took the bowl of soup from her hands. "Don't go breaking through again! You need to consolidate your foundation first, or... it could be dangerous."
Or he might just have a heart attack...
Was his talent really trash? What about those eight pillars at his second awakening? Where the hell are his three breakthroughs?
The higher-ups can't all be fucking simps, right?
Su Xiaobai never quite knows who's messing with him—whether it's the fate weaver pulling strings, the ant-like buzzing voices driving him nuts, or the so-called higher-ups lurking in their thrones.
So, he just lumps them all together under the 'higher-ups' category and gives them a collective 'fuck you.'
To him, they're all the same when it comes to royally screwing him over.
And from what he could tell, those buzzing ants were mostly just weak-ass snowflakes—delicate, ladylike, and always running their mouths.
No matter what the fate weaver tried, there'd always be a batch of them still buzzing like a swarm of flies on a pile of leftover food.
'It must be them,' he thought, and with the grace of a madman, unleashed a torrent of curses—each one grander than the last.
He knew, of course, it wouldn't do a damn thing, but it soothed his soul like a hot cup of tea after a stormy day, leaving him grumbling with a twisted sense of peace
Xiao Lu smiled, mistaking his gloomy face for care — He was worried about her!
Su Xiaobai groaned internally, her smile only deepening his growing sense of doom.
She already looked younger, her mature body and innocent face forming a lethal combination.
But there was no time for distractions. "Here, take this," he handed her his old spatial ring. "We need to cross the forest."
The journey ahead was no joke.
Even though the Silverwolf was known not to attack first, the forest was dangerous, and it would take two weeks to cross.
On the way, Su Xiaobai tried to explain the basics of cultivation—anything to distract them both.
He talked about spiritual qi, the three dantians, and the path of cultivation.
The Lower Dantian below the navel housed a cultivator's Jing (essence), the Middle Dantian at the heart stored Qi (vital energy), and the Upper Dantian in the head was home to the Shen (spirit).
Basic of veins, meridians, and how certain practitioners had special veins and bloodlines that granted unique advantages. He mentioned different techniques, from breathing and movement to body cultivation, and the various weapons used by cultivators. All these were things he had learned from the knowledge inherited from the Infernal Emperor.
But with each passing moment, he couldn't help but glance at Xiao Lu.
She was absorbing it all so seriously, unaware that her breakthroughs had turned his peaceful world upside down.
Within a week, Su Xiaobai had almost finished giving her an overview of the vast world of cultivation, but there were still mysteries that not even he fully understood...
______
After a week of navigating the Silverwolf territory, Su Xiaobai and Xiao Lu had finally covered a significant portion of the distance.
Today, as they moved swiftly through the forest, leaping across tree branches like shadows, Xiao Lu suddenly shouted, "There!"
WHOOSH!
Su Xiaobai reacted instantly, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the dense cover of a nearby tree. "Shh... don't make a sound," he whispered sharply.
"Mm." Xiao Lu nodded, her lips pressed together.
Su Xiaobai's eyes narrowed as he scanned the forest floor below. The signs were unmistakable—deep claw marks etched into the earth, and footprints… large ones.
Wolves—not just one, but a whole pack.
Among them, a set of tracks that were much larger, belonging to something far more dangerous.
On the opposite side, there appeared to be traces of a single person.
The aftermath of the battle was clear. Tree trunks had been smashed apart, the ground torn open.
Whatever had happened here, it was fierce.
"Let's check it out," Su Xiaobai muttered, as they followed the traces for several hours, moving silently.
By late afternoon, Su Xiaobai noticed something that made him stop dead in his tracks.
___
The forest reeked of blood.
Feng Lianhua stood, her armor fractured, her body streaked with crimson. Golden strands, matted with dirt, stained her delicate face. Her breath was shallow, the weight of the colossal sword in her hand growing unbearable.
GRRRR!
The Silver Wolf, its fur gleaming like molten silver, prowled closer, eyes burning with a fury that echoed through the forest. Its pack circled her— overwhelming.
She wiped the blood from her lips, her slender fingers trembling. Why? Why attack me?
Her voice, though hoarse, carried a melodic edge, her figure graceful even in this state of ruin.
Each swing of her sword was precise, her body moving with lethal elegance, though her strength was fading.
More wolves came. The pack, endless. Sweat and blood glistened on her skin, but there was no room for vanity.
The larger Silver Wolf, its gaze cold and calculating, prowled closer.
"Ugh!"
She staggered back, clutching her side.
The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, yet her eyes blazed. "I won't fall so easily," she muttered, raising her sword once more, her body trembling from exhaustion.
The Silver Wolf lunged.
Fairy Lianhua barely managed to block, the force sending her crashing back. Pain surged through her, but she remained upright, her grip tightening.
The wolves moved in, their eyes gleaming with hunger.
Her vision blurred, desperation creeping into her heart. She reached into her robe, pulling out a weathered map, her last hope.
"Silver Wolf…" Her voice, though ragged, still carried a dangerous grace. "This map… It holds the key to your evolution. Let me live, and it's yours."
The beast's eyes remained fixed on hers—intelligent, unforgiving.
WOOF!
Its rejection was final.
Before she could react, pain tore through her abdomen. Her knees buckled as a wolf's fangs sank into her side.
The map slipped from her hand, fluttering to the ground like a forgotten dream.
Darkness closed in as she fought to stay conscious.
____
"Isn't that the same woman—Fairy Lianhua?" Xiao Lu muttered, her eyes narrowing. The woman looked eerily similar to the one from Red Flame Fortress.
"Yes..." Su Xiaobai grinned, a chuckle bubbling up inside. Finally!
It was her—the one responsible for their near-death experience. The Higher Ups had granted him the chance for revenge.
Heavenly punishment, delivered personally.
Did this mean he was finally the apple of their eye?
Just the thought made him grin wider.
Maybe now, he'd stumble upon some miraculous opportunity, get back to White Cloud Star, and crush those who had looked down on him.
No.
He couldn't get ahead of himself.
First, deliver her punishment—then think about the rest.
His grin faded, replaced by a sharp, focused look.
From their vantage point, he could see the Silver Wolf and its entire pack attacking her. Fairy Lianhua must've really provoked them—enough for the beast to forgo a chance at evolution.
Scanning the scene, he saw it—behind the Silver Wolf, two small pups, one injured.
'So that's it.' The realization struck him like a spark, and Su Xiaobai's eyes glinted with wickedness as he leaped down from the tree.