CHAPTER 33

Core Re-awakening

LUO FAN

During my stay in his residence, Ruan Yanjun only allowed me to spend time with Jinjing in the afternoon after we were both done with our chores, and he had servants to keep their eyes on us. They had never left us alone, as per order from their master.

After dinner, he’d send Jinjing back to her room and would train me for an hour, which honestly, I appreciated. He seemed to have faith in me that I could regain my lost martial arts. I wasn’t expecting to get that far without a core, but if I could make it back to level three, that would be an accomplishment.

However, he was so harsh and merciless when it came to training. Even when I was already out of breath, he would not let me take a break. He would not even hold back his attack once thrown. The only place he refused to hit was my face. At the end of the night, I’d go to bed with patches of blue all over my body.

No wonder Huang Wen is so afraid of him.

On the fourth night, I was too sick to get up. Jinjing had to come to my room to care for me. I was almost thankful for my sickness that I would have to skip the night without getting beaten, but right after Jinjing left and I was about to sleep, Huang Wen came to get me because his master was waiting for me at the training ground.

Even though I was weak, I did not give Huang Wen a hard time and followed him. I thought that if Ruan Yanjun saw my condition, he would tell me to go back to my room and rest.

But the devil was so heartless. I suspected he was doing this intentionally out of bitterness.

The moment I stepped into the training ground, he attacked me. I dodged and defended, but what could a mere level zero do against a ninth level?

His attacks were ruthless. He did not stop even while I stepped back to breath, not even after I spat blood after blood. It was as if he was hell-bent on killing me.

The realization made me focus on the fight even more. This wasn’t the Ruan Yanjun that I had known for the last few months. This was the Ruan Yanjun that the rest of the world knew. That unrelenting, ruthless devil who would not hesitate to kill for mere amusement.

With all my remaining strength, I tried to stay on the defensive. The last hit I received on my chest made me unable to breath. I was too disoriented I could not even find him.

Until I saw him charging towards me and I felt a great amount of energy surging towards me. If I’d get hit by that surge, there was no saving me. Even my soul would shatter into pieces.

Although I was half-conscious, my instinct kicked in and I summoned every bit of energy I could muster, just as I used to do to call forth my core, even though I knew that my core was no longer there.

Come what may. I did not want to go down without a fight.

A collision of opposing energies exploded right before me. The impact threw me backward until I landed hard on the ground.

I could not move. My body was paralyzed. There was a ringing in my ears.

Then I saw Ruan Yanjun’s frame hovering over me.

I thought he would finish me off this time.

But to my surprise, he slid his arm under my nape and lifted my head.

“A-Fan?”

I blinked. I heard his voice, but it sounded so distant. The ringing in my ears was blocking the sound.

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I could not breathe.

His fingertip poked my chest and shot me a small amount of spiritual energy. My airways opened and I quickly gasped for air. As I panted, his big hand cupped my face.

“Can you hear me?” he asked.

His voice sounded clear now. Even the ringing in my ears had stopped.

I nodded.

He smirked. “You did well. I knew your core wasn’t completely dead yet. All it needed was to push you to the edge.”

I blinked in confusion. “My core?” I asked in a weak voice.

“That’s right.”

“It’s still there?”

He took my right hand and pressed my fingers over my left wrist. “Do you feel that?”

All I felt was the numbness in my body. “Nothing.”

He sighed. “You’re probably too weak to feel it.” He suddenly lifted me in his arms, carrying me like a bride.

“Lord Ruan.” I tried to wriggle free but I was too weak to make a move. “Put me down.”

“Stay still. You can’t even walk.”

“I’ll manage. Put me down.”

“Silence.”

“Master, is Priest Luo injured?”

I stiffened at the sound of Huang Wen’s voice, my face flushed in embarrassment.

“Mind your own business,” Ruan Yanjun scolded his disciple. “Go to sleep. You have an errand at dawn.”

“Yes, Master,” Huang Wen said and left.

I did not utter another word, even as I sensed the presence of a couple of servants nearby. Aside from the fact that I was too weak, my voice had already drowned in humiliation.

At last, we made it to my chamber. Slowly, he laid me in bed.

It was strange that suddenly, he was being gentle with me again. Those last few days, he had treated me like an enemy that he took pleasure in bullying. And for the first time, ever since he had learned of my engagement, he seemed to be in a rather good mood.

“Seriously, Lord Ruan,” I said. “Do I still have my core?”

Even though it sounded impossible, I was tempted to believe it.

He sat down beside me. “Relax and take a deep breath.”

I closed my eyes and did as he told me. When I opened my eyes, he held my right hand once again and pressed my finger over my gate of vitality. “Focus.”

I put all my attention on my pulse until I felt something.

I stiffened. When I felt another pulse of faint energy, my eyes widened.

I gasped in surprise, tears welling in my eyes.

As if I had not been drained of energy, I sat up and pressed my fingers harder against my wrist. “Is this real?”

He smirked. “And I thought you were too weak to even sit.”

I was so ecstatic his taunting did not have any effect on me. “How long have you known?”

“Since the first time I took a good look at you,” he replied. “Why do you think have I searched for you? Because I knew that people born with natural cores are special. Their cores are a part of their soul. While the soul exists, the core lurks within it.”

I smiled inwardly. I still could not believe it. For the first time after my cultivation had been nullified, I saw hope. I could see my dream becoming a reality once again. It did not matter if I had to start from level zero.

“So that was why you’ve been adamant to find a cure for me,” I concluded. “You’ve known it all along. But why have you never told me?”

“If I did, you wouldn’t have believed me.”

He was right. I would not have believed him at all if he told me that my core was still alive.

“Lord Ruan, I want to apologize for thinking so bad about you lately. I thought you were trying to kill me. Now, I understand that you just wanted to push me to the edge so I can awaken my core.”

He smirked. “You’re wrong. I really was trying to kill you. I was already running out of patience.”

I smiled wryly. I knew he did not mean that. This man was just so proud to admit there was some goodness left in his heart.

“Thank you, my lord. I owe it all to you.”

“You can thank me by being obedient to your benefactor. I am determined to see through your progress until you get your cultivation level back from what it once was, so don’t make things hard for me.”

I smiled. “I will be good from now on.”

He snickered. “I thought I would never see you smile at me again. You must be happy.”

“Indeed, I am happy,” I replied. “This is a blessing from the gods.”

He turned absolutely silent, his body stiff like a statue, and then I realized my mistake.

Why did I mention the gods in the presence of a devil?

“You think this is a blessing from your gods and not the result of my relentless encouragement?” he asked with a tone of sarcasm.

My face suddenly felt hot. I had indeed offended him. “It is, my lord. I acknowledge that and I am grateful for the effort you’ve extended for my benefit.”

He scoffed and rose to his feet. “Get some rest.”

“Lord Ruan, I have one more question.”

He sat by the table before he turned his head in my direction. “Ask.”

“Suppose everything goes well and I get my cultivation back, what is it for you?”

He smirked. “Don’t worry about that. Rest assured I do not invest that much time and effort for something that will not benefit me in the end. I shall have my reward, and you shall have yours.”

I took a deep breath. “I’ll leave it to you then. I will not doubt your intention once again.”

“If you have no more questions, lie down and sleep. I’ll stay here and monitor your qi until it stabilizes.”

“Lord Ruan, you don’t really have to—”

“I thought we just agreed that you do not question my intention again,” he said. “If you don’t lie down right now, your qi might go haywire and we cannot risk you suffering a qi deviation at this early stage.”

I immediately lay down on the bed and took a deep breath. I definitely could not risk suffering from qi deviation. At all costs, I had to nurture my newly-awakened core with utmost care.