Chapter 8 - 『Nostalgia』

"Watch out Little Sister!"

"...!"

A voice exclaimed, jolting the dazed woman back to her senses. Soon, bright flashes of light erupted from her sword—slashing the ferocious beast that was attacking her.

"Hah... you should be more careful, Little Sister Liqiu."

"Sorry, I was lost thinking about something, Big Sister." Xia Liqiu said embarrassingly.

"Is it that scumbag Long Ming!? I swear that prince better not think of funny ideas. Did he hurt you in any way?"

The person, with her red crimson eyes, strongly expressed her views. This person, who was beside Xia Liqiu, was no other than her own best friend back in the university—Liu Ying. It seems that they were transported together in the Longwei (龙威王) Dynasty, which was the biggest dynasty on the continent.

"No, that's not it..."

"I knew i—eh?"

Xia Liqiu

Recently arrived at the capital city of the Longwei Dynasty, it appears she was summoned by the empress along with several dozens of others. Soon after, all eyes were fixed on Xia Liqiu for her extraordinary talent—especially the lustful third prince Long Ming.

She was currently in the peak 9th layer of the Foundation-Establishment Realm despite only arriving a week ago—far surpassing her peers. It was not exaggerated to say that she was a heaven-defying genius, as even experts struggle to reach this stage within a year.

"Professor Ling, you remember him right? I saw him just before we got here—but I can't seem to remember much and before I knew it, he'd already disappeared."

"Ah... you mean Yan'er...?"

"Yan'er!?"

Xia Liqiu burst out in shock—she did not expect that her best friend would address her professor so casually. She was aware that Ling Yan was very close with the students, but not to this extent.

"Ahaha, well—Yan'er has been really nice to all of us, and everyone I know calls him Yan'er. I mean, he did set me up with my boyfriend." Laughing, Liu Ying couldn't help but remember a fond memory.

Ling Yan was always very friendly to his students, and the reason why they were so close is that he never treated them as students—but as equals. The students admire him, even the problematic ones—as Ling Yan never ridiculed them and their actions, and had been serving as their beacon of light.

"Haha, well that certainly is like Professor Ling, but..."

"But...?"

Xia Liqiu couldn't help but recall a horrifying yet comforting memory, the memory of that same professor who was nice to everyone, the time when a heavy storm was pouring into an abandoned alley.

She couldn't help but remember the professor's face back then, drenched in blood from the assailants that followed her. Back then, Ling Yan's face was the most terrifying she had seen on him, yet at the same time, she was not scared—it even felt safe, for her.

"I wonder, is he here with us, in this world...?"

"Yan'er definitely is, me and Tai Ming will definitely try to find him as well. But knowing how he is, I'm sure he's doing better than the rest of us." Liu Ying smiled radiantly, as if to show confidence to her friend.

Meanwhile...

<<----------->>

"I am RICH!" He exclaimed childishly, in contrast with how he was described earlier.

[Jade Scripture] [Middle-tier Rare-Grade Cultivation Manual]

[This manual features four stages: Rock Jade, Green Jade, Jade Solidification, and Emerald Jade. It is the heritage of the Jade Crest Sect. The user may reach up to the Nascent Soul Realm with this manual.]

"This manual might be only able to reach the Nascent Soul Realm—nonetheless, this is already considered good in the whole dynasty." He said confidently, he could always reset his cultivation, after all.

A glimmer of joy formed on his face, as he finally got his hands on a Cultivation Manual. Although it is still not useful to him, as most manuals can only be used once one breaks through the Foundation-Establishment Realm—this was the stage where one's Qi is transformed, after all.

"Not just that... this has to be the most expensive one..."

[Jade Spear] [Top-tier Rare-Grade Artifact]

[Formed from pure Emerald Jade and created in Jade Crest Sect, it has fast attacks and can penetrate up to Middle-Tier Rare-Grade Defensive Artifacts. It emits a luminous light at the tip whenever it is injected with Qi. Indestructible under the Nascent Soul Realm.]

"I wonder if I can use this..."

[Danger! An expert in the Core Formation Realm is out to attack the host!]

"Eh...!?"

As if interrupting his thoughts, the system suddenly transmitted loud alarm noises to Ling Yan—even its volume was higher than usual, despite it still remaining monotone.

[Performing Emergency Sacrifice]

[Calculating...

Qi Refining Realm (2nd Layer) = 5 Psionic Stars

Qi Refining Realm (3rd Layer) = 15 Psionic Stars

Qi Refining Realm (4th Layer) = 40 Psionic Stars

Total = 60 Psionic Stars

Shall the host sacrifice his cultivation realm?]

"Damn it...! Was I discovered?" Ling Yan panicked.

Although Ling Yan expected to be discovered, he didn't think it would be this soon. He had originally planned to breakthrough, using the resources that he 'received', to the 5th Qi Refining Realm before sacrificing his cultivation realm—but it seems now it isn't possible.

Just as he was about to compose himself, a large explosion erupted—its loud ear-splitting sound resounded throughout the sect. Ling Yan had heard of the rumors, this was the [Jade Desolation Palm], one of the strongest martial techniques in the sect—it is said that because of the extreme compression of the jade, it erupts and explodes when it hits its target.

Ling Yan knew firsthand of its terror, as the exterior wall of the Cultivation Pagoda outside of his room was destroyed—giving sight to the angered emerald beauty Li Yue under the reddened moon. Her long gentle black hair, along with her slender body, gave her the aura of a goddess; in another situation, Ling Yan would have also praised her beauty.

"I don't know how an ant like you managed to steal my possessions—but you must die!"

[Confirmed]

Just as he was about to be hit, he closed his eyes, bathed by the familiar purple cocoon of light. He remembered clearly—her piercing gaze and form were enough to make Ling Yan petrified, unable to move a single muscle. It was a gaze that Ling Yan was not gonna forget anytime soon.