In the middle of the night, Ling spent his time writing a letter to home before he slept.
He promised to write a letter for people at home every month, but he was caught up with his training.
Ling was a straightforward person and he wasn't someone who loves to write long and flowery sentences in his letter.
He wrote almost every moment that he had been through except the fact that he had awakened the Blood Iron Art. It was too soon for him to disclose it to anybody while the Blood Spearhead was still fairly weak for the time being.
Once he finished, Ling folded his letter and put it into a small tube for being flown by the hawk which was awaiting for him.
Ling channeled a small amount of his Qi to the hawk so it can acknowledge who was the sender and who was the recipient of the letter.
The hawk then took off through the window as soon as it got the address.
A few hours into his sleep, the rain poured heavily, dozens of lightning hammered the land as the thunderous sky seemed like it was about to fall onto the land below it.
Kyaa!!
Ling was awakened from his sleep by the short yet sharp screaming voice from Qiqi's room.
"Is she afraid of lightning? Oh well, that's not my concern anyway. Let's get back to sleep."
Not so long after, he heard Qiqi crying faintly. At this moment, he realized that Qiqi was still a little vixen after all.
He meant to ignore her cry, hoping that she would stop eventually. However, the storm kept battering the land as so Qiqi's cry during the night.
Irritated, Ling went to her room which was situated below his room on the first floor.
"Qiqi, are you okay?" Ling spoke behind the sliding door.
No answer from the other side, only a faint cry.
"May I come in?"
"En." she replied softly.
Upon entering her room, he found Qiqi curled under her blanket while covering her long ears.
"Brother Ling…" she says, trying to get rid of her tears.
"It's just a storm. Nothing to be afraid of."
"I'm not afraid of the storm." Qiqi said, in a sobbing voice. "But the thunder and lightning hurt my ears since they are very sensitive."
'I see… As a beast kin, her hearing must be surpassed that of humans in general. Huh, this is new for me since there's not much literature studying their traits. Fang Zheng took her as his disciple for research purposes, I believe.' Ling mumbled inwardly.
Ling sat on her bed and gently put his palm on her long ears.
"Calm yourself and focus on the sound of my pulse."
Qiqi stopped sobbing as Ling's palm caressed her ears. "So soothing and calming. It's a faint memory, but I'm certain that my mother used to do this to me when I was still a baby."
Likewise, Ling also found this moment was very pleasant for him as he caressed her long ears which were formed from a very soft cartilage and very delicate skin and covered by silky and fluffy fur-like hair.
Her fluffy tail wagging left and right and she looks very relaxed.
Qiqi ended up hugging him tightly, burying her face on his chest to calm herself.
The soft sound of her breathing made him in daze while brushing her long black hair on her back.
Thus, the little vixen fell asleep in his embrace a few moments later. Ling put her back on the bed so she can sleep properly and put the blanket on her before he left.
Suddenly, Fang Zheng sent a direct signal to Ling's mind to meet him at the training hall.
"Tsk! Is this an ability of a Sage Realm Cultivator?! My body can't defy his order as if my sub-consciousness is being controlled by him!"
Ling was irritated by the fact that his Cultivation Realm was still so weak compared to Fang Zheng. Ling swore that he would surpass him one day.
"You commanded my audience, Shifu." Ling bowed and cupped his fist at the entrance.
"I did. Now come in. There's something I want to talk about with you."
Ling immediately sat before him, leg folded. Fang Zheng glanced at him while lying one sidedly, head resting on his knuckle.
"Ling, have you fallen for her?"
Ling was aware that Fang Zhen was talking about Qiqi. From what he read in the book, beast kin had strict rules regarding making a contact with human. Only the selected ones were able to live in human realm.
In which made him certain that Qiqi has the royal blood ran deep in her veins.
"No, shifu. I wouldn't dare to. The fact that a vixen beast kin in the human realm indicates that she's a royalty in the beast realm on the Far East Continent."
"Indeed, I am glad that you are a genius kid and very knowledgeable at that. But that's not the case why I asked you that."
Ling was askew,, "Please, enlighten this disciple, Shifu."
"Her mother —whom I can not say her name— had asked me to arrange her marriage to someone worthy of her when she's coming to adulthood. In exchange for that matter, I am permitted by her parents to train as well as study her body."
'I knew it! This old bastard better not try anything obnoxious to her!'
"Relax, I know what's in your mind, boy. But I am not that kind of man. It's my duty to protect Qiqi after all. I don't want to invoke her mother's wrath upon this land."
Ling let out a relieved sigh. However, other thoughts flashed in his mind. "Does the Royal Family of the Kingdom acknowledge this matter?"
"They did, but I will not let their dirty hands defile Qiqi."
"Is that also the very reason you picked me as your disciple?"
"Not particularly so. A kid with Level 10 Soul Aptitude is a tremendously rare ingredient to create Heavenly Rejuvenation Pill. I planned to refine your soul to make one, but I restrained myself after seeing how close you are with Qiqi. Also, your Grandma, Kwan Xi Yin, was my ex-wife in our younger days which made you my long half-grandson."
Ling's premonition when he met him for the first time was right. He was indeed an insanely dangerous old man. But he was lucky enough that this old man was a reasonable person.
He was dumbstruck after hearing his last sentence. "Eh?! You are my Grandma's ex-husband?!"
"What? Is there a problem with that?"
"No, shifu!"
"Anyhow, if you really into her. You have to meant it by your whole being. If you dare to hurt her, I will kill you myself!"
"This disciple has enlightened. We are still very young, and I would like to take this matter in friendly relationship. It's also her right to fall in love to whoever and whichever young lords."
"Wise words, my disciple. You may be dismissed. And don't slacking your training."
"Yes, Shifu."
Ling fell into a deep thought as he went back to his room.
'What kind of dumb luck is this?! Tsk! Whatever! More importantly, Qiqi's mother must be a very powerful being and an Immortal at that! Even Fang Zhen, the strongest cultivator in this kingdom couldn't defy her wish in the slightest! Heh… maybe I can learn how to become an Immortal by learning more about Qiqi's heritage!'