As Asura was defeating Li Cao, a pair of beautiful eyes watched him from the shadows.
"Sister Lin, let's go. The match is over, you do not need to worry anymore," her best friend advised her in a low voice.
"Yes, let's go," the young lady with the beautiful eyes replied.
Her name was Su Lin. She was 16 years old, one year younger than Asura. She also ranked tenth in the list of outstanding talents of the Xiao sect where Asura and others were studying.
Su Lin was gifted in cultivation and had a gentle heart. When she first met Asura, she was drawn to his determination and fiery spirit. Though he could be reckless at times, she saw the kindness beneath his anger.
Su Lin admired Asura from afar but kept her feelings hidden. As one of the top students in the sect, she had many suitors seeking her hand. She did not want the complications of a public romance, especially when Asura had so many enemies already.
So Su Lin remained a silent observer, helping Asura when she could but never revealing her identity. Her interventions gave Asura the edge he needed to defeat Li Cao and other adversaries.
Asura never knew of Su Lin's feelings or of her subtle aid. But each time he caught a glimpse of those beautiful eyes watching him from the shadows, he felt a sense of calm and confidence fill him. Though he did not understand why, those mysterious eyes seemed to steady his spirit and give him strength.
He just considered her as his friend who rarely talk to him. If Asura knew the extent of what Su Lin had done for him secretly, he would be extremely shocked and surprised to learn that.
Even in this fight, Su Lin helped Asura secretly by not allowing the Li family's secret guards to enter the martial stage and save Li Cao's life. In theory, interfering in a life-and-death match is not allowed. But no one saw the Li family's secret guards, and if they had managed to save Li Cao, things would have become difficult for Asura in the future.
Su Lin, watching quietly from the sidelines, noticed the Li family's secret guards attempting to sneak into the martial stage. With just a subtle gesture and glance in their direction, she warned them away. They retreated, realizing an unknown force was watching them and preventing their intervention.
Su Lin knew that for Asura to truly vanquish Li Cao and ensure peace going forward, Li Cao needed to lose the match completely. Allowing the secret guards to intervene and save Li Cao would have allowed Li Cao to save face while still posing a threat to Asura.
So once again, Su Lin's subtle yet consequential aid proved crucial for Asura's victory. Though Asura thought he had triumphed through his own efforts, in reality, Su Lin's unseen intervention helped tip the scales in his favor. Asura never knew how close he came to failure, or the dangerous game Su Lin was playing by thwarting the Li family's guards.
Asura celebrated his victory unaware of how much he still had to learn about the secret forces that had shaped his destiny all along.
Su Lin was already at the first stage of the Spirit Realm. So, it was very difficult to pass her without being detected. That's why she was able to easily repel those Li family secret guards.
However, what Su Lin didn't realize was that she had caused big trouble for herself. Thwarting the Li family's secret guards had exposed her invisible hand and revealed that an unknown force had intervened.
The Li family launched an investigation to determine who had prevented their guards from saving Li Cao. They began monitoring all cultivators at the match closely, especially those at the Spirit Realm level who could have potentially detected and repelled their guards.
Su Lin's subtle yet consequential actions had now put her under the suspicion of the powerful Li family. They began surveilling her movements, worried that she posed a threat to their clan since she had so easily thwarted their guards.
Su Lin realized too late the danger she had unwittingly courted. Though she had saved Asura's life yet again with her intervention, she now faced the wrath of the Li family focused squarely upon her. Asura remained oblivious to both Su Lin's aid and the trouble it had caused her, much to his unknowing detriment.
Su Lin would have to use all her skill and wisdom at the Spirit Realm to evade the Li family's hunt for her, lest she risks exposing her secret feelings for Asura and endangering him as well in the process.