Jie Aier’s expression was unsettlingly strange. She clearly yearned to know what was in Zhong Shenxiu’s mind, yet she dared not look directly at him. Her entire face was turned slightly to the side, only catching glimpses of him in her periphery, aware that he was watching her too!
Zhong Shenxiu was in a foul mood today, so he remained silent. With a slight wave of his hand, a set of clothes materialized upon him. He glanced back one last time toward the center of the “Moonlight Spring,” then soared away on his sword!
Robin’s condition was now completely stable; the next step was slow and steady healing. Zhong Shenxiu had already established intricate formations around the “Moonlight Spring,” ensuring that no one but him could approach Robin in his current state!
This time, Zhong Shenxiu intended to transform utterly into a Shura; he wanted the world to understand one thing: the “Prodigy” was gravely angered, and the consequences would be exceptionally severe!
Luo Jie Aier only registered a flash before Zhong Shenxiu vanished, leaving her heart filled with even greater doubt and shock!
Within the manor, Bellidanti finally awoke after sleeping for several hours.
“Where—where am I?” Bellidanti murmured to herself, gazing at the unfamiliar surroundings.
“Sister, you’re awake. How do you feel? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?” Mercyis, who had been keeping vigil by the bedside, immediately inquired.
She hadn't slept all night, nor had any other member of the entire “Ethereal Mercenary Group.” For all of them, this day had been unbearably long!
“Sis—Sister?” Bellidanti’s eyes snapped open, finding the reality hard to accept.
Mercyis gently stroked Bellidanti’s long hair and softly asked, “Are you hungry?”
“Sister, how are you here? Where is this place?” Bellidanti bolted upright like a startled bird.
Mercyis looked upon her sister with pity. Although a slight recovery in spirit had occurred after the night’s rest, her complexion was still ashen, as if she had just suffered a severe illness.
“Little Sister, don’t worry. This place is very safe. This is ‘Ivory Keep’!” Mercyis replied.
“Ivory Keep?” Bellidanti paused briefly, as if trying to dredge up a memory.
“Let me have the kitchen prepare you a bowl of light broth first!” Little Mercyis said as she stood up, turning to leave.
However, Bellidanti clutched her arm, exclaiming with sudden agitation, “Tia—where is Tia? Where is she?”
“Tia is being looked after by Kenny right now, you don’t need to worry!” Mercyis assured her.
Despite this reassurance, Bellidanti rose from the bed anyway, stating, “I need to see how Tia is doing right now!”
Finally, supported by Mercyis, the two arrived at Kenny’s door. Upon entering, they discovered that Tia had also woken up and was weeping in Kenny’s arms.
Kenny, while soothing Tia, gestured for Bellidanti and Mercyis to sit anywhere.
“Mother, Mother is gone, Sister… Sister…” Tia’s body convulsed as she repeated these fragmented words, which she had already uttered countless times.
Kenny’s face was etched with sorrow. She worried about Tia’s mental state if this continued. She had tried many methods, but none had achieved any noticeable effect!
What terrible ordeal could have reduced a child to this state?
Every time Kenny considered it, a surge of hatred would rise within her! Tia’s fate mirrored her own experience with shocking similarity—both had witnessed the destruction of their homes and the brutal deaths of loved ones firsthand!
Kenny knew all too well the blow to the soul, that heart-rending agony.
Bellidanti and Mercyis sat by the bed, watching the weeping Tia with helpless expressions, utterly unable to offer any assistance. (If even Kenny’s coaxing was ineffective, they were even more powerless!)
Just then, the door was pushed open again, and Zhong Shenxiu walked in!
The sudden sight of Zhong Shenxiu startled everyone in the room. They knew he had gone to treat Robin but hadn't expected him to return so quickly!
Kenny stared fixedly at Zhong Shenxiu. Though she spoke no words, the intense urgency in her eyes conveyed everything to him.
“Don’t worry about Robin!” Zhong Shenxiu stated calmly, simultaneously turning his gaze toward Tia, who resembled a tearful statue!
“Brother Xiu…” Tia, as if finding her anchor, cried out and immediately sprang off the bed, rushing barefoot toward Zhong Shenxiu.
A flicker of softness crossed Zhong Shenxiu’s eyes; the events of the day had made him understand the preciousness of “cherishing.” He gently pulled Tia into his embrace, and the image of Robin suddenly surfaced in his mind, accompanied by a stabbing pain in his chest!
“Brother Xiu, wooah!” Tia’s tears flowed like a burst dam, soaking Zhong Shenxiu’s clothes.
Kenny watched with sadness and quickly interjected, “Little Xiu, Tia has been crying for a long time; if this continues, I’m afraid…”
Zhong Shenxiu offered Kenny a reassuring look, then spoke to Tia in his arms, “Tia, dry your tears. Everything will get better.”
Tia rubbed her eyes with her sleeve but couldn't stop the continuous stream of tears running down her cheeks.
“Do you want to see your mother?” Zhong Shenxiu suddenly uttered a sentence that shocked everyone present.
“Yes!” Tia choked out.
“Then stop crying. Do you want your mother to see you like this?” Zhong Shenxiu pressed further.
“Tia won’t cry, Tia is good,” Tia mumbled while incessantly wiping her eyes with her sleeve. Though the worst of the sobs ceased, her eyes remained brimming with moisture.
Zhong Shenxiu asked no more. He extended a hand and cast a water-elemental spell, washing away the tear stains on Tia’s face. Then, with a thought, he retrieved the newly refined “Ghost Refinement” disk!
The atmosphere in the room instantly grew tense, every eye fixed intently on Zhong Shenxiu’s every movement!
“Hey, woman, step out here for a moment!” Zhong Shenxiu called out to the disk, simultaneously sending a beam of light from his hand directly into it. (This light allowed everyone in the room to see Paige’s soul form!)
Under the expectant gazes of several pairs of eyes, Paige’s semi-transparent body finally materialized.
Silence descended. For a moment, the entire room was so quiet that only the sound of Zhong Shenxiu’s breathing could be heard! (Everyone else held their breath!)
“Mother!” It was Tia who finally broke the quiet, and the tears she had managed to suppress surged forth once more.
“Huh? Tia, you can see Mother?” Paige sounded surprised too. Zhong Shenxiu had told her that currently, only he and Robin could see her.
“Mother!” Tia cried out and lunged forward, only to pass right through.
“Tia, Mother cannot hug you right now. Give me a little more time.” Paige’s expression grew emotional, and her resolve to cultivate strengthened anew.
Some might not understand: If Zhong Shenxiu could rebuild her physical body, why would he still require her to cultivate the ‘Ghost Cultivation’ path?
There was a reason for this. Although Zhong Shenxiu possessed the ability to reconstruct Paige’s body, a skilled cook cannot work without ingredients—he lacked many crucial materials and couldn't immediately restore her flesh!
The second reason was that Paige’s current state was perfectly suited for ‘Ghost Cultivation.’ If she followed Zhong Shenxiu’s instructions, she would quickly become a master of this path! Even without a physical body for the time being, she could exist in her spiritual form. Furthermore, once the gate of ‘Ghost Cultivation’ was entered and the first threshold crossed, she could continue cultivating normally even after regaining a body, and her progress would be faster!
“Palace Mistress!” Bellidanti, who had remained silent, suddenly cried out in a trembling voice, two streams of tears tracing paths down her cheeks.
“Bellidanti, I apologize for the hardship you’ve endured. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me!” Paige said, offering Bellidanti a solemn bow!
“Palace Mistress!” Bellidanti cried out again but could utter no more words.
Paige shifted her gaze back to Tia, speaking softly, “Tia, you must be good. Mother will reunite with you soon. You cannot cry anymore, or Mother will become very sad!”
“Mother, Tia misses you… Mother, please don’t leave Tia again, okay?” Tia pleaded tearfully, looking at Paige. Paige offered a sad smile. “Mother cannot stay with you for now, Tia. Don't be sad. Separation is only temporary; you must learn to be strong.”
After comforting Tia, Paige’s gaze fell upon Kenny.
“Rest assured, I will take good care of Tia. I will wait for you!” Kenny said to Paige with a smile.
Paige smiled too. After giving a few final instructions, she finally retreated back into the disk!
Tia finally stopped crying, though her expression remained somewhat stunned. After a long moment, she suddenly turned, looking seriously at Zhong Shenxiu and declaring, “Brother Xiu, I want to become strong!”
At that moment, Zhong Shenxiu finally permitted a faint smile to grace his lips. In truth, even without Tia asking, he intended to make her powerful. Not just Tia, but everyone around him would undergo a qualitative leap, reaching realms that others could never touch in a lifetime!
He absolutely would not permit a similar incident to ever occur again!
He, Zhong Shenxiu, possessed the absolute power to ensure it!
Under Kenny’s gentle persuasion, Tia finally drifted back to sleep, this time deeply and sweetly. Zhong Shenxiu then called Bellidanti outside; he needed a full accounting of the situation!
After enduring Bellidanti’s narration, which lasted over an hour, Zhong Shenxiu finally grasped the complete sequence of events. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and a blacklist formed in his mind—every name on that list was destined for a meeting with the King of Hell!
Hmph. I’d like to see just what capabilities you truly possess!
Zhong Shenxiu soared away on his sword once more. This time, half the world would be stained crimson with blood.