There had been a lot going on lately.
Lin Xiangyi stared at the mission briefing in his hands, irritation churning in his chest.
This mission was the key to whether he could become an Executor.
Only by becoming an Executor would he gain the right to use the Spirit Control Art outside, beyond cases of self-defense.
Miss this chance, and the next exam wouldn’t come for another five years.
But the conditions for this final mission were absurdly苛刻—he*’d spent days investigating and analyzing it, yet still hadn’*t managed to piece together a clear picture.
And that wasn’t the only thing weighing on him. If anything, the other matter was even more troubling.
Last night, his Master had sent him a text message:
“Your Senior Brother has run into a problem with his cultivation. I believe you’re the only one who can solve it, so prepare yourself.”
“What kind of problem?”
“You’ll know when you see him.”
“?” (Not read)
Staring at the messages on his phone, Lin Xiangyi had only one enormous question mark in his mind—
My Senior Brother? Cultivation? Hit a snag? Asking me for help?
Those words strung together formed a sentence Lin Xiangyi couldn’t process.
Even if they hadn*’t seen each other in six months, knowing his Senior Brother as he did, if someone said to Lin Xiangyi’*s face: “Your Grand Senior Brother’s cultivation is in trouble! Go take a look!” — Lin Xiangyi would have punched that person without a second thought.
Are you kidding me? My invincible Grand Senior Brother, having trouble with cultivation?
Don*’t make Shen Ge laugh. Top-tier Spirit Affinity, Full Control of the Five Elemental Spirits, graduated from Master’*s Sect in three years, passed the Law Enforcer Examination in half a month, named Number One of the Younger Generation at nineteen, and undefeated among Law Enforcers by twenty.
But then again…
He raised his index finger and tapped his head.
The problem was, this message came from his Master.
His Senior Brother had trained with her on the mountain since he was a child. They were as close as could be.
If Senior Brother truly had a problem, she would never just sit back and do nothing.
Yet now, the task had fallen to him.
What kind of problem would require coming specifically to him?
Master had her reasons, of course, but Senior Brother was a Mastery of Five-Element Spiritual Power whose understanding and command of spirits even surpassed hers. If the two of them couldn’t solve something, how was he supposed to handle it?
A problem, a problem, only I can solve, and prepare myself…
It’s not that Senior Brother got a girlfriend and wants my advice, is it?
…
…
“…Haha.”
I even made myself laugh. How would my Senior Brother, a shut-in who can’t even set foot off the mountain, ever land a girlfriend? I wonder what kind of bad woman could possibly trick him.
But once the thought took root, it refused to stop spreading.
Hold on?!
Wait a minute?!
Lin Xiangyi suddenly recalled another message his Master had sent afterward:
“Don’t be surprised no matter who shows up, okay? (Mischievous grin)”
Thinking about it now, did that mean more than just Senior Brother might be coming?
Don*’t tell me it’*s real!?
My Senior Brother, who looks like he’d be completely cold to romance!? He actually got whisked away by a bad woman?
Lin Xiangyi’s face twisted in bewilderment as he scanned every word on the screen, trying to dig out more information.
The only thing that could mess with his prodigy Senior Brother*’s cultivation—other than a woman, he honestly couldn’*t think of anything.
Injured?
If it were just an ordinary wound, the Wood and Water Systems alone would be enough to heal it.
What kind of injury could be so special that Senior Brother had to come all this way for him?
Hmm?
A terrifying thought surfaced in Lin Xiangyi’s mind.
Could it be that something happened to Senior Brother’s Spirit Body?
His expression darkened.
The Spirit Body was the soul itself.
An injury to the Spirit Body not only affected one*’s mental state—in severe cases, it could even damage one’*s lifespan.
If Senior Brother came to him because of that, then this was a big problem.
Right—knowing Senior Brother*’s abilities, if he were truly coming here, he’*d have arrived long ago.
But so much time had passed, and there was still no news from him.
What that meant, he didn’t even dare to think about.
Lin Xiangyi*’s face turned ugly. He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed his Master’*s number.
No answer.
“What the hell is going on?” Lin Xiangyi clawed at his hair in frustration, wishing he could sprint back to the mountain thousands of miles away and demand answers from his Master right now.
The Law Enforcer Examination was right around the corner, and something was wrong with Senior Brother—the two matters tangled together, making his head throb with pain.
“Aaaargh, Shen Ge, please, please don’t let anything happen to you!”
thump, thump, thump.
Just as Lin Xiangyi was about to jump out of his skin, a knock came at the door. He looked toward it.
Senior Brother’s here?!
The joy in his heart washed away the bitter agony of the long wait, but in that happiness, a quiet worry began to creep up.
If Senior Brother’s problem really involved his Spirit Body and lifespan, could he actually help with his own abilities?
I really hope Senior Brother just got his heart broken by some bad woman.
Well, he’s here now.
He felt the heavy stone in his chest finally drop.
Good that he*’s here. Good that he’*s here.
It’s been so long—I wonder if Senior Brother has lost weight.
Lin Xiangyi forced a smile, nearly taking the door in two steps as he yanked it open.
“Shen Ge!”
He opened the door with a grin, instinctively fixing his gaze at eye level.
He and Shen Ye were about the same height, both just over 6 feet, but instead of that familiar face, something else filled his vision.
“Xiangyi!”
Almost at the same moment he thought, “Wait, where’s Senior Brother?”, a gentle, pleasant female voice reached his ears.
Then came a gust of fragrant wind carrying the scent of cedar after rain. He only felt a soft, small body crash into his embrace.
Lin Xiangyi caught her reflexively, bracing her shoulders with both hands so she wouldn’t collapse completely into his arms.
Warmth met his fingertips, slick with beads of water.
So soft—but why is she soaking wet?
Wait! Why is this a girl!?
Lin Xiangyi hurriedly let go, trying to push her away, only to realize the girl in his arms had already passed out cold.
“What? This?”
Faced with the scene before him, Lin Xiangyi was utterly dumbfounded.
He’d waited all night for his Senior Brother—how was he getting a girl instead?
The girl was held in Lin Xiangyi’s arms, her body pressed flush against his chest.
Her water-soaked clothes had practically lost all barrier function; even through the cold, drenched fabric, he could feel the startling softness of her chest.
“…”
Lin Xiangyi’s face flushed slightly, but then he recalled the words the girl had said before she collapsed.
—Xiangyi.
He’d heard it clearly.
In this world, only two people called him by that name.
One was his Master. The other was his Senior Brother.
Lin Xiangyi crouched down, letting the girl rest in the crook of his arm, then used the Spirit Control Art to draw the water from her clothes before lifting her up in his arms.
Looking at the tranquil sleeping face of the girl in his embrace, Lin Xiangyi’s expression grew complicated.
But how was that even possible?
His throat bobbed as he stared at her with an unreadable gaze.
…Well, let’s head inside first.