State of Affairs

Under Mo Qingcheng's vigilant watch, Qin Wentian's complexion gradually improved, but he remained unconscious.

The snowy pup sprawled on the ground beside Qin Wentian, occasionally leaping into Mo Qingcheng's lap, eliciting a constant smile from her; this little creature was simply too endearing.

"Nolan, any idea what kind of mystical beast he is?" Mo Qingcheng asked with curiosity.

"Who knows? Perhaps just a common wild creature incapable of cultivation," Nolan replied.

"How can a wild creature be so intelligent? Still, you have a point; this little guy is tiny," Mo Qingcheng grinned brilliantly, her smile's radiance even momentarily stunning Nolan. "You've been in such a good mood these past few days. I've never even seen you smile before."

"Well, there's no one else around," Mo Qingcheng shrugged.

"What about him?" Nolan pointed at Qin Wentian. "You even hugged him earlier."

Mo Qingcheng's cheeks flushed involuntarily, tinged with a rosy hue. She rolled her eyes at Nolan and then allowed her gaze to linger on Qin Wentian's features as she admitted, "But I have to admit, he's rather good-looking."

"Ye WuQue is good-looking too, but why have you always ignored him? By the way, there are rumors that Ye WuQue entered into a marriage agreement with someone from Sky Harmony City today, so he should know by now that he stands no chance with you," Nolan remarked, lips curling slightly. "Oh, and Sky Harmony City is close to us; the Ye Clan's annihilation of the Qin Clan should be almost complete."

Mo Qingcheng sighed for the Qin Clan.

"Someone's approaching." Mo Qingcheng suddenly spoke, "He should wake up soon. It's time for us to go."

With that, Mo Qingcheng exited the straw cottage, addressing the snowy pup still in her arms, "Little one, would you like to come with me?"

The snowy pup glanced at her and planted a few wet kisses on her face. Then, it hopped out of her arms, returned to the entrance, and sat there, gazing at her.

"Alright, I won't force you. Since you like him, just stay by his side," Mo Qingcheng said with a helpless smile as she left with Nolan. The snowy dog watched her departure, appearing somewhat reluctant to part with her.

Shortly after Mo Qingcheng and Nolan left, a group of three youths approached – two young men and a young woman.

"Oh, what an adorable little pup!" The girl hurried toward the snowy dog, but the dog seemed uninterested and turned its back on her, heading into the straw cottage.

"Brother, there's someone here who's fainted," the girl reported, taking out a flask of water from her belongings and giving Qin Wentian a sip.

"Yan'er, Sky Harmony City is just ahead; let's not invite unnecessary trouble. We'll rest here for a day before moving on," one of the dusty, travel-worn young men, who had already exhausted several horses in their rush to reach the Royal Capital, advised. He planned to enter Sky Harmony City to buy better horses for their journey.

"Understood," the girl said, sticking out her tongue. She was strikingly beautiful.

"Cough, cough." At that moment, Qin Wentian coughed, opening his blurry eyes to see a beautiful face.

"You're awake," the girl, Liu Yan, greeted with a gentle smile upon noticing that Qin Wentian had regained consciousness.

Qin Wentian sat up and, aside from feeling extremely weak, realized that he was generally fine. Furthermore, he sensed that he had broken through to the 8th level of the Body Refinement Realm. However, he currently had no astral energy within him – controlling the massive body of the demonic ape had been a life-threatening ordeal. Thankfully, he had pushed through his limits and regained consciousness.

"No wonder Uncle Black told me to use that star-shaped object only in a life-or-death situation," Qin Wentian silently mused. It seemed that he had gained a blessing in disguise by breaking through to the next level. Little did he know that his rapid recovery and advancement to the 8th level were actually due to the pill Mo Qingcheng had given him. If not for that, it would have taken his body at least another two to three months to recover.

"Thank you for saving me," Qin Wentian expressed his gratitude to the young woman. It was clear that she had mistaken him for someone else.

"No problem, it was a simple thing. Is this little dog yours? It's so cute," the young woman smiled. It was only then that Qin Wentian noticed the small, white, furry puppy next to him. When Liu Yan moved as if to embrace it, the puppy quickly leaped into Qin Wentian's arms.

"Liu Yan, it's time for us to go," one of the young men's voice drifted in from outside the straw house.

"Okay," Liu Yan replied before turning to Qin Wentian. "This puppy is incredibly smart. No wonder it was waiting for you. Now that you're awake, I should be on my way. I'm Liu Yan. Perhaps we'll meet again in the future."

With that, a sweet smile lit up Liu Yan's face, and she departed.

"I'm Qin Wentian."

Standing up, Qin Wentian left the straw house with the puppy in his arms. He saw Liu Yan waving goodbye and noticed the lingering scent of the boiled spiritual herbs.

"Thank you," Qin Wentian quietly expressed his gratitude as he watched Liu Yan depart. Far in the forest, two pairs of eyes were observing him – Mo Qingcheng and Nolan.

"We've confirmed his safety, but it seems he believes that you're the one who saved him. Should we reveal ourselves and set the record straight?" Nolan chuckled, looking at Mo Qingcheng.

"Let's go," Mo Qingcheng smiled and turned to leave.

Now, only Qin Wentian and the snowy puppy remained at the straw house. Qin Wentian gazed curiously at the puppy in his arms. Its fur was entirely white, incredibly soft, like a bundle of cotton. Its eyes held a hint of intelligence, and it curiously examined Qin Wentian as well.

"Were you waiting for me?" Qin Wentian found this situation a bit strange.

The puppy's eyes squinted, almost as if it were laughing at him, leaving Qin Wentian silently amazed – could this puppy understand what he was saying?

"It's time for me to cultivate. You should go back home," Qin Wentian gently said to the snowy puppy, but it kept leaping back into his arms whenever he tried to put it down.

"Alright, since you don't want to leave, you can follow me for now," Qin Wentian reluctantly agreed with a bitter smile. He sat down cross-legged and placed the puppy on the ground before beginning his cultivation. He desperately needed to know the current situation in Sky Harmony City but realized he first needed to regain his strength to ensure his safety.

Astral Light flowed down from the 5th Heavenly Layer and bathed Qin Wentian's body. The human body was a vessel capable of storing Astral Energy, and the higher one's cultivation realm, the more Astral Energy it could hold. In the Body Refinement Realm, Astral Energy was harnessed to strengthen one's limbs and bones, enhancing physical prowess. Once a cultivator entered the Arterial Circulation Realm, they could fully activate their acupoints, unlock their potential, and clear their meridians and energy channels. This allowed them to store Astral Energy in all their acupuncture points, unleashing immense power in battle.

Nightfall descended. Qin Wentian felt an unprecedented comfort throughout his body. He had never experienced such well-being before. It surpassed even his condition before he was injured. This remarkable improvement was due to breaking through to the 8th level of the Body Refinement Realm and the potent medicinal pill Mo Qingcheng had given him, which he didn't know was a top-grade second-level medicinal pill.

Standing up, Qin Wentian surveyed his surroundings. This place appeared to be the forest west of Sky Harmony City. He had explored it during his childhood with Qin Chuan and others for hunting, and he still recognized the terrain.

After a refreshing dip in the nearby creek, Qin Wentian set out, and the snowy puppy followed closely behind, much to his surprise.

Even in the dead of night, the streets of Sky Harmony City were as brightly illuminated as day, adorned with giant lanterns in all directions. Despite the hour, the streets buzzed with activity. Commoners found solace in gathering at inns, reminiscing about the past, sharing tales of contemporary heroes, and indulging in heartfelt drinking sessions.

As Qin Wentian passed an open-air wine shop, he paused. Voices drifted from within, discussing matters he sought to understand.

"The Qin Clan is in dire straits now. Their Patriarch, Qin Wu, and clan leader, Qin Chuan, have been captured and sent to the Royal Capital. Rumor has it they're locked away in the prison, awaiting execution. Even if they manage to escape execution, falling into the hands of the Ye Clan would likely be their end."

"Don't jump to conclusions. The northwestern troops are camped outside Sky Harmony City. I heard they plan to mobilize and head to the Royal Capital tonight. What's more, it's not just them. Out of the eight main garrisons of our Chu Country's frontier troops, three have broken camp, leaving their posts empty and causing panic among the people."

"How audacious!" someone exclaimed in shock.

"Audacious indeed. They used to be close to the Wu King. Now that the Royal Capital is targeting the Qin Clan, who knows when they might be next? But at least they were smarter than the Qin Clan. They maintained their alliance and didn't do what the Qin Clan did—abandon their military authority and get exiled to Sky Harmony City. The Emperor, despite being wary of their power, knows that the alliance of the eight frontier troops is not easy to suppress. If it leads to internal warfare, the Chu Country might face serious consequences, with other neighboring countries seizing the opportunity to attack."

"The three garrisons heading to the Royal Capital are flying the Royal Emperor's flag. They claim the Emperor was misled by members of the Ye Clan and wrongfully executed loyal ministers. As long as the three garrisons stand, Qin Wu and Qin Chuan might have a chance to survive. But if they're defeated, the Emperor won't hesitate to order their execution."

"It's astonishing that such turmoil could still happen in the Chu Country after the Wu King's era. But the defeat of the three garrisons is only a matter of time. They probably won't hold out for three years. Even with Qin Clan producing a Wu King, they also have another genius, Qin Wentian. But within three years, I doubt even he'll have the power to save them."

"Speaking of Qin Wentian, he's indeed an exceptional genius. If it weren't for him summoning that demonic beast and killing Ye Mo, the direct line of the Qin Clan would have been extinguished. They wouldn't have had time to wait for the northwestern troops' reinforcements. And Qin He, the second-in-command, displayed remarkable resolve. Despite his broken leg, he valiantly led the Qin troops alongside the northwestern commander. In the end, he made a tough decision—to banish Qin Wentian from the Qin Clan."

"On the surface, it may seem heartless, but it was a brilliant strategy. By exiling Qin Wentian, they severed his ties with the Qin Clan's rebellion. Now, Qin Wentian can focus on cultivating in the Emperor Star Academy, where he'll receive protection. It was their last desperate gamble, hoping that he'd gain enough power to rescue Qin Wu and Qin Chuan before the allied forces of the three garrisons fall."

"You're right. The Qin Clan has placed all their hopes on Qin Wentian. In this world driven by cultivation, only those with immense strength can shape the fate of the world. With enough power, even an Emperor is no match. With sufficient strength, a single individual can make rivers of blood flow. After all, personal strength is the ultimate currency in this cultivation-oriented world."

Lost in their musings and discussions, these people let their imaginations run wild, envisioning themselves as chosen champions wielding unparalleled power and controlling the destiny of the world.

Listening to this information, Qin Wentian felt an indescribable emotion swelling within him.