Chapter 27

---

Wen Shia stormed off in anger, but just as he was about to disappear from sight, he heard a soft voice call out from behind him.

"Master, wait! I'm sorry," Xiang said, her voice trembling. "I hid the truth from you, but I thought you would misunderstand me. That's why I never tried to tell you the truth. I thought you would never trust me, and because of that, I couldn't trust you either. But now, I want to tell you the truth."

Wen Shia turned around, a mix of frustration and curiosity on his face.

"I don't have any demonic power inside me," Xiang continued, her voice steady but filled with emotion. "But sometimes, strange powers emerge within me. They might seem like demonic powers to others, but they are not. I've never had any evil intentions or harmed anyone. These powers don't want to hurt anyone—they always protect me. They appear only when I'm in danger, and they save me. They never show themselves otherwise."

She paused for a moment before continuing. "I don't understand why, but I'm going to the mountains for treatment. There's a great doctor there, one who can help me. I think there might be two souls inside me. When I'm in trouble, the other soul, the one trapped inside me, calls out, asking to dominate me. But I've never allowed that. That's why the power hasn't controlled me."

Xiang looked at Wen Shia with pleading eyes. "If you don't trust me, you can come with me. I don't mind."

Wen Shia stood silently for a moment, his thoughts swirling. Then, he nodded. "I'll come with you. But you have to promise me—you won't cause any trouble, and you'll take care of yourself. You have to trust me too."

Xiang, relieved, nodded in agreement. "I promise."

With that, they all started walking toward the mountains. After a while, they were suddenly attacked by a sharp stick coming from the front. Wen Shia acted quickly, shielding Xiang with his body. "Who dares attack us?" he shouted.

An old man appeared before them, his long white hair flowing in the wind, a thin, long beard reaching to his chest. His clothes were ragged and torn, his appearance strange yet commanding.

He spoke carefully, his voice deep, "You've come to seek answers, haven't you? I know everything about everyone. But I won't give answers to just anyone."

Without another word, the old man turned and began to walk away.

Xiang rushed in front of him, kneeling and bowing her head. "Please, help me," she begged. "I don't know what's happening to me. You're the only one who can help me. I'll do anything you ask."

Her words were filled with desperation, and Shi Bao joined her, also kneeling. "Please, help my mistress. We need your assistance."

The old man paused for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I will help you, but only if you prove your martial skills to me. Show me you're strong enough, and then I will heal you and solve your problems."

Xiang, confident in her abilities, agreed immediately. "I'll show you my skills."

She stepped forward, her sword drawn, and prepared for the test. The old man began to attack, swinging his staff with incredible speed and precision. The strikes were so fast that no sword seemed capable of blocking them. Xiang and Shi Bao struggled to keep up with his movements.

Realizing they couldn't fight alone, Wen Shia stepped in, taking his sword and joining the battle. Together, they fought fiercely, and after a long struggle, they managed to defeat the old man.

The old man, panting, called Xiang over. "Come here," he said, his voice softened by respect. "Let me see your hand."

Xiang approached hesitantly, and the old man examined her closely. After a moment, he looked up at her with a new expression of awe. "You are not an ordinary girl. Inside you lies a very powerful stone. With it, you have the potential to rule the entire world."