"Thank you, Senior, for explaining this to me"Xiao Wei said with a bright, heartfelt smile, his voice carried a sense of relief and wonder, as if a burden that had weighed down his soul for years had finally been lifted.
The worries and doubts that had haunted him—the fear of running out of Spiritual Energy mid-battle had always loomed over him like a storm cloud.
The struggle to sustain and repair his Shadow Soldiers had been a constant concern. It took an enormous toll, and every battle left his Spiritual Energy drained. But now… the road ahead was clearer.
This unexpected breakthrough—the overcoming of his Heart Demon—had quietly transformed everything.
Lady Li, standing silently at his side, found herself stunned beyond words. She had watched over this strange youth from the day he arrived in the Dan Clan.
But she never thought that he would overcome his Heart Demon—at the Martial Apprentice Realm what even seasoned Martial Emperor Cultivator struggled to do.
It wasn't just unprecedented. It was practically unthinkable.
Her eyes, previously calm and indifferent, now shimmered with awe. This youth… what kind of monster was he becoming?
Before she could speak, Dan Mei's ghostly form shimmered slightly. Her expression, which had been serene and encouraging, slowly shifted to one of solemn gravity.
"But boy, you must remember this."Dan Mei soul said, her voice steady and low,
Xiao Wei lifted his gaze to meet hers, sensing the weight behind her words.
"Overcoming your Heart Demon now does not mean you will never face it again. The world is vast, and the heart… the heart is deeper than the seas and darker than the night. As you grow stronger, as you see more of this world's beauty and cruelty, you may uncover shadows within yourself you never knew existed."Dan Mei soul continued, her spectral form flickering with quiet intensity.
She floated a little closer, her ethereal presence wrapping the room in a gentle but powerful stillness.
"Hatred, regret, vengeance, sorrow—these emotions fester. They do not die easily. You overcame one demon today, but that does not mean there are no more. The heart changes as the world changes."Dan Mei soul added.
Xiao Wei listened in silence, each word embedding itself into his mind like a chisel carving stone.
A silence lingered between them before she spoke.
"Alright then. Now, tell me—why did you ask to meet me again?"Dan Mei soul said with gentle gravity.
Xiao Wei bowed respectfully, raising his head with unwavering resolve.
"Senior, it's about the marriage proposal."Xiao Wei said.
Dan Mei's expression didn't change, but her aura grew subtly sharper, curious.
"Speak."Dan Mei soul said.
"If Lady Dan Li's daughter and I ever come to truly love each other, then I would be honored to marry her. But if we do not feel anything for one another, I would not marry her just because to remove your clan curse."Xiao Wei said clearly, his voice held no hesitation, and his eyes met hers directly.
Xiao Wei was not being disrespectful, only honest.
A soft smile tugged at the corners of Dan Mei's ethereal lips.
"Good. Very good. I am happy to hear such words from someone so young."Dan Mei soul said.
Lady Li, who had remained silent at Xiao Wei's side, finally stepped forward. There was a faint flicker of curiosity in her gaze.
"Would you like to meet my daughter, then? I can arrange for you two to speak."Lady Li said.
Xiao Wei shook his head gently.
"No, Senior Lady Li. If I meet her now, it will be under the weight of expectations. I don't want her to feel she must love me because I might help your clan. I want to meet her as a stranger—free of any obligations. Only then, if something blooms between us, will it be real."Xiao Wei said.
Both women were silent for a moment, surprised by the maturity of his response. Dan Mei soul let out a light chuckle, full of approval.
"You speak wisely, young one. Very few in your position would reject such an advantageous connection in order to pursue sincerity."Dan Mei soul said as her ghostly form shimmered slightly, and then she lifted a spectral hand, curling her fingers as though holding something unseen.
"As a token of my appreciation, I would like to offer you a Cultivation Technique. This Cultivation Technique is from Immortal Realm, it will help you progress through your Cultivation at a much faster pace than a normal Cultivator."Dan Mei soul said.
Just as the last word echoed through the chamber, Shadow Ming's voice echoed inside Xiao Wei's mind, half amused and half urgent.
'Accept it, boy. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!'
Xiao Wei's lips curled into a faint smile. But his gaze never wavered.
"Thank you for your offer, Senior. But I must respectfully decline. I believe that one should not rely too heavily on shortcuts. A strong foundation is the key to reaching the peak. Only with a solid base can one hope to become an immortal."Xiao Wei said with gratitude, as he bowed once more, this time with finality, and turned to leave.
Dan Mei's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Her soul had witnessed countless Cultivators, many of them eager and greedy for power. Xiao Wei's refusal was rare.
"Wait"Dan Mei said softly.
Xiao Wei paused and turned back.
"Yes, Senior?"Xiao Wei asked.
Dan Mei's gaze turned thoughtful. Her expression lost its warmth, replaced by curiosity.
"I always observe the entire Dan Clan from this chamber, and in the past month, I noticed something... unusual about you."Dan Mei soul said.
Xiao Wei raised a brow slightly, not speaking.
"You often appear to be speaking with someone, even when no one is in the room. At first, I thought you were muttering to yourself. But no—you were having conversations. With someone I could not sense."Dan Mei soul added.
Xiao Wei didn't hesitate. He answered plainly.
"Yes, Senior. That was Shi Ming soul."Xiao Wei said.
Lady Li's eyes widened in shock.
"You mean... the renowned Emerald Archer Shi Ming from Feng State? But he died centuries ago?"Lady Li said curiously.
Xiao Wei nodded.
"Yes, I found his soul in Mo City about half a year ago. Since then, we've been traveling together."Xiao Wei said, his voice steady.
A brief silence fell over the room, heavy and uncertain.
Xiao Wei glanced toward the doorway.
"If there's nothing else. I'll take my leave."Xiao Wei added after a moment.
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked out, the soft thud of the closing door punctuating his exit.
As the quiet settled again, Lady Li turned slowly toward the flickering, ethereal figure beside her — the glowing, translucent presence of her ancestor, Dan Mei.
Dan Mei soul face was tight with thought, her brow furrowed as though trying to solve a riddle she didn't yet understand.
"Ancestor… what is it?"Lady Li asked gently, sensing the unease radiating from the spirit.
Dan Mei's eyes narrowed, still fixed on the space where Xiao Wei had stood moments ago.
"I couldn't feel it. The soul Xiao Wei spoke of… even when he was standing right in front of me — I couldn't sense anything. It was as if… he wasn't there at all."Dan Mei soul said slowly, her voice like a whisper from another world.
A cold stillness crept into the room, and Lady Li felt a chill trace the back of her neck. Her eyes widened, the implications of her ancestor's words settling over her like a shadow.
Lady Li felt chill because her ancestor soul is too powerful, no one can compare her soul in this Mortal World but she can't even sense Shi Ming soul.
In the quiet and dimly lit secret chamber of the Dan Clan, Lady Li stood silently, her gaze lingering on the spot where Xiao Wei had just stood moments ago. The ancient soul of Dan Mei, was still present in the center of the formation. Her expression was thoughtful, her brows furrowed in deep contemplation.
"Did he lie to us, Ancestor?"Lady Li finally asked, her voice low and cautious.
She wasn't sure what to believe anymore. Xiao Wei's story had been so direct—almost too honest—and yet something about it unsettled her.
Dan Mei shook her head slowly, her voice a soft echo in the secret chamber.
"No... that boy wasn't lying. Every word he spoke was the truth. But that is what makes him so dangerous... he's full of mysteries."Dan Mei soul said and paused, her ghostly form flickering slightly.
Lady Li's eyes widened slightly at her ancestor's words.
"Then… what should we do about him?"Lady Li asked.
Dan Mei turned her ghostly gaze toward her descendant, her expression now solemn.
"We do nothing. We watch. We wait. And above all… we must never anger him."Dan Mei soul said.
With that final warning, Dan Mei's soul shimmered and faded into the air, leaving behind only silence and a lingering pressure in the secret room. Lady Li stood there for a moment longer, before quietly exiting and sealing the chamber with a complex array formation. Her mind was weighed down by unease—and curiosity.