Chapter Sixty-Six: A Desperate Gamble

The next day, after spending the entire night asleep at her desk, Xie Yingying woke up aching all over. Her shoulders were especially sore—every slight movement sent waves of pain through her body. Worse yet, she had developed a stiff neck.

She lowered her head and stared closely at the ancient text she had yet to finish, her expression grim. Xie Yingying tried turning her neck, but the pain forced her to tilt her head back immediately. She pressed her hand to her neck, her face caught between tears and resignation.

But time was pressing, and now she felt the primordial force within her growing even stronger. She tried to ignore the pain, bent her head, and resumed reading the unfinished book in front of her.

Minutes ticked by, and as expected, she found no solution to the problem of the primordial force within the pages. It was not unexpected, so she was not particularly disappointed; she merely sighed softly and picked up another tome to study carefully.

By noon, Xie Yingying had leafed through countless books. Her eyes were bloodshot, yet she continued to search feverishly, flipping page after page. Suddenly, a sharp pain struck her abdomen. Reflexively, she clutched her stomach, and just that slight movement made all her bones crack audibly.

The pain in her abdomen quickly subsided. She rubbed her aching bones and realized she had been sitting in the chair for far too long without moving. Yet she did not stand up to stretch and ease the discomfort; instead, she focused her senses inward, probing her core.

The moment she glimpsed her golden core, Xie Yingying began to tremble, sweat gathering in her palms, her face filled with shock and disbelief. She had not expected that, in just one day, the power of the primordial force within her core would grow so much stronger. Now, the golden glow had reached the wall of her core, as if ready to burst forth and devour it at any moment.

If her core were to be consumed, Xie Yingying knew without a doubt that the consequence would be the dispersal of her spiritual power and her soul’s departure from the mortal realm.

She clenched her teeth, her instinctive desire for survival surging and burning away any calm within her heart.

At once, she set aside the book, stood up, and her leg bones crackled with each step. The violet-gold bell on her ankle chimed as she walked. The sound only made Xie Yingying angrier. She crouched, glared at the bell, tore it off, and threw it to the ground. Then, she drew her dagger and stabbed at the bell in a fit of frustration, but the violet-gold bell remained intact, not even a scratch marring its surface.

After a long while, Xie Yingying stopped. Though the bell was unharmed, she felt much better after venting her anger. Looking at it, she frowned deeply. If the violet-gold bell continued to harm others, it would be disastrous.

Moreover, she recalled that the celestial fox’s primordial force was of pure yang, a force of the highest heavens, while her own life was of extreme yin, and the sect’s cultivation methods were similarly cold and sinister. She wondered if these opposing forces could perhaps counteract each other.

With that thought, she walked toward the door, her bones still crackling, but she paid no heed to the pain. She opened the study door and, dragging her weary legs, made her way to Huo Tianqing’s residence.

Since she could not find a solution herself, she would ask Huo Tianqing for help.

As she opened the door, the violet-gold bell, which had been lying on the floor, suddenly vanished and reappeared on her ankle.

Huo Tianqing’s residence was not lavish, but rather modest, its decor reminiscent of a Daoist cultivator’s abode.

Seeing this, Xie Yingying could not help but recall memories of Huo Tianqing teaching her the meditation technique. Curiosity stirred within her, and her mind raced with countless guesses.

“Hm? Yingying?” Huo Tianqing appeared without her noticing, approaching her slowly and speaking gently, “Is something the matter?”

His words snapped her out of her reverie. She looked up and saw Huo Tianqing had stopped three feet away. It was then she realized that, despite his carefree manner, his eyes held a clarity she had never seen in any demonic cultivator.

“Hm?” Huo Tianqing prompted again, seeing she did not reply.

She realized she had been staring at him, scratched her head awkwardly, and stated her purpose: “Master, I want to ask about some extreme yin and evil sect cultivation methods, and also whether this violet-gold bell can be resolved.”

Huo Tianqing ignored the latter question and responded, “Why do you want those evil sect cultivation methods? If you’re not careful, your life could be forfeit.”

Xie Yingying lacked experience, which was why she sought him out; she replied honestly, “Master, the celestial fox’s primordial force is pure yang, while the evil sect’s methods are extreme yin. I thought perhaps the two could counterbalance each other.”

At her words, Huo Tianqing immediately became alert and refused, “No, you must not attempt this! I am also searching for a way to deal with the celestial fox’s primordial force. For now, just focus on cultivating properly!”

Xie Yingying’s expression was tinged with bitterness. “Master, I’ve read many books and found no solution. This may be my only chance. If I don’t try, how will I know? I believe that yin and yang can balance each other.”

“I cannot support this,” Huo Tianqing said, frowning deeply. “You really want to try every possible method. If you value your life so much, why take such risks?”

“It’s precisely because I value my life that I want to try everything!” Xie Yingying replied firmly.

Huo Tianqing was angry but steadied himself with a deep breath. His tone softened as he gently advised, “Try other safer methods first. If none work, then you can try this later, can’t you?”

She shook her head and sighed, “Today I noticed the primordial force within me has grown stronger. I don’t know when it will break through my core. That’s why I came to you in such a hurry. I truly don’t have much time left, and I can’t afford to search for or try other methods anymore.”

Huo Tianqing instinctively probed her condition with his spiritual sense, only for the violet-gold bell to suddenly chime and a purple light to flash, forcibly repelling his spiritual sense.

His soul suffered a slight injury, causing him mild pain.

Xie Yingying was startled; she hadn’t expected the violet-gold bell could block even spiritual senses. Her dislike for it deepened.

But to Huo Tianqing, this minor pain was nothing. At that moment, Xie Yingying’s wellbeing mattered far more.

He rubbed his brow, easing the pain in his soul, which was now much reduced, no longer aching to his heart and making his limbs cold as before.