That night, Su Mo and Ye Qingyi took turns keeping watch while the other practiced the Jade Seed Technique by their side.
As Su Mo cultivated until dawn, he suddenly gained insight—a hidden shackle within his body seemed to loosen.
At the same time, Ye Qingyi opened her eyes and exclaimed excitedly, “You’re about to break through!”
“It feels like there’s a lock inside me, sealing a vast power. I want to break free, but I can’t. Yet if I ignore it, the pressure is unbearable,” Su Mo vividly described his sensations.
“That’s exactly it! My sister mentioned this feeling before,” Ye Qingyi said, patting his shoulder enthusiastically. “Not bad at all—keep it up!”
Su Mo grumbled, “And yet, all this effort will just benefit someone else in the end.”
“Don’t say that. Even if your cultivation might not stay yours, every realization on this path is real. No one can take that away from you.”
“I don’t care. You owe me compensation later,” Su Mo turned his head away, ignoring her.
Seeing his childish behavior, Ye Qingyi was speechless—yet she couldn’t bring herself to be angry. After all, who could stay mad at such a pretty and adorable girl?
The thought made her grin, her mood instantly lifting.
“By the way,” she suddenly asked, “didn’t you say my sister left you a blade technique?”
“Yeah, why?”
“If she left it for you, you should practice it.”
“That was meant for you,” Su Mo insisted firmly.
“What’s mine is yours,” she blurted out, then added, “Besides, you didn’t hesitate at all when it came to practicing the Jade Seed Technique. Why the hesitation now?”
Su Mo shook his head. “It’s different… Army Breaker holds special meaning. Only you should inherit it.”
“Did my sister say something to you that night?” Ye Qingyi fixed her gaze on him, her tone turning sharp.
Su Mo faltered, unable to meet her eyes.
“As her real sister, I have the right to know her current situation.”
Seeing no way out, Su Mo confessed everything.
Ye Qingyi’s spirits sank. “It’s just that we won’t see each other for a long time. No big deal—I’m not a child anymore…”
Deep down, she understood what Ye Qingyu’s words truly meant. She simply pretended otherwise, using denial to numb herself.
“She’s always been serious about her duties. Now she’s just fulfilling her responsibilities. I should wish her success in her mission.” Ye Qingyi forced a smile, though the glimmer of tears betrayed her.
“If you want to cry, just let it out. You’ll feel better.”
“Ridiculous. I’m a man now—how could I cry?” She glared at Su Mo. “This is all your fault. If you hadn’t hidden such a small thing, I wouldn’t have worried for so long.”
Su Mo looked guilty. “Then hit me to vent your anger. Or… slap yourself twice?”
Ye Qingyi burst out laughing. “Nice try. Either way, I’m the one losing out.”
“You make it sound like I’m the one gaining something here…” Su Mo retorted.
“Then your punishment will be my call. Hmm… how about mastering the first move of Army Breaker within three days?”
“You might as well just kill me.”
“Hahaha! I could never bring myself to harm such a beautiful girl.”
…
Ten days had passed since the assessment began, and rescue efforts outside were still underway.
By now, most students had safely returned to the Jingshan Training Base—only a handful remained unaccounted for.
“How many are still missing?” Wang Ye rubbed his tired eyes and turned to his deputy.
“Seventy-six. Nineteen confirmed dead, fifty-seven still missing,” the deputy, a sharp-speaking man in his thirties, reported promptly.
“Mm.” Wang Ye scanned the surrounding forest, his emotions in turmoil.
Among the remaining seventy-six, three were his own students—including the A-rank prodigy Ye Qingyi and two C-rank students.
The thought of Ye Qingyi alone gave him a headache.
Losing a national-level strategic talent would be a devastating blow to Xia Country.
And that wasn’t even considering her father’s influence. When Wang Ye learned of Ye Qingyi’s background, he’d wanted to bury himself alive.
“Keep searching. We need to find them—alive or dead.”
A subordinate grumbled, “The main force was diverted to investigate the ancient tomb. With just a few of us left, this’ll take forever.”
“Exactly. Commander Yang even mobilized the military, but the Council’s order pulled them away…”
The mention reignited Wang Ye’s frustration, though he kept his composure.
“The Council’s decisions are not to be questioned. They act for the greater good. I won’t tolerate any disrespect toward them.”
“Yes, sir!”
Most of the rescue team were his own subordinates, and the strict hierarchy of the North Star Division ensured obedience.
“Captain, I heard rumors before coming here that a relic is about to emerge in Jingshan. Is that true?”
“Don’t ask unnecessary questions. Rest time’s over—back to work.”
“Right.”
Why else do you think everyone was suddenly reassigned? Wang Ye thought wryly.
Just then, a ten-man squad appeared ahead. Wang Ye stood to investigate.
“Identify yourselves.”
“Is Captain Wang Ye here?” The leader, a tall, lean man with graying hair, exuded an imposing aura.
“That’s me.”
“I’m Li Wenhui of the Scarlet Leaf Hall, sent by the Ye family to assist in the search. We request your cooperation.” His commanding presence made Wang Ye tense.
“Esteemed Senior Li, my apologies for not greeting you properly.”
Li Wenhui nodded and handed Wang Ye a document. “This is the authorization from your North Star Council.”
After reviewing it, Wang Ye returned the paper respectfully. “With the Council’s approval, you’re free to proceed.”
He shared only the missing persons’ information with Li Wenhui.
“Appreciated.” With a curt thanks, Li Wenhui led his team deeper into the forest.
Once they were out of earshot, someone muttered, “What if they find the relic first?”
Wang Ye shrugged. “Even better—less work for us.”
Once the team had rested, Wang Ye ordered the search to resume.
Yet unbeknownst to them, immense changes were unfolding across Jingshan.
From above, a vast area of the mountains appeared distorted, as if pixelated. Above this anomaly, arcs of lightning crackled ominously.