Spirit Cultivation

The doors of light closed right after Jiao's words escaped from the passage and darkness engulfed the sky once again. Xuefeng was falling with a bloody hole in his stomach but that wasn't his main concern. His mind was still thinking about Jiao. 

Although their relationship wasn't that greatly developed, he still considered her a friend. For her to simply leave alone and venture into a dangerous world of Heaven Realm was just foolish. He didn't waste time scolding her in the passage as that wouldn't change anything and instead tried to understand her decision but he still found her behavior unnecessary.  

"Sigh… So stupid," Xuefeng commented as he slowly stabilized his fall, suspending mid-air while Ling tried her hardest to repair his body. 

He tried to help understand her mistakes and accepted her under his roof so the least she could do was inform him what she decided to do. He didn't share the same feelings as she did for him yet that wasn't the reason to leave. 

'Don't bother with her,' Ling called out unhappily. "If the only way for her to regret is seeing you in pain, I don't want you to see her ever again.' 

'Some people just need a small push. If my sacrifice can fix her behavior and motivate her to great things then I will take it. I will consider it a parting gift for her. What she can achieve now depends solely on her,' Xuefeng explained it from his perspective, still not regretting his actions. 

If he let her leave just like that, he wouldn't be called Xuefeng. 

'She has little chances to survive,' Ling commented, recounting him the reality of the Heaven Realm. 'That place is too dangerous for a lone women. You are left with only a few options to survive. You can either join a powerful organization that will protect you, acquire a bloodline of another race and seek their help or find a strong male cultivator who will protect you in exchange for your body.' 

Xuefeng already knew the world there was brutal but hearing it again only made him worry more. Although it was fully her decision to leave alone, he still couldn't help but feel guilty, knowing he had the power to stop her. 

Ling still wasn't done talking critically of Jiao, 'Just as Thunder Goddess, if Jiao refuses to join any forces, she would be hunted down for her beauty. Even if she survives and you meet her in the future, she wouldn't be the same person anymore, already dirtied by the brutality of that Realm. The best chance she had was staying with us but she threw it away.'

Xuefeng was silenced by her reasoning, knowing she was probably right. In his current situation, there is nothing he could do now other than lamenting and crying over spilled milk which he would never do. He already had his plans so he couldn't follow after her to help. 

'Forget about her. It would be for the best,' Ling advised, making Xuefeng sigh yet again. 

'How are my injuries?' Xuefeng asked, diverting his attention from this event. Jiao matter would for sure return to him in the future so it was pointless to trouble himself with it now. 

At the same time, he looked around and realized there were already many guards nearby, flying to him to check the situation. Ascension was never a trivial deal and seemed to alarm people. 

"Young Master, are you okay?!" they called out anxiously from the distance. Seeing what state Xuefeng's clothes were, anyone would think that he was mortally wounded. 

"I'm fine! Don't worry!" Xuefeng shouted back to them as he waved, which assured them. 

'Fine? You call that fine?' Ling countered him in a scolding tone, "What if I told you that you almost ruined your whole cultivation with this move? I repaired your crushed legs but your dantain is damaged. If I didn't shift the chain a bit before it reached us, you would be pierced right through your dantain. Heaven Punishment is not a joke!'

Oof… 

Xuefeng sucked in cold air, not expecting the damage would be this big.  

Ling didn't leave it at that and continued, 'I can't help but get angry at you for risking your life for someone like her. She acted selfishly yet you followed after her, suffering because of her. Just wait for the time I'm done healing your injuries and I will come out to kick your butt. Humpf!'

It was the first time he heard Ling this mad at him, to the point he could feel the anger in her voice. Too bad, she wasn't the only woman in his life with such tendencies. He couldn't avoid the consequences. 

"Xuefeng!" 

He heard a familiar voice from below and saw a group of girls rushing to him with a worried expression on her faces. He already knew that based on Ling's reaction, the rest wouldn't be happy as well. 

Xiao Wen was the first to reach him and questioned right away, "Are you okay?! What happened?! Yiren almost passed out from the pain."

Xuefeng immediately glanced at Yiren and she was pale, hugging onto Wuying as support. 

"Yir—" He called out as he quickly flew up to her but she cut him off, assuring him, "I'm alright… Don't worry about me. Wen already healed me. How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, just slightly injured..." Xuefeng muttered, caressing Yiren's cheeks with guilt. "Ling is taking good care of me." 

Ling who was mentioned suddenly appeared next to them and exposed his deeds for him.

"This dummy entered the passage leading to Heaven Realm as he chased after Jiao who tried to leave without saying anything and got injured in the process. I stabilized his dantain but I will still need more time to fully restore it," Ling recounted shortly and added while glaring at Xuefeng, "He doesn't listen to me so I will need your help to set him straight." 

Xiao Wen was the only one from the girls who knew the severity of his actions and quickly frowned, grabbing onto his face upset. "You did what…?" 

Gulp. 

Xuefeng swallowed his saliva, seeing Xiao Wen's eyes were even sterner than Ling's. 

"I cannot explain… I saw Jiao Ascending without telling us anything and I instinctively chased after her, wanting to understand what happened. I didn't think I would fly into the passage by accident," Xuefeng tried his best to describe the situation and Xiao Wen looked at Ling for confirmation. 

Ling nodded after which Xuefeng got grabbed by his hand and pulled him down towards the palace. 

"We are going back!"

——— 

In the next moment, Xuefeng found himself sitting at the end of the bed with seven of his women glaring at him as if they debated on his punishment. When Xiao Wen explained to the rest what exactly happened and the dangers he faced, even Yiren got upset with him.

Xuefeng looked at them all and apologized sincerely, "I'm sorry." 

"Do you even know what you apologize for?" Nuwa asked sternly, not letting him off this easily. 

"I know… I was too rush, acting without thinking once again which led to me getting injured," Xuefeng confessed and tried to stand up to give them a hug yet he was put back down by Xiao Wen's leg. 

"That's not all," she said with a shake of her head. "You need to understand that you are not alone. Did you think what will happen once you die? Both me and Yiren will immediately follow your footsteps while the rest will be left by themselves. Don't ever risk your life like this ever again, you hear me?"

"I promise," Xuefeng vowed to which Yiren dove into his arms, hugging him tightly. Her act broke the cold atmosphere in the room and one by one they joined them. 

It was hard for anyone to be mad at him for too long. 

"What are we going to do about Jiao then?" Nuwa asked, recalling the last issue. "We gave her the chance yet she didn't change. What do you think?" 

The girls looked at each other as if they were talking through their eyes and spoke at the same time without asking Xuefeng for his opinion.

"Cancelled." 

Just as they decided, the barrier around Tianshi, who was breaking through on the bed, cracked and broke. She opened her eyes and looked at them, surprised at their cuddling session.

"Did I miss something?"