Setting Out

The atmosphere in the room was just right—but just as Li Huowang leaned in to continue the kiss, Yang Na suddenly let out a snort of laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Li Huowang asked, confused.

“I’m just happy, Huowang. When I really think about it—that you’re actually out of the hospital—I’m happy from the bottom of my heart. I can’t help but laugh.”

She planted a heavy kiss on his cheek. Seeing the look on his face, she cleared her throat, immediately straightened her expression, and closed her eyes.

“Okay, okay, let’s start over. Pretend that part didn’t happen.”

Li Huowang looked at her delicate face and slowly leaned in. But just then, he felt a gaze from outside the window.

He turned to look and saw Aunt Qi holding a pair of binoculars, staring right at them.

Seeing that old face, all his interest evaporated. “Aunt Qi! Enjoying the show? Want to join in? I don’t mind!”

Yang Na, unable to suppress a smile, lightly punched his chest, then walked to the window and pulled the starry-patterned curtains shut.

“She’s so old—how can you joke with her like that?”

“If she weren’t that old, I’d be dropping some choice words. She’s watching me so closely I can’t even leave the residential complex.” Li Huowang pulled up the cuffs of his pants, revealing the electronic monitors strapped around both ankles.

“Aren’t you already discharged and recovered? Why so many restrictions?” Yang Na crouched beside him, studying the device on his ankle with curiosity.

“Still because of what happened before.” Li Huowang sat down on a nearby stool and, with some irritation, recounted everything.

“I gave them evidence. The two severed fingers definitely belonged to the kidnappers. But they said all the blood on me was my own. The fingers had no DNA match, and no one claimed them. So they still can’t fully believe what I said.”

“My illness is already cured—even the doctors signed off on it. But they still don’t believe me. They still think I might have been having an episode.”

Yang Na sat on the bedsheet with her hands propped behind her, listening patiently.

“You saw what’s on my ankles. They call it ‘protection’ to stop someone from kidnapping me. But I know what it really is—double insurance.”

“Huowang… did someone actually try to kidnap you? Who were they?” Yang Na tilted her head, a worried look on her face, trying to see things from his perspective.

Hearing her question, Li Huowang thought back to that madman Qian Fu’s words in the psychiatric hospital. A shadow settled over his heart.

“How should I know? Who knows what those people were thinking, going out of their way to kidnap someone like me. Hah. Maybe I’m a rare type or something.” He glossed over it lightly.

Whether it was connected to Qian Fu, or to whatever nonsense about the “Leo aliens” he kept rambling about—he didn’t want Yang Na involved in this. Especially since she’d been ill before. If things got too complicated and triggered a relapse, it wouldn’t be worth it.

Once he had a little more freedom, the best move was to go ask Qian Fu himself.

Yang Na hooked a strand of hair behind her ear with her pinky, revealing a delicate emerald earring. “Huowang, in that case, you should stay home for now. At least it’s safer.”

“I wasn’t planning on going anywhere anyway. I’ve been taking online classes for a while now—trying to catch up on the basics. But it’s really hard.”

“Online classes? For…” Her eyes suddenly grew moist. Even after all this time, he still remembered their promise on the rooftop. He still wanted to get into the same university as her.

“Huowang… I really, really like you.” Touched, Yang Na embraced him again, pressing close gently. The two of them savored this brief moment of tenderness.

But it didn’t last long before Li Huowang broke the silence. “Nana—when you came over, did Uncle and Aunt know?”

“They don’t. If they did, how could they let me come see you?” As she said this, her expression dimmed.

But she lifted her spirits again quickly. “Forget it. Let’s not talk about that. You said you’re taking online classes, right? Let me—the top student—help you!”

“You? Are you sure? I heard that once you get to college, you return everything you learned in high school to the teacher—only faster.”

“Don’t underestimate me. So, what are you studying?”

Yang Na picked up Li Huowang’s phone, deftly entered her birthday on the unlock screen, and opened the newly downloaded study apps. Video after video of talking heads popped up.

With Yang Na guiding him, it was much better than fumbling alone. At least he wasn’t struggling like before, when learning felt harder than storming a fortress.

Li Huowang took a deep breath, closed off his five senses, and pushed his will toward the divine light between his eyes. Slowly, he wrapped the Innate Pneuma within his body as tightly as he could.

Then, with great effort, he pushed the wrapped Innate Pneuma toward the navel chakra in his abdomen.

The cultivation method had seven layers in total. Li Huowang had already cultivated the first two. He was now attempting to break through the third.

Even though this so-called cultivation method came from the memories Doumu had given him—its origins seemed a little off—Li Huowang didn’t care anymore. Now that both the True and False Heavenly Laws had returned to Ji Zai, he figured that no matter whether this technique was real or false before, it was certainly real now.

Beads of cold sweat dripped from his forehead. He did his utmost to control the wrapped Innate Pneuma.

But it was incredibly difficult. Every fraction he pushed felt like lifting a thousand pounds.

He kept pushing like this for an unknown amount of time. When he felt he had no strength left, he instantly released all the tension and slowly opened his eyes.

He was still a little short. But it was much better than before. He was making progress every moment. It wouldn’t be long before he broke through the third chakra.

As his eyes opened, the various objects floating in the air all fell to the ground. The sky was just beginning to lighten.

They would be reaching Qingqiu soon. Since Ji Zai couldn’t help, the stronger his own power was, the better his chances against the Fa Sect.

Not far ahead, Li Huowang spotted a wagon convoy. Most of the people in the convoy had a Twin Lotus symbol drawn on their foreheads in red ink. Many also had tattoos on their exposed skin, but their clothes hid what the designs were.

Ignoring the stares, Li Huowang walked straight into the largest carriage, the one pulled by four horses.

As soon as he entered, Bai Lingmiao handed him a plate of steaming hot food.

While he ate, Bai Lingmiao took off his shoes and socks and brought a basin of warm water to wash his feet.

When Li Huowang finished eating quickly, he wiped his face with a towel and lay down, ready to rest.

He had been keeping nocturnal hours for a while now because of the anomalies his cultivation caused. The only time he could find an empty place to train was at night, when the wagons heading to Qingqiu stopped to rest.

“Nana… thank you. You helped me a lot,” Li Huowang murmured with his eyes closed.

“Li-shixiong, there’s no need to say ‘thank you’ between us.”