On Hane Peak, Suri stood there, utterly dumbfounded.
What… did she just say?
She couldn't respond to his feelings?
What feelings?!
Across from him, Jiang Ningzhi blinked as well.
Eh?
What had Young Master Suri just said?
If he offended her in the future… she should spare his life?
Wasn't he about to confess?
"Young Master Suri, forgive me."
Jiang Ningzhi recovered first.
"Ningzhi… Ningzhi must have misheard just now. Without you, I would already have entered the Yellow Springs. Your great kindness—I will never forget it in this lifetime.
"So even if, in the future, you were to offend me…
"If you are ever in danger, I will risk my life to save yours."
"Then… what exactly were you rejecting just now?" Suri asked cautiously.
"It's like this…" Jiang Ningzhi showed a trace of embarrassment. "I thought Young Master was about to confess to me…"
"???"
Suri froze even harder.
"Young Master," Jiang Ningzhi stood and bowed solemnly, "Ningzhi has already decided to walk the Dao alone in this lifetime. I do not intend to seek a Dao companion. I hope Young Master can understand…"
"..."
Well then.
Suri finally understood.
"Holy Maiden, you've misunderstood."
He spoke with absolute righteousness.
"I saved Your Highness out of fellowship. I, Suri, simply enjoy helping others.
"And besides—even if I did admire Your Highness, I would never use a life-saving debt as leverage.
"I, Suri, have no particular strengths.
"Only a body filled with integrity!"
Looking at his earnest expression, Jiang Ningzhi blinked lightly.
"Then… when you divined my preferences on the mountain…"
"Ahem."
Suri straightened.
"To be honest, that was done on behalf of others. Your Highness's elegance is unparalleled. Naturally, countless disciples admire you and wish to please you.
"Many paid spirit stones to learn your preferences.
"It was only by coincidence that I divined the calamity in your fate. I could not sit idly by.
"As for calculating Your Highness's tastes without permission—that was my presumption. Please forgive me."
"You are too serious."
Jiang Ningzhi quietly exhaled in relief.
As long as he wasn't in love with her, repayment would be simple.
"This is a small token of my gratitude," she said, producing a storage pouch and offering it with both hands. "It is not much, but please accept it."
"Your Highness, what is this?!" Suri recoiled in moral outrage. "I saved you from the heart! How could I seek repayment? Please take it back!"
Seeing him refuse, Jiang Ningzhi lowered her head thoughtfully.
"You are right. These thousand or so high-grade spirit stones are somewhat vulgar. In the future, when I obtain rare heavenly treasures, I shall gift those instead."
Wait.
What?
How many?
A thousand… high-grade spirit stones?!
Hane Peak's monthly stipend wasn't even one hundred middle-grade stones.
One high-grade stone equaled one hundred middle-grade stones.
And one middle-grade equaled one hundred low-grade.
"Holy Maiden, please wait!"
Just as she was about to withdraw it, Suri stopped her.
"Upon reflection… spirit stones are indeed unimportant. However, since it is Your Highness's sincerity, it would be disrespectful to waste it. I shall reluctantly accept."
"Thank you for understanding."
Jiang Ningzhi relaxed slightly.
Then—
She began taking out more storage pouches.
"These contain spirit herbs, spiritual flowers, and medicinal pills I personally selected. There is also a Holy Maiden Token. With it, Young Master may enter any level of the Scripture Pavilion and access restricted cultivation grounds."
Suri accepted over a dozen pouches, each stuffed to the brim.
For a brief, dangerous moment—
He almost didn't want to strive anymore.
His stomach wasn't very good.
Perhaps he was suited to eating soft rice.
Truly, as a future Holy Lord candidate, the resources at her disposal were unimaginable.
Still—
She had both talent and diligence. She deserved them.
Suri could not insult her kindness.
So he accepted them with a "pained" expression.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Jiang Ningzhi returned to closed-door cultivation.
Before leaving, she assured him:
If he ever needed anything within her power—
She would help.
Suri, however, thought carefully.
A favor, once used, was gone.
Best to save it.
What if she tried to kill him someday?
At noon, Chiyun and Suzune returned. Suri handed over everything he received.
After much persuasion, they only agreed to accept half.
This left Suri melancholy again.
Spirit stones and pills were useless to him.
He could only rely on Fate Points to upgrade his cultivation and techniques.
On the contrary—
If his junior sisters rose in power—
He could hug their thighs.
Still.
No rush.
He would store the rest for them.
Just as he lay under a tree after lunch, playing salted fish—
A familiar voice sounded in his mind.
[Ding… System upgrade complete. Fate Points credited. Please verify.]
Finally!
Suri eagerly summoned his status panel.
[Name: Suri]
[Gender: Male]
[Realm: Mid Burning Furnace Realm (Fate Points: 250/1000)]
[Cultivation Method: Feathered Immortal Art (First Pavilion) (Fate Points: 380/1000)]
[PS: Host altered Jiang Ningzhi's destiny, allowing her to escape mortal calamity. Her future Dao achievements are immeasurable. Reward: 50,000 Fate Points. Freely allocable.]
Fifty thousand.
Suri felt as though he had discovered a new continent.
So if he sought out those "about to die"—
And changed their fate—
Would Fate Points not pour in endlessly?
However—
People with "darkened glabella" weren't everywhere.
And Jiang Ningzhi already possessed extraordinary fortune, which amplified the reward.
Not everyone was Jiang Ningzhi.
"Forget it. I'll explore the system gradually. Raising my realm comes first."
With a single thought—
Suri dumped all fifty thousand Fate Points into his cultivation realm.
[Allocating 50,000 Fate Points to Host's Realm.]
[Advancing to Late Burning Furnace Realm (2000/2000).]
[Advancing to Burning Furnace Realm Great Perfection (4000/4000).]
[Advancing to Early Qi Refinement Realm (5000/5000).]
[Advancing to Mid Qi Refinement Realm (6000/6000).]
[Advancing to Late Qi Refinement Realm (7000/7000).]
[Advancing to Qi Refinement Realm Great Perfection (8000/8000).]
[Advancing to Early Foundation Furnace Realm (9000/9000).]
[Advancing to Mid Foundation Furnace Realm (9000/10,000).]
[Allocation complete.]
Beneath the towering tree, Suri closed his eyes as surging spiritual energy flooded his body.
He entered a state of selfless absorption.
The moment he stepped into the Qi Refinement Realm—
The tree above him shot upward by more than eight feet.
Though there was no wind, its leaves rustled violently.
When he advanced into the Foundation Furnace Realm—
A pillar of spiritual light erupted skyward!
Piercing the heavens!
The shockwave of spiritual energy rippled outward, distorting the sky itself.
Across a thousand miles of the Holy Land—
A dragon's roar echoed.
All disciples looked up toward the distant pillar.
Five golden dragons coiled around it like living fingers.
A phantom phoenix appeared, causing flocks of birds to take flight.
Such a thick, towering pillar—
Left male disciples lowering their heads in silence.
Female cultivators gasped in awe.
At the same time—
Within the Holy Land—
Countless elders turned toward Hane Peak.
Dragon and phoenix singing in unison.
Such a phenomenon.
Hane Peak…
Could it be—
She had returned?!