Chapter 29: A Second Blessing

It was late at night.

Near the Saint’s residence in the Qionglan base, a tall, beautiful handmaid hurried along the corridor, her skirt swaying gently, her leather shoes tapping on the cold floor without a sound. As she passed, the surrounding lights flickered erratically, falling into an eerie unstable state. The moths and mosquitoes nearby suddenly lost their ability to move and dropped to the ground one after another.

The handmaid was none other than Ningshuang, who had just returned from the base’s training ground. Her brows were furrowed, and the corners of her mouth turned down, as if she held a bitter candy she couldn’t melt. The air around her was exceptionally oppressive.

“That guy…” she muttered under her breath.

Her mind replayed the scenes from the training ground. That youth with black hair and white highlights… He had defeated challengers one after another, calmly sidestepping their attacks, even casually flicking away their spiritual weapons with his fingertips. The surrounding candidates whispered among themselves, their eyes full of amazement and envy.

… Mu Cangyun. Although she was unwilling to admit it, Ningshuang had to acknowledge that he truly had skill. His calm, decisive, and strategic fighting style deserved the title of this year’s top candidate. Even before she had entered the Blood Spirit Domain, she suspected she would not have been his match.

Realizing this, displeasure welled up uncontrollably in her heart. It wasn’t because Mu Cangyun was stronger than her former self, but rather… because Luoxue seemed to pay close attention to him.

‘Damn him…’ she thought.

She took a deep breath to calm herself, then pushed open the door to the Saint’s residence.

The room was dark, but moonlight streamed through the gauze curtains, casting a silvery sheen across the dim chamber. The air carried the Saint’s snow lotus fragrance, crisp and still.

Just as Ningshuang prepared to fulfill her duties as a maid by clearing the leftover snacks from the coffee table, a voice came from the darkness:

“Was the training ground fun?”

It was Luoxue’s voice, as soft and ethereal as ever, holding an enchanting allure.

Ningshuang’s footsteps faltered. She followed the sound and slowly turned toward the sofa. There sat a stunning white-haired girl wearing an eye mask, holding the stitched bear in her arms. Reflected in the bear’s button eyes was Ningshuang’s own face.

Ningshuang had told Luoxue she was going out for a walk, but Luoxue knew she had been at the training ground. The Saint was watching her… those eyes were on her. An ordinary person would feel uncomfortable, even displeased, under such scrutiny. But Ningshuang felt no negative emotion; on the contrary, realizing Luoxue was paying attention eased the weight on her heart.

“Mm.” She nodded.

On the other side, Luoxue tilted her head, her white eye mask facing Ningshuang. “How did it go?”

Ningshuang was silent for a moment, then pouted. “He… ugh… he’s pretty strong.” Her tone was full of reluctance.

“Not about him.”

“Huh?”

“I’m talking about you.” Luoxue stroked the bear’s head calmly. “You’re unhappy.”

Hearing that, Ningshuang bit her lip and gripped the hem of her skirt. She wanted to deny it, to say she wasn’t unhappy, but the words got stuck in her throat. Not a single one came out. In the end, she chose not to hide it from Luoxue.

“Mm.” She lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong.

“Why?” Luoxue’s voice remained calm, now laced with a hint of confusion. She seemed not to understand Ningshuang’s emotional turmoil.

Ningshuang was silent for a long while. Then she lifted her head, complex emotions swirling in her crimson pupils. “You were paying attention to him for so long today…” Her voice trembled. “Is it because he’s the God-chosen one? Even though now… I am one too.”

Facing Ningshuang’s strange mood, Luoxue did not answer immediately. She bowed her head, stroking the bear’s head gently. After a long moment, she spoke. “He… is of some use for now.”

“But after a while… he can be discarded.”

Hearing that, Ningshuang’s heart skipped a beat. Luoxue continued, her tone still flat. “You are different from him.”

“Huh?” Ningshuang was stunned. She stood there, staring blankly at Luoxue, crimson eyes full of bewilderment. But the white-haired girl said nothing more, quietly stroking the bear. Yet those words had already sunk deep into Ningshuang’s heart.

‘You are different from him.’

Different? Not a tool to be used and thrown away… nor a passerby who would be forgotten after a moment of the Saint’s attention… I am… special… Special, huh?

She repeated the sentence in her mind, and her lips slowly curled upward. The negative emotions pressing on her seemed to ease in that instant.

Luoxue rose to her feet and walked toward the bed. Ningshuang quickly followed. “Let me help you change, Saint.” Her voice was much lighter now, like a cat finally petted by its owner, tail held high.

Luoxue gave a soft “Mm.”

****

A few hours later, in the candidate residential area on the other side of the base. In a dim room, Asimu sat on the edge of the bed, clutching a thin magnetic card, his eyes full of hesitation.

Lan Wuze had given it to him an hour ago when he left the training ground. “Don’t you want to see the Saint?” Lan Wuze had leaned against the wall, speaking casually. “Tonight, during the patrol rotation, I can create an opening for you. There’ll be a few minutes of gap in the eastern corridor. With this ID card, you can get past the defenses. Want to give it a try?”

Asimu couldn’t help but ask, “Why would you help me?”

Lan Wuze shrugged with a nonchalant smile. “We’re friends. I can’t stand seeing a friend suffer, so I’m lending a hand. Of course, it’s up to you whether to go.” With that, he patted Asimu’s shoulder and walked away.

… Recalling the scene, Asimu pressed his lips together. He wasn’t naive; he knew Lan Wuze had ulterior motives, that guy was probably using him for something. But it seemed he had no choice. He truly needed to see the Saint again.

Asimu stared at the card, countless thoughts churning in his mind. Should he go? Would it be dangerous? What if he was caught… Sneaking into the Saint’s residence was a grave crime. If he were caught, his life would be over.

But if he continued like this, what difference would there be? With his current awakened spiritual weapon, a common defensive one, he could never avenge his brother. He was destined to be a insignificant figure in the coalition, cannon fodder to be discarded at will, or a small fry handling logistics. His parents and sister would be deeply disappointed… Thinking of the disappointment in their eyes, Asimu clenched his fists.

Secondary awakening. That meant receiving the Saint’s blessing a second time. Theoretically, it could reforge one’s spiritual weapon. But the process was extremely dangerous… Most who tried died. In the thirty-plus years of the World Pact, only two had succeeded. For that reason, the World Pact prohibited secondary awakening.

But he wanted to try… to stake everything on a chance to reshape his future.

Having made his decision, Asimu stood up and tucked the card into his pocket. He pushed open the door and stepped into the dim, shadowy corridor. Still tense, he moved forward without noticing that, just as he shut the door, a small spider, radiating a faint glow and woven from Celestial Source, dropped from the ceiling and landed squarely on his shoulder.

Meanwhile, in another room, Lan Wuze, who had been lying on the sofa with his eyes closed in rest, slowly opened them. His sister Lan Ling’s voice filtered through his earpiece. “Little brother, that kid went after all~”

📚 Also on NHV Novels

Who Exactly Climbed into My Bed in the Girls’ Dormitory?

Female ProtagonistRomancetransformation

Read Now →
Not interested