Chapter 172 - Love from the Male Protagonist’s Harem

At the exact moment when the elixir formula took shape— The heavens and earth underwent a sudden transformation. Endless spiritual energy surged, and the stars shifted. A colossal vortex formed in the sky, drawing innumerable malevolent spirits attracted by the scent of fresh blood. They screamed and howled, sucked into the vortex where the sharp-as-blades spiritual energy shredded them into fragments amidst the vast heavens. "What in the world is that?!" "It's... it's an Earth-level alchemist!!" Returning from the Evil Spirit Basin, Su Chan lifted her head, gazing up at the dark and profound vortex in the sky and the countless spirits being drawn into it. Her deep black eyes were unfathomable. Lovesickness wrapped around her fingertips, afraid to move. All the malevolent spirits from Evil Spirit Mountain had been released by her. Su Chan looked at the vortex and smiled softly. Now with the world in chaos, you wouldn't leave, would you? How wonderful. Xia Ge was unaware of Su Chan's evaluation of her, nor did she know the suffocating thought process of the other. She felt her soul form was light, the Heavenly Dao as if a soft ribbon wanting to reveal everything before her, yet hesitated to speak. Some hazy memories seemed to begin to clear, only to blur once more. The Heavenly Dao was within reach. It felt as if one more step could unravel all the world's mysteries, as if another slight indulgence could elevate her soul further. But she couldn't. Xia Ge's gaze was resolute. Nothing mattered. The chaos, the myriad of distractions, the spirits' howls, people’s discussions— They were all illusions tempting her to remain. None of it mattered. —Only one step left! As long as this step was completed, she could step into perfection, undergo Nirvana, and the Ten Thousand Souls Elixir would be complete! Xia Ge's eyes sharpened and her hands were about to change the elixir formula when her actions suddenly froze. Except for her, the vortex would absorb all who were in the state of a soul. Not far away, a young girl in black, though wearing a veil, was clearly fixed in her gaze upon Xia Ge. Xia Ge's movements became rigid. The gigantic vortex in the sky pulled countless spirits into itself, as the girl in black gave Xia Ge a faint smile, then began to float towards the vortex bit by bit. The wind was fierce. The girl's veil was blown away. Unable to distinguish between illusion and reality, unsure of success or failure. Xia Ge's pupils shrank into pinpoints, and the elixir formula in her hands scattered instantly! "No!!" The vortex in the air suddenly froze. In that instant, the girl in black smiled, her delicate face twisting into a gruesome sight. She opened a bloody mouth wide and instantly transformed into a terrifying spirit, breaking free from the vortex's freeze, clawing its way toward Xia Ge! The spirits aimed to devour Xia Ge's body and did not concern themselves with her soul form because the formula of the Ten Thousand Souls Elixir concealed her soul's location, tricking the spirits into believing her body and soul were unified. Yet, in that one moment, she exposed her soul's position! What she just saw was a falsehood created by the Heavenly Dao to deceive her! Indeed... the promotion from Profound-level to Earth-level was not as simple as she imagined! "Every time, it's like this." The gentle breeze stirred her soft black hair. Su Chan gazed at the dissipating vortex, "It's always like this, acting without thinking of the consequences." "Even so... never mind." Su Chan sighed softly, moved her fingers slightly, and a fine laughter accompanied her voice. "Who made it you." Just as Xia Ge prepared to remedy the situation with the elixir formula, the scattered vortex seemed as if controlled by something and began to spin fiercely again. In the blink of an eye, the spirits flying towards Xia Ge were forcefully sucked back into the vortex, swiftly shredded into pieces by the rampant blades of spiritual power! Why had it suddenly moved again? She hadn’t had time to change the formula...? Xia Ge was momentarily stunned but quickly regained her senses. The vortex had begun to draw in all the other chaotic materials, and with the malevolent spirits, it was just enough! Seizing the moment, she concentrated her mind, following the steps on the elixir scroll to merge the cultivation formula! In an instant, the spiritual energy of the heavens gathered high above, illuminating the land with brilliant splendor. The endless stretch of Evil Spirit Mountain seemed dipped in the golden glare of the sky. The spirits' howls ceased, clouds and mist dispersed. Two round, ochre-colored elixirs floated in the sky. It seemed as if a resplendent phoenix rejoiced around the ochre elixirs, with the roaring shadow of a golden dragon encircling them. Soon, the dragon and phoenix shadows dissipated, replaced by the ghostly apparitions treading the clouds. In that moment, the two small elixirs played out the myriad aspects of life's illusions in the eyes of the onlookers. Like two suns in a dim sky, they illuminated all the lost souls. Before, Xia Ge's broken body was held by spirits, nearly drawn into the vortex, but fortunately, the spiritual vortex formed by the elixir formula drew only souls and materials, leaving other things untouched. Thus, the instant it reached the vortex, her body was tossed aside like a tattered sack to some mountaintop. Xia Ge returned to her body, endured the intense pain, and slowly opened her eyes from the ruins of her form, struggling to stand as her hand trembled to perform the final elixir formula— "Elixir complete." In an instant, all phantoms vanished, the two elixirs spun around, like two meteors, caught in Xia Ge's palm. The destination of the two dazzling elixirs now drew eyes to the mountain peak where the masked girl stood. "...Who is she?!" "No idea." "She's wearing a mask..." "Regardless, she must be the newly ascended Earth-level alchemist!!" "My heavens, which sect does this prodigy belong to? She looks so young… younger than Xia Wuyin..." "Don't mention that name!" "Indeed, it brings bad luck." "..." The crowd was abuzz with conversation. No one noticed, in a distant corner, Chang Nian, who was not mingling with the others from Lingxi Peak. He was carrying a long sword, a silver bell in his hand continuously ringing— His hands trembled as he looked up, gazing at the girl in black robes who had crafted the Earth-level elixir on the mountain peak bathed in a golden glow from the sky. That was... Su Chan stood silently on the mountaintop. The wind lifted her red dress, and the lingering golden light of the sky rimmed her lips with a soft smile, like a girl in the throes of infatuation, gazing sincerely and passionately at the one person worth any sacrifice. Saved her once again. Su Chan thought and couldn't help but smile. How wonderful. Just thinking about it filled her heart with sweetness, happiness enveloping her. Xia Ge was unaware of Su Chan's gaze. Her pitch-black nightwear had been torn to shreds by the evil spirits, but the medicine from the system store was truly useful. Though painful, her body appeared whole and unscathed. So intact that nobody would suspect this body had been ripped like a rag doll by spirits before being pieced back together, bit by bit. An Earth-level alchemist who used her body to feed the spirits. Even though she had walked back from the gates of the underworld, the system's successful upgrade notification echoed in her ears without evoking the slightest emotion. Without that person opening her eyes, smiling at her and saying "Congratulations," even if she climbed to the pinnacle of success, it would mean nothing. Clutching the two life-saving elixirs, Xia Ge staggered downwards, each step ceremonious, until she knelt before Gu Peijiu. She removed her mask, chewed the elixirs into fragments, and kissed her, transferring the medicine bit by bit. The Soul Calmer had held strong, and her senior had encountered no mishaps. Xia Ge gripped Gu Peijiu's hand, their fingers interwoven. Their lips intertwined, soft and gentle. Lovesickness urgently tried to slip away from Su Chan's fingers but found itself unable to escape, filled with impatience. Su Chan's smile cooled as she watched the girl below kissing someone else, the sweetness in her heart slowly turning bitter. Yet, she wasn't in a hurry. "It's always until the very end." After a moment, she laughed lightly; her voice seemed indifferent yet pointed. A mere Ten Thousand Souls Elixir might be enough to restore the half-soul eroded by soul poison, but... What of it? The soul poison of Su Chan's Reincarnation Dagger, whoever she wishes to take away, who could stay? What of a mere half-soul? Having administered the elixir, Xia Ge’s long lashes lowered. The sky’s brilliant golden light and the elixir's fragrance floated through the forest. Yet the person she wished to save still hadn't opened her eyes. Her breathing was even. As if reassuring her. ...No, it won't do. ...It still won’t do. Why is it still not working? Xia Ge felt bewildered. If even this isn't enough, what else can she do? "Isn't anything I do enough?" Xia Ge asked. "Isn't the Ten Thousand Souls Elixir enough?" The system didn't know how to comfort her. Xia Ge caressed Gu Peijiu's face, finally holding her tightly around the neck, tears falling silently and silently. Her senior couldn't know she was crying. Otherwise, her senior... would also feel sad. The system felt somewhat compassionate and said, "It’s not entirely useless…" "If it's useful, why hasn't she woken up?" The system responded: "The effect... takes a while, you know." Footsteps approached from a distance, likely those wanting to see the newly made Earth-level alchemist, possibly the only one to emerge on the Feng Yue Continent. Xia Ge wiped her tears, put on her mask, and re-adjusted the Soul Calmer. The system: "You..." "Senior, I'm Xia Ge," Xia Ge whispered to Gu Peijiu, kissing her forehead softly, "From now on, Xia Wuyin is not me." She was now the newly ascended Earth-level alchemist with the Soul Calmer, Xia Ge. The identity of "Xia Wuyin" could never be cleansed. If now it were revealed she was the infamous Xia Wuyin who freed the spirits, even a hundred tongues couldn't clear her name. After all, Su Chan's impersonation to summon spirits came unexpectedly, and she vanished during the crafting of the Ten Thousand Souls Elixir, leaving no way to confront directly. In her current state, Xia Ge simply didn’t have the energy for any needless entanglement with the public. Not to mention that the name Xia Wuyin carried a notorious reputation, and she wouldn’t drag her senior into it. Besides... To her, the identity of Xia Wuyin held no meaning. She no longer wanted to be the "Xia Wuyin" standing behind her senior. She wanted to be Xia Ge. The Xia Ge who stood before her senior, who could protect her. ...The real Xia Ge. She would never forget her true name. The people arrived, whispering, as Xia Ge stood with Gu Peijiu, releasing a wave of the Soul Calmer's aura, startling the crowd and keeping them at bay. Yet, in every crowd, there’s always one who doesn’t fear death. "Hey! Who are you?! That's our Lingxi Peak's head disciple!" Lu Qie yelled upon seeing his senior being held, unsure if she was dead or alive. His rage was palpable, "Put her down!" Brother Lu. Xia Ge hesitated for a moment, using her original voice, she said softly, "I'm her friend." "She was poisoned. I'm here to help." The girl's voice was clear and gentle, like a mountain stream flowing softly, "You can trust me." Lu Qie found himself softened by the crisp, feminine voice, but he quickly shook himself back to reality, "…Why should we trust you?" A moment! The Ancient Soul Calmer's aura deepened and spread out, causing people to recognize its garment and step back, their expressions turning a bit grim. A treasure over which countless had vied, and for which many had died or suffered injury, was now in the possession of this Earth-level alchemist whose face remained a mystery. Xia Ge felt a heavy weight on her heart, yet her voice remained gentle, "I will take her to Lingxi Peak. You needn't worry." "We aren't reassured." The boy's voice came out softly, slightly hoarse. Xia Ge lifted her head, looking over. Standing beside Lu Qie, Ye Ze was gazing directly into her eyes. "You have to come with us back to Lingxi Peak. We can't hand over our peak's head disciple to a stranger." The young man's eyes were somewhat red, his body covered in scars. He looked as though he had been crying, yet also as though nothing had happened at all. Xia Ge recalled Ye Ze's previous question to that imposter. She couldn't quite explain how she felt—tired, and a bit weary. Right now, all she wanted was to protect the person in her arms. Everything else just didn't matter to her. And so, it wasn't worth feeling sad over. "We're not strangers," Xia Ge seemed to murmur to herself, "It's with you all that I'm a stranger."