Chapter 423: The Prajna Fruit Again
Yun Han leaned limply into Ning Xuan’s embrace. At such a close distance, he could smell the fresh fragrance of her body wash. His arm hung over hers, and he could feel her ice-smooth, jade-like skin. As he watched their arms intertwined, fiery magma seemed to churn in the depths of his heart.
“This is called a ‘cross-cupped toast.’ It’s a marriage ritual from my homeland. Once we drink this wine, we will become one, our fates intertwined, sharing joy and sorrow together,” Ning Xuan whispered in his ear, looking at the wretched state he was in.
The tips of Yun Han’s ears were burning hot, and his entire body felt feverish. He and Ning Xuan touched foreheads and drank the toast. The cool liquor slid down his throat and into his stomach, its flavor rich and spicy. After a single sip, tears streamed down his face.
He’d known for a while that he’d developed feelings for Ning Xuan. If he hadn’t, he could have faced her actions with composure, no matter what she did. But now that he had, he couldn’t help but hold expectations for her.
Ning Xuan had once provided the Heavenly Might Corps with Advanced Potions without a second thought for the cost, just to protect his subordinates. She had shown him blatant favoritism. During their time together, her warmth and tenderness were so unreserved that he found himself irresistibly drawn in, completely losing his heart to her.
He had thought he was special to her, which was why he’d held out hope that she could reconcile with his family.
“Why are you crying? Does it still hurt?” Ning Xuan retracted the vines and gently wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. Her soft gaze drifted down to his body.
“It hurts,” Yun Han said, clinging to Ning Xuan. He wasn’t particularly heartbroken, yet his tears wouldn’t stop falling.
Yun Han felt like captured prey, unable to escape no matter how much he struggled.
“There, there. Why are you so delicate?” Ning Xuan said, scooping Yun Han into her arms. “Come on, I’ll give you a bath. After that, we’ll sleep.” She then carried him toward the bathroom.
Di Youlin returned to his courtyard and had just finished showering when his Light Computer chimed. He accepted the call, and a holographic image of Di Jingtian appeared. “Son, so you really are sleeping alone tonight! I told your mother you wouldn’t be the favored one this evening, but she wouldn’t believe me.”
Di Jingtian’s voice dripped with a hint of disdain, and a mocking expression was plastered on his face.
Wen Yuebai shoved Di Jingtian aside, displeased. “Our son’s beauty is unparalleled! If that Ning Xuan girl doesn’t get close to him, it’s because she has no taste. But as long as she’s not blind, there’s no way she can miss how handsome he is.”
“Youlin, listen to your mother. Girls Ning Xuan’s age like men who have good figures and are affectionate, gentle, and considerate. You’ve got the looks, no problem there. It’s your temper. Ning Xuan has a strong personality herself, so she’ll definitely prefer someone who goes along with her. The first impression you made on her couldn’t have been good. To turn that around, you’ll need to spend some quality time with her.”
“Who has that much time?” Di Jingtian cut in. “Youlin, did you ask about the Prajna Fruit? I just found out myself that Ning Xuan has a lot of them. That’s incredible stuff! A Prajna Fruit can break the body’s Genetic Lock a second time. It’s a divine artifact that’s only supposed to appear in the Chaotic Divine Domain! Can you get some from her?” he asked, his voice full of anticipation.
“Father, how did you find out Ning Xuan has Prajna Fruits?” Di Youlin asked.
When they returned from the New Star Body, Ning Xuan had ordered everyone in the know not to mention the fruit. No one was to speak of it, and none of their gains from the New Star Body were to be revealed to outsiders.
Even now, over a year later, Ning Xuan herself hadn’t used a single resource they’d acquired from the New Star Body.
“Do you remember Guo Jia? He’s a scion of the Guo Family and the next designated head of the Starry Sky Academy. He said he watched Ning Xuan snatch those fruits with his own eyes. Now, the news that she possesses Prajna Fruits is known to all Seven Great Families. Ning Xuan is about to be in a very dangerous position. Since you’re with her, stay out of the military for a while. Remain by her side and protect her. It’s easier to build a bond through shared adversity,” Di Jingtian said.
“Father, they must know about my relationship with Ning Xuan. Aren’t they being discreet around you? Aren’t they worried you’ll pass this information on to me? Could there be something more to this?” Di Youlin asked, his suspicion piqued.
“What’s the point of being discreet? If they’re planning to make a move, how could they possibly hide it from me?” The Seven Great Families were closely connected, yet they all watched one another with suspicion. It was impossible for any one of them to make a large-scale move without the others finding out.
“Youlin, be honest with your father. Has Ning Xuan given any of you Contractors a Prajna Fruit? What about Lan Xin? His power surged out of nowhere. Did he use one?” Di Jingtian pressed.
Lan Xin was once just an ordinary Half-beastman slave. His sudden, massive increase in strength, which allowed him to make a name for himself, had long ago aroused suspicion from all sides. Now that Guo Jia has spread the news about Ning Xuan’s Prajna Fruits, these suspicious parties have already connected the dots.
“Well, I haven’t used one. As for the others, I don’t know.” Of course, Di Youlin knew the truth, but he couldn’t say.
But just one look at his son’s face was enough for Di Jingtian to guess that Lan Xin’s sudden power surge was, in fact, directly related to the Prajna Fruit.
If the Prajna Fruit could break a Genetic Lock, could Lan Xin’s experience be replicated to enhance the power of others?
It might not be successful, and failure could mean death. Still, there was no denying it was a heaven-defying treasure. Especially for those on the brink of collapse from genetic defects with no other hope of salvation… this thing could change their very destiny.
“Youlin, don’t return to the military for now. You must win Miss Ning’s favor as quickly as possible. You should also tell her that the great families know about the Prajna Fruit, so she needs to watch her back,” Di Jingtian urged.
He actually wanted to meet Ning Xuan himself and see if he could trade some of his own resources for a Prajna Fruit. However, he knew its value couldn’t be measured against any ordinary treasure.
“Father, Mother, don’t worry,” Di Youlin said earnestly. “I know what to do.”
“Youlin, your emotions have been so much more stable since you formed the spiritual connection with Ning Xuan,” Wen Yuebai said, her eyes turning red.
Even when his Spiritual Sea hadn’t been on the verge of collapse, Di Youlin’s temper had always been terrible. He had, after all, suffered from spiritual pollution since childhood, a consequence of his excessively high Mutated Value. But after forming the spiritual connection with Ning Xuan, his turbulent Spiritual Sea was soothed. The spiritual pollution was purged, and his mind experienced a tranquility it had never known before. He was no longer plagued by splitting headaches.