Invincible Soul Emperor

In Xue Wei’s courtyard.

The ancient buildings of red tiles and blue bricks were half-hidden amidst the emerald bamboo grove, sunlight filtering through mottled shadows of branches to scatter across the ground.

Xiao Xiao stood in the middle of the courtyard, smiling as she looked at Xue Wei beside her, and teased, "Xue Wei, you’re so outstanding. If I were a girl of the Xue Family, I’d definitely come running to you every day!"

Hearing this, Xue Wei’s brows knit slightly, and a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes.

He let out a soft sigh and looked up at the sky, as though recalling some unbearable past. A moment later, he slowly spoke, his voice low and hoarse: "Xiao Xiao, there’s something you don’t know. My days in the Xue Family have not been easy."

Xiao Xiao stared at him in surprise, her eyes filled with doubt and concern.

Xue Wei turned around, his back now facing Xiao Xiao, a steely light flickering in his eyes. He said slowly, "The Xue Family is a Cultivation Family, where strength is all that matters. My aptitude is mediocre and my Cultivation is weak, so I’m often mocked and bullied by the experts in the family. They look down on me, think I’m just a burden who can’t bring any glory to the family."

At this point, a trace of anger and unwillingness seeped into Xue Wei’s tone: "I’ve tried many times to cultivate diligently, wanting to prove my worth, but every time they ruthlessly crushed me. Not only did they ridicule my efforts, they even played dirty tricks in secret, causing all sorts of difficulties to appear on my cultivation path."

After hearing this, Xiao Xiao couldn’t help but feel a deep sympathy for Xue Wei.

No wonder he lived alone in such a remote courtyard, and no wonder her young master had only ever heard bad rumors about Xue Wei.

Perhaps, if not for all that, the young master wouldn’t have had any conflict with him.

So, when the young master comes back, she definitely has to talk this over with him properly!

She stepped forward and gently patted Xue Wei’s shoulder, comforting him softly, "Xue Wei, your strength is so great now. In the Xue Family, you definitely won’t be bullied anymore! If anyone dares bully you, you tell me. I, Xiao Xiao, won’t just ignore the one who saved my life!"

Hearing Xiao Xiao’s words, a warm current rose in Xue Wei’s heart, and a trace of gratitude flashed through his eyes.

He turned around and said gratefully, "Xiao Xiao, thank you! In the Xue Family, no one has ever treated me this well before. Now that you’re here, I really hope you can stay by my side."

Xiao Xiao smiled. "Xue Wei, if you ever need anything, just come to me!"

There was no way she could stay here; she still had to go back with the young master.

However, she would never forget Xue Wei’s kindness!

Xue Wei looked at Xiao Xiao’s pure little face, and a flash of disdain passed through his eyes.

On the surface, he showed a grateful smile, nodded, and gently thanked her again: "Xiao Xiao, really, thank you. Rather than say I saved you, it’s better to say you also saved me. All these years, I’ve never felt this warm before."

Yet behind that grateful smile.

Inwardly, Xue Wei was sneering: Xiao Xiao really is naive, she can actually believe such a ridiculous story. Everything I said just now was something I made up on the spot to fool her, just to gain her sympathy.

However, Xiao Xiao noticed nothing unusual.

Xue Wei’s gaze shifted into the distance, a shadow flickering in his eyes as he calculated his next move in his heart.

Although he truly wasn’t welcome in the Xue Family, the reason had nothing to do with his birth, but with some other secret. He understood very well that in this family where strength reigned supreme, sympathy and pity might be a card he could use.

Under the sunlight, the silhouettes of the two looked especially harmonious, yet behind this harmony was hidden the scheming and hypocrisy buried deep in Xue Wei’s heart.

The bamboo in the courtyard still swayed lightly, as if whispering about this unseen game of wits, and Xue Wei was convinced he would win it all!

After a brief silence, a slightly troubled look appeared on Xiao Xiao’s face. She hesitated for a long time before finally speaking: "Xue Wei, the reason I came to see you today is actually because of something very important."

Seeing this, Xue Wei felt a slight stir in his heart, and a hint of curiosity flashed in his eyes.

He maintained that gentle smile on his face and asked softly, "Xiao Xiao, what’s troubling you this much? As long as it’s something I can help with, just say the word."

Xiao Xiao hesitated for a moment, took a deep breath, and finally mustered her courage to ask, "Xue Wei, that day in the Secret Realm when I fell into the Illusory Realm, it was you who pulled me out, right? I want to know—how did you do it?"

Hearing this question, Xue Wei’s heart stirred slightly, and a playful glint flashed in his eyes.

Xue Wei fell silent for a moment, then put on a thoughtful expression and said, "Xiao Xiao, the situation that day really was dangerous. You had such strong Demonic Qi on you. To tell you the truth, I do know a little method for controlling Demonic Qi, I just never used it before. It just so happened that I ran into you at that time, so I naturally used it."

After Xiao Xiao had voiced her question to Xue Wei with a face full of embarrassment, when she heard that he had a method to control Demonic Qi, she immediately grew excited, hope shining in her eyes: "Xue Wei, you have a method to control Demonic Qi?"

Seeing Xiao Xiao’s reaction, the corners of Xue Wei’s lips lifted ever so slightly, but he quickly hid his expression. He simply gave a faint smile and said, "Xiao Xiao, why are you so desperate to learn this method? Could it be... you’ve already fallen into demonic cultivation?"

Hearing this question, Xiao Xiao’s expression changed, and she hurriedly shook her head in denial: "N-no, it’s not that, Xue Wei. I haven’t fallen into demonic cultivation. I just... just worry that if I ever encounter an invasion of Demonic Qi again one day, I’ll have some way to guard against it."

Xiao Xiao realized she had been too agitated, and quickly took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She asked cautiously, "Xue Wei, what is that method? Can you tell me?"

That was close—she had almost slipped up just now.

All Xue Wei knew was that she’d been covered in Demonic Qi at the time, but that didn’t necessarily mean she had fallen into demonic cultivation; maybe Xue Wei just thought she was under the influence of the Illusory Realm.

So, she had to be very careful about this matter.

That was what Xiao Xiao was thinking, completely unaware that Xue Wei had long since understood her situation.

Watching Xiao Xiao’s constant inner struggle, Xue Wei couldn’t help laughing in his heart.

He pondered for a moment, as if recalling some memory he’d rather not mention. After a while, he said slowly, "Xiao Xiao, the method to control Demonic Qi does exist, but it’s extremely dangerous. It requires exceptionally fine control of Spiritual Power and an extremely firm will. If you slip even a little, the Demonic Qi will bite back, and the consequences would be unimaginable."

After hearing this, the hope in Xiao Xiao’s eyes didn’t diminish; instead, it became even more resolute. She said earnestly, "Xue Wei, I just want that next time I encounter something like this, I’ll have a chance to deal with it myself, and not be trapped by that Demonic Qi again like last time."

Looking at the determination in Xiao Xiao’s eyes, Xue Wei smiled faintly in his heart.

With a reaction like this, Xiao Xiao was already firmly in his grasp.

As long as he told her a few simple things and let her see a bit of benefit, she would definitely come back to him again.