บททั้งหมดของ Astral Odyssey: Dying Ember: บทที่ 11 - บทที่ 20

A fluctuation in the air caused a handful of people to look up from eating or pause their conversations. However, many resumed what they were doing, unbothered by the slight oddity. "What happened?" Hui Shan asked the boys, who had also been disturbed. Wang Wei passed the question to ZhangYong to answer by looking at him. Zhang Yong was the highest level among them, so he could provide the most accurate answer. "Did someone high level appear?" Hui Shan enthusiastically guessed in a hushed voice. Zhang Yong shook his head. "It's just a breakthrough, and only into Sky realm." Hui Shan relaxed, but Wang Wei and Zhang Yong stayed pensive. "Hui Shan, do you know anyone invited who's around 12 years old?" "En, but from what I know, they've all broken through to Sky realm already." As soon as she answered the question, she caught on to their worry and so contemplated along with them. / Was this person a late bloomer or a genius? /

In the last week of every month, ZhangYong diligently freed up some time so that he could find Xinyi. Through experience, he quickly learnt that the only way he could meet her was after he met HuiShan. Otherwise, he would only be told that she was too sick to receive any guests. He never really understood why that was the case but decided to roll along with it. Their sparring matches never lasted for more than half an hour. Their matches ended as abruptly as it began and he always left with the same satisfied smirk. His brief disappearance within the estate was long enough for some to notice. Tongues began to wag. Gossip about him contained stories about how he was having dalliances with a maid in Xinyi's courtyard. It was not a secret how abandoned Xinyi's courtyard was, since it was never used by the sickly bedridden owner. While everyone tried to figure out who the favoured maid was, Xinyi was not suspected in the least. Such gossip never bothered anyone though.

For the past month, ZhangYong went about his life the way he did before he started to pay attention to Xinyi. There was no longer a need to rush things, so that he could free up an extra day for her. However, overtime, ZhangYong realised that he was constantly reminded of her. No matter what he did, be it training or working, he would think of how it could be useful for her training. Whenever he spent time resting or leisurely with WangWei and HuiShan, he inadvertently thought of what she was likely doing at that moment. Whenever he had to assess or appraise something, he wondered about how much Xinyi would improve in another month. Expanding his energy and draining himself by the end of every single day did not help to calm this strange curiosity he has of her. Seeing HuiShan, whom he has affections for, did not help either. The more he told himself to forget about the girl who did not appreciate his presence, the more she stayed on his mind. As much as it irritated him, it also sa

The scene that greeted Xinyi once she reached her courtyard made her eyelid twitch and look at everyone judgmentally. /I guess it's to be expected when the victim this time is an important character. I doubt that they would make such a big issue out of it if the victim was someone like MeiRuo or me./   Everyone in the family, except for HuiShan, was gathered in her small courtyard. They were even honoured with WangWei's and ZhangYong's presence.   The crowd made the place look very cramped, especially with all the comfy looking chairs that Xinyi guessed were ordered to bring over while waiting for her arrival.   What made Xinyi wary was the reason for choosing to gather here instead of the main hall.   Everything ran through Xinyi's mind in a matter of seconds.   She curtseyed and greeted everyone present politely.   "Where were you and what

Thanks to BaoBao's surveillance, Xinyi found out through the grapevine that MeiRuo got crippled because of the flogging and that her marriage was already being finalised. When she learnt about the rumours that MeiRuo's fiance was abusive, she guessed that it was ZiYao's and her mother's devious way of getting rid of MeiRuo.   For the following days, BaoBao behaved like the perfect assistant and nurse. He helped her to bathe and change, and he cooked and fed her.   Every 3 days, ZhangYong turned up at her courtyard with fresh new ingredients and games or books for Xinyi.   BaoBao grumbled the first time he arrived which happened to be at a time when BaoBao was putting on a fresh layer of salve after her bath. [Why's he here? Wasn't he told to come back after a week at earliest?]   ZhangYong had entered her room straight after knocking, then froze when he saw her with her clothes in di