Chapter 34

A fine drizzle blurred the surroundings; every so often, a gust would bring in a moist chill.

Inside the temperature-controlled tent, warmth persisted. After taking a sip of wine, Xia You wrapped herself in a blanket and cradled her drink, exuding an indescribable sense of relaxed contentment.

But in reality, this little tipsy one had only had two small glasses of red wine.

Lu Yinghuai glanced at the wine bottle which was still more than half full, chuckling as he nudged it further from Xia You.

"It's really good," Xia You sighed, turning to Lu Yinghuai, "Is this from your private collection?"

Lu Yinghuai smiled, "Yes, I retrieved it from the wine cellar before coming out. Uncle Zhou almost caught me."

In Xia You's mind, an image appeared of the man sneaking through secret passages to the wine cellar, lantern in hand, examining his treasured bottles.

The young man laughed, "You promised to give me a tour!"

What the little drunkard really had in mind was not just a tour.

After all, he had already been there... ahem.

But then, Lu Yinghuai remarked, "Hmm, Uncle Zhou has put seven passcodes on the wine cellar. Sneaking in again might not be so easy."

Xia You: "?"

Xia You's eyes widened in disbelief. The grand marshal, the prince, couldn't safeguard his own wine cellar?

"So, this wine is..."

The smile on Lu Yinghuai's lips grew, "I managed to decipher some of the codes and took a bottle from the outermost rack."

Even a randomly picked bottle tasted this good...

Xia You's Adam's apple moved as she took a tiny sip from her glass, letting it linger in her mouth for a moment before swallowing.

She knew her tolerance wasn't great, so she always moderated her intake, just enough to feel slightly tipsy.

So, every sip indeed diminished what remained.

The young man's mix of cherished yet troubled expressions and actions amused the marshal, who had a rare mischievous side. Lu Yinghuai poured another half glass for Xia You. Despite the young man's reluctant gaze, he stored the remaining wine in a spatial container.

"This rain will last for a few days. It's difficult to travel outside now. The terrain here is safe, and the surrounding area is rich with game. We can camp here for a while."

The lynx still requires treatment, and Xia You needs rest after expending her spiritual energy. Clearly, this isn't the right time to continue traveling.

"Mhm."

The rain outside had turned the ground into moist mud. It would take quite a while to clean the paws of the three fluffy creatures after they had their fun outside.

Especially since the lynx's hind leg was still injured; any infection would be problematic.

Though their thoughts differed, both agreed on halting their journey for now.

Xia You nuzzled the blanket bundled in her arms, feeling like something was missing. She glanced in the direction of the three fluffy creatures.

The first one she saw was the lynx.

Lynxes, hailing from snowy mountain terrains, have thick fur to combat the cold. Combing through that soft fur would surely be therapeutic, right?

Sigh, but every cat has its own temperament. Some are aloof and hard to get close to. It's just how it is.

Her gaze then landed on the tiger cub nibbling on the blanket's edge, its paws diligently wreaking havoc.

The cub... well, it was still too young and not very comfortable to hold.

In the end, Xia You's eyes locked onto the leopard with a passionate and persistent warmth.

Lu Yinghuai felt a chill run down his spine.

Turning around, he noticed Xia You's previously lazy spiritual tentacle, which was lounging atop wild fruits, now stealthily inching closer to the black leopard on the carpet. In a split second, the robust big cat was wrapped several times over.

The black leopard, long accustomed to Xia You's spiritual tentacle, didn't avoid it. However, it did swipe at the increasingly tight tentacle.

The little tiger approached, sniffed out of curiosity, and attempted to bite.

With a swift motion, the black leopard swatted the cub away.

Soon after, the lynx approached too. It showed restraint, neither biting nor touching, just gazing intently at the spiritual tentacle.

Bound by the spiritual tentacle, Lu Yinghuai pinched the bridge of his nose, resigning his spiritual form to Xia You's wishes, sitting upright in her arms like an emotionless plush pillow.

Xia You lay atop the warm, large leopard, her arms embracing its sturdy frame, burying her face in its soft fur and nuzzling it several times.

The soft blanket was already discarded to the side, deemed inferior.

With her head resting against the black leopard and her lazy spiritual tentacles draped over it, Xia You glanced at Lu Yinghuai, who was slowly sipping his wine and inquired, "Your Highness?"

Lu Yinghuai turned his face slightly, "Yes?"

Xia You: "Do I qualify as a healer now? I mean... the proper kind."

Lu Yinghuai chuckled, "And what would the improper kind be?"

Caught off guard, Xia You tightened her embrace around the leopard, her fingers burrowing into its soft belly fur, "Your Highness!"

Lu Yinghuai and the spiritual form shared a brief look. He then turned away, lightly covering his lips as he coughed, "Even for the healing center's healers, there's no formal certification required. As long as one's spiritual power level meets the standards set by the mainframe and they are willing to perform spiritual soothing, they can be termed a healer."

Xia You had some prior knowledge about the healing center, but given her low spiritual power level at the time, she hadn't paid it much heed.

Hearing Lu Yinghuai explain now, it seemed a bit odd to her.

"So... there's no need for any training or assessment for this spiritual soothing?"

Isn't that practically quackery?

Compared to the rigorous evaluation for medical practitioners, the healer's standard felt... well, hard to judge.

Lu Yinghuai paused, then said, "Xia You, do you know the percentage of people in the empire with S-level spiritual power?"

Xia You did, in fact, know because she had once overheard a conversation about it during a physical training session.

"It's 0.01% of the empire's total population!"

"And what is the empire's total population?"

"Um... five to six hundred billion?"

After answering, Xia You mentally did the math.

Isn't that around four to five million?

That seems much more than I'd imagined...

Lu Yinghuai set his wine glass aside, remarking calmly, “Yet, among those with healing-oriented spiritual power reaching grade B and willing to serve at the healing center, the highest count in the past five years is only three thousand.”

“Thus, there are already few qualified for spiritual soothing. The healing center is their last and sole opportunity. It's undoubtedly a gamble, but without it, many would be forced to step back from their passions due to unstable spiritual power.”

Xia You: "..."

Indeed.

Healing-oriented spiritual powers are rare to begin with. For those of noble birth, many opt for arranged marriages and won't naturally join the healing center to offer spiritual solace to the powerful beyond the warriors and nobility.

Many uniquely gifted individuals, emerging from humble or even dire beginnings, face the anguish and deadlock brought about by their advanced spiritual powers.

Until their uncontrollable spiritual power accumulates hidden injuries, eventually leading to the never-publicly-disclosed “Spiritual Power Disorder” or total madness from unchecked spiritual energy.

They rise meteorically in their respective fields only to plummet in a short span, like shooting stars.

Meng Wenxuan and Wei Cheng often chatted with Xia You, occasionally mentioning that the Marshal and the healing center have a close relationship, with the Marshal often resolving many of the center's issues.

While the healers at the center may come from varied backgrounds, a significant portion, like Xia You, grapple with resisting predetermined fates, not wanting to become mere ornaments in noble households.

After all, healers don't have long lifespans, and nobles often possess a discreet desire to claim healers as their own, reluctant to share them.

The Marshal, over the years, has offended numerous nobles by protecting the healing center. However, this is why, when Lu Yinghuai publicly accepted a spiritual match, nearly all high-level spiritual healers from the center attended.

Yet, the Marshal himself has never sought solace from a healer, as if he's altruistically assisting the healing center.

So, what does Lu Yinghuai truly desire?

The empire now is peaceful, with borders secured and insectoids repelled. What drives Lu Yinghuai, the Marshal of the Empire, to relentlessly pursue his goals?

A more prosperous empire?

Or a legacy in history?

Perhaps it was the effect of the alcohol, but as Xia You pondered these questions, she found herself voicing them aloud.

No one had ever posed such a question before, leaving Lu Yinghuai momentarily stunned.

Next to him, Xia You kept her eyes unwavering on him, waiting for an answer.

Lu Yinghuai raised his hand and tousled Xia You's hair. Avoiding the boy's piercing gaze, he turned to watch the curtain of rain outside the tent and chuckled, "It's not as noble as you think."

Moments later, Lu Yinghuai spotted a lynx playing and chasing a little tiger. The smile on his lips faded.

"I just want to do right by them."

To honor those who entrusted their lives and ideals to him, warriors who once fought alongside him.

At the very least, not to meet an end like this.

The sound of rain seemed to grow louder and more chaotic.

Xia You recognized the soldiers' worthiness of respect, but he didn't bear the weight of greatness or admiration. He was just a boy who hadn't been loved before and was now enveloped in warmth.

His heart was small.

At least for now.

The person he interacted with was Lu Yinghuai. The person who was kind to him was Lu Yinghuai. Naturally, the only person Xia You cared about was Lu Yinghuai.

"And what about you?" Xia You asked. "Your Highness, you've never wanted me to comfort you, have you?"

By nature, Xia You was laid-back and disliked complicating things, but he wasn't naive.

He had inquired about Lu Yinghuai's condition with Meng Wenxuan, but Meng would always deflect the question. Xia You knew it was at Lu Yinghuai's behest.

Eventually, after persistent probing from Xia You, Meng Wenxuan capitulated, saying, "Taking care of yourself and growing up is what the Marshal wishes most for you."

"You hope to see me save many, but you never let me save you."

Xia You's voice was soft, his face mostly buried in the panther's fur. The dim light in the tent made it hard for Lu Yinghuai to discern the boy's expression.

Lu Yinghuai remained silent.

He didn't know what to say.

Should he tell him that his spiritual strength was escalating at an unforeseen pace and that the next episode of spiritual disturbance might leave him never to wake up again?

Could this intermittent journey together be the last convergence of their paths?

"Your Highness, do you... think I'm too weak?"

The atmosphere within the tent suddenly grew tense. Lu Yinghuai lowered his gaze, and the panther too bowed its head slightly.

Xia You closed his eyes, silent, seemingly asleep against the panther.

The little tiger, sensing familial tension, looked from side to side, its paws retracted in hesitance.

The lynx, lying nearby, seemed to regain clarity in its eyes. After some thought, it nudged the tiger beside it with its paw.

The little tiger's tail stiffened.

The lynx then forcefully pushed the tiger towards Lu Yinghuai and Xia You.

A cat is a companion for life but proves its worth in crucial moments.

It's the domestic cats that mediate family disputes. No love is ever given freely, understand?

The little tiger sharpened its claws on the spot, crawled slowly toward Lu Yinghuai, sat upright, and gently nudged Lu Yinghuai's hand resting on his knee, raising its fluffy head to look at him.

— What are you waiting for? Comfort him!

Lu Yinghuai's fingers twitched, and he affectionately stroked the young feline's head.

The tiger leaned back from the touch, pushed away Lu Yinghuai's hand, and moved closer to Xia You, making soft purring noises.

— Never mind this one; let's try the other.

The cub circled the panther, shook Xia You's leg first. Seeing no response, it used the panther as a ladder and climbed up, nuzzling against Xia You's cheek with soft mewls.

Xia You still didn't react, so the tiger persisted in its nuzzling and even began to lick, although it mostly ended up licking the panther's fur.

The panther kept turning, trying to get this annoying cub off its back.

Eventually, Xia You couldn't help but chuckle. He picked up the little tiger, holding it close and giving it a good rub.

The once-oppressive atmosphere in the tent lightened significantly.

The little tiger, its fur all ruffled from the vigorous rub, staggered back to the lynx's side. Shaking itself off, it began to meticulously groom its coat.

Lu Yinghuai was the first to break the silence. "Xia You, your psychic energy is unique. Compared to the standard metrics the mainframe uses to gauge psychic strength, your abilities can heal beyond their designated levels."

In this sanctuary, every psychic being once had a psychic grade of at least 'S' class.

"It's not that I don't trust you."

"It's just that my psychic power is a bit different from others."

Xia You lifted his head, looking intently at Lu Yinghuai.

"Like you, Xia You, I too am an aberrant psychic."

"But my anomaly is... consumption."

Xia You let go of the panther he was holding and sat up straight. The panther that had been sitting in front of him turned and affectionately nuzzled Xia You with its fluffy cheek.

"The Queen of the Insectoids has a formidable limb regeneration ability, and as long as her psychic energy is active, she can continuously produce and summon her kind."

"Neither the Empire nor the Federation have any effective strategies against the Insectoid Queen."

But... the primary reason for the Insectoids' defeat was Lu Yinghuai's slaying of their queen.

Something dawned on Xia You.

Lu Yinghuai raised his hand, pointing to his temple, and in a soft, calm voice, said, "I consumed her."

Over the years since the war ended, the psychic power that belonged to the Insectoid Queen has merged with Lu Yinghuai's psychic sea. Because of this, despite every effort to suppress it, Lu Yinghuai's psychic sea has been expanding at an alarming rate.

Consequently, his psychic energy became increasingly volatile and uncontrollable.

"Xia You, the moment your psychic power enters my psychic sea—"

The last time, just by touching a fragment of the psychic energy Lu Yinghuai emitted, Xia You nearly exhausted all his psychic strength.

"You'll be drained by me."

Lu Yinghuai thought that by clarifying the stakes, the clever young man would back off. However, after a prolonged silence, Xia You suddenly said, "But Your Highness, aren't you currently in a phase where your psychic power is sealed?"

Lu Yinghuai: "?"

Discreetly gripping the panther's paw pad for comfort, Xia You gathered his courage as he shared his thoughts. "Currently, you can't externalize your psychic energy, and your psychic sea is dormant. Meanwhile, I am brimming with energy, well-rested, and well-fed. So... why shouldn't I take this chance to examine your psychic sea?"

Xia You had experienced Lu Yinghuai's psychic force before. Even a mere brush with it made him feel suffocated.

He was fully aware of Lu Yinghuai's protective love for him. Moreover, he cherished himself and wouldn't recklessly gamble with his safety.

But the situation now was different, and... it truly was a golden opportunity.

Lu Yinghuai was no fool. Although momentarily caught off-guard, he quickly discerned the intent.

The refined and composed Marshal paused before asking, "When did you start entertaining this idea?"

Xia You candidly responded, "The first day I knew we'd be entering the forest together."

Ever since Xia You learned from Meng Wenxuan that Lu Yinghuai had injected a psychic-sealing agent and even drained most of his psychic energy, he'd been quietly making plans.

He reviewed his strategies multiple times, tweaking his plan here and there, but never found the right moment to voice it.

"You..." Lu Yinghuai appeared somewhat exasperated.

Seizing the moment, Xia You pressed on, "Your Highness, won't you let me try?"

Yet Lu Yinghuai retorted, "Xia You, do you even understand what you're proposing?"

"Of course, I do."

Xia You shifted to face Lu Yinghuai directly.

"Your Highness, I've never even seen your psychic sea, let alone attempted to. It's not fair for you to reject and doubt me without giving me a chance."

After a thoughtful pause, Lu Yinghuai lifted his wine glass in a slight toast to Xia You, "Diverting attention, using retreat as an advance – you've learned well."

Lessons he had imparted were skillfully being used against him by the young prodigy.

Xia You's eyes crinkled in a joyous smile, "You taught me well."

As Lu Yinghuai gazed at Xia You, there was a fleeting moment where his heart softened.

Sensing the shift in Lu Yinghuai's demeanor, Xia You's eyes sparkled, "Your Highness, I promise I won't venture deep into your psychic sea. I'll merely touch its periphery. Should any anomaly arise in your psychic energy, I'll withdraw immediately without hesitation."

The boy's features still held a hint of youthful innocence, his eyes gleaming brightly, filled with earnest concern.

After a long silence, Xia You sneaked several glances at Lu Yinghuai, unable to resist whispering, "Your Highness?"

Lu Yinghuai came to his senses, taking a moment before he replied, "Xia You, you are astute. You must understand that if you follow the path you're on now, building your psychic strength step by step..."

"...one day, you'll possess great power and authority, truly within your grasp."

"By then, no one will be able to coerce you. All the troubles of your past will vanish."

Laid out before Xia You was a path that could almost be described as smooth and unobstructed, leading straight to the top.

Yet, if Xia You chose to treat Lu Yinghuai, countless unforeseen risks could arise. Xia You's psychic strength might even suffer, making it a loss rather than a gain.

Still, Xia You's response was clear and resolute: "Yes, I understand."

"Your Highness, if the psychic sealant was truly effective, you wouldn't have waited this long to administer it. I suspect that this treatment might have severe side effects or perhaps a restriction like being administered only once in a long duration."

Xia You's statement was well-reasoned, not a mere whim of a young boy.

"Since you're already under the effects of the psychic sealant and have taken a rare break from your duties, and my psychic power has not only leveled up but also stabilized after our resonance..."

"Except for... well," Xia You hesitated, glancing at the lynx, recalling the zombie-virus-like entity within the three large cats, "eliminating that force within the big cats, my psychic power is largely unutilized."

The lynx's physical condition couldn't possibly endure continuous treatments, but Xia You's psychic strength could replenish quickly by absorbing energy stones.

"Given our current relaxed states, both you and I, I believe it's the best time for the treatment."

Xia You pondered, considering every possible reason Lu Yinghuai might refuse, and continued:

"Perhaps it's not even accurate to call it 'treatment'."

"Your Highness, you needn't worry overly. After all, I'm merely attempting to soothe your psychic power, just like that day in my room when I grasped your psychic essence."

Xia You lifted his hand, indicating a small portion of his pinky, smiling, "I promise to only touch the very edges of Your Highness's psychic sea, never acting recklessly."

"Moreover, even with your psychic power sealed, the hidden injuries in your psychic sea still ache, don't they?"

This was Xia You's trump card.

Lu Yinghuai was taken aback.

"I didn't know before, but ever since we've been out here, sharing the same tent, I've sensed it."

"You've been suffering from insomnia."

Xia You spoke softly, not in a questioning tone, but with an unwavering certainty.

Yet, in the past few days, Lu Yinghuai had never noticed when Xia You had woken up or when he had realized this fact.

"Your Highness, I want to help you."

"While my psychic strength may still be inadequate to heal and stabilize your condition, the infusion of healing psychic energy into your psychic sea will undoubtedly have a calming effect."

"Even if it's just a drop in the bucket, even if it's minuscule, but—"

"At the very least, it might grant you some peaceful rest, which is still beneficial."

Lu Yinghuai was silent for a long time.

So long that Xia You began to subconsciously fidget, nervously pinching the paw pad of the black panther.

Lu Yinghuai softly said, "Once we leave this forest and your psychic state stabilizes a bit more..."

"Your Highness, I've already fully passed the resonance phase. To further elevate my psychic level, I need to continually exhaust and then replenish my psychic energy, expanding my psychic sea in the process."

Xia You's psychic tendrils dangled from the black panther's neck, swaying slightly.

"When my psychic energy is overly abundant, I have no choice but to release it externally. But Yuan Yuan and La Tiao might lose their fur if I keep stroking them, and they get jealous when I pet other animals."

"Instead of me playing around with random cats and dogs, why not have you help share some of this energy?"

Xia You preemptively countered almost every potential refusal from Lu Yinghuai, skillfully reframing the situation to make it seem like Lu Yinghuai would be doing him a favor, capitalizing on the brief moment of softness Lu Yinghuai had shown earlier.

"Hmm..."

Lu Yinghuai appeared contemplative.

Anxious, Xia You echoed, "Hmm?"

Lu Yinghuai suddenly mused, "I just realized, perhaps it's time for Xia You to take a brief hiatus from his cultural lessons."

The young man's ability to learn and apply was truly astonishing in its pace.

Xia You pondered the meaning of those words.

Leaning forward, hands braced against the carpet, his eyes shining brightly, he got close to Lu Yinghuai: "Your Highness, do you mean—"

With quick reflexes, Lu Yinghuai caught the nearly toppled wine glass, handing it back to the young lad.

The glass chimed crisply. Lu Yinghuai chuckled, saying resignedly, "I can't find a reason to refute, so... Congratulations, Mr. Xia, our negotiation is successful."

Xia You: "!!!"

The tension he had been holding suddenly unraveled, and the mild buzz from the alcohol surged forward.

Xia You abruptly stood up, took two steps towards Lu Yinghuai, and nestled beside him, grabbing Lu Yinghuai's hand that held the wine glass.

Lu Yinghuai was taken aback, freezing momentarily.

The youth's expression was innocent. However, the psychic tendrils that were initially around the black panther quickly wrapped around Lu Yinghuai's fingers, and then his wrist.

Lu Yinghuai spoke, somewhat flustered, "Wait, I didn't mean right now..."

Xia You's psychic energy joyfully flowed into Lu Yinghuai through their skin contact, and with a hint of smugness in his voice, he said, "Your Highness, as you taught me, when sensing hesitation in an opponent or when an agreement is near, one must not hesitate. They shouldn't give the other party a chance to reconsider. It's best to seize the opportunity immediately."

Though inherently laid-back, Xia You always paid attention in class, diligently finished his homework, and was a top student with a keen sense to apply his learnings.

The wine glass in Xia You's hand spilled onto the carpet, the cool liquid staining both their clothes and the fabric beneath, releasing a rich aroma.

The fruit tray between them was knocked over, with round wild fruits scattering everywhere.

A young tiger curiously bit into one. Before it could taste the fruit, a black panther snatched the tiger by its neck and walked away.

In the blink of an eye, they disappeared into the forest.

The lynx stood up gracefully, shaking its fur. As it left the tent, it thoughtfully used its paw to lower the tent flap.

"This healer seems to be either the Marshal's wife or the soon-to-be one. Alas, looks like there's no chance for the household cat anymore."

The lynx's paws sank into the mud, shaking them slightly in discomfort before settling atop a large rock near the tent.

"It's okay. Whether she's the Marshal's wife or not, she's part of the corps. Better familiarize myself now and forge good ties; being an 'insider' in the future isn't too bad."

A note from the author:

The lynx here is graceful and sensible, trying to make friends and establish connections. As for the Fan family outside...

Lynx: 6