A Beast Locked in a Cage for a Hundred Years

"What do you mean by that?"

"You're not allowed to touch other men! But you not only touched them, you even..."

Grace finally understood, feeling a bit exasperated. "...Honestly, I didn't feel anything at all..."

"You wanted to feel something?"

"...We're martial artists. It's normal to bump into others during a fight. I don't have your kind of spiritual power to control things from afar..."

"Then don't fight."

"How is that possible? In situations like today, how could I not fight?"

"I'll have someone protect you at all times."

"Don't!" Grace said. "I promise you, from now on I won't... accidentally kick where I shouldn't." (She later went to find Bianca Whitefan (Shannon).)

"If you do it again, I'll chop your foot off." With that, he had Louis Lin bring two more basins of water and washed her feet three times before finally letting her go.

Grace hugged her knees, dangling her wet feet, and looked at him coolly.

Evan Xiao grabbed a towel, sat beside her, and gently took her snowy white, delicate foot, softly wiping it.

Her little foot was white as snow, crystal clear and exquisitely shaped, barely longer than his palm.

It felt so soft and tender to the touch.

As Evan Xiao kept wiping, his breathing grew heavier.

Grace noticed his change, blushed, and tried to pull her foot back.

But she couldn't pull it away.

"Let me go..."

Evan Xiao glanced at her Soul Core and suddenly said, "Your cultivation is too slow. Your Soul Core is still at the initial stage, not even a hint of progress."

When will she reach perfection? He was really suffering.

"I'm anxious too," Grace said. "But reaching the ninth rank isn't easy. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many people who spend their whole lives unable to form a Soul Core."

"You're a Spiritual Alchemist—can't you make a medicine to speed up Soul Core transformation?" Evan Xiao asked.

"It's a type of geomantic site where earth energy spirals inward like a coiled dragon, gathering spiritual energy at the center. Humans who understand feng shui usually call it a 'Dragon's Nexus.'"

Grace shook her head. "I've never seen such a recipe. It's only mentioned in myths—like when a deity breathes on someone and they suddenly form a core."

"Breathed on them? How does that work?"

"How would I know?" Grace took advantage of the conversation to finally pull her foot back and put on her shoes and socks. "You can't trust legends..."

Evan Xiao watched as her little foot was covered by shoes and socks, his gaze like a beast locked in a cage for a hundred years.

...

Grace later went to find Shannon.

Grace later went to find Bianca Whitefan (Shannon).

Evan Xiao called for Leon Zane, the Imperial Advisor.

"Sit."

"Is there something you need?"

"Since Grace reached Spirit Master, Ninth Rank, her progress has been very slow," Evan Xiao said. "Is there any way to speed up her cultivation?"

"Speed up cultivation? Ninth Rank..." Leon Zane's eyes darted around.

"For example, if I infused my spiritual power into her?" Evan Xiao suggested.

"Absolutely not!" Leon Zane said quickly. "Even if she's half-divine, she couldn't handle your power. Besides, the Divine Vein Stone hasn't even confirmed she's half-divine yet! If you infuse it directly, she'll die."

"Is there any other way?"

"Actually, there might be!" Leon Zane said. "For other stages, we're helpless, but at the Core Ascension stage, we might be able to help."

"How can you help?"

"First, you need to find a Dragon's Nexus," Leon Zane said. "With the natural earth energy from a Dragon's Nexus, you can convert dragon power into spiritual energy that she can use."

"What's a Dragon's Nexus?"

"It's a type of geomantic site where earth energy spirals inward like a coiled dragon, gathering spiritual energy at the center. It's usually called a 'Prosperity Estate' by those humans who understand feng shui."