13. The spiritual energy was rapidly increasing.

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Ning Xuan politely smiled at Instructor Qu but said nothing. She wasn’t interested in cooking classes, yet she had to eat; she refused to consume that nauseating nutritional liquid. Unfortunately, Aunt Wu was absent, and Shen Yong’an wasn’t around either—no one was there to cook for her.

“Afternoon class is the cooking practical session. Please attend on time!” Instructor Qu announced before collecting the ingredients and leaving the classroom with a robotic assistant.

“Ning Xuan, what’s your spiritual energy level?”
“Ning Xuan, how did you form a contract with General Chen?”

A group of classmates gathered around her, chattering eagerly.

“Hey, look at this video!” one student turned on the classroom’s electronic screen. “It’s a clip posted by the Martial Arts Department students online!”

On the screen, Roman—the arrogant fellow who had warned Ning Xuan to stop bothering him—was knocked to the ground by a single punch. He struggled to get up but was kicked far away again, repeatedly knocked down throughout the fight, utterly defenseless.

“Wow, Roman got beaten so badly!”
“Isn’t Roman supposed to be top three in the Martial Arts Department after his B-rank promotion? How come he’s getting trashed like this?”
“Did you even check who his opponent was?”
“Who? Wow, so handsome! The way he kicks is really captivating!” one student exclaimed, mesmerized by the video.

“That’s Major General Chen Nan, the new instructor for the Martial Arts Department. He’s so cool! I’ve decided—I’m taking the Martial Arts elective just because of him!” another student gushed, starstruck.

“Hey, aren’t you curious why General Chen targeted Roman right from his first class?” Hu Tao asked nearby, eyes gleaming with gossip.

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“Why? Pfft, what do you mean ‘why’? As an instructor, guiding trainees is his duty. How can it be called ‘targeting’? Roman should be grateful to Instructor Chen, right, Xuan Xuan?” A cooking classmate who had witnessed Roman stopping Ning Xuan asked. Chen’s public reprimand of Roman might even be to stand up for Ning Xuan.

What luck does Ning Xuan have to contract with such a powerful young officer? What stroke of fortune led her here?

Seeing Roman’s bruised, battered face, Ning Xuan felt a growing respect for Chen Nan. Though she didn’t know his true motives or why he suddenly decided to reveal his own information, at least today, if not for him, Ning Chuchu might have forcibly taken her away.

Even more, in front of everyone, Chen Nan had lowered himself, knelt with humility, and granted her face. This gesture seemed sincere for now.

Yet, these two were strangers with no emotional foundation. For him to do this upon their first meeting, he must have a purpose.

Since there’s a purpose, it will reveal itself in time. She would wait and see.

Ning Xuan was indifferent to the classmates’ chatter—whether admiration, jealousy, or other intentions. She gave no clear answers, casually brushing off the excited crowd with a few words before resting her chin on her hand, lost in thought.

Though she appeared distracted, her spiritual energy quietly circulated within her mind in a regulated pattern. This was the cultivation method known as the “Soul Reservoir Classic,” designed to train and stabilize the spirit sea. Spiritual awareness and spiritual energy are one and the same. Since yesterday, she had been practicing this method and found it could boost her spiritual energy.

Her spirit had always been strong enough to form a solid core, but the temporal-spatial rift had severely damaged it. Coupled with entering a new, fragile body, her spirit sealed ninety-nine percent of itself to prevent collapse. After being modified by the Ghost Face Red Vine, her body and spirit achieved a delicate balance.

Ning Xuan skipped the afternoon cooking practical and spent the entire afternoon cultivating the Soul Reservoir Classic. Though she didn’t undergo another spiritual energy test, she could clearly feel her power soaring.

When Ning Chuchu attacked her with spiritual energy that morning, Ning Xuan sensed that although Ning Chuchu’s energy seemed much stronger, her actual offensive power was weak. Ning Chuchu’s energy was scattered and chaotic, like a composite without order, whereas Ning Xuan’s energy, though seemingly weaker, was dense, resilient, and unbreakable.

With this rapid growth, Ning Xuan noticed her senses sharpening, her blood circulation smoothing, and her entire body growing lighter.

After the last class, Chen Nan sought her out. Upon entering the study room, he immediately sensed a comforting spiritual energy—Ning Xuan’s. This was the same force that had convinced him to lift the information concealment earlier. Now, in less than a day, her spiritual energy had increased significantly.

Chen Nan felt his own body tremble. From the start, he had sensed that his contracted partner’s spiritual energy rank was not D-grade, but at least early C-grade. Now, it seemed to have risen even further.

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If the initial measurement wasn’t mistaken, it meant his contract partner had advanced from D-rank to C-rank in just two days. Though leveling up below B-rank is comparatively easier, such rapid progress was still astonishing.

“Major General Chen pays respects to the contract holder!” Chen Nan approached Ning Xuan and knelt properly.

Having completed one full cycle of cultivation, Ning Xuan stopped the practice. She glanced at the faintly visible black seed beneath the skin of her palm—that was her spiritual plant, the Ghost Face Red Vine. She had tried to awaken it but to no avail.

After a hard day’s training and only a standard student meal at noon, she was hungry.

“Can you cook?” Ning Xuan asked.

Chen Nan looked up at her blankly, then shook his head. “No, contract holder.”

“I don’t either. Let’s go get something to eat,” Ning Xuan decided, planning to explore and find something delicious.

Although her account had no money, Chen Nan didn’t look like someone who couldn’t even afford a meal.

“Yes!” Chen Nan replied respectfully.

Ning Xuan couldn’t help but glance at him again. If she hadn’t seen Chen Nan fight fiercely like a lion in the practical class, she might have mistaken this contract holder for a gentle little lamb.