33. Bottleneck

The question posed by Zhu Hongying left Yun Tianye in sudden silence. He knew, in reality, that someone of Hua Guguang’s status would only accept common contractors. Yet, how could he be willing to let such an outstanding and extraordinary child—a child who had once been expected to become the head of the Yun family—become someone else’s contractor?

To be forever controlled by another!

"We can compensate in other ways; we can let Hua Guguang set other conditions!" Yun Tianye said with hesitation, though he clearly lacked confidence in his own words.

"Tianye, if you have already set your heart on her, then go and try. However, do not touch that girl. Her existence poses no threat to Hua Guguang. Do not harm the innocent! Perhaps, she is the one destined for Yun Han," Zhu Hongying warned Yun Tianye. She tucked the quilt around her comatose son and turned to leave.

Ning Xuan did not know who had sent the killers after her. However, after deep reflection, she realized the Bai family did not understand her situation well enough to invest so heavily in a professional assassin organization. Chen Nan had also repeatedly emphasized that his father had no way to contact the Slaughter Pavilion. Excluding these two possibilities, only one answer remained.

One of her four hidden contractors wanted her dead.

This realization chilled Ning Xuan to the bone. She had done nothing wrong, yet someone harbored murderous intent toward her. In any world, weakness is the original sin.

Over the past few days, Ning Xuan had stayed in the laboratory, concocting three bottles of Elderberry Potion and twenty bottles of Blue Flame Herb Potion. After deducting costs and service fees, she had earned a total of 2.4 million star coins.

She spent 1.2 million to purchase a spatial button, and used the remaining funds to buy medicinal ingredients.

While refining potions, Ning Xuan did not neglect her mental power training. Without needing her conscious guidance, the "Soul Nourishing True Scripture" now operated automatically. Combined with the mental control required for potion-making, Ning Xuan felt her mental power had improved significantly, yet she never felt the breakthrough approaching.

A month passed, and it was time to return to school. By then, solely through alchemy, her StarNet account balance had reached 20 million star coins.

Yet, she still felt no sign of a breakthrough. To check the specific status of her mental power level, Ning Xuan visited the information center once more for an evaluation. The result was as follows:

Data
Citizen (Minor)
Name: Ning Xuan
Gender: Female
Age: 17
Mother: Ning Zhilan (Deceased)
Father: Bai Xiuwen (Deceased)
Registered Address: D-class Star, Planet D618, District 4 Residence, Xingluo Bay
School: Xingluo Bay Middle and High Unified Academy
Major: Alchemy
Mental Power: C-level (Value: 999)
Brain Domain Width: A-level
Companion Spirit (Ability Form): Unawakened
Ability Form Talent: Slash
Contractors: 5 (4 identities hidden)

Ning Xuan stared at the 999 value. It felt like a progress bar stuck at 99%, unable to move forward, as if the system were malfunctioning. Could this be a bottleneck?

She did not know where the problem lay. A staff member cleaning the equipment nearby noticed Ning Xuan’s conflicted expression and asked if she needed help.

"What is the reason for my mental power being stuck at 999, unable to break through?" Ning Xuan asked, clutching a sliver of hope. If she could reach B-level, she could at least identify her enemy.

The staff member, who had just performed the test, had analyzed Ning Xuan’s situation because of her high score. Hearing the question, he smiled. "Miss Ning, although you awakened late, your talent is remarkably high. In just two months, your mental power value has increased twenty-fold. The reason it is stuck at 999 is that you awakened too recently, and your companion spirit has not yet awakened. It is impossible to advance to B-level without it, as the companion spirit of a female spirit-controller must condense into form at B-level!"

"Miss Ning, your current mental power value is likely higher than 999. As long as the companion spirit remains unawakened, the detected value will stay the same," the staff member explained enthusiastically.

Ning Xuan thanked him and left the testing room. Afterward, she logged onto the StarNet to search for relevant information. After a targeted search, she found that the staff member was correct: to break through to B-level, she must first awaken her companion spirit.

Ning Xuan stared blankly at her light-brain interface. Just then, Chen Nan walked in and asked with concern, "Contractor, are you alright?"

Ning Xuan sighed. "I'm fine. Let's go! Back to school!" Today was the day to return from leave, and the day Ning Xuan would join the special training class.

"Understood, Contractor." Chen Nan opened the car door for her, placing his palm above the frame to protect her head. After Ning Xuan entered, Chen Nan followed. Hoping to reach B-level as soon as possible, Ning Xuan had been training diligently lately. Feeling disappointed by the results, she relaxed, and drowsiness overcame her as soon as she sat down. "I'll nap for a while. Wake me when we reach the school." She lay on Chen Nan’s lap, wrapping one arm around his waist, and prepared to sleep.

Chen Nan carefully adjusted his posture to make her more comfortable.

Perhaps because her mind was finally at ease after learning the reason for her stagnation, Ning Xuan slept soundly. When she woke, she felt refreshed and pleasant. She rose from Chen Nan’s embrace and stretched. "A-Nan, are we at school?"

She prepared to step out of the car.

"Contractor, wait!" Chen Nan held her back.

"It is freezing outside. Please, put on your thermal suit first!" Chen Nan’s voice carried a hint of tension.

"Freezing?" Ning Xuan asked in confusion. Only then did she see a world of ice and snow outside.

"Where is this? Aren't we going to school?" Ning Xuan’s face darkened as she realized something was wrong. She demanded, "What is going on?"

"Contractor, someone intends to assassinate you. To ensure your safety, we cannot stay at the Xingluo Bay residence. We will hide out here for a few days until the danger passes, and then we will return!" Chen Nan explained while unfolding the thermal suit to wrap it around her.

"Chen Nan, how dare you! Are you kidnapping me?" Chen Nan had always been obedient and submissive; Ning Xuan had never expected to be tricked by him.

"Contractor, didn't you express a desire to explore the Forbidden Lands and see the world outside? Even though it’s cold here, the natural scenery is magnificent. Just pretend you are on a vacation, alright?" Chen Nan looked at Ning Xuan with pleading eyes.