When Chen Hui saw Lin Mo move, he rushed to stop him, sighing inwardly. ’Oh, little brother... it’s not that I won’t help you. It’s just that Lin Mo already has me by the throat over that money transfer. If I don’t cooperate, and he snitches to Hua Guying, I’m a dead man!’

’They say it’s best to strike first, or you’ll be the one to suffer. I hope you’ve made the most of it. After spending two months together day and night, you must have won over your Contractor by now! As long as she’s on your side, this Lin Mo is no threat to you!’ While Chen Hui thought this, the look on his face was one of utmost sincerity.

"Mr. Lin, you know my brother, Chen Nan. He’s been the quiet type since he was a kid, but he has a rebellious streak. He only hid Miss Ning to protect her, so you don’t need to worry! As for my father... heh, since Miss Ning is your Contractor too, you can rest assured he wouldn’t dare touch a single hair on her head!" Chen Hui felt a surge of relief. ’Thank goodness Father originally planned to let Chen Nan handle this himself. Chen Nan only pretended to obey and went ahead and acknowledged her as his Contractor. Even though Father wants to get rid of Ning Xuan now, he hasn’t had the chance to send anyone yet!’

"Cut the crap. Just tell me where they are now," Lin Mo snapped. He stared at the Spiritual Power Value of 999 on Ning Xuan’s profile, terrified that the number would tick over to the next level at any moment. Once his Contractor became a B-level Controller, it would be too late for him to show his face.

"If I’m not mistaken, there are two possibilities. One is the A336 Star Military District, a garrison under the First Legion’s jurisdiction. The other is Extreme Cold City. Both are outside the Star Network’s coverage, and my brother has frequented both in the past." It had to be said, Chen Hui knew his brother very well.

’Extreme Cold City? Chen Nan has a Guiding Token for it?’ The A336 Star Military District was part of the Chaotic Land; it was too dangerous. Chen Nan probably wouldn’t take someone as weak as Ning Xuan there. ’On the other hand, if he has a Guiding Token, Extreme Cold City would be an excellent hiding place.’

’Damn it! Extreme Cold City restricts entry based on Spiritual Power Level. Only those at S-Class or below can get in. My Spiritual Power Level is SS-level—even if I had a Guiding Token, I couldn’t enter!’

With the information from Chen Hui, Lin Mo’s expression darkened. He dispatched men to the A336 Star Military District and, at the same time, sent his most trusted retainers to Extreme Cold City.

The rules of a forced Contract were specific. If the Contractor’s Level and aptitude were too low, the other party to the contract, the Spirit Controller, could invoke a "High-level Spirit Controller protection" clause to safeguard their rights. So long as they delayed for ten years, if the Contractor’s Level remained far below the Spirit Controller’s, the master brain would automatically terminate the Contract. However, if the Contractor’s Level rose to B-level, that protection would be immediately nullified. Any Contractor who had invoked this right and failed to have the Contract dissolved before their master reached B-level would be demoted to a slave. The term of enslavement was ten years, matching the protection period. After that, their fate—to stay or to go—was decided entirely by their Contractor.

Most B-level Controllers treated the Contractors bound to them no differently than slaves. However, a Contractor’s rights still had some protection under Federation law; a slave had none.

’According to the Star Network registration, I’ve already waived the protection order and become Ning Xuan’s Contractor. But I still haven’t formally presented myself to my Contractor, and she’s currently outside the network’s reach. When she gets back, if she’s already a B-level... who knows if she’ll even acknowledge this Contract?’

Ning Xuan had no idea someone was so desperate to find her. Her days in Extreme Cold City were quite fulfilling. She spent her time studying, working on her Cultivation Method, practicing Alchemy, shopping for ingredients at the market, and selling the medicine she created. Whenever she felt irritable, tired, or bored, she would drag Chen Nan over to be her sparring partner and test her skills.

At first, when Ning Xuan asked Chen Nan to spar, he thought she was just looking for an excuse to beat him up. He didn’t dare move, afraid that if he dodged, she might pull a muscle or sprain her wrist. For a time, Chen Nan took a serious beating.

But Healing Medicine was the one thing Ning Xuan had in abundance. Chen Nan would get injured during the day, down a bottle of Healing Medicine, and be as good as new by the next morning.

Gradually, Ning Xuan’s attacks grew faster and her angles more unpredictable. Chen Nan began to tentatively dodge. Not only did Ning Xuan not get angry, she even gave him a rare look of approval. This convinced Chen Nan that she wasn’t just trying to beat him up; she was genuinely training her combat skills.

In one month’s time, Ning Xuan’s spiritual power and Comprehensive Combat Power had risen in tandem. In Alchemy, she could now create Intermediate Compound Medicine. The only thing that hadn’t progressed was her Superpower Body, which still showed no sign of awakening.

Ever since Ning Xuan started treating the special energy in her body as Spiritual Energy—using it to clear her meridians and infuse her acupoints—her physical condition and Comprehensive Combat Power had been improving at a rapid pace. The rate of production and total volume of this special energy had also noticeably increased. The only odd thing was that the symptoms she’d experienced before awakening her Companion Spirit, like her blood boiling and heart racing, had not reappeared.

Ning Xuan couldn’t help but wonder. ’Is it because I’m refining this special energy and circulating it throughout my body that my Companion Spirit can’t awaken?’

So, Ning Xuan stopped cultivating the Guiding Spirit Scripture. In just one day, with nowhere to go, the special energy building inside her immediately caused her blood to boil and a sense of restlessness to wash over her. It was that feeling again—as if something inside her was trying to break its bonds and burst forth into the world. Only this time, the sensation was stronger, more difficult to control. Her body felt like it was being consumed by fire, and the pain was almost unbearable. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Ning Xuan lost track of how long she endured it. All she knew was that if she didn’t find a way to channel the special energy gathering inside her, she would be burned alive.

At that moment, Ning Xuan was practicing Alchemy in the Earth Fire Room. Chen Nan, who was attending her, saw her eyes turn blood-red as flames erupted on her skin. In an instant, her clothes were incinerated, turning to ash. He was horrified. Attribute energy was only supposed to be generated when a Superpower Body condensed into a solid form. Ning Xuan’s Superpower Body hadn’t even awakened, so how could she be producing attribute energy?

The process had always been the same: first, the Superpower Body awakened. Then followed a long period of integration, during which the body’s physical constitution and functions would gradually change under its influence. This stage required a great deal of time and resources to promote the Superpower Body’s growth. Only when it had accumulated enough energy would it undergo a qualitative transformation and condense into a solid form.

Superpower Bodies of different Levels took different amounts of time to fully manifest. Chen Nan’s own Superpower Body, the Green-eyed Golden Eagle—a ferocious bird of prey—had only just taken form when his Spiritual Power Level reached S-Class!

’What Level is her Superpower Body, then?’

’But regardless of its Level, for a Superpower Body to generate attribute energy before it has even awakened... the body can’t possibly withstand that. Her condition is extremely dangerous!’

Chen Nan paced at her side, sick with worry, but faced with this situation, he was utterly helpless.