Ning Xuan felt her body was much stronger than before. She turned to Chen Nan. "Ah Nan, spar with me!"

Ning Xuan had learned many footwork and movement techniques in the past. The one she had used for the longest time was the Eight-direction Step Technique. This technique allowed for landing points in all directions, enabling nimble shifts in form and position, weaving through with constant variations.

"Of course, Contractor!" Chen Nan agreed, taking a position opposite Ning Xuan to spar with her. He only needed to focus on defense!

Ning Xuan struck first. The moment she moved, Chen Nan immediately sensed the difference. Her moves were the same as before, but the speed, power, and angle of attack were all on another level. She was faster, stronger, and her angles were more cunning and difficult to defend against. Caught completely off guard, Chen Nan took a solid punch from Ning Xuan to his right forearm. With a THUD, he felt his entire arm go numb, and a piercing pain shot through the point of impact!

"Focus!" Ning Xuan reminded him.

Chen Nan nodded, a little ashamed. He immediately steeled himself and began to respond in earnest.

The sparring session lasted for a full two hours. Only when night had completely fallen did the two of them pause to prepare dinner. After the medicine was successfully concocted yesterday afternoon, Ning Xuan had returned home, tidied up, and immediately begun her Body Refining. She’d been at it for over twenty hours, finally emerging from her seclusion this afternoon. By now, she was absolutely famished. Chen Nan had prepared some simple meals while she was in seclusion, which could be eaten after a quick reheating.

Although Ning Xuan loved good food, Chen Nan had absolutely no talent for cooking. But she was starving and didn’t want to make something else herself, so she had no choice but to accept it.

Ning Xuan sighed to herself. ’Once I make some money, I’m definitely hiring a few chefs to keep at home so I can eat whatever delicious food I want, whenever I want!’

While they were eating, Ning Xuan asked Chen Nan if he had ever used a Body Refining Potion. Chen Nan shook his head. Body Refining Potions were expensive and difficult to purchase. He had never been favored in the Chen Family, and all the money he earned himself was spent on fever suppression medicine and spiritual power regulation medicine.

"The modified Body Refining Potion probably wouldn’t be very effective for you. Once my Spiritual Power Level is higher, I’ll concoct the complete version for you!" Ning Xuan promised Chen Nan with a smile.

Now, both her Alchemy and spiritual power had clearly improved. She was also gradually figuring out her own path of Cultivation. The sense of unfamiliarity with this new world, and the insecurity that had always lingered in her heart, had subtly eased.

When she looked over at Chen Nan, who had been by her side this whole time, she felt a surge of tenderness and gratitude. Although he had done something that made her wary and disgusted, she couldn’t let that one incident completely erase all the help he had given her.

"Thank you, Contractor!" Chen Nan was very sensitive to Ning Xuan’s mood changes. Ever since he had accompanied her to the Black Water Ice Prison, her attitude toward him hadn’t been so cold. And today, after she finished her Body Refinement, she was acting even more affectionately toward him.

"Good boy." Seeing the hint of a smile in Chen Nan’s eyes, Ning Xuan couldn’t resist patting his head.

Chen Nan blushed a little at being petted by Ning Xuan. ’She’s clearly younger than me, but she’s had me intimidated from the very beginning. Now, after all this time together, she has me completely wrapped around her finger. I know it’s not a good thing to be so thoroughly controlled by her, but I can’t help but feel overjoyed when I see her smile. And when she frowns, a knot immediately forms in my stomach.’ Chen Nan sighed inwardly. ’I can’t escape her now!’

After finishing her Body Refinement, Ning Xuan returned to her routine of Cultivation and Alchemy, slowly digesting the effects of refining her body. Ten days later, she decided to head to the Black Water Ice Prison again to concoct another batch of the modified Body Refining Potion.

After cultivating for the past few days, she felt her physical strength hadn’t yet reached its current bottleneck. Her body could still be refined further!

Just as Ning Xuan was preparing her supplies and contacting people for another trip to the Black Water Ice Prison, Mo Sen showed up at her door.

"Miss Ning, I heard you’re planning another trip to the Black Water Ice Prison. Could we bring more people this time? I have a few candidates in mind, all S-Class!" Mo Sen looked at Ning Xuan expectantly.

"Captain Mo, I notified you because I intended to take you along. Why are you asking this? Are you afraid it will be too dangerous with fewer people? Do you have something else in mind?" Ning Xuan didn’t want to deal with new people. She had wanted to take the original teams again. Given their haul last time, she felt those two mercenary groups wouldn’t refuse. That was why she had notified Mo Sen. She hadn’t expected him to make such a request.

"No, no, that’s not it, Miss Ning. It’s like this," Mo Sen explained with a helpless expression. "One of my brothers in the squad made a windfall following you last time. He went around bragging about it and made a lot of people jealous. A few guys heard my brother make it sound easy and went to the Black Water Ice Prison themselves. They went, but they still haven’t come back. Now their families are insisting that my brother tricked them into going, claiming we have some shady dealings going on behind the scenes. They heard we’re going again, so now they’re clamoring to come with us. They say if we don’t let them, it means we have a guilty conscience and something to hide!"

Ning Xuan was speechless. "I remember telling you all when we got back not to leak any information. The Ice Python isn’t that easy to kill, and the Black Water Ice Prison is dangerous. Why would your brother go around proclaiming it to everyone?"

"’They went to an S-Class danger zone on an adventure, so what if they didn’t come back? Tricked? Shady dealings?’" Ning Xuan’s tone turned sharp. "Mo Sen, since he’s your brother, you can figure out how to solve this yourself! I’ll find other people this time. Your squad doesn’t need to come." Ning Xuan made her decision instantly. There was no need to retain people who were loose-lipped and attracted trouble.

Mo Sen looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he left with a defeated expression.

While Ning Xuan was initiating a new round of her Body Refining plan, on Seven Star Divine Mountain, Lin Mo was looking at Yun Tianye with a face full of fury. "Third Uncle, Master Qi of the Slaughter Pavilion has already admitted it! You were the one who put out a bounty to kill Ning Xuan! Just because my cousin was matched with her, you secretly sent assassins to kill her. Federation law states that every female Spirit Controller is protected by law and no one may harm them. What you’re doing is a violation of Federation law!"

Yun Tianye looked at Lin Mo coldly. "Hmph. Federation law? Strength *is* the Federation’s law. Today, Hua Guguang of the Azure Dragon Clan is coming. Whether or not your cousin wakes up depends on today. If you still care about the bond you have with your cousin, then you’ll stay here quietly. If you keep spewing nonsense, then get out!"