FRGNM -Chapter 73 Awakening

It could be considered a small interlude—an accidental death followed by resurrection. Yet Fang Xu discovered that Ling Ruoxi seemed to have become a completely different person.

Back then, whenever she saw a handsome man she would flirt shamelessly, call him “brother,” and joke around. It was as if her original personality had been worn smooth.

But the current Ling Ruoxi only wore a faint smile every day. No one knew what she was thinking. Had she eaten? Even her entire aura had changed. The childish temperament she once had had transformed into that of a mature woman.

“Young Master Qiongyu will soon return to Qiongyu Immortal Island. His Majesty is hosting a banquet and invites Master to attend.” Huang Fan placed the invitation on the table and smiled lightly at Ling Ruoxi.

“Return?” Fang Xu smiled. “Ruoxi, do you want to go?”

“Yes. He’s a friend, after all. I’ll see him off one last time.” Ling Ruoxi did not refuse. She picked up a grape and fed it into Yizhui’s mouth, smiling sweetly.

“Alright, then I’ll reply to the Prince of Beining. I’ll attend the banquet.” Fang Xu said with a gentle smile. “You should go get ready too. We’ll set off shortly.”

“Yizhui, Yimeng, do you want to see your daddy? Mommy will take you to the palace later to see him.” Ling Ruoxi stroked the heads of the two little ones, holding one in each hand as she walked outside.

Huang Fan frowned and said, “Master, are you really going? That old fox, the Prince of Beining, will definitely bring up the issue of your assets. You’ve bought up a third of the capital of Beining—he surely will…”

“Once something has gone into my stomach, no one can dig it out.” Fang Xu smiled calmly. “I know exactly what that old fox is thinking. But will I give it to him?”
He stood up. “Prepare gifts—one for Nangong Qin, one for Luo Mingyu.”

When she appeared once more at the palace gates, her beauty stunned everyone.

She had never worn such gorgeous clothing before. She always preferred simplicity, usually white dresses. She hated black—it reminded her of too many things from the past.

The fiery red dress was like a blazing flame, burning everything around her. It had been specially designed for her. The short skirt reached only to her thighs, and the fitted fabric perfectly outlined her full figure. Light eyeshadow and subtle makeup made her dazzling at first glance. A red ribbon tied her long hair, making her look like a beauty born of fire.

Her long legs were exposed, her delicate skin so tender it seemed one could break it with a touch. Though she was dressed so boldly, no one dared criticize her.

The two children beside her politely held her hands and walked with her toward the front.

“So beautiful…”
“Is she a fairy from the heavens?”
“She came with Young Master Fang—she must be his new lover…”

For a moment, everyone present forgot about the woman from before. All eyes were fixed on that fiery red figure, utterly stunned. Her peerless face bore a faint smile, her aura utterly enchanting. She was the very image of a goddess, inspiring reverence.

Even the seated men felt their hearts race. A wine cup trembled in someone’s hand. Dark eyes narrowed as they fixed on her figure, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips.

“Young Master Fang, please take a seat. This… you are Ruoxi?” Nangong Qin smiled, then froze when his gaze landed on Ling Ruoxi.

Ling Ruoxi nodded without speaking and sat beside Fang Xu. Yizhui and Yimeng sat down as well.

“Daddy, I heard you’re leaving today. Mommy can’t drink alcohol, so I’ll drink for her.” Yizhui lifted the wine cup with both hands, looking quite heroic, and gulped it down in one go.

Luo Mingyu smiled faintly and raised his cup, drinking calmly.

“Cough, cough, cough—so spicy! Mommy, no wonder Master doesn’t let you drink alcohol. I don’t want to drink this stuff anymore either.” Yizhui quickly grabbed some fruit, munching on a banana. His rosy cheeks showed a hint of drunkenness.

“I’ve heard the Young Master of Qiongyu is handsome and learned. Seeing you today, it truly lives up to the reputation. This cup is for you.” Fang Xu raised his glass toward Luo Mingyu.

Luo Mingyu casually returned the toast. “You flatter me. Young Master Fang, wealthy enough to rival a nation, is the idol and dream lover of countless young ladies. Leaving aside combat aura formations, just in terms of timing and circumstance—if you call yourself second, who would dare call themselves first?”

“So the rumors are true. The Young Master of Qiongyu is quite amorous, though few women can catch your eye. That aside, let me introduce you—this is the woman I am about to marry, Ling Ruoxi.” Fang Xu smiled faintly. “We made a marriage vow six years ago. When I had the strength to protect her, she would marry me. Now, the time has come.”

“Young Master Fang, I don’t quite understand what you’re saying.” Luo Mingyu set down his cup, his smile growing brighter. He stood and looked at Ling Ruoxi, gently brushing his long hair back. “Are you planning to marry a foolish woman?”

“What did you say?!” Fang Xu leapt to his feet, fists clenched.

The thick jealousy in the air was almost suffocating.

Luo Mingyu walked over confidently, bent down to look at Ling Ruoxi, and coldly lifted her chin. “Can’t you see it? Her soul has only the main soul—she lacks the seven spirits! What happened these past days? Why did she lose her seven spirits?”

“The seven spirits?” Fang Xu’s heart jolted. He looked at Ling Ruoxi—no wonder she had only smiled these days, all other emotions seemingly gone. As a combat aura cultivator, how had he overlooked something so basic?

A person has three souls and seven spirits. A combat aura cultivator tempers these souls and spirits, making their aura purer as their strength grows, until the soul nearly materializes. At the highest level, one can cultivate a second primordial spirit and even create external incarnations.

But this woman before him had only three souls and no seven spirits—something he had never encountered before.

“Dad, that day Mommy encountered the enemy’s—”

“Yizhui!” Fang Xu pressed a hand on Yizhui’s head and shook his head gently.

Luo Mingyu understood part of it. He touched Ling Ruoxi’s brow with a finger, raised an eyebrow, and smiled lightly. “Little Ruoxi, if you’re not waking up now, when will you wake up?”

In the darkness, the golden light wrapped in purple combat aura suddenly shattered. A weak spiritual form trembled and shot forward.

Poison scripture, path of change—only for one person.

“Smack!”

The red figure suddenly stood up and slapped Luo Mingyu hard across the face. She glared at him furiously. “Are you even human, Luo Mingyu?! I called you so many times—why didn’t you come save me?! You bastard, you’re a total jerk!”

“Alright, alright. So many people are watching—if you’re going to argue, at least do it at home.” Luo Mingyu laughed heartily, pressed a hand on her head, and pulled her into his arms.

She shoved him away, brushing back her hair. “I’m not going! Weren’t you so arrogant that day, saying we had nothing to do with each other anymore? Fine! Then I’ll marry Fang Xu, become his wife, and let your children call him ‘Dad.’ Are you satisfied now?!”

“Heh, angry?” Luo Mingyu squatted down, holding a couple of grapes, and looked at the two little ones. “Come on, you tell me—should Mommy go with Daddy? Say it right and these grapes are yours. Oh, by the way, I infused them with Purple Sovereign aura. Once you eat them, it’s like taking a spiritual pill—it’ll cleanse your meridians. You’ll cultivate aura ten times faster than ordinary people.”

“Huh?” Everything happened too fast. Yizhui, still drunk, hiccupped, grabbed a grape, and swallowed it whole. Patting his chest, he laughed. “Dad, don’t worry. Go in peace! I’ll take care of Mommy. I swear I’ll become a Purple Sovereign cultivator, stronger and bigger than you—and my little thing will be bigger than yours too…”

“Pfft!” Luo Mingyu nearly choked. He smacked Yizhui’s head hard—this kid would’ve been better off not saying anything at all.

Yimeng, frightened, grabbed Fang Xu’s pant leg and cried, “Daddy Fang, Daddy is so scary! I think Daddy looks like a fox!”

“Yimeng, don’t be afraid.” Fang Xu shielded the child and raised an eyebrow. “Young Master of Qiongyu, you’ll eventually leave. Before you become the master of the Immortal Island, you can’t take Ruoxi there. Leave her with me—I’ll take good care of her.”

“Who said I’m leaving?” Luo Mingyu raised an eyebrow and hugged Ling Ruoxi’s waist shamelessly, laughing. “I’m staying by my woman’s side. Today, it’s not me who’s leaving. Another candidate young master of Qiongyu Immortal Island is arriving. You know him—yes, him. This banquet is to celebrate his arrival, and I’ll be refusing to leave with him.”

“Luo Mingyu, take your hands off me!” Ling Ruoxi slapped his hand away, frowning slightly. Everything felt unfamiliar—how had she ended up here?

She remembered… the man in the room, wearing a mask, dressed in black, dragging her into an icy cold pool, and then…

Her body shuddered. Nausea surged as she thought of being violated by another man. She quickly shoved Luo Mingyu away. “Fang Xu… was I… by that man?”

“Yes.” Fang Xu nodded calmly.

“Damn it! That dog bastard! At least take off the mask next time! I didn’t even see what he looked like! Ahhh!” Ling Ruoxi stomped her feet furiously, wishing she could just smash her head against something.

Fang Xu was speechless. Looking at her now, he couldn’t help but laugh and cry—this was the real Ling Ruoxi. Everything before had not been.

“Oh? Who didn’t take off their mask? Whose face didn’t you see?” Luo Mingyu smiled faintly, his upturned eyes fixed on her as he gently pressed a finger to her lips.

Ling Ruoxi shuddered and stepped back. “That—that’s something you wouldn’t know. Anyway, it wasn’t you. Though there were some similarities… the aura was different. It wasn’t him.”

“Oh?” Luo Mingyu smiled, reached out, and held her neck, gazing at the bite marks there. “Which man left these behind?”