Just as Ma Rui's anger had reached its peak, a soft but proud voice spoke up from beneath the covers of the bed, the words echoing through the room.
"I'll be fine, father. According to the physicians, I'll be completely cured within the next few days. Not to mention, I'm trying to convert the residual spiritual energy left from the poison and use it to improve my own cultivation base, which is why I'm going in and out of sleep."
Ma Rui looked at his daughter, a look of surprise on his face, before quickly rushing over and sitting beside her bed, holding her hand.
"You know you don't have to work so hard; you're still a child. You can relax a bit."
Ma Shiyi stared at the ceiling of her room, her eyes a bit glazed as she recalled that wolf she met in the Greenwood Forest—especially its sharp golden eyes, which seemed to look directly into her soul, causing her heart to tremble.
If that wolf really was a human… I wonder if I can fight with it?
A sharp light suddenly shone in her crimson eyes as her love for battle was once again reignited. J
ust as she was about to get too caught up in her own emotions, a voice filled with exasperation suddenly resounded inside of her mind.
Child, are you seriously thinking about fighting even right now? Don't you think you should focus on cultivating and staying alive?
As the voice rang through her, she pictured a beautiful but petite woman with violet skin looking at her with a chastising expression.
Ma Shiyi suddenly felt a bit guilty as she quickly gave a reply in her mind, reassuring her master and easing her doubts.
Don't worry, master. I've almost completely absorbed all of the residual spiritual energy in my body. With this, I have a chance of breaking through into the True Profound Realm within the next couple of weeks.
Her master, who had offered a few words of warning beforehand, nodded her head in agreement as she then reminded her of something with a bit of a exhaustion in its voice.
As for that wolf, I've remembered what his eyes look like. If I see it again, I will immediately tell you. Something tells me that you and that wolf will be meeting each other quite soon.
Seeing that his daughter had suddenly become quiet once again made Ma Rui feel trepidation in his heart, and he quickly tried to speak a few words to bring her attention back to him.
"Shiyi, are you sure you are okay?"
Ma Shiyi, who had just been engrossed in a conversation with her master, suddenly blinked as clarity returned to her senses. She quickly looked back at her father and nodded her head, giving a slight smile.
"I'm okay, father. I was just thinking about the upcoming martial arts competition in the Azure Dragon Sect. I heard it's going to be quite hectic this year, considering the patriarch of the Bai Clan is coming himself to visit."
Seeing that his daughter truly was slowly getting better made Ma Rui feel a sense of relief in his heart as he nodded his head.
"That's right. Our Crimson Sand Sect, the Iron Cloud Sect, and the rest of the small-to-medium sects in Reshi City have already received their invitations. I'm still considering whether or not I want you to participate."
Hearing her father's words made Ma Shiyi's brows twitch in irritation before she spoke in a slightly begrudging tone.
"Father, this kind of thing is perfect for me. I can fight all sorts of different people and test my strength against them; with this, my journey to the top will become even smoother."
Ma Rui, on the other hand, stayed quiet for a few seconds before looking at his daughter with an expression of remorse and sadness.
"You know… I don't think your mother would have liked it if she had found out that her little princess has become such a battle junkie."
Hearing her father's words made Ma Shiyi's heart clench, as memories of the past suddenly swept through her mind, causing a look of depression to appear on her features before she quickly tried to mask it with a smile.
"Don't worry, father. Mother… Mother will understand. After all, I'm doing this for her."
A loud tremble suddenly resounded in the room as Ma Shiyi's spiritual energy erupted from her body; traces of crimson sand appeared all around her before slowly fading away. Ma Rui gently nodded, reaching out and rubbing her head with a look of fatherly affection.
"As long as you stay safe, you can do whatever you want. As for what happened to your mother..."
All of a sudden, all of the love, softness, and affection disappeared from his gaze, and his eyes turned cold and murderous.
"One day, we will reclaim what is ours, and we will take our revenge against those damn traitors."
Crimson sand suddenly appeared all around his body, forming into all sorts of different shapes.
Some were of swords and spears, others were of wolves, snakes, and bears, and others still seemed to be in the shape of human soldiers wielding all sorts of different weapons.
However, all of them couldn't compare to the massive crimson coffin that appeared behind him, seeming like a pit of darkness that would consume you in blood and agony.
Just as Ma Rui was about to lose his composure, a voice once again resounded through the room, filled with conviction.
"Don't worry, father. I will be the one to take revenge for what happened to mother. I will make sure that our enemies suffer as we have."
Ma Rui nodded his head, instantly forcing himself to calm down and causing the crimson sand to vanish, before giving his beloved daughter another couple of healing pills.
"Here, take these healing pills to speed up your recovery and go back to rest. No training—just rest. And remember: if you aren't fixed up by the time the competition rolls around, you can forget about joining."