Chapter 3381 — Wanting to Be Held by You

"That's fine too—I'll have someone send them over right away!" Wei Zhao had not expected this unexpected boon. True, he could still go to the Hakhunamata Desert and demand energy stones from the Paoli clan, but the Paoli clan was simply too far away; even with the Wind-Thunder Purple Lightning Beast, he could not carry back too many at a time. The Ice Palace, however, could trade him for a batch directly, which made up for the shortfall in numbers. "As for the remaining energy stones, just use them as rewards for the people of the Ice Palace. When they run out, tell me—don't be shy. The Ice Palace counts as Xiaoxiao's natal home now, and with your connection to it as well, Aunt Qing, there's no problem on my end."

"Oh? That's wonderful!" Aunt Qing was overjoyed at once. With the remaining energy stones to reward the Ice Palace disciples, they could spur these people on in their cultivation and bring forth a whole crop of Heaven Rank experts!

After all, advancing from the peak of the late Earth Rank to the early Heaven Rank did not require many energy stones—one was enough. The extra ten could nurture ten Heaven Rank experts, and the Ice Palace's strength would rise accordingly!

"Xiaoyi, thank you!" Aunt Qing said gratefully.

"It's nothing—I should be the one thanking you, Aunt Qing!" Wei Zhao shook his head. "Aunt Qing, about that matter of the heart-method oral formula, I'd still like you to help me look into it..."

"All right, I understand," Aunt Qing replied.

After hanging up, Wei Zhao took out every last energy stone from the jade pendant's space and arranged them all around Wang Xinyan. There were fully a thousand or more of them, and in one go they encircled her completely, so that she looked as though she were sleeping in a pit built of stones—rather amusing, really!

When all that was done, Wei Zhao dialed Zhao Qilei's number.

"Qitan, come over here for a moment." Wei Zhao offered no further explanation; Zhao Qilei gave a word of assent and soon appeared at Wei Zhao's villa.

"Boss, I'm here—you're back? What do you need me to do?" Zhao Qilei was the sort who stood ready at all times.

"Ride the Wind-Thunder Purple Lightning Beast to the Ice Palace and deliver thirty energy stones to Feng Xiaoxiao; then, while you're at it, bring back all the used-up energy stones from the Ice Palace." Wei Zhao instructed Zhao Qilei. "Get the energy stones from Han Jingyi next door—she has plenty."

Wei Zhao had not touched Wang Xinyan's stones, but instead sent him to fetch Han Jingyi's, precisely so that whatever more he could give Wang Xinyan, he would.

"No problem. Shall I set off now?" Zhao Qilei had been to the Ice Palace before and knew Feng Xiaoxiao, so the route was familiar to him.

"Yes, go now—quick there and quick back," Wei Zhao said.

"All right, I'm on my way." Zhao Qilei wasted no words; he turned and went out the door.

As for Wei Zhao, he turned back toward Wang Xinyan's room—only to discover with a start that Wang Xinyan had actually opened her eyes, and was at that very moment gazing around at the energy stones encircling her with a look of blank bewilderment and curiosity!

"I... where am I? Am I dead? Is this my coffin?" Looking at the energy stones piled up around her, Wang Xinyan took them for some kind of peculiar coffin, and for a moment she could not make out just where she was.

"Xinyan, you're awake!" Wei Zhao was both startled and overjoyed.

"Wei Zhao? I'm... in your home?" It came back to Wang Xinyan in a rush: she seemed to have followed Wei Zhao from the school to his villa, and then at night she had gone to sleep with Shen Yushu, and after that she knew nothing at all. Had she been unconscious this whole time, right up until now?

It looked that way—but then what were all these things around her? And why did Wang Xinyan suddenly feel as though her body were brimming with strength? As though she were full of vigor? As though she had never been ill at all?

"Yes, you're at home. You fainted earlier, and then I heard tell that your body can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth on its own, so I brought in some energy stones—and sure enough, they worked! It seems the energy in these stones can be absorbed by your body!" Wei Zhao spoke of it lightly, as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world, but Wang Xinyan knew that for him to accomplish all this could not have been easy!

She did not know how precious these energy stones were or how he had come by them, but judging by their effects, they were far from ordinary—and for Wei Zhao to have brought in so many at once was truly no small feat.

For a moment Wang Xinyan was moved, yet the words of thanks she did not quite know how to say. She was a quiet girl, not much given to putting her innermost feelings into speech.

She simply felt that Wei Zhao was very, very good to her—that if he asked anything of her now, she would be willing, even to the giving of her life...

Suddenly Wang Xinyan seemed to think of something. "With these energy stones, I won't faint anymore? Wei Zhao, I feel as though I'm simply bursting with strength—is that all thanks to these stones?"

"Hm? You feel full of vigor? Then it seems these energy stones are highly effective—that's wonderful!" Hearing her words, Wei Zhao was delighted at once. Aunt Qing's method was plainly very effective indeed.

"Then... could you hold me while you cultivate... without worrying that I'll faint... because there are the energy stones, right?" Wang Xinyan said, her face faintly flushed.

"Cultivate..." The temptation Wang Xinyan held for Wei Zhao was fatal. Not only could he hold her as she slept, but he could raise his own strength as well—a thing that served both ends at once, which Wei Zhao naturally liked.

But now Wei Zhao could not be sure whether the speed at which he cultivated while holding Wang Xinyan would outpace the speed at which she herself absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. If it was slower than her absorption, there would be no problem; but if it was faster, would he not drain her into unconsciousness every single day?

A day or two of that would be all right, but over time, fainting every day—might that not do some harm to her body? Wei Zhao thought it better to err on the side of caution; after all, this was a matter concerning Wang Xinyan's health.

"You've only just woken up—let's not, all right? I'm afraid it might affect your health." Wei Zhao hesitated a moment, then declined.

"It's all right, let's try..." Here Wang Xinyan suddenly grew a little embarrassed. "I also... haven't been held by you in so long. I've missed it a little..."

The feeling of being held in Wei Zhao's arms as she fell asleep made Wang Xinyan utterly comfortable and at ease. She had not had that feeling for a long time, and she found herself longing for it.

"Then... all right." Hearing her say so, Wei Zhao knew that to refuse again would wound her heart. Besides, they could try it for one night—and if it did not work, it would be no late matter to stop cultivating.

With that thought, Wei Zhao sprang straight onto the bed. "As it happens, I'm a little sleepy myself—so let's begin..." RS