"Girl, you need soul power — is that for healing too?"
Chu Feng asked Song Yun.
"Yes."
Song Yun nodded vigorously.
"Brother Chu Feng, I know this soul power is very important to Sister Ziling, but if I didn't truly need it, I wouldn't have made this request."
This put Chu Feng in a difficult position.
He actually harbored some suspicion — suspicion toward this girl, Song Yun.
He couldn't help but recall Song Xue'er's warning, along with all of Song Yun's past behavior.
She had concealed her identity, concealed her cultivation level, and according to Wang Yuxian's implications, even a first-level Martial Ancestor might not represent Song Yun's true strength. This girl was hiding far too much; she was genuinely hard to read.
Yet this girl had never harmed him. On the contrary, she had helped him — particularly on the day he was captured by the Sacred Light Clan, when she had risked herself to come to his rescue. That was not something an ordinary person would dare do.
And so Chu Feng found himself torn. This soul power was extremely important to Ziling, and he didn't want to miss this opportunity.
Out of selfishness, he naturally wanted to secure all of it for Ziling.
But if Song Yun truly needed it, Chu Feng couldn't bring himself to deny her.
After all — what if Song Yun was telling the truth? What if this really was something she needed to save a life?
Despite his inner conflict, Chu Feng made his decision.
"How about this — if I can break through that barrier, you and Ziling split the soul power here evenly. Would that work?"
Chu Feng asked Song Yun.
Although Song Xue'er had warned him, considering everything Song Yun had done before, Chu Feng still chose to trust her.
Besides, this place had originally been discovered by Song Yun's mother and Dao Hai Fairy. By rights, a portion should go to Song Yun and Wang Yuxian anyway.
Since Song Yun also needed it to save a life, splitting it half and half was the fairest solution Chu Feng could think of.
"Thank you, Brother Chu Feng!"
"I knew Brother Chu Feng wouldn't ignore Yun'er."
Song Yun nodded eagerly, clearly delighted with the decision.
She then turned to Ziling.
"Sister Ziling, please don't blame Yun'er. Yun'er had no choice — I didn't mean to compete with you, Sister Ziling."
"It's fine."
Ziling replied with a polite smile.
"Don't worry, Ziling won't blame you. Don't overthink it."
Chu Feng said as well, but then he turned to look at Ziling.
"Ziling, you're not upset with me, are you?"
This was sent through a private soul transmission.
"I know how much Brother Chu Feng values his friends. You've always been selfless when it comes to the people close to you. But just now, you showed selfishness in front of a friend."
"In all the time I've known you, this is the first."
"I know — the selfishness you showed was because of me."
"I already knew long ago how important I am in your heart."
"Actually, your decision right now is exactly what I was thinking as well."
"After all, this was an ruin they opened. If I took all the treasure for myself, that would be truly unjustifiable."
"This outcome already exceeds my expectations. Don't burden yourself, Chu Feng. Ziling would never blame you."
Ziling replied through soul transmission as well. As always, she was gentle and understanding — even her tone was warm and careful, as though she feared Chu Feng might carry even the slightest bit of guilt or burden.
But what Ziling didn't know was that, in the face of her gentle thoughtfulness, Chu Feng returned a warm smile while feeling an acute ache in his heart.
To have such an understanding lover, yet lack the power to truly protect and safeguard her — for Chu Feng, that shame cut deep on its own.
"Wait here for me."
With that, Chu Feng began setting up the formation to break the barrier.
His mastery of the art of seals had already reached the seventh level of the Dragon Transformation stage, and on top of that, the art of seals was inherently formidable.
The barrier was quickly dismantled by Chu Feng.
But after breaking through, he did not allow Ziling and Song Yun to approach directly. Instead, he began laying down another formation.
This was an enhancement formation that could be placed upon Ziling and Song Yun — one that would protect them and allow them to absorb the soul power more effectively.
The time Chu Feng spent constructing this enhancement formation was even longer than the time it took to break the barrier.
After all, the soul power appeared harmless, but he couldn't be certain it was truly without danger. Chu Feng wanted to do everything in his power to ensure Ziling and Song Yun's safety.
His seal mastery was so refined, his barrier power so abundant — yet after completing the enhancement formation, he was drenched in sweat, his face pale as paper.
It was clear the effort had cost him enormously.
"Brother Chu Feng, you…"
Seeing Chu Feng's condition, Ziling's eyes filled with heartache.
"Seize the opportunity."
Chu Feng simply smiled and gently patted Ziling on the head, signaling that she shouldn't worry about him — she should focus on absorbing the soul power.
After all, the person standing before him was the one he wanted to protect most in all the world.
If he had the choice, he would pay even the price of his life without hesitation. Compared to that, the effort he had just expended was practically nothing.
Yet as Chu Feng's eyes remained fixed solely on Ziling, Song Yun's gaze flickered with a strange, fleeting emotion.
But that flash of emotion vanished in an instant — and neither Chu Feng, Ziling, nor Wang Yuxian noticed it.