Wen Xue was a cultivation treasure that Chu Feng had encountered back at the Purple Star Hall — a monster, in fact.
This creature possessed extraordinary power and had once infiltrated Chu Feng's Dantian, attempting to devour his bloodline.
However, she was repelled by Chu Feng's bloodline instead. To escape, she had no choice but to make a sacrifice, leaving her life soul behind inside Chu Feng's body.
By a twist of fate, she was later taken in as a disciple by the Sect Master of the Wolong Martial Sect, who gave her the name Wen Xue.
Wen Xue was never a member of the human race. She had existed for who knows how long — an unimaginably long time, in any case.
But according to Wen Xue herself, although she had existed for ages, she had now been granted a new lease on life.
As a result, not only was she considered a junior, she was even younger than both Chu Feng and Zi Ling.
Wen Xue had always wanted to reclaim her life soul, but Chu Feng had never returned it to her.
"The life soul is still here," Chu Feng said.
Before the Sect Master of Wolong could speak, Zi Ling said, "Brother Chu Feng, please return the life soul to Junior Sister Wen Xue."
Chu Feng's first instinct was to refuse, but he also knew Zi Ling wouldn't make such a request without good reason. "Zi Ling, did something happen?"
Zi Ling then recounted the events to Chu Feng.
Zi Ling had been at a critical stage of her secluded cultivation when she learned that the Wolong Martial Sect was facing a powerful enemy. Wishing to do her part, she forced her way out of seclusion.
But the consequences of doing so were even worse than she had imagined — she nearly lost her life.
It was Wen Xue who intervened, using her unique power to pull Zi Ling back from the brink of death.
However, this had left Wen Xue herself in a perilous state.
"Sect Master, where is Wen Xue now?" Chu Feng asked.
"Come with me," the Sect Master of Wolong replied, leading Chu Feng and Zi Ling to a place of healing.
The entire mountain cave was one complete healing formation.
This formation would never be activated under ordinary circumstances.
Now, inside the spacious cave, a golden-haired young girl was enveloped by the formation's power, floating in midair, drifting gently up and down.
The girl had delicate features and fine skin, but her face was deathly pale. This was none other than Wen Xue.
Wen Xue had grown considerably since the last time Chu Feng had seen her, but her current condition was far from optimistic.
Her aura was extremely weak.
Moreover, Chu Feng noticed that on her right arm, there were strange patterns running along its length.
The patterns intertwined across the entire arm and extended inward, as if connecting to her body.
At the center of those patterns was a critically important spot — much like the eye of a formation.
Yet that very spot was missing.
"Master, why has Junior Sister Wen Xue's condition worsened instead of improving?" Zi Ling asked with furrowed brows.
"Her expenditure was far too great. She likely touched upon foundations she should not have when healing you." The Sect Master of Wolong paused, then continued, "This healing formation can only slow the deterioration — it cannot actually cure her." At this point, he turned to Chu Feng.
"Chu Feng, I understand the history between you and Wen Xue."
"If Wen Xue were not truly in mortal danger and the Wolong Martial Sect had not exhausted every option, I would never ask you to return the life soul to her."
"Sect Master, so her current state — it's all because she healed Zi Ling?" Chu Feng asked.
"It is," the Sect Master of Wolong confirmed.
Chu Feng felt a pang of surprise.
Wen Xue had never struck him as a benevolent figure. She was a dangerous being who warranted constant vigilance.
He truly hadn't expected that Wen Xue would put herself in such dire straits to save Zi Ling.
"Brother Chu Feng, Junior Sister Wen Xue really is in this state because of me."
Zi Ling looked at Chu Feng, her eyes filled with pleading.
Seeing this, Chu Feng gently ruffled Zi Ling's hair. "It's fine. We can repay this debt."
Chu Feng then formed hand seals, channeling the power of his barrier to enter his own Dantian.
Inside his Dantian, he set up a formation.
A majestic formation spread over a tiny orb of light — the very life soul that Wen Xue had left behind in Chu Feng's body all those years ago.
Chu Feng did not trust Wen Xue. He had witnessed her power firsthand and knew she was extraordinarily strong.
The current Wen Xue was nowhere near her complete form, because the most powerful part of her was lodged inside Chu Feng's Dantian.
As a precaution, Chu Feng planted a formation within Wen Xue's life soul — one that could, at a critical moment, destroy the life soul and thereby restrain Wen Xue.
Once the formation had merged with the life soul, Chu Feng extracted it from his Dantian and let it fall into the palm of his hand.