Chapter 121

          Xia Lihua followed Ji Xian’s gaze, her piercing eyes locking onto the distant direction of the Amber Soul Kingdom.

          “The Graha from the Upper World…” she murmured, immediately understanding the meaning behind Ji Xian’s words.

          A peculiar surge of emotions began to well up within her as she spoke. Was it anger? Irritation? Resentment? It was difficult to pinpoint. Matters regarding the Upper World always stirred something indescribable in her—a rather deep-seated animosity.

          Xia Lihua despised everything and everyone connected to the Upper World. She rarely voiced this hatred, knowing it was irrational, but seldom could she suppress these feelings. The Upper World had simply taken too much from her: her parents, her mentors, her friends. Xia Lihua had already experienced too many losses in her life. She had endured her own share of pain, and just as Ji Xian had faced numerous hardships in his youth, her past was actually not so different from his own. She understood that not everyone above was to blame, yet logic did little to soften the bitterness in her heart. Even to this day, the Mortal Haven World has rarely known lasting peace, its people trapped in a perpetual state of unease.

          Perhaps it was in part because of these complicated feelings that Xia Lihua had not committed to ascension, choosing instead to stay with her people and fight for them all this while.

          If any good had ever come from the Upper World’s invasion, it was that it ultimately led her to Ji Xian, the now brightest source of light in her life. It was strange when she thought about it. Ji Xian seemed to have always known about her existence, even having met her before when they were both young, but she had no memories of him whatsoever. And yet, the moment she met him, she felt a fondness, a warmth for him instantly, like they had always known each other.

          Ji Xian stealthily gave Xia Lihua a glance upon sensing the disturbance in her aura, coincidentally, she was also looking at him.

          Little words needed to be said between them. Ji Xian smiled and took her hand into his, giving her some reassurance.

          “Your thoughts are really all over the place lately,” Ji Xian said, chuckling.

          “I know,” replied Xia Lihua, also smiling.

          Ji Xian gave her a contemplative look before warning, “Don’t let those emotions consume you.”

          “Never,” Xia Lihua shook her head, aware of his worries. “The Will of my heart is impenetrable.”

          Ji Xian nodded and said nothing more. He trusted her enough to not interfere with her issues.

          Xia Lihua closed her eyes briefly, savoring the moment of Ji Xian’s touch. His presence soothed her heart, grounding her as she shifted her focus back to a question she had at the back of her mind.

          “How are you so sure that the Graha from the Upper World will have Heavenly Merit?” she asked inquisitively.

          The rarity of Heavenly Merit doesn’t need to be said. It was possible for cultivators to spend their entire lifetime without ever seeing or obtaining a single strand. So, for Ji Xian to so confidently assume that these Grahas from above would possess it left her filled with some doubts.

          “Is it simply because of their background?” she guessed, her tone thoughtful.

          Ji Xian shook his head. “Not entirely,” he replied.

          He continued, “We already know the Graha comes from a powerful origin, and their background alone suggests they would possess Heavenly Merit, but that’s not the reason I think they would have it.”

          “What is it then?”

          Ji Xian hesitated and said, “It’s their method of descent.”

          “What?” Xia Lihua had a contemplative expression.

          “Their method of descent…?” she repeated thoughtfully. She blankly stared at Ji Xian’s handsome face before her eyes narrowed piercingly. “Are you saying that in order for them to descend to these realms, Heavenly Merit is necessary for them to do so?”

          Ji Xian nodded.      

          Upon seeing his confirmation, Xia Lihua was surprised. This was the first time she had heard that Heavenly Merit was needed for those from the Upper World to descend to the Lower World. If that was the case, just how precious was it?

          However, still confused, she asked, “But wouldn’t that mean the Heavenly Merit they possess is already used up?”

          “Not at all,” Ji Xian shook his head, and instead of elaborating, he took out two spherical objects from inside his spatial ring and showed them to Xia Lihua.

          She set her gaze on the palm of his hand, and after seeing what they were, her eyebrows slightly lifted in skepticism.

          In Ji Xian’s hand, were not two, but three shiny clear beads the size of a marble. One of which he had already shown to Xia Lihua earlier. It was the bead created from the refinement of the thousands of Graha. As for the other two, she had never seen them before, but she could instantly guess their origin.

          “These other two beads… they’re from the refinement of the Nether and Celestial race back in the Mortal Haven World?” she asked with some hesitation.

          “Yes,” said Ji Xian, smiling.

          Xia Lihua frowned as she compared the three marble-sized beads. The one refined from the Graha radiated concentrated Soul Essence, while the other two differed—one held dense True Essence, and the last contained something entirely unfamiliar to her. After examining it for a bit, she realized that she had actually felt this energy from Ji Xian earlier when the surrounding heavenly bodies dimmed. It was the fourth type of Essence!

          “This is…”

          Ji Xian shook his head, stopping her, he said, “Put aside the matter of Essence and look at the refined pellets closer.”

          Xia Lihua narrowed her eyes, taking another glimpse at the two shiny clear beads, she noticed they contained microscopic specks of golden light floating around within.

          “These also have Heavenly Merit in them,” she stated.

          “But… they don’t seem to be similar to the strand you had removed before from the bead refined from the Graha.”