/*unedited*/

Inside a large state, they lay a huge mansion. The mansion is surrounded by many guards patrolling in its premise. But what makes the place unique is the fluctuation of Qi in its surroundings. If s.h.i.+n Jiao can see the place, he would be amazed at the formation surrounding it.

However, the people inside are not using runes as formation, but symbols and glyphs from the ancient times. Those symbols and glyphs are commonly used in talismans by the shaman of old.

Inside the huge mansion is a room where several people are sitting in a circle.

Suddenly, they all shuddered and threw mouthfuls of blood.

They all staggered as they fell to the ground helplessly.

"How could… how could that happen?" an old woman said in a weak tone.

"Someone was able to destroy our connection…" an old man said with a worried tone.

"You worry too much… we have secretly dealt with the little girl. This cannot be traced towards us." A middle-aged man said while standing up.

Out of the people in the room, he was the one less affected by the backlash of the spell.

"If what young s.h.i.+ Anne told us is true, then that guy is an expert." The man muttered.

"But it was not him who dispel the curse… it was something else… even now it still gives me the creeps."

"Elders… we did this for the sake of our clan." The man said as he turns towards the rest and left the room.

Once outside, the man suddenly staggered and almost fell. He held the fishy taste of blood that almost escaped his mouth. To give the appearance as the clan leader, he needs to show them that he is more powerful than the rest.

Suddenly a soft hand supported the man.

"Patriarch… everything is ready." The man supporting the patriarch of the clan said.

"Good… it is time for us to rise again and be known throughout all the land."

…

City H, hospital owned by the Tang family

It was already morning and the sun is s.h.i.+ning brightly in the clear blue sky. It seems like the previous accident was not reported in the news. George Wilson was quick enough to stop anything from spreading.

Marie stayed with her father but didn't decide to go back to Europe with him. She wanted to stay in the company and helped out. Since the troublesome matters began to appear, she just wanted to repay s.h.i.+n Jiao and Susan Tang for their kindness in helping her father.

And a.s.sisting her is Park Jiyong who is also acting as her bodyguard. The young man has already grown up and his previous spoiled att.i.tude was replaced with a sense of responsibility. He wanted to win Marie's heart through his effort, so he began helping her since s.h.i.+n Jiao and Susan Tang is not in the company right now.

As of now, the products of the company, the AI interface SLIA, the virtual world with the now-famous game 'Merging Worlds', and the Mech Frame are making the people in the company swamp with work. Luckily, Central is there to put things in order hence making everything run smoothly.

Meanwhile, inside the hospital, four people suddenly appear to visit s.h.i.+ Anne Li's room. It was Susan Tang's parents along with her two older brothers.

When they saw Susan Tang inside the room, they showed a complicated expression. Her two older brothers who now knew the power behind their sister showed a hint of fear in their eyes, while her father is showing a guilty expression on his face. Only her mother is showing concern for her only daughter as she immediately approached.

"Susan… how have you been…" she said with her eyes in concern.

Susan just looks up and let her mother move to her side and gave her a hug. She didn't know how to react to her family because of what she has suffered from them. Although she knew that her mother is powerless, but still her mother just supported her two sons instead of her as her daughter. So Susan felt a bit reluctant in greeting her mother.

"Susan, we heard about the things that had happened… I… I a.s.sure you that we will do everything to help your friend." Her father said feeling a bit guilty.

Then suddenly, s.h.i.+n Jiao entered the room bringing with him some take out lunch boxes. When he saw the people inside, he acted surprised as he already knew that there are people inside the room.

"Oh, Mr. and Mrs. Tang, you have visited us. We are honored." s.h.i.+n Jiao greeted.

When the people inside saw s.h.i.+n Jiao, they were a bit surprised and scared. The two brothers showed a hint of fear as if seeing a monster. Her parents are also showing fear in their eyes. They already knew that the young man who had warned them before is now their daughter's boyfriend.

But this didn't stop them from feeling the fear in their hearts upon seeing s.h.i.+n Jiao.

"Please, sit down… this is the first time that every one of us would meet formally. Let me introduce myself. I am s.h.i.+n Jiao… I am Susan's boyfriend." s.h.i.+n Jiao said while bowing courteously towards the two old couples.

"Ah… Yes, yes… we are happy that she is able to find a fine young man such as you." Susan Tang's father said.

"I am Cheng Bo Tang, and this is my wife Hua Bai Mi, Su'er's mother." The old man said with a smile.

"And these two are my sons, Robin my oldest and Mark my second son."

"It's nice meeting you formally Mr. Tang. I am truly glad that you have disciplined your two sons. I know that Susan is still a bit hesitant to accept these changes. But I a.s.sure you that she will." s.h.i.+n Jiao said as he sits beside Susan and grabs her shoulder.

She looks at s.h.i.+n Jiao with a bit of hesitation as she still could not forgive her two brothers and the nonchalant way her father treated her. But with s.h.i.+n Jiao's a.s.surance and words, she felt comforted.

The family talked for a while as Mrs. Tang tried to talk to Susan, who would just reply to her mother. Although Susan knew that her mother is helpless in the situation before, but she just could not still accept what she said to her.

'Just let go of your dream and follow your father's command… you're just a woman.'

Those words seem to hurt her at that time, so she decided to run away.

But then, now that she realized it, it was her mother who is pitiful. Unlike s.h.i.+n Jiao who valued her as an equal, her mother held the lowest authority at home. Though her father showers her with love, when it comes to decision making she is not that important.

"Mom… I'm okay… really. I'm happy with my life now and is contented feeling loved by the man I like." She said while patting the hands of her mother who seem to be surprised.

"I know that mother was wrong…"

"Mom… it's okay now. Let's bygone be bygone, alright?"

The family stayed for a while and left after their feelings became at ease with each other. Susan was able to forgive her brothers of their follies and her father.

That night, s.h.i.+n Jiao stayed beside s.h.i.+ Anne Li's bed and once again began talking with the soul essence.

"Hey, you've been alive for more than thousands of years, right?"

'Yes, why? Do you want to know something? I would cause you something you know…'

"Haha… alright, how about this… I will give you a temporary body, and you provide me with information. Not a bad trade, right?"

'What? No… no… I wanted to rest now… I will carry the memories I have in this lifetime…'

"Do you think the great deity of this world, would let you go? With the thousands of souls inside your own… I'm guessing that he would immediately purge you." s.h.i.+n Jiao said with a smirk.

'You… Did you know the great deity? Are you friends with him?'

"Well, I'm not saying we are friends… I would say, business partners." s.h.i.+n Jiao said with a smile upon remembering the condition he had with Earth's deity.

"So, what would it be? Purging or staying for a while?… your choice."

'Alright, I'll stay… about my body?'

Suddenly, s.h.i.+n Jiao took out a thumb-size figure. It looks like a small toy but the intricate design of its body and limbs is too advanced. Then on the chest of the figure lays a small core.

'This is… Why is it too small?' the soul essence asked feeling a bit annoyed.

"Well, that's all the material I can get so far. This is good enough. Plus I also design it to be able to fly according to the energy within the core."

When the essence saw this he was a bit elated. In his mind, he is already thinking of escaping s.h.i.+n Jiao's grasp and finding a way for himself.

So when he agreed, s.h.i.+n Jiao immediately transferred his essence on the figure's head, where an array and a brain-like object can be seen inside.

After receiving a new body, Duan Ying happily moved his little limbs and also tried to hover from the ground. Then a shrewd glint flashed on his eyes as he already wanted to go through with his plans.

"Oh, by the way, the core has limited power, so you need to stay near me to be able to charge it…"

s.h.i.+n Jiao's words made Duan Ying's mechanical jaw fell.

Seeing this, s.h.i.+n Jiao chuckled and turned his gaze to s.h.i.+ Anne Li who is peacefully lying in bed.

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Author's note:

Thank you for reading the novel. Love you guys!

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