CHAPTER 196: CHAPTER 196 BREAKTHROUGH (5)_1

Shangguan You couldn’t help but shake her head. She linked Shangguan Hao’s arm, rested her head on his shoulder, and fell asleep just like that. It seemed the girl was truly exhausted tonight.

They went to the military hospital for a full-body check-up, which included X-rays and blood tests. Only after it was confirmed yet again that Shangguan You had no physical issues did Shangguan Hao and Shangguan Qing finally breathe a sigh of relief. The military doctor earlier had claimed she suffered internal injuries, but now there were no problems at all.

Shangguan Hao shot a fierce glare at the middle-aged military doctor before taking Shangguan You home. Shangguan Yu, having received the news in advance, was already waiting at home for them. Shangguan Zhi and Liu Ruoling were both sitting in the living room, also awaiting their return.

"Grandpa, Uncle, Auntie." Shangguan You looked at the people waiting in the living room, her gaze falling on Zhang Ma’s worried face. A wave of inexplicable emotion washed over her. This is family, she thought. No matter the difficulty or danger, they would never abandon me.

"It’s good that you’re alright. The New Year is tomorrow, so for the next few days, you are to stay right here. Don’t go anywhere," Shangguan Zhi said, looking at the safely returned group with relief. He then gave his stern instructions before turning to go upstairs to rest. After a night of frights and being chased by dogs, he was old, and his energy was limited. If he hadn’t been determined to see his granddaughter safe and sound with his own eyes, he would have gone to rest much earlier.

Seeing that she was fine, he naturally relaxed, though his tone remained somewhat harsh. After speaking, he paid no mind to the others and went straight upstairs.

"My dear girl, it’s good that you’re okay, it’s truly good." Liu Ruoling pulled Shangguan You into her embrace, tears streaming down her face once more. My girl is finally safe.

"Auntie, I’m alright," Shangguan You said softly, allowing Liu Ruoling to hold her.

"Girl, if anything like this happens again, you don’t need to step forward. Just stand behind us; we will protect you. You must remember, you are a member of the Shangguan Family. You’re not alone, and you certainly don’t need to sacrifice yourself to save others," Shangguan Yu said, a hint of weariness on his face as he put his arm around Shangguan You’s shoulder and spoke with grave earnestness.

"That’s right. My daughter is meant to be cherished, not sacrificed. You, my dear girl, you must always remember this. You’re not a soldier, nor an official, so you don’t need to take these principles to heart, nor do you need to act on them," Shangguan Hao’s voice chimed in.

"Yes, my girl. In the future, if there’s danger, you’re not allowed to go forward alone, understand? If there’s danger, we men of the Shangguan Family will handle it. You women just need to hide behind us."

"Did you hear that, You?" Shangguan Qing chimed in at the right moment. Seeing the family’s cheerful laughter return, he couldn’t help but reach out and gently stroke her hair.

"I know, Daddy, Uncle, Auntie, Zhang Ma. Something like this won’t happen again. Please, don’t worry," Shangguan You said with a soft laugh, tears welling in her eyes.

"Silly girl, you’re tired. Go upstairs and rest. When it’s time to eat, your aunt will call you."

"You all haven’t slept all night either. Go on up and rest. I’ll cook the New Year’s Eve dinner myself tonight. Let me show you all this young lady’s culinary skills, how about it?" Shangguan You said coaxingly. Laughter filled the air—it was a rare thing for the girl to offer to cook. Seeing the genuine concern for them in her eyes, everyone nodded in agreement. They hadn’t slept all night, and it was indeed time to get some rest.

Shangguan You returned to her room and lay quietly on her bed. She could clearly hear the deep, even breathing of sleep from the other rooms. With her cultivation at level 3, her hearing and vision had inexplicably improved. She could even make out the gentle sound of the wind outside with perfect clarity.

Confirming once more that everyone was asleep, Shangguan You locked her door from the inside. With a flicker, her figure vanished from the room.

The moment she entered the space, she noticed the purple qi within the already purple dimension had become even richer; the color had now deepened to a dark, intense purple. A faint, exceptionally comfortable moisture permeated the air.

Shangguan You glanced around the purple space. It was still the same size as usual; her recent advancement hadn’t caused it to expand. Countless medicinal herbs and Spirit Fruits still hung from the trees. The Purple Lotus, the Spring Water, and the fish swimming within it—all remained unchanged.

However, the black mass that had previously rested atop the lotus leaves was now something Shangguan You could see clearly; it was no longer just an indistinct, pitch-black clump.

The outer layer of black mist had now faded to a lighter shade. Within it, a bead resembling a glass marble was visible, with water constantly flowing inside. It shimmered like multicolored crystal, emitting a faint, aqueous blue light.

Shangguan You gazed at the living water flowing within the bead, her eyes glinting. An idea sparked in her mind. She reached out, and the small Water Spirit Bead suddenly flew up, soaring towards her outstretched hand and landing directly in her palm, where it began to pulse continuously.

Shangguan You could clearly sense its faint aura and the distinct sensation of flowing movement. This isn’t a Water Spirit Bead at all—it’s just water, isn’t it? she wondered. The bead continued to dance in her hand, feeling just like actual water held in her palm.

"Water Spirit Bead, do you belong to me?" Shangguan You murmured, gazing at the pale blue object in her hand. It alternated between the appearance of a bead and that of flowing water. It had no fixed form—sometimes like water, sometimes like a bead, its shape constantly shifting.

Shangguan You could clearly sense the joyful nature of the pale blue mass. The Water Spirit Bead in her palm began to disappear into her skin at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Water Element? As the Water Spirit Bead vanished into her palm, these two words inexplicably surfaced in her mind. Simultaneously, a complete method for manipulating the Water Element also became crystal clear to her.

Shangguan You sat down cross-legged, slowly processing the new information in her mind. After a long moment, she opened her tightly shut eyes, a flash of deep, ocean-blue light glinting within them. A faint smile touched her lips. I’ve actually absorbed the Water Spirit Bead and made it my own! she realized. From now on, I can freely control the Water Element!

She extended her index finger. At its tip, a tiny, pale blue droplet of water swirled continuously, like a miniature fountain in perpetual motion.