Chapter 58

"If Yi Yi gets hungry…" Yan Quan said cautiously.

Ding Huan explained, "Yi Yi only needs nutrient solution every three days; she doesn't need food now. All the nutrient solution is stored here—I'll feed her when the time comes."

Seeing Yan Quan still hesitating, Qu Yonghe quickly said, "Alright, we'll follow Teacher Ding's advice."

Then he actively pulled Yan Quan away.

Ding Huan wasn't fully at ease with Qu Yi—he could watch over her while cultivating here, and if any emergency arose, he could respond immediately.

Besides, he knew this was the most critical time for Qu Yi's recovery; even without noise, too many people coming and going wouldn't be good.

At this moment, Qu Yi was like a porcelain shard that could shatter at the slightest touch—she needed not careful care, but absolute silence.

Looking at Qu Yi lying quietly on the hospital bed, Ding Huan made a silent vow: no matter what, he would make Qu Yi recover.

After several days without proper rest, once his mental tension eased, Ding Huan felt extreme exhaustion.

He didn't rest—he began cultivating the Luo Shi Jing.

In the blink of two days, when Ding Huan awoke from meditation, he found Qu Yi's aura had grown much stronger than before.

He immediately went forward to check her condition.

"Are you the doctor who saved me?" Qu Yi's voice was barely audible.

Ding Huan was a Level Two Gene Cultivator—he could hear clearly enough.

He grunted, "Don't worry. Just rest and heal—your injuries will vanish soon."

"I can't see anything," Qu Yi said, her tone filled with fear.

"Trust me—I'll let you see the beauty of this world," Ding Huan said softly.

"Mm." Qu Yi's breath immediately calmed.

Ding Huan's words resonated deep within her soul, stirring a profound inner echo.

When living conditions are harsh and people constantly teeter on the edge of life and death, morality becomes fragile; evil, oppression, and murder are everywhere, and people no longer trust one another…

Qu Yi always believed that this world still held beauty—if one paid attention, one could feel it.

The warriors who fought to death protecting human cities, battling gene beasts, drenched in blood.

The scholars who worked day and night studying survival genes to strengthen humanity.

The students who strived to enter the Top Ten Blue Star Academies, then contributed their strength to protect Earth.

She'd heard the death rate among Top Ten Blue Star Academy students exceeded fifty percent, yet every time, countless still sought admission.

Perhaps they wanted to grow strong—but more, they likely thought as she did: to grow strong and protect Earth, protect humanity.

And after environmental mutations, every day before sunset, that blood-red afterglow…

These were the beauties she believed in—the beauty of the world she could see.

After giving Qu Yi a vial of nutrient solution, Ding Huan took out the Spirit Root Gene Serum.

He took a deep breath and said, "Qu Yi, this is a serum very important to you. Don't let your emotions fluctuate—drink it."

Qu Yi obediently drank the serum from Ding Huan's hand.

If this were Ruiji Hospital, she would never believe anything was "very important to oneself" or "important and unimportant," because she knew she was going to die.

Now, she clearly felt her bodily functions slowly recovering—and improving.

Half an hour later, Ding Huan asked softly, "Qu Yi, how do you feel?"

"Warm streams are seeping through my whole body—I feel much lighter," Qu Yi said.

Ding Huan clenched his fist. This was a sign of gene spirit root formation—but Qu Yi's reaction was weak. Could she fail to form a gene spirit root?

At that moment, he heard Qu Yi let out a pained groan, then sweat beaded on her forehead.

"It feels like I'm being burned by flames—my whole body is engulfed in fire. These flames are burning inside me…" Qu Yi's voice came in fragments, as if it might vanish at any moment.

"Don't worry—this is normal. Just endure it," Ding Huan comforted her from beside her.

He was deeply uneasy: first, he didn't know if Qu Yi could even use the spirit root gene he'd forged from his eyebrow blood.

Second, he didn't know if she could fuse another spirit root gene if this fusion failed.

"Mm." Qu Yi endured the terrifying pain, gripping tightly—her fingers clamped onto Ding Huan's wrist.

Though she'd hovered near death for half a month, her body thin as if a breeze could carry her away, beneath the flames consuming her from within, she unleashed a fierce will to live.

Ding Huan's wrist was scratched open by her nails—blood seeped out.

Two full hours passed before Qu Yi finally fell into a slow, deep sleep.

Ding Huan exhaled in relief—he knew the worst was over. Whether Qu Yi had formed a gene spirit root? He'd have to wait until tomorrow's Luo Shi Jing cultivation to find out.

"Are you Teacher Ding?" Qu Yi's faint voice startled Ding Huan, who had been dozing beside the bed.

Ding Huan felt guilty—he'd actually fallen asleep beside her.

"It's me. Don't worry—I'll make you well," Ding Huan gently patted Qu Yi's hand.

"I'm sorry, Teacher Ding…" Qu Yi's voice trembled.

She hadn't wanted Qu Fei to call Ding Huan—but they'd called him anyway.

Ding Huan was in danger now—the Gene Alliance was still hunting him. If they found him here, he wouldn't even have time to escape.

She also remembered yesterday—she'd probably scratched his wrist. She carefully grasped his hand and gently brushed her fingers over his wrist—no wound felt—so she felt slightly reassured.

"No, I'm the one who's sorry—I didn't take good care of you."

Ding Huan truly blamed himself from the bottom of his heart. He thought eliminating the two men gathering Qu Yi's information and destroying that notebook would keep her safe.

In truth, Qu Yi had nearly died in Puhai.

Qu Yi's nose tingled with acidity; she stared blankly at Ding Huan.

Even with empty eyes and nothing to see, she still desperately wanted to ask him: why was he so kind to her?

She wasn't a girl so beautiful one couldn't look away, nor did she have any special strengths.

"Qu Yi, now follow me in cultivation. The technique I practice is called the Luo Shi Jing…" Ding Huan gave Qu Yi no time to think—he urgently needed to know whether her gene spirit root had formed.

Qu Yi nodded firmly.

Ding Huan began teaching Qu Yi about acupoints, meridians, and the concept of the Zhou Tian.

Fortunately, Qu Yi was a student at Qinghe University and had already systematically studied all human acupoints and meridians.

Now, Ding Huan merely gave her a slight reminder, and she understood immediately, saving many awkward questions.

To Ding Huan, Qu Yi was the most critical in destiny, yet she was not his lover.

Some movements must be avoided whenever possible.

When Qu Yi began her first Zhou Tian, a faint warmth rose in her dantian, and she exclaimed, "Teacher Ding, I feel a thread of heat lingering in my dantian…"

"And then?" Ding Huan's voice rose with excitement.

"After the second Zhou Tian, that thread of qi seemed to grow stronger," Qu Yi said.

"Good. Don't practice yet. Wait until I've fully transmitted the Luo Shi Jing to you," Ding Huan sighed deeply. What mattered most was that Qu Yi had generated a genetic spiritual root.

Qu Yi had an excellent memory; Ding Huan taught her the entire Luo Shi Jing in just one hour, including explanations.

"Qu Yi, the later stages of the Luo Shi Jing may be difficult to advance through—I've only just begun cultivating it myself. This technique is extremely precious. Do not teach it to anyone."

Ding Huan warned.

He knew that even if Qu Yi taught it, no one else could cultivate it.

The Luo Shi Jing was too significant; he didn't want Qu Yi to cause unnecessary trouble by revealing it.

"Mm. No matter who asks me, I won't say a word," Qu Yi murmured. She considered it Ding Huan's possession—if he told her not to reveal it, she wouldn't.

"If someone insists on asking you, teach them another technique instead. It's called the Thousand Meridians Genetic Scripture—it's the cultivation method I taught to three students at Yujiang University."

"I also taught them a fist technique called Basic Long Fist. If you ever get the chance, go to the Great Han Yi Academy and find Fang Chong. Have Fang Chong teach you Basic Long Fist."

Ding Huan planned to transmit the Thousand Meridians Genetic Scripture to Qu Yi next. Basic Long Fist required hands-on instruction and couldn't be taught now—Qu Yi was clearly unsuitable to learn it yet.

Upon hearing Ding Huan's words, Qu Yi froze.

She had assumed the technique Ding Huan had given her earlier was the same one taught to Yujiang University's three students. Now she realized the technique he'd given her was far more precious.

"Teacher Ding, why are you…" Qu Yi couldn't hold back—she wanted to ask him.

She truly didn't know Ding Huan at all, yet his devotion to her surpassed that of a lover.

This stirred a deep illusion within her: that Ding Huan was her long-lost lover, returned today.

"Don't speak. Focus on memorizing the Thousand Meridians Genetic Scripture," Ding Huan's voice came, halting her questions.

Qu Yi forced herself to set aside her tangled thoughts and began memorizing the Thousand Meridians Genetic Scripture.

Another hour passed before Qu Yi said: "Ding… brother, I've remembered it all."

She felt she shouldn't call him "Teacher"—calling him Teacher seemed to unconsciously widen the distance between them.

"Good. Next, I'll teach you some minor spells: Wind Blade, Fireball, Wind Riding, Dust Removal…"

"Just memorize them. They mainly involve internal qi application, incantations, hand seals, and other spell formulas. You can't use them yet—wait until you reach Level One Genetic Cultivator before attempting to cultivate them," Ding Huan continued.

Spells? Qu Yi was stunned. She understood and accepted cultivation—gene cultivation wasn't a secret on Earth.

But spells? That sounded like mythology. She'd never heard of anyone using spells.

Now Ding Huan's voice and explanations came again; she could only gather her focus and memorize.

She had a premonition: Ding Huan seemed about to transmit everything he knew to her, then leave her.

This thought filled her with fear and unease—in just a few days, she had grown deeply dependent on him.

She didn't want him to leave, yet she couldn't say it.