Lin Hui took a few natural steps back, evading her advance.

"So, you are Lady Tuyue. I’ve heard so much about you. To what do I owe the honor of you chasing me all this way to Black Cloud’s domain?"

"You truly do have some secrets..." The moment she got close, Tuyue sensed something unique about Lin Hui.

Her spiritual pollution was, surprisingly, completely ineffective against him.

Lin Hui’s body was like a black hole. No matter how much Mental Power she unleashed, it simply vanished, sweeping past him as if he wasn’t there.

It was as if her power couldn’t sense Lin Hui at all.

Having lived for so long, she thought she was no longer interested in much of anything. But now, upon sensing such a curious phenomenon, the claws of curiosity and possessiveness began to dig into her heart once more.

’This genius should have been nurtured in my city... How could I let him end up in the territory of a bitter shrew like Black Cloud? That ten-thousand-year-old virgin has no idea how to win people over. If not for her two older brothers protecting her, she’d have died in some godforsaken corner long ago. What does an incompetent old woman like her have to compare with a pragmatist like me, who governs a great city on her own?’

The thought that this fruit, which should have been hers to claim, was now about to be harvested by that old virgin, Black Cloud, made Tuyue’s frustration and craving grow even more intense.

’This won’t do. I need a plan. When he leaves Black Cloud’s territory, I’ll just snatch him and make a run for it.’

Though Lin Hui didn’t know exactly what she was thinking, he could guess her general intentions.

He was also trying to figure out how to escape this tricky predicament.

A direct fight would actually be the best solution. The problem was, he didn’t know how strong she was. If he could win, great. But if he couldn’t...

Otherwise, why would he have run all this way to Black Cloud’s domain? It was precisely to have her as a backstop.

’So, to guarantee a win, I first need to understand what makes the Fog People so strong. Or more specifically, what is the true extent of Tuyue’s power? For that, maybe I can start with Gongsun Xinlian, who despises her.’

Tuyue’s personal appearance had thrown Lin Hui’s original plans into disarray.

But it was a nuisance he had to deal with, leaving him slightly on edge.

This was time he should have been spending on his cultivation of the Star Breath Sword Manual.

But for the time being, Lin Hui couldn’t think of a natural way to make contact with Gongsun Xinlian.

When Tuyue saw him pull away, she didn’t force the issue. She simply smiled, remarked that they would naturally grow closer over time and wouldn’t need to be so formal, then returned to her own courtyard.

He could see she was extremely patient. Or perhaps it was that for an ancient creature who had lived for nearly ten thousand years, time was the most worthless of all commodities. They had endless patience when it came to waiting for an opportunity to capture their prey.

Once she was gone, Lin Hui turned and went back inside the academy.

After that, he didn’t let Tuyue’s presence nearby disrupt his usual routine. He continued his daily Alchemy, cultivation, Swordsmanship practice, and teaching, just as he always had.

The only change was that sensitive matters were now communicated directly using Wind Chime. Because of this, the entire Clear Wind Academy went completely underground.

Half a month passed. Lin Hui found that Tuyue did nothing but watch him every day, never making a move. It seemed she had truly settled in for the long haul.

He couldn’t be bothered to pay her much mind and just went about his business, while also continuing his process of acquiring the Pulse of Life through acts of redemption.

This time, he chose to save a great tree.

Tuyue carefully monitored Lin Hui’s every move each day. With her Mental Power, this was an easy task.

But after more than two weeks of constant surveillance, she had found nothing. He seemed to be nothing more than an ordinary academy instructor.

He was no different from any of the other instructors.

While his Swordsmanship had some merit, it was only a minor curiosity, and she wasn’t interested.

And so, she decided to simply wait for an opportunity for Lin Hui to leave Black Cloud’s territory.

As long as Lin Hui left just once, exiting the range of Black Cloud’s senses, then she could...

But... in the blink of an eye, another two weeks went by.

Lin Hui was still sticking to his routine, showing no intention of leaving whatsoever.

Tuyue was patient, but Ning Qianzhi couldn’t wait any longer. There were many matters back in Tuyue City that required him to be there to handle. If he was away for too long... it was entirely possible the city could be destroyed.

After all, both he and his mother—their two highest-level combatants—were gone.

Ning Qianzhi immediately requested to return, and Tuyue quickly approved.

And so, she was left as the sole resident of the newly built manor.

She acted just like a normal neighbor, leaving her house at the same time as Lin Hui. She would proactively greet him, always wearing a vibrant smile and full of energy.

She didn’t use any of the tactics Lin Hui had expected, like kidnappings or threats.

This left him increasingly unable to grasp her intentions.

He would have been more comfortable if she had just resorted to violence from the start. This open strategy of a slow knife felt deeply unsettling.

The most troublesome part was that, after another week or so, Lin Hui came home to find Tuyue standing with his older sister, Liu Xiao.

"This is Sister Yueyue. She’s also from back home," Liu Xiao explained to Lin Hui with a smile.

Lin Hui looked at the beaming Tuyue, feeling utterly helpless.

This was a development he hadn’t foreseen.

To think that a great and powerful Fog Person would stoop to such a roundabout tactic—targeting his family.

"I figured since she lives right near you, I should bring her over to pay you a visit, Ah Hui. It’s a chance to get familiar with each other’s places. Since you’re so close, you might as well be friends and help each other out." The girl had clearly been spiritually enthralled; she spoke of Tuyue as if they were the closest of friends.