Chapter Seven: Where Is Your Integrity?

Xuanxuan had no idea how much her actions had shaken the entire Moke family. Her body refinement had reached its final stage; gradually, the impurities that had been purged were replaced by a gentle, powerful energy flowing through her, mending all the previous issues. Guiding the energy carefully throughout her form, she mused to herself that the potion was still too potent—its formula needed some adjustment, as it was too intense. Someone without enough spiritual strength might not survive this process of tempering both body and soul—how else could one hope to transform one’s talent?

Yet her recent collapse had led to a small discovery: it wasn’t that she had just arrived, but rather, she had already been here for five years. Her consciousness had lain dormant deep within her mind, only emerging after her injury. She could understand why: with such immense spiritual power, this body would not have been able to withstand it. Five years under Moke Lianhao’s careful care had brought some improvement, but she was still rated below F. She could imagine that things had been even worse at birth—no wonder her spiritual power had gathered together, her consciousness hiding away.

This small realization delighted her; after all, this was no longer someone else’s body, but entirely her own. However, the one who wouldn’t let her eat meat, who undressed her—wasn’t he her father? Her much younger father? Even with her limited social skills, she found this hard to accept! Yet, thinking carefully, for five years he had doted on such a foolish, useless daughter, personally handling everything for her, coming to this remote place for her sake. Perhaps things were not so bad. He’d even taken up cooking, preparing all sorts of delicious food—maybe that wasn’t so bad after all?

Well, recalling the roasted meat from that morning, Xuanxuan, ever the magnanimous great alchemist, decided she could forgive him and reluctantly allow him to be her father. Reluctantly, yes. But with that drooling look—was she really only reluctant?

When she opened her eyes, Moke Lianhao’s starship had already departed. Yi Qiong handled everything, while Moke Lianhao stayed by Xuanxuan’s side. The moment she awoke, he saw her and let out a long sigh, his heart finally at ease. He scooped her up and asked, “Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”

She glanced at Moke Lianhao’s bloodshot eyes. Had it really been so long since she’d seen him? Why were his eyes so red? She shook her head slightly. He carried her to the bathroom, filled a tub with warm water, tested the temperature with his elbow, then undressed her and placed her in the bath. Xuanxuan struggled with all her might, but even with her D-level strength, she couldn’t break free, tearing her clothes in the process before being tossed into the tub.

Tears nearly sprang to her eyes from frustration. She reminded herself that this was her father, and though she was unwilling a hundred times over, she had no real choice. She stared at her little feet in the bath, a mix of grievances churning within her. How could she be exposed again and again?

Moke Lianhao finally sensed something was wrong. Why had her mood dropped so suddenly? Lately, she seemed livelier, always resisting for ages before letting him undress her. Wait—was she playing with him, or was she struggling? After pondering for a moment, he said, “Xuanxuan, be good. There are clean clothes. Once you’re washed, you can wear them and play.”

Play? Play, my foot. Was she playing? She was struggling! She had thought her improved constitution would let her focus on alchemy, but now she was all the more determined to become a true warrior. She must not yield to brute force.

After being bathed and dressed in clean clothes, Xuanxuan ignored Moke Lianhao, sulking and searching for the fighting techniques she had once collected.

Seeing her so downcast, Moke Lianhao assumed she was upset about her lost clothes. Knowing children’s moods changed quickly, he handed her a toy and ordered a robot to keep her company, then went to the kitchen—after an entire day, Xuanxuan must be hungry.

She searched carefully but realized she hadn’t gathered many fighting techniques—her focus had always been on magic. She wasn’t sure if she had any good ones, but she trusted her current talent was excellent and didn’t want to waste it. After she became a master alchemist, she’d gained considerable influence, with many disciples and assistants, though in recent years she’d relied on them less, allowing her works to be sold in exchange for rare treasures. She rarely organized her things, and now, searching her spatial storage and her magical tower, she found she had too many possessions to quickly locate anything suitable.

A delicious aroma filled the air. Eyes brightening, she scrambled off the sofa to the dining table, where a lavish meal awaited. Moke Lianhao approached, removing his apron. Xuanxuan immediately reached out to be picked up, and he settled her on a chair by the table, then went to prepare a bottle of milk. Considering she was now D-level, he checked with the doctor, who confirmed she could eat freely. Satisfied, he began feeding her small bites of his own cooking, not allowing her chubby little hands to grab the food—after all, that wasn’t sanitary. Though she was a bit displeased with the slow feeding, the delicious taste made her forgive him.