73,02 - Dungeon Growth Log

Xia Ge abruptly raised her head. She was in a private room, and through the glass window, she could see the scene below. Whenever guests in the private rooms placed a bid, a spiritual array in the upper right corner of the window would light up with the guest's number to signal the bid. Since the private rooms were assigned randomly, nobody knew the identity of their occupants except for the hosts. At this moment, the array on the window of the room opposite hers began to glow faintly! A million high-grade spirit stones!? Such wealth! When this astronomical bid was announced, the entire auction fell silent for a moment. The cloaked auctioneer's voice became even more fervent, "One million, going once!" "One million, going twice!" "One million, going thrice—sold!!" "Congratulations to guest number 33!!" Xia Ge gazed at the private room with the glowing number, listening to the auctioneer's hypocritical congratulations from below. She couldn't help but sneer. Congratulate? What was there to celebrate? Congratulating someone for buying a counterfeit or for being targeted by the demonic sect? Whoever bought that item was bound to have terrible luck for eight generations. But it wasn't her concern anymore. Rather than worrying about someone who could casually throw away a million high-grade spirit stones, she should worry about the black market's bounty on her head. Xia Ge put on a fox mask and donned her cloak. Her stomach still hurt faintly. Taking a deep breath, she glanced back at the pills on the floor. She thought for a moment, then picked up the pills, her eyes flashing slightly green. [Pain Relief Pill* Arcane: Crafted by an exceptionally skilled alchemist. Whether it's a severed arm, broken leg, ruptured intestines, headache, egg pain, or menstrual pain, taking this pill will immediately relieve the pain.] Egg pain? What the heck is that? And why are the words "menstrual pain" in bold? Xia Ge: "Xiao Kui, did you write this description?" System, solemnly: "I figured you might not understand, so I wrote the description in straightforward and simple language." Xia Ge: "This is very much your style." Simple and straightforward, filled with an undertone of cheekiness. Xia Ge picked up the pills from the ground, then glanced at the tightly closed door, feeling a bit conflicted. Who was that person? Did she know her? Why was this person so nice to her? Could it be someone she knew? But thinking back. Among the people she knew, no one had any reason to be so kind to her. Ye Ze? Ye Ze was at Sword Peak; he wouldn't have the time to come down. Besides, this person seemed to be a woman... A woman... Could it be Senior Sister Mao Qing? Thinking of her, Xia Ge felt even more of a headache. If it were Senior Sister, there would be even less reason to be nice to her. After all, she had promised Senior Sister to secure a top-three spot and ended up not even making the top six in the Dan Peak entry competition—utter failure. Besides... Could Senior Sister, someone like her, come to a place like the black market and calmly set up shop at a place like the small black market for an entire afternoon? Thinking of the two of them facing the afternoon’s meager business. Hold on, stop thinking... no, stop thinking! The character setting is about to collapse! Mao Qing...If Mao Qing had this kind of skill, she wouldn't be bullied by people from Sword Peak, right? But other than that, there seemed to be no one else. Xia Ge stared at the pill in her hand, her head aching, her stomach hurting, and finally, she sighed. "Whoever you are... I'll consider owing you one." With that, she was about to swallow the pill in one gulp, but the red ribbon tied tightly around her left hand suddenly came to life, darting out with a swish and snatching the pill from her right hand. Her hand empty, Xia Ge was momentarily bewildered. Staring at the red ribbon tied into a bow and holding the pill, she asked, "What are you doing?" The red ribbon had used one end of its bow to take her pill. Hearing her question, it cautiously wiped the pill with the other end of its bow and then, as if showing off, presented the pill to her. It seemed that since the pill had fallen to the ground earlier, the red ribbon wanted to help clean it for her. Xia Ge: "..." System sighed, "...It's really useful." For some reason, looking at the thin red ribbon in her left hand holding the pill and looking at her expectantly, Xia Ge felt her stomach ache more. Seeing her not moving, the red ribbon urgently nudged the pill towards her. Xia Ge didn't want to waste any time, taking the pill and swallowing it. The pill dissolved immediately upon entering her mouth, and a warm sensation flowed down her throat, spreading throughout her body. The pain quickly dissipated without a trace. Xia Ge opened the door. Outside, it was empty. The cloaked person was gone, truly gone. Xia Ge touched the fox mask on her face, unsure of her own feelings. Although the other person's actions were mysterious and their intentions unclear, it was true that they seemed to mean no harm to her, as she had said. "...Just because you're good to me, does that mean I have to be good to you?" Xia Ge seemed to be trying to convince herself, speaking softly, "Where in this world is there such a fair deal?" "If I ever meet you again, I'll definitely repay everything I owe you." The red ribbon brushed against her. "Do you have a name?" Xia Ge asked. The red ribbon shook its bow. The system said, "This is a fragment directly torn from a formidable Yi Mei's body. Generally, a fragment of Yi Mei wouldn't have its own consciousness unless Yi Mei placed its soul essence within it. But unless Yi Mei is foolish, they wouldn't do that. This one seems to have generated a soul on its own." Xia Ge raised her hand. "What exactly are you?" The red ribbon, of course, couldn't speak. It merely brushed against her. The system explained, "Yi Mei usually have names, either their soul's original name or a name given by their first owner. Once a Yi Mei has a name, it will accept only that name for its entire existence; it won't change it lightly." "You can try giving it a name. If it rejects the name you give it, that means it's the soul of the original formidable Yi Mei. If it accepts the name, it means it's a newly born soul on the Yi Mei fragment and hasn't recognized a master yet." Xia Ge looked at the red ribbon. The red ribbon quickly coiled up, looking like a shy mimosa under her gaze. Xia Ge: "..." Why are you acting shy?! Filled with malice, Xia Ge taunted, "Hey, Doggy?" The red ribbon remained motionless. Xia Ge: "Eggy?" The red ribbon seemed to twitch, then immediately played dead, fearing Xia Ge might think it was responding. Silently rejecting the names. System: "...If the name doesn't match the Yi Mei soul's taste, it will also reject it." Xia Ge: "A red ribbon has taste?" System: "I don't think it has any taste, otherwise, why would it choose you?" Xia Ge: "...Can you just shut up?" After messing around for a long time, Xia Ge still couldn't come up with a name that matched the red ribbon's taste, so she gave up. She didn't particularly want to keep this Yi Mei either; wearing it constantly reminded her of that mysterious cloaked person who made her feel uncomfortable. The discomfort wasn't because of anything bad about the cloaked person, but rather because...they were too good. So, it was unsettling. Anyway, once she left the black market, no one would know who she was. Xia Ge comforted herself, thinking that once no one recognized her, she could secretly tie the ribbon on some tree deep in the mountains and disappear without a trace. Who would find her then? The Zhenhun from the auction was fake, Huo Bai was White Blade, she had sold the pills, and bought the materials; this trip to the black market had been highly profitable. As for the unfortunate guest who bought the fake Zhenhun... anyone who could casually spend a million high-grade spirit stones surely didn't need her, someone who considered a hundred mid-grade spirit stones to be a fortune, to worry about them. Xia Ge steadied herself, hiding her left hand under her cloak, and walked out of the private room with large strides. With the Zhenhun auction completed, the audience's enthusiasm had been fully sparked, and the cloaked auctioneer was now selling other items. Meanwhile, in private room number 33. "Young Master..." Inside the well-decorated room, a young man dressed in black with a heavy sword on his back sat casually with his legs crossed and arms folded. Next to him, a middle-aged servant dressed in hemp and carrying an iron blade spoke cautiously, "The item you wanted has been sent over from the other side." "There should still be some fun things below." The young man grinned, "I don't want to leave. You hold onto that for me and take it back. Be very careful; if you lose it—watch your head!" "Ah... Young Master, that item..." The servant looked distressed, "Maybe it would be better for the Master to send someone to pick it up..." "When I say take it, you take it! Why so much nonsense!" The young man suddenly stood up, drawing the heavy black sword from his back. It had a two-foot-wide blade, sharp as could be, now held against the servant's neck! Terrified, the servant immediately dropped to his knees, "Young Master, spare me, Young Master, spare me!" The young man sneered, "You keep mentioning 'the Master.' Who the hell do you think your real master is?" "You, Young Master, it’s you!" The servant quivered. Just then, there was a knock on the door of the private room. The young man sheathed his sword with a reverse motion. "Go open the door!" The servant scrambled up, stumbling to open the door. Standing outside was a person in white wearing a jet-black mask, carrying the black case containing Zhenhun. With a low, hoarse voice, the person said, "Sir, your item. Please accept it." The servant, trembling, took the black case containing Zhenhun. Behind the black mask, the person's eyes were lifeless and hollow. "Sorry for the intrusion." After speaking, the white-clothed figure turned and left, thoughtfully closing the door behind them. The youth with the heavy sword on his back picked up the black mystical cage with one hand from the servant behind him, his long, narrow eyes filled with disdain, "A Yi Mei that can be contained by a black mystical cage, and it's supposed to be an ancient Yi Mei?" The servant beside him dared not speak. The youth lost interest after a moment, casually tossing the black mystical cage containing Zhenhun to the servant, "Since the old man likes ancient Yi Mei so much, consider it a gift from his son. Take it away." The servant didn't dare move. The youth glared at him, "Why are you standing there? Get lost!" "Y-yes..." With a heavy heart, the servant held the black mystical cage, put on his mask and cloak, and hurried out of the private room. Nobody noticed the deliberate small tear in the black mystical cage containing Zhenhun. With everyone gone, the youth sneered, relaxedly crossing his legs and flipping through the catalog of items sent from the black market. Upon reaching the last page, his eyebrows raised slightly. "...Tian Du Young Courtesan?" In another room. "Has it been delivered?" White Blade toyed with a puppet doll, his jet-black mask pushed up casually, revealing his dark eyes and pale cheeks. He looked at the person below with a cold smile. Below him stood the individual who had just delivered the Zhenhun to private room number 33. In a low voice, the person said, "It seems the guest from that room has sent someone out with the Zhenhun..." "Then figure out how to kill them and take the item back." White Blade sneered, his voice sinister and ruthless, "Do I have to spell it out for you?!" "...The subordinate hesitated for a few seconds, then whispered, "I... damaged the black mystical cage." White Blade's hand tightened sharply around the puppet doll before he abruptly stood up and kicked the person away, "What did you say?!" The white-clothed figure fell back awkwardly, pleading, "The subordinate failed, please punish me, Master!" White Blade gripped the puppet doll tightly for a long moment before slowly releasing it. "Actually... this might be better," he murmured, as if struck by some revelation, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "The more chaos, the better. Let everyone know Zhenhun has emerged." "Have people monitor the situation and report any movement instantly." "Get the item back before he leaves the black market." "Yes!" = = Meanwhile, Xia Ge slipped out of her private room stealthily, encountering many controlled corpse puppets on the way. They were obviously staff from the black market, skulking around looking for someone. "Attention all those around five to six feet tall, wearing bronze masks!" The tallest corpse puppet, seemingly the leader, had a sharp voice and was gathering the puppets at the entrance. "Keep a close watch!" Xia Ge, on tiptoe, nonchalantly walked past the lead corpse puppet towards the exit. There was a financial-baby puppet at the front who noticed Xia Ge in the fox mask about to leave. Looking at her height, it seemed puzzled, "Boss, that one seems a bit short..." The corpse puppet spun around and spotted Xia Ge. Xia Ge then noticed that the corpse puppet wore a rat mask. It suddenly stepped back quickly, "Apologies!" Xia Ge: "???" The rat-masked corpse puppet, cautiously, "Are you not participating in the auction anymore? Are you leaving?" Xia Ge: "..." After a moment, she nodded, "Uh...yes." "Take care, take care." The rat-masked corpse puppet rubbed its hands and thoughtfully opened the door for her. Xia Ge walked out in a daze. The financial-baby puppet spoke up, "Boss... that person was around five to si..." feet... The rat-masked corpse puppet knocked on its head, "Didn't you see the mask? Fool, that's a Crimson Blood Ink-stained mask! Let them through!" "Move, move, go on with the search!" Outside the door, Xia Ge touched her mask, wondering if it was her imagination that she had been helped by the cloaked person once again. Taking several turns and navigating through the corridors, Xia Ge found it easier to exit than enter. Walking on the red carpet and almost seeing the light outside, she was suddenly engulfed by an overwhelming stench of blood. Xia Ge halted. In the next moment, an imposing, almost unbearable pressure attacked! Instinctively, she summoned her scythe. In a split second, the sound of blades clashing fiercely rang out! Her wrist was numbed by the impact, forcing her back three or four steps. Raising her head, she saw a person! The individual wore a half-broken mask, with bulging, bloodshot eyes. His clothes were the strangest of all— a bloodstained white robe over his cloak, as if he had forcibly worn a robe meant to be inside the cloak. Wielding an ordinary iron blade, he clashed furiously with Xia Ge's scythe, displaying immense power! "Roar..." The person let out a roar, and with a swift motion of his bloody white robe, a forceful power burst from the fragile iron blade! In an instant, the iron sword's brilliance surged as though it held the strength of a thousand pounds! Unable to match it, Xia Ge's scythe bent and hooked around the person's shoulder, leveraging her position. Twisting her body, she narrowly dodged a fatal strike while wrapping a chain, pulled from the scythe's three-part handle, tightly around her opponent! With the scythe hook buried in his shoulder, there should have been blood gushing out. Yet, what was usually a failproof weapon struck the white robe as though hitting iron, causing no harm! "Of course, it’s a Yi Mei!" "Boom—" The person's wild sword thrust sent a fierce blade aura crashing into the stone behind Xia Ge, shaking the black rock cave violently. The Mithril array on the wall flared up coldly, while the bound individual's robe fluttered, making a slight sound like chains groaning. Xia Ge’s pupils constricted— What she heard was the sound of the chains inside her scythe breaking! "Woosh—" Retrieving her scythe abruptly, Xia Ge kicked off the person’s back, using the momentum of her Ghostly Phantom to dash out of the cave without hesitation! "Roar—" Freed from the restraint of the chain, the wicked Yi Mei manipulated the body and chased after Xia Ge! In her peripheral vision, Xia Ge saw the financial-baby puppet with the frog mask, now lifeless on the platform. Upon exiting the black rock cave, she was stunned by the sight that nearly took her breath away! Where once bustling merchants sold their wares laid corpses, blood staining the ground, with severed limbs scattered around! Seeing the gruesome scene, Xia Ge almost froze in place, unable to move. The icy blade wind rushing by her ear and the long knife in the Yi Mei's hand heading straight for her neck! "Shhh—" In an instant, a blood-red ribbon, like a godly weave, unfurled from Xia Ge’s left hand, twisting around the sharp blade numerous times, stopping its downward plunge towards her neck! The terrifying pressure suddenly dissipated as the two Yi Mei confronted each other! Xia Ge snapped back to her senses, her stomach churning, strongly suppressing the nausea as she turned and saw the Yi Mei retreat ten meters away. With a bloodstained half-mask, its iron blade was wrapped into a bundle by the red ribbon, which partly coiled around Xia Ge's left hand! "Did you... kill these people?" Suppressing the urge to vomit, Xia Ge glared at it, gripping the nameless red ribbon tightly, "You killed them?!" The person controlled by the Yi Mei chuckled grimly, a middle-aged man laughing in such a ghastly manner, "No, no, I didn't kill. I didn't kill—" His bulging eyes turned, then he screamed— "It's all you! You killed them—" "They were all killed by you!! You forgot, you forgot, hee-hee-hee—" "How could you forget, how could you forget—" Xia Ge’s veins popped, her red ribbon tightening abruptly, "Nonsense!" But before she could continue, the middle-aged man shrieked, "You did it! You forgot!! You wore me! You killed!! You forgot me! I hate you!! I hate you—" The Yi Mei finished speaking, and with a sharp pull, widely swung the blade from the red ribbon's bind. Despite being an ordinary iron blade, it shifted into a formidable weapon in its hands! It wildly laughed, rushing towards Xia Ge! "Remember! Remember!" "Put me on, put me on, then you’ll remember how powerful you were! Wearing me, you killed so many people, so many people, all trembling in fear, all begging you—" "Stop spouting that crap!! Who killed anyone?! You're talking nonsense!" Unable to bear it anymore, Xia Ge was about to throw her scythe when she suddenly heard slow clapping. "Well, well, the little thief hiding here." A cold voice reached her ears. Xia Ge’s pupils slightly contracted. Turning her gaze, she saw not far away was White Blade, wearing a cloak and a jet-black smile mask, clapping his hands. His voice from under the mask seemed amused, "Truly, you search high and low only to find it easily." Yes, she had changed her clothes and mask, but... The cloak had not changed! The wanted notice didn’t mention this feature, and other small fry couldn’t recognize it, but the master White Blade was here and recognized it immediately! “Clang!” Iron Blade’s gaze was icy cold. Xia Ge came to her senses, flipping her scythe to parry, as iron blade and scythe clashed, sparking a brilliant array of sparks. At the same time, countless individuals in white clothing and black masks surrounded her and the Yi Mei heavily! “Hurry… put me on, then you can kill them… and break out of here.” The Yi Mei wielded its sword, controlling the middle-aged man. His bulging eyes were filled with greed, and his voice was whispery and tempting, “Forgetting doesn’t matter, forgetting doesn’t matter, I don’t hate you. You just need to put me on, and I will forever submit to you. I won’t hate you anymore…” “You can only rely on me to break out—” “Let me tell you… my name is…” The voice gradually became ethereal and eerie, Xia Ge’s pupils contracted slightly, feeling somewhat lost. The Yi Mei chuckled sinisterly twice, “My name is—” “Whizz—” The sound of an arrow piercing the air was sharp and sudden. Xia Ge snapped back to reality to see the middle-aged man’s forehead sprouting an iron arrowhead. A long feathered arrow, shot from nowhere, had pierced his skull directly! He stared wide-eyed, dying with a grievance. However, the Yi Mei still tried to control him, making it appear incredibly bizarre! Xia Ge felt goosebumps rising. With a sudden motion, she flung the Yi Mei’s sword away with her scythe and kicked it, “Get lost!” She took a moment to glance up and saw not far away, the cloaked archer with a wide-brimmed hat was quietly drawing a longbow, an arrow aimed at her head. The breeze barely stirred her shadow, which stood cold and aloof. …Her again?! The Yi Mei was suddenly furious, a violent bloodlust radiating from it. Controlling the corpse with an arrow in its head, it swung the long knife fiercely at Xia Ge, “Ungrateful wretch!” Xia Ge didn’t care and used her Ghostly Phantom to step on a white-clad person’s head, rushing into a black rock cave. White Blade ignored who had shot the arrow, focusing solely on Xia Ge, the eavesdropping thief. He sneered, “Let’s see where you run! Chase her!” Pursuers followed closely behind! Xia Ge’s left-hand red ribbon suddenly extended, splitting into hundreds, sweeping through the legs of the masked individuals chasing her— “What the hell is this?!” “Caught by it!” “Chase—” What followed was a barrage of arrows slicing through the air! “Ah—” “……” “Who is it?!” White Blade turned sharply, releasing numerous paper blades. However, the cloaked archer merely moved slightly, then disappeared entirely! The paper blades missed, and White Blade’s pupils contracted. When he turned back, both the Yi Mei and the eavesdropping thief were gone! “Damn it to hell!” White Blade was almost furious to the point of bursting a lung, “Useless idiots, all of you!!” The useless idiots lay on the ground, their legs still bound by the red ribbon, now vanished, replaced by numerous fatal arrows. They were no longer breathing. Fuming, White Blade spat at his subordinates who hadn't moved, “What are you standing around for! Go chase them!! Find them!! Don’t you have eyes?!” At that moment, the cloaked archer, holding the Yi Mei wrapped in vibrant red silk, entered the black rock cave. Finding a hidden spot, she unwound the silk from the person controlled by the Yi Mei’s mouth. The Yi Mei was bound like a dumpling and, upon being freed, exclaimed, “Hey, who are you—” The cloaked archer's voice was calm, “What’s your name?” This garment made her extremely uneasy. “Who are you?! Why should I tell you my name? But if you give me your life—” Its voice was hoarse and greedy, “It's not impossible—” The answer was an ice-cold arrowhead pointed at its soul core. The Yi Mei instantly became less arrogant, “How do you know where my soul core is?!” “I don't know,” the cloaked archer's voice was flat. “I also want to know why I know.” Why did she feel a spine-chilling familiarity with every fiber and inch of this Yi Mei? “Tell me your name,” the cloaked archer’s voice was frosty, “or I'll kill you.” The Yi Mei shivered and suddenly noticed the red ribbon binding it, screaming abruptly, “It’s you—?!” The arrowhead pressed closer to its soul core, and the Yi Mei shrieked louder, though not in fear, but with eerie laughter, “It’s you, hahaha, it’s you— So it’s you— hahaha, I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you who I am, hahaha—” The cloaked archer’s voice remained unchanged, “Who are you?” Its voice was laced with malice and venom, each word cutting deep. “My name is Disaster Fate.” The cloaked archer’s gaze turned cold. In the next moment, the arrowhead pierced through the soul core, and Disaster Fate shattered into fragments, screaming, “You can’t kill me—you can’t kill me, hahaha—” She stood silently over the scattered white fragments, an inexplicable chill rising from within. = = Xia Ge, relying on the Ghostly Phantom, ran into a black rock cave, scurrying about like a headless chicken. After turning a corner, she suddenly came face to face with more white-masked pursuers! “Haha, I knew you’d run this way!” A man laughed from the other side, “These caves are interconnected. Where can you run?” Xia Ge glanced behind her to see more white-clad followers closing in! Cornered from both sides, Xia Ge’s forehead was starting to break out in a cold sweat. She quickly scanned her surroundings, noting the blood-red carpet on the floor and the faintly glowing array on the walls— An array?! Quickly stowing her scythe in her Flow Silver Ring, Xia Ge threw herself against the wall and stepped on the secret array embedded there! She had read earlier that the arrays on these walls seemed to have teleportation capabilities! That’s why there was a “Do Not Step on the Array” warning! But… it needed spiritual energy to activate! “Haha, what’s he doing?” “This idiot, does he think just stepping on it will work? Haha, so stupid—” “Catch him!” A sword swung down fiercely towards her, Xia Ge bit her lip and sidestepped, the blade cutting through the tie that held her hair up, her soft black hair cascading down. But Xia Ge didn’t have time to care about that, swiftly forming the Gathering Spirit Hand Seal. She had just entered the inner sect and didn’t know how to use spiritual energy. The only place she had learned to use spiritual energy was during the explosion of an ancient spirit array! As she was about to be surrounded, Xia Ge completed the Gathering Spirit Seal! In the next instant, violent spiritual energy condensed in the small cave. The array at her feet flared up with blinding silver light, stunning everyone. When they regained their senses, Xia Ge was gone. “Damn it!” “Where does this wall’s array lead?!” “This spiritual energy— it could activate the wall’s array?! This is an Earth-Tier teleportation array!!” “Where does it lead?! Do we even need to ask?! All the arrays here lead to the storehouse! The auction is still ongoing, don’t let this brat ruin anything!!” “Chase!” Everything spun violently. Just as Xia Ge was about to crash to the ground, she used Ghostly Phantom to flip in mid-air, landing steadily. She caught her breath, running her fingers through her loose hair, and looked around. She was in a long corridor, its white walls bare of any decoration, with several bright-red lacquered doors lining the walls. She approached one of the doors, listening carefully. There was no sound, and all the doors were tightly closed. She walked down the corridor, trying each door; all were shut tight. Reaching the last lacquered door, she noticed it was slightly ajar. Xia Ge paused, realizing it was... open? Just as Xia Ge was pondering this, she heard voices, “The teleportation array ends here. Search quickly!” “Bastard must have a death wish! If any auction items go missing, I’ll make sure he never leaves here alive!” “Keep your voice down, the auction is still going on…” The approaching footsteps left her no choice; Xia Ge didn’t hesitate and pushed her way into the room! The next moment, Xia Ge felt herself nearly blinded. Blinded. The walls were covered with clothes— red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, sequined and plain, with piles of small shoes and hats, all seemingly made for children. For a moment, Xia Ge thought she had accidentally stumbled into an ancient children's clothing shop. The room exuded a strange and indefinable fragrance. Xia Ge first felt her eyes water and then sneezed. Forcing her gaze away from the flashing clothes, she noticed a beautiful, soft-curtained bed and a dressing table nearby. Wait! A thought flashed through Xia Ge’s mind. She looked at the clothes, the dressing table, the bed… “If any auction items are missing…” “…Tian Du Young Courtesan!” The voices outside were still bustling, “Not here! But he can't have gone far! He’s definitely in the storeroom!” “Search every single door!” Could this be Tian Du Young Courtesan’s room?! Where is the Young Courtesan? Outside, the voices were getting closer. Xia Ge gritted her teeth, running out of time! Using Ghostly Phantom, she quickly grabbed a garment from the wall and dove into the curtained bed, stuffing her clothes, mask, and cloak messily into her Flow Silver Ring, and began figuring out how to put on the new outfit. The dress Xia Ge randomly picked was a wide-sleeved, reddish-brown long gown. She slipped into it directly. Despite the young courtesan reportedly being only ten years old, the dress surprisingly fit Xia Ge well. The red ribbon on her left hand matched the red dress perfectly. The noise outside continued, with the pursuers seemingly checking one door at a time. Xia Ge's heart hammered fiercely. She went barefoot to the dresser, swept all the various rouge and lipsticks into her hand, and brought them to the bed. Hiding behind the light veil of the bed, she began to apply makeup. Xia Ge knew how to put on makeup. Before her transmigration, she had been quite fond of it. No girl dislikes making herself look prettier. But everything had changed since she came here. Never had she imagined she'd be putting on makeup under such circumstances. Carefully smearing the rouge on her lips and blending it out, she then applied eyeshadow of the same hue, accentuating the corners of her eyes with a slight upward flick. Looking into the small bronze mirror, she even dabbed on some blush. After finishing, Xia Ge barely recognized herself. “...I can’t compare to the renowned beauty of the Tian Du Young Courtesan, but surely this should be good enough to pass.” Seeing that the intruders had not yet reached her room, Xia Ge quickly put away the mirror and noiselessly returned all the rouge to the dresser. Gazing into the dresser’s mirror, she was shocked by her reflection. In the bronze mirror, a maiden blushed like a spring peach, her red lips alluring, and her gaze flirtatious and teasing. The beauty was undeniable, but with her hair loose, she resembled a ghostly bride in a red dress, beautiful yet eerie. Xia Ge: “…” Having no time to tie her hair, Xia Ge glanced around and found a red veil that looked oddly like a prop. She grabbed it, draped it over her head, and quickly returned to the bed. Under the red veil, with her heart pounding from the approaching voices outside, Xia Ge felt an odd mix of tension surpassing even that of a real wedding. Taking a deep breath, Xia Ge reached into her Flow Silver Ring for her hidden scythe, ready to strike if discovered. System: "During weddings, people place apples under the pillow, yet you place a scythe." Who the hell is getting married?! This isn’t a wedding! This isn’t even a ghost wedding, dammit! Xia Ge: "Just shut up, please." Listening quietly for a while, Xia Ge noticed the intruders had not entered yet. The overly fragrant atmosphere of the room began making her head dizzy and her body warm. Confused, she looked around and spotted an incense burner releasing thin smoke. Her eyes flashed green. [Amorous Addiction: Spring Poison] Concise and clear. Xia Ge’s face turned pale, “Damn it?!” Voices from the hallway finally reached her door as someone hesitated, “Isn’t this room…” “That’s that! Every room must be searched! Kick it open!” “Bang!” The door was kicked open! The heavy fragrance spread, and the leader, a brawny figure in a ram mask, scanned the room, his eyes zeroing in on the mirage-like figure on the bed. “We’re conducting a search! …You, come out and let me take a look.” His rough voice commanded. The followers behind him gasped slightly, their eyes bright with curiosity, clearly eager to witness the legendary beauty of the Tian Du Young Courtesan. The bed’s pristine white curtains were gently lifted by a delicate hand wrapped in a brilliant red ribbon, revealing a figure under a red veil. A soft, slightly hoarse child-like voice spoke, “Dear brothers, I’ve recently caught a cold and am not well enough to entertain guests.” “We are looking for someone,” the ram-masked man insisted, “Can you show us your face?” The hand hesitated momentarily, seemingly reluctant. “Don’t worry, we just need to confirm,” the ram-masked voice said sternly. “If brothers want to see, then I won’t refuse.” Her soft voice responded, followed by the slow unveiling of half her face. Everyone held their breath instantly. Light brows, delicate makeup accentuating her eyes which had a seductive upward flick, and most captivating of all, a pair of light purple eyes! All present were mesmerized, their souls captivated by the enchanting gaze, leaving them breathless and motionless as though a single breath might shatter the divine illusion. The next moment, the red veil softly fell back down, and a gentle voice commanded, “Brothers, you’ve seen enough. Please leave now.” As if under a spell, the men moved as ghosts, exiting one by one, the last even thoughtfully closing the door behind him. Xia Ge had barely relaxed when she heard an elderly woman’s voice outside, curious, “Oh my, what are you all doing here?” Before anyone could reply, she laughed understandingly, “Oh, I see, I see. What a coincidence, that child was just sent to entertain guests on stage. You won’t see the Tian Du Young Courtesan’s beauty here; you should check the stage.” Xia Ge's pupils contracted sharply! Sure enough, the ram-masked man recovered, “We’ve been fooled!! Return!” But as he turned, his pupils dilated in shock, choking out “You—” before falling dead, breathless. In an instant, the ground was littered with corpses. Standing in the now silent corridor, the cloaked person slowly removed her hat, revealing a face as white as jade with eyes filled with a hint of demonic aura. She calmly surveyed the bodies, holding a blood-stained Heaven-Punishing Ribbon without a trace of guilt. Vague memories seemed to stir, starting to awaken. A figure holding her hand, chatting cheerfully. “Xiao Kui said I should talk to you more, so you can catch on quicker…” “Oh, oh, slow down now. I order you, lift your left foot, yes, then your right… oops.” “…” Gu Pei Jiu's expression gradually paled, the demonic aura in her eyes dissipating. She closed her eyes, pressing against the wall, her mind in turmoil. Who was she? ——“Who am I?” “You are Gu Pei Jiu.” ——“Who are you?” “Me? Um, let’s see… probably your, um, you know, master’s such a weird thing…” “Well, I guess I’m the person you can trust the most!” “Anyway, no matter what, just always, always trust me!” ——“Will you trust me too?” “Yes, I’ll always, always trust you!” Fragmented memories surged in waves, disjointed, but always centered on one person. From birth to destruction, she had always watched, never willing to let go, making her go mad, go demonic, disregard everything, for that one person. Author's Note: Xiao Bing tossed 1 landmine, time: 2018-07-05 23:49:59 Yang Xi tossed 1 landmine, time: 2018-07-05 23:54:33 Gu Gui tossed 1 landmine, time: 2018-07-06 00:04:22 Zhui Yu Guan Deng tossed 1 landmine, time: 2018-07-06 08:50:56 You Li You Xian tossed 1 landmine, time: 2018-07-06 12:12:59 Gu Gui tossed 1 landmine, time: 2018-07-06 23:47:23 Liang Qi 647 tossed 1 landmine, time: 2018-07-06 23:58:24 Li Yin tossed 1 landmine, time: 2018-07-07 18:11:08 Forgetting Chuan Liu Li Leng Mo Ling tossed 1 landmine, time: 2018-07-07 19:06:17 = = Reader “Ran You”, nutrient irrigation +10, time: 2018-07-07 16:59:17 Reader “Liang Liang Liang”, nutrient irrigation +20, time: 2018-07-07 11:37:18 Reader “Mo Shu”, nutrient irrigation +3, time: 2018-07-07 07:08:14 Reader “Liang Ceng Yun”, nutrient irrigation +13, time: 2018-07-07 00:28:03 Reader “Liang Ceng Yun”, nutrient irrigation +1, time: 2018-07-07 00:27:58 Reader “”, nutrient irrigation +1, time: 2018-07-06 22:06:58 Reader “Luo Ye Sui Feng”, nutrient irrigation +15, time: 2018-07-06 18:43:02 Reader “Bu Bao”, nutrient irrigation +4, time: 2018-07-06 17:24:57 Reader “Da Mao”, nutrient irrigation +40, time: 2018-07-06 16:54:45 Reader “Xia Yu Le”, nutrient irrigation +10, time: 2018-07-06 14:59:04 Reader “Biu Biu”, nutrient irrigation +1, time: 2018-07-06 13:42:35 Reader "Ren Yuxian" irrigated with +10 nutrient solution on 2018-07-06 11:12:49 Reader "Ai shiteru" irrigated with +5 nutrient solution on 2018-07-06 08:09:05 Reader "Ya Shu Xiu cr Cou" irrigated with +10 nutrient solution on 2018-07-06 02:49:25 Reader "Barium Sulfate" irrigated with +10 nutrient solution on 2018-07-06 01:23:47 Reader "Bing Yang Ting Xuan" irrigated with +5 nutrient solution on 2018-07-06 01:13:38 Reader "Murasame" irrigated with +1 nutrient solution on 2018-07-06 00:01:30 Thank you all for the landmines and nutrient solutions! As promised, here’s an update _(:3)∠)_ = = Also... to explain Xia Ge's irritability in the last chapter, first, she was experiencing stomach pain, and second, she didn't want to reveal her identity as a girl to anyone. It was a mix of bravado and intentionally trying to drive the person away that made her act that way. She knew the person probably didn’t mean any harm... Otherwise, she wouldn't have silently accepted the acts of kindness later on. In truth, it's still the subpar writing skills of this author. More practice is needed, no need for elaborate explanations. Alright, promised you an update, love you all.