64 - Douluo: Martial Spirit Blue Silver Grass

Rebirth as the Villainous Senior Sister - Chapter Sixty-Four (1/2) Fu Ling turned to look at Madam Jiang lying on the bed. Though her face remained calm, the tightly pressed lips betrayed her anxiety. Nearby, the air faintly shifted with spiritual energy. Jiang Huaide noticed the unease on Fu Ling's face, his heart pounded rapidly, and his palms were clammy with sweat. Madam Jiang's life hung in the balance with the shadowy figure, so he dared not act recklessly. A shadow could kill quickly and quietly, leaving no trace behind. Jiu Ying, too, didn’t dare to alarm the shadow. She hadn’t expected the shadow to come and go like the wind, reaching the room in an instant. If the shadow intended to kill Madam Jiang, even she was not entirely confident in saving her. The room suddenly fell silent, and the atmosphere became distinctly solemn. Fu Ling was acutely aware that the shadow currently hovered over Madam Jiang, like a venomous serpent lurking in the night, ready to take a life at any moment. She bit her lip, retracting her gaze from the bed. Then, feigning calm, she called out to Jiu Ying with a voice full of surprise and joy. "Senior Sister, I think I saw Madam Jiang's hand move!" The sudden statement left the others momentarily puzzled. Before Jiu Ying could respond, Fu Ling eagerly approached the table, picked up a candle, and walked to the bedside. The flickering candlelight illuminated Madam Jiang, quickly casting light on every corner of the bed. As expected, the shadow retreated to a different location the moment she approached with the candle. Jiu Ying realized this as well, and couldn’t help but admire Fu Ling’s cleverness. While she and Jiang Huaide worried about how to locate the shadow, they overlooked the simplest yet most crucial fact— The shadow had to remain hidden in darkness to conceal its movements. As long as there was light, no matter how formidable, the shadow could not remain concealed. Fu Ling’s action not only saved Madam Jiang but also revealed the method to deal with the shadow. Jiu Ying raised her head, her gaze naturally rested on Fu Ling, noticing her hand holding the candle was trembling slightly. She immediately inferred that the shadow hadn’t left; it was still hiding in one of the dark corners of the room. With an idea forming on how to capture the shadow, she knew they needed to discuss with Jiang Huaide and others, but first, they had to drive the shadow away from the Jiang residence. After contemplating for a moment, Jiu Ying casually continued the conversation prompted by Fu Ling. "Madam Jiang only suffered a fright; she is not in any serious danger and will soon regain consciousness." With that, she also glanced at Jiang Huaide. "Jiang Xun Senior once drew a celestial divination. The person who killed him might be related to this divination. I heard this divination remains in the Celestial Divination Sect. I wonder if you can retrieve it tomorrow, Senior Jiang. If we can decipher the secrets of the celestial divination, we might uncover the murderer of Senior Jiang Xun." Jiang Huaide was momentarily stunned upon hearing this but quickly gathered himself. "That divination is indeed ominous and has been sealed in the Celestial Divination Sect. Tomorrow, I shall ask Bei Qing to retrieve it." Their act unexpectedly fooled the shadow. That ominous divination was indeed sealed, but not at the Celestial Divination Sect; it was enshrined in the Jiang family ancestral hall. The shadow would leave and surely return empty-handed. ＊＊＊ Shadows fear light and can only attack under cover of night. Observing how the shadow was so fixated on the divination, they could use it as bait to lure him out when the time came. Jiu Ying shared her thoughts, and Jiang Huaide agreed it was viable. He was about to nod in approval when he suddenly remembered something, his expression turning troubled. "Ordinary light may reveal the shadow but cannot harm it. I fear even if the shadow shows itself, we may not be able to capture it." This concern was valid. Catching a person is simple, but capturing a shadow without substance is challenging. Jiu Ying had thought about this issue. Since Jiang Huaide mentioned it, she could only subtly hint. "A shadow is an extension of a person. Once detached, it becomes neither demon nor monster, but a malevolent entity. Fu Ling possesses a Mysterious True Spirit Pearl, which is specifically effective against all evil spirits. However, the pearl alone is not enough. Ordinary sunlight merely exposes the shadow; additional spiritual tools are needed to harm it. I heard Miss Jiang possesses a superior-grade spiritual tool, the Heart-Piercing Mirror. With its assistance, the shadow would have no escape." Hearing this, Jiang Huaide nodded repeatedly and immediately left to ask Jiang Bei Qing for the Heart-Piercing Mirror. Little did he know, during the sect competition, the Heart-Piercing Mirror had turned to dust and blown away. The only fragment it left behind embedded itself into the scar on Jiang Bei Qing’s neck. Since the fragment belonged to the mirror, acquiring it was equivalent to acquiring the Heart-Piercing Mirror. The key was whether Jiang Bei Qing was willing to part with it. As Jiu Ying anticipated, Jiang Bei Qing hadn’t disclosed the destruction of the Heart-Piercing Mirror. In other words— No one within the Jiang family or the Celestial Divination Sect knew what truly occurred during that competition. In essence, it was merely a personal grievance between two individuals. Perhaps because Jiu Ying had saved the lives of her close relatives in the stone chamber, when recalling the unpleasant competition, Jiang Bei Qing no longer felt the same anger as before. The two found a quiet place, and seeing no one else around, Jiang Bei Qing calmly spoke. "You destroyed the Heart-Piercing Mirror with your own hands, so why send my relative to ask me for it?" In confusion, Jiang Bei Qing absentmindedly touched the scar on her neck. Beneath her palm was a narrow, faded scar. Tonight, she’d cried a few times, her eyes still red and swollen, her voice hoarse, making her seem pitiable no matter how one looked at her. Under the bright moonlight, the two stood in the corner of the courtyard, large trees casting shadows over them and blocking the light from the sky. Jiu Ying lowered her gaze, barely able to see Jiang Bei Qing’s silhouette through the faint light filtering through the leaves. She wore a striking red dress with a beautiful yet fragile face. Jiang Bei Qing released her hand, revealing the scar on her neck. The destruction of the spiritual mirror and the scar on her neck were consequences of her own actions, and Jiu Ying felt no regret for what she’d done then. Her visit to the Jiang family was initially to help Fang Qi Mountain find the golden dragon. Unexpectedly, she encountered the shadow’s vengeance. If not for seeking the truth about the demon dragon’s massacre, she wouldn’t have risked staying with Fu Ling. She pressed her lips together, her gaze lingering on the long scar for a moment before replying. "Though the Heart-Piercing Mirror was destroyed, it left behind a fragment in your neck wound." This scar was a thorn in Jiang Bei Qing’s heart, and Jiu Ying’s mention of it inevitably irritated her. “That fragment is embedded in the flesh, long unable to be removed.” Jiu Ying shook her head at this, her gaze cold and indifferent. “If you’re willing, there’s a way to remove it.” Jiang Bei Qing wanted to argue further, but a cold metallic object was thrust into her hand. Looking down, she realized it was a small silver dagger given by Jiu Ying. In the moonlight, the blade shimmered with a cold silver light, stirring an inexplicable fear. Jiang Bei Qing looked at the dagger, both startled and fearful. She hadn’t expected Jiu Ying’s “method” to mean cutting open her own wound to extract the fragment. The agony of carving into one’s flesh is beyond ordinary endurance, and as the eldest daughter of the Jiang family, she’d never suffered such hardship. Jiu Ying noticed Jiang Bei Qing’s hesitation, understanding that this method might not work. She extended her hand to retrieve the dagger, but Jiang Bei Qing stepped back, hiding it behind her. She glared once and swiftly ran out of the courtyard. Fu Ling watched from not far away, unable to hear their conversation, and dared not approach as Jiang Bei Qing left. She remained standing, calling out “Senior Sister” obediently. Once lively and mischievous, her demeanor had significantly mellowed since arriving at the Jiang residence. Often, she knew exactly what to do and what to avoid without Jiu Ying’s guidance. Currently, she stood alone under the veranda, hands clasped at her waist, eyes wide with worry as she lightly paced. She appeared exceptionally well-behaved, devoid of the usual defiant or difficult traits. Still concerned about the shadow, Jiu Ying’s mood was unexpectedly calmed, as if touched by a gentle breeze when she saw Fu Ling’s docile demeanor. She gestured at the girl under the veranda, who, upon receiving permission to move, smiled slightly and walked forward. Jiu Ying hadn't publicized the injury she inflicted on Jiang Bei Qing during the sect competition, so Fu Ling remained unaware. Listening to Jiu Ying’s explanation, Fu Ling finally understood why Jiang Bei Qing targeted her senior sister so intensely. But what surprised her more was her sister's prowess, defeating Jiang Bei Qing with Illusionary Arts from the Celestial Divination Sect. “Competitions naturally have winners and losers. Jiang Bei Qing might not be upset about losing but about being defeated by your arts from the Celestial Divination Sect. If it were me, my reaction would certainly be more intense.” Fu Ling’s defense of Jiang Bei Qing surprised Jiu Ying. Compared to when they first met, she had indeed changed significantly. To outsiders, Illusionary Arts is a skill unique to the Celestial Divination Sect, inaccessible to those outside. Jiu Ying knew that Fu Ling likely shared this belief, which explained her support for Jiang Bei Qing after learning about the incident. Only then did Jiu Ying realize that in Fu Ling’s eyes, those advanced arts she wielded might all seem like skills she had surreptitiously learned from other sects. Realizing this, Jiu Ying felt a bit helpless. To avoid continued misunderstandings, she decided to reveal the truth of the matter. "Jiang Bei Qing losing to me in illusion arts is because the Illusionary Arts don't actually belong to the Celestial Divination Sect." "Thousands of years ago, ancient cultivators, like you, were mostly celestial practitioners. The so-called advanced arts and sect secrets of the four major sects were all undeniably taken from the celestial practitioners. The Illusionary Arts can only reach their full potential in the hands of celestial practitioners." "It’s not surprising that Jiang Bei Qing lost to me. Neither she nor anyone from the Celestial Divination Sect can fully master the Illusionary Arts. This isn't about effort; it’s determined by innate talent." "She's angry because she believes the Illusionary Arts belong to the Celestial Divination Sect, but that's not true. Only the descendants of celestial practitioners have the right to inherit these arts, that is, you—Fu Ling." With celestial practitioners having vanished for centuries, Fu Ling, though of this bloodline, knew little of such history or the rise of the four sects at the decline of celestial practitioners. Her mind was still simple, and she didn't catch the implicit danger in Jiu Ying's words. "According to you, Senior Sister, if celestial practitioners were the true powerhouses, why am I the only one left?" Hearing this, Jiu Ying sighed softly, her thoughts drifting back to the time she was imprisoned by Si Qi. "Fu Ling, you still don’t understand. No matter how strong someone is, they can't avoid being sabotaged from within." "The unique physique of celestial practitioners makes them an endless source of spiritual energy for regular cultivators. When interests are at stake, they show no mercy. You have no idea the horrors they inflict on celestial practitioners." "If one day your identity is exposed and you lack the strength to protect yourself, you'll face the same fate as those tortured celestial practitioners, possibly even worse." "In the eyes of others, celestial practitioners aren’t even considered human but tools to enhance cultivations, and their crafted arts are up for grabs." "The Xuan Xiu Zong Zhu and your master hide your identity solely to protect you." These words were nothing Fu Ling hadn't heard before. Lost in thought, Fu Ling bit her lip and tentatively asked after a long silence. "Senior Sister, you’ll stay by my side forever, right?" She slightly lifted her head, her eyes moist and lively, shimmering brighter than the stars above. Faced with such expectant and pleading eyes, Jiu Ying couldn’t bring herself to refuse. She pressed her lips together, a faint smile appearing in her eyes, and nodded, once again giving her promise. "Yes, I will always be by your side." In this world, no one knew— Jiu Ying was born to protect Fu Ling. ※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※ Fu Ling's long journey of growth Every promise from Senior Sister Ying is etched in her heart. When Senior Sister can’t recognize her own feelings later on, she will inevitably become darker. Thanks to the little angels who cast overlord votes or irrigated with nutrient solutions between 2020-10-08 02:28:28 and 2020-10-09 14:21:49~ Thanks to the little angel who dropped a mine: Tian Feng Che Wan Ni 1; Thanks to the little angels for watering with nutrient solutions: Who Am I 10 bottles; Qin Tang Sheng 3 bottles; Thank you all for your continued support, I will keep working hard!