91 - Douluo: Martial Spirit Blue Silver Grass

Reborn as the Villainous Senior Sister GL - Chapter 91 (1/2) Si Xiao's desire to establish his reputation through subjugating the demon did not seem an excessive ambition. If he truly had both the determination and the ability to tame the drought demon, as Su Rao claimed, Jiu Ying would naturally not contest his authority over the matter. However, the crux of the issue lay in the fact that his so-called determination and ability relied merely on the powers of the Demon Locking Golden Thread and the Water-Splitting Pearl to achieve his goal. Not to mention whether this method would even succeed; even if he were fortunate enough to capture the drought demon, the cost would be extremely grave—not only exhausting resources but also devastating hundreds of acres of farmland along the riverbank. It was absolutely not a viable approach to demon subjugation. As for Su Rao, who looked down on Fu Ling by virtue of her higher cultivation, Jiu Ying was even less willing to make any concessions in this matter. In the world of cultivation, strength reigns supreme, and the strong are respected. At this moment, Jiu Ying was the most powerful of the eight present, and her terse command for Si Xiao to "get lost" carried another implicit layer of meaning— No matter whether representatives from the Si, Lu, or Su families showed up, Jiu Ying alone would be capable of subduing the drought demon. In her view, Si Xiao, Lu Xing Lan, and Su Rao were the most dispensable members of this demon subjugation team. Everyone understood her blatant yet implicit message, including the trio in question. Before absolute power, they were in no position to refute her words, regardless of how angry they might be. Words had come this far, but it was impossible to simply dismiss them. As long as they stayed in Dongshan State, they would share in the credit for subjugating the drought demon, without anyone questioning their contribution, whether significant or negligible. Si Xiao's eyes darkened, and he was weighed down by Jiu Ying's emitted aura of dominance. Despite his efforts to restrain himself, his body still trembled slightly. He raised his head, trying to meet her cold, narrow eyes, but just a distant glance from Jiu Ying filled him with dread, his arm hairs standing on end. The reason was simple: Jiu Ying's gaze at him lacked any warmth, as if she were merely looking at a dead object, devoid of pity or sympathy. His heart thudded uncontrollably, a silent drop of cold sweat slipped down his brow, and in panicked fear, he withdrew his gaze, finally conceding to the woman before him, reluctantly acknowledging her lead— "Si Xiao... is willing to follow the lady's command." Thus, the leadership of the demon subjugation returned to Jiu Ying. She knew Si Xiao wouldn't leave Dongshan State, so she didn't bother wasting time speaking further with him, taking Fu Ling's hand and leaving. Upon seeing this, Fang Yuan Qing hurried after her with Fang Si Jian and another disciple from the Ling Sword Sect. In the blink of an eye, only three people were left at the gate of Dongshan State. Watching Si Xiao lower his head, Su Rao was shocked and furious. Within moments, her anger flared even more, clearly unresigned to the outcome. Even after Jiu Ying had gone far enough not to hear her words, Su Rao turned to Si Xiao in disbelief, calling out indignantly, "A-Xiao!" Si Xiao didn't respond to her, not even glancing her way, and simply turned away. Lu Xing Lan quickly ran after him, leaving Su Rao standing there alone, her eyes glaring resentfully at Jiu Ying's departing figure. Drought demons are nocturnal creatures, deriving their demonic power from sunlight, and most fearful of it as well. Midnight, during the Hour of the Rat, is when the yin energy is at its peak and their demonic power is weakest. Currently, this drought demon hides submerged in the river during the day and only surfaces at night. After some discussion, the group decided to act at night. The plan was set, but many issues still needed resolution. Fang Si Jian looked at the turbulent waves under the long dam, letting out a soft sigh, "The drought demon moves swiftly. If it tries to flee into the river at night, capturing it will be quite difficult." His concerns were not unfounded. As the only river in Dongshan State, the vast river beneath their feet stretched nearly a thousand miles. If the drought demon decided to stay submerged, they might have to resort to using the Water-Splitting Pearl. Hearing this, Zhong Yu Qiao from the Ling Sword Sect involuntarily nodded, a trace of worry crossing his brow, while gripping his sword a bit tighter, "If only it could be trapped somehow." The issues they worried about were already considered by Jiu Ying. She pressed her lips together, her expression cool and detached as she stared at the river until the ripples in the water calmed, then spoke coldly, "I have a way." A way? The method to trap the drought demon could only be— Fang Yuan Qing furrowed her brow in surprise, quickly realizing what strategy Jiu Ying was referring to. "The Heavenly Net Array?!" Jiu Ying saw the shock in her eyes, but remained calm and composed. "Indeed, it is the Heavenly Net Array. There are many fishermen in Dongshan State. Go find a fishnet ten miles in length and width. I will use this great net to trap the drought demon." "Remember, tie a dead knot at each corner, and the smaller the mesh, the better. Drought demons abhor sunlight. Once the net is acquired, place it under direct sunlight for two hours to absorb the sun's yang energy, which will aid in capturing the demon." As a disciple of the Fuyang Sect, Fang Yuan Qing had learned from an early age the knowledge of how to tame, trap, and kill beasts. She had once read in an old book within her sect about an ancient beast-trapping formation called the 'Heavenly Net,' which was immensely powerful, capable of trapping all beasts in the world. Neither spirit beasts nor demonic beasts could escape it once ensnared within. Even the mightiest ancient demons were merely a type of beast and could indeed be caught by this Heavenly Net Array. This formation was originally created by celestial cultivators, and with their extinction, no one in the world could inscribe the array symbols anymore, causing this powerful secret technique to gradually vanish into the mists of time. Fang Yuan Qing couldn't understand how the Heavenly Net Array had vanished from the world, yet Jiu Ying remained a confident master of it. While Fang Si Jian and Zhong Yu Qiao prepared to find a fishnet, she stood there with a furrowed brow, lost in thought. It wasn't until a voice prompted her to move that she finally snapped back to reality. She was curious to ask Jiu Ying where she had learned such a tactic, but she also knew that everyone's destiny was different, and it would be rude to covet another's fortune. After much internal struggle, she closed her lips, refraining from voicing any questions, and followed Fang and Zhong to leave. Near the river, the air grew increasingly hot. Fu Ling clutched her sleeve tightly, reflecting on Jiu Ying's assertive and confident demeanor during their conversation, feeling both proud and a bit inadequate. She was proud because such an outstanding Senior Sister belonged to her alone; inadequate because no matter how hard she tried, she seemed unable to keep up with her Senior Sister's pace. Raising her eyes stealthily to glance at Jiu Ying's face, she was caught in the act before she could look away. Being caught watching brought embarrassment. To alleviate her awkwardness, she forced a smile and quickly changed the topic before Jiu Ying could speak. "Senior Sister, what is the Heavenly Net Array?" Jiu Ying, presuming she wanted to learn, patiently explained its origins and uses in detail. Fu Ling, who knew little about taming beasts, listened with fascination at the array's ability to trap a drought demon. "What an incredible formation!" With only themselves present, Jiu Ying's demeanor softened significantly, her tone becoming exceedingly gentle. "The Heavenly Net can confine all beasts. As a Dragon Spirit, I can't enter the array, so tonight you'll have to enter the river to capture the drought demon." "Me?" Fu Ling's expression froze, unable to believe her Senior Sister wanted her to deal with an ancient demon. It wasn't that she feared the drought demon; she feared water. Having nearly drowned in Mei Lake as a child, she not only had a deep-seated fear of the place but also a profound dread of large bodies of water like deep lakes and rivers. The thought of entering the river was terrifying in itself. She wanted to refuse, but upon seeing Jiu Ying's encouraging and hopeful smile, although unspoken, she understood what her Senior Sister hoped for her to accept. On one hand was her profound fear of deep water; on the other, her Senior Sister's earnest expectations. Fu Ling turned her head away, unable to meet such hopeful eyes. After a moment's silence, she turned back, seeing those gentle eyes still fixed upon her. Imagining the disappointment on Jiu Ying's finely crafted and beautiful face made her inwardly unhappy. After much internal conflict, she finally bit her lip and nodded to accept the task. Jiu Ying observed the changes in her expression with a sense of silent contentment. Her inability to enter the array as a Dragon Spirit was true; Fu Ling's fear of water was also true. To become stronger, she needed to reduce her weaknesses as much as possible. Letting Fu Ling enter the river was also a means to help her overcome her fear of water. Thus, the matter was settled. Despite the abundance of fishermen in Dongshan State, none used nets ten miles long for fishing. Fang Yuan Qing had no choice but to hire dozens of fishers to weave one, sun-drying the net lines as they went. By nightfall, the net was finally ready. The three returned to the riverbank just as Jiu Ying brought Fu Ling along. Fang Yuan Qing expected to see the symbol-laden paper, but was surprised to find it blank upon unfolding. Everyone was baffled. Jiu Ying, however, offered no explanation, handing the yellow symbol paper to Fang Yuan Qing, then taking three small flags from Fu Ling's hands, distributing them to Fang Si Jian and Zhong Yu Qiao. "These are the array flags for the Heavenly Net Array. When the drought demon emerges at night, Fang Gongzi and Fu Ling will cast the net. Whether it traps the demon depends on whether these flags can stand firm." Upon hearing this, the three present were somewhat puzzled. They knew Fu Ling's cultivation level well enough. She had only just broken through a major boundary, so how could she possibly contend with the drought demon? Fang Si Jian and Zhong Yu Qiao wanted to probe further, but out of trust and submission to Jiu Ying, they chose to remain silent. Fang Yuan Qing scrutinized the yellow paper in her hand under the moonlight, still finding it blank. She furrowed her brows, uncertain why Jiu Ying had handed her an empty talisman. "This yellow talisman..." "The Heavenly Net Array is a formation I learned from an ancient text a few years back. At the time, I didn’t realize its true power. I recorded the symbols and then discarded the book. I'm not a beast tamer and lack understanding of confinement techniques. It's best for you, a Fuyang Sect disciple, to draw the symbols." Before she finished speaking, Jiu Ying pulled out a jade-colored thin paper from her sleeve, containing the intricate secrets of the Heavenly Net Array. Fang Yuan Qing was taken aback, her grip loosening so that the yellow paper fluttered away. Being perceptive, she immediately understood that Jiu Ying intended to teach her this invaluable secret formation. Its significance made her hesitant to accept it easily. Even with the symbol-laden paper now within her reach, she dared not take it. Meanwhile, Fang Si Jian and Zhong Yu Qiao were studying the array flags at the side, oblivious to the situation unfolding here. Aside from Jiu Ying and Fang Yuan Qing, only Fu Ling remained silent. Witnessing this, Fu Ling suddenly recalled the scene from days ago when Fang Yuan Qing gifted her the Demon Subduing Staff. Fang Yuan Qing and she were now in the same position—hesitant to accept the treasure presented to them. Recalling Fang Yuan Qing's kind gesture, Fu Ling couldn't help but smile. Without giving room for refusal, she accepted the thin paper from Jiu Ying and handed it over. "Since Senior Sister is giving it to you, why not just accept it, Sister Yuan Qing?" Her voice was sweetly sincere and a bit playful, with a smile on her lips. The mere sound of it felt like honey. Except for Fu Ling, no one had addressed Fang Yuan Qing in such a way before. Even dressed in men's attire, she felt a bit shy. With a moment of inattention, the paper ended up in her grasp. Jiu Ying glanced at Fu Ling, a rare hint of amusement on her face, "Since your Sister Yuan Qing has accepted the talisman paper, let’s not disturb her from drawing the symbols." Fu Ling pouted slightly, her tone somewhat dissatisfied, "But I want to watch too." "If you want to learn, I'll teach you another day." "I said I want to watch, not learn." "Then I'll draw it for you to watch another day." "..." Their playful exchange gradually distanced them from the others. It seemed like banter on the surface, but their words were filled with endless warmth and affection. Fang Yuan Qing pressed her lips together, only withdrawing her gaze when their figures faded from view. The paper in her hand was as light as a feather yet felt as heavy as a boulder. She looked down at it under the moonlight, finally noticing a small line of text at the edge— "Fu Ling fears water. She will be frightened initially when entering it. Please be patient and gentle with her." Only then did Fang Yuan Qing realize why Jiu Ying had entrusted her with such a precious talisman paper. It was because tonight's task of capturing the drought demon in the river fell not only on Fu Ling but also on her. Given Fu Ling's previous demeanor, she likely had no idea Jiu Ying had gone to such lengths for her sake. This quiet, hidden guardianship even stirred a feeling of envy in Fang Yuan Qing's heart. In a lifetime, if she could meet someone willing to quietly sacrifice everything without regret, she would die without regret. ※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※ Yuan Qing: Some people seem to be arguing on the surface, but in reality, they're just being sweet. Thanks to the angels who cast overlord votes or irrigated nutrient solution for me between 2020-11-07 13:22:44 and 2020-11-08 17:42:46~ Thank you to the little angel who cast a landmine: One from Bu Cai; Thank you to the little angels who irrigated nutrient solution: 108 bottles from Gong Yu; 10 bottles from Shen Liu; Thank you all for your support. I'll keep striving!