108 - Douluo: Martial Spirit Blue Silver Grass

Rebirth as the Malicious Senior Sister - Chapter 108 The flawless white petals quietly bloomed in her palm, a faint and subtle fragrance seeming to waft from them. Jiu Ying's gaze was dark and deep, her heart tangled in a web of contradictions. She dared not imagine or ask whether Fu Ling truly harbored feelings for her. At least not until she figured out how to respond to such emotions herself; until then, she lacked the courage to confront it. Just as Fu Ling feared asking her, she too dreaded the consequences that might follow. The purple meteor shower across the sky was beautiful and dazzling, only ceasing after half an hour. Lin Yu Miao and the others watched fixedly, gentle smiles lighting their faces. Before tonight, they had never imagined that the heavenly thunder and purple flames, which could be used for killing, could also bloom into such brilliant, splendid fireworks. The world was in turmoil, not just from demons. Even the so-called righteous cultivators in the spiritual world were increasingly driven by hatred and resentment. They had long forgotten that the spiritual energy, painstakingly cultivated, was meant to preserve beauty and peace. As the meteors and fireworks ended, the illusion vanished, and the ephemeral blossoms withered rapidly, disappearing in an instant. Jiu Ying looked at her now empty palm, her fingers moving slightly. Only when she heard Lin Yu Miao and the others approaching did she slip that beautiful pale hand back into her sleeve. Fu Ling stood there, nervously twisting her hands, grinning foolishly. The pastries she made during the day were liked by her senior sister; the ephemeral blooms she crafted just for her senior sister at night were also liked. Though not valuable treasures, as long as they brought joy to her senior sister, it was enough. She stepped forward, moving closer to Jiu Ying, their long sleeves brushing, indistinguishable in the shadows. The atmosphere was warm and ambiguous, sparking a desire within Fu Ling to grow even closer to Jiu Ying. The kiss she had seen in the illusory well—she dared not dream of that. The only thing she dared to think of was holding hands. Ever since Jiu Ying witnessed her heart illness, they hadn't held hands again. What once had been a natural gesture had now, inexplicably, become a luxury. Fu Ling bit her lip, her gaze fixated on that white sleeve. She cautiously extended her hand, a finger just about to touch the fabric, when the person in front of her suddenly turned away... Whether it was intentional or not, she couldn't tell, but her attempt at closeness was thwarted. After all, she was just a young girl experiencing her first signs of affection, and her cheeks flushed instantly. Embarrassment and awkwardness mixed with a tinge of sadness. She looked up to find Jiu Ying already engaged in conversation with Lin Yu Miao and the others, apparently discussing how to deal with Bai Gu. Such indifference made her initial dissatisfaction and anger feel like punching into a soft pillow—before they could ferment, they were suppressed anew. The group was still conversing, and when they noticed Fu Ling approaching, the topic naturally shifted to the meteor shower and fireworks moments ago. Gao Tian Lian remained the most enthusiastic. Initially, he had thought that the sky full of fire was a powerful killing technique, yet in Fu Ling’s hands, even heavenly thunder and purple flames could transform into unforgettable beautiful sights. "Miss Fu Ling's control over spiritual energy is truly something to marvel at. With such talent, it's something we single-spiritual-root cultivators can't catch up to even if we spent our entire lives." His words were genuine, and his heartfelt tone made it clear it was no mere flattery. Lin Yu Miao nodded in agreement, offering his insights, "The profoundness of swordsmanship lies in its infinite variations, a principle applicable to other techniques as well. Tonight's splendor was due to Miss Fu Ling's adept adaptation of the sky fire." After speaking, he turned his head towards the junior beside him, quietly reminding, "Yu Hen, you should learn humbly from this." Over the recent days, He Yu Hen had lost his animosity and disdain towards Fu Ling. Hearing Lin Yu Miao's words, he nodded earnestly, "I understand, Senior Brother. As Brother Gao said, it's not that single-spiritual-root cultivators cannot achieve such refined control over spiritual energy; even I cannot do so. Even among dual-spiritual-root cultivators, Miss Fu Ling is far superior to me. I should indeed learn more from her." Acknowledging Fu Ling's superiority so openly made even Fu Ling herself feel embarrassed. She pressed her lips together, her cheeks turning slightly red, though the dim lighting prevented anyone from noticing. Most of what she understood about heavenly techniques came from Jiu Ying, with only a small part being her own comprehension. Fearing Jiu Ying would stop teaching her because of this, she rushed to explain, "I still have a lot to learn. I'm not as amazing as you say." After speaking, she quickly glanced at Jiu Ying beside her. That exquisite face remained calm and composed, but upon careful observation, one could see the pride and satisfaction in her dark eyes. If she didn't care, why show such a proud look? Realizing this, a shy joy filled Fu Ling's heart, enveloping her completely, making her forget her embarrassment and sadness from before. Knowing humility is a rare kind of progress. Jiu Ying's eyes shifted slightly, her expression finally softening. Fang Yuan Qing, having listened to their conversation, grew increasingly pleased with Fu Ling, admiring her more and more. Possessing ability and a kind heart, and modest despite others' praise, Fu Ling appeared strikingly similar to the famed Fu Xi as described by the world. Not only humble and strong but with a heart to save others. Just as the spiritual world once needed Fu Xi, he believed that if the three races were to go to war, Fu Ling would undoubtedly be the hero who could restore peace. Midnight approached, and Bai Gu was about to arrive. The group left the backyard, quickly taking positions around the kitchen. The two dishes sat on the stove, their enticing aromas wafting out through the slightly ajar window. Though Qin Shu Yu was confident in her cooking skills, she felt a twinge of nervousness. After all, it was her first and only chance to prove that culinary skills could indeed prove useful. Hidden in the shadows, they quietly awaited. As the early hours approached, they finally saw the middle-aged male cultivator from Tianyun Sect arrive. Given the meticulous preparations and Jiu Ying's presence, capturing the undead puppet proceeded exceptionally smoothly. Never having encountered demonic entities, Qin Shu Yu recoiled in fright when she saw a white-robed boy emerge from the middle-aged cultivator’s body. Jiang Bei Qing, aware of her fear and seeing no immediate necessity for her presence, quickly led her away. The three corpses as one, their three souls had now been captured, and the Miao Zhen spiritual pearls could be reclaimed. When Fang Yuan Qing found Qin Shu Yu, she was sitting with Jiang Bei Qing on the wall, gazing at the moon, their eyes brimming with soft laughter. At such a scene, he hesitated to interrupt. Yet, Qin Shu Yu already noticed him. “Does Young Master Fang have something to discuss?” “The three corpses have been sealed in the Golden Light Mirror. I’ve brought the spiritual pearl to return to you, Miss.” Fang Yuan Qing opened his palm, revealing the final Buddhist bead inside. Qin Shu Yu didn’t move, her expression unusually gentle. After pondering for a while, instead of taking the bead back, she looked at the silent Jiang Bei Qing beside her. “This spiritual pearl isn’t of much use to me. I’d rather gift it to Miss Jiang.” As she spoke, her eyes seemed to hold a light that shone so brightly it made Jiang Bei Qing hesitant to meet her gaze. To give away such a cherished dowry, Fang Yuan Qing found surprising, let alone Jiang Bei Qing. Without much thought, she quickly declined, “A world full of demonic chaos—keeping the spiritual pearl for your protection would be wiser. What if something happens and leaves everyone worried?” Whether out of embarrassment or another reason, her words were tinged with urgency. Hearing this, Qin Shu Yu's eyes grew even warmer with mirth. “You rescued me from the Si family mausoleum with Jiu Ying. Didn’t you think I’ve long lost my place in this world? I can’t return to the Si family, nor will the Qin family take me back. I believe the only place left for me is the human realm.” “If I go to the human realm, this spiritual pearl will be of no use to me.” “They say two great monsters still roam free. With the spiritual pearl by your side, at least it can keep you safe, even if it can't help much.” The human realm? Bewilderment filled Jiang Bei Qing's eyes, unaware Qin Shu Yu had long decided to leave. While free from demonic hazards, the human realm held its own dangers. A beautiful girl with nothing but culinary skills would likely be kidnapped by the second day. Her concern bubbled forth, compelling her to voice her worries, “Why only the human realm? You could come with me to Jiang’s home!” “To Jiang’s home?” Qin Shu Yu frowned, her expression turning serious when realizing Jiang Bei Qing spoke genuinely, “Do you understand the trouble I could bring to you and Uncle Jiang if discovered there?” “Si Xiao’s third uncle recently advanced while in seclusion, and upon exit, the Si family would have three celestial stage strong cultivators. Such power is unmatched by any other family.” "You should understand that I can't go back to Jiang's home with you." Jiang Bei Qing's lips moved slightly, a mix of surprise and anger on her face. Qin Shu Yu was right. As the eldest daughter-in-law of the Si family, she was destined to stay forever in the cemetery, guarding it for Si Xiao. If she dared to escape, the Si family would never let her go. If caught, her fate would be sealed. The human realm was indeed the safest place. "This spiritual pearl... consider it my parting gift to you. Please accept it." Qin Shu Yu curved her lips into a smile, taking the pearl from Fang Yuan Qing and presenting it to Jiang Bei Qing. This time, Jiang Bei Qing did not refuse. She looked down at the red pearl, her gaze lingering before speaking, a hint of discontent faintly detectable in her tone. "Don't say it's the last—it's not like we won't meet again." Such a sullen voice made Qin Shu Yu find the typically proud young lady unexpectedly endearing. She chuckled softly, her tone slightly teasing. "The dignified eldest daughter of the Jiang family, would you really lower yourself to visit the human realm?" Jiang Bei Qing froze for a moment before quickly responding, "I will. I will come to see you." Her words had scarcely fallen when something else occurred to her. She lifted her head to meet Qin Shu Yu's smiling eyes and firmly declared, "Tomorrow morning, I will personally see you off to the human realm." ※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※ Hahaha, suddenly it feels like Fang Girl has it rough, surrounded by romance everywhere! Next chapter, time to bring out the Demon Consort (Ming Yue) for a stroll. The Jiang & Qin pair is going offline for now; there probably won't be detailed writing about them in the main story moving forward. I'll leave the more specific coupling details for the extras. There's likely to be an additional update today, but it might be a bit late orz. Big thanks to the little angels for casting a vote or watering with nutrient fluids between 2020-11-21 23:40:32 and 2020-11-22 20:22:45~ Thanks to the little angels who threw landmines: Frost and Snow, Zhouxuan 1; Thanks to the little angels who watered nutrient fluids: Silent Brother 97 bottles; Girlfriend of Qian Beiting, Frost and Snow 10 bottles; えどがわこなん 5 bottles; Thank you all for your support! I'll continue to work hard!