110 - Douluo: Martial Spirit Blue Silver Grass

Reincarnated as the Villainous Senior Sister - Chapter 110 (Part 1/2) Lin Yu Miao had gradually become a person devoid of desires, due primarily to his intense fear of failure. The best way to reignite his fighting spirit is to stir up his sense of justice. Recalling their first encounter on the ice lake in their past life, Jiu Ying was filled with emotion. Back then, although it was their first meeting, he had risked his life to save her. The root of his actions was his sense of justice overpowering his fear of failure and fear of death— He was a genuinely good and upright person in every sense. In many ways, today's Qiu Xi Shuang was similar to her former self. Lin Yu Miao had chosen to save her back then, and Jiu Ying had no doubt he would now go to any lengths to save Qiu Xi Shuang. She had no doubt about that. By the time they left the Xuan Ming Sect, it was already noon the next day. Supposedly the day to leave the sect and subdue the Rebellious Yan, Jiu Ying was nowhere to be seen. Fu Ling had searched all over, from the main hall to the medical hut, yet she still couldn't find the person she was looking for. Because of the recent distance between Jiu Ying and herself, she even suspected that Jiu Ying didn't plan to travel with her at all and had left alone the night before. Just the thought of such a possibility made her heart ache. With bitterness filling her heart, Fu Ling had no one to talk to about it, especially now, when she saw Chun Zhuan and Yun Fu walking hand in hand past the corridor, her sorrow turned into envy. Once, Jiu Ying had held her hand like that, but now, she could only watch others do so. Feeling both wronged and lost, she couldn’t stay in her room any longer. She wanted to go out and find someone but didn’t dare, as she used to, to sneak down the mountain impulsively. After half a day of sulking, she couldn't hold back any longer and found her way to the mountain gate alone. Back when the sect was determined to prevent her from sneaking out, they had set up a maze of forest here, but now, such a small trick certainly didn’t fool her. All around was silent, not a sound to be heard. The spring sun was lovely, a gentle breeze stirred, and the flowers and grasses at the foot of the mountain swayed, flourishing in the wind. It should have been a scene of tranquility and beauty, the kind of life Fu Ling most longed for, but with one person missing, it all seemed meaningless. As Jiu Ying descended the mountain, she noticed a cute yet forlorn figure. Due to the distance, she couldn’t see clearly and could only vaguely make out a solitary figure sitting by the mountain gate, her eyes fixed expectantly on the path leading to the sect, filled with hope yet tinged with fear. Hope for the person she was waiting for; fear that the person might not arrive. Though she couldn’t see the face, Jiu Ying immediately knew who it was. The girl was Fu Ling. Only she would eagerly wait for Jiu Ying to return. She couldn’t quite describe the feeling, but her steps quickened as she approached. Once she reached the mountain gate, the girl stood and rushed into her embrace. Such a warm and enthusiastic gesture left Jiu Ying unable to push her away. "Where did Senior Sister go? Why didn't you tell me?! I thought you’d left me!" The frustration and dissatisfaction in her voice hid traces of grievance, whispering silently of an endless attachment and affection. Feeling the subtle tremors in the body in her arms, Jiu Ying was overcome with a mix of emotions. She hesitated, unsure how to tell Fu Ling about her impending trip with Lin Yu Miao and others to rescue someone from the Spiritfire Altar. She opened her mouth but couldn’t find the words. After a moment of hesitation, she simply reached out a hand to gently pat the girl's back in comfort. “Last night, someone from the demon realm came, saying Qiu Xi Shuang wasn't dead. This is a big deal, so I went to the four sects overnight. I didn’t intend to leave you behind.” In those few words, Fu Ling immediately understood the gravity of the situation. Though she liked to throw little tantrums, she was also a reasonable person. When it mattered, she understood what should and shouldn’t be done. Thinking of those black spirit plaques, a familiar name flashed in her mind. "Qiu Xi Shuang?" At the sound of the name, Jiu Ying sighed softly and nodded, revealing the secret the demon envoy had disclosed. Bringing Lin Yu Miao was to help him gain the Spirit Void Sword's favor, and Fu Ling understood, but what made her unhappy was that Jiu Ying wasn’t planning to take her along. She remained silent in Jiu Ying’s arms, her eyes showing a hint of displeasure, her pink lips pressed tightly together, her delicate face etched with discontent. She wanted to ask why Jiu Ying wouldn’t bring her, but the answer was too simple; she already knew why. In the end, it was all to protect her. As the midday sun shone, casting warmth over them, Fu Ling remained stubbornly silent, which Jiu Ying interpreted as a silent rebellion, about to try and persuade her when the young girl leaned her head against her shoulder, lightly nuzzling Jiu Ying. Immature yet full of reliance, the gesture melted Jiu Ying’s heart in an instant. Without any reason. The tragedies of the past had gradually turned her into a cold and unfeeling person, rendering her numb in the face of death. Only when she saw Fu Ling did she feel a trace of warmth within her heart, when it wasn’t an icy coldness. Faced with Fu Ling’s unconscious gestures of closeness, all the words of persuasion caught in her throat vanished, not a single one left to say. In her hesitation, the girl raised her head and offered a smile. Even though it was a smile no brighter than a tiny sliver of light, it was still captivating. “Saving people is important; Senior Sister, don’t worry. I’ll wait here for you to come back.” Jiu Ying’s expression faltered slightly as she heard these words, frowning deeply. She had never imagined that, given her understanding of Fu Ling’s temperament, she would agree to this matter so readily. No anger, no pleading. It was completely unlike her usual behavior. Confusion flickered in Jiu Ying’s eyes, rendering her speechless for a moment. It wasn’t until the girl whispered softly at her ear, coaxing her into a bit of awareness once more, "Senior Sister, watch out for someone—" "Si Ding Yun?" "Mm." The girl's voice was soft and pleasant, her breath landing on Jiu Ying's neck due to their proximity, feeling like feathers lightly brushing her skin, both tingling and itchy. She even had to slightly turn her head to mask her expression's unease. The once innocent and carefree Fu Ling had grown wise to the dangerous whims of the human heart, urging Jiu Ying to be cautious. Jiu Ying blinked, lost in thoughts. She had no idea that Fu Ling’s sensibility and gentle reminders all stemmed from her care and love, which surpassed any selfish possessiveness. Feelings, after all, are the hardest to decipher. With the monster-subduing matter postponed, Jiu Ying left alongside the four sects, and Fu Ling followed with Fu Yue and the others, seeing them off. She appeared entirely normal as she watched them leave, without a trace of unhappiness, but as soon as Jiu Ying turned around, her eyes reddened immediately. No one knew how much she longed to stay by Jiu Ying’s side. She could only blame herself for her lack of strength, unable to protect her sister or fight alongside her. ... This expedition to the Spiritfire Altar was both to save Qiu Xi Shuang and to thwart the Heaven-defying Realm’s rise. Aside from three celestial-level experts, the four sects and eight clans sent five more high-rank perfect-stage cultivators. As the lowest-ranked person in this venture, Lin Yu Miao couldn’t help feeling uneasy. Especially with people constantly comparing him to Jiu Ying, speculating who was more powerful, leaving him helplessly awkward. He wasn’t entirely sure of Jiu Ying’s true strength, but just watching her perform the Art of Thunder Summoning that day assured him her cultivation must be at least at a high-stage perfect level. In truth, aside from Xin Chen, Lu Qi, and Si Ding Yun, she was likely the strongest among the others. The Spiritfire Altar lay beneath the northernmost icy mountains, far from the Four Sects, and even at their fastest, it had taken them a full five days to reach the edges of the northlands. Though they hadn’t yet entered, everyone present could discern the faint aura of demonic energy in the air. Millennia-old snow covered the land, stretching as far as the eye could see, obscuring all directions. Jiu Ying had been here before, yet she sensed a subtle, unsettling change in the altar’s periphery since her last visit. Miao Hong, Elder of the Heavenly Divination Sect, released the Sky Profound Butterflies to scout ahead. Due to the bitter cold, the gray butterflies struggled to beat their wings through the air before slowly ascending into the sky, gradually making their way toward the depths of the icy mountains. In this icy domain, layers upon layers of frost lay beneath their feet, and the cold pierced through their soles, racing up their bodies, enveloped though they were in spiritual energy, causing them all to shiver. Jiu Ying’s face took on a pale hue, and despite the bitter wind stinging her cheeks, she stood unwaveringly. Meanwhile, Lin Yu Miao, standing beside her, had already started shuddering continuously. The other perfect-stage cultivators didn't look much better. Only Xin Chen, Lu Qi, and Si Ding Yun maintained relatively calm expressions. Following the direction set by the Sky Profound Butterflies, the group advanced further into the snow-covered mountains. The deeper they ventured, the colder it grew. By the end, even their breaths froze into thin layers of frost as soon as they touched the falling snowflakes. The demon energy thickened around them, becoming more and more oppressive, yet the landscape before them was entirely unfamiliar. Jiu Ying slowed her pace and raised her gaze, looking past the small gray butterfly flying ahead, deeper into the icy depths of the mountain. Something felt off— This path wasn’t the one she traveled before. "Senior Miao Hong, I think we're heading in the wrong direction." Jiu Ying stopped, her eyes sweeping over the remaining nine, her eyebrows hardly perceptibly knitting. Her words brought the group to a halt, and Miao Hong's eyes flickered with a trace of doubt before he responded after a slight hesitation, "The Sky Profound Butterflies are following the demon energy; logically, they shouldn’t make a mistake. Moreover, the demon energy here is indeed growing denser." Even though Jiu Ying had been there once, none of the others took her words seriously. Si Ding Yun, harboring a deep hatred due to Si Xiao's death, had no pleasant demeanor towards Jiu Ying either. "If the direction was wrong, why didn’t you alert Elder Miao Hong earlier? Why wait until we trudged through this icy land for so long? What exactly is your intention?" His voice dripped with sarcasm and suspicion, the blood spike in his hand faintly quivering with restrained killing intent. In the treacherous snow mountains where paths were hard to discern, he placed the blame of their misdirection squarely on Jiu Ying, utterly unreasonable. Several present from the eight clans, even knowing he was making things difficult for Jiu Ying, chimed in, their words dripping with reproach. The members of the four sects knew Si Ding Yun’s actions were driven by a desire for revenge over Si Xiao's death, yet they all remained quietly silent, unwilling to get involved. Unexpectedly, it was Lin Yu Miao, the least ranked among them, who stepped forward to defend Jiu Ying, "Miss Jiu Ying once ventured into the snow mountains alone to rescue Miss Fu Ling. When it comes to finding the Spiritfire Altar, I believe she has more authority to speak on this than anyone here. As for why she pointed out the wrong direction only now, she must have her reasons, Senior Si, why be so aggressive?" Though he was young, standing before the fearsome Si Ding Yun, Lin Yu Miao showed not a hint of fear. In that moment, this version of Lin Yu Miao overlapped with the one in Jiu Ying’s past life memories—a just and fearless Lin Yu Miao. Lu Qi's expression shifted slightly upon hearing this. Allowing Lin Yu Miao to borrow the Spirit Void Sword on the day Fu Ling dueled Si Xiao had been the most support he could offer, and with that matter concluded, he had no desire to continue embroiling himself in the feud between Fu Ling and the Si family, much less involve the Spiritual Sword Sect. As soon as Lin Yu Miao finished speaking, Lu Qi quietly scolded him, evidently signaling him not to meddle in others' affairs. Amidst the silence, anger slowly surfaced in Si Ding Yun’s eyes; if not for the presence of the sect members, he would likely have already acted against these two impudent youngsters. Several gazes fell upon Jiu Ying, whose expression remained unchanged. Before setting out, she had anticipated this kind of scenario. She lifted her head, coldly meeting Si Ding Yun’s gaze, her eyes filled with frost, “I only gave a reminder; there’s no requirement to heed my words. If Senior Si wishes to proceed, I won’t obstruct.” Her words signaled her intent to part ways. Traveling alone in the snow mountains held great risks, especially if they encountered the five great elders of the demon clan. Hearing the underlying meaning in Jiu Ying's words, Miao Hong quickly tried to mediate, "Friend Jiu Ying, don’t act impulsively out of momentary resentment!" Impulsive? Jiu Ying chuckled coldly to herself. Watching the gray butterfly fly further away, she raised her brows slightly, her tone laced with sarcasm, "Though my cultivation doesn't compare to the senior experts, I’m more than capable of protecting myself." If she decided to leave, no one could stop her, nor would anyone choose to accompany her. Despite knowing it was the wrong path, the demon energy intensified, the cause of which was obvious. Uninterested in persuading further, Jiu Ying glanced at Lin Yu Miao. Before she could speak, he had already taken a step towards her, intent on leaving together. Lu Qi watched this with a mix of anger and exasperation, immediately trying to intervene, "Yu Miao, come back!" This time, Lin Yu Miao was resolute, shaking his head without a moment's hesitation, “I’ll accompany Miss Jiu Ying a bit further.” They were determined to leave. Unable to stop him, Lu Qi sighed deeply and finally relented, "If you go, don’t bother returning. Head straight back to the sect." After all, being this generation’s most outstanding disciple in the sect, having him here only made others worry about his safety, better he returned early. Lin Yu Miao stayed silent for a moment after hearing this, not answering. Seeing this, Jiu Ying answered on his behalf, "Rest assured, Sect Master Lu Qi, I’ll see that Young Master Lin departs safely." Receiving this assurance, Lu Qi had nothing further to say and waved to let them go. With Jiu Ying in front and Lin Yu Miao behind, they retraced their steps back. Once Si Ding Yun and the remaining eight were no longer in sight, Lin Yu Miao finally spoke, "What’s your next plan, Miss?" Though he didn’t want to leave, Lin Yu Miao knew his cultivation was no match for Jiu Ying's and feared becoming a liability, speaking with a hint of nervousness. Jiu Ying suddenly stopped, turning slightly to look at the young man beside her with a faint smile, "Plan?" "Naturally, to rescue Miss Yuan and—help you gain the Spirit Void Sword." 00 may get jealous but never loses her rationality. She knows Lin Yu Miao has no such intentions towards her Senior Sister, that they are merely friends; it’s just this Miss Yuan... well, leave it to everyone’s imagination. Currently, the leaders of the Four Sects adhere to a policy of self-preservation when troubles arise, staying uninvolved. However, their next generation is different; they are all friends with 00. Lin Yu Miao helps the Senior Sister because he understands her character and nature~ Thanks to all the little angels who voted for or nourished me between 2020-11-23 02:16:45 and 2020-11-23 21:07:55~ Special thanks to the little angels who threw grenades: 1 from Ah Gu and Lu Guo; Thank you so much for your support, I will continue to work hard!