180 - Douluo: Martial Spirit Blue Silver Grass
Chapter 180: The Day-to-Day Life of Becoming the Reborn Malicious Senior Sister - Taiwan Web Novel Mobile Reading Fu Ling's heart was both aching and swelling. Unconsciously, she tightened her grip on the curved blade in her hand. She dared not look at the woman hidden in the shadows. Instead, her gaze shifted slightly, landing lightly on the middle-aged man before her. In an instant, murderous intent erupted in her eyes, like shattering ice sending chills all around. Such a cold and resentful look instantly froze the smile on Si Ding Yun's face. For some reason, he recalled the moment he confronted Jiu Ying at the foot of the snowy mountain. Back then, Jiu Ying had looked at him with those same eyes before defeating him step by step. Without warning, the flame in his heart ignited once more. This time, he finally summoned the blood spear. "A celestial cultivator? Truly heaven's gift to me, to the Si family!" Upon hearing this, the coldness in Fu Ling's eyes intensified, and she wished she could flay the man alive then and there. Only by experiencing it herself could she truly understand the pain Jiu Ying once endured. The more she felt this way, the harder it was to ignore the indescribable poignant sorrow in her heart. She extended her right hand, her fingertips lightly brushing over the newly grown green branch. In but a moment's breath, waves of immense, profound celestial aura were channeled into the leaves. Like withered wood meeting spring, akin to a phoenix's rebirth, the seemingly insignificant twig was actually infused with boundless power. Si Ding Yun raised the blood spear in his hand, his sharp eagle eyes fixed intently on that half-grown new branch. The wood aura naturally restrained the soil aura. He intended to destroy all the wood vines and green branches before capturing Fu Ling, the celestial cultivator, and taking her back to the Si family. In midair, fierce winds roared. Nine streams of palm energy spun wildly around the young girl, emitting bursts of intense killing aura that stirred thunderous lightning in daylight. The wind and sand blurring vision, even Jiu Ying on the sidelines couldn't help clenching her fist. The green wood vines adhered to the palm energy, and in less than a moment were ground into dust by the fierce aura, leaving only that half-grown new branch intact. The blood spear pierced through the wind with astonishing speed, targeting not the girl at the center of the palm energy, but the slender branch spinning in the air. Fu Ling pressed her lips tightly together, her curved blade trembling non-stop. It wasn't until the blood spear was right in front of her that she leaped forward, boldly swinging her blade to intercept the attack. Though the celestial aura protected her, Si Ding Yun's cultivation was immensely profound, and the blood spear was repelled, yet her right arm was uncontrollably tinged with a painful numbness. As expected, purely in terms of power, Si Xiao's celestial blood spear and Si Ding Yun's celestial blood spear were like two completely different divine weapons. She bit her lip, ignored the pain in her right hand, and raised the great sword once more. As sunlight shone, a cold glint flashed along the blade's edge, and the circular ring on the hilt clashed, producing a series of crisp chimes. The blood spear whirled back for another attack. She glanced at the man not far away, then at the nine streams of invisible palm energy surrounding her, abruptly thrusting her curved blade heavily into the ground. At the same moment, the previously hovering half-grown branch silently dropped to the earth. New wood meets soil, endless vitality. Withdrawing the curved blade, the green branch's severed section was placed into a soil pit. At the moment of wood and soil contact, countless plants and flowers destroyed by the fierce aura within a hundred-mile radius were instantly revived. The blood spear seemed to sense something, inexplicably pausing in midair, unable to move forward. Celestial aura and the God-Slaying Blade were both treasures from the upper realm. Using the divine blade as a medium to channel aura to the living things of the world could produce miraculous healing power. Fu Ling crouched down, plucking a tender leaf from the green branch. As the new wood's gap appeared, the aura just infused found an outlet, and in the blink of an eye, the half-grown branch transformed into a towering tree, its topmost branches reaching towards the sky, sending a green leaf aloft. Si Ding Yun, realizing too late that something was amiss, was unfortunate in his timing. The nine transparent streams of palm energy that he had not yet retracted were instantly dissolved and vanished into the earth by that single green leaf. The violent aura in the air was also completely dissipated. He couldn't believe his eyes but had no choice but to accept reality. The Si family's proud Heavenly Net Ground Fiend Hand was rendered ineffective by a single green branch. He parted his lips as if to say something, but no words came out. The blood spear hovered in midair, remaining motionless even after a long time. Although a divine weapon, it was a tool of killing, often accompanied by blood and slaughter. The towering tree grown from the green branch was surrounded by celestial aura, preventing it from coming even a step closer. Even the blood spear realized the issue stemmed from this suddenly appearing grand tree, yet Si Ding Yun remained clueless. Despite his abundant internal spirit aura, he stubbornly released the Heavenly Net Ground Fiend Hand once more. Unfortunately, each stream of palm energy vanished the moment it appeared, until the ninth vanished, finally revealing where the problem lay. His aura was filled with malice; once unleashed, it was neutralized by the lively green tree before him. A withered tree meeting spring signified rebirth, healing, blessings, and harmony. Indeed, the very existence of this tree silently dissolved malice. Fu Ling stood with her blade beneath the tree, not uttering a single word from start to finish. Her gaze lingered on the middle-aged man before her, a wisp of coldness flashing in her eyes—a change so subtle that not even Jiu Ying noticed it. An unsettled heart easily succumbs to illusions. In a daze, Si Ding Yun seemed to see the woman he loved most—Han Yan. He saw Han Yan walking toward him, letting her embrace him, feeling her hand gently and tenderly caress his neck. It was a scene of allure he wouldn't dare to dream of even in his dreams. Knowing it was false, he still fell deeper into the illusion. It wasn't until the scent of blood wafted to his nose that he suddenly snapped back to consciousness. What was Han Yan, what was her embrace, what was the allure—none of it was real. What was entwined around his neck was the妖金线 battles thread that had been soaked in dispersing liquid for several nights. Warm, scarlet liquid flowed from the wound, quickly soaking the front of his clothes. Strands of soil aura mixed with blood flowed out of his body, caught by the wind and consumed by the green tree. He wanted to stop it, but it was too late. When he placed the妖金线 into the dispersing liquid, he never imagined it would end up being used on himself. The sea breeze swept by, the green tree's leaves swayed, and streams of celestial aura followed the wind, reaching the man, seeping through the blood cut on his neck, and absorbing all the malice from his body. For someone who thrived on malice as their source of strength, losing it meant losing the will to live. Fu Ling slowly approached, coldly watching the man collapse, watching the blood continue to flow from his neck, watching him cease to breathe in agony, her expression unchanged. Celestial aura possessed boundless healing power, yet she could also use it to kill. Years of cultivation dissipated, Si Ding Yun must have been utterly despaired in his final moments. The girl couldn't help but grin, though her face turned pale as snow. Cultivating a tree of life was truly difficult for a mortal. At this moment, her internal celestial aura was utterly depleted, to the point where she could no longer grip her sword. Jiu Ying had just started to take a step when she saw the slender figure beyond the rocks suddenly collapse with a soft thud. So unexpectedly, she had no time to react. Silence enveloped the surroundings, the air filled with the thick stench of blood. Jiu Ying had no idea where this tree came from until she arrived beneath it, only then understanding what Fu Ling had hidden from her. There were so many ways to kill Si Ding Yun; why choose one that inflicted the most harm on herself? She couldn't comprehend it. The more she pondered Fu Ling, the less she understood her. *** One night passed, and the five demonic beasts awoke in succession, with Yu Ping and Qing Tong returning together. The only one who remained unconscious was Fu Ling. The island's survivors owed their lives to her intervention. A debt of gratitude, difficult to repay. Humans always claimed that demons and monsters killed indiscriminately and had the heaviest killer intent. Yet, in reality, they were far more loyal and sentimental than humans. This act of kindness, they would remember for eternity. When Fu Ling finally awoke, three entire days had passed. When Fu Ling opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was that mesmerizing, cold yet stunning face. The woman's face was incredibly beautiful, yet it exuded an aura that discouraged closeness. Her eyebrows furrowed with a mix of coldness and worry, clearly indicative of a deep-seated anger. Even Fu Ling was taken aback for a moment before she softly called out, "Senior Sister." Such a gentle and pleasant voice, with just those two words, managed to dissipate more than half of the coldness in Jiu Ying's eyes. Though angered by Fu Ling's disregard for her own body's depletion of aura, upon hearing "Senior Sister," Jiu Ying felt her heart soften inexplicably. Her expression remained cold, but her delicate brows finally relaxed. "What do you want, calling me?" Jiu Ying's voice was cold and distant, making Fu Ling's heart clench painfully. Her face, which had regained a hint of color, paled once more. She blinked, her round, almond-shaped eyes glistening like water, her expression exuding innocence and pity. "Senior Sister," she called out again with an air of grievance. Jiu Ying's heart began to melt. She turned her head away, refusing to meet those beautiful eyes, though her hands instinctively pulled Fu Ling tighter into her embrace, holding her closer. "Sealing off your sea of consciousness, cutting off our communication—this is how you guard against me, after making a bond with you?" In the human-dragon bond, the human is the master, and the dragon, the servant—always placing the bonded master a level above. Once the bonded master actively closes off their sea of consciousness, the other party has no chance to communicate, no matter how they plead. Earlier, seeing Fu Ling's delayed action in combat, Jiu Ying thought the young girl was simply nervous and forgot her techniques, planning to offer some advice. But she found Fu Ling's sea of consciousness had already been sealed, making any communication impossible. The feeling of being deceived and concealed from was unpleasant, especially coming from someone she cared about deeply. Jiu Ying prided herself on maintaining calm and rationality in all matters, yet now, she could not suppress her anger, particularly knowing Fu Ling had exhausted her aura without any prior warning. The flames of anger within her only burned brighter. "Why?" "I asked you to kill Si Ding Yun, but I didn’t ask you to accomplish the task like this." Jiu Ying's brow alternated between icy and angry, casting a chilling shadow over her face. Fu Ling opened her mouth but said nothing for a long time. It was only when Jiu Ying's cold voice broke the silence beside her ear that she blinked her reddened eyes and replied. "Fu Ling, tell me, why?" "Because the Kun Beast was about to die. Boss Ning said it's the last Kun Beast in the world, and I wanted to save it." The Kun Beast, wounded by the妖金线 battles thread, would suffer a rapid invasion by the miasma from the Dark Sea once its aura was fully dissipated. It had been injured for an entire day and night, and considering the rate of aura leakage, the miasma had likely already infiltrated its body. Jiu Ying was stunned to hear this, never expecting Fu Ling to exhaust her aura to nurture a tree of life simply to save the Kun Beast. She intended to ask further, but the girl spoke once more, softening her heart again. "I know Senior Sister wouldn't agree to me using such a method to kill Si Ding Yun, which is why I sealed off my sea of consciousness in advance. Please, Senior Sister, don’t be angry. Ling Ling never thought of guarding against you—" Her tone, both aggrieved and pitiful, elicited a pang in one's heart. Jiu Ying was at a loss for words because what Fu Ling said was true. Had she known Fu Ling would exhaust her aura for the Kun Beast, she would have definitely intervened to prevent it. After all, celestial aura was something the world yearned for, and many would go mad to possess it. She pursed her lips, her expression shifting repeatedly, revealing some deep, inexplicable emotions, as if contemplating whether Fu Ling's actions were worthwhile. The question was too complex to answer. Aside from Fu Ling, no one else had the right to answer. A soft sigh drifted through the air, and finally, Jiu Ying voiced the question aloud— "Was it worth it?" Fu Ling seemed not to have considered this point and thought in silence for a moment before speaking in a low voice. "There are countless living beings in this world, each with its own purpose. The Kun Beast is rare and precious, with only one left. I think if I can save it, it would be a blessing with far-reaching benefits." As soon as she finished speaking, she seemed to recall something, dispelling the hint of grievance on her face, and smiled sweetly at the woman before her. "If Heaven ever deigns to bestow any blessings, I wish to give them to Senior Sister, hoping she can live a life of peace and joy." Peace and joy—such familiar words. So familiar that upon hearing them, Jiu Ying's breath caught momentarily. Four years ago, when she first learned about the existence of the love curse, she silently made a promise to herself— In this life, no matter the cost, she would protect Fu Ling to ensure her peace and joy. Peace and joy, a promise she made to Fu Ling, had somehow become a promise Fu Ling now made to her. Even more surprising was how, deep inside, she had begun to grow accustomed to such concern and care, even to cherish it. This feeling of being protected was so foreign yet so wonderful, utterly different from the doting affection she had experienced from her sect elders in a past life. She wanted to resist it, but her heart knew it was impossible. At this very moment, just from Fu Ling's words, she tasted a faint sweetness in her heart. Though subtle, it was enough to bring a smile to her lips. "Senior Sister~" Perhaps noticing the change in demeanor of the one she cared for, the girl called out softly once more. In comparison to before, this call was even gentler and sweeter than her usual playful tone. Jiu Ying's heart trembled, leaving her speechless. She felt both guilty for the words she had spoken and shy for the ones Fu Ling uttered. The only way she could respond to this call was with silence. Despite not receiving a response, the girl was not discouraged. She persisted in trying to cheer up the one close to her heart. "Senior Sister, did you see that just now?" Jiu Ying's lips pressed tightly together, and after a while, she loosened them, her brows knitting before she spoke. "See what?" She was puzzled, not understanding what the girl in her arms was referring to. Unintentionally glancing downward, her gaze collided with those bright, round eyes, causing her heartbeat to quicken. Fu Ling bit her lip, appearing somewhat embarrassed. Not until Jiu Ying withdrew her gaze did she finally speak up— "Si Ding Yun harmed himself with the妖金线 due to falling under an illusion, the most powerful illusion art in the world—the Floating Illusion Technique." "This technique, you meticulously taught me twice, and I've always remembered it in my heart. Without you, there wouldn't be the Fu Ling of today, nor would Qing Tong, Yu Ping, the Kun Beast, and those five demonic beasts still be alive." "It was your presence that gave everyone a chance to survive." Yu Ping, sprawled near the island’s edge, laughed while playing with the Kun Beast. Qing Tong busied themselves cleaning the ashes from yesterday's burnt webs, while the five demonic beasts sat quietly around the green tree, healing in peace and tranquility. Jiu Ying raised her eyes to this scene, her emotions fluctuating wildly. She had experienced too much hardship in her past life; her heart had grown numb to both killing and saving lives. Human life was like grass—did it make a difference if one more lived or died? In her former self, she might have believed it made no difference, but now she was beginning to feel something entirely different. These lives before her existed because she did. This feeling was unique and intriguing—was this the compassion that Fu Ling felt? Jiu Ying's crimson lips parted, seemingly deep in thought, completely unaware that the girl in her arms had stealthily straightened herself up. The two sat on the green tree's branches, surrounded by leaves, not fearing a fall. The girl extended her hands, affectionately wrapping them around Jiu Ying's waist. Unnoticed by Jiu Ying, she even leaned close to her ear to whisper words that, despite not being romantic, were more resonant than any love declaration— "Everything Ling Ling has is given by Senior Sister." "Ling Ling's body is Senior Sister's body." "Ling Ling's cultivation is Senior Sister's cultivation." "Ling Ling's life is Senior Sister's life." "Senior Sister is destined never to separate from Ling Ling in this life." Author's Note: This passionately entwined bond is enough to pierce me through. A heartfelt thank you to the little angels who cast king votes or watered with nutrient solutions between 2021-05-10 02:26:50 and 2021-05-16 03:44:30~ Special thanks to the little angel who dropped a landmine: Mu Qing Mu 1; And to the little angels who watered with nutrient solutions: The Debuting Fat Penguin 251 bottles; Aowu, Crying Little Snake 20 bottles; Xue Jian, hh, Lou Ye 10 bottles; Thank you all so much for your support. I will continue to work hard!