190 - Douluo: Martial Spirit Blue Silver Grass

Although it had been a long time since Jiu Ying last visited the Jiang family as a guest, the gratitude for her past help in banishing the dark shadows was always remembered by Jiang Huaide. Upon hearing that the trio was there to find Jiang Beiqing, his expression was one of helplessness. "Beiqing isn't at home. If you're not in a hurry, you can stay at the Jiang family for a couple of days. She left a few days ago and should be back soon." The world was tumultuous and unsettled, and the descendants of major sects and clans could no longer freely travel like they used to. Upon hearing that Jiang Beiqing was not there, Jiu Ying instantly guessed where she had gone. "Could she have gone to the Mortal Realm?" Hearing this, Jiang Huaide nodded eagerly, repeatedly inquiring further. "You all know?" Before Jiu Ying could respond, he realized that the two young women before him were, in fact, the companions who had previously ventured out with his daughter to subdue demons. "Who did Beiqing meet in the Mortal Realm? Is it a man or a woman? How old? Do they have a foundation in cultivating?" Qin Shuyu's identity was special, and her existence couldn't be known by the people of the four sects and eight clans. Even Jiang Beiqing hadn’t disclosed her whereabouts, even to Jiang Huaide. Jiu Ying pressed her lips together, then quickly stepped in to cover for her friend. "Just an ordinary friend. It's just that the person is in ill health, which is why Miss Jiang is so concerned. As for the rest, it's best to let her explain herself, senior." Jiu Ying's reluctance to divulge more left Jiang Huaide with no choice but to hold back further inquiry. As a result, he became increasingly curious about his daughter's 'friend' from the Mortal Realm. Emphasizing Jiu Ying's words, he nodded earnestly, secretly resolving to uncover the mysterious friend's identity once Jiang Beiqing returned home. Thus, the three stayed at the Jiang residence overnight. Yu Ping was new to such surroundings and was filled with curiosity about everything. Before meeting Jiang Beiqing, she had already become friends with her brother, Jiang Dongxu. Her transformation into a woman was recent, and in her daily life, she often forgot she was no longer a man. In her interactions with Jiang Dongxu, whether in words or actions, she was bold and straightforward, showing none of the restraint or shyness typical of a young woman. A spirited and interesting woman like her was clearly a rarity among the noble clans. Jiang Dongxu, unfamiliar with such a female, found himself unconsciously developing a slight fondness for her. As for Yu Ping, she was completely oblivious to this. The group stayed at the Jiang residence for five days, finally awaiting the long-overdue return of the eldest daughter of the Jiang family. She returned three days later than promised. Jiang Huaide was unsure whether she was delayed on the road or simply did not want to return, inevitably leading to a few more words of admonishment. The discussion, of course, couldn't avoid the topic of the friend in the mortal world. Although the Si family had given up their search for Qin Shuyu, Jiang Beiqing still dared not speak of the matter. Even with her father, she chose to keep it hidden. Upon learning that Jiu Ying and Fu Ling had brought a friend to see her, she quickly slipped into the back garden, unwilling to engage in further conversation with her father. Watching his daughter's departing figure, Jiang Huaide shook his head, growing more certain that she was hiding something from him. --- It's been half a month since she last came home, Jiang Beiqing went to the courtyard but did not see Jiu Ying or Fu Ling. Instead, she saw her brother practicing with a spear. She wasn't adept at handling a spear, but having fought against demons and fiends, she could tell at a glance— The spear moves Jiang Dongxu was using were nothing but empty gestures; they appeared agile and flashy but were ineffective in real combat. It was more of a performance than actual spear practice. These flowery techniques could only deceive those inexperienced in real battle. There must be others in the courtyard. Jiang Beiqing deliberately slowed her pace, stealthily moving into the yard under the cover of flowers and plants. Sure enough, when she lifted her gaze, she found a stranger perched on the courtyard wall—a young woman with rosy cheeks and dark hair. The girl, dressed in green, was strikingly attractive, but her sitting posture was rather carefree, with her long legs casually draped over the eaves and a jar of wine beside her, looking every bit like a gallant gentleman in disguise. Could this be the friend Jiu Ying and Fu Ling brought along? Jiang Beiqing couldn't help but watch her for a while longer out of curiosity about her identity. Even after turning her attention away from the woman, Jiang Dongxu continued his enthusiastic performance. The siblings had always shared a close bond, and Jiang Beiqing guessed that her brother was performing with the spear to impress a damsel, immediately feeling an urge to tease him. Seizing a moment of inattention, she picked up a slender branch from the ground and tossed it in her brother's direction. Focused solely on impressing Yu Ping, Jiang Dongxu was unprepared for an attack from the shadows. Though it was merely a small twig, it startled him. The spear twirled, splitting the branch in half with a single strike, scattering splintered wood dust and leaving the nearby flowers and plants in a disarray. This was the true power of a spear. Perched on the wall, Yu Ping clapped her hands with a hearty laugh, clearly delighted by the display. "Brother Jiang is truly impressive!" Jiang Dongxu rubbed his head, flustered by the praise. Before he could respond, he saw a familiar figure emerge from the flowers. The new arrival was naturally the one who had launched the surprise attack—his sister, Jiang Beiqing. "Brother, you're amazing!" Jiang Beiqing spoke with playful sarcasm, mimicking Yu Ping's tone. Jiang Dongxu's face turned more embarrassed as he cast a silent glare at his sister, signaling her to hold her tongue. As the two spoke, Yu Ping also jumped down from her spot on the wall. Her actions were bold and direct, starkly contrasting the demure restraint typical of other women. Jiang Beiqing noted this, her curiosity about the stranger growing stronger. This woman truly was something special. "Brother, who is this young lady?" Having stayed at the Jiang residence for several days, Yu Ping's confidence had grown considerably. Compared to her initial tentativeness, she had learned to temper her attitude and knew how to engage amicably with strangers. Moreover, this stranger was no stranger at all—a friend Fu Ling had already introduced. Without waiting for others to speak, she stepped forward to introduce herself. "I am called Yu Ping, and I came along with Jiu Ying and Fu Ling." Yu Ping—a name as poetic as it was intriguing. Jiang Beiqing nodded in response, promptly introducing herself in turn. "Jiang Beiqing." Yu Ping's smile widened, naturally warm and friendly. "I know. Fu Ling has mentioned you to me before. She says you're quite outstanding." Jiang Beiqing was taken aback by the compliment, surprised that Fu Ling would use 'outstanding' to describe her. Though she felt unworthy of such praise, the commendation from someone stronger filled her with joy. After all, Fu Ling's true power had long surpassed that of their so-called elite disciples. Observing from the side, Jiang Dongxu stifled a chuckle. Though not well-acquainted with Fu Ling, he had heard plenty about her from Jiang Beiqing. As her brother, he was well aware of how much his sister admired Fu Ling. Gaining Fu Ling's approval was undoubtedly a tremendous encouragement for her. As they chatted, the three made their way to the veranda, but Jiu Ying and Fu Ling were nowhere to be found. "Where are they?" Jiang Beiqing understood Jiu Ying's character well, knowing that she wouldn't visit the Jiang household without an important reason. After passing through the corridor, they reached the inner hall, but Jiu Ying and the others were still not in sight. Continuing onward, they soon reached the ancestral hall. This sacred family ground was forbidden to outsiders, naturally excluding Jiu Ying from being there. Jiang Dongxu peered into the ancestral hall, quickly realizing something before leading the others back. "They must still be in the divination chamber." Each generation of Jiang heirs was initiated into the Heavenly Divination Sect to study the arts of divination, and every descendant established their own divination chamber at home. By this generation, the Jiang family boasted nearly a hundred such chambers. Naturally, Jiu Ying and her companion had gone to Jiang Beiqing's chamber. As expected, as Jiang Dongxu predicted, they found the two sisters in the very last divination chamber. It had been quite some time since they last met. As Jiang Beiqing pushed open the door, she saw Jiu Ying seated at a desk, head lowered, writing something, while Fu Ling stood quietly by her side, grinding ink. The harmonious scene was so peaceful and heartwarming that one hesitated to disturb it. Jiu Ying was writing intently and didn't notice someone had entered the room until Fu Ling exclaimed, causing her to turn her head with furrowed brows. "Miss Jiang!" Fu Ling was the first to react, putting down the inkstone with a smile as she approached. "If you hadn't returned soon, my senior sister and I were going to head to the Mortal Realm to find you." Jiang Beiqing smiled bashfully at this. "My father didn't mention in his letter that you arrived; otherwise, I would have returned sooner." In the moment that they were speaking, Jiu Ying stood up from her chair. Jiang Beiqing approached the desk only to find it piled high with papers. Although the window was wide open, and the wind never ceased, the ink on the paper remained wet, clearly freshly written. A gust of wind breezed through, lifting an unfinished page off the table. Worried that the sheet might blow away, she instinctively reached out to catch it. As she glanced down, she realized the page was filled with scribbles about the art of divination. As the next-in-line for the position of sect leader at the Heavenly Divination Sect, she was confident that she had read most of the world’s literature on the mystic arts. Yet, the contents Jiu Ying had written were unfamiliar to her. Concerned her memory might be failing her, she unfolded the paper again, carefully rereading the content. The more she read, the faster her heart raced, and her expression grew increasingly grave. "The divination of Heaven, the interpretation of Heaven—what exactly is this written here?" Jiu Ying pursed her lips, her gaze lingering tiredly on the thin paper. "It's from ‘The Firmament,’ content about divination." The Firmament? Jiang Beiqing's heart skipped a beat at those words, momentarily thinking she had misheard. "The Firmament is a secret compilation of the Heavenly Divination Sect. It was lost to history a hundred years ago. How could it, how could it—" Jiu Ying's expression shifted slightly at her words, about to explain, but upon meeting Jiang Beiqing's astonished eyes, she hesitated, swallowing her words. As a descendant of the four sects and eight clans, Jiang Beiqing's faith and reliance on her sect and family were exceedingly strong. If she were to tell her now that The Firmament never truly belonged to the Heavenly Divination Sect, and that every technique she studied was actually seized from the heavens, she wouldn't want to believe it and certainly couldn't accept it. So much time had passed already, bringing up such matters would only add to one's worries. Jiu Ying averted her gaze, ultimately choosing not to reveal the truth. "The Firmament wasn't lost; it's been in the hands of the demon race all along. Recently, Fu Ling and I spent some time in the city of Gui Xi, where by chance, we got the opportunity to peruse it." "This visit, I wanted to ask you firstly, to help verify the authenticity of its contents, and secondly, to borrow the celestial divination drawn by Elder Jiang years ago." These requests weren't unreasonable and were within Jiang Beiqing's capabilities. She exhaled a little in relief, about to nod in agreement, when her eyes inadvertently fell upon the thin page once more. Rereading the four small words under her fingertips—Heaven's Interpretation—she realized what Jiu Ying was truly after, and her expression turned to one of shock. "Wait, are you planning to have me teach you the interpretation skills from The Firmament and then re-interpret the celestial divination my grandfather conducted years ago?"