115 - Crazy! Criticizing the Prime Minister for Being a Servant

Chapter 115: I Wish to Become Immortal "But, this madman must be vanquished here." "I'm sorry, this time... I can't follow orders anymore." "It's so difficult to reduce the flow of spiritual power through the heart's vein." "For our teacher's burden to be lighter over there, let's try harder." "I'm sorry, teacher." "Afterwards... however you punish me is fine, even if it means expulsion from the sect." "Why is she here?" "What’s happening?" Ran Fan Yin obediently trailed Ning Song Wu. Although the chill around her had subsided, she could still feel the pervasive cold emitting from Teacher Ning. It seemed like she wasn't in a good mood. Ran Fan Yin hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Teacher Ning, are you unhappy tonight?" Is that it? Too unhappy to sleep, so she decided to go for a walk? Ning Song Wu, lost in her thoughts, paused when she heard this. Realizing her face was frozen in an icy expression, she softened her demeanor, retracting the chilling aura around her to adopt her usual gentle manner. She replied softly, "No, I'm just thinking." "It must be something very important to keep you up so late." "Yes, it’s quite important." Up above, storm clouds were gathering, the air ripe with the promise of lightning, though it wasn't a divine punishment. "Are you going to break through?" "Perhaps." Ning Song Wu sighed. It seemed she’d have to wait until Saturday — how stingy this fate was, demanding interest from her just for changing a young girl’s destiny while seeking an answer she didn't believe in. The heavens had to know she never believed in fate. She suddenly wanted to mimic the script's Fox Xin’er, hands on hips, cursing the sky. But then, considering her age, she decided against it. After all, she was still an elder. Best not to act too childish. Cursing internally would suffice. When the first bolt of lightning struck, a portion of it split off, landing beside Ning Song Wu, scaring her enough to jump aside. No mind-reading, Lord of Heaven! After the nine bolts of lightning had finished, Xu Yue Ping was already lying sprawled on the ground. She hated rain, even if it was the heavens’ way of soothing her and helping heal her wounds. But she no longer had the strength to avoid the rain as she did before. So she lay there, letting the rain pound her body, which was already covered in open, scorched wounds, both old and new being soothed together. Listening to the approaching footsteps, she laughed, feeling relieved, "My blindfold broke again. It used to last a year, but now two in a week." "Black doesn’t suit you. My senior sister has blindfolds in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. You should pick carefully." "...Are you sure you’re talking about blindfolds?" "Why can't a scarf be a blindfold?" "Thank you both for the suggestion then." Ning Song Wu casually sat down next to her. "A golden core at thirty, very impressive. If you hadn’t gone against fate, perhaps there would’ve only been three lightning strikes." Xu Yue Ping let out a small, bitter laugh, "Perhaps the heavens took time away from me, so they reduced the number of lightning strikes. I hear that when Uncle Ning breaks through, she faces as many as eighteen bolts. We’re similar, aren’t we?" On this path of defying fate, we’re indeed similar. "Do you know what path the heavens want me to cultivate?" Seeing someone similar to herself, Ning Song Wu was uncharacteristically talkative tonight, especially with a junior. "They want me to take the path of emotionless cultivation. I refuse." "Because I love this world, and I don’t wish to lose the eyes to appreciate it." "They want me to transcend the mundane world, but I choose to immerse myself in it." "They destine me for solitude, but I defy them—I will pursue the one I love." "Uncle, do you already have someone in mind?" Ning Song Wu was silent for a moment before shaking her head, "No." "It seems I have much to learn on the path of affection." "Uncle, how could you say you sought answers, yet have none?" "It seems this matter of affection..." Ning Song Wu sealed her lips with a hand gesture. “So noisy.” * In the end, the three of them flew back. It was A Nan's first time on a plane; despite Xu Yue Ping holding her hand tightly, she couldn't resist looking around in awe. Upon entering N City, the little one couldn't stay still, sticking her head out the car window to admire the lush green trees and towering buildings, taking a long while before pulling back in. "Sister, the world isn't pale yellow after all." Xu Yue Ping patted her on the head, asking, "Do you like how it is now?" "I love it!" "That's good. We're going to be here for a long, long time." Lin Xin Ran, seeing the three of them lined up like signal bars, bit her lip and sighed. "Master Lin, we won't eat much," Xu Yue Ping said timidly, bearing in mind they were guests and had to be considerate of their host. "I'm not worried about that. It’s not like I earn the money to support you. I was just thinking of finding a place where this little one could be struck by lightning without harming others." "......" Turns out Lin Xin Ran’s keen eye was spot on; Xu Yue Ping did indeed need such a place. "Sister, you must have a headache. I'll go find work and earn some money~" Ning Song Wu was an example of someone who left everything to Lin Xin Ran, disappearing before any tasks were assigned. Xu Yue Ping hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward, "Master Lin, I can perceive the world through spiritual awareness. Whatever needs doing, I can help." Lin Xin Ran studied her for a moment before passing over the troublesome ledger. "From now on, managing the accounts will be up to you and Qian Duo Duo. Duo Duo, come and meet your junior sister." Watching the girl walk off with surprising ease, Lin Xin Ran couldn't pinpoint what she felt, but before the figure completely disappeared, she asked, "What did Ning Song Wu ask for?" Xu Yue Ping didn't hide it, though she carefully chose her words, replying, "She asked about her fate." "...What a waste of breath." These cultivators of fate, always so secretive, knowing everything and saying nothing. Lin Xin Ran gestured for them to leave, "Let's go." A young girl, led astray by Jin Chen. Ah, Jin Chen... Lin Xin Ran pulled out a letter, still sealed, that Jin Chen had sent her thirty years ago. At the time, filled with anger, she had tossed it aside, unwilling to open it. Eventually, she forgot about it, and now that news of his death had arrived, she remembered the letter—perhaps a last message. Never mind, he's dead. A spark ignited at her fingertips, and in moments, the letter turned to ash, drifting away with the wind. * "Fan Fan, your fridge is empty." Early in the morning, Li Ke Er barged into the master bedroom, dragging her out of bed. The two of them stared at the empty fridge, speechless. "It's Monday tomorrow. How long are you planning to stay?" "I'm leaving today." "Then why are you concerned if my fridge is empty?" Ran Fan Yin, rubbing her messy hair, shuffled back to her room in slippers, only to be pulled back around the waist and dragged in front of the fridge again. "Because I’m leaving, I need to check your fridge. Once you get busy, you won't be home for days, and then you'd have nothing to eat when you get back." "Even if I buy groceries, they won’t last that long. I can just order takeout." Ran Fan Yin felt exhausted, her demeanor listless. "Fan Fan, something’s off with you." "What... is it?" Li Ke Er moved to her front, pinching her chin with two fingers, turning her face left and right as she inspected her. Ran Fan Yin endured it for a bit before coldly swatting her hand away, "What are you doing?" "I noticed something off with you since the script reading ended. What's the matter, did something scare you?" "No, just a bit tired." "Which is exactly why you should come with me to buy groceries! You’ll be relaxing, come on, change your clothes." Before she could say more, she was pushed into the walk-in closet, leaving the room empty aside from a lamp. The room was full of the clothes she bought for herself. But now, she had no interest; she didn't want to go anywhere or do anything. Closing her eyes only brought back Ning Song Wu's smile from that day, resting her head on her hand. She couldn't shake it off. She hadn't even fully immersed herself, yet she couldn't escape it. Never mind, today she must leave this door. Her fingers skimmed through several garments before stopping on a simple black shirt, pairing it with black jeans. Today, she’d be the darkest presence in the supermarket! Li Ke Er paused for a second on seeing her fully clad in black, "Where are you going like that? Gone to the dark side?" "Yeah, this is my silent protest against going out on the weekend." "Protest denied!" Li Ke Er chuckled, circling around her for a moment, adding, "It's over twenty degrees today. Black absorbs heat. Hope you don’t mind." "It's fine, my car has air conditioning." Maybe getting out would help her shake it off. Probably. * It wasn’t crowded on Sunday morning. Once Ran Fan Yin entered the supermarket, she dragged Li Ke Er straight to the instant food aisle, ignoring her protests and grabbing several packs of frozen dumplings. "Hey, I didn't bring you here to buy instant food. Isn't that the same as ordering takeout?" Ran Fan Yin paused in her steps, feigning helplessness, "You think I have too much idle time." "Then maybe we can get some vegetables after all!" "I hate leafy greens." Li Ke Er clasped her arm and, steering the shopping cart with the other hand, headed decisively towards the fresh produce section. "If you don’t like leafy greens, we can grab some baby bok choy instead." "I don’t feel like cooking." "With your amazing cooking skills, isn't it a waste not to cook?" Li Ke Er rambled on, selecting two packs of baby bok choy and picking out a block of tofu, before taking Ran Fan Yin’s hand and proceeding to the next section. "Let's get some seafood now; do you prefer grass carp or carp?" "Fan Fan?" Her companion suddenly halted, refusing to move. When she turned her head, she noticed Ran Fan Yin staring blankly ahead. Following her gaze, she saw Ning Song Wu, dressed in white, choosing items in the seafood section. Sunlight poured through the window behind her, glinting off the golden belt around her waist, further accentuating her slim figure. Ran Fan Yin closed her eyes. Li Ke Er murmured, "Even an immortal has to shop for groceries?" "She’s human, not a real deity." "Playing various goddesses on TV often causes people to mix reality with fiction." "She's still human." Ran Fan Yin said quietly. Suddenly, she snapped out of her daze, and when she opened her eyes again, the unsettling chaos in her heart had diminished. She focused again on the shimmering belt catching the light, tracing its outline with her eyes. Great, my heart is steady now. Right, Ning Song Wu is just an ordinary person, amazing only because her acting skills surpass mine, and she’s been in the industry longer. Why should I feel intimidated? She suddenly felt the urge to call Fang Qing to say she wasn’t scared anymore, but hesitated. It seemed too nonsensical to call on a weekend, so she decided to let it be. Ning Song Wu, wearing a mask that only revealed her beautiful eyes, glanced over and spotted the two young women, giving a gentle smile as she pushed her cart toward them. "Little Ran, shopping for groceries too?" What a pointless question, Ran Fan Yin silently criticized. "Yeah, is Teacher Ning cooking herself?" "Not really, I'm not good at it." Only then did Ran Fan Yin notice Ning Song Wu's cart, which was half-filled with instant meals, some fruits, and simple vegetables—nothing complex, certainly no seafood. Li Ke Er's enthusiasm simmered down upon hearing Ning Song Wu admit she couldn’t cook; her idol didn’t seem quite so formidable anymore. At least in cooking, she still preferred Ran Fan Yin’s skills. Even through the mask, Ran Fan Yin could see the gentle, friendly smile at the corners of Ning Song Wu's mouth, though it carried a hint of distance. Noticing that she had seen Ning Song Wu's genuine smile before, Ran Fan Yin felt a ripple of emotion in her heart, quickly smoothing it over. Ning Song Wu's eyes casually swept over Ran Fan Yin and her friend’s hands, her gaze flickering slightly as she warmly inquired, "Little Ran, do you live nearby? I’ve never seen you around before." "I live alone, usually order groceries online. It’s the weekend, so I’m shopping with a friend." Ran Fan Yin raised her hand still held by Li Ke Er’s, somewhat helplessly. "This is Li Ke Er, my friend. This is Ning Song Wu—no need to introduce, right?" "Hello, Teacher Ning!" Li Ke Er restrained her excitement, keeping her voice low, audible only to the three of them. Ning Song Wu nodded slightly, her eyes forming gentle crescents, indicating a smile. She returned her attention to Ran Fan Yin, speaking softly, "I live at Yuntian Shui Xie nearby." Yuntian Shui Xie, an upscale community. Ran Fan Yin was momentarily taken aback—why was she telling her this? "I plan to learn how to cook fish today, any recommendations, Teacher Ran?" "Grass carp, it has fewer bones and is easier to cook." "Alright." Ning Song Wu bent slightly, picking up two pre-packaged grass carps from the display, turning to meet Ran Fan Yin’s slightly puzzled gaze, and explained, "It’s my first time, so if I mess up, I’ll have another shot." "What if both attempts fail?" Li Ke Er squeezed Ran Fan Yin’s hand, signaling her to say less. Ning Song Wu paused, her soft smile remaining as she said, "I’ll find someone to discuss what went wrong." Once Ning Song Wu had disappeared from view with her cart, Li Ke Er let out a long sigh of relief, commenting, "An ethereal beauty remains an ethereal beauty, her presence is quite oppressive. But to think she can't cook, some of the glamour is shattered." "She even binge-watches dramas all night and cries her eyes red." "What are you thinking? She needs to watch others' dramas? Her own roles are enough to make people cry. Whose show does she watch?" "Lin Qing Chen's." Li Ke Er patted her hand, "I know you’re excited about our collaboration coming up soon, but you need to separate dreams from reality." Ran Fan Yin bent to pick up two grass carps, tossing them into the cart, and looked at Li Ke Er with a derisive look before pushing the cart away. "Why grab two? We could just eat half and store the rest." Li Ke Er chased after her. "To teach someone." Ran Fan Yin then headed into the snack section, making several rounds until the cart was half filled. Li Ke Er didn’t follow this time, standing at the exit with crossed arms, waiting for her. Once Ran Fan Yin approached, she solemnly patted her shoulder. What’s this about? Ran Fan Yin looked at her, perplexed. Earlier, she had a suspicion; not spiritual cultivation as she had thought, but a small demonic entity. How strange. If a small demon triggered the defense mechanism, how could it still have the strength to cause chaos and possess someone? Furthermore, if it were a demon, the group would find little peace in the upcoming days. Seeing but not stepping away from it would conflict with her path. He Qi merely sat quietly on a roadside bench, back towards them, appearing to be in a daze. "Usually she’s quite strong, but tonight something’s off; she seemed distracted, stumbling several times. She’s probably in distress right now." Ran Fan Yin sighed, adding, "She hasn’t been in the industry long, yet she progresses quickly. Ordinarily, I can tell she holds herself to high standards. The multiple stumbles tonight must’ve really gotten to her." Ning Song Wu glanced at the person fretting beside her, her expression softening inadvertently as she teased, "How old are you to be calling her a kid?" "I'm a year older and entered the industry three years ahead, so what?" "Nothing, little tail’s wagging up to the sky." "No way!" Despite her denial, her hands honestly reached behind, as if trying to hold down an imaginary tail. Quite endearing. Ning Song Wu chuckled. Miss Ran’s light laugh—see, she knew Teacher Ning wasn’t the unreachable cold figure people online made her out to be; she was a playful and lovely senior! Talking as they walked, they soon neared He Qi, who still showed no reaction. Even Ran Fan Yin sensed something amiss, hastening her steps, about to touch the other's shoulder when halted by Ning Song Wu. "Don’t touch her." Ning Song Wu bypassed her, standing directly in front of He Qi. The girl's face was shrouded in dark mist—likely a small demon had already infiltrated her body, using it as a shell to move. The poor child must be frozen and thus stuck sitting here. No wonder. Arriving earlier, Ran Fan Yin seemed to have already started shooting for a while, and the only contact she’d had was with He Qi, yet she had left her for last to check. Ning Song Wu smiled slightly, extending her hand to the seated figure, "Hello, I’m Ning Song Wu." He Qi slowly lifted her head to glance at her, the dark mist on her face flickering a few times before dissipating into the air in a heartbeat. The girl slumped, falling over. Fortunately, Ran Fan Yin was beside her, catching and explaining, "He Qi might just be too tired. And seeing you made her a bit overwhelmed, Teacher Ning, don’t be angry." "Alright, I won’t be angry." Naturally, she wasn’t angry. In her hand behind her back, Ning Song Wu discreetly played with a captured black shadow, squeezing and kneading it absent-mindedly—it was soft and oddly satisfying, very effective in relieving stress. Ignoring the curses spewing from the shadow’s mouth made it even more relieving. "Let’s get going. I’ll take you two back; it’s late, and she’s fallen asleep from exhaustion." Ran Fan Yin felt no suspicion; after all, she was equally tired, barely managing to stand. Throughout the journey back, they didn’t discuss much. Only upon reaching the hotel entrance did Ran Fan Yin remember a key question, "Teacher Ning, are you heading back, or will you stay here?" Ning Song Wu smiled warmly, saying, "You go ahead. I’ll see if I can get a room here." The shadow she’d caught was just a fragment, which meant she’d need to linger around for the next few days to prevent the remaining fragments from causing more trouble. It's been a long time since she encountered such a brazen little demon. In recent years, even the demon clan had relaxed somewhat; this was a nice chance to scratch her itching trigger finger. Fortunately, the hotel had a vacant room available, nestled quietly at a corner on the third floor. It suited her perfectly. She casually found a glass jar, stuffing the little black shadow into it, watching as it fluttered madly within. Ning Song Wu’s smile turned dangerously playful. Watching the shadow bump around, she decided to shake the jar, letting the shadow ricochet inside, only with more intensity now that she was actively jostling the container. The shadow, weary from colliding around, consolidated its form into a small humanoid shape, though still somewhat transparent due to being a fragment. Seeing the little demon concede first, Ning Song Wu, feeling rather pleased, ceased her actions. With a bit of spiritual power, she suspended the jar in the air, and the tiny demon sat quietly inside, floating gently alongside it. It sat cross-legged inside the glass jar, meeting Ning Song Wu's gaze defiantly. "You still dare look at me like that." Ning Song Wu tapped the glass jar, causing the little figure to wobble, its anger only deepening. "Don't worry, I’ll find your other fragments and send you off to reincarnation." She sensed the little demon was cursing her, but unfortunately, she couldn't understand demonic language, so this would require someone with more specialized knowledge. Ultimately, she reluctantly released the seal on her spiritual sense, sending a message back to the welfare house. A moment later, her phone rang. "Where are you?" A woman's lazy voice drifted over, accompanied by the sound of rustling clothing. "In B City, here with Jin Lan." "What Jin Lan?" Lin Xin Ran paused for a moment, incredulous, "No way, you can't really like her, right?" "Watch your words, or you might get struck by lightning. Just come over. I’ve found something interesting, but I can't understand what it's saying." "How soon?" "As soon as possible. It's just a fragment." It's only a fragment, but it's enough to require her sister's personal intervention? Lin Xin Ran paused, quickening her movements. "On my way." In a similarly located room on the fourth floor, Ran Fan Yin had brought someone back, hesitating at the door before deciding to see things through by helping that someone change into nightwear. "What kind of overtime were you pulling? If Teacher Ning hadn’t come to check on you tonight, you’d probably have slept by the river." Teacher Ning... Something felt off about her. From N City to B City was only a four-hour flight, and even after much sleep, she should feel exhausted by now. Yet Ning Song Wu still seemed quite energetic, albeit somewhat unhappy. It was indeed because something unpleasant had happened that she’d come to B City so quickly. Sighing for the perfect, flawless Ning Song Wu in her heart, Ran Fan Yin tucked the already sleeping He Qi in, then turned to leave. The soft sound of something dropping caught her attention; looking back, a small porcelain bottle had fallen from the nearby table and shattered. Did her previous path actually knock this porcelain bottle? A tinge of unease crept into Ran Fan Yin's heart. She struggled with the decision for a moment but ended up carefully picking up the fragments, placing them on the table. If He Qi woke up confused and stepped on it, it wouldn’t be good, and their filming schedule would be delayed again. "Goodnight." She murmured softly before closing the door completely. Standing at her room's door, she pulled out her phone and sent a late-night text to someone else as well. "Your phone is ringing." While observing the shadow closely, Lin Xin Ran still took a moment to remind the person seated nearby to check her phone. "Yeah, Jin Lan sent me a goodnight message." Ms. Ning, known for her sharp wit, made this remark about Jin Lan, unsettling Lin Xin Ran somewhat. Doesn’t matter. It was just a playful jibe, after all. Who can’t let go has a guilty conscience! Refocusing her attention on the small creature before her, Lin Xin Ran straightened her back, "No good, there’s not enough information in this fragment. We'll need to catch a few more." "That’s the plan. I’ll stay around here for the next few days to see if I can catch a few more." "Yeah, if we gather more, we should be able to discern enough information. Although, based on my probing, even as a complete entity, this little thing would only equate to the strength of a foundation stage spiritual practitioner. How is it that you've come to investigate?" Ning Song Wu coughed lightly, maintaining a composed expression, "Yesterday, I gave Ran Fan Yin a small item and infused it with my spiritual sense. Today, when this little creature tried to attack her, I happened to catch it." "That’s even stranger, for such a little thing to retain so much energy after your spiritual sense attacked it?" "I find it strange too, and as I sensed spiritual energy fluctuations rather than demonic power, it’s all the more peculiar." "......" Lin Xin Ran pondered for a while, realizing a key point she had just overlooked, "Sister, you only officially met Ran Fan Yin yesterday, right?" "Yes, what's the matter? Does this creature carry her aura?" "Not exactly, just that there's a faint... hint of peach blossom scent." "Lin Xin Ran, don’t overthink it. When you meet her during the day, you'll understand. She has a familiar aura, which is why I wanted to give her a little protection." Although Ning Song Wu could be petty and held grudges, she wouldn’t mislead her senior on serious matters. Taking note of this for future reference, Lin Xin Ran planned to meet Miss Ran the next day. She then sprawled on the large bed. "What are you doing?" Teacher Ning's expression darkened immediately. "You summoned me in the middle of the night, no room available, so I’ll sleep here." "I'll book one for you, don't sleep here."↘ "Ah, as expected, a woman grows beyond her elder sister. The little girl who once held me close, refusing to let go, has grown up, no longer willing to share a bed." Lin Xin Ran clutched her quilt tighter, like she was hugging a tree, refusing to budge. Arching an eyebrow at Ning Song Wu, her underlying meaning was clear—have the power to summon lightning and burn this quilt then. Ning Song Wu sighed, turning away, and simply set up on the floor for the night. [No wonder they write you as the heroine!] [I know Master is behind Lin Yuxue’s survival, so why are there matters concerning Xiao Wancheng and the new formation spirit?] [Could they have been in contact so early?] [Impossible!!] [Not interested.] [Endlessly dealing with them—one dies, another appears.] [Become an immortal?! A fool’s dream fighting for it!] [I've fully understood now!] [I’m terrifyingly strong now!] No pop-up ads here, permanent domain (xbanxia.com)