69 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

Chapter 59: Disguise A bead of cold sweat trickled down Zhu Chen's forehead. He steadied his mind, turned to Xiang Shi Yan, and said, "I'll go check it out. Please, Senior Sister Xiang, take them back to their rooms first." Having said that, he quickly headed towards the site of the explosion. The Zhu estate was inscribed with an invisible formation that created a formidable barrier, preventing cultivators from flying on their swords within its bounds. Even the Zhu family patriarch had to walk on foot here. Xiang Shi Yan raised an eyebrow and acknowledged him as she watched his retreating figure. Upon hearing that Xiang Shi Yan had arrived in Huaihai City without warning, Zhu Chen immediately sensed something was amiss. He astutely transferred the goods stored within the Zhu estate to a secret room inaccessible to outsiders. She had gained fame early, and cultivators of similar age practically grew up hearing her name, making them highly sensitive to her presence. Moreover, Zhu Chen harbored suspicion, intensifying his reaction. Little did he expect that Xiang Shi Yan was aware of these actions. The Zhu estate had protective formations to guard against prying eyes, but the surveillance formations in the world of cultivation primarily operated by capturing spiritual energy. Such formations were ineffective against the nanocameras released by the system, as they were mere inorganic particles smaller than dust. Zhu Chen just didn’t want Xiang Shi Yan to get near that area, fearing she might see something she shouldn't. Yet, Xiang Shi Yan already knew all about the hidden items. His actions were futile and inadvertently provided her an opportunity to interact privately with the sisters. When Zhu Chen hurried to the scene, he found only a collapsed ruin in the southwest corner of the Zhu estate. Stunned, he stood frozen, witnessing the two Nascent Soul elders he had summoned to intimidate Xiang Shi Yan now assisting less skilled servants in clearing the debris with spiritual power, trying to access the basement. "Elders!" Zhu Chen broke into a cold sweat, rushing over to call out to them, "What… What happened here?" One of the Nascent Soul elders had dual spiritual roots of wind and wood, while the other had water and earth. One was busy clearing debris, and the other used tremendous spiritual power to coax large vines to extract the rubble from the pit. One of these elders had been tasked with overseeing Xiang Shi Yan, while the other was stationed not too far from the "storage area." Before they detected anything amiss and gathered there, Xiang Shi Yan seemingly had no opportunity to act. "There was no detection of any unfamiliar cultivator's spiritual wave, and besides, the basement was sealed. Even the servant delivering food hadn't opened the door. The most probable scenario is that the explosion talisman was attached while the secret chamber was open yesterday," the elder responsible for guarding the secret chamber spoke with a blend of irritation and guilt. The Zhu family was tightly guarded, and Xiang Shi Yan was the only visitor yesterday. Zhu Chen couldn't believe she wasn't involved. How could it be such a coincidence? She had just announced her departure the next day, and now an incident conveniently delayed her return. Yet, Xiang Shi Yan had been visibly monitored, with no unusual behavior. Could it be that she wasn't acting alone? Zhu Chen narrowed his eyes and jumped into the now-open-air underground chamber, which was mostly cleared of debris, the original layout barely discernible amidst the wreckage. He shivered, frantically searching through the ruins, glancing around only to feel as though he had fallen into an icy pit. The "goods" he had moved there yesterday had not been crushed as he had imagined. Frantic, Zhu Chen darted around the ruins, muttering, "How could it be gone? How could it be gone?" With a grim expression, he turned and looked toward where his daughters lived, where the unseen force behind this mayhem dwelled. Suddenly, as if sensing something, he turned in circles on the spot but couldn't locate the strange aura that his spiritual sense had missed earlier. A faint, non-human aura lingered in the ruins. Zhu Chen's body tensed; gathering his spiritual sense, he moved toward where the demonic aura was strongest. In the center of the original underground chamber were several beds temporarily placed there. In this area, one could detect a faint, undulating wave fundamentally different from human spiritual energy. Demonic aura... "Xiang Shi Yan..." Zhu Chen gritted his teeth as he uttered the name. In the corner of her eye, a small screen faithfully displayed footage of Zhu Chen captured by the nanocamera. Watching him malevolently mutter her name, Xiang Shi Yan unexpectedly felt a thrill of joy. Zhu Yun had ushered her worried sister out of the inner room, leaving herself to confront Xiang Shi Yan alone. "That explosion just now, was it your doing, Martial Aunt?" Xiang Shi Yan arched an eyebrow. "How could it be? Who would come to someone's house as a guest and secretly plot against the host?" The woman before Zhu Yun showed no emotion, leaving her feeling somewhat powerless. In her brief life, she had mostly faced men much older than herself, who on one hand treated her as a rare treasure, yet on the other belittled her humanity, not even bothering to disguise their shallow and vile intentions. Huaihai City had few female cultivators in positions of power with resources valuable enough for Zhu Chen to win them over. Thus, Zhu Yun naturally navigated among the men her father associated with, but aside from the maids around her, she rarely interacted with older women. They were reserved, ambiguous. As Xiang Shi Yan looked at her now, Zhu Yun wondered what she was truly thinking. The uncertainty was terrifying. For a moment, she thought she might be better off dealing with the simple-minded male cultivators instead. Sitting naturally by the table, Xiang Shi Yan's expression was calm and innocent, as if Zhu Yun's accusation just now was entirely unfounded. Zhu Yun suddenly regretted leaving her sister Zhu Yu outside. If her sister were present, she might feel bolder. She stepped forward, brows furrowed. "Martial Aunt, stop joking. What is your real purpose for coming here?" "I stated it outright, yet you all distrust me," sighed Xiang Shi Yan. "Should I say I'm here to sell you off for you to believe me?" Her speech felt like casual banter, unsettling Zhu Yun. She disliked how Xiang Shi Yan seemed close to them, after all, what did Xiang Shi Yan's closeness with their mother Gong Ning have to do with them? Zhu Yun thought sullenly. Xiang Shi Yan was a good person, Zhu Yun could see that. She was highly sensitive to the malice of others, and Xiang Shi Yan's gaze lacked any greed, only holding pity and some reminiscence. Perhaps Xiang Shi Yan truly came with good intentions to rescue her? What kind of charm did her mother possess to hold someone like Moonlight Lord Xiang Shi Yan in such lasting regard? With a twinge of discomfort and envy, Zhu Yun thought bitterly that if not for Gong Ning, why would Xiang Shi Yan care about someone as lowly as her? After the initial shock of admiration, Zhu Yun realized that the pity and compassion in Xiang Shi Yan's eyes were not directed at her; they were merely remnants of affection for her mother. Zhu Yun would rather drown in this mire than accept her charity or Gong Ning's. She would hate the so-called "father" and "mother" who led her into this abyss until death. Xiang Shi Yan looked helplessly at the girl who resented her, noticing out of the corner of her eye a wooden hairpin on the small table beside Zhu Yun’s bed. She paused, reaching for it, but the girl swiftly snatched it away. "Is that… a keepsake from your senior sister?" Xiang Shi Yan stopped, slowly pulling back her hand. Zhu Yun took a deep breath, calmly stating, "No, I carved it myself on a whim." See, she returned to it again, any opportunity seized to reminisce about her senior sister. Even preserved with spiritual power, the wooden hairpin should have weathered the ages. Smooth and often toyed with in the girl's hands, she wondered why such a crudely made hairpin would be among Gong Ning’s keepsakes. It seemed childish, a barely polished stick with some simple flowers carved at the top—far from beautiful. How attention-grabbing it must have been on the head of a beautiful mother. Perhaps she never wore it; the gift-giver likely thought the senior sister had long discarded this childish trinket, only recalling it as a childhood anecdote. What remarkable dedication must Xiang Shi Yan have employed to recognize this unremarkable hairpin across such a span of time. Irritation swelling, the girl watched as the woman before her lost her earlier lightness, her expression pensive. Coldly, she tore the jade pendant from her hip, tossing it into Xiang Shi Yan’s lap. Caught off guard, Xiang Shi Yan was jolted from her musings as the jade fell. But as she looked up, she found Zhu Yun leaning in close. Zhu Yun almost toppled onto Xiang Shi Yan, smirking as she tugged at her collar, whispering, "I look a lot like my mother, don’t I?" Delicate like porcelain, the girl got close, making Xiang Shi Yan keenly aware of Zhu Yun's slender figure. Despite now sitting on her lap, she felt as light as a feather, like a wisp easily hurt with a careless move. The undeveloped girl's tender physique was starkly contrasted by the inappropriate allure in her gaze. She leaned in close to Xiang Shi Yan's neck, whispering, "You're right, Martial Aunt. It would be more reassuring if you admitted to having designs on me." Zhu Yun lifted one of Xiang Shi Yan's hands, gently guiding it to grasp her own neck. She appeared so fragile, only fueling the men's desires. The slender, pale neck in Xiang Shi Yan's hand felt as if it could burn her through the skin. It pulsed with vibrant life, yet Zhu Yun's expression seemed so powerless. Sadly, Zhu Yun realized this interaction was becoming more familiar to her, yet the familiarity brought increased exhaustion and unease. Trembling, she spoke, "Martial Aunt, you've been stuck at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage for a long time, haven't you?" I'm not worth saving. "If there's any help Yun'er can provide, just ask. If they can use me, why not you?" Take Zhu Yu and leave; I can't return to a normal life... Her face softened with a sugary smile, "After all, with the affection between you and my mother, what harm is there?" She braced herself for Xiang Shi Yan to tighten her grip around her throat, but the expected pain never came. All the pity in Xiang Shi Yan's eyes faded, leaving only deep disappointment. Yes, despise me, and stay out of this mess. Despite achieving her goal, Zhu Yun suddenly felt a wave of indignation. Suppressing the dull ache, she continued to smile. Author's Note: This scene is heart-wrenching. Thank you to the little angels who voted or contributed nutrient solutions between 2022-03-08 22:35:01 and 2022-03-10 35:85:02~ Special thanks to the angel who gave a grenade: 我産品今夜必doi 1; Thanks to the angels who gave landmines: 攀雲慕月 2; 山雨欲來 1; Thanks for the nutrient solutions from the angels: e 30 bottles; 氷、九萬裏 10 bottles; 35915512 5 bottles; I am immensely grateful for everyone's support and will continue to work hard! 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