78 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

Chapter 78: Aura of the Demon What would you do? Zhu Cheng felt a sheen of sweat forming on his back. Outwardly, he remained calm, but within, his heart was as unsettled as a tiny boat on the open sea. It wasn't a fear of Xiang Shi Yan per se, but rather the unknowns lurking behind her and the potential consequences they could unleash that left him deeply unnerved. If Xiang Shi Yan would just take her gains and leave the city of Huaihai in peace, then sacrificing the two sisters might not be such a loss... "What are you talking about?" Zhu Cheng hadn't expected the woman to chuckle as if he'd just said something amusing. A trace of a mocking smile appeared on Xiang Shi Yan's otherwise expressionless face, lending her typically stern appearance an even sharper edge. With a light laugh, she responded, "In these tumultuous times, wouldn't sending off the elder daughter, the heir, only serve to destabilize the people further?" Zhu Cheng opened his mouth then snapped it shut, biting down hard on his back teeth as he faced Xiang Shi Yan’s sarcastic smile. "You have a point, junior sister. My sole focus was on protecting the girl, and I neglected to consider calming the public..." Xiang Shi Yan’s words had effectively shut down the olive branch Zhu Cheng had extended. Around the stone table, the others hardened their expressions in unison. Bai Jing Yi began, slowly, "Elder Xiang, are you suggesting that we should just sit back and allow those with ill intentions to create chaos in Huaihai City, even if it means the uninvolved, less-skilled cultivators risk getting harmed because we refuse to step in and restore order?" Bai Jing Yi had sat as the head of the Bai family for over two hundred years, his status granting him access to the finest resources in the cultivation world. He'd achieved the breakthrough into the Greater Perfection Stage over a century ago, his level now a notch higher than Xiang Shi Yan’s. Currently at the early stage of Greater Perfection, his spiritual pressure filled the tight space like sudden storm clouds in a clear sky, bearing down heavily on Xiang Shi Yan. The air around felt so heavy it threatened to crush her. Yet, Xiang Shi Yan held her ground, maintaining her straight posture despite the relentless waves of pressure trying to bend her spine. Even though her physical wounds had healed, the cracks in her golden core and the frayed edges of her soul didn't allow her to exert her previous power. She couldn't let people discover the hollowness beneath her strong facade. If they did, with the three families already aware of her disruptor role in the city’s affairs, it would be like offering them an easy solution: "Let’s have the instigator of all these troubles solve the chaos in the city herself." She had to maintain her identity as the "Yuehua Daojun" and assure everyone that she was still the legend who could escape from the siege of powerful demon cultivators. Xiang Shi Yan's very presence was her wager in this high-stakes game; her hard-earned respect was the reason they were even willing to sit at the table with her. Looking grim, Xiang Shi Yan suppressed the metallic taste in her mouth, struggling as the Qi within her fluctuated chaotically due to the external pressure. Internally, she called upon a system to erect a cognitive interference barrier around herself, significantly improving her composure. "Head Bai, what is the meaning of this?" She dropped the veneer of politeness now that Bai Jing Yi had bared his fangs. "Do you mean to say that even with the combined strength of the three families, you can't quell the rogue cultivators and are now looking to me as a distraction?" In that instant, Xiang Shi Yan grasped the scheme behind Bai Jing Yi's actions. If the city couldn't be convinced there was no demon presence, then they might as well fabricate it. It would also conveniently eliminate the meddling Xiang Shi Yan, thus allowing them to theatrically suppress any remaining rogue demon cultivators. Though a blunt approach, an apology afterwards and scapegoating a few insignificant members could provide enough of a vent for public discontent without real consequences. It was certainly easier than dealing with things as they arose, always playing defense. Inwardly, Bai Jing Yi calculated Xiang Shi Yan's true capabilities. The Yuehua Daojun had risen to prominence after topping the Rising Dragon List at seventeen; few dared underestimate her. Those who did were either envious or foolish, given her continuous advancement in cultivation, being only a step away from Greater Perfection. She was a genius entitled to the title even if she took a century more to progress. Moreover, Xiang Shi Yan's skills couldn’t be gauged merely by her apparent cultivation level. Not only did she possess a variant spiritual root, but she was also hailed as the most promising spell master in a thousand years, her spiritual consciousness peerless at her level, clearly a formidable opponent. Her escape from a demon trap half a year ago had spread widely, further burnishing her legend. Yet Bai Jing Yi suspected it as the perfect moment for his plans. At that time, there had been at least two Greater Perfection demons, with others aiding. No matter how she escaped, Xiang Shi Yan couldn't have come out unscathed. Glorious legends often hid unknown scars. He suspected her escape had likely incurred a heavy cost, potentially a crippling one, explaining her absence during the spread of her rumored death. However... observing her now, Bai Jing Yi saw no undeniable signs of injury. Her spiritual aura, though defiantly fortified against his pressure, was steady and robust—not what you'd expect from someone suffering severe wounds. His eyes narrowed—she might yet hold undisclosed cards. Resolved, Bai Jing Yi withdrew his pressure from Xiang Shi Yan. With a flick of his left hand, a jade slip appeared. He laid it on the table, nudging it toward Xiang Shi Yan. "What is this?" she queried, not reaching for it. The jade slip's sheen was fresh, clearly newly inscribed. Based on the current circumstances, she could somewhat guess at the slip’s contents and who it pertained to. "A few days past, amidst the city's initial turmoil, we noticed Elder Xiang was also present. Although we thought to seek your aid, we feared you might decline, not wishing to drag Yucang Mountain into the fray. Thus, we, as heads of the three families, jointly petitioned Sect Master Li Hui for assistance, requesting Yucang Mountain's intervention." Protecting the world's peace is every cultivator’s duty. Yucang Mountain, as one of the five major sects, bore responsibilities too, particularly when the request came from Huaihai City's three major families. If the aid solicited was for sending elite disciples to quell the unrest, Li Hui might refuse to protect his sect members. However, all they asked was to temporarily borrow an elder conveniently already in Huaihai City; refusal would slight the families. Li Hui, accordingly, had no grounds to refute them—he'd likely not even know Xiang Shi Yan had traveled to Huaihai City. She should have been overseeing disciples preparing for the secret realm's entry in the Northern Blackwood area… how had she ended up here? Xiang Shi Yan hadn’t consulted her sect brother, the head, before heading to Huaihai City. With pervasive fog obscuring matters, she couldn't act entailiously. She briefly glanced at the jade slip with her spiritual sense, her heart stirring upon noting the contents. Bai Jing Yi leaned closer, "The three families, alongside Yucang Mountain, rank among the immortal sects, hence maintaining order in the cultivation world forms our priority. Since we've already conducted thorough searches, there aren’t any. Though your suggestions were for the city's wellbeing, they carry implications of distrust against us, Elder Xiang." Xu Yi interjected with a sardonic smile, "Why would we shield or harbor demon kind?" Xiang Shi Yan silently scanned the gathered faces, appearing devoid of shadows, resembling paragons of virtue she’d read about in mortal tales of cultivators. She wondered how they could feign righteousness so convincingly. Yes, the stories of public outrage brewed by Xiang Shi Yan were fabricated, but not baseless. If there weren’t demons in the city, where did the demons conducting shady deals along the borders disappear to? How about the young demon women trafficked into the private dens by esteemed clientele? Or the demon concubines residing in the grand halls of those present, could they have mistaken their sanctuary as wilderness? The underlying tension between the two factions—both those of 'ordinary' existence and those of the elite—often went unheard. Disturbing ignorance played into the hands of the affluent, wielding grievances only when personally advantageous. Overwhelmed by irony, Xiang Shi Yan let out an incredulous laugh, casting her gaze of disdain over them. "In the Zhu Mansion, two concubines hail from demon territory; Bai Head counts eleven demonic courtesans amongst ten men, and Xu Family hosts seven," she said with quiet derision. "Doesn’t it strike you as ridiculous, gentlemen?" Their faces blanched, Bai Jing Yi retorting harshly. "Elder Xiang, despite such a brief tenure in Huaihai City, seem to know much? What proof do you possess to accuse us—the pillars of celestial sects—of demon collusion?" "Whether these women came willingly or were taken by force, I am currently powerless to assist them. All I can do is criticize your personal conduct," Xiang Shi Yan said sternly, already anticipating their denial. "I truly have no interest in your backyard affairs; I pursued investigations only to track down someone I've been targeting." "You... Do you even know what it is you're sniffing around for, Elder Xiang?" Xu Yi asked through gritted teeth, fearing that if Xiang Shi Yan were to leak this information, it would solidify allegations of collusion between the three families and the demon clan—an accusation hard to dispel. "Please, everyone, stay calm," Xiang Shi Yan urged loudly. "I came to Huaihai City with a straightforward objective and no intention of sowing chaos. Allow me to present some evidence." Saying this, she produced a small black scale from her sleeve. At the sight of that black scale, Zhu Cheng's hairs stood on end. Wasn't this the very same demon scale Xiang Shi Yan had picked up in his courtyard, insinuating his alleged collaboration with the demons? Before Xiang Shi Yan arrived, with no other choice, Zhu Cheng had confided everything to the other two families, leaving out the information about the "evidence" to prevent Xu and Bai from possibly raising their price. He decided that if Xiang Shi Yan mentioned the scale, he'd insist it was from a pet demon beast that had inadvertently shed it. Xu and Bai, having covered for him thus far, would have to begrudgingly corroborate his story. Yet, recalling Xiang Shi Yan’s earlier remarks, Zhu Cheng sensed a growing unease. She placed the black scale in the center of the hexagonal stone table and channeled a stream of spiritual energy into it. Instantly, a fierce and powerful demonic aura swept through the entire meeting hall. Even Bai Jing Yi, a cultivator at the Great Perfection stage, instinctively raised a protective barrier against the nearly tangible demon aura. The energy contained in this tiny fragment of scale surpassed anything the gathered cultivators had experienced before from a demon. Frost slithered from the stone table, blanketing the room. Being merely at the Nascent Soul early stage, Zhu Cheng, unlike the two other masters of the Great Perfection stage, was frozen with fear in his seat, utterly pale, deaf to everything around him. "This great demon I encountered by chance six months ago in the Tianxin Realm possesses unfathomable power. I had a brief exchange and was lucky to survive. Su Boyuan and the other demon higher-ups referred to her respectfully as 'Xuan Jiu,'" Xiang Shi Yan explained, retracting her spiritual power, allowing the scale to settle back into its dormant state. "Suspecting the demons of plotting something major, I’ve pursued their trail relentlessly these months." "Months ago, the trail of this demon vanished in Huaihai City. Suspecting conspirators within the city aiding the demons, I conducted a concealed investigation. Officially, I was escorting disciples to the Hunyuan Domain, but, truthfully, I was fulfilling the sect master's command to thoroughly probe this matter." Xiang Shi Yan projected the jade slip into the air, "The master specifies in the message to all the family heads that my actions are directed by his guidance, motivated by the sincere desire for peace in the cultivation world. With the sect master’s words and this demon scale, my claims should be verified." Within the cultivation realm, a few in the Greater Perfection stage already count as pillars of strength. Above them, rare cultivators at the Deity Transformation stage hold hidden wisdom, those who’ve completed this stage stand a mere step from ascension, on the brink known as the Tribulation stage, ever at risk of divine lightning striking. While Xiang Shi Yan's narrative had gaps, it plausibly explained the situation, especially after the display of overwhelming demon aura, leaving the family heads momentarily stunned. Even if Xiang Shi Yan’s words were fabricated, such terrifying demonic energy could not be faked. "Xuan Jiu..." Bai Jing Yi’s heart still pounded uncontrollably, never before had he experienced such fear, not even from his brother who was advancing toward the late Great Perfection stage, "A name never heard before, when did the demon clan birth such a formidable entity?" Of course, Xiang Shi Yan couldn't fake the demonic aura, but the system could. While it couldn't locate Xuan Jiu or extract current data, the original novel's database was rich with information on the antagonist. The system merely simulated the aura surrounding Xuan Jiu when she crushed Du Ruo's throat. "A terrifying presence indeed," Xiang Shi Yan thought, questioning the system, "If you could do this, why didn't you tell me sooner?" The system sighed, almost humanly, "Aside from sparse details on Xuan Jiu within accessible sections, she only unleashed such pressure in anger once. More precise simulations weren’t feasible. Truthfully, such moves could attract the world's consciousness. You’ve been over-relying on the system lately, which isn't wise." Xiang Shi Yan offered no reply. Without the system’s strength, even in peak condition, and with Song He Tang’s help, she couldn’t have gathered so much information so swiftly, to say nothing of achieving it with her current powers, which didn’t even match seventy percent of her prime. Grazing her fingers over the jade slip, Xiang Shi Yan was grateful that Li Hui, though puzzled by her actions, chose to trust her. His statement that her actions were under his direction was essentially vouching his authority and the sect's reputation on her behalf. If she indeed harbored ulterior motives, the repercussions on the sect would be catastrophic. Perhaps, her brother harbored his doubts about Gong Ning’s peculiar behavior over the years… Xiang Shi Yan tapped the table, drawing everyone back from their thoughts. Holding the scale, she addressed Zhu Cheng, whose expression had softened slightly. "Previously, did you not tell me that your family heirloom was stolen? Yet when I asked further, you were evasive. What treasure could entice a great demon to steal it?" Caught off guard, Zhu Cheng hesitated. It had been a lie meant to mislead Xiang Shi Yan, not expecting her to revisit it now, leaving him no recourse to provide a genuine artifact as proof. Trapped, he felt anything he might say next would be a snare. Under the watchful eyes of the others, Zhu Cheng involuntarily glanced at Bai Jing Yi, “It was a... a poison called the Heart-Eating Gu.” “Why would your family possess a demonic artifact?” Bai Jing Yi queried, furrowing his brow. Xiang Shi Yan, surprised, had assumed Zhu Cheng's glance at Bai Jing Yi was for aid. Yet clearly, Bai Jing Yi wasn't the one who gave Zhu Cheng the Heart-Eating Gu. "My father had an avid interest in collecting rare treasures. This Gu was among his relics..." She cut him off with piercing focus, "What does it do?" Under Xiang Shi Yan’s probing gaze, which seemed to pierce him to his core, Zhu Cheng reluctantly confessed, "The mother Gu can fully control the child Gu, and those implanted with the child Gu show no abnormalities, but if the controller wishes, they can influence every action and word." Xiang Shi Yan’s eyes grew distant, devoid of light, and she murmured, "Quite... interesting." Her icy gaze filled Zhu Cheng with dread and unease, making him tremble uncontrollably. That seemingly non-hostile and tranquil woman instilled a fear surpassing that of the demonic aura. She was feeling remorseful for Gong Ning. For Zhu Cheng, that was more menacing than mere hatred—an omen of peril. Author's Note: The main event in Huaihai City will conclude within the next one or two chapters. Zhu Cheng won't die immediately; he'll be executed roughly ten chapters later as there are still messages for him to convey. Lately, I've felt a bit fatigued; maybe it's because I've been writing this book for five months and haven’t yet reached "the exciting parts" (foaming at the mouth). I started this as practice, never imagining so many would follow along. Despite issues in plot, logic, and character design, thank you for reading this far. My only hope for this book is to finish it. If you don't mind, I hope you'll accompany me to the end. QCQ Thank you for those who voted or provided support during 2022-03-35 35:27:29~2022-03-25 20:29:14. Special thanks for the support: 20 bottles from King of Doves; 9 from 19115844. Your support means a lot. I'll keep striving forward!