104 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

Chapter 104: The Jade Seal Though practitioners who have built their foundation cannot yet completely abstain from food and drink, they can endure long periods without eating without suffering too much discomfort. When Qin Miao finally stepped outside his room nearly a week later, the unexpected glare of the sun caused him to stagger slightly, and with a pale face, he made his way slowly towards the kitchen of the small courtyard on Mo Bamboo Peak. The youth, about fifteen or sixteen, already had a faint trace of fine hair near his lips that seemed almost comical due to his young age, further accentuating his ordinary looks. His complexion was poor, his brows showed signs of fatigue, and his eyes lacked their usual brightness. In his past life, Qin Miao had faced challenges much tougher, times of helplessness and anxious heartache that never managed to defeat him. He weathered many bouts of weariness and despondency, yet the current situation felt drastically different from anything he'd experienced before. He had never been disabled; he was tall, majestic, extraordinarily gifted, with a high level of cultivation, and surrounded by countless companions who cherished him... Whenever he sunk into despair, his master would tirelessly attempt to console him. Despite her seemingly cold demeanor, his master, Xiang Shiyan, had a gentle heart. Yet this time, she ignored him entirely, not even offering a single critical remark to prompt him into action. It was as if his master had completely disregarded his existence. Qin Miao couldn't help but tremble. When he was forced to leave the Jade Mist Mountain and wander in exile, he met Du Ruo during a period of melancholy; he despaired for one or two months upon learning of Huai Ye's death, and even Xiang Shiyan's attempts to console him went unnoticed until his cheerful and innocent junior sister managed to heal his heart; after the Zhu sisters died, he fell into a long period of self-loathing, and it was Fu Zhi who affirmed him, pulling him out of his spiralling self-pity. After Fu Zhi's suicide, though momentarily distracted by his marriage to his master, the matter was put out of mind. There was always another chance for him; no secret treasure beyond his reach. If he missed it this time, it would, by luck or fate, find its way back into his hands the next. There was no woman he couldn't have. He was the youngest cultivator in history to reach the Great Ascension stage, the savior which the thirteen seats of the Immortal Sect relied upon. It was only because he didn't wish to make his companions feel sad that he had refused many easily attainable beauties. Qin Miao reached the kitchen and found a little dried noodles in the cabinet, boiled them without much regard for time until they were slightly undercooked, but he still managed to eat a whole bowl quickly. In every instance, there was always someone to save him. Yet this time, it's different. Qin Miao didn't leave his room because he had come to terms with things or was ready to let go. Instead, it was a feeling of deep-seated panic. In the past, even if Xiang Shiyan didn't speak with him every day, Qin Miao could feel his master's concern. Moreover, each time, there was always something new to hope for, something to momentarily forget the past. But now, there was nothing. Initially, He He would place food at his door, but after Qin Miao skipped just one or two meals, she couldn't be bothered anymore. His master didn't even inquire once, although in the past, when he was guilty about Huai Ye, Xiang Shiyan wouldn’t miss a single meal, continually showering her disciple with care, even if Qin Miao didn't touch any of it. Occasionally, when Qin Miao was in his room, he could hear the carefree laughter of young girls passing through the courtyard, their bell-like laughter clear and unbothered, untouched by anything that might concern them. They live well without me. This unprecedented fear gripped Qin Miao. Upon discovering the "Heavenly Favor" within the secret realm, he constantly recalled his past life and realized it was indeed blessed with fortune. Almost everything he desired came true, and almost everything he wanted, he got. Qin Miao was unwilling to admit it, but without the various fortuitous encounters, the admiration from female cultivators, and the support of various factions, his achievements in his past life would undoubtedly be unattainable. If everyone acted like Xiang Shiyan, loving him solely due to destiny’s charm, then Qin Miao... This life's mandate wasn't for him. The boy sat quietly at the table for a while, appearing more mature than other boys his age due to his recent worries, looking even more fatigued. What should I do? Qin Miao nervously twisted his hands when he suddenly heard incoming footsteps. Turning his head, he saw a familiar yet unfamiliar face. He opened his mouth, intending to say something, but ended up showing a kindly smile, "You must be a new disciple of our Master’s sect. May I know which junior sister you are?" Zhu Yu raised an eyebrow. During their first encounter, Qin Miao hadn't given her any particular impression. She was merely there to retrieve a medicinal furnace and wasn't inclined to converse with this seemingly off-kilter senior brother, especially since Xiang Shiyan had warned her. So, the young girl spoke, "It's unimportant to distinguish between us twins; sometimes it's her, sometimes it's me." Qin Miao's face stiffened slightly. The words were a straightforward way of saying, "I don't want to talk to you," which annoyed him slightly, leaving no doubt that the one confronting him now was Zhu Yu. Zhu Yu intended to leave immediately after retrieving the furnace, but as she straightened up, her gaze fell upon the boy at the table, and inexplicably, she felt a surge of emotion. There was something profound in the boy’s weariness, his eyes—though young, carried an unexpected maturity as if bearing immense sorrow. The glimmer in his eyes, filled with hope as they met hers, compelled Zhu Yu to feel a twinge of sympathy. Why? She didn't know herself. With one hand holding the medicinal furnace and the other on her hip, the girl gave Qin Miao a scrutinizing smile, "Though I only caught a fleeting glimpse of you before, I've yet to properly speak with you, Senior Brother." Qin Miao's eyes lit up with hope, forcibly restrained as the boy gathered himself, appearing polite and courteous, "Indeed. I hope the Mo Bamboo Peak is treating you well, Junior Sister?" "It's fine. Both our Master and Senior Sister treat us very well," Zhu Yu replied, seemingly driven by an unknown urge. Despite her sister still waiting, Zhu Yu placed the furnace down and sat at the table, feeling nothing amiss in doing so. Upon hearing the mention of "senior sister," Qin Miao couldn't help but twitch a bit, given that He He was the last person he wanted to encounter at Jade Mist Mountain. Once upon a time, Qin Miao had held some affection for He He, whose gentle and approachable nature naturally endeared her to others. He had been convinced that He He reciprocated his feelings, only to realize embarrassingly that he was mistaken—He He was simply kind-hearted. Qin Miao, relying on past experiences, had misread the situation, causing his face to flush with embarrassment when recalling it now. If the heavenly favor also included his unyielding romantic fortune, Qin Miao thought uneasily, shaking his head, it wouldn't matter. As long as he retained the same power and capability as in his previous life, women would naturally be devoted to him. Following Zhu Yu’s lead, he continued, "Speaking of which, where has Junior Sister He gone?" From outside, a voice answered, "He He accepted a task from the Hall of Celestial Justice and went down the mountain with the senior brothers and sisters to deal with some unruly spirits." The previous night, Xiang Shiyan had just expanded Zhu Yun's meridians, leaving her whole body still aching. Her somewhat pale complexion now added a touch of delicate frailty, giving a different impression than her sister. Leaning against the porch, Zhu Yun cast a suspicious glance at her sister, who seemed engrossed in conversation with Qin Miao at the table. Qin Miao turned with delight, yet for a brief moment, Zhu Yun caught a flash of longing in his eyes. She had seen such looks countless times, yet perhaps her senior brother merely viewed her as the Zhu family heir or admired her appearance, as he knew nothing of her furnace constitution... Zhu Yun felt a slight unease, etching a note of displeasure in her mind. Her sister eagerly introduced them, while her senior brother extended a polite hand, but Zhu Yun frowned slightly. She reached out, briefly clasping Qin Miao's hand before quickly withdrawing, sensing his subconscious attempt to hold onto her hand longer, which only deepened her aversion. The young man was restless; the charming girls, not yet grown but already hinting at future beauty, made him tremble when Zhu Yun’s touch brushed against his palm, feeling almost like a tease that he tried to respond to instinctively. It seemed it was too early for the young sisters to engage closely with unfamiliar men. Awkwardly, he touched his nose, "Junior Sister He is still quite young, and her cultivation isn't that high. Why the rush?" "You didn't know, Senior Brother? He He spent almost a month absorbing the demon pill from Senior Sister Huai Ye in the secret realm, and now she's at the seventh stage of Qi Refinement," Zhu Yun replied smoothly, bypassing him slightly and approaching Zhu Yu, "Our Master noted that with her level of cultivation, she cannot fully assimilate the spiritual energy in the demon pill, advising her to experience it more. He He also wants to earn some contribution points to exchange for spirit plant seeds from the Hall, so she agreed to join some senior sisters' invitation." So quick! Qin Miao remembered the demonic insect pill awarded by Huai Ye when they first entered the secret realm—a pill from a demon barely at the early stage of the Gold Core level—had now landed in that little ghost's hands. Qin Miao chuckled, "I see. The Hall of Celestial Justice is notoriously stingy; last time, I spent quite an effort to exchange for a cleansing pill, though our Master has always favored Junior Sister He, if she asked, certainly there are higher-level spirit plants available, why go through the trouble for mere low-level seeds?” Hearing this, Zhu Yun frowned deeply, thinking to herself that this senior brother was truly petty. In the early days of his withdrawal, He He had even brought Qin Miao some meals a few times. Though she likely had little regard for this narrow-minded senior brother, out of camaraderie and perhaps to put on a good front for Xiang Shiyan, but even so, Qin Miao shouldn't speak behind her back like this. Qin Miao's speech seemed designed to embellish his own sense of independence and strength, while simultaneously highlighting how favored He He was by their master, thus sowing discord between her and the Zhu sisters. At the same time, it subtly expressed his jealousy of He He and hinted at blaming Xiang Shiyan for not showing him the same consideration. Turning her face away from Qin Miao, Zhu Yun's reaction was a cold roll of her eyes, for she had nothing but disdain for such petty men. Surprisingly, Zhu Yu noticed her sister’s expression and frowned, feeling somewhat displeased. "Sister, is there something wrong with what Senior Brother Qin just said?" The twins could often sense each other's emotions. Zhu Yun occasionally felt flashes of her sister's possessiveness stemming from their master's affection, her desire to be valued, as well as envy and fondness towards herself, all while feeling baffled and unhappy when she defended He He. But to quarrel with her over an unfamiliar and petty man? Zhu Yun found herself somewhat incredulous, thinking Zhu Yu was behaving oddly today. Zhu Yu had left in a rush, almost tripping over the doorstep on her way out, fearing she'd miss her dose of medicine but had not returned for a long time. Their rooms and the kitchen were only a short distance apart, yet Zhu Yun was unsettled, prompting her to check, only to find Zhu Yu seemingly engrossed in a lively conversation with a stranger. Did she forget how Xiang Shiyan had warned them about their unique constitution, that vigilance in trusting others was paramount? Zhu Yun, aware of her striking looks and the number of unpleasant men she'd encountered, naturally wished to avoid engaging with any of them. With furrowed brows, she watched her sister's earnest expression before suddenly reaching out and pinching Zhu Yu's cheek firmly. Zhu Yu was stunned. Zhu Yun never willingly let her experience any discomfort. Despite knowing her sister's envy and slight jealousy, she never got upset or felt hurt, only ever doting on her, even if she couldn't escape the clutches of their own circumstances, always wishing for her peacefulness... such a loving yet naive sister. Suddenly, Zhu Yu felt dizzy, recalling how she had never liked addressing Zhu Yun as older sister in private, as it seemed to place her in a lower position, a place of needing protection. Was she appearing weak just now for that reason? Zhu Yu froze, hurriedly wiping her face with her hand. Qin Miao observed the underlying currents between the sisters. In his mind, the dynamic between Zhu Yun and Zhu Yu was always fraught. To Zhu Yun, her sister seemed like an obstacle used by their family links, while to Zhu Yu, her elder sister appeared as a constant adversary against those she loved, a hard-headed nuisance. Thus, he dismissed it lightly and casually interjected, "What's this? Are the sisters quarreling?" Zhu Yu glanced at Qin Miao in bewilderment—he indeed was quite an eyesore—and then looked blankly at Zhu Yun, her mind drawing a blank about her previous words and behavior. Zhu Yun rubbed her temples, speaking weakly, "I feel unwell... Could you help me back to my room?" Qin Miao thought she was speaking to him and immediately reached out to support her, but Zhu Yu pushed him away sharply, watching him warily. "No need, it's just two steps. We can manage on our own." Qin Miao awkwardly withdrew. He laughed, recalling a time when he tried to take a drunken master to her room and Zhu Yu similarly obstructed him, as if fearing he’d have any contact with other women. Zhu Yu was still as possessive as ever. Packing away the medicinal furnace, Zhu Yu supported Zhu Yun, fleeing as though escaping, with the two sisters walking back to their room in silence. The moment the door closed, Zhu Yun shook off Zhu Yu's hand, crossing her arms and scrutinizing Zhu Yu with her gaze still somewhat sharp; the sickly demeanor nowhere to be found. She rarely displayed such tightly furrowed brows, clearly expecting a satisfactory explanation from Zhu Yu. Zhu Yu responded with a bewildered and aggrieved expression. Observing her sister's pouting lips, Zhu Yun could only sigh helplessly. "He He advised me before leaving that this senior brother does not possess good intentions and warned us not to engage with him haphazardly or be provoked by him," Zhu Yun said irritably. "After just a couple of words today, I already find him quite repulsive and have no intention to deepen my acquaintance with him in the future." Zhu Yu, still not fully rational, partly defended Qin Miao while showing partial dissatisfaction with the close relationship between He He and Zhu Yun. She made a feisty comment, "Do we have to heed everything she says? I find that person even more bizarre, are you really sure about associating with her?" Zhu Yun was silent for a moment. She slowly walked to the dressing table and pulled out a small box from the drawer. The wooden box was only about the size of a palm, entirely black, intricately carved with elaborate patterns, appearing both ancient and exquisite. The most miraculous thing was how the box seemed seamless, without any visible opening. Seeing her sister’s silence, Zhu Yun pricked her fingertip with a hairpin, letting the blood bead form to press on the top of the box. Absorbing her blood, a glimmering line traced along the patterns from the top to the whole box, halving the box open and revealing its compartment inside. Inside lay a jade seal. Witnessing her sister's astonishment, Zhu Yun took out the seal and placed it before her. The jade seal was engraved with various mythical creatures—dragons, phoenixes, tigers, birds—each precisely detailed. The jade material was of superior quality, intricate and fine, a rare treasure. However, what captivated Zhu Yu more was the inscription in an ancient style: "Blessings Unceasing, Immortal Path Clear." For a moment, she didn’t comprehend. It took a while before she pointed at Zhu Yun in surprise, "How did you get this seal? It should be with—" She stopped mid-sentence, stunned. Right, how had Zhu Cheng, the head of the family, handed the family seal over to Zhu Yun? After Zhu Cheng's passing and with Zhu Feng temporarily heading the clan, the seal should have remained with him. Yet, this person had... She gasped, covering her mouth in shock. Zhu Yun quietly secured the jade seal away, "The box opens only with marked blood, recording only the blood of the family head and clan leader—she forced Zhu Feng to add mine." Turning back to face her sister, her gaze was almost resolute with determination, "That's why, letting go of an ally like that isn't just wasteful, but it also causes sleepless nights for those involved." The emotional connection between the twins flared, and as Zhu Yu met her gaze, all shadows of doubt disappeared, leaving her completely lucid. Author's Note: NT and the women NT imagines: in cutthroat competition with each other Normal people: Surely not, surely no one would actually pay him a moment's attention? Thank you to the little angels who tossed grenades or watered this story with nutrient fluids from 2022-05-04 35:57:10~2022-05-05 35:55:21~ Thanks to these angels for the grenades: Yuan Dazhu 1; Thanks to these angels for watering with nutrient fluids: .. 30 bottles; Humble Pawn 10 bottles; Half Immortal, Woof Woof Woof 1 bottle each; Thank you all so much for your support, I'll keep working hard! This site is ad-free, permanent domain (xbanxia.com)