110 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

### Chapter 110: Knocking on Doors The family Lin Zhao Di married into owned a clinic in the west of the city. Their surname was Li, and Zhao Di's husband was their only son, with the sisters all married off to distant places. There were no sisters-in-law, and only a mother-in-law who was not overly harsh—a rather decent marriage arrangement, or so the Lin family insisted. Women in the mortal world marry young, so when Lin Zhao Di, reluctantly, married the Li Family Young Master, she was just fifteen. She died before reaching her seventeenth birthday—her death at such a young age was indeed untimely. He He had a very close relationship with his sister. Now, as she returned to Xinyang City and chose not to visit the Lin family in Shanghu Village, it was perhaps because she understood what kind of people they truly were. According to Xiang Shi Yan's speculations, if He He did not return to the Lin family, then she likely came to Xinyang City intending to visit her sister. Upon hearing the news of Zhao Di's death, she might have also learned that the Lin mother had passed and Lin Xiang had remarried, which made her give up returning to Jiu'an Peak altogether. She consoled herself by calculating that He He had been back in Xinyang City for no more than two days, perhaps as little as half a day. Maybe... maybe upon hearing the dreadful news, she was so heartbroken that she abandoned any thoughts of returning home and was spending the night in the city, planning to set off for Huo Cang Prefecture the next day to reunite with her senior sisters. ...But that was probably impossible. If He He had simply found a regular inn to stay in, why would Xiang Shi Yan be unable to sense her location, wandering aimlessly like a headless fly, and why would she feel such anxiety? She had left Jiu'an Peak, and by now the night had dimmed to the point of dawn. In great haste, she flew towards Xinyang City. The likelihood that He He had visited the Li family clinic was high; after all, this was the only lead Xiang Shi Yan had left, so she had no choice but to try it. In her heart, she hoped He He's disappearance was related to Lin Zhao Di. If not... without a starting point, dealing with entities targeting specific individuals was easier to trace than indiscriminate attacks. Unfamiliar with Xinyang City, Xiang Shi Yan first made her way to Song Hetang, where she woke the shop assistant from his slumber and, under his guidance, found the Li family's clinic in a not-so-busy alley in the city's west. In retrospect, during her last visit here to prepare a temporary suppressant, she had asked He He to purchase ingredients from the clinic using her prescription. At that time, they were staying at Fuyuan Residence in the east of the city. He He, in her urgency to buy medicine, probably had no mind to visit her sister at the Li family clinic in the west city. Later, He He got caught up in matters surrounding Gaoyang Daojun, and as a result, she likely missed her last chance to see her sister. This thought left Xiang Shi Yan feeling a bit uneasy. She directly descended on a sword into the Li family's courtyard that connected with the front hall. By this dawn hour, some farmers were already bringing their harvested vegetables and fruits to sell at the market, but none of them noticed the silhouette skimming across the sky was a cultivator on a flying sword. Landing in the courtyard, Xiang Shi Yan quickly scanned with her senses the mortals sleeping inside and detected no malicious presence, she breathed a sigh of relief but still did not completely let her guard down. Given that whatever involved He He's disappearance might be beyond her power, she could not afford to be careless. In the dim light of night, the sky far away began to shimmer with a blend of blue and purplish hues, and the faint pink morning light was slowly seeping in. The sun had yet to rise, but Xiang Shi Yan could sense a young woman inside the Li home had already risen. She lodged in an outer room, not particularly close to the Li Family Young Master. Perhaps she was one of his sisters who had come back from afar to visit the family. As the young woman yawningly opened her door, she instinctively moved toward the backyard chicken coop, intending to lend a hand to her family. She looked up and saw a white-robed woman descending from the sky on a sword with a frosty demeanor. Her legs gave way, and she fell onto the steps. "Gather the Li family," Xiang Shi Yan demanded bluntly, offering no further explanation. The young woman nodded hastily and, in a panic, knocked on the doors of her parents and brother. Half a year ago, Xinyang City had experienced a significant incident, leaving its residents familiar with tales of cultivation. Mortals naturally held both awe and fear toward cultivators. Seeing Xiang Shi Yan with such a severe expression only added to their dread; the Li family members emerged bewildered. Upon hearing the woman’s trembling explanation, they knelt before Xiang Shi Yan, overcome with fear. Xiang Shi Yan, unused to and disliking being knelt before, maintained an air of intimidation despite her personal discomfort. Sitting sternly on a stone bench in the courtyard, she scrutinized them with an authoritative gaze. It was a while before she slowly inquired, "Is this the Li family known for practicing medicine?" A middle-aged man in the front raised his head and responded, "Yes, Immortal. What are your instructions?" "Is Lin Zhao Di, from the Lin family at Shanghu Village of Jiu'an Peak, wed to your son?" Xiang Shi Yan tapped her fingers slowly on the stone table. The man lowered his head respectfully and replied, "Yes, Lady Lin was my son's late wife." Hearing his deceased wife's name, the Li Family Young Master instinctively looked up, his fear apparent as he glanced at Xiang Shi Yan. He appeared to be no more than a teenager—marriages among mortals happened young, and he seemed around seventeen or eighteen, with only a hint of a mustache. His face paled as he met Xiang Shi Yan’s gaze, childishly seeking reassurance from his kneeling parents. Something seemed amiss. Stopping her tapping on the stone table, Xiang Shi Yan proceeded to interrogate him: "Have you had any visitors recently?" The young man was already perspiring slightly at his temples. Upon hearing her question, he seemed confused and diverted his gaze, prompting Xiang Shi Yan to frown. As expected, Li Doctor continued, "I am unsure what the Immortal is referring to... If you mean business at the clinic, the city has had few injuries or illnesses, and it’s been quite deserted lately; if you mean family or friends visiting, only my daughter, who married elsewhere, has returned for a visit and is here now." Li Lady, having lived through more and learned more than her much younger son, likely possessed a thicker skin. Seeing him deftly dodge the issue, evidently trying to ascertain her true intentions, Xiang Shi Yan remained unable to discern what exactly he wished to conceal, but she knew there was a connection to Lin Zhao Di. However, the Li Family Young Master and Li Lady were not as composed; Xiang Shi Yan had not revealed her purpose, nor asked any probing questions, so why had their lips gone pale? For now, any further questioning of them only provided rehearsed responses echoing Li Doctor's earlier reply. Xiang Shi Yan felt a pang of anxiety—He He might not have visited the Li family clinic. She suppressed the unease and pointed at the Li Family Young Master, interrogating, "When did you and Lin Zhao Di marry?" "It… it was about two years ago…" "Any children?" "My… my wife died in childbirth, and the infant died shortly after birth. We have no children." Li Doctor, unable to hold back, glanced at his son's ashen face, attempting to answer on his behalf, but caught Xiang Shi Yan's icy gaze from the corner of his eye. He turned his head back uneasily, staring quietly at the cracks in the bricks on the ground. "You two were a young couple, surely quite close. How is the Lin family faring now? Are you still in touch with them?" The Li Family Young Master raised his head at her, trying to grasp the woman's intention, and sought his parents' eyes for help, but they dared not look back at him. Left alone, he could only answer truthfully, "Mother-in-law was devastated and soon fell ill. We attended her funeral a little over a month ago. The Lin family is not large; my wife only had a younger sister and a brother about ten years younger. Regrettably, I was not close to my in-laws, nor familiar with her siblings." "Condolences," Xiang Shi Yan seemed ready to leave, gracefully standing up from the stone bench, "Such a child would have been hard to come by in your family. Had it survived, it would at least serve as a comfort…" The Li Family Young Master's heart thudded heavily as understanding dawned. Though the Immortal repeatedly asked about his late wife, it seemed she was more concerned about a visiting relative. Perhaps she wanted to know if a Lin family member had returned after Zhao Di's death. Recalling the rumors of Lin's youngest sister being taken as a disciple by an Immortal, the female cultivator's true purpose became evident. He exhaled softly, relieved that the visit was not related to Zhao Di, fearing that the initial scare was unnecessary. The boy's expression eased slightly, though he still wished for Xiang Shi Yan's swift departure, as he forced a troubled smile and answered, “My wife and I weren’t blessed; we were married for over a year without any sign.” He blushed slightly: “We tried for a long time and finally… in spring, we conceived…” His words stumbled, and his face blanched abruptly. Xiang Shi Yan looked at him impassively, "I see. Lin Zhao Di died with a child far from term—might there be more to this 'difficult birth'?" Li Doctor hurriedly interjected, "Not at all! Pregnancy is fraught with danger. Our daughter-in-law was always frail. After losing the child, it naturally took a toll on her. Saying it was a difficult birth was just to avoid bad luck and to make the story more palatable…" The young woman's gaze was as sharp as a blade: "Do you even believe what you're saying? Or am I being too polite for you to tell the truth?" Instantly, an overwhelming, piercing aura erupted from the tall, slender woman, causing the air around them to feel nearly frozen, heavily pressing down on their spines. The Li Family Young Master nearly collapsed like soft clay, his arms unable to support his body, while Li Doctor muttered something under his breath with his head bowed. Ultimately, it was Li Lady who, with a mournful expression, said, "Immortal... this matter, this matter occurred by accident, it was not our intention!" Xiang Shi Yan wanted to hear her continue but felt a mental string snap taut, and she gestured for silence. The family's cries fell instantly silent, unable to make another sound. She turned to look toward the distant Jiu'an Peak, carefully sensing the subtle spiritual fluctuation she had just caught, only to feel a sudden stabbing pain as if her consciousness had collided with something. She let out a soft, measured breath that mortals couldn't perceive, but Xiang Shi Yan could detect a terrifying presence through the strand of consciousness she had left monitoring the Lin household. Instantly, that unbearable sensation of being unable to breathe returned as she clutched her chest. This time, she was closer and identified a strangely familiar aspect within that chaotic energy. Xiang Shi Yan had never seen—nor confronted directly—the owner of that presence. Her knowledge of the original plot focused on the demon clan's invasion of Yucang Mountain, where she became a captive. She had not yet reached the point further in the future where she would face the primary antagonist of the entire story. Back in Huaihai City, when Xiang Shi Yan diverted calamity, it was to alert the cultivation world to this dangerous figure prematurely. She attached an energy simulated from the world's data extraction onto Du Ruo's scales to show the three great families. Yet, she herself couldn't easily forget that overwhelming demonic aura. Xuan Jiu was here. Xiang Shi Yan wanted to speak to the Li family but found herself voiceless. When she left Shanghu Village, she had marked Lin Xiang's newlywed young wife with a strand of her consciousness. Xiang Shi Yan had little interest in the fates of Lin Xiang, Lin Grandma, or even Lin Yuan Tao, but that girl was innocent. Should she face the peril that had entangled He He, the strand would protect at least one life. That person possessed incredible strength, likely beyond Xiang Shi Yan's current capability. Just over half a month ago, Xuan Jiu single-handedly struck down three family heads and two primary successors of the three great families amid Huaihai City's turmoil, shaking the cultivation world. Xiang Shi Yan, for all her natural talent, was just a Nascent Soul cultivator; she couldn't possibly match such a huge power disparity with her enemies. In that fleeting moment, countless thoughts rushed through her mind. She had to reluctantly admit she might have no aptitude for the path of emotionless cultivation; despite nearly three hundred years of practice, she was still this inadequate. Unable to control her dread of an insurmountable adversary or quell her desire for survival, a voice within her mind persistently sought noble reasons for fleeing back to Yucang Mountain immediately on her sword. At the same time, she couldn't suppress the image of the endearing girl flashing in her mind; even knowing she was no match, knowing her failure might lead to the world's collapse, Xiang Shi Yan could not rationalize the safety of her disciple on any scale. She couldn't bear to turn and flee. Xiang Shi Yan lifted the restrictions on the Li family, leaving them with an admonishment to remain quiet, then summoned her sword and took off. While flying past the clinic and through the alleys, Xiang Shi Yan couldn't resist glancing sideways, only to be disappointed. She spotted a young woman cradling an infant in a swaddle. The girl appeared docile, with features slightly resembling He He's, leading Xiang Shi Yan to momentarily mistake her for He He… Her sword wavered for an instant before she realized the girl's features weren't particularly similar to He He's and sighed, speeding on. By now, it was the usual opening time for the Li family clinic, yet none of them were in the mood to open up after the earlier, inexplicable incident. Li Doctor, his expression gravely serious, shot an angry look at his befuddled son and delivered a slap that nearly sent him sprawling, teeth clenched in reprimand, "I told you to hold your tongue!" The father, considering himself a respected physician, usually refrained from the rough, stick-wielding child-rearing methods of commoners. But at that moment, his anger flared, the slap nearly knocking his son to the ground. The young man, fearing his father, dared not reply. Unease churned within him—why was the immortal woman concerned with Zhao Di's matters, and why bother meddling at all? What questions would she ask upon her return, and how would their family fare once the truth was known? Trembling, the young man climbed up, tears lingering in his eyes, fighting back tears as he looked at his father, just as someone knocked on the courtyard door. "Knock, knock, knock." The gentle touch seemed to belong to a gentlewoman, and the sound was anything but intrusive. "Who is it? The clinic isn't open today; head to East City!" Li Doctor called as he walked over to remove the latch. --- Author's Note: Sorry for my inconsistent updates lately... Please forgive me QAQ Thank you to the angels who voted or donated nutrient fluids between 2022-05-14 20:20:22 ~ 2022-05-15 21:27:12~ Thanks to the nutrient donors: Administrator Crane 10 bottles; 35915512, Learning Makes Me Happy, Humble Pawn 5 bottles; I deeply appreciate everyone’s support, and I will continue to work hard! No pop-up advertisements, permanent domain (xbanxia.com)