120 - Divine Mastering Dragon System
Chapter 120: Weakness Fu Zhi hesitated, on the verge of speaking. But just as she found the courage to voice her thoughts, He He untimely interrupted, derailing her long-prepared gamble. "I thought your body was merely a shell that couldn't grow... How did you manage to make a corpse grow?" He He asked with genuine curiosity. The girl beside him was gradually shedding the adorable baby fat she had when they first met, faintly revealing the silhouette of an adult woman. He He playfully compared their heights, a teasing smile playing on his lips. This was no ordinary puppet, but a girl brutally murdered by bandits. Magic doppelgangers crafted with special materials might transform to some extent, but enabling a mostly deceased body to grow like a living being—now that was a remarkable feat worthy of attention. Fu Zhi's unnatural expression didn't escape her notice, yet He He chose to brush it off with a smile. He was genuinely curious about what price Fu Zhi must have paid to make a dead body grow and move like a living person; after all, Shi Yan had expended significant effort to save her from near death. Even for the mysterious Tianji Sect, bringing the dead back to life was no easy task. The atmosphere remained heavy, and no one spoke for a while. After a long silence, Fu Zhi nervously asked, "I heard from our master that Uncle Yuehua has already asked the sect leader if he can join during the Qianlong Ranking deliberation. I suppose bringing a few more people wouldn't matter. Would you like to come along?" "Oh? Eager to bring me to your base, are you?" "..." Fu Zhi wanted to respond but found herself unable to speak. Nervously fidgeting with her fingers, she licked her lips, feeling as if her throat was blocked. The words refused to come out. There was no mysterious force stopping her from revealing the secrets of the universe, but... Fu Zhi instinctively touched her eyes—clear, bright eyes. What would the heavens take from her if she spoke? Was what she'd gain worth what she'd lose? Back to Fu Zhi, the two girls sat silently on the stone steps, unaware of each other's emotions and expressions. "What are you two up to here?" Fu Zhi was startled by the sudden voice behind her. Long Rui Qing approached, wrapping an arm around her shoulder with a cheerful grin. The senior sister was slightly surprised, squeezing Fu Zhi's shoulder, "Seems like you're almost as tall as me now. Our master didn’t raise you for nothing, after all." Mentioning Yu Ming always made Fu Zhi uncomfortable. She had accidentally stumbled upon their secret, and since then, she felt there was an underlying meaning in Long Rui Qing's words. She feared getting embroiled in the delicate relationship between them. Since returning from Beilu Town, Fu Zhi, under the guise of "Qian Da Ni," had been bedridden. During this period, it was her master who personally took care of her. Normally, these menial tasks were handled by Long Rui Qing, but the master...well, to be honest, was a bit clumsy and not very meticulous. As for food and medicine—Yu Ming, who had formed a core for so long, hadn't dealt with human food for ages and couldn't cook, only offering Fu Zhi fasting pills unlike Long Rui Qing, who excelled in everything. Most notably, Long Rui Qing hadn't appeared during Fu Zhi's long recovery. Perhaps they had quarreled? As a clueless "Qian Da Ni," she'd naturally be curious about her senior sister's whereabouts. However, as Fu Zhi who knew the inside story, she dared not inquire, choosing to avoid the topic instead. Once she was well enough to walk, Fu Zhi noticed a simple hut had appeared at the base of Fuliu Peak—Long Rui Qing’s current residence. Not long ago, the two were inseparable, so intimate... Fu Zhi had never heard Yu Ming speak so tenderly. How could things change so quickly? Just thinking of that day’s pleading from her master’s cheap voice made her blush, and she couldn't fathom why Long Rui Qing acted so indifferent. Long Rui Qing had been residing in the hut for more than half a year. This wasn’t publicly acknowledged, but as she was well liked among disciples at the main peak, everyone knew her as a notable figure alongside Huai Ye. Her presence was admired, and followers couldn’t believe what she might have done to anger Elder Yu Ming so. Everyone held their speculations, but faced with Long Rui Qing's seemingly unaffected smile, no one dared to ask, although He He seemed amused by the spectacle. Fu Zhi, who slowly grasped the situation of that day, became even more reluctant to bring it up around those involved. How could Senior Sister do such a thing? Observing the youthful-looking lady who bore a smile, little Tianji felt unnerved, despite her own naïve simplicity. She instinctively hunched slightly, wearing Qian Da Ni's usual gentle and unassuming smile. "Still a whole head shorter than you." "Just a few years’ difference. Back at your age, I was probably only as tall as Junior Sister He." Long Rui Qing chuckled. In Long Rui Qing's embrace, Fu Zhi noticed her grip tightening, leaving her feeling immobilized. The calm atmosphere brewed from casual sisterly chat shattered under the cold aura Long Rui Qing exuded. Despite her smile remaining unchanged, Fu Zhi's face fell; she was indeed unskilled in handling such amicable yet deceptive individuals. "Two months later, elders and disciples are allowed to attend the Qianlong Ranking deliberation without stepping onto the stage... I've removed both your names and Junior Sister Xu's from the list." Long Rui Qing’s demeanor made Fu Zhi wary, but the announcement was unexpectedly mundane. Yet Long Rui Qing seemed overly concerned, smilingly advising, "No need to make this known. Just tell our masters that you're planning to stay in the mountains for cultivation. I know you all are smart enough... to understand my meaning, right?" No need to spread today’s events, and though there were plenty of ways to re-add names, they weren’t allowed to act rashly... He He also gave her a puzzled look, his lone eye assessing. Despite being somewhat involved with Long Rui Qing due to their mentors, "He He" and "Qian Da Ni" were, after all, just uninitiated cultivators yet to form a foundation. Xu You Qing was no different—why would Long Rui Qing have any reason to pay them special attention? Given their apparent strength, there hadn’t been anything worth noticing. If Long Rui Qing had ulterior motives, it should involve key figures like Huai Ye, whose successive victories could play a crucial role in Long Rui Qing's plans. If Long Rui Qing was in collusion with Tai Xu Sect, their intentions before the event wouldn't be hampered by three Qi Refinement cultivators. Why, then, purposely exclude the three? The gentle senior sister of Yucang Mountain made a silent 'shh' gesture towards the two young girls and departed before they could react. Briefly exchanging glances, He He's eyes sparkled with interest that made Fu Zhi's heart skip a beat. It was evident; the Shinestar who had no prior interest began rubbing her chin, gaze drifting methodically to Huai Ye immersed in mentoring juniors afar, oblivious to the ongoing discourse. "Seems like it might be worthwhile to check it out," she murmured to herself. Fu Zhi's heart raced, mixed emotions swirling within her. An inexplicable tension gripped her throat, causing the young girl's fingertips to tremble slightly. Though He He might mistakenly believe the Tianji Sect was prepared for a trap, he was unaware that as the sole person capable of using the transformation pool, Fu Zhi’s experiences within Qian Da Ni's body lay hidden from Tianji Sect’s scrutiny. She’d never disclosed to her hopeful master how, since returning from the Hunyuan realm, He He had discovered her identity and about her dealings with a dark entity. In reality, the Qianlong Ranking deliberation was a chaotic mix of sects and families, making it hard for Tianji Sect to discern any heavenly will. Instructed to stop He He from attending at all costs, Fu Zhi was to use any means necessary to stall him, given his presence was threatening enough. Of course, unbeknownst to the sect, Fu Zhi had kept He He's awareness of their obstructions under wraps. If she failed to stop him, she'd remain covert, getting close to the villain without exposing her actions. The sect had contingencies prepared for unexpected scenarios. After half a year of silence, Fu Zhi again defied her sect's orders, choosing the opposite path by enticing He He into potential waters he'd originally had no interest in—she'd even taken the liberty of submitting He He's name for participation, though it was now struck off by Long Rui Qing. She foresaw that Huai Ye's lifeline would soon be severed in the near future. With her own mission to carry out, every move Fu Zhi made was restricted by Tianji Sect. Her abilities simply weren't enough to save Huai Ye from the unknown dangers lying ahead. Seeking assistance from Li Hui or Shi Yan might be more appropriate, but as an operative of the Tianji Sect, Fu Zhi couldn't risk exposing herself so easily. Her best hope now lay with He He, the one who had already seen through her identity. The girl pursed her lips, instinctively clutching her sleeve. This was something only she knew. Neither Huai Ye, tangled in his own fate, nor the stars illuminating the path ahead were aware—the ephemeral illusion granted by the heavens had shown Fu Zhi a woman who stopped before a ragged beggar many years ago. She held her tongue, knowing that her fellow sect members were far less committed to serving destiny than they claimed. They had no idea of the peril awaiting Huai Ye, much less Fu Zhi's compassion or that the supposed "Child of Destiny" they revered was gradually losing his gleam. Instead, they were focused on how to exploit the great upheaval on the horizon for their own benefit. A hesitation before entering the transformation pool had kept her silent about Shi Yan, and today, similar hesitance led her to ally with He He, prematurely dragging him into the fray. However, the true dragon's nature was unpredictable, preventing her from resting her hopes solely on him. Fu Zhi needed a contingency plan should He He interfere recklessly or abandon her... "What are you thinking about?" Xu You Qing appeared out of nowhere and gave Fu Zhi a hard pat on the back, causing the pensive girl to jolt in surprise. With Huai Ye having called He He away, Fu Zhi was now alone, lost in her thoughts on the steps. Xu You Qing was still a few months shy of turning ten, her small stature contrasted starkly against the already taller "Qian Da Ni." Though Fu Zhi had grown considerably, she instinctively shrank at the sight of her friend's angry face, suddenly remembering their lunch plans. Cursing to herself for keeping Xu You Qing waiting in the food hall for half an hour, Fu Zhi winced as the younger girl pinched her cheeks but soon released her grip. Xu You Qing thought to herself that she was just an older sister putting up with a child's antics, which irked her all the more! Assuming that Da Ni had ditched her to play with some mean bully, Xu You Qing had imagined she'd gone back to Elder Peak. She was four years younger than Qian Da Ni and probably didn't enjoy playing with her as much. Fu Zhi was known for her easy-going nature, too polite to express any annoyance, and usually spent more time with He He. Xu You Qing pouted quietly, convinced that He He was up to no good, pretending to be nice while secretly bullying Da Ni. In some ways, her intuition was correct, but the girl didn’t get too caught up in her discomfort. After all, seeing the tears of grievance well up in Xu You Qing’s eyes, the taller girl knelt down and gently wiped them away with a handkerchief from her sleeve. "What happened? Did you get into another fight?" Fu Zhi, sightless yet different from those with sight, cherished every moment she could perceive as if it were precious, not understanding the subtleties and rules of communication through eye contact. Her clear eyes fixed on the tearful shimmer in Xu You Qing's gaze, as if light penetrated a fog to illuminate the heart. Suddenly, Xu You Qing felt embarrassed under her gaze. She hated being treated like a child but couldn't subdue the surge of grievances in her heart. Biting her lower lip, she struggled to hold back her tears, puffing her cheeks. Fu Zhi sighed as she took the girl's hand, knowing Xu You Qing’s temper would flare when she felt wronged. She couldn’t fight anyone being so small, and despite her sheltered upbringing, she couldn't even properly scold anyone... Emerging from the depths, Fu Zhi felt suffocated as the steam-like water aggressively filled her lungs and nose. The emaciated figure within the pool seemed devoid of life, even its movements grew feeble. Coughing, Fu Zhi weakly turned over to kneel in the center of the pool. Dizziness overwhelmed her, blurring the line between the dreamlike clarity of her vision and the lingering nightmare. The woman trembled, touching her wrist—unlike the healthy and growing Qian Da Ni, her true body curled weakly within the pool, growing paler and more indiscernible by the moment. She turned her head, mimicking the motion of a healthy person observing her surroundings, but a naked young woman couldn't suppress a sense of despair. This body could no longer sustain her, and alongside her secrets, lay an undeniable truth—that unconsciously, Fu Zhi seemed to channel everything—power, memories, existence, even life—into the false puppet with the most earnest devotion. She longed so deeply... But it couldn't go on. How long until she was utterly weakened, incapable of opening her eyes? A year? Six months? Death loomed close, for if she continued like this, Fu Zhi would succumb to her own insatiable yearning: for a healthy body, for the love and kindness of her fellow sect members so near, for a burdenless tomorrow, for a self unfettered by constraints. Yet, for one who manipulated shadows, such desires were absurdly extravagant. Fu Zhi trembled, supporting herself as she attempted to stagger toward the pool's edge. Before she could stand, someone grasped her left wrist. The blind girl sluggishly tried to pull back her hand but couldn't break free, allowing the person to step into the water and drape a robe over her. "You shouldn't have waded in," she croaked hoarsely. "The water is harmful to you." "You can last in here for over a year, but I can't take a single step?" The newcomer maintained their usual sarcastic tone, "I'm worried young master won't manage even two steps out of the water." Fu Zhi remained silent. This unknown, unidentifiable junior replacing the attending disciples probably bore ill intentions. Effortlessly, the girl lifted Fu Zhi into her arms; Fu Zhi was alarmingly thin, her bones jutting sharply into the other’s flesh. The blind woman compliantly curled up, allowing herself to be gathered entirely into the embrace, oblivious to the complex, unspoken expression of the one carrying her. "Let's go." "You knew about the elder..." "Go. Don’t tell me you can’t understand human language." Author's Note: Is it just me, or does Fu Zhi seem to go from dominant to submissive? Thank you to all the little angels who voted or irrigated with nutritional fluids between 2022-05-30 35:47:07 and 2022-05-01 35:55:43~ Thank you for the nutritional fluids, little angels: HotpotBoiledEgg 20 bottles; Bai Yi 17 bottles; LearningMakesMeHappy 5 bottles; Thank you all for your support, I'll keep working hard! This site has no pop-up ads, permanent domain (xbanxia.com)