123 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

Chapter 135: Farewell Xiang Shiyan's grip tightened slowly, causing the young girl hanging in the air to flush red, a pained gasp escaping her lips against her will. Her eyes involuntarily welled up with tears. Long Ruiqing couldn't speak, instead panting and coughing as she forced a wretched smile at Xiang Shiyan. Her hand lightly rested on Xiang Shiyan's, showing no intention to struggle. After all, Xiang Shiyan didn't seem like she wanted to hear any explanation, right? Even so, Long Ruiqing instinctively moved her lips, as if she was on the verge of saying something. This piqued Xiang Shiyan's curiosity, making her frown and lean in closer to catch what Long Ruiqing was about to say. However, Long Ruiqing pressed her lips tight, maintaining her silence. The girl lowered her eyes, closing them without a sound, as if accepting death with a calm resignation. "Xiao Yan...what are you doing?" Yu Ming stood frozen at the door, her body tense, unable to move, her expression bewildered and incredulous. In the next moment, Xiang Shiyan felt a slight pain on her wrist as her senior sister, appearing confused, grabbed her wrist, trying to force her to release her grip. Although Yu Ming didn't know what was happening, she understood that Xiang Shiyan wouldn't harm a junior without reason, therefore her hold was gentle, her gaze more pleading than questioning. Xiang Shiyan sighed and released her grip, letting Long Ruiqing collapse into her Master's arms. "Cough, cough..." Long Ruiqing pushed Yu Ming away, stumbling, and had to steady herself against a table. Her hand moved to her neck, the flush from being unable to breathe had yet to fade, leaving her face pale from the pain of being choked. Xiang Shiyan flicked her sleeve, coldly staring at the young disciple who rarely caught her eye among the few in Yucang Mountain, separated by the guest tea table moments ago from her alarmed senior sister. Yu Ming, thrown off balance by Long Ruiqing, cast an uneasy glance at Xiang Shiyan, her eyes showing confusion as if afraid to look at her own disciple for fear of being burned. She resembled a mother who had overindulgently allowed her child to err, subconsciously lowering her head before Xiang Shiyan. "Whatever the matter, we can discuss it calmly without resorting to force…" "So when should one resort to force? You are truly generous, Senior Sister Yu Ming." Xiang Shiyan's piercing gaze seemed to strike Long Ruiqing, who was bent over and retching, like two sharp swords demanding clarity. Yu Ming's complexion shifted between red and white, her lips quivering, wanting to speak but refraining like Long Ruiqing. Noting the fluctuating emotions on her face, Xiang Shiyan couldn't help but frown. Although they had grown up together, Yu Ming was never as close to her as Gong Ning, instead harboring a peculiar sense of competition. It was rare to see her normally aloof senior sister lower her gaze. The woman in white remained silent, watching her senior sister intently, making no move, asking no questions, as she patiently awaited the words Yu Ming had swallowed to be uttered. Yu Ming's eyes flickered, tongue-tied, cheeks burning hot and red. "In truth...it's a private matter between us as mentor and disciple. I understand your shock and anger upon hearing of such an outrageous act, but…" "Pfft…" On the side, Long Ruiqing's shoulders shook, letting out an unrestrained snort of laughter. She glanced at Yu Ming, who was frantically attempting to explain, with eyes filled with cold pity. Her laughter rendered Yu Ming momentarily motionless, her head turning stiffly towards her mocking disciple, suddenly realizing she might have misunderstood something, overwhelmed she looked to her stern-faced junior sister for assistance. Xiang Shiyan was briefly puzzled by Yu Ming's panicked and incoherent explanation, noticing they seemed to be referring to different matters. She glanced at Long Ruiqing, who was laughing to the point of tears, then at her helpless senior sister, trying to discern the private matter Yu Ming referred to, but she remained without a clue. "Elder Xiang, do you think my naive master would notice anything by herself? Do you believe this detachment and punishment over the past half-year were because she discovered my dealings with the demon clan…or do you think she's shielding me by not reporting to the sect leader or you?" Long Ruiqing raised her head, turning her neck marked with fresh finger imprints, showing no fear for her own life. Yu Ming was at a loss for words, having never witnessed such a side of Long Ruiqing. Her disciple’s sarcastic words were bewildering, “Dealing with the demon clan” referred to… her world spun, head dizzy, squeezing out a stifled voice, “You, you—” "The day in Beilu Town when you dealt with Tai Xu Sect while Yu Ming and Bai Jinghuan confronted each other, in early spring when purging evils you secretly contacted hidden posts from the city's demon sect, isn’t the token proving your identity still on you? If I’m not wrong, it should be a brown owl feather, do you still want to deny it?" Xiang Shiyan rubbed her aching brows, regretting the missed potential, saying, "Long Ruiqing, Yucang Mountain hasn’t treated you poorly. What did the demon clan and Tai Xu Sect promise you that led you to betray the sect that nurtured you for ten years?" "I..." Long Ruiqing’s face paled as though struck from within by a wave of pain, silencing her attempts to speak. She resisted showing weakness and the awareness of being listened to. “Nurturing grace?” She shifted her tone, the sharpness of her gaze landing on Yu Ming, who was looking at her with hopeful eyes, clinging to the possibility of a misunderstanding that might be clarified to Xiang Shiyan. She glared fiercely at her weak master, "I joined at twelve, chosen by Fu Liufeng, indeed ten years have passed." “But I fail to see what nurturing grace Master has given me?” Confronted by the aggressive Long Ruiqing, Yu Ming couldn’t help but withdraw. “When I joined, I realized through your drunken words that Elder Yu Ming chose me from among other disciples not because my talent stood out, but because my childhood brows and eyes bore some resemblance to Lord Qiwei.” “…” Seeing Xiang Shiyan remain silent as well, Long Ruiqing sneered, "Elder Xiang knew too, yet you saw no issue, but you dare accuse me under the guise of nurturing grace?” “Master’s eccentric nature, fearing displeasure if my appearance changed, has made me strive tirelessly over these ten years to refine myself into a semblance of Gong Ning, do you know how exhausting that is?” Yu Ming’s face was drained of color, reeling at Long Ruiqing’s outburst, she stood motionless, unable to utter a single word. Long Ruiqing stepped forward, grabbing Yu Ming’s collar. Such an impudent move was unthinkable for a disciple, but it made Yu Ming stagger, their faces drawing so close that Yu Ming could only see Long Ruiqing’s eyes coldly burning. “The other day I acted towards you, isn’t it what Master secretly desired?” Her sharp mockery abruptly halted, Long Ruiqing turned her face aside, her fingers gingerly touching the burning sensation on her cheeks. For a moment she remained silent, her expression cooling, loosening her grip as if losing interest. Yu Ming’s hand floated in the air, trembling helplessly, as if she were the one who had been slapped. Once Long Ruiqing released her hold, Yu Ming’s legs went weak, and she slumped into a chair, her fingers entwining tightly, avoiding looking at her disciple again. Only she could know the turmoil inside her heart as she passed her like a stranger. The unexpected hope that briefly overshadowed her fears and panic felt familiar, though only now did the dull pain in her chest make Yu Ming realize she used to muster such courage when confessing to a senior sister over a decade ago. Her mind clouded, heart pounding with chaotic emotions, as she advanced towards Long Ruiqing, she wondered how she would explain matters to her disciple. She ought to tell Long Ruiqing that it had been long since she saw the senior sister in her. She should clarify that her avoidance of eye contact that day wasn’t because she considered her a replacement for Gong Ning, but out of shame and astonishment too great for her to show the flicker in her eyes. She should explain how every day of absence over the past six months had filled her with anxiety... She arrived worried yet filled with hope for Long Ruiqing’s possible reactions. But now, how could she say it all? It was all just wishful thinking, as always… Yu Ming’s vision darkened, sensing Xiang Shiyan said something piercing, yet she failed to catch any word, familiar sensations pulled her back into past memories, scenes once blurred now recovered crispness. For a long period, Xiang Shiyan traveled with Master Lianlong Daojun across various lands. Stalled at the peak of Yuan Ying for quite some time, she vaguely grasped what stalling her advancement and sought guidance from her master, renowned for emotional spirituality in the Path of Dao. Thus, she was often absent from the mountains, journeying with her master. In the past, Mo Bamboo Peak was governed by Gong Ning. The youngest junior sister was deeply cherished by both the master and senior sister. A peak managed by Gong Ning, as named by Xiang Shiyan herself, who also personally planted many black bamboos around the peak, encircling a courtyard at the summit. Whenever Xiang Shiyan returned, she stayed in Gong Ning’s quarters. The once intense envy had faded into a pale memory, but that was of little consequence. Gong Ning showered Yu Ming with care no less than Xiang Shiyan received; that person was her everything. As a frail girl, distinct due to her reserved solitude amidst the raucous and competitive refugees, it was this trait that fortuitously caught the Master's attention. However, Lianlong soon lost interest in a simple-minded mortal who couldn't even utter her name, abandoning her like a mischievous child discarding a picked-up pebble. Yet, the naive girl, unaware of Lianlong’s intentions, stubbornly stumbled onwards along the mountain path. Quenching her thirst with dew, chewing on grass stems to stave off hunger, the emaciated girl wandered in the maze at Yucang Mountain's base for days, miraculously surviving against all odds. Discussing this incident with her disciple, Lianlong was detached, like recounting how she'd picked up a dirty kitten only to cast it aside. The girl, just recently taken as a disciple by the sect leader, retraced the path down the mountain, bringing back the girl who had fainted from hunger along the roadside. Lianlong showed no concern; it was merely another mouth to feed, yet it was not her responsibility, allowing her to remain carefree. The young girl, having fled at an early age, probably wouldn’t have survived past age ten among the refugees. She couldn't recall where her family home was, whether her parents or relatives were still alive, and she had even forgotten her own name. The unfamiliar girl cleansed her, cupped her face, and remarked, "Such bright eyes, Master truly doesn't recognize her worth." She gently swept the damp locks away from the girl’s forehead, her smile as radiant as dewdrops glittering on morning leaves. "Since you don’t remember your name, why not let me call you 'Mingyu'? No, that lacks grace. How about 'Yuming' instead?" The girl mused aloud, smiling as she gazed into her eyes, voicing wishes, "May your future days be as flawless as fine jade." Droplets weighed down her bangs, falling into Yuming's eyes, blurring over a couple hundred years of memories. Yuming remembered that day on Mo Bamboo Peak, shrouded in white mist, with gray clouds gathering, threatening rain. Together, they brewed tea in a pavilion perched on a cliff, waiting calmly for the rain—a favorite spot of Gong Ning’s on Mo Bamboo Peak, offering a scenic view that felt both distant and undisturbed. Yuming recalled that in a month, it would be Gong Ning's 300th birthday, marking their last solitary moment together. After Xiang Shiyan returned with Gong Ning’s ashes, she buried them there. Yuming, overwhelmed by grief, didn’t attend the burial ceremony, leaving Xiang Shiyan to erect a gravestone alone. Later, however, Xiang Shiyan would visit on a rainy day, sitting quietly for a few hours. Yuming would watch from the pavilion, gazing at the new stone marker in silence. That day, Gong Ning had told her that on her birthday she had something significant to announce. Upon hearing this, panic instinctively gripped Yuming. In a moment of clumsiness, she spilled her tea, and as her senior sister, with an expression of exasperation, helped clean the mess on her clothes with a handkerchief, Yuming impulsively caught Gong Ning’s hand. More than mere impulse, Yuming saw it as her one act of courage—a self-deprecating girl who felt undeserving of Gong Ning’s affection stammering out her feelings, hardly hoping for Gong Ning to reciprocate. Even though her sister liked women, Yuming admitted that the youngest junior sister shone far brighter. As much as it pained her, she had to concede that Xiang Shiyan and Gong Ning together were a more pleasing sight. All Yuming wanted was an answer, just an end to it all. Her heart pounded, as if it might leap out of her throat the next moment, laying bare before Gong Ning. Finished with her jittery confession, all Yuming felt was unease. She couldn't help but wonder how Gong Ning might react—perhaps with disdain, severing ties entirely… She regretted her impulsiveness, berating herself for it. Yet despite the endless waiting, Gong Ning didn’t pull her hand away. Instead, Yuming noticed her own hands growing warm, slipping away clumsily for fear of sweating. Looking up, she found her senior sister’s face flushed, the woman’s expression appearing a bit disordered, evidently still processing what Yuming had said. She avoided meeting Yuming's eyes, her gaze flittering away. After a long silence—until the handkerchief was crumpled in her hands, beads of sweat trickling down her forehead—Yuming was about to flee to Fu Liu Peak, never to show her face again, when Gong Ning finally spoke softly, "I understand." The brief reply haunted Yuming for years. She knew Gong Ning probably didn't love her back, yet her serious response demonstrated Gong Ning's gravity towards a love not accepted by society, neither belittling nor considering it a heavy burden. Though Gong Ning’s face had changed much since her youth, reminding Yuming of earlier times, her solemnity for Yuming's feelings echoed more profoundly than when naming her junior sister. Deliberately, she had said, "I realize the depth of your affection from our youth, and the profoundness makes me cautious to respond frivolously, in fear of disappointing your earnest love." The delegation responsibility of the main peak was unavoidable, indeed poorly timed with Yuming's confession. Gong Ning had told her that upon returning from Huaihai City, she’d give Yuming a response. However, Yuming's internal imbalance during breathing exercises, disrupted by her overwhelming emotions, led to a misalignment of internal spiritual energy. Collapsing into a chair, she watched her disciple, whom she'd struck earlier, unable to react. Long Ruiqing merely turned her head silently without a glance back. Catching her breath, Xiang Shiyan immediately noticed her senior sister's inner demons were stirring, threatening to spiral into madness. She quickly placed a hand on Yuming's back, channeling her spiritual energy to stabilize Yuming’s mind. Yuming coughed twice, the congested spiritual energy causing chest pain unbearable. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead, her face paling, her lips pressed into pallor but inescapably spewing a mouthful of blood. Her gaze was unfocused, yet she pushed away her sister's supporting hand, dabbing the blood from her lips, rising to face Long Ruiqing. Her voice, slightly hoarse yet even in tone, uttered, "Since there's irrefutable evidence of Long Ruiqing's collusion with the demon clan, I leave her fate to Elder Xiang. I ask only to ascertain what secrets she might have divulged." Standing before Long Ruiqing, she stated evenly, "From this day forth, our mentor-disciple relationship is severed. You needn't call me Master any longer." Long Ruiqing's face froze momentarily before she chuckled smoothly, "Farewell then, Lord Yuming." With the last shred of composure, Yuming left the room without emotion, sealing Long Ruiqing away, only to slide weakly to the floor, leaning against the door. Whether the pain in her chest was more from the spiritual congestion or heartache, she couldn't tell; Yuming couldn't suppress her coughing, covering her mouth and finding blood in her palm with little surprise. Breaking through the bottleneck from the Nascent Soul to the Great Ascension phase was already formidable, especially for a scholar of talisman like Yuming. After arduous cultivation, she neared this breakthrough over a decade ago. However, Gong Ning's indifference after returning from Huaihai City, coupled with her birthday announcement of an upcoming marriage, had manifested as a persistent heart demon. She sought just an answer—a refusal would have sufficed. Yet after learning the truths revealed by Xiang Shiyan, the shadow that had clung like a bone-deep malady altered its form. Over the past half-year, each dream reprised Gong Ning holding her face delicately, her gentle voice murmuring, “Had you been more insistent, accompanying me to Huaihai City, perhaps I’d be back safely… In truth, had it not been to avoid the discomfort of your affection, turning down the main peak's request would’ve been trivial.” "This is all your fault." Despite her reluctance, the last image of Gong Ning burned into Yuming’s mind wasn’t a serene farewell but childbirth’s blood and an empty gaze. In her last moment, it seemed as if her senior sister had briefly regained consciousness, clutching the sleeves of both junior sisters with urgency, yearning to say something. Her words slipped away quicker than life itself, leaving Gong Ning to pass silently. Her regretful eyes at death’s door pierced Yuming’s heart with a sadness too deep to articulate. This visage haunted Yuming’s dreams almost nightly, like a vengeful ghost. Perhaps next time in dreams, Long Ruiqing’s cold and ominous gaze would fix upon her in parallel with Gong Ning's mournful phantom eyes, suffocating her. However, now there was no one to lift her drunken spirit tangled with heart demons from the desk, tending her until her furrowed brow eased and her expression calmed. Inside, Xiang Shiyan and Long Ruiqing were silent until her senior sister returned desolately to her room, sealing it with symbols once again. Only then did Xiang Shiyan exhale softly, looking at Long Ruiqing helplessly, "Your words were too harsh." "Some of it was sincere." Long Ruiqing murmured, her gaze shifting from the door, she gave a cold smile, "Though improvised on-the-spot, it was beyond my expectation how Lord Moonlight cooperated, considering the knowledge you have of their tokens used for contact with me. I truly don’t understand the point of this pretense." Xiang Shiyan did not address the question directly, instead diverting the conversation, "Bullying her like that might make you feel better, but what's the point? If you're trying to keep something secret, I'll assist you... I truly thought my senior sister was protecting you, and today I've acted rashly." "Severing ties with my Master was my intention, which simplifies things considerably." Sitting across from each other at the tea table again, Xiang Shiyan posed the first question, "Having cut ties with Yucang Mountain, what do you plan to do next?" "That depends on what you want me to do," Long Ruiqing replied, her previous arrogance replaced by a calm demeanor as she brewed another pot of tea. "To be honest, you know much more than I expected. It surprises me." "Were it not so, I would have disappointed your expectations." "The brown owl feather as proof is true. Was it your demon clan friend who informed you?" Xiang Shiyan accepted the tea she offered, somewhat surprised, "It's impressive you even know about that." "In the chaos among rogue cultivators in Huaihai City, the demon clan influence was evident. Otherwise, baseless rumors would not serve as a solid reason for rebellion. I find it hard to believe it was purely coincidental that you, an elder, appeared there, suggesting your involvement. Unless you are a demon yourself, it’s likely due to assistance from a demon ally." "Either way, it seems I bet correctly." The girl smiled gently, "The pressure from the other side was immense. I thought to expose it through the two junior sisters, yet they remained silent. I assumed at least Junior Sister He would inform you." "Leaving such an obvious clue before those naive junior sisters was too straightforward." "The Potential Dragon Roll Assembly is mixed with all sorts; to keep them away from danger is safer." Xiang Shiyan's fingers trembled slightly. In the original work, the sudden invasion by the demon clan resulted in untold deaths of young disciples. The traitor who leaked details of the sect’s defenses and disabled the protective barrier from within, allowing the enemy to slaughter their own… were her words the truth? Dealing with Long Ruiqing on the flying ship had been Xiang Shiyan's initial plan. However, she sought any potential value in an alliance, considering the risks worthwhile if Long Ruiqing could be turned. The sudden disappearance of a decade-long spy would surely alert their enemies. Thus, when Long Ruiqing approached, Xiang Shiyan was willing to suspend her plan temporarily. Bringing the topic back, she asked, "Do you know what the brown owl feather symbolizes?" "Although I hail from the demon clan, I was raised on Yucang Mountain since childhood and know little about its internal affairs," Long Ruiqing confessed. Her admission spoke to having been planted intentionally as a child as a spy on Yucang Mountain. This revelation surprised Xiang Shiyan, "You..." "I am of mixed blood, between the demon clan and humans. I've only inherited my mother’s human side, so I’m not much different from humans." A half-blood… Long Ruiqing was revealing much, prompting Xiang Shiyan to ask, "You’re willing to tell me all this, doesn’t that mean you aren’t planning to turn elsewhere?" Long Ruiqing laughed, "Since I'm defecting, I must show sincerity." "Then let me tell you. The demon clan isn't a monolith; though the Carp Clan Demon Emperor is respected as the demon clan’s leader generations deep, in reality, only the Scale Clan pledges allegiance to them. The current Demon Emperor, despite striving for harmonious relations with humans and holding a gentle stance towards them, is a tyrant, intent on reviving Carp Clan dominance amidst internal disputes among the three major clans." "The Holy Church's three envoys were once representatives of these clans, the Right Envoy from the Black Scale Clan, the Left Envoy from the Jade Fox family, and the Holy Maiden from the Owl Clan. Following successive tragedies to both envoys and power shifts within the Holy Church, the Demon Emperor’s disciple, the Black Scale Doruo, became the new Holy Maiden, while the original Holy Maiden was promoted to Left Envoy. After the Jade Fox clan's decline, the Tiger Clan rose, with Hu Ye becoming the new Right Envoy." "Formally, all three envoys are under the Demon Emperor's control; however, post the decline of the pro-emperor Jade Fox family, the new Tiger Clan lacks their loyalty. The Left Envoy’s position remains vague, dictated solely by her decisions. Only the Demon Emperor's second disciple, from the royal family like her, and also a Scale Clan member, Doruo, can be considered loyal." Xiang Shiyan traced the tea upon the table, outlining the current power structure for Long Ruiqing, "While the Holy Maiden is traditionally a disciple of the Demon Emperor, it's clear that the eldest disciple failed to meet the Emperor's expectations. From the Owl Clan, feathers are their emblem, used discreetly for important exchanges. A brown feather with black patterns, while common, now signifies one person—the Left Envoy." "The Demon Emperor hasn't the patience to nurture human spies, focusing on ensuring no disruptions to her ambitions. She wouldn't leave such evidence during tense times for trouble to arise." Long Ruiqing raised an eyebrow, producing a feather from her storage device. Unlike typical bird feathers, this brown, black-striped one had serrated edges—a feature unique to the Owl Clan. She mused, "I didn’t realize my master of ten years had such origins." "Honestly, it was unexpected that you’d hear me out. I had resigned myself to imminent death." Xiang Shiyan remained silent, recalling how in the narrative, Long Ruiqing’s betrayal led to the massacre at Yucang Mountain, blood flowing like a river. To say she felt no resentment would be a lie. However… During the investigation for the mole, Long Ruiqing, protected by Yu Ming, was not suspected but ultimately blamed herself for Huaiye's death, withdrawing from Yu Ming’s protection and taking her life by the river below Fu Liu Peak to honor a friend. In the end, Yu Ming quietly tended to her disciple's remains, sealing Fu Liu Peak with her symbols, descending into madness, never to interact with the outside world again. Wasn't Xiang Shiyan's goal to prevent such a future? **Author’s Note:** Looking back at previous plotlines, I now feel I've written utter nonsense and my characters are a complete mess... Help!