125 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

Chapter 125: Jealousy "Knock, knock." The sound from outside startled the drowsy woman in the room, waking her from her drunken slumber. Yu Ming was half-leaning against the windowsill, her long black hair cascading messily over her shoulders, resembling dark streams flowing down her clothing. An overturned wine cup lay on the ground, and her hand hung limply beside it. Slowly, Yu Ming's consciousness returned to her body. With a desolate expression, she rubbed her temples. Her mind wasn't fully awake yet, and before she could gather her thoughts, the one knocking hesitated, gently tapping on the door three more times. A sense of dread inexplicably gripped Yu Ming as she gazed at the tightly closed door. Who was outside? Her muddled brain recalled the scene of Long Rui Qing knocking on her door the day she left the Hunyuan Realm. She stared blankly at the door, her fingertips trembling, unsure of what action to take. The walls and door were adorned with isolation talismans; however, these worked unilaterally. Sounds from the outside could enter, but nothing from within could escape. Such a thorough setup was challenging for even a Mahayana-level cultivator’s spiritual senses to penetrate. Yet, as the array’s creator and within its bounds, Yu Ming could easily extend her senses to perceive everything around her. But she intentionally kept her spiritual sense retracted, securely locked inside the room, not daring to glance at the outside world. Yu Ming was uncertain how Xiang Shi Yan would handle Long Rui Qing. Perhaps at this moment, her beloved disciple, revered by the young disciples of Yu Cang Mountain, had fallen from grace. Or perhaps Xiang Shi Yan, cautious not to alert her prey, had silently detained Long Rui Qing without making a sound. Maybe if she extended her senses, she would encounter disciples puzzled about their absent elder sister… Could it be Long Rui Qing at the door? Impossible. She smiled bitterly, then heard her second disciple's worried voice through the door: "Master, are you alright?" Yu Ming leaned her head against the windowsill, a sharp pain stabbing through her chest. She wanted to stand and open the door, but as she staggered to her feet, the pain from her blocked spiritual energy channels and the drunken dizziness painted her face pale. She slid back to the ground. Seeing the scattered, rolling cup that she had knocked over, she finally closed her eyes, resigning to seek refuge in sleep. Fu Zhi stopped knocking. Her raised hand was pressed down by Xiang Shi Yan, hovering just before the door. The young girl gradually retrieved her hand and respectfully greeted, "Aunt Xiang." Xiang Shi Yan scrutinized the girl, seemingly trying to glean some insight or divine a hint from her simple village aura. But in the end, she found nothing. Whether from those fragmented recollections or the shallow words of the original story, there was little she could discern about "Fu Zhi." Xiang Shi Yan had noticed her presence ever since "Qian Da Ni" arrived at Yu Cang Mountain. A single spiritual root female disciple of similar age to Qin Miao would unlikely go unmentioned in the original work. Although Xiang Shi Yan wasn't particularly attentive to the affairs of the disciples, she remembered the talented elder disciples well. There should be no mistake, especially since Qian Da Ni had seamlessly become Yu Ming's personal disciple... After sensing something amiss, Xiang Shi Yan discreetly sent people to investigate "Qian Da Ni's" hometown in Dao Hai City. The Qian family was a butchers', and their wealth and connections were well-documented by many kin and old friends. Plenty of people could corroborate this. Xiang Shi Yan speculated that if someone's spell had altered the memories of mortals, it couldn't be done to such detail. Moreover, spells that distort minds are extremely difficult to execute correctly without causing death, and there were no such rumors in Dao Hai City, suggesting the credibility of those words. A girl named Qian Da Ni indeed existed. The most surprising yet expected revelation was that Qian Da Ni and her father, after visiting Yu Cang Mountain to seek apprenticeship, disappeared and never returned, not even sending a letter home. Qian's mother wept daily, but fortunately, Qian Da Ni's elder brother, who was quite grown, could still support their mother. The disappearance lasted nearly two years, and their relatives in Dao Hai City regarded them as deceased, even holding a funeral. It's plausible that after escorting Qian Da Ni to Yu Cang Mountain, her father met with an accident on the way back. Yet Xiang Shi Yan persisted in her suspicions. However, "Qian Da Ni" showed no anomalies in bone age, cultivation, or personality, leaving Xiang Shi Yan hesitant. Xiang Shi Yan once pondered if this change was due to her own actions. But a girl never mentioned in the original story was now accepted as a disciple in Yu Ming at Yu Cang Mountain. Xiang Shi Yan couldn't help but wonder if other forces were involved. Initially, Xiang Shi Yan didn't fully trust the system. It wasn't until those she sent to investigate returned with nothing concrete that she asked the system to scrutinize Qian Da Ni's background. The so-called world text was sometimes accurate, sometimes not. The system's ability to gather background information wasn't always successful. Compared to main characters, the stories behind unnecessary bystanders were easier to explore. This might explain why the system could easily learn about the Lin family but couldn't reveal the entire picture of Huaihai City to Xiang Shi Yan. Information on "Qian Da Ni" was scant, but a single sentence was enough. ["Born in Dao Hai City, killed by bandits at age ten while traveling to Yu Cang Mountain with her father to seek apprenticeship."] So, in the original work, Qian Da Ni did begin her journey to Yu Cang Mountain but was killed en route. Then who was the girl who survived and successfully ascended the mountain? According to the system, Qian Da Ni's body was connected to something unknown, but Xiang Shi Yan did not comprehend what it was. Xiang Shi Yan had no experience with such magic, but if anyone could have achieved this, and noticed deviations in the narrative before formal events began, it would be the mysterious Tianji Sect. Xiang Shi Yan considered Tianji Sect an unusually peculiar group. Initially, she didn't take the art of fortune-telling seriously but found it hard to underestimate Tianji Sect's abilities. The sect's precise identification of the Fate's Child, Qin Miao, clearly indicated Tianji Sect was no ordinary sect. Xiang Shi Yan suspected they knew much more than they let on. Otherwise, how could they precisely and effectively manipulate the chaos to elevate Qin Miao? Not only did Tianji Sect retain its place during times of chaos, but it also firmly grasped the Fate's Child. Qin Miao believed Tianji Sect genuinely saw him as the unrivaled savior, devoting himself entirely to them. Yet, he was unaware that Tianji Sect saw him as merely a useful pawn. While the various factions fought, gaining a better position for themselves, Tianji Sect dangled the Fate's Child as a tool for their benefit. Disregarding Taixu Sect's purposes, Tianji Sect's tactics were not to be underestimated. No matter where Qin Miao was, they could accurately locate him, predicting fortunes and disasters, and offering timely assistance. They also calculated the locations of secret treasures and villains, guiding Qin Miao to supernatural pathways against those threats. The original story saw several occasions where the Demon Emperor and Taixu Sect missed secret treasures—not one was not orchestrated by Tianji Sect from the shadows. Without Tianji Sect's support, Qin Miao would never have achieved such monumental feats. This suggested Tianji Sect did have a certain capacity to foresee the future. They closely monitored the workings of the heavens, with Xiang Shi Yan's fate intertwined with Qin Miao’s. Her awakened consciousness prompted many actions distinct from the original work, and with the system's help, she had evaded the world’s will. Tianji Sect must have sensed something amiss. As for controlling Qian Da Ni's body, the most likely candidate was clear. Fu Zhi was younger by centuries compared to her senior sisters and had no foundation within the Tianji Sect. However, as a strong contender for the next Tianji, she was nevertheless an adept in understanding the secrets of the heavens. The original story had Tianji arranging for her youngest disciple to interact with Qin Miao, thinking this way she might secure stable support for Fang Zhi to ascend Tianji's position after Tianji's death. They regarded Qin Miao as a title-bearer but one who couldn't truly influence their sect. Senior sisters of Fu Zhi wouldn’t act openly against her due to their reliance on Qin Miao’s trust and would refrain from ousting the young Tianji audaciously. Even though Xiang Shi Yan didn’t know how Tianji Sect accomplished such a seemingly miraculous revival ritual, such procedures were not easy matters. Reviewing all possibilities pointed to Fu Zhi being the most probable orchestrator. There were two reasons: First, Tianji was aware of his imminent demise and wouldn’t miss the chance to let Fu Zhi establish reputation and display capability within the sect. Second, as an important subordinate born to support the Fate's Child, Fu Zhi being prematurely involved with Qin Miao due to world intervention was perfectly logical. Unfortunately, Xiang Shi Yan truly didn't understand the principles by which Tianji Sect operated. If the so-called "Fate's Child" referred to the protagonist's position, then her own halo value now slightly exceeded that of Qin Miao. Although she hadn't yet managed to dethrone him from the center of the world, could this disparity have some impact on Tianji Sect's prophecies? If she succeeded in preventing Xuan Jiu from getting too involved, would she still be the villain foretold by the heavens? Many questions lingered in Xiang Shi Yan's mind, yet she voiced none of them. In her view, Tianji Sect, which staunchly defended Qin Miao, was not a suitable ally for her. Fu Zhi herself was frankly quite unsettling, showing relentless loyalty to the so-called heavenly will that controlled all things, as if bewitched. Whenever Qin Miao faced setbacks, she would offer herself in comfort, a level of zealotry that Xiang Shi Yan found both disturbing and terrifying. Then again, was there any female character in this book that was relatively normal? Crafted from the male author's detached and self-centered imagination, unlike the male characters, women's primary role was to be objects of the author and readers' gaze. They didn't need to be reasonable or normal—such traits were, in a sense, the prerogatives of the male characters. What kind of person would Fu Zhi become now, under Xiang Shi Yan's influence, when the world’s will was weakened? Would she still be hung up on the undeserving "Fate's Child"? Or might she, in this more autonomous state, start to display less devotion to Qin Miao? Xiang Shi Yan hoped for the latter. Frankly, she found dealing with cunning schemers more familiar than the bizarre and fervent zealots who idolized Qin Miao, no matter how disgraceful his actions were. Those who treated him as a deity under all circumstances were unnerving. Due to her unfamiliarity with Tianji Sect, Xiang Shi Yan had yet to expose "Qian Da Ni's" disguise. Unlike Long Rui Qing, this "spy" posed no immediate danger, and she saw no reason to alert her prey prematurely. Xiang Shi Yan held back the girl's hand, which intended to knock again, and glanced at Yu Ming's door with an inscrutable expression. "Elder Yu Ming's spiritual energy is in disarray. It's nothing serious but requires rest. Do not disturb her for the next few days." Yu Ming would eventually realize that not only had Xiang Shi Yan not dealt with Long Rui Qing as she’d anticipated, but she hadn't even detained the evidently guilty spy and had let her go unabashedly. But that moment didn't need to be now. Yu Ming's attitude towards Long Rui Qing puzzled Xiang Shi Yan. It was clear the two had crossed the master-disciple boundary, leading Xiang Shi Yan to some unsettling suspicions about what Yu Ming referred to as "that matter." She only hoped her speculations were unfounded, as Long Rui Qing was calculated and Yu Ming might not be her match in this respect. Although Xiang Shi Yan agreed to temporarily ally with her, she dared not accept everything Yu Ming said at face value. Long Rui Qing lied about the matter concerning the Xiao Yu token; such a valuable token would not be casually transferred. Clearly, there were deeper connections between her and the demon tribe as well as the Taixu Sect. As for whether the demon tribe and the Taixu Sect were involved, Xiang Shi Yan didn't rule out the possibility of Long Rui Qing being a double agent. Long Rui Qing’s fate still lay in her hands, and the continuation of their collaboration depended on Long Rui Qing’s performance. Hence, the elder sister presented a significant risk—not due to distrust of Yu Ming but out of fear that Long Rui Qing could manipulate her feelings, making the situation more difficult. The Qing Yuan Cheng’s ranking disputes were dangerous, with many mal intentions now focused on Hua Ye. Xiang Shi Yan hoped to concentrate on this issue. Tianji Sect's stance was critical; their goal was to win over Qin Miao, so it was unlikely they’d want to be seen as biased towards the Taixu Sect or be considered complicit in their fellow disciple’s demise. However, in the original story, Fu Zhi indeed said it was the will of the heavens when Zhu Yun sacrificed himself to death. Would Tianji Sect target Hua Ye to correct the course of fate, or would they stand idly by? These thoughts weighed heavily on Xiang Shi Yan, and her hand, which had been lightly resting on "Qian Da Ni's" back, now gripped her wrist. "Qian Da Ni," instinctively recoiled, her eyes narrowing in alertness. She attempted to pull away, failing to free herself, and cast Xiang Shi Yan a bewildered and confused expression. The woman's frosty face displayed a faint, perfectly polite smile. "Is your previous injury fully healed?" She turned "Qian Da Ni’s" wrist slightly, naturally checking her pulse. "Master took great care of me; I'm already much better." The young girl bit her lip slightly, and Xiang Shi Yan easily felt her heartbeat gradually quicken. No matter how she looked, this girl seemed alive, yet the system could only identify events that had already occurred; Qian Da Ni’s death was a foregone conclusion. Thus, the girl before her was clearly a corpse, without any anomalies in her bodily functions, pulse, or temperature. What method had been used to achieve this? Xiang Shi Yan released her hand in due course, leaving "Qian Da Ni" with a meaningful look and reminding her not to disturb Yu Ming before taking her leave. Noise… Fu Zhi absent-mindedly tapped the armrest twice. The stone chair was uncomfortable, but her senior sisters were arguing loudly, and the tense atmosphere of the council hall frayed her nerves. She dared not show any impatience, for fear of provoking any of her senior sisters. The council was filled with elders of Tianji Sect, all without exception the disciples of the current Tianji. Tianji Sect differed vastly from other sects in the celestial realm. As a sect whose disciples were entirely female, it stood out starkly in the male-dominated cultivation world. Its rules set them apart distinctly from other sects. In typical sects, elders and the sect master were separate roles; unless there was a grave error, the sect master's orders didn't affect the elders, who served as a check on the sect master’s power. But in Tianji Sect, the elders were exclusively the disciples of the current Tianji, an arrangement unique within the cultivation community. If there was a succession in leadership, regardless of their previous power, elders would be immediately relieved of their positions, their status rendered invalid publicly. Consequently, the competition among Tianji’s disciples was intensely fierce. However, this structure had its benefits; Tianji controlled virtually all matters within Tianji Sect, with elders having little restricting influence. Tianji Sect upheld the mandate of heaven and sought out guides who could convey its elusive commands, without needing skeptics or troublemakers. This autonomy allowed the Tianji to bypass stronger candidates and select Fu Zhi, who had been in the sect only a few years, lacked cultivation, and suffered from frail health of unknown longevity. Even after Fu Zhi managed affairs and secured her place as Tianji, allowing the entire Tianji Sect to operate seamlessly under Qin Miao’s direction and caused chaos, she faced little resistance from within the sect. Fu Zhi once harbored unrealistic expectations of Tianji Sect, hoping it could be her home and that the people there could understand her talents and suffering. Her first encounter with a Tianji Sect cultivator was her master, so such hopes were natural. However, if such figures were common, why would the Tianji hold her prestigious position? Fu Zhi's dreams were mere illusions, reflected in moonlit waters; no different here than elsewhere. Were it not for remaining beside her last kindred spirit, she wouldn't allow herself to be drawn into power struggles, lingering in Tianji Sect not a moment longer. The next Tianji would be chosen by her master on his deathbed. Fu Zhi informed her master early on that she had no designs on the position of Tianji, suggesting he choose a successor from among the senior sisters, excluding her from consideration. After witnessing her master’s final moments, Fu Zhi planned to leave Tianji Sect, seeking a secluded place where no one could find her, living the rest of her days without concern for the world. Yet recently, she increasingly sensed her desire might go unrealized. She recognized her uniqueness but hadn't anticipated that the mandate of heaven genuinely classified her role as irreplaceably special. The expectations of Tianji Sect and heaven on the so-called Fate's Child grew by the day, as if the world's fate hung by a thread on one individual. However, from Fu Zhi’s observations over the past two years, Qin Miao was not particularly brilliant. His ordinary talent might have been excused by virtue, but this Fate's Child designated by the heavens showed an unsettling mediocrity—no matter her abilities, they couldn’t save a character of such unimpressive conduct. There was only one Fate's Child, but the guiding star seemed to be splitting in two. Fu Zhi couldn't see physically; what she beheld was an illusory star map, unverifiable and based on blind intuition within lucid dreams. Because of this, others couldn't decipher heaven’s direction, unaware of how much Qin Miao's mark had faded, his splendor overshadowed by another Fate's illumination. Xiang Shi Yan. The girl's fingers tapped again as she pondered the name to herself. Why did Xiang Shi Yan, as a companion star, appear poised to replace Qin Miao? Unconsciously biting her lip, Fu Zhi wasn't thrilled by this development. If the mandate of heaven charged her with aiding the Fate's Child, Fu Zhi resolved to support Qin Miao to fulfill his mission at any cost. After all, fate is unchangeable. Everything in the world progresses according to the predetermined path of the heavens, with no exceptions, nor should there be any. Even if one momentarily strays from the path, they will inevitably return to it at the next juncture, led back by further mishaps and regrets. Fu Zhi's destiny was to assist the Fate's Child; attempting to escape her fate was both foolish and futile, bringing only more misfortune. She might walk away today, only to be forced back tomorrow by someone else's pain. Such unnecessary clouds would be her own malevolent creations, so she should simply comply. Who's to say this isn’t her sin? It should be unshakeable. The young girl gripped the stone armrest tightly, overwhelmed by deep sorrow and reluctance, and even... jealousy. Author's Note: I'm here, I'm here! This is likely the last leaderboard application before finals. There won't be any more this month (meaning no platform-imposed writing deadlines), so it's time for everyone to truly study up. Updates may be irregular, and I recommend stockpiling the chapters until I return for summer break. 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