153 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

### Chapter 153: Emotionless (Part 1) Xiang Shi Yan carefully enveloped herself and her apprentice with her spiritual sense as she approached the Tian Qian. She also used a Concealment Talisman to mask her presence completely, preparing for any potential danger hinted at by the Third Elder's words. Ordinary cultivators might have missed it, but the ghost cultivators lurking near the Soul Resentment Gorge were anything but ordinary. Yu Zi Ming, although preoccupied with monitoring the ghost king within her, was less adept at spiritual combat compared to other cultivators of her level. However, the ghostly energy around Tian Qian was dense and suffocating, making any trace of living breath rather conspicuous. Yu Zi Ming had laid a nearly invisible, fine barrier using the ghost energy in the nearby dense forest. This barrier stretched ghostly beings into thin, web-like forms across the sky, obscured by the surrounding ghost energy and hard to detect. Xiang Shi Yan, upon her first approach to the Soul Resentment Gorge, inadvertently crossed this “web”, alerting Yu Zi Ming, who hid within the earth's hollow. Cultivators who haven't formed their Nascent Soul have weak resistance to ghostly auras, which is why Xiang Shi Yan shielded Huai Ye from the gorge's hostile aura. However, as the girl grew older and more independent, she began to frequently injured herself and lost the trust she once placed in her master’s decisions. Huai Ye couldn’t help but worry as she watched Xiang Shi Yan’s retreating figure. Thus, she secretly trailed after her. Before long, she stumbled into a trap set by the ghost cultivators, unwittingly allowing herself to be ensnared and delivered right to their doorstep. This was an unexpected delight for Yu Zi Ming, who had been distracted by matters involving the demon alliance. She hadn't had the chance to find a suitable body for her master's rebirth yet and had planned to capture young cultivators near the Qingban Forest. Now, though, it seemed unnecessary. Yu Zi Ming had wandered for years without hearing of Huai Ye’s fame but knew the girl shared an unusual link with Xiang Shi Yan. When they were both younger, Yu Zi Ming had once met Xiang Shi Yan—one of the renowned twin beauties of the Jade Azure Mountain—and had been curious about her ever since. In person, Xiang Shi Yan was even more enchanting than she had imagined, but what caught her attention most was something else... Even before reaching a hundred years old, the girl had broken through to Nascent Soul stage, a rare talent further amplified by her unique variant spiritual root—truly a match for her brilliant predecessor. The Lightning Spiritual Root... Yu Zi Ming looked down at the unconscious Huai Ye. Both fire and lightning, being of the Yang attribute, were naturally repulsive to ghost cultivators like Yu Zi Ming and her master, who wielded Water Spiritual Roots. Physical cultivators were rare, especially female ones, making this an uncommon find... Yu Zi Ming sighed helplessly. The Yang attribute dispels ghosts, but if certain exorcism methods were altered, it wasn’t impossible to refine such a body for cultivation, though it would inconvenience her master. She bent down, pressing two fingers to Huai Ye’s forehead, probing her meridians without concern for damaging her mind. In the next moment, her calm demeanor turned to outright dismay. She withdrew her hand abruptly, uncertain and panicked, rubbing her temples with trembling fingers. The girl’s meridians were unusually robust and broad, even among body cultivators, further accentuated by a rare lightning variant spiritual root... but all of this paled in shock compared to discovering the girl was a Heavenly Human Body. The basic trait of a furnace-like body is its acceptance of external spiritual energy without resistance. Moreover, the small meridians within hinted at her identity, suggesting these would slowly extend, mutate, and eventually lead to the complete disintegration of her physical form into chaotic spiritual energy. It was like being hit hard in the chest; her lungs felt as if they were clenched by cruel hands. Instinctively, Yu Zi Ming clutched her chest, taking deep breaths to steady herself, then glanced again at the struggling girl in her nightmare. Fortunately, the extra meridians were still concentrated in the limbs at this stage, manageable for now. But once she reached Transcendence stage, her spiritual energy vortex would operate unchecked during cultivation; at that point, it would be too late. Yu Zi Ming was about to examine the additional meridians more closely when she sensed a stir in the spiritual connection attached to Long Rui Qing. Her close attendant's voice came through a communication artifact, faint due to the wind: “Senior, Elder Xiang from Jade Azure Mountain is investigating near the Tian Qian. Should you wish to take a look?” Yu Zi Ming was aware of Long Rui Qing’s past exploits. The young woman had infiltrated Jade Azure Mountain for over a decade but had to abandon her covert identity due to an unforeseen incident during an operation, resulting in her return to the demon territory. It seemed her feigned death went unnoticed by those in Jade Azure Mountain. A direct confrontation with Xiang Shi Yan now would be challenging to explain and would likely lead to unforeseen complications. The spiritual energy she’d left on Long Rui Qing served not only to shield her from ghostly auras but also concealed her presence amid the chaotic energy near the Soul Resentment Gorge, explaining why Xiang Shi Yan hadn’t noticed her. Yu Zi Ming, fearing exposure, devised a plan for Long Rui Qing to trigger hidden spells she left behind, guiding her toward the temporary hideout, while Yu Zi Ming herself prepared to confront her old acquaintance. Ghost cultivation involved using secret arts to control ghostly beings, thereby absorbing spiritual energy to advance one’s cultivation, in addition to harnessing the ghastly aura to tame an army of ghosts, all in preparation for ascending the immortal ladder. Though summoning ghosts wasn't inherently evil, a malevolent ghost cultivator centuries ago notoriously attempted to ascend using an array of enchanted banners forged from the souls of fellow cultivators, committing innumerable atrocities. His actions incited widespread fear across the cultivation world. This wicked cultivator, wishing for his sect to benefit from immortal grace, planned his final challenge atop the mountain from which he hailed. His plan failed spectacularly when he was obliterated by a divine lightning calamity at the summit—the fiercest since ancient times. The legendary Heavenly Punishment razed the entire ghost sect, leaving no soul intact. Since then, record loss and relentless persecution forced ghost cultivation into decline. The once-prosperous ghost control arts were lost alongside their dark past. Xiang Shi Yan absentmindedly touched the jade pendant at her waist. The ghost within—Lin Zhao Di—faintly responded, vibrating twice with a hint of warmth. Over the past five years, Lin Zhao Di’s condition had stabilized. Over time, she even learned to suppress her ghostly aura, needing less of Xiang Shi Yan's intervention—a testament to Xuan Jiu's skill. Xiang Shi Yan had long suspected Xuan Jiu might have lived for a considerable length of time. She wasn’t aware of the dragon's lifespan, but it would not be surprising if she were privy to presumed lost secrets. Moreover, Xiang Shi Yan had personally witnessed a hidden legacy of ghost cultivation. Long Rui Qing seemed wary of this woman, which didn’t surprise Xiang Shi Yan. Even her inability to disclose details due to Du Ruo’s presence didn’t hinder Xiang Shi Yan from understanding, piecing together the identity of this so-called guest. Since parting ways with this former shared master’s acquaintance years ago, Xiang Shi Yan hadn't encountered them again. She could imagine what this individual had pursued over the years, likely seeking bodies for her lover’s rebirth. Initially, this person had dared to target her a nascent soul cultivator, convinced that a remnant spirit could overpower Xiang Shi Yan. Evidently, the spirit wasn't benign in life, and ordinary bodies couldn’t bear such a spirit—let alone an unborn, unformed child. Xiang Shi Yan felt confident the creature within her wasn't a typical fetus but a ghost infant. As for how it came to be... Xiang Shi Yan figured Long Rui Qing, who had cared for her for years, might know. However, reason cautioned against probing further, suggesting some questions were better left unasked. Not many left a deep impression on Xiang Shi Yan, yet her early acquaintance with Senior Yu, when she was still developing her nascent soul, forged a lasting memory—both due to her immature spiritual acuity and the woman's unsettling demeanor. Xiang Shi Yan walked further away from the Soul Resentment Gorge. The forest within a ten-mile radius of Tian Qian was devoid of spirit beasts. She trailed Long Rui Qing without haste, keeping a substantial distance, appearing observant yet uncertain. In actuality, Xiang Shi Yan aimed to distance herself from Tian Qian. The gorge, saturated with ghostly energy, offered an ideal dueling ground for ghost cultivators. Though the forest's barriers were indiscernible, passing through them caused the jade at her waist to quiver violently. In the dense forest, amidst the darting white apparition navigating the branches like a butterfly, she suddenly stopped, feet braced against a tree for balance. Ahead... there was something. Xiang Shi Yan hadn't realized she passed through Yu Zi Ming’s detection web earlier due to her natural insensitivity to ghostly auras. Having carried Lin Zhao Di for years made her increasingly immune to ghostly perceptions, but Lin Zhao Di’s subtle reminder brought her attention to the unnerving atmosphere a mere five steps away—an ethereal film exuding a bizarre and ominous aura. A dark aura cloaked the ghostly skin, pulled taut into a grotesque tableau by a deft manipulation of external force. Yes, if one were to examine the thin membrane ahead with spiritual sight... Xiang Shi Yan’s eyebrows raised, and she instinctively stepped back. There were unmistakably contorted faces of agony etched across the membrane’s surface. This was indeed a ghost sect secret art, surviving the calamity that had nearly annihilated the ghost cultivation tradition in the Central Plains. What would happen if someone unwittingly passed through it? "Senior Yu Ji... it’s been a long time." Xiang Shi Yan addressed the empty space before her, bowing slightly. In the spiritual sight, the ghastly ghost faces twisted into a grotesque laugh... No, it wasn’t truly a smile, merely the tortured faces contorting in a desperate wish for death, forming such an eerie expression by chance. The sneering ghost face dissipated into a bluish-gray smoke, and from it emerged a shadowy figure of a woman. It had been ages since someone addressed her this way. Even though Yu Zi Ming had come prepared, she couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned. She was the last survivor of a practically extinct sect. Having severed ties with nearly all former acquaintances, no one existed now who would call her by that name... What a harmonious reunion; if only the old acquaintance before her hadn’t already summoned her life-bound spiritual sword, the cool gaze piercing and unforgiving. Xiang Shi Yan carried this sword, forged from meteorite tempered by heavenly lightning during a tribulation, entrusted by her master once she reached the Transcendence stage. Even from seven steps away, a ghost cultivator steeped in the aura of resentful ghosts felt a sting on their skin, and the ghost king within Yu Zi Ming stirred uneasily. Beneath the concealing robes, her belly suddenly bulged as if an infant’s hand pressed against her womb from inside. The internal ghostly energy and pain drained some color from her face. The woman coughed weakly, eyes crinkling into a smile as she addressed Xiang Shi Yan: “What brings you here, niece?” "I should ask why a senior would wander near the Soul Resentment Gorge during such a sensitive time." "Apart from this place, is there anyplace else suitable for my cultivation?" The woman in white lowered her sword, greeting her with a nod: “Could you grant me this favor?” As though fatigued from mere conversation, she caressed her round abdomen and sighed: “Having known each other, does my niece wish to send me off to some godforsaken pauper’s grave with just a few words?” Did this person realize that the girl she brought with her was no longer waiting at the original spot? Yu Zi Ming’s eyes lowered slightly—probably so. “If you want me to leave, you must offer a decent bargain.” “…” Elders Yu Qi and Lian Zhi had encountered danger within the Soul Resentment Gorge, unsure if they were truly attacked—mainly because spirit-controlling arts were supposedly long lost. With ghost sect descendants appearing, how could Xiang Shi Yan not see the connection to this turmoil? And the “bargain” she mentioned... With an inscrutable smile, the woman stepped forward, her foot crushing the frost-covered ground. The hoarfrost spread through the dense, shadowy forest, white mist floating ominously, obscuring the expressions of both women. The ghost infant twisted and turned within her under the external pressure, unable to contain its excitement at the threat. Yu Zi Ming gently traced circles over her protruding belly, soothing the ghost king. Though she appeared at a disadvantage, her soft and gentle demeanor suggested otherwise: “You know my intention, niece. Allies hold no interest; I seek only…” The difficulty in body-snatching lies in two aspects: devouring the host's consciousness and finding a body to endure the soul’s spiritual upheaval. Body cultivators excel in physical robustness, not mental fortitude, making Huai Ye a more satisfactory specimen than Xiang Shi Yan back then. An unforeseen crisis; the ambition of a demon traitor; the abandoned burial ground that was Tian Qian, now housing lurking ghost cultivators—their intentions lay bare. While the seal on Soul Resentment Gorge held steady for now, how long could this stability last? If the beast tide prophecy came true, there’s doubt whether the camp's forces could fend off the hordes without casualty, sparing frail mortals from harm. Yet, among dozens of sects, how many would be scarred? Now, this twisted woman seemed to imply that if Xiang Shi Yan overlooked her abduction of Huai Ye, she would withdraw? ### Author's Note: Thank you to the little angels who cast overlord votes or watered with nutrient solutions between 2022-08-35 00:15:35~2022-08-27 35:24:47~ Thanks to the angel who threw a landmine: Double Pure Rolls Out of Auntie's Circle 1; Thank you to the little angels who watered with nutrient fluid: Passing By 142 bottles; Crane Flock Administrator 20 bottles; Ah Tai's Serenity 10 bottles; Thank you all for your support. I'll continue to work hard! No pop-up ads on this site, permanent domain (xbanxia.com)