173 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

Chapter 173: Stalling Xiang Shi Yan frowned, "How could it be... Could it be that when Qin Miao escaped, he took the two as hostages?" "Host, please calm down," the system responded with its usual lack of emotion in her mind, "I'll check the sisters' current location and compare it with Qin Miao's coordinates to see if their disappearance is related to him." "Thank you," Xiang Shi Yan rubbed her temples. She felt there was more to this situation than met the eye. Qin Miao fled in haste, already worried she might catch up. Turning Zhu Yun and Zhu Yu into hostages would not only slow him down but also anger her further. He wouldn't be foolish enough to do something so counterproductive. Yet, with their cultivation merely at the Qi Refining stage and nowhere to go besides Yucang Mountain, where could they have possibly disappeared to? Given that Huai’an City was in a state of turmoil, if the Zhu family feared Yucang Mountain might exploit the children's status as the Zhu clan's heirs and preemptively take the girls away, it would make sense. But how could the Zhu family brazenly do such a thing within Yucang Mountain's own grounds... A troubling thought occurred to Xiang Shi Yan, neither good nor bad, but undeniably unsettling. "The coordinates indicate that the two are currently heading northeast of Yucang Mountain, seemingly moving towards Haihai City," the system faithfully reported. It knew Xiang Shi Yan probably felt just as lost and refrained from immediately asking why Qin Miao needed to flee Yucang Mountain. Though they had been disconnected from the world for a while due to interference, just by observing Xiang Shi Yan's reaction, it was clear they had missed something critically important. "As expected..." Xiang Shi Yan murmured to herself. As their daily studies concluded, groups of young disciples headed to the communal kitchen for a meal. Xiang Shi Yan quickly moved to block Elder Yi Shi, who was preparing to return by sword. "Elder Yi Shi, that young disciple of yours..." Yi Shi was startled by Xiang Shi Yan's sudden approach. He had never seen the usually calm Yuehua Jun look so agitated. Looking at her solemn expression, he replied dazedly, "Do you mean You Qing? She took leave from me a while ago and went home to visit her family yesterday." Cultivators typically sever attachments as a rule, but the Xu family is one of the Thirteen Sect Seats, and Xu You Qing, as the sole daughter of the current Xu family head, is likely to return to Haihai City to inherit her family's mantle. It wasn't easy for Yucang Mountain to impose too harshly on her. Recalling Zhu Yun's previous mentions, Xiang Shi Yan's brows furrowed once more. Xu You Qing, along with He He and Fu Zhi, had entered the sect under her watch, and she knew the girl to be kind-hearted. Perhaps she helped Zhu Yun and Zhu Yu out of goodwill, yet the Xu family couldn't be so pure in their intentions. Should the Xu family seize this moment to hold the sisters hostage for a claim on the Zhu family's assets, the two sisters would be perilously endangered. "System, please guide me later; I need to intercept them before they enter the city," Xiang Shi Yan wore a grave expression. Zhu Yun’s resolve and stubbornness had exceeded her expectations. Even if she insisted on returning to the Zhu family now, she should have informed Xiang Shi Yan. Honor aside, nothing outweighed the safety of their lives. When Zhu Yun had brought this up, Xiang Shi Yan had given her a modified Yucang Mountain technique manual to calm the restless girl, hoping she'd bide her time and wait until her cultivation improved to take action. In retrospect, the manual hadn't achieved the desired effect; instead, it bolstered Zhu Yun's confidence, making her attempt futile. Without delay, Xiang Shi Yan ascended her sword towards Haihai City, only to be stopped midway by someone. Currently just a wisp of her former self, Yu Ming's appearance had grown increasingly haggard over the years. Her eyes bore dark circles from restless sleep and unending nightmares haunting her, leaving her, a Nascent Soul master at her peak, worn and depleted. Seeing her sister blocking the path, Xiang Shi Yan remembered she had arranged to meet Yu Ming. From the moment she took the box with the Gu worm, Xiang Shi Yan had known her sister would seek justice from the disciple who had left so abruptly. This Gu, known as "Unspeakable," was a peculiar one among the myriad deadly Gu worms cultivated through the arts of witchcraft. It could kill silently and inflict unbearable pain on its victim, though what methods or spells were used to train it, Xiang Shi Yan wasn't sure. She only knew it was used to prevent leaks, as all of the Clan's shadow operatives bore it. Long Rui Qing likely had a similar Gu worm, but the mother Gu she sent back was connected to the one inside Yu Ming. The exiled girl longed for her tribe leader's approval, hoping to reunite with her mother and sister swiftly. Regardless of any orders from above, Long Rui Qing endeavored to complete them. Her first order on Yucang Mountain was to poison her master with Gu, a safeguard for when things inevitably unraveled. Success or failure, she wasn't to leave a trace, and Yu Ming, who shared her everyday life with Long Rui Qing, was naturally closely monitored. It wasn't until she held the box that Xiang Shi Yan realized Long Rui Qing had chosen not to use Xiang Shi Yan for her escape but took the longer route of feigning death for the sake of retrieving the mother Gu stored at the demon capital's Xiao family mansion. Learning these truths, Xiang Shi Yan felt guiltier for abandoning Long Rui Qing. Fortunately, the jade token linked to Yu Ming’s soul still glowed, indicating Long Rui Qing had survived, even if Xiang Shi Yan didn't know how she escaped from Yu Zi Ming. Relieved to know her life was safe, Xiang Shi Yan could finally breathe a little easier. Awakened from her stupor by this token from afar, Yu Ming seemed determined to find Long Rui Qing and get answers. In fairness, Xiang Shi Yan knew her sister might still fear the young girl's harsh words, but her compassion and concern had finally driven her to action, unable to remain idle in the mountain's sanctuary. "Sister, you're in such a hurry; where are you headed? At the appointed time, I didn't see you, so I took a turn around Mozhu Peak only to find it deserted. Where have your disciples gone?" Yu Ming noticed Xiang Shi Yan’s peculiar expression and assumed something major had happened at Mozhu Peak, causing her to freeze momentarily. Yu Ming's hunch was indeed close. There was a major event at Mozhu Peak, which made Xiang Shi Yan feel embarrassed, unable to share it with her sister at this moment. "Zhu Yun and Zhu Yu went with Xu You Qing to Haihai City. I'm on my way to intercept them..." Xiang Shi Yan offered a vague hint of the situation, omitting mention of He He and Qin Miao’s whereabouts. Yu Ming was shocked, "They just left without a word?" Haihai City was no less than a den of danger for the sisters, especially since it was uncertain whether the conspirators from years ago were still lurking around. "Precisely so, sister, please forgive my breaking our promise." Xiang Shi Yan looked up to see Yu Ming's conflicted expression as she limply confessed, "Actually... the jade indicates it's to the east as well." The sisters had left with the Xu family's escort that came to greet Xu You Qing. Knowing there were two additional esteemed guests, the Xu family head sent extra personnel to ensure their safety. In theory, they should have arrived at Haihai City by evening aboard the flying boat, but Xu You Qing claimed to have some matters to address while passing through a town, prompting a stop. Descending the vessel, Xu You Qing left the awkwardly silent sisters aboard, enduring the heavy silence. Zhu Yu was still upset, sitting with her back to her sister, eyes fixed firmly on her book. Zhu Yun felt restless, compounded by the chill she had caught while quietly leaving Mozhu Peak at dawn, developing a cold as she lay in bed for most of the day. "Xiao Yu, would you like to come up and rest a bit? Xu You Qing might not return for a while, so why not take a nap?" Zhu Yun softly coaxed. Her tender voice could sway even the firmest hearts, but Zhu Yu, with her heart hardened, merely turned a page with a detached air, "No, thanks. I'm afraid by the time I wake, you'll have sent me back to Mozhu Peak." Zhu Yun almost lost her patient smile. She had already discussed the timing of their departure with Xu You Qing but had deliberately avoided letting Zhu Yu hear their discussions, a sliver of hope to keep her sister from danger. Understanding the weight of their shared experiences, Zhu Yun was convinced that leaving Zhu Yu on Yucang Mountain was the best choice, letting her live peacefully without worry. A minor mishap had occurred along the way; Zhu Yun had intended to leave quietly. Unexpectedly, her sister overheard her talking in her sleep the previous night. Concerned, Zhu Yu rose to make her a calming soup, fearful Zhu Yun wouldn’t return to sleep peacefully. But by dawn, she stumbled upon Zhu Yun, coughing and trying to discreetly leave with a paltry bag of belongings. Zhu Yun covered her awkwardness with a subtle cough, noticing Zhu Yu’s persistent disregard. She nestled deeper into the quilt and muttered playfully, "This blanket is thin, and I'm getting cold. Come up here and sleep with me, Xiao Yu. Without you, I'm bound to have nightmares again." "You seem to enjoy being all alone, so it's good to get used to it early. Once we reach Haihai City, I won't look after you anymore. When you wake up freezing in the night, figure it out on your own." The page had been turned over at least ten times, and the annoyed girl's restless hands had creased the paper. Zhu Yu intended to put on a cold demeanor, but as she spoke, she couldn't help but feel increasingly aggrieved. She sniffed, turning her head slightly to keep Zhu Yun from seeing her reddened eyes. She had caught Zhu Yun by sheer luck this time; if she had been lazy and overslept, she would have been left behind again. Despite being the one treated as a burden, Zhu Yu's mind kept conjuring images of Zhu Yun waking up alone at night, crying as she searched the empty room, finally having to curl up in the cold bedding, weeping. She deserved it! Zhu Yu didn't turn her head, which made Zhu Yun a bit anxious. If vulnerability didn't work, she had another plan. "Cough, cough..." At first, it was a muffled cough, slowly escalating beyond her control. Zhu Yun’s face flushed with discomfort, appearing quite pained, "Xiao Yu, water..." Frightened, Zhu Yu hastily poured a cup of water and helped her drink, which finally calmed Zhu Yun down as she leaned against her sister, softly asking, "Isn't it okay not to be angry?" Realizing she had fallen for another trick, Zhu Yu angrily pinched her sister's waist, only to hear Zhu Yun's painful, triumphant laugh, trapping her in a hug. "Next time, I really won't leave you behind." Zhu Yu pursed her lips, "Without the master's guidance and without me, what will you do alone..." "Mm." The sisters embraced in silence for a long while until urgent knocking interrupted them. The door creaked open, revealing Xiang Shi Yan with a stormy expression, while a sheepish Xu You Qing peeked over her shoulder. Zhu Yun had been well aware that Xiang Shi Yan wouldn't remain oblivious to their disappearance forever, but once they entered Haihai City, rescuing them from its chaotic grip would be much harder. She exchanged a knowing look with her relieved master, who was finally assured of their safety. "Are you truly set on this?" Outside, Xu You Qing quietly exhaled in relief. There was never any important matter that needed her privileged but powerless status to handle; it was merely He He's earlier instructions. A girl of similar age possessed a maturity beyond Xu You Qing’s reach. As their departure date approached, He He had secretly advised her to find a pretext to delay during the journey. When to stop hadn't been specified—just that Xu You Qing would understand when the time was right. And so Xu You Qing wandered aimlessly through the unfamiliar mortal town until nightfall when she spotted Xiang Shi Yan’s distant figure on the street. Caught between having abducted her master's disciples and deliberately keeping Zhu Yun and Zhu Yu delayed, Xu You Qing was paralyzed with guilt, unable to decide where to go until Xiang Shi Yan inevitably caught her. It was only upon hearing Xiang Shi Yan's exasperated tone that Xu You Qing realized she might have acted rashly. But regret sometimes comes too late, and it was only facing Xiang Shi Yan directly that she might ensure Zhu Yun’s choice would ultimately be one she wouldn't regret. He He might not seem seriously concerned about the two junior sisters, but underneath, he had indeed taken considerable care for them. He's not entirely heartless... Author's Note: Third consecutive day of daily updates! Thank you to the angels who supported me with overlord tickets or nutrient solutions between 2022-10-02 35:57:25 and 2022-10-03 35:85:35~ Special thanks to the angel who sent a landmine: I'll give myself a cute one 1; Thanks to the angel who provided nutrient solutions: My boss is the coolest 70 bottles; Thank you all for your support; I will continue to work hard! No pop-up advertisements here, permanent domain (xbanxia.com)