174 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

Chapter 174: Confusion "Here's what you wanted," Long Rui Qing said, sliding a wooden box toward the flamboyantly dressed woman opposite her. Nearly a month had passed since the beast tide erupted in the Azure-Spotted Forest, and the disturbances near Resentful Soul Gorge subsided. Long Rui Qing, who Xiao Luan had assigned as a ghost cultivator's attendant, vanished after that battle. The Xiao Clan achieved their goal and naturally didn't concern themselves with the survival of this marginalized half-blood. However, as soon as the observer reported Yu Zi Ming's defeat, they activated the Gu inside Long Rui Qing to ensure she wouldn't divulge any information. Long Rui Qing had foreseen the Xiao Clan's actions and prepared in advance; otherwise, even if she had managed to escape the chaos, survival wouldn't have been guaranteed. Though Long Rui Qing didn't know the entirety of Xiao Luan and her allies' plans, she had a vague sense that Yu Zi Ming's defeat and death weren't part of it. The Li Clan Demon Emperor's rule over thousands of years secured unparalleled resources and power among his peers in the demon world and also became the core of public faith. Histories abound with those who dared to oppose him, yet they all ultimately failed. The Emperor's faction had overwhelming support, and even rebellious clans struggled to unite. Even with wavering alliances, there were still some within the Xiao Clan who viewed the Demon Emperor as a symbol of faith. While armed rebellion might topple the Li Clan's rule, maintaining power would prove tenuous and likely incite chaos, benefiting outsiders. Xiao Luan's desire to overthrow her mentor from the throne left her no other choice but to wait for a voluntary abdication. Since succeeding his sister, the current Demon Emperor had failed to avenge deep-seated grievances, opting instead for leniency and concessions toward human cultivators, diminishing his image. His predecessor was fiercely combative, and her fervent supporters hoped he would avenge her and continue their longstanding war. In Long Rui Qing's era, without including the invasion attempt two centuries ago, four centuries of relative peace existed between the two races. Even during the heightened tensions of thirty years prior, irreparable conflict was avoided, largely due to the Demon Emperor's mediation. Despite her weakness, events led even some peace advocates to be disillusioned, while the warmonger faction made several assassination attempts to place another Li Clan upstart on the throne. Long Rui Qing understood Xiao Luan's disdain for controlling a puppet king; she sought to legitimately seize power from her mentor. Xiao Luan's actions in Qingyuan City and along the Resentful Soul Gorge only fueled public unrest. The Azure-Spotted Forest was part of the Tianjian due to Resentful Soul Gorge, making it rarely visited. Following the events, many witnessed a black dragon carrying away a pearl, along with a new, stable seal providing protection. The danger diminished, though the Tianjian, which loomed over the Divine Continent for millennia, remained. This conditions a scenario where rare materials and spiritual stone veins in the forest are now easily accessible. Although the demon clan insists on retaining every inch, the resolution achieved by human cultivators complicates claims otherwise—the proposition to divide the Azure-Spotted Forest down the middle, as before, is inappropriate. From the Heavenly Sect's initial movements to the Demon Emperor's envoy dispatch, more than a month elapsed. Privately, many in the demon clan blamed the Demon Emperor's indecisiveness for missing the opportunity. Xiao Luan's delayed actions hampered Du Ruo, exacerbating the current situation. She spread dissenting rumors, placing the Demon Emperor in a more precarious position while portraying the Xiao Clan as victims of his weakness. Their territory, adjacent to Tianjian, guaranteed them nearly forty percent of the forest resources without significant effort. Whether their chieftain succeeds, Long Rui Qing can't predict. However, she trusts Xiao Luan's daring ambition indicates further preparations. Yu Zi Ming, embroiled in this chaotic affair, met an undeserving end. Long Rui Qing sighed—justice, it seemed, had been served, yet mixed emotions lingered. Recalling the woman, Long Rui Qing's exhausted expression betrayed a creeping unease after weeks of unrest. She and Xiang Shi Yan managed to rescue Huaizhi together, and Long Rui Qing had steeled herself for the volatile ghost cultivator's scrutiny, knowing her brief service wouldn't earn Yu Zi Ming's leniency. Yet when the woman returned, her demeanor was distant, sitting alone in the cave, lost in thought with an uncharacteristic sadness clouding her face. Unexpectedly, Long Rui Qing avoided becoming another of Yu Zi Ming's victims, escaping unscathed—an anomaly from the rigorous discipline she was accustomed to under Xiao Luan's harsh rule. Sensing an impending change, she stayed nearby instead of departing and hid within a prudent distance of the cave. Suddenly, Long Rui Qing sensed a chilling, unfamiliar aura—a powerful yet sinister presence unlike any formidable cultivator she'd known—a damp, oppressive heaviness pervading the air like a looming storm. Though she should have fled then, curiosity propelled her toward the cave where Yu Zi Ming stayed. In truth, it was perhaps the most terrifying scene Long Rui Qing had witnessed. She'd seen Xiao Luan shred her father to pieces, yet this was an entirely novel fear. The cavern was dimly lit by a lone candle whose light wavered but couldn't dispel the dense shadows. She saw the woman lying flat on a stone bed, her face devoid of color, as if she'd been immersed in water, drenched in sweat, with beads continuing down her face. The delicate woman's serene expression was gone. Yu Zi Ming's eyes were wide with agony, staring into the void, jaw clenched, body rigid and trembling as she muttered disjointed, incantation-like syllables. Amid the flickering light, Long Rui Qing mistook the glistening sweat on her cheek for tears, struck silent by the sight of such raw torment. And "that thing"... it... was emerging from Yu Zi Ming's body, like an evil spirit crawling from the underworld, her silhouette enshrouded in shadows akin to black mud, oozing and spreading from her womb, akin to blood cascading onto the ground. As the shadows spilled over, they revealed a blank face, uttering weak cries akin to a newborn. Sensing a living presence, the ghost king suddenly opened its distinct black-and-white eyes, glaring at Long Rui Qing. With a sharp intake of breath, Long Rui Qing instinctively felt a chill pierce her spine and sighed deeply. The woman sitting across from her offered no pleasantries, opening the box. The rustling sound of appendages crawling turned into silence and agonized cries, and the woman coldly snapped a leg off the mother Gu. The small insect struggled within, and the hand holding the box trembled slightly. "Er, ahem..." The woman feigned nonchalance, quickly closing the lid; her wince was barely perceptible save for a reflexive sound, revealing nothing of the acute pain she endured from their connection. Long Rui Qing took a sip of tea to soothe her throat. "Utilizing the mother Gu to expel the child Gu within you will rid you of it altogether." This woman, an old acquaintance, had once tutored Long Rui Qing in her youth—the Xiao Clan trained their agents thoroughly. In her quest for survival, Long Rui Qing learned many devious methods from her, ranging from pleasing seduction techniques to lethal poisons and assassination arts. Reprimands over minor errors led her to quickly master these skills, earning her ten years of undetected infiltration on Yu Cang Mountain, never drawing suspicion, though she shared her achievements with easy-going companions like Yu Ming and Huaizhi. Long Rui Qing felt no gratitude for this woman. Under Xiao Luan's combination of soft and hard tactics, the Xiao Clan united with unwavering loyalty, particularly the blatant Xiao Feather private army and the secretive Xiao Ying division, each strongly devoted to their leader. Individuals like Long Rui Qing and the woman remained rare exceptions. After fleeing the borders, Long Rui Qing dared not re-enter demon territories. By rights, she could claim genuine freedom by living incognito, yet a profound emptiness lingered—despite the vastness of the world, she found nowhere to belong. After wandering aimlessly for a month, she sought refuge in Huaihai City to avoid attention. Her mentor resided there in the glamorous brothels—a bustling blend of people and secrets. Passing cultivators bared their secrets under the women's watchful eyes. This web gradually gathered intelligence, feeding it into Xiao Luan's hands. Clearly, the woman before her had grown weary of such a life. "I'm not in a rush to leave," the woman said, pouring herself a drink. "The preparations are tedious... Staying a few more years wouldn't hurt. I only enlisted your help for peace of mind, to avoid dropping dead unexpectedly without realizing what's happening." The woman was generous, offering her finest wine and a temporary place to stay in return. Long Rui Qing lowered her gaze, lifted her glass, and downed it in one go. "From now on, the world is yours to explore. Why wear such a gloomy face? It's irritating." The woman complained before offering comfort, "Take some time to clean up and rest. There's no hurry; you have all the time in the world to make plans." All the time in the world... Long Rui Qing looked up, bewildered. Her past felt like a relentless chase towards death, never allowing her a moment's peace. Now that she could finally slow down, she found it unfamiliar. What am I supposed to do next? Find a quiet place to live out her remaining days in solitude? Long Rui Qing chuckled bitterly. She had imagined a life of seclusion before, but now that such fantasies edged closer to reality, they seemed out of reach. "Ah, wine is the solace, easing a moment's sorrow. Entertain yourself," the woman said with a sigh before stepping out. As the door opened, the lively clamor from outside surged in—the laughter of patrons seeking pleasure and the cheerful chatter of women competing to be heard. Long Rui Qing glanced up briefly, recognizing several familiar faces among the striking women mingling with unfamiliar men. She shook her head helplessly, filling her glass once more. Amidst the noise, a whisper of a familiar voice reached her ears. Long Rui Qing almost believed she heard Yu Ming's voice, finding humor in her own folly—Yu Ming would blush at the mere glimpse of a woman's body; he wouldn't come to such a place of revelry. "Let me go. If it's spirit stones you want, take them... Just don't stop me..." "Sir, we don't accommodate female guests here! Oh, that’s Deng Zhi Gu Niang’s room. She’s occupied... You can't enter!" The door burst open with a bang, and Long Rui Qing looked up, startled, meeting the furious gaze of Yu Ming at the threshold. Author's Note: This is frustrating... Missed it by just seconds and a few words QAQ My streak of consecutive updates lasted three days. 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