186 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

Chapter 855: Sect Leader "Sect Leader?" Huai Ye, who was lost in thought with her chin resting on her hand, was jolted by the call. Sitting at the head seat, she surveyed the elders gathered in the Wu Ji Hall with her, tapping her fingers twice lightly on the armrest. "What do you think, elders?" "The mine collapse, although it did affect the seal at Grievance Gorge, was not something we wished for. Tai Xu Zong's actions are truly outrageous!" exclaimed an elder with a long beard, slamming the table forcefully. He seemed to have lost control of his strength, shaking the stone table and even startling himself. Huai Ye gently pressed the stone table, immediately calming the vibrations. She turned expressionlessly towards the middle-aged man seated further down, waiting for him to speak. Yi Shi Elder stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Tai Xu Zong is indeed overstepping by demanding we withdraw from the Qing Ban Mi Lin. However, considering they have a reasonable excuse with the seal being affected, I personally don't think confronting them head-on is wise." Sixty years ago, after the incident at Grievance Gorge, Yu Cang Shan, Tian Ji Sect, and various small sects from the southwestern border came together to take charge of the vast Tian Jian region. The Qing Ban Mi Lin, which had been difficult to access for many years, not only contained several spiritual stone veins but also various rare spiritual plants and powerful beasts, making it a coveted resource. The alliance of the two sects, combined with the fluctuating support of the families due to the meddling of the Zhu family, left the usually domineering Tai Xu Zong without allies and reluctant to openly clash with the two major sects. Half a month ago, an unexpected accident occurred while mining spiritual stones, causing a collapse. Although the incident site was far from the seal at Grievance Gorge, the vibrations from the spiritual stones unexpectedly disturbed the distant seal. Ghostly energy leaked momentarily but only showed signs of fading two or three days ago. Tai Xu Zong seized this mistake, demanding the two sects first retreat from Qing Ban Mi Lin, halting all activities within Tian Jian, to be reconsidered after deliberation by the Thirteen Seats of the Immortal Gate. "They just want to use this opportunity to grab a share, thinking no one sees through their scheme..." The elders weren't impatient, but Tian Jian represented possibly the last unowned resource in Shen Zhou. Yu Cang Shan's influence had made a significant leap over sixty years. Losing it might greatly weaken the sect's strength, and no one was willing to suffer that kind of loss. They knew Tai Xu Zong, likened to a vicious wolf, wouldn't let go once they had bitten down. They wouldn't cease until they had torn something from the two sects. The elders looked solemnly towards the woman at the head of the table. Their opinions had been voiced; now they awaited the sect leader's decision. Huai Ye's expression remained unchanged; she pondered briefly before slowly speaking, "Setting aside the power struggles, the seal at Grievance Gorge indeed deserves attention. Order the disciples not to rush clearing the landslide for now; withdraw from the core area to avoid anyone causing trouble and blaming it on us." "Since Tai Xu Zong is fixated on the seal issue, let go of the spiritual stone veins for now, maintaining only the outermost two. They stand on moral grounds; we shouldn't incite conflict. Moreover, if we can't even let these go, the remaining sects might ally with Tai Xu Zong, so our focus should be on safeguarding the spiritual plant gardens and the beast trade rights." The elders exchanged glances, feeling a sense of helplessness. The situation was unfavorable for the two sects, but preserving what they could was essential, and they nodded in agreement. Huai Ye rose. "Copy Yu Cang Shan's stance and send it to Tian Ji Sect. Let's hear their verdict. That concludes today." The elders collectively bowed to the much younger woman, calling, "Farewell, Sect Leader." Huai Ye looked slightly weary, skipped the formalities, waved casually, and turned into the inner chamber. The Wu Ji Hall connected to the sect leader's residence at the mountain's peak. It was convenient for discussing sect matters with the elders, and behind the inner chamber lay a long mountain path leading directly to Huai Ye's current dwelling. Years ago, as a girl accompanying her master and the elders in their discussions, she had now taken on the mantle of sect leader. Li Huai had willingly ceded the sect leader's quarters to his disciple, leaving Yu Cang Shan with packed belongings the very next day after passing down the position. For the next five or six years, Li Huai traversed the corners of the cultivation world, searching for traces of Xiang Shi Yan and sending regular updates back to the mountain. Xiang Shi Yan seemed to have vanished into thin air. At the scene of the incident back then, traces of her spiritual power were found, but there were no clues as to where she went. He He, still very young then, had lost consciousness early on, unable to pinpoint where their master had gone. This morning, they received news from their master. Li Huai still had no good news but mentioned a demon friend who claimed to have seen someone resembling Xiang Shi Yan in Yao Du. He planned to take the risk of investigating. Apparently, the former sect leader had connections within the demon race, a fact that Huai Ye didn't mind. But as she read the date casually inscribed by her master on the jade slip, a sudden realization struck her. An entire cycle of sixty years had already passed. The years spent with her martial uncle had only spanned a little over a decade, yet now she had lived four times that period. Huai Ye had always been certain her martial uncle was alive somewhere. However, realizing this length of time, she wavered. No one is truly indispensable. Huai Ye's life would continue as it was—a hundred years, two hundred years... until those brief years Xiang Shi Yan was part of her life faded into a memory she seldom revisited. Perhaps in the future, Yue Hua Jun would become a legend among descendants, as some revered elder, while to Huai Ye, he would transform into a cherished recollection of her youthful past. These whimsical fantasies brought by her wandering thoughts pained Huai Ye, leaving her distracted throughout the day. The sect leader of Yu Cang Shan ascended the long steps thoughtfully, making time amid her busy schedule for some solitary reflection. She had initially suspected Xiang Shi Yan might have ventured into the demon realm when she first disappeared, but before two days had passed, a concerned message from Du Ruo had arrived seeking information. Without allies and facing numerous foes among the demons, Xiang Shi Yan likely wouldn't have chosen that path... "You are late again," a voice sighed accusingly from within the courtyard before Huai Ye even entered. The voice made Huai Ye tense involuntarily, her whole body twitching with sharp, phantom pains. She suddenly remembered it was He He's day to "treat" her. The sect leader lifted the curtain and found a slender woman sitting in her place, rested her chin on her hand, boredly rolling a white jade cup back and forth on the table with a single finger. He He frowned at her. "Busy woman, forgot our appointment again?" Having matured, He He had shed her youthful softness, her features becoming sharper. When she pretended to smile as usual, she appeared as sweet and lovely as in her childhood. But when alone with Huai Ye, He He didn't bother with courteous smiles, her indifference lending her face an air of arrogance. Huai Ye felt a slight pang of guilt; she had finished the meeting early today but had lingered during her walk, delaying the appointed time. Clearing her throat, she asked, "Did you bring everything? Let's start early today." With a glint in her eye at Huai Ye's topic change, He He shot her a look. "The medicinal bath is ready; go soak inside." Hurriedly discarding her sect leader attire, Huai Ye left a pile of bejeweled waistbands and bead strings on the floor. He He caught sight of the woman hustling into the bath barrel with scars winding like tree branches across her back. Huai Ye's limbs bore scars too, though most didn't stem from combat but appeared to have been made by thin blades without any resistance. The tub was filled with a thick, green medicinal liquid, slightly more viscous than clear water. As she immersed her body, Huai Ye felt faint stings of pain across her skin. While not intense, the persistent pricking brought a bothersome itch, a sensation hard to ignore. Huai Ye's meridians differed from ordinary people, endlessly sprouting new pathways like a tree growing branches, pressing into her flesh. Though she cultivated faster than most because of this, she also suffered because of it. A cultivator with the physique of a celestial being, if continuing to cultivate without break, would reach a point where their mortal body would gradually dissipate into sheer spiritual energy. From her first step into immortality, Huai Ye had heard of this fact. Throughout the years, she couldn't help but imagine her limbs evaporating into golden mist but discovered that the demise of a "celestial" was far more terrifying than she'd envisioned. The warm liquid enveloping her coaxed a sense of comfort and relaxation. This was probably the only element of He He's treatment that Huai Ye found bearable, having grown accustomed to the pricking, itching sensations. Gazing at the emerald green liquid, Huai Ye's eyes drifted to her left arm. "How much longer will this treatment take?" Her left arm was covered with unsightly marks akin to growing roots and tendrils; the flesh seemed to possess an eerie dark hue. Even to this day, Huai Ye's left arm felt somewhat numb, and the muscles were extremely stiff, carrying a distinctly inhuman sensation. She had gradually become accustomed to wearing gloves or gauntlets to conceal it. These marks on her left arm were left over thirty years ago when Huai Ye was merely forming her Nascent Soul. The immense spiritual power urged her internal meridians to accelerate their growth, which quickly manifested physically. During that time, Huai Ye was in such excruciating pain that she could barely move, writhing on the bed without any relief. Li Huai didn't dare allow anyone else to care for her, as Huai Ye, in her struggles, would accidentally tear at her arms and body until they were drenched with blood. In that state, controlling her strength was difficult, and a moment's carelessness could injure her caretakers. As Li Huai was at a loss, unable to seek help from others—not even having the courage to inform his own master, Lian Tong—and with Xiang Shi Yan, one of the only two people aware of Huai Ye's secret, mysteriously disappearing again, he was in a predicament. Then, unexpectedly, He He, who witnessed Huai Ye's painful ordeal, declared she wanted to try something. Attempt to heal the celestial body? Li Huai naturally dismissed this as the naive boasting of a young calf. But He He came forward with Xiang Shi Yan's handbook and a familiar wooden box... Shortly after Xiang Shi Yan's disappearance, Yu Ming, who lived in Huaihai City, delivered this wooden box. As she explained, a mutual acquaintance asked her to pass it to Xiang Shi Yan. With Xiang Shi Yan missing, the box was passed on to He He. Inside the box was a record left by Yu Zi Ming, a ghost cultivator who had caused chaos at Grievance Gorge. Li Huai knew this person was an old acquaintance of Dao Lord Lian Tong. As he picked up the heavily-read book and casually flipped through a page, he was chilled by its contents. The book was filled with dense writings and drawings of women, documenting killings and dissections, and observations on using various pills and talismans to induce abnormal meridian alterations. At the end, the ghost cultivator summarized several methods that might alleviate or even cure a celestial body. At that time, He He had already reached the later stage of the Golden Core, while Huai Ye, suppressing her cultivation as hard as she could, was ultimately forced to form her Nascent Soul in her forties and plunge into such hardship. Li Huai had no alternative but to let her try it. And so, this trial has continued until today. Though not cured, Huai Ye occasionally felt the pain from the exuberant growth of her meridians, but it was never as unbearable as it used to be. The abnormality was confined to her left arm, which was more than Huai Ye could have hoped for. "Depends on the situation," He He replied vaguely from outside. She asked nonchalantly, "Was today about the mine collapse again?" "Mm..." Perhaps due to soaking in hot water, Huai Ye felt slightly drowsy. She half-closed her eyes and lazily said, "With the power of both sects combined, if Tai Xu Zong had no leverage, we'd have nothing to fear. But they've seized upon the seal issue, and the remaining sects, finding both reason and advantage, will likely side with Tai Xu Zong." "Yu Cang Shan and Tian Ji Sect have occupied Tian Jian for sixty years and have become objects of envy. Renewed conflict now might not suit us; hence, we should temporarily concede... ugh..." The room fell silent; Huai Ye had likely fallen asleep again. He He glanced at the half-visible head emerging from the bathtub, her expression inscrutable. She had gone to great lengths to cause that mine collapse, acting during the deep night when the disciples resting from mining spiritual stones were asleep. She carefully controlled the explosion to avoid affecting Grievance Gorge, aiming to minimize Yu Cang Shan disciples' casualties and to deceitfully blame Tai Xu Zong during such unguarded moments. The third reason was to avoid giving Tai Xu Zong a pretext for aggression. Yet, inexplicably, the seal was still triggered by the vibration from the spiritual stone explosion... Those astute eyes flashed with light; He He didn't believe she had erred—there must be someone meddling behind the scenes. To weaken Tai Xu Zong's power, He He naturally aimed to stir up internal conflict among the human cultivators. Frankly, she didn't care too much if Yu Cang Shan ended up suffering heavy losses against Tai Xu Zong, but obviously, someone did care. Now with positions reversed, He He was in the open, while Xiang Shi Yan operated from the shadows. Although their spirits were intertwined, He He hadn't sensed Xiang Shi Yan's presence for a solid sixty years. Still, she felt no loneliness, for even if she couldn’t see her master, his traces were everywhere. This kind of confrontation had happened more than once or twice. Behind every resolved conflict in the cultivation world over the past sixty years, there were the shadows of these two sparring against each other. Xiang Shi Yan had never been far away. What surprised He He the most was that she could easily cut off He He's perception and leave the field anytime. Yet, for the lives of numerous irrelevant people, she remained on the battlefield, continuing her elaborate dance with He He. He He couldn't grasp why this great benefactor would choose to stay, but it didn't prevent her from enjoying it. Frustrated, yet delighted. After about a cup of tea's time, He He stepped lightly into the inner room, pinching Huai Ye's ear and shouting, "Time to get up and endure the knife, sleepyhead." She took the chance to squeeze the sect leader’s cheek. Huai Ye groggily yawned and obediently climbed out of the bathtub. Noticing that the moody "little devil" was smiling inexplicably, she gave He He a curious look and hesitated, picking up the garments on the floor to shield herself. He He's expression drooped instantly, rolling her eyes at Huai Ye. "Who would be interested in seeing you..." Huai Ye's body was also affected by the so-called "love curse" mentioned by Xiang Shi Yan, altering her physique from that of typical women. However, He He, being no different, found nothing to be embarrassed about. Aside from Xiang Shi Yan, physicality failed to spark He He's curiosity in humans; Huai Ye, in her eyes, was less compelling than an exceptional beast. That said, the rarity of a celestial body still piqued her interest for further study. Huai Ye skillfully followed He He into the basement, lying face down on the stone platform lined with white cloth and obediently closed her eyes. Delicate, cool hands settled lightly on her waist, and when He He's spiritual power entered her body, Huai Ye shuddered. The medicinal bath not only strengthened her body but also loosened the blockages in her meridians, activating her spiritual power to fill her veins, facilitating He He's task of identifying abnormalities. He He's method of delaying Huai Ye's demise involved severing her mutated meridians. Whenever an abnormal meridian grew where it shouldn't, she used a special blade and spiritual power to cut it off, endeavoring to leave normal meridians unaffected. For ordinary people, damaged meridians might spell irreparable injury, but for a cultivator with a celestial body, it wasn't so. Along with He He's careful control, Huai Ye would only experience a temporary disruption to her spiritual power flow, which would recover and stabilize over time. Following this, Huai Ye needed to consume pills that He He concocted. To this day, she had no idea what those pills were, only that they could temporarily suppress the rampant growth of her meridians. The blade He He used was no ordinary blade; the spiritual energy-imbued edge left cuts on Huai Ye's body resistant to healing. Over time, her body took on its current state. Fortunately, this alchemist was responsible enough to occasionally prepare some special ointments for her to reduce the scarring, preventing her body from looking completely gruesome. When a wad of cloth was pushed to her mouth, Huai Ye opened her mouth to bite it, signaling He He was about to begin. The flames that tempered the blade made hardly any sound, but Huai Ye always detected that faint noise, causing all her muscles to tighten. He He didn't sedate her, as she needed Huai Ye to remain conscious, repeatedly channeling spiritual power throughout her body to pinpoint the locations of abnormal meridians. Huai Ye had endured nearly a thousand such sessions, cumulatively akin to being flayed alive. Though this method was temporary, it couldn't last a lifetime, or else Huai Ye's body would collapse first. Especially with her cultivation reaching this level, the frequency with which He He needed to operate on her had increased, even worrying the Black Dragon. Blood trickled along the curves of her waist muscles, staining the white cloth beneath her. The woman, biting the cloth to muffle her cries, didn’t make a sound, only sweating profusely. The incision was relatively shallow this time, so it ended quickly. He He cast the blade aside and applied medication on it. The medicinal powder dissolved into the wound, flesh sprouted immediately at the severed site, slowly healing at a visible pace. Despite being a good remedy, it was more unbearable than being cut into, causing Huai Ye, who had stayed silent, to groan into the cloth, her body trembling slightly. Only when the wound on Huai Ye's waist morphed into a shallow pink scar did He He extract the cloth from her mouth. The pale-faced woman still had residual tremors and needed assistance to sit up, yet she frowned slightly at the sound above them. Someone was knocking at the door. Yi Shi was pacing anxiously in front of the sect leader's quarters. When the door finally opened, he was taken aback by Huai Ye's almost unearthly appearance. "Sect Leader! What happened to you?" Huai Ye gestured, indicating she was okay, and weakly spoke, "What brings you here, Uncle Yi Shi?" Yi Shi remembered his purpose, but his expression grew even more complex. Looking at Huai Ye, he said with a hint of resignation, "We've received a message from Tian Ji Sect. Apparently, the Great Master passed away yesterday." He He, hidden in the inner room, heard every word, her face devoid of expression. Author's Note: The treatment process is haphazardly written; don't mind me. How did someone guess yesterday that the master went off to have children? You all have such peculiar imaginations. A quick note: I absolutely dislike children, so unless explicitly mentioned beforehand, there won't be any childbirth plotlines in my stories (I can't write them, but those who enjoy it can happily indulge in discussions). Despite my aversion to childbirth scenarios, I absolutely adore pregnancy play... This basically means there's no hope for romantic/parent-child CP lovers. Thank you to the little angels who cast leaping votes or irrigated with nutrient fluid from 2022-10-30 02:25:00 to 2022-11-01 00:30:01~ Special thanks to the nutrient fluid angels: Zhui Nan An with 20 bottles; Deng Yun San, Freedom, Wei Zhou, Sui Sui with 10 bottles each; and the "Did the author post more?" with 3 bottles; Thank you all very much for your support. I will continue to work hard! This site has no pop-up ads, permanent domain name (xbanxia.com)