190 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

Chapter 190: The Succession "Ugh—" The frail blind woman was unprepared for the sudden attack. Someone kicked her in the abdomen; even before the dull pain spread through Fu Zhi's stomach, she stumbled and fell to the ground, hitting her head against a pillar. Who was it? In the darkness, her extended consciousness could only detect the intruder's uncontrollable, angry breaths. The woman's labored, trembling breathing indicated her inner turmoil. Her stomach churned, and Fu Zhi dry retched painfully twice, saliva dripping from her lips, before she was roughly yanked up from the ground. The woman's breathing was familiar, but Fu Zhi couldn't think of any acquaintance who would act so violently. Ah, could it be Xu Youqing? Had she finally realized that the childhood friend she relied on so heavily and mourned so deeply was just a moving corpse? Was their friendship always a sham? Like herself, Xu Youqing had taken on the guise of a girl and hidden her true identity under Xiang Shiyan's tutelage; had it all been a lie? Her neck was gripped, the woman's slender, delicate fingers unnaturally steady compared to her ragged gasps. The assailant undoubtedly intended to kill her, the hands gradually constricting with a meticulousness that terrified Fu Zhi. They were calloused from wielding a pen rather than a sword, revealing the attacker as a disciple of the Heavenly Secrets Sect. This realization sent a shiver through Fu Zhi; the rough spots on those hands grazed her neck, raising a confused flush that spread to her ears. "Please…" Fu Zhi's voice emerged as a pained whisper, her pale, sickly face flushed with congestion from lack of air. She remembered only to claw at the person's arms in desperation, her innocent, clouded eyes tearfully searching the darkness as if hoping her attacker might show mercy. "Why…" The assailant murmured softly. Fu Zhi's spell, built in secret, dissipated. Making a sound of confusion, she strained her senses towards the direction of the voice. She couldn't see the face of the person choking her—Mu Hua, usually gentle and considerate. Mu Hua's chest heaved violently, muscles taut with the desire to snap Fu Zhi's neck. "Why aren't you the Heavenly Oracle?" Mu Hua asked with a voice that was now hoarse, almost pleading, "The Master Ancestor knows... I told her everything. You have to be the next Heavenly Oracle!" Unable to comprehend all of Mu Hua's words, Fu Zhi, mouth agape in an attempt to breathe, discerned only the noise in her ears mixing with Mu Hua's words, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. "Did I give my all, only for nothing?" Was she crying? Despite her muddled thoughts, Fu Zhi distinctly detected a sob in the woman's voice. Struggling, Fu Zhi managed to push against her assailant, who didn't budge, only allowing more tears to fall from Mu Hua's cheeks, trickling down onto her hand. "If you're not the Heavenly Oracle, what's the use of my prophecy? The price I've paid—" Unable to continue, Mu Hua's tone shifted to one of fury. "It's all your fault, if it weren't for you…if you'd never been born…" “Why are you still alive? You should have died when the Fu family was exiled! You killed everyone, how dare you keep living?” Mu Hua nearly spat the words into her face. Fu Zhi was barely able to respond, her lips parted, unable to utter a word. Why put on this innocent and wounded look now? Mu Hua almost wished to gouge out those eyes clouded with painful helplessness. The Master Ancestor had pampered Fu Zhi, initially intending to make her the successor from the moment she was brought in. If Fu Zhi hadn't pleaded with the Heavenly Oracle to escape her duty, the designated heir would have been her! Amidst the clamorous noise, Fu Zhi felt herself collapse again. Her brain, floating weightlessly, relied on her body’s memory to breathe. Slowly, she regained the sensation of touching the ground. Her body felt unbearably heavy, her head as if weighted with a thousand pounds, pulling at her neck. Kneeling painfully, Fu Zhi coughed violently, the ringing in her ears gradually subsiding. She realized she was involuntarily crying, the sore spot on her neck from Mu Hua's grip echoing the dull ache in her abdomen. Another person helped her to her feet, concerned, asking, "Are you alright?" Xu Youqing steadied her against the pillar to sit, tears still glistening on her cheeks. Her flushed and bruised face slowly regained its normal color. She leaned her head on the young girl's shoulder, recognized Xu Youqing's voice, and startled, sat upright, too afraid to touch her. "…This is a forbidden area of the Heavenly Secrets Sect, outsiders are not allowed. How did you get in?" Mu Hua wiped her tears away, her expression suddenly composed as she looked down at Xu Youqing, who was half-kneeling beside Fu Zhi. After a moment, she recognized Xu Youqing and narrowed her eyes, "I remember you. The Jade Cang Mountain's… Oh, now you’re the Young Mistress of the Xu family." Xu Youqing, busy catching her breath, glared at Mu Hua, puzzled and angry. "You're both peers, if there's a dispute, talk it out. Why resort to such violence!" "None of your concern," Mu Hua dismissed her, looking down coldly at Fu Zhi, kneeling on the floor. "Rest enough and get up. Look at yourself, what a disgrace." "You—!" Xu Youqing was shocked at her audacity. She shielded the blind woman with her arms, gritting her teeth. "Not only is she your senior, but as a fellow disciple of the Heavenly Secrets Sect, you shouldn't treat her with such disrespect." A detached voice drifted from afar, "The Heavenly Oracle’s last will is revealed, all elders are to step down immediately. She is no longer an elder of the Heavenly Secrets Sect." Xu Youqing stared in shock at the long-grey-haired woman. When the elders entered the hall for the Oracle's last will, they wore ceremonial robes. She had not recognized this ageless woman, who had been silent before the Oracle’s shrine as the Great Elder. This woman had a jade tube in her sleeve, intricately carved with sealing patterns and the sect’s emblem. The Great Elder—or perhaps now the new Heavenly Oracle—merely glanced at her sister on the ground, seemingly indifferent, before turning to Xu Youqing, who had come to Fu Zhi's aid. "This is no place for outsiders; why are you here, young friend?" Hearing this, Xu Youqing was even more at a loss for words. She looked incredulously at the master-disciple pair, realizing that during her secretive intrusion into the sect’s inner sanctum, the events in the great hall had drastically shifted the sect’s dynamics. No wonder Mu Hua was so bold; her master, the new Heavenly Oracle, would naturally not spare her former competitor, especially not someone cherished by the previous Oracle, but now without protection like Fu Zhi. Behind her, the woman held onto the pillar, attempting to stand. Xu Youqing hurried to support her. "What are you doing, rest a bit more if you're not feeling well." "Come to me later," the new Heavenly Oracle said to her silent disciple, disdain clear in her gaze, while she instructed, "Follow me." Mu Hua seemed unconcerned about punishment from her master. Perhaps she didn't care anymore; her earlier bravado was gone, replaced with a barren expression on the face of the promising new elder of the Heavenly Secrets Sect. Xu Youqing didn’t care to unravel the reasons. She just felt renewed frustration as, even with no strength to stand, the person beside her pushed herself up to respectfully bow to her senior's departing figure. Fu Zhi was rarely seen in the light, her skin pale, a weary blush still lingering on her face. The vivid red marks on her neck were glaringly evident. Somehow, Xu Youqing thought the tearful blind woman seemed unusually…desirable. Perhaps because she’d been blind since birth, Fu Zhi perceived the world and reacted in ways slightly different from others. Her natural innocence and vulnerability gave her an ethereal air, as if an immortal had been dragged down to the mortal realm, bearing marks of cruelty inflicted by humans. Concealing her complex emotions, the young girl huffed impatiently at Fu Zhi's collar. "It's outrageous! Even as the Heavenly Oracle, she shouldn’t bully others so openly!" She tidied Fu Zhi’s collar, her gaze drawn to the conspicuous marks on the white neck. She couldn’t resist gently touching them. The skin beneath her fingers was scorching, the touch almost felt like she could sense the pulse beneath, until Fu Zhi brushed her hand away, recalling her from her thoughts. "…You shouldn’t have come. Go back, you’ll be in trouble if you linger." The celestial girl covered her neck with her hand, her refined voice hoarse, every word seemed painful to utter, her speech languid. As she spoke, she disentangled herself from Xu Youqing's support, slowly inching forward while steadying herself against the railing. Xu Youqing felt as though this group had all conspired to toy with her. When she saw Fu Zhi's appearance, she realized that Fu Zhi intended to present herself, once again, to that cruel woman, allowing herself to be bullied. Annoyed, the girl grabbed Fu Zhi's hand. "Where are you going? Take care of your injuries first!" Fu Zhi bent over, clutching her stomach. As the flushed breathlessness dissipated, her lips quickly turned pale again. Her waist refused to straighten, and sweat started to bead on her forehead, the dull pain in her abdomen announcing its presence. Aware that saying more would just lead to Xu Youqing getting entangled, Fu Zhi pretended not to hear and continued on silently. "Ingrate! Go ahead to your dear senior sister then. Let’s see if anyone helps you next time you get bullied!" Xu Youqing stomped in frustration. Fu Zhi heard the quiver in her voice—how odd, when Fu Zhi was the one hurt, yet Xu Youqing seemed the one feeling wronged. Having spent decades in the Heavenly Secrets Sect, Fu Zhi was not particularly familiar with her senior sisters. Among them, only the Third Sister, Yu Qi, treated her with some kindness. Previously, she believed that perhaps they were cautious because, despite her youth and modest cultivation, she was destined to become the next Heavenly Oracle. She thought—no, she always "knew" she would take that position, destined as per the heavenly decree. Fu Zhi was certain that as the Oracle, she would assist the Child of Destiny in subduing the malicious stars upon earth, restoring peace to the cultivation world; this was the destined path she "saw" among the multitude of stars in her dream. Destiny was immutable, leaving Fu Zhi no choice but to walk the path laid out for her. Because destiny was unchangeable, her family had to be torn apart. So the one who saved her wasn't Xiang Shiyan, but the Heavenly Oracle. Hence, when that girl named Qian Daini was killed by bandits, Fu Zhi stood by, indifferent. That kind girl, had she lived and reached Jade Cang Mountain, would likely have become friends with Xu Youqing, wouldn’t she? If she were alive now, perhaps her name would be renowned among the youthful elites of Jade Cang Mountain. Fu Zhi still vividly remembered the day she lost her sight, as well as the girl's gut-wrenching screams before she died. At that time, Fu Zhi was stealthily hiding in the forest a mere distance away, waiting for her to die so she could assume her body to fulfill her own destined mission. The truly arrogant one was her—a realization dawning on Fu Zhi. In her youth, tired of her entanglement with destiny, she had pleaded with her master to remove her from the list of Oracle candidates. She had thought... she was irreplaceable and eventually forgot about it. Whether her master's decision changed due to her pleading was unknown to Fu Zhi. She only knew that in her master's final decision, her long-held justifications crumbled completely. The esteemed Green Wisteria Lord of the Heavenly Secrets Sect could barely muster the strength to return to her room, crouching shamefully in a secluded water pavilion to cry quietly. Her mission, her very reason for being, had been shown to be nothing but an inconsequential trace. What path would she tread after this? "There you are." The familiar voice made Fu Zhi bury her face deeper into her knees, raising her shoulders, halting her faint sobs. Her usual indifferent junior disciple knelt in front of her, gently drawing Fu Zhi's narrow shoulders into an embrace. Fu Xiao held her, speaking softly, "Yuehua said you were here." Fu Zhi sniffled quietly, allowing herself to be gently stroked along her back. Fu Xiao neither asked nor said anything more, instead choosing to hold her tighter, as if wishing to convey something through her warmth. Gradually, the stifled sobs of the woman in her arms became less restrained, Fu Zhi clutching at her robe and crying uncontrollably, her breathing irregular. In the stillness of the night, a stumbling figure passed by the sleeping, oblivious guard disciple, without even lighting a lamp. She groped along the wall, cautiously making her way forward. Beyond barely an arm's length was the spiritual hall, where guests had paid respects that day. Fu Zhi trembled as she felt the downward staircase at her feet, but an energy barrier, laced with enchantment, blocked her path just inches ahead. Though usually clumsy at handling things handed to her, Fu Zhi manipulated the barrier skillfully, using spiritual power to draw an arbitrary pattern upon it, creating a temporary breach enough for her to slip through quietly. After the Heavenly Oracle’s last wishes were revealed, the body of the former Oracle was to be interred beneath the sect. The true seal would then activate, not to be touched until a new sect leader took their place. Tonight, before the seal was set, she wanted to spend a bit more time with her master. The narrow and steep staircase was a new experience for Fu Zhi, forcing her to carefully inch her way down, using the wall for support. The air grew gradually colder and stifling; Fu Zhi reluctantly hunched her shoulders against the chill when she suddenly picked up the faint voice of a young woman. The voice came from below. Silently, Fu Zhi moved towards it, casting a concealment spell about herself to mask her presence as she went. The underground mausoleum, built for the past Oracles, was vast and segmented. Fu Zhi bumped into several walls along the way, each obstacle making her rely more on the distant conversations as her guide, lest she become lost in the unfamiliar surroundings. "...Let's strike a deal." It was Xiang Shiyan's voice. Fu Zhi was stunned; she had considered it might be one of her senior sisters, even Mu Hua, but hadn't expected Xiang Shiyan to be here with— "Feel free to speak, Master," came a young woman's voice laced with the playful tone of one flirting with a lover. "What could possibly make you seek me out for such a task?" He He. In the chamber where the Oracle’s remains lay, Fu Zhi couldn't discern what the duo was up to, but an irresistible curiosity compelled her to stay. "Help me kill someone. Du Guanyan, the last descendant of the main line of the Jade Fox Clan." Xiang Shiyan's voice was indifferent, lacking any inclination to argue. “Once it’s done, the matter of the mine collapse, I’ll assist you." "This is an awfully thin line between a deal and a threat..." He He laughed without immediately agreeing or disagreeing, "But first, tell me, why interfere with the succession of the Heavenly Secrets Sect?" Fu Zhi felt her heart skip a beat. Author's Note: It feels like Fu Zhi is being pushed around by everyone in the Heavenly Secrets Sect... A big thanks to the angels who voted for me or nourished me with nutrient solutions between 2022-11-05 20:13:37 and 2022-11-07 21:35:49~ Special thanks to the angel who nourished me with nutrient solution: 10 bottles from 'Want to Live with a Puppy.' Thank you all for your support, I'll keep working hard! Our site has no pop-up ads, permanent domain (xbanxia.com)