191 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

Chapter 191: The Dark Box The person lying on the stone platform wore an exquisitely crafted, light-colored ceremonial robe of a sect leader. Their hands were gently folded over their chest, and their expression was peaceful, as if merely taking a nap, ready to awaken at the next moment. Tian Ji, who lived for over eight hundred years, was the most senior figure in the contemporary world of cultivation. To be honest, He He still couldn't fully grasp her status even now. Hei Long stood before the platform, gazing down at the pale woman, and still remembered her as the little girl who was ostracized by her peers, hiding in the library to quietly wipe her tears. Her body hadn't yet been placed in a coffin, protected by an invisible membrane on the stone platform. At least, her corpse still appeared vibrant, giving He He the illusion that her breath was merely being obstructed by that layer. The child of those days had taken on disciples and accumulated a reputation that brought half the world of cultivators to pay respects. He He felt as though she had awoken from a long dream. During the centuries she spent slumbering on Jiu'an Peak, the world of cultivation had transformed completely. Upon waking, the only remnant of the past was this cold body before her. They were certainly not friends. He He had only stayed quietly at Tian Ji’s sect for a few days, browsing texts in the library. That annoying brat who somehow always seemed to know her whereabouts had attached herself persistently, chattering incessantly. Perhaps no one in the sect was willing to pay attention to her, so the child was thrilled to find an outsider to talk to. While reading, He He occasionally responded, which only encouraged the chatty child to prattle on even more. Her topics mostly revolved around her masters and the few times she ventured out of the sect, deliberately avoiding mention of her peers. Hei Long, who traveled to mend his wounds, had no curiosity about the naive girl's experiences and sometimes would speak of his own travels to discomfort her. Tian Ji's sect moved further towards the southwest, crossing the ghostly remnants of prehistoric times and vast forests, leading into a mystical realm. Although these beings differed greatly from humans in appearance, their wisdom and moral sense were no different. Their territories spanned from the northern tundras to the desert sands of the southern sea, surrounding the central and eastern human-occupied Shenzhou on three sides: west, north, and south. Yet, humans dismissively referred to this expansive domain as "the territory." Their numbers might be less than humans, but their cultivators surpassed human cultivators in abundance, establishing the most prosperous city on Shenzhou. Civilization and wilderness grew on the same land; the bustling demon city coexisted with the tundra, swamps, and forests tribes, all bowing before the same belief, to the same throne. He He once thought these stories would shame the girl, but she underestimated the curiosity of such a young girl. The annoying child eagerly inquired about the voodoo of the marsh tribes and the fox race with fur as white as jade in the snowy abodes... Years later, He He would mimic that innocent, sincere gaze while pretending to be a simple girl before Xiang Shi Yan. Occasionally, she would recall the girl's tear-filled eyes. "Your voice is so nice." The girl's hearing was sharp enough to catch Hei Long's unguarded throat sounds when he spoke quietly. During the daytime, He He sometimes roamed Tian Ji’s sect, standing in pavilions, observing some mischievous girls pushing that reserved child into the pond. She wouldn’t offer help, simply waited quietly for the girl to clamber out in embarrassment. He He coldly told her, "You're not strong enough." The girl remained calm, showing no trace of resentment or anger: "It's okay, I'll leave here soon." Reading He He's fortune was just a spur-of-the-moment decision, the only small thing she could do for such a powerful friend. He He initially scoffed at the idea, believing no one could foresee her destiny, let alone a human with blinded insight. She had a vivid memory of others' pain, notably the girl's helpless and devastated expression when she suddenly went deaf and mute. He He could feel the girl's agony as those pretty eyes lost focus, thick blood trickling from her ears. She clung to He He's sleeve, though Hei Long only patted her shoulder dismissively. The girl's silent screams were heart-wrenching, yet they couldn't move the iron-hearted Hei Long. Her attempt at altering fate had caused celestial disturbances, which quickly brought Tian Ji's people to find the girl huddled among books, clutching a strange black scale. Fate's machinations seemed intent on thwarting desires: the power-hungry fail to grasp the control they seek, while those yearning for freedom are perpetually trapped by responsibility. He He felt a bit strange; in the past, she would never have been saddened by such trifles. Others' suffering was irrelevant to her. Yet, after losing so much, her once cold, hard heart had softened just a bit. She reached out, easily passing through the membrane protecting Tian Ji's body, causing a ripple of pale gold. He He gently brushed her knuckles against what seemed like a living cheek, feeling only the bone-chilling cold of the stone platform. A hand beside her clutched her wrist. He He raised an eyebrow at the person beside her; it was their first face-to-face encounter in sixty years. The demon dragon smiled as if nothing had happened, calling to the woman in white, "Master, what brings you here?" Xiang Shi Yan pressed down on her hand, her expression cold and wary: "What are you intending to do?" "Don't worry, my ghost-cultivation skills are too lacking to make use of such a fine cultivator's remains." He He placed her other hand over Xiang Shi Yan's, "I'm merely here to pay my respects to an old acquaintance." Xiang Shi Yan's face seemed frozen in a stiff mask, making it hard for He He to see any emotion that might indicate she was wavering because of her. "An old acquaintance?" Though her tone was icy, her hand was warm, making He He want to hold it a bit longer. Xiang Shi Yan, however, quickly withdrew her hand. "I wasn't aware you had any connection to Tian Ji’s sect." The "mask" cracked a sarcastic smile, and He He felt Xiang Shi Yan had changed somehow, yet couldn’t pinpoint what exactly. Nevertheless, realizing she still bore her influence and traces made He He smile. "And what about you, the demon emperor's new favorite, why are you here?" He He leaned back on the stone coffin lid, casually observing Xiang Shi Yan after so many years apart. In the sixty years she was missing, He He never once truly caught Xiang Shi Yan. The woman had severed the spiritual connection between them, keeping their bond close yet beyond detection. Even when He He tried to obscure her own presence, Xiang Shi Yan seemed to have another way of pinpointing her location, always escaping before He He could find her. He He had abandoned physically seeking Xiang Shi Yan in just the first three years, realizing her demon allies were far more effective. On human territory, Xiang Shi Yan was constrained by human rules. Compared to He He, she faced significant limitations. For He He, who skirted the rules, victory was only possible from outside the battlefield. Xiang Shi Yan could have exposed her right after escaping, revealing the demon dragon’s true identity, thus potentially restoring her life to some normalcy. But doing so would make events unfold much like the original story: an ill-intentioned dragon emerges, rallying the frustrated demon races under an ineffectual emperor and seizing the throne. He He, driven mad by vengeance, would lead the demons to war, resulting in desolation across Shenzhou. That was a future Xiang Shi Yan did not want. She realized that discovering He He's identity hadn't diverged their fate from the crafty demon dragon's scheming much. He He could have chased her straight to Tian Ji’s sect but allowed her to leave, likely to build her own momentum. Xiang Shi Yan abandoned everything, reaching the demon territories before He He, securing her advantageous position. With the support of Du Ruo, she found someone who could curb He He and her faction's growth while preventing He He from easily attacking her— the demon emperor. The demon swung her legs leisurely, expecting Xiang Shi Yan to ignore her. Unexpectedly, the woman spoke slowly, "How about we make a deal?" He He raised an eyebrow, "Speak your mind, Master." "You want me to kill your biological father." He He couldn’t help but laugh at Xiang Shi Yan's words. "If it involves the Jade Fox clan's inheritance, a mere mining vein won’t suffice." Her eyes twinkled playfully, "I want the Northern Forest." Xiang Shi Yan anticipated He He’s extravagant demands but was still surprised at her audacity in asking for the vast forestland beneath the snowy mountains. Not only was it not solely Jade Fox territory, but its resources were vital income for the fox clan, covering more than a fifth of Jade Fox land—a steep price indeed. "..." After a brief silence, Xiang Shi Yan stretched out four fingers to He He, "I'll hand over at most thirty percent of the forest. Don't be too greedy." He He seemed to be contemplating, not making a decision immediately. Instead, she smiled and diverted the topic: "Master, why don't you tell me first why you are interfering in the succession of Tian Ji's sect?" The eavesdropping little mouse panicked, and He He noticed Xiang Shi Yan glance toward the door with some concern, where the candle's dim light revealed the silhouette of someone accidentally exposed. Back when He He trapped Xiang Shi Yan in an illusion, she had taken the opportunity to steal some of Xiang Shi Yan's memories. Fu Zhi becoming Tian Ji and assisting Qin Miao was supposed to be a certainty. Even without Qin Miao, Xiang Shi Yan was still there. No matter what, ensuring Fu Zhi became Tian Ji by letting things take their course should have been Xiang Shi Yan's optimal choice. Compared to a confused Tian Ji, the woman who accepted Tian Ji's legacy clearly didn't put much faith in the mandate of heaven. Thus, she wouldn't simply let her junior's nonsense lead the entire sect to ruin. To Xiang Shi Yan, the heaven's mandate child was merely an optional opportunity. If there were benefits, she wouldn't hesitate to seize them, but if it risked the sect's interests, she wouldn't agree. Sometimes, Xiang Shi Yan's actions were entirely baffling to He He. She consistently chose the inexplicable path in decisions that He He found straightforward. Their ways of thinking and dealing with matters were worlds apart; perhaps that's why He He couldn't easily predict Xiang Shi Yan's actions. Especially... in these decades, Xiang Shi Yan seemed like a different person. He He wasn't dissatisfied with this. The woman in front of her bore wounds on her soul that He He herself had inflicted. She was content with the mark she had left on Xiang Shi Yan. However, when considered deeply, one would find that Xiang Shi Yan's actions sometimes still mirrored her old self. Changing the successor brought Xiang Shi Yan no benefit, but it liberated Fu Zhi from the responsibilities and heavenly mandate ascribed to Tian Ji. In Xiang Shi Yan's memories, although Fu Zhi hadn't died by the critical memory point, her mental state had clearly shifted. She was practically supporting the entire sect, blindly covering for Qin Miao's increasingly reckless actions, and scarcely resisted the man's advances. Qin Miao demanded, and she complied, sacrificing her own or others' lives and dignity without a second thought. A complete madwoman. He He couldn't help but marvel. She was actually looking forward to what Fu Zhi would eventually become, but Xiang Shi Yan had terminated that transformation process. "No matter how twisted, that's still her own path. Stripping away others' will so easily seems wrong." "You have the nerve to say that." Xiang Shi Yan remained undeterred. "The so-called heavenly path capricious and arbitrary; following it leads to not peace, but a more tragic abyss." "Oh dear, I certainly don't have Fu Zhi's luck to receive such favor from Master," He He said with sourness in her voice. "Some people, despite deciding to abandon everything and run away, deliberately left the remedy for a celestial body's affliction in plain sight for me to find. And those two junior sisters, advised by someone, had Elder Yu Ming to watch over them." "Only me, unloved and uncared for, wrestling daily with those old souls on Yu Cang Mountain..." "No." In mid-rant, He He was abruptly cut off by Xiang Shi Yan. She looked with curiosity at the somber woman, whose eyes were calm and focused, without any resentment. "I only love you," Xiang Shi Yan said. "It was you who squandered my feelings." Hei Long stood dumbfounded, awkwardly leaping off the stone coffin and nearly tripping over herself. Was she supposed to blush? He He automatically filtered out the latter part of Xiang Shi Yan's statement. Her true form was not very sensitive to emotional changes; unless someone squeezed her hard, her face wouldn't change much. Yet, she found herself flustered. Why bring this up after all this time? He He recalled how Xiang Shi Yan had appeared on the verge of death shortly before leaving, tormented by beast blood corrupting her mind, and adamantly denying ever having positive feelings for He He. The demon dragon, pale as ever, looked modest when not smiling. She continued in a detached tone, "Master's lecture is coming, and I shan't stay to listen." With that, like a black whirlwind, she darted up the stairs and out of sight, leaving anyone watching thinking it was a hasty retreat. Contrary to He He's flustered escape, Xiang Shi Yan remained rather composed, watching her flee with no discernible emotion in her peach blossom eyes. She turned back to the silent, resting figure on the stone platform, her thoughts a mystery. After some time, Xiang Shi Yan spoke softly, "Come out now; she's gone." The response was Fu Zhi's uneven footsteps. The blind girl sniffled, tears she barely held back since dusk threatening to spill again. Fu Zhi knew nothing and wanted nothing more than for Xiang Shi Yan to stop interfering, to stop meddling in her life. "Why..." Unable to see anything but darkness, she reached out helplessly, grasping at nothing, her eyes, clouded and wide, brimming with disbelief. Xiang Shi Yan did not move to support her, standing at a measured distance, speaking evenly: "Before Tian Ji passed, I deduced from her words where she had hidden her last will. While everyone gathered at the mourning hall, I replaced it with a prepared fake jade slip." "Why did you do this? Tell me... Is there something I didn't do well enough?" It was as if all the straws she clung to in desperation had been yanked away. Fu Zhi demanded answers in despair. "My destiny was to become Tian Ji, to help you to the best of my ability... Isn't that my mission? Why can't you understand?" In frustration, Fu Zhi reached out to grab the person in front of her. Xiang Shi Yan caught her hand, "No one is born with a mission." "I do! You do! Even He He... My mission is to assist you in quelling the chaos in the cultivation world. What is ordained by heaven cannot be changed, no matter how much I struggle or try to alter fate. My family had to die! I had to be alone with nowhere to go in order to meet you and my mentor... Our meeting was destined; do you understand? Do you?" She sobbed, rubbing her eyes red and raw, tears spilling over. When Xiang Shi Yan didn't respond, Fu Zhi shouted in grief, shaking Xiang Shi Yan, her words fragile and powerless. With the will declared, raising claims of tampering would disgrace Tian Ji’s sect, something her senior wouldn't agree to, but it was never that dispensable position Fu Zhi cared about. "You don't know anything! When I was young, I was noticed by Tian Ji's sect because Mu Hua's divination pinpointed the next Tian Ji. If not for me, she wouldn’t have ended up unable to advance in cultivation her whole life. Do you understand? If I don't become Tian Ji, she sacrificed her life for a false prophecy!" Fu Zhi screamed hoarsely at Xiang Shi Yan, thinking of the resentful Mu Hua from earlier that day, her strange, tearful voice heavy in Fu Zhi’s mind like a mountain pressing down. After a long pause, Xiang Shi Yan finally spoke again, "I don't believe in destiny. Even if I fail in the end, I will have no regrets." Fu Zhi seemed to hear something beyond comprehension, looking at the darkness with tearful eyes, "So you'll decide for me?" Clutching Xiang Shi Yan's cloak with trembling hands, she yanked her closer, her eyes glistening through tears. Her voice dropped to a harsh whisper: "Since you love to meddle, why not help from the start?" The words left Fu Zhi ashamed; she couldn't comprehend why she'd say such things. Looking up, she hastily tried to explain, "I... I didn't mean..." As she raised her head, she felt something cool brush against her cheek. Xiang Shi Yan silently wiped away her tears, her touch tender and cold against the skin rubbing raw at the corners of her eyes. The blind girl sniffled and instinctively closed her eyes, like a small animal, allowing Xiang Shi Yan to cradle her face. Her hiccuped breathing sounded like a sobbing rabbit, pulling at Xiang Shi Yan's sleeve helplessly. Silken fabric brushed against her face, the silent woman carrying the chill of the stone platform, stirring memories of a windswept, dilapidated temple long ago.