208 - Divine Mastering Dragon System

Chapter 208: Gu Worm After returning to Huaihai City, Zhu Yun fell ill. The Zhu Family Head had always been a sickly person, often bedridden. It wasn't unusual for him to claim illness and delegate responsibilities to his sister. However, in the wake of the Celestial Sect's assembly, his sudden illness seemed suspicious. Some speculated that the Zhu family was conceding to the Void Sect, opting out of the rivalry between the two sects and the Celestial Sect's leadership. Others believed that the Void Sect was retaliating, pressuring the Zhu family openly and possibly resorting to underhanded tactics, perhaps hoping to force Zhu Yun out due to his health, relieving some pressure. There were also rumors suggesting that his sister desired the position for herself, going as far as imprisoning Zhu Yun. Such gossip often resurfaced in Huaihai City's teahouses and taverns, and once Zhu Yun recovered, speculations arose that maybe Zhu Yu was playing both roles, hiding some conspiracy. The truth, however, remained known only to those directly involved. Xiang Shi Yan rested in a private corner of a restaurant with her senior brother, listening to Li Huai who had, with a casual use of his power, removed the soundproof barrier from next door, allowing their conversation to seep through. Absently, she massaged her temples, frowning. Li Huai poured her a glass of the restaurant’s poor-quality spiritual wine. She hesitated to swallow or spit, but finally gulped it down. Even the cheapest spirit wine was a burden for Xiang Shi Yan, whose flow of spiritual force was disrupted. The concentrated energy spread warmth through her body, giving her a light-headed, pleasant intoxication. Her pale neck and delicate ears turned a noticeable shade of red. Her expression muddled, she listened to those dining nearby speak nonsense about the "young and capable sisters," her eyes, slightly lost in the haze, flickering with some latent light. "Bickering siblings and treacherous families are nothing new, let alone sisters poised for marriage. Twins are bad luck by nature; they should have suffocated one at birth. The old family head was too kind..." "Who could have imagined the Zhu family would end up managed by those young ladies? The family head held such a position of power and promise, and he passed on so prematurely." “There were always suspicions surrounding those past events... How did someone in good health suddenly die like that? Perhaps the web was spun the moment when the lord of Mount Yu was married into the Zhu family, and those children still have one foot in Mount Yu!” “Ah! You should've seen how the sickly figure sided with Mount Yu, declaring their alliance. When Huaihai City and the Void Sect moved to guard the clans, what benefits one benefits the other and vice versa—the way those two sects cling to Void Sect for their gain is unsightly!” “Indeed, the child sitting as Zhu Family Head is nothing but a puppet of Mount Yu. Bah! Take all they can from an orphan...” The men drinking freely next door laughed among themselves, oblivious that the former master of Mount Yu and its last mountain guardian elder were lazily snacking on seeds just a wall away, listening to these braggarts, barely at the initial Gold Core stage, gossip rudely about their continent’s finest young cultivators. "Speaking of taking from orphans..." one man sneered, "You can’t deny their appearances are impeccable. Marry one and the whole three clans are at your disposal! Why aren’t our good brothers trying their luck?” “Indeed I’d like to, but that chance comes only if the Zhu family hosts suitors, right?" “Oh, don’t say that. After all, young maidens can be easily swayed. Shouldn't they be amenable to husbandly persuasion? Wouldn't the vast Zhu family end up listening to you? Marriage isn't disgraceful, and a few generations later, wouldn’t the glory all be yours?” “You don’t understand the situation, as the betrothed is ultimately decided by Mount Yu. We, with no backing or cultivation... best stick to dreams meant for others!” Li Huai watched as Xiang Shi Yan’s face momentarily eased at the admission of self-awareness. However, it soured as soon as the men descended into more baseless grievances, her strained expression unmistakably suppressing fury. "Hey, wasn’t the Xu Family Young Master’s betrothal just as publicized? And how did that end?" "Hmph, what lowly behavior. Don’t you know the joy of twins—who knows if one could enjoy both the sister-in-law and the spouse simultaneously..." Entangled in wine-induced fog, Xiang Shi Yan abruptly stood, intent on leaving, but Li Huai caught her sleeve, whispering sharply, “Would you really bicker with barking curs on the roadside? Is it worth sullying yourself?” Already dizzy, it seemed her feet were treading on clouds. Li Huai gently pushed her back into her seat, her anger akin to that of a child who had been wronged, pulling her legs up, glaring spitefully at the wall. Li Huai deftly spat a sunflower seed shell, piercing through the wall with a tiny hole, sending the loudest ruffian crashing back and overturning tables, spilling soups and drinks over the lot of them. Before they could voice their anger, the men heard an eerie voice from the next room, “A minor lesson—insult others with unfounded tales again, and you may find your hide needing attention!” The group froze, scrambling to kneel and beg for mercy, realizing they had offended someone they shouldn’t. Their pitiful state didn’t earn even a glance from Li Huai, who, sealing the wall with his power, resumed his meal. Xiang Shi Yan, seeming drowsy, slumped against the table, her ears ablaze, tucking herself up like a chastened child in her chair. “At midnight we set out, giving you several hours to sober. If you feel unwell, let me know,” Li Huai threw peanuts into his mouth while mocking her. “Ugh—” The woman groaned, pressing her face against the table, her skin nearly scorching, suddenly wincing as if in pain and clutching her neck instinctively. Lifting her head, perhaps clouded by the intoxicating grip, Xiang Shi Yan’s dewy peach blossom eyes seemed dampened with allure; the beauty gazed around vacantly, as if remembering they had paused at a tavern to pass time. She hadn’t eaten in days, absently rubbing an aching belly, not quite clear as she laid her face back onto the cool wooden table. Her body, accustomed to fasting for years, now demanded sustenance her locked spiritual channels couldn’t provide; even in the Du household, Du Ruo meticulously prepared spiritual meals, yet real hunger remained foreign to her. Since leaving the Du residence, she’d eaten nothing for three days. While not weak like a mere mortal, that single cup of spirit wine on an empty stomach wreaked havoc. Li Huai, having grown up with her, was immune to her allure, chuckling at her drunken silliness, listening as she muttered, “How can he get sick so often? By now he should be healed completely…” “Did his meridians suffer again? Or was he injured preventing him from attending…?” Li Huai, unsure of her murmurs but seeing her discomfort, considered relocating her to rest. His junior sister grabbed his cloak, “Senior Brother, could you check on Zhu Yun for me?” "I swear! Didn’t you insist on keeping a low profile?" “There are a few hours before we leave. Just take a look to ensure she's safe for me.” Resigned to her stubbornness, Li Huai relented, “Alright, you rest here, and I'll check and return." Reassured, Xiang Shi Yan’s eyes finally showed some relief. She pulled her robe over for warmth, curling up tightly with pained determination as she closed her eyes. Li Huai sighed. Throughout this journey, Xiang Shi Yan seemed sapped of energy, as if something invisible drained her, resigned and listless. Though she maintained her exterior calm, inside… it was as if an unseen void gnawed at her spirit. Despite avoiding mentioning her disciples, Li Huai felt relieved his own pupil was Huan Ye, whose impatience and straightforwardness brought some reassurance. Yet Xiang Shi Yan was soft-hearted; though she’d severed connections cleanly, even mere whispers of them provoked her unease. Ah, if only those little brats could be faithful under their master’s care—a viper should clash with another, not with saints. Gingerly shutting the door, Li Huai set a barrier in place before soaring away. The Zhu residence was heavily guarded, especially now, with Zhu Yun wary of the Void Sect’s maneuvers. Patrols had doubled or tripled, entering a wartime posture pending the investigation into the Void Sect’s actions within ten days. Once the Thirteen Seats maintained oversight, Fu Wen Yao’s clandestine meddling would face considerable hurdles. Upon returning to the Zhu residence, where two Dao Integration cultivators had been called upon to guard the premises, Li Huai immediately sensed the formidable aura deliberately cast by the two elders, causing him to abandon any plans of infiltrating quietly. Instead, he summoned the gatekeeper while awaiting permission to enter. Meanwhile, Xiang Shi Yan, experiencing difficulty with her qi flow due to her mortal form, found the leftover spiritual energy within her body hard to absorb. Her face flushed with heat, and the slumbering Gu worm beneath her skin seemed disturbed by the alcohol, writhing uneasily. The sharp pain roused her from her stupor, and she groggily opened her eyes to find someone standing in front of her. “Cough, cough…” Dazed and confused, before the figure could reach out to touch her, Xiang Shi Yan sat up on her own, her peach blossom eyes wide and unfocused as she quietly took in the sight of the visitor. "...You're drunk," the newcomer observed. The person hesitated, unsure if the Xiang Shi Yan before her was truly present. Tentatively, she reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Xiang Shi Yan's ear. Dizzy, Xiang Shi Yan leaned her flushed cheek into the touch. “Senior Sister…” her voice hoarse, she directed her gaze toward the tea on the low table beside her, left there by Li Huai, though she made no move to reach for it. “You are quite intoxicated,” the newcomer stated, offering her the glass. As Xiang Shi Yan clumsily attempted to drink, a sudden stab of pain shot through her neck. Instinctively, she clutched at the writhing mark there, in her haste knocking over the cup. Sudden searing pain followed by an emptiness within her, and in the blink of an eye, the emotions in her eyes vanished as if drained into an invisible void. Xiang Shi Yan fell silent, gently regaining awareness. When the visitor tried to examine the wound on her neck, Xiang Shi Yan, operating partially on instinct, grabbed the visitor's arm as she rubbed her aching forehead, trying to focus her bleary state on the unexpected presence. Her mind was a muddle, unsure if she was encountering Zhu Yun or Zhu Yu. Instinctively frowning, she tried to ward off the approaching menace. Zhu Yun, accustomed to her master's resistance, knew from the time her sister and she were taken by Xiang Shi Yan from Huaihai City until her eventual disappearance, that such an expression was rare. The words failed her. For the twins, occasionally swapping identities wasn’t unusual—given sometimes the “Zhu Family Head” was a cumbersome role, and currently, as Zhu Yu stayed home recuperating, Zhu Yun had assumed her identity to negotiate with Xu Uncle regarding border patrols. Now caught in politics steering towards conflict with the Void Sect, and with the Xu family playing its usual opportunist role, Xu Youqing, unaware of the plans, couldn’t be counted on. Zhu Yun had convinced the Xu Family Master not to pull back border patrols for now, as pressure from the Void Sect was intense. While Xu had typically been allies, within the Celestial Sect's Thirteen Seats, Zhu Yun was uncertain how many would favor the tangible benefits over alliances with the Void Sect. The negotiations aside, upon leaving, Zhu Yun overheard a commotion downstairs. She hadn’t even descended completely when a man, his face ashen, threw himself at her feet, pleading for forgiveness, clearly panicked. Confused, Zhu Yun listened to the fragmented retelling, learning that after indulging too much, the man and his friends’ drunken bravado turned to idle slander upstairs, only for someone next door to reprimand them severely. Restless with guilt, they intended to apologize but were stopped by the staff, causing this uproar. The group mistakenly assumed it was one of the Zhu family’s protectors who intervened, Zhu Yun amused herself with the notion of meeting the one who stood up for her unknowingly. Upon knocking at the door to an empty room, she assumed the benefactor disliked disturbance and was about to leave when something caught her eye from behind a screen. There, on a divan, sat Xiang Shi Yan, noticeably thinner, hugging her clothes as if she might break. Approaching, Zhu Yun sniffed discreetly to confirm there wasn’t much of a liquor scent, a mild relief. Xiang Shi Yan rubbed her brow, pushing Zhu Yun back to accidentally reveal the scars on her neck she had hidden for days. “What... is this?” The trail-looking mark seemed alive, writhing near her collarbone. Realizing Xiang Shi Yan lacked the strength to resist, Zhu Yun gently yet firmly held her down onto the divan. Horror overtaking her, Zhu Yun tentatively reached to touch the creature under Xiang Shi Yan's skin, triggering a soft whine upon contact. The creature beneath twisted violently but seemed trapped in place. Zhu Yun observed Xiang Shi Yan’s expressions shift fleetingly, the furrowed brow slowly unfurling as if calming, her eyes dilating as if lulled, losing their light, becoming dull and vacant. Acting swiftly, Zhu Yun drew a dagger from her side, pressing its cold edge to Xiang Shi Yan’s neck. The shock snapped Xiang Shi Yan back from her sluggish thoughts induced by the worm’s secretions. It took her a moment to register that it was one of her rebellious disciples threatening to cut her throat. Her body felt ethereal, the Gu worm’s secreting fluids immobilizing her, leaving her limbs weak and her mind clouded. “Let... me go...” Xiang Shi Yan's struggle was barely noticeable. The young woman skillfully incised a small cut at the base of her elder’s neck, channeling spiritual energy both to staunch flowing blood and to expel the Gu worm. With the long worm forced slightly out, the young woman deftly pinched it, drawing it out slowly, the worm trying vainly to incapacitate its host with its fluids, as if to slip back inside, but Xiang Shi Yan lay still, surrendering. Zhu Yun severed the worm in one clean motion. Instantly, the woman in her arms experienced an astonishing transformation—long black hair turning snow-white, furry ears poked up amid the smooth strands, the fox demon instinctively curling up, the bushy tail sweeping forward of its own accord to shield the belly. The transformation left Zhu Yun holding nothing but a puff of fur, Xiang Shi Yan nowhere in sight. The fluffy fox, struggling feebly in Zhu Yun's grasp, batted gently at her robes before going limp, too exhausted to move further. Zhu Yun stood frozen, the bundle of soft fur a perplexing quandary—to hold or not to hold—her mind reeling, conjecturing why her master appeared in such a form. Was this a trap by demonkind? Or was it… Author's Note: Thank you to the little angels who cast power votes or watered with nutrient solutions for me from 2035-02-15 01:22:53 to 2035-02-15 35:51:12~ Thank you to the little angels for watering with nutrient solutions: Hotpot Egg 22 bottles; Yukiillii 20 bottles; Has the Author Updated Yet 5 bottles; slowly 4 bottles; 38033515 3 bottles; Blizzard 2 bottles; Thank you all for your support, I will continue to work hard! No pop-up ads on this site, permanent domain (xbanxia.com)