Word Count: 2,820 Words
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Ning Fengyu rose with unhurried grace, her slender waist twisting as she settled back onto the sofa. Her fair, jade-like feet swung playfully as she patted the soft cushion beside her, giggling:
"Still so pure and adorable, just like when you were little!"
"'Pure and adorable'—what a niche choice of adjectives..."
Ling Bai hunched forward, edging back to his seat while maintaining a careful half-meter of safe distance from her. Grabbing a throw pillow for protection, he complained:
"If you were a little more reliable, you'd have become Teacher's first disciple."
"Oh, please. That old man was way too strict! Right after my Martial Spirit awakened, he made me meditate for the entire day."
Ning Fengyu pulled a woeful face. "Do you have any idea how hopeless it feels for a playful six-year-old girl to be forced to sit in meditation every single day? Skipping class was the only sensible response!"
Speechless, Ling Bai pressed a hand to his forehead. Ning Fengyu had inherited her mother's Sky Azure Vine Emperor, a top-level life-attribute plant-type Martial Spirit, and was born with Innate Full Spirit Power.
Back then, Jianmu Douluo had still been in good health. The moment he saw her, he was overjoyed, certain this was a heaven-sent successor. He took her as a nominal disciple for a period of observation…
That observation was the end of it.
Ning Fengyu's mind was completely detached from cultivation. To dodge her studies, she employed every trick in the book: acting cute, feigning illness, throwing tantrums, and more. She had mastered all eighteen forms of mischief, infuriating Jianmu Douluo to the point of trembling.
To this day, Ning Fengyu had never been promoted to official disciple. And now, with 'the sky high and the emperor far away,' there was no one to restrain her, and she had grown even more lax. Even the less talented Xie Qin had already become Shadow Dragon Douluo, while she had merely dawdled her way to Rank 88.
After Ling Bai became Jianmu Douluo's disciple, the old man would often sigh deeply and warn him, "Whatever you do, never follow that good-for-nothing lazybones's example. No matter how gifted you are, you must always cultivate with the heart of an apprentice."
"Aunt Yu, I need your help with a few things," Ling Bai said, his tone turning serious. He had not come to Linglong Pavilion just to banter with her.
"Mhm, go ahead," Ning Fengyu replied, adopting a look of earnest attention.
"Find a girl named Ye Guyi. Her Martial Spirit is the Holy Angel. I can't pinpoint her exact location, but she should be somewhere in the Sun Moon Empire. She's very important to me. If you hear anything about her, I need you to tell me immediately."
Ye Guyi was connected to the Rakshasa God Position, so of course Ling Bai took the matter seriously. In the Continental Elite Spirit Master Academy Tournament two years from now, the Common Alliance would form a partnership with Ye Guyi to counter their rival, the Evil Spirit Master-backed Duskwater Alliance. But Ye Guyi herself did not belong to the Common Alliance, so she could turn up anywhere.
"The Holy Angel is subordinate to the Seraphim. What's her relationship to you?"
Ning Fengyu asked offhandedly, but her eyes suddenly sharpened with intensity. An 'important woman' in Ling Bai's life was no small matter for the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
"From a bloodline perspective, we're both descendants of the Angel lineage. I suppose we're technically relatives."
"Close relatives?"
Ling Bai thought for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "Distant cousins."
One was the Holy Angel bloodline passed down through generations after receiving Qian Renxue's legacy ten thousand years ago, while the other was the Seraphim that had fused with the Angel Sword and Qian Renxue's lingering will. Though connected, they remained fundamentally different.
"Distant cousins, huh..."
Ning Fengyu extended her slender hand, white as jade, and lightly hooked Ling Bai's collar, pulling him closer. Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she whispered:
"Cousin marriages have long been accepted on the Douluo Continent. Shrek Academy's ancestors, Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong, were even celebrated as a beautiful love story.
Whether you marry Xiao Tian is a matter of fate between you two. I won't interfere as your elder. But if certain things were to reach my control-freak sister's ears up north, none of us would have a peaceful day again.
You know I'm just all talk—at most I'll pinch your cheeks or cop a feel of your abs to get my kicks. But she's different.
She's spent more than a decade cultivating you with meticulous care, spending money like water, giving you whatever you asked for. She would absolutely never accept you marrying some woman from the Holy Angel line, or from Shrek, or the imperial family, and thereby throwing yourself into another faction's embrace."
"Don't overthink it. My search for Ye Guyi is for a legitimate purpose," Ling Bai said, rubbing his temples.
"You'd better be."
Ning Fengyu exhaled a breath of orchid-scented air that warmed Ling Bai's face. "Just be careful. It's normal for young men to chase 'wildflowers and weeds,' but remember to come home after you've had your fun.
If she decides that Xiao Tian has lost her appeal to you, the first unlucky soul will definitely be me.
I don't want to find myself stripped naked and tied up one day, force-fed aphrodisiacs and thrown into a secret chamber, only to encounter you burning with lust."
Ling Bai shot her a skeptical look. "Isn't that a bit extreme?"
Ning Fengyu slowly and deliberately shook her head from side to side, her cyan pupils utterly calm. Her earlier theatrics and coquettish seductions had been performances, but at this moment, she was one hundred percent serious.
"Enough of that. You're her blood sister. Aunt Ya couldn't possibly go that far."
"Give me a break. The moment this 'blood sister' returns to the clan, I become her personal maid, serving her tea and water all day long."
Ning Fengyu draped her smooth, white arm over Ling Bai's shoulder. "I'll have someone help you find Ye Guyi. Just don't sell me out in the future."
"As heaven is my witness, when have I ever sold you out?" Ling Bai declared with an air of righteous indignation.
Ning Fengyu gave a cold laugh. "When you were six, you gave Wu Feng a Dragonflame Fruit. She belched dragon fire and burned down the house, and you said I fed it to her.
When you were seven, Xiao Tian was practicing Heart Separation Control and broke a piece of jade porcelain worth thirty million spirit gold coins, and you convinced her to blame it on me. And when you were eight and ate that 10,000-year Whale Rubber… that scene—"
Just as the scandalous words were about to spill from her mouth, Ling Bai clapped a hand over her full, red lips with lightning-like speed. Had she not brought it up, he would have completely forgotten the litany of misdeeds from his childhood. Each time, he had waited until Ning Fengyu returned home before throwing her under the bus.
It worked mainly because Ning Fengyu had no credibility with Ning Fengya to begin with; one complaint, and it stuck.
Ling Bai cleared his throat and awkwardly changed the subject. "Aunt Yu, let bygones be bygones. What's past is past, alright? Here, this is a root from a plant-type Great Beast. It can lead to the location of a plant-type evil spirit beast. I can sense it's to the west. Could you send someone to check which spirit beast forest it might be in?"
He took out a section of the Myriad Demon King's root. The aura of the continent's greatest plant-type spirit beast spread through the room, immediately capturing the attention of Ning Fengyu, a powerful plant-type master in her own right. She took the root and examined it for a moment, frowning in suspicion:
"This smells a bit like a Monster Eyed Tree… a Great Beast?"
Ling Bai nodded with a faint smile. Ning Fengyu drew a sharp breath and needed a long moment to regain her composure:
"The spirit beast gathering places on the Sun Moon Continent are vastly different from those on the Douluo Continent. The most famous are the Evildemon Forest, ruled by the Evil Emperor; the Jingyang Mountain Range, a paradise for metal-type spirit beasts; and the Valley of Life, which is dominated by plant-type spirit beasts.
The Valley of Life lies west of Mingdu. If that evil spirit beast is a plant-type, it most likely went there."
"Mm," Ling Bai agreed.
"I'll take this and check the outer region of the Valley of Life more carefully. They say 100,000-year plant-type spirit beasts live there. I'll work hard to break through to Rank 90, and then I'll ride your coattails to absorb a 100,000-year ninth spirit ring!
I always say lazy people have their own lazy luck. It looks like my karmic reward is finally here!"
Ning Fengyu's eyes sparkled. What Spirit Master wouldn't crave a 100,000-year spirit beast?
Ling Bai's lowered eyes shimmered with a gentle warmth. The woman before him might have been his childhood nightmare, their lives seemingly revolving around mutual torment, but there was no denying they were the closest of kin. A 100,000-year spirit ring could remake a Spirit Master from the ground up, and he sincerely wished for Ning Fengyu to grow stronger.
"There's one last thing."
Ling Bai said quietly. "On the night of the Holy Bright Festival, Xiao Tian has asked me to go boating on the Ming River. Find a few clever, trustworthy people. I need…"
He laid out his instructions in meticulous detail, then shot Ning Fengyu an 'I'm counting on you' look before slipping out to find a guest room for the night.
As the door clicked shut, Ning Fengyu pulled a densely written sheet of paper from her Storage Spirit Guidance Device, a smile slowly curving her lips:
"These two childhood sweethearts truly share one mind; they've asked me to do exactly the same things that night...
My, my, whom should I help..."
…
Five days flew by in a blur, and soon the night of the Holy Bright Festival arrived.
As the capital of the Sun Moon Empire, Mingdu blazed with light and thronged with revelers. Citizens poured into the streets to celebrate the traditional festival, the city humming with laughter and music.
The Minghuang Grand Hotel was one of Mingdu's most renowned establishments. A red carpet rolled out from its entrance, flanked by vibrant flower baskets. Tucked among the flowers were gilded, red-backed cards inscribed with the words 'Common Alliance' in a flamboyant, calligraphic flourish.
The Common Alliance called itself 'Common,' but it was anything but. Backed by the Sun Moon Empire's nobility, they controlled most of Mingdu's restaurant and red-light industries, training countless breathtaking women to ensnare high officials, gather intelligence, and wield power through seduction. Even so, many men still yearned for these beautiful yet viper-hearted women.
Tonight, the Minghuang Grand Hotel had been booked solid by the Common Alliance; even the chefs were their own people. Members of the alliance, dressed in their finest, mingled and exchanged pleasantries, the rich red liquid in their clinking glasses swirling into captivating patterns.
Women were the Common Alliance's specialty, and those present at this annual gathering represented their finest. They smiled and laughed enchantingly, their gorgeous faces lit with amusement at the witty jokes of the men beside them.
"Duke Yanri, this humble sister pays her respects."
The voice arrived before its owner. The high-ranking Duke Yanri turned at the sound and was immediately struck speechless by an astonishing vision.
A woman in a crimson gown approached, her chestnut hair coiled high in an elegant chignon. Her every step swayed with a captivating allure, yet her features radiated an almost holy purity. She was a living paradox, a beauty rarely seen in the mortal world.
This was Shangguan Wei Er, leader of the Common Alliance.
"Sister Wei Er!"
Duke Yanri was utterly entranced, his eyes gleaming with a barely restrained, rapacious desire.
Shangguan Wei Er offered him a light embrace. He was one of the Alliance's greatest shields, and she occasionally had to offer him a taste of sweetness—like a carrot dangling before a donkey, always visible but never within reach, spurring him to run ever forward.
The instant they touched, dozens of gazes shot toward them like searchlights. These were the Alliance's upper echelons and patrons, men drawn in by Shangguan Wei Er's allure, who had joined solely for her. Even someone of Duke Yanri's stature would not be permitted to profane the goddess in their hearts!
Fortunately, Shangguan Wei Er only allowed Duke Yanri a brief taste before releasing him, leaving him full of reluctance. Her pearl-like voice reached every ear in the room:
"Everyone, this little sister is endlessly grateful that you could attend the Common Alliance's banquet on this Holy Bright Festival. After the banquet concludes, please stay the night at the Minghuang Grand Hotel, where the Common Alliance will accompany you all through an unforgettable evening."
As she finished, her tone took on a teasing, unmistakably suggestive edge. Everyone present understood the unspoken invitation. They had, after all, joined the Common Alliance for one reason above all: lust.
Just as the atmosphere reached a fever pitch, the banquet hall's great red doors swung silently open, and two figures stepped inside.
The duo's exceptional good looks immediately captured the room's attention. As the crowd gazed upon the stunningly beautiful woman with the curvaceous figure and blue-green hair cascading to her waist, whispers broke out. She seemed a notch more beautiful than even Shangguan Wei Er, whose fame was well-established in Mingdu. The pure, nature-like aura of life emanating from her was enough to soothe one's body and soul.
Shangguan Wei Er stared, momentarily stunned, before her expression hardened. Her voice rang out, sharp and angry, "Linglong Pavilion Master! You dare trespass at my Common Alliance's banquet? Are you looking to stay here permanently?"
To her astonishment, the usually razor-tongued Ning Fengyu, who never yielded an inch in their confrontations, now adopted a coy, fragile pose. She pressed herself close to the golden-haired, golden-eyed youth at her side and wailed:
"Xiao Bai, look at her! Didn't I tell you she wanted to drag me off to the Common Alliance to receive guests!"
The sex-starved guests suddenly grew excited. So this was the leader of the rising Linglong Pavilion! Ning Fengyu rarely appeared in public, and few had seen her before. Who would have thought she was such a peerless beauty!
Shangguan Wei Er stood bewildered. What is she playing at? I was just issuing a standard threat!
Ling Bai glanced at the night sky outside. His tone was calm. "Do any need to be left alive?"
"Not a single one!"
Ning Fengyu pronounced the death sentence for everyone present. They were the leaders and patrons of the Common Alliance, and worse, they had now seen her and Ling Bai's true faces. They had to be eliminated, root and stem!
She raised her right hand. An illusory, multicolored light shield rapidly rose at her command, expanding as it ascended to form a seven-colored barrier that completely enveloped the banquet hall.
Class 8 Spirit Guidance Device, Seven-Colored Forbidden Realm!
While the crowd panicked in confusion, Ning Fengyu had already released her Martial Spirit and spirit rings. Countless long, translucent cyan vines snaked out from around her as eight spirit rings in the perfect configuration of two yellow, two purple, and four black rose into the air.
"Sky Azure Vine Emperor's Innate Domain, Life Unending!"
As her cold cry faded, countless python-like Sky Azure Vines filled the spacious hall. The world seemed to transform into a translucent cyan realm as a vast aura of life descended upon everything.
The Sky Azure Vine itself was already a fairly powerful plant-type Martial Spirit, and the Sky Azure Vine Emperor was the king of its clan, born with the naturally awakened Life Unending Domain!
Nourished by its own domain, the Sky Azure Vine Emperor grew frantically. The plant's veins rapidly extended, targeting every member of the Common Alliance. In the span of a few blinks, the attendees felt as if they had been trapped in a dense, primeval forest!
"You're courting death!"
Shangguan Wei Er let out a piercing scream as a fluffy red fox tail emerged from behind her. A strange, bewitching charm spread wantonly throughout the room. The surrounding crowd inexplicably lost their senses, staring at her with vacant, foolish expressions. Those with weaker cultivation collapsed to the floor, drool trickling from their lips as they chanted "Wei Er."
Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Black, Black, Black!
She was, unmistakably, a Titled Douluo!
Rank 94 Demon Fox Douluo, Shangguan Wei Er! Martial Spirit: Red-Tailed Demon Fox!