Yao Ranran swallowed hard.
She was afraid that if she heard something even more unbelievable, she might lose control and gape with her mouth hanging open, drooling like a fool. This wasn't about being greedy for food. This was one of those "must use expression pack" moments!
She straightened her back, ears pricked, waiting for what An Xiaolin would say next. "Master, please continue!"
An Xiaolin looked at her earnest expression, and for a moment his thoughts blurred. Was it too soon to tell his obedient disciple these things? Perhaps he had frightened her.
But since the words had already reached this point, he couldn't simply stop. "My dear disciple, do you know of a mortal illness called the plague?"
Yao Ranran froze for a beat.
For some reason, the image of Dongxi Village's tragic plague flashed across her mind—the very one that had wiped out the villagers.
She gave a small nod.
Not only did she know about it, she had more or less seen it with her own eyes…
Seeing her nod, An Xiaolin's eyes grew heavy.
"Mortals fall ill. Cultivators suffer poison. It may sound unbelievable to you, but in the Spirit Realm, nearly every cultivator becomes infected with something akin to a plague!
And just like the plague, it spreads. Yet this contagion is fiercer, faster, and even passes down through bloodlines, generation after generation, never-ending!"
Yao Ranran stared in shock. She couldn't imagine what kind of place her cheap master was describing. How could cultivators even survive in such a realm?
As though reading her thoughts, An Xiaolin gave the answer. "There are survivors in the Spirit Realm. When this plague—what they call miasma—silently spread across one of its continents, the great clans and top sects gradually noticed its presence.
To resist it, they paid a heavy price. Some survived, yet lived as though already dead."
"Master… is that what happened to you?" Yao Ranran asked softly, as if something had clicked.
An Xiaolin did not answer, but a sharp flash of pain crossed his eyes. "In the Spirit Realm, people eventually divided into two kinds: those who had inhaled heavy miasma, and those with lighter traces.
For a long time, the miasma coexisted with all cultivators, until the sects and clans managed to create a kind of antidote. It could suppress the spread of miasma, giving them room to breathe."
"But… only suppress?" Yao Ranran caught onto the word.
"Yes. In all the years Shu Xi Palace remained in the Spirit Realm, there was no antidote capable of purging miasma completely."
Shu Xi Palace… once resided in the Spirit Realm?
Though An Xiaolin's earlier words had hinted at it, hearing her master openly admit it still shook her. Such a priceless treasure, resting in her arms every day, and yet no divine sign had ever manifested?
In novels, didn't the female leads gain unimaginable power and endless trump cards the moment they touched anything from the Spirit Realm?
Yao Ranran sighed faintly.
So, fate truly was different for everyone.
"My disciple, do not grieve for us. The will of Heaven had long decreed this. Your very appearance is the hope of Shu Xi Palace!"
Yao Ranran: ???
An Xiaolin went on, "From the moment I entrusted Shu Xi Palace to you, I knew you were destined to become its next Palace Master!
My reappearance today proves it. This very day, I will formally abdicate and pass the position of Palace Master of Shu Xi Palace to you!"
Yao Ranran: "No! No! No! Please, no!"
An Xiaolin's eyes gleamed. Choosing this child had been the greatest decision of his life.
Soft white light rose. Starlight shimmered. The palm-sized Shu Xi Palace hovered in front of Yao Ranran.
An Xiaolin pressed his hand upon it. The translucent jade hue was quickly stained with a searing crimson.
Yao Ranran's pupils widened.
Wait! Did it really need that much blood?
"Do not worry, disciple. This is not blood. Only a single drop of yours is enough."
With a swift strike, before Yao Ranran could react, he pricked her fingertip.
A drop of bright blood fell upon Shu Xi Palace.
Immediately, she sensed a connection binding her to it.
An Xiaolin's lips had lost all color. His gaze turned pale as he looked at her, but his smile was gentle. "I pay respects to the Palace Master."
The blinding palace landed in her palm, its crimson glow fading, turning back into a cool, tranquil jade.
Green light flashed across her vision.
It looked almost like the spiritual plant sprouting from the rainbow seed she had planted outside.
"Master, the seed you gave me before…
Master… you're gone again?"
She stared blankly at the empty room, as though no one else had ever been there.
"Fine, no answers again!"
Clutching Shu Xi Palace in her hands, she felt no joy at acquiring a great treasure. Instead, her shoulders felt doubly burdened.
Muttering under her breath, she said, "What use is this thing anyway? Can't even be sold for money."
Shu Xi Palace gave the faintest shiver.
…
Yao Ranran awoke early the next morning.
Her mind replayed An Xiaolin's words from yesterday, and suddenly she recalled something.
A few days ago, while practicing Mu Jialing's techniques, she had drawn out the power of faith. It hadn't seemed to affect her, but now she realized her master had been warning her of how vital that power truly was.
"Better put it back then. Who knows if it can be used up completely?"
Returning the power of faith to her body, she stretched lazily and pushed her door open.
Xiao Rong and Tang Xiangyin happened to be walking past.
After a few steps, both suddenly turned, staring at her in surprise.
"Boss, you look a little different today."
"Fairy Ranran, where's the moonlight you swallowed?"
…What nonsense?
Yao Ranran seriously suspected these two hadn't woken up properly.
She replied offhandedly, "What I ate, I digested of course. Where are you two going?"
Xiao Rong and Tang Xiangyin's eyes went wide, their gazes sweeping over her as though she were some rare beast.
Yao Ranran frowned faintly.
Tang Xiangyin quickly explained, "Fairy, I'm going down the mountain to learn cooking."
"You're not allowed!" Yao Ranran cut her off at once.
Both Xiao Rong and Tang Xiangyin jumped in shock.
"Why not?"
Tang Xiangyin looked at her with a pitiful face.
Yao Ranran's brow twitched. "Do you really not know why? Grandma Zhang is old. She cannot endure your torment."
If the kitchen exploded again, what if Grandma Zhang's heart gave out one day and she ascended on the spot?
She had no choice but to consider that possibility.
Tang Xiangyin lowered her head miserably, twisting the silk handkerchief in her hands.
"Grandma Zhang is a mortal. It's bad for Sister Tang to keep troubling her. Boss, when will Physician Zhou return?"
At the mention, Yao Ranran let out a long sigh.
"Perhaps… never."
"What?" Xiao Rong and Tang Xiangyin both cried out.
"Ahem… just kidding. They should be back soon!"
Yao Ranran hurried to correct herself.
They must not know that Zhou Lili and Nie Rong had been kidnapped because of her.
The last time that phoenix's news spread, it was because she hadn't shut their mouths first, and Jiang Shengxiang found out.
She couldn't be that stupid again.