Chapter 15

Jiang Yiguang didn’t know when Fu Juan planned to head up the mountain. Since she had chosen the “secretly go” route, she couldn’t very well scout for information. Fortunately, with the system here, its “mandatory enforcement” ensured she wouldn’t miss her encounter with Fu Juan and the others.

This wait lasted three days. During this free time, Jiang Yiguang refused Lu Yaotiao’s invitations and focused entirely on “practice.” Perhaps her mind had truly opened, but scriptures that used to make her drowsy now entered her mind smoothly. After meditative cultivation, lifting the brush to draw talismans became much easier. Unfortunately, she couldn’t achieve the same fluency as in the Eternal Space; having two out of ten talisman papers not go to waste was already Jiang Yiguang’s peak performance.

Before leaving the house, Jiang Yiguang found a Seven Star Sword and strapped it to her back. Although she hadn’t practiced Pacing the Dipper, having this sharp sword at least gave her some peace of mind. But carrying a sword meant she couldn’t take the subway. Fearing the driver would relay news to Fu Juan, she had no choice but to ask Lu Yaotiao to “contribute” her family’s driver. During this process, Jiang Yiguang spent a great deal of effort persuading Lu Yaotiao not to come to South Mountain to watch the fun.

When Jiang Yiguang reached the mountain base, it was afternoon.

The weather was clear and bright, perfect for a spring outing. However, the parking lot, usually packed with cars, was empty today, completely devoid of the liveliness from a few days prior. When Jiang Yiguang got out of the car, she saw people in police uniforms patrolling and immediately understood. The Xuanzhen Dao Court must have stepped in and cordoned off this bizarre, mysterious mountain. When she approached and saw the glaring police tape, her guess was confirmed. The mountain was closed, making entry difficult. Luckily, Jiang Yiguang was prepared. As a member of the Jiang family, when interacting with peers in the Mystic Sect outside, she would have her own personal seal, though in the past, she’d never used it.

Jiang Yiguang easily convinced the patrol officers and entered South Mountain.

This “secretly go” plan was just as she guessed—it only worked as long as Fu Juan didn’t discover her.

The moment she stepped into South Mountain, the scenery changed. Hazy mountain mists swirled up; dampness hung everywhere, as if dusk was falling. Amidst the fog, colorful peach blossoms drifted down in the wind, like a rain of crimson, dreamlike and illusory. Jiang Yiguang, however, had no heart to appreciate the peach blossom rain. Thick fog on South Mountain—when things are abnormal, there must be a Demon at work. Holding her breath, she unslung the Seven Star Sword from her back and cautiously stepped up the damp stone steps, heading higher.

She wore the Migu Pearl, so she wouldn’t lose her way in the mountains. She also had the True Form Chart of the Five Peaks, so ordinary mountain sprites couldn’t do much to her. But a thousand-year Nine-Tailed Fox—Jiang Yiguang frowned, beginning to regret her rashness. Even if she wanted to do the main quest, she shouldn’t be so reckless. Was it fate’s manipulation, or the system’s push? As Jiang Yiguang’s thoughts ran wild, she suddenly heard a thunderclap! Startled, she squinted ahead. Two blurry figures were vaguely visible in the mist. Opposite them seemed to be a gigantic, white-foreheaded tiger, at least ten feet long. Its body rolled with tangible, black Baleful Energy; it was clearly a fiend.

The Tiger Demon also sensed the rustling movement within the fog. Its bloodthirsty, baleful eyes fixed on Jiang Yiguang. Seeing she was just a mortal, it roared and lunged at her. There were two paths of cultivation for Demons: either absorb the essence of the sun and moon through dedicated cultivation, or devour flesh and blood on an evil path. Humans, as the spirit of all things, favored by the Heavenly Dao, were naturally a great tonic for a Demon’s cultivation.

A foul, bloody wind blew in her face. Jiang Yiguang was terrified; it was her first time facing such a scene, and merely managing to move and dodge was already a feat. The True Form Chart of the Five Peaks on her person, stimulated by the Demon Qi, immediately transformed into a clear, protective energy and blocked the Tiger Demon. In that split second of delay, the person who had been fighting the Tiger Demon over there had already sprinted over.

“Capital Heavenly Thunder Duke, call the thunder to shake the wind. Blue Thunder Red Qi, ascend to the high heavens. Red Thunder Yellow Qi, transport the spirit to the center. Yellow Thunder White Qi, penetrate and align the Nine Palaces. White Thunder Black Qi, descend to the Northern Fengdu. Black Thunder Blue Qi, transport the spirit to the east. Unite with humanity, connect with the Dao.”

A “Mixed Five Thunder Incantation” struck down, hitting the Tiger Demon’s head squarely as it was held back by the True Form Chart. Amidst the booming thunder, the massive tiger’s head was charred black. Its huge body crashed to the ground, sending dust flying.

Jiang Yiguang breathed a sigh of relief and scrambled up from the ground in a sorry state. But when she clearly saw the faces of the people opposite her, her barely settled heart lurched again. Her back stiffened, rigid as a block of wood. She had come “secretly,” but before completing her task, she had run right into Fu Juan and Wang Xuanming.

Fu Juan ignored the visibly nervous Jiang Yiguang. Her wheelchair creaked over loose soil and fallen leaves. With a squeaking sound, she held a bronze sword in her right hand and, with a swift, clean motion, severed the Tiger Demon’s head. Blood ran in rivulets, slowly seeping into the soil. Jiang Yiguang hissed, every hair on her body standing on end.

“What are you doing here? Looking to cause more trouble?” Wang Xuanming said irritably. They had been in the mountains for a while, but within the fog, the Luopan couldn’t sense direction; the magnetic field and “Qi Flow” were completely chaotic. They encountered numerous fiends they hadn’t noticed before. After two or three hours, they were utterly exhausted. Running into Jiang Yiguang in this state was just adding another burden!

In Jiang Yiguang’s eyes, Wang Xuanming was also a nuisance. She propped the Seven Star Sword against the ground and gave him a fake smile, retorting bluntly, “Is where I go any of your business?” She couldn’t be bothered to look at Wang Xuanming’s face, reddening with anger, but frowned at the options the system presented. Just a second ago, the system had given her another multiple-choice.

【A. Pester relentlessly to follow. (Chivalry Points +1)

B. Leave alone. (Chivalry Points -1)

C. Go down the mountain. (Charisma Points +2)】

Based on the rewards, only “A” was viable. Maybe the system had lured her in with sweet rewards earlier, and now it was showing its true colors. She didn’t know if it was here to help her or deliberately cause trouble. Jiang Yiguang cursed inwardly. The system, having weathered a hundred rounds of merciless scolding, weakly spoke up.

【Host, the rewards are all random. It’s just that the probability of positive ones is slightly higher.】

Jiang Yiguang’s frown deepened.

She should choose the first option without hesitation. But what if the reward itself was a form of interference? Her choice affected her “self.” Between petty gains and finding her “self,” she wanted to choose the latter. If she followed Fu Juan, would she unknowingly step back onto the plotline?

“Not leaving?” Fu Juan’s words were like ice shards. Having just slain a Demon, her aura was at its peak, oppressive like a gathering storm, making it hard to breathe.

“Not leaving.” Jiang Yiguang’s tone was slow but firm.

Fu Juan didn’t ask again and immediately propelled her wheelchair away.

Wang Xuanming, however, glanced at Jiang Yiguang worriedly. He started to speak several times, but in the end, just shook his head with a sigh and gave up.

Jiang Yiguang stared intently at Fu Juan.

Her figure gradually receded into the distance, hazy and beautiful like flowers viewed through mist.

“I’ll run into her again eventually, won’t I? If so, isn’t my current choice a huge loss?” Jiang Yiguang murmured to herself.

With great difficulty, she pulled her gaze back and looked at the panel. Her Chivalry Points had turned to zero, and her Compatibility Value had also dropped to “66.”

“Where exactly did the system come from? Can it really be trusted not to lie?” Jiang Yiguang abruptly asked again.