Chapter 8: Black Dragon Rending the Heavens (Part 3): The Cat Official Wants to Learn Immortal Arts to Defeat You! Part 3

Mu Qian Tan looked toward the voice. It was a woman who appeared around forty years old, dressed in a white robe emblazoned with Tianyu Sect’s immortal crane totem, her head adorned with a crane-shaped jade crown. Her brows and eyes brimmed with heroic spirit, her lips red and bold, the lines beside her nose deep—yet not aging, but rather wisdom etched by time.

Li Biyuan said: ‘That’s the sect master, Panxiang Yin, the Ximeng Immortal.’

This person was over a hundred years old? Cultivation truly extended life and preserved beauty.

Mu Qian Tan walked forward and saluted the woman. “Greetings, Sect Master.”

Panxiang Yin said, “Take your seat.”

Mu Qian Tan said, “Yes.”

Tianyu Sect used the immortal crane as its totem, so disciples’ robes all featured special circular crane patterns, easy to recognize. Mu Qian Tan swept her gaze from afar back and found an empty seat flanked by people who seemed of some status, fitting her identity, so she sat down.

No one corrected her after sitting, so she had done right, and her mind eased a bit.

Panxiang Yin began speaking. Listening carefully, there was no introduction; she must have already covered some earlier, and this was the continuation. Mu Qian Tan was quite late, no wonder those people vented their dissatisfaction upon seeing her.

Li Biyuan said: ‘I was worried you’d lose your temper and argue with them just now. Good thing you held back.’

Above the center of the Golden Hall, a torrent of spiritual power surged ceaselessly, gradually gathering into a massive light orb. Mu Qian Tan glanced at it casually and said, “I wasn’t holding back. They’re just nameless cannon fodder. Why bother with them?”

Li Biyuan said: ‘…Actually, even characters who only appear once in the book are living, breathing people in this world.’

Mu Qian Tan said: ‘So?’

Li Biyuan said: ‘So you could show them a bit more care, like you did with the Liu Family.’

She had wanted to say the female protagonist Shang Shan, but they’d just argued about that recently, so it wasn’t suitable to bring up. She took a detour, hoping Mu Qian Tan would treat the characters better, at least change her view a little.

Mu Qian Tan smiled. ‘Did I show the Liu Family care? If not for accidentally letting the Liu Family son discover my soul’s special nature, and then you couldn’t find a way to summon a soul, I wouldn’t have wasted so much time and energy on them. Wasn’t it forced?’

Li Biyuan seemed utterly helpless and sighed, silent for a moment before saying: ‘You’re even more indifferent than I imagined.’

A black shadow gradually emerged in the light orb. Mu Qian Tan narrowed her eyes slightly. ‘Ridiculous. All the joys and sorrows of these paper figures are preset by the author in advance, without any soul or personality. It’d be strange to empathize with them.’

Li Biyuan wanted to say something but held back. Hot water gurgled into the paper bowl, and she began slurping the instant noodles noisily.

The black shadow in the spiritual power orb grew more distinct, finally condensing into a Black Dragon soaring through the nine heavens. It opened its great maw and roared toward the sky. Its whiskers whipped, eyes like blue crystals, body twisting and turning, scales layered densely and shining brilliantly.

This colossal beast shuttled through the clouds, purple lightning crackling in its wake, scorching everything on the ground to char. It tore a massive rift in the heavenly canopy, forming an apocalyptic scene of disaster.

So this was the content of the Prophecy. It was indeed chilling, no wonder they gathered so many from the Immortal Realm for this assembly. If this scourge wasn’t eliminated, no one would sleep soundly for years to come.

As she watched, Mu Qian Tan suddenly sensed a gaze fixed firmly on her, so intense it couldn’t be ignored.

Puzzled, she looked over and saw a girl sitting straight-backed in the Tianyu Sect disciples’ seats. She looked eleven or twelve, with sharp brows and long eyes full of keen edge.

Mu Qian Tan examined her closely. The girl wore a bright blue horse-face skirt below and a white shirt with crane patterns above, silver bracers on her wrists, and nothing else in the way of accessories. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, giving her a dashing and straightforward air.

This was a girl whose appearance alone drew attention. At such a young age, she should be full of youthful spirit, yet she stared unblinkingly at Mu Qian Tan with clear hatred in her eyes.

Since arriving in this world, due to her initial identity’s poor reputation, Mu Qian Tan had been cursed both openly and covertly many times and was somewhat used to it. But this was the first time she’d seen such blatant, bone-deep hatred that seemed eager to flay her alive.

She grew interested and asked: ‘Who is this?’

Li Biyuan set down her noodle bowl, clicked the mouse, and perked up. ‘This… tsk. Do you remember the three most infamous misdeeds attributed to Yao’e Immortal?’

Mu Qian Tan said: ‘Yes.’

Li Biyuan said: ‘The third one, repaying kindness with enmity at Mandarin Duck River, involves the original host’s senior sister Qin Shuang. Many in the Immortal Realm believe Qin Shuang’s death was because you pushed her out to lure the enemy for self-preservation, calling you ungrateful and wolf-hearted. This girl believes it deeply too. If she were anyone else, no issue, but she’s Qin Shuang’s own little sister, Qin He.’

Mu Qian Tan said: ‘No wonder that look. In her mind, I’m one of the murderers who killed her sister… But did the original host really betray Qin Shuang like that?’

Li Biyuan said: ‘Not clear. The book doesn’t mention it. But you do need to be wary of Qin He, because she truly wants to kill you. She contributed to your capture in the original plot, so best to avoid her early on if possible.’

Qin He noticed her looking over, gripped her sword hilt tightly, her face full of ferocity—as if that would scare her off. It only made her originally endearing face seem unapproachable.

‘Still too young,’ Mu Qian Tan thought after looking her fill and withdrawing her gaze. ‘At least for now, she shouldn’t be able to harm me.’

Li Biyuan set down her noodle bowl, grabbed a tissue to wipe her mouth, and let out a long breath. ‘Since you know her now, let’s identify one more. See that golden-haired, green-eyed girl across from you?’

In the front row of the opposite seats sat a girl with light golden hair and emerald eyes.

She was wrapped in a white robe adorned with gold and silver, with three red dots under each eye. Though sitting properly, she showed no subservience, her face full of pride and a charm beyond her years. Her attire had an exotic flair, unlike locals.

Li Biyuan said: ‘Her name is Fu Li, the young clan head of the White Serpent Clan from the Source Mist Mountains. Her mother is a major boss in the mid-to-late book, clashing with the protagonist group—a very powerful figure.’

Mu Qian Tan murmured: ‘Protagonist group…’

Li Biyuan said: ‘Look to your right.’

Mu Qian Tan turned her head as instructed. Not far beside her sat a woman in a water-pink dress. Her features were soft, gentle and serene, dignified and steady. Her long hair half-up and half-down, a faint smile at her lips—a picture of refined and elegant beauty.

‘This is Feng Ling Immortal Jiang Zhouyao, and her younger brother is a heavyweight—the book’s male protagonist, Celestial Lord Feng Tian, Jiang Yuanqi.’

Mu Qian Tan’s expression tightened slightly as she looked back and forth at those two several times, her mind racing with thoughts.

Right now, the female protagonist was outside the hall, the male protagonist’s sister sat beside her, and the boss’s daughter was across. Many important figures or their relations were here, yet she had to pretend ignorance, stepping into the torrent of fate. Watching them stir up storms, suffer defeats and wounds—it was hard to say if it was interesting or boring.

Thinking of the Female Protagonist, she looked toward the entrance of the grand hall, wondering if that girl had waited obediently. But at this glance, her beautiful vision shattered in an instant.

The Female Protagonist had actually sneaked in quietly!

And from her expression, there was a high chance she was about to cause trouble.

As Mu Qian Tan expected, the little girl tiptoed to the edge of the crowd. After carefully identifying the people in the hall, she suddenly raised her hands and dashed toward the center of the grand hall, shouting as she ran, “Please, kind folks, can you teach the Cat Official some immortal spells?”

Mu Qian Tan: “….” What kind folks??

No one had anticipated this sudden change, and everyone was stunned in place. Those who reacted faster saw she was just a little girl and there were many people here, so they weren’t afraid of her causing trouble. They didn’t stop her and simply watched quietly.

Thus, Shang Shan smoothly ran to the center of the grand hall. “The Cat Official’s luck has been bad this year; she ran into a villain! Can’t beat her, can’t escape! Can only learn some immortal spells to defeat her and go home. Please, kind folks, have mercy!”

Mu Qian Tan felt a breath stuck in her chest, her hands itching to beat someone again. She had thought this girl was at most bold enough to run away. Who knew she dared to make a scene in a place where even she herself didn’t dare to act out!

The incident happened suddenly, and she didn’t react in time. By the time she wanted to stop her, the girl had already reached the center and was about to come face-to-face with Panxiang Yin.

At that moment, Shang Shan ran too hastily and tripped over herself, falling forward. Panxiang Yin flashed over and supported her.

Shang Shan looked up, about to thank her, when she suddenly saw the huge spiritual power light sphere above the grand hall and was immediately stunned.

That world-destroying black dragon danced in the clouds, roaring, struggling, and coiling. It was also reflected clearly in the girl’s eyes.