"Azhu, you’ll be in your old room, and Luoluo will be right next door. You two should spend plenty of time getting to know each other," Bai Yin said, looking at the two girls with an expectant expression.
No one could bear to abandon a child. Bai Yin wasn't that type of person; from start to finish, all she had ever wanted was for her family to be harmonious and happy. For Bai Yin, as long as the two girls got along well, she would have two daughters. How wonderful that would be.
Yanzhu replied obediently, "Understood, Mother."
*Xingluo.* Yanzhu recited the name to herself, her thoughts deep and inscrutable.
"Understood, Mother." Xingluo’s reply sounded like a direct copy-paste. As long as she didn't get in her way, she was just another person. It didn't matter.
Yan Changyun patted Bai Yin’s back soothingly. "Don't worry," he said. Things would get better.
"I’m just afraid they won't see eye to eye." If Yanzhu and Xingluo were to fight, they wouldn't know who to side with. One had been raised for over a decade, and the other had been searched for for over a decade. Both the palm and the back of the hand are made of flesh, yet people are always biased—usually toward the palm.
Bai Yin nudged Yan Changyun, her expression serious. "From today on, buy two of everything—gifts, clothes, jewelry. Don't show favoritism. Treat both daughters equally."
Yan Changyun smiled. "I understand."
Inside the room, Yanzhu leaned back in her chair, crossed her legs, and propped them up on the vanity table. She closed her eyes to ponder.
Seeing this, Yaojiu was shocked and cried out, "How can you make a face like that look so gentle while doing something like this!" You have the face of a lady, yet you're doing something so unrefined and totally out of character! Is this what they call being two-faced?
Yanzhu ignored Yaojiu’s question.
Suddenly, Yanzhu curled her lips into a smile, deep and meaningful. "A Nine-Tailed Spirit-Absorbing Cat—the legendary ninth-greatest beast."
Yaojiu jolted violently, her tail tucking in. How could a mere human like her know that? Having her true name called out so accurately felt like being grabbed by her vital point; it wasn't fatal yet, but the dull ache had already begun. Yaojiu felt like a lamb that had walked straight into a tiger's den.
At the beginning, no matter how she looked at Yanzhu, she only seemed like a human; she hadn't detected any clues, nor did she know who her master was. The Nine-Tailed Spirit-Absorbing Cat was the hegemon among cats, a rare species. When they reached their peak with nine tails, they possessed the ability to absorb spirits, control minds, and were notoriously murderous.
"Tell me, how many tails do you have now?"
Yaojiu: *! She really knows! It’s over, I’ve delivered myself right into her mouth!*
If it truly came to that, Yaojiu would have to fight Yanzhu to the death. She would gamble with Yanzhu—a fifty-fifty chance. Perhaps she would end up possessing Yanzhu's body instead. But if she had to fight for a sliver of survival against those maniacs who prided themselves on being "noble," it would be far too risky. Rather than falling back into the hands of those people, she might as well bet everything now. She would never allow anyone to touch her freedom; in this life, she would sacrifice everything for it!
Sensing Yaojiu’s agitation, Yanzhu smiled softly. *You’re not very good at keeping your cool, are you?* You really are restless.
"Before you try anything, I suggest you think it through, because you can't beat me." Even if they were currently in a state where both were injured.
A vast, ethereal voice rang out beside Yaojiu, and an overwhelming pressure surged, forcing Yaojiu to the ground.
Yaojiu began to doubt her own existence. Why was she still so strong? It made no sense! Was this the strength a normal human could possess? Three years! It had been three years—why hadn't she managed to get ahead yet? This isn't scientific! I want the truth!
Hundreds of years ago, to prevent powerful entities from using their mana in the Mortal Realm and causing chaos, the Hidden Realm had joined forces to set up the Nineteen Yuan Heaven Formations to suppress cultivators. Anyone who entered the Mortal Realm would have their mana suppressed to less than twenty percent. Thus, most cultivators in the Mortal Realm were no different from ordinary people.
***
Jinghui Pavilion.
It was one of the premier classical dining halls in Luocheng, renowned for its quaint, elegant architecture and exquisite food, which drew crowds of admirers.
On the seventh floor.
Yanzhu sat quietly in a private room, back to the window, her hand tightening around her phone. Very well, it was 9:29. *Gaoshu, you actually dared to stand me up! I’ve been waiting for nearly half an hour.* She shouldn't have trusted Gaoshu’s ability to follow through; he was either late, leaving early, or disappearing halfway through.
"What are you looking at, Xiuhan?"
"In the northern lands, there are clouds, and there is a beauty of grace and poise, with hair like a waterfall—the clouds marry at the appointed time."
Sheng Xiuhan looked at Yanzhu’s dark-haired back, a roguish, elegant smile tugging at his lips. His smile was gentle and his eyes filled with warmth, as if they contained all the prosperity of the world. But Jiang Yinhuai knew that behind that scholarly facade, he had once been arrogant, bloodthirsty, and utterly indomitable.
Jiang Yinhuai followed Sheng Xiuhan’s gaze. The beauty was like a painting, her hair like a waterfall—what a vision of quiet, cloud-like beauty. Just her back alone conjured images of peace and grace.
"But, she might be a demon in disguise."
Hearing this, Jiang Yinhuai frowned. "Cough, cough," he cleared his throat. How could he talk about a young woman like that? Then, he heard Sheng Xiuhan continue.
"Never heard of the 'back-view kill'? It’s pretty much that. Ah, the youth of today." Sheng Xiuhan patted Jiang Yinhuai’s shoulder with a look of regret.
Jiang Yinhuai felt insulted. Lately, Sheng Xiuhan had been exceptionally adept at learning these modern terms.
Jiang Yinhuai: "..." *I suppose I'm just behind the times.*
"Bamboo, I’m here!" Gaoshu panted as he rushed up to Yanzhu.
Yanzhu put down her phone, lifted her leg, and kicked Gaoshu. "I’ve been waiting for you for half an hour!"
For someone who was a stickler for time, half an hour was the ultimate torture, every second feeling like a year. It was painful!
Gaoshu clutched his stomach and crouched on the ground. His vitality was so strong he could have killed an ox; clearly, all his previous worries were for naught. To think he had been worried because she had been in a coma for three years—she still had this much energy.
That was right; it was still the same old Yanzhu. She hadn't changed a bit.
Yanzhu tilted her head and looked at Gaoshu. "Three years later and you’ve become this useless? Did you feed your cultivation to the dogs?" Yanzhu knew she hadn't used much force, so this reaction was wrong.
"Ha!" Gaoshu suddenly stood up. "Didn't get scared, did you? Hearing you talk like that, I know you're definitely fine. Thank goodness, I missed you so much, Bamboo!"
Yanzhu pushed Gaoshu away and suddenly looked back.
*Surveillance!*
Caught off guard, Yanzhu’s gaze pierced into Sheng Xiuhan’s field of vision. Sheng Xiuhan stood up in a hurry, his fingers trembling slightly.
"Almost identical!" How could that be?
Jiang Yinhuai watched Sheng Xiuhan’s face change and heard him muttering, though he couldn't catch the words. "What's wrong? Isn't that just a beautiful woman? There's nothing strange about it—unless she's out of your league."
Suddenly, a bad suspicion surfaced. "Are those people after us? I’ll go take them out."
Sheng Xiuhan grabbed Jiang Yinhuai, calming himself down, his breathing gradually steadying. "It’s nothing. They aren't their people." He then laughed suddenly. "With my current face, they wouldn't recognize me anyway."
Jiang Yinhuai felt a pang in his heart. "Xiuhan."
Living under a face that wasn't his own—who would find that easy? Having created glory and reached the peak, only to be forced to live under an assumed name...
Sheng Xiuhan waved his hand. "Let's go."
Sheng Xiuhan continued to recall Yanzhu’s face. Could she be her descendant? But the age didn't seem quite right.
Gaoshu edged over, looking left and right with curiosity. "What's wrong, what's wrong?"
Yanzhu withdrew her gaze and replied indifferently, "Nothing. Let's go."
If they didn't want to cause trouble, there was no need to engage. The people upstairs were not simple. Things were becoming increasingly unsettled.
Yanzhu shook her head. *Forget it, forget it. Time to get to work.*
Yanzhu needed to buy a body for that cat. She decided a ragdoll would be fine; it was durable and could be changed, aside from the fact that it would cost a bit of mana. It was a bit difficult, but she happened to like it.
Yanzhu hadn't wanted to get involved, but that cat was truly annoying, and it refused to say anything. *Don't think I'm doing this for free! Sooner or later, I'll make you pay it back! I’m not running a charity for a cat!*