After the Second Playthrough, the CP-Less Female Lead Kneels and Begs Me for Forgiveness [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 6

At the Qionghua Sect, morning lessons are held daily, though inner and outer disciples are taught separately. However, with the Sect Competition currently underway, these lessons had been suspended for the past few days.

In the early dawn, Zhao Shuangbai woke from her meditation. She glanced toward the stone bed; the person lying there was still breathing steadily, deep in sleep. After tidying herself with a Cleansing Spell, Zhao Shuangbai took her sword and headed out.

Today was the final round of the finals. The top ten would earn the right to enter the White Bone Secret Realm, while the top three would receive additional rewards.

As expected, Zhao Shuangbai—the crowd favorite—claimed first place. With the competition concluded, the elders began distributing the prizes.

Elder Yuan, holding the rewards, looked at Zhao Shuangbai with a beaming smile. “Shuangbai, first place is yours again. Why don’t you leave some room for your junior brothers and sisters?”

Zhao Shuangbai performed a formal salute. Her face wore its customary indifference, her eyes as pale and cool as a frozen lake. “Elder Yuan, the enemy will not make concessions for them.”

Elder Yuan shook his head helplessly. “You aren’t their enemy, Shuangbai. You were so cute as a child; how did you end up growing into such an iceberg?”

He talks too much…

Zhao Shuangbai met Elder Yuan’s words with silence. Curiously, her mind drifted to that mortal.

She knew there was a mortal at Qionghua Sect, brought up by Wan Qianci. She wasn’t sure of the details, but if her guess was correct, that mortal was Wan Qianci’s niece. The girl was thin and small, her constitution far weaker than that of an average mortal. She wondered how Wan Qianci had been raising her.

Zhao Shuangbai was somewhat distracted.

“Shuangbai, here.” Elder Yuan seemed to notice her preoccupation and handed over the prize.

Taking it, Zhao Shuangbai bowed. “Shuangbai has matters to attend to. I shall take my leave.”

By the time Shao Xibei woke from her deep slumber, the sun was high in the sky.

She was roused by the sound of birds. Opening her eyes bleary-mised, it took a moment for the realization to hit her—she could hear! Outside the window, the crisp chirping of birds continued, weaving together into a melodic morning song.

Even better, Shao Xibei found she could move her hands. This meant her recovery was well underway.

As she lay in bed, her thoughts drifted back to the nightmare from the previous night. It had felt so real, so suffocating. Shen Yunyan truly had never trusted her; even the kindness had been a facade. She had always thought Shen Yunyan felt something for her, but the moment her heart was lost, Shen Yunyan’s affection score had plummeted from fifty to zero instantly.

It was terrifying—to be able to control one’s own emotions to such an extent. Shao Xibei felt a wave of sadness; she had truly considered Shen Yunyan a dear friend.

[It still hurts so much.]

Zhao Shuangbai heard this “heart-voice” just as she reached her quarters. She approached quietly, standing beside Shao Xibei.

“What are you thinking about?”

Startled, Shao Xibei’s heart skipped a beat. She looked up at the visitor with wide eyes, her mouth opening and closing without a sound.

She looked quite foolish. Zhao Shuangbai thought it, and then she said it: “You look rather silly.”

Shao Xibei was displeased, though she didn’t show it on her face.

[Suddenly, I don’t think you’re that pretty anymore!]

Zhao Shuangbai’s eyebrow twitched imperceptibly.

At that moment, Fang Si sent a telepathic message: “Shuangbai, I’m coming over! I messed up her medicine!!!”

Hardly had the words landed when Zhao Shuangbai felt Fang Si’s presence. A second later, Fang Si burst into the room, looking frantic, her fair cheeks flushed red.

“Shuangbai! When I was making her pills, I put in the wrong ingredient! She’s a mortal, and you know they can’t handle the raw power of spirit pills. I added herbs to weaken the effect so she wouldn’t explode, but I swapped one by mistake!”

Shao Xibei listened, her heart sinking. It wasn’t poison, was it?!

Fang Si took a deep breath, looking hesitant and embarrassed. Shao Xibei waited anxiously—What is it?!

Noticing Shao Xibei’s distress, Zhao Shuangbai looked at Fang Si. “Speak.”

The command acted like a spell. Fang Si calmed down instantly. Right, she thought, this is the emotionless Zhao Shuangbai. Why am I embarrassed? She probably won’t feel anything anyway.

“Uh, basically, I accidentally used ‘Qi-Eating Grass’ instead of ‘Spirit-Consuming Grass’.”

Shao Xibei was confused; she didn’t know the difference. Zhao Shuangbai, however, did. She glanced subtly at Shao Xibei and told Fang Si, “Continue.”

Fang Si slapped her own cheeks. “On its own, the herb isn’t much. But mixed with the other ingredients, it turned into… an intermittent aphrodisiac… ahem. If it flares up and she doesn’t… well, ‘interact’ with someone to gather essence, her meridians will snap and she’ll die.”

Silence. Absolute silence.

After a long pause, Zhao Shuangbai asked, “Is there no cure?”

Fang Si shook her head bluntly. “No current solution. I asked my Master, and even he’s stumped. Because she’s a mortal, she can’t take most high-level detoxifying pills. I’ve prepared some suppressing medicine, though. It was my fault, after all.”

Shao Xibei felt like she’d been hit by a gale. Her heart went cold. The “interaction” isn’t what I think it is, is it? I just started this life—how did I get stuck with such a trope already?

Zhao Shuangbai lowered her beautiful phoenix eyes, her long lashes hiding her expression. Her lips were thin and pressed together, radiating a chilling aura.

Fang Si, unable to read Zhao Shuangbai, quickly changed the subject. “Anyway, it’s been three days. How’s the recovery? She should be mostly fine by tomorrow.”

“Also, Shuangbai, I checked. Her name is Shao Xibei, Wan Qianci’s niece. Rumor has it she was always a bit… dim-witted. Do you think that hit to the head might have knocked some sense into her?”

Zhao Shuangbai remained silent.

“Or maybe she’s even dumber now, or lost her memory,” Fang Si continued. “Heads are fragile. Let me take a look.” She leaned in toward Shao Xibei.

As an internal medicine cultivator, it was only right for Fang Si to check her. Zhao Shuangbai moved to step aside to give her room.

However, as she moved, she felt a light tug on her sleeve. Looking down, she saw a small, thin hand—Shao Xibei’s.

“Bai… Bai… don’t go.” Shao Xibei’s voice was raspy but clear. Her eyes were urgent, looking like a puppy about to be abandoned by its owner.

Zhao Shuangbai knew Shao Xibei wasn’t truly as pitiful as she looked, but she still froze for a moment and stopped her retreat.

Fang Si’s eyes twinkled. “Looks like she was knocked silly, but she’s really clingy with you.” Or she was always silly and now she’s worse, Fang Si thought but didn’t say.

After a quick examination, Fang Si concluded, “She seems fine physically. Probably just some brain trauma. You’re the first person she saw, so she’s bonded to you—imprinting, like a chick.”

Fang Si left shortly after, summoned by her Master. Before leaving, she handed Zhao Shuangbai a small green porcelain bottle, warning her to keep it close since the “flare-ups” were unpredictable.

Once again, it was just Zhao Shuangbai and Shao Xibei. Shao Xibei was still holding onto the sleeve, though her grip was faint.

Having heard Fang Si’s words, Shao Xibei had already drafted her new persona in her mind. It wasn’t too far off from the original “Shao Xibei,” just slightly tweaked.

She looked up timidly at Zhao Shuangbai, seeing her own small reflection in those pale eyes. Suddenly, Shao Xibei smiled. Her lips curled upward, revealing two deep, sweet dimples.

“Bai… Bai… pretty. Like!”

She was gambling. Would Zhao Shuangbai pull her sleeve away, or let her hold it?

To her surprise, Zhao Shuangbai leaned down and poked her cheek with a finger, looking thoughtful. Shao Xibei held her breath, her mind going blank. She didn’t understand this development, but it seemed Zhao Shuangbai didn’t dislike her.

That was good… though it felt very strange. Shao Xibei felt awkward and tried to shrink back into the clothes Zhao Shuangbai had provided. Usually, she was bold in her thoughts, but in moments like this, she turned into a timid quail.

Zhao Shuangbai straightened up. The girl’s face was so thin it was almost sunken, yet when she smiled, her cheeks filled out and felt soft to the touch.

Shao Xibei watched her with eyes full of dependence. She reminded Zhao Shuangbai of a puppy her mother had brought home long ago—small, soft, and prone to staring with wet, pathetic eyes while nipping at her hem to keep her from leaving.

That puppy had eventually died of illness.

Breaking her usual silence, Zhao Shuangbai asked, “Do you want to follow me?”

Shao Xibei tilted her head, pondering the question. When she understood, her eyes lit up. “Follow! With Bai… with Bai together!” Her speech was still disjointed, but it was getting smoother.

If she had a tail, it would be wagging like a propeller.

Zhao Shuangbai showed no outward reaction to the answer. Instead, she produced a book and handed it to Shao Xibei.

Shao Xibei looked at the cover: “Fundamentals of Qi Refining.” The basic manual for cultivation. She looked up at Zhao Shuangbai with feigned ignorance.

Zhao Shuangbai turned her back, her voice cool and detached. “If you cannot do it, tell me.”

She had checked Shao Xibei’s aptitude: the worst possible “Five Elements Root,” and more importantly, no Spirit Bone. Roots determine talent, but the Spirit Bone determines whether one can cultivate at all. Without a Spirit Bone, one cannot absorb spiritual energy into the body.

Yet, Zhao Shuangbai didn’t entirely believe that. She knew there was more than one way to cultivate, even if the world thought otherwise. She had seen someone cultivate without a Spirit Bone before, though she couldn’t quite remember where.

She didn’t know if Shao Xibei could do it. A Five Elements Root absorbs energy with many impurities; even without a Spirit Bone, the body wouldn’t be easily damaged. But if she had a Single Element Root, the energy would be too pure—without a bone to house it, she would explode instantly.

If Shao Xibei truly couldn’t cultivate, Zhao Shuangbai would have to send her back. Cultivators and mortals were not meant to stay together for long; a mortal’s life was simply too short.

Zhao Shuangbai left, leaving Shao Xibei staring at the manual.

Does Beauty Zhao not know I don’t have a Spirit Bone?

Shao Xibei recalled her grueling first life. To protect Shen Yunyan, she had forced herself to cultivate from nothing all the way to the Nascent Soul stage. It had been like walking through fire.

Because she lacked a Spirit Bone, she had traveled to the Demon God Mountain. She nearly died, but with the System’s help, she found a “Bone Flower.” By then, her hands and feet were worn down to the white bone. The flower only appeared every thousand years under a full moon, guarded by a Nascent Soul-level beast.

The System had acted as a lure while she snatched and swallowed the flower. She had been sent flying by the beast’s counterattack, but the System managed to pull her into the System Space just in time. Every bone in her body had shattered into powder, but the Bone Flower allowed her to regrow a Spirit Bone—even if it was a low-grade one.

It was a horrific memory.

Now, she was once again a person without a Spirit Bone, and Zhao Shuangbai was asking her to cultivate. She lay there, hugging the book. What gave Zhao Shuangbai the idea that I can do this?

[System, are you there?]

[…Yes.]

Shao Xibei was overjoyed. [System! You’re back!]

[Yes.]

Feeling like she had her support system back, Shao Xibei began to vent. [System, Zhao Shuangbai wants me to cultivate! But I don’t have a Spirit Bone. I don’t want to go through what I did last time.]

She paused, then added: [Actually, I guess it’s okay since my pain perception is blocked 100% now. It won’t hurt like before.]

The System fell silent. It had traveled through many worlds with Shao Xibei, but that one time was unforgettable. Back then, her pain block was only at 10%.

Flesh torn, bones exposed, then shattered and rebuilt. The System remembered how her usually bright eyes had gone terrifyingly dim, how she had shivered violently, calling out for the System through the agony.

[…We won’t go there. It doesn’t matter if you have no Spirit Bone.]

Shao Xibei was confused. This world’s power system relied on spiritual energy, which required a Spirit Bone to absorb. How could she cultivate without it?

[Use power from other worlds. I will disguise its aura as spiritual energy.]

Shao Xibei’s eyes widened. She was indignant. [You had a way all along?! You let me suffer like that last time? You must really hate me!] She felt a bit sulky.

After a moment, the System replied: [I didn’t have the capacity back then.] At that time, it had been on the verge of disappearing.

Hearing the explanation, Shao Xibei grinned. [Hehe, alright. You better help me out this time then!]

[Understood.] Even though it was a mechanical electronic voice, it sounded almost like it carried a hint of a smile.

Shao Xibei never asked where the System went when it disappeared. She knew if the System wanted her to know, it would tell her eventually.

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