It Turns Out The Master's Wife Is Actually Me [GL] - Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Cheng Fu’s pace faltered slightly, but she ultimately didn’t let her temper drive her to storm out recklessly.

She let out an imperceptible sigh and turned back. Her gaze met Yan Li’s with a calm, almost gentle tone: Master, I find this reality difficult to accept. You don’t need to comfort me; I just need some time to be alone and clear my head.

Yan Li’s frost-like eyes narrowed, and she pursed her lips. This matter is not entirely without recourse. There is still one method we can try.

Cheng Fu froze. A voice inside her head roared, ostentatiously telling her it was impossible.

But Yan Li told her there was hope.

She looked at her Master aloof, indifferent, and peerlessly beautiful. She wanted to believe hope remained, but she found it hard to believe that this woman, who commanded the wind and snow with a single blade and told her to disregard worldly fame and fortune, would say such things just to placate her.

A flicker of unreadable emotion crossed Cheng Fu’s eyes as she retraced her steps, moving back toward Yan Li.

In that brief instant, she realized she was willing to reignite her own hope by trusting someone. Even though they had only known each other for a few days, this trust felt strangely profound and groundless. Yet, she simply felt that her Master would not lie to her.

A crackling sound echoed the noise of the flickering red candle wicks burning in the hall. Cheng Fu glanced at the light source in surprise; these dim yellow candles weren’t even spiritual candles. They were ordinary mortal wax?

Before she could dwell on her shock, Yan Li had already risen and walked over, reaching Cheng Fu in the blink of an eye. Follow me.

Cheng Fu barely had time to react before hurrying to keep up.

The conversation in Yan Li’s sleeping quarters hadn’t lasted long; it was still afternoon. As they stepped out, Cheng Fu caught a glimpse of the strangely placed spiritual sundial in the hall. It was nearly the end of the Shen hour (around 5:00 PM); Chen Qianru and the others would soon finish their combat practice and return to the Fifth Courtyard to rest.

Yan Li’s white-and-red hem fluttered past Cheng Fu’s eyes through the wind and snow.

Following closely, Cheng Fu noticed through her peripheral vision that the surrounding scenery was changing gradually. However, the speed felt choppy, much like the video stuttering caused by a poor internet connection back in her original world.

Stuttering aside, the frames spanned vast distances; each image was drastically different from the last. One moment it was a blizzard; the next, only a few stray flakes. Further on, she could see the thin snow on the branches melting. Though the trees were still bare, the warmth of returning spring was palpable.

Cheng Fu looked around, startled to find that the mountain was now even higher than Yan Li’s palace they were almost at the very peak of Mount Zhiwang.

At the summit, the severe cold had vanished, replaced by a flourishing springtime atmosphere. The Frozen Winter Snowfield was supposed to be encased in ice year-round; Mount Zhiwang’s peak should not look like this.

Cheng Fu looked down and saw exposed dark brown earth. She could hardly believe her eyes as she peeked over the mountainside. Just dozens of paces below this altitude, the mountain was still buried in ice and biting frost.

Yan Li finally stopped and turned back. As expected, she saw Cheng Fu’s face filled with shock, her pupils dilated. Yan Li moved slightly closer to her.

Cheng Fu rubbed her eyes, still doubting her own sight. She muttered, Looking up from the foot or the middle of the mountain, the peak is always shrouded in clouds. I never imagined the summit would be like this. And…

And this was the Snowfield. The Frozen Winter Snowfield was a unique spiritual domain with very specific energy. Theoretically, as long as the spiritual energy here didn’t undergo a fundamental qualitative change, the ice and snow shouldn’t melt for tens of millions of years.

Yan Li glanced at her, clearly understanding her unspoken thoughts, but asked instead: Look closely at the scenery on this peak. What do you feel?

Cheng Fu hesitated, feeling a bit lost. Did Master bring me here just to look at the view?

As soon as the thought surfaced, she crushed it in its infancy. She wished it were true that her Master brought her here out of care to see a marvel. But they had only known each other for two days. Cheng Fu didn’t think she was important enough for her cold, tsundere Master to make such a gesture. Therefore, if her Master said this, there had to be a hidden mystery within this unusual landscape.

She focused her mind, quietly releasing a thread of spiritual energy to probe for anomalies. But her energy found nothing unusual beyond her sight, and the scenery before her eyes remained normal.

It was just a peaceful, spring-like scene. Bare brown branches held the slightest remnants of snow. A breeze blew a cool wind, but not biting; it even felt soft as it brushed over this hidden paradise of black soil.

Yet, just dozens of paces behind her a mere half-meter difference in height at the cliff’s edge the area looked as if it had been severed by a sharp boundary. Blizzards lashed the air, and the wind cut like a knife, tightening the skin on one’s face.

The two areas were distinctly divided, as if they weren’t in the same space-time.

Cheng Fu suddenly felt the logic click in her mind. Memories belonging to the original Cheng Fu flashed like lightning chaotic at first, then slowly settling. A sentence her former master, Bai Hen, had said back when she was with the Shark Clan echoed in her ears:

“The Zhiwang Library holds vast knowledge; it is actually a rift in space-time, containing records that don’t even belong to this world.

She blurted out, Is this the Zhiwang Library?

Yan Li raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly surprised by Cheng Fu’s quick reaction. A rare hint of a smile touched her dark eyes. Indeed. Did Bai Hen tell you?

Cheng Fu gave a small mhm and replied somewhat bashfully, The reason I came to the Ice Plains was actually to enter this Library, to search the archives for a way to break my restriction.

Now that it was confirmed, a sense of surrealism washed over her. Her goals for joining the academy were twofold: get close to Xin Yunze, and enter the Library to find clues about her seal (which was why she was determined to enter the Character Testing Realm). How had the Library suddenly become so close, within reach?

Then she realized: Yan Li had said the restriction itself wasn’t complex; the key was the Blood Covenant attached to it. Since the cure for the Blood Covenant was known, there was no need to search for it in the archives. Master must have brought her here for another reason related to breaking that bond.

Cheng Fu’s eyes reflected the sight of melting snow and the earth’s awakening, but she still carried the chill of the snowy climb. Sensing that cold, she suddenly shuddered, her pupils contracting.

The Library was a rift in space-time.

Her voice went dry: Master, as I see it this method is also impossible.

The white-haired Sword Master looked back, seeing the look on Cheng Fu’s face. She understood her concern but frowned slightly. Stopping her steps, she said, Don’t overthink. Just follow me.

Cheng Fu complied, but her heart was racing. The steps that had been following Yan Li closely became somewhat unsteady. The events of the day were piling up, making it hard to digest; she felt dazed.

The springtime area was at the peak, but there was an even higher crag ahead. Yan Li led Cheng Fu toward that further height.

The higher they climbed, the more lush and green the surroundings became, as if they were entering a dense jungle. Various trees grew thick and vibrant. When the breeze passed, it brought a rustling chorus of leaves. Yan Li seemed very familiar with the path, leading Cheng Fu through the shimmering foliage.

As they moved through the woods, Cheng Fu noticed the scent of the air was different from the snowy mountain; the composition of the atmosphere was clearly distinct. This was a spiritual energy completely foreign to the Frozen Winter Snowfield different not only from the snowfield but from any energy found in the other four major spiritual domains.

Soon, the view opened up. Before them stood a slender tower reaching into the clouds, looking like a vastly elongated bamboo shoot growing from the earth. Its tip was so sharp it was lost from sight, giving Cheng Fu the impression of an embroidery needle piercing the heavens.

The surface of the bamboo shoot shimmered with tie-dyed patterns of light and deep blue, giving a sensation of a clear sky. Since it reached into the clouds, it seemed to merge with the bright day, adding to the dreamlike quality.

Yan Li paced forward, and Cheng Fu followed. Getting closer to this bamboo shoot, Cheng Fu noticed the building had no visible doors or windows for entry.

Yan Li lowered her eyes and pressed her palm against the surface. An unknown change occurred; energy ripples radiated from her palm like waves on water.

Cheng Fu squinted to feel it—this wasn’t any typical elemental spiritual energy. It felt very similar to the sensation she had when first entering the forest. This power flowing through Yan Li’s hand didn’t originate from any of the Five Spirit Domains at all.

Cheng Fu watched Yan Li intently as she channeled energy into the tower. Her sleeves fluttered, her expression was focused, and her eyes were as calm and motionless as a fine jade carving.

Beautiful and mysterious. Master is truly incredible, she thought.

Then again, at the peak of the Great Ascension stage, one should be able to step through the void and traverse space-time at will.

If so, as a fake replacement brought here by a broken system through a spatial distortion, did her Master already know the truth and simply didn’t care to expose her?

In the midst of her wandering thoughts, Yan Li lifted her palm, having channeled enough energy.

Suddenly, Yan Li reached out again, swiftly catching Cheng Fu by the waist and flying toward the tower.

In an instant, they were enveloped by a mysterious force. Specks of white light rose from their bodies, followed by a burst of light and shadow. When the dust settled, the lush green forest was as quiet as it had been before.