My System, My Wife Feng Aotian [Transmigration] - Chapter 13

Ling Shi, the Fire Rock Jiao, formed a master-servant contract with Feng Jue, becoming her Contracted Spirit Beast. Naturally, she was utterly loyal to Feng Jue.

This loyalty reached its peak after she swallowed the Flame Core Stone and was reborn.

To be ready to answer Feng Jue’s summons at any moment, she chose the Side Hall closest to Feng Jue as her den. Her mistress had told her she could choose any residence she liked, and this hall had a window that faced the waterfall on the Rear Mountain. If she grew hungry, she could simply swim out the window, glide down the waterfall, and catch fish.

The abundant spiritual energy in the area made the fish especially plump and succulent.

Before choosing her den, Ling Shi had thoroughly investigated. Her mistress was served by palace attendants in all aspects of her life, and the birds and beasts on the mountain peaks were left untouched by hunters. Bathed in spiritual energy, they grew fat and strong—perfectly ripe for her to feast upon!

What a wonderful master! Ling Shi thought. This must be my destined master!

The Fire Rock Jiao happily coiled herself into a ball and rolled around on the golden jade bricks. Thinking back to her days in the damp, dark cave, she realized her current life was incomparably better.

Compared to that old man who had beaten, scolded, and ignored her, even locking her in the cave until she nearly turned to stone and died, her current master was infinitely superior, even down to a single hair on his head!

So this is what a Jiao life can be like! she marveled. Spirit Beasts truly must find good masters!

She continued rolling around on the floor, reveling in her newfound freedom.

Outside the hall, Xue Mengtao’s face was pale as she listened to the clattering sounds coming from inside. Trembling, she knocked on the door and said respectfully, “Xue Mengtao of the Spirit Beast Attendant Hall requests an audience with Lord Spirit Jiao.”

Ling Shi rolled over with a bang, her azure eyes glaring at the door.

Lord Spirit Jiao? Is that me?

How shy I am, hehe.

She let out a deep, resonant roar.

03 followed Xue Mengtao into the hall and saw the Fire Rock Jiao sprawled on the floor.

He opened his newly prepared work notebook and began writing.

Day one of the tailing mission: Fire Rock Jiao got itself tied up in knots and couldn’t get out.

Xue Mengtao trembled violently.

03 thought for a moment, then added a T.T emoticon after “trembled violently.”

Xue Mengtao was on the verge of tears. She had never seen a Jiao before, and those fist-sized, azure eyes staring at her made her feel like she might be swallowed whole at any moment.

“Lord… Lord Spirit Jiao, I’ve been ordered to serve you. I’ll deliver your three daily meals and monthly allowance, and I’ll take care of cleaning the hall,” she stammered, then channeled spiritual energy into the Storage Ring on her finger.

It was almost laughable. After years in the Xue Family, she’d only ever seen Storage Rings on the Young Master and Young Lady. Yet on her very first day at Lanyang Palace, she’d been assigned her own—albeit for delivering food to spirit beasts.

After all, this was the Palace Mistress’s Contracted Spirit Beast.

Xue Mengtao forced herself to stop overthinking as she retrieved a jade basin from the ring—a basin so large five of her could bathe in it. It was filled with cut pieces of spirit beast meat, faintly radiating spiritual energy.

The Fire Rock Jiao’s eyes lit up. With a roar, it charged forward, its mouth gaping wide.

03 writes: A big feast.

The air in the hall thickened with the metallic tang of blood. Xue Mengtao swayed as if she might faint at any moment, but she gritted her teeth and endured. She retrieved another basin filled with spirit fruit, seemingly the Fire Rock Jiao’s dessert.

Besides food, the side hall overflowed with spirit stones and fire-attribute spiritual items.

After finishing its meal, the Fire Rock Jiao, its belly bloated, crawled onto the Fire Stone Couch to rest. Xue Mengtao carefully carried the empty basin to the Rear Mountain to wash it. By the time she finished cleaning the jade basin and tidied up the spirit stones and items in the hall, the sun had already dipped below the western mountains.

Ling Shi, the Fire Rock Jiao, gazed at the spotless, orderly hall. It flicked its tail on the floor, lowered its head to pick up a few spirit stones, and growled softly at Xue Mengtao.

Xue Mengtao hesitantly opened her hand. Against her pale complexion, the Fire Rock Jiao leaned its head closer and released its grip.

A snow-white Spirit Stone landed in her palm, its weight making her hand feel heavy.

“This… this is…” Xue Mengtao murmured, staring in shock at the jade-like stone in her hand. “For me?”

Roar. The Fire Rock Jiao flicked its tail.

Watching this scene, 03 recalled how Feng Jue had given it pastries in the past and couldn’t help but write a single character:

Alas.

Perhaps overwhelmed by her confusion and fear, Xue Mengtao, having unexpectedly received a Spirit Stone from the seemingly ferocious Fire Rock Jiao, finally broke down into uncontrollable sobs.

Startled, 03 quickly swam backward, cautiously observing the situation.

“I’m sorry, I… I’m just scared,” Xue Mengtao said, wiping her tears, aware she had lost composure.

Similarly startled, the Fire Rock Jiao remained motionless. After a long pause, it carefully coiled its tail around two more Spirit Stones and tossed them over.

That’s all! Don’t cry anymore, or you won’t get any more!

“No… that’s not what I meant. Thank you, Lord Ling Shi,” Xue Mengtao sobbed, collapsing weakly against the steps.

As the sun dipped toward the west, the mountains, rivers, and vegetation were bathed in a warm, golden light. The palace, too, glowed with this radiant hue, its inhabitants tinted the same warm color.

“If you had chosen to return to Lianshan Sect with Young Master Xue that day, he would have treated you well. He’s a good person,” Xue Mengtao murmured.

Fire Rock Jiao lay among the pile of spirit stones, tilting its head to observe her.

Xue Mengtao managed a watery smile, speaking honestly: “But the treatment here is far better. Lanyang Palace is a major sect in the Eastern Continent. I wonder… what Young Master Bufan is going through now.”

As she spoke, fresh tears welled in her eyes.

Though surrounded by the opulence of the palace, Xue Mengtao’s heart yearned for the simple courtyard of the Xue Family. After joining Xue Bufan, she had gained her first personal room, and as his talent became apparent, her status as a maid had risen accordingly.

But after Xue Bufan’s severe injury and the destruction of his spiritual root, those who had once respected her revealed their true, malicious faces, seemingly eager to vent years of pent-up jealousy. Xue Mengtao endured this with stoic resolve, her heart aching even more for Xue Bufan.

If her suffering was this profound, Xue Bufan’s must have been far worse.

Unaware of the efforts to restore his spiritual root, Xue Mengtao continued to worry endlessly about his well-being.

“I misunderstood,” Xue Mengtao said. “If you accompany Young Master Bufan back to Lianshan Sect, you wouldn’t be able to stay with him, since he’s now just an ordinary person.”

“Hrro?”

The Fire Rock Jiao swam over, resting its massive head nearby.

That’s not quite right, the Jiao thought. Your Young Master actually inherited power from his predecessor and restored his Spiritual Root. I witnessed it firsthand. He even promised to find me a Flame Core Stone as thanks for saving his life.

But saving his life? And his predecessor?

The Fire Rock Jiao shook its head, irritation flickering in its eyes.

Thinking the Jiao was impatient, Xue Mengtao quickly rose. “My apologies, Lord Ling Shi,” she said. “I’ve been delaying your cultivation. I’ll leave immediately.”

You’re leaving already? the Fire Rock Jiao and the System hovering above its head thought simultaneously.

Xue Mengtao smiled at the Jiao and turned to leave, but then she caught sight of two figures standing under the opposite colonnade. They had been watching her for who knew how long. Her face paled in shock, and she hurriedly bowed. “Palace Mistress! Lady Siyi!”

Host.

03 floated over. Weren’t you supposed to be in seclusion cultivating?

Are you here to inspect our work?

“Lady Siyi came to find me,” Feng Jue explained. “I was simply wandering the halls.”

Siyi looked at Feng Jue, puzzled. Who is the Palace Mistress explaining herself to?

Xue Mengtao?

How could this be?

Siyi smiled, her gaze falling on the Fire Rock Jiao. She couldn’t help but chuckle, “Seeing the Palace Mistress ride the Jiao today was truly stunning. The crimson Jiao paired with such a beauty—it’s breathtaking. Come to think of it, the Palace Mistress has always been drawn to beautiful things. Even before the Fire Rock Jiao submitted, though it was weary, one could still sense its majesty. That’s when I knew she would want it.”

Her words made both the Fire Rock Jiao and Xue Mengtao stare in shock.

Didn’t she say she wouldn’t force it? Didn’t she say she didn’t want it?

Feng Jue clasped her hands behind her back, her vermilion lips curving into a smile.

[03: Understood. Humans…]

Xue Mengtao gazed at the Fire Rock Jiao, its scales shimmering like rubies, and murmured, “Lord Ling Shi is truly majestic and beautiful. The Palace Mistress has impeccable taste.”

Siyi’s smile deepened. “Having known her since childhood, I know her thoughts like the back of my hand. As for you… I hear you were childhood sweethearts with Young Master Xue Bufan?”

“I wouldn’t dare claim to be his childhood sweetheart,” Xue Mengtao hurriedly corrected. “I merely served by Young Master Xue’s side since we were young!”

Siyi looked at her with a knowing smile. “I see. Young Master Xue is exceptionally handsome and extraordinarily talented. It’s only natural you would fall for him.”

Xue Mengtao startled, her face flushing crimson.

Feng Jue scoffed, “Even an outsider like me, who’s only met him a few times, can see it. How could Xue Bufan not?”

Xue Mengtao lowered her head, stammering an explanation for Xue Bufan. “Young Master Xue is engaged to the Palace Mistress. How could he possibly feel anything for me?” she murmured. “He’s not that kind of person.”

“But now that the engagement is nullified, he still hasn’t chosen you, hasn’t he?” Siyi said with a smile.

“No, I was the one who gave up on him first!” Xue Mengtao protested. “I’m just a servant girl. I wouldn’t dare entertain any fantasies about him.”

Feng Jue frowned, clearly annoyed by her deferential attitude. “You defend him so fiercely,” she sneered. “No wonder your cultivation is so weak. You’ve probably been spending all these years serving others instead of focusing on your practice.”

“Enough. Why am I even wasting my breath on you?” Feng Jue flicked her sleeve and turned to leave. But halfway away, she suddenly whirled back.

“…”

“Hmph!”

Siyi watched Feng Jue’s retreating figure, astonished. “What suddenly made her so angry?”

Xue Mengtao fretted. “Did I offend the Palace Mistress?”

“You’re hardly worthy of her notice,” Siyi said bluntly. Xue Mengtao’s head drooped to her chest, her voice barely audible in agreement.

“But you shouldn’t act so subservient around her.”

Siyi reached out and gently lifted Xue Mengtao’s chin, studying her face with a soft smile. “With your beauty, you’ve been by Xue Bufan’s side all this time yet haven’t won his heart. It seems he has some measure of self-restraint. But since he’s indifferent, you should abandon this attachment and focus on cultivating within the palace.”

“Do you intend to remain a maid for your entire life?” Siyi released her grip, casually flicking the pendant in Xue Mengtao’s hair. Her palm landed on Xue Mengtao’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring pat.

“People, in the end, must prioritize their own interests.”

“…”

A trace of bewilderment showed on Xue Mengtao’s face as she watched Siyi depart, a bitter smile playing on her lips at her words.

The silence deepened. With nothing else to do, Xue Mengtao also left.

The Fire Rock Jiao retreated into the Spirit Stone to resume its cultivation.

Having completed its surveillance mission, 03 leisurely returned to find Feng Jue.

As soon as it drifted through the window into the room, it was greeted with an unfriendly remark.

“You finally decide to come back?”

Feng Jue shot it a cold glare. She sat on the couch, a stack of jade tablets beside her, looking as if she’d been waiting for some time.

After a moment’s thought, 03 presented Feng Jue with its work log.

Feng Jue glared coldly at it, seeing no trace of remorse. Her eyes flashed with indignation as she glared at the panel 03 was holding.

She wanted to see what this little thing had written. Better be an apology!

But as Feng Jue read through the lines one by one—her lips twitched, and the anger that had been lingering in her eyes and brows faded like peach blossom rain. Feng Jue quickly turned her head, her shoulders shaking slightly.

03: ?

Why is the Host laughing? It had recorded everything so meticulously.

The Main System always reviewed its work logs carefully, even saying they would compile them into a book for all colleagues to study.

But before addressing this, there was another question to ask Feng Jue.

03 put away the panel and asked earnestly, “Did the Host have Xue Mengtao join Lanyang Palace because she’s beautiful?”

Just like the Fire Rock Jiao.

What kind of question is this?

Feng Jue frowned, staring at 03. “Of course I don’t want Xue Bufan to leave easily. But if Xue Mengtao were plain and held no emotional ties to him, I wouldn’t have wanted her either.”

03 focused on its plain appearance and updated its host’s profile.

Beauty-obsessed.

“By the way, I have a question for you,” Feng Jue said, her voice as elegant and clear as her person. “Earlier, you asked me what type of voice I liked. Why was that?”

Seeing 03’s silence as tacit agreement, Feng Jue raised her eyebrows with interest. “Fascinating. Could it be that you change your voice with each host to cater to their preferences?”

No, because it cost points.

03 had never spent points before.

Understanding 03’s intentions, Feng Jue replied casually, “How peculiar. You’re the one who wants to change. Why bother asking my preferences?”

She added, “Even spirit artifacts take on forms based on personal preferences when they materialize. 03, why not ask yourself what kind of voice you want?”

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