My System, My Wife Feng Aotian [Transmigration] - Chapter 28.2

Soon, Siyi helped Xue Mengtao emerge from the corridor. The woman in pink extinguished the Vermilion Bird Lamp and bowed to Feng Jue with a smile. “I thought I’d spend the rest of my life in this dungeon, never seeing the sun again,” she said. “But unexpectedly, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. The Phoenix Gold Feather is so precious, yet the Palace Mistress used it on Mengtao and me. Thank you for saving us!”

Phoenix Gold Feather? Xue Mengtao was stunned. Though she didn’t know what it was, anything related to the legendary Phoenix must be exceedingly rare. Her emotions were hard to put into words as she bowed deeply to Feng Jue.

Feng Jue replied calmly, “No matter how precious the gold feather is, it’s still just an inanimate object. How can it compare to the importance of an Elder of Lanyang Palace? But to be honest, staying in this dungeon wouldn’t bother me at all.”

A mischievous smile played on her lips as she turned to Siyi. “Since you’re sharing a cell with Xue Mengtao, having such a beauty for company makes confinement bearable. But I can’t stand looking at the sight in here for a moment longer without gouging out my eyes.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Siyi and Xue Mengtao instinctively glanced into the cell. Inside stood a remarkably charming and lovely young girl. Far from being a blinding sight, she was a feast for the eyes. However, the girl’s gaze—along with the gazes of the other two, unconsciously shifted to the only man present, an elderly figure standing nearby.

Worried everyone couldn’t see clearly, 03 brightened its glow, flew above Xue Bufan, and raised its arm with a downward gesture.

Feng Jue suppressed a laugh as she maneuvered a ball of flame to drift beside 03.

Bathed in the firelight, Xue Bufan shielded his eyes.

“Blinding,” he muttered.

Siyi savored the words, her eyes lighting up.

Well described.

Xue Mengtao fell silent. Though she had long seen Xue Bufan’s disguised appearance, she had to admit the Palace Mistress’s words weren’t unfounded. He was… rather striking.

Past master-servant bonds made her swallow the rest of her thoughts.

Setting aside the chatter, Siyi briefly reported the recent events to Feng Jue. All the disciples from Lanyang Palace who entered the Secret Realm were below the Golden Core Stage. Upon entering, they grouped according to pre-assigned teams to venture through the trials. Xue Mengtao, being a palace attendant from Phoenix Perch Peak, stayed by Siyi’s side.

With her Late-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivation and skills as an Artifact Refiner, Siyi had managed to protect Xue Mengtao without issue. But five days prior, after slaying a Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment Spirit Beast, they discovered a ring in its lair, which transported them to this cage-like realm.

“Palace Mistress, please see this.” Siyi unfurled her fingers, revealing a black ring with three small grooves adorning her pale finger.

Xue Mengtao lowered her head and murmured, “Elder Siyi, if you hadn’t gathered Foundation Establishment herbs for me, you wouldn’t have ended up in this situation. It’s all my fault.”

Siyi lowered her hand and smiled. “You’re mistaken. If not for this opportunity, how would I have met you, Palace Mistress?”

She took out a compass, channeled spiritual power into it, and after a couple of light coughs, said, “I presume you’ve already noticed, Palace Mistress, that the Chongshan Secret Realm is different from before. It seems to place people in different areas based on their cultivation level.”

“Exactly,” Feng Jue nodded.

Qiu Shuangshuang, who had been sitting nearby, listening intently, exclaimed in surprise, “No wonder I kept running into such terrifying opponents! I nearly died!”

Hearing her pitiful tone, Siyi turned to her and offered a warm smile. Qiu Shuangshuang instinctively smiled back, thinking, To think Feng Jue has someone so kind and approachable by her side.

“I haven’t even asked for your name, Miss,” Siyi said gently.

Qiu Shuangshuang lifted her chin, her voice proud. “Qiu Shuangshuang of the Autumn Water Pavilion.”

“So you’re Miss Qiu,” Siyi said, her smile deepening, a glint of interest in her eyes.

Feng Jue rested her chin in her hand, took a sip of spirit tea, and said, “I’ve made an agreement to escort her to her fellow Autumn Water Pavilion disciples. If we can’t find them, we’ll at least guide her out of the Secret Realm.”

“However, before that, Young Master Xue also showed Miss Qiu great kindness.”

The words carried a subtle, meaningful tone.

Xue Bufan immediately responded, “It wasn’t kindness. If anything, I nearly endangered Miss Qiu. Let’s just say the merits and demerits cancel each other out.”

“How can you say that? You did save me! I’ll never forget this life-saving grace, and I will definitely repay you!” Qiu Shuangshuang said firmly to Xue Bufan. “Moreover, Benefactor, you’ve always cared for me. How could I be so ungrateful?”

Feng Jue watched Xue Mengtao, who sat quietly, her gaze shifting as she raised an eyebrow at Siyi.

Siyi picked up her cup of spirit tea and drank. After setting it down, she sighed, “Young Master Xue truly proves that one cannot judge a book by its cover.”

“…”

Xue Bufan fell silent, closed his eyes briefly, and explained, “She’s still young, about the same age as my younger sister at home whom I’m close to. It’s only natural that I’d look after her a little more. I’m sure Xiaotao knows who I’m talking about.”

Under his gaze, Xue Mengtao nodded silently.

Siyi smiled warmly. “Young Master Xue is kind-hearted. Why bother explaining to us? Mengtao, don’t you agree? Oh, and Miss Qiu, I haven’t introduced you yet. This is Ling Shi, a palace attendant from the Spirit Beast Attendant Hall, who specializes in caring for the Palace Mistress’s spirit beasts.”

Qiu Shuangshuang clapped her hands, delighted. “Ling Shi!”

Xue Bufan froze, turning to look at Xue Mengtao.

That day, Feng Jue had taken both the Fire Rock Jiao and Xue Mengtao away. He never imagined she would have Xue Mengtao care for the Fire Rock Jiao…

“Hmph, she’s quite adept at humiliating people!” A raspy voice whispered in Xue Bufan’s ear.

Xue Bufan pursed his lips and replied telepathically, “If it were intentional humiliation, Elder Siyi wouldn’t have gathered medicinal herbs for her. I’ll ask her about it when I have time.”

The voice scoffed, “You fool! Still making excuses for them? Feng Jue tried to kill you that day!”

Xue Bufan stopped replying telepathically and smiled at Xue Mengtao.

The Spiritual Consciousness in the ring angrily withdrew the telepathic connection, grinding its teeth. Finally growing a brain at the wrong time! Damn it!

Xue Mengtao’s lips twitched as she met Qiu Shuangshuang’s gaze. The young, delicate girl sitting beside Xue Bufan had clear, untroubled features, looking carefree and worry-free. She fidgeted with her fingers and answered Siyi, “Mm.”

Even Xue Mengtao, a servant who rarely left the Xue Family residence, had heard of the Autumn Water Pavilion on the Nanyang Continent. The Young Mistress of the Autumn Water Pavilion… how fortunate.

By then, Xue Bufan also realized something.

Why am I even explaining myself to an Elder from Lanyang Palace?

03 circled above their heads, its golden-red fireball trailing Feng Jue wherever it flew. The silver System, balancing its matchstick-like body on its face, fell into deep thought.

Something feels off.

The Silver System, holding a sign that read “Humans, please speak plainly,” circled the room.

Feng Jue’s smile deepened as her gaze fell upon the compass on the table, then gradually faded. She turned to Siyi and said, “Let’s get down to business. Do you know anything about this formation?”

As an Artifact Refiner, Siyi was well-learned and had some knowledge of formations. With a flick of her fingers, several pristine white pebbles appeared in her hand. After arranging them on the ground, she murmured, “I presume everyone here has experienced an illusion?”

Feng Jue raised her hand, and 03 fluttered onto the back of her hand, curling into a ball.

Siyi continued, “This dungeon was designed specifically for illusions. If my guess is correct, the dungeon is far larger than we imagine, and there are more than just the five of us trapped here. Based on my initial theory, once all the cultivators in the dungeon have experienced their illusions, the formation will shift, transporting those who successfully escape the illusions to the next location.”

Gulp. Qiu Shuangshuang swallowed hard and whispered, “What happens to those who can’t escape the illusions?”

Siyi looked up, her peach-blossom eyes curving gently as she met Qiu Shuangshuang’s gaze. Yet Qiu Shuangshuang felt a chill run down her spine, her shoulders instantly slumping.

“There’s another trial…” she murmured in disbelief. “What exactly is this place?”

Xue Bufan immediately suggested, “The Celestial Palace?”

Feng Jue’s gaze shifted.

Siyi remained silent, her fingers arranging the white stones on the ground before her. “It was supposed to be like this,” she continued, “but the Palace Mistress didn’t follow the designer’s plan…”

03 glanced at the pitch-black cave behind Siyi, a cavern blasted open by the Fire Phoenix. The entrance bricks were charred black by fire, and molten liquid dripped down the walls in tear-like trails.

“Yet the designer’s cultivation is profound. Even with the formation damaged, it won’t let anyone escape easily. The Palace Mistress must continue deeper into the trap.”

Feng Jue slowly straightened her back. The spirit tea in the jar had gone cold, and her spiritual power had fully recovered. In a whisper, she murmured, “Since we’ve entered the trap, let’s see who emerges victorious.” Her sidelong glance fell on Xue Bufan beside her as she picked up the cold tea.

Protagonist. Destiny.

Heh.

Destiny without a host? Anyone can seize it!

She drained the cold tea in one gulp, her voice taking on the chill of the liquid. “When is the next trial?”

No sooner had the words left her lips than the prison cell began to tremble. Thick bricks around them began to retract, shift, and stack, transforming the chamber.

Siyi pushed the last white stone forward, placed it into the Vermilion Bird Lamp, and smiled at Feng Jue. “It seems the time has come.”

“The formation has been disrupted, advancing the timeline. Extreme danger lies ahead. We can only wait for the Palace Mistress’s good news. May she emerge victorious.”

Qiu Shuangshuang staggered to her feet, having been listening to Feng Jue and Siyi’s conversation. She felt the ring on her finger begin to heat up. “Danger? I don’t want danger! I don’t want to go—”

Before she could finish, she tumbled from the stone and plunged into the darkness.

“Miss Qiu!” Xue Bufan exclaimed, startled. He glanced back at Xue Mengtao, whom Siyi was protecting within the formation, frowned, and leaped into the darkness.

“To aid the weak and support the fallen—our role model,” Siyi said.

Xue Mengtao stared blankly at the spot where they had fallen, silent. From the past to the present, the distance between her and Xue Bufan had always been like this bottomless chasm of darkness.

“Let’s go,” Feng Jue said to 03.

The Silver System circled Feng Jue’s body, then leaped into the darkness with her.

The darkness beneath the stone rippled like water, calmly catching the leaping figures without a single disturbance.

As the mist parted, 03 spoke its first words: “Host!”

“Hmm.”

The mist cleared around the voice, revealing Feng Jue’s slender figure.

“Where are we now?” Feng Jue frowned, releasing a ball of fire. The flames burned through the mist, revealing intertwined vines, but more mist quickly rushed in to fill the void.

“Within visual range, you’re the only one here,” 03 stated.

“This mist reminds me of when we first entered the Secret Realm,” Feng Jue said, nodding. Her mood soured. “Another dungeon, more thick mist. Whoever designed this either enjoys playing tricks or has something to hide!”

03 tilted its head. “Like the Protagonist?”

Feng Jue’s mood worsened. She shot it a sidelong glance. “Exactly.”

Xue Bufan and Qiu Shuangshuang were nowhere to be seen. Could they have been separated? Feng Jue raised her hand and unleashed a vast sea of flames.

The Fire Phoenix soared skyward, unfurling its massive wings. Each feather blazed with fire, radiating intense heat as it devoured the mist in its path. For a fleeting moment, the sky cleared. Before the mist could return, the Fire Phoenix let out a soft cry and exploded in mid-air like a firework, countless sparks cascading down like a fiery rain.

The fog cleared abruptly, revealing a towering wall covered in vines. Feng Jue flew to the wall and peered over, startled. “What is this?”

03 flew up beside her and gasped.

It was a maze.

*****

Within the city walls, countless alleyways formed by walls were entwined with vines. Feng Jue had barely settled on the wall when a vine suddenly whipped out from the opposite side, radiating Nascent Soul Stage pressure. Her heart pounding, she leaped down into the alley. The vine on the wall stilled as if it had lost its target.

Feng Jue took a deep breath and glanced at the sky.

The mist surged back, swallowing the tangled vines. It seemed the designer intended for intruders to navigate the maze honestly. With so many Nascent Soul Stage vines, escape was impossible.

Feng Jue pursed her lips, flames igniting in her eyes. She unleashed a wall of fire that scorched the mist.

How utterly shameful!

“Don’t be angry,” 03 said, strapping on a small flower basket and scattering petals around Feng Jue.

Feng Jue huffed at 03. “You’re actually enjoying this!”

“Of course I am!” 03 replied cheerfully. “Because—”

Ding-ding-ding!

Amid the triumphant sound of a treasure chest opening, 03 pulled up the map and enlarged it before Feng Jue.

System proudly declared, “As soon as I saw the maze, I quickly scanned and mapped it! It’s only a partial map, but rest assured, Host!”

Under Feng Jue’s suddenly brightened gaze, it soared to the city wall, poked at the vines clinging to it with a matchstick-like appendage, then drifted back down, piercing through the wall and emerging on the other side.

In and out, in and out.

The silver System darted back and forth like a shooting star, then executed a smooth drift, coming to a halt with a whoosh before Feng Jue.

[03] chimed in with musical notes above its head, its gentle voice soothing:

 “Please proceed, Host. I will illuminate the path ahead for you.”

Feng Jue softly sighed, glancing back at the mist-shrouded path she had come from, and murmured, “To commit oneself to the game.”

[03: “Hm?”]

Feng Jue looked at 03, her eyes growing brighter. “Only three of us—Xue Bufan, Qiu Shuangshuang, and I have entered this trial. We were already ahead of the others, but that slight advantage pales in comparison to what you offer!”

Unable to resist, she cupped [03] in her hands, exclaiming with delight, “To commit oneself to the game, to gain half a move on heaven… [03], you are that half-move!”

“You are my greatest opportunity!”

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