My System, My Wife Feng Aotian [Transmigration] - Chapter 33.2

In one corner of the library, a carpet was spread out, its crimson and golden hem pooling on the floor. Feng Jue leaned against a pile of soft pillows, her pale fingers massaging her temples as her gaze swept across the vast sea of books, her expression thoughtful.

Though she didn’t know what challenges the Third Trial held, how could anyone possibly read all these books in just a few months? Could there be some hidden mechanism to this trial that she was missing?

As Feng Jue pondered, her thoughts growing increasingly heavy, she suddenly felt a series of gusts of wind descending from above, rustling the books beside her hand.

Feng Jue’s eyes widened in surprise as she looked up. But when she saw the ceiling, her pupils constricted, the surprise in her eyes replaced by shock.

She couldn’t help but call out the System’s name.

“03…”

At the center of the ceiling, a silvery-white sphere of light emitted a luminous glow. Around it, countless transparent panels hung in the air, their virtual pages rustling like leaves in the wind. Text scrolled rapidly across the suspended screens, ancient and modern writings alike, all scanned and organized into digital documents.

“Wow!”

Thunder Qilin leaped between the panels, flapping about like a child chasing butterflies, utterly delighted, as if a lion dance troupe had arrived at a mourning tide.

“Wow!!”

“When my master couldn’t remember a specific quote from a book, he used to flip through them just like this!” Thunder Qilin exclaimed, bouncing about with lively enthusiasm.

At the top of the mountain of books, 03, deeply engrossed in “reading,” popped up a thumbs-up in a thought bubble above its head.

The wind blew freely, swiftly flipping through each book. Once scanned, the volumes clattered to the floor, forming a towering mountain of ancient texts that pulsed with the scent of ink. The open pages seemed to narrate history and current affairs, offering glimpses of profound truths through the ink and paper.

The ancients spent three winters accumulating knowledge; today, the System opens tens of thousands of volumes.

At the summit of this mountain of books, the System—a mere matchstick-sized object, smaller than half a palm—folded neatly into itself.

[ 03 ]: “Snap.”

It clapped its hands.

The layers of virtual panels that had filled the space collapsed into sheets of paper smaller than the System itself. The papers folded and stacked into a thick book, which flew into [ 03 ]’s palm.

[ 03 ] pressed down on the book, compressing it into a thin sheet of paper. The Small System rolled it up and stuffed it into its mouth.

Data packet received. Learning is endless, but we can stop here for now. Captain 03 can disembark and take the exam!

The Bubble System tied a red ribbon around its round head, confidently molding a wad of data into a pencil case.

Feng Jue, holding her skirt, looked up through the mountain of books at [ 03 ].

“What do you want to do?” she asked.

A brilliant golden light flashed around [ 03 ]. Confidently, it declared, “Feng Jue, let’s take the exam together.”

Feng Jue understood what [ 03 ] intended. She curled her lips, tossed the book in her hand aside, and drawled, “Alright then, let me see just how formidable our [ 03 ] truly is.”

She transformed into a streak of light and landed at the examination desk. [ 03 ] drifted over and settled beside her hand. The girl and the System locked eyes, then simultaneously reached out with hand and stylus to press them against the brush on the desk.

The jade-green brush emitted a faint glow, and the light before them rippled as the spiritual consciousness of both the person and the System were instantly pulled into another dimension.

At that moment, the Yellow Bell hanging above the Library Pavilion emitted a deep, resonant toll that shook the heavens.

Qiu Shuangshuang, who had just emerged from the Thunder Beast Trial, her face smeared with tears and grime, looked up at the swaying bell. Instinctively covering her ears, she shouted, “What is it now?!”

In another Library Pavilion, Xue Bufan, startled by the bell’s toll, subconsciously raised his head. A Spiritual Consciousness Fragment materialized from his ring, urgently saying, “Damn it! This is the alert that someone has entered the Third Trial! Someone beat us to it! What are you waiting for? Hurry up!”

Xue Bufan immediately nodded, flew to the desk, and grabbed the brush.

03 circled within the yellowed frame.

The scenery outside the Library Pavilion expanded and contracted, filled with ink washes and vast areas of blank space. Amidst the leisurely clouds in the sky, silent waterfalls descended.

A hand reached out, holding a white Go stone, and placed it on the Go board beneath 03’s feet.

“So it’s not human?” the person said.

Having finished drawing the map, 03 turned to look at the man.

A man whose face was difficult to see sat beneath a slanted pine tree, his hair disheveled and scattered books piled at his feet. Several wine jars stood or lay nearby, one of them with a simple longsword stuck in it.

“I’ve come to take the exam,” 03 said, the Bubble System setting down its pencil case.

“How strange! How very strange! I thought I’d seen everything under the sun, yet I’ve never encountered a spirit like you!” The casually dressed swordsman laughed heartily, pointing at 03. “Both the Shen and the Thunder Beast fell to your sword. Compared to fledglings and children, you have far more right to stand here.”

Who?

The child is Xue Bufan, and the fledgling is Feng Jue?

03, with one dark circle under its eye larger than the other, said to the swordsman, “I need to help Feng Jue obtain the inheritance. Please, examiner, present the questions.”

The Thunder Qilin had said its master had successfully ascended, and the Chongshan Immortal Venerable before them was not the person himself, but a consciousness he had left behind. Hearing 03’s words, the consciousness burst into laughter again, scratched its head, and lay back among the books. “Of course I can give my inheritance to whoever I want,” it said, “but the questions must be answered first.”

He picked up a book, crossed his legs casually, flipped to a random page, and asked 03, “What is the ninth character in the fifth line of the thirty-eighth page of the Luo Shu Sacred Copy Sutra?”

“.”

That’s way too easy.

“……”

Feng Jue sat at the other end of the chessboard, her expression impassive. “Are you serious?”

The man, slouching with the book in his hand—had he been chewing on a blade of grass, someone might mistake him for a street thug—replied innocently, “This venerable one has always been serious.”

Feng Jue closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again, her face still devoid of expression. “It’s…”

“Zhi.”

“Is.”

Chongshan Immortal Venerable scratched his head. “Fine. Considering your cultivation technique shares roots with my old friend’s, I’ll let it slide this time. Next question.”

The moment he mentioned her cultivation technique, Feng Jue’s head snapped up, her gaze sharp as a sword as it pierced through his illusory form. Unfazed, Chongshan Immortal Venerable continued flipping through the pages with a rustle. “In the Tale of Lord Liu’s Immortal Journey, Lord Liu encountered a White Deer south of Chu Mountain. The White Deer asked him how to find the path to immortality, and when he answered correctly, it rewarded him with an immortal pill, enabling him to ascend to immortality during daylight.”

Feng Jue raised her eyebrows slightly, her expression serious. She had read Tale of Lord Liu’s Immortal Journey many times and had the dialogue between the White Deer and Lord Liu firmly etched in her mind. Moreover, this was no ordinary auspicious creature; it was the legendary Phoenix Goddess transformed into a deer.

If asked about this travelogue, Feng Jue was quite confident in her knowledge.

Chongshan Immortal Venerable turned to the self-assured Feng Jue and asked, “When the White Deer asked Lord Liu about the immortal path, it tilted its head to gaze at the mountain. Let me ask you—when it turned its head, which branch of its antlers pointed at Lord Liu?”

Feng Jue: “…………”

Huh?

“Nonsense!” she slammed her hand on the table, her voice rising in anger. “What antlers? What about the White Deer turning its head to point its antlers at Lord Liu?!”

“How can you say that?” Chongshan Immortal Venerable countered, spreading the book open on the table and pointing at the text. “It’s right here in black and white—clearly written that the White Deer looked at the mountain!”

Feng Jue demanded, “What about the antlers? Where are the antlers mentioned?”

The two stubborn individuals clashed, each arguing their point.

“The White Deer may be the transformation of the Phoenix Goddess,” Chongshan Immortal Venerable continued, “but she took the form of a male deer. Male deer naturally have antlers!”

Feng Jue scoffed coldly, “Hmph.”

“Even if it’s a male deer, how do you know which antler is aimed at Lord Liu? The books don’t specify. How can you be sure it’s not several branches pointing at him?” Feng Jue asked coldly.

Chongshan Immortal Venerable was furious. “I just know! Let me tell you, it’s the third branch that’s aimed at Lord Liu! Hahaha!”

Feng Jue gritted her teeth, finding Chongshan Immortal Venerable utterly incomprehensible. How can someone like this become an Immortal Venerable? By comparison, the clueless and naive 03 seemed like the most perfect person in the world!

No, System!

No, Bead!

“Hahaha!” Chongshan Immortal Venerable roared with laughter. With a wave of his hand, the books around him dissolved into wisps of ink. He pushed aside the chess pieces on the board, picked up the teapot, and began brewing tea.

“You failed this trial, but it’s no great loss. Your path and mine are different; even if you obtained my inheritance, it would be useless to you.”

Obtaining something and whether it’s useful are entirely different matters, Feng Jue thought.

Her expression turned frosty. “Hmph.”

Chongshan Immortal Venerable poured the tea, muttering to himself, “This temper is just like my old friend’s. All you phoenix-related people are so proud and arrogant.”

Feng Jue remained silent, picking up the tea poured by Chongshan Immortal Venerable and taking a slow sip.

With just one sip, a torrent of spiritual power surged into her spiritual veins, sweeping through her with unrestrained force and dissolving the lingering injuries from her battles within the Secret Realm. Feng Jue felt instantly refreshed and clear-headed. Rising, she bowed deeply to the Immortal Venerable.

“Thank you, Immortal Venerable.”

Chongshan Immortal Venerable laughed heartily and waved his hand. “We share no master-disciple bond, only a Half Affinity. Go now.”

Half Affinity?

Feng Jue was utterly bewildered. As she rose, she watched the Immortal Venerable’s illusory figure dissipate into ink smoke, just like the book before, leaving behind only a slanted sword thrust into a wine jar.

Judging by the Immortal Venerable’s words, the inheritance he left behind must be his cultivation technique and sword art. Those who inherited his path would naturally be his disciples.

Feng Jue thought to herself: Chongshan Immortal Venerable’s temperament mirrors his spiritual power—unbridled, unrestrained, and unshackled. Though I am proud, compared to him, his natural, unadorned freedom truly shines.

This frustrating, infuriating feeling made her think of her Companion. Come to think of it, she wondered if 03 had successfully entered the trials and if they would pass… Feng Jue clicked her tongue, bent down, and picked up her teacup from the chessboard, downing it in one gulp.

Since I’ve come this far…

Meanwhile, on the other side…

Xue Bufan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, secretly sighing in relief.

The questions Master had hinted at were indeed on the test! And he hadn’t disappointed his Master’s expectations, answering all nine questions correctly! A smile spread across Xue Bufan’s face as he gazed at his Master’s ethereal image.

Though he couldn’t see his Master’s face, he could sense the man’s dazzling radiance, his effortless elegance, and his dashing, carefree spirit.

In his heart, Xue Bufan praised Chongshan Immortal Venerable’s noble bearing. On the other side, Chongshan Immortal Venerable set down his book and smiled. “You’re truly exceptional. Born with extraordinary destiny, you’ve cultivated the sword path—and you share my lineage’s Thunder Spiritual Root. You’re perfectly suited to learn my Sword Art!”

Xue Bufan’s face lit up with joy, and he moved to prostrate himself in reverence. But Chongshan Immortal Venerable raised a hand, freezing him mid-bow.

“However…” The single word sent Xue Bufan’s heart plummeting into despair. He stared at the Immortal Venerable, panic-stricken, almost pleading.

Chongshan Immortal Venerable rocked back and forth, his voice languid. “However, there’s someone else… who completed my trial before you. This… person possesses unfathomable talent and a temperament remarkably aligned with my own.”

Xue Bufan collapsed to his knees, overwhelmed with sorrow. In that instant, he recalled his Master’s words from their first encounter.

“Even after being slandered and maligned by the world, you still retain kindness in your heart. So-called human nature is nothing but the petty desires of those who chase after fame and profit, trampling on the weak and elevating the strong. All people in this world, except you and me, can be deceived, used, and killed. If everyone dies, who will remain to compete with you?”

Spiritual Consciousness Fragments are shards of a Dao Achiever’s divine soul, retaining the resentment and pain from before their destruction. They cannot truly represent the cultivator’s original character; only as more of the soul is restored does it become normal. At the time, he had thought the Spiritual Consciousness’s words were too extreme. But the Spiritual Consciousness bestowed treasures to repair his Spiritual Root and helped him return to the Great Dao. Grateful for his Master’s kindness, he took him as his teacher, led him out of the cave, and searched for other Spiritual Consciousness Fragments, choosing to ignore his Master’s extreme words.

But now, reflecting on it, his Master’s words proved true.

Indeed, one misstep leads to a lifetime of mistakes… If he truly possessed great fortune, why were his Spiritual Veins shredded by the energy currents surging during the Chongshan Secret Realm’s ascension? Why, after coming so far, had he still failed to attain his goal?

The opportunity was right before him, yet he had once again missed it! He had once been a carefree Chosen of the Heavens—how had he ended up in this state?

Xue Bufan raised his hand and pressed it against his deliberately ugly facade. His eyes remained clear, but an Inner Demon was about to take root within him. In his profound sorrow, as his rationality teetered on the brink of collapse, he suddenly heard the faint voice of the Chongshan Immortal Venerable’s phantom: “Just call her Senior Sister Apprentice.”

The demonic possession paused. Xue Bufan’s head snapped up, murmuring, “Senior Sister Apprentice?”

The phantom of the Chongshan Immortal Venerable continued to sway and chuckle. “You two are both exceptional. I never said there was only one inheritance. After waiting for millennia, I’ve finally been rewarded! Hahaha!”

He had finally found disciples—two of them!

“This is my path, my wish, my aspiration! The fruit of my lifelong cultivation! From this day forward, you belong to my sect. This decision is final,” the Chongshan Immortal Venerable declared solemnly.

The Inner Demon that had yet to fully manifest within Xue Bufan turned and rushed toward the Bridge of Helplessness to be reborn. Overwhelmed with joy, Xue Bufan performed a disciple’s bow to the Chongshan Immortal Venerable, addressing him respectfully as “Master.”

The phantom of the Chongshan Immortal Venerable roared with laughter, casting a glowing orb toward Xue Bufan. The light sank into his Spiritual Sea, transforming into a secret manual:

Sword Immortal Formula

By the time Xue Bufan looked up, the phantom of the Chongshan Immortal Venerable, who had bestowed the inheritance upon him, had already dissipated.

Xue Bufan bowed three times toward the spot where the phantom had stood, murmuring, “Thank you, Master. This disciple will surely inherit your sword path, punish evil, and protect our sect!”

Feng Jue opened her eyes.

The towering pile of books cast a heavy shadow as a silvery-white sphere drifted past. Feng Jue reached out and caught it.

Eh?

03, now adorned with decorative patterns, said to Feng Jue, “You’re out already?”

Feng Jue, clutching the System, frowned. “Yes. What about you?”

Seeing 03’s leisurely demeanor, she wondered if it hadn’t even entered the Third Trial.

“I’ve already come out,” 03 said calmly, explaining the Third Trial. “The question was simpler than I expected. I solved it quickly.”

In fact, it took less time to solve the question than to chat with Chongshan Immortal Venerable.

Feng Jue: …

Her expression was rather… interesting.

“The examiner and question setter seemed quite pleased with me, so they gave me this,” 03 continued, pulling a glowing orb from its backpack.

An intense sword intent, stronger than that of the sword 03 had previously wielded, radiated from the orb. Under its pressure, Feng Jue could barely move, her face pale as she ground out through gritted teeth, “Put it away!”

Obediently, 03 stored the Inheritance back in its backpack and said, “Sorry, Feng Jue. You seem a bit weak.”

Feng Jue: …

Feng Jue pinched 03’s fingers and gripped the System tightly.

Should I try saying something more?

“I never thought you’d actually get it…” Feng Jue scoffed softly, releasing her grip and looking at the quiet, motionless System. “What is this Inheritance?”

“It’s the sword technique heart decision of Chongshan Immortal Venerable,” 03 replied. “He wanted me to be his disciple and offered to let me use his sword techniques if I liked them, claiming they’re guaranteed to be effective. But I refused.”

Looking at Feng Jue, it added, “You wanted this, so I brought it back for you.”

Hearing 03’s words, a complex mix of emotions surged within Feng Jue. She lowered her gaze, staring at 03’s comical dark circles under its eyes, her expression a tangled web of surprise, hesitation, frustration, and a barely perceptible hint of embarrassment.

Feng Jue quickly covered the System, swallowing hard and turning her face away. “Forget it,” she said, striving for calm. “You passed the final trial, not me. You were the one who contributed at every critical moment. Chongshan Immortal Venerable is satisfied with you. Besides, I’ve been cultivating the Heart-Clearing Chant since childhood. I don’t need his Inheritance.”

“What belongs to you is yours. Take this Inheritance.”

03 squeezed its head out from under Feng Jue’s palm, observing her expression.

Feng Jue subtly turned back, shooting it a lazy glance. “What are you trying to say?”

“I’m just confirming something,” 03 said hesitantly. “A previous Host once said that when humans claim they don’t want something, they usually do. And when they say it doesn’t matter if they’re angry, it usually means they’re deeply upset and it matters a great deal.”

Feng Jue: “……”

Who on earth taught you all this nonsense?!

03 asked again, “Are you really sure you don’t want it?”

Feng Jue gritted her teeth, the lingering flutter in her heart vanishing completely. “I don’t need it!” she declared firmly. “I’ve been cultivating my mother’s technique since childhood, and I have my own Natal Magic Weapon. What use do I have for his Sword Art?” Feng Jue sneered, jabbing at 03. “But since he left his inheritance to you, you should accept it and cultivate it properly. Stop just waving your little sword around like a child! Chongshan Immortal Venerable reached the pinnacle of cultivation. Don’t you realize how much bloodshed his inheritance would provoke if it fell into the wrong hands?”

Poked by Feng Jue, 03 rolled around and simply said, “Oh. Okay.”

It added, “But there are plenty of Sword Arts like this in my System Mall. If you ever change your mind, I can—”

Before it could finish speaking, Feng Jue, her face darkening, hurled it across the room. The Ball System arced through the air like a shooting star, only to be caught mid-flight by the tail-wagging Qilin, which pounced and snatched it up in its mouth.

Hide and seek.

Gotcha!

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