My System, My Wife Feng Aotian [Transmigration] - Chapter 8

“What do you mean?” Feng Jue asked.

A cold wind swept across the cliff’s base, cooling 03’s overheated data. “Let’s find the protagonist first,” it said.

Feng Jue didn’t understand. Is Ling Shan sulking? she wondered as she walked toward the cave. Because I made her fly outside during our approach?

But that didn’t seem right.

This mysterious self-proclaimed System—meticulous and calm, always focused on tasks and work, indifferent to anything unnecessary—could it be trying to indirectly probe her preferences? Was it about to bring up harem women again?

Feng Jue stopped, lowering her gaze.

The cave loomed just two meters ahead, its icy, damp air, thick with a metallic stench, brushing against her face. White bones piled outside the entrance, thankfully none human.

The young, beautiful palace maids of Lanyang Palace covered their noses, staring disdainfully at the cave mouth.

Even the Empress of the Palace, Feng Jue, felt more repulsed than them.

“What kind of fortune could possibly lie in a place like this?” Feng Jue spat, her voice dripping with disgust. “Burn it to the ground!”

She raised her finger, spiritual energy flickering at its tip.

Is it going to rain again?!

03 suddenly perked up.

But just as Feng Jue declared she would burn down the cave, a clear, long cry suddenly echoed from within.

“A Dragon Roar?!” Xue Mengtao exclaimed, shocked.

Feng Jue’s eyebrow twitched upward before lowering again, the flames at her fingertips burning even hotter. “An ancient relic from the primeval era,” she scoffed. “If it’s not secluding itself to cultivate, what’s it doing hidden in this cave?”

No sooner had the words left her lips than a fiery blast shot from her hand, hurtling straight into the cave.

The white bones at the cave’s mouth instantly reduced to ash, the interior lighting up brilliantly. Terrified roars and a man’s cry of “Stop!” overlapped in the chaos.

“Young Master!” Xue Mengtao shouted, her voice filled with joy and relief.

The ground trembled violently as something massive charged out of the cave. Feng Jue frowned, her long sleeve sweeping as she propelled everyone backward in unison.

03, being incorporeal and unaffected by the physical force, floated in mid-air. The black circle watched in horror as a massive, mottled gray-red head lunged toward it, its gaping maw swallowing it whole.

03: “Wah…”

The cry was swallowed by the darkness.

The massive creature, like a ravenous train, devoured 03 whole, swallowing her from head to tail.

It took a long while for the light to return.

The newly “born” 03, now sporting dark circles under her eyes and a small, round mouth, stared at Feng Jue’s enigmatic smile. Her voice, flat and emotionless, uttered a single word:

“Thrilling.”

“Pfft.” Feng Jue suddenly lowered her head, a finger pressed against her crimson lips to muffle a stifled chuckle.

“Foolish creature.”

“What is this thing?” Xue Mengtao stammered, her voice trembling with terror as she stared at the colossal beast coiled nearby. “A snake… a python?”

“Hongjiao Mountain truly has a jiao,” Feng Jue remarked. “And it’s a Fire Jiao.”

The Fire Jiao, coiled like a small mountain, lowered its gaze, its murky eyes watching Feng Jue and the others warily. Most of its scales had fallen off, leaving only scattered red scales amidst the rock-like gray scales.

“You look like you’re about to die,” Feng Jue said impassively.

The Fire Jiao’s head drooped weakly against its body, emitting hoarse, intermittent gasps.

After the Fire Jiao, a figure crawled out of the cave entrance. It was Xue Bufan.

Xue Bufan stood before them, all limbs intact and seemingly unharmed, as lively as ever.

“Palace Mistress, stop! Don’t hurt him!” Xue Bufan shouted.

Feng Jue’s eyelashes fluttered, her gaze snapping to Xue Bufan. Her heart skipped a beat.

03 drifted over. “Do you sense any spiritual energy fluctuations from the Protagonist?”

Feng Jue’s eyes narrowed.

Though faint… there was indeed a spiritual energy fluctuation, deliberately suppressed by Xue Bufan. If she hadn’t been two major realms above him, she might have been deceived.

Could it be true? A chance to revive a shattered Spiritual Root?

Feng Jue’s gaze swept over Xue Bufan, settling on the ring adorning his left thumb. The ring was entirely black, resembling jade yet not quite, its material unknown.

A calm, mechanical voice echoed simultaneously in her mind and ears, spoken by both the original 03 and the current one:

“Old Master.”

“…”

If not for her pride as the Palace Mistress, Feng Jue would have cursed out loud!

03 hadn’t lied. Everything had unfolded exactly as it had predicted. So… was this world truly a story? And was Xue Bufan the protagonist?

“P-Palace Mistress,” Xue Mengtao stammered, addressing Feng Jue with trepidation. For some reason, she felt the Palace Mistress was in a terrible mood, as if she might set someone aflame at any moment.

“Xiaotao, did you bring people to rescue me? Thank you,” Xue Bufan said, his expression much improved from his days at Lanyang Palace. A warm smile spread across his face.

Feng Jue’s chest heaved as she continued to curse inwardly. Of course he’s in a good mood! she thought. According to 03, he had restored his Spiritual Root and obtained an extraordinary cultivation technique. His cultivation would now advance by leaps and bounds, and he’d finally start “power leveling” and “rubbing it in everyone’s face”!

Though she didn’t understand what “power leveling” meant, Feng Jue definitely didn’t want to be “rubbed in the face.” Her gaze suddenly snapped to the Fire Jiao beside them.

“Is this a Fire Rock Jiao (Fire Rock Dragon)?” she asked.

Xue Bufan nodded, his smile deepening as he stroked the creature’s scales. “It saved me when I fell off the cliff that day.”

Xue Mengtao stared in shock. “But when I came down to look for… Young Master Xue, I didn’t see any cave!”

“There used to be a barrier down here,” Xue Bufan said, changing the subject. “Now that it’s leaving with me, the barrier must have opened, right? But you… we haven’t seen each other in a day. Why are you acting so distant?”

Xue Mengtao smiled at Xue Bufan, tears glistening in her eyes.

Confused, Xue Bufan glanced at Feng Jue. “What…”

Feng Jue refused to look at him, her expression darkening as she stared at the Fire Rock Jiao. “Are you saying this creature set up the barrier here?”

With its claws?

Xue Bufan hadn’t expected his deliberately vague explanation to still be held against him. He chuckled. “After all, it’s sentient. It might have had a master before and learned magic.”

The Fire Rock Jiao let out a low, guttural cry, its hoarse voice echoing through the valley.

The Jiao is probably just a bonus companion for the protagonist in this kind of story. Protagonists always need spirit pets, and the number varies.

Feng Jue’s mood worsened. “You’re more like a spirit pet than this long, scaly thing.”

What?

It’s a System!

Feng Jue’s mind was consumed by the frustration of being a supporting character who still had to entangle herself with Xue Bufan. Whenever she felt unhappy, she wanted to make others unhappy too. Suppressing her anger, her cold, glacial expression made others dare not meet her gaze. At that moment, she noticed Xue Mengtao’s lingering affection for Xue Bufan, a cruel smile curling her lips.

“Eldest Young Master Xue,” Feng Jue said, her tone carrying a hint of mockery, “as you can see, Xue Mengtao willingly entered Lanyang Palace as a slave to find you. Even if you were nothing but a pile of meat, she would retrieve your remains to send your soul back home.”

Xue Bufan’s heart trembled, his gaze toward Xue Mengtao filled with overwhelming emotion. Xue Mengtao also wore a look of barely contained affection.

Feng Jue gave them no time to dwell on their feelings. “But I’ve suddenly changed my mind,” she declared coldly. “Xue Bufan, I covet this Jiao. However, this Palace Mistress never forces anyone. The choice is yours. I offer you two options: let Xue Mengtao become a slave in Lanyang Palace or take her and relinquish the Jiao to me. The decision is yours!”

Xue Bufan’s expression shifted dramatically as he stared at Feng Jue in shock.

With a flick of her sleeve, the palace attendant discreetly retrieved a soft couch from her Storage Ring and offered it to Feng Jue.

Floating in the air, 03 circled once before drifting to Feng Jue’s ear. “Host,” it whispered, “in this narrative, your actions will make you the villain.”

Her mannerisms screamed villain too.

With her arrogant demeanor, her theatrical posture, and her claim of not forcing anyone while still coercing a choice… it was practically carving the word “villain” across her forehead.

And here I thought early villains were just minor characters.

Feng Jue gave 03 a cold, sideways glance.

Who’s side are you on?

03, who was firmly aligned with the Host, insisted, “We must hold out until the late game! We’re going to be the ultimate villain!”

As they exchanged glances, Xue Bufan’s expression darkened, his voice strained. “Palace Mistress, please stop joking. This kind of thing…”

Feng Jue scoffed, her tone icy. “Hurry up and choose.”

“Don’t waste your breath.”

“Young Master Xue, it’s fine,” Xue Mengtao said with a smile. “Take the Fire Rock Jiao and go.”

“Xiaotao…” Xue Bufan’s face filled with emotion.

Feng Jue watched coldly from the sidelines. At that moment, Siyi returned with her attendants, her expression as gentle as when she left. Her robes remained pristine and neatly folded, without a single wrinkle, suggesting she had completed her task successfully.

“Huh? Young Master Xue is safe? What’s going on here?” Siyi asked with a cheerful smile. The attendant behind her tossed a corpse onto the ground.

After a palace attendant explained the situation to Feng Jue, Elder Li, who had been pale-faced behind Siyi, suddenly brightened. He rushed forward and grabbed Xue Bufan’s arm, shouting, “Young Master, what’s there to hesitate about?! With the Fire Rock Jiao’s assistance, the Lianshan Sect will never again tolerate troublemakers like Xiao Hei!”

Seeing Xue Bufan’s unwavering expression, Elder Li tightened his grip and, abandoning his usual despondent tone, pressed forcefully, “Young Master Xue, when your meridians were intact, the sect naturally placed all its hopes on you, waiting for you to soar and elevate us all. But now that you’re crippled, everyone dares to trample us! Even if you don’t care about yourself, think of the sect!”

“It was the White Water Sect who stole your Storage Ring, killed your senior and junior brothers, and forced you off the cliff! The White Water Sect has been our mortal enemy for generations, and after crippling you, they even celebrated with fireworks at our sect gate! And now they’re still attacking us! If we had the Fire Rock Jiao guarding our sect, would they dare to harm us again?”

Elder Li continued relentlessly, “The Lanyang Palace is vast and prosperous. Xiaotao going there isn’t a hardship, but a blessing! You must think this through carefully!”

“Silence!” Xue Bufan shook off Elder Li, took a deep breath, and turned to Feng Jue. “My apologies, Palace Mistress. Regardless of whether it’s the Fire Rock Jiao or Xiaotao, I intend to take them both.”

Feng Jue’s expression instantly turned frosty.

“My life was saved by the Fire Rock Jiao, not you,” Xue Bufan said solemnly. “Therefore, Xiaotao has no need to enter Lanyang Palace! Whatever agreements she made with you are null and void!”

Xue Mengtao’s lips moved slightly as she turned to Feng Jue.

Feng Jue’s face remained expressionless, her eyes cold as ice. Though still beautiful, she radiated a dangerous aura that made others hesitate to meet her gaze.

Unable to resist, 03 opened its interface and hesitantly spoke, “Although the Main System strongly discourages it, I have another option. Directly killing the Protagonist carries a 99% failure rate and a 90% chance of world collapse. You could still attempt it.”

“03 will do its utmost to secure a sliver of hope for the Host. Even in a soul state, we can still complete missions.”

“……”

Feng Jue, who had been expressionless, stiffly turned her head, her gaze settling on 03. The corner of her mouth twitched.

What does it mean to complete missions even in a soul state? To keep working even after death?

Feng Jue forced herself not to dwell on 03’s nonsense, the icy chill on her face retreating slightly. She straightened, her gaze settling on Xue Mengtao.

Xue Mengtao bowed respectfully to Feng Jue.

“This Palace Mistress has never forced anyone against their will,” Feng Jue said. “I made an agreement with Xue Mengtao and came as promised. Whether the agreement still stands is not for you to decide. Xue Mengtao, what do you think?”

Xue Bufan immediately said, “Xiaotao.”

Xue Mengtao, suddenly thrust into the center of attention, stiffened. She looked around anxiously at the crowd from Lanyang Palace. Feng Jue had asked her a question, but her eyes remained fixed elsewhere. Instead, Siyi was watching her with a smile.

Elder Li, standing nearby, frantically signaled at her, mouthing soundlessly, “Think of the bigger picture.”

“Xiaotao, don’t think, don’t consider. Just choose what you truly want,” Xue Bufan said, placing his hand on her shoulder as if to offer her his unwavering support.

Xue Mengtao slowly relaxed, letting out a soft chuckle. She turned to face Xue Bufan, her smile growing. “Young Master, with your words, Xiaotao is happier than she could ever be.”

But…

The phrase “don’t think, don’t consider” was something neither she nor the Young Master could truly set aside in this moment. Though she didn’t know what Palace Mistress Feng Jue saw in her, what she had said was true. The Palace Mistress of a major sect had kept her word, bringing her to meet the Young Master, and seeing him safe and sound was enough. What benefit would there be to angering the Palace Mistress of Lanyang Palace? For the Young Master? For the Lianshan Sect?

From now on, I won’t be serving by the Young Master’s side, but as long as he’s safe, it doesn’t matter where he is.

Xue Mengtao gently tugged Xue Bufan’s hand, bowed, and walked toward Feng Jue under his disbelieving gaze.

Siyi smiled, pulling Xue Mengtao close and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “You’ve done well,” she said softly.

“Yes,” Xue Mengtao replied, lowering her eyes to avoid Xue Bufan’s stare.

Feng Jue seemed somewhat pleased. Clapping her hands, she declared, “It seems she’s made her choice.”

The smile had long vanished from Xue Bufan’s face, his eyes turning cold. Beside him, Elder Li, however, was beside himself with joy, constantly eyeing the Fire Rock Jiao, which lay coiled like a small mountain.

“I’ve already delivered half of the compensation to Miss Siyi,” Elder Li said. “Thank you for your assistance, Palace Mistress. Young Master Bufan and I will be taking our leave now!”

“Not so fast,” Feng Jue suddenly interjected. “Now that our agreement is settled, I have something else to say.”

Under Xue Bufan’s wary gaze, Feng Jue lazily called out, “Fire Rock Jiao.”

The coiled mountain-like creature roared in response.

“The Fire Rock Jiao is born from magma,” Feng Jue said, “and every thousand years, it must consume a Flame Core Stone. Otherwise, its body will gradually turn to stone and it will die.” She added, “Unfortunately, Flame Core Stones are rare treasures that cannot be easily obtained. They exist in the market but have no fixed price. Given your deteriorating condition, you must be on the verge of completely petrifying.”

Elder Li gasped at Feng Jue’s words. “Flame Core Stone?” he murmured. “The last time I heard of one was when the Azure Fire Immortal Venerable purchased it at an auction for thirty thousand Upper-Grade Spirit Stones. After the Venerable passed away, his immortal’s mansion was sealed, and we don’t know if the Flame Core Stone is still there.”

“Even if it is…” He licked his lips.

Even if it is, it will never fall into our hands. Even selling the entire Lianshan Sect wouldn’t fetch thirty thousand Upper-Grade Spirit Stones!

I thought he was formidable, but he’s just about to die!

Elder Li’s face crumpled into a frown as he let out a long sigh.

Xue Bufan said coldly, “There’s no need for Palace Mistress Feng to concern herself with this matter.”

Feng Jue ignored him, smiling at the panting Fire Rock Jiao. “Isn’t it a coincidence?” she said leisurely. “I happen to have a Flame Core Stone in my possession.”

The surroundings fell silent.

The Fire Rock Jiao, which had been hanging its head, suddenly raised its head, its body creaking like colliding rocks.

“Moreover, this Palace Mistress has been feeling rather bored lately and needs a spirit pet or two for companionship…” Feng Jue emphasized the word “two,” completely ignoring the Silver Orb, which floated before her, its head full of question marks, waving its claws dramatically.

She chuckled softly, her fingers propping up her chin. Her eyes, framed by long lashes, shimmered like moonlit lake water. Feng Jue said leisurely, “I’ll give you a choice too.”

“Would you rather be the one who saved someone’s life, or the one who was saved?”

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