System, You Didn't Say the Villain Can Read Minds! - Chapter 47

Chapter 47

◎The Secret Garden.◎

“This should be far enough.”

Near Water Moon Peak was an unnamed peak, a secluded place rarely visited by people. There were hardly any birds, beasts, or even greenery—a veritable barren mountain.

If she could, Ye Lan wouldn’t want to form her Nascent Soul today. She had an unsettling premonition, feeling that some mishap was bound to happen.

However, when to form the Nascent Soul was not entirely up to her.

When cultivation was suppressed as much as it could be, and the Golden Core shattered, she had no choice but to form her Nascent Soul.

Since things had come to this, all she could do was stay as far away from inhabited areas as possible, breaking through in a deserted place to avoid affecting anyone with the Heavenly Tribulation.

Thus, she arrived at this barren, unnamed peak.

A translucent figure suddenly appeared beside her, hovering in mid-air like a ghost.

She had a young, beautiful face, slightly curly chestnut hair, and wore a dark purple robe different from the Moon Splendor Immortal Sect’s attire.

She was the Sword Spirit of the sword on Ye Lan’s back, calling herself the Star River Goddess.

She had people she needed to avoid and should not have shown herself in public, but…

“This tribulation cloud is a little off,” she said, frowning as she looked at the thunderclouds gathering in the sky.

Grey mist converged from all directions, gradually coalescing into a filthy, clumpy monster, hanging high above the person and the spirit. Terrifying lightning flashed within, ready to unleash a crushing blow at any moment.

“Who is forming their Nascent Soul with such a grand display…” Ye Lan gave a self-deprecating smile. “My premonition was right. Senior, I’m afraid I can’t pass this Heavenly Tribulation. Why don’t I entrust you to my senior sister? Her talent is no worse than mine, and she can surely help you…”

“Shut up,” the Star River Goddess interrupted her flatly. “Your senior sister is deeply obsessed and will fall into the Demonic Path sooner or later. I don’t want to wake up and find myself in a devil’s den.”

“Then entrust me to my Master?”

“Your Master isn’t a bad person, but her mouth is too sharp. I can’t get along with her.”

“Then…”

“I told you to shut up.” The Star River Goddess raised her hand and erected a semi-circular shield, enveloping herself and Ye Lan.

The sword on Ye Lan’s back flew into the air, tearing off the white cloth wrapped around it, revealing its azure blade.

The blade seemed to be made of an unknown material, studded with stars, dazzlingly bright, like fragments of the starry sky accidentally dropped by Nüwa when she repaired the heavens at night.

“Senior, you are…” Ye Lan looked at the Star River Goddess’s actions in surprise.

To her, they had only known each other for a few days. Neither of them needed to risk their lives for the other, let alone the fact that Senior Star River carried very heavy burdens.

In response, the Star River Goddess said: “I admit that at the beginning, I only wanted to use you. Without you, I couldn’t move an inch. But since I promised to protect you, I won’t go back on my word. Be it six Heavenly Thunders or nine Heavens’ Tribulations, I will block them for you!”

Ye Lan stared at her blankly, unable to recover for a long time.

It wasn’t until the Star River Goddess reminded her without turning around: “Don’t just stare. It’s coming.”

“Yes!” Ye Lan hastily circulated her Metal Golden Core, releasing all the magical artifacts from her storage bag. A portion condensed into a second shield in front of her, and another portion was made into a lightning-conducting device, intending to redirect the lightning elsewhere to mitigate the damage.

Everything was ready. The first bolt of lightning struck fiercely!

The light preceded the sound.

The blinding light almost flash-blinded Ye Lan. Closely following was an agonizing pain that traveled from her head all the way to her toes!

Both layers of the shield were penetrated in one hit!

The Star River Sword fell to the ground. The Star River Goddess’s face was pale.

Ye Lan’s magical artifacts all turned into black scrap metal, sizzling with smoke.

“This is lightning for the Nascent Soul stage? This is clearly lightning for the Spirit Transformation stage!” the Star River Goddess cried out in disbelief.

Ye Lan spat out a mouthful of blood, her consciousness teetering on the edge of blurring.

The Moon Splendor Immortal Sect uniforms, woven from silkworm silk, were supposed to be fire and lightning-proof, yet they became tattered after just one strike of heavenly lightning.

Ye Lan barely supported her body, which was strongly pulled towards the ground, with her spare sword.

Clothed in rags, she couldn’t afford to worry about indecent exposure.

She only knew one thing—she was going to die.

The roar of the heavenly lightning only now arrived, shaking the heavens and earth, like a giant dragon roaring.

“Senior, please leave…”

Ye Lan trembled uncontrollably all over. The fear of death almost devoured all her reason, but her innate kindness made her unwilling to drag anyone down to die with her.

“You won’t be able to block the second bolt of heavenly lightning. You’ll die. Hurry, leave…”

As she spoke, she tried to control the Star River Sword, wanting to throw it outside the range locked by the tribulation cloud, but the Star River Sword easily broke free of her control, stubbornly blocking her path.

“If magic power can’t block it, then I’ll use my sword body!” The Star River Goddess said this, but she still raised the shield again.

After all, a broken shield could be remade, but if the sword body was damaged, she would cease to exist.

“Why…” Ye Lan looked at her back in disbelief. “Why go to such lengths for me? Doesn’t Senior still have revenge to seek?”

“I don’t know either. I just… can’t leave you alone.”

Why? The Star River Goddess also wanted to know.

Risking her life for someone was never her style.

She might not be an utterly wicked person. She never actively harmed anyone, but she was certainly not a Bodhisattva who would actively save people.

She was born with a Saintly Body. Whoever she touched lived, but unless necessary, she wouldn’t tell anyone about her special ability. She would rather watch severely injured people slowly die under her nose than draw attention by using her special power.

Yet, this was who she was, and she just couldn’t leave Ye Lan alone.

Perhaps she felt that such a kind person shouldn’t have this ending.

It shouldn’t be like this.

Who will save Ye Lan? Anyone, even someone she dislikes, just save Ye Lan, save her…

Seeing the second bolt of heavenly lightning about to strike, the Star River Goddess practically saw herself being struck until her soul scattered.

But just then, a figure flew over on a sword, swearing under her breath: “Who told you to follow! Are you genuinely trying to die!”

She was scolding the person following behind her.

“Oh well, forget it! I have to make it, ahhh!” The arrival grabbed the wrist of the person behind her and, just before the lightning struck, came in front of Ye Lan and the Star River Goddess. She blocked everyone, holding her hands out towards the heavenly lightning, “Absorb!”

The heavenly lightning struck, falling into her palm, as if into a void, and vanished without a trace.

Ye Lan looked at her back, and recognizing who she was, instantly felt relieved, her legs weakening as she knelt on one knee.

“Master…”

Who else could the arrival be but Mo Jiu?

Time rewinds to a few minutes ago.

After Yun Wenzhou finished her passionate confession, she received Master’s reply—”Are you willing to give me some time?”

This reply made Yun Wenzhou both happy and sad.

Happy because there was a possibility of her feelings being reciprocated.

Sad because this level of response couldn’t dissolve her Heart Devil, and she still risked falling into the Demonic Path when shattering her core and forming her Nascent Soul.

Just as she was about to push her Master again, Master suddenly sensed something and hastily dried her clothes before flying off Water Moon Peak on her sword.

Yun Wenzhou rushed back to her room, grabbed her clothes, and followed while getting dressed.

She followed so hastily that she didn’t even have time to comb her hair.

Why must she follow?

Because she heard Master’s inner voice.

Forget it, even if it means death, I have to save her!

Who is Master going to save?

Risking her own life to save them?

Who is so important?

Arriving at the location, she looked from afar. Oh, it’s Ye Lan.

Mo Jiu only realized Yun Wenzhou had followed her halfway through the flight. She wanted to send her back, but Yun Wenzhou was insistent on following, even if she was punished.

One bolt of heavenly lightning had already struck. Ye Lan was severely injured and could not possibly survive the next one.

Mo Jiu didn’t have time to argue with Yun Wenzhou. She could only bring her along while confirming with the System in her mind.

Mo Jiu: You said the heavenly lightning is a living thing. Can the Secret Garden contain it?

System: Theoretically, yes.

Mo Jiu: Okay, spend 10,000 reward points, open the Secret Garden.

—This was the only way Mo Jiu could think of to withstand the heavenly lightning for Ye Lan.

There wasn’t a single cultivator above the Nascent Soul stage near Water Moon Peak, yet she was asked to handle Spirit Transformation level lightning.

Confronting it head-on was impossible. The only way was to get rid of the lightning.

Mo Jiu first thought of using her space, but the System said the heavenly lightning was a living thing and couldn’t be contained in her space.

Then use the Secret Garden. Anyway, she would have to open this place eventually—as her “secret garden” with Yun Wenzhou.

The plan went smoothly. She accurately timed the moment the heavenly lightning struck, absorbing it into the Secret Garden, and then releasing it back towards the tribulation cloud in the sky!

The heavenly lightning plunged back into the dark tribulation cloud, delaying the third bolt’s descent.

However, the third bolt’s delay might not necessarily be related to the tribulation cloud being struck by lightning.

Since the heavenly lightning was conscious, it likely knew the same method of striking wouldn’t work, and it was contemplating how to bypass Mo Jiu and kill Ye Lan.

After a while, it started an attempt—it struck the third bolt diagonally, and then, at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow, it sharply turned towards Ye Lan!

“Holy freaking moly!” Mo Jiu couldn’t block it in time. She could only absorb everyone, including herself, into the Secret Garden!

In an instant, everyone vanished from the spot.

The third bolt of heavenly lightning struck nothing, then looked at the empty ground, drawing a huge question mark in the sky.

Inside the Secret Garden.

“Wow, is this Master’s Qiankun Sleeve?” Yun Wenzhou curiously looked around. “As beautiful as Master.”

The Secret Garden, as the name suggests, was a flowery paradise.

A patch of the flower field was scorched black by the lightning, but it was not a problem.

The space had self-healing capabilities, and the scar would disappear soon.

Ye Lan lay on the ground, barely clothed, her exposed skin a bloody mess. The Star River Goddess knelt down and lightly touched her shoulder. Soon, the lightning-inflicted wounds on her body healed.

“Thank you, Senior,” Ye Lan climbed up, bowed to the Star River Goddess, and then immediately knelt toward Mo Jiu, “Thank you, Master, for saving my life!”

Mo Jiu was about to reply, but before she could speak, she heard Yun Wenzhou take the opportunity to mock: “You nearly got struck dead by lightning while forming your Nascent Soul. What will you do in the future?”

“Sorry to make senior sister worry.” Ye Lan replied seriously.

“…I wasn’t worrying about you,” Yun Wenzhou said, turning her head away in annoyance.

Mo Jiu was amused by Yun Wenzhou’s reaction.

Yun Wenzhou’s dislike for Ye Lan, like her obsessive personality, seemed to be innate.

And Yue Xinghe’s (Star River Goddess) aversion to Yun Wenzhou also seemed to be innate.

“If this Heavenly Tribulation were for you, you probably wouldn’t even survive the first strike,” the Star River Goddess countered Yun Wenzhou, then immediately bowed to Mo Jiu, not giving Yun Wenzhou any chance to reply to her.

“My name is Star River, the Sword Spirit of Ye Lan. Thank you, Master, for saving my master.”

Strange, these two don’t seem surprised by my existence, as if they already knew… Am I overthinking it?

Also, if my senses aren’t wrong, Ye Lan’s Master is only at Peak Nascent Soul. How can she possess such domineering spatial abilities? Even Spirit Transformation level heavenly lightning is helpless against her.

That’s because my Master is strong, of course!

Yun Wenzhou replied inwardly, then secretly thought—If I seduce Master in front of Ye Lan, can I force Master to make a choice?

Although she had only awakened her mind-reading ability for a few days, Yun Wenzhou already fully understood how soft-hearted her Master was.

She understood Master’s concerns. They were Master and disciple, and both were women.

This was also her concern.

But since Master would rather taint her fingers than see a look of pain on her face, she must care about her quite a bit, right?

I can gamble, I can gamble, but not now. Be patient. Wait for Master to solve Ye Lan’s mess…

But in that case, Ye Lan will form her Nascent Soul before me!

No, I can’t delay any longer. I must be before Ye Lan!

I entered the sect first. I must form my Nascent Soul first! I can’t let Master be disappointed in me!

Why should she form her Nascent Soul before me? Why!

In the next competition, I absolutely must not lose to her!

The Heart Devil was growing again. Yun Wenzhou desperately tried to suppress it.

She had too many obsessions. Suppressing one only brought up another.

But this time, she was confident she could suppress it, because.

Master asked me to give her some time.

Master has feelings for me.

I don’t want to miss the chance to be with Master.

I don’t want Master to dislike me.

Her emotions gradually stabilized, but the cultivation she had deliberately suppressed because of the Heart Devil had reached a point where it could no longer be held back.

With a “crack,” something shattered.

It was Yun Wenzhou’s Golden Core.

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