When a "Sea King" is Bound to a System [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 53.2

“Yān Yān? Are you very familiar with her?”

Jiǔ Yè Xī wanted to say no, but her pride wouldn’t allow her to show weakness. She deliberately said, “More than familiar. We’ve even slept in the same bed! Yān Yān and I have a bond of shared life and death. Once, when someone went crazy and tried to kill me, Yān Yān was willing to get hurt just to protect me.”

Upon hearing this, Fú Níng’s lips subtly curved, and her eyes grew colder. “Is that so?”

Jiǔ Yè Xī nodded. The moment she did, she felt a powerful pressure descend upon her body, which she could not resist.

“W-what did you do to me?!”

Fú Níng lightly raised her hand, and Jiǔ Yè Xī reverted to her original form, becoming a white-furred fox.

“This is how you should have always been,” Fú Níng said. Just then, Jiāng Yān slowly woke up. Seeing Fú Níng’s pale arm, she silently burrowed into the blanket.

How could this happen? I controlled myself, yet I still fell asleep.

Fú Níng turned on her side, and the blanket slid down, revealing just the right amount of something. Jiāng Yān only took one glance and felt her nose getting hot.

“Do you want to sleep more?”

Fú Níng seemed completely oblivious as she asked Jiāng Yān.

Jiāng Yān thought, You, old witch, really have a way about you. How could I possibly sleep when you look like that? It’s a miracle I’m not having a nosebleed.

“No, I don’t. I’ll leave now.”

Jiāng Yān reached for her clothes, but Fú Níng embraced her from behind, resting her chin on Jiāng Yān’s shoulder, her voice tinged with a hint of grievance. “Are you going to run off after having your way with me?”

The hand Jiāng Yān was using to grab her clothes trembled slightly. She controlled her temper and said faintly, “What did you say? The wind is too loud. I didn’t catch that. Say it again.”

Fú Níng rubbed her shoulder, her voice still the same as before. “Your purity is important, but isn’t mine? You were the one who made the first move. If we really wanted to settle the score, the responsibility is yours.”

Jiāng Yān’s fingers tightened, crushing the clothes in her hand into a wrinkled mess.

Why didn’t I realize before that Fú Níng was such an articulate person? A silver tongue—she can spin a dead story into a living one.

“Then what do you propose? Should I take responsibility?”

Fú Níng nodded and casually kissed her cheek.

“Stay by my side, and accompany me for eternity.”

Jiāng Yān admitted that the words were immensely tempting, but the word “eternity” was too heavy for her. She simply could not fulfill it.

“Have you forgotten? I am only at the Nascent Soul realm right now. If I cannot achieve godhood, my lifespan will be the same as a regular human’s. I will die after a hundred years and won’t be able to accompany you for long.”

Fú Níng’s eyes shifted, and finally, she seemed to make a profound decision. “Do not worry. I will grant you eternal life.”

It was eternal life, not godhood.

For some reason, Jiāng Yān felt that Fú Níng’s tone held a certain obsession and zealotry when she said this, which gave her an inexplicable shock.

Wasn’t achieving godhood a matter of destiny? Some people are exceptionally gifted, ascending at twenty or thirty years old, while others spend their entire lives merely looking up, unable to cross that threshold of ‘transformation.’

For someone with her mediocre talent, reaching her current level was already a blessing from Heaven; she dared not ask for too much.

Moreover, she had no desire to become a god. Once the mission was complete, she would run away. Why pursue eternal life? If she were trapped here and had to live life after life without end, how would she complete the subsequent missions?

Fú Níng was unaware of her inner thoughts; she was merely obsessed with wanting her to stay by her side forever and ever.

She would pay any price to have Jiāng Yān accompany her eternally.

Halfway through dressing, Jiāng Yān suddenly noticed a fox in the room.

“Why is there a little fox?!”

She leaped out of bed without even putting on her shoes, scooped the fox into her arms, and gently rubbed its head.

Upon seeing this, Fú Níng’s face darkened slightly. I should have turned her into a pig.

Jiǔ Yè Xī was initially moping, cursing Fú Níng in her heart. Suddenly being embraced by the person she longed for made her instantly happy.

A blessing in disguise! Happiness came too quickly!

Jiāng Yān looked into the little fox’s eyes and felt a sense of familiarity. She tentatively asked, “Jiǔ Yè Xī?”

Jiǔ Yè Xī made no sound. Her eyes were wide with confusion, like a fox that had not yet gained intelligence.

Just kidding! How could I admit it? It’s better to be a fox. That way, she can hold me and rub against me.

Fú Níng can’t enjoy this happiness! Humph!

“It looks like it’s not Jiǔ Yè Xī. But her spiritual power is decent, so she shouldn’t easily revert to her original form.”

Jiāng Yān said this, put Jiǔ Yè Xī down, and was about to tell her to go play when Fú Níng pulled her into her arms.

“Put your shoes on. Be careful not to catch a cold.”

Jiāng Yān: ??? I’m already a Nascent Soul-realm cultivator. Will I still catch a cold?

However, she still obediently put on her shoes and slipped on her outer robe, intending to find an opportunity to talk openly with Fú Níng.

She was utterly confused right now about what had prompted her change.

She was one way three years ago, and another way three years later; one way before they slept, and another way after.

Saying harsh things only to go back on them, shifting back and forth between the personalities of ice-cold and fiery passion. If her tolerance weren’t strong, she would have fallen into depression long ago.

Fú Níng’s entire focus was on Jiǔ Yè Xī, contemplating whether to turn her into a pig.

Jiāng Yān probably wouldn’t hug a pig, right?

But she couldn’t be sure, as Jiāng Yān’s thoughts were always very unpredictable, unlike a normal person’s.

Besides, turning a fox into a pig would be too bizarre; Jiāng Yān would definitely become suspicious.

As Fú Níng’s thoughts turned over, Jiǔ Yè Xī was spared.

After her cultivation had improved, Jiāng Yān no longer needed to eat or drink, but she always felt a sense of emptiness. She borrowed Chī Jié’s not-very-spacious kitchen and made four dishes and a soup to eat with Fú Níng.

The two sat opposite each other. Fú Níng was very considerate, tasting every dish and even complimenting them a few times.

Jiāng Yān asked, appearing casual, “Why did you suddenly change your mind and let me stay?”

Fú Níng paused while picking up a dish. A subtle pain flashed across her eyes. “Because you look like an old acquaintance of mine.”

Jiāng Yān’s heart tightened, then immediately relaxed. I should have realized this from the start. If she didn’t look like Chán Yuè, I probably wouldn’t have survived her.

Whether she understood it or not was one thing; whether she felt hurt was another.

No one would be happy to find out they were merely a stand-in.

“So that’s it. Then I should thank your old acquaintance, or I might not be alive right now.”

Jiāng Yān forced a smile, pretending not to mind.

Fú Níng’s hand on the table clenched. Seeing the look of disappointment in Jiāng Yān’s eyes, she desperately wanted to tell her everything, but she could not—at least not now.

The current situation was quite good. If Jiāng Yān knew everything, there would be no way for them to coexist except through armed conflict, a fight to the death.

They were inherently antagonists. Chán Yuè would not oppose the Divine Clan for her, and she would not go back to the Divine Clan she hated for Chán Yuè.

Ultimately, they were both selfish.

Jiāng Yān ate without savoring the taste, feeling full after only a couple of bites. Fú Níng, who was not a big eater, finished all the dishes.

Jiāng Yān waited for her to finish, then mechanically began to clear the dishes. Fú Níng grabbed her hand and pulled her into her arms.

“I apologize. I think I said the wrong thing.”

Jiāng Yān rested her head on Fú Níng’s shoulder, unsure what to say. After a long pause, she managed, “It’s alright.”

Perhaps physical contact also breeds psychological dependence. Her feelings for Fú Níng were initially only those of a Senior and Junior Sister, but ever since she was brought here and that happened, she felt an indescribable emotion towards her. The moment she heard she resembled an ‘old acquaintance,’ the sense of loss was immense.

Thinking of this, Jiāng Yān closed her eyes, suppressing the flutter in her heart.

I cannot like Fú Níng. I cannot like Fú Níng. I cannot like Fú Níng…

After silently repeating it ten times, she reopened her eyes. Her feelings for Fú Níng had lessened somewhat.

She knew this wouldn’t truly diminish her feelings for Fú Níng, but after self-hypnosis, her mind wouldn’t be so easily troubled by certain actions, such as being treated as a stand-in.

Fú Níng felt even worse hearing Jiāng Yān’s words. She held her tighter, as if to embed her into her own flesh and blood.

“It’s a good thing I have a pretty face, or you wouldn’t be holding me now,” Jiāng Yān said playfully. She pushed Fú Níng away, turned, and picked up the little fox. “Let’s go for a walk. It’s good to stretch our legs after a meal.”

Fú Níng followed behind her, once again growing jealous of Jiǔ Yè Xī.

Jiāng Yān walked for a while, and her mood gradually improved.

Chī Jié was a person who knew how to enjoy life. The main altar of the Jiǔ Yīn Cult was built on a mountain, and the surrounding environment was excellent, filled with singing birds, fragrant flowers, and fresh air.

The main reason for this location was that it was easy to defend and difficult to attack, which was why the righteous sects had been fighting the Demon Cult but had never truly made any significant progress.

Jiāng Yān had a connection with the plants on the mountain. She could sense the joy of the plants because of her arrival. Wherever she passed, all the plants would crane their heads and sway, seemingly welcoming her.

Fú Níng’s expression was unreadable at the sight, and her resolve to keep Jiāng Yān by her side grew even stronger.

The two strolled along, and only returned when it was almost dark. Since Jiāng Yān had learned of Fú Níng’s true thoughts, she was no longer resistant to sleeping with her.

They lay in bed, each lost in their own thoughts. Jiāng Yān was wide awake, listening to the sound of cicadas outside with her eyes closed.

“Jiāng Yān, don’t overthink things. Everything will turn out fine. You must trust me.”

Fú Níng turned to her side, pulling her into her embrace, her tone exceptionally sincere.

Jiāng Yān mumbled an indistinct “Mm,” and fell asleep in her arms.

Fú Níng stayed with her until deep into the night, only getting up after confirming she was fast asleep. Before leaving, she pressed a kiss to Jiāng Yān’s forehead, her eyes filled with determination.

“What? You’re going to Mount Kūnlún to steal the Demonic Crystal Stone?!” Chī Jié’s fan clattered to the ground. He was utterly shocked.

Had his Senior Sister gone mad, or had he? Was Mount Kūnlún a place one could just wander into?

The Demonic Crystal Stone had been sealed for how many years? Whether it was even on Mount Kūnlún was uncertain. If Senior Sister rashly went there, she would be walking into a death trap.

“Lower your voice. Don’t wake Yān Yān.”

Chī Jié glanced toward Fú Níng’s room, a dark shadow in his eyes. “You’re going to steal the crystal stone for her?”

Fú Níng summoned her personal sword, wiped it with a handkerchief. The sharp blade reflected the cold moonlight, concealing her expression.

“Not ‘steal,’ but ‘take.’ The crystal stone has always belonged to me. Why is it wrong for me to take back what is mine?”

Of course, it was for Jiāng Yān. If not for her, she would have long forgotten about that thing.

The Demonic Crystal Stone was useless to her; it would only increase her cultivation slightly. She could do without it.

But Jiāng Yān’s cultivation could not stagnate. She absolutely had to grant her eternal life, to have her eternally accompany her.

Achieving godhood might be a joke, but becoming a member of the Demon Race was possible.

After all, she was a mortal now, not the lofty Chán Yuè Divine Venerable.

After cleaning her sword, Fú Níng tossed the handkerchief to Chī Jié and commanded, “Help me look after Jiāng Yān. If a single hair is missing, I’ll hold you accountable.”

“Must you go?” Chī Jié’s face was pale, lacking his usual calm composure and carefree demeanor.

Fú Níng did not answer. She proved her intention by her actions, flying up to the rooftop. She looked at the bright moon, her expression resolute.

Chī Jié knew he could not dissuade her, so he flew up next to her and said helplessly, “The journey will be perilous. I’ll go with you.”

Since he could not talk her out of it, he could only dedicate his life to accompanying his Senior Sister.

“I am enough alone. You stay behind and help me watch over Jiāng Yān. If she asks, tell her I have matters to attend to and that she should wait for me to return in peace.”

Chī Jié wanted to say more, but Fú Níng had already ridden the wind and was gone in the blink of an eye.

Chī Jié returned to the stone table, poured a cup of wine onto the ground, and muttered, “Master, you were right. Senior Sister is indeed the most insane person among your disciples.”

Even though you only took two disciples in total.

Jiāng Yān woke up and didn’t feel the warm embrace, which made her feel a little uncomfortable.

She slowly opened her eyes and didn’t see Fú Níng in the room. The little fox was curled up on the nearby daybed, fast asleep.

Why did Fú Níng get up alone today and not wait for me?

Just as she finished dressing, a maidservant came in with toiletries and respectfully said, “Miss Jiāng, the Cult Master sent me to assist you with getting up.”

Jiāng Yān said nothing, declining the maid’s kind offer to help her wash her face.

“Where is Fú Níng?”

Maidservant: “Miss Fú is not in the Cult.”

Chī Jié had not revealed Fú Níng’s identity to the disciples, so everyone referred to her as “Miss Fú.”

Not in the Cult? Then where did she go? Did Chī Jié give her some mission?

Thinking of Chī Jié, Jiāng Yān still felt uneasy. After all, members of the Jiǔ Yīn Cult killed Xuán Yīng. She should avenge her Master, but things had become a bit complicated now.

Fú Níng, who had constantly vowed to avenge her Master and Junior Sister, had now become a core figure of the Demon Cult. She had forgotten all her past sentiments and become a thorough demon, and Jiāng Yān couldn’t defeat Chī Jié.

This mission was making her feel more and more distressed.

After washing up, Jiāng Yān pushed the door open. Chī Jié was standing in the courtyard. When he saw her, a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.

Chī Jié wants to kill her.

Jiāng Yān understood in her heart, and her guard against him rose considerably. She just looked at him, not moving any closer.

“Fú Níng has gone out on a task. She will return in about ten days. You are to stay within the Cult during this time and go nowhere else.”

Jiāng Yān pouted, turned, and went back into the room, slamming the door shut with a loud CLANG.

I would like to go out, but this wretched place is surrounded by barriers, like an impassable chasm. How can I get out?

On the third day, the righteous sects, having regrouped over the past few months, returned with a vengeance. Led by a mysterious person, they were unstoppable, breaking through the Jiǔ Yīn Cult’s final defensive line in just half a day.

Chī Jié sat in the main hall. The lotus mark on his face flickered, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Yàn Yì could not resist, was gravely wounded, and ran in, barely alive, telling Chī Jié to flee quickly. Chī Jié tossed him a Soul-Restoring Pill and said coldly, “You retreat to the back mountain for now. Leave this place to me.”

What was meant to come would eventually come. It was time for the matter of ten thousand years ago to be resolved.

Shortly after Yàn Yì left, the main hall door was kicked open. The person leading the group wore red clothes, had red hair, and held a jade flute.

“Chī Jié, surrender now. I will ensure your death is a quick one.”

Chī Jié smiled faintly, rose from the tiger-skin-covered seat, and slowly walked to the center of the hall.

“Mèi Lí, you are truly petty. You’re bringing all these people to attack me just because I stole one of your celestial pills?”

The jade flute in Mèi Lí’s hand emitted a clear sound, and several cracks appeared on it. His eyes darkened.

“Did you only steal my celestial pill?!”

He spoke almost through gritted teeth, his eyes flashing with fury, and his red hair moved without any wind.

The lotus mark on Chī Jié’s face flickered again, spreading from his cheek down to his neck and continuing lower.

“Don’t be so volatile. I simply acted on my nature. ‘To get what you like’—isn’t that always my style?”

Chī Jié sounded lighthearted, but veins were bulging on his face, and something in his chest seemed to want to pierce through his skin.

Mèi Lí was briefly stunned. “Why is the Demonic Lotus still in your body?”

With Chī Jié’s power, removing the Seven-Leaf Demonic Lotus should be easy. He shouldn’t have to suffer the heart-eating pain every night.

“You personally planted this Demonic Lotus. I was waiting for you to come and remove it yourself.”

Chī Jié finished speaking, violently collapsed to his knees, and spat out a large mouthful of blood.

Mèi Lí had been suppressing him with divine power the moment he entered the hall. The Seven-Leaf Demonic Lotus, sensing his divine power, began to pulse restlessly. After all these years, it had grown considerably, and Chī Jié was almost unable to suppress it.

A complex emotion flickered in Mèi Lí’s eyes. He walked step-by-step toward Chī Jié, stopping less than two paces away. “Don’t think that saying this will make me spare you.”

Chī Jié looked up at him and forced a smile. “I don’t expect you to spare me, but you cannot take this woman.”

He pointed at Jiāng Yān, his tone utterly firm.

He had promised his Senior Sister that he would protect Jiāng Yān; he could not break his word.

Mèi Lí glanced at Jiāng Yān, who was next to them, completely oblivious, and then crouched down, whispering into Chī Jié’s ear, “You should worry about yourself first. I’ve thought of many ways to torment you over the past ten thousand years, and I can’t wait to try them out.”

He finished speaking, flicked his sleeve, and the two instantly vanished, leaving behind a bewildered Jiāng Yān who watched the people outside, who styled themselves as righteous sects, complain bitterly.

Save me! Why didn’t they take me with them? I can’t fight all these people!

Xiāo Gāng, Shàng Guān’ Ào, and Chéng Míng stood outside, looking menacingly at her. Jiāng Yān was isolated and helpless, unsure what to do.

In the nick of time, the little fox darted out, bit her trouser leg, and tugged her toward the back courtyard.

This is definitely the time to escape! What are you standing there for! Jiǔ Yè Xī was frantic.

Seeing Jiāng Yān about to run away, Xiāo Gāng roared. The other two quickly moved, surrounding Jiāng Yān, all of them looking as if they wanted to devour her.

“We didn’t catch the demon, so let’s capture this remnant! We cannot go home empty-handed!”

After Xiāo Gāng spoke, the other two nodded in agreement and began to infuse spiritual power into their magical artifacts.

Since entering the Nascent Soul realm, Jiāng Yān had never participated in a real fight. At the sight of this formation, her legs went weak from fright, and she completely forgot that her cultivation was one level higher than theirs.

In a moment of extreme danger, a clear voice sounded in her ear, “Divine Venerable, please open your eyes. It is over now.”

Jiāng Yān opened her eyes and realized she was no longer in the Jiǔ Yīn Cult main hall but in the mountain where she had previously been trapped.

“Divine Venerable, do you still remember this place?”

Yáo Jī stepped forward and felt something against her leg. She looked down to see a fox. Smiling, she picked up the fox and said, “You little creature, why are you here instead of cultivating diligently?”

Jiǔ Yè Xī: “???” Why does this pretty sister seem to know me?

Jiāng Yān felt a good rapport with her and had no guard up. She replied, “I remember. Isn’t this the place where I was trapped for three years?”

I just got out and now I’m back in! Ugh!

Yáo Jī sighed, seeing that her memory hadn’t returned yet, and casually stroked the fox’s fur.

“Divine Venerable, do you know that Fú Níng has gone to Mount Kūnlún?”

“I didn’t know.”

Chī Jié only said she had matters to attend to, not where she went. However, the name Mount Kūnlún sounded familiar; she often heard it in Xianxia dramas.

Yáo Jī rubbed the fox again and led Jiāng Yān further into Mount Xūmí.

Inside, there were pavilions, towers, waterside retreats, and cool pavilions—everything one could imagine, a complete world away from the outside.

Yáo Jī brought Jiāng Yān to a pavilion seat and slowly said, “She went to Mount Kūnlún to steal the Demonic Crystal Stone. She must be…”

End of Part 1.