While the avatar that Hengye Yuemi dispatched to probe Qingxin returned to the Night, unbeknown to all, another one hovered above the White Immortal sect. Just like with the five Hengye elders, the lack of identification token triggered none of the sect's defenses, and even as the avatar's Spiritual Sense swept through the sect, none noticed her presence.
"It started here," Yuemi said, vanished, and reappeared in the Tower of Harmonious Bliss' top dual cultivation room. It was here that, Xinzi and Chun Xu practiced Yin-Yang Sword Array to the third level—also here that the True Devil tried to enslave Xinzi's soul. Eyes closed, Hengye Yuemi studied the scene, breathing in the lingering energies to locate the divine and infernal traces.
"Divine power clashed with Evil Qi, at some point they even intertwined. I can also sense lingering traces of Heaven's Grace. Interesting, next…" the Lord-Regent said, and with her next step, landed in the Dream Mountain. Again, she assessed the traces, rubbing her forehead as her senses spread out.
"The traces get stronger here—including a confrontation with Heaven's Will. I sense other traces of divine power as well, but from here on, the demonic traces disperse. One thick Evil Qi trace in the cave nearby. A textbook massacre westward. And a full-blown confrontation between demons and spirits in Burning Spear supercity. Mhm…" As she spoke, Hengye Yuemi covered each of these locations, then returned to the White Immortal sect's sky.
"It would seem that the mastermind at the root of these conflicts is hiding behind pawns, avatars or both. Usually I wouldn't care, but Zhen'er is at stake. Should I hunt them down?" Yuemi asked out loud, almost as if conversing with an invisible partner. The glint of dementia flashed in her pitch-black pupils, and behind the mourning veil, her lips curled up.
"No? As you wish. Let's wait for Zhen'er then. In the meantime, we need a new pair of eyes to prevent mishaps. Yes, regardless of the reasons behind the lock issue, we can't afford to be too lax with our Zhen'er's grooming." Whenever the "Zhen'er" crossed her lips, Yuemi mellowed out. Yet, the demented glint in her eyes grew more pronounced, and eyes shut, she stroked her cheek with loving care.
Hengye Zhen, the Truth, the Clarity, the Perfection of the Eternal Night. Though the Thousand-Faced God granted him celestial knowledge and power, it was Yuemi who handled his education. For 60 years she fed his Fetal Spirit with treasures, goals, earthly knowledge and stratagems—preparing him for his grand destiny as future master of the Night Pantheon and Heaven itself. This was but a stop, a trial devised by the Divine Ancestor to test its heir. Nothing, no one was allowed to derail Zhen'er from his god-given duty.
Yuemi's head veered to the left, bending so hard that it looked as if she was trying to tear it off her neck. Her eyes sparkled, and she vanished, crossing the air to land beside an unsuspecting Zi Yao.
"Chun Xu, you've disappointed me." Unaware of the Hengye Yuemi at her left, Zi Yao faced Chun Xu, who sat crossed-legged in meditation. At first, when she noticed that her disciple had cultivated the Yin-Yang Sword Array to the third level already, the matriarch beamed with appreciation. But right then, she also noticed the loss of Primal Yin—proof that Chun Xu either failed to control herself, Xinzi, or both.
For talent alone, Zi Yao wouldn't invest all these resources in Chun Xu, or anyone else for that matter. No, the Sword Fairy's poise and manipulative mind seduced the matriarch, convincing her that Chun Xu could and would carry out all the plans that Dong Ling wouldn't. However, ever since the Ice-Fire cave's events, though Chun Xu seemed to have harvested countless benefits, her mindset wavered equally.
In fact, the more time Chun Xu spent by Xinzi's side, the worse the distractions that derailed her became. Zi Yao looked down on men—monk or not. Throw a honey trap their way, and even the clever ones among them would let their shafts take control of their actions. So far, there were only four that she didn't look down on—for entirely different reasons.
Zi Yao couldn't allow her direct disciple to become the mirror image of the men she looked down on. And as she stared at Chun Xu, an oppressive coldness replaced the usual indifference.
"Master, your disciple thanks you for all these years of nurturing. In fact, if not for you, I wouldn't be alive either. I'm not ungrateful and will repay all that I owe. But I do not want to let myself down any more than I already have. There's something that I want. And some people are standing in the way. Master, please don't become one of those people," Chun Xu said, and her cultivation base erupted.
Lightning bolts, wind squalls, rising waves and smoldering heat intertwined in the Sword Fairy's aura, pairing with the thousands of Spiritual Drops in her dantian to cast a pressure that put even her master on high alert. Cultivation benefits and unique technique aside, the curative properties of the Nine Paths healed Chun Xu's meridians, enabling her to release the full-power of Heaven's Breath.
Right now, by just relying on her Void Spiritual Root, Chun Xu could suppress anyone at the early-stage of Pulse Condensation and below. Once she broke through to Foundation Building, that battle-power would rise again—with tribulation lightning becoming a food source for the Sword Fairy's growth.
"Success has gotten to your head, and now you're thinking with your cunt. Chun Xu, for women to thrive and dominate, they must learn to be more ruthless than any of the men around them. I wouldn't be this disappointed if your rebellion stemmed from ambitions. But you're losing your head for a boy that likely only sees you as a fine cum-drainer. What a letdown." Zi Yao sneered at her disciple, then turned heels.
Chun Xu's cheeks twitched at Zi Yao's last lines. Still, she retained her composure.
"Don't think that your Void Spiritual Root will give you the chance to challenge me. The cultivation world abounds with opportunities. Especially for people who dare to trample friends and foes for their ambitions. Xu'er, when you reach the Nascent Soul realm you will realize that, in this life or another, you will never be my equal." Leaving those cryptic words behind, the matriarch ambled at the door, her cascading hair swaying over her splendid curves.
"Ah, someone who understands my plight. I like her already." The more she looked at Zi Yao, the more delighted Hengye Yuemi felt. And though she spoke out loud, neither Zi Yao nor Chun Xu could notice her presence.
"Mhm…very well. It will be you. From now on, you will be my eyes here. Congratulations, little dove, for becoming the avatar of My Venerable Self." Following Zi Yao on her way out, Yuemi snapped her fingers. Black lightning flashed in Zi Yao's eyes, with tiny sparks of moonlight glowing at the center. The matriarch didn't notice this, but could feel her body undergo rapid changes. Subsequently, Hengye Yuemi's avatar vanished, returning to the night.
…
Meanwhile, Xinzi walked towards Chun Xu's chambers. On the way there, he walked past Zi Yao, but preoccupied my serious matters, didn't care to tease the matriarch. Likewise, confused by the changes taking place in her body, Zi Yao ignored our monk, eager to enter seclusion and study her dantian. But as the two walked past one another, Xinzi's nose twitched, and he cast a sideway glance at Zi Yao—for the imperceptible split of a second, his eyes narrowed.
Zi Yao noticed the attention, but couldn't tell if Xinzi noticed the issue or was just looking for an excuse to leer at her curves—an odd silence settled in.
"You look way taller now. But that will not influence my dislike of you. Don't get any idea,"
Zi Yao said, but contrary to her leisurely tone, her eyes studied Xinzi for any information his body language could offer.
"I would be disappointed if it did. And to be fair, I like your daughter and disciple's curves more. There's just a thing about youth. Even when they lose, they win." Xinzi clapped back, shrugged, and walked off. The matriarch's cheeks spasmed at the veiled insult, and she gritted her teeth—restraining her murder-lust.
'Never mind. Even if I never have the opportunity to take you down a peg. In the nearby future, the Zhenwu clan will. I'm eager to see if the background you hide can contend with that person. Or if you'll become yet another corpse in his Macabre Banquet. Until then, enjoy your glory.' Zi Yao's thoughts trailed off, and she returned to her Spiritual Cave.
Xinzi couldn't tell that Hengye Yuemi had just turned Zi Yao into an avatar, but from her he sensed an energy signature and internal transformations that only the Hengye clan could cause.. Timing and ongoing event convinced Xinzi that, whoever the Night sent to investigate had been in contact with Zi Yao—his gaze hardened at the thought.