8 - The Divine Physician’s Overbearing Wife

Chapter 8 "Xiaoxue, I know you are exceptionally gifted and learn things quickly. But I've told you before, whatever you do, you must be grounded and not aim too high." "You haven't even learned to walk yet and you're thinking about flying. Aren't you afraid your wings aren't strong enough and you'll fall from the sky?" "Xiaoxue, you've really disappointed me." "Feng Bo." Yun Mi Xue's thoughts drifted back to her childhood. Back then, she was fiercely competitive. She initially believed she had mastered a spell, so she set it aside, only to be criticized by Feng Bo for being restless and impatient. Unconvinced, she practiced the same spell repeatedly until her energy was depleted, and she could no longer move her fingers. Thinking back, she probably was as stubborn as the young girl standing before her now. As Yun Mi Xue came back to herself, Yan Zhu Guang had finished casting her spell. Holding a stalk of spirit grains, she offered it to Yun Mi Xue. "Fairy Lady, please take a look." Yun Mi Xue took the spirit grain, but before she could examine it, someone from Yi Miao Sect spoke up. "What technique is this? You've only compressed the spiritual essence from the spirit rice stalks into the spirit grain. You're just taking shortcuts." "Indeed, I thought it was some brilliant technique. Who wouldn't think of this? You, a mere menial disciple, dare to deceive our senior sister like this? How bold!" When Yan Zhu Guang spoke about the spirit grain, she was no longer cautious; instead, her demeanor became serious and earnest. It was as if these words infringed upon her territory, bristling her with defiance. "If everyone can think of it, why hasn't anyone implemented it?" "After harvesting the spirit grain, the stalks become useless. If left in the field, their spiritual essence dissipates within a few hours. I use it to enhance the quality of the spirit grain — isn't that making the best use of resources?" With those words, she softened her tone before the Yi Miao Sect members could get angry. "I'm just a novice who barely started cultivating. I don't know any sophisticated spells, so I can only use this method to enhance quality." Of course, Yan Zhu Guang knew other methods to improve the spirit rice's quality, but using advanced spells would draw suspicion. This method was the only one she could present — simple yet ingenious, albeit a bit of a shortcut. Moreover, she harbored no fondness for Yi Miao Sect, which consistently made things difficult for her. Sparing them was already generous; offering them benefits was out of the question. In truth, Yan Zhu Guang's method was quite a good one: simple and easy to operate, even a menial disciple could learn it. By adding an extra step during the spirit rice harvest, the quality of the spirit grain could be slightly improved — a very practical solution. However, its simplicity was precisely why it attracted dissatisfaction. With such a simple solution, why hadn't they thought of it? People tend to instinctively reject results they deem too simple. If they could have thought of it, why should she get the credit? Of course, if Yan Zhu Guang had used advanced methods, these people would still be upset. How could a mere menial disciple wield spells unknown to them? Regardless of her approach, she couldn't win their approval, so Yan Zhu Guang chose to ignore them completely. "The system mumbled softly, "Nitpickers." Upon hearing the system’s explanation of the word, Yan Zhu Guang agreed, understanding it to be just that. Yun Mi Xue paid no heed to the people of Yi Miao Sect. She examined the spirit grain thoroughly and then praised Yan Zhu Guang: "This is indeed a simple, practical method, Miss Yan, you've done well." Hearing her praise, the tension that had been pulling Yan Zhu Guang's tightly pressed lips relaxed immediately. She beamed with a delighted smile, her eyes sparkling. "Really, Fairy Lady?" Yun Mi Xue, amused by her innocent expression, couldn't help but reach out and ruffle her hair. "Yes, really." Yan Zhu Guang hugged the spot where she had been patted, grinning foolishly, "If the Fairy Lady says so, then I have no regrets even if I were to die." With Yun Mi Xue's endorsement, even those from Yi Miao Sect who scorned Yan Zhu Guang's method had to reluctantly echo her praise, then mentioned they would find a steward to promote this method. Frustrated and unable to vent their displeasure, they turned their ire on Tao Zhi, who dared to deceive them. Claiming she clung to the stewards to exclude her peers — in truth, she was a praised and excellent menial disciple by the senior sister. In contrast, Tao Zhi couldn't even manage the spiritual fields properly and was accused of jealousy and slandering her peers, revealing her malicious intent. Thus, Tao Zhi was expelled from Yi Miao Sect with her dantian destroyed, left with no chance of returning. Yun Mi Xue felt that abolishing the dantian might have been excessive punishment for a young girl in the cultivation world. However, recalling her false allegations against Yan Zhu Guang, Yun Mi Xue, unusually biased, turned a blind eye. The girl indeed went too far, deserving some lesson. If her cultivation power became a weapon to attack others thoughtlessly, it was better she left the cultivation world to live as a simple mortal. With the matter resolved, the head of Yi Miao Sect and others respectfully escorted Yun Mi Xue away. The accommodation for menial disciples was uncomfortable enough for the sect members; they couldn’t let Fairy Xue linger here longer than necessary. With Tao Zhi’s accusation against Yan Zhu Guang proven false, Yun Mi Xue had no reason to stay any longer. She looked at the little mud monkey, whose eyes were filled with longing and reluctance, and whispered in her ear, "Zhuguang, cultivate well, and come find Sister Yun in the future, alright?" Upon hearing this, Yan Zhu Guang's face broke into a wide grin, her joy spreading to her ears as she nodded vigorously, "Alright, alright! I will definitely work hard in my cultivation, Fairy Lady. Will you promise not to forget me?" Yun Mi Xue's smile deepened further, "Alright, I promise you." Yan Zhu Guang watched them walk away into the distance, patted the now-drying mud on her clothes, and turned back to the rice fields. Her work was still unfinished. It was only then that the system dared to speak up, exclaiming, "Host, you were amazing! That Tao Zhi is definitely never getting back on her feet now! Hahaha." The system had been observing Yan Zhu Guang's actions the entire time. Seeing how she displayed such adorable foolishness in front of her senior sister, the system felt that if it had eyes, they would have fallen out. Never did it imagine that the host, who was so clever, could also act so convincingly as an earnest, diligent, yet somewhat silly little girl. If it hadn't been with the host all along, even it would have believed her act. The host is truly masterful in her ways. Yan Zhu Guang, however, dismissed the system's flattery with indifference. "Now that the senior sister surely has a strong impression of you, visiting her in the future will be a breeze, Host!" "What are you waiting for, Host? Enhance your spiritual root and start cultivating! Tao Zhi’s side quest is complete, and I can exchange it for treasures to enhance your spiritual roots." "No need." Yan Zhu Guang declined outright. The system, teeming with enthusiasm, felt like it had been doused with cold water. "Why, Host? QAQ." Yan Zhu Guang's guess was correct. Placing the host's soul into a body with low talent and inferior spiritual roots was the system's standard procedure. Whether it was the Save-the-White-Moonlight System or any system from other worlds, the routine was the same. In other worlds, it might be replaced with a tragic background or a myriad of irreparable woes for the original host. Why? To make the host dependent on the system. If given a perfect body and life, what need would there be for the system? How else could the system control the host, guiding them to follow its directives? The system would be the host's only lifeline, clinging to it and heeding its directions for a better existence. This method was unfailingly effective, without exception, except for this particular host. Yan Zhu Guang wasn't the first host of the Save-the-White-Moonlight System. Previous hosts, reborn and aware of their circumstances, would first seek to survive and then, bound by their poor spiritual roots, would plead for a bond with the system, frantically completing tasks to acquire treasures that could enhance their spiritual roots before finally relaxing. But this host was different. She carried on with her life with her quintuple spiritual roots, seemingly unbothered by her innate talents, even dismissing opportunities for enhancement given to her. The system was at a loss with this host, and with her mental communication turned off, it couldn't even grasp what thoughts filled her mind. "You needn’t worry about my spiritual roots," Yan Zhu Guang stated. What was Yan Zhu Guang pondering? Indeed, she was contemplating her spiritual roots, though not with the dismissiveness the system assumed. In the cultivation world, spiritual root aptitude is paramount, even superseding one's family background. How could she truly be indifferent to it? However, Yan Zhu Guang differed from others — she had alternative plans for her spiritual roots, a means to enhance them independent of the system. In truth, Yan Zhu Guang was quite grateful to the system for placing her in this body. Currently, her talent lay in her quintuple spiritual roots, among which wood was the most predominant and exceptionally robust; the other four attributes were exceedingly weak. If she could cleanse the other attributes, her wood spiritual root could surpass even those with innate single elemental roots. Yet Yan Zhu Guang was not content with merely this. Solely possessing a wood spiritual root was too gentle and unsuitable for her. What she truly desired was a mutated root of wood — the Toxic Root. In the realm of spiritual roots, mutated roots are even rarer than the elemental five. Among the mutated roots, there are those considered common and those that are rarely seen. Ice, wind, and lightning roots are relatively common, whereas blood and toxic roots are nearly legendary. Both blood and toxic roots are almost impossible to innately possess; altering them postnatally typically leads to fatal results. They only appear under rare circumstances with an infinitesimally small chance of success. In her past life, Yan Zhu Guang had a toxic root, so she naturally knew how to transform into one. However, her original talent was less than ideal, resulting in an incomplete transformation. This time, with her predominate wood quintuple roots, she had the perfect template for transforming into a toxic root. Given the option of a toxic root, why would she settle for anything less? She was well aware that the so-called treasures the system offered for refining roots worked by random selection. If she was unlucky, even the thickest wood root could be washed away. She wasn't a fool. "As for Yun Mi Xue, this time I will have her take me back with her." "Uh?" The system was dumbfounded. Having the senior sister take the host back would obviously be the ideal outcome, but it seemed almost impossible. Fenghua Immortal Sect was a super sect; with the host's current talent and strength, they wouldn't even accept her as a menial disciple. The system had never hoped for this. Now the host claimed she would have the senior sister take her back. What exactly did the host intend to do?