24 - The Divine Physician’s Overbearing Wife

Banxia Novel Chapter 24 (Part 1) “What should we do, what should we do, Host?” The System was quite tense. After listening to Yan Zhu Guang’s analysis, it also realized that He Sheng’s death might be part of a conspiracy targeting Yun Mi Xue. But why did those people arrive so quickly? At a time when the entire sect should be busy, how did these disciples find the time to rush to the small forest and discover the crime scene? It’s impossible that no one was behind this. But Yan Zhu Guang had just arrived, barely having done anything before these people showed up. If they discovered their Host standing next to He Sheng’s body, and considering she wasn’t a disciple of Fenghua Xianzong, it would be even harder to clear her name than jumping into the yellow river. The reputation of the Senior Sister would be tarnished, and the Host’s situation would be irreparable as well. “Host, forget about the body for now. You should leave. If those people see you, you will be under suspicion.” Yan Zhu Guang frowned and suddenly asked the System, “Can He Sheng’s body be put into the backpack?” “Uh…” The System stalled for a moment before quickly responding, “Yes, theoretically, it is possible.” Though it felt uneasy about putting He Sheng’s body inside, it reluctantly agreed. Yan Zhu Guang didn’t relish the idea of storing the corpse of someone she disliked in her backpack, but given the urgency of the situation, options were limited, and preferences had to be set aside. She touched He Sheng’s clothing, and the body, emanating an icy aura, vanished. The area where he had lain left a distinct mark, and the plants growing beneath had been crushed, leaving traces of icy air lingering nearby. “Quick, Host, hurry up, they’re almost here.” Yan Zhu Guang placed her palm on the spot where He Sheng had been lying, infusing it with wood elemental spiritual energy. The trampled plants began to straighten up, slowly erasing the traces. Seeing Yan Zhu Guang still handling the scene even with the approaching group getting closer, the System would have been anxious to its core if it had a heart. It could already hear the people's voices in the distance. “Is there really something strange here? We’ve walked this far, and the deeper we go, the less we see. Could we have been tricked?” “No way, I heard someone say there’s a precious spiritual herb growing in here, probably an ice-elemental herb. The temperature around here has changed.” “Then you must have been tricked. Ice-elemental herbs grow on the Dayue Snow Peak of Xianzong. How could there be one here?” “And if it really was something valuable, why didn’t the person who told you try to take it themselves?” “Exactly.” “Eh, let’s keep looking. I heard the person say the ice-elemental herb might have drifted from Dayue Snow Peak and taken root here. He intended to pick it but needed something to preserve its quality and had to fetch it.” “I think we should harvest the herb before he returns. Who cares about its condition? We just need to get it first.” “You’re not wrong.” “Wait! Look, there seems to be someone up ahead!” Someone pointed into the dark shadows of the trees, where a vague humanoid silhouette could be seen. “Who could be in the woods at this hour?” The group exchanged looks. The sect was busy preparing for the headmaster’s succession ceremony, so they had snuck into the woods. Who would expect to find another person inside? Could there actually be something valuable here, and someone got there before them? At that, one of them immediately shouted, “Who’s there?” They imagined the person might be frightened and run, but surprisingly, the figure stood there, calm and unmoving. “Quick, let’s catch up!” They sped up, while someone shouted, “Which sect are you from? We haven’t seen you before. Are you a spy from another sect?” Afraid the person might take their herb, they rushed over. Once they reached the silhouette, they froze, faces turning quite odd. “This…” The one who initially pointed it out laughed awkwardly, “Uh... how could it be just a tree? When I looked earlier, it was definitely a person! Haha, my mistake.” Turns out, the silhouette was merely a dense shrub, tricking them in the dim woods with preconceived notions. The embarrassed cultivator kicked the shrub in slight frustration, making it rustle. He glanced around futilely, unable to spot any signs of others. Other members of the group jibed, “You, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, mistaking a shrub? You should’ve used your spiritual sense.” He laughed, rolling his eyes. None of them had used their spiritual sense either, given how limited its range was for Foundation Establishment cultivators. Who’d waste it scouting around? Besides, exhausting one’s spiritual sense could literally lead to death. “I see nothing strange here. Let’s move on.” After a ridiculous kerfuffle shouting at a shrub, they certainly couldn’t linger here any longer. The next time they passed by, they’d be taking a different route, avoiding this embarrassment. Feigning composure, they hurriedly left, disappearing quickly from view. “Host, they’ve left.” From the trunk of a nearby tree, where ripples appeared for a moment, a white figure emerged, slightly leaning against the trunk, breathing heavily. Utilizing the Wood Escape technique drained her energy significantly, making it strenuous for someone with merely Qi Refinement cultivation. Any slip-up could mean becoming trapped within the plants, being assimilated, or becoming their nourishment. If Yan Zhu Guang weren’t a single wood spiritual root with a wood spirit constitution, she wouldn’t have dared attempt it. After resting briefly, she spoke to the System, still buzzing over their recent brush with discovery, “I can’t believe they genuinely mistook it. Even I thought the Host was jesting.” The humanoid shrub was a last-minute growth spurred by Yan Zhu Guang, an apt cover amidst an absence of ideal hiding spots. The System had been on the verge of panic, with their approach imminent, while the Host indulged in a bit of spontaneous botany. Truly a case of the eunuch being more anxious than the emperor, much to its chagrin. Fortunately, the Host’s timing was just right. Before the group arrived, she had employed Wood Escape, blending into a tree. Initially, the System had been baffled by the creation of a humanoid shrub, mistaking it perhaps for a tension-relieving prank by the Host. Instant comprehension dawned upon it once the group dashed past, barely pausing before fleeing. The Host’s inexplicable actions now resonated with clear intention. Yan Zhu Guang nonchalantly commented, “I wasn’t sure it would work so smoothly. Perhaps because they were feeling guilty.” She hadn’t had high hopes initially. While she could hide using the Wood Escape technique, her capabilities were limited. Prolonged use could lead to depleted spiritual energy and dire consequences. Thus, ensuring their brief stay was crucial. Thankfully, none among them exceeded early Foundation Establishment, straightforward enough to deceive with a quirky plan. Should they have mistaken the bush for a person, flight might just ensue. Or upon realization of their mistake, they wouldn’t linger out of embarrassment. Though unconventional, effective was what mattered. Yan Zhu Guang, always one for strategic planning, admitted that circumstances often had a hand in the outcome. Though life seemed to conspire against her interactions, fortune generally favored her otherwise. She retrieved two lower-grade spirit stones to replenish her spiritual energy, needing to use the Wood Escape technique again to return to the Ice and Snow Cottage. The System inquired, “Host, do you have any leads on He Sheng’s matter?” Having eavesdropped on the previous conversation, the System was sure someone intentionally guided those people to the small forest, relaying the dialogue to the Host. If it could conjecture, surely the smart Host would as well. Yan Zhu Guang, under the System’s hopeful gaze, replied, “I don’t.” The System was confounded: Host, why do you falter at crucial moments? “I’m no omniscient being. How could I uncover the culprit’s identity from mere hints? Even though the individual acted brazenly, they were cautious. Even misleading others into the forest wouldn’t disclose their true identity.” The System conceded this point. The people only referred to them as “that person,” likely not knowing their identity. “So what then? Although the main task has no time limit, the longer it drags, the fewer clues remain, and completing the task becomes harder.” Yan Zhu Guang stated, “I only glanced at He Sheng’s body briefly. I haven’t examined it thoroughly yet. His cause of death needs thorough inspection.” "Indeed," the System thought for a moment, "So how does the Host intend to deal with the corpse?" “Take it back and use it as fertilizer for the flowers,” she replied. The System spluttered at her nonchalance. There were certainly no more clues in the forest, and Yan Zhu Guang was too weary to continue searching. After making the humanoid bush look more natural, removing any signs of interference, she once again utilized a tree for her Wood Escape technique, expending ten spirit stones to return to the Ice and Snow Cottage. She calculated those ten spirit stones thoroughly; upon her return, the stones would turn to ash due to energy depletion, and with a breeze, any trace of her spell would vanish. Yan Zhu Guang also instructed the System to keep an eye on Yun Mi Xue. Fortuitously, during her round trip to the small forest, Yun Mi Xue had been too occupied to come looking for her. Once back in her room, Yan Zhu Guang shut the door and pulled He Sheng’s corpse out of the System’s backpack. The System sighed in relief, seeing the little compartment labeled “A Strange Corpse” in the backpack empty again. Though nothing lingered in the compartment after carrying an item, the System still considered cleaning and resetting that space individually. It thought it was a wise idea. Oblivious to the System’s musings, Yan Zhu Guang focused on examining the corpse. Having been killed by an ice-elemental spell, the entire body was frozen solid. She navigated her spiritual energy through the corpse, noting that the toxic spiritual energy dwindled at He Sheng’s heart. Since He Sheng was already dead, the toxic energy had dissipated. The poison, Thousand-Bone Water, hadn’t fully spread throughout the body because the ice spell froze it before it could. Besides this, nothing unusual was apparent; it did seem the ice element was the cause of death. Nonetheless, there was useful information in this. Yan Zhu Guang deduced He Sheng’s strength to be at the early Foundation Establishment stage. Judging by the surprise on his face, he seemingly had some time to react before dying, implying the attacker’s strength outmatched his, likely at a level beyond Foundation Establishment. However, this didn’t significantly narrow down the suspects, as Fenghua Xianzong had many cultivators above the Foundation Establishment level. But, the method used to instantly freeze the Thousand-Bone Water was noteworthy. The Thousand-Bone Water is a formidable poison at the Foundation Establishment level that most cultivators at that rank can't resist. A spell capable of freezing it without it taking effect is likely at least at the Golden Core level. Furthermore, no individual magical signature lingered on He Sheng’s body, suggesting the killer used a disposable talisman tool, which often left no trace of its wielder, with signs fading quickly. A talisman embodying a Golden Core-level spell generally requires the user to be at least at the late Foundation Establishment stage. However, a cultivator at that level would struggle with it, leaving He Sheng no time to react. Yet there were no traces of struggle on him, indicating the talisman wielder was at least Golden Core level or higher. This greatly narrowed the potential suspects. If Yan Zhu Guang hadn’t coincidentally left a drop of the Foundation Establishment-level Thousand-Bone Water within He Sheng, nothing might have remained on the body except traces of ice spiritual energy. Without that unexpected factor, determining the assailant’s strength would have been impossible, making it easier to unjustly implicate Yun Mi Xue. Fortunately, this serendipitous detail allowed Yan Zhu Guang to eliminate those below Golden Core level as suspects. No other elemental spiritual energies, like gold, wood, water, or fire, remained on He Sheng, only ice. This implied the assailant likely had ice or water-related spiritual roots, enabling them to activate an ice-elemental talisman. With these constraints, the suspect pool shrunk substantially. All she had to do was ask Yun Mi Xue to speculatively identify them. The System observed the Host’s deductions, agreeing with her logic. Perhaps the primary mission could be completed soon? It pondered before asking Yan Zhu Guang, “Host, what reward do you desire this time?” Yan Zhu Guang asked, “What is the reward this time?” She never bothered with reward details beforehand, as she intended to complete the tasks regardless. If unsatisfactory, rewards could be exchanged anyway. The System checked and replied, “A wooden spirit stone accessible for the Host’s cultivation.” In the cultivation realm, spirit stones are typically neutral or multi-attribute, usable by all cultivators, while those with specific attributes are rare, formed under particular conditions, and more suited for specialized use. Yan Zhu Guang furrowed her eyebrows, “I almost forgot about this possibility.” The System was puzzled, “What?” Yan Zhu Guang explained, “The person who killed He Sheng might not necessarily have ice or water spiritual roots. They could simply use an ice spirit stone to trigger the talisman, achieving the same outcome.” The System was conflicted, “But if so, that broadens the suspect field greatly.” Using an ice spirit stone meant practically anyone could do it. Yan Zhu Guang mused, “However, Yun Mi Xue's decision to expel He Sheng from Fenghua Xianzong was a sudden event only half a day ago. The killer might have killed him on a whim and not have had the time to prepare with an ice spirit stone.” The System sighed in relief, “That’s comforting, at least.” “But we cannot rule out the possibility that the killer just happened to have an ice spirit stone. If they had ice-related talismans ready, they might have been waiting for this opportunity.” The System’s thoughts spun in circles. “So, Host, what is the situation?” Is she messing with me? Yan Zhu Guang stated, “It’s important to consider all possibilities to avoid wrongful accusation.” “So, isn’t the task even harder now?” The System was discouraged, having believed earlier that the Host could certainly uncover the murderer. Focus had even drifted to the rewards. Yan Zhu Guang shook her head, “There’s no rush. When she returns, I’ll inquire before taking further action.” Even if they couldn’t pinpoint the exact murderer, they must at least narrow down several suspects for closer examination, rather than search aimlessly. Together, she and the System pondered the corpse within the room. “Host, what should be done with the body?” Yan Zhu Guang asked, “By the way, has He Sheng’s soul lamp been extinguished?” The System replied, “The Senior Sister’s jade arrow previously instructed the elder in charge of soul lamps to extinguish He Sheng’s soul lamp, cutting its connection to his disciple token, which no longer made him a Fenghua Xianzong disciple.” Indeed, without the soul lamp extinguished, the killer wouldn’t have been so brazen. The soul lamp could broadcast images of its owner’s final moments back to it, a form of protection for sect disciples. As long as special measures weren’t used to obscure its records, the sect would have a basis for vengeance. An intriguing notion hit Yan Zhu Guang, “The murderer might be narrowed down to titled disciples or elders.” “Huh?” The System asked, “Why is that?” “She didn’t publicize He Sheng’s expulsion from Fenghua Xianzong. How many within the sect would immediately be aware of a named disciple’s lamp extinguishment?” The average disciple wouldn’t have that chance. The System concluded, “As long as we identify who visited the Named Disciple Soul Lamp Hall within those hours, or who mingled with the elders there, the truth behind He Sheng’s killing will surface.” Yan Zhu Guang nodded. She stood and approached the corpse. “What’s the Host going to do?” Yan Zhu Guang replied, “Dispose of the corpse.” Since He Sheng’s soul lamp had been extinguished, no one would seek her out. Once the body was appropriately dealt with and traces eliminated, it would be the end of it. Surely, the murderer wouldn’t foolishly surface upon noticing no stir after He Sheng’s death, demanding to investigate a disciple expelled from Fenghua Xianzong, revealing their involvement. Yan Zhu Guang stored He Sheng’s corpse back into the System’s backpack, then opened the door and walked out. The System, looking at the slot titled “A Strange Corpse,” felt exceptionally conflicted, regretting resetting that slot too quickly, only to have to do it again. The System recalled the Host mentioning turning the corpse into fertilizer, assuming she meant to bury it in the garden outside her room. Yet surprisingly, the Host was heading beyond the Ice and Snow Cottage. “Where is the Host heading?” “The garden is her domain. How could I defile her plants with this woman’s corpse?” “Oh.” Host, you suspected the Senior Sister before, yet here you are, protective after only a few days. The Host ever remains an enigma. No matter, the Host siding with the Senior Sister is favorable, given its mission is to preserve the white moonlight. Who else should it side with? Braving the snowstorm of Dayue Snow Peak, Yan Zhu Guang found a lively patch of vegetation and buried the body there. Then Yan Zhu Guang channeled every last bit of wood-elemental spiritual energy she had into the thriving plants. The System watched as the slightly raised mound from where the corpse was buried transformed into a flat expanse, indistinguishable from the rest of the land. Observing the once green leaves of a particular plant darken to black, the System shivered internally. Now it truly had become fertilizer. “Host, what about the drop of Thousand-Bone Water left inside? Will it be a problem?” Yan Zhu Guang pointed to the plant whose leaves turned black. “This one absorbed the Thousand-Bone Water.” “Huh?” The System was surprised, “It didn’t get poisoned? Host, this spirit plant has probably mutated. Do you want to harvest it?” Yan Zhu Guang sneered, “I’m not that desperate.” Of course, coming from a corpse, who would? “So, just leave it here?” Yan Zhu Guang replied, “It might seem fine now, but it won’t survive much longer.” With that, Yan Zhu Guang turned to head back to the Ice and Snow Cottage. Her spiritual energy was depleted, and without its protective warmth, she was only avoiding shivering through sheer willpower. Staying out any longer would have been self-torture. Though her previous actions were efficiently executed, her subsequent ones weren’t as smooth, as Yan Zhu Guang ended up being caught by Yun Mi Xue. The System hid sheepishly in an obscure corner, dreading facing its Host. Heaven knows, when Yan Zhu Guang neared the Ice and Snow Cottage and heard that call of “Zhu Guang,” it was scared enough to metaphorically wet itself. Yan Zhu Guang had tasked it with keeping tabs on the Senior Sister’s movements, and the System indeed had done so. However, once she returned to the Ice and Snow Cottage, the need to keep watch diminished, and it withdrew its perception. Later, the System got so ensnared in her series of deductions that it forgot when she left the cottage. Who would have thought the previously busy Senior Sister would return so swiftly? Sensing her mark at the doorway disturbed, Yun Mi Xue instantly realized Yan Zhu Guang had snuck out. Though Ice and Snow Cottage was originally a magical artifact of Yun Mi Xue’s, allowing her to perceive all happenings within, she habitually disabled this function to respect privacy. Yet, following the incident with He Sheng, she had been uneasy about leaving Yan Zhu Guang alone. So, she made a small mark at the door that would inform her of any exit or entry. As soon as Yan Zhu Guang left, Yun Mi Xue was alerted. Fearing for her well-being, Yun Mi Xue hurried her own tasks and made her way back to the Ice and Snow Cottage. Upon detecting Yan Zhu Guang nearing the cottage, Yun Mi Xue decided against going out to search and waited, catching the little escapee red-handed. Initially intending to scold her for not keeping her promise to stay safe inside, seeing the girl trembling slightly from cold, lips darkened, melted Yun Mi Xue’s resolve. One glance at the pitiful, helpless look directed at her, and the scolding transformed into care. Yun Mi Xue pulled her into an embrace, swiftly transferring spiritual energy to warm her. “Oh, you!” Yun Mi Xue exclaimed, holding the girl who barely reached her shoulder, channeling energy to make her embrace soothing, while playfully nudging her forehead, “Didn’t you promise Senior Sister not to leave the Ice and Snow Cottage? How did you end up sneaking out again?” “Senior Sister,” Yan Zhu Guang’s voice was shaky, her lips trembled as she tried to muster a response but fell silent, eventually whispering, “I’m sorry.” “You haven’t wronged me; you’re toying with your health.” “Look at me.” Yun Mi Xue firmly commanded. Yan Zhu Guang obediently lifted her head, revealing eyes red from the biting wind and snow. Pausing for a second, Yun Mi Xue sighed deeply. Maintaining a stern tone, she said, “If you disregard your well-being again, see how Senior Sister will punish you.” Yan Zhu Guang pursed her cracked lips and meekly replied, “Okay.” “Just ‘okay’? You need to say ‘I understand,’ got it? Say it now!” Yun Mi Xue insisted, knocking lightly on her forehead. When Yan Zhu Guang opened her mouth to speak, her stomach protested audibly with a grumble. Embarrassment flooded her cheeks as she looked down and clutched her abdomen. Yet, the more she held her stomach, the louder it growled, louder still until her head hung lower, nearly burying into the ground. Yun Mi Xue couldn’t ignore it any longer, “Are you hungry?” Yan Zhu Guang nodded slightly, “Mhm.” “Why not pick some fruits from the garden?” Yun Mi Xue noticed that warmth was returning to Yan Zhu Guang and stopped lingering at the door, steering the girl to the garden. “You couldn’t find any? There’s a tree in the large garden.” “I found them,” Yan Zhu Guang mumbled softly. Once articulated, she froze, puzzled by Yun Mi Xue’s inquisition, “What’s wrong?” Yan Zhu Guang touched her warm cheeks, whispering, “Can I... not eat those fruits?” She glanced timidly at Yun Mi Xue, quickly averting her eyes, actively avoiding meeting her gaze as if afraid it’d expose her reluctance. “Those fruits are so beautiful and probably quite precious. Wouldn’t it be a waste to eat them?” Finishing her sentence, she subtly attempted to hide her dirtied skirt. Yun Mi Xue frowned, “Is that why you snuck out?” Yan Zhu Guang pressed her lips together, not answering. Yun Mi Xue sighed gently, “Silly girl, the fruits will grow back after being picked, but if hunger causes harm, how could it be undone?” “If you catch cold or worse in this weather, it’s worth more than a few fruits, wouldn’t you say?” Yan Zhu Guang’s closed lips seemed to echo slight defiance in her expression. “Do you have something to say?” Yan Zhu Guang finally spoke, “In the past, an official at Yi Miao Sect told me our lives aren’t as valuable as spiritual grains, and if anything happened to them, ten lives wouldn’t compensate.” “Your fruits are a thousand times more precious than spiritual grains. Even if I had ten thousand lives, it wouldn’t repay the cost. Starving a bit won’t take a life, so how could I eat something worth ten thousand?” Yun Mi Xue found herself amused yet exasperated, “Your arithmetic is quite sharp! What kind of logic is this?” “So in your eyes, is the Senior Sister not as significant as the staff at Yi Miao Sect? You recall their words verbatim, aligning all your actions, yet when I offer you a fruit, you hesitate?” Yan Zhu Guang’s flawed reasoning irritated Yun Mi Xue, prompting her irrational comparison, only realizing it once uttered. But with the hardships endured by Yan Zhu Guang as a servant disciple, Yun Mi Xue understood it would take time and patience to unlearn such outlooks; no swift fix existed. In response to Yun Mi Xue’s words, Yan Zhu Guang vigorously shook her head. “No, it’s not like that.” Anxious to clarify, she found herself wordless and flustered, desperately at a loss for words, fidgeting without uttering a single sentence. Seeing her distress, Yun Mi Xue sighed, “If you insist it isn’t so, then accompany me to fetch some fruits. This time you have no option but to accept.” “No,” Yan Zhu Guang still resisted, “I won’t eat them. They look beautiful on the tree, just as nice laid where they are. Why eat them?” “Fruits are grown to be eaten. If left alone, they’ll rot on the ground.” Surprised, Yan Zhu Guang marveled, “Even such beautiful, precious fruits can rot?” “Absolutely, fruits will fall when ripe, no matter their value they can’t escape that fate.” Yan Zhu Guang shook her head, “I’d rather let it rot into fertilizer than waste it by eating.” Overwhelmed by her stubbornness, Yun Mi Xue chuckled in defeat, “Then you prefer an empty stomach?” Yan Zhu Guang rubbed her belly, “Missing a meal or two isn’t an issue. I could find something outside.” “Did you find anything during your outing?” Returning with hunger, of course, meant she hadn’t, so Yan Zhu Guang remained silent, yet her demeanor conveyed her refusal to eat the fruits. “Not even for Senior Sister?” “Senior Sister...” Yan Zhu Guang’s voice wavered, adopting an endearing look. Gathering courage, she reached out, lightly tugging on Yun Mi Xue’s sleeve. Yun Mi Xue fell for it, recognizing her genuine reluctance, leading to her compromise, tapping Yan Zhu Guang’s forehead playfully, “I can’t help but relent, but using cuteness in such matters?” Yan Zhu Guang swiftly withdrew her hand behind her back, feigning a facade of innocence, as if denying any action, peering overhead, “I was not being cute.” With a knowing sigh, Yun Mi Xue fetched a storage ring from her own and handed it to Yan Zhu Guang, “This contains fasting pills I obtained from an Elder in the Junior Disciples’ area. It should keep you sated for a month.” “Have you ever tried fasting pills?” Yan Zhu Guang accepted the ring, nodding as she toyed with it, “Senior Sister, how do the pills go into the ring?” Yi Miao Sect lacked such items, and one of Yan Zhu Guang's status couldn't afford even a storage pouch. Yun Mi Xue patiently explained the use of the storage ring, “After claiming ownership, wear it and try.” Following the instructions, Yan Zhu Guang succeeded in retrieving a fasting pill before Yun Mi Xue noted, “Now that the fasting pills are yours, no reason remains to sneak out, right?” “I have much to attend to and can’t always watch over you. If I catch you sneaking out again, rest assured, Senior Sister won’t be lenient.” Meekly, Yan Zhu Guang nodded, “Okay.” Yun Mi Xue patted Yan Zhu Guang’s head gently before hastily departing after escorting her back to her room. Once she had left, the System let out a long sigh in Yan Zhu Guang’s mind, “Phew, it's a relief Senior Sister didn't suspect anything. You were amazing, Host!” Thanks to Yan Zhu Guang’s wit and quick thinking, she managed to deflect any suspicion from Yun Mi Xue about the true nature of her excursion outside the Ice and Snow Cottage. Had Yun Mi Xue discovered that Yan Zhu Guang’s venture had nothing to do with searching for food, but rather involved burying a corpse, who knows what conclusions she might have drawn. It would have been a significant misunderstanding to clear. Yan Zhu Guang remained silent, simply responding with a cold snort. The System immediately cowered, taking on a contrite tone, “I’m sorry, Host!” When Yan Zhu Guang was caught by Yun Mi Xue, she really was taken aback. She hadn’t known how long Yun Mi Xue had been there or whether she’d noticed her dealing with the corpse. Luckily, Yan Zhu Guang was always composed and promptly adjusted her demeanor, adopting an air of innocence to handle Yun Mi Xue, preventing any slip-ups. Fortunately, Yun Mi Xue didn’t seem to notice anything amiss. Based on Yun Mi Xue’s disposition, had she known something was awry, she would have openly questioned Yan Zhu Guang instead of keeping it secret and pondering it privately. Thus, Yan Zhu Guang could relax, knowing she had successfully deflected suspicion. Her effective handling of the situation, however, didn’t absolve the System of its oversight. This time it was luck, but what about next? If not for the System’s lack of vigilance, she might not have been caught off guard. While Yan Zhu Guang understood not to solely rely on the System, she hadn’t expected it to be so unreliable. Keeping it in check was necessary; her private introspection was something she wouldn’t share with the System. The System meekly offered, “Host, you know I’m a ‘Save the White Moonlight’ System, right? I have no resistance against Senior Sister. Unless I focus keenly on her, she doesn’t raise any alarms within me.” The System’s passive monitoring has a sensitivity threshold. It’s highly responsive to entities that pose a threat or influence to the Host but becomes less so when it comes to people like Yun Mi Xue, who poses no threat. Yan Zhu Guang pondered curiously, “Since Yun Mi Xue is the target of the ‘Save the White Moonlight’ System, shouldn’t she be the most closely observed?” “Well, Host, you know I’ve been in this world many times,” the System explained, a hint of embarrassment in its voice, “I’ve encountered Senior Sister twenty-one times before, so I’m used to her, whereas you’re my first-time Host, which is why I’m more attuned to you.” To Yan Zhu Guang, the System’s reasoning felt strangely cringeworthy. The System felt its fragile heart was deeply wounded. Ignoring the System, Yan Zhu Guang recalled the storage ring Yun Mi Xue had given her. She had barely glanced at it during its initial attunement, sensing there was more than just fasting pills inside. She emptied the contents of the storage ring onto the table, a cascade filling it from end to end. “Wow,” the System exclaimed, “So many spirit stones! Not just lower-grade ones, there are some higher-grade spirit stones too.” Higher-grade spirit stones are the same size as lower-grade ones but contain more pure spiritual energy. Roughly sixty lower-grade and ten higher-grade spirit stones covered the table. For Yan Zhu Guang, still in the Qi Refinement stage, this was an impressive sum. There were also several porcelain bottles on the table. Besides the fasting pills, there were Dew Blossoms for body restoration and Qi Restore Pills to replenish spiritual energy—both essential for someone at Yan Zhu Guang’s cultivation stage. Apart from spirit stones and pills, Yun Mi Xue had prepared several sets of clothing. These weren’t adaptations of Yun Mi Xue’s own clothes but had likely been custom-made for Yan Zhu Guang after arriving at Fenghua Xianzong. They weren’t limited to white; there was a variety of colors and patterns. The System expressed, “Host, Senior Sister is really good to you.” Yan Zhu Guang’s usually reserved lips quirked into a slight smile before returning to a neutral expression. She rummaged through the items on the table and uncovered a white jade slip. “What’s this?” The System dared not scan it without permission, urging curiously. Yan Zhu Guang placed the jade slip against her forehead to inspect it, her expression turning somewhat complex, “This is a wood-element cultivation technique.” Though it didn’t compare to the ‘Azure Wood Regeneration Art’ offered by the System, it was a superior wood-element technique nonetheless. For someone who hadn’t yet fully begun cultivating, like Yan Zhu Guang, possessing such items undeservedly felt overwhelming. Yun Mi Xue’s generosity clearly exceeded her expectations.