Chapter 175: Yay, Time to Fight the Bad Guys

"Then what about me, Sister? Can I do it?"

Another pair of cold, small hands tugged at her sleeve.

Ruan Xing lowered her head, saw Cai Jiao's ignorant little face, and her expression became complex. "You... also cannot."

"Why?"

Cai Jiao asked stubbornly, "Grandfather taught me that a drop of water in need shall be repaid with a spring. Sister, you saved me."

"I have no kindness toward you," Ruan Xing said softly. "That was just a transaction between me and your grandfather. The first time I saved you, it was in exchange for your grandfather letting the Red Head Gang go. The second time I saved you, it was in exchange for your grandfather gathering intelligence for me at the Six Suns Study. So, you owe me nothing."

Likewise, she owed Cai Wen nothing. Cai Wen had requested that Cai Jiao follow her, and she had not only restored Cai Jiao's consciousness but also frequently took her out to play, allowing Cai Jiao's young mind to possess the happy childhood she had once lost, rather than keeping her locked away for her safety. This was already enough to be worthy of Cai Wen, so she felt no psychological burden in abandoning him as an undercover agent.

And Cai Wen had the same realization. From the day he asked Ruan Xing to take in Cai Jiao, he knew that unless the Six Suns Study was destroyed, every day he spent inside the Six Suns Study could be his last.

"But, Sister, if we don't go back, does that mean we won't be able to see Grandfather anymore?" Cai Jiao's voice in the mental link was slightly choked with sobs.

Ruan Xing had promised her that she could see her grandfather once when they returned this time.

But she was afraid she would have to break her word.

Ruan Xing remained silent.

Cai Jiao continued, "I don't want to let Grandfather die, and I don't want to make Sister unhappy, so, can we try?"

"You don't know what you will experience becoming a Spirit Tool spirit; it might be very painful, and you might not even..."

Cai Jiao interrupted Ruan Xing's words and said firmly.

"Nannan is not afraid!"

In all fairness, if the factor of willingness was not considered, Ruan Xing felt the most suitable candidate was the Demon Lord Xie Feng.

In her eyes, Xie Feng had always existed by her side like a time bomb. If it weren't for the fact that he did not yet understand the specific contents of the Puppet Contract and temporarily needed a place to lie low, he would have rebelled and left Ruan Xing long ago.

But it was impossible for him to be willing. She couldn't even get him to do a simple task, let alone have him willingly die for Ruan Xing.

And among the few remaining people who would be willing, the easiest one to let go of was Cai Jiao.

Because toward Cai Jiao, she only had a sense of responsibility from the promise made to Cai Wen.

After hesitating for a long while, Ruan Xing still refused. "I promised your grandfather that I would not let you do dangerous things."

Pushing away Cai Jiao, who still wanted to speak, she looked at the Hanshan Snow Marrow in her hand, pondering how to use it.

Should she try it with the Evil Ghost in the Triangle Flag first? Those Evil Ghosts had no consciousness and acted entirely on instinct; because of the Triangle Flag's control, they would temporarily obey her orders, which could barely count as semi-voluntary, right? Thinking of this, Ruan Xing used her Divine Sense to warm the Hanshan Snow Marrow, using the method Xu Shengping gave her to shape the Hanshan Snow Marrow bit by bit into the appearance of a Sword.

Because there were no other gold or jade ores to assist in the refining, the entire Hanshan Snow Marrow was only the size of an eyeball, so after being extended, the Sword body was thin and long, only half a thumb wide, and the hilt was slightly thicker than the Sword body, with some spiral patterns on it, while the connection in the middle had no decoration, as if it were flawless white jade, naturally formed.

After the shape was molded, Ruan Xing took an Evil Ghost out from the Triangle Flag, attempting to fuse it into the Sword body refined from the Hanshan Snow Marrow.

However, as soon as its soul body touched the white jade-like Sword body, it let out a silent scream, sizzling white smoke rose, the soul body twisted and struggled, and the Yin energy drained away rapidly. In less than a moment, it had become a withered mass, no longer looking like a soul.

Ruan Xing was suddenly startled, but since the refining had reached this point, even if she stopped, the Evil Ghost would only be devoured by other Evil Ghosts upon returning to the Triangle Flag, so she had to continue.

Sure enough, the fusion failed.

Ruan Xing frowned and pondered, why did this situation occur? Was it mentioned in Xu Shengping's method? She hurriedly searched through her memories.

Willingness... similar... attributes...

Ruan Xing suddenly understood: the prototype of the Hanshan Snow Marrow was a wisp of clear energy from heaven and earth! It was extremely clear and bright, and naturally could not contain the soul body of an Evil Ghost, which was full of evil thoughts.

If it were Ink Marrow, it should have met the conditions for containing an Evil Ghost.

But the Ink Marrow had already been used as the Puppet essence for Sword Lai. If she changed it, not only would it be detrimental to Sword Lai, but Ruan Xing was even more worried that Sword Lai's Yin Soul would not be able to adapt to the Snow Marrow.

She could not take the risk; the loss would outweigh the gain.

Just as she was deep in thought.

Suddenly!

Cai Jiao's hand gripped the Sword body! "What are you doing!" Ruan Xing exclaimed.

But unexpectedly, the Snow Marrow Sword body, formed from clear energy, did not cause any harm to Cai Jiao.

She thought for a moment and understood: Cai Jiao's soul had its consciousness restored by Soul Nourishing Wood, so it was inherently pure, and she had a child's temperament, was innocent and kind, and had never killed anyone or done evil deeds.

Cai Jiao pleaded stubbornly, "Sister, let me, try."

Ignoring Ruan Xing's obstruction, she covered it with her other hand as well.

The Snow Marrow Sword body had already begun to fuse with her.

She looked up at Ruan Xing with pleasant surprise, "Sister, it succeeded!"

Ruan Xing's outstretched hand retracted powerlessly. Watching the white light constantly overflowing from Cai Jiao's hands, the icy cold energy spread outward. Cai Jiao was shivering all over from the cold, and the Illusion Technique cast upon her gradually lost its effect, revealing her own pale skin marked with Rune patterns.

She only asked Cai Jiao softly with a complex expression, "A Jiao, does it hurt?"

Cai Jiao, however, tilted her head and gave her a smile, "I don't want, Grandfather to die, and I don't want, Sister, to be unhappy. This past year, Sister, has treated me, very well. Grandfather said, if a lord treats me as a national scholar, I must, repay him as a national scholar..."

"I am willing, to become the Sword, in Sister's hand. Sister, you must, take me with you, to fight the bad guys..."

Her voice dissipated in the wind. After the white light, her entire body disappeared. On the Sword formed from Snow Marrow, the pure white Sword body had an extra circle of wooden raised patterns at the hilt; that was Cai Jiao's original Puppet essence.

Ruan Xing reached out, and the Sword landed in her palm. She could feel the immense Spiritual Power and might within the Sword, and she lowered her eyes sadly, "A Jiao..."

"Sister, I am here."

Ruan Xing:? I haven't even been sad for a second yet?

Cai Jiao's voice came from the Sword, "Eh? Sister, I can talk!"

This time it was real, a clear, crisp, and truly existing child's voice, not the voice from the mental link.

Her voice was uncontrollably excited, "How wonderful, it's like I've changed, a body! I can fly! And I can, become big and small!"

The Sword body flew up, constantly circling around Ruan Xing.

Ruan Xing felt Cai Jiao's joyful mood and couldn't help but shake her head and smile helplessly, "Fortunately." She truly had not expected that one could still retain their original consciousness after becoming a Spirit Tool spirit.

Could it also be because it was formed from Snow Marrow clear energy, which was compatible with Cai Jiao?

In any case, from now on, Ruan Xing possessed a Spirit Tool! Ruan Xing touched the Sword body floating beside her and laughed, "Then let's set off and go fight the bad guys together."

"Yay, let's go fight the bad guys!"

A Jiao dashed out of the Shuttle Spirit Boat joyfully, flying side-by-side with it!

Although Ruan Xing's plans were largely foolproof now that she had the Spirit Tool, she still ran through a Text Simulation once more to ensure there were no issues.

The Shuttle Spirit Boat soon arrived at the destination.

The group disembarked from the Shuttle Spirit Boat. Ruan Xing sent a Transmission Talisman to Cai Wen, inviting him to meet her in Yunyang City. However, she herself went to that village, leaving all her Puppets and Sword Lai behind, instructing them to follow Sword Lai's commands. She then told Sword Lai, "It would be best if you can injure them, but it doesn't matter if you can't; your own safety is the most important. Those two have a mirror that is a Spirit Tool; if you are trapped by it, even your Ghost Escape Technique won't be able to get you out. Be extremely careful."

After Sword Lai nodded, Ruan Xing let them hide first before she went into the town herself.

Having once again assumed the identity of Li Jinfu, she arrived at the dungeon according to the original plan.

Cheng Zijue had just captured Cui Yurong.

While Ruan Xing put her arm around Cheng Zijue's shoulders to guide him into bringing up the subject of that mortal, she turned her back and slipped two pieces of paper to the struggling Cui Yurong on the ground.

Cui Yurong felt it was strange, but she still took them and carefully read the contents. After reading, she was startled, and then she believed the claims written on them.

Except for her benefactor, no one could call her by her name, know that the cultivation technique she practiced was the Nether Ghost Record, or know that she owed her benefactor fifty thousand taels of Silver.

Therefore, the person who gave her the paper was either her benefactor in disguise, or someone related to her benefactor! After memorizing the instructions on the paper, she quickly crumpled the papers into balls, stuffed them into her mouth, and swallowed them.

Ruan Xing caught this scene out of the corner of her eye and silently praised her for being quick on the uptake. She then let go of Cheng Zijue's shoulder; Cheng Zijue still thought of her as a sincere and devoted Junior Brother and thanked her profusely.

"Think nothing of it," Ruan Xing declined, "Let us hurry and report to the Sect Master."

After some maneuvering, she successfully boarded the Black Eagle with Sun Xian, heading toward the Xumi Realm.

As soon as the two landed, Ruan Xing, as usual, restrained him and went to the National Teacher Palace together. After entering the National Teacher Palace, she sent him off to capture that mortal.

She was not worried that Sun Xian would betray her to the Sect Master after they returned.

Because...

More than an hour after Ruan Xing and Sun Xian set off, Cheng Zijue found the Sect Master again, "Sect Master, that Ghost Cultivator has loosened her tongue!"

"Oh? What did she confess?" the Sect Master asked.

"She said that since we are sincere in our willingness to help her capture her enemy, she is also willing to tell us a part of it first," Cheng Zijue said, "But she wants you to go see for yourself."

The Sect Master stroked the short beard on his chin, "Very well, then call some people to go there together."

The matter of the Xumi Realm was of vital importance; even if this Ghost Cultivator was playing with him like a toy, making him run to the dungeon several times a day, he was not angry. He only worried that missing any detail would allow outsiders to learn of the Xumi Realm.

The Sect Master brought several trusted disciples into the dungeon. Cui Yurong had just asked for paper and a brush, and she said, "I do not know that person's name, only his appearance. I can draw it."

When she was young, she had been raised as a refined young lady of a noble family; while she might not be proficient in everything, drawing a portrait was no problem for her.

The Sect Master allowed her to draw it.

However, a moment later, everyone looked at the portrait Cui Yurong had drawn and frowned one after another.

One person said, "Why does this look so familiar to me?"

Another echoed, "I also feel like I've seen it somewhere."

One person sneered, "Isn't this the disgrace of our Inner Sect?"

The Sect Master was stunned, "Explain."

That person hurriedly bowed and saluted, "The disciples feared dirtying your ears, so perhaps you do not know. There was once a disciple who, at the Qi Refining realm, held the title of Inner Sect Disciple for decades without ever breaking through."

"That's right, this person is someone who used connections to stubbornly cling to the Inner Sect! Perhaps he knew it was shameful himself and feared our mockery, so he rarely came out to walk around."

All the disciples despised this person's conduct.

The Sect Master frowned. He seemed to have heard the Elder Dust-Settling mention this once: a descendant of an Inner Sect disciple had entered the Inner Sect through a servant's quota but enjoyed the treatment of a disciple. However, because that elder had just reached the Golden Core stage, Elder Dust-Settling did not want to make a fuss and gave him this privilege. In any case, it was only for a few decades; after a few decades, when that elder reached the Golden Core Late Stage and was fed to the Boundary Tree, this person would naturally no longer appear in the Inner Sect.

"So that is how it is," the Sect Master nodded and said sternly, "It seems there is a mole within the Sect. Where is this person now, and who is that elder of his?"

The disciples were silent for a moment. After a few seconds, one person said uncertainly, "I haven't seen him for a long time. It seems he was brought back to the Xumi Realm during the National Teacher Palace rotation over a dozen years ago. That elder of his is the one who was on rotation at the time, Sun Xian."

"Sun Xian? That's right, when he returned, he returned alone. Did he leave the person in the Xumi Realm?"

Because that Inner Sect disgrace had such a low presence—even when mentioned, it was only to be mocked for being worse than an Outer Sect disciple—no one cared that he had been missing for over ten years.

"Oh no!" Cheng Zijue suddenly realized and said anxiously, "Sect Master, if Sun Xian is a traitor to the Sect, then isn't Junior Brother Li, who was sent to enter the Xumi Realm with him, in danger?"

Everyone's expressions changed as they considered this possibility.

If Sun Xian was a traitor, yet they let him enter the Xumi Realm to complete his mission, wasn't that sending a mouse into a mouse hole?

After Ruan Xing communicated with the Xian Tai Tree, she began an assembly-line process: one tree drawing Rune patterns, one person crafting the essence of the Puppets.

With the experience from the Simulation, Ruan Xing worked very quickly.

In just two hours, she had already finished two hundred, just waiting for the Xian Tai Tree to finish drawing the Runes.

She emerged from the water just in time to see Sun Xian bringing a handsome mortal man into the National Teacher Palace.

Sun Xian was hesitating whether to secretly summon the Black Eagle while Ruan Xing was away to take the person back and report to the Sect Master, when he suddenly saw Ruan Xing appear before him. He hurriedly laughed sheepishly, "Are you finished with your work?"

"Not yet," Ruan Xing replied casually, then turned her head to size up the legendary male lead.

His face perfectly fit the image of a "pretty boy"—red lips, white teeth, snow-white skin, and flower-like features, with his brows and eyes full of flirtatious charm.

He was not bound hand or foot, so it seemed he was here voluntarily. Seeing Ruan Xing, he did not feel afraid, but instead asked naturally, "Are you also an Immortal?"

Thanks to Zuo Mao Mao Bo He Tang for the monthly ticket~ Thanks to Nu Gao Zhong Sheng Zhou Ying Ting for the monthly ticket~ Thanks to Wang Xian O for the monthly ticket~ Thanks to Book Friend 2024042849_dD for the monthly ticket~ Thanks to Qing Yu Yue for the monthly ticket~ (End of chapter)