MYDISCWAN (GL) (GXG) (GIRLXGIRL)

34

　　
Though her disciple looked docile, she was the ancient witch after all. She was ruthless and cruel by nature, that was something that couldn’t be wiped clean no matter what she did.
　　
Di Jiufeng was very worried. When her reason was collapsing like that, would she do some sort of terribly vicious thing? It was not because of her compassionate heart, or worry that it would trigger a reformation mission from the System. In this second, Di Jiufeng’s heart was so pure even she didn’t dare to believe––––
　　
She was just worried for Ning Guang! Worried that she would lose control and cause a disaster, worried that she would have no peaceful days to live in the future.
　　
Thinking of this, Di Jiufeng also began to panic. She gripped the item in her hand, only wishing to finish the task Third Lady Que had given her as fast as possible in order to leave Shen City a bit faster and go look for Ning Guang.
　　
Looking all around, she saw a stream crossing from east to west in the north, three or four meters across, traversed by a small wooden bridge. This was the road to the inside. For her disciple, Di Jiufeng did not hesitate, walking over with large steps.
　　
The river path was not long, and Di Jiufeng soon arrived.
　　
Past the bridge was a bamboo forest, a narrow and secluded little path, winding until it disappeared in the depths of the bamboo forest.
　　
Di Jiufeng wanted to walk in, but at this time, the System appeared with a “beep”. It was in a hurry, flat electronic voice crackling with static. “Host, host, the ancient witch killed so many people. By the settings of the reformation program, this should automatically affect the main mission, but you have already failed your mission. Not only will your mission progress bar always fall short a bit, you will also receive a punishment by electric shock.”
　　
Hearing the System’s voice, Di Jiufeng’s first reaction was not to worry about what sort of punishment would she suffer, but that Ning Guang really had killed someone!
　　
Right away, she got agitated, her expression so fierce it made the System tremble in fear.
　　
“What rotten program is this? I wasn’t there, and you dare let Ning Guang kill people! Didn’t you say I was the one to respond to disaster? With a setup like this, how do you want me to dissolve her sin of murder!”
　　
Its soft and gullible host not only had the ancient witch as backing, now she had even been corrupted by the ancient witch. The System felt it’s little heart shatter into dregs. It would never get the chance to turn over again, it could only be a withered, despairing, obedient little salted fish.
　　
The System shook, falling on the ground and wailing. “The program wasn’t set by me, I’ve already done my best to learn hacking techniques. Though I still can’t change the program for now, I can control punishment by lightning, see, see.”
　　
With a “ci-liu”, it tossed a virtual image of a matchstick man into Di Jiufeng’s hand.
　　
The System stretched out its short little hands, and the thunderbolt which should have struck Di Jiufeng became a sword glare, shooting straight out.
　　
Half of the bamboo forest was burnt to a crisp, dusky ash piteously floating into the air.
　　
“Host, host, aren’t I quite impressive?” Thickening its face, the System asked for praise.
　　
Di Jiufeng looked askance at it, then said in a scornful voice, “If you were impressive, you would have brought Ning Guang in here. Just letting her kill people like this, aren’t you deliberately having her become the cultivation world’s common enemy?”
　　
The System collapsed to the ground, sorrow flowing in rivers. It really did annoy its host, still so unkind to a System so handsome and so adorable, a System that even knew how to play cute.
　　
“I, I, I, I can’t do that ah…”
　　
The System wept, “The ancient witch has to walk the main plotline of world destruction. Before she finishes walking the main plotline, no one can control her, even the System can not. How she wants to kill people, how many people she wants to kill, it’s all up to her. The System can only remind you to stop her, but I cannot do anything myself, and now, the main plotline is not progressing according to the program setup, even if I wanted to warn you ahead of time I couldn’t tell you anything.”
　　
The System was very tired, but it didn’t dare offend its honorable host for fear that she might make the ancient witch come beat it up, the fox exploiting the tiger’s might.
　　
Therefore, even though the System felt it was being attacked, it could not say so. It still had to thicken its face and assuage its host. “In fact, you don’t need to be too worried. The ancient witch is this world’s main character. Before she walks the path of world destruction, no one can take her life. You don’t have to worry, nothing will happen to her.”
　　
Di Jiufeng had known this all along. Ning Guang’s life would not be in danger. But, how could this be as simple as not dying?
　　
This was the person she had watched grow up. This was the person she singularly held in her heart. She not only wanted Ning Guang to survive, she wanted her to live a better life, live her whole life following the current with a tail wind, never needing to suffer those torments and pains ever again.
　　
But now, the main plotline had been walked, the people had been killed, and Di Jiufeng did not have the power to go against the heavens and change fate. She could only look on in hope that Ning Guang’s identity would not be discovered, that the crucial information would not end up in others’ hands.
　　
“Forget it, I already knew you were useless. I can’t hope for something from you, go back and wait.”
　　
After dismissing the System, Di Jiufeng continued to walk towards the inside. She wanted to fly on her sword, but this Shen City really was strange. Inside, she couldn’t feel her connection to Hong Shang. With no better choice, Di Jiufeng could only rely on her two legs, jogging towards the inside. The little path through the bamboo forest was very long. Inside, Di Jiufeng turned two corners and walked for quite a while, before she finally saw the end.
　　
Then, the view suddenly opened up before her––––
　　

Crimson cotton tree flowers, tree after tree, burned through the entire gentle slope, hiding the white jade pavilion in the forest. Like a jasper palace on the moon in the middle of an immortal forest and sea of fog, it was beautiful like something out of this world.
　　
Di Jiufeng looked over. Her gaze was not seized by that universe of jade, but fell on the lone grave in front of the little pavilion.
　　
It was only a handful of yellow soil, without even a tablet to mark it, standing there all alone. Other than some parts sorrow, the scene held unspeakable regret without end.
　　
Di Jiufeng walked over, placing the dudou and hairpin in her hands onto the grave. She looked for a long while, respectfully paid three bows, then said in a whisper, “I saw Third Lady Que beside the Zhuanlun pillar. She was suffering, always trying to repent. She wanted me to tell you, she was wrong…”
　　
“What wrong was there, I never blamed her…”
　　
Di Jiufeng had not finished when a faint sigh came from the grave. It was a gentle voice, making one feel tranquil like a Buddhist chant. “In things like emotion, there was never right and wrong, only willing and unwilling. As for she and I, it could only be said that our fate was so. I never blamed Third Lady, it was she who was unwilling to forgive herself, but now…”
　　
Pausing, a puff of cold air then circled twice around Di Jiufeng.
　　
The person in the grave slowly transformed into a stream of gentle golden light, coiled on top of the yellow soil. “I was always waiting for her. I’ve waited for so many years, even my soul has nearly scattered completely. I thought I would never see her again, I never thought she would be willing to let you come. She let go, what did you do to make her be willing to let go of her lingering desire?”
　　
Di Jiufeng thought. Just when she was about to reply, she suddenly heard an indistinct call come from the horizon.
　　
––––A-Feng… Shifu…
　　
That was Ning Guang’s voice. Ning Guang was calling for her. This faint, nearly inaudible sound made Di Jiufeng’s entire person come alive like a shock to her heart. She looked all around, unspeakable urgency and joy in her bright peach-flower eyes.
　　
“So it’s like that…”
　　
Not only Di Jiufeng, but also the person in the grave heard Ning Guang’s voice. She suddenly understood it all. Circling a couple times around Di Jiufeng, her voice was somewhat conspiring. “You want to see her? But she cannot come in unless I give Shen City’s heart to you. Otherwise, you will be parted between two realms forever. You want to see her? Then answer me one question.”
　　
“What?” Even Di Jiufeng herself didn’t know, the her of this moment was desperate like a fish out of water, anxious to return to the calm seas where she belonged.
　　
The person in the grave smiled, looking at the emotion in her eyes identical to her own like it was cut from the same cloth. She finally murmured, “Tell me, do you love her? Do you love this person outside?”

Notes:

This chapter was translated by Lily.
把柄 (ba3 bing3), lit. ‘handle’, is a word for information that can be used against something. Some nice imagery there with blackmail information as something that can be physically grasped to put someone where you want them.