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墨書 Inktalez
"Are you a woman?"
After entering this elegant room, she confidently stated while pouring tea. She got straight to the point without any preamble.
Before I could voice my confusion, Nine Uncle spoke up, "How did you figure it out?" Indeed, I prided myself on my Disguise Technique, which had gone unnoticed by those who were unaware beforehand.
She shook her head, her gaze sparkling as she looked at the chain on my wrist. "I didn't figure it out; it's because of 'Feng Fei.'"
I raised my hand and shook it lightly. "Because of this?" Although the bracelet was indeed beautiful and I liked it enough to buy it (even though I never actually paid for it), there didn't seem to be anything particularly special about it.
"'Feng Fei' is not an ordinary bracelet," she emphasized. "'Feng Fei' is a sacred object of our Maya Tribe. It is said to possess a spirit that seeks out its master, and that master is someone chosen to wield great power." Hearing the phrase "wield great power" made my heart skip a beat, but before I could gather my thoughts, she continued, "I never understood what 'Feng Fei' meant until today when I saw you. You may not appear to be a woman, but you are indeed one—a phoenix." I sipped my tea to mask my discomfort at her disdainful gaze. After a moment of silence, she returned to the main topic: "Ancients spoke of dragons and phoenixes as the supreme rulers of power. As a woman, the phoenix represents the highest authority. Since you are the chosen master of 'Feng Fei,' even though I am reluctant, I must protect you for life, you little brat—no, you little girl."
I coughed a few times, taken aback by her unwilling tone. Once I managed to stop, I sincerely replied, "Actually, you really don't need to worry about that legend or protect me. I'm doing just fine." I certainly didn't want any unnecessary trouble.
"That won't do," she displayed her fiery temperament. "It must be 'Feng Fei' that brought you here to find your servant. From now on, the entire Maya People will be your servants. Besides, I wouldn't want our high priest to blame us."
"High priest?" For some reason, a pair of beautiful sapphire blue eyes flashed in my mind.
She fell silent and suddenly knelt down reverently, saying respectfully, "Honored master, your servant will serve you for life and ensure your safety."
I was stunned; hadn't she just said she wouldn't serve this little girl? So why now—
"You—get up quickly. Perhaps you've all misunderstood; maybe 'Feng Fei' made a mistake. I'll take it off; you can find its true master."
She stood up and watched my attempts with a faint smile, but it felt strange—I couldn't get it off no matter how hard I tried. It seemed as if it was embedded in my flesh; I refused to believe this was happening. "Uncle Nine, come help me." The others rushed over to assist in trying to remove the bracelet but failed miserably. Despite their efforts turning my wrist red and nearly dislocating it, it still wouldn't budge. It clung to my wrist as if it were alive.
No! I felt tears welling up in frustration.
"How strange. We've lived so many years without seeing something like this," mused Uncle Nine thoughtfully.
The woman known as Flower Breaking Child continued to sit there leisurely watching our struggle, her expression resembling that of someone enjoying a farcical play.
"Ah—" I gasped, realizing that this time I was truly doomed. The bracelet seemed to have a life of its own, suddenly merging with my blood, the eerie red color creeping up my arm, slowly forming a strange totem. It appeared beneath my skin, as if it were emerging from within my flesh. I focused closely and was taken aback by how much the pattern resembled the ominous Red Spider Lily, a symbol of the road to death. Several lines twisted upward like vines, entangled and alive, beautiful yet enchanting, as if the blood and tears of a beautiful woman had solidified and nourished it.
No matter how hard I tried to resist, it was futile.
"It’s useless," Flower Breaking Child said softly. "Once Feng Fei has chosen its master, it will quickly merge with that person, inseparable and unwavering. There is also a process where it will transform your body, making you stronger and more perfect, turning you into an extraordinary beauty—one that could captivate nations."
I don’t want this, I lamented inwardly. But no one paid attention to my silent pleas.
As I looked at the bracelet, after a dazzling flash of colorful light, it suddenly transformed into a crystal-clear, pure white ordinary bracelet, as if the vibrant red life force had merged into me and vanished within my body, becoming that enchanting totem.
When I touched the bracelet, I easily removed it. The Uncles exchanged glances as if our earlier struggle to take it off had been nothing but a dream.
I lifted the hem of my left sleeve; the intricate pattern covered a large area above my wrist. Like a tattoo, it was permanent—removing skin would do no good because it had grown within my flesh. My skin had become translucent and crystalline, as if suspended between skin and bone. This didn’t feel particularly strange to me; what surprised me was how unreal my skin looked—too perfect. It resembled that of a doll, which I disliked. However, the old lechers around me were practically drooling.
"I told you it would transform your body into something more perfect. It will also grant you eternal youth, maintaining your vitality until your death, extending your lifespan. However, there is a fatal weakness: it fears cold. If exposed to ice, even you as its master would perish," Flower Breaking Child explained coolly.
"So you're saying if it lives, I live; if it dies, I die," I exclaimed in shock. Forgive me for cursing.
I felt like I was no longer human but rather a monster.
She looked at me incredulously as I sulked. "For years now, from commoners to nobles and even emperors from various nations, everyone has sought after Feng Fei using all sorts of methods to possess it. Our Maya Tribe exists solely to protect it until it finds its rightful master. And you—having received such an incredible fortune—are still unsatisfied. It means you will become an emperor one day, standing above all others."
I replied calmly, "You are not me; how could you understand what is in my heart?" I had only wanted to leave the palace and live peacefully in Jun Jin Villa—sewing clothes, painting pictures and comics, cooking delicious meals. I simply wished for a mundane life without getting entangled in too much conflict or bearing too many responsibilities. That seemed exhausting. But now—
What power over the world? What emperor? All of these were fleeting illusions. I never aspired for them nor would I seize them.
What is mine will always be mine; what is not mine cannot be taken away no matter how hard one tries.
"Enough! I'm leaving!" I shouted decisively.
The ten people, still immersed in the strange theories of Flower Breaking Child, were startled. "What happened? What's going on?"
I pouted slightly. "It's getting late. We've played all day; it's time to head back. Otherwise, your old friends might start worrying that you've gotten into trouble."
I turned to the beautiful white chain of Flower Breaking Child. "Please thank your high priest for me. What was his name again? Murong Han, right? Thank him for me, and I hope we won't meet again." I had no desire to encounter these peculiar individuals again; I had a foreboding feeling that seeing them would lead to trouble.
Flower Breaking Child looked at this strange woman with curiosity. Her masculine attire made her look remarkably handsome, exuding an ethereal quality as if she were not of this world.
In truth, she was not a woman of the earthly realm; she was merely a wandering spirit.
I walked away resolutely, not hearing the woman standing behind me who spoke with an eerie smile, "Master, Feng Fei will bring you to find us. It is destined; you cannot escape it, dear Girl." The last part of her tone was unexpectedly affectionate.
Ah, at that moment, I resolutely turned my back and walked away, swearing never to deal with these people again. Little did I know how entangled I would become with them, especially with that man in the long robe who had beautiful sapphire eyes—the high priest of the Maya Tribe, Murong Han.
He would later become known as the White Tiger King, Murong Han. I even sentimentally gave him a poetic name: "Lotus," because his name Murong Han was too famous across several countries—not for good reasons, but that's another story.
Lotus emerged from the mud untainted, much like his beautiful eyes that were as clear as the azure sky.
Upon returning to the villa, it was already brightly lit inside, preparing for a banquet to celebrate with fellow martial artists. I had always been indifferent to banquets; I preferred to avoid them and sneak back into my room for a beauty sleep. However, the Ten Monsters would not let me off so easily. They hoisted me up without any regard for my dignity and carried me to our destination. If I weren't dressed in men's clothing and being paraded around like this at the banquet, I might have wished for death.
What made me want to find a place to hide even more was the fact that someone who should not be here at all was sitting leisurely not far from Old Buddy. He was gazing at me with deep eyes that held an unusual intensity, almost piercing through my body and reaching my soul.
I hung upside down over Nine Uncle's shoulder and glanced back at him lightly.
For some reason, from the moment I entered and saw him, it felt as if the entire world around us had fallen silent; only my hurried breaths remained audible as we locked eyes in quietude. After a long while, I shifted my gaze away from him as if treating him like a stranger and refused to look back again. My Brother Sima had long ceased to exist since the moment I decided to enter the palace.
I approached the Ten Monsters and claimed Old Buddy's seat beside him without any warmth or intimacy.
At that moment, a familiar man laughed heartily and raised his cup. "Let's toast to our leader! The disciple he has taken in is truly clever and adorable!" It turned out to be the person Daytime Old Buddy had introduced me to earlier.
"Yes, yes," the surrounding heroes responded in unison.
Old Buddy remained silent, simply gazing at me with a wordless affection. I returned his look with a sweet smile.
I said, "Master, the grand ceremony is about to take place, and heroes from all over the world have gathered here. Everyone has prepared generous gifts. What would you like Disciple to present to you?" Not calling him Old Buddy or Demon Child was already showing him respect in front of everyone.
However, that fiery gaze following me made me feel quite uneasy.
"Hmm," he pondered for a moment, seemingly unable to recall.
"Come on, just say it," the crowd urged playfully.
Old Buddy smiled shyly and finally said softly, "I wonder if Firefly could sing a song just for me? A song only for me, is that okay?" His tone was cautious, as if afraid of putting me in a difficult position. I had no intention of singing, but since it was his first request of me, how could I refuse? I couldn't bear to disappoint him.
"Sure," I replied with a dazzling smile and got up to walk toward the center of the banquet.
The journey was arduous; I knew that for every moment I smiled happily, that gaze following me would grow colder. Ice-cold to the bone.
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