Chapter 214: A Houseguest and a Riddle
Outside the study of the Cheng residence lay a quiet courtyard. Because everyone knew that the eldest Miss Cheng disliked being disturbed, few people visited this area. It was usually deserted, with only a couple of flower beds, an old tree, and a stone table with chairs for occasional rest. When tired from managing the household affairs, Cheng Yishi would often come here to relax, reading or enjoying a cup of tea.
And now…
A woman with an ethereal aura sat at the stone table, a teacup in her hand, seemingly lost in thought.
She was dressed in a long, flowing robe that revealed her shoulders and chest, her long, blue hair cascading down her back, her face veiled, her aura mysterious and aloof.
Although her slender figure and captivating eyes were enough to attract attention, a chilling aura surrounded her, keeping people at a distance.
And most importantly…
Ordinary people couldn’t see her.
Like a ghost, she had been sitting there for over ten days, unnoticed by almost everyone in the Cheng residence. Even the maids who passed by didn’t see her.
…
“She’s… a bit scary…”
The maid shivered, her cute face filled with anxiety.
Cheng Yishi emerged from the study, her outer robe draped over her shoulders. Hearing her maid’s words, she chuckled. “Are you afraid?”
Her personal maid was usually fearless and quick-witted, always aware of her surroundings. To see her so nervous was quite unusual.
“I just feel a chill whenever I get close to her.”
The maid whispered, “Even with extra layers of clothing, I still feel cold. And there’s this unsettling feeling, as if she’s dangerous.”
Cheng Yishi pondered her words, then said, “I’ll ask her to restrain her aura. I don’t want her to scare you.”
“Don’t worry about me, Miss… You should talk to her. Be careful, she might hear us.” The maid whispered, glancing nervously at Yang Chanzhen, clearly worried about being overheard.
“Alright.”
Cheng Yishi adjusted her robe and walked towards the stone table.
Just as she was about to speak, Yang Chanzhen, who had been sipping her tea, suddenly said, “That maid has absorbed some of your Yin energy. Tell her to spend more time in the sun, to avoid attracting unwanted attention from unclean things.”
Her voice was clear and ethereal, like a mountain spring.
But her words made Cheng Yishi frown slightly. “Is she in danger?”
“Yin energy, if not properly regulated, is like a poison to mortals. It can shorten their lifespan and drain their vitality. Just like your white hair.”
Yang Chanzhen said calmly, “But unlike you, her Yin energy hasn’t seeped into her soul yet. It just makes her more sensitive to things that ordinary people can’t see.”
“…”
Cheng Yishi touched her hair, lost in thought.
It had been ten days since they had met at the Lin residence. And since then, this mysterious woman, Yang Chanzhen, had been sitting in her courtyard, almost without moving.
At first, she had been wary of her, suspecting some hidden motive or scheme.
But she had gradually dismissed those thoughts.
Because Yang Chanzhen hadn’t shown any signs of malice or ill intent. Even when maids passed by, she would just glance at them, occasionally offering a word of advice, seemingly harmless.
Although Cheng Yishi was still cautious, she wasn’t heartless.
Even though Yang Chanzhen’s behavior was strange, she was still a guest. Cheng Yishi wouldn’t be rude or hostile, and she even tried to engage her in conversation sometimes.
But she had quickly discovered that Yang Chanzhen was truly cold and aloof, her emotions hidden, like a deep and still lake.
However, one thing bothered her…
The words Yang Chanzhen had spoken when they first met.
“You’ve been sitting here for days, Miss Yang. Can you finally explain what you meant by those words?”
Cheng Yishi poured herself a cup of tea. “Why did you call me the ‘Lonely Star of the Southern Isles’?”
When they had met at the Lin residence, their hands touching, Yang Chanzhen had uttered those strange words, a name she had never heard before.
The surprise in her voice, so unlike her usual coldness, had clearly been a genuine reaction.
“It’s not relevant to you now. Knowing more won’t benefit you.” Yang Chanzhen’s purple eyes met hers, her gaze calm. “You’re still too weak.”
“That answer again…”
Cheng Yishi sighed helplessly.
She had tried asking several times, but Yang Chanzhen refused to reveal the truth, always dismissing her with vague and evasive answers.
Yang Chanzhen hesitated for a moment, then continued, “I’m not trying to hide anything from you or upset you. But this concerns the secrets of my Mount Min. I can’t reveal them to outsiders. Just know that we have a connection, a shared fate.”
“You call me by that name, yet you refuse to explain its meaning?”
“When your cultivation reaches the Savage Realm, I’ll tell you part of the truth.” Yang Chanzhen’s eyes flickered. “But you’re still too weak, Miss Cheng. You can’t even protect yourself.”
Savage Realm? Weak?
Cheng Yishi narrowed her eyes.
Although she had gained most of her power from Lin Tianlu, and her combat skills were still relatively new, she was confident in her ability to fight even powerful demons and ghosts.
“So you want to test my strength, Miss Yang?”
Yang Chanzhen paused, her hand on her teacup. After a moment of silence, she nodded.
“If you want to try, Miss Cheng, I won’t object.”
She glanced at the quiet courtyard. “But it’s best if you attack me directly, to avoid damaging the flowers and causing trouble for the maids.”
Cheng Yishi smiled faintly. “Thank you for your concern, Miss Yang. I’ll be careful.”
She put down her teacup and stood up, a chilling Yin energy emanating from her, her gaze hardening.
—This wasn’t a reckless act of impulse.
She knew that Yang Chanzhen was incredibly powerful, having experienced it firsthand during their previous encounter. She couldn’t defeat her with brute force.
But that was precisely why she wanted to fight her, to experience the gap between their strength, to understand the true power of the Savage Realm.
If she remained complacent, overestimating her own abilities, she might endanger herself and Tianlu in the future.
It was better to test her limits now, to learn and grow, to glimpse the path to a higher realm.
And if she had overestimated Yang Chanzhen’s strength…
She could use this opportunity to extract more information.
Cheng Yishi’s expression turned serious as she raised her hand, a dense Yin energy gathering in her palm.
Then, she struck out!
Whoosh
Her hand, infused with Yin energy, sliced through the air, a sharp wind rustling Yang Chanzhen’s hair.
But Cheng Yishi’s expression turned grim.
“Your technique is too simple. You lack experience, Miss Cheng.”
Yang Chanzhen had anticipated her attack, effortlessly dodging it, not even a single strand of her hair touched.
She glanced at Cheng Yishi, her expression calm. “But I’m sure you have other tricks up your sleeve.”
“You’re truly skilled, Miss Yang.”
Cheng Yishi smiled faintly, her heart calm and steady.
This was a spar, a test of their skills. There was no need for anger or frustration. All she needed to do was learn and adapt, to absorb every lesson, every insight.
She flicked her wrist, and black threads of Yin energy materialized, wrapping around her hand like a glove, then she lashed out, her fingers like claws.
Yang Chanzhen dodged gracefully, her movements fluid and elegant, her eyes sparkling with amusement. She deflected Cheng Yishi’s attack with a flick of her wrist.
“Ugh?!”
Cheng Yishi stumbled back, her face pale.
“That was quite a move, Miss Cheng.” Yang Chanzhen straightened her back and nodded approvingly. “To control your Yin energy with such precision, to transform it into threads… you possess extraordinary talent. With a few more years of practice, you could surpass even seasoned ghost practitioners.”
“But it seems to have no effect on you, Miss Yang.”
Cheng Yishi flexed her hand, her expression grim.
If it weren’t for the protective layer of Yin energy, that flick of her wrist would have numbed her hand.
“Can you also use this technique, Miss Yang?”
“Materializing Yin energy into threads is a highly advanced technique. I only know the basics.” Yang Chanzhen raised her hand, and faint, brownish threads of Yin energy appeared, weaving themselves into a glove, thinner and more translucent than Cheng Yishi’s.
So it wasn’t a unique technique…
Cheng Yishi took a deep breath, her blood-red eyes gleaming, and a dark red light emanated from her body, transforming into swirling ribbons of energy.
As Yang Chanzhen watched with surprise, the ribbons converged, forming a tight-fitting black dress that accentuated her curves, giving her an aura of both seductive allure and ethereal beauty, like a snow lotus blooming on a mountain peak.
Cheng Yishi lunged forward, her movements like a flash of black light!
Slap!
Yang Chanzhen’s eyes widened in surprise as Cheng Yishi’s hand landed on her shoulder.
“I got you!” Cheng Yishi’s face lit up with triumph, but as she was about to press her advantage, she felt her hand grasp at empty air. The figure before her shattered like a mirage, dissolving into a wisp of smoke.
“What—”
She looked around, bewildered.
Could she also teleport like those demons and ghosts?
“Your strength is truly remarkable, Miss Cheng.” Yang Chanzhen’s voice echoed from behind her.
Cheng Yishi quickly turned around and saw her standing under a tree, her hair swaying gently in the breeze.
Although her face was veiled, her purple eyes were filled with admiration.
“You’ve been reborn, Miss Cheng, possessing abilities that rival even those of demons and ghosts. I’ve never seen such a technique before.”
“It’s not a common technique?”
“Not at all. Very few ghost practitioners possess such skill.” Yang Chanzhen explained frankly, “That Yin energy is unique, infused with a blood-red aura. It’s not only effective against mortals, but also against demons and ghosts.”
“And it seems to hold many secrets—”
Yang Chanzhen narrowed her eyes, her voice thoughtful. “But even I can’t fully comprehend it.”
Cheng Yishi bit her lip, her right hand clenching into a fist, then transforming into a black battleaxe. Her aura intensified, her body enveloped in a chilling killing intent.
“Please allow me to show you my final technique, Miss Yang.”
“Proceed.” Yang Chanzhen raised her hand, her fingers forming seals, a faint light emanating from her as she prepared her defenses.
Seeing that she was ready, Cheng Yishi lunged forward, her axe raised high.
Click
A faint sound of footsteps reached her ears.
…
“Huh?”
Cheng Yuqing emerged from around a corner, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw the scene in the courtyard. “Sister…?”
Cheng Yishi was standing close to a strange woman, her hands on the woman’s waist.
“Yuqing, what are you doing here?”
Cheng Yishi turned around, a faint smile on her face.
“I-I just wanted to… see how you were doing, Elder Sister.”
Cheng Yuqing stammered, bowing slightly. “I didn’t know we had a guest. Please excuse my intrusion. I’ll leave you two alone.”
She turned and hurried away.
“…”
Cheng Yishi’s forced smile faded, and she released the woman, taking a few steps back, her expression awkward.
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