The cultivation world was cruel

Perching Cloud Academy, a small park.

As a private school for the elite, its surroundings were naturally beyond what ordinary schools could compare with.

The park's design was decidedly lavish. The central fountain and the surrounding grove sometimes made people forget they were actually on school grounds. Even the grove consisted of expensive red horse chestnut trees from overseas, supposedly sponsored free of charge by a student's parents.

Students could occasionally be seen strolling through the grove, while others sat beneath the trees reading. School ended near dusk, and the setting sun spilled down wearily, lending the fresh little park a touch of quiet languor.

If not for a certain bare-chested boy freely displaying the contours of his muscles.

Hyacinth stared at his right arm for a long while before her hollow pupils finally shifted. "All right, put your clothes on."

Beside him, Yumo's face was bright red, both hands covering it, though she occasionally peeked through her fingers. Hearing this, she hurriedly handed over the clothes beside her.

Hyacinth smiled. "Your girlfriend is so shy."

Jiang Si glanced at her as he dressed. "She's not my girlfriend."

"Oh, bringing her here when she isn't your girlfriend makes it even worse, doesn't it?"

"She's a friend. We were heading the same way."

Yumo nodded beside him like a chick pecking at grain.

Naturally, Hyacinth had not suddenly asked Jiang Si to undress because she was interested in his body.

Only once Jiang Si had finished dressing did Hyacinth prop her chin on one hand and say gracefully, "It seems even Susan misjudges people sometimes. She told me you could jump five or six meters but couldn't step on the clouds, so you were very likely involved with the Witch Association."

While dressing, Jiang Si recalled Susan's earlier attitude.

He did not know whether that woman had done something so unnecessary to get back at him or to clear herself of suspicion.

Still, it hardly mattered. He was not an introverted person.

He had never minded people seeing his well-trained physique. When he got carried away training at the Azure Cloud Sect, he would simply strip off his shirt and train bare-chested until he was drenched in sweat, then rinse off at the water-curtain entrance to the Illusory Moon Cave Abode. Only then did he feel satisfied.

It was just that whenever he lost himself in it, Bingtang would send the other magical girls away.

Now that Hyacinth wanted to examine him, Jiang Si naturally had nothing to be bashful about. He had been ready to strip and show her right at the school gates.

A crowd would not have mattered either. He had absolute confidence in his muscles.

It was just that Hyacinth herself had ultimately felt it was inappropriate and would affect the school's atmosphere, so she had brought them to the secluded little park at Perching Cloud Academy.

"There are no traces of the Witch Association's curse on you." Hyacinth pointed to her pupils as she spoke. "If there were, they couldn't fool my Demon-Appraising Eye. And there's no Calamity Beast magic on you now, either. It seems Susan was mistaken. She's always so careless."

Compared with Susan and Yinlian, or even Yinluo, Hyacinth's battle-seasoned steadiness and maturity stood out all the more.

That was perfectly natural. Back when the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau had first established its branch in Beihai, Hyacinth had been the first magical girl they found.

As a magical girl, Hyacinth's most distinctive feature was her Demon-Appraising Eye.

Starting from New Sprout, most magical girls could use their Miracle Seeds to wield part of their power without transforming.

But without a Miracle Seed, no magical girl's power could manifest in her physical body.

Jiang Si had tested this countless times as well and confirmed that it was an absolute dead end.

Yet Hyacinth's Demon-Appraising Eye allowed her to use a magical girl's power without transforming or using a Miracle Seed as a medium, and even kept it permanently active in her physical body.

As the price, although she had not gone blind, the world she saw was entirely different from that of ordinary people. He had heard it was completely devoid of color.

It was not as simple as black and white, but colorlessness, which was why magic stood out so starkly in those eyes.

Because only magic had color in her eyes.

That was why Jiang Si had cleared all the magic from his body before coming. Naturally, she could not see a trace of it.

At the Azure Cloud Sect, the most basic training was control over magic. Every magical girl had to learn how to control minute amounts of magic, prevent any from leaking out, and conceal her own magic.

Given the relationship between the Azure Cloud Sect and the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau, exposure could easily bring the bureau straight to their door.

This set of supreme introductory techniques was also the fruit of Jiang Si's efforts over the years, because his first step in developing magical girls' powers had been perfect control over magic.

In the webnovels he had read, this was the foundation of foundations. Those with shaky foundations who leveled up through pill-popping and power infusions mostly had hollow strength. Naturally, the Azure Cloud Sect's disciples were held to strict standards on their foundations.

And as the pioneer, Jiang Si's control over magic had reached the height of mastery.

Even if Hyacinth stared until her Demon-Appraising Eye bled, she would never see so much as a trace of magic on him.

He had only been caught at the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau because he had not known the clouds detected Calamity Beast magic, combined with his usual habit of keeping a little Calamity Beast magic on him.

"But being able to jump five or six meters clearly means you've still been affected by magic."

Seeing Hyacinth sink into thought, Jiang Si took the opportunity to offer his stated reason for coming to see her. "The people at the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau told me the same thing. If you're related by blood to a magical girl and live with her, you're more likely to be affected by magic. I wanted to know whether I'll keep being affected in the future."

"The Disaster Countermeasures Bureau has observed some such cases, but it isn't actually universal. It depends on individual constitution." Hyacinth studied him with interest. "But your younger sister hasn't been a magical girl for very long, has she?"

"She got her Miracle Seed very early."

A year ago, around the time he moved up to his next school, he had seen Jiang Keke's Miracle Seed while cleaning.

Jiang Keke had not actually hidden it, either-the information blackout on magical girls in BH City had only just ended then. Few people knew about Miracle Seeds, so there really had been no need to hide it.

Besides, the siblings' relationship had already sunk to freezing point by then. Jiang Si would not ask, and Jiang Keke certainly would not explain.

"I saw it as early as two years ago, so I suspect I was already being affected then."

Yumo, who had remained silent all this time, secretly looked up at Jiang Si.

As expected of the sect master. He could lie without his expression changing. Amazing.

As one of the Azure Cloud Sect's earliest personal disciples, she naturally knew Jiang Si's physical fitness had nothing to do with his younger sister's magic. It was the fruit of effort, day after day...

In her heart, she admired how the sect master neither flaunted himself nor minded having his efforts erased by this so-called influence of magic.

He could also lie with extraordinary seriousness, without revealing a trace of a guilty conscience. Whenever Yumo lied, she was very easily seen through...

Naturally, Hyacinth could not tell Jiang Si was lying either. In fact, discerning Jiang Si's emotions was quite difficult with her vision. In a colorless world, expressions lost many of their details too.

"In that case, it isn't surprising." Hyacinth crossed her legs and rested both hands on her knee, looking at Jiang Si at her leisure. "If you live together for a long time, the influence naturally won't disappear. Still, there's generally a limit to how much your physical fitness will improve. Usually, there's no danger or severe side effects, so there's no need to worry."

"What are the ordinary side effects?"

"Your lifespan will probably decrease because your physical fitness is too high." Hyacinth added reassuringly, "But as long as you don't spend prolonged periods competing in sports, you'll only lose a year or two."

Easy for you to say.

Still, Jiang Si had long known about this sort of thing. When he trained his body desperately in his previous life, doctors had already told him.

Every improvement that seemed to raise his limits came at the cost of his body's lifespan. Moderate exercise benefited health, but extreme training was itself a form of wearing down his body.

Yet to Jiang Si, if he could not set foot on the path of the Great Dao, living those few extra years meant little.

Doing everything he could to prepare, then seizing an opportunity in a death grip when it arrived, allowing not the slightest possibility of letting it slip away-that was what made someone a seeker of the Dao.

"I see. That puts my mind at ease."

After bringing the subject to a simple close, Jiang Si continued, "Do you know about the three Miracle Seeds that went missing from the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau?"

Her pale pupils shifted slightly elsewhere. "I've heard."

"There's a traitor inside the Disaster Countermeasures Bureau. Will that threaten Keke?"

"Don't worry. The magical girl combat unit is an independent department. It won't affect your younger sister."

"No one can guarantee there aren't traitors among the magical girls. I saw someone online say Hyacinth had contact with the Witch Association a long time ago. A lot of people suspect you're involved with them."

The girl immediately covered her mouth gracefully and chuckled. "I see. You came to see me because you were worried about that. You were afraid I'd make a move against your younger sister?"

"I wouldn't dare. You're an esteemed magical girl, and you were the captain of Beihai's strongest magical girls back then. If Hyacinth wanted to make a move, coming here would be walking straight into your net. I only hope you can help look after my younger sister."

"You're quite a caring older brother."

Beside him, Yumo, who was holding her rabbit, immediately wore an odd expression when she heard Hyacinth say that. Her head was lowered, though, so no one could see it.

She cautiously looked up. Hyacinth seemed to have suddenly fallen into thought, but as Yumo peeked at her, she swiftly detected the gaze and looked back.

Those hollow black pupils made Yumo immediately pull her hood down again to block her view.

Like a startled little rabbit.

Hyacinth smiled with her lips pressed together. "With Yinlian there, you can rest assured. Yinlian may be a little young, but she has great potential. Reaching Full Blossom is only a matter of time. She's very capable."

"Compared with her, I'd still rather trust someone more experienced like you."

"If Yinlian heard that, she'd definitely hide under her covers and cry tonight. She always acts very mature, but she's actually quite fragile inside." Hyacinth spoke as though reminiscing. "Don't say that in front of her."

"All right."

Hyacinth then took out her own Miracle Seed.

In truth, calling it a seed was already somewhat inappropriate.

The seed had sprouted, and the faint beginnings of a flower had formed.

Jiang Si's pupils immediately contracted slightly.

It was his first time seeing a Miracle Seed change form.

Yet most of the flower had already withered away, and the remaining petals were shriveled too. "As you can see, although I don't want to retire, the truth is that something has gone wrong with my seed. Even transforming is difficult, and I'm nowhere near as strong as I used to be."

Most importantly, Jiang Si sensed the Witch Association's aura, that murky flavor of polluted magic.

Little Yumo beside him immediately tugged on his sleeve as well.

The Azure Cloud Sect took the Witch Association very seriously, so its disciples were naturally familiar with their aura. Besides, Bingtang had just reminded them not long ago to watch out for the Witch Association.

After taking out her Miracle Seed, Hyacinth also observed Jiang Si's movements and the minute changes in his expression.

Even without colors to distinguish them, she could still barely make these things out if she concentrated.

Still, she had evidently found nothing. His expression was just like everyone else's when they first saw this seed of hers. She sighed and toyed with the strangely shaped seed. "And there's something else that may disappoint you. I'm not Beihai's strongest magical girl, either."

Just as Jiang Si was considering why her Miracle Seed had changed form, and why it carried the aura of corrosion by the Witch Association's magic.

She had already begun reminiscing on her own, her expression somewhat dazed. "I used to think I was the strongest magical girl too. I wanted to protect Jianghai City single-handedly. Back then, my dream was to keep other girls from having to shoulder the duties of a magical girl."

Aren't you crushing other people's dreams?

Jiang Si came back to himself and made that comment inwardly.

Someone actually dreamed of crushing other people's dreams. How utterly ridiculous...

Hyacinth smiled bitterly. "Until one day, I met that magical girl."

She paused before continuing, "The purple magical girl."

Yumo blinked and looked up at her sect master.

Jiang Si's expression remained unchanged as he simply listened in silence.

"You don't know much about magical girls, so it's probably hard for you to imagine what the despair-inducing destructive power of a truly powerful magical girl looks like. My power was like an infant's before her. With absolute power, she crushed every ability I had, and utterly crushed my dream as well."

Loss and pain involuntarily surfaced in her hollow eyes. "For a time, I believed that such a cute, powerful, and calm being was what a true magical girl should be."

Cute was a little unnecessary.

"I really did once consider seeking power from the Witch Association." Hyacinth smiled self-mockingly. "The result, as you can see, was only suffering I brought on myself. So now, not only am I not the strongest magical girl, I can barely even count as one. But fortunately, Yinlian is here. She has great potential. She'll definitely do better than me..."

Jiang Si's tone was cold. "Then why didn't you simply retire back then?"

The girl raised her seed. Beneath the bloodred sunset, the pitch-black seed shone with a rainbow of colors.

Even her hollow pupils seemed to sparkle with flowing colors. "Because I still want to help others, to use this last bit of power to protect those who have none. How could I retire? My power hasn't disappeared yet, so I have a responsibility to protect BH City until I, as a magical girl, am utterly dead."

Draped in the sunset, the girl was like a dying flame, its fierce light leaping again and again.

As the sun sank, it would eventually disappear.

The sunset slipped from her body and mingled with the shadows of evening. Hyacinth covered her mouth and yawned. "So that's how it is. Don't worry. Your younger sister won't be in danger. Both Yinlian and I will keep her safe."

"Thank you."

After that, there was naturally little left to discuss, and Hyacinth escorted the two of them out of the academy.

When the security guard saw them come out, he glared at them the whole way.

Someone nearby was taking pictures too. Hyacinth simply smiled naturally and waved, facing the camera openly.

Only after the two had walked far away did Yumo cautiously tug at the hem of his clothes.

One hand still clutched her rabbit tightly, half her face hidden behind it, as she asked quietly, "Sect master, did you defeat her before?"

Who else could BH City's powerful purple magical girl be, if not the sect master?

"I don't know." Jiang Si shook his head. "I forgot."

He had fought too many magical girls. Who knew which one she was?

Still, he could basically confirm that this Hyacinth really had little to do with the Witch Association.

He could only wait to see what progress Susan made.

"She must have felt so hopeless."

The little tagalong beside him spoke softly again. Looking back, he saw the girl holding her rabbit in both hands. With nothing holding it in place, the wind had blown her hood down, revealing beautiful long hair.

Her pale blue eyes narrowed slightly. Although the rabbit covered the lower half of her face, he could still sense her sweet smile. "Yumo... Yumo is so glad she can stay beside the sect master. Because we're together, there's no despair at all."

"Go back and cultivate your Dao heart properly." Jiang Si shot her a cold glance. "If the gap in strength is too large, you'll be eliminated sooner or later. The Great Dao is merciless. No one will walk the same path as a disciple who's been eliminated."

"Huh? Huh? I-I'll work hard!"