Ceremony and Oath
Don't talk about single updates or anything like that. Yesterday it was 7.2k, today it's 9.2k.
Stacy suddenly pointed to the group of dragons peacefully sleeping by the lake and exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? Why are they all drooling?"
Su Ming's gaze swept over the dragon horde. "Yin'er and Gelie have lost the least." He caught this detail, and a playful smile crept onto his lips. "I bet five copper coins that they're dreaming of feasting on braised pork rice right now!"
"If you mention that, I'll drool too," Stacy laughed.
Zijin laughed out loud. She thought for a moment, "If we follow the chronological order, then this scene should be the end of the dream."
Sure enough, before long, the dragons awoke from their slumber one by one, their massive bodies moving slightly on the lakeshore, shaking off a few scales stained with dew.
They huddled together and whispered amongst themselves for a while.
Soon, a giant dragon flew over, flapping its broad wings, and respectfully invited them to move closer.
The three immediately used flight magic, gliding lightly across the lake and landing steadily in the center of the venue.
Upon closer inspection, the Thousand Illusions Lake are breathtakingly clear, resembling a giant crystal that perfectly reflects the blue sky, white clouds, and lush green trees along the lakeside. Even the patterns on the dragon's scales are clearly visible.
Su Ming subconsciously brushed aside the black hair that fell across his forehead and found that his hair had indeed grown quite a bit; in half a year, the ends of his hair had begun to obstruct his vision.
They looked up at the towering dragon, while the dragon bent its long neck and looked down at their tiny figures—a posture that was not comfortable for either of them.
A soft, emerald-green glow emanated from the hands of the Zhimeng. A thick vine, as if alive, gracefully cascaded down from the canopy of a tall, ancient tree beside them, winding and weaving into several comfortable rattan chairs suspended in mid-air.
The three exchanged brief greetings with the dragons before flying to the wicker chairs and taking their seats.
Now, the line of sight between the human and the dragon is basically level.
"After careful deliberation by the council, it has been decided to bestow upon our outstanding member the title of 'Titled Scholar Zijin, Honorary Grand Elder'!" Zhimeng, who presided over the meeting, announced in a clear and solemn voice, "This matter will be communicated to the entire Dragon Race. Elders, please take this opportunity to fully understand everyone's thoughts."
Is this a gradual process, giving the Dragon Race people time to adjust and accept it? Su Ming understood.
"The title of 'Honorary Elder' also signifies the corresponding rights granted to Zijin," Gelie added. "Our cooperation will be under the purview of this 'Honorary Elder' title. This way, if any unforeseen circumstances arise in the future, we'll have room for maneuver and adjustments."
Su Ming nodded, fully understanding this prudent arrangement. Even if Zijin encountered difficulties in taking over the Dragon Race's ruling power and withdrew from the Dragon Race's leadership, it would not hinder the various collaborations between Final Bone Mad Machines and the Dragon Race.
He looked around and found that the other dragon elders were just listening quietly without speaking. It was clear that they had resolved their differences and reached these resolutions in the previous internal discussions.
****
"If the first step goes smoothly, we will rightfully place Zijin in the core leadership position of the Dragon Race," Zhimeng continued, stating the council's decision. "However, we hope you will begin to take over and fulfill your responsibilities now, assisting us in changing the current predicament facing Dragon Valley."
Su Ming immediately understood the Dragon Race's intention: this was essentially a trial period to test the actual effectiveness.
He nodded, indicating that he accepted the arrangement.
"As for the specific location of the land and the details of the cooperation terms, the Elder Council has authorized Elder Gelie to make all the decisions. That concludes the resolutions of today's meeting," Elder Zhimeng continued.
"Let's simplify the land lease matter," Gelie interjected. "This matter doesn't need to be linked to other issues. However, you'll need to pay a management fee of one hundred times the land's value annually!"
"A hundred times?!" Su Ming was genuinely startled by this number; that was quite an ambitious figure. If the cost was so high, he would have to scale back the planned base size.
"That's right!" another burly dragon elder beside him confirmed in a deep voice, "One thousand hectares of land, calculated at two hundred thousand gold coins a year. Ordinary dragons also need to pay a basic management fee when using land."
A hundred times—that's twenty million gold coins a year, which averages out to twenty thousand gold coins per hectare. Su Ming quickly calculated in his mind that this price was indeed a bit beyond his means.
If the negotiations fail to bring down the price, the production base will likely have to be significantly reduced in size, and we may even have to consider opening a branch base outside of Dragon Valley.
Seemingly sensing Su Ming's predicament, Zhimeng added, "Of course, if your business can bring significant benefits to Dragon Valley in the future, we can consider offering a discount, such as—150,000 gold coins per year?"
An idea struck Su Ming like lightning, and he immediately raised his hand, "Wait! Let me ask you something, what exactly is the management fee for one hectare per year for an ordinary dragon?"
"Two gold coins per hectare!" another ancient-looking Dragon Race elder replied slowly.
Su Ming was speechless. So, this 200,000 gold coins was already a hundred times the normal price!
A huge, uncontrollable surge of joy rushed into his heart. In order to prevent himself from bursting out laughing on the spot, Su Ming had to press his cheeks tightly with both hands, his shoulders trembling slightly as he suppressed his laughter.
Could you possibly price these dragons any "cheaper"? Give him some time to work his magic, and he's confident he can take over the entire Dragon Valley!
This strange behavior clearly led Zhimeng to misunderstand even more. She tried to smooth things over and ease the tension, "How about—"
"Is 120,000 gold coins negotiable?"
"No!" Su Ming immediately shook his head, his voice resolute, "Please make sure not a single penny is less!"
With the land issue settled, the dragon elders spread their enormous wings and flew away from the meeting place one after another. After a long afternoon of meetings, they desperately needed a day of sleep to recover their depleted energy.
Gelie, who had flown all the way back, looked even more exhausted.
He entrusted all the arrangements for entertaining the guests to Zhimeng, giving them a few brief instructions.
"Elder Zhimeng will also be fully responsible for the specific signing of the land contract," he said to Su Ming. "See you in three days."
Then, Gelie's enormous figure also rose into the air and disappeared into the distant horizon.
"Why three days?" Su Ming asked, gazing at the departing dragon shadow, puzzled. "Could it be... sleeping?" he guessed with a hint of disbelief.
"Yes!" Stacy replied matter-of-factly, "Elder Gelie is over nine hundred years old. To maintain such vigor today is quite remarkable among the older generation of dragons!"
As expected, long-lived races rely heavily on sleep, and Su Ming witnessed this firsthand.
"I find this all going almost unbelievably smoothly," he said, stroking his chin, still somewhat hesitant.
"Because Elder Gelie convinced everyone with his strength in the dream I created," Zhimeng calmly explained. "He successively defeated eight dissenting elders, completely suppressing all dissent. According to our Dragon Race's council tradition, when the will of a strong person is so clearly demonstrated and gains an overwhelming advantage, the council of elders must give you a chance to try!"
Su Ming suddenly realized that the Dragon Race's "dictatorship" wasn't entirely without its advantages. At least in terms of efficiency, it had an absolute advantage!
****
Elder Zhimeng handed Su Ming a slightly old but well-drawn map of Dragon Valley so that he could find the land he needed.
"If you need to visit the site," she added gently, "I can arrange the fastest dragon to take you there for an on-site inspection."
Su Ming thanked him sincerely and carefully put the map away. He then politely inquired about the climate information of Dragon Valley.
Zhimeng thought for a moment, then turned around and took out a thick notebook, handing it to Su Ming. Opening the yellowed pages, one could see dense yet concise records of some major weather events and unusual phenomena over the years.
"These are just scattered records," she explained. "As for systematic meteorological data, we'll have to ask Black Dragon for it."
"Why was it the Black Dragon that recorded these?" Su Ming asked curiously. "Is it because they have some special ability?"
"No," Zijin replied. "The Black Dragon firmly believe that the rain will damage the luster of their majestic and beautiful black scales. That's why they pay extra attention to weather changes and record them most diligently!"
Okay, well, this can be considered a unique form of productivity driver.
"The Black Dragon's settlement is quite far," Zhimeng said apologetically. "It will take two days to retrieve the records."
"Thank you for your trouble!" Su Ming replied sincerely.
****
Next, as planned, the problem of the dragon scales on Zijin's body needs to be solved.
However, Zhimeng indicated that the Ancestral Dragon Land still needs some time to prepare.
"This ritual requires at least five powerful dragons to operate together," Zhimeng explained. "I need time to gather the right dragons; the earliest we can begin is tomorrow."
"Five dragons are probably not enough," Zijin calmly retorted. "They can't suppress them."
Upon hearing Zhimeng's exquisite dragon face showed obvious surprise. "Among the five I mentioned, I am one of them!"
"I've calculated it," Zijin said calmly. "It requires four dragons to each balance the winds..."
With the four elements of fire, earth, and water, plus a Silver Dragon to stabilize the light element, and as for the dark element—"she paused, "We'll need two Black Dragon to reliably control it."
Zhimeng gasped, her voice filled with disbelief, "The dark power within you has become so formidable?"
"The power of the White Bone Mark is very strong; I haven't even fully mastered it yet," Zijin answered frankly. "But to be on the safe side, it's best to prepare two."
"Wait a minute," Zhimeng asked, puzzled, "What about me? My power wasn't included in the allocation."
Zijin looked at Zhimeng, a hint of seriousness barely perceptible in her eyes, "There's still a force within me—"
A power more prone to spiraling out of control. Only the power of your dreams can effectively restrain it.
Another force?
A scene suddenly flashed through Su Ming's mind. He recalled the fleeting golden light he had seen when he glimpsed Zijin casting a forbidden spell to construct White Bone Fortress in the illusion of the White Bone Mark.
"Hey, what other powers do you possess?" he couldn't help but ask directly.
Zijin gently shook her head. She couldn't let Su Ming know about the backlash she suffered due to her out-of-control conceptual-level Magic Power. It would be better if he continued to believe that steadily manipulating spatial power was a matter of course.
If a problem arises, Su Ming will only suspect that he made a mistake in his operation, thus allowing him to focus wholeheartedly on trying to solve it.
Instead of constantly facing the fear of holding a "super bomb"!
"It's some kind of law power that accidentally went out of control when I was researching it on my own before. It doesn't have a big impact; just suppress it and don't use it," she told Su Ming casually. "Besides, I can't discuss the details, as it would trigger a resonance between me and this law power."
"I understand." Su Ming nodded, not pursuing the matter further.
****
Stacy also mentioned that she had a lot of work to arrange in advance, so she and Zhimeng left temporarily to go about their own business.
Only Su Ming and Zijin remained.
"I think," Zijin's voice deepened, carrying an indescribable emotion, "I want to go see Misaila, and— Atiya."
"I'll go with you," Su Ming immediately replied.
"Um."
The two immediately used flight magic to fly over the rolling green mountains and forests below, heading towards the direction of the home in Zijin's memory.
Spring has arrived, and the climate in Dragon Valley is mild and pleasant. The trees that are the first to sense the arrival of spring have already sprouted tiny green buds on their branches.
Some tree species that Su Ming couldn't name, which were deciduous in winter, now had their bare branches covered with plump flower buds, as if they were gathering strength and preparing to bloom into a tree full of flowers in the next moment.
The Zijin suddenly lowered its flight altitude, gracefully skimming over a winding stream that shimmered with golden light in the sunlight. On the stream bank, several young, colorful dragons were playing carefree, chasing each other, spouting water with their tender breath, their clear dragon roars echoing through the valley along with the sound of the water.
Zijin gazed at this scene, her eyes once again revealing a deep sense of nostalgia, as if she could see her younger self through time.
****
Su Ming followed her quietly the whole time.
Zijin walked into a sparse grove of trees, clearly a place where the young dragons gathered and played. They encountered several more small dragons with different colored scales, their big, curious eyes sizing up the two human visitors.
One of the smaller, purple Faerie Dragon cubs, with the bewilderment of a newborn calf, stumbled and pounced towards them in a somewhat clumsy manner, like trying to flutter Butterfly.
Zijin nimbly dodged to the side, then extended her slender finger and gently flicked the little Faerie Dragon's forehead with a hint of intimacy.
This powerful creature of the future immediately cried out "Ouch!" and fell to the ground, losing its balance. Its two pairs of still-developing, transparent butterfly wings fluttered helplessly, and it began to wail pitifully.
The two of them couldn't help but burst out laughing at the same time.
Su Ming took out the few wild fruits he had left from his pocket and handed them all to the crying baby dragon. It seemed that these fruits were quite rare snacks in Dragon Valley. The baby dragon immediately stopped crying, its eyes lit up, and it immediately shoved all the fruits into its mouth.
Zijin waited quietly for Su Ming to finish, and only continued flying forward after he caught up.
"You're always so patient." Zijin's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible emotion. "If it had been you, not Xiwo, who took care of me back then—I definitely wouldn't have left Dragon Valley."
"Uh—" Su Ming was momentarily at a loss for words. He could understand being given a "friend zone" card, but what kind of card was this?
As soon as Zijin spoke, she suddenly realized what she had accidentally said. She turned her head sharply, her delicate earlobes instantly turning a light blush.
"When I was in school, the neighborhood kids all liked to stick to me." Su Ming sighed, his tone tinged with a helpless self-deprecation.
Parent-child card it is. Si Zai taught him to accept rejection, Zijin also taught him to treat others with a normal attitude.
Zijin subconsciously bit her lip, a conflict rising in her heart.
Just then, a huge dragon shadow suddenly blocked out the light above. Su Ming looked up and saw that it was an adult Faerie Dragon whose entire body shone with a soft purple light.
"Who is it? Who just bullied my Little Zisu!" Her voice was loud and clear, covering the entire forest.
At the tip of her slender, elegant tail, the tiny purple fairy dragon was clinging tightly on all fours, even stretching out one front paw towards Su Ming and Zijin.
"It was them—they gave me sweet fruit!"
The enormous Faerie Dragon paused noticeably, then hooked her tail in front of her, lifting the mischievous little dragon cub to her eyes. Her voice softened, "You were crying just now, not because they bullied you?"
"The fruit is so sweet, I want more! I want more!" the young dragon named Little Zisu cried out immediately.
Upon hearing this, the Faerie Dragon mother's enormous dragon face immediately showed a very embarrassed expression. "I'm so sorry, I misunderstood—I heard Little Zisu crying from afar, and when I rushed to the forest, a group of little ones chattered and told me that two humans had just passed by." She explained apologetically to Su Ming and Zijin, "I was truly rude."
"It's alright, just a misunderstanding," Su Ming replied gently. "However, we really don't have any more fruit on us."
He spread his hands in greeting, then prepared to leave with Zijin, but noticed that Zijin was standing there blankly as if she had been frozen in place, her gaze fixed on the giant Faerie Dragon.
Finally, she took a deep breath, parted her lips slightly, and uttered a name: "Misaila."
The Faerie Dragon abruptly turned her gaze to Zijin. "You know me?" Her golden vertical pupils suddenly contracted as she scrutinized Zijin's face. "Wait, you—you look a lot like her!"
"Yes, that's me." Zijin's voice was soft, yet exceptionally clear.
Misaila descended from the sky instantly, her massive dragon wings creating a gentle breeze. She deftly flicked her tail backward, gently placing Little Zisu on her broad back. She strode forward, her enormous body close to Zijin, her voice trembling with disbelief and anticipation, "Zijin? Is that you back?"
Zijin did not answer the dragon mother's question directly, but her gaze fell on the Little Zisu on her back. Her tone carried a distant memory and a hint of barely perceptible grievance. "You always did the same when you took me in."
But you'll throw me off without even realizing it.
"Ah—I'm sorry." Misaila's voice was filled with deep apology and a hint of embarrassment, "Back then, I was still a young dragon myself, and there were many things I didn't understand—"
"So," Zijin's voice choked slightly as she quickly wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye, "You, like Atiya, have also found a new partner and started a new family?" She pointed to Little Zisu, "This is my sister, right?"
"Uh, actually—" Misaila hesitated for a moment, but decided to be honest, "You don't just have one sister, you also have a brother." She suddenly raised her long neck and let out a clear and penetrating dragon roar that carried beyond the woods.
Soon, accompanied by a Qingfeng, a Green Dragon, its body shrouded in dense azure Magic Power, gracefully landed in the sky. "Mom, did you call me?"
"This is your younger brother, Hyacinth," Misaila introduced, then looked up and beckoned the Green Dragon to land, "Hyacinth, come down quickly, this is your older sister Zijin."
Zijin's gaze swept over Hyacinth's nearly adult dragon-like, mature and composed physique. Her hands unconsciously clenched into fists, her knuckles turning slightly white. "Hyacinth? This little brother—he looks about my age!"
"He's eight years younger than you," Misaila quickly explained. "Actually— Atiya and I separated only a year after you were born."
"Eight years old?!" Zijin was clearly stung by this information, her voice suddenly rising, filled with suppressed anger and hurt, "So back then I was like an unwanted orphan because you were busy having children with your new lover! Right?"
"I—" Misaila tried desperately to explain, but the words got stuck in her throat. She only saw Zijin suddenly turn around, her Magic Power erupting instantly, and her figure "whoosh" transformed into a streak of light, shooting off into the distance.
Su Ming immediately bowed hastily to Misaila, "Excuse me." Then, without hesitation, he activated his flight spell and chased after her at full speed.
Hyacinth landed quickly. He had clearly heard about this sister he had never met, and hurriedly asked Misaila, "Mom, what happened to my sister?"
Misaila looked in the direction where Zijin had disappeared, her enormous dragon wings instinctively unfurling. But feeling the weight of Little Zisu clinging to her back, she could only sigh heavily and turn back.
****
Zijin's full-speed flight far exceeded Su Ming's; he could only watch helplessly as that slender figure shrank and receded into the distance.
Fortunately, his mental connection with Zijin allowed him to clearly sense her location, enabling Su Ming to continue his pursuit. To his slight relief, after a while, the speed of the streak of light ahead noticeably slowed down.
The Zijin even stopped in mid-air, waiting for Su Ming to approach.
"Sorry, I'm not in a good mood." The girl's expression carried a suppressed calm, and a hint of barely perceptible vulnerability. She said to Su Ming, who had caught up with her, "I want to walk around by myself. You should go back to Thousand Illusions Lake first."
Su Ming genuinely found it difficult to comment on Zijin's family affairs.
"I'll stay with you," Su Ming insisted. "If you're feeling down, just pretend I'm invisible. Don't worry about me."
Zijin sighed softly and didn't insist any further. She dispelled the flying spell and slowly landed beside a clear stream.
She casually found a large, relatively flat rock, sat down with her knees drawn up to her chest, rested her chin on her knees, and stared silently at the gently flowing stream in front of her, her eyes somewhat vacant.
Su Ming and decided not to disturb her. He found another rock nearby, sat down, established a connection with Earth, and began to handle his affairs.
Now that the land issue has been basically settled, the specific planning for the base can be put on the agenda and enter the stage of finalizing the plan.
Su Ming switched one eye to view Earth, while the other eye examined the somewhat rudimentary map and notebook in his hand.
Although the records are crude, they contain crucial information, such as the climate type of Dragon Valley, the distribution of major water systems, typical regional vegetation communities, and a list of local products.
Everyone was genuinely excited and delighted by this significant progress, but the planning work for the base was indeed complex. A large number of professionals were summoned to conduct planning and calculations, trying to find the most reasonable and efficient development path.
They also pointed out aspects that require further investigation and understanding.
Su Ming took out his phone from his pocket, unfolded it, and wrote down these requests.
****
Before we knew it, the sky gradually darkened, and twilight, like a thin veil, gently enveloped the surroundings.
Several mole crickets were emitting a low, continuous "coo-coo" tremor in the nearby damp soil.
Zijin's emotions finally calmed down a bit. She turned her head and saw Su Ming intently handling work matters under the dim light emitted by his phone screen.
Finally finished with a task, Su Ming put down his phone and stretched.
"Su Ming," Zijin suddenly spoke, her voice sounding somewhat ethereal in the twilight, "Tell me, what exactly are liking and love?"
This question stumped Su Ming, and he began to recall his past romantic experiences.
His earliest stirrings of attraction date back to elementary school. But now he suddenly realized that he couldn't even remember the girl's name clearly.
He still remembered the names of the people who sparked his interest later on, but unfortunately, Su Ming never officially pursued a relationship with any of them.
"My two mothers fell in love at first sight." Without waiting for Su Ming's reply, Zijin continued her tale, "Their dazzling, world-defying love was opposed by many, yet also talked about with great relish, passed down like a Legendary tale. They endured countless hardships to conceive and give birth to me—but what was the result?" Her voice suddenly rose, carrying a wounded sharpness, "I'm just a forgotten toy! Not some child born with blessings and miracles!"
Su Ming put away his phone, stood up, and sat down on the rock next to her. "Zijin," his voice was low and serious, "I think Misaila and Atiya may have made mistakes in other things, but they shouldn't be questioned when it comes to your coming into this world. Your existence itself is a miracle—this has nothing to do with whether you are a special life form."
A stream flowed gently beside them, its waters soft and soothing.
"Every life is a miracle in itself, and also in the lives of those around us," Su Ming continued, his gaze fixed on the flowing water. "For example, it's hard for me to imagine what life would be like without you. Your companions and family would also be grateful for your presence."
Zijin stretched out her hand and looked at her palm. Her life had been filled with excruciating pain, and she had even fallen into the Abyss of despair, but she had never truly doubted the meaning of her life itself. She created value, felt power, and overall, she lived a fulfilling and satisfying life, enjoying her existence.
The knot of frustration in my heart loosened a little.
"I'm sorry, I didn't suddenly want to get stuck on something or anything." Zijin turned to Su Ming, her eyes clearing after a moment of struggle. "It's just that what happened with Misaila and Atiya is hard for me to accept. The overwhelming sense of grievance is making me especially sad."
Su Ming tried to imagine himself in Zijin's position, but found it completely impossible—so he simply changed the subject.
"Regarding what you said about feelings and love—" He gave a wry smile, "I don't have much experience with that. However, someone once told me that liking can slowly develop into deep feelings, and true feelings are far more complex than just liking. Perhaps—your two mothers, after their passionate beginnings, didn't handle well the process of 'transforming liking into a more lasting and inclusive relationship'?"
Zijin remained silent for a moment, her eyes thoughtful, before finally nodding.
"Let's go see Atiya," she said to Su Ming, her voice carrying a calm determination.
"Um.
Zijin got up and walked to the middle of the woods. In late spring, some small flowers, undeterred by the evening chill, had already bloomed sporadically on the grass. She bent down and picked a few.
"According to local customs, what color flowers should we use?" Su Ming asked from the side.
"Whatever you like," Zijin replied, her fingertips lightly tracing the delicate petals. "Atiya —she dislikes conventional constraints and rigid rules the most."
****
Before long, the two had gathered a small bunch of colorful, vibrant wildflowers.
They took to the air and found a grown dragon nearby, asking him for the exact location of Atiya's slumber.
Before long, the two arrived at their destination. It was a small clearing surrounded by tall, ancient trees, with a simple grave in the center that blended almost seamlessly into the surrounding grass, covered with lush, naturally growing flowers and plants.
The tombstone was simply an uncarved gray-white stone slab with the name "Atiya" simply engraved on it, without any other decorations or inscriptions.
Zijin gently placed the bouquet in front of the tombstone, and then, as if she could no longer hold back, tears welled up in her eyes and slid down her cheeks.
Looking at this silent grave, and thinking of this Legendary being who once dominated the other world and reached the pinnacle of combat power, the silence brought by death seems to be no different in essence from that of ordinary living beings.
Su Ming shook his head vigorously. He had always hated delving into philosophical thoughts about death. But life, time and again, always tried to teach him.
Suddenly, Zijin raised her left arm, and a sharp, knife-like Magic Power glint gathered at the tip of her right index finger. Without hesitation, she slashed down on the inside of her forearm!
Crimson blood immediately seeped from the wound, dripping onto the ground covering his mother's grave, quickly seeping deep into the soil.
"Uh, is this... some kind of ritual?" Su Ming asked.
Zijin slowly shook her head, her voice cold and resolute, "No, this is a vow of blood revenge." Her eyes sharpened, "No matter who did it, I vow to annihilate the murderer, body and soul!"
****
The next morning, outside the Dragon Race's Land of Ancestral Spirits, Stacy saw Zijin's condition and immediately frowned, appearing quite angry.
The girl had faint dark circles under her eyes, and her expression clearly showed signs of fatigue and exhaustion.
"Hey! Today's bloodline fusion ceremony is so important, and you're acting like this?!" She reprimanded Zijin without any politeness, her tone full of worry and dissatisfaction.
"Sorry, I had a bit of insomnia last night." Zijin apologized sincerely, rubbing her slightly throbbing temples.
In today's ceremony, Zijin's role was relatively passive, so her slightly off-center mental state might not have a significant impact. But Stacy was more concerned about her emotional fluctuations. "What happened last night?"
Zijin briefly recounted her meeting with Misaila the previous day.
Stacy was furious. She reached out and lightly slapped Zijin's arm. "Do you know how much effort and dedication people put in to ensure your successful birth? Misaila was only two hundred years old 170 years ago! It was already incredibly difficult for her to achieve what she did back then!"
Zijin nodded, her eyes much calmer than yesterday. "I actually talked a lot with Su Ming last night, and I gradually figured things out myself."
Stacy breathed a sigh of relief, her tone softening, "That's good, it's good that you've come to your senses."
"But," Zijin's voice carried a new hint of confusion as she looked at Stacy, "Will my feelings for Su Ming also be like this? A passionate beginning, and then—suddenly vanishing?"
Stacy instinctively wanted to deny it, but as the words reached her lips, she suddenly realized that her experience was hardly convincing. None of the partners she had been with over the years had been able to stay patient for more than a year.
She was even confronted by one of them, who accused Stacy of seducing and abandoning him, toying with his feelings. It was Zijin "persuaded people with virtue" and came to her rescue.
It seems that she completely failed to set a good example for Zijin.
"Well, I—" Stacy scratched her head awkwardly, momentarily speechless.
"I'm not asking you a question." Zijin's voice became firmer again. "Atiya once told me that if you're confused about something, it means the answer hasn't appeared yet, so don't rush to make a decision."
She subconsciously touched the newly appeared, still-healing scratch on her forearm, her eyes hardening. "I will get to the bottom of Atiya's death; that's the most certain thing I'm doing right now."
"We'll all get involved," Stacy said immediately. "That Su Ming guy definitely won't stand idly by either."
"I know," Zijin nodded. "Su Ming began investigating this matter the very first day he learned of Atiya's death."
"So, he really is—a pretty good partner, right?" Stacy said. "You really shouldn't have missed out on Su Ming."
"I know," Zijin replied softly, gazing into the distance. "So, I hope to figure out the answer in the process."