Chapter Nine: Water Brother, You’ve Really Changed!
Bai Kai has always thought that he is quite skilled in dealing with women, definitely at the level of being a women’s friend and a public lover.
However, when the target became Lu Yibei, he realized how different his mindset was when facing women compared to when he was dealing with a daughter.
In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind, and he ultimately made the choice to leave the scene first.
Right before Lu Yibei fully awoke, he completely released the power of spirit patterns, accelerating to the extreme, turning into a silver-white shadow, swinging open the door and “whooshing” out.
The door of the room opened and closed in the blink of an eye. As Bai Kai steadied himself in the hallway, his heart was still pounding.
It felt like a myocardial infarction.
No matter who it was, attempting to hide the existence of an urban legend in the headquarters of the Siye Society in a city was no less thrilling than sneaking into the White House to beat up the founding fathers.
Although this might sound exaggerated, it was true that pulling one thread could unravel the whole tapestry.
Lu Yibei’s dangerous fluctuations of spirit energy, coupled with the house full of disasters, would likely attract spiritual ability users from several nearby cities for a crackdown if detected.
Bai Kai patted his chest and forced himself to calm down.
To him, what he was about to do now was already one of the craziest things he had done in his life.
Of course, the other few things were done together with Lu Yibei’s father…
d*mn Lu Ming, my life will sooner or later be in the hands of your Lu family!
After Bai Kai calmed down his emotions a bit and internally cursed fiercely, a slight, proud smile appeared on his lips.
They say daughters are their fathers’ little warmers; Lu Ming, when it comes to who has a better relationship with Xiao Bei, you are ultimately still going to lose!
Hahaha, who told you not to live a few more years?
Bai Kai thought excitedly, but gradually a sense of desolation rose in his heart. After silently sighing, his eyes moistened.
Then…
“Smack—!”
He slapped himself hard, the sound crisp and loud.
d*mn! This is not the time to be melancholic!
Bai Kai collected his thoughts and immediately began to act according to his earlier plan, forming hand seals, quickly transforming the markings, silently chanting the spell, all actions flowing together seamlessly.
“Jade Tower, Golden Pavilion, Iron Walls, Dragon Roar, Lion’s Roar, Tiger’s Growl, a hundred zhang barricades, the land of prohibition, three beasts locked in!”
“Buzz—!”
As Bai Kai finished the last line of the spell, a low humming sound filled the air, and a tri-colored light of gold, silver, and bronze, wrapped in sword energy, shot forward towards the iron door, slowly merging into it, disappearing without a trace.
At the moment the光芒 of the sealing spell vanished, he quickly raised his hand, biting the tip of his left thumb, using the bl**d to write his name in an elegant script.
After adding a layer of bl**d marking to the sealing spell, beads of sweat already dotted Bai Kai’s forehead.
In such an emergency, casting spells at high speed while adding bl**d marks without letting the rest of the Siye Society notice consumed a huge amount of spirit energy for him.
“Phew—! This is even more exhausting than spending a night with five little internet celebrities!”
“Fortunately, nothing went wrong. Now, it’s time to go buy some things from Fat Second Grandpa…”
Bai Kai supported himself against the wall, glanced around to ensure no one sensed the anomaly, then muttered a few words to himself, his gaze sharpened, turning to walk outside the Siye Society.
According to his plan, the troubles in that room had to be cleaned up.
To ensure Lu Yibei could safely leave the monitoring range of the Huacheng Siye Society, he needed to get a high-quality human skin doll to create the illusion that she was still in the room, buying enough time.
During the time gained, he had to figure out if she could return to her original appearance before making further plans.
If she could, he would use that time to help her return to normal, hiding her spirit energy while planning for the long haul.
If she couldn’t, he would have to use that time to run as far as possible, during which he’d arrange a safe place for her to evade pursuit.
————
Moments later.
As Bai Kai walked towards the exit of the Siye Society, thinking about the costs needed to help Lu Yibei through the crisis, a sharp pain clenched his heart.
After this wave, it might be months before I can think about chasing girls again; otherwise, I might have to contact Aunt Zhang… I can’t, I can’t, I still have a few more years to work hard!
The thought of Aunt Zhang throwing her wealthy five essentials at him sent a chill down his spine, and he fiercely shook his head to expel that nightmarish scene from his mind.
As he moved forward, just as he reached the rusted sign that read “Huacheng Folk Culture Research Management Bureau,” he encountered the last person he wanted to see—Jiang Li.
Bai Kai, “…”
After a brief moment of shock, he steadied his mind and continued walking forward. At a time like this, hiding would only raise unnecessary suspicion.
If only she wouldn’t talk to me. Bai Kai thought.
“Bai Kai? Wait a moment!”
You talk too much… Bai Kai cursed fiercely in his heart. As he turned to look at Jiang Li, his expression shifted to a smile.
“What’s up? Is there something you need?”
Jiang Li glanced at the sun before retracting her gaze, answering in a nonchalant tone, “Where are you going at this time? Has Lu Yibei’s spirit pattern been completed? Where is she?”
“Oh, her…” Bai Kai’s expression immediately turned serious, frowning as he said, “The spirit pattern has been completed, but there’s a problem. Isn’t this why I’m rushing to buy materials to help her out?”
The spirit pattern for Lu Yibei indeed ran into issues, and Bai Kai had no intention to lie; lies would only get exposed, and part of the truth would remain as it was.
“Is that so?” Jiang Li leaned her chin in thought, nodding slightly, and shot a disdainful glance at Bai Kai from the corner of her eye.
“I told you long ago that she should be given the most basic spirit pattern. Overly excessive help is just counterproductive.”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Bai Kai quickly replied. “I’ve already realized I was wrong and I’m trying to find a way to remedy it, right now!”
“Hmm.” Jiang Li nodded, stepping aside, softly adding, “Hurry up, and if you need any assistance, let me know anytime.”
After all, Lu Yibei is also my subordinate. Jiang Li added in her heart.
In this urgent situation, Bai Kai didn’t waste any more words with Jiang Li. He quickened his pace, running toward the exit of the Siye Society, and just a few steps later, he saw a flashy Koenigsegg Agera roaring toward him, stopping at the alley before the Siye Society gate.
Li Xuan, dressed in a deep purple custom suit and wearing a genial smile, got out from the driver’s seat. Upon seeing Bai Kai running over, he waved.
“Hey, isn’t that Old Bai? Where are you rushing off to? By the way, isn’t today the day Lu Yibei is drawing the spirit pattern? How’s it going? No problems, right?”
“Get lost!”
Bai Kai growled, glaring fiercely at Li Xuan as he brushed past him.
In that instant, Li Xuan read the words “your tire is flat” from his gaze, and his face turned ashen.
“You…” He opened his mouth to say something to Bai Kai but saw Bai Kai slam his hands down hard on his beloved car’s hood, making a sound that was frankly grating, before leaping up like a goat, leaving two deep scratches.
“d*mn it, Bai Kai! Just wait!”
“I’ll make sure you see what I’m made of one day!”
Li Xuan cursed as he walked ahead. When he passed by Jiang Li, he momentarily halted his steps, cleared his throat, and said blandly, “Ahem, you saw it, right? He attacked first, so don’t blame me for being ruthless! In the future, don’t say I’m targeting Lu Yibei.”
“Oh.”
Jiang Li glanced at Li Xuan and responded indifferently, then leaned on her cane, limping her way outside.
Li Xuan withdrew his gaze from her, rolled his eyes, adjusted his attire, and headed further into the Siye Society.
However, before he could even cross the Well Courtyard Garden, he suddenly heard strange sounds behind him.
“Crack—puff—!”
He froze for a moment, his face going pale as he quickly turned around, only to see Jiang Li squatting next to his beloved car, hands gripping her three-edged weapon, repeatedly poking at the tires.
As if sensing Li Xuan’s gaze, Jiang Li expressionlessly turned her head toward him and forced out a strange smile.
She truly only intended to smile slightly to show “friendliness,” but having not smiled in so long, the effort felt dissonant, appearing dark and defiant.
Li Xuan’s mouth twitched, his face twitching, unable to maintain his composure.
“…”
“d*mn! d*mn! d*mn!”
“There’s no hope anymore, the Huacheng Siye Society is doomed! There isn’t a single normal person! I’m applying for a transfer tomorrow!”
Li Xuan finally exploded, shouting hoarsely while waving his arms exaggeratedly, striding angrily back inside.
Jiang Li squatted on the ground, glancing in the direction Li Xuan had left, her gaze deepening.
Lu Yibei… she should be fine, right? Jiang Li pondered.
————
Now, this is a big problem!
Farewell, no hope, time to wait for d*ath!
In a room filled with thick black smoke, Lu Yibei lay sprawled out like a letter “人” on the bed, her long white hair and slender limbs hanging down, her eyes blankly staring at the ceiling.
I actually turned into an urban legend at the headquarters of the Huacheng Siye Society?
So the question is, can selling my charms save my life?
What dishes should I order for a headplate meal to seem a bit more stylish?
What posture is best for dying to look good?
…
It turns out that when a chatterbox loses their dreams, they won’t spare even themselves.
————
Five minutes earlier.
Lu Yibei woke up on the sickbed, opened her eyes, and found her mind blank.
I am Lu Yibei, in the Siye Society, and it seems something went wrong during the drawing of the spirit pattern.
Having answered the philosophical trifecta quickly, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head.
Then, scenes of using high-intensity spells to slay an Ifrit flashed before her eyes during a semi-conscious state in a dream.
But then what? She rubbed her throbbing forehead.
Right, I also saw Du Sixian, and the rest… she couldn’t remember anything else.
Right, where’s Water Brother?
Thinking of this, Lu Yibei shot up, feeling something shifting in her chest, as if something soft and elastic had jumped up from her chest and then bounced back.
She instinctively looked down, and the moment she saw that round, white arc, her heart jolted, and she hurried to grab the clothing that was about to slip off.
She covered her chest with her hands, sitting sideways on the sickbed, her glance furtively scanning left and right before quietly putting on her clothes.
Her height, nearly 1.8 meters, had shrunk by about ten centimeters after turning into an urban legend, but surprisingly, when she donned her clothes, they fit barely well, just enough to cover her private areas, while accentuating her long legs.
After putting on her clothes, she immediately sensed an uncomfortable feeling. After a moment’s daze, she pulled open the collar and looked down.
“What the hell!?”
Lu Yibei had seen her body after urban legend transformation countless times. Although she still found it embarrassing to look at, she was no longer too surprised.
What truly frightened her, however, was that there was a sword, half ethereal, half material, covered in crimson light markings, thrust into her chest.
Who could accept being drugged, waking up to find a sword stuck in their chest?
The long sword pierced her body just two inches below her collarbone yet did not exit her back, as if her body had swallowed it whole.
Hidden under her clothing, the remaining sword hilt was sandwiched between two barely visible snowy peaks, constantly reminding one of some unpleasant imagery.
What the hell is this? What’s going on? How am I supposed to deal with this?
Just as Lu Yibei felt an emotional upheaval and began her philosophical trifecta again, a sudden tingling sensation spread from her chest, and the next moment, accompanied by the flesh around her chest writhing, the sword began to merge deeper into her body.
Until the entire hilt vanished from sight.
In an instant, the jagged wound fully healed, leaving only a smooth, white skin in front of her.
The final step of drawing the spirit pattern was completed at this moment.
After the sword merged with her body, an indescribable strange feeling surged within her, then Lu Yibei felt something deep inside her shell ignite, a scorching energy erupting from within, sweeping throughout her body.
It was like being tipsy from drinking, a hint of rosy hue began to surface beneath her fair skin.
As the scorching energy inside her gradually cooled, her skin slowly began to seep some of the disaster essence, dropping onto the floor, and followed by a wave of dizziness that washed over her.
Soon after, she heard an ancient murmur from the depths of her consciousness, sounding as if it were from a primeval era, a hint of red rising at the tips of her hair.
“Crossing the red waters to the north, climbing Kunlun, glancing back at Jiang, with its graceful curves, the water gives birth to beauty…”
That ancient murmur had yet to finish reciting when another voice rang out, overshadowing it, and the red at the tips of her hair faded away.
“It is fog and it is a star, it is her child, and it is the lips that extinguish the fires in darkness…”
That voice was ethereal and clear, sounding like silver bells, inevitably evoking images of a delicate and lovely girl.
The two voices intertwined and collided in Lu Yibei’s mind, until only a series of piercing high-frequency noises remained in her ears.
The next moment, along with a sensation of spiral dizziness and surreal imagery flying past.
She saw towering cyan mountains, eerie ancient castles, old black basalt stone tablets, and more, images that could not be described with normal language or explained with normal logic.
Those images collapsed before her into abstract, complex, intertwined information, flowing into her mind.
Just as Lu Yibei felt her head about to explode from the influx of chaotic information, everything dissipated as if sunlight had struck bubbles in front of her.
Lu Yibei quietly sat beside the sickbed for a moment, piecing together the fragments gleaned from that chaotic information, clearly feeling the special abilities the spirit pattern had bestowed upon her, driven by an impulse to test them.
But not now… Lu Yibei told herself.
As the residual power of the spirit pattern gradually dissipated, she took a moment to calm herself and then realized just how precarious her situation was.
As an urban legend, she was currently inside the Huacheng Siye Society!
Although she had partaken in “illegal” activities over the past couple of months, they had all been done sneakily.
She slapped her face to force herself to calm down and then stealthily approached the room’s front door. Just as she was half a meter away from the iron door, a blinding light flared up on it.
In an instant, the air was filled with the roars of dragons and tigers, and the tri-colored strong light erupted.
Lu Yibei felt a sense of danger from the overwhelming light heading her way and hastily stepped back; the strong light on the iron door faded as she moved away.
It appeared that the room was sealed by some kind of spell… Lu Yibei cursed inwardly at the cold iron door, then suddenly thought of the sword that had pierced her chest, her face turning pale, and an unsettling thought arose in her heart.
In an instant, she envisioned Water Brother encountering a problem while drawing the spirit pattern, causing her body to turn into an urban legend.
Following that, Water Brother made the decision to act for the greater good, suppressing his grief, and stabbed her, no, inserted a sword into her.
Then, mistaking her for dead, Water Brother cast a sealing spell on this room and left to notify other members of the Siye Society to handle the aftermath, thus the scenario unfolded.
Given his relationship with her father, even if the likelihood was extremely low, he might have thought of her like a person who carried his memories and, upon seeing her suddenly transformed into a girl, even worse, an urban legend, might have been enraged and stabbed her to d*ath, Lu Yibei speculated.
“…”
No, no, no, Lu Yibei, you can’t think like that. Water Brother has treated you so well, how could he be so cruel?
At most, he just…
“Clap—!” Lu Yibei slapped her face, forcing her thoughts to cease before they spiraled into the worst outcome.
Then.
She quietly lay back down on the bed, sprawled out like a letter “人”, emptying her mind, as if waiting for d*ath. However, soon, a bunch of nonsensical chatter flooded back into her head.
“Click—!”
Just while Lu Yibei was indulging in the sea of garbage talk, the room’s door suddenly made a slight sound.
Someone came in.
Before the figure of the person entering the room even appeared, Lu Yibei had a peculiar sense, her eyes momentarily heated, and she jolted up, looking toward the corner of the room.
Someone would appear there.
The strange thought had just flashed in Lu Yibei’s mind, and before she could regain her senses, a flash of silver light darted into her view and melted away in an instant, revealing Bai Kai’s figure.
Is this… foresight?
A jolt went through Lu Yibei, and before she could gather her thoughts, Bai Kai threw something her way.
“Put it on!” Bai Kai commanded.
Involuntarily, Lu Yibei caught it with both hands, only to realize it was an outrageously short floral body-hugging dress.
Lu Yibei, “???”
What does this mean?
Even though you discovered my life-and-d*ath secret, you can’t just toy with me like this!?
You’re my godfather, not that kind of “godfather”!
Lu Yibei grumbled inwardly, feeling aggrieved. “Water Brother, I misjudged you. I always thought you treated women as work, and men were your true love. I never expected…”
“Stop talking! There’s more! I borrowed all these from the girls in the club!” Bai Kai added, tossing a few more things her way.
“Thud!”
Lu Yibei looked towards the sounds of those items hitting the floor and saw eyeshadow, eyebrow pencils, lipsticks, and a pair of slender, high-heeled red-bottomed shoes.
“…”
Water Brother, you’ve changed. You really have… You never used to…
“Hurry up, do you still want to live and leave the Siye Society?”
“Of course…”
Lu Yibei bit her red lip, responding weakly.
“Then are you putting it on?”
“…”
Her gaze struggled for a moment, Lu Yibei gritted her teeth.
“I’ll wear it!”
