Chapter Fifteen: I Was the Frog at the Bottom of the Well!

Luo Lingxi finally understood what Bai Yujing meant when he said, "Scripture incantations are the spiritual art I am least skilled at." To achieve such mastery in forbidden spells required an astonishing natural talent. She recalled her time at the Purple Cloud Sword Sect, when she had tried to learn forbidden spells numbered above one hundred and ten, yet had never once succeeded in chanting a single one. Now Bai Yujing had not only succeeded in chanting a forbidden spell, but had done so while withstanding her Bankai and its spiritual pressure absorption. Just how much spiritual pressure did this man possess?

Luo Lingxi could not know, but she understood that she could not continue maintaining this Bankai state. She swiftly raised her hand.

The rain stopped.

No, to be precise, it became motionless.

Liu Shuangling lifted her head, gazing at the countless raindrops suspended in midair, each one clearly visible, refracting the light of the sky like countless sparkling green gems.

A heaviness pressed upon her chest—a heart-throbbing surge of spiritual pressure condensed ahead.

Luo Lingxi stood at the center of the rain, her slender palm clenched tight.

In an instant, the motionless raindrops began to tremble, emitting a subtle hum. Both Liu Shuangling and Tia felt their heartbeats drawn by this sound, unconsciously quickening.

With a rush, countless drops of rain transformed into streams, flowing into Luo Lingxi's palm. In the air, the water currents interwove, weaving a tremendous net of water.

Liu Shuangling saw a faint green light shimmering at Luo Lingxi’s fingertips, the streams gathering and compressing in her hands, gradually forming a great sword of flowing water. The blade was completely transparent, yet within it, stars seemed to swirl, and a deep green light shimmered along the edge. Each droplet spun at high speed, emitting a faint whistling.

Even from afar, Liu Shuangling could feel the chill radiating from the blade—a cold that pierced to the bone, as if even the air itself were frozen.

The clouds above remained heavy, but no more rain fell. All the rain had become this sword.

A deep green spiritual pressure flowed tangibly around Luo Lingxi, condensing into spiraling currents that circled her body, like a floating robe of feathers. In those spirals, tiny droplets danced, refracting rainbow light.

Standing at the heart of the radiance, Luo Lingxi was enveloped in a misty glow.

At last, Liu Shuangling understood why people called Luo Lingxi the Rain Mistress. In this moment, she was indeed like a fairy from the ninth heaven: the flowing water sword her mystical tool, the billowing spiritual pressure her ethereal gown.

"Incantation 119: Vortex of Nether Pact!"

Bai Yujing’s chant concluded.

Boom!

A muffled roar sounded, as if the whole world shook.

Luo Lingxi looked up. The sky above was collapsing; space shattered layer upon layer like broken glass, revealing unfathomable darkness beneath.

That darkness was so dense that no light could penetrate, as if it would swallow everything.

The storm clouds conjured by her Bankai were instantly devoured, and the blackness spread like ink in all directions.

Luo Lingxi felt the ground beneath her feet tremble.

Without hesitation, she kicked off, her body transforming into a streak of deep green lightning as she shot toward Bai Yujing.

Above, the darkness suddenly began to swirl, forming a massive vortex. An overwhelming force erupted, splitting the ground in an instant and hurling countless stones into the air.

She watched as patches of earth were ripped from the ground and shattered into smaller fragments, all sucked into the vortex.

Clenching her teeth, she darted through the flying debris. Each stone whistled with deadly speed past her clothes.

She could feel the vortex’s pull growing stronger, making even breathing difficult. She had no choice but to strike.

Luo Lingxi slashed with her sword.

A dragon’s roar shook the heavens; a water dragon, carrying a thousand torrents, burst from her blade, its jaws gaping as it lunged toward Bai Yujing.

Yet just as the water dragon drew near, cracks suddenly appeared on its head.

Crack! A dragon scale shattered, sucked into the vortex.

Then a second, a third…

Luo Lingxi could only watch as her conjured water dragon broke apart before the vortex, dissolving into countless droplets swallowed by the blackness.

"How could this be…"

Before she could even feel shock, the debris at her feet suddenly accelerated.

Stones struck her like cannonballs, driving her upward.

Inside, her organs churned, blood seeping from the corner of her lips.

But then, the vortex in the sky suddenly vanished—not for lack of power, but because Bai Yujing had cut off his spiritual supply.

At this point, victory and defeat were settled.

Any further would only risk lives.

"Thank you for your guidance," Bai Yujing said, hands folded in his sleeves, his figure as steady as a mountain, showing not a hint of fatigue.

Luo Lingxi landed, her expression complex.

The shattered ground was rapidly restoring itself.

With a bitter smile, she said, "I have lost. Master Bai’s strength is unfathomable—no wonder Mr. Joson changed his mind so suddenly. To think I was worrying needlessly before."

Bai Yujing glanced at Tia.

Fearing exposure, Tia hurriedly spoke, "Sister Luo, it was my fault for not explaining things clearly before, which led to this misunderstanding."

"It’s not your fault," Luo Lingxi replied, shaking her head.

The gulf between ninth-rank spirit masters was vast.

Leaving aside those recognized as the strongest—the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors—even among the rest, a titled spirit master like herself could not necessarily overwhelm those without a title.

Of course, before losing, she had never considered such a possibility.

The one who was naive turned out to be herself.

A wave of frustration and shame rose within Luo Lingxi. She could not bear to remain, so she clasped her hands and said, "It is my own lack of cultivation. I bid you farewell."

"Come back for tea next time you’re free," Bai Yujing offered politely.

Tia did not urge her to stay, but instead warmly escorted Luo Lingxi to the foot of the mountain.

Only when Luo Lingxi’s figure disappeared from sight did the smile fade from Tia’s face.

In truth, Tia did not feel much affection for Luo Lingxi. This woman was neither particularly good nor bad, occupying an awkward middle ground.

But it was precisely this indecisive nature that gave Tia her opportunity.

Luo Lingxi was too guileless to see through Tia’s true face, and was willing to teach her everything she knew.

That was the real reason Tia had chosen her.

She only regretted someone else’s interference.

Thinking of how her carefully woven plans had gone awry from the start, Tia sighed and turned back toward the steps.

...

The last rays of the setting sun glowed on the villa’s pointed roof. Tia’s figure flickered in the twilight, and with a single step, she appeared in the great hall.

"Welcome home, Miss," the butler greeted her, having waited for some time.

He was dressed impeccably in a tailcoat, his silver hair neatly combed. At the sight of Tia, he bowed a perfect ninety degrees, his movements flawless.

Tia nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping the hall.

Everything here had been redecorated to her taste—there was not a trace left of that man.

"Roland," she spoke suddenly, "you’ve worked for our family for many years, haven’t you?"

"It’s been one hundred and fifty-three years, Miss," Roland replied respectfully.

He knew that in great families, seniority was no entitlement.

Especially after witnessing Tia order the burning of everything connected to Joson, he was even more certain that this young lady was far more formidable than she appeared.

Tia walked slowly to the floor-to-ceiling window, the sunset stretching her shadow long.

"I need you to find me a poison or incantation effective against ninth-rank spirit masters," she said softly, but with an undeniable authority. "Keep an eye out for me."

"Yes, Miss," Roland answered without asking further.

After more than a century in the service of this house, he understood well what questions should never be asked.

Tia gazed out at the darkening sky, a cold smile curling her lips.

No one could erase her dreams.

She would ascend to the heavens—and rule everything.