After Transmigrating into a Book as a Cannon Fodder Character, The System Turned out to be Completely Unreliable! - Chapter 49

Chapter 49 – Lotus Pavilion (Part 1)

Lan Mushu looked up at her and said, “Children are often more emotional. Don’t take it personally.”

Ye Lingxi stuck out her tongue, while Ji Fuyu clenched her fists.

Jing blocked her, “Your Majesty, please don’t.”

Ji Fuyu was pulled back by his voice, forcing herself to lower her arm. “Hmph! I’ll deal with you properly later.”

Jing let out a sigh of relief.

These two little tyrants…

After much difficulty, the group arrived in a small town. As they walked down the streets, many people dashed around recklessly, running right past them.

Someone bumped into Ye Lingxi, and she reflexively grabbed the bearded man who had collided with her. He was holding something that glimmered and flickered in his arms.

“Mister, do you even know you just bumped into me?” Ye Lingxi wanted an apology, but the man shouted at her instead.

“Get lost!” He flung her aside with force, and Ji Fuyu caught her, glancing coldly at the man.

Ye Lingxi thanked her. “Thank you.”

Ji Fuyu said nothing.

Lan Mushu came over and asked, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Ye Lingxi replied, her face full of grievance.

Ji Fuyu moved her aside. “Causing trouble for no reason.”

Ye Lingxi flared up. “What do you mean I caused trouble?! He clearly ran into me. Am I not allowed to stand up for myself?”

“Stand up for yourself? Do you think he even cares about what you say?” Ji Fuyu scoffed.

“You!” Ye Lingxi didn’t want to argue anymore and stormed off. “I don’t want to talk to you anymore!”

Jing said, “Your Majesty, I think she’s angry?”

“So what? She’s always so temperamental.”

“But Your Majesty, what she said wasn’t wrong. He did bump into her first.”

Ji Fuyu puffed out her cheeks. “You’ve been talking a lot lately. Are you trying to lose that beak of yours?”

Jing quickly covered his beak with his claws, making for a comical sight.

They arrived at an inn, where the owner told them, “There are no rooms left. Try somewhere else.”

At first, they thought it was a coincidence or that the town was unusually busy, but every single inn said the same thing. By the time they reached the last one, they couldn’t take it anymore and grabbed the innkeeper.

“What’s going on here? Why does no one have any rooms?” Ye Lingxi was suspicious—there was no way all the inns just happened to be fully booked.

The innkeeper waved them off. “Go, go, don’t bother me.”

Ye Lingxi slammed the table. “There’s clearly no one here! Why won’t you let us stay?” The place was completely quiet, lacking any sign of life.

They had been walking all day and were exhausted. They just wanted to rest and look for Fu Guang tomorrow in the town.

The innkeeper repeated himself. “This inn has no available space. Period.”

“Ridiculous.” Ye Lingxi grabbed his abacus and wouldn’t let go. “Why won’t you let us stay? We’re paying customers!”

The innkeeper looked at her stubborn stance and finally gave in. “If you have crystal stones, you can stay.”

“What? Crystal stones?”

“That’s right.”

“But didn’t someone already take all the crystal stones?” Ye Lingxi asked curiously.

Lan Mushu heard the word ‘crystal stone’ and stepped forward as well. “Yeah, what’s going on?”

The innkeeper explained, “Silver isn’t accepted here. Only crystal stones.”

“Why do you only accept crystal stones?”

“Because our pavilion master said so—without crystal stones, no food, no lodging.”

“But weren’t crystal stones only available in Rong Nation? Why are they showing up in this town now?”

The innkeeper replied, “That was over a hundred years ago. Now our pavilion master makes the rules.”

“Who’s your pavilion master?”

“Of course, the leader of our Lotus Town.”

“Where are they?” Ye Lingxi asked.

The innkeeper pointed to the tallest building. “That’s where our pavilion master lives—Lotus Pavilion.”

Everyone looked over in unison, and they all had the same thought: the pavilion master must be the same person who cast the curse in Rong Nation.

“Thanks, boss.”

They headed for Lotus Pavilion to confront that person.

When they reached the entrance, they were blocked. Someone told them the place wouldn’t open until the designated time. With no other choice, they decided to camp nearby.

Ye Lingxi and Lan Mushu took out bedding. “Since we can’t get in, let’s just wait around here.”

“Yeah, it’s already dark. We should rest for now.”

Ji Fuyu, however, lay on a tree branch, not asleep.

Jing, beside her, asked, “Your Majesty, should we sneak in and take a look?”

Ji Fuyu said, “What does this have to do with me?”

“They say crystal stones can boost spiritual power—so maybe they can boost magic power too,” Jing offered.

Ji Fuyu thought for a moment. “Fine, I’ll believe you this once.” She stretched out her hand. “Lend me your magic power.”

“Alright.” Jing transferred his magic to her, and Ji Fuyu easily entered Lotus Pavilion. Inside, she saw the silhouette of a man in a black cloak and followed him.

“Your Majesty, he really does look like that man.”

“Let’s go. We’ll see for ourselves.” Without hesitation, Ji Fuyu followed. They reached the man’s rooftop chamber, where they opened a hidden hole and saw his face. Black veins bulged from his angular face, giving him a sinister look.

The man grabbed a pile of white crystal stones brought by servants. “Not enough! Not nearly enough!”

“He’s eating crystal stones?”

Ji Fuyu was stunned, and Jing was frozen in disbelief.

After swallowing the stones, the man’s body began to change. His form writhed as he shed his skin. The black veins disappeared—left behind on the cast-off layer.

“Ew, that’s disgusting,” Jing muttered, then looked at his own feathers. “Thankfully, I’m good-looking.”

Ji Fuyu: “…”

“Now’s not the time for that. Do you know what’s going on?” the tiny Ji Fuyu asked.

Jing replied, “No idea. But one thing’s certain—crystal stones really can increase spiritual power and cultivation.”

“Good. Then I have nothing to worry about.”

After the man left, Ji Fuyu used Jing’s magic to transform into a red-black mist and floated down. She examined the freshly shed skin closely. “He doesn’t look old. Seems human, but… not quite.”

“I feel the same,” Jing agreed.

“Someone’s coming,” Jing warned, and Ji Fuyu immediately cloaked herself.

The man from earlier returned, sat in a chair, and drank a thick black mist from a container.

“What the—? He’s drinking that?” Jing gasped, though only they could hear it.

Ji Fuyu asked, “What is it?”

Jing replied, “That’s something only the Wu Clan drinks—it keeps them eternally youthful.”

“Wu Clan?”

“Yes.”

“Why have I never heard of this clan?”

Jing explained, “It goes way back. When Moonlight High Deity had just ascended, the Wu Clan were her subordinates. But they were greedy, never satisfied, and always scheming. Many civilians were harmed by them, so people prayed to the deity to stop them.”

“They’re experts in witchcraft—controlling others, manipulating, cursing. Everyone hated them. I should’ve realized it sooner,” Jing said, slapping his own head.

“Everyone hated them? What happened in the end?”

“In the end, Moonlight High Deity exiled the entire clan to a remote mountain. They couldn’t leave without her permission. After her fall, they must’ve secretly slipped out.”

“Why secretly?”

“Because they feared her. Even if she had fallen, there was always the possibility she could return. No one dared to risk it. Isn’t it the same for you?”

Ji Fuyu: “…”

“Enough. Shut your mouth.” Ji Fuyu pouted.

“Lian Qi!” A woman called as she approached the man.

Lian Qi looked annoyed. “What are you doing here?” He was still recovering from shedding his skin.

Mu Yun said, “I’m just worried about you.”

Lian Qi sneered, “Worried about me? Or my body?”

Mu Yun was speechless. “I…”

“You’re now the only royal bloodline of our Wu Clan. Of course I’m worried about you.” She moved close to him.

Lian Qi shoved her away in disgust. “Get lost! Don’t let me see that disgusting face again.” He grabbed her chin. “You climbed into my father’s bed before. Now he’s dead, and I’m king. You want to climb into mine too?”

His grip was so strong Mu Yun’s jaw was nearly crushed.

The two hidden onlookers were stunned. Jing couldn’t help letting out a laugh without masking it with magic—and they heard it.

Lian Qi flung Mu Yun aside and shouted, “Who’s there?!” He stood up and unleashed witchcraft, symbols flying through the room.

Ji Fuyu knew things were bad and bolted. Jing used his magic to safely get them out.

Lian Qi, finding no one inside, fumed. He turned on Mu Yun, furious. “Was it you?!”

“No! Your Majesty, I swear it wasn’t me! I wouldn’t dare laugh at you!”

Lian Qi gritted his teeth and kicked her twice. “You? You’re capable of anything. And now you won’t even admit to laughing?!”

“Ahhh—!” Mu Yun’s scream echoed throughout the Lotus Pavilion.

Nearby, Ye Lingxi was startled awake. She looked up and saw Ji Fuyu lying on a tree branch. Ji Fuyu flipped over and went right back to sleep.