Chapter 19: Nine Thoughts Pool ( Including Entry V Notification )

Before long, the news of the young mistress’s awakening spread throughout Kongsang. Before Liu Shuang could step out, someone arrived, saying that the realm lord had summoned her.

Upon hearing this, Fu Liu anxiously said, “Young Mistress, the realm lord is surely going to hold you accountable for venturing to the Kunlun Fairyland without permission. What should we do, what should we do!”

What could be done? One could only meet the blade with a shield and the water with earth.

Although Liu Shuang hadn’t intentionally taken over ChiShui Liu Shuang’s body, the events had unfolded in such a way that she had been given a second chance at life. She couldn’t let the realm lord kill her for malicious possession.

If she died, forget about avenging the original owner and protecting Kongsang and Canglan, both ChiShui Liu Shuang and Liu Shuang would cease to exist in the world.

The immediate priority was to play the role of the original owner well and not let anyone see the difference.

Liu Shuang gathered all the information she could, from midnight till dawn. From Fu Liu’s words, she learned a great deal. Combined with the biographies she had read in the demon realm’s library, Liu Shuang was not entirely unfamiliar with this young mistress of the ChiShui clan!

In the library’s biographies, there were only a few words about ChiShui Liu Shuang. It was said that this young mistress of the ChiShui clan was supposed to be exceptionally talented, but she was born missing a soul.

Because of this missing soul, she had been clumsy since childhood. The realm lord’s wife, heartbroken for her daughter, doted on her excessively. ChiShui Liu Shuang’s cultivation was very low, and her personality was domineering and reckless.

As a precious jade of the ancient ChiShui clan, she didn’t live past three hundred years, and the cause of her death was unknown.

And now, Liu Shuang had become this young mistress of the ChiShui clan.

No wonder the fairy maid Fu Liu had so quickly accepted her saying she didn’t remember anything upon waking up. The soul-missing ChiShui Liu Shuang was temperamental but actually had little will of her own, believing whatever others said.

If not for someone’s instigation, she would never have dared to swallow the Phantom Pearl, nor would she have dared to go to Kunlun to humiliate that Jimo young master.

Several fairy warriors stared intently at Liu Shuang, blocking the bedroom tightly, and politely said, “Young Mistress, please.”

Liu Shuang knew she had to bear this responsibility whether she wanted to or not, and for now, she would take it one step at a time.

Along the way, fearing she might give herself away, Liu Shuang desperately recalled the “Kongsang” and the old realm lord that existed only in biographies.

Compared to the “ChiShui Liu Shuang” who had died young, there was much more recorded about the old realm lord. It was said that the Kongsang realm lord was immensely powerful, having lived for twenty thousand years, with a stern and upright temperament, deeply in love with his wife.

During the realm lord’s reign, Kongsang was united and prosperous, like an emperor who loved his people as his own children.

But precisely because of this, Liu Shuang was worried. As his only cherished daughter, the original owner had fled Kongsang, dissolved the marriage alliance, and caused discord between the two great fairylands. From the fact that the realm lord hadn’t visited his comatose daughter for days and didn’t allow his wife to visit either, one could see how furious he was.

She didn’t know how this realm lord father would punish her this time.

As Liu Shuang followed the warriors to the palace gate, the leading fairy lord, probably knowing Liu Shuang was in deep trouble, sympathetically said, “Young Mistress, wish yourself good fortune, and don’t anger the realm lord again.”

Liu Shuang nodded.

The fairy lord looked at her pitiful face, his mouth twitching.

The fairy lord thought: The young mistress is really carefree, born with a stunning beauty, yet she swallowed the Phantom Pearl without a second thought, wasting such a beautiful face. Remembering she was missing a soul, naive like a child, it was no wonder she did something so bizarre, he could only sigh.

Liu Shuang had no time to think about these trivial matters, she just wanted to get through this with her father. Entering the hall, before she could see the realm lord, she first heard his authoritative voice: “Kneel!”

Considering the original owner’s fear of her father, Liu Shuang immediately knelt with a thud, a standard posture of admitting guilt. She looked up and saw a stern and handsome middle-aged man.

The Kongsang realm lord, ChiShui Chong, serious and upright, was now frowning at her.

“Do you know your mistake!”

Fu Liu had said the original owner was timid, so Liu Shuang immediately replied, “I know my mistake, I know my mistake.”

Her swift admission left ChiShui Chong momentarily speechless, then he said, “Even if you were dissatisfied with this marriage alliance, you shouldn’t have used such a despicable method, changing your appearance to scold the Kunlun young master. If not for his magnanimous and good nature, do you think you could have walked out of Kunlun alive?”

ChiShui Chong felt increasingly weary just thinking about it. Luckily, his daughter had caused trouble in Kunlun, where the young master was known for his good nature and, considering their fathers’ friendship, had let her leave safely. If Liu Shuang had caused trouble in the Buzhou Mountain Feng clan, she would have entered upright but likely left horizontally.

Liu Shuang had also had a strict father, and from these few words, she could see that the realm lord deeply loved his daughter. More than her mistake, ChiShui Chong was worried about her safety in Kunlun. The original owner feared ChiShui Chong’s sternness, but Liu Shuang could see that ChiShui Chong was a good father. She breathed a sigh of relief, sure that ChiShui Chong wouldn’t harm her.

In such a situation, given the original owner’s fear of punishment, she would certainly tell the truth, unintentionally shifting the blame. Liu Shuang steadied her mind and immediately said, “Fairy Mi Chu said I could go to Kunlun like this.”

ChiShui Chong frowned, “You say Mi Chu told you to go?”

Liu Shuang nodded.

“Absurd!” ChiShui Chong said, “You’ve done wrong and still slander others! I’ll beat you to death today, you little rascal!”

He raised his hand, pretending to strike.

Accusing someone had turned into getting beaten, Liu Shuang was both crying and laughing, covering her head. It seemed the original owner often made false accusations, and her father no longer trusted her.

Liu Shuang didn’t plan to run from this beating; if the realm lord really wanted to hit her, she couldn’t escape anyway. She didn’t know how heavy ChiShui Chong’s blows would be.

But before ChiShui Chong’s hand could land, someone stood in front of Liu Shuang.

A man knelt in front of Liu Shuang, pleading, “Realm lord, please calm your anger. The young mistress is still young and inexperienced. It’s Zhuixu who failed to watch over her, leading to this disaster. Zhuixu is willing to take the punishment in her stead.”

ChiShui Chong said, “Zhuixu, this matter has nothing to do with you, step aside.”

Bai Zhuixu remained silent, not moving an inch. ChiShui Chong, helpless against his stubborn nature, flicked his sleeve and said, “ChiShui Liu Shuang, go to the Nine Thoughts Pool and reflect. You’re not allowed out until you break through in your cultivation!”

Bai Zhuixu frowned, about to say something, but ChiShui Chong cut him off, “If you say one more word for her, you’ll kneel in there too.”

Bai Zhuixu kowtowed, without hesitation, “Zhuixu will accompany the young mistress in accepting the punishment.”

ChiShui Chong waved his hand, signaling them to leave quickly, out of sight and out of mind.

Liu Shuang was helped up by Bai Zhuixu and taken outside the hall. She looked at the man in front of her, his robe embroidered with green bamboo, feeling quite embarrassed. She had been prepared to be punished alone, but now she had dragged someone else into it.

Bai Zhuixu’s voice was familiar; it was the one who had pleaded with the realm lord to dissolve the marriage alliance while she was unconscious.

Seeing the guilt in Liu Shuang’s eyes, Bai Zhuixu smiled gently, “Don’t be afraid, Zhuixu will accompany you.”

Before Liu Shuang could respond, a scornful voice chimed in, “She’s so foolish, by the time she realizes and breaks through, it might be a hundred years later. Brother, are you really going to accompany her, locked in the Nine Thoughts Pool for a hundred years?”

“Yu Xiao, don’t speak of the young mistress like that!”

Liu Shuang turned to see a youth flying down from a tree. He smiled maliciously, pinching her now ugly cheek, “ChiShui Liu Shuang, go accept your punishment alone, don’t drag my brother into it!”

Liu Shuang looked at him, and immediately knew who he was.

She slapped his hand away with full force. Did he think her face was dough, almost pulling her skin off with his pinch? It hurt terribly.

Liu Shuang said, “I won’t involve others, stop touching me.”

Bai Yu Xiao’s expression was strange, deeply surprised. ChiShui Liu Shuang’s courage was smaller than a mouse’s; the Nine Thoughts Pool was pitch black, with only a lotus seat inside. Without someone accompanying her, did she really have the courage to be locked in there until her breakthrough?

Liu Shuang rubbed her face and said to Bai Zhuixu, “Thank you, but there’s really no need to accompany me inside. If it’s convenient, could you just take me there?”

Bai Zhuixu looked at her with concern. He never refused the young mistress, and hearing her words, he immediately nodded, “If you’re scared, call for me anytime.”

Bai Yu Xiao snorted.

The Nine Thoughts Pool was bottomless, its entrance pitch black, like a black hole ready to devour people. Fortunately, Liu Shuang had been in the Blood Sea of the Ghost Realm before, so such a quiet place for reflection wasn’t too hard to endure.

The two brothers brought her to the entrance of the Nine Thoughts Pool, one looking worried, the other gleeful.

Bai Yu Xiao: “What? Don’t dare to go in? Want me to give you a kick to send you down, since you caused trouble and slandered Mi Chu?”

Liu Shuang ignored him, treating him like air. She had just arrived, as a soul that had scattered and unexpectedly reunited, being given a second chance at life was something she was deeply grateful for.

Liu Shuang turned and bowed to Bai Zhuixu, thanking him for his plea, then stepped into the Nine Thoughts Pool.

After all, the realm lord hadn’t severely punished her, just asked her to cultivate. What seemed like the end of the world to the original owner was nothing much of a punishment to Liu Shuang. It even gave her time to figure out how to adapt to her new identity.

Seeing Liu Shuang’s back disappear into the entrance, Bai Yu Xiao’s face darkened.

He felt very uncomfortable but couldn’t articulate why. This little young mistress was foolish and clumsy, easily provoked. In the past, if he taunted her, she would practically pounce on him to tear him apart. But this time, she had no reaction, even bowed to Bai Zhuixu.

Her graceful bow had an indescribable elegance.

Bai Yu Xiao felt awkward, sneering inwardly, with that ugly face, anything she did would look bad!

Bai Zhuixu also stood still for a while, then smiled slightly, saying with relief, “The young mistress has grown up.”

Bai Yu Xiao retorted to his elder brother, “Don’t look so smitten, or people might think you’ve fallen for an ugly creature!”

“Yu Xiao, don’t talk nonsense.”

“Which part is nonsense? That you’ve fallen for her, or that she’s ugly?”

Bai Zhuixu silently drew his sword, staring at his brother. Bai Yu Xiao stepped back, pouting, “Old fuddy-duddy, no fun.”

They argued outside, unaware that Liu Shuang couldn’t hear them; she had already fully entered the Nine Thoughts Pool.

Inside the Nine Thoughts Pool, it was pitch black, just as Bai Zhuixu had said, with nothing but a cold pool and a large lotus seat.

She focused, thinking this setup was very much like the Blood Sea used to imprison people in the Ghost Realm, though the Blood Sea was far more terrifying.

Liu Shuang flew onto the lotus seat and sat down cross-legged.

Failing to expose Mi Chu didn’t discourage her; after all, there was plenty of time. From the reactions of the people in Kongsang, Liu Shuang could see that Mi Chu was quite popular in Kongsang.

The situation was unfavorable for the original owner.

Although the original owner had many people protecting her, because she was born missing a soul, everyone’s gaze towards her was tinged with pity.

As a young mistress, because of her weakness, there was no genuine respect from others. It was likely that the original owner felt a deep sense of helplessness and loss.

Mi Chu harming the original owner, spoken from her own mouth, would not be believed by anyone.

No matter, Liu Shuang took a deep breath, taking it step by step. First, protect herself and settle down in the fairyland.

The cold pool’s mist curled upwards, and Liu Shuang closed her eyes to focus her qi. From waking up until now, she hadn’t had the chance to properly examine the condition of this body.

Now, inside the Nine Thoughts Pool, she finally had the opportunity to settle down.

Liu Shuang carefully combed through her meridians and was surprised to find that the original owner’s foundation was actually quite good, much more suited for cultivation than her own previous body. However, due to the missing soul, cultivation had been twice the effort for half the result, making it very strenuous.

Over time, the original owner’s self-esteem had suffered, and she was reluctant to cultivate.

Now that the body had a different soul, what was missing seemed to suddenly be complete. She had only meditated for a short while but felt an indescribable sense of comfort and wonder.

In the hundred years spent in the demon realm and the Ghost Realm, Liu Shuang had faced countless regrets due to her low cultivation. Now, she was pleasantly surprised to find that cultivation came to her with ease and fluency.

Having been given a second chance at life, her mind was clear. There was nothing more important and reassuring than strengthening her own power.

She immediately focused all her attention, not bothering with Mi Chu or the Phantom Pearl within her, immersing herself wholeheartedly in her consciousness.

After an unknown period, faint wisps of icy blue aura began to emanate from her, as light as gossamer.

Suddenly, a beam of light shone down from above, and a voice said triumphantly, “ChiShui Liu Shuang, aren’t you secretly crying in there?”

Liu Shuang opened her eyes, recognizing Bai Yu Xiao’s voice.

Liu Shuang felt a headache coming on. Bai Yu Xiao had a mischievous personality and boundless energy. He didn’t like her, so shouldn’t he stay far away? Why did he always come close? She looked up and indeed saw the face of a mischievous youth.

How had the original owner dealt with Bai Yu Xiao? By fighting him?

The youth leaned down and said, “I borrowed the Mirror of Ages to bring you a big gift. Before, when you returned from Kunlun injured and fell into a coma, it was because of a little demon, remember?”

Liu Shuang looked confused.

Bai Yu Xiao took her expression as understanding and smirked, “I caught him, now I’ll throw him in here for you to toy with. Don’t worry, the realm lord won’t know about this. Have fun, no need to thank me, and don’t expect my brother to accompany you in here.”

Before Liu Shuang could respond, he raised his hand and threw someone down.

Liu Shuang quickly retreated to the lotus seat, a vein popping on her forehead. With a “thud,” the person landed beside her, covered in blood, limbs severed, lying helplessly.

Before Liu Shuang could refuse, Bai Yu Xiao disappeared, along with the light from above.

In the dark world, aside from her, there was only the lifeless “little demon” beside her.

Liu Shuang approached, using the spiritual power she had just managed to gather to light a faint blue flame at her fingertip. She leaned down and gently pushed the fallen person.

“Wake up, are you okay?”

He didn’t move.

Liu Shuang turned him over, and the next moment, seeing his face, she pursed her lips, and the flame at her fingertip silently extinguished.

…It was him.