Chapter 111: Ancient And Beastial

Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Ancient And Beastial

Xi Yunxui hurried back to her room at a pace that was almost a run.

King C’s anxious voice continued to ring through their mental connection, urging her to hurry, and the longer she went without seeing what had happened, the more uneasy she became. King C was usually the first to complain about something, whether it was a shortage of food, an unsatisfactory meal, or a perceived injustice that he had decided required everyone’s immediate attention. For him to sound so genuinely distressed meant that something had to be wrong.

By the time she reached her room, she was breathing a little faster than usual.

She pushed the door open, stepped inside, and immediately closed it behind her.

Then she froze.

Biyu was lying on the bed.

At first glance, the little chicken-like creature appeared to be asleep, her small body resting peacefully against the bedding. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing seemed steady, giving her the appearance of someone enjoying an undisturbed nap.

But there was something decidedly unusual about her.

A soft crimson glow surrounded Biyu’s entire body, spreading across the bed and casting a faint reddish light over the nearby furnishings. The light wasn’t harsh enough to hurt Xi Yunxui’s eyes, yet it was far too bright and distinct to be mistaken for an ordinary reflection. It seemed to emanate from Biyu herself, enveloping her in a strange, almost translucent radiance.

For a moment, Xi Yunxui could only stare.

"Biyu?"

She hurried toward the bed, her heart tightening as she examined the motionless creature. Biyu looked peaceful, but the strange glow made it impossible for Xi Yunxui to dismiss the situation as an ordinary nap.

She reached out instinctively, intending to check on her, but stopped just before her fingers touched the crimson light.

What if something was wrong?

The thought sent a fresh wave of anxiety through her.

"System!" she called urgently in her mind. "What’s happening to Biyu? Why is she glowing like this?"

Biyu was the only one of her strange companions who had been given to her by the system, and although Xi Yunxui still knew very little about the little creature’s origins, she had long since grown attached to her. The thought that something might have happened to Biyu without her knowledge made her chest feel uncomfortably tight.

The system’s response arrived after a brief pause.

[Host, please remain calm. Biyu is undergoing a transformation.]

Xi Yunxui blinked.

"A transformation?"

[Correct. Biyu’s spiritual power has increased, and her body is undergoing a corresponding transformation. This is a natural process. There is no need for the host to interfere.]

Xi Yunxui looked at the crimson glow again, her brows drawing together.

"Her spiritual power has increased? When did that happen? And why didn’t you tell me beforehand?"

The system remained infuriatingly composed.

[The transformation was triggered by Biyu’s spiritual growth. Such changes may occur when a creature’s spiritual power reaches a certain threshold. The process will end naturally when the transformation is complete.]

Xi Yunxui wasn’t entirely satisfied with that explanation.

She folded her arms, staring at the glowing creature with unconcealed worry.

"Are you absolutely certain that she’s fine? She’s lying there without moving, and there’s this strange light all around her. How can you expect me not to worry?"

[Host, Biyu is safe. Her current condition is normal for this type of transformation. You must not disturb her during the process. Any unnecessary interference could affect the transformation, so please allow it to proceed naturally.]

Xi Yunxui fell silent.

She didn’t particularly enjoy being told to do nothing when someone she cared about was involved, but she understood the importance of following the system’s warning. If Biyu truly needed to complete the transformation without interference, the last thing Xi Yunxui wanted was to make things worse by acting out of anxiety.

Still, she leaned closer to the bed and studied Biyu’s peaceful face.

"You’re really all right, aren’t you?" she murmured.

Biyu gave no response.

The crimson light continued to shimmer around her, its gentle radiance rising and falling almost imperceptibly, as though it were breathing along with the little creature.

Xi Yunxui remained there for another moment before finally releasing the breath she had been holding.

"All right," she muttered. "I’ll trust you this time, System."

Her shoulders relaxed, and the tightness in her chest eased a little.

Only then did she remember the two other companions who had called her back.

She turned around.

King C stood near the foot of the bed, looking considerably less troublesome than usual. His ears drooped, and the expression on his face was so unusually solemn that Xi Yunxui almost wondered whether she had entered the wrong room. Beside him, Hui stood with her small hands clasped together, her large, dark eyes fixed on Biyu with obvious concern.

Neither of them had been willing to leave Biyu alone.

The sight softened Xi Yunxui’s heart.

"Don’t worry," she told them, trying to sound more reassuring than she felt. "Biyu is undergoing a transformation because her spiritual power has increased. Apparently, it’s a natural process, and she just needs time to complete it."

King C’s drooping ears lifted a little.

"She’s not sick?"

"No, she’s fine."

"And she’s going to wake up?"

"Once the transformation is complete, she should return to normal." Xi Yunxui paused before adding, "We just have to be patient and make sure nobody disturbs her."

Hui looked up at her.

"Big Sister, Biyu won’t be hurt, will she?"

The small, uncertain voice made Xi Yunxui’s heart ache.

She crouched in front of Hui and gently patted her head.

"No, she won’t. I can assure you that she’s safe, so you don’t need to be afraid. We’ll stay here and wait for her together, all right?"

Hui nodded, although she continued glancing toward the bed as though she expected Biyu to open her eyes at any moment.

King C, too, appeared relieved, but his gaze repeatedly returned to the crimson glow surrounding their companion. Even he, who ordinarily had an opinion about nearly everything, seemed reluctant to say anything that might disturb the atmosphere.

Xi Yunxui couldn’t blame either of them.

Knowing that Biyu wasn’t in danger was reassuring, but watching someone you cared about lie motionless beneath a strange light was hardly an experience that encouraged complete peace of mind.

She straightened and glanced around the room before settling down on the floor near the bed.

Hui promptly joined her, sitting close enough that their shoulders nearly touched. King C settled on her other side, his usual restlessness temporarily forgotten as all three of them turned their attention toward Biyu.

For a while, nobody spoke.

The room was quiet except for the occasional rustling of fabric and the faint sounds drifting in from outside. Sunlight filtered through the window, falling across the floor and illuminating the soft crimson radiance that surrounded Biyu.

Xi Yunxui rested her hands on her knees, watching the little creature with an expression that was equal parts concern and curiosity.

I hope this transformation finishes soon.

She had barely completed the thought when Jianshan’s voice sounded inside her consciousness.

’Xi Yunxui.’

She responded mentally without moving her lips.

’What is it?’

Jianshan had been unusually quiet since their earlier conversation in the garden. Xi Yunxui had assumed he was resting in her spiritual consciousness, or perhaps thinking about whatever mysterious connection he seemed to have with Huo Jingchen. She certainly hadn’t expected him to start a conversation while she was worrying about Biyu.

His next question, however, made her attention sharpen.

’I’ve been meaning to ask you something.’

Xi Yunxui waited.

’Where did you find that creature?’

For a moment, she thought she had misunderstood.

’Which creature?’

’The one lying on the bed.’

Xi Yunxui glanced at Biyu.

’Biyu?’

’Yes.’

There was something unusually thoughtful about Jianshan’s tone, as though the question had been on his mind for some time and he had finally decided to ask it.

’Where did you find her?’

Xi Yunxui hesitated.

She had never really considered that question important. Biyu had been given to her by the system, and while she knew very little about the creature’s origins, she had never felt the need to question the circumstances surrounding their meeting in detail.

Besides, Jianshan already knew about the system. She had explained its existence to him after he discovered that she sometimes communicated with an unseen entity, so there was no particular reason to hide the fact that Biyu had come from it.

’The system gave her to me,’ she answered. ’Why? Is there something wrong with Biyu?’

’No.’

His reply came without hesitation, but he didn’t elaborate.

Instead, he continued, ’What about the goat and the little girl? Where did you find them?’

Xi Yunxui’s expression changed.

She stared at the bed for a moment, then lowered her gaze toward Hui, who was sitting beside her with her attention fixed on Biyu. King C was on her other side, occasionally shifting his position but otherwise remaining quiet.

A strange feeling crept over her.

Wait a minute.

Her thoughts became more alert.

Why is Jianshan asking about King C and Hui?

She understood why he might be curious about Biyu. The little creature was undergoing a transformation that even Xi Yunxui hadn’t anticipated, and perhaps Jianshan had noticed something unusual about her spiritual energy.

But King C and Hui?

Why had he mentioned them together so casually?

More importantly, how much did he know about them?

Xi Yunxui’s eyes drifted toward Hui.

To anyone else, Hui was simply an adorable five-year-old girl with large, dark eyes and a fondness for staying close to her. But Xi Yunxui knew that Hui could take the form of a small, ash-grey tiger-like creature, just as King C had a form that was far from resembling an ordinary goat.

Neither of them was an ordinary animal.

And Jianshan had just asked about both of them as though he knew there was something unusual about their origins.

Xi Yunxui swallowed.

’Jianshan,’ she asked carefully through their mental connection, ’what exactly are you getting at?’

For a moment, he didn’t answer.

His silence only made her more suspicious.

Then his voice came again, measured and thoughtful.

’You have three unusual creatures around you, and none of them seems to be an ordinary living being. One is now undergoing a transformation that appears to involve a considerable increase in spiritual power. The other two are a goat and a little girl, yet I suspect neither of them is quite what they appear to be.’

Xi Yunxui’s heart gave a small jolt.

He knows!

She almost turned to look at King C and Hui, but caught herself before the movement became obvious.

How does he know?

She had never explained their true forms to Jianshan. At least, she couldn’t remember doing so. She had told him about the system, and he knew that King C and Hui were her companions, but that was not the same as telling him that they could transform into strange creatures.

Unless...

Xi Yunxui’s thoughts abruptly stalled.

Has he been observing them all this time?

The possibility made her feel a little uneasy. Jianshan lived inside her spiritual consciousness, and although he could manifest outside her body, she had never really considered how much he might be able to perceive while residing within her.

She had assumed that her consciousness was a private space, at least to some extent.

Apparently, she might have been wrong.

’How did you figure it out?’ she finally asked.

This time, Jianshan did not answer immediately. She could almost imagine him narrowing his crimson eyes as he considered her question.

’Because their auras are not human.’

Xi Yunxui’s heart skipped a beat.

Jianshan continued before she could respond.

’The goat carries a spiritual aura that does not match its outward appearance, and the little girl is even more unusual. Her form may be human, but there is something ancient and bestial beneath it. It is not difficult to notice once you know what to look for.’

Xi Yunxui stared straight ahead, her mind racing.

Ancient and bestial? Hui?

She glanced down at the little girl sitting beside her.

Hui seemed completely unaware of the conversation taking place inside Xi Yunxui’s consciousness. Her large eyes remained fixed on Biyu, and every so often, she leaned forward slightly, as though trying to determine whether the crimson glow had changed.

She looked so innocent that Xi Yunxui almost found it difficult to reconcile her with Jianshan’s description.

Then again, Hui wasn’t an ordinary little girl.

Neither was King C an ordinary goat.

And Jianshan was certainly not an ordinary creature himself.

Xi Yunxui pressed her lips together, considering how to respond. She could tell him the truth, but she wasn’t sure how much she should reveal. Even though Jianshan had already learned about the system, she still knew very little about his own origins, and his recent reaction to Huo Jinyan had reminded her that there were secrets buried within him that even he might not fully understand.

For now, she decided to answer cautiously.

’I met them under unusual circumstances,’ she told him. ’But why are you suddenly interested in them?’

Jianshan fell silent again.

This time, however, Xi Yunxui sensed something different beneath his quietness—a flicker of recognition, perhaps, or a memory he couldn’t quite grasp.

When he finally spoke, his voice was lower than before.

’Because I suspect I’m not the only one who has forgotten who I am.’

Xi Yunxui’s expression stiffened.

Before she could ask what he meant, her attention was drawn back to the bed.

The crimson glow surrounding Biyu had brightened.

It spread across the bedding in a soft wave, illuminating the room more vividly than before. Hui immediately leaned forward, while King C rose to his feet, his earlier relief replaced by renewed apprehension.

Xi Yunxui forgot about her questions for the moment and moved closer to Biyu, her eyes fixed on the strange light.

"What’s happening now?"

She didn’t know whether she was asking the system, Jianshan, or the universe itself.

All she knew was that Biyu’s transformation appeared to be entering a new stage, and despite the system’s reassurance, she couldn’t help holding her breath as the crimson radiance grew brighter around the little creature.

Whatever was happening to Biyu, it was far from ordinary.