Marquis Estate,
Late into the night, two stunningly beautiful women followed the maids through the quiet halls to the Guest Chambers.
One is the embodiment of calm and grace, with long, flowing jade-green hair cascading down her back, radiating the aura of Life.
The other is playful and energetic, her body covered in dark purple scales, and her purple hair falling loosely behind her. Her aura, in contrast to her companion's, radiates pure destruction.
[A/N:Zi Ji is said to be a woman of few words but I changed it here, making her more lively. I thought it would make more sense since she is young.]
As they made their way toward the Guest Chambers, the energetic one couldn't help but ask, "Is your young master always this naive—giving away medicinal pills to people he barely knows and even inviting them to his home as guests?" She asked without thinking, but immediately regretted it, knowing it sounded wrong.
Her companion stiffened at the question and turned sharply to look at her. Quickly, she pulled her ears as if reprimanding a younger sibling and apologized to the maids escorting them..
"I'm sorry my companion has a loose tongue and didn't mean it like that," she said as the culprit looked guilty and bowed her head obediently.
The maids who heard the words turned back and looked at her seriously with a frown but hearing the swift apology from the other women they decided to drop it and addressed her question.
"Every single maid who works in this estate loves the young master. He is always energetic, while he is busy training, researching almost without a break at times,he never puts on airs because of his status and treats us, his servants, with respect.
Yes he is kind, but if you try to take advantage of his kindness, then you'll have to be prepared for the consequences." The maid said with pride.
Just then, as they reached the guest chambers, another maid opening the door added, "We won't pursue your companion's offense, but be careful. If her words reach one of Master Hanrui's personal maids, no matter how strong you are, she will fight you to the death."
The two women looked at each other, as they felt the pride emanating from the maid and entered the Chambers as the doors closed behind them.
Gazing at the luxurious decoration and oversized bed, they sighed and sat down.
"So, Sister Bi Ji, what do you think?" the purple-haired girl asked her companion in a hushed tone.
Bi Ji, the one addressed, looked at the woman beside her and gently tapped her on the head.
"Zi Ji, it's true I asked you to test them, but you really need to control your mouth."
Zi Ji nodded in response and waited for her to continue.
"But it is comforting to know we are not in a toxic place. Thanks for your hard work," Bi Ji said warmly.
Zi Ji, satisfied, gave her a silly smile in response.
Seeing Zi Ji's reaction, Bi Ji shook her head and took out the 'Transformation Pill' from the storage soul guide. She stared at it, lost in thought.
"Sister Bi Ji, why are you staring at the pill? Is it bad?" Zi Ji asked, noticing Bi Ji lost in thought.
Coming back to her senses, Bi Ji looked at Zi Ji and said, "No, I was just thinking about whether we should take this before or after using the Void Stone.
You're close to your second lightning tribulation with 190,000 years of cultivation, while I'm nearing my fifth lightning tribulation at 480,000 years.
Let's go to the balcony and breakthrough first, then take the pill."
Bi Ji walked to the balcony, sat down, and closed her eyes while holding the Void Stone.
Zi Ji saw her start cultivating and joined her, staying a little distance away.
Time passed as they cultivated, and suddenly Zi Ji broke through, reaching the 200,000 years cultivation mark.
Clouds gathered overhead, and thunder rumbled, ready to strike at any moment.
Bi Ji, deep in cultivation herself, noticed the lightning tribulation forming and slowed down to observe the situation, preparing to heal if her companion needed assistance.
The lightning gathered for a moment before striking Zi Ji, who transformed back into her dragon form and pushed into the backyard.
That's when the seal on the Void Stone activated, it created a thin protective layer of void energy around her body.
The first lightning wave struck—the seal held firm, absorbing the lightning and beginning to refine Zi Ji's body.
The second and final wave of lightning descended. The seal remained strong, continuing its work.
Bi Ji, seeing that her companion was safe after the lightning tribulation, returned to her own cultivation.
Zi Ji stabilized her cultivation for a while longer as the seal continuously tempered her body with tribulation lightning. Then she slowly opened her eyes.
Just as Zi Ji opened her eyes, the clouds that had dispersed earlier gathered again.
Zi Ji transformed back into her human form and looked at Bi Ji with concern but didn't move forward—she waited at the side.
Bi Ji had activated the seal on the Void Stone early, just in case. The next moment, the first wave of lightning descended, proving her caution was the right choice.
She noticed this time the tribulation lightning was stronger as she was attempting for the fifth time.
Gritting her teeth, she held on as wave after wave of lightning struck her, while the seal did its job.
Shortly after, she opened her eyes to see Zi Ji looking at her with a smile, and she smiled back.
"It worked. We did it," both said at the same time.
Looking at the clearing sky and the rising sun, they exchanged a glance.
"Zi Ji, maybe we should postpone taking the Transformation Pill and look for the master instead?" Bi Ji suggested.
Zi Ji nodded, took her hand, dragged her outside, and asked the maids for the whereabouts of Gu Yuena before they left to find her.
Shortly after, they arrived at the garden and saw their master, Gu Yuena—the Silver Dragon King—sleeping peacefully in human form upon a throne woven from shimmering blue silver grass.
They looked at each other and sighed in exasperation.
"Master sleeping in human form and so unguarded. She should have summoned us to her side," Zi Ji complained.
"Maybe she believes nothing will happen while she's around Lord Hanrui," Bi Ji replied with a faint smile.
"'Lord' Hanrui? Since when did you acknowledge him as a 'Lord'? We just met him yesterday. If that prude, Di Tian heard about this, he would kill you for betraying Master Yuena," Zi Ji said in disbelief.
Bi Ji just raised an eyebrow at her while saying. "Our master recognised him as her mate, so it's only natural we call him 'Lord'. Not to mention the gifts he gave us.
Besides, do you really think I can't see the way you look at him?" She teased her.
Hearing her words Zi Ji hurriedly clamped Bi Ji's mouth shut with her hands.
"Are you trying to get me killed? We are practically beside Master Yuena," Zi Ji muttered in a low voice.
But just then, a playful and calm voice sounded from right behind them, making them freeze.
"Oh, why would I kill you, Zi Ji? Care to elaborate?" As these words were spoken, both Zi Ji and Bi Ji turned around stiffly and gulped at the same time.
"Go—good morning, master. What great weather today," Zi Ji started to speak but stuttered, while Bi Ji nodded at the playful smile on her master's face and relaxed slightly.
Seeing her so afraid, Gu Yuena stopped teasing her.
"If you like Hanrui, I don't mind. It's not like I'll be the only woman in his life in the future anyway," Gu Yuena shrugged, making both Bi Ji and Zi Ji stunned.
Zi Ji, who finally came back to her senses shortly after, muttered, 'Master is willing to share her mate.'
Hearing this, Gu Yuena smiled, amused, while Bi Ji, not wanting to be dragged into this topic, quickly changed the subject.
"Master, we used the Void Stones given by Lord Hanrui and successfully broke through," Bi Ji said and showed her cultivation level to her.
Zi Ji, not wanting to be left out, also showed off her improvement in cultivation.
"The seal placed in the Void Stones by Lord Hanrui worked perfectly.
We wanted to use the transformation pill after the breakthrough, but now, since the seal absorbed the tribulation lightning and has been tempering our bodies, we can't take it right now," Bi Ji continued.
Gu Yuena checked their cultivation levels and nodded.
"Don't worry, it will take at most a few hours to complete.
Now that you're here, tell me your opinion of Hanrui's personal garden," she said.
'Personal Garden?' Bi Ji thought, puzzled. Only then did she look around properly.
With just a cursory glance, she fell in love with the atmosphere and muttered,
"It's brimming with Life energy. No wonder Master Yuena fell asleep so peacefully before."
As the trio roamed the garden, Hanrui had just finished his bath and came out of his chamber.
He put on pants but purposefully left his shirt off, then walked back to the garden with a towel around his neck.
As he was about to enter the garden, he heard Zi Ji and Bi Ji's voice.
"Master, my body tempering is complete," Zi Ji said with excitement.
Bi Ji, who heard her words, also echoed, "Yes, Master, my body tempering is also complete."
"Oh, so you two used the Void Stones," Hanrui said as he suddenly appeared behind them, startling them.
Gu Yuena, on the other hand, stared at him dazedly as she looked at his defined abs, which didn't look out of place on a six-year-old.
Especially considering that said six-year-old has grown to five feet tall after his second soul ring creation.
While Bi Ji and Zi Ji nodded absentmindedly and turned to stare at him, they both gained a 'dazed' status effect just like their master.
Hanrui, satisfied with the reactions of the trio, quickly put on a shirt."Well, since your body tempering is complete, take the 'Transformation Pill.'
We can start breakfast once we are done here," Hanrui said as he waited over to Gu Yuena.
Bi Ji and Zi Ji nodded and took out their pills, swallowing them simultaneously.
A few seconds later, they felt their human forms solidify and their connection to their true selves briefly weaken, only to quickly restore.
A shadow of their spirit beast forms appeared behind them, and one by one, soul rings began to form on their bodies.
Their cultivation levels were now reflected in the distribution of the soul rings.
Zi Ji's rings consisted of three purple 1,000-year rings, five black 10,000-year rings, and one red 100,000-year ring, making her a Titled Douluo at level 91 cultivation.
Bi Ji's rings included two purple 1,000-year rings, four black 10,000-year rings, and three red 100,000-year rings, with her cultivation reaching level 95 Super douluo.
A dual yin-yang complementary soul core automatically formed inside them, transforming their initial single soul core.
For Zi Ji, a dual Destruction and Poison soul core formed, while Bi Ji developed a Life core and a Spiritual core.
As the pill's effects subsided, the two opened their eyes in surprise, feeling stronger than before. They also sensed the complete feeling of their human bodies, unlike the imitation technique they had used previously.
They could now switch between their human and soul beast forms at will and spent some time testing this ability before running to Hanrui with grateful eyes.
Seeing her subordinates transform and grow stronger, Gu Yuena felt pride but also, strangely, a hint of jealousy. Meanwhile, Hanrui nodded, satisfied with his pill's potency.
"Okay, okay, don't look at me with those eyes. I'm hungry—let's go eat," he said as he took Gu Yuena's hand. Hand in hand, they walked to the dining hall, with the two followed behind.