Chapter Nineteen: The World of Cultivation Is Cruel

Qiyun Academy, small park.

As a private aristocratic school, the environment here is naturally incomparable to that of ordinary schools. The park is designed with an air of opulence; the central fountain and the surrounding groves sometimes make one forget they are even on school grounds. The grove itself consists of expensive red horse chestnut trees, said to have been donated for free by the parents of a student.

Occasionally, one can see students strolling through the grove or sitting under the trees to read. As the school day nears dusk, the weary sunset spills over the park, imbuing the fresh, small garden with a sense of tranquility and languor.

That is, if not for a shirtless teenage boy showing off his muscular physique to his heart's content.

Hyacinth stared at his right arm for a long time before her vacant pupils finally shifted. "Alright, put your clothes on."

Beside him, Yumo, whose face was bright red and who was covering her eyes with both hands—though stealing glances through her fingers from time to time—immediately handed over the clothes she was holding upon hearing this.

Hyacinth smiled. "Your girlfriend is quite shy."

Jiang Si, while putting on his shirt, glanced at her. "Not my girlfriend."

"Oh? Bringing her here when she's not your girlfriend—isn't that even more excessive?"

"We're friends, just going the same way."

Yumo nodded like a chick pecking at rice beside them.

Hyacinth’s sudden request for Jiang Si to undress was, of course, not out of interest in his physique. Once Jiang Si was dressed, Hyacinth rested her chin on one hand and said elegantly, "It seems Susan was mistaken. She told me you could jump five or six meters and couldn't step on the clouds, suggesting you might be involved with the Witch Society."

As he buttoned his shirt, Jiang Si recalled Susan's earlier attitude. He didn't know if that woman was acting out of revenge or simply trying to clear her own name by performing such a superfluous act. It didn't matter, though; he wasn't an introverted person. He had never minded being seen with his well-trained physique. When his training at the Qingyun Sect became intense, he would simply take off his shirt and train until he was drenched in sweat, then go to the water curtain entrance of the Illusion Moon Cave to rinse off—that was the only way to feel refreshed. It was just that whenever he was immersed in it, Bingtang would always drive the other magical girls away.

Now that Hyacinth wanted to inspect him, Jiang Si had nothing to be coy about; he had even planned to show off his physique at the school gate. He didn't care about the crowd; he had absolute confidence in his muscles. It was just that Hyacinth herself eventually felt it was inappropriate and might affect the school's image, so she brought them to the secluded Qiyun small park.

"There are no traces of curses from the Witch Society on your body," Hyacinth said, pointing to her own pupils. "If there were, they couldn't deceive my Demon-Detecting Eyes. Furthermore, there is no magical power from disaster beasts here either. It seems Susan was wrong; she is always so careless."

Compared to Susan, Silver Lotus, or even Silver Luo, the stability and maturity Hyacinth possessed, honed from years on the battlefield, stood out prominently. This was normal; back when the Disaster Strategy Bureau’s branch was first established in the North Sea, Hyacinth was the first magical girl they found. As a magical girl, Hyacinth's most unique feature was her Demon-Detecting Eyes.

While most magical girls’ powers, starting from the seedling stage, could be partially manifested through Miracle Seeds without the need for transformation, they could not manifest in the physical body without the seeds. Jiang Si had tested this countless times and confirmed it was an absolute dead end. However, Hyacinth’s Demon-Detecting Eyes allowed her to use magical girl powers—and even have them permanently reside in her physical body—without transforming or using a Miracle Seed as a medium. The price was that, while she wasn't blind, the world in her eyes was entirely different; it was said to be completely colorless. It wasn't just simple black and white, but a total absence of color, which made magical power stand out vividly in her eyes. Only magical power had color in her vision.

Therefore, before coming, Jiang Si had wiped his body clean of all magical power, so she naturally couldn't see a trace of it. At the Qingyun Sect, the most fundamental practice was the control of magical power. Every magical girl had to learn how to master subtle magical power, how to ensure it didn't leak, and how to conceal it. Because of the relationship between the Qingyun Sect and the Disaster Strategy Bureau, one could easily be cornered by the Bureau if exposed. This introductory secret technique was the result of Jiang Si's efforts over the years, as his first step in developing a magical girl's power was the perfect control of magical power. In the web novels he had read, this was the foundation of foundations. Those who didn't build a solid foundation and relied on pills to level up were usually weak; naturally, the Qingyun Sect disciples were strict about the basics. As the founder, Jiang Si’s control over magical power was masterful. Even if Hyacinth stared until her eyes bled, she wouldn't see a sliver of magical power on him. The only reason he had been caught at the Disaster Strategy Bureau was that he didn't know the clouds monitored the magical power of disaster beasts, and he had a habit of keeping a little bit of that power on him.

"But you being able to jump five or six meters clearly shows you are still influenced by magical power."

Seeing Hyacinth in deep thought, Jiang Si took the opportunity to provide his ostensible reason for coming to see her. "The people at the Disaster Strategy Bureau told me the same thing. They said if one has blood ties to a magical girl and lives together, it's easy to be influenced by magical power. I wanted to know if I would continue to be affected in the future?"

"The Disaster Strategy Bureau has observed some such phenomena, but it is not a universal occurrence; it depends on individual constitution," Hyacinth said, eyeing him with interest. "But your sister hasn't been a magical girl for long, right?"

"She obtained the Miracle Seed very early." When he was moving up a grade a year ago, he had seen Jiang Keke's Miracle Seed while cleaning. Jiang Keke hadn't really hidden it—at that time, the blockade on information about magical girls in BH City had just ended, and few people knew about Miracle Seeds, so there was no real need to hide it. Moreover, the relationship between the siblings had hit rock bottom by then; Jiang Si wouldn't ask, and Jiang Keke would never explain. "I saw it as early as two years ago, so I suspect she was already being affected back then."

Yumo, who had been silent, secretly looked up at Jiang Si. *As expected of the Sect Master, lying with such a straight face—truly impressive.* As one of the first direct disciples of the Qingyun Sect, she naturally knew that Jiang Si's physical fitness had nothing to do with his sister's magic; it was the result of day-after-day of effort. She admired how the Sect Master never boasted and didn't mind his hard work being attributed to so-called magical influence. He could lie so earnestly without a trace of guilt, whereas Yumo always found it easy to be seen through when she lied.

Hyacinth naturally couldn't tell Jiang Si was lying. In reality, it was difficult for her to distinguish Jiang Si's emotions; in a world without color, expressions lost many details.

"In that case, it's not strange," Hyacinth said, crossing her legs and placing her hands on her knees, watching Jiang Si leisurely. "Living together for a long time, the influence won't disappear, but there is generally a limit to the improvement of physical fitness. Usually, there are no dangerous or strong side effects, so don't worry."

"What are the common side effects?"

"Approximately a reduction in lifespan due to excessive physical strength," Hyacinth comforted him, "but unless you participate in athletic competitions for a long time, it's only a matter of a year or two."

*Easy for you to say.* But Jiang Si had known this for a long time; when he was training his body to the death in his previous life, doctors had already told him as much. Every seemingly limited improvement came at the cost of his lifespan. Proper exercise was beneficial to health, but extreme training was inherently wearing down one's body. However, for Jiang Si, if he couldn't step onto the Great Dao, living a few extra years held no meaning. A seeker of the Dao is one who prepares with everything they have and, when the opportunity arrives, grasps it tightly, leaving no room for it to slip away.

"I see. That puts my mind at ease."

Having ended that topic, Jiang Si asked further: "Are you aware that the Disaster Strategy Bureau has lost three Miracle Seeds?"

Her pale pupils shifted slightly elsewhere. "I heard."

"There is a traitor inside the Bureau. It won't threaten Keke, will it?"

"Rest assured, the Magical Girl Combat Unit is an independent department; it won't affect your sister."

"No one can guarantee there are no traitors among the magical girls. I saw on the internet that some people say Hyacinth had contact with the Witch Society a long time ago, and many suspect you are involved with them."

The girl immediately covered her mouth and chuckled elegantly. "So that's it. You came to see me because you were worried about this, fearing that I might do something to your sister, right?"

"I wouldn't dare. You are a noble magical girl and were the strongest magical girl captain in the North Sea. If you wanted to act, I would be walking right into a trap by coming here. I just hope you can look after my sister."

"You are quite a devoted brother."

Yumo, holding her rabbit on the side, had a strange expression when she heard this, but her head was bowed, so no one noticed. She stole a cautious glance; Hyacinth seemed to have fallen into deep thought. When Yumo looked over, the girl quickly sensed the gaze and looked back. The vacant black pupils caused Yumo to immediately pull down her hood again to hide her eyes, like a startled little rabbit.

Hyacinth smiled thinly. "With Silver Lotus there, don't worry. Although she is a bit young, she has great potential. Stepping into the 'Full Bloom' stage is only a matter of time. She is very capable."

"Compared to her, I would rather trust someone with more experience like you."

"If Silver Lotus heard that, she would definitely cry in her bed tonight. Even though she always pretends to be very mature, she is actually quite fragile inside," Hyacinth said with a touch of nostalgia. "You mustn't say that in front of her."

"Understood."

Hyacinth then took out her Miracle Seed. In truth, calling it a seed was no longer quite appropriate. The seed had sprouted, and there was a vague outline of a flower. Jiang Si's pupils constricted slightly. This was the first time he had seen a change in the form of a Miracle Seed. However, the flower had withered for the most part, and the remaining petals were dry. "As you can see, although I don't want to retire, my seed has indeed developed problems. Even transforming is difficult now, and I am far from my original strength."

Most importantly, Jiang Si felt the aura of the Witch Society—that murky, polluted taste of magical power. Yumo, beside him, immediately tugged at his sleeve. The Qingyun Sect placed great importance on the Witch Society, and the disciples were naturally very familiar with their aura. Plus, Bingtang had just warned him recently to watch out for them.

After taking out the Miracle Seed, Hyacinth was also observing Jiang Si's movements and subtle facial changes. Even without color differentiation, as long as she focused, she could barely distinguish these things. However, she clearly gained nothing; his expression was the same as anyone else’s who had seen her seed for the first time. She sighed and toyed with the strangely shaped seed. "Also, there is something that might disappoint you: I am not the strongest magical girl in the North Sea."

Just as Jiang Si was wondering why her Miracle Seed had changed shape and why it carried the scent of Witch Society corruption, she began to reminisce, her expression somewhat dazed. "I used to think I was the strongest magical girl, wanting to protect Jianghai City with my own strength. My dream at that time was not to let other girls bear the burden of being magical girls."

*Aren't you just crushing other people's dreams?* Jiang Si thought to himself. *To have a dream of crushing others' dreams—truly absurd.*

Hyacinth smiled bitterly. "Until one day, I met that magical girl." She paused before continuing. "The purple magical girl."

Yumo blinked and looked up at her Sect Master. Jiang Si’s expression remained unchanged as he listened quietly.

"You don't know much about magical girls, so it’s probably hard to imagine what the truly powerful ones are like—that destructive power capable of inducing despair. My power was like an infant's before her. She crushed all my abilities with absolute power, and thoroughly crushed my dream." Her vacant eyes couldn't help but reveal disappointment and pain. "I once thought that such a cute, powerful, and calm existence was the true magical girl."

*The 'cute' part was unnecessary.*

"I once did think about seeking power from the Witch Society," Hyacinth smiled self-deprecatingly. "The result, as you can see, was just asking for trouble. So, I am no longer the strongest magical girl, and it’s hard to even call myself a magical girl anymore. But fortunately, there is Silver Lotus. She has great potential and will definitely do better than me..."

Jiang Si said coldly, "Then why didn't you retire back then?"

The girl raised her seed—a pitch-black seed that, under the blood-red sunset, emitted a multicolored, iridescent light. It was as if even her vacant pupils were flashing with brilliance. "Because I still want to help others, using this final strength to protect those who have none. How could I retire? As long as my power hasn't vanished, I have the responsibility to guard BH City until I, as a magical girl, die completely."

The girl, draped in the sunset, was like a dying flame, flickering with intense light. As the sun set, she would eventually vanish. As the sunset slid off her and merged into the evening shadows, Hyacinth covered her mouth and yawned. "So, that’s it. Don't worry, your sister won't be in danger. Both Silver Lotus and I will protect your sister well."

"Thank you."

After that, there was naturally nothing left to talk about. Hyacinth saw the two of them out of the academy. The security guard glared at them the whole way. Some people were taking photos, but Hyacinth just smiled and waved naturally, facing the lens with great ease.

Not until the two had walked a distance away did Yumo tug at his sleeve. She was still clutching her rabbit with one hand, half her face hidden by it, and asked in a small voice, "Sect Master, did you defeat her before?"

The powerful purple magical girl of BH City—who else could it be but the Sect Master?

"I don't know," Jiang Si shook his head. "I forgot." He had fought too many magical girls; who knew which one this was? However, it was basically confirmed that Hyacinth had nothing to do with the Witch Society. Now, he could only wait for progress from Susan’s side.

"She must be very desperate." The little tag-along whispered, looking back. The girl was holding her rabbit with both hands, and her hood, having slipped off, revealed a head of beautiful long hair. Her light blue pupils narrowed slightly. Although the rabbit covered the lower half of her face, one could feel she was smiling sweetly. "Yumo... Yumo is so happy to be by the Sect Master's side. Because we are together, I won't feel desperate at all."

"Go back and cultivate your Dao heart properly," Jiang Si glanced at her coldly. "If the gap in strength is too large, you will be eliminated sooner or later. The Great Dao is ruthless; no one will walk the same path as a discarded disciple."

"Eh? Eh? I—I will work hard!"