Zero Succubus in the Territory: Starting with Apprenticeship to the Yi Xuan Sisters

[This is just speculation and has not been confirmed yet. However, those two forces do not seem to have any intention of harming the host. In fact, most of the damage to the host's body was healed with the assistance of these two forces, so you can rest assured for now.]

After listening to the system's explanation, Yi Xue's excitement subsided a little. The dormant and hidden power within one's body seems to be a standard feature for most protagonists, but learning such news at a time like this is really not something to be happy about.

"So, is it because I possess a power similar to that of the Azure Nether Sword that I was chosen by it?"

Faced with Yi Xue's doubts, the system gave an ambiguous answer.

[Yes, but not entirely. The power within the host is merely the trigger that piques the Azure Nether Sword's interest; what truly makes the Azure Nether Sword choose the host is something else entirely.]

[Host, haven't you noticed yet? The two forces within the Azure Nether Sword are constantly fighting, while the force within you, despite possessing similar properties to the Azure Nether Sword's energy, coexists peacefully within your body.]

"you mean…"

[Yes, for some unknown reason, you possess a power within you that can reconcile conflicting forces. Therefore, no matter how strange or unusual your abilities may be, your body will not experience any rejection reaction due to the mutual incompatibility between these abilities.]

The sudden influx of so much information was difficult for even Yi Xue, a modern person, to accept. Meanwhile, the system continued to explain the principles behind the Qingming Sword curse.

When the first Yun Kui Mountain Sect Master forged the Qingming Sword, he used a clever method to balance these two forces. Although he could not destroy them directly, he could guide them. He created a "river" and a "dam" inside the sword.

The river allows the surging energy within the sword to be released from its tip, preventing it from stagnating inside and exploding. The dam, on the other hand, can contain the energy, preventing its uncontrolled leakage and subsequent disaster. However, this energy is too violent; it will continuously impact the dam. Once the dam breaches, according to the system's calculations, the resulting disaster will be no less devastating than the fall of the old capital as perceived by the host.

Yi Xue was stunned. The fall of the old capital, the greatest disaster in the original game, caused humanity to lose almost 90 percent of its territory, leaving it only able to eke out a living in the remaining 10 percent. What difference would there be between that and the complete annihilation of humanity?

Therefore, the Azure Sea Sword needs a wielder, or rather, a dam keeper. The sword master's duty is to repair the dam promptly when cracks appear and to open the floodgates to release water when the river level is too high. Of course, becoming the sword master is not without its advantages. The sword master will have the authority to open the floodgates and, by releasing the energy within the Azure Sea Sword, can acquire extremely powerful strength in a short period of time.

However, there is also a price to pay. After each flood, closing the sluice gate requires drawing ether from the sword's body to replenish the deficiency. Everyone in this world has ether in their body, but the total amount is almost fixed, and replenishment is extremely difficult. Yet, the Azure Nether Sword demands too much, too urgently. The body will rapidly lose ether, causing the organs that control the five senses and memory to gradually fail. This is the Azure Nether Sword's backlash.

Breathing became increasingly difficult, and the things in front of her seemed to begin to blur. Yi Xue subconsciously looked at Yi Xuan, who was fast asleep beside her. He did want his two masters and the entire Yun Kui Mountain, but suddenly being burdened with such a great responsibility... was somewhat beyond his capacity to bear.

[Host……]

[Host... calm down...]

"Will the world... be destroyed? If so... what's the point of me saving these people..."

Large beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, and his hands began to tremble uncontrollably. Yi Xue thought she had prepared herself, but at this moment she looked so disheveled.

The fear, despair, resentment, and shame that overwhelmed him made him feel utterly powerless.

After an unknown amount of time, Yi Xue finally recovered from the shock. He picked up the now-cold tea on the table and gulped it down, which calmed him down a little.

[Host...are you...alright?]

"I'm fine... System, please continue."

After interrupting the system's concern, Yi Xue put one hand to her forehead, revealing only one eye, her eyes showing a hint of fatigue.

How could he hesitate at a time like this? It's really unbecoming of him.

[Hmm... Alright, host, you now know the root cause of the disasters and backlashes caused by the Azure Sword: the conflict of its internal forces. The reason why the dams left by the first sect leader were breached and the rivers overflowed is ultimately because they were in conflict with each other.]

Therefore, theoretically... as long as there is a way to make these two energies coexist harmoniously, all misfortunes will not occur. This was originally impossible, but your appearance, host...

"That made all of this possible, didn't it?"

[Yes... that's all the information this system needs to provide to the host. Now, please make your choice.]

The system, which was originally just a cold, electronic voice, suddenly showed such a human touch in its tone. For some reason, hearing the other party's unusual tone, Yi Xue suddenly felt half of the pressure in her heart dissipate.

Once you've chosen this path, there's no turning back. Improving the Xuanmo magic, changing the contractor of the Qingming Sword, becoming the new sword master—every step is fraught with risk, and every step could cost you dearly...

But if the plan succeeds, everyone will be saved, and Yunkui Mountain will have a greater chance of winning in the impending disaster. And you, host... will also gain the greatest asset to fight against the disaster.

So, what's your answer?

Chapter Sixty-Eight: May every day of your future be filled with sweet dreams.

[Make your choice, host. If you are unwilling to take these risks, this system can also plan a more secure growth path for you.]

Yi Xue didn't answer immediately. He sat on the edge of the bed and quietly looked at Yi Xuan sleeping beside him. The other's hand was still sticking out of the blanket. He thought for a moment and then gently took that hand in his.

In his sleep, Yi Xuan unconsciously grasped his hand. His fingers were a little cool, but his palm was burning hot. Strangely enough, just by holding it like that, he suddenly felt that he could muster up his courage.

He was initially worried about waking her up, but now, Yi Xue just wanted to feel that warmth, that unique warmth that belonged to life, a warmth that could never be taken away.

The "more secure growth path" mentioned by the system, without a doubt, is a path that absolutely guarantees one's survival, but it is also a path that will abandon everything.

But what will happen to these people if he runs away? Even if he escapes for a while, who can guarantee that disaster won't strike him on his escape route? More importantly, does he really want to spend the rest of his life in shame and regret?

No... he didn't want that to happen from the bottom of his heart.

If it were Yi Jiang and the others, even if there was only a one in ten million chance... even knowing they would lose their lives, they would definitely...

Heh... Yi Xue laughed. It was at a time like this. Then he asked the system a question that even he himself could not have expected.

"Hey, system, am I going to die?"

Although I am very capable, no one can answer questions about the future.

[This system can only guarantee that I will do everything in my power to ensure your survival... because...]

You are the reason I exist...

The system couldn't utter those last words.

Yi Xue listened quietly, looking silently out the window. He only needed to know this much, to know that he was not alone.

The sky outside the window was already turning a pale white; it was almost dawn, and he should leave.

Yi Xue gently withdrew her hand, tucked the blanket around the sleeping Yi Xuan, stared at his sleeping face for a few seconds, and then quietly left the room.

"Don't...go..."

Yi Xue paused for a moment, then walked straight to her room. Pushing open the door, she found Xiao Bai still nestled comfortably beside her pillow. Since arriving at Yun Kui Mountain, the little guy had eaten quite a lot and had grown even faster than her.

"You really don't have any sense of crisis at all."

Yi Xue gently scratched the little white cat's head and then lay down on the bed.

Earlier in Master Yixuan's room, he made a promise. In fact, at that time he didn't know what to do, he just felt that he should say those words.

Now that the system has laid out every step he will have to take, he is at a loss for words. The costs are real, not empty promises that can be made with grand pronouncements.

Most importantly, he was to inherit the Azure Sea Sword. He knew the fate of all the previous sword masters: their senses gradually faded, their bodies weakened, and they eventually burned out like candles. So when he heard this news, he wondered, "Will I become like that too?"

He was terrified, and then he saw something even more terrifying: the person he cared about had become like that.

"call……"

The system said that he possessed a certain power within him that could reconcile contradictions, but he knew nothing about it. To be honest, he had no idea what he could or couldn't do.

Furthermore, what exactly are those two forces within me? They're said to be energies similar in nature to the Azure Nether Sword, but how did they even appear within me...? I can't figure it out. But thinking about it carefully, although I've been in this world for so long, I don't think I've ever seriously considered my origins. Did I appear out of thin air? Or...?

Hmm... Could I be the subject of some weird experiment...?

Yi Xue rolled over in bed, feeling a bit annoyed. There was nothing she could do; the more she thought about these things she couldn't understand, the more frustrated she became.

Finally, realizing that tossing and turning was pointless, Yi Xue resigned himself to his fate and collapsed onto the bed. He suddenly remembered the evening when he returned to Yun Kui Mountain with Yi Jiang.

He had just been found that day, covered in dirt, shivering from the cold, and lying on Yi Jiang's back, half-asleep, listening to her say things like, "This will be your home from now on, I won't let you suffer anymore," and so on.

Back then, he was still scheming about how to get free meals from Yunkui Mountain, never imagining that one day he would risk his life for these complete strangers. But things are different now.

People always change... Although he often boasts that he has the soul of an adult, it seems that due to the influence of his physical condition, his way of thinking is often like that of a child. Sometimes when he is upset, he wants to whine to an adult, and when he encounters something he cannot overcome, he always wants to fight against it...

Children are always easily influenced by their environment, there's a saying that childhood education can change a child's life. So, is it lucky or unlucky for me to meet people like Master Yi Jiang?

I guess I'm lucky, at least that's how I feel right now.

"System, I accept all of the above conditions."

Yi Xue made his decision, and his tone was much calmer than he had imagined.

The system panel remained silent for a moment, then a new line of text slowly appeared, and the panel changed from a very cold, icy blue to a slightly warm gold.

[It has been confirmed that, effective immediately, this system will take over the derivation and improvement of the Xuanmo magic. The favorability point deduction ratio has taken effect, and the Qingming Sword contract replacement process will automatically start at the appropriate time. Please wait patiently for that day.]

Yi Xue looked up at the familiar ceiling, then closed his eyes. He had barely slept since the early hours of the morning, and his daily sleep time had been compressed to the limit. It was only natural that things would turn out this way after what happened last night. He was sleepy.

[Host]

[This system has stated before that my sole purpose in existence is for your happiness, even though every choice you make will increase the difficulty of achieving this goal.]

"Oh, I see... I'm sorry, I always make you indulge my nonsense..."

Strictly speaking, my life should be something shared by me and the system, right? And... I've received a lot of help from the system all along, but I've never said thank you even once.

If you keep giving and not getting recognition, no one can stand it.

"Thanks……"

Yi Xue opened his mouth, but the intense drowsiness prevented him from uttering another word. The system understood what he was about to say, and this time, it gently stopped him.

[Shh... I understand, you're exhausted. Just... get some sleep.]

Hearing the familiar yet unfamiliar voice beside her, Yi Xue finally succumbed to sleepiness and closed her heavy eyelids.

[May every day in the future be filled with sweet dreams, my...]

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Dawn Dragon, Dark Dragon

"Hmm...where is this..."

When Yixue woke up, she found herself on a boundless expanse of water.

Rather than standing, it would be more accurate to say that he was floating directly on the water. There were no ripples from his feet touching the water, and he couldn't see the sky above. He was surrounded by thick white fog. Yes, it was a scene he knew all too well.

"It's that dream again..."

Yi Xue scratched his head and sighed. At first, he did find the dream a bit eerie, but after having it so many times, he had gotten somewhat used to it.

As he spoke, he looked around as if searching for something.

"If this scenario begins, what we'll encounter next is probably..."

They appeared. Two blurry lights slowly emerged from the distant fog, one a fiery gold, the other a serene silver, like two lamps seen through frosted glass.

He had previously dismissed it as a baseless fantasy, but after hearing this information from the system, Yi Xue concluded that these were the two powers within her body.

'The system says they want to communicate with me, so if I actively try to communicate with them...'

The next second, as if sensing his thoughts, the two orbs of light broke through the mist and approached him. Then, in his gaze, they gradually grew larger, condensed, and took shape, eventually becoming two giant dragons coiled in the mist.

"Eh...?"

Yi Xue stared in shock at the scene before him. He never expected it to unfold like this; he had only thought about it casually.

"However... since I don't sense any hostility, let's try to communicate."

Then, he came to his senses and looked at the two giant dragons. The golden one was coiled in the mist, and the whole dragon was radiating a scorching aura. Its head alone was taller than Yi Xue.

Its scales are not pure gold; the edges of each scale are tinged with a lava-like crimson, as if they were iron just taken out of the forge and embedded into its skin before they could cool down.

These scales are arranged very densely, covering the entire length of the abdomen from the lower jaw. When breathing, pulsating light shines through the gaps between the scales, sometimes bright and sometimes dim, as if a constantly burning molten core is hidden inside the body.

Its dragon horns protrude diagonally from above its brow ridges, with the tips slightly curved upwards. The surface of the horns is covered with spiral patterns, and liquid flames flow deep within the patterns. Behind its head, a crimson sun disc slowly rotates.

The dragon's vertical pupils were a pure crimson gold, narrowing into a thin slit. But if you stared at it for a while, you would see something slowly rotating within that slit—its pupil itself, which seemed to swirl within it like a nebula.

Its mane extends from the back of its neck all the way down its back, but it doesn't look like hair; it looks more like flames solidified into translucent threads that move freely in the mist without wind.

Whenever it tries to speak, a few sparks emerge from deep in its throat, like shards of flint when struck.

As for the second dragon, it was a completely different existence. Its scales were silvery-white, like moonlight shining on ice in the deep winter. Beneath this ice, there were frost patterns that had been frozen for thousands of years.

Its body is covered with an extremely thin layer of ice film, which appears very smooth. Light hitting it does not reflect off it, but is absorbed into the gaps between the scales and turns into a faint white halo.

Unlike the other dragon, its horns are straight cones covered with dense spiral patterns. The horns are translucent and sealed with fine cracks inside, like ice crackle glaze. However, upon closer inspection, one can see that the patterns are not random cracks, but rather part of its body, a more orderly pattern.

Behind its head is a slowly rotating halo, which sometimes transforms into a crescent moon and sometimes into a full moon under the reflection of light, which is truly amazing.

Its pupils were a very pale silver-blue, like a completely frozen lake. Its mane covered its neck and was a row of backward-growing ice crystal blades. When they were stacked, they were silent, but when they were opened, you could hear a few faint cracking sounds, like ice breaking as it thawed.

Unlike another dragon, which stirs up the mist when it sweeps across it, the slender, pointed tail freezes the mist into fine frost particles. These frost particles drift down slowly and turn into specks of light before touching the water's surface.

At first glance, the two seem to be completely opposite, but there are some subtle similarities between them. When they stand side by side, they are like figures drawn on the same canvas.

The painting on the paper depicts the sun and moon shining together, half splashed with gold and half sprinkled with silver.

When the two looked at him at the same time, he saw the same reflection in his completely different pupils—himself. It was at this moment that Yi Xue realized she had become somewhat engrossed in looking at him.

"You're awake..."

The silver dragon spoke first, its voice steady yet elegant. Cold mist accompanied its words as it gently breathed on him, but surprisingly, he didn't feel cold; instead, he felt a sense of warmth.

"Hmph, I told you he would come looking for me on his own, but you kept saying you wanted to appear in my dreams."

The golden one spoke impatiently, slapping the water with the tip of its tail. Sparks landed near Yi Xue's feet, carrying a slight heat.