NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7 - It Turns Out Novels Can Be Fake Too
Since she had joined Divine Vision Sect, He Yuzhou naturally wanted to show his new disciple around the sect. However, as Yu Lan toured the sect, her determination to escape only strengthened.
Divine Vision Sect appeared dilapidated, with a shocking lack of buildings apart from the numerous living quarters. Other essential structures commonly found in sects were conspicuously absent.
Demonic sect? What kind of demonic sect was this? Yu Lan’s impression of demonic sects was far from the destitution she witnessed.
When she saw the scripture pavilion, she had hoped to find profound cultivation techniques. However, it was empty – devoid of any scriptures.
“We need to make a new set of cultivation robes for you,” He Yuzhou remarked without knowing that his newly acquired female disciple was contemplating to escape.
“Your figure is too good; you can’t fit into Zhi Shi’s clothes.” He adjusted his sleeves, walking ahead of Yu Lan.
Zhi Shi’s clothes were tailored to fit her figure, and Yu Lan couldn’t manage them. Despite wearing loose coarse cloth, Yu Lan, with a cleaned face and body, couldn’t be ignored due to her captivating appearance and aura.
Although Yu Lan’s looks fell slightly short compared to Zhi Shi, her mature and enchanting charm compensated for any differences.
“…,” Zhi Shi, who had been silently observing, responded without sound and discreetly adjusted a certain part of her clothing.
Zhi Shi considered herself to have a good figure, but she didn’t expect Yu Lan to be even more pronounced.
Though Zhi Shi maintained her expressionless demeanor, Yu Lan seemed to hear a cold snort and caught Zhi Shi’s glare.
The glare was full of killing intent, causing Yu Lan to shudder involuntarily.
“We’ll discuss the cultivation robes later; it takes quite a long time to get them tailored,” He Yuzhou lazily said.
Unconsciously, He Yuzhou had led Yu Lan through the entire sect and returned to the main hall in just an hour. A small sect had its advantages; sometimes, it saved time.
“Have a seat.” He Yuzhou said, settling onto a cushion.
Yu Lan, still puzzled, followed suit on another cushion, watching He Yuzhou.
To be honest, while she claimed to have joined Divine Vision Sect, she had no idea what she was supposed to do or what would be expected of her.
“Tell me what’s going on with you,” He Yuzhou said, closing his eyes.
Yu Lan was initially bewildered for a few seconds. “What’s going on with me?”
“If you haven’t practiced a corresponding cultivation technique, a normal person shouldn’t have such a strong bloodsucking impulse,” He Yuzhou explained.
People with a strong desire for blood weren’t unheard of, but such symptoms were usually associated with practitioners of sinister techniques. However, Yu Lan hadn’t even reached the Qi refining stage, so how could she endure the attacks from those martial artists?
“I…” Yu Lan hesitated, reluctant to reveal the truth.
Without waiting for her to speak, He Yuzhou took the initiative, saying, “Your transformation, it’s artificial, isn’t it?”
Yu Lan’s pupils contracted, subconsciously grabbing her clothes, her whole body in a tense state.
“You can speak first.” Seeing her hesitation, He Yuzhou patiently urged her to continue.
“Yes… it is,” Yu Lan finally couldn’t hold on any longer and confessed, “But I dare not reveal more… I might be discovered.”
She had a premonition that disclosing the information might lead to her discovery, as if a giant bat were constantly watching her, its fangs ready to bite her neck at any moment.
“How do you think you managed to evade the search of those martial artists when you hid in that cabinet?” He Yuzhou, with closed eyes, calmly said, “Go ahead, it’s safe to speak here in Divine Vision Sect.”
Yu Lan scrutinized every corner of the hall suspiciously, unable to discern any strangeness.
“Master, can I return to being a normal person?” she asked, her eyes widening, seeking the most crucial information.
A voice inside her continually urged her to tear apart her prey, indulge in fresh blood, but her remaining sanity told her she couldn’t succumb to those impulses. Whenever the bloodsucking urge surged, it felt like a person dying of thirst in the desert, craving any drop of blood.
“Cannot,” He Yuzhou calmly stated, delivering the most cruel truth for Yu Lan.
However, quickly sensing Yu Lan’s despair, he changed his tone, “But we can suppress it. After suppression, you can have a normal diet, like this morning when you had duck blood and pig blood. We have quite a few water ducks in our sect.”
“Really?” Yu Lan looked at He Yuzhou with joy. If he could help her, perhaps she could consider delaying her departure from this run-down sect.
This news was probably the most exciting thing she had heard lately; she saw a glimmer of hope, her own beacon.
“If it is a group of people in white cultivation robes,” she mustered the courage to speak before her potential benefactor, “They captured me.”
She remembered how she was beaten into submission, losing the ability to resist, and then thrown into a pool of blood.
“Captured after the destruction of your sect?” He Yuzhou furrowed his brow, as the novels he read often followed such plotlines.
So, he subconsciously assumed Yu Lan had experienced a similar tragedy.
“Ah?” Yu Lan’s eyes looked confused, having an inexplicable cuteness, “Not exactly.”
Being an orphan, she was sold to the Red Lantern District and became a dancing girl. As someone without parents, the possibility of her sect being annihilated didn’t exist.
“Is that so?” He Yuzhou made a show of suddenly understanding, realizing that novels and manga sometimes contained falsehoods. One couldn’t trust everything.
“Do I need to continue, Master?” Yu Lan tried to gauge He Yuzhou’s reaction.
“Go ahead,” He Yuzhou pressed his palm, having been surprised that the content in novels might not be entirely reliable.
It seemed that there were flaws in ancient scriptures, and he needed to delve more seriously into them.