Chapter 340: The orphaned girl of Fog Isle (2)
Fog Isle.
Situated in the middle of the ocean of corpses, it’s the only piece of land in the entire world.
It is also the only place in the world with any living beings.
Although this place is cold all year round, sometimes staying in the negatives for months on end, it is still the most desirable place for humans to live.
No matter which world they are from, as long as they know of this place, they will desire to be here.
It is the legendary Island of Fate.
Unfortunately, to make it here, the first thing you have to do is experience death once.
And a very painful death at that.
Whenever someone arrives at the world of Fog Isle, they would always appear in the ocean of corpses.
And monsters that are specifically made to kill people would arrive from the ocean below.
Once they’re killed by the monster, the newcomer’s bodies will be swept away by the sea currents.
Their souls trapped inside their bodies, they will experience the pain of suffocating for eternity.
If one day, a corpse manages to escape the sea current and drift ashore onto Fog Isle, it will have been a miracle of fate.
With such a person whose appearance are miracles in and of themselves, even if all that’s left are their corpse, the Fog Isle would still grant them a new life.
Su Xue Er was now on that Fog Isle.
Before, when she flew through the sea of mist, she arrived here.
She was a person who made it to Fog Isle without dying.
The first person to do so in a hundred year.
Her luck became the envy of countless people.
Not to mention, when they investigated her identity, they suddenly found that she was a person that the Fog Isle had no way to reject.
Her parents gave their lives for the sake of the Fog Isle.
Although they were both uninteresting people without much achievement, it was still fact that they contributed to the Fog Isle.
Because of that, their daughter ——-the orphaned girl with the most fortunate fate, wouldn’t be rejected by the Fog Isle.
At this time, Su Xue Er was in Guru Isa’s room.
“Since you are now my Disciple, there is something you must learn” the black robe woman spoke.
“That is to enjoy pain”
She reached her hand out and began to draw cards while speaking: “Let us see, what kind of punishment you shall receive before death and what kind of pleasant screams will I hear”
Su Xue Er remained silent.
Is it still not ready?
It’s not time yet?
While she was thinking, a knock came from the empty space at the mountaintop.
Su Xue Er silently clenched her fists.
——finally, the arranged matter is here.
“Who?” the black robe woman spoke irritatedly.
From the void of space, darkness began to rise, then opened up as a pair of black heavy gates appeared from the ground.
Two rows of antique looking armors marched out with swords and shields in hand.
There was no one inside those armors…
This seems to be some sort of unknown spell, perhaps a God’s Chosen Skill.
More and more armors came, slowly filling the space on the mountaintop.
“Guru Isa, sorry to bother you” the leading armor spoke with an echoing voice.
“Sentry, for what reason have you come to my abode?” the black robe woman questioned.
“We suspect that this Disciple candidate might be doing something inappropriate” the armor spoke.
“Ah? Is there such a thing? How serious is it?”
“The death penalty might be required” the armor answered.
“Very well, go ahead” the black robe woman thought for a bit, then said.
Receiving her permission, the two rows of armors marched to either sides of Su Xue Er.
“Su Xue Er?” the leading armor spoke in a low voice.
“That is me”
“The Sentinel has summoned you to receive interrogation”
Su Xue Er still hung her head, her emotions calm.
This is what I wanted, if only a bit slow.
She spoke: “Why me? Didn’t those girls tried to frame me and was disciplined by the Gurus?”
The armor spoke: “This time, what you did is punishable by death, so all 7 Gurus are present”
The black robe woman was clearly in high spirits when hearing that: “To gain the attention of the 7 Gurus, not to mention punishable by death, it seems you’ve done something that I didn’t know about”
Su Xue Er looked at her and begged: “I beg you, please save me”
The black robe woman was originally still a bit hesitant, but as she hears this, she smiled and waved her hand: “This is fine too, go and face your fate, I won’t bother with you”
“Su Xue Er, come with me to the House of Law, lest we use violence” the armor coldly spoke.
Before Su Xue Er could answer, she was already surrounded by 7-8 armors without a single chance to run.
Su Xue Er wasn’t panicked at all.
“Then please show the way, I also want to see just what schemes they’ve hatched this time” she calmly said.
She followed the armors into the gate and disappeared from this space.
The black robe woman stood there for a bit, muttering to herself: “The House of Law… entry is blocked unless invited, that’s fine too, it’s better if I don’t have to act myself”
When leaving Guru Isa’s room.
Su Xue Er followed the two rows of armor, currently crossing a phantom bridge dangling above a bottomless abyss.
The chilly wind continues to blow.
She controlled herself as well as her gaze to not look at whatever gigantic shadowy beings below.
What followed the hanging bridge was a wide hallway.
Every dozen meters, a new burning torch could be seen lined the walls.
They light up the darkness, chasing away the chill and wetness in the air.
Despite having the 7 Gurus waiting for her, Su Xue Er only moved forward slowly step by step, not using any power at all.
This perfectly follows the rules.
Because the Institute is built in the air, the entire structure is outfitted with anti-magic.
And Disciples aren’t allowed to use their powers in public.
Areas that allows the usage of power is marked clearly.
This way, the Institute hidden deep inside the Fog Isle wouldn’t attract the attention of powerful monsters from across the realms.
It took Su Xue Er almost half an hour to reach the House of Law.
The magnificent House of Law looks like it was built with an ancient Gothic-style architecture.
When they passed through the gates of the House of law, a path lead straight towards a large throne situated on high in the air.
Sitting on the throne was a skeleton hanging its head.
The skeleton man wore a blood-red coat, leaning back on the throne, unmoving.
Blood flows like a river, manifesting behind him to form a magnificent sight.
The river of blood took up all the space behind the skeleton, blocking out everything from the floor to the ceiling.
The intense current of blood silently flowed, occasionally splashing waves onto itself.
The river flowed upwards, not downwards.
A person that carries a river of blood behind him.
This is a legendary character even in the Institute.
Lord Bloodcloak, the Institute’s Sentinel.
Dozens of statues lined up on either side of the path.
Each of these statues held a different posture, giving off a solemn air of being watched and judged.
A few cloaked girls stood absolutely still in the middle of the path and didn’t dare to even breathe too heavily.
As they saw Su Xue Er approaching, they looked up at her with triumphant eyes.
The two rows of armors knelt on one knee and reported: “Sentinel, the 7 Elders, we have brought her here”
The skeleton sitting on the throne looked up and spoke: “Step down”
“Yes”
The group of armors stood up, bowed slightly before leaving the House of Law.
“Su Xue Er”
Lord Bloodcloak leaned on the throne and asked with a hoarse voice: “You have committed a crime punishable by death, what do you have to say for yourself?”
Su Xue Er looked at him and very casually bowed to etiquette.
She answered: “Sentinel, I do not even know what my crime is”
Lord Bloodcloak answered: “Possession of heretical techniques”
Su Xue Er smirked and replied: “Heretical techniques? I do not know of any heretical techniques”
“But someone had claimed that they saw you reading from a note of heretical techniques” Lord Bloodcloak answered her.
“Then please have her step forward and confront me” Su Xue Er replied.
Seeing how confident she was, Lord Bloodcloak’s tone softened slightly and said: “You lot, what do you have to say?”
The girls standing in the middle of the path exchange looks.
“One day during nighttime’s rest, I saw her reading from a small booklet, she was so focused on it that she didn’t notice me approaching her” one of the girls spoke.
Another added: “When she was reading from that booklet, I happened to read one line in there”
“What line?” the Lord asked.
“The path of cultivation is split into realms, first is Qi Training, then Foundation Establishment” she replied.
Suddenly, of the dozens of statues on either sides of the road, seven of them spoke up one by one:
“Heresy!”
“Heresy!”
“Heresy!”
“Heresy!”
“Heresy!”
“Heresy!”
“Heresy!”
Lord Bloodcloak’s tone became fierce: “Su Xue Er, studying heretical techniques is a crime punishable by death, what else do you have to say for yourself?”
A rusty long blade appeared from thin air, trembling.
Countless screams could be heard from the blade.
The girls exchanged looks to see the excitement in each other’s eyes.
This living person who arrived at Fog Isle will finally have to die.
They wanted to enjoy the look of fear in Su Xue Er’s eyes before her death.
But Su Xue Er only smiled and calmly replied: “One day, during nighttime’s rest, I saw them flipping through a small booklet, which contains a line ——— The path of cultivation is split into realms, first is Qi Training, then Foundation Establishment”
“They are probably afraid that I will report them, that is why they went ahead and instead reported me to the elders first”
The girls instantly shouted back: “Such nonsense!”
“Bullshit!”
“That is you!”
Su Xue Er kept her hands behind her back and spoke without worry: “That is the truth”
Lord Bloodcloak became silent.
It seems someone is looking down on me, to dare to lie in the House of Law in front of myself and the 7 Gurus.
He started to snicker in a low voice: “The consequence of trying to fool us isn’t just a simple felony”
He reached out and took a scroll from the throne.
A black scroll.
“Su Xue Er, do not resist”
After Lord Bloodcloak said so, the scroll flew up and left a bloody glow behind.
The scroll itself wasn’t gone, but scattered into countless blood-colored sprites that circled around Su Xue Er once before returning to the throne.
In Lord Bloodcloak’s hand was a small booklet.
“Inside your accommodation, within a newly carved corner, there was this book” Lord Bloodcloak spoke.
“It’s that!” one of the girls yelled with a high-pitched voice.
Su Xue Er remained silent.
Lord Bloodcloak took the small booklet and began to read through.
Suddenly, his tone became very gentle: “Right, Su Xue Er’s parents died during that war, giving up their lives for the sake of the Institute”
“This booklet was her mother’s study notes back then”
“I can still remember that girl —-she was a bright student, let me read a bit more…”
“Ah, found it, this class was one that taught about the origin power of all worlds”
“I was the one who taught that class, what’s written in here was my view of the worlds’ origin power at the time, so she remembered everything”
Lord Bloodcloak’s tone started to become heated.
“There were also her questions and my answers, yes, that’s right, this is how I would always answer…”
“What a good student she was”
Lord Bloodcloak closed the booklet in nostalgia and looked at Su Xue Er.
Chapter 341: The orphaned girl of Fog Isle (3)
This girl is an orphan.
Both her parents used to be my students, as well as people who gave their lives for Fog Isle.
Their daughter drifted to some unknown world, just as she finally managed to find her way back here, she was framed by someone and could’ve lost her life.
An orphaned girl without anyone to rely on is currently awaiting judgement on her life and death.
After staying silent for a while, Lord Bloodcloak spoke up: “You’re innocent, Su Xue Er”
“Thank you, Sentinel”
“Is there anything else you want to say about what happened today?” Lord Bloodcloak asked.
It’s here.
I’ve been waiting for this moment!
Su Xue Er bit her lip, seemingly a bit hesitant.
“Can I… ask a small question?” she spoke.
“Of course, you can ask anything you want” Lord Bloodcloak was exceptionally forgiving today.
“Thank you sir” Su Xue Er very carefully said.
This is my only chance at retaliation, I have to seize it.
I’m a person too.
A living, breathing person.
I want to live here peacefully.
The rest of you don’t have the right to treat me like this.
I’m not easy to mess with.
If anyone else wants to take my life…
“For the sake of fairness, I hope the Sentinel will search their person as well” Su Xue Er spoke.
“That is “ Lord Bloodcloak answered.
The blood sprites came from the air, circled around the girls and dropped a few random items on the ground.
Within the items was also a small booklet.
Lord Bloodcloak took up the booklet and opened it.
“Ahahahahahaha!”
He burst into laughter.
I was almost fooled into killing my student’s daughter.
“Gurus, have a careful look”
Lord Bloodcloak tossed the booklet out.
The booklet circled around the statues before landing on the ground.
“Heresy!”
The groups of statues once again spoke in a low voice.
“No! We don’t have such a booklet!”
“We were definitely framed!”
“Gurus, I truly don’t know anything about this, this isn’t mine!”
The girls screamed in fear.
Studying heretical techniques is punishable by death.
Suddenly, one of the girls burst out crying: “I was wrong, I was jealous that she learnt things so quick, that she arrived here alive. I thought that she was an orphan so bullying her was fine, I didn’t know it would be this way!”
Following her, the other girls also started crying.
They know very well the consequences of studying heretical techniques.
This was what they had prepared for her.
At this moment, they were finally able to realize just exactly what they tried to do to another person.
Lord Bloodcloak asked: “Gurus, what do you think?”
The group of statues stayed silent for a while, then answered: “Your judgement is final”
The Lord thought for a bit, then asked Su Xue Er: “Then what do you think?”
Su Xue Er looked at the girls.
The girls all knelt down at her feet, crying while begging for forgiveness.
Su Xue Er glanced at the booklet lying in the dirt.
——-that was the booklet Gu Qing Shan gave her, the real one.
Caught in a desperate situation, she couldn’t help but use it to frame another, to get a tiny hope of living for herself.
But now, small sparks were already gathered on the booklet, quickly bursting into flames and burnt it to ash.
She could almost hear Gu Qing Shan’s words.
“…the booklet contains a method of cultivation, this is really important, make sure to train with it”
“Train well and quickly become stronger, the world of the future isn’t too bright, at least you’ll have a way to protect yourself”
“Do your best!”
Su Xue Er stared blankly.
She has lost that booklet forever.
“Sentinel, does my opinion matter?” she asked.
“You are the victim, so of course it is” Lord Bloodcloak answered.
The girls’ cries became even louder.
They were desperately pleading to Su Xue Er.
Su Xue Er softly muttered: “Studying heretical techniques, lying to the Guru, I think the punishment was being fed to the Abyssal spiders”
“Then that it shall be” Lord Bloodcloak nodded.
He waves his hand.
A few silvery white threads dropped from the ceiling down.
Both their girls and their cries were covered by the threads.
Colorful giant spiders descended from above.
These spiders extended their front legs and started to roll their threads, turning the girls into mummies.
The group of spiders brought the mummies with them up to the ceiling, satisfied as they headed outside.
“The trial is finished, you can return, Su Xue Er” Lord Bloodcloak said.
He thought for a bit, then added: “I remember in this exam, the most talented of the candidates should be you, as well as those spiders’ food”
“They are no longer here, but you still can’t relax just yet, keep doing your best” the skeleton sincerely advised her.
He then out a scroll into the void of space.
The scroll disappeared, then reappeared in front of Su Xue Er.
“Sir, this is?” Su Xue Er was a bit suspicious.
“For you”
Su Xue Er then smiled and bowed: “Thank you, sir Sentinel”
“There is no need to, your parents were my Disciples, yet I couldn’t give you any help, instead almost sentenced you to death for being framed, this is a little bit of compensation from me” Lord Bloodcloak told her.
Su Xue Er didn’t look at the scroll and only accepted it.
“A scroll will help me greatly so I won’t reject it, but if I grow in the future, I will definitely not forget your favor today” she spoke very sincerely.
At the time someone arrives at Fog Isle, before their awakening, everyone is powerless.
Unless stolen from someone else or gifted by a Guru, there is absolutely no way to gain power.
This gift of a scroll will definitely help Su Xue Er greatly.
Not only did she accept it, she could even say such a thing.
Lord Bloodcloak was a bit surprised, but also glad.
This girl’s actions are pure, her words are not at all fake, and she also knows to repay a favor.
A good girl indeed.
“Are you confident with the qualifications test?” Lord Bloodcloak asked her.
Different from the black robe woman from before, he was truly worried about her.
“I am not” Su Xue Er answered.
Lord Bloodcloak smiled and replied: “You managed to arrive at the Fog Isle alive, fate itself favors you, there is no need to worry”
Su Xue Er was a bit hesitant, but spoke her mind: “I had to use a tool to make it to Fog Isle alive”
She continued: “Truthfully, I myself don’t have the talent to make it to Fog Isle alive”
“Because of that, I’m not confident at all with the test”
Hearing that, Lord Bloodcloak was a bit unexpected.
He could tell that her words are from the heart.
His student’s daughter, an orphan, was spilling her heart out to him.
How many years has it been since someone dares to get so close to myself?
After a moment of silence, Lord Bloodcloak finally spoke: “Su Xue Er, I will tell you a certain truth”
“Please do, sir”
“If fate didn’t favor you, no matter what tools you used, you would’ve have made it to Fog Isle”
“Do you believe that there aren’t any monsters in the air?”
“For the last hundred years, you are the only person to slip through the cracks, at the only moment that no monsters took any notice to fly into Fog Isle”
Su Xue Er was stunned.
Is that really so?
I had given up my original fate and used that card to travel to this world.
And the results?
I was teleported to the Ocean of corpses.
Almost got eaten by the monster in the sea.
Once I reached Fog Isle, the other Disciple candidates hated me, isolated me, avoided by everyone.
Guru Isa wanted to take my life.
This was being favored by fate?
It doesn’t seem like it at all.
But a person of Lord Bloodcloak’s standing wouldn’t lie about such a thing.
Su Xue Er was a bit hesitant.
Lord Bloodcloak noticed her eyes and understood.
He continued: “No matter who it is, as soon as they came into the World of the Fog Isle, their fate would have already been changed”
“Being dead or alive both comes from the desire in your heart, together with the resistance and call of fate”
“No matter what type of tool you had relied on, it is a gift to you from fate itself, otherwise fate would have destroyed it”
Su Xue Er carefully listened to him and nodded.
Perhaps feeling that he had said too much, Lord Bloodcloak waved his hand: “Step down and prepare for your upcoming tests”
“I will, thank you Sentinel, thank you Gurus”
Su Xue Er bowed to etiquette and slowly back down.
She slowed her feet, calmly leaving the House of Law.
After she left.
All the tall statues suddenly disappeared without a trace.
The only person left in the House of Law was Lord Bloodcloak sitting on his throne.
After staying silent for a while, Lord Bloodcloak muttered to himself: “She did not die, yet she manages to attain the presence of a new life, what a fortunate soul”
Su Xue Er headed back to her quarters.
The top three Disciple candidates who passed the test have a certain privilege.
They can freely choose their Guru, instead of being chosen by a Guru.
This makes the first three positions highly sought after by everyone.
They would do everything to get it.
And herself, being the first person in over a hundred years to reach Fog Isle while still alive, she’s one of the most likely people to reach the top 3.
Naturally, she became the center of attention.
So the girls tried to think of ways to deal with her.
Cold shoulders, isolation, and even physical threat.
Finally, during the time she was heading for the library, the girls somehow managed to get a male Disciple to notice her.
If it wasn’t for the fact that the male Disciple was hurrying to his class, who knows what would’ve happened to her.
Fortunately, she wasn’t one to sit and wait for her own death.
Now, the main schemers will definitely die.
They had their own plan used against them and was eliminated.
Perhaps today, or tomorrow at dawn, the Abyssal spiders will eat them.
——so this is how good it feels to get revenge.
Su Xue Er’s lips slowly curved into a smile.