Chapter Fifty-Six: The True Xuanwu Force and the Spirit Armor of the Dragon Turtle

Zuo Shi wandered around the third floor and soon grew bored, so she stopped beside the tortoise shell on the floor, waiting listlessly for Shi Yan to hurry up. Half an hour later, Shi Yan finally made his way upstairs at a slow pace. He had changed into a long azure robe, and indeed looked quite handsome.

But Zuo Shi only glanced at him before withdrawing her gaze, fixing her eyes once more on the tortoise shell before her. “If you’re finished, come show me quickly. I’m dying of impatience.”

She had seen too many handsome and imposing young men, and every man in the Zuo family was a paragon of good looks. By now, she was almost immune to any style of male beauty.

“Little girl, you’re used to having people wait for you. If you never know what it’s like to wait, how could you understand the hardship?” Shi Yan snorted coldly, not hurrying over. Instead, he wandered around a few bookshelves, relying on some distant memory to pull out a thick, dust-covered ancient tome. Only then did he approach Zuo Shi.

His words caught her off guard, and for a moment she stared, lost in thought. Then she nodded lightly in agreement. “You’re right. People have always waited for me—I’ve never really waited for anyone before. So this is what it feels like. But why is it that those people, after waiting for so long, never seem angry and always speak so kindly to me?”

“That’s because they’re pathetic,” Shi Yan remarked bluntly.

Pursing her lips, Zuo Shi let out a tinkling laugh, her bright eyes dancing over him. “You really are a scoundrel. What’s pathetic about them?”

“I think your name should be Zuo Heartless, not Zuo Shi.”

“Why’s that?”

“Where I come from, whatever a child lacks in fate, their name makes up for. For example, Zhao Jin means fate is short of gold, Wang Miao is short of water. You should be called Zuo Heartless…”

“You’re the one who’s witless! Scoundrel!”

“So you’re not as dim as you act?” Shi Yan’s expression was calm. “If you weren’t so naive, how could you not see what they’re after? Since they want to please you, of course they wouldn’t show any sign of discontent in front of you. Men—before they’ve gotten something beautiful, they’re always pathetic. And after they get it, they’re even worse.”

“Are you talking about yourself?” Zuo Shi’s eyes sparkled as she looked at him, smiling sweetly.

“Ahem, I’m talking about men in general. I’m the exception.” Shi Yan declared shamelessly, then, feeling a little guilty, crouched down beside the tortoise shell, flipping through the thick ancient tome in his hand. When he came to a certain page, he’d pause and point at a particular archaic character.

The underside of the tortoise shell, about the size of a washbasin, was covered with intricate ancient patterns, and, most remarkably, eight characters—each the size of a pair of lips—were inscribed there. They didn’t seem to have been carved, but rather formed naturally by the pattern of the shell itself, a marvel to behold.

The eight characters were arranged in two columns, all of a similar size, and felt cool to the touch. Shi Yan’s left hand traced over each character, while his right hand flipped through the ancient book, sometimes frowning in thought, sometimes his eyes lighting up as a faint smile played about his lips, as if some understanding had dawned. He was utterly absorbed in deciphering the tortoise shell.

In his single-minded focus, it was as if he was completely oblivious to the beautiful young woman beside him.

Zuo Shi crouched down too, her delicate face level with his, watching every change in his expression. It had to be said, Shi Yan’s unwavering concentration lent him a certain masculine charm. His earnestness in the task won her unspoken approval; she thought to herself, He may be a bit arrogant and sharp-tongued, but when it comes to serious matters, he’s quite diligent.

Shuffling pages—the only sound in the still room. Zuo Shi squatted quietly beside him, observing in silence, not interrupting.

No one knew how much time passed before Shi Yan suddenly closed the tome with a snap, his face solemn. “I’ve got it.”

“What do those eight characters mean?” Zuo Shi’s eyes lit up with delight.

“Dragon Tortoise Spirit Armor! Xuanwu True Vigor!” Shi Yan intoned.

“Oh!” Zuo Shi exclaimed softly, pointing at the tortoise shell in astonishment. “The shell is glowing because of your voice!”

“What?” Shi Yan was startled and quickly looked down, discovering that the intricate patterns on the shell were now emitting a faint azure glow.

The eight ancient characters seemed to come alive, slowly writhing across the shell, then rearranging themselves. Zuo Shi and Shi Yan stared in shock.

After a moment, the eight characters merged to form a palm-shaped depression in the shell. Azure light flowed over the shell’s surface, and a strange energy pulsed within. The air in the room seemed drawn into the shell, so quickly that both Shi Yan and Zuo Shi found it hard to breathe.

“Zuo Shi, I’ll watch here. You go to the parlor and fetch your grandfather and mine—quickly!” Shi Yan barked suddenly, snapping out of his daze.

“Alright!” Startled by the shell’s changes, Zuo Shi didn’t dare delay. Her slender figure flickered and vanished from Shi Yan’s sight.

Shi Yan’s face was grave as he stared unblinking at the tortoise shell.

The azure light continued to swirl across its surface; the hand-shaped depression grew deeper with each breath drawn into the shell. Watching for a while, Shi Yan suddenly realized what the shell wanted—it was prompting someone to place their hand inside.

The thought had barely formed when Shi Yan felt an irresistible urge to put his own hand in the indentation.

But just as he reached out, he abruptly came to his senses. No, this shell belongs to Zuo Shi; it’s not for me to meddle.

With that, he stepped back, took a deep breath, and waited calmly.

Soon, Zuo Shi returned, accompanied by Zuo Xu and Shi Jian. The three gathered around the shell, watching its ongoing transformation.

“The situation is as follows…” Shi Yan briefly explained, then said, “The handprint in the shell appears to be the key. If someone places their hand there, they should be able to unlock the shell’s secrets. Since Zuo Shi brought it, I won’t overstep.”

“Could there be danger?” Zuo Xu’s gaze flickered uncertainly; at this moment, even he hesitated.

“I can’t say for sure.” Shi Yan shook his head, then offered his opinion after a pause. “That’s precisely why I called you both here. If there’s any risk, you should be able to intervene in time.”

“So you’re suggesting we try?” Zuo Xu’s eyes gleamed. The words ‘Dragon Tortoise Spirit Armor’ and ‘Xuanwu True Vigor’ clearly hinted at some secret treasure or martial art, and the shell’s ancient appearance only attested to its value. How could he not be tempted?

“Of course, we should try.” Shi Yan grinned. “Grandfather Zuo, if you’re worried for Zuo Shi, I can do it in her place, if you’d prefer.”

“I’ll do it,” Zuo Shi declared, and without waiting for Zuo Xu’s opinion, she stretched out her fair, slender hand and pressed it into the deep depression on the shell.

Boom!

A muffled explosion sounded from within the shell. Five fine needles shot out instantly from the depression, piercing the tips of Zuo Shi’s fingers.

Blood as bright as rubies beaded on her fingertips, swirling solidly in the depression before being absorbed by the shell.

Brilliant azure light burst forth, so dazzling it was impossible to keep one’s eyes open. Strange ancient runes, formed of condensed azure light, flew out, streaming along Zuo Shi’s arm and directly into her mind.

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P.S.: There’ll be a chapter posted at midnight for the ranking sprint. If anyone’s still up then, please show your support!