On a certain mountain peak in the Holy Land, within a lake split into two colors, a watery figure slowly surfaced. It emerged from the clear half of the water.

She couldn’t help but sigh after she appeared. "Why did it have to be like this?"

She was in a terrible mood. Even though she was a being of Pure Goodness, it couldn’t stop her mind from being a total mess. Not only was she in a bad mood, she felt awful—as if she’d eaten shit.

She was a complete and utter mess.

"This isn’t scientific, and it isn’t Cultivation. I need to be comforted."

As she said this, the figure floated to the edge of the lake. Beside the lake was an old-school cellphone with physical buttons. That person had told her she could use it to get in touch, so she wouldn’t have to disturb the Array to find her.

The water shadow reached out, intending to use the phone, only to stop halfway. She remembered, ’I’m made of water, and this phone isn’t waterproof.’

She then drifted around the area for a moment and found a tree branch. Wrapping the branch with her watery hand, she began dialing a number from the contact list.

******

At the foot of the Holy Land Mountain lay a vast lake. Despite being surrounded by ice and snow, it showed no signs of freezing over.

Two people were sitting on a small hill by the lake, one of them holding a fishing rod.

"Master, you’ve been at this for so long. Why don’t you let me have a turn? It’s cold out here, you need to watch your health," Jingyue coaxed from the side.

Indeed, the two were the master and apprentice pair of Saintesses: one former, one current.

When Yue Xi saw Sweet Potato, she had keenly sensed the aura of a Holy Beast. Though faint, it was unmistakably a Holy Beast Descendant.

Having been raised by a Holy Beast, she couldn’t possibly be mistaken.

The moment she discovered the Holy Beast Descendant was a duck, she felt rejuvenated. So, without a second thought, she left a note and ran off to go fishing.

Well, not just fishing. It should be called fishing for a Holy Beast.

That’s right. Beneath this very lake lived a Holy Beast—a genuine one.

As for why they could use Sweet Potato to fish for a Holy Beast, the reason was simple: how could the other Holy Beasts tolerate a mere duck possessing their bloodline?

So, after laying down a few ground rules with the one in the lake, the fishing began.

Sweet Potato was currently trembling with fear as it stared at the lake’s surface. It knew a giant turtle would leap out of the water, and if the person holding the rod made a single mistake, it would become the turtle’s next meal.

This world was filled with malice toward it.

’I want to go home.’

Just then, Yue Xi’s phone rang. As she was about to grab it, a dark shadow suddenly shot out from the lake, charging straight for Sweet Potato. Terrified, the duck flapped its wings frantically, wishing desperately that it could fly.

Just as the tortoise-like head was about to bite down on Sweet Potato, Yue Xi gave the rod a gentle lift. Sweet Potato was instantly yanked into the air, escaping the beast’s gaping jaws.

"Naive. Did you think you could snatch the bait while I was distracted?"

The tortoise was unfazed. A snake head emerged from behind it and shot toward Sweet Potato in mid-air. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

The moment it saw the snake, Sweet Potato was scared out of its wits.

Yue Xi scoffed. "And here I thought you had a new trick up your sleeve. Zero creativity."

With another gentle flick of the rod, she pulled Sweet Potato out of the snake head’s attack range.

The Holy Beast Black Tortoise reluctantly dropped back into the water, and the lake’s surface instantly grew calm again. Xuanwu lurked below, awaiting its next chance to strike.

Yue Xi laughed heartily. "Fifth Brother, call me ’big sister,’ and maybe I’ll go easy on you and let you win."

"Next time you’re seriously injured, don’t come crying to me. I won’t save you. And you, Old Qi—I’m the older sister!" a young girl’s voice reached Yue Xi and Jingyue’s ears.

’I know,’ Jingyue thought. ’Even though they call each other Old Qi and Fifth Brother, they’re the only two in this "ranking." The Gui Mother decided their places by rolling dice.’

’As for how she got seven? Two dice, of course.’

’And since her master was number seven, she and her junior martial sister couldn’t rank any higher.’

’She remembered when her master was giving them their Daoist names, she had originally planned on calling one Bayue and the other Jiu Xi.’

’Jiu Xi was fine, but Bayue? What kind of name was that?’

’So Jingyue had insisted on using her own name in place of Bayue, and thus she was called Jingyue.’

’She was so clever.’

These thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant. She then held out the phone to her master, who was still arguing with Sister Gui over who was older. "Master, it’s a call from the Forbidden Land. You should know who it is."

Yue Xi paused, giving up on her argument with the Holy Beast Black Tortoise who had lived for countless years but never seemed to mature.

She took the phone. "What’s wrong?"

’The one from the back wouldn’t call unless something was wrong.’

"Subjective consciousness tells me that she’s in a terrible mood and needs you to comfort her."

Yue Xi: "...I’m busy."

"Subjective consciousness *is* me. So *I’m* in a terrible mood, a really, really terrible mood. And I have something important to tell you."

"I can’t go to the Holy Land Forbidden Area. Go find the Saintess."

"She’s still young. There’s a lot she doesn’t understand."

"Everyone has to grow up sometime."

The line fell silent for a moment. "My current state is influencing my ’Pure Evil’ half. She’s planning to publicize your recent trespassing in the Holy Land. You know I can’t stop her..."

"..." Yue Xi’s tone became completely serious. "My dearest friend, please wait just a moment. I’m on my way."

Jingyue took the fishing rod, smiling. "Master, I won’t rat you out this time. Go on, hurry."

Yue Xi: "...Don’t get Sweet Potato killed. I want to use it again next time."

"I know, I know. A dignified Saintess such as myself is very capable."

At this thought, Jingyue felt a pang of regret. Such a great opportunity to fish for a Holy Beast, and she couldn’t even live stream it.

She’d definitely gain a ton of followers.

Yue Xi then departed. Jingyue said to Sweet Potato, "Don’t be afraid. Big Sister is here, you’re safe. Go on, be bold and provoke the turtle in the lake."

’Provoke?’

Sweet Potato didn’t understand.

Seeing Sweet Potato’s confusion, Jingyue added, "Gesture at the lake surface with your wings a few times, and keep a happy look on your face."

Sweet Potato subconsciously stuck out its wings and tried to maintain a happy expression. But it couldn’t manage to look happy at all; instead, it looked like it was making a strange face.

It was blatant mockery.

Before Sweet Potato could even finish the motion, the lake’s surface exploded, and a snake’s head clamped down on its wing.

"QUACK?"

’What happened to me being safe?’

Then came an endless, miserable cry: "QUACK QUACK QUACK..."

Jingyue was also startled. The opponent had moved so fast that she hadn’t been able to fully react.

’Oh, crap. Sweet Potato is a goner.’

******

Meanwhile, Yue Xi arrived at the Forbidden Land and saw the water shadow. It was lying listlessly on the lake’s surface.

Yue Xi was startled. "What happened to you?"

"There’s a bug," the water shadow said weakly.

"A bug?"

"It means something or someone that shouldn’t exist—or was never part of the original design—has appeared."

Yue Xi’s expression turned grim. This was not a good sign.

"What exactly happened? Does it have a tangible effect on you?"

The water shadow lifted its head to look at Yue Xi. "A man broke in."

Yue Xi was shocked. "There’s a man *here*?"

"No."

Yue Xi breathed a sigh of relief. "Can you be more specific?"

"A man broke into the little shop... and became a Candidacy Saintess."

Yue Xi shrieked in shock, "WHAT???"

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