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Chapter 37: Sophistry
🕑 Added 2025-03-10 12:29:15 +0000 UTCThe awkward truth was that, according to the game’s settings, no one present was skilled at painting.
The four of them stared at the wolf-hair brush, each feeling an unspoken desire to pass the task onto someone else.
Ji Rong recalled her elementary school-level drawing skills, if she attempted to paint, the original owner of this body might just claw her way out of the grave in fury.
This was precisely the moment when the all-capable heroine needed to step in.
Maintaining a composed expression, she turned to Gu Baiyi and said, “Since it requires brush and ink, why not give it a try, Junior Sister?”
To her surprise, Gu Baiyi looked embarrassed and flashed a smile. “With Senior Sister here, how could I possibly make a fool of myself?”
Ji Rong: “…”
What nonsense. The game never mentioned that she was skilled in painting either!
Then Xie Bai nodded in agreement, adding, “Indeed. Xuanji City is a land of talent, filled with scholars and artists. A mere painting should be effortless for Senior Sister Ji.”
Ji Rong shot a cold glare at Xie Bai. Ha. Flattery was unnecessary.
Yet, with three pairs of eyes fixed on her expectantly, she had no way out. Resigned to her fate, she stepped forward and picked up the wolf-hair brush.
The moment she grasped it, however, the brush trembled violently in her hand, as though it had a mind of its own.
In an instant, dazzling light erupted, and the world flipped upside down.
Ji Rong felt a force pulling at her, distorting the scenery around her.
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in the middle of a bustling crowd on the Xuanhe Feixian Bridge.
Amidst the noise, a gentle voice reached her ears.
“Young lady, are you alright?”
Ji Rong looked at the person before her, then down at the brush in her hand, utterly dumbfounded.
The figure wore a light fur coat over a red robe, with a high crown and flowing tassels. It was none other than an early version of Mei He.
Mei He’s brows carried a smile, and despite being dressed as a man, she exuded effortless charm and gallantry.
At this moment, she was seated on horseback, looking down at Ji Rong with a warm smile. “I meant no offense. I hope the young lady will forgive me.”
Ji Rong’s eyes welled up with tears.
Nothing could be more moving than seeing her wife from the past.
She wanted to shout a thousand times over—“Wife, I adore you!” But before she could react, Mei He had already vanished from sight.
【Ding! Player alert: This hidden storyline is a timed mission. Please manage your time wisely.】
【During observation, the system will automatically collect fragments for you.】
Listening to the electronic voice, Ji Rong stood frozen in place, feeling an overwhelming sense of loss.
Where was her wife? Her wife, who had been right here just moments ago?!
【Warning! Five-minute time limit. Player must act immediately, or bear the consequences.】
Ji Rong snapped out of it and looked down at the wolf-hair brush in her hand.
Oh, right. She was here to paint the bridge.
The Xuanghe Floating Immortal Bridge had thirteen arches. With a solemn heart, Ji Rong stared at it, engraving its structure into her very DNA.
The bridge’s railings bore intricate stone carvings, featuring beast faces, bamboo joints, and flood dragons.
A small boat drifted beneath, its stone pillars weathered by the river’s flow, leaving behind mottled marks.
Ji Rong committed every detail to memory.
She would never forget this bridge, the bridge that had taken her wife from her.
Once she had finished observing, the system had already compiled the collected fragments into a blueprint in her consciousness. Now, all she had to do was copy it down.
For the first time, she found the system incredibly useful.
Since the blueprint was ready and time was running out, Ji Rong spoke to the system.
“Alright, I’m done. Get me out of this wretched place.”
But just then, a hand suddenly landed on her shoulder.
A quiet voice sounded from behind her.
“Master? Why are you still here?”
Ji Rong froze.
Why could the people here still see her?
Yet, the system remained silent.
She stiffly turned around and was met with a familiar face.
This person had black hair and wore white robes, bearing a striking resemblance to Gong Yu from a century ago. However, his gaze was full of vitality, unlike his current frail appearance.
Ji Rong’s mind raced for a way to escape.
Gong Yu studied her intently, his furrowed brows gradually relaxing. “Apologies, young lady. I mistook you for someone else.”
“No worries,” Ji Rong replied, feigning calm despite her inner turmoil.
System, help me!
As if responding to her call, the system, for once, was actually helpful.
【Ding! Since the player completed the mission ahead of time, a free ‘Rewind’ function has been unlocked.】
Before Ji Rong could fully comprehend what ‘Rewind’ meant, she suddenly vanished in front of Gong Yu’s astonished eyes.
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in another location.
Her vision was relatively clear, except her perspective was too low.
All she could see was a jade plate filled with grapes and an incense burner with intricate carvings beside an Eight Immortals table.
She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out.
【Dear player, you are now in a maid’s perspective. You have no control.】
Ji Rong: “…”
Could they not have given her a better viewpoint?!
As soon as she had that thought, her view lifted slightly.
Someone removed the incense burner’s lid, stirring the ashes inside.
A slender hand moved gracefully. A woman leaned against a man, smiling.
“Yan Lang, do you know what day it is in a few days?”
Ji Rong made a guess. These two were most likely Meng Ruo and Yan Haiyao.
But as the maid, she couldn’t openly stare at Yan Haiyao. She could only listen to the muffled reply.
“What day is it? Tell me, A’Ruo.”
Meng Ruo chuckled softly and whispered, “I won’t spoil the surprise. Once we have slain the evil spirits, you will know.”
She then turned to the figure on her left. “Master, I wonder when the Sword Saint and Young Master Mei will arrive in Yue City. We should wait for them.”
The monk, Kongji, twirled his prayer beads. “Patience, Lady Meng. I heard Young Master Mei was delayed at the Xuanghe Floating Immortal Bridge. It may take some time before she arrives.”
Meng Ruo covered her lips and laughed. “Oh? It seems Young Master Mei has quite the luck with admirers.”
The maid dared not look directly at them and carefully shifted her gaze toward another figure.
This person wore the attire of the Divine Sect, but their face was obscured. They sat in silence, arms wrapped around their sword.
Just then, a hand lifted the beaded curtain.
The room fell silent.
Everyone turned to the entrance.
The red-clad young man who had lifted the curtain did not enter immediately. Instead, he held it up respectfully, smiling slightly as he turned back.
“Master, we’ve arrived.”
Footsteps approached. A pair of white boots stepped over the threshold.
The scene froze.
Ji Rong held her breath, eager to see who it was.
But just as she was about to get a clear look, the maid’s perspective suddenly plummeted.
The scene blurred, and the noise around her grew chaotic.
The hall was filled with guests. A performer on stage sang a classic opera.
The maid had already stepped out, carrying the fruit tray away.
Ji Rong was speechless.
That was it?!
Couldn’t she have seen just a little more? What kind of cowardly viewpoint was this?!
However, reality proved otherwise, the maid was utterly spineless. Terrified beyond belief, she didn’t dare take another glance at the rumored powerhouse and fled on the spot.
【"Recall" experience concluded. Player will be ejected from the plane in three seconds.】
【Three, two, one—】
Ji Rong slowly opened her eyes.
Standing before her, Xie Bai idly asked, "Senior Sister, how much longer are you going to stare before putting brush to paper?"
She suddenly recalled that she had been painting.
Narrowing her eyes slightly, Ji Rong asked, "Junior Brother Xie, how long have I been standing here?"
Xie Bai answered honestly, "About half a cup of tea’s time."
She followed up, "Completely motionless?"
"No," Xie Bai shook his head. "Not completely still, just as unmoving as a mountain. No matter how I called you, you didn’t respond."
Ji Rong looked at the scroll, finding the situation rather strange.
She was certain the painting had pulled her in, yet Xie Bai said she hadn't moved, and the time matched exactly—five minutes.
Gu Baiyi seemed to notice something amiss and said gently, "If Senior Sister has lost the mood for painting, there's no rush. The Cloud Immortal Grotto is right ahead—we can take our time."
Take her time? If she delayed any longer, she might forget about the bridge entirely.
With that thought, Ji Rong picked up her brush and said flatly, "No need. I’ll do it now."
The wolf-hair brush lightly traced the air, sketching out the rough form.
As the brush glided, the structure of the Xuanghe Floating Immortal Bridge became increasingly clear.
The broken bridge originally had only six and a half arches. Ji Rong moved the brush, filling in the remaining ones.
Then she added the bridge’s arch, railings, and ornamental pillars.
Her skill was limited, and despite the reference blueprint, she couldn't perfectly capture the exact radii and dimensions.
Fortunately, the game’s difficulty wasn’t too high, once she outlined the shape, the brush automatically anchored to the correct points.
Wherever the wolf-hair brush passed, the missing half of the bridge gradually emerged.
Earlier, in the illusion, Ji Rong had noticed that apart from the beast-head carvings at the bridge’s ends, the rest of the structure was perfectly symmetrical.
With that in mind, she deliberately made both ends phoenix heads.
Otherwise, she’d have a hard time explaining how she knew the original carvings were different.
To her surprise, the expressions of the three others subtly shifted when they saw the two pairs of phoenix heads.
Xie Bai pondered for a moment before shaking his fan and asking, "Senior Sister, why did you draw two pairs of phoenix heads?"
Ji Rong found it odd.
Xie Bai couldn't possibly have entered the illusion with her, could he?
She frowned slightly and countered, "Why not?"
Xie Bai remained silent.
Gu Baiyi, however, smiled and said, "You certainly can. After all, the phoenix heads were supposed to be in pairs."
Supposed to be?
Ji Rong’s expression grew uncertain, but her instincts told her not to ask.
A faint glimmer flickered in Gu Baiyi’s eyes.
Her voice remained gentle. "Back then, before Master Mei built this bridge, he already had a daughter. Hoping for a son, he constructed the bridge with dragon and phoenix carvings, symbolizing prosperity. But later, as the world came to know…"
She trailed off with a smile, leaving the rest unsaid.
Ji Rong’s face remained composed, but cold sweat ran down her back.
Because later, the whole world learned that Mei He was actually a woman.
Master Mei had originally kept a pair of phoenixes, yet he had Mei He pose as a man, hiding the truth from the world for a hundred years just for the sake of reputation.
Seeing Ji Rong remain silent, Xie Bai tried to lighten the mood with a chuckle. "People have talked about this for a century. This bridge’s disappearance only made it more famous. Senior Sister, surely you knew about this?"
But instead of easing the tension, his words made the atmosphere even heavier.
Ji Rong’s mind went blank.
…Apologies, but she really didn’t know this bridge was built by Mei He's father.
She was on the verge of tears. How was she supposed to know that Yue City, this ghost town that had only appeared once since the game’s launch, was hiding so many historical pitfalls?
The developers had a habit of digging plot holes but never filling them. Plus, Ji Rong was only interested in fashion items and cultivation mechanics, so she had never paid much attention to past lore.
As Ye Chuyang’s expression grew increasingly blank and Gu Baiyi’s smile turned ever more inscrutable, Ji Rong made up her mind.
If she was going to crash and burn, she might as well go all in.
Setting down the brush, she put on a solemn face and said coldly, "Master Mei was mistaken for so many years. Must we follow in his footsteps and continue this confusion between dragon and phoenix?"
"If something was wrong to begin with, why not correct it?"
After finishing, Ji Rong maintained an air of detached composure, but her palms were sweating.
Because if her argument failed, her cover would be completely blown.
At that moment, a mechanical voice chimed in.
【Beep! Player’s Prestige ≥ 60, Aura ≥ 10. Activating 'Sophistry' skill automatically.】
The three others froze.
For some reason, though Ji Rong’s tone was calm, when they met her gaze, they felt as if they were being reprimanded by their master, a deep sense of guilt creeping into their hearts.
Gu Baiyi wasn’t particularly affected, only puzzled.
Why did Ji Rong’s words make so little sense, yet sound so convincing?
