"Until your views realign with the teachings of the ancestors, you are not allowed to step outside the Elder's Hall."
Qian Renxue froze for a brief second.
'I… have been grounded.'
But she didn't argue. There was no point of arguing, in front of Qian Daoliu's unshakable faith, logic or debate held no sway.
As Qian Daoliu's retreating back vanished into the corridor beyond, she quietly pursed her lips.
'Most of my values are from the modern world. Do you think such low-level disciplinary methods are going to work on me?'
There was no anger or frustration on her face, only a serene, obedient mask. But deep inside, she was ecstatic.
'I know you, Grandpa. You'll let me out within a week at most. But I don't want to go out.'
'Everything that happened yesterday… all of it was triggered by that cursed Reincarnator. If Lin Yuan hadn't presented those Martial Soul Evolution Pills, I wouldn't have had to be this cautious.'
She clenched her fists lightly beneath her sleeves.
'The real problem isn't just the gift or the system user himself. It's the fact that Bibi Dong, that crazy woman, knows I have them now.'
'Obviously, there's no way I'm sharing those heaven-defying pills with her. If she ever gets a brain hemorrhage and thinks those pills could help Yu Xiaogang evolve his mutated Luo Sanpao…. I have plans for Yu Xiaogang, I don't want his martial soul to evolve.'
A cold gleam flickered across Qian Renxue's purple-gold eyes.
'That love-brained crazy woman might actually try to kill me, to get those martial soul evolution pills.'
She sighed internally and took out small jade bottle that she had stored in her space soul guide, which was in the shape of brooch with angelic golden patterns on it.
There were only two pills inside now.
'They're precious, far more than soul bones. These pills are the kind of thing that can create legends.'
'Before that happens, I have to use them somehow. Once they're gone, that woman cannot do anything. Even if she suspects, she'll have no leverage.'
Qian Daoliu's grounding, unknowingly, had become her perfect cover.
Just when Qian Renxue began to feel the weight of everything, the looming threat of Bibi Dong, and the unpredictable danger of a system-armed Reincarnator, an ancient, warm voice echoed within her mind.
"What is it that makes Renxue, who is always so calm… appear so gloomy today?"
Her breath hitched slightly, and in the next moment, her consciousness slipped into the familiar tranquility of her spirit sea.
There, amidst endless mist, stood a translucent figure, tall, noble, yet bearing a faint sadness. His long silver-white robes drifted like smoke, and the air around him was deathly silent yet strangely holy.
"Electrolux!" Qian Renxue called out, surprise flashing in her eyes. "You're awake!"
The man who stood in her spirit sea, Electrolux, the legendary Divine Necromancer and her first spiritual companion in this world, offered a gentle smile.
"I felt my spirit had recovered slightly. Just enough to remain conscious for short periods."
Qian Renxue's expression softened. She had not forgotten the moment when Electrolux shielded her fragile spirit from collapsing during her first encounter. The ravings and murmurs of God Almighty would have turned her crazy or a monster that brought disaster.
Gratitude rose in her chest.
"You don't have to push yourself," she said. "I'm in a safe place now. You can rest for now and let me handle everything out here."
But Electrolux only looked at her calmly, eyes carrying a wisdom that stretched across millennia.
"And yet I feel a deep gloom in your heart. Do you mind sharing what burdens you?"
Qian Renxue hesitated for a moment. Electrolux had always been understanding and never pried too deeply, yet gave the most valuable guidance when she needed it. In truth, aside from her growing abilities, she carried many secrets. But there were few people she could trust.
'He already knows most of my story anyway… And he saved my life.'
So she told him, about the appearance of the Reincarnator, the mysterious Lin Yuan, and the unnatural Martial Soul Evolution Pills. About, Bibi Dong's madness and obsession with Yu Xiaogang. But of course, she left out the system because it's unnecessary.
Electrolux listened quietly, his eyes slightly narrowed.
"Interesting," he finally said, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "This Reincarnator… and such pills? This world becomes more unusual by the day."
He looked at her again and added, "But with how things are, you'll be bored to death sitting in this room under house arrest. How about this, would you like to learn my Holy Undead magic?"
Qian Renxue blinked. "You… you want me to be your disciple?"
Electrolux sighed softly, his voice filled with ancient melancholy and solemnity. "It has been a long time since I took a student. If you are willing to learn and accept me as your master… then yes."
She didn't even hesitate.
"I accept."
Her answer was calm, but her eyes were serious.
"Then, Qian Renxue, from this moment onward, you are the first inheritor of the Holy Undead Path in this world. Remember, this magic is not bound by evil. It is wisdom from death, discipline forged from eternity."
Qian Renxue bowed her head. "Master."
And thus, as the sunlight outside filtered through her windows, painting golden patterns on the floor, Qian Renxue became a disciple of Electrolux.