Chapter Five: The True Form

The colossal Buddha statue before them stared with one enormous eye half-open. The pupil was a deep crimson, swirling as if blood were seeping from the corner of the eye. It gazed upon the group standing before it.

Gu Cheng looked up at the giant Buddha and immediately, like a devout prisoner, knelt on both knees before rising again, performing a formal bow with utmost sincerity. Gu Xi was astonished—someone with awakening abilities still needed to do this? It seemed that in any world, people still placed their hopes in praying to gods and Buddhas.

“ME, MA, MI, MA,” the single eye closed briefly as the Buddha murmured words incomprehensible to Gu Xi. It must have been a spell.

“Master Chen Kong, we have a request,” Gu Cheng said without hesitation. Then, Gu Xi’s parents also knelt, bowing their heads three times with great reverence.

“Yes, Master Chen, please, save our child,” they pleaded.

What was going on? Gu Xi felt like a bystander suddenly caught in the middle of a scandal. Why did they think she needed saving?

The so-called Master Chen Kong raised a hand, signaling them to continue.

“It’s like this,” Gu Xi’s mother choked up, “Our child, Gu Xi, just turned twenty this year. When she was little, she had a twin brother. From the moment they were born, both had awakening powers. One could freeze anything in the world, the other could burn anything.”

Gu Xi blinked in disbelief—was this really happening?

“But the good times didn’t last. Born in winter, soon after birth, the babies couldn’t control their powers, and we were helpless. Her brother sneezed and froze his nostrils shut, nearly suffocating. We were frantic. At that moment, Gu Xi—you, the little girl standing behind—seemed to have some kind of telepathy and unleashed your power too. But since you were also a baby, your fire was too strong, and the flames scorched your brother’s airways. He suffocated and died. We rushed to extinguish the fire, but it was too late. The blaze was so fierce it burned down our home.”

Gu Xi’s mother recalled the painful memories, her voice trembling.

So, was she a killer who burned down her own home? Too much information—her mind reeled.

Gu Xi rubbed her temples. So what now?

“Exactly. Master Chen, please take a look. In a few days, the school will hold the awakening ceremony. If she still can’t control her power, is there any way to seal it again? It’s dangerous both inside and out,” Gu Xi’s father implored.

If Gu Xi pretended her awakening failed, the Floating Island Academy would dispose of her. If she succeeded but couldn’t control her power, she might burn down the academy. Her parents would then be held responsible—a punishment far worse than the Curfew Committee’s, possibly costing them their lives.

Master Chen Kong listened to their story but dared not look Gu Xi directly in the eye.

“Gu Cheng, first check the seal on her body. Once it’s safe, I’ll take a look,” he ordered.

He was sending Gu Cheng to inspect his own daughter? And this was supposed to be a god?

Something felt off. Gu Xi’s heart raced. She didn’t even know she had a seal, let alone allow a man to examine her.

“Master, my parents came seeking your solution. If you doubt me, that’s one thing. But why must a man touch me? Why not check yourself?” Gu Xi snapped fiercely at the single, terrifying eye.

Master Chen Kong was stunned by her outburst. He had been somewhat afraid of this young woman named Gu Xi, but now he was almost shattered.

[System message: More than 24 hours have passed in-game. Host triggered hidden quest: Kill the Chen Demon, escape the back mountain, and immediately claim game rewards.]

What? Oh my god, so you’re a fake god?

No wonder you seemed so afraid of me—you’re a fraud.

“Disobedient disciple, don’t talk back to Master Chen! He’s a god! We’re relying on him to save you now,” Gu Cheng stepped forward to defend the master.

“Fine, let’s do this. If you want to check, go ahead, Master Chen. Tell him where to check,” Gu Xi pretended to relent, curious to see what tricks this Master Chen had up his sleeve. He looked frightening, and everyone seemed bewitched by him.

Her hopes of seeing her resurrected parents had turned out false—but at least she triggered the hidden quest. Otherwise, she didn’t know how she would have survived.

Seeing Gu Xi’s submission, Gu Cheng thought he had intimidated her and glanced at Master Chen.

Master Chen motioned for him to continue, pointing to the back of Gu Xi’s left arm.

“Here, right, Great Master? Okay.”

Gu Cheng hurried forward, preparing to pull back Gu Xi’s clothes to inspect. So that was where the seal was.

But something didn’t add up. Even if it was on the back, wouldn’t she notice the seal looking in the mirror?

Gu Xi obediently loosened her clothes but wore them inside out to cover her front more modestly.

Gu Cheng raised her arm and muttered another spell-like phrase that Gu Xi didn’t understand.

Suddenly, a sharp burning pain surged through her arm, as if it were scorched.

Wincing, she turned her head to look at her arm. The blood vessels there had darkened to a deep red, radiating heat and steam.

Gradually, she felt a fiery energy course through her entire body, filling her with strength.

“Ah, here it is. The seal is right here,” Master Chen said, his voice filled with a strange hunger. His booming voice seemed to echo through the entire hall.

Gu Xi turned away, nearly sickened by the leering gaze of this one-eyed monster.

“Wait, Gu Xi, don’t move, just a little bit,” Gu Cheng gripped her arm tightly, afraid she would bolt from the pain.

This wasn’t care—it looked like they intended to devour her.

She saw drool nearly dripping from the one-eyed fiend’s mouth. Gu Cheng’s expression was equally greedy, his face twisted and ferocious.

An uncontrollable surge of energy rose to her forehead.

“Quick, push her over here!” Master Chen commanded his obedient disciple.

Gu Xi was almost immobilized by Gu Cheng’s force.

Along with the surge at her forehead, her blood pressure soared.

Blue flames suddenly flared across her palm.

She struck Gu Cheng’s forehead with a blazing slap!

“It’s over. Now she really can’t control it. This seal has been on for years, how did it get like this?” Gu Xi’s mother wept quietly on the sidelines as the two began to struggle.