After much deliberation, Bai Zhiqiu finally retrieved the ring Gu Nian had entrusted to her.
Though asking her master directly seemed the safest course, Bai Zhiqiu worried about her master’s reaction upon learning of her gradual transformation. There was no telling what unsettling thoughts might arise.
She certainly hadn’t forgotten the dazzling array of clothes tucked away in the general store’s wardrobe.
A cool sensation immediately spread through her palm as the ring settled there.
This was her first true examination of the ring. Its material seemed to be jade, weighty and substantial in her palm. Intricate runes were engraved on its inner surface, while the outer band was adorned with numerous poppy buds, poised to bloom.
“Yin! How do I use this thing?”
“Let me see!”
Yin flew before Bai Zhiqiu, carefully examining the ring. Before long, she provided her with an answer.
“This ring appears to be connected to another dimension,” Yin explained. “Judging by the runes, it merely facilitates a mental conversation. It shouldn’t have any impact on your physical body in reality, so there’s no need to worry about safety! To use it, simply inject your magical energy and await a response from the other side.”
With her explanation complete, Yin playfully snatched the ring and circled Bai Zhiqiu twice. “Honestly!” she exclaimed. “This ring’s function is incredibly precious. I can’t believe she’d give you something so valuable! And it seems to be designed for paired use! Could it be that Gu Nian has taken a liking to you? Is this her token of affection?”
“Who gives a token of affection right off the bat?” Bai Zhiqiu retorted, taking the ring from Yin and slipping it onto the ring finger of her right hand. She then slowly began to infuse it with her magical energy.
As her magical energy gradually infused the ring, it began to emit a faint red glow. A delicate, illusory poppy bloomed into existence on its surface.
“Yin! It’s glowing!” Bai Zhiqiu exclaimed, her voice bright with excitement.
Before Yin could even reply, Bai Zhiqiu felt a sudden, dizzying sensation, as if the world had spun on its axis. The next moment, she found herself in a mysterious, unknown space.
It appeared to be a small chapel, though slightly dilapidated. Pure white marble columns were smudged with a thin layer of dust. Yet, throughout the space, numerous blooming lilies adorned the chapel, lending an ethereal beauty.
The next moment, Gu Nian’s figure suddenly materialized before Bai Zhiqiu.
“Sister Gu Nian!” Bai Zhiqiu called out sweetly. Though they were currently adversaries, she was, after all, seeking a favor, and a little flattery seemed wise.
“Hello, Zhiqiu! We meet again!” Gu Nian’s voice drifted from a short distance away. “Are you still awake so late?”
“I was just about to rest,” Bai Zhiqiu replied. “I merely had something I wished to ask you, Sister. Did I disturb your sleep?” She glanced at Gu Nian, her gaze slightly evasive.
Gu Nian’s graceful figure was entirely swathed in a bath towel, presenting the striking image of a beauty freshly emerged from her bath.
“May I interpret this as you, little one, being concerned about me?”
Seemingly noticing Bai Zhiqiu’s evasive gaze, Gu Nian smiled as she drew closer, then gently lifted Bai Zhiqiu’s chin.
An unintentional brush of their bodies revealed a significant expanse of ‘spring scenery.’
Her scarlet eyes, like spun silk, held an absolute allure that sent a sudden flush of heat through Bai Zhiqiu.
‘How could she be so effortlessly seductive!’
“Stop! Sister Gu Nian!” Bai Zhiqiu blurted. “I came here to ask you something serious!”
Seeing the potential for Gu Nian to advance further, Bai Zhiqiu hastily interjected. Her immediate concern was resolving her ongoing transformation; she absolutely did not want to wake up one day having truly become a girl!
“Alright, alright! I won’t tease you anymore!” Gu Nian chuckled, withdrawing her hand. “Spit it out, what urgent matter requires you to ask me in the middle of the night?”
Gu Nian withdrew her hand, a hint of reluctance flickering in her eyes.
“It’s just that I’ve noticed I’m becoming more and more like a girl!”
Bai Zhiqiu then recounted all her concerns to Gu Nian.
“So, Sister Gu Nian, what exactly is going on with me?”
Bai Zhiqiu questioned Gu Nian with a worried expression. Upon hearing her concerns, Gu Nian couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Actually, I already knew about your transformation!” Gu Nian revealed. “But I’m curious, didn’t Qian Moyu ever tell you any of this?” she asked, a hint of curiosity in her tone.
“No…” Bai Zhiqiu shook her head. Her master had certainly never mentioned that the cost of becoming a witch involved slowly transforming into a girl!
“She really didn’t mention it!” Gu Nian murmured softly. “Then she probably didn’t know… That makes sense, after all, she probably hadn’t fallen yet back then.”
“Fallen? Master… fallen?” Bai Zhiqiu seized upon Gu Nian’s words, and instantly, a fierce flame of gossip ignited within her heart. “What do you mean Master ‘fallen’?”
‘Could it truly be as she suspected?’
After all, when she first met her master, she had been accompanied by a tentacle…
Instantly, Bai Zhiqiu’s mind flashed back to her first encounter with her master in the park, two years prior.
It had been the height of summer, yet her master was dressed quite conservatively, and even carried an unusual pet in her arms.
In a quiet corner of the park, she had set up a small stall, hawking a collection of strange and peculiar items.
Back then, seeing the lone girl looking rather pitiful, she had bought a pendant from her. That very night, the girl had appeared by her bedside, and Bai Zhiqiu herself had transformed into her current state.
Recalling all these past events, Bai Zhiqiu couldn’t help but feel a touch of melancholy. ‘If only I hadn’t taken that pendant back then,’ she mused, ‘perhaps I wouldn’t have become a magical girl?’
“I’m sorry! I cannot tell you the answer to that question,” Gu Nian said, shaking her head. “I once promised Qian Moyu I would keep her secret.”
“Alright then!” Bai Zhiqiu conceded. “Sister Gu Nian, could you at least explain in detail what exactly is happening to me?” Hearing Gu Nian refuse her delve into her master’s past, Bai Zhiqiu said nothing more. Her immediate priority was to understand her own situation; this was, after all, a matter of her male dignity!
“Actually, this issue didn’t begin three months ago,” Gu Nian explained. “It started the very moment you acquired the ‘coordinate’.”
“A coordinate? This?” Bai Zhiqiu questioned, pulling out the Higanbana pendant from around her neck. Earlier, Yan Qingzhu had also mentioned something inexplicable about a ‘coordinate’ to her.
“Yes! The coordinate!” Gu Nian affirmed. “Whether a magical girl or a witch, transformation always requires a coordinate. The moment you obtained your personal coordinate, it marked your becoming a witch. As your strength grows, this coordinate will guide you towards your fully transformed witch appearance.”
Hearing Gu Nian’s words, Bai Zhiqiu suddenly understood with startling clarity.
‘As her strength increased, she would become more and more like a witch, until she completely transformed into one.’
‘No wonder her hair, even as a male, grew faster and faster,’ she thought. ‘And I’ve felt my physical strength diminishing recently.’
“Sister Gu Nian! How much time do I have left? Bah! I mean, how much longer until I completely turn into a girl?”
“You should completely transform into a girl’s appearance once you break through to the Brightmoon-tier,” Gu Nian replied.
“Is that so…” Bai Zhiqiu’s voice was tinged with dejection.
‘She hadn’t imagined she would soon be living with an entirely different identity.’
A sense of loss and melancholy welled up within her heart.
Seeing the young witch’s dejected expression, Gu Nian offered a comforting word. “Of course, that’s not entirely precise. It’s possible the process could take longer, or perhaps even until you break through to the Sunwheel-tier!”
Hearing Gu Nian’s reassurance, Bai Zhiqiu nodded.