Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 2

The slap that Yao Tai struck on the sensory board also heavily struck the hearts of the young Tianxiu students.

“A fledgling Tianxiu person, on average, will enter the awakening period about ten years after awakening. There are mainly two conditions that induce awakening. The first is that it occurs automatically with age, and the second is that if someone reaches sexual maturity, the fledglings around them are easily influenced and induced to awaken, so the awakening of each class of students is likely to occur on a large scale.”

“If anyone finds that their body has undergone changes different from before, do not panic, as this is a normal reaction before awakening. Everyone will experience this; it’s just a matter of time.”

“When you officially enter sexual maturity, you will have the desire to mate and the craving to find a partner. This desire is controlled by reason, so no one needs to feel anxious. If you cannot find a suitable spouse, you can continue to stay in the fledgling period until you find the ideal partner, complete the coming-of-age ceremony, and formally step into adulthood.”

“Question.” A student raised his hand. “What exactly is the coming-of-age ceremony?”

“Idiot, it’s mating,” a student beside him whispered mockingly, causing a round of laughter.

The commotion below didn’t escape Yao Tai’s ears. She waited for everyone to finish laughing and then said, “Wrong, mating is not the coming-of-age ceremony, and it’s not even part of it. The real coming-of-age ceremony is obtaining the first drop of blood from the heart.”

“In each pair of spouses, only one person can get the other’s heart’s blood. This person, we call the Qizhu, and the one whose blood is taken will become his Qizi.”

“Whether male or female, anyone can become a Qizhu, and likewise a Qizi. The distinction of status depends entirely on the result of the coming-of-age ceremony and has nothing to do with gender or roles in love.”

“What should we do if one of the two parties in the relationship is awakened but the other isn’t?” a student asked.

“You can only wait. A fledgling that has not awakened cannot give or receive blood. But as I just said, awakening is easily induced by others. If it’s a couple that’s close and spends a lot of time together, they can easily synchronize into the awakening period.”

“So how can we get the heart’s blood?”

“This is our instinct; no one needs to teach it. During the coming-of-age ceremony, you will grasp it automatically.”

Yao Tai waited for a moment, and when no new questions were raised, she continued her lecture.

“The relationship between the Qizhu and the Qizi is a one-on-one spousal relationship, but they do not enjoy equal rights. The Qizhu has absolute control, and the Qizi can only obey the Qizhu’s orders. In other words, the result of the coming-of-age ceremony determines a person’s status in life.”

“This is the hierarchical system I mentioned earlier. It is the only unequal relationship on Tianxiu, but it is also the most stringent and inviolable class relationship. Whether you are willing to comply or not, you must accept it.”

“This relationship is lifelong and cannot be dissolved. Even if one party dies, the other cannot awaken again to find a new spouse. In this regard, Qizhus and Qizis are treated equally, without exception.”

Yao Tai snapped her fingers, and the human silhouette on the sensory board began to automatically change. “After the relationship is successfully established, both parties will enter the second development, with the Qizhu’s development being more noticeable. Taking males as an example. Male Qhizus will experience a noticeable increase in height. Their muscles will become more developed, and both strength and stamina will surpass those of the male Qizi.”

“Simultaneously, the secondary sexual characteristics of the male Qizhu will undergo significant changes. The Adam’s apple will protrude, the vocal cords will thicken, the reproductive organs will enlarge, and body hair will grow.”

“The same is true for the female Qizhu. Their body curves will change noticeably. Statistics show that female Qizhus are, on average, at least fifteen centimeters taller than female Qizis, and their physical fitness will also be superior.”

“Then, Dr. Yao, does that mean that the Qizi will stop developing from then on?”

“Of course not; everyone will develop. It’s just that compared to the changes in the Qizhu, the Qizi’s development seems more limited and is easily influenced by the Qizhu’s mental state.”

“How is it influenced?”

“For example, if the Qizhu likes someone who weighs two hundred catties*, then do not doubt, the Qizi will most likely develop in that direction as well. Even if they don’t reach the standard, they will come as close as possible. So, don’t assume that male Qizi will be short or female Qizi will be flat-chested; these are misconceptions. A Qizi’s development depends on their innate physical quality, environmental influence, and the Qizhu’s subconscious mind.”

*1 catty = 1¹⁄₃ lbs.

Her words sparked a new round of whispers among the students.

“What distinction will there be in abilities between the two parties?”

“The most important aspect of the coming-of-age ceremony is that the Qizhu will gain the Qizi’s abilities. Simply put, the stronger the Qizi, the stronger the Qizhu. This is why the people of Tianxiu are naturally attracted to stronger partners.”

“Just as some birds are attracted to bright feathers of the opposite sex and many mammals compete for mating rights through strength, those biological instincts aim to provide the next generation with superior genes. Our instinct is to become stronger. To gain more substantial abilities, one must conquer stronger individuals, provided you have the strength to conquer them.”

“Our earliest souls, through generations of inheritance and evolution, to combat harsh environments and ferocious enemies, gradually evolved this survival of the fittest mating relationship. It made the victorious become even more robust, strong enough to protect the entire clan.”

“Although we live in peaceful and prosperous times, without survival pressures or wars, it doesn’t mean we can slack off. The master-servant relationship is the best incentive bestowed by our ancestors, making the descendants of Tianxiu people strive not to be dominated, even in peaceful times.”

“In the past decade, the academy has been committed to training you to be strong. Yet, the real victory depends only on the moment of the coming-of-age ceremony. This is the lifelong pursuit of every Tianxiu person—become strong, conquer the strong, and become stronger.”

The words “conquer the strong” stirred something in Ling Xiao’s heart, and he stopped paying close attention to what Yao Tai was saying afterward.

“That concludes the pre-awakening mobilization given by the school to the students about to enter the awakening period every year.”

“Every year, we emphasize to our students that they must win, gain dominance, and become Qizhus. This is our survival rule. However, the outcome is often not as beautiful as we imagine.”

“As a healthcare physician, I have to deal with several cases every year of depression caused by defeat in the coming-of-age ceremony and the inability to accept becoming a Qizi. The most severe consequence is even death.”

With her voice transitioning from passionate to subdued, an inevitable heaviness sank into everyone’s heart.

“The chance of becoming a Qizhu is fifty percent, and the chance of becoming a Qizi is also fifty percent. Among the students here, one in two will be defeated in the coming-of-age ceremony. If that person is you, will you accept it?”

As she posed the question, many were quietly asking themselves, their eyes filled with apprehension.

“If you lose, your lifetime will be controlled by someone else, who has the right to dictate everything about you… Does anyone here think this system is unreasonable?”

After waiting for a while, finally, a trembling boy raised his hand.

The woman on the podium smiled silently and, in the blink of an eye, disappeared from sight. As everyone realized she had vanished and started looking around, a hoarse cry sounded from the classroom. Yao Tai had unnoticeably appeared behind the male student with a dagger in hand that was pressed against his throat.

Even Ying Feng, who sat in the last row and always had keen observation skills, was stunned. Her movements were so swift that he only caught a shadow.

This sudden turn of events frightened the entire class. No one expected that a mere healthcare physician would have such agile skills, nor could anyone guess her intention.

Under the horrified gazes of everyone, Yao Tai said with nonchalance, “With my ability, I could easily kill you in a moment, and not only you, but anyone in this classroom would be a trivial matter.”

She said this first to the boy, then to the whole class. After she finished, she looked around and asked, “But now that I am here, do you feel your lives are threatened?”

Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads in unison, even including the one being held hostage.

Yao Tai withdrew her hand. “That’s right, although I have this ability, I have no intention of using it, so you are not afraid, nor do you feel it as a threat. You might even find security in it.”

“The relationship between the Qizhu and the Qizi is the same. Although the Qizhu possesses a strong controlling power, if it is a pair of true lovers, this power will not work at all. Their souls are equal, and their status is equal.”

She walked toward the podium. “What you hear today is the first time I’ve revealed it in front of students. I’m not teaching you how to lose but want you to know that everyone wants to be a winner, and that’s fine, but becoming a Qizi doesn’t necessarily mean your life is hopeless.”

“In true love, there is no hierarchy, no winners or losers. The rules may be cruel, but the executor of the rules is the one you choose. Whether he will hurt you, you know better than anyone else.”

She passed by Ling Xiao’s seat and woke him from his reverie.

“Can you tell me what I just said?”

“I…” Ling Xiao stammered and couldn’t answer.

“If you didn’t listen, I’ll repeat it for you. Yes, the Qizhu has supreme control over both, but if you want to use this power against your enemies, think carefully if you want to spend the rest of your life with someone you hate.”

Ling Xiao’s eyes flickered, but Yao Tai pretended not to notice.

“We, the people of Tianxiu, are the most loyal to our spouses. We live together as a couple for life; never cheat, never betray. So I warn every student here,” she looked slowly at each young face, speaking both to Ling Xiao and to everyone present, “Don’t hastily choose your partner because of youthful anger. The one who stands beside you and accompanies you for life is not an enemy or a foe…”

Her eyes finally fell on Ling Xiao’s face, and she said slowly and firmly:

“It can only ever be your lover.”

The first physiology lesson of tenth grade thus ended, with the students gaining knowledge they had never understood before, excitedly discussing it together. But the usually lively Ling Xiao was now silently sitting in his seat, touched by Yao Tai’s words.

At the same time, Ying Feng, who had left the classroom, was stopped by Yao Tai.

“Did you hear everything you said in class?”

Ying Feng nodded silently.

“Although what I said in front of everyone is correct, for you, I have only one thing to say: No matter who the opponent is, no matter what means, in the coming-of-age ceremony, you can only win.”

Ying Feng narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

“Last year, 102 students completed the coming-of-age ceremony in the academy, but only 99 graduated successfully.”

“What about the other three?”

“They committed suicide.”

Ying Feng was secretly shocked.

“In fact, every year there are Qizis who give up their lives because of defeat. The school doesn’t want this tragedy to repeat, so this year’s awakening mobilization has been much softer. Even the real relationship between Qizhu and Qizi has been deliberately downplayed.”

“Real relationship?”

“The so-called coming-of-age ceremony is actually a process of survival of the fittest. The losers will be stripped of all rights, and the control of the Qizhu over the Qizi is quite cruel—an absolute domination in every sense, from psychological to physical.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I have been working here for more than thirty years, and I have met thousands of fledglings. Some don’t care about subordination and can live happily even as a Qizi; others are born dominators and can only be dominators. I know what kind of personality leads to self-destruction, and what I can do is try to prevent this from happening.”

Ying Feng lowered his eyes and was silent for a moment. “I understand what you mean. You want to say, I have only one choice: either win or die.”

Yao Tai didn’t answer, which in itself was an admission.

He looked up. “Thank you, Dr. Yao, for the warning. I will keep it in mind.”

Yao Tai nodded, watched him walk a few steps, then stopped and turned back.

“Is the power of the Qizhu really as exaggerated as you say?”

Yao Tai’s expression was solemn. “I didn’t exaggerate a single word.”

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