Is My Happiness Gone Just Like That?

Accompanied by muttering filled with resentment to rival the Evil Sword Immortal's and a tremendous rumble of thunder, Chu Yao finally made it back to Mount Kunlun without mishap. She passed through the mountain-protecting formation with practiced ease and landed inside the gates of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect.

With both feet on solid ground, Chu Yao let out a long breath. She felt as though she had fought a hard battle.

She had just put away her flying sword when a cheerful voice rang out.

"Junior Sister! You're finally back!"

Her third senior brother, Chu Yunfei, came bounding over like a happy big dog, a good-natured grin on his face. "We have honored guests at the sect today! Martial Uncle Zhang is cooking personally, so we should get an extra helping at lunch!"

"An extra helping?!"

Those two words were like heavenly music, instantly dispelling most of the gloom in Chu Yao's heart.

The hardship of the journey and the regret of missing the concert were nothing before the glittering words "Martial Uncle Zhang is cooking personally"!

After all, Martial Uncle Zhang was the sect's legendary food cultivator!

His cooking was so masterful that Chu Yao, who had gone without food for centuries in her previous life and long since forgotten its taste, had nearly swallowed her tongue the first time she tasted it.

Ah!

Martial Uncle Zhang!

The GOAT!

Chu Yao's eyes lit up at once, as if she could already see red-braised spirit trotters, steamed dragon carp, and stir-fried phoenix liver beckoning to her.

She gave Chu Yunfei a hearty pat on the shoulder, making him wince. "Third Senior Brother! You really are the best! Your news couldn't have come at a better time!"

She decided on the spot that her master's summons and the honored guests could wait!

Of all things under heaven, eating mattered most!

She would go wait outside the dining hall right now, savoring the smell until the meal was served!

But before she had taken two steps, someone grabbed her by the back of her collar.

An irresistible force pulled at Chu Yao, dragging her away from the path to the dining hall (her paradise) like a kitten seized by the scruff of its neck.

"Eldest—Senior—Sister!" Chu Yao didn't need to look back to know who it was. She immediately drew out the words in a heart-rending wail. "Let go! People need food like iron needs steel—miss one meal and you'll be starving! Can't you let me go save a seat in the dining hall first? Just for a little while! I promise the food will still be hot when Master's done lecturing me!"

The one holding her was none other than her eldest senior sister, Chu Wushuang, a sword dao genius with an aloof face and a way of doing things that rivaled a domineering CEO's.

Chu Wushuang was unmoved. Carrying Chu Yao as though she were a chick, she strode steadily toward the main hall, her voice cool and brooking no argument. "No! Master and the guests have been waiting for a long time! You spent a few days running wild down the mountain, and you've already forgotten your basic manners?"

Then she paused, and her tone abruptly turned dangerous. With her other hand, she gave Chu Yao's... butt a pat, neither too hard nor too soft.

"And you, little girl, you think you're all grown up now, do you? You'd only just reached Foundation Establishment, yet you dared sneak down the mountain! And you even dared go to Hong Kong to see some... Four Heavenly Kings concert?!"

There was a hint of gritted teeth in Chu Wushuang's voice, and faintly mixed in with it was a trace of... envy?

"I, your senior sister, have been diligently looking after the sect, and I haven't even seen what a concert ticket looks like! You're getting bolder and bolder! If we didn't have honored guests here today, see if I wouldn't beat your butt to a pulp!"

Chu Yao: "!!!"

Help!

Eldest Senior Sister is jealous that I got to see those handsome young men!

And she wants to spank me!

Is there no justice in this world?!

Martial Uncle Zhang—my food—food!

She screamed like a marmot in her heart, but resigned herself to being dragged along by her eldest senior sister, looking back toward the dining hall every few steps, as though bidding a final farewell to her happiness.

Author's note: Thank you, my dear readers, for the bookmarks, likes, check-ins, comments, flowers, coins, and memberships. Love you all! Finger hearts ♥