Junior Sister, Mistress

With a loud rooster's crow, the black curtain of the sky finally broke open with a sliver of light, yet it couldn't penetrate the dimness of this world.

Chuyun City is located south of the Central Yuan Continent. The dawn in August shouldn't feel this heavy and powerless.

"Bang bang bang!"

An impatient knocking came from outside the house, as if the worn-out door was about to be knocked to pieces.

You Su slowly opened his eyes.

Although opening his eyes was a meaningless action for him, he still held out hope every day upon waking, hoping the veil of mist in his eyes would dissipate.

Because he was blind, and had been since childhood.

As he grew older, he gradually recovered fragmented memories of his past life. To him, these memories were like Kyōka Suigetsu, like watching a play about someone else. It took him a long time to grudgingly accept the fact of his blindness.

His Master, who had found him, told him that those with profound cultivation could perceive the world even without sight, and regaining his vision was not impossible. He set this as his goal, diligently cultivating every day.

"I'm awake! Thank you, Junior Sister."

You Su called out while feeling for his clothes in the familiar space, skillfully dressing himself.

His Junior Sister, who only stayed up late reading novels and slept in during the day, made an excellent alarm clock, always punctual at the third quarter of the Mao hour.

"Senior Brother, come out." Junior Sister's light voice drifted over, as pleasant as a slow-flowing spring.

You Su secretly found it strange. That arrogant Junior Sister, who looked down on everyone, usually called him by his name. Why was she calling him Senior Brother today?

However, You Su didn't delay and quickly opened the wooden door.

With a creak, dim light streamed in. You Su was astonished to find that the light not only penetrated the cramped room but also his eyes, which had been covered by mist!

He could see!

The world before him was so clear! It was almost exactly as he had imagined!

To his left was the loquat tree he had planted, which had grown so fruitful; directly opposite the door stood a stone table and an old well. He vaguely remembered wanting to drown himself in the well when he was young and blind, but he was quickly caught by his Master, pinned to the stone table, and spanked severely. He was also viciously threatened:

"If you want to die, jumping into this well won't do. This well connects to the outside. Why don't you let me help you? One quick and precise sword strike, and you'll be gone before you can even feel pain."

You Su smiled as he recalled the memory. Looking to the right of the door, was that conceited Junior Sister who claimed to be the most beautiful girl in the world, second only to her sister? He wanted to get a good look.

But with just one glance, You Su felt as if struck by lightning!

The "girl" before him had no beauty that could make the moon and flowers hide! What grew on that face...

were countless pustules oozing pus, six symmetrically placed fish-like eyes, and a terrifying spiral mouthpart!

And beneath the emerald green dress that seemed about to burst, was not a voluptuous and full figure, but a sticky, colossal body covered in black sores, with countless tiny tentacles dangling from below!

The "Junior Sister" before him was enough to make one feel nauseous just by looking at her!

At this moment, You Su's scalp tingled. He couldn't believe that the graceful Junior Sister of his imagination was such a terrifying sight. But no matter how many times he looked, her appearance didn't change at all.

"What are you looking at?"

A dangerous voice suddenly sounded. The already dim sunlight seemed to grow darker. Junior Sister had noticed Senior Brother's gaze!

Her monstrous face instantly lunged towards You Su, their faces separated by only a fist's distance.

She stared intently into You Su's eyes, the hot breath from her mouthpart spraying onto his face.

...Is she... is she really Junior Sister? The one who joined the sect three years ago... is such a monster? I may be blind, but Mistress isn't. Didn't she notice anything? Or did Junior Sister meet with misfortune recently, and this monster replaced her?

You Su couldn't understand the situation, but his quickly recovering reason told him: no matter what, he must not reveal that his sight had returned!

You Su maintained his posture of looking straight ahead and replied calmly:

"I'm looking at what the most beautiful girl in the world looks like."

"Hmm? What does she look like?" Junior Sister's six eyes widened, revealing a large amount of terrifying white.

"I guess, Junior Sister must be very good-looking."

You Su looked at the monster before him, as if admiring a rare treasure, a smile on his lips as he replied gently.

"What's the use of guessing? You have to see for yourself."

The "innocent girl" tilted her head, her complex tentacles beginning to sway rhythmically. Thick, grey-green mucus dripped happily from her mouthpart.

You Su kept his eyes unfocused and said firmly:

"I can't see now, but one day, I will."

Hearing the young man's words, Junior Sister's mouthpart opened and closed, saliva flowing, as if she couldn't wait to swallow the Senior Brother before her and become one with him forever.

"Oh, right! I haven't given you the thing yet!"

Junior Sister suddenly remembered the important matter and quickly took a small box from the brocade pouch at her waist, handing it to You Su.

You Su almost reached out to take it instinctively, but he managed to restrain the impulse, only extending his right hand into the air, waiting for Junior Sister to place the small box in his palm.

You Su pretended to caress it before asking, "Junior Sister, what is this?"

"It's a treasure!"

The monster seemed a little embarrassed to say it, lowering its head slightly and even patting its belly with feigned seriousness.

"A treasure?"

You Su looked at the tattered, damp, small wooden box, a vague sense of foreboding washing over him.

"That's right! This pill is called the Spirit Solidifying Pill, and it's best for stabilizing one's cultivation. Senior Brother, you only recently broke through to the Spirit Platform Realm, and I see how hard you train, so I specifically found this for you. Go on, open it."

Though it was difficult, You Su had to admit that he felt a sliver of anticipation from this monster.

You Su couldn't suppress his curiosity and slowly opened the lid in response. But when the lid was fully open, he froze on the spot once again.

Lying in the box wasn't a pill radiating spiritual light, but a piece of flesh the size of a thumb!

The gray-black, foul-smelling piece of flesh trembled slightly, like a struggling heart.

You Su forced down his nausea and quickly closed the lid. "Junior Sister, this medicine is too precious. Senior Brother cannot accept it."

"I knew you'd say that. Don't worry, I have plenty more of these spiritual pills."

After the monster finished speaking, it patted its stomach.

You Su caught her movement. Both times she had touched her stomach, it was the same spot on the upper right side. A guess suddenly popped into his mind: this meat wasn't...

"But..."

"No buts! Senior Brother! Do you look down on the things I give you?" Junior Sister's fish-like eyes and gill slits widened, her mouthparts opening wide, as if she were truly about to get angry.

"How could I? Thank you, Junior Sister."

You Su offered a gentle smile and tucked the wooden box into his robes.

I'll take it, but I'll be damned if I eat it.

"Hehe, that's more like it."

Junior Sister happily spun around. Unfortunately, the shy posture of this young maiden, when applied to such a deformed and filthy monster, only made one feel eerie and unsettling.

"Then I'll be going." Junior Sister, satisfied, turned and began to wriggle away.

"Rest early, Junior Sister."

You Su watched Junior Sister wriggle away, his eyes half-closed as he took a deep breath. His tense nerves finally relaxed a little. He was just a boy who practiced swordplay; he had never experienced such a bizarre scene before. His inner garment was already damp with sweat.

But thankfully, I should have escaped this danger for now.

"Senior Brother, what are you thinking about?"

A light, ethereal voice echoed in front of You Su again. He froze in place, feeling as if his heart had been fiercely gripped.

He slowly opened his eyes. Junior Sister's face was once again inches away, even closer than before. It was so close he couldn't see the monster's full form, only the spirally arranged fangs in its mouthparts, with filthy residue and grime stuck between them.

"Senior Brother, you're not going to hide it and secretly save it for Junior Sister, are you?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Junior Sister. Instead of that, you should think about how to defeat me after I've eaten this pill. Otherwise, your sword practice will only become stricter and more arduous."

You Su was calm, not forgetting their usual bickering habit.

"That's fine then." The monster, Junior Sister, didn't retort. Having received a satisfactory answer, she made to leave.

You Su watched Junior Sister's retreating back, the forced smile on his face instantly vanishing. He was so exhausted he just wanted to return to his room and recover.

"He won't eat it."

The sudden, soft voice was like a gentle breeze on a spring day, yet You Su felt as if he had plunged into an ice cellar, freezing in place.

You Su and Junior Sister turned their heads in unison towards the source of the voice. A figure had suddenly burst through the main hall window and was flying rapidly towards them with a sword, like a viper emerging from its den.

Her white robes were as pure as snow, her swordplay as free as clouds!

But beneath her skirt were eight massive, clawing tentacles! On her mist-shrouded face, were a pair of indescribable eyes!

"No!"

Junior Sister couldn't stop her in time. In the next instant, You Su's eyes widened in horror as he clutched his already broken neck, staring in disbelief at the sword-wielding "woman"...

It was... Mistress!