Wangshu, Senior Sister

The sky stretched for thousands of miles, a clear, deep blue.

A silver-white Immortal Ships nimbly shuttled between towering mountains, white clouds, and cascading waterfalls.

The Immortal Ships was not large in size, with a streamlined shape. It was extremely fast, cutting through the air, and was equipped with Formation Technique that concealed its presence. No matter how ordinary people were, even wild cultivators in the mountains could not detect the Immortal Ships.

Inside the small cabin of the Immortal Ships, the furnishings were simple and elegant. The largest space occupied by the lotus platform was a black-robed youth who was still fast asleep on the platform.

Beside the black-robed youth squatted a girl wearing Rabbit Mask. She had white hair and a white dress, and even the little bit of skin she showed was fair and translucent. The only thing visible on her face was a pair of blue crystal eyes, which were curiously examining You Su's face as if looking at some kind of docile animal. This added a touch of innocent humanity to her otherworldly temperament.

From the moment You Su was transported onto the Immortal Ships last night, Wangshu Fairy had been gazing at him intently, as if she could never tire of looking at You Su. She had grown up on Lotus Peak since childhood, and because of the rules set for her by the Xuanxiao Sect, she rarely came into contact with outsiders, not even having a single friend of the same sex, let alone scrutinizing a boy of the opposite sex so closely.

She blinked and murmured softly, "Junior brother..."

The sound was extremely soft, yet coincidentally, You Su's eyelashes fluttered, and she woke up. Wangshu Fairy did not avoid her and continued to squat beside You Su.

The first thing You Su upon waking was to call out Ji Lingruo's name, but no one responded for a long time.

Last night, he and his junior sister chatted under the moon, their feelings for each other running deep. He vowed to watch over her until the time of parting, but unexpectedly, after smelling an unusual fragrance, he inexplicably fell into a deep sleep.

Not receiving a response You Su panicked. In her blurred vision, she could only see a white figure close at hand, but it was not Ji Lingruo.

Realizing something You Su sat up abruptly. He recognized the masked Fairy who had appeared with his Mistress and asked:

"Fairy... where is this?"

"This is the cabin of the Cloud Lotus Boat."

"Cloud Lotus Boat?"

"The Cloud Lotus Boat is Master's Law Artifact; we're using it to return to the Xuanxiao Sect."

"What time is it now?"

"Noon."

White gauze curtains fluttered in the breeze above the cabin windows, letting in the still somewhat scorching early autumn sunlight. You Su felt a little downcast, regretting that she hadn't been able to properly say goodbye to her junior sister. Upon reflection, she realized that the strange fragrance was probably just a trick by her junior sister, meant to spare her the sorrow of parting when she was fully conscious.

You Su sighed inwardly, thinking that this was for the best; it wasn't a matter of life and death. The path of cultivation was long, and they would meet again eventually.

After sighing, he took a deep breath, burying his regret, and began to use his Divine Sense to carefully observe his surroundings and contemplate his current situation.

He must have been found by his Mistress after falling into a deep sleep, and at this moment he should be being led by his extraordinary Mistress on the way to the Xuanxiao Sect.

"Is my master's Mistress the Fairy's master?" You Su asked hesitantly.

"Hmm." Wangshu Fairy nodded.

"Then where did my Mistress go?"

Although the cabin was filled with the lotus-like fragrance emanating from his Mistress was nowhere to be seen.

"Master was meditating on the outer deck. Seeing that you were asleep, she gave you her lotus platform."

Hearing this, You Su was somewhat taken aback. These words truly flattered him. He quickly rose from the lotus platform and asked in surprise:

"That won't do."

He was about to leave the cabin to find his Mistress when Wangshu Fairy blocked You Su path with her sword:

"Master said not to disturb her casually. She told me to keep an eye on you and make sure you rest here, so you can't go out as you please."

"Alright."

You Su didn't want to clash with his Mistress's disciple, nor did he want to go against his Mistress's wishes and bother her, so he had no choice but to retreat. You Su felt too embarrassed to sit back on the lotus platform. Just as he was about to find an empty spot to sit, Wangshu Fairy spoke again:

"Since Master has instructed you to sit on the lotus platform, you should sit on the lotus platform."

You Su raised an eyebrow. The masked Fairy's tone left no room for argument, as if she regarded her Mistress's orders as gospel. He couldn't help but think to himself that his Mistress's disciple was far too obedient to her.

He had no choice but to sit back on the lotus platform, and for a moment he didn't know what to say. Strangely, even though he and this unfamiliar masked Fairy had fallen into silence, You Su didn't feel awkward at all. On the contrary, he felt very natural.

Feeling the other person's gaze lingering on her, You Su couldn't help but ask:

"My name is You Su. May I ask your name, Fairy?"

"Wangshu".

You Su had always been ignorant, like a frog in a well, and knew nothing of Wangshu Fairy's name, only wondering why she didn't have a surname. Following the principle of cultivating a good relationship with his Mistress's disciple, he respectfully clasped his hands and said:

"So you are the Wangshu Fairy, I've heard so much about you."

"You are my junior brother, you shouldn't call me Wangshu Fairy, you should call me senior sister." Wangshu Fairy solemnly corrected You Su's mistake.

You Su thought about it carefully. She was her master's disciple, and the other person was her Mistress's disciple. Although they weren't considered to be from the same sect, it wasn't inappropriate for her to call her "senior sister." However, the other person was only a young girl. Why should she be called "senior sister" and not "junior sister"?

"Could it be that the Fairy is older than me?"

I am forty-nine years old this year.

Wangshu Fairy spoke calmly, but You Su was still taken aback. Although cultivators had the art of preserving their youth, it was still quite unbelievable to actually combine the other person's age with their appearance.

Although cultivators live long lives, they don't necessarily live for thousands of years. You Su remembered his master telling him that even the most powerful Void Glimpse Venerable would never break the five-hundred-year mark in his lifetime; this was a law of the universe. It was truly astonishing that Wangshu Fairy, who was nearly fifty years old, still looked like a young girl.

How old are you?

You Su paused for a moment, then replied, "Just turned eighteen."

"Then you are my junior brother." Wangshu Fairy nodded slightly as if she had made up her mind. Her blue eyes lit up, and she asked again, "Did Master stay with junior brother for the past two thousand nine hundred and fifty-one days?"

"..." You Su was speechless. She felt that the other party was trying to settle accounts with her by calculating the dates so clearly, but there was no accusation in the other party's tone. It was as if the other party was just seeking an answer.

"Well, I guess so."

"Does your master often talk to you?"

"That's not true."

"Will your master teach you swordsmanship?"

"I occasionally offer guidance."

"Then Master..."

A barrage of questions about her Mistress made You Su feel a little embarrassed. This senior sister's concern for her master was a bit too much. The thought of having monopolized someone else's master for eight years made her feel somewhat ashamed.

You Su then realized that Wangshu Fairy's aloof and unapproachable aura was just a facade. The feeling she gave You Su was not cold and distant at all. If she had to describe it, she was more like a reclusive teenage girl with a head full of questions.

"Alright, senior sister, you've asked me so many questions, now it's my turn to ask you some."

Wangshu Fairy extended her jade-like index finger, poked her chin hidden behind her mask, and nodded, saying, "Mm."

"Senior Sister just said 'return to the Xuanxiao Sect,' could you be from the Xuanxiao Sect?"

"Um."

Upon hearing this, You Su was shocked. His senior sister was a disciple of the Xuanxiao Sect and also a disciple of his Mistress's wife. Didn't that mean that his master's Mistress was at least an elder in the Xuanxiao Sect? Although he had deduced from the clues that his Mistress must have an extraordinary status and cultivation, he did not expect her to be so high. This could almost be considered the pinnacle of status in the Central Yuan Continent.

What surprised him even more was that such a powerful Mistress would fall for his master, who was just a Condensing Water Realm cultivator who couldn't even fly!

"May I ask, senior sister, what exactly is your master's identity...?"

Wangshu Fairy, however, no longer answered every question as before. She gently shook her head and replied:

"My master forbade me to say, saying she is your master's Mistress. If you want to know anything else, you can ask her yourself."

?

You Su couldn't help but recall his conversation with his master's Mistress that day. When Mistress asked him if he didn't want to know who Mistress was, he refused, and then Mistress fell silent. Now, hearing these words again from his senior sister, You Su was momentarily confused about their meaning. He didn't know if this was his Mistress's stubborn response to him, or if she truly thought the same way he did.

Regardless of the reason, You Su felt a strange joy; it seemed that his Mistress had truly changed towards him.

"Senior Sister, could you please introduce the Xuanxiao Sect to me? I've lived in Chuyun City since I was a child, so I'm rather ignorant."

What does "ignorant and ill-informed" mean? Does it mean someone is a bit slow-witted?

Three black lines appeared on You Su's forehead as he awkwardly said, "That's roughly the idea."

"My master never says I'm stupid."

Wangshu Fairy's blue eyes sparkled, You Su also detected a rare fluctuation in her tone, a hint of self-satisfaction.

"The Xuanxiao Sect is the largest sect on Mount Henggao, with thirteen lineages— Treasure Appraisal Technique Alchemy Technique Artifact Refining Technique, Spiritual Plant Technique plant cultivation, Beast Taming Technique, spiritual construction, Spiritual Construction Technique, Technique Method, Formation Technique, Calligraphy Technique, and two lineages Saber Technique Talisman Technique —each corresponding to one of the thirteen peaks of the Xuanxiao Sect. Each peak has a Grand Elder specializing in that art Swordsmanship, who serves as the Peak Master. Among them, Xuanxiao Peak, specializing in Technique Method, is the most prominent, and its Peak Master is also the Sect Master of the Xuanxiao Sect. In addition, there are twenty-three Junior Elders, each with their own duties and specialties."

Upon hearing this, You Su couldn't help but feel a sense of reverence. Unlike the Spiritual Treasure Sect, which specialized in a single path, the Xuanxiao Sect had a diverse and flourishing internal lineage. This magnanimity and boldness of the Xuanxiao Sect, in turn, made it the number one sect in the Central Yuan Continent.

These words seemed to open the door to a new world for You Su. In his mind, a magnificent and splendid world of cultivation slowly revealed just the tip of its iceberg.

You Su couldn't wait to continue asking his newly recognized senior sister questions, while Wangshu, looking at the clueless You Su, seemed to see herself reflected in her master's eyes. She wasn't annoyed at all and patiently answered her junior brother's questions one by one.

A lone boat sped along under the autumn sun, heading towards the highest mountain in the world, disappearing into the boundless sea of clouds.