The Spiritual Fruit Had to Be Eaten

"Senior brother, should I continue calling Lotus Sword Venerable 'Mistress' or 'Master'?"

Ji Lingruo sat on a small stool, crossed her legs, revealing her delicate and alluring white ankles, which swayed gently, exuding the leisurely demeanor of a young lady, as if she had returned to the carefree days in the Chuyun City.

You Su and Wangshu Fairy sat on either side of her, cleverly separated by her.

"Hmm... I'm not sure, but I think it's more appropriate to call him Master."

You Su washed the pale red spirit fruit for Ji Lingruo, took one, and handed it to her.

"What, you don't want me to call her 'Mistress'?" Ji Lingruo narrowed her bright, clear eyes and glanced at You Su. Fortunately, You Su remained calm, which dispelled her doubts.

"But I don't want to call her 'Mistress's Wife' either. We're not related, and she didn't teach me anything during those three years. Now that I'm becoming her disciple, I'll just call her 'Master'." Ji Lingruo pouted and took the spiritual fruit.

You Su was blind from a young age, and from the age of ten to fifteen, he was accompanied only by his indifferent Mistress. Even though she rarely responded to You Su's enthusiasm, she was You Su's only emotional support during that period, and You Su did not lose heart and tirelessly showed his enthusiasm.

Unlike You Su, Ji Lingruo only treats others the way they treat her. The master and Mistress of the Mandarin Sword Sect are dispensable to her, only her senior brother is irreplaceable.

"However, my Mistress is currently in seclusion, so it's best not to disturb her. If she has time, Mistress will certainly summon you."

"Understood. It's only right that one has to wait to become an apprentice."

Ji Lingruo picked up the spirit fruit and took a bite with a wistful expression.

Looking back on the past three years, it's astonishing that he went from that dilapidated little sword sect to True Disciple of the largest sect in the Central Continent. His rarely seen master's Mistress is actually the Lotus Sword Venerable, renowned throughout the Five Continents. The transformation is so dramatic that it feels like a dream.

Before she knew it, she had devoured the entire fruit.

This spiritual fruit is juicy, sweet but not cloying, crisp and delicious, and most importantly, it is extremely filling. Just one fruit made Ji Lingruo feel quite full.

But she felt something was missing in her mouth, and she couldn't help but click her tongue:

"Senior brother, is this what you eat for lunch every day?"

You Su nodded. "Junior Sister, do you think it doesn't taste good?"

"I can eat them, but it feels like something's missing. How can you have fruit for lunch?" Ji Lingruo looked at the large, plump spirit fruits on the plate and asked, "You don't eat spirit fruits for every meal, do you?"

"Ahem, the spiritual fruit from Bihua Peak is truly amazing! The fruit is firm, flavorful, and juicy without crumbling. It's really refreshing to eat. We cultivators can't resist it."

Ji Lingruo rolled her eyes playfully. She didn't like vegetables or fruit. Did cultivators have to eat such food every day? That would be too much of a torture for a demon.

Cultivation emphasizes clear thinking and doing as one pleases. If she were to eat fruit all day, her cultivation might actually regress instead of progress. Compared to the ethereal immortal path on this sacred mountain, she actually missed the lively atmosphere of the Chuyun City.

Even a simple bowl of fried egg noodles, with its bland and salty taste, was more delicious to Ji Lingruo than this spiritual fruit, not to mention the braised chicken with chestnuts and other delicacies that made her mouth water.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but sigh helplessly.

You Su, quick-witted as ever, immediately understood what her junior sister was thinking and sighing about.

He was no different. Compared to Ji Lingruo, he was truly from the mortal world, accustomed to the flavors of life. Suddenly becoming an immortal who lived on dew and wind was really hard for him to adjust to. However, these fruits were picked for him by his senior sister, so he couldn't refuse to eat them.

"Junior sister, are you missing the Oil-Crisped Cake from Chuyun City?"

"Yes, I was in such a hurry to get here that I didn't even get a chance to go back and see Granny Wang." Ji Lingruo was still very grateful to the old woman who had generously taught her her skills. "I was thinking of trying out the skills I learned that day after I got up the mountain, but it turns out there isn't even a kitchen on this mountain."

The courtyard on Lotus Peak was modeled after that of the Mandarin Sword Sect, but He Shutong's lifestyle was much simpler, there were no storage rooms or kitchens, and like the Mandarin Sword Sect, there were only two guest rooms. The difference was that Lotus Peak now had three disciples, which was not enough to go around. The room that belonged to Ji Lingruo in the Sword Sect was now the property of Wangshu Fairy on Lotus Peak, which made Ji Lingruo resent her for a long time.

You Su was naturally willing to share a room with his junior sister, but unfortunately, she would never agree, especially since it was really inappropriate. After all, their senior Mistress were still around.

"Master and Senior Sister have long since transcended worldly affairs, so it's normal for them to live a simple life," You Su explained.

When people start expressing dissatisfaction with something, it often means that thing has more than one problem. Ji Lingruo felt that life in the Immortal Sect was vastly different from what she had imagined, and her complaints went on and on:

"It's more than just simple! There's no kitchen, no bathroom, and after all this travel, we can't even find a place to shower. We don't even have a place to sleep. And the food! Even a cultivator at the Condensing Water Realm can't completely live without grains. How can we survive on spiritual fruits every day? Besides, is this path up the mountain even fit for a human? There's not even a proper path. Aren't we going to be exhausted going up and down the mountain? This is just too inconsiderate."

You Su was also somewhat disheartened. He could endure it, but that didn't mean he should force his junior sister to endure it as well. Ji Lingruo wasn't someone who craved material pleasures; she preferred the simple joys of life in Chuyun City. Life on Lotus Peak, however, could be described as bland and tasteless, leaving her feeling deeply disappointed.

"What should we do then?"

The Wangshu Fairy, who had been listening silently, suddenly spoke up. She blinked her blue eyes and asked a sincere question.

To her, these problems weren't just the girl's; her junior brother was facing the same issues, though he hadn't brought them up yet, which made her worry.

"What, you think you can make that decision?"

Ji Lingruo spoke lightly, glancing at the elegant Fairy in the white dress, her gaze lingering particularly on the white fox fur around her neck. She thought to herself that this renowned Goddess had excellent taste; even she herself would envy this white fox fur.

Even though she doesn't show her true face, just based on her temperament and figure, this 'senior sister' is enough to charm all living beings, right?

"Junior sister, you should call me senior sister. It's normal to feel a little uncomfortable at first; you'll get used to it after a while."

You Su spoke up to remind them that as a disciple with little seniority, how could they be qualified to arbitrarily change the layout of Lotus Peak? What he and his junior sister were not used to was already a habit of their Mistress and senior sister.

Ji Lingruo pursed her lips. She didn't dislike Wangshu Fairy, but the shock of seeing her intimate with her senior brother yesterday was too great. In addition, her sharp tongue and unrestrained judgment of people's hearts made Ji Lingruo have no good feelings towards her.

"It's not too late to call him 'master' after you've formally become his disciple. Wouldn't it be offensive to call him 'master' now?"

"Then what should I call you?" Wangshu asked.

Upon Ji Lingruo lowered her legs, obediently put them together, and sat up straight, appearing every bit the well-mannered fairy.

"Just call her... Lingruo Fairy."

Unaware of this, You Su twitched the corner of her mouth. Her junior sister was shamelessly deceiving her senior sister because she wanted to be on equal footing with her, or at least not be inferior.

"Lingruo Fairy".

Wangshu Fairy actually called out like that, completely oblivious to the awkwardness of addressing a junior in the Spirit Platform Middle Stage as "Fairy":

"I can make the decision. My master once told me that I can tell the Eighth Elder of Earth Wood Peak if I need anything. But I have never known what I want, so I have always kept things as they are. If you have any ideas, you can bring them up."

Ji Lingruo moved by Wangshu Fairy's earnest words. This girl in the white dress had lived in such an environment since childhood; she had truly suffered.

"Are you really willing?" Ji Lingruo asked hesitantly.

"Yes!" Wangshu Fairy nodded emphatically, "I don't want my junior brother to be unhappy living on the mountain, and Master certainly doesn't want that either."

??

I'm so pissed!

"I'm your junior sister too, okay!"

Ji Lingruo was furious. Sure enough, Wangshu Fairy's feelings for her senior brother weren't so innocent!

"But didn't you say that since we haven't officially become your disciples yet, I'm not your senior sister? Then you're not my junior sister either."

Wangshu Fairy looked puzzled, but spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Ji Lingruo sighed softly, rubbing her forehead. Looking at You Su's suppressed laughter, she pinched his thigh in annoyance, making You Su smile apologetically.

"Lingruo Fairy, you are not allowed to bully your junior brother."

Wangshu Fairy spoke in a stern voice, her eyes filled with seriousness and earnestness.

Ji Lingruo gritted her teeth in anger, her beautiful eyes glaring at You Su without letting up for a moment. She stood up abruptly and coldly snorted:

"Go down the mountain!"

By the time the three of them descended Lotus Peak, the autumn sun was already high in the sky.

Ji Lingruo was still sulking, not because of what happened on the mountain, but because on the way down, the mountain path was bumpy, You Su had offered to hold her hand, which she half-heartedly agreed to. And now this Senior Sister Wangshu actually wanted to hold her hand too?!

She reluctantly reached out to hold Wangshu's hand, but Wangshu refused and insisted on holding You Su's hand instead. In order to prevent Wangshu from succeeding, Ji Lingruo had no choice but to give up holding his hand as well, thus missing a good opportunity to strengthen her relationship with her senior brother.

"Junior sister, where do you want to go for this first step?"

"Ancient Moon Residence."

Ji Lingruo rubbed her flat stomach, like a domineering Eldest Young Lady, while You Su obediently followed beside her, like a personal bodyguard.

"Didn't you say there were delicacies from the immortals there? Having a proper lunch is the most important thing first."

Ancient Moon Residence was the place previously under Elder Zhu's jurisdiction, a gathering place for all kinds of delicacies. Whether it was the ingredients or the cooking skills, Ancient Moon Residence's standards were top-notch among immortals. It not only served as the dining hall for the disciples of the Xuanxiao Sect, but also hosted various exquisite private banquets.

Along the way, these three young cultivators, all with exceptional looks, temperament, and physique, attracted countless admiring glances. You Su and Wangshu Fairy had already gained some fame, but what truly shocked people was the curiosity about why a demon was traveling with this pair of senior and junior disciples.

Soon, the three arrived at the entrance of Ancient Moon Residence. The wonderful aroma of various foods wafted towards them. Ji Lingruo felt her appetite greatly stimulated by the smell, thinking to herself that Xuanxiao Sect still had some human touch.

At noon, Ancient Moon Residence packed with people, with almost no empty seats available.

The disciples' strange gazes continued, and Ji Lingruo, feeling flustered by their stares, quietly hid behind You Su. With her Wangshu Fairy, who also disliked crowds.

You Su, a blind man, actually became the guide.

"Senior brother, does Ancient Moon Residence have any private rooms?"

With his junior sister's guidance, You Su caught up with a senior brother who was clearly in charge.

The steward glanced at the three men and was quite surprised. You Su was secondary; he never expected that the renowned Wangshu Fairy would condescend to dine here. This was the first time ever.

"It's only natural that Wangshu Fairy would grace Ancient Moon Residence with her presence! Junior Brother, you must be You Su, right? Please come with me." The steward greeted them warmly.

"Thank you, Senior Brother." You Su then led the two women closely behind him, heading up to the second floor of Ancient Moon Residence.

"Can demons eat on the second floor of Ancient Moon Residence?"

Suddenly, someone in the crowd spoke with disdain; his voice was so strong that it completely drowned out the surrounding noise.

Unfortunately You Su ignored him and continued walking upwards as if she hadn't heard him.

"Stop!"

The person who spoke put down their chopsticks and stood up.

The man was dressed in a brown Daoist robe, and his robust physique exuded an air of authority and arrogance. Among the disciples sitting and eating, he stood out conspicuously.

The manager who had led the way had no choice but to stop and said, "Junior brother, there is no rule in Ancient Moon Residence that prohibits fellow cultivators of the Demon Race from entering."

"Senior Brother Fang, although Ancient Moon Residence doesn't have this rule, Xuanxiao Sect is a vital place for the human race. How can we allow the Demon Race to run rampant?" The man spoke righteously, staring intently at Ji Lingruo, who was hiding behind You Su.

"As far as I know, the Xuanxiao Sect does not have such a rule."

The steward could only lament that this disciple was too short-sighted. The brown Daoist robe he wore was exclusive to the First Peak of the Xuanxiao Sect, which meant that he was a disciple of the First Elder. The First Elder was in charge of the sect's discipline, and his disciples were usually righteous exemplars who were strict with themselves and set an example.

This disciple was particularly outstanding, possessing such an overwhelming sense of justice that he dared to stop Wangshu Fairy's friend.

"The Xuanxiao Sect currently has seven remaining Demon Race disciples, and this person is not among them. Since you have appeared so abruptly, please state your identity." The man puffed out his chest, displaying an air of dutiful service to humanity. "Even if you are Wangshu's friend, you must still follow the rules."

You Su chuckled inwardly. He wasn't actually angry, but he was frustrated that these people harbored such deep-seated prejudices against the Demon Race, and no one stepped in to stop them. How could the relationship between humans and demons possibly improve if this continued?

"Senior brother, she is my junior sister, the third disciple that Lotus Sword Venerable will soon personally accept. With such a status, can she come upstairs for dinner?" You Su's tone was quite helpless.

As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding crowd erupted in an uproar, their gazes towards Ji Lingruo filled with shock, envy, and disbelief.

Ji Lingruo felt a little timid under the gazes around her, but the thought that her senior brother was still by her side made her feel much more at ease.

"How could the Lotus Sword Venerable accept a Demon Race disciple?!"

The man couldn't believe it. The current situation of the human and demon races was precarious, and the Lotus Sword Venerable's actions were tantamount to raising a tiger to cause trouble.

You Su frowned, about to lash out, when he heard his silent senior sister speak coldly:

"Shut up."

The entire room fell silent instantly, as if frozen in terror.

Ji Lingruo turned her head and saw that the eyes under the Rabbit Mask were also looking at her, deep and firm.

The girl's heart softened, and she thought to herself:

What's with this domineering attitude? Can't my senior brother at least provoke someone she can bully at will...?