Junior Sister's Pain

As the dramatic guest reception ceremony drew to a close, Gu Yao announced two exciting decisions in a clear voice:

First: He would thoroughly assess every sect, large and small, in Chuyun City, and all of them had the potential to become affiliated with Xuanxiao Sect.

Second: All cultivators under thirty years of age with a cultivation base at or above the Spirit Platform Realm could register for the Ascension Gathering starting tomorrow to compete for the sole qualification to study at Xuanxiao Sect.

Gu Yao also added that ranking would not be the sole determining factor for the spots; he would consider performance comprehensively. He hoped every cultivator would display themselves honestly, without being constrained by victory or defeat, for only the Great Dao is eternal, no matter one's location.

Upon hearing this, the cultivators became even more excited, as if the opportunity was no longer exclusive to the renowned nobles of the city but had fairly descended before everyone, within reach.

You Su, blending into the crowd, quietly left after registering with the person in charge of the City Lord's mansion, as low-key as when he arrived, yet not escaping the attention of those with intentions.

Gu Yao and City Lord Liu harbored their own thoughts, while a few astute elders re-evaluated the blind youth in their hearts.

Wu Cheng, however, silently watched You Su's retreating figure, a burning fighting spirit igniting within him.

You Su walked through the deserted alleyways, letting out a long sigh of relief.

Gu Yao's startling declaration of "You are an Evil Demon" in front of everyone was too terrifying. Under the gazes of a hundred different emotions directed at him, You Su felt that if his will were even slightly weaker, he would have been scared into revealing all his experiences, turning him into a Malevolent Spirit even if he wasn't one.

The source of his unwavering resolve was not a powerful mindset that remained unfazed even when Mount Tai collapsed before him, but his belief that his Junior Sister would not lie to him. If his Junior Sister said that piece of Tai Sui meat wouldn't cause possession, then it truly wouldn't, because his Junior Sister would never harm him.

Only with the strong conviction of "I am definitely not a Malevolent Spirit" could he successfully force himself to remain calm and composed. However, doubt, fear, and tension still enveloped him until he heard City Lord Liu speak up for him, without mentioning the crucial detail that he was blind. Only then did he realize things were not simple.

You Su had intended to elaborate himself, but Gu Yao completely ignored him, launching into a lengthy monologue. After listening, You Su discovered the clue:

The only person who could possibly understand the detailed usage of the Golden Eyes was City Lord Liu, who hailed from Xuanxiao Sect. He already knew that eye contact was the key to successful detection. He hadn't introduced him as blind not because he forgot, nor because he feared You Su's embarrassment in front of everyone, but intentionally.

What he wanted was to make Gu Yao, this Immortal Master who had shown him no respect since his arrival, experience the taste of falling from grace. And he had unintentionally become the stumbling block.

Gu Yao was clearly not foolish. After realizing this, he turned his attention to You Su in an attempt to save face. Although You Su detested how Gu Yao, knowing he had misjudged, still used his power to oppress him, he was helpless.

His Junior Sister and Mistress were still in dire need of rescue, hovering on the brink of hell, and Gu Yao was currently the most capable person to help him approach the Divine Mountain. Escalating the conflict would bring nothing but harm. It would be better to go along with it and then give him a grand gift, making Gu Yao think highly of him and increasing his chances of being chosen as a disciple for the study.

Compared to saving his Junior Sister and Mistress, any momentary pride was mere vanity.

At this point, You Su's convoluted emotional journey that morning finally concluded.

At the cusp of summer and autumn, the midday temperature was still scorching. You Su walked under the dense foliage, looking up at the sky.

He had a feeling that the chaos in his eyes seemed to have changed.

Previously, he could only feel a few glints of light when looking directly at the sun. Now, just looking at a bright spot would cause faint white halos to appear.

It must be the credit of that rotten meat! You Su couldn't help but feel a little excited.

Before long, they arrived at the sect.

His Junior Sister wasn't waiting by the door for her fried dough sticks as usual; she had already gone to sleep.

After a simple lunch, he resumed his day of cultivation.

Practicing swordplay, refining techniques, and breathing exercises, all in an orderly fashion.

Night quietly descended, and the moonlight began to cast its glow.

You Su didn't cook. He went out and bought the chestnut chicken his Junior Sister loved the most. He would fulfill any request she had now.

He set a table full of delicacies and walked to his Junior Sister's room, gently knocking on the door.

There was no response for a long time. You Su wondered, "Junior Sister, it's time to eat. You didn't eat breakfast either, aren't you hungry?"

After a while, a somewhat weak voice came from inside:

"I'm not hungry... Eat by yourself first. Leave some for me. I'll eat when I'm hungry."

"If you're not enthusiastic about eating, there's a problem with your thinking. I bought chestnut chicken, you know."

"Why so much nonsense? Eat if I tell you to eat. I'm sleepy, don't... don't disturb my sleep!"

You Su sensed Ji Lingruo's weak yet deliberately forceful tone. He felt confused and then remembered the secret lessons every night for the past seven days, along with her usual daily habits. This had almost made him overlook that his Junior Sister was a poor girl afflicted by a Malevolent Spirit, who would hide in her room corners, struggling in pain, behind his back.

"Junior Sister, are you... not feeling well?" You Su asked tentatively.

"Do you want me to tell you I'm on my period before you believe me!" the Junior Sister's voice was clearly annoyed. "The lessons these past few nights are canceled too!"

You Su had no choice but to retreat awkwardly, "Junior Sister, drink more hot water. Call Senior Brother if you need anything."

In the dead of night, You Su ate alone, finding it tasteless. He quickly finished and continued to meditate on his bed.

Unfortunately, his state of mind remained unsettled for a long time. He closed his eyes for a long while, but the effect was minimal.

At this moment, he should have been teaching his Junior Sister how to circulate Mystic Qi. Tonight, it was not possible, and he felt a slight sense of loss. What he cherished was not the warm touch of the young girl's body, but the warmth of mutual support in their perilous situation. Even if they sat face-to-face doing nothing, he would still feel happy and content.

Perhaps I'm becoming more and more inseparable from my Junior Sister.

You Su chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"Hiss..."

You Su's ears twitched. A low groan was keenly picked up by him. It was his Junior Sister's voice! She seemed to be enduring intense pain but was forcing herself not to make a louder sound, like prey covered in wounds that didn't want to alert the hunter behind it.

Ji Lingruo was, after all, in the Channel Opening Realm. Although she couldn't sever the menstrual cycle like female cultivators in the Feather Transformation Realm, her physique was still much stronger than an ordinary person's. How could her period cause such pain?

What could be causing her such agony?

The answer was self-evident. You Su's heart felt as if it were being cut by a knife. His lips were bitten until they bled. He almost couldn't bear it and wanted to rush in to hold her, to comfort her and tell her not to be afraid, that no matter what she became, he wouldn't leave her.

But if he did that, wouldn't he be going against his Junior Sister's instructions in his dream? Only the Junior Sister in his dream knew that he was aware of them being possessed. If the Junior Sister in reality also knew, the merging of their consciousness would accelerate the recall of the part hidden in his mind. Wouldn't he then become the villain who ruined his Mistress's efforts and personally sent them into the mouths of Malevolent Spirits?

The emotions of self-blame and suppression seemed to have materialized, almost overflowing from You Su's seven orifices, making him feel suffocated as if he were drowning.

All was silent. The Junior Sister's pained groans finally stopped after a long while. The oil lamp cast large shadows on the wall, appearing demonic and monstrous.