Will Junior Sister Go With Me

Sheng Ziling froze in place as if under a paralysis spell. When he finally snapped back to reality, the first thing he did was shakily turn his head to look at his Master, who was sitting by the side of the arena.

The Sect Master of the Wind Thunder Fist Sect had a grim expression.

Sheng Ziling desperately contorted his face, wanting to argue, as if silently protesting that the fight wasn't as everyone saw it. He wanted to say the blind man had launched a sneak attack when he wasn't prepared, that it was unsportsmanlike and the opponent should have been disqualified.

But he was speechless, unable to utter a single word.

Sheng Ziling turned his head to look at the scabbard You Su had put away. His despair for his future cultivation path within the sect deepened, and his gaze grew more venomous. He lacked the courage to attack, only his throat bobbed as he prepared to unleash the filthiest curses, to verbally humiliate the person who seemed indifferent to everything.

In a flash, the Ink Pine Sword was once again at Sheng Ziling's neck. This time, however, it wasn't the scabbard, but the cold, sharp blade.

"If I cut here, you won't die, but you'll be mute from now on. So, do you still want to curse?"

You Su held the sword hilt casually, his tone betraying no hint of a threat.

Everyone by the side of the arena gasped, not expecting You Su to make a move even after the match had ended.

The Sect Master of the Wind Thunder Fist Sect was so enraged he stood up abruptly, his powerful hands crushing the armrests of the wooden chair to splinters.

"You Su! What do you think you're doing!"

City Lord Liu projected a surge of energy to calm the furious, burly elder and said leisurely to You Su in the arena:

"You Su, put away your weapon. The sparring is over, don't lose your composure."

Hearing this, You Su chuckled faintly, sheathed the Ink Pine Sword, and as he retreated, his wrist flicked, leaving an almost imperceptible bloodstain on Sheng Ziling's neck.

"My apologies, City Lord Liu. It was my misunderstanding. Seeing Brother Sheng's stance, I thought he was still eager for more."

Sheng Ziling didn't hear what You Su was saying. He was lost in the stinging sensation from the shallow bloodstain. He had a feeling that if necessary, this blind man would truly make him mute, the kind who ends up cold and lifeless in a coffin.

A chill spread from the soles of his feet. He realized his pants felt damp and warm. This feeling of losing control... was it familiar? When was the last time?

He remembered. It was when he was twelve, accompanying his Master to buy things. He had taken a liking to a jade bracelet that a woman had just purchased. The woman was leading a blind child, dressed shabbily, yet she was slightly taller than his burly Master. For some reason, his Master and the woman got into an argument.

To say they fought was an exaggeration; it was more like his Master was getting beaten unilaterally. His Master's proud boxing techniques were shattered by the woman's fists, but wasn't that woman the Sect Master of the Sword Sect?

After beating his Master, the woman glanced at him coldly. It was the first time he had seen such an expression, and the first time he had seen his Master, who was like a god in his heart, in such a pathetic state. Seeing the woman press closer, he had been so scared he wet himself on the spot.

But the woman ignored him. As the young blind child walked past him, biting his finger, he said blankly to the woman beside him:

"Master, what's that smell? It's so foul."

This remark made the woman burst into laughter.

He remembered this incident until now. He thought that woman was gone, his Master had broken through, and he had grown stronger, so that feeling of fear and embarrassment would never return. He never expected that the blind child from back then would bring it all back to him now.

"So foul."

You Su sheathed the Ink Pine Sword and left the venue, pinching his nose.

Meanwhile, the burly man in the arena, his white robes and pants darkening, sat slumped on the ground amidst the unending jeers from the sidelines, his face utterly devoid of color.

Gu Yao watched You Su disappear into the crowd from afar, his eyes gleaming with a shifting light.

It was night.

You Su had bought the chestnut chicken, of course, along with a series of blood-nourishing foods: red bean porridge, black fungus, and brown sugar water.

Ji Lingruo was dressed simply, her loose jacket and skirt concealing her delicate curves. Her complexion had regained some of its rosy hue, her skin was as smooth as porcelain, seemingly even more radiant than before.

She looked at the spread of dishes, a mix of delight and exasperation on her face.

They silently picked at their food, a brief moment of quiet settling between them.

"Hey, where did you go during the day?" Ji Lingruo asked, pouting as she watched her Senior Brother put fungus into her bowl.

"Went to the City Lord's mansion to handle some business," You Su replied, also taking a couple of bites of fungus. "Eat more fungus, it's good for qi and blood."

Ji Lingruo stirred her chopsticks. She didn't even like fungus, but because of a lie from a month ago, this Senior Brother had bought such a large plate and was forcing her to eat it, which she found rather exasperating.

"If you want to eat it, you eat it yourself. Don't you love fungus the most?"

"Junior Sister remembers what Senior Brother likes to eat. Senior Brother is very pleased. However, what I like isn't black fungus, it's white fungus," You Su said with a smile, then began to drink his porridge.

Ji Lingruo stuck out her tongue and secretly made a face. She then asked, "Why did you go to the City Lord's mansion? Was it about that search from last time?"

"No, there was a distinguished guest at the City Lord's mansion. All the cultivators in the Spirit Platform Realm had to go and welcome them."

"What distinguished guest? Such a grand reception?"

"An outer sect steward from the Xuanxiao Sect on Mount Henggao, named Gu Yao. What, Junior Sister, do you know him?"

"Tch, what's so great about that. Why is he coming to Chuyun City?"

"To inspect the affiliated sects and to select disciples who can study at the Xuanxiao Sect. But they must be at least in the Spirit Platform Realm." You Su omitted Gu Yao's third reason. He didn't want to mention the word "Malevolent Spirit" in front of his Junior Sister.

"Hey, doesn't that mean you have a chance too?" Ji Lingruo's beautiful eyes lit up.

"There's a slight possibility. Does Junior Sister want to go to the Divine Mountain?" You Su asked tentatively.

Ultimately, bringing his Junior Sister and Mistress to the Divine Mountain to dispel evil was just his own wishful thinking. But it wasn't the time to confess everything yet. The immediate priority was to bring the two of them to the Divine Mountain. Only when he could guarantee their safety, even if their consciousness returned, could he reveal everything to them.

Ji Lingruo didn't answer immediately. She seemed hesitant, as if contemplating something. "Then do you want to go?"

"Me? I suppose I'd like to go," You Su picked up his bowl, lowering his head. "If I get this spot to study, Junior Sister, will you go with me?"

"Of... of course, I will," Ji Lingruo's chopsticks didn't stop moving, as if she were trying to hide something. She added, "Who wouldn't want to go to the Divine Mountain?"

You Su sensed something was off, but didn't ask directly. He assumed his Junior Sister was afraid that she, being a Malevolent Spirit, would be a burden to him:

"That's good then. I've saved a lot of money, enough to buy a house with a yard in a quieter part of Henggao City. During the day, I'll go to the Divine Mountain to study, and Junior Sister can sleep. At night, I'll come back and continue teaching Junior Sister sword practice. Once Junior Sister becomes strong, she'll definitely be qualified to study at the Divine Mountain too. We can also write more stories. The people in Henggao City are all very wealthy, we'll definitely earn much more than we did in Chuyun City."

You Su was envisioning their future, while Ji Lingruo pointed out flaws in his plans one by one. They began to bicker as usual, and the dinner table gradually became lively. However, no one could see the hidden worry deep within the young girl's eyes.