Naturally Born Furnace Tripod

"She's gone?"

Ji Lingruo's voice came from under the corridor, and the rustling sound of her skirt brushing against the stone steps was softer than usual.

She stood in the shadow of wisteria blossoms, her fingertips twirling the Cheng Ying Sword, her gaze lingering on You Su's profile like a small snake.

You Su's fingertips traced the chilled plum juice on the table as she gazed at the last glimmer of gold in the distant sky, where a faint, broken golden shadow flickered.

"Elder Liu personally escorted her out of the ancestral land this afternoon."

He paused, then added, "With Yu Xiaoran's remains."

Ji Lingruo took a few steps to You Su's side. "Just now, Senior Brother was staring in the direction she left, as if he wanted to see a hole through the clouds."

A sour taste mingled with the light, rising tone of her voice. She simply snatched the Ice Cup, tilted her head back, and drank it all down with a defiant swallowing sound.

You Su chuckled softly, reaching out to wipe the glistening tears from the corner of her lips. "I was just thinking about something."

Ji Lingruo turned her head away from his fingertips, "Thinking about Yu Wanyue?"

You Su did not deny it, but not wanting his junior sister to be jealous for no reason, he pulled Ji Lingruo to the stone bench. "Junior sister, do you know what the relationship is between Yu Xiaoran and Yu Wanyue?"

Ji Lingruo busy handling clan affairs and did not participate in the direct interrogation, but it was impossible for her to know nothing. "Are they husband and wife?"

You Su nodded, "But they are not a couple who are willing to be together."

Although he felt it was inappropriate to tell others about her suffering, he figured his junior sister would sympathize with her, so he started by recounting how she had been a naive girl who had entered the Golden Peng Main Family with great enthusiasm after bidding farewell to her friends, and continued until she was reborn and took flight.

As dusk settled, the glass lanterns under the corridor lit up one by one, casting shimmering spots of light in Ji Lingruo's eyes.

"... So she'd rather you activate the slave runes?" Ji Lingruo suddenly grabbed You Su's collar. "If it were me, I definitely wouldn't have let Yu Xiaoran die so easily!"

You Su sighed softly, pulled Ji Lingruo into his arms, and pressed his chin against the sweet scent of snake saliva in her hair. He thought to himself that Yu Xiaoran's death was not easy at all; he just hadn't told his junior sister the details of that inappropriate revenge plot.

"Before Yu Xiaoran committed suicide, he kept begging me, but I ignored him and chose to cooperate with Yu Wanyue to complete her most painful revenge. But I was just playing along; I did not inject Mystic Qi to activate the slave pattern."

"Hmm? Why not accept it?"

"Yu Wanyue is an old friend of Elder Liu. If I take her as a slave, how will Elder Liu feel? Although there are many reasons, Elder Liu will not be able to blame me, but I think she would not be happy to see that situation."

"So you're saying you did all this for Granny Liu?" Ji Lingruo narrowed her eyes.

You Su's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. Not daring to dwell on the memory, he said seriously, "Shouldn't we have done so?"

Ji Lingruo raised her willow-leaf eyebrows. "Of course it is the right thing to do. Granny Liu raised my sister and me, and devoted herself to the Snake Clan. She is the greatest contributor to the Snake Clan's development to this day. If we were to let her harbor resentment, wouldn't that chill the heart of a meritorious person? I couldn't bear to see that happen."

You Su smiled with relief, "That's it then."

Ji Lingruo narrowed her beautiful eyes suspiciously. "But Granny Liu has no real relationship with you, so why are you so concerned about her feelings?"

"Her... my junior sister and Miss Xue Ruo are the biggest connections between her and me!"

"Do you think I'm that easy to fool? Even if you ignore her, do you think my sister and I would blame you? Tell us your true thoughts!"

You Su felt that his junior sister was becoming increasingly difficult to fool. He took a sip of tea to moisten his throat and then said:

"Because I feel that if she needs to rely on throwing herself into another man's arms to escape Yu Xiaoran's control, wouldn't she still be a broken-winged bird locked in a golden cage? When I turned her to the other side, I promised her a new life. This method goes against my original intention, so I'll give up on it. Isn't that a bit foolish?"

Ji Lingruo a long time. Logically speaking, she thought it was foolish for You Su to be soft-hearted towards his enemies; but emotionally, she had always particularly liked You Su's respect for and love of women.

Any man would probably find it hard to give up a female slave from the Golden Peng Clan, right? After all, they not only have beautiful wings, but their whole bodies are also golden!

For a moment Ji Lingruo didn't know whether to scold or praise, so she simply remained silent. Instead, she suddenly raised her face and flashed the Cheng Ying Sword, Cheng Ying, which was as thin as a cicada's wing. "When I reach the summit of the divine mountain, I will surely burn away all these deep-seated problems of the Demon Race!"

She spoke very softly, but the last syllable sounded like a venomous snake's fang, "Throw all those branding irons, chains, marriage certificates soaked in women's blood and tears, and all the injustices of the Demon Race into the furnace and turn them into scrap metal!"

You Su was taken aback and lost in thought. His fingertips stopped on the scales behind her ear, where a faint blue light was emanating from them due to her anger.

He even wondered if he had misheard. Given his junior sister's personality, she should have said, "Wait for your elder sister to reach the summit of the sacred mountain," not "herself."

It is often said that a man's growth happens in an instant, but isn't it the same for a woman?

Thinking back, my death really made my junior sister mature a lot. She wasn't a useless Second Young Lady to begin with; she clearly had many things she wanted to do and was capable of doing, but there were always people who had to do them for her.

Now that she needs to stand up independently, whether it's feigning compliance with the Golden Peng Clan or governing the Snake Clan in an orderly manner after the war, she has earned everyone's admiration.

Although he felt guilty for hurting the girl by faking his death, he couldn't hide his joy. You Su hugged the girl tighter and said indulgently:

"Alright, then I'll swing the hammer for you."

"I don't want you to swing the hammer!" Ji Lingruo suddenly broke free from his embrace, her blue skirt swirling sharply on the stone bricks. "If I let you swing the hammer, you would definitely secretly change all those slave tattoos and marriage certificates to your own name."

"No, I haven't even accepted Yu Wanyue, so how could I do such a despicable thing?" You Su could only sigh that her junior sister had too deep a prejudice against her.

Ji Lingruo crossed her arms and said, "It seems you quite regret this decision."

"I regret that I was afraid Yu Wanyue wasn't trustworthy and would exchange my information for greater benefits."

"The birds are gone, there's no use in regretting it now. If she's truly a treacherous person, I'll haunt her even as a ghost." Ji Lingruo raised her eyebrows. "But if she's a person of feeling and loyalty, by not activating the slave mark on her body this time, you've etched an even deeper mark on her heart. Don't think I don't know, what you love to play most is—lust, passion, deception, and indulgence!"

You Su smiled wryly, "Junior Sister has been reading too many romance novels. She's a villain who's planning to harm the snake clan."

"Don't give me that." Ji Lingruo leaned down and poked You Su's chest threateningly, "Anyway, if I find out you're flirting with other women again, I'll tell Shizun! Tell her you're a heartless person who starts relationships and then abandons them!"

"Junior Sister!" You Su hurriedly covered her mouth, his sleeve flipping up and knocking over a jade cup. The icy plum juice spilled onto the stone steps, reflecting their flustered, overlapping images. "This kind of joke is not to be taken lightly!"

Taking advantage of the situation Ji Lingruo bit his palm, a sly glint in her eyes. "Now you're scared? I knew you were most afraid of her."

As dusk settled over the eaves, You Su's earlobes flushed slightly at Ji Lingruo's teasing. He suddenly grabbed the girl's mischievous fingers, forcing her against the carved pillar, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous light.

"Junior sister's intentions are so sinister; it seems she was planning to frame senior brother all along."

The vine-entwined pillars trembled slightly, Ji Lingruo's back pressed against the cool jade, but her skirt was parted by his knee, revealing a beautiful slit.

She raised her head defiantly, the Cheng Ying Sword sweeping across the boy's taut wrist. "Who told you to keep refusing to let me participate in the interrogation?"

"I don't want Yu Xiaoran to have any further contact with you, not even a glimpse of you."

Ji Lingruo's ears turned red, and she stammered, "I'm afraid you're afraid I'll see you having an affair with Yu Wanyue."

"I didn't even notice that slave mark, which shows I remained unmoved." You Su chuckled, his fingertips brushing against the blue scales behind her ear, causing the girl's waist to go limp. "But Junior Sister is being so aggressive, does she want Senior Brother to prove his innocence?"

A night breeze ruffled the stray hairs at Ji Lingruo's temples. Suddenly, she stood on tiptoe and bit You Su's Adam's apple, a mocking slur escaping her lips. "Then you should at least provide proof..."

The glass lamplight swayed in response, You Su's eyes darkened, and he wrapped his arm around the girl's waist, spun around, and pressed her against the stone table.

He poured the icy tea down the girl's collarbone, causing her to tremble. He then bent down and followed the flowing tea, like a fish swimming upstream.

"Such a display of patriarchal authority, Junior Sister, you mustn't beg for mercy."

The wisteria rustled outside the corridor, Xiao Ling's fingers, holding the food box, suddenly tightened.

Today, it was her turn to deliver dinner to the Second Young Lady, and she was secretly delighted, thinking that she would finally find a chance to meet Young Master You. The Second Young Lady also liked her very much, and perhaps if she was well-behaved, the Second Young Lady would invite her to have dinner with them.

But as she peeked through the crack in the door, she saw the strong, muscular back of Young Master You, and the Second Young Lady's snow-white stockings dangled around his waist, revealing a glimpse of her fair skin.

The rising heat instantly flushed the girl's cheeks. She hurriedly took a half step back, covering her mouth tightly, but couldn't resist her curiosity and continued to peek through the crack in the door.

As the most shy little snake demon in the snake clan, her legs were already uncontrollably clenched together beneath her skirt. The sight of the two people's fingers intertwined in the crack of the door reminded her of mandarin ducks entwined in spring.

A sudden dryness rose in her throat, Xiao Ling subconsciously bit her lower lip. You Su's 'arrogant' demeanor was a stark contrast to the patient and gentle Young Master You she remembered from before the Ice Room, yet why wasn't she disliked...?

As she was lost in thought, she suddenly felt a weight on her shoulder and turned around to meet the cold, distant gaze of a strange woman.

"Xiao Ling?"

The woman was beautiful but unfamiliar, yet Xiao Ling recognized her identity through the snake-headed staff she always carried.

The girl was so startled that her vision went black for a moment. The food box overturned with a crash, and the lotus root soup spilled onto the blue bricks, reflecting her flushed cheeks and trembling fingertips.

"Granny Liu..." Xiao Ling trembled, clutching her skirt tightly, the scales behind her ears turning a deathly crimson. "I... I came to deliver..."

Liu Yinyin's heart sank. She was only glad that she had arrived earlier than Xiao Ling and had already set up a soundproof Formation Technique. Otherwise, given Xiao Ling's impulsive nature, she would have already frightened the two people inside who were deeply engrossed in their lovemaking.

"Does delivering food require peeking through the door?" She caught a glimpse of the flickering lamplight inside, and a hint of embarrassment crossed her fresh-faced expression. She admonished, "Don't be like those frivolous sisters of yours, invading people's privacy."

Xiao Ling twisted her skirt, her almond-shaped eyes glistening with tears. "But... but why is Young Master You pressing down on the Second Young Lady...? The Second Young Lady has been bullied, so why are you... so happy?"

Liu Yinyin choked on her words, recalling the absurdity she had shared with You Su at the Serpent Ancestor's Temple that day, and her ears instantly burned. But looking at Xiao Ling's innocent and naive face, she couldn't bring herself to say anything too harsh, and could only shove the food box back into her hands.

"Don't ask too many questions, you're just a child. Go back quickly and don't linger here."

"Yes, yes..." Xiao Ling lowered her head, quickly took the food box, and fled as if she were escaping.

Liu Yinyin looked in the direction Xiao Ling had run off in, and at the end of the path, several of her sisters were clearly waiting for Xiao Ling. She sighed softly, finally understanding why she always "encountered" these little snake demons outside the Second Young Lady's secluded courtyard. She never imagined that not only were they unruly in private, but even Xiao Ling was being led astray.

After Xiao Ling walked away, she pursed her thin lips and quietly peered into the doorway.

Looking at the Second Young Lady's raised neck, which was flushed an unnatural bright red, like a lychee that had been thoroughly sunburned.

She instantly averted her gaze, utterly mortified. She only regretted that You Su was so insensitive; if he had the guts, he should have come at her! How could he bully the Second Young Lady, who was only at the Condensing Water Realm?

Thinking of this, she felt even more ashamed. She put her hands behind her back and slipped away, but instead of leaving, she darted to a tall tree by the roadside where she could see better.

She originally intended to invite the Second Young Lady, who was temporarily in charge of the clan, to a meeting, but unexpectedly stumbled upon You Su discussing the entanglement between Yu Wanyue and Yu Xiaoran.

Worried that the boy was making up stories to deceive the second young lady, she secretly listened in and discovered that You Su knew more about Yu Wanyue's unsavory past than she did!

Upon hearing about the slave tattoo incident, she wished she could tear Yu Xiaoran apart; and when she heard that Senior Sister Yu wanted to acknowledge You Su as her master, she didn't know how to deal with You Su.

Logically and emotionally, she seemed to have no reason to criticize You Su in the slightest, and should even encourage You Su to accept it, which was tantamount to admitting that You Su would not refuse this extremely tempting offer. It was just a pity for the miserable Senior Sister Yu.

But when she heard that You Su hadn't activated the slave mark and instead chose to trust Senior Sister Yu with a sincere heart, she was almost speechless. She felt that this young man was too unexpected and completely different from any man she had ever imagined or met.

Initially, when choosing between Yu Wanyue and Yu Xiaoran as a target to be used, the naive and innocent Yu Xiaoran was clearly the better choice. However, given how things have developed, it would be impossible for anyone to believe that the young man made this decision without any personal consideration for her, especially since even he himself said that he didn't want to put her in a difficult position.

But... why would he help me to this extent?

Is it really as he says, simply because she is the elder of the two young ladies?

That reason isn't far-fetched, but how could it compare to the temptation of taking Senior Sister Yu as a slave?

Her thoughts were in turmoil, and she couldn't help but recall the words the boy had said when he defended her to Yu Xiaoran: "Time cannot extinguish the orchid's elegance, and setbacks cannot erode its noble character."

She was indeed moved by it at the time, otherwise she wouldn't have made up her mind to enter that golden cocoon.

But later, in retrospect, she couldn't help but ask herself: Did he really see her that way?

Looking back now, these words don't seem to have any forced flattery, but rather are heartfelt words of wisdom from a young man.

Life is short, and it is so rare to meet someone who appreciates you; it is even more precious than achieving perfection in life.

Reflecting on Yu Shijie's personal experience and her advice at the time, Liu Yinyin suddenly felt that the words had a profound power to provoke thought.

A girl's melodious warbling voice from the courtyard startled Liu Yinyin from her wandering thoughts, and she realized with a start that her face was burning hot.

When she came to her senses, she saw that the young man had somehow already positioned the Second Young Lady facing her. Her beautiful eyes widened instantly, and she was too embarrassed to linger any longer, so she fled even faster than Xiao Ling.

The farther she fled, the more chaotic her mind became, filled with wild thoughts. She worried and feared whether You Su had discovered her or not, yet involuntarily, she replaced the Second Young Lady's face in that erotic scene with her own...

Thinking of this, she wished she could hit herself with the snake-headed staff, cursing herself for being shameless.

Before she could calm down, she was surrounded by six familiar auras again.

The newcomers were none other than the remaining six elders of the Serpent Clan.

Looking at the vibrant colors surrounding her, Liu Yinyin knew their purpose without much thought.

Elder Hua, dressed in a pink gauze dress, was the first to speak, "Where has Elder Liu gone?"

Stared at by six piercing gazes amidst the plum blossoms, Liu Yinyin subconsciously tightened her dark green long sleeves:

"Are you all blocking our way so late at night because you have objections to the celebration procedures for the clan chief's return tomorrow?"

Elder Hua twirled a strand of hair that fell beside her temple with her slender fingers, her pink skirt sweeping across the fallen petals on the ground, and she said with a mischievous smile:

"Elder Liu went to find the Second Young Lady, could it be to confirm the procedures with her?"

She deliberately emphasized the words "Second Young Lady," her gaze sweeping over the dimly lit courtyard in the distance.

"Otherwise?" Elder Liu puffed out his chest and raised his head, forcing himself to maintain the dignity of an elder. "You've been following me?"

"Elder Liu's cultivation is extraordinary; we don't have that ability. We only heard it from the little demons. Does the Second Young Lady have any objections to tomorrow's celebration schedule?"

Elder Liu immediately guessed that it was that silly Xiao Ling who had exposed her whereabouts, and said solemnly, "I returned empty-handed without seeing her, but I figured the process was thorough and she wouldn't have any objections."

"Didn't see her? Well, the Second Young Lady is a glutton. If she doesn't eat dinner, she's probably lost in her own world with You Su in her room and has forgotten the time. It's natural that we didn't see her. But Elder Liu's rosy complexion... could it be that he's been watching her for a while?"

"Shut up!" Liu Yinyin suddenly raised her voice, slamming her cane heavily on the ground, startling plum blossoms into a flurry. "You six surrounded me just to spout nonsense? Don't you even respect this old man?"

"Elder Liu is no old man," Elder Hua chuckled, covering her mouth, but her tone was resentful. "Moreover, it's not that my six sisters don't respect Elder Liu; it's clearly that Elder Liu doesn't respect us. Elder Liu often teaches us that the snake clan has always helped each other, and no snake has ever eaten alone. We deeply agree with this. This time, Elder Liu's cultivation has not only advanced by leaps and bounds, but even his Demon Core has been reborn. This is a great joy, but who knew that Elder Liu would hide his own secrets? It truly chills our hearts."

Six pairs of eyes tightened instantly like a spider web, and Liu Yinyin felt the newly formed Demon Core throbbing rapidly in her abdomen. She regretted her carelessness, allowing the cunning Elder Hua to examine the Demon Core.

"I told you it was from treasures looted from Yu Wanyue." She raised her eyes to meet the scrutiny of the crowd. "The snake clan has countless Secret Method; if you were willing to peruse the <Record of Shedding Scales> on the third floor of the library..."

"Elder Liu, are you still hiding something?" Elder Zhu was usually taciturn, suddenly spoke up. His slender and tall appearance really resembled a Bamboo Leaf Green Snake. "The purity of your Demon Core is exactly the same as that of the Eldest Young Lady and Second Young Lady. Could it be that they also have the same treasure?"

All six women took a step forward, while Liu Yinyin instinctively took a half step back, but the tree trunk blocked her retreat.

Her voice was hoarse as she rubbed the engravings on the snake-headed staff, her thoughts racing, but she really didn't know how to continue to deceive them.

Sharing both good and bad fortune—this is the fundamental principle that has enabled the snake clan, composed entirely of women, to survive to this day, and it is also the key to maintaining the unity and concerted efforts of the entire snake clan. How could she, as the eldest member of the clan, disobey this principle?

She didn't reveal that You Su was a "Heavenly Furnace Body" at first because she didn't think it was a blessing or a curse for the snake clan. So, she naturally had to be wary of these snake women who couldn't stand being alone following in the footsteps of the Eldest Young Lady and Second Young Lady.

But now You Su has greatly changed her opinion of him, and even she herself has become somewhat enamored with him...

Besides, these six women probably already guessed some of the clues. If she continues to be secretive, it will only make it seem like she's deliberately hiding something...

She dared not imagine what would happen if these six women discovered her affair with You Su. She would be branded as disrespectful to her elders, and she would have no face to stay in the snake clan. She might as well just die on the spot!

However, if one were to proactively confess, one could set aside personal feelings and be seen as acting out of a sense of helplessness in the name of public duty...

She let out a long sigh and finally spoke slowly:

"This matter concerns Young Master You's reputation... that Young Master You—"

"He is Heavenly Furnace Body..."