Family Law Awaits (54k)

The next day, the sky was clear and the air was crisp.

"Young Master You's insights into Way of the Sword are indeed unique, and I have benefited greatly from them." Elder Hua chuckled, his eyes full of admiration.

"Just some humble opinions."

You Su smiled modestly, but dared not look directly at the elder with whom he had been having such a pleasant conversation.

Today, Elder Hua was dressed in a pinkish-purple gauze dress, with two delicate snake patterns embroidered on the hem. They meandered and coiled, outlining the snow-white arc in a round and eye-catching way.

Although as You Su became more familiar with the snake women, they became less concerned about their clothing and appearance, and You Su could even see that some of the bolder snake women were blatantly displaying themselves to him, at least these elders were still dressed dignifiedly and had the demeanor of elders.

Elder Hua's deep-necked gauze dress today was truly an eye-opener for You Su, and she dared not look at it for long...

However, Elder Hua was so engrossed in conversation that he kept talking non-stop, and he even gently fanned You Su with a round fan, which made You Su feel even more uncomfortable neglecting him. You Su felt like his strabismus was about to flare up.

No one knows what You Su said, but the beautiful Fairy was suddenly amused by You Su, laughing so hard that her body trembled and it was hard to look directly at her.

However, You Su didn't actually find his witty remarks particularly funny; he thought he had simply tickled a woman's weird funny bone, unaware that it was just Elder Hua's little trick.

"If I'm easily amused, Young Master You will surely find chatting with me pleasant and relaxing, and the conversation will only grow more enjoyable. Young men, after all, naturally prefer easy-going women, hehehe..."

Just as Elder Hua was feeling smug about his understanding, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure in green appearing at the end of the bamboo corridor.

The Second Young Lady's expression seemed rather unpleasant. A sense of crisis, stemming from her snake-woman instincts, made her feel uneasy, so she quickly rose gracefully and said, "Since the Second Young Lady has business with Young Master You, then I shall take my leave." With that, she gave an elegant curtsy and turned to leave.

Looking at Ji Lingruo's gloomy face, You Su was filled with doubt. In fact, her complexion had not been good since last night, but she had been cultivating with her eyes closed, which made You Su hesitant to ask.

"Junior sister, what's wrong? You look so pale."

Ji Lingruo didn't say anything, but simply reached out and grabbed You Su's wrist, pulling him home without a word.

Once inside, the door slammed shut with a loud "bang," followed by the sound of it being locked.

You Su was even more puzzled. They never locked the door when they were being dissolute during the day, so why was it locked this time?

He reached out and gently grasped Ji Lingruo's shoulder, asking tenderly, "What happened? Don't scare me."

Ji Lingruo raised her head, her eyes flickering. After a long pause, she finally spoke hesitantly:

"The snake clan plans to recruit you as their son-in-law and then inscribe you into their family genealogy."

Upon hearing this, You Su's eyes flashed with joy, and she smiled, "This is wonderful news! No wonder Elder Hua kept hinting that something good was going to happen. I couldn't be happier! Junior Sister, don't you want it?"

Ji Lingruo stamped her foot and said anxiously, "How could I not want to? I'd be more than happy to! It's just... it's just..."

"But what?" You Su pressed.

Ji Lingruo bit her lower lip and asked again, "If the snake clan needs your help after you marry into their family, will you help them?"

You Su replied without hesitation, "Of course."

"If your sister needs your help, will you help her?"

You Su replied without hesitation, "Of course!"

"What if the price of helping is too high?"

"He deserves to die!"

You Su's answers came from the heart, and she thought they were high marks, but unexpectedly Ji Lingruo's expression became increasingly unpleasant.

His heart tightened, and he hurriedly asked, "Has something happened to the snake clan?"

Ji Xueruo didn't answer, but her brows furrowed and relaxed repeatedly. After a long period of struggle, she finally muttered:

"In short, this job won't kill you, but... it will cost you your chastity..."

You Su's eyes widened instantly. "What does this have to do with my chastity?"

Seeing You Su's strong reaction, Ji Lingruo felt even more ashamed and angry, and retorted angrily, "Anyway... anyway, you don't have any such thing as chastity anymore!"

You Su raised an eyebrow, instinctively wanting to argue, but then he remembered that he had encountered so many women, and it seemed that he really had long since lost that ability...

Realizing this, he felt both amused and guilty. He secretly speculated that his junior sister was probably feeling insecure and depressed because of his many romantic relationships. So he gently comforted her:

"Silly junior sister, in my heart, you will always be the most important person. No matter what happens, that will never change."

As it turns out, although everyone knew that You Su's confession would have been just as heartfelt with any other woman he admired, the young girl just couldn't resist it.

Ji Lingruo's anger subsided somewhat, and she mumbled, "Then what do you think of our snake clan's seven elders?"

"How about what?"

"Appearance!"

"Like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, each possesses its own unique beauty; all are stunning beauties."

Upon Ji Lingruo's pretty face suddenly tightened. "There's a cushy job that's about to fall into your lap."

You Su had a vague guess, but wasn't sure, and asked hesitantly, "What... a cushy job?"

Ji Lingruo gritted her teeth and turned her face away, her pretty face still showing displeasure. "You need to cultivate with the six elders besides Granny Liu!"

You Su almost blurted out, "Why is Elder Liu being excluded?"

The young girl's eyebrows shot up instantly, a flash of anger crossing her beautiful eyes, and she snapped, "Could it be that you have feelings for Granny Liu?!"

You Su felt extremely embarrassed and hurriedly waved his hands, explaining, "I was just too surprised and didn't react for a moment."

"You really had to be!" Ji Lingruo crossed her arms, momentarily unable to tell whether her cheeks or her chest were more swollen.

Considering that several elders had taken turns approaching him and striking up conversations with him all morning, You Su knew that his junior sister must know something he didn't, so he quickly used all sorts of cheesy sweet talk to appease the girl.

You Su only asked Ji Lingruo she blushed with embarrassment.

Ji Lingruo hesitated for a moment, thinking that it would be better to speak first than to wait for her sister to speak, so as to avoid embarrassment. So she told You Su about the contents of the meeting she had heard yesterday.

"You want to enter the Kunpeng Cave Heaven to find a way to break the 'spiritual light,' but to enter the Kunpeng Cave Heaven, you must first return to the Divine Mountain. The snake clan and my sister's greatest wish is for the snake clan to return to the Divine Mountain, but my sister is also facing difficulties now, and you said you came to help her fulfill her ideal. Now, as long as you help them purify their Demon Core, returning to the Divine Mountain is inevitable. You can then cultivate with them, which would be a win-win situation. So, tell me, isn't this a wonderful opportunity?"

You Su was shocked upon hearing this and didn't know how to respond for a moment. He could only stammer, "How can this be considered a good job... Besides, wasn't my Heavenly Furnace Body something my junior sister made up to appease Xue Ruo?"

"Although the Heavenly Furnace Body is fabricated, it does have this effect when cultivating with you."

Ji Lingruo's answer was so straightforward that You Su couldn't tell whether she was angry or not.

"No, that has little to do with dual cultivation; it's probably due to the Tai Sui Power. Besides, even if it were related to dual cultivation, you can't really use me as a furnace. The sect's ancestral precepts all say that the method of dual cultivation must be based on affection."

Ji Lingruo scoffed at You Su's act of righteousness, and said with a huff, "What? You think that cultivating with my snake clan elder is beneath you?"

"I don't feel wronged, of course I don't, it's just..."

"Hey! You're asking for it!"

Ji Lingruo made a move to attack, You Su hurriedly fled. He felt that women's hearts were truly complicated and hard to explain. She was the one who took the initiative to ask, and she was also the one who wouldn't let him answer.

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door.

"Lingruo, I need to talk to you."

The two recognized the voice immediately; it was Ji Xueruo's voice.

Ji Lingruo and You Su exchanged a glance, their feelings both somewhat complicated. This was the first time Ji Xueruo had come here on her own initiative since the flowers bloomed in pairs that night.

You Su stepped forward and opened the door. Ji Xueruo was wearing a thin black dress. Although her expression was serious, a hint of embarrassment could be seen in her evasive eyes.

However, given her proud nature, it's inevitable that she would feel awkward returning to the scene of her outrageous crime from the previous night. Rather, it's more accurate to say that her ability to revisit the place is already a significant breakthrough.

Ji Xueruo entered the room, her gaze sweeping over the two women's faces. Seeing her younger sister sitting angrily at the table, she couldn't help but recall the scene from the previous night, where You Su had placed one of them on the table and the other on a stool...

Her pretty face flushed instantly, and she quickly banished her distracting thoughts. She seemed to sense the subtle atmosphere in the room as well, and glanced at the boy's face again.

You Su smiled awkwardly at her, then led her to a seat and poured her a cup of tea. But then, as if remembering something, he gestured apologetically to Ji Xueruo and served the first cup of tea to Ji Lingruo.

Ji Xueruo knew she was a newcomer, so she naturally didn't care about these trivial details. She was already satisfied that You Su could express his remorse to her.

Of course, if it were before, she would never have dared to flirt with You Su like that in front of her sister. But after the sisters had been honest with each other the night before and resolved their misunderstandings, she no longer treated her feelings for You Su as a secret candy hidden in a jar, something she only dared to taste when she was alone.

She suddenly felt much lighter, which made her feel that the connection between the three of them was no longer a patchwork of three relationships, but a true fusion, a unity of purpose among the three.

However, this made her even more hesitant to speak, and as she hesitated, Ji Lingruo spoke first:

"I heard everything you discussed in yesterday's meeting."

Upon hearing this, Ji Xueruo's pupils constricted slightly, Ji Lingruo added, "I know my sister is afraid I won't agree. I've thought about it all night, and the elders are right. This is a golden opportunity that we must seize."

Upon hearing the words "seize the opportunity," You Su subconsciously looked down at her "opportunity."

"Lingruo..."

"However, as they said, it's only for purifying the Demon Core; we can't linger." Ji Lingruo's bright face also dimmed slightly. She suddenly clenched her fist and said, "And there's another point: I must be present when they cultivate with my senior brother!"

???

You Su looked puzzled. "What's Junior Sister doing here?"

Ji Lingruo glared at him. "What? With me here, am I going to hinder your performance?"

Upon hearing this, You Su's vision blurred; he couldn't believe his junior sister would agree to such a thing. He couldn't help but marvel at the extent to which this snake-woman was willing to sacrifice for her clan, but he suspected that his junior sister was only willing to give him up because of the precedent set by Ji Xueruo. In short, the benefits hadn't gone to outsiders.

"Okay." A hint of heartache flashed in Ji Xueruo's eyes, but in the end, she didn't want to disappoint her younger sister. "Lingruo, thank you..."

The sisters exchanged glances, their shared commitment to their race and their deep sisterly bond unspoken.

You Su felt dizzy and rubbed his forehead, saying, "Wait! I haven't even said anything yet, why are you thanking me already?"

"What stance are you trying to take? Do you expect us to thank you?" Ji Lingruo rolled her eyes playfully.

Ji Xueruo also felt that the two of them had reluctantly given up their love to let You Su have such good fortune, yet You Su wasn't secretly happy but instead pretended to be aloof. Did they expect them to beg him? So her tone also became somewhat cold and hard. "You wouldn't agree?"

You Su felt both helpless and amused. It seemed that he didn't have a very upright image in the eyes of these two sisters, so he grabbed the two women's hands:

"Please stand up."

The two sisters exchanged a glance, unsure of You Su's intentions, but since they did need his help, they had no choice but to slowly stand up.

You Su looked up and gazed at one person, causing the tips of their ears to turn red like the evening glow and their eyelashes to flutter; the other person's brows furrowed slightly, their lips pressed tightly together, yet they could not hide the ripples in their eyes.

It's unclear what the two sisters were thinking at the same time, but one is charmingly naive and the other is aloof and elegant; their twin beauties are so different.

But You Su made them stand up, not for comparison or admiration. He simply gathered his sleeves and, one on each side, struck the two women squarely on the buttocks, the crisp sound shattering the tea leaves in their cups.

Ji Lingruo a cry of "Ah!", her snow-white cheeks puffed out like peaches, and rubbed the sore spot, scolding, "Senior brother! Why did you hit me!"

Ji Xueruo stiffened slightly, her fingers clenched tightly beneath her wide black sleeves, and she groaned, "You Su! Don't push your luck!"

The touch of warmth still lingered on You Su's fingertips, but her face was as cold as a still pond. "Does it hurt?"

He rarely showed such a serious expression to the two women, causing them to pause and forget to reply.

The young man stood up and flicked his sleeve. "It's good that it hurts. I'm punishing you with family rules because you two have shown no respect for me, your husband."

Both women were seasoned veterans, and naturally had experienced You Su's shameful and wicked family discipline. However, in the past, their intention to punish was far less than their intention to flirt, but this time it was the other way around.

They exchanged a glance, both seeing doubt in each other's eyes, only to hear the young man sigh:

"You always joke that I'm lustful, and I'm happy for you, so I usually just tolerate it. But have you ever considered whether my closeness with you is based on love or lust?"

He stepped forward, put his arms around the two women's shoulders, embracing them tightly on either side, and his tone finally softened:

"In today's matter, you all subconsciously felt that I had benefited, so you all seemed to assume that I would never refuse, but you don't know that I also had my own principles. In dealing with people, the most taboo thing is to be generous with other people's money. You think you are making a painful sacrifice, but who has considered my feelings? So do you see me as dao companion, or as a vessel that can be used by anyone at will?"

Both women froze.

Ji Xueruo's eyelashes trembled violently, and a bitter taste rose in her throat; Ji Lingruo bit her lower lip, feeling as if she could truly feel the heart belonging to her senior brother in the chest behind her.

Her nose stung with tears, and she threw herself into You Su's arms, the scent of snakes in her hair mingling with her sobs. "Senior brother... I'm sorry, I know you're not the kind of person who accepts everyone... I... I was afraid... afraid they would snatch you away, so I pretended to be very generous... I never saw you as a furnace, I'd rather be your furnace!"

"Silly junior sister, what nonsense are you talking about?" You Su tightened her embrace.

The boy's embrace always brought a sense of security, Ji Lingruo's eyes reddened. "If I could, I wouldn't want to share you with anyone!" As if remembering something, she added haltingly, "Besides my sister... and my senior sister..."

You Su chuckled, but her smile betrayed a hint of helplessness.

Ji Xueruo leaned against You Su's chest, then suddenly looked up and met You Su's gaze.

There was no frivolity in the boy's eyes, only honesty as a mirror, which exposed all her presumptuous speculations.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was slightly hoarse, her wide black sleeves falling to conceal the wrinkles at her fingertips, clenched in shame. "I underestimated you and presumptuously made decisions for you..."

As soon as she finished speaking, she deflated and gave up the idea of breaking free. Her guilt far outweighed the embarrassment of being embraced by him and her sister at the same time.

Seeing the two women like this, You Su felt much of the pent-up anger dissipate.

He raised his hand and gently ruffled Ji Lingruo's hair, then straightened Ji Xueruo's crooked jade hairpin. "I know you are eager to protect your clan, but you must remember from now on that I am your dao companion, someone you are destined to walk the Great Dao with. The weight of that relationship is self-evident."

Upon hearing this, both women nodded in his arms.

He immediately felt all his annoyance disappear, and asked with concern, "Does it still hurt?"

"It's alright." Ji Xueruo lowered her eyes and head, but her words remained defiant.

"A little..." Ji Lingruo mumbled in reply, as if reluctant to leave You Su's embrace.

"Then I'll rub it for my junior sister." As he spoke, You Su's lips curled into a mischievous smile, and his hands began to wander.

Ji Xueruo's ears turned bright red, and she abruptly looked up, glaring at You Su with shame and indignation.

Weren't you supposed to be massaging my junior sister? Why are you massaging me?

She knew that after that night, everything would develop in a direction she dared not imagine. Yet, she felt guilty and did not want to be the bad guy who ruined the atmosphere, so she could only silently endure You Su's unique way of accepting apology gifts.

Ji Lingruo kept her face buried in You Su's clothes and didn't move, only pounding You Su's chest with her small fists and scolding:

"And you still say it wasn't for lust..."

You Su grabbed her mischievous hand, his palm pressed against the throbbing pulse on her wrist, and felt a wonderful sensation.

"Desire arises from emotion. If you, junior sister, are not pleased, we will have a spiritual relationship from now on. I, your senior brother, will never touch you."

"No!" Ji Lingruo blurted out, then bit You Su's chest in embarrassment.

"I would be willing to do so," Ji Xueruo said, blushing at You Su's overly aggressive advances, while biting her lower lip and remaining defiant.

To everyone's surprise You Su became shameless around her, raising an eyebrow and smiling, "Then I don't want it either."

"Shameless!" Ji Xueruo scolded angrily, turning her face away.

The three figures intertwined at the table, while in the distance, the volcano glowed faintly red, as if sensing human warmth, even the sulfurous smell from its eruption seemed to have faded somewhat.

Looking at the two women in his arms, You Su suddenly realized that of all the chaos in the world, only this moment was truly real.

After a moment of tenderness, he finally spoke, "Actually, if you want to help the seven elders purify their Demon Core, there might not be any need for actual dual cultivation. The sect's Cultivation Method are profound; there must be a clever method."

"Really?" Ji Xueruo.

"It seems there was such a thing as External Dual Cultivation... Dual cultivation just means cultivation by two people, it's definitely not the same as marriage. But I don't remember very clearly. Now that we're in Japan, where are we going to look up the sect's records?" Ji Lingruo asked curiously.

She had already perused all the books in the Mandarin Sword Sect's library, and although she hadn't practiced them, she remembered quite a bit. Her unfamiliarity with this External Dual Cultivation method indicated she wasn't interested in such content, which was why she hadn't looked at it closely...

You Su suddenly turned his gaze to the window. In the distance, the firelight at Snake Pass was faintly visible, and he seemed to see that white figure guarding the door of the bamboo hut.

He had asked his Mistress to tell him about the method of External Dual Cultivation in a dream long ago. However, a dream is a dream, and in reality, how could he let go of this opportunity to find his master's Mistress?

Meanwhile, inside the bamboo hut, the Fairy in the white dress wiped the fragrant sweat from her forehead and took out the book she had read most of.

Judging from the title, it was clearly a copy of "The Return of the Condor Heroes" that Ji Lingruo she was worried her master would be bored...

After some self-reflection, I feel I shouldn't have been too hasty, so the chapters these past few days have felt a bit rushed. My apologies.