The Junior Sister Hidden Under the Bed

You Su's brain went blank for a moment, and he didn't even notice a bead of cold sweat trickling down his temple.

Ji Xueruo anticipated his reaction, after all, she was extremely surprised when she first heard the celestial official's decree, fearing that she had somehow revealed something that would harm You Su, but no matter how much she thought about it, she still felt something was amiss.

"Don't panic, it might not be as dangerous as it seems." Ji Xueruo gently tightened her grip on his hand. "This invitation came at just the right time. I think that celestial official must have known all along that you were hiding in the Serpent Clan. If the Immortal Ancestor Temple on Star Zhao Divine Mountain wanted to capture you, they could have done so long ago. Why wait until you were recuperating in the Serpent Clan?"

Upon hearing this, You Su felt somewhat relieved, but the gloom between his brows remained.

With that disfigured man shielding him from the secrets of heaven, it was impossible for him to know his exact location through divination. So how did the Star Zhao Immortal Ancestor know?

Could it be that they triggered some kind of trap as soon as they stepped into Japan, or did Yu Wanyue them? Did they and Liu Yinyin ultimately trust the wrong person?

Ji Xueruo guessed what he was thinking, "If we're talking about someone else exposing you, Yu Wanyue is indeed the most suspicious, but I don't think that's very likely. It's because I'm certain that the Six Great Demon Clans don't know you're with the snake clan. Otherwise, with your spiritual light, they couldn't have remained silent for months. And if Yu Wanyue truly wanted revenge, she wouldn't have a reason to only inform the Immortal Ancestor Temple while keeping the Six Great Demon Clans in the dark."

Since You Su wasn't present at the scene, after listening to Ji Xueruo's analysis, he made a decision: rather than figuring out how the Star Zhao Immortal Ancestor knew his location, it was more important to figure out what the Star Zhao Immortal Ancestor's purpose was.

Thinking of this, You Su went a step further, and he felt even more alarmed. "Do you think it's possible that the Immortal Ancestor Temple of Star Zhao Divine Mountain even knows that I want to enter Kunpeng Cave Heaven? Originally, I wanted you to go and find it for me, but it directly handed the opportunity to me."

Ji Xueruo her return journey, and naturally considered You Su's speculation as well. "It's probably true. I just said that every race has the opportunity to enter the Kunpeng Cave Heaven, but you are not Demon Race, so why do you have a spot? I pressed that celestial official with many questions, but she only answered this one: that is, to transform you into one of my snake clan members."

You Su was slightly taken aback. "So that's why you disregarded your previous plans and added me to the family genealogy today?"

Ji Xueruo nodded. "I've racked my brains but still can't figure out the Immortal Ancestor Temple's scheme. But since they've set their sights on you, they must have a purpose—either to harm you or to help you. Kunpeng Cave Heaven is one of the largest hidden places of the Demon Race. Apart from the Six Great Demon Clans, few Demon Race know about it, and those selected to enter are extremely rare. Yet this time, they've opened their doors wide, making it known throughout the Divine Mountain. And it just so happens to coincide with the time when my Snake Clan is returning to the Divine Mountain. Looking at it this way, it's as if they waited until my Snake Clan also had a spot before announcing it to the Divine Mountain."

You Su had already thought it through in his mind. It certainly had the air of deliberate help, but being used to walking on thin ice, he still shook his head. "On the surface, it seems like they're helping me, but no one knows what they're really thinking. If they have ulterior motives, I'll have no choice but to jump into the fire."

"Then you stay in the snake clan, I'll go in alone." Ji Xueruo had already made up her mind, and her tone would have been sarcastic if it had changed slightly, but the girl spoke with certainty and decisiveness, undoubtedly showing that she really had this idea in mind.

You Su's heart tightened, and he quickly hugged her even tighter, as if afraid she would run away. "How can that be? Kunpeng Cave Heaven is where I'm going. Even if it's just bait, only I can take it. You absolutely cannot get hurt."

Ji Xueruo hearing this, but still shook her head, "Not only you and I were invited, but my sister was also invited."

"What? There are no restrictions on entering Kunpeng Cave Heaven?"

Ji Xueruo shook her head, "They were all invited by name, and it has nothing to do with their cultivation level or age, but they are undoubtedly the best of their clans."

You Su felt a strange sense of familiarity, and exclaimed in surprise, "It can't be a second South China Sea Immortal Island, can it?"

"This is the second piece of news I have to share, and it might be useful to you." Ji Xueruo's tone became even more serious.

You Su couldn't help but sit up straight and listen attentively.

"Do you know who the True Immortal Zhengyang is on that fairy island in the South China Sea?"

You Su was slightly taken aback, remembering the disfigured man, "Who was it?"

He had high expectations when he asked the question, but the girl's answer still shocked him.

"It is Immortal Ancestor Wenxuan, Immortal Ancestor Wenxuan from the Western Wilderness Continent."

As soon as she finished speaking, You Su's mind went blank, and she felt her throat go hoarse and she couldn't speak.

"When this news spread, the Western Wilderness Continent had already fallen to the ground." Ji Xueruo's brows were as cold as snow. "That Venerable Heng Lian, in collusion with cultivators from the Southern Yang Continent, used the Southern Yang Continent's supreme treasure to conceal his aura, leading three thousand cultivators across the Western Sea to launch a surprise attack on the heart of Wen Xuan Divine Mountain. And the crime of the Western Wilderness Continent is that Immortal Ancestor Wen Xuan was corrupted by Evil Demon and aided and abetted evil."

Although Ji Xueruo's words were brief, You Su could easily imagine the tragic scene of bloodshed in the Western Wilderness Continent. He unconsciously clenched his fists, feeling indignant at the evil deeds of the Heng Lian First Seat.

"He dares to stir up trouble across the continent, isn't he afraid of being punished by the Immortal Ancestor Wenxuan?"

The words had barely left his mouth You Su was jolted awake. It was clear that True Immortal Zhengyang had perished in the battle of the Immortal Island, which meant that Immortal Ancestor Wen Xuan was dead!

Seeing his expression Ji Xueruo knew he had already guessed. She took out a map of the Five Western Wilderness Continent was distorted under the candlelight, like a sand dune blown by the wind. "Although the Western Wilderness Continent is located in the west, it is actually in the southwest, far from Bei'ao, and even further from Dongying, which is separated by a Zhongyuan. As a result, Henglian kept the news of the expedition against the Western Wilderness Continent extremely well hidden, and it took three months to reach Dongying."

You Su's throat tightened, as if he could see a blood-red shadow spreading across the map. "He had planned this all along, so he joined forces with Nanyang to encircle and attack Wen Xuan Divine Mountain. I'm afraid even the people of the Western Wilderness Continent themselves didn't realize their own divine mountain had fallen. By the time Bei'ao and Dongying found out, Xihuangzhou would have already lost most of its inhabitants, and it would be too late to stop them."

"Moreover, Wen Xuan has not yet made a move, which confirms Heng Lian's rumor that he has confessed his crimes and accepted his punishment, and also further confirms his guilt of being involved in evil."

The candlelight flickered suddenly, You Su's breath hitched. "He has quite the scheming... I thought he mistakenly believed I was in the Western Wilderness, which is why he went on a killing spree there. Now that I think about it, perhaps he had been planning this since the South Sea Immortal Island, which is why he could do it so perfectly. He's quite adept at defaming people."

"Why do you say that?" Ji Xueruo.

"Because I've met the True Immortal Zhengyang." He lowered his voice, his palm against her lower back, feeling her muscles tense with shock. "He's the mysterious person who told me the secrets of the Serpent Clan, the True Immortal Zhengyang. I wondered how he knew such High Antiquity secrets, but it turns out he's a survivor from that era... But he didn't confess and accept his fate; he must have died at the hands of Evil God ..."

You Su spoke, she felt increasingly disheartened, and the feeling of impending storm grew stronger.

Ji Xueruo shared the same sentiment, but many unresolved questions lingered in her mind. She frowned and said, "The name 'Western Wilderness Continent' contains the word 'wilderness,' and although it is somewhat better than the Northern Ao Ice Plains, it is still a barren land. Zhongyuan is vast and rich in resources, so why would it go to such great lengths to covet that piece of land in the Western Wilderness? And to use this crime to frame the Immortal Ancestor, is it just to seek a legitimate reason?"

You Su did not respond, but remained silent for a long time. Ji Xueruo tell that the young man was deep in thought, and wisely did not disturb him. Suddenly, she felt a hand tighten behind her waist, knowing that the young man must have realized something. Sure enough, she saw a storm brewing in the young man's eyes.

"It's 'The defeated eat dust,'" You Su suddenly said.

"The defeated eat dust?" Ji Xueruo, somewhat puzzled.

"Immortal Ancestor Wenxuan has been defeated, and the campaign against the Western Wilderness is his punishment." You Su's voice was as soft as a feather.

Upon hearing this, the girl vaguely understood, and her pupils widened slightly. "You mean that Heng Lian's actions were entirely at the behest of Immortal Ancestor Henggao?"

"If it weren't for that, he wouldn't have known such a secret as the Immortal Ancestor's fall, much less dared to rashly ignite a war between the two continents." You Su felt a chill run down his spine. "I've told you about the events in the Northern Ao Continent, which were caused by the Immortal Ancestor Kong Yuan's plan to abandon the people of that continent... The Wenxuan Immortal Ancestor's involvement in the course of history must also have its own schemes... Now, the Star Zhao Immortal Ancestor is secretly helping me, which is probably also inseparable from the Star Zhao Immortal Ancestor ..."

These seemingly isolated events are now unfolding before You Su's eyes like a spider web.

He heard his own voice, as if coming from the deepest part of the earth, "I should have realized from my sister, the Sovereign Lord One, that the mountain-top cultivators think they have everything under control, but they forget that in this world, only five people can truly be called chess players. They are playing a game of chess, and we—are all just pawns."

Ji Xueruo gripped his hand tightly, only to find that both of their fingertips were damp with sweat.

On a whim, the young girl took the initiative to pull You Su into her arms and embrace him tightly.

You Su inhaled the fragrant aroma, then lowered his eyelids and sighed self-deprecatingly, "If it weren't for me, the snake clan could have stayed out of this conflict." His voice carried a hint of bitterness. "I'm ultimately a nuisance; it seems wherever I go, there's no peace."

Upon Ji Xueruo chuckled softly and gently poked You Su's shoulder with her fingertip, "It's too late to say this now. From now on, you are the rightful son-in-law of the Snake Clan."

Her tone held a rare playfulness, but it wasn't genuine complaint; rather, it was an attempt to comfort the boy's anxious and self-reproachful heart. Ji Xueruo, the head of her clan, was an exceptionally intelligent woman. She knew that even if You Su had no connection to the snake clan, in this era of great strife, who could truly remain uninvolved?

A warm feeling welled up in You Su's heart, like a spring breeze brushing across a frozen lake, melting the ice and creating ripples. He held the girl tighter, as if he were greedily embracing her, feeling the warmth emanating from her soft body. The guilt and self-reproach in his heart were gradually replaced by a feeling called "belonging".

Ji Xueruo remained silent, but she could feel the boy's body trembling slightly. She wanted to offer words of comfort again, but the moment she looked up, she met You Su's gaze.

To her surprise, You Su's eyes showed no confusion or fear, but rather a resolute determination, a heroic spirit that dared to change the world. Therefore, his trembling was not due to fear, but rather... excitement.

"Instead of being so timid and hesitant, I might as well go with the flow of fate and see what this chessboard really looks like." You Su looked at Ji Xueruo, the fire in his eyes burning even more fiercely. "One day I will overturn this chessboard and see what kind of faces those high and mighty immortal ancestors really have! Therefore, I must go to the Kunpeng Cave Heaven!"

"I..."

"I want to go too!" A clear, melodious female voice suddenly rang out, choking Ji Xueruo's unspoken words.

You Su and Ji Xueruo Ruo were both shocked and turned their heads to the side, only to find a head popping out from under Ji Xueruo's bed!

Who else could have found the opportunity to hide here but Ji Lingruo?

"Lingruo?! What are you doing hiding here?" Ji Xueruo was the first to question.

"Is it only allowed for my sister to learn the Void Snake Shedding, but not for me?" Ji Lingruo crawled out from under the bed in a disheveled state, but she still pouted her delicate nose and looked arrogant.

This Void Snake Shedding is a secret art of the serpent race, which is also the concealment technique used by Ji Xueruo to disguise herself as the mortal girl Xiao Yu and later to walk freely in the Jade Ring Pool. You Su knew the power of this technique at that time, but he did not know when his junior sister who studied swordsmanship learned this secret art.

Ji Xueruo was momentarily speechless, but finally suppressed her accusatory words. "I asked what you were doing hiding here, not how you hid."

A hint of guilt flashed across Ji Lingruo's face, but she didn't answer her question directly. Instead, she said in a wronged tone, "If I hadn't hidden myself here beforehand tonight, I'm afraid I would have been foolishly waiting for you to return from the Snake Clan to find out what you were talking about tonight!"

You Su couldn't help but comfort her, "Xue Ruo also doesn't want her junior sister to put herself in danger..."

"Don't talk about her! You're trying to hide it from me too, aren't you!" Ji Lingruo glared at him, her eyes glistening with tears. "You've never taken my abilities seriously! Every time there's danger, you want to leave me behind! I don't want to be abandoned!"

These words struck a chord with You Su. In truth, from Chuyun City to the Serpent Clan, her junior sister had played a significant role, but she lacked the decisive moment to make the final decision, which made people subconsciously feel that she needed protection. Even this Void Snake Shedding was probably the result of the girl's own private efforts, with the aim of finding an opportunity to prove herself.

Ji Lingruo raised her head, her eyes still glistening with stubborn tears. "You all want to protect me, but I want to protect you too. Since we're family, we should share joys and sorrows! So this time, either the three of us go to Star Zhao Divine Mountain together, or Senior Brother goes alone! In short—I will never be the one left behind!"

Upon Ji Xueruo sighed helplessly. How could she possibly be the one to stay behind? With the storm brewing, everyone felt uneasy. If they couldn't work together, they might suffer from mental anguish.

"Enough, enough. This invitation was originally meant for you, and I have no right to deprive you of this fortuitous opportunity." Ji Xueruo sighed. "Besides, most of those chosen are at the Condensing Water Realm, and with your strength, my sister is certainly not lagging behind."

Ji Lingruo receiving her sister's permission, but she became displeased upon hearing the second half of the sentence, muttering, "My sister is only at the Water Condensing Upper Realm, just one minor realm higher than me. If a fight were to break out, the Sword Cultivator should be stronger..."

Ji Xueruo raised her eyebrows slightly. Her younger sister, who was always punished by her for making mistakes, now dared to challenge her. Ji Xueruo couldn't help but put on a stern face. "You've learned a little bit of swordsmanship, and now you think you're all grown up?"

Seeing that the two sisters were about to have a contest, You Su stepped forward at the right moment, stretched out his long arm and pulled the two sisters into his arms at the same time. Two completely different fragrances lingered around his nose, much like their intertwined fate.

He chuckled, "The two Fairy at the Condensing Water Realm shouldn't argue. With the opening of the cave heaven imminent, the most important thing is to seize the time to improve your strength."

Ji Xueruo's face flushed instantly, and she couldn't help but spit out, "The world is about to collapse, and all you can think about is this?"

"A huge misunderstanding!" You Su blinked indignantly. "Our sect believes that this method is necessary to break through strength. With a great battle imminent, are we going to abandon the fundamentals and engage in arduous cultivation with our eyes closed?"

Ji Xueruo was speechless at this explanation. She was always someone who cultivated diligently with her eyes closed. In any case, she had already learned the Cultivation Method of the Mandarin Sword Sect in that Hidden Earth Illusion, so she simply didn't cultivate in seclusion much anymore.

Ji Lingruo's hiding under the bed was actually premeditated.

So the girl wasn't embarrassed or annoyed at all; instead, she chimed in, "If you feel your cultivation is high enough, then go and rest. I'm going to work harder to protect my senior brother!"

Upon Ji Xueruo felt short of breath and retorted angrily, "This is my bed. If you take it, where else can I rest?"

She seemed furious and turned her face away, but let You Su pull her into the inner room.