The Twentieth Poor Sap

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On his first day back at the sect, Yan Qi, junior martial brother to Venerable Falling Maple and junior martial uncle to the disciples of Heavenly Sun Sect's Endless Peak, had never expected his martial nieces and nephews to present him with quite such a gift.

To be honest, Yan Qi didn't recognize the young woman before him. Her sun-bright face was full of anxiety and worry. Delight flashed through her eyes when she saw him, and then she held another girl out to him.

"Junior Martial Uncle, thank goodness you're back!"

In a few words, Ming Xi told Yan Qi what had happened. She focused on Wen Que's attack by the Demon Race, the mysterious pink smoke, and how Wen Que had fallen unconscious.

Ming Xi had no talent for medicine. She couldn't tell what condition Wen Que was in.

The urgency in Ming Xi's face stopped the words on the tip of Yan Qi's tongue.

He wanted to ask how she had recognized him when he hadn't returned to the sect in nearly twenty years, and how many more disciples his senior martial brother had taken in over that time. But the injured young disciple before him seemed more important—

Yan Qi took a closer look at Wen Que in Ming Xi's arms. She was sleeping so soundly she was practically blowing snot bubbles. He had his doubts.

Ming Xi saw it too and grew embarrassed. "Third Senior Sister usually isn't like this. This time, we couldn't wake her no matter how we called..."

She might have been deep asleep, but if no one could wake her, something was wrong.

Yan Qi nodded and looked again. He noticed an unusual pink flush on Wen Que's fair, delicate face. At first, he'd thought it was the natural blush of a girl sleeping sweetly. Now her rosy cheeks looked unnatural, as though something uncanny flowed beneath them.

As if sensing Yan Qi's gaze, the pink color surged toward the spot between Wen Que's brows, gradually taking the shape of a pink floral mark.

Yan Qi's pupils contracted. "Peach Blossom Curse!"

This is bad!

Even as Yan Qi cried out inwardly, Wen Que stirred from her deep sleep. Her lashes trembled as she slowly opened her eyes.

Yan Qi had no time to dodge. He plunged straight into those quiet lakes of hers.

A groggy Wen Que: Huh?

"Little Junior Sister...?"

[Did I travel to another world? I clearly remember being with Little Junior Sister just now. Oh, right, that Wen Yan tried to attack her, and waah, she even scolded me!]

[How does closing my eyes and opening them again feel like a whole lifetime has passed? And who's this smoking-hot guy in front of me? Is he Little Junior Sister's new love?]

Ming Xi was filled with despair. Maybe she should just knock Wen Que out?

But when she steeled herself, ready to face whatever came, and looked up at Junior Martial Uncle Yan Qi, she froze. Hm. His expression wasn't right.

That fleeting shock didn't look like surprise at hearing Wen Que's thoughts. Hm. She wasn't sure. Better watch a little longer.

"Third Senior Sister, are you all right? How do you feel?"

Wen Que: "Eek!!!"

Good grief. Only then did she realize she was still in Ming Xi's arms, and her face suddenly reddened. How could she not blush when such a beautiful, dashing young woman was holding her like a princess?

Ming Xi didn't notice the change in Wen Que's face. Wen Que's complexion had always been that rosy and healthy anyway. She carefully set Wen Que down, but when she remembered how reckless Wen Que had been, the vein on her forehead started dancing again.

She wanted to give Wen Que another earful, but Junior Martial Uncle was still there, so she swallowed it. "If you're fine, stand up properly. Come greet Junior Martial Uncle."

Wen Que blinked. "Huh? Junior Martial Uncle?"

She turned to look at Yan Qi again. His striking bearing was nothing like the wide-robed, billowing-sleeved cultivators she was used to. He looked like a young swordsman ready to roam the world at any moment. Wen Que opened her mouth. "So you weren't a dream..."

Ming Xi: Good grief. Is Wen Jiujiu so shocked she's saying her thoughts out loud?

Ming Xi still couldn't tell whether Junior Martial Uncle could hear Wen Que's thoughts too, or whether he had heard them and was keeping a straight face. But she hadn't forgotten what mattered most right now.

"Junior Martial Uncle, what's the Peach Blossom Curse you just mentioned?"

Yan Qi came back to himself. His feelings were complicated, but his expression didn't change. "You've never heard of it?"

Ming Xi said nothing, but Wen Que piped up hesitantly, "They never taught us about it in class..."

The name alone sounded like bad news. An unsettling thought struck Wen Que. "No way. Was the Peach Blossom Curse what that Demon Prince used on Little Junior Sister?"

[Oh, damn, it all fits together!]

[I thought it was weird that Little Junior Sister's brain had been eaten. So that's what happened!]