Jealousy

As the saying went: eat, sleep, beat up your little brother.

It had been so long since they last met that Shi Zhao dearly missed her beloved little brother. Sadly, those happy days were gone for good. Beating him up now would cause quite a stir.

Since that incident, the two had never met again, partly because of the rift that had inevitably formed between them, and partly because many people were unwilling to let them see each other freely.

If another upheaval broke out, the consequences would be unimaginable.

That being the case, they might as well stay apart and cultivate on their own.

Shi Zhao had hurried over to intercept him because she had learned that Shi Yi would soon be sent to the Primordial Divine Mountain for "further training." Any later, and she would miss him.

Whatever happened, she felt they ought to meet at least once.

As Shi Zhao arrived, figures flickered into view around the quarters of Shi Yi's branch of the family. Experts appeared, but when they saw the people following a short distance behind her, they exchanged glances and tacitly stopped.

"No entry beyond this point. Stop where you are," a voice called from afar.

"Oh? Isn't this the Martial King Manor? Why can't I come here?" Shi Zhao asked.

Her long hair was lustrous black, every strand gleaming as it fell naturally over her chest and down her back. Her eyes were bright, but there was little trace of a smile on her face, only an icy chill.

Though still young, she was already graceful and poised, offering a glimpse of the elegance she would possess in the future. Simply standing there, she exuded a distinctive presence.

With her sudden arrival, the atmosphere in the Martial King Manor grew tense again after more than a year. Two groups gradually gathered on opposite sides, confronting each other from a distance.

"Little Sister Zhao, please go back. You're too late. Little Brother Yi has already left for the Primordial Divine Mountain," an adolescent boy said as he stepped forward to persuade her to leave.

Shi Zhao tilted her head. "Who are you?"

The boy's face darkened. What was that supposed to mean? As a member of the main line, hailed as one of this generation's geniuses, I've actually been completely disregarded by this little brat.

"Now that you have the Supreme Bone, you don't recognize your eighth elder brother anymore? As long as I'm standing here today, you're not getting past me. You're not up to it yet. Come back in a few years!"

He barked the words as three volcanic craters slowly appeared in the void. "Magma" surged within them-the essence of heaven and earth, pouring into his body.

Opening three heavenly grottoes at thirteen or fourteen was indeed quite impressive.

After all, ordinary people needed a year or even several years to open a single heavenly grotto. After opening four or five, they could consider breaking through to the next realm.

"So you're an expert with three heavenly grottoes. How terribly rude of me," Shi Zhao said blandly without moving. Three heavenly grottoes abruptly manifested around her as well.

The boy could scarcely believe what he saw. How could the little brat opposite him also have three heavenly grottoes?

"Impossible! They're fake! They must be fake!" Bitterly unwilling to accept it and seething with resentment, he suddenly unleashed a Precious Technique, trying to extinguish the illusion before him.

Shi Zhao's eyes shone brilliantly as she extended a finger. Golden light blossomed at its tip, and a closer look revealed a golden Bian charging out. It not only shattered his Precious Technique outright, but also sent this eighth elder brother flying several hundred zhang before he plunged into a lake.

"What?!" Everyone was stunned, their expressions complicated.

The people of Shi Yi's branch were dumbfounded. This girl was only eight or nine, yet she had already opened three heavenly grottoes. It was unheard of, terrifying enough to make their hearts tremble.

None of them imagined that Shi Zhao had actually opened all these heavenly grottoes in a single night. They assumed she had broken through long ago and instinctively attributed it to lavish support from the imperial family.

After all, many people knew she had spent a long time in the Imperial Palace.

She supposedly spent all that time studying Bone Scriptures in the Scripture Temple, but could that alone have earned her a title and rewards from the Human Emperor? No one believed it. Her use of the Bian technique now undoubtedly reinforced their suspicions.

"She's merely a lucky girl who happened to receive a transplanted Supreme Bone. Yi was born with Double Pupils, a true divine being by birth. He'll surely surpass her someday!" someone said from the shadows.

Shi Zhao did not care what they thought. Seeing that no one barred her way, she headed into the rear courtyard along the familiar route and called from afar, "My dear little brother, why are you hiding from your big sister?"

"I'm not hiding. Some people simply don't want me to see you," Shi Yi said calmly.

Though still very young, he was remarkably composed. Divine light flowed through his Double Pupils, and he faintly exuded a majesty wholly at odds with his age.

Everywhere his Double Pupils looked, they perceived the Dao and principles woven between heaven and earth. They saw everything far too clearly, naturally lending their bearer an indifferent temperament.

"Why do I feel like you're afraid to see me?" Shi Zhao said softly. Then she darted forward and pinched his cheeks with both hands, as swift as thunder striking before one could cover one's ears.

"Tsk, where's all the flesh gone? They don't feel nearly as nice." She sounded a little disappointed.

Shi Yi: "..."

"All right, I'll stop teasing you. Let's talk about that incident. I want to know whether you were involved." Shi Zhao released him, her bright eyes fixed intently on him.

The corner of Shi Yi's mouth twitched. He remained silent, his eyes deep and luminous.

At that moment, their six pupils met as they stared at each other, brilliant light blazing from both pairs of eyes with astonishing intensity.

As his Double Pupils opened and closed, strands of runes flickered, giving the impression of an ancient abyss that threatened to devour one's soul;

Her bright eyes likewise glittered like countless stars, with suns and moons rising and sinking, galaxies appearing and dissolving, and even wisps of chaos spreading within them.

Clang! Their gazes collided with a sound like ringing swords.

But that was all. Neither launched a true contest.

Shi Yi's pupils contracted in surprise. He had never expected this dear elder sister of his to have cultivated some kind of ocular technique-perhaps even the legendary heavenly eyes.

Otherwise, how could her gaze alone contend with his Double Pupils?

But remembering who she was, he accepted it and said calmly, "Didn't you see everything?"

"What you see isn't necessarily the truth. Just like your Double Pupils-what good are four pupils? They can perceive the great Dao of heaven and earth, yet still cannot see through the human heart." Shi Zhao shook her head.

A faint, cold smile touched Shi Yi's lips. "And you can see through people's hearts? Or do you think deliberately getting close to me when we were little gives you the right to boss me around now?"

He actually understood everything.

What he had not expected was for Shi Zhao to nod and admit it outright.

"Yes, at first it was deliberate. But afterward, I came to regard you as my own little brother. There was nothing false about that." Shi Zhao simply watched him quietly, her gaze sincere.

Shi Yi found that gaze a little unbearable. Turning his head aside, he forced himself to remain composed. "What's the point of arguing about what happened back then? There's no going back now."

"Talk. I'm listening!"

"..."

The corner of Shi Yi's mouth twitched. He simply stiffened his neck,

turned back to stare fiercely at her, and growled, "Honestly, I really am a little jealous of that guy. The moment he was born, you started hovering around him. Now you're demanding justice for him from me. Why!"

"What did I do wrong? If I said I hadn't done anything, would you believe me?"

Shi Zhao suddenly raised her left hand. Shi Yi instinctively closed his eyes, giving up all resistance and letting the slap come. Yet he waited and waited, and the expected pain never arrived.

Unable to help himself, he opened his eyes. A hand brushed aside the strands of hair covering them, revealing his smooth forehead, then moved upward to gently stroke his head.

"I'm sorry. I overlooked how you felt. I'm sorry I didn't fully trust you before." Shi Zhao reached out with her other hand and drew him into her arms with a soft sigh.

"Let go of me!"

"Nope, nope."

"You're digging into me."

"...Little brother, your big sister is very happy that you're willing to speak your heart. But she really doesn't like that last thing you said. I suggest you don't say it again."