“Song Yao.”
She was muttering non-stop when a voice, laced with a hint of danger, suddenly interrupted her.
Song Yao blinked lightly, gnawing on the remaining half of her peach as she looked at him. “What’s wrong?”
Fourth Junior Brother stared at her unblinkingly, his handsome, delicate face now somewhat gloomy.
The last time Fourth Junior Brother made such an expression, she didn’t have a very good time.
Song Yao had a bad feeling and instinctively wanted to flee.
She was too late; there was nowhere to escape.
Fourth Junior Brother’s shadow enveloped her on the grand armchair.
He stood before her, his thumb gently wiping away the slightly damp peach juice from her lips. He spoke unhurriedly, “Just a few days ago, I told you that you are the one in my heart. Now you’re repeatedly praising someone else right in front of me. Isn’t that a bit… inappropriate?”
“Song Yao, Senior Sister, are you provoking me?”
His words were too startling, and Song Yao, caught off guard, choked on her peach, coughing violently before she could answer.
Xie Zhou straightened her and gently patted her back.
It took her a while to recover, her face flushed from coughing, and her clear, moist eyes looked a little pitiful.
She caught her breath, grabbed Fourth Junior Brother’s hand that was patting her back, and squeezed it tightly, saying with utmost sincerity, “It was indeed my fault earlier. Your heart racing for me might not be because of love, but perhaps out of anger, don’t you think?”
Xie Zhou stared at their clasped hands for a moment, then slowly intertwined his fingers with hers. “Let’s test it, Senior Sister.”
Both hands were slender, fair, and beautiful. Because they were clasped tightly, their palms were flushed pink.
Song Yao let him hold her hand, waiting patiently for a moment. “How is it? Is your heart still racing? Do I need to praise Jiang Jin a few more times to control the variables?”
“……”
Xie Zhou’s expression grew colder and more dangerous, a crimson light flashing in his eyes as he suddenly spoke. “Song Yao, I’ve become a demonic cultivator.”
Song Yao froze, not understanding what he meant. “Huh?”
Xie Zhou: “If you mention anyone else again, I’m not sure if I’ll lose control.”
Song Yao grew interested, asking with a hint of curiosity, “Lose control? How? Indiscriminate killing? Like those wraiths?”
“No.”
Xie Zhou answered calmly, “It will only make you too weak to mention Jiang Jin again.”
Song Yao: “Too weak, how too weak…”
She finally realized, her voice cutting off abruptly. She quietly shrank back into the grand armchair, pulled her hand free, covered her mouth, and mumbled, “He and I are like fire and water, we can’t coexist. You, you need to calm down, please don’t become a demonic cultivator.”
She was clearly startled.
Xie Zhou watched her, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes.
Senior Sister is so cute.
But it was only for a moment. He hid his smile, his expression shifting slightly as he crouched before her.
Hovering his head, his scattered hair falling softly over his forehead, he adopted a very humble posture and spoke with a hint of bitterness, “Senior Sister, don’t be afraid of me. I just don’t want you to have any other junior brothers.”
“Besides, Jiang Jin seems to harbor ill intentions, and I don’t want you to get too close to him.”
“……”
So, this child was jealous because of that.
Seeing that he wasn't serious, Song Yao relaxed a bit, even patting his head comfortingly. “No worries, no worries. I don’t even consider him a junior brother. He’s too weak.”
Xie Zhou stubbornly pressed, “What if I were also weak?”
Song Yao thought for a moment. “You’re different.”
Xie Zhou: “……”
His heart trembled, but his face remained calm. “How am I different?”
Song Yao patted his shoulder decisively. “I watched you grow up. Once a Senior Sister, always like a mother. I’ve long considered you my son.”
“How could parents dislike their children for being weak?”
Xie Zhou: “?”
Maybe he should just become a demonic cultivator after all?
---
Traveling by spirit vessel was a bit boring. Xie Zhou used the excuse that her body was still recovering and shouldn't overexert her spiritual energy, so he wouldn't let her go out and fly her sword to find places to play.
Left with no choice, Song Yao could only go to the larger spirit vessels at the back to torment people.
The Third Elder was originally moving through the spirit vessels on a routine inspection, feeling a bit bored and tired. The moment he saw her, he instantly sobered up, shoved the roster into Jiang Jin’s hand beside him, and instructed him and the cultivators behind him at a rapid pace, “You all check. Remember not to miss anyone. This old man has something to attend to, so I’ll be leaving for a moment.”
He turned to leave, but a figure was already following him closely. “Where are you going? Can I come along? I’ll keep you company, and I promise not to cause any trouble.”
The Third Elder: “...”
Great.
She’s targeted him.
If only he had known, he would have led the team to the Beiyao Sect alone. If Xie Zhou hadn't come, nothing would have happened.
But what was done was done; there was no turning back.
He managed a strained smile and looked at Song Yao. “Personal matters, it’s not convenient to have others follow. How about this, Little Wood, you stay here with them to count the numbers, and if this old man has time later, I’ll take you out for a stroll.”
Song Yao followed even closer, looking at him eagerly. “What personal matters? Can’t I listen in on personal matters?”
The Third Elder: “...No, personal matters, personal matters. How should this old man explain what personal matters mean to you? Personal matters are this old man’s own affairs, so naturally, you can’t listen…”
Song Yao put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s fine. Haven’t I seen enough of your personal matters already? A couple more times won’t make a difference.”
The Third Elder brushed her hand away, giving an awkward laugh. “Nonsense, when, when have you ever seen this old man’s personal matters…”
He was truly at his wit’s end. He took a deep breath. “We’ll reach Jiangshui City tomorrow morning. You can go play then.”
Saying this, he took out a jade token from his spatial pouch. “When this old man goes to attend to official business, you can take this money and buy whatever you like, alright?”
Song Yao raised an eyebrow.
He’d rather give her money than frankly expose her identity?
Fine.
She took it with one hand and held out the other towards him. “Not enough.”
The Third Elder: “...”
Where did this bandit come from?
But compared to before, she was already much more well-behaved and restrained.
Before, she would directly snatch from his spatial pouch. He had been forced to add ten layers of seals to his spatial pouch.
He silently chanted “spend money to avert disaster” and took out another bag of High-grade spirit stones, placing them in her hand. “I really don’t have any more. This is all I brought for this trip.”
“Alright.”
Song Yao put them away, finally showing mercy and letting him go. “Then you can go attend to your business.”
The Third Elder walked away, his steps light as if he had been granted amnesty.
Jiang Jin had just witnessed everything that happened, utterly astonished. He quickly walked over, lowering his voice to reprimand her, “You, how can you speak to the Third Elder so disrespectfully? And take so many spirit stones from him?”
Song Yao casually snatched the Beiyao Sect disciple roster from his hand, glanced through it, and replied nonchalantly, “What? Do you want some too?”
Jiang Jin was incredulous. “Why would I want the Elder’s spirit stones? These are all external possessions.”
Song Yao neatly tucked the roster under her arm, then held out her palm towards him. “Then give me all your external possessions.”
Rate on N.U.
