Such a huge amount of information momentarily left Meng Li unsure how to react. But Ling Qingyue wasn’t about to stand around waiting for her. Her original task was merely to monitor this person. Acting on her own to try and eliminate her immediately had instead backfired, making her the foolish one.
“If there’s nothing else, this is the last time we’ll see each other…”
“Wait!”
“You’ve hindered my departure three times now. If you continue this nonsense, I’m afraid the blade in my hand will let you taste some suffering…”
Ling Qingyue’s icy tone brooked no argument. After a brief hesitation, Meng Li still reached out her hand, wanting to stop her. Though she’d acted somewhat impulsively earlier, seeing such a beautiful girl, feeling that attitude of keeping a thousand miles distance, that urge to possess what wasn’t hers rose again.
“Senior Sister, don’t be in such a rush. Since we’re so fated, why not chat a little longer~”
“If you wish to chat, you shouldn’t be talking to me…”
“Is Senior Sister truly ignorant, or just pretending!”
As if losing patience, Meng Li grabbed the departing Ling Qingyue. The other seemed not to have anticipated this move; her sword nearly flew from her hand.
Reacting, Ling Qingyue hastily reined in her reflexive actions, terrified she might accidentally grant her dear disciple swift liberation right there in her own hands. While supressing her instincts, she could only let Meng Li drag her.
“Forcing me to do this. Senior Sister, you’re really not cute at all~”
“If my reaction had been any slower just now, your head would be lying there…”
Ling Qingyue’s expression was blank as she watched her Unfilial Disciple wall-slam her against a tree. Meng Li’s face radiated confidence; she only lacked a rose clenched in her teeth. Though she had to stand on tiptoe just to meet the other’s eyes.
Faced with such a cold response, Meng Li’s only strategy was relentless persistence. In the game, Situ Xue had been thoroughly conquered by such tactics.
“Senior Sister is in such a hurry to leave, yet refuses to talk more with me. Could it be you’re afraid of developing feelings for me~”
“……”
“Even if Senior Sister stays silent, I’ll pester you all day until you agree to be mine~”
Ling Qingyue looked at Meng Li before her, black lines practically forming on her forehead. This disciple not only changed—she’d become even more outrageous. In the last life, she at least knew some restraint. Now she dared wall-slam her directly.
“Senior Sister, if you’re shy, we could find a more private place to chat. These layers of clothing are heavy; we could even shed a few~”
“A private place… would you mind if I joined…?”
“Who’s so tactless?! Can’t you see I’m…!”
Hearing the slightly familiar voice from behind, Meng Li turned without thinking, ready to scold the intruder. This was a critical moment; the biggest taboo in conquest was a third party interfering.
But the words stuck in her throat as she turned. The ink-black spiritual power, as if trying to dye the very earth black. Those icy eyes, as if piercing through everything.
“S-Senior Sister Situ…!”
“Calling me Senior Sister? I can’t bear such a title. Barely a day, yet you’ve already charmed another such beauty. Junior Sister’s methods are truly impressive…”
Meng Li was already drenched in cold sweat. Ling Qingyue looked at this Second Disciple of hers, silently thinking the girl’s timing was perfect. A moment longer and she might’ve been unable to resist punching the brat.
Ling Qingyue figured the newcomer could stall this Unfilial Disciple so she herself could withdraw. But just as she turned to leave, an eerily familiar aura emanated from behind. Ling Qingyue immediately halted.
‘No… it’s not Xue’er…’
Ling Qingyue turned her head and saw the deep blue radiance blooming within Situ Xue’s ink-black eyes. With a single glance, Ling Qingyue recognized this was not Situ Xue. No matter how similar the spiritual power, one person could never truly become another.
‘Why is Qinglian pretending to be Xue’er…’
Despite immediate recognition, Ling Qingyue showed no sign of exposing it. Her own identity was even more complicated. Ye Qinglian, watching Meng Li’s flustered expression, could barely contain the smile threatening her lips.
‘Little Junior Sister is this scared of Junior Sister Situ? This flustered look is adorable. And so interesting. I wonder if she’ll show even more amusing reactions~’
Ye Qinglian wanted to directly fondle her, but felt it wouldn’t fit Situ Xue’s persona. To see even more entertaining things, she maintained that cold, detached appearance.
“Senior Sister Situ! I-I just hit it off with this Senior Sister! We were having a pleasant conversation, so I…!”
“So pleasant that you forced her against a tree, whispered softly, and sought a private place to loosen your robes…”
“I-I was joking! This Senior Sister can testify that nothing happened!”
Meng Li completely panicked, terrified of being captured again and locked in a bedroom for round after round of Spiritual Power Infusion. The mere thought of that magic array, its honey coating growing more sensitive with every infusion of spiritual power, and the perilous questions where a single wrong word meant disaster—Meng Li shuddered at the memory. Cautiously, she glanced up to gauge her “Senior Sister Situ’s” expression. But how could she know the real Situ Xue was still groggy in her room?
“Fellow sect member, if there’s nothing else, would you permit me to take my Junior Sister away? This involves private sect matters…”
“As you wish. I don’t care…”
After scrutinizing her from head to toe, Ling Qingyue confirmed Ye Qinglian’s identity. She didn’t know what scheme this First Disciple was pulling, but matters between Senior Sister and Junior Sister—even intervening couldn’t produce much.
‘If Qinglian educates her, perhaps this Unfilial Disciple will learn some restraint…’
Thinking this, Ling Qingyue turned and left. Meng Li reached out to stop her but feared the figure behind her. Watching her leave, Ye Qinglian simply crouched down and pulled Meng Li into an embrace.
Meng Li was terrified by this sudden move, hastily trying to beg for mercy, only to be held tight, a hand over her mouth, not even allowing sounds. Panic surged—this was clearly a kidnapping attempt.
“If Shizun learns of today’s matter, I wonder what fate awaits Junior Sister……”
“Mmph mmph mmph!!”
Meng Li’s alarm spiked. If her reborn Shizun found out, who knew how she’d be disciplined. The other had stated she wouldn’t let her die easily.
Seeing Meng Li’s very apparent fear, Ye Qinglian’s eyes narrowed slightly. The connection between Situ Xue and Meng Li was already peculiar, but it seemed this Little Junior Sister was also deeply entangled with Shizun.
“But since this is likely Junior Sister’s first offense, Shizun would probably be lenient. If Junior Sister honestly admits her mistake and finds a quiet place for self-reflection, I won’t tell Shizun……”
“Mmph mmph mmph…!!!”
Hearing this, Meng Li frantically nodded. Though she felt today’s “Senior Sister Situ” was somehow strange, going along was the only option now. Finding a quiet place for self-reflection wasn’t a huge loss.
“Since Junior Sister agrees, then let me choose that quiet place. How about my room……”
“!!!!!”
The moment those words left Ye Qinglian’s lips, still mimicking Situ Xue’s tone, Meng Li freaked out. She wrenched her mouth free from the binding, trying to escape entirely, but was instead hugged tighter.
“No, I won’t go! If I go through that again, my body definitely won’t be able to take it!!”
“‘Again’……?”
Ye Qinglian had intended to lure her to her room and give her a surprise, but Meng Li’s words nearly made even Ye Qinglian stumble. Her initially narrowed eyes slowly opened, but the corner of her mouth was already beyond control.
“It seems Little Junior Sister has also enjoyed my room before~”
“Enjoyed?! It was torture! Forcing me into those shameful clothes, continuously filling me with spiritual power! Eh? Wait, Senior Sister Situ… your voice…?”
……
…
