After a Fake Death, the Emotionless Dao Senior Sister Became Obsessed - Chapter 7

Like a heavy gemstone fallen to the bottom of a porcelain bowl, the little red fish was utterly still.

It seemed extremely dejected.

Si Jing withdrew her gaze.

Then, she turned to Yuan Ling and Shen Susu to give instructions: “Yuan Ling, Susu, I want you to go to Huan Liu’s birthplace, Yingchuan, for a few days of practical training.”

That was the place where she had followed the peach branch’s guidance and first been entangled by the little fish.

It was also the region where rumors of the water demon’s marriage were rampant, and the encountered villagers all had dull and hollow expressions.

With these various incidents intertwined, it seemed imperative to go to Yingchuan to investigate.

Shen Susu didn’t think too much and was ecstatically surprised, “It’s finally my turn to go down the mountain for training! Senior Sister, Senior Sister, is there anything the mountain lacks? We promise to buy it all and bring it back.”

Yuan Ling held the porcelain bowl, also lowering her head to smile shyly.

This should be her second time descending the mountain. The first time, she was entrusted by a fellow disciple to bring back many small trinkets, storybooks, and food from the village market, which was thoroughly enjoyable.

The term ‘training’ was actually not quite accurate. The Emerald Peak was remote and desolate, so a trip down the mountain was more like a fun outing to experience the ‘smoke and fire’ of the mortal world and broaden their horizons.

As for the official business, it was merely to scout the path and be an assistant for their Senior Sister who would arrive later, which was why all the disciples were eager to take on this task.

Si Jing nodded, “Be mindful of your safety. If there’s anything you want, go ahead and buy it.”

Shen Susu carefully tucked away the jade slip Si Jing had given her, and suddenly, a heavy pouch of spirit stones landed in her arms.

“Senior Sister…” Her eyes widened at the sight of money, and she was deeply moved.

“Is that not enough?” Si Jing tilted her head slightly.

A small pouch of heavy copper coins and broken silver was tossed into Yuan Ling’s embrace.

The young girl was so startled she quickly shook her head, trying to return it, “No, no, that’s enough…”

“It’s not enough,” Shen Susu spoke up, finishing the sentence for her and giving her a meaningful look. She weighed the money bag in her hand, then finally felt satisfied.

“But now it’s enough, thank you, Senior Sister!”

“That’s good then,” Si Jing replied softly.

Watching the two of them huddle together like little sparrows, their laughter clear and crisp, the corner of her lips unconsciously curved up. She reminded them again, “Be mindful of your safety. If anything happens, send me a message via the transmission spell.”

Shen Susu eagerly acknowledged her, then looked up, staring a bit dazedly.

The woman’s unblemished snow-white robe blended into the thin mist of the rear mountain. She stood holding her sword. The person who was usually so expressionless now had a scattering of a smile in her cold, clear eyes, like snow that had covered the land for years suddenly melting away.

Yuan Ling tugged on Shen Susu’s sash, quietly reminding her, “We should g-go down the mountain.”

“See you later, Senior Sister!” Shen Susu woke up as if from a dream, waving boldly.

“You don’t have to worry too much about Huan Liu either. He always likes to slack off, he’s probably just hiding out back home for a while.”

“We’ll contact you once we find an inn to stay at in Yingchuan!”

Si Jing gave a small nod, watching their figures vanish into the lush tree shadows.

The rear mountain returned to silence. She stood still for a moment, yet still felt a delicate, noisy voice echoing in her ears.

The hand in her sleeve lifted and rested on the spot slightly to the left of her chest.

It was completely calm.

The fish demon had already left.

But the foreign palpitation she had felt there just now was not false.

Si Jing maintained that posture as she slowly walked to the water’s edge, gazing at her reflection.

She closed her eyes.

She loosely curled her fingers, trying to use her hand to imitate the tremor and resonance when the red fish had burrowed into her chest.

Thump, thump, thump.

“Pfft.”

In the distance, the dense, lush bushes gently swayed, and a rustling sound was heard.

“Who is it?” Si Jing’s eyes snapped open.

She lightly tapped her toes, soundlessly stepping a few feet away, her sword poised as she landed in front of the tree that had made the noise.

Branches were crisscrossed and winding. She frowned and pushed them aside. There was only a pair of footprints left on the ground.

There were only traces of approach, but none of escape.

Accompanying the breeze was only a faint scent of alcohol, so thin it was about to dissipate with the wind.

Si Jing lowered her head, silently sheathing her sword.

“…Master,” she softly murmured.

It had been over half a year since she had seen her Master.

The raven-black color she had just caught a glimpse of, as well as a flash of a memory orb’s light, were indeed not her imagination.

But why did both her Master and Susu want to record her today with a memory orb? Was there anything special about her?

Si Jing stood by the spring for a long time, feeling somewhat lost.

As she was about to leave, her steps were suddenly caught by something.

She frowned slightly, her gaze falling on the shallow part of the spring, where she sensed a faint trace of demonic energy that was almost completely gone.

It was a malevolent technique similar to a teleportation array. With this spell, evil entities from outside the mountain could be easily transmitted here.

The seaweed and crab must have appeared this way.

Was Huan Liu’s disappearance also related to this demonic power?

Si Jing lowered her eyelids.

She should have detained the little fish earlier, not let it go.

Sigh, well, she had already wrapped an invisible thread around the little fish; it wouldn’t be too late to catch it after she went down the mountain the next day.

The scenery of the rear mountain was quiet and secluded, but Si Jing suddenly felt a strange mental weariness and lightly pressed her brow.

She was always sensitive to demon energy, and recently she had encountered and slain too many demons. Now, she was at her limit and had to quietly recite the Mind-Clearing Incantation a few times.

When she opened her eyes again, a peach blossom petal had silently fallen onto her sleeve.

Si Jing’s gaze subtly shifted, and she lightly touched it.

A voice like flowing water rang out in her sea of consciousness: “Yingzhi, if you are free, would you like to come visit me?”

The speaker even understood her habits, having made the peach petal into a guiding beacon.

…

Si Jing followed the peach petal’s guidance and arrived near the Library Pavilion.

This place was indeed hard to find. It hadn’t been cleaned or visited by anyone for over half a year. Inner-sect disciples didn’t even know of this place, merely thinking it was an old, abandoned storage room.

But everyone also knew that if you bypassed this area, there was a completely different world beyond, like crossing from winter to summer.

Not far away, a large, canopied peach tree was planted deep in the courtyard. Its branches and leaves rustled like clouds, nearly obscuring the cold, solemn sky of the peak.

The brown, gnarled roots were intertwined, leaping out of the soil.

The peach tree had not been in full bloom yesterday, but now, the air was mixed with a faint sweet fragrance, and strings of tender-colored petals were floating away on the wind.

Many red silk ribbons were wrapped around the branches; some were already faded, some still new, bearing various names written on them.

Si Jing stepped on the petals and came to sit beneath the tree.

“Aunt-Master, I have arrived,” she touched the trunk, speaking softly.

“Yingzhi?” The gentle female voice rang out in her sea of consciousness again.

“You came faster than expected. You didn’t get lost this time, did you? It seems… the guiding beacon was useful?”

Si Jing pursed her lips, “Aunt-Master, please don’t tease me.”

“Alright,” Huaining drew out the sound, merely laughing.

More peach petals fluttered down, covering Si Jing’s body.

“…”

Si Jing couldn’t interrupt and only raised her wrist, signaling the other party to get to the main point.

Huaining obligingly extended a branch, soft as a slender waist, and lightly wrapped it around her wrist.

It withdrew after a few breaths.

“Have you been in contact with more demons recently? Is the demonic energy causing you to feel restless or irritable?” she asked.

“I’m fine,” Si Jing replied.

“You’re being stubborn again,” Huaining sighed. “I woke up last night and clearly saw that you hadn’t slept all night.”

Si Jing’s lowered, long eyelashes fluttered, recalling the ridiculous act of being mesmerized by the little red fish in the observation mirror the night before.

She didn’t answer, seemingly lost in thought.

After a long time, she finally spoke: “But… why did Aunt-Master pluck a cluster of branches a few days ago, guiding me to Yingchuan?”

Her voice, which was usually clear and cold, now carried a hint of bewilderment.

The peach branch always warded off demonic energy and kept her mind clear, yet the trip to Yingchuan had led her to see that little fish and become entangled by it.

It also made her taste the uneasy flavor of her chest thumping and rippling, just like a moment ago.

She was starting to miss the sensation of her heart beating.

Si Jing lowered her gaze, her fingertip tracing her snow-white robe.

The place that should have been calm and utterly still was now unnaturally warm.

She didn’t understand.

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