Even If You're My Senior, It's Still Forbidden - Chapter 44

Ji Weining reached her hand toward the flower in the pond. The bud was tightly closed, leaving her unsure how to pluck it. Remembering the knowledge she had once read in books, she gently touched the outer edges of the flower and patted its petals.

In the water, it seemed to tremble slightly, yet it still hadn’t unfurled.

After a moment of thought, Ji Weining recalled another method. First, she cast a water-repelling spell and placed it over her nose, allowing her to breathe without needing to surface.

Then, she leaned in, half-enclosing the bud with her lips. The nectar in her mouth, mingling with the pond water, continuously bathed the flower. Under the flow, the bud began to part under the teasing of her tongue.

Pond water inevitably entered Ji Weining’s mouth, so she cast another water-repelling charm.

This time, the range expanded, enveloping the flower as well. It felt as though the flower had become her private possession.

She quickly dismissed this strange thought and chastised herself deeply. She was meant to be a caretaker of flowers, not a captor.

How should one truly appreciate a flower?

This was Ji Weining’s first attempt.

She had no prior experience, only the knowledge gleaned from books.

Flowers were the most delicate of things, especially this aquatic blossom before her.

She moistened it with the nectar on her tongue, soothing it with her lips until the bud parted slightly, and the honey within trickled out.

Flustered, Ji Weining pulled her lips away from the flower. Her mouth was stained with its nectar. She pursed her lips slightly, and her tongue tasted the sweetness, it could only be described as “luscious.”

A pair of hands pressed down on her shoulders. The situation didn’t look good, so Ji Weining had no choice but to abandon the flower in the water and turn her attention to the person.

“You can’t go on like this,” the other said, her face flushed.

“Alright.” There would be other days; she would have another chance to appreciate this flower.

Since she was already soaked from the pond water, she decided to finish her bath thoroughly.

By the time she emerged from the pond, the sky had turned completely dark. Ji Weining glanced at Su Jin’an, whom she had fished out of the water her eyes were closed, lost in deep slumber.

She lay peacefully by her side just like that.

Ji Weining wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned against her shoulder. In her drowsiness, Su Jin’an sensed something nuzzling against her and reached out to rest a hand on Ji Weining’s back. “Stop fussing.”

Ji Weining quieted down and made no further moves.

“Still not awake?” Early in the morning, Ji Weining noticed the kicked-off blanket and draped it back over her.

A knock came from outside.

Ji Weining smoothed her hair, gazing clearly at her sleeping face. She pressed a kiss to her forehead and, after a long moment, reluctantly left the room, closing the door softly behind her before stepping out.

Pushing the door open, she found Su Jia waiting. Su Jia handed her a small booklet. “Senior Sister Weining, this contains this year’s illusion realm details and the finalized list of participants for the third round.”

Scanning the list, Ji Weining estimated roughly, it didn’t differ much from the rankings Su Jia had shown her the day before.

“There are even more people than usual,” she couldn’t help but remark.

Su Jia sighed helplessly. “Someone spread the news that you’ll be participating in the third round.”

Outsiders had long begun infiltrating Qingheng Mountain in secret. Over the years, they had remained vigilant, starting the selection process early to trim down numbers. Excluding those originally brought in by the elders, only a few spots remained for new recruits.

“These are items the Sect Leader asked me to deliver to you, Senior Sister.” Su Jia took out another Qiankun pouch and handed it to Ji Weining. When Ji Weining opened it, she found it filled with talismans and magical tools, likely prepared in case anyone encountered danger in the illusion realm lest rumors spread that Qingheng Mountain couldn’t even protect a single disciple.

The Sect Leader was also concerned she might be overwhelmed. Su Jia added, “Zhao Xi from the Shadow Pavilion will also be secretly accompanying you.”

“Understood.” After hearing this, Ji Weining couldn’t help but feel uneasy, fearing this might turn into another storm of bloodshed.

“Also, today they are hosting a flowing banquet. I wonder if you and Junior Sister have time to attend?”

Su Jia had only just learned of this herself and was surprised by how discreetly it had been arranged.

“I’ll go ask.” Ji Weining gestured toward the room.

Su Jia was momentarily taken aback. She had assumed they had no prior plans and would return as usual. In the past, such matters were always decided by her own master, so it took her a moment to realize Ji Weining needed to consult Su Jin’an.

Ji Weining entered the room to find Su Jin’an still asleep.

She leaned down close to her ear and whispered, “Do you still want to go to the flowing banquet?”

“Junior Sister?” She gently poked Su Jin’an’s cheek with her fingertip.

Su Jin’an finally stirred, opening her drowsy eyes. “No.”

With that, she pulled the covers over her head, turning away to the other side of the bed without looking at her.

“Don’t suffocate yourself.” Ji Weining tugged at the blanket, and Su Jin’an eventually left only her closed eyes and the tip of her nose exposed.

Ji Weining went back outside and told Su Jia, “We’ll pass. I’ll help Junior Sister practice a few more spells, just in case. You should focus on checking if any outsiders have infiltrated.”

“Alright.” As the only two disciples of Mu Chanjuan in the Thousand Spirit Residence, they were already far too conspicuous.

After finishing her inquiries, Su Jia quickly prepared to leave the Thousand Spirit Residence. But just a few steps out the door, she ran into Mu Chanjuan herself.

It had been a while since Su Jia last saw her. Mu Chanjuan looked just as she remembered smiling eyes and an amiable expression. Had Su Jia not once seen her true nature, she might have mistaken her for a benevolent elder. But such thoughts could never be spoken aloud. Instead, she bowed respectfully and said, “Elder Mu.”

“Little Jia, you’re here. How are the preparations for the competition going?” Mu Chanjuan didn’t seem surprised to see her and casually inquired.

After all, it was the first time the younger generation had been entrusted with such a task, so it was only natural to keep an eye on things.

“Everything is in order,” Su Jia replied.

“That’s good.” Mu Chanjuan thought for a moment, then slipped a defensive magical tool into Su Jia’s hand.

Su Jia’s eyes lit up at the sight of the artifact, and she accepted it without hesitation. “Thank you, Elder Mu.”

Mu Chanjuan waved her off, and Su Jia departed.

Before Ji Weining could close the courtyard gate, she encountered Mu Chanjuan. “You’re back?”

Mu Chanjuan nodded and pulled a sheer gauze robe from her sleeve, handing it to Ji Weining. “This is for Jin’an as well.”

“Too many eyes are on Qingheng Mountain lately.”

“The Sect Leader also sent some items.” Ji Weining recalled that during her own participation in past competitions, they had never received so many resources. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss.

Mu Chanjuan said dismissively, “What good things could she possibly have?”

Having grown up with the Sect Leader, Mu Chanjuan knew her well. Moreover, now that she was managing all of Qingheng Mountain, the Sect Leader was even more strapped for funds. She had borrowed money from Mu Chanjuan several times and never repaid a single coin.

Ji Weining paused, realizing that compared to Mu Chanjuan, the Sect Leader truly was poor.

“Oh, and give me some of your blood.”

Ji Weining frowned. Hadn’t she just given Liu Xiling blood money the last time they went out? Had she already squandered it all?

“Hmm?”

“I need it.” Mu Chanjuan extended her hand expectantly. Seeing Ji Weining’s surprise, she glanced over casually and added, “Or would Su Jin’an’s do?”

“Don’t touch her.” Ji Weining’s voice was low, her expression clearly irritated. Mu Chanjuan didn’t press further, though she’d heard plenty. After some thought, it struck her as odd they’d only known each other for just over a month, yet Ji Weining treated Su Jin’an with a protectiveness that felt years deep, as if they’d been reunited after a long separation.

Watching Ji Weining guard Su Jin’an more fiercely than a mother hen, Mu Chanjuan couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.

Calming herself, Ji Weining asked, “Have you finished refining the medicine from last time?”

“Yes.” Mu Chanjuan nodded, then recalled the patients she’d treated over the past six months. “Several northern families came to me this year seeking treatment for demonic energy.”

Ji Weining rummaged through her Qiankun pouch and produced a small knife. Mu Chanjuan, in turn, drew a finger-sized porcelain vial from her sleeve.

Without hesitation, Ji Weining made a swift cut on her own hand. Guided by her spiritual energy, her blood flowed rapidly into the vial, filling it in moments.

She then took out a cloth to stanch the bleeding. Under the influence of her magic, the wound healed quickly, though a faint scar remained impossible to erase entirely right away.

“Payment.” Mu Chanjuan handed her a pouch of spirit stones.

Ji Weining glanced at it, one million stones. That had been the fixed price all these years. What a shrewd merchant. She looked up and asked, “No price increase?”

Surprised by the question, Mu Chanjuan produced another pouch from her pocket.

“Two million spirit stones. Will that do?”

Ji Weining accepted it, albeit reluctantly.

Mu Chanjuan then pulled out a tightly folded slip of paper and handed it over. “And this, a new pill formula I recently developed using your blood. Give it a try. I guarantee there’s not a trace of blood scent, and the effects are far better than before.”

“You really are a crafty merchant,” Ji Weining grumbled.

“Wasn’t this our agreement?” Mu Chanjuan chuckled cheerfully. She had indeed profited handsomely, partly because Ji Weining preferred not to travel for consultations, funneling all the earnings into her own pocket.

After seeing Mu Chanjuan off, Ji Weining sat beside Su Jin’an and skimmed through the manual Su Jia had brought. The illusion realms seemed largely unchanged over the years, though each was tailored to the individual, shifting according to the person experiencing it.

The core trials, however, remained the same.

Having finished the manual, Ji Weining found Su Jin’an still asleep. Unsure what else to do, she began idly playing with Su Jin’an’s hair. She then lay down beside her, propping a pillow against the headboard.

The strands were soft, so she started braiding them casually.

A few loose strands of her own hair fell across her eyes, obscuring her vision. She undid her hair, separated a section, and intertwined it with a lock of Su Jin’an’s. Dividing the combined strands into three, she braided them together, finishing by weaving in a loose hair ribbon to tie it off.

The ribbon was a bit too large, making the knot look somewhat mismatched.

She leaned closer to Su Jin’an’s ear, peering at her eyes and the next moment, Su Jin’an’s eyes fluttered open.

Ji Weining was taken aback and quickly sat back in her original position. As she did so, she tugged at her hair, accidentally pulling both her own and Su Jin’an’s strands. She leaned in a little closer, half-propping herself up.

Outside the window, it was already noon, with a few warm rays of sunlight filtering through the slightly open window and falling by the bedside.

Su Jin’an frowned, clutching the section of hair that had just been tugged, and raised her eyes to meet the gaze of the person beside her. “Senior Sister, were you playing with my hair while I was asleep?”

Ji Weining replied swiftly and decisively, “I wasn’t.”

Then she quickly tugged at the knot she had tied with her hair ribbon. She had no idea how she had tied it, but this time, the tug only made it more difficult to undo. Meeting Su Jin’an’s gaze, she felt slightly awkward and coughed twice to mask her embarrassment before making an excuse, “It got tangled on its own.”

“Senior Sister, you’re getting better and better at lying,” Su Jin’an said as she sat up. Ji Weining followed suit, and the two sat closely together, their shoulders brushing against each other’s, their hair now truly entangled.

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