Even If You're My Senior, It's Still Forbidden - Chapter 45

Seeing that Ji Weining hadn’t managed to undo it after a long while, Su Jin’an reached out with her own hands to try loosening the hair ribbon. Though she was a bit slower, she eventually succeeded in untying it. With their hair smooth and the braids already done, it took only a few moments for the strands to fall loose.

Ji Weining gave an awkward smile and glanced at Su Jin’an. Beneath her loosely draped clothes, faint red marks from the previous night’s exertions remained. She didn’t dare say another word, hoping Su Jin’an wouldn’t notice.

Noticing that Su Jin’an didn’t bring it up, Ji Weining got out of bed and picked out the clothes for the day.

Ji Weining, ever perceptive, moved closer and unfolded the garments to help her dress. Layer by layer, the clothes were fastened, concealing the traces left from the day before.

Inadvertently, Ji Weining wrapped her arms around Su Jin’an’s waist, pressing close from behind and resting her head on Su Jin’an’s shoulder. Softly, she asked, “Do you still want to practice some spells?”

Su Jin’an shook her head. “I don’t feel like it.”

After studying for about a month, she was somewhat exhausted, both mentally and physically, and wasn’t particularly keen on continuing just then. Learning one or two more spells didn’t seem appealing at the moment.

Besides, the third round was scheduled for the next day. Having drawn too many arrays the day before, she still felt somewhat drained, compounded by Su Jin’an’s restlessness the previous night.

Vaguely recalling that it might have been her own doing, she realized it was necessary to acknowledge her own limits.

“With these, it shouldn’t be a problem anymore.” Ji Weining brought out the enchanted robe given to her by Mu Chanjuan.

“What is this?” Su Jin’an stared at the sheer garment with a strange expression, immediately turning to look at Ji Weining.

Ji Weining explained, “It’s a protective enchanted robe, used to ward off spell attacks.”

Anything Mu Chanjuan provided was bound to be of high quality, and the types of spells it could defend against were surely numerous.

Su Jin’an pinched the gauzy enchanted robe, examining it all over, her eyes filled with disbelief. “This? It can protect?”

No matter how she imagined wearing it, the garment felt odd. She couldn’t figure out how it was supposed to be worn and asked, “Should this go underneath or on top?”

Ji Weining studied the thin gauze, lifting it slightly. Through the sheer fabric, the surroundings remained perfectly visible. Suddenly, she realized the issue with this enchanted robe.

An image of Su Jin’an wearing only the gauze flashed through her mind. She averted her gaze, unable to meet Su Jin’an’s eyes, and said awkwardly, “It should be worn as the outermost layer.”

“It’s made of Light Cloud Gauze,” she added.

“Light Cloud Gauze?” Su Jin’an now carefully felt the material, and with Ji Weining’s reminder, it seemed somewhat familiar. “I think I’ve seen something like this at home.”

Ji Weining said, “You must have seen it. It’s commonly produced in the south. By embedding numerous spells into the fabric, it becomes an enchanted robe, but at its core, it’s just ordinary southern clothing.”

“It seems quite ordinary?” She vaguely remembered that it wasn’t cheap, but for cultivators, it was considered ordinary, too ordinary.

She had studied the robes her senior sister had given her, all of which contained arrays to resist minor attacks, curses, and to self-clean. Though they couldn’t compare to true enchanted robes, they weren’t easily damaged either.

“The arrays on it are quite intricate.” Ji Weining channeled a bit of spiritual energy into it, allowing Su Jin’an to sense the hidden arrays within.

Su Jin’an also began to study the formation seriously. Originally concealed by a layer of stealth magic, making it difficult to discern, the structure of the spell inside was as complex as the water pond Ji Weining had created the day before something she couldn’t possibly master at her current level.

“How is it?” Ji Weining asked.

Su Jin’an couldn’t help but remark, “Using spells to refine artifacts into magical robes, it’s truly fascinating.”

At home, no one had been willing to discuss such things with her, and she hadn’t understood them either. Everyone simply regarded her as a mortal who would turn to dust in a hundred years, giving her the best of what mortals could have while keeping her excluded from the rest, preventing her from learning or participating.

Over the past month, it felt as though a vast amount of knowledge had been forcibly crammed into her mind, filling her head to the brim. Yet, she didn’t find it difficult just a bit exhausting.

“Right?” Ji Weining spread out the magical robe and gestured toward Su Jin’an. It still didn’t fit quite right, but that was the nature of magical robes; altering the formations on them was no easy task.

Still, for Ji Weining, it was worth a try.

“So, what do you want to do today?” Not wanting to study spells, Ji Weining wasn’t sure what else to do with her.

“Sleep,” Su Jin’an replied after a moment of serious thought.

“Huh?” Hadn’t she just woken up?

Su Jin’an sat back down on the bed and looked up at her. “With the state you bit me into last night, where could I possibly go?”

Ji Weining pouted and had to admit it, she was the one who had bitten her, and there was no denying it. Still, she didn’t regret it.

Su Jin’an got up from the bed and walked into the courtyard, with Ji Weining following closely behind. The yard was filled with medicinal herbs, and as the breeze swept through, it carried the refreshing scent of the plants.

“Is Master not in the courtyard?” Su Jin’an glanced outside. It was quiet, just as it had been when she first arrived much quieter compared to the liveliness of Taoyuan Town.

“She’s probably refining pills.” Having taken her blood, she must have rushed off to start the alchemy process immediately.

“Is there anything you’d like to eat?”

Now that she had reached the stage of abstaining from grains, and knowing her junior sister found food tasteless, Ji Weining was even more unsure how to treat her. Much of what she had learned suddenly seemed irrelevant.

“Nothing.”

Su Jin’an raised her hand and spread her fingers, letting the wind pass through the gaps between them. “The breeze here feels so pleasant.”

Qianling Residence was situated at the mountain peak, where the wind was strongest.

“Of course.” Ji Weining thought that this was one of the few advantages of Qingheng Mountain. When the wind was strong, it helped disperse the smells during alchemy at Qianling Residence.

Su Jin’an turned to look at Ji Weining, who was trailing behind her, and asked, “Aren’t you busy, Senior Sister?”

“What do I have to be busy with?” As long as Ji Weining didn’t feel like doing anything, no one could force her.

Su Jin’an smiled. Since she had free time, it was nice to have her company. Suddenly, she wondered how long such peaceful days could last. After thinking for a while, she decided to try something that had been on her mind. Ji Weining’s formation from the previous day had given her some inspiration. Looking at the empty space ahead, she thought she’d try creating a set of stone tables and chairs. Gathering spiritual power at her fingertips, she swept it toward the center of the courtyard. However, instead of the imagined tables and chairs, only four round stones appeared as the spiritual energy dissipated.

“Shape,” Ji Weining reminded her, recognizing what she was trying to do. Su Jin’an nodded, though only half-understanding, and still didn’t know how to proceed. Ji Weining added, “Just like with the Spirit Fire Technique visualize the shape you want in that position and alter it accordingly.”

All techniques are interconnected. Su Jin’an tried once more, and a pavilion made of stone emerged.

Though not as skilled as Ji Weining in employing multiple spells, she felt quite satisfied with her ability to layer a single spell effectively.

“Quite simple, isn’t it?” Ji Weining glanced at her.

Su Jin’an shook her head. It was far from as simple as Ji Weining made it sound. Had she not absorbed more spiritual energy from the illusion in Taoyuan Town and benefited from the spirit pearl, she would likely have exhausted her spiritual power by now.

Su Jin’an sat down on the stone bench she had created with her spiritual power, while Ji Weining took a seat on the nearest chair beside her.

Su Jin’an asked, “Is it convenient to examine the golden core now?”

Since they weren’t attending the flowing feast, there shouldn’t be any issue with checking it now.

Ji Weining had originally planned to wait until after the grand competition, but there was no harm in taking a look now. She nodded in agreement.

Su Jin’an extended her hand, and Ji Weining grasped it.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

Spiritual energy flowed into her body along the connection.

Su Jin’an closed her eyes and clearly saw Ji Weining’s strand of spiritual energy entering her inner realm.

Ji Weining once again observed Su Jin’an’s golden core. When the spirit pearl had dissolved, many of the cracks in the golden core had been repaired, leaving only a small opening through which spiritual energy could pass. It would be difficult to quickly break the seal. If possible, Su Jin’an would have to do it herself.

Su Jin’an tightly gripped Ji Weining’s hand, turning it sideways. Her palm was sweaty with heat, as if using Ji Weining as a support to hold herself up.

Seeing her like this, Ji Weining didn’t hesitate and swiftly entered through the small opening. The seal inside the golden core had indeed loosened compared to the last time, but it was still not the right moment to remove it quickly. The interior was stiflingly hot, like a ball of fire scorching the spiritual energy that had entered. If the seal could be broken and this energy assimilated into her own, it would be beneficial. If not, it would ultimately have to be expelled from the body.

“Junior Sister, absorb my spiritual energy.”

Last time, Su Jin’an hadn’t known how, but this time she wielded her own spiritual energy, following Ji Weining’s into the golden core. She located Ji Weining’s spiritual energy and merged it with her own.

“How is it?” Su Jin’an asked, holding Ji Weining’s hand to steady herself from collapsing onto the table.

“Let me draw it for you.”

Ji Weining found it hard to explain verbally, so she took out a piece of paper and sketched the seal.

After Ji Weining entered, Su Jin’an could also see what the seal looked like, but she didn’t know how to handle it. Now, with the distorted seal inside the golden core neatly drawn on paper by Ji Weining, it felt like a glimpse of hope for a solution.

“Here, this corner of the array has been eroded, and the golden core happens to trap the fire spiritual energy within it.” Ji Weining circled the damaged corner of the golden core.

“It’s only a matter of time. For now, if possible, accumulate more spiritual energy. When the time comes to break the seal, you can either convert this energy for your own use or expel it.”

“Convert it for my own use?”

Su Jin’an didn’t quite understand.

“It means converting all spiritual energy into ordinary spiritual power, specifically that final merging step within the five-element spiritual energies.” Ji Weining thought for a moment before explaining. Remembering that the five-element spiritual energies could be utilized from the very beginning, she added, “Oh, and if possible, depleting the fire spiritual energy is also an option.”

“To draw it out, you use your own spiritual energy, guiding that specific energy out just as you would guide my spiritual energy.”

“In any case, this matter cannot be rushed.”

Su Jin’an: “Alright.”

“Let’s go back to the room and rest.” Seeing how affected she was after her golden core was touched, Ji Weining couldn’t help but worry. She picked Su Jin’an up and carried her.

Su Jin’an felt exhaustion wash over her again. The spiritual energy she had expended the day before had been too much. Though she had initially wanted to absorb a bit more, it seemed that proper rest was what she needed most.

After returning to the room, Su Jin’an slept again. When she woke up, she glanced over and saw Ji Weining trimming the magical robe. In the past, if her clothes didn’t fit, she would simply discard them. Ji Weining was the first to ever alter them for her.

Just as Ji Weining finished trimming, she looked up and noticed Su Jin’an turning toward her. She held up the robe and said, “I’ve adjusted the fit of your magical robe, Junior Sister.”

“Thank you, Senior Sister.”

Ji Weining uncrossed her legs from where she had been sitting on the daybed and asked, “It’s done. Would you like to try it on now?”

“Try it on now?” Su Jin’an glanced around the room, noting that all the doors and windows were closed. Then, her clothes fell onto the bed. Half-covering her face, she reached out toward Ji Weining.

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