Even If You're My Senior, It's Still Forbidden - Chapter 61

“It was you who drugged me back then, Shen Ling.”

“It was me, a wrong I committed because I didn’t want you to leave me.”

Ji Weining stood outside the door, unsure whether to enter. Her gaze fell upon Su Jia, who stood there with a dazed expression. She had never known that her mother and aunt were entangled in such a way. Doubts about her own origins began to surface, diverging from the rumors she had heard.

Liu Xiling, standing nearby, also watched Su Jia before finally stepping forward to knock on the door.

“Who is it?” Shen Ling asked.

“Aunt, it’s us,” Liu Xiling replied.

Su Jia’s face was pale, her hands clenched tightly as she remained silent. She had no idea how things had come to this, nor had she ever realized how much they had kept hidden from her.

“You heard everything.”

Shen Ling was taken aback, never expecting her words to be overheard. They had never intended to reveal this to anyone, hoping instead to bury the secret deep in the earth, letting it rot away.

Su Nuo’s expression remained unchanged, as if nothing had happened. She turned her gaze to Liu Xiling and said, “This must be Xiling.”

“Liu Xiling of Qingheng Mountain greets Immortal Master Su.” Liu Xiling, acknowledging the courtesy, bowed respectfully.

Su Nuo’s eyes then shifted to Ji Weining. “And this is?”

“Ji Weining of Qingheng Mountain.”

Beside her, Su Jin’an was equally conspicuous. Su Nuo asked, “Then this must be the new junior sister taken in by Elder Mu.”

Su Jin’an replied, “Su Jin’an of Qingheng Mountain.”

Su Nuo felt a vague sense of familiarity and inquired further, “Might I ask where you are from?”

“You still have the habit of asking people where they’re from,” Su Jia murmured from behind her, her voice loud enough for all to hear.

Su Nuo stiffened and shot her a glance. Su Jia, realizing she had spoken out of turn, covered her mouth and said no more. Su Nuo, with her gentle demeanor, turned back to Su Jin’an, awaiting her answer.

Just then, a figure draped in a black cloak hurried in through the door. Attendants followed, attempting to stop her, but she cast a spell to keep them at bay. Hearing Su Nuo’s question, she declared, “She’s from my family.”

“Greetings, Family Head Su.” Su Nuo was surprised to see her, having only met Su Yu shortly before arriving.

Su Yu removed her cloak casually and said, “I’ve come to discuss the position of the leading family in the North.”

Su Nuo met her gaze. “Does Family Head Su desire it?”

“No, it’s for Su Jia,” Su Yu replied, then shook her head and explained, “After all, she is a daughter of the Su family.”

“What are your conditions, Family Head Su?”

“In your eyes, am I the type to speak only of conditions?” Su Yu looked at her, her eyes filled with disdain.

Su Yu knew her well, she was from a relatively powerful branch of the Su family, yet her lineage was entirely different from the main family’s inheritance. It was precisely because of her formidable bloodline that she had been confined to the South all these years.

“Family Head Su has lain low for decades. What else could be surprising?”

Su Yu merely smiled, her expression calm as her eyes swept over everyone present.

“Mother,” Su Jin’an whispered softly.

Liu Xiling’s eyes widened upon hearing it, the Su family! That was the main branch of the Su family, entirely different from Su Jia. Everyone knew the distinction between bloodlines within noble families. She instinctively tightened her grip on Su Jia’s hand beside her and said in disbelief, “Junior Sister is called Su Jin’an.”

Su Jin’an nodded slightly. Her secret had been discovered, and now it seemed there was nothing left to hide. She was indeed a member of the Su family.

“I never imagined Jin’an’s background would be so powerful.”

Probably no one had expected that someone who had just arrived at Qingheng Mountain with no spiritual power would actually be from the main branch of the Su family.

Su Jin’an simply turned her gaze to Ji Weining. Liu Xiling followed her gaze and noticed that Ji Weining seemed remarkably calm. “Senior Sister must have known for a long time, right?”

“Junior Sister told me.”

Su Yu glanced around and finally said to her, “Jin’an, I don’t think there’s any need to hide this.”

Everyone present was someone Su Yu felt she could trust.

“Mmm.” All the decisions were being made by them; no one had asked for her opinion.

Su Jin’an could only manage a strained smile. Ji Weining sensed the unease in her heart and reached out to hook her fingertips.

A maid brought someone in from the doorway. Ji Weining recognized her as Su Tongjing.

Su Tongjing first looked at Su Jin’an and called out, “Little Sister.”

“Elder Sister.”

“Mother, I have sorted out all the matters.” Su Tongjing then walked to stand behind Su Yu.

“The Demon Cave will require Immortal Master Ji to accompany me.” Su Yu raised an eyebrow at Ji Weining, then glanced at Su Jin’an. “Jin’an, you should come along too.”

Su Jin’an pressed her lips together and remained silent for a long time. Finally, she tugged at the corner of Ji Weining’s sleeve and met Su Yu’s gaze. “I don’t want to go.”

“Then I’ll go later as well. There’s no rush for now.” Ji Weining went along with her thoughts.

Su Jia was still frozen in place, overwhelmed by the barrage of revelations.

“Let’s go.” Liu Xiling tugged at her sleeve and whispered in her ear, “We need to prepare for matters related to the First Family.”

“Xiling am I especially incompetent?” Su Jia knew she had always been in Ji Weining’s shadow; everyone would think of Ji Weining first.

“Not at all. Senior Sister Su is perfectly fine as she is. Didn’t Mother say that Senior Sister Su has her own path of growth? For instance, Senior Sister Ji would never take care of me like this.”

Ji Weining would only toss her what she needed and leave her to handle it herself but Su Jia would teach her how to do it. When they were younger, if Ji Weining grew tired of her pestering and tried to avoid her by leaving Qingheng Mountain, it was always Su Jia who came to comfort her.

Though she was a bit clumsy, only handing her a handkerchief she clearly knew that Su Jia was genuinely trying to comfort her.

“R-Really?” Su Jia’s brows furrowed tightly as she stared at Liu Xiling, unable to speak.

“I came to find you all to discuss the matter of the Demon Cave.” But now you’re telling me not to go.

Su Yu felt powerless. On one side was the daughter she had watched grow up, and on the other was her own helpless self, forced to rely on their assistance. She didn’t understand why Su Jin’an didn’t want Ji Weining to go.

Ji Weining reassured Su Yu, “It’s fine. The Demon Cave isn’t a matter of a day or two.”

Nowadays, Ji Weining was quite open-minded. She clearly understood how many people had been harmed by that small Demon Cave.

Su Yu still asked, “Does Jin’an feel the same way?”

Su Jin’an did not speak. She had hardly come into contact with demonic energy at all. In her current memories, the first time she encountered a demonic creature was when she left the Su family and encountered one on her way to Qingheng Mountain.

“I don’t know.”

“But I don’t want Shijie to go.” She didn’t want to let her go.

“Then I won’t go.”

“What if the whole world falls into ruin? Would Jin’an still not want her to go?” Su Yu posed the question sharply.

Su Jin’an’s attitude was resolute: “Yes.”

What did the world’s destruction have to do with Ji Weining?

Ji Weining was stunned. She recalled what the divine oracle had told her: “Win over Su Jin’an. Do not let her bring ruin to all living beings.”

Was this the reason?

“It won’t happen.”

“There are still many other ways. There are more than just me who can suppress demonic creatures, isn’t there Shimei?”

“Then there must be a second one.”

[There won’t be a second.]

The divine oracle’s words carried a bleak tone. She remembered the oracle had mentioned this issue before was it really only her and Shimei? She found it hard to believe. If there could be a second, why not a third or a fourth?

Thoughts piled up in her mind.

Su Yu simply shook her head and finally turned to Su Tongjing. “Let’s go first.”

The Su family had many tasks. If Ji Weining couldn’t help, they would move on to the next.

They would surely find a way. What noble families had the most of were connections and financial resources. Even after experiencing a major upheaval, these could not be stopped.

“The Su family will prepare everything and await Immortal Ji’s assistance.”

After Su Yu left, Ji Weining took Su Jin’an back to the courtyard.

Su Jin’an stopped at the courtyard entrance. She looked at Ji Weining with clear eyes, holding her hands tightly. “I don’t want Shijie to go.”

The only thought in Su Jin’an’s mind was that she didn’t want Ji Weining to go. She didn’t want her to go there. She knew demonic energy was dangerous, and so was spiritual energy that was why they had forbidden her from cultivating and made her live as a mortal.

What was this about a divine oracle? Su Jin’an didn’t know, nor did she want to know. All she knew was that none of this had to involve them.

Ji Weining turned to look at her. Su Jin’an struggled to say, “I want Shijie to be safe. To stay with me, always.”

“I’ll be fine, Shimei.” Ji Weining used her other hand to soothe her shoulder and stepped closer. “Then I’ll go in a few days.”

“Okay.” Su Jin’an knew that, sooner or later, she would still have to go. There was no way to stop it. Finally, she asked, “Shijie, can’t you really stay with me forever?”

“Of course! I can.” Faced with her sudden question, Ji Weining could only force a stiff smile. The comforting words she intended to say turned into agreement at the last moment. Even though she might not be able to fulfill it, she still wanted to promise her.

Su Jin’an suddenly released Ji Weining’s hand and clutched her own head. In her mind, layers of dark shadows flashed by she knew it was that vague memory she had always carried.

She did not originate from here. Her past was entirely different from this place.

“Su Jin’an.”

“Shimei.” Amid Ji Weining’s repeated calls, Su Jin’an closed her eyes and lost consciousness. Her mind was a chaotic haze; Su Jin’an could no longer clearly discern where she was.

“Shimei.”

“Shimei.”

The voices in the darkness were chaotic. Su Jin’an vaguely saw figures and her own.

“Why? Why did you let Senior Sister go?” She clearly heard her own voice.

“No one made her go. She went of her own accord.”

“How could she possibly go? Did she abandon me?”

As the words fell, the blurred figure knelt on the floor, weeping with heart-wrenching sobs. Su Jin’an knew very well that the figure was her, and the senior sister was Ji Weining? But in the dream, it seemed Ji Weining had left her.

The surroundings were a misty place, with snow.

What was on the floor? Dispersed spiritual power?

The spiritual power seemed to have turned into scattered specks of light, drifting around. The figure cried out frantically, “Senior Sister, where has Senior Sister gone?”

But there was no response. Amid the white snow, she saw another blurred figure walking toward her.

“Su Jin’an.”

“Junior Sister.”

She heard Ji Weining’s call again. Clutching at it like a lifeline, she grasped her, grasped her voice, and emerged from the dream. The blurred figure overlapped with Ji Weining, the person in the dream was indeed Ji Weining.

Now, Su Jin’an was certain it was her.

Ji Weining didn’t know why she had suddenly fainted. Sitting on the floor, she held her, touched her forehead, and brushed aside the ends of her hair. “What’s wrong, Junior Sister?”

“Are you feeling better now?” As she spoke, she tightened her grip on Su Jin’an’s palm, and a warm current flowed through Su Jin’an’s body.

Su Jin’an’s eyes reddened. She knew very clearly now that she couldn’t let Ji Weining go. “Senior Sister, don’t go, please.”

She tugged at the hem of Ji Weining’s clothes like this.

“Alright,” Ji Weining said reluctantly. She knew deep down she still wanted to involve herself in these matters, for reasons she couldn’t explain. But another voice in her heart told her she didn’t want Su Jin’an to cry.

She could promise her anything, as long as Su Jin’an remained unharmed, as long as she could stay by her side forever.

Always and forever, just like this, together with her.

Su Jin’an’s words were like those of a willful child, “For all our lives, okay?”

Ji Weining leaned in close, kissing her forehead. “We will, Junior Sister.”

Su Jin’an gradually recovered, and Ji Weining had already carried her into the room.

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