My Green Tea Junior Sister Smells So Good - Chapter 14

Seeing that Du Yuanluo had learned her lesson, Shen Qingyi did not wish to linger here.

However, those who needed to be dealt with still had to be dealt with, Shen Qingyi was not one to be soft-hearted without reason.

She reached out her hand, and Du Yuanluo, understanding her intent, handed the ruler back to her. In Shen Qingyi’s hand, the ruler transformed once more into a blade shimmering with cold light.

The Li family, young and old, huddled together in terror.

Master Li bolstered his courage and said, “Immortal Shen, disciples of the Yunyin Sect never kill the innocent. Are you going to break this precept? Even if our family is in the wrong, we do not deserve death. If you dare to act recklessly, we will sue you even at the Gates of Hell!”

Du Yuanluo panicked as well, stepping in front of Shen Qingyi to block her. She said to Master Li, “This matter started because of me. If you want to sue someone, sue me!”

For the first time, Shen Qingyi discovered that Du Yuanluo was not cowardly, in fact, there had been signs of this in her past life.

Whenever a conflict arose with Jiang Linchuan, it was always Du Yuanluo who shielded him. Jiang Linchuan, watching her get beaten and scolded, would at most offer a verbal plea for mercy, after a few rebukes from Shen Qingyi, he wouldn’t even dare to speak up for Du Yuanluo any further.

Back then, Shen Qingyi’s prejudice had been too deep, and she had viewed Du Yuanluo’s actions as mere provocation.

However, Shen Qingyi soon dismissed the thought that she wasn’t cowardly, for Du Yuanluo’s thin, frail body, though resolutely standing before her, was trembling slightly. Standing so close, Shen Qingyi could even feel that the girl’s heartbeat was much faster than usual.

“Go outside first,” Shen Qingyi said, gently pushing her away. What was to follow might be more than the girl could bear.

“Immortal Shen, they truly do not deserve death. You don’t have to break your precepts for me. I… I understand your kindness now.”

Du Yuanluo had not been at Yunyin Peak for long, but she had felt the sect’s strict rules. In just a few days, she had personally witnessed Shen Qingyi being punished twice.

“Don’t worry, I know where to draw the line. They do not deserve death, but they cannot be spared lightly either. The Yunyin Sect does not kill the innocent, but it upholds the principle of punishing evil and promoting good. To leave evil unpunished is to foster corruption. Wait for me at the door.”

Du Yuanluo was uneasy, but she didn’t dare disobey Shen Qingyi’s command.

The moment she stepped over the threshold, the door behind her slammed shut with a “bang.”

Then, Shen Qingyi’s voice rang out, full of righteous indignation.

“Punishment for being wealthy but unkind, and for using power to bully others!”

“Punishment for being blind to the truth and distorting right and wrong!”

“Punishment for instigating conflict and spreading rumors!”

“Punishment for clinging to false reputation while being cold and heartless!”

With every charge Shen Qingyi recited, a miserable scream erupted from the room. Du Yuanluo covered her ears in fear, but it was futile, the shrill cries were incessant.

Soon after, the door creaked open. Du Yuanluo didn’t even dare to look back.

Shen Qingyi put an arm around her shoulder. “Let’s go.”

Before they could even exit the main gate, the Young Master of the Li family rushed over upon hearing the commotion and ran straight into the two of them.

Upon seeing Shen Qingyi’s celestial beauty, his eyes instantly glazed over.

“Where did this little beauty come from? Why are you in my house? Since you’re here, don’t leave. There’s good wine in my room.”

As he spoke, he reached out a predatory hand toward Shen Qingyi.

In the past, Du Yuanluo would have been terrified by such a look, but now she wasn’t afraid. Instead, she felt that Shen Qingyi was being desecrated, and her heart flared with anger.

Shen Qingyi did not slow her pace by half a step. With one hand, she covered Du Yuanluo’s eyes, and with the other, she swung her sword, lopping off the reaching hand.

Another scream rang in Du Yuanluo’s ears. With her eyes covered, she could see nothing, but led by Shen Qingyi, she felt no fear and walked forward with large strides.

By the time Shen Qingyi released her hand, they were already far from the Li residence. Under the moonlight, Shen Qingyi stood in her green robes, pristine and untainted. Du Yuanluo stared at her, dazed.

The immortals of the Yunyin Sect were all beautiful, but this was the first time Du Yuanluo had truly looked at Shen Qingyi. She was so vividly, movingly beautiful, not a clay statue in a temple, nor a deity in the clouds indifferent to human suffering.

How could she, Du Yuanluo, be worthy of such pity from the Immortal? How could she ever repay this in her lifetime?

“Frightened?” Shen Qingyi noticed Du Yuanluo staring at her with a blank expression, as if her soul had wandered off.

“No…” Du Yuanluo finally snapped out of it, embarrassed to have made a fool of herself before the Immortal again. “Let’s go back to Yunyin Peak.”

“Once you return to Yunyin Peak with me this time, you won’t be able to come to the mortal world freely. If there’s anything you need to take or prepare, it’s not too late to do so now.”

Shen Qingyi knew that some mortal disciples were not used to a cultivation environment devoid of “human smoke” when they first went up the mountain. It wasn’t uncommon for people to secretly bring snacks, bedding, or even gold and silver.

Normally, such things were not allowed. Strengthening the bones and starving the flesh was the introduction for a cultivator, but Shen Qingyi didn’t intend for Du Yuanluo to make a great name for herself in cultivation anyway. She might as well let her live comfortably.

Du Yuanluo, who usually never dared to accept kindness openly, did not decline this time.

“There is one thing I want to take. Immortal Shen, please come with me to get it.”

Du Yuanluo was more familiar with the mortal roads. Shen Qingyi followed her through the streets and alleys until they arrived at a temple.

Though she had never been here, Shen Qingyi felt a strange sense of familiarity.

Looking up, she saw that it was indeed a shrine of the Yunyin Sect in the mortal world. The statues of the various sect leaders and elders were enshrined in the main hall.

Du Yuanluo walked familiarly to the statue at the very end and began feeling around the incense altar.

Shen Qingyi followed her and glanced at it, her brow furrowing involuntarily. This was her own statue.

Although it was placed at the very end, to have a statue and receive incense in the mortal world at her age was one in ten thousand.

However, it just so happened to be placed right next to Jiang Linchuan’s statue, and they were even tied together with red silk. It was truly an eyesore.

Du Yuanluo had seen the statues like this since she was a child and didn’t think anything was wrong.

After searching for a while, she pulled out a small porcelain bottle. “Found it.”

“Keep it then. Anything else?” Shen Qingyi was planning how to move Jiang Linchuan’s statue to a different spot.

“No, but I want to use this for Immortal Shen right now.”

“Use it for me? What is it?” Shen Qingyi looked suspiciously at the small bottle. It was slightly more refined than the ones Du Yuanluo usually used.

“It’s medicine for wounds. Immortal Shen, your injuries haven’t healed yet, have they?” Du Yuanluo looked at her with concern.

In truth, mortal medicine was of little use for injuries inflicted by spiritual artifacts, but Du Yuanluo spoke so earnestly that Shen Qingyi didn’t have the heart to refuse her kindness.

Behind the main hall, there was an empty room used for lodging. However, it had been uninhabited for a long time and was thick with dust. Shen Qingyi performed a Dust Cleansing Spell before stepping inside.

Seeing Du Yuanluo clutching the medicine bottle, looking eager yet afraid to overstep, Shen Qingyi found it amusing.

She sat on the straw mat and turned her back, slowly lowering her garment.

The cool sensation of the medicine being applied touched her back, while the room remained so quiet that one could hear a needle drop.

Du Yuanluo was silent for a long time as she applied the medicine.

“Crying again? Are you made of water? Where do all these tears come from?” Even without turning around, Shen Qingyi knew Du Yuanluo was crying.

“I’m not,” Du Yuanluo denied, but her voice was thick with a sob.

Shen Qingyi put her clothes back on and turned around to see Du Yuanluo frantically wiping her eyes. She tried her best to hide it, but the tears fell faster than she could wipe them.

Even though Shen Qingyi wasn’t one for comforting people, seeing her cry made her heart soften. She wiped the girl’s tears away. “What’s there to cry about? It’s not like I’m dying.”

“It’s all my fault. Why was it Immortal Shen who was hit and not me?”

“I’ve told you many times, stop taking everything on yourself. You don’t listen at all. If you keep this up, next time it really will be you who gets hit,” Shen Qingyi threatened.

To her surprise, Du Yuanluo looked up with an expectant face. “Really?”

“Are you asking for a beating?” Shen Qingyi wondered if her abuse of Du Yuanluo in her previous life had left a mark on the girl’s soul.

“Immortal Shen is so good to me, but I am a useless person. I cannot repay you. If I had the chance to take punishment in your place, I would feel more at ease.”

“Everyone has their own karma.”

Du Yuanluo clearly didn’t quite understand karma. She only murmured, “Immortal Shen is good to me, and I want to be good to Immortal Shen. Why is it so difficult?”

Shen Qingyi shook the empty little bottle and said, “Haven’t you already repaid me with this? We’re even.”

“No, it’s far from enough.” Du Yuanluo shook her head like a rattle.

There really was no end to this. Shen Qingyi didn’t want to argue any further and changed the subject. “Was this medicine bought for me? Did you always plan to return to Yunyin Peak?”

Du Yuanluo shook her head. “I didn’t plan to return. But every night when I closed my eyes, I would think of how Immortal Shen suffered such heavy injuries and how I couldn’t even look after you. I couldn’t sleep, so I bought the medicine and offered it before your statue.”

“Always doing these useless things. I can’t receive physical offerings. On Yunyin Peak, I can only receive incense and the voices of hearts.”

“I knew you wouldn’t receive it, but doing this made my heart feel better. Just like before, I used to make wishes in the temple. I knew they wouldn’t come true, but I would still make them.” Realizing that Shen Qingyi could hear heart-voices, Du Yuanluo panicked like a startled rabbit. “Did you hear my heart-voice every time?”

“I came down the mountain to find you, how could I hear it? What did you say? Say it to my face.”

Du Yuanluo’s face flushed. “Nothing… just praying for Immortal Shen to get well soon.”

“Alright, I’ve received it. Will you run away again next time?”

“No. I was wrong, I won’t ever do it again.”

“It’s right to admit your mistake this time. I accept it. You must keep your word.”

“Mhm.”

It was past the third watch of the night. Du Yuanluo was bound to be tired. Shen Qingyi spread her cloak over the straw mat. “Sleep.”

The two of them lay down on the mat in their clothes. Shen Qingyi didn’t need to sleep, but since Du Yuanluo couldn’t bear to sleep while she stayed awake, she accompanied her.

But despite yawning repeatedly, Du Yuanluo tossed and turned like a pancake on a griddle, her hands and feet occasionally brushing against Shen Qingyi.

Shen Qingyi had been lying on her side with her back to the girl, but the rustling behind her was making it impossible for her to rest her mind.

“Are you going to sleep or not?”

“Immortal Shen… does it hurt?” Du Yuanluo asked softly in the darkness.

Still fixated on that. Shen Qingyi turned around. “It doesn’t hurt, truly. For a cultivator, the process of cleansing the marrow and shedding the mortal coil, isn’t any of that more painful than a few strikes? Sleep peacefully, don’t worry about me.”

“Immortal Shen, could I…” She stopped after those few words.

“You can. You can have whatever you want. Speak.” Shen Qingyi usually disliked people who were vague, but she was uncharacteristically patient with Du Yuanluo, especially since the girl had never asked for anything before.

“I… I want to hug Immortal Shen for a moment.” Her voice grew lower and lower, if not for Shen Qingyi’s exceptional hearing, she wouldn’t have heard the last few words.

Considering the turmoil and fright she had faced over the past few days, the request wasn’t too excessive.

Shen Qingyi was naturally cold and distant, and this request was indeed unexpected.

However, words spoken could not be taken back. She might as well comfort her.

Shen Qingyi shifted her body slightly. “Come here.”