My Senior Sister Says She Will Marry No One But Me - Chapter 17

“The Sect Leader’s kind intentions are truly appreciated,” Feng Chengchun interjected, noticing the awkward shift in the atmosphere. With a light laugh, she stepped in to mediate:

“However, the Sect Leader may have overlooked one thing: appointing Shuyan as the Deputy Sect Leader at this moment would be far too hasty. ‘Assuming the role of Deputy Sect Leader of the Miaoyin Sect’ is no trivial matter, it’s not some child’s play. Although it may not carry the same prestige and urgency as the recent martial arts contest for marriage hosted by the Sect Leader, it still requires careful selection of an auspicious date, thorough preparation of ceremonial items, and the distribution of invitations to notable figures across the martial world to witness the ceremony.”

“Setting aside the question of whether sending out invitations twice within a single year might seem excessive, the fact remains that we haven’t even chosen a date, let alone prepared the necessary arrangements. We simply cannot rush Shuyan into the role of Deputy Sect Leader like this. Moreover, if the Sect Leader’s martial arts contest and Shuyan’s inauguration are held too close together, might it give others the wrong impression? They could misinterpret it as the ‘Miaoyin Sect Leader refusing to marry’ and reneging on the agreement, with the Deputy Sect Leader position being offered to Shuyan as compensation to silence her especially since she just won the martial arts contest.”

Only then did Du Yunge realize the flaws in her earlier suggestion. Thinking how someone like Protector Chun, with her vast experience, truly considered things more thoroughly, she nodded sincerely and said:

“Protector Chun is absolutely right.”

Just as Feng Chengchun was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she heard Du Yunge ask earnestly:

“Then, in Protector Chun’s opinion, when would be the most appropriate time for my senior sister Xue to assume the role of Deputy Sect Leader of the Miaoyin Sect?”

In Du Yunge’s previous life, Xue Shuyan had hastily taken over as Deputy Sect Leader around the time Du Yunge became infatuated with He Zhenzhen and hastily married her. Considering the years of tireless effort and unwavering loyalty Xue Shuyan had shown so much so that even outsiders had nothing but praise rushing her inauguration right after the wedding had been far too abrupt and undignified. By normal standards, a separate set of invitations should have been issued for such an occasion, along with the selection of an auspicious date. It should never have been so shabbily arranged, merely piggybacking on the invitations from the Sect Leader’s martial arts contest, let alone failing to choose a proper date and simply settling for the least unsuitable day before Du Yunge left the mountain.

But there had been no other choice. If Xue Shuyan hadn’t been quickly appointed Deputy Sect Leader, there would have been no one to promptly and legitimately step in to support Du Yunge if she faced mistreatment at the He Manor.

At this thought, Du Yunge’s sense of guilt toward Xue Shuyan grew even stronger. In her past life, she had always taken for granted that “Senior Sister Xue vowed to stay by my side no matter what,” and thus paid little attention to such matters. It was only after dying and being reborn, with a clearer and more comprehensive perspective, that she realized just how crucial it had been for Xue Shuyan to assume the role of Deputy Sect Leader in a timely manner.

If Xue Shuyan could formally take over as the deputy leader of the Miaoyin Sect, it would prove that she and Du Yunge had no intention of parting ways for a long time to come. Not only that, it would also reassure the members of the Miaoyin Sect, letting them know that their sect leader truly valued talent and upheld fairness in rewards and punishments. Moreover, it would silence the outsiders, thwarting the schemes of those who sought to poach, sow discord, or simply watch the drama unfold. Truly, it was a brilliant move that killed three birds with one stone.

Thus, when Du Yunge sought Feng Chengchun’s advice on what to do next, she spoke with even more confidence:

“My senior sister Xue has worked diligently and tirelessly for the Miaoyin Sect all these years. I must let those outsiders know how much I value her. If I let her remain without a proper position for too long, my conscience would never rest easy.”

Feng Chengchun’s sigh of relief never made it out; instead, it got stuck in her throat, leaving her on the verge of tears. She thought with frustration:

Oh, little ancestor, please don’t fixate on this matter and push it to the end. Can’t you see how cold your senior sister’s expression has turned? And even if we set that aside, the “recognition” your senior sister Xue wants isn’t this deputy leader position!

Perhaps an inability to read the room and the atmosphere was a common affliction among martial arts fanatics. Having devoted excessive energy to training, they tended to be less attentive and thoughtful in other matters. Just then, Yun Anxue chimed in:

“In my opinion, the timing must be chosen carefully neither too early nor too late. If it’s too late, those outsiders who’ve already begun harboring inappropriate thoughts due to Shuyan’s delayed appointment will clap their hands in glee and watch our downfall, which would also be unfair to Shuyan. But if it’s too early, others might think we’re merely giving her the position to silence her.”

Du Yunge suddenly had an epiphany, though her realization was completely off the mark, a perfect example of heading in the opposite direction:

I see! Senior sister Xue must be angry because my proposal was too hasty and I couldn’t pick a good time!

She immediately turned and took Xue Shuyan’s hand, her expression so earnest she seemed on the verge of swearing an oath to the heavens:

“Senior sister, trust me, I will definitely choose an auspicious day for your inauguration ceremony. I’ll make sure everyone knows how much I value you, and I won’t let you suffer the slightest injustice!”

Xue Shuyan found herself both exasperated and amused. However, she was not one to rush things after all, she had lived and trained alongside Du Yunge for years without ever forcing her to understand her feelings:

“Thank you, Yunge, but I’m not suffering any injustice.”

Feng Chengchun quickly interjected with a smile, trying to diffuse the situation: “Sect Leader, if you wish to honor Shuyan, there’s no need to rush. As long as you have the intention, Shuyan will be happy. For now, let’s focus on our martial arts training.”

Du Yunge thought it over and nodded in agreement. “Then I’ll trouble you, Senior Sister.”

Xue Shuyan gave a slight nod, drew the sword from her waist, and assumed a starting stance, clearly preparing to spar with Du Yunge. “Come on.”

Although Feng Chengchun and Yun Anxue were both mentors to Du Yunge and Xue Shuyan, having them spar for practice wasn’t really suitable. Beyond her mastery of martial arts theories, Feng Chengchun excelled at hidden weapons, a skill she practiced with rare integrity, never coating her projectiles in poison. Since her techniques didn’t rely on venom to win, they demanded extreme precision in force and targeting acupoints. Such deadly and intricate moves were ill-suited for training bouts, especially for someone like Du Yunge, whose martial skills were still rudimentary. Even if Feng Chengchun held back her strength, Du Yunge would likely fail to block a single strike. As for Yun Anxue, she never believed in holding back during practice. When teaching her disciples, she fought in earnest. If newcomers couldn’t withstand her full-powered attacks, she’d have them team up in small groups only to defeat them all together. Hence, in the Miaoyin Sect, there was a saying: to identify Yun Anxue’s disciples among the novices, just look for those constantly bruised on the head, face, or body it was a sure bet.

Thus, the only one truly fit to spar with Du Yunge was Xue Shuyan. Her martial arts were refined, and she trained diligently under the same two masters as Du Yunge. Though often cold and aloof toward others, Xue Shuyan exhibited genuine patience with Du Yunge. Not only would she spar gently, but she might even pretend to lose if it brought her sect leader some joy.

While it was widely acknowledged in the Miaoyin Sect that Du Yunge wasn’t cut out for martial arts, Feng Chengchun, as her teacher, couldn’t help but cling to a sliver of hope: What if one day her little disciple suddenly had a breakthrough and everything clicked?

Every master tends to hold overly optimistic expectations for their disciples, and Feng Chengchun, the Spring Guardian of Miaoyin Sect, was no exception. However, whenever she watched Du Yunge panting heavily after practicing even the most basic sword forms sometimes even before warming up properly, as if she’d just run ten laps around Mount Wangyou those hopeful thoughts would vanish.

But today, as Feng Chengchun observed Du Yunge’s training, a faint optimism resurfaced. Du Yunge’s attitude toward martial practice had clearly shifted; she was so earnest that Feng Chengchun and Yun Anxue, watching from the sidelines, exchanged approving glances: Had their sect leader finally resolved to strive diligently? It seemed their previous lectures hadn’t been in vain.

Feeling particularly pleased, Feng Chengchun decided to have the kitchen add an extra chicken drumstick to both Du Yunge and Xue Shuyan’s lunch portions.

At this moment, Du Yunge, still in the training hall, was completely unaware of Feng Chengchun’s heartfelt approval. She was frantically trying to parry Xue Shuyan’s sword strikes. Although Xue Shuyan had done her best to slow down her movements and reduce her strength, Du Yunge still found it quite challenging. To make matters worse, Xue Shuyan was meticulously pointing out areas for improvement, making the experience both physically and mentally exhausting:

“When practicing swordsmanship, you must calm your mind and focus, eliminating all distractions. Only then can your spirit and body unite, and you and your sword become one.”

With a twist of her wrist, Xue Shuyan’s sword slowly advanced, its tip aimed precisely at the opening Du Yunge had inadvertently exposed. Du Yunge hurriedly withdrew her sword to defend, but her previous move had already overextended, leaving little room for adjustment. As Xue Shuyan’s blade drew closer, Du Yunge grew increasingly flustered, feeling as though her own sword was slipping out of her control. Just as her face flushed with anxiety, Xue Shuyan’s deep voice offered guidance once more:

“Let your intent follow the sword’s movement, and channel your energy into its edge.”

Gathering her focus with great effort, Du Yunge finally managed to retract her sword in defense just as Xue Shuyan’s blade was about to breach her guard. The edges of the two swords narrowly missed each other, producing a clear, lingering metallic ring. A hint of satisfaction appeared in Xue Shuyan’s expression before she sheathed her sword and said:

“The direction of your sword’s edge must not be dictated by others or constrained by external forces. Only where your mind and intent guide it can it remain unrestricted and unbound.”

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