The Cold, Aloof Senior Sister Deserves To Be Paired With A Peerless Beauty - Chapter 17

Will she find a companion today?

Yun Xi’s continuous stream of excuses was no longer believed by anyone. Seeing that Yun Xi was talking more and more, Chi Li intervened in time, replacing the wine in the pot with a sobering tea.

Afterward, Chi Li ignored Yun Xi’s grumbling after she tasted the difference and turned her head to look at the dazed Mu Zhi. She spoke.

“Did you get your sword?”

Upon hearing this, Mu Zhi frowned. She first gave the drunkenly shouting Yun Xi a worried glance, seeing that she wasn’t showing any signs of aggression, she nodded and said:

“I got it.”

As she spoke, Mu Zhi’s brow furrowed deeper. She carefully recalled the details of her time in the Sword Pavilion, but she had no memory of actually bringing the sword out. When she woke up, the sword was nowhere to be seen, so she assumed she had dropped it in the pavilion.

Thinking of this, and fearing she might disappoint Chi Li, Mu Zhi stole a glance at her before speaking hesitantly.

“But… I think I left the sword in the Sword Pavilion and didn’t bring it out.”

Hearing Mu Zhi’s words and knowing she was only nervous because of this, Chi Li couldn’t help but raise a hand to her lips and let out a light chuckle. When she spoke, her voice held a warmth and certainty that Yun Xi had never heard before.

“How could that be? That is your sword; from the moment you found it, it has been by your side.”

Mu Zhi looked around her but saw no trace of a sword. She asked in confusion:

“Where is it?”

Chi Li wasn’t intending to tease her, the curve of her lips held a mix of doting and helplessness as she reminded her:

“The sword is in your spiritual manor.”

The unfamiliar term caused Mu Zhi to stall for a moment. She had forgotten that she was now a cultivator; unlike ordinary swordsmen who kept their blades at their side, cultivators were different.

“Spiritual manor?”

Mu Zhi murmured, still confused. As she looked up at Chi Li, she saw the other woman’s fingertips reaching out. They were slender, beautiful, and fair. As they drew close, the faint, clean scent from Chi Li’s body drifted into her nose.

By the time Mu Zhi reacted, the fingertips had lightly pressed against her forehead, bringing a sensation of slight coolness.

Chi Li’s sudden movement was natural, and her expression was calm and composed. Yet, it caused Mu Zhi’s temperature which had finally started to drop, to flare up again. She instinctively wanted to turn her head to avoid the other’s gaze.

At that moment, Chi Li spoke. Her tone was casual, but her warm breath brushed against Mu Zhi’s face, causing the girl’s heart to skip a beat.

“Relax. Don’t resist me.”

There was an intimacy and tenderness in her voice that even Chi Li herself didn’t realize was there. It made Mu Zhi purse her lips, her face turning even redder.

Seeing the person before her becoming increasingly tense, Chi Li spoke patiently once more.

“Mu Zhi, don’t be nervous.”

Calling her name in a coaxing tone made the atmosphere feel somewhat ambiguous.

Mu Zhi took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. Then, from the corner of her eye, she spotted a faint red shimmer at Chi Li’s fingertips, it was the exact same aura she had seen on the sword in the Sword Pavilion.

Chi Li’s fingers left Mu Zhi’s forehead. When she looked at Chi Li’s hand again, a sword had appeared.

The blade was slender and glowed with a faint red light, as if surrounded by warm, gentle flames.

Chi Li looked at it for a moment. It seemed she had long known this was the sword Mu Zhi would pull out. Even though she could tell the sword was of an extremely high grade, she didn’t have much of a reaction.

However, Mu Zhi, seeing Chi Li’s lack of reaction, became inexplicably nervous, thinking the sword she obtained wasn’t good enough.

Chi Li reached out toward Mu Zhi and said softly:

“Give me your hand.”

Not quite understanding, Mu Zhi extended her hand. She felt a sharp sting on her fingertip, and a bead of blood welled up, dripping onto the blade.

The moment the blood was absorbed, a searing heat surged. Chi Li immediately cast a spell, and an invisible barrier protected the surrounding spirit grass from disaster.

Soon, the sword returned to normal.

Watching the sudden change, Mu Zhi felt a strange sensation something she couldn’t quite describe, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

“This is…”

Chi Li placed the sword on the nearby stone table and gently took hold of Mu Zhi’s wounded finger.

A cooling spiritual energy flowed in from the wound. The sharp pain was overwritten, and her entire body felt as if it had been washed clean, leaving her feeling exceptionally comfortable.

Once the wound was healed, Chi Li let go of Mu Zhi’s hand.

As the sensation of touch vanished, Mu Zhi felt a sense of reluctance. She then directly hugged Chi Li’s arm. Chi Li didn’t pull away, simply allowing the movement.

“It has already recognized its master. In the future, it will only obey your commands.”

At this point, Chi Li seemed to remember something, and her subsequent words took on a hint of coldness.

“Do not lend it to anyone, especially those who want to use it to boost their own reputation.”

“Since they don’t have the strength, holding a powerful weapon is nothing more than being a useless paper tiger.”

Even without Chi Li saying the name, Mu Zhi knew who she was referring to.

But Mu Zhi didn’t understand why Chi Li spoke as if she had truly lent the sword out before.

“I understand,” Mu Zhi replied seriously and solemnly.

Chi Li’s gaze fell back onto the sword on the table. She spoke slowly:

“Do you know what its name is now?”

Swords freshly taken from the Sword Pavilion usually don’t have names. It is only after going to the Weapon Sect to have a custom scabbard made that the name is engraved upon it.

“I know.”

The name she had unconsciously called out in the Sword Pavilion flashed through Mu Zhi’s mind.

“It’s called Zhao Yuan.”

Hearing this name, Yun Xi, who was drinking the sobering tea, paused. Her expression had regained some clarity. She spoke jokingly:

“Frost and snow meeting the scorching sun, your swords are quite a match.”

Upon hearing this, Mu Zhi’s eyes lit up, and she looked at Chi Li with anticipation.

However, Chi Li’s expression remained cool and unchanged. No other emotions could be seen in her eyes, leaving Mu Zhi feeling disappointed.

Chi Li noticed Mu Zhi’s drooping spirits. After a moment of thought, she said:

“Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. Go back to your room and rest. I will see Yun Xi off.”

Chi Li’s last sentence made Mu Zhi snap her head up. After all, Mu Zhi was just a young girl who had only recently reached her coming of age ceremony, she hadn’t learned to hide her emotions yet. Her reluctance was plain to see in her eyes as she met Chi Li’s gaze.

Thinking Mu Zhi was just being temperamental, Chi Li spoke with extreme patience to coax her.

“Be good. I’ll be back soon.”

Yun Xi saw Mu Zhi’s emotions clearly. Holding up her wine pot, she laughed:

“Little Junior Sister Mu, don’t forget my things.”

Mu Zhi lowered her eyes slightly, looking quite unhappy, but she still answered Yun Xi politely.

“I will speak to my mother about it in a moment.”

“Then I’ll thank you in advance, Junior Sister.”

After speaking, and seeing Mu Zhi’s aggrieved look, Yun Xi, the clear-headed bystander generously pulled out another jar of wine from somewhere. She tossed it to Mu Zhi and spoke with deep meaning:

“Little Junior Sister Mu, if this block of wood really makes you unhappy, then listen to Senior Sister Yun. Have some wine to drown your sorrows. Maybe she’ll finally wise up.”

After Mu Zhi caught the jar in a flurry, she watched the two figures walk away.

Yun Xi’s footsteps were still a bit unsteady from the alcohol, but it didn’t stop her from moving forward.

Chi Li glanced at her, having no intention of helping her. She spoke in a low voice:

“Why did you call her a block of wood just now?”

Yun Xi shrugged, but her answer didn’t address the question.

“A block of wood is a block of wood.”

Hearing Yun Xi’s riddle-like words and seeing the way she looked at her as if she were the block of wood. Chi Li’s face darkened, but she didn’t press further.

After a long silence, Yun Xi broke the quiet.

“I say, Chi Li, do you have any plans to find a Daoist companion in the future?”

Chi Li was confused but shook her head honestly. Her voice was indifferent, devoid of emotion.

“I have no such plans.” She had more important matters to attend to.

Upon hearing this, a deep smile appeared in Yun Xi’s eyes. She spoke cryptically:

“Then someone is going to be heartbroken.”

Chi Li didn’t respond to that, assuming she was just talking nonsense in her drunken state.

“By the way, why are you seeing me off?”

Yun Xi looked at Chi Li suspiciously. In the past, if Chi Li needed pills, she could just have someone fetch them, there was no need to come herself.

And now, Chi Li personally seeing her back to the Pill Peak was like the sun rising from the west, it felt eerie.

A cool breeze blew past, making the leaves rustle as if helping a silent someone sort out their thoughts.

Chi Li’s footsteps stopped. She looked into the distance, where the sun was as bright as fire, just like the figure that unconsciously flashed through her mind.

The corners of her robes fluttered, but the beautiful arc only emphasized the loneliness of that tall, thin figure. A mysterious sorrow was heartbreaking, as if in that moment, she wasn’t the exceptionally talented and dazzling Eldest Senior Sister of the sect.

Walking ahead, Yun Xi didn’t hear Chi Li’s footsteps or an answer to her question. She stopped and looked back. Seeing Chi Li staring blankly at something, she asked in confusion:

“If you don’t want to answer, fine, but what are you staring at so intently? Didn’t you say you were seeing me off?”

Hearing Yun Xi’s voice, Chi Li’s thoughts were snapped back. Her expression returned to normal, once again becoming the cool and arrogant Eldest Senior Sister of the sect.

Chi Li walked over slowly and, as if granting a favor, answered Yun Xi’s previous question.

“I’m not seeing you off. I’m going to see someone.”

Yun Xi felt as though she had heard a massive joke. The way she looked at Chi Li became even stranger.

“See someone? I’d believe you were going to see a spirit beast more than that. Who else is at my Pill Peak besides…”

Toward the end, Yun Xi’s drunkenness cleared up significantly. She seemed to remember something and whispered with a frown:

“There is a newcomer who should still be there, but there’s no way you’d go to see him, right?”

Chi Li didn’t deny it, making Yun Xi’s gaze even more peculiar.

When the two arrived at the Pill Peak, the entire place seemed to be in a state of chaos. Everyone was scurrying about with worried faces.

When the disciples saw Yun Xi return, it was as if they had seen a savior. However, the moment they rushed over and smelled the alcohol on her, they became even more panicked. They could only turn their pleading gazes toward Chi Li.

“Eldest Senior Sister…”

Chi Li’s expression was indifferent. She spoke:

“She doesn’t have a cauldron in her hand right now.”

Chi Li’s presence and words acted like a sedative for the Pill Peak disciples. They all breathed a sigh of relief and surrounded the two.

“Senior Sister Yun, you’re finally back.”

“Senior Sister Yun, please go take a look. The disciple Immortal Yi Lin recently took in was seriously injured in the Sword Pavilion, and we can’t do anything.”

Hearing their chaotic reports, Yun Xi rubbed her temples.

“I’m not some divine doctor. Does me taking one look at him suddenly make him better?”

Hearing Yun Xi’s words, a strange flicker appeared in Chi Li’s eyes.

In her previous life, after Yun Xi met Mo Fan, she had refined all sorts of high-grade pills just to wake him from what was merely a superficial injury. In contrast, Mu Zhi, who was truly seriously injured, was left with only Chi Li to care for her.

In this life, Chi Li had called Yun Xi away early to wait at her place, preventing Yun Xi from coming into contact with Mo Fan. Since she hadn’t been influenced by him yet, she naturally didn’t have a good attitude toward him.

Pill cultivators were proud. Though they could heal, they didn’t necessarily subscribe to the philosophy of saving everyone, they were more inclined to follow their own whims.

Therefore, Yun Xi’s current words reflected her true attitude.

When Yun Xi was drunk, her temper was notoriously bad throughout the sect. Thus, after hearing her words, the disciples immediately shrank back like quails, looking at each other, none willing to provoke her further.

However, an unknown pressure suddenly weighed down on the Pill Peak, causing everyone’s hearts to flutter.

The familiar aura made Chi Li narrow her eyes as she looked in a certain direction.

“Is Master losing her temper?” Chi Li asked calmly.

The disciples nodded like chicks pecking at grain.

“Yes.”

Immortal Yi Lin was usually most gentle and refined. Even though this behavior was abnormal, no one felt there was a problem with it.

Thinking of this, Chi Li’s expression turned cold. The pressure she emitted seemed to challenge the other.

Yun Xi looked at Chi Li. Seeing that she didn’t have much of a reaction as if she had known all along, made her curious.

But Yun Xi’s head was a bit dizzy, and she couldn’t temporarily figure out why Chi Li was acting this way. Seeing the miserable expressions of the disciples, she felt annoyed and waved her hand.

“Fine, I’ll go take a look.”

The Peak Master of the Pill Peak had been in seclusion for a long time with no signs of coming out. With the disciples at their wits’ end, they could only pin their hopes on Yun Xi.

Then, Yun Xi turned to Chi Li.

“You’re coming too, right?”

Chi Li nodded without hesitation. Without waiting for Yun Xi to recover, she headed straight in a certain direction.

The fact that the disciples didn’t stop her proved that Chi Li was going the right way.

Yun Xi hurried to catch up, frowning.

“Hey, wait for me! How do you know the way?”

Chi Li slowed her pace slightly to let Yun Xi catch up. After considering for a moment, she gave a reason that sounded logical but was actually quite eerie.

“My Master originally came to find your Master for treatment. But since your Master is in seclusion, she could only settle for the next best thing: you. Since you don’t like people near your residence, the place arranged for him should be near your quarters.”

Listening to Chi Li’s serious analysis, Yun Xi dazed for a moment, sensing a hint of “the more one tries to hide, the more one reveals.”

Yun Xi stared at Chi Li for a long time, speaking in disbelief:

“Chi Li, you’ve been really off since you came back. You’re actually explaining things like this to me now.”

As longtime friends, Yun Xi’s intuition was frighteningly accurate. Moreover, this was the second time today she had said this, meaning her suspicions were growing.

“Are you… really Chi Li?”