The Cold, Aloof Senior Sister Deserves To Be Paired With A Peerless Beauty - Chapter 25

She saw a row of pastries today.

The thick scent of blood and rust in the air gradually mingled with a hint of decay. The sudden, howling cold wind shrieked like a ghost, turning the cluttered study into something resembling a desolate tomb or a pit of the dead, carrying an eerie uncanniness.

A clawing aura surged forward, feeling as though countless slimy hands were clinging to one’s body, intent on dragging them down into the depths of hell.

The vines all around quietly receded, as if they had never nearly strangled anyone to death. The remaining pool of blood on the floor looked like nothing more than evidence of someone’s self-mutilation.

Chi Li remained in a high and mighty posture. The breeze from outside the window fluttered the light veil, allowing the person before her to see the cold indifference and a trace of loathing in the depths of her eyes.

Seeing this, Huang Jin’s body stiffened involuntarily. By the time she wanted to confirm it again, the other’s face was once more tightly concealed by the veil, leaving only blurred and indistinguishable features. It was as if that trace of loathing had merely been a sensitive delusion.

Huang Jin stared at the person before her, suddenly snapping back to reality. The candlelight burning on the desk reflected in her gloomy eyes, making even the warm halo of light seem cold and sinister.

She spoke, seemingly to herself, her hoarse voice laced with unwillingness and resentment.

“Why…”

The candlelight fell upon Chi Li, making her appear as if draped in a soft, pale halo like a compassionate deity looking down upon all living beings, yet not bestowing grace upon the person in front of her.

Huang Jin’s gaze toward Chi Li’s silhouette grew increasingly cold, the madness deep in her eyes not immediately receding.

Seemingly remembering Steward Zhang’s reminder and wary of the fact that the other was from the Cangqing Sect, Huang Jin twitched the corners of her mouth. She tried to offer a polite smile, but it looked more sinister, as if she wanted to tear the person before her to shreds.

Loathing…

Huang Jin wanted to laugh out loud, but her parched throat felt as if it had been torn, making her voice sound strange and piercing.

“An Immortal Master of the Cangqing Sect?”

Her tone carried skepticism as her gaze swept over the other.

Before Chi Li could answer, Huang Jin’s eyes sank instantly, like a deep, dead sea, bringing a terrifying aura of death.

Why?

Why did she have the right to loathe her?

She was the City Lord now, who had the right to loathe her?!

Coldness welled up in the depths of Chi Li’s eyes. Her gaze was scrutinizing, as if she could see right through a person.

This person was far crazier than the one she had encountered in her previous life…

But perhaps, in her previous life, by the time she arrived here, the other had already learned to restrain herself.

Feeling the anger in the other’s eyes, Chi Li loosened her grip, allowing the hand covered in strangle marks to fling her own hand away.

Huang Jin rose slowly. The pallor from excessive blood loss made her look even thinner and more fragile. When she spoke now, her voice carried a hint of feigned politeness.

“My apologies for making the Immortal Master come all this way for nothing. We have already invited people from the Yueming Sect to investigate, there is no need to trouble the Immortal Master.”

Faced with this explicit rejection, Chi Li’s expression remained unchanged. Her voice was flat, yet it carried an inexplicable sense of authority.

“The Yueming Sect was founded less than a century ago, while my Cangqing Sect has stood in this world for over a thousand years.”

Looking at it this way, the fact that the other party point-blank refused the active help of a major sect was extremely suspicious no matter how one looked at it.

How could Huang Jin not know this? A dark emotion flashed in her eyes, and her face took on a distant coldness as she refused once more.

“Precisely because the Cangqing Sect’s affairs are so busy, a mere small city does not dare to trouble you.”

Chi Li shook her head, her tone carrying firmness and a hint of concern that made it difficult to refuse.

“Eliminating demons and defending the Way is the duty of those in the immortal sects. Having heard of the strange occurrences in this city, how could my Cangqing Sect sit idly by?”

Hearing Chi Li’s words, Huang Jin understood that the other would certainly not give up on the purpose of this trip.

Huang Jin’s brows furrowed deeply. After a moment of thought, she stopped playing the polite part and shifted to an expression of disgust, speaking coldly.

“We don’t need the ‘kindness’ of the immortal sects.”

These words contradicted her previous statement. By the time she realized it, her face paled for a moment, but she forced herself to continue the charade.

Without waiting for Chi Li to speak, Huang Jin’s face took on a mocking expression. She paced a few steps in front of Chi Li, looking at her with disdain as if she were a joke, making her previous words sound as if the immortal sects had done some great wrong to the city. She began her accusation:

“Wave after wave of people have come, yet not a single one could figure it out. The immortal sects once fought over the spirit mines of Huang City, but now that the city is in trouble, none of you can solve anything.”

Faced with this interrogation, a hidden depth appeared in Chi Li’s eyes. She knew better than anyone that the immortal sects had indeed failed the people of the city but the true cause was this woman’s own handiwork.

Huang Jin wanted to use these words to make Chi Li feel embarrassed and force her to retreat, but Chi Li was determined to achieve her goal. She had to obtain it, she didn’t want to let it fall into the hands of others. Even if Mu Zhi didn’t end up using it, she could hide it or destroy it.

As far as she knew, there was only one such stalk, and there would never be a second chance for another to grow.

The Heavens wanted her Junior Sister to risk her life to cross the lightning tribulation, it only proved that her Junior Sister had the ability and the willpower.

But Mo Fan insisted on cleansing his marrow at that time just to let others see the Junior Sister’s generosity and her “regard” for him by risking her life to fetch the medicine.

For matters both public and private, the reborn Chi Li had only selfish motives.

Chi Li’s expression remained calm and composed. She did not back down in the slightest due to the other’s words. Her gaze, fixed on the woman, held a deep meaning, and her tone was certain.

“You need it.”

Even if you don’t want it, you need it…

Seeing that Chi Li’s tone had turned forceful, Huang Jin’s face darkened. She crossed her arms with interest and spoke.

“Since the Immortal Master of the Cangqing Sect is so persistent, further refusal would make it seem as though my Huang City lacks sincerity and does not care for its citizens. In that case, the Immortal Master shall investigate alongside the Yueming Sect, who arrive tomorrow.”

The candlelight flickered, blown by the wind, making Huang Jin’s expression appear ghastly and terrifying as she spoke again.

“You must take a good look and see exactly what kind of monster is harming the people of my city.”

In the drawn-out tail of her voice, there was a hint of contempt.

Chi Li ignored it, nodding and deliberately putting on a confident front as she spoke.

“I have already found some clues. I will be able to clear this up within a few days.”

Hearing this, Huang Jin’s clenched hands tightened involuntarily. She looked at the other’s expression beneath the veil and then spoke hesitantly.

“You found them?”

In her voice, there was a panic she was trying desperately to cover.

Chi Li feigned an arrogant tone.

“Naturally.”

As Chi Li’s voice fell, the candle on the stand was extinguished by a gust of dark wind. An uncontrollable, eerie aura rushed toward her, only to completely retract just before it reached her.

Huang Jin’s lips twitched, her expression becoming bizarre. With a fake smile that didn’t reach her eyes, she said:

“It is good that the Immortal Master can find them, to restore peace to my Huang City.”

Hearing the grit in the other’s voice, the arrogance Chi Li had feigned appeared genuine even through the veil and the darkness.

A sudden movement at the door caused Huang Jin to look over with a fierce gaze, her tone full of displeasure.

“What is it?”

Steward Zhang’s voice came from outside, respectful in tone.

“City Lord, old servant wishes to ask the Immortal Master if a guest room needs to be prepared?”

Huang Jin’s gaze fell upon Chi Li once more, looking at her mysterious attire that suggested she didn’t want her identity known, wondering what she was thinking.

“Then I shall arrange a place for the Immortal Master to stay.”

“No need.”

As Chi Li spoke, she produced a black-gold jade token from somewhere.

The unique color scheme caused Huang Jin’s expression to shift slightly, before her eyes landed on the character “Mu” carved on the token.

To be associated with the Mu family meant that even immortal sects had to be somewhat wary, and ordinary families had to be ten times as cautious.

“This…”

Chi Li did not wait for the other to see the token clearly in the dim study before putting it away again. Then, she spoke in a calm voice.

“I will stay at the Mu family estate.”

The Mu family’s business spanned everywhere. Although Huang City was remote, it had spirit mines, and the Mu family held stakes there too. Back during the struggle for resources, the Mu family had long ago sold the best spirit mine exclusively to the Cangqing Sect, leaving the rest to be carved up by other sects.

But Chi Li dared to brazenly show the Mu family token without letting the other see it clearly.

Because there was more than one person in the immortal sects who possessed a Mu family token, but only the one in her hand was meticulously crafted by Mu Zhi. It wasn’t vastly different from the others, but there were subtle nuances.

By not letting the other see it clearly, she was misleading them so they wouldn’t know exactly which person from the Cangqing Sect she was.

“The Mu family?”

Huang Jin spoke, her gaze becoming scrutinizing. She took note of the other’s “guilty” speed in hiding the token. The slight differences she caught on the jade token made her begin to doubt.

“Yes, the Mu family.”

Chi Li’s voice now carried a deliberate emphasis, which increased the other’s suspicion by another degree.

Chi Li watched the doubt in the other’s eyes, knowing full well that she now suspected the token was stolen or a fake because of those slight differences.

Sure enough, Huang Jin’s expression turned strange, and her gaze as she looked at Chi Li gained a few more hints of mockery.

But the fact that the other was not staying in the manor was the best outcome for her.

“In that case, I won’t insist on keeping the Immortal Master here.”

Chi Li nodded, then opened the study door and glanced at Steward Zhang, who had been eavesdropping the entire time.

Seeing Chi Li, Steward Zhang immediately plastered on a fawning smile and said respectfully:

“I shall see the Immortal Master out.”

“No need to trouble yourself,” Chi Li said.

As Chi Li’s figure gradually receded, the two people one inside and one outside the study exchanged dark glances, both flashing looks of ruthlessness.

“She went to that place,” Steward Zhang spoke coldly.

Hearing his words, Huang Jin’s hanging hands clenched tightly, as if she were enduring something. The wounds that had recently scabbed over split open again, and thick, crimson blood dripped down, blooming like momentary, gaudy flowers on the floor.

“Hiding her head and showing her tail… she must have heard some rumors. She’s just a show-off eager to claim credit and gain recognition. Looking at her, she’s likely just an outer disciple who stole a Mu family token. Since that’s the case, death is but death.”

Her breezy tone made one overlook the venom within.

Meanwhile, having arrived at the Mu estate, Chi Li was respectfully invited inside by the estate’s steward.

However, Chi Li stood at the entrance for a moment, not in a hurry to enter.

Only after she set up an illusion spell did she nod to the steward and say:

“Thank you.”

To those outside the formation, however, they still saw an arrogant figure whose every gesture was haughty, and whose action of showing the jade token was suspiciously fast.

The Mu estate steward knew nothing of this and spoke respectfully to Chi Li:

“The Young Mistress has already given her orders. The Immortal Master may stay here in peace. If you have any requirements, simply speak up, and we shall carry them out.”

Chi Li then scanned the surroundings, seeing that the place had clearly been meticulously prepared for her arrival.

At that moment, two rows of maidservants approached, each carrying various pastries in their hands.

The seemingly endless line of people made Chi Li fall silent for a moment.

One didn’t need to guess to know that this was also Mu Zhi’s doing.

The steward spoke, answering Chi Li’s internal question:

“This was specifically ordered by the Young Mistress. She said you love sweets, so she specifically instructed me to buy a portion of every pastry in the city for you to try.”

Chi Li rubbed her temples, feeling a bit of a headache. After a long while, she spoke with a touch of helplessness:

“Send them to the room.”

As her words fell, the steward instructed the two rows of people to take the items into the room.

After walking for a bit, Chi Li seemed to remember something and said:

“During my time here, have everyone in the estate leave including you.”

Hearing Chi Li’s words, though the steward was somewhat confused, he still respectfully replied:

“Very well, I shall go and make the arrangements.”