The Cold, Aloof Senior Sister Deserves To Be Paired With A Peerless Beauty - Chapter 49

Today, she admitted she was her kin.

That voice, accompanied by the biting cold wind, reached the ears of everyone present. The overwhelming sense of pressure it brought made people shiver uncontrollably.

However, this pressure pointedly avoided one person. Mu Zhi felt no strain; instead, she felt an extraordinary sense of peace from the aura of the voice’s owner.

At that moment, the hem of a cyan robe caught Mu Zhi’s eye. She felt someone stand behind her. In that brief second of proximity, the warmth of the other person radiated through the fabric of their clothes. For some reason, Mu Zhi felt a surge of reliance, like a bullied child who had finally waited long enough for the protector whom everyone feared to arrive. She subconsciously lowered her guard and leaned in.

The newcomer reached out, shielding Mu Zhi from the others, while their other hand grasped Mu Zhi’s arm, leading her a step back.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

Chi Li’s eyes lowered slightly, looking at the person shielded in her arms.

Hearing this, Mu Zhi suddenly snapped back to her senses. She leaned into the other’s embrace and spoke in a low whisper.

“Senior Sister…”

Her voice was tiny, so quiet that even Chi Li almost missed it but the tone carried an extreme sense of grievance that made one’s heart ache.

The words she had just heard replayed in Chi Li’s mind. The chill in her eyes deepened, yet she continued to suppress her turbulent spiritual energy, her gaze coldly sweeping over the people in front of her.

They stood by Mo Fan’s side. Meanwhile, before her arrival, Mu Zhi had stood entirely alone.

Even if she killed them until only a few remained, it clearly wouldn’t stop them from siding with Mo Fan. Thinking of this, a dark, chilling emotion flashed deep within Chi Li’s eyes.

The others finally managed to open their eyes against the piercing wind, but a single glance from those icy eyes made them feel as if they had fallen into an ice hole, filled with dread.

Mo Fan’s body wouldn’t stop trembling. He plucked up the courage to steal a glance upward, only to meet Chi Li’s frigid stare. It felt like sinking into a quagmire, fear and despair spread instantly.

Chi Li’s lips thinned into a straight line. Her expression carried an endless chill, and her pressure loomed over them, making it hard to breathe. Her voice was cold and sharp, like a blade ruthlessly piercing through their veil of shame.

“I said it long ago. Junior Brother Mo seems to have a poor memory, and I have very little patience. But I will repeat it one last time. Mu Zhi does not need your protection.”

She emphasized the last sentence, ensuring everyone present heard it clearly. Mo Fan’s face shifted through various expressions before turning as black as the bottom of a pot.

Seeing that they didn’t dare look at her, Chi Li let out a cold sneer and spoke again.

“There is no need for you to take advantage of my absence to bully a young girl. Added together, your ages are enough to make you ancestors, yet you haven’t learned to watch your mouths.”

As Chi Li spoke, her gaze swept over them, terrifying and as deep as an abyss. Those who had intended to step forward to mediate froze in their tracks.

“You only need to remember one thing. Mu Zhi is a disciple under Immortal Venerable Shangling, and I, Chi Li, am personally looking after her. From the moment she left home for the Cangqing Sect, I am her kin.”

“If she is ever wronged like this again, do not blame me for favoring my own over logic, especially since you have no logic on your side.”

Hearing Chi Li’s words, Mu Zhi was stunned for a moment. She turned her head blankly to look at her. Beneath that icy expression was an absolute, unconditional bias toward her.

In an instant, the grievances she had just suffered welled up in her heart. Her eyes grew moist as she murmured, “Senior Sister…”

Chi Li took the opportunity to pull her closer into her arms. Though her expression remained stern, her voice softened with comfort when she spoke to Mu Zhi.

“I’m here. Don’t be afraid.”

Chi Li’s words were brief, but they gave Mu Zhi a complete sense of security.

Mu Zhi suddenly grabbed Chi Li’s hand, gripping it tightly as if afraid she would run away. When Chi Li looked down, she met Mu Zhi’s tear-filled eyes, which also held a hint of dissatisfaction.

Almost instantly, Chi Li knew exactly what the other was angry about.

Chi Li’s imposing aura from scolding the others weakened. She guiltily averted her gaze, which only made Mu Zhi more upset.

Mu Zhi thought for a moment, but in the end, she didn’t lose her temper with Chi Li. Instead, she shot a glance at the ungrateful group standing there and spoke impatiently.

“Get lost, all of you. Can’t you see my Eldest Senior Sister is angry?”

As Mu Zhi said the word “angry,” she directed a glare at Chi Li.

Without waiting for them to leave, Mu Zhi pulled Chi Li away first. Chi Li followed behind her, allowing herself to be led without a hint of annoyance, in fact, she followed “obediently.”

Once they returned to the courtyard of their residence, Mu Zhi stopped, but she didn’t let go of Chi Li’s hand.

The surroundings were silent. Even the birds, usually noisy during the day, were as quiet as if they had vanished.

Chi Li could tell Mu Zhi was angry. She pursed her lips and spoke tentatively.

“Mu Zhi, I didn’t mean to…”

Before Chi Li could finish, Mu Zhi interrupted her. It wasn’t a reproach, but a question filled with displeasure and confusion.

“If there’s something Senior Sister wants, why can’t I just have someone do it? Why must Senior Sister take such risks?”

Chi Li was momentarily stunned. she had expected Mu Zhi to drag her back and blame her for not keeping her promise, but she hadn’t expected Mu Zhi to say this.

For some reason, staring into Mu Zhi’s worried eyes, an unknown emotion surged in her heart, spreading to her limbs. It wasn’t painful, but she found it hard to describe what kind of feeling it was.

Seeing that Chi Li hadn’t answered for a long time, Mu Zhi’s brow furrowed slightly, wondering if she had been too harsh. Just as Mu Zhi’s expression softened, she heard Chi Li’s apologetic voice.

“It was my lack of consideration. I overlooked your feelings. It won’t happen again.”

Hearing this, Mu Zhi curled her lip and tightened her grip on Chi Li’s hand, speaking seriously.

“Senior Sister, I don’t want your apology.”

Chi Li frowned, a flash of confusion in her eyes. “What do you want? I’ll give it to you as compensation.”

“For you to not get hurt.”

“What?”

Mu Zhi’s expression was earnest as she repeated word for word, “I want you to not get hurt.”

“I know that as the Eldest Senior Sister of the Cangqing Sect, you have many things to do, so I can’t stop you from doing dangerous things. But the only thing I can demand is that you don’t get injured.”

Mu Zhi’s words fell into Chi Li’s ears alongside the rustling of nearby leaves. That last sentence was like a stone tossed into a lake, sending ripples through her heart.

Chi Li’s expression shifted. In the dim moonlight, she gazed at the person before her. Those words lingered in her mind, moving her for a long time.

She opened her mouth to say something, but found her throat dry. It wasn’t the usual feeling of being controlled and unable to speak, she simply realized she didn’t know what to say at this moment.

After a good while, Chi Li found her voice, but she only managed a single word.

“Mhm.”

The sound was extremely soft, but it held more weight than any previous promise.

Mu Zhi was close enough to hear it clearly. The smile returned to her face as if the person from a moment ago hadn’t been her at all.

Then, remembering something, Mu Zhi placed a green jade flute on the stone table. The moonlight made it glow faintly, and its powerful aura was impossible to ignore.

“Senior Sister found this just to give it to me?”

Chi Li glanced at the item on the table and said thoughtfully, “To be precise, I went in to have someone send it.”

Hearing this, Mu Zhi’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Who?”

Mu Zhi had guessed that Chi Li entered the secret realm for the flute, but she hadn’t expected Chi Li to know “someone” inside.

Chi Li didn’t intend to hide anything from Mu Zhi. “The Master of the Secret Realm.”

Mu Zhi’s frown deepened. “The one who caused heavy losses to the immortal sects?”

Chi Li shook her head. After a moment of thought, she confessed, “I was the one who did it.”

A flash of surprise crossed Mu Zhi’s eyes, but she quickly returned to normal. After thinking for a long time, she asked hesitantly, “Senior Sister, do you hate them?”

Mu Zhi didn’t ask why Chi Li did it, she chose a different way to inquire.

Memories of the accusations from the various immortal sects surfaced in Chi Li’s mind. Her hand beneath her sleeve clenched involuntarily.

“Yes.”

As soon as she spoke, the person in front of her hugged her, not with much force, just a gentle embrace.

Chi Li looked down slightly, seeing only the hairpin in the other’s hair, making it impossible to tell if Mu Zhi feared the current her.

“They must be like the people of the Jijian Sect, doing shameful things that displeased Senior Sister.”

Chi Li hadn’t expected Mu Zhi to trust her so implicitly, standing by her side without even demanding a reason.

Her thoughts returned to the present. A faint smile touched the corners of her mouth, and her eyes softened as she returned the embrace.

After being framed and doubted, those people had come to the water dungeon, nearly causing her to succumb to their schemes and fall into a qi deviation. Even though she had endured, she couldn’t escape their verbal condemnations, which turned her years of cultivation into a joke.

“Yes, they deserve to die,” Chi Li said softly, her voice devoid of extra emotion.

As she finished, Chi Li noticed dark clouds gathering in the distance, with muffled thunder rolling within them.

Chi Li’s eyes darkened. She immediately stuffed the flute into Mu Zhi’s hands, her expression turning serious and her voice sharp.

“Your Golden Core lightning tribulation is here. Take this and get inside.”

Mu Zhi frowned, but she didn’t argue and entered the room. “Senior Sister, what are you going to do?”

Chi Li walked up to her, gave her a smile, reached out to take the sachet from her waist, and answered simply:

“Refine pills.”

Watching Chi Li take the sachet, the words Chi Li had said when she first gave it to her flashed through Mu Zhi’s mind.

Sensing Mu Zhi’s worry, Chi Li comforted her. “Be good. I’ll come find you in a bit.”

Without waiting for a response, Chi Li personally closed the door.

Once the door was shut, the warmth in Chi Li’s eyes vanished, replaced by a biting chill. She looked up at the distance.

A powerful, sharp aura was approaching the barrier. The ground beneath her feet trembled, suggesting the impending lightning tribulation was anything but ordinary.

She had sabotaged the arrangements of the Heavenly Dao time and time again. Even though Mu Zhi was currently unharmed, this tribulation carried the Dao’s wrath and would be no small matter.

And what she was about to do now was likewise an act that defied the Heavens.