The Cold, Aloof Senior Sister Deserves To Be Paired With A Peerless Beauty - Chapter 9

Did you kidnap her back to live with you today?

The two Immortal Venerables in the hall seemed to have no intention of leaving. However, seeing Chi Li about to take Mu Zhi and depart, leaving Mo Fan standing there alone, his presence felt like an eyesore between them.

Seeing that no one was paying him any attention, Mo Fan spoke up in a panic.

“Master, I… where shall I stay?”

Immortal Venerable Yilin glanced at the awkward Mo Fan standing to the side and called out to stop the departing Chi Li.

“Chi Li.”

Chi Li paused. She already knew why she was being called back, but she turned around anyway, her head lowered to hide her indifferent emotions. Her voice remained calm.

“Master, are there further instructions?”

Yilin had taught Chi Li for many years and considered herself the person who knew her best, second only to Chi Li’s parents. Yet, at this moment, she noticed a cold detachment in Chi Li’s eyes. A strange sense of unfamiliarity washed over her, but looking closer, she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what had changed.

After staring at Chi Li for a long while, Yilin remained puzzled but chose not to ask. Instead, she commanded:

“Go and arrange the living quarters for the two of them.”

It was an ordinary request. As the Eldest Senior Sister of the sect, it was only natural for her to handle such matters.

Upon hearing Yilin’s words, Mo Fan looked at Chi Li, his eyes filled with expectation and a certain possessive affection.

Affection…

Most people in the sect held Chi Li in awe and respect. For a newly entered disciple to so brazenly display his “affection” was nothing short of an insult.

Chi Li frowned, finding his gaze nauseating.

She had seen such looks in her previous life, but back then, influenced by the Heavenly Dao, she hadn’t noticed. Now, seeing it clearly, she could barely suppress her killing intent.

Beside her, Mu Zhi noticed Chi Li’s shift in mood. Following her gaze to Mo Fan and seeing the naked emotion in his eyes, Mu Zhi’s brow furrowed sharply. She gripped Chi Li’s arm tightly and leaned in to whisper something in her ear.

Feeling the warm breath against her neck, Chi Li didn’t catch every word Mu Zhi said, but it was enough to help her regain control.

“Eldest Senior Sister…”

Mo Fan began to speak, but before he could finish, he was cut off by Chi Li’s cold voice. She didn’t grant him a single glance.

“Master, Mu Zhi will stay with me. As for the person you brought back, please find someone else to make arrangements. This is not within my scope of responsibility.”

Surprised by Chi Li’s forceful refusal, Immortal Venerable Yilin was stunned for a moment, her gaze turning inquisitive and confused.

At this time, Immortal Venerable Shangling also sensed Chi Li’s resistance. Rather than asking why, she stepped in to smooth things over.

“This is indeed inappropriate. I will have someone else arrange his lodgings.”

Yilin didn’t dwell on the topic but frowned as she spoke to Chi Li.

“Chi Li, come find me tonight.”

Though her voice remained soft, it carried an undeniable weight of authority.

Chi Li bowed, accepted the command, and left with Mu Zhi.

This time, Chi Li took Mu Zhi away via sword-flight, moving quickly as if afraid of being stopped again.

For years, as the direct disciple of Immortal Venerable Yilin, Chi Li had lived alone in a place protected by wards, so few people ever visited her residence.

Now that Mu Zhi was here, Chi Li didn’t even think twice before placing her in the room right next to her own.

As for the necessary supplies, she had already used a transmission jade talisman to have Yun Xi prepare everything.

Cloud-woven silk quilts, misty-gauze curtains, a dressing table made of thousand-year-old spirit wood, and calming talismans, it was as if Chi Li had plundered the finest goods in the immortal sect just to decorate a room for Mu Zhi.

In her previous life, Chi Li feared that Mu Zhi, having been pampered from childhood, would struggle to adapt to the Cangqing Sect, so she had arranged everything according to the standards Mu Zhi was used to.

The current setup wasn’t much different from the last life, so Chi Li didn’t feel anything was amiss.

Mu Zhi’s eyes lit up the moment she entered the room. Although it was much smaller than where she used to live, the layout and decorations were identical to her former home. It was clear how much heart had gone into this.

Thinking of this, Mu Zhi’s gaze toward Chi Li grew more intense, hiding a different kind of emotion beneath the surface.

Mu Zhi affectionately hugged Chi Li’s arm, her smile bright and radiant.

“Thank you, Senior Sister, for preparing so much. I really love it.”

Chi Li’s expression softened slightly. “Go see if anything else is unsuitable. If the bed feels strange, we can go to the Mu household and bring your original bed here.”

Mu Zhi was deeply touched by Chi Li’s meticulous care. She laughed, “I’m not picky about beds. This layout is already wonderful.”

Then, as if to prove it, she let go of Chi Li’s arm and dove into the soft bed. Chi Li watched with a doting, helpless gaze as Mu Zhi rolled around in the blankets, her hair becoming a messy nest.

Suddenly, Mu Zhi seemed to remember something. Lying on the soft mattress, she looked up with confusion.

“Senior Sister, I feel like that man Immortal Venerable Yilin brought back looks very familiar.”

At the mention of him, a sliver of frost appeared in the depths of Chi Li’s eyes. Out of consideration for Mu Zhi, she suppressed it, but her voice couldn’t help but turn cold.

“You have indeed seen him. Do you remember the beggar you wanted to give porridge to before?”

Mu Zhi frowned, thinking carefully for a moment. Then, the dirty face of that beggar began to overlap with the face of the Mo Fan she saw today.

Realizing who Mo Fan was, shock filled her eyes.

“How is it him?”

Her tone was full of displeasure; she clearly hadn’t forgotten the feeling of being “possessed” when she insisted on feeding him.

“Why would Immortal Venerable Yilin bring him back?”

Chi Li looked out the window. The sunset was a brilliant crimson, like a layer of vivid paint or a fire burning at the edge of the sky.

“Master…”

Chi Li paused, searching for the right words.

“Though she is an Immortal Venerable, her eyes have been clouded for certain reasons. I do not know if she can still truly see.”

Before Mo Fan appeared, Yilin was a gentle beauty. After taking Chi Li as a disciple, she had taught her with care, and Chi Li rarely saw her angry.

But Mo Fan’s appearance had changed her. Even though Chi Li had reached a high cultivation level and had no reason to envy Mo Fan, her once doting Master had coldly stripped Chi Li of her immortal bone simply because Mo Fan needed it.

Mu Zhi sensitively perceived the change in Chi Li’s emotions. She looked up into those beautiful eyes that seemed to hide ice blades, feeling a sense of helplessness at being unable to soothe her pain. It made Mu Zhi feel strangely panicked.

“Senior Sister… Eldest Senior Sister…”

Mu Zhi called out softly a few times, but Chi Li didn’t snap out of it.

Suddenly, Chi Li felt a weight on her shoulder. The faint floral scent that always clung to Mu Zhi wafted to her nose. She heard Mu Zhi’s voice…soft, but filled with a firm, steady resolve that hid her own nervousness.

“Senior Sister won’t become like that. My Senior Sister is the best.”

If, as Chi Li said, one could be blinded by Mo Fan, then Mu Zhi hoped that Chi Li’s gaze would always remain fixed on her.

“I… I won’t.”

Chi Li’s voice was slightly dry, but it was incredibly reassuring.

After saying this, Chi Li placed her hand on Mu Zhi’s head and left it there for a long time, ignoring whether the gesture was too intimate.

It wasn’t until the distant “fire” of the sunset died out, replaced by a starry night sky and a cool breeze, that Chi Li finally moved.

“Rest well. I’ll be back soon.”

Chi Li tucked Mu Zhi in. As she leaned down, she blew out the flickering candlelight.

Mu Zhi closed her eyes, her hand unconsciously clutching the corner of the quilt, a hint of unease lingering.

The calming talisman in the room swayed in the breeze, emitting a faint, shimmering glow.

Arriving at the peak where Immortal Venerable Yilin resided, Chi Li followed her memories to the entrance of the cave dwelling.

The cool night wind brushed against her plain white robes, making her tall, slender figure seem somewhat lonely. Yet her back remained straight, carrying an innate pride.

“Chi Li.”

The voice from within the cave was as gentle as ever, making it impossible to read any emotion. The lingering echo sounded like a faint sigh.

Chi Li kept her eyes down and knelt on the ground, but her spine remained unyielding, betraying a hint of stubbornness.

“Master.”

“Did you know beforehand that I would bring Mo Fan back?”

Chi Li had no intention of hiding it. “I knew.”

Her answer confused the person inside.

“How could you know? I don’t recall teaching you the art of divination.”

There seemed to be another person in the cave. After Yilin spoke, a very soft laugh followed, tinged with helplessness.

“I didn’t teach her either. Don’t glare at me.”

Chi Li recognized the other voice as Immortal Venerable Shangling but wasn’t surprised, she was used to this.

“Reporting to Master, no one taught me. It was merely a guess.”

“Then your guess was very accurate,” Yilin said, her tone difficult to decipher.

She then seemed to remember something and asked, “In the hall earlier, I felt a killing intent from you directed at Mo Fan. Why?”

A flicker of darkness passed through Chi Li’s eyes, but she answered firmly, “Reporting to Master, there was no such thing.”

Yilin didn’t press the matter further. She simply sighed.

“He is now your Junior Brother. As the Eldest Senior Sister of the sect, you ought to take more care of him.”

“Master, I see that he has neither broken arms nor legs,” Chi Li replied.

Yilin was stunned. Beside her, Shangling laughed and spoke up.

“Yilin, what little Chi Li means is that since this Mo Fan is a perfectly whole person, it won’t do to have a busy person like her looking after him. Besides, if we go by that logic, there are so many disciples in the sect, must she personally look after every new arrival?”

The old Yilin would have understood this naturally. But the current Yilin had spent the most time with Mo Fan; she was more influenced by him than others and had forgotten the logic Shangling just pointed out.

Yilin rubbed her temples, speaking with some exhaustion, “You may leave now.”

Chi Li accepted the order and turned to leave. She faintly heard a worried voice from inside the cave.

“Why have you suddenly started having headaches?”

Chi Li’s footsteps paused, her thoughts unreadable.

She still remembered that in her previous life, Yilin had often complained of headaches.

As an Immortal Venerable who had reached such a high state of cultivation, she should have long been immune to ordinary ailments.

Yet, ever since Mo Fan appeared, her headaches had become more frequent.

Chi Li thought that Yilin must have resisted at some point, but as the primary “booster” for Mo Fan, she had no choice.

She pondered for a moment, looking into the distance, though her eyes seemed to see nothing.

“Master, the destiny you’ve calculated might not be trustworthy.”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but in the silent peak, it reached the ears of the two Immortal Venerables perfectly.

The cryptic words left them deep in thought.