The Cold And Aloof Senior Sister Keeps Flirting With Me - Chapter 54

It was afternoon, the sun still hanging high overhead.

The air already carried hints of summer heat, anyone who had been hiking for a while would certainly be thirsty.

At the foot of Luoyun Mountain.

A small parasol stand stood alone.

It was a simple tea stall meant to provide drinks for thirsty hikers.

“According to the information, the Immortal Spirit Body should be somewhere in Baiyun Mountain…”

A man sat at the table, expressionless as he looked into the distance. “Why isn’t she here yet?”

The tall, thin man beside him said, “Just wait a little longer. She might show up soon.”

At first glance, the two men looked no different from normal people.

But a closer look would reveal their vacant eyes and faint bluish hue on their skin.

They were both water ghosts from the Luoyun River.

Water ghosts dwelled around rivers.

Any mortal killed by a water ghost would become a water ghost as well.

To reincarnate, they needed to wait for their next target.

Only by killing that person could they be released.

Moreover, in the cultivation world, fate had bestowed upon water ghosts a sort of reward system.

If a water ghost managed to bind the soul of a cultivator with high cultivation, they could register in the Netherworld and be granted a good next life.

If luck was on their side, they might even reincarnate into one of the Four Great Immortal Clans.

Steam rose from the tea bowls on the table.

But if they only captured the souls of ordinary people, they could still reincarnate perhaps as a pig or a dog. There was no guarantee.

The man clenched his fists, a shadow flickering across his eyes.
“She is our hope for reincarnation. We must succeed today!”

Yan Jue steered the donkey cart and finally arrived at the mountain foot.

The sun still shone bright and scorching overhead.

Dressed in vibrant red, wearing a bamboo hat and narrow sleeves, Yan Jue swayed lightly atop the donkey, holding the whip.

The heat had made her dizzy. She felt parched. From the corner of her eye, she spotted a small tea stall.

Yan Jue blinked and turned. “Shall we get some tea?”

Qi Xianqing, face hidden beneath the veil of her “Breath Hiding Canopy,” glanced over.
“Alright.”

The donkey cart stopped before the tea shed.

A man in coarse linen stepped out with a big, ingratiating smile. “Ladies, would you like some tea?”

Qi Xianqing silently looked at him.

Yan Jue smiled.
“Two cups, please.”

The man nodded repeatedly, hurried into the shed, and soon came back with steaming tea.
“Young ladies, this tea is high-quality leaves brought in from Jiangnan just days ago! Fragrant and refreshing!”

Yan Jue stared at the man’s face and froze slightly.

Because she was a fox demon, her senses were sharper than a human’s.

The man looked normal but she vaguely sensed wisps of black qi rising from his face.

He was no ordinary person. Yan Jue immediately grew alert.

Just then, another tall, thin man came out carrying another bowl of tea.

He held it out to Qi Xianqing. Seeing her unmoving, he grew anxious and lifted the tea higher—as if he might press it directly to her lips.
“Lady, you must be thirsty. Please drink…”

If the Immortal Spirit Body drank this tea, her soul would separate from her body.

Then with a gentle tug of his soul hooking chain

Hahaha, that flower like beauty’s soul would be his.

In his next life, he would surely be born into a good family… Maybe even…

The tall man’s eyes burned with frantic excitement. Seeing Qi Xianqing lower her eyelashes slightly as if preparing to drink the man’s hands trembled uncontrollably.

In an instant a flash of sword qi.

The man’s eyes widened. His whole person no, his whole ghostly body was sliced into four pieces!

Thick black qi whirled in the air.

The stout man shouted, “What are you”

Before he finished, another streak of azure sword qi swept across.
He dissolved into nothing mid-sentence.

Yan Jue stared blankly at the now-empty stall.

“W–what…”

She slowly turned. Qi Xianqing stood there gripping her sword, her aura icy and lethal.

“What were they?”

Qi Xianqing lifted the tea bowl and poured its contents onto the ground.
“This is Soul Luring Grass. If you drink it, water ghosts can hook away your soul.”

Yan Jue could hardly believe her ears.

Even though she had lived in this novel world for some time, encountering such things still felt surreal.

Qi Xianqing continued, “This place is dangerous. Let’s go.”

The sun was still blazing. Sweat beaded on Yan Jue’s forehead; her throat felt like it was burning.

She glanced at Qi Xianqing. The latter’s eyes were half-closed, her snow-white cheeks faintly flushed by the heat.

On the way, Qi Xianqing explained water ghosts.

In this world, water ghosts were not the kind that lurked by rivers grabbing people’s ankles.

Every water ghost possessed one basic ability, Soul Hooking.

If you came across a suspicious looking tea stall in the wild, you must never drink anything.

It might be soul hooking tea.

They returned to the donkey cart.

Yan Jue gathered her breath and began asking Qi Xianqing about formations.

A few days ago in the Suyang Immortal Estate, Qi Xianqing breaking the barrier with a coin had been unbearably cool.

Yan Jue had read about trigrams and arrays back on Five Dragons Mountain, but had never practiced them.

Yan Jue said, “Senior Sister, I’ve already learned the Spirit Communing Technique.”

Qi Xianqing replied, “Mm.”

Yan Jue: “…What does ‘mm’ mean?”

Qi Xianqing narrowed her eyes slightly, voice soft with a faint smile. “That’s good.”

Yan Jue: “…”

Certain that Qi Xianqing completely misunderstood her intent, she said blankly, “Shouldn’t you teach me something new then?”

Qi Xianqing asked, “What do you want to learn?”

Yan Jue froze.

How rare.

Qi Xianqing wasn’t giving her a thousand excuses.

Yan Jue said, “I want to learn formations from you.”

The sun was dazzling. She forced her eyes open, staring at Qi Xianqing without blinking.

Qi Xianqing noticed her flushed cheeks and sweaty forehead.
“Stop talking. We’ll discuss it at the inn.”

Yan Jue blinked.

Qi Xianqing then took out a handkerchief and offered it.

Yan Jue muttered, “Is it… appropriate for us to use the same handkerchief…”

She suddenly remembered they had already shared one in the Suyang Estate.

Qi Xianqing’s faint gaze drifted over. Yan Jue hurriedly wiped her sweat with her sleeve instead, feeling strangely flustered.

Qi Xianqing lowered her eyes, an inexplicable displeasure arising a cave dwelling was one thing.

Inside a cave, closeness was unavoidable, leading to a feeling of mutual dependence.

But outside was outside.

Was Qi Xianqing… worried about her? Yan Jue frowned. Impossible. It must be an excuse to avoid teaching her.

They hadn’t walked far from the first stall before spotting another tea stand.

Yan Jue said, “There can’t possibly be two groups of water ghosts in one area. Let’s check it out?”

The probability was indeed low.

Qi Xianqing nodded slightly, and they walked over.

As they approached, a man in his thirties came out carrying a bowl of tea, smiling obsequiously at Qi Xianqing:
“Lady, have a cup”

Before he could finish, a wave of sword qi surged.

Reflected in his pupils was a massive half-arc of azure sword light.

He didn’t even get to scream. His body turned to dust.

The tea bowl shattered on the ground.

“…”

Qi Xianqing sheathed her sword with a frown. “Another water ghost.”

Cold sweat trickled down Yan Jue’s back.

Qi Xianqing truly had zero mercy toward ghosts.

Yan Jue wondered.
If Qi Xianqing ever swung her sword at a little fox, what would happen…?

Staring at the fading ghost, Yan Jue frowned.
“Why are there so many water ghosts here? Isn’t the Luoyun River the only river nearby?”

Qi Xianqing also looked puzzled.

They continued walking and discovered another tea stall.

Yan Jue stared at it under the scorching sun, feeling increasingly uneasy.

Qi Xianqing touched her sword and headed forward.

Before they reached the stall, a woman strode out.

She looked around twenty-something, dressed in a light yellow embroidered dress, smiling with relief as if she had waited endlessly for guests.

She said brightly, “Honored guests, would you like a cup of tea?”

Again, Yan Jue saw thick black qi swirling around her face.

Yan Jue glanced at Qi Xianqing and waited for the swift execution.

But Qi Xianqing did not draw her sword.

She walked straight inside.

The tea seller smiled. “What kind of tea would you like? We have fresh Snow Sprout from Jiangnan, Spring Knowing from the North, and if you want something unique, we even have Immortal Dew from the Eastern Luan Terrace.”

Qi Xianqing stood with her snow-white floral robe, black sword at her waist. Through the veil, her clear, dark peach blossom eyes met the woman’s.
“Spring Knowing from the North.”

“Right away,” the woman said briskly.

Yan Jue frowned.

Perhaps because she was nervous, the black qi around the woman grew denser…

The tea seller quickly brought the tea.

Qi Xianqing suddenly asked,
“Madam, did someone send you here today?”

CLANG!
The woman stiffened, face instantly darkening.
“Esteemed guest… I don’t understand what you mean…”

“You don’t?” Qi Xianqing glanced at the tea, stood, and slowly drew her sword.
“I can help you escape this suffering.”

Her sword, Candle Shadow, shimmered with faint cyan light.

At the Fusion Realm mid-stage, her presence alone was terrifying and as a sword cultivator, her spirit pressure was even more intense.

Lightning like energy began spreading.

Lightning naturally restrained evil. The water ghost paled dramatically, as if submerged in icy thunder.

She bit her lip, fingers trembling around the cup.
“Immortal… I truly do not know what you’re referring to…”

The pressure in the air spiked!

The tea bowl shattered. The woman collapsed to her knees.
“Immortal Lord, spare me… I only heard rumors that the rare Immortal Spirit Body would pass through Luoyun Mountain today. After ten years as a water ghost, I only wished to try for a better reincarnation…”

Qi Xianqing sheathed her blade.
“Who spread the rumor?”

She frowned slightly.

Her descent from the sect should have been known only to the Steward Pavilion.

As an Immortal Spirit Body, if her whereabouts leaked to ghosts and demons, her mission would become extremely troublesome.

The woman trembled.
“It came from among the water ghosts… I don’t know exactly who…”

Qi Xianqing said,
“Murder must be repaid. The yin energy on your body is heavy. Even if you reincarnate into a good family, karma will follow you. You should stop doing such things.”

The woman lowered her head.
“I don’t wish to… but as a ghost for so long, wandering the underworld… I have no choice…”

Qi Xianqing looked at her calmly.
“I can cleanse the evil qi from your body.”

Ghosts naturally accumulated evil qi.

If it grew too thick, it corroded their very soul.

A soul had consciousness the po did not.

Once the soul was consumed, only the unconscious po remained.

Then the ghost would become a mindless wandering wraith.

Thus ghosts needed periodic cleansing to stay sane.

The woman froze then trembled with overwhelming emotion.
“Please… please purify me. I will be eternally grateful!”

Yan Jue blinked.

Qi Xianqing took out something from her storage pouch and placed a radiant Spirit Transforming Pearl on the table.

Light expanded, enveloping the woman.

She knelt inside the glow, closing her eyes.

Then Yan Jue watched as the woman smiled serenely—
and slowly dissolved into air.

Yan Jue said, “Weren’t you cleansing her evil qi? Why did you…”
…directly transcend her into the next life?

Then she understood.

Water ghosts could not kill themselves. Nor did most have the courage to seek out cultivators for purification.

Their only path was to kill others to earn reincarnation.

But harming others tormented their own souls as well.

Better to help them reincarnate directly.

Qi Xianqing… truly had a seven-aperture exquisite heart.

But…

Yan Jue couldn’t help grumbling inwardly.

She sure is gentle with female ghosts…

Earlier, she annihilated those male water ghosts in one slash each.

Yan Jue stared at Qi Xianqing in a daze.

Suddenly, it occurred to her she had never seen any man close to Qi Xianqing in the sect…

A ridiculous thought popped into her mind.

Could it be… Qi Xianqing likes women?!