Training the Villain to Become a Big Sister Obsessed - Chapter 56

The deep dragon roar was clearly audible even to Lan Shanjun inside the swarm of Red-Winged Ants.

A beam of light seemed to descend from the heavens, and the Fire Dragon burst into view. The swarm of Red-Winged Ants instantly collapsed, and countless fiery corpses of the ants dripped down amidst the flames.

The dragon’s head was majestic and extremely imposing. Lan Shanjun’s vision suddenly halted her breath.

The Fire Dragon swam through the air, its target clearly aiming for Lan Shanjun’s side. Although it was wreathed in flames, and even its flesh was composed of fierce fire, when the dragon’s head brushed past her head, Lan Shanjun felt no heat whatsoever.

The dragon’s body circled Lan Shanjun again and again, and its tail even hooked around her ankle.

As the flames finally dissipated, the Fire Dragon reluctantly nudged the woman’s forehead with its chin.

Lan Shanjun’s eyes trembled; she hadn’t grasped what was happening when a figure abruptly entered her field of vision.

Cang Wu arrived, riding her sword through the gap that had been broken open. Backlit by the light, her silhouette intertwined with the illumination; for an instant, Lan Shanjun had the illusion that she was the beam of light.

“Senior Sister,” Cang Wu’s voice carried concern.

Just as Lan Shanjun was about to say she was fine, Cang Wu had already reached out and embraced her, resting her head on her shoulder, her crossed arms tightly circling her waist.

Ling Guang and the others who rushed over afterward consciously circled around the pair, first checking on the condition of Zhao Chen and the others.

Xiao Jiu and Mo Huaisheng had depleted spiritual power, but Zhao Chen promptly administered medicinal pills to replenish them. Furthermore, Cang Wu’s sword strike was fast and fierce, so the Red-Winged Ants hadn’t had time to attack them.

“Huaisheng,” Xiao Jiu stood up and reached out to Mo Huaisheng, who was sitting cross-legged.

There was no immediate response. Xiao Jiu saw that Mo Huaisheng was staring blankly in a certain direction. Following her gaze, the sight passed over the embracing Lan Shanjun and Cang Wu and landed on the beam of light.

She smiled, bent down, and lightly patted her shoulder: “Still spacing out? We can leave now.”

Mo Huaisheng snapped back to attention, made a couple of acknowledgments, and rose with Xiao Jiu’s assistance.

“Are their relations that close?” she asked, seemingly casually.

Xiao Jiu considered it: “Shouldn’t senior and junior sisters be close?”

Mo Huaisheng lowered her gaze: “But…”

Xiao Jiu didn’t hear clearly: “What?”

Mo Huaisheng smiled at her and shook her head: “Nothing. Let’s go.”

The swarm of Red-Winged Ants had already disintegrated, but they still hadn’t given up harassing this group. The remaining ants regrouped, but this time they failed to form an egg shape. A Red-Winged Ant three people high slowly revealed its limbs, then its complete body, and finally its head and antennae.

Lan Shanjun gently pushed Cang Wu with her hand.

“That’s enough.”

Cang Wu hummed in response and let go, but very naturally reached out to hold her Senior Sister’s hand, her fingertips quickly slipping between her fingers.

Their fingers interlocked.

Lan Shanjun’s body instantly stiffened. She looked at Cang Wu in surprise, with a trace of unnaturalness in her eyes.

Their relationship was no longer simply that of senior and junior sisters.

The giant Red-Winged Ant formed, controlled by the Ant King of the swarm.

Lan Shanjun took the opportunity to abruptly pull her hand away from Cang Wu, advanced two steps using her wind manipulation, and squeezed herself next to Ling Guang.

Ling Guang was surprised to see her, then glanced back—Cang Wu was staring blankly at the hand that had been shaken off.

Ling Guang moved closer to Lan Shanjun and whispered: “Lan Shan, Cang Wu seems sad.”

Lan Shanjun’s fingertips twitched. She pursed her lips and spoke after a long pause: “She is young and cannot distinguish emotions. I must, at least, maintain some propriety.”

Ling Guang nodded and said no more, sighing inwardly for Cang Wu.

“The Four Directions are divided across the Eight Realms of the Four Seas, yet we are still within the territory of Qingyun Academy.”

The Ant King raised its forelimbs, pointing at Ling Guang, Xiao Jiu, and Zhao Chen, finally resting its point on Cang Wu.

“You have bullied demons too much! I shall report this to Dean Xuan!”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jiu was displeased. Her Limitless Staff sprang out and spun around her wrist before pointing directly at the Ant King’s location.

“Who is bullying whom? Just now, you were trying to kill us.”

The Ant King snorted angrily: “That was because she destroyed our Clan’s Divine Tree first!”

It turned its forelimb and pointed at Mu Fu’an.

Mu Fu’an waved her hands and shook her head in denial of everything.

“I didn’t! I only plucked some Heart-Burning Grass.”

“You say she destroyed the Divine Tree. Where is your proof?” Lan Shanjun reached out and placed a hand on Mu Fu’an’s shoulder, applying slight pressure to calm her down.

Feeling the strength, Mu Fu’an’s rapid breathing slowly eased.

Cang Wu, standing slightly behind, moved her eyes to the hand resting on the shoulder.

“Proof? Her spiritual robe is covered in the scent of Bodhi Vine—that is the proof!” As the Ant King spoke, the giant Red-Winged Ant let out an enraged monstrous roar.

Mo Huaisheng’s short flute spun in her palm, absorbing that roar entirely before returning a flute sound that nearly scattered the formation of the giant Red-Winged Ant.

The swarm had just suffered a heavy blow and did not possess its previous imposing aura, but this move by Mo Huaisheng truly seemed fueled by lingering anger.

Even Xiao Jiu could tell that this move used up most of her spiritual power. She leaned slightly closer, covering her mouth to whisper: “Don’t use up all your energy; be careful you don’t fall.”

They were still suspended in mid-air.

Mo Huaisheng kept one hand behind her back, took a deep breath to suppress her emotions, and then returned to her usual demeanor.

She placed an arm over Xiao Jiu’s shoulder and smiled: “When you are bullied, of course, you must vent your frustration.”

Xiao Jiu was momentarily stunned, then nodded vigorously in agreement.

After the minor interlude, Zhao Chen brought out the piece of sleeve she had cut earlier: “The Divine Tree you speak of should be the Bodhi Tree, and the Bodhi Vine scent remaining on Mu Fu’an’s robe is from a long time ago—at least before she entered Qingyun Academy. I recall there is more than one place in the Eight Realms of the Four Seas that grows Bodhi Trees.”

“But the Bodhi Tree was indeed destroyed!” The Ant King’s emotion did not calm down because of Zhao Chen’s words. It spoke for the millions of Red-Winged Ants: “The Bodhi Tree and the Bodhi Vine were burned to ashes together! The roots of the Bodhi Tree still bear traces of talismans. If it wasn’t her, who else could it be!”

Mu Fu’an’s lower lip turned white from being bitten. She probably knew who it was.

Seeing her appearance of suppressed restraint, it was hard not to think of that person.

“Was it Mu Liu?” Lan Shanjun asked softly.

Given how Mu Liu usually bullied Mu Fu’an, if she had asked Mu Fu’an for a fire talisman, Mu Fu’an would not have refused to give it.

Mu Fu’an nodded.

“You have the wrong person; the one who set the fire wasn’t her,” Ling Guang pouted. “The debt must be paid by the debtor; you should go find that mean-spirited Mu Liu.”

The Ant King snorted coldly: “We’ll believe you if you say so, but where is the evidence?”

Lan Shanjun: “…”

This sounded awfully familiar, but they truly had no evidence in hand; ultimately, this was just a guess based on following the flow.

However, this guess was almost certainly correct.

Zhao Chen: “The Bodhi Tree has a peculiar fragrance that lingers for half a month once it adheres to something.”

Based on this, they could find the true person who burned the tree.

Ling Guang was surprised: “Zhao Chen, you know so much?”

Zhao Chen smiled: “It was Ye Sheng who read it to me.”

Since she could not see, she was curious about everything in the Eight Realms of the Four Seas. While she couldn’t go out in the Black Tortoise Hall (Xuanwu Dian), Ye Sheng would find various leisure books unrelated to cultivation to read to her.

Ling Guang suddenly remembered this matter and quietly apologized. Zhao Chen shook her head, unconcerned.

“Since we are within Qingyun Academy’s territory, perhaps we should let Dean Xuan preside over justice,” Zhao Chen continued. “We can help you find the person who actually burned the Bodhi Tree.”

The Ant King was silent for a moment and then agreed.

If the situation remained deadlocked, it would only be detrimental to the Red-Winged Ants. With Dean Xuan guarding the Qingyun Academy, the Ant King wasn’t afraid they would run away.

Furthermore, several Young Hall Masters were present; if the ants ran, the halls they represented couldn’t escape accountability.

The Ant King did not linger; it gathered its swarm and headed towards Qingyun Academy.

“Let’s go too.”

Lan Shanjun was a beat slow and indeed saw Mu Fu’an still standing with her head bowed in place.

She stood two steps away from Mu Fu’an, her voice carried by the wind to the other’s ear.

“This time, Mu Liu didn’t just harm you alone. Do you want to take the blame?”

Mu Fu’an suddenly looked up: “No… I didn’t mean to…”

Lan Shanjun turned her head: “Sometimes, oppression comes not only from the other party but also from the self who once could have resisted but was powerless to do so.”

Mu Fu’an’s body instantly stiffened.

It was her repeated tolerance and yielding that led to Mu Liu’s escalating behavior.

In the beginning, Mu Liu’s bullying wasn’t too excessive; she would just hide her paper and brush, or perhaps put insects whose poison had been removed into her bed. Slowly, the bullying became more severe, until now, wishing her dead.

She hated Mu Liu, and this hatred grew deeper and deeper.

A mix of gratitude and resentment.

Following them to find Mu Liu, Mu Fu’an’s thoughts were chaotic.

This time, Mu Liu had caused major trouble.

While they were away, no classes were scheduled, but everyone else remaining in Qingyun Academy had lessons, including Mu Liu.

“Hey, why aren’t you two in the Academy?” Xiao Jiu’s eyes snapped open, and her finger pointed at Mo Huaisheng and Mu Fu’an. “Oh oh oh! Skipping class! I must tell Elder Xue and get extra credit for myself.”

Mo Huaisheng: “…”

Mu Fu’an was still lost in thought and didn’t react.

“Lan Shan, look how wicked this person is,” Ling Guang laughed cheerfully as she pulled Lan Shanjun aside to talk.

Amidst their banter, the group arrived at a study hall. Unlike other parts of Qingyun Academy, this study hall was not formed by cloud illusion but was actually constructed of agarwood, suspended in mid-air by spiritual power, running day and night—no need to think about it; this must be Dean Xuan’s doing. Besides her, who else possessed such ability?

The plaque above the study hall door read three large characters: “Cloud-Dream Marsh (Yun-Meng-Ze).”

The Elder in charge of Yun-Meng-Ze’s curriculum was surnamed Yu. Rumor had it she was very strict—the kind who would make you sit up straight just by looking at you.

They hadn’t yet crossed paths with this Elder Yu.

Xiao Jiu opened the door. Her laughter hadn’t quite faded when the door, which had only been ajar, snapped shut the next instant. Xiao Jiu was directly thrown out by a surge of spiritual power.

Fortunately, Song Qingcheng reacted quickly, laying a Teleportation Formation  on her, preventing her from falling from the clouds.

“Unauthorized entry into Yun-Meng-Ze incurs Eight Hundred Heart Sutras (a type of penalty).”

The cold voice landed in everyone’s ears, as if dipped in cold water.

“Who is Xue Fuyou’s group, and what business do you have here?”

Lan Shanjun peered over curiously. Standing outside the main gate of Yun-Meng-Ze was a person clad in plain robes, with faint features and an air of oppressive sharpness in her eyes.

This look was somewhat reminiscent of the Dean of Discipline she had seen back in school.

Lan Shanjun shivered slightly, deepening her impression of this Elder Yu.

“Elder Yu, we are looking for someone,” Zhao Chen performed a courtesy bow.

“Her name is Mu Liu.”

Elder Yu said coldly: “Yun-Meng-Ze has a regulation: three days without exit. The person you seek entered three days ago. Wait until tomorrow.”

“What if… she isn’t inside?” Ling Guang’s voice grew softer until she was clutching Song Qingcheng’s sleeve tightly.

Elder Yu’s aura suddenly lowered: “As long as I am here, no one is leaving.”

Saying this, Mu Liu had been inside Yun-Meng-Ze for the entire three days. Had they suspected the wrong person?

Lan Shanjun suddenly remembered something—

Wait. Mu Fu’an had said that Mu Liu gave her the spiritual robe that morning.

But there was no reason for Elder Yu to lie to them.

Could there be two Mu Lius existing simultaneously?