Transmigration! The System Wants Me to Pursue the Abstinent Senior Sister - Chapter 18

Compensation though it was something quite tempting.

Luo Yunhuan truly had no face to accept it. The reason was simple: the so-called “drowsiness-inducing green tea” incident was entirely orchestrated by the system. To push her senior sister into a pit and then take compensation from her was simply inhuman!

But if she didn’t accept it, it would seem like she was trying to cover something up. Moreover, this was a great opportunity to deepen her relationship with her senior sister she absolutely couldn’t let it slip away.

After a moment of contemplation, Luo Yunhuan revealed a smile, like clusters of winter jasmine blooming in spring, their buds swaying in the wind with an almost ingratiating charm.

“I don’t want any compensation. I recall that in a few days, the sect will hold a flower-viewing gathering. I just want you to accompany me, Senior Sister. That way, everyone will know that I’m under your protection, and no one will dare to bully me.”

Although she felt it might not be appropriate to flaunt her connection like this, it wasn’t a form of compensation she couldn’t accept.

Qin Yiqiu nodded in agreement.

“Is that all? You have no other requests, Junior Sister?”

She really is easy to please.

The air fell into a brief silence. Luo Yunhuan shook her head she truly had no other demands. Being too greedy would only breed resentment.

“Very well, then.”

Qin Yiqiu agreed and reached out to take the tea canister, still intent on investigating the matter. But as expected, even after using a truth-compelling spell on the tea roaster, all the person revealed were mundane and tedious details of daily life.

There wasn’t the slightest hint of suspicion, nor any connections to other individuals.

The tea roaster’s memories had been erased. The enforcement team escorted the person back to their quarters and returned to find the senior sister staring grimly at the tea canister.

“Senior Sister, there’s nothing wrong with this tea. The Spring Breeze Hall has inspected it again.”

A member of the enforcement team scratched the back of his head, unable to understand why the senior sister was so fixated on an ordinary canister of tea.

The tea leaves were of decent quality, but for someone of the senior sister’s status, they should only be barely passable.

What they didn’t know was that the reason for Qin Yiqiu’s grim expression was this: if the tea was not the problem, then it meant she herself had stirred mortal desires!

She hadn’t been influenced at all yesterday. It was her own shameful turmoil upon seeing her junior sister in that state that had led her to the brink of qi deviation.

Her fingers tightened around the tea canister as if she could see the red thread coiling around her little finger, winding round and round.

Her master had once said that tribulations could only be overcome by oneself. If outsiders interfered, the Dao Heart of the Path of Emotionlessness might become unstable.

In the main courtyard of the central peak, Qin Yiqiu knelt before the statue of the sect founder, her expression troubled.

Closing her eyes, she confessed her sins in her heart.

“Why are you kneeling here in punishment today?”

A familiar voice sounded. Qin Yiqiu turned her head to see her master, who was dressed in a dark robe embroidered with golden lotuses at the hem. With each step he took, it was as if he were gliding across a lotus-blossoming lake.

“Master, your disciple has erred.”

Qin Yiqiu clenched her fists tightly, her knuckles cracking audibly.

“Yiqiu, you have always been the most diligent and hardworking, far surpassing those two unruly junior disciples. How could you have erred?”

The man took a long incense stick from nearby, lit it, and bowed reverently to offer it to the sect founder.

“I should not have stirred mortal desires for a woman.”

Qin Yiqiu bit her lip, as if feeling this was a deeply shameful matter.

The man narrowed his eyes with a smile, resembling a benevolent smiling tiger. He hadn’t expected his disciple to confess so quickly, truly worthy of all these years of devoted upbringing, willing to share everything with her master.

“Good disciple, cultivating the Path of Emotionlessness doesn’t mean completely severing the seven emotions and six desires inherent to being human.”

“This is your trial of love.”

“Go and adapt to her properly. You don’t need to harm that girl you only need to cut the thread of affection. If you can’t do it, your master will help you.”

Qin Yiqiu looked up at the man.

“Aren’t you afraid of being tainted by my karma, Master?”

“Why should I be afraid?”

“From the moment I carried you back to the mountain sect, I was already bound to your karma. A little more won’t matter. I’ve reached the limit of my cultivation in this lifetime you are the future of our sect.”

Qin Yiqiu’s face still showed some hesitation, but the earlier anguish had faded.

“Won’t this hurt her?”

“No, it will only break her heart.”

Qin Yiqiu didn’t know how to face this, yet she understood that once the red thread of fate connected two people, there was no way to erase it.

The only path was to sever the bond of affection. But her master said she must undergo this trial of love to strengthen her Emotionless Art meaning he wouldn’t immediately help her cut the red thread.

Should she deceive such a person?

Qin Yiqiu closed her eyes, and Luo Yunhuan’s image filled her mind.

She didn’t know.

But time didn’t permit further contemplation. Several days passed swiftly, and Qin Yiqiu remained kneeling in the ancestral hall. Until she resolved her thoughts, she wouldn’t take the next step.

Yet the day of their flower-viewing appointment had arrived.

Qin Yiqiu rose from the meditation cushion. This was something she owed her junior sister no matter what, she had to find a way to make amends. As for the punishment of kneeling in reflection, she would consider it another day.

The flower-viewing day was particularly special. Legend had it that the founding ancestor of Yunjian Mountain Sect was not only a genius swordsman who achieved immortality but also a passionate lover of flowers.

Thus, he decreed that a flower-viewing gathering be held every five years. Although the ancestor would have preferred annual celebrations, for cultivators, one year was like a mere month to mortals.

Hence, it was set at five-year intervals.

On this day, Yunjian Mountain Sect opened its gates to most other sects, so patrols were intensified. However, Qin Yiqiu wasn’t responsible for external sect patrols.

Her duty was maintaining discipline within the sect.

Therefore, today was a day for proper rest. The flower-viewing gathering featured various flower species, including peonies planted by the founding ancestor himself.

The millennia-old peonies had long gained sentience, though they usually remained in a deep slumber.

Luo Yunhuan had been waiting outside the courtyard since early morning. Many of the little flowers she had planted had formed buds, though they hadn’t bloomed yet. But it didn’t matter today she could go admire more vibrant, fully bloomed flowers.

[Strolling hand in hand excellent, excellent! This will surely increase the favorability points! Plus, with the outfit you’re wearing today, Host, you’re bound to make the target’s heart flutter!]

The darn system had been quiet for several days, seemingly afraid of Luo Yunhuan’s relentless, machine-gun-like complaints after it had forcibly logged off previously.

Now it suddenly popped up out of nowhere.

Luo Yunhuan jumped in surprise.

Though reluctant to admit it, the strategy devised by the damn system had miraculously succeeded. Not only had she gained two points of conquest value, but she also secured an outing opportunity with the senior sister.

The only lingering concern was whether the tea caddy would be investigated.

Luo Yunhuan still felt a slight unease in her heart.

[Don’t worry, Host. The magic potions produced by our headquarters are 100% reliable.]

As if sensing Luo Yunhuan’s thoughts, the system explained nonchalantly. Luo Yunhuan, however, shot it a glare.

“If you keep reading my mind, I’ll tear your mouth apart!”