What Should I Do When My Junior Sister Loves Me Too Much? - Chapter 3

Entering the inner sect was no easy feat.

Apart from the small number of outer sect cultivators who held no hope of succeeding, most outer sect disciples had already set their sights on the upcoming trial and were studying and training diligently.

To them, advancing from the outer sect to the inner sect was like leaping over the Dragon Gate. Once they crossed that threshold, they would transform from fish into dragons.

“That way of thinking is still far too naive.”

Bai Xi lay beneath a tree, chewing on a piece of candy as she mumbled, “Very few disciples who advance from the outer sect to the inner sect are ever accepted as personal disciples.”

Those whose talents were exceptional enough to catch the attention of the elders, peak masters, or even the Sect Leader would have been taken in on the very day they joined the sect. Why would anyone wait until now?

Even if there were exceptions, they were pitifully rare. According to the information Bai Xi had gathered, there had only been a handful over the past several hundred years.

“Of course, becoming an ordinary inner sect disciple is still wonderful!” Bai Xi clenched her fist and declared encouragingly, “Zhu Xiaoyou, my dear sister from another mother and father, you’re going to succeed!”

Her voice brimmed with passion, as though Zhu You were about to step onto the trial’s martial arts platform at any moment.

Zhu You was concentrating wholeheartedly on practicing the basic sword techniques taught to outer sect disciples by the Shuanghan Sect.

After completing a full sequence of sword moves, she asked curiously, “Bai Xi, why don’t you want to enter the inner sect?”

“Huh? You’re actually asking me something like that?”

Bai Xi sat up from the ground, a smile appearing on her face as she answered matter-of-factly, “Obviously… because I don’t want to get beaten up!”

“You have no idea how desperately those people are fighting to enter the inner sect. This trial only takes place once every ten years, and disciples who haven’t reached Foundation Establishment by the age of thirty permanently lose their chance to enter the inner sect.

“Those senior sisters and brothers in their twenties who’ve already spent several years, or even more than a decade, in the outer sect? Their obsession with entering the inner sect—whew!”

Bai Xi spread her arms wide, stretching them as far apart as she could. “It’s practically deeper than the sect’s Duhu Lake!”

“Just think about it. How far do you think they’re willing to go? If anyone stands in their way, won’t they just knock them down with a single punch?”

Bai Xi dramatically covered her face. “I still have to go home and inherit the family business. Who wants to risk their life fighting those people?”

Zhu You remembered Bai Xi once mentioning that her family ran a small business in the territory under the Shuanghan Sect’s jurisdiction. The fact that she had managed to join the Shuanghan Sect and obtain the title of a sect disciple already made her family more than happy. They would not demand anything further from her.

Perhaps it was the outgoing personality cultivated by her family’s business, but Bai Xi had become quite the social butterfly in the outer sect. Whenever there was the slightest bit of gossip, she knew all about it.

She could even get her hands on some news from the inner sect.

Zhu You was amused by her explanation and asked, “Then why aren’t you trying to talk me out of it? What if those senior sisters and brothers throw a sack over my head and beat me up?”

“Oh, my dear little sister.” Bai Xi grinned. “I was just about to tell you about that.”

She rubbed her hands together. “I’ve already investigated everything for you. Right now, there are five senior sisters and brothers in the outer sect who are widely recognized as serious contenders for the available inner sect positions.”

Bai Xi began counting on her fingers, going through them one by one for Zhu You. “First, Senior Brother Zhang Yun. Twenty-seven years old, late-stage Qi Refining, and a sword user.

“Second, Senior Brother Liu Jia. Twenty-eight years old, late-stage Qi Refining, a body cultivator who also knows how to wield a saber.

“Next is Senior Sister Ye Qi. Late-stage Qi Refining, a sword cultivator, twenty-three years old.

“Then there’s Senior Sister Su Qing, who’s already skilled enough to teach us classes. She’s twenty-seven, and she’s even obtained her natal magical artifact!”

“And last but certainly not least,” Bai Xi emphasized, “there’s Senior Sister Xu Zhizhi, the person every cultivator planning to participate in this trial wants to avoid. She’s only twenty-two, yet she’s already on the verge of breaking through to Foundation Establishment! The other disciples all say she’s someone who was accidentally left behind in the outer sect and is finally about to return to the inner sect where she belongs.”

“And you, my dear friend Zhu Xiaoyou, have only been in the sect for a year and a half, even if we count every last day.” Bai Xi spoke frankly. “Reaching the middle stage of Qi Refining in that time is already quite impressive, but… compared to those senior sisters I just mentioned, aren’t you…”

She pressed her index fingers together and gave a sheepish laugh before mercilessly finishing, “Not even close to being a threat? Who would bother throwing a sack over your head?”

Naturally, Zhu You was not angry upon hearing this.

It was nothing but the truth.

In her previous life, when she participated in this trial, she had been just as underestimated as she was now.

Her eventual seventh-place finish had already taken a considerable number of people by surprise.

Nevertheless, Zhu You frowned slightly.

This time, she had a reason why she absolutely had to enter the inner sect.

So, faced with these senior sisters and brothers who stood before her like formidable obstacles, what could she do to overcome the disparity in their cultivation realms?

Bai Xi got up from the ground and patted Zhu You’s shoulder. “Relax, Zhu Xiaoyou. You’ll definitely make it into the inner sect at the next trial. You’re just a little short on time for this one.”

“I am a little short on time.” Zhu You nodded. The furrow between her brows relaxed as she sheathed her sword.

“Hey, you!” Bai Xi looked horrified. “Don’t tell me I’ve crushed your confidence! Why have you stopped practicing your sword?”

Zhu You smiled. “Have you forgotten? I still need to draw one hundred Mind-Clearing Talismans. There aren’t many days left until our next talisman class.”

Drawing talismans was genuinely quite difficult for people like them, whose spiritual energy was limited.

Even though the Mind-Clearing Talisman was considered one of the basic talismans.

Zhu You thought that when she handed these talismans to Senior Sister Yu at their next class, she should be able to exchange a few words with her.

Although they could hardly be considered acquainted at present, and there was no possibility of discussing the matters weighing so heavily on Zhu You’s heart.

But… for now, simply seeing Senior Sister Yu alive was enough to let her relax for a little while.

It proved that there was still time to change everything.

There was still hope!

“All right, let’s head back. I’ll be staying up late drawing talismans tonight. I’ll try to keep quiet so I don’t disturb you.”

As Zhu You spoke, she strapped her sword to her back and headed toward their little residence.

“It doesn’t matter how much noise you make.” Bai Xi followed her, utterly unconcerned. “Once I’m asleep, nobody can wake me up until I’ve had enough sleep.”

Suddenly, she caught sight of Zhu You suppressing a little laugh. “Hey! What are you laughing at?”

Bai Xi grew indignant. “Is the way I sleep really that funny?”

“It’s not that it’s funny. I just wanted to add something.” Zhu You said with a perfectly serious expression, “Even when a certain Senior Sister Bai has had enough sleep, she’s still incredibly difficult to wake up.”

Because of this habit of hers, Zhu You had been delayed and ended up late several times.

Bai Xi knew she was in the wrong and could hardly argue. Grumbling, she pounced on Zhu You. “You ungrateful little junior sister! I’ve been working myself to the bone gathering information for you, and you actually have the nerve to make fun of me!”

Working herself to the bone was a bit of an exaggeration, but Bai Xi really had put in a great deal of effort.

Of course Zhu You knew that, and warmth welled up in her heart.

In her previous life, Bai Xi had returned home at the age of twenty at her family’s request. Later, she had expanded their business to other places.

In that life, the two of them had already gone several years without seeing each other.

That was a good thing. At the very least, Bai Xi had escaped the calamity.

Now that she had been given another chance, Zhu You cherished the time she could spend with this good friend even more.

The two of them returned to their little residence, half playfully bickering along the way.

Zhu You put her sword away. Their room was very small. Apart from the bed and wardrobe, there was only a tiny desk. She sat down and began by grinding the special ink used for drawing talismans.

She was indeed a little short on time.

What she lacked was time to advance her cultivation realm, not experience.

In her previous life, Zhu You had already cultivated to the Foundation Establishment stage. Whether it came to combat or other forms of experience, she was no less capable than those senior sisters and brothers. Even if she did fall short in some respects, the difference was negligible.

One minor cultivation realm, or perhaps one and a half.

For now, she had ground enough ink. Zhu You set down the inkstick, picked up a small brush, and dipped it into the ink.

You can do this, Zhu You.

She firmly repeated those words to herself.

Zhu You already had a preliminary plan in mind. Since there was a disparity in their cultivation realms, she would have to put extra effort into other areas.

For example, setting up a few little traps for those opponents.

The night gradually deepened, then slowly gave way to dawn.

Zhu You continued drawing and drawing.

Whenever her spiritual energy was depleted, she would meditate to recover it rather than forcing herself to continue by swallowing pills that replenished spiritual energy.

This approach was more beneficial to her cultivation.

Mm-hmm. Of course, it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she was currently far too poor.

Over the course of the entire night, Zhu You managed to draw only eighteen Mind-Clearing Talismans.

If she wanted to produce one hundred of them for the talisman class three days later, she would have to devote every remaining moment of the next few days to drawing talismans, apart from the time spent attending her other classes.

Fortunately, cultivators did not require much sleep. Even someone like her, who was still at the Qi Refining stage, only needed to sleep for roughly a couple of hours a day.

As Zhu You continued drawing talismans without pause, Bai Xi came over to check on her and clicked her tongue in amazement.

“The price of hugging Senior Sister Yu is far too high. I certainly wouldn’t dare hug her.”

“Hey, Zhu Xiaoyou, would you still dare to do it again next time?”

Zhu You was so absorbed in drawing talismans that she did not hear her friend’s incessant chatter.

Bai Xi pursed her lips and muttered to herself, “Judging by how seriously you’re working, I think you could still be brave enough to give her another hug next time.”

—

“Hmph!”

Hua Yingxue was thoroughly displeased. Although she had not personally witnessed that outer sect junior sister hugging Senior Sister Yu, merely learning about the incident afterward had still left her grinding her teeth in anger.

How infuriating! She had clearly been in the outer sect at the time. She had only stepped away for the tiniest little while, and something like this had happened!

The young woman possessed a strikingly beautiful face. Even as she gnashed her teeth in frustration, her elegance remained undiminished. If anything, she looked rather adorable in a different way.

Yu Wanyu had no idea what Hua Yingxue was thinking. She merely regarded her calmly. “What is it?”

She was always composed and indifferent, caring little for anything outside herself. On the rare occasions when she directed her attention toward something, others would feel as though they had been granted an extraordinary honor simply by receiving her notice.

Yu Wanyu was someone who naturally received such treatment.

At least, that was how Hua Yingxue saw it.

Ever since entering the inner sect and becoming acquainted with Yu Wanyu, Hua Yingxue had gone from initially refusing to acknowledge her superiority to regarding the pursuit of Yu Wanyu as the most important mission of her entire life.

As time passed, even someone as slow to realize such things as Hua Yingxue came to understand that her feelings toward Senior Sister Yu had long since changed.

Yet despite being someone who could ordinarily be described as willful and reckless, she was exceptionally cautious whenever she faced Senior Sister Yu, carefully concealing her feelings.

Hua Yingxue could not imagine Senior Sister Yu, who seemed so far removed from the mortal world, ever developing romantic feelings.

She dared not act rashly because she feared that if Senior Sister Yu discovered her feelings, she would come to despise her.

“Senior Sister.” Hua Yingxue suppressed her thoughts and pretended not to care as she said, “Why don’t I teach the next outer sect talisman class in your place? Senior Sister should be preparing to enter seclusion for your breakthrough soon, shouldn’t you?”

She would never have made such a request in the past, because she had always wished she could spend even more time with Yu Wanyu.

Whenever Yu Wanyu went to the outer sect to teach, Hua Yingxue would follow her.

Making this request now was somewhat heartbreaking. The corners of Hua Yingxue’s mouth turned downward.

But Senior Sister must not be sullied by ordinary people, even if she herself remained completely unaware of it.

Besides, Yu Wanyu really was on the verge of a breakthrough. The aura surrounding her already revealed as much.

At a time like this, entering seclusion was the best course of action.

Not to mention that she was advancing from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core. Once she completed this breakthrough, Yu Wanyu would become the youngest cultivator in the history of both the Shuanghan Sect and the entire cultivation world to reach the Golden Core stage.

She was not even nineteen years old yet.

Recently, quite a few elders within the sect had been paying close attention to this matter.

Had they anticipated Yu Wanyu breaking through so early, the elder responsible for assigning teaching duties would never have arranged for her to teach at this time.

“There’s no need.” Yu Wanyu’s tone remained entirely unruffled. “Is there anything else?”

When other people declined someone’s kind offer, they would generally provide a reasonable explanation and might even feel a little guilty about it.

But Yu Wanyu was different. She did not care in the slightest what other people thought.

She almost never offered even a few conciliatory words.

Hua Yingxue had long grown accustomed to this manner of Senior Sister’s. This time, however, she unusually persisted. “Senior Sister’s breakthrough is an important matter. I imagine the elders wouldn’t object. Surely Senior Sister doesn’t consider teaching classes more important?”

As expected of such a responsible senior sister. Even when it came to a task forcibly assigned by the sect, she would still make sure to fulfill it properly.

She waited for Senior Sister’s answer.

Yu Wanyu’s thick, long eyelashes fluttered slightly, as though betraying some emotion. In reality, her face remained as expressionless as ever, and she replied briefly, “The timing doesn’t conflict.”

That was all.

Hua Yingxue’s eyes lit up. As expected of Senior Sister! Such unhurried composure, such an indifferent tone!

This was an event significant enough for her name to spread throughout the cultivation world and leave its mark on history. Yet in Senior Sister’s eyes, neither breaking through nor teaching classes was anything worth making a fuss over. She simply needed to arrange them in order and complete them accordingly.

How, how, how incredible!

This was precisely the kind of senior sister she admired!

Hua Yingxue took a few excited little hops. Clearly, Yu Wanyu could not understand why she had suddenly become so happy.

Seeing Junior Sister Hua immersed in her own emotions, and apparently having nothing further to say, Yu Wanyu quietly departed.

She had not remembered—or rather, she had hardly paid any attention to her upcoming teaching duties.

Now that Hua Yingxue had brought them up, Yu Wanyu recalled that she had punished a junior sister during her previous class.

She had instructed her to draw one hundred Mind-Clearing Talismans.

Remembering that outer sect disciples possessed relatively weak cultivation bases, Yu Wanyu settled the matter in her mind. As long as the junior sister could hand in half of them, that would be sufficient.

Having made this arrangement, she immediately put the matter of teaching aside. It occupied no further space in her thoughts.

But this did not mean Yu Wanyu would treat the task of instructing outer sect disciples carelessly. Rather, for someone like her, doing the job well required very little effort.

Therefore, there was no need to devote much thought to it.

As for the junior sister she had punished, Yu Wanyu had never paid her much attention.

She only remembered that the girl had a pair of rather pitiful-looking eyes.

Mm. And that she was a little strange.

—

Zhu You devoted herself wholeheartedly to drawing Mind-Clearing Talismans. Finally, on the day of talisman class, she managed to finish all of them before the lesson began.

She grabbed her tools and talismans and hurried toward the classroom.

Bai Xi, whom she had woken up that day, had already gone ahead.

When Zhu You arrived, the classroom was bustling with noise, as though she had stepped into a crowded marketplace.

Zhu You found this strange. Why were the disciples behaving so disorderly in class? Although the lesson had not yet begun, her fellow disciples would never have dared to act so recklessly on an ordinary day.

If an instructor from the sect happened to catch them during an inspection, they would be dragged off to the medicinal herb fields to weed and remove pests.

She had only just sat down in her familiar seat

when she heard Bai Xi speak in a tone that made her sound as though she were still dreaming. “Last night, Senior Sister Yu Wanyu formed her Golden Core. The breakthrough was accompanied by a celestial phenomenon, and a rain of exceptionally pure spiritual energy fell throughout the entire night.”

Zhu You remembered this event, although she had forgotten precisely when it had occurred. Hearing about it now, she smiled with genuine happiness. “That’s wonderful news.”

“It is.” Yet Bai Xi pouted, looking terribly upset.

Zhu You was puzzled. “What’s wrong with you?”

“My heart is broken.” Bai Xi clutched her chest. “How is it possible that we learned such wonderful news even later than the other sects? Is that right? Isn’t that outrageous?”

With a smack, she threw down a copy of a miscellaneous gazette. “Look at this! Today’s edition of the official gazette already contains news of Senior Sister Yu’s breakthrough.”

Bai Xi gnashed her teeth. “We’re disciples of the Shuanghan Sect, yet we actually have to read this gazette to find out about it! What an insult to me!”

Zhu You did not particularly care where the news had come from. She comforted her friend, saying, “Perhaps the elders deliberately spread the news themselves to enhance the sect’s prestige.”

“I already guessed that!” Bai Xi still refused to accept it.

Suddenly, she grabbed Zhu You’s hand, her voice more resolute than it had ever been. “Zhu Xiaoyou, I absolutely must help you enter the inner sect!”

Zhu You could practically guess her reasoning, though she found it somewhat ridiculous. She tentatively asked, “For the sake of… getting gossip firsthand?”

“Exactly!” Bai Xi nodded vigorously, attempting to persuade Zhu You like the ringleader of some pyramid scheme. “Think about it, Zhu Xiaoyou! If you were already an inner sect disciple, you would surely have benefited from the spiritual rain that accompanied Senior Sister Yu’s breakthrough. That means you would have known last night that Senior Sister Yu had already formed her Golden Core.

“And the two of us are dear sisters from different mothers and fathers! How could you possibly not tell me such important news?

“Wouldn’t that mean I could have learned about Senior Sister Yu’s breakthrough immediately after it happened, without having to read this stupid, rotten gazette?!”

Bai Xi spoke at a considerable speed, her words drilling into Zhu You’s ears like an inescapable demonic chant.

And somehow, her entire argument possessed its own peculiar logic.

Zhu You’s eyes grew vacant. “Mm, mm, mm…”

While being subjected to this relentless attempt at persuasion, a thought suddenly occurred to her.

Senior Sister Yu had formed her Golden Core last night, so she would certainly need to consolidate her cultivation today.

Then… didn’t that mean Zhu You would not get to see her?

At this thought, Zhu You could not help feeling a wave of disappointment.