Haven't Been a Senior Sister for Many Years - Chapter 24
Chapter 24: Both Enemy and Friend
The Su family had an ancestor who once formed a cultivation partnership with a demon cultivator and bore offspring. Su Yan was a descendant of that line. Inheriting the bl00d of demon cultivators, Su Yan possessed a keener sense of smell than ordinary people—she could detect scents that others couldn’t.
Of course, the demon bl00d didn’t only give her a sharp nose.
A strong physique, a flexible body, and physical skills far superior to others—all of these were innate gifts granted to Su Yan by her heritage.
Chu Zhiqin once jokingly called her nose a dog’s nose, saying she had to sniff everything before letting it go.
Upon seeing Su Yan again, Chu Zhiqin inexplicably recalled the last time they had met.
It was over fifty years ago. At that time, Chu Zhiqin was busy plundering resources from secret realms to fulfill a list assigned by Hua Linglie.
One day, Su Yan happened to enter the same secret realm as Chu Zhiqin. The two young women, who could’ve become close friends, ended up confronting each other like enemies every time they met due to their sects’ historical feud. This time was no exception.
The Yanling Blade and the Wuyou Sword clashed with a resonating hum. Blades and swords danced as the two spiritual weapons grew excited from the battle, and their owners, too, enjoyed the duel—each move executed with full force, offering mutual respect.
During the fight, Su Yan couldn’t help but ask, “Chu Zhiqin, are you crazy? Do you know what people out there are calling you now?”
“I do.”
“Then why—”
Chu Zhiqin interrupted her, “I’m sorry. But I have reasons I can’t ignore.”
Su Yan snapped, “That’s no excuse for recklessly stealing others’ fortunes!”
Chu Zhiqin gave her a deep, distant look. Her grip on the Wuyou Sword tightened, and her strikes turned deadly and relentless.
Soon, the duel that had gone unresolved for years finally reached its conclusion.
The tip of the Wuyou Sword touched Su Yan’s throat. Bright red beads of bl00d spilled forth, soaking the front of her robes.
However, Chu Zhiqin didn’t strike further. She pulled her sword back.
Su Yan wiped the bl00d from her mouth, her eyes burning with an emotion Chu Zhiqin couldn’t understand. “Why didn’t you kill me?”
Wiping the bl00d from her sword, Chu Zhiqin countered, “Why should I? You and I have no personal grudge. If there is one, it’s between our sects. Why should I kill you over that?”
“Spare me today, and one day I will kill you. You’ll pay for your moment of mercy.”
“That’s a shame. I quite like you.”
“You—! Who wants your affection! Get lost! Next time we meet, I won’t lose!”
Su Yan’s face flushed red, her spiky hair standing like a bristling hedgehog. Only then did Chu Zhiqin notice that her old rival had a sprinkle of adorable freckles.
“Goodbye.”
“Hmph, get lost already.”
Neither of them expected that parting to last fifty years.
Now, over five decades later, Chu Zhiqin felt a strange unfamiliarity when seeing Su Yan again.
Su Yan—her rival of many years—had changed so much that if not for the Yanling Blade in her hand, Chu Zhiqin might not have recognized her.
In her memories, Su Yan had always sported short hair, disliking long locks. She used to emulate her male peers, her wild crop and ever-present bright smile giving off the vibe of a cheerful puppy.
Now, the Su Yan before her wore long hair, and her features were cloaked in shadows and cold sharpness. The once-lively gleam in her eyes was gone. She had matured.
“You’ve changed a lot,” Chu Zhiqin remarked.
“People change,” Su Yan scoffed. “But what’s up with your face? You look awful.”
Su Yan had a well-known weakness—she was a face-con. When it came to beautiful girls, her patience and temper were astonishingly good. She could even tolerate them interrupting her cultivation repeatedly without slapping them across the room. But trying to touch her blade? Absolutely not.
The Yanling Blade was her wife—who would let others touch their wife so casually? Anyone who tried either got tossed out or scared off by her glare.
It was at those times that Su Yan missed Chu Zhiqin.
Her old rival always wore a deadpan face no matter what happened. Even when the Yanling Blade was about to split her skull, she remained unfazed, parrying the strike and kicking back effortlessly.
If only she smiled more. Su Yan often thought—Chu Zhiqin looked really cute when she smiled. Her round eyes were made to smile.
Her senior brothers and sisters used to tease her, saying she’d one day lose a fight just because she was distracted by Chu Zhiqin’s face. At the time, Su Yan had no retort—after all, there had been a few times when that exact thing happened.
Chu Zhiqin’s face was unfair—especially when bl00d streaked across her icy brows, her eyes blazing like a goddess descending to show compassion for the world.
That sight sent shivers down Su Yan’s spine, heat rising in her bl00d. Her instincts to conquer surged to their peak.
Too bad Chu Zhiqin had eyes only for her beloved senior sister. Su Yan had no interest in stealing love.
Now, what was she doing with that face? Such an awful disguise—good only for fooling those brainless lackeys.
Chu Zhiqin touched her own face. Was it really as bad as Su Yan said?
Su Yan didn’t expect an answer. She went on, “Forget it. Asking this makes it sound like I’m here for a reunion.”
“Why are you here?” Chu Zhiqin asked.
Su Yan replied with mock surprise, “Why shouldn’t I be here? I didn’t see any sign saying ‘Su Yan Not Allowed.’”
After all these years, Su Yan was still the same infuriating troublemaker.
“I suppose they can leave now?” Chu Zhiqin said, not naming names, but knowing Su Yan would understand.
Su Yan rolled her eyes. “They should’ve left already. Hey, you two—yeah, don’t just stand there. Move! Let the girl and the old man pass.”
The two burly men silently stepped aside.
Lin Mianmian clutched Chu Zhiqin’s arm, confused and overwhelmed. What sword immortal? What face? Were they really being allowed to leave?
Too many questions flooded her mind. Her heart pounded.
A warm hand patted her arm. Lin Mianmian turned to see Chu Zhiqin looking at her. “Don’t worry. You and your grandfather leave first. I’ll come find you later. I’m sorry for the scare. I’ll explain everything soon.”
“But…” Lin Mianmian hesitated. She didn’t want to leave Chu Zhiqin alone with those three intimidating people. But she also couldn’t risk her grandfather’s safety.
As she struggled, her grandfather spoke. “Let’s go, child.” This matter wasn’t for them to intervene in. Staying would only make things harder for the young woman—they needed to leave.
“Grandpa! But we can’t just—”
“Mianmian.” Chu Zhiqin interrupted gently. “Go. I’ll catch up soon.”
Perhaps realizing that her face had irritated Su Yan, Chu Zhiqin returned to her original appearance. Only then did Lin Mianmian notice—her “Third Seven Sister” was actually stunning, with big eyes and delicate, attractive lips.
“You’ll come back, right?”
“I promise.”
“Okay. I believe you.”
The mule cart slowly rolled away. When it vanished from sight, Su Yan scoffed. “Didn’t expect the mighty Sword Immortal to become so sentimental. Is the rumor true? That you captured the new Demon Lord because you fell hopelessly in love with her and want her to surrender to your charm?”
Su Yan didn’t believe it. She had seen young Chu Zhiqin blush shyly around Leng Junzhu. And after Leng Junzhu’s death, she saw how a part of Chu Zhiqin died with her—her face pale as paper, her eyes burning with eternal hatred.
How could someone like her fall for a Demon Lord? Absurd.
“If you’re only here to say this, then you can leave,” Chu Zhiqin said coolly now that Lin Mianmian was gone. She didn’t want to discuss it. The tiny snake coiled around her wrist would definitely bite her if it heard these accusations—its wrath was not to be taken lightly.
“I’m here to fight you,” Su Yan grinned. “Heard you were in Anning Town, and I happened to be nearby. Figured I’d try my luck—didn’t think I’d really find you.”
Chu Zhiqin always felt her relationship with Su Yan was complicated. People had forced hatred upon them. They were told: you’re from Sword Pavilion and Blade Sect—you should hate each other. You are destined to be rivals. Hate until death.
But they were living, breathing individuals. Even if indoctrinated from birth, they could still think and distinguish right from wrong.
Through countless battles, they came to admire each other’s strengths. In secret, Chu Zhiqin and Su Yan became both enemies and friends.
Their relationship changed after Leng Junzhu died.
Chu Zhiqin was obsessed with finding her killer. Her strength wasn’t on par with her senior sister’s, and whoever killed Leng Junzhu must’ve been among the top of the demon realm. She needed to become stronger—stronger than anyone in the Nine Provinces.
With unmatched talent and a body reforged by Hua Ling, she stopped at nothing. Any treasure or herb that could increase her power, she took—each step paving the way to the peak.
In just a few years, she became a terrifying figure across the land. Her cold Wuyou Sword was a nightmare whispered in fear. Only when she stood at the top of the world did her nickname change from “mad dog” to “Sword Immortal”—a title feared and revered.
And her old rival was left far behind.
“I don’t have time to fight you,” Chu Zhiqin refused the challenge. “If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving.”
Su Yan didn’t listen. With a howl, her Yanling Blade slashed toward Chu Zhiqin. Clang! The Wuyou Sword blocked the attack, and Su Yan saw the fighting spirit slowly awaken in Chu Zhiqin’s eyes.
“Come, let me see the power of the number one Sword Immortal in the Nine Provinces!” Su Yan’s bl00d boiled with an unnamed fire.
She attacked fiercely and swiftly, her blade stirring dust and stone into flying darts. Tiny pebbles scraped across Chu Zhiqin’s pale face, leaving faint marks.
At that moment, the little snake hidden in her sleeve woke up and, dazed, bit her wrist.
“Mm…” Chu Zhiqin let out a muffled grunt.
“What are you hiding in your sleeve?” Su Yan asked sharply, eyes narrowed.
Chu Zhiqin sighed inwardly. Looks like the secret couldn’t stay hidden.