Haven't Been a Senior Sister for Many Years - Chapter 29
Chapter 29: Tricked Again
Liu Rushuang’s words flustered Linglong for a moment, but with her thick skin, she quickly feigned composure under Liu Rushuang’s murderous gaze and replied with mock surprise, “If I’m not Chu Zhiqin, then who is?”
“Whether you are or not, a fight will make it clear.”
Liu Rushuang didn’t waste words. With a flick of her wrist, the Qingming Sword let out a clear chime as it shot toward Linglong’s face.
The sword struck like a thunderclap, like tiger and dragon unleashed. Startled by the sudden attack, Linglong almost summoned her water screen in defense. Fortunately, she reacted in time, stopped the spell, and barely blocked the blow with her Wuyou Sword.
“Your sword is too slow. Too soft!”
“Your movements are stiff!”
“With skills like that, you dare call yourself Chu Zhiqin?”
Each time their swords clashed with a crisp clang, Liu Rushuang took the chance to mock Linglong’s clumsy moves. Linglong was so furious her nose nearly twisted from rage—but couldn’t argue back.
How had this woman figured out she wasn’t Chu Zhiqin so quickly? Within just a few sentences, her disguise was seen through—unbelievable.
Linglong started doubting whether Liu Rushuang and Chu Zhiqin’s so-called “mutual dislike” was really that simple.
She fought while thinking, and suddenly, a flash of insight hit her.
Could it be—
“Hey, do you secretly have a crush on me?”
Of course, the “me” referred to Chu Zhiqin, not Linglong herself.
“Otherwise, how would you know me so well—what’s soft, what’s stiff? So I didn’t want to fight, just waved my sword around a bit—why do you care so much?”
Something unexpected happened—Liu Rushuang stopped attacking. Her pale face showed no expression. Linglong couldn’t read her thoughts. She wasn’t afraid of fighting Liu Rushuang, but what worried her was failing to stall her long enough and ruining Chu Zhiqin’s plan.
“I know who you are,” Liu Rushuang said with a cold chuckle, though her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “You’re that flood dragon from Dingmi City.”
“…”
“And I know you met Chu Zhiqin not long ago.”
“Back in Dingmi, because of the agreement between your elders and the sect, I couldn’t kill you. But now—”
“This isn’t Dingmi, and you’re no flood dragon.”
The implication: Killing her now wouldn’t break any rules.
Linglong wasn’t one to back down from provocation. Being taunted to her face lit her temper. If she didn’t fight back now, she might as well rename herself “earthworm.”
“That’s not certain.”
Linglong tossed her sword aside. Chu Zhiqin’s facial features faded from her face, revealing her true self.
The air turned oppressive. Her ink-black hair lifted without wind. She stretched her long fingers, and thick mist silently gathered in her palm.
The sky darkened. Clouds rolled in and swallowed the two of them. Thunder rumbled and wind howled.
Liu Rushuang didn’t try to stop her. She simply stood watching coldly, waiting for Linglong to finish casting her spell.
“You’ll pay for your arrogance.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Raindrops fell gently. A flash lit up the clouds, followed by a bolt of thunder as thick as a bowl’s rim. Like a giant electric serpent, it slithered through the air, crackling with energy and bearing its fangs as it lunged for Liu Rushuang’s throat.
But right before it could strike, it stopped, frozen just an inch away—unable to advance.
The serpent hissed and stirred up wind, but Liu Rushuang’s hair didn’t even move.
The lightning beast couldn’t reach her—but Linglong didn’t panic. She smirked and snapped her fingers.
In an instant, the ever-composed Liu Rushuang was struck as if by true lightning. Her hair stood on end as bluish-purple lightning arced over her skin, devouring her inner spiritual power.
The electric glow pulsed, flaring in blinding flashes. From within came stifled groans—then silence.
“Heh, did you think my rain was just for show?”
Linglong twirled her finger. A single round raindrop hovered above it, shimmering with tiny sparks of lightning.
“Well, goodbye. This great lady’s done playing.”
She dispelled the rain droplet and turned to leave—only for Liu Rushuang’s icy voice to sound behind her:
“Did I say you could leave?”
A blade of sword energy tore through the lightning orb, slicing apart the storm clouds overhead. Lightning scattered like falling stars, vanishing into the air. The sword energy remained strong—cutting through the rain, slashing Linglong’s cheek and leaving a gash.
Bl00d trickled down. Linglong wiped it with her pale hand—staining it red.
“Seems I underestimated you.”
“No, you’re just too weak. Thinking a mere lightning serpent could kill me? Foolish.”
“Oh? And who was it just now, screaming so pitifully?”
“Must’ve been some noisy flood dragon.”
These two couldn’t even let the other have the last word—before long, they were back to fighting.
Liu Rushuang, though eager to chase Chu Zhiqin, wouldn’t pass up this chance to punish the creature that got her punished last time. At the very least, she intended to skin her.
Linglong, meanwhile, fought while calculating how to escape. She’d cooled her head by now and remembered her priority—completing Chu Zhiqin’s mission.
She had volunteered, after all. If she failed now, where would she put her pride?
Her original plan was to create fake sightings of Chu Zhiqin all across the realm, making her path hard to trace and buying her more time.
Now? The mission had barely begun and it was already falling apart thanks to this meddler.
“She and I must be fated enemies,” Linglong gritted her teeth.
Suddenly, pain surged through her arm. Bl00d burst from a fresh wound, and stray lightning in the air turned it into red mist.
Linglong realized she couldn’t afford to zone out—her opponent was far beyond the level of those she’d fought before. If she kept losing focus, she really might die here.
And if that person found out… they’d laugh at her for sure. Hopefully, they’d at least spare a tear after the laugh.
Liu Rushuang smirked: “Looks like I’ll be getting a new pair of flood-dragon skin shoes.”
Linglong pressed a pressure point to stop the bleeding and snapped back, “Careful you don’t bite your tongue bragging. I think I’ll be adding a new sword to my collection.”
The two clashed again. Linglong’s clothes were torn in several places, revealing pale skin and bloodied wounds.
Liu Rushuang hadn’t gotten off unscathed either. Her once-neat hair was now a mess, and her sleeve was ripped. If she hadn’t dodged quickly, Linglong might’ve gouged a chunk out of her arm.
The clouds that had dispersed now returned. Thunder rolled again, and fine rain fell steadily.
Between Linglong’s hands, a glowing ball of storm energy spun rapidly, drawing in clouds and unleashing immense pressure.
Having suffered earlier from rain and lightning, Liu Rushuang didn’t wait—she immediately formed a protective aura and rushed forward to stop Linglong’s spell before it completed.
The dark sky seemed clawed open. Each raindrop that landed on Liu Rushuang’s shield carried a thread of lightning, corroding it.
As she neared Linglong—five feet, three, one—the Qingming Sword aimed straight for the heart.
Just as it was about to strike, the storm orb flashed blindingly. Liu Rushuang instinctively shut her eyes—hesitating for just a second.
That second was all Linglong needed. She activated a teleportation charm hidden in her palm.
By the time Liu Rushuang opened her eyes again, Linglong had vanished. The shattered remnants of the charm floated down, like stars mocking her ignorance.
“Damn it!”
Liu Rushuang clenched her jaw so hard she nearly bit through it, her beautiful eyes gleaming with venom.
Next time, she won’t escape.
She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and closed her eyes, calming her fury.
Within moments, the murderous air vanished. When she opened her eyes again, she was back to her cold, composed self.
Sheathing her sword, she walked back the way she came.
…
Snow fell heavily.
Soft flakes landed on Linglong’s wounded shoulder, bringing a biting chill.
“I swear, what kind of junk charm did Chu Zhiqin give me?”
Linglong rubbed her frozen hands. Her thin clothes offered no warmth—only decency.
Thankfully, she had thicker outfits in her storage ring. She pulled one on—it didn’t matter if it hid her ruined clothes underneath.
Once dressed, she finally looked around.
In front of her stood towering black stone walls, shaped like a slumbering beast. The gate made of ancient wood was its gaping mouth, and the large red lanterns on the wall were its eyes.
It stood silently in the snowy land, watching the sun and moon rise and fall.
Above the gate, three large characters were written in sweeping calligraphy:
Fuxian Town.
Linglong blew into her hands and rubbed them.
She’d been tricked by Chu Zhiqin again.
They had agreed that she’d use teleportation charms to fake Chu Zhiqin’s presence in various cities. But clearly, Chu Zhiqin had never planned to follow that route.
The charm had only brought her here—to Fuxian Town. And now, it seemed she had no choice but to follow orders and seek out the Valley Master of Yinxia Valley—Hua Ling.
But was Linglong the type to obey blindly? Obviously not.
She angrily yanked off her fox-fur scarf and walked away from the town.
When I find Chu Zhiqin, she thought grimly, I’m going to give her a serious beating. She needs to learn the consequences of deceiving Lord Linglong!
Meanwhile, the woman being so “fondly remembered” by both Liu Rushuang and Linglong was walking through a busy street in disguise, holding the hand of a cute little girl.
The girl had her hair in pigtails and a half-eaten sweet cake in hand.
“Sister, carry me. My legs are tired.”
Barely a moment into their outing, the girl whined. Her big eyes looked expectantly at Chu Zhiqin, waiting to be carried.
Chu Zhiqin shifted the bundle on her shoulder, bent down, and picked up the girl. As soon as she was settled in Chu Zhiqin’s arms, she offered the bitten cake to her mouth.
“Don’t mess around,” Chu Zhiqin dodged the sticky treat. “Do that again and you’re walking.”
That soft threat had zero effect on the childlike Cold Junzhu, but she didn’t want to walk either, so she behaved and sat quietly.
“Let’s find a place to stay,” Chu Zhiqin said. “We’re not staying at an inn this time.”
“Where then? Don’t tell me it’s somewhere gross and dirty.”
“Of course not,” Chu Zhiqin wiped the sugar from her cheek. “I’m thinking of renting a little courtyard through an agent.”
“…Fine. I can live with that.”
Chu Zhiqin smiled but said nothing more, carrying her into the bustling crowd.