Haven't Been a Senior Sister for Many Years - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Entering the Secret Realm

The mountain ranges rose and fell in layers, shrouded in mist. Several mid-tier spirit birds flew past a massive waterfall, prompting a few threatening low growls.

Ding Ying and the others were stunned. They never imagined that within the desert, there could be a forest so vast.

What they didn’t know was that beyond the forest lay endless sands and mysterious glaciers. The forest before them was merely the edge of the secret realm.

Chu Yu chuckled and brought them back to their senses, then reminded them, “During this trial, unless your lives are in danger, Elder Liu and I will not intervene. Do you understand?”

“Yes!”

“Before you begin, take these few items. If you’re in danger, retreat. If you need help, call for it. Do not act recklessly and throw your lives away.”

Chu Yu handed each of them a teleportation talisman, several signal flares, and some bl00d-staunching and healing pills.

“You’re the eldest sister. Please take care of your junior sisters. In everything, act with caution and keep the bigger picture in mind.”

Ding Ying nodded. “Understood.”

Chu Yu added, “Go on now. Elder Liu and I won’t be traveling with you, but we won’t abandon you either.”

After bidding farewell to Chu Yu and Liu Rushuang, Ding Ying and the others eagerly headed toward the towering forest.

Once their silhouettes had completely disappeared, Chu Yu asked Liu Rushuang, “Do you remember our first trial outside the sect? Seeing them reminds me so much of ourselves back then.”

Liu Rushuang recalled the past and smiled, something she rarely did.

“Of course. We were just like them.”

The awe at seeing flying ships, the chatter-filled journey, the eager junior sisters and the calm, reliable senior sister.

They too once completely relied on their eldest senior sister, subconsciously wanting to stick close to her even during trials.

“Do you think that person is really her?” Liu Rushuang sat cross-legged on a large rock. She didn’t mention a name, but Chu Yu knew exactly who she meant.

Chu Yu sat beside her and asked in return, “What do you think?”

“I want her to be… and I don’t.” Liu Rushuang gently stroked the frayed sword tassel—a piece woven by their senior sister herself. Though a hundred years had passed, it remained intact. The once-smooth threads had become a little rough, so she handled it with great care.

All of them—Liu Rushuang, Chu Yu, and even the youngest disciple, Chu Zhiqin—had a tassel made by their senior sister.

Chu Yu couldn’t bear to hang hers on her sword anymore.

Since their senior sister’s disappearance, Chu Yu had stored the tassel away safely. Only Liu Rushuang and Chu Zhiqin still kept theirs on their swords.

Chu Yu turned her gaze away from Liu Rushuang’s tassel and looked toward the dark forest. She softly asked, “Why?”

“I saw her,” Liu Rushuang said. “When I heard that Chu Zhiqin brought back a woman from outside, I was furious and stormed into Fei Xing Palace without thinking, just to confront her.”

“That day, I saw her chained.”

Liu Rushuang clearly remembered barging into Fei Xing Palace that afternoon, sword in hand, ignoring her fellow disciples’ protests, heading straight for the main hall where Chu Zhiqin was.

There, she saw the once-cold and unpredictable Chu Zhiqin holding a woman chained to the bed, sobbing quietly.

“Chu Zhiqin! What the hell are you doing!?” Liu Rushuang’s sword, Qingming, was at Chu Zhiqin’s neck, slicing off a strand of black hair that floated to the ground.

Chu Zhiqin wiped her tears and turned around, frowning. “Liu Rushuang, what are you doing?” She paid no attention to the sword on her shoulder and seemed to be trying hard to hide something.

“What am I doing? I should be asking you! Rumors are flying through the sect that you kidnapped some woman because of lust. Aren’t you going to explain?”

Liu Rushuang’s face was flushed with anger, her large almond eyes fixed furiously on Chu Zhiqin.

“Why should I explain? What does it have to do with you?”

“You! Unbelievable—”

“Are you two fighting over me?” the chained woman asked, lifting her head. A pair of pitiful snake-like eyes looked at them.

Liu Rushuang froze. Her whole body went cold.

That face—the one that had appeared in her dreams countless times, sometimes smiling, sometimes crying, sometimes angry. She would never forget that face.

How dare Chu Zhiqin?

Liu Rushuang’s bl00d rushed to her head as she clashed with Chu Zhiqin in a furious duel.

The chained woman moved to the other side of the bed, coldly watching the two senior sisters clash with swords drawn.

In the end, it was Xuanqing who arrived in time to stop them. After punishing both sides equally, she forbade anyone from entering Fei Xing Palace again.

Liu Rushuang was shocked by the decision but ultimately obeyed out of respect for their master.

When Chu Yu arrived, all she saw was a blurry figure. She didn’t get a good look at the woman who had been brought back.

She asked, “Did she really look exactly like our senior sister?”

Liu Rushuang nodded. “Yes.”

Except for those strange snake eyes.

Chu Yu muttered, “Then why…”

“That person…” Liu Rushuang paused, then continued, “She’s the new Demon Sovereign of the demon realm. It’s said she’s cruel and bloodthirsty, her mood unpredictable, and countless cultivators have died by her hand.”

“Our senior sister hated demonic cultivators the most. If that really is her…”

Chu Yu understood what Liu Rushuang left unsaid. If true, it would be unbearably cruel. “Let’s leave it to fate.”

Liu Rushuang clenched her fists and bit her lower lip.

What hurt more was that she wasn’t the first to discover the woman. If she had been, maybe…

She stared blankly at the sword tassel in her hand, her mind a storm of emotion.

The two sat in silence at the entrance of the secret realm, waiting for the disciples of the Sword Pavilion to return.

After entering the forest, Ding Ying and her companions were on high alert.

With only mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, they were no match for high-tier spirit beasts. If they accidentally entered one’s territory, they might not survive long enough for the elders to reach them.

Ding Ying warned, “This is our first time in a secret realm of this size. Don’t wander. Stick together and familiarize yourselves with the area.”

“Before we left, Master gave me a map of the Dimie City Secret Realm. It’s crude, but it should help us avoid dangerous areas.”

“One more thing—our sect isn’t the only one aware of this secret realm. We might run into disciples from other sects. Unless necessary, avoid conflict.”

“What if they start something first?” Ye Ling’er asked, raising her hand.

Lin Hongxue replied, “If we can win, we fight. If we can’t, we ambush. Just because we don’t start trouble doesn’t mean we’re afraid of it. Worst case, we call for help. Right, Senior Sister?”

Ding Ying nodded. “Exactly. Let’s figure out the general directions of the spirit herbs we each need. We’ll go from the closest to the furthest, then regroup here.”

“You go first so I can plan the route.”

Lin Hongxue pointed northwest. “Here. I need fire-type spirit herbs. Anything mid-tier or above is fine.”

Shangguan Yan pointed north. “Before we left, Master said the Celestial Star Lotus might be here.”

Seeing that the other two had their goals, Ye Ling’er grew anxious with indecision.

“I… um…”

“Then I’ll go with Lin Hongxue! I want the Fire Crystal!” she finally decided.

Lin Hongxue didn’t mind. If Ye Ling’er wanted to help her, so be it—it wasn’t a big deal.

Ding Ying glanced at Lin Hongxue, saw she had no objection, and nodded in approval.

“What I want is to the east, guarded by a Violet Flame Crystal Lion. When the time comes, I’ll distract it while you grab the treasure.”

Ye Ling’er asked, “What is it, Senior Sister?”

“The Violet Mist Vine,” Ding Ying answered.

Ye Ling’er patted her chest confidently. “Leave it to us!”

Ding Ying smiled. “Then I’m counting on you. Let’s go. We’ve wasted enough time. Everyone stay focused.”

“Yes!”

The four moved cautiously through the forest. Tall trees blocked out the sunlight completely.

After walking for about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, Ye Ling’er, unable to bear the tension, broke the silence. “Senior Sister, we’re still in the outer area. Do we really need to be this careful?”

Lin Hongxue agreed. “Yeah, if we stay this tense, we’ll die of exhaustion. We’ve only seen a few low-tier beasts that ran from us.”

Shangguan Yan added, “True, but still, we can’t be too careless. How about this, Senior Sister? Let’s stay cautious once we’re near the inner area.”

Ding Ying wanted to protest, but the three of them looked at her with hopeful eyes.

She sighed. “I’m not too fond of the idea… but—”

“Since you all asked, how can I say no as your Senior Sister?”

“Yay! Long live Senior Sister!” Ye Ling’er cheered.

“Keep it down! Let’s go. At our pace, it’ll take a while to reach the northwest.”

“Okay~”

They quieted down again, more relaxed this time.

Ding Ying led the way. Shangguan Yan brought up the rear. Rejuvenated, Ye Ling’er bounced along the middle, plucking herbs and poking at glowing fruits with curiosity.

Everyone in Yaoguang Hall doted on their youngest junior sister. Now seventeen or eighteen, she still acted like a child, enjoying herself wherever she went.

“Senior Sister, what’s this? Can I eat it?” Ye Ling’er held up a bright red spirit fruit that looked delicious.

Lin Hongxue snatched it. “Serpent Fruit. Poisonous. One bite and you’re done. Eat it if you want.” She tossed it back at Ye Ling’er.

Ye Ling’er shrieked and dropped it. “Why would you throw it at me if it’s poisonous? So mean!”

Lin Hongxue teased, “Scaredy-cat Ye Ling’er~”

“Take this!” Ye Ling’er chased after her.

Ding Ying, having confirmed there were no signs of mid-tier beasts or other cultivators nearby, allowed the playfulness for now, while keeping an extra eye out.

Snap.

A twig broke.

Ding Ying drew her sword and called out sharply, “Who’s there?!”

“…Sorry…”

“We weren’t trying to hide.”

Two women stepped out from behind a thick tree trunk. The one speaking looked ordinary. The other, hiding behind her, kept her head low—her face obscured.

It was none other than Chu Zhiqin and Leng Junzhu, both disguised and having entered the secret realm through a different entrance.