How to Be the Perfect Junior Sister to a Reborn Villain - Chapter 18

Chapter 18 

The sunlight today wasn’t harsh; it carried a drowsy warmth that made one feel comfortably sleepy.

In the courtyard, her  kid brother, Fourth Senior Brother Lin Zewu, sat on the steps, head drooping in dejection. A twig dangled from his small hand as he poked halfheartedly at the ground, tormenting a line of ants.

He was only seven years old, the youngest and most doted-on in the sect so what was with this gloomy little expression?

Li Xi walked over, neatly laid down her handkerchief on the step before sitting beside him in a composed manner.

Fourth Senior Brother, what’s wrong? You don’t look happy. Weren’t you over the moon a few days ago when you finally managed to draw spiritual energy into your body?

Lin Zewu lifted his head to glance at her, then went back to staring at the ants. After a long pause, he mumbled, Junior Sister. Does Third Senior Brother not like me anymore?

How could that be?  Li Xi blinked.  Didn’t he just prepare a storage pouch and a sword for you, even before you’d fully entered cultivation?

Granted, everyone in the sect got one, aside from Master and Elder Gao, but that was beside the point.

But it feels different now,” the boy muttered, frowning. “He’s not the same as before.”

Li Xi rubbed her temples. Comforting children was not her strong suit her own little brother back home had been the sort who only needed a good smack, not gentle coaxing.

Maybe it’s just because your Junior Sister here is so slow and clumsy,  she said, improvising shamelessly,  so Third Senior Brother has to take extra care of me. But you’re already a senior brother. You should be looking after me instead.

That made Lin Zewu freeze. He blinked up at her, dumbstruck. She was much taller than he, yet… she wasn’t wrong. He was a senior brother now! Shouldn’t he be the one protecting his little junior sister?

Hook, line, and sinker.

His expression firmed with newfound purpose.  Junior Sister, is there anything I can help you with?  he asked solemnly.

Perfect.

I just succeeded in alchemy, look!” Li Xi declared, unable to resist bragging at last. She pulled out a small bottle and proudly showed him her freshly made Nourishing Life Pills.

I’ve been focusing all my time on pill refining, so I’ve neglected the little chores around here. Think you could handle those for me, Fourth Senior Brother?

Go do something useful, kid. Brooding at your age is just wrong.

Lin Zewu puffed out his chest, face all serious determination.

 “Leave it to me, Junior Sister!”

Once the little boy’s spirits were successfully lifted, Li Xi went to find Granny Wu, who was out in the fields pulling weeds, and handed her one of the Nourishing Life Pills.

Granny Wu suffered from ailments brought on by old age conditions that even Elder Gao couldn’t cure, only ease slightly.

Spirit herbs that contained life force were extremely rare and expensive, far beyond what their impoverished Cloudsky Sect could afford.

But now, with this life-essence-infused pill, Granny Wu might finally feel relief.

The old woman accepted the pill, her wrinkled face lighting up with awe and delight.

“Oh heavens, this old granny’s lived long enough to actually taste a real pill? What a blessing, what fortune!” she said, laughing until her wrinkles bloomed like flowers.

She thought to herself that she must have done great deeds in her past life to be taken in by Cloudsky Sect when she had nowhere else to go, and now even be gifted a pill! Her heart was bursting with joy.

Without hesitation, she popped the pill into her mouth and swallowed.

Li Xi watched closely for a while; seeing no adverse reaction, she nodded in satisfaction and returned to her courtyard.

Time to get back to refining.
Her goal  Pill Dao Master!

Time flowed swiftly, and months passed in the blink of an eye.

Li Xi’s hands moved like fluttering butterflies, forming seals in rapid succession. Inside the pot, the liquid essence bubbled and condensed, filling the air with an intoxicating fragrance.

At the same time, spiritual energy surged within her dantian, circulating furiously.

As the liquid in the pot solidified into a pill and released a burst of rich medicinal scent, the spiritual energy in her body surged like a breaking dam, rushing through her meridians and washing them clean.

In that moment, Li Xi felt perfectly attuned to nature itself, her breathing calm, her mind clear and still.

Gradually, the rampant energy settled, flowing smoothly back into her dantian as her cultivation technique guided it.

She had successfully advanced to the seventh layer of Qi Refinement.

This time, no impurities were expelled, though out of habit, she still cast a quick Cleaning Spell.

It was her first time breaking through during alchemy, and the sensation was truly mystical like brushing against the faint outline of some hidden law.

She looked at the Spirit Restoration Pill she had just refined: perfectly round and glossy, a soft halo rippling across its surface.

A gentle, pure fragrance wafted out, refreshing her entire being.

This pill is of fine quality.

The voice was calm, low, and elegant.

Li Xi turned.

A young man in pale blue robes stepped slowly into the courtyard, sunlight draping over him like gold-threaded silk.

Her eyes lit up instantly.

Third Senior Brother, you’ve come out of seclusion?

Li Xi pressed a hand over her wildly thumping heart. Her Third Senior Brother’s looks were simply too lethal.

She could barely handle it!

“Mm. I’ve already formed my Foundation,” Yan Jiuzhi said casually, as if it were nothing of note.

His cultivation method was highly unorthodox. In his previous life, he had ventured into countless secret realms and perilous lands, collecting techniques from all kinds of schools and sects. Eventually, he combined their strengths and reshaped them into a cultivation method that suited him best.

His body refinement and spiritual energy absorption advanced in tandem.

The process in the early stages had been excruciating pain like ten thousand ants gnawing his heart, flames burning through his veins, but the results were remarkable. His breakthroughs came swiftly, his foundation was rock solid, and he gained a tremendous edge in combat, often able to advance mid-battle.

“Wow, you’re amazing, Senior Brother!” Li Xi’s eyes sparkled like twin stars.

Her own excitement from reaching the seventh level of Qi Refinement moments ago deflated instantly. Clearly, she still had a long way to go!

But she still had something to show off. She’d been holding it in for months.

Dragging Yan Jiuzhi over, Li Xi eagerly showed him the fruits of her alchemy efforts, chattering the whole time, her voice bubbling with excitement and life.

Look, Senior Brother. she said proudly, producing a small porcelain bottle. 

These are the Nourishing Life Pills I made the first time I succeeded. Granny Wu took off one of her white hairs turned black again! She says she feels years younger and her back doesn’t ache anymore. When I visit home later, I’ll bring some for my parents too!

Her eyes curved into crescents as she grinned.

Yan Jiuzhi couldn’t help but smile faintly, the corners of his lips curving upward as he turned the pill over in his hand.

“Not bad,” he said with quiet praise. 

There’s a strong vitality within. For the elderly, it’ll indeed strengthen the body and extend life.

But when his gaze drifted toward the… array of pots, bowls, and kitchen utensils scattered across the courtyard, his expression froze

then cracked entirely.

You used these to refine pills?

Yan Jiuzhi stared, eyes wide, disbelief written all over his face.

For a long moment, he genuinely didn’t know what expression to make.

Why didn’t you borrow Elder Gao’s alchemy furnace? He finally managed.  Who in their right mind uses cookware to make pills?

He looked down again at the small green pills in his hand. The absurd part was that they actually looked fine. Smooth surface, vibrant color, decent medicinal aura…

His little junior sister… was a true alchemy prodigy.

It seemed his plan to groom her into the sect’s future cornerstone wasn’t far-fetched at all.

Li Xi blinked innocently. “I didn’t need it! I was only practicing with low-level pills, and I don’t even use fire.”

She spoke so earnestly that he almost choked.

“It’s just a matter of refining the essence of herbs and condensing it properly. Any container that holds the liquid works perfectly fine,” she said matter-of-factly, eyes wide and shining with sincerity.

Yan Jiuzhi: 

This wasn’t just a lack of common sense about cultivation safety.

She had no common sense whatsoever!

He took a deep breath, reminding himself to stay calm.

It was fine. He could take his time.

He would teach her slowly.