How to Be the Perfect Junior Sister to a Reborn Villain - Chapter 8

Chapter 8 

At dawn the next day, before the sky had even brightened, Li Xi was yanked out of bed by Xiao Cui. Master Lin Shanlai had called everyone together.

She had stayed up far too late the night before, experimenting with that mysterious bead, and now her head was foggy and heavy with sleep.

Why was Master being so serious this early in the morning? Couldn’t it wait until she woke up properly?

Once everyone had gathered, Lin Shanlai explained the situation and announced his decision to send everyone to Ang City to avoid the coming disaster.

“Disaster? What disaster?” Li Xi’s drowsiness vanished at once. Her eyes went wide as she stood frozen in shock.

She was only at the second level of Qi Refining. Was she really about to experience the brutality of the cultivation world so soon?

She hadn’t even mastered swordsmanship yet!

The group quickly packed their things. Granny Wu insisted on bringing along the chickens she raised. Since they didn’t have any spirit beast bags, everyone had to carry one by hand.

It wasn’t so strange for the mortal disciples, who often traveled to nearby villages to offer free medical aid, but seeing a few immortal-looking cultivators each holding a chicken was quite a sight.

Especially Third Senior Brother, whose otherworldly looks and dignified presence made the image downright comical.

Li Xi couldn’t stop laughing behind her sleeve. No way was she carrying a chicken; she had her noble lady reputation to maintain.

Xiao Cui, on the other hand, was strong enough to carry two.

Yan Jiuzhi gave her a helpless look.

Yunxiao Sect was poor, so poor that they didn’t even have a flying artifact big enough to carry everyone at once.

Lin Shanlai and Elder Gao had to take the non-cultivating disciples ahead, flying them to wait outside the city first.

Li Xi told Xiao Cui, go back and tell my father that I’m bringing my sect mates home to stay for a while.

Elder Gao hesitated, looking embarrassed. “Wouldn’t that be too much trouble? There are so many of us.”

“It’s fine! My house is big, plenty of rooms to spare. My father won’t mind,” Li Xi replied breezily. And if he does, he can just deal with it.

The Li household received the sudden notice with great alarm, rushing to tidy up rooms just in time before their unexpected guests arrived.

Master Li, a shrewd and portly merchant, came out beaming. “Honored immortals, our humble home is truly graced by your presence!”

His round face shone with the biggest Buddha-like smile as he personally welcomed everyone inside.

He completely ignored the chickens in their hands after all, if cultivators were carrying them, they had to be immortal chickens, right?

The Yunxiao Sect members had felt awkward at first, but seeing such warm hospitality, their tension gradually melted away.

Our little junior sister really does come from good people, they thought.

Li Xi immediately grabbed her pudgy younger brother, Li Nan, by the ear. “Have you been doing your studies? Been behaving yourself?”

I’ve been good! I did my homework! I swear!” He dared not say otherwise—she had beaten him up not long ago.

Li Nan was utterly terrified of his sister; she didn’t just scold him, she hit him.

He had thought he was safe when she became a Daoist disciple, but now she was back, ready to torment him again. Truly miserable!

A welcoming banquet was held that evening, lively and full of laughter. The Yunxiao Sect members settled into the Li residence for the time being.

Once the disciples were settled, Lin Shanlai sent word to the City Lord’s Manor. Though Ang City had no stationed cultivators, at least the gates could be secured and people’s movements restricted for safety.

After making arrangements, Lin Shanlai, Elder Gao, Yan Jiuzhi, and Lin Ruo set off to lay down defensive formations.

Originally, Lin Shanlai had planned to go with only Elder Gao, but Yan Jiuzhi wouldn’t hear of it.

He understood his master’s desire to protect them but he couldn’t just stand by. With his Golden Core–level divine sense and his insight from a past life at the Nascent Soul stage, he was more than capable of leading the formation work himself.

As for Lin Ruo, as the eldest senior sister, she insisted on joining too she would never let others fight while she stayed behind.

Left with no choice, Lin Shanlai brought them both along.

Near Yunxiao Sect, the four discussed and decided to set the formation between the sect and Ang City in a wide, deserted area, perfect for array work.

The spot was chosen based on Yan Jiuzhi’s knowledge from his previous life. He remembered the path the Snow Soul Fox had taken during its rampage.

He suggested constructing a complex illusionary trapping array first. Since Master Lin’s damaged Golden Core limited his strength, they would need to confine the beast before striking.

Lin Shanlai looked at his proud disciple, emotions too tangled to express. He didn’t say a word, but he chose to trust him.

Jiuzhi’s eyes were different now.

No longer pure and clear, they held something deep, restrained, unreadable.

In the cultivation world, there were countless strange encounters and hidden opportunities. Perhaps this child had gained some mysterious chance during his travels.

Lin Shanlai didn’t pry. As a teacher, he didn’t have great talent or power he could only make sure he didn’t become a burden.

Leaving Master and Elder Gao to finish the main array, Yan Jiuzhi returned alone to Yunxiao Sect to set up an additional concealment and protective illusion.

This place carried all his best memories he couldn’t bear to see it reduced to ruins again.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to create stronger, deadlier arrays he simply lacked the materials.

Once this crisis passed, he would need to find a way to strengthen both the sect’s power and its finances.

As he worked, one question kept circling in his mind: Why had the injured Snow Soul Fox gone mad and charged straight toward the Yunxiao Sect in his past life?

What was drawing it here?

Could that same unknown force be what allowed Second Senior Brother to survive as a ghost cultivator?

He had too many questions, but no time for answers. The situation was urgent.

Meanwhile, back at the Li residence, Li Xi threw herself into talisman-making alongside Second Senior Brother.

She worked day and night, resting only long enough to meditate and recover her spiritual energy before starting again.

Though she was still a newcomer to cultivation, she showed surprising talent. Her first talismans came out clean and flawless, each stroke smooth and confident.

****

Li Xi suspected that the reason her talismans came out so smoothly had a lot to do with her years of calligraphy practice.

Back when she was still a sheltered young lady, life had been dreadfully boring. Calligraphy was one of the few proper pursuits she was allowed to pour her energy into.

Meanwhile, the mortal disciples who lacked cultivation didn’t want to just sit idly in the Li estate, worrying themselves sick. Every day, they found small things to do, organizing medicinal herbs, helping the city guards patrol, whatever kept their hands busy and minds occupied.

Even little Lin Zewu, only six years old and not yet cultivating, ran errands and fetched supplies with surprising enthusiasm.

But now, it had been four whole days.

Not a single person, neither Master nor any of the senior disciples, had returned. Anxiety began to gnaw at everyone’s hearts.

With the city gates sealed, all they could do was climb up to the wall and strain their eyes toward the distance.

The guards didn’t stop them. After all, these were Yunxiao Sect immortals if anything truly happened, the mortals would have no choice but to rely on them for protection.

Thanks to her cultivation, Li Xi could now see much farther and clearer than before. In the distance, a lone figure was racing toward the city. It was Senior Sister Lin Ruo.

“Senior Sister! Where’s Master? What about the others?” Everyone rushed forward, waving and calling out.

“Senior Sister, let us come too! We can fight!” someone shouted.

They might not have spiritual power, but they were trained in martial arts; surely, they could do something.

Yeah, well go too! others echoed in determination.

Lin Ruo caught the large bundle of talismans tossed down from the city wall and replied firmly, “No. Most of you have little to no cultivation. You’d only get in the way. Stay inside the city. Master and Elder Gao will handle it.”

In truth, the talismans were only meant to comfort the younger disciples. They were all low-grade, barely useful in a real battle.

As Lin Ruo ran off into the distance, Li Xi didn’t even consider chasing after her.

She wasn’t stupid, she knew her own limits. Charging into battle now would only mean dragging everyone down… or getting herself killed.

Thankfully, the others seemed to realize that, too.

Li Xi exhaled in relief. Good. At least our sect doesn’t have any self-sacrificing idiots.

No one knew how much time passed before the faint glow of an array lit up the distant horizon. Moments later, a furious, bone-shaking roar echoed across the land.

Li Xi’s eyes flew wide open, her heart pounding like a war drum in her chest.

Something. was coming.

For the first time since she’d arrived in this world, she faced a moment that truly hung between life and death. An icy fear crept into her chest, clinging to her bones and tightening around her lungs until her breathing turned shallow.

Then, snow began to fall.

Tiny white flakes drifted from the sky, their chill biting against skin and seeping straight through to the marrow. The air turned cold and sharp, each breath a knife.

Li Xi clenched her fists tightly, her gaze locked on the far-off light. Every muscle in her body trembled, every nerve drawn taut.

Master, please hold on.