How to Raise a Crazy Beautiful Snake Demon - Chapter 14

“It’s alright… Let’s go back and rest.”

Zhu Jiuyin hesitated at Ji Qingwu’s feet when a pair of gentle hands suddenly embraced her, carefully lifting her up.

She heard the cold-faced female cultivator above her, breathing heavily, her voice trembling yet deliberately softened:

“It’s alright… Let’s go back and rest.”

Coiled in Ji Qingwu’s palm, covered in filthy, bloodstained guilt, she allowed herself to be carried—flying out of the forest, out of the suffocating darkness, away from those cruel, painful, and chaotic memories.

A cold sensation lingered beneath her nose. It took her a long time to realize she might have been crying. How shameful for a snake.

–

Back in the room, Ji Qingwu placed the little snake in a wooden bowl before lighting several candles and taking out a handful of luminous pearls, bathing the room in daylight-like brightness before finally relaxing.

Zhu Jiuyin peeked out from the bowl, watching her, and Ji Qingwu gazed back. Most of the snake’s wounds had scabbed over by now, some even regrowing fresh flesh and scales.

Normally, she looked fine, but now her head and body were smeared with fresh bl00d—the spirit bird’s. Noticing Ji Qingwu’s stare, the snake ducked back into the bowl, refusing to cooperate.

After a pause, Ji Qingwu only murmured,

“Rest well.”

She glanced around.

“Should I put out the lights?”

She had originally lit them to talk properly, but the timing seemed wrong now. Perhaps it was better to extinguish them all.

As she stood, her waist suddenly weakened—her spiritual energy nearly depleted. An overwhelming exhaustion, like staying awake for three nights straight in her past life, washed over her, leaving her utterly drained.

While steadying herself against the table, Zhu Jiuyin poked her head out again, studying her before finally speaking up:

“Leave them. The light… is nice.”

Her voice was hoarse, laced with bone-deep weariness, hesitant and unlike her usual bold self.

Ji Qingwu looked up, meeting the snake’s ruby-like eyes—only for a fleeting moment before Zhu Jiuyin turned away, silently retreating into the bowl as if unwilling to hold her gaze.

Too exhausted to say more, Ji Qingwu lay down on the meditation mat in her robes and closed her eyes.

The soft glow of the pearls, mingling with the golden candlelight, embraced the small room in a gentle halo, quietly dispelling the thick, clinging darkness.

A small silver-white snake head stretched out, watching Ji Qingwu’s sleeping profile for a long, long time before finally withdrawing.

Deep into the night, both woman and snake soon fell asleep under the warm light.

The next day, with the sun already high, a white bird suddenly fluttered through the window and landed on Ji Qingwu’s face, chirping noisily:

“Chirp chirp chirp!”

Startled awake, Ji Qingwu trembled—the bloody cries of last night’s spirit bird blending with the sound in her ears. She immediately grabbed the bird, only for it to transform into a slip of paper—a message spell from the sect.

Relieved, she read the note. It was from Song Shirui.

Song Shirui had been away on official business and only learned this morning that the senior sister had been placed under house arrest. She immediately decided to visit her. Within a quarter hour after the messenger pigeon arrived, she would reach Changming Mountain.

So soon! Ji Qingwu looked up at the wooden bowl where Zhu Jiuyin was still fast asleep, completely unaware.

She had to hide Zhu Jiuyin quickly—but where?

–

The Jade Pure Sect was situated atop the spiritual veins of the immortal realm, with each mountain possessing its own unique characteristics. Changming Mountain enjoyed an exceptionally favorable location—bathed in bright sunlight on every clear day, hence its name, “Eternal Light.”

To Song Shirui, the mountain’s name mirrored the senior sister’s place in her heart—everlasting, unshakable.

Now, her senior sister had been punished with house arrest, and the reason? Simply because she had taken some food from the outer sect’s dining hall. Absurd! Her beloved senior sister must have had her reasons—it was surely the fault of the Discipline Hall elders for being overly critical!

After being sent away with a single palm strike from Ji Qingwu last time, Song Shirui had been heartbroken for a while. But she soon realized—her senior sister must have done it to protect her. There must have been some unknown danger on Changming Mountain.

So now, with her senior sister under house arrest, she would do everything in her power to protect her—delivering supplies, helping however she could.

But she also knew her senior sister was a stickler for rules. If she asked beforehand whether she could visit, she would undoubtedly be refused. So she devised a clever plan—sending the messenger spirit pigeon ahead while following closely behind, leaving no room for rejection!

Carrying a storage pouch, she flew on her sword to Changming Mountain. But as she approached, she found the entire peak shrouded in mist, its interior completely obscured—a barrier had been erected to keep everyone out.

Song Shirui sent another spirit pigeon to inform her senior sister of her arrival, then waited eagerly for the barrier to open. Strictly speaking, receiving a fellow disciple while under house arrest didn’t violate sect rules. Besides, she was already here—surely her senior sister wouldn’t turn her away?

She waited and waited, until the sun had nearly begun to set, before the barrier finally cracked open just enough for her to slip through on her sword.

Before she even landed, she caught sight of the senior sister she had been longing to see.

Ji Qingwu seemed thinner—her green robes hanging loosely from her shoulders, her figure ethereal and delicate. Her complexion was paler than before, giving her a frail appearance.

Song Shirui’s heart ached. The hardships of house arrest must have been unbearable—her senior sister had suffered!

“Senior Sister! How have you been these days?”

She hurried forward, reaching out as if to steady her senior sister, though she didn’t dare actually touch her robes, afraid that the dust of her journey might sully them.

“I’ve been fine. Thank you for your concern.”

Ji Qingwu’s voice was faint, her breath uneven. Her eyes were slightly lowered, her gaze gentler than usual.

“Ah… Senior Sister, I—I was away on business and returned too late… It’s all my fault. You suffered, and I couldn’t help…”

Song Shirui had never seen her senior sister look so frail before. Overwhelmed by a fierce sense of responsibility, she nearly swore an oath, regretting that she hadn’t rushed to her senior sister’s side the very first day of her confinement.

“It’s alright. Actually, I’m glad you’re here—there’s something I’d like your help with.”

Ji Qingwu’s lips were pale as he took a step forward, lowering his voice while gazing intently at Song Shirui, as if she were the only one in his eyes.

“Senior Sister, please don’t say that! Helping you is the least I can do.”

Song Shirui was beaming with joy, her heart overflowing with happiness. If her senior sister asked for the stars in the sky today, she would pierce through the heavens and bring back a basketful of stars for her!

A faint smile curled at Ji Qingwu’s lips:

“Then come closer—this is something that goes against the sect’s rules…”