How to Raise a Crazy Beautiful Snake Demon - Chapter 17

Zhu Jiuyin let out a cold, mocking laugh.

 

 

The small courtyard bore no trees, and when the breeze swept through, it carried with it a withered yellow leaf from the distant back mountains. The curled, decaying leaf seemed like autumn’s first small reminder.

 

 

A reminder that made Ji Qingwu recall everything about the snake—every scene, every feeling—each moment defining the serpent, the person, far more than that single night of qi deviation.

 

 

No matter what, the snake she knew… would never kill indiscriminately. It understood gratitude, remained wary yet could distinguish right from wrong.

 

 

Just as Ji Qingwu was about to speak solemnly, her thoughts flickered—a spirit pigeon pierced through the barrier, flying toward her. It was Song Shirui’s, unmistakably familiar.

 

 

Hurriedly, she said,

 

 

“No, it’s not like that! Let me explain in detail later.”

 

 

The spirit pigeon had already reached her hand, transforming into a slip of paper wrapped around a small box. Unfolding the note, she found a single line: I’m outside the mountain. Senior Sister, please open the barrier.

 

 

Ji Qingwu frowned. When she looked up again, the white snake had already turned away, leaving only its retreating figure.

 

 

Had it even heard her? Ji Qingwu called out,

 

 

“Go inside and stay there for a while! My junior sister is coming!”

 

 

True enough, the white snake slithered swiftly toward the room, its slender, cool body disappearing inside in moments.

 

 

Her heart still unsettled, Ji Qingwu pressed a hand to her chest and realized it was beating a little too fast.

 

 

The snake’s sudden shift in demeanor, its talk of killing—it had unsettled her, a modern person unaccustomed to such things. But her fear was directed at the act itself, not the snake. She believed there had to be another reason.

 

 

Now, however, she had no time to explain. She could only hope Zhu Jiuyin wouldn’t dwell on it.

 

 

Glancing around, she cast a cleansing spell to erase the traces of the snake’s passage, smoothed her robes, and waved open the mountain’s barrier.

 

 

Song Shirui descended on her flying sword, clutching a large bundle. The moment she landed, she eagerly pressed it into Ji Qingwu’s hands.

 

 

“Senior Sister! These are the disciple allowances I’ve saved up over the years—all healing and spirit-replenishing pills. They might not be top-grade, but please take some. You must recover properly!”

 

 

Ji Qingwu shook her head.

 

 

“No need. I’m perfectly fine. These are more useful to you—take them back.”

 

 

Song Shirui’s cheeks flushed red as apples, her words stumbling with bashfulness.

 

 

“Actually… well… these are just a token of my concern. That day, I saw you swaying when you walked, your face so pale… They say the higher one’s cultivation, the more perilous the path. And I heard from the Discipline Hall disciples that you hit a bottleneck, nearly suffered qi deviation. I… I was really worried.”

 

 

As she spoke, she peeked up at Ji Qingwu’s expression, her face brimming with youthful shyness by the end.

 

 

Ji Qingwu found her junior sister somewhat endearing, if overly enthusiastic. Adopting her senior sister’s stern demeanor, she said coolly,

 

 

“Do you truly see me as so useless?”

 

 

Song Shirui paled instantly, stammering,

 

 

“N-no! That’s not what I meant! I just… I really care about you…”

 

 

 

Ji Qingwu sighed instead, her clear voice echoing through the mountains like a solitary stream in an empty valley, keeping others at arm’s length:

 

 

“Don’t do this again—I don’t like it. The path of cultivation is lonely at the peak. If you truly wish to help me, focus on your training. The day you can stand beside me to protect our sect would bring me far greater joy.”

 

 

Song Shirui clutched at the hem of her clothes, biting her lip until it nearly bled, her eyes brimming with unshed tears:

 

 

“But—but Senior Sister, I just—I really want to do something for you!”

 

 

Seeing the young girl like this softened Ji Qingwu’s resolve. She crooked a finger, and the small bottle at the top of the bundle floated into her palm.

 

 

“I appreciate your kindness. I’ll accept this medicine, but don’t come again. If you do, I won’t open the door. Remember, your priority should be advancing your cultivation, not getting caught up in personal relationships.”

 

 

She wasn’t sure if the term “personal relationships” sounded too modern, but she said it anyway. Whether the girl understood would depend on her own comprehension.

 

 

Tears welling in her eyes, Song Shirui gathered the remaining items in her bundle. Glancing at the small bottle in Ji Qingwu’s hand, she found some consolation and whispered reluctantly:

 

 

“Then… Senior Sister, I’ll take my leave. I’ll train hard and become your right hand! Senior Sister, if you ever need anything, just send a spirit pigeon—I’ll come right away!”

 

 

Ji Qingwu gave a slight nod, her expression remaining cold as she watched the girl depart on her flying sword before resealing the protective barrier.

 

 

Back when she worked in HR, she’d encountered many young women like this—new to the workplace, naive and eager, overly focused on making friends rather than their actual duties. She’d always offered them a word or two of advice when she could.

 

 

The original owner of this body seemed to have several junior sisters like Song Shirui, but the original had been utterly oblivious to their odd behavior, never showing any special treatment to any of them.

 

 

It was only after the modern Ji Qingwu arrived and happened to assign Song Shirui a few tasks, asking for her help several times, that the girl developed this mistaken belief that “Senior Sister favors me alone,” emboldening her to intrude into Ji Qingwu’s private space.

 

 

With a long sigh, Ji Qingwu tossed the small bottle lightly in her hand as she stepped into her quarters.

 

 

Zhu Jiuyin lay sprawled on the windowsill, her head poking toward the paper window. Upon seeing Ji Qingwu enter, she suddenly turned away, wriggling her slender body as she slithered down, pointedly ignoring her.

 

 

Ji Qingwu:

 

 

“It’s fine now. I’ve sent Junior Sister Song away—she won’t come again uninvited.”

 

 

Zhu Jiuyin let out a cold, mocking laugh, her tone dripping with sarcasm:

 

 

“Oh wow, that’s your precious little junior sister! How could you possibly turn her away?”

 

 

Ji Qingwu was baffled:

 

 

“What… are you talking about?”

 

 

Zhu Jiuyin slithered to the base of the wardrobe, then climbed up along its wooden edge until she reached the door panel. Tilting her head, her crimson eyes like sharp red daggers, she shot Ji Qingwu a piercing glare.

 

 

“Nothing at all. Go have your fun. I’m going to rest.”

 

 

Ji Qingwu:

 

 

“……”

 

 

How am I supposed to relax when you’re clearly upset like this? And what fun could I possibly have anyway!

 

 

Ignoring her, Zhu Jiuyin slipped the tip of her tail into the crack between the wardrobe doors. With a flick, the door creaked open, and she raised her small head proudly, slithering inside with an exaggerated sway.

 

 

 

Once inside, the tip of the tail emerged again to repeat the trick, slamming the door shut with a loud “bang.”

 

 

Ji Qingwu had intended to approach the wardrobe but was met with the door nearly hitting her nose. Rubbing her nose, she wondered, What’s gotten into this little snake ancestor again? What on earth is she angry about this time?

 

 

After a moment’s thought, she knocked on the wardrobe door.

 

 

“It must be uncomfortable in there. Do you need anything?”

 

 

A long silence followed—no response whatsoever.

 

 

This bad snake is ignoring me again. She’s definitely doing it on purpose.

 

 

Left with no other option, Ji Qingwu leaned against the wardrobe, idly playing with the small medicine bottle in her hand.

 

 

The white jade bottle, though smooth and pleasant to the touch, was worthless due to its lack of spiritual energy—just an ordinary item mass-produced by the sect for distributing supplies to disciples.

 

 

She uncorked it and peeked inside, finding a few round, greenish pills. She couldn’t tell what they were—probably some kind of supplement.

 

 

Huh, they look like qingtuan (sweet green rice dumplings). Amused, she knocked on the wardrobe again.

 

 

“Come take a look at these pills—they resemble qingtuan. By the way, have you ever had qingtuan?”

 

 

This time, rustling sounds came from inside the wardrobe, and soon the door was nudged open. A small white snake head emerged, glaring at her with furious red eyes.

 

 

“Can you let me sleep or not?!”

 

 

Ji Qingwu apologized verbally but showed no real remorse.

 

 

“Oh, you were sleeping? My bad. I didn’t think you’d fall asleep so quickly… I just wanted to discuss this with you.”

 

 

She blinked and held out the medicine bottle.

 

 

Despite her anger, the white snake gracefully stretched her neck to peer inside.

 

 

But the moment she did, something seemed to trigger her. She swayed slightly before growing even angrier.

 

 

“You foolish servant! Are you doing this on purpose?!”

 

 

Ji Qingwu was utterly baffled. What now?

 

 

“On purpose for what?”

 

 

Zhu Jiuyin stared at her, looking so furious her serpentine face seemed twisted, her mouth stretching unnaturally wide—as if she were about to strike any second.

 

 

Panicking, Ji Qingwu began rambling incoherently.

 

 

“Are these pills dangerous? But if they were poison, Junior Sister Song wouldn’t have given them to me. Unless… she didn’t know either? What if someone targeted her and poisoned her supplies?”

 

 

The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Her expression turned grave.

 

 

“I have to send a spirit pigeon to warn Junior Sister Song!”

 

 

Zhu Jiuyin suddenly yanked the wardrobe door violently, the loud crack of wood interrupting Ji Qingwu’s train of thought.

 

 

Baring her fangs, the snake waited until Ji Qingwu turned to look before speaking in a low, menacing voice.

 

 

“If you dare contact her again… I’ll dig out that stupid head of yours and see if it’s filled with nothing but thoughts of that little junior sister of yours!”