It was nearly noon. On the mountain path outside Fangcheng.
Fallen dry branches covered the ground beneath Su Zhan’s feet.
Ahead of her, the white cat kept stopping to sniff at something.
Overhead, dense layers of forest branches filtered the warm sunlight through the gaps.
This place felt quite familiar.
After all, it wasn’t her first time here.
Anyone who climbed the same mountain three times in such a short period would remember it well.
The previous times she had flown up on her sword, but this was her first time walking the path.
Su Zhan had been following the white cat for nearly an hour and a half.
They had already visited the clothing shop and wandered through the market.
Just when she thought they might have to wander around for several more hours, the little fellow bit the hem of her robe, meowed confidently twice, and led her onto the mountain trail.
The little guy couldn’t speak, but judging from its behavior, Su Zhan believed the white cat was following Ji Xing’s trail.
From the looks of it, that girl had first gone to find herself a nice set of clothes.
Perhaps she got hungry afterward and strolled around the market.
Then, for some reason, she suddenly decided to head up the mountain?
She really knew how to make people worry.
Su Zhan picked up the white cat, which had stopped once again to sniff at something.
Facing its dissatisfied meow, she spoke helplessly and cradled the little fellow against her chest.
“I know the way from here. If we don’t find anyone in the Taoist temple later, I’ll let you down again. Don’t move around.”
This path led straight up to the side entrance of the Taoist temple.
Su Zhan refused to believe Ji Xing wouldn’t notice it, and she was certain the girl would go inside to take a look.
The white cat’s stop-and-go pace was far too slow.
After walking for so long, it must be tired. Letting it rest a little was fine.
“Meow~”
The white cat struggled in Su Zhan’s arms for a moment.
Realizing it couldn’t break free, it stopped moving, only shaking its head and meowing in complaint.
It seemed to find the two soft mounds pressing against the back of its head rather heavy.
Su Zhan drew her natal spiritual sword from her waist, activated her sword flight technique, and rose with the wind.
The instant they left the ground, the white cat gripped her arm tightly—it was probably its first time flying.
Soaring above the treetops, Su Zhan checked her direction and flew familiarly toward the Taoist temple halfway up the mountain.
From a distance, she spotted two figures sitting in the connected courtyard.
One dressed in pure white like snow, the other in red like fire.
They appeared to be talking about something.
One of them had her hands clasped together in a pleading gesture.
Found her.
Su Zhan had not concealed her presence, so she was noticed immediately.
Both people below turned to look at her.
Su Zhan saw the girl in the bright red robe wave at her… This girl still had the mood to greet her?
Su Zhan let out a helpless sigh with a smile.
The moment she landed in the courtyard while holding the white cat, she saw Ji Xing making an indescribable bitter face at her.
Li Xingyue narrowed her eyes slightly, a smile on her face that didn’t reach her eyes.
She stared straight at Su Zhan, making her feel somewhat uncomfortable.
“Senior Sister… why are you here…” Ji Xing smiled as well, but her smile was very forced.
Her eyes kept darting toward Li Xingyue beside her.
Her entire face was written with unease and guilt, looking exactly like a mouse caught and toyed with by a cat.
“Of course I came looking for you. Didn’t we agree that you wouldn’t run around these next few days?”
Su Zhan smiled helplessly, assuming the little girl was simply unwilling after being caught.
“This is Senior Sister Li from Fangcun Sect. Why did you change into such pretty clothes and run all the way up the mountain? I’ve been searching for you for a long time.”
“I won’t run anymore, I won’t! I’ll go back with Senior Sister right now and won’t run around again.”
Ji Xing shook her head repeatedly, stumbling to her feet and clutching the hem of Su Zhan’s robe.
“I’m not going to punish you. Why are your legs so weak?”
Su Zhan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
She thought she had always treated these junior sisters quite gently.
How had she managed to scare her this badly?
It seemed this girl had plenty of courage for mischief but none when actually caught.
She turned to look at Li Xingyue. Seeing that Li Xingyue still wore the same expression, and recalling Ji Xing’s clasped-hands pleading gesture earlier, she guessed the girl had caused some trouble and had been apologizing. So she said:
“I failed to watch over her properly and caused trouble for Senior Sister Li. I don’t know what she did wrong just now? I’m willing to take responsibility in her place.”
“Senior Sister… I…”
Ji Xing tugged at Su Zhan’s robe, about to say something when her body suddenly trembled and she fell silent.
Su Zhan looked back in confusion.
Ji Xing recalled how Li Xingyue had earlier tapped her lips with a fingertip and then drawn a line across her own neck. She couldn’t help showing a flash of fear.
She quickly lowered her head, not daring to meet anyone’s eyes, pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and whispered softly:
“It’s nothing, Senior Sister… I only had a private chat with this sister… I didn’t cause any trouble… Let’s… let’s go quickly. Senior Sister Xia will get angry if we take too long…”
Li Xingyue raised an eyebrow, nodded with a light smile, and slowly said with her cherry lips parted, “That won’t do, little junior sister. Since we made an agreement earlier, we should honor it.”
“I didn’t!” Ji Xing panicked. Her voice rose briefly before dropping again timidly. “I didn’t…”
“What agreement?” Su Zhan looked toward Li Xingyue again.
“This little junior sister was very pleasing to the eye and reminded me of how Yan’er looked when she first came here. So I asked if she would be willing to become my junior sister,” Li Xingyue said meaningfully.
“I see. But my junior sister already has a master. I’m afraid it wouldn’t be appropriate.”
Su Zhan politely declined on Ji Xing’s behalf, feeling helpless inside.
This silly girl would agree to anything. If Elder Liu found out, he would probably whip her with a vine.
“Ah. I didn’t make myself clear. I didn’t mean to accept her as a disciple on behalf of my master. I just… wanted her to stay and chat with me to relieve my boredom,” Li Xingyue said with a light smile.
Su Zhan was momentarily stunned. Something felt off.
What did chatting casually have to do with becoming junior sisters?
There was no connection at all.
However, she now understood why Ji Xing had been so hesitant to speak.
The girl had probably just agreed when Su Zhan arrived, afraid of being scolded?
This wasn’t the right time anyway.
The reason Su Zhan had forbidden the junior sisters from going out was precisely because of the demon-sealing array here.
“There was such a thing, but I haven’t agreed yet, so it doesn’t count…”
Ji Xing said timidly, gripping Su Zhan’s robe even tighter as she urged, “Senior Sister… let’s go quickly. We shouldn’t be late…”
“How about this? Why don’t I stay here in her place and keep Senior Sister company for a few days?”
Su Zhan thought for a moment and asked tentatively.
She happened to need an excuse to observe Li Xingyue suppressing the demon-sealing array.
Li Xingyue raised an eyebrow. Looking at Su Zhan, she suddenly smiled lightly.
“Of course you can.” “No way!”
She and Ji Xing spoke at the same time.
The moment the words left their mouths, the smile on Li Xingyue’s face sank.
This was the first time Su Zhan had seen such an expression on her.
No wonder Xia Liu complained that this girl didn’t know how to speak properly.
Su Zhan also felt a headache coming on and could only step in to smooth things over.
“Alright, Junior Sister Ji Xing. Go down the mountain and return to the inn to rest. Hand this little fellow over to your Senior Sister Xia and have her send it back. I’ll stay here for a few days before coming down.”
“Senior Sister… you really can’t…” Ji Xing pleaded with a bitter face.
However, with Li Xingyue right there, she couldn’t explain outright.
Otherwise, she was afraid that once she spoke, both she and Su Zhan would be in mortal danger.