Huo Tian Tian’s counter-question instantly shattered Ji Shiyu’s composure.
She stood frozen on the spot as if she had lost her soul.
‘Did I really just find out?’
‘Just now…?’
‘Really…?’
“Do you mean all of you…?”
“Mhm. Even the parents have given their silent approval. Would I lie to you? We just haven’t officially changed how we address him to First Senior Brother-in-law yet.”
Huo Tian Tian was mentally running her own calculations, her face beaming with smiles, forming a sharp contrast with the despondent blonde-haired girl.
“Huh!?”
Did this mean she was the last one to know?
No, she was probably the second to last.
There was another clown with the last name Xiao who shared the same fate.
“Cheer up, Shiyu. Even if you have a stepmother, you’re still Mr. Yun’s most beloved daughter. Senior Sister loves the house and its crow; she’ll only treat you better!”
Seeing Ji Shiyu’s pale complexion, Huo Tian Tian assumed she was worried about her status and giggled while covering her mouth.
However, the girl wasn’t concerned about her title at all!
“When… did this happen?”
Was it around the Shengyu Festival, or even earlier?
Ji Shiyu’s ahoge drooped limply.
How had she not noticed anything?
“Let’s see. As for exactly when, I can’t remember clearly either. Senior Sister is kind to everyone, but the way she looks at Mr. Xiao Yun is always different. Don’t you think the two of them are a perfect match?”
“A match… a perfect… match!”
Ji Shiyu’s smile looked more painful than crying.
Even though she felt the Shenhua Sect was basically a research center for abnormal people—with a violent younger sister like Xiao Xinran and a crazy woman like Yan Bingling—the environment Yun Liu grew up in was truly worrying.
Only Senior Sister Qin was different, remaining pure and graceful despite her surroundings.
Since joining the sect, Ji Shiyu’s favorite person had been this big sister.
She was also the senior who took the most care of her, the kind of person toward whom she couldn’t harbor even a single bad thought.
On one side was the senior sister she admired, and on the other was the teacher she trusted.
Now that the two of them were a couple and had found their destination, she, as their best friend, should have been happy for them.
But why did her heart feel so empty, as if something very important was missing?
“Oh, right. Senior Sister Qin won’t let us talk carelessly. You have to keep the secret too.”
Huo Tian Tian whispered a reminder.
Although it was already an open secret among those on Clear Mist Peak, Senior Sister Qin didn’t allow them to gossip, fearing that a group of female hooligans might scare Yun Liu away.
“Oh.”
Ji Shiyu walked away with her head down, her mind a total blank.
She couldn’t process anything else.
For the next few days, the talented blonde-haired sword cultivator of the First Peak, whom the Vice Sect Leader valued most, was completely out of it.
She didn’t eat meat, her food lost its flavor, and everything she put in her mouth tasted like nothing.
At the Zhuiyun Dojo, the Grand Elder was personally teaching today, inspecting the disciples’ progress over the holiday.
Before long, it was Ji Shiyu’s turn to step forward.
The First Peak disciples all watched with rapt attention, focusing their minds.
Since entering the sect, the blonde-haired girl had achieved impressive results.
First, she had resisted foreign enemies and purged traitors, then she had shone brightly in Yudu by seeing through the Demon Sect’s plot, earning the recognition of many seniors.
Now, Ji Shiyu and Xiao Xinran were famous throughout the East Pole Province, known together as the twin beauties of the Sword Sect.
Her opponent was a hot-blooded youth who had been promoted to the Inner Sect one year earlier.
His spiritual root was above average, and his foundation was solid.
He was also at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.
It was obvious the Great Baldy had specifically sent him to provide a good sparring match.
“Junior Sister Ji, please advise me!”
The young man’s palms were sweating.
Facing the legendary personal disciple of the Sect Leader, he couldn’t help but feel nervous.
Clang!
Golden light flashed as the flying swords collided.
Ji Shiyu let out a soft cry and leaped with the Wind-Walking Step.
However, the Seven-Star Sword, which should have returned to her side, flew out of her hand.
She actually failed to catch it.
Thud!
In that moment of daze, the opponent’s Cloud-Slicing Style was already pressing toward her face, shattering the girl’s Protective Spiritual Energy.
“Ugh!”
Ji Shiyu clutched her chest and retreated several steps.
Injured by the sword qi, her Qi Sea felt stagnant.
“Uh, are you alright, Junior Sister?”
The entire field fell silent.
The boy was also stunned, looking down at his own hands.
‘No way… Am I actually this strong?’
“I’m… I’m fine. Your sword skills are superior, Senior Brother. I lost.”
Ji Shiyu waved her hand, having no heart to continue the fight, and retreated woodenly.
Commotion broke out among the crowd.
To be distracted even while the Grand Elder was personally teaching was not at all like the usually confident Junior Sister Ji.
“A total mess!”
Watching from a distance, the Grand Elder frowned and shook his head.
The Great Competition was coming up soon, where the disciples of the Inner Five Peaks would compete against each other.
Shiyu was absent-minded, while Xiao Xinran of Evening Glow Peak was gaining momentum.
It was clear that old fellow Tu Gou wasn’t holding anything back.
How could she be in this state?
Once the inner sect Sword Dao Class ended, Ji Shiyu brushed off the concerns of others and hid alone on the Fenglin Mountain path, looking deeply discouraged.
Ao Tian saw this and, for once, didn’t push her strictly.
It only let out a sigh.
‘What a disaster…’
It seemed the silly girl was serious this time; it wasn’t as simple as being greedy for the Oily Boy’s Fortune.
The problem was that fate was a mysterious thing.
Even if the cunning Phoenix Hatchling desired him, it wouldn’t ruin someone’s marriage.
Even if it cultivated back to its human transformation stage and stepped in personally, it couldn’t help Shiyu.
Besides, if she really wanted to take the first blood of the boy named Yun, she would have to get past Yan Bingling, and even then, she wouldn’t get past Yu Steward.
Currently, Shanhai Pavilion was Yun Liu’s biggest backer.
Ji Shiyu kicked at stones randomly.
She still didn’t understand what this strange throb in her heart was, nor did she have a concept of it.
She only felt that her life as an international student, which had been full of fun just the day before, had suddenly become dull and uninteresting.
“Cheer up, Shiyu. It’s just someone stealing your home base. Even if the stepmother isn’t your mother, your Blessed Fate won’t slip away. At most, you’ll just get a smaller share.”
Since the plan had changed, Ao Tian, the Silly Bird, ruffled its feathers and could only comfort the “mother and daughter” this way.
“Why are even you saying things like that? Senior Sister Qin didn’t do anything wrong. Am I that narrow-minded!? Wait, what does this have to do with my mother?”
“Ahem, nothing. During the last home visit, Xing Shu was quite satisfied with your Protector Daoist.”
“Is… is that so? So Mother also likes Master?”
Ji Shiyu’s ears turned red, her thoughts going in the wrong direction.
But when she remembered her own unrequited passion over the past six months, she covered her face, wishing she could dig a hole and crawl into it.
Ao Tian blinked and whispered, “From a certain perspective, it’s actually good news. At least you don’t have to worry about how to reject him anymore.”
This was a joke so cold that Ji Shiyu grabbed the yellow chicken and began kneading the boneless-looking Silly Bird into various shapes.
“You’re still mocking me? Good news my foot! Waaaah, this is so embarrassing! It’s all Master’s fault! Sister-con! Scumbag! Heartbreaker!”
The blonde was still considering it; she hadn’t said she was actually going to reject him.
After all, being with the Oily Boy was fun every day.
If they were to truly become Dao Companions and spend the rest of their lives together, it wouldn’t be a very difficult thing to accept.
However, this person named Yun hadn’t given Ji Shiyu the chance to reject him.
While she was still dreaming in her blankets, she was suddenly slapped awake by Huo Tian Tian, and now she was confusedly expected to drink wedding wine and be a flower girl!
Heartbreaker?
Ao Tian burst out laughing.
Where did that even come from?
The man had never crossed any lines.
“It’s all his fault! Why did he have to be so nice to me!”
Ji Shiyu puffed out her cheeks and shook her twin tails, feeling extremely wronged.
Ao Tian was also amused and couldn’t help but add a ruthless follow-up:
“Nice? He just had a childhood shadow and simply wanted to fulfill his duties as a teacher. You were just being too narcissistic, weren’t you?”
“Hey! Whose side are you on!?”