Chapter 2: Setting a Trap for the Main Branch

Xie Jiuniang persuaded her Fourth Sister for a long time before finally managing to convince her to leave, using rest as an excuse. Finally able to be alone, she began to take inventory of her storage bag.

At eleven years old, she was so poor that she didn’t seem like a young lady from a major clan.

The storage bag had a capacity of ten cubic meters.

Disregarding what she obtained from the Yunmu Mountain, she only had four low-grade spirit stones, eighty-three spirit beads, a low-grade flying sword magic tool, and some daily necessities.

She opened her only spirit jade box.^[1]Spirit Jade Box: A container made from spirit jade, a precious material in cultivation worlds that can store and preserve spiritual items, such as medicinal pills or herbs.

Inside the box, there was a high-grade spiritual plant with several slender sword-shaped leaves, like emerald green ice crystals. The lingering spiritual energy made it clear at a glance that it was extraordinary. It was none other than the Spirit Cleansing Herb, which countless people in the cultivation world sought after.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the formation of the room. Xie Jiuniang put everything back into her storage bag before disabling the formation.

Outside the room, the maidservant He Xiang respectfully said, “Ninth Young Miss, the Junior Patriarch^[2]Junior Patriarch: A high-ranking position within a cultivation clan, usually held by a younger member of the direct lineage who has significant talent and potential or the legitimate eldest son of … Continue reading requests your presence.”

The Junior Patriarch was none other than her eldest uncle, Xie An.

“I’m tired. I’ll go tomorrow.” Before He Xiang could speak again, Xie Jiuniang decisively reactivated the isolation formation.

What did he want to see her for?

Nothing more than wanting to ask what happened to her in the Yunmu Mountain and then reprimand her.

She was still a child now and could be willful.

She made up her mind to ignore the people outside, but before long, the formation was continuously disturbed.

The noise wasn’t loud, just annoying.

Xie Jiuniang was truly exhausted, and a surge of anger welled up in her heart. The more they urged her like this, the more she refused to go. What could they do to her? In her previous life, she had been obedient, and look how that turned out.

She might as well roll into the bed and pull the silken cover over her little head.

Even if the sky collapsed, she would take a nap first and worry about it later.

Xie Jiuniang didn’t know when the people outside left because she really did fall asleep and slept until noon the next day.

When she awoke, she felt refreshed!

Just hungry.

She closed the formation and called for the maidservant He Xiang.

He Xiang was a maidservant trained by the clan. Assigned to Xie Jiuniang’s side at the age of five, she took care of her daily life. She had always been dutiful, not much for talking, and kept the courtyard well-managed.

Xie Jiuniang instructed, “Go to the kitchen and get me something to eat, and be quick about it.”

“Yes.” He Xiang went out and returned with a food box in hand.

The food was placed on the table, two white steamed buns, two small dishes, one meat and one vegetable, still steaming, but it was food for mortals.

Xie Jiuniang took a bite of the steamed bun before asking, “No spirit food?^[3]Spirit Food: Food that contains spiritual energy and can help cultivators replenish their energy and enhance their cultivation. It is usually made from rare and valuable ingredients and is much more … Continue reading My monthly allocation shouldn’t be used up yet, right?”

He Xiang said with some difficulty, “Ninth Young Miss, your spirit meal allocation… has been temporarily transferred to the Eldest Young Miss. The kitchen said you agreed to it.”

Xie Jiuniang wanted to curse again.

It must be the Main Branch causing trouble again!

Hmph! If there was anything she hated the most when she was young, it was the Main Branch. They were always the ones causing trouble, simply unable to bear seeing the Third Branch doing well.

Just because she was young and had no elders at home to protect her?

Thinking of her parents, Xie Jiuniang’s eyes reddened.

She remembered being doted on by her parents when she was young, a treasure in the palms of their hands.

In her previous life, her parents were completing a clan mission when they encountered a beast tide^[4]Beast Tide: A massive wave of demonic beasts or monsters that suddenly appears and attacks a specific area, often causing great destruction and loss of life. Beast tides are usually triggered by some … Continue reading while passing through the Burial God Mountain Range. Her mother had fallen to save her father.

Later, her father had a chance to break through to Foundation Establishment, but he gave the Foundation Establishment Pill to her, saying that he couldn’t let her mother wait too long…

Fortunately, she had been reborn nine months before her mother’s incident, giving her time to find a way to save them.

He Xiang thought Ninth Young Miss felt wronged and couldn’t help but sympathize with her a bit. Unfortunately, she was just a maidservant and couldn’t do much to help her. As a servant in the Xie family, one only needed to quietly complete their duties. Meddling in the grudges between the masters was taboo.

After Xie Jiuniang finished eating, He Xiang tidied up and then said, “Ninth Young Miss, the Junior Patriarch said for you to go see him as soon as you woke up.”

“Got it.”

Xie Jiuniang got up and walked out.

Unexpectedly, halfway there, she encountered a man and a woman talking in a corridor, looking like they were having a delightful conversation.

The woman was Xie Ying, and the man…

Lin Wangchen?

What a surprise!

Even without her involvement, he still came to the Xie family?

Was this the will of heaven?

In her previous life, after he had escorted her home, he immediately became an honored guest of the Xie family. At that time, she had thought that the clan valued her highly, which was why they warmly received Lin Wangchen who had saved her.

Now that she thought about it, it was just like that.

Lin Wangchen was from a top cultivation family and had outstanding talent. Regardless of their considerations, the Xie family would naturally want to be on good terms with him.

In her previous life, when she successfully reached Foundation Establishment, Lin Wangchen suddenly came to propose marriage. The clan agreed without even asking her.

Back then, she had been very self-aware.

Lin Wangchen had too many admirers.

He and she were not a good match.

It was just that she couldn’t refuse the clan’s decision.

On their wedding night, they did not consummate the marriage.

Lin Wangchen said that before reaching the Golden Core stage, it was best to maintain one’s primal yin.^[5]Primal Yin: The pure yin energy possessed by a virgin, believed to be beneficial for cultivation. He also said that he wanted to be with her for a long, long time. Every time they met after that, he would give her all sorts of resources.

Things that others had to work hard to obtain, she easily got, incurring the jealousy of many in the sect…

Slap!

Xie Jiuniang slapped her forehead.

Was there something she had overlooked in her previous life?

Had she been someone’s cauldron from the very beginning?

“Ninth Sister, I heard you were injured. Are you better now? I went to see you yesterday, but He Xiang said you were resting.” Xie Ying said, her voice as fragrant as white lotuses despite her cold, lofty demeanor. “Don’t be so reckless next time. The clan was alarmed because of you, and had to mobilize quite a few people which delayed many matters.”

Xie Jiuniang blinked her big eyes innocently. “Eldest Sister, I had no choice. Eldest Aunt transferred my allocated resources to you, so I could only take risks to earn resources on my own.”

Xie Ying’s heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly glanced at Lin Wangchen, who raised his brows in surprise.

At this moment, Xie Ying wished she could pinch Xie Jiuniang to death.

Did she not understand the concept of not airing dirty laundry?^[6]Airing the Dirty Laundry: An idiom that means revealing or discussing private matters, scandals, or shameful information in public, often causing embarrassment or damage to one’s reputation. In … Continue reading

Did she treat the elders’ teachings since childhood as mere noise?

Xie Jiuniang smiled and said, “Speaking of which, I got the better end of this deal. Eldest Aunt said that for borrowing my resources for just one year, they would compensate me with a Foundation Establishment Pill. Eldest Sister, did you know about this?”

Xie Ying knew Xie Jiuniang was setting a trap for her, but she could only agree. “I know. You won’t be short-changed.”

“How generous! Eldest Sister, you have both beauty and kindness.” Having achieved her goal, Xie Jiuniang didn’t stint on the praise. “Then I’ll be going first. I won’t delay you in entertaining your distinguished guest.”

Xie Jiuniang strode past the two of them.

She had no intention of greeting Lin Wangchen.

A strange glint flashed in Lin Wangchen’s eyes. Was she pretending not to know him?