Chapter 46

This statement was more of an intention, meaning that it was like a fish freely swimming in the sea, doing whatever it wanted without caring whether it was happy or not.

After hearing this, Su Chengfeng remained silent for a long time, also gazing at the sea. His voice was almost inaudible when he spoke.

“Yes.”

Su Chengfeng seemed lost in his memories. Yu Tao stayed by his side for a while, not disturbing him, before she turned and left. Zhu Qianying came to meet her.

“How did it go, Miss Yu?”

Yu Tao was frank. “I tried to persuade him, but I don’t know if it worked.”

She raised her eyes and voiced her doubt. “Miss Zhu, he asked several times about my mother. Does he know my mother?”

Zhu Qianying thought for a moment, then seemed to remember something. She quickly asked, “What is your mother’s name?”

“Yu Sheng.”

“That explains it.” Zhu Qianying exhaled a breath. “Your mother and Su Chengfeng’s late wife were sisters.”

Yu Tao was stunned. “What did you say?”

Zhu Qianying patiently explained. “I told you before, Su Chengfeng had a wife who passed away. She actually had a sister, but she went missing more than ten years ago. Su Chengfeng’s question means he must have confirmed it’s her.”

She seemed to realize something. “No wonder you look a bit like Liuli. Your mothers were sisters.”

Yu Tao was still a bit confused. She hadn’t processed this new information—just like that, her mother had an older sister?

She had just heard from Feng Mian on Xuanyue Island that her mother had been a Mahayana cultivator decades ago, and now she was being told that her mother was from the Yaochi clan.

So… it seemed that her mother couldn’t have been an ordinary person after all, right?

Yu Tao didn’t know much about the cultivation world. Due to her interactions with Zhu Mingyu and Lu Qingyu, she had a general understanding of the three major cultivation families and knew who their family heads were. Beyond that, she knew very little.

She furrowed her brows. “Miss Zhu, please wait while I think this through.”

Zhu Qianying smiled. “No rush. You should go rest and take your time to think about it. After the family learns of this, Su Chengfeng will likely come to Wuchang Sect to find you. Then you can discuss it properly.”

After bidding farewell to Zhu Qianying, Yu Tao returned to where Hua Lian and the others were waiting.

Hua Lian was the first to approach, eager to ask the questions everyone had been wondering. “Junior sister, why did the head of the Su family come to find you?”

“He didn’t make things difficult for you, did he?”

Yu Tao shook her head. “No, he just asked me a few questions about my mother.”

Before anyone could respond, Hua Lian suddenly inhaled sharply.

He usually kept up with the latest news and gossip in the cultivation world, especially the peculiar stories from the Liuli Mirror, so he knew quite a bit about Su Chengfeng’s past.

There were rumors that on the day of Su Chengfeng’s wedding, an ordinary mortal woman—without any cultivation—had barged in. His expression had changed drastically, and while everyone had expected some drama, the woman had merely presented a gift and left.

Connecting this with the grandiose actions of Su Chengfeng on the island, as well as the fact that Junior Sister was originally an ordinary person, Hua Lian couldn’t help but let his mind wander.

…Could that woman have been Junior Sister’s mother?

“I just saw Zhu Qianying stopping you. When did you two get to know each other?”

Zhu Mingyu withdrew her gaze from the direction Zhu Qianying had gone, her tone slightly serious.

Yu Tao absentmindedly explained what had happened the day before when Zhu Qianying had come to ask for her help. “That’s all.”

As for what Zhu Qianying had just told her, Yu Tao hadn’t mentioned it.

Zhu Mingyu lowered her gaze, deep in thought. In the book, Su Chengfeng indeed mistook Yu Tao for his own daughter, so Zhu Qianying’s request was understandable. But the more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

She pursed her lips. Suddenly, Lu Qingyu transmitted a message to her: ‘Zhu Qianying is a close friend of Su Liuli.’

Zhu Mingyu froze for a moment, then instantly understood.

Perhaps Zhu Qianying didn’t want to see her friend replaced, or maybe she didn’t want others to benefit, so she stepped in to do this. Thinking this way made sense—it was in line with her character.

But this turn of events worked out well, it actually helped them.

She and Lu Qingyu had already planned to keep Yu Tao away from Su Chengfeng anyway.

After thinking for a moment, Zhu Mingyu pulled Yu Tao over and whispered to her. “Zhu Qianying isn’t as simple as she seems. You’d better not get too close to her. If you can refuse, do so. If you can’t, come find me directly.”

Yu Tao stared at her in surprise. So, the relationship between the two sisters wasn’t good after all? She didn’t have any siblings herself, and she had always thought that sisters should be close.

She nodded. “I understand.”

The group set off to return to the sect. Yu Tao leaned on Yu Li’s hand, lightly stepping onto the sword light.

It would take some time to reach their destination, so Yu Tao found a comfortable position to sit and lost herself in thought about the events of the day.

By the time they arrived at the sect, everyone went their separate ways to rest. Yu Tao walked up the stone steps of Yunjing Peak, her head lowered, and didn’t say another word.

The evening breeze roared through the mountains like the breath of a dragon. Yu Li glanced up lightly, but she didn’t know what the two of them had said to Yu Tao. She looked troubled, as though deep in thought.

Back at the Huaishui Bamboo Pavilion, Yu Li was about to stop Yu Tao from stepping down the stairs to ask her something when she suddenly turned around and asked, “Little Senior Brother, do you have any siblings?”

Yu Li was slightly stunned, then answered, “Yes.”

“Why do you ask?”

Yu Tao lowered her head and kicked a small stone at her feet. “I don’t have siblings. I’ve always wanted to have one, whether it’s an older brother, a younger brother, or an older sister, it would be nice to have someone to play with.”

“I’ve always thought siblings would have a good relationship, but it seems like that’s not the case. Classmate Zhu and her sister don’t get along, and Senior Sister Lu doesn’t interact with her sisters at home…”

Yu Tao looked up, her eyes slightly wet and confused. “What about you, Little Senior Brother? How is your relationship with them?”

Yu Li paused for a moment, then spoke slowly, “They’re dead.”

Yu Tao froze.

The young man’s tone was calm. “In the clan I come from, when candidates are young, they’re all confined together and forced to fight until only one survives, who is then trained to become the leader.”

Yu Tao stared at him, stunned. “But… couldn’t you have just lived together without fighting?”

“Anyone who can’t defeat everyone else is considered weak, unfit to become the leader, and will be executed.”

Yu Tao became angry. “They don’t even value human life. What’s the point of such a rule in the clan?”

“Mm.” Yu Li responded flatly, “That’s why it no longer exists.”

Yu Tao clenched her sleeves. His words were so casual, but how much pain had he endured, and how much hardship had he gone through to reach his current level of cultivation and position?

She lifted her face, and the moonlight bathed the young man’s figure. The bamboo forest swayed gently in the breeze, making a rustling sound. The young man’s gaze was as calm and unmoving as always, his pale gold eyes cold and indifferent.

“I’ve never had any experience with normal sibling relationships either. Even the few times we met were filled with hostility, so I can’t answer your question.”

“I was just asking casually.”

Yu Tao felt a pang of sympathy and guilt, regretting that she had brought it up.

An overwhelming emotion swelled inside her, and she took a step up on the stone stairs so that she was now at eye level with the young man.

She softly comforted him, “It’s alright. Don’t be sad, it’s all in the past.”

Yu Li lifted his eyelids, his gaze fixing on the girl’s face. He was about to say that he didn’t care, but just as he was about to speak, he felt a light touch on his head. The girl gently rubbed his hair, her gaze tender, as if she were petting a small animal.

He froze for a moment.

As the girl stroked his hair, she said, “Well, I don’t have any siblings either. If you don’t mind, could I be your sister?”

Yu Li: “…”

After a long silence, he finally spoke, “If I’m not mistaken, your seventeenth birthday is in three months.”

Yu Tao’s body stiffened.

She… she said it without thinking.

She had always called herself “sister” when teasing Lili earlier, and now, for a moment, she didn’t know how to respond.

Yu Tao awkwardly withdrew her hand and fidgeted with her fingers in front of her, hesitating before speaking, “Then… should I call you… ? Since we’re junior and Little Senior Brothers, it should be somewhat like siblings, right?”

Perhaps due to a lack of experience, the words “brother” got stuck in her throat, and she couldn’t bring herself to say them. It just felt… wrong.

“No need.” Yu Li extended his hand, grabbing her delicate wrist, and unlocked the barrier of the Huaishui Bamboo Pavilion as he walked inside.

“You can just stick to calling me Little Senior Brother.”

He led her to her room and let go of her. “It’s late, get some good rest.”

Yu Tao touched her wrist, which still seemed to carry the sensation of his touch, and reflected on all the little things that had happened recently. Little Senior Brother had been so kind to her, and now, she couldn’t even manage such a small thing!

Finally, she gathered the courage to lean against the half-open door, lowered her head, and softly said, “Goodnight…”

“Mm.”

Just as Yu Li was about to leave, he suddenly heard the girl’s soft voice.

“Brother(Gege).”

After speaking those words, Yu Tao hurriedly closed the door, not even daring to look at his reaction, and leaned back against the door, exhaling deeply.

Once she heard his footsteps moving away, she relaxed, lying back on the soft bed.

The Liuli Mirror suddenly chimed with a “ding-dong.”

Yu Tao was puzzled. Who could be looking for her at this late hour?

She opened the message and saw:

Yu Li: 【Goodnight.】

Yu Tao hesitated for a moment before sending a message:

【Little Senior Brother, um, did you hear that?】

After two or three seconds, she received a reply.

【Yes, I heard.】

【But next time, if you call me, don’t do it outside.】

Yu Tao obediently replied with “Okay,” since this was something between the two of them, and there was no need for anyone else to know about it.

She put down the Liuli Mirror, her face slightly flushed.

Was it just her imagination, or did it feel odd calling him that? She couldn’t quite pinpoint what felt strange, but something was definitely off.

The next day, Yu Tao woke up early as usual for her morning lessons. It had been a while since she saw Shishu Lin Lin, and when he saw her, he was so moved that he almost cried. She and Zhu Mingyu were the only two new students who took his lessons seriously, and now they are finally back!

That day, Shishu Lin Lin taught with great enthusiasm, almost as if he were dedicating himself to the sect.

Yu Tao had only resumed her normal routine for one day, but that very evening, as Zhu Qianying had predicted, Su Chengfeng came.

However, Yu Tao didn’t expect that Su Chengfeng’s visit this time was to ask her to return to Yaochi.

Su Chengfeng explained much the same as Zhu Qianying had, that her mother was actually the younger sister of his wife, and so he wanted her to acknowledge her ancestors and return to the family.

Yu Tao shook her head and refused him.

Su Chengfeng tried to comfort her: “Don’t worry, I’ve made all the arrangements within the clan. Just come back with me, and I’ll make sure you won’t suffer anymore. I know you’ve been through a lot these years, but from now on, you’ll never have to face hardship again with me by your side.”

Yu Tao firmly rejected him: “Sorry, Uncle Su, I can’t go back with you.”

Su Chengfeng was confused: “Is it because you still can’t accept it? I can give you some time… to think it over?”

Yu Tao pressed her lips together: “I’ve thought about it a lot these past couple of days and have also looked up some information. Yaochi’s Bai Yinyin doesn’t have a sister, at least not according to any records. No matter the reason, my mother has already left Yaochi, and I will respect her decision.”

“And,” Yu Tao raised her eyes, “Uncle Su, I’ve grown used to being free on my own. I don’t think I can live in such a large family.”

Whether it was Classmate Zhu or Senior Sister Lu, in such a vast family, there was no warmth, only cold and ruthless rules. This was not what Yu Tao wanted.

When she spoke about her mother, Su Chengfeng fell silent. After a long while, he sighed: “Alright, I won’t force you.”

“Then, would you like to visit Yaochi? It’s where your mother lived, and her room should still be there, along with some of her belongings.”

Yu Tao slightly opened her eyes, tightened her fingers, but didn’t immediately agree.

“Uncle Su, could you wait for me to go back and think about it first?”

Su Chengfeng nodded: “No problem. Once you’ve made up your mind, just contact me anytime, and I’ll take you there.”

Yu Tao nodded: “Thank you, Uncle Su.”

After bidding farewell to Su Chengfeng, Yu Tao returned to the Huaishui Bamboo Pavilion. She wanted to ask Little Senior Brother for his opinion on the matter, so she knocked on his door.

However, as soon as her fingers brushed the door, it unexpectedly opened—Little Senior Brother hadn’t closed it properly.

Yu Tao glanced around the room but found no one.

Strange, why didn’t he close the door when he left? Could he still be inside?

As she thought this, she walked into the study, filled with the scent of ink.

It appeared empty at first, but just as she was about to leave, her gaze swept across the desk and then stopped suddenly. A splash of red caught her attention.

—It was a scroll that had been left open, with the corners unrolled.