Chapter 46: Is the Legend True That Third Senior Brother is a Pervert?

The two were locked in fierce combat when, suddenly, they found themselves immobilised by an unseen force.

Qin Xixue froze momentarily before realisation dawned. She glared furiously at Chu Sang, who leisurely emerged from within the formation, and gritted her teeth, “It was you!”

Had she tampered with the formation?

It turned out Chu Sang had never been trapped by the formation at all. Instead, while Qin Xixue and Zhao Xun were engrossed in their battle, she had secretly established another array. Once complete, it effortlessly ensnared both of them.

Two high-level binding formations were more than sufficient to imprison Qin Xixue and Zhao Xun. Even with the female protagonist’s arsenal of treasures, breaking free would take time—time that Chu Sang had carefully calculated.

Despicable. Truly despicable.

How could there be someone so utterly shameless in this world?!

Furious but helpless, the two could only watch as Chu Sang floated to the lotus platform and plucked the lotus seed. She even had the audacity to wave cheerfully at them, “Farewell, you two!”

The moment the lotus seed was removed, the illusory realm, along with the round tower, vanished into thin air.

“Boom!”

Everyone was unceremoniously ejected from the secret realm.

Disoriented, they gazed around at the wilderness before them. Ge Xiang and Qiu Xiude even suspected they’d fallen into yet another illusion. Taking advantage of the general confusion, Chu Sang swiftly departed with her senior and junior disciples, deftly avoiding the impending bloodbath.

Back at the sect, as Sikou Qiu tended to Cheng Ying’s shoulder wound, she noticed Chu Sang holding out a green lotus seed towards her.

Meeting her surprised and delighted gaze, Chu Sang beamed sweetly, “Fourth senior sister, please accept this. The lotus seed was meant for you all along!”

With her exceptional fire spirit root now fully repaired, Chu Sang’s cultivation speed was already unparalleled. The chaos spirit root would be of little benefit to her. Her fellow disciples also possessed excellent dual spirit roots.

Comparatively, fourth senior sister had the greatest need for the chaos spirit root.

“The Chaotic Green Lotus Seed is merely a seed; it hasn’t yet matured into a Chaotic Green Lotus. The cultivation conditions for the green lotus are extremely demanding. Fourth senior sister, you’ll need to nourish it daily with spiritual energy and blood for three years before the seed will bloom…”

Acquiring the seed wasn’t the most challenging part. The real test lay in successfully nurturing the Chaotic Green Lotus Seed to bloom, a feat that demanded immense effort and time. Not everyone possessed such perseverance.

Chu Sang believed fourth senior sister was up to the task.

Too moved for words, Sikou Qiu nodded solemnly and accepted the lotus seed. The following day, she entered seclusion.

A series of prompts resounded in Chu Sang’s mind—

[Villain Sikou Qiu’s corruption value -10, host can randomly allocate +10 attribute points!]

[Villain Sikou Qiu’s current corruption value: 20]

[10 points remaining for free allocation, please select attributes to enhance—]

…

…

While Chu Sang and the others had been exploring the secret realm, Su Chen’an and Wenren Yue had diligently managed the business at the shop. After months of deliberation, they finally grasped those puzzling concepts little junior sister had introduced, like “bundled sales”, “membership system”, and “points for gifts”.

Within months, Treasure Pavilion’s sales figures skyrocketed. In the most recent month, they shattered all records with over a million high-grade spirit stones in sales—a feat previously unimaginable.

“I’ve never laid eyes on so many spirit stones in my entire life,” Wenren Yue marvelled, her hands cupping her awestruck face.

Su Chen’an concurred, “Who has?”

Though he had always considered himself knowledgeable, his little junior sister’s shrewd tactics made him realise just how naive he’d been.

The sect’s ranking had also ascended to over five thousand. While still a considerable distance from their ultimate goal, it now seemed tantalisingly within reach.

Lingqing Sect, once a grand sect ten thousand years ago, now occupied merely a few small mountains. Among these was East Peak, near the back mountain. Chu Sang had never visited it, nor had she seen any of her senior or junior disciples venture there. Assuming it was just an ordinary barren hill, she decided to survey the terrain, contemplating whether to cultivate crops or raise livestock.

As she trekked along, a rustling sound emanated from the bushes behind her. Chu Sang halted, expecting to encounter a low-rank beast.

Instead, an enormous shadow suddenly engulfed her entire form.

The beast’s speed far exceeded Chu Sang’s expectations. Before she could even reach for her sword or a talisman, a thick, elongated snake tail swiftly coiled around her body, hoisting her into the air. Only then did she comprehend the creature’s true nature.

It was a colossal snake, stretching several dozen metres in length. Its head loomed before her, its scarlet tongue flicking out. A damp, salty breath wafted across her face. Layers of interlocking black and red scales resembled arcane runes, glinting coldly in the sunlight. Most terrifyingly—

This was a Nascent Soul stage beast?!

How could such a formidable creature exist in their small, declining sect?

Chu Sang felt her life flash before her eyes.

However, contrary to her expectations, the giant snake displayed none of the viciousness or bloodthirst typical of other beasts she had encountered. It showed no apparent appetite for her, nor any signs of aggression. Instead, it lowered its head to sniff her Spatial bag, emitting a soft “Hiss~” and even gently licking it with its tongue. It seemed almost… anxious and helpless.

Oddly, it looked almost… pitiful.

She blinked, suddenly remembering that her spatial bag contained cat food she had prepared for Xiao Bai .

Xiao Bai, being exceptionally picky, had barely touched the food, so it had simply remained forgotten in the spatial bag.

Could it be…perhaps…possibly…?

Chu Sang pursed her lips and tentatively opened her spatial bag. The previously listless giant snake immediately perked up, its massive maw opening wide to devour the meager amount of beast food in one swift gulp. It then licked its lips, clearly still unsatisfied.

Unexpectedly, it gently uncoiled its tail, setting her down on the ground with surprising care. Then, as silently as it had appeared, it slithered back into the forest and vanished.

Seated on the ground, Chu Sang felt as though she had just awoken from a surreal dream. Pressing her dry lips together, she dashed off to the training grounds to find Tantai Ming. Mu Chihuai and Wenren Yue were there as well. “Sixth senior brother, seventh senior brother, third senior sister, something incredible has happened! There’s a Nascent Soul stage giant snake on our sect’s East Peak!”

“You ventured to East Peak?” The trio remained surprisingly calm. Tantai Ming sheathed his sword and leapt down from the stone platform, crossing the distance in a few strides. “The giant snake you encountered is likely third senior brother’s spirit beast, not some foreign creature. There’s no need for alarm!”

“Hmm, I never imagined that little snake would reach Nascent Soul stage after just a few years,” Wen Renyue remarked, incredulous. “I remember when it was just a first-rank demon beast. How on earth did Third Senior Brother raise it?”

“Third senior brother?” Chu Sang blinked in confusion. Despite being in the sect for over half a year, she had never once laid eyes on this enigmatic third senior brother. Had he been residing on East Peak all this time? Why had she never seen him emerge?

Tantai Ming scratched his head, carefully considering his words. “…Well, little junior sister, it would be best if you refrained from going there again.”

“You were fortunate not to encounter third senior brother himself this time. Had you accidentally stumbled upon him, your fate would have been sealed! None of us could have saved you!”

Chu Sang was puzzled. “…What?”

How could a fellow disciple, a senior brother no less, be described as some sort of monstrous entity to be avoided at all costs?

Tantai Ming, known for his honesty and integrity, would never carelessly slander others. His words carried the weight of truth. “To put it in perspective, second senior brother might have an episode once every few years, but third senior brother exists in a perpetual state of madness.”

“When he loses control, he not only harms himself but others as well!”

“When we were kids, he nearly attempted to roast me alive. Subsequently, Master confined him to East Peak, forbidding him from leaving. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be speaking with me right now!”

“On the day I entered the sect,” Wen Renyue added, shuddering at the memory, “I remember third senior brother’s first words to me—’What a beautiful head.’ Had the sect leader not been present, I doubt my head would have remained attached.”

Mu Chihuai chimed in, “He once told me I had beautiful eyes. That night, he came to my room with a knife.”

Tantai Ming concluded emphatically, “Third senior brother is a complete pervert!” He gestured towards Mu Chihuai. “Even more perverted than this one here.”

For once, Mu Chihuai offered no rebuttal. He nodded in agreement. “He’s right.”

“…”

Could it truly be so extreme? To elicit such a reaction even from sixth senior brother, himself no stranger to eccentricity?

Chu Sang, however, possessed a rebellious streak. The very next day, despite the warnings, she procured a large bag of beast food from Wen Renyue and snuck back to East Peak to feed the giant snake.

After just a few days, the giant snake no longer waited for Chu Sang to seek it out. Instead, it would arrive early at their usual meeting spot, eagerly anticipating her arrival.

This continued for about half a month, until one night, Chu Sang arrived with her usual bag of beast food—but this time, the snake didn’t show up.

“Bang!”

A sharp pain struck the back of her neck, and everything went dark.

When she awoke, Chu Sang found herself lying on a bed in an unfamiliar small bamboo hut. Outside the window, darkness had fallen completely. No oil lamp was lit inside, making the room extremely dim. Her nose was filled with a strong, fragrant smell of alcohol—pleasant, but somewhat pungent.

As she turned her head, she came face to face with a row of expressionless, pale faces on the wall. “…”

She nearly ascended to heaven on the spot.

Soon she realized these weren’t real people, but a row of puppets lined up against the wall.

The puppets were made too realistically, almost like wax figures, triggering an uncanny valley effect.

Chu Sang breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to get out of bed, her foot kicked something that rolled to the wall with a clear sound.

Looking down, she saw it was a human skull.

“…”

The wooden door creaked. Someone was coming! Chu Sang quickly looked away, rolled back onto the bed, folded her hands in front of her, the picture of a peaceful corpse.

The sound of rustling clothes drew nearer. A cold finger with prominent knuckles landed on her face, its slightly sharp nail gently grazing her skin.

The man’s deep voice whispered in her ear like a lover, “This skin is truly exquisite and beautiful, so white and tender. If I could peel it off intact, it would be absolutely perfect.”

“Let me think, which knife should I use?”

The sound of a drawer opening, “This one is nice, with a long, thin, sharp blade. It’ll be quick, won’t hurt…”

“…” Chu Sang opened her eyes, staring straight at him. She hadn’t expected him to be serious.

The man lowered his head, his curly black hair falling onto her face. The scent of alcohol wafted over as he said with a half-smile, “Awake? Not sleeping anymore?”

He wasn’t surprised at all, clearly having known she was pretending to be asleep all along.

“Hmm, how long have I been alone here? Three years, five years, or ten years? It seems like it’s been ten years. You’re the first person who dared to intrude here. How interesting…”

He casually tossed the knife on the ground and looked her over carefully, sighing wistfully, “You’re quite brave. Why don’t you stay and keep me company?”

Chu Sang calmly replied, “What if I say I stumbled in here by accident? Would you believe me?”

“…Do you still want to leave?”

A hint of panic flashed across his face. He tightly grasped one of her hands, softly murmuring, “I’m all alone here. I’m very lonely. Don’t leave me, stay and keep me company…”

“Alright.”

She nodded decisively.

“Then, if you dare to run away, I’ll kill you.” He was taken aback for a moment, then smiled again, saying in a low voice, “If you dare to run, I’ll turn you into a puppet.”

“That way, you can stay by my side forever.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t run—” As if!

This Third Senior Brother indeed seemed a bit mentally unstable.

Chu Sang seriously suspected that if he was in a bad mood, he might skin her alive and turn her into a puppet in the next moment.

So when he went out and locked the door behind him, Chu Sang stuck an invisibility talisman on herself and used a teleportation talisman to escape.

Outside, the sky was gradually brightening. Halfway through her escape, she ran into a stone wall. Looking up, she realized it was the big snake.

She was about to ask the snake brother to take her away, after all, they had a half-month feeding relationship. But the next second, a tall red figure appeared behind the big snake—it was the Third Senior Brother.

Chu Sang thought, Snake brother, you’re not loyal! You sold me out so quickly!!

The man sat in a wheelchair, raising one hand. His wide robe fluttered in the wind.

She was frozen in place, unable to move, not even able to use a bit of spiritual energy.

This person must be at least at the Nascent Soul stage.

He’s actually more powerful than Second Senior Brother!

“What did I just say? Since you dared to run, be prepared to accept your punishment.”

Earlier in the room, the light was too dim for Chu Sang to see his face clearly. Now, as dawn broke, the man before her had an exceptionally sickly pale complexion, but his lips were unusually red. His wide red robe and long, curly black hair billowed in the mountain breeze, like a red-clothed ghost appearing out of nowhere in broad daylight, or like a withered and decaying red spider lily.

At the thought of killing someone, he smiled happily, the small red mole at the corner of his eye appearing particularly charming and alluring.

His grip tightened inch by inch.

He truly intended to kill her.

— A big snake, puppets, a black-haired, red-robed beauty with the temperament of a viper, and a crippled yandere.

A name appeared in Chu Sang’s mind — Mu Changqing.

Indeed, birds of a feather flock together.

She had caught another villainous boss.

“Third Senior Brother!”

Mu Changqing smiled wickedly. “What? Want to beg for mercy?”

Although he had been confined to the Eastern Peak for nearly ten years, it didn’t mean he was unaware of outside affairs.

He knew very well that a new junior sister had joined the sect, and he knew that the person before him was this new junior sister, but… what did that have to do with him?

He didn’t care.

To him, she was no different from a stranger.

He could kill her with a mere twitch of his finger.

“Didn’t those guys tell you? Don’t come and bother me for no reason. Since you’re here, just stay. Stay here forever to keep me company.”

“If you want to run, I’ll turn you into a puppet. After all, only puppets will obey forever.” He said softly, “What were you going to say earlier? That you didn’t intentionally intrude here?”

Chu Sang said with difficulty, “No, I came here specifically to find you!”

“…To find me?” The smile on Mu Changqing’s face faded. He seemed not to have expected her to say this.

Specifically came to find him?

To find him, this troublemaker?

Others all avoided him like the plague, wasn’t she afraid of him?

Chu Sang looked sincere, “I’ve been in the sect for half a year now, and I’ve never met Third Senior Brother. After learning you were here, I came specifically to bring you a gift.”

“Oh? I’m curious to see what you’ve brought. If I’m not satisfied, you’ll still die.”

Chu Sang took something out of her spatial bag.

…