Chapter 99: Truly Exists

The surging spiritual energy left Yao Chaoxi repeatedly astonished, though fortunately their master had set up protective formations.

Ji Jiuxuan sat cross-legged, her five fingertips pointing upward. Only after her internal situation stabilized did she open her eyes.

Senior Sister Chaoxi seemed to be a rather meticulous person, so she walked over with great reserve and bowed to her. “Senior Sister.”

The styles of Senior Sister Chaoxi and Senior Sister Meng were totally different—one calm, the other lively. If Senior Sister Meng was like a swift rabbit, passionate and fiery, then Senior Sister Chaoxi was as gentle as flowing water, serene and soothing.

“You must be tired.” Yao Chaoxi crouched down and cast a cleansing technique on her. Her face showed no change in expression, but Jiuxuan saw warmth in her eyes.

Jiuxuan looked at Yao Chaoxi in wonder. Usually, when she performed the cleansing technique herself, it only felt refreshing and clean, but this time, Senior Sister’s technique carried a cool sensation.

“Comfortable?” Chaoxi asked.

Jiuxuan nodded. Memories of related information she had read before surfaced in her mind. Coupled with the situation on the memory stone, she had some suspicions.

Seeing her thoughtful expression, Yao Chaoxi’s gaze softened even more. “What are you thinking about?”

Their master had said that the little junior sister had a great gift for the art of calligraphy, so it was not surprising that she could deduce things from small details.

“Senior Sister, do you have the Ice Spirit Root?”

The “Listening to Strings and Asking Spirits” technique demanded extremely high aptitude. Once mastered, it could control the surrounding spiritual energy to kill invisibly, freeze thousands of miles, and even trace the past using spiritual power.

Judging by the memory stone from yesterday, Senior Sister Chaoxi’s “Listening to Strings and Asking Spirits” had already reached mastery. The cool feeling during the cleansing technique was also a sign of such accomplishment.

“Yes,” Yao Chaoxi said happily. “My little junior sister is truly amazing.”

With that, she took out a plate of pastries from the spatial pocket.

The pale green pastries were translucent and looked incredibly enticing.

“Qingluo Cake, junior sister, would you like to try some?” She had specially asked around and learned that the junior sister loved delicious food the most.

Holding the plate nervously, Yao Chaoxi had been with their sect and master since she was young. Her personality was always slow to warm up, and she was very selective of others, so she had few true friends.

Now, having such a delicate and lovely little junior sister made her heart swell with joy.

Though a little anxious, when she saw Jiuxuan’s eyes light up happily at the pastries, her nervousness vanished, replaced by tenderness.

She believed in the instinctive connection between people.

Once indifferent and unwilling to speak more than a word to anyone, Yao Chaoxi now felt joy upon seeing Jiuxuan. The little junior sister was truly beautiful.

---

When it was nearly time to leave, Jiuxuan prepared to go back, and Yao Chaoxi stood up as well. “It’s already late. Senior Sister will see you off.”

Jiuxuan looked at her, and a gentle warmth appeared on Yao Chaoxi’s usually serene face. “The demon clan just appeared last night. I’ll feel more at ease if I escort you back.”

After many efforts, Yao Chaoxi felt her expression had finally become more natural and breathed a sigh of relief. She worried that a stern face might frighten the little junior sister.

“Thank you very much, Senior Sister.”

Before she finished speaking, Yao Chaoxi lifted Jiuxuan into her arms, soaring toward the Xuanheng Courtyard.

When they reached the sky above the Listening Academy, Jiuxuan suddenly noticed Senior Sister Meng sitting in a tree outside, their eyes meeting.

Instinctively, Jiuxuan waved cheerfully at Senior Sister Meng.

Following her gaze, Yao Chaoxi squinted slightly. The little junior sister showed no sign of stopping, so she did not pause.

Watching them depart, Meng Jiao stood and brushed off her clothes, smiling brightly. “The icy beauty is back! She even personally carried our precious little junior sister home. Even her cleanliness obsession seems to vanish around the junior sister. How rare.”

Upon returning to the Xuanheng Courtyard, Yao Chaoxi watched Jiuxuan enter before heading back herself.

At that moment, Jiuxuan was surprised to find her rarely seen maternal grandfather sitting in the courtyard.

“Grandfather, are you waiting for me?”

She usually came home around this time, though often later at night, so she hadn’t expected him to be here.

“Ah Jiu, come here.”

Hearing her grandfather’s kind voice, Jiuxuan happily ran over and smiled. “Grandfather, you’re free today?”

“Yes, I’m free now.” He pulled out a variety of spiritual foods from the spatial pocket. “Grandfather brought delicious treats for our little Ah Jiu. Would you like to try some, or should we store them away for later?”

With her grandfather, Jiuxuan felt completely at ease. She looked joyfully at the table full of delicacies, putting some into storage. “I’ll save these for later.”

Then she took out the meals she usually prepared to share with her grandfather, filling the table once more.

Jiuxuan beamed at Qi Shuoyuan. “Grandfather, try these. I made them myself. They’re very tasty!”

Qi Shuoyuan patted her head. “Good, our Ah Jiu is so talented.”

Eating happily, Jiuxuan pondered whether the hardships of her previous life were all to bring her to this one, to meet them all.

Ordinary people might think she was neglecting her duties, but not her grandfather—he was full of indulgence.

“Grandfather, do you know of any techniques that allow one to leap stages in cultivation?”

After a moment, she added, “I mean ones that can leap stages, but whose origin is unknown, so no one would know it’s me.”

---

Qi Shuoyuan regarded her question seriously. “Ah Jiu, why are you thinking about this today?”

Jiuxuan smiled sheepishly, not brushing it off but answering sincerely. “I want to find one to learn so I can play dumb and then surprise others. If I encounter danger, I can use this technique, and if the other party dies accidentally, no one will know it was me.”

Some techniques leave traces when used or have distinctive characteristics, making them easy to recognize.

That not only invites enemies but also attracts unwanted attention.

Having such a technique would be a means of self-preservation.

Qi Shuoyuan stroked her head and smiled. “Such techniques do exist, but obtaining one depends on you.”

Really!

Jiuxuan’s eyes shone as she looked at her grandfather. “Grandfather, where?”

She was eager to find it immediately to be prepared for any eventuality.

Qi Shuoyuan sighed, knowing she had to go. “By the southern sea, at the Ji family ancestral temple.”

Jiuxuan was very surprised. “The ancestral temple?”

If it was obtained there, wouldn’t it be even more obviously a Ji family technique?

But she trusted her grandfather wouldn’t speak carelessly and looked to him, waiting for more.

Qi Shuoyuan smiled. “Our Ah Jiu might not know this, but the Ji family inheritance includes a technique that can indeed leap stages in times of crisis, and others cannot detect it. However, whether it can be passed on depends on the strength of the inheritor’s bloodline.”

Jiuxuan understood. In that case, it indeed depended on herself.

Born into this world, she had yet to test her bloodline’s strength. She was curious about how strong it could be.

Though she had not met her grandfather and others in person, through jade slips’ communication, she had long accepted these relatives from the bottom of her heart.

“Actually, if Ah Jiu wants a leap-stage technique, our Qi family has an inheritance too, but its technique is more distinctive.”

Jiuxuan was about to ask for details when a loud crash interrupted them, and Qi Shuoyuan looked seriously toward the back mountain.

(End of chapter)