Volume One, Chapter 13: Innocent and Naïve

The voice was crisp, tinged with a hint of anger, yet clearly belonged to a young and beautiful woman.

Sure enough, Jiang Mu turned his head and immediately spotted Su Li standing at the courtyard entrance with her hands on her hips.

She wore a pale cyan outfit, her dark hair cascading down her back. Her slightly chubby face framed a pair of large, bright eyes that sparkled with liveliness, exuding the charm of a spirited princess.

“Hey, I’m talking to you! Who do you think you are? Do you even know where this is? Take your filthy hands off the door this instant!”

Su Li took a few quick steps forward and slapped Jiang Mu’s hand away from the door, then positioned herself firmly in front, blocking his way.

“It’s Sister Qianyun… The elder arranged for me to stay here. Are you in charge here? If you have any issues, go talk to Elder Qianyun,” Jiang Mu said cautiously. Being new and unsure how to reveal his identity, he relied on Qianyun’s name, believing that even if this young girl was an elder of the sect, she wouldn’t dare disrespect Qianyun.

However, Su Li only showed a flicker of surprise before furrowing her brows and questioning Jiang Mu sharply.

“Sister Qianyun? Hmph! You’re clearly lying. Elder Qianyun hasn’t returned to the sect yet, how could she have brought you here? Who exactly are you? Confess the truth now, or don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

A formidable aura suddenly burst from Su Li’s body, the force of it knocking Jiang Mu back over ten steps before he barely regained his footing. Even the little one cradled in his arms was flung aside by the sudden surge of power.

“Grr!” The little one growled at Su Li in displeasure, but was promptly ignored.

Seeing Su Li resort to force so quickly, Jiang Mu’s head throbbed. From the aura she emitted, her strength was no less than Lin Ting’s—it was clear she was no ordinary disciple. In his current state, he was no match for her.

Should he tell the truth?

Jiang Mu hesitated.

Seeing his silence as an admission of deceit, Su Li snorted coldly. Without warning, a long whip materialized in her hand and lashed toward Jiang Mu.

Jiang Mu just opened his mouth to explain, but before a word could come out, the whip struck like a living serpent, moving so fast it was invisible to the naked eye.

Instinctively, Jiang Mu raised both arms and closed his eyes.

Yet, in the next instant, a voice pierced through from afar.

“Stop!”

It was Qianyun’s voice!

Jiang Mu’s heart leapt with joy as he opened his eyes.

Su Li also recognized the voice; her wrist flicked, and the whip struck the ground beside Jiang Mu, kicking up a cloud of dust that landed squarely on the little one’s already foul mood.

The little one lost all patience, baring claws and rushing at Su Li, but before reaching her, was slapped down hard onto the ground.

“Hmph!”

Su Li snorted lightly and glared at the little one before turning and lifting her whip, walking toward Qianyun.

Jiang Mu breathed a quiet sigh of relief and followed.

“Sister Qianyun, this person blatantly broke the rules, daring to trespass the sect leader’s courtyard and falsely claiming you brought him here. If I hadn’t seen it, who knows what he might have done to the sect leader’s residence. Good heavens, could he have some unspeakable intentions toward the sect leader…” Su Li launched into a tirade before Qianyun could say a word, her imagination growing wilder and more bizarre by the moment.

Jiang Mu, overhearing such slanders—some borderline inappropriate—hurried to interrupt.

“Hey, hey, hey, you can stop now. This is all nonsense. I bear you no ill will, so don’t wrong me like this!”

Su Li merely gave him a disdainful glance and tossed back, “Men are all the same. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re really thinking!”

“You…” Jiang Mu was left speechless, helplessly casting a pleading look at Qianyun.

Qianyun smiled wryly but said nothing, instead speaking softly.

“The sect leader has emerged from seclusion. I will take you to him now.”

At those words, a spark of hope lit in Jiang Mu’s eyes.

His father had told him that only his third sister could break the seal on him. Now that she had come out of seclusion, it meant he could officially begin his cultivation.

With that thought, Jiang Mu nodded eagerly.

Yet his excitement seemed to irritate Su Li, who muttered something indistinctly, her gaze sharp.

Jiang Mu decided to ignore the girl. Though they had only just met, he could tell she had no malicious intent—just a naive, sweet soul.

Qianyun turned and walked on, Jiang Mu close behind.

After only a few steps, Su Li caught up.

“I’m coming too!”

Qianyun glanced back at her and hesitated before nodding, “Very well.”

Jiang Mu was curious. Su Li seemed talented, but her exact status was unclear. Qianyun’s reaction to her was rather resigned, and the way Su Li addressed Qianyun suggested she wasn’t an ordinary inner sect disciple—could she be the daughter of some elder?

Jiang Mu speculated as Su Li studied him with wide eyes, blinking as if she wanted to see beneath his mask.

They did not travel on foot but instead rode a flying talisman. According to Qianyun, there was no path to Xuanyuan Peak; only strength or spiritual artifacts could reach it.

Jiang Mu remained silent throughout the journey. Qianyun seemed lost in thought, while Su Li chattered excitedly, tugging at Qianyun’s arm incessantly.

Before long, a mountain peak shrouded in mist appeared ahead. The talisman accelerated sharply, landing steadily atop the peak moments later.

Setting foot on solid ground, Jiang Mu looked around curiously. Xuanyuan Peak was nothing like a celestial paradise; it resembled an ordinary mountaintop, save for a few slightly lavish courtyard residences.

Qianyun stopped outside one such courtyard and bowed respectfully.

“Reporting to the sect leader, the young master has arrived!”

“The young master?!”

At Qianyun’s words, Su Li suddenly gasped, covering her mouth and staring at Jiang Mu with a complex expression.

Jiang Mu was startled by her reaction, inwardly thinking her crazy but paying no mind.

The heavy courtyard doors slowly opened, and a cool, clear voice echoed.

“Come in.”

“Yes!”

Qianyun led the way, Jiang Mu followed closely behind. Surprisingly, the usually talkative Su Li fell completely silent this time, her eyes filled with a faint grievance as she watched him all the way. Jiang Mu couldn’t understand why.

He hadn’t done anything to offend her!

But there was no time to ponder. Entering the courtyard, Jiang Mu immediately saw the figure seated inside.

Clad in a white dress, her hair flowing down her back, the silhouette alone revealed a breathtaking beauty.

“Sect leader!”

“Disciple greets master!”

Qianyun and Su Li bowed in succession.

Only then did Jiang Mu realize why Su Li behaved as she did—she was none other than his third sister’s disciple!

After a brief pause, Jiang Mu whispered softly,

“Th… Third sister!”