Volume One, Chapter 15: Suri's Crackdown

What?!

At these words, not only did Jiang Mu suddenly sit up in bed, but Su Li also instinctively took a step back.

Jiang Yuexuan shot an annoyed glare at Jiang Mu. "Is there a problem? Lie still!"

"Third sister, I... I can handle this myself, no need to trouble this young lady..."

Hearing this, Su Li's face flushed even deeper; she clenched her hands to her chest but remained silent.

Jiang Yuexuan rose and approached the bed, firmly pressing Jiang Mu back down while pulling out a small porcelain bottle from her bosom, speaking impatiently.

"What are you afraid of? Here’s your sister and your wife; what’s there to be shy about? Close your eyes!"

"Wha... wife? Where did I get a..."

Jiang Mu’s eyes widened in surprise as he instinctively tried to sit up, only to be met with a fierce glare from Jiang Yuexuan.

"I arranged a childhood bride for you. What, do you have objections?"

Jiang Mu swallowed hard. Objections? Did he dare?

Shaking his head like a rattle, he stammered out, "No... no!"

Indeed, the bloodline pressure from his elder sister was an insurmountable mountain for a younger brother.

"Then just lie still!"

Jiang Yuexuan wasted no more words, pouring a pill from the small porcelain bottle into Jiang Mu’s mouth.

Within moments, Jiang Mu’s eyes grew glassy, and he quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Jiang Yuexuan reached out to test Jiang Mu’s arm, then turned to the side.

Glancing at Su Li, who was curled up in the corner of the bed, cheeks flushed, Jiang Yuexuan’s voice grew cold.

"What are you standing there for? Get to work!"

"Yes, Master..."

Su Li’s voice was faint and timid. She hesitated at Jiang Mu’s side, unsure where to begin.

Fearful of angering Jiang Yuexuan, she steeled herself and slowly began to remove Jiang Mu’s clothing piece by piece.

Jiang Yuexuan stood silently nearby. Worried that staring might embarrass Su Li further, she turned her back, listening to the soft rustling behind her. A strange feeling stirred within her—she wanted to laugh but dared not.

After what felt like a long time, Su Li’s weak voice came from behind.

"Master... it’s done..."

Jiang Yuexuan turned around, only to be utterly stunned and almost immediately spun back.

"Who told you to strip him all the way?"

Her voice tinged with embarrassment and annoyance, she inwardly blamed Su Li.

The foolish girl had clearly been told to remove only Jiang Mu’s outer coat—how did she end up stripping him bare?

Su Li was dumbfounded, helplessly pointing at the completely naked Jiang Mu on the bed.

"Master, it wasn’t you who told me to take it all off..."

"Put it back on! Just expose the chest, that’s enough!"

Su Li’s blush deepened to her ears, tears threatening as she suspected her master was playing a prank on her.

Yet with no choice, she closed one eye and tiptoed to redress Jiang Mu, leaving only his upper body bare.

Having finished, Su Li was sweating profusely. She glanced at Jiang Mu’s delicate face and immediately felt a surge of bashfulness. After mumbling a hurried farewell, she fled the room.

"It’s done, Master, I’ll... wait for you outside!"

Watching Su Li’s embarrassed retreat, Jiang Yuexuan covered her mouth to chuckle softly, shaking her head. Without delay, she stepped forward to Jiang Mu’s side.

Switching back to her usual cold demeanor, she gathered a faint azure spiritual power in her palm. With a sharp press, the energy surged into Jiang Mu’s body like a tidal wave.

Almost instantly, Jiang Mu’s tightly shut eyes snapped open, his gaze erupting with dazzling golden light. Though fleeting, the brilliant glow caught the attention of the elders on Xuantian Peak, who leapt into the air, watching the fleeting golden gleam.

What was happening?

The four senior sect elders exchanged glances, puzzled as none could discern what transpired.

One shook his head, and all four turned toward Jiang Yuexuan’s courtyard. After a brief hesitation, they swept over to the courtyard’s entrance.

Inside, Su Li crouched, clutching a stray branch she had found, snapping it repeatedly in frustration while mumbling softly.

Suddenly sensing something, Su Li looked up and saw the four elders entering. She quickly stood and bowed respectfully.

"Elders, why have you come?"

"Little Su, where is the sect leader?"

"The master is inside, currently..."

Su Li hesitated, embarrassed to continue. The elders exchanged glances, their expressions growing troubled as they sensed something amiss.

"Nonsense! The sect leader cultivates the Path of Ruthlessness; how could she..."

One elder scolded sharply, preparing to enter the room.

Su Li hurriedly blocked him.

"Elder Wu, it’s not what you think. The sect leader is healing her younger brother!"

"Brother?"

Wu Lan, the second elder, paused, instinctively looking to the other three elders, all of whom shook their heads. None had heard the sect leader mention a brother.

"Little Su, what’s going on? Where did this brother come from, and why haven’t we known?"

Elder Lei Wu asked, puzzled.

Su Li shook her head. To be honest, she only knew the sect leader had a younger brother who had disappeared when he was very young; beyond that, she knew nothing.

"I must inquire!"

Lei Wu was about to push past Su Li and Wu Lan into the room but was stopped by the eldest elder, Xuan Feng.

"Fourth elder! Since the sect leader is healing, how can you barge in? We shall wait here."

"But..."

Lei Wu opened his mouth, as if to argue, but hesitated and sighed helplessly.

The four elders settled around the stone table in the courtyard, patiently waiting.

Fortunately, they did not wait long before the door creaked open and a slightly weary Jiang Yuexuan stepped out.

The elders immediately stood to speak but were silenced by Jiang Yuexuan’s raised hand.

"Li’er, take care of him. Elders, if you have matters to discuss, let’s move to the council hall—call Qian Yun as well."

With that, Jiang Yuexuan left the courtyard, and Su Li hurried inside.

The four elders stood frozen for a moment before reluctantly leaving the courtyard.

Once inside the council hall, Lei Wu barely waited for everyone to sit before raising his voice.

"Sect leader, though your urgency to save is understandable, this is a critical moment. Your spiritual power must not be depleted, especially your primordial force. If the demon clan attacks now, won’t the sect be..."

But Jiang Yuexuan dismissed the concerns with a single, calm statement.

"He is my brother. Whoever dares speak another word against him, I will kill."

"No exceptions, no matter who!"