Chapter 21 - Is It Funny That the Reincarnated Senior Sister Is Also Being Pursued?

021. Do Cultivators Get Dizzy on Horses, Too? In this life, Bai Lian was vastly different in character from Bai Lian of her previous existence. The Bai Lian from her past life was dashing and unrestrained, even somewhat devil-may-care. Although she was romantically prolific, she still treated each loved one with her whole heart. As one who had spent the most time with Bai Lian, Mu Jian Li was acutely aware of her senior sister's nature. Her heart brimmed with immense love, embodying the willingness to worry for the masses and daring to act for the greater good of the world. And those women who fell in love with her—though it seemed their souls were tethered by her secret dual cultivation technique—in truth, they were already captivated by her magnanimity even before being bound by any control. Therefore, when their master had assaulted and severed Bai Lian's core, leading her sisters to liberate themselves from control and hack him to death, it wasn't for lack of love. It was the agony of betrayal, deceit, and the souring of profound love that turned into hate. Mu Jian Li also harbored resentment towards Bai Lian, for not favoring her exclusively, for... betraying the vows between them. That's why she sought vengeance, even if the Bai Lian of this lifetime did not carry the familiar visage from her memories. This contemporary Bai Lian... had none of that maverick air. She was instead cold and uninterested, like a flower atop a lofty peak, blossoming in solitude above the mundane world, overlooking worldly affairs with indifference. Everyone coveted this flower perched upon the high ground, yet she was like a true celestial being, dwelling far beyond the mortal realm. They desperate to approach her, to possess her, to... Defile her. Just like this moment. Mu Jian Li gently caressed Bai Lian's delicate waist, reluctant to let go. Despite their different temperaments, they shared one trait in common: an air of detachment. Whether it was the free-spirited past Bai Lian or the pure current Bai Lian, they both exuded a disconnection from this world, as if they belonged to the divine realms above, glancing down leisurely upon the mortal coil, yet uninvested emotionally, indifferent to the ever-changing world. It suddenly reminded her of the look in Bai Lian's eyes when she had struck him down. She couldn't discern the emotions within—were they the vicissitudes of life's journey? A melancholic relief of liberation? The emptiness of all things passing? Or... the apathy of fleeting clouds? That gaze made her suffocate. As if she was merely a lifeless puppet, a paper cutout whimsically manipulated in a shadow play. Compared to Bai Lian, this lifetime’s Bai Lian who seemed detached, gave her the illusion of being more approachable. Even the sense of distance that once seemed worlds apart had lessened, making her seem more like a living person. And because of this, she was even more inclined to seize control of her. She yearned to see the celestial maiden descend into the mundane, to witness the usually exalted figure shed tears beneath her, softly gasping in delicate vulnerability. She wondered if in that moment, Bai Lian could still maintain her detachment to worldly changes. Unable to help herself, she leaned down and stealthily pecked Bai Lian's lips. A brief taste. ... The Tang family manor was situated in the heart of Gusu City, its expanse occupying nearly one-fifth of the city. This attested to the considerable influence of the Tang family. Especially since Gusu City was at the empire's crossroads of trade, flourishing in water transport. By leveraging the commercial ships, the Tang family had accumulated wealth rivaling nations over a century, their financial power surpassing that of many cultivating families. With such wealth, all it would take would be for a descendant with the aptitude for cultivation to appear, and the Tang family could soar to new heights. Regrettably, the current patriarch, in his zealous pursuit of cultivation from an early age, had damaged his health and lost the ability to father children. And the sole descendant, Tang Chu Huan, was bereft of cultivating talent, just a common mortal. The people of Gusu City couldn't help but lament for the Tang family. A hundred li was not overly far for a spirited horse. The group traveled through the forested trail and finally arrived at the Tang residence. Bai Lian dismounted, leaning against a tree trunk and questioning her life choices. She had been questioning the entire journey. —For a cultivator in the later stages of the Heart of the Zither, to actually get dizzy on a horse?!! Why? Why should it be this way? Could it be that the susceptibility to motion sickness from her previous life carried over? Even then, it had never been this bad when traveling by carriage! At most, there was nausea and the urge to vomit, but never this dizzy, heavy-headed sensation. And even the spiritual qi within her body was disturbed. Could it be that dizziness on a horse was even more severe for cultivators? "Senior Sister, are you alright? Do you need me to help regulate your qi?" Mu Jian Li gently stroked Bai Lian's back, steadily infusing some spiritual qi into her. Her cultivation followed the most orthodox Taihua Sword Canon from the Taihua Sword Sect, its spiritual energy grand and upright, excellent for soothing the meridians and cleansing the spirit platform. Of course, where healing was concerned, the spiritual energy of the Taihua Sword Canon fell short compared to the Taixuan Heart Sutra. Even the spiritual energy of the Taixuan Heart Sutra had a natural supplementary effect on the Taihua Sword Canon. After all, when the old patriarch of the Taihua Sword Sect had modified the Taixuan Heart Sutra, he did so with the intention of it being a subsidiary to the Taihua Sword Canon... "I'm fine, just a bit dizzy," Bai Lian said, looking at Mu Jian Li with gratitude as she felt the stabilizing spiritual energy within her. Although this girl was always trying to probe her true identity and made inappropriate advances, she hasn't shown any malice for so long, and to some extent was even very close to her. Perhaps she had truly let go of the past and was ready for a new life? If that was the case, they could become the paragon of sisterhood spoken of by the world, wouldn't that be wonderful? Bai Lian's mood lifted with the thought, and she unconsciously tiptoed, playfully tousling Mu Jian Li's white hair. "Jian Li is so good, truly befitting of being your senior sister's devoted junior sister!" Mu Jian Li, playing along, slightly bowed her head, a smile curling at her lips. In her past life, Bai Lian also loved to ruffle her hair like this. Tang Chu Huan watched from the side, teeth gritted with envy. She longed to draw closer to Bai Lian but hesitated due to her presumed male identity, fearing to appear too forward and undermine her image in Bai Lian's eyes. Her heart was nearly bursting with jealousy, fists clenched tight, teeth nearly shattered, yet she had to present the demeanor of a serene and majestic presence. Even to the point of forcing a motherly smile at this vile display of sisterly affection. Utterly infuriating!! "Cough, Fairy Bai, Fairy Mu, the Tang household has prepared top-quality guest rooms for you both. If you would please follow me." "My father is advanced in years and has been utterly exhausted these days dealing with the nagging issue of the heretic sect's den. He is already resting." "As you've traveled a long way from the Taihua Sword Sect, you must be tired. Perhaps you should rest for today, and tomorrow Chu Huan can bring you to meet my father." "That sounds good, then we shall burden Tang Gongzi with this task." Bai Lian nodded in agreement. Although day and night made little difference to cultivators, considering the habits of mortals, she decided it would be best to conform to local customs. Mu Jian Li had always deferred to Bai Lian on such matters, so without speaking, she consented by default. However, when Tang Chu Huan led them to their respective guest rooms, she furrowed her delicate brows. "Why is my room so far from Senior Sister’s?" The Tang family had allocated rooms for them at opposite ends, with several buildings in between. Seeing Mu Jian Li, Tang Chu Huan could only force a smile: "The other guest rooms have not been cleaned yet. In order to accommodate both fairies best as possible, Chu Huan had to arrange it thusly. I hope Fairy Mu will forgive me." Nonsense, if I allow this enchantress to stay next to Bai Lian, how can I advance my affections towards her? "That won't do, I want to stay with my senior sister." As expected, Mu Jian Li said. Otherwise, how could she possibly raid her senior sister’s room in the night?