Don't be afraid, fairy, I'm blind

Chapter 492: Natural Furnace (5.6k)

"she left?"

Ji Lingruo's voice came from the corridor, and the rustling sound of her skirt sweeping across the stone steps was lighter than usual.

She stood in the shadow of the wisteria flowers, her fingertips entwined around the tassel of the Chengying sword, but her eyes were like a little snake lingering on You Su's profile.

You Su stroked the iced sour plum soup on the table with his fingertips, looking at the last glimmer of gold in the distant sky, where a faint broken golden shadow passed by:

"Elder Liu will personally escort her out of the ancestral land this afternoon."

He paused, then added: "With Yu Xiaoran's body."

Ji Lingruo nodded thoughtfully and took a few steps to You Su's side: "Brother, you looked in the direction she left just now, as if you wanted to see a hole in the clouds."

There was a sour taste in the light ending tone, so she simply snatched the ice cup, tilted her head back to drink it all, making a protesting swallowing sound in her throat.

You Su laughed dumbly and reached out to wipe the crystal from the corner of her lips. "I was just thinking about something."

Ji Lingruo turned her head away from his fingertips and asked, "Thinking about Yu Wanyue?"

You Su did not deny it, but he did not want his junior sister to be jealous, so he pulled Ji Lingruo to the stone bench and asked, "Junior sister, do you know what the relationship between Yu Xiaoran and Yu Wanyue is?"

Ji Lingruo was busy dealing with clan affairs and did not participate in the interrogation directly, but it was impossible for him to know nothing: "Are they a couple?"

You Su nodded, "But they are not a couple who are willing to be together."

Although he felt it was not nice to tell others about her suffering, he thought his junior sister would sympathize with her, so he started from the story of the innocent girl who had bid farewell to her good friend and entered the Jinpeng family with great enthusiasm, and continued to talk about how she had been reborn and soared into the sky.

As dusk deepened, the glass lamps in the corridor lit up one after another, casting flickering spots of light in Ji Lingruo's eyes.

"...So she would rather let you activate the slave mark?" Ji Lingruo suddenly grabbed You Su's collar, "If it were me, I would never let Yu Xiaoran die so easily!"

You Su sighed softly and pulled Ji Lingruo into his arms, his chin resting on the sweet snake saliva scent in her hair. He thought that Yu Xiaoran's death was not so easy, but he did not tell his junior sister in detail about the revenge plot that was not suitable for children.

"Yu Xiaoran kept begging me before he committed suicide, but I ignored him and chose to cooperate with Yu Wanyue to complete her most painful revenge. But I was just playing along, I didn't inject Xuanqi to activate the slave pattern."

"Hmm? Why don't you accept it?"

"Yu Wanyue is an old friend of Elder Liu. If I take her as a slave, how will Elder Liu deal with it? Although there are many reasons, Elder Liu cannot blame me, but I think she will not be happy to see such a situation."

"So you're doing this all for Granny Liu?" Ji Lingruo narrowed her eyes.

You Su's Adam's apple moved slightly, not daring to recall more, but asked seriously: "Shouldn't it be?"

Ji Lingruo raised her willow-shaped eyebrows: "Of course it should be. Granny Liu took care of my sister and me and she has devoted herself to the snake clan. She is the biggest contributor to the development of the snake clan so far. If she holds a grudge, wouldn't it be a disgrace to the hero? I can't bear to see this situation."

You Su smiled with relief, "That's it."

Ji Lingruo narrowed her beautiful eyes suspiciously: "But Granny Liu has nothing to do with you, why do you care so much about her feelings?"

"She...Junior Sister and Miss Xueruo are the biggest relationship between her and me!"

"Do you think I'm so easy to fool? Even if you don't care about her, can my sister and I blame you for it? Tell me your true thoughts!"

You Su felt that his junior sister was becoming increasingly difficult to fool, so he drank a sip of tea to moisten his throat and said:

"Because I feel that if she needs to throw herself into another man's arms to escape Yu Xiaoran's control, then isn't she still a bird with broken wings locked in a golden cage? When I persuaded her to rebel, I promised her a new life. This method goes against my original intention, so I just give up. Isn't that a bit stupid?"

Ji Lingruo was silent for a long time. Logically speaking, she certainly thought that You Su was foolish for being soft-hearted towards his enemies; but emotionally speaking, You Su's character of respecting and cherishing women was always something she particularly liked.

If it were any man, it would be hard to give up a female slave of the Golden Peng tribe, right? After all, they not only have beautiful wings, but are also covered in golden light!
For a moment, Ji Lingruo didn't know whether to scold or praise, so she simply didn't express her opinion. Instead, she suddenly raised her head and took out the thin Chengying sword blade: "When I reach the top of the sacred mountain, I will burn away all the deep-rooted evils of the demon race!"

She spoke very softly, but the ending sound was like the fangs of a poisonous snake. "Throw all those branding irons, chains, marriage certificates soaked with the blood and tears of women, and all the injustices of the demon race into the furnace and turn them into scrap iron!"

You Su was stunned by surprise, his fingertips stopped at the scales behind her ear, where there was a tiny blue light due to anger.

He even suspected that he had heard it wrongly. Given his junior sister's personality, she should have said "wait for sister to reach the top of the sacred mountain". How could it become her?

It is often said that a man's growth is just a moment, and the same is true for women.

I think my death really made my junior sister grow a lot. She was not the useless second lady. She obviously had many things she wanted to do and could do, but there was always someone who had to do it for her.

Now that she is needed to stand out on her own, whether she is pretending to be nice to the Golden Peng Clan or managing the Snake Clan in an orderly manner after the war, she has made people take notice of her.

Although he felt guilty for faking his death and making the girl sad, he could not hide his joy at the moment. You Su hugged the girl tighter and said lovingly:
"Okay, then Senior Brother will swing the hammer for you."

"I don't want you to swing the hammer!" Ji Lingruo suddenly broke free from his embrace, her green skirt spun in a sharp arc on the stone bricks, "If I let you swing the hammer, you will definitely secretly change those slave tattoos and marriage certificates to your name."

"No, I didn't even take Yu Wanyue away, so how could I do such a dirty thing." You Su could only sigh that his junior sister had too deep a prejudice against him.

Ji Lingruo crossed her arms and said, "It seems like you regret this decision."

"I regret that I was afraid that Yu Wanyue was not trustworthy and would trade my information for greater benefits."

"The bird has already been released, there is no point in regretting. If she is really a treacherous person, then I will not let her go even if I become a ghost." Ji Lingruo frowned, "But if she is a loyal person, your failure to activate the slave mark on her body has left a deeper mark in her heart. Don't think I don't know that what you like to play with the most is desire, love, intention, and indulgence!"

You Su smiled bitterly, "Junior sister has read too many stories. She is the bad guy who wants to attack the snake tribe."

"Don't come at me like that." Ji Lingruo leaned forward and poked You Su's chest, threateningly, "Anyway, if I find out that you're flirting with other girls again, I'll tell Master! Tell her that you're a man who abandons his wife after having sex with her!"

"Junior sister!" You Su hurriedly tried to cover her mouth, and his sleeves rolled up and knocked over the jade cup. The cold sour plum soup splashed on the stone steps, reflecting the overlapping and flustered reflections of the two people, "Don't joke like that!"

Ji Lingruo took the opportunity to bite his palm, with a cunning look of success in her eyes, "Are you scared now? I knew you were most afraid of her."

Dusk was spreading over the corridor, and You Su's ears turned red at Ji Lingruo's teasing. He suddenly grabbed the girl's fingertips and forced her to the front of the carved pillars, with a mischievous light in his eyes:

"Junior sister has such ill intentions, it seems like she has been planning to frame you for the crime."

The pillars wrapped with green ivy trembled slightly. Ji Lingruo's back was pressed against the cool jade, but the hem of her skirt was opened charmingly by his knees.

She raised her neck unwillingly, and the tassel of the Chengying sword swept across the boy's tense wrist: "Who told you not to let me participate in the interrogation?"

"I don't want Yu Xiaoran to have any contact with you again, not even seeing you."

Ji Lingruo's ears turned red, and she stammered, "I'm just afraid that I'll see you having an affair with Yu Wanyue."

"I don't even see the slave mark, which means I am not tempted by the beauty." You Su chuckled, and his fingertips brushed the blue scales behind her ears, causing the girl's waist to soften. "Junior sister, you are so aggressive, are you asking me to prove my innocence?"

The night wind ruffled Ji Lingruo's hair. She suddenly stood on tiptoe and bit You Su's Adam's apple, with a vague challenge between her teeth: "Then you can prove it..."

The glass lamplight shook in response, You Su's eyes darkened suddenly, he put his arm around the girl's waist, turned around and pressed against the stone table.

He poured the cold tea down from the girl's collarbone, causing her to tremble. He then lowered his head and followed the flowing tea, like a fish swimming upstream:
"You are such a powerful husband, so please don't ask for mercy, Junior Sister."

……

The wisteria outside the corridor rustled, and Xiao Ling's fingers holding the food box suddenly tightened.

Today, it was her turn to deliver dinner to the Second Miss. She was already very happy, thinking that she would finally have a chance to meet Mr. You. The Second Miss also liked her very much. Maybe if she behaved a little better, the Second Miss would let her stay for dinner with them.

But she was full of expectation when she saw Mr. You's strong and sturdy spine through the crack in the door. The second lady's snow-white stockings were hooked around his waist, revealing a piece of white. The steaming hot air immediately filled the girl's cheeks. She took a half step back in panic, covering her mouth tightly, but she couldn't help but continue to peek through the crack of the door out of curiosity.

As the most timid little snake demon in the snake family, her legs had already been twisted uncontrollably under her skirt. The sight of their intertwined fingertips in the crack of the door reminded her of the mandarin ducks embracing each other in spring.

Suddenly, a dry mouth surged in her throat, and Xiao Ling bit her lower lip subconsciously. You Su's "arrogant" appearance was a huge contrast to the patient and gentle You Gongzi in front of the ice room in her impression, but why didn't he make people hate him...

As she was daydreaming, she suddenly felt her shoulders sink. When she turned around, she was met with the cold gaze of a strange woman.

"Xiao Ling?"

The woman was beautiful but unfamiliar, but Xiao Ling recognized her identity through the snake-headed staff that she always carried in her hand.

The girl was so frightened that her eyes went dark, the food box fell over with a clang, and the sweet lotus root soup spilled all over the blue bricks, reflecting her flushed cheeks and trembling fingertips.

"Granny Liu..." Xiao Ling shivered as she pulled her skirt tightly together. The scales behind her ears turned bright red as if she was dying. "I, I'm here to see you off..."

Liu Yinyin's heart sank, and she was just glad that she arrived earlier than Xiao Ling, so she had already set up a soundproof formation. Otherwise, with Xiao Ling's reckless temper, she would have scared the two people who were in full swing inside.

"Do you need to peek through the door when delivering food?" She caught a glimpse of the flickering lights in the house, and her face showed some embarrassment. She said, "Don't learn from your sisters who are vagrants and pry into other people's privacy."

Xiao Ling twisted her skirt, her eyes sparkling with tears: "But, why did Master You suppress the Second Miss... The Second Miss was bullied, why is she... so happy?"

Liu Yinyin's throat choked when she was asked this question. She recalled the absurdity she and You Su had experienced in the Snake Ancestor Temple that day, and her ears suddenly felt hot. Looking at Xiao Ling's innocent appearance, she couldn't say anything too harsh, so she could only stuff the food box back into her hands:

"You are just a kid, don't ask too many questions. Go back quickly and don't stay here."

"Yes, yes..." Xiao Ling lowered her head very low, quickly took the food box and left as if escaping.

Liu Yinyin looked at the direction where Xiao Ling ran away. At the end of the path, there were clearly several sisters waiting for Xiao Ling. She sighed softly, and finally understood why she always "ran into" these little snake demons outside the remote courtyard of the Second Young Lady. She never thought that they were not only unruly in private, but also wanted to lead Xiao Ling astray.

After Xiao Ling walked away, she pursed her thin lips, but quietly moved to the door and looked inside.

Looking at the raised neck of his second young lady, it was abnormally bright red, like a lychee dried by the scorching sun.

She immediately withdrew her gaze, feeling extremely ashamed. She only hated You Su for not being gentle and considerate to women. If he had the guts, he should just come at her! How could he bully the second young lady who was only at the Condensation Water Realm?
Thinking of this, she felt even more embarrassed. She put her hands behind her back and dodged, but she did not leave. Instead, she ran to a tall tree on the side of the road where she had a better view.

She originally wanted to invite the second young lady, who was temporarily serving as the clan leader, to discuss matters, but unexpectedly she ran into You Su talking about the dispute between Yu Wanyue and Yu Xiaoran.

She was worried that the boy was making up stories to deceive the Second Young Miss, so she secretly eavesdropped on some of them. Only then did she discover that You Su knew more about Yu Wanyue's shameful past than she did!
When she heard about the slave mark later, she wished she could pull out Yu Xiaoran's tendons and bones; and when she heard that Senior Sister Yu wanted to recognize You Su as her master, she didn't know how to deal with You Su.

Morally and logically, she couldn't seem to blame You Su at all, and should even encourage You Su to accept it, as if she had already tacitly acknowledged that You Su would not refuse this extremely tempting proposal. She just felt sorry for Senior Sister Yu who was in such a miserable situation.

But when she heard that You Su did not activate the slave mark, but chose to trust Senior Sister Yu with a sincere heart, she almost dropped her jaw. She felt that this young man was so unexpected, and completely different from any man she had imagined or met before.

At first, he had to choose between Yu Wanyue and Yu Xiaoran, and the simple-minded Yu Xiaoran was obviously the better choice. But now, if he said that the young man made this decision without considering her selfishness, no one would believe it. After all, even he said that he didn't want to embarrass her.

But...why would he help me to this extent?
Is it really as he said, just because she is the elder of the two young ladies?
This reason is not far-fetched, but how can it compare to the temptation of taking Senior Sister Yu as a slave?

Her thoughts were in a mess, and she couldn't help but think of what the young man said when he argued for her to Yu Xiaoran - the orchid-like temperament that time cannot extinguish, and the orchid-like character that setbacks cannot erode.

She was indeed moved by it at that time, otherwise she would not have made up her mind to enter the golden cocoon.

But when she recalled it later, she couldn't help but ask herself: Does he really see me like this?
Thinking back on it now, there wasn't the slightest hint of forced flattery in these words, but rather they were the young man's heartfelt advice.

“Life is short. It is so hard to meet someone who appreciates you. It is even more difficult than achieving perfection.”

Combining Senior Sister Yu's personal experience with her words of advice at the time, Liu Yinyin suddenly felt that these words had the power to inspire thought.

The sweet chirping of a young girl in the yard woke her up from her racing thoughts, and Liu Yinyin was shocked to find that her face was burning.

When she came back to her senses, she saw that the young man had been holding the second young lady facing her. She immediately widened her beautiful eyes, and was too embarrassed to stay there, so she ran away even faster than Xiao Ling.

The further she ran, the more confused she became. Her mind was full of random thoughts. She was worried and afraid that You Su would find her. However, she couldn't help but replace the second lady's face in the erotic scene with her own face...

Thinking of this, she wanted to hit herself with the snake-head stick and secretly cursed herself for being shameless.

But before she could calm down, she was surrounded by six familiar auras again.

The visitors were none other than the six remaining elders of the snake clan.

Looking at the colorful flowers surrounding her, Liu Yinyin knew why they came without much thought.

Elder Hua, who was dressed in pink, spoke first: "Where did Elder Liu go?"

Being pinned to the plum blossom bush by six burning gazes, Liu Yinyin subconsciously tightened her dark green long sleeves:

"You all blocked the road late at night. Do you have any objections to the celebration process for the return of the patriarch tomorrow?"

Elder Hua used her slender fingers to twirl the curly hair that fell from her temples. Her pink skirt swept across the fallen petals on the ground, and she smiled mischievously:

"Elder Liu went to look for the Second Young Lady. Could it be that he was going to confirm the process with her?"

She emphasized the three words "Second Miss" deliberately, and her eyes swept across the small courtyard with swaying lights in the distance.

"Or else?" Elder Liu straightened his chest and raised his head, trying to act like an elder. "You are following me?"

"Elder Liu has great cultivation. We don't have that ability. We just heard it from the little demons. I wonder if the second lady has any objection to the process of tomorrow's celebration?"

Elder Liu immediately guessed that it was that stupid girl Xiao Ling who exposed her whereabouts, and said seriously: "I returned empty-handed without seeing her, but I expected that this process was thorough and she would not have any objection."

"Didn't see her? That's right. The Second Miss is greedy. If she didn't eat dinner, she would have been in the room with You Su and forgot the time. It's natural that we couldn't see her. But Elder Liu's ruddy face... Could it be that he looked at her for a little too long?"

“Shut up!” Liu Yinyin suddenly raised her voice and slammed her staff down on the ground, causing plum blossoms to fall. “You six surrounded me just to talk nonsense? Do you still respect an old man like me?”

"Elder Liu is not an old man." Elder Hua smiled softly with her hands covering her lips, but her tone was resentful. "And it's not that the six of us sisters don't take Elder Liu seriously, it's clear that Elder Liu doesn't take us seriously. Elder Liu often taught us that the snake tribe has been helping each other until now, and no snake eats alone. We all agree with that. This time, Elder Liu not only made great progress in his cultivation, but even his demon core has been reborn. This is a great joy, but who knew that Elder Liu hid his selfishness, which really disappointed us."

The six eyes tightened like a spider web, and Liu Yinyin felt the newly born demon pill beating rapidly in her abdomen. She only regretted that she had let her guard down and let the cunning Elder Hua explore the demon pill.

"It was said that it was from the treasures looted from Yu Wanyue." She raised her eyes to meet the scrutiny of everyone, "The snake tribe has thousands of secret techniques. If you are willing to read the 'Shedding Scales Record' on the third floor of the library..."

"Elder Liu, are you still hiding something?" Elder Zhu, who was usually taciturn, suddenly spoke up. His thin and tall appearance really looked like a bamboo green snake. "The purity of your demon pill is the same as that of the eldest and second young ladies. Could it be that they also have the same treasure?"

The six women all took a step forward. Liu Yinyin instinctively took a half step back, but was blocked by the tree trunk.

Her voice was hoarse, and she stroked the marks on the snake-head staff while thinking rapidly, but she really didn't know how to continue to get away with it.

Sharing good fortune and bad fortune - this is the fundamental concept that has enabled the snake clan to survive to this day even though it is composed entirely of women. It is also the key to maintaining the unity of the snake clan. As the eldest in the clan, how could she violate it?
She didn't tell anyone at first that You Su had the 'Body of the Heavenly Furnace' because at that time she didn't think it was a blessing for the snake clan, but rather a curse. So of course she had to be wary of these snake girls who couldn't stand loneliness and might follow in the footsteps of the eldest and second ladies.

But now You Su has changed her mind greatly, and even she herself has fallen a little...

Besides, these six women must have guessed something long ago. If she continued to be so secretive, it would seem that she was deliberately hiding something...

She couldn't even imagine that if these six women found out that she had an affair with You Su, she would be completely branded as an old and disrespectful person. At that time, she would not have the face to stay in the Snake Clan and might as well just die where she is!
But if he took the initiative to confess, he might be able to put aside his personal feelings and make a helpless move for the public good...

She sighed deeply, and finally spoke slowly:
"This matter concerns Mr. You's reputation... Mr. You—

"It is a natural furnace..."

(End of this chapter)