"Phew—"
Yi Jiang opened her eyes, propped herself up with both hands, and sat up abruptly, gasping for breath. Her vision blurred for a moment, then gradually focused. Standing before her was a person.
"Li... Little sister?"
"Sister, you... you still remember me?"
Yixuan asked with a trembling voice. Her eyes instantly turned red, and tears fell like broken pearls, pitter-pattering down. The emotions she had suppressed for 11 years suddenly burst through the dam, no longer able to be contained. She lunged forward, pulling Yi Jiang into a tight embrace, sobbing and whimpering.
"Wuwu~"
"That's great, that's so great..."
"Sister, I've missed you so much all these years."
"..."
Yi Jiang froze in place, her mind a blank. She could feel her sister's warmth and hear her intense heartbeat. She dazedly raised her hand, her fingers gently grasping the air.
Her five senses had returned? She could see, hear, touch, and smell. But how was this possible? Before her final battle, her five senses had already been fading. But now, why was everything fine?
She slowly looked up at the sky. Her eyes suddenly widened.
"Where is this...?"
Inverted buildings hung from the sky like the skeletons of giant beasts. All around were ruins—broken bridges, collapsed towers, rusted vehicles, and more. At the edges, clusters of blood-red flowers bloomed, their petals eerie and curled, emitting a faint glow. They gave her a feeling of being watched, making her whole body uncomfortable.
Where exactly am I?
"I seem to have... activated the Qingming Sword at the final moment, right? I should... have died long ago?"
"Is this the Underworld?"
Yi Jiang murmured to herself, completely bewildered. Then, her gaze fell back on her sister's face, and she suddenly froze.
"Little sister, are you dead too?"
"It's just, little sister, you seem to... have aged quite a bit?"
Then, she let out a soft sigh. Had her little sister eventually died in the apocalypse too? But at least she had bought her some years, right? Probably?
Hearing her sister's words, Yixuan immediately let out a "Pah!" She raised her hand to wipe away the joyful tears on her face and glared at her sister huffily.
"Pah! You're the one who's old, Sister! This is called being mature—do you understand 'mature'?"
"Also, I'm not dead. Don't curse me, Sis."
As she spoke, Yixuan slowly released her embrace and reached out to her sister, Yi Jiang. Her fingertips trembled slightly, but her small face wore a smile.
"Welcome to the world 11 years later."
"..."
Yi Jiang instinctively grabbed her sister's hand and stood up with her help, but her legs were still a bit weak, and her mind was in a fog.
"11 years later?"
Yi Jiang opened her mouth, her expression saying, Are you kidding me? But after glancing around and seeing her little sister clearly looking like an older version of herself, she couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"No wonder you're old... uh, I mean, you've matured a lot, Sister."
Then, she looked toward the silent Ryuga standing nearby.
"And this is?"
"Hello, Sister, I am..."
Ryuga had just opened his mouth when Yixuan cut in, her cheeks slightly red but her voice feigning composure: "Your brother-in-law!"
"..."
Looks like I'll be having "meat buns" tonight, Ryuga thought with a smile.
"Huh!?"
Yi Jiang's eyes widened instantly, and her mind felt like it had exploded into a blank space. She subconsciously took half a step back, then forced herself to stop, her gaze darting between her sister and Ryuga.
Brother? In-law?
But thinking about it, having a "brother-in-law" seemed normal. Her sister was already 28. They had joined Yunkui Summit at age 5, and by the time they were deemed capable of inheriting the Qingming Sword, they had already trained on the mountain for 10 years. When she took over as Sect Master, her sister was 17. Soon after, the Old Capital fell. If 11 years had truly passed since then, her sister was indeed 28, so having a boyfriend wasn't strange at all.
"..."
"Master, did you trick me into joining the sect just because you craved my body?"
"Ying ying ying~"
Ryuga opened his mouth and instantly got into character. He crossed his arms, tears glinting in his eyes, playing the role of a virtuous young man targeted by a predatory mature woman, about to be defiled.
"..."
Yixuan's forehead was covered in black lines. She raised her hand and punched his shoulder.
"Still acting? Enough already!"
Angered, Yixuan chased Ryuga around the ruins in a playful romp. For now, she had temporarily returned to the mindset of a young girl.
"..."
Yi Jiang stood there, her forehead also covered in black lines. People 11 years later play this wildly? Too uninhibited, isn't it?
But seeing her sister's rare bashfulness and smiles, while comforted, she also felt complex ripples in her heart. Her sister could smile now, but it wasn't for her. Although she knew she should be happy, she really couldn't figure out the relationship between her sister and this "brother-in-law." They didn't look married. There was still a slight sense of restraint between them. Were they in the "friends-to-lovers" stage?
"So, how did I get to 11 years later?"
Yi Jiang remained silent for a moment before finally speaking; she decided to figure out her own situation first. The playful noise stopped abruptly. Yixuan finally ceased her chasing, straightened her sleeves, took a deep breath, and slowly began to explain.
After a long while...
Yi Jiang's mouth hung open, unable to close for a long time. What? Her sister had actually found an otherworldly Demon God as her Dao companion? Her mouth stayed open, not knowing what to say for a moment.
"So, I... still failed?"
Yi Jiang rubbed her face to clear her head, a deep, unmaskable sorrow in her eyes.
"Yes."
Yixuan nodded, went silent for a moment, then shook her head again.
"Sister, you allowed me to live on and saved the people of the Waifei District. They are all very grateful to you."
"But you were still held accountable by TOPS for 'ineffective action,' and I even lost the Yunkui Summit's gate."
Yi Jiang also went silent. The sect gate is gone? She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, a cold flame burned in her gaze. TOPS, huh? Hmph!
"Alright, that's not your fault."
Ryuga walked back to Yixuan's side, reached out to put his arm around her rounded shoulder, patted her gently, and then gave a tender but firm squeeze.
"After all, at that time, you were the only one left of Yunkui Summit. I will get justice for you."
Since the fall of the Old Capital, Yixuan was the only "seed" left of Yunkui Summit. She had succeeded as Sect Master, carrying the unfinished responsibility of her sister alone. But she was just one person; how could she withstand the relentless pressure from TOPS? Eventually, she was forced to withdraw from the Waifei District. Since then, Yixuan had suddenly lost interest in her favorite Char Siu buns overnight.
"Sister is back. Let's have Char Siu buns today."
Ryuga put his arm around Yixuan's shoulder and gave it a firm pat.
"Okay."
Yi Jiang nodded with a smile. Even though she felt a bit tingly and her legs were a bit weak, she didn't pull away. Ryuga's eyes lit up: The "meat buns" are looking promising tonight.
The two sisters smiled at each other, as if time had reversed to the moments when Yi Jiang would steal buns and fight off stray dogs. It wasn't until they joined Yunkui Summit that she would cry while eating rice and vegetables. It wasn't out of gratitude for stable food, but because she had been tricked by her master into joining the sect with the promise of being full, only to find that eating rice and vegetables every meal didn't fill her up at all. Later, her sister always shared half a Char Siu bun with her, which was the only reason she hadn't been starved to death by their master.
Ryuga wanted to laugh. Yixuan's talent for deception was probably inherited from her master; the panda Pan Yinhu had also been tricked into joining the same way.
Just then, Belle reconnected with Eos, perfectly missing the most exciting part of the plot. The giant green spiral eyes blinked a few times, curiously staring at Yi Jiang.
"Belle, it didn't take another three days this time, did it?" Ryuga couldn't help but ask.
"That didn't happen."
"This must be Sister Yi Jiang, right? I am the Proxy Phaethon, my name is Belle. My guidance also played a part in finding you!" Eos tilted its head, narrowed its eyes, and stood with its hands on its hips seriously.
"Oh~ thank you then." Yi Jiang chuckled and waved at Eos.
...
Inside Suibian Temple.
"Greetings, Martial Aunt!"
Ju Fufu shouted the slogan clearly, leading a group of disciples in the temple to line up neatly and bow with their hands cupped.
"..."
Looking at the few but energetic Yunkui Summit disciples, Yi Jiang couldn't help but giggle.
"They're all very lively. Hmm, Little Sister has a good eye for recruiting."
"Since it's our first meeting..."
As she spoke, Yi Jiang habitually reached into her pocket, but then she froze. Her mouth twitched; where would she get a meeting gift?
Cough cough.
Ryuga naturally stuffed a small bag into Yi Jiang's hand. Yi Jiang was stunned and gave him a grateful look. Opening the bag, she saw slices of packaged bread.
"This...?"
Yi Jiang frowned slightly, stunned. Giving bread as a meeting gift?
"This is called 'Memory Bread'."
"Just place the bread on a book, and it will automatically imprint the text content. Eating it will allow you to remember it perfectly."
"But if you have diarrhea or vomit before it's fully digested, you'll lose that memory."
Ryuga explained, then added one last sentence.
Whoosh—
The disciples' eyes widened instantly.
"This... isn't it too precious?"
Yi Jiang was also stunned, looking down at the "sliced bread" in her hand, suddenly feeling it was as heavy as a thousand pounds.
"It's just a small thing." Ryuga waved his hand. It could only be used for memorizing books; students would love this the most.
Yi Jiang took a deep breath, suppressed the shock in her heart, and distributed the bread slice by slice.
"Thank you, Martial Aunt!"
"Thank you, Lord Demon God!"
Next was the feast. Pan Yinhu rolled up his sleeves and showed off his skills again. The stove fire roared, the iron wok flipped, and the aroma filled the entire courtyard. Char Siu buns were a must, but Zongzi was the highlight today. Green bamboo leaves wrapped around glutinous rice and salted egg yolk; even the rising steam was infused with the fresh scent of mugwort. In New Eridu, Zongzi was a symbol of reunion and warding off evil.
A lavish spread was laid out, and everyone sat around talking and laughing. Chopsticks flew, dishes clattered, and everyone's cheeks flushed as they ate, their mouths glistening with oil.
After three rounds of drinks and five courses of food, Ye Shiyuan put down his chopsticks and pushed the glasses on his nose, his gaze behind the lenses as sharp as a blade. He finally asked the question.
"May I ask, Martial Aunt, where exactly have you been these past 11 years?"
As soon as the words fell, the noisy banquet suddenly went silent. For a moment, Yixuan and Yi Jiang didn't know what to say, and the atmosphere instantly froze.
Ryuga unhurriedly wiped the corner of his mouth: "It was the 'Hollow Interstice'."
He was already prepared.
"The 'Hollow Interstice'? What kind of place is that?"
Ye Shiyuan frowned slightly, his pupils behind the lenses narrowing.
"I discovered it by chance."
"A gap between the Hollow and reality where time is completely stopped. As for how I found it? It can only be said to be a coincidence."
Ryuga shrugged, his gaze looking off into the sky.
"..." Ye Shiyuan was silent for a moment, his eyelids twitching. Are you kidding me? Martial Aunt was a "coincidence"? Then Hoshimi Miyabi's mother was also a "coincidence"?
Yes, Ye Shiyuan had already guessed You Suya's identity. His eyes flickered, and he had already made a deduction. Either this was a complete lie, or Ryuga really could freely enter and exit that "Hollow Interstice."
"..."
Yixuan, Yi Jiang, You Suya, Ju Fufu, Pan Yinhu, Belle, and Wise all secretly breathed a sigh of relief at the same time. Making up a lie about the "Hollow Interstice" was safer than exposing their true identities. After all, Yi Jiang and You Suya's identities couldn't be hidden forever. It had only been 11 years; plenty of people still knew them. Using "look-alikes" as an excuse would eventually fall through.
...
Night.
In Yixuan's bedroom, the two sisters were whispering about their private thoughts and the hardships of the past 11 years.
"You did it, didn't you?"
Yi Jiang leaned against the window, her fingertip teasing the Qingming Bird.
"Hehe~ the look in this Qingming Bird's eyes is exactly like yours, Little Sister. It makes me unable to tell who is imitating whom... but it's quite vivid."
"It's not a complete success."
Yixuan shook her head, glanced at the clock, and her cheeks suddenly flushed. She looked away and stammered, "Sister, you should rest first. I'm going to see Ryuga."
"Oh—"
"Going to see your sweetheart? Go ahead, go ahead, don't let me get in the way of your good time. Work hard tonight, and let me hold a 'little Yixuan' soon."
Yi Jiang drew out her tone, the smile in her eyes deepening as she teased her sister.
"Sister, what are you talking about!"
Yixuan cried out in mock reproach, her whole face as red as a sunset cloud. She briskly turned around and fled the room as if escaping. In her confusion, she didn't even notice she was walking with the same hand and foot forward. Behind her, Yi Jiang's laughter became even more joyful.
Knock knock.
No response? Yixuan paused for a moment, pushed the door open, and looked around, but didn't see Ryuga. Then she spotted the "Wallpaper Room" pasted on the wall.
"Are you not used to living in my temple?"
Yixuan let out a soft "Tsk," and pushed the door to enter. Inside the game room, Ryuga was sitting in front of the screen, controller in hand, in the middle of a battle.
"Playing games?"
Yixuan's eyes were full of tenderness as she walked over gracefully, her voice so soft it could melt one's bones. A pair of lotus-like arms suddenly reached out from behind, hugging him, her fragrant body pressing against the back of Ryuga's neck.
Ryuga felt a heavy warmth and a sudden sense of pressure. His whole body shuddered.
"Not playing anymore."
Almost instinctively, he dropped the controller, turned around abruptly, and pulled Yixuan into his arms. His eyes were burning as he gave a mischievous smile.
"Master, you really do crave your disciple's body."
"Pah!"
"Glib-tongued, and you're even biting back?"
Yixuan let out a soft "Pah" with a red face, then tucked away her smile, her tender eyes looking directly at Ryuga. Her gaze seemed to hold a thousand words, but in the end, it only turned into a word of gratitude.
"About my sister, thank you."
Before Ryuga could react, Yixuan had already quickly leaned down. In that instant, reason was burned away like lightning. Ryuga suddenly caught Yixuan's wrist: "Wait a second, I've prepared a gift for you."
"Oh?"
Yixuan's cheeks were flushed with crimson, but she couldn't hide her curiosity.
"Ta-da!"
Ryuga smiled proudly, walked quickly to the closet, and pulled out a black-themed outfit called "Ink Shadow Trace." The ultra-short skirt was tailored to be form-fitting, and the horse oil black silk stockings had a cool-toned luster, as delicate as mist.
"It's this outfit. Do you like it?"
Yixuan's pupils contracted slightly, and her face turned so red it could almost drip blood: "This... this is too short, isn't it? How can I wear this out?"
"This isn't for wearing out; it's only for me to see."
Ryuga chuckled with a hint of seduction, giving a mischievous wink. Yixuan was stunned for a moment, then looked at the short skirt and black silk, and instantly understood. She let out a "Tsk," reached out to quickly take them, and ran to the next room with her head down.
After a long while, the door opened slightly. Master Yixuan walked in with a cat-like step. The horse oil black silk outlined her long, firm leg curves, and the shifting luster made his appetite soar. Not to mention, Master Yixuan already had a pair of tight, fleshy legs.
To be continued…
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