12. Constitution

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Wudao Yuanzun stared in shock at Lin Jiuge, who remained unaffected, and at the quiet surroundings where only the two of them practiced swordsmanship.

“How is this possible?” Wudao Yuanzun repeated in disbelief.

“Jiuge can actually suppress Ayan’s constitution!” This discovery was utterly astounding.

“Jiuci should be able to as well,” Li Yun said as she looked at the sleeping Lin Jiuci.

“Do these two sisters really come from the mortal world?” Wudao Yuanzun asked, puzzled.

“Indeed, but who knows if some exalted being is hiding among the mortals,” Li Yun, who knew the sisters’ origins well, responded. The only questionable aspect was their parents, though the sisters themselves knew very little about this.

“If that’s the case, then Ayan still has hope,” Wudao Yuanzun said.

“The elder sister is a supreme sacred sword body, a once-in-a-thousand-years sword prodigy; surely the younger sister won’t be far behind. Just wait until Jiuci grows up,” Li Yun remarked. At that time, the elder sister could fully protect the younger one.

By the waterfall, the two had just finished sword practice.

“Senior Brother, as you wish,” Lin Jiuge exhaled a breath of stale air and prepared to soak in a medicinal bath. She wondered if she needed money for the bath—should she give some to Senior Uncle?

Lin Jiuge pondered as she walked.

Zhou Yan was both amused and exasperated, wondering if his junior sister really had no topics to chat about with him!

“Ayan.”

“Senior Uncle, Uncle,” Zhou Yan called out upon seeing two figures. Soon, the pair sensed movement nearby.

“We’ll discuss this later,” Jiuge said. Could she not keep order once she left?

“Uncle, Senior Uncle, what do you want to say?” Zhou Yan asked, confused.

Lin Jiuge, soaking in the medicinal bath, had already entered a state of bliss. Indeed, sealing her primal energy and practicing swordsmanship yielded better results. Afterward, she dried herself and began considering a simple version of the medicinal bath, wondering how to prepare it for her younger sister. She also contemplated the pricing for spiritual herbs.

Just as she was lost in thought, she heard voices outside.

“Two Uncles, this joke is really not funny!” Zhou Yan’s voice was harsher than usual, cracking slightly.

“Master, Uncle, Senior Brother, you all talk,” Lin Jiuge said puzzledly, then politely withdrew. The weather was lovely—perfect for eating dumplings!

She headed toward the kitchen, thinking about what fillings to use for the dumplings, leaving the three staring at each other in silence.

“Ayan, you understand your own constitution. Now that your Uncle’s inscription no longer works, if your condition is exposed, we won’t be able to protect you,” Li Yun said sternly.

“I, along with your Uncle and your master, will strive to find a solution. But until then, no matter where you go, one of the Jiuge sisters must be by your side. Ayan, we cannot afford to lose this bet,” Wudao Yuanzun said seriously, unusually not arguing with Li Yun.

“Alright,” Zhou Yan, though reluctant, could only agree.

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Unaware of all this, Lin Jiuge happily finished wrapping three kinds of dumplings: black-skinned with cuttlefish filling, green-skinned with mixed fresh filling, and white-skinned with pork and cabbage filling. She even crafted a few specially shaped ones. When happy, everything flows smoothly.

Taking the dumplings out, she roused her long-sleeping younger sister, and the five sat down to eat.

Lin Jiuci ate diligently, glancing at the few uniquely shaped dumplings.

Seeing Zhou Yan taking the last goldfish-shaped dumpling, Lin Jiuci said, “I want that.” She didn’t want to miss out on her favorite dumpling shape.

Zhou Yan, perhaps out of bad mood or deliberately, immediately ate the dumpling.

The usually well-behaved Lin Jiuci froze for a moment before bursting into wailing tears.

Her crying was deafening, severely assaulting the eardrums of the four others. Who knew children’s cries could be so piercing?

Li Yun and Wudao Yuanzun scolded Zhou Yan with stern looks, then sympathized with Lin Jiuci, who was crying heartbroken in Lin Jiuge’s arms.

“Don’t cry, little blessing,” Li Yun soothed, then conjured a swarm of fluttering red butterflies. Lin Jiuci turned away but continued crying.

Wudao Yuanzun took out a small toy equipped with a formation that could move by itself, but Lin Jiuci still turned away, crying.

For just one dumpling, Zhou Yan really couldn’t understand. He also realized that the two sisters were truly unaffected by him.

“Don’t cry, little blessing,” Lin Jiuci pushed aside a plate, though impolite, she had no choice and shot Zhou Yan a reproachful glance.

“I want it,” she sniffled, but stopped crying.

It was a red goldfish-shaped dumpling—only two in total. Originally willing to leave it to fate, but seeing her sister so heartbroken, Lin Jiuge unhesitatingly placed both red dumplings into Lin Jiuci’s bowl.

“Jiuge, do you have more red ones? They look especially delicious.”

“No.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Jiuci ate even more happily.

That night, Zhou Yan finally reconciled with Lin Jiuci. He sighed, never expecting such a young girl to have such a strong temper, and clearly understood he had no attraction whatsoever to the two sisters.

“Sis, what’s this?” Lin Jiuci frowned, staring at the differently colored bathwater.

“Little blessing, it’s a medicinal bath. Soaking is good for your body,” Lin Jiuge coaxed.

“All right,” Lin Jiuci nodded obediently, always a good child who listened to her sister.

After placing Lin Jiuci into the basin, Lin Jiuge remained busy, circulating her primal energy along the carefully simulated pathways to gradually clear her sister’s meridians.

“It hurts.”

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“It’ll be better soon,” Lin Jiuge gently comforted.

Soon the medicinal properties in the water faded. Lin Jiuge lifted Lin Jiuci out, rinsed her with clear water, dried her with primal energy, and Lin Jiuci quickly fell asleep.

Lin Jiuge tidied up simply, then sat in meditation to recover, feeling her progress slightly accelerated.

Thinking of something, Lin Jiuge placed her hand on Lin Jiuci’s back.

Days passed, and after six months, Lin Jiuge successfully reached the Ninth Level of Enlightenment, just one step away from entering the Refining Mortal Realm.

“Junior Sister.”

“Senior Brother, are you going back?” Lin Jiuge nodded.

“Junior Sister, are you really looking forward to me leaving?” Zhou Yan sounded somewhat plaintive, as if since the dumpling incident his junior sister had always treated him this way.

“It’s Master Uncle who summoned you,” Lin Jiuge said, unwilling to take the blame.

“Don’t you miss your Senior Brother?” Zhou Yan pressed.

“Are you planning not to come back?” Lin Jiuge asked, puzzled.

“I will definitely come back,” Zhou Yan answered without hesitation.

“Not seeing you off,” Lin Jiuge said, finding her Senior Brother overly sentimental.

Zhou Yan thought, “Junior Sister is really not cute.”

“Master,” Lin Jiuge went to see Li Yun.

“Jiuge, your strength is advancing too quickly and you risk becoming reckless. For your own good, I will take you and your Senior Brother to train in the sect’s secret forest for a month to consolidate your cultivation,” Li Yun announced her plan.

“Master, I want to bring little blessing with me,” Lin Jiuge thought carefully. Training was necessary, but she had to bring her sister!

“Jiuge, leave little blessing to your Uncle. Don’t worry,” Li Yun said, having arranged everything clearly.

“Master, little blessing is very familiar with people at night.”

“That’s fine; your Uncle is good at soothing children,” Li Yun countered.

“Master, please let Uncle take care of little blessing tonight,” Lin Jiuge requested.