Return

As I stood behind her on the flying sword I couldn't help but to feel the beating of my chest increase. Although not a word was said on the flight I had a feeling of trepidation. We were so close to each other, yet I felt that her back was going further and further away.

At the very least this mental pressure I was feeling only existed in my mind. There wasn't any physical pain, nor reaction from her, as of yet.

To distract myself from these thoughts I peered around the environment below. The view from above was stunning and various wonders of nature could be spotted. It reminded me of the first day I came to the sect. I flew on a similar kind of artifact, the only difference was that Big Brother's flying sword had an entirely different look to it.

But at the time everything felt exciting and I thought that Big Brother would stay with me forever. I didn't consider anything, but that didn't last long. As soon as this woman came into the equation my fantasy broke and shattered.

I think envy and jealousy were the main reasons I thought about it in the first place. My grandmother's last words to "make him fall for me" was definitely just a joke, but I used it as fuel to continue my little scheme. A man such as Big Brother would be desired by many just for his looks alone. Surely, she would have had to deal with that as well. Being with him for that long, if not a single other person went after him it would almost seem like an impossible reality.

Suddenly, we started to slow down our speed as we headed towards a specific mountain. It was the tallest mountain, which I knew was most probably where Big Brother and Madame Jing lived. Where we headed specifically was around a third way up the mountain.

It was the location of my current residence.

When the flying sword finally slowed to a halt and we both hopped off she finally faced me.

"Now about your relationship with that boy."

I had already readied myself for this questioning, but the moment she finally asked I still felt scared in the end. It might have just been because of her previous interrogation. It only happened a while ago after all and I could still clearly remember the feeling of death looming over my head.

"Y-yes? What would you like to know about him?"

"First of all, who is he?"

"I-I don't really know anything about him. I only know that his name is Ye Chen since he introduced himself today."

Her gaze hardened a bit as she heard me and began to cross her arms.

"When and where did you meet him?"

"Well apparently I met him 3 days ago, so the day after I came here. It was in a lecture that an Outer Sect Elder was giving. I remember that I was immersed within my own thoughts during the lecture. Out of nowhere he came and sat down near me. I told him to leave me alone and sit somewhere else, but he didn't. Instead he kept talking to me the entire time, even though I was ignoring him. Even when I moved seats towards the front he still followed me and tried talking to me, but everyone around glared at him and he shut up. I don't particularly remember what he said, but I think he wanted to know me."

"Alright, lastly I want to know how you feel about him?"

"I hate him! All he's done whenever he shows up is annoy and disgust me! I'm sure you noticed it too! When he appeared earlier he was staring at our bodies! It might not have been for long, but his gaze by itself is horrible! He doesn't even try to hide it! He's just taking quick peeks thinking that we won't notice! "

"Oh? I see, so that's how it is for you?"

"Yes!" I vigorously nodded my head in response.

"Well, I suppose we'll see if that's true or not. For now I'll believe you, but just know if I ever find out what you thought about him is false you won't need to even think about begging anymore. Don't worry though, I can distinguish between times where it's clear that you were approached and times where you meet him of your own accord."

"What I said just now about that man is 100% true! I don't even want to interact with him again! The only one I love is Big Brother Jiang! If I'm even with that other creep then you can safely assume I'm being forced into such actions!

"Very well, since you said so I have no complaints."

From the corner of her lips I could see as it raised up into a small soft smile. It was the first time I saw her smile and at that point I even felt like I knew a bit about why Big Brother would marry her. Her smile had a sense of mature charm which I knew I didn't have myself, as of yet at least.

'Once I grew up I would probably have one too right? No, I shouldn't think about trying to change myself for him like that. I don't want to just be a copy of her. I want to be myself, not just a second her.'

As she smiled at me I returned one as well.

My smile was different. It had a sense of cheery shining innocence like those of children. I knew, I knew very well how this smile looked. It used to be the kind I used all the time, but as of the last four years it had almost disappeared. The harshness of the world had washed away the starry eyed happy fool I was of the past.

Now after a little less than a fifth of my life I finally was able to use this kind of smile once again, not over scraps of food nor as a deceptive act to use against others. This was a genuine smile, though at this time I didn't even know what I was actually even smiling for.

The man I loved was in someone else's arms and probably didn't see me as even a potential wife, his wife was currently able to kill me at any time she wanted unless I passed her test which I knew nothing about, and finally I was basically a powerless weakling with nothing but a good body and cute face.

Perhaps it's because of what I went through the last four years that even these problems feel trivial in comparison. My life has been going downhill since that event and that goal I set before had gradually changed into the sad one of just surviving till the week or day. Even surviving was starting to become too tiring and unrewarding. My purpose in life was lost, but surviving was the only thing I could do. I wasn't living life, I was just surviving.

That all changed the moment I met Big Brother, I found a purpose again, a goal. To marry the man I saw in front of me. Now these problems are simply an obstacle for me to get over.

I'm powerless? I was just granted the ability to change my future and become a cultivator!

My life is based on a test from his wife? I'll just have to pass, the fact I get a test in the first place means there's a chance which I'll have to take.

The man I love doesn't see me as a potential wife and already has one? I'll just have to make him see me as more than a "disciple" and remind him that in our world harems exist.

As I psyched myself up internally I saw her turn to her right and run forwards. In that direction was a slow moving figure approaching us and when I saw who it was I immediately joined her. Together we ran up to the silhouette of the man in the distance and pounced on him together.

***

(MC POV)

As I walked down the path with slow and steady steps through the forest, in the meanwhile I peered around the woods. Rays of the sun's light trailed down in diagonals onto my path through the tree top canopy. It was a serene walk down the path, every once in a while a leaf would fall and gently glide down. It weaved through the wind with loops and sways from the left to the right.

The search this morning was a fruitless effort, not only did we not find anything we even spent so much time looking. All that time spent was wasted, we searched the area that surrounded the grounds several times over just in case something was actually there and the original one searching couldn't find it.

All of a sudden quickly approaching light footsteps were heard from in front. Not long after, a second set appeared enclosing slower then the first. But neither emanated any killing intent so I didn't worry much about it.

When I turned to get a good look at who was coming, a person had already wrapped themselves onto me. Their head was placed on my shoulder, but I could still see the long white hair of the person cascading down. On my chest and part of my arm a nice and soft feeling enveloped the areas. Past them was another person rushing to me albeit at a slower speed. Since I spotted them this time before they got a hold of me I knew who was coming. Xue Jinzi, that little pseudo-disciple of mine, was coming in close. I saw her excited face and smiled in return.

I thought she would slow down once she got close, but she even sped up a bit before jumping forward. I wasn't ready for the sudden jump, but I steeled myself in time so I wouldn't be knocked off balance.

She hugged onto me, and stood up from trying to jump on me. Her chestnut colored hair seemed to part on its own as she looked up revealing her cute face. From this angle her eyes looked extra large and I felt there was an odd feeling welling up within it. Right below there an even wider range of my body was enveloped in a slightly different soft sensation.

When I was about to discern that sensation I felt movement on my left shoulder. With just a small turn with my head a woman's face was enveloping my entire sight range. Plastered on her face was a soft smile.

'Huh, did they really make up just like that? That was… quick, like really quick, a little too quick. But I suppose I'll just let it be, after all it's their business and in the end they made up, so does it matter too much? I'm sure it wasn't anything too crazy. After all they both acted fairly excited, maybe it even benefited both of them in the end.'

"Darling, how has your day been?"

"Well, it wasn't the best. I take it that you two have gotten to know each other better?"

"Yeah, Darling how'd you know?"

"Well, Ying'er, you're not really using your cold front you use in front of most strangers, strangers like lower members of the sect coming to report something. Besides you two ran up to me together with so much energy. It's clear you guys are happy about something right?"

"Hehe! Big Brother I haven't seen you in so long!"

"Jinzi, it hasn't been that long since we last saw each other. Well did you have fun outside the sect?"

She took a second to respond and even looked over at Ying'er for a moment; "...Of course! I had a good time shopping with her, I think we'll get along just fine!" There at the start I noticed her hesitation, but just thought of it as her recounting the day in her head and dismissed it.

With Ying'er practically acting as her bodyguard there was nothing to worry about when it came to her safety. She must have just thought about all the fun things which they did together today, unlike what I had this morning, they must have had a lot of memorable things happen.