CHAPTER 466: CHAPTER 466: I AM YOUR OLDER SISTER_1

Ji Jie was stunningly beautiful, and at this moment, she was smiling sweetly.

She looked toward her younger brother, Ji Gui, who was also the Crown Prince of the Moon Clan, waiting for his reply.

Go to Earth!?

Ji Gui’s pupils shrank. Xu Lai’s Boundary was at least the Nascent Soul Realm. One had to understand that across the entire Moon, there were not many Nascent Soul Realm Cultivators.

Even... it might be higher!

Ji Jie’s Boundary had been a secret for the past ten years, and no one knew her exact level. But no matter how extraordinarily talented she was, it was impossible for her to be a Nascent Soul. If she were to go to Earth, it would likely be more perilous than promising.

"Little brother, why aren’t you speaking?" Ji Jie extended her pale hand, smiling as she caressed Ji Gui’s cheek. "Aren’t you always worried that I’ll take your throne? Don’t you just wish I would die?"

"..."

Ji Gui’s heart nearly skipped a beat. He felt his breath stifle. It was as if this viperous woman before him had seized his heart, making his breathing slow involuntarily.

He spoke gravely, "I think you shouldn’t go to Earth, sister. It’s very dangerous there, and Xu Lai is even more so. But what can I, your insignificant younger brother, say? My words carry no weight. I will follow whatever you arrange."

Sister?

Ji Jie’s smile grew even more radiant. Before, Ji Gui would only call her by name, but now that he thought she was going to her death, he called her "sister"...

My foolish little brother. Do you really wish for your sister to die on Earth?

"Little brother, you must believe that no one in this world loves you more than I do." Ji Jie cupped Ji Gui’s face in her hands, a deep obsession showing in her eyes. "I’m not interested in your throne. You don’t have to be wary of me at all."

Ji Gui felt his scalp tingle with numbness once again.

Could it be that she’s interested in me? That’s forbidden love, it’s absolutely impossible!

And indeed, he then heard Ji Jie whisper softly in his ear, "I’m only interested... in you."

Before Ji Gui could react, another line was added to that warm, wind-like voice at his ear.

"You see, I’ve always wanted to see what Father was like in his youth, to witness that world-conquering dominance. Unfortunately, Father has grown old, while you... you are still young.

"Therefore, I, your sister, will support your ascension to the throne. I hope you can recapture a fraction of Father’s supreme style from his youth. Then, whether you’re willing or not, I will personally skin you... hmmm, or perhaps I’ll just make you into a specimen?"

Ji Jie’s eyes narrowed into a brilliant smile. "Until then, my dear little brother, you absolutely must not die, okay?"

SLAP!

Ji Gui knocked the hand from his face and stammered, "You’re insane... Ji Jie, you’re a complete madwoman!"

"Hehe, my silly little brother, you didn’t take that seriously, did you? How could I be a madwoman?" Ji Jie chuckled delicately. "I am your sister, after all. Your very own sister."

Those words should have been tender and sweet. Yet, to Ji Gui’s ears, they sounded like the low whisper of Death itself. He refused to listen to another word.

He rose to his feet and left the grand hall, which had become oppressively cold and suffocating with Ji Jie’s arrival. He had to get out, get some fresh air—anything to get away from that lunatic.

Watching his panicked, fleeing figure, Ji Jie smiled knowingly.

What a pity I can’t go back in time. Otherwise, I would have made specimens out of both my father in his youth and my dear brother. Add to that my other siblings and Mother, and the whole family could be displayed together neatly. How delightful would that be?

"Such a pity," Ji Jie sighed again. Father only allowed me to make one specimen. My foolish little brother, I can only choose you. Who else’s fault is it but your own for looking so much like him?

One specimen. Double the pleasure.

Ji Jie strolled gracefully out of the grand hall, her gaze drifting toward the distant azure star as she became momentarily lost in thought.

Xu Lai. What a strange name. Well, it doesn’t matter. You angered the future king of the Moon Clan—my future specimen—so I must punish you on the clan’s behalf.

"To think the Moon Sect I casually established on Earth all those years ago has grown to such a scale. You have been diligent," Ji Jie murmured as if speaking to the air, but there was no reply.

* * *

Days passed one by one.

By the tenth day of the Lunar New Year, Ruan Tang’s parents still showed no sign of returning to the country, remaining on their comfortable vacation in Hawaii. During that time, if Ruan Lan hadn’t initiated video calls, they probably wouldn’t have even bothered to offer a perfunctory "Happy New Year."

However, when they heard that Ruan Tang was going to marry Xu Lai on February twenty-ninth of the solar calendar, just over twenty days away, they both breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief.

Their smiles were exceptionally bright. "Good, that’s good! We approve! We both think Xu Lai is a great match for you. You’d better treat him well in the future."

Ruan Tang: "..."

She gave Xu Lai a confused glance. What kind of love potion did he give my parents?

Before she could say anything more, her father, Ruan Yinshan, urged on by his wife, reluctantly ended the call. "Alright, alright, we’re about to go to bed. There’s the time difference, you know."

This infuriated the Ruan sisters. Twelve o’clock noon in Beijing was six o’clock in the evening in Hawaii. Who goes to sleep at six p.m.?

"Just ignore them," Ruan Lan said helplessly, hugging a pillow as she lay on the sofa. "As long as they’re happy, that’s what matters."

"True," Xu Lai nodded.

Like plants that flourish for a season, people only have one life to live; happiness is what’s most important.

In the Immortal Domain, countless ordinary people were unable to walk the path of Cultivation. The vast majority of them envied the ability of Cultivators to fly through the heavens and tunnel through the earth. But little did they know that many Cultivators also yearned for their simple, peaceful lives.

Take, for example, the Saint Heirs and Goddesses from Holy Lands and Ancient Pathways that have persisted for dozens of epochs. From birth, their sole goal was to become an emperor. But in this era, despite their extraordinary talents, they were destined to be nothing more than a backdrop for Xu Lai.

Was it tragic? It was tragic, and utterly pitiful.

Born to become emperors, they lived their entire lives under the control of their Sect Gate and Tao Lineage. Even the Dao partners they were meant to spend their lives with were not necessarily people they truly loved. On the surface, they seemed infinitely glorious. In reality, they were just puppets on strings. Of course, if they managed to struggle to the top and become a Holy Master or a Supreme Elder of their sect, they would become the puppeteers.

"I’m so bored," Ruan Lan grumbled, rolling around on the sofa. Her nightgown rode up, revealing quite a bit.

Ruan Tang reminded her, "Watch your decorum!"

"Oh! Right, right." Only then did Ruan Lan remember Xu Lai was just a few steps away. She quickly sat up straight and changed the subject. "It’s so boring at home. Brother-in-law, should we go visit the university?"

"No," Xu Lai refused without the slightest hesitation.

The university had a medical lab where Li Shouzhong, Yan Gui, and the others were likely still working through the holiday. He had finally managed to get a break; why would he go back just to continue explaining medicine to them?

Ruan Lan flopped back onto the sofa with a sigh. Students were all like that. During the semester, they longed for vacation. During vacation, they felt bored and wanted to go back to school.

"If you’re bored, go cultivate with Yiyi," Xu Lai suggested.

"...It’s too exhausting!" Ruan Lan muttered. "And it’s not at all what I imagined."

In her mind, Cultivation was supposed to be easy and fun. You’d open your governor and conception vessels in a day, learn lightness techniques in two, and become invincible across the world in three. But now... she had been practicing for over half a month with nothing to show for it