Chapter 306: Arrogant Si Ming Sister

Ning Changjiu and Lu Jiajia’s minds stirred as they heard the answer.

Ning Changjiu had previously speculated about several potential rulers of the fallen kingdom from five hundred years ago, but he never imagined that the fallen ruler was none other than the Sage.

Lu Jiajia felt the same way. Her question to Siming was merely out of curiosity; she thought it would be a shocking secret, but she didn’t expect the answer to be so simple. Yet, this simplicity was precisely a blind spot in their thinking.

But if the Sage was already the supreme ruler of the kingdom, why would he rebel? What exactly was he rebelling against?

As they pondered, Siming slowly parted her lips and said, "There is still an Ethereal Pavilion on Remnant Hope Peak in the Middle Earth. A few months ago, when I was traveling alone in Middle Earth, I visited it. However, the mountain was desolate, the pavilion was in ruins, and the statue of the Sage enshrined inside was said to be the last one in Middle Earth. Beside it was a stone tablet, supposedly bearing the Sage's last words. It began with the eight characters 'Not yet seen Kunlun', written as if piercing the sky and earth, but the rest of the inscription was illegible."

Siming slowly recounted, her gaze fixed on the teacup, her calm words seeming to carry other, hidden emotions.

Ning Changjiu had countless questions: "Isn't it said that the rulers of the Divine Kingdoms cannot leave their own kingdoms? How did the Sage get out? Was he eventually killed by the Thunder Prison?"

Siming listened to his questions, rubbing her forehead with her index and middle fingers in exasperation. She sighed, "My Divine Kingdom was destroyed seven hundred years ago. You're concerned about the Sage, but why don't you show some concern for me?"

Ning Changjiu gave a helpless smile and asked, "Are you suggesting you want us to help you restore your kingdom?"

"No need for that," Siming replied. "When the time for that Divine Kingdom year comes, I will naturally feel a connection. As for whether I can return... we'll see then." She took a sip of tea and smiled faintly. "As for your questions, I find it hard to explain clearly, as I didn't witness the later events firsthand; everything is merely my inference. The inability of Divine Kingdom rulers to leave their kingdoms isn't an absolute rule. It's said that a certain ruler nowadays can leave their kingdom using special divine powers. As for the Thunder Prison..."

Siming shook her head. "A Divine Kingdom that was invaded by a lone individual entering the Thunder Prison. I was shocked when I heard about this in the Luo Book, but if the Sage could achieve that, I don't believe the Thunder Prison could defeat and kill him. Among the twelve rulers, the Thunder Prison's combat power is already top-tier, but I always feel that the Sage's true target wasn't the ruler of the Divine Kingdom."

"Not the ruler of the Divine Kingdom?" Ning Changjiu was slightly startled, the words 'Dark Lord' flashing through his mind instantly. The only entity he knew that could potentially transcend the Divine Kingdoms was the Dark Lord, mentioned by the Underworld Monarch, who had once overshadowed the sky and blocked the return path of the Six Primordial Gods. Ning Changjiu still couldn't imagine what kind of terrifying existence could achieve what the Dark Lord did. Could it be... defeated? Ning Changjiu felt uneasy.

Siming gently nodded her head. She was unaware of the Dark Lord's existence, but when she served as a Divine Official, she had genuinely come into contact with the so-called "Heavenly Dao." She had long forgotten what she glimpsed behind the ten-thousand-foot golden glow, but the bone-chilling sense of dread remained unforgettable.

Lu Jiajia asked curiously, "Then which Divine Kingdom did Sister Xueci belong to in the past? Do you not remember anything at all, Sister?"

"I don't remember," Siming said. "But more than that, I'm more curious about... the person who killed the Divine Ruler." Siming had no concrete impression of that woman. The towering bright moon was something she had only slowly recalled in recent years. The monumental scene of the moon descending like a giant sword piercing the sky, scattering silver dust across the world, had always been her nightmare.

Ning Changjiu watched Siming sitting serenely and knew what she was thinking. During his struggle with Siming on the Sin Lord's gallows, he had realized that the moment of the God Lord's death was an indelible black mark on her.

"What do you want to say?" Siming suddenly looked up, staring straight ahead into Ning Changjiu's eyes.

"Nothing," Ning Changjiu said, hesitating, thinking of his master. He slowly added, "I just wanted to ask, do you know the Sage's specific identity?"

Siming smiled and said, "Although I didn't experience that great catastrophe, the Sage's identity isn't exactly a secret. After all, among the twelve rulers back then, one's realm far surpassed the other eleven gods."

"Which one?" Ning Changjiu couldn't contain his curiosity.

Lu Jiajia and Ning Xiaoling also stared at her intently.

Siming hesitated for a moment, then decided to speak the name. "He is..."

Siming's words had barely left her lips when, *clang*, outside the window, a sudden peal of thunder ripped through the clear sky, striking downwards. Behind Ning Xiaoling, the electric light arrived even sooner. The window glowed like molten gold, illuminating the room in a dazzling golden light. All the window paper instantly incinerated, and stray currents surged into the room, causing all the porcelain and implements to emit sharp, crackling sounds, like contorted faces of ghouls issuing menacing warnings.

Siming swept her sleeve to disperse the deadly aura from the heavens, while Lu Jiajia deployed her sword domain to barely deflect the intense light. Ning Changjiu immediately reached out and shielded the little fox in his arms.

Siming fell silent.

After a long moment, the thunderous, punitive strike finally dissipated completely.

"Are you alright?" Ning Changjiu looked at them with a grave expression.

Siming gently shook her head. Though this warning thunderclap was intimidating, it indirectly confirmed that her conjecture was correct. However, the Sage's identity seemed far more important than she had imagined... the power of authority couldn't even block it.

Ning Changjiu smoothed Ning Xiaoling's bristling fur, comforting her, "Don't be scared, Xiaoling." Ning Xiaoling now had an instinctive fear of lightning; her fur stood on end, and her paws rested weakly on her senior brother, trembling incessantly.

The discussion about the Sage and the Divine Rulers ceased by unspoken agreement. Beings of that level were far beyond their current cultivation realm to speculate about.

The next few days were very peaceful. The twilight that had enveloped the Ancient Spirit Sect had completely dissipated, and sunlight, long absent, finally streamed between the ten peaks. Through the sect's mountain gate array, it felt warm and gentle, making them forget it was still winter.

The Fish King lay slumped by the door, a sprig of greens dangling from its mouth, its eyes green, and its expression listless. It watched Ning Xiaoling happily leaping about in the sun and sighed, saying, "Senior Sister Ning, could you please talk to Yu Jin for me? I want to go to Yu Jin's house and guard the door."

"You're not a dog, why would you guard a door?" Ning Xiaoling asked.

The Fish King retorted indignantly, "I'm certainly not a dog! What dog eats vegetable leaves all day?!"

Ning Xiaoling helplessly said, "Well, you offended Benefactor Sister. Benefactor Sister is very powerful; even Senior Brother is a little afraid of her... so Little Ditin has to suffer a bit."

The Fish King sighed, swallowed a mouthful of greens, and lay on the ground, looking as if life had lost all meaning, as if it had swallowed poison.

"Alas, Xiaoling," the Fish King said earnestly, "if you don't help me now, one day, when that woman bullies you, you'll find yourself all alone."

Upon hearing the word "bully," Ning Xiaoling instinctively hugged her most sensitive tail. She stammered, "Benefactor Sister is very kind to me; how could she bully me?"

The Fish King scoffed, then basked lazily in the sun, saying nothing more.

Passing disciples looked at the vegetable leaves in its bowl, then at the white cat, which resembled an old monk in meditation, and felt a surge of admiration.

"I can't believe even cats are becoming vegetarians and reciting Buddhist scriptures these days."

"Is it... meditating?"

"What an oddity."

"Oh, isn't this Yu Jin's cat? The one that got a perfect score on the exam..."

"It does seem a bit like the one from the legends. Why don't you ask the Spirit Control lineage?"

"Like it? Yu Jin's junior sister's cat is fat. This one is so thin; it's clearly not it."

The Fish King listened to their conversation, its ears twitching, growing more indignant. It thought, "You try eating vegetable leaves for seven days..." Annoyed by the chatter and wanting a quiet nap, the Fish King uttered, in a surprisingly articulate manner, "Buddhist Dharma is boundless."

The cat spoke.

The other disciples froze.

A female disciple was the first to react: "There's a monster in the sect!" She yelled and ran off.

The other disciples scattered in disarray.

The Fish King, however, no longer felt sleepy. It slowly rose from the ground. "Buddhist Dharma is boundless..." It recalled the four words it had inadvertently uttered and thought of a certain rumor, growing increasingly alarmed. Wailing sounds from the netherworld echoed repeatedly in its ears, as if they would never cease.

Behind the Ancient Spirit Sect, spiritual energy abounded, hanging from the cliff and forming a cascading waterfall. Lu Jiajia sat quietly by the pond, her snow-white robes loose, her long hair cascading down her back. In the misty vapor, her ancient and serene figure swayed like a lotus.

She sat cross-legged, her fingers forming a spell like a crane dancing, her gaze falling upon the cliff face with a hint of confusion. She extended a hand, her fingers like fine brushes emerging from her wide sleeves, and gently moved them across the blank space on the cliff, as if solving a difficult problem. On either side of the waterfall, she inscribed the sword techniques of the Imperial Sword Heaven Sect and the spiritual arts of the Ancient Spirit Sect, observing their respective imperfections and searching for a way to combine them.

Lu Jiajia had to admit that Wood Spirit Eye and the founder of the Imperial Sword Heaven Sect were truly geniuses. If Siming hadn't pointed out the flaws in her swordplay in the Luo Book, she would never have realized that her cultivated sword techniques were incomplete. And now, even with the complete sword techniques laid out before her, Lu Jiajia still couldn't find a solution in a short amount of time.

Fortunately, Ning Changjiu told her that Xiaoling's sword techniques were deciphered with the help of the Fish King; otherwise, as Xiaoling's master, she would truly be mortified. Although it was a virtue to not be ashamed to ask questions of subordinates, she still wanted to maintain her somewhat crumbling image in Xiaoling's mind.

But the more she rushed, the harder the problem became to solve. The worst part was that even when she was trying to cultivate peacefully, someone always seemed to disturb her.

Behind her, the soft rustle of grass being pressed underfoot gently reached her ears. Even the roaring waterfall couldn't completely muffle that sound. A pair of pristine white feet passed over the grass, then softly stepped onto the stone-paved path. Though coming from the dusty world, they seemed to walk beyond it, the jade-like feet utterly unblemished.

Today, Siming wore loose white robes, almost like a bathing gown, revealing bare arms and shoulders, with a portion of her beautiful back exposed. Her figure was perfectly proportioned, exquisitely lovely beyond words.

"Still haven't comprehended it, Sister Jiajia?" Siming asked with a faint smile, sitting down beside Lu Jiajia.

Lu Jiajia's attire was modest, her posture elegant, forming a stark contrast to Siming's charming and seductive appearance. Lu Jiajia glanced at Siming's white dress today; it was fitted, only reaching her knees, her slender calves gleaming brightly in the sunlight, and her bent toes gently touched the spring water, rippling lightly on the surface. Not to mention others, even Lu Jiajia's heart couldn't help but beat a little faster. And Siming, looking at the elegant woman beside her, found the blush that spread across her cool, beautiful face delightful to behold.

The two women, harboring impure thoughts, sat by the waterfall pond.

Faced with Siming's question, Lu Jiajia refused to show weakness and said, "I have long since understood it. I'm just considering whether there's another hidden mystery within. After all, Wood Spirit Eye is naturally suspicious, so it's best to be more cautious."

"Oh, so that's how it is," Siming said, feigning sudden understanding. "I was thinking, it's been two hours already, and with your intellect, Sister Jiajia, how could you not have figured it out?"

Lu Jiajia said faintly, "Sister Xueci worries too much."

Siming reached out and gently touched the faint tear mole near her eye, saying, "Sister Jiajia is getting bolder, daring to speak to me in such a tone? Oh, well, I suppose it's true. When we were alone in the Luo Book, you were utterly obedient to me. And before Ning Changjiu returned a few days ago, you were incredibly docile and submissive in front of me. How is it that as soon as your husband comes back, you put on the airs of a madam?"

Lu Jiajia blushed slightly at these words. Her eyelashes fluttered, and she retorted, "At the time of the Luo Book, Sister Xueci tricked me! And a few days ago... you humiliated me in front of Xiaoling. How can I let that go?"

"Humiliated you?" Siming countered, looking innocent. "How so? Are you suggesting you wanted to hide your relationship with Ning Changjiu from her? It has to be revealed eventually, so why not get it over with? Besides, Xiaoling isn't a child anymore. Do you really think you, as her master, are smarter than that silly girl?"

"You..." Lu Jiajia was challenged but didn't know how to refute. Moreover, Siming's challenge seemed not entirely unreasonable... Siming pressed her advantage, saying, "I'm always looking out for you, Sister Jiajia. There are many things I haven't mentioned in front of Xiaoling; you should be thanking me."

"You shut up!" Lu Jiajia snapped.

"You?" Siming sighed, "Alas, I've helped you so much, yet you can't even bring yourself to call me 'Sister.' It's truly disheartening."

Lu Jiajia lowered her head sulkily, not saying a word. Sister Xueci was certainly a senior and worthy of her respect. But now that she knew so much about her and Ning Changjiu, it was difficult to utter the word "Sister" anymore.

Siming asked, "What's wrong? Are you angry?"

"No," Lu Jiajia said faintly. "How dare a mere mortal sword cultivator get angry at a Divine Official?"

"Mortal sword cultivator?" Siming leaned closer, observing Lu Jiajia's cool and delicate face. Lu Jiajia closed her eyes, cultivating and pondering sword techniques, unmoved by Siming's suggestive actions. Siming looked at her smooth, glistening ear, leaned even closer, and exhaled softly, "There's no such thing as a mortal sword cultivator like this in the world. Perhaps you're a thief who stole a fairy's skin. Come, let me peel it off and see which immortal's cave this body was stolen from?"

Warm, moist air brushed against Lu Jiajia's earlobe. Lu Jiajia's body trembled slightly, seeing Siming press closer, her fingers curled like hooks, displaying a fierce look, like a wolf pouncing on its prey.

"Hey, stop fooling around..." Lu Jiajia reached out to push her away.

But Siming firmly grasped her fingers, holding her soft, jade-like hand. Lu Jiajia was quite helpless, thinking, "Sister Xueci, you've lived for over a thousand years, how can you be even more childish than Xiaoling?"

"Ah..." Lu Jiajia suddenly cried out. Siming had gently taken the tip of her right index finger into her mouth, holding it beneath her lips, lightly biting it with a charming smile.

Lu Jiajia's pretty face flushed slightly, and she tried to pull her finger away: "What are you doing...?"

Siming released her and smiled. "Now that your husband is back, these delicate jade fingers have no more use. What a pity."

"What nonsense are you talking about?!" Lu Jiajia gritted her silver teeth, now thoroughly angry. She had a thought to activate the mark, but Siming, anticipating this, used her cultivation to suppress her intention.

"You... Ning Changjiu won't let you get away with this," Lu Jiajia's words carried a hint of grievance.

Siming said, "I'm encouraging you to cultivate diligently and enter the Five Paths sooner."

"Liar." Despite her words, Lu Jiajia was indeed motivated. As long as she could enter the Five Paths, she wouldn't have to suffer Siming's bullying anymore... This thought sounded like a conflict between young girls, but it was her sincere belief at the moment.

As their wills wrestled, Xiaoling came bouncing along. In the past two days, she had gradually adapted to walking on four paws. Her hopping gait made her look like a swaggering rabbit that could be snatched by an eagle at any moment.

"Master!" Ning Xiaoling happily ran over, her nine tails wagging joyfully. By the waterfall, Ning Xiaoling stopped. She saw Siming's graceful figure in white and was startled, retreating two steps. "Benefactor Sister, you're here too..."

Siming smiled at her and said, "Xiaoling, you've arrived."

Ning Xiaoling trembled, her nine tails shrinking into one, discreetly tucked beneath her belly. Siming looked at her expression, smiled, and beckoned, "Come here, Sister won't grab your tail."

"Oh... Sister, you promise," Ning Xiaoling said doubtfully, forced to approach. She saw her Master's flushed cheeks and realized her Master couldn't protect her.

"Xiaoling, lately I've only seen you running around outside. Even if you've become a little fox, you mustn't slack off in your cultivation," Siming admonished.

Ning Xiaoling bowed her head in apology: "Yes, I understand."

Siming glanced at Lu Jiajia and said, "It seems your Master is having some trouble comprehending her sword techniques. You should help her."

"There's no problem," Lu Jiajia immediately denied.

Ning Xiaoling also said, "Master is so powerful, how could it be my place to teach her?"

Lu Jiajia remained noncommittal.

Siming said, "Then I'll test Jiajia. If she doesn't pass, I'll punish you on behalf of your husband."

Lu Jiajia glared at her in protest. If Siming truly followed through, she would have no dignity left in front of Xiaoling. Now that Ning Changjiu wasn't around, was she truly left to Siming's whims? Lu Jiajia felt quite helpless.

Ning Xiaoling was very protective of her Master. She pleaded, "Benefactor Sister, don't bully Master. Just hit Xiaoling instead." As she spoke, she stood upright and held out her soft, fluffy little paws.

Siming squeezed her hand and laughed, "I never hit your Master's palms."

Ning Xiaoling nodded blankly, thinking, "Oh, so I misunderstood Benefactor Sister. I knew it; Benefactor Sister is such a good person."

Lu Jiajia wouldn't allow Siming to continue. She immediately stood up, ready to leave.

"Where are you going, Jiajia?" Siming asked.

"To practice swordplay," Lu Jiajia said faintly.

Siming, however, didn't stop her. She thought, *She won't break through the Five Paths bottleneck for three to five years anyway. Even if she does by then, I'll have long returned to the Divine Kingdom, and if she dares to seek revenge, she still won't be my match.* Siming believed everything was within her expectations.

After Lu Jiajia left, Ning Xiaoling realized she was once again left alone in Siming's hands. "Benefactor Sister..." Ning Xiaoling had a bad premonition.

When she was little, she heard fishermen say that some devout Buddhists like to release fish and turtles, but some well-intentioned people inadvertently do harm by releasing fish and turtles that don't belong in a certain pond. Those foreign species are usually unusually fierce, and the local small fish and shrimp are no match for them. Thus, the previously harmonious environment is disrupted, and the entire pond suffers. Now, Ning Xiaoling finally understood the true meaning of this.

"Waaahhhhhhh—"

Amidst the roaring waterfall, Ning Xiaoling's cries continued to echo. Lu Jiajia pretended not to hear, and filled with guilt towards Xiaoling, quickened her steps to leave.

In front of the vast light screen in the Nine Nether Hall, Ning Changjiu stood quietly, countless books spread out before him, stacked neatly according to some standard. Ning Xiaoling had enjoyed her freedom recently, playing carefreely like a wild fox for a few days. But he, as her senior brother, was ultimately more concerned about his junior sister than she was herself. He had been poring over these scrolls for a day and a night. In his leisure, he could even imagine Siming setting fires wantonly in his backyard. But some matters were more urgent than others, and he couldn't help it.

The scrolls piled on the table were mostly documents about the subsidiary sects of the Ancient Spirit Sect. The Ancient Spirit Sect was the largest sect governing the Underworld, with countless smaller sects under its wing, spread across the Middle Earth, each with its own name. They all relied on the Ancient Spirit Sect. This was one way for a major sect to extend its influence in Middle Earth. And these sects, whether large or small, controlled varying amounts of authority. Ning Changjiu listed their locations and the amount of authority they held, one by one.

He rubbed his head, a headache starting. These sects were numerous and scattered across various parts of the Middle Earth. Even visiting them all would take a year, and due to distance, the records of many sects were vague, perhaps requiring re-verification. What was to be done?

"Heavenly Ranking..." Ning Changjiu thought of the Middle Earth's legendary Heavenly Ranking. By winning on the Heavenly Ranking, one could broadcast a message. The Heavenly Ranking possessed miraculous power, allowing this message to be known throughout Middle Earth. This was the only and fastest method Ning Changjiu could think of at the moment.

He put down the scrolls. The defenders of the Heavenly Ranking were all renowned disciples from various sects and factions. Previously, when the eight disciples of the Sword Pavilion issued a call for disciples, they defended the ranking for three months, giving the entire Middle Earth much to discuss over tea, speculating about the Sword Pavilion's reasons for emerging.

It seemed he would have to go himself this time. He wondered who his opponents would be.

Ning Changjiu leaned back in his chair, staring at the light screen, Siming's earlier words constantly replaying in his mind. Once the secrets of the Divine Kingdoms were known, they churned relentlessly in his mind, like a nightmare. Especially the entity that the Underworld Monarch called 'Dark Lord'. Was it truly the Dark Lord who killed the Sage back then? And in what form did the Dark Lord exist in the world now? Could it be...

Ning Changjiu and Siming had both arrived at the same answer. He sighed, forcing himself not to think too much. It was time to go see Jiajia and Xiaoling.

Ning Changjiu stood up. He accidentally bumped the calendar beside him. He casually set the calendar upright. This was a Divine Sect calendar, different from civilian ones. It automatically turned pages with the passage of days and months, clearly depicting the solar terms, auspiciousness and inauspiciousness, suitability and taboos for the day, and the movement of celestial bodies.

Ning Changjiu's gaze lingered slightly. Lunar New Year's Eve was approaching.