Starting with a Family System to Become an Immortal Official-Chapter 129: Big Sister is Strange?
A few days had gone by since Li Qingmu’s breakthrough in that chamber at the Flower Garden Tavern. Now he was back in his own abode deep within the sect, a modest yet elegantly arranged courtyard dwelling surrounded by ancient pines and flowing spirit streams.
He sat cross-legged atop his lotus platform, eyes closed as his golden core slowly rotated in his dantian like a small blazing sun. Spiritual energy circulated through his meridians to steadily polish his foundation. He could have swallowed a high-grade Nascent Soul Pill and forced the breakthrough in a single night; the sect’s treasury held several. But Li Qingmu knew better. Pills of that sort, no matter their quality, would leave hidden flaws in the nascent soul... cracks that might shatter his path when he tried to reach Heavenly Nascent Soul or beyond.
Devouring another cultivator’s nascent soul and refining it into a seed over ten cycles was another common shortcut among ruthless geniuses. He rejected that path outright. The Heavenly Nascent Soul required absolute purity of foundation; any borrowed fragment would taint the origin.
Right now he possessed only one of the four soul fragments belonging to the ancient Heavenly Kings. One alone was nowhere near enough to form the true seed. So for the foreseeable future, his focus remained on cultivating body and soul alike to push the Nine Celestial Transformations ever forward while the final pieces slowly revealed themselves.
Yet lately, cultivation was not his greatest headache.
Every time he tried to sink into deep meditation or simply rest in peace within his own home...
A wild Wen Qingwan appeared!
It started innocently enough.
He would sense a faint presence, open his eyes, and there she would be... peeking through the translucent rice-paper screen of his door, or half-hidden behind the window lattice with her beautiful wide eyes fixed on him like a curious kitten watching a butterfly. She never spoke first. She just... watched. Sometimes for minutes. Sometimes longer. Then she would vanish as quietly as she came, leaving Li Qingmu blinking in confusion.
『What does this senior sister want?』
He often wondered.
『She looks like she has something to say, but the words never leave her mouth.』
Other times she arrived openly.
A soft knock would sound.
The door would slide open to reveal Wen Qingwan carrying a large bamboo tray laden with spirit fruits, steamed immortal buns, fragrant jade porridge, and braised spirit beast meat all still steaming gently.
"Junior Brother Qingmu! ♥️"
She would greet him with that gentle smile.
"You’ve been cultivating hard again. Eat something first. How is your progress? Are the meridians flowing smoothly? Any discomfort?"
The fact that there was meat in the food meant that this senior sister was giving him her portion.
Only seniors in the sect were allowed to eat meat.
Li Qingmu would nod absently, quickly reach for the food then stuff his face while giving half-hearted replies to her long list of questions between mouthfuls.
"Mm... fine... core is stable... qi abundant..."
She never seemed to mind the lackluster answers. Instead she sat across from him, chin resting on her hands to watch him eat with bright, contented eyes. The way she stared so softly and attentively made the back of his neck prickle.
He was used to beautiful women gazing at him adoringly.
His wives and concubines could watch him read the dullest scroll and still squeal in delight. But this? Wen Qingwan watching him chew rice with that quiet, happy expression felt strangely... off.
『Why does she find this interesting?』
He thought more than once.
『She’s not one of my women. And the system hasn’t dinged even once... no affection profile, no notification. So what is all this?』
The encounters grew more frequent.
No matter where he went, his abode or the Lion Kitchen where he assisted Kitchen Master Han Yan, this senior sister Wen Qingwan would appear.
Last week had been particularly memorable.
A mountain of dirty dishes towered beside the sink after breakfast service. Li Qingmu rolled up his sleeves, grabbed the local sponge and started scrubbing.
Wen Qingwan slipped in beside him like a breeze.
"Let me help!"
She said brightly as she reached for the sponge.
He pulled it back. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
"Senior Sister, this is my duty. If Kitchen Master sees you washing plates, he’ll skin me alive."
She smiled wider and her tender fingers brushed his as she tried again.
"I’ll scrub, you rinse. It’s easier that way."
"No need—"
"Yes need."
They tugged back and forth over the sponge like children fighting over a toy. Her grip was surprisingly strong for someone so petite. Finally Li Qingmu snatched it away with a burst of power.
Wen Qingwan froze.
Her lips pursed into a tiny pout.
She crossed her arms, cheeks puffing slightly.
"Hmph. So you won’t even accept my help?"
She turned and walked off with an indignant swish of robes and left Li Qingmu staring after her as the sponge dripped in his hand.
Another morning, he finished his cultivation session feeling particularly pleased.
He descended elegantly from the floating lotus position while his gorgeous sleeves swished as he exhaled a long breath of turbid qi.
A peaceful smile touched his lips.
"Just a bit more effort... the second half of the Nine Celestial Transformations will be mine. Once I comprehend the full inheritance, my lifespan will stretch another five hundred years. I’ll live long enough to cradle my children’s children’s children in these arms. Hah!"
Satisfied, he pushed open the door.
The smile vanished instantly.
Wen Qingwan stood right outside, hands clasped behind her back, rocking gently on her heels. That same innocent smile that always made her irresistibly adorable lit her face the moment their eyes met.
Li Qingmu’s peaceful expression cracked.
『...Again?』
Everything about her screamed purity... from the gentle curve of her lips to the soft way she tilted her head. Sometimes she even came dressed in simple robes, hair tied up, looking every bit like a carefree tomboy.
Romantic feelings? Impossible.
She was far too oblivious for that.
And yet...
The system stayed silent.
No profile. No affection value. Nothing.
So why did she keep coming?
He had heard the rumors around the sect. Wen Qingwan was strict and distant with most people and only truly close to Yu Fang and a handful of elders. Yet she was kind in her own way: she told stories to groups of admiring juniors, listened patiently, never raised her voice.
Unlike Senior Sister Song Yan, who once punished him by making him count grains of rice for months straight just for flirting a little too boldly.
Wen Qingwan was... different.
Perhaps the right word was approachable?
Which was exactly why the thought had crossed his mind more than once...
『Her figure is perfect. Would she let me touch and hold her intimately if I wanted to?』
But then the nightmare scenario flashed through his head of her running to her father in tears, the fierce man turning him into a eunuch and exiling him to the Prayer Temple to repent for a thousand years.
His trembling hand instinctively dropped to grip his crotch protectively.
Wen Qingwan tilted her head.
"Junior Brother? Are you alright?"
Li Qingmu snapped back, flashing an awkward smile.
"Of course, of course. Perfectly fine."
Her pretty eyes curved into crescents.
"That’s good. So you’ve finally come out of seclusion. I was worried... I thought maybe you were hiding inside all these months because you didn’t want to see me. I’m glad I was wrong."
"...Senior Sister, I was only in there for two days. Are you sure you’re feeling alright?"
That barely counted as seclusion.
She chuckled lightly and cluelessly.
"Oh... I must have missed you so much that two days felt like a whole month."
Her voice softened.
"I love when you call me Big Sister."
She bit her lower lip.
"It makes me... very happy. I’m getting addicted to it."
That innocent smile again.
Li Qingmu’s scalp tingled.
"...It does?"
She nodded eagerly.
"Call me that again."
"Big Sister."
"Hm?" She stepped closer, eyes sparkling.
"Big Sister."
"Hm~?"
That one certainly sounded like a moan to him.
He repeated it. Again. And again.
Each time she replied with a soft, drawn-out hm? and slowly inched nearer until she stood directly in front of him to look up with that gentle, expectant smile.
Li Qingmu stared down at her.
『...Can I take this as a romantic mood? It’s impossible to tell with her.』
He sighed inwardly.
『Enough. I’m a man. I can’t keep letting this strange woman toy with me like this. If she’s beautiful enough to keep appearing in front of me, then I should make her mine. No more guessing.』
He cleared his throat loudly and stepped forward until his broad chest nearly pressed against her face.
She was that petite.
An attractively small and dainty woman.
Wen Qingwan simply shifted, lifting her small white chin to rest it softly against the hard plane of his chest.
She blinked up at him owlishly.
Those big eyes felt like he was staring at a kitten.
"What’s the matter?"
Li Qingmu placed one large hand against her smooth cheek with quite some manliness to it.
"You look lovely today, Big Sister."
Her cheeks instantly bloomed red.
"Wh-, What... what do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said."
His thumb gently caressed the soft skin.
She took a small step back, eyes wide.
"Are... are you alright?"
"Of course. Are you?"
She nodded quickly.
"I’m sure... it’s just... you’re..."
Her gaze darted to his hand still stroking her cheek.
Her face turned even redder.
Still no system notification. Not a single ding.
『Am I doing it wrong?』
Li Qingmu wondered.
『Should I grab her waist? Pull her closer?』
His hand started to slide downward.
Right then he caught sight of Yu Fang standing in the distant bamboo grove, glaring murderously.
Li Qingmu clicked his tongue.
『This bastard again.』
He sighed and immediately switched to patting her head like a little sister.
"Alright, Xiao Ma. Don’t get too worked up."
Wen Qingwan’s blush disappeared instantly.
Her brows furrowed.
She folded her arms beneath her perfectly round chest and glared up at him.
"I’ve told you a hundred times—don’t call me that!"
Li Qingmu glanced back. Yu Fang had vanished.
This was his chance to explain himself and romance her one more time.
"No, no, no. I only said it because Yu Fa—"
She raised a hand sharply.
"I’m not listening to your nonsense. Hmph!"
"Eh?"
"Junior Brother is so mean and overpampered!"
She turned on her heel, arms still crossed and started walking away as her round hips bounced sweetly.
"Since you’re so jobless, I’ll let Kitchen Master Han know to give you plenty of work today!"
"EH?!"
Li Qingmu stood frozen in the doorway.
This senior sister... really is a strange one.
