The Wen Siblings

Song Yao followed his gaze and locked her eyes onto the Wen siblings.

The two looked very much alike. Their skin was a sickly, deathly pale, carrying a gloomy cast from years of being shielded from sunlight. Their eyes were a light gray, and they exuded a bone-chilling aura that warned others to stay away.

They certainly lived up to their reputation as members of a poison-refining clan; just looking at them sent a shiver down one's spine.

While the white Taiqing Pavilion uniform made Ye Chang'an look like he had just stepped out of a brothel, on them, it looked like funeral attire.

Song Yao popped a pastry into her mouth, thinking that Fifth Junior Sister had been exactly like this when they first met.

Like a dormant snake, she would always stare straight at everyone with eyes dripping with cold malice, viewing everyone as prey waiting to be slaughtered.

Later, after Song Yao dragged her off a few cliffs and tormented her back and forth for a while, she seemed to run out of options. She gradually became lively and cheerful, occasionally even acting cute.

Now that Fifth Junior Sister was missing, it wouldn't be easy to pry any information out of these two.

As she pondered, Jiang Jin beside her could no longer contain himself. He stood up and strode toward the Wen siblings.

Arriving before them, he cupped his hands in apology, his tone sincere yet laced with a touch of deliberate familiarity. “My junior sisters spoke too abruptly just now. It was highly impolite. Please forgive us.”

Ming Ran gasped, instantly about to flip the table and stand up. “Wait, is he out of his mind? Why on earth is he apologizing to them? They should be the ones apologizing to us!”

Chen He grabbed her with quick reflexes. “Calm down, calm down! Sixth Senior Brother might have his own reasons!”

Ming Ran: “Reasons, my foot! I'm going to strangle him!”

Song Yao slipped away from the chaos and continued eating.

The overpowered protagonist could do whatever he wanted. With his protagonist halo, he might actually manage to find something out.

She couldn't be bothered to stop him. She would fill her stomach first.

There wouldn't be any food once they entered the secret realm.

...

The Wen siblings looked up at Jiang Jin, their light gray eyes completely devoid of emotion as their chilling aura intensified.

Wen Wushuang parted her thin lips and said flatly, “The one your group offended was Young Master Ye. There is no need to apologize to us.”

Jiang Jin offered an awkward smile, playing along. “Yes, of course. Young Master Ye is busy right now. I'll find another opportunity to apologize to him later.”

He shifted the topic. “Speaking of which, you two are from the Wen family, right? My Fifth Senior Sister in Nine Saints Hall, Wen Tang, is also from the Wen family.”

“However, I haven't seen her since I joined the sect. I only heard that she returned to the Wen family. I've been quite worried about her. I wonder where she is now, and if everything is alright?”

The Wen siblings' expressions remained completely blank.

Wen Wushuang replied stiffly, “Our Family Head has passed away. Second Cousin Sister is deeply grieved and is currently in the ancestral hall observing mourning for him, as well as recuperating her health. There is no need to worry.”

Jiang Jin pressed further, “Did Senior Sister Wen say when she would return to Nine Saints Hall?”

Wen Wushuang pursed her thin lips, a trace of impatience flickering in her light gray eyes. “If Second Cousin Sister wants to return, she will naturally do so.”

She was blatantly dodging the question.

The smile on Jiang Jin's face stiffened slightly.

Gritting his teeth, he refused to give up. He took half a step forward and lowered his posture even further. “Senior Sister Wushuang, could you make an exception and let me meet with Senior Sister Wen? I am truly deeply concerned about her.”

Wen Wushuang didn't give him any face at all. “If you wish to see Second Cousin Sister, you are welcome to visit the Wen family yourself. I cannot make that decision.”

“But...”

Jiang Jin wanted to say more, but a hand reached out and pulled him back.

Before he could struggle, Chen He whispered, “Let's go. Ye Chang'an is heading over, likely to cause trouble again. Seventh Senior Sister said we should go back and rest first.”

Only then did Jiang Jin realize that the disciples in the hall had already dispersed.

They were all being led to their quarters by Beiyao Sect disciples, to gather again tomorrow when the secret realm opened.

He glanced at the Taiqing Pavilion group and Ye Chang'an, who was walking over with an unfriendly expression. Feeling a bit unwilling but helpless, he could only hurriedly catch up with the group, running up to Song Yao's side to talk to her about this.

When he turned his head, he saw her eyelids drooping, looking completely listless. He couldn't help but frown. “What's wrong with you?”

Song Yao was drowsy. “I ate too much.”

Jiang Jin: “...”

He was rather annoyed and lowered his voice to whisper in her ear, “Did you forget what the Elders instructed?! Fifth Junior Sister's whereabouts are unknown, and Second Senior Sister is injured. How can you not care at all?”

Song Yao: “Oh. So, did you find out anything?”

Jiang Jin: “...No.”

Song Yao smiled. Jiang Jin's face grew slightly warm, and he cleared his throat, softening his tone. “I didn't mean to blame you. I just hope you won't drag me down. When we enter the secret realm, I'll find another way to make contact with them.”

Song Yao yawned. “It'll probably be useless.”

Jiang Jin: “Why?”

Song Yao: “I heard that the Wen family is a semi-secluded clan that rarely welcomes outsiders. Their family rules are extremely strict, and members are forbidden from leaking internal matters. If something really happened to Fifth Junior Sister, they would only keep their mouths shut even tighter.”

Hearing this, Jiang Jin's face instantly fell. “Then what should we do? We can't just do nothing.”

Song Yao shrugged. “There's nothing we can do but take things one step at a time. Besides...”

Jiang Jin immediately pressed, “Besides what?”

Song Yao looked up and said nonchalantly, “Since you were discussing this with me just now, the people from Beiyao Sect have already overheard us. The Wen family will probably be even more on guard against us now.”

Just as she finished speaking, the Beiyao Sect disciple leading the way ahead clearly stumbled slightly before continuing to walk forward as if nothing had happened.

Only then did Jiang Jin realize they were being monitored. He opened his mouth but didn't dare to say another word.

...

Perhaps to maintain the face of a major sect, the courtyard assigned to Nine Saints Hall was extremely luxurious.

The floors of the rooms were paved with warm jade, the corridors featured exquisitely carved beams, and the interior furnishings were highly refined. Each room was prepared with fresh tea and pastries, exuding the grandeur of an influential family at every turn.

Before leaving, the Beiyao Sect disciple did not forget to instruct them to gather outside the Myriad Bones Forest secret realm tomorrow at the Hour of the Rabbit.

As soon as the disciple left, Ninth Elder, who had just rushed over, immediately raised his hand to set up a soundproofing barrier. Summoning everyone to the courtyard, he said with a solemn expression, “Taiqing Pavilion and Beiyao Sect harbor deep hostility toward Nine Saints Hall. Ye Chang'an will definitely take the opportunity to cause trouble in the secret realm. If you are unwilling to take the risk, we can leave for Nine Saints Hall immediately.”

He was usually extremely strict with his disciples, even to the point of being somewhat cold and unfeeling.

However, weapons had no eyes in a secret realm, and cases of people losing their lives due to personal grudges were all too common.

Moreover, Ye Chang'an was notoriously ruthless. Ninth Elder truly did not want these newly recruited children to risk their lives for nothing.

But since they were already at Beiyao Sect, how could these young youths be willing to just head back like this?

Each of them spoke up in serious protest:

“If we leave now, won't we be playing right into the hands of Beiyao Sect and Taiqing Pavilion?”

“Absolutely not! Even if we have to fight Ye Chang'an in the secret realm, it's better than running away now and being laughed at by everyone!”

“The opportunities in a secret realm are hard to come by. We know what we're doing. Rest assured, Elder, we won't act rashly.”

“We will definitely protect ourselves and never bring shame upon Nine Saints Hall!”

...