Chapter 69 If Reversal: I Picked Up a Little Sister
Blood dripped onto the withered leaves, and the hideous corpse of the monster fell before them.
Xie Lingyu sheathed his sword and was about to retrieve the beast core to return to the Cloud Spirit Realm when he suddenly noticed a slight rustling in the grass behind him.
It is a living thing.
But his breathing seemed very weak.
So weak that it's not even as strong as the lowest-ranking demon.
The young boy frowned, pointing the tip of his sword at the bushes. The sword's energy parted the bushes, revealing a small head that blinked its round, amber eyes as it looked at him.
Xie Lingyu was taken aback. It seemed to be... a human cub?
Upon closer inspection, it was a little girl with messy braids and a dirty face covered in dust and bits of grass.
Only those eyes, clear and innocent yet bewildered, like those of an ignorant and naive little animal, stared unblinkingly at his... tail.
He still can't control his transformation well, and his horns and dragon tail will show during battle.
Xie Lingyu's gaze followed the tip of the dragon's tail as it swayed. After a pause, he coldly retracted the dragon's tail and horns.
There's no need to use a sword on such a weak human cub.
He sheathed his sword, his voice indifferent, "Who are you?"
Instead of answering, the little girl tilted her head and asked, "Are you a demon?"
Xie Lingyu raised an eyebrow slightly: "You're asking someone if they're a demon in the demon realm?"
Upon hearing this, the little girl seemed relieved. Her small body relaxed, and she emerged from the grass, revealing her full form.
It was only about five or six years old, a tiny little bundle, extremely thin, clutching a bundle, looking sickly, as if a gust of wind could blow it over.
She looked up at him, her voice soft, "Do you know where the Demon Lord of the Hagakure is?"
The Demon Lord of the Dove is apparently that noisy old crow in the eastern part of the demon realm.
Xie Lingyu lowered her eyes. "Why should I tell you?"
The girl blinked at him, pointed at his sword, and said, "The Crescent Moon Sword move you used when you fought that monster was missing a step. I have the complete sword manual. Take me to the Demon Lord of the Dove Village, and I'll give it to you."
Xie Lingyu paused, his gaze sweeping over her small face. The creator of the Crescent Moon Sword Technique had passed away, and no successor had been left in the cultivation world.
How can I trust you?
The girl thought for a moment, put down the bundle in her arms, and reached out to pull out the sword from his waist.
Before they even met, Xie Lingyu dodged to the side, understood her meaning, and broke off a branch for her.
The girl pouted, used a branch to mimic his sword moves from before, and then mimicked half of another move.
She clearly had no sword training, only knowing the movements of sword techniques. Her swings of the branch were light and lacked any power, and her footwork was haphazard, but it was indeed the Crescent Moon Sword Technique.
You can't imitate the swordplay unless you've seen the sword manual in person.
Xie Lingyu looked at the little person in front of her and became curious. The cultivation world and the demon world are irreconcilable enemies. How could such a human child appear in the demon world?
Xie Lingyu squatted down and looked into the girl's wet amber eyes. "I can promise to take you to find the demon you're looking for, but I have a condition: you have to answer a few questions for me."
The little girl dropped the branch and blinked: "Go ahead and ask."
"Who are you? Why have you come to the demon realm alone?"
After asking the questions, Xie Lingyu understood the whole story.
The girl, who calls herself Ying, said that after her parents passed away, she had no choice but to stay with her parents' former friends.
However, is what she said true...?
Xie Lingyu stared at the girl's wandering eyes, paused for a few seconds, then stood up. "Come with me."
Xiao Ying quickly grabbed her little bundle and followed behind him, her short legs carrying her closely.
The boy was tall, and one of his steps was equivalent to two or three of hers. She could barely keep up with him by almost running.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, Xie Lingyu heard the footsteps behind her becoming unsteady and the person panting heavily.
...a frail human infant.
She ran right into the demon realm; any demon that came along could have killed her.
He stopped, and the little one behind him bumped into him, making his head spin.
"Hmm!"
Xiaoying was gasping for breath while covering her head when she suddenly felt her clothes being lifted by the back of her neck, and she was lifted into the air. The next second, she fell into the pool.
The icy water submerged her body, and Xiaoying panicked, splashing around in the water.
"Woo... Bad dragon... Gurgle gurgle!"
He seemed like a good person, but I never expected him to want to kill and rob!
Xie Lingyu glanced at her, and seeing her small body splashing deeper and deeper into the pool, he reached out and lifted her up by the back of her neck, making her lie face down on the edge of the pool.
"Wash yourself clean before coming out."
Xiao Ying lay by the pool and spat out a few mouthfuls of water. Her already pale face turned even paler, and she looked completely listless.
As the saying goes, "When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head." She scooped up water to wash her face, then scrubbed her body before finally climbing out of the pool.
After washing, the girl's dusty face revealed its clean white undertones, and she raised her head.
She should have had baby fat at that age, but her face was thin and pointed, and she had very little flesh on her body. Her thin bones clung to her wet clothes, and only her big, bright, amber eyes stood out.
Xie Lingyu frowned as she looked at the woman's wrist, which was so thin and bony, that it looked like it would break at the slightest touch.
When I picked it up, it didn't feel heavy at all, but now it looks even thinner. "How long have your parents been gone?"
Xiaoying lowered her head and flicked her dripping sleeves. "It's been seven years."
Xie Lingyu paused, "How old are you?"
"Seven years old."
Xie Lingyu frowned even more deeply, but she looked to be only five or six years old at most, thin and small. Her parents had passed away shortly after her birth, and she must have had a very hard life afterward.
He paused, then said, "Come closer."
Xiao Ying looked up in confusion, slowly taking two steps toward him. "What are you going to do? Are you going to throw me into the water again...?"
My wrist was held by warm knuckles, and warm spiritual energy was transmitted to me, quickly drying my soaked clothes.
Xiao Ying blinked, "So amazing..."
Xie Lingyu summoned a dog demon to pull the carriage, and then lifted her into the carriage and placed her on the seat.
Xiao Ying sat in the carriage with her short legs together, her amazed gaze sweeping over the magnificent furnishings. When she saw the fragrant pastries on the table, she couldn't tear her eyes away.
Her stomach rumbled in response, and Xiaoying's ears turned red as she quickly covered them.
Xie Lingyu leaned against the carriage, her eyelids drooping, and said in a flat tone, "Eat."
Xiaoying tried to resist and turn her head away, but the aroma lingered around her nose. After only a few minutes, she finally couldn't resist picking up a piece of pastry and taking a big bite.
Xie Lingyu lifted her eyelids to look over. The little girl was holding a milk puff cake and eating it bite by bite. Her cheeks were bulging, and her eyes were squinted with satisfaction, like a little fox.
If there's a tail behind you, it's definitely wagging.
It's just a pastry; human babies are so easily satisfied.
After eating and drinking to their hearts' content, the little one became sleepy in the car, swaying his head and falling asleep in no time.
Xie Lingyu ignored her, closed her eyes to regulate her breathing, and only opened her eyes slightly late at night. She glanced at her and saw that the girl's face was flushed with an abnormal blush.
He was startled and reached out to check. Before he even touched her forehead, he felt her hot breath on the back of his hand.
I placed my palm on it, and it was indeed very hot.
Xie Lingyu was only a teenager, perhaps a few years older than her. She had never left the demon realm and didn't know much about humans, let alone human children.
He didn't know what was going on, but seeing that she seemed to be in great pain, he stopped the car and went to find the nearest doctor.
The demon doctor was surprised that His Highness the Crown Prince was with a human child, but he didn't ask any questions. He honestly said, "Your Highness, this human has caught a cold. He was chilled and will be fine after taking some medicine and resting."
Xie Lingyu then understood the cause of her illness: it was because he had thrown her into the water to bathe that she contracted the disease.
...This human cub is far too weak; it gets sick just from touching cold water.
Regardless of the circumstances, the illness originated from him. Xie Lingyu sighed, helped him up, and fed him the medicine.
Fortunately, she was quite obedient and didn't resist when being fed medicine. Xie Lingyu put down the medicine bowl and was about to put her down to continue sleeping when she was suddenly hugged around the waist.
Her small body snuggled into his arms, her thin arms holding him tightly, as if she felt very insecure.
Xie Lingyu was startled and lowered her eyes, only to see her little head buried in her arms, her warm breath coming through her clothes, warming her skin.
He had already had his demon subordinates investigate the true identity of this human child. She was the daughter of a sect leader in the cultivation world, but the sect leader and his partner had passed away seven years ago, leaving her all alone.
Many people in the cultivation world covet the position of sect leader, so they all want to compete for her. She was imprisoned since childhood and had no freedom. Two years ago, she escaped on her own and hid everywhere, eventually finding a way to come to the demon realm.
The demon lord she mentioned was a demon that her parents had once saved.
Because of her background, she concealed her identity, fearing that if it were exposed, she would be imprisoned again.
The girl in his arms seemed to be awake yet not quite, nuzzling her face against his chest, her soft voice filled with longing.
"Mother..."
Xie Lingyu: "..."
Two seconds later, he grabbed the girl by the back of her collar, looked into her dazed eyes, and said coldly, "I'm not your mother."
The girl blinked and obediently said "Oh".
When Xie Lingyu saw that she had agreed, he was about to throw her back onto the bed when the girl reached out and hugged him again, burying herself in his arms with little weight, her voice sticky and soft.
"elder brother."
"..."
Moonlight streamed through the window lattice. Xie Lingyu, sitting on the edge of the couch, stared out the window for a long time before speaking in a cold, deep voice, "Who is your brother? Don't call him that."
When he turned his gaze back, the girl was already asleep in his arms, her nose red, her sleeping face adorable and peaceful.
...
The medicine prescribed by the demon doctor was very effective. By the second day, Xiao Sangying's high fever had subsided, but she was still weak all over.
The little rabbit demon carried her to the territory of the Dove Demon Lord. When Xiao Sangying looked up at the empty dwelling, her heart sank.
The little demons in the territory said: The Demon Lord of the Dove has gone into seclusion and his return date is uncertain, at least several decades away.
Xiao Sangying climbed off the rabbit, head drooping listlessly, looking dejected. She stuffed the sword manual from her small bundle into Xie Lingyu's hands, saying, "Thank you, goodbye."
The boy above asked in a calm voice, "Are there any other sword manuals?"
With her last hope dashed, Xiao Sangying was already disheartened. Unexpectedly, the dragon took advantage of her misfortune, sniffed, stuffed the small bundle into her hands, and turned to leave.
Suddenly, the back of his collar was grabbed, forcing him to stop in place.
Xiao Sangying said angrily, "I've given you everything, that's all."
Xie Lingyu lifted the little girl and placed her on the back of the rabbit, which was half her height, and looked at her at eye level. "You're looking for him because you want a safe place to live, right? Yunling Realm is my family's territory. Human cultivators are forbidden from entering, so no one will disturb us."
Xiao Sangying blinked twice. What did he mean?
She had done a lot of research before coming here, and knew what the Cloud Spirit Realm was. She came to the Demon Realm hoping that one day she could go to that place and no longer be captured.
"Can I stay there?"
Xie Lingyu weighed the small bundle in her hand and said in a nonchalant tone, "Anyway, I've already collected the accommodation fee, and I won't refund it whether you stay or not."
Xiao Sangying's eyes lit up. "Of course I'll stay!"
Anyway, her situation couldn't get any worse. Even if she was tricked into dying in the demon realm, it would be better than being captured and locked up by those people.
Xiao Sangying thought this with a sense of resignation, but she never expected that the boy would lead her to an extremely beautiful fairyland, shrouded in mist and with clear waters and beautiful mountains.
Before entering the magnificent Dragon Palace, Xiao Sangying timidly hid behind Xie Lingyu, nervously clutching his sleeve.
Xie Lingyu glanced at her and said, "My parents are dragons, and they don't have a penchant for eating human children."
Little Sang Ying nodded with a straight face, but her voice stammered, "I...I understand."
As they walked in, a young couple suddenly appeared in front of them. They looked at Xie Lingyu and were about to speak when their gazes fell on Sang Ying behind him, and they both paused.
Xiao Sangying grew increasingly nervous as she looked at the two men, mentally preparing herself to be kicked out, but she didn't expect their expressions to turn strange.
The man stroked his chin: "Although Xiaoyu, you've grown up, and I shouldn't interfere too much in your private life, nor do I object to childhood sweethearts developing feelings from a young age, isn't it a bit too early for you to bring this young girl home to meet your parents now?"
The woman's expression was filled with sorrow: "It's my fault for raising her wrongly. Xiaoyu, how could you steal someone else's child? No matter how cute she is, you can't do such a illegal and disorderly thing!"
Xie Lingyu: "..."
What were they thinking?
Xie Lingyu rubbed her temples and explained the whole story. Rong Xueman and the other woman finally breathed a sigh of relief. "So that's how it is."
Rong Xueman squatted down and touched Xiao Sangying's face, feeling both heartache and pity. "It's alright now. You can live here from now on. This is your home."
Neither of them had any objection to Sang Ying's arrival; rather, they were more surprised that Xie Lingyu would take the initiative to bring someone back.
Xie Lingyu has been aloof since childhood, rarely interacting with others and having no friends. People often wonder if he has some kind of personality defect.
I never expected to bring a little girl home, and she was a human little girl at that.
It was just a matter of having one more person stay. The vast Dragon Palace had no shortage of rooms, and her private room was quickly furnished with soft pillows and a comfortable bed.
The servant demon prepared a table of fragrant dishes. Little Sang Ying had never eaten such a sumptuous meal before, and she wolfed down a whole bowl of rice.
After dinner, Rong Xueman took her to the hot spring to wash up, gently combing her tangled hair, braiding it into soft and pretty braids, and dressing her in incredibly soft clothes.
Rong Xueman spoke gently and softly to her about Xie Lingyu, and chatted about many other things.
At night, Sang Ying lay on the couch, feeling as if she were floating in a cloud, unreal and dreamlike.
...
The night was deep, and the moonlight was bright.
Xie Lingyu suddenly found it hard to sleep, recalling the girl's timid appearance today, her clear amber eyes filled with unease.
He got up, intending to go to her room to check on her. As soon as he opened the door, he saw the girl sitting against the door, her small body curled up in a ball.
Xie Lingyu was slightly taken aback. "What are you doing here?"
Sensing the movement, she raised her head, her wet eyes looking at him.
As if realizing something was belatedly, she suddenly panicked, "I... um... I can't sleep."
Xie Lingyu squatted down to be at eye level with her, his dark eyes fixed on her, somewhat amused, "Can't sleep, so you come to my door to be a doorman?"
"No, I came to ask..."
The girl bit her lip, her clear amber eyes looking at him.
It was timid, yet carried a hint of barely perceptible grievance, like a kitten abandoned by its owner, its ears and tail drooping listlessly.
"Brother, can I sleep with you?"
————————!!————————
This "if" scenario reverses the main story: the younger sister takes Xiao Xie home, and Xiao Xie finds and raises the younger sister, while a male ghost covets her, turning the older brother into the husband.
I used to sleep with her since she was little, but I don't know when she started to become less innocent~ [dog head with a rose in its mouth]
Thanks to my classmate for the deep-sea torpedo, thank you so much for spending the money! [pity]
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