Chapter 53: Su Shen Is Stronger Than You

Qi Yi couldn’t speak. She wanted to prove her innocence, but where was the evidence?

She thought for a moment and asked, “I just cried so bitterly—why didn’t anyone comfort me? Not even you?”

Su Jin burst out laughing at her.

She shot back, “What are you here for? You’re here to become a cultivator. How can you act like a mortal, crying and expecting a crowd to soothe you? If your mind is this fragile, how will you survive the Golden Core demonic trial?”

Qi Yi blushed a little at that.

“When I grow up and my mind matures, I’ll definitely pass the Golden Core demonic trial,” Qi Yi retorted. In truth, in her past life, she’d died still at the Purple Mansion stage—far from even reaching Golden Core.

“Only you believe such nonsense.”

“When I was one year old and just learning to walk, I fell and cried from the pain. My mother stood beside me and ordered: Stand up.”

She told me: If you stand up on your own, you’ll become a cultivator. If you insist on making me lift you up, then when you turn fifteen, I’ll find you a wealthy husband and marry you off—let you live a safe, happy life.”

Even though I didn’t know what was so great about being a cultivator, I stood up on my own.

My mother told me: Be someone who relies only on yourself. Only then can your path to immortality stretch far.

Crying only hides your fragile mind—it’s useless.

I give you this same advice.

Don’t always wait for others to comfort you. My younger sister Shen is three years younger than you, but she learned long ago not to cry, to rely on herself.

You’ve been coddled too much by Su Zhang.”

Su Jin scolded Qi Yi in the exact tone her mother used to scold her and Su Shen.

“If you really need someone to coddle you, then don’t be a cultivator. Just find a noble family in the mortal realm and live a comfortable, secure life. Why come here to suffer in cultivation?”

“Most importantly, you’ll probably never reach the end of it.”

Su Jin thought the girl was foolish—why not choose a different path, and live a peaceful, joyful life?

“I will become a cultivator. That doesn’t need your advice,” Qi Yi retorted. “I’m leaving. By the way, I won’t cry randomly anymore.”

Qi Yi thought to herself: Who says I’m worse than Su Shen? This lifetime, I’ll definitely surpass her!

“Oh, is your mother named Lin Linghua?” Qi Yi suddenly turned and asked.

“Yes. Did Su Zhang tell you?” Su Jin was about to leave but paused, puzzled by the question.

“I heard your mother had a difficult childbirth when she gave birth to your younger sister?” Qi Yi said.

“No. My mother’s delivery of my younger sister was perfectly smooth—she gave birth in less than an hour.” Su Jin stared at her, even more confused. “Who told you that?”

“I—I heard it from my father.”

“Su Zhang got fooled again? My mother gave birth to four children—all easily, including my twin brothers.” Su Jin walked off.

Qi Yi was left in deep self-doubt.

She remembered that in her past life, when she met her father, Su Jin was already gone—Lin Linghua had died even earlier, having perished in childbirth trying to deliver Su Shen.

Su Shen had been raised doted upon, her bond with her father extremely deep—so deep that Su Shen couldn’t bear her father showing affection to anyone else’s child.

Back then, Su Shen was spoiled and domineering.

Now, Lin Linghua was still alive—and had married Su Yan with two daughters, even giving birth to twin sons.

Where had things gone wrong?

After lunch, she returned to the Third Classroom.

Su Cheng immediately approached Su Jin.

“I saw Qi Yi go to you. What did she want?”

“She asked why no one comforted her when she cried. And why didn’t a single person from the whole class go to soothe her?”

As soon as Su Jin finished, Su Cheng sneered, “She cries on her own and expects others to comfort her? I stopped crying randomly at age two.”

“She must’ve been raised too well at home,” Su Jin said.

“Who’s been raised too well?” Su Wuji paused his cultivation and asked.

“Qi Yi. She came to me asking why no one comforted her when she cried, and why not a single classmate went to soothe her,” Su Jin replied.

“What kind of relationship do you have with Qi Yi?” Su Wuji stared in disbelief.

“None at all. I didn’t even know her before she joined our class,” Su Jin said, equally puzzled.

Why did Qi Yi keep cornering her?

Did she think Su Jin had no temper?

“Is she trying to force a connection with you? Just keep cornering you, say a few words, and everyone in class will assume you two are close,” Su Wuji marveled at Qi Yi’s boldness.

This girl was incredibly daring.

“Aren’t you afraid she’ll get beaten up?” Su Cheng asked, confused.

“If I hit her, Master Liu will summon our parents. If my parents come, hers will too. And no matter who’s right or wrong, I’ll be the one humiliated,” Su Jin said.

“Why?” Su Cheng asked, concerned.

“Because after my biological father, Su Zhang, divorced my mother, he married her mother. Qi Yi is Su Zhang’s stepdaughter,” Su Jin grumbled. “If Master Liu calls both families, everyone will find out about this messy connection.”

“Isn’t that exactly why I’d be the one humiliated?”

Su Wuji and Su Cheng stared, dumbfounded.

“Wait, you two have this kind of connection?” Su Wuji said.

“Yes. If Qi Yi hadn’t recognized me and told me herself, I wouldn’t have known she was Su Zhang’s stepdaughter,” Su Jin sighed.

“Actually, you shouldn’t care too much. In cultivator families, when a couple loses affection, divorce and remarriage are common. I haven’t told you yet—my mother is my father’s third wife. His first two wives had no children, and the second had a daughter. So I actually have an older sister. But she was raised by her mother and likely listed in her side of the family genealogy,” Su Cheng volunteered his family secret to ease Su Jin’s mind.

“I know it’s not a big deal—I’m just venting,” Su Jin quickly calmed herself, then poured each of them a bowl of Ice-Chen Dew. “Here, each of you take a bowl, then focus on your cultivation.”

“Su Jin, your Ice-Chen Dew is excellent. I drink a bowl at night and it works wonders,” Su Wuji said admiringly.

“Haha, I only know a few simple spirit dew recipes. My mother is the real expert at blending all kinds of spirit infusions.” Su Jin’s skills were all taught to her hand-to-hand by her mother.