Chapter 116: The Simpleton

As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, the aura of the formation hit her like a wave.

Following her senses, Ji Jiuxuan looked ahead and saw two Qianxuan horses standing within the formation not far away. Their coats were pure white, adorned with horns on their heads, and their hooves were fringed with distinctive feather-like hair.

Their whiskers and manes were exceptionally smooth, giving the horses a particularly sleek and radiant appearance.

At first glance, Ji Jiuxuan was immediately taken with them.

Seeing the feather-shaped hair around their hooves, she recognized them as Qianxuan horses capable of advancement.

If they could successfully advance in the future, these spiritual horses would be excellent companions, whether for flying through the skies or traveling on land.

“I knew my little sister would definitely like them,” a voice came from nearby. Ji Jiuxuan then noticed a young man standing close to the horses, looking bright and handsome.

If Jiuxiuqi appeared steady and responsible, this young man seemed a bit more lively. Just by looking at his expression and hearing his words, one could feel his genuine smile.

Unlike the cold, deadly smiles passed down through the Qi family, his was truly cheerful and open-hearted.

His face bore a resemblance to that of her eldest cousin, prompting Ji Jiuxuan to recall the family album in her mind and run through all the members of the Ji family.

Finally, she called out, “Ah Jiu greets Third Brother.”

The third son of the Ji family, Ji Xiuyuan, was young but his cultivation surpassed that of his eldest brother Ji Xiuxi, who was the family’s young master and a steady, responsible figure admired by many maidens.

The second son was Ji Xiucheng. Although his cultivation was slightly inferior to Ji Xiuxi’s, he wielded an abacus as a weapon, skilled in calculation but disdainful of political scheming, living a carefree life.

His greatest hobby was squandering family wealth, yet ironically, his inherent wealth-attracting nature only made him richer the more he wasted.

As for Ji Xiuyuan, the third son, though young, his cultivation was even higher than Ji Xiuxi’s. However, he was truly a simpleton.

With that face and temperament, he was clearly not as clever as Ji Xiucheng.

When Ji Xiuyuan heard Ji Jiuxuan call him, his entire face lit up with joy. “Sister, you know me!”

He stepped forward, grabbing Ji Jiuxuan’s hand, and headed toward the formation. “Come on, come on! Third Brother will show you your spiritual horse.”

Ji Xiuxi tried to stop him but was too late.

The formation was established partly because the spiritual horses hadn’t been contracted yet, to prevent them from running away, and partly to stop others from wandering in by mistake. Anyone attempting to enter would be resisted.

Ji Xiuyuan had been granted permission to enter and exit the formation freely. This simpleton had completely forgotten that the formation would block Ji Jiuxuan, yet he still rushed forward so quickly.

Ji Xiuxi braced himself, prepared to catch his little sister in time. But just then, Ji Jiuxuan’s spiritual power stirred, forming a simple hand seal. She arrived right at the edge of the formation.

Pointing her hand at the formation, Ji Jiuxuan expected to be repelled. To her surprise, a gap appeared in the light barrier, just large enough to let her through.

She stood steady within the formation, and Ji Xiuyuan finally realized his foolish mistake.

“Sister, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I just got too excited and forgot,” he admitted, easily forgetting things when excited, even neglecting his sister’s safety.

Ji Xiuxi, relieved that his little sister was safe, scolded Ji Xiuyuan with a stern face. “Do you realize your mistake? You’re rough and careless, but little sister is different—she must be treated with care. You deserve punishment.”

“Big Brother, I know I was wrong. I’ll be more careful next time,” Ji Xiuyuan pleaded, still trembling inside.

Then suddenly recalling that his little sister had just broken through the formation with a single hand seal, his eyes lit up with surprise. “Sister, you know formations?”

Ji Jiuxuan looked at him curiously; this third brother really was as carefree and unconventional as described.

“You’re amazing!” he said, ruffling her hair enthusiastically. Unexpectedly, his grip was too strong, and her hairstyle was instantly ruined, tousled into a messy tangle.

Had there been dust on her, she would have looked as if she’d just escaped from a famine—pitiful yet amusing.

Ji Xiuxi’s face darkened.

He had known this younger brother was unreliable but never imagined he could be so careless.

After a quick cleansing technique, Ji Jiuxuan’s hair was smoothed, but the original hairstyle was completely lost.

She simply tied all her hair up into a high ponytail, which surprisingly gave her a more spirited and bold look.

Ji Xiuyuan felt embarrassed. “Sister, I—haha—I didn’t mean to.”

He stood there hesitating, realizing his roughness was inappropriate. His little sister was a delicate girl and shouldn’t be treated so carelessly!

His mind was already scheming to ask their mother for advice once they returned to the South Sea coast—how to treat a sister properly to avoid offending her.

“Haha, it’s alright, it’s alright,” Ji Jiuxuan said with a sweet smile.

If one were to delve into her thoughts at this moment, it would surely be an interesting story.

But despite the trouble, she didn’t find Ji Xiuyuan disagreeable. Although a bit of a troublemaker, his personality was hard to dislike.

“Little sister, look at these two horses. Do you like them?” Ji Xiuxi asked gently, holding back the urge to scold his younger brother.

The simpleton Ji Xiuyuan felt an instant glow of joy. He sensed the big brother’s hostility but refused to flee as usual. With his sister here, he hadn’t had enough of her yet—running away was out of the question.

“I like them,” Ji Jiuxuan said at once. The quality of these Qianxuan horses was rare, and she liked them on sight.

“Good,” Ji Xiuxi said, producing two high-level contract talismans. “If you like them, then we’ll contract them.”

Ji Jiuxuan shook her head. “Big Brother, I’d like to try contracting naturally first.”

Even high-level talismans were mainly effective on docile spiritual beasts, and the failure rate was still high.

Natural contracts were always better in effect.

Ji Xiuxi had no objection. Qianxuan horses were relatively gentle and unlikely to resist; even if they did, he and Ji Xiuyuan could handle it. Safety was assured.

Glancing at the intact formation, Ji Xiuxi took out a protective formation plate and activated it on the spot, greatly enhancing Ji Jiuxuan’s protection.

Ji Jiuxuan thought such a grand setup unnecessary for contracting a spiritual beast but appreciated her big brother’s kindness and did not refuse. She smiled sweetly and said, “Thank you, Big Brother!”

Ji Xiuyuan was envious beyond measure. Secretly, he vowed to ask their mother later how to properly interact with sisters and girls in general to avoid hurting them.

The two Qianxuan horses seemed very happy upon Ji Jiuxuan’s arrival. At this level, the horses were sentient.

Hearing their intent to contract with the girl, they were even more delighted.

If they could speak, they would have told Ji Xiuxi that the contract talismans were unnecessary—just the girl’s consent alone would seal the contract instantly.

Ji Jiuxuan stepped in front of one of the horses and looked it in the eye sincerely. “Are you willing to contract with me?”

The Qianxuan horse nodded, while the other emitted an anxious neigh, urging her to complete the contract quickly.

Behind her, Ji Xiuxi and Ji Xiuyuan were astonished. They simultaneously recalled the record in their little sister’s information—how in the Beast Taming Sect’s Spirit Valley, she was pursued by spiritual beast eggs eager to contract with her.

They had been skeptical before, but now they were certain that scene must have been magnificent beyond words.

Ji Jiuxuan wasted no time. Forming hand seals, she summoned a massive binding formation that enveloped her and the Qianxuan horse.

(End of chapter)