Chapter 195: There’s No Way Around Senior Brother

Chapter 195: Chapter 195: There’s No Way Around Senior Brother

"I’ve paid my visit. Can I go now?"

Ji Suyao spoke with a sense of helplessness. She was long accustomed to these sorts of hollow words that were clearly meant to placate her. In the past, no matter how much pressure her parents were under, they would never have mentioned it to her.

But Ji Suyao understood now. If she had met her senior brother ten years ago, perhaps there would have been a chance to fix everything. Now, however, it was impossible for her father to become the Crown Prince again.

"We plan to sever all ties with the Royal Family and go to the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace to cultivate."

Ji Ming spoke with a helpless tone. Such a thing was easier said than done. First, they had to ensure the Royal Family would agree to let them sign a Spirit Contract severing their family ties. Second, they had to secure a foothold for themselves in the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace.

Thanks to his daughter becoming a direct disciple of Purple Bamboo Peak’s Peak Master, the former wasn’t too great a concern. The latter, however, was more troublesome.

His daughter was to return to the Mo Family with the Peak Master of Purple Bamboo Peak. When that happened, they would be left without a backer in the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace. There would only be two possible outcomes then: either they break through to the Qi Refining Realm and are directly recruited by Purple Cloud Valley...

...or they would be driven out of the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace, their ultimate fate unknown.

But the Peak Master of Purple Bamboo Peak hadn’t left yet. Furthermore, a Second Grade Spirit Chef capable of arranging this was right here in the Imperial City, and he happened to be his daughter’s senior brother. This presented an opportunity.

This was a matter his daughter would have to negotiate. Even if they could strike a deal, they would still need the right connections. He controlled considerable resources, but given his sensitive identity, no disciples from the Three Immortal Sects were willing to take them.

Only a Second Grade Spirit Chef could be immune to the potential trouble that might arise later, allowing them to successfully enter the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace and connect with Inner Sect or even True Disciples. Then they could completely avoid any entanglement with the Great Xia Royal Family.

If they could become a part of Purple Cloud Valley later on, that would be even better.

"What do you need me to do?"

Ji Suyao couldn’t help but look at him. ’If it’s just this,’ she thought, ’it shouldn’t be a problem.’ Based on how highly everyone regarded her senior brother, as long as her parents were willing to renounce their status as members of the Royal Family, they would likely be able to leave unharmed.

"We need a backer. Someone who can protect us in the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace as we get through the initial period of settling in."

Ji Ming couldn’t help but look at her. If he had even the slightest hope of breaking the stalemate on his own, he would never have chosen to make his daughter handle this. But he didn’t have a shred of hope. It was either wait for death or seize this one and only chance.

"I understand. You want to connect with my senior brother, and by extension, connect with Purple Cloud Valley."

Ji Suyao nodded; she finally understood. This was a complicated matter, though. Her senior brother was going to participate in a trial soon and wouldn’t necessarily be in Purple Cloud Valley. Under those circumstances, her parents still wouldn’t be able to cultivate safely in the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace.

"That’s right. We’ve accumulated a good amount of resources over the years. We can certainly arrange a resource exchange."

Lady Ji spoke with relative calm. If her husband hadn’t insisted on avenging her family against the Royal Family’s wishes, they wouldn’t have ended up in this near-hopeless predicament.

"I can ask for you, but I can’t guarantee anything."

Ji Suyao nodded. Although she didn’t want to trouble her senior brother with her family’s affairs, he was indeed the only choice right now.

Ji Suyao felt that her parents’ safety was more important than what her senior brother thought of her.

"Your words are enough. This is a small token of our sincerity."

Ji Ming nodded, placing a secret manual on the table. It was the only Advanced Magic manual he had ever managed to obtain. If this worked out, it would be a gift for him. If not, it would serve as compensation.

"Sigh... There goes my perfect image in my senior brother’s eyes!"

Ji Suyao accepted the secret manual and spoke with a sense of resignation. She felt she had a rather perfect image in her senior brother’s eyes. Unlike Linglong, who had been trying to use their senior brother from the start, she had always been well-behaved and obedient.

Ji Ming and Lady Ji exchanged a glance, momentarily speechless. They had no idea where their daughter found the audacity to say such a thing. She was inept at the four arts—zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting—her cultivation Talent was mediocre at best, and her grasp of etiquette was a complete disaster. How could she possibly have left a "perfect impression" on anyone?

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"It’s so late. Is there something that can’t wait until tomorrow?"

At the Ye Mansion, Ye Linglong, who had been about to go to bed, threw a robe over her shoulders and looked on helplessly as Ji Suyao, who had just snuck into her courtyard, stood there.

"There’s something I want to discuss with you. You’re smarter than me, so give me some advice."

Ji Suyao said, a little embarrassed. Lately, she had started to see her friend as a rival, but when trouble arose, she still found herself relying on her friend’s intellect.

Ji Suyao had a very clear understanding of herself. If she were to communicate with her senior brother on her own, even a simple matter could become complicated. This matter concerned her parents’ safety, so it had to be handled with caution.

"What is it?"

Ye Linglong glanced at her. For a second, she had the absurd thought that Ji Suyao was here to strategize how to win over their senior brother. Given Ji Suyao’s typical personality, it wasn’t entirely out of the question.

"You know my family’s situation. My father was the Crown Prince, but he defied the wishes of the royal elders and was demoted to a Prince who handles trivial matters. Now my parents want to leave the Royal Family and go to the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace to cultivate. But after I leave, they might not be able to establish themselves in Purple Cloud Valley..."

Ji Suyao rambled on. As she listened, Ye Linglong’s brow furrowed. She understood the implications. Ji Suyao hadn’t mentioned their senior brother, but resolving the issue for parents with such a sensitive status wasn’t something that just any Inner Sect Disciple could handle.

Even a True Disciple might not be able to do it. Only their senior brother was an exception—not because of his status as an Inner Sect Disciple, but because of his status as a Second Grade Spirit Chef.

"Don’t overthink it. There’s no way around involving your senior brother in this. At the very least, your parents can’t leave the Great Xia Royal Family without his help. Once they’ve left the Great Xia Royal Family, they can probably secure their footing in the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace with the help of any random Inner Sect Disciple. They can just use their resources to contact one."

Ye Linglong glanced calmly at Ji Suyao. ’This girl hasn’t mentioned our senior brother once,’ she thought. ’So set on not asking him for help. It must be to avoid annoying him.’

’Her old, naive self is gone. To think she’s actually considering things from our senior brother’s perspective now. How rare.’

"Do you think our senior brother will agree?"

Ji Suyao couldn’t help but ask. Besides not wanting to trouble her senior brother, she was also worried he would refuse. If he did, wouldn’t that prove that he didn’t value her as a junior sister at all?

"Of course he’ll agree. Speaking of which, my parents also want to leave the Ye Family to go cultivate in the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace."

Ye Linglong nodded. Judging by how their senior brother handled the situation with Nangong Mu, it was highly unlikely he would refuse.