Chapter 2509 - 2199: Youyou, What Are You Hiding in Your Arms?

Zhou Youyou had just finished tidying her dress when Zhou Xiaoxiao’s figure appeared at the courtyard entrance.

Zhou Youyou quickly pretended to be nonchalant.

When Zhou Xiaoxiao walked up to her, Zhou Youyou forced a smile, "Sister, why are you here?"

Upon hearing Zhou Youyou’s question, Zhou Xiaoxiao looked at her with confusion.

As her elder sister, wasn’t it normal to come see her younger sister?

Why did she ask why she was here?

Being stared at like this by Zhou Xiaoxiao, Zhou Youyou immediately felt guilty, instinctively looking away and not daring to meet Zhou Xiaoxiao’s eyes.

Zhou Xiaoxiao suspiciously asked, "Youyou, is there something you’re hiding from me?"

Zhou Xiaoxiao knew her younger sister too well; every time Zhou Youyou did something underhanded, she would avoid her gaze when feeling guilty.

Zhou Youyou quickly said, "Sister, you’re overthinking. What would I hide from you? Please sit, I’ll have the servants bring you some pastries."

Zhou Xiaoxiao didn’t think much of it.

They were both now Lu Chen’s women and occasionally engaged in dual cultivation with him. It seemed there wasn’t anything among sisters needing to be concealed.

Maybe she was just overthinking it.

Zhou Xiaoxiao then sat on the stone stool.

A moment later, the maids brought over pastries and tea.

At this point, Zhou Xiaoxiao said, "Youyou, what have you been doing recently? Why haven’t you come to see me?"

Zhen Nan Prince Mansion wasn’t large, and within the manor, the sisters used to often be together. But recently, her younger sister rarely visited her.

At first, Zhou Xiaoxiao thought it was because Lu Chen was always lingering around, leaving no time for her sister to visit.

But later she heard that Lu Chen spent most of his time with other women and rarely came to Zhou Youyou, visiting only occasionally and never staying overnight.

Lu Chen hadn’t stayed at her sister’s place for a long time.

Hearing her sister’s question, Zhou Youyou nervously said, "I’ve recently felt close to a breakthrough, so I’ve been in seclusion for cultivation."

On hearing this, Zhou Xiaoxiao didn’t doubt the truth of her words, as they often absorbed Lu Chen’s vitality, making breakthroughs fairly simple below the Heavenly Realm.

Zhou Xiaoxiao said, "I see."

"By the way, I’ve heard Lu Chen has rarely visited you lately and even when he does, he doesn’t stay the night. What’s going on?"

"Did you upset him?"

Given Lu Chen’s nature, if he went to a woman’s place, he was sure to stay a while, at least a day and a night at minimum.

Zhou Youyou said, "No, maybe he’s just busy."

Sensing the need to change the topic, Zhou Youyou asked, "Sister, do you want to leave this world?"

Hearing Zhou Youyou’s question, Zhou Xiaoxiao asked back, "Why leave? This world is rich in Deceitful Evil, perfect for our cultivation."

"Besides, with Lu Chen here, we can absorb his vitality anytime."

Zhou Youyou said, "But this world has a kind of restriction. No matter how much vitality we absorb, we can’t break through to a higher realm."

"To break through, we might need to leave the Border Wilderness and go to the Central State."

"I heard from those Central State humans that many mysterious auras above the Heavenly Realm exist there."

Zhou Xiaoxiao said, "That’s true, but the ruins’ exit has already been surrounded by various Central State forces. Even if we wanted to leave, we couldn’t."

As Zhou Xiaoxiao finished speaking, a maid brought a basket of green grapes into the pavilion.

The maid placed the grapes on the stone table.

The basket contained at least ten bunches of grapes.

Looking at the large basket of green grapes, Zhou Xiaoxiao gave Zhou Youyou a strange look, then asked, "When did you start liking human food?"

For beings like them, human food was optional. Their main diet was human blood, but since becoming Lu Chen’s women, they stopped killing indiscriminately, mainly absorbing Lu Chen’s vitality.

Zhou Youyou nervously said, "I thought that since we’re living with humans now, we should adopt some of their eating habits."

Hearing this, Zhou Xiaoxiao thoughtfully said, "That makes some sense."

Then Zhou Xiaoxiao raised her hand, plucked a green grape from the bunch, and put it into her mouth.

As soon as she bit into the grape, an intense sourness filled her mouth.

Even for someone like her, a reaction of "tsk" escaped her lips.

Then Zhou Xiaoxiao, with an odd expression, looked at Zhou Youyou, "Sister, you can eat these sour grapes? Humans wouldn’t eat sour grapes."

"You say you want to learn human habits, but no human eats such sour grapes."

Zhou Youyou said, "Sour? I think they’re delicious."

Zhou Xiaoxiao quickly picked up a napkin and spat the sour grape into it.

Then, she said to Zhou Youyou, "Delicious? What kind of taste do you have? I heard only human pregnant women eat such sour things."

Upon saying this, Zhou Xiaoxiao seemed to think of something, with a sudden realization, and suspiciously stared at Zhou Youyou, "Eating such sour things, others might think you’re pregnant."

Hearing this, Zhou Youyou’s heart skipped a beat, her eyes darting, she said, "Sister, what nonsense are you talking? How could I be pregnant?"

Zhou Xiaoxiao didn’t dwell on it and continued, "Since you’re about to make a breakthrough, find Lu Chen to absorb more vitality."

Zhou Youyou said, "I know."

Zhou Xiaoxiao intended to say more, but suddenly, she paused, looking around as if searching for something.

Seeing Zhou Xiaoxiao’s vigilant demeanor, Zhou Youyou curiously asked, "Sister, what’s wrong?"

Zhou Xiaoxiao said, "Youyou, have you noticed an unfamiliar presence in your courtyard?"

Being sensitive to auras is typical for the mysterious.

Zhou Xiaoxiao clearly sensed a presence in the courtyard that she hadn’t encountered before.

She instinctively thought a stranger had infiltrated her sister’s courtyard.

Zhou Youyou didn’t process it and dazedly said, "No, I haven’t."

Zhou Xiaoxiao didn’t ask further, her gaze continued searching the courtyard.

Zhou Youyou said, "Sister, did you mistake your senses?"

"This is Zhen Nan Prince Manor. How would a stranger dare sneak here, especially in my courtyard?"

Considering Lu Chen’s late-stage King Realm, plus a Saint Realm expert suppressed to Emperor Realm residing in the mansion.

Zhou Xiaoxiao didn’t respond, standing from the stone stool, she examined the surroundings and sniffed the air.

Then she steadily walked toward Zhou Youyou, one step, two steps, three steps...

As Zhou Xiaoxiao drew closer, Zhou Youyou’s heart skipped again; she realized the unfamiliar presence Zhou Xiaoxiao mentioned.

Zhou Youyou planned to use retreat as an excuse to make Zhou Xiaoxiao leave quickly.

Zhou Xiaoxiao suddenly locked eyes with Zhou Youyou, gazing piercingly, as if to see through her, asked, "Youyou, what are you hiding in your bosom?"

Zhou Youyou stuttered, "N-nothing..."