When Earth Awakened, I Became a Sword Saintess

Chapter 217 : The Stern Ghost King

217: The Stern Ghost King

Thunder rumbled, lightning illuminating the massive, sky-reaching mountain shadows.

The Ghost King led everyone forward through the downpour.

Though the cold was bitter, the rain and fog obscured the path ahead in the dark night, and the entire mountain forest rustled with sound, Yuyin actually felt a sense of comfort. She was naturally attuned to the sound of rain, but more importantly, this group consisted of people she trusted. The feeling of adventuring and traveling with companions was truly wonderful.

"Such heavy rain, yet we must go to some sacred site. Why not just copy the prophecy and show it to her? This woman is truly troublesome!" Yet someone was less pleased. The Ghost Princess walked behind Jiang Yun, her small feet stepping on the slippery, muddy ground as she complained.

"If you don't want to go, you can stay behind." Jiang Yun turned back sternly. "Yuyin is the descending Immortal Fairy. Her personally viewing the ancient prophecy at the sacred site may itself be part of the prophecy. What do you understand? If Yuyin hadn't brought it up, I nearly overlooked this point!"

As she spoke, Jiang Yun turned and continued striding ahead to lead the way. The Ghost King, ruler of the far east, moved through this rugged mountain forest full of slopes and pits without hesitation, her long legs, soaked through by the rain, stepping with absolute certainty.

Yuyin walked in the middle, occasionally sensing the artistic conception of the surrounding rainwater. Lianyue and Jing walked behind, with Jing supporting Lianyue. Though their strength made walking such mountains no problem at all, they were sometimes accustomed to this.

After half a year of cultivating the secret techniques from the cave murals in this uniquely blessed place, Lianyue's strength had reached Mid-Stage of Purple Domain, while Jing had broken through to Purple Domain shortly after entering the cave and had now also just reached Mid-Stage of Purple Domain.

Compared to Yuyin, this cultivation speed was slower, but in reality, it was already faster than most cultivators. Their aptitude was actually excellent. Without the God-Devouring Chess, Yuyin might not have been faster than them.

The Ghost King had naturally seen their extraordinary aptitude, which was why she deliberately cultivated them. Jiang Yun was not someone merciful to everyone.

They walked through the rain all night. During the day, under a sky as dark as spilled ink, they continued through picturesque mountain ranges, walking from day until night again.

A pilgrimage through hardship was not easy for ordinary people, but for their strength, merely walking was nothing at all.

"Why haven't we arrived yet?" The Ghost Princess dragged her waist, walking weakly in the rain, thoroughly soaked and uncomfortable.

"Silence." Jiang Yun said coldly, "All I've heard along the way is your complaining."

The Ghost Princess naturally harbored resentment in her heart.

Ahead, in a mountain hollow not far away with a waterfall, Jiang Yun stopped.

Before her, in a towering ancient tree, stood a small wooden treehouse.

"This treehouse was built by Male Ghost Warriors along the way when I was a maiden on pilgrimage. We will rest here tonight." Jiang Yun said.

"Finally..." The Ghost Princess breathed a sigh of relief.

Though Yuyin and the others weren't tired in terms of strength, they still hoped to rest mentally and physically.

Below the treehouse was a ladder. The Ghost Princess excitedly climbed up at once, not even caring that her short skirt revealed everything.

"Yuyin, I'll carry you up."

"Huh? No, no need. I can do it myself." This treehouse was only about ten meters high. Yuyin could jump up with a leap. Why would she need to be carried? And how would you carry someone up a wooden ladder anyway?

Lianyue was also displeased, whispering to Jing, "She's either trying to show off or take advantage. Hmph, and she's a Ghost King. All she knows is flirting with women along the way."

Jiang Yun's brows furrowed slightly. With her strength, she heard those words clearly.

Without another word, she directly hoisted Yuyin onto her shoulder.

"Your Majesty..."

Hadn't she said she would carry her?

She never expected that in a whirl, she would be thrown over the Ghost Queen's shoulder. What Yuyin couldn't have anticipated was that when climbing the ladder, to prevent Yuyin from falling, Jiang Yun directly passed her arm between Yuyin's legs, reaching up to climb rung by rung. With each movement...

"This Ghost King is too domineering..." Yuyin thought to herself. If she were a weak woman, that would be one thing, but she was also a strong, proud swordswoman. To be treated like this created such a contrast that it made Yuyin blush even more.

Lianyue, climbing up behind them, also looked displeased. Though Jiang Yun's actions were excessive, they had a certain logic, so she couldn't say anything.

The girls entered the treehouse. It had a small wooden platform connected to the ladder, and inside was just one room, small, with only one wooden bed, though the bed wasn't small.

Jiang Yun set Yuyin down. With a flip of her hand, a purple rope appeared, hung on the wall. Then she produced an ancient bronze small cauldron emanating warm firelight, placed it in the corner, and with a small spell lit an oil lamp on the wall.

Then she casually removed her cloak and hung it on the rope. "All of you take off your clothes too and hang them up to dry by the cauldron. Sleeping all wet won't be comfortable."

"Oh." Hua Yuanjing began removing her dress.

"She says take it off and you just do it?" Lianyue tugged at Jing's hem.

At this moment, Jiang Yun coldly looked at the Ghost Princess: "Liuli, you've been complaining nonstop this whole way, even in front of them. Do you still have any respect for me as your mother?"

"Huh?" Seeing Jiang Yun's expression now, Liuli's momentum weakened considerably. "B-but..."

"No buts. This is my command. Who doesn't know the journey is hard? None of them complained, yet you, as my daughter, complained the most? Mother has been busy with affairs and hasn't disciplined you for many days. Have you forgotten the rules?"

As she spoke, Jiang Yun grabbed Liuli's hand, pulled her to the bed, and without caring that Yuyin and the others were present, placed the Ghost Princess over her knee, lifted her skirt, and delivered a series of smacks to her bottom...

This mother disciplining her daughter was natural and proper. Outsiders couldn't say much, so they could only stand by somewhat awkwardly. Even Lianyue didn't dare speak. This Ghost King was powerful; truly angering her would be no small matter.

But while others remained silent, Yuyin could not.

The Ghost Princess was already a grown young woman. Though they were all women, being disciplined by the Ghost King in front of others was embarrassing. Yuyin wanted to look away, but after all, she and the Ghost Princess had shared hardships. How could she watch her suffer both shame and pain?

She stepped forward and gently held Jiang Yun's arm. "Ghost King, please forgive her. Princess Ghost must listen to you most in her heart. She's just speaking carelessly."

"Hmph, who needs you to meddle? Get out of here, woman!" The Ghost Princess lay across Jiang Yun's legs. If it were just her and her mother, she would have begged for mercy long ago, but she refused to admit fault before this woman.

"You still don't repent?" Jiang Yun pressed the Ghost Princess's hands down forcefully with one hand. Her seemingly delicate, slender fingers were actually terrifyingly powerful as she raised her hand high again.

Yuyin hurriedly leaned over, holding Jiang Yun's hand. In her attempt to dissuade her, her lower abdomen inadvertently pressed against Jiang Yun's other shoulder.

Feeling Yuyin's warm, fragrant reliance, Jiang Yun's breath deepened with comfort. Others couldn't stop this Ghost Queen, but she had to give face to her betrothed.

"Hmph, considering your Sister Yuyin's face, I'll spare you this time. Also, from now on, I forbid you to call her 'this woman' or 'that woman.' She is your Sister Yuyin now. In the future, after Mother marries her, you will also call her Mother. Understood?" Jiang Yun said sternly.

The Ghost Princess was still unconvinced in her heart, but didn't dare show it again. After all, she feared truly angering the Ghost King.

Jiang Yun released the Ghost Princess. She stood to the side with her head lowered and reluctantly said, "Fine... understood?"

Jiang Yun frowned upon hearing this, but Yuyin stepped forward first to help the Ghost Princess straighten her skirt. "Does it hurt? Should I help you rub it later?"

Yuyin whispered warmly in the Ghost Princess's ear.

This sudden gentleness made the Ghost Princess, who had just been spanked, feel an irresistible warmth.

"Who needs you to rub... Don't think I'll thank you..." The Ghost Princess pouted, her slender waist twisting slightly as she spoke coquettishly.

Seeing their relationship had eased somewhat, Jiang Yun's anger subsided. She stood up and said, "Look at all of you, soaked like this. Take off your clothes and hang them to dry. We can rest early."

Yuyin looked at Jiang Yun and smiled helplessly. "Your Majesty, you're also thoroughly soaked."

Jiang Yun was slightly startled. Looking down, indeed, her narrow purple armor was wrapped in a light purple gauze skirt today, but after being soaked by the heavy rain, it clung tightly to her body with fine wrinkles, highlighting yet half-concealing her graceful figure.

"Indeed... We're all women, and you two are Yuyin's close friends. We'll be family in the future. No need for formalities. Everyone take them off, be more comfortable."

Saying this, the Ghost King removed her gauze skirt and armor, leaving only narrow purple banded undergarments.

To avoid awkwardness, Yuyin also bent down to remove her dress.

"Yuyin, let me hang your dress up."

"How could I trouble you..."

The Ghost King didn't listen, snatching Yuyin's dress.

"Then Your Majesty, I'll hang your gauze skirt too..." Yuyin took the Ghost King's gauze skirt from her arm.

Watching from the side, Lianyue felt a sourness in her heart. What was Xia Yuyin thinking? The two of them helping each other, competing to do things... what were they trying to do? But seeing that she was the only one left wearing clothes while the other girls were only in their undergarments, she felt embarrassed and had no choice but to remove them as well.

Jiang Yun looked at the dazzling scene filling the room and spoke as if commanding, yet with warmth within her dominance. "There's only one bed here. If you don't want to sleep on the floor, everyone squeeze in together."

"Liuli, you sleep on the outermost side..."

Jiang Yun's arrangement was quite reasonable. The Ghost Princess slept on the far left of the wooden bed by the window. She slept beside the Ghost Princess. Yuyin naturally slept in the middle, with Jiang Yun on her left and Lianyue on her right, while Hua Yuanjing slept on the far right.

"Why am I always the one sleeping in the middle?" After lying down, Yuyin looked at the wooden roof and suddenly realized this question.