I laid in bed thinking about this 6th Disciple of Big Brother's.
'Big Sister Is pulling me into her fight. A part of me wonders if we can simply have it end as peacefully as mine did, but clearly that doesn't seem to be the case for her.
What caused her to be like this in the first place? Ugh… I already have to deal with actually getting stronger, now I even have to deal with the Big Sister's old rival?
This is so much work. Maybe, just maybe I'll be able to set up some sort of truce or something and we can all work something out.
I'll just have to see what happens I guess.'
..
The morning came and went very similarly to how yesterday went. I thought that if Big Sister was really that worried she would come along with us this time, but just like yesterday she parted ways with us as we passed by the Grand Hall.
'Are you just trying to make me do everything? Well whatever.'
As we kept going I was on the lookout for any women who looked out of place or who acted odd. There weren't any that really caught my eye, but what surprised me was the amount of people there were today. Yesterday I think I only saw maybe a grand total of 9 people walking around, but it's probably more than doubled.
I think 60% of the people I saw were women too, though I don't really know if that matters. It sure does make looking for suspicious women harder though since there were now more to check.
Some of them even came up to say hello to Big Brother. I just stood there as Big Brother was talking to these other women. I know it's normal to interact with your fellow disciples and all, but the fact that they came just to talk to Big Brother really annoyed me a bit.
At least most of them had the decency to at least say hello to me though. Even the men came mostly for Big Brother, but a few did try to talk to me.
I felt weird being there next to them, but not being involved. It was like I was an unwanted third party. But it seems that Big Brother did notice what I was feeling after around the 3rd or 4th interaction
He tried including me in them so I wouldn't feel so awkward and I guess now I have a few Inner Disciple acquaintances.
As we entered that same arena area from yesterday I saw some familiar faces ahead. First of all was Shao Huang. He was, like last time, fighting in the arena, but this time it seems that they were a little more evenly matched then when he fought me and that other disciple yesterday.
The other familiar faces weren't so welcome though. It was Xun Chun and her two followers as they stood on the sidelines.
It didn't take long before they noticed us though, or more specifically Big Brother. Once they did they headed towards us with long strides.
"Senior Brother Ip! We took good care of this Junior Sister yesterday!"
"It's nice to see that you all are getting along then."
'Huh? They really dare try to lie right in front of Big Brother!?'
Before I could even get a word out to disclaim her she spoke once more. And those two followers simply nodded or agreed with her words every once in a while.
"This Junior Sister really is a bit of a trouble maker though."
"Hoh? Please tell me, what did she do?"
'W-what! No! She's discrediting me! I have to say something!'
"Big Brother, don't listen to her! She's lying, I didn't do anything! I wouldn't!"
"Oh? Then was that little incident in the clothing store?"
"I-I…"
I was at a little loss of words as I avoided his eye contact for a moment.
"Please, continue. I'd like to hear more about these troubles that my Junior Sister here has caused you."
I was just about to speak out once more when Big Brother glanced at me. His eyes had a bit of a serious glint in them so I stopped in my tracks.
'Big Brother, I'm innocent! Why are you believing them over me?!'
"When you left yesterday we decided that since this Junior Sister was new we would show her the ropes. Who knew that she wouldn't even try to comply and instead was more like a little rabid dog going around to bite people. She challenged people and when they didn't want to fight she would attack them anyway.
Luckily, we happened to still be around to stop her or else something worse might have occurred."
'W-what! What an outrageous story! D-does Big Brother really believe that?'
I turned my head to the side to see as he looked at them with a slight furrow of his brows.
"Hmm, that seems a little excessive. I've seen her be as violent as you say she has."
'Yeah! That's right! Her story has flaws, find them Big Brother! Please don't believe these women!'
"Really? She must really try to hide this side of her from you then. To think she was so deceiving with such a cute appearance."
When his gaze turned toward me I froze for a moment and straightened my back. I looked him right in the eyes before I spoke. I remember a number of times when my grandma was interrogating me he would always say to look her in the eyes while we spoke.
She said that the eyes were a gateway to the soul, if I didn't even dare to look him in the eyes then he might actually believe I'm lying. To speak in the most sincere way possible I must look him in the eyes and so I did.
I stared straight into those dark pupils of his and calmly spoke out my words. The longer I focused on those pupils of his the more I was starting to believe I was staring out into the never ending void.
"Big Brother, those women are lying. Don't trust any of their words."
"There she goes again trying to cause some trouble."
Big Brother stood there in silence and the rest of us waited with bated breaths. He turned towards the group of women and looked at the one in the lead. When they saw that they smiled, perhaps at their victory while I stood indifferently staring at them.
"Ok, I believe you Jinzi. Now, why are the 3 of you lying to me? Do you have something against this Junior Sister of mine?"
The indifference I had turned into a sly smile that I was now staring at them with.
"N-No not at all Senior Brother Ip!"
"Then why did you all fake a story against her?"
"W-we…"
His face hardened a little as he exerted some kind of force upon them. Although I couldn't see it or feel it I could tell that he was specifically targeting them. All at once their heads were pushed down a bit and drops of sweat were starting to form.
"...No answer? Hmph, well don't do it again alright? If you don't have any proof of your claim or anything besides your words only don't even think about doing this again!"
"Y-yes Senior Brother Ip!!" They all said at the same time.
Suddenly, I could almost visibly see as the pressure was released from them. Their bodies sprung back up a bit and they were moving as well. His expression softened along with the disappearance of the pressure.
"Why don't you all get along now? As fellow disciples you should be respectful to one another. You 3 are supposed to be her seniors too, so set an example would you?
You all clearly had a fight with my junior, but since it seems you're all too embarrassed to talk about it. Since that's the case it was probably a small and insignificant matter then wasn't it? If it was really such a major issue you should have said something instead of trying to ruin her image."
'Insignificant? Hmm, well the matter was about you so… She definitely couldn't be talking about wanting to take you away after all as the main reason. If she did, then who knows it would have gone.'
"Y-yes… of course, insignificant. Don't worry Senior Brother we'll reform."
"Well, you better, but actions speak louder than words."
She signaled her two followers and gathered together in a little huddle to speak. After a few moments the 3 came over and bowed at me.
"We're sorry Junior Sister! We were wrong, please forgive us!"
'What the hell! There's no way someone can reform THAT quickly! Did that little pressure from Big Brother really do that much?'
I turned to him only to see a similarly odd expression as he looked at them. Our eyes met and he shrugged before gesturing for my response.
"Uh um, I accept…"
"Thank you Junior Sister! Sister Jin, would you please go and spar with Junior Sister? Go easy on her okay? She's still in the Body Tempering realm and not even in the final stage either."
"It would be my honor! Come on Junior Sister Xue, I'll help you progress!"
I looked at her a little suspiciously, after all it hasn't even been that long since they were all just lying about my conduct yesterday.
'I don't really like this, but it seems that Big Brother will stick around to watch, so it might be fine.'
I looked at him one last time and he gently smiled at me as he nodded. Thus I was once again up on stage with a similar wooden weapon as yesterday. It wasn't the same stage though as Shao Huang was still on that one fighting that same opponent we saw when we came in.
The woman in front of me was holding a sword like me though so if anything I could try and fight another sword user.
"Match begin!"
I watched her movements as she walked toward me. It seemed like a leisurely stroll for her at the moment. After watching for a bit I moved forward as well and soon we were within range of one another
"Junior Sister, I'll let you have the first hit."
Since she said so I took it. I went for a diagonal slash upward toward her left thigh. My wooden blade went forth exactly as planned, hitting her square on around her thigh. At that moment she jumped back and grabbed that thigh of hers with her free hand. A look of shock appeared in her eyes as she looked at me.
Yesterday, after they cursed me behind my back they left immediately so they never truly got to see my matches.
"Say, Junior Sister, what technique are you practicing? That speed shouldn't be something a 4th layer Body Tempering cultivator should have. That was a good hit though. From how you're going from here it seems you'll soon be a rising star of our sect Junior Sister Xue."
***
(MC POV)
I watched the little match and that woman who was sparring with Jinzi was giving some good advice. She was pointing out a few mistakes in her footwork and swordsmanship as well.
Honestly some pride was starting to swell at how well trained it seems even my Outer disciples go through.
When these women huddled up and then immediately apologized I thought they were planning something nefarious such as putting up a false face of redemption. Of course I can't so easily believe them just because they have claimed to be reformed and have done one good thing.
They might be in it for the long haul, after all their facade can't be broken so easily on their first day of acting can it?
This is definitely some sort of facade, but I can't act since I did just ask them to do this exactly. It would have been way more believable if they faked their change slowly over time and acted as if they've changed bit by bit.
Of course at that point I might have fallen for it too, luckily they don't know that.