"How long have you been working with this person?"
"Not too long… just for a short while."
Ying'er left from my side and took a step toward Yi Feng. Her eyes narrowed a little before she glanced at the two Jinzies.
"Hmm, is that right? Say, do you know which one of them is the real Jinzi?"
Yi Feng visually shook a bit and took a step back in response to Ying'er's approach.
"N-no, I said it earlier. I don't know anything about what's going on with them."
'Yi Feng seems oddly scared of Ying'er for some reason. It's possible that they had met before but why would Ying'er leave a bad impression and such bad one at that?
It makes sense for her to be a little fearful of the tone and approach of Ying'er if this was the first time they met, but that wouldn't explain the reaction she had when Ying'er initially came into the room.
That assertive tomboy-like female from before was nowhere to be seen from the moment that Ying'er came into the room. Something quite intriguing, I'd like to uncover this little mystery at a later point.
Well, I don't think this conversation is really going to go anywhere is it? I guess it'll probably be best to deal with the main event.'
I stepped closer to the two Jinzies and quickly the noise around fizzled out and everyone's attention was focused on me. I made direct eye contact with the one in clothing and brought my hand out with an open palm.
"Come with me, let's go and have a little conversation outside."
Almost immediately the other spoke out as if she was wronged.
"H-huh!? What about me?"
"Don't worry I'll talk to you soon, for now why don't you just stay here for a few moments."
"I- umm… okay."
"Ying'er, please watch over them while I speak with this Jinzi outside."
"En, don't worry Darling~ I got this."
My plan was simple, just simply split the two Jinzies apart and question them separately. I really only had one question that I needed to ask to figure out who the real Jinzi was, but I wanted to know how well I could tell her apart from my Li Daji.
It shouldn't be that hard though if they haven't really got to know each other.
With quick and light steps we exited the little basement, back into the bright shining sun. I basked in the light for a moment before walking a little further away to a place where those within the basement wouldn't be able to see us.
I gently smiled at the person in front of me before I set up a sound barrier for us to begin our little conversation.
"So… who is it that I'm talking to exactly here?"
The person's brows furrowed slightly as she made a cute gesture.
"Huh? It's me, Jinzi of course!"
'Course, it wouldn't be that easy, not that I expected it to be. No one would simply give up their disguise they had only gained not too long ago so quickly. This was especially so if she wished to take over Jinzi's place for a while.
Nothing changed on my face as I looked at the woman who was currently making cute and angry gestures at me.
"Oh, that's right. So what are your thoughts on cultivation?"
She looked at me with a clearly confused expression that showed she didn't understand how this would help with discerning who was who. At this point I felt like asking literally anything that had to do with recalling an event would be too easy.
"Um, about cultivation? Well, I think I need to get better at it. I'm too weak as it is now, those sparring matches I have are pretty helpful."
'Oh? This Jinzi knows about the sparring matches? Well if Li Daji was really stalking her then something as basic as her schedule should be basic info then, no? Well so far I don't really think the answer is wrong per say. Is there anything else I could ask without giving her away immediately?'
"Hey, do you remember when I told you about my sixth disciple, Li Daji?"
To be honest I was a little disappointed with her lack of reaction, but that just meant that this didn't stir anything within her. It was good since I felt like Li Daji would've reacted a little to her own name being called out.
"Of course, why wouldn't I?"
"What do you think about her? Any specific opinions?"
She placed her hand on her chin as she looked away mimicking someone deep in thought.
"Well, I've never met her before so I don't really know what to think about her besides what you've told me."
It was a very neutral answer, but one I could see Jinzi saying. I didn't want to make this process too complicated so I asked my final question, one which will tell me here and now whether or not this could be the real Jinzi.
I took a single step toward her and looked down at her with that same gentle smile.
"Who am I to you?"
A simple question, yet one that at the moment felt quite complex. An array of answers could've been brought up, of course those answers should be known well to Jinzi. I could be her savior, husband, or part-time master. On the other hand, to Li Daji I should simply be Jinzi's "Big Brother" and nothing more than that. She shouldn't know the intricacies of our relationship nor how she should act.
The moment felt like nothing for me right now, but I could see a hint of anxiousness in her eyes. Soon her mouth slowly became agape and I could feel her trying to figure out what to say for a solid second or two before she spoke.
What came out was a tone which seemed to keep a respectable distance from me. There was nothing overly affectionate with what she said.
"Big… Brother, yeah, you're my big brother."
It was an acceptable answer, but the way she said it was the deal breaker. I feel like I mean a lot of things to Jinzi, but with the way she said it one would think there was some distance between us, something that Jinzi shows quite often almost doesn't even seem to exist.
I looked at the "Jinzi" with an unchanging expression, but I had basically already deduced who it was.
"That was all my questions, do you have anything for me? Anything you would like to tell me?"
I watched the woman act as if she still had no idea. I was giving her a chance to reveal herself, but I guess she doesn't want to take it.
"Tell you? I-I don't think I do."
"Is that so? Alright I guess this'll wrap up my questioning, it's time for me to talk to the other one."
On my exterior I was still gently smiling at the woman, but within I couldn't help but be quite disappointed in the woman in front of me. I had even given her a chance to reveal herself.
'Li Daji, you can't bear to reveal yourself to me? I had even isolated us from the others so you could come forth more easily.
Heh, well you are supposed to be a fox, a sly creature, but to think you can't even trust your master. If you can't trust me, then how am I supposed to trust you? I'm starting to have second thoughts about not telling Ying'er I met you.'
I stood there with that same smile for a few moments just staring at her as some sort of extension to my chance given to her. After a few moments of silence and zero movement I nodded at her. If what I didn't didn't get through to her then there was no point in really waiting now was there?
I turned around and was about to release the sound barrier when I heard the faintest words from behind me. Not only that though, I felt a very slight tug on the back of my robe as well
"W-wait um… I-I do actually have something to t-tell you after all…"
I halted and took another 2 seconds before I turned back once again to see "Jinzi" looking a bit pitiful and vulnerable. She was looking down as she fiddled around with her hands.
"Yes, what is it? What would you like to say?"
"I-I…"
Hearing her hesitation and seeing how she was currently acting I thought that she might relent. I decided I should be supportive of whatever she says. I won't show too much bias, especially since she hasn't truly said anything yet though.
"Go on, I'm here for you."
She tilted her head up a little and I could see her eyes start to water, "Jinzi" looked like a mess at the moment.
Her mouth opened and closed several times as her eyes slowly became glassy and red over time as tears must've clouded her vision.
"I-I…I'm.."
"You're what?"
Tears slowly flowed down from the corners of her eyes.
"I-I… I'm sorry… M-master…"
That word was almost like some kind of activation key word as soon after her body started to smoke up. Only a second later the smoke cleared up and the short Jinzi was replaced by another person, Li Daji.
Tears still flowed from her eyes as she fiddled with her hands, but occasionally she would glance and make direct eye contact followed immediately after by her looking away.
The gentle smile I had didn't change as I watched her cry, but this time it was genuine. I reached an arm out to pat her head which made her stop fiddling with her hands.
With my other arm I reached around her and pulled her into an embrace while patting her head.
"It's okay, Little Daji, why don't you calm down a little."
'Looks like she's still redeemable after all. To think I was just about to lose faith in her too, how lucky she is and she doesn't even know it.'
Her arms wrapped around me as she silently sobbed into my chest. I kept a hand on her head as I patted her back. A second later some more smoke poofed into existence before dispersing and the ears and fluffy tails of Li Daji appeared before they wrapped themselves around me too.
"M-master, I'm sorry… it-it's just that I want to spend some time with you, t-that's all!"
"Is that so? I'm sorry too, Master still hasn't resolved your conflict. Do you feel better now?"
"A little, what's going to happen to me?"
"Well, I think you owe Jinzi an apology first don't you? You tried to impersonate her and do who knows what with her appearance."
"I just wanted to be her for a few days! Besides, I tried to make these days helpful to her cultivation! I was going to get Yi Feng to train with her!"
"Well, it doesn't seem like she wanted to go with your plan now did she?"
"N-no, but-"
"No buts, let's go back. Don't worry I'll protect you from Ying'er"
I deactivated the bubble, but the second I did so I heard a scream of an extremely familiar voice.
"Aahhh!"
My heart sank for the first time in what felt like forever. In the blink of an eye I teleported back into the basement to see a scene of ruin unlike how we left it.
Jinzi stood on the side in shock, frozen at the scene, but she was now covered at least.
I was behind Ying'er who was on her knees as she clutched her left hand and in front of her.
Yi Feng was also on her knees, but embedded in her chest was a sword with fresh blood still flowing from that wound. Her complexion was pale as she stared at Ying'er.
'What the fuck happened when I was gone!?'