As early spring arrived, the ice began to melt, creating a crack in the frozen lake with a crisp sound.
Xing Shuishui crawled out from the crevice, her face still pale. Heaven knows how uncomfortable it was inside, especially given her fear of water.
Every day had been torturous like this, as if paying back centuries of laziness all at once.
The upside was: at least she wouldn’t fall from the sky even when using light techniques now.
Yes, she was satisfied with that.
Xing Shuishui sheathed her sword and returned to Separation Fire Manor.
It was now the spring of year 3726 of the Yuan Era.
Five years had passed.
In the cultivation world, that was merely the blink of an eye.
Xue Sansi knew she had returned and ordered a large spread of snacks prepared. Seeing the mirror hanging at her waist, he clicked his tongue, folded his fan, and sat down to examine her.
“After years apart, Little Nine’s energy has indeed become much more substantial,” Xue Sansi remarked.
Xing Shuishui changed into fresh clothes and smiled while eating: “Of course! Who am I? Back when I only had a hundred years of cultivation, I killed Guan Yinzi and became famous overnight!”
Xue Sansi twirled his teacup and laughed: “What compliments are you fishing for now?”
Xing Shuishui thought for a moment and smiled: “Get me more snacks.”
Xue Sansi clapped and ordered his servants to prepare more.
Something occurred to Xing Shuishui and she asked: “Has Lingshan visited these past few years?”
“They did. I told them I didn’t want to hear your name, and threatened to burn down the mountain if they came again. They still think we’re on bad terms.”
“What about Du Dizhu?”
“He’s the most honest one. Shortly after you left, someone beat him up. He’s still recovering from his injuries. He has the most enemies in the cultivation world.”
Pastry crumbs fell onto the mirror.
Xing Shuishui unconsciously raised her hand to wipe it clean. Remembering the young man at the Heaven’s Altar, she paused briefly and lowered her eyes: “What about him?”
Xue Sansi deliberately asked: “Who?”
“He Liansheng.”
After such a long build-up, she finally asked about him.
Xue Sansi: “He survived.”
Xing Shuishui looked up.
Xue Sansi continued: “He swore that when he finds you, you’ll suffer a fate worse than death. Everyone knows how twisted He Liansheng has become.”
Xing Shuishui was stunned.
That was indeed He Liansheng’s personality.
Her response was: “Then I’ll strangle him first.”
Outside, peach blossoms drifted in the wind and landed in the room. Xue Sansi picked up a petal and dropped it into his tea, smiling helplessly.
He said: “He Liansheng actually came here too.”
Xing Shuishui looked at him.
He continued: “That day I said if they took one more step forward, I’d burn down the He family home. He told me to go ahead and burn it, then barged into the manor anyway. Seeing his fierce determination, it was clear he wouldn’t let you off easily. So, I went ahead and burned down the He family home. I’d disliked them for a long time anyway. Unfortunately, I didn’t pick a good time – the entire He family was in their ancestral hall.”
His expression showed genuine regret.
Xing Shuishui rested her chin in her hand and asked one final question: “Brother Sansi, did you find my sister’s reincarnation?”
Xue Sansi replied: “I did. I was just about to tell you – your sister was reborn into a human family surnamed Xue. Time flows faster in the mortal realm than in the cultivation world. She just turned fifteen this year and is about to get married. Shall we go bring her back now?”
Married?
Xing Shuishui frowned and said: “I must go see.”
A few days later, in an unremarkable small town in the mortal realm.
Firecrackers exploded and gongs sounded as the town celebrated multiple joyous events.
First, someone from town had passed the imperial examinations. Then the Xue family was marrying off their daughter. As luck would have it, the groom was the top scorer in this year’s provincial examination! The Xue family’s eldest daughter certainly had good taste, landing such a golden bachelor for the family. If this groom were to pass the palace examination and become the emperor’s favorite in the future, she would soar like a phoenix!
The Xue family’s elderly maid opened the lacquered door, beaming at the envious remarks from onlookers.
Looking up, she saw two strangers at the gate. A girl in peach-colored clothes stood with flowing robes, head slightly bowed, holding a wooden box in both hands, looking rather unhappy. Beside her was a young man in blue who appeared friendly, though his smile seemed to hide daggers when examined closely.
The elderly woman asked: “Who are you?”
Xing Shuishui had been holding back the whole way, and forced out an answer: “We’re here to do the bride’s hair.”
Xue Sansi added: “And to check her pulse.”
The elderly woman smiled: “Wonderful! Please come in.”
They hadn’t gone far into the Xue residence when they heard the sound of a zither. Xing Shuishui stopped and looked up, watching the woman playing inside from the window. She was lost in thought.
The woman had her head lowered, her black hair flowing freely, neither styled nor adorned. Though she had fox-like eyes, seeing them in person only revealed gentleness. Her eyes seemed to be smiling even when she frowned slightly.
Sister…
The person inside noticed the visitors outside. The music stopped abruptly as she stood up from the window and said gently: “Thank you for your trouble, Nanny.”
The sun shifted. Xue Zhuangxin sat before the mirror. After Xue Sansi finished checking her pulse and confirmed all was well, he stepped aside. Xing Shuishui picked up a comb, catching a faint scent of gardenia. She remembered how her sister used to comb her hair when they were at the Guan family residence. Now she could finally return the favor. How wonderful.
Xue Zhuangxin asked: “Where are you from, miss?”
Xing Shuishui snapped back to attention: “Qingzhou.”
Xue Zhuangxin said: “Qingzhou… sounds like a nice place, to produce such a lovely young lady as yourself. Unlike me, I’ve been kept in the inner chambers since childhood and have never been to Qingzhou. It must be far from Fengchun Town.”
Her tone carried a hint of melancholy.
“It’s not far at all, you can get there by boat,” Xing Shuishui paused, then muttered, “Doesn’t Miss Xue want to see the outside world? If you really marry that scholar, whether he becomes a top graduate or not is uncertain, but you might spend your whole life confined to the mansion.”
Xue Zhuangxin said: “It’s my parents’ wish and the matchmaker’s arrangement. I cannot disobey, moreover…”
Her face reddened: “I… I like him.”
Great, another man for Xing Shuishui to dislike.
Xue Zhuangxin took out a jade chain from her drawer and smiled: “This is the token of love he gave me. He said it was hard to obtain… Actually… he’s quite nice.”
When Xing Shuishui looked at it, she nearly set the room on fire. Even the mirror that Mu Ziyu casually gave her sister back then was a rare treasure seen once in a century, and He Liansheng had dared to give her the Floating Spirit Mirror before she stabbed him.
This unknown person actually gave her a fake?
Xue Sansi placed a hand on her shoulder. Xing Shuishui quickly calmed down, sensing a faint demonic energy from the jade chain. Her grip on the comb tightened.
Things weren’t so simple.
She kept her expression neutral, exchanged a glance with Xue Sansi, finished arranging Xue Zhuangxin’s wedding hairstyle, and left the Xue residence.
Xue Sansi said gravely: “Zhuangxin’s pulse isn’t good. It’s probably because the jade chain has been in her room for some time.”
That thing was draining her soul essence.
Xing Shuishui looked back at the Xue residence and said: “I knew that scholar wasn’t good news, and it turns out I was right. But it’s his bad luck – of all people, he had to target my sister.”
After the lesson learned from Li Yu, she now suspected ill intentions from any man around her sister.
Xue Sansi turned his head: “Do you have a plan?”
Xing Shuishui nodded, rubbing her chin: “I have one. It’s quite simple. On her wedding day… Brother Sansi, you knock my sister unconscious, and I’ll get in the bridal sedan. He wants to marry a bride? I’ll let him marry an ancestor.”
Xue Sansi agreed: “Indeed an ancestor.”
Since the wedding wasn’t today, they needed to find lodging first. Xing Shuishui was about to enter an inn when Xue Sansi grabbed her hand, causing her to stumble into his embrace.
The young man said: “Don’t move.”
His eyes flashed with killing intent: “Unless you want him to see you.”
Xing Shuishui didn’t quite understand, but the Floating Spirit Mirror at her waist suddenly reacted. She felt a burning whirlpool of energy, like when she first met He Liansheng with Qi Tong.
Is it… him?
A small demon frantically ran past them, knocking over many fruit baskets by the street. Close behind was an terrifying sword intent, rich with spiritual power and heavy with killing energy.
The peach tree on the wall was affected, dropping a spectacular rain of peach blossoms. The people of Fengchun Town had never seen such a sight.
A young man’s voice was cold and arrogant: “You saw the Lingshan jade command token and still dared to cause trouble. Are you asking to die?”
This was the arrogance that even life-and-death trials couldn’t diminish.
Her pupils trembled as she quickly tucked the Floating Spirit Mirror into her clothes and lowered her head, but still couldn’t resist secretly looking up.
The young man wore white robes and held the Taoyuan sword to the small demon’s throat. Sand swirled up, his crimson hair ribbon fluttering, outshining all the spring scenery.
His eyes were very black, seemingly naturally so. Those black eyes combined with skin as white as jade, like a dragon in snow, or the moon striking stars.
He Liansheng’s eyes showed no emotion.
The demon immediately trembled: “Spare me, immortal! This lowly demon failed to recognize your greatness! I’ll never cheat people again! I’ll return the money right away! Please spare my life!”
Li Guanyu: “He Lian… let it go… it’s not harming anyone.”
Li Guanxing also said: “That’s right! Both demons and humans cheat people out of money. Teaching it a lesson will make it behave, no need to be ruthless.”
Really, he hadn’t changed at all.
Li Guanxing continued persuading: “He Liansheng, think about it. Wasn’t Xing Shuishui also just a small demon back then, with weak cultivation, looking all pitiful? If she had met…”
He suddenly realized something and fell silent.
Fortunately, the young man didn’t hold it against him. Instead, he examined the small demon for a while, then let out a snort of laughter and slowly lowered the Taoyuan sword.
Even Xing Shuishui was surprised.
The small demon kowtowed repeatedly in thanks before quickly fleeing.
The curious townspeople of Fengchun surrounded these visitors densely.
“Is that… He Liansheng? The brilliant celestial master from Lingshan! And the young master of the He family! Oh my! Seeing him today makes life worth living! Who’s this Xing Shuishui they mentioned?”
“You don’t know about Xing Shuishui? She’s supposedly the reborn Xue Jiuling. Back then she caused huge trouble, and He Liansheng even broke into the forbidden mountain and entered the ice cave for her. He loved her deeply. But that girl stabbed him at the Heaven’s Altar. No one’s found her since.”
“Heavens! Such a vicious demon girl, he must hate her to death!”
The discussions grew louder.
Xing Shuishui lowered her eyebrows and said: “Brother Sansi, let’s go.”
She wanted to leave, but her hair got caught in a peach branch. Xue Sansi raised his hand to help free her hair. Ouch, it hurt a bit. Xing Shuishui leaned against him, tilting her head.
Then, the peach blossoms were shaken loose, melting into the spring scenery.
The young man looked over. Xing Shuishui opened her eyes.
Their gazes met.
— “After so many years, seeing him again still makes my heart race.”
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