IVYSCP - Chapter 81

Chapter 81

Xue Zizai no longer dreamed frequently of Linshui Town, no longer dreamed of those scenes that had filled her with terror. To be precise, she no longer had nightmares. Her dreams had become beautiful, warm. At first they were memories of Linshui Town, where she was still the Eldest Miss of the Xue Family, her mother by her side, carefree. Later, in her dreams, she began to cultivate, her cultivation advancing steadily. Her master and her master's wife both treated her very well. More than once she woke naturally, a smile lingering on her lips.

Waking again, Xue Zizai touched the curve at the corner of her lips. That faint smile vanished beneath her fingertip.

She was not that foolish. She knew someone must have used something to control her dreams. It was not hard to guess who, and she also knew that person was doing it for her own good.

Xue Zizai pretended nothing had happened and went out as usual. The door to the other room was still closed; the two of them apparently had not risen yet.

Her cultivation was still at the Qi Condensation stage, so she could not fly by sword, but her steps now carried the wind. From Water Cloud Dwelling to Medicine Peak took only a shichen.

Xue Zizai wiped the sweat from her forehead and slowed her pace slightly as she climbed the mountain.

She wanted to see Lin Zhao. In this unfamiliar Piaomiao Sect, the only one with any connection to Linshui Town was Lin Zhao. Seeing Lin Zhao, she would think of Linshui Town, and she would not let the hatred she carried fade from memory.

Reaching the treehouse in one breath, Xue Zizai saw Lin Zhao tending the spirit plants, watering them.

The Little Medical Immortal treasured the spirit plants growing in her herb field. They had to be watered with the morning dew hanging from bamboo leaves at dawn. According to the Little Medical Immortal, that dew condensed the purest spiritual energy of heaven and earth. But she herself found it troublesome and could not get up in the morning, so this task was usually done by Piaomiao Sect disciples. After Xue Zizai and Lin Zhao had been sent here, the Little Medical Immortal would not let them eat and stay for free, so she had them collect the morning dew at the break of dawn.

Now that Xue Zizai had gone to Water Cloud Dwelling, the task fell entirely on Lin Zhao. But Lin Zhao was trying to win the Little Medical Immortal's favor and was willing to do it. Besides, it gave her the chance to recognize more of the spirit plants in the herb field.

Once watered, the spirit plants stood crisp and vigorous, each giving off a faint glow. Lin Zhao straightened up with a smile. When she lifted her eyes and saw Xue Zizai approaching, she paused a moment, then waved to her. "Xue Zizai."

Seeing her smiling face, Xue Zizai felt a tightness in her chest. She strode over and asked directly, "Have you dreamed of Linshui Town lately?"

Could Lin Zhao also no longer dream of it? Was she also gradually forgetting?

Lin Zhao's smile faded. In a low voice, she said, "I do."

How could she not dream of it? She often woke with a start in the middle of the night, dreaming she was in the heart of the sea of fire, flames soaring into the sky, the figures of the people of Linshui Town all around her. And she was trapped within a barrier, able only to watch helplessly as they vanished, unable to do anything, powerless.

Xue Zizai was stunned. "You can dream of it?"

Lin Zhao…had not been affected?

Lin Zhao nodded.

Xue Zizai's anger flared instantly. She stepped forward and grabbed Lin Zhao by the collar, strong enough to lift her off the ground. "You can dream of it?! You don't hate? You don't want revenge? Do you mean to stay here with such a clear conscience? Or do you simply not care about Linshui Town? Not care about your mother's death?"

Lin Zhao's expression changed, and her voice turned cold and sharp. "Xue Zizai! Have you lost your mind?!"

She slapped Xue Zizai's hand away, her chest heaving violently.

"What makes you think I don't hate, that I don't want revenge?"

Xue Zizai laughed coldly. "I can't see it at all."

Lin Zhao's eyes reddened, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. "You talk endlessly about revenge. Then do you know who the enemies are? Where they are? Even if you knew, could you really kill them and avenge Linshui Town?"

Xue Zizai snapped recklessly, "At least I'm always preparing, and that's still more useful than you fiddling with these flowers and plants here!"

Lin Zhao's face paled. She suddenly let out a self-mocking laugh, lowered her eyes, and said quietly, "Xue Zizai, you're still as arrogant as before. Not everyone is as lucky as you. In Linshui Town, you were the wealthy Eldest Miss, everyone curried favor with you. After coming to the Immortal Realm, your aptitude is excellent, and you've met good people to teach and help you. You can cultivate and seek revenge. Me? Back then I relied on the flowers and plants you mock to support myself and my mother. Now I can only rely on these same flowers and plants to give myself a reason to stay."

Xue Zizai's lips moved twice, but in the end she said nothing.

"Creak…"

The treehouse door opened. Gu Huai, face dark, looked at the two who had been arguing.

Lin Zhao's heart lurched. She apologized hurriedly. "S…sorry, Little Medical Immortal, we didn't mean to disturb…"

Gu Huai glanced coldly at her, and Lin Zhao instantly fell silent, her hand at her side already clenched tight. She thought: it was over, she had angered the Little Medical Immortal. She probably could not stay on Medicine Peak any longer.

Xue Zizai saw Lin Zhao's nervousness and fear. She drew a deep breath and said stiffly, "I was the one who disturbed you. Don't blame Lin Zhao."

Gu Huai's lips twitched. Her gaze circled Xue Zizai's face, and instead she asked her, "You say flowers and plants can't take revenge?"

Both Xue Zizai and Lin Zhao looked identically startled. They had not expected Gu Huai to ask that.

Gu Huai flashed before Xue Zizai in a flicker of movement. The corner of her mouth curved, but the smile did not reach her eyes. "You seem to hold these flowers and plants in great contempt. Do you even know, without these flowers and plants, you would have died who knows how many times already?"

As she spoke, Gu Huai tossed two medicine bottles to Xue Zizai.

Xue Zizai looked doubtful. "These are?"

"Medicine for those two. You can take them back. Half a month's supply, enough for them to use when they go out for a while."

With that, Gu Huai swept her sleeve, and Xue Zizai was hurled out by a powerful force, stumbling until she landed sitting at the foot of Medicine Peak.

She had been thrown out.

Xue Zizai looked at the medicine bottles in her hand and recalled Gu Huai's words just now. They were going out? Leaving Piaomiao Sect? What were they doing? Had they found Yu Ting?!

Up on Medicine Peak, Gu Huai glanced sideways at Lin Zhao, who was nervously twisting her sleeves, and asked out of the blue, "What did you call me earlier?"

Lin Zhao quickly bowed her head respectfully. "Lit…Little Medical Immortal."

Gu Huai clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction. "And?"

Lin Zhao watched her expression furtively and said hesitantly, "Senior?"

Gu Huai frowned.

Still not satisfied. That left only one.

Lin Zhao bowed her head even lower. "Mas…Master."

"Mm." Gu Huai answered.

Lin Zhao raised her head in disbelief and looked at her.

What did this mean? Was she accepting her as a disciple?

Gu Huai pulled at her lips, her smile cold. "I didn't like what that girl said. You had better make me proud. Prepare yourself over the next few days. I'll perform the Meridian Reforging for you."

Lin Zhao was so moved she nearly wept. She nodded once for every sentence she heard.

When Xue Zizai returned to Water Cloud Dwelling with the medicine bottles, it was already noon. The aroma of cooking drifted from the West Courtyard. Other than her, everyone in Water Cloud Dwelling had already practiced inedia. At mealtimes, Piaomiao Sect would deliver food, but these past few days it had been her master's wife cooking. The two of them said they were eating a little to keep her company, but Xue Zizai could tell they simply wanted to cook and eat. Later, Pei Xi, drawn by the smell, had also come over eager to share the meal.

Entering the courtyard, the three were already seated at the table waiting for her. Pei Xi still could not use chopsticks and could only grip them in her hand. Staring at the food on the table, she was so ravenous she kept swallowing her saliva.

Ling Qingyue was leaning against Pei Yin, playing with her hair. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Xue Zizai return and slowly sat up straight. "You're back. Come eat."

Xue Zizai lowered her eyes to avoid her gaze.

She was not even going to ask where she had been?

Ling Qingyue sensed the awkwardness and something off about Xue Zizai. She raised an eyebrow slightly.

What was this Eldest Miss upset about now?

Thinking this, her gaze drifted slowly toward Pei Xi.

Perhaps she should let Pei Xi eat a few more of her dreams and see.

A chill ran down Pei Xi's back. She turned and found Ling Qingyue looking at her. Immediately sensing something bad, she shook her head vigorously.

She did not know what Ling Qingyue wanted to do, but she could refuse in advance.

Xue Zizai could not understand the silent exchange between them. After sitting down, she handed over the medicine bottles. "The Little Medical Immortal asked me to bring these to you."

Ling Qingyue's eyes showed a trace of surprise. Gu Huai?

She took the bottles and examined them. One black, one white. The bottles carried Gu Huai's restriction. Once the stoppers were opened, the restriction vanished, and Ling Qingyue's consciousness received the effects of both medicines.

The black bottle was for Ling Qingyue, to suppress the demonic bloodline of the other half of this body. The white bottle was for Pei Yin, to help heal and nourish her meridians and consolidate her inner spiritual energy more quickly.

Ling Qingyue understood. She put the medicine bottles away safely.

"Let's eat."

As soon as the words were out, Pei Xi moved, struggling with her chopsticks to stab the chicken leg in front of her. After ages, she still could not pierce it.

Ling Qingyue watched, speechless, and took the initiative to put it in her bowl.

After hesitating a moment, Xue Zizai asked anyway, "Are Master and Master's Wife going out?"

"Mm," Ling Qingyue answered casually. "We leave tomorrow. I'll teach you the next few days' heart formulas and sword techniques."

Xue Zizai bit her lip. "Going out…is something the matter?"

Pei Yin placed the other chicken leg into Ling Qingyue's bowl, her gaze brushing past Xue Zizai once.

Ling Qingyue was shelling shrimp. The first one she fed to Pei Yin's mouth. She then shelled a second and put it into Xue Zizai's bowl, replying as she did so, "Looking into something. It won't take long, back in two or three days."

Pei Xi was gnawing her chicken leg, but when she saw the shrimp, she grew envious and whined at Ling Qingyue, "I want some too."

Ling Qingyue tossed her one with the shell still on. Pei Xi buried her head and kept eating. She liked them with the shell; they were crunchy.

Xue Zizai asked no further questions and ate quietly.

Neither Ling Qingyue nor Pei Yin ate much at this meal. Ling Qingyue liked to put food in the bowls of Pei Xi and Xue Zizai. Pei Yin liked to feed Ling Qingyue.

After lunch, afraid Ling Qingyue would grab her to eat messy dreams again, Pei Xi ran off before she had even wiped her mouth clean.

Xue Zizai was a bit distracted. She made mistakes repeatedly while practicing sword. When Ling Qingyue asked, Xue Zizai only said she had not slept well. Ling Qingyue told her to go back to her room and rest properly.

The next day, Ling Qingyue and Pei Yin set off for Liuyun Immortal Sect. Nie Wenxiao and Chu Qianshan both came to see them off.

Chu Qianshan warned, "Liuyun Immortal Sect was exterminated by the Demon Race. The old site has been sealed for a hundred years. Evil spirits may still exist inside."

Pei Yin nodded, then boarded the skyship with Ling Qingyue and headed west.

Nie Wenxiao and Chu Qianshan returned to the East Courtyard.

Not long after, a ripple like a water pattern flickered briefly across the barrier of the Sect Grand Formation below the mountain.

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