Echoes of the Past (Part 2)

Di Ying did not sleep well. Since escaping from the Jade Capital Gate, this was the first time she had the chance to sleep peacefully, yet her dreams were filled with constant nightmares, leaving her mind unsettled.

She saw herself walking through a thick fog, not knowing who she was looking for or where she was going. She moved forward numbly, refusing to give up no matter how dense the mist became. Finally, at the end of the fog, she saw a familiar back. In her chaotic dream, she couldn't tell who it was, but the sight filled her with a surge of joy. She hurriedly pushed through the mist to reach him. She wanted to call his name, but suddenly realized she had forgotten it. She grew frantic, nearly moved to tears.

The figure turned slightly. His face was refined, his aura ethereal and transcendent, untainted by the dust of the world. The moment he looked back, the girl in the dream felt as if struck by lightning; her empty mind suddenly remembered who he was. She lunged forward, and though she made no sound, she stubbornly pushed through the thorns, her steps limping, her eyes fixed solely on him.

He spoke: "Go back."
Di Ying replied: "No."
She threw herself forward, arms wide to embrace him. The fog vanished.

---

Di Ying startled awake, sitting bolt upright in bed. Her face was pale, her chest heaving. Sweat matted her hair to her face as she gasped for air, but there was no one to part the bed curtains and ask after her or hold her. She had to learn to care for herself.

Di Ying sat quietly for a while, then slowly combed her hair and washed her face. She threw on a robe and stepped down from the bed, moving toward the bamboo basket placed beside it. She carefully opened the basket and saw that the wisp of non-soul she had captured was still there. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief. Indeed, she still had a chance to revive her senior brother. During his life, she and her senior brother shared the Astral Core Array; after his death, his soul would follow her unless he cast a spell to sever the bond. Clearly, he had not done so. He followed her; he was still with her. Though he had lost his body and she had yet to learn the complete Great Dream Art to revive him, she still held onto hope for the future.

Di Ying leaned close to the bamboo basket and whispered: "Do you want to eat anything?"
The non-soul did not answer.
Di Ying thought again: "Do you eat souls? Do I need to catch other ghosts for you to eat?"
She had never raised a ghost before and understood nothing. But with so many cultivators in the world, someone surely knew how to nurture a soul. She could find books and learn how to properly nourish her senior brother's soul before reviving him.

Di Ying considered her next move. Senior Brother Yi clearly wanted to take her back to Heaven Mountain, but she wanted to go to West Province, to the Changyun Temple, to ask Senior Brother Ye if he knew anything about the Great Dream Art, so she could return the manual. Previously, she had been too impulsive, harboring prejudice against Senior Brother Ye over a few matters, even tearing up his transmission talismans without a second thought. But Senior Brother Yi should be able to contact him.

Di Ying sat by the window clutching the bamboo basket, listening to the pitter-patter of rain outside. Feeling troubled, she carried the basket to find Bai Luye, intending to ask him to contact Ye Chuanlin. As she passed through the corridor, she heard the sounds of a heated dispute. Looking through the bamboo grove, she saw disciples of the Xem Thien Mountain blocking several Jade Capital Gate disciples who were aggressively demanding to search for Di Ying. She thought to herself: "I've caused trouble for Xem Thien Mountain again."

At that moment, a hand suddenly reached out and pulled her into a room. Di Ying’s reaction was a bit slow, but sensing no ill intent, she allowed herself to be pulled away. Outside, the disciples of both sides were still arguing as they began searching the rooms. Di Ying looked at the person who had pulled her; it was a strange-looking scholar carrying a demonic aura. Strange—did Xem Thien Mountain also accept demons as disciples?

The man appeared friendly, smiling as he said: "The Jade Capital Gate disciples are too overbearing, insisting on finding you. Senior Brother Hang didn't want to fall out with Sect Leader Shen, so he had to let them search. But don't worry, this room is where Senior Brother Hang often drinks tea and cultivates. No matter how arrogant they are, they wouldn't dare enter here to insult our Xem Thien Mountain."

Di Ying looked around the room and indeed saw tea sets and calligraphy tools. On a small bed lay a pine-colored Daoist robe that was about to slip to the floor. She felt something was off but couldn't quite put her finger on it. While she was checking the soul in the basket, the enthusiastic demon continued to ramble: "I've heard about your situation. I never liked Senior Brother Jiang; he was deep and unpredictable, making people uncomfortable... But the dead are gone, so I won't say much. You must look forward and overcome this hurdle! Nothing is insurmountable. When I learned the Ghost General was gone, I was also heartbroken to the point of wanting to die, but I got through it. Come, follow me, take a deep breath..."

Di Ying suddenly looked up at him. The girl had grown visibly thin, her face no larger than a palm. Her sallow complexion made her beautiful eyes appear terrifyingly large. She stared at the demon and said slowly: "You are... the fake general from the Willow Leaf ancient city battlefield. Why are you here?"

The fake general froze, then composed himself: "You only recognize me now? We've been talking for half the day and you didn't know who I was? Little immortal benefactor, you're quite forgetful." He hadn't given up: "You treated me so well before! You even came to the dungeon to save me, and you didn't abandon me when we were surrounded by Daoists?"

Di Ying lowered her head, quietly listening to the demon's chatter. She whispered: "...That was my senior brother, not me. My temperament has always been bad; I've never been good to anyone."

The fake general was stunned, his expression turning dazed as if he wanted to speak but couldn't. The image of the gentle yet cold Jiang Xuehe and the arrogant little immortal beauty in his mind began to blur. He looked at Di Ying awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

Di Ying said softly: "...Thank you for liking him."

After the Jade Capital Gate disciples were driven away, Di Ying hugged her bamboo basket and stepped outside. She walked down the long corridor in the rain, her small figure gradually disappearing around the corner. The fake general felt a pang of sadness in his heart.

---

Di Ying and Bai Luye went to bid farewell to Hang Guqiu. Hang Guqiu expressed regret upon hearing they wanted to find Ye Chuanlin, saying Ye Chuanlin had just left Xem Thien Mountain before they arrived. If they had come a day earlier, they would have met him. Hang Guqiu asked kindly: "I wonder if you have any business with Head Disciple Ye?" Di Ying remained silent, while Bai Luye gave a perfunctory answer. The Bifang bird stood nearby with a dejected look. The Xem Thien Mountain disciples were angry at their dismissive attitude toward their senior brother, but Hang Guqiu remained gentle: "If it's not convenient to say, then never mind. I wish you all success on your journey."

Bai Luye looked at him in surprise; this Head Disciple Hang was indeed as kind as Nan Yan had described. Perhaps it was because of his own narrow-mindedness that he always viewed others with suspicion.

---

One person and one bird departed, heading toward Changyun Temple in West Province. Di Ying said softly: "Thank you, Senior Brother Yi." Bai Luye was taken aback: "Thank you for what?" Di Ying replied: "You were willing to go everywhere with me without trying to dissuade me. I know you really want to take me back to Heaven Mountain, but you never said it."

Bai Luye looked at her. His little junior sister, who was usually impulsive and short-tempered, was now gently offering her thanks. He turned his face away. She had grown more sensible, but the price of that maturity was far too heavy. He said in a low voice: "Don't thank me. Seeing you like this makes me sad, as if I haven't taken good care of you."

Di Ying looked at him blankly, not understanding why he had such an expression. But seeing he was unhappy, she didn't say more. The Bifang bird beside them understood even less of the complex human emotions, only wishing for this to end so it could return to the Demon Realm.

As they entered the territory of West Province, perhaps due to Hang Guqiu's intervention, the pursuit from the Jade Capital Gate had lessened, giving them time to breathe. Bai Luye tried every way to cheer up his junior sister, but Di Ying remained melancholy, her mind only on how to nourish the non-soul in the basket. Bifang secretly asked Bai Luye if she had gone mad, since there was clearly nothing in the basket. Bai Luye glared at him; he knew that because Di Ying carried the Great Dream Art, she could see things ordinary people couldn't, but letting her stay in this gloom forever wasn't the way.

That night, they stopped at a small town holding a festival. Brilliant lanterns and fireworks filled the sky; the atmosphere was incredibly lively. Bai Luye persuaded Di Ying to go out and see the fireworks. Di Ying refused: "I want to stay and care for senior brother's soul." She had just caught a wild soul and was trying to feed it to the non-soul, but it kept avoiding her, causing her worry. Bai Luye decisively closed the basket, slung it over her shoulder, and pulled her along, rambling: "Ghosts might actually benefit from being around human vitality."

The night scene in the town was indeed beautiful. Di Ying looked up at the fireworks blooming in the sky, her gaze gradually softening. As they stood by the river watching the display, they suddenly heard cheering from the stone bridge. A noble young master was holding a beauty's hand, loudly declaring he would set off all the fireworks in the city to please her.

Bai Luye thought this was bad; such a scene was like stabbing Di Ying's wound. He was about to pull her away when he saw Di Ying curl her lip: "What's so special about this? I've seen things far more beautiful. Do you want to see?"

With that, she sat down, took out a stack of blank talismans, and bit her fingertip to draw with blood. Her movements were incredibly fluid. When she burned the first talisman, the entire town gasped in wonder. Thousands of twinkling stars suddenly appeared in the sky, and lanterns flew from nowhere, glowing brilliantly and outshining the young master's fireworks.

Bai Luye stared in awe at the sea of stars and sky lanterns, praising her without hesitation: "Xiao Anh, you're amazing! Did you create this talisman yourself?" But Di Ying did not respond; she looked up at the sky silently, her eyes brimming with tears.

She whispered: "The silver river and pale lanterns appear before my eyes—is that not a promise? Is it because I used the Snow-Top Talisman too much before that it's no longer effective when I truly need it? Senior brother once said I didn't understand the principle of 'extremes bring reversal.' I also lost the Liuqing Ocarina. It held senior brother's voice; he said he liked me, but I didn't know how to treasure it. When he sank into the sea, he had no will to live, but when he heard my voice in the ocarina, he reached out. I regret it so much—why did I let him hear those words before he died, forcing him to carry self-reproach and pain? Now I can't even keep a fragment of his voice."

She sobbed: "Is it because I said 'then go die' that he truly decided to leave? It must be because my temperament is too bad, always causing misunderstandings. If I stop being impulsive and losing my temper, will senior brother return? The person who always tolerated and coaxed me, who held me every night to teach me magic even when I was lazy and never got angry... is that person never coming back? He surely didn't believe I liked him, because if I did, why would I say such heartless words? Being with an immature child like me must have been exhausting for him..."

Bai Luye sat down and embraced her. Di Ying cried until she trembled, utterly helpless. He said hoarsely: "It won't be like that. You two share a fate, and you're so talented; he will surely return." He silently chanted a spell and pressed it into the bamboo basket on her back. He knew he could no longer hesitate.

Jiang Xuehe had once asked him a favor, but he had always been torn about whether to do it. But looking at Di Ying now, he knew there was no way back. Jiang Xuehe had indeed calculated everything, but he had underestimated Di Ying's feelings.

---

Di Ying was coaxed to sleep by Bai Luye. The next day, she was stopped by Bifang with confusing words. Di Ying felt something was wrong; when she saw the bamboo basket and Senior Brother Yi were gone, she realized what had happened. Her rage erupted, and she lost all reason, fighting Bifang before chasing after Bai Luye.

She pursued him all the way to the Forest of Impurity in Central Province, pointing her sword directly at Bai Luye. Just as she was about to strike, she saw Bai Luye throw the bamboo basket into the sealed forest.

Di Ying roared: "Bai Luye!"

Bai Luye struggled to dodge, hurriedly shouting: "What if this was his dying wish? What if reviving as a Wuzhi Impurity was the best method he could think of? He wasn't certain, so he didn't tell you, but he once said..."

---

That day, under the eaves in the pouring rain, Jiang Xuehe had instructed Bai Luye: "...As long as there's a chance to live, I will surely return to find Xiao Anh. If I cannot, let her forget me. Reviving through the Great Dream Art is a lie, but existing as a Wuzhi Impurity is real. That is the only way I can think of."

The youth in black, refined as jade and carrying a deep aura, stepped into the torrential rain, never once looking back.