First Half of the Night with Me, Second Half with Him

As Jiang Xuehe and Ye Sha began to fight, Ti Ying could only stand aside and worry in vain.
Whenever one was pushed back a step, her heart would race with anxiety, and she wanted to step in to help. But as soon as she saw their faces, she hesitated and missed opportunity after opportunity.
Ti Ying murmured, "You don't need to fight..."
She didn't want either of them to get hurt, but neither listened to her.
Under the hazy moonlight, the mountain path flickered between light and shadow, making it hard to see clearly. Only the sound of the wind from their combat and the occasional flash of Jiang Xuehe's light blue Wood-type spells could be heard.
Ti Ying felt a bit helpless and waited in frustration for them to finish, hoping Jiang Xuehe would convince Ye Sha to merge so this farce could end.
But as she watched, she noticed something wasn't right—
Senior Brother's cultivation was much higher than hers, and she could capture Ye Sha without a problem, yet Jiang Xuehe seemed unable to catch him. Many times, he even let Ye Sha's sneak attacks succeed.
Ti Ying watched in confusion.
*Thud—Bang!*
Ye Sha was swept up by a heavy spell and thrown to the ground, creating a shallow pit. As dust rose, Ti Ying watched in horror. "Brother Ye Sha!"
She ran over to support him.
Ye Sha was pulled from the pit by her, leaning on her arm as he panted.
Looking up, the youth seemed to have blood on his lips as he grinned. "Xiao Ying, thank you."
Ti Ying: "No need..."
She slowly turned to see the reaction from the other side.
Jiang Xuehe stood tall and elegant among the fallen leaves, his face hidden by a veiled hat.
Ti Ying: "Brother Ye Sha, why don't you just admit defeat? You..."
"You think because I'm a mortal without your cultivation and magic, I'll lose?" The youth panted heavily and laughed. In the darkness, his hair was stained with blood and dirt, and his bruised face turned toward Jiang Xuehe with a mocking look. "Haven't you noticed? This Senior Brother of yours is the one who can't do anything to me."
Ti Ying was stunned and looked back at Jiang Xuehe.
She only saw the deep trees and wide leaves, with the youth in green and his veiled hat fluttering like a hazy mist.
A cold, bloodthirsty light flashed in Ye Sha's eyes. As he grinned, he looked both bright and sinister, directed entirely at Jiang Xuehe.
Ye Sha peeled back the layers: "If what you say is true, if you haven't lied to me and this is just an illusion, and I'm just a split soul of Jiang Xuehe... then why can't Jiang Xuehe take me back?"
He laughed maliciously at Jiang Xuehe. "Perhaps it's because in this illusion, I am the primary soul, and he is the intruder trying to take over. Without my permission, he can never take me back. Why don't he take a step back and let me absorb him instead?"
Ti Ying was shocked.
She immediately turned to look at Jiang Xuehe.
As the youth Ye Sha spoke nonsense, Jiang Xuehe walked out from under the tree. He took off his veiled hat, revealing a face ninety percent similar to Ye Sha's.
He was just a bit paler, more refined, and more enchanting.
Jiang Xuehe didn't deny Ye Sha's words. He said gently, "Ye Sha, you are a lock I designed for myself. For the Dream Demon Pearl to deal with me, it can only start with you. In this illusion, you are indeed the primary soul, and I am a dependent who used some means to enter. Because originally, it was impossible for me to enter. Why don't you think about why I insisted on using those means to get in? You are immature and reckless, with a fierce and cold temperament, acting without restraint. If you stay in this illusion, you'll be eroded and tainted. If you think you're fit to absorb me and protect everyone to escape the dream, I don't mind giving my soul to you."
He glanced lightly, still gentle and elegant. "Can you do it?"
Ye Sha: "..."
He had been struck where it hurt.
Ti Ying saw with her own eyes that Ye Sha initially smiled when Jiang Xuehe belittled him, his smile growing thicker and his killing intent heavier. But when Jiang Xuehe finished and calmly asked, "Can you do it?", Ye Sha fell silent.
Ye Sha's expression was grim.
But he wasn't stupid.
He looked at Jiang Xuehe and said coldly after a long while, "I don't believe a single word of the stories you two made up."
Ti Ying stared at him blankly: *...Didn't you just say you believed me? Was it all an act?!*
*Ugh.*
*Senior Brother... really understands Brother Ye Sha better than I do.*
Amidst her confusion, Ti Ying heard Jiang Xuehe say warmly, "It's fine. If we can't agree, perhaps traveling together will change your mind."
Ye Sha countered with a smile, "Perhaps you'll change your mind and be willing to merge with me instead?"
Jiang Xuehe lowered his eyes and smiled faintly, calm and polite. "That's not impossible."
His words instantly made Ye Sha turn and walk away in anger.
Ti Ying: *...The enchanting Senior Brother is going to annoy his younger self to death.*
Ti Ying looked anxiously at the dark-faced youth walking away, then back at Jiang Xuehe.
She hesitated and stammered, "Brother Ye Sha..."
Before she could finish, she heard Jiang Xuehe say softly, "Ye Sha is young and inexperienced, and I've provoked him. Now is the time he needs your comfort. Go."
Ti Ying: "..."
She had intended to go, but now that he said it, why did she feel a bit sorry for him and guilty?
Ti Ying emphasized, "Brother Ye Sha is very sad right now. If he's sad, you won't be able to bear it either. I'm doing this for your own good."
Jiang Xuehe thought: *How could Ye Sha be sad?*
He understood his youthful self—cold-hearted and bloodthirsty, loving slaughter.
In truth, even now, Jiang Xuehe rarely felt moved or showed emotion for those around him.
Jiang Xuehe didn't say it out loud, only nodding.
Though Ti Ying felt his lonely appearance was suspiciously pitiful, she was a "ruthless" girl. Having made things clear, she turned and left.
She heard Senior Brother's gentle voice behind her: "Xiao Ying."
Ti Ying turned back to see Jiang Xuehe say, "Come find me as soon as you're done. I have some deductions to discuss with you. Didn't you say you wanted to tell me Liu Qingmi's secret?"
Ti Ying nodded hurriedly, agreeing to it.
Ti Ying became very busy.
Jiang Xuehe went to set up a barrier to give them time to hide and rest.
Ti Ying spent the first half of the night with Ye Sha.
The youth started his own campfire, skillfully warming himself as he quietly watched the sparks. He had long since taken off the wedding attire and was now wearing the martial robes Jiang Xuehe had given him.
Ye Sha was silent.
Ti Ying thought of his experiences today and saw a hint of "melancholy" and "gloom" in his dark, quiet eyes.
Ti Ying squatted beside him, clumsily trying to cheer him up, talking to him and reassuring him that everything was fake.
Ye Sha saw her adorable, charming face as she told lies with a serious expression, her eyes darting around with great spirit.
He had been pondering the doubts of the day, but seeing her like this, he felt like teasing her. He played along and showed a smile.
Ti Ying redoubled her efforts.
As midnight approached, the sound of a crow echoed across the sky.
Ti Ying looked up and stood.
She said seriously, "Brother Ye Sha, you should rest. I won't disturb you."
Ye Sha was stunned for a moment and narrowed his eyes.
His naked eyes couldn't see the barrier protecting them, but he saw the crow fly past and guessed, "Did you get some signal? Do you want to go kill Liu Qingmi?"
Ti Ying was confused.
She said, "No, that was just a normal crow."
Before Ye Sha could feel embarrassed, he heard Ti Ying say innocently, "I'm going to find Senior Brother."
Ye Sha suddenly understood. "...First half of the night with me, second half with him?"
Ti Ying nodded generously, her eyes smiling.
Looking closely, Ye Sha even saw a hint of pride—she felt her hard work was valuable and would satisfy both.
Ye Sha felt anger in his heart, but he suppressed it and forced a smile.
His expression was a bit distorted, which Ti Ying couldn't help but notice. She saw Ye Sha cough twice and murmur sadly, "I betrayed my parents and my fiancée to travel with you two, yet I don't see where the road ahead leads."
Ti Ying looked at him.
Ye Sha didn't know if she understood, but he continued to act self-pitying and sorrowful, coughing occasionally and using his internal energy to spit out some blood.
Ti Ying seemed to understand, yet also didn't.
But Ti Ying promised him, "...I'll come find you after I talk to Senior Brother."

***

Ti Ying busily made her way to Jiang Xuehe's side.
Senior Brother was sitting quietly against a tree. As she leaned in, he asked if she was tired.
Jiang Xuehe's fingers gently wiped a bit of dirt from her cheek, his gaze apologetic. "Usually at this time, you'd already be asleep."
Ti Ying was happy for his concern.
She said sensibly, "I'm a cultivator; I shouldn't be so sleepy. I need to cultivate more, just as you taught me."
Jiang Xuehe: "True. Cultivate for an hour, then go back to sleep."
Ti Ying: "..."
Her face instantly stiffened, and she immediately disliked this Senior Brother, wanting to run back to Brother Ye Sha. But as soon as she had the thought, Jiang Xuehe grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms, not letting her run off.
He said gently, "I don't want to always force you to cultivate. I could certainly play with you all the time and keep you happy every day. I've even thought about letting you do nothing while I do everything for you. But would you be willing to live like that? So, I still want to supervise your cultivation—do you know why?"
Ti Ying paused for a moment and nodded.
He was doing it for her own good; only if she was powerful could he be at peace.
But with her spiritual root in that state, could she truly achieve the Great Dao?
Jiang Xuehe said, "Effort leads to success. I will eventually help you resolve the issue with your spiritual root."
Ti Ying: "Let's talk about Liu Qingmi."
The two exchanged what they had each encountered.
After speaking, Ti Ying seemed to understand a lot: "So, after Wei Buying died, Liu Qingmi was unwilling to accept it, feeling that Die Trinh (Ye Cheng) had caused his death. She used some inhuman means to torture Ye Cheng's soul, turning him into a vengeful ghost and trapping him in the Liu family, never to be released. And that fake general... after Wei Buying died, his sword was tainted by the filth of the ancient battlefield and cultivated into a demon. The fake general thought Liu Qingmi had trapped Wei Buying's soul after death and rushed to save the ghost, only to find the one trapped was actually Ye Cheng. The fake general also said Liu Qingmi used the vengeful ghost Ye Cheng to kill many people—the more living blood a ghost tastes, the further it drifts from normal reincarnation. Does Liu Qingmi want Ye Cheng to bear the sins for generations?"
Ti Ying was confused again: "Wait. The first time I entered the dream, I was chased by that vengeful ghost into your Divine Sense. Looking at it that way, the reason we discovered this Dream Demon Pearl illusion was because the ghost was chasing me—it seems the vengeful ghost Ye Cheng is helping us."
Jiang Xuehe held her, using his sleeve to cover her and block the cold night mist.
He said warmly, "General Ye perhaps wants to stop Liu Qingmi's stubbornness. Souls after death have no consciousness, but a vengeful ghost that has tasted too much living blood should vaguely develop some. General Ye probably knows what Liu Qingmi is doing and wants to stop her."
Ti Ying was dazed. "What is Liu Qingmi doing?"
Jiang Xuehe reminded her: "Ancient battlefield, filth, killing, souls not entering reincarnation, people in the illusion coming and going... it's likely that living people are entering the dream. What does all this make you think of?"
Ti Ying was startled.
She jumped up: "Liu Qingmi wants to use the filth to become the Void Filth!"
She was stunned. "But she's a mortal; how can she become the Void Filth..."
As she thought, she understood in her heart—
By using the Dream Demon Pearl.
Liu Qingmi perhaps made some agreement with the Dream Demon Pearl, letting living people enter the dream while the vengeful ghost killed people in reality. The filth of the ancient battlefield didn't dissipate, and the Dream Demon Pearl trapped the filth of Liuye City, letting it gather more and more...
Ti Ying blurted out, "We must stop her!"
Once the Void Filth is born, it can control ghosts, making it hard to deal with.
Jiang Xuehe: "Naturally. To capture the Dream Demon Pearl, we cannot let her succeed. I just don't know why she made an agreement with the pearl... The Dream Demon Pearl clearly doesn't harm people. What could it gain by cooperating with Liu Qingmi?"
Ti Ying squatted down, leaning on his knees, urging him, "Senior Brother, let's think about it some more."
Jiang Xuehe said, "Alright."
Ti Ying leaned in his arms, whispering in his ear hesitantly, "Actually, there's one thing that's been bothering me for a long time..."
Jiang Xuehe's heart skipped a beat.
He thought she was going to say something else, but what she actually said was worlds apart: "If Wei Buying is the ghost general, he tore his own soul so the other soldiers could enter reincarnation. But when I was appeasing the souls on the ancient battlefield, the number of souls was truly too massive. Furthermore, Ye Cheng didn't enter reincarnation after becoming a vengeful ghost. Senior Brother, do you think it's possible that Wei Buying is different from Ye Sha in the previous illusion? Brother Ye Sha tore his soul, but Wei Buying didn't? Everyone's resentment remains, and they are trapped on the ancient battlefield for generations."
Jiang Xuehe: "But you didn't find Wei Buying's karmic ghost aura in my Jingren Curse."
Ti Ying: "Perhaps when the Jingren Curse was cast years ago, you were too far apart, so the karmic ghost didn't have time to attach to you..."
She spoke softer and softer, not even believing herself.
She finally gave up. "Fine, fine. But I want to tell you, there truly is no Wei Buying among the grievances in your Jingren Curse."
Jiang Xuehe was stunned.
Ti Ying winked. "Doesn't Liu Qingmi want to gather Wei Buying's soul from you? Even if you were the one drugged that day, she would still fail... There is no Wei Buying in the Jingren Curse; no matter what means she uses, he won't return. She is destined to never bring him back."
Jiang Xuehe was shocked.
He was truly surprised this time, grabbing Ti Ying's hand. "Are you sure?"
Ti Ying nodded.
Ti Ying said grumpily, "Didn't you ask me to find the lingering aura of the dead in Old Lady Ye's house and see if it was similar to the grievances in your Jingren Curse? I looked."
Jiang Xuehe asked again, "Didn't you say they were the same?"
Ti Ying: "I only said there was some. 'Some' just means... it existed once. But I've entered your Divine Sense many times since then and secretly pondered it. I was even afraid I hadn't looked carefully enough, so I opened my Heavenly Eye..."
She turned pale as she spoke, thinking of those overwhelming ghosts, and trembled slightly.
Jiang Xuehe pulled her into his arms, and only then did she continue smoothly, "After opening the Heavenly Eye, I truly looked very carefully—I really couldn't find him. Senior Brother, you are just you. No matter how long Liu Qingmi keeps busy, she can't turn you into someone else. Wei Buying simply doesn't exist."
Jiang Xuehe: "Are you saying... he's long since had his soul scattered?"
Ti Ying: "Actually, there's another possibility... His soul perhaps never existed in the first place."
Ti Ying: "Does his body exist? If his body doesn't exist either, then it's definitely not a case of his soul being scattered. But I don't know why he wouldn't exist."
Jiang Xuehe fell into thought.
He said slowly, "Xiao Ying, do you know that the Xuantian Mountain sect practices Confucian Dao?"
Ti Ying was stunned—Xuantian Mountain, one of the four great immortal sects that appeared the least. The leader of Xuantian Mountain, Hang Guchu, was a kind person and a long-time friend of their current Master, Shen Xingchuan.
Why did Senior Brother mention Xuantian Mountain?
Jiang Xuehe: "Xuantian Mountain uses Confucianism to cultivate immortality, traveling the world and experiencing a hundred flavors of life to achieve the Dao. Their most important method of cultivation is to create thousands of incarnations to walk the red dust. Once the incarnation's cultivation is complete, the disciple returns to the mountain. If Wei Buying's body doesn't exist, then it's very likely..."
Ti Ying was dazed. "Does an incarnation walking the world count as a new life?"
Jiang Xuehe said after a long while, "Let's first try to find Wei Buying's body. I looked for it in reality but couldn't find it. Liu Qingmi completely erased his existence in reality. With her love for him, she likely hid his remains in the safer dream."
He said sadly, "To her, the dream is safer than reality."
Jiang Xuehe held the girl as they pondered these secrets together.
The girl listened intently, but she grew anxious over more secrets and buried her face in his arms, forgetting to return to Ye Sha.
A faint smile appeared on Jiang Xuehe's lips.

***

"The Dream Demon Pearl has been in Liuye City for years, never leaving Liu Qingmi. There must be a reason for it—a reason we don't know yet. Thus, Wushen Palace has always believed that the pearl perhaps simply recognized a master."
In reality, Bai Luye and Nan Yan walked along the small path into the city. Gradually, he saw the three mottled, gloomy words "Liuye City" and heard Nan Yan's introduction.
He and Nan Yan had previously joined forces to capture that Bifang bird.
From the bird's mouth, they learned that Liuye City had an important dream demon barrier. One could enter but not leave... The edge of the barrier was at the ancient battlefield.
The great bird spoke in human tongue, mocking, "That Junior Sister of yours truly thinks I'm afraid of her? The Dream Demon Pearl came from the Demon Realm. I discovered that barrier long ago. I was just afraid of being sucked in and not being able to get out, so I left."
Bai Luye smiled. "A bird that fled can make it sound so fresh and refined."
The great bird's eyes showed a fierce light. But it was sensible and gave a cold snort.
Later, the Goddesses and Heavenly Officials of the Wushen Palace who came to capture Nan Yan were also detained by Nan Yan and Bai Luye.
Those officials thought danger was near, their expressions grim. Nan Yan stepped forward, calm and orderly, apologizing and explaining she was investigating a matter, asking for their forgiveness.
Nan Yan actually managed to convince them.
Now, Nan Yan and Bai Luye were heading to Liuye City to save people, and it was because those officials had relented and allowed them to go.
But before they left, they warned Nan Yan, "Miss Nan Yan, once you've handled this, return to accept your punishment. Don't make things difficult for us."
Nan Yan respectfully replied, "Yes."
Bai Luye asked what punishment she would face, but Nan Yan brushed it off, only introducing the situation in Liuye City—
Speaking of which, the fact that Liuye City had become like this wasn't entirely Wushen Palace's fault.
Wushen Palace had indeed once wanted to obtain the Dream Demon Pearl.
The Great Heavenly Official of Wushen Palace divined a way for the Dream Demon Pearl to appear and tasked a Goddess walking the mortal world named Li with the matter.
Goddess Li paid close attention to Liuye City years ago because she divined that the pearl would fall there.
While Goddess Li was preparing to capture the pearl, she didn't divine that a tide of ghosts would appear in Liuye City.
Because at that time, before Wushen Palace could react, the Dream Demon Pearl had already appeared in Liuye City to recognize a new master—
A young general named Wei Buying.
The pearl's automatic recognition of a master showed it had some spirit. Wushen Palace wanted it even more, so Goddess Li went to negotiate with the young general.
Wei Buying was willing to give them the pearl.
However, Wei Buying said he wanted to wait ten years.
Bai Luye: "Why ten years?"
Nan Yan looked up.
The white cloth blocked her vision, but it didn't stop her "gaze" as thousands of threads of fate unfolded in her mind.
Any slight stimulus would lead to a different life.
Nan Yan said—
Goddess Li said: "He said he had a beloved who had been sickly since childhood, always hovering between life and death, which worried him greatly. He invited me to divine her fate and see how long she could live. I told him her fifteenth year would be her fatal calamity. Wei Buying then made a deal with me. He said—"

***

Ten years ago, the young general stood in the Goddess's palace, thousands of candles illuminating his face.
He said, "I heard the Goddesses and Heavenly Officials of Wushen Palace can bless people and fulfill their every wish. Great Goddess, you have protected Liuye City for years. Please bless me and fulfill one wish—leave the Dream Demon Pearl with her for ten years, giving her ten years of life, and let the pearl weave the dreams she desires. She can experience thousands of lives in her dreams. She can have the lifespan, health, and friends she lacks... Even if she wants to cultivate and become a high-ranking Immortal like you, the dream can make it real."
Goddess Li: "A dream is ultimately fake."
Wei Buying smiled softly. "Ten years of a profound dream... it's worth it."

***

Later, things went slightly awry.
Goddess Li blessed Wei Buying, exhausting her essence, and failed to divine the ghost tide, allowing it to descend on Liuye City.
One rainy night, Wei Buying, wearing a bamboo hat, returned from the battlefield outside the city to the City Lord's manor.
The silver rain was mournful as he quietly watched the frail girl.
She gently comforted him, saying she had recovered a bit. Once the ghost tide passed, she would beg the Goddess for a marriage blessing and convince her father.
Her slender form stood in the light of the rainy night, frail and withered. "...So, don't use a human sacrifice yet. Just wait a bit longer."
And on that rainy night, Wei Buying heard himself laughing.
He said, "Alright, we'll talk about the sacrifice later. I have a gift for you..."
Amidst the girl's frailty, his voice was covered by the rain, yet he heard her clearly: "What gift?"
Wei Buying said nonchalantly, "A betrothal gift."

***

In the dark of the dream, Nan Yan and Bai Luye stepped into Liuye City. The illusionary barrier was strong.
Nan Yan told Bai Luye some things from back then.
And in the City Lord's manor, Liu Qingmi fell asleep at her desk.
She also thought of some things from back then—

***

The teenage general placed the Dream Demon Pearl into the hands of the fifteen-year-old noble girl.
He rode away on his horse, returning to the military camp.
That was the last time they met.

***

In the dream, the person is not seen,
If one knows it's a dream, why wake up?
Even if meetings are frequent in dreams,
How can they compare to a single real encounter?