The Jing Ren Curse and the Senior Brother-Junior Sister Affection

The paper crane, a contact method belonging to her former Master, openly flew in through the window, hovering between Jiang Xue He and Di Ying, unsure whom to approach.
This seemed to prove that Jiang Xue He was indeed her close Senior Brother.
Di Ying, who had always had a poor memory, vaguely recalled at this moment that when her former Master coaxed her to sleep, he seemed to have indeed mentioned Senior Brother—
But it was only a brief mention.
How could Di Ying believe Jiang Xue He's one-sided words that he wouldn't harm her beloved Senior Brother?
Thus, Di Ying's face fell: "Code words."
Jiang Xue He raised an eyebrow.
She wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but Senior Brother's appearance had changed slightly—his eyebrows subtly moved, carrying an elegant beauty like a butterfly skimming water, or spring snow melting on a mountain.
Jiang Xue He's voice, however, remained as hoarse as before: "Alright."
Di Ying's voice was clear: "Sect."
Jiang Xue He: "Tianshan Sect."
Di Ying: "Location."
Jiang Xue He: "At the junction of Dong Zhou and Zhong Zhou."
Di Ying: "What is former Master's name?"
Jiang Xue He: "Lin Qing Yang."
Di Ying: "Second Senior Brother......"
Jiang Xue He gently said: "Bai Lu Ye."
Di Ying looked into his eyes, always a little lost in thought.
She didn't know if she was distracted by his vivid expression, or by some strange dream she had... In short, her heart beat a little faster, her face felt a little warm, and as she became flustered, Jiang Xue He waited patiently for her. When Di Ying reacted, she felt even more uncomfortable.
Di Ying thought to herself: What's so special about that? Didn't those villains chasing me also know which sect I belonged to, and the names of my Master and Senior Brother?
Her displeasure was clearly written on her face.
Jiang Xue He extended his hand and placed the three silver needles he had previously removed from her hand back into hers.
Di Ying looked up at him blankly. Jiang Xue He leaned down and continued to coax her: "I also know that your name is 'Xiao Ying', and you are currently... fourteen and a half years old, aren't you?"
Di Ying pouted: "Not true!"
She lowered her head and counted on her fingers: "I'm more than fourteen and a half, by two months."
Jiang Xue He was startled, then said: "Senior Brother will remember that."
But why would he remember that?
A silence fell between the two.
How could Di Ying endure this silence?
She didn't hold back for long before blinking: "I've already left the sect. My former Master and I agreed that I want to join a new sect... You are not my Senior Brother."
Jiang Xue He was prepared: "Master had instructed long ago that no matter where you go, if you call me 'Senior Brother,' I will protect you. Are you willing to call me Senior Brother?"
In Di Ying's eyes, a light like jade water flowed, clear, striking, and pure.
She pretended not to hear his words, turned her face away, and quickly hid the needles in her hand. Her hands clasped in front of her chest, she leaned slightly, a gesture of avoidance mixed with shyness.
And yet, she couldn't hide her joy—
Di Ying: "Are you really my Senior Brother? Are you also implicated with us and being hunted? Why do you have... on your body?"
As she gesticulated, she suddenly froze for a moment, realizing that the wounds on Jiang Xue He's face were gone. Those wounds were hidden in his neck, concealed beneath his clothes, not reaching his chin...
Di Ying was stunned.
As she was in a daze, Jiang Xue He, seeing that she was no longer so wary of him, took her hand, led her away from the corner, and told her to sit down.
Jiang Xue He chose a few things he could say: "Are you asking about the 'Ten Directions Annihilation Jing Ren Curse' on my body?"
Di Ying was shocked: He really knew about this curse!
Jiang Xue He's demeanor, however, was calm: "This is a curse I placed on myself."
Di Ying: "?"
She was so afraid of the Jing Ren Curse that she wanted to die, yet someone would willingly place it on themselves? Was he sick?
Jiang Xue He was probably amused by her expression.
This Senior Brother, though gentle, rarely smiled, but now he offered a slight smile.
He told Di Ying—
"In the past, I wasn't a good person. Any heinous crime, as long as someone requested it, I would commit."
Di Ying was dumbfounded: "What was that? An assassin?"
The candlelight flickered. Di Ying looked up at Senior Brother. As Senior Brother told her stories, she secretly blinked, comparing the current Senior Brother with the appearance she had secretly glimpsed when he lifted his hood earlier.
She was distracted, and Jiang Xue He's words flowed past her ears like water mixed with sand.
Jiang Xue He told her that he used to belong to an organization, committed many evil deeds, made many transactions, and killed many living beings. Such a life had no future, and he didn't feel anything was right about it.
But one day, he realized he was living in a hell. He didn't want to continue like this; he wanted to save himself.
Jiang Xue He recalled: "I heard about this Jing Ren Curse formation from Master. I've always found it easy to learn anything I dabbled in, so I personally cast the Ten Directions Annihilation Jing Ren Curse—
"All my vitality, all the precious things on me, were sealed. I bore the sins I had committed to appease the karma on my body.
"This trip to the Five Poisons Forest to find Suan Yu... on one hand was for Junior Sister, and on the other, the karma on my body led me here to kill Suan Yu and avenge those who were harmed by Suan Yu.
"The Jing Ren Curse was cast by myself. Each time I appease a portion of the wronged karma on me, a part of the curse is lifted. Over these past few years, I've lifted quite a bit..."
Speaking of this, Jiang Xue He's mood also improved slightly.
He curved his eyes: "I once thought that after I lifted all the curses and restored my true self, I would return to Tianshan, meet Master once, and meet the Junior Sister Master always spoke of. I never expected..."
He lowered his gaze, his gentle eyes looking at Di Ying.
He never expected that before he returned, Junior Sister would leave Tianshan, traversing layers of obstacles, to appear before him.
Afraid he would notice her distracted gaze at his face, Di Ying didn't quite catch what he was murmuring. She interrupted him:
"So if you weren't a good person before, why did you suddenly awaken one day? There must have been some opportunity."
Jiang Xue He's eyes flickered.
He gently said: "My good fortune was meeting Master... and you."
Di Ying was startled.

She looked up at him blankly.
Perhaps it was truly as he said, he had once not been a good person, which was why he always carried an excessive tolerance, a blurred boundary between good and evil, or something that moved people.
He seemed to know everything, and could do anything.
He could read expressions, coax her, speak words as sweet as honey...
He was like the pure, clean white snow in the heavens and earth.
True perfection was indeed deceptive.
Yet Di Ying liked this very aspect—
She was too childish, too overbearing, willful, and self-centered. She liked to be coaxed, and enjoying herself was paramount.

Jiang Xue He, on his side, was still pondering how to make her trust him, when he saw Di Ying open her arms and smile.
She pouted, wanting him to hug her: "Senior Brother!"
This "Senior Brother" was called out with genuine affection.
With the warm little girl clinging to his chest, Jiang Xue He's mood was a little complex: Junior Sister was truly too "willful."

In the Yujing Sect, after the uninvited guests left in the evening, the five elders discussed the joint selection of disciples by the four great sects.
But compared to selecting disciples, what was more serious was perhaps—the appearance of the three other great sects might influence who would be chosen as the next Sect Leader of the Yujing Sect.
With a slight oversight, the Yujing Sect would become a puppet of other sects.
Elder Hua was worried about this. Beside him, Elder Ge slowly said: "I think this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The Yujing Sect has been closed off for many years; a little interaction with other sects isn't bad."
Elder Chen said in a strange tone: "You say that because your daughter married into Changyun Temple. If Changyun Temple supports you, you'll easily be chosen as Sect Leader, won't you?"
Elder Ge diverted the blame: "Isn't Junior Brother Shen also on good terms with the chief disciple of Guantian Mountain this generation? Didn't that chief disciple of Guantian Mountain just arrive? I saw him and Junior Brother Shen blushing and cooperating very well. Perhaps Guantian Mountain will support Junior Brother Shen as Sect Leader."
He was referring to the one who had just advised everyone not to quarrel, who was the chief disciple of Guantian Mountain, Hang Gu Qiu.
Hearing Elder Ge's argument, Shen Xing Chuan calmly lowered his gaze, saying nothing;
His younger sister, Shen Yu Shu, chuckled: "Brother has been in seclusion for several months; tonight is the first time he's seen Senior Brother Hang. Whatever ideas you Senior Brothers have in your hearts, there's no need to blame my Senior Brother. In my opinion—"
Her beautiful face paused at a few eye formations of the Big Dipper Formation in the middle of the road. Moonlight streamed in from the skylight, and the figures of several elders flickered within the formation, adding a touch of eeriness.
Shen Yu Shu softly said: "Perhaps Wushen Palace also supports one of us elders; it's just that no one will admit it."
Several elders' expressions changed, but they said nothing.
At this point, Yujing Sect, Wushen Palace, Changyun Temple, and Guantian Mountain, the four great immortal sects, had revealed a corner of the iceberg.
In the silence of the group, Elder Hua said: "Enough. What's more important now is the disciple selection. If we can understand the new disciples before the other sects arrive, that would be for the best—Junior Brother Shen, you are in charge of disciple selection this year, aren't you? You must prepare thoroughly; don't let other sects snatch away the good seeds."
Shen Xing Chuan nodded.
After their exchange, their figures gradually faded, and each departed.
Elder Hua sat alone in the middle of the road, lost in weary thought, when Hua Shi rushed in from outside: "Father, were there uninvited guests......"
Elder Hua began to lecture: "What kind of demeanor is that? What does it have to do with you? You should prepare well for this year's disciple selection trial; you should officially join the sect!"
Hua Shi was startled, then casually said: "What's there to prepare? If I make a move, I'll naturally be the chief disciple this time... Father, when I enter the inner sect, I must acknowledge Martial Uncle Shen as my Master. You promised me."
Elder Hua teased his daughter: "Your Martial Uncle Shen is a heaven-defying genius. He only accepts the best as disciples. Are you truly confident?"
Hua Shi proudly said: "Naturally—"
She suddenly fell silent, thinking of the hooded youth she had fought in the Five Poisons Forest.
Hua Shi lowered her eyes, her gaze dark: Could that person coincidentally be here to join the sect?
No.
No one could snatch her position as Senior Sister.

In the inn, Jiang Xue He coaxed Di Ying for a long time.
Di Ying, having slept a lot during the day and just gained a new Senior Brother, was extremely excited and refused to go to sleep.
Di Ying clung to Jiang Xue He, wanting to see what was inside the large bag her former Master's paper crane had brought.
Jiang Xue He then took out each item from the bag and showed them to her.
He read Master's letter to her—it was merely ordinary words of advice.
Di Ying excitedly asked: "Anything else? Are there no other gifts?"
Di Ying also requested: "Continue telling me your story."
Jiang Xue He was unhurried.
He complied with her request, turning to look for something novel that could entertain a child. But as he turned his back, a ray of light flew out from the bag and entered Di Ying's Sea of Consciousness.
Jiang Xue He immediately noticed. When he turned his head to investigate, he was stunned—
Jiang Xue He exclaimed: "Junior Sister!"
He suddenly saw that his mischievous Junior Sister was lying prone on the bed, having torn Master's letter into a pile of small pieces of paper, playing around haphazardly.
The bed was piled high with small mountains of paper.
When Jiang Xue He turned around, he just happened to see her picking through the pile of pages, piecing together some crooked words—
"Senior Brother only hurts Xiao Ying."
Jiang Xue He: "......"
Di Ying propped her chin, feigning innocence: "What's wrong? I'm reading the letter!"
Jiang Xue He thought to himself: You wouldn't just pick the words you like and piece them together randomly to read, would you?
Can one read a letter like that?