Shijie, why haven’t you come? I’m waiting for you.
Shijie…
The hoarse voice seemed to emerge from the depths of the abdomen, muffled and carrying a strange tremor, as if filled with excitement, yet also tinged with reproach toward her.
Ming Yueyi abruptly opened her eyes, panting as she turned her pale face toward the window.
Outside, the sky was already bright, and there was no one clinging to her like vines.
It was just a nightmare.
Ming Yueyi sat weakly by the bedside, frowning as she pressed a hand to her chest. The violent palpitations felt as though they were about to burst from her chest.
It was the first time in years she had experienced such a suffocating nightmare.
Once the palpitations in her chest subsided, she rose and sat before the dressing table. Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed the open window beside her, and her hands paused as she was tying up her hair.
Had she not closed the window last night?
But she distinctly remembered closing it.
Lost in thought, Ming Yueyi bit down on a hairpin, continuing to tie up her hair as she walked toward the window.
Pushing the window open, she looked outside.
The Jiejie remained intact, with verdant mountains and trees shrouded in immortal mist—a serene and beautiful scene. Nothing seemed amiss, except for a small celestial crane that had just crashed headlong into her Jiejie and knocked itself unconscious.
As for the small celestial crane that managed to knock itself out on the Jiejie every single time, there was no one else but Second Senior Brother who could be behind it.
Ming Yueyi calmly finished tying up her hair and stepped out of her quarters. Standing at the entrance of her cave abode, she picked up the small crane, which was still dazed and sticking out its tongue on the ground.
Lost in thought, she plucked one of its feathers.
The small crane suddenly shrieked and opened its eyes.
Upon seeing Ming Yueyi’s smiling face, it flapped its wings and spoke in imitation of human speech, as if greeting a fellow being.
“Junior Sister Yueyi, your senior brother has arranged a duel with someone at the Prajna Platform today. Come quickly and place your bets on your brother—you’re sure to make a fortune! Hurry, Senior Brother: Li Changming, leaving this message.” Qingyun Zong was divided into four major cultivation disciplines: Alchemy Cultivators, Sword Cultivators, Artifact Cultivators, and Talisman Cultivators. Fenjing Feng was the most powerful peak within Qingyun Zong, which was why disciples from the other peaks often enjoyed challenging Fenjing Feng with duels.
However, Sword Cultivators were inherently aloof and usually did not waste time on internal disciple competitions.
Only Second Senior Brother loved accepting challenge letters from disciples of the other peaks, and he always won. No one would ever bet on him losing.
Betting on Second Senior Brother’s opponent to win was something only a fool would do.
Ming Yueyi guessed that Second Senior Brother was probably short on Spirit Stones again, which was why he was openly trying to get some from her.
She didn’t expose him, simply instructing the crane to reply that she was aware.
The small crane joyfully flew away.
Ming Yueyi followed behind on Sword-flight.
A large crowd had already gathered around the Prajna Platform.
Ming Yueyi stepped out of the corridor, her beautiful eyes scanning the surroundings.
Normally, when Second Senior Brother engaged in duels, the outcome was already known in advance. Aside from a few disciples who wanted to learn his sword techniques and would linger to watch, there were hardly any spectators. Today, however, was an exception.
Disciples from the other peaks respectfully greeted her as ‘Senior Sister Ming’ as she approached.
Ming Yueyi casually stopped an Alchemy Cultivator junior sister and asked, “Who is dueling Second Senior Brother today?”
The Alchemy Cultivator junior sister looked surprised. “Senior Sister Ming, don’t you know? Senior Brother Li is also dueling a disciple from Fenjing Feng.”
Qingyun Zong had the fewest direct disciples at Fenjing Feng, and internal duels among its disciples were rare. That was why they had come to witness the spectacle.
Ming Yueyi frowned. “A disciple from Fenjing Feng?”
He Wujiu never accepted challenge letters, so it couldn't be her, nor could it be Qingyun Shimei who was still at the Repentance Cliff. Surely it couldn't be that junior brother she saw yesterday—the one who had just entered the sect not long ago, looking sickly and frail, seemingly unfit for the sword path but rather suited to be someone's Cauldron: Pu Yuemin?
The next words from the Alchemy Cultivator junior sister confirmed her suspicions.
"It's Junior Brother Pu."
As soon as the Alchemy Cultivator junior sister's words fell, an excited shout suddenly came from ahead.
"Junior Brother Pu is here."
With that loud cry, the Alchemy Cultivator who had just been speaking to her blushed instantly, no longer caring to continue their conversation, and hurriedly rushed toward the crowd.
Even the surrounding disciples gathered around one after another, as if they had seen some treasure. Before long, the area was empty, leaving only Ming Yueyi standing where she was.
Ming Yueyi looked in the direction where the crowd had gathered.
From the spire of the Prajna Platform, a snow-white-feathered red-crowned crane with a crimson mark on its forehead flew over. On its back sat a slender and delicate youth, with long, elegant brows and a face as radiant as the moon. Dressed in white robes and a red overcoat, his abnormally pale skin seemed to emit a soft glow in the faint light.
He cut through the spring morning, descending from the Prajna Platform under the admiring and affectionate gazes of the crowd.
Perhaps it was Ming Yueyi's imagination.
She felt as though the youth who had dismounted from the red-crowned crane, upon raising his eyes, had fixed his gaze on her through the bustling, noisy crowd, as if his stare had taken on a tangible form.
Just as she was about to take a closer look, her shoulder was suddenly tapped by a short sword.
"Junior Sister, what are you looking at? Your senior brother is right here!"
Ming Yueyi shifted her gaze, turning her head to look at the young man in black robes and a golden crown before her. She lowered her dark, thick lashes, staring at the short sword adorned with lavish jewels and rare Spirit Stones on her shoulder, and reminded him calmly, "Second Senior Brother, the sword—don't accidentally hurt me."
Li Changming sheathed the short sword, tucking it away, and rubbed his nose, wondering if he had just been scolded by his junior sister.
"Junior Sister, did you bet on me winning just now?"
Ming Yueyi shook her head. "I just arrived, Senior Brother. Why did you suddenly challenge Junior Brother to a duel?"
It was he who had challenged the junior brother, not like those before who had sent him challenge letters.
Li Changming shrugged, leading her toward another path. "To avenge Qingyun Shimei."
The two stopped at the place where bets were being placed.
He said, "It's about to start. You should quickly bet on me winning today. I guarantee you'll make a fortune and win back everything you lost before in one go."
Before Ming Yueyi could speak, he pulled her into the betting area.
Ming Yueyi glanced over and pried a fingernail-sized Spirit Stone from her bracelet, slowly placing it where the pile of Spirit Stones was largest.
Before she could set it down, her hand was blocked.
Ming Yueyi looked up, puzzled, at Li Changming, whose face had turned red.
Li Changming exclaimed, "Junior Sister! Even you aren't betting on me?"
Ming Yueyi gave him a strange look and explained gently, "I am betting on you."
Usually, Second Senior Brother would win, so many people bet on him. However, what he earned wasn't the Spirit Stones from the bets but the compensation promised by the loser after the duel.
Li Changming's face stiffened as he pointed to the names on the table. "Junior Sister, look again. If it weren't for your senior brother, whose name would your hand be hovering over?"
Ming Yueyi glanced at the table.
The table was divided into two sections. One was piled high with Spirit Stones, obscuring the name beneath, while the other had not a single Spirit Stone in sight. On the table was the character "Li."
Ming Yueyi looked at him in surprise. "Second Senior Brother, are you going to lose?"
Ming Yueyi had only been apprenticed for less than two months, hadn't he?
No matter how talented he was, he should be no match for the Second Senior Brother who had been cultivating since childhood. How could no one bet on the Second Senior Brother winning?
She thought she must have misread it, so she looked again at the words at the top.
It was indeed a betting pool for predicting the winner.
"I definitely won't lose, that's why I called you here, so we can make a profit together." Li Changming used his short sword to move her hand onto his own name.
Ming Yueyi's fingertips relaxed, and the Spirit Stone was swallowed by the Toad Spirit on the table, its mouth wide open.
Li Changming added, "Too little, bet more. When we win these Spirit Stones, I'll share some with you later. Next time there's such a good opportunity, I'll come find you again."
"Alright."
For something that was a sure win with no risk, Ming Yueyi naturally wouldn't refuse. She took out a bag of Spirit Stones from her Storage Bag and tossed it into the Toad Spirit's mouth.
Li Changming glanced at the displayed names, his expression looking a bit better.
After placing their bets, the two of them came out.
Ming Yueyi turned her head to look behind her, where people were still crowding forward to bet on Pu Yuemin winning. Curiously, she asked, "Why are they all betting on Junior Brother winning?"
Li Changming's face showed little emotion as he sat on the steps, wiping his sword. "Because they like him."
"Like him?" Ming Yueyi turned back.
"Yes." Li Changming nodded and said, "You just returned yesterday, so you don't know what's been happening recently. Ever since he joined the sect, there hasn't been a single person in the entire sect who doesn't like him. No matter what he does, a crowd gathers around him, as if they've been possessed by some Demonic Evil. Even Qingyun Shimei was like that—the moment she saw him, she clamored to become his Dao Companion for Dual Cultivation. Now Qingyun Shimei is still locked up in the Repentance Cliff."
When she first heard that the Second Senior Brother was going to compete with Pu Yuemin, she had vaguely guessed it was probably because of Qingyun Shimei.
But blindly betting on a match that was clearly going to be lost still surprised her a little, though that bit of astonishment soon faded like dust.
Ming Yueyi looked toward the crowd.
The eyes of those gathered around were filled with fervor and infatuation.
Just like her shallow impression of Pu Yuemin from her memories, it truly lived up to her recollection.
In the entire sect, there were few who had seen him and didn't like him. Regardless of gender, everyone was utterly infatuated with him. As for his temperament, it should have been extremely good—though she couldn't remember the specifics too clearly.
In her later lives, she hadn't paid him any attention, focusing all her efforts on how to escape the plot. Her strongest memories of him, aside from imprisoning him, consisted mostly of hearsay.
Once, Pu Yuemin had dug out his Benming Faqi to save a fellow sect brother who had been possessed by Demonic Evil, giving half of it to that senior brother.
He had also reportedly been robbed of a treasure and nearly suffered Dao Fall. Yet, when he woke up and the sect leader gave him the authority to decide the punishment for the one who had killed and robbed him, he actually pitied the person whose Linggen had been destroyed and tendons severed. Since they could no longer cultivate and would struggle to lift heavy objects even as an ordinary person after leaving the mountain, he chose not to pursue the matter further.
Not only that, she had heard that he personally escorted the person down the mountain despite his own injuries and illness.
Ming Yueyi couldn't understand such a person who repaid malice with benevolence. Fortunately, he had joined Fenjing Feng, a Sword Cultivator sect, which didn't have many Dharma Tools to begin with. Otherwise, the entire sect would surely treat him as a treasure trove to plunder.
From her perspective, Pu Yuemin was excessively kind-hearted, a natural-born saint.
With such a saintly heart, he wouldn't survive in the Cultivation World.
The drums sounded a long note, and immortal cranes, hearing the sound, perched on the green tiles of the spire.
"Alright, Shimei, I'm going up now." Li Changming stood up and flew toward the arena.
The youth had long since stood tall and graceful upon the stage, his soft, raven-silk hair cascading like a black shawl all the way down to his ankles. As Li Changming stepped onto the platform, he raised a pale, sickly hand and drew from the void a crimson serpentine longsword.
His gaze settled upon Li Changming, and the corners of his thin, faintly colored lips curved into a smile. "Senior Brother."
This was the first time Ming Yueyi had heard his voice since their meeting.
It was not particularly pleasant, yet not unpleasant either. Instead, it sounded as though he had not spoken for many years and had only just learned how to produce sounds, carrying an indescribable strangeness.