After Forgetting Two Exes - Chapter 34

As this thought took root, a flicker of panic flashed through Ji Xunyue’s heart, though she quickly regained her composure. It felt as if she had been aware of this truth for a long time, but she had simply been unwilling to admit it.

When exactly had this affection begun?

Perhaps from the very first moment she saw him, he had left an indelible mark on her heart. She had simply failed to realize it, or perhaps her subconscious had been too afraid to acknowledge it. Over time, that fondness had accumulated through their daily interactions, only to be fully unmasked as the truth was revealed piece by piece. She had awakened too late, specifically after learning that he already had someone he loved. Yet, it was also not quite late enough, as it allowed her to maintain a proper sense of distance in time. Fortunately, she had weathered many great storms, and concealing her emotions was a skill she had mastered long ago.

Ji Xunyue stood up and asked, “Master, shall we continue our journey?”

Seeing her smile vanish and her tone adopt a touch of distance, Xuan Huai could not help but be slightly taken aback. Just a moment ago, when she had looked up at him from his arms, there was a fleeting second where he felt they had returned to the days they spent together in the past. She used to look at him with that same intimacy in her eyes. But now, it was as if nothing had happened between them at all and they had returned to the starting point.

Xuan Huai gave a soft acknowledgment, stood up to smooth his robes, and continued the journey with Ji Xunyue. The two walked along the stream in silence. The mountain summit drew closer, but as they reached the end, they discovered that the path ahead opened into a vast void. Ji Xunyue stood at the edge and looked down. There was nothing below. The entire valley consisted only of a surface layer, like a crumpled piece of paper suspended in mid-air.

Xuan Huai reached out his hand, and his fingertips seemed to brush against an invisible barrier. With a bit more force, his fingers sank in and vanished from sight.

Ji Xunyue analyzed the situation. “It seems the exit is right in front of us.”

Xuan Huai withdrew his hand. “I will go in first to take a look.”

Ji Xunyue nodded. She saw that as he crossed the barrier, the void seemed to ripple with a slight distortion. After that, she could no longer sense his location. This illusion was likely just a guide for beginners, as it was filled with hints regarding how it differed from reality. It was an exit, but also the entrance to the true illusion trials. Ji Xunyue stopped overthinking and walked straight forward. As she touched the barrier, that familiar sensation of drowning returned, forcing her to close her eyes.

Before the scenery even met her eyes, the chirping of birds reached her ears. She opened her eyes and found herself in a mundane forest. As far as the eye could see, the trees were all virtually identical. Amidst the birdsong, there were faint, indistinct roars of beasts, the source of which seemed to be the center of the forest.

The Lingxi Immortal Tree created natural illusions. Breaking a man-made illusion required destroying the core of an array, but natural illusions were much simpler. One either suppressed them with strength or fulfilled specific completion criteria. The restriction on her spiritual energy had been lifted, so it seemed the objective of this first trial was to defeat the demon beasts within the illusion. Xuan Huai was still quite some distance away, so Ji Xunyue decided to rendezvous with him first before gauging the strength of the beasts.

A short while later, a cold flash of sword-light flickered. A bear-like demon beast let out a pained wail and collapsed to the ground. Xuan Huai landed after his move, looking completely unruffled. Ji Xunyue had not intervened, merely standing aside to watch. After all, as someone in the Second Realm, there was little she could have done anyway. Before she could speak, the illusion began to dissolve, and in the blink of an eye, they were in a new, unfamiliar location.

Three successive illusions had all required the slaying of demon beasts. Although the difficulty was gradually increasing, it was still far too simple for someone who had achieved immortality. Shi Yuan had mentioned that not all the illusions relied solely on strength. Was this a stroke of good luck or bad?

As if hearing Ji Xunyue’s inner thoughts, the fifth illusion finally changed format. By the looks of it, she had arrived in a small town. People bustled about on the streets, and though they were mere fabrications, it was at least less boring. With each new illusion, Xuan Huai’s starting position seemed to get further away. She wandered through the busy market in the direction of his location, studying the town for clues on how to clear the trial.

A man dressed in disciple robes approached her. He had delicate features, a fair complexion, and a slender build, giving him a scholarly air. As they met, the man’s eyes lit up and he offered a gentle smile. “Please wait, Junior Sister. I am Fan Sheng. May I ask how I should address you?”

She had not expected to actually encounter another person within the illusion. Ji Xunyue replied politely, “Greetings, Senior Brother Fan. My name is Ye Jinyue.”

Fan Sheng was roughly in the Seventh Realm. He possessed a refined and quiet demeanor, yet his expression and movements carried an incongruous fervor.

“Why are you alone, Junior Sister Ye? Where is the immortal who was paired with you?”

“He is on his way here. What about you, Senior Brother?”

Fan Sheng shook his head and sighed. “For some reason, my Master and I were separated. We failed to enter the same illusion.”

This was unheard of. Ji Xunyue felt a sense of doubt, suddenly guessing the reason why he was so eager to greet her.

Sure enough, Fan Sheng asked expectantly, “Junior Sister Ye, may I join you? I certainly have no hope of winning, but since this is an opportunity for experience, I still want to try.”

Since he had put it that way, it was inconvenient for Ji Xunyue to refuse. “I will have to ask my Master first.”

Fan Sheng bowed with his hands clasped. “Thank you for your help, Junior Sister.”

Along the way, while Fan Sheng appeared refined, he was also quite talkative. His words were constantly aimed at prying for information about Ji Xunyue. When asked about his own sect, he was vague, saying only that it was a small immortal sect called the Chongfeng Sect. Ji Xunyue had met countless people in her time, so she remained cautious, sharing only the basic situation regarding herself and Xuan Huai.

“Actually, I arrived earlier than you, Junior Sister. I have already scouted this place thoroughly.”

“It seems you have already found a way to break the illusion, Senior Brother?” Ji Xunyue responded, though her gaze fell on a figure ahead.

He was tall and elegant with refined features. He was the type of person she could always pick out of a crowd at first glance. Indeed, Xuan Huai was far more pleasing to the eye. As their gazes met, Ji Xunyue offered a shallow smile. “Master.”

Xuan Huai gave a light nod. He looked at the unfamiliar face beside her, his tone slightly cold. “Who is this?”

After Fan Sheng introduced himself and explained his situation, he said earnestly, “I hope the Immortal will grant my request.”

From the perspective of practical interests, they would inevitably meet again after leaving the tree, so it was naturally difficult to refuse. Xuan Huai gave a faint acknowledgment and said nothing more. Ji Xunyue recalled Fan Sheng’s unfinished sentence and asked, “Senior Brother Fan, you mentioned you arrived earlier than us. Have you made a discovery?”

Fan Sheng nodded. “Please follow me. We can talk as we walk.”

The two followed Fan Sheng in a different direction while listening to his explanation of the illusion’s circumstances. Four months ago, a monster appeared on the mountain outside the town. It had a terrifying appearance but was capable of human speech. Whenever a household held a wedding, the monster would inevitably break into the bridal chamber at night and abduct the bride. Some brave souls went into the mountains during the day to search, only to find the brides’ corpses in the ravines.

As this happened more frequently, no one in town dared to hold a wedding. However, the monster became even more aggressive, randomly selecting innocent girls to murder. The residents had no choice but to agree on a monthly lottery to decide which family would sacrifice their daughter. To appease the monster, the girl had to wear a wedding dress. The bridal gown, which should have symbolized a day of great joy, instead accompanied them toward the end of their lives.

Ji Xunyue felt quite disappointed after hearing Fan Sheng’s long explanation. She had originally looked forward to this illusion, but it turned out to be just a bit of backstory added to the same cycle of fighting. She asked, “Where are we going now?”

Fan Sheng replied, “This month’s sacrifice has been decided. The monster is coming tonight. We are heading to that family’s home now.”

The sun was nearly setting, so they had to move quickly. Ji Xunyue realized his intent. “Do you mean for us to guard the girl and kill the monster when it arrives?”

“You may not know this, Junior Sister, but if a trial fails, you have to start over from the beginning. I believe this illusion requires that the chosen sacrifice does not lose her life.”

So that was it. Adding restrictive conditions did indeed make this more difficult than the previous trials. Starting over would certainly waste a lot of time. Therefore, the unspoken implication of Fan Sheng’s words was for her to take the girl’s place. Hearing her ask this, Fan Sheng smiled. “Actually, there is a more reliable way.”

Ji Xunyue blinked, understanding his meaning. “You want to let Master do it.”

As she spoke, she subconsciously looked at Xuan Huai, only to hurriedly look away after their eyes met. She still did not know how to face him.

Fan Sheng said with a light laugh, “I was thinking that the Immortal could take the girl’s place. As soon as the monster arrives, the Immortal can strike directly. We will stay outside to protect the others. I wonder what the Immortal thinks of this?”

Xuan Huai glanced at him. “I can do that.”

Fan Sheng did not seem to mind Xuan Huai’s coldness, remaining composed. Despite the plan, an unexpected complication arose.

“No! How can we let a man take A-Qin’s place? What if the monster realizes the trick and refuses to accept it!”

Inside a simple house, although the family was profoundly grateful for their offer of help, Shen Qin’s mother, Song Qi, immediately objected upon hearing the plan.

“Mother!” Shen Qin pulled her back and urged, “These heroes must have their reasons. Please, do not interfere!”

Ji Xunyue smiled. “It is no matter. Since Madam Song is worried, I will take her place instead.”

Fan Sheng, however, disagreed. “Junior Sister, do not take offense at my bluntness, but if this monster is truly powerful and you are harmed, I will not be able to account for it.”

Xuan Huai had remained silent until now, but he spoke up slowly. “You do not need to worry.”

Fan Sheng remained stubborn. “But—”

“I will protect her.”

Ji Xunyue had no time to ponder Xuan Huai’s words. She silently observed Fan Sheng’s performance. His concern seemed logical, yet his expression did not match his words. There was an indescribable sense of abnormality about him.

Song Qi was relieved and offered a flurry of grateful words. She then studied Ji Xunyue closely. “This young lady has a build similar to A-Qin. She should be able to wear the wedding dress.”

“Is that truly necessary?” Ji Xunyue froze. Remembering the situation, she quickly declined. “Miss Shen, just find me a red garment to change into. That will suffice.”

In theory, she knew this was all an illusion and should not have cared. However, the thought of dressing like a bride in front of Xuan Huai made her incredibly uncomfortable.

Shen Qin nodded and returned to her room. The Shen couple remained in the living room, offering enthusiastic hospitality and thanking them for their help.

Because they knew they were in an illusion, the three visitors had little desire to communicate and responded only with polite brevity. Seeing this, the couple headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Once they left, the living room fell into a deep silence.

Feeling bored, Ji Xunyue walked to the window to get some fresh air. Seeing that Fan Sheng had followed her, she looked up and smiled. “Does Senior Brother Fan have something to say?”

“Even though we have only just met, I feel a kinship with you, Junior Sister. I hope that after we leave this illusion, we can meet again.”

Ji Xunyue raised an eyebrow. “You overstate the matter, Senior Brother. If fate allows, we will surely meet again.”

Fan Sheng looked hesitant and let out a sigh. He then said firmly, “To be honest, it was love at first sight for me.”

Ji Xunyue remained speechless. Was his previous fervor simply because he liked her? Her first instinct, however, was to look at Xuan Huai. Although Fan Sheng’s voice was not loud, Xuan Huai must have heard it. Their gazes met, but both remained silent.

Seeing this, Fan Sheng looked toward Xuan Huai. “Immortal, I was overcome with emotion and offended the Junior Sister. I hope you will not blame me.”

At that moment, Shen Qin returned with a red, wide-sleeved robe. Ji Xunyue put it on over her clothes. It truly carried a festive air. Unlike her plain disciple robes, this vibrant splash of red made her features radiant with every glance.

Fan Sheng praised her repeatedly. Ji Xunyue smiled politely, though her eyes continued to drift toward Xuan Huai. Despite her resolve to hide her emotions, she could not conceal her thoughts at all.

Xuan Huai seemed immersed in some memory, and his attention was not on her. She silently withdrew her gaze, unable to describe the bitterness in her heart. It felt as though she were expecting something she already knew would never happen.

Night fell.

Ji Xunyue waited quietly in Shen Qin’s room for the monster to arrive. Xuan Huai stood guard outside the door, while Fan Sheng was responsible for protecting the three members of the Shen family. The window had been left open to allow the monster easy entry.

After a while, heavy footsteps echoed in the distance, sounding as if something were leaping across a row of rooftops. To prevent the monster from spotting the ruse, Ji Xunyue blew out the candle, picked up the red bridal veil from the tea table to cover her head, and sat on the edge of the bed.

A strong wind blew in from the window. She sensed an aura gradually approaching. Suddenly, the room flashed with light as the array Xuan Huai had set was triggered. The monster let out a roar and began to struggle desperately against its bonds.

Ji Xunyue lifted the veil, meeting Xuan Huai’s eyes once more as he pushed the door open. Xuan Huai watched her movements, appearing momentarily dazed.

The monster’s strength far exceeded the previous ones. It broke the array after a few struggles and, with a sudden burst of speed, leaped out the window to flee toward its lair.

Ji Xunyue moved to stand up, but Xuan Huai spoke. “I will handle this.”

She trusted him completely and nodded. “Be careful, Master. I will go check on Shen Qin and the others.”

As she watched Xuan Huai leave, Ji Xunyue exited the room and ran straight into Fan Sheng. She could not help but frown. “Senior Brother Fan, why are you here?”

“I was worried about you. I came over as soon as I heard the noise.”

“What about Shen Qin and her parents?”

Fan Sheng said dismissively, “They will be fine.”

He had acted so cautiously before; why would he relax his guard now? Ji Xunyue said, “I will go check on them.”

“Very well.”

After confirming Song Qi’s safety, Ji Xunyue waited idly for Xuan Huai to deal with the monster. After about fifteen minutes, the illusion vibrated slightly. It seemed the trial was complete.

As the illusion began to dissolve and fade, Ji Xunyue looked at Fan Sheng and bid him a slow farewell. “Senior Brother, perhaps we will meet again if fate allows.”

Although she felt his behavior was inconsistent, she did not think they would meet again and had no desire to investigate his intentions further.

Fan Sheng, however, took a step forward and grabbed her wrist. A smirk played on his lips, and a cold light flashed in his eyes. “Junior Sister, I am afraid our fate has already arrived.”

He truly was a problem. Ji Xunyue wanted to say something, but it was too late. After a wave of dizziness, she found herself in a strange, new place. Fan Sheng stood beside her, but she could not sense Xuan Huai’s location at all.

She and Xuan Huai were no longer in the same illusion.