After Forgetting Two Exes - Chapter 37

Helping a lost fox find its family was preposterous enough, yet each subsequent stage became increasingly baffling.

“Thank you, kind souls. There are not many helpful young people left these days. You two are truly a handsome man and a beautiful woman; a perfect match!”

An elderly woman clutched the coin purse Ji Xunyue had retrieved for her, muttering her gratitude before suddenly pivoting the conversation toward Ji Xunyue and Xuan Huai.

“What?!” Before Ji Xunyue could clarify, the scene shifted to the next illusion.

She was left with no way to argue, her words caught in her throat. Three consecutive illusions followed this pattern, where the people they assisted inevitably ended their encounters with such cryptic remarks.

Xuan Huai, however, remained indifferent. He showed no reaction to being mistaken for her lover.

Since he has someone he loves, why does he tolerate such misunderstandings?

Ji Xunyue asked hesitantly, “The things they said… does Master not mind?”

Xuan Huai replied calmly, “Why dwell on matters of illusion?”

“…”

But she minded. She minded because she knew they were not in that kind of relationship.

Ji Xunyue said no more, turning her attention to the new round of the trial. This time, they landed at a temple. As they stepped into the main hall, the heavy scent of incense and candles washed over them. An elderly monk dressed as an abbot, who had been cleaning an incense burner, paused his work and offered a bow upon seeing them.

He spoke, “Have the benefactors come to seek a marriage blessing? Before we proceed, I ask that you both answer my question. Please, do not speak falsely.”

Marriage?

Ji Xunyue had an ill premonition. What kind of game was Sang Wo playing?

The abbot looked at Xuan Huai and asked, “Does the benefactor have someone he loves?”

Ji Xunyue’s heart gave a heavy thud. She looked toward Xuan Huai in disbelief just as his gaze happened to sweep toward her. For that instant, the world fell silent.

She moved her gaze away in a daze, failing to notice the focus in his eyes. She spoke haltingly. “Should I… step aside?”

“Yes.”

Their voices rang out at the same time. His brief reply was nearly buried by her panicked tone, yet she heard it with crystalline clarity. He had never forgotten that mortal woman.

Though she had known this fact from the words of others, hearing him admit it personally created an entirely different state of mind. Ji Xunyue felt there could be no moment more humiliating than this.

Before she could process her emotions, the abbot looked over at her. “And the female benefactor’s answer?”

Xuan Huai kept his eyes lowered, waiting for her response. This question was a torment for him as well, as if his heart were being hollowed out, exposing his deepest secrets before her. Just as he attempted to reveal his feelings, she had looked away. He was already disheveled enough and dared not make another move. He could only watch her through his peripheral vision as she stared silently at the flickering flame of a nearby candle stand.

After a long silence, he heard her whisper.

“…Yes.”

It was only upon hearing her admit it that he realized it was too late. If only he could have confessed to her sooner, would the ending have been different? Yet he had constantly retreated because of the way she looked at Shi Yuan and the way she smiled at him. He had been terribly mistaken, and it was now beyond redress.

After Ji Xunyue finished speaking, she stole a glance at Xuan Huai, only to look away again before he could catch her eye, maintaining an air of casual indifference. During that silence, she had cursed Sang Wo thoroughly in her mind. He must have heard her, because just as the abbot was about to speak again, the scene began to collapse.

The illusion had ended prematurely. The two of them watched the world dissolve in silence, tacitly agreeing not to continue the topic. Perhaps intimidated by her thoughts, Sang Wo obediently switched back to normal illusions.

What followed were simple tasks involving the slaying of demon beasts. The two of them barely communicated, as if burdened by the weight of their previous answers. It was only after plucking the Lingxi Fruit and being transported out of the tree by the formation that Ji Xunyue truly breathed a sigh of relief.

Mu Yin was the one waiting to receive them. Surprise flashed in Mu Yin’s eyes before she offered a smile of congratulations. “I did not expect you to take first place. The Yunxing Sect is truly not to be underestimated.”

As she spoke, other participants were gradually being sent out. Some still held the postures of casting spells, momentarily unable to react to the sudden termination of the trial.

“Why am I out? Is this the next illusion?”

“What are you talking about? Don’t you see Elder Mu? It is over!”

The crowd gradually distinguished between the illusion and reality. They looked first at Mu Yin, then at Ji Xunyue, who held the Lingxi Fruit in her hands.

“Who are they? How did they take first? Isn’t that girl only in the Second Realm?”

“Didn’t they say the trial relies on luck? They just had good luck!”

Some sharp-eyed observers recognized her. “I have seen this girl! Isn’t she Ye Jinyue, the one who took first in the Second Realm during the low-level disciple competition a few days ago?”

“Now that you mention it, I remember too. I heard she was just recruited last month, yet her cultivation reached the Second Realm in only thirty days!”

Ji Xunyue listened to the chatter absentmindedly, wondering how much Mu Yin was involved in this competition. Mu Yin had helped Zhong Ling before and appeared to be the most benevolent of the four elders. While Sang Wo refused to state who masterminded the Five Devouring Array, could Mu Yin truly be ignorant of something so significant?

Mu Yin did not stop the whispering. She gazed toward the Lingxi Immortal Tree with a cold indifference, seemingly waiting for all participants to emerge. Her black robes made her expression seem even more frigid.

After a moment, she projected her voice to announce to the crowd: “The competition has concluded. You have all worked hard. The winners of this trial are Immortal Xuan Huai of the Yunxing Sect and his disciple, Ye Jinyue.”

Mu Yin was about to continue when she was interrupted by a panicked immortal princess. “Elder, my disciple has not come out! We were separated in the fourth illusion!”

Ji Xunyue’s heart sank as she looked at the woman. Her disciple was likely dead within the illusions, his body probably already turned into nourishment for the tree. The elders would not allow her to find any evidence of her disciple being murdered by others. She wondered how many innocent lives were lost this time.

Having witnessed countless innocents caught in the crossfire during the Great War, she had developed a habit of avoiding thoughts of death to alleviate the pain of her own helplessness. This numbness was a form of self-protection, yet it made her realize clearly that she had to act.

“Elder, my disciple is also missing!”

Several people spoke up one after another, shifting the crowd’s attention away from Ji Xunyue to the missing disciples.

Mu Yin’s expression remained unruffled. She said in a deep voice, “They were likely transported to a different location. You, come with me to check. The rest of you may disperse.”

Ji Xunyue stared at the retreating backs of Mu Yin and the immortals, already foreseeing the outcome. Whether Mu Yin knew the truth or not, the matter would be written off as an accident.

Time was difficult to gauge within the illusions, but three days had actually passed in reality. It was near evening, and the sky was growing dark. The participants began to scatter, though many surrounded Ji Xunyue and Xuan Huai to offer congratulations. Most were unfamiliar faces; some were sincere, while others spoke with a bitter undertone of jealousy.

Ji Xunyue responded briefly. Seeing Fang Qingchen standing outside the crowd with a knowing smile, she excused herself from those around her and walked toward him. Only then did she notice Ji Xiuwen standing by his side, supporting another person. That person’s head hung weakly; upon closer look, it was Fan Sheng.

Though she had healed his physical wounds, he had likely not yet recovered from the shock.

Ji Xunyue looked at Fang Qingchen and said with composed intent, “Immortal Qingchen, I hope I did not disappoint you?”

Since things had come to this, she decided to maintain the connection. After all, she might actually have to become his disciple to investigate further.

Her words caught Fang Qingchen by surprise. He hadn’t expected his earlier remark to come true, nor had he expected her to initiate a conversation.

He raised an eyebrow. “It was just a casual comment; I did not expect to be proven right.”

Ji Xunyue smiled lightly. “The Immortal has a keen eye. This disciple is impressed.”

As soon as the praise left her mouth, she felt a wave of nausea and quickly changed the subject. “And who is this?”

Fang Qingchen cast a disparaging glance at Fan Sheng and let out a cold snort. “He is my disciple.”

“It seems he is no better than Senior Brother Ji. Is he another useless waste?”

“We have not met for only a few days, yet your tongue has grown even sharper.”

Ji Xunyue smiled thinly. She was merely mimicking Fang Qingchen’s own tone, and a piece of trash like Fan Sheng deserved every insult thrown his way.

Fan Sheng suddenly broke into a fit of violent coughing. Had Ji Xiuwen not been gripping him firmly, he likely would have collapsed from exhaustion. He slowly raised his head, scanning the surroundings with a dazed look until his eyes met those of the woman before him. Her gaze was so icy that he could not help but shudder.

He did not recognize this woman, so why did his heart feel such an overwhelming sense of dread?

Seeing that he failed to recognize her, Ji Xunyue felt relieved. “It appears this Senior Brother is quite badly injured. The Immortal should take him back for treatment quickly.”

“A total embarrassment,” Fang Qingchen remarked, looking at Fan Sheng with pure disgust before turning to leave.

Ji Xiuwen offered a brief word of congratulation. Ji Xunyue responded with a gentle smile and watched them depart.

At that moment, Xuan Huai finished dealing with the remaining onlookers and walked to her side. Ji Xunyue smiled at him. “It must have been exhausting for Master to deal with them all.”

Xuan Huai wondered if she had approached Fang Qingchen simply to avoid the well-wishers, yet he sensed she was plotting something, and it seemed to involve Fang Qingchen.

“It is only what I should do,” Xuan Huai replied.

As the crowd dispersed, the Jianxi Forest returned to its quiet state, but there was still no sign of Shi Yuan or Yu Zaiye.

“Did Uncle Master and Junior Brother head back first?” Ji Xunyue asked, her heart suddenly tightening. “Could it be that Junior Brother…?”

She had already reached an agreement with Sang Wo, so her junior brother should have been safe. Yet, knowing Shi Yuan’s personality, how could he resist coming over to join the excitement?

“What about him?” Xuan Huai noticed her tension but did not understand the cause. “Do you think he failed to emerge as well?”

Ji Xunyue shook her head. “Master, let us go back and check.”

Upon returning to the Yunxing Sect, they encountered Shi Yuan coming from the storehouse in the western side hall. Ji Xunyue breathed a sigh of relief.

“Uncle, why did you return first?” she asked, noticing a small vial of medicinal pills in his hand. “Is Junior Brother injured?”

Shi Yuan waved his hand dismissively. “Zaiye said he felt a bit dizzy after coming out, so I went to find some calming medicine for him.”

“Then I am relieved,” Ji Xunyue said. “I will go see him as well.”

The three of them walked toward Yu Zaiye’s room. Shi Yuan remarked with no small amount of envy, “I must say, the news of your victory gave me quite a shock.”

Knowing that their win was not exactly honorable, Ji Xunyue prevaricated. “It was just luck.”

Shi Yuan pushed open the door and stepped in first. “You have no idea. The illusions we faced were either Eight Trigrams formations or mechanical traps. We could not figure them out, and we could not destroy them. It was sheer bad luck.”

Ji Xunyue could not help but chuckle. Sang Wo had indeed gone out of his way to make things easy for her.

“Master, Senior Sister.” Yu Zaiye was sitting on the bed. Seeing the two following behind Shi Yuan, he quickly straightened his back. “Congratulations to Master and Senior Sister for taking the top prize.”

Both acknowledged his greeting and watched as he took the medicine. Xuan Huai checked his condition once more and confirmed there was nothing seriously wrong.

The group sat down and discussed their experiences within the illusions. Ji Xunyue shared a few brief, carefully selected stories. Shi Yuan listened with sighs and groans, alternating between envying their luck and complaining about his own woes.

It was clear that Shi Yuan and Yu Zaiye had grown quite close; in the face of Shi Yuan’s attempts to dodge responsibility, the junior brother did not hesitate to point out his shortcomings.

These three days had not been long, but they had been chaotic for various reasons. Now that the sect was reunited, Ji Xunyue felt a sense of surreal warmth, finally allowing herself to smile comfortably.

In Xuan Huai’s eyes, her behavior carried another layer of meaning. Yet, the fact that she occasionally glanced at him with a smile helped to soothe his troubled heart. Ji Xunyue felt that a lively atmosphere was better; it made her less nervous when she looked at Xuan Huai.

Shi Yuan asked, “By the way, Jinyue, how do you plan to handle the Lingxi Fruit?”

Ji Xunyue had almost forgotten about it. She took out the fruit, studying its round, reddish exterior. “The victory belongs to Master; it had little to do with me. Master should decide.”

Shi Yuan cut in, “Xuan Huai does not need this bit of cultivation. Naturally, it should go to you.”

Xuan Huai glanced at him and then said to Ji Xunyue, “You may do with it as you wish.”

In reality, Ji Xunyue did not need the cultivation either; it would be better used by her junior brother or sister. However, if the identity of “Ye Jinyue” were to gain a boost in power, it would make her future actions more convenient. The Lingxi Fruit provided the perfect excuse to display a higher level of cultivation later. As for the fruit itself, she would set it aside for now. She wondered which realm would be most appropriate to reach; given her supposed “prodigious talent,” the Fifth Realm probably would not seem too exaggerated.

She had initially come for revenge, but now she was nearly becoming a legend in the Immortal Realm.

The four of them chatted a while longer. As the sky grew dark, Shi Yuan prepared to leave. He paused as if remembering something.

“That… the day after tomorrow is my birthday. I would like to invite you all to Guiyuan Isle for a gathering. You cannot refuse.” He added quickly, “You do not need to prepare anything. Your presence is enough for me.”

Those who possess eternal life rarely bother to keep track of birthdays, so celebrations are rare. Shi Yuan did not usually celebrate his birthday; the invitation was a spontaneous thought, a way to say another farewell to Ji Xunyue.

Xuan Huai did not respond immediately, looking at him with surprise. However, when he saw Shi Yuan’s gaze fixed on Ji Xunyue, he understood.

“Don’t worry, Uncle Master. I will be there,” Yu Zaiye was the first to respond.

Shi Yuan gave him a gratified smile and then turned to Ji Xunyue. “Jinyue, given our relationship, you cannot be absent.”

Ji Xunyue was stunned. She thought she heard a hidden meaning in his words—had Shi Yuan recognized her identity?

She feigned composure and said, “Alright.”

Shi Yuan then looked at Xuan Huai. “As for you, Xuan Huai, if you do not come, our years of friendship will have been for nothing.”

Xuan Huai replied tonelessly, “Understood.”

Satisfied, Shi Yuan smiled and waved goodbye.

Ji Xunyue used the excuse of being tired from the illusions to skip dinner and returned to her room to rest. She had intended to find Yu Qianchan under the cover of night, but on second thought, her friend was likely busy dealing with the missing disciples. It would be better to ask for news tomorrow.

Even without her telling her, Yu Qianchan could likely guess that someone was using the Five Devouring Array. Keeping the matter of Sang Wo secret for now would not cause much harm, as no more disciples would be entering the tree until the next fruiting.

Her thoughts drifted as sleepiness finally took hold. After days without rest, she felt the full weight of her exhaustion now that her guard was down. The moment her head hit the pillow, her eyes closed, and she fell into a deep slumber.