After My Thoughts Were Read, My Master Led Me to Change My Fate - Chapter 38

How could that be? She was sent to the Sect as a child. Although Fenghua acted as if she wouldn’t let her delve deeply into many matters, she was, after all, someone who had those things implanted in her body. How could she be… completely different?

Ran Fanyin, however, did not intend to wait for her to think further. She gently held her chin and said, “Sometimes, similarity is the greatest difference. Therefore, this Sovereign will allow you to leave shortly.”

“Does the Fairy intend to use me, playing the long game to catch a big fish?”

“No. Lin Yuxue, this Sovereign grants you your freedom, on the condition that you must never set foot in human territory again.”

Ran Fanyin’s gaze fell on the girl’s delicate face. The flicker of hatred in those eyes naturally did not escape her notice, but the period of confinement had clearly brought about many unexpected changes. For instance, at this moment, the girl quickly suppressed her emotions and smiled brightly, “Thank you, Fairy.”

No questions, no further thoughts. Even if the person in front of her truly intended to use her to do certain things, so be it. It didn’t matter.

However, this time truly exceeded Lin Yuxue’s expectations.

After the news of her “death” spread, a person came and led her away from the Sect via a hidden path, escorting her all the way to the edge of the desert. She didn’t say a word throughout the journey. At the time of separation, she even handed her a robe that could completely conceal her figure and aura, and then silently left, not even waiting to watch her cross the desert before departing.

Lin Yuxue held the robe, falling into a boundless state of confusion for the first time.

Not far away, Qin Siyue and Ran Fanyin stood on a treetop, quietly watching the girl remain dazed for a long time, eventually choosing to put on the robe and swiftly cross the desert. Only when she was out of sight did the two slowly retract their gaze.

Qin Siyue: “Tsk, following you is such a pain.”

Ran Fanyin merely smiled gently and did not speak.

She had been contemplating a question: why did the person who gave Ning Songwu the hints choose Lin Yuxue as the protagonist to write the entire story? Clearly, if she were the protagonist, many things would be illogical, and Ning Songwu easily shattered the entire storyline, making the supposed protagonist setting meaningless.

If that was the case, wouldn’t that person be doing the whole thing purely for effort without reward?

If the writer of the book were someone else, it would be one thing, but someone so knowledgeable about the affairs of the mountains, who also deliberately concealed the entire situation of Huanxi Peak in the book, was clearly not an outsider but someone they were all quite familiar with.

If her guess was correct—that Cen Ran wrote the book—then the protagonist must have been selected as the most crucial person after repeated deliberation by the two of them. This person couldn’t be a random, irrelevant individual, but she couldn’t guess exactly where her importance lay.

Her blood should clearly be different from theirs, yet it wasn’t.

Someone should have come to meet her, to value her, yet no one came. It was as if she had been completely abandoned…

Ran Fanyin tapped her arm with her finger, deep in thought.

In any case, if she wanted to test how important this person was, and why, keeping her confined in a dungeon wouldn’t reveal anything. Only by releasing her could they observe and catch the true person.

Qin Siyue just turned her head to look at her, pouting in boredom.

She hated making friends with people whose minds were so deep. She was too lazy to calculate things so far into the future; it was too exhausting.

“I’m going back to continue the research.” Qin Siyue turned and left, not even waiting for the person still lost in thought.

Time returns to the present

The sudden appearance of a child’s figure on the battlefield was shocking enough. That the child actually used a short blade to halt Lin Yuxue’s frantic spiritual energy plundering, sitting securely on her shoulder to restrain her, was even more astonishing.

For a moment, although everyone still tightly gripped their weapons, their eyes held a degree of confusion.

Xiao Wanchen casually hopped over with a grin. She called over Ning Songwu, who was still dazed and hadn’t fully processed what had happened, and patted her shoulder: “Little Tian, this child’s fate is entangled with yours. It’s up to you to resolve it.”

“No, what exactly is… the situation?” Ning Songwu asked. Her shoulder was heavily pushed, and the next moment, the child disappeared into thin air. The frenzied person, having lost her restraint, instantly drew her long sword and slashed towards the crowd.

Ning Songwu couldn’t dodge in time and had to raise her sword to confront her.

Ning Songwu calmed her mind. Her eyes suddenly glowed as she looked at the person in front of her. The girl’s interior was no longer human. Dark-gold liquid coursed through her meridians, completely non-corrosive, just like the blood surging through their own meridians.

In fact…

Ning Songwu looked at her sword. A piece of flesh had just been brought down from this person’s body. Unlike others who had the source poison in them, there was no dark-gold surging in this piece of flesh; instead, it was the same dripping, crimson red as a normal person’s.

In the instant of her hesitation, Lin Yuxue’s spiritual energy violently surged again, reaching the threshold of the Void Refinement stage. Before the Lightning Tribulation could even react, she had reached the mid-stage of Void Refinement.

Ning Songwu’s pupils contracted. She dared not delay any longer. Her long sword was wrapped in purifying power. Taking her by surprise, she inserted it into the girl’s upper abdomen, attempting to press it into her dantian and restrain this berserk power.

It was fruitless.

All her struggles were ineffective. The spiritual energy around the girl was still rapidly surging. At this rate, breaking through to the late-stage of Void Refinement would only take a few breaths.

Ning Songwu tried to pull out the sword, but the girl gripped the blade tightly, her hands dripping with fresh blood. Lin Yuxue slowly took a step forward, grinned, and said, “Senior Sister, we have been entangled for two lives, two worlds. Are you going to treat me like this?”

Ning Songwu was greatly alarmed: “You!”

“Hahaha, if that old thief Wu Yan hadn’t been so greedy, trying to dig out my origin to enhance herself, how would I have remembered all these things, Senior Sister?”

“Senior Sister, how could source poison exist naturally?”

Amidst the clang of the two swords, Lin Yuxue’s voice, half-frenzied and half-cold, was spine-chilling. But Ning Songwu did not give up any opportunity to attack her. Clearly a flesh-and-blood body, clearly every sword strike carried her purifying spiritual energy, yet why was it utterly useless against the person in front of her?

And this person continued to rave, smiling tragically: “Senior Sister, do you know how much I’ve been through?”

“I just found out that all those people were devouring my flesh and blood, just to improve themselves.”

“I finally became human! I finally became human!”

“Why? Why are you all treating me like this? Why!”

“This is your greed! Why are you blaming me for it!!!”

As the hoarse scream, almost too choked to be heard, ended, Lin Yuxue unleashed a sword strike that shook heaven and earth, fiercely throwing the other person away. Then, she slowly straightened her back and said, “All of you, bury yourselves with me!”

Ning Songwu turned her head to look at Ran Fanyin. The woman had recovered somewhat after the long pause, her complexion gradually returning to normal. It seemed she was not severely affected by her. She still refused to look at her. On the other side, Xiao Wanchen met her gaze and merely raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.

And to continue restraining the others.

Ning Songwu had already found records in her vast sea of memories that might be related to Lin Yuxue. If she guessed correctly, the person in front of her was likely the fundamental basis of the so-called source poison.

【I’ll add realgar to your ice! Bad woman!】

【Why is it so easy for Elder He Lan to conjure ice too?】

【Is the cultivation gap that terrifying?】

【On the peak, she really did protect Xiao Wu. I get reprimanded just for blocking Xiao Wu’s light.】

【It turns out Xiao Wu is the most precious ‘shorty’.】

She said gently, “I truly am not a bad person. You can sit here for a while.”

“I knew it~ Because this place is very familiar.” The little dumpling patted her chest and said, “Your aura is very familiar.”

This served as a confirmation, adding a touch of truth to Ning Songwu’s guess.

Using her life force to exist in this world, appearing again before the naive and defenseless her—it was natural for her to feel familiar and subconsciously want to draw close and be intimate.

Perhaps this was also the source of the two people later involuntarily drawing closer to each other, trusting each other, and sharing that extraordinary tacit understanding.

Ning Songwu sighed inwardly, gently stroking the soft flesh on the little dumpling’s body. The little dumpling whined but did not refuse her intimacy, instead wrapping her arms around her arm.

This only made Ning Songwu want to cry more.

It couldn’t have been only this price. What about the others?

She suddenly recalled a fragment of a conversation she heard when her consciousness was hazy many years ago—

[ “Look at her, so frail and pale. A talent destined for immortality, yet now this… truly pitiful!”]

At the time, she thought it was about herself. Now it seems…

Talent destined for immortality?

She even gave up the chance to ascend to the Immortal Realm just to have another chance, is that it?

Ning Songwu sighed. A shadow fell before her eyes, and a cold yet somewhat familiar female voice rang beside her ear—

“Thank you, Your Excellency, for looking after Fanyin. Hand her over to this Sovereign.”

This must be the Sword Immortal. Ning Songwu was about to look up when a voice suddenly sounded in her heart—

[“Don’t look. Lower your head. Don’t look at my Lady’s beauty.”]

It was as expected.

With someone uttering the word “Lady” so spontaneously, Ning Songwu completely understood the context.

The female voice just now—wasn’t that the clear voice from the memory of Xiao Wanchen within the fragmented jade from long ago? Ran Quexin was related to Xiao Wanchen and intended to find a way to revive Xiao Wanchen, but instead gave birth to her Master.

So-called extreme madness was nothing more than this.

“So, Master was called a Pseudo-Spirit. Is that right?”

As the illusion shattered and dissipated piece by piece, Ning Songwu looked up at the person who was perched in the air, legs dangling, supporting her chin, watching her with a composed and relaxed demeanor. She asked, “Is that right, Xiao Wanchen?”

The woman slowly spread a smile, saying, “Long time no see, Little Tian.”

Ning Songwu scoffed inwardly, extending her hand, “Give me back my mask. How old are you, and you’re still using a little Formation Spirit to trick me out of my mask!”

“Heh, you stole my little darling, and all I want is a mask. Logically, you should be giving me a betrothal gift!”

“…Fine, then I’ll discuss it with Master later.”

“No, no, no! Oh, please don’t tell her.” Xiao Wanchen leaped down from the air. Only then did Ning Songwu clearly see her clothes: a very flamboyant red short top that accentuated her long legs. Her hair was coiled at the back of her head, and her fair face had a pair of large, blinking eyes that were clearly visible even here.

Xiao Wanchen begged, “For my sake—I sent her to wander in your modern-day memory—just, just don’t tell her, okay?”

“She, at most, is born from the energy Ran Quexin took from me. Her soul and everything else have nothing to do with me, nor with the formation.”

“In short, don’t say anything, please don’t say anything, and don’t even think about it, I beg you~ I’ll tell you the truth, I’ll tell you everything, I…”

Ning Songwu completely missed the rest of the conversation. She only heard the first sentence, frozen in place.

“Huh? What did you say? Where did you send her??!!”

【A plain white rice zongzi, one with red dates, and candied fruit zongzi… ah, a meat zongzi too.】

【The folk customs around Shangyun Sect are quite open. Sweet and savory zongzi can coexist.】

【Master must be very tired from arguing with those people today. I’ll bring her some delicious food.】

【Should I remind Elder Cat Demon that Master has kept this transmission jade pendant open all this time just to keep an eye on me…】

【Maybe Master is busy?】

【I hope Master is busy.】

She could only confirm that this was around Chaomu Peak, but when the mist rose, she distinctly heard a voice say this place was some Interstitial Illusion. Why would the illusion send her back here? Back to Chaomu Peak?

She walked around. The flowers, grasses, and trees on the mountain were very similar to those on Chaomu Peak, yet slightly different. It felt a bit more desolate, with fewer trees.

Where was this?

Her previous life, or the past?

Suddenly, a commotion caught her attention.

More precisely, it was a very familiar crying sound, mixed with the teasing and mocking of other children.

Ning Songwu followed the sound and happened to hear a voice among the crowd, filled with a hint of triumph: “It was just a race, and you couldn’t keep up with us~ We didn’t leave you behind on purpose. Why are you crying~ Aren’t you the Sword Immortal’s daughter? The Sword Immortal’s daughter is a crybaby, hahaha…”

She quickly approached and saw in the center of the children, who were circled three or four deep, a little girl sitting on the ground quietly sobbing, wiping away her tears again and again. She dared not fight back despite being spoken to like this, just shrinking herself into a small white ball, her silver hair draped behind her, gently trembling.

Master used to be this well-behaved.

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. How can this small, three-headed, white little dumpling be so cute!

Ning Songwu silently screamed in her heart, momentarily wanting to rush over and fiercely hug and rub the little white dumpling.

Just then, another child said proudly, “I told you it’s boring to tease her. Look, she’s crying already. Who knows how she deserves the title of the so-called Sword Immortal’s daughter? Who is born with white hair? If you ask me…”

“Enough.” Ning Songwu couldn’t listen anymore. She sharply interrupted their chatter, vaguely emanating pressure. She took a few steps to their periphery and said coldly, “I don’t mind hanging you up and spanking each of your behinds. Get out of my sight before I make a move.”

The leader flinched, then puffed out her chest and said, “You… who are you! Do you know I’m from down the mountain…”

A cold flash of light reflected off the long sword, effectively cutting off her words.

The children shrieked and scattered, but then heard the “King of Hell” coldly snap, “All of you, come back and apologize to her.”

“Are you being tricked by her? If you have something to do with the Sword Immortal, you shouldn’t flatter her. She…”

Another cold flash swept by. A rock in the distance split in two. The woman said sharply, “A-po-lo-gize.”

Even the person who was trembling and crying forgot how to cry, looking up at her blankly, her big eyes unblinking.

The children dared not resist. They were naturally bullies who picked on the weak, certain that even if Ran Fanyin had a thousand skills, she wouldn’t dare retaliate, and the Sword Immortal was even less concerned with outside affairs, focusing only on her cultivation. Who would care about their squabbling? Now that such a strong person had appeared, they immediately conceded, walking over one by one to apologize to the little white dumpling.

The little white dumpling’s voice was soft, asking them to get up, but the “King of Hell,” who had planted her sword nearby, maintained a cold face, instructing the little white dumpling that she must truly not be angry anymore before she could forgive them, otherwise they would have to keep apologizing.

“I’m not angry anymore,” the little white dumpling said softly. “I’m really not angry. It’s fine. Get up.”

After everyone left, only two people, one large and one small, remained on the vast hillside. Only then did Ning Songwu put away her sword and let out a sigh of relief.

Although she didn’t know what the intention of this illusion was in sending her here…

The little white dumpling casually wiped her face, slowly turned around, bowed, and said pretentiously, “Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for your assistance.”

This dumpling was too adorable. Ning Songwu was overjoyed but couldn’t resist teasing this crybaby.

“How do you know I am a cultivator? Perhaps I am a demon or a fiend?”

Sure enough, the little dumpling paused for a moment, as if encouraging herself, took a deep breath, and said, “I heard that fiends have green faces and fangs, and the Demon Clan must also be like that. They wouldn’t be as… as…”

Ning Songwu leaned closer and whispered, “As what?”

“As… good-looking!”

Ning Songwu was amused. She lightly curved her lips, resting one hand on the side of her face, watching the little dumpling with a smiling gaze.

Although this smile was a little guilty. After all, the Demon Clan had beauties like Fenghua, Elder Cat Demon was extremely cute, and Luo Sheng was also very good-looking… It would be very easy to trick this child away.

She watched as the child laboriously held onto a rock to stand up, seemingly wanting to leave, but her steps were unsteady.

Logically, a slightly older child with a three-headed body should be two or three years old. She shouldn’t be shaking so much when walking.

Ning Songwu furrowed her brow and asked, “What’s wrong with your leg? Are you injured?”

“No… nothing…” the little dumpling said tremblingly. After only two steps, she stumbled into Ning Songwu’s body with a soft ‘oops’.

She scared her little disciple.

She can’t fall and suffer any misfortune. She can’t afford that.

“Is your leg really okay? Can I take a look?”

“Hehe.” The little dumpling climbed onto her leg, flipped around to sit up, and smiled, forming shallow dimples. Her eyes, highly similar to her future self, curved into crescents. “It’s fine! I’m just a little dumber and weaker than my peers, so I can’t walk well. Mom went out to find medicine for me today, so I came out to practice walking by myself!”

Ning Songwu’s nose stung, and she nearly cried.

She had seen the Ran Fanyin of the previous life—strong, powerful, and physically very healthy and robust. She had also spent a long time with her grown-up self in this life, seeing her as somewhat sickly but also strong and resolute.

But she had never thought that at the beginning of this life, Ran Fanyin’s situation would be so difficult, even requiring practice just to walk.

So, the greatest price was this body?

The Formation Spirit could only conjure a body once. If she wanted her to return to the world, she needed to exchange it for her own body, is that right?

She barely managed to hold back her tears, simply because the little girl on her leg was truly…

Too bold.

A pair of chubby hands patted her face directly, softly patting, “No crying, no crying.”

Ning Songwu broke into a tearful smile. She said, “When was I crying? Also…” She looked down at the little dumpling squirming on her, acting like a little white bear coaxing her, and said helplessly, “Why are you so bold? Aren’t you afraid I’ll take you away and abandon you?”

“Huh?” The little white dumpling clearly hadn’t considered this kind of scenario. The hand patting the person’s face paused. She rubbed the spot she had patted, apologized, and then tried to slide down from Ning Songwu’s body.

How could she allow that?

How could she miss such a perfect opportunity to cuddle the dumpling.

Ning Songwu extended her long arm, scooped the little dumpling back up, and placed her on her lap.