The Immortal’s "White Moonlight" Reborn - Chapter 35

 “If you don’t melt that cage, I’m ignoring you.” 

Yun Heng’s voice carried a fragility that seemed ready to shatter at the slightest touch. She buried her face in her Junior Sister’s neck, her tears soaking through Wen Qiwu’s collar.

With tears shimmering in her own eyes, Wen Qiwu raised her hand and gently patted her Senior Sister’s trembling back, repeating over and over: “I’m right here.”

Her Senior Sister’s body felt cold to the touch, but her tears were scalding, burning Wen Qiwu’s heart with pain. Wen Qiwu shifted slightly, not expecting that the small movement would cause her sister to tremble with fear.

She didn’t dare move again, staying obediently in her sister’s embrace.

“A-Que” Yun Heng let out a faint, wavering sound. If one didn’t listen with absolute focus, her words would have been impossible to catch.

“Have you… forgiven me?” Over the years, Yun Heng had seen nothing in her dreams but distorted inner demons. Her Junior Sister’s true appearance had never once entered her dreams. As the days bled into years, she had begun to let her mind wander into dark places, wondering if her sister had grown to loathe her.

Wen Qiwu felt a dull ache in her chest. “Senior Sister, I never blamed you. You developed an inner demon; all those things you heard were just that demon talking nonsense! It was never what I meant!”

Yun Heng’s arms tightened around her slightly, though it was unclear if she was truly processing the words.

“Would you rather listen to a demon than believe me?”

“No!” Yun Heng shook her head instantly, a trace of panic flaring in her eyes. Fearing Wen Qiwu would misunderstand, she explained hurriedly, “I believe you.”

“I just… A-Que, I want to go with you. May I?” There was a hint of pleading in Yun Heng’s voice. If she could leave this world with A-Que, she could die in peace.

Wen Qiwu felt for her, and she was just about to nod when she suddenly realized that what her sister meant was vastly different from her own understanding. Her Senior Sister was seeking death!

“No!” she said decisively.

“Qiwu” That tearful voice made it incredibly hard to stay firm.

Wen Qiwu softened her tone. “Senior Sister, as long as you… want to see me, I will be by your side.”

Although the events of the past had left a significant psychological shadow on Wen Qiwu, she couldn’t possibly leave with peace of mind if her sister needed someone right now.

“It won’t happen, it won’t happen…” It was hard to tell if the current Yun Heng was lucid or muddled. Perhaps the scene before her was so beautiful it felt illusory, allowing her to faintly realize the reality that Wen Qiwu had already “passed away.”

“A-Que won’t come back.” Every word Yun Heng spoke felt like a blade carving into her heart until it was dripping with blood.

“Let me go with you, alright? A-Que, I’m begging you. I really can’t endure this anymore,” she sobbed.

Unbeknownst to her, Wen Qiwu was also streaming tears. Just as she was about to tell her sister that she had been there all along, she heard her sister murmur an answer to the question the inner demon had asked moments ago.

“A-Que… I am in love with you.”

Wen Qiwu’s entire body went rigid. Her breathing faltered.

The heavy silence sparked terror in Yun Heng. She didn’t know if she had said the wrong thing, or if her Junior Sister was unwilling to hear this belated response.

Seeing her sister’s body trembling even more violently, Wen Qiwu snapped back to reality. Her face showed no joy only a deep, pained sympathy for her sister’s reaction.

“Alright, alright, I know.” Wen Qiwu’s tone was more like she was coaxing a child. She patted her sister’s back again, truly treating her with the gentleness one would show a toddler.

If Wen Qiwu had heard those words a hundred years ago, she would have been ecstatic. But now?

Her Senior Sister had been driven nearly insane by her inner demons. How much self-awareness did she still possess? Were her words from the heart? Or were they a lure from the demon, or perhaps born purely of guilt?

Wen Qiwu believed in Yun Heng’s love for her as a sister, but the romantic love between Daoist partners… she couldn’t be sure of Yun Heng’s true feelings, nor did she know if her sister had even sorted out her own heart.

Wen Qiwu didn’t dare let herself sink into it too easily. She feared that once her sister was cured and regained her clarity, she would say it had all been a misunderstanding.

“A-Que?” Yun Heng loosened her grip slightly. Wen Qiwu raised a hand to gently wipe the tear tracks from her cheeks, her expression no different than before.

Yun Heng realized belatedly that her sister didn’t seem to believe her. It was her own doing.

“Senior Sister, you can go with me, but the way we do it will be a bit different from what you’re thinking.”

Hearing the first half, Yun Heng’s expression brightened. A curve lifted the corners of her mouth, more radiant than the most beautiful flower in the Plum Garden. It didn’t look like she was going to her death, but rather toward a joyful reunion a century in the making.

This was the happiest Yun Heng had been in days… no, in a hundred years.

However, the turn in Wen Qiwu’s next sentence made her tense up again. What did she mean by “a bit different”?

“Senior Sister.” Wen Qiwu took Yun Heng’s hand, using the warmth of her palm to heat her sister’s cold, soft skin.

“I will stay with you always.” Until you no longer need me.

“And I’ve been by your side these past few days. You just didn’t notice me.”

A look of confusion entered Yun Heng’s eyes. “By my side”

“Yes. Do you remember the cage that little girl, A-Yue, gave back to you?”

“The cage… I remember. It holds Qing Tuan.”

Her sister had confused her with “Qing Tuan” again. Wen Qiwu sighed, but it didn’t matter. Once she left that wretched cage, her sister wouldn’t make the mistake again.

“I’ve been inside it all along… Senior Sister, I hate that cage. Will you melt it down for me?” Wen Qiwu never wanted to see that cage again for the rest of her life!

Her slightly petulant voice could have melted Yun Heng’s heart. Forget melting a cage; if Wen Qiwu asked her to jump into a forge herself, she probably would.

“Remember to let me, let that bird out. Don’t keep it locked up! You must remember, Senior Sister! Or else… or else I’ll ignore you!” It took Wen Qiwu a long time to squeeze out a threat that held absolutely no weight.

To anyone else, it would sound like acting spoiled, but to Yun Heng, it was the most effective threat possible. Her expression changed instantly upon hearing it.

“I’ll remember! I definitely will!” Yun Heng repeated it several times, as if tattooing the command into her consciousness to ensure she wouldn’t forget even in her most muddled states.

“Also, Senior Sister, what exactly are you doing with the Myriad Soul Demon Lord imprisoned? Is it dangerous?” Wen Qiwu narrowed her eyes, still rimmed with red taking in every flicker of her sister’s expression.

The normally compliant Yun Heng suddenly began to stammer.

“Fine. If you don’t want to tell me, then I’ll just leave.”

“No!” Yun Heng panicked immediately. She grabbed Wen Qiwu’s wrist, refusing to let go. “I… I found a secret technique from the Demon Realm. I wanted to bring you back to life.”

“I tried other secret arts before, but they all failed. A-Que… I was useless. In the end, I could only try that sinister method.”

Wen Qiwu stepped forward and hugged her again, unceremoniously wiping her tears on her sister’s clothes. “Don’t you dare say that about yourself! And don’t you dare use any more of those Demon Realm techniques! How unlucky!”

Her sister’s body had grown weaker and weaker lately; those demonic arts were surely to blame!

“Alright.” Yun Heng agreed with surprising ease. Wen Qiwu wasn’t worried; her sister always kept her promises.

“And whether I’m by your side or not, you must take good care of yourself.” Wen Qiwu could feel just how thin and frail the woman she was holding had become. If a regular person had this constitution, they’d be blown over by a stiff breeze.

Yun Heng remained silent. As Wen Qiwu chattered away with instructions, Yun Heng simply listened in silence. It wasn’t until Wen Qiwu noticed and insisted on a response that Yun Heng finally nodded as she wished.

Even though a century of sleeping in an egg was but a blink of an eye for Wen Qiwu, she still had endless things to say and questions to ask.

However, time in the dream was limited. Before Wen Qiwu could finish even a few more questions, she noticed the distant scenery being swallowed by white light.

It was a sign the master of the dream was about to wake. Senior Sister, you must remember when you wake up!

Usually, Yun Heng’s dreams were swallowed by endless darkness, but Wen Qiwu’s arrival had lit them up. Feeling the end, Yun Heng spoke with a deep sense of longing and attachment.

“A-Que, thank you for coming into my dream.”

Wen Qiwu suddenly felt a cool yet soft sensation touch the corner of her mouth. Her eyes widened. The softness vanished as quickly as it had come, leaving only a lingering cold fragrance.

Her sister had been so close. For that second, her mind went blank, all sounds faded away, and all she could hear was the frantic thumping of her own heart.

Senior Sister… kissed her?!

The next second, the dream shattered. Wen Qiwu was expelled, falling into the pitch-black tunnel she had encountered when she first entered.

She remained dazed in that space for a long time, unable to snap out of it. It would take some time for Wen Qiwu to return her consciousness to her body, but Yun Heng woke up immediately.

“A-Que!” Still groggy, Yun Heng instinctively called out, only to find the space beside her empty.

Yet, her chest no longer felt as though it had a gaping, aching hole in it. Instead, there was a sensation of being filled with soft down feathers.

A faint sweetness seemed to linger on her lips. Yun Heng touched her face and found it already covered in tear tracks.

Her lips quirked, she was crying and laughing at the same time.

Her Junior Sister had come to get her.

She stood up unsteadily, wanting to go out, but when her gaze fell upon the birdcage nearby, a voice echoed from deep within her mind.

“Senior Sister, I hate that cage. Will you melt it down for me?”

Yun Heng stopped her movement toward the door and walked over to the cage. The little creature inside was still sleeping. She had been exceptionally lethargic lately, curled in the corner for most of the day. It was unclear if she was sick.

Her sister had said if she didn’t melt the cage, she would never speak to her again.

Yun Heng didn’t know why she had dreamed of that, but if her sister disliked it, then it really should be melted quickly. She couldn’t let it cause her to be loathed by her sister. Yes, it had to be melted immediately.

Yun Heng’s hand trembled as she touched the latch. With a clack, the cage door opened.

She scooped the little creature out. The little thing slept soundly, undisturbed by the commotion.

“I’ll find you a new place to stay.” Yun Heng stroked her feathers, her eyes shimmering with a soft light. The little one would have a new home, and she… she could finally find her own place of rest.

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