Wanxi Rebirth - Chapter 106

“Adjusting the memory retention of our own and enemy key targets after losing all mission tools, so that our side can gain intelligence and save time—this way, killing the intruder without a scratch isn’t difficult,” Qin Suoliu explained to Yue Tingxi while recalibrating the opening data of the 42nd loop.

“But the death of the intruder doesn’t end the real threat. Not to mention that part of Xisheng was forcibly taken to become a system. She followed the mission executor to countless disaster-stricken minor worlds and knows better than anyone the destructive nature of the Book-Crossing Bureau toward these independent minor worlds.”

“So, using the 81st loop to clear all the tools and accumulating enough resentment and causal power to strike the Book-Crossing Bureau—is that the inevitable outcome?” Yue Tingxi, having acted as a world consciousness for some time, wasn’t surprised.

“No matter what Xisheng ultimately decides, at least we have reached our own answer.” Qin Suoliu sighed lightly.

She continued simulating the remaining loops, both as a training for her soul and as a way to make up for the tragic past they were destined to face.

For now, the outside world did not require their intervention, and Yue Tingxi found something to occupy herself with.

Sitting beside Qin Suoliu, she sank her divine sense into the inner chamber of her abode, effortlessly entering another version of her own mind.

Before her divine power was exhausted, she needed to purify the soul of this other self, so that in the future, she could reincarnate in Xishan, gather spiritual energy, and begin anew, her past wiped clean like white paper.

She could also, using Lingchan’s perspective, investigate which forces were most likely to trigger a worldwide calamity.

With her divine power spread out, all memories before Lingchan’s encounter with them were sorted according to the purity of her soul.

Yue Tingxi knew she should start purifying the dirtiest memories first, yet she couldn’t resist peeking at the purest part of Lingchan’s past.

She wanted to see what her earliest self looked like in that timeline.

In that world, there were no Bashe serpents and no rampant demons in ancient times, but Lingchan still gathered spiritual energy in Xishan and was raised with Chanying by the Jade Mountain master.

One year after becoming human, she saved two injured children in the perilous regions of Xishan. Shortly after, a girl calling herself “Azi” latched onto her, while the other child returned home once confirmed safe.

The early-stage memories hardly differed from Yue Tingxi’s own, so she fast-forwarded twenty years.

Without intruders, Miss Qin, having reached a certain age, believed she had grasped the family’s power and persuaded her parents and the elders to officially break off her engagement with the young master Lin Chaoyao of Qingxu Sect, a promise made in childhood.

She even chose an auspicious day, bringing heavy gifts to Xishan, to request marriage to Lingchan from the Jade Mountain master.

At that time, the two races’ relations were neither good nor bad. Many human forces and large demons intermarried, or individuals formed bonds across races.

But for Miss Qin to break off a childhood engagement just to unite with a great demon—this was unprecedented.

Lingchan was naturally unwilling at first.

She was much younger in years than Miss Qin.

In terms of bond, they had had no contact for twenty years; even if they had been familiar before, they had almost forgotten each other.

She even thought Miss Qin could have chosen a familiar companion instead of her.

“The principle of marriage is mutual consent. Since my child does not agree, we should not force the demon.” The Jade Mountain master refused Qin Suoliu’s request.

Yet some people love to twist fate.

Qin Suoliu found a flawless reason to stay in Xishan.

She did not live directly beside Lingchan but saw her a few times, brought food, inquired about her preferences in secret, and prepared gifts in advance.

Maintaining a certain distance, yet never strangers.

Lingchan had no intention of falling in love but was unaware and slow to refuse.

For example, on Mid-Autumn night, if she saw Qin Suoliu carrying a food box and invited her to admire the moon, she would nod and follow.

She just felt it was no different from spending time with Chanying, Yunruan, or Luoyansha, and didn’t see why refusing someone’s marriage should interfere with casual interactions.

Yet some things, like a frog in warm water, gradually push boundaries once begun.

Yue Tingxi gritted her teeth and fast-forwarded more years.

In Lingchan’s memory, it took five years for Qin Suoliu to finally win her over.

The common human tale says that fighting side by side breeds affection. Qin Suoliu invited Lingchan, whose cultivation surpassed her own, to accompany her on three secret realm explorations, citing the need for high-grade forging materials, rare herbs for medicine, or a coveted spirit beast egg.

The secret realms were perilous, with scheming humans and demons stealing treasures. Lingchan rescued her countless times, to the point Qin Suoliu had lost count.

After the third escape, Lingchan visited her temporary residence, worried, asking if she could stay to help care for her.

—It was a perfect opportunity.

During that recovery, to heal her multiple internal and external injuries quickly, they practiced dual cultivation.

At first, Lingchan observed proprieties, but once emotions surged, she tightly entwined Qin Suoliu, even pushing aside dense coils of her own.

From that moment, their red threads were firmly tied. Even if they had gone through formal marriage rituals, Lingchan couldn’t say why she agreed.

Perhaps… she had grown accustomed to her presence.

Until disasters and wars between the two races erupted, Lingchan went elsewhere for support. Upon return, she saw the mountains drenched in blood, suddenly realizing an irreplaceable void inside her.

Her soul gradually became tainted from that moment.

Yue Tingxi, watching, believed she could withstand this pain—but seeing Lingchan wield the swords given by her partner to slay the undead Qin Suoliu, she felt a continuous sharp pang.

The immersion was overwhelming, perhaps because they shared the same soul. Purifying this “dirty” memory felt like plunging into the deep sea—suffocating, nauseating, helpless.

She saw Lingchan cling to Qin Suoliu’s shattered corpse, wailing, killing each undead demon that could call a name, crushing their cores, and burning the bodies to ashes with Bifang’s flames.

Luo yansha survived by fleeing early. Concerned, she returned with Bifang to hold a funeral for the Xishan demons.

“…Why?” Lingchan’s hoarse voice asked Luoyansha. “Why do they do this? Isn’t it better to live peacefully? To all live long… isn’t it?!!”

Luo yansha could not answer and buried her face in Bifang’s soft feathers, silently crying.

Afterwards, Lingchan, once indifferent to gods, began to pray sincerely at shrines for her loved ones’ souls to rest in peace and to clear the path ahead.

Yet, whether then or later, these heavy words never reached the distant heavens.

Luo yansha died.

She had left the fire while collecting supplies, but a mother’s desperate plea, holding a baby, caused her to toss Bifang into Lingchan’s arms and flee.

The mother and child were saved, but Luo yansha was burned alive by the demonic forces.

The demon called it a “transaction.”

This world could no longer accommodate ordinary humans and demons alike.

Yue Tingxi had to withdraw her divine sense from Lingchan’s mind. She intended to meditate but suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, her ears ringing incessantly.

Only when Qin Suoliu stopped simulating the minor world and hurried over did she realize she had not yet lost all her important people.

All was not too late. With more time and effort, purifying the other self’s soul might allow her to see the source of the coming disaster early!

Outside Bu Zeqiu.

Half a month earlier, confirming that the prior turmoil had subsided, Xie Zhi changed into a muted gray robe, intending to travel the world alone.

When the previous world consciousness, Xisheng, still existed, she had imagined being sent to the world, mingling with the crowd, and learning about all things.

But she was merely a tool. No matter how obedient, Xisheng did not want her to interact too much with the two races’ beings.

Contact and understanding would create attachment; then she could no longer act from the divine perspective rationally.

Now, Xisheng was a shackled core of the Book-Crossing Bureau, while the new world consciousness, possessing supreme power, resolved matters as much as possible in the way of the two races. Xie Zhi’s own invisible chains spanning thousands of years quietly broke.

At least, she loved the feeling of walking the land herself.

She even secretly took the alias “Chi Mi,” inspired by Qingwu, to remind herself not to repeat past mistakes.

—It was the 16th day since Xie Zhi left the mountain.

Sitting in a high-grade room at a guesthouse in the future city of Xianjing, now called Qingxiao City, she hugged her knees, astonished to see the blue-clad jade figure opposite her.

“How did you come? Not guarding the mountain?”

“Bu Zeqiu is protected by Master Chuiyin. I came on a personal matter. I have a feeling Miss Tingxi is doing something dangerous. Earlier, she had been in seclusion, and after emerging, patrolling Baichuan League, her soul seemed seriously damaged… Do you have any clue?” Qingwu spoke seriously.

She truly could not bear to see her “daughter” injured.

“Although I am a divine creation, I have not bonded souls with Yue Tingxi. How would I have any clue?” Xie Zhi was at a loss, then rose to prepare. “Fine, I’ll follow you back. The things you ask, even if unanswered, they shouldn’t be hiding them from me either.”

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