Wanxi Rebirth - Chapter 24

Yue Tingxi had never felt this way before. Yet, after returning to the mountain this time, the same sensation occurred twice in just half a day.

Fortunately, both times reminded her of that cute little girl from twenty years ago.

During the last life, while trapped in Qingxu Sect, she had tried to pass the time by thinking about many demons and many people, among whom was this little one.

Yue Tingxi often went down the mountain to buy supplies and had contact with many humans, old and young, but she never intended to form deep bonds with any of them.

Even Luo Yansha, whom she had known the longest, did not know her demonic identity. Their relationship was limited to exchanging gifts during festivals and sometimes sharing tea while talking about cultivation, business, and social woes.

Only that little girl was different.

Even knowing the girl deliberately found excuses to stay by her side, Yue Tingxi silently allowed it—the little girl was not like other humans. When they met, she was saved by Yue Tingxi’s demon form, yet she was still willing to stay close.

Yue Tingxi had no reason to drive her away and never asked for her name.

In human society, surnames often represent a family’s status or power, unlike the more straightforward naming in the demon world—for example, Yue Tingxi’s surname “Yue” comes from “gathering spiritual energy between mountains.”

She only wished to spend time with a normal little girl, unaware of her background, so that when they parted, there would be no emotional entanglement.

This kind of situation had happened before in Xi Mountain: obsessed demons clinging to human heirs of powerful families, becoming deeply entangled, and eventually forming blood contracts, bound for life as the family’s guardian beast, suffering eternal enslavement.

The little girl was delicate and headstrong, but in this aspect, she showed respect and even suggested Yue Tingxi call her “Azi.” Until the day she had to return home, she never revealed her family background; instead, Yue Tingxi discerned that she was from a noble, highly favored family.

Perhaps it was because she had spent a few days with Qin Suoliu, but when the words “young lady” flashed in her mind, Yue Tingxi subconsciously thought of the Qin young lady beside her.

She immediately pushed aside this strange association, quickly poured tea for Qin Suoliu, greeted her, and left the cave to look for the Jade Mountain Elder.

As the stone door closed behind her, confirming Yue Tingxi had left, Qin Suoliu released her spiritual power into flames, drying the dampness in the cave. She then slowly paced through the familiar arrangements etched into her memory.

This was Yue Tingxi’s home, the place in the world where she felt safest.

If possible, Qin Suoliu wished Yue Tingxi could stay in the mountains forever. No matter whether it was “Lan Chaoyao,” Tongyou Master, or the demon world, she alone could handle them.

Yet she understood that hatred could not be erased so easily, and the source of Yue Tingxi’s suffering still lived.

When it came to “revenge,” Yue Tingxi shared nearly the same determination as herself.

After circling the cave, Qin Suoliu finally sat on the stone bed, running her fingers across the cool, smooth surface.

—This was where she most enjoyed having Tingxi sister wrap her with her snake tail.

Cool and comfortable, but not freezing. As she indulged, she would eventually drift off to sleep without noticing.

Thinking this, she released a gray moth, asking it to guard the cave entrance, and then curled up on the bed.

She knew that this moment of tranquility was a stolen blessing.

Yue Tingxi hurried to the Jade Mountain Elder’s dwelling.

Though the Jade Mountain Elder was a jade spirit, she liked building small wooden houses. From the bottom of the mountain slope, Yue Tingxi could already see the exquisite treehouses perched on towering spirit trees.

Taking a deep breath, she transformed into a black-tailed snake and slithered up. Reaching the base, she coiled around the tree trunk and climbed up, arriving at the side of the Jade Mountain Elder who was brewing tea.

“Ancestor, I’m here.” Yue Tingxi assumed human form and sat obediently opposite the elder, ready to listen to her guidance.

In truth, she missed this senior figure very much. She wanted to throw herself into her lap and cry about her hardships, and even more, to tell her about the tragic state of Xi Mountain.

But those were events of her previous life; in this life, nothing had happened yet. If she spoke, it might be seen as unnecessary worry…

“Be honest. Where did you go after leaving the mountain?” The Jade Mountain Elder lifted her eyelids and stared at her, full of concern. “Earlier, the one who brought you down with heavy gifts—his soul, though impure, belonged to my human friend’s sect. He was also the child you once saved. I let you go with him because I saw you were willing to be close to him at the time.”

“But this time, your soul is extremely unstable, as if you suffered great torment. I don’t mean ordinary trials, but… someone subjected you to cruel tortures repeatedly!”

Yue Tingxi froze. She had not expected the elder to see through that, and as she opened her mouth to explain, her eyes and nose suddenly stung, and hot tears blurred her vision, falling onto her hands.

The elder immediately stood, wiping her tears while scolding coldly: “Was it that wretch? If you are willing to tell me, I will listen. If not…”

Her words unfinished, the strong, headstrong girl fell into her arms, wailing.

Yue Tingxi gave up resisting!

All the suffering and torment of her previous life—if even the Jade Mountain Elder could not hear it, to whom else could she speak?

Sensing the gravity of her story, the elder immediately lifted the protective barrier, preventing any demons from interrupting.

“Good, cry as much as you need. I’m here with you.” She gently stroked Yue Tingxi’s hair, holding her tighter.

Yue Tingxi sniffled, “Mm,” crying for a while before softly saying, “Ancestor… I… I actually died once already.”

In her previous life, no demons had come to find her. Yet she did not blame the Xi Mountain demons—the millennia-old covenant between humans and demons limited them in the human world. Besides, she had been under Lan Chaoyao’s puppet spell. Even if the elder sent demons to search, they could not have found her.

Only by confronting Lan Chaoyao and forcing him into a corner could she escape, but facing the sect master as a demon would surely spark catastrophic consequences between the two worlds.

Not hearing a response, she assumed the elder silently approved and choked out the events she remembered most clearly.

The five years of being a “puppet,” the endless repetition of days and nights, unable to resist the abdominal extraction of her essence, restrained on the demon-sealing altar, her senses drained day by day.

And… what she saw after death.

Though the space filled with dark golden text was uncomfortable to recall, she described it as visions her soul saw after death.

Finally, there was Qin Suoliu’s speculation.

“The young lady of the Qin family told me she and Master Lan’s younger sister believed he might have been possessed by an evil spirit. Regardless, she was willing to help me kill the current Lan Chaoyao…”

Before Yue Tingxi could finish, the elder scoffed.

“Possessed by an evil spirit? That’s a convenient excuse!” She helped Yue Tingxi back to her seat, pouring freshly brewed tea. “I’ve never been wrong before. If Lan Chaoyao had already been possessed when he took you, then the Qin young lady, whose soul is just as impure, might not be any better now!”

“Ancestor…”

“Tingxi, long ago I only saw such souls in demons. You should know how twisted demons can be. They kill, eat, and even prey on young demons! Some do it not just to strengthen themselves but for pleasure, competing with each other!”

Yue Tingxi fell silent.

Based on what she knew of Qin Suoliu and the “Book of Affairs,” the young lady at this age should value family and life. Even if she hated someone, it would be because of their actions, not her own malice.

Yet… she also believed the elder.

The elder had no reason to deceive her. If she wished to expel Qin Suoliu, she could have blocked her at the mountain earlier rather than speaking indirectly. That was not the elder’s style.

Then how to explain the current state of Qin Suoliu’s soul?

Seeing her remain silent, the elder was not impatient but reminded her: “If she isn’t possessed by an evil spirit, then her situation might be the same as yours.”

Yue Tingxi’s eyes widened.

Her mind went blank as the elder continued: “The difference is, you survived torment and held onto your heart, but she did not.”

“She…”

Yue Tingxi wanted to say that in her previous life, Qin Suoliu’s family was destroyed for no reason, and her own descent into the demon world made it understandable if her personality twisted.

But she could not speak, could not make a sound.

Subconsciously, she did not want to defend the Qin young lady in the slightest.

“I also know you have your own judgment and plans.” The elder sighed. “Since she is still trustworthy, and you deem her worthy to fight alongside you, then use her to achieve your current goal for now.”

She removed her jade ring and forcefully placed it on Yue Tingxi’s finger. “This is prepared for you. If you do not wish to break the human-demon covenant, you can use its supplies whenever danger arises. I put in defensive artifacts and teleportation talismans.”

“If you plan to kill the Qin young lady, do not destroy the jade as well!” The elder’s eyes were sad. “No matter what, you are the child I watched grow up and endured such horrors. In this life, try to live more comfortably. The Xi Mountain protective barrier will always be open for you.”

After leaving the wooden house, Yue Tingxi felt her ears and mind buzzing.

She thought: Qin Suoliu is hopefully from the same return-time as herself and not possessed by an evil spirit; otherwise, she would gain another enemy.

At the same time, her previous-life Qin young lady was also her enemy.

She also fought to suppress another thought: the elder said Lan Chaoyao was a child she had saved.

She had thought Lan Chaoyao was lying, but it turned out to be true.

And his childhood sweetheart…

She shook her head violently, pinched her arm to restrain herself, refusing to think further.

The suspicion subsided, but she still felt aggrieved.

Why was she so unlucky?

Stumbling down the mountain path, she unconsciously saw her cave.

Fresh mugwort emitted a pleasant scent—her favorite smell.

But she did not want to go in.

Nor did she plan to flee—the cave and Xi Mountain were her domain. If anyone were to escape, it would be Qin Suoliu.

She felt helpless, unsure how to face Qin Suoliu in the future.

By her temperament, she might have thought of tying the young lady up and beating her like Lan Chaoyao, but she could not bring herself to do it.

After being reborn with nowhere to go, Qin Suoliu had taken her in.

Their time together was short, yet the young lady had never disappointed her and would help without demanding.

Honestly, she did not know what Qin Suoliu was thinking now—was she making amends or using her again?

Seeing her hesitate to enter, Qin Suoliu immediately got up from the stone bed, incredulous.

Why were Yue Tingxi’s eyes red? Had she cried? Was it related to her previous-life experiences? Had she told the Jade Mountain Elder?

Suppressing a flood of speculation, Qin Suoliu summoned the gray moth and consumed the now-cold “Xi Mountain Red Robe.”

Then she strode toward the cave entrance, standing within Yue Tingxi’s sight.

“Lan Chaoyao has no new moves for now. If you want to stay at home, I’ll leave the moth. I’ll contact you if anything happens.”

She thought Yue Tingxi might feel better staying in the familiar place.

“…No, I just came to pick fruits and get supplies. I can leave now.” Yue Tingxi shook her head and walked to the cave. “Wait a moment while I pack.”

Seeing her clearly unwell, Qin Suoliu’s expression changed slightly. She wanted to ask but recalled Yue Tingxi had just seen the Jade Mountain Elder. Perhaps the elder reminded her that “that human girl’s soul is impure,” and she hesitated, swallowing her concern. “Okay, I’ll wait here.”

Inside the cave, Yue Tingxi noticed the damp smell was gone—Qin Suoliu had dried it.

The warmth enveloped her, yet it felt suffocating.

—“How is it? Comfortable after drying? Remember to do this during the rainy season. Sleep will be more secure.”

“Azi’s” voice echoed clearly in her mind.

Yue Tingxi closed her eyes, forcing herself into meditative cultivation, letting all distractions recede.

Then she reminded herself: I’m here to pack, then leave the mountain to continue the plan.

She decided to follow the Jade Mountain Elder’s advice: use Qin young lady to achieve her goals, and if uncomfortable, immediately end the alliance and return to the mountain for another plan.

After a while, she sealed the cave door and walked down the mountain with Qin Suoliu.

They walked in silence—one unsure of what could be said, the other sensing her companion’s mood, hesitant to speak.

On the way down, they met Chan Ying.

Even from a distance, Chan Ying sensed the tense atmosphere between the two.

…Could they be quarreling?

She did not know what happened, but having received the young lady’s “little mountain of spirit stones” earlier, she could not ignore it.

“Why take this path? Isn’t your cave over there?” She tried to start a conversation.

“I forgot to tell you. I need to stay in the human world for a while. I won’t be on the mountain.” Yue Tingxi explained.

“Ah? Where will you stay?” Chan Ying was surprised. “I remember you’ve never stayed in the human world…”

She didn’t know Yue Tingxi had been abducted before and assumed she had been in seclusion in the cave.

Qin Suoliu was about to speak when Yue Tingxi said, “Temporarily at Luo Yansha’s place.”

“Oh, Yansha? Then I’m relieved. But be careful—don’t reveal your demon form at night!”

After parting from Chan Ying, Qin Suoliu felt her heart racing.

She wanted to ask Yue Tingxi why she hadn’t said she was staying at the Qin residence. Even though twenty years ago Yue Tingxi avoided involvement with the sects, her instincts told her this time was different.

Perhaps… she was overthinking. In Chan Ying’s eyes, a longtime friend like Luo Yansha was more reliable than a newly met noble. Yue Tingxi said so to reassure Chan Ying.

By the time they left the mountain, Qin Suoliu convinced herself.

“I’ll go to the Linglong Pavilion to see Luo Yansha.” But Yue Tingxi’s next words made her uneasy.

Luckily, she had prepared a fallback. Yue Tingxi said: “It’s inconvenient to hand over the fruits in person today. The Qin residence knows you are in seclusion.”

“…Then wait a couple of days. I told her before it would be around the Dragon Boat Festival.” Yue Tingxi sighed silently. “Transform me into a bracelet—I should return to the Qin residence now.”

She intended to speak to Luo Yansha about human ways of handling this but forgot the excuse of seclusion.

When she reattached herself to the young lady’s wrist, Yue Tingxi noticed her pulse was slightly fast.

At first, she thought it was an illusion, but the pulse remained fast after flying along with the leaf talisman. Hesitating, she asked: “Miss Suoliu, are you feeling unwell?”

Putting aside private grudges, as long as she didn’t expose anything, they could continue pretending to be allies. Concern for an ally was natural.

She soon got an answer:

“I’m just thinking… what did the Jade Mountain Elder mean? An impure soul must have endured many hardships? I’ve only just come of age. My experiences are limited… the engagement with Lan Chaoyao. But I personally annulled it, and my intention was not there…”

Yue Tingxi froze, recalling what she had read.

Some return from rebirth only regained memories years later, but she, once a blood-stained demon lord, was now still a respected senior disciple in the sect.

She could not repeat the past.

In an instant, she felt a ray of light in the pitch-black gloom.

Yes! Nothing has happened yet. Even if Qin Suoliu truly returned from the time of her suffering, she might not have regained her previous-life memories. There was still a chance…

—“Tingxi sister~”

The little girl in red appeared again in her mind, smiling.

One large, one small; one purple, one red. Even a brief overlap of their presences, she did not want to imagine the possible tragic outcome.

Yue Tingxi took a deep breath, calmed herself, and said to Qin Suoliu: “Do not overthink. As long as you hold your heart, avoid the dark path, do not exploit others, and do not take life, even if the elder thinks your soul is impure, she will find no fault.”

At this moment, Yue Tingxi found a clear reason to continue staying at the Qin residence.

Besides using the young lady, she could also monitor and guide her.

She believed that with her current strength, as long as she stayed close, Qin Suoliu would not commit evil and would not become the despised figure of her previous life.

“By the way, didn’t you mention ‘tacit training’ before?” Yue Tingxi changed the topic. “I’ve come to understand that some fears must be overcome, and this will also make killing Lan Chaoyao easier. I want to try now. Once we return to the Qin residence, please tell me how to practice.”

This time, Qin Suoliu was full of suspicion.

She had intended to reassure Yue Tingxi with a small lie so she could focus on Lan Chaoyao, but Yue Tingxi suddenly “figured it out.”

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