93 - Dungeon Growth Log

Chang Nian went to find Chang Lan immediately after finishing his meal. His brother was a known workaholic, and with this recent bat attack, there was no way he could sleep. Sure enough, upon arriving at the deliberation hall, Chang Nian saw Chang Lan hunched over his desk. “Brother.” Chang Lan was in the middle of a headache. Chu Yao had just come by, admitting that she was the one who shot that arrow and questioning why she hadn’t come forward to own up to it immediately. Chu Yao: "I was hungry and wanted to eat." Chang Lan: "..." Her explanation was so legitimate that it left people speechless. Considering that it was Chu Yao who had taken action, it did seem reasonable. The reserve chief disciple of Sword Peak had the authority to make swift decisions. Given the critical situation at that time, any action could be justified. After asking a few casual questions, Chang Lan had sent this formidable presence away. Who could have guessed that just after dealing with one, he would look up and see another. Seeing Chang Nian, Chang Lan felt his headache worsen to the point that his brain hurt. “What are you here for?” Chang Nian answered, “Why can’t I come?” Chang Lan: “Father is practically fuming because of you. Do you even realize what you’ve done... He’s ordered me to punish you with three months of reflection.” “It’s just a bit of money.” Chang Nian muttered, “Our family can afford that much spiritual stone, can’t we?” Chang Lan: "..." It's not a matter of money, but of foolishness. Chang Nian: “Then punish me, bro. Sword Peak is so boring, I’d rather practice swordsmanship in solitary reflection for three months.” Chang Lan sighed, “...Fine. Though I’m not sure whether the item you bought in the black market is real or not, since there are rumors about the emergence of the Soul Calming, our family must make preparations.” After saying that, he paused and added, “...I heard you stole Father’s Seeker’s Bell?” Chang Nian’s gaze shifted evasively: “I didn’t steal it.” Chang Lan rubbed his forehead: “Just return it. You’re driving our father to the brink.” Chang Nian replied, “I won’t! He’s just scared Mother will find out about his own mess!” Chang Lan was silent for a moment before saying, “Mother already knows.” Chang Nian was stunned. Clutching his temple, Chang Lan said, “Return it. That item is safest with Father; with anyone else, it’s no good.” Chang Nian’s candor burst forth, “Brother, do you find it uneasy too?” Chang Lan stopped speaking. Chang Nian pulled out the bell. The beautiful silver bell swayed gently, making no sound. Staring at it, Chang Nian said softly, "But Brother… I want to find her." Chang Lan hesitated a moment, his expression icy, "Ah Nian, don’t be reckless." Chang Nian looked up, “But no matter what, she is part of our Chang family…” “She is not a part of our Chang family.” Chang Lan's eyes grew cold, “She is a remnant of the Demonic Sect.” Chang Nian protested, “Brother!” Chang Lan asserted, “Don’t say any more. If you want to keep the Seeker’s Bell, do so. But until you’ve found her, don’t come looking for me again. I won’t punish you as long as you focus on your swordsmanship.” Chang Nian, unwilling to give in, pleaded, “Brother…” Chang Lan: “You can look for her if you want, but even if you find her, I won’t take her in.” No room for argument. The two parted in discord. Not far from where Chang Nian exited the hall, he spotted a girl in blue with silver butterflies on her sleeves. The girl stood among the flowers outside the hall, surrounded by beautiful silver butterflies. With her eyes closed, she was bathed in a soft, hazy moonlight, her shadow blurred as if in an unreal dream. Chang Nian paused in astonishment, "...Chu Yi?" The girl reached out, letting a silver butterfly land on her fingertip before it dispersed into tiny points of light. As if awakened, her once misty figure became clear, and she opened her eyes, seeing him and smiling lightly. “Ah, Chang Nian.” She studied his face, “Why do you look so unhappy?” Perfect timing. Just in time to send Brother Ye Ze back. A timing perfectly calculated. Darkness flickered in Chu Yi’s eyes but was soon cloaked by the soft, sweet moonlight, giving her an ethereal and gentle aura that rendered the dark abyss in her eyes unreachable. Thinking of Chang Lan’s previous attitude, Chang Nian felt frustrated. Just as he was about to speak, Chu Yi remarked, “The bell is pretty.” Chang Nian realized he had been so agitated earlier that he forgot to put the bell away. Feeling stifled and wanting to vent, he said maliciously, “This is my sister’s bell.” Chu Yi was puzzled, “Sister? You have a sister?” Chang Nian hesitated, “...sort of.” Chu Yi paused, reading his expression, then smiled, “If you’re ever unhappy, you can talk to me.” Chang Nian looked away slightly, “...Why should I talk to you?” Chu Yi blinked, “Because we are alike.” Chang Nian replied, “In what way?” “We both have no one who understands us,” Chu Yi said softly, her eyes misty, “No one can be our true friend.” Chang Nian fell silent. But... she was right. He was the youngest member of the Chang family. Everyone treated him with utmost respect. His father was particularly harsh with him, and his brother was always preoccupied. People saw him as the family’s greatest hope, treating him with reverence and constantly concerned about whether he had eaten well or completed his tasks. Seldom did anyone care about his inner thoughts. “Sometimes, I feel very lonely,” Chu Yi stepped closer, gently touching his face, her eyes covered in a hazy moonlight, “Keeping so many things in your heart must be exhausting.” “You surely have a lot of things bottled up inside too, don’t you?” Chu Yi’s voice was soft and mesmerizing. Chang Nian started to deny, “You’re overthinking, I don’t—” Chu Yi gently interrupted him, “Why not admit it?” “We are the same.” “If she is indeed your sister, she wouldn’t want to see you like this either.” Chang Nian stiffened slightly. After a while, he averted his gaze, “...I have no sister.” Chu Yi’s expression shifted slightly, “But you said you did.” Chang Nian responded, “She doesn’t count. My family doesn’t acknowledge her, and I’ve never met her.” “But you like her very much, and...” Chu Yi remarked, “You really want to find her.” “I do want...to find her.” Chang Nian lowered his head, “But even if I find her, what then.” Chu Yi glanced at the moonlight, a mysterious spark in her eyes, yet her smile remained gentle, “Finding her will resolve an old obsession.” “Why care about others’ opinions?” Chu Yi said, “Follow your own heart.” Chang Nian was taken aback, “...Maybe you’re right.” He wanted to find his sister, to provide her a branch to hold onto, to spare her the hardships of wandering. He had always wanted this. It was family. “...She has nothing left.” Chang Nian murmured, “I don’t even know if she’s still alive.” “Is she your biological sister?” Chu Yi asked, her voice subtly tempting, “Then why doesn’t your family recognize her?” “She is my half-sister.” Chang Nian felt a bit dazed, speaking quietly, “My family doesn’t recognize her because...her mother is Qin Yue.” Qin Yue? Chu Yi’s heart stirred with surprise, but her smile remained gentle, “The former leader of the Demonic Sect?” Chang Nian gave a small nod, holding the bell, his expression gloomy, “Qin Yue was caught years ago and is now imprisoned in the mountain dungeon, but…” “Mountain dungeon? Where?” Chang Nian felt nothing out of place, “At Sword Peak’s mountain dungeon.” Chu Yi’s eyes narrowed slightly but quickly relaxed, her smile faint, “How pitiful.” Chang Nian lamented, “And at that time, my sister was so young…” Saying this, Chang Nian felt a pang of sadness, staring blankly at the bell in his hand. Chu Yi laughed softly, “You will find her.” Chang Nian was not hopeful, “I hope so.” Chu Yi looked up at the moonlight, a deeper smile forming on her lips. ...So, this person is imprisoned in the mountain dungeon. Unexpectedly, the upright head of the Chang family has such a scandal. Colluding with the leader of the Demonic Sect and even having an illegitimate daughter. Chu Yi’s smile turned slightly sarcastic. The dirty dealings behind these so-called upright sects were truly revolting. Disgusting. = = Despite thorough investigation, the bat incident revealed nothing substantial. Disinterested in affairs that didn’t concern her, Xia Ge remained unbothered. Recently, she had been rather... busy. With the first light of dawn just appearing, the flowers blooming vibrantly outside Gu Pei Jiu's door, Xia Ge crouched in a paulownia tree in Gu Pei Jiu’s small courtyard, squinting as she enjoyed the morning sunlight. The green curtains over the window were pulled open. Xia Ge, sitting on a branch, peered down but saw no one she wanted to see. Instead, Tian Zhu Ling slithered out from the window like a slow-moving red serpent, sprawling and hanging down, basking in the early morning sun. The radiant red silk, drenched in sunlight, remained strikingly beautiful amid the floral bloom. Xia Ge: "..." Should she say hello to this one or not? Not long after, a gentle creaking sound was heard, signaling someone opening the door. Xia Ge adjusted her expression and cheerfully greeted from the tree, “Good morning, Senior Sister!” Gu Pei Jiu, dressed in her red and white maple leaf attire, emerged into the soft morning light. The flowers blossoming at the threshold only enhanced the delicate and serene look on her face, her skin as fair as snow. She looked up to see the girl perched in the tree, eagerly watching her, and frowned slightly, “What are you doing here?” Xia Ge responded energetically, “To pay my respects to you, Senior Sister!” Gu Pei Jiu: “That's not necessary.” Xia Ge pretended not to hear, looking at the vibrant blooms in the courtyard, “The flowers here are really beautiful, Senior Sister.” There were many flowers planted in the courtyard, blooming in clusters. Xia Ge, trying to make conversation, asked, “Senior Sister, what are these flowers called?” But there was no response for a long time. Xia Ge looked over and momentarily lost focus. The girl in the red and white maple leaf attire stood at the door, slender and graceful. The morning sunlight seeped through her soft hair strands, making her resemble a watercolor painting. When she raised her eyes to look at Xia Ge, her gaze seemed to encapsulate timeless tranquility, reflecting both Xia Ge’s silhouette and the history embedded deep within. It seemed to have been a very, very long time. As if an immortal from the painting, she seemed like she could descend into the earthly realm merely from a single glance. After a while, Gu Pei Jiu seemed to come back to reality and answered softly. “They are hydrangeas.” Xia Ge blinked, also snapping out of her trance, “...Are they the kind where you can toss the ball to find your true love?” Gu Pei Jiu denied, “No…” A round object was tossed over, and Gu Pei Jiu instinctively caught it in her hand, its cool surface tangible. Before she could see what it was, the girl in the tree, mimicking the formal tone of ancient times but with a clear and playful voice, asked, “Then... catching the hydrangea ball, would you marry me, Senior Sister?” In the cluster of flowers, with the morning light gently illuminating everything, that crisp voice pierced through, making Gu Pei Jiu’s heart skip a beat. She looked up, dazed, at the girl in the tree, her eyes full of laughter, as if even her hair strands were touched by sunlight. For a moment, it felt as if she was passing through countless enraged puppet howls and cries, countless blood and angry spirits’ wails, through divine punishments and thunder strikes, through endless years of waiting, through layers of love and blood-stained memories, just for this moment. One glance, timeless. Xia Ge: “Why are you staring at me, Senior Sister? Just kidding! I picked some apples from Beast Peak early this morning. If you don't eat the persimmons from Sword Peak, would you eat the apples from Beast Peak? I’ve washed them clean.” Gu Pei Jiu turned her head away, unconsciously taking a bite of the fruit in her hand, tasting its sweet and crisp flavor, “Nonsense.” Author's Note: Yuli Youxian threw 1 mine on 2018-07-23 23:47:35 Yimin’Er threw 1 mine on 2018-07-23 23:51:02 Ha! threw 1 hand grenade on 2018-07-24 00:14:44 Ruan Mo threw 1 mine on 2018-07-24 04:28:37 Mi Sheng slightly grumpy threw 1 mine on 2018-07-24 10:17:25 Mi Sheng slightly grumpy threw 1 mine on 2018-07-24 10:22:15 Nian Nian Continuous threw 1 mine on 2018-07-24 12:35:40 Luo Xiao Yi threw 1 mine on 2018-07-24 15:38:38 Wang Chuan Lu Li Leng Mo Ling threw 1 mine on 2018-07-24 22:47:06 Feng Chui pp Liang threw 1 mine on 2018-07-25 13:20:07 Bu Xue Ren threw 1 mine on 2018-07-25 23:01:26 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:19:10 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:19:18 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:19:34 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:19:40 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:19:47 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:19:52 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:20:05 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:20:12 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:20:18 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:20:27 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:21:23 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:21:32 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:21:38 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:21:44 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:21:51 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:21:59 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:22:08 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:22:27 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:22:34 my__threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 10:22:40 30655271 threw 1 mine on 2018-07-26 12:33:42 = = Thank you for all the mines and grenades! Love you all!! I’ve been busy with my upcoming level three exam these days so OTL I'll compile the list of nutrient solutions tomorrow _(:3)∠)