123 - Dungeon Growth Log

The rain wasn't heavy, just light and gentle. A little girl, holding her last hawthorn sugar-coated skewer, followed closely behind Xia Ge as they walked in the rain towards the dilapidated temple. The sky was dark and brooding, soon to draw the curtain on daylight. "Are you a brother, or a sister?" the little girl asked. "A brother," Xia Ge replied. "Alright, brother," she repeated, her small hands clasped together warmly. She then inquired, "Where is brother going now?" "Looking for someone." "Looking for who?" "For..." Xia Ge's words were abruptly cut off. In their place came the sound of a piercing, agonized scream from not far away! "Gau..." The little girl's mouth was suddenly covered. Her pale gray eyes widened in confusion. With his body tense, Xia Ge activated his Ghost Shadow Trace and darted into a small grove beside the temple, the girl in tow, as they hid behind some bushes. The little girl sensed something was amiss. The screams reverberating in her ears made her shiver, yet she was not overtly frightened. Only her brother was trembling. The heavens had turned so dark, veiling even the smallest hint of light. Broken bodies, manifested malevolent spirits, demons tearing humans apart. A feast of brutality unfurled under a blood-red sky, flowers of cruelty blooming into a bridge to the underworld. The air was thick with the nauseating stench of blood. Xia Ge, for the first time, understood what massacre meant. The children he'd once begged with lay in a pool of blood, half of their bodies torn apart by the black mist of the evil spirits, the blood staining the ground outside the temple. The harrowing screams clawed at his sanity. "Help! Ah—" They screamed in agony, in despair. All Xia Ge could do was huddle in the corner, helplessly watching, incapable of doing anything. Completely powerless. To see someone die right in front of your eyes, powerless to help, was truly unbearable. The little girl felt the hand over her mouth relax. It was too stiff, as if trapped in a nightmare, unaware of even her own actions. "Brother." Chu Yi whispered gently, "What did you see?" What did he see? Blood, massacre, grinning demons, comrades dying with unclosed eyes. ...The Evil Spirit Camp. "Flowers." Xia Ge covered the girl's ears and held her close, his voice soft. "There are a lot of flowers over there." The stench of blood lingered painfully, the screams and maniacal laughter of evil spirits audible in the distance. Her brother's embrace was warm. The little girl thought for a moment before asking obediently, "Are they beautiful flowers?" Xia Ge's voice was hoarse, his whole body cold. "Yes, they are very beautiful flowers." He held the girl tightly, for the first time feeling it was truly fortunate. That this child couldn't see. It was truly fortunate. The two remained silent for a long time. The demonic fiends finished their massacre, doused everything in tung oil, and set the remains aflame to destroy any evidence. In the distance, the towering flames dyed the pitch-black sky red—a horror rain couldn't wash away. It was bitter. A bitterness spread across his tongue. The old man's words echoed in his ears. —"You are merely beyond your limits. No one will blame you." Now, a sea of fire devoured everything. But it was so bitter. Bitter enough to make him want to cry. Warm droplets fell on her face as the little girl tilted her head upwards, unable to see or hear. Yet she knew that the rain hitting her all along the way was cold. But the water falling on her face was warm. She silently tasted it. A bit bitter. "Is brother crying?" The girl's voice was small. "No," Xia Ge softly replied. "I won't cry. I just think the flowers are too beautiful." Too bitter. Two children nestled close behind the bushes, sharing warmth amidst the cold rain. Chu Yi pondered, then cautiously reached out, picking the last hawthorn from her skewer. She stretched her hand towards Xia Ge's face, brushing over his brows, his eyes, his nose, finally reaching his mouth. Her hand came away with warm, salty liquid. Chu Yi tasted it; it was salty and a bit bitter. Brother lied. Chu Yi thought; only when something felt bitter did she shed tears, so brother must have felt bitter too. Xia Ge simply stared blankly at the distant flames, unresponsive to the child's cold hand moving across his face. How could there be such cruelty in this world? Why harm each other? The small hand withdrew, and a sugar-coated hawthorn, sweet and sticky, was carefully but firmly placed in Xia Ge's mouth by the little girl. After giving the hawthorn, she stood on tiptoe, wrapping her tiny arms around Xia Ge's neck, softly saying, "You can have all the sugar-coated haws, brother, no bitter (crying)." The sweetness of the sugar coating dissolved on his tongue, and Xia Ge unconsciously took a bite, the sourness of the hawthorn flooding his mouth. Little liar. It was so sour, not sweet at all. —Do you believe in cause and effect in this world? Xia Ge reflected. He once didn’t believe, but now, he believed a little. Because he had met this child. Thus, he could continue on this path of knives and flames. "Thank you," Xia Ge rested his head on the girl's shoulder, gazing at the distant flames, his voice choked. "Thank you." Thank goodness for you. The sea of fire raged, the scent of blood thick in the air. Two people held each other tightly, as if this way, they could merge their lives, living and dying as one, never to part. Chu Yi thought. How wonderful. This person is now mine. —All mine. The malevolent spirits, having wreaked havoc, were retreating home, but faint sounds of crying reached their ears from the woods. "Who's over there?!" = = In the White Dream Cavern. "Brother?" The girl's voice was soft and gentle. "What are you thinking about?" Xia Ge returned to his senses. The memories of flames and the grotesque faces of the evil spirits were swallowed by the mists of the White Dream Cavern. All the pain and sadness seemed like they would be worn down to nothing with time. The mist of the White Dream Cavern still lingered, the illusion of the Rain God Temple had already vanished. He shook his head. "Nothing." Chu Yi said, "Brother is obviously so close." So close that their skin touched, breaths mingling. Her arms tightened slowly. "Why does it still feel so far away?" Physically, there was hardly any distance between them, yet their hearts seemed miles apart. The illusion of the White Dream Cavern had disappeared. Xia Ge carried her on his back: "Maybe we haven’t walked long enough together." Short, bitter, and painful. Chu Yi thought. If only you were mine alone, forever, how wonderful that would be. Xia Ge carried Chu Yi back, but after walking a bit, a fork in the road appeared ahead. Two paths. There hadn't been this road when they had come earlier. The left led back the way they came, toward the green dragon. The right was a newly appeared path, perhaps a new trick of the White Dream Cavern. He considered it and took the right path. Chu Yi asked, "Not going back?" Even though the green dragon was there, the cave extended into eight different paths. "Not going back," Xia Ge replied. "I don't want to see that dragon again." Chu Yi's eyes crinkled into a smile. They hadn't walked far before reaching the end—a dark tunnel with two glowing doors, one black, one white, edges adorned with intricate magic patterns that lent an ancient grandeur. The white door had a keyhole, while the black door did not, seemingly able to open with a push. Xia Ge's eyes flashed green. [Door of Regression: A door that allows you to revisit the past, containing the key to the Door of Life.] [Door of Life: The exit from the White Dream Cavern, with the key inside the Door of Regression.] The black door on the left was the Door of Regression, the white was the Door of Life. He tried to push the Door of Life; it wouldn't budge. A key was needed. The system said, "No wonder it's said the White Dream Cavern allows revisiting the past; the Door of Regression is here." Xia Ge asked, "What does that mean?" System: "Entering the Door of Regression allows revisiting the past, seeing old events." Old events... "How do I get the key?" Xia Ge inquired. System: "That, I don't know." Xia Ge: "..." Chu Yi asked, "What kind of door is this?" "The Door of Regression and the Door of Life," Xia Ge explained, reaching to open the Door of Regression. "I hear that going in allows seeing past events." "The key to the Door of Life is inside." Chu Yi hesitated before tightening her hold on him, softly asking, "Does it mean—does the dream end if we go out?" Xia Ge's hand hesitated slightly on the door. Chu Yi said, "...Don't go." After a pause, he spoke, "No, it's the beginning of another dream." The black door swung open, a blinding light flashing. The person on his back disappeared, the light and shadows intertwining, and he found himself alone in a cold, dark city. Xia Ge raised his head toward the gloomy sky and the withered trees lining the cobbled path, realizing, he truly had traversed back to the past. Otherwise, he wouldn't be in Ghost City again. That day, the evil spirits burned the old temple to the ground. Xia Ge and Chu Yi were discovered and fled desperately, exhausted. Nightmares plagued him continually. They sought refuge in a small village. "I suppose... this might cause a butterfly effect. Those who should not have been captured were captured, those I should not have met were met." Ye Ze wasn't supposed to be taken, and it was supposed to be him meeting Chu Yi, not her. The system replied: "Existence is reasonable. If the storyline is altered due to unforeseen circumstances, it can always be adjusted back." The little girl in his arms overheard and clutched at his clothes, asking, "What’s the butterfly effect?" Eager to know. Xia Ge replied, "The butterfly effect is like a particularly beautiful butterfly." "What does a particularly beautiful butterfly look like?" Chu Yi pondered, "Is it prettier than me?" Xia Ge found some solace amidst the bitterness: "It looks like you, and you’re a thousand times prettier, Little Butterfly." Death and suffering tormented him. Those days, he dreamed of Dou Dou, the Old Beggar, Ye Ze, the fellow street kids, even the blurry faces of his modern-era parents, and the brother he’d depended on for years. Truly Xia Wu Yin. "Is the person brother is looking for Xia Wu Yin?" Xia Ge: "..." The little girl continued, “Brother, you keep calling that name in your sleep.” Xia Ge: "..." "Does brother have a name?" "…" "Why won't brother speak?" “…It’s alright, Little Butterfly will always be by your side.” In those dark days, it was because of Chu Yi that he didn’t fall apart. Fortunately, they managed to endure together. Bitter days filled with so many dreams. Hopes that the beautiful eyes of the child could see again, hopes to find clues about Ye Ze, hopes to grow stronger, even if it meant becoming a puppet master hunted by others. Back then, they ate a bun carefully. He joked with Chu Yi, you see this bun? Eat this, and you never know when the next one will be. Chu Yi merely looked up with her pretty pale gray eyes, smiling lightly, hugging him, and whispering, it’s alright brother, Little Butterfly will chase the little ghosts away. —Don’t be afraid. The haunting of the Evil Spirit Camp persisted; the soul-seizing tricks did not work on the evil spirits, so the system told him to find the Dragon Jade. Ye Ze’s Dragon Jade. “Where will brother go?” Chu Yi clung to his clothes, slightly bewildered. “I must find something that scares the evil spirits.” The girl’s voice grew anxious, “Is brother leaving me?” “No.” Xia Ge assured, “Just wait for me to return.” The girl clutched his clothes tightly, “Why can’t you take me with you? Little Butterfly isn’t afraid of anything.” Xia Ge remained silent for a long time, “But I am.” “…If I lose you, I really have nothing left.” A hoarse voice. Yet it sounded sweet, like a sugar that never melts, emanating sweetness in the heart. The girl thought. Xia Ge embraced her gently, “Will you wait for me?” “…” The girl gripped his clothing tighter, “Promise you’ll come back.” Xia Ge: “I promise I’ll come back.” Those pale gray eyes stared at him, slowly releasing their grip. Xia Ge had barely walked a few steps when she heard quiet sobbing. He stiffened slightly, turned back to see the girl with tears filling her light gray eyes. Sensing him stop, she could hold back no more, jumping down barefoot from the bed, clinging to him and wailing like a real child: “Brother’s voice is so nice, but what does brother look like? What’s brother’s name?” “…Why can’t I see anything?” “Why won’t brother tell me his name?” “Does brother not like Little Butterfly?” “Brother is leaving me, right… all your promises were lies, I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it…” “Waa waa waa…” In his memory, Little Butterfly was always smiling, whether it was a slight smile, a gentle smile, or a sweet smile. Even after committing a murder, she’d merely become vacant, after which she'd tug slightly at the corners of her mouth. She’d always been obedient, too obedient to be a child, always just holding his hand, following wherever he went, never crying nor causing trouble. “Are my eyes that unpleasing?” But now, she panicked, “It must be because my eyes are ugly, my mother said my eyes were the ugliest… Did they scare you? I’ll cover them… I’m sorry, I’m sorry, brother, please don’t leave…” She held onto him tightly, as if holding onto everything that kept her alive. It made one’s heart ache. Xia Ge lowered his head and kissed her tearful pale gray eyes. “Your mother lied to you; you have beautiful eyes, Little Butterfly,” he assured, “They are the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen, truly.” Yet the girl held on tightly: “But I can’t see…” If you leave, I won’t be able to find you. “You will see.” Xia Ge wiped her tears, embracing her back, whispering softly, “I will let you see.” “I promise.” “I’m not lying.” Time passed slowly. The girl gradually loosened her grip. “I’ll wait for you to return,” she repeated, “You must come back.” ... Memories suddenly halted. Xia Ge came back to reality, gazing at the landscape of Ghost City. That time, he had settled Chu Yi safely, then ventured into Ghost City during the day to climb Demon Spirit Mountain with its eight-headed serpent to seize the Dragon Jade. With the Dragon Jade, the evil spirits from the Evil Spirit Camp wouldn't haunt her trail; with the Dragon Jade, she could infiltrate the camp. He scaled the mountain with great difficulty, navigating poisonous snakes, insects, and the now-awakened guardian eight-headed serpent— Even though it was daytime and the eight-headed serpent's powers were diminished. He was no match for it, but he remembered that Ye Ze had taken a path and stole the jade, waking none of the serpent heads. He wasn’t the protagonist and didn’t receive such favorable treatment. Despite the detour and using his agility, the serpent awoke regardless. Though he managed to steal the Dragon Jade using Ghost Shadow Trace, his victory was short-lived as the serpent bit him, twin punctures marking his side. At the time, he believed death was certain, yet it wasn't. He awoke, clutching the Dragon Jade, the fearsome serpent vanished, and the wound with it, as if it were all a dream. Xia Ge raised his head, tracing the path up Demon Spirit Mountain he once walked, ascending slowly. The system said the Door of Regression would transport him to the past. Not an illusion, but the true past. “You will witness your past self, but they won't see you.” “No one else will see you, either.” “You’re forbidden from altering the past.” “…" Listening to the system's explanation of the Door of Regression, Xia Ge climbed the mountain, gazing at his past self, clutching the Dragon Jade tightly, bitten by the serpent, slipping into unconsciousness. Xia Ge realized for the first time how small and weak he'd been. Clasping the jade in a death grip, eyes closed, crimson blood pooled around him. The serpent shone with golden scales, dazzling under the dark sky; Ghost Town's sky was eternally black, its eight heads terrifying and vicious. One head opened a bloody maw, about to devour— "Swish—" A chilling sword light cut through Ghost Town's eternal night. "Hiss—" The head poised to swallow was severed, a spray of icy blood erupting as the remaining seven heads howled in agony, bound by shared pain. An oppressive force radiated out, the serpent trembling in fear, slowly retreating, inching backward. Xia Ge slowly discerned the figure masked by the serpent's massive body. His pupils constricted sharply! A black cloak, a hat obscuring the face, only a slim, tall figure discernibly outlined, wielding a cold long sword. Serpent blood stained its ancient runes, the sword exuding terrifying pressure as the serpent cowered in submission. It was the person from the illusion, the one in the Rain God Temple. Same attire, same hand. —Who are you?! One from the past could not see the future. The cloaked figure couldn’t see Xia Ge, yet they lifted their head slightly, sending the eight-headed serpent fleeing shamefully, its vindictive nature overwhelmed, unable to muster a thought of revenge. The sword was sheathed slowly, the bamboo scabbard inscribed with crudely carved characters— Wen Qing. Returning the sword, the figure knelt to administer a pill to the child on the ground. Their movements were remarkably gentle. The child grimaced in pain, struggling, “...It hurts…” “It won't hurt anymore.” The cloaked person soothed, touching their forehead with a serene, gentle voice, “Take the medicine, Shuang Shuang won’t hurt anymore.” Stunned by a bolt from the blue! Xia Ge froze in place. —Who are you?! Who exactly are you?! Eventually, the medicine took effect, and the child calmed, her wounds slowly healing before the eyes. The cloaked person stayed by their side, cradling the sword. Xia Ge approached cautiously, trembling, reaching to remove the hat. But before he could, the cloaked person seemed to sense something, slightly turning her head towards Xia Ge's direction. Xia Ge instantly froze, not daring to move. …Who are you? As if hearing his inner questioning. A soft breeze swept through, the cloaked person removed their hat. Under the pitch-black night, that face was so hauntingly familiar, it made his heart tremble. Features like a painting, lips slightly cold yet gentle, ebony hair tied with a wooden hairpin, a few loose strands swaying with the wind. She gently caressed the tightly shut eyes of the child, her voice heavy with sighs. "Shuang Shuang... I've missed you." Xia Ge stood frozen. "Senior Sister...?!" But... Shuang Shuang?! Those eyes and brows were identical. This person, who looked exactly like Gu Pei Jiu, lifted her head, staring into the dark night of Ghost City, slowly retracting her hands before picking up her hat. "It's time. I have to go again." She was just about to rise. But suddenly, her sleeve was seized by the child’s thin hand, clinging tightly, refusing to let go. "…Don’t leave, Dou Dou." She murmured, her voice fragile with impending tears, "Please don’t leave..." Gu Pei Jiu stood there, silent for a long while. Eventually, she crouched down, her voice gentle, "We'll meet again." "But not now." Slowly, she disentangled the child's grip from her sleeve, setting a protective barrier, then turned to leave. Xia Ge, as if hypnotized, followed her. Is this person really Senior Sister? The cloaked figure cradled her sword and descended from Demon Spirit Mountain. Xia Ge trailed her every step through the deserted Ghost City. As they were about to leave the area behind, the cloaked figure halted in the desolate surroundings, removed the cloak, and stowed it in a hidden space. Beneath the cloak was a familiar figure dressed in hauntingly white blood-stained robes, painful to behold. Xia Ge felt he could hardly breathe. That blood-stained garment… Gu Pei Jiu held 'Wen Qing,' her voice cold, "Must you persist for several more years, Huo Ming?" After a moment, Gu Pei Jiu's pupils abruptly contracted, her grip on 'Wen Qing' tightened, and with a swift motion— "Boom—" A fierce sword aura tore through the sky; in an instant, a dark void was cleft open, massive cracks rending the earth, rumbling sounds resonating as the heavens quaked. "You really only bow when you reach the Yellow Springs," Gu Pei Jiu sneered, "But it doesn’t matter, I can endure with you." Her blood-stained robes quivered, exuding a menacing pressure. Gu Pei Jiu's expression changed, one eye turning crimson, her words filled with gritted teeth, "Do you think she will ever trust you again?!" This tone—it was Huo Ming! Xia Ge instinctively took a step back. "Trust doesn't matter." —How could it not matter? "Hahaha—do you think by splitting your soul you can manage it? Two lives as one, let's see how long you can last! Anyway—she won’t remember you, and you can't defy the way of heaven!" "Whether she remembers or not doesn't matter." —How could that be unimportant? Just the mere thought of it brings unbearable pain. "It’s just that Heaven is ruthless," Gu Pei Jiu reopened her eyes, gaze clear and cold. "So I'll fight it to the end!" Xia Ge stood behind her, pale-faced. She glanced down, spotting a snow-white key in her hand. = = The same year, the same month. “The Gu family’s child is truly unfortunate…” Dressed in plain white robes, in mourning garb. At eleven years old, the girl's eyes were jet black, her skin pale and tender as snow, her lips bright red. She knelt before her parents' memorials, her expression indifferent. "What a good child… to suffer such a fate..." "Though this child is pretty, she always seems to lack some spirit..." "..." The young girl keeping vigil raised her eyes, black pupils cool and unfeeling, like a pretty puppet devoid of emotion. Those who beheld her instinctively took a step back, falling silent. She quietly paid her respects at her parents' memorials, attended the funeral, and oversaw the burial, all without a sound. Without tears. Not a single one. As if naturally numb, devoid of joy, sorrow, or feeling. “...Miss.” The old housekeeper of the Gu family approached, cautiously, "Couldn't you cry a little?" Gu Pei Jiu shook her head, "I can’t." Not that she wasn't sad or hurt, she just couldn’t cry. The old housekeeper let out a long sigh. “Do you have any plans?” The Gu family, though not as grand as the famous Chu family of Chang’an, nor as affluent as the Chang family, and not as influential as the Ye family, nevertheless thrived under the radar, managing the black market and ventures in Zhumeng Building with the patriarch’s shrewdness. But perhaps too many unscrupulous deeds took their toll with illness and an early death. The lady of the house also fared poorly in health, and although the patriarch was somewhat unconventional, he cherished her dearly. With his passing, she soon followed. Now, only this child remained. Despite being the patriarch’s descendant, she exhibited none of his roguishness, standing as a complete contradiction filled with peculiarities. Born mute, unreactive even to a spanking, startling the lady, who feared she had birthed a mute child. Thankfully, time proved otherwise. Naming her took ages, as the couple racked their brains, until one night, they both dreamed of a line from a poem. “Bi liu zhi zi, yi wo Pei Jiu.” Dreams can be mere dreams, but dreaming the same thing together seemed more like fate, a testament to their love, prompting them to name her Pei Jiu. During her first birthday custom, the family welcomed a female Daoist clad in a cloak and hat, carrying a bamboo-sheathed sword, seeking blessings and lively participation. The child, not yet a hundred days old, ignored the array of treasures and toys but seized the red ribbon on the woman's wrist instantly. In a family running a brothel, though decency was scant, such a display brought slight awkwardness. The family head feigned composure, "It seems my daughter is fond of red..." Lady Gu’s face darkened, questioning whether her precious daughter favored red like a bull. The Daoist woman, unoffended, detached the red ribbon, gifting it to the young lady as a token of joy before departing. By the next day, another ancient garment spirit had emerged. Named Tian Zhu. The family head, fearing attention, kept it hidden, with only the old housekeeper and Gu's parents knowing of it until their passing. "No plans," Gu Pei Jiu looked at the azure sky, as the crimson silk of Tian Zhu sprawled across the flour, rolling and covering itself with white, trying to sneak past its mourning-attired master unnoticed. Gu Pei Jiu took a step back, her gaze composed, "Go." Stay away from me. Tian Zhu rolled helplessly on the ground. “...Miss, don’t you want to take over your father’s affairs?” The old housekeeper sighed. Gu Pei Jiu gripped a corner of Tian Zhu, dragging it to the lake and throwing it in, expressionless. "I want to wander the world." The housekeeper: “…” She turned her head, speaking earnestly, "Can I forget everything and then wander?" The housekeeper was taken aback. “Is there a medicine to forget everything?” Gu Pei Jiu clutched her chest, her black pupils dilating, "Thinking of them makes me uncomfortable." Gu Pei Jiu watched Tian Zhu swimming in the lake, seemingly joyful, her face still empty. "Mother said, we should live happily, but recalling everything they said makes me sad." Housekeeper: "…Just cry, Miss." Gu Pei Jiu remained silent for a long while, until Tian Zhu leapt back from the lake, aiming for her. She sidestepped, gazing at the lotus blooming on the water under the interplay of light and shadows. “But I don’t know how to cry.” Author's Note: A change in writing style, fast forward. = = The mysterious figure, in black, had appeared before, but no one recognized her...