127 - Dungeon Growth Log

The night was gently lit, and the green window lay open, revealing the splendid starlight outside. Gu Pei Jiu sat at her desk, with several warm-colored daisies placed in a small porcelain vase, and a vivid green hair ribbon entwined in her soft white hand. If Bi Xi were here, he would surely recognize it as the green hair ribbon Xia Wu Yin used to tie her hair before entering Dan Peak. "I think that even once the dream ends, there's a particular peace that remains," she had said, her eyes sparkling brightly. Gu Pei Jiu tightly gripped the ribbon in her hand, her face expressionless, but the slight ripple in her heart refused to settle. "This isn't right," she murmured to herself. An inexplicable desire was swelling. When that child kissed her forehead, she wanted to hold her head, to kiss her eyes and lips. Because... of fondness. Or perhaps something deeper. Shattered and lingering memories echoed in her mind. Some images were vague, others clear. She couldn't recall everything. But within those memories, the profound loneliness and solitude mirrored her own. Yet, when she held that child, the vague loneliness in her memory vanished, and the innate emptiness seemed suddenly filled with something sweet and warm, overflowing and filling her heart with softness and sweetness. There would be no pain or sorrow. Thus— "This isn't right," Gu Pei Jiu quietly repeated. However, though she knew it wasn't right, she couldn't resist approaching that child. It was as if it had been etched into her bones. Instinct told her. By getting close to that child, she could gain warmth and redemption, escaping endless loneliness and confusion. The young woman slowly tightened her grip on the green ribbon. "...It's not right." The night was tender, starlight pervasive, and the daisies on the table bloomed brilliantly. But does right or wrong really matter? The moment this thought emerged, Gu Pei Jiu knew she was finished. Perhaps she had been for a long time. At the moment that child embraced her neck, stood on tiptoes, and kissed her forehead. She was finished. —With that child's kiss. It was as if someone without a heart had learned what love was. = = Lately, everyone on Dan Peak was busy, preparing for the Xuan-rank promotion ceremony of the youngest overseer of Lingxi Peak. Chang Lan, on the other hand, was investigating the reason for the appearance of Bai Meng Cave. The survivors of Bai Meng Cave were soon summoned one by one for questioning. As one holding the overseer token on Dan Peak, Xia Ge was the last to be called for questioning. To be honest, Chang Lan wasn't particularly eager to see Xia Ge's face. Chang Lan, going through the procedure, simply asked Xia Ge what she had encountered in Bai Meng Cave and whether she noticed anything suspicious. Xia Ge selectively concealed the matters about the Eight Desolations Flute and Chu Yi, only mentioning an encounter with an enormous jiao and various illusions. "...You said you encountered a jiao that failed to transform into a dragon?" he inquired. Xia Ge nodded earnestly, "Yes, and it was quite formidable." Chang Lan: "How did you escape its grasp?" Xia Ge: "I don't know; I just suddenly got away." Chang Lan: "..." Xia Ge knocked on her head, saying seriously, "Maybe that jiao was also part of the illusion." The reply was so perfunctory that it left one speechless. Chang Lan's mouth twitched slightly as he looked at Xia Ge. "Is that all?" Xia Ge shook her head solemnly, "That's all." The system fell silent: "..." Your responses are really lackluster. Pausing briefly, Xia Ge smiled, "Doesn't matter if Senior Brother doesn't believe me. After all, spies from the Demon Sect do love to lie." Chang Lan felt a bit embarrassed. After Xia Ge finished speaking and saw Chang Lan's expressionless face for a while, she felt completely at ease, her spirit rejuvenated. Tsk, back when there was no evidence to accuse someone of being a Demon Sect spy, you were quite bold, weren't you? Chang Lan: "..." Though things should be handled separately, he realized that considering the dozens of Hundred Soul Pills borrowed from Dan Peak afterward, his dignity wasn't a big deal. Quickly regaining his composure, he said, "You can go back first. Whether it's true or not, I'll investigate in detail." Xia Ge left the main hall leisurely. It feels great to talk back sometimes. Yet after only a few steps, she saw Chu Yi and Ye Ze. They seemed to also have been summoned for questioning, standing in front of the mist-shrouded main hall. Beside her was Ye Ze, holding a sword, his apricot-shaped eyes bright and lips pursed in a gentle smile. When Ye Ze saw her, he wanted to greet her, but then seemed to remember something and hesitated. Chu Yi, however, looked at her with an indistinct expression. Xia Ge raised her brows with a grin, greeting Ye Ze, "Yo, long time no see." Ye Ze pursed his lips, "…Mm." Before him was clearly the youthful Xia Ge, smiling cheerfully, but his mind was filled with the image from Bai Meng Cave's illusion, of Xia Ge turned into a girl, asking him, word by word— Why aren't you dead yet? Each word pierced his heart. Ye Ze found himself struggling to breathe. Xia Ge approached, her hand raised as if to measure height, "Hey, Senior Brother, you seem to have grown…?" Ye Ze abruptly stepped back, creating a gap between them. Like escaping. Xia Ge stood frozen, the word "taller" stuck in her throat, unable to be uttered. When Ye Ze realized what he had done, looking at Xia Ge's briefly frozen expression, he felt a rush of conflicting emotions. Xia Ge quickly recomposed herself, scratching her head in confusion, "…Why did you step back?" Beside them, Chu Yi smiled softly, her voice gentle, "Brother Ze must be very tired." Xia Ge glanced at Chu Yi. The young girl had bright dark eyes, her smile sweet. The encounters in Bai Meng Cave felt like fleeting dreams, the girl who had cried while embracing her neck indeed seemed just a passing dream. …Now, you are strangers to her. Xia Ge paused, "Oh," then asked Ye Ze, "Why did you fall into Bai Meng Cave? Did you encounter anything strange?" Beneath Chu Yi's sleeves, her fists clenched slowly. Her smile remained sweet. Ye Ze calmed himself, feeling somewhat ridiculous for reacting out of a baseless dream from Bai Meng Cave. …This is Xia Wu Yin, after all. The one who ventured alone into the Demon Sect's lair… Xia Wu Yin. Impossible. "I didn't encounter anything strange," Ye Ze whispered, "but I was lucky enough to find a good sword." Finishing, he recounted how he fell into Bai Meng Cave. Afterward, he hesitated, then asked Xia Ge, "Did you enter Bai Meng Cave too?" Xia Ge nodded, "Yes, I was just suddenly sucked in, but fortunately, I didn't encounter anything strange… Ah, but you were lucky. What sword? Is it any good?" Ye Ze shook his head, "It's alright… but it feels like there's too much of a bloody aura." "Then maybe don't use it for now," Xia Ge suggested, "I always feel like items from Bai Meng Cave aren't anything good." Xia Ge thought about the Eight Desolations Flute she still carried in her pocket. The thing couldn't be put into the Flowing Silver Ring and had to be carried with her, yet the faint evil aura was truly unsettling. Chu Yi had remained silent, simply smiling while watching the youth converse with others. This must be… the true brother? She's so beautiful. Chu Yi thought. Her hair was a soft black, her eyes large like those of a sly cat, her skin pale, with a touch of baby fat lingering on her face, clad in simple Dan Peak clothing, with a doll on her waist that resembled her with its big eyes. Oh… that doll was given to her brother by someone else. Chu Yi recalled the time the eldest disciple of Dan Peak defended Xia Wu Yin at the hall. That person named Gu Pei Jiu. She said her brother's doll was handmade by her. She said her brother wasn't a puppet master and had nothing to do with the Demon Sect. Chu Yi slightly tilted her head, gazing at the doll on Xia Ge's waist. This doll… Her brother always carried it. He cherished it, it seemed. Her brother had found a cherished other, and so, could easily abandon, thus the little butterfly had died. Chu Yi's lips curved into a smile, though her dark eyes slowly turned dull. After finishing her conversation with Ye Ze, Xia Ge was about to leave, when she faintly sensed a sinister gaze. Instinctively seeking the source, she found only a sweet smile on the face of the tender-haired young girl. Chu Yi smiled obediently, "It seems I might have been rude to brother before, sorry." Xia Ge: "…" It took Xia Ge a moment to recall that Chu Yi had once told her alone that because she was likable, she didn't like her. "No worries at all, no big deal." Xia Ge replied, then told Ye Ze, "Good luck, I'm heading back." Ye Ze gave a nod. "And don't forget our agreement." Xia Ge walked a few steps, suddenly turning back to give Ye Ze a smile, "I'm still waiting for when you'll invite me for a drink." Ye Ze was momentarily stunned. Then he remembered. Under the bright moon and cool breeze, back then, he had just joined Sword Peak, bullied and covered in wounds. —When you can step on those trash without relying on others, when you fear nothing. —Then come find me for a drink. Ye Ze dazedly responded. "Mm." Only then did Xia Ge leave. As Ye Ze came back to his senses, he found himself feeling a bit annoyed, though he couldn't really pinpoint why. Yet, in the very next moment, a chill seeping from the ground upward pushed all those feelings aside. It felt as though something eerie and terrifying had fixed its gaze upon him. —This person, she wanted him to suffer. Ye Ze instinctively turned his head, only to be met with the innocent smile of a young girl. Chu Yi tilted her head, seemingly out of simple curiosity, "What kind of agreement did that brother make with Brother Ze?" Ye Ze paused, "…Nothing much." "Nothing really?" Chu Yi said enviously, "That's great. I wish I could make some agreements with that brother too..." Ye Ze was taken aback, "…Make agreements with him?" "That brother seems like the type who, once an agreement is made, diligently sees it through," Chu Yi replied. "So, it's truly enviable for Brother Ze to have made an agreement with her." …So jealous. She wanted to kill this person. Her brother, once he promised something, would always strive to see it through. Just like the day he promised her he would return. Just like when he promised her she would see the light again. Conversely. If there was something he did not promise. Then, she would never see hope. —But, what to do. She really, really wanted to be with this person. She wanted it so badly. Author's Note: Hmm. Your writing assistant. She has a head full of luscious hair. Really. = = Meow Meow Meow tossed a landmine at 2018-08-24 23:42:54 Little White Meow Meow tossed a landmine at 2018-08-25 17:00:05 Haha tossed a landmine at 2018-08-25 17:11:12 Thank you, little angels, for the landmines! =3=