Zhu Xian: They've all been reborn

Silent for a long time.

A breeze blew by, carrying the chill of the night dew. Tian Ling'er shivered.

Lu Xueqi released her grip. She took a step back, then another, creating distance between herself and Tian Ling'er. She looked down at her hands for a long time, then looked up at Tian Ling'er.

"When?" she asked.

Tian Ling'er did not answer.

"I'm asking you, when did you get back?" Lu Xueqi's voice rose, carrying a hint of sternness.

Tian Ling'er was startled by her tone and subconsciously replied, "Seven years old."

She regretted it as soon as she finished speaking and tried to cover her mouth, but it was too late.

Lu Xueqi nodded, her expression strange, as if relieved, yet also heavier. "I was eight. A year too late."

Tian Ling'er stared at her blankly. She hadn't expected Lu Xueqi to admit it so easily, so calmly, as if they were discussing the weather.

"You..." Tian Ling'er's throat went dry, "You too..."

"Mm," Lu Xueqi said briefly.

Another silence fell. A silence even longer than before. The two stood in the moonlight, in the shadows of the bamboo, neither looking at the other. Tian Ling'er stared at her own shadow on the ground, while Lu Xueqi gazed into the depths of the bamboo forest in the distance.

"So," Lu Xueqi spoke first, her voice very soft, "you remember everything?"

"……Um."

"How much do you remember?"

"I remember everything," Tian Ling'er said, her voice a little hoarse. "He, you, Biyao, Xiaobai... I remember everything."

Lu Xueqi's fingers tightened again. Her eyes darkened when she heard Biyao's name, and then Xiaobai's name.

"And them?" she asked.

"I don't know." Tian Ling'er shook her head. "It should... be just the two of us."

Even as she said this, she wasn't sure herself. Were they really just the two of them? What about Biyao? What about Xiaobai? Could they also...?

Lu Xueqi seemed to know what she was thinking and said calmly, "It doesn't matter who else is involved."

"Not important?" Tian Ling'er looked up at her. "How could it not be important? What if they were also..."

"So what?" Lu Xueqi interrupted her, her eyes fixed on Tian Ling'er, her gaze calm and cold. "Tian Ling'er, the past life is the past life, and this life is this life. No matter which life it is, I will not let go."

Tian Ling'er's heart sank. "I don't know how either."

"Then let's each rely on our own abilities," Lu Xueqi said, turning to leave.

"Wait!" Tian Ling'er called out to her.

Lu Xueqi stopped but didn't turn around.

"What did you want to say to him tonight?" Tian Ling'er asked.

Lu Xueqi was silent for a moment, then said, "There's no need for that now."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, now that you're back, there's no need to sneak around." Lu Xueqi turned around and looked at Tian Ling'er. The moonlight shone on her face, half bright and half dark. "Tian Ling'er, let's compete fairly."

Tian Ling'er was stunned. "Fair competition?"

"Yes," Lu Xueqi said, "Let's see who can get close to him on their own."

Tian Ling'er looked at her for a long time, then laughed. The laughter was bitter and astringent. "Fair? Lu Xueqi, do you think it's fair? You won in the past life, and you still want to win in this one?"

"The past life is the past life," Lu Xueqi said. "In this life, everything starts from scratch. He doesn't know anyone, and he doesn't remember anyone. We are all on the same starting line."

"The same starting line?" Tian Ling'er shook her head. "No, it's different. I'm on Dazhu Peak, and I'm by his side. What about you? You're on Xiaozhu Peak, and you can't even see him."

"I'll find a way," Lu Xueqi said, her tone calm but firm. "I'll come often. I'll make him remember me, make him like me."

"You..." Tian Ling'er couldn't continue. She looked at Lu Xueqi, at that flawlessly exquisite face, at those unfathomable eyes. She suddenly felt powerless, utterly powerless. In her past life, she had lost, utterly and completely. Could she win in this life?

"Tian Ling'er." Lu Xueqi called her name again, her voice softening slightly, "I'm not here to argue with you. I just... wanted to tell you that I like him. I like him a lot. I won't give him to anyone."

Tian Ling'er felt a lump in her throat. She turned her head away, not wanting Lu Xueqi to see the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Who asked you to give in?" she whispered, her voice trembling with tears. "I won't give in either."

Lu Xueqi didn't speak. She stared at Tian Ling'er's retreating figure for a long time, then turned and walked into the depths of the bamboo forest.

The footsteps faded into the distance, eventually disappearing into the wind.

Tian Ling'er stood there, motionless. The moonlight shone on her, casting a long, long shadow. A cold wind blew by, and she hugged her arms tightly, but she was still cold.

She looked up at the sky. The moon was round and bright, but there were few stars. She gazed at it for a long time, then slowly squatted down and buried her face in her knees.

His shoulders trembled slightly.

In the bamboo forest, there were only the sounds of the wind, the bamboo leaves, and a very soft, suppressed sob.

…………

Xiaozhu Peak, outside Master Shuiyue's quiet room.

Lu Xueqi stood at the door, her hand on the doorframe, and paused for a moment. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open to go inside.

Master Shuiyue was sitting on a futon, meditating. Hearing the sound, he opened his eyes.

"Where did you go?" Shuiyue asked, her voice flat.

"Moon-Viewing Terrace," Lu Xueqi said in a calm voice, "to calm the mind."

Master Shuiyue looked at her for a few seconds, then nodded. "Go. Get some rest."

"Yes."

Lu Xueqi bowed and left the room. Closing the door, she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

My palms are a little damp; it's sweat.

She lied just now; Master Shuiyue didn't notice.

That's right. Who would have thought that an eight-year-old child could fly on a sword? And secretly run so far away?

She went back to her room and closed the door. Sitting on the bed, she looked out the window. Moonlight streamed in, casting a silvery glow on the floor. She remembered Tian Ling'er crouching on the ground crying in the bamboo grove earlier. She remembered the panic when she said "this life," and her reddened eyes.

Lu Xueqi lowered her head, looking at her hands. Small hands, white, with slender fingers. These hands, in her past life, had held the Tianya Sword and the Zhuxian Sword, and had killed many people. In this life, she only wanted to hold one person's hand.

But that person doesn't know her yet.

Or rather, I don't know the real her.

She lay down and closed her eyes. Jiang Xiaochuan's face appeared in her mind. Eight-year-old Jiang Xiaochuan, chubby face, bright eyes, looking at her with curiosity, doubt, and a little…fear?

She smiled faintly. "Don't be afraid, you won't be afraid anymore."

…………

On Dazhu Peak, Jiang Xiaochuan was pondering something.

He wanted to go down the mountain to Heyang City. He'd been here for so many years, and he'd never left the mountain before.

He spent his days on Dazhu Peak, cutting bamboo, practicing martial arts, eating, and sleeping. His days were like a stagnant pool, without even a ripple.

But he couldn't go down. The Qingyun Sect had a rule that disciples who hadn't reached the fourth level of the Jade Purity Realm were not allowed to go down the mountain without permission.

And even if he were allowed to get off, how would he do it? Walk? From Qingyun Mountain to Heyang City, it's dozens of miles of mountain road. With his small eight-year-old body, he would be paralyzed after walking for half a day.

Sword control? He doesn't know how. Only those at the fourth level of the Jade Purity Realm can control artifacts, and he's only at the first level.

Jiang Xiaochuan sighed and lay down on the table. Xiaobai jumped onto the table, nestled beside his hand, and rubbed against the back of his hand. Jiang Xiaochuan reached out and stroked its fur; it was soft and smooth.

"Little White," he whispered, "when do you think I'll be able to get down the mountain?"

Xiao Bai raised her head, glanced at him, then rested her head on his hand and closed her eyes.

Jiang Xiaochuan smiled. He stroked Xiaobai, and the slight irritation in his heart slowly dissipated. If he couldn't get down the mountain, so be it. Anyway, things were pretty good up there. There was food to eat, a bed to sleep in, and Xiaobai to pet.

It's just... a bit boring.

Tian Ling'er pushed the door open and came in. She saw him lying on the table and walked over.

"What's wrong? You look so listless."

"I want to go down the mountain," Jiang Xiaochuan said.

"Down the mountain?" Tian Ling'er sat down next to him. "Where to?"

"Heyang City. I heard it's very lively there, with candied hawthorns, steamed buns, and storytellers."

Tian Ling'er laughed. "All you ever think about is eating."

"Otherwise what?" Jiang Xiaochuan sat up straight. "There's nothing but bamboo on the mountain, I'm practically turning into bamboo myself."

"We can't go down then," Tian Ling'er said. "The sect rules are there. Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless a teacher or elder takes us," Tian Ling'er said. "We'll ask Father or Mother to take us with them next time they go down the mountain on business."

Jiang Xiaochuan's eyes lit up. "Will it work?"

"Give it a try," Tian Ling'er said, then lowered her voice, "but you have to behave well so that your parents think you're obedient and reliable."

Jiang Xiaochuan nodded. "Alright, we'll do our best to get down the mountain."

Half a month has passed.

Life flows by like water, without much ripple.

Jiang Xiaochuan continued his daily routine of chopping bamboo, practicing martial arts, eating, and sleeping. Tian Ling'er stayed with him every day, sometimes nagging, sometimes laughing, and sometimes glaring at him.

Little White sticks to him every day, following him wherever he goes. When he sleeps, it lies beside his pillow. When he practices his martial arts, it lies beside him watching. When he cuts bamboo, it lies on a rock basking in the sun.

Jiang Xiaochuan got used to it. He got used to Tian Ling'er's nagging, and Xiao Bai's clinginess. He even thought it was fine this way. Plain and simple, peaceful and stable.

Only occasionally would he think of Lu Xueqi.

He remembered her standing in the moonlight, asking, "Can we get to know each other?" He remembered her tripping him, making him fall, and then catching him. He remembered the way she looked at him—a little strange, a little deep, a little… he couldn't understand it.

Then he would shake his head, banishing those thoughts. What was he thinking? Lu Xueqi was Lu Xueqi, and he was him. They were completely unrelated.

Until that day, another paper crane flew to him.

Jiang Xiaochuan was cutting bamboo on the back hill when a paper crane landed on his shoulder. He put down his axe, picked up the paper crane, and unwrapped it. The handwriting was still neat and elegant, and the fragrance was still faint.

Senior Brother Jiang:

It's late afternoon today, at the usual place.

If you have something to tell me, please come.

Lu Xueqi

Jiang Xiaochuan frowned as he looked at the note. Another invitation? The same old place? He remembered the last time Tian Ling'er went in his place. When she came back, her eyes were red, and she wouldn't say what was wrong when he asked her what was wrong. She only told him to stay away from Lu Xueqi.