Zhu Xian: They've all been reborn

She took his hand and led him through a dark pine forest to a sheltered, smooth rock.

It's quieter here, with only the mournful sound of the wind blowing through the pine needles.

The moonlight was mostly blocked by the rocks, making the light dim.

Lu Xueqi stopped and finally let go of his hand.

Jiang Xiaochuan quickly moved his wrist, which was sore from being gripped and had clear finger marks left on it. He breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a little uneasy.

He looked up at Lu Xueqi.

Lu Xueqi stood in the shadow of the rock with her back to him.

The pale white Taoist robe blended almost seamlessly into the gloom, with only the silhouette of her profile revealing a breathtaking, chilling beauty in the faint light of day.

Her shoulders rose and fell slightly, as if she were calming her breathing.

After a long while, she slowly turned around and faced Jiang Xiaochuan.

In the dim light, her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, like two clusters of cold flames burning, staring straight into his eyes.

"Jiang Xiaochuan." She spoke, calling his full name in a soft voice, yet it carried a heavy, weighty emotion.

"Hmm?" Jiang Xiaochuan responded subconsciously, feeling uneasy under her gaze.

Did I tell you?

Lu Xueqi took a step forward, getting very close to him; there was almost no distance between them.

She could smell the faint, warm scent of Xiaobai on him, which made her gaze grow colder, but her tone became strangely calm.

With an unwavering certainty, as if stating a fact, "You are mine."

Jiang Xiaochuan's heart skipped a beat. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know what to say.

It's that line again!

Did I tell you?

Lu Xueqi took another half step forward, almost touching his toes, and looked up at him. Her clear, cold eyes were as deep as an abyss in the dim light, clearly reflecting his somewhat flustered face.

"I don't like anyone touching you. Nobody. Especially not that fox."

Her voice remained calm, almost flat, but the possessiveness and chilling warning emanating from her words sent a chill down Jiang Xiaochuan's spine.

He tried to back away, but his feet seemed rooted to the spot.

"Did I ever tell you?" Lu Xueqi raised her hand, not to grab him, but to gently stroke his cheek.

The coolness of my fingertips caressed his skin.

The movements were slow and gentle.

"In this life, in the next life, and in all lifetimes, you can only belong to me, Lu Xueqi."

Only I can hold your hand.

Only I can hold you. Your heart…

Her fingertips rested on his chest, and through his clothes, she could feel his heartbeat suddenly quickening.

"It can only hold me."

She paused, looking at him as he stood there completely stunned, his face drained of color and then flushed, his eyes filled with confusion and helplessness.

Slowly, word by word, he finished speaking, his voice almost a whisper, yet carrying an unwavering resolve:

"So don't try to escape, and don't try to... let anyone touch you."

Otherwise, I don't know what I might do.

you

Do you understand?

Jiang Xiaochuan was completely dumbfounded.

He looked at Lu Xueqi, who was so close to him.

Looking into her eyes, I saw an undisguised, almost insane obsession and possessiveness, and felt the cold touch of her fingertips and the chilling obsession in her words.

My mind went blank, with only the deafening sound of my heart pounding wildly in my chest.

She wasn't joking. She was serious. Very serious.

Their hundreds of years as husband and wife in their past lives, their shameless days and nights, had already etched her possessiveness of him into her bones and integrated it into her soul.

In this reunion, she had suppressed her feelings for too long and pretended for too long, convincing herself to "take it slow."

But when he saw Xiaobai holding his hand and when he saw "Xiaoyu" getting close to him, the string called "reason" finally snapped.

No one can touch her man.

Not even the slightest bit.

Jiang Xiaochuan's throat was sore and dry, his lips trembled, and after a long while, he finally managed to squeeze out a dry, trembling sentence:

"Junior Sister Lu...please...please don't do this...I...I..."

"How am I?"

Lu Xueqi tilted her head slightly, her eyes still locked on him, her tone even carrying a faint, almost cruel naiveté.

I am stating the facts.

You will be mine sooner or later.

Now, I'm just letting you know in advance, and... get used to it.

She withdrew her hand from his cheek and grasped his hand again, this time with a gentler touch, but still tightly, their fingers intertwined.

"Let's go back. There's another competition tomorrow."

She didn't give him a chance to speak, pulled him along, and turned to walk back.

The pace was still fast, but the urgency from before had been replaced by a sense of calm that had settled down.

It was as if the earth-shattering announcement she had just made was not her own.

Jiang Xiaochuan was like a puppet, being led by her, stumbling along unsteadily.

Her words echoed repeatedly in my mind, along with the unfathomable, chilling persistence in her eyes.

The slight coolness of her fingertips and the feeling of her tight grip still lingered on my wrist, and my heart was still pounding.

Is he hers?

It can only belong to her alone?

There's no way to escape?

Otherwise, she might do something terrible?

What on earth is all this?!

But he knew in his heart that Lu Xueqi was serious when she said that.

It seems he... really provoked a formidable, paranoid person.

Once they were back near their accommodations, Lu Xueqi released his hand, gave him a deep look, and whispered, "Get some rest."

Then, Yuebai's figure disappeared at the end of the path leading to the residence of the female disciples of Xiaozhu Peak.

Jiang Xiaochuan stood there, looking at his empty hands and the red marks she had left on his wrists, his mind in turmoil.

Everything that happened tonight—Xiao Bai's sudden embrace and tenderness, Lu Xueqi's earth-shattering declaration and obsession—was like two huge whirlpools, engulfing him and almost suffocating him.

He walked dejectedly toward the male disciples' dormitory of Dazhu Peak. After taking only a few steps, a shadow moved beside him, and Tian Ling'er jumped out and blocked his way.

She had clearly been waiting for him for a long time. Her fiery red dress looked somewhat dim in the moonlight, and the anger from the daytime was gone from her pretty face, leaving only a forced calm and a deep-seated grievance and unease in her eyes.

"Xiao Chuan," she called out to him, her voice a little hoarse.

Jiang Xiaochuan stopped and looked at her, his mind in even greater turmoil. Another one.

"Let's talk." Tian Ling'er took a deep breath, looked at him, her eyes resolute.

Jiang Xiaochuan rubbed his temples wearily: "Senior Sister Ling'er, I'm so tired. I still have to go tomorrow..."

"Just a few words!" Tian Ling'er interrupted him, raising her voice slightly.

"Just a few words! I'm leaving after I finish!"

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her red-rimmed eyes, his heart softened, and he sighed, "...Go ahead."

Tian Ling'er walked up to him, looked up at him, and in the moonlight, her eyes were bright and full of tears, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"Jiang Xiaochuan, look at me and answer me honestly."

Do you... feel even the slightest bit of romantic attraction towards me?

It's not the kind of feeling I have for my senior, playmate, or family.

It's...it's the kind of affection a man has for a woman.

Have you ever thought about being with me, like Dad and Mom, for the rest of your life?

She asked directly, with the courage of someone who had nothing to lose, her eyes fixed on him, not missing a single subtle change in his expression.

Jiang Xiaochuan was stunned.

He didn't expect Tian Ling'er to ask so directly.

Looking into her expectant yet anxious eyes, the urge to escape that had arisen from his exhaustion and confusion suddenly vanished.

Some things are better said sooner rather than later, for the benefit of everyone.

Although it might hurt her.

He remained silent for a long time, so long that the light in Tian Ling'er's eyes gradually dimmed, and finally, she couldn't hold back her tears, which rolled down in large drops.

Then, he slowly, very gently, but very clearly, shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Senior Sister Ling'er."

His voice was hoarse, apologetic, but firm.

"I...I've always considered you my older sister, my best friend, and family."

Very important, a very important person.

But... it's not that kind of liking.

I never thought... I would become your husband.

sorry."

He said it.

It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my heart.

But then another, even heavier one was placed on top.

Guilt towards Tian Ling'er.

Tian Ling'er's tears flowed even more fiercely, but she didn't cry out loud. She just bit her lip tightly, her shoulders trembling slightly.

She looked at him, at his clear, open eyes, filled with apology but lacking the emotions she desired.

It felt as if an invisible hand was gripping her heart tightly, causing her so much pain that she could barely breathe.

As expected... as expected.

Lu Xueqi is right.

She had always known, but she was unwilling to believe it or accept it.

"It's okay if I don't have any feelings..."

She suddenly spoke, her voice choked with emotion, yet carrying an almost obsessive persistence. Tears blurred her vision, but she tried her best to keep her eyes wide open and look at him.

"It can be cultivated gradually!"

We grew up together, I know you best!

I will treat you better than Lu Xueqi ever has! I will change all the temper traits you don't like!

I can also work hard to cultivate and become as powerful as her!

I can wait!

One year, ten years, one hundred years!

As long as you give me a chance

We can definitely do it...

"Senior Sister Ling'er!"

Jiang Xiaochuan interrupted her, his voice filled with reluctance, yet still firm.

"That's not how relationships work."

It's not something that can be achieved by being better, more capable, or waiting longer.

I... I really don't have those feelings for you.

I don't want to lie to you, and I don't want to... hold you back.

You deserve someone better, really.

Tian Ling'er stopped abruptly, tears streaming down her face.

She looked at him for a long time, as if trying to etch his image into the depths of her soul.

Then, she suddenly pounced on him and hugged him tightly!

She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, buried her face in his chest, and her hot tears instantly soaked the fabric of his shirt.

Her body trembled, and her silent sobs were more heartbreaking than any loud wailing.

I won't listen...

I won't listen...

Jiang Xiaochuan, you're a bastard...

"You big bastard..."

She sobbed incoherently in his arms, her voice thick with tears.

Her arms were clenched tightly, as if she wanted to meld him into her body.

I don't care...

I don't care what you think...

I like you……

I just like you...

I've liked it for a very, very long time...

I won't give up...

I would rather die than…

She suddenly looked up, her eyes blurry with tears, and saw Jiang Xiaochuan's face, which was close at hand and filled with astonishment and helplessness.

I don't know where I got the strength and courage, but I stood on my tiptoes.

She cupped his face in her hands, then pressed her lips to his and kissed him fiercely and haphazardly!

It wasn't Lu Xueqi's kiss, which was cold and stubborn, nor was it Xiao Bai's languid and seductive touch.

She sucked and nibbled haphazardly.

Jiang Xiaochuan was completely dumbfounded!

His eyes widened in disbelief, and his mind went completely blank!

A strange and soft touch came to her lips, a mixture of the salty dampness of tears and the sweet fragrance of a young girl, along with her unskilled, almost biting force.

He stood there stiffly, forgetting to push away or react, simply enduring it like a statue.

Until Tian Ling'er herself was exhausted.

Or rather, they were exhausted by these overly intense emotions and actions.

She slowly released him, took a step back, panting, tears streaming down her face.

Her lips were slightly swollen and red, but her eyes were frighteningly bright. She stared straight at him and said, word by word:

"Jiang Xiaochuan, listen carefully."

This is the first kiss I, Tian Ling'er, have given you.

But it won't be the last.

It's okay if you don't like me, I'll wait.

It's okay if you avoid me, I'll chase after you.

"I'm sticking with you for life!"

After saying that, she stopped looking at him, turned around abruptly, and wiped her face hard with her sleeve.

Then he ran away without looking back, his fiery red figure quickly disappearing into the night.

Only suppressed, intermittent sobs could be faintly heard, which were quickly dispersed by the night wind.

Jiang Xiaochuan remained frozen in place.

The unfamiliar, tear-stained softness and slight stinging sensation still lingered on my lips.

He raised his hand blankly, touched his lips, and looked in the direction where Tian Ling'er had disappeared. Only one thought remained in his mind:

It’s over.

It's all over.

Now, everything is completely in chaos.