Zhu Xian: They've all been reborn

Jiang Xiaochuan woke up.

Memories surged back like a tide, carrying a chilling coldness.

He tried to sit up abruptly, but found that his wrists and ankles were still wrapped in those flexible leather bandages.

It seemed a little looser than before, no longer painfully tight, but I still couldn't break free.

His struggling movements aggravated the wound on his forehead, causing another sharp pain that made him gasp and groan.

The commotion immediately alerted the other three people inside the stone chamber.

Almost simultaneously, three pairs of eyes shot towards them. One was cold and calm, one was deep and stubborn, and one was languid and complex.

Jiang Xiaochuan stiffly turned his head and met three pairs of eyes.

Lu Xueqi sat at the table, maintaining her upright posture, but the hand that had been stroking the sword had stopped.

Her cool, clear eyes were watching him quietly, without reproach or anger, only a bottomless abyss that seemed to suck him in completely.

When he looked over, her eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly.

Biyao stood at the foot of the bed, still holding the Soul-Devouring Staff in her hand, but the bloody light on the staff had completely disappeared.

The tears and anger on her face seemed to have subsided during his coma, leaving only a deeper, more stubborn expression mixed with exhaustion, resentment, and a kind of near-desperate determination.

She looked at him, her deep green eyes unblinking, her lips moving slightly, but no sound came out.

Xiao Bai was still leaning against the window, but her posture had changed from crossing her arms to hugging her chest.

His silver eyes appeared exceptionally deep in the dim light, churning with emotions Jiang Xiaochuan couldn't decipher—concern, helplessness, heartache, and a hint of... indescribable complexity.

Seeing that he was awake, she tilted her head slightly, her lips seemingly trying to curve into that usual playful smile, but in the end she just pursed her lips and let out a barely audible sigh.

None of the three people spoke.

The only sounds in the stone chamber were his slightly heavy breathing due to pain and tension, and the ceaseless, sobbing wind outside the window.

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at them, at the emotions in their eyes that he couldn't understand at all, yet which were so heavy that they made him feel suffocated. The tangled mess in his heart not only didn't get sorted out, but it got even more tangled.

Doubt, immense doubt, coiled around his heart like vines.

What exactly do they like about him?

Lu Xueqi, a once-in-a-century genius of the Qingyun Sect, is aloof and ethereal, with limitless potential.

Why would someone be so obsessed with a disciple of Dazhu Peak who is mediocre, mild-mannered (actually cowardly), and always causing trouble?

They even went so far as to say terrible things like "lock him up" or "lock him up"?

Just because they were husband and wife in a "past life"?

But he doesn't remember!

Those so-called "loving memories" were like listening to someone else's story to him, completely devoid of any real feeling.

Biyao, the young master of the Ghost King Sect, is stunningly beautiful, of noble birth, and wields a deadly weapon that devours souls.

Why would she develop such a paranoid and insane possessiveness towards someone she's only met a few times (even when she was in disguise) and who could even be considered her "enemy"?

Tie them up, bind them up, and then...have a baby?

That's outrageous.

Is it because she couldn't have the love she wanted in her "past life"?

But what does that have to do with him?

What did he do wrong to deserve this?

Xiao Bai, a nine-tailed celestial fox who has lived for thousands of years, is mysterious, lazy, and unfathomable.

Why did you get involved, and even make such a... solemn confession?

Just because she "saw" them for hundreds of years and saw their feelings?

But that wasn't her affection for him; it was for Jiang Xiaochuan from her "past life."

What merit or ability does Jiang Xiaochuan possess?

In terms of aptitude, being at the fifth level of Jade Purity is not bad among the younger generation, but it is definitely not top-tier.

In terms of appearance, she's just average-looking, but she wouldn't stand out in a crowd.

In terms of personality, he is timid, afraid of trouble, indecisive, and always wants to escape.

In terms of family background, he is an ordinary disciple of Dazhu Peak, and his parents are unknown.

What do they want from him?

An absurd, somewhat self-deprecating thought even popped into his head:

In a sense, didn't he get a huge advantage?

Three women so outstanding that they could drive countless cultivators mad outside are now confronting, arguing, and possibly even fighting each other in this Fox Ridge Mountain for his sake.

If this gets out, the entire cultivation world will probably be shocked, cursing him for his incredible luck, or labeling him a "femme fatale."

But he didn't want this "cheap" deal at all.

I felt only heaviness, suffocation, a deep sense of bewilderment, and... a hidden fear.

He didn't know what love was.

In my past life, I was an ordinary person with no romantic experience.

In this lifetime at Dazhu Peak, all I did was cut bamboo and cultivate. The women I had the most contact with were Tian Ling'er and Su Ru (as well as Lu Xueqi).

His feelings for Tian Ling'er were those of childhood sweethearts, a bond of kinship and dependence, and perhaps a touch of youthful, innocent affection, but certainly not to the point of "I will marry no one but you."

It's certainly not the kind of unforgettable, life-and-death love they describe.

He felt respect and admiration for Su Ru.

His feelings for Lu Xueqi were gratitude, respect, dependence, a sense of security under her strong "protection" (control), and a secret admiration for her stunning beauty and strength.

But can this be considered love?

he does not know.

I only feel fear and... disgust towards Biyao.

For Xiaobai, it's dependence, habit, and a hint of curiosity about her mystery and power, and a vague...attraction?

But this isn't love, is it?

What exactly is love?

Is it Lu Xueqi's cold and obsessive possessiveness?

Is it the kind of insane and desperate plundering like Biyao's?

Is it the burning passion hidden beneath Xiaobai's languid demeanor?

He doesn't understand.

All he knew was that being surrounded by this kind of "love" made him feel like he was suffocating.

He doesn't want to choose, he won't choose, and... he can't choose.

He wanted to leave.

Immediately, right away.

"I..." He opened his mouth, his voice a little hoarse.

"I want to go out for a walk. To clear my head."

He spoke softly, with a hint of probing and even a touch of pleading.

His gaze swept across the three faces, not daring to linger.

Lu Xueqi looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and slowly stood up. She walked to the bedside, reached out, not to pull him, but to begin untying the leather straps on his wrists.

Her fingers were slightly cool, but her movements were steady and without the slightest hesitation. She quickly untied all four bindings.

Jiang Xiaochuan's wrists and ankles loosened, and the feeling of being restrained for several days suddenly disappeared, replaced by a slightly unsettling soreness and numbness.

He stared blankly at Lu Xueqi.

"Go ahead," Lu Xueqi said calmly, moving aside from the bedside. "Don't go too far. Fox Ridge Mountain... is not safe."

Her tone was calm, as if she were simply agreeing to let him go out into the yard for some fresh air.

But Jiang Xiaochuan knew that what she meant by "not being peaceful" was probably not just the Ghost King Sect's guards and formations.

Biyao gripped the Soul-Devouring Staff tightly, seemingly wanting to say something. Her lips moved a few times, but in the end, she simply turned her head away, looking out the window. Her shoulders slumped slightly, revealing a sense of powerless dejection.

She did not stop her.

Xiao Bai straightened up, walked to the door, and opened the stone door. "I'll stay with you," she said, her tone leaving no room for refusal.

Jiang Xiaochuan glanced at them, silently got out of bed, put on his shoes (he didn't know who took them off for him), and walked unsteadily toward the door.

As he passed by Xiaobai, he could smell her familiar warm fragrance. The slight joy he felt from being "released" was instantly replaced by a deeper sense of bewilderment.

Stepping out of the stone chamber, one finds a deep, dark passageway with walls inlaid with phosphorescent stones that emit a pale green light.

The air was cold and damp, carrying the faint fishy smell unique to Fox Hill, a mixture of soil and certain minerals.

The passageway twists and turns, leading into an unknown depth.

Xiao Bai silently followed a step behind him, neither getting closer nor speaking, just like a silent shadow.

Jiang Xiaochuan wandered aimlessly, following the direction of the air flow he sensed.

The passageway was long and had many forks, but he seemed to be lucky. He didn't go into a dead end or trigger any obvious formations or mechanisms (perhaps they were deactivated beforehand?).

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the faint light of dawn appeared ahead, along with... the sound of wind.

He quickened his pace, turned a corner, and suddenly the view opened up before him.

This is a huge, naturally formed platform located in the heart of the mountain, like a giant hand carving out a space from the steep mountainside.

There are no railings at the edge of the platform, and below is a bottomless abyss filled with swirling clouds.

Sunlight streamed down through a narrow sliver of sky overhead, forming a slanted beam that illuminated the jagged rocks on the platform and the dark-colored, strangely shaped plants that tenaciously grew in the crevices.

The wind was strong, carrying the chill unique to high places and the coldness of the abyss, howling across the platform and whipping up his robes and hair.

The wind blowing on my face stung a little, but it also brought back the long-lost fresh air from the outside world.

It's very high up here, with an excellent view.

In the distance, one can see dark, undulating mountains, resembling the spine of a giant beast, appearing and disappearing in the thin clouds.

The sky was a somber, leaden gray; the sun was nowhere to be seen, only a vast expanse of low-hanging clouds.

The scenery wasn't particularly beautiful.

But compared to that suffocating stone chamber, this place is at least spacious and free (relatively speaking).

Jiang Xiaochuan walked to the edge of the platform, just a few steps away from the bottomless abyss. He looked down at the churning, grayish-white clouds below, which seemed capable of swallowing everything, and took a deep breath of the cold, dusty air.

The oppressive feeling in my chest seemed to be slightly dispelled by the biting wind.

He was homesick.

I think of the lush bamboo forest of Dazhu Peak, the aroma of Zhang Xiaofan's cooking, my master's powerful yet undeniably caring shouts, my master's wife's gentle, nagging admonitions, the lively banter of my fellow disciples, and even...

I kind of miss Tian Ling'er's boisterous yet vibrant and bright personality.

At least, with Tian Ling'er by his side, he didn't have to constantly worry about being tied up or forced to make choices.

Although Tian Ling'er also... had those kinds of feelings for him, she didn't seem to be as... obsessive and terrifying as Lu Xueqi and Biyao.

Master and Mistress must be extremely worried, right?

And then there are the senior brothers... This troublesome junior brother of mine suddenly disappeared after the Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament, and was even kidnapped by a demonic witch from the Demonic Sect. The entire Qingyun Sect is probably in an uproar.

With Tian Pangzi's explosive temper, he might already be at the gates of Fox Ridge Mountain with his Crimson Flame Sword...

He suddenly felt a little sorry for them. He was in a mess because of some inexplicable "karmic entanglement from a past life" and a love tribulation, while his family and teachers who truly cared about him were worried sick.

There's also the plot... he vaguely thought about it.

In the original novel, after the Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament, Zhang Xiaofan should have shone brightly, then gone down the mountain to gain experience, met Biyao, and started that epic yet tragic love story.

But now?

Zhang Xiaofan is nowhere to be found. Biyao has kidnapped this "passerby," and the Soul-Devouring Staff has also fallen into Biyao's hands. Lu Xueqi is relentlessly pursuing this "cannon fodder," and Xiaobai, a "great demon" who only appears in the later part of the original story, has also made an early appearance to get involved...

The plot has long since gone off track, or rather, from the moment he transmigrated and was reborn (although his memories are incomplete), there has been no so-called "plot" anymore.

What will the future hold?

He had no idea.

Like a piece of driftwood thrown into a raging torrent, it can only drift with the current, not knowing which whirlpool it will be thrown into or which reef it will crash into next.

A deep sense of powerlessness and exhaustion overwhelmed him.

It was more devastating than the bitter battle on the arena, the humiliation of being tied up by Biyao, the relentless pressure from Lu Xueqi, or the sudden confession from Xiaobai.

He turned around, his back to the abyss and the biting mountain wind, and looked at Xiaobai, who had been standing quietly not far away, her silver hair fluttering slightly in the wind.

Her gaze was also fixed on him, her silver eyes appearing exceptionally deep in the dim light of the day.

"Xiao Bai," he began, his voice slightly hoarse from the wind, carrying an almost numb calm, "what do you think... I should do?"

Xiaobai didn't answer immediately. She walked to his side, stood beside him, and also looked towards the distant, somber mountains. After a long while, she softly said:

"I don't know, Ogawa. There are never standard answers when it comes to feelings. Especially... like us, entangled through past and present lives, and neither of us... is willing to let go."

She turned her head to look at his profile, which was slightly pale from the wind but still handsome, her eyes swirling with complex emotions:

"You can hate us, resent us, think we're unreasonable, think we've driven you to the brink. You can also... try to accept, try to understand, try... give us, and yourself, a chance."

"But I won't force you to choose." Xiaobai's voice lowered.

"At least not now. You're too tired, Ogawa. Take care of yourself first."

As Jiang Xiaochuan listened to her words, the string in his heart, stretched to its limit, seemed to loosen slightly. But what followed was not relief, but a deeper emptiness and powerlessness.

Should we not force him to choose?

and then?

Should we continue to drag this out in this ambiguous state?

How long will it take?

Will they wait until one of them loses patience and explodes again?

Will they drag this out until the Qingyun Sect and the Ghost King Sect go to war?

Will he be worn down until... he completely breaks down?

He looked at Xiaobai's beautiful yet weary face so close to his, and then he recalled Lu Xueqi's unfathomable eyes in the stone chamber, and the desperate stubbornness in Biyao's eyes...

Forget it.

Screw love, screw choices, screw past lives and present lives, screw plot breakdowns.

I'm done playing.

A sense of despair, bordering on self-abandonment, surged forth like a burst dam, violently washing away the last vestiges of his inner turmoil, fear, and confusion.

If you can't figure it out, can't escape it, and can't solve it, then why bother thinking about it? Why keep agonizing over it!

Whatever.

You love to fight, to snatch, to tie, to lock. I'm right here, lying down, watching, waiting.

Eat when there's food, sleep when there's sleep, cultivate when you can, and just space out when you can't cultivate.

When you finally settle your score, or when you're tired of fighting, or... when you've worn me out, then it'll be peaceful.

As for Qingyun Sect, Master and Mistress, Senior Brothers, Tian Ling'er... I'm sorry, your disciple/junior brother may not be able to go back for the time being.

There's no point in worrying about that anymore.

He suddenly felt like laughing.

He twitched his lips, but didn't actually smile.

"I'm tired, Xiaobai," he whispered.

"I want to go back... and lie down for a while."

Xiao Bai looked at him, her silver eyes flashing with heartache, understanding, and a hint of... indescribable, complex emotion, as if she had long anticipated this.

She nodded, said nothing more, and silently turned around, leading him back along the way they had come, to the stone chamber that was still filled with the invisible smoke of battle, but had become his temporary "refuge".

The wind of Fox Ridge Mountain still howled outside the platform, stirring up the dark clouds and the mist of the deep valley, as if mocking all the futile struggles and delusions of the world.

The boy caught in the eye of the storm chose to close his eyes, cover his ears, and retreat into his shell.

Giving up might not be the solution. But at least it can give him a temporary respite.

As for the future... who cares.