Chapter 16: Two Dreams – Part 3

The night was deep, and the village at the foot of the Yujing Sect Mountain was quiet.

Jiang Xuehe was pondering how to calculate partiality—

He entered the tent and, through the bedding, took Ti Ying into his arms, patting her back with his hand to help her sleep more peacefully.

Though he didn’t understand what she was saying, he softly asked, “Does this count?”

Ti Ying, lost in her slumber, couldn’t answer him.

In her spasms, she gripped his arm tightly, her nails digging in. Jiang Xuehe feared she might hurt her hand against the fabric, so he slowly pushed up his sleeve, allowing her hand to grasp onto his skin.

In the candlelight, Jiang Xuehe’s arm was also covered in scars and bound by talismans. But fortunately, Ti Ying was asleep and couldn’t see, sparing her from any fright.

In her nightmares, Ti Ying just wanted to find a piece of driftwood. Though the driftwood had rolled up its sleeves, it didn’t push her away, which eased her trembling slightly. Lost in the haze, she leaned closer to Jiang Xuehe.

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From Jiang Xuehe’s understanding of his junior sister over the past few days, there was nothing wrong with her cultivation, spells, or spiritual power. Her only outstanding talent was being afraid of ghosts and unwilling to practice because of it.

She was a talisman cultivator, and her affinity with spirits was too strong. Once her spiritual energy declined, it would inevitably attract residual thoughts from heaven and earth, forming nightmares to disturb her.

To help her, the simplest method was to transfer spiritual energy to her.

Coincidentally, Jiang Xuehe’s own spiritual energy, if not inexhaustible, was difficult to deplete.

So, Jiang Xuehe held Ti Ying in his arms, his finger tapping her forehead, attempting to transmit spiritual energy to her.

Upon trying, he saw that her spiritual energy was severely depleted… As soon as his spiritual energy touched her, she eagerly absorbed it like one starving. His abundant spiritual energy vanished like a drop in the ocean, leaving no trace in moments.

Jiang Xuehe was surprised: Junior sister’s spiritual energy was weaker than he had thought.

Do abilities like this… also require cultivation?

He afraid it will take a lot of hard work.

He lowered his gaze, looking at the young girl in his arms, feeling somewhat worried about Ti Ying’s future.

But worrying wouldn’t help.

After transferring spiritual energy, Ti Ying’s tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and a blush appeared on her cheeks.

She turned over, burying her face in his embrace. She was truly an innocent child, wrapping her arms around his waist and rubbing against him in confusion because of the unfamiliar feeling compared to her former master.

She pushed him away. “I don’t want you…”

Jiang Xuehe, with a good temper, replied, “Then who do you want?”

In her confused slumber, Ti Ying couldn’t explain clearly, so she just mumbled and fell silent.

The frost was thick, and the candlelight shone on the tent like flowing water.

Her soft, disheveled hair resembled seaweed, floating around the waist of the youth and falling onto his dark clothes.

Jiang Xuehe remained still.

Ti Ying, having adjusted her sleeping position comfortably, let out a sigh.

The hand that was against her forehead stiffened as she moved around. He thought for a moment, then adjusted his finger to gently touch her forehead from the side, continuing to transfer spiritual energy to her.

Little Ying is so well-behaved.

No more crying, no more shouting. She sleeps so peacefully.

Was Master always dealing with such a well-behaved Little Ying?

But if he were a villain, what if junior sister, so easily trusting of others, were to be bullied? Has master not taught junior sister anything?

Jiang Xuehe felt a slight resentment towards his master, who was rarely seen without a mask.

But then he thought: She was with master before, and now with him, and in the future, she will be taken by her second senior brother, maybe even entering the Yujing sect, receiving the protection of such a large sect… He didn’t need to worry too much about junior sister.

However, what should he do with junior sister now?

Why hasn’t second senior brother come to pick her up yet? When can he leave?

During these days he spent with junior sister, there were many mysteries surrounding him, which seemed to have already confused junior sister. When she wakes up, he will have to offer an explanation.

But among all these thoughts, what Jiang Xuehe thought about the most was one thing—

After Suan Yu’s death, the impurities returned to heaven and earth, and the resentment dissipated. Because of this great merit,the talismas control over Jiang Xuehe weakened slightly due to the great merit

In other words, the constraints of the talisman on him had lessened, and he could regain some things…

Should he restore his voice or his appearance first, or should he first remove the wounds on his hands?

Jiang Xuehe thought of the girl’s round, curious eyes when the corner of his hood was lifted.

So, he decided to restore some of his facial features first.

—

He was used to being alone.

Suddenly, having the feeling of needing to take care of a junior sister was quite interesting.

—

Ti Ying slept for a long, satisfying sleep.

She was trapped in an old dream from when she was ten years old. Initially terrified and crying, suddenly there was a brilliant snowfall in the world of her dream.

The snow buried the village in her dream.

As the sky turned dim yellow and the desolate mountains stood silent, crows flapped their wings and flew away. Ti Ying stood alone in the cold night, gazing up at the flying snow.

She didn’t feel the coldness of the snow.

She loved the snow.

The gently falling and warm snow had been continuous in her dream, allowing her to have a good night’s sleep. So much so that when she woke up, Ti Ying felt her spiritual energy was exceptionally abundant, which delighted her greatly.

Huh, could it be that my cultivation has improved?

Ti Ying, who rolled over and sat up in bed,quickly entered her sea of consciousness to check, then came out disappointed, puffing her cheeks and sitting in the tent sulking: she knew that it would be very difficult to improve her broken cultivation.

After sulking for a while, Ti Ying suddenly heard rustling sounds outside the tent.

Ti Ying blinked, lifted a corner of the tent, and peeked outside— the screen separating the inner and outer parts was very light, and lying on the bed, Ti Ying could easily see the tall shadow wearing a hood.

That shadow sat at a table, whether writing or reading, serene as a painting.

For a moment, Ti Ying was stunned.

People usually quickly forget their nightmares upon waking up. The most memorable part of a nightmare, perhaps, is the moment right after waking up.

And in that moment, after Ti Ying woke up, she saw Jiang Xuehe’s shadow through the screen—

Fragments of fleeting images from her dream came rushing towards her.

At one moment, it was the demoness Ti Ying in the cave, with her trapped immortal senior brother; at another, it was the second dream’s, with snow floating between heaven and earth…

Ti Ying sluggishly thought: She seemed to have dreamt of her senior brother…

It seemed… during the trip to the Five Poison Forest, the first time her spiritual energy went out of control, she had dreamt of her senior brother.

What could this mean?

As she thought back, the scenes from her dream didn’t seem as vivid as they initially were, starting to blur.

Ti Ying furrowed her brows, feeling a surge of frustration with the “Vast Dream Spell”.

She knew this spell was very problematic.

One moment it had her being chased, another moment it gave her nightmares, and now it brought her cheap senior brother into her dreams. Honestly, why should she dream of him?

Moreover, dreams are just dreams… and now she only vaguely remembers something about demons and immortals, some strange sibling relationship… but there are no demons in this world.

Hmph!

Even more serious than this, Ti Ying shuddered, as she distinctly remembered her second dream.

Yes, the first dream started after encountering her cheap senior brother; the second dream was one she often had after practicing cultivation, where she frequently dreamt of things before she was ten years old.

When Ti Ying was ten, she experienced a formidable formation that left a deep impression on her, the “Tenfold Annihilation Curse.”

She was lucky.

The formation didn’t succeed when she was ten. Her former master happened to pass by that village, saving her, and from then on, she began her cultivation journey.

She had long forgotten about that village.

Now, Ti Ying couldn’t help but stare intensely at the figure of the hooded youth behind the screen— the Tenfold Annihilation Curse!

A forbidden curse that carried the burdens of countless souls and grievances.

In an instant, Ti Ying understood why she had always felt familiar with the talismans on Jiang Xuehe’s body.

His body seemed decrepit, his voice hoarse, covered in scales, and his hands like those of an old man, clearly possessing a primordial spirit but unable to use it normally.

On the night he killed Suan Yu, after his hood was lifted, there was a faint but distinct aura of black energy emanating from his body.

Every detail indicated that Jiang Xuehe bore the “Tenfold Annihilation Curse”.

If Ti Ying herself hadn’t witnessed the most terrifying power of the curse, then her cheap senior brother must be enduring it.

But didn’t the former master say that once cursed, one would go mad, even if not dead? Then why did her cheap senior brother seem perfectly fine, appearing quite normal?

No, she couldn’t think like this.

The former master said that those bound by the curse would walk on the edge of life and death, and a slight misstep could lead to a bad outcome.

Seemingly pitiful, but those who could incur such a curse must have committed grievous sins themselves, attracting the souls seeking vengeance.

Ti Ying herself was targeted because of the collective wishes of an entire village for her death, allowing the curse to be successfully cast; if the curse was placed on her cheap senior brother, wouldn’t it indicate that countless people hated him, resented him, and wished for his death?

Ti Ying shivered.

Could he really be a villain?

She needed to escape.

—

Ti Ying was a ruthless little scoundrel.

After discovering the “Tenfold Annihilation Curse” on her senior brother, she had no interest in uncovering the truth or hearing stories. She just wanted to stay far away from the curse, far away from her past nightmares, and far away from anyone who seemed like a villain.

Ti Ying lay on the edge of the tent, softly calling out, “Kind-hearted senior brother?”

There was no response from outside.

The young girl climbed out of bed.

She patted her chest, feeling reassured that her small tools and talismans were all there, and the little toys her former master gave her were safe. She could protect herself.

Now she should sneak away to find Yujing sect and tell them she killed Suan Yu, so she could enter the sect.

If she were to encounter her senior brother at Yujing Sect again… she wasn’t afraid! She had fought back against him before!

Ti Ying clarified her plan in her mind and quietly made her way through the screen towards the door.

Everything went smoothly, except her injured abdomen still hurt…

A hoarse voice from behind sounded like it had been chosen by a demon, “Where are you going, junior sister?”

Ti Ying didn’t feel like reasoning with him: “Hmph!”

Jiang Xuehe was once again greeted with her disdain.

He paused for a moment, then tried a different approach, “Senior brother will accompany you.”

Ti Ying was sharp-tongued, “Who are you? Do we know each other?”

Ti Ying threw the talismans in her arms backward in an attempt to block Jiang Xuehe.

Jiang Xuehe chuckled, “Hmm, you were cuddling me last night, and today you want to fight me. And you’re asking who I am.”

He said, “Why don’t you turn around and look at me?”

Pacifying a little girl—didn’t she want to see his face?

Although he didn’t know what junior sister was up to, it was always a safe bet to calm her down first.