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The room was filled with faint blue smoke.
Observing Ling Ye’s expression, Lan Xiaosheng’s eyes flashed with concern. Seeing his brows stretched out, revealing a little bit of pleasure, he forcefully cut off the connection between their minds.
Ling Ye opened his eyes and furrowed his brows. “Why did you rush to pull me out?”
There was still half a stick of incense time left.
“You’ve been trapped in the illusion of the nightmare without realizing it,” Lan Xiaosheng said, rubbing his forehead. “If I hadn’t done that, let alone bring him out, you would have to fallen into it as well. I already warned you that no matter what you see inside, just find the true form of the nightmare, capture it, and leave. How did you still fall for it?”
Ling Ye fell silent for a moment. “I know it’s an illusion.”
He knew that the Nightmare Beast disguised itself as the pen in his and later as the handkerchief.
Lan Xiaosheng was taken aback. “Then why did you still fall for it?”
Ling Ye didn’t answer, but looked towards the bed where Shen Liuxiang lay. “I need time before I can go back inside. There’s still two sticks of incense left. Who should go next?”
“Of course, it’s Bingran,” Lan Xiaosheng replied.
Ling Ye shook his head. “He doesn’t like my junior brother. He may not try his best to bring him out.”
Lan Xiaosheng retorted, “I know my eldest disciple.”
Ling Ye’s expression remained calm as he said slowly, “The person he admires is entangled with my junior brother. He probably wishes that my junior brother never wakes up.”
Lan Xiaosheng became angry and slammed the table. “He is not that kind of person! Besides…”
He paused and sighed helplessly. “He should not dislike Liuxiang, so why did it turn out like this?”
As the argument continued inside the room, the people standing outside the door had a change in their expressions.
Zhao Lin furrowed his brows. “It seems they failed.”
Ning Runxin said, “It’s alright. I will bring him back.”
Sitting on the railing of the corridor, Zhou Xuanlan lowered his head, occasionally fiddling with the storage bag in his hand, lost in thought.
Shen Bubu, half-asleep, muttered with his mouth pouting, “Can’t sleep. Daddy hasn’t woken up yet, can’t sleep.”
The night breeze swept through the corridor, and the chill climbed layer by layer.
Ye Bingran took out a snow-white fur robe from his storage bag and handed it to Su Baiche. “You’re still injured, so wear this to avoid catching a cold.”
Su Baiche immediately wanted to refuse. What’s there to fear about a mere cool breeze?
Tong Xi’s voice turned cold, “If you do anything against your image, I’ll release the aura of the Nightmare Beast, and we’ll see everything fall apart.”
With things reaching this point, Su Baiche had no choice but to comply. He covered his mouth and lightly coughed, taking the white fur coat and said softly, “Thank you.”
Ye Bingran nodded slightly and shifted his gaze elsewhere.
Su Baiche glanced at him, suddenly becoming curious, and asked Tong Xi, “Do you think if I ask Ye Bingran to not rescue Shen Liuxiang, he will listen to me?”
Tong Xi’s tone became serious, “If that happens, your image in his heart will be destroyed. I won’t let you do that.”
Su Baiche raised an eyebrow, ‘In his heart, what am I like?’
“Of course, you are very very very good”
“Who gave him such an illusion?” Si Baiche sneered, shook his head, put on the fur coat, and a warm aura enveloped him. It turned out to be a magic treasure.
The argument inside the room gradually ceased. Suddenly, the door opened, and Ye Bingran was called in. After listening to the instructions, he nodded and said, “I will do my best, Master.”
Lan Xiaosheng lit incense and reminded again, “The Nightmare Beast will use Liuxiang’s memories against you. Remember not to fall into the illusion and stay clear-headed. Find the true form of the Nightmare Beast and capture it.”
Ye Bingran replied, “Master, rest assured.”
He thought about it and realized that there was nothing in Shen Liuxiang’s memories that could affect his state of mind. Therefore, no matter how the Nightmare Beast manipulated the illusions, he wouldn’t be affected.
Thinking like this, Ye Bingran opened his eyes and saw the falling snowflakes.
In the midst of winter, the entire Sword Sect was covered in boundless snow, and all peaks were dressed in silver. The open space behind the mountain was also covered in white snow.
Ye Bingran stared at the small hand holding the sword, standing still amidst the snowflakes.
This scene was very similar to the first two years when he entered the sect, spending his days either eating or sleeping and practicing his sword on the back mountain.
The sword in his hand was his first sword, “Li Tian”. Later, during a dangerous experience, the sword was broken while saving him, and the fragments were still kept in his room.
Ye Bingran’s fingers gently touched the sword, and he heard the familiar sound of the sword. Nostalgia appeared in his eyes.
In the first two years of entering the sect, this sword was his only friend.
“Old friend, why are you here?”
Since it was Shen Liuxiang’s memory, why would the Li Tian sword appear? Could it be that they had met when they were children?
Ye Bignran was puzzled and quickly denied it.
No, if they had met, he wouldn’t have forgotten!
These memories from that period had always been hidden in the deepest part of his heart, the most profound and unforgettable fragment.
It was at this location, at this time, that he met Su¡¡¡¡¡¡
In an instant.
Ye Bingran froze in place.
A cold sweat rolled silently from his forehead.
At this moment, he heard panting sounds coming from behind, getting closer and closer. His entire body felt like his blood was flowing backward, and his hand holding the sword became as cold as ice.
Impossible… absolutely impossible.
It must be the Nightmare Beast peeking into his memories to confuse him; it must be like this!
But…
This place was not his sea of consciousness; it was Shen Liuxiang’s…
“Hey, Wood.”
A clear voice sounded from not far behind.
Ye Bingran trembled all over, almost unable to hold the hilt of the sword. Blue veins hidden under his pale skin became evident.
“You are the wooden disciple Uncle Lan mentioned, the one who doesn’t talk, ignores people, and only knows how to bury yourself in practicing the sword?”
The cold wind stirred up the snow in the air, ruthlessly striking Ye Bingran’s body.
His breath quickened, and hearing the footsteps behind him accelerating, he exerted all his strength to turn around.
A handsome little boy entered his sight, dressed in a white robe with a red sash, and a green lotus leaf covered his head, shielding him from the swirling snowflakes.
He raised his head slightly, and his exquisite and lovely little face emerged from under the lotus leaf, with the cold snowflakes brushing against his eyebrows and eyes, making him look exceptionally beautiful.
The corners of his eyes slightly curved, and he looked at the young sword cultivator standing in the snow, appearing dazed.
After staring for a moment, he curled up his lips and smiled.
“Snow and ice in the snow, a peerless beauty in the world.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the LÏ Tiān sword fell to the ground.
Ye Bingran’s pupils contracted sharply, and he coughed up blood, his eyes turning scarlet as he stared at the boy with the delicate appearance before him, his body swaying.
“Who are you…”
T/N: Alright guys welcome to the theory corner, where I will be giving you my theory about what has happened. This does not count as spoilers because I have zero clue about the plot either, I’m just as unaware as you guys lolol.
I think that Shen Liuxiang was supposed to be the main character who was supposed to be Ye Bingran’s soulmate, and it seems that Lan Xiaosheng was aware of this all along, because he helped him hide his identity despite not actually knowing him well (…or perhaps he did, seeing as the original Shen Liuxiang knew Uncle Lan when he was young). Anyways following the divination it seems that Shen Liuxiang’s fate with Ye Bingran has completely gone off track, which is likely due to the appearance of Su Baiche – it seems Su Baiche was not supposed to be there in the first place. Thus, I think Su Baiche is also a transmigrator, and maybe Tong Xi is his in-person system, which would make sense since Shen Liuxiang has no clue he exists. Anyways maybe Tong Xi helped warp everyone’s memories to make it easier to do whatever Su Baiche needs to do (it seems his task may be to capture Ye Bingran and Zhou Xuanlan’s hearts). Ling Ye seems to be very aware of Su Baiche but not in a romantic way but more as in general concern? My theory is somehow Ling Ye is aware of the past…
Thanks for coming to my TED talk guys.