Chapter 220: Little Brother, Why?
Jiang Qiuchi’s requirements have never been high.
She seemed to understand the relationship between the siblings perfectly, never attempting to sow discord or monopolize Chen An. Because of this, she was able to gradually break through the young man’s defenses, skillfully employing her “vixen” methods. She managed to implant herself into his previously singular heart, creating an inextricable tangle between them.
Their relationship had reached a point where everything that should have happened had, and everything that shouldn’t have already had. It was a complete mess, impossible to untangle.
Chen An didn’t know how to handle it, nor could he think of a perfect solution. He only held onto one thing: he no longer wanted to hide it from Mu Sanniang. He was willing to bear the consequences, no matter how dire, if the truth were to be revealed. However, fate seemed to be against him, always causing trouble at critical moments.
The world within Mirror Lake was not large. The young man’s destination was not hard to guess.
By the time Mu Sanniang appeared outside the pavilion, she had already changed into a long skirt. The slender black saber was held upside down in her hand. Her head was bowed, and thanks to her past training in the Nether Prison, her movements were as silent and ghostly as ever. She quickly reached the second-floor window.
By the faint moonlight and flickering candlelight, Mu Sanniang easily saw the scene inside the room. It was her little brother… Seeing that familiar figure, her heart tightened. The very thing Mu Sanniang least wanted to face was now laid bare before her. The hand gripping the saber hilt tightened subtly. An unimaginable madness flashed in her pale blue eyes.
Inside the room, the conversation continued. However, after Jiang Qiuchi uttered the word “healing,” the atmosphere in the room shifted, becoming intimate. Chen An hadn’t wanted this, but she was exceptionally skilled.
“Wait, don’t move…” the young man’s voice was helpless. He held down her restless hand and said seriously, “Let me talk to my sister first, then we can discuss other things.”
These words, overheard by the girl spying outside the window, caused a tremor of madness in her eyes. Talk about what? In this situation, what could possibly be said? Mu Sanniang recalled her brother’s recent changes and her own reaction when she had spoken to him that day. A guess, which made her almost go mad just thinking about it, surfaced in her heart. What could possibly require her, as an “elder,” to be told? Was he preparing to take a Dao companion? Or announcing they were having a child? The girl’s body began to tremble uncontrollably.
Then, a scene unfolding in the room caused her body to stiffen completely, her pupils dilating sharply. From her angle, she could see Jiang Qiuchi’s crimson dress had slipped, intentionally or unintentionally, revealing a expanse of fair skin and captivating, exotic patterns on it. Mu Sanniang recognized this pattern. When her brother had ascended Tianshan Mountain, the blue cloth tied to his wrist had fallen, revealing markings identical to those on Jiang Qiuchi’s body… How could this be… Little brother.
The girl’s expression was vacant as she slowly descended back to the ground. The black saber in her hand hummed fiercely, as if wanting to slay the pair of scoundrels for its master. But Mu Sanniang didn’t do that. She didn’t even make a sound, merely letting tears stream down her face blankly. The impact of this scene was far greater than anyone could comprehend. For her, her little brother was never just a simple name. He had been her sole faith during those cold, harsh winters. Now, with her faith shattered, the pain was immeasurable, far surpassing any physical injury. The girl slowly lowered her gaze. Her hand silently reached up to her chest, to the location of her heart.
She had told her brother many times, and let him personally touch that spot. It really… hurt. She couldn’t describe the feeling, as if she were submerged underwater, bound and unable to breathe.
Just as the girl lost her composure, a translucent figure shot out from the black saber, heading straight for her face. The figure was hunched and crooked, its aged face covered in death spots, exuding an aura of death. It was the remnant soul that had been residing in the black saber, her “master” who had guided Mu Sanniang down this path of no return. The old woman had waited for this day for a very, very long time. She had wanted to seize Mu Sanniang’s body back on Tianshan Mountain, but at that time, Mu Sanniang’s heart was with Chen An, and she had never wavered. Now, seeing her brother entangled with another woman, her mind had completely collapsed, her spirit platform exposed. This was undoubtedly the best moment to act. So she hesitated not at all, nor showed any mercy. She even couldn’t help but sneer, “See, I told you. How can someone like you, trapped by love, ever attain the Great Dao and achieve longevity? Why don’t you let me have it? I’ll walk that path for you!”
As the old woman spoke the last sentence, her voice was filled with irrepressible excitement. Her centuries of lingering existence had all been for this day of rebirth! Especially now, when the girl looked so dazed, showing no sign of resistance, the old woman felt completely confident, certain of success! However, just as she attempted to invade the girl’s spiritual sea, a small, golden bug suddenly appeared, blocking her path. The old woman was shocked. Before she could react, the vermilion and gold substitution Gu attacked her. The Gu worm was incredibly fast, climbing onto the old woman’s face in the blink of an eye. Then, it began to devour her greedily! “Ah… urgh!” The remnant soul let out a pained scream, just like the souls she had devoured when cultivating the One Yuan Soul Devouring technique. The old woman’s soul was in turmoil, and she frantically tried to escape the spiritual sea, but the Gu worm’s chewing was faster. In just these few seconds, the remnant soul was already more than half consumed. What made her despair even more was that, after finally escaping, she discovered that the black saber was actually resisting her entry!
The girl sat on the ground, her expressionless face blank. The black saber began to circle around her. Seeing this, the remnant soul’s eyes widened. She couldn’t help but cry out, “No!” “Impossible!” “The Netherworld has been passed down for tens of thousands of years, and those who wield the saber have always been servants. How can it truly recognize a master?!” Only at the brink of death did the old woman suddenly realize. The Netherworld indeed never recognized a master. Unless, the wielder was its master… Recalling the words “My Lord” spoken by that person underground in the Nether Prison… The old woman looked at the motionless girl with utter disbelief. Under the silent night sky, the girl with her head lowered, the remnant soul struggling in its death throes, and the flickering candlelight in the pavilion formed an absurd picture. This scene did not last long. Footsteps could be heard from the pavilion; someone was preparing to return. So the girl raised her head and grasped the saber again. She quietly concealed her figure before anyone could discover her.
Stepping out of the pavilion, Chen An was met by the night breeze. He shivered, feeling an inexplicable chill. Fearing that his prolonged absence would alert Mu Sanniang, he didn’t dare to delay and headed straight back to their room. However, as he pushed the door open, Chen An froze. The bed in the back was now empty. A sense of foreboding washed over him. Then, the next moment, a faint sound came from behind him. “Little brother, why…” The voice was ethereal, yet it seemed to carry an unspeakable pain. (End of Chapter)
