“You want to see him? But—”
Mei Man realized that she was bargaining with her. With Qiu Heyang drawing closer by the second, she had no time to worry about anything else and hurriedly nodded. “All right.”
Qiu Yanxue asked, “What do you want me to do?”
“Later, if your second brother asks, just say I’ve been with you all day and that I came to the outer sect courtyard with you. If he doesn’t ask, don’t say anything.”
“Mm.” Qiu Yanxue listlessly sank back into her wheelchair, propping her head up lazily as she cast a sidelong glance at Qiu Heyang, who was striding toward them.
Bell Child and Talisman Child did not move. They continued standing on either side of Mei Man, gazing up at her.
When Qiu Heyang reached them, he completely ignored the other three and asked with a broad smile, “Mei Man, why did you come all the way out here? I almost couldn’t find you.”
At the sound of him calling her “Mei Man,” Qiu Yanxue’s eyes shifted slightly.
Bell Child said, “Had a fight?”
Talisman Child replied, “Doesn’t look like it. He’s probably acting up again.”
Only after hearing the two of them chime in did Qiu Heyang finally spare them a glance.
The moment he looked over, he nearly died of fright.
“Good heavens!” He glared furiously at the person in the wheelchair. “Where did this monster come from? It’s wearing human skin, yet it looks so much like me. Disgusting! This is going to be the death of me!”
He suddenly turned vicious and raised his hand to form a spell.
Mei Man tugged at him. “…What are you doing? She’s not a monster. She’s your own sister.”
“My own sister?” Qiu Heyang laughed. “Good, good! First there was an elder brother, then a shizun, and now a younger sister. Do you really take me for some idiot you can fool? In another couple of days, are you going to produce a biological father and mother, grandparents, and everyone else, then stuff them all into this immortal estate to cultivate together?”
Mei Man: “…”
Qiu Yanxue looked at Mei Man, straightening slightly in her wheelchair. In an emotionless voice, she asked, “Is he an idiot?”
Mei Man explained, “No. He’s lost his memory.”
Qiu Yanxue suddenly let out an inexplicable sigh. She did not ask why, merely slumped back into her chair and began staring vacantly into the distance, looking almost regretful.
Qiu Heyang truly could not accept the situation.
When he had learned that Qiu Yingling was his biological elder brother, he had felt differently. But now, he simply could not convince himself that this person was his blood relative.
Someone who looked nearly identical to him was an unbearable affront, as though someone were deliberately imitating him.
The sensation was so unpleasant that it left him deeply irritated. Unwilling to look at her any longer, he turned to Mei Man and asked, “Mei Man, you still haven’t told me why you came here. Could it be… that you’re looking for someone?”
“She came with me,” Qiu Yanxue suddenly said. “She’s accompanying me on a walk.”
Qiu Heyang paused, then asked Mei Man, “Really? You came with her? You’ve been together the whole time?”
Before Mei Man could answer, Qiu Yanxue said, “Yes. If there’s nothing else, leave. Don’t disturb us.”
Qiu Heyang already disliked the sight of her and could not resist frowning and hissing coldly, “You’d better stop talking. I’m asking her. I wasn’t speaking to you.”
Qiu Yanxue slowly shifted her gaze to him and looked at him calmly.
After a moment, she suddenly asked Mei Man, “Has he really lost his memory?”
Mei Man paused, then nodded.
“What caused it?”
“He made a memory-loss talisman himself. It worked, but the effect ended up landing on him.”
“Oh.” Qiu Yanxue fell silent for a moment. “He doesn’t remember anything about me?”
Mei Man hesitated. “…Probably not.”
Qiu Yanxue glanced at Bell Child.
Bell Child unhurriedly removed one of his wind-chime-shaped earrings. Forming a sword-finger gesture with his hand, he sent a thread of spiritual energy into it.
The bell gradually began to glow with a precious light.
Qiu Heyang was still talking. “What are you saying to her, Mei Man? Just now I—”
“Ding—”
The melodious sound of a wind chime rang out.
His words came to an abrupt stop.
His pupils suddenly contracted, but he could only stare straight ahead.
He could not move.
Qiu Heyang remained frozen in place, unable to move his limbs or speak. He could barely even blink.
What was happening?
After a moment of shock, he thought of the wind-chime earring in that little brat’s hand.
That little bastard!
He cursed inwardly, then tried to circulate the spiritual energy within his body, hoping to break through the restraint.
It was useless.
The spiritual energy in his body seemed to have solidified as well, completely unable to move.
At that moment, the other little child walked in front of him.
Talisman Child also removed one of his earrings and placed it in his palm, raising it into the air.
He stared at Qiu Heyang expressionlessly and softly uttered a single word: “Go.”
The talisman-shaped earring instantly transformed into a short sword and shot toward Qiu Heyang’s abdomen.
With a wet “squelch,” the short sword plunged into his stomach. Pain surged through him, and he let out a brief, strangled breath. His face went pale, and his pupils began to tremble.
Mei Man was startled as well.
She had watched helplessly as Qiu Heyang suddenly fell silent and stopped moving, as though he had turned into a clay statue or wooden carving. Then, in the next instant, he had been stabbed.
Everything had happened too quickly and so unexpectedly that she had not even had time to react.
Bell Child put his earring back on, walked behind Qiu Yanxue, and began pushing the wheelchair.
“Let’s go.” Qiu Yanxue passed by Qiu Heyang without a glance. “I’m tired of looking at him.”
Talisman Child withdrew the short sword and wiped the blood from it before taking Mei Man’s hand and pulling her along.
“Wait—wait,” Mei Man said, grabbing Talisman Child’s hand in return. It was rare for her to become so flustered. “You just—your brother—are we really leaving him like this? What if he—”
Qiu Yanxue cast her a sidelong glance. “Don’t you think the way he talks is disgusting? Let him quiet down for a while. He’s lost his memory, yet he still goes around causing trouble.”
“That may be true, but what if he dies? You didn’t even cover anything up.” Mei Man suddenly began looking around, afraid that someone might pop out of nowhere and accuse her of being an accomplice. She struggled hard to pull her hand free, wishing she could run as far away as possible.
Even when getting revenge and committing violence, she acted cautiously. She would never be as brazen as Qiu Yanxue. The entire Qiu family stood behind Qiu Yanxue, but Mei Man had no such protection.
Qiu Yanxue’s expression did not change when she saw her reaction.
The two little children, however, suddenly began to giggle. Their clear laughter echoed across the empty wilderness, sounding faintly eerie.
Qiu Yanxue said, “Xiaoman, Xiaoman, you’re so afraid of getting into trouble. If I really wanted to drag you into some wrongdoing, wouldn’t I first have to find someone to take the blame?”
Mei Man’s brows drew together. She mumbled a few words, but could not come up with anything to deny it.
Bell Child said, “Don’t worry, don’t worry.”
Talisman Child added, “He won’t die. The spell’s effect will wear off in a little while.”
Bell Child said, “It’s only meant to make him suffer a bit.”
Talisman Child said, “Just to teach him a lesson.”
As he spoke, Talisman Child tightened his grip on Mei Man’s hand.
He was small, but his strength was astonishing. He forcibly dragged her along.
After they had walked for a while, Qiu Yanxue asked, “When are you going to let me meet your friend?”
Mei Man had not expected her to start thinking about that so soon, so she casually made up an excuse. “My friend is rather shy.”
“Mm,” Qiu Yanxue said. “I can go see them alone. Your friend doesn’t need to meet me.”
Mei Man thought to herself, That’s called spying.
She grumbled inwardly, but said aloud, “That wouldn’t be appropriate. I have to tell them first, and I can’t just spring it on them.”
Qiu Yanxue did not even look at her. “Suit yourself.”
The two of them returned to the main peak together.
Only on the way back did Mei Man hear Qiu Yanxue mention that the sect master had taken her as a disciple as well.
However, during this period, she had remained unconscious, recuperating in her own cave abode.
Mei Man knew that Qiu Yanxue was highly skilled in spiritual arts and had mastered all sorts of exquisite techniques from a young age. But she had never imagined that even the cave abode where Qiu Yanxue lived had been enhanced with magic.
It was early April, yet when she pushed open the gate, a vast, snow-covered landscape lay within.
Dark clouds filled the sky, and waves of snow swept across the heavens.
As they made their way forward, all they could see was an unbroken expanse of white. The snow on the ground was piled as thick as goose feathers, while the courtyards and buildings seemed carved from silver.
But it was not cold.
Back when she had lived in the Qiu residence, Qiu Yanxue had often conjured up scenes of falling snow like this. Mei Man had grown used to them long ago and continued walking through the soft snow without even glancing aside.
Now that Qiu Heyang was no longer beside her, the unusual quiet made her feel restless again.
These past few days, she had been searching for a way to forge her meridians. Unlike a demon core, which could simply be cut out, she could not take someone else’s spiritual meridians.
In other words, she could only work on her own meridians and find a way to transform them into spiritual meridians capable of carrying spiritual energy.
A cultivator’s spiritual meridians had to be tempered with spiritual energy, but she could not even draw energy into her body. How was she supposed to alter them?
As these thoughts occupied her mind, a faint gloom gradually gathered between her brows.
Just as she was pondering the matter, a white crane suddenly flew over from the sky.
Qiu Yanxue stopped, and Mei Man stopped with her.
The two of them looked up and saw a white crane circling overhead.
Against the boundless white of the wind and snow, the crane was especially conspicuous—its feathers had been dyed a glaring red, its body swayed precariously, and its cries were piteous.
A moment later, its wings spasmed, and it plummeted to the ground.
The instant it struck the snow, the white crane transformed into a human.
It was one of the immortal servants whom Qiu Yingling often sent on errands.
But unlike usual, he was now gravely injured and utterly exhausted.
Ordinarily, even if a puppet immortal servant was injured, it would not bleed.
There was only one possible explanation for his current state—
Qiu Yingling had suffered a severe injury.
The immortal servant half-crouched, half-kneeled on the ground and said to Mei Man, “Immortal Mei, please come with me.”
Qiu Yingling wanted to see her?
Mei Man remembered that she had not seen Qiu Yingling since speaking her true feelings to him last time. She had heard that he had gone down the mountain on the Sect Master’s orders.
Had he returned already?
Uneasiness began to stir within her.
Could it be that now he was back at the sect and intended to settle accounts with her without delay?
Mei Man lowered her eyes and asked, “What does he want with me?”
Remembering Qiu Yingling’s warning, the immortal servant said, “Immortal Mei, please rest assured. He merely has something he wishes to say to you in person. Once he has said it, you may leave.”
“Just one thing?”
“Just one thing.”
His strange insistence only aroused Mei Man’s curiosity. What could not be conveyed by someone else, or written in a letter, that had to be said face-to-face?
“Immortal Mei, please come with me,” the servant said weakly.
“All right.”
Mei Man followed him to Qiu Yingling’s cave abode.
The place, usually bustling with activity, was exceptionally quiet now. All those performers who had once juggled and put on shows were gone, leaving the residence strangely desolate.
As they continued forward, she saw an old man.
His hair was completely white, and his back was bent with age.
Mei Man was startled. She knew this old man. He was the physician of the Qiu residence, as well as a highly accomplished healing cultivator.
He usually accompanied the Qiu family head and spent most of his time at the Immortal Alliance.
Since she had first arrived at the Qiu residence, Mei Man had seen him only twice.
The first time had been when Qiu Heyang had just been rescued, and the physician himself had treated his injuries.
The second time had been in Qiu Yanxue’s courtyard.
Mei Man immediately realized that Qiu Yingling must have suffered an extremely serious injury this time.
The puppet immortal servant bowed to the physician, who returned the gesture.
The physician turned his old but clear eyes toward Mei Man and stared at her for several breaths. Then he stepped aside.
The servant pushed open the door.
Mei Man followed closely behind.
The heavy stench of blood assaulted her senses, making it difficult to breathe.
The servant went straight to the bed, lifted the curtain, and bent down to say something.
A moment later, an arm slowly extended from behind the curtain.
When Mei Man saw it, her heart began to pound.
The arm was almost unrecognizable. It was covered in crisscrossing claw marks, with bone protruding through the flesh. Nearly all the blood had drained away, leaving the skin as pale as that of a corpse.
The servant called to her, “Immortal Mei, please come over.”
Mei Man’s mind buzzed. She pinched herself before she could barely regain her senses and stepped forward.
“Is that Manman?” Qiu Yingling’s voice came from within the curtained bed. It was completely different from usual, as though the words had been ground raw from his throat—hoarse and dry.
Mei Man had yet to understand what was happening when she answered stiffly, “Mm.”
The hand moved slightly, signaling for her to come closer.
The servant had her sit beside the bed, then left and shut the door firmly from the outside.
The light was cut off.
Mei Man suddenly felt dizzy and light-headed, while a suffocating pressure settled in her chest.
“Manman…” Qiu Yingling seized her hand and gripped it tightly. He spoke very slowly, his words broken and halting. “There are some things I cannot explain to you directly. But when the time comes, you will understand. You…”
He took several breaths. His breathing was ragged and labored.
Then he continued, “Manman, if there is something good, you must claim it for yourself. You need to be more selfish… remember?”
Mei Man did not understand him.
What did he mean by something good? What did he mean by claiming it for herself? What was he talking about?
Only then did her mind begin to return, and the reality of everything around her gradually settled in.
The smell of blood. The stench of decay. The air so heavy that it was difficult to breathe. The tightly closed curtain. Why he was refusing to show himself. And that hoarse voice, so distorted that she could barely recognize it.
But before she could ask, Qiu Yingling tightened his grip on her hand. It hurt.
His voice grew louder, as though he were forcing the words out with the last of his strength.
“Do you remember?”
“I—I remember.” Mei Man’s mind had gone blank, and she repeated stiffly, “If there is something good, I must claim it for myself. I must be more selfish.”
Qiu Yingling let out a faint breath of relief.
His hand loosened and fell limp.
“Go out,” he said.
After that, there was no further sound. It was as if even his breathing had stopped.
Mei Man finally came fully to her senses. Though she still did not understand what he had meant, she hurriedly turned and walked outside.
The instant the servant heard her footsteps, he quickly opened the door.
Mei Man brushed past the physician and caught sight of his tightly pursed lips and deeply furrowed brows.
She stumbled out in a daze. In the end, she still had no idea what had happened, nor did she know why Qiu Yingling had been so badly injured—or what the “something good” he had mentioned was.
She walked blindly along the road, wandering aimlessly without knowing where she was going.
Before long, another immortal crane flew over.
This time, it brought a new message:
The Sect Master wished to see her.
