What? Sleeping? I became angry, standing up ready to strike the man: “What did you do to my Huahua?”
Huahua blushed: “It’s not what sister thinks, I was just sleeping. We walked too much today, and I was weak, so Qingquan-gege brought me here.”
I let out a sigh of relief: “That’s good.” I perked up my ears – Qingquan-gege? I glanced at the man cold as frost.
Qingquan, without moving, spoke: “Prepare a feast.”
I interrupted: “No need. I’m taking Huahua away. Although she’s a demon, she doesn’t belong in the ghost realm.”
Huahua was obedient, saying: “Qingquan-gege, I need to find Jade-jiejie, so I won’t stay long.”
“Wait,” Qingquan paused, a hint of surprise in his eyes, “White Jade?”
Huahua nodded, then saw Qingquan frown: “Isn’t White Jade already dead?”
His words made her face turn pale, grabbing his sleeve, her knuckles turning white: “What do you mean? Jade-jiejie is dead?”
Qingquan lowered his eyes: “Yes, three years ago she came to the ghost realm, took a wrong path, entered the ghost forest, was poisoned by corpse toxin, went mad, and was killed.”
Huahua was stunned, letting go of him, unsteady on her feet. I quickly supported her: “Huahua…”
“Jade-jiejie can’t be dead, she can’t be,” Huahua murmured, seeming to realize something, “Dust-gege never went to find Jade-jiejie, and didn’t let me look for her – was it because he already knew she was dead?”
I supported her, feeling her trembling shake my heart too. Sometimes, even as an observer, things aren’t easy.
“Huaer was wrong, Huaer was wrong,” Huahua cried frantically, grabbing my hand, “Sister, let me go back three years, please, let me go back. Huaer will go back now and never cause trouble again.”
I remained silent: “There are still five days. Only after five days can you go back.”
“Huaer wants to go now…”
She rolled her eyes and fainted. I looked up in surprise, seeing the fat man laugh: “Sleeping now is the best.”
This time, I didn’t scold him. Given Huahua’s current state, falling asleep was indeed good.
I watched him for a while: “Are you the ghost Huahua released in the pear garden back then?”
Qingquan’s eyes were again covered with a layer of frost, completely different from before.
He was that ghost. It wasn’t hard to guess. Huahua had never been to the human world and couldn’t have known him. Being imprisoned in the pear garden and treating Huahua so kindly, he must be the ghost who owed her.
Qingquan nodded: “Yes.”
I shook my head: “Huahua is now weak, also because of you. Having her spiritual energy extracted for seventy years, bringing her to the ghost realm to heal is your compensation? You might as well send her back to the pear garden.”
My heart skipped a beat. Huahua’s spiritual energy… had nothing to do with him?
I twitched my face and decided to pretend I didn’t know him. After walking a few steps, I suddenly thought, wait, I originally didn’t know him at all, where did he come from! I turned my head and asked, “Hey, fatty, what are you doing in the ghost realm?”
The fatty opened his small eyes and said, “Playing.”
“What’s fun about the ghost realm? Hurry up and leave, be careful or you’ll lose your life if you stay too long.”
“Then why aren’t you leaving?”
I narrowed my eyes and said, “Because I am a god.”
The fatty also narrowed his eyes: “Actually, I am a ghost.”
I patted his shoulder: “If you were a bit lighter, you’d be more like a ghost. Ghosts aren’t this heavy.”
The fatty looked at me with a frustrated expression. I smiled and went to find Huahua. If she hasn’t woken up yet, I’ll have to wake her.
Huahua was indeed still asleep. I sat on the edge of the bed, looking at her tightly closed eyes. After hesitating, I shook her: “Huahua, wake up.”
We need to return to Liyuan.”
“I’m sorry, Yu-jiejie.”
Hearing this dream-like mumble, my fingers stopped and slowly withdrew, covering her with the blanket. She immediately started moving restlessly, crying hoarsely, “I was wrong. Flower was wrong.”
I hurriedly patted her cheeks. She suddenly opened her eyes and sat up, seeing me, immediately hugging me tightly and crying, “Sister, let me go back. Yu-jiejie won’t die then.”
“Okay, it’ll be fine in a few days,” I stroked her back, helping her calm down. “Qingxuan told me that back then, you only let him go and didn’t actually take your spiritual energy…”
Huahua’s body stiffened, letting go of me, gripping the blanket. After a long moment, she said, “Flower lied.”
I watched her quietly: “You let Qingxuan go, then destroyed seventy years of your own spiritual energy, and framed him?”
Huahua looked at me in surprise, then nodded silently: “Is Flower very bad?” She smiled again, “Actually, Flower has always been bad. I liked Dust-gege, liked Yu-jiejie. That year, I knew they were about to become immortals and would leave Flower behind. Flower didn’t want that.”
“
Her voice trailed off, lacking the strength to continue, her choked voice making my heart feel cold.
“Flower just wanted them to stay. Flower didn’t dare tell them the truth, thinking finding Yu-jiejie would make everything right. But when Flower’s body recovered, Yu-jiejie had already died.”
I leaned in and hugged her, saying, “All things in the world have selfish motives. You don’t need to blame yourself too much. In five days, I’ll send you back.”
Although I said this, there was something I couldn’t understand. Based on the current situation, if Huahua returns to three years ago, it would be good for Jian Chen, Bai Yu, and even herself, so why would Jian Chen disagree?
I’ve never liked things too simple, but this matter was becoming complicated and headache-inducing. If Huahua returns to three years ago, everything that started because of her would change. However, I had a vague unease. I needed to return to Liyuan and ask Jian Chen for clarity.
After comforting Huahua and getting her to sleep, I went to find Qingxuan.
I didn’t know if it was ghost energy or an innate cold aura, but before even getting close to him, I felt a chill. I shivered and stepped back outside the pavilion, saying, “Can you take care of Huahua for three days? I’m returning to Liyuan.”
Qingxuan turned around, looking at me with a gaze that almost made frost form on my body, and said coldly, “The ghost realm and divine realm do not interact.”
I looked at him with interest: “How do you know I’m an immortal?”
“In a place surrounded by ghost energy, detecting a trace of immortal energy is not difficult. It only takes a moment.”
I laughed and asked, “So what do you plan to do? Report to the Ghost King and then seek an explanation from the divine realm?”
Qingxuan gave a cold laugh: “Why don’t you tell me your purpose for being by her side?”
“Rebirth,” I dropped my smile. “Huahua wants to return to three years ago, the day you were captured in Liyuan. And I am the one executing this task, the Rebirth Lord of the divine realm.”
“I’m afraid I cannot let you complete this task.”
“Why?” I frowned at him. Jian Chen refused, and now he refuses.
Qingxuan said, “It wasn’t Bai Yu who captured me back then, but I who voluntarily went with her.”
I helplessly asked, “Why?”
“You should know that all cultivators must experience numerous tribulations. That day, a couple was sending wandering souls to the ghost realm for reincarnation. On the Wangchuan River, we happened to share a boat. I heard the woman say her tribulation was approaching. If she passed safely, she would become an immortal; if not, she would die.
At that moment, I thought that if I could obtain her spiritual energy, my cultivation would greatly increase. So I followed them back, pretending to be captured, waiting to take advantage when her tribulation arrived.
