Liu Banxia’s already slender hand gripped the short knife so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She said coldly, “I do not need reincarnation.”
I raised an eyebrow. She was the first to summon me and then deny the desire. I smiled, “Reincarnation is your choice. You can tell me your decision in seven days.”
Liu Banxia did not respond and returned to her wooden house.
After a moment, a phosphorescent light emerged from the wooden house, taking human form – an unfinished child, indistinguishable in gender, but looking handsome. Like most divine beings, their eyes were ethereal and cold.
“Greetings, Divine Lord.”
I nodded: “What are you?”
“I was originally a raw jade, later carved into a xiao, nourished by sun and moonlight, cultivated into form. You may call me Xiao’er.”
Her speech was comfortable, her voice clear like water striking stone. I asked, “Are you Liu Banxia’s weapon?”
Xiao’er responded, “Yes. The Liu family ancestor carved me, and with a mark, only Liu family members can control me.”
She pushed back her hair, revealing a ‘Liu’ character at her brow, red as if about to drip blood.
Intrigued, I said, “Then you surely know why Liu Banxia lives at the cliff bottom and what happened?”
Xiao’er hesitated, then asked, “Can the Divine Lord truly send my master back to any time?”
“Liu Banxia can go to whatever time she wishes.”
Soul Reaper softly smiled, reaching out to gather my loose hair, and said: “I told you, I will slowly compensate you until you no longer feel hurt. Then, I will marry you.”
I felt Yaya rolling inside my sleeve. I came to my senses, quickly collected the floating clouds, and escaped into the wooden house, sealing the floating clouds into a ball.
The immortal energy outside dissipated, and I let out a long breath. When I turned back, I saw the phosphorescent light floating ahead, which startled me.
“Divine Lord, I’m truly sorry for causing you to fall into demonic state today,” Xiao Er said with a frown. “Is there something weighing on the Divine Lord’s mind? If your heart were as clear as a mirror, you wouldn’t be enticed by my flute.”
“I paused briefly, changing the subject: ‘You haven’t finished telling me about Liu Banxia and Bai Qianshang.’
Xiao Er nodded, glanced at the already sleeping person, then floated outside. After basking in the pure moonlight for a while, he said: ‘When Qu Yimo appeared outside the Liu family’s door, he was severely wounded. The master rescued him and kept him at the Liu family, revealing nothing about his identity. That year, the master was fourteen, at the age of first love, and they were together for three years, reaching the point of marriage.’
‘At this time, the master was already the Liu family head, insisting on marrying Qu Yimo despite public criticism. But on their wedding night, Qu Yimo disappeared, and the Liu family’s generations-old martial arts secret manual vanished as well.’
‘Although outsiders claimed Qu Yimo stole the manual, the master didn’t believe it. Around this time, rumors spread about the revival of the Mojie Sect, causing widespread panic. The three major families discussed gathering righteous sects to completely eliminate the Mojie Sect. During the master’s hesitation, Bai Qianshang appeared.’
Xiao Er’s breathing became heavy, and after a long pause, he said: ‘Bai Qianshang told the master she was now the Mojie Sect leader and would not harm the martial arts world, asking her not to pursue further. The master didn’t suspect anything, and Bai Qianshang left quickly after saying this.'”
“
Later, the master argued with everyone and temporarily calmed the situation. But half a month later, news came that the three major families were suddenly attacked by the Mojie Sect. When the master was shocked, Bai Qianshang appeared again, telling her the Mojie Sect planned to destroy the righteous sects and asking her to go with her.
When the master questioned her deception, Qu Yimo came with a sword, intending to kill the master. During the confrontation, the master learned that Qu Yimo had deliberately approached her from the beginning, and by then, Bai Qianshang was pregnant with his child. The master was both angry and sad but still couldn’t bring herself to kill them. After escaping the Liu family, she planned to regroup the righteous sects. Unexpectedly, her whereabouts were exposed, and the Mojie Sect pursued her to a dead end.
Xiao Er looked up at the dim place and slowly said: “It was that mountain cliff. The master, unwilling to be captured, jumped off under pressure. The cliff was bottomless with no way down, so they probably thought she had died and didn’t search for her body.”
Fortunately, there were vine tree trunks at the bottom of the cliff. The master survived, staying there for five full days before recovering. Eating mountain fruits, drinking river water, her daily focus was practicing sword and flute – she wanted revenge.
As Xiao Er finished speaking, he sighed twice. The story was over, and I felt moved.
“
At just seventeen, she had experienced life’s dramatic ups and downs, betrayals of friendship and love, the destruction of her family – no wonder she carried such a heavy sense of vengeance.
I was silent for a moment, then said: “Your master doesn’t truly want to kill Bai Qianshang.”
Xiao Er suddenly became aggressive, seemingly instantly transforming…
I shook my head; Xiao’er’s breath had not yet returned. I chanted a spell, gathering the mortal qi of Liu Banxia in my hand. Opening my heavenly eye, I saw a thin, dense mist floating towards the dense forest hidden by tree branches.
Dissolving my body, I entered and walked about twenty steps before seeing a stone door with several yellow talismans pasted on it. Though these were ordinary demon-exorcising items, it was not strange that Xiao’er’s immortal qi would be blocked.
Entering the stone door, everything suddenly opened up, and Xiao’er’s immortal qi drifted back into my nose. I hurriedly floated over, and after passing a winding path, I saw Liu Banxia.
When I reached her and saw her face, I was stunned by her beauty.
At this moment, she wore a light pink thin shirt, her skirt hem swaying like water waves with her movement. Her steps were light yet powerful, and her stunning makeup made her icy eyes even more chillingly beautiful.
Her eyelashes slightly curled upward, without a hint of shyness – a cold and stunning beauty, a peerless woman.
Before reaching the end, a resonant voice like a bronze bell echoed through the bamboo forest.
“Who comes here?”
Liu Banxia stopped, tossing down a money pouch, her voice flat: “The Thousand Insights Sage will reveal worldly matters upon seeing wealth – this rule seems unchanged.”
A loud laugh immediately responded from the forest: “Good, good. I like children who don’t waste words. What do you wish to ask?”
“Where is Bai Qianshang now?”
The voice sounded slightly surprised: “Bai Qianshang? Why ask about someone already dead?”
Liu Banxia suddenly widened her eyes, looking ahead in shock, silent for a long time before asking: “When? And how did she die?”
“Four years ago, killed by the master of the Ink Evil Sect.”
As soon as the words were spoken, Liu Banxia looked even more confused: “Wasn’t she the sect master?”
“Four years ago, the martial world thought she was the master, but she was merely a puppet. When the righteous sects were destroyed overnight, she lost her value. What use was there in keeping her?”
Liu Banxia was silent for a long time, her face returning to its usual calm and cold expression: “Where is her grave?”
“Three li west-southwest of the desolate city’s suburbs.”
“
Seeing Liu Banxia walk out, I sighed, not wanting to follow. If Bai Qianshang was indeed a puppet, the truth might not be what Xiao’er imagined.
