Living up to you Chapter 17 part 2

Chapter 17 part 2

“When that demon appeared just now, did it target something in particular?” Qing Nian who had always spoken little asked Ling Xi.

Ling Xi thought for a moment. After being irritated by her, that old demon coveted Xiangyin sword. Then, it said that she had a ten-thousand-year-old skin. In the end, she got interested in Nan Zhi. She didn’t seem to be targeting something in particular…

Ling Xi told them the progress. Xue Ran was puzzled, “What is ten-thousand-year-old skin?”

Qing Nian and Qing Lian shook their heads at the same time. Ling Xi looked at Qing Kui. Qing Kui seemed to have just came out of daze, shook his head and said, “I haven’t heard about it.”

“It is very normal for that demon to be interested in Xiangyin sword and immortal spirits. It is also very normal for her to be interested in skin…,” Qing Lian frowned. “However, it is not only us who has immortal spirits. Could…it be your so-called ten-thousand-year-old skin has some origin?”

It was rare for Qing Lian to look directly at Ling Xi. Ling Xi touched her face uncomfortably. From childhood till now, she always had this face. Ten-thousand-year-old skin…it made her whole body go cold.

“I’m tired. I will go sleep.” Qing Kui who hasn’t spoken took out the wine gourd on his waist, drank a gulp, turned and left.

“Second senior brother…,” Ling Xi hasn’t finished yet when Qing Kui already jumped on a tree and lay down.

“Forget it. Qing Nian had already explored the path of tomorrow. Everyone is tired tonight. Take a short break here.” Qing Lian also turned around. She chanted a spell to cover the five people and mediated with her eyes closed under a tree.

Only Ling Xi, Qing Nian and Xue Ran were left at the original open space. Qing Nian wiped the stain on Xue Ran’s face and asked in a gentle voice, “Big sister, rest a bit first, alright?”

Xue Ran nodded. Qing Nian turned to Ling Xi and said solemnly, “Junior sister Ling Xi, can you take a walk with me?”

Xue Ran was puzzled and was about to say something when she was stopped by Qing Nian’s gaze. Ling Xi was even more puzzled. This senior brother Qing Nian who was always of a few words, what could he had to say to her?

When looking for a way in order to reach Donghua Mountain as soon as possible, they tried to avoid the areas where demonic creatures appeared often. This forest was actually not very big. The nearby mountains and rivers were beautiful and one could faintly see the lights of the mortal realm.

However, the forest was very quiet. When they reached the edge of a lake, they could smell the faint lotus. It was almost midsummer.

The farther away they got from the original place, the quieter it was. Ling Xi felt more ill at ease. In the end, she couldn’t help but speak. She asked first, “Senior brother Qing Nian specifically asked me to come with you, do you want to say something to me?”

Qing Nian stood against the moonlight. His fair face was full of seriousness. He lowered his eyes. His fan-like eyelashes covered the look at the bottom of his eyes. A gust of wine blew past and made his blue robe rustle.

“Qing Nian has something that I have to say.”

Ling Xi turned around and happened to see Qing Nian kneel down calmly. His face faced the moon. Although, it wasn’t kneeling at her, Ling Xi was still shocked and anxiously said, “Senior brother Qing Nian, what are you doing?”

“Qing Nian is at fault first and should have apologized to junior sister long ago. It was only today that I was willing to put down my face and apologize to junior sister. I hope that junior sister doesn’t blame me.” Qing Nian’s expression was firm and he didn’t wait for Ling Xi to speak. His eyes softened and he said, “My mother passed away when I was born. Seven days after I was born, it coincided with a natural disaster. Father passed away. Half of the boys of the village had passed away. The people of the village said that my inauspicious influence was too great and caused the death of my parents. They didn’t allow me to stay. Big sister left with me and raised me in hardship. When I was six, the village where I and big sister stayed at was attacked again by demons. In order to save me, big sister’s flesh was scraped from the bones while she was still alive. I was saved by master and brought to Cangjia Mountain.”

Qing Nian’s voice was calm, but Ling Xue was in trance after listening to that. It was as if she saw her and big brother’s past.

“After I cultivated an immortal body, I went down the netherworld without permission, found my big sister’s original soul and found her reincarnation. I protected her silently. It had been like this for six lifetimes.” Qing Nian paused as if he tried to calm his emotions and continued, “Xue Ran is big sister’s seventh lifetime. After the seventh lifetime, she would no longer go to the mortal realm. So, I wanted to look for an opportunity to take her up the mountain and let her cultivate. Before I could do that, big sister’s village was attacked by demons. You also know what had happened afterwards.”

Ling Xi nodded silently. The time when Qing Nian went down the mountain happened to be the time she secretly went down the mountain to search for big brother. Hence, he went down the mountain with her…

“If it wasn’t because I was anxious to save big sister and took you down the mountain, you also wouldn’t have gotten into trouble and locked up in the water prison by master as punishment. I didn’t dare to stand out and caused eldest senior brother to suffer the lashes in your stead.” Qing Nian lowered his head guiltily and said, “Qing Nian is at fault but didn’t dare to tell master the truth for fear that he would be dissatisfied with big sister because of this and will not let her enter the sect.”

Ling Xi was relieved. It turned out to be because of this matter. She had never blamed Qing Nian for this matter. It was her that didn’t stood firm enough, fell into those demons’ trap and got into trouble…

“Three years ago, Cangjia Mountain was in chaos.” Qing Nian took a deep breath and continued, “Because of big sister, my mind was disturbed by the demons. In order to save me, big sister brought you to the scene. In order to get rid of the demon inside my body and at the same time keep my life, eldest senior brother had no time to protect you…if it wasn’t because I was easily controlled by the demon, eldest senior brother…wouldn’t have died! You would also not had been locked up at Xuwang Cliff for three years!”

Ling Xi’s eyes got wet. She had always thought that everyone blamed her for eldest senior brother’s death. The thoughts of these siblings were so pure and they put the responsibility on themselves.

“At that time, big sister hasn’t entered the sect successfully yet. Hence, I still didn’t take the initiative to admit my mistake to master…” Qing Nian lowered his voice and continued, “All the pain that junior sister had suffered was largely due to the selfishness of big sister and I. Qing Nian cultivated into an immortal body for nothing more than to ask for big sister to be safe and sound for forever. Since master took junior sister as disciple, junior sister must have something extraordinary. This trip to Donghua is extremely dangerous. That bone-eating demon is unfathomable. It is inevitable that…that there would be times that Qing Nian wouldn’t be able to take care…”

It seemed difficult for Qing Nian to continue, but Ling Xi has already understood what he wanted to express. She said softly, “Don’t worry. Even without your request, I will try my best to protect Xue Ran, but unfortunately…”

Unfortunately, her cultivation couldn’t even be compared to Xue Ran’s.

“Qing Nian is grateful for this promise!” Qing Nian interrupted Ling Xi. Suddenly he raised his right hand, looked at the moon and said very solemnly, “Qing Nian swore in front of the moon, no matter what happens in the future, Qing Nian will follow Ling Xi around to compensate for the previous sins and repay this gratitude!”

Ling Xi was moved. When an immortal swears, it was not a game. Once, he violated his oath, he would suffer the wrath of the heaven.

Qing Nian kowtowed three times at the mountains and the moon. He said that he will go look at Xue Ran and left.

Ling Xi stayed at the lake for a long time before she prepared to go back. She didn’t mind whether Qing Nian followed her or not. What moved her was the dedication that Qing Nian has towards his big sister.

He followed her for seven lifetimes. Where did her big brother go? How can she find him, even if it was some clues?

Ling Xi  raised her hand dispirited to touch her hairpin. She wanted to call out Nan Zhi and have a talk with him. This touch, her heart suddenly emptied. The Chinese rose in her hair had disappeared!

[Previous Chapter] [Table of Contents] [Next Chapter]