Baili Gelin had been unconscious for a full ten days, and even Shen Xiansheng was at a loss. In the end, he even sought out Zhong Nan Jun, one of the founders of the Academy. This Celestial was exceptionally skilled in water-based healing techniques. Back when Xuanshan Zi of Star Rectitude Hall was injured by chaos, no one could cure him except Zhong Nan Jun.
Yet Zhong Nan Jun merely touched Baili Gelin's forehead with his hand before shaking his head and saying, "Her mind is in turmoil, and the spiritual energy within her body is clashing incessantly. These are signs of a tribulation. There is no cure."
Shen Xiansheng was shocked. "A tribulation? But she hasn't even been an Immortal Body for fifty years yet."
Zhong Nan Jun sighed. "Cultivators come in all forms, and there are all kinds of people. This young female Daoist likely carries too many burdens in her heart, investing deep and unwavering emotions in everything. Such a temperament is most prone to encountering tribulations. Right now, she is probably trapped in endless illusions in her unconscious state. No one can pull her out except herself. Naturally, Shen Xiansheng understands—matters of love tribulations are hard to predict. What happens next depends entirely on her."
Though Baili Gelin was the first Central Land disciple the Myriad Immortals Assembly had requested from the Academy, Shen Xiansheng had always cherished her talents. After over two hundred years of daily companionship, he had long regarded her as his own daughter. Seeing her face a love tribulation so soon after achieving her Immortal Body pained him deeply.
He knew well what Ge Lin's temperament was like—he just hadn't expected everything to come so quickly. Her pulse was already extremely weak. Even if she woke up and overcame the tribulation, her cultivation would likely suffer severe damage, just like Lu Li's, making further progress nearly impossible.
To see his two most outstanding disciples reduced to such states—how could his heart not ache?
Shen Xiansheng watched as Baili Gelin tossed and turned on the bed, fine beads of sweat rolling down her pale, paper-white face. Her expression was twisted in pain, and she murmured incoherently under her breath. There was no need to guess—she must have been dreaming of her family. With a sigh, Shen Xiansheng tucked the blanket around her, only for her to suddenly open her eyes, her gaze burning as she stared at him.
A Celestial undergoing a love tribulation sees nothing but illusions. Shen Xiansheng paid her no mind and was about to leave when he heard Baili Gelin call out softly, "Master."
Shen Xiansheng was startled. "You're awake?"
Baili Gelin didn't answer. She simply kept staring at him and whispered, "That day... why did you abandon me and Lu Li?"
Shen Xiansheng was even more shocked. That day? Abandon her and Lu Li? What was she talking about?
"Master has always treated us with utmost care, but sometimes I still think about that day. I shouldn't dwell on it." Baili Gelin's eyes remained fixed on him. "It's better to be a little oblivious in life, isn't it?"
Shen Xiansheng pondered for a moment before suddenly realizing—could she be referring to the incident during the Sea Fall two hundred years ago? Back then, Baili Gelin and Lu Li had been used as bait to lure Jiang Li Fei out. As their master, he had tacitly allowed it, and under immense temptation, he had even chosen to abandon his two disciples.
Had she been holding onto this all along? Why had she never shown it before? A storm of emotions surged in Shen Xiansheng's heart, leaving him speechless.
Her love tribulation might very well stem from this—her impossibly high standards for emotions, unable to tolerate even a grain of sand, whether for herself or others. In a lifetime, who could guarantee they would always remain unwavering toward another?
Shen Xiansheng let out a long sigh. "Ge Lin, you could stand to live a little more lightly."She wasn’t sure if she had taken it in, her eyes closing once more. Shen Xiansheng recalled the events of those years, left with nothing but silent sighs—whether of regret or helplessness, even he couldn’t tell.
When Baili Gelin opened her eyes again, all she saw was darkness, the surroundings utterly silent. Only the familiar rhythm of breathing above her head assured her this wasn’t another illusion. Lu Li held her tightly from behind, his breath warm against her hair.
She called his name softly, “Lu Li…”
“Mm.” His reply was brief.
“I ruined everything for you all,” she murmured. “Su Wan and Deng Xiguang died just like that… If they hadn’t gone to Hengshan with me, they could’ve lived happily. They’d just become cultivation partners—they must’ve had so much left unsaid…”
Lu Li shook his head. “Don’t say that. There’ll be chances for revenge.”
“Can we really take revenge?” Baili Gelin actually laughed. “Me… I’ll tell you something. At the moment I thought I was dying, I saw my sister and Ye Ye… Do you think they’ve been waiting for me in the underworld all this time? They’re gone, yet I’m still clinging to life. Isn’t that wrong?”
Lu Li pressed his lips together, a hint of anger in his voice. “What are you trying to say?”
Baili Gelin whispered, “Are you angry? I’m always so willful, aren’t I?”
After a pause, an unusual light flickered in her eyes as she continued, “Lu Li, there are so many things I’ve wanted to ask you over the years… I was always afraid asking would upset you, that you’d leave me. Back then, why did you say we were just fellow disciples?”
Lu Li’s arms tightened around her, his voice growing husky. “What do you want me to say?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know… I thought we liked each other. You’ve stayed with me all these years, yet I still ask such foolish questions. Are you angry?”
“I’m not angry.” He kissed the top of her head. “If I’m angry at anyone, it’s myself. I was too cowardly, letting you carry this burden for so long.”
“What were you afraid of? Me?”
“Mm. Because I liked you too much, I couldn’t see clearly.” He chuckled bitterly. “Don’t laugh at my pitiful pride.”
Baili Gelin smiled too, squeezing his hand. “Now that you say it, I understand. We could’ve had a good life. Ye Ye admired you—you two would’ve been great friends. We could’ve cultivated hard, and in our free time, you could’ve taken me to see the Nine Phoenix Clan, or we could’ve visited my sister in the Central Land… When I was little, I always thought my sister and Ye Ye didn’t care about me, but later I realized how important I was to them. In my two hundred years of life, the happiest time was after the East Sea Trial. Back then, I believed the future would be beautiful… A life with hope is beautiful. But now, I have none left. I’ve failed Su Wan and the others, failed you, and most of all, failed my sister and Ye Ye… Lu Li, we’ve been cultivation partners for so long, yet you’ve never touched me. Do you… do you want to…”
Her breath grew uneven as she spoke, and suddenly, she reached to loosen the sash of her robe.
Lu Li gripped her hand firmly, shaking his head. “Rest well. When you wake, you won’t talk like this anymore. I’ll always be here, always with you.”"I can't wake up," Baili Gelin whispered. "I know this is my tribulation. Just now, I saw my sister and Su Wan... they all blame me. I couldn't avenge them, and instead caused the deaths of my dear friends... I..."
Her breathing grew increasingly erratic, blood streaming from all seven orifices before she collapsed unconscious again.
"Originally, Ge Lin was certain to die," A Jiao frowned slightly before continuing. "But later, Lu Li begged Father to use the forbidden technique 'Severing Water' to seal Ge Lin's memories, making her forget the tragic deaths of her family and friends. I don't know why Father agreed—Severing Water is forbidden magic. If discovered, Father would surely face ostracism from both the Mountain and Sea sects. I tried to stop him, but Father still performed Severing Water on Ge Lin. After that, Lu Li and Ge Lin lived together in this forest cottage. One bore wounds from the Profound Splendor Fire, the other entangled in tribulation—neither was meant to live long. Father couldn't bear to visit, and to keep the Severing Water secret, no one else in the sect knew. Eventually, only I came to see them."
In the remaining two hundred years, she saw Ge Lin happier than ever before. This entire forest was born from her sealed memories—each tree a forgotten fragment of her past, evergreen through all seasons.
Baili Gelin and Lu Li spent these two centuries in blissful seclusion, living like immortal lovers in perfect harmony.
A Jiao last saw her on the day she gave birth to Lu Xiwei. Though Baili Gelin had achieved an Immortal Body, the emotional tribulations had already drained her vitality. For female cultivators, childbirth was an immense strain. By the time A Jiao arrived, Baili Gelin had only moments left, her face lit with a final, fleeting radiance.
"Hold on! I'll call Father immediately!" Panicked, A Jiao could only think to summon Shen Xiansheng. As she rose to leave, she suddenly realized something was wrong. "Where's Lu Li?! How could he abandon you during childbirth?!"
Baili Gelin smiled serenely. "All these years, he endured for my sake. The wounds from the Profound Splendor Fire must have tormented him terribly. Two days ago, I watched him pass with my own eyes. It's just a pity... he never got to meet our child."
A Jiao was horrified. What had she said? Profound Splendor Fire? Weren't her memories sealed by Severing Water? How could she remember? How could Lu Li have told her?
Baili Gelin whispered, "Sister A Jiao, your expression tells me... those weren't nightmares after all. I had family, I had friends... and they're all dead, aren't they?"
"Don't talk nonsense!" A Jiao cried. "Never mind that now—wait here, I'll send word to Father!"
She summoned a wooden messenger bird, her throat burning with anguish. How unpredictable the human heart was—even the forbidden Severing Water couldn't truly make Baili Gelin forget her pain. Severing Water, severing water—draw a blade through water, and the flow continues. In the end, Ge Lin remembered everything.
Turning back with a forced smile, A Jiao said, "Those were just nightmares. You must hold on—how can you abandon your child right after birth? How will she live without her mother?"Baili Gelin still smiled, but her voice gradually weakened: "This child... Lu Li and I discussed her name. Let's call her Lu Xiwei. Sister A Jiao, I'll have to trouble you to take care of her from now on. Have her... have her become your disciple. I know... you'll treat her well. If you and Mr. Mo don't plan to have children of your own, treat her as your own flesh and blood, and let her be filial to you both in the future."
A Jiao could no longer hold back her sobs. This maturing woman from the Eastern Sea now cried like a child: "Don't say anymore! Ge Lin, when did you remember? It was already sealed!"
She could feel Baili Gelin's life and spiritual energy rapidly fading. No one could stop death—she was about to watch her die right before her eyes.
"I'm going to see my sister and Lu Li now," Baili Gelin closed her eyes, her voice growing fainter until it was nearly inaudible. "So light... I... were those nightmares... real?"
A Jiao urgently replied: "They weren't real! Just nightmares!"
Before the words had fully left her mouth, Baili Gelin had quietly passed away. When Shen Xiansheng arrived in haste, it naturally brought another wave of grief. Afterwards, they cremated the body and took Lu Xiwei back to the Myriad Immortals Assembly to raise her with care. In the blink of an eye, sixteen years had passed.
A Jiao turned to look at Jiang Li Fei across from her and said calmly: "I've already told you everything that happened. This entire forest is formed from the sealed memories of Ge Lin through the Water-Severing Forbidden Technique. Only my father and I can enter or leave. Your sense of loyalty moves me greatly, but as the saying goes, 'Different clans must have different hearts.' I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to stay here."
With that, her figure flickered, and holding Lu Xiwei, she dissipated like green smoke, vanishing without a trace in an instant.
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