The nightmare demon saw his complete indifference and realized it was about to be devoured by the God Slaying Crossbow. Just as despair washed over it, a faintly glowing pearl flew before it.
The nightmare demon rejoiced: "Thank you, Demon..."
But upon seeing the youth's impassive eyes, it changed its tone: "I shall create a dream for you both."
Having had its inner core dug out by Tantai Jin five hundred years ago, it had been slinking around with its tail between its legs, unable to even create dreams. But now with the power of the Illusion Face Pearl, it could guide their Divine Sense into the pearl and grant them a beautiful dream to save its own life.
"Entering my dream realm, both you and her will become dream figures. You'll assume another identity in the dream and meet her again. But how things develop, I cannot control. I can only say... it will probably be a good dream?" The nightmare demon felt somewhat guilty when saying this last part.
Tantai Jin made a noncommittal sound from his nose: "Hmm."
He just wanted to see, if none of this had happened, whether she might... have liked him even a little?
To grant him this, or to let him give up completely.
They closed their eyes as the glass pearl brightened, apricot blossom petals falling like rain within the crystalline sphere.
The nightmare demon glanced at Tantai Jin. Having entered his past nightmares, it knew his background and understood how his wretched origins had made his life harder than anyone else's from childhood.
Hopefully, with a changed identity... this time would bring a good dream.
Searching through Tantai Jin's memories, the nightmare demon found only bleakness throughout his past. Sighing with pity, it turned to Su Su—
Then let's weave this dream starting from your memories.
"Su Su, wake up!"
Someone was calling her. Su Su opened her eyes.
Apricot blossoms covered her shoulders in a thick layer. She found herself in an apricot grove, where a green-robed Fairy looked at her with concern.
It was Yaoguang.
She sat up abruptly from the flower-covered ground. Why was she here? Shouldn't she be...
What was she supposed to be doing?
"Going back five hundred years to extract the Demon God's Evil Bone," she murmured softly.
Yaoguang tapped her forehead, both exasperated and amused: "You, I've told you before to read fewer mortal storybooks. The War of Gods and Demons ended tens of thousands of years ago. Who knows what's true among those fabricated legends? Going back five hundred years? You should focus on getting into Penglai Immortal Island first."
Distracted by Yaoguang's words, the chaotic thoughts in her mind grew fuzzy. Su Su stood up, brushing petals from her clothes.
"What were you thinking about just now?" Yaoguang pulled her along toward Penglai Immortal Island.
Cranes flew across the sky amidst an atmosphere of complete peace.
Su Su pressed her temples: "Nothing."
What was wrong with her?
"Do you remember what you're supposed to be doing?" Yaoguang asked irritably. "Be careful or you won't get accepted as a disciple, and the sect leader will punish you."
Reminded by Yaoguang, Su Su finally remembered.
Looking at the familiar scenery before her, she stroked a crane's feather with slight annoyance.
She had come to Penglai Immortal Island to learn the Light Swan Sword technique from Island Master Immortal Venerable Rong Kui.
Throughout the immortal realm, Penglai's Light Swan Sword was most famous—one sword stroke could part mountains, another could split seas. Qu Xuanzi doted on his daughter but found that Hengyang Sect's sword techniques didn't suit Su Su, so he sent her to Penglai to study.
The phoenix carriage had barely brought Su Su from Hengyang to Penglai when, before she could even enter Penglai's Immortal Sect gates, she saw a white-robed man raising his hand to kill another man crouching on the ground.The person on the ground was truly pitiful, covered in blood and still wearing the disciple robes of Penglai. Yet the white-robed man standing over him showed no emotion as he prepared to extract his Spiritual Root.
Su Su noticed that the person on the ground possessed pure Immortal Aura, while the expressionless man dealing the harsh blow was faintly shrouded in Demonic Energy.
She thought, what audacious Demonic Cultivator, daring to harm a Penglai disciple right at the gates of Penglai Immortal Island!
A mischievous glint flashed in Su Su's eyes as she revealed a sly smile.
She snapped her fingers, and just as the white-robed man was about to extract the Spiritual Root, the person on the ground suddenly transformed into a chirping little bird.
The white-robed man paused, glanced displeasedly at the bird on the ground, then coldly raised his eyes to look toward Su Su's immortal carriage.
"Take this!" Su Su threw out several red feathers. Hearing her cry, the man swept his sword to cut them down.
This was exactly what Su Su had been waiting for. The shattered feathers transformed into itching powder, all landing on the man.
Su Su thought to herself, can you withstand this top-grade Spirit Medicine from Uncle Qingli?
The man stiffened, his face freezing as he gritted his teeth and looked toward Su Su's carriage. "Someone from Hengyang Sect?"
A young girl peeked out from the carriage, smiling playfully as she made a face at him.
The Cinnabar between her eyebrows burned brightly, while the luan bird beside her cried out as if cheering her on.
The man's gaze swept over her, and he suddenly laughed coldly. "Li Susu, Daoist name Yu Ling, came to Penglai to study under Immortal Venerable Rong Kui."
"How do you know that?" Su Su looked at him suspiciously.
As soon as she finished speaking, several Penglai disciples rushed out, bowing respectfully and excitedly. "Uncle Jiumin, you've returned!"
"Ji-Jiumin?" Hearing this rather familiar name, Su Su felt her entire world collapse.
In her youth, she had been lively and energetic, and everyone in Hengyang doted on her.
Before her departure, Qu Xuanzi looked at his charming and lovely daughter and earnestly advised: "Rong Kui has a personal disciple named Cang Jiumin, born with a sword bone, a rare talent of this generation. Rong Kui is training him as the next master of Penglai Island. I've heard he has quite a peculiar temperament. When you go, Su Su, you must behave properly and get along well with him."
Su Su nodded solemnly and said seriously, "Don't worry, Father."
Everyone in Hengyang liked her - there was no reason she would be disliked by a Penglai disciple, right?
Who would have thought that on her very first day, she would offend Cang Jiumin.
Cang Jiumin raised his hand, and the spirit bird on the ground transformed back into the pale-faced man. Without a word, he stabbed him to death.
Now he was truly furious - he didn't even bother extracting the Spiritual Root, just killed him outright.
It wasn't until she was shut out, with Cang Jiumin leading the disciples back to Penglai Island and trapping Su Su and her luan bird outside the Barrier, that she realized she was done for.
Although she didn't understand why Cang Jiumin wanted to extract that disciple's Spiritual Root, the personal disciple of the Penglai Island Master absolutely couldn't be a Demonic Cultivator.
There must have been some misunderstanding.
"Listen to my explanation, Cang Jiumin! I'm sorry, let me help you with the itching powder, okay?" She beat against the Barrier, but the man didn't even glance at her as he walked away.
Su Su was dejected, and even the usually spirited luan bird beside her hung its head in dismay.
For two days, she and her carriage awkwardly waited in the nearby apricot blossom forest, until Yaoguang, who had previously come to Penglai to deliver spirit pills, noticed something was wrong and personally came to escort her inside.
After hearing the whole story, Yaoguang laughed and said, "This isn't really your fault. Given the situation at the time, it was easy to misunderstand. But since you've offended Cang Jiumin, and he holds grudges over the smallest matters, you're going to have a tough time."Yaoguang whispered in her ear, "Everyone on Penglai Immortal Island knows Cang Jiumin is the East Wing Master's son. When the East Wing Master was undergoing tribulations in the mortal realm, he encountered someone who sacrificed themselves to protect him. That person died for the East Wing Master, leaving behind only a lonely girl. The East Wing Master brought her back to the immortal realm, cleansed her marrow and meridians, and treasures her like a precious gem. All of Penglai knows the East Wing Master intends for Cang Jiumin to become her Dao Companion in the future, but that mortal girl was deceived and taken advantage of by Penglai disciple Wei Xun."
"Wei Xun? The disciple Cang Jiumin wanted to kill two days ago?"
Yaoguang nodded. "Exactly."
Su Su's face showed some embarrassment. Given the circumstances at that time—someone with Demonic Energy trying to kill a Penglai disciple—anyone would have easily misunderstood.
Who would have thought he was just venting his anger?
Yaoguang looked sympathetically at her junior sister. "Island Master Rong Kui is obsessed with artifact refinement and is currently forging an Immortal Sword. Right now, Cang Jiumin is in charge of the island. He returned under his master's orders to temporarily teach you the foundational cultivation method. Since you've offended him, your days here might be difficult."
Su Su wasn't one to shy away from responsibility. She blinked and made a decisive decision: "I'll go apologize."
Even though the misunderstanding was unavoidable, it was still better than letting her watch a Demonic Cultivator kill an Immortal Sect disciple.
Yaoguang sighed. "That's the only way. But he's solitary by nature. Even that mortal girl is afraid of him, so you should prepare yourself mentally."
Su Su nodded, cupping her hands cheerfully. "Thank you, Yaoguang!"
Yaoguang gave her a reproachful look as she watched her junior sister use Sword Control to fly toward the immortal hall she had pointed out.
Ah, she'd heard Cang Jiumin was difficult to get along with. For her junior sister's stay on Penglai, she didn't expect Cang Jiumin to like her—she just hoped he wouldn't make things too hard for her.
Su Su quietly entered the immortal hall.
She had been locked outside Penglai Island by Cang Jiumin for two days, during which she had discreetly figured out why he had Demonic Energy on him.
Cang Jiumin had gone to the mortal realm to eliminate demons.
Now he was staying in the hall to purify the Demonic Energy from his body, preventing it from creating inner demons.
But the itching powder's effects lasted seven days—he must be suffering terribly right now.
If Cang Jiumin saw her, he'd probably want to strangle her. She couldn't just walk in like this.
Concealing her aura, she scanned the immortal hall and spotted a lazy, dozing kitten. Upon closer look, she realized it wasn't a cat but a young tiger.
She clasped her hands together. "I need to find a way to help your master with the itching powder. Please, please."
The little tiger opened its moist eyes, stared at her for a while, then lazily closed one eye.
—Go ahead. I'll turn a blind eye.
Su Su chuckled. Back then, she had just learned Shapeshift not long ago, but fortunately, she had talent. Transforming into the little tiger's appearance, she imitated it, holding the antidote in her mouth, and strutted into the hall with a proud gait.
"Rawr rawr rawr!" She placed the antidote bottle from her mouth and used her milk teeth to tug at the robes of the person meditating on the platform.
Cang Jiumin opened his eyes.
Su Su had guessed correctly earlier—he was indeed clearing the demonic influences from his body. Thanks to her ambush, his condition had worsened.
When he saw the little tiger, he initially wanted to coldly spit out, "Get lost."
But when he looked at the spot between its eyebrows, his expression turned peculiar.
There, on a tuft of its fur, was a bright Cinnabar dot.
He narrowed his eyes, watching her with an ambiguous gaze.
Su Su gestured with her eyes toward the item she had placed. Cang Jiumin raised his hand—Su Su thought he was going to take the bottle, but instead, he coldly grabbed her by the scruff of her neck.
Her four pink tiger paws flailed in the air.
What are you doing, what are you doing!The man didn't even glance at the antidote on the floor, his tone laced with a chilling amusement. "The alchemy furnace still lacks one final ingredient. I had planned to keep you for a few more days, but you came to me on your own."
With a wave of his other hand, the lid of the furnace flew off. He lifted Su Su, preparing to toss her into the True Fire.
The blazing flames nearly scorched the little tiger's bottom. Dangling from his finger, she looked up at him with pitiful, pleading eyes.
Cang Jiumin felt a surge of satisfaction seeing her terrified expression, the pent-up malice in him easing slightly.
After a cold laugh, he released his grip with deliberate cruelty.
After all... an immortal body wouldn't die so quickly.
He let go and even casually replaced the furnace lid.
Cang Jiumin returned to his couch, sitting cross-legged to resume his meditation.
One quarter of an hour passed, then two, and much longer still...
Finally, he couldn't resist opening his eyes, frowning as he stared at the furnace.
Not a single sound came from within—could she really be dead? She was, after all, the daughter of the Hengyang Sect Leader. He could discipline her, teach her a lesson, despise her all he wanted, but if something happened to her, Penglai would inevitably be implicated.
After a long hesitation, he raised two fingers. The furnace lid flew open, and the cauldron slid toward him.
He had intended to pull her out, but all he saw inside was a small, charred lump of tiger.
Even someone as inscrutable and grim as Cang Jiumin felt a flicker of panic.
He retrieved the "little charcoal stick" from the flames, his face stiff.
"Wake up!"
It showed no response.
All his anger had vanished, completely overshadowed by dread. The image of the bright-eyed girl from the Penglai apricot grove flashed in his mind, and Cang Jiumin pressed his lips tightly together.
He raised a hand, pressing his fingertip to the charcoal stick's brow, intending to channel some Immortal Aura into it.
The next moment, a crisp, lively voice sounded beside his ear.
"Have you forgiven me now?"
He whipped his head around. The girl had appeared at his side unnoticed, tilting her head as she smiled radiantly at him.
Caught off guard, he found himself lost in the shimmering depths of her eyes.
The girl took two steps back, clasped her hands together, and placed them sincerely against her forehead as she bowed deeply.
"Su Su apologizes to the Immortal Lord. There has been a misunderstanding. Now that your anger has subsided, please forgive me."
Cang Jiumin averted his gaze, suddenly realizing it had all been a trick orchestrated by this cunning, mischievous girl. He thought he had seen through her, but the Cinnabar had been a deliberate "clue" she left for him.
Her true intention was to make him recognize her so she could exact her revenge to the fullest.
Cang Jiumin clenched his fist with a grinding sound, crushing the charcoal stick in his palm.
"Li Susu!" You truly are something else!
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