"Little sister, if you like, you can think of me as your family from now on."
"Really? Can I?"
Xiao Jinr looked very happy.
Although Xiao Jinr's body had been remolded by Su Hua, and her appearance was different from before, those clear eyes untouched by worldly dust remained unchanged—still so pure, so innocent, so guileless. She asked expectantly, "Then can I call you Big Brother from now on?"
"Of course you can."
For some reason, as soon as Gu Qingfeng finished speaking, Xiao Jinr's eyes suddenly reddened. Tears streamed down uncontrollably as she threw herself into Gu Qingfeng's embrace, sobbing uncontrollably.
Xiao Jinr's crying left Gu Qingfeng somewhat at a loss. He simply patted her back and asked, "Little sister, why are you crying all of a sudden?"
"Wuwu... Big Brother, I don't know either... I just feel so, so happy in my heart! Wuwu... I've never been this happy before. I really feel like Big Brother is my family, like a dearly, dearly missed family member, wuwu..." Gu Qingfeng comforted Xiao Jinr. Listening to her sobs, his own heart felt a pang of bitterness. He said, "Perhaps a very, very long time ago, like in a past life, or a previous incarnation, we really were family."
Xiao Jinr felt Gu Qingfeng was like a family member to her.
And wasn't Gu Qingfeng the same?
Ever since the end of the ancient era, when Heaven took everything from him and he was reborn through Nirvana Silence in this World, the first time he saw Xiao Jinr, he had felt an intense desire—to forever protect Xiao Jinr like a big brother protecting his little sister. As long as Xiao Jinr was happy, he was content. Even if he were to truly become the Lord of Original Sin in the future, slaughtering the Three Thousand Great Daos, destroying heaven and earth, and ushering in the Dao-Less Era, he would not hesitate.
It was truly so.
In Gu Qingfeng's entire life, only Xiao Jinr evoked such feelings in him.
He himself didn't know why.
Perhaps it was exactly as he said—in a past life, he and Xiao Jinr really were family who depended on each other for survival.
This couldn't help but make Gu Qingfeng sigh with emotion.
Back when he was reborn through Nirvana Silence and returned to the Primordial World, he had met Xiao Jinr.
Who would have thought that this time, after being reborn through Nirvana Silence again and returning to the Primordial World, he would once more encounter Xiao Jinr.
Perhaps, maybe this was the so-called Karma, the so-called fate, predestined by the unseen forces long ago.
Xiao Jinr cried for a long time. Lying in Gu Qingfeng's arms, she cried until she eventually fell asleep.
"What's wrong with this little girl?"
Luo Xuan Ancestor looked on with a puzzled expression. Clearly, suffering from Elder's Delirium, he was completely unable to comprehend the scene unfolding before him. He couldn't understand how two strangers, perfectly fine one moment, could suddenly become brother and sister depending on each other for survival just by talking.
"She's just asleep."
Gu Qingfeng gently stroked Xiao Jinr's hair, gazing at her sleeping form with tender care.
"How did she fall asleep just like that?"
Luo Xuan Ancestor wanted to wake Xiao Jinr up, but Gu Qingfeng stopped him, saying, "This girl secretly traveled alone from a faraway place to this World. She's long been exhausted and weary, only sustained by sheer willpower. Otherwise, she would have collapsed from exhaustion long ago."
"That's true too."
Luo Xuan Ancestor looked Gu Qingfeng up and down, puzzled. "But, young man, you don't seem as simple as you appear on the surface. Just who are you?"
"Me?"
Gu Qingfeng smiled. "An old friend."
"An old friend?"
Luo Xuan Ancestor was confused. "What kind of old friend?"
"Come, drink this cup of wine, and I'll tell you."
Gu Qingfeng raised his cup and drank. Luo Xuan Ancestor did the same. But when Luo Xuan Ancestor finished his cup and put it down, he had already slumped over the table.
"Ancestor! Ancestor!"
The attendants of Luo Xuan's Soup Stall rushed over upon seeing this, pointing angrily at Gu Qingfeng. "What did you do to our Ancestor?"
"Your Ancestor has simply had too much to drink."
Gu Qingfeng stood up, holding Xiao Jinr. He glanced at Luo Xuan Ancestor, who was sound asleep on the table, and said, "Old man, until we meet again."
With that.
He vanished without a trace.
...
The next morning, as the sun rose.
Two people rode two horses, leisurely making their way along a country path.
One was a man who appeared carefree and unrestrained, with long hair loosely draped over his shoulders, riding an old horse, holding a wine gourd, and drinking.
The other was a girl who looked pure, innocent, and adorable, holding a precious sword, riding a white horse with a bell hanging from its neck. As they walked slowly, the bell emitted crisp, clear sounds.
They were Gu Qingfeng and Xiao Jinr.
Xiao Jinr looked very happy, chatting and laughing with Gu Qingfeng along the way. "Big Brother, you know what? I'm really, really happy to have met you. I've never felt this way before."
"Oh? Weren't you happy before?"
"No, I was happy before too, but this feeling of happiness is different. When I'm with Big Brother, I feel very relaxed. And last night, sleeping in Big Brother's arms... it really... it really felt so blissful. I never knew sleeping could feel so blissful before."
Xiao Jinr blinked her clear, pure big eyes and asked, "Big Brother, do you think we really were family in our Previous Life?"
"Perhaps."
"Big Brother, do you believe in reincarnation across lives and Karma in this life?"
Hearing Xiao Jinr mention Karma, Gu Qingfeng frowned slightly. "Why bring that up all of a sudden?"
"Actually... I've always had a secret in my heart. I've never told anyone, not even my family. But after meeting Big Brother, I suddenly really want to tell you my secret."
"A secret? What secret?"
"Big Brother, promise me you'll keep it a secret. Don't tell anyone, okay?"
"Don't worry, I absolutely won't tell anyone."
"Big Brother, actually, I... I used to often have a strange Dream Realm."
First Karma.
Now a Dream Realm.
Gu Qingfeng's heart immediately sank with an ominous premonition. He suspected that Xiao Jinr's past memories might be showing signs of recovery, perhaps even worse than imagined. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "What kind of Dream Realm?"
"In the Dream Realm, it seemed like I had been to this World before. Not only did I come here, but I also met a Big Brother here. The first time I met that Big Brother, I felt he was the person I had been waiting for all along. I didn't know why I was waiting for him here. I only knew the person I was waiting for was that Big Brother."
"That Big Brother was very good to me. He would cheer me up, make me happy, and protect me no matter what. He worried about me being in danger, so he gave me a bracelet—a heart-linked bracelet. As long as I called out to Big Brother in my heart, no matter where he was, he would appear before me without hesitation."