That night.
The moonlight was somewhat dim, the night breeze somewhat cool.
Within a garden at Yunxia Sect.
Ouyang Ye sat quietly on a chair, her chin resting in her hands, her pretty face seemingly lost in a daze.
The young girl was not in a good mood, to be precise, she was somewhat unsettled.
Although she had never particularly liked her master, after all, she had studied under True Person Feixue for two years. Now that True Person Feixue had been half-beaten to death by Gu Qingfeng with a single slap, while the young girl couldn't say she felt profound grief, she still felt somewhat uncomfortable.
However, this was not the reason for her daze.
What truly made her lose herself in thought was Gu Qingfeng.
An unknown identity?
A formidable physical body?
An incredible comprehension ability?
Miraculous techniques?
Terrifying power?
No!
None of these.
Although she was curious about these things, it was merely curiosity. What made her sink into contemplation, unable to help but lose herself, was that for some reason, Gu Qingfeng always gave her a feeling of déjà vu.
This feeling had occurred three times.
The first time was at Red Leaf Valley, the second during the competition for the Twelve Courtyards Chief, and the third was a few days ago during the Trial Assessment.
She didn't know why she had this feeling, nor did she know what exactly about Gu Qingfeng made him seem so familiar. This inexplicable feeling was both familiar and strange. Why it was familiar, she didn't know; why it was strange, she knew even less.
She knew nothing.
She just had this feeling, especially after witnessing the Trial Assessment firsthand, this feeling grew even stronger.
"Could it be related to that dream?"
Ouyang Ye had a secret. Since childhood, she had been having a strange dream. The reason she said the dream was strange was because it was very blurry, ethereal, and chaotic. In the dream, she also had a feeling of déjà vu towards Yunxia Sect, a feeling that was similarly both familiar and strange, and she also didn't know why it was familiar or why it was strange.
This was also the reason why she had joined Yunxia Sect to cultivate. She wanted to understand the reason for her feeling of familiarity with Yunxia Sect. But two years had passed, she had traversed every corner of Yunxia Sect, what should be familiar remained familiar, what should be strange remained strange.
But what did this have to do with Gu Qingfeng?
Her feeling of familiarity with Yunxia Sect was because of that recurring dream from childhood, but Gu Qingfeng wasn't in the dream.
Thinking like this, the more she thought, the more confused she became, the more bewildered she grew.
It was very annoying.
Ouyang Ye took out a guqin from her storage bag and began to play, performing "Laughing at the Mortal World," a piece composed by Monarch Chixiao.
Over the years, whenever she was troubled, she would play the qin.
The young girl had read extensively since childhood, studying many books on music and melody, and could play many tunes, but she particularly favored the compositions of Monarch Chixiao.
As everyone knew, Monarch Chixiao's compositions were such that not only was it difficult to play their profound mysteries, even simply playing the complete tune required a high level of musical attainment.
Strangely enough, Ouyang Ye had never practiced Monarch Chixiao's compositions, yet she could play them as soon as she heard them, and could even bring out their profound mysteries. As for the reason, she herself didn't know.
She just could play them, as if she had practiced them before. But the key point was, she had never actively practiced Monarch Chixiao's compositions, not even once. She could play them after just one listen.
Every time she finished playing this "Laughing at the Mortal World," her troubles would be completely forgotten.
But this time, for some reason, the more she played, the more chaotic it became.
"Laughing at the Mortal World" was originally a very complex musical style, a piece composed by Monarch Chixiao when he bid farewell to the mortal world, reminiscing about past events in the red dust. Every note contained memories of Monarch Chixiao's experiences in the secular world...
The style should have been very plain, meant only for reminiscence, only for farewell.
Yet at this moment, Ouyang Ye's playing was incredibly chaotic, and the faster her ten fingers danced, the more frenzied they became. The qin notes didn't come slowly and gently, but rather like the crackling of thunder and lightning, very urgent, very frantic.
"Ye Ye, why are you playing the qin again in the middle of the night?"
Ouyang Feiyue walked out wearing a white robe. Perhaps she had just been resting, as her beautiful face still showed signs of drowsiness. Walking onto the pavilion, she saw Ouyang Ye playing the qin like a woman possessed.
Ouyang Feiyue immediately lost her sleepiness and called Ouyang Ye's name again.
No one responded.
Ouyang Ye's qin playing grew even more frenzied. For some reason, a strong wind suddenly rose in the courtyard.
At this moment, Ouyang Ye's long hair flew wildly, her beautiful face fluctuating between light and shadow, and her eyes gradually took on a crimson hue. She continued to play the qin frantically, muttering, "I can't forget...
Really can't forget..." "Heh...
You don't know who I am at all!
You never knew from the beginning..." "Hehehe...
You want to know who I am?
You only remember the present me, but you've forgotten the past me!"
"You've long forgotten the past me, you've long forgotten..." "But I have never been able to forget you..." "Back then when you left, you told me to wait for you..." "But you never came back...
You didn't..." Ouyang Ye spoke intermittently, half-laughing, half-crying, as if mad or truly bewitched.
Ouyang Feiyue, listening from across, frowned in confusion, asking in astonishment, "Ye Ye!
What nonsense are you spouting? Have you gone mad from playing the qin? I told you long ago not to play the Monarch's compositions anymore..." Ouyang Feiyue walked over intending to persuade her, but Ouyang Ye didn't even glance at her. With a flick of her right arm across the strings, a series of explosive qin notes erupted as she said coldly, "Get away!"
*Pfft!*
Ouyang Feiyue had no idea what was happening. She suddenly felt her eardrums ringing, her blood and qi churning within. She immediately circulated her spiritual power but was forced to retreat uncontrollably. Just as she stopped and was about to speak, she felt a sweet taste in her throat and spat out a mouthful of blood. Raising her head, her face pale with horror, she said, "Ye Ye, how could you...
I am...
I am your aunt!"
Sitting in the pavilion, Ouyang Ye paid no heed, continuing to play the qin, muttering to herself like a mad demon.
"Everything started from here...
Everything, everything started from here..." "Can't go back, can never go back..." "I am a demon...
Waiting for you turned me into a demon..." "I waited for you until I became a demon, you defied heaven to save me and became a demon...
You don't owe me, I don't owe you..." "Don't ask who I am!
I will never tell you..." "I am a demon, I was from the beginning, you thought you could guide me to become a Buddha?
My heart is Buddha?
I am a demon, I was in the past, I am now, I will be in the future, forever and ever, I want you to remember for a lifetime that I became a demon waiting for you..." "The Buddhist path doesn't acknowledge me as a demon, the demonic path doesn't acknowledge me as a Buddha...
Hehehe..." "Don't force me!"
"Never force me! I said if you don't reincarnate, I won't reincarnate either. If the Heavenly Dao wants to judge you, I will defy the heavens with you...
I'll accompany you...
Forever..." "Don't force me...
I won't reincarnate..." "I said...
If you don't reincarnate, I won't reincarnate either..."