Be Gentle, Immortal Master

Chapter 157 – Forbidden Art

All of a sudden, pieces from the past that I hadn't connected together became clearer than ever.

When I first looked into that crystal orb, I knew from the emotional resonation that the girl in red was me, though I didn't know precisely how we were related. I had simply assumed since then that she was my previous life, but now that I had the clarity of mind to think it through, I realized that it couldn't be that simple. I didn't look like her at all, and appearances weren't supposed to change during rebirth.

Besides, the book I read in Bai Ye's library about demonic swords had clearly stated that blades like Twin Stars would reap their victims of afterlives. I didn't know why Bai Ye took the trouble to kill that girl with her own swords, but since he did, it meant that her soul would no longer be able to enter the cycle of life. I couldn't have been her reincarnation no matter what.

None of these made any sense given how vividly I felt her death. The pain and the emotions shouldn't have felt as real as my own if I didn't share the same soul with her. But now, after learning what had happened twelve years ago, it all dawned on me. No wonder I survived that fever like a miracle when everyone thought I was beyond saving. No wonder my parents said that I was almost like a different person after I recovered …

Because I was. Bai Ye brought me back … by putting that girl's soul into another dying girl's body. Even though I woke up again with the original Yun Qing-er's memories, I wasn't her anymore. I was the girl that Bai Ye had killed … without any memories of her past.

A mix of feelings surged in me. Why did he do this? Did he realize that he still loved her and wanted a second chance, or did he do it simply to bring back the power of Twin Stars?

And how did he manage such an impossible deed?

"Yun Qing-er." Xie Lun's voice startled me, and I looked up. The woman was already gone while I was lost in my musings. "People here are certainly persistent," he smiled and shook his head. "I'm sorry it took so long."

I returned a smile somewhat weakly. "Did you manage to convince her?" I asked, realizing belatedly that my voice was slightly quivering again.

"I told her I will send her regards to the right person if I get a chance," Xie Lun replied and gave me a long stare. This time, he didn't pretend to not notice my unnaturalness. "Did she remind you of something unpleasant from the past?"

I didn't want to tell anyone else about what happened between Bai Ye and me. Things were complicated enough the way they were, and I didn't need any more judgment or pity from others. But just as I was about to shake my head and make up some excuses, a different thought emerged in my head. Xie Lun was well-learned in miscellaneous arts and tricks … Would he be able to guess how Bai Ye had done all this?

So I sighed and said instead, "It's just that I remembered the plague she mentioned from twelve years ago. A lot of the villagers fell sick at that time, and many didn't make it. We cultivators have the responsibility to protect commoners and help those in need, but there's only so much we can do. We can't bring back a person from death, after all."

Xie Lun looked at me. For a moment, his gaze seemed a little strange, and I wondered if he was suspecting the intention behind my comment. But then he chuckled. "Bringing back the dead … might be beyond the power of you and me, but for an experienced immortal, it is not impossible."

My eyes widened. So he did know? "But how?" I asked. "When a person dies, their soul either enters the cycle of rebirth immediately or disperses into the ether if they miss the chance. How is it possible to retrieve it afterward?"

Xie Lun smiled. "No one said it's easy. It takes more than just power and knowledge to break the natural cycle of life and act against the dao of the universe. For forbidden arts like this, there is always a price to pay."

"What kind of price?" I asked, though I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear the answer. "And … who pays for it?"

"The price depends on the method. The longer the person has been dead, and the stronger their soul is, the higher the price. And who do you think pays for it? Why would anyone risk such an act if they have to bear the consequences themselves?"

All the blood inside me grew cold. I suddenly remembered that conversation between Bai Ye and my parents while I was on the brink of death. When Bai Ye told my mother that my illness was past the point of healing, he had said that the only way left to save me was to resort to a forbidden art, and their child would have to bear the consequences …

Seeing my astonishment, Xie Lun smiled again and added, "I know you miss your family, but don't think about those unrealistic tricks. Just like demonic swords, these are dark powers that never lead to good endings. Let the deceased rest in peace. If you want to pay your respects, we can visit them at the cemetery. I was planning on examining that area next anyway."

I nodded absentmindedly. Having him misinterpret it this way was better than inferring my real intention, I suppose. But as we made our way down the river towards the edge of the village, I couldn't stop turning his words over and over in my head. Dark powers that never lead to good endings …

What in the world had Bai Ye planned, and what was waiting for me next?