Zhu Xian: They've all been reborn

Black bamboo joints are very hard.

Jiang Xiaochuan swung his woodcutter's knife, the blade striking the dark purple-black bamboo with a "thud".

The bamboo remained completely still, leaving only a faint, almost invisible white mark.

He took a breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

At six years old, his body was still too weak; his arms were not strong, and his hands, which were gripping the machete, were already red from being worn down.

"What's going on here, buddy?" he thought.

I remember that I seemed to have traveled through the world of Jade Dynasty once. I died, or rather, I didn't die completely. When I opened my eyes, I was six years old again.

Memories are like mosaics in Japanese adult films, blurry and completely indistinct; the harder you try to see them clearly, the less clear they become.

He remembered that he seemed to have a good talent, but he couldn't quite put his finger on how.

I just have a vague impression that my cultivation in my previous life went quite smoothly and didn't take much effort.

But things are different now.

Now he felt the faint aura within his body and circulated it through a full cycle according to the methods of Taiji Xuanqing Dao. The warmth in his dantian was as weak as a candle flame in the wind.

Ordinary, very ordinary. At this rate, he felt it would take him another ten months or so to reach the first level of Jade Purity. In the Qingyun Sect, the standard for an ordinary disciple to reach the first level of Jade Purity was about a year.

He felt a pang of nostalgia for his past life. Although he couldn't recall the details, the sense of ease he felt remained in his memory.

If only he could start over… He paused for a moment, realizing that he had already started over. He had started over, but his talent was gone.

The machete fell again.

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Yes."

A breeze rustled through the bamboo grove. In the distance came the barking of a dog; it was Big Yellow.

And the shouts of my fellow disciples practicing their skills were too far away to hear clearly.

Jiang Xiaochuan hacked away, his mind a jumbled mess. His memories of his past life—or rather, his previous life—were clear; he knew the plot of the novel, the characters' fates. But what use was knowing that?

I am currently just an ordinary disciple on Dazhu Peak, the seventh one. There are six senior brothers and one senior sister above me.

senior sister.

He paused for a moment. Tian Ling'er.

That bright and lively girl in the book, and Qi… He shook his head, not wanting to think about it. That was just something in a book.

Tian Ling'er is only seven years old now. She has two pigtails and runs around on the mountain all day long. Sometimes she will follow him around calling "Xiao Chuan, Xiao Chuan".

Just then, a rustling sound came from the other side of the bamboo forest.

A fiery red figure pushed aside the bamboo leaves and emerged.

It is Tian Ling'er.

Jiang Xiaochuan put down the wood-chopping knife and straightened up.

He was about to greet her when he saw Tian Ling'er standing there, staring at him without moving. Her gaze was a little strange.

The seven-year-old girl still had chubby cheeks, but Jiang Xiaochuan couldn't understand the emotions in her eyes. They were too intense, too complex, completely unlike what one would expect at her age.

"Senior Sister Ling'er?" he called out.

Tian Ling'er didn't respond. She walked towards him, her steps a little hurried, yet hesitant.

She walked up to him and looked up at him. Only then did Jiang Xiaochuan notice that her eyes were a little red.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Tian Ling'er remained silent. Suddenly, she reached out and hugged him tightly.

They were holding each other very tightly.

Jiang Xiaochuan froze.

Tian Ling'er was a year older than him. Girls develop faster than boys and are also taller. When he hugged her like this, his face was buried in her shoulder.

The little girl smelled faintly of soap, along with the scent of sweat and sunshine. He could feel her shivering.

"Senior Sister Ling'er?" he called again, his voice muffled by her clothes.

Tian Ling'er remained silent. She tightened her grip on her arms even more.

Jiang Xiaochuan was a little out of breath and wanted to push him away, but then he felt something was wrong.

A part of his heart softened inexplicably. It was as if he owed her something. This feeling came abruptly, without any reason.

After a long while, Tian Ling'er finally let go.

She took a step back, her cheeks flushed, her eyes flashing with an alarming light. She raised her hand and wiped her face haphazardly, then sniffed.

"It's nothing," she said, her voice a little hoarse, "I just... I just wanted to hug you."

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her face.

A blush spread from her cheeks all the way to the base of her ears. The seven-year-old girl's shyness was quite genuine.

"Oh," he responded, unsure of what to say next. He bent down, picked up the wood-chopping knife, and held it in his hand.

Tian Ling'er calmed down a bit. She looked at the woodcutter's knife in his hand, then at the dense white marks on the black bamboo.

"How long are you going to keep chopping like this?" she said. "Let me help you. I'm already at the first level of Jade Purity, so I can manage to cut a little."

She was about to grab his machete when she said that.

Jiang Xiaochuan stepped aside.

"No need," he said.

"I'll do it myself. Cutting bamboo... is also a form of practice. It strengthens the body and builds a solid foundation."

Tian Ling'er's hand froze in mid-air. She looked into his eyes for a few seconds, then nodded.

"Then I'll stay by your side."

After she finished speaking, she actually sat down on a rock next to her. She crossed her legs, closed her eyes, and assumed a meditation posture.

But Jiang Xiaochuan could sense that her breathing was not steady, and her eyes were not completely closed; she would open them a crack from time to time to peek at him.

He turned around and continued cutting bamboo.

"Yes."

"Yes."

The sound of the machete rising and falling rang out again.

The bamboo shadows swayed, sunlight dappled the ground, and Tian Ling'er sat there, motionless. She would only blink when the wind ruffled her hair.

Jiang Xiaochuan felt that strange feeling welling up again.

Tian Ling'er is acting very strangely today. But...maybe it's just her childish temper. He thought.

The senior monks on the mountain are all old, and she doesn't like playing with them; she just likes to cling to herself. That's normal.

He didn't think about it any further.

Another year passed.

At the age of seven, Jiang Xiaochuan finally stepped into the first level of Yuqing.

His aura condensed into a ball in his dantian, weak but finally taking shape. He stood in the courtyard, trying to circulate his magic power. A small cluster of blue light emerged from his fingertips, flickered, and then disappeared.

He sighed. He was indeed of average talent.

Tian Ling'er stood under the eaves watching him. The eight-year-old girl had grown taller, and this time she had a new hairstyle. Her pigtails were undone, and her hair was tied into a ponytail with a red ribbon.

She held the amber brocade in her hand, the magical artifact flowing slowly in her palm, radiating a warm light.

She has already reached the second level of Jade Purity.

When Jiang Xiaochuan learned about this, he felt a little uneasy. It wasn't jealousy, just... a sense of loss.

He vaguely thought that his past self must have been much stronger.

Tian Ling'er walked over. The way she walked was different from before; she walked less bouncy and more... composed? Jiang Xiaochuan couldn't find the right word.

"Congratulations," she said, looking at him with a slight smile.

"Congratulations to you too," Jiang Xiaochuan said. "You've improved even faster, senior sister."

Tian Ling'er smiled. Something flashed across that smile, but Jiang Xiaochuan didn't catch it.

She reached out and naturally straightened his collar. Jiang Xiaochuan flinched when her fingers touched his neck.

"What's wrong?" Tian Ling'er asked, without retracting her hand.

"It's nothing," Jiang Xiaochuan said. He took a step back. Tian Ling'er's movement froze in mid-air, then she slowly lowered herself.

The atmosphere was a little awkward.

Jiang Xiaochuan scratched his head. Over the past year, Tian Ling'er had become increasingly kind to him, almost to the point of being... excessive.

She often came to see him, brought him food, helped him tidy up his house, and asked him questions about her cultivation—even though his level was not as high as hers.

Sometimes, like just now, I would touch him, pull him, or get very close to him to talk.

He thought it was because the little girl was clingy.

The senior brothers all said that Junior Sister Ling'er loved playing with Xiao Qi. But lately, he felt something was off. That clingy relationship didn't seem like siblings, it was more like…

He stopped himself from thinking about it. Tian Ling'er was only eight years old. He himself was only seven. What was he thinking?

"I'm going to cut some bamboo," he said, turning to leave.

"I'll go with you," Tian Ling'er said immediately.

"No need, Senior Sister. Aren't you going to learn a new spell from Master's Wife today?"

"No rush," Tian Ling'er said, having already caught up. "I'll go to the back mountain with you."

Jiang Xiaochuan opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn't say anything. The two of them left the courtyard one after the other and headed towards the back mountain.

Tian Ling'er walked lightly behind him. A breeze blew, and the ribbon in her ponytail fluttered, brushing against Jiang Xiaochuan's arm.

It's itchy.