Zhu Xian: They've all been reborn

A few days ago, in a remote mountain village far from Qingyun Mountain.

As dusk approached, the setting sun cast a blood-red shadow, making the old locust tree at the village entrance cast a long shadow.

The air was filled with the smell of cooking smoke and earth, with the occasional bark of a dog and the calls of farmers returning home—ordinary and peaceful.

A woman dressed in black, with a black veil covering her face, and a tall, graceful figure, appeared silently at the village entrance like a ghost.

Her exposed eyes, like cold stars, belonged to Zhuque, Youji, one of the four holy envoys of the Ghost King Sect.

Her gaze passed over the low mud-brick houses and wisps of smoke, landing precisely on a dilapidated thatched hut at the far end of the village that looked almost collapsing.

There, faint, suppressed coughs and a woman's low, desperate sobs could be heard.

With a swift movement, You Ji arrived in front of the thatched hut.

She gently pushed open the crooked wooden door, which looked like it would collapse at the slightest touch.

The room was dimly lit and filled with a strong smell of medicine and mildew.

The house was bare, with only a broken wooden bed and a rickety table.

Lying on the bed was an old woman who was emaciated, pale, and coughing incessantly, barely breathing.

Kneeling beside the bed was a young woman, about twenty years old, dressed in a faded, patched coarse cloth dress, which could not hide her natural beauty.

Her skin was pale from long-term malnutrition, but her eyebrows and eyes were delicate, especially her eyes. Although they were filled with tears and helplessness, one could still see the liveliness beneath and a deep-seated unwillingness.

She was carefully wiping the old woman's forehead with a damp cloth, her own face streaked with tears.

This woman was none other than Jin Ping'er.

At this time, however, she was not the wonderful young master of the Hehuan Sect who would later become, but a pitiful village girl with a hard life who was almost penniless in order to get medicine for her seriously ill mother, and was even about to be forced into prostitution by the village bully.

Hearing the door open, Jin Ping'er looked up abruptly. Through her teary eyes, she saw a woman shrouded in black, exuding a cold and mysterious aura, standing in the doorway. Startled, she gasped and instinctively stepped in front of the bed, her voice trembling, "Who...who are you? What do you want?"

Youji's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, and those weathered yet still beautiful eyes stirred something within her.

She is indeed a rough gem, no wonder the young master specifically instructed that she be taken away before the people from other sects discovered her.

"You don't need to be afraid," Youji said, her voice low and hoarse, carrying a peculiar soothing power.

"I'm not here to harm you. On the contrary, I'm here to give you and your mother a way to survive."

Jin Ping'er's wariness hadn't subsided, but upon hearing the words "way out," a faint glimmer of hope ignited within her, and she asked in a trembling voice, "W-what way out?"

"Leave here and come with me," Youji said calmly, her gaze sweeping over the dying old woman on the bed.

"Your mother's illness is unresponsive to ordinary medicines, but I have a way to prolong her life."

As for you, staying here will only lead to your death.

"Come with me, and you can learn how to make a living and even take control of your own destiny."

Jin Ping'er was stunned. She looked at You Ji, then at her mother who was barely breathing on the bed, and was torn between her feelings and her conscience.

The woman in black before her was of unknown origin and exuded a strange aura, but her certainty and the subtle power she sensed made her feel that this might truly be her only chance.

If she stays here, her mother will surely die, and she herself... will probably not escape her fate either.

"Why...why are you helping us?" she asked, biting her pale lips.

"I was entrusted with this task," Youji said succinctly, without revealing Biyao's name.

"Someone who can change your destiny. She has her eye on your talent and character. As for your future path, whether you become someone else's plaything or take control of everything, it will be up to her when you meet her."

Jin Ping'er remained silent for a long time.

As darkness fell outside, the mother's cough grew weaker and weaker.

Finally, she raised her head, and the weakness and helplessness in her eyes were gradually replaced by a resolute determination.

She wiped away her tears, knelt down slowly before You Ji, and kowtowed.

"I'll go with you. Please, save my mother." Her voice was still trembling, but it had gained strength.

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Youji's eyes.

She stepped forward, reached out to help Jin Ping'er up, her fingertips touching her cold, trembling hand. "Pack your things, leave immediately. Your mother's illness cannot be delayed."

Jin Ping'er nodded heavily, no longer hesitating. She quickly packed the few old clothes and some dry food that the family had, and then carefully carried her unconscious mother on her back.

She took one last look at the dilapidated hut where she had lived for twenty years, which had given her countless hardships and also held the last warmth between her and her mother. A complex emotion flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination.

With a flick of her sleeve, Youji released a soft black mist that lifted Jin Ping'er and her mother on her back.

The three figures transformed into wisps of black smoke, silently merging into the deep night, leaving this ordinary little mountain village, and completely altering Jin Ping'er's original future trajectory, which might have led her to fall into the Hehuan Sect and suffer a tragic fate.

In the darkness, You Ji's voice rang out softly: "From now on, you will be called Jin Ping'er. Forget the past. Your fate will be decided when the young master returns."

Jin Ping'er carried her seriously ill mother on her back, feeling the scenery rushing past her feet and the unfathomable aura of the woman in black beside her. She bit her lip tightly, and the last tear in her eyes was dried by the night wind, leaving only a cold clarity and a deep-seated desire for power.

Back to this moment, at Tongtian Peak, beside the arena in the Xun position.

The air froze, and the temperature plummeted.

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at "Xiaoyu," who was hiding behind him, trembling and pitiful, and then at Tian Ling'er and Lu Xueqi in front of him, whose eyes were almost murderous. He felt like his head was ten times bigger, and his tongue was tied in knots. He had no idea what to say or do.

"Junior Sister Xiaoyu, don't be afraid..." he tried to comfort her, but as soon as he said that, Tian Ling'er and Lu Xueqi's eyes turned even colder.

"Jiang Xiaochuan!" Tian Ling'er could no longer hold back and cried out in a shrill voice.

"Who is she?! When did you meet her?! And she says she's 'so handsome'? You, you..." Her eyes reddened with anger, and her chest heaved violently.

Lu Xueqi didn't speak, but took a step forward, her gaze passing over Jiang Xiaochuan and landing directly on "Xiaoyu's" face. Her eyes were cold and sharp, as if they could see through all pretense.

"Luoxia Peak, Xiaoyu?" Her voice was soft, yet it carried an invisible pressure.

"I don't recall ever hearing of a disciple named you from Luoxia Peak."

Xiaoyu trembled even more violently, almost shrinking behind Jiang Xiaochuan, revealing only her panicked, tearful eyes, her voice trembling with sobs:

"I...I've only recently started practicing...my cultivation is very low...It's...it's normal that Senior Sister Lu doesn't recognize me...I...I just...admire Senior Brother Jiang...I...I didn't mean anything else..."

The more she feigned weakness and hid behind Jiang Xiaochuan, the more Tian Ling'er and Lu Xueqi's anger and suspicion grew. This woman was definitely suspicious!

"Whether you have other intentions or not, leave here now, immediately," Lu Xueqi said coldly, her tone ruthless.

"Yes! Get out of here! Stay away from Xiao Chuan!" Tian Ling'er also stepped forward, almost side by side with Lu Xueqi. Although the two disliked each other, they had formed a strange united front when faced with this sudden "vixen".

A growing crowd gathered around, pointing and whispering amongst themselves.

This scene was even more exciting than the match on the ring!

Jiang Xiaochuan from Dazhufeng is truly a performer wherever he goes!

First, there was Lu Xueqi from Xiaozhu Peak fiercely "protecting her husband," then Tian Ling'er from Dazhu Peak, his childhood sweetheart, "declaring her ownership," and now there's a junior sister from Luoxia Peak "shyly confessing her love"...

This is simply the most eye-catching "emotional drama" outside of the Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament!

Jiang Xiaochuan was caught in the middle, feeling the focus of three (no, countless) gazes, listening to the increasingly outrageous discussions. His face turned red and white, feeling ashamed and indignant, yet powerless to break free.

He just wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into, or turn back time so he could run far away before "Xiaoyu" could even speak!

Biyao (Xiaoyu) hid behind him, feeling the stiffness of his body and the almost tangible anger of the two women in front of her. The secret joy in her heart from successfully getting close to him was quickly replaced by more bitterness, resentment and a twisted pleasure.

Look, they're getting anxious.

The more they act this way, the more it shows they care.

She has already successfully taken the first step and squeezed into this seemingly solid love triangle (or perhaps more?) relationship.

She lowered her head slightly, concealing the fleeting, hidden determination in her eyes, but her voice grew even weaker and more pitiful, choked with sobs: "I'm...I'm sorry...Senior Brother Jiang...I...I think I've caused you trouble...I...I'll leave now..."

As she spoke, she seemed genuinely frightened. She released her grip on Jiang Xiaochuan's clothes (she had grabbed them without her noticing), lowered her head, wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, and turned to try to squeeze through the crowd. Her back looked thin and helpless, and she staggered unsteadily. Anyone who saw her would feel sorry for her.

Looking at her like that, Jiang Xiaochuan felt inexplicably uncomfortable. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but when he saw Tian Ling'er and Lu Xueqi's cold profiles, he swallowed the words back.

Tian Ling'er and Lu Xueqi watched "Xiao Yu's" departing figure, their eyes still cold, but the tense atmosphere seemed to ease slightly for a moment with the departure of the "obstacle." However, the low pressure between the two still remained.

"Xiao Chuan, let's go!" Tian Ling'er grabbed Jiang Xiao Chuan's arm and tried to pull him away from this troublesome place.

Lu Xueqi didn't move, she just quietly looked at Jiang Xiaochuan.

Jiang Xiaochuan glanced at Tian Ling'er, whose anger hadn't subsided, then at Lu Xueqi, whose eyes were deep in thought, and then at the countless onlookers around them. He felt utterly exhausted. He pulled his hand away from Tian Ling'er's (not too forcefully), took a deep breath, and said wearily, his voice weary:

"I...I want to be alone for a while. I need to regulate my breathing and prepare for tomorrow's competition."

After saying that, he stopped looking at them, lowered his head, parted the crowd, and walked quickly in the opposite direction from the rest area of ​​Dazhu Peak, towards a more secluded place.

His back view clearly showed his disheveled state and his desire to escape.

Tian Ling'er and Lu Xueqi watched him leave, but neither of them immediately chased after him.

The two exchanged a glance, their eyes meeting briefly before quickly separating, each seeing a complex and unfathomable emotion in the other's eyes.

Anger, vigilance, resentment, and a hint of... helplessness towards the runaway guy.

The surrounding chatter resumed and continued for a long time.

Biyao (Xiaoyu), who had already squeezed out of the crowd and walked to a distance, stopped and looked back in the direction where Jiang Xiaochuan had disappeared. Then she looked at Tian Ling'er and Lu Xueqi, who were still facing each other in the distance. The corners of her lips, hidden under her disguise mask, slowly curved into a cold and eerie arc.

The game is getting more and more interesting, isn't it?

She gently stroked the cold, heavy Soul-Devouring Staff hidden in her sleeve, feeling the ferocious power within it that was connected to her bloodline, a glint of determination flashing in her eyes.

Xiao Chuan, let's take it slow.