Chapter 339: Dream Spring Breeze, Thunderstorm Among the Peaks

On the steps below the Taoist temple, the mist had dispersed. A boy and a girl, sixteen years old, stood on the mountain path. Behind them, the world stretched out, vast and open, with undulating waves of wheat.

Ning Changjiu wore a blue Taoist robe, which made him appear even more refined. Zhao Xiang'er's robe was snow-white, adding to her youthful beauty.

After their fortunate encounter, they gazed at each other.

A gentle breeze, soft and mild, cradled their clothes and hair. Ning Changjiu looked at Zhao Xiang'er. For a moment, he suddenly wondered if this truly was Xiang'er, and if they were dreaming simultaneously. But he quickly dismissed the idea — Xiang'er had no knowledge of her past life and could never have visited the Ineffable Temple; she shouldn't be so calm right now.

This must be an illusion created by his consciousness.

The rain and sunset in the imperial city of Zhao, from years ago, were long gone. Looking back after countless hardships, the girl in his dream was still as beautiful as the first time he saw her. It was truly a dream he never wanted to wake from...

Zhao Xiang'er also looked at him quietly. Her snow-lotus-like Taoist robe draped over her body, soft as a cloud. In the dream, there were no extraneous feelings; only the warmth of the sun and spring breeze filled the air.

"Is this... Ning Changjiu's master's Taoist temple?"

Of course, Zhao Xiang'er knew this temple wasn't real. When she was little, she received a marriage contract, and her mother told her that her future husband would be a young Taoist priest. At that time, she had imagined what the temple would look like, picturing every door, every hall, every brick. Although the marriage contract had later been sealed away in a box, her initial thoughts might never have faded.

Is this the Taoist temple she imagined as a child?

As for why Ning Changjiu was not in the temple but had appeared in the imperial city, she couldn't understand. She simply regarded it as an unpredictable destiny that transcended her mother's calculations.

Zhao Xiang'er looked at him and blinked. She thought about how, three years ago, when she first saw his appearance, she was almost fooled into believing he was a refined and upright gentleman... Hmm, could it be that he only turned bad later?

Zhao Xiang'er's clear, distinct eyes narrowed slightly. Her long, curled eyelashes fluttered in the sunlight, making her as exquisite as a porcelain doll.

She seemed to be making some plans.

Ning Changjiu's heart skipped a beat. After all, he had a guilty conscience, so even in a dream, Zhao Xiang'er's cat-like gaze still made him feel a bit flustered.

But the Xiang'er in his dream was still so young. He should treat her like a younger sister, carefully shaping her character to avoid suffering in the future... Wait, how could a dream have a future?

Each lost in their own thoughts, they gazed at each other quietly, when suddenly, an ethereal voice drifted from inside the Taoist temple.

"Come to the inner hall and see me."

It was Ye Changong's voice.

Zhao Xiang'er heard such a voice for the first time. She felt as if she were on a coastline, with a pure wind blowing in her face.

Ning Changjiu also felt a slight daze.

One is never completely lucid in a dream. The two naturally turned and walked up the steps side by side.

Deep within the Taoist temple, amidst the gods and Buddhas, they stood together before a curtain.

The curtain rippled slightly. The temple master's words drifted from within:

"From today onward, you two will be both Taoist companions and my only two disciples. After today, I will enter secluded cultivation. You two must get along well in the temple and do not disturb me."

The temple master's voice was very soft and beautiful. It made one imagine what an unparalleled beauty the speaker must be.

"Only two disciples... have my senior brother and sister disappeared?" Could it be that his subconscious had always yearned for a world with just him and Xiang'er? Ning Changjiu, who was usually confident, suddenly doubted his own character.

"Only two disciples... Could it be that this female master had previously taught Ning Changjiu one-on-one?" Zhao Xiang'er's heart tightened. She wanted to pull back the curtain and see her appearance. But then she thought, she had never actually met Ning Changjiu's so-called master, so the dream shouldn't be able to materialize her. That's why there was a veil.

Thinking this, Zhao Xiang'er secretly glanced at Ning Changjiu. She noticed that his expression seemed unchanged... "Hmm, I must be overthinking it."

As they pondered, the curtain parted, and two scrolls of scriptures landed before them.

They reached out and took hold of them.

Though they hadn't opened them, they could already feel the infinite mysteries contained within the pages.

"This disciple thanks master," Ning Changjiu said naturally.

Zhao Xiang'er, being new, felt a bit out of place. She opened a scroll and inspected its contents, then, without much reverence, she softly said, "This disciple thanks master."

"Strange... she had never read these scriptures before, yet the profound mysteries within them felt so real."

The temple master's ethereal voice spoke again: "Since matters are settled, you may withdraw. Cultivate diligently and do not be complacent. Three years from now, the temple gates will open, and I shall test your ultimate techniques."

Ning Changjiu and Zhao Xiang'er, clutching their books, walked out of the great hall together.

"Ning Changjiu," the temple master's voice rose again.

Ning Changjiu was slightly startled and asked, "What is it, Master?"

"Close the door," the temple master said.

"..." Ning Changjiu thought to himself, this truly was his unshakable position in the temple.

"Yes, Master."

He closed the hall doors.

They exchanged a glance.

"Um... Ning Changjiu!" Zhao Xiang'er's cherry lips parted slightly as she said seriously, "Listen up, from now on, you are my junior brother."

"Huh?" Ning Changjiu was startled and wouldn't agree. He said, "I'm Master's disciple. You came later, how can you be my senior sister?"

"So stubborn even in a dream?" Zhao Xiang'er frowned and said, "Haven't you heard the saying?"

"What?" Ning Changjiu asked.

"The latecomers surpass the old-timers!" Zhao Xiang'er declared confidently.

Ning Changjiu was surprised. He hadn't expected Xiang'er to be so sharp-tongued even in a dream. For a moment, he didn't know how to refute her.

Zhao Xiang'er pressed on with her advantage, "From now on, I am your senior sister. I will teach you the ways of Tao on Master's behalf."

Ning Changjiu thought, he was the local expert here in the temple; how could he possibly lose?

"What kind of joke is this, junior sister?" Ning Changjiu said. "Though you are my fiancée, I won't indulge your willfulness and capriciousness!"

Zhao Xiang'er's delicate brows furrowed slightly, and an angry expression immediately appeared on her porcelain-white face. "Who are you calling willful and capricious?!"

Ning Changjiu looked at her fierce, little-tiger-like demeanor. He backed down slightly and sneered, "Alright, you are gentle, kind, and beautiful in both character and appearance."

Zhao Xiang'er felt he was insulting her, so she retorted, "And you are of upright character and honest nature!"

Both seemed to have been hit where it hurt, feeling a blockage in their chests. They silently processed their emotions and remained silent for a moment.

But it had to be decided who was the senior sister and who was the senior brother!

Ning Changjiu remembered the story of his Fourth Senior Sister and Fifth Senior Brother. He immediately turned and bowed, saying, "Master above, please accept your disciple's bow."

Zhao Xiang'er squatted down, holding a book in one hand and resting her fragrant cheek in the other, blinking as she watched him. She said, "You knelt so fast, but Master doesn't seem to be paying attention to you."

"Master acknowledged me long ago!" Ning Changjiu said.

"Acknowledged you?" Zhao Xiang'er shook her head with a smile and said, "Oh right, after you left the hall earlier, Master even asked you to help close the door. Doesn't that imply you're the last disciple accepted?"

Ning Changjiu was stunned, unable to find a reason to refute. He could only force himself to remain calm and say, "I'm just the disciple in charge of closing the door!"

Zhao Xiang'er smiled faintly, her curved eyes full of slyness. "Stop making excuses. In any case, from now on, I am your senior sister!"

"You're dreaming!" Ning Changjiu said.

Zhao Xiang'er was startled, thinking that she was indeed dreaming. Only in a dream would she shed her cold, alluring facade and reveal her girlish personality...

Annoyed, she retorted, "You're the one dreaming!"

Ning Changjiu was startled, thinking, "How can I not control Xiang'er even in a dream... This is *my* dream! How useless..."

Both were simultaneously poked at a sore spot. Ning Changjiu bit his lip and pondered, head down, while Zhao Xiang'er pursed her lips, puffed her cheeks, and her gaze was distant.

Zhao Xiang'er suddenly spoke, proposing, "Then let's have a decisive battle! The winner will be the senior! The losing party must be respectful to the other and no longer act arrogantly. How about it?"

"No problem!" Ning Changjiu had just had the same thought and asked, "How do you want to compete? A literary contest or a martial one?"

Zhao Xiang'er's eyes narrowed. She said confidently, "How about this, we'll bet on one thing!"

"What?" Ning Changjiu asked curiously.

Zhao Xiang'er smiled, "I can guess what kind of woman you like! If I'm right, you must admit defeat, okay?"

Ning Changjiu looked at her confident expression. He thought, "What does this sixteen-year-old Zhao Xiang'er know? She's sure to lose."

"Since you proposed it, I'll go along with you," Ning Changjiu said.

The two temporarily set aside their preconceptions. They sat by the lotus pond, made their pledges, and then gazed at each other.

Zhao Xiang'er's first sentence struck Ning Changjiu's consciousness like a bolt of lightning: "You like female sword immortals who wear white clothes!"

"That sword immortal must have a great figure, hmm... and her sword heart should be clear and insightful, with a cold demeanor on ordinary days." Zhao Xiang'er continued, "Tell me, am I right?"

Ning Changjiu's mouth was half-open, speechless. How could sixteen-year-old Xiang'er know Jiajia...?

"You also like women who are your enemies, who fall in love while trying to kill each other, and develop feelings for each other. That woman's figure... let me guess, should also be tall and graceful. As for her hair, perhaps it's an unusual color too." Zhao Xiang'er said coldly, unleashing another trump card.

Ning Changjiu was jolted as if by an electric shock. He stared at Zhao Xiang'er, his pupils trembling. He thought, "It's one thing to know Jiajia, but how do you know Siming?!" After his shock, he suddenly understood: this dream must be born of his guilt towards Xiang'er! After all, he didn't know how to tell Xiang'er about Siming... This was the classic "what you fear by day, you dream by night!"

Zhao Xiang'er raised her eyes. Dressed in her white Taoist robe, she looked incredibly pure. Her slender arms supporting her delicate cheeks, she appeared as languid as a kitten. She smiled, her eyes curved like a new moon, and asked through her thin lips, "Well? Am I right?"

She was confident of victory.

Ning Changjiu was silent for a moment, then raised his head and said firmly, "No, you're not!"

Zhao Xiang'er's eyes widened. She let out a soft hum, her melodious voice carrying a hint of threat: "Cultivating the Tao means following one's heart's desires. You're not allowed to cheat!"

"It's simply not right!" Ning Changjiu adamantly declared.

Zhao Xiang'er said, "Since I'm wrong, then tell me, what kind of woman do you like in your heart?"

Ning Changjiu looked at her and said softly, "The girl I like should be my age. Her eyes are distinctly black and white, like mountains and sky on a snowy night. Her long hair is as black as all the dark clouds in the world gathered together, and as soft as clouds. When she wears a black dress, she is cool and aloof; when she wears a white dress, she is graceful and beautiful; when she wears battle attire, she is heroic and valiant. She says one thing but means another, possesses her own pride, and also her own kindness, she..."

"Stop, stop talking!" Zhao Xiang'er raised her slender palm, interrupting him.

Her eyes clearly showed panic. Her chest rose and fell slightly faster. She bit her lip, and her already porcelain-white face became even paler.

He... how could he...

Zhao Xiang'er suddenly realized. This was Ning Changjiu at sixteen. How could he have known Lu Jiajia or Siming back then? He... he clearly only knew her! How could she be so foolish...

It must be because she wasn't fully awake in the dream!

"Miss Xiang'er, was I... right?" Ning Changjiu asked softly.

Zhao Xiang'er took a deep breath. She thought, she had cultivated herself in the Three Thousand Worlds and slain demon sparrows in the Trial by Heavenly Fire, so how could she be like this in a dream... Could it be that what was revealed in dreams was always the softest part of one's heart?

Ning Changjiu reached out and waved his hand in front of Zhao Xiang'er's eyes.

Zhao Xiang'er came back to her senses, lowered her voice, and said weakly, "You... you won."

Ning Changjiu asked with a smile, "Then what should you call me?"

"What a nightmare..." Zhao Xiang'er slowly opened her eyes. She saw flames spreading across the world, gripped the blade in her hand, and sighed to herself.

But thankfully, it was just a dream... If Ning Changjiu ever found out about such an embarrassing dream, he would probably be so arrogant he'd jump to the sky!

She hoped she wouldn't have such a dream again tomorrow.

As Zhao Xiang'er thought this, she surprisingly found that her mental state had recovered exceptionally well. Hmm... A blessing in disguise?

Gripping her sword tightly, she walked towards the next demon king's location.

She needed to vent the anger in her heart.

"What good dream did you have last night? You're smiling so happily?" Siming frowned as she watched Ning Changjiu, who had been grinning foolishly since waking up.

Ning Changjiu reined in his smile, having learned his lesson from yesterday. He said, "I dreamed that we reclaimed authority over the Underworld, saved Xiaoling and the Nether Kingdom, and then lived carefree lives in the Ancient Spirit Sect."

Siming looked at him doubtfully and asked, "We?"

Ning Changjiu smiled, "Of course, 'we.' You are our Sect Master, how could you not be there?"

Siming sneered, "I believe your nonsense! You probably dreamed of your little darling wife again last night, and had some fun with her in your dreams, didn't you?"

Ning Changjiu marveled at Siming's understanding of him. He changed the subject and calmly asked, "How did you wake up earlier than me?"

Siming sat cross-legged, her fingertips skillfully changing sword incantations. As she practiced her sword, she leisurely said, "During my time in Myriad Demon City, I slept soundly every night only because I was too tired from wielding my sword all day. These past few days have been like sightseeing; my spiritual energy hasn't been depleted at all. Why would I need sleep to replenish my spirits? But you, who do nothing, sleep more soundly each day."

"I overthink things every day, so I'm... very tired too," Ning Changjiu explained. He looked at Siming, watched her practice her sword for a while, and asked, "Why does your swordplay seem different from usual?"

Siming said nonchalantly, "I am naturally gifted, and I've simply gained new insights into the Way of the Sword. Hmm... in short, you're closer to your death."

Hearing this, Ning Changjiu immediately remembered the scripture scroll his Master gave him in the dream.

Could that scroll hold a secret?

He had been so preoccupied with bickering with Xiang'er that he almost forgot about it.

After Siming finished her sword practice and Ning Changjiu had braided her hair, the two walked out the door as usual.

"The White Deer Immortal will only return tomorrow, so where shall we go today?" Siming asked.

Ning Changjiu said, "As you mentioned yesterday, we should prepare for the worst with the White Deer."

Siming said, "Indeed, we are here to take something, so we can't expect it to be polite to us."

Ning Changjiu thought for a moment and said, "Let's go down the mountain first and take a look. When we arrived yesterday, I saw some temple silhouettes nearby."

Siming and he walked out of the inn meticulously arranged by the boy and girl attendants. They walked along the stone path of Bhikkhu Peak towards the outside. Their figures flashed past on the bustling path filled with lesser demons, and in a blink, they were outside the stele pavilion. The gravestones outside the pavilion looked as good as new.

"Compared to the previous mountains, the demonic aura here isn't as strong. Instead, it's filled with the singing of birds and the scent of flowers," Siming said softly, her steps light, as her gaze fell upon the dimly lit forest, observing the slippery moss and dappled shadows within.

Ning Changji