novelraw Chapter 88 : . A Dream of Nanke
Chapter 88 : . A Dream of Nanke
A sea of blood-red magma filled her vision. Above this magma, the space seemed to distort due to the extreme heat.
Deep within the molten rock, a white-robed young woman lay motionless. Formless flames enveloped her, gradually consuming her internal organs and bones with their terrifying energy. The young woman appeared lifeless, her eyes closed, her chest still, seemingly no longer breathing.
The formless flames gradually moved downward, melting internal organs, meridians, and bones in their wake. Soon, they reached her dantian.
The Sha Qi and karmic fortune that had previously encircled the dantian had vanished, seemingly dissipated. The formless flames enveloped the dantian, slowly consuming it.
The Fallen Heart Flame could sense that if it devoured this woman's dantian, its power would reach a new level.
However, after consuming nearly half, an unexpected change occurred.
A terrifying primordial force suddenly erupted, shattering the flames within the woman's body! The primordial force howled outward, its pressure making it difficult to breathe.
As if at the dawn of creation, an existence clearly not belonging to this world's level seemed about to awaken, making the very air tremble.
The Fallen Heart Flame trembled, not daring to move. As a natural anomaly, it held the utmost reverence and fear for heaven and earth, and it sensed the aura of primordial chaos from this force.
The suddenly erupted primordial force seemed to have no interest in this weak flame. After dispelling the Fallen Heart Flame within the woman's body, it slowly enveloped her.
The oppressive pressure gradually spread, reaching every corner of the magma world. Under its suppression, the original power of the magma world dared not move randomly or act recklessly.
The world once again fell into silence...
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Darkness.
Xiao Han stood in the darkness, looking around bewilderedly at the pitch-black surroundings, seemingly unaware of what had happened.
Her mind felt chaotic, her memories apparently jumbled. She felt as if her memories were incomplete, but upon careful consideration, it seemed she hadn't forgotten anything.
She looked at her hand, her typically cold and indifferent eyes revealing confusion and helplessness for the first time.
After some thought, she stepped forward, remembering her master's words: when in doubt, move forward.
Xiao Han walked on, unaware of how far or how long she had traveled. She remained in this darkness, which seemed endless, instilling a sense of despair.
Xiao Han continued forward, feeling increasingly weary with each step. The fatigue engulfed her like a tide, drowning her. Her legs felt as if filled with lead, becoming harder to lift.
Soon, she stumbled, falling forward uncontrollably, her consciousness sinking into an abyss.
⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱
"Senior Sister... Senior Sister... Eldest Senior Sister!"
A childish voice rang out, gradually pulling her consciousness back from slumber. Xiao Han slowly opened her eyes, feeling her arms somewhat numb.
She sat up, rubbing her eyes, and instinctively looked to her side.
A little girl in a light yellow, adorable outer garment stood by the table, blinking her large eyes at her. The girl appeared to be only seven or eight years old, her face still chubby with baby fat, her eyes full of admiration and affection.
"Zi Shan?" Xiao Han said instinctively.
"Senior Sister, you're finally awake." Xiao Zi Shan tugged at Xiao Han's sleeve, saying in a childish voice, "Senior Sister must rest well. Master says if you don't sleep well, you won't grow tall."
Xiao Han's gaze softened a bit. She raised her hand to rub Zi Shan's fluffy head, saying, "That's for children like you."
"Senior Sister is a child too!" Xiao Zi Shan pouted, looking like a pufferfish, incredibly cute. "Senior Sister, don't pat my head, it will prevent me from growing taller!"
Withdrawing her hand with a smile, Xiao Han asked, "Did you need something from me?"
Xiao Zi Shan seemed to suddenly remember something, letting out a small exclamation before saying, "Senior Sister, Master-Uncle is looking for you."
"Master?" Xiao Han nodded, "I understand."
Zi Shan's master and her master were sister disciples, so Zi Shan referred to her master as Master-Uncle.
Having delivered the message, Xiao Zi Shan childishly stated that she needed to go practice her spells and took her leave.
Xiao Han raised her hand to rub her temples, her expression momentarily dazed.
Had she fallen asleep at the table?
After a moment of silence, she stood up and looked down, realizing she was wearing the disciple's robe of Qishan sect—a pure white, wide-sleeved ancient-style garment. At the collar, a delicate, small pattern was embroidered in blue-purple thread, the sect emblem of Qishan.
Thinking of Xiao Zi Shan's casual modern outfit, Xiao Han shook her head. Ancient clothing and modern attire in the same room did look somewhat incongruous.
Although it was modern society, most disciples of long-established sects wore ancient-style robes, looking ethereal and fitting for their identity as cultivators. However, many younger disciples preferred more convenient modern clothing. Even her master often complained that these ethereal ancient robes were too troublesome, difficult to put on and move in.
Shaking her head, she looked around and realized this was her room.
Rubbing her brow, Xiao Han stepped out of the room.
As she pushed open the door, the dazzling sunlight made Xiao Han instinctively close her eyes. After a while, she slowly opened them.
The familiar sight of the Qishan residence greeted her eyes. Standing in the sunlight, Xiao Han felt a sense of disorientation.
Although she stayed here every day, for some reason, she felt as if she hadn't been back here for a long time.
Passing disciples all bowed to her, showing great respect and admiration. Xiao Han nodded in response.
She stood at the entrance for a while, looking up at the bright sunlight, then slightly lowered her gaze, concealing the inexplicable expression in her eyes, before walking in a certain direction.
Along the way, she encountered many people, some in white disciple robes, others in modern attire, as if time and space had become jumbled, making one feel dizzy.
After walking for about ten minutes, Xiao Han arrived at a courtyard. As soon as she reached the entrance, she saw a woman of about twenty sitting casually under a tree, a jar of wine beside her, its clay seal broken and tossed aside. The woman wore a white robe rather casually, slouching against the tree, fiddling with a PSP gaming console.
Xiao Han's gaze immediately fixed on the gaming console in the woman's hand.
As a cultivator, her perception was exceptionally keen. Feeling a deadly stare, she looked up and immediately saw the expressionless Xiao Han at the entrance. The woman was startled, then gave a sheepish smile, quietly putting away the gaming console.
"Little Han, you're here?"
Tucking the gaming console into her spatial storage, the woman put on a nonchalant smile.
Withdrawing her somewhat intimidating gaze, Xiao Han cupped her hands in greeting, her tone respectful: "Greetings, Master. May I ask why you summoned me?"
The woman stood up, casually using a cleansing spell to remove any dirt from her clothes. She bent down to pick up the wine jar, flicked her wrist, and sent it flying straight towards Xiao Han.
Xiao Han caught the jar without changing expression. She lowered her head to sniff it, then said, "Master, if I'm not mistaken, this should be the wine brewed by Master-Aunt Yun Jin... Did you steal wine from Master-Aunt again?"
The woman stood tall, looking righteous and even somewhat proud: "The affairs of cultivators, how can that be called stealing? It's called taking by skill! What would a child like you understand?"
Xiao Han felt utterly speechless.
Her master was still as shameless as ever.
Inwardly sighing slightly, Xiao Han could only change the subject to avoid her master getting excited and insisting on discussing the art of cultivator theft with her, which always ended with her succumbing to her master's strange yet irrefutable logic.
Repeating her earlier question, the woman seemed to suddenly remember something and slapped her forehead: "Oh right, I almost forgot."
Clearing her throat, the woman spoke seriously: "For some reason, your master has been restless and listless lately. After divination, I fear a heart tribulation is approaching. Therefore, your master plans to travel the world, and the sect affairs will be left to you to handle."
Xiao Han, expressionless: "Master, restlessness and listlessness... Did you stay up late playing games again?"
The woman's expression froze.
"Moreover, Master seems to have never managed sect affairs," Xiao Han said calmly. "Sect affairs have always been my concern, haven't they?"
The woman: "..."
Please, more tact and less honesty, thank you.
Coughing twice to cover her embarrassment, the woman rather guiltily averted her gaze: "Your master's heart tribulation is approaching..."
Xiao Han: "Master, this is your fourth heart tribulation this year."
The woman: "..."
Forcing a smile, the woman said through gritted teeth: "Little Han, I'll give you three seconds to rephrase that?"
Just as the woman thought Xiao Han would refuse her unreasonable request with a blank face as usual, she saw Xiao Han reveal a faint smile tinged with helplessness, saying, "If Master wishes to travel, this disciple naturally supports it. However, I hope Master won't cause trouble in other sects, displeasing Ancestral Master."
The woman looked at Xiao Han as if seeing a ghost, taking a long while to finally squeeze out a sentence: "Little Han, have you been possessed?"
Xiao Han: "..."
Instantly retracting her smile, Xiao Han reverted to the expressionless, impartial, and aloof Eldest Senior Sister of Qishan: "Then Master, you'd better stay in the sect and handle sect affairs. Oh, and I'm confiscating the gaming console."
The woman immediately became obedient: "Your master was just joking. Little Han, do your best, I'll leave the sect affairs to you. Mwah~"
Xiao Han's expression almost cracked.
At that moment, the woman's face suddenly changed. She hurriedly left a "Little Han, do your best, your master will go ahead," and vanished.
The next second, a deafening voice like thunder echoed across the sky: "Xiao Yun Xi, you damn thief, stealing my wine again!!"
Xiao Han looked up and saw a silver light flash by, chasing in the direction her master had left. Her keen eyes caught sight of a young woman with an angry expression.
Master-Aunt Xiao Yun Jin...
Smiling faintly, silently praying for her master, Xiao Han lowered her gaze. After a long while, she sighed, turned, and left Xiao Yun Xi's courtyard.
She walked aimlessly, continuing forward. Some young disciples ran past her laughing, the playful children not noticing their respected Eldest Senior Sister approaching.
"Eldest Senior Sister!"
At that moment, a panting voice came from behind. Xiao Han turned to see a young woman about her age running towards her.
"Zi Ran." Stopping, Xiao Han nodded slightly.
"Eldest Senior Sister." Stopping about one or two meters from Xiao Han, Xiao Zi Ran caught her breath. "A San's Covenant Ceremony is in a month. Master-Aunt Yun Qing asked me to inquire about the specific procedures."
A San's Covenant Ceremony? Xiao Han's expression became slightly dazed. So it was that time...
"Senior Sister?"
Seeing Xiao Han seemingly lost in thought, Xiao Zi Ran called out to her again.
Coming back to her senses, Xiao Han slightly relaxed her brow and said, "I just feel time passes so quickly. A San is already having a Dao companion."
Xiao Zi Ran nodded in agreement. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she asked, "Eldest Senior Sister, do you have someone you like?"
It was just a casual question. Xiao Zi Ran thought that with her senior sister's cold and unfeeling nature, impartial and seemingly only knowing cultivation and handling sect affairs, this cultivation fanatic definitely wouldn't have anyone she liked. But in the next second, she saw Xiao Han reveal a somewhat bewildered expression, then slowly nod.
Xiao Zi Ran: —??
I must have opened my eyes wrong!