Fleeting Dream Across Three Lifetimes - Chapter 5

At this moment, she lay on the ground, her chest aching as if it would split apart, her mouth full of the taste of blood. A sword glimmering with a faint blue light had fallen to the side. Qin Mohan’s face was pale; she forced herself to endure the pain and struggled to stand. A wave of dizziness nearly sent her collapsing again.

In the chaos, she saw Su Zining lying on the ground, coughing up several mouthfuls of blood. There seemed to be a wound at her neck, with thin streams of crimson trickling down to stain her collar.

Her heart clenched sharply, and without time to think, Qin Mohan bore the pain and rushed over in haste. “How are you?”

Su Zining, her face full of shock, was holding a dim cluster of light in her palm. As Qin Mohan approached, she had been ready to press it onto her, but when the glow touched her robe, she heard the unmistakable urgency in her voice and froze. The hand that was meant to strike instead shifted to support herself, and she collapsed softly into Qin Mohan’s arms. Steadying herself, Qin Mohan found that the two of them were nearly kneeling together, embracing.

The killing intent in Su Zining’s eyes suddenly eased. That strange person had returned. She had thought her strike had failed to kill Lin Qingchen.

When she saw Lin Qingchen earlier today, with that dark expression as she entered, she immediately sensed something was wrong. This was the familiar Lin Qingchen. Whereas last night, the one who had taken possession, though cold and aloof, had not made her feel in danger.

Sure enough, Lin Qingchen had pressed forward and directly interrogated her, asking if she had done something to her. Shocked, Su Zining realized her long-held suspicion might have been wrong. Those whose bodies were seized had their souls completely devoured; they could not possibly recover. Which meant, Lin Qingchen was either insane or under a curse?!

After forcing her to kneel for a long time, Lin Qingchen had thoroughly searched her shabby courtyard but found nothing suspicious. And to her knowledge, a person like Su Zining, who didn’t even have spiritual roots, had no means to cast curses.

But the lack of control unsettled Lin Qingchen, and so, driven by rage, she attacked. Yet Su Zining, who had awakened at fifteen this lifetime, had already begun cultivating the Stellar Arts. That cultivation method was something she had obtained in the Burial Grounds, left behind by a great cultivator who had ascended there. In her previous life, her dantian had been destroyed, and since the Stellar Arts required the power of the stars to be drawn into the body, she had been unable to use its immense force, rendering her powerless. In the end, it was because of this very technique that she had been betrayed so cruelly.

This life, she had cultivated tirelessly. Only today had she managed to unlock the immortal artifact sealed within her body. In her past life, all her suffering and eventual death had been tied to it, yet she had no choice but to rely on it for survival.

When the fight began, Su Zining knew she was no match for Lin Qingchen, having trained too briefly. At first, she had been beaten down without striking back. Only when Lin Qingchen raised her sword to end her life did she unleash all her strength and activate the fan, killing her instantly. She could not face the Su family, but at least she could escape. Yet in doing so, the backlash left her gravely injured, and when she saw Lin Qingchen struggle back to her feet, her expression had changed. Fortunately, though the sequence differed, Lin Qingchen, as in her past life, still died beneath the Qiankun Fan.

Qin Mohan did not realize she had just narrowly escaped death, and only asked urgently, “Are the injuries severe?” Her face was pale, afraid Su Zining’s dantian had been destroyed. In her panic, she fumbled to channel her inner energy, and though the pain in her chest worsened, she, someone utterly ignorant of cultivation, actually succeeded! Clumsily, she examined Su Zining’s body. She lacked skill, but could still sense faintly that her dantian was intact. Only then did she sigh with relief.

Su Zining’s expression grew heavy, her eyes flashing with sudden wariness. If she discovered that she was not the useless waste she claimed to be, would she suspect something? She possessed an immortal artifact. What if this strange person coveted it? If found out, the consequences would be disastrous. She coughed weakly, her voice soft. “It’s nothing. You… you seem like a different person.” Her face looked frail and harmless, yet her hand was secretly ready to strike. If even the slightest threat arose, she would kill her!

Qin Mohan stiffened, the situation leaving her with a headache. She could feel that something was different now. Lin Qingchen was dead, yet… Her gaze grew complicated as she looked at Su Zining, but she quickly pushed down her emotions. She drew in a breath and said softly, “I don’t understand it either. Suddenly, I just became like this.”

Su Zining’s brows lifted slightly. Weakly, she asked, “Did you… seize her body?”

Supporting her, Qin Mohan said nothing. She only searched her robes, found the Guiyuan Pill Su Haoran had given her, and fed it to Su Zining. Then, recalling Lin Qingchen’s memories, she took some healing medicine for herself. Her injuries were severe. If not for sheer will, she would have fainted already.

Her confusion only deepened. Lin Qingchen retained memories of the times she had taken over her body, and at the same time, she now possessed Lin Qingchen’s memories. They had not fused, but remained clear, as though she had witnessed everything like a god.

Lowering her head, she saw that Su Zining’s small face was no longer deathly pale. Relieved, she frowned slightly and murmured, “No. I don’t understand it either. But now… she’s dead.”

Su Zining’s heart skipped. She wasn’t sure what Qin Mohan meant. She knew Lin Qingchen was dead, but she also knew she herself was no innocent. What would she do about it? And besides, she could tell Qin Mohan wasn’t a body snatcher. It seemed more like two souls in one body.

“Then who are you?” Su Zining sat up from her soft embrace, asking timidly. Her eyes, still red from fright, shimmered beneath long, fluttering lashes, curious and innocent like a child. Her fresh, youthful face carried an unintentional allure, making Qin Mohan reach out and ruffle her hair.

Though she didn’t know how Su Zining had broken her seal and killed Lin Qingchen, compared to the book’s version of her as a crippled waste, she much preferred this outcome. Yet she realized just then how fragile life was in this world. Life and death were determined overnight, and Lin Qingchen was killed as if it were nothing.

Letting out a faint sigh, Qin Mohan’s lips curved into a rare gentle smile. Her tone softened. “My name is Qin Mohan, the mo of ink, the han of dawn rising. As for who I am, I cannot say clearly. But toward you, I hold no malice.” Since childhood, Zhi Mo had always stayed by her side in an adult’s form, steady and gentle. Now, seeing this appearance, Qin Mohan’s heart softened unbearably.

Su Zining, after hearing it, quietly pondered her name. Han, the sky brightening after snow, the first light of dawn. Such a good name. She pressed out a hint of shyness and said softly, “It’s very beautiful.”

Qin Mohan smiled slightly. “Your name is beautiful too.” After speaking, she withdrew her smile and said seriously, “I’m not familiar with this place, but I can access Lin Qingchen’s memories. It’s not safe for you to stay here.”

Su Zining’s heart jolted violently. She could access Lin Qingchen’s memories! The killing intent that had just dissipated quietly rose again. Would she find out she had used an immortal artifact? In her previous life, she had suffered so much because of it. She would never repeat that mistake!

She stayed on guard but pretended to look dejected, smiling bitterly. “But I’m just a useless waste in everyone’s eyes. Where else could I possibly go after leaving the Su family?” She weighed her words to test her. Someone who could kill Lin Qingchen could never be a waste.

Qin Mohan’s heart ached. In truth, she could feel that Su Zining, seemingly delicate, was deeply cautious. She likely understood too, the secret she carried was dangerous to someone so weak.

Qin Mohan paused for a long while before saying softly, “You killed Lin Qingchen, how could you be a waste? I know what you’re worried about, and I can tell you truthfully, I know everything you’re worried about.” Seeing Su Zining tense instantly, she quickly added, “I’m not saying this to threaten you, only so you’ll trust me. I don’t practice cultivation and have no interest in those things. On the contrary, I’m very interested in you.”

“I don’t understand. We’re not even familiar. Why are you being so good to me?” Su Zining was not stupid. This person’s behavior was odd, yet she truly felt no malice. Even when she was injured earlier, she had only been concerned with whether she herself was hurt; otherwise she wouldn’t have stayed her hand just now. But she was afraid. She had never believed anyone could be good without reason. Everything told her that so-called kindness and concern always hid someone’s interest behind it.

Qin Mohan looked into her eyes, then lowered her head with a small laugh, gazing at her gently. “There’s no kindness without reason in this world. So you can accept all of this with an easy heart, or you can guard against me. Both are fine. But I promise I won’t harm you. If we meet again in the future, I hope you will trust me a little bit more.”

Su Zining’s heart trembled slightly. The face before her was one she used to loathe, yet now, with that gentle smile and those eyes looking at her, it stirred ripples in her heart. This strange person… She truly couldn’t hate her, even the countless suspicions she had were softening.

Seeing her lower her head without speaking, Qin Mohan knew she had accepted for now. She stood up and said softly, “Come with me.”

Returning to Lin Qingchen’s courtyard, she followed Lin Qingchen’s memories, found her usual paper and brush, copied a letter, and handed it to Su Zining.

“Lin Qingchen is dead. I don’t know what will happen to me either. This is a letter of recommendation written in her handwriting for you to enter the Wuji Sect, and this is Lin Qingchen’s waist token. You won’t be stopped when you leave.”

The Wuji Sect was one of the Five Great Sects. Though ranked only fifth, it was the largest sect in Ying City. The Su and Lin families were wealthy but only rich in resources; in strength, sect cultivators far surpassed family clans. Coincidentally, the peak master of Ziyun Peak at the Wuji Sect, Luo Yuan, had taken a liking to Lin Qingchen and planned to accept her as a disciple. The Lin family had also provided many resources to the Wuji Sect, so it could speak a word or two.

Su Zining’s heart leapt. She knew the Wuji Sect. Although it surpassed the Su family, in her previous life the Wuji Sect’s conduct had filled her with disgust. Since the previous sect master’s passing, the Wuji Sect had declined for centuries. There were too many hypocrites within its walls; she had even nearly gone to war with the Wuji Sect once.

There Qin Mohan paused after speaking, then said slowly, “If I can stay here, when you’re in the Wuji Sect, I’ll come find you. If you’re not…” She leaned closer and said seriously, “I’ll still find you.”

She leaned in too close, forcing Su Zining to take a step back. She pressed her lips together. “You said you wouldn’t be good to me for no reason. Tell me then, what’s your reason? Dangling me like this makes me uncomfortable.” She had lived a whole life again, and she hated this feeling of being out of control.

Qin Mohan froze slightly. Sure enough, no more pretending to be pitiful. But still with a child’s temper. 

If Su Zining knew what she was thinking, she might spit blood. She had lived over eight hundred years and yet was being called childish.

Looking at the troubled girl, Qin Mohan suddenly felt like teasing her. She leaned forward slightly, her brows and eyes curved. “A reason? Because, I want you.” Back then, when she had been young and pure, she had been teased by this devilish person more than once.

It was the first time Su Zining had ever been flirted with by a woman, and by one she found so intriguing and admirable. Even after eight hundred years, her composure cracked. Her mind went blank, and she blurted, “Could it be you’re a man?!”

Qin Mohan: “…”