The entire morning passed in a haze of excitement and anticipation. After Chu Lian had spoken up, she didn't say another word. By the time she snapped out of her daze, it was already lunchtime.
She hadn't expected to zone out for an entire morning again. This restarted school life still didn't quite hold her attention. Hopefully, future class time wouldn't be so absentmindedly spent.
After sharing a meal with Li Xiu'er on the third floor of the cafeteria, Chu Lian slowly returned to the top floor of her academic building. She lay down on the clean rooftop, gazing up at the pale blue sky. Not a cloud in sight, and the gentle breeze brought a sleepy haze over her.
Turning her head, she saw that Li Xiu'er beside her had already fallen asleep. Of course—May's climate and temperature were perfect for inducing drowsiness, especially with such soft winds. As her thoughts drifted, she too couldn't resist the pull of sleep and gradually fell into slumber.
In her ears, a gentle woman's voice seemed to whisper, "Oh, you've fallen asleep?" But she couldn't open her eyes no matter how hard she tried. She had no idea who was speaking.
"Well then, I'll step out for a bit. Rest well, okay…" A flutter of anxiety stirred in her chest—a deep, inexplicable fear of losing that voice. Yet the heavy weight pressing down on her eyelids made it impossible to wake.
"Ah, Lian'er, run! Run quickly… As long as you can keep Lian'er alive, our deaths won't be in vain…"
Far off, screams rang out. The woman who had whispered earlier came closer, scooping Chu Lian up into her arms, gasping softly as she reassured, "Lian'er, it's alright now. We're going…"
Her tone was light, gentle—like she didn't want to disturb her.
In her embrace, Chu Lian could feel the dampness seeping into the fabric over her chest. The sticky sensation was unmistakably that of blood.
Blood… The realization struck her. A wave of terror surged. She didn't want to lose this person. Even though she didn't know who she was, her heart screamed that this person couldn't be lost.
Yet ever since this dream began, she had been unable to open her eyes. She couldn't move a muscle. It was like she was a bystander—only able to hear the tale unfold, unable to see, touch, or feel.
She didn't know how much time had passed. Eventually, the woman carrying her began to slow down. The sticky liquid on her body began to dry. At this point, her sense of smell returned, and she could detect the metallic tang of blood clinging to her clothes.
"We're here… We've reached… the Moon Goddess's Gate… Lian'er, you must remember—you are the daughter of…"
The name that followed, presumably her father's, was muffled, like a mysterious force had censored it.
Chu Lian desperately wanted to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt like they weighed a thousand pounds. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't lift them even a sliver.
It wasn't just that—she couldn't speak either. She had so many questions. She wanted to ask for the woman's name, ask who she was, ask where they were, what had happened—but none of that was possible.
Because, after holding Chu Lian close for a while, the woman heard terrifying sounds from afar—roars, screams, explosions, and a low, soul-piercing laughter. She knew there was no time left.
Lifting Chu Lian up, the woman pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. Warm tears fell onto her cheeks. An unbearable pain welled up from deep within Chu Lian's heart. She didn't want to lose her. She wanted to save her…
"Goodbye, my child. Be brave. Live well. I don't want you to ever remember this moment. So forget it… Live well, my child…"
She lifted her up and turned to face the countless monsters flooding toward the Moon Goddess's Gate, who halted and dared not enter. She smiled gently. "Lian'er, below the Moon Goddess's Gate is the Human Realm. Once you're there, no one will know who you are anymore. You'll be completely safe… Make sure you live on, no matter what…"
Her body suddenly soared into the air, descending downward. At that moment, Chu Lian realized she could open her eyes—but it was too late.
What she saw was the unparalleled silhouette of a woman in a white ancient gown walking toward a grand, white gate, facing the endless horde of monsters, beasts, resurrected undead, and a man in a jester's outfit floating high in the sky…
Huff huff huff… Opening her eyes, she was greeted once again by the clear blue sky. She touched her forehead—her palm was soaked in sweat. Glancing at the sleeping Li Xiu'er beside her, she let out a soft sigh, then stood and walked to the railing, gazing at the green mountains behind the school, murmuring, "That dream felt so real. But in the end, it was just a dream. After all, if it were real, how could I have been a man in my past life, haha…"
"Yaaawn. Idiot, of course it was fake. It's just a dream caused by your recent obsession with uncovering your origins. If you weren't constantly thinking about these things, how would such a dream happen?"
Ayase appeared on the railing, stretching lazily. Her shapely legs peeked out from beneath her skirt, swaying lightly, while her red high heels tapped rhythmically on the iron bar.
"Then why now? Shouldn't vivid dreams like that happen at night?" Chu Lian asked, her tangled thoughts quickly cleared by Ayase's words. Though Ayase kept many secrets, she never lied about these kinds of matters. Most likely, Chu Lian had been overthinking.
"That's because of that little girl over there. She's naturally gifted with a Spiritual Illusion Body. People with this constitution can unconsciously pull those sleeping beside them into a dream world reflecting their inner thoughts and desires, creating a vivid and realistic scenario. Moreover, this body is highly compatible with spiritual-type techniques. In terms of spiritual potential, she might even surpass you."
Ayase pointed at the sleeping Li Xiu'er, speaking in a light tone.
"If this kind of gift landed in the hands of someone scheming, it'd be a disaster. But if someone pure-hearted possesses it, it could become a great blessing. I suggest you find a chance to introduce her to spiritual training techniques. I believe she'll be of great help to you."
Ayase's legs swayed gently, her movements so graceful they were captivating. Even Chu Lian found herself momentarily dazed until she noticed Ayase had been watching her for a while.
"Ayase, even if that's true, I don't want to drag her into this. Xiu'er is my fan and my friend. If I expose her to this world, she'll eventually get involved in things she shouldn't."
"I'll bear this burden myself. I don't want others to shoulder it with me—even if she could help. As long as she lives a normal life in the surface world, that's enough. I don't want her entangled in anything else."
Chu Lian looked at Li Xiu'er for a long time, then whispered.
Ayase gazed at her quietly, saying nothing. A gentle breeze lifted strands of hair around Chu Lian's face, giving her an ethereal look.
Ayase's pupils contracted slightly, then returned to normal. She tucked her hair behind her ear and said, "It was just a suggestion. Whether to follow it is entirely your choice. I won't interfere."
"But you need to remember—never reveal any supernatural power in front of her, or even let her sense anything unusual. Otherwise, she'll become entangled in karmic ties, and then she won't be able to escape."
Her tone was unprecedentedly serious. Chu Lian knew this was a true warning.
"I'll be careful. As long as we only interact during school life, there shouldn't be any situation that forces me to use such powers…" Chu Lian said with a cheeky smile, her tone light.
"Maybe… there will be…" Ayase thought, but didn't voice the words.
After chatting for a while, it was already almost time for afternoon classes.
Ayase leapt and vanished, returning to the system space. Chu Lian, meanwhile, woke Li Xiu'er and pulled the still-groggy girl along down the stairs.
Above them, a white bird flew across the sky, its low cry carried far by the breeze…