บท 67: Smile

The room steeped in oppressive silence as Xifeng cautiously pushed open the door. Moonlight spilled through the half-closed curtains, casting a spectral glow over the room. Jianyu stood near the window, his back turned to her, his silhouette a dark contrast against the pale moonlight.

"Jianyu," Xifeng called softly, her voice filled with the warmth that had always bridged the gap between them. But Jianyu remained motionless, a silhouette carved from the shadows. A chill crept up Xifeng's spine.

Turning slowly, Jianyu revealed a face devoid of the affection she was accustomed to. His eyes, once jewels filled with affection, were now empty, as if a cruel wind had extinguished the light within them.

"You killed her..." Jianyu's voice slashed through the air like a sharp blade, his words laced with bitterness. Xifeng recoiled, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"No, Jianyu, I-I wa—" she started, her protest drowned out by the onslaught of his furious aura.

"You destroyed everything!" Jianyu's words echoed, each syllable a heavy blow. He advanced, and Xifeng felt the room closing in around her. The air became thick with tension, and the moonlight seemed to dim as if drowned by his anger.

"As Jianyu lunged towards her, his face contorted with rage, Xifeng's eyes snapped open. She jolted upright in bed, gasping for breath. The room was bathed in the soft glow of dawn, and the nightmare retreated like dissipating fog.

Xifeng clutched her racing heart, the remnants of the dream still haunting her senses.

The image of Jianyu's accusations lingered in her mind, but the room around her gradually asserted its normalcy.

She sighed in relief, realizing it was only a nightmare – a manifestation of her deepest fears. The weight of the nightmare lifted as she traced the contours of her surroundings, reassuring herself.

This wasn't the first time this had happened, and it probably would not be the last time she'd have this dream. She had been having such nightmares since the very day of her regression. However, in the past year, the frequency of her nightmares had increased greatly.

"Ever since that day..." The day when she saw the emotionless face of the one she loved, when she heard his cold voice... That day was when everything began to crumble apart.

Xin Yifeng, feeling the sweat clinging to her body, left her room and headed to the hot springs that she often visited.

The warmth of the waters helped her relax and calm her mind. As she let her body soak in the warm water and closed her eyes, the conversation from a year ago replayed in her mind..."

]"Xifeng..." That day, Xin Dongyang was uncharacteristically careful with his every word. "Jianyu has developed an inner devil."

Those words should have caused me to panic and feel sorrowed, yet... a part of me felt relieved.

'He doesn't remember!' I felt disgusted at myself for feeling relieved at his predicament, and the seed of guilt had been sown in my heart.[

"Ever since that day, Xifeng hadn't been able to hold a proper conversation with him.

Inner devils are creatures birthed from the consciousness of a cultivator, using their greatest regret or an uncontrollable emotion as its core. They eat at their host's consciousness until it completely drowns them in its own colors. These creatures, effectively sentient curses, are innately connected to a minor branch of the great Dao of Abyss, a Dao feared and revered as the most dangerous by countless. Just like curses, to eliminate an inner devil you have to unravel it's 'core'.

'Even though he can talk with others just like before... but with me...' As Xifeng looked at her reflection distorted by the ripples of the spring waters, she saw the reflections of her past self. 'It's me, isn't it?'

Closing her eyes, she could feel her chest being constricted. 'The core of his inner devil...'"

...

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...

"My lady! My lady!"

"Su... Lan?"

Xifeng slowly opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by the gentle embrace of the hot springs. Steam rose around her, veiling the scene in a dreamlike mist. Su Lan, her loyal maid, stood nearby with a look of concern etched on her face.

"Ah, you're finally awake, my lady," Su Lan sighed with relief. "You mustn't fall asleep in the hot springs like that. It's not good for your health."

Xifeng blinked away the remnants of her nightmare, the vivid images still lingering in her mind. She took a deep breath, grounding herself in the reality of the warm water and Su Lan's presence.

"Su Lan, why did you come looking for me?" Xifeng inquired, her voice carrying a hint of vulnerability.

"I was worried when you didn't return to your room, so I decided to check the hot springs," Su Lan explained, her gaze filled with genuine concern.

"Thank you, Su Lan," Xifeng whispered, a small, grateful smile playing on her lips.

"By the way, my lady, I heard that," Su Lan added, her tone cautious. "Young lord Jianyu, is currently at Grand Elder Xi—"

"What?!" Her head turned to Su Lan immediately as she heard that. "When did he arrive?!"

"E-earlier this morning he—" Su Lan began, however, she was soon interrupted by Xifeng.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" Xifeng rushed out of the hot springs, hastily preparing herself to meet Jianyu as she complained to Su Lan.

...

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...

'There he is!' Xifeng thought excitedly as she rushed towards Jianyu.

When she found him, he was leisurely walking through the peak's gardens, touching each leaf and petal with great care as if afraid of hurting them. Phoenix flies danced around him, and his slight smile painted a picturesque scene that left one at a loss for words.

Unable to wait any longer, Xifeng called out, "Jianyu!" His body stiffened as he heard her voice. Turning around, not a trace of his smile was left.

However, Xifeng did not let go of her smile...

"Xifeng..." He spoke in an unamused tone, and she continued to smile brightly. "Why are you here?"

His blunt words made her chest feel pained and constricted, but she continued to smile.

"Haha..." She laughed awkwardly, averting her gaze slightly. "I found out that you were visiting, so I hurried over to meet you."

"There was no need for you to do so," he continued, maintaining his cold demeanor as he spoke.

"Is it... wrong for me to do so?" Xifeng's eyes welled with tears as she spoke in a voice that seemed both afraid and frail. However, she herself didn't know how much of it was the 'truth.'

"Do as you please." With these words, Jianyu turned and left for his residence.

As she looked at his departing figure, she didn't let go of her smile. After all, if she let go, she would be 'abandoned,' wouldn't she?

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AN-Thanks for reading! This was Xifeng pov, now i'll do one XIao XIang Pov which would hopefully explain a bit about inner devils, and then we'll continue with the story