【Extra Chapter · Ancient IF Timeline】
The Bright Moon of Bygone Years (1)
The Taxian Sect1 had an Elder Tianxuan with two personal disciples2.
They were beautiful in appearance, exceptionally intelligent, and diligent in their cultivation. They were the pride of Elder Tianxuan, and everyone believed that they would one day shed their mortal bodies and be reborn3, ascend to the Divine Realm4, and join the ranks of immortals.
Among them, the younger disciple, Ye Zhaoqiu, had recently found herself constantly pestered by yaomo5.
Fu Lianxue was that yao.
A little Meiyao.
Using the excuse of a sprained ankle, she had latched onto this Xuanmen disciple6, shamelessly sticking by her side, harboring mischievous intentions to corrupt her Dao Heart.
But Ye Zhaoqiu wouldn’t fall for it; she never fell for it.
Fu Lianxue occasionally felt frustrated, but she never gave up.
However, although Ye Zhaoqiu never fell for her tricks, her tolerance for Fu Lianxue was surprisingly high.
At least she had brought her back to the sect.
At least she hadn’t driven her away yet.
She probably regarded this as a trial sent by the heavens—the path to godhood was inherently fraught with difficulties, and this little Meiyao might just be one of the eighty-one tribulations7.
Fu Lianxue usually stayed with Zhaoqiu on Wenxuan Peak8 of Taxian Sect.
Ye Zhaoqiu had her own room and a small courtyard.
The master and disciples trio each had their own space, not disturbing one another, living in peace.
Thus, Fu Lianxue could comfortably stay in Ye Zhaoqiu’s room and do as she pleased.
But what she loved most was following her down the mountain.
There wasn’t much to see on Wenxuan Peak; she had grown tired of it. Besides, when Ye Zhaoqiu participated in disciple activities, she couldn’t tag along.
Boring, truly boring.
Tonight, the moonlight was bright and clear, a gentle breeze wafted through, and the small courtyard was exceptionally tranquil.
Ye Zhaoqiu sat cross-legged on a small couch in the courtyard, meditating and cultivating.
In the courtyard stood a towering and sun-obscuring tree. Fu Lianxue didn’t know its name, only that it was perennially green with a wide canopy, and the small house rested under its shade.
A swing also hung from the tree.
Elder Tianxuan had built it himself; both disciples had one—his own small courtyard had one too.
Fu Lianxue sat on the swing, leaning against the backrest, swaying gently as she watched Ye Zhaoqiu.
The cool, clear moonlight fell upon Ye Zhaoqiu, making her skin appear flawless and her silhouette hazy and ethereal, as if she could ascend to immortality at any moment.
For some inexplicable reason, Fu Lianxue didn’t like this.
Her grand plan of seduction hadn’t made much progress; how could Ye Zhaoqiu just ascend to immortality like that?
She stopped the swing and called out, “Hey.”
Ye Zhaoqiu opened her eyes at the sound.
As her eyes gently turned towards Fu Lianxue, a hint of puzzlement surfaced within them, as if she had instantly fallen back into the mortal world.
“What is it?”
Her tone was calm and tranquil.
Fu Lianxue hugged the swing ropes, smiling. “Let’s go down the mountain to play. It’s so boring staying in your sect all day.”
Ye Zhaoqiu looked at her and asked, “Don’t you cultivate?”
Fu Lianxue: “?”
Ye Zhaoqiu said, “Whether human or yao, don’t all beings need to cultivate? If you don’t cultivate, how will your magical arts improve, how will you become stronger?”
Fu Lianxue straightened up, speaking righteously and confidently9, “How is me seducing you here not a form of cultivation? You humans have far too narrow an understanding of cultivation methods!”
Ye Zhaoqiu: “…”
She chose to retract her gaze, close her eyes, and focus on herself.
Then, she felt something land in her lap, hooking around her shoulders.
She opened her eyes again.
There, the audacious Meiyao was sitting in her lap, arms wrapped around her neck, looking exquisitely charming and alluring10.
“Let’s go out and play~”
“You’re still young, you should go out more, interact with others. Don’t always stay cooped up in the sect; you’ll become dull and unlovable.”
“Well, don’t you think I make a lot of sense?”
“Aiya, say something.”
Ye Zhaoqiu finally moved.
She lifted her awkwardly placed hands, hesitated almost imperceptibly for a moment, then reached for Fu Lianxue’s hands that were draped over her shoulders.
“Since you like the world down the mountain so much, why don’t you go play by yourself and leave for good?”
After speaking, Ye Zhaoqiu unconsciously pursed her lips, her brow furrowed slightly, and an inexplicable, strange emotion welled up in her heart.
It was a stuffy feeling, like a large stone blocking her heart.
Before she could examine it closely, Fu Lianxue grabbed her hand back and, with the speed of a sudden thunderclap, leaving no time to cover one’s ears11, kissed her—on the cheek.
“Because the world down the mountain is fun, but not as fun as you are.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the unknown emotion coiling in Ye Zhaoqiu’s heart instantly vanished, coming and going so quickly she couldn’t grasp it.
In its place was the flustered bewilderment of being kissed and a suddenly racing heartbeat.
“You!”
Again, her indignant outburst trailed off without a follow-up.
The young girl’s face was very thin-skinned; one poke and it would break, one touch and it would turn red, like a ripe persimmon, red and soft.
Fu Lianxue loved seeing her like this the most.
“Me? What about me? Wasn’t it just a kiss on the cheek? Shy? We’ve even kissed on the lips before!”
Ye Zhaoqiu didn’t want to say any more.
“Get off me.”
Not only did Fu Lianxue not get off, but she also laughed so hard she was doubled over with laughter12, laughing with immense arrogance, her body leaning further and further back.
With a sudden cry of “Ah!”, she lost control and fell backward!
Ye Zhaoqiu, quick-eyed and swift-handed, caught her in time, pulling her into an embrace.
Fu Lianxue hurriedly clung to her neck.
Close at hand, their eyes met, and the atmosphere became a little awkward.
The person who had just been trying to get her off was now actively holding her, with a hand still on her back.
Seeing Ye Zhaoqiu remain silent, Fu Lianxue deliberately provoked her, “Why aren’t you talking? Are you hoping I’ll kiss you, just like in those storybooks13?”
“Sigh, I really can’t do anything about you. Well then, I’ll reluctantly give you a kiss.”
And she actually leaned in to kiss her lips.
Then her mouth was covered.
Ye Zhaoqiu’s eyes shifted slightly, avoiding her gaze.
“No more fooling around. Get down.”
Fu Lianxue kept her arms around her neck, not letting go. “Then are we going down the mountain to play tomorrow?”
Ye Zhaoqiu gave the same reply, “You can go down the mountain to play by yourself.”
Hearing this, Fu Lianxue pouted, released her hands, and turned to leave. “Hmph, boring!”
She went back to her own room to sleep.
The next day.
Fu Lianxue slept until late in the morning14.
By the time she woke up, Ye Zhaoqiu had already finished her disciple chores and returned from practicing swordsmanship with her Shijie15, Ji Hanyan16.
Ye Zhaoqiu returned with a food box containing a meal.
One didn’t need to think to know who it was for.
Honestly, she didn’t understand why she did it either.
Fu Lianxue had never asked her to bring food, yet she did so of her own accord, as if afraid this Meiyao would starve to death.
Fu Lianxue wasn’t used to this food-bringing behavior at first, but later, with her naturally friendly/quick to warm up to people nature, she adapted very quickly.
Say what you will, the food at Taxian Sect was pretty good, le17!
Ye Zhaoqiu was truly a great benefactor!
“Have you eaten?” she asked.
“En,” Ye Zhaoqiu replied.
“Oh.”
Fu Lianxue was halfway through her meal when she heard Ye Zhaoqiu say, “After you finish eating, we’ll go down the mountain.”
Fu Lianxue’s movements paused, then her eyes instantly lit up, her cheeks puffed with food, unable to speak.
Down the mountain!
Had she finally softened up and decided to take her out to play?!
Ye Zhaoqiu glanced at her, seemingly understanding her thoughts, and said, “Master has ordered Shijie and me to go down the mountain for a few days of experiential training.”
They called it experiential training, but it could also be considered playing.
If there were places that needed them to subdue yaomo and eliminate devils, they would lend a hand, hone their abilities, and accumulate gongde18. If not, they would wander around, see the sights, and have some fun outside, which also counted as relaxation.
Fu Lianxue swallowed the food in her mouth. “Your Shijie is going with you?”
Ye Zhaoqiu shook her head. “We will go separately.”
Elder Tianxuan placed great importance on cultivating their ability to handle matters independently; separate training would also aid their growth.
Fu Lianxue glanced at Ye Zhaoqiu, then suddenly reached out and patted her shoulder. “It’s alright, don’t be too sad. You’ll have plenty of time to spend together in the future.”
Ye Zhaoqiu: “…”
Where was she sad?
“So, where are we going?” Fu Lianxue asked again.
“Yunshui Town19, I suppose,” Ye Zhaoqiu replied.
“Oh… your family doesn’t happen to have properties there too, does it?”
At these words, Ye Zhaoqiu fell silent, a look of contemplation on her face.
After a long moment—
“No.”
Fu Lianxue: “…”
So much family property that she needs a moment to think about it, huh!
With sword kinesis flight20, riding the wind, they soon arrived at Yunshui Town.
Since there were no Ye family properties here, they first had to find an inn to stay.
Ye Zhaoqiu placed the silver21 on the counter, her expression calm. “Two clean, spotless rooms, please.”
The Shopkeeper greeted them with a smile, readily agreeing.
But the next moment, half of the gleaming silver on the counter vanished right under their noses.
Ye Zhaoqiu watched as Fu Lianxue put that half of the silver back into her money pouch, all while turning to the Shopkeeper and saying, “No need for two rooms, one is fine.”
Shopkeeper: “?”
Ye Zhaoqiu: “?”
For the sake of money, the Shopkeeper tried his best to persuade them, “Honored guests, our inn has plenty of rooms available right now; two rooms are absolutely no problem.”
But Fu Lianxue shook her head, her brows furrowed with a feigned sorrow, looking particularly pitiful. “No, it won’t do. Our family has been going through turbulent times recently, so of course, we must save money wherever we can… One room, one room is enough.”
She looked at the Shopkeeper with a pitifully endearing expression. “Thank you, Shopkeeper.”
The Shopkeeper’s heart was instantly struck.
What a sensible young lady!
“Then we’ll do as this young lady says. I’ll get you two one room. Don’t worry, I guarantee it’ll be clean! This way, please!”
Ye Zhaoqiu: “…”
Wasn’t that her silver?
The Shopkeeper escorted them to the door of their room, said a few words about letting them know if they needed anything, and then left.
The two entered the room, and the door closed tightly behind them.
The next moment, Fu Lianxue suddenly burst out laughing.
“Hahaha, my acting skills are truly amazing!”
Ye Zhaoqiu couldn’t understand. “What exactly are you trying to do? Why refuse two comfortable rooms and insist on squeezing into one with me?”
Hearing this, Fu Lianxue reined in her unrestrained laughter, her eyes smiling as she moved with light lotus steps22 to stand before her.
Then, she wrapped an arm around her waist, her charming eyes curved.
“Because I can’t leave you.
“If I can’t lie in the same place as our Zhaoqiu, I’ll suffer from insomnia, I won’t be able to sleep~”
She lifted Ye Zhaoqiu’s hand, gently pressing her face against the cool palm, her eyes shimmering, once again looking pitifully endearing. “Surely our Zhaoqiu wouldn’t bear to see me tossing and turning, unable to sleep at night because of you…”
Meiyao: skilled in seduction, skilled in bewitchment.
They understood best how to use their physical attributes to ensnare their prey, to capture their prey’s heart.
She wanted to capture her Dao Heart; she wanted to carve her own name onto it.
So she couldn’t bear to let go of any opportunity to be alone with her.
Then she saw Ye Zhaoqiu pull her hand back.
A single word fell beside her ear: “Absurd.”
Fu Lianxue: “…”
Is this person’s heart made of wood?!
Ye Zhaoqiu walked away without a sideways glance.
In a place Fu Lianxue couldn’t see, the tips of her ears, hidden beneath her hair, quietly turned a faint red.
Truly… absurd.
The author has something to say:
This isn’t a horror warning.
This is a little tip for the ancient times IF line.
It’s about writing “what if Fu Lianxue could smell the scent back then.”
But it’s not written like that from the get-go; it’s a gradual progression, so please read slowly.
Also, Chu Zhaoqiu’s surname in this lifetime is “Ye,” making her Ye Zhaoqiu.
Her surname is different in the two lifetimes, only her given name is the same. This was mentioned in the first chapter. Please take your time to get used to it, yiha23. Good night, bojiu24~
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