Chapter 27: Chapter Twenty‑Seven: Heart‑Reflecting

Before crossing into the book, Shi Ran was an ordinary college student who hadn't even killed a chicken, let alone a person; yet from start to finish her hand never trembled, her thought simple: the original male lead must not die!

Therefore, whoever killed him must die!

Otherwise the story would not end normally, and she wouldn't know when she could return home.

But when her master turned around, she suddenly realized what she had done.

"I... I... I, Master! Sorry!" Shi Ran was terrified—what was wrong with her? She never expected that after crossing into the book, her first strike would kill her master.

Ling Xiao lowered his gaze to his chest; Ice Stream was already stained red, blood dripping from the tip of the sword, drop by drop, falling to the ground and blooming into flowers.

"It's fine!" Ling Xiao rare­ly patted Shi Ran's hair, saying, "Well done!"

She had killed him! Yet he was still saying she'd done well—good heavens, Shi Ran trembled uncontrollably; was she mad, or was the world mad?

"Look! The snow has stopped!" Xiao Muyu suddenly said.

The snow stopped, the fire gradually died out; Ling Xiao gave Shi Ran a final smile, then could no longer hold himself up and collapsed. Little Emperor River hopped about on him, but failed to draw his attention.

Samsara, at last, ended!

Everything had returned to its proper course.

Surely, it would?

Floating Dream Sect was the shortest‑founded, smallest‑landed, and fewest‑membered of the seven great sects.

It consisted of only a single peak—this mountain was neither towering nor steep, lacking even a pleasant name. Floating Dream Sect's founder, Yun Qingchen, insisted on establishing the sect here for a simple reason: he planted a vast peach grove on the rear slope; when spring arrived, blossoms fell in profusion, and practicing sword dances in the peach orchard was utterly romantic, so he claimed this peak.

Only after settling did they discover that the mountain was no ordinary one—beneath it lay a sealed tiny demon beast, Emperor River.

It bore a strange appearance, originally earless yet fond of singing; it often ran to the village below to listen to villagers' songs, and when pleased would start dancing—but as a born demon beast, its dance flung sparks of fire, vexing the villagers until they moved away.

Yun Qingchen had wanted to repress Emperor River again, but seeing its pitiable state he instead built the Bright Correct Hall in an inconspicuous mountain nook, placing the Three Immortals Five Sects' seal there; he never imagined Emperor River would become Ling Xiao's sole childhood playmate—well, everything in the world has its own affinity, so let it follow Ling Xiao.

Several disciples of Floating Dream Sect opened their eyes simultaneously, finding themselves still kneeling in the Bright Correct Hall; the only difference was that it was now daylight.

They had finally survived that dark night; Xiao Muyu, still uneasy, touched her chest, seeking any trace of riding the clear wind.

"Looks like we've passed another trial!" Gu Yusheng had thought he was surely doomed, yet upon opening his eyes he was still lively and vigorous, declaring enthusiastically, "The barrier our master set up must be meant to test us!"

"What are we being tested on?" Luo Changfeng launched into his usual sarcasm, "Are we being tested on how to die? I've died eight times—eight times!"

"Seems like someone died one less time?!" Gu Yusheng choked up, then after a moment said, "In any case, the master has his own intentions; as disciples we need only accept and gain insight from it."

Mei Ruoxue nodded, "Junior Brother Gu is right; the master surely wants us to jointly resist the enemy, avoid internal strife, and thus repeatedly temper us within the barrier."

"Temper—" Luo Changfeng had just uttered two syllables when Mei Ruoxue promptly stopped him, "Enough, no more!"

The usually silent Qi Chengshuang suddenly spoke, "What about that vicious woman?"

Everyone stared at each other; upon waking they saw no sign of Shi Ran.

At that moment Shi Ran was pacing outside Ling Xiao's secluded cultivation chamber, the Heart‑Reflecting Cave.

She didn't know whether she should apologize; although piercing Ling Xiao with a sword was wrong, he had also sent that meatball to kill them nine times, hadn't he? Moreover, he hadn't given any warning beforehand—unlike her, who explained the situation before stabbing someone.

Sighing, Shi Ran drew back her foot that had stepped forward; after all, Ling Xiao was her master—did this count as fratricide and patricide?

"Cough cough cough, Shi Ran!" Ling Xiao's voice suddenly rang out, startling her into a jerk—"Come in!"

He seemed to know she was there! Shi Ran took a deep breath and stepped inside.

Shi Ran had never understood why, in TV dramas, most healing takes place in caves—until she experienced it herself.

Inside the cave a faint breeze blew; the walls, soaked in spiritual power, were smooth and jade‑like, able to reflect a person's image; embedded spirit stones emitted a soft glow, and further in one could see the celestial star chart on the ceiling revolving.

Turning a corner, she suddenly heard water trickling; the view opened up—there was a beam of light pouring from the cave's ceiling, with Ling Xiao seated in meditation beneath it, light and shadow delicately tracing his features, motes drifting in the glow, yet she dared not disturb him.

Thump‑thump‑thump! Her heart felt like it would leap out; Shi Ran clutched her chest—this was deadly! If last night her master had shone like that all over, she didn't know whether she could bring herself to strike him.

Sensing something, Ling Xiao opened his eyes, saw Shi Ran clutching her chest, and frowned, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" Shi Ran immediately straightened up, then quickly said, "Master, I'm sorry!"

Sorry? Is that how you apologize after stabbing someone?

Ling Xiao nodded, indicating he understood, then entered meditation. He is currently at the Nascent Soul stage but cannot break through; he fails to comprehend, always just shy of the God Transformation stage. Yesterday's sword strike, though it wounded his meridians, seemed to contain an opportunity beneficial to his cultivation; he wishes to seize it, so upon waking he began seated meditation.

But Shi Ran didn't grasp his meaning, thinking he merely wanted her to wait a while—this wait lasted a day. She explored every corner of the Heart‑Reflecting Cave, while Ling Xiao never opened his eyes.

The Heart‑Reflecting Cave is named for its ability to reflect the heart, yet Shi Ran truly saw no connection to the mind—aside from the entrance wall that could mirror a person, she found nowhere else that could illuminate a person's image; only after passing Ling Xiao did she discover behind him a cave‑lake, its water clear to the bottom, rippling, and when she peered in she suddenly saw her modern self.

"What are you doing?"

Ling Xiao suddenly spoke, startling Shi Ran into a jump; her hand slipped and she fell into the lake.

The lake water was ice‑cold and piercing; in an instant it submerged Shi Ran's mouth and nose—disaster! Heaven wants my demise!

Shi Ran couldn't swim; as a child she had once fallen into a river and nearly drowned, leaving her with a trauma toward water—she could only flail desperately in the lake.

"Shi Ran! Shi Ran!" In her hazy consciousness it sounded as if someone were calling her, then a pair of strong arms hauled her out of the water.

"Open your eyes! Shi Ran, this lake isn't deep!" Shi Ran stood in the water, slowly opening her eyes; first came six‑pack abs, then pectorals, as water slid off her gauzy garment—truly tempting! Her figure rivaled a male model's; she swallowed the saliva rising unbidden and looked up.

Ling Xiao frowned slightly as he regarded her, saying, "This lake isn't deep!"

Shi Ran nodded, then suddenly realized something; she lowered her gaze to herself—though not sheer, from Ling Xiao's angle she could clearly see the uneven cleavage.