Chapter 786: Extra 4: 23

A Cheng's speculation was sound and well-founded, instantly opening Xiao Jiu's train of thought and making Xiao Jiu's heart race.

This is exactly something Liu Junyan could do.

But the problem is, if Liu Junyan has already passed the evaluation period and successfully gone down to assume his post, how could there be not a whisper of news leaked out?

Calm.

Xiao Jiu silently warned himself in his heart, don't rush, haste makes waste.

Time will prove everything.

Xiao Jiu was fine, everyone also felt relieved, after chatting with Xiao Jiu for a while they each went their separate ways.

After everyone left, Xiao Jiu didn't stay home, locked the door, and headed straight for the Linghai Dragon Clan.

She needed to check with Xiaoye whether there was any news of Liu Junyan.

As it turned out, when Xiao Jiu arrived, Xiaoye happened to be chatting with Zhong Sisi about this matter.

Xiaoye said, "Younger sister-in-law, I have no news of Old Seven, but this afternoon I definitely heard from the Huanghai Dragon King that the water systems in this area will undergo a major authority redistribution; just now I was telling Zhong Sisi that such a big move usually means a new ruler is about to be parachuted in, and we're all wondering if it might be Old Seven."

Xiao Jiu didn't understand: "If it really is A Yan, why would such a major adjustment leak no news at all?"

Xiaoye has been the Linghai Dragon King for many years, with a complex network of relations throughout the three realms and six paths; logically, he shouldn't have gone over five years without receiving any news about Liu Junyan.

Xiao Jiu always wondered if Liu Junyan had instructed Xiaoye something before his ascension, which is why Xiaoye is brushing him off.

Now it seems, it's just my own petty mind.

Xiaoye really doesn't know.

"To be frank, I've also felt stifled these past five years or more." Xiaoye said, "Although the upper realm is vast and its hierarchy strict, it shouldn't be that not a trace of Old Seven's news can be found—not just me, but others too, right?"

Yes.

Even the Seven Halls Yama couldn't find anything.

"After thinking it over, there's only one possibility." Xiaoye said, "From the very start of his ascension, the upper realm had already arranged a position for Old Seven after his evaluation period; I even suspect that for these past five years or more, Old Seven hasn't been in the upper realm at all."

This shocked not only Xiao Jiu but also Zhong Sisi: "A Xiao, do you realize what you're saying? Back when Liu Qiye ascended, we all saw it with our own eyes—how could he not be in the upper realm?"

"Zhong Sisi, I'm not arguing with you." Xiaoye looked at Zhong Sisi with a gentle gaze and said, "It's just a matter of these few days; once the authority division is complete, we'll all know whether the other party is Old Seven."

That's also right.

Xiao Jiu then stopped probing further, bade farewell to Xiaoye and Zhong Sisi, and returned to Yin Dang Hang.

On the way back, Xiao Jiu remained fairly calm.

As Xiaoye said, it's just a matter of waiting a few more days.

But people, the harder they try to stay calm, the more difficult it is to truly calm down.

That night, Xiao Jiu tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

A Cheng's speculation, Xiaoye's words—all point to the possibility that Liu Junyan may have already returned.

Even more, Liu Junyan didn't just return recently; it was five years or more ago, after his ascension, that he was quickly sent back down.

He... has been here all along.

But where exactly is he?!

Xiao Jiu desperately wanted to fall asleep; perhaps if he slept, they could meet again.

In the end, he couldn't sleep the first half of the night; finally falling asleep in the second half, he had a dreamless night.

Over the next two days, even if Xiao Jiu went to bed early, it was the same situation.

She then realized that her persistent high fever and the dream trial circumstances were no coincidence.

That was a necessary condition for everything to come about.

But now, this stage of the dream trial has ended; trying to enter that situation again is simply impossible.

Xiao Jiu felt some regret.

Had she known things were like this, when she first met Liu Junyan in the cave, she would have taken the initiative to speak to him.

On second thought, that's not right either.

If she really had spoken to Liu Junyan and thereby caused him to recall everything, her dream trial would have failed.

It might even implicate Liu Junyan.

Sigh, in short, this is hard to have both ways.

Perhaps, as Xiaoye said, don't rush, let things take their course, and soon everything will become clear.

These days, Xiao Jiu has become absentminded, and whatever he does, he ends up thinking of Liu Junyan for no reason.

After all, having lived side by side for so many years, every corner of Yin Dang Hang bears traces of Liu Junyan's activities.

Waiting and waiting, a week later Zhong Sisi came to Yin Dang Hang for a visit.

She said regretfully, "Xiao Jiu, A Xiao said that this time's authority division and personnel reshuffling, etc., have all been completed, but A Xiao didn't see Liu Qiye's name on the personnel adjustment list."

Xiao Jiu frowned and admitted that saying he wasn't disappointed would be a lie.

Zhong Sisi comforted, "Xiao Jiu, since you and Liu Qiye already have some mutual sense, you will surely meet eventually; there's no need to rush this moment."

Xiao Jiu didn't want Zhong Sisi and the others to worry about him, so he just kept smiling and going along.

After seeing Zhong Sisi off, Xiao Jiu calmed down and gave it some thought.

After thinking it over, it seems the only way to help her see Liu Junyan again is to quickly accumulate a lot of merit and enter the next dream trial.

But... how much merit does one need to accumulate to enter the next dream trial? And whether there even is such a thing as a dream trial anymore—Xiao Jiu isn't sure.

She felt a bit discouraged.

Feeling low, she had some insomnia again at night.

Xiao Jiu took out the willow-branch bracelet she had brought from Cangwu Mountain, put it on her wrist, and stared at it blankly in the lamp light.

Seeing that willow-branch bracelet, she could recall many happy times spent with Liu Junyan.

Those events, though they happened years ago, when recalled now still feel as if they took place just yesterday.

With great difficulty she fell into dreamland, Xiao Jiu muttered unconsciously: Āyàn, I miss you, I miss you so much……

Xiao Jiu had a long and ethereal dream.

This dream almost made her live through all three lifetimes she shared with Liu Junyan.

The scenes of this dream continued until Liu Junyan's ascension, when they came to an abrupt halt.

When Xiao Jiu woke with a start from her dream, it was already noon the next day.

The room was dim, and dense pattering of rain came from the roof and the window side.

Xiao Jiu sat up, feeling somewhat stifled.

Why is there so much rain this year?

What season is this, how can it keep pouring down such heavy rains?

The last time there was a heavy rain, nothing good happened.

This time, surely nothing untoward will happen again, right?

She changed her clothes, opened the doors of Yin Dang Hang, and looked outside.

Apart from the rain being a bit heavier, everything was calm.

Xiao Jiu silently let out a breath; she had practically become a startled bird.

But just as she turned, a thought suddenly flashed in her mind: back then, Liu Junyan rushed to Suedi, and what greeted him was a violent rainstorm.

Suedi...