After Rebirth, the Heroine is Consumed by Overwhelming Regret Chapter 3

Qi Qing stopped in her tracks, unconsciously clenching her jaw. She hadn’t expected to meet this person again so soon. Hearing the other’s indifferent, detached way of addressing her, a towering hatred immediately surged, and she could barely restrain her hand from drawing her sword.
She didn’t hate the other person’s indifference.
It was just the address “Junior Sister Qi Qing” that reminded her of her own utter naivety when she first tried to get close to the other. How could she have been so foolish, to have given her all for such a person?
Yes, she had loved too deeply then, she had been deluded.
But however much she had loved this person in the past, that was how much she hated her now. This hatred contained unwillingness, regret, and resentment. After fermenting for so long, it had become a thick, viscous swamp; any emotion that fell into it would turn into a murky mire, beyond saving.
She knew that the Ling Aorui before her now was innocent.
But the physical revulsion was impossible to hide.
She couldn’t help but retch a few times, but because she hadn’t eaten, nothing came out.
Seeing her sudden discomfort, Ling Aorui quickly stepped forward, wanting to help. How could Qi Qing allow her to approach? She had already dodged a few steps away, clearing a path for Ling Aorui.
“Please,” she said, her tone so cold it bordered on mockery.
Ling Aorui’s hand met empty air. When she turned her head, she saw the other person pressed tightly against a pillar, trying to catch her breath. Even in such discomfort, she was still trying hard to put distance between them. Ling Aorui suddenly felt a little uneasy.
She was heaven’s favored daughter, envied by all. She had achieved enlightenment at fourteen, made significant progress by twenty, and reached Core Formation Great Perfection before twenty-five. Such an impressive record made her a one-in-ten-thousand talent, even in the entire cultivation world.
Moreover, she was beautiful, cherished cleanliness, and possessed an upright character. The number of people who admired her was like a river teeming with fish, unstoppable. As for those who disliked her, she had never encountered a single one.
Therefore, she found others’ aversion very unfamiliar and was extremely sensitive to it, even if it came from an unknown minor character.
She couldn’t help but ask, “Do you… do you hate me very much?”
Qi Qing had already taken several steps. Hearing this, she walked even faster. Within a few breaths, she had vanished without a trace.
Ling Aorui wasn’t sure if her words had even reached her. She stood there for a moment, then felt somewhat resigned. There are so many people in the world; it’s not strange if one doesn’t like me. Perhaps she believed some false rumors. I don’t need to take it to heart.
She had important business here. Composing herself, she hurried towards Immortal Lord Qing Shan’s cave residence.
After being announced through several intermediaries, she finally met the Immortal Lord. He still had his usual leisurely and casual air. Seeing her enter, he invited her to sit. Ling Aorui thanked him, adjusted her robes, and sat down. She looked at the tea in her cup, steam gently rising from it; it had clearly been prepared in advance. She asked, “Immortal Lord, did you know I was coming?”
“I had a feeling,” Su Miaoyin said. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re here about the Summer Hunt?”
Ling Aorui nodded slightly, not particularly surprised. Everyone knew Immortal Lord Qing Shan’s swordsmanship was exquisite, but few knew that her divination skills surpassed even her swordsmanship.
It was just that heavenly secrets could not be revealed. Knowing too much would inevitably lead to drawbacks, so very few people pursued the Dao through divination.
She had come here precisely for a divination.
A few days ago, she had a nightmare. In the dream, someone told her that during this Summer Hunt, when they went down the mountain, they would be besieged by several demonic beasts. To protect the junior disciples, the few high-cultivation team leaders would form a protective array, and only by using all their strength could they barely keep everyone safe.
Up to this point, it was all quite normal. What truly made her heart clench was that just when they thought they were out of danger, a ferocious beast was suddenly provoked and attacked her with venom. She couldn’t dodge in time and was hit directly in both eyes.
After that, she…
“Went blind?” Su Miaoyin put down her cup. “Which day’s dream was this?”
“The day before yesterday, the eighth of the sixth month,” Ling Aorui said in a heavy voice. “This disciple also knows a little about divination. I originally wanted to divine the fortune of this dream, but the results were completely obscure. I couldn’t make out anything at all. Perhaps my skills are not refined enough, so I couldn’t get an answer.”
“I see… Since there’s an ominous sign, a divination isn’t out of the question.” As Su Miaoyin spoke, she casually poured Ling Aorui a cup of tea. This tea was from the bottom of the pot; it was dark in color, and a few tea leaves came out with it. After the leaves swirled gently on the surface a few times, they suddenly sank to the bottom. When Ling Aorui looked again, they were gone.
One must know, when a master divines, they are not constrained by external objects. A pot of tea, a gust of wind—anything could be her tool for divination. Although this tea was from the bottom of the pot, Su Miaoyin always used good tea; it shouldn’t have had dregs. And as for the color, even the first brew for rinsing the leaves wouldn’t be so murky.
“Immortal Lord, is something amiss?” Ling Aorui asked carefully.
She could, of course, see the outcome was not good, but with the Immortal Lord present, she couldn’t rashly jump to conclusions.
“How strange, even I cannot divine it.” Su Miaoyin wasn’t being deliberately mysterious and said truthfully, “This matter likely involves heavenly secrets. Further probing will incur heavenly punishment. I think you should not go against Heaven’s will. Just follow your original schedule and do what you must.”
“But…” Ling Aorui bit her lip. What she didn’t say was that the person in her dream had been extremely solemn and had told her she absolutely must not put this matter out of her mind.
She had thought that by coming to Immortal Lord Qing Shan, even if the dream couldn’t be deciphered, she could at least receive some guidance. But she hadn’t expected that even she would be at a loss. What kind of heavenly secret insisted on putting her in danger?
But she couldn’t press the matter further. After all, it was just a dream. If she were to be so scared by it that she confined herself to her home, she would truly become a laughingstock.
“Thank you for your guidance, Immortal Lord. I understand.”
Just as she was about to stand up, Qi Qing’s disgusted expression inexplicably flashed before her eyes. The already uncomfortable feeling became even more pronounced. So, she brazenly sat back down and asked, “May I ask the Immortal Lord, that young disciple who visited you earlier, named Qi Qing, does she… does she have anything unusual about her?”
Su Miaoyin saw her serious expression; clearly, it wasn’t a casual question. She said, “Why do you ask about her?”
“Nothing, I just met her on the path earlier.” Ling Aorui couldn’t say it directly, only adding, “I was just a bit curious. Today is neither the first nor the fifteenth of the month, nor is it a festival or holiday. For her to visit you, was it for some important matter?”
Actually, her question was purely meddlesome. Even if Qi Qing was just an outer disciple, she was, after all, Immortal Lord Qing Shan’s disciple. It was perfectly reasonable for a master and disciple to meet; it wasn’t her place to question it. Besides, if it involved secrets, she could be suspected of prying.
But Su Miaoyin understood her standing and character and knew she had no ill intent. She said, “I was the one who called her. That day, I divined that this child would face a calamity of self-harm in the future, so I thought of offering a few words of counsel. Speaking of which, this matter is actually related to yours. From the meaning of the divination, her self-harm seems to stem from the Summer Hunt.”
“But she wasn’t even supposed to be part of the Summer Hunt. How could she harm herself because of it? There was no other way; I could only send her on a long journey. Even trivialities like a send-off were omitted. This way, she would be completely separated from the Summer Hunt, and hopefully, the subsequent events wouldn’t occur.”
“Immortal Lord, your care for your disciple is truly enviable,” Ling Aorui asked. “What you say makes sense, but demonic beasts run rampant at the foot of the mountain. Wouldn’t a long journey be even more dangerous?”
“It’s fine, she’s just delivering a letter.”
“When is she leaving?”
“Tomorrow morning. She’ll return after the Summer Hunt.”
Ling Aorui chatted with Su Miaoyin for a few more moments, then suddenly saw the moon was already high in the sky. She hurriedly stood up and said, “It’s already so late. I really shouldn’t have delayed the Immortal Lord’s cultivation.”
“It’s fine. Are you leaving now?”
“Yes. Immortal Lord, please don’t see me out. This disciple will visit again another day.”
After the two bid farewell, Ling Aorui suddenly had a plan.
Since Qi Qing’s attitude towards me is so abnormal, and we both face a bloody calamity in the future, even if she doesn’t know the details, she might still be connected to my future. Perhaps she also had a premonition, or it was precisely because of this premonition that she feared and detested me so much.
The more she thought about it, the more she felt this was the case. Ling Aorui, cloaked in starlight, flew towards the dormitory supervisor of the outer disciples.
In a short while, she arrived at the door.
The door panel wasn’t soundproof. From inside, the chattering voices of young disciples could be heard from time to time. Although there were occasional night patrols, the disciples were full of energy. After the patrollers left, they would become noisy again.
As she pushed the door open, everyone quieted down, pretending to be asleep.
After a long moment, someone let out a gasp of surprise, “Heavens, am I seeing things? It’s Senior Sister Ling!”
Instantly, everyone poked their heads out to look. Gasps rose one after another. Those near the door had already gotten out of bed. But her aura was too powerful, and they didn’t dare get too close. A bolder one asked, “Senior Sister Ling, it’s so late, what are you doing here?”
Ling Aorui said, “I’m looking for someone, named Qi Qing. Do you know her?”
“I know her, I know her!” Many people volunteered eagerly, wanting to lead the way for her. Ling Aorui didn’t need so many people, so she casually pointed at one. The person she pointed to was short and small, known as Skinny Monkey. He proudly looked down on everyone, with an arrogant “I am favored by fortune” expression.
The others all shushed him, but he didn’t feel ashamed. He trotted over like a lackey to light the way for Ling Aorui with a lantern.
Skinny Monkey was in front, with Ling Aorui next. Then, about thirty feet away, were the disciples sneakily following, ready to watch the excitement. They were bored from cultivating all day. Having finally encountered something unusual, of course, they had to be in the front row to watch the show.
However, no one dared to get too close to Ling Aorui.
In their eyes, Senior Sister Ling was the most beautiful and powerful immortal maiden in the world. Just seeing such an immortal maiden was a blessing of three lifetimes. If they could help lead the way for her, they would boast about it for at least three years. As for anything else, they didn’t even dare to think about it. Even getting a little closer felt like blasphemy.
When they arrived at Qi Qing’s door, Skinny Monkey knocked and said, “Qi Qing, open up! Senior Sister Ling is looking for you!”
He spoke very impolitely. Ling Aorui frowned and added gently, “Junior Sister Qi Qing, it’s me. I’m Ling Aorui. We just met this evening.”
Qi Qing’s voice came from inside, “What is it?”
Her tone was extremely impatient. Everyone gasped, thinking this person must be crazy. This is Senior Sister Ling! Can’t she look for you even if it’s nothing important?
“It’s nothing major, but…” Ling Aorui didn’t want to discuss this openly. Realizing that visiting in the middle of the night was indeed inappropriate, she said, “If it’s not convenient for you now, then I’ll go to the Mooring Platform tomorrow morning and wait for you.”