Senior Sister Went Mad After My Fake Death Chapter 25

The entire group witnessed the formidable power unleashed by the Twilight Kite, which had stirred the clouds in the sky. Though dense clouds surged back and everything returned to its original state, the sight still made their hearts tremble.
Su Yanchen murmured, “Before, I only heard that the Bright Snow Sect’s ultimate skill was swordsmanship, and when I saw Han Xiao make a move, it wasn’t that shocking. But the feeling today was completely different.”
Her Junior Sister beside her echoed, “Yes, completely different.”
Spurred on by these two, the others also began to praise her. Jing Shun, listening nearby, grew increasingly displeased. He was also a Bright Snow Sect disciple, but these people only remembered Han Xiao, not him at all. However, he was aware of the gap between himself and Han Xiao, so he changed the subject, saying, “Yes, our Bright Snow Sect is quite skilled in swordsmanship… the longer one cultivates, the more one develops their own understanding of the sword.” Subtly, he had still praised himself.
Of course, Su Yanchen knew what he meant. She pretended to be deaf and dumb. “Speaking of which, didn’t Daoist Jing Shun say his Junior Sister was in danger? Shouldn’t we go back?”
Jing Shun said, “Yes, before that, let’s wait for Han Xiao to return.”
The group agreed and quietly waited for Han Xiao.
Since the Cave of Severed Affections had been razed, the surrounding minor demons would flee at the mere sight. Even if Yan Linglong still had some demons nearby, they should have fled by now. So the group wasn’t tense. When Han Xiao returned, they all stepped forward to congratulate and praise her.
“Senior Sister Han Xiao, you’re amazing! I’ve cultivated for so many years and have never seen such majestic sword energy!”
“I’m afraid no one could escape from that move you just used!”
However, Han Xiao stood numbly in place, neither responding to their praise nor answering their questions. For a moment, everyone looked at each other in confusion, assuming Han Xiao had simply expended too much spiritual energy and didn’t want to speak. Besides, Han Xiao was originally a person of extremely indifferent nature; she wouldn’t concern herself with every individual—this was the consensus among her companions and fellow Bright Snow Sect disciples. For all these years, Senior Sister Han Xiao had never shown concern for anyone.
The razing of the Cave of Severed Affections hadn’t exhausted everyone’s energy. Jing Shun, seeing Han Xiao seemed a little tired, said, “Junior Sister just sent me a voice transmission, saying she’s very safe now. We can go over slowly.”
“Senior Sister Han Xiao, did you expend a lot of spiritual energy just now? And most of the surrounding demons have already fled, so the remaining ones wouldn’t pose a threat to you. Why don’t you rest here, and a few of us will go…”
…To find Junior Sister.
But Han Xiao didn’t even listen to him finish. She actually spoke up: “Let’s go now.”
Su Yanchen showed a worried expression. “Sen-Senior Sister Han Xiao, don’t you need to rest?”
“Judging by your complexion, you seem unwell?” she carefully probed.
Han Xiao’s complexion was indeed unwell. Han Xiao was naturally fair, but now the paleness on her face was clearly a sickly, ashen pale. This was naturally a sign of poor physical condition.
However, Han Xiao said with certainty, “We leave now, for the mine.”
When she spoke, her voice was like deep ice and cold fog, without much inflection, yet it compelled people not to argue. The others exchanged glances, then prepared to set off. They hadn’t contributed strength to the razing of the Cave of Severed Affections anyway; it was just travel, easy and light.
But why was Senior Sister Han Xiao in such a hurry?
The Junior Sister still posed this question to Senior Sister Su Yanchen.
Su Yanchen yawned, without much thought, and said languidly, “Does that even need to be said? The person in that mine is a Bright Snow Sect disciple, and Han Xiao is the Bright Snow Sect’s Great Senior Sister. As a Senior Sister caring for her Junior Sister, isn’t that perfectly reasonable?”
The Junior Sister nodded bewilderedly, then said, “So that’s like my relationship with you, Senior Sister. Does that mean if I were in the mine, you’d also rush to find me so anxiously?”
Su Yanchen smiled, lightly flicking her Junior Sister’s forehead. “What else? Senior Sister would never let you get hurt, and Senior Sister would come find you first, right?”
When they finished speaking, the two Senior and Junior Sisters suddenly noticed a chill in the air beside them—it was Han Xiao passing by.
She had merely paused for an instant beside them, yet she just happened to hear Su Yanchen’s last words.
“And… Senior Sister would come find you first, right?”
It’s just a matter of different choices made by different people. Han Xiao told herself this, as she walked at the very front.
That Junior Sister’s strength truly couldn’t keep up, so it was perfectly reasonable for Su Yanchen to want to save her. It was simply everyone making different choices.
Besides, Jiang Chunai must still be with Yan Linglong in the mine.
As long as the final outcome was safe, that’s all that mattered.
If she had chosen to save people in the mine earlier, who knew what would have happened in the Cave of Severed Affections?
Yes, that’s how things were.
But why, upon hearing the two Senior and Junior Sisters jovially and happily saying, “Senior Sister will definitely come save you first,” did Han Xiao’s heart hurt so badly?
She thought, She needed to walk faster, to see Jiang Chunai sooner, to dispel this unease and untimely emotion in her heart.
The group lit their fire-starters and walked into the mine.
Along the way, Jing Shun was still boisterous: “It seems our Bright Snow Sect’s swordsmanship is indeed formidable. This mine originally had traces of minor demons living here, but now not even a single demon claw can be seen. They’ve all been scared away, just as I said.”
Su Yanchen pouted, secretly rolling her eyes at her fellow disciples. The demons were killed by Han Xiao, and Han Xiao was the one who rushed to the mine. How could he brazenly claim credit like that?
Han Xiao walked at the very front of the group. She didn’t carry a fire-starter; she simply cast a spell, surrounding herself with a faint white aura, moving towards the location of the twin jade bracelet.
“Senior Brother, Senior Brother!” A young girl’s voice came from a crevice. “Senior Sister?”
The jade bracelet’s location was also the direction from which the voice came.
But what she heard was Yan Linglong’s voice, not Jiang Chunai’s.
It’s fine, Han Xiao told herself.
Jiang Chunai was likely someone who didn’t like to show her weaknesses. At a time like this, it was normal for her not to speak, since someone else was speaking.
“Senior Sister? Senior Sister?” Yan Linglong’s voice gradually grew louder. “Senior Brother? Is that you all?”
Han Xiao’s eyes didn’t blink. She raised her hand and split open the crevice, revealing a young girl in a pink dress lying diagonally on a rock. Her splendid dress had many threads snagged, and her jade hair ornament was askew, buried in her dark hair. Even her cute face was covered in dust, making her look crumpled.
However, the moment the crevice split open, Yan Linglong’s face lit up with joy.
It’s Senior Sister! And Senior Brother is with her!
Unable to think further, Yan Linglong happily lifted her head, even struggling to get up. “Ah, Senior Sister! Senior Sister Han Xiao! You finally found me! I knew you wouldn’t abandon me, you wouldn’t give up on me!”
Su Yanchen and her Junior Sister, listening from behind, also nodded repeatedly. “Yes, it’s a Senior and Junior Sister bond after all. She wouldn’t abandon her Junior Sister. A’yu, Senior Sister promised you too.”
A’yu mumbled, “Senior Sister, don’t go back on your word—Senior Sister just said she’d come save A’yu first!”
But to their surprise, the expected warmth of a reunion between Senior and Junior Sisters did not happen between Han Xiao and Yan Linglong. Yan Linglong even reached out her hand towards Han Xiao, hoping she would pull her up.
Her eyes were sparkling, gazing at those clear, black eyes, her heart filled with joy.
However, Han Xiao did not reach out her hand, nor did she even bend down. Her gaze swept rapidly around, and she sensed everyone present with her spiritual energy.
“…Senior Sister?” Yan Linglong probed softly, her heart pounding like a drum.
She had never seen Senior Sister display such… an angry expression.
Senior Sister Han Xiao was simply indifferent, indifferent to everyone. Though always expressionless, her expressionlessness also came in many forms.
Yan Linglong bit her lip, forcing herself to be calm, and asked, “Senior Sister, you, what’s wrong? I’m truly happy to see you’ve come to save me…”
Made nervous and unsettled from being stared at by Han Xiao, Yan Linglong unconsciously gripped the twin jade bracelet in her hand—the jade bracelet clinked against her own bracelet, making a crisp sound.
This completely captured Han Xiao’s attention.
Of course, she recognized whose jade bracelet it was. This jade bracelet belonged to Jiang Chunai; it had always accompanied her, treasured with utmost care, impossible to take off.
But now, this jade bracelet was no longer in Jiang Chunai’s hand.
Han Xiao couldn’t help but recall the illusion she encountered while still in the Cave of Severed Affections:
Jiang Chunai and Yan Linglong encountered danger together. Jiang Chunai, fearing something might happen to Yan Linglong, gave her jade bracelet to her, and then went out alone…
“Senior—”
Han Xiao stared at her. “Where is Jiang Chunai?”
“Ah?” The group had already crowded forward, looking at each other in confusion.
Jing Shun was the most bewildered among them. “Senior Sister Han Xiao, did you go berserk from killing in the Cave of Severed Affections? Where would Jiang Chunai come from? Isn’t she on Reflection Cliff?”
Yes, wasn’t she supposed to be on Reflection Cliff?
…When Jiang Chunai sought help from her back then, she had replied to her just as coldly and heartlessly.
Yan Linglong swallowed hard, immediately realizing what had happened. Senior Brother Jing Shun had just said that Senior Sister Han Xiao had gone berserk from killing in the Cave of Severed Affections, and now Senior Sister Han Xiao had returned to ask her where Jiang Chunai was.
She forced a smile: “Senior Sister Han Xiao, are you referring to Senior Sister Chunai? She, she should, should be at…”
Senior Sister Chunai had snuck out; others shouldn’t know.
But, facing Han Xiao’s piercing gaze, Yan Linglong couldn’t bring herself to say the words “Reflection Cliff.”
Han Xiao lowered her gaze and finally said, “Her item, it’s in your hand.”
Yan Linglong’s smile froze on her face. She lowered her head, looking at the jade bracelet, and more beads of sweat seeped from her hands.
…How stubbornly had she made Senior Sister Jiang Chunai leave back then?
Yan Linglong stammered, “Yes, Senior Sister Chunai, she, she gave me this item to protect me, telling me to stay here safely. She left this place.”
Han Xiao immediately pressed, “To where?”
No one had ever seen Han Xiao so agitated. For someone like her, such an intense reaction was like a normal person’s eyes almost splitting open with rage.
“To, to where?” Yan Linglong was badly frightened. “To, to the Cave of Severed Affections!”
“She, she said she would come back to see me later, that’s all.”
Hearing this, Han Xiao suddenly felt as if struck by lightning, frozen on the spot.
The fine lines under her eyes began to grow again, aching.
Jiang Chunai, went to the Cave of Severed Affections?
Jing Shun didn’t understand. “Ah? There’s Jiang Chunai too? Why didn’t you tell me then?”
Su Yanchen also said from the side, “Jiang Chunai, isn’t she a cultivator from your sect? I think I saw her at the Grand Competition once… Wait, she went to the Cave of Severed Affections?”
“But, wasn’t the Cave of Severed Affections just razed?” A’yu scratched her head.
Han Xiao had no mind to listen to them talk. Instead, suddenly, the Twilight Kite in her hand clanged as it fell to the ground.
Jiang Chunai really went to the Cave of Severed Affections.
Jiang Chunai really left her jade bracelet for someone else.
Jiang Chunai… didn’t come back.
The illusion in the Cave of Severed Affections reappeared.
Now, after all this, was that truly an illusion?
Han Xiao couldn’t help but remember the “fake” she had seen.
Was that really a fake? How could a demon’s eyes light up upon seeing her?
No, impossible.
“Han Xiao, Han Xiao, can you truly not distinguish illusions? You just wanted to kill her!”
“You told me to shut up because what I said hit a nerve. In truth, after killing this bothersome Junior Sister who exposed your secret, you must feel very pleased, right…”
Saintess’s words still echoed in her ears.
She said she would forever curse her.
No, it’s not like that.
Han Xiao had killed so many of her subordinates in the Cave of Severed Affections. That woman must have held a grudge, which was why she would devise such a thing to retaliate against her.
This was impossible. For thousands upon thousands of years, Han Xiao had never felt affection for anyone, which was why Saintess would think of such devious methods to stop her.
As a cultivator, she naturally wouldn’t care about worldly affairs; moreover, she had been sealed in the Nether Realm for thousands of years…
She thought this, but Han Xiao abruptly picked up the sword from the ground. In an instant, she quickly vanished before everyone’s eyes, leaving behind only sharp sword energy.
Yan Linglong’s heart was about to leap out of her chest from nervousness. She hadn’t been mistaken: the reddish-black fine lines in Senior Sister’s eyes were frantically growing and intertwining, about to invade her clear pupils.
She didn’t even doubt that within three steps, there would be bloodshed.
Apart from her, the others still looked bewildered. “Why did Han Xiao suddenly leave? It feels like it’s going to rain outside, doesn’t it?”
A fellow Bright Snow Sect cultivator murmured, “N-no, I don’t know. Senior Sister has never been like this before, have she?”
It was complete loss of composure.
As Han Xiao strode quickly out of the mine, the dense clouds that had surged in the sky had already brought rain.
Dense clouds hung low, heavy black mist submerged the green mountains. The heavy rain was like an ink-black pair of scissors, cutting across the mountains. Han Xiao walked on such a soaked mountain path.
The entire world was dim, dark, and damp. Anyone else would have been too frightened to move; that was the fear of the unknown path ahead.
But Han Xiao was different. She wasn’t afraid of the dimness, the darkness, or the dampness. Letting herself get drenched, she insisted on going towards the Cave of Severed Affections—the very Cave of Severed Affections she had personally razed.
In all the world, for her, there was only one unknown.
That was Jiang Chunai’s life and death.
Saintess’s words kept repeating in her ears.
She hated Jiang Chunai the most, which was why she would mercilessly kill her with a sword.
No, she wouldn’t hate Jiang Chunai.
She merely stumbled upon some things, and she dutifully kept quiet, and she could even provide her with some help. Han Xiao would absolutely not kill her.
Jiang Chunai was just a little bothersome; she would be the first to remember her on big and small festivals, that’s all. Humans were simply so boring, and Han Xiao only found it a little annoying.
Just annoying, she wouldn’t want to kill her.
Not to that extent.
But… why did her heart twist with such agonizing pain?
The heavy rain poured down, cascading amidst the sound of rain washing through the dense forest. Han Xiao touched beneath her eye.
Water droplets.
Why were these water droplets hot?
She didn’t understand.
She just continued walking resolutely forward, towards the Cave of Severed Affections, wanting to find Jiang Chunai in the razed ruins.
Where did Jiang Chunai go?
Jiang Chunai wasn’t a fool. She couldn’t defeat those demons, so she would definitely flee, not foolishly seek death in the Cave of Severed Affections.
“She even sent me a voice transmission talisman for help,” Han Xiao muttered to herself, continuing to walk with difficulty on the muddy road, “I didn’t agree to help her. She’s not stupid; if she couldn’t win, she would definitely run. Why would she continue to stay in the Cave of Severed Affections?”
“She’s not stupid…” As she chanted this, the figure of the “fake” appeared before her eyes.
When the “fake” fell to the ground, her lips still trembled, seemingly uttering “Senior Sister,” as if calling to her.
She had also told her that Junior Sister was in the mine.
“Junior Sister, she’s in the mine,” Han Xiao murmured, speaking the “fake’s” dying words. Her heart shuddered in an instant.
Yan Linglong was indeed in the mine, and Jiang Chunai, to protect her, had even given her twin jade bracelet to Junior Sister.
After that, she entered the Cave of Severed Affections, and perhaps had some battles with those demons, but she certainly couldn’t defeat all of them with her cultivation methods.
So, Jiang Chunai must have tried to retreat…
Within the Cave of Severed Affections, one naturally had to remain vigilant against all demons. But what if she saw a familiar human face?
Thinking this, Han Xiao suddenly dared not think too deeply. She had never thought that what Saintess said was true.
“No, impossible!” She repeated these three words as if entranced by a nightmare, simultaneously activating her spiritual energy, wholeheartedly and thoroughly searching for any remaining life within a hundred-mile radius.
She had already expended most of her strength when she used the Twilight Kite to destroy and raze the Cave of Severed Affections. Now, she could only use her demon core to provide her with a continuous supply of power.
Han Xiao did not hesitate.
…Anyway, Jiang Chunai had already stumbled upon her secret. She had nothing left to hide from her, so what harm would it do for her to know again?
She must not be dead.
The heavy rain poured down, and strange mountain winds howled past.
Unidentified ribbons hanging from trees, layered and soaked with moisture, fluttered with unusual sounds in the eerie night.
Demonic power surged from beneath Han Xiao’s feet, deeply pouring into the earth, passing through tree roots and soil. It was as if every spiritual meridian seemed to become her eyes at this moment, to see if there was the person she sought among the lives in this hundred-mile radius.
As the ribbons flew, Han Xiao suddenly lifted her gaze, and abruptly fell into a trance.
Though it was merely strange night wind blowing unidentified ribbons, Han Xiao heard it like that day:
That day, she and her Junior Sister were in the blooming peach orchard, hanging wish ribbons.
Her Junior Sister, harboring youthful worries she didn’t understand, asked her to help hang a wish ribbon.
Red blossoms scattered, crimson and snow intermingled.
Whether it was the light of day or the darkness of night, Han Xiao could no longer distinguish.
The frantically growing fine lines in her eyes seemed about to completely obscure her vision—
The fine lines in her eyes grew into ribbons hanging from the mountains, and in an instant transformed into wish ribbons of various colors, thousands upon thousands, layered upon layer.
A full blooming orchard, a long river of ribbons, how much of the mortal world dissolved into mere steps.
Jiang Chunai was still foolishly smiling at her then.
The sun was just right then, too, illuminating her smile like vibrant rouge, radiant and dazzling.
Tongues of fire licked at her skirt, and her entire being seemed melted into golden light, dazzling.
But in an instant, the red sun was submerged, replaced by a dark sky. In the vast mist, Han Xiao could see nothing.
“Jiang Chunai!” she shrieked, greatly alarmed.
But her desperate cry was useless.
Before her eyes was still a vast black mist. No sun, no rouge.
And no Jiang Chunai.
“No!” she shrieked, rushing forward frantically.
She continuously intensified her detection range, but it yielded no results.
Instead, there were corpses, one after another.
Surrounded by heavy black mist, rain washed over her, dampening her usually neatly styled hair.
Han Xiao raised a hand to tuck her hair away, but inadvertently touched beneath her eye… hot liquid.
It’s raining. Does the sky rain hot rain?
She asked herself this, then her lips stretched into a forced smile.
Perhaps. Perhaps the heavens would also send hot rain.
But not in this weather.
Those were her tears.
But how could an emotionless demon cry?
She had been sealed in the Nether Realm for so long; she, as a cultivator, was not tainted by worldly affairs; she truly didn’t like that Junior Sister…
Saintess’s words sounded again.
She said she hated her, which was why she killed Jiang Chunai.
Was that true? Han Xiao dragged her feet with difficulty, a sharp pain radiating from her soles—she didn’t know how far she had walked; even the soles of her shoes had worn through, which was why she felt such pain.
It was just foot pain. What did that count for?
If, if what Saintess said was true, that she really took her sword and killed her Junior Sister, a long sword piercing through her chest, leaving a bloody hole, how painful would that be?
Han Xiao dared not think too deeply. She just kept walking forward, walking to an unknown place.
The sound of wind blowing through tree branches and ribbons still echoed beside her ears.
It was like, like the whispers they had heard that day under the Udumbara flower tree.
Within those whispers, Jiang Chunai must have made a wish to her.
“Hoping to be with Senior Sister forever.”
But how had she repaid her? She had taken the Twilight Kite and killed her with one sword strike.
She then remembered Jiang Chunai’s dazzling face, illuminated by the sun.
Han Xiao suddenly felt that her own heart was also scorched by that blazing radiance, burned to ashes, utterly consumed.
She could comfort herself that Jiang Chunai wasn’t dead, that she might have returned to the sect.
But Han Xiao couldn’t deceive herself; she had overestimated the twin jade bracelet’s significance.
She had presumptuously assumed that Jiang Chunai treasured her and Master, and would certainly not give that jade bracelet to anyone else.
But what was the truth?
Jiang Chunai really did leave that jade bracelet for Yan Linglong.
Jiang Chunai actually didn’t care that much about Han Xiao.
And what about her? She was self-righteous, thinking she understood Jiang Chunai completely.
She thought Jiang Chunai would carefully keep that jade bracelet, thought she would stay in the mine, thought she would easily deal with those minor demons…
Han Xiao finally understood now.
Everything was just what she understood.
“Chunai…” she murmured.
Did you leave first? It must be that way, you’re not dead, right?
She thought that the Junior Sister who always clung to her would surely be waiting for her to return to the sect.
A potent emotion, one Han Xiao herself didn’t know the origin of, overwhelmed her.
This emotion seemed not to belong to her, growing out of her flesh and blood, yet also as if it had always belonged to her.