Whoever is in a hurry has a problem

Violence is the most primal and direct method—it doesn’t require reasoning, doesn’t distinguish right from wrong, and can even skip communication altogether. What’s astonishing is how brutally effective it is.

Most of the time, it yields immediate results.

Xuan Le paid absolutely no heed to Bai Xuanling’s well-intentioned advice, stubbornly insisting, "I won’t believe it unless I try it myself!"

Only after Bai Xuanling genuinely camped Xuan Le’s revival point for two hours did Xuan Le finally drop her resentful expression, transforming into a serene and elegant immortal. She even began greeting Chu Xingchen of her own accord.

Chu Xingchen, watching Xuan Le—who had been stubborn enough to die dozens of times—politely greet him, hurriedly returned the courtesy. Such resilience deserved respect.

Bai Xuanling had indeed camped Xuan Le’s revival point for two hours, though Chu Xingchen had only observed for about half that time. The rest was spent studying the state of Bai Xuanling’s divine sea.

His first impression was that Bai Xuanling’s divine sea was severely fragmented.

Like shattered glass, it was divided into several sections. The area where the deceased Tianyan Sect cultivators were being relentlessly pummeled was separated from the space where Chu Xingchen now stood.

The dust and chaos of the battle were confined to their own boundaries, never spilling over, though they appeared to occupy the same space.

This method was highly unique—the technique of fragmenting one’s divine sea was undoubtedly advanced, if not outright showy.

The only question was—what was the purpose of this?

After observing for a while, Chu Xingchen realized that this divine sea was almost entirely composed of scenes from the day of the Tianyan Sect’s calamity, as described by Lv Xuan.

Mountains collapsed, slaughter erupted.

Tianyan Sect cultivators stood their ground, refusing to retreat, sacrificing themselves to hold off the enemy.

However, many of these scenes were mere impressions. Those unfamiliar to Bai Xuanling were depicted with rough, repetitive features, and certain sequences looped frequently.

Those she knew well were rendered in far greater detail, their expressions and appearances vividly preserved.

Her closest kin—her younger sister—could even spring to life, lively and cheerful, only to draw her sword against her in an instant.

The battles within the divine sea were no less intense.

Yet, these scenes alone confirmed one thing for Chu Xingchen—this was not the entirety of Bai Xuanling’s divine sea.

Painful memories are indeed like daggers, leaving scars that never fully heal.

Most make people cringe just recalling them.

But they are not the sum of a person. To live properly, without being consumed by extreme emotions, one must also hold onto happier memories.

Otherwise, even someone as mentally resilient as Bai Xuanling could endure a century—but never several.

Chu Xingchen also remembered a psychological principle—it is the warmth of good memories that drives people forward.

If his speculation held, Bai Xuanling might have used this fragmentation technique to hide away her happier recollections.

Chu Xingchen didn’t rush to voice his theory. Whether right or wrong, broaching the subject too bluntly would be unwise.

He understood the current dynamic—Bai Xuanling had only permitted him to observe, not to recklessly pry.

If he overstepped and touched a nerve, getting a second chance would be nothing short of a fantasy.

There was still time. Some things required patience.

Once Bai Xuanling had thoroughly "educated" Xuan Le in her own way, she turned to Chu Xingchen with a displeased tone:

"Kid, done observing?"

"The battles back then must have been truly harrowing," Chu Xingchen remarked softly, meeting her gaze. "You had it rough, didn’t you?"

Bai Xuanling sighed lightly.

"Naturally... Even now, remembering it feels like reliving a nightmare."

Chu Xingchen’s expression mirrored her solemnity before his eyes shifted to Xuan Yue, who stood with an air of detached elegance. Less a projection of her sister and more a subconscious manifestation of Bai Xuanling’s memories.

After a moment’s thought, Chu Xingchen cautiously asked:

"But no matter how deep the memories, your entire divine sea shouldn’t be filled with just this... Time is said to heal wounds. After centuries, some scars should have faded. For it to remain this raw—are you just that nostalgic?"

"Normally, it shouldn’t be like this. But this is the price," Bai Xuanling replied, her gaze lingering on Xuan Yue. "The sect master must have told you, one way or another, what I used as my foundation to ascend to the Tribulation Transcendence realm."

Chu Xingchen chose not to throw Lv Xuan under the bus. As a fellow sect master, he could empathize with Lv Xuan’s choices. Feigning ignorance, he replied:

"The sect master? What does he have to do with this?"

Bai Xuanling let out an ambiguous chuckle but didn’t press further. Instead, she explained:

"I ascended using rage and killing intent. The deepest injustice I carried was from that day. After reaching Tribulation Transcendence, my divine sea took this form."

"What you see in Xuan Yue—put kindly, she’s a cherished memory. Put bluntly, she’s a heart demon."

"Right now, she’s no match for me because I’ve suppressed my cultivation. Her power is limited to the early Tribulation Transcendence stage."

"My divine sense, however, is at its peak. That’s why I can handle her easily. Without suppression, she’s vicious. Even I would struggle against her."

Chu Xingchen glanced at Xuan Yue before returning his attention to Bai Xuanling:

"What happens if you lose to her?"

Bai Xuanling’s tone was calm. "It would mean her taking over my cultivation and body."

"...That does sound dangerous," Chu Xingchen admitted, a hint of wariness in his voice. "I’d wager her first move would be to vent her anger on me."

Bai Xuanling didn’t respond, merely chuckling as her eyes gleamed with amusement—as if to say, "So you do know fear?"

After a pause, Chu Xingchen walked up to Xuan Yue, who stood silent and composed. Yet, beneath that calm exterior, her eyes betrayed a simmering madness. Softly, he asked:

"Can I ask you something?"

Xuan Yue pressed her lips together, as if debating whether to answer or unleash a torrent of curses. In the end, she gave a slight nod.

Without hesitation, Chu Xingchen posed his question:

"Are you a siscon?"

Xuan Yue frowned. "What’s a siscon?"

"'I love my sister the most! Sister, let’s stay together forever! Sister, wait for me! Sister, who is he?! Sister, what about me?! Sister, don’t leave me—'"

Chu Xingchen delivered the lines with dramatic flair, even extending a hand as if desperately reaching for a departing sister.

Sadly, his performance didn’t earn Bai Xuanling’s approval. Before he could finish, her fist connected with him—hard enough to leave him momentarily speechless.

Bai Xuanling hauled him up by the collar. "Last chance. Can you speak properly? Less theatrics, please?"

Chu Xingchen took a moment to catch his breath before nodding meekly.

At the same time, he confirmed one thing:

Whether Xuan Yue was a siscon remained unclear, but Bai Xuanling was definitely a brocon!

Why else would she react so fiercely?

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