Chapter 47: The Mirror of Reminiscence

Such expensive pastries, and she actually just threw them away like that?!

Thinking back to what the Second Senior Brother and the others had said about Jiang Heng chewing raw spiritual herbs, Xia Zhiyu's heart felt as though it had been stung by a venomous bee, burning with a faint, stinging ache.

No matter what mistakes her Junior Sister might have made in the past, the punishments she had suffered were already more than enough.

Having endured so many grievances, insults, and injuries, and even having narrowly escaped death on several occasions...

The more Xia Zhiyu thought about it, the more painfully her heart twisted, and a dazed expression, similar to Shen Yanchou's, surfaced on her face.

What on earth had they been doing all these years? Why had they gnashed their teeth in hatred while punishing a Junior Sister who was once like their closest kin?

Anyone unaware would have thought it was a feud soaked in blood!

Xu Ning'an noticed the strange look on Xia Zhiyu's face and, assuming her warning had taken effect, secretly hooked the corner of her lips.

Just as she was calculating the timing and preparing to offer a sweet carrot to manipulate the Fourth Senior Brother, her vision suddenly went black...

No matter what, Xu Ning'an could never have imagined that the pastries brought by Xia Zhiyu contained Drunken Immortal Powder.

This substance was only effective against cultivators below the Core Formation stage. Since Xu Ning'an's foundation was already weak and she had only recently managed to establish her foundation, she naturally sank into a deep, absolute unconsciousness, losing all sensation entirely.

This was Huo Shiqing's idea.

Extracting spiritual sense was extremely painful, and he did not want An'an to suffer. Jiang Huaiyu also agreed with this approach, his motivation being that he did not want An'an to feel that everyone suspected her.

The other two had no objections whatsoever. As long as their doubts could be verified, whether Xu Ning'an was awake or unconscious made no difference to them.

After confirming that Xu Ning'an had fallen fast asleep, Xia Zhiyu sent out sound-transmission talismans to the three senior brothers.

Soon, all of them arrived at Xu Ning'an's immortal cave, gazing at the little Junior Sister who was properly tucked into her bed.

"Shall we begin now?" Xia Zhiyu asked.

"I will use the Memory-Retracing Mirror. That way, An'an won't suffer as much after she wakes up," Jiang Huaiyu said.

The Memory-Retracing Mirror was a magical treasure bestowed by the Immortal Lord Yunyin. It caused far less pain than the usual cruel methods of extracting spiritual sense, and it could project the desired memories like illusions for everyone to see, eliminating any need to suspect that he was hiding anything.

Xia Zhiyu stepped aside, and Jiang Huaiyu summoned the magical artifact, channeling a strand of spiritual energy into the floating Memory-Retracing Mirror, followed by another strand that connected it to Xu Ning'an's body.

The tiny mirror spun, faster and faster, refracting dazzling rays of light.

A square illusionary space, equal in height to the four of them, appeared before their eyes. Inside, scenes of happiness and warmth between Xu Ning'an and themselves flashed rapidly by.

However, the memories presented by the magical artifact were not from the subject's own perspective, but rather from an outsider's point of view, making even Xu Ning'an's face clearly visible.

Looking at the sleeping Xu Ning'an, Jiang Huaiyu asked, "An'an, how did Jiang Heng lock you inside the spirit beast shed back then?"

Just as Shen Yanchou was about to object to this leading style of questioning, the cycling images suddenly went dark.

When they lit up once again, it revealed the scene of Xu Ning'an and Jiang Heng conversing.

"Senior Sister, good Senior Sister, I'm begging you! The baby spirit beasts were so cute when they were just born, I just want to touch them!"

Xu Ning'an blinked her eyes, pulling on Jiang Heng's sleeve and acting coquettishly.

As soon as this scene appeared, all four of them froze in place.

Didn't An'an claim back then that Jiang Heng had instigated and seduced her into going?

Jiang Heng wore a troubled expression. "But even a newborn spirit beast possesses the strength of the Core Formation stage. You are only at the Qi Condensation stage, it's far too dangerous. The reason the senior brothers won't let you go is entirely for your safety."

Xu Ning'an refused to relent. "Aren't you at the Core Formation stage, Senior Sister? With you protecting me, it'll be fine! Just this once, okay? The two of us will sneak over without letting the senior brothers know."

Jiang Heng continued to shake her head. "Even if I can defeat the baby spirit beast, I can't defeat its mother. How about I take you somewhere else to play?"

Xu Ning'an jerked her hand away, huffing in a petulant pout. "If you won't take me, I'll just sneak there by myself, hmph."

Jiang Heng was startled. "How could you possibly do that?"

Wearied by Xu Ning'an's endless pestering, Jiang Heng had no choice but to make a three-chapter compact with her: "Fine, I'll take you, but you are not allowed to approach the shed, and absolutely no touching the baby spirit beast. The two of us will just take a quick look from far away and come straight back immediately."

Xu Ning'an cheered joyfully. "I knew Senior Sister is the best!"

When the two of them reached the small hill near the spirit beast shed, Xu Ning'an watched for a moment, then giggled and said, "Turns out it's nothing special after all."

Jiang Heng breathed a sigh of relief. "Indeed. Let's head back now, and don't give the senior brothers cause for worry. If I hadn't been afraid of you sneaking behind everyone's backs to come here alone, I would never have given in to your curiosity."

Xu Ning'an agreed verbally, but halfway back, she suddenly found an excuse to part ways with Jiang Heng and turned back alone.

Walking on tiptoe, she entered the shed, scooped up the sleeping baby spirit beast in her arms, and held it high up in the air.

The ferocious roar of the mother beast echoed out...

Inside the Hall of Clear Spirits.

Heavy whips struck down one after another upon Jiang Heng's kneeling back. In Shen Yanchou's arms, Xu Ning'an wept so hard she nearly passed out, her delicate face deathly pale and stained with tear tracks like pear blossoms washed in rain.

"Why did you lock your little Junior Sister inside that place?"

Immortal Lord Yunyin sat upright on the high seat, his voice cold as he questioned her.

Surrounded by wisps of snowy immortal mist, his words were emitted through a white crane standing nearby, ethereal and void, leaving no one to know his true appearance or voice.

Such mystery and power struck awe and submission deep into the heart, daring no one to act presumptuously.

With tears in her eyes, Jiang Heng said, "Master, I did not..."

Huo Shiqing cut her off angrily, shouting, "Several people saw with their own eyes that you brought An'an to the spirit beast shed, and you're still trying to argue? We've stated more than once that a spirit beast that has just given birth is extremely dangerous and that An'an must never be brought near it. Why did you deliberately go against our warnings?!"

Jiang Heng looked at Xu Ning'an for help. "Little Junior Sister, didn't you leave together with me? Why would..."

Xu Ning'an sidestepped the question, crying as she spoke to Immortal Lord Yunyin seated above: "Master, I beg you, please don't pursue this matter anymore, okay? Senior Sister... she didn't mean to either... How could a Senior Sister ever harm her Junior Sister..."

Such an explanation was undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire, and the whips lashing against Jiang Heng fell even heavier...

...

As the illusion gradually faded away, the silence was as profound as the bottom of the deep sea.

Shen Yanchou's expression was as cold as an iceberg, while Xia Zhiyu wore an expression of utter shock, her lips slightly parted.

Huo Shiqing stared fixedly at the spot where Jiang Heng had been whipped in the illusion, his eyes terrifyingly bloodshot as he lost himself in thought.

The calmest of them all was Jiang Huaiyu. After a long silence, he finally spoke: "As it turns out, we were the ones who misunderstood her."

Xia Zhiyu murmured dazedly, "Why... Why didn't An'an tell the truth back then? Why did she use such ambiguous words instead..."

Clearly, clearly all she had to do was explain the situation clearly!

It was merely a matter of one or two sentences, so why did An'an cry, plead, and eventually faint, yet refuse to utter a single crucial word?!

Jiang Heng must have been in excruciating pain back then. Even cultivators of a higher realm than hers could hardly endure the immortal-punishment whip, let alone someone like her who had taken a full hundred blows raw...