The fragments of memory leaped forward once more, and Ling Xiaoxiao awoke surrounded by the scent of medicinal herbs.
A girl who looked exactly like Xueji beamed with joy upon seeing her wake, her previously gloomy face lighting up with a radiant smile.
She cheered and dashed outside, calling, “Master, Master! The little one is awake!”
Xueji saw Ling Xiaoxiao’s master in her memories—her so-called past self.
The girl wore a plain white dress with flowing fringe, its hem fluttering softly like wisps of cloud. Delicate cloud patterns embroidered along the sleeves and skirt edges added an ethereal grace, while a slender silk ribbon tied at her waist danced with the wind as she ran.
Compared to the somewhat aloof Xueji, she was far more lively. And with the innate mystique of an immortal cultivator, she carried an indescribable charm. Moreover, the immortal Xueji was noticeably more generously endowed than the sage version, her movements causing a certain bounce as she ran.
Lilith studied the two Xuejis carefully before declaring, “Trash-tier sage, seems inferior to… trash-tier immortal, huh.”
Xueji, unwilling to concede, actually took the time to compare them. After careful observation, she found, much to her annoyance, that she had no real grounds for rebuttal.
Lilith smirked triumphantly. “Trash~ sage can’t even measure up to trash~, huh?”
Clench. Xueji’s fists tightened. Sooner or later, she was going to teach this insolent ability a lesson about who was really in charge here.
Just then, the girl returned with an elder who exuded an immortal’s grace. The old man stepped inside and cast a meaningful glance in their direction.
Meeting that gaze, Xueji momentarily felt seen. But then she reconsidered—this was just a memory. How could she possibly interact with the figures within? That made no sense, neither scientifically nor magically.
Lilith spotted the flaw immediately and quipped, “But they’re immortal cultivators. Since when were they bound by science or magic? Trash~ sage, just hand over your sage title and start over as a magic apprentice.”
Xueji was left speechless. That had been a stupid thought. Was she… losing her intelligence?
‘Have I gotten slower… because of Lilith?’
……
After examining the situation, the elder’s expression darkened.
Meanwhile, the girl cradled the fledgling bird in her arms, teasing it playfully with her fingers. The little bird nuzzled against her touch.
“Master,” she asked, “this is the last of the Chongming birds. Can we keep it?”
The elder’s fingers moved subtly as if calculating something. At her words, he sighed deeply, as though lamenting the whims of fate.
“It is still young, and having locked eyes with that Great Demon, it has already been tainted by demonic roots. Moreover, this is a Chongming bird. If it were to become a demonic Chongming, how would you handle it?”
The girl looked down at the tiny bird in her palm, her gaze resolute.
“Master, I’ve told you before—demonic roots don’t equate to corruption. Don’t just listen to those people’s one-sided claims! After years of investigation, no one in this world understands that Great Demon better than I do. Why won’t you believe me?” Her tone was unyielding, even defiant toward her own master.
The elder sighed helplessly. “Do you have any idea how others see you? To them, you’re no different from that Great Demon—an outcast, a monster they flee from. Yet you chase after it relentlessly. Some even say you’ve colluded with it, bringing calamity upon the world!” His voice, once kind, grew stern.
“‘We disciples of the Path-Seeking Sect must devote ourselves to the Dao. Uphold righteousness, guard our hearts, and remain unswayed by outsiders.’ You taught me that, didn’t you?” The girl’s retort was firm, her eyes clear and unshaken.
The elder frowned but held his ground, chastising her further. “Decades ago, that ‘Feathered Lord’ was just like you, chasing after the Great Demon. And what happened? He caused disaster, defected to the demonic sect, and—” His voice faltered. “He was the reason you lost your parents. And yet you still defend him!”
The girl’s pupils trembled. She lowered her head, silent.
After a long pause, seeing that she had no rebuttal, the elder reached out to eliminate the bird resting in her palm.
“Master,” the girl whispered, tears welling in her eyes, her voice shaking. “Then… what does that make me? Am I not also a child of the Demon God? Why did you take me in back then? Why did you let me seek traces of the Great Demon?”
She wiped her tears and spoke solemnly. “I understand the burden this places on you, Master. Starting today, I will leave the sect.”
The elder quickly protested. “Why must you go to such extremes?”
The girl remained calm. “Master, please hear me out. This is the best solution. Otherwise, the matter of the Great Demon will remain unresolved, and the Path-Seeking Sect will be dragged into the conflict.”
The elder nodded slowly, reluctantly agreeing.
The girl kowtowed in gratitude. “I can never repay your kindness, Master. But my pursuit of the Dao is without regret. If you ever have need of me in the future, I will do all I can.”
The elder had no words left. The two simply gazed at each other for a long time.
In the end, under the witness of the sect, the girl returned double the resources the sect had invested in her training. With nothing but the clothes on her back, she left the sect with the young bird. The elder, at the last moment, handed her a finely crafted sachet—her parents’ only remaining keepsake.
No one came to see her off. Only the rain urged her departure.
Clad in rough hemp robes and a bamboo hat, she tucked the bird into her robes and stepped into the storm, vanishing into the mortal world.
Watching all this, Xueji’s consciousness resonated with the girl’s unwavering resolve. Knowing what would come next, she could only lament the cruelty of fate—how it would play out like the fable of the farmer and the viper for someone like her.
……
The scene shifted again. Now, the young bird had grown larger, its downy feathers fluffed up as it perched firmly on the girl’s shoulder.
The girl traveled the world with the bird, occasionally finding fleeting companions along the way. Whenever this happened, the bird burned with the desire to take human form—to be the one standing by her side.
They traversed mountains and rivers, witnessed countless wonders, and the girl always greeted each new day with boundless enthusiasm.
In human cities, the pair drank merrily with the locals during festivals, earning the legend of the “Unfathomable Wine Fairy Who Never Topples.”
Later, in a demon tribe’s territory, they somehow stumbled into the competition for the next Demon King’s heir—and proceeded to knock out all the candidates, forcing the tribe’s ancient ancestor to chase them halfway across the land.
The girl admired the world’s beauty, while the bird admired the girl within that beauty.
When the girl finally grew weary of wandering, the bird was on the verge of transformation. She found a secluded spot deep in the mountains, built a modest house, and settled there with the newly humanoid bird.
Holding the freshly transformed child in her arms, the girl pondered what name to give her.
“The Chongming spreads its wings, dancing amid the clouds,
Through wind and rain, the road stretches long.
A wanderer’s heart soars with delight,
Laughing across a thousand miles of mountain and stream.”
“You’ve journeyed with me all this way,” the silver-haired girl said, lifting the tiny Ling Xiaoxiao high. “So we’ll split this poem between us. Your name will be Ling Xiaoxiao.”
“Xiaoxiao!” she called out.
Now named, Ling Xiaoxiao babbled in response before suddenly blurting out, “M-Mama~!”
“Mama? I’m not your mama.” The girl’s playful nature made the title unbearably awkward.
Waaahhh!
“Ah! Don’t cry—fine, I’m Mama! I’m Mama, okay?”