Chapter 68: Dream

“Yes.” Bai Yanci laughed light—voice cold. “Then my Lord—can you give Xi Yue’s life back?”
Diting opened his folding fan—masked face—slow: “Impossible—unless Life God reincarnates—enough power to reverse life and death.”
Back on the moon—Diting saw—Bai Yanci had changed.
Once—mention revive Xi Yue—or recover a sliver of consciousness—her eyes would blaze—pay any price for the method.
He thought old tricks would work—she had no reaction.
He looked up—truly none—suddenly laughed: “Mortal world—I thought you played. You took Spirit Tide jade pendant—I didn’t kill you. Yanci—you didn’t really fall for that human girl?”
Bai Yanci snorted—polite: “Thank you, my Lord.”
This rabbit—silent or choking half to death—dull.
Diting stopped courting annoyance—gathered power—began healing her wounds.
In healing arts Qingxi was moon’s best—even Diting’s cure wasn’t Qingxi’s match.
Immortals without systematic healing—each use cost huge power.
Only someone like Diting could spend like water—spent or not—others weren’t his match.
Irony—on earth Diting struck her down—on moon he healed her.
She knew—Diting moody—only she was special.
Long she didn’t know why—thought he valued ability—expected much.
One day—report to main hall—door ajar—she saw Diting talk to a portrait alone—the War God among the Twelve.
Then she knew—temper and face—like the legend.
Moon rumor—War God was Diting’s old master—raised him to lord—gratitude in his heart.
When healing finished—no words—left without looking back.
Alone—cold lavish bed—rare dream. She seldom dreamed—when she did—very clear inside the dream.
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Dream time wasn’t now—before the immortal war—before Xi Yue’s sacrifice.
Diting found their bond—furious—forbade them—then some whim—wanted good name—dark tricks in secret.
More accurate—tricks aimed at Xi Yue—never hard on her.
One day Diting snapped—summoned Xi Yue to main hall—Spirit Tide jade pendant abnormal—barrier unstable—made Xi Yue spend lifespan—fallen god’s flame to mend moon barrier—or take her life.
Kept secret—Xi Yue feared her worry—didn’t tell.
Two days later—wind reached her—night to Xi Yue’s hall—Xi Yue dazed—pale—dying look.
Diting tortured Xi Yue—excuses reasonable—fallen god should inherit the Twelve’s will—guard the moon.
She couldn’t bear it—grievance nowhere—seized Xi Yue’s hand: “Xi Yue—let’s run.”
Xi Yue smiled light: “Don’t worry—small wound.”
“I’m not joking—I’m serious.” Earnest—worry in her brows. “Leave the moon—leave the immortal realm—somewhere no one finds us.”
Xi Yue sighed: “Yanci—but where do we go after we leave?” Eyes dim—weariness.
She had no answer. Then light in her eyes: “The mortal world—we go to the mortal world!”
Afraid Xi Yue’d refuse—rushed: “Earth is vast—barrier—hide breath—my Lord won’t find us. Somewhere in the wide world—for us.”
Finally moved—Xi Yue’s dead-calm eyes lit.
She looked back—gripped her hand—tired smile: “If this is your wish—I’ll go with you.”
Escape sounded easy—was hard.
After Diting’s rise—many exits sealed—one left—guards—no bird out without his order.
Lord Bai with power—without Diting’s token—couldn’t come and go—much less Xi Yue in the storm.
So she used her special—stole into Diting’s chambers—the token of highest moon power.
Reach the mortal world—free.
She’d knelt and begged Diting—every plea—snake tongue—Xi Yue punished worse.
Token watched tight—no chance.
Days passed—Xi Yue tortured shapeless—pain in her chest—wished she could suffer instead.
One day Xi Yue came to her hall—moonlight right—avoided ears—through the window: “Yanci—let’s run.”
Xi Yue saw her hesitation and pain—though the tortured one wasn’t her.
“Good.” Only way now—break through hard.
Her immortal weapon—a long sword—Moonlight. Moonlight and Qiyang both drawn—at the moon gate—fight Diting’s guards—every move a killing move.
Not kill—one mercy—no escape ever.
News she fled with Xi Yue—Diting came himself. To protect Xi Yue—Moonlight in hand—die with Diting.
Gap too wide—Moonlight snapped in two—never left the moon.
Woke next day—no punishment—safe in her hall—Xi Yue stripped five hundred years’ cultivation—water prison.
If she hadn’t insisted on flight—Xi Yue wouldn’t suffer so.
Ordinary immortal—few centuries’ power—five hundred stripped—marrow pain—foundation unstable—hard to cultivate after.
Deep pain—all because of her. If she never existed—Xi Yue would shine as fallen god on the moon.
All her fault.
If she died—would anything change?
Too naive—too selfish.
Moon barrier once all Spirit Tide jade pendant—Life God fell—pendant weakened—Diting split his power to hold the barrier.
She resembled the War God—if she ended her own life—Diting would lose composure—barrier shake.
Xi Yue could flee the water prison—leave the moon.
She’d trade her life for a gap—for her lover’s freedom.
Grit—pain—severed all meridians. At once—word to Diting.
He panicked—more than ever.
Of course he wouldn’t let her die—when she woke—the first face was Qingxi.
Qingxi’s art could reconnect every meridian—wake her fastest.
“You’re awake at last.” Qingxi asked. “Seven days unconscious—any discomfort?”
She shook head—Qingxi worried—slow: “Lord Bai—severing meridians is deadly—if I hadn’t come—you’d have died.”
“Xi Yue?” Xi Yue not here—urgent. “Where is Xi Yue?”
Qingxi’s face hard.
Bad feeling—again: “Xi Yue… didn’t leave the moon?”
Looked around—no Diting near—Qingxi whispered: “After your incident—my Lord vented on Lord Xi Yue. She… kneeling in the water prison.”
“Lord Bai—I know your aim—open the moon barrier. After Lord Xi Yue left the water prison—she could have left the moon.”
Qingxi stood—eyes dark: “Presumptuous—but you near death—how could Lord Xi Yue leave alone?”
Water prison—kneel seven days.
Damp dark—suppresses power—dungeon for the vile.
Xi Yue punished once—how could he—second time!
Xi Yue had warned—the moon’s highest power was selfish and false—not a thread of warmth.
She didn’t listen—pure hope—believe eyes not ears.
Only when she stood highest beside Diting—understood her lover’s pain.
Second only to Diting—couldn’t protect her lover—irony.
After confessing—every night she went to Xi Yue’s hall—picked the fairest roses—for her beloved.
One day—bouquet in arms—swore: “I Bai Yanci swear on my life—my heart for Immortal Xi Yue is flawless as moonlight.”
In the haze of dream—a familiar voice.
Purple figure through mist—beside her—soft: “Sister—is it you?”