Stealing the beams and replacing the pillars
Yun Wei's eyes sharpened, and she squeezed into the cabinet where Xie Lanchen was hiding. At the same time, spiritual energy flowed from her fingertips, and a faint wisp of light escaped from her sleeve, quickly condensing into a shape on the ground.
A small beast resembling a bear, with black and yellow fur, an elephant trunk, rhinoceros eyes, an ox tail, and tiger feet, quietly appeared.
This beast feeds on dreams; simply approaching it will silently induce sleep.
If they can lure the disciples on duty into their dreams, they can find an opportunity to escape.
The cabinet door clicked shut, cutting off the last glimmer of light.
The inside of the cabinet was much more cramped than it appeared from the outside; the two were almost chest to chest, their breaths mingling.
Yunwei could clearly feel the boy's stiff body, his slightly rapid breathing, the rustling of his clothes, and his heartbeat that he was trying so hard to suppress.
"Is that a dream-eating tapir?" the young man coughed lightly and asked in a low voice.
"Didn't you used to say in Guiyun Sect, 'The sword is the blade of the heart; only by focusing on one thing can one reach the highest realm'? How come you summoned something like this today?"
He simply couldn't reconcile this furry little creature with the aloof and icy senior sister before him.
After all, she had always looked down on all other spells except for those involving swords.
Yunwei did not answer, but tapped her fingertips very lightly and quickly twice on the cabinet wall beside her.
An invisible barrier instantly enveloped the small cabinet space, isolating the sound inside.
"It's for soothing children," she said succinctly.
"Soothing a child?" Xie Lanchen thought he had misheard, his cobalt blue eyes widening slightly in surprise in the darkness.
"Mm," Yun Wei responded.
“Three years ago, in Danxia Town, I and several fellow disciples slew the water demon that was causing havoc and rescued the trapped people. There was a girl who looked about eight or nine years old. She was probably frightened by the mess and blood on the ground, or maybe she was…” She paused, “and was startled by the bloodstains on my sword that were still wet. She started crying loudly and we couldn’t comfort her no matter what we did. My junior brothers and sisters took turns trying to coax and soothe her, but to little avail.”
"The child cried so hard she almost fainted, burrowing into her mother's arms, looking at me like I was a demon. After that, I felt... perhaps I should know something else besides swordsmanship. At least, something to calm a crying child down, so I went to the library and looked through some miscellaneous books about strange beasts and calming techniques, learning a little bit. This little thing, it can eat nightmares and make people fall asleep quickly, very quietly, without scaring anyone."
The boy fell completely silent, his initial contempt vanished without a trace, and a very soft sneer escaped his throat. It was unclear whether he was laughing at his own previous prejudice or at the fact that she had such an unknown side.
“I clearly heard a noise just now…” a male disciple said.
"Search carefully! Behind the bookshelves, beside the pillars, don't miss a single corner!" another female disciple quickly added. "We must keep a close watch on it for the next few days, especially on the 'Secret Record of Nourishing the Soul and Returning to Origin'!"
The footsteps were very close; they would probably find their way here soon.
Yunwei's thoughts raced: The boy's previous reaction... he probably wasn't acting on orders to investigate.
If he had truly come under orders, upon seeing a thief sneaking in, he would either immediately raise the alarm or take action to capture him; there is absolutely no reason for him to hide in the closet.
Moreover, the chilling killing intent in his eyes when we first met was absolutely genuine.
What exactly is his intention? And what orders has his father given him?
Thinking of this, Yun Wei's eyes narrowed. Since the two of them were in this small cabinet, even if he had extraordinary abilities, he would have difficulty flying away. So he might as well ask what he wanted to say and not hide anything.
"They'll find this place soon." Yun Wei's voice was extremely low, her breath brushing against the boy's neck. The two were very close in the narrow cabinet, but she seemed unaware, staring intently into Xie Lanchen's eyes.
"If you don't speak now, it will be difficult to open your mouth later if someone catches you red-handed. How did you get in? Did the sect leader really only allow you to 'investigate' and not to steal from him? Since you are here and the secret record is in your hands, why was your first reaction to me murderous? Didn't you know that the person who came might be me?"
“I…I had my own way of getting in.” He felt a little embarrassed by Yun Wei’s gaze, his Adam’s apple bobbing involuntarily. His eyes met her cool, aloof features for a moment, then he quickly looked away. After a long pause, the young man composed himself before continuing, “The sect leader did indeed order me to secretly investigate and see if anyone coveted the secret manual. I sensed someone had infiltrated and hid in the cabinet, intending…intending to capture them by surprise. How could I have known it was you? If I had known it was you, I…”
"If you knew it was me, you wouldn't be hiding here, or you wouldn't attack me?" Yunwei calmly replied to his question.
The boy was speechless, feeling his face burning hot.
What could he say? That when he saw the "Secret Record of Nourishing the Soul and Returning to Origin," he thought that her lingering soul desperately needed this item, and he inexplicably took it, intending to take it away first? That when he first saw her in the cabinet, his murderous intent was instantly shattered?
How could I possibly voice these thoughts, especially in front of her?
He bit his lower lip hard, turned his head away awkwardly in the darkness, and used silence to resist the questioning that was making him anxious and confused.
"Senior sister, look at this cabinet door..." The male disciple's voice stopped not far from the cabinet, filled with doubt.
"Let me see... What a strange little beast, it looks like a bear but isn't, with an elephant's nose and an ox's tail... It seems to be looking at us... Its eyes are so strange..." The female disciple's voice came from afar, carrying a hint of bewilderment.
"Ugh...why...suddenly...so sleepy..." She yawned widely, her voice becoming slurred.
"Yes... my eyelids... are so heavy..." The male disciple's voice was also like a dream, floating and indistinct.
Before he finished speaking, two muffled "thump" sounds were heard, followed by even and heavy snoring.
Yun listened carefully for a moment, and after confirming that there was no other sound, she immediately pushed open the cabinet door.
The cool moonlight flooded my eyes again, and I saw that the two disciples on duty had fallen to the ground, fast asleep.
The tiny tapir was sitting quietly to the side, its trunk twitching gently, as if it were inhaling the invisible "dreams" in the air.
Yunwei quickly stepped forward, squatted down, and gently stroked the Dream Eater's fluffy head.
The little beast affectionately rubbed its trunk against her palm, then transformed into a wisp of light and vanished into her sleeve.
She stood up, her gaze sweeping over the two disciples who were fast asleep on the ground, before settling back on Xie Lanchen, who had just crawled out of the cabinet, his face still showing a hint of unease as he tried to straighten his robes to hide his awkwardness.
"Let's go." Yun Wei said succinctly, and with a flick of her fingertips, the soundproof barrier she had just set up silently disappeared.
The boy's eyes narrowed: "I can't leave."
Why did he stay? Was he going to back out of reporting her, or did he have some other motive? Yunwei wondered.
"Reason?" she asked.
Xie Lanchen crossed his arms, trying to maintain his usual arrogance and coldness: "I didn't lie to you. I was indeed ordered by the sect leader to investigate here. If I leave with you now, and the disciples on duty wake up to find the secret record stolen, and I am missing, I will be the first to be suspected. At that time, the sect leader will be furious, and after a thorough investigation, your infiltration may not be completely covered up."
After saying this, he tossed the jade scroll in his hand to Yunwei. "Take the secret record with you. I'll stay here to deal with the situation. Just say that I was lying in wait here when I discovered the intruder's trail. After a fight, the intruder was injured and fled. I couldn't catch up with him and only had time to confirm that the secret record had been stolen. This way, we can both temporarily quell the situation and buy you some time."
Yun Wei caught the jade slip steadily. It was cold to the touch, yet it seemed to carry the lingering warmth of the young man's palm.
He was willing to stay behind alone, just to protect her and buy her time.
However, this plan, though feasible, is not without its flaws.
If questioned further, the suspicion that he acted without authorization or even "lost" the jade slip remains, posing a great risk.
“This method is feasible, but not entirely reliable. My father is naturally suspicious and may not fully believe what you say. Moreover, the theft of the secret record is a hidden danger that will be exposed sooner or later,” Yun Wei said.
The boy's expression froze for a moment, then he quickly replied, "Then what should we do? We can't just sit here and wait to die."
"A substitution." Yun Wei uttered four words, her gaze sweeping over the empty Xuanbing Jade Box.
She did not act immediately, but instead focused her mind and calmed herself, a faint silver light emanating from her fingertips as she probed into the jade slip containing the "Secret Record of Nourishing the Soul and Returning to Origin".
After a few breaths, she used her fingers as a brush, drawing lines in the air. The silver light on her fingertips gradually faded, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
Finally, a counterfeit copy that was identical in appearance, material, and aura to the "Secret Record of Nourishing the Soul" fell into Xie Lanchen's hands, but her fingertips trembled slightly.
Yun Wei's face was pale and her breathing was slightly unsteady, but her eyes remained calm, as if the loss of mental energy was a trivial matter: "Put it back. Be careful not to trigger the original restrictions on the jade box."
The boy took the fake item; it felt warm and smooth to the touch, and its scent was exactly the same as the genuine article.
He looked up at Yun Wei, and the undisguised weariness between her brows made his heart tighten inexplicably. He was amazed by her methods, but also worried about her forcibly using them and depleting her soul power. After a long while, he muttered, "I know." When he turned around, the tips of his ears were slightly red, and he put the fake jade slip back into its original position in the Xuanbing Jade Box.
The jade slip was returned to its place, and the cold air inside the box circulated. The light of the restriction flashed slightly, then returned to normal without causing any disturbance.
After doing all this, the two leaped straight out of the high window, using the branches of a huge ancient tree outside the library as leverage, and silently slid to the ground, right where she had torn open the barrier when she came.
Yunwei stepped forward, gathering spiritual energy at her fingertips, carefully mending the tiny gap in the barrier, leaving no trace of being breached.
"You have nothing to say to me..." He began, his cobalt blue eyes shining brightly in the moonlight, his tone tinged with a sudden, unprovoked anger, but his voice trembled slightly at the end.
Yunwei perfectly sealed the last gap, restoring the restriction to its original state without any flaws.
She turned around, the cold moonlight illuminating her slightly pale face: "What's wrong?"
The boy opened his mouth, but in the end he just turned his head away somewhat awkwardly and said in a muffled voice, "...It's nothing."
Seeing his awkward expression, Yunwei understood.
He was unhappy.
Perhaps she felt she hadn't shown him any interest? Or perhaps she thought she was being too cold?
Right now, repairing the remnant soul and preparing for the upcoming sect competition are the top priorities; she simply has no time to attend to the young man's complex and ever-changing thoughts.
She must decipher the secret manual as soon as possible.
Just then, the low voices of a patrolling group of disciples came from not far away, heading towards the direction where they were hiding.
Yun Wei's eyes sharpened, and she put the black mask back on.
Just as she was about to brace herself, her wrist was suddenly grabbed and she was pushed backward, crashing into a tree trunk.
When she looked up, the boy's cobalt blue eyes stared intently at her in the dim light.
"Who goes there!" the leader of the patrol shouted sharply, his hand already on the hilt of his sword.
"It's me." The young man slowly walked out from behind the tree, his sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd. "I'm here on the sect leader's secret orders to patrol the vicinity of the library."
"Xie... Senior Brother Xie?" The leading patrolling disciple recognized the person by the moonlight, and was clearly taken aback. He quickly bowed, his tone respectful but tinged with doubt, "So it's Senior Brother Xie! I wonder if you've noticed anything unusual while you're here so late at night?"
Yunwei peeked out from behind the trees, peeking through the gaps in the branches and leaves.
Xie Lanchen has never liked dealing with people, but now he has to deal with these patrolling disciples. Who knows what flaws he might reveal?
He was arrogant, but not stupid; it's just that...
"No."
The young man didn't even blink, his words coming out crisply and decisively, as if he were stingy with every extra word. After a long pause, he coldly added, "The safety of the sect leader is of paramount importance. With the grand competition approaching, all sorts of people are mixed together. Instead of you being on high alert around the sect leader's residence, you're making a ruckus and interrogating people here?"
The patrolling disciples' expressions changed drastically upon hearing this, and the leader broke out in a cold sweat, quickly bowing and saying, "Senior brother is right! It was our negligence!"
After saying that, no one dared to ask another question and hurriedly ran towards the sect leader's residence.
Yun Wei, hidden in the shadows, witnessed Xie Lanchen's entire performance.
It seems that his father's "careful cultivation" over the past few years has indeed helped him grow a lot, but it has also made him more dangerous.
She didn't linger. Taking advantage of the moment when the patrol was distracted, she quietly made her way to the bamboo hut where she was temporarily staying.
*
Inside the bamboo hut.
Yunwei removed the black face mask and casually placed it on the table.
The momentary closeness behind the tree and his deep gaze... her eyes narrowed slightly, suppressing the strange feeling deep in her heart.
She walked to the futon in the room, sat down cross-legged, placed the warm-to-the-touch jade slip of "The Secret Record of Nourishing the Soul and Returning to Origin" in front of her, took a deep breath, cleared her mind of distractions, and let her spiritual consciousness sink into the jade slip.
Initially, the method of circulating soul power in the opening chapter of the secret record was clear and concise, subtly echoing the yearning of her remnant soul. A faint but pure sense of nourishment slowly seeped into her parched soul essence.
Following the guidance, she mobilized the remaining spiritual power within her body in an attempt to repair her broken soul.
However, before her spiritual energy had even circulated for 30% of its potential, she felt as if she were stuck in a quagmire, unable to move an inch. Furthermore, a chilling, rebellious energy emanated from the jade slip, directly attacking her heart meridian.
Yunwei felt a sweet taste in her throat, and specks of scarlet blood stained her plain white clothes. Her vision blurred, but she managed to stay upright by supporting herself with her hands.
The secret record... is it fake? Or has it been tampered with?
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