After rebirth, the eldest sister voluntarily abdicated and gave way to the wise.

Chapter 644 Clouds Gather and Disperse, Hardly to My Desire (1)

Ever since I became conscious, I lived in a dilapidated temple outside the market. Later, the temple was occupied by strong beggars, and I could only live in small dog kennels outside the temple.

The old dog that used to live here died. Heaven had mercy on me and spared me from freezing to death in the wilderness.

Occasionally, one or two old beggars would take pity on me and give me half a dirty steamed bun, but most of the time I still had to go to the bustling city to beg. However, if I took the place of some local thug beggar, I would definitely get a beating.

That day, I covered my head and huddled in a dark, smelly, deserted alley, silently enduring the beggars' insults and beatings. I hoped that this miserable time would pass quickly so that I could get back to my doghouse before sunset and avoid having my neck bitten off by wild wolves in the mountains.

The person who was pressing down on me and punching and kicking me was suddenly thrown aside. Scattered sunlight shone into my eyes, and for a moment I couldn't see clearly who was standing in front of me.

I felt that person was so tall and holy, as if he were a god draped in divine light who had finally come to favor me.

But, but, it seems that even gods bleed and get hurt. She stood on tiptoe, her foot injured from being kicked, and reached out her hand to me.

Nuannuan smiled and said to me, "Don't be afraid, I'll take you away."

She's going to take me away.

From this hell.

From this dark, smelly corner where no one will care about me.

The deity was short, about my age, with thick, jet-black hair wrapped in an old cloth. She seemed omnipotent, finding shelter, food, chasing away wild animals, mending clothes, cooking, doing odd jobs, recognizing and reading, telling stories, and confronting adult beggars far stronger than us…

She said her name was Jiang Liqian and asked if I would like to go with her to find the Immortal Mountain, become a disciple, ascend to immortality, and never be bullied again.

I was confused, but I said yes.

I'm willing, even though I have no idea what "entering the Tao" or "ascension" means, but she's willing to take me with her, doesn't despise me, and won't abandon me, so I want to follow her.

But the road to Immortal Mountain was not smooth. Along the way, there were always people who bullied us, beat us, and tried to sell us. Once, Qianqian was surrounded by a large group of people. They were not thugs or villains who pretended to lure us to some unknown place. I always felt that they were very scary. They all carried knives and swords, their eyes were cold, and their condescending contempt seemed to be engraved in their bones. They were completely different from the ordinary people in the city.

Qianqian told me to go, and said to ignore her and keep going forward. The immortal mountain they were looking for was just ahead, and she would catch up with me soon.

I cried; I didn't believe what she said.

Seeing her lying in the mud, being trampled on, cursed with the most vile and filthy words, and even having a long, sharp sword, like one used to stab a dying kitten or puppy, viciously plunged into her shoulder, blood gushing out, they burst into laughter...

At that moment, I suddenly realized that even gods can die; they can feel pain, they can feel powerless, and I could no longer take them to the immortal mountain.

An unprecedented sense of confusion and panic enveloped my heart; my mind went blank, and I had already rushed forward.

I was kicked to the ground, and the sword pierced my abdomen. The pain was so intense that my vision went black, but I could vaguely hear someone calling my name frantically and urgently—Ruyi! Ruyi!

So heartbreaking, so painful.

Ah, so even someone as useless as me, who stumbles and falls just trying to survive, has someone who cares about me and values ​​me very, very much!

For many years afterward, I often thought, "If only I had died back then. I wouldn't have hurt my Qianqian, and she wouldn't have hated me, and wouldn't have ignored me for so long."

At least in her heart, I am definitely more important than Xuan Ling, Jiang Huaizhou, Meng Jiu'an, Yun Qingyan, Shen Qingqing, Shui Lian'er, Qin Beiyao, and a whole bunch of her so-called "close friends" who suddenly appeared!

And Xu Youan, that bastard, that bastard! How could he steal my Qianqian away?

Qianqian stayed by my side for three days and three nights. She begged many people to pull me back from the brink of death. I tremblingly opened my heavy eyelids and saw her eyes were bloodshot, staring at me intently.

His hair was disheveled, and he was covered in blood.

When she saw that I was awake, she suddenly hugged me uncontrollably.

With a pale face, he commanded, "Yun Ruyi, you are not allowed to rush over again. No matter what danger you encounter in the future, you are not allowed to rush over again, do you hear me? You can't die, you have to stay with me for a long, long time, you must promise me!"

A bittersweet feeling welled up inside me. I nodded, I promised her, and I said, "Okay."

But she forgot.

Over the years, on the long and winding path to immortality, she has forgotten the vow she made to me.

I am someone abandoned by the Great Dao and the Immortal Path.

I can't climb the ladder to immortality, my spiritual roots are one in a million, and my comprehension is insufficient; I am too bleak.

But my goddess, my Qianqian, she doesn't believe. She doesn't believe in my fate, she doesn't believe that the Great Dao cannot tolerate me.

Step by step, the immortal ladder unfolded, one demonstration after another, one magical treasure after another—she gave me almost everything.

Even in my last moments before I died, I couldn't forget that long, seemingly endless celestial staircase. She carried me, barely alive, letting the raging wind and rain overwhelm her, yet she refused to let go of my hand.

She held on so tightly, so fiercely, the scalding heat burning my heart, etching her name into my very being.

Jiang Liqian, Jiang Liqian, Jiang Liqian...

Qianqian, Qianqian, do you know what it feels like to always be behind you, watching you go further and further away?

Top-grade lightning spirit root, personally taught by the sect leader, the eldest senior sister of the number one immortal sect, a genius that appears only once in ten thousand years, the leader of the righteous path, the number one among her peers... Too many halos surround her, and too many people crowd around her.

I was jealous, insanely jealous.

It's not that I'm jealous of her, it's that I'm jealous of the people around her.

Why do they have the right to covet my Qianqian? I've been by her side all along, from her humble beginnings to her fame.

Even though I was the one who initiated it, I couldn't help but fall for her.

But, but... I can't say a word about any of this. I don't even dare let her discover the slightest bit of my filthy thoughts.

All I could do was stand beside her, smiling and watching, going against my own heart, wishing her well, fulfilling her wishes, and telling her I was fine and happy.

Even when her gaze kept falling on one person, I suppressed my emotions and listened to her recount their first meeting, the missions they did together, and how they shared joys and sorrows, and how they depended on each other for life.

She asked me, "Ruyi, is he very special? I always feel like I've seen him a long, long time ago. Is this what they call 'predestined affinity' in storybooks?"

"I... I think I might like him a little."