Chapter 385 : Psychological Trauma
Qingyu's tribulation wasn't going smoothly. Because she had accidentally become entangled with another person's tribulation, the power of the lightning had at least doubled. Even though that unfortunate cultivator couldn't withstand even a single bolt, the remaining tribulation lightning didn't decrease in power at all. If Qingyu hadn't just received an inheritance in the ruins, along with inheriting a substantial fortune, this tribulation would have been almost certainly fatal for her.
Even so, after all forty-nine bolts of doubled-strength tribulation lightning had struck, Qingyu, who had relied on her wealth to survive, was in terrible condition. She lay prostrate on the ground, her breath feeble, her flesh, sinews, and bones nearly cooked through by the lightning, resembling a piece of charred roast meat.
Zhu Baiyi rushed over the moment the tribulation ended, barely able to sense Qingyu's aura. If not for the spiritual rain beginning to form in the dispersing tribulation clouds—a sign of successful passage—she would have thought Qingyu had perished under the lightning. Reaching Qingyu's side, she didn't even dare touch her, fearing she might accidentally peel off a piece of cooked flesh.
"Qingyu, Qingyu..." Zhu Baiyi called anxiously.
The person on the ground remained motionless, perhaps having fallen unconscious, or perhaps hearing but lacking the strength to respond.
Finally, the spiritual rain that had been brewing overhead began to fall. The Great Achievement tribulation's spiritual rain was rich in vital energy, almost comparable to ordinary spirit liquid. As this rain fell upon the earth, the surrounding area affected by the tribulation received nourishment. The scorched ground sprouted new green shoots and leaves, quickly returning to a state of vibrant life.
The area around the two was soon covered with grass and leaves, while the one who had passed tribulation naturally received even greater benefits from this heavenly gift. As the spiritual rain fell on Qingyu, her originally weak aura strengthened at a visible rate, not only returning to its peak but also restoring vitality to her lightning-cooked flesh. Only a layer of black cinders remained covering her body like armor, crumbling at the slightest touch.
Having passed tribulation herself, Zhu Baiyi knew that as long as the person wasn't dead when the spiritual rain fell, everything would stabilize. At this point, if left undisturbed to absorb the spiritual energy from the rain, the cultivator's injuries would quickly heal.
Sensing Qingyu's aura gradually stabilizing, Zhu Baiyi tentatively reached out to touch her: "Qing..."
She had intended to call her name, but after just one syllable, Zhu Baiyi's voice abruptly stopped—where her hand lightly touched, the black scabs cracked open, revealing snowy white, delicate skin beneath.
She suddenly remembered that it was common for a cultivator's robes to be destroyed during tribulation, especially given that Qingyu had endured a tribulation of doubled power. So her robes must have been shattered, meaning that she might currently be without a stitch of clothing...
Realizing this, even the thick-skinned Zhu Baiyi's fair cheeks flushed red.
She no longer dared touch Qingyu and, turning her face away, hastily retrieved a robe from her storage space. Just as she was about to drape it over Qingyu, from the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a pale hand reaching over and taking the robe from her. When she looked back, she saw the robe already neatly worn on Qingyu's body, who now appeared with snow-white skin and smooth black hair, without a trace of her previous disheveled state.
"Are you... alright?" Zhu Baiyi wanted to say something, but in the end only managed this much.
Of course Qingyu was fine. After successfully passing tribulation with Zhu Baiyi guarding her, and with no one coming to cause trouble in this remote mountain wilderness, she had absorbed the spiritual rain, repaired her injuries, and was now at her peak condition.
"Thank you, I'm fine," Qingyu replied, without specifying whether she was thanking Zhu Baiyi for her protection or for the robe.
Zhu Baiyi silently assumed it was the latter, and the blush that had just receded from her face returned slightly. However, having lived for so many years and experienced much, Sect Leader Zhu could maintain an appearance of nonchalance despite her flushed face: "It's nothing, just a small matter."
Qingyu's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, flickered briefly, then without further comment, she looked around and asked: "Where are Jianbing and Qingyue? I don't see them."
Previously focused on passing tribulation, Qingyu naturally didn't know about Little Swan Goose's abnormal condition. Since observers of a tribulation would generally benefit, either through insights or from the spiritual rain, people typically wouldn't leave halfway through.
It was for this reason that Qingyu asked this question.
Zhu Baiyi's wandering thoughts were pulled back, and she suddenly felt a bit annoyed that her child was diverting Qingyu's attention. However, facing Qingyu's gaze, she didn't dare conceal anything and immediately explained the situation, concluding with: "Jianbing took her away, and since there's been no message, I assume nothing serious has happened." After a pause, she added: "I think Qingyue's condition might be related to that tribulation from before."
Hearing this, Qingyu's brows furrowed, not out of concern for Little Swan Goose's current situation, but for her future—she hadn't witnessed Yun Qingyue's ancestral return tribulation, but if that tribulation had truly left her with psychological trauma, how would she handle future tribulations?
With this in mind, Qingyu said: "Let's go find them and see."
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Qingyu's tribulation had been immense, perceptible for thousands of li around. Although Jiang Mo had taken Little Swan Goose quite far, they couldn't have been completely unaware of the tribulation, yet when Qingyu's tribulation ended, neither of them had noticed.
When Qingyu and Zhu Baiyi arrived, following their auras, they found a person and a bird staring at each other in awkward silence.
Little Swan Goose had recovered Senior Sister's memories. It hadn't taken the three to five years that Golden Peng had mentioned; in just barely two years, the reborn Little Swan Goose had been fed to the point of rapid realm advancement by Jiang Mo and Qingyu, and then stimulated by today's tribulation, her memories had returned. But this wasn't the most awkward part—the most awkward was that in recovering her memories, Yun Qingyue had also inherited the memories of these two years.
From a hatchling who knew nothing and would try to eat anything, to a vain phoenix constantly admiring herself in mirrors... To be honest, such memories would embarrass most people, let alone the naturally cool and composed Yun Qingyue.
The moment she recalled all her behavior over these two years, Yun Qingyue felt so embarrassed that she almost underwent another nirvana right then and there—the kind where you spontaneously combust from excessive heat reaching the ignition point!
Jiang Mo hadn't immediately realized that Senior Sister had recovered her memories. She still held Little Swan Goose, asking with concern: "Senior Sister, what's wrong?"
Nothing was wrong with Senior Sister; her body was strong, her cultivation advanced—she was just so embarrassed she felt like she might burst into flames.
Yun Qingyue felt extremely uncomfortable, not only because of the embarrassment brought by those memories but also her current situation of being held in Jiang Mo's palm. None of it felt right to her. So she flapped her wings and flew from Jiang Mo's palm, landing on a tree branch ahead, and said glumly: "I'm fine, don't worry." After a pause, she added: "Just let me be alone for a while."
Her behavior was quite unusual. At first, Jiang Mo didn't think much of it, only worrying that she might be feeling unwell somewhere. But as she watched Little Swan Goose standing motionless on the branch, seemingly contemplating life, a flash of insight suddenly crossed her mind.
Could it be... could it be that Senior Sister had recovered her memories?
Jiang Mo felt a surge of joy, but recalling Golden Peng's words, she thought the time was still too short, that it shouldn't have happened yet. Besides, Senior Sister's current solemn demeanor was rather intimidating, making Jiang Mo hesitant to ask.
Though she didn't speak up, she secretly observed Little Swan Goose on the branch, and as she watched, their eyes met.
It was at this moment that Qingyu and Zhu Baiyi arrived, and seeing the two like this, asked: "What are you two doing?" Then, looking at Yun Qingyue with concern: "Qingyue, what happened to you earlier? Are you alright now?"
It was Qingyu who spoke. Yun Qingyue instinctively felt close to her Master, but as her gaze shifted, it landed on Zhu Baiyi beside her—Little Swan Goose had a grudge against the fox. The image of beauty-loving Little Swan Goose having her feathers plucked, refusing to acknowledge even her birth mother, and tattling everywhere made Yun Qingyue cringe with embarrassment just thinking about it, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to disappear into.
Zhu Baiyi immediately noticed Yun Qingyue's gaze. Accustomed to her child holding grudges, she snorted and asked: "What, still holding a grudge and wanting revenge? Wait until your cultivation is strong enough to take revenge yourself."
Yun Qingyue remained silent, quietly averting her gaze, so embarrassed that her talons gripping the branch tightened.
Then came a "crack" sound—the branch couldn't withstand the force and was snapped by the phoenix's talon. The breaking point was right under Yun Qingyue's foot, so as the broken branch fell to the ground, her talon remained curled, unable to either drop or stay in place. The entire phoenix was visibly embarrassed.
At this point, not just Jiang Mo, but even Qingyu and Zhu Baiyi who had just arrived noticed something was off. Qingyu especially, having personally raised and invested the most care in this disciple, knew her best of all.
In the moment their eyes met, Qingyu immediately realized that Little Swan Goose had recovered her memories, and called out: "Qingyue?"
Yun Qingyue closed her eyes briefly, slightly lowered her head, and then, as if resigned to her fate, called out: "Master."