Chapter 45: Memory Fragments

The group arrived at an open space.

Junior Brother Su reached out to touch the soft, muddy ground, stopping and starting as he closed his eyes to circulate his spiritual sense.

A look of joy appeared on his face. "Found it. It's right underneath here."

His body moved faster than his conscious thought; Junior Brother Bai Ming stepped forward, a blade of wind slicing through the ground to reveal a somewhat rusted iron door.

The iron door was half-buried in the soil, carrying a scent of decay.

Junior Brother Su's eyes lit up. "It really is here. Let's go in and take a look."

Junior Brother Bai Ming nodded, and several currents of air blew away all the dirt in front of the iron door, revealing a flight of stairs leading downwards.

The iron door was opened without the slightest effort, yet his footsteps faltered, and his body trembled slightly.

Junior Brother Su, standing beside him with a look of curiosity, rushed toward the iron door and beckoned for the two to follow.

After hesitating for a few moments, Junior Brother Bai Ming made up his mind and walked toward the secret chamber.

Seeing that the two had already gone in, Xiao Yu had no choice but to follow, still feeling a sense of worry in his heart.

Upon entering the secret chamber, an abyss of pitch-black darkness washed over them, and they could not make out the structure inside at all.

Summoning the Qingming Storm Soul, a faint green light radiated from around Junior Brother Bai Ming, allowing them to vaguely see the structure of the secret chamber.

It was very simple: a few identical prison cells and a corridor.

After walking a few steps, he caught a glimpse of what looked like spiritual candles on the ceiling. He pointed a finger, activating the candles, and the light they emitted illuminated the entire secret chamber.

The simply constructed secret chamber appeared before everyone's eyes.

"Why do I feel a trace of familiarity?"

"What is going on?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming was startled, a strange emotion taking over his mind.

Junior Brother Su walked with his hands behind his back, looking left and right. "It doesn't seem to be anything special. It's just an ordinary prison cell. Did I guess wrong? Was that person really imprisoned here?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming's gaze was solemn. "Let's continue forward and take a look."

As they delved deeper into the secret chamber, the group saw a somewhat damaged prison cell that appeared slightly different.

Looking at the scratches on the iron bars of the cell, Junior Brother Bai Ming only felt a sharp pain in his brain, as if it were about to split apart.

Junior Brother Su asked in confusion, "Junior Brother Bai, you seem a bit off. What's wrong?"

Junior Brother Bai Ming suppressed the discomfort in his brain. "It's nothing. Let's go in."

Junior Brother Su slipped into the cell and meticulously examined it from top to bottom. "Whoa, so many marks. It seems this is definitely the place."

Crouching on the ground and touching the marks that had been faded by time, Junior Brother Bai Ming's head throbbed, as if something was about to gush out all at once.

"Song Wanqing, I will kill you!"

A blurry image flashed through his mind, but it was like a stone thrown into a pond, stirring up a thousand waves in his heart.

"That is Wanqing?"

In the image, the woman in green stood looking down, holding a whip in her hand, her eyes filled only with mockery.

The impact was too strong; Junior Brother Bai Ming's pupils dilated, and he was stunned for a moment.

"Why would such a scene appear in my mind?"

"The woman in green in the image seems to be Qing'er. What exactly is going on?"

A series of questions arose along with that momentary vision, weighing on his heart like lumps of iron.

"Junior Brother Bai, what's wrong?" Xiao Yu patted Junior Brother Bai Ming on the shoulder.

His thoughts were interrupted. Junior Brother Bai Ming came back to his senses and said with a smile, "It's nothing, just letting my mind wander."

Junior Brother Su chuckled. "So Junior Brother Bai lets his mind wander too? I thought you were as serious and upright as Senior Brother Xiao every day."

Xiao Yu grabbed Junior Brother Su. "Stop talking nonsense. Since we've finished looking, let's get out of here quickly."

Junior Brother Bai Ming nodded. "It is indeed time to leave."

The group strolled away. As they were leaving, Junior Brother Bai Ming looked back at the secret chamber and extinguished the candles on his way out.

The dim candlelight went out, and the secret chamber returned to pitch darkness, as if they had never been there.

A breeze carrying the scent of soil blew over, kicking up a cloud of dust at the entrance of the secret chamber.

Junior Brother Bai Ming looked into the distance with hollow eyes, his mind still pondering the image that had just flashed through his head.

A sound of surprise cut through the air, temporarily interrupting his thoughts.

Xiao Xue looked surprised. "You… what are you doing!"

Junior Brother Su turned his head. "Oh no."

Xiao Yu grabbed Junior Brother Su firmly. "Admit your guilt and behave."

Ignoring the dust that had been kicked up, the girl in white flew over quickly.

Xiao Yu glanced at the cave entrance beside him and hurriedly bowed. "Junior Sister Xue, we are truly sorry. We have overstepped our bounds."

Xiao Xue looked displeased. "Fine, I thought Senior Brother Xiao was a decent person, which is why I let you in. Not even half a day has passed, and you've already started digging up graves."

Junior Brother Su lowered his head. "It was my idea. Senior Sister Xue, if you want to punish someone, punish me."

Xiao Xue glanced obliquely at Junior Brother Bai Ming, who was standing to the side. "You even brought the Young Master in?"

Junior Brother Su nodded guiltily, knowing he was in the wrong, and lost all his playfulness.

Junior Brother Bai Ming stepped forward. "Xiao Xue, it's my fault. I was the one who opened this iron door."

Looking at Junior Brother Bai Ming, Xiao Xue opened her mouth but couldn't speak, a complex look flashing in the depths of her eyes.

She sighed. "Anyway, there's nothing there. It's just an abandoned secret chamber; there's nothing that shouldn't be discovered."

"However, to wantonly destroy someone else's property without permission… I don't recall the sect teaching you to do that." Xiao Xue shot a glare at Junior Brother Su.

Junior Brother Su retreated behind Junior Brother Bai Ming and tugged on his sleeve. "Junior Brother Bai, save me."

Junior Brother Bai Ming was about to speak, but saw Xiao Xue shake her head.

"Forget it. There won't be a next time. Junior Brother Su, you really need to change this habit of yours," Xiao Xue said.

Junior Brother Su felt relieved. "I promise you, Senior Sister, I definitely won't do it again in the future."

Afterward, Xiao Xue didn't dare let the group wander around freely anymore and followed them, afraid they would cause more trouble.

Along the way, she cast her gaze toward Junior Brother Bai Ming intentionally or unintentionally, as if trying to see if there was anything wrong with him.

I hope nothing happened.

Xiao Xue comforted herself internally, unwilling to dwell on that possibility.

Because of their earlier mistake, and since the two had already explored a large area, Xiao Yu and Junior Brother Su took their leave, leaving Xiao Xue and Junior Brother Bai Ming alone.

Xiao Xue repeatedly twisted her sleeve with her fingertips. "Young Master, are you okay?"

"What could possibly be wrong with me? If anything, I owe you an apology, Xiao Xue." Junior Brother Bai Ming smiled gently and held up a finger. "However, I still hope you can keep this a secret for me and not tell Wanqing."

Xiao Xue's eyes tightened, and she pondered for a moment. "Okay."

"Thank you."

After seeing the others off, Junior Brother Bai Ming made an excuse and went to the cultivation room by himself.

Closing the door, he strolled toward the center of the cultivation room, recalling the fleeting fragment in his mind.

"Why is it like this?"

"Xiao Xue seems to be hiding something from me."

"What exactly is going on?"

Along the way, Xiao Xue had kept her gaze on him, whether intentionally or not. Usually, he might not have thought anything of it, but the appearance of that image had changed the flavor of everything.

She seemed to be confirming something. Even though she had been subtle enough, it still hadn't escaped his notice.

Lying on the cold floor, Junior Brother Bai Ming recalled the events of the past few days and slowly began to notice the sense of incongruity within them.

He had originally thought he had awakened memories of a past life, but even if that were true, would a person's past life and present life look exactly the same?

Furthermore, even if his family had been wiped out, why was there not a single item to remember them by? Even a mundane jade pendant should have remained.