A Girl Dies Every Day in Her Dream Life 266

Chapter 266: Caught Between Two Loves

The riot in front of the Supreme Council ended with the leader’s arrest. The benevolent Great Sage didn’t kill them, but left them to be judged by the law.

Thanks to the city guards and a few late-arriving official ability users, there weren’t many casualties, only a few unfortunate souls who were burned by the flaming man.

This outcome thwarted certain plans. If the rioters had died at the Great Sage’s hands, this riot would have been portrayed as a righteous act, and the deliberate lack of casualties would have been seen as a sinister plot.

The power of propaganda shouldn’t be underestimated; simple words and superficial conflicts were easier for people to understand.

As long as the Great Sage’s image was gradually shifted towards that of a conspirator, their goal would be half achieved.

But unfortunately, the plan failed, and the Great Sage’s benevolence was further emphasized.

The mastermind behind this was furious, but Ling Ling didn’t care.

Despite the chaos, this was still her happiest day in thirty cycles, her steps even lighter, which surprised Ceres.

She had seen more expressions on Sister Ling’s face today than in the past few decades.

And it was all because of…

Ceres looked at Ling Ling… and at the beautiful little girl with a cold expression walking beside her, a chilling aura around her.

Ceres met the girl’s gaze and felt a chill down her spine.

No, not this…

Ceres quickly looked away, at the silver-haired girl holding Sister Ling’s hand, about her own age, but with the same face as the legendary hero, “Li.”

What… was going on?

Ceres, unable to contain her curiosity, leaned closer to Luo Xue and whispered,

“Big Sister… are you really ‘Li’?”

“…Huh?”

Luo Xue was stunned and looked at Ceres in surprise.

She hesitated, then stammered,

“I… don’t think so?”

“Not her?” Ceres said suspiciously, “But you look almost exactly like that statue, and… and also the descriptions in the textbooks…”

“Textbooks?” Luo Xue was shocked. “What textbook would have a description of me?”

In her mind, only great figures, those whose words became famous quotes, were in textbooks.

She had disappeared from this world for three thousand years, how could she…

Wait, could it be… that incident?

“History textbooks,” Ceres said, “the hero ‘Li Guijiao,’ the first to sacrifice herself during the first great disaster, later enshrined as the ancient spirit ‘Li.’ The school holds a memorial ceremony for you every year, offering flowers at the location of your sacrifice, to commemorate your bravery.”

“…”

Luo Xue’s face was filled with shock, and she looked at Ling Ling.

Ling Ling awkwardly turned her head away. Although she had been waiting numbly, she had believed that Sister Xue’er had died in that earth-shattering battle.

So, these memorials and flower offerings… were all her idea.

“Li Guijiao?” Su Yiyao frowned deeply and asked warily, “She… has been here too?”

Su Yiyao had naturally heard of Li Guijiao. After all, it was she, Luo Xue, and Nangong Mengxiang who had caused so much chaos in the Demon Abyss… but after Ah Chou’s slumber, she had also disappeared.

Could she have come to this world?

So… she was the last to know about Ah Chou’s hometown?

This was… sad.

“No…”

Luo Xue coughed awkwardly.

“I borrowed her name and appearance.”

“…”

Su Yiyao was silent for a moment, relieved.

“There really is a Li Guijiao?” Ling Ling also asked in surprise. “Sister Xue’er, I thought it was just your alias…”

After all, there were statues of the hero “Li” everywhere in the High Tower civilization, all records and memories pointing to the girl “Li Guijiao” who flew towards the sky thirty cycles ago.

But now, Ling Ling learned that this wasn’t an alias, but a real person…

“It’s… about the same. She also used my name and appearance in another place.”

Luo Xue winced. Li Guijiao, using her name and appearance in the barbarian lands for who knew how long, even becoming the leader of the demonic beast tribes…

Fortunately, she had given Li Guijiao the title of an ancient spirit, so it was even.

“Ah Chou, did you ever use my name?” Su Yiyao asked seriously.

Luo Xue quickly shook her head. “No, no, of course not.”

“Why not?” Su Yiyao pouted, dissatisfied. “Is it because it’s not as nice as ‘Li Guijiao’?”

“Uh…”

Before Luo Xue could answer, Ling Ling asked,

“Sister Xue’er, what about mine? Did you use my name in the other world?”

Luo Xue turned to Ling Ling, who was smiling at her, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

After this time together, Luo Xue knew that the grown-up Ling Ling had become a bit… mischievous, which could be seen from how she handled things.

It was such a pity, the little girl who followed her around with a runny nose was much cuter…

“No…”

Luo Xue turned away slightly, but met Su Yiyao’s serious gaze.

Caught between Ling Ling’s smile and Su Yiyao’s gaze, Luo Xue took a step back and stood beside Ceres.

Little Ceres was much more… comforting… Grown-up Xiao Yao and A’Ling were too scary, even using an alias could get her into trouble.

Ceres tilted her head, confused by their relationship.

But it seemed… nice!

“Let’s go, Sister Xue’er, just teasing you.”

Ling Ling giggled, covering her mouth. She wouldn’t be upset over such a small matter. She just found Xue’er’s reaction amusing.

She hadn’t realized she was so much older than Xue’er now…

Ling Ling had learned that in Luo Xue’s memories, only a few months had passed since the battle in the sky, so her personality hadn’t changed much.

Amidst her complex emotions, Ling Ling was also glad to see the familiar Xue’er.

This was something she hadn’t even dared to dream of. Her best hope had been to find Xue’er’s remains and bury her.

Luo Xue, still a bit apprehensive, carefully walked between the two, as if being escorted, this short yet long journey.

…

After taking the sleepy Ceres back to her apartment, Ling Ling brought Luo Xue and Su Yiyao to her small house in the outer district.

“Sit down, Sister Xue’er, I know you have many questions. I’ll tell you everything I know, but… there are many things I don’t understand either.”

Ling Ling said softly, raising her hand, a few strands of spiritual power flickering. “Like… this.”

“This is the spiritual power of the Breathing Technique.” Su Yiyao immediately recognized the aura and said, her tone suspicious, “But how… could the Breathing Technique reach such a level?”

Ling Ling’s current strength was comparable to Su Yiyao’s, but with her various abilities, the outcome of a battle was uncertain.

However, Su Yiyao also possessed the power of a law, the will of withering, which gave her extreme destructive power. Even those several realms above her would be wary.

“I don’t know, I just cultivated the technique you gave me, day and night, gathering my spiritual sea, and this is the result.”

Ling Ling said, showing Luo Xue and Su Yiyao her internal state.

Her spiritual sea, almost tangible, was vast and boundless, a power far beyond what an Innate Realm cultivator should possess.

Not to mention Spirit Condensation or Foundation Establishment, even Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation cultivators might not have such a vast spiritual sea.

“So… because the technique couldn’t form a spiritual aperture, you expanded your spiritual sea to the point where it didn’t need one?” Luo Xue looked at her as if she’d seen a ghost. “What kind of… brute force is this…”

“I’ve never seen a cultivator like this.” Su Yiyao shook her head, her expression turning serious as she looked at Ling Ling.

“I have some guesses,” Ling Ling said, “When I was developing the Lingxi Potion, I tested it on myself, taking over a hundred different potions. It’s possible that caused some changes.”

“Testing potions on yourself… that’s too dangerous!”

Luo Xue’s eyes widened. This was practically like Shennong tasting hundreds of herbs.

No, that wasn’t even this dangerous…

She still remembered the trouble caused by the Lingxi Potion during her last visit.

“It was a last resort,” Ling Ling lowered her eyelids. “For some reason… only I could withstand it.”

“Other test subjects, ordinary people, all experienced mutations.”

In that era, there weren’t many animals available for testing, and when human lives were cheap, and time was precious, testing directly on humans was the most efficient method.

Only Ling Ling insisted on testing the potions on herself, unwilling to use those so-called “volunteers.”

Of course, this was all a long time ago, before the first great disaster.

“Anyway, Sister Xue’er, you don’t have to worry about me, I’ve even lived for over three thousand years!” Ling Ling clenched her fists and grinned, revealing her canine teeth.

“I’ve also lived for about fifteen hundred years.” Su Yiyao, feeling a bit competitive, said.

“…I’ve lived for fifteen years.” Luo Xue’s eyelid twitched.

Although they both called her “sister,” they were much older than her.

And although they both suspected Luo Xue of having a lolita complex, she was the “loli” now.

Hearing Luo Xue’s words, both Ling Ling and Su Yiyao’s gazes turned dangerous, and Luo Xue quickly raised her hands in surrender.

“Wait, let’s… talk about serious matters!”

“There’s nothing more serious than you, Sister Xue’er.” Ling Ling said with a smile, and Su Yiyao nodded in agreement.

These two… old girls… were on the same side now.

To avoid… certain things happening, Luo Xue quickly asked,

“A’Ling, A’Ling, wait a moment… what about the Ground-Based Tower Project?”

Hearing this, Ling Ling’s mischievous glint faded, and her expression turned serious.

“Speaking of which, Sister Xue’er, there’s something I have to tell you.”

“Hmm?”

“‘The sky is dangerous’,” Ling Ling said, “This is a warning I received from the previous civilization. It’s because of this that I proposed the Ground-Based Tower Project.”

“But so far, there’s no evidence to support this warning, so I haven’t pushed for it forcefully.”

“Dangerous…”

Luo Xue pondered these words. She suddenly thought that the previous civilization of this world might be the same as the one from the fallen celestial ships, perhaps even from that missing ship.

Luo Xue had only seen four ships in the Primordial Chaos, not five, one missing.

If that ship was related to this world, then… the origin of the disaster engines on the Suspended High Towers was clear.

But why… would the celestial ship civilization issue this warning?

“The sky is dangerous.”

What was the danger?

And where… had the celestial ship civilization gone?

“Sister Xue’er, if you have some free time, I can take you somewhere.” Ling Ling said. “A ruin from the previous civilization. No one has found it yet, only I’ve been there.”

Luo Xue’s pupils constricted, and she nodded seriously.

“Alright, I’ll have to trouble you then.”

“It’s no trouble at all, Sister Xue’er,” Ling Ling’s face showed a mischievous smile, “But before we go, we need to make some… small preparations.”

“What preparations?” Luo Xue asked instinctively, then seeing Ling Ling’s mischievous expression, she said, “I think it’s better if we don’t prepare anything!”

She turned to run, but a small figure coldly blocked her path.

“Xiao Yao!”

“Sorry, Ah Chou.” Su Yiyao said with a straight face and a hint of amusement. “Let’s… prepare.”

As the two figures approached, Luo Xue, caught between them, huddled defensively, trembling slightly.

“Don’t… touch me! I’m still young! I’m a child! I’m a loli! I’m a minor!”