Free Web NovelSince that New Year, Qinghe County has sold more firecrackers every year than other counties, because the townspeople all said the Ying Family was attacked by a Year Beast.
Some adults would use, "If you don't behave, the Year Beast will come and eat you," to scare children.
Zou Yongfeng had clearly been scared before; he looked around and whispered,
"A few months ago, I passed by the Ying Family Old Residence and saw a very, very large shadow."
"It was a bit like the Year Beast the adults used to scare us with when we were little. With the New Year approaching, our family quickly moved."
"Year Beast?"
Li Mo frowned, feeling the small hand in his palm growing colder and colder. He gently rubbed it, but couldn't warm it up at all.
The cold made Li Mo shiver.
He glanced over and noticed Ying Bing's eyes were a bit unfocused, losing their sharpness, and her fair complexion showed no trace of color.
Long-ago memories suddenly began to assault Li Mo.
It was the Ice Cube.
When she first came to the Li Residence as a child, she would lock herself in her room all day, only coming out occasionally for meals. Whenever she heard a loud noise, a hint of fear would appear in her eyes, and her expression then was just like it was now.
Not only was it cold, but it also carried a hint of emptiness.
During that period, the Li Residence was exceptionally cold; even the snow melted later than at other houses.
"Ice Cube, let's go home."
"Hmm... okay."
Li Mo greeted Zou Yongfeng, smiled, and bid farewell to the family of three, even mentioning that he would come for the full moon celebration when their child was born. Then, he and the Ice Cube turned and went home.
Looking back, they saw a desolate ruin by the Qinghe River, devoid of life, starkly out of place with the New Year.
...
As soon as they arrived home, Ying Bing went back to her room after dinner and didn't come out again, even though she had softly told Li Mo that she was fine and just needed a good rest.
But while eating, Li Mo couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
What exactly happened to the Ying Family back then?
She was silent, and his words were few.
This scene made Gu Xueqin a bit curious:
"Son, what's wrong with you two?"
Li Mo shook his head: "Nothing, she and I went out today and ran into Fengzi."
"Did he say he saw something at the Ying Family Old Residence?" Li ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) Dalong asked.
"Dad, you know?"
"What does your dad do? He came to the county office to report it that day, reeking of alcohol. He was probably drunk."
Li Dalong said irritably, "Fengzi was like a madman. I took people to look, and there wasn't even a ghost there."
Was Fengzi drunk and mistaken? But even so, it wouldn't warrant moving...
In fact, Li Mo had already used his Tianming Divine Eye in the afternoon and found nothing unusual in Fengzi's recent encounters.
He didn't ask his dad if he saw anything that day; Li Dalong had mentioned his experience several times at home after meals, and besides, it was too late when his dad took people there.
The one who truly witnessed everything was the Ice Cube.
Li Mo looked up at the room across from him; tonight, there was no candlelight, not even a faint glow.
The Ice Cube isn't cultivating?
...
Midnight.
In the pitch-black side room, the door was gently opened.
Xiao Li, who had been sneaking around for days, quietly entered the room.
As soon as he entered, he saw Ying Bing lying on the bed, her sleeping face not peaceful, her delicate brows tightly furrowed.
Fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and strands of hair clung to her fair neck.
She... was having a nightmare?
The Tianming Divine Eye activated.
【Name: Ying Bing】
【Age: 17】
【Root Bone: Taiyin Moon Phoenix Body.】
【Realm: Guan Shen Five Apertures.】
【Tianming: Red (Possesses an Emperor Bone, with Profound Ice as her destiny and Autumn Water as her spirit, bearing the semblance of Phoenix Heaven)】
【Evaluation: Her destiny is fraught with tribulations, yet she always turns misfortune into good fortune. Currently, her feathers are not yet fully grown, but when the winds and clouds change, she will surely soar high above the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, a Phoenix reigning over the six directions and eight desolations.】
【Recent Encounter: Plagued by nightmares.】
Li Mo tried to release the Taiyin Clear Radiance, a moonlight that could calm the mind, but it couldn't smooth out the girl's tightly furrowed brows.
"What to do."
Xiao Li, the Genius, frowned, and suddenly thought of the Phoenix Cries Towards Heaven's Marsh (Second Level), where Divine Intention merges and spirits intertwine.
The Ice Cube had once used this method to help him break through his Realm.
What if he used it now?
Could he enter the Ice Cube's dream?
However, this also meant that both of them would have to bear the nightmare together. If the Ice Cube couldn't wake up, he too...
"All Karma, life and death intertwined..."
Li Mo murmured to himself, holding her cold little hand.
Phoenix Cries Heavenly Marsh, activate!
The next moment, he fell asleep instantly, tumbling into the Ice Cube's arms. But he had no mind to enjoy the soft fragrance; he was already breathing steadily.
Li Mo's consciousness returned to clarity, and he smelled the gunpowder of firecrackers in the air.
He opened his eyes and looked around, slightly stunned.
A spacious ancestral hall, and from the ancestral hall down the bluestone steps, he could see the gurgling Qinghe River, with many people coming and going.
But the sky seemed to be filled with ashes, coating everything with a layer of hazy snowflakes.
This was a place that had long been reduced to ashes, no longer existing—the Ying Family Manor Ancestral Hall.
"Little child, who are you?" the gatekeeper asked.
"I am..." Li Mo murmured, looking at his tender small hands.
"I am Li Mo, the son of County Lieutenant Li..."
"Then what are you here for?"
"I came... I came to find... to find the Ice Cube... to find Ying Bing!"
The confusion in Li Mo's eyes vanished; he had remembered everything!
The gatekeeper didn't think too much, assuming it was simply County Lieutenant Li's child, coming to find a playmate for the New Year.
"Then go on in. Young Miss Bing is somewhere inside; you can look for her yourself."
"Thank you, sir."
Little Li nodded obediently and entered the Ying Family's ancestral hall.
To own a manor on the edge of the city alone showed that this was a prominent family; even the ancestral hall was very grand.
At this time, a flowing feast was set up in front of the ancestral hall, with people toasting and chatting, lively and bustling. The only pity was that everything was hazy, adding a touch of emptiness to the vibrancy.
Li Mo scanned with his gaze but did not find the Ice Cube.
However, he saw a couple at the head table, chatting with those beside them.
"Hello, Ying Uncle, Aunt, Happy New Year." freewebnøvel.coɱ
Li Mo stepped forward to greet them. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
These were Ying Bing's parents.
"Li Ge's child?"
Ying Xu Liang lowered his gaze, then smiled, pulling a red envelope from his pocket:
"Happy New Year. Where are Li Ge and his wife?"
"Mom and Dad are both at home. I came to play with Ying Bing."
Li Mo's voice was clear and pleasant to hear.
Beside Ying Xu Liang, a woman with picturesque features said,
"Bing'er is sick. Next time, when she's better, Aunt will bring her to visit."
It seemed that this was the year the Ice Cube's Physique first showed signs, causing her to endure extreme cold torment all day long.
Li Mo thought for a moment and said,
"Then I'll go inside and see Ying Bing, okay? I promise not to disturb her."
The Old Teacher, who looked like a scholar, immediately said irritably,
"You... you little Devil King, you're definitely up to no good again, aren't you?"
"?"
Li Mo was startled and saw the person who spoke.
This Old Teacher, just 'a few days ago' during his afternoon nap, had his face covered in tally marks by him...
He never expected that dead memories could still attack him.
