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Chapter 93: What She Had Experienced
Aldrian remained silent, listening as she described his essence.
"Vast void and golden light, huh," he then recalling the lines he had repeated countless times.
I’m tied to the universe.
I’m tied to nature.
All of this is my own karma.
"Is my true nature really the universe and the ’nature’ itself?" Aldrian wondered to himself.
"What kind of essence is that? I truly don’t understand."
"Then, can you explain my essence?" he asked.
"No, you’re inexplicable. I can describe others—like a psychopath addicted to murder and torture, for example. I see ugly scenes, like rotting corpses or wailing souls, I could describe it as hell. The opposite is true for good people who help others, they radiate a warm aura and are surrounded by a comforting light, attracting others."
"But you? How can I explain the meaning of a vast void and golden light without any clues? Your golden light is so strong that it’s blinding. Even when I look at it for too long, it almost makes my eyes go blind and my soul trembles. It’s the first time my vision has affected me physically, so I really don’t know."
Aldrian nodded. It was yet another mystery surrounding him.
"Now it’s my turn," Baek Ji-Min said, her gaze locking onto his. "Who exactly are you? Where do you come from, and what are you doing in the city?"
Her mesmerizing red eyes, along with her glowing white hair under the moonlight, gave her the appearance of an immortal fairy descended from the heavens.
Aldrian was captivated by her red eyes for a split second before he turned his gaze to the scenery and answered.
"I’m from the Ivory Empire. Just an adventurer seeking experience. There’s nothing grand about my background. I was on my way to Forgeheart Kingdom, but, long story short, I got entangled in this demon problem. If that’s what you want to know."
"Ivory Empire? Why are you from the Elven Empire? Oh, wait—one of your companions is an elf. Do you have a good relationship with them? She clearly has a noble background."
Aldrian wasn’t surprised that Baek Ji-Min knew half of Sylphia’s identity—it had to be her eyes.
"You could say that. I’m lucky enough to have earned their recognition and friendship," Aldrian replied.
"You are very lucky to have their recognition. The elves are much harder to approach than any other nobles because of their nature."
Aldrian nodded and looked back at Baek Ji-Min.
"I wonder, if looking at me for too long makes you almost blind, how is it that you’re okay now?"
"Huh? Of course, at this moment I’m not using my technique. My eyes ability is something I control deliberately. It’s not always active."
"Hmm, okay. But I’m still curious about your motive for approaching me. Maybe you see me differently, but I don’t see why you would chase after me or ask to speak in private. What if I’m the bad guy?"
Baek Ji-Min was silent for a moment.
"To be honest, I don’t know."
"What?" Aldrian asked, surprised.
Baek Ji-Min avoided his gaze.
"When I saw your essence, I felt... drawn to it. I don’t know how to explain it, but I also couldn’t look at it for too long. I know it sounds crazy, but that’s just how it is," she said, her face turning red with embarrassment.
Aldrian almost facepalmed. He really didn’t know how to make sense of it. This wasn’t the first time someone had been attracted to his presence.
The spirits and spiritual beasts were drawn to his energy. The Heavenly Direction Church sought him out because of his holy energy. Xin Haotian had been captivated by his sword intent. And now this woman was attracted to the essence of his being? At this point, he barely needed to do anything, and people would still be drawn to him.
He glanced at her embarrassed face and sighed.
"So after being attracted to me, then what? You can’t just follow me around because of that, right?"
"I don’t know. It’s the first time I’ve felt this way, so I ran after you without thinking much. I really don’t know how to answer you," she replied, growing more embarrassed with every word.
Aldrian smiled and looked ahead.
"Don’t you have any questions for me?" he asked.
"Umm... do you really not know anything about yourself? I mean, anything related to your essence? Do you have something... strange inside your body? Something no one else has?"
Aldrian remained silent for a moment before speaking.
"What I can say is... yes, there’s something unique inside my body. As for what it is, I don’t really know where to begin. But I, too, want to understand what’s inside me."
His golden energy, his domain, his visions, and his many other capabilities—he longed to uncover their deeper meanings. Baek Ji-Min sensed that Aldrian became even more mysterious as he spoke about it.
"What’s your relationship with the sect master of the Thorny Flower Garden?" Aldrian suddenly asked, catching her off guard.
"Why are you asking that?" she replied, her voice trembling slightly.
"It’s nothing. If you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to. I’m not forcing you," Aldrian said calmly. "I’m just curious why someone with the same surname as the sect master of the Thorny Flower Garden would be so bold as to cultivate one of the three Heavenly Demon Scriptures."
Baek Ji-Min froze, shocked by his words.
"What? Did my mother tell you that?!" Baek Ji-Min exclaimed, panic flashing in her eyes as she stood up, suddenly wary of him.
"So, she is your mother. No, no one told me who cultivates it," Aldrian replied calmly.
"Let’s just say it’s my specialty to sense people’s techniques. You don’t need to be so worked up about me knowing. I have no interest in your cultivation technique, so please, relax. I’m just curious—what motivated you to cultivate it? Was it the same reason as your mother?"
Baek Ji-Min’s eyes trembled, and her expression turned sad. Aldrian watched her for a moment before sighing.
"I’m sorry if I made you sad. I don’t know your circumstances, but do you realize that cultivating one of the three Heavenly Demon Scriptures makes you a destiny bearer of the Heavenly Demon’s name?"
"I know," she whispered.
She sat down beside him again, her posture heavy, as if burdened by something unseen. Her back seemed lonely.
"Do you want to hear my story?"
Aldrian hesitated for a moment before nodding. She looked into the distance as the wind blew against her face, ignoring the cold, much like she was ignoring the chill in her heart.
"I’m the only child in my family. You can imagine what it’s like, being the only child of the sect master," she began, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"Since childhood, I was always pampered by others. Many would come to play with me, many would try to talk to me... those were the happiest moments of my life."
"The moment I reached the age of cultivation was when everything changed," Baek Ji-Min continued. "My mother brought me to the temple of the Heavenly Demon, and that’s where I first learned about the Heavenly Demon’s Flower Scripture. When I managed to comprehend it, a few of the higher-ups gasped in shock. At the time, I didn’t understand the significance of the scripture. I thought it would just give me more power and bring glory to the sect, but..."
She paused, her expression growing more somber.
"Yes, I became more powerful. Yes, I brought glory to the sect—at least behind the scenes. But, Suddenly I became isolated. My friends distanced themselves from me because I left them in the dust with my abnormal cultivation speed and talent."
"They became jealous, felt inferior, and changed. The eye technique I gained after cultivating didn’t help, either... it only showed me the ill nature in the hearts of those who approached me, I don’t know since when they changed, or if they have been like that from the beginning?"
"I can’t see the world the way I used to. The eye technique I got from the scriptures has become a kind of curse. Although I try to minimize using it, the thoughts of everyone around me having their own agendas, even my mother are impossible to forget. In the end, I keep using the technique to see their true nature, their real selves. I just can’t stop."
Her voice trembled as she went on.
"I felt lonely. My chest grew tight with every day. I wanted to run somewhere far away. I kept asking myself... is this really the fate of a destiny bearer of the Heavenly Demon’s name? I felt like I was being consumed by my inner demon, but I didn’t want to lose. I didn’t want to become a mindless monster."
"So I fought. I fought my inner demons, and I’ve been fighting them for decades."
"If only I had never comprehended the Heavenly Demon’s Flower Scripture... if only I hadn’t been compatible with it... if only my mother hadn’t taken me to the temple that day... if only... if only..."
Her voice trembled, and her eyes grew moist, though she fought with all her strength to hold back the tears. Her aura wavered, her energy flow spiraling into chaos as her body became consumed by instability. Clutching her head, she closed her eyes as if battling an unbearable pain.
Inside her mind, memories from the past resurfaced, clouding her thoughts, threatening to drown her in darkness. Just as she teetered on the edge of being consumed, a warm golden light appeared. The light wrapped around her, soothing her, its warmth making her feel safe and secure.
When she opened her eyes, she saw her entire body bathed in golden light. The source? The young man beside her. His hand rested gently on her shoulder, transferring his energy to calm her chaotic spirit.
He smiled at her, a warm, reassuring smile, one that mirrored the golden energy enveloping her. She didn’t know why, but his smile, like the light, warmed her heart and eased her mind, lifting the weight of her sadness.
