Qing Dai said this coldly, then turned to leave.
But in my heart, I had some questions.
Why did Qing Dai save me again and again?
She seemed to be by my side all the time.
Whenever I was in danger, she would appear.
Why?
Seeing Qing Dai about to leave again, I became agitated and grabbed her hand:
"Wait, Qing Dai!"
Her hand was a little cold.
The moment I grabbed her, she also froze.
As if shocked by electricity, she turned to look at me:
"Is there... something else?"
I felt I was being rude like this.
I quickly let go of her hand and apologized:
"I'm sorry!
I just have so many questions I want to ask you..."
Hearing me say this, Qing Dai gazed at me with her beautiful eyes.
After a second or two, she finally replied:
"Ask away!"
My breathing quickened a bit, but I still managed to ask:
"Um, um, I want to know, why did you save me?
Were you... were you always by my side?"
Due to nervousness, my speech became a bit of a stutter.
Qing Dai, however, just watched me quietly.
But the coldness in her beautiful eyes seemed to lessen.
"Do you really want to know?"
Qing Dai asked me back with a casual tone.
"Yes! I want to know."
I answered with certainty.
Qing Dai met my gaze calmly for a second or two. Seeing my determined expression, she said:
"Because we knew each other a long time ago, and I just don't want to see you die young..."
Hearing this, I was stunned on the spot.
Knew each other a long time ago?
But I had no recollection in my mind, not even a trace of memory.
And how long was this "long time"?
"I, I don't remember. How long ago? A few years?"
I didn't quite understand.
Qing Dai just looked at me and continued:
"A long time, longer than you can imagine..."
After saying this, Qing Dai didn't linger or offer further explanation.
Without hesitation, she turned around again.
And walked towards the other end of the street.
But this time, I didn't reach for her hand.
I just watched her flowing hair, her beautiful back, and called out:
"Qing Dai, can you take off your mask and let me see your face?"
Hearing this, Qing Dai's steps suddenly stopped.
But she didn't turn around, nor did she speak.
I felt I might have been too forward.
So I added:
"I just want to know, what does this girl I've known for a long time look like?"
I looked at Qing Dai's back, with so many doubts about her.
And I truly wanted to know what she looked like.
Whether beautiful or not, she was my savior.
Worth a lifetime of my gratitude.
However, after a brief pause, Qing Dai continued to walk forward and replied:
"When you open your Soul Palace and have basic self-protection abilities, I will take off my mask and meet you."
Qing Dai responded with a casual tone.
Then, after taking a few more steps forward.
She disappeared from my sight and left...
I stood there, looking at the empty street, stunned for a while.
Qing Dai's words kept echoing in my mind.
We knew each other for a long time, longer than I could imagine...
When will I open my Soul Palace and have basic self-protection abilities, then she will take off her mask to meet me...
I frowned, unconsciously murmuring these two sentences.
Longer than I could imagine?
How long exactly? Three years? Five years? Or ten years?
But no matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn't recall.
And in my memory, my first meeting with Qing Dai was only during that funeral carriage ride.
Master said my destiny was naturally prone to attracting ghosts.
That I could live to this age was definitely due to good deeds in a past life, with the help of a "benefactor."
And I guessed that this "benefactor" was most likely Qing Dai.
Did Qing Dai protect me since I was born?
If that were the case.
I could only guess that perhaps the time of our interaction was in a past life...
But this felt too mystical...
Even I, myself, could hardly believe it.
Qing Dai was also the biggest question in my life since I entered this profession.
Besides her name, I knew nothing of her identity, origins, or experiences.
Yet, she protected me, saving me time and again.
Clearly possessing immense strength, capable of dealing with the Headless Fiend and defeating the Yellow Weasel Old Woman in a few moves.
But why, a month ago, when I was haunted by that car accident female ghost and nearly pushed off a cliff,
Didn't she just eliminate her? She only subtly pushed my back, preventing me from falling.
The more I thought, the more troubled and confused I became.
Let alone figuring out these reasons.
I didn't even know what Qing Dai looked like.
However, Qing Dai also said that as long as I gained basic self-protection abilities.
And opened my Soul Palace, she would take off her mask and meet me.
This goal seemed not too far off.
After all, my current cultivation level was at the Spirit Spring realm.
The Spirit Spring realm and the Soul Palace realm were separated by only one stage, the Qi Absorption realm.
Thinking of this, I took a deep breath.
My motivation and goal for cultivation became even stronger.
One day, I would surely achieve it.
And I would also thoroughly understand.
This ghost, Qing Dai, who claimed to have known me for a long time and saved me multiple times.
What kind of connection and relationship existed between us that made her protect and save me so much...