The Book Soul Chronicles: Godslayer

Chapter 187 Entering the Mortal World

Ye Ling snapped out of her daze, confused by the wet sensation on her cheek.

She reached out her small, delicate hand and gently touched her cheek, but her fingertips touched the rolling tears.

Those glistening tears, like spring water welling up from the depths of her heart, moistened her cheeks and her heart.

Ye Ling was stunned, her eyes filled with confusion. Was she crying? Why were she crying? And why did she feel so sad?

She slowly placed her hand on her heart, trying to feel the slight throbbing, but even so, she still couldn't understand this sudden emotion.

That tiny heart seemed to be telling a story, yet she couldn't quite grasp it.

Ye Ling was still immersed in that inexplicable emotion, but gradually, she seemed to realize that something was wrong. A flash of inspiration struck her, and in an instant, the fog in her mind was blown away as if by a gust of wind, and everything became clear.

She had already returned to the cultivation world, and everything here was a thing of the past, yet she actually relived her life once again according to her own memories.

She remembers that she was once incomplete, devoid of any emotions. She recalls very few details, and even her more than 20 years of life are only a vague concept in her memory.

She couldn't recall exactly what happened; those memories were like weathered stones, leaving only fragmented outlines.

But now, she felt such genuine sadness, as if those forgotten memories were slowly returning to her, awakening the dormant emotions deep within her heart.

A complex mix of emotions welled up within her, a mixture of confusion about the past and unease about the future.

She didn't know where these resurgent memories and emotions would lead her, but she knew that she was no longer the naive and ignorant person she once was.

Ye Ling already understood that this was probably a carefully arranged plan by the seniors in the sect.

She cultivated the path of ruthlessness, but now that her life is repeating itself, perhaps it is precisely to allow her to see through the illusions of the mortal world and truly embark on the path of cultivation.

To cultivate the path of ruthlessness, one must sever worldly ties and relinquish the seven emotions and six desires in order to be able to focus wholeheartedly on the path of cultivation.

However, due to the lack of emotional connection in the past, although it was later made up for, she was still as ignorant as a newborn baby, and her understanding of love remained only superficial.

If things continue like this, she will only have one foot in the door of the ruthless path, unable to step in or retreat. This is not what she wants, nor is it what those people want.

She needs to enter the mortal world, to experience the myriad aspects of human life anew, to find liberation from it, to see through the illusions of the world, and to formally begin her journey. But time waits for no one, and there are too many dangers and too great risks.

Reliving her life allows her to hone her character through experience, see through the various emotions of the world, and ultimately reach a state of tranquility.

However, Ye Ling still felt that everything was somewhat hazy at this moment, and those complex emotions were like entwined vines, making them difficult for her to grasp.

She knew she needed to continue experiencing, to feel the subtle differences in each emotion, and to understand the meaning behind them.

Only in this way can she truly see through the illusions of the mortal world and embark on the path of cultivation.

Therefore, Ye Ling decided to follow her past life path step by step. In order to better experience it, she sealed her memories until the tribulation of the mortal world was broken. Either she would attain enlightenment and move forward without hesitation, or her Dao heart would be shattered, which would save her trouble.

However, her strength was too low to immediately affect this place. Helpless, she could only seal her memories little by little, just like the goddess had done before, and choose to slowly forget them. After a few years, she would completely forget these things and be able to immerse herself in the experience.

She knew the outcome of many things clearly and understood the regrets involved, but her intuition prevented her from ever trying to intervene.

She knew how her life would unfold and how things would go, but she patiently continued as if she knew nothing at all.

This experience was both novel and painful, as if she were observing her own life from the sidelines, yet unable to change anything. She could only let her emotions rise and fall within her, experiencing every joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.

Ye Ling grew up slowly, and her childhood was spent in the countryside. This was both a blessing and a curse.

Fortunately, the internet had not yet reached the countryside at that time, and her childhood was not trapped in online videos and games, nor was she bound by the virtual world.

She could run freely in the fields, chase butterflies, play hide-and-seek, and feel the embrace of nature. Unfortunately, living conditions in the countryside were relatively harsh, resources were scarce, and opportunities for learning were relatively limited.

When Ye Ling was a child, the village primary school was where her education began. It was a small school with few children; each grade had only one class, with a total of just a few dozen students.

The neighbors all know each other and are familiar with one another. The laughter of children echoes in the schoolyard; that innocence and simplicity is something hard to find in the city.

Ye Ling spent her first two years of school life here. Although the conditions were simple, she gained many precious memories.

Memories are always imbued with beautiful colors, as if those past fragments are gilded with a golden glow.

However, memory is not always reliable; it is like a fickle painter, inadvertently altering the original colors.

When those sweet memories come flooding back, the hurts that were once subconsciously ignored also quietly surface, like hidden reefs in the shadows, catching people off guard.

When Ye Ling experienced all of this again, she suddenly realized that there really were so many bad traits in human nature.

She used to be like an emotionless puppet, completely oblivious to any grievances.

Even when she was bullied, she was completely unaware, and when she did realize it, she just felt bored.

All she could do was silently endure it, believing that time would take everything away and let those unpleasant memories gradually fade away.

However, once she developed feelings, everything changed.

Feeling wronged, helpless, and sad were her constant companions. She watched the mockery of those who bullied her and their deliberate attempts to humiliate her, and she felt only shame and powerlessness.

She knew those experiences were in the past and she couldn't change anything, but those memories were like a merciless knife, piercing her heart and causing her excruciating pain.

She often recalled her grandparents' teachings, who always told her to be kind to others and to know how to yield. She tried to put these teachings into practice, but in the end, she only gained wounds that could not be healed.

When she was little, her cousin bit her for no reason, and blood gushed from the bite mark, causing her to cry in pain.

She cried and told her grandparents that she hoped they would stand up for her, but they just gently comforted her: "Don't be afraid, the wound isn't big. Don't hold it against your sister. Stay away from her in the future."

She remembered how much she longed for her family's comfort and how much she hoped they would stand up for her. But when she looked at them with such expectant eyes in their warm embrace, all she got in return were their complicated looks, awkward smiles, and a conversation that downplayed the issue.

At that moment, Ye Ling was clearly in their warm embrace, so why did her heart feel so cold? She could see the disappointment and helplessness with her own eyes.

She could only watch, tears welling in her eyes, as her younger sister smugly mocked her in her aunt's arms.

She doesn't remember whether she reacted at the time; perhaps she chose to pretend she didn't see it so as not to embarrass her grandparents.

However, once she developed feelings, she only felt wronged. She thought her aunt would scold her for her sister's mistake, or at least make her apologize, but nothing happened.

Her aunt just pretended to scold her with affection, "How could you bite your sister?" At that moment, her hand hurt, but her heart hurt even more.

She felt incredibly embarrassed; the other person's blatant provocation and smiling face felt like an invisible slap in her face.

She desperately wanted to escape, but being so young, she didn't dare to be as unrestrained as the other girl. She could only lower her eyes and show weakness, or rather, she was trying to escape.

Young Ye Ling began to question in her heart why things were not as she had imagined.

Why is it that I am blamed or even punished for the same mistake, while my sister can get away with it?

She clearly remembered that if she had done such a thing, her grandparents would have scolded her severely, and might even have beaten her.

But what about my sister?

Her parents doted on her, and even her grandparents treated her better than they treated themselves.

This unfair treatment weighed on her heart like a heavy stone, making it hard for her to breathe.

She began to wonder if those so-called kindness and concessions were just shackles used by others to bind her.

But can those who are spoiled and willful really hurt others without restraint?

Ye Ling's heart was filled with confusion and pain. She began to understand that love is a double-edged sword; it brought her love and warmth, but it also brought her grievances and injustice.

She began to yearn for equal treatment, for genuine respect.

But no, no one cared about her thoughts. She didn't even expect that her subsequent experiences would be even more humiliating, causing her personality to change drastically until she was unrecognizable.

Later, she finally reached the age to attend primary school in the town. This was a completely new beginning for her, and she eagerly looked forward to playing and learning with her peers.

After all, she had always been the eldest child in the family and had to give way to her younger siblings. Now she finally had the chance to break free from that situation.

However, when she actually stepped into that primary school, she realized that she had simply jumped from one fire pit into another.

Ye Ling went to make new friends with great anticipation, but she soon realized that the children here were completely different from what she had imagined.

Perhaps because they grew up in remote and impoverished areas, these children learned to read people's expressions and weigh the pros and cons from a young age.

Children like Ye Ling, who have neither background nor power, naturally become the lowest class in their eyes.

At first, Ye Ling didn't notice anything unusual. Although the other children showed her obvious malice, she always naively thought it was just because they were all children and their minds were not yet mature.

Therefore, she still tried her best to integrate into this new environment and get along well with her classmates.

However, as time went by, Ye Ling was completely unaware that she had a fatal problem.

Because she has always followed her grandparents' teachings and always yielded to them, this habit has been deeply ingrained in her behavior.

Whether faced with bullying or unfair treatment from classmates, she habitually chooses to compromise.

The other children at school seemed to have noticed this as well, and they began to ostracize and bully Ye Ling even more.

She kept her lips tightly shut, not daring to utter a single word, trying to please them with trepidation, her heart filled with unease and fear.

She knew all too well that if a conflict arose with them, no one would stand by her side; even her family might ignore her. So, who in this world could help her?

Therefore, even at a young age, Ye Ling learned to read people's expressions and knew how to please those who were beneficial to her.

She naively believed that as long as she blindly obeyed them, she could live peacefully every day until one day she could leave this place and completely forget them.

However, fate always seems to enjoy playing tricks on people. One day, Ye Ling's other cousin and a female classmate conspired to prank Ye Ling to add some fun to their mundane lives.

Among these children, there was a spoiled brat who was very much loved because she had a brother who doted on her.

More importantly, her brother was the school bully's henchman. Because he was eloquent and had the bully's deep trust, he was practically their favorite.

Ye Ling sat quietly in the classroom, surrounded by tranquility. However, this tranquility was shattered by a group of people who suddenly barged in.

The girl, leading a group of people, walked aggressively up to Ye Ling and questioned her bluntly, "Ye Ling, they said you were talking about me behind my back?"

Her tone was full of hostility, and even her eyes revealed a strong sense of wickedness, as if Ye Ling had become her prey.

Ye Ling was startled by this sudden question; her heart raced and her face turned pale.

Countless thoughts flashed through her mind: fear of being ostracized, isolated, or beaten; even more fear that her family would be disappointed in her if they found out, and might even say that if she hadn't done something wrong, why would others bully her?

These fears completely robbed Ye Ling of her ability to think; she didn't even notice the wicked amusement and amused expressions on the faces of the children behind her.

Ye Ling's face suddenly turned deathly pale, and her body trembled slightly, but she still tried her best to calm herself down.

She took a deep breath and tried to defend herself in a calm voice: "Why would I say that about you? Who told you that I was talking badly about you behind your back?"

The girl seemed surprised that Ye Ling would ask a question in return. She paused for a moment, then replied, "My cousin told me."

Ye Ling's gaze slowly shifted to the girl beside her who looked on with amusement, her eyes filled with disbelief.

This girl was actually her cousin! Moreover, unlike the kinship she had with her neighbors, they were real blood relatives!

Ye Ling felt a sharp pain in her heart, as if she had been stabbed. She never imagined that her cousin would treat her like this.

Among the relatives, this cousin was always her most beloved child, and her care for her was meticulous.

However, her cousin's actions at that moment were like a sharp blade, piercing straight into her heart.

Ye Ling's face, which was already pale from shock, became even more bloodless and frighteningly pale.

She felt as if her body had been drained, leaving her weak and powerless. But she knew very well that this was not the time to be sad or upset, because she realized that they were targeting her, and that it was all premeditated.

Ye Ling couldn't help but question her sharply, "Tingting, did you say that? I said bad things about her."

For a moment she panicked, feeling guilty and not daring to look at Ye Ling, but she still stubbornly pointed to a girl on the other side and said, "Lanlan and I heard it together. If you don't believe me, ask her."

Ye Ling was shocked by her shamelessness, but what was ridiculous was that another girl said with a smile, "Yes, we heard it. You were the one who said bad things about Xiaoyu."