Chapter 18 Part 1
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Chapter 18: Uncovering Shortcuts to Gaining Deeper Insight Into Bai Lian! (1)
Bai Lian sat perched on a crooked tree, growing from the crack in the jagged cliff.
The moonlight softly bathed her water-blue dress.
A gentle evening breeze whispered through the air.
The blue-gray earrings swayed with the wind, and a layer of hazy starlight gathered around her.
From a distance, it seemed as though the dazzling galaxy of stars had been captured by her, swirling around her like graceful dancers in long flowing sleeves.
Listening to the faint tinkling of the bell, Bai Lian gently pressed her fair, pale right hand against the mischievous earrings.
Then, she lifted her eyes, filled with emotion, and gazed at the cold moon above.
“Is it a draw?”
In truth, this was quite acceptable.
If the Second Martial Sister and Third Martial Sister were to settle their differences with a final match, the one who lost would inevitably lower their stance afterward.
Although the conflict between the two might not erupt again soon, this wasn’t the outcome Bai Lian desired.
She deeply hoped that the second and third Martial Sisters could become friends, sharing good things with each other.
It was a difficult task.
But how could one reach the other shore of happiness without attempting it?
“Let’s start with the most informed competitors first!”
Bai Lian stretched leisurely, raising her hands.
Under the sheer veil, the mountains seemed to quiver softly along with her stretch.
The water-blue skirt, like a serene lake, rippled lightly.
A wave of refreshing pleasure washed over her.
The ripples spread outward in all directions, cascading down her arms and legs, then dissolving into the clear night sky.
After a few seconds, everything returned to normal.
Bai Lian lightly clenched her fists.
It seemed her injury had improved considerably.
A slight adjustment to her cultivation method had brought about the Water Wave Special Effect.
She stood up.
It was time to head back.
Although the big competition had ended, there were still many things for her to take care of.
These tasks had originally been delegated to the Second Martial Sister, but with her injury, Bai Lian had to take them on herself.
She couldn’t expect the master to handle them, could she?
Forget it.
Bai Lian was completely unsettled.
In her opinion, the master’s abilities were even worse than the Fifth Martial Sister’s.
“So, it has to be me!”
Her eyes were determined, filled with enthusiasm.
Raising “children” was no problem for her.
She could raise the master, along with the four Martial Sisters and the jade rabbit!
Although she was poor now, the food she could use to support them was like water in a sponge—she would always find a way to squeeze it out.
Bai Lian ascended the stone steps.
The bright moonlight stretched her shadow long.
Her body, evenly proportioned, appeared like an angel draped in a mantle of moonlight, brushed free of dust.
…
In the following days, both the Duxian sect and the small town at the mountain’s base grew even livelier.
The reason was simple.
The much-anticipated Duxian Sect’s Immortality Promotion Meeting was officially opening on March 20th!
Seekers of immortality from all directions were filled with excitement.
Of course, this included Lu Wantong, who had resolutely committed to fulfilling her task.
She walked down the bustling street, where some people were discussing the Immortality Promotion Meeting, while others talked about the recent big competition.
“Follow White Emperor Bai Lian, and you’ll have a feast!”
“Back then, Xiao Jinse went from being a nobody to one of the strongest newcomers of the Duxian Sect. It’s no problem for me, Chen Batian, to rise from a night-soil worker to a Tomb Excavator of the Demon Sect!”
“I heard Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian prefers disciples, no, Martial Sisters with a miserable background!”
“That’s me! My father died when I was three, my mother when I was five, no relatives to care for me—I grew up scavenging for food. Do they understand my plight?!”
“…”
Lu Wantong stood speechless, shocked by what she heard.
She had figured it out now.
Qiongming Peak had become the most coveted peak to join in the Duxian Sect.
Even if it opened for recruitment, it would be difficult for her to get in.
With this sorrow on her mind, Lu Wantong finally arrived at the Immortality Promotion Meeting.
On March 20th, the sun shone brightly.
Lu Wantong had applied a spirited makeup and bowed to the family gods before leaving.
At noon, she arrived at the open space outside the Duxian Sect’s mountain gate, surrounded by others.
This was where the dream began!
For many, it was also where their dreams shattered.
Most people left with desperate expressions, some even bursting into tears.
“Three years, three more! It’s been ten years already, Big Brother, give me a chance!”
“I want to avenge my family. If I can’t cultivate, what can I do to fight those people?”
“Father, I failed you. I couldn’t fulfill your last wish.”
Such is life.
The stage in the East Divine Land was vast, but not everyone could showcase their talents.
Lu Wantong clenched her fist.
No matter what, she didn’t want to be one of the “losers.”
She wanted to cure her father.
She wanted to become a strong Transcendency Stage cultivator.
She wanted the world to know her name: Lu Wantong!
“Lu Wantong!”
At that moment, her name was called from afar.
Lu Wantong tapped her wooden sword lightly and walked towards the aptitude testing table with a cold expression.
She was upset.
But not because she worried about failing the assessment.
She was just afraid she wouldn’t be able to connect with Bai Lian…
“Ah! It’s Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian!”
“Where? Where?”
The noise made Lu Wantong stop.
She quickly turned her head, spotting a peaceful young girl emerging from the Duxian Sect’s gate, like a mountain snow lotus.
Her breath caught.
This face—it was exactly the same as the one she had seen that day!
Bai Lian had arrived.
She came with great enthusiasm.
[Life is a journey of self-cultivation.]
Was there a better place than the Immortality Promotion Meeting to earn skill points at this time?
Probably not.
Bai Lian had only taken a few steps when she triggered three tasks in a row.
One to run errands and deliver mail.
One to take vengeance for those who suffered at the hands of usurers.
One to encourage those who had despaired after failing the test.
Even with three heads and six arms, Bai Lian would be far too busy to handle it all.
But Bai Lian had her way of managing things.
Her injury had improved greatly, and she could now create four avatars.
With proper time management, she could easily cope with these tasks—even if they doubled.
“Take it easy, take your time.”
That smile, that voice, reminded Lu Wantong of that rainy day and Bai Lian.
If it had been her, she would never have interacted with a distracted stranger in the rain.
But Bai Lian did.
Not only did she interact, but she also stepped out today to comfort those who had failed to enter the Duxian Sect.
“Is this Natural Saint?”
Lu Wantong murmured to herself.
Bai Lian was the bright moon of the sky, and she—she was the withered grass on the ground.
Could it really be right for her to do something detrimental to Bai Lian for her own selfish reasons?
In that moment, Lu Wantong’s heart was stirred.