Chapter 23
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Chapter 23: Lights Out!
The Sacrifice to King Daming of the Sand Region is a grand celebration lasting for one month.
Once upon a time, countless out-of-towners would come here to witness the excitement every July.
Thousands of people would gather together, like a river flowing across the land.
The cheers of the celebration rolled from the south of the mountain all the way to the north.
But everything changed after the unknown immortal descended from the sky three thousand years ago.
He smashed the highest peak of Ancient Mingzhou and drank up the longest river in the region.
With the shattering of the Ten Thousand Poison Pearl and the Immortal himself, the vitality of the earth vanished.
Yellow sand flooded Mingzhou with a fierce wind. Mountains, rivers, villages, and cities—unless protected by cultivators—could not withstand the storm that raged for months.
Even a cultivator could hardly survive such a disaster.
Their strength was only relative to the average person. Before that Immortal, they were as weak as silkworms.
No one knows how powerful the Immortal truly was.
His appearance was abrupt.
And just as suddenly, he disappeared.
His name no longer exists in this world—only the scars he left behind remain, etched into the land of The East Divine Land.
Even though rain falls and snow stretches for miles, three thousand years later, the scars still remain, never erased.
The history of humanity is mostly a story of struggle.
They have come a long way from drinking blood and eating grass.
No matter how great the suffering, it never fully crushed them.
The flame of hope has been passed down through generations. Originally just a few glowing embers—rivaling the fireflies of night—it later grew into a flame that illuminated the mountains and fields.
Then, as twinkling stars, it hung high in the sky, quietly watching over the land.
The changes from Mingzhou to the Sand Region did not defeat the people who lived here.
No amount of sand could stop them from rebuilding their homes!
Thus, settlements appeared. Towns were established. The order of the country was gradually restored.
“Although life is hard, they still live with great effort.”
That’s probably the norm for ordinary people.
Bai Lian crouched at the bow of the Cloud Chasing Boat, lightly stroking the deck, gazing out at the endless sandy sea glimmering silver in the moonlight.
Su Youwei and Hong Yi, standing next to her, both nodded in unison.
The two of them moved in perfect sync, as if copied and pasted together.
It’s wonderful.
Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian said it perfectly!
Bai Lian turned her head and stared at Su Youwei and Hong Yi, who were smiling out of the corners of their eyes.
Cuteness comes in many forms, but…
What’s this about?
Bai Lian hopelessly shrugged her shoulders.
She remembered the incident from earlier that day. She had originally planned to sneak into the Sand Region with her master for a “two-person life,” but before she could act, her sharp-nosed third Martial Sister had arrived at her door with Hong Yi.
“Elder Martial Sister!”
The Third Martial Sister and Hong Yi sandwiched her between them, looking just like a sweet, delicious sandwich cookie.
Two pairs of red eyes glistened with tears, as if ready to shed them at any moment due to Bai Lian’s actions.
“At least please bring Hong Yi.”
The Third Martial Sister pleaded.
Bai Lian naturally shook her head in refusal.
That’s too dangerous!
Although her master was by her side to assist, the path ahead was still dark and uncertain.
Bai Lian didn’t even know what awaited her at the end—whether joy or pain. She would not let the Third Martial Sister take this risk.
These matters are too early for her!
“Wait until you grow a bit more. I promise I’ll bring you next time, along with our master.”
Bai Lian reached out and ruffled the Third Martial Sister’s hair.
The Third Martial Sister looked at her stubbornly.
Bai Lian knew exactly what she was thinking. “I’m not just a little girl anymore.”
But being little—or not—isn’t something you just say; it’s something you prove with actions.
“Be good, listen to me, and we can deal with this later.”
Bai Lian tried to console her, but her words were interrupted before they could even leave her mouth.
“Let’s go together then.”
An Lan spoke without looking up.
“But…”
Suddenly, An Lan lifted her head slowly. Mimicking her master’s authority, she furrowed her brow and said, “What is it this time? You don’t take me, your master, seriously again?”
I don’t dare!
In the end, Bai Lian had no choice but to reluctantly agree.
An Lan wanted to re-establish her authority and prestige as their master while maintaining the Elder Martial Sister’s dignity.
If the master had slapped her in front of her Martial Sisters without saying a word, how would she face them in the future?
“Humph!”
An Lan hummed softly, her face expressionless as she mixed the elixir.
Good!
Su Youwei’s heart soared. She wanted to rush up and kiss An Lan’s face fiercely.
How had she not noticed before just how cute both the Master and Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian were?
But she restrained herself. She didn’t want to provoke Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian’s sensitivities further.
If Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian insisted on defying her master’s wishes and got thrown out, then Su Youwei could only cry helplessly.
So, at noon on July 15th, Bai Lian hastily left the Duxian Sect.
They arrived near the Sand Region through the Heavenly Surveillance Talisman and quickly flew to the location marked by Martial Sister Lu in the Cloud Chasing Boat.
With her master’s efforts, Martial Sister Lu succeeded in restoring her physical body. However, as her soul was severely damaged, she still needed several hours of sleep before awakening.
She was now sleeping peacefully.
The soft moonlight bathed her body, as if draping her in a layer of watery gauze.
“Life is unpredictable.”
Bai Lian focused her attention on the map.
The location marked with a red circle was deep within the Sand Region.
There were many oases there—rare and serene spots within the Sand Region.
Before coming, Bai Lian consulted The Records of Ancient Mingzhou, which stated that it was once the headquarters of the Shangyang Immortal Sect.
Shangyang Immortal Sect was a soul-cultivating sect founded tens of thousands of years ago in Mingzhou. At its peak, it was one of the four great sects.
Even when that Immortal descended, Shangyang Immortal Sect was still one of the major sects in the East Divine Land.
[That day, the Shangyang Immortal Sect opened an altar for preaching.]
[The glorious rays of light flew in from the sky, and an ethereal sound emerged from the clouds and mist. The Sect Leader of the Shangyang Immortal Sect, Master Sun, little did he know, it was the last brilliance of the Shangyang Immortal Sect!]
[…]
[The Heaven’s Fire tore apart the Shrine of Immortals.]
[The Immortal transformed into a monster and shattered the protective magic array of the Shangyang Immortal Sect, scattering it like snowflakes.]
To protect their homes, countless cultivators fought hard.
They either faced the Immortal alone or formed armies to trap it.
Even if they burned their souls and sacrificed their bodies, they could not stop the frenzied Immortal.
They could only watch helplessly as the Immortal crushed the entrance to the Immortal Sect, ground down their ancestral land, and slaughtered the guardian beasts that had kept vigil over the Immortal Sect since its founding.
Blood stained the sky.
Countless people shed tears, like the rain falling.
Just reading these words in the book, Bai Lian could imagine how desperate the situation was then.
Otherwise, how could the Sect Leader of such a prestigious sect turn into a fool, laughing and crying uncontrollably on the roadside?
“Why… Why… Why?”
Yes.
Why?
Why did such a powerful Immortal suddenly go mad?
That day, children waited for their parents to come home from the fields.
That day, wives waited for their husbands returning from delivering goods.
That day, countless separations became permanent goodbyes.
Three thousand years later, no one has found the answer. And three thousand years later, those who died in the turmoil still cannot rest in peace.
Bai Lian sighed.
Thinking about these things is now useless. Even if she wanted to uncover the answer, there was nowhere left to search.
The immediate priority is to find a way to get rid of the Immortal World’s guests who seek the Ten Thousand Poison Pearl.
Only through hard work can one achieve success.
Go for it, Bai Lian!
Just then, An Lan, who had been sleeping in a chair, suddenly stood up.
Da da da.
She walked to the right side of the Cloud Chasing Boat, saying nothing.
Then, she froze, standing like a pine tree.
“Master?”
Bai Lian called out in confusion, but An Lan didn’t respond.
Something’s wrong!
And it’s a big problem!
Besides in the Past World and the Return Ruins, Bai Lian had never seen her master so out of control.
She could no longer sit still. She stood up, hurried to her master, and followed her gaze, looking westward into the dark night.
The moonlight on this night was gentle yet bright.
Even without any spells, Bai Lian could see the distant scene clearly.
The night sky was deep blue, speckled with countless bright yellow stars. Below, the town’s festival lanterns burned warmly.
Everything was peaceful.
But on this starry night, a dark ink slowly crept out from the edges of the canvas, like waves rolling in from the seashore.
Wherever it passed, all light was consumed.
Bai Lian held her breath.
After a moment, she hurriedly turned her head away.
She saw something horrifying. Staring too long at the enormous black curtain seemed to drain the light from her eyes.
“Don’t look.”
Bai Lian covered the Third Martial Sister’s eyes.
“Well…”
The Third Martial Sister waved her hands around, unsure of what to do.
Bai Lian’s chest was tapped several times, but her attention was far from the gesture.
She didn’t know what it was.
She knew the journey to the Sand Region would be just as dangerous as the System had foretold.
Perhaps she shouldn’t have come, or perhaps not now.
“It’s getting dark.”
At that moment, An Lan’s voice rang out.
Bai Lian nodded.
Indeed.
Maybe this is the true night.
She asked, “Master, what exactly is this?”
An Lan answered, “Hate, anger, discontent, jealousy, fear…”
Bai Lian was stunned.
An Lan continued, “It’s something far more difficult to handle than Erosion Sand.”
Now Bai Lian understood why it was still dangerous for her master to accompany her.
A shadow crept into her heart.
But she didn’t show any sign of distress, as usual. Instead, she carefully turned the Third Martial Sister’s head in the other direction and warned, “No matter what, you must not look at that black curtain. Understand? You too.”
The Third Martial Sister and Hong Yi nodded blankly.
“Go have a rest first.”
“Yes, Elder Martial Sister.”
Bai Lian quietly stood beside An Lan.
A quarter of an hour later, the Cloud Chasing Boat sailed through the starry night, halting outside an ancient city named Xiwu.
Martial Sister Lu’s home was located in the northern part of the city.
Bai Lian didn’t rush to disembark. She remained on the boat for a while, waiting for Martial Sister Lu to finally awaken from her deep slumber.
In truth, it hadn’t even been twelve hours since they left.
But for Lu Wantong, the journey felt endless, as though she would never escape it in her lifetime.
She had a dream.
In her dream, she returned to her childhood.
That time was full of cherished memories.
She was innocent and carefree back then.
Being the eldest daughter of the Lu family, she was raised to be a lady.
The Lu family, the people of Xiwu City, even those from nearby clans and sects—everyone held her in high regard.
Unlike the common folk who struggled to make a living, she had the privilege of dreaming.
Yes.
In this barren world dominated by sand dunes, even the luxury of dreaming seemed out of reach!
She had many dreams.
She dreamed of becoming like King Daming, a hero who would restore the Sand Region to the beautiful Mingzhou with lush mountains and clear rivers.
But as she grew, she came to understand—dreams are just dreams.
She wasn’t ordinary.
Her birth was far from humble, and her talents made many envious.
But she could never be a hero.
[To become a hero requires immense strength!]
She never had such power, and it seemed she never would.
No one who couldn’t even save their own father could hope to rescue the distressed state of Mingzhou.
This overwhelming sense of helplessness surged within her, waking Lu Wantong from her dream.
She wished she had never “woken up.”
When she opened her eyes, she realized she had split into two.
She quietly watched her other self, still innocently dreaming.
Time and again, the same image played out before her eyes.
From hope to self-doubt, to completely abandoning the dreams she once held dear.
Not only her dreams, but the warmth of her body too.
Lu Wantong felt as though she wasn’t standing on sand, but on a snowfield, amidst a flurry of snow.
Her lips trembled.
She tried to plead with her other self to stop, but no matter how hard she tried, the other couldn’t hear her.
Because…
Lu Wantong’s hands hung helplessly at her sides.
She knew it was all in the past.
No matter how hard she tried, she could not change the established facts.
“Is this powerlessness?”
Ha-ha.
A strange smile spread across Lu Wantong’s face.
She knew she shouldn’t be doing this, but she couldn’t help herself.
Whenever that past haunted her, the darkness in her heart only grew wider. Eventually, she would fall into despair because she had denied her own present.
Lu Wantong sank to the ground.
She waited quietly for the inevitable outcome.
But just as she was about to give up, a familiar voice called out from above her head.
“Martial Sister Lu.”
“Wake up, Martial Sister Lu.”
“What’s wrong with your eyes?”
Eyes?
Lu Wantong touched her eyes uncertainly, only to find darkness before her.
How did this happen?
She struggled to open her eyes, and a glimmer of light appeared. She pushed harder and finally broke through the fog.
She emerged from the dreamscape in a sudden jolt.
Lu Wantong understood.
Before her stood Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian, a hint of worry in her expression.
“Here…”
She didn’t ask foolishly if this was the netherworld.
Looking at the familiar sky above her, she suddenly realized—this was Xiwu City, her hometown!
Bai Lian sighed in relief. “Martial Sister Lu, you’ve finally woken up.”
Lu Wantong opened her mouth, forcing a small smile. “Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian, why did you save me?”
“Because…” Bai Lian paused for a moment, “You’re not a bad person, right?”
Lu Wantong was stunned. “For that reason?”
But the moment the words left her mouth, she realized her mistake.
She was speaking to Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian!
Before earning the title of White Emperor, Bai Lian had been famous for being the Natural Saint.
This “Saint” wasn’t just about her gifts, but her heart as well.
Bai Lian thought for a moment and added, “Let me think of another reason… hmm, because you’re my Martial Sister?”
“…”
Lu Wantong fell silent.
At that moment, her heart stopped.
Now that things had come to this, could Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian still see her as a true Martial Sister?
Even though Lu Wantong had made amends, she had still hurt Elder Martial Sister Su Youwei.
“Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian…”
Her voice trembled.
“Alright, stop thinking about it. Let me take you back home to see it for yourself.”
Bai Lian gently placed a hand on Lu Wantong’s shoulder. Lu Wantong naturally leaned into her chest.
This should have been a peaceful and harmonious scene.
Just then, Bai Lian felt a strange gaze from behind.
In an instant, two task options appeared.
Task 1: Continue holding Martial Sister Lu.
Task 2: Help straighten Martial Sister Lu up.
Which would she choose?
Task 2!
“Martial Sister Lu, let’s set off.”
Bai Lian stood up, her face serious.
Lu Wantong murmured, “Ah, yes.”
Bai Lian didn’t spare a glance behind her.
At that moment, An Lan, Su Youwei, and Hong Yi’s vision returned to normal.
“Let’s go.”
An Lan spoke softly.
Together, they left the Cloud Chasing Boat and made their way towards Xiwu City. The dark curtain loomed on the horizon, preparing to descend.
Yellow sand, towering city, starry nights—a distant black curtain like a rolling wave.
These fleeting images painted an extraordinary night in the Sand Region.
