Chapter 11 Part 1
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Chapter 11 Part 1: An Lan’s Great Victory! (1)
Cultivators rarely concern themselves with events like birthdays, unless there’s some ulterior motive involved.
After all, the path of cultivation is long and grueling. Seekers often live for centuries, and in the blink of an eye, a hundred years
can pass with profound transformations. Many face the loss of old friends while meeting new ones, and so the notion of
celebrating their own birthday seems trivial.
For those walking the Tao, worrying about their birthday and exerting effort to celebrate it would likely hinder their cultivation.
Given this, An Lan hadn’t celebrated her own birthday since leaving home to cultivate with her master at the age of ten. Even
when she ascended to the title of Heavenly Lord, a figure of immense power across 3000 realms, she never sought recognition
for her birthday.
Countless years flowed by like water, and An Lan no longer even remembered what her master had looked like, let alone cared
about her own birthday.
However, everything changed when she met Bai Lian.
At first, An Lan was indifferent to Bai Lian’s excitement. Though she saw Bai Lian standing alone, her expression somewhat
sorrowful, An Lan remained silently observing from behind a tree.
It wasn’t that An Lan’s heart was cold, nor did she look down on Bai Lian. She simply believed that everything in life was but a
fleeting dream or illusion. While it was beautiful, becoming too attached would only cause unnecessary trouble for both herself
and others. So, she erected an invisible wall between herself and others.
And so, An Lan was clear in her intentions: she wasn’t singling out Bai Lian. She just didn’t want anyone approaching her.
Her actions, surprisingly, had the desired effect. Even Yan Yue, who once clung to her, was now kept at a distance. Other people like Jue Yunzi, with whom she had no close bond, were easily kept away.
Yet, even as the Immortal Heavenly Lord, An Lan couldn’t control every aspect of her world.
Two “abnormalities” arose among those she encountered.
The first was Yan Xiyi, the former leader of the Duxian sect. What was once thought to be an honest person turned out to be
deceitful, causing a great deal of trouble. He foiled An Lan’s escape from the Duxian sect, bringing her into contact with others
she would rather avoid.
The second “abnormality” was Bai Lian, whom she had brought back on a whim.
An Lan still couldn’t quite understand why she had decided to take Bai Lian as a disciple that clear morning. Perhaps it was
because she had grown too tired. She opened her backyard to Bai Lian, who began causing trouble. Even more irritatingly, Bai
Lian visited her cave frequently, stirring up a mix of emotions in An Lan.
Ultimately, Bai Lian had some appeal, otherwise, An Lan would have kicked her out long ago.
“Alas.”
Beneath the moonlit night, perched atop a crooked tree on the cliffside, An Lan sighed as she propped up her cheek.
Tonight’s moon was particularly full and round, and An Lan felt this might be the last time she endured the burden of hosting Bai
Lian. Her mind wasn’t as broad as Bai Lian had described, and it was already on the verge of breaking from trying to
accommodate her.
With this realization, An Lan’s expression brightened. She gazed out into the swaying bamboo forest, now anticipating the rest of
the night. What gift would Bai Lian bring her?
In order to maintain the sense of anticipation, An Lan had deliberately ignored Bai Lian’s movements in the past few days,
retreating to her cave.
But now, after a quarter of an hour had passed, An Lan began to grow impatient.
What was going on? It was nearly the end of the day, and Bai Lian hadn’t shown up yet.
“Could she have forgotten what day it is?”
The more An Lan thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
In frustration, she stood up suddenly, snapping the branch beneath her with a sharp crack.
An Lan was enraged. Bai Lian had wasted her emotions, and she needed to teach this rebellious disciple a lesson!
Just as she was about to use her Divine Sense to check on Bai Lian’s whereabouts, she heard a melodious voice that sounded
like a warbler from the bamboo forest.
“Bai Lian, you’re proficient in all arts, truly astounding.”
It was Yan Yue’s voice.
Bai Lian’s voice followed immediately.
“Yan… Martial Master Yan Yue, thank you. I’m not as good as you say.”
Ah, she’s coming!
An Lan’s eyes lit up, and her anger vanished as quickly as it had come. A smile crept onto her lips involuntarily.
Bai Lian had indeed remembered her birthday!
An Lan quickly composed herself, assuming an indifferent posture, as though admiring the moon.
She didn’t forget to insert the broken branch back into place.
A master must maintain dignity, and no celebration should cause her to waver.
Bai Lian, on the other hand, was in turmoil.
She hadn’t expected Yan Yue to follow her. The system had suggested a task to drive Yan Yue away, but before she could make a
decision, Yan Yue had taken the initiative to approach.
The reason was simple.
[How could I possibly miss celebrating the birthday of my esteemed Elder Martial Sister?]
Bai Lian had no choice but to let Yan Yue accompany her.
She was anxious, dreading that this joyous occasion would devolve into a confrontation between sisters.
As this troubling situation loomed, Bai Lian almost blurted out Yan Yue’s name, but fortunately, the system intervened, reminding
her to address Yan Yue properly as “Martial Master Yan Yue.”
Perhaps this was the beginning of an emotionally charged journey.
Allocating skill points was enjoyable, but when caught between her master and Yan Yue, Bai Lian realized that she couldn’t bear
the tension.
Damn it!
Bai Lian sighed, secretly wishing she could take a beating from her master rather than endure this agonizing dilemma.
In the bamboo clearing, An Lan appeared like a celestial fairy from the moon palace.
“Master.”
An Lan lowered her head when she heard the voice and asked, “What brings you to seek me?”
Before Bai Lian could respond, Yan Yue had already pulled out a large, multicolored bouquet from her robes.
“Elder Martial Sister, we’ve come to celebrate your birthday.”
Had this been the past, Yan Yue would have intentionally said “祝寿” (wishing you longevity) instead of “庆生” (celebrating your
birthday), just to annoy An Lan. But now, her mindset had shifted entirely.
An Lan was now her Elder Martial Sister, and in the future, perhaps, even her “mother-in-law.”
[Bai Lian and An Lan share a mother-daughter bond, and to win Bai Lian’s approval, one must first pass An Lan’s test.]
At the suggestion of the Blood Tree Patriarch, Yan Yue resolved to shed any lingering biases and seek An Lan’s favor.
Due to the rush of time, Bai Lian hadn’t been able to prepare a better gift, so she decided to offer the spiritual flowers she had
personally cultivated to express her feelings.
An Lan descended gracefully from the tree, emitting a soft “oh,” as though the matter was of little consequence to her.
“So, it’s because of such a trivial matter that you came, and I ended up forgetting that today is my birthday,” she remarked.
Bai Lian didn’t care whether her master remembered or not. If she had forgotten, Bai Lian would simply remind her.
“Master, I have specially prepared a banquet,” she said.
Yan Yue chimed in, “I have also contributed my share!”
Her tone was like that of a child eagerly seeking praise after a good deed, hoping for a reward.
However, the reward didn’t come. Instead, only a reprimand from An Lan echoed in her mind.
“Get away!” An Lan thought angrily. “Yan Yue, you annoying old woman, hurry up and leave me alone! Why did you even bother
putting in this effort? You insist on coming to Qiongming Peak and disturbing my peace. Be careful, or I’ll beat you to death.”
Despite these angry thoughts, An Lan managed to smile gently.
“Sister Yan Yue, thank you,” she said, with a smile.
Yan Yue, encouraged by this, beamed with happiness. She felt a sense of achievement.
Good! She had made a successful first move, bringing her closer to An Lan.
To ensure her progress wasn’t wasted, Yan Yue put in even more effort.
Since entering An Lan’s cave, she had stuck to her side, serving food and checking on her well-being. In the process, she seemed
to have forgotten about her original target, Bai Lian.
At the dinner table, Bai Lian was utterly dumbfounded. Her hand trembled slightly as she gripped her chopsticks.
What was Yan Yue doing?
Not long ago, this woman had coyly said to her, “Then you take care of me.” Yet now, she was shamelessly trying to please An
Lan right in front of Bai Lian.
Humph!
What was she trying to do? Compete with me?
Over my dead body!
Bai Lian seethed with anger, feeling the urge to pick up her chopsticks and stab Yan Yue’s backside directly. Her master was hers
and no one could take her away.
The atmosphere at the dinner table grew tense and eerie.
As the midnight hour drew nearer, Yan Yue showed no signs of leaving. An Lan had no choice but to feign exhaustion.
Fortunately, Yan Yue, perceptive as ever, recognized the signs. She quickly stated that since Elder Martial Sister was tired, she
didn’t want to bother her any longer.
After a moment, with a triumphant smile, Yan Yue left, brimming with excitement.
An Lan exhaled in relief.
Finally, we managed to get rid of this “light bulb”!
But the problem was, Bai Lian had left with Yan Yue as well.
“…”
In the comfort of her bed, An Lan reached out with her right hand, intending to detain Bai Lian, but she couldn’t think of a suitable
reason.
Should she directly order Bai Lian to stay for her birthday?
Ah, forget it. It’s all Yan Yue’s fault.
An Lan grew annoyed, and soon, her frustration shifted towards Bai Lian.
Though she didn’t know exactly what was bothering her, she was certain that Bai Lian was somehow at fault!
Lying on her back in bed, An Lan turned to face the wall. She pulled the quilt up, using magic to blow out the candles adorning the
walls.
The cave was plunged into darkness, the only light coming from the moon outside, casting a rippling, tranquil glow.
The night was calm, but An Lan’s inner turmoil was far from peaceful.
The more she lay there, the more she realized that the banquet had been lackluster. In fact, she even felt a slight ache in her
stomach.
She had heard that when people are disturbed or restless, it can cause discomfort in their stomach. Perhaps that was the reason?
An Lan sighed deeply.
She slowly withdrew her senses, attempting to enter a state of quiet contemplation, free from any external disturbance.
Just then, she heard a soft, delicate tinkling sound.
Da. Dada. Da.
A rhythmic sound, two light beats followed by a deeper one.
The sound stopped behind her, replaced by a slight abrasive sound, like sandpaper.
Down.
The sound approached steadily, and An Lan knew it was heading directly towards her ear.
Unable to sit still any longer, An Lan turned swiftly, like a black cat on alert. With a snap, she grabbed hold of a smooth, round arm
as white as a lotus root, hidden beneath the covers.
“Why are you here?”
In the dark, the “young girl’s” eyes gleamed with an ambiguous light.
Once her senses were restored, An Lan could clearly see and smell. Bai Lian’s right wrist was firmly gripped, while in her other
hand, she held a simple wooden box.
The two locked eyes in a brief moment of silence.
The two fragrances in the air mingled, creating a sense of intimacy, as though they were inseparable from each other.
An Lan’s stomach ache began to subside.
Her mood shifted, becoming more agitated under the teasing aroma. Even the furrowed brow relaxed slightly, her eyelids forming
a delicate upward curve.
However…
What is this rebellious disciple doing?
“Hmm?”
An Lan broke the silence, her tone sharp.
Bai Lian blinked away her embarrassment and explained, “I saw that you had already fallen asleep, so I thought I’d leave your
birthday gift by your pillow.”
“Oh.”
An Lan responded nonchalantly.
At this point, it was already late, and within another half-hour, the new day would begin.
Yet, her eldest disciple hadn’t forgotten the gift—this showed that she still had some filial piety in her heart!
An Lan lifted the blanket and got up, facing Bai Lian. “Bring it here.”
Bai Lian handed her the box.
An Lan “absentmindedly” opened the wooden box, and a shimmering light emerged, illuminating her face.
Inside the cushioned box lay a pendant with a distinct vertical shape, its length seeming to perfectly fit between “two peaks.”
Is that it?
An Lan quickly snatched the pendant.
Bai Lian added, “Master, this is something I made with my own hands.”
Her skills in alchemy and painting weren’t top-tier, but after reaching level 15, they were considered impressive.
At that moment, An Lan, focused on the pendant, was too captivated to listen to her explanation.
Her eyes, filled with charm, remained fixed on the pendant.
To her surprise, inside the crystal-clear pendant was a painting—a depiction of herself and Bai Lian. Both had smiles on their
faces, nearly pressed together.
No.
They were already pressed together.
An Lan clearly saw Bai Lian nuzzling her ear.
“…”
