Chapter 2
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Chapter 2: Has Long Been in the Situation
The snow that covered the earth was dull and grey, and the sky was surprisingly dim today.
While Bai Lian was still contemplating whether or not to go in, the mountains and rivers where the Duxian sect resided had completely disappeared into the pitch-black curtain wall.
The Lunar New Year has passed.
However, the festive atmosphere of the Duxian sect has not yet ended.
Many disciples have only shifted their celebrations from the present to their aspirations for the future.
The Ten Thousand Immortals League Grand Competition, in which many sects will participate, will be held at the beginning of the year.
The Duxian sect, which is on the path to rejuvenation, is more eager than other sects to showcase themselves in this grand competition.
They want to tell the world –
"We, the Duxian sect, are not just Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian alone!"
"Through the practice and cohesion with Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian, the Duxian sect has also given birth to many promising future stars!"
Although there are rumors that the upcoming calamity, coupled with the return of the long-lost Demon of the Outer Realm causing trouble, the grand competition is likely to be canceled.
However, until the exact news is confirmed, the disciples who aspire to participate in the competition are still preparing earnestly.
This includes the younger generation of the Qiongming Peak.
Shortly after noon, Su Youwei eagerly called Yu Ying, the jade rabbit, and Ling Xuan to the martial arts field for cultivation practice.
They originally intended to invite Xiao Jinse as well.
However, they could not find the Second Elder Martial Sister, who seemed to appear and disappear without a trace, anywhere on the Qiongming Peak, and thus gave up on searching for her.
"It seems that the Second Elder Martial Sister wants to make a big move without us, how cunning! We can’t fall behind!"
Ling Xuan stood proudly, full of energy.
Su Youwei happily patted Ling Xuan’s head and said, "Young Martial Sister, work harder, and soon you’ll surpass that arrogant woman."
Start cultivating Xiao Jinse’s "enemies" from now on!
But Ling Xuan’s reaction was completely unexpected.
The little girl pinched the corner of her clothes and twisted her body.
"The Second Elder Martial Sister is not a conceited woman, she is very kind, and she even taught me how to cook and fed me candy beans."
"…"
Su Youwei fixed her gaze on Ling Xuan’s bun-head.
What would happen if you forcefully pull it?
Yu Ying immediately stepped forward to ease the tension, "Let’s hurry down the mountain so as not to keep Elder Martial Sister Tong Yao waiting for us for too long."
"Okay, okay!"
Ling Xuan immediately hugged the jade rabbit, who was eating grass on the ground, and lifted it high over her head.
"Chirp, chirp, chirp!"
The jade rabbit struggled fiercely.
Amidst the noise, the group set foot on the road to the martial arts arena.
When An Lan went out for errands, the Qiongming Peak was left with nobody.
It was the end of the rooster period, and the cold wind of early spring was biting.
At the peak of Qiongming,
The crooked-necked tree, which had regained most of its vitality, was dancing in the wind.
The branch that An Lan had previously collected had grown back and was sprouting tender, goose-yellow shoots.
The air was overflowing with spirit Qi.
This spirit Qi is not ordinary, it has been refined through the magic array set up by An Lan, and it carries a faint intoxicating immortality in its simplicity.
Now, the crooked-neck tree is greedily growing under the baptism of Spirit Qi.
All of this is happening in silence.
Just like what Qing Luan was doing at the moment.
On the mountain path, Qing Luan cautiously moved forward holding the token and easily passing through the magic array, afraid of being discovered by others.
Once she entered the courtyard, she encountered no obstacles.
"It seems that they have all really left."
Qing Luan breathed a sigh of relief, and a joyful smile appeared on her face.
A quarter of an hour ago, she received news that Su Youwei and the others had all gone out. She immediately realized that the opportunity she had been waiting for had finally come!
So she came, with her Jade Tiger Silk Well.
The peak of Qiongming was strangely tranquil.
So serene that Qing Luan’s heartbeat involuntarily quickened.
She felt as if the universe was spinning around her, her heartbeat pounding like a war drum as soldiers charged toward the gate.
Would she clash with such ferocity that blood would flow?
No.
Bloodshed was a normal occurrence in siege warfare.
It was the attacker’s glory and Qing Luan shouldn’t fear, but press on courageously!
As usual, Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian was probably reading in her room at this time.
"Qing Luan, charge!"
With courage, Qing Luan took out the small blue bottle and walked quickly to Bai Lian’s door.
Thud.
"Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian."
No response.
What surprised Qing Luan even more was that she managed to open the door with just a crack after knocking.
"Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian?"
Still no response.
Qing Luan felt disappointed. The few Martial Sisters of Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian were out, and she wasn’t expecting that Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian herself would be out too.
It seems like her plan will have to be postponed again.
"Sigh."
Qing Luan turned around and lowered her head, looking melancholic.
However, after taking only a few steps, she came to a halt once again.
Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian was absent, yet her door remained open. Recently, she had been diligently collecting items that Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian had used.
Crash!
Lightning flashed through Qing Luan’s mind.
"I am such a fool, truly."
Speaking thus, her legs moved on their own and her hands became uncontrollable, even pulling the door open by themselves.
"Creak–"
Although she had been extremely cautious, a slight noise still emanated as she closed the door.
However, it was of no consequence since there was no one here.
"Haha!"
Qing Luan laughed.
Paradise, this is undoubtedly paradise!
Excitedly, she rubbed her left and right, even her breath became irregular.
Huffing and puffing – –
She felt a little dizzy in her head and her body was hot, like she had a cold.
Perhaps she had contracted an illness called Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian?
Qing Luan, lying on Bai Lian’s bed, thought so, holding a jade folding fan that she had just taken from the bookshelf. She had seen Bai Lian use this fan before.
"Although today’s plan has failed and I have been unable to finish the unfinished business with Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian at Mount Sanwei, but…"
Her gaze first fell on the fan.
She could completely embrace Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian’s aura in a different way!
…
Simultaneously.
The Zhuyan peak.
Yan Yue took action upon receiving news of Su Youwei and An Lan’s departure from the Qiongming Peak.
Before leaving, she didn’t forget to inform the Blood Tree Patriarch, "I am going for a walk. If the sect leader has any tasks, please arrange them for me. I will deal with them when I return."
The Blood Tree Patriarch took it all in stride, "Go ahead and leave. I won’t disturb you until you come back."
"Thank you! ♪(・ω・)ノ"
Yan Yue slipped happily into the Qiongming Peak.
She was a frequent visitor here and never took the usual routes.
She either came flying down from the sky or climbed up from the back mountain.
This time she came through the back door.
Standing by the crooked-neck tree, Yan Yue looked around everywhere.
"They are indeed all gone."
Her chance had arrived!
She had been holding back for a long time, and this time she must make up for her previous regret.
Yan Yue walked to the window and gently knocked, "Bai Lian, come out quickly. While your master is away, let’s find a place where we won’t be discovered. That silly woman with the big and brainless chest from the last time, Xu Li, is also there. If you don’t please me this time, I will report you to your master!"
Click.
The stick supporting the window fell off from her knocking.
However, there was a strange sound mixed in with the noise of the stick falling.
"?"
Yan Yue frowned with confusion.
The winter night was dry, yet Bai Lian’s room was unusually damp.
However, Bai Lian was born with a Water-type Spiritual Root, so the dampness in the room was normal.
"Are you inside?"
Due to a magic array shield, Yan Yue could only crawl in through the window.
As soon as she crawled in, she was dumbfounded.
There was no Bai Lian in the room, only Qing Luan who seemed to be in a very unusual state!
"Qing Luan, what are you doing here?" Yan Yue exclaimed.
Qing Luan sat on Bai Lian’s bed with a duck-like stance, one hand tightly grasping her collar, and the other hand pressing on the ground.
She looked in a very bad state, her fair skin completely turned pink, and there was constantly white mist rising from her body, while a rich fragrance lingered in the air.
"Yan, Master Yan, I… "
Qing Luan’s heart rose to her throat, she dared not move, and in her nervousness, she couldn’t even speak clearly.
It took her a while before she let out a startled cry.
"I… I almost had Qi deviation."
Yes.
That’s right.
This is all caused by the backlash of Qing Luan’s flames, and has nothing to do with anything else!
The fire burns the body, it’s so terrifying!
This one sentence really shocked Yan Yue.
Oh my, this is a big problem!
She stepped forward to help Qing Luan up, but Qing Luan didn’t stand up as expected.
The pink on her face faded, revealing pale skin. "Master Yan, it’s alright. You don’t need to help me up. I’ll just stay here and rest for a while. If you have other matters to attend to, please go and find Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian."
I wouldn’t get up even if I were to be killed!
Yan Yue’s face turned pale, "Actually, I don’t have anything major to ask Bai Lian. I just have a feeling that my Guafeng Disaster is coming and I want to seek advice from her on how to pass it."
At the critical moment, considering their past friendship, she still didn’t betray Xu Li (the eldest princess’ name).
"I see."
Qing Luan stopped talking.
The two of them stared at each other, motionless, like they were playing a game of freeze.
Beneath the calm surface of the lake were turbulent waves.
Among them, Qing Luan’s reaction was particularly strong.
This will lead to fatalities!
Fortunately, this situation didn’t persist for long, as things got worse.
"What are you two doing in Bai Lian’s room?"
The door was pushed open, and standing at the threshold was An Lan, who had returned without anyone noticing.
The flickering candlelight in the courtyard deepened the light purple dress An Lan was wearing, making it appear like a terrifying vortex of destruction.
"Hiss-"
Qing Luan gasped for breath.
She quickly explained, "Master An Lan, I came to consult Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian, but she was not there. Suddenly the Qing Luan’s Flames inside me backlashed, so I…"
Yan Yue followed, "I can testify!"
"What about you?"
An Lan asked with indifference.
Yan Yue repeated what she had said to Qing Luan.
"Qing Luan’s Flame has just made a breakthrough, and her emotions should not be too agitated," said An Lan.
Qing Luan nodded repeatedly.
"As for you…" An Lan glanced at Yan Yue, "don’t worry, the wind won’t kill you. There’s no need to involve Bai Lian in this matter."
This is too much!
Yan Yue glared back dissatisfactorily.
What do you mean the wind won’t kill me? What if it does?
"I will compensate you."
Can you afford to compensate me?
Yan Yue ultimately chose to endure silently.
She had no choice. She couldn’t beat An Lan, and this was An Lan’s territory. Even if she was as strong as a white tiger, she had to lie down.
But it doesn’t matter, once she breaks through the Transmigration Stage, the situation will be reversed.
For now, she would have to comply with An Lan, but once the situation changes, she will be able to fiercely trample on An Lan!
How wonderful!
An Lan was not in a hurry to make Qing Luan and Yan Yue leave.
She took out the Jade Message Slip and directly contacted Bai Lian.
However, to her surprise, the message could not be delivered because her jade slip couldn’t locate Bai Lian’s jade slip.
"What is she up to now?"
An Lan directly contacted Bai Lian’s soul fragment remaining in the sea of her divine sense.
This fragment was quite normal.
But it was precisely because it was normal that it made An Lan feel abnormal.
Because even with the soul fragment, she was unable to contact Bai Lian.
An Lan could no longer keep calm and hastily asked, "When did Bai Lian leave?"
Qing Luan and Yan Yue shook their heads.
"You…it doesn’t matter, I’ll go out first."
An Lan turned and walked away without any hesitation.
"An Lan!"
Yan Yue stepped forward, but her shouting received no response.
"…"
Yan Yue stomped her foot and turned to Qing Luan saying, "Qing Luan, I have something to attend to. I’ll take my leave."
"Go ahead, Master Yan."
"Very well."
After Yan Yue flew away, Qing Luan wobbled to her feet.
Her legs had gone numb.
It was a terrorizing experience, but luckily she successfully got through the crisis.
Qing Luan cleaned up the ground, took out her fan, wiped it clean, and put it back on the shelf.
Unfortunately, Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian had no habit of throwing away garbage, and she gained nothing from this endeavor.
She limped towards the Yunluo Peak.
…
Although unable to contact Bai Lian, An Lan was able to determine her location through a fragment of her soul.
After leaving the Duxian sect, she didn’t stop for a moment, crossing the entire East Divine Land at an incredible speed, and leaping across the boundless sea to reach the vicinity of Yingzhou.
The scene presented before her was even gloomier than what Bai Lian had described.
The huge vortex hovered on the surface of the sea. From afar, it might even be mistaken for a storm?
"Is it for Xiao Jinse?"
An Lan muttered, lightly biting her lip.
In a moment, she released her lips, and her face returned to calmness once again.
First, she had to find Bai Lian, this unsettling senior disciple.
An Lan flew to the side of the vortex, planning to rush in directly.
A magical scene appeared.
She went straight through the whirlpool and when she came to her senses, she had already appeared on the other side of Yingzhou Island.
"The time and space here are both chaotic."
An Lan’s mouth was slightly open.
If that’s all there is to it, it’s still fine, but what makes her more uneasy is that she can’t get in with her current means.
How did Bai Lian get in?
"Who?!"
Suddenly, An Lan shouted loudly and turned her gaze towards the black waves on the left.
The waves surged and turned into a hand that seemed to be melting and flew towards her.
The whole sky seemed to fall into eternal darkness at that moment.
A terrifying and maddening sense of horror came from all directions.
An Lan’s heartbeat stopped for a moment.
Something is wrong.
She initially wanted to catch it with her hand, but at the critical moment, she wielded the Heavenly Lord’s Lance.
"The Path of Wanjie Dharma – Roll Armor Double Path!"
The white light engulfed that hand like a waterfall.
The speed at which the hand was advancing visibly decreased, and finally, under the endless attacks from the lance, it lost its support and fell into the black sea with a thump.
Splashing–
In less than a breath, An Lan was shocked to find that the ocean for miles around had been excavated.
There was a huge hemispherical pit beneath her feet.
It seems that there has never been any water flow or marine life here before.
If she had caught it with her hand earlier…
An Lan was uncertain if her hand would still be intact.
The next moment, she saw the hand she had struck off fly back up, with an incredible speed that it disappeared before she could even react.
"…"
An Lan held onto the lance, towering over her, speechless for a long time.
She thought her power could have dominated this realm, but the deeper she dug, the more she grew anxious.
If the owner of that hand was here, could she really win against it?
An Lan didn’t know, but she didn’t leave either, because Bai Lian was inside.
If she left and Bai Lian encountered that hand, there was no chance for her survival.
…
"14 points of Hard Skill."
Bai Lian’s gaze fell on the mission options.
During this time, she had completed many tasks and had repeatedly cultivated the Yin-Yang Fusion Technique, which had greatly increased her cultivation base.
The risk represented by 14 points of Hard Skill was no longer enough to threaten her life.
If the Second Martial Sister was not present, she would confidently break in.
As long as she was a little more careful, she could easily gain 14 points for Hard Skill.
It is difficult to find anything more comfortable than this.
But now…
Bai Lian hesitated as she looked at the Second Martial Sister.
Xiao Jinse asked hesitantly, "Elder Martial Sister, did I hold you back?"
"No."
Bai Lian immediately shook her head.
Despite the fact that the Second Martial Sister plays with fire and wields a two-handed sword, she can be considered the most delicate and thoughtful among the many Martial Sisters.
It was not easy to help her re-establish her confidence and come out of her powerless despair. At this moment, Bai Lian would not do anything to aggravate her wounds.
We must keep moving forward!
Bai Lian blinked forcefully.
The words "the Void Domain" firmly grasped her heart.
She worried that once they missed this, they might never encounter it again.
"Martial Sister."
Bai Lian looked serious.
"I am here."
Xiao Jinse looked at Bai Lian nervously.
Bai Lian said, "I’m worried that you might not be able to prove yourself this time."
"?"
"With such a big change, I don’t know if the Sword Washing Pavilion still exists."
*sigh*
Xiao Jinse breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian’s concern was about that.
She smiled lightly and said, "It’s okay."
In fact, she didn’t care much about the ten-year agreement anymore.
Even if she couldn’t see anyone at the Sword Washing Pavilion in the end, she wouldn’t be regretful. What she cared about was Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian, and being able to go out alone with her.
At this moment.
As long as two people walk shoulder to shoulder, it is enough.
"Then let’s continue forward."
Bai Lian chose Task 1.
She took the hand of the Second Martial Sister and flew straight to Mount Yun.
To Bai Lian’s slight relief, she didn’t encounter any trouble until she entered Mount Yun.
Although she didn’t see any living person on the way, she didn’t see any dead person either.
A few seconds later.
After passing through the dense forest, Bai Lian finally arrived at the Sword Washing Pavilion.
To her surprise, it was exceptionally calm here. There were disciples guarding the mountain gate, as if all the unusual phenomena in the sky were just illusions.
Bai Lian stopped.
She still remembered that the Second Martial Sister defeated the people sent by Sword Washing Pavilion here, and was then surrounded by many sects in Mount Yun.
The flow of time went by for ten years.
The reincarnation of inside and outside the play connects at this moment.
Bai Lian seemed to hear the sound of fate echoing in her ears.
"I toll the bell for you!"
She turned around and smiled at the Second Martial Sister.
The next moment.
Duang.
Duang.
Duang.
The sound of the bell startled the mountain birds.
Sparks ignited in Xiao Jinse’s eyes.
Her sword was unsheathed at this moment.
"Senior Martial Sister, before making your sword, I shall make my own!"