Chapter 16
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This chapter is edited by Bakhtawar Kakar. Thank you for your contribution!
Chapter 16: Martial Sister Bai Lian, Whom Everyone Admires!
On top of the mountains, a stone tablet emitted a soft white light.
Endless obscure *runes surrounded the stone tablet, dancing lightly like butterflies.
[*mystical or magical symbols forming part of a protective or magical array.]
Centered around these runes, a translucent light covered dozens of surrounding mountains, appearing like a thin, transparent silk from a distance.
This was the Duxian Sect’s mountain protection array.
At the foot of the formation, one side housed a small town formed after years of Immortality Promotion Meetings held by the Duxian Sect. On the other side stood the majestic stone mountain gate.
Standing on her flying sword, Su Youwei was overwhelmed.
The Duxian Sect was right before her eyes.
Taking this step meant saying goodbye to the days of hiding and killing in her previous life.
The road ahead seemed boundless.
She didn’t know if this choice was the right one because she couldn’t yet discern what kind of person Martial Sister Bai Lian truly was.
But…
Believe in yourself.
Su Youwei glanced at the two “正” marks on her wrist. Her presence here meant she already had an answer in her heart.
“We’ll make arrangements for your relatives first, and then visit the Master,” Bai Lian said.
Su Youwei had no objections.
She glanced at the Fifth Elder and her aunt, who were lying on another flying sword. They had been asleep for nearly five days. It was time to wake them up.
After settling the Fifth Elder and her confused-looking aunt into their new environment, Su Youwei emerged from the newly purchased house in a cheerful mood.
Yet, no expression showed on her face.
The moment Bai Lian arrived, murmurs of discussion immediately broke out around her.
“Doesn’t she look familiar?”
“You idiot, that’s Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian!”
“No wonder she seemed familiar. She looks just like the illustration in that romantic novel you sold me last— HMM!”
The man’s mouth was promptly covered by those around him.
Su Youwei’s eyelids fluttered.
In truth, she heard even more outrageous remarks.
“Who’s that girl following Martial Sister Bai Lian?”
“Never seen her before.”
“Could she be Martial Sister Bai Lian’s daughter… Ow! Stop, don’t hit me! I know I’m wrong!”
Su Youwei sneaked a glance at Bai Lian.
She noticed that Martial Sister Bai Lian’s expression remained calm, as if she hadn’t heard a single word.
Is this the tolerance of Martial Sister Bai Lian?
From the small town to the Duxian Sect’s gate, Su Youwei listened to endless praise and admiration for Bai Lian.
“Hiss—”
“Hiss—”
Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian is truly respected by everyone!
An invisible pressure weighed on Su Youwei’s heart. She felt the air growing colder and instinctively tightened her robes. But the chill refused to dissipate.
“Our Qiongming Peak is one of the five main peaks of the Duxian Sect,” Bai Lian explained as they walked.
“Our Master’s name is An Lan. She leads Qiongming Peak. Her cultivation is among the best in the entire Duxian Sect, though she doesn’t like to oversee things and often goes out for ten days or even half a month at a time.”
Master? It didn’t matter.
Actually, it wouldn’t be a problem even without a Master, right?
That was Su Youwei’s thought.
However, in Bai Lian’s presence, she continued to act like an obedient girl, listening attentively and nodding occasionally.
At that moment, a group of people suddenly appeared on the left side of the mountain path.
“Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian!”
The excited call drew Su Youwei’s attention. She turned her gaze and saw a young man in a white gown with a turquoise ribbon tied around his waist. He raised his right hand high, clearly the one who had shouted.
Su Youwei had to admit this man was somewhat handsome, exuding an aura akin to a warm spring breeze.
This made her unhappy.
He had called out so warmly—it was clear he shared a good relationship with Martial Sister Bai Lian.
Someone identified him.
“That’s Martial Brother Jiang Ning, the Wind Sword!”
Huh?
Bai Lian was stunned for a moment.
Wasn’t your nickname “Jade Sword Hero”? Why has it suddenly become “Wind Sword”?
She had a bad feeling about this.
Jiang Ning approached excitedly and said, “Thanks to Martial Sister Bai Lian’s guidance, I was able to break through to the Golden Core Stage in such a short time!”
He had advanced! His sword techniques were now free and fluid, no longer heavy or rigid, as elegant as the breeze. Even his temperament had shifted to that of a carefree swordsman. The name “Wind Sword” was born from this transformation.
As Jiang Ning recounted, all his progress stemmed from his duel with Bai Lian that day.
“Follow the wind!”
He had taken this phrase as his motto.
Although Jiang Ning addressed Bai Lian as “Martial Sister,” in his heart, he regarded her as his teacher. His visit today wasn’t just to thank her but also to demonstrate his progress to Bai Lian, the “teacher” he admired.
Surely Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian would be pleased to see her “student” grow, right?
Jiang Ning clasped his hands in respect and said, “Martial Sister Bai Lian, I wish to show you my progress over the past two months. Please guide me!”
“……”
Bai Lian’s face turned green.
What are you doing? What are you doing!
This is your way of thanking me? Is it?!
She glanced at her composed third Martial Sister and then at Chen Lu and Gong Juren standing on the outskirts of the crowd.
If her recent cultivation hadn’t improved so rapidly, she might have been overwhelmed by Jiang Ning’s challenge. If that happened, what would Gong Juren do? Would the third Martial Sister secretly conspire to overthrow her?
Something was definitely off!
Jiang Ning and Tong Yao should be my allies, right?
Then why do my allies constantly try to expose my disguise, while my opponents rush to flatter me?!
Bai Lian felt a surge of frustration.
At that moment, the system task appeared.
• [Task 1: Refuse him, “It’s inconvenient today. Why don’t we fight tomorrow?” (Reward: a top-grade magic tool – White Silver Lance)]
• [Task 2: “Draw your sword!” (Reward: Focus +2)]
The task’s difficulty had decreased, but Bai Lian couldn’t understand why the risk of fighting tomorrow was higher.
After a brief hesitation, she chose decisively: “Draw your sword!”
“Worthy of being Martial Sister Bai Lian. Her composure is truly admirable!”
From a distance, Gong Juren couldn’t help but express his admiration.
He had discussed with Chen Lu for a long time, and Chen Lu’s advice to face fear directly had resonated with him. It made sense. To eliminate fear, one must confront it head-on. Gong Juren had long wanted to challenge Bai Lian again.
But since Jiang Ning had spoken first, he decided to wait, using this opportunity to observe Bai Lian’s fighting style.
________________________________________
[A Discussion of Swords]
This was the competition style Jiang Ning had chosen. He knew his overall strength couldn’t compare to Bai Lian’s, so he focused solely on swordsmanship.
“Please guide me, Martial Sister Bai Lian!”
“Please!”
________________________________________
Xiao Jinse exited the practice room. After only two steps, she saw a fellow disciple sprinting past her in a hurry.
“I heard Elder Martial Brother Jiang is challenging Martial Sister Bai Lian again!”
“Where? Where?”
“Yufeng Cliff!”
“Is Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian back?”
Xiao Jinse froze for a moment. She estimated the timing. Bai Lian likely had returned in the last couple of days.
Without bothering to return to Qiongming Peak to change her clothes, Xiao Jinse rushed toward Yufeng Cliff.
“Brother Gong.”
Along the mountain path, Xiao Jinse called out when she saw Gong Juren approaching with a downcast expression.
Gong Juren seemed not to notice her. He muttered to himself, “It was so fast. Martial Sister Bai Lian didn’t even use her spirit Qi and ended the fight in one stroke. If she had used her spirit Qi, how could I have withstood her sword? I was wrong. I should focus on improving myself rather than challenging Martial Sister Bai Lian.”
“……”
Xiao Jinse watched Gong Juren walk away, shaking his head in self-reproach.
A surge of pride welled up within her.
She loved nothing more than seeing Martial Sister Bai Lian being praised!
Pushing through the crowd, Xiao Jinse made her way to the front. There, she saw Bai Lian speaking to Jiang Ning. Standing beside Bai Lian was a young girl with a pretty face.
Is this the third Martial Sister?
She looked cold and distant, just as Bai Lian had described—perhaps a little introverted.
But that didn’t matter. Xiao Jinse had already resolved to use her warmth to help her new Martial Sister quickly integrate into Qiongming Peak!
