Chapter 18
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This chapter is edited by Farouq Omileye. Thank you for your contribution!
Chapter 18: Xingluo Fortress
Is it fate that brought us together?
I guess so, Yu Ying thought.
It couldn’t be that Bai Lian was following her, right? After all, she had nothing of value except for that unknown sword. A handful of copper coins? Surely, no one would trouble themselves over that.
As she reflected, Bai Lian sat down across from her.
Tea.
Yu Ying hurriedly pushed a small, untouched cake toward Bai Lian.
“Please!”
“Thank you.” Bai Lian accepted the dish gracefully.
Yu Ying tucked her hands nervously under the table. Truthfully, she wanted to talk to Bai Lian more. It was Bai Lian, after all, who had rekindled her hope of finding the swordmaster. Yet, despite their encounters, she still didn’t know Bai Lian’s name.
Was it impolite?
Bai Lian frowned slightly. Beneath the thick black cloth over her eyes, she could sense Yu Ying’s embarrassment.
Embarrassed? Was there an issue?
She was intrigued by the girl who had triggered the special “Sword Test” task—a rare side quest she had never encountered in the game.
Bai Lian wasn’t one for unnecessary detours.
“Are you in trouble?” she asked directly.
Yu Ying shook her head, then hesitated before nodding. Summoning her courage, she asked, “I don’t know your name yet.”
“…”
Bai Lian immediately understood—Yu Ying didn’t know her true identity.
“When did you leave Hening City?” Bai Lian inquired.
“Almost three days ago,” Yu Ying replied.
No wonder.
Bai Lian nodded. Many rumors circulated about her, often exaggerated and incomplete. Yu Ying, having left Hening City early, naturally wouldn’t connect her to the famed Bai Lian.
With a slight smile, Bai Lian said, “You can call me An Yue.”
“An Yue…” Yu Ying whispered, as if committing the name to memory. Her fingers brushed the small cloth bag beside her. She retrieved a delicate paper windmill and placed it on the table.
“You gave this to me, and I’ve kept it,” she said softly.
“I’m glad you like it,” Bai Lian replied with a faint smile.
Just then, the waiter arrived with tea and a small plate of peanuts. Yu Ying carefully tucked the windmill away.
When she thought of the windmill, her mind drifted to Bai Lian’s younger Martial Sisters.
“Miss An Yue, where are your younger Martial Sisters?”
“I had business in Tianyi City,” Bai Lian explained. “I let them return to the sect first.”
Yu Ying perked up. “Then aren’t we headed to the same place?”
“You’re going to Tianyi City as well?” Bai Lian asked, surprised.
“Yes,” Yu Ying nodded eagerly, raising her right hand to reveal the sword hidden beneath her clothes. “The eldest princess is holding a ceremony in Tianyi City soon. I’m hoping to try my luck—maybe Fairy Bai Lian will touch my sword!”
You’d better give up on that plan, Bai Lian thought. Your sword isn’t compatible with me.
She opened her mouth to respond but swallowed her words. It wasn’t the right time to reveal her identity—especially not in a crowded tea house where rumors spread like wildfire.
Yu Ying, sensing the change in mood, quickly shifted topics. “Miss An Yue, you left Hening City later than I did. Did you see Fairy Bai Lian?”
“Of course,” Bai Lian replied with a faint smile.
“Can you tell me about her?” Yu Ying’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Bai Lian hesitated. She glanced around, noticing several patrons discreetly leaning in to eavesdrop.
Are they all listening?
She recalled her last encounter in the Flying Fog Pavilion—spreading any negative rumors about herself here would be like kicking a hornet’s nest.
Switching to a gentler tone, she said, “Fairy Bai Lian is indeed remarkable. Neither Bing Yi nor Ju Buyi could match her. Even the Elder of the Sword Washing Pavilion—strong as he was—had his soul shattered by her master in mere moments.”
At the northeast corner of the shop, the storyteller shook his head in disapproval.
Terrible storytelling!
Pop!
The storyteller clapped his hands loudly, drawing the attention of the entire room.
“Let’s continue the tale of how Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian defeated the insidious villain from the Sword Washing Pavilion!” he announced dramatically.
“…”
The storyteller grinned. “That day in Hening City, amidst wind, rain, and thunder, the vile elder tried to assassinate Bai Lian’s younger Martial Sister. But Fairy Bai Lian is no ordinary saint—her sword skills are unparalleled!”
The audience gasped in awe as he continued.
“With a single stroke of her blade, she severed the villain’s throat! Had her master not intervened, that wicked man would have perished on the spot!”
“Good!”
“Wonderful!”
“That villain got what he deserved!”
The shop erupted into applause.
Bai Lian’s expression darkened.
In half a day, the rumors have evolved again?!
On her way here, she overheard tales of her catching the elder’s sword mid-air. Now, her master had been demoted to a mere bystander, while she had been elevated to defeating a Transcendency Stage boss with one blow.
Even Tong Yao couldn’t fabricate rumors this quickly!
Yu Ying noticed Bai Lian’s silence. Concerned, she asked, “Miss An Yue, are you feeling unwell?”
“I’m fine,” Bai Lian replied, shaking her head. “I just realized it’s getting late. I should find a place to stay.”
Yu Ying’s face lit up. “If you don’t mind, you can stay with me. I know someone nearby.”
“That sounds good. Thank you.”
Finishing her tea and peanuts quickly, Bai Lian left the shop with Yu Ying.
Free from the storyteller’s embellished tale, the cool outdoor air felt refreshing.
The setting sun bathed everything in a warm, golden glow.
“Miss An Yue, why are you heading to Tianyi City?” Yu Ying asked.
“To attend the ceremony,” Bai Lian replied.
“I thought so.”
“Do you know the eldest princess of Heluo?” Bai Lian asked curiously.
Yu Ying nodded. “I know a bit about her. She’s the younger sister of the current emperor and the most talented cultivator in the nation.”
A genius, Bai Lian mused. But surely no match for my younger Martial Sisters.
Yu Ying continued, “The eldest princess trained at Xingluo Fortress from a young age.”
“Xingluo Fortress?” Bai Lian interrupted, startled.
“What’s wrong?” Yu Ying asked.
“Nothing,” Bai Lian replied, though her mind raced. Xingluo Fortress was connected to her Fourth Younger Martial Sister, Ye Ziling. Could the eldest princess know her?
By the time they reached their destination—a grand house—Bai Lian was lost in thought.
“It’s Miss Yu Ying!” an elderly man at the gate greeted them warmly.
Yu Ying smiled. “Uncle Hu, my friend and I need a place to stay for the night. May we?”
“Of course,” the old man replied cheerfully. “The master will be delighted to see you.”
As he disappeared into the house, Bai Lian glanced upward.
Under the glow of the setting sun, an ominous black mist loomed faintly.
