Chapter 20 Part 1
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This chapter is edited by Farouq Omileye. Thank you for your contribution!
Chapter 20: The Essence of “Bai Lian’s Creed” (1)
Currently, the most bustling area in Nanwang City was Handicraft Street, located just outside the royal city.
Although the excitement belonged to the residents of Nanwang City, Bai Lian also found herself immersed in the lively atmosphere.
She was out shopping.
Happiness radiated from the people around her, and she found herself absorbing it. The overlapping of her joy and theirs created an even greater sense of contentment within Bai Lian.
This was the true essence of “Bai Lian’s Creed”—not living solely for her own benefit but seeking happiness for everyone.
At that moment, Bai Lian felt almost intoxicated.
Unlike Hening City, where cultivators reigned supreme, the people of Nanwang City were notably more enthusiastic and “honest.”
“Lass, you’re so beautiful!”
“Beautiful girl, do you want a melon-skin hat? You look so lovely—if you wear something ugly, it might be a shame.”
“Girl, only the finest Crystal Stone can match your beauty!”
“Big sister, come and play with me!”
For Bai Lian, it was a heartwarming experience. For Zhao Haiya, however, it was quite the opposite.
His face carried a bitter expression, a mix of awkwardness and discomfort.
When they passed a deserted alley, he was nearly dragged away by five or six hands reaching out from the shadows.
“Enemy attack!”
Startled, Zhao Haiya’s face darkened, and a long lance suddenly appeared in his hand. He prepared himself to strike down the “Demon Women” who had appeared out of nowhere.
Fortunately, Bai Lian intervened in time.
“Wait! It’s all a misunderstanding!”
After some effort to calm the situation, Zhao Haiya realized the truth—he had almost made a terrible mistake.
He had never experienced being pulled away by unknown women before and failed to understand their intentions. In the end, he had no choice but to agree with Bai Lian’s lighthearted conclusion.
“The people in Nanwang are certainly much more enthusiastic than those elsewhere!”
Bai Lian responded with a gentle smile. “Life isn’t easy here. People have to work harder to live well.”
Zhao Haiya nodded thoughtfully and then asked, “Does Fairy Bai Lian want to continue shopping?”
“Yes,” Bai Lian said with a bright expression. “If Elder Martial Brother Zhao feels tired, you can find a place to rest. I’ll meet you back after returning from the royal city.”
Zhao Haiya smiled bitterly. “No, I’ll come along.”
Unlike Bai Lian, he couldn’t find such joy in shopping.
Even so, Zhao Haiya continued following her. His steps hesitated briefly as a thought crossed his mind. “Fairy Bai Lian, are you refining your heart by experiencing the world of mortals?”
He remembered a particular cultivation method involving detachment from and eventual transcendence of the mortal world.
To his surprise, Bai Lian quickly shook her head.
“No, no,” she replied firmly. “In addition to cultivation, some people enjoy traveling, others enjoy painting or playing the piano. For me? I just like shopping!”
Her tone was so flat yet decisive that Zhao Haiya couldn’t help but nod in agreement.
Bai Lian truly was modest.
As they neared the inn, Zhao Haiya reflected on what he had witnessed during their outing.
Bai Lian had:
Stopped a knife-wielding gangster from stealing a watermelon.
Helped an elderly woman wash her hair when her hands failed her.
Lifted a young girl above the crowd so she could watch the soldiers’ entrance ceremony.
If such actions could be considered “shopping,” then Bai Lian’s way of living was truly extraordinary.
Zhao Haiya had heard rumors about Bai Lian’s good deeds in Hening City, but seeing her in action was an entirely different experience.
She wasn’t merely “experiencing life”—she genuinely enjoyed it, sharing happiness wherever she went.
“Humph. How ignorant,” Su Youwei remarked dismissively.
She was right.
Zhao Haiya shook his head, realizing his earlier assumptions were flawed.
This was not about cultivating through mundane experiences. To think otherwise was an insult to Bai Lian’s title as the Natural Saint!
A wave of shame washed over him. He silently resolved to apologize to Bai Lian later.
As they reached the inn’s gate, a sudden noise caught his attention.
“Bark! Bark! Bark!”
It was the sharp barking of a dog, followed by a child’s anguished cries.
Zhao Haiya looked toward the sound and saw a dog lying on the roadside, its hind leg visibly broken and bleeding. Beside it knelt a young child, sobbing uncontrollably.
“The injury is too severe.”
“It’s hopeless.”
Passersby shook their heads, muttering their regrets as they walked by.
Zhao Haiya thought of the candied haws Bai Lian had given him earlier. Without hesitation, he approached the child.
“Let me take a look.”
The teary-eyed child raised their head in confusion as Zhao Haiya crouched down.
From his pouch, Zhao Haiya retrieved a Healing Herb Pill. Carefully, he divided its energy and administered it to the injured puppy.
A miraculous transformation began.
As the puppy swallowed the pill, its broken leg started to straighten and vibrate.
“Stand up, stand up!”
The child’s cries turned to excitement as the puppy stood, wagging its tail.
“Brother, thank you…”
But Zhao Haiya had already disappeared into the crowd.
Later, he sat by the inn’s window, watching the grateful child search for him.
He sighed, glancing at the “正” characters marked on his wrist.
“Is justice limited to slaying Demon Sects?”
He pulled out a small notebook and drew a line through the first column of the first page.
A faint smile crossed his lips.
Though he had grown up in the Tianji sect and was far older than Bai Lian, his temperament was nowhere near hers.
Bai Lian’s Creed was truly inspiring.
“Perhaps one day, I won’t need to write these reminders anymore.”
Zhao Haiya closed the notebook, his gaze drifting toward the horizon where the setting sun painted the desert skies in crimson hues.
Near the royal city, Bai Lian, having spent an entire day accumulating skill points, turned to Su Youwei.
“Younger Martial Sister, don’t wander off. I’ll be right back.”
Su Youwei nodded, while her internal demon promised, “I’ll take care of her.”
Bai Lian smiled, placing a hand on her younger sister’s head. Before leaving, her divine sense gently brushed over the internal demon as well.
“?”
The internal demon froze in surprise, her clothes momentarily still.
“I’m leaving now,” Bai Lian said softly before departing.
It took a long while for the internal demon to regain her composure.
Her lips quivered as she reflected on the images Su Youwei had seen—visions of a future that felt foreign and unfair.
Why was she always the one being bullied?