Chapter 38 Part 1
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This chapter is edited by Farouq Omileye. Thank you for your contribution!
Chapter 38: For My Own Good! (1)
Ling Xuan enjoyed her bowl of noodles as Bai Lian escorted Xuezhan back home.
Though the glacier was breathtaking, they couldn’t stay there indefinitely. Soaring through the clouds, Bai Lian suddenly lowered her head to speak to Xuezhan, who was resting on her thigh.
“Incidentally…” Bai Lian began.
“Huh?” Xuezhan opened her eyes, her expression filled with curiosity as she looked up at Bai Lian.
Bai Lian continued, “Now that you’re free from the restraints of Qianhuan Real Eye, you should be able to mature, right?”
The question startled Xuezhan, and she quickly sat up.
It would take years to heal her damaged soul, but eventually, she could recover—perhaps as a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl.
In the past, Xuezhan might have eagerly anticipated this change. Growing up had its advantages: a taller stature commanded respect, and being older allowed for freedoms she had once only dreamed of.
But now…
Xuezhan’s gaze fell on Bai Lian’s serene face. She remembered how Bai Lian had sought Master Turtle’s help to find Ling Xuan.
“I am Ling Xuan, ten and a half years old!”
Bai Lian had spoken of her with warmth, describing Ling Xuan as a spirited, fearless young girl who embraced life with courage. Her vivid recounting painted Ling Xuan like a beloved family member.
Xuezhan’s cheeks puffed slightly at the memory before she returned to her usual calm demeanor.
With a lazy tone and narrowed eyes, she asked, “Do you like children, Fairy Bai Lian?”
The unexpected question gave Bai Lian pause.
Truthfully, Bai Lian didn’t have a particular fondness for children, especially after her struggles dealing with mischievous ones in the past. Still, she couldn’t say she disliked them either.
After a moment of thought, Bai Lian nodded earnestly. “Well, I can say with certainty that I don’t dislike them.”
As expected.
Xuezhan noted Bai Lian’s subtle hesitation. She couldn’t quite place why, but it was clear that Fairy Bai Lian had a soft spot for smaller, younger individuals.
Understood.
From now on, Xuezhan resolved to control her physique and prevent further growth!
She fell silent.
Before long, the turtle brought them back to the bamboo house by the stream. Bai Lian helped Xuezhan repair the damaged floor and even built a magical air conditioning system to regulate the house’s temperature year-round.
Once finished, Bai Lian prepared to leave.
Seated on a bamboo chair, Xuezhan opened her mouth as if to speak but quickly stopped herself. Exhaling softly, she gave up on the idea of persuading Bai Lian to stay.
Bai Lian had her own path to follow. Xuezhan knew she couldn’t hold her back, not after all that Bai Lian had done for her.
“I hope Fairy Bai Lian ascends to the Immortal Emperor’s throne soon!” Xuezhan said with a faint smile.
Bai Lian froze. “I’m not the reincarnation of an Immortal Emperor!”
Never mind.
Bai Lian bid her farewell, and the turtle once again carried her into the clouds.
As they soared, Bai Lian furrowed her brows in thought. “How can I save Tong Yao?”
The Lord of the Hades Hall wasn’t an easy opponent. The difference in strength between them was immense, and a direct confrontation would be suicidal.
If only Shifu weren’t ill… With her help, Bai Lian wouldn’t fear the Hades Hall’s leader.
“For now, I’ll try reasoning with him,” Bai Lian decided.
If that failed, she could always borrow puppets from Xuezhan again.
Just then, the turtle spoke up. “White Emperor, rescuing your junior Martial Sister doesn’t have to be so complicated.”
Bai Lian’s eyes lit up. “What do you suggest?”
“I wouldn’t call it a brilliant plan,” the turtle said with a chuckle.
Like an experienced elder, he began to share his wisdom.
“Even though I spend most of my time in the Return Ruins, I encounter trouble now and then. When that happens, I simply tell the troublemakers, ‘Do me a favor,’ and they leave. It’s never failed me.”
Bai Lian stared at him, speechless.
This was… quite the philosophy.
She imagined herself trying it with her younger Martial Sisters. “Please stop fighting, for my sake!”
Would they really stop quarreling and make up?
It was a pleasant thought, but not likely.
At that moment, the system presented her with a new task.
Task 1: Decline the turtle’s advice (Reward: Hard Skill +2).
Task 2: Accept the turtle’s advice (Reward: Alchemy +1).
Without hesitation, Bai Lian chose Task 2.
“Thank you for your wisdom,” she said.
The turtle smiled knowingly. “It’s a simple method, but it won’t work on everyone. Some situations require patience and understanding.”
His gentle demeanor came from centuries of experience—and from surviving the black kelp’s torment.
“Let’s hurry to the Hades Hall,” Bai Lian urged.
…
Meanwhile, at the Hades Hall, the Lord of the Hades Hall returned to the crystal-blue main hall near noon.
As he entered, the man standing before the throne turned to greet him.
It was the Black Spirit Lord, the Hades Hall’s third leader.
“How fares the war, my Lord?” he asked.
“I encountered the Snow Spirit Lord,” the Lord of the Hades Hall replied.
“And?”
“I was no match for her,” he admitted with a sigh as he sank onto his throne.
Successive defeats weighed heavily on him. He couldn’t hope to rival the Snow Spirit Lord—not yet.
“I wish Bai Lian were really my daughter,” he muttered. “That would make things so much easier.”
The Black Spirit Lord stepped forward. “This kind of thing can’t be forced, my Lord.”
The Lord of the Hades Hall shook his head. His thoughts drifted to his children. None of them had shown any talent or dedication to cultivation.
“What did my ungrateful children do while I was away?” he asked.
“They’re all in their rooms,” the Black Spirit Lord replied.
“Good,” the Lord of the Hades Hall said.
But even as he tried to relax, the air in the hall grew colder.
A man dressed in black suddenly appeared.
You Gui had arrived.
