Chapter 18 Part 1

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This chapter is edited by Bakhtawar Kakar. Thank you for your contribution!

Chapter 18: Be Good or Evil! (1)

This was the most enchanting pair of eyes Bai Lian had ever seen!

Even more captivating than An Lan’s.

After all, An Lan, in her previous life as a Heavenly Lord, had long mastered the art of concealing her true self. If one could not delve into the depths of her soul, all they would see was a pair of “ordinary” beautiful eyes.

But these eyes were different—pure, unhidden, and now shining with an unrestrained brilliance, like the radiant sun.

And yet, they belonged to a beggar with no cultivation base.

Could this be the light of hope?

“Unsullied emerging from filthy mud, untainted rising from clear water.”

The verse flashed through Bai Lian’s mind as she gazed intently.

Her prolonged stare caught Ling Xuan’s attention. Turning to look, Ling Xuan exclaimed a moment later, “What beautiful eyes!”

“You have beautiful eyes too,” Bai Lian replied with a gentle smile.

Ling Xuan shook her head solemnly. “No. My eyes are nowhere near as striking as his.”

Poof.

Bai Lian couldn’t suppress her smile. It was like a spring breeze brushing away the chill of winter, coaxing flowers to bloom and bathing the world in soft sunlight.

The beggar’s eyes grew even brighter.

Gu Jiu’s defeat had extinguished the faint hope in his heart, but what unfolded afterward rekindled a small flame from the ashes.

The flame wasn’t strong, but it persisted, refusing to be extinguished even by the coldest wind.

Maybe this was the right path after all.

The beggar tightened his tattered clothing around himself. It was cold.

For a moment, he wanted to approach Bai Lian, to speak to her. But when he saw the patches on his clothes, Bai Lian’s radiant smile, and Ling Xuan’s earnest expression, he sighed and turned toward the dark alley behind him.

He was a “rat man,” scurrying through streets and alleys.

Humble.

Despised.

People always looked down on him.

He had once hoped to learn from Gu Jiu because he sensed a vague similarity between them. But he had given up. Gu Jiu was too weak, his path limited, and his future dim.

And Bai Lian…

She was too dazzling. Like the sun.

The beggar feared he would be consumed if he got too close.

So he chose to hide.

…

Bai Lian’s smile faded.

She didn’t respond to Ling Xuan.

At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to bring Ling Xuan back with her by force.

“Ling Xuan, come back to the Duxian sect with me!” she said firmly.

It was the same request again.

Once, Ling Xuan had suspected Bai Lian of deceit. But not anymore.

If Bai Lian had truly been a bad person, she could have taken her away by force.

Her actions earlier had shown her character—an individual of noble integrity.

Otherwise, Bai Lian wouldn’t have gone out of her way to help the snake dragon and the cat demon.

Ling Xuan hesitated. “I don’t have any talent for cultivation,” she said softly. “They called me the worst in the world. They said even if the resources of an entire sect were poured into me, I’d never reach the Foundation Establishment Stage. They also said…”

Bai Lian clenched her fist and then slowly extended it toward Ling Xuan.

“?”

Ling Xuan looked confused.

But something about the indescribable atmosphere between them helped her understand Bai Lian’s intention. She also clenched her right fist, gently tapping it against Bai Lian’s.

In that moment, the coolness of Bai Lian’s hand and the faint warmth of Ling Xuan’s combined—like two streams of water merging into one.

The brief contact made Ling Xuan’s cheeks flush with embarrassment.

So, am I this compatible with Sister Bai Lian?

Bai Lian spoke with a confident smile. “That’s because they’re too narrow-minded. They only see one path forward. If the front door is blocked, why not try the back door?”

She was well-versed in finding alternate paths.

It made her the perfect person to guide Ling Xuan!

Of course, before anything else, An Lan would need to teach Ling Xuan the cultivation method. Bai Lian herself didn’t possess the techniques for martial arts cultivation.

But bringing the Fifth Martial Sister to the Duxian sect ahead of schedule would mean losing all the “chances” Ling Xuan had in the game.

Not that it mattered.

No opportunity was more valuable than Shifu’s guidance!

If Shifu refused to take Ling Xuan as a disciple, Bai Lian was prepared to march into her cave and convince her otherwise.

Ling Xuan, however, struggled to grasp Bai Lian’s meaning.

Bai Lian explained patiently, “Qi Refining isn’t the only path to cultivation. The reason most people follow it is because it’s the easiest to start with. But as I’ve already told you, you have the best talent in the world for the Great Tao of Strength!”

“Really?” Ling Xuan asked, skeptical. “You’re not just tricking me, are you?”

Bai Lian smiled reassuringly. “Of course not. If you weren’t, why would I want to… Hmm.” She paused, catching herself. “Why would I want you to join Qiongming Peak?”

Ling Xuan nodded slowly.

So, I’m actually very strong?

If Grandpa knew, he’d be so happy!

But…

Ling Xuan’s expression darkened, and she hesitated before asking, “If I become powerful enough… can I bring my grandpa back to life?”

Bai Lian fell silent.

In the game, “Elder Martial Sister Bai Lian” had lied about this.

Now, faced with the same question, she was torn.

Lie?

Don’t lie?

The rewards for either choice were similar: lying would grant her +1 Soft Skill, while telling the truth would yield +1 Hard Skill.

Bai Lian took a deep breath.

She saw both a strong desire and a hint of hesitation in Ling Xuan’s eyes. Perhaps the Fifth Martial Sister already had some idea of the answer.

Bai Lian decided to take the honest route.

Ling Xuan wasn’t a naïve child—she was a determined young woman.

“It’s very difficult,” Bai Lian admitted. “If someone has only just passed, you might be able to revive them by retrieving their soul. But if too much time has passed and their soul has scattered, you’d need to master some extraordinary techniques tied to the Great Tao.”

Techniques like reversing yin and yang, or even reaching back into the past…

But Bai Lian possessed none of those abilities—and neither did An Lan.

An Lan excelled in combat, but that didn’t make her all-powerful.

Ling Xuan’s voice wavered as she asked, “The Great Tao? How great is it?”

Bai Lian’s gaze grew serious. “It’s greater than heaven itself.”

Ling Xuan said, “Well, it’s not like there’s no chance, right?”

Bai Lian nodded.

“But even with exceptional talent, mastering those special ways of the Great Tao requires an extraordinary amount of luck. The probability is still extremely slim.”

They both fell into silence.

At that moment, the sky began to clear, and the snake dragon appeared.

“I hope I’m not interrupting,” it said.

Bai Lian shook her head.

The snake dragon let out a sigh of relief and quickly expressed its gratitude. “Thank you so much for your help.”

Bai Lian replied, “You’re welcome. I was mainly trying to assist my younger Martial Sister.”

“Huh?”

Ling Xuan froze in surprise.

She hadn’t agreed to anything yet.

The snake dragon continued, “If it weren’t for you, Qing Ping would have been killed by the swordsman, and I myself would’ve been gravely injured.”

It couldn’t bear to see its benefactor’s daughter perish like that.

Thanks to Bai Lian, both the cat demon and the person the cat demon cared for had survived. This was a happy ending for everyone involved.

The snake dragon knew all too well the agony of losing a loved one.

To repay its debt, it produced a dragon bone. “This is a bone that fell from my body when I survived the Yin Fire Disaster. After a hundred years of refinement, it now contains a trace of the true dragon’s breath. Please accept it.”

“How generous of you!” Bai Lian said, taking the dragon bone without hesitation.