Chapter 18 Part 2

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

Chapter 18: Be Good or Evil! (2)

Bai Lian enthusiastically grabbed the right front paw of the snake dragon and shook it vigorously.

The snake dragon is so generous!

Seeing that Bai Lian didn’t mind that it was a magical beast, the snake dragon happily shook her hand in return.

After a prolonged handshake, the snake dragon suddenly said, “I heard you discussing how to revive a dead person just now—though I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”

Bai Lian replied calmly, “It doesn’t matter.”

The snake dragon let out a sigh of relief before continuing, “I think I might be able to help. At Yao Xia Bay, there’s a Green Dragon Relic said to have the power to revive the dead. It saved my life when I was on the brink of death. You might want to visit and see if it can help.”

Yao Xia Bay?

Bai Lian was familiar with the name. In the game, it was where she had kidnapped the fifth Martial Sister.

Does Yao Xia Bay truly hold some karma with the fifth Martial Sister?

When she noticed the light in Ling Xuan’s eyes, Bai Lian quietly held her hand.

“Let’s go and have a look.”

Ling Xuan hesitated for a moment but didn’t pull away. Then, she gave in.

At the very least… it wasn’t a feeling she disliked.

The snake dragon quickly sketched a map. “I’ll go check on Qing Ping. I won’t disturb you any longer.”

With that, the snake dragon departed swiftly.

Ling Xuan, still held by Bai Lian, dared not meet her gaze.

Bai Lian led her to the market, chatting cheerfully along the way.

“I’m a good cook, Younger Martial Sister. Once you join the Duxian Sect, I’ll cook for you every day.”

“Yao Xia Bay is a bustling port near the East Wilderness, famous for its merchants and diverse cuisines. It’s the perfect place to taste flavors from all over the world.”

“Huh?”

Ling Xuan’s stomach growled faintly.

For a moment, she forgot her sorrow and became engrossed in the picture Bai Lian was painting.

“Beggar’s Chicken, Braised Lion’s Head, Mapo Tofu, Yaoxia Roast Duck…”

Bai Lian smiled and added, “Yao Xia Bay also has hot springs. Once we get there, we can take a relaxing bath together.”

“In fact, winter is the best time to visit. The night sky is crystal clear, with no dust. It’s said that the moon looks as though it’s floating on the sea, occupying half the sky. The ships sway gently, making you feel as though you’re flying toward the moon.”

“Hm!”

Ling Xuan nodded enthusiastically.

I must go to Yao Xia Bay!

Bai Lian laughed softly. If only this moment could last forever. How nice that would be.

She continued walking without rushing to take Ling Xuan out of the county. Instead, she took her to Gucheng County, where they ate together and bought a variety of cooking ingredients.

Her cooking is decent, Bai Lian thought. But words alone won’t prove anything.

To ensure the fifth Martial Sister felt at ease, she had to display her skills in action!

By the end of the day, Gucheng County had finally returned to normal.

During this time, Bai Lian also met with the cat demon and Li Niang.

From the cat demon, she learned that Li Niang had discovered it was Young Master Cao who had poisoned her.

Li Niang, devastated, had given up the will to live, believing it was best to comply with Young Master Cao’s wishes.

“You were too naive!” Bai Lian chided.

She also uncovered why the cat demon had such strong feelings for Li Niang.

It was a story of gratitude.

Before Li Niang married into the Cao family, she had saved the mischievous cat demon. That act of kindness had left a deep impression.

However, unable to transform into a human, the cat demon had sought help from the snake dragon, whom she’d met by chance. The snake dragon had provided her with medicine to take on human form, allowing her to approach Li Niang as a maid.

“So, what will you do now?” Bai Lian asked.

Go back home.”

“That’s a good idea.”

With the cat demon’s abilities, living a comfortable life would be easy.

“Bless you!” Bai Lian raised her glass.

Ling Xuan lifted her cup of orange juice and echoed, “Bless you.”

So… women can really be with women?

At midnight, Bai Lian and Ling Xuan strolled through the street, their hands full of snacks.

In a quiet alley, they encountered the beggar again.

Huddled in the corner of the wall, the beggar trembled, likely from the cold he had caught during the heavy rain earlier in the day.

Bai Lian still remembered his bright, piercing eyes.

This time, no task prompted Bai Lian to help the beggar.

But without hesitation, she approached him, cured his illness with magic, and placed a bag of food in front of him.

Knowing that some people would rather die than accept charity, Bai Lian shifted the focus. “Your eyes are the brightest I’ve ever seen.”

The beggar slowly raised his head.

Through his matted, dirty hair, he looked at Bai Lian, crouching in front of him. For a moment, he wondered if he was hallucinating.

But that voice—it couldn’t be wrong!

His eyes quivered.

Though he had avoided the sunlight, it still found its way to him.

He saw Bai Lian’s smile, a smile that could melt even the coldest ice.

“Everyone has their struggles,” Bai Lian said softly. “I’m no exception. That’s why, whenever I see someone in need, I try to help.”

She used her magic to cleanse the dirt from the beggar’s body.

“By the way, what’s your name?”

The beggar’s lips moved slightly before he whispered, “Gongliang Shu.”

“Gongliang Shu?” Bai Lian repeated. The name felt oddly familiar.

But she didn’t dwell on it. Instead, she offered him a few encouraging words. “The wind and rain never last forever.”

“Yes,” Gongliang Shu murmured, his head still lowered.

Bai Lian’s presence was so radiant that he dared not look directly at her.

Even so, it was enough to feel illuminated for a moment. For the first time, he knew that someone had genuinely noticed him in this vast, indifferent world.

He couldn’t remember what else Bai Lian had said.

After she left, he quietly waited, then cautiously ate some of the food she’d left behind. That’s when he noticed something underneath the bag.

Money.

It wasn’t an accident. Bai Lian had intentionally left it there.

Gongliang Shu felt a lump in his throat.

He regretted his earlier desire to follow the path of someone like Gu Jiu.

Is that kind of life truly worth pursuing?

Using pain to mask pain only ever led to more pain.

Looking up at the moon, Gongliang Shu resolved silently.

Even if I am nothing more than a rat in the gutter, I want to live freely under the sun!

On the way to Yao Xia Bay, Bai Lian suddenly stopped.

“Wait!”

The name Gongliang Shu had finally clicked.

In the game, that name was infamous.

What she remembered most wasn’t his real name, but his title: The Bloody Sword Demon.

In the game’s storyline, he was a villain who betrayed Thousand Sword City a decade later, causing devastating losses to the four major sects and plunging the entire East Divine Land into chaos.

What the hell?!

Bai Lian was dumbfounded.

Did I just save a future demon?!

For a brief moment, she considered turning back to eliminate him preemptively.

But then, it dawned on her why she had earned a reward of +17 Soft Skill.

If she had ignored Gongliang Shu, his future would have undoubtedly followed the same dark path. He would have worshiped Thousand Sword City and repeated his mistakes.

However, after this encounter, his trajectory had likely shifted.

With what’s just happened, he shouldn’t be able to join Thousand Sword City now… right?

Bai Lian wasn’t entirely sure.

Still, she decided against going back.

Gongliang Shu’s life had been changed—at least for now. If he ever veered toward that path again, she could intervene then.

“For now, it’s enough to hope he leads a peaceful life.”

With that thought, Bai Lian turned back toward Ling Xuan.

“Let’s go.”

And together, they soared toward Yao Xia Bay.