Chapter 2
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This chapter is edited by Bakhtawar Kakar. Thank you for your contribution!
Chapter 2: I Like You and Everyone!
To be honest, cleaning up Bai Lian’s messes wasn’t particularly difficult for An Lan.
After all, though An Lan’s lance wasn’t as powerful as it used to be, it remained one of the most terrifying weapons in the East Divine Land. Even the mighty Taixuan Taoist Sect and Taiqing Taoist Sect couldn’t withstand her lance. They could only watch helplessly as she entered and exited their forbidden areas with ease.
So, could Thousand Sword City stop her?
Not a chance.
Could their swords rival her lance?
Hardly.
If they thought they could block her with their blades, they were sorely mistaken. An Lan could shatter their swords with a single strike, press them into the dirt, and thoroughly humiliate them!
She just wasn’t in a good mood right now.
On one hand, she had been comfortably lying in bed, engrossed in a novel, only a quarter-hour earlier.
The plot was just getting interesting—the protagonist was about to be sold to a mining operation, and An Lan was curious to see what would happen next. But suddenly, news arrived that Bai Lian had caused a major incident, and the aggrieved party was on their way to demand accountability.
Reluctantly, she closed her book.
Anger surged.
On the other hand, after lounging in bed for so long, she had become incredibly lazy.
What? Get out of bed just to clean up Bai Lian’s mess?
Couldn’t Bai Lian deal with her own problems?
She briefly considered messaging Bai Lian and summoning her back to receive punishment.
But she quickly dismissed the idea.
No, she couldn’t let Bai Lian know she was merely pretending to be injured—her dignity as Bai Lian’s master would be at stake!
Thus, she grudgingly got up and began to sneak around. She couldn’t just sit back and watch Bai Lian get beaten up by the people from Thousand Sword City.
After all, only she had the right to bully Bai Lian as she pleased!
This realization made her even angrier.
It seemed she needed to recover from her “injuries” as soon as possible. After pretending to be ill for two months, she decided she would wait another half-month before announcing her “miraculous recovery.”
The Duxian Sect wouldn’t suspect a thing—they were all too gullible.
Outside Thousand Sword City
A plume of blue smoke rose into the air, and An Lan’s petite figure transformed into that of a muscular man.
She was dressed like an old desert wanderer, complete with rugged desert-style attire and a massive machete strapped to her back.
Her face was half-covered by a scarf, revealing only a pair of piercing eyes.
“Perfect,” An Lan muttered, admiring her new look.
With a satisfied nod, she charged straight into Thousand Sword City, darting through its streets like a whirlwind.
An Lan didn’t harm anyone. Instead, she swept through every important area of the city, moving in and out so quickly that no one could stop her.
Her sudden and forceful appearance threw the city into complete disarray.
“Ahh↑! Ahh↑! Help!”
“Don’t come any closer!”
Even the oldest elders of Thousand Sword City were shaken, stumbling out of their rooms in panic.
Their faces flushed crimson, as if they were about to faint.
A terrified disciple reported, “He was too fast—I couldn’t see anything clearly! Before I realized what was happening, a shadow had already passed over my face!”
“He broke into the back garden! Thankfully, he didn’t harm anyone, and the rare, delicate herbs are still intact.”
Chaos erupted.
Thousand Sword City descended into pandemonium.
The mysterious, desert-clad muscle man’s strange behavior and overwhelming strength reminded the elders of someone—the sect leader of the Youming Ghost Clan, also known as the Ancient Demon!
But that woman was supposed to have been killed not long ago, besieged by all the major sects.
“If that man dares to return, contact the other sects immediately!” the city master ordered, his expression grim.
Could it be? Were troubled times truly approaching?
First, the Ancient Demon had challenged three sects, taking on the entire world. Then, the Blood Demons had attempted to invade the East Wilderness from a small world. And now, an unknown demon had appeared.
What catastrophe would come next?
Watching the chaos unfold, An Lan left with a satisfied smile.
She stretched, feeling refreshed.
The attention of Thousand Sword City would remain focused on the “mysterious intruder” for the foreseeable future. They wouldn’t have the time or energy to trouble Bai Lian.
Efficient and effective.
“Yes!”
On the Way Back to the Duxian Sect
On her way back to the Duxian sect, An Lan made an entry in her small notebook:
[The fifth year after Bai Lian entered the Duxian sect, September 4th]
[Bai Lian owes me another debt today.]
[In the future, I will collect every single one of them!]
[Note 1: There aren’t many masters who care for their disciples as much as I do.]
[Note 2: No one can get away with refusing to pay me back!]
[Note 3: Not even my eldest disciple can shirk her debts!]
[Note 4: If I forget, that’s another matter.]
[Note 5: I’ll write more here if I think of something.]
An Lan closed her notebook with a snap, tucking it and her pen into her chest pocket.
By the time she finished jotting her notes, she had already arrived at the Duxian sect.
***
Unexpected Guests
“Huh?”
An Lan’s Divine Sense picked up the presence of two strangers in the hall of Yunluo Peak.
One was a small fox in human form, and the other was an elderly man with gray hair and wrinkled skin. Judging by his attire, it was clear he was from Thousand Sword City.
“…”
The people from Thousand Sword City had come after all.
I wasn’t fast enough!
An Lan clenched her fists.
Should I sneak in and knock them out from behind?
She observed them silently, but then noticed something unexpected—the gray-haired old man knelt down.
“Huh?”
An Lan was taken aback.
Since when did Jue Yunzi become so bold and imposing that he could make an elder from Thousand Sword City kneel?
Did he break through to the Transmigration Stage?
“Elder Martial Brother, please, maintain your humility. I don’t have the energy to keep covering for you. Bai Lian alone has already drained me dry!”
But as she listened further, An Lan realized she had jumped to conclusions.
Chen Fu, the elder from Thousand Sword City, was tearfully recounting earlier events to Jue Yunzi. He was expressing his gratitude to Bai Lian—and, by extension, to An Lan—for nurturing such an outstanding disciple.
You have good taste!
An Lan puffed out her chest in pride.
But as the conversation continued, her expression shifted.
Wait a moment…
So Chen Fu wasn’t here to cause trouble? He had come to thank Bai Lian for helping Gu Jiu atone for his sins?
Then…
“What was the point of everything I did in Thousand Sword City just now?”
An Lan’s smugness vanished in an instant, replaced by a dark, brooding expression.
Ha-ha…
“Ha ha ha!” she laughed bitterly, waving her hand as if to dismiss the thought.
Let’s just pretend it was a dream…
Frustrated, she stomped her foot.
It’s all Bai Lian’s fault! If she hadn’t been running around and instead stayed with me every day—serving me and massaging my back—I wouldn’t have acted so rashly!
But then An Lan hesitated, her thoughts turning inward.
No, I already verified the situation before leaving the Duxian sect. This has to be Tong Yao’s fault!
She paused for a moment before remembering.
Oh, right. Tong Yao is still locked up in the back mountain of Qingyu Peak.
“Forget it.”
An Lan turned her attention back to Chen Fu, who was still conversing with Jue Yunzi.
“I’ll live near the entrance to that small world from now on,” Chen Fu said, his tone resolute. “The little fox will stay with me, so I won’t feel lonely.”
Jue Yunzi glanced at the little fox, clearly unsure of how to respond. After a brief silence, he nodded and said, “That’s fine.”
***
Lingering Thoughts
An Lan quietly observed the scene.
What would I feel if Bai Lian were to die before my eyes?
The thought unsettled her deeply.
Impossible! I’m invincible! That would never happen!
Initially, An Lan had planned to return to her cave. But as these thoughts churned in her mind, she abruptly changed direction.
Her new destination: Thousand Sword City.
She transformed back into the desert-dressed old man and left a few words behind:
[I went to the wrong place. My fault. Sorry.]
After carefully reviewing her message, she slipped away quietly.
As she left Thousand Sword City, she pulled out her small notebook once again.
[Note 5: I don’t care that much. Bai Lian owes me plenty anyway.]
Humph!
Satisfied, she tucked the notebook back into her chest and flew toward Qiongming Peak like a gust of wind.
Bai Lian would return soon, and An Lan was planning to give her a big surprise!
***
Yao Xia Bay
At an inn.
Looking at Ling Xuan sleeping soundly in her arms, Bai Lian’s mouth twitched slightly.
This child is really something!
After getting drunk, Ling Xuan developed an inexplicable fondness for everything round in front of her.
Bai Lian had tried to move Ling Xuan, but the moment she lifted her coat, Ling Xuan began to cry.
Reluctantly, Bai Lian placed Ling Xuan back on her lap.
“Fu fu.”
Ling Xuan’s tears gave way to a silly smile as she excitedly nestled into Bai Lian’s chest, murmuring incomprehensible sounds.
This is the warmest place in the world.
Ling Xuan wanted to stay here forever.
Eventually, fatigue overtook her. Her murmurs became faint as she whispered, “Sister Bai Lian, I like you!”
“…”
After a moment of silence, Bai Lian gently cradled Ling Xuan and replied seriously, “I like you too… and all of you!”
The Fifth Martial Sister was already asleep and couldn’t hear her words.
But it was precisely because Ling Xuan couldn’t hear her that Bai Lian felt confident enough to say them aloud.
The events of the past few days had stirred many emotions within her, particularly the story between Chen Fu and Gu Jiu. It reminded her of her Shifu and her younger Martial Sisters.
Why did I come to this world?
Bai Lian couldn’t find the answer.
But searching for that answer now seemed meaningless.
Although she had already altered many events from the original game’s plot, the dangers she faced had not diminished. On the contrary, they had grown, coming not only from external threats but also from internal strife.
She wanted everyone to be happy, but her younger Martial Sisters didn’t see things the same way.
The game’s plot revealed that their infighting had never truly ceased.
Their friendship is like a tomb—only the victor stands outside, while the losers are buried within.
It’s terrifying.
Even though this world wasn’t exactly the same as the game, Bai Lian didn’t dare to gamble on that.
If the game’s storyline truly comes to pass… what can I do?
“It should get better, little by little,” Bai Lian murmured, her gaze fixed on the sun rising over the horizon.
Outside the window, the sounds of cheers grew louder.
Someone shouted excitedly:
“The first celebration in White Emperor City is officially open!”
“Huh?”
