6 - A Farewell to Mr. Luo

Chapter 6 "Wait a minute." A young girl with rosy lips and pearly teeth stepped in front, blocking the path. Bai Fan, with its snake-like pupils, sized her up and immediately sensed her bad intentions. It was already displeased from being called a beast earlier and now having its way obstructed added to its irritation. The two young monks leading the way noticed this too. However, the girl was none other than Li Xiaoyan, the granddaughter of the elder sect master. They dared not speak up, despite having the elder sect master’s own grandson behind them, since her influence lingered strong. "Senior Sister, the elder sect master instructed me to take the young sect master to the rear mountain." Li Xiaoyan, upon hearing the bleak expression of the young sect master, stared straight at Li Liansheng and said, "Let me take him." "But..." "But what? I'm his cousin. Do you think I'll eat him?" "Understood." The two young monks exchanged worried glances with Liansheng, then reluctantly bowed to him and turned to leave. "Thank you, Senior Sister." "Hmm." Only after the two young monks had walked far away did Li Xiaoyan's face light up excitedly. The other three disciples knew what Li Xiaoyan intended to do and, fearful of getting into trouble, quickly ran off. Although Li Xiaoyan was the elder sect master's granddaughter, they were not so, and another boy was his direct grandson. Both were not to be trifled with, so leaving early was wise. Once the others had left, only Li Xiaoyan, Liansheng, and Bai Fan, the white snake, remained. "Cousin!" Liansheng called out. Hearing Li Xiaoyan's words, Liansheng finally realized this girl was indeed his cousin, though her manner did not reflect sibling affection. "Listen, Li Liansheng. From now on, you have to call me Senior Sister. This is the sect! Don’t think about getting close to me," she said, raising her chin proudly like a peacock. Liansheng nodded, deciding not to fuss over it. He knew that in this sect, the master-disciple and sibling relationships often took precedence over blood ties. Bai Fan, not understanding this dynamic, found Li Xiaoyan incredibly annoying. If not for Liansheng, it would have bitten her to show the power of its venom. "Come on, I'll take you to the rear mountain." Li Xiaoyan glanced back at Liansheng and the trailing Bai Fan, then walked ahead on her own, not bothering to check if they were following or to introduce the surroundings. The Qingxu Sect had over two hundred disciples and more than four hundred residences. Apart from the main hall at the front, the rest were located at the rear mountain. Past the corridors, they arrived at the rear mountain, constructed like a vast garden. Every perspective was picturesque, with varying elevations, rooftops amidst forests, with stone steps and green tiles below. They passed by a small waterfall with clear water cascading down, connecting three or four small ponds where wild mandarin ducks played, shaking their tails and flapping wings, diving in and out of the water. Bai Fan, following behind, marveled at the landscape, impressed by the exquisite construction on the rocky terrain. After some walking, Li Xiaoyan looked back to see that the person and snake were behaving like country bumpkins in the city, their jaws nearly dropping. She whispered, "Bumpkins." With its acute hearing, Bai Fan immediately caught this remark, closed its mouth, and its eyes narrowed, hissing twice. "What’s wrong, Dabai?" Liansheng asked curiously, unaware of the insult. Feeling aggrieved, Bai Fan turned to take in the scenery, ignoring Liansheng. Were it not for him, it would never have endured such treatment. The Moon Gazing Temple, though small, was far more comfortable, and no one there despised it. "Humph!" Li Xiaoyan quickened her steps, her boots clacking loudly on the stone steps. Bai Fan leisurely followed, unafraid of getting lost since it could track scents, finding the way even if visibility was poor. As Liansheng caught up, Bai Fan continued admiring the view at its own pace. The snake slithered up stone steps, preferring rugged paths, climbing a rock in hopes of taking a shortcut to find Liansheng sooner. After ascending the rock and descending a small slope, it reached a pavilion. Bai Fan flicked its tongue for direction, snaking through twists and turns until it approached a study hall. A chorus of young voices recited scriptures; inside were seven or eight young monks in blue robes, aged five or six. The sound of pebbles falling as Bai Fan descended startled the children. They turned to see the large white snake, exclaiming and running over. "Wow, what a big snake!" A boy with a runny nose pointed at Bai Fan. "It really is a big snake." A chubby-faced child squeezed beside the boy, both wide-eyed at the snake. A little girl then jostled them aside, her face flushed, large eyes darting left and right. "Move over!" The two boys were pushed by a fierce little girl, wrinkled clothes and all. She held the hand of a timid, delicate girl, who bore a striking resemblance to Lin Daiyu. The fierce girl’s eyes brightened at the sight of Bai Fan. She pulled the timid girl closer, happily pointing and saying, "Li Min, look!" The timid girl was so frightened by the sight of Bai Fan that she buried her face in the fierce girl's chest, leaving Bai Fan bewildered. The fierce girl looked proud, wrapping her arm around the timid girl. Bai Fan shook its snake head, confirming that its serpentine form altered its perception of such interactions. Ignoring the excited children, it slithered away. Following the scent, Bai Fan soon located Liansheng, emerging from the grass near a path. Not far away stood Liansheng and Li Xiaoyan. “Dabai, where have you been? We've been waiting for you.” Liansheng looked anxious, while Bai Fan hissed twice, finding Liansheng's fussiness increasingly like nagging. Li Xiaoyan seized the opportunity to sarcastically add, “A beast is always a beast, unable to understand human speech.” Hearing "beast" again, Bai Fan reared up, preparing to strike. It thought, I may not match that old man, but I can definitely take you down, ensuring you stay bedridden for three months. Understanding Bai Fan's intent, Liansheng quickly intervened, apologizing to Li Xiaoyan. “Dabai is wild. I apologize for its rudeness, Senior Sister. Please don’t hold it against her.” Bai Fan felt wronged by Liansheng’s apology, deeming the Qingxu Sect far less appealing than the Moon Gazing Temple. “Hmph, I wouldn’t stoop to argue with a beast,” Li Xiaoyan retorted, rolling her eyes at both Liansheng and Bai Fan. “Hiss hiss!” Bai Fan muttered complaints, knowing no one could comprehend. Li Xiaoyan, irritated, kicked a small stone, pointing towards a nearby small temple, and spat, “Go wait for the elder sect master there. Do not leave the temple once you enter.” With that, she stormed off, leaving Liansheng. He and Bai Fan exchanged looks as he sighed in relief. “Let’s go, Dabai. At last, we’re alone. Let’s take a look around.” Bai Fan nodded, pleased that Liansheng disliked the cousin as much as it did. It felt grateful he was not a saintly figure; the cousin was truly unbearable. The small temple Li Xiaoyan pointed to was the Qingxu Sect’s secret scroll pavilion, housing precious manuals and cultivation techniques. Only the sect master had unrestricted access. Standing at the pavilion’s entrance, Liansheng noted it resembled the main hall but shut tight. He knocked, but no one answered. “There’s no one inside.” Liansheng turned to Bai Fan, who scanned the area and detected no human scent within the hall. “Let’s wait a bit longer.” “Hiss hiss.” They stood at the pavilion, admiring the garden scenery. From their vantage, the rear mountain revealed itself as a gorge with dense forests below, and the sound of flowing water reached their ears. From the main hall, the path led through a gorge, with houses and corridors built along the way. Structures were carved out of the rocky walls of the gorge, each building harmoniously integrated with the natural landscape. Rather than disrupting the gorge, these constructions enhanced the scenery, transforming it into a secluded paradise. Bai Fan couldn't help but admire the view; it was unlike anything it had ever seen. While the people of Qingxu Sect might not be great, the place itself was impressive. They waited for two hours, during which the sun moved from the east to the west, leaving Liansheng drenched in sweat, while Bai Fan, listless and weak, lay sprawled out. Impatient from the long wait, Bai Fan decided to act. Since they were waiting anyway, it figured it might as well wait inside. The snake slithered to the small temple’s door and pushed it open. The door creaked loudly, releasing a waft of woodsy aroma. Liansheng turned to see Bai Fan had already made its way inside. “Dabai, you can't just open the door like that.” “Hiss hiss, hiss hiss, hiss hiss hiss hiss.” Bai Fan hissed in response, implying that it was too hot outside and it needed to cool down inside. Seeing Bai Fan ignoring him, Liansheng had no choice but to follow. The small temple had only one door which led directly into a dimly lit hall, the only light coming from constant candles, casting eerie shadows. Inside, Bai Fan immediately found a large pillar and coiled around it, relishing the cool stone surface. Feeling comfortable, it wrapped itself tightly and drifted into a light sleep. Liansheng, growing restless, began to explore the area. Shelves reached up to the temple’s ceiling, filled with various items. In the center stood a small table, and every step echoed throughout the empty hall. As Liansheng wandered, he noticed the shelves held not only books but also jars and peculiar artifacts. His eyes scanned the items until one caught his attention in a secluded spot—a golden-threaded sphere with a dragon etched onto it. Though poorly crafted, it stood out amidst the surrounding treasures. Liansheng stared at the sphere, lost in thought, until a shiver ran down his spine. The object felt strangely ominous. He intended to walk away but found himself inexplicably drawn to it, wanting to hold it and examine it more closely. --- Next Chapter Home | Desktop | Bookshelf | Popular Novels