8 - A Farewell to Mr. Luo

**Chapter 8** Liansheng rose and walked toward the grand hall's entrance. Bai Fan, meanwhile, stared at the golden-threaded orb for a long time; it knew that taking it now would cause trouble for Liansheng later on, and Bai Fan couldn't be so reckless. It decided that it would find another opportunity to take it in the future. It twisted its body to follow, and since it had absorbed a wisp of true dragon breath, its aura had changed as well. An observant and sensitive person would surely notice, but Liansheng, being too trusting of Bai Fan, didn’t pay any attention. Liansheng exited the grand hall and realized that no one had come. His expression began to show signs of doubt. Bai Fan felt uneasy too, wondering if Liansheng’s opportunistic cousin was deceiving them. By this time, someone should have arrived already. “Hiss hiss!” “Bai, we’ve been tricked. I don't think this place is as good as it seems. We should leave quickly.” Bai Fan nodded, thinking that Liansheng had finally realized it. However, to Bai Fan, it felt like a stroke of luck being here. It was not about to thank Liansheng's cunning cousin though—this place, with so many treasures, must be significant. If Liansheng were found here, the consequences would be dire. Human and serpent left the grand hall and gently closed the door. Just as they secured the door, a voice came from not far away, “Young Master, so you are here. The Elder Master has been waiting for you for a long time.” Liansheng shut the door tightly and turned, feeling anxious. He saw it was the young Taoist from before, riding his walnut sword in his haste to find them. The young Taoist swiftly landed, ran breathlessly over, and didn’t even bother to sheathe his walnut sword. Before the young Taoist could urge him, Liansheng said, “Please, lead the way.” “Of course.” The young Taoist took a few steps forward, leading Liansheng away. But as he saw the three words “Secret Scroll Pavilion” above the smaller hall, he froze for a moment, breaking out in a cold sweat. Bai Fan’s existence often went unnoticed—it clearly saw the young Taoist’s reaction. This place indeed harbored secrets; it hoped no troubles would arise later on. The young Taoist hastily sheathed his walnut sword and carefully tucked it back into his sleeve, clearly fond of the sword. After making several turns, they finally arrived at a large residence. Outside stood several disciples in white robes, looking anxious and unfamiliar with Liansheng. “Senior Brother Gu He, you’ve finally arrived. Let the Young Master go in already; the Elder Master just threw his teacup in anger.” So this young Taoist was named Gu He, yet he wore a blue robe, indicating his lower status. Why did the disciples in white call him Senior Brother? Bai Fan twisted its body, refusing to go in, preferring to wait outside rather than face that old man. Watching Liansheng enter, Gu He also followed. Once the doors closed, Bai Fan coiled up, preparing to contemplate the Transforming Jiao Technique—it still hadn’t fully grasped it. The true dragon breath within it darted around like a small loach. With nothing to do now, Bai Fan decided to ponder over the Transforming Jiao Technique, which had only three levels. It was brutal and straightforward, with no particular insights. The first level was to strengthen bones and scales. Once the body reached a certain fortitude, one would naturally advance to the second level—a process as natural as flowing water. “Hiss hiss.” Strengthening bones and scales wasn’t just about physical fitness. Now, Bai Fan’s scales were impervious to ordinary swords and knives, but no standard was given for reaching the second level. Bai Fan didn’t know when it would achieve it. Reaching the second level, however, allowed one to form a demonic core and transform. Upon discovering this, Bai Fan almost bit its own tongue in excitement—it finally had a chance to become human. Having spent decades as a reptile, it had forgotten what it felt like to have four limbs, to stand and walk, to chew and swallow food. Dreaming of the benefits of human form, Bai Fan began to fantasize about what it would do after transforming. Thinking about eating cooked meals, it drooled, snapping back to reality only when the saliva trickled from its mouth. It swallowed the saliva back, determined to reach the second level. The third level was the major completion of the demonic core, undergoing tribulation to become a flood dragon. Bai Fan felt it was thinking too far ahead. It wasn’t in a hurry to become a jiao; transforming into a flood dragon was a life-threatening ordeal. It wanted to enjoy the second level a bit longer, not forgetting the black python it had seen perish under the heavenly tribulation. There must be many ways to strengthen its body, Bai Fan mused—like the small pills it had eaten at Wangyue Temple, or consuming blood and flesh. The black python’s blood and flesh had turned it into a spirit, proving the benefits of other demonic beasts’ blood and flesh. “Hiss hiss.” Another perk of being a demon was not having to think too much, unlike Liansheng who had to study so hard. Inside the residence, the Elder Master's face was somber as he stared at Liansheng. “Where have you been?” Gu He trembled, feeling as if the question was directed at him. Remembering the name of the small hall, Liansheng blurted out, “I went to the Secret Scroll Pavilion.” The Elder Master glanced at Gu He before fixing his gaze on Liansheng. “Did you see anything?” “I only looked around briefly. I was suspicious of a golden-threaded orb, but dared not linger long and came out.” The Elder Master nodded, sternly looking at Liansheng. “The Secret Scroll Pavilion is the private repository of the Sect Master of Qingxu Sect. Any disciple who trespasses is to have their foundational bones removed and be expelled from the sect. Do you understand what you’ve done?” Liansheng froze. He knew the place was important but hadn’t realized the consequences of trespassing were so severe. He looked at the Elder Master, unsure of what to say. Gu He stepped forward, kneeling with a voice filled with remorse, “The Young Master knew nothing of this. I am willing to take all the blame. Please don’t trouble the Young Master. It was my oversight.” The Elder Master was aware that Li Xiaoyan had instigated this, and Gu He had gone along with it, leading Liansheng into the Secret Scroll Pavilion. He hadn’t intended to punish anyone severely; he merely wanted Gu He to understand what couldn’t be done. The Elder Master had brought Gu He in from the outside as a child, raising him closely. He adored Gu He more than anyone else, but Qingxu Sect couldn’t tolerate outsiders. Despite staying by the Elder Master's side, Gu He could only be an ordinary disciple. “Both of you are at fault—Liansheng for not guarding himself, and Gu He for allowing it. And Li Xiaoyan, for her jealousy, shall bear the most blame.” Liansheng lowered his head in shame, regretful of his unchecked curiosity. “I apologize.” He knelt, for the first time in his life. The Elder Master looked at Liansheng’s bowed head, lost in thought, before suddenly instructing Gu He, “Go summon Li Xiaoyan.” “Yes.” Gu He quickly got up and left, and a silence fell over the room. Outside, Bai Fan watched Gu He hurriedly leave and then return, followed by Li Xiaoyan, who kicked a clump of grass at the snake upon seeing it. Annoyed, Bai Fan bared its fangs in intimidation, thinking, ‘Wait till I form my core, I’ll take revenge on you every day.’ Inside, Li Xiaoyan was as meek as a quail, her demeanor changing completely. “Grandfather.” Upon entering, Li Xiaoyan bit her lip, eyes welling with tears, looking pitiful. “Kneel!” The Elder Master’s voice was noticeably less cold than before, making Li Xiaoyan shiver. She glanced at Liansheng kneeling beside her and then slowly knelt. “I’ve tolerated your willfulness since you lost your mother young. But to think you’ve grown so jealous. Your mother was dignified, gentle, and virtuous. If only you had even half her qualities.” The Elder Master’s look was full of disappointment. Li Xiaoyan’s tears fell heavily, forming a small puddle on the ground. “This time, I’ll let it go since it’s your first mistake, but next time, you’ll face the rules without mercy.” All three kneeling figures shuddered. Even Bai Fan outside felt a chill, thinking it might need to find a sunny spot to warm up. “You three will copy the Purifying Heart Sutra one hundred times in the ancestral hall, kneeling as you write. Don’t leave until it’s done!” The trio stood up upon hearing this. Liansheng, unfamiliar with the ancestral hall's location, followed behind Gu He. The three left in unison as the Elder Master waved his sleeve to shut the door. Bai Fan heard footsteps and lifted its head to see Liansheng. Excited, it wriggled its body to follow, but Liansheng looked at it dejectedly. “Bai, I have to go to the ancestral hall to copy scriptures. You stay here.” “Hiss hiss.” Liansheng reached out to pat Bai Fan's large snake head, then followed Gu He and the others. Even the previously arrogant Li Xiaoyan had her head bowed, and Bai Fan noticed her red eyes, feeling quite pleased. That girl must have been scolded, just as she deserved. That’ll teach her for kicking grass at me. With Liansheng gone, Bai Fan had no idea what to do next. It wriggled aimlessly around until it found a nice spot to sunbathe, its large tail lazily swaying back and forth. Surrounded by lush mountains and clear waters, its leisurely demeanor prompted one to appreciate this beautiful time and not let it slip by. While enjoying the pleasant sunlight, Bai Fan suddenly heard a rustling sound nearby. Curious, it turned its head to look. From a clump of grass emerged a little girl around five or six years old, her blue clothes covered in grass clippings. The girl turned back to reach into the grass pile and, after a moment, pulled out another little girl. The two of them, head-down and sneaky, looked like a pair of little thieves. These two girls were none other than the ones Bai Fan had seen previously in the study hall. “Li Xiaocha, can we go back? What if our uncle finds out?” “Don't worry. With me here, we're fine. We're just sneaking out for a bit.” “But...” “Li Min, don’t you think Uncle’s lessons are so boring?” “Yeah.” One of the girls was lively and adorable, the other shy and timid. Bai Fan “hissed hissed” twice, flicking its tongue. The timid girl, Li Min, turned her head, saw Bai Fan, and fell to the ground in fright. “A snake!” With a start, she plopped onto the ground.