16 - A Farewell to Mr. Luo

Bai Fan felt as if he had turned into a shapeless mass, vaguely hearing many people speaking around him. His body was currently in excruciating pain everywhere, especially due to that small trace of true dragon’s aura which was incredibly active right now. It felt like a little golden loach swimming through his meridians, seemingly getting acquainted with its new home. Bai Fan also felt something growing inside him, and the beautiful, white scales on his body were shedding in large patches, eventually transforming into spiritual light and returning into his body. A group of people watched Bai Fan, witnessing the hazy mass morph into a humanoid shape, which gradually revealed the form of a girl with snow-like skin and waterfall-like hair. The girl appeared to be only thirteen or fourteen years old, with a sharp, melon-shaped face, a touch of vermilion on her lips, and brows like black silk. Her eyes were shut tight as she lay silently on the ground, resembling a maiden. No one among the crowd felt a sliver of disrespect; instead, they felt she was meant to be this way. Lian Sheng was the first to react. Upon seeing this strangely familiar girl, he immediately thought of Da Bai and quickly took out his outer garment to cover her. When the pain finally subsided, Bai Fan slowly opened her eyes, seeing a group of people staring at her like she was a spectacle. Bai Fan blinked her eyes several times in succession, and then curiously reached out a snow-white arm to touch her eyes, mumbling internally about how she could now blink. However, she hadn’t yet fully transitioned from her beastly form and initially tried to crawl on the ground. Eventually, she realized she couldn’t move and felt a pang of panic—is this a dream? Otherwise, how could she have grown limbs? This sight left everyone’s jaws hanging. The white serpent had transformed into a human right before their eyes. The first to speak was the Lao Zong Zhu, who asked, “Lian Sheng, what on earth is going on here?” Before departing, Lao Zong Zhu left a parting instruction for Lian Sheng, “Come and give me an explanation later.” Once the crowd dispersed, only Bai Fan and Li Lian Sheng remained. A gentle breeze blew past, causing Bai Fan to shiver in goosebumps. Her original aura of a golden core flickered briefly and then vanished, while the jiao core returned to its original place, in that white space she used to call a dreamland. Li Lian Sheng looked at Bai Fan with some doubts in his heart, but finally confirmed that the little girl before him was indeed Da Bai. Unsure, he hesitated before cautiously calling out, “Da Bai.” “Hiss hiss” Bai Fan responded to Lian Sheng’s call with two hissing sounds, her face still showing a puzzled expression. Yet, considering her current attire and expression, the little snake tongue flicking out of her vermilion lips made him shiver. “Da Bai, can’t you speak?” Lian Sheng asked as he helped her up from the ground. Bai Fan tried hard to say something to Lian Sheng, but seemed unable to. In the end, she could only point to her throat and then shake her hand, indicating that she couldn't speak. Her pair of dark eyes continued to gaze at her own small, white hands, examining them repeatedly. She gripped her ten fingers, repeating the action several times, then kicked her legs and spun around on the ground in excitement. When she lifted her small face, she silently opened her mouth in a broad smile, full of joy. At last, the serpent had transformed and reclaimed a human form. In her new form, Bai Fan acted like a child. “Hiss hiss” Bai Fan had forgotten how to speak; the vocalizations of humans were very different from those of snakes. As she walked, her bones occasionally softened unexpectedly, causing her gait to look strange. Li Lian Sheng couldn’t help but wipe his sweat as he watched. After she finally got used to using her arms and legs without appearing odd, Bai Fan truly looked like a normal little girl, except for her restless, gleaming eyes. “Let’s go.” Lian Sheng remembered his grandfather’s parting words. Now that Da Bai had taken on this form, it needed an explanation, as none of them had expected her to transform one day. Bai Fan blinked her eyes—it was her new favorite thing to do ever since she got eyelids. Those bright, dark eyes blinked so frequently that it was easy to forget she was a fierce beast capable of devouring five or six barrels of meat. She was dressed in a set of white clothes, slightly oversized. However, rolling up the sleeves and pants worked well enough. Her small feet couldn’t find any shoes, so she simply went barefoot. Her small, snow-white feet looked fragile but were actually tough and sturdy. She didn’t feel any discomfort walking barefoot, and refused any offered shoes, viewing them as restrictive as bags on her tail. Lian Sheng guided Bai Fan to Lao Zong Zhu’s place. Bai Fan, delighted, played with her fingers. She thought about how she wouldn’t need a basin for meals anymore but could use chopsticks. She followed barefoot behind him, feeling no pain from the ground. Her feet were deceptively soft but tough, not prone to blisters. She refused to wear shoes, finding them as uncomfortable as if putting a sack on her tail. Bai Fan was familiar with Lao Zong Zhu’s place. It wasn’t her first visit. The door was guarded by the same white-clad disciples, and among them, she recognized Li Xiao Yan. Seeing Li Xiao Yan’s piercing gaze, Bai Fan felt provoked. Since she was shorter by a head, she lifted her chin and chest in defiance. Li Xiao Yan hadn’t witnessed Bai Fan’s transformation but had heard about it. Upon seeing the delicate girl behind Lian Sheng, she knew it was that serpent demon, and snorted disdainfully. Neither girl looked at each other directly. Gu He opened the door, casting a glance at Bai Fan. His face turned red upon seeing her new, strikingly beautiful form, feeling his heart skip a beat. Everyone knew, however, that this was merely a demon in human form. Lian Sheng guided Bai Fan inside. He had been there many times, but this was the first for Bai Fan. Her memories of Lao Zong Zhu weren’t favorable, so she walked in with tense steps. “Grandfather.” “Come in.” Bai Fan saw Lian Sheng bowing, and mimicked him, bowing nervously as well. “Rise.” Once both stood, Bai Fan looked down at her own feet, her toes twitching nervously. Lao Zong Zhu sat at the table, seemingly lost in thought. On the table lay a red wooden box, appearing quite valuable, with a weathered copper lock, indicating its age. “Grandfather, this is Da Bai.” Lao Zong Zhu glanced at Bai Fan. The aura of a golden core he had sensed that day was unforgettable. He knew what had happened, recognizing the serpent demon’s surprising level of cultivation, though it was now undetectable. With the upcoming urgent matter at Wan Feng Tai, he wasn’t sure how many disciples would survive. To keep Lian Sheng safe from the perils of Wan Feng Tai, he decided to rely on this serpent demon. Lao Zong Zhu opened the red wooden box, revealing two pairs of golden bracelets adorned with intricate arrays. These relics, found by an ancestral master in the wilderness, had been stored away due to their seemingly limited utility. But now, they found their purpose. “Step forward.” Lao Zong Zhu’s commanding tone made Bai Fan anxious, but his overwhelming presence made her comply. Muttering incantations, Lao Zong Zhu extended his left hand, a wisp of spiritual energy slashing through Lian Sheng's wrist, extracting a drop of blood. With his right hand, he grasped the four golden bracelets, infusing them with the blood. The originally static runes began to pulsate with life, forming a blood bond with Lian Sheng. Bai Fan panicked at this eerie display, instinctively retreating. With a fierce glare, Lao Zong Zhu pulled Bai Fan back using spiritual force, attaching the bracelets firmly to her limbs. They felt like searing iron branding her flesh, almost merging with her bones. The agonizing pain made Bai Fan thrash wildly, alternating between her human and serpent forms, roaring furiously at Lian Sheng, her eyes now bloodshot and feral. “Hiss, roar!” Lian Sheng, paralyzed with shock, watched Da Bai’s intense suffering, helpless as her violent struggle shook the room. Unfazed, Lao Zong Zhu pressed his five fingers onto Bai Fan, making her instantly pass out. “Grandfather—” “Don’t worry, she’s fine.” “Grandfather, what are you doing to Da Bai?” Lian Sheng watched Bai Fan's frenzied state, feeling a deep sense of fear. “This is a Vajra Bracelet. It can conceal cultivation and suppress aura. Since this white serpent is a demon, going to Wan Feng Tai requires hiding its demon aura. With such high cultivation, if she accidentally reveals herself, it would place you in immense danger as well. Rest assured, these bracelets are for your safety.” “But Da Bai looks like she’s in a lot of pain. After all, she has shown me great kindness.” Lao Zong Zhu sternly rebuked, “Foolish! It is a demon. Mercy can lead to your death. You are moved by a small act of kindness, but cultivation isn’t achieved so easily.” Reprimanded, Li Lian Sheng lowered his head, still feeling uneasy but unable to think that Da Bai would bring any harm to him in the future.