26 - A Farewell to Mr. Luo

**Chapter 26** After washing away the grime, Bai Fan reached out to push open the window. A cacophony of lively sounds surged in. She was staying in a second-floor room of an inn facing the street. With the window open, she could see the street below. After spending a night here, as the day of the Ascension Ceremony drew nearer, more and more people arrived at this place, stopping for rest. Unlike the uniformed disciples she saw in Qingxu Sect, the cultivators here were quite casual, both in their demeanor and attire. "Knock knock knock." At that moment, there was a knock on Bai Fan's door. "Who is it?" "Young lady, it’s me." It was the voice of that Daoist priest. Bai Fan walked over and opened the door slightly, only exposing her small head. "Dao Chang, what is it?" "I just met a fellow Daoist with high cultivation. He happens to be going to Ascension Valley today as well. We can go with him to avoid any delay from the crowd." Bai Fan blinked; it didn’t matter to her whether they went early or late. “Alright, I’ll follow Dao Chang’s lead.” Bai Fan packed her things, taking the little thief along, and followed behind Dao Chang, curious about this new acquaintance of his. After settling the bill and exiting the inn, Bai Fan saw a man in the distance who looked about the same age as Dao Chang, with a greenish beard. "Fellow Daoist." "Is this the young lady you mentioned, Dao Chang?" "Yes, if it weren't for her help on the way here, I wouldn't have survived to come to the Ascension Ceremony." As he spoke, the unfamiliar Daoist looked at Bai Fan a few times, paying particular attention to the four golden bracelets on her wrists and ankles. "I am Zhang Youth, from Yingzhou." Hearing this, Dao Chang finally remembered that he hadn't introduced himself either, and said, “I forgot to introduce myself earlier. I am Qi Shen Zhi." Bai Fan felt a bit embarrassed, tugging at her hair. She had never introduced herself to others before, even though she had given herself a name that nobody knew. "Um, my name is Bai Fan, Bai as in white, and Fan as in the Buddhist chant." "So it’s Miss Bai. Your skin is like congealed cream, innocent and lively, a truly rare person." It was the first time Bai Fan had been praised like this, making her cheeks flush as she laughed with a shy smile. “It’s getting late. Zhang Daoist, when should we leave?” “No hurry, no hurry. We’ll decide once we’re out of this town.” Zhang Youth stroked his mustache and started walking. Bai Fan and the others followed. They stopped outside the town, where Zhang Youth took out a small gourd, only thumb-sized, with a red string attached, threw it into the air, and shouted, “Gourd Treasure.” The small gourd expanded instantly, as if inflated. Zhang Youth stepped onto it and called out, “Everyone, come on up.” Bai Fan quickly brought the little thief onto the gourd, but he seemed dazed. Bai Fan had to give him a hard slap on the head. “What are you thinking? Stand firm, or you’ll fall off later.” This seemed to wake him up. Terrified, the little thief moved to the middle. He couldn’t believe that as an ordinary mortal, he was brought to this place by a young girl, still in a state of shock. The half-mile journey was short; the gourd carried them swiftly. Upon landing, the little thief’s face had turned pale, his legs trembling. But they had finally reached Ascension Valley. The crowd here was even larger than in the small town. Many independent cultivators brought servants along, making the place lively. They headed to the entrance of Ascension Valley, which appeared to be an ordinary valley guarded by a few people. Those who queued up and handed in invitations could enter. When it was Bai Fan’s turn, she saw the people ahead touch the valley’s entrance and vanish. It made her pause for a moment, but Qi Shen Zhi explained, “This is a formation that opens once every ten years.” Bai Fan thought it was somewhat similar to the forbidden formation of Wanfeng Terrace, which opened every fifty years. Once inside Ascension Valley, Bai Fan parted ways with the two Daoists, wandering with the little thief like it was a street market. Ascension Valley was essentially a small town with many vendors lining the streets. Many intriguing items were on sale by independent cultivators. Upon inquiry, she found they didn’t accept money but bartered or took spirit stones. Speaking of spirit stones, Bai Fan remembered Lian Sheng had given her three when she left Qingxu Sect, finally understanding their use. Bai Fan took out the three spirit stones, uncertain of what to buy. “Better not waste them by buying useless things,” she thought, stashing them away again. She continued browsing the stalls, forgetting she had a little thief following her. In such a crowded street, the thief’s professional instincts kicked in, eyeing the surrounding cultivators, who ignored him, assuming he was Bai Fan’s servant. After browsing for a while, Bai Fan found the only thing worth buying were some small spell copies. She lingered at a stall, leafing through a book for a long time. She casually flipped a couple of pages, intending to look more closely but was abruptly interrupted by the vendor. “If you’re not buying, don’t look. Don’t block my business.” Bai Fan puffed her cheeks in anger, protesting, “Who says I’m not buying? I’m choosing.” The vendor glanced at Bai Fan, “If you wanted to buy, you’d have bought it already. You’ve been here so long, trying to read for free. No way.” Caught off guard by this retort, Bai Fan indeed had intended to browse initially but later found an intriguing fireball spell. “I’ll take this one. How much?” “Three spirit stones.” “What? Three spirit stones? Are you robbing me?” “Take it or leave it.” The vendor snatched the book back and re-arranged it. Bai Fan snorted, turning away. “It’s just a small spell. There are plenty around. I’ll find something suitable.” After walking a short distance, she realized the little thief had snuck away. Annoyed, she thought, “If I catch him again, I’ll tie him up.” While stewing in frustration, she noticed a crowd moving in one direction. Curious and with nothing better to do, she followed. Soon, she found herself in front of a pavilion where several elderly men with white beards stood. A gong sounded, “Dong!” The previously noisy crowd fell silent. Due to her short stature, Bai Fan couldn’t see what was happening up front, with people surrounding her. Unexpectedly, someone tapped her on the shoulder—soft, delicate hands. Bai Fan paused, not recognizing the hands’ owner. The person seemed intent on leading her somewhere, pulling on her arm. Upon exiting the crowd, the person realized their mistake. “Oh, I’m sorry, I grabbed the wrong person.” The girl ahead, about Bai Fan’s height, dressed in green, indicated she was from the Ephemera Palace. But what was someone from the distant Ephemera Palace doing here? Bai Fan wondered if it was a coincidence. Watching the girl skip away, Bai Fan squeezed back into the crowd. As everyone settled, a booming voice emerged from the pavilion. It seemed enhanced by spiritual power, ensuring everyone could hear. “This year, I will teach about the Dao’s natural order...” The Ascension Ceremony had begun. An elder with high cultivation spoke, his level a mystery to Bai Fan. He was a respected senior who lectured every ten years, offering a glimmer of hope to independent cultivators. Bai Fan held great respect for such people, as they provided guidance and hope to those without sects. The insights shared during the Dao lecture were remarkably clear, accessible even to those not deeply versed in the art. Unlike the sermons Bai Fan had once struggled to understand while staying with Wang Yue Daochang, this time she found the teachings illuminating, even effortless. Wang Yue Daochang, after all, had his limitations; those with profound comprehension might grasp his teachings quickly, but for someone like Bai Fan, it was akin to playing a lute to a cow. This lecture stretched on for an entire day and night. Even though the crowd couldn't abstain from food yet, no one was willing to leave, preferring hunger to missing a word. Eventually, the sound of a gong brought the session to a close. “Dong!” Bai Fan, who had been deeply immersed and spellbound, felt as though the gong had shattered a dream, leaving her with a sudden sense of loss. "Is it over already?" As she stood up, she realized that she had unconsciously broken through two levels during the session, advancing from Qi Refinement stage one to stage three. According to the basic cultivation manual of the Qingxu Sect, Qi Refinement had nine levels divided into lower, middle, and upper stages. As more people awoke, the expressions on their faces revealed significant advancements in their cultivation. Some had broken through long-standing bottlenecks, celebrating with excitement and laughter. "This lecture has concluded. The next session will be in ten years. Please maintain order in the Immortal Valley." "Thank you, Senior Huang." The assembled independent cultivators collectively expressed their gratitude in unison, a fervent sound unlikely to be heard in any sect. A white crane flew in from afar, flapping its wings and calling out, carrying the elder away slowly, like a sage from a fairy tale. As the crowd dispersed, Bai Fan realized she needed to make more acquaintances. Cultivation was about the four essentials: method, companion, wealth, and land. She only possessed the method so far, missing the other three. It seemed she had a long road ahead. Bai Fan momentarily forgot the unpleasant stall incident, walking back gleefully. Unexpectedly, someone bumped into her, hitting her delicate nose. The pain brought two tears to her eyes. "Who walks without looking?" “Boss.” Eh, wasn’t that the thief’s voice? Looking up, it really was the thief. Bai Fan wiped away her tears and sniffled, "Where did you go? I thought you ran off." The thief appeared aggrieved, his appearance rather unremarkable, even somewhat ugly but not deformed. In a place like this filled with mystical figures, where could he have possibly gone? He had, after all, succumbed to his itchy hands and returned, only to realize he couldn’t find Bai Fan and was barred from the pavilion area. "Boss, how would I dare run? I just couldn’t help myself and stole a few things. When I came back, you were gone. They wouldn’t let me through to the pavilion.” To prove his honesty, he showed Bai Fan the items he swiped—two bulging, gray pouches, clearly belonging to men but of unknown, unlucky owners. "You stole from someone? Return them at once." Bai Fan was startled by his audacity. This wasn’t a mundane place; Ascension Valley was under cultivators’ territory. The fact he dared steal from them meant he risked dire consequences. Bai Fan raised her hand to strike the thief, who knowing her strength, quickly knelt, pleading, “Boss, spare me. I won’t ever do it again.” "You want another chance!" "No, never again." Raising the pouches high in surrender, the thief offered them up. Bai Fan, seeing no one paying attention to them, hurriedly led the thief to a quieter spot, taking the pouches and whispering through gritted teeth, “If they come looking, you’re in trouble.” The thief eagerly nodded, feeling nervous after his deeds. His reflex to steal, honed since childhood, was hard to control despite understanding the grave risks here. Spotting two obviously wealthy individuals with distinctive looks had tempted him too much; he rationalized their unattractive pouches might just be their quirky habit, recalling even a rich merchant obsessed with smelly socks who delighted in sniffing them. Fearing retribution from those he stole from, Bai Fan quickly purchased two minor spellbooks and got ready to leave. To spite the rude vendor, Bai Fan deliberately bought the spellbooks from the stall next door. Although they didn’t have the fireball spell, she found a Cloud-Rain Technique and a Wind-Riding Spell, both quite affordable despite being meager selections. One spirit stone per book, two for both—you couldn't beat that. Thus, Bai Fan saved one spirit stone, feeling smug as she strutted past the rude vendor and exited Ascension Valley, looking back to see it fade completely from sight. “Boss, what an extraordinary place.” Bai Fan snorted, “Lack of insight.” “Where to now, Boss?” “Hmm, I’m not sure, but I have an idea.” Bai Fan picked up a twig, threw it into the air, and watched as the wind blew it far away. They stood in silent bewilderment; Bai Fan puzzled over why the twig was carried off by the wind. “Let’s head in that direction.” She pointed where the twig had flown. “Boss, that’s north—an arid wasteland. Are you sure?” The mention of arid lands reminded Bai Fan of their hunger-filled journey. She certainly didn't want a repeat of that misery. “Then let’s go south,” she decided, pivoting to head in the opposite direction. The southern breeze was gentle, caressing their cheeks like a weaver’s touch—just the kind of feeling Bai Fan the snake loved. Long accustomed to outdoor living, the thief persistently tried to start a fire for cooked food, a skill Bai Fan had taught him, though it left his hands blistered. Ironically, this thief’s hands were his best feature—slender and straight, free of calluses, destined only for a certain lifestyle. Meanwhile, Bai Fan examined the two pouches, struggling to open them by force to no avail. Eventually, she channelled a wisp of spiritual energy from within herself into the pouch’s opening, which miraculously worked. Although the force tore a hole in the pouch, spilling its contents like a treasure trove, it almost buried her. Bai Fan stared, astonished, at the pile and picked up the now broken gray pouch, feeling exasperated. Who’d have thought this grubby pouch was a treasure, now ruined by her own hand. “Boss.” The thief was equally shocked by the sudden emergence of items. Bai Fan might not recognize them by name, but she could infer their use. Such pouches typically belonged to advanced cultivators, indicating their owners were powerful adversaries. “What did those two pouches’ owners look like?” The thief, nervous, described, “They appeared wealthy, followed by many, all dressed uniformly.” His description was vague, reflecting the thief’s lack of attention to details under stress. They just hoped the owners wouldn’t come seeking them out. Holding the other pouch, Bai Fan cautiously used spiritual energy to open it, avoiding brute force. As she peered inside, she saw the organized contents. They emptied the pouch’s contents: three minor spellbooks, three small medicine bottles labeled “Qi-Conveying Pill” and “Foundation-Nurturing Pill,” and one unlabeled bottle of unknown contents. After sorting everything, they found the most valuable items were the pills, spellbooks, and about a dozen spirit stones. The rest were miscellaneous daily items. Bai Fan carefully picked out the items she needed and put them back into the gray pouch, leaving the rest to the thief. The thief looked at the pile in front of him in dismay; after rummaging for a long time, he couldn’t find any gold, except for two swords that seemed valuable. Meanwhile, not far from Ascension Valley, a few cultivators in matching attire were frantically patting their waists. "What’s going on? My storage pouch is missing." "Mine’s gone too." The two of them were anxiously searching their bodies when others approached to inquire further. "Did you leave it in Ascension Valley?" "Impossible, my storage pouch has never left my side. I even felt it when we left the inn." One member suggested, “Could it be we were pickpocketed?” “No way, would there be thieves in Ascension Valley?” “Why not? You should consider the people coming here, mostly independent cultivators. They have no roots and likely have shady resources.” The group debated until one of them, whose words carried more weight, interrupted, “Everyone has left by now. Finding them is unlikely. Remember to be more cautious next time. Ascension Valley isn’t full of such people. Let’s report back to the sect promptly.” “Yes, Senior Brother.” The others responded in unison, except for the two disciples who had lost their storage pouches, remaining silent. These men were disciples of Chunyang Palace, out on a training mission, only to have their pouches stolen by a thief—unfortunate indeed. Hastily fleeing the scene, Bai Fan and the thief walked non-stop for several kilometers before reaching a mountain peak where they finally halted. “This place should be safe. We can rest here tonight.” Eagerly, Bai Fan took out the two minor spellbooks she had bought and started studying them. The thief, dutifully, gathered firewood and roasted two hares. The Cloud-Rain Technique turned out to be a minor rain-creating spell, useful only near abundant water, like lakes or seas—utterly impractical and wasteful of spiritual energy. Bai Fan quickly set it aside. She then tried the Wind-Riding Spell, though it too seemed limited. It worked anywhere but couldn’t enable true wind-riding flight yet. After memorizing both spells, Bai Fan began practicing. The first she mastered was the Wind-Riding Spell. Although it only managed to shake some leaves for now, consistent practice promised stronger gusts in the future. Reflecting on her purchases, Bai Fan sighed. It was evident that cheap spells had limited utility. If she had bought the fireball spell, she could have at least created small fireballs, far more useful. “Boss, the rabbit meat is ready.” The thief handed over a skewer of roasted hare. Bai Fan rarely cooked herself, preferring laziness and susceptibility. She found it fortunate her captured thief had this skill. Though the rabbit meat couldn’t fully satisfy her hunger, its taste was delightful. Enjoying the tender, charred meat, Bai Fan squinted in satisfaction, her cheeks bulging with contentment—like a snake shaking its tail when pleased. After finishing the meal, dawn soon broke. Bai Fan pulled out a map from the storage pouch, left by the previous owner, and it turned out handy. They no longer had to wander aimlessly. However, Bai Fan couldn’t figure out their current location on the map, unfamiliar as she was with the world beyond Wanfeng Terrace. “Come here and help me figure out where we are.” The thief, eager to please, quickly examined the map, though somewhat confused. This map differed greatly from any he had seen before, with marked locations he hadn’t heard of—except for one name he recognized: their kingdom, Jin. The map was enormous, larger than any he had ever seen. “Boss, we’re in Jin.” With Jin identified, Bai Fan confirmed their position. Jin, an inland country surrounded by others, was not their destination. They were headed towards coastal nations, marked in red ink on the map. Though Far Wilderness wasn’t visible, Bai Fan inferred it must be quite distant, beyond her current capabilities. Abandoning the Far Wilderness search for now, Bai Fan decided to visit the marked red points on the map, indicating significant places nearby. The nearest red point was within Jin and not too far. Determined, Bai Fan set off to explore it. “Boss, are you sure we should go there? It’s a volcano.” "Why not? You love money. There must be treasures marked here." The thief felt aggrieved, doubting the profitability of a volcano. Despite his tendency towards theft, he found little value in the swords he stole, thinking them better sold by weight, yet he followed Bai Fan eagerly towards the volcano. Elsewhere, He Yiman had been despondent since losing her red flute. The elders scolded her publicly after discovering the loss post-Wanfeng Terrace exit. Without the flute, she was no different from a normal mortal. Although the elders provided a replacement, the red flute held irreplaceable significance for her. Lost on Wanfeng Terrace, which opened only every fifty years, retrieving it seemed hopeless. By then, she would be too old to matter. Lying on the age-old Lingxiao vine in Ephemera Palace, He Yiman’s thoughts were heavy. This vine, ancient and once spiritually shattered, could never shape-shift again, living a dazed existence, blooming yearly. Ephemera Palace owed its location to this vine; its presence enriched their spiritual energy, fostering ideal cultivation conditions. Yet, none of this benefited He Yiman. She couldn’t sense the spiritual energy, relying solely on her flute for control. The ever-blooming red flowers on the vine resembled flames, dancing in the wind—a signature sight of Ephemera Palace. He Yiman brought the new flute to her lips, playing clear, flowing notes with a melodious ending. A young girl’s voice called from below the vine, “Sister Yiman, Master wants you to take me on a training trip. They say some dormant volcanoes are becoming active. Master wants you to check it out.” The girl looked up admiringly at He Yiman, who elegantly descended the vine, her lake-green attire spreading like ink. Holding the flute in one hand, she accepted a scroll from the girl with the other, slowly unrolling it. --- Thank you to those who voted for the Bawang ticket or watered me with nutrition liquid~ Thank you to the little angels who voted for [Landmine]: Sui Yi, kanbujian 1 each; Thank you to the little angels who watered [Nutrition Liquid]: Many thanks for your support. I will continue to work hard! Previous Chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter Home Computer Version Bookshelf All Novels Popular Novels