27 - A Farewell to Mr. Luo

The sky was drizzling continuously, and the road was muddy. Bai Fan and Xiao Tuo sought refuge in a rock cave to avoid the rain. They had been filled with enthusiasm and hadn't even traveled half a day before the weather changed. Bai Fan, covered in sticky clothes, didn't feel much discomfort, but Xiao Tuo was in a bad situation. His human physique couldn't compare to hers. Once his clothes got wet, he started feeling cold and shivering all over. His complexion wasn't good either. Originally unattractive, his face now turned an unhealthy blue from the cold, making him look even worse. "Why are you shivering?" Bai Fan was meditating, but Xiao Tuo kept rubbing his hands and feet nearby, his breathing sounding like slurping noodles, making it impossible for her to focus on her cultivation. "Boss, I'm kind of cold." Hearing this, Bai Fan scratched her head in irritation. Finally, she got up and brought some wet wood from outside. With her small white hands, she started a fire by friction. Luckily, Bai Fan had endless energy. After a few rounds of rubbing, the wood began to smoke. Soon, the damp cave was lit with flames. Watching Bai Fan's actions, Xiao Tuo felt somewhat emotional. Perhaps it was because he had been mistreated by her so often along the way that this sudden act of kindness moved him deeply. With teary eyes, Xiao Tuo huddled by the fire for warmth. His face gradually regained some color, and listening to the crackling sound of the fire, he slowly closed his eyes. Bai Fan clapped the soot from her hands and finally resumed her meditation, closing her eyes to cultivate. Cultivation wasn't solely about insight; it also required effort. If she cultivated irregularly, Bai Fan had no idea how many years it would take to reach the Foundation Establishment stage. So whenever she had free time, she seized the opportunity to practice. While she was cultivating, the transformation into a flood dragon technique quietly began to operate on its own. Spiritual energy slowly accumulated in her body, and her meridians, nourished by the constant influx of spiritual energy, became increasingly resilient and flexible. In the past, Bai Fan had to cautiously circulate her inner energy during cultivation, fearing that over-absorption of spiritual energy might damage her meridians. Now that her meridians had become more flexible, she could boldly absorb spiritual energy. The rate of her cultivation progress had significantly increased, elevating her from the third stage to the fourth overnight. Satisfied, Bai Fan marveled at the rapid improvements in her cultivation. Her sense of smell had become more acute, her vision clearer. Even the little spells she had recently learned became easier to perform. Taking advantage of the rainy weather outside, Bai Fan practiced the Small Rain Cloud Technique. Channeling a trace of spiritual energy from her body to her palm, she attracted the surrounding spiritual energy and moisture. Slowly, a small cloud the size of her palm formed in her hand. She reached out and grabbed it, but the cloud dispersed immediately. Though the cloud hadn't formed rain, Bai Fan felt she was getting the hang of it. Next time, she aimed to form a larger cloud. However, the spell consumed too much spiritual energy, so she decided to meditate and slowly replenish her energy. As she was meditating, she suddenly remembered the dragon pearl she had left untouched for a while. With her inner sight, she located the white space within her where the pearl resided. The once city-green dragon pearl had now turned a deep green. As Bai Fan immersed herself within it, she felt the intense water energy the pearl emanated. Perhaps due to her earlier practice of the Small Rain Cloud Technique, the dragon pearl had become more complete through cultivation. It seemed to be regaining its former components. The once inch-long snake body had grown slightly, appearing slimmer and more graceful. Its beautiful scales reflected a watery sheen. Bai Fan swam around inside the pearl a few times, sensing a fleeting realization she couldn't quite grasp. Realizing the moment wasn't right, she had to reluctantly leave the dragon pearl. Opening her eyes and finding it wasn’t yet dawn, she didn't know what to do. She then took out the sword orb she had traded from Li Xiao Yan and her father. Stored in a small box, the sword orb emitted a soft moonlight when she opened it. It was said that the sword orb could move according to one’s will, unlike a long sword needing to be grasped by hand. Holding the sword orb, Bai Fan shivered from its chilliness, its coldness seeping to her bones. Being a snake, she naturally feared the cold, which now reached her tailbone. Examining it from all angles and unable to figure out how to use it, Bai Fan tried numerous ways without success. It became clear she wasn't yet capable of wielding it. For now, her cultivation was too low to hold it comfortably. She quickly put the sword orb away and warmed her hands by the fire. As the rain stopped and dawn broke, Bai Fan was already prepared to set out, while a groggy Xiao Tuo slowly got up. Walking along, Bai Fan opened a map and measured the distance, discovering they weren’t far now. The closer they got to the volcano's crater, the different the soil felt—fertile even the ants were large. An ant crawled onto her small foot, and with a frown, Bai Fan stomped it. At last, she grasped the benefit of wearing shoes. In such places, insects would creep all over, unaware of the impending danger. "Despicable ant, daring to bite my foot." Along the way to the volcano's crater, Bai Fan stomped on numerous ants, her footsteps imprinted in the soft soil. Xiao Tuo followed, covering his nose due to the strong sulfur smell emanating from the decaying leaves, a small spark could ignite the whole forest. Upon reaching the crater, Bai Fan expected to see bubbling lava but instead found a bubbling hot spring and the familiar smell of sulfur. "Boss, there's no way there's any treasure here. We should leave." Bai Fan examined the surroundings, refusing to believe someone would mark the spot without reason. There had to be something special about this place. "Wait, be quiet. Don’t speak." Bai Fan lay on the ground, listening. As a beast, her senses were sharper than a human’s. Though Xiao Tuo heard nothing, Bai Fan did. Beneath the crater, a rumbling sound persisted. Each collision felt as though something heavy tested her patience. Could something be trapped below? Bai Fan doubted it. Only an extraordinary being could survive in magma. Noting that the map had several marks, not just one. Looking around, she saw that only the hot spring stood out, so she bent to observe it closely. Finally, she decided to dive in for a look. Just as her foot touched the water, Xiao Tuo’s shout rang out: "Boss, Boss, someone’s coming." Bai Fan quickly withdrew her foot and looked back, indeed seeing people approaching. She grabbed Xiao Tuo and swiftly hid behind a large obsidian rock. The newcomers were disciples from the Pure Yang Palace, one of whom Xiao Tuo had previously stolen from. Seeing the familiar outfit, Xiao Tuo opened his mouth to speak, but Bai Fan swiftly covered it. Speaking here would get them caught, and she couldn’t guarantee she could face so many Foundation Establishment disciples alone. The disciples stayed by the hot spring for a while, writing notes. "Let's go. This place doesn't seem to have major issues. We’ll check the rest and return in a few days." The disciples gradually left. Once they were gone, Bai Fan released Xiao Tuo, who rubbed his mouth while she wiped her hand on her clothes in disgust. "Hurry up and say what you wanted to say." Swallowing nervously, Xiao Tuo said, "Boss, those people were the ones I stole from before." Bai Fan's eyes widened. All those people were above Foundation Establishment. If they were discovered, escape would be impossible. "But they likely aren’t here for us. They might be looking for something at the crater, just like us. After all, we got this map from them." Bai Fan walked over to the hot spring and looked back at Xiao Tuo. "You wait here. If someone approaches again, hide immediately. I'm going down to check." With that, she dove into the hot spring. It was far deeper than it appeared. Transforming into her snake form, Bai Fan swam easily underwater, especially with her dragon pearl, enabling her to hold her breath longer. Beneath the surface, a staircase led to greater depths. The bottom was paved with obsidian, an endless black abyss. Bai Fan gulped a mouthful of water, overwhelmed by the sudden fear of the unknown, halting her advance. Not far from the volcano's crater, He Yi Man and Bai Zhi approached together, Bai Zhi flying her sword with He Yi Man, both dressed in elegant lake-green robes. Originally, they hadn't planned to come to this volcano crater since its activity wasn't particularly high, and they could visit later. However, upon hearing about the hot spring, the young Bai Zhi insisted on coming, leaving them no choice but to change their route. "Yi Man, Senior Sister, look! There's the hot spring." Bai Zhi spotted the small hot spring from a distance, her voice chirping like a joyful little bird. Watching from the shadows, Xiao Tuo hurriedly hid, wondering why people kept showing up in waves. Bai Zhi landed gently, retracting her verdant sword with ease. She was a sword cultivator. Unable to wait, the young girl ran to the hot spring, slipped off her shoes, and began soaking her feet. Turning back, she called out, “Yi Man, Senior Sister, come soak your feet! We’ve been traveling for so long; it’s time to relax our weary bodies.” He Yi Man walked over with a faint smile, her demeanor calm, “You go ahead; I'll look around first.” Underwater, Bai Fan saw the blurry figures above and shared Xiao Tuo's sentiment—more people again. Faced with the deep darkness below, Bai Fan had no choice but to dive in, fearing that if the people above found her, they’d kill her, mistaking her for a monster. She slithered deeper, but as she penetrated the darkness, her vision dimmed until she could only proceed by weakly sensing her environment. The deeper she swam, the narrower the space became. Fortunately, her slimmer frame, now that she had been eating less since her transformation into a human, allowed her to squeeze through. As the water temperature increased, Bai Fan's thick skin protected her from being boiled alive. Braving the scalding heat, she pushed forward with determination. Back on the surface, He Yi Man, having observed for a while, noticed the anomaly in the hot spring’s water. But by now, Bai Fan had already dived deep. "This water seems different," He Yi Man remarked curiously. "What's different? It looks normal to me," Bai Zhi replied, puzzled. He Yi Man smiled and took out a bead, which emitted a peaceful aura in her hand. "Wow, is that a Water Repelling Bead?" The young girl exclaimed in awe. He Yi Man nodded, "Do you want to come with me?" "Yes, I want to go!" Excitedly, Bai Zhi rose and followed closely behind He Yi Man. Xiao Tuo, watching in amazement, saw He Yi Man leading Bai Zhi into the hot spring. The Water Repelling Bead created a water-free zone within a meter radius, allowing them to walk as if on dry land—truly a natural treasure. While Bai Fan endured the risk of being boiled alive, they comfortably descended. Meanwhile, Bai Fan finally reached another area where the water temperature was frighteningly high. She looked up at the surface, desperate to escape the scalding heat. Tired and nearly cooked, she leaped out of the water, transforming back into her human form. Her skin was red and burning from the heat, like someone who had soaked too long in a hot spring. The cold air against her heated skin caused her to sweat profusely, although the sweat evaporated before it could drop. She wiped her sweat and surveyed her surroundings. What lay before her was a massive cavern. Across from the hot spring was a pool of lava, explaining the hot water temperature. Following the lava flow, she noticed signs of artificial excavation. As she stepped onto a rock, she saw it disintegrate into the lava below—chilling her to the core, realizing her fate would be worse than that rock if she fell in. Surviving such an environment required someone extraordinary, like her unique master, the half-serpent, half-unicorn creature. Bai Fan suddenly remembered the communication conch her master had given her, which she had completely forgotten during training. In a place like this, it was best to seek advice from that strange creature. She took out the communication conch and infused a small amount of spiritual energy into it, causing it to emit a faint glow, signaling the other end. A lazy voice came through, "What's up? You've been out for so long. Just remembering your master now?" "Well, Master, I'm currently at the bottom of a volcano’s hot spring." "So relaxing, soaking in a hot spring. I can only soak in lava. Maybe I should find myself a hot spring to soak in too." “…” Bai Fan felt that her and her master's thinking were completely misaligned, making it difficult to have a proper conversation. After a brief silence, Bai Fan continued, "I found a map marking numerous volcanoes. Right now, I’m at a crater, and it seems something is sealed here." “…” Silence met her from the other side. "Aren't you sure you're at the bottom of a volcano?" "I'm standing at the bottom; further in lies the volcano's core." "Then go further in." Following the instructions, Bai Fan moved deeper into the cave. The entire cavern was steamy due to the lava, nearly suffocating her as waves of lava surged by. A single spark landed on her clothes, burning a small hole. She quickly patted it out. The deeper she went, the hotter it became. Every part of Bai Fan was drenched in sweat, her hair clinging to her cheeks. She tightly clutched the communication conch, her breath becoming labored. As she passed through a small opening, the space before her widened significantly. What greeted her eyes wasn’t a simple cavern but the mouth of an enormous erupting volcano. A lake of molten lava spread out before her, erupting now and then like fireworks. "Boom, boom, boom." The familiar sound echoed, the same one Bai Fan had heard earlier. The sound also transmitted through the communication conch to Huo Qilin. Looking up, Bai Fan saw something charred red, bound by numerous iron chains. Pieces fell off it like iron filings, creating a terrifying sight. "Roar!" The deafening roar startled Bai Fan, filled with boundless rage and sorrow. "Little snake, that’s the sound of a Terrestrial Dragon," Huo Qilin's voice came through the conch. "A Terrestrial Dragon?" "This is a Terrestrial Dragon from the Abyss. I wonder why it’s on the surface. Can you discern its appearance?" Examining it from various angles, Bai Fan managed to see the entire creature. "It has two horns like a bull, eyes like golden beads, with fire emanating from its body. Falling iron filings when it moves, four limbs with claws and two toes." "That’s definitely a Terrestrial Dragon." "It’s imprisoned," Bai Fan observed the dragon thrashing against the volcano walls, its iron skin continuously falling off, blood instantly consumed by the flames, seemingly trying to bash itself to death. "How did you find this place?" "I found a map." Bai Fan relayed the story, omitting the part about the stolen storage pouch, merely saying she found it. Just as she finished, distant voices echoed through the cavern. Bai Fan quickly whispered, “Someone's coming, I'll talk later,” and hid herself. Watching the cave entrance, two people emerged whom she recognized immediately. Especially one, she had been kicked by this person before, blinding her temporarily. How ironic, running into her nemesis again. Dressed in lake-green attire, they were undoubtedly disciples of the Mayfly Palace. Was everyone rushing to such places for the same reason? "Wow, so the hot spring leads to this," Bai Zhi exclaimed but shuddered and withdrew behind He Yi Man when the dragon roared. "Don’t be afraid, look up." He Yi Man quickly spotted the Terrestrial Dragon. Holding the Water Repelling Bead, she comfortably navigated the heated environment without breaking a sweat. Seeing He Yi Man so at ease and holding the shining bead, Bai Fan couldn’t help but feel envious, noting the stark difference in appearances—like comparing someone with a loving mother to an orphan. When she entered, she was nearly cooked alive, and Bai Fan could still recall how even an ordinary mortal like He Yi Man could create her own cultivation technique. Comparing herself to such talent was truly disheartening; even after rebirth, she couldn’t measure up to a local expert. At this moment, the imprisoned Terrestrial Dragon suddenly let out a desperate roar, causing the entire volcano to shake violently. The lava below surged higher than before. The communication conch crackled to life with Huo Qilin’s urgent voice: “Little snake, run quickly, the Terrestrial Dragon is about to self-destruct.” “Why?” “Can’t you tell the roar is different from before? I can feel the volcanic eruptions from your side over here.” Bai Fan's ears went momentarily deafened as a jet of lava erupted from the subterranean lake, blowing the mountain’s peak apart. The earthquake nearly caused Bai Fan to fall into the lava. In the chaos, she collided with He Yi Man. Both were shocked upon impact. Unfortunately for Bai Fan, she recognized He Yi Man, but He Yi Man did not recognize her— the same snake demon who almost devoured her back at Wan Feng Platform. The eruption accompanied by the dragon's roar caused a great upheaval outside. Birds took flight in panic, and animals began fleeing en masse. Even low-level demon beasts gazed in terror at the volcano’s maw. No one expected the volcano to erupt that day. Despite numerous visits, it had always appeared dormant and normal. The dragon’s wrath triggered a complete collapse within the volcano. Massive rocks were melted into lava. The rock Bai Fan and He Yi Man stood on cracked, sending both plummeting into the lava. On the shore, Bai Zhi cried out desperately, “Yi Man, Senior Sister!” He Yi Man, in her heart, didn't expect this sudden chaos either. She quickly yelled back, “Leave here now and tell Master!” No sooner had she spoken than she was swallowed by the lava. Bai Fan, terrified as she fell into the lava, thought she was about to be vaporized into ashes. Holding the communication conch, she sorrowfully said, “Master, it seems I won’t be able to deliver the item to the Wilderness.” “What did you say?” Bai Fan felt herself collide with someone before she plunged headfirst into the lava. The intense heat instantly dried the sweat off her body, and she closed her eyes. When she regained her senses, she realized she was still alive. Opening her eyes, she saw that He Yi Man was standing beside her, clutching her tightly. She hadn’t fainted and was holding a Water Repelling Bead, with one arm wrapped around Bai Fan’s waist. Seeing Bai Fan awake, He Yi Man smiled gratefully and said, “Are you alright?” The smile sent shivers down Bai Fan’s spine. She instinctively wanted to jump away, but He Yi Man’s next words stopped her cold. “We are now at the bottom of the lava. This tiny space is only maintained by the power of this bead. If you jump out of my embrace, you’ll be incinerated to ashes by the lava.” ※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※ A big thank you to the wonderful readers who voted for me or watered me with nutrient solutions~ Thanks to the little angel who voted for a [landmine]: 1 from Liang Yu; Thanks to the little angels who watered me with [nutrient solution]: 10 bottles from Liang; 3 bottles from Ming Jing; Thank you all for your support. I will continue to work hard!