31 - A Farewell to Mr. Luo

## Chapter 31 On the road, Bai Fan felt an almost endless surge of energy coursing through her. So much so that she believed she could practice swordsmanship for three days straight without sleep if necessary. It was safe to say that her recent surge in vitality was somewhat abnormal. The thief trailing behind her was already out of breath, struggling to carry the sword as he chased after Bai Fan. "Boss, can we take a break? I really can't walk any further." Seeing that it was getting late, Bai Fan nodded and casually found a spot to sit and start a fire. Given that she had spent an extended period outdoors and couldn’t often meet her culinary tastes, Bai Fan had ensured to pack a large quantity of food in her storage pouch before setting off. It was enough to sustain them for their entire journey. She took out some food, even a watermelon, and with a small dagger, began peeling it. But perhaps the dagger had become dull or maybe Bai Fan's strength had grown too much; either way, the dagger broke after just a few strokes. The thief nearly choked on his corn cake upon witnessing this, convinced of his boss’s formidable strength since she could snap a dagger in just two moves. "What are you staring at? It's the dagger's poor quality. That blacksmith ain't worth much," Bai Fan muttered as she rummaged through the storage pouch. She initially considered using a longsword to peel the watermelon but recalled how the sword had pierced through the Gui Demon yesterday. She decided it wasn’t a good idea. "Erchun, lend me your sword." "Okay." Receiving the thief’s sword, Bai Fan began peeling the watermelon once again. Although using a sword for peeling was challenging, it couldn't deter her craving for the treat. She held the watermelon with one hand and started peeling with the other, the task seeming arduous and tiring. "Boss, why don’t you just cut it open and eat?" Bai Fan shot him a glare. "What do you know? Cutting it open isn’t as satisfying. The juice spills everywhere. You have to eat it whole to really enjoy it." "Oh, I see." Bai Fan continued slowly peeling the watermelon. However, her hand slipped, and the watermelon almost fell to the ground. Acting swiftly, Bai Fan's head morphed into a snake’s, and she caught the watermelon in one gulp. The bizarre sight of a human body with a snake head scared the thief into fainting, dropping his corn cake in the process. Bai Fan reverted back to her human form, licking her lips. "Didn’t peel it properly. Let's get another one." She reached back into her storage pouch and pulled out another large watermelon, her stash seemingly endless. As she resumed peeling, another slip caused her to feel an eerie chill and sense something watching her. She hadn't held the sword properly and ended up cutting her finger. Not just any cut, her blood gushed out, hot and red like lava. Even Bai Fan found it peculiar how her blood had changed. While her blood contained intense fire elemental energy, it remained gentle and non-burning. Any alchemist of a sect seeing this would be astonished, as her blood had the same properties as a fire essence. Frustrated, Bai Fan poorly bandaged her finger, wrapping it up almost like a dumpling. That evening, an unexpected coldness settled in. Despite her aversion to cold, it wasn’t winter, making the chill all the more strange. From somewhere, a few crows landed on a nearby tree and began cawing ominously. Bai Fan, who loathed the sound of crows, picked up two stones and hurled them at the birds. "Stupid birds, get lost." “Caw, caw, caw.” The crows flapped their wings in defiance. "Back on the mountain, I’d have eaten your eggs. Keep squawking, and I'll swallow you feathers and all." Far away, a mad beggar with a small lantern made of some thin material was wandering aimlessly. His eyes were shrouded in a gray haze as he stumbled toward Bai Fan’s location. "I'm getting closer to you," he mumbled. Meanwhile, Bai Fan nudged the unconscious thief with her foot. "Hey, Erchun, wake up." The thief, exhausted from the day's travel, remained deeply asleep, leaving Bai Fan to meditate alone. She released her beastly aura, warding off any unwelcome entities. The surroundings, filled with the chirps of insects, fell silent when an intruder stepped within a hundred-meter radius. The sudden silence alarmed Bai Fan, making her open her eyes instantly. Standing not far from her was a ragged beggar. "Who are you?" she demanded. Without answering, the beggar rushed at Bai Fan with the speed of the wind, reaching for her throat with his dried-up hand. Sensing danger, Bai Fan quickly blocked and drew her longsword, slashing at the figure without hesitation. "Clang! Hummm." The beggar’s hand, as hard as iron, remained unscathed by her sword. It was as if he had turned his body into a stone, incredibly tough. "Who are you?" Bai Fan repeated. Ignoring her, the old beggar grabbed her sword and pulled her closer, reaching for her throat again. Bai Fan, not one to be overpowered, discarded her sword and retreated several meters, wondering what she had done to anger this unreasonable beggar. Seeing Bai Fan retreat, the mad beggar, hampered by his legs, tossed his ghostly lantern into the air. The lantern floated upward, its light shifting from yellow to green, chilling the surroundings. “Gigglegiggle…” The mad beggar sliced his palm, feeding the lantern with his blood. The lantern, as if energized, emitted a ghastly laughter, sounding as if a fearsome ghost was imprisoned inside. The green light lunged at Bai Fan. As it approached, two beams of green light shot out, attempting to engulf her entirely. Bai Fan blocked the attack but was thrown to the ground, tasting dirt and leaves. “Ugh, so you’re playing for real. What the heck?” Climbing to her feet, Bai Fan adopted a defensive stance, retrieving her own longsword from the storage pouch. But she heard the mad beggar speak to the ghostly lantern: “Good boy, lock this one’s soul. You can eat her later.” “Gigglegiggle…” Bai Fan's eyes widened in disbelief. This beggar must be mad, calling a lantern his son and intending to trap her soul. “Hmph, foul magical arts.” Raising her sword, Bai Fan engaged the lantern. Though she hadn’t mastered Pure Yang swordsmanship, it was effective enough against such malevolent entities. With a decisive strike, Bai Fan managed to slash a corner off the ghostly lantern, eliciting an eerie wail akin to a baby’s cry. A sharp, shrill sound emanated from the lantern, causing Bai Fan’s head to throb as if piercing her soul. Shaking her head to clear her mind, Bai Fan gripped her sword firmly. She resolved to destroy the lantern. The ghostly lantern, bearing a grudge for its damaged corner, released more green beams, emitting soul-piercing shrieks. Unable to hit the intangible beams, Bai Fan grew frustrated. "ROAR!" With a beastly bellow, her eyes turned red. She wielded her sword with immense force, its Pure Yang energy acting like a scorching sun against the ghostly lantern. The ferocity of Bai Fan’s attack overwhelmed the lantern, rendering it defenseless. Bai Fan’s powerful kick sent it crashing into a nearby tree, extinguishing its green light. With eyes still blazing red, Bai Fan turned her fury toward the mad beggar. She raced toward him, sword raised, determined to eliminate such vile threats to prevent them from harming others. Despite being hampered by his legs, the mad beggar was quite skilled. Seeing his ghost lantern kicked away, he drew out a bronze sword, its blade rusted and appearing as though it had been dug up from a grave. The two clashed swords, Bai Fan relying on her Pure Yang sword technique while the mad beggar relied on his experience. They were evenly matched, striking and parrying for what seemed like an eternity. Not far away, the unconscious thief began to wake, groggily hearing the sounds of clashing swords. Initially, he thought he was dreaming but upon rubbing his eyes, he realized his boss was engaged in an intense fight. A lover of swordplay, the thief had memorized Bai Fan’s sword manual nearly to the point of obsession. Although he hadn’t mastered it, his knowledge of the moves was extensive. Seeing Bai Fan struggling, he felt an urge to help. As Bai Fan dueled fiercely, she heard the thief’s voice from behind. “Boss, a rising cut!” Momentarily surprised, Bai Fan executed a rising cut, breaking the mad beggar’s defense. She grinned at her success. “Erchun, keep going.” “Boss, lift your sword, initiate the One Yang Open Sword.” Bai Fan immediately followed the directions, dismantling the mad beggar’s technique. “Swing the sword, break through the cloud veil.” Like a seamless flow of man and weapon, Bai Fan leaped into the air, delivering a powerful strike that the beggar couldn’t dodge in time. Her sword severed one of his arms, his previously stone-like skin now almost as fragile as paper. Relentless in pursuit, Bai Fan continued her onslaught, aiming for vital spots and forcing the beggar to retreat. Just as she was about to deliver a fatal blow, the ghost lantern, previously kicked away, suddenly flew back and struck her sword. This gave the mad beggar a chance to flee, disappearing quicker than a rat and vanishing without a trace. The ghost lantern, however, was left behind. Bai Fan seized it, inspecting the ugly object. “What exactly are you?” The ghost lantern, seeming to understand human speech, flickered ominously in her hand. Bai Fan recalled how the lantern had emitted two ghostly beams and continuously haunted her ears, frustrating her to no end. “Boss.” The thief, now fully awake, cautiously approached, looking warily at the lantern in Bai Fan’s hand. “Erchun, any idea what this lantern is?” “No idea.” Bai Fan, intending to destroy it, raised her sword. The lantern, sensing danger, began to tremble. “It’s so ugly, it can’t be anything good. Better to break it and be done.” Just as she was about to pierce it, the lantern spoke. “Spare me, please spare me, O noble lady!” “Boss, the lantern speaks!” the thief exclaimed. Bai Fan frowned. “It can speak? Must be even more dangerous. I should definitely destroy it.” The lantern flickered desperately, “I’m not evil, I’m not evil!” “You attacked me; you are evil.” “No, no, it was the mad beggar who forced me to. It’s all his fault.” Bai Fan, seeing the lantern’s denials, was more determined to destroy it. But as her sword descended, the lantern wailed: “I’m a victim too! I was once human. The mad beggar extracted my soul and trapped me inside, turning me into a ghost lantern.” Hearing this, Bai Fan hesitated, her sword stopping just short of the lantern. The ghost lantern sighed in relief. “You were human?” “Yes, over a hundred years ago, I was a naive young beggar.” Bai Fan felt a pang of disbelief, finding the lantern’s story hard to trust. “The old beggar deceived me, promising to take me to the Immortal City, claiming I’d have a better life there. But right after we left the city, he killed me and turned my soul into a ghost lantern.” Bai Fan’s expression darkened as she drew her sword closer. “So you’re a liar, then.” The thief, feeling a bit sympathetic, remembered how Bai Fan had captured him under similar circumstances. “No, no, I swear I’m not lying! Though I exaggerate, I never lie. Truly.” “Why did the mad beggar turn you into a ghost lantern?” The ghost lantern sighed. “The mad beggar’s cultivation had gone astray. Failing to become an immortal, he turned to the ways of ghosts and demons. However, such forbidden paths are not easily tread. To advance quickly, he began harvesting souls for his cultivation. You destroying his Gui Demon was what drove him to seek vengeance.” Bai Fan felt a wave of disgust. “Calling it ghost cultivation is nonsense. It’s just evil sorcery. Using human lives for cultivation goes against the natural order. He’ll be reduced to ashes eventually.” “The existence of ghost cultivation has its reasons, allowed by the heavens themselves. It shouldn’t be dismissed outright,” the lantern explained anxiously. This path was his only hope; if it perished, so would he. “Lies,” Bai Fan declared. She sheathed her sword and scrutinized the lantern closely. “Do you know the way to the Immortal City?” “You’re heading to the Immortal City?” the ghost lantern inquired. “Yes.” Bai Fan already knew the general direction but was curious to hear more. “It’s a long journey to the Immortal City. It’s better not to go alone,” cautioned the lantern. “Why?” “There are many demons and evil spirits along the way. The mad beggar and others like him avoid the Immortal City because of the dangers along the route.” “What do you mean?” Bai Fan asked, puzzled. “Not everyone can join the major sects. Those with some talent but unable to get in become rogue cultivators. Struggling for resources, they often set up ambushes along the roads, attacking solitary travelers for money and life force.” Bai Fan furrowed her brow, realizing the journey might be akin to facing the trials of a pilgrimage. “Isn’t there anyone to enforce order?” “There is. The Heavenly Dao Alliance is supposed to do that.” “Then why don’t they?” “Some people are bribed. As long as it’s kept small scale, nobody really cares about a few minor casualties.” The ghost lantern seemed proud of its knowledge. Having been a ghost lantern for a hundred years, it had seen much. The mad beggar had forced it into causing many deaths. Bai Fan contemplated this. Rogue cultivators killing each other indeed seemed a rough path. It would be hard to find a companion on such a journey. The ghost lantern was quietly held in Bai Fan’s hand while the thief followed closely behind. From a distance, their conversation was audible. “I’ll spare you for now,” Bai Fan warned the lantern. “But if I catch you plotting, I’ll tear you apart.” “I wouldn’t dare, noble lady. I’ve suffered greatly under that mad beggar.” As dawn broke, Bai Fan continued her journey. The ghost lantern seemed to have fallen silent, appearing as inanimate as any ordinary lantern. Finally, they reached a teahouse in the wilderness. Such a place to rest was a rare sight in these remote parts. Seeing many patrons already there, Bai Fan thought it might be a good opportunity to find fellow travelers. Upon entering, the teahouse was filled with men, including the proprietor. The sudden arrival of a young woman caught everyone’s attention. Bai Fan took a seat. “Boss, get me a pot of tea.” The thief remained close, his face covered, the Pure Yang disciple sword on his back lending him an air of mystery. Many assumed he was Bai Fan’s bodyguard. The proprietor brought over a pot and two cups. Only Bai Fan drank, as the thief never removed her face covering in public. Bai Fan, not fond of mortal tea, sniffed at it and put it down, casting her gaze around the room. In the corner of the teahouse, Bai Fan spotted two familiar faces, and her eyes lit up with joy. It turned out that these two were Zhang Daozhang and Qi Daozhang, who had once accompanied Bai Fan to the Ascension Gathering. To her surprise, fate had brought them together again today. “Zhang Daozhang, Qi Daozhang!” she called out. The Daozhangs, who were originally chatting and laughing, were briefly stunned before breaking into smiles. “So it’s Miss Bai. Are you headed to the Immortal City as well?” Bai Fan quickly nodded, then without any reservation, picked up her teapot and moved to their table. “Might I join you on your journey?” she asked with a grin. The two Daozhangs, already fond of the young girl and aware of the dangers of traveling alone, were happy to oblige. However, their gazes shifted uneasily to the thief behind Bai Fan, noting his mysterious garb and the sword on his back. “Qi Daozhang, Zhang Daozhang, this is Erchun. You’ve met him before,” Bai Fan introduced. After a moment of thought, Qi Daozhang remembered the name and nodded. Although Erchun’s appearance was much changed, he recalled meeting him previously. Zhang Daozhang studied Bai Fan closely and then said with delight, “I see Miss Bai has already reached Foundation Establishment stage. Your talent must be extraordinary.” Bai Fan grinned widely, showing her little teeth. Part of her rapid progress was indeed due to using medicinal aids, but her innate speed in cultivation was also exceptional, almost on par with someone like Lian Sheng. The thief, carrying the ghost lantern, did not dare sit and stood by Bai Fan. During daylight, the lantern seemed devoid of activity, almost like an ordinary object. Meanwhile, in the mortal city of Fan City, He Yiman examined the map given to her by her master. The route was unclear, making it difficult to start. The Immortal City seemed the best place to gather any potential information. Determined, she set off towards the Immortal City, fearlessly walking alone. With her flute, she felt invincible, able to fend off hordes, provided she didn’t encounter a creature like the Fire Qilin again. Wild beasts along the way barred their fangs at He Yiman, but she remained unfazed, not even needing to put her flute to her lips. With a mere flick across the flute's holes, a sharp sound emerged, disintegrating the beasts instantly. No exceptions, her path was clean and clear. Traveling with the two Daozhangs, Bai Fan peppered them with numerous questions about cultivation. Having old acquaintances in them, the Daozhangs were happy to answer, recognizing her remarkable talent. Helping her today might indeed benefit them in the future when she achieves greater cultivation. The thief listened intently, absorbing whatever knowledge he could. Though he had never cultivated before, the possibility of future opportunities inspired him to learn as much as possible. The road was picturesque, with the scenery of southern rivers and lakes, filled with the beauty of Jiangnan. The four of them strolled along the path, the Daozhangs in high spirits, reciting poems and verses, sometimes singing. Bai Fan couldn't help but feel more relaxed, even amidst occasional highwaymen. Seeking immortality and pursuing the Dao had truly begun, Bai Fan thought, gazing up at the vibrant sky. The path to enlightenment lay before them, with their journey unfolding step by step. To pursue the Dao, I seek immortality. The road to the Immortal City stretches a thousand miles. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Thank you to those who've voted for me or showered me with nutrient solution, my dear little angels~ Thank you to the angel who cast [Mine]: 予你成歌_ 1; Thank you to the angel who poured [Nutrient Solution]: 明镜 3 bottles; I deeply appreciate everyone’s support. I will continue to work hard! End of previous chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter