34 - A Farewell to Mr. Luo

### Chapter 34 Bai Fan held the silver needles she had just sanctified. Aside from her pure-yang longsword, this was the first magical artifact she had ever owned. The silver needles were small, only six in total and just about the length of a finger. Each needle had a tiny flower pendant at the end that could thread a line. Bai Fan had to lift them close to her face to see the eye of the needle. She thought that the hole was probably designed to bring the needle back with a line. If she shot the needle out and it got lost, the artifact would be gone too. Playing with the needles alone on the boat, Bai Fan felt that something was missing. Finally, she remembered they needed poison—her own snake venom. Glancing to make sure the two Daoists weren't paying attention to her, Bai Fan tilted her head and squeezed a few drops of venom from her fangs onto the needles, gently spreading it along their lengths. Satisfied with her accomplishment, Bai Fan observed her work. After being coated with snake venom, the silver needles emitted a cold, eerie aura. She realized the poison would wear off in a few days, so she'd need to reapply it periodically. After several months or years, the poison would become permanent. The six silver needles lay quietly in her palm. With a surge of her magical energy, Bai Fan made each needle rise from her hand and form a line. She then commanded them into various shapes. With a single push of her hand, the six needles flew out at a speed almost imperceptible to the naked eye. She felt a mental connection to the needles; she could sense their exact location and even the details of their surroundings. It was like having an external scouting tool. Discovering this functionality made Bai Fan overjoyed and even more fond of her six silver needles. When the needles quickly returned, Bai Fan caught them all with her five fingers and tucked them into her sleeve. They could serve as a surprise attack during a magical duel. After putting everything away, Bai Fan calmed herself down and resumed her cultivation, which she'd recently neglected. She began meditating to stabilize her cultivation, which had been fluctuating due to her busy schedule. When Bai Fan opened her eyes, the night had passed, and their drifting journey had brought them to a riverside port. Qi Dao Chang docked the boat at the port and said, "We've finished the water route; only the land route remains. Ahead is a marketplace for rogue cultivators. Let's rest there for two days." Bai Fan nodded and followed the two Daoists into the marketplace, where there were few ordinary people—mostly rogue cultivators. Some had even set up their abodes here. The market didn't resemble a mundane bazaar. People hung signs with a take-it-or-leave-it attitude, and there wasn't much foot traffic. Some signs had been hanging for years, with nails coming loose, giving the place a desolate look. Qi Dao Chang led them to a small, secluded shop with a large furnace that wasn't currently lit. A sign with the words "Artifact forging" hung on the door. "Ring ring ring." Qi Dao Chang shook the bell hanging on the door. After a long wait, clanging sounds and stumbling footsteps came from inside. "Creak." The door opened slowly, revealing a disheveled man, his face covered in an untamed beard and his clothes reeking of alcohol. "What do you want?" The man spoke with a mouthful of alcohol-scented breath, leaning against the doorframe for support. "We're here to forge some artifacts. We have two items that need merging." "Bring them out and let me see." Qi Dao Chang and Zhang Dao Chang quickly took out the artifacts and handed them over for inspection. The man scrutinized them with his drunken eyes and then said, "Ten spirit stones for the work, give me three days, and the artifacts will be ready for you." He pulled out a small bamboo token and tossed it to Qi Dao Chang. "Bring this token to collect your items. I recognize the token, not people, so don't lose it." Qi Dao Chang accepted the token with both hands and bowed in thanks before leading Bai Fan and the group away. Bai Fan glanced back curiously at the man, wondering how someone who couldn't even walk straight could forge artifacts. She didn't know how cultivators' magical tools were made, but she figured that at least steady hands were needed. They went to the only inn in the market, run by a normal family of three. The man sat at the counter, clicking an abacus, the woman was wiping tables, and a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy sat idly at the door. Opening an inn in such a location seemed absurd, given the lack of customers. The boy at the door seemed on his way to becoming senile before twenty. Entering the inn didn't even elicit a blink from the boy at the door, but the woman quickly came to greet them. "Are you here to stay?" "Yes." The man at the counter stopped his abacus and asked, "How many days and rooms do you need?" "Four rooms for three days," Qi Dao Chang said, smiling. The couple looked pleased and quickly attended to them, making sure they were well taken care of. Once in her room, Bai Fan locked herself in and told Xiao Tou she was going into seclusion. She threw some miscellaneous items at him and ignored him. These items were spoils from the water bandit ship. After locking the door, Bai Fan resumed meditating. She had been rattled by He Yiman's attack. Cultivation wasn't just about battling the heavens but also competing with others. A weak cultivation could result in death by someone else's hand, without even a chance to voice grievances. The strong had no interest in traveling with the weak. While cultivation needed gradual accumulation, Bai Fan felt impatient. She took out a pill meant for the Core Formation stage—Qi Transfer Pill. These pills were taken from a Pure Yang disciple's storage pouch and had only two left. Without a second thought, she swallowed one. It dissolved instantly, tasteless as water, unlike the Qi Gathering Pills which at least were palatable. When she began her energy circulation, Bai Fan realized the potency of the Qi Transfer Pill. Its enormous spiritual energy was terrifying, accelerating the inflow of spiritual energy into her body, turning her into a giant funnel absorbing external energy. The previously quiet inn became chaotic with the influx of spiritual energy, almost turning them into liquid form. Bai Fan could taste the spiritual energy in the air. This potent energy was all because of the Qi Transfer Pill, meant for the Core Formation stage as it needed vast amounts of spiritual energy. The pill provided the final boost, allowing a cultivator to breach the barrier from the Foundation Establishment stage to Core Formation. By consuming this pill now, Bai Fan was ingesting the same amount of spiritual energy required for Core Formation, causing an intense influx into her body. Even her usually resilient meridians struggled, but her four dragon tendons emitting a faint golden glow helped manage it. Having experienced similar surges before, Bai Fan directed the excess energy to her dream realm, where the flood would be managed by the flood dragon's core. When the commotion finally died down, Bai Fan heard a knock on her door. "Miss Bai, are you alright?" Opening the door, she found Qi Dao Chang and the others looking worriedly at her, except for Xiao Tou who seemed clueless. "I'm fine. What happened to concern you so much?" Qi Dao Chang heaved a sigh of relief, "We noticed unusual activity in your room and thought you might be forming a core, drawing in so much spiritual energy." Scratching her head, Bai Fan said, "I'm only at the Foundation Establishment stage, core formation is far off. I caused a bit of disturbance while meditating, sorry for causing worries to you both." "As long as you're fine, that's what matters." After seeing them relax and leave, Bai Fan let out a sigh of relief, realizing the commotion she'd made. Future use of the Qi Transfer Pills needed caution, or she might find herself in worse trouble. Nonetheless, her cultivation had progressed. She had advanced to the first layer of the Foundation Establishment stage, with her spiritual power increased significantly. Even her minor raining cloud technique could now form a small pond of water. Xiao Tou, oblivious to what was happening, held a heap of things. As a mere mortal, he felt nothing of the commotion Bai Fan had caused. "Er Chun, let's go for a walk." "Alright," she replied absentmindedly. Bai Fan never left her belongings in the inn. Ever since acquiring the storage pouch, she hadn't worried about carrying too much. The innkeeper's wife greeted Bai Fan as she exited. Strangely, the innkeeper's youngest son drifted by like a ghost. The streets were empty, only a breeze stirring up dust. Most doors were shut tight, except for a bookshop that was still open. An old man sat at the counter, mending books. Entering the shop, Bai Fan noticed how clean it was, a stark contrast to the rest of the marketplace. The books were old and worn, with many letters fading, making them difficult to read. Lost in his task, the elderly man didn't notice Bai Fan's presence. She browsed through the mixed assortment of books, which ranged from travelogues, biographies, and novels to martial arts manuals and cultivation techniques. She didn't trust the cultivation manuals on display; valuable techniques wouldn't be left here, gathering dust. Ignoring those, she looked through the travelogues, most of which had exaggerated titles like "Li's Tomb Exploration" or "Zhao's Ascension." Upon opening them, they turned out to be mundane diaries dressed up as grand adventures. In the corner, Bai Fan found a nameless red book. Despite being dust-free, it seemed neglected. "Do you want to buy that book?" Startled, Bai Fan realized the old man had noticed her. She hadn't even opened the red book yet. "This book is free of charge. Someone left it here decades ago and never came back for it. If you like it, just take it," he said. "Oh." Bai Fan left the bookshop with the red book, puzzled. Business was so bad they were giving things away? Back at the inn, Bai Fan opened the red book, finding it filled with disorderly notes. It seemed like a journal without any coherent narrative, noting random events. No wonder it had been left untouched, eventually being given away. Curious and bored, Bai Fan delved into the chaotic contents, a record of someone's travels, complete with place names. To her surprise, the last page mentioned "Mangu," the very place Bai Fan had been seeking in vain. The book noted briefly: "Mangu: vast and across the sea." This meant direction for Bai Fan, who had been searching blindly. She now knew she needed to head southward toward the sea, but visiting the Immortal City still remained necessary. Time flew, and soon the three days were up. Qi Dao Chang was paying at the counter when Bai Fan came downstairs, now with a ghost lantern hanging at her waist. The innkeeper's youngest son suddenly stopped in front of Bai Fan, startling her. "What do you want?" Her outburst drew the attention of everyone in the inn, including the innkeeper couple. "What is it, Miss Bai?" "Nothing, it's just your son suddenly blocked my way." "We don't have a son." The innkeeper and his wife looked at Bai Fan in confusion as if they couldn't see the child standing before her. "Really?" Everyone shook their heads, and a chill ran down Bai Fan's spine. She couldn't believe her bad luck—running into a ghost in broad daylight. "Never mind, let's go." Bai Fan avoided the little ghost and hurried to catch up with Qi Dao Chang and the others, feeling uneasy. As a cultivator, she wasn't afraid of such things, but the eerie presence was unnerving. Why could she see the ghost while the others couldn't? At the forging shop, Bai Fan couldn't help but ask, "Qi Dao Chang, can you see ghosts?" Both Daoists shook their heads, and Zhang Dao Chang explained, "Humans have seven orifices. Only when all are open can one see such entities. Perhaps all of Miss Bai's orifices are open?" Bai Fan was taken aback. What seven orifices? As a serpent, she technically had none—another difference setting her apart from humans. "Ring ring ring." Qi Dao Chang rang the bell again. After a long wait, the door opened to reveal the same drunkard, though today he seemed sober, holding their newly forged artifacts—a treasure gourd and a jade ruyi. The artifacts had been fused into these two items, their appearances altered. The green gourd now had a faint purple hue, and the jade ruyi had turned green from white. Qi Dao Chang and Zhang Dao Chang were pleased with the transformation. After exchanging the spirit stones and bamboo token, they took their treasures and left. As they departed, the drunkard warned Bai Fan, "Be careful with that little lantern." The little lantern? Bai Fan suddenly remembered the ghost lantern at her waist. Since she had started traveling with Qi Dao Chang, it hadn't spoken a word, seeming like an ordinary lantern. Meanwhile, far away, the deranged beggar who had escaped before was frantically searching for Bai Fan, barefoot and muttering, "My good child, where are you? Tell Daddy." At that moment, the lantern at Bai Fan's waist briefly glowed before dimming again, unnoticed by Bai Fan or her companions. Yet, the mad beggar laughed maniacally, "Found you! I'll make you a devil, take your soul as a lantern, and have you serve me for eternity." Bai Fan felt a chill as she walked, sensing the presence of the ghost. Turning back, she nearly fainted—the little ghost had followed her! It floated behind Bai Fan, refusing to leave. Qi Dao Chang and the others found her behavior odd, watching her hasten her steps and glance back fearfully. Fed up, Bai Fan drew her longsword, pointing at the ghost. "If you keep following me, I'll scatter you to the winds." She swung the sword but hit only air. The incorporeal ghost couldn't be harmed. Resigned, she had to endure its relentless following. Even Xiao Tou thought his boss was acting weird, suspecting some foul influence from the desolate market. Bai Fan glared at Xiao Tou's puzzled expression. "What are you thinking?" "Nothing, it just seems strange, boss." Bai Fan stared at the ghost in frustration and, in a fit of desperation, summoned a large storm cloud brimming with thunderbolts, holding it above her head. "Let's see how you like heavenly thunder!" The ghost hesitated, clearly afraid of the thundercloud. Bai Fan finally got a break, walking with the ominous cloud hovering over her. Qi Dao Chang and Zhang Dao Chang were intrigued by Bai Fan's spell. They had never seen anyone turn a simple rain cloud spell into a thunderstorm. "Miss Bai," Qi Dao Chang began. Bai Fan turned to face them, her expression dark and stormy, causing the Daoists to swallow their questions. "Nothing, nothing." Bai Fan bit back her anger and looked at the ghost behind her. Maybe the drunkard's warning about the ghost lantern was worth considering. Bai Fan took out the ghost lantern and held it up to the little ghost. "Is this what you want?" The little ghost's pale face showed a rare expression of joy as it stared at the ghost lantern. "If you want it, I'll give it to you. Just stop following me," Bai Fan said, placing the ghost lantern on the ground and turning to leave. "Don't go!" Suddenly, the ghost lantern started speaking, causing Bai Fan to flare up in anger. She kicked the lantern away. "You wretched lantern! You’ve been silent for days, and now that I'm giving you away, you start wailing! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be haunted by this little ghost." "Heroine, I swear I'm innocent! That little ghost is just a harmless spirit attracted to the yin energy, like a puppy drawn to a bone. This isn’t my fault," the ghost lantern protested. "Well, I'm leaving you here. Go wherever you want. I’ve delivered you," Bai Fan declared, turning away neatly and walking off without a second glance. Qi Dao Chang and Zhang Dao Chang were curious about the talking lantern but understood from Bai Fan’s words that it wasn't anything good. "Heroine, you can't abandon me! The mad beggar is already after you. He's marked you using me; no matter where you go, he can find you." The ghost lantern's threat only infuriated Bai Fan further. "Let him come! My hands could use some practice. My cultivation just advanced; he’ll be a perfect test. Last time I only took his arm. This time, I'll take his head." With that, the storm cloud over Bai Fan grew larger, and the sound of thunder booming inside echoed ominously. A thin lightning bolt crackled down and struck the ghost lantern, which wailed in agony. "Ouch! Save me!" The little ghost, terrified by the display, backed off, watching Bai Fan and her thundercloud with fear. The already battered lantern became even more charred from the lightning strike, looking even worse than before. "Hah! You thought you could mess with me? Try haunting me, and I’ll destroy every last piece of you. I won't move an inch until that lunatic comes. I'll wait for him right here." Bai Fan plopped down on a rock, stabbing her longsword into the ground next to her. Qi Dao Chang looked awkwardly at Bai Fan, wondering whom she was waiting for and thinking it must be some vendetta on the road. The sky was bright and clear, with the sun high in the sky. Bai Fan felt no fear about what might happen. Besides, Qi Dao Chang and Zhang Dao Chang were with her. "Qi Dao Chang, Zhang Dao Chang, I’m sorry about this. I have an old enemy chasing after me. I may need your help. He’s a ghost cultivator who practices forbidden methods, sacrificing lives to strengthen his power—a true demonic cultivator." Qi Dao Chang and Zhang Dao Chang were stunned. They hadn't expected such an enemy. "Don't worry, Miss Bai. As fellow cultivators, it is our duty to stand against such evil," Qi Dao Chang reassured her. --- Thank you to the little angels who cast Mo Bai tickets or poured out their love: Thank you to the little angels who cast [landmines]: Chi Chi, kanbujian 1; Thank you to the little angels who poured out [nutrient solution]: Give You a Song_, NanBei 10 bottles; Rain Lin 4 bottles; Thank you all for your support. I will continue to work hard! --- Previous Chapter Table of Contents Next Chapter --- Home Desktop Version Bookshelf Novel Collection Popular Novels