47 - A Farewell to Mr. Luo

Chapter 47 Afterward, Sun Xi welcomed a new Junior Disciple, and meticulously gave him some instructions. Bai Fan listened attentively to the teachings, committing the rules of Xuan Ming to memory. Only after the lecture ended did she remember the long-forgotten twin sisters. "Master, during my five years at the Hall of Punishment, there are still two servants in my cave abode." Sun Xi was naturally pleased to have a new disciple and said, "Since they are your servants, you should go back and inform them first. From now on, come to see me once every mid-month." "Yes." After registering with Sun Xi, Bai Fan left, escorted by a young boy. Sun Xi was the third disciple under Elder Sun's chief seating, having just entered the Nascent Soul stage, hence often referred to as Yi Xi Zhen Ren. He was in charge of handling affairs at the Hall of Punishment. The Hall of Punishment was the disciplinary office of the Xuan Ming Sect, overseen by the line of Xuan Zhongshui. All offenders within the sect were managed and appropriately punished by the Hall of Punishment. Although the job entailed offending many, it had the strong backing of the Grandmaster of Xuan Ming and Elder Sun, imbuing it with significant authority. Bai Fan walked back alone, often noticing others looking at her. Although cultivators were generally good-looking, none were as striking as Bai Fan. Wearing the ordinary robes of a Xuan Ming disciple without having the chance to change, she hurried by as people whispered, "Is this a disciple of Xuan Zhongshui's lineage? Why does she look so unfamiliar? Xuan Ming only recruits once every ten years, and it's only been five years since the last recruitment." "I haven't seen her before either. Maybe a Zhen Ren recently took her in while outside." "I saw her just coming out from Yi Xi Zhen Ren's place. Could she be Yi Xi Zhen Ren's new disciple?" "If she were Yi Xi Zhen Ren's disciple, why is she still wearing an ordinary disciple's attire?" "I heard she came out from the Hall of Punishment. Perhaps she was a disciple who had made a mistake and has now been released." Bai Fan listened to these discussions but felt no waves of emotion inside. Following her initial memories, Bai Fan returned to her cave abode. The once overgrown valley had transformed into a different place. As Bai Fan stepped in, she recalled that the twin sisters enjoyed decorating. The previous shallow water pond was now full of lotuses, with petals swaying in the pond and fish darting under the lily leaves, full of vitality. A small path made of bluestone slabs led to the cave's entrance. Even the once cave-like abode had become a small pavilion, a scene out of a paradise. Walking along the bluestone path, Bai Fan surveyed the surroundings. When she looked down, she saw a turtle walking leisurely before her. After observing its slow progress, Bai Fan frowned and thought, "Isn't this the little turtle Huan Ri found back then?" Bai Fan bent down to pick up the turtle, but then she heard the voices of the twin sisters from afar. "Little turtle, where did you go? It's time to eat." The turtle flapped its legs, seemingly eager to go over. With a "clang," Bai Fan looked up and saw the twin sisters drop a tray to the ground, exclaiming upon seeing her, "Master!" "What's wrong? Sister, why can’t you even hold a tray steadily now?" Another identical person emerged from the cave, also exclaiming upon seeing Bai Fan. Holding the turtle, Bai Fan walked into the cave, looked around and was very satisfied with the interior decorations. Turning to the twin sisters, she remarked, "I didn't expect you two to tidy up this place so well during my absence." "Master." The sisters’ eyes welled with tears, as if about to cry. Bai Fan smiled and then threw the turtle back on the ground. "Why cry? Just because I left and now returned, do you no longer recognize me as your Master? It's only been five years." "No, not at all. We're just happy." Bai Fan pouted, wondering what could make them so happy; after all, they seemed to have been fine without her. "Has anything happened in recent years?" The sisters shook their heads. "Ever since you were taken to the Hall of Punishment, we rarely left the cave except to fetch items from the alchemy room at the end of each month.” Bai Fan nodded upon hearing this and then shared the news of being accepted as Sun Xi's disciple. The twins were so overjoyed that they cried, seemingly happier than Bai Fan herself, as if they had been accepted instead. "Why are you so happy?" "Because..." At that moment, Ying Yue covered Huan Ri's mouth, her red eyes smiled, "Because now that Master has taken a mentor, we will receive more alchemy supplies." Bai Fan thought the reason for their joy was odd, but didn’t probe further. Life resumed peacefully. Two days later, a young boy from Sun Xi's abode came to deliver personalized disciple robes. The twins received them joyfully, offering a basket of spiritual fruits in return. In the cultivation world, where cultivators were mostly solitary and rare to find companions, it was unusual to see two female cultivators, especially beautiful twins, residing together, making them a rare sight. The young boy, only about eight or nine, blushed and fled with the basket of fruit due to the twin sisters’ enthusiastic hospitality. "Sister, you scared the young boy away." "Was it I who scared him, or did you? You even touched his face with your hands." Bai Fan held her forehead, thinking about how the twins’ personalities remained unchanged, always teasing young boys. She remembered being teased herself in the past. After returning to her cave, Bai Fan immersed herself in meditation and cultivation, diligently making up for idle time before. When mid-month arrived, Bai Fan left her cave to visit her master, wearing the personalized disciple robe. The badge at her waist swayed with her steps. Seeing Bai Fan’s attire, the twins’ eyes gleamed with interest and wanted to touch, but Bai Fan blocked their hands, leaving them to begrudgingly watch her depart. The personalized disciple robe was more elaborate than the ordinary disciple attire, with a different color. Xuan Ming’s regular disciples wore blue robes, with the characters for “Xuan Ming” embroidered on the chest. Personalized disciples' outfits varied among different lineages. Outsiders couldn’t easily identify a disciple’s lineage from their regular clothes, but personalized disciples' attire was distinguishable. Disciples of Xuan Zhongshui wore white robes adorned with gold cloud embroidery on the collar and sleeves, and a golden silk belt. With her striking appearance and tall figure, Bai Fan in a white robe and gold belt was exceedingly impressive. Her new attire turned heads and made other disciples guess which Zhen Ren she belonged to. Arriving at Elder Sun Xi’s abode, a young boy led Bai Fan inside while other disciples watched with a sense of loss, as admiration for beauty was common, even among cultivators. The young boy couldn’t help but praise, "Senior Brother Xuan Yu, you are truly exceptionally handsome. Even male cultivators admire you." Bai Fan nearly choked on her spit. Being a woman, hearing this felt strange. Smiling awkwardly, Bai Fan entered the abode and found the familiar pond. Steam rose from the water, giving it a celestial appearance. Sun Xi still sat under the eaves in the same position as before, but now another female disciple was present, seemingly a personalized disciple of Xuan Zhongshui as well. "Disciple Bai Fan greets Master." "Xuan Yu, your senior sister is here today. You should meet your fellow disciples to recognize each other when out in the field." Sun Xi had always assisted in the Hall of Punishment affairs, taking only one disciple after forming the Golden Core, and now took Bai Fan as his second disciple after reaching Nascent Soul. "Junior Brother Bai Fan greets Senior Sister." "So you are the Second Junior Brother. I heard you spent five years in the Hall of Punishment; I thought you'd be a mischievous monkey. Unexpectedly, you're so handsome that it's troubling for Senior Sister." This Senior Sister, named Shan Mei, had a gentle beauty, with a round face and a full figure. Although not stunningly beautiful, she had red lips and white teeth. Bai Fan blushed, thinking that it seemed everyone knew about her five years in the Hall of Punishment. In hindsight, she regretted getting into that fight with Wang Li. "Your Senior Sister's name is Shan Mei. Her cultivation is just a step away from forming a Golden Core. If you have any questions about your cultivation, feel free to ask her. Cultivation is about mutual verification and learning; shutting yourself away won't lead you to the true path." "I will heed your teachings, Master." Senior Sister Shan Mei, though not staring at Bai Fan the whole time, excelled in various aspects as the eldest disciple—be it talent or comprehension, she was outstanding. Sun Xi imparted many insights into the Dao to his two disciples. When he paused, Senior Sister Shan Mei raised various questions, some quite tricky, but Sun Xi answered each one patiently. This was when Bai Fan realized the difference of being a personal disciple. She had listened to Dao teachings in grand halls or conferences before, but those were more about listening and comprehending on her own. This, however, was about direct teaching, where she could ask if she didn't understand, and the Master would share personal experiences to help avoid unnecessary detours. Most of Shan Mei's questions were related to forming the Golden Core. Though it was premature for Bai Fan to consider these questions, listening made her aware of the difficulties and dangers involved. "Forming the Golden Core is not like foundation building; aside from character, you need certain opportunities. Xuan Ming's disciples would go on a journey before forming their Golden Cores. Once you're prepared, you can go out and temper yourself, but remember to leave a soul lamp in the main hall of the sect." "Yes, Master." Listening to the conversation between her master and senior sister, Bai Fan felt somewhat regretful that her senior sister was going on a journey just when she had joined, missing an opportunity to bond. Then, Sun Xi turned to Bai Fan, who was listening quietly. "Xuan Yu, if you have any questions, feel free to ask." Bai Fan thought hard but couldn't come up with anything at the moment. Her mind felt flooded with questions yet blank on what to ask. Finally, she said, "Master, do you have any cultivation techniques for me to learn? I only know some minor techniques from my previous sect, like the Little Rain Cloud Technique and the Wind Control Technique." Sun Xi laughed heartily and then said, "You've been in Xuan Ming for five years; you should already know those techniques. As for spells, I have five techniques here. You can choose one." With a wave of his sleeve, five jade slips floated out, each emanating a faint spiritual energy, with names labeled on them. Undecided, Bai Fan heard her Senior Sister suggest, "Second Junior Brother, I chose the Weak Water Technique. It manipulates and controls water, a main technique of our Xuan Zhongshui lineage." Since she had already learned a water-based technique, Bai Fan wasn't very inclined to choose another one, feeling it wasn’t particularly appealing. "I want to choose a different one." Finally, Bai Fan's gaze fell on a jade slip with the character "雷" (Thunder) on it, and she grabbed it. The jade slip flew into Bai Fan’s hand with force, and Sun Xi retracted the other four slips with a knowing smile. "This technique is called the Thunder Control Technique. It was created by the founder of Xuan Ming. However, this technique is incomplete and cannot be practiced beyond the Nascent Soul stage. Are you sure about your choice? If you regret it, I can let you switch." Hearing that the technique was incomplete but created by the founder herself, Bai Fan didn’t know whether to feel thrilled or regretful. Gritting her teeth, Bai Fan remembered the effectiveness of using heavenly lightning before. If not for the heavenly thunder back then, she might not be sitting here today. Given her path of rebellious cultivation, the Thunder Control Technique would be highly beneficial. "No, Master. I’ve decided to stick with this technique." Bai Fan stored the Thunder Control Technique in her storage bag, while her Senior Sister looked on with some concern, unsure of how to advise her. Sun Xi pondered for a moment, then said to his two disciples, "Today's lesson ends here." "Thank you, Master." After bowing and excusing herself, Bai Fan turned to leave. At the door, she suddenly called out to her Senior Sister. "Senior Sister." "What's wrong? Does Second Junior Brother have a problem?" "Where do you plan to go for your journey?" Shan Mei closed her eyes in thought and then opened them, looking at Bai Fan. "Given the chaos in the Southern Continent's cultivation world, it's not suitable to wander there. I'll probably go to the Eastern Continent. You need opportunities for forming the Golden Core, and if I gather enough, I’ll bring some back for you." Bai Fan was taken aback, not expecting her Senior Sister to think of her during her journey. What was this chaos in the Southern Continent? "Chaos in the Southern Continent?" Senior Sister Shan Mei smiled at Bai Fan’s confusion. "I forgot you were in the Hall of Punishment for five years. The world outside has changed a lot—the epic battle between Chun Yang and Fu Yu, which ended in Fu Yu’s defeat. Elder Zuo Yun self-detonated his Nascent Soul, and the Palace Master of Fu Yu was ambushed and killed by rogue cultivators. Now, the cultivation world is dominated by Chun Yang Palace, with no trace of Fu Yu left." Bai Fan was stunned. Five years of reciting the Heart Purity Incantation, and the Fu Yu Palace had been exterminated. What had become of He Yi Man? "What happened to He Yi Man of Fu Yu Palace?" "The woman? Rumor has it she disappeared even before the battle started. She didn't participate; she must have run away. But there is still one young disciple of Fu Yu who survived; it’s unknown where they are now." Bai Fan remembered how He Yi Man suddenly disappeared back then. She thought it was her delay that caused He Yi Man to leave. While Bai Fan pondered this, Senior Sister Shan Mei patted her shoulder. "Stop dwelling on it. Focus on your cultivation. If you’re worried about He Yi Man, wait until you’re strong enough to do something about it. Right now, it’s pointless worrying with your current cultivation level." Shan Mei's words hit Bai Fan's inner thoughts, making her blush and feel embarrassed. Senior Sister Shan Mei teased her with a laugh, "So, my Second Junior Brother already has someone in mind, huh? What a pity." "Senior Sister, you're mistaken. I don't." Bai Fan felt further embarrassed by her senior sister’s teasing. How could she possibly like a mortal? "Alright, alright. No need to get worked up. I was just saying. Everyone has a youthful heart; there’s no shame in it." Bai Fan felt it was useless to explain further, thinking the more she explained, the more her senior sister would believe otherwise. With a sigh, she gave up explaining. Saying goodbye to her senior sister, she returned to her cave, where the twin sisters approached her cautiously, noticing her somber mood. The cave was quiet. Bai Fan took out the Thunder Control Technique from her storage bag, removed the jade ribbon, and a burst of thick spiritual energy greeted her. Unlike low-level spells that could be written on regular paper, the Thunder Control Technique was a mid-level spell, with power comparable to high-level spells. However, due to its incompleteness, post-Nascent Soul cultivation was impossible, relegating it to a mid-tier spell. The advantage of jade slips was that they could be read using spiritual sense, were durable, and allowed for re-recording after erasure, much more convenient than paper. Bai Fan placed the jade slip on her forehead and extended her spiritual sense into it. Countless characters swarmed into her mind, forming a segment of memory. The Thunder Control Technique was divided into four stages: Lightning Conduction, Thunder Shock, Thunder Fall, and Thunder Surge. Beyond that, there were no further instructions, making it seem complete but actually just a fraction of the technique. The first stage, Lightning Conduction, involved channeling spiritual energy from the body to induce atmospheric friction and lightning, similar to the heavenly thunder she had previously used. That heavenly thunder was a one-time occurrence; after electrocuting the mad beggar, she no longer possessed it unless she collected it during another celestial tribulation. However, collecting heavenly thunder during a celestial tribulation was a perilous task, with slim chances of survival, let alone capturing the lightning itself. Bai Fan practiced the Thunder Control Technique while meditating. To prevent the thunder from damaging her cave abode, she conducted small-scale lightning trials indoors. When the miniature thunder struck, it only caused her to feel a bit numb. Once she became proficient, Bai Fan decided to test it outside. Leaving the cave in a hurry, she did so under the watchful eyes of the twin sisters. Watching Bai Fan’s departing figure, Huan Ri sighed, "When will we be able to help Master?" "It seems Master is encountering difficulties in her cultivation. Should we follow her to check?" "How can you tell Master is having trouble with her cultivation?" "Because Master is always shut inside, and hardly ever checks on us. Don’t you remember our purpose?" The younger sister blinked, then covered her mouth with her hand. "Dual cultivation!" "Yes, but our previous impression on Master was not favorable. Now, she doesn’t even pay attention to us. What should we do?" "Elder sister, didn't you dislike the term dual cultivation? Why bring it up now?" The elder sister sighed, feeling self-pity, "I thought Master was just a lecherous rogue initially. Who could have guessed she would grow up to be such a remarkable beauty, and now she’s even accepted under Yi Xi Zhen Ren's tutelage, becoming a distinguished young talent." "I think your heart is stirred, but unfortunately, our Master is pure-hearted and remains unmoved." Ying Yue, angry, smacked Huan Ri on the head, "Stop jinxing it! If we don’t act soon, someone else might steal this flower. Haven't you noticed those sneaky people coming near our place to steal glances at Master?" Huan Ri, rubbing her head, pouted angrily and threw the little turtle into the pond. The turtle flipped over in the water, paddled slowly, and swam back to the edge of the pond. With its small beady eyes, it glanced at the sisters and then nestled into the grass. Each time Huan Ri got angry, she would throw it into the pond. Thankfully, it couldn’t drown. It used to be an ordinary turtle in the small pond until one day when a cultivator set up a dwelling here – the previous owner. One day, the cultivator’s storage bag tore, and a cultivation pill fell into the pond. The turtle found it and inadvertently lived for hundreds of years, eventually becoming a spirit. They say a turtle lives for a thousand years, but it had only lived for a few hundred. So, it was still just a little turtle with no special abilities, except for longevity. When facing foes it couldn’t defeat, it would flee, confident that it could eventually outlive its enemies. If fleeing wasn’t an option, it would cower. It got caught by the new cave occupants and was unable to escape. Though well-fed and cared for, it had to endure their abuses. Thus, it decided not to flee anymore. It resolved to outlive these cultivators, firmly believing that it would someday become a thousand-year-old turtle. To the little turtle, the entire valley was its world. It wanted to go nowhere and enjoyed lounging in the muddy pond. Climbing from the pond to the cave entrance took it two days. Moving slower than an old man, Bai Fan mistook it for sunbathing when it was just too slow moving out of the sun’s path. The sunny spot had already shifted to the other side by the time it reached its destination. --- Bai Fan sat in her cave, practicing the Thunder Control Technique. To protect the cave from being damaged by the lightning, she created small clouds indoors to attract the miniature thunder, only feeling a slight numbness when it struck her. When she felt confident with her progress, Bai Fan decided to test it outside. Under the watchful eyes of the twin sisters, she hurriedly left the cave. Watching Bai Fan's departure, Huan Ri sighed, "When will we be able to help Master?" "Master seems to be struggling with her cultivation. Should we follow her to check on her?" "Elder sister, how can you tell Master is having trouble?" "Because Master is always shut inside and hardly ever checks on us. Don’t you remember our purpose?" The younger sister blinked, then covered her mouth with her hand. "Dual cultivation!" "Yes, but our previous impression on Master was not favorable. Now, she doesn’t even pay attention to us. What should we do?" "Elder sister, didn't you dislike the term dual cultivation? Why bring it up now?" The elder sister sighed, feeling self-pity, "I thought Master was just a lecherous rogue. Who would have guessed she would grow up to be such a remarkable beauty and now she’s even accepted under Yi Xi Zhen Ren's tutelage, becoming a distinguished young talent." "I think your heart is stirred, but our Master is pure-hearted and remains unmoved." Ying Yue, angry, smacked Huan Ri on the head, "Stop jinxing it! If we don’t act soon, someone else might steal this flower. Haven't you noticed those sneaky people coming near our place to steal glances at Master?" Huan Ri, rubbing her head, pouted angrily and threw the little turtle into the pond. The turtle flipped over in the water, paddled slowly, and swam back to the edge of the pond. With its small beady eyes, it glanced at the sisters and then nestled into the grass. Each time Huan Ri got angry, she would throw it into the pond. Thankfully, it couldn’t drown. It used to be an ordinary turtle in the small pond until one day when a cultivator set up a dwelling here – the previous owner. One day, the cultivator’s storage bag tore, and a cultivation pill fell into the pond. The turtle found it and inadvertently lived for hundreds of years, eventually becoming a spirit. They say a turtle lives for a thousand years, but it had only lived for a few hundred. So, it was still just a little turtle with no special abilities except for longevity. When facing foes it couldn’t defeat, it would flee, confident that it could eventually outlive its enemies. If fleeing wasn’t an option, it would cower. It got caught by the new cave occupants and was unable to escape. Though well-fed and cared for, it had to endure their abuses. Thus, it decided not to flee anymore. It resolved to outlive these cultivators, firmly believing that it would someday become a thousand-year-old turtle. To the little turtle, the entire valley was its world. It wanted to go nowhere and enjoyed lounging in the muddy pond. Climbing from the pond to the cave entrance took it two days. Moving slower than an old man, Bai Fan mistook it for sunbathing when it was actually just too slow moving out of the sun’s path. The sunny spot had already shifted to the other side by the time it reached its destination.