48 - A Farewell to Mr. Luo

Chapter 48 Bai Fan left her cave dwelling and looked around. She had been in Xuanyue Realm for a long time, but due to her deep immersion in cultivation, she had not had the chance to observe the surroundings. Moreover, this area was remote and lacked spiritual energy, with no other cultivators around, so she had even less interest in its condition. As she surveyed the surroundings now, it was filled with wild grass. Although the nearby area was tended by the twin sisters, the place was still vast, making it appear overgrown and untidy. When summoning thunder, she needed to find an open space. If the summoned lightning caused a fire, the barren land would become even more devoid of spiritual energy. Therefore, Bai Fan chose an even more secluded spot and happened to come across a pile of scattered rocks, deciding to practice the Divine Thunder Art there. No one would notice the noise she would make in this desolate place. Looking around, Bai Fan was quite satisfied with her chosen spot. She stood firm and began casting. Unlike the previous small rain cloud spell that merely produced rain, she needed to form thunder clouds to summon lightning. Raising a single arm, she guided the spiritual energy from her dantian through her meridians and then formed clouds in her palm. The originally white clouds gradually turned dark gray, with tiny static sparks inside. The crackling sound echoed continuously in her ears as the cloud mass grew larger, expanding from its original size of about ten feet to over a hundred feet, engulfing the entire small area and obscuring Bai Fan's figure under the dark clouds. Standing beneath the clouds, Bai Fan's forehead beaded with cold sweat. She had overestimated herself. The thunder cloud over a hundred feet wide had drained her spiritual energy completely. However, the Divine Thunder Art continued to run rampant, making it difficult for her to stop. Drawing on spiritual energy after it had been depleted was like extracting marrow from her bones, causing excruciating pain—no wonder she was sweating profusely. The insufficiency of her spiritual energy was due to her lack of accumulation. Generally, for a disciple at Bai Fan's stage, her spiritual energy would have been quite sufficient unless using forbidden techniques. Bai Fan had been too hasty. She had only recently learned this spell and rushed to try it, ending up exhausting herself. If she allowed the thundercloud to keep draining her energy, she might soon be reduced to a husk. Unable to think of another solution, Bai Fan recalled her reserve of Breath Dan. These contained a vast amount of spiritual energy. She reached into her storage pouch, thankful that she had brought it along. She had a few Breath Dans left, which she had planned to save for her foundation establishment. But it seemed she needed to use one now. Bai Fan quickly swallowed a Breath Dan. As it dissolved, her previously depleted meridians were instantly replenished. However, the immense spiritual energy was too much for her to digest all at once, and it all surged into the thundercloud in her hand. The thundercloud, originally formed with all Bai Fan's might, expanded more than ten times its size in an instant, reaching nearly a thousand feet and covering the entire area. At the entrance of the cave, the twin sisters, who had been chatting, saw the blue sky suddenly turn into a stormy cloudscape with flashes of lightning, and a strong wind began to blow. "Sister, what's happening?" "I don't know. It doesn't look like natural weather; it seems someone is casting a spell." "Who could it be?" "This is Xuanyue. It can't be anyone else, and with just the two of us here, it must be the Mistress." "The Mistress?" "Let's go and have a look." The two sisters held hands and rushed out. Looking up at the increasingly stormy sky and then towards where Bai Fan stood, the clouds grew even denser. Bai Fan glanced at the massive thundercloud above her and smiled bitterly. Solving one problem had brought another. Such a massive thundercloud could instantly turn her into flying ash if it struck. As the clouds thickened and mingled, it waited for the final strike, as Bai Fan had yet to guide it, and it brewed continuously. The twin sisters watching from a distance sensed something was wrong. "Sister, what's happening? The Mistress seems unwell." "The Mistress seems to be in trouble. Such a large thundercloud is likely out of control, and if it gets out of hand, this whole area might become a lightning wasteland." Huan Ri's eyes widened, gripping Ying Yue's hand tighter. "What should we do?" "I don't know." The sisters stood together, the gale tossing their hair into disarray, worry etched on their faces mingled with the flapping of their skirts, looking ready to be swept away. Gazing into the distance at Bai Fan's solitary figure, poised under the thundercloud, they wondered what she would do next. Bai Fan stared at the thundercloud for a long time, then sighed deeply. The only thing that could withstand this lightning might be her true form. Feeling a sense of foreboding, Bai Fan turned and saw the twin sisters watching her from afar, making her heart churn with mixed emotions. To bear the thundercloud, she would have to reveal her serpent form. Being in Xuanyue and an undercover demon, getting expelled from the sect would be the least of her worries. She feared facing the disciplinary hall, especially with her master being an official there. Such exposure could implicate many, including Sun Elder, who brought her into the sect, and her master. Thus, transforming into her true form was out of the question—this was a secret known only to her. "Do I have to withstand this lightning with my human form?" With no other choice, Bai Fan braced herself. Thankfully, she could still control the thundercloud somewhat, preventing total loss of control. As the lightning within the clouds finally descended, Bai Fan managed to guide it away from herself but couldn’t avoid some stray strikes. When the thundercloud surged, the fierce winds blew so hard the twin sisters could barely see her, holding onto each other against the wind. Bai Fan had withdrawn her hand, her expression dark as she eyed the thundercloud. The brewing lightning struck suddenly, turning the area into a lightning zone, with thunder roaring and lightning intertwining. Bai Fan found herself at the core of the lightning zone, with strikes continuously falling around her, the crackling never ceasing, and the smell of scorched earth lingering. Although she had summoned the lightning, she couldn't control where it struck, leading to frequent self-inflicted strikes. The paralyzing sensation reminded her of her foundational thunder tribulation, where her meridians were severed and painfully regrown, inflicting a mixture of pain and strange pleasure, breaking and reshaping her endlessly. Bai Fan was naturally unfit for cultivation; without the Jiao Dan, she couldn’t have become a demon, and without the Fire Qilin mending her meridians, she couldn't have cultivated. Inside her, a dreamlike realm suddenly emerged, absorbing a lot of lightning. The Dragon Serpentine Grass that Bai Fan painstakingly planted turned to ash, and the Jiao Dan she embedded was obliterated. Bai Fan was stunned—the dreamlike realm had appeared mysteriously. The Jiao Dan emerged from it, and now this realm seemed to be taking root in her dantian. From the outside, the dreamlike realm appeared as a white halo, and only inside could one see its form. It was now crisscrossed with lightning, turning the Dragon Serpentine Grass to ash, leaving only scorched stones and sand. Bai Fan oscillated between revival and survival, the process continuing until nightfall when the thundercloud finally dissipated. The ground turned pitch black, with lightning still flickering around. The area became a wasteland, requiring years to recover. The twin sisters, after the wind stopped, saw Bai Fan sitting on the charred ground. Her disciple robes, known for their water, fire, dust, and cold resistance, were now in tatters. "Mistress!" The twins rushed over. Bai Fan, deep within the dreamlike realm, transformed into a small snake, weaving through the lightning, the bolts striking her soul, making it tremble. The dreamlike realm's internal lightning assaults were hundreds of times more terrifying than physical lightning, with each strike threatening her very soul, an essential part for any cultivator. Bai Fan had impulsively entered, only to find herself relentlessly struck by lightning inside, as if it aimed to obliterate her. Bai Fan could only keep dodging. However, within the dreamlike realm, she could move freely, unlike in the outside world where she was more restricted. She could even fly in her snake form. Thus began a bizarre game of cat and mouse. Bai Fan’s long, serpentine body, resembling a dragon more than a snake, with water vapor coiling around her, seemed like she was riding on clouds. After much chaotic lightning, it seemed to gain a consciousness, transforming into a Thunder Dragon, chasing Bai Fan with the intent to reduce her to ashes. As she dodged, Bai Fan pondered what was happening. Finally, noticing the water vapor around her, she wondered if it might be a side effect of the Dragon Transformation Technique. Yet, this didn’t seem like a mere side effect. When she initially practiced the small rain cloud spell, she had felt something peculiar within the Jiao Dan. After understanding it, she had directly achieved foundation establishment, resulting in the water vapor now surrounding her. Now the Jiao Dan was gone, but the phenomenon unexpectedly occurred within the dreamlike realm. It was as if this realm had replaced the Jiao Dan, becoming a larger one, and the lightning made Bai Fan think of the Dragon Clan's control over the four elements: wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. Mastering a spell aligned with one of the Dragon Clan's elemental traits could trigger her innate abilities. Previously it was water, and now it seemed to be thunder and lightning. Compared to her previous understanding of water, this lightning felt entirely different, constantly opposing her. Maybe these elements had a temper. Bai Fan glanced back at the relentless lightning pursuing her and had an idea. She couldn't keep playing this game; her physical body was still suffering from the thunder outside. She needed to find a way to get out. Previously she had learned by enlightenment; this time, it seemed she might have to fight. For such a fierce element, submission through battle was necessary. Bai Fan suddenly halted in mid-air. The snake's body, intertwined with water vapor, seemed to float as the Thunder Dragon charged at her, transforming into lightning aimed straight at her. Taking a deep breath, Bai Fan attempted to coalesce a wall of water with the vapor. To her surprise, she succeeded. Although the water wall blocked the lightning, the fusion of water and electricity resulted in a louder thunderclap, momentarily blinding her. After a series of loud crackles, once the water vapor dissipated, the lightning had reduced to a small spherical form. Bai Fan instantly understood. The water and lightning had mutually consumed each other, with the water transforming into vapor, while the lightning exhausted itself, leaving only a small ball. Slowly descending on her water vapor, Bai Fan scrutinized the small lightning ball, which resembled a golden dumpling with electric sparks shimmering around it. As a small white snake, Bai Fan flicked her tongue at the lightning dumpling, which trembled in fear and attempted to flee, but Bai Fan wouldn’t allow it. She lashed her tail, sending the lightning dumpling flying back. Bai Fan sneered internally; this little lightning dumpling dared to cause trouble in her domain. Fortunately, she was quick-witted. Faced with the trembling dumpling, Bai Fan was conflicted. The water vapor had naturally surrounded her, but carrying this lightning dumpling around might shock her to death. As she pondered how to handle the lightning dumpling, it seized the opportunity to escape again. Bai Fan, lacking limbs at the moment, instinctively bit it and, since snakes don’t chew, accidentally swallowed it whole. "Oh no, I ate it. Will it blow a hole in my stomach?" As Bai Fan circled in panic, she suddenly burped and emitted a faint spark of lightning. "That was filling, but I seem to be fine." Looking at the ravaged dreamlike realm, Bai Fan sighed. A once peaceful place now looked devastated, the ground scorched by lightning. "Never mind, let me pour some water to cool down the area. I’ll replant something else next time." Bai Fan summoned a small rain cloud spell, bringing a drizzling rain that cooled down the heated landscape. Meanwhile, the twin sisters, watching Bai Fan’s unmoving body, were unsure what to do. She bore no visible injuries, her skin even more flawless than theirs, but she had been unconscious for quite some time, causing them concern. By now, it was late, and the entire hillside was barren, occasionally sparking with residual lightning, deterring the sisters from wandering off. Though they had some cultivation, they barely knew any spells and could not fend off even a Qi Refining disciple. After settling the matters within the dreamlike realm, Bai Fan finally awoke, surprised to see the twin sisters still around. “Why are you two still here?” Overjoyed to hear Bai Fan’s voice, the sisters almost cheered but instead voiced their grievances, “Mistress, you’ve finally awakened! Look around, the place is filled with lightning. We couldn't leave, and with you unconscious, we dared not abandon you.” “Yes, Mistress, you were unresponsive for a long time, and we were so worried.” Taking advantage of Bai Fan’s awakening, they exaggerated their concerns, hoping for some comfort from her. Bai Fan internally sighed; if they hadn’t come, she might not have had such a difficult time, nearly getting her soul injured by lightning. Nonetheless, she gained some unexpected benefits from the ordeal. Glancing at her damaged clothes, Bai Fan felt regretful. Her outfit was a magical treasure, yet the lightning had ruined it. She stood up and brushed off the ashes, telling the sisters, “Let’s go back.” The sisters, thrilled at the prospect of returning, nearly cheered. Bai Fan used her hand to dissipate the remaining stray lightning, observing her white palm with raised eyebrows; she realized the four elements were usable outside as well. Back in her cave, Bai Fan hurried to take a bath. The twin sisters came to assist but almost caused her embarrassment. Luckily, she managed to send them away before undressing completely, sealing the door with a spell to prevent any peeking. Soaking in the bathtub, Bai Fan lamented over her body. Over the past five years, during her development, she had suppressed her chest with spells to avoid revealing her female form among her male peers. Now, tall and yet flat-chested, she felt frustrated. Moreover, the twin sisters often wore revealing clothes, which only fueled her jealousy and resentment towards Wang Li and the others. In the Punishment Hall, Wang Li and the others suddenly sneezed. Rubbing his nose, Wang Li wondered, “Ah-choo, what’s going on? Why am I sneezing in this hot weather?” “Maybe someone holds a grudge against you.” “I’ve been stuck here for five years. Who would hold a grudge?” “Bai Fan.” “He’s out. What grudge would he have against me?” “Well, you kept staring at his face, making him self-conscious.” While bathing, Bai Fan examined her skin, feeling that the lightning had further refined her body, clearing many impurities and making her feel lighter. However, the mishap with the Divine Thunder Art made her realize how crucial abundant spiritual energy was for casting spells. Drinking a pot of spirit wine had once made her feel well-prepared, but it was still inadequate. “If talent is lacking, diligence must compensate. Rushing only leads to failure, as Master advised.” Resolving to solidify her foundation, Bai Fan decided to build her skills properly, understanding the importance of a strong foundation. After finishing her bath, she stepped out as Ying Yue approached. “Mistress, a disciple is here to see you.” “Who?” Ying Yue shook her head, as the internal affairs of Xuanyue were beyond the sisters’ knowledge. Outside the cave, several young disciples, all from Heavy Water Immortal Master’s group, waited. Each one had already achieved foundation establishment. As Bai Fan stepped out, a young man approached. “Are you the second disciple under Joyous Immortal Master?” “That’s right. What can I do for you?” Having just finished bathing, Bai Fan’s body exuded a refreshing fragrance, which seemed unusually effeminate to the other disciples who wondered why he, a man, smelled so fragrant. Unbeknownst to Bai Fan, others viewed him as somewhat effeminate. “The thing is, the Phantom Sword Pavilion has been busy on missions outside, so the patrol duties within the sect have fallen to us, Heavy Water disciples. Most of the senior disciples are already involved, and we decided to invite you to join us since you’re on our way.” “I understand. I will join you then.” Bidding a few instructions to Ying Yue, Bai Fan followed the group of disciples. Ying Yue stared blankly at Bai Fan’s departing figure, lost in thought. Huan Ri, on the other hand, lazed nonchalantly on the stone steps, munching on spirit fruits and tossing the seeds onto a small tortoise’s back, treating it like a game of pitch-pot. The little tortoise begrudged her actions, moving its legs slowly while feeling indignant, its tiny beady eyes occasionally glaring at Huan Ri. Meanwhile, Bai Fan followed the group of disciples as they patrolled along the Xuanyue boundary. Foundation establishment cultivators couldn’t fly but could perform short leaps, making the disciples appear as if they were hopping from mountain peak to mountain peak. Since arriving at Xuanyue, Bai Fan never quite grasped the vastness of the region, but following her fellow disciples now gave her a clearer picture. "Our Xuanyue lies in the southeastern part of the Southern Continent, bordering Yunxiao. Look over there; that red expanse is Yunxiao territory." Bai Fan looked in the indicated direction, indeed seeing a crimson landscape. Even the leaves were red, and the soil shared the same hue, making the contrast with Xuanyue stark. "Yunxiao possesses a massive fire spirit vein and numerous volcanoes, influencing their vegetation. The leaves grow red instead of green." "Brother Zhou, is it true that Yunxiao disciples are notorious for their fiery tempers?" The disciple leading the group was called Zhou Zhi, rumored to be the youngest disciple and a favorite student of Sun Elder. Neat and tidy, with a gentle smile, everyone called him Brother Zhou. "Only one lineage within Yunxiao is known for their fiery tempers. They also have sword cultivators who often travel outside. The frequent interactions make outsiders believe all Yunxiao disciples are hot-tempered." "Oh, I see." "Aren’t Xuanyue’s Phantom Sword Pavilion disciples the same? They’re often sent on missions, and people might think all Xuanyue disciples have stern, zombie-like faces." This evoked hearty laughter from the group. Bai Fan smiled, recalling her encounter with a Phantom Sword Pavilion disciple in the alchemy room, whose face did resemble that of a zombie. The patrol was light-hearted, filled with chatter and laughter, as the bloody storms outside had no bearing on the disciples' lives within Xuanyue. "Let’s head over there. That’s the Misty Forest. Be cautious; it’s known for rampant demonic beasts. Although the Phantom Sword Pavilion often clears them out, we must remain vigilant." "Understood." Zhou Zhi led at the front, sword in hand, while Bai Fan brought up the rear, curiously observing her surroundings, intrigued by the Misty Forest and its maddened beasts. Contrary to its name, the Misty Forest contained no mist, but once inside, finding the way out was notoriously difficult, even for Nascent Soul cultivators. Filled with demonic beasts, it piqued Bai Fan’s curiosity as a demonic beast herself. ※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※ Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated me with nutrient solution~ Thank you to the little angel who threw [Landmine]: Huan Yu 1; Thank you to the little angels who irrigated [Nutrient Solution]: Thank you so much for your support, I will continue to work hard! Previous Chapter Contents Next Chapter Homepage Computer Version Bookshelf Novel Collection Popular Novels