Chapter 36: You Know Nothing About Power!

Somewhere within the Biluo sect, Yu Xinghan, the sect leader, fell silent for an extended period upon hearing Shen Xiangling's report. He had instructed Shen Xiangling to uncover Bai Lian's true strength when she visited the Duxian sect. However, the information they had obtained was beyond his expectations.

...

Yu Xinghan, whose appearance resembled that of a barbarian, clenched his lips. He struggled to articulate his complex emotions at this moment. If there had been a mirror before him, he might have shattered it with a single blow.

"Go rest for now. I'll personally inform the Holy Son of Bai Lian's response," he finally spoke.

"Yes, Master," Shen Xiangling left the room in a daze.

The internal demon seemed to have departed, but only because her heart was momentarily adrift. Without a heart, where would the internal demon arise from?

She pondered, wondering if this process could be called "Heart Refining."

...

Not long after, several elders of the Biluo sect gathered in a room.

As one of the female elders entered, she inquired, "What's wrong with the Saint? She seems quite agitated."

"Never mind," Yu Xinghan sighed, recounting Shen Xiangling's experience at the Duxian sect.

The elders exchanged glances, grappling with the intricate contents of the tale.

After a prolonged silence, one of them mused, "So the Saint was actually defeated by Bai Lian's pet?"

"And defeated instantly," another added.

"Where did the Duxian sect find such a natural-born Saint? Her pet is formidable as well. How powerful is she herself?"

Just the thought of it sent shivers down the elders' spines.

Thankfully, the Biluo sect and the Duxian sect were not mortal enemies. Otherwise, the revelation could have escalated into an all-out war targeting Bai Lian.

"It's no wonder the Saint reacted that way. She intended to challenge Bai Lian, only to be defeated by her pet. Such a tragedy."

"That's an understatement."

Yu Xinghan nodded, his anger simmering. "Even if Bai Lian possesses exceptional qualifications, she has no right to humiliate our Saint like this. I'll demand justice from the Duxian sect!"

He strode towards the door, disregarding the protests of the gathered elders.

At that moment, raucous laughter echoed from a distance.

Yu Xinghan immediately recognized the source as the Saint's mentor.

"Master, what's the good news? Ha ha ha!" he retorted, his anger evident.

"What good news? Everything's in chaos!"

The Saint's mentor eagerly exclaimed, "My apologies for being overzealous, but this is truly a boon for our sect! Xiangling's inner demon has been dispelled. Unexpectedly, her visit to the Duxian sect helped her overcome it. Without this obstacle, her potential matches that of the Holy Son!"

"What?"

Yu Xinghan wondered if he had misunderstood.

Could Bai Lian's insults actually have alleviated Shen Xiangling's inner turmoil? What was wrong with her?

"It's true. That night..." the Saint's mentor explained, "Bai Lian's intention wasn't to humiliate Xiangling. She seized the opportunity to help Xiangling shed her timid façade and confront her inner demon. The Duxian sect's Bai Lian has done us an enormous favor!"

"Ah, I see, indeed," Yu Xinghan concurred, still baffled.

He promptly dispatched someone to summon the disciples who had accompanied Shen Xiangling.

After listening to their accounts, one of the female elders sighed, "I understand now."

"?"

"Didn't you pay attention to what Bai Lian said earlier? She was trying to save our Holy Son's face, even at the cost of her own image. She didn't want to strain the relationship between the Biluo and Duxian sects."

"Ah!" Yu Xinghan slapped his thigh in frustration. "I almost made a grave mistake." He lamented his impulsive nature, wishing he could temper it.

Exhaling, he admitted, "It's truly a blessing to have someone like Bai Lian in the Duxian sect. Well, I'll go personally to the Duxian sect to offer my apologies."

The elders expressed no objections, their minds already consumed with thoughts of their own disciples.

Humph! They needed to discipline their charges properly.

Reflecting on the situation, they couldn't help but feel irritated. If only their disciples possessed Bai Lian's thoughtfulness, they wouldn't have to contend with the messes these young cultivators created.

"Then what about the Holy Son?" one elder inquired.

Yu Xinghan snorted, his tone resolute. "He will understand. And if he doesn't, I'll make sure he does."

...

Under the luminous moonlight, Bai Lian flew for about an hour after leaving the Biluo sect, arriving at a sprawling bamboo forest.

The rustling of the bamboo leaves held her attention. A sudden surge of powerful qi alerted her to imminent danger.

Someone was present!

Her suspicions were confirmed a moment later.

The Jade Rabbit, perched on her shoulder, remained on high alert, scanning their surroundings. Its ears stood erect, poised to strike.

The individual concealed within the bamboo thicket had no intention of remaining hidden for long. In the depths of the forest, a brilliant column of light illuminated the area, accompanied by a ferocious gust of wind. Bamboo snapped and broke in the wake of the wind's passage.

A sharp noise accompanied the wind.

In the midst of the swaying bamboo, Bai Lian glimpsed a figure clad in black, their movements resembling those of a slippery eel.

She attempted to extend her divine sense to assess the individual. With her 163 points of Focus, her divine sense surpassed that of most ordinary cultivators at the Golden Core Stage.

If not for the suspicious bulges in the chest area, Bai Lian might have mistaken the assassin for a man. The assassin's strength likely resided in the later stages of the Golden Core Stage.

Bai Lian regarded her with a hint of disdain. Though she was not yet a match for the assassin, she wasn't worried about being killed.

Apart from the presence of the Jade Rabbit, Bai Lian was also relatively close to the Biluo sect. If she could endure for a brief period, the Biluo sect's elders would likely come to her aid.

"Jade Rabbit, cease—" Bai Lian began, but before she could finish, the Jade Rabbit launched its attack, only for the "black eel" to evade it using an exceptionally unusual movement.

Are you made of cartilage?

"Bai Lian, you're finished!" a deep, male voice emanated from beneath the assassin's mask.

Bai Lian hadn't expected the mask to possess voice-altering capabilities. Clenching her fist, she poised herself to react at any moment.

As the sharp blade neared its target, the assassin's demeanor shifted to one of anxiety.

In order to prevent the rabbit from intervening, her sword strike prioritized speed over power. Yet, the blade's destructive force was subpar.

Why hadn't Bai Lian attempted to dodge?

Was it due to an inability to react, as the voice had suggested? Or did she hold the attack in contempt?

A tremor ran through the assassin's body.

But she couldn't turn back now!

If it was the former, her strike would surely prove fatal.

If it was the latter, she possessed a magic tool granted by "that person." Even if she failed to kill Bai Lian, escaping would still be possible.

Pressing on, the assassin increased her speed.

Ding!

The blade sliced through Bai Lian's dark vortex of spiritual power, producing a clang like metal striking metal.

The assassin felt a surge of elation, quickly supplanted by mounting dread.

Her blade had failed to pierce Bai Lian's clothes. Did Bai Lian possess such precise control over her spiritual power?

Run!

This singular thought consumed the assassin's mind.

Bai Lian blinked.

Huh? My clothes remain unscathed.

The Li Yue Taoist robe lived up to its reputation as a top-grade magic tool!

Wearing the robe elevated her Hard Skill to 351 points, providing more robust defense than most cultivators at the Golden Core Stage.

Bai Lian clenched her fist and aimed it at the assassin.

This strike, enhanced by the [Butterfly Dance] skill, summoned a multitude of ice butterflies. They enveloped the assassin from all sides, encasing her within an ice cage.

She attempted to block Bai Lian's punch with the sword in her left hand, simultaneously activating her escape magic tool with her right.

A resounding boom reverberated.

Fist met flesh.

Amid the explosion, Bai Lian's form was showered with a spray of blood, which in turn transformed the once-pure white ice butterflies into vivid crimson specimens.

Calm returned to the bamboo forest, and the assassin had vanished.

"A cultivator engaged me in close combat, attempting to intercept my blow with her body. Truly, you know nothing about power," Bai Lian mused.

Surveying the bloodstains upon the ground, Bai Lian pondered for a moment. It seemed that she had struck the assassin's "two round spheres" with excessive force.

No matter.

"Haw," the Jade Rabbit returned, clearly chagrined.

"Let's head back to the Duxian sect," Bai Lian directed, her tone forgiving.

She bore no ill will towards the Jade Rabbit.