Bai Qing’s Talent

Qin Yao's outstretched hand hung in the air, frozen in shock as her eyes fixated on the demonic ape carrying Qin Wentian. The scene seemed surreal, like something out of a dream.

This creature couldn't be a typical demonic beast; otherwise, Qin Wentian wouldn't have merged with it. Yet, the emotion in its eyes felt undeniably human, almost uncanny.

A deafening roar erupted from the demonic ape as it turned away, galloping with ground-shaking force. Its every stride sent shockwaves through the earth, resonating like thunder. When it landed, the ground fractured within a hundred-meter radius. Its massive body continued to leap through the air, moving in a blur, while the echoes of its thunderous landings reverberated across Sky Harmony City.

Murin, despite his wealth of experiences, found himself at a loss. He had never encountered anything like this. How could Qin Wentian summon such a formidable war beast? Was it even a summoning at all?

Qin Yao attempted to chase after the departing ape, but Qin Ye blocked her path. Though the Ye Clan was in retreat, they still held control over Sky Harmony City. It would be too perilous for Qin Yao to pursue Qin Wentian at this moment.

Yet, their momentary reprieve didn't diminish the looming crisis.

Qin Ye shot a cold glance at Murin, his voice dripping with menace. "Remember today, Qin Clan."

Murin, undeterred and radiating arrogance, glanced back at Qin Ye with a dismissive expression. He spoke with a haughty tone, "It seems luck is on your side today. If you ever wish to find me, come to the Star River Association in the Royal Capital."

In this rewritten version, we've added drama and tension to the scene, infused more emotion into the characters, and provided additional descriptions for a vivid picture of the events. The grammar has been corrected throughout the passage.

Once Murin had finished his speech, he and his entourage promptly departed for the Star River Association, not bothering to wait for Qin Ye's response. In the eyes of a highly regarded weaponsmith like him, the Qin Clan was nothing more than a crumbling relic on the brink of extinction.

Qin Ye led the members of the Qin Clan as they chose to leave, joining forces with the Emperor Star Academy's members. The onlookers, who had watched from a distance, wore expressions of bewilderment. Soon, rumors began to circulate throughout Sky Harmony City like wildfire. The story was the same in every corner: Qin Wentian had transformed into a monstrous demonic ape and slain Ye Mo, a Yuanfu Realm cultivator. He became the hottest topic of discussion among the city's residents, his feats recounted by countless tongues.

On that very same day, another earth-shattering event unfolded. From the northwestern reaches of Chu Country, a legion of troops emerged, breaking the seal around Sky Harmony City and charging toward the Qin Residence. It was said that these troops hailed from the northwestern region of Chu Country, their general once a battle commander under Qin Wu. Upon learning of the Ye Clan's siege of Sky Harmony City, they had raced through the night to arrive in time.

The power dynamics of Sky Harmony City underwent yet another dramatic shift. The Qin Clan reclaimed their former authority, Asura Wu retreated in defeat, and the Bai Clan made preparations to relocate, with their sights set on the Royal Capital.

Bai Qingsong had aged significantly from the time Autumn Snow had condensed her Astral Soul, a period when he had been in high spirits, to the recent encounter with Qin Wentian, who had unveiled his formidable power. Even his own daughter now defied his wishes.

"I won't leave with you," Bai Qing calmly stated, her words devoid of the warmth they once held. Over the past few days, she had been confined by her father.

"Impudent! What happened to your filial piety?" Bai Qingsong's rage flared.

"Filial piety? Daddy, you're the one who taught me about filial piety. You preached benevolence and righteousness, but look at what you've done! You're a hypocrite! Repaying kindness with enmity, almost causing Wentian gege's death." Bai Qing's eyes glistened with tears as she spoke, her resentment towards her father growing. She had come to realize that her father was nothing but a facade, a true hypocrite.

The emotional toll of witnessing her father betray his own principles was devastating for a 15-year-old girl who had always regarded him as her hero and believed wholeheartedly in his benevolence.

"Wentian gege? I'm your father! As for benevolence and righteousness, they only matter if there are advantages to be gained. Everything I do, I do for the Bai Clan, for both of you sisters," Bai Qingsong retorted, his gaze turning icy. "Why can't you be more like your elder sister?"

"Be like my sister and live a lie? She was so convincing that even I was fooled. I never expected her to be so wicked, especially when Wentian gege was so good to her," Bai Qing scoffed, her tone devoid of warmth.

"Stop being unreasonable. It appears that after all these years, I've raised and supported you for nothing. No wonder your sister is so gifted, and yet you can't even cultivate," Bai Qingsong expressed his profound disappointment.

"Talent, you mean this?" Bai Qing continued to laugh coldly, and suddenly, a radiant astral light burst forth, illuminating the darkness and leaving Bai Qingsong in stunned silence.

A faint outline of an Astral Soul appeared on Bai Qing's forehead. This Astral Soul exuded an intense Yin energy, resembling a spirit from the underworld, with a halo of pure gold radiance surrounding it.

A pure gold Astral Soul. Its origin was undoubtedly the 4th Heavenly Layer or higher.

"Rumble." Bai Qingsong felt as though his brain had been jolted, experiencing a mental shock as he stared wide-eyed. The 4th Heavenly Layer? Bai Qing's first Astral Soul had been condensed from the 4th Heavenly Layer! This revelation left him thunderstruck.

He watched as the Astral Soul slowly retracted into Bai Qing's body, and suddenly, Bai Qing seemed to transform into a spectral figure, emitting an incredibly chilling Yin energy that made Bai Qingsong involuntarily shiver.

"Brilliant! You are truly my daughter. But the Astral Soul you condensed, why did you choose a Yin constellation?" Bai Qingsong continued to tremble.

"I'm not incapable of cultivation. I simply followed Wentian gege's advice, refraining from absorbing Yuan Qi from the heavens and earth so that I could enhance my affinity for sensing the Astral Constellations. Moreover, he taught me the art of meditation, allowing me to do what my elder sister did and sense constellations from the 3rd Heavenly Layer. Fueled by my disappointment in you, I continued pushing my limits. I stopped caring about life and death, determined to ascend further. My intent and will were fueled by my emotions, and when I finally sensed the constellations in the 4th Heavenly Layer, I lost consciousness. It wasn't me who chose this Constellation; it was the Constellation that chose me."

"Even though Wentian gege and I share no blood, his kindness taught me happiness and how to maintain a positive outlook. His smile was so pure. But you, my own father, taught me hypocrisy, betrayal, heartlessness, and ruthlessness. What right do you have to be a father? You're unworthy!" Bai Qing's words cut like a dagger.

Having said her piece, Bai Qing turned and walked away, leaving Bai Qingsong standing there, dumbfounded, with the haunting phrase echoing in his mind: "You're not worthy!"

Closing his eyes, Bai Qingsong felt a pang of regret deep within his heart. He wondered what could have been if he hadn't betrayed the Qin Clan by breaking off the marriage proposal. Both of his daughters possessed astonishing talents, especially Bai Qing, who had condensed an Astral Soul from the 4th Heavenly Layer. This was a feat that bordered on miraculous even within the entirety of Chu Country. Yet, she refused to acknowledge him as her father.

Three days later...

In the western forest region of Sky Harmony City, a snow-white puppy playfully chased its own tail, darting in circles. Nearby, a handsome young man lay on the ground.

The little snowy pup blinked its eyes, then suddenly darted off and returned a few moments later, accompanied by two young women.

"Little fellow, why did you bring us here?" One of the young ladies wore a pristine white robe. Her beauty was otherworldly, as if she hailed from the realm of the fairies. She followed the puppy, then came to an abrupt halt when she spotted the human lying on the ground.

The snowy puppy crouched beside the youth's body, its puppy eyes casting an irresistibly cute glance at the white-robed young lady.

"Qingcheng, we've been chasing this little rascal all the way from the Royal Capital, and now it brings us here because of a corpse." Beside the white-robed lady, another woman in green attire scowled at the snowy pup as if it had deeply offended her.

"This little rascal seems to be toying with us. It could easily evade us with its speed if it wanted to." Mo Qingcheng shook her head, chuckling wryly. Then, she approached the youth and examined his injuries. "He's unconscious from severe wounds, and he's completely depleted his spirit, energy, and qi."

After her assessment, Mo Qingcheng retrieved a medicinal pill from her robes and placed it in the youth's mouth. Soon, the pill dissolved, and its mystical healing energies began to flow into his body.

"Are you crazy? That was a top-grade 2nd-level medicinal pill!" The green-clad woman was flabbergasted. Medicinal pills were as highly prized as divine weapons. A top-grade 2nd-level medicinal pill could send Arterial Circulation Realm cultivators into a frenzy; it was incredibly valuable.

"It must be fate. Otherwise, we wouldn't have encountered him," Mo Qingcheng replied calmly. "Nolan, there's a thatched hut not far from here. Let's take a rest there."

"You're truly insane," Nolan shook her head. If the people from the Chu Capital discovered that Mo Qingcheng was carrying a young man on her back, the commotion it would cause was beyond imagination.

What added insult to injury was the fact that, during the journey, the young man's hands had somehow ended up resting near Mo Qingcheng's chest. Occasionally, they grazed against her twin peaks, causing her cheeks to flush, making her even more captivating.

"What are you staring at?" The green-clad girl shot an irritated glance at the snowy puppy trotting alongside them. She muttered under her breath, "This kid's got the luck of the devil, enjoying such perks even when he's unconscious."

"Nolan, he's completely clueless about it, and this little snowy pup seems to have some sort of spiritual intelligence. Since we've saved him, it's like I said before, fate might be at play here," Mo Qingcheng said with a bitter smile. She had never imagined finding herself in such close proximity to a member of the opposite sex.

"If the ten prodigies of the Royal Capital ever found out about this, I bet even if this kid had a few more lives, it wouldn't be enough for him," Nolan shook her head. She was well aware of the numerous suitors vying for the hand of the white-robed lady. Yet, Mo Qingcheng's heart had remained untouched by their attempts to win her over.

The two women reached a thatched cottage nestled in an open area within the forest. It was a picturesque spot, complete with a nearby stream. Nolan still nursed her irritation, but her annoyance soon turned into astonishment as she watched the snowy puppy carrying a few stalks of medicinal herbs in its mouth, returning alongside Mo Qingcheng. "This little rascal can actually find spiritual herbs?"

The snowy pup quickened its pace and darted over, standing by Nolan's side and cocking its head, its eyes carrying a hint of mischief. Nolan rolled her eyes, muttering softly, "You cheeky little thing."

"Conceited brat," Nolan scolded in a hushed tone, but secretly, she was impressed. Mo Qingcheng approached, smiling. "I told you it has spiritual intelligence, but I don't know what kind of mystical beast it is. No matter how much I coax it, it won't follow me. It even led us to this place."

"Let me brew those herbs." Mo Qingcheng moved toward Nolan, who made way for her. The snowy puppy pranced around the straw cottage before settling down on top of Qin Wentian. It only woke up once the medicinal herbs had fully brewed. Mo Qingcheng administered the herbal extract to Qin Wentian.

Nolan cast a deep glance at Qin Wentian, her mind filled with bewilderment. How could this guy be so lucky that the most stunning woman in all of Chu Country was carrying him on her back and feeding him medicine?