CHAPTER 3 : A Defining Choice

On the outskirts of Cangwu Forest, Bai Lianhua leaned against a big tree while scratching her head. She didn't understand that in the end this is where she stood. Waiting for the people from Xuanjian. When she saw the three of them from a distance, the girl pretended to be looking for something.

"Eh, Bai Lianhua what are you doing here?" Xiao Rui greeted, surprised to see his friend there.

"I-I'm looking for the longwen pieces I dropped here." Bai Lianhua lied without looking away from the ground.

Mo Tian smiled, the old man knew that Bai Lianhua was deliberately waiting for them. The girl's pride was so high.

"Keep looking." The old man said flatly and signaled his two disciples to continue the journey.

The girl secretly followed the three people from afar. Jing Yi was signaled by Mo Tian to pretend not to see her. They had also left Cangwu Forest and entered the Southern Sword City of Jiannan. Mo Tian told his disciples to take a short break at one of the famous porridge shops in Jiannan, Baihu Zhou.

The owner welcomed them warmly. Mrs. Li was already very familiar with the people of the Xuanjian Sect. Because, every time they went down the mountain, they always made time to stop by this shop.

"Elder Mo, is that girl with you guys?" Mrs. Li pointed at Bai Lianhua who was standing outside the shop.

The girl pretended to walk away. Xiao Rui smiled slightly, he asked permission from his teacher and senior apprentice to invite Bai Lianhua in.

"Bai Lianhua!" Xiao Rui shouted calling her.

Bai Lianhua kept walking, as if she didn't hear Xiao Rui's shout. The young man chased after her and pulled her hand.

"You're following us, right?" Xiao Rui quipped, greeted by Bai Lianhua's sneer.

"Who would want to follow you guys?" She quickly refuted.

Xiao Rui chuckled. "Come on, eat with us, then we'll continue our respective journeys."

Without waiting for Bai Lianhua's answer, he had already pulled the girl's hand towards the shop where his teacher and senior apprentice were waiting.

Seeing Bai Lianhua coming, Mo Tian smiled and told the girl to sit on a chair. The four of them ate without saying much. Only occasionally could the sound of spoons and bowls clashing, and Jing Yi threatening Xiao Rui not to run away from the academy again, could be heard.

Bai Lianhua ate slowly. She kept her head lowered. However, from the corner of her eye she could tell that the old man was watching her.

Finally Mo Tian put down his chopsticks and looked at Bai Lianhua meaningfully. "How long are you going to keep following us like that?"

"Wh–who's following you guys? It just so happens that I'm going in the same direction as you!" Bai Lianhua evaded as she continued to eat.

Jing Yi and Xiao Rui exchanged glances while holding back laughter. They knew for sure that Bai Lianhua was maintaining his pride to be honest.

The old man smiled again. "It's fine if you're still pretending and trying to find an excuse. I don't want to force you to be my disciple either. But… if you change your mind, come to Xuanjian whenever you want."

He stood up from his seat followed by Jing Yi and Xiao Rui, before leaving Mo Tian said to Bai Lianhua again, "Maybe if you come next time, it won't be so easy for you to become our disciple."

Bai Lianhua put down his teacup roughly. "I never said I would become Xuanjian's disciple!"

Mo Tian nodded slowly with an indifferent expression.

"Therefore, we part ways here!" Mo Tian firmly stated as he turned to his two disciples. "Come on, let's go!"

The three of them continued their journey and arrived at the edge of Jiannan City. A wide ravine filled with mist stretched out in front of them. Bai Lianhua hid behind the trees.

"Come out! I know you're behind that tree."

Knowing that Mo Tian had noticed her presence, Bai Lianhua crept out from behind the tree.

"It seems that you've changed your mind." A sarcastic, mocking tone was heard in Mo Tian's voice.

The girl looked away. "Who said I wanted to be your disciple?" she muttered in a half-whisper.

"Alright. Just so you know, crossing this ravine to Xuanshan Cliff is not as easy as you think." Mo Tian swept his hand across the surroundings. "There is no bridge. Only those who already have a basic cultivation foundation can cross it."

Bai Lianhua snorted indifferently.

"Then if you'll excuse us—"

"W-wait!" Bai Lianhua interrupted Jing Yi. "I didn't say I wanted to be Xuanjian's disciple. But… there's nothing interesting for me to do here since Xiao Rui isn't here."

Xiao Rui chuckled at Bai Lianhua's excuse.

"S-so I've decided to accept your offer to be your disciple, old man."

The three of them smiled. The teenage girl in front of them was really proud of herself.

"Come on, what are you waiting for? Let's go back to Xuanshan!" Mo Tian waved his hand.

The fog in front of them faded. Floating rocks began to form a path. Mo Tian was the first to step on the rocks, followed by Jing Yi. While Xiao Rui held Bai Lianhua's hand and led her through the floating rocks above the bottomless abyss.

The four of them arrived safely in front of the Xuanjian gate and were greeted by several disciples who were guarding there.

*

"My name is Ji Xue Er." A girl in the peacock pavilion introduced herself to Bai Lianhua.

The peacock pavilion was the dormitory where female disciples lived. After being introduced by Mo Tian, ​​Bai Lianhua would be living in this pavilion from now on.

"I am Bai Lianhua."

Ji Xue Er smiled. This girl had a beautiful face, her skin was smooth and soft as silk. Not only that, she was also very friendly. Bai Lianhua felt that she could get along with her. It turned out that the atmosphere at the Xuanjian school was quite pleasant and not as bad as he had imagined.

"Lianhua, you are called by Master Mo Tian." Xiao Rui suddenly appeared in front of the peacock pavilion door.

"Xiao Rui!" Several girls in the pavilion screamed when they saw the young man.

Ji Xue Er approached Xiao Rui. "You, where have you been all this time?" the girl asked while pointing at Xiao Rui's nose.

The young man just grinned and told Bai Lianhua to immediately meet Mo Tian.

In the reading room, Mo Tian stood while looking at the lotus pond in the backyard through the window. His arms were crossed. It was obvious that this old man was thinking about something important.

Bai Lianhua appeared accompanied by Xiao Rui. This girl stood in the middle of the room with her hands behind her back. Her expression was flat, as if she was reluctant to meet the old man. However, her eyes secretly swept every corner of the room with a sense of admiration. Bai Lianhua had wanted to live in a place with many books for a long time. She couldn't wait to start studying.

After staring at Bai Lianhua for a while, Mo Tian sat behind the table. While Jing Yi and Xiao Rui just stood beside Bai Lianhua silently. They didn't want to disturb the atmosphere between their teacher and Bai Lianhua.

"Do you know why I brought you to Xuanjian?" Mo Tian finally spoke up.

Bai Lianhua shrugged and replied in a flat tone, "I'm not a fortune teller who can read people."

Mo Tian took a deep breath. "You have great potential. Your qi flow is so strong, although it is not yet orderly and perfect. I will educate you well. In the future, you might become an immortal cultivator."

The girl scoffed and looked away when she heard Mo Tian's impossible hope. She only wanted to become stronger to find her father.

"Don't expect too much from me, Old Man," she said with a sneer.

"Jing Yi, Bai Lianhua will be under your guidance now!" Mo Tian ordered Jing Yi.

Xiao Rui nudged Bai Lianhua's arm. "You are now my junior apprentice. You should call me Brother Xiao Rui," She whispered mischievously.

The girl's eyes glanced sharply at Xiao Rui. However, the look of enthusiasm and happiness in her eyes could not be hidden.

*

Early in the morning, Jing Yi had brought Bai Lianhua, Xiao Rui and Ji Xue Er to the training arena which was still shrouded in a thin mist. The cold morning air made Xiao Rui and Ji Xue Er shiver.

"Brother Jing Yi … why did you tell us to practice so early in the morning?" Ji Xue Er pouted.

Jing Yi didn't say much, as fast as lightning he attacked Ji Xue Er and overwhelmed the girl. After his senior stopped, Ji Xue Er's cheeks puffed up in annoyance.

"Look, your abilities haven't improved in the past five years. You still dare to complain?" Jing Yi asked in amusement.

Jing Yi's gaze shifted to Bai Lianhua who was only busy kicking the gravel beneath her feet. Jing Yi had his arms crossed. This man's face radiated authority as the morning sunlight fell on him.

"I will teach Bai Lianhua the basics of cultivation. You guys practice on your own. Don't try to be lazy!" Jing Yi firmly told Xiao Rui and Ji Xue Er.

After the two of them moved a little away from them, Jing Yi began to focus on Bai Lianhua.

"Cultivation is not only about gathering great energy, becoming a winner or becoming the strongest person. More than that, cultivation is about understanding yourself and nature. Uniting your own energy with the energy of the earth, water, wind and air. Harmonizing qi with all of nature." Jing Yi began to explain seriously. "I will teach you the basic movements to control the energy within you."

Bai Lianhua snorted in boredom and yawned a little while saying curtly, "Come on! Just teach me right away!"

Although she looked bored and uninterested, in fact this girl was very impatient to learn. It was evident that Bai Lianhua immediately followed when Jing Yi started to sit cross-legged while closing her eyes and the position of her hands resting on her lap with her right palm placed on the left palm the fingers touch each other forming a circle.

"Calm your heart, empty your mind and regulate your breathing. Let your energy flow like a calm river. Focus on your xia dantian point."

Bai Lianhua followed Jing Yi's instructions. She began to feel something different within herself. There was a cool and warm flow enveloping her and flowing in her blood towards a point around her stomach.

A look of surprise and amazement was seen on Jing Yi's face. For someone who had never studied the basics of cultivation, Bai Lianhua was an extremely fast learner. Even Xiao Rui who was born into a family of cultivators needed a week to be able to concentrate his qi energy in just one point.

After Bai Lianhua had been meditating for quite some time to learn to control her qi flow, Jing Yi asked her to stop. He would begin to teach her how to channel her qi energy.

"Now, follow my movements!" Jing Yi ordered.

He began to assume a low horse stance with one hand straight in front of him and the palm facing upwards. The other hand clenched at his waist. Bai Lianhua began to follow Jing Yi's movements even though she looked stiff.

"Straighten your back, focus your mind and channel your qi energy into your palms like this." Jing Yi explained to Bai Lianhua.

The girl's eye socket caught a faint purplish blue light above her senior martial artist's palms. "Move your wrists slowly as if forming a vortex. Feel the energy starting to flow in your palms."

The faint purplish blue light seemed to dance gracefully following Jing Yi's hand movements. Bai Lianhua's senior began to combine it with basic martial arts movements. It was faint, but Bai Lianhua could feel the energy in every stroke of Jing Yi's palms.

Seeing the beauty, Bai Lianhua tried it. However, the girl felt nothing but the cold morning air of Xuanshan cliff. There was not a single bit of energy flowing in her palms.

"Don't rush," Jing Yi warned Bai Lianhua. "Let the qi energy flow naturally following your blood flow."

It wouldn't be Bai Lianhua to give up so quickly. She tried again. Still failed. The girl kept trying. Jing Yi was worried about Bai Lianhua and told her to take a break.

However, Bai Lianhua refused. If I can't learn these basics quickly… how can I find my father? Her mind kept pushing her.

The girl took a deep breath and focused all her concentration. Beads of cold sweat began to appear on her forehead. Even though Jing Yi, Xiao Rui and Ji Xue Er told her to stop—Bai Lianhua continued her training.

Slowly a purple light appeared for a moment on the girl's palm. She turned her head and looked at Jing Yi with amazement.

"I–I did it!" Bai Lianhua shouted.

Jing Yi gently hit Bai Lianhua's head. "Don't you ever try to push your body past its limits again. Or you'll make it explode due to unstable qi energy!"

Instead of listening to Jing Yi, the girl grinned to herself. She tried again and didn't have to struggle like before. Her three senior brothers were amazed at how quickly the girl learned.

It didn't take long for Bai Lianhua to learn the Xuanjian Sect's martial arts. Basic sword moves, she quickly mastered.

*

"Master, it seems that Bai Lianhua is very talented. At first I did not understand why Master accepted a disciple from the streets like Bai Lianhua," Jing Yi said one night while sitting drinking wine with his master.

Mo Tian smiled faintly. "Have you ever heard of the name Bai Zhentian?"

For a moment Jing Yi's forehead, he vaguely remembered the name Bai Zhentian. However, he failed to piece together his memory of the name.

"Bai Zhentian is my best friend. He and I founded this sect together, but … he was more interested in trade and withdrew from the martial world." Mo Tian began to tell his story. "Bai Zhentian's cultivation level has reached the level of a celestial ruler at a young age."

Jing Yi finally remembered the figure that his master often talked about. However, he did not understand what the relationship between Bai Zhentian and Bai Lianhua was.

"At first, I thought Bai Lianhua just happened to have the same surname and after I investigated she was Bai Zhentian's granddaughter. Before that brat came to steal … I already knew her background."

Jing Yi's head nodded in understanding. No wonder Bai Lianhua was so intelligent and a fast learner. One thing that Jing Yi was curious about now was why did Bai Lianhua have to become a thief and live on the streets?

After chatting for a while with the teacher, Jing Yi took his leave to return to the eagle pavilion where he lived. On the way there, his eyes caught a figure practicing under the moonlight. Bai Lianhua.

***