Chapter 64: Spirit and Funeral

"Spread out and search with full effort for Bai Xiaochun. Whoever finds him will receive contribution points from me personally. Along the way, if you see any members of the Luo Chen clan outside, kill them all!" Ouyang Jie withdrew his gaze from Li Qinghou's back and spoke slowly. Instantly, all the disciples around dispersed.

Within a radius of ten thousand miles, over two thousand people searched thoroughly for an entire month.

During this month, nearly the entire area was combed through, but unfortunately, no one found Bai Xiaochun. However, the corpses of those from the Luo Chen clan who had been killed by Bai Xiaochun were discovered one by one along the way, shocking more and more inner sect disciples.

Most of the Luo Chen clan members were killed with a single blow, making it hard for everyone to imagine how an outer sect disciple at Qi Condensation stage, level six, could achieve that.

Qian Dajin kept taking deep breaths. Suddenly, he felt it might have been better if Bai Xiaochun had died. Otherwise, with such ferocity, even he might not be a match. Seeing Li Qinghou's anger, he felt extremely uneasy and cursed inwardly.

"Damn it, you had such a background all along! If you had told me earlier, I wouldn't have provoked you!"

Especially in the nameless mountain forest, they found the bodies of three Luo Chen clan members at Qi Condensation stage, level eight. Seeing the brutal scene there, vivid images appeared in everyone's minds, deeply shaking their spirits.

After a month of searching, everyone gradually understood that Bai Xiaochun… was probably dead. The place of death was that nameless mountain forest. With many ferocious beasts around, there were too many ways for a person's body to be lost after death.

Moreover, after hearing from two Luo Chen clan members previously sent out by Chen Heng that the one pursuing Bai Xiaochun was likely the Luo Chen Young Master at Qi Condensation stage, level nine, they realized that Bai Xiaochun… really was dead.

One month later, the search ended, and everyone returned to the sect. Hou Yunfei was found; although badly injured, with the sect's full healing efforts, he was not in serious danger.

He and Du Lingfei had made significant contributions for the sect, but their hearts held no joy—only sorrow and memories.

Neither of them wanted to return, but due to their severe injuries, they were brought back to the sect. Li Qinghou stayed behind alone, searching for two more months in the nameless mountain forest. Except for some areas even he could not enter, he almost covered the entire forest. Strangely, he still did not find Bai Xiaochun—who clearly was within the forest—almost as if Bai Xiaochun and the forest belonged to two different worlds.

He even fought many fierce beasts during this search and sustained injuries himself. Two months later, he bitterly looked at a large tree stained with dried blood and a piece of clothing caught on it.

"If I hadn't taken you up the mountain…" Li Qinghou closed his eyes. Images of Bai Xiaochun afraid of dying amidst thunder on Mao'er Mountain flashed through his mind. He recalled carrying Bai Xiaochun while the latter screamed in the Ten Thousand Snakes Valley, and memories of the sect's small competition and the first monument among the ten stone tablets.

Silently, he sighed deeply, seeming to have aged, and tucked away the piece of clothing. Along the way, he had found seven or eight such blood-stained pieces.

Finally, Li Qinghou silently left the forest, transforming into a streak of light flying far away.

The Luo Chen clan rebellion thus ended. Lingxi Sect used overwhelming force to exterminate the rebels. The event caused a sensation, making countless cultivation families and sects throughout the four continents' eastern vein of the Tongtian River aware. Among the four major sects dominating Donglin Continent in the eastern vein's downstream, Lingxi Sect gained even greater respect and fear.

Regarding the reason behind the Luo Chen clan's rebellion, Lingxi Sect uncovered many clues through investigation. The bloodline mark was only one aspect—there was a deeper underlying cause. The combination of these clues was enormous and shocked the sect.

If Lingxi Sect hadn't stopped this matter in time, it could have triggered widespread rebellion among all cultivation families in the sect's territory. If a major enemy invaded then, the consequences could have been catastrophic, even shaking the sect's foundation.

The contributions of Du Lingfei, Hou Yunfei, and the fallen Feng Yan were vital, especially Bai Xiaochun's sacrifice. Without his selfless act, this news might never have been reported in time.

Particularly touching was that Bai Xiaochun did not abandon his fellow disciples to escape alone; instead, he drew the enemy away to save them. This moved everyone deeply. In the cultivation world, selfish people were many, and those like Bai Xiaochun were rare. His death saddened all the sect elders, including the sect leader.

Due to the great stakes involved, Lingxi Sect fell silent after uncovering more clues and did not continue further investigation for some reason. Yet all the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators within the sect became much more vigilant.

It was as if… a storm was coming.

After several days of communication and study, the seven elders from the northern and southern banks, along with the sect leader and many elders, reached a consensus.

Du Lingfei, Hou Yunfei, and the fallen Feng Yan had made great contributions, but especially Bai Xiaochun… he had made the greatest merit!

"Before the storm comes, what is needed more is a spirit—a spirit that Lingxi Sect has maintained unchanged for ten thousand years. Bai Xiaochun laid down his life to create such merit. We must honor him and hold a funeral. For anyone who has contributed to the sect, the sect will never forget!" These were the words finally spoken by the sect leader, Zheng Yuandong.

In the days that followed, although Lingxi Sect did not continue to investigate the deeper reasons behind the Luo Chen clan's rebellion, they used the opportunity to widely promote Bai Xiaochun's heroic deed of self-sacrifice for his fellow disciples and the sect.

His story spread throughout the sect, so all disciples on the northern and southern banks knew Bai Xiaochun and what he had done to save his comrades.

At the same time, the sect would never let such a loyal and righteous disciple become disheartened. Even though Li Qinghou alone could have exterminated the clan, the sect mobilized more than two thousand inner disciples from the southern bank, displaying overwhelming force—using a sledgehammer to kill a chicken.

This moved every disciple deeply. Even if the sect's intentions were deliberate, every disciple yearned for this recognition.

This was Lingxi Sect's tradition, unchanged for ten thousand years!

"Anyone who harms my disciples will be dealt with at any cost, no matter how far!"

Every Lingxi Sect disciple, when going out, was never alone. As long as Lingxi Sect existed, the sect would always be their permanent backing.

This would create a stronger sense of identity, making all disciples willing to sacrifice everything—even their lives—to defend the sect and their home.

Lingxi Sect was once a tiny sect with fewer than a few dozen people ten thousand years ago.

Regarding Bai Xiaochun's life and death, even the sect leader personally asked a supreme elder skilled in divining heavenly secrets to perform a divine technique, but no sign of Bai Xiaochun's survival was found. Only a strong aura of death was sensed, confirming that Bai Xiaochun had died for the sect.

Several days later, on a rainy morning, mournful bell tolls echoed throughout Lingxi Sect. Countless disciples, wearing black robes, silently left their residences with sorrowful expressions and gathered on the mid-mountain of Xiangyun Mountain.

There stood a tombstone with Bai Xiaochun's portrait, smiling happily in the image.

Zhang Dapang stood stunned among the crowd, looking at the gathering disciples and the tombstone with Bai Xiaochun's name. Rain soaked his clothes as tears fell. He recalled moments with Bai Xiaochun—stealing spirit pearls together, laughing loudly, selling outer sect slots, and stealing chickens.

"Jiupang…" Zhang Dapang's expression was filled with grief, his heart empty, as if the whole world had turned dark.

Other fat brothers from the kitchen, as well as Hei Sanpang, were also among the crowd, all deeply sorrowful, shedding endless tears.

Xu Baocai, Chen Zi'ang, Zhao Yiduo, Elder Xu, Elder Zhou, and all who had known Bai Xiaochun after he went up the mountain, were there with mournful faces.

Zhou Xinqi also came silently, staring at the tombstone. Upon hearing about Bai Xiaochun, her first thought was of Bai Xiaochun's passionate search for the spirit-tailed chicken back then.

Hou Yunfei stood with Hou Xiaomei supporting him, clenching his fists tightly. His body trembled with grief.

"Junior Brother Bai…" Hou Yunfei gave a bitter smile. After returning to the sect, he drowned himself in alcohol, unable to forget Bai Xiaochun drawing away the powerful enemy.

More and more disciples gathered, until the mid-mountain of Xiangyun Mountain was densely packed with them, all silently looking at the tombstone.

Du Lingfei stood at the front, her face pale, rain mingling indistinguishably with tears. Her expression was somewhat dazed; her once-beautiful face now bore a tragic beauty.

"You clearly could have survived… I live, and you're gone…"

Du Lingfei's grief was overwhelming. These days, she was haggard, dreaming repeatedly of Bai Xiaochun—his iron-blooded return, his turning away. These scenes pierced her heart like knives, bringing endless tears.

The mournful bell tolled continuously and lingered. Amidst its echoes, long rainbows slowly approached from afar. The seven peak elders, all Lingxi Sect elders, and the sect leader appeared at the tombstone, wearing black robes, each gazing sorrowfully.

Li Qinghou's heart was bitter and full of self-blame.

"Bai Xiaochun, an outer disciple of Lingxi Sect's Xiangyun Mountain, a prodigy in medicine and Daoist path, killed many rebellious Luo Chen clan members in the battle. He sacrificed himself for his fellow disciples and the sect, creating unparalleled contributions with his life. All disciples of Lingxi Sect must remember this forever!" The sect leader's voice slowly spread far and wide.

His voice carried sorrow. Hearing it, Du Lingfei lost control and cried even more. Hou Yunfei, Zhang Dapang, and countless others also shed tears.

"Today, we posthumously honor Bai Xiaochun as a Glorious Disciple of Lingxi Sect!" When the sect leader's voice echoed again, countless disciples felt a shock deep in their hearts. The title "Glorious Disciple" carried immense weight.

A Glorious Disciple was the highest honor in Lingxi Sect—a special, separate title. Its status surpassed inner disciples, equal to the lineage inheritors. Among the deceased, it was the greatest honor; among the living, the strongest legacy.

Before this, only nine had ever received the Glorious Disciple title in Lingxi Sect's ten thousand year history, each posthumously honored for great merits to the sect. Now, the tenth had appeared.

No one doubted the appropriateness of this honor—it was all bought with Bai Xiaochun's life.

"Bai Xiaochun never had a master from joining the sect until his death. For this child who made such great contributions with his life, we cannot let him be lonely in the underworld. Today, on behalf of the late master Ling Luo Zhenren, I accept Bai Xiaochun as a disciple, so that he can continue to pursue the Dao in the underworld." The sect leader spoke solemnly. Li Qinghou gently nodded, staring at the tombstone with sadness in his eyes.

"Everyone… bow your heads in silence!" The sect leader closed his eyes and slowly lowered his head toward the tombstone. At this moment, all the disciples around bowed their heads.

After several breaths, when the silence ended, Du Lingfei was already sobbing uncontrollably.

Yet, as everyone mourned silently, deep within the nameless mountain forest, Bai Xiaochun's eyelashes twitched. He slowly opened his eyes and sneezed.