Chapter 10: 10. Chapter Ten

10. Chapter Ten

Atian felt that in that instant of eye contact, she had died.

A daunting Sword Intent came flooding in like a deluge; the sharp gaze made her scalp tingle, and the overwhelming, terrifying power ground her bones until they ached, while she could even hear creaking sounds beside her ears.

Her legs bent uncontrollably; the moment her body collapsed, she stretched out her arms to brace herself against the ground, one knee slamming down heavily, and beads of sweat the size of peas rolled continuously from her forehead down her cheeks, hitting the ground to form little round dots.

Yet, the overwhelming pressure did not weaken because of her wretched reaction; instead, it came even more fiercely, forcing her arms, which were supporting her body, to begin trembling slightly, and even the gaps between her bones began to ache.

I am going to be broken.

For the first time in her life, Atian felt such an intense sense of crisis; compared to Bai Xinli, the strength she had relied on in the past was fragile and vulnerable. She could trade blows with Song Zhicheng, and she could easily snap a magical artifact that left Zhao Kuo helpless, but she could not withstand a single glance from Bai Xinli.

What is a gap?

This is the gap.

Along this journey, it was not as if she had never experienced powerful Sword Intent or seen formidable cultivators—the former like the Broken Sword of the Founder, the latter including the eccentric Tan Tianming and the smiling Guo Huai. However, the Founder's Broken Sword was, after all, an ownerless object, and Tan Tianming and Guo Huai were, after all, figures of uncle-level seniority whose cultivation was already rounded and perfect; how could they intentionally release it to scare a little girl?

But Bai Xinli was different.

At the age of twenty, he was at the prime age for forging ahead; he did not need to hide his light, nor did he need to intentionally conceal his clumsiness. His youthful brilliance could not be covered, nor could it be hidden.

Both her body and spirit were stretched to the limit, yet deep within her heart, a stubborn streak supported her in persisting.

Cannot kneel, cannot kneel.

Once she knelt, she would truly be broken.

Scattered flames emerged from between her fingers, yet as soon as they appeared, they were covered by a layer of thin frost, unable to stir up even the slightest ripple.

She did not know how much time had passed, but the terrifying Sword Intent receded like water. Having lost the pressure, the young girl trembled, her entire body collapsing onto the ground, yet she could not move even a single finger, only able to gasp for air with vacant eyes.

"Senior Brother Xin Li is different from the others; he lives year-round in the Stone Chamber of the Martial Arts Arena."

"Senior Brother Xin Li is forced to be this way; you will understand once you see him."

It was more than just understanding; it was seeing right through him.

With this level of Sword Intent and this level of pressure, if he were to stay in the living quarters, she reckoned no one would be able to sleep at night.

Her clothes were long since soaked through and stuck to her body, which was extremely uncomfortable, yet Atian's spirit was inexplicably excited, and an urge to burst into loud laughter lingered in her heart.

What is a Sword!

This is a Sword.

What is the Dao!

This is the Dao.

Interesting, it is truly too interesting!

She also wanted this kind of Sword.

She also wanted this kind of Dao.

She wanted it until her bones ached.

"Can you still stand up?"

A cold male voice sounded above her head; this voice was not low, but it was sufficiently magnetic and carried a metallic chill.

Atian licked her lips and smiled, "You are a monster."

The other party was silent for a moment before giving an answer, "Thank you for the compliment."

After lingering on the cold ground for a while, Atian finally commanded her limbs, which had recovered a bit of strength, to shakily climb up. Bai Xinli was standing five steps in front of her, elegant as a jade tree, in the prime of his youth.

Bracing her knees and catching her breath, she finally had the heart to examine the appearance of this "fiancé" in name.

Bai Xinli had been very good-looking since he was small, delicate and pretty like a girl. Although he no longer had that androgynous quality from his childhood after growing up, he still made people want to clutch their chests and praise him as a "beautiful gentleman," especially those eyes, with pupils so black and round, and so deep they seemed bottomless.

Atian felt she should whistle to show respect, but as a young lady of a prominent family, she held back.

Not having met for fifteen years, to whistle like a rogue the moment they met—even she could not bring herself to do that!

Perhaps it was because the other party had intentionally suppressed his Sword Intent, but she no longer felt that sensation of needles on her back, and she had the leisure to let her mind wander.

Although there was the status of "child bride" binding the two of them, Atian and Bai Xinli had never had any interaction other than "that glance" before. It would be strange to be overly polite as Senior Brother and Junior Sister, but as for a familiar conversation... they really were not familiar!

"Apologies," in the end, it was Bai Xinli who broke the awkward silence, "It was I who had Zhao Kuo bring you here."

Atian was stunned upon hearing this; she had thought he would ask about Master Bai or ask about Lady Bai, but she had not expected that his first words would be an apology.

The fact that there was Bai Xinli's instruction behind the Beihai Sword Sect's strange actions did not actually surprise her. The "I calculated with my fingers that there is a connection with my Immortal Sect" in Zhao Kuo's mouth was a lie entirely meant to fool the Bai couple. If one could truly calculate fate, how would Atian have been picked up by Master Bai in Shengxian Town? And how would she have lived so honestly in Guangkai Town for so many years?

She did not consider herself a clever person, but she was not a fool either. The moment Zhao Kuo returned, she had become suspicious of this Senior Brother of the Beihai Sword Sect.

The only connection between the Bai family and the Beihai Sword Sect was Bai Xinli; the only one who could make Zhao Kuo, who represented the Beihai Sword Sect, return was Bai Xinli.

Why was she so certain that Bai Xinli had such influence? That had to be discussed in the context of the Beihai Sword Sect's regular visits.

Once a year, rain or shine, it was not just a glance before leaving, but a real, formal visit. These cultivators, who were rumored to be arrogant and haughty, were willing to bow to the mortal Bai father and mother—this was a treatment that even the county magistrate could not enjoy. At that time, she had guessed that this fiancé she had not seen in fifteen years likely held an extraordinary status in the Beihai Sword Sect.

The facts were indeed as she had expected: the Senior Brother of the Beihai Sword Sect, who became the recognized number one of the younger generation at the age of twenty, even surpassing fellow disciples who had practiced for several times his years—how difficult this was!

Cultivating immortality is not like Enlightenment for a child; the earlier one starts, the more of an advantage one can gain. Cultivating immortality is more like cultivating a karmic connection, only it is the karmic connection between the Heavenly Dao and oneself.

When the karmic connection has not arrived, everything one does is in vain.

Bai Xinli entered the island at five; a five-year-old child, having just learned the Thousand Character Classic, his bones not even fully grown, and his Sword Bone only a sprout—how could one speak of cultivation? How could one speak of realizing the Dao?

This is what it means when the karmic connection has not arrived.

Just like Zhao Kuo, he grew up on the Floating Island, but was only allowed to follow his masters to practice the Sword after reaching childhood, and he had only just entered the threshold to this day. Bai Xinli was not much older than him; this age difference was almost negligible in the cultivation world where people were often hundreds or thousands of years old, yet Bai Xinli had become the Senior Brother of the Beihai Sword Sect.

Atian had to admit that the young man before her was a true genius.

Perhaps using her earlier evaluation was also fine: Bai Xinli was a "monster."

However, "monsters" all have to pay a price.

She was like this, so there was no reason Bai Xinli could be spared.

"You..." she asked hesitantly, "... has your cultivation run into a problem?"

Bai Xinli shook his head lightly upon hearing this, "When the mind is clear, everything falls into place."

Why is that?

Atian frowned.

It couldn't really be that he wants to get married, could it?

Seeing her confusion, Bai Xinli closed his eyes and gave the answer, "I am just... about to forget Bai Xinli."

Forget... Bai Xinli?

But isn't Bai Xinli just himself?

However, the bewilderment lasted only for an instant; Atian subsequently realized the subtext of his words, and she almost instinctively looked at the Sword at his waist.

It was a long Sword that, like the man himself, commanded respect enough to make one whistle; its entire body was as white as jade, save for a few conspicuous blood-red streaks mixed into the scabbard and hilt, winding around the jade-like body of the Sword and revealing a touch of enchantment.

Zhao Kuo was not a person who could keep his mouth shut, and while flying on his Sword, he had told her quite a bit of common knowledge about the world of Sword Cultivators, including Sword Bone and Sword Heart.

Sword Bone creates the Life-bound Sword, and the Life-bound Sword determines a Sword Cultivator's Sword Heart; possessing such a beautiful long Sword and possessing a Sword Intent as piercing as frost, yet saying he is about to forget himself... what exactly is Bai Xinli's Sword Heart?

At this moment, her curiosity about Bai Xinli reached its peak.

"I cannot forget Bai Xinli, but I also cannot disturb my parents, so I can only see you."

The young man looked at Atian, his eyes bottomless.

"In return, I will gift you an Immortal Path."