Chapter 86: 86. Chapter 86

86. Chapter 86

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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 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 hadn't experienced formidable Sword Intent or seen powerful cultivators. The former included the Patriarch's Broken Sword, and the latter included the eccentric Tan Tianming and the smiling Guo Huai. However, the Patriarch's Broken Sword was, after all, an ownerless object, and Tan Tianming and Guo Huai were, after all, figures of the level of a Junior Uncle whose cultivation was already perfectly rounded and smooth—how could they intentionally release it to frighten a little girl?

But Bai Xinli was different.

At the age of twenty, he was in the prime of his vigor. He had no need to hide his light or intentionally conceal his clumsiness; his youthful brilliance could not be masked, nor could it be hidden.

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 thin layer of frost, unable to stir up 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 and collapsed to the ground, unable to move even a single finger, left only to pant heavily with vacant eyes.

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

"It is a necessity for Junior Nephew Xin Li to be this way; you will understand once you see him."

More than just understanding, she had practically seen right through it.

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, feeling exceptionally uncomfortable, yet Atian's spirit was inexplicably exhilarated, and an urge to laugh out loud 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 such a Sword.

She also wanted such a Dao.

She wanted it until her bones ached.

"Can you still stand?"

A cold male voice sounded above her head. This voice was not particularly deep, 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 commanded her limbs, which had regained a bit of strength, to shakily climb up. Bai Xinli was standing five paces in front of her, elegant as a jade tree, in the prime of his youth.

Supporting herself on her knees to catch her breath, she finally had the presence of mind 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 could still make people want to clutch their chests and praise him as a "beautiful gentleman," especially those eyes—the pupils were black and round, deep as if they had no bottom.

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

Fifteen years without meeting, and to whistle like a lecher the moment they met—even she couldn't do that!

Perhaps it was because the other party had intentionally suppressed his Sword Intent, but she no longer felt that sensation of needles pricking 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 polite as Senior Brother and Junior Sister, but as for a familiar conversation... they really weren't 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 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 "a quick calculation shows a predestined affinity with my Immortal Sect" in Zhao Kuo's mouth was a lie entirely meant to fool the Bai couple. If one could truly calculate affinity, how would Atian have been picked up by Master Bai in Shengxian Town? And how would she have lived 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 grown 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, through wind and rain, it was not just a glance before leaving, but a genuine visit to the door. These cultivators, who were rumored to be arrogant and aloof, 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 hadn't 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, becoming the recognized number one of the younger generation at the age of twenty, even surpassing fellow disciples whose cultivation years were several times his own—how difficult was this!

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

When the affinity has not yet arrived, everything one does is in vain.

Bai Xinli entered the island at five years old. A five-year-old child had just barely learned the Thousand Character Classic, his bones hadn't even finished growing, and his Sword Bone was merely a sprout—how could one speak of cultivation? How could one speak of comprehending the Dao?

This was the affinity not yet having arrived.

Just like Zhao Kuo, he grew up on the Floating Island, yet he was only allowed to follow his masters to cultivate the sword after reaching childhood. To this day, he had only just entered the gate, while Bai Xinli was not many years 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; there was no reason Bai Xinli could be spared.

"You..." she asked hesitantly, "... has your cultivation gone wrong?"

Bai Xinli shook his head lightly upon hearing this, "When the thoughts are clear, things fall into place naturally."

Then why?

Atian furrowed her brows.

It couldn't really be that he wanted 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 himself?

However, the bewilderment lasted only for a moment; Atian soon realized the subtext of the latter, and she almost subconsciously 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, with only a few conspicuous blood-red threads mixed into the scabbard and hilt, winding around the jade-like Sword body and revealing a touch of enchantment.

Zhao Kuo was not a person who could keep his mouth shut; while flying on his Sword, he 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 his own self... 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 father and mother, so I can only see you."

The young man looked at Atian, his eyes bottomless.

"In return, I will gift you a path, the Immortal Path."

Atian was stunned for a moment, and just as she was about to answer, she saw a banner hanging on the wall behind Bai Xinli, on which was written in wild cursive: "Beihai Sword Sect—The Best Choice for Advancing Toward the Immortal Path."

Bai Xinli also noticed that Atian had spotted the banner, and his gaze began to drift involuntarily.

"Senior Brother, you should be more invested when reading it next time," Atian suggested sincerely.

Bai Xinli, having been seen through by Atian that he was reciting the Beihai Sword Sect's recruitment slogan, slowly... blushed.

"Master said this phrase must be used to have appeal," he said softly, the corners of his mouth curving slightly into what was vaguely a smile, "but I think you probably don't need it."

The cave entrance was shrouded in mist like a fairyland, but the bottom of the sinkhole was pitch black, where one could not see their own fingers; Atian did not know how long she had been falling, nor did she know where she was; after the initial attack, the unknown creatures surrounding her had retreated, leaving her standing on the spot in vigilance.

It was truly too dark here, so dark that there was not a sliver of light; even knowing that something was lurking not far away, she could not see a single outline, and could only barely judge the latter's position through the faint sounds made when the thing moved; however, after that thing stopped moving, the surroundings completely devolved into a world of silence.

After losing her vision, her other four senses became more acute; the pulsing sensation of Wanjie in her hand, the sound of magic power flowing in her meridians—Atian had never understood her own state as clearly as she did at this moment; she could even feel a liquid with a fishy, foul odor flowing along the blade of Wanjie.

Oh my, this won't end well, will it?

She thought nonchalantly, throwing herself heart and soul into the perception of the surrounding environment; the power in her body gradually gathered at her eyes, mouth, and nose, and with the infusion of power and the concentration of her spirit, the scene of her surroundings gradually took shape in her mind.

This was a place similar to an underground karst cave, empty and vacant, with only hanging stalactites and sporadically distributed stalagmites as monotonous embellishments; she continued to expand her range of perception, stealthily creeping toward the position where "that thing" had been sitting, but she gained nothing—the place where she originally thought it was, was empty.