Chapter 58: Chapter Fifty‑Eight: Mystic Bird

Shi Ran has been really vexed lately!

She seems to have lost touch with her fellow senior and junior disciples; although she tries hard to fit in with them, she always feels there is an invisible chasm between her and them, even though this feeling had already disappeared after endless reincarnation—why is that?

Shi Ran gloomily watched Gu Yusheng, Mei Ruoxue, and Xiao Muyu sparring—sometimes soaring to the heavens, sometimes diving into the earth—and felt like an abandoned child.

However, dwelling on spring sorrows and autumn grief doesn't suit Shi Ran; soon she rallied. Since she can't join them, she'll just cultivate on her own! If she can't break into that circle, does she really have to fight to the death, refusing to turn back until she hits the south wall? It's no big deal.

Shi Ran made up her mind and marched off into the deep forest, huffing.

Xiao Muyu put away his Jadechill, watching the retreating Shi Ran, and mused, 'Are we doing this wrong? Shi Ran...'

'What's not good about it!' Gu Yusheng also sheathed his sword and walked over to him, saying, 'Although giving her senior sister poison could be said she was coerced by a demoness, having improper thoughts toward the Master is entirely her own problem!'

'Exactly, senior brother!' Mei Ruoxue also said, 'The Master's years of reputation need us to uphold!'

'But I always feel leaving Shi Ran aside like this isn't right—doesn't she have more chance to seek the Master?' Xiao Muyu's heart remained heavy.

Gu Yusheng and Mei Ruoxue exchanged a glance, and Mei Ruoxue said, 'Don't worry, senior brother—the Lotus Secret Realm is about to appear; the Master has been busy these days, we haven't seen him, let alone Shi Ran!'

'Moreover, I still think the Master merely feels a little pity for Shi Ran—after all, that red silk entanglement isn't an ordinary poison, so Shi Ran might...' Gu Yusheng paused, then smiled and said, 'In any case, senior brother, our top priority is to train hard and strive for a ranking in the Lotus Secret Realm; this is not only for Shi Ran but also for the Master!'

Xiao Muyu nodded; in fact he hadn't been persuaded by Gu Yusheng and Mei Ruoxue, but having grown up together, compared to Shi Ran, he was more inclined to believe the heaven‑pride Mei Ruoxue!

Shi Ran walked alone into the dense forest, brooding, and without realizing it she went deeper and deeper until she came to and found she could no longer retrace her steps.

As a half‑Dao cultivator, facing such a dense forest, could she possibly still get lost?

Shi Ran rummaged through her Cosmos Bag, pulling out nothing but dry rations or bedding—not even a decent compass!

She really does nothing but eat and sleep! Shi Ran fumed—these days there isn't even a phone, how is she supposed to get out?

Even getting lost in her own sect, Shi Ran's mind filled with tiny laughing figures mocking her, but what could she do? She's just someone who can tell left from right but not east from west!

In modern times, wherever she went there was Gaode Map—she could follow it to circle an entire city—but now she lacks any sense of direction, making every step a struggle wherever she goes.

'Ga—ga—ga—ga...' a crow flew over Shi Ran's head.

Shi Ran rolled her eyes, not wanting to bother with it, but unexpectedly it got pushy, circling her nonstop while cawing, and even occasionally dropping a load!

Good thing Shi Ran dodged quickly, otherwise that bird droppings would have landed on her head; even if she were broad‑minded, she couldn't tolerate the crow's provocative behavior!

Uncle can bear it, aunt cannot!

Shi Ran rolled up her sleeves, shouting, 'Dead crow, today it's either you die or I perish!'

Too bad the crow was such a skilled flyer—Shi Ran unknowingly chased it all day and still couldn't catch it.

In order to catch the crow, Shi Ran resorted to sword‑flight, soaring, leaping, and clowning around—she left no stone unturned, and by the time the evening glow just slipped into the forest, she was already exhausted and collapsed.

She picked a relatively clean stone, lay back on it, and saw a pink‑purple sky with a flock of white birds flying low, their trails resembling the contrails left by modern aircraft across a blue sky.

The evening breeze blew, bringing a hint of grass and wood fragrance; Shi Ran unknowingly closed her eyes, darkness fell before her, then a few stars appeared, eventually sparkling across the vast star‑sea.

Shi Ran slowly walked through the star‑sea, sensing each star's flicker frequency; pressing on, she found herself before a huge nebula.

Shi Ran stopped and watched the nebula before her spin, collide, split, and churn chaotically—yet she could still discern a pattern; suddenly a surge of energy welled up inside her, each inhale and exhale gradually harmonizing with the night wind and the stars above.

Shi Ran jerked her eyes open—the sky above was already filled with stars—and without realizing it she had walked a circuit around the stone following her dantian.

Shi Ran tried to channel a bit of spiritual power and found her inner spiritual energy abundant, her whole body feeling refreshed!

Time to head back! Shi Ran sat up, then jumped at a dark mass beside her foot.

It was that crow! Its feathers glittered with iridescent black under the sparkling starlight.

'Cough!' Shi Ran coughed once!

'Ga!' the crow startled, hopped a bit, then turned its head to see Shi Ran sitting up, tilted its head, and its bead‑black eyes were full of confusion.

Her fingers tingled! Shi Ran placed the back of her hand behind her, because a ripple of water flashed across the crow's forehead!

'Hey, Brother Crow! Thanks for guarding me!'

Who would have thought the crow would angrily stomp its feet, spitting out a string of 'ga's: 'ga‑ga‑ga‑ga, ga‑ga‑ga‑ga‑ga‑ga‑ga‑ga, ga‑ga‑ga‑ga‑ga‑ga‑ga‑ga! ga‑ga!'

'You're the crow! Your whole family are crows! I am the Nine Heavens Mystic Bird, you idiot!'

Shi Ran didn't understand a word, but she knew it couldn't be anything good, since the crow's eyeballs were practically popping out from rage.

'Fine, fine, fine—I was wrong, okay?' Shi Ran conceded, otherwise the crow would just keep ga‑ing nonstop!

The Mystic Bird stopped the insults, decided not to waste time on this fool, and thought she might as well go find Lingxiao for some candy; the Mystic Bird gave a proud huff, spread her wings, and vanished in an instant.

Pissed off!

Shi Ran jumped down from the stone—the sky had darkened, the night wind was intoxicating!

But she was in great spirits, for today she'd made a significant gain and felt she'd improved again!

Night travel is hard; Shi Ran snapped her fingers, a tiny flame ignited in the darkness, lighting the mountain path—but she still couldn't tell direction, hesitating whether to call for the Master, when the multicolored black bird flew back!

The Mystic Bird perched on Shi Ran's shoulder; a flick of its wings changed the flame's direction!

Shi Ran suddenly felt enlightened—this black bird was here to guide her!

Shi Ran happily followed the flame, flattering the black bird: 'You're truly the most beautiful bird in the world—not just your looks; appearance is merely the least noteworthy of your many virtues, and your real brilliance lies in your bird‑heart!'

The Mystic Bird, flattered by Shi Ran, grew a bit conceited—no wonder Lingxiao would be bewitched by her; that little mouth, chirping away so sweetly!

Lingxiao, who was away discussing affairs at the Celestial Pivot Sect, sneezed—'Ah‑choo!'—who was talking about him behind his back?