Volume 1, Chapter 21 – Shenming Dojo

Bai Zhuqing only flushed for a moment; her expression quickly returned to normal.

Bai Xiang didn’t pay it much mind; she was more focused on the gift box in her hands, curious what Bai Lianzhou had put inside.

Since she was small, this inexpressive Second Uncle sometimes gave candy, sometimes cash—simple, straightforward gifts. To go so ceremonious as to pack something in a box like this—this was the first time in Bai Xiang’s memory.

The gift box was wrapped in a layer of old newspaper—that did fit Bai Lianzhou’s style of “decor.” Bai Xiang peeled off the paper to reveal the true face beneath. Before she could even make out the line of small seal script on it, Bai Leying, who’d already craned her neck to peek, cried out.

“Wow! Is this ‘Mingyu Cream’?”

“Second Uncle is playing favorites!”

Mingyu Cream?

Bai Xiang thought for a moment and recalled she’d often heard the name in TV ads.

Mingyu Cream was a flagship product developed under Mingyu Company.

Mingyu Company made wellness goods—enter-the-Dao medicines, Nurture-the-Spirit supplements, and beauty products. Mingyu Cream was famous among their many offerings not only because it was especially suitable for sword-track students in the Nurture the Spirit stage, but also because it could “erase scars and marks and help whiten the skin.”

A standard gift set held a full twelve tubes of Mingyu Cream ointment; no matter how wasteful you were, it was more than enough for the skin-polishing needs of the Nurture the Spirit stage.

This box was truly pricey—Bai Lianzhou had really taken a hit to his wallet this time.

“Quit yelling.” The dark, handsome Second Uncle said coolly, “It’s an entering-the-Dao gift for Xiang’er.”

“You and Zhuqing can have some too—when you two enter the Dao, I’ll buy it for you as well.”

So that was it.

Bai Xiang found it a little funny.

True to his perennial “sword maniac” persona—he’d never made such gestures for the younger Bai kids at holidays or birthdays, but the moment she entered the Dao, he seemed genuinely delighted.

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“Sis entered the Dao?” Bai Leying was stunned. “How so fast? Before summer break you said there was no hope!”

“Entering the Dao through Sword Contemplation is about will,” Bai Xiang said calmly. “Once you think some things through, entering the Dao isn’t that hard.”

“Not bad.” From the rearview mirror, Bai Lianzhou sent her an approving look. “Looks like you’ve truly progressed.”

Saying this much in a day might already be extravagant for Bai Lianzhou. The rest of the drive he didn’t say a word, not even adding anything when Bai Xiang explained why school was on break.

“Leying and I were wondering why the whole circuit city’s schools were closed—so No. 1 High was struck by an aberration?”

After hearing what had happened, Bai Zhuqing was likewise shocked. She scooted close to Bai Xiang and looked at her with hopeful eyes. “Sister Xiang, may I see your hand?”

Bai Xiang knew she was worried about the cut on her forearm. There was nothing to hide there, so she generously showed it.

“However fast it heals, it’ll still leave a scar.” Bai Zhuqing stroked the bandage with real distress, glancing now and then at the gift box. “Second Uncle really picked the right gift!”

“Sis~” Bai Leying had half her body leaning into the back seat, shaking Bai Xiang’s hand as she wheedled. “There’s so much Mingyu Cream—you won’t necessarily use it all. I’m just saying, what if, what if, okay~ what if you’re done and there’s still some left, could you let me try a little?”

“Sure.” Bai Xiang agreed, and Bai Leying instantly hugged her hand and planted a kiss on it, shouting in the car, “Long live Big Sis!”

In any case, Mingyu Cream was only useful early in Nurture the Spirit; later on, slathering on more didn’t do much.

The harmony among this generation of kids was probably the sort of scene Bai Lianzhou most hoped to see.

As Bai Xiang humored Bai Leying, she watched Bai Lianzhou’s profile. Sure enough, when Bai Leying got loud, even this stone-faced Second Uncle’s lips quirked slightly.

After that, Bai Leying pestered Bai Xiang for every last detail of her fight with the aberration.

Bai Xiang kept it as brief as possible, yet even so it still drew little gasps from the two younger sisters.

It wasn’t that the Bai family had never encountered a Demon Pool, but those were mostly small-fry out of folk-legend tales.

Things like late-night howling and moonlit reflections—at most enough to scare people, nowhere near the lethality of “Shenli.”

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“Then…” Bai Leying’s eyes went wide. “Since Sister Xiang saved the state governor’s daughter, does that mean our family’s made a big connection?”

“Leying!” Bai Zhuqing glared at her sister. “She didn’t owe the Bai family anything. You must never say that outside!”

“Actually, it’s fine to put it that way.”

Seeing Bai Zhuqing was a little frightened, Bai Xiang explained, “I’m the dojo’s chief, after all. With that status, it’s not wrong to say she owes the dojo some thanks.”

Don’t forget, she was still Shenming Sword Dao’s senior sister.

Granted, that “senior sister” title was purely because she’d been taken on early; before entering the Dao her skills weren’t even as good as a few other disciples. But that status wasn’t something to ignore.

From the original body’s perspective, it was the kindness of being taken in and raised.

From her current perspective—Grandpa Bai Shengju’s care for her, Second Uncle Bai Lianzhou’s protection, and the closeness of the sisters Bai Zhuqing and Bai Leying—this was treatment she’d never have dared dream of in her past life.

Bai Xiang didn’t feel taken advantage of; she had no intention of being an ingrate.

The car drove on, passing Nanping Road and Jinhua Plaza, and finally stopped at the very edge of the bustling district.

Getting out with the gift box and the cloud-patterned wooden sword, Bai Xiang lifted her gaze as memory guided her. The first thing she saw was a flight of steps squeezed between two tall buildings.

There must have been a hundred steps. Looking up along them, what protruded at the top was a pillar-gate archway of stacked bluestone, the surroundings all lush green.

Bai Lianzhou locked the car and led the three up the steps. As they got closer, they could see the wooden plaque hanging from the archway, bearing four large characters: “Shenming Dojo.” Inside lay a grove where green bamboo mixed with camphor trees, and a straight bluestone-paved road ran ahead toward a faux-ancient building at the end.

A pity—it sat on the fringe of the most prosperous area; not bad, but not great either.

Bai Xiang could only shake her head inwardly.

The Shenming Dojo connected directly to the Bai ancestral residence. Don’t be fooled by the grand momentum of the gate; it was really putting on a facade. Past that faux-ancient building, the courtyard area was quite cramped—add it all together and it wasn’t even half the size of the training hall.

Even so, this already counted as fairly cushy conditions.

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After all, Shenming Sword Dao’s forebears had once been well-off. Even though over the years the surrounding land had been chipped away for urban development, what remained of the dojo was still enough to make small and mid-sized sword daos drool with envy, and people would come by now and then to challenge the hall.

Bai Xiang glanced at Bai Lianzhou, unsure what level of cultivation this Second Uncle had actually reached.

Just then, more footsteps sounded from below the steps.

She looked back—it was the rest of the Bai family arriving.

At the head of the group strode a middle-aged man in a suit, chest out and brimming with officialdom—no need to ask, Uncle Bai Guanshan.

One pace behind him came a well-kept, full-figured matron in a black long dress—Aunt Zhu Ying.

Walking beside Zhu Ying was a beautiful woman in moon-white, in a qipao-like outfit—Bai Lianzhou’s wife, Shen Xuelan.

Bringing up the rear was a tall, lanky boy in a gray shirt—Bai Lianzhou’s son, Bai Maoxu.

When the four of them reached the top and saw them, Bai Guanshan first smiled at his two daughters and held out a hand to beckon them over.

Bai Zhuqing was a bit reluctant, but Bai Leying had already cheered and dashed forward.

“Dad!”

She ran up and hugged Bai Guanshan hard, making the man laugh out loud, then scooted up to Zhu Ying to cuddle with her mother.

“Zhuqing!”

Bai Guanshan looked to Bai Zhuqing and, seeing her hesitate where she stood, his face darkened.

“What are you standing there for?”

Bai Zhuqing glanced at Bai Xiang; under the watch of so many elders she could only inch forward step by step and salute Bai Guanshan.

“Father.”

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“Go take a good look at your mother.” Bai Guanshan grunted. “The weather’s cold—she pricked her hand knitting scarves for you two, and I haven’t seen you comforting her.”

With that, he gave Bai Lianzhou beside him a smile, fished out a cigarette, and started toward the dojo.

He hadn’t asked after Bai Xiang once.

He hadn’t even looked at her.

Of course.

Watching this, Bai Xiang’s face showed nothing.

Bai Guanshan had never thought much of her.

“Swish!”

Suddenly, Bai Lianzhou thrust out an arm and stopped his elder brother Bai Guanshan.

Bai Guanshan froze.

He glared at Bai Lianzhou, not knowing what trick his younger brother was pulling.

“Dad said.”

Bai Lianzhou looked at him and spoke, one word at a time.

“Once you’re inside the dojo.”

“No smoking.”