Volume 1, Chapter 57 – Pursuit

Stepping into the tent, Bai Xiang immediately felt a dozen gazes land on her.

Huang Qian had arrived in a rush, bringing along a group from the Qizhou University Sword Institute. They’d been delayed less than ten minutes, and now everyone had gathered inside the tent.

There weren’t enough seats in the tent, so no one bothered to sit. Led by Huang Qian and Cao Chuan, they formed a circle. The latter was watching Bai Xiang while whispering to Huang Qian.

“Bai Xiang is here!” Huang Qian lit up when he saw her, his grin nearly splitting his face. “We’ve talked it over on our side and decided I’ll join the pursuit as well. We’ll coordinate with Mr. Liang, Liang Wenbo, and the swordsmen and disciples. We must wipe out the demons in a single battle!”

“This is ‘Bai Xiang’? ‘Shenming’s Bai Xiang’?”

Liang Wenbo was a man just past thirty, yet his face looked forty or fifty. The hair at his temples and his goatee were flecked with silver. He, too, carried a broad-bladed war sword. When he saw Bai Xiang come in, his eyes lit up.

He strode over to her, gave her a once-over, and focused on the bright demon blood not yet wiped clean from her combat suit, as well as several remaining dents.

You wouldn’t notice those leftovers without looking closely. Liang Wenbo knew very well they were marks left by bullets.

It showed she was capable—and bold. She had actually dared to charge forward through a hail of gunfire to kill the enemy!

So young and already this tough. Her future prospects were limitless!

Satisfied, Liang Wenbo’s estimation of Bai Xiang shot up.

Many think raw ability and courage stand side by side. In truth, they do not.

A drop of water seems soft and harmless. Splashed in the eye it doesn’t do much damage—but how many people can keep from blinking when water comes at their eyes?

Likewise, plenty of people train all the way to Condensing the Aspect, can wield divine arts to shield themselves, and still don’t dare set foot on a battlefield.

They still fear bullets, fear hot weapons, fear that one slip means instant death.

Overcoming fear isn’t something people are born with. Even a lineage like Benling Sword Dao can only guide slowly in this regard—tempering disciples again and again to firm their Dao hearts, to gradually build their nerve and bring their learning fully to bear.

That is why there is this field training.

Confidence and courage are built through one trial after another.

“Are you interested in coming to Benling for advanced training?”

Right in front of Huang Qian and all the students, Liang Wenbo spoke bluntly to Bai Xiang.

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Seventeen, after all! Isn’t the Big Exam right around the corner?

I spotted a good seedling first—why would I let someone poach her, let her drift into the national market for others to fight over?

I, Liang Wenbo, am not that foolish!

He himself didn’t notice, but the students’ expressions changed.

Huh? Master Liang is inviting her directly?

And he said “Benling” outright, not “Sword Institute”?

Hao Chengzhuo’s brows knit tight.

Zhao Xu’s face went completely dark.

Xiao Ming looked thoroughly disgruntled.

As for “Senior Sister Xu” and the others, they were wide-eyed with surprise, whispering before they could help themselves.

You can’t blame them. Being invited to the “Sword Dao” and being invited to the “Sword Institute” are different in nature.

If you have to put it, it’s like the old “inner sect” versus “outer sect.”

The “Sword Institute” is only a teaching platform co-founded by dojos and universities. It is connected, yes, and you can be called a disciple within the Dao, but compared to actually entering the dojo as a disciple, the status and treatment are worlds apart.

Among those present, only five—Hao Chengzhuo, Zhao Xu, Chai Xuan, Xiao Ming, and Senior Sister Xu—were “inner-sect disciples,” able to go about outside and brandish Benling’s banner, pull strings, and call in favors.

The others could only report the Institute’s name; anyone who knows the scene can hear the difference at once.

Chai Xuan’s face was blank, but her hands clenched so hard her knuckles turned white.

Direct entry into the inner sect—this wasn’t even the treatment she’d had back then.

After all, at Forge the Sword she’d only taken in a Demon Pool foundation that happened to be good—she actually had three hundred years of cultivation.

That falls under personal opportunity; it doesn’t fully prove talent and aptitude.

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How is this possible?

Those four words filled her mind.

This Bai Xiang… last time we met was only a few months ago. She hadn’t even entered the Dao back then. How could she now have slain a three-tribulation great demon?

A three-tribulation great demon—equivalent to consummate Divine Union, even Condensing the Aspect!

A figure on the same tier as Liang Wenbo…

Her?

Bai Xiang?

Chai Xuan ran through countless explanations in her head—perfect Nurture the Spirit, Lü Ran’s carelessness, help from others… and so on and so on.

But even stacking every factor together, the result was still too staggering!

She couldn’t figure out how Bai Xiang had done it. Her gaze on the girl grew deeper, her eyes narrowing further.

“Enough!”

Huang Qian couldn’t stand Liang Wenbo wasting time here. He stepped up and physically pulled him back.

“Save this talk for after we get things done!

“Move out first!”

“Pursue and cut down the demons!”

Liang Wenbo thought about it and agreed.

Opportunities like this are rare; there’s no need to spell everything out now.

All of Qizhou is Benling’s home field, and it’s not like Bai Xiang will sprout wings and fly away. What is there to worry about?

He feared nothing!

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Orders were given to depart, and the others began filing out of the tent.

Chai Xuan’s gaze stayed locked on Bai Xiang, watching her turn and head out. She didn’t spare Chai a single glance, and Chai bit her lower lip hard, then after a long moment bowed her head and merged into the student ranks.

“A pity… someone still isn’t here.” Huang Qian stroked his beard beside them.

“If Dao Lord Xiang, Xiang Xian, were here, we wouldn’t need to make such a big move.”

“I’m afraid she alone would be enough.”

At those words, Liang Wenbo’s stride froze mid-step.

He turned his head bit by bit, looking at Bai Xiang’s departing back, and asked in a low voice, “That Shenming Dojo of hers—could it be the one, from back then, the… the who…?”

“Seems to be the one Dao Lord Xiang was involved with before,” Huang Qian said, lifting his brows and nodding.

He didn’t want trouble, but he’d benefited from Bai Xiang more than once—even if indirectly. He felt he couldn’t fail to show anything at all.

If I bring up Xiang Xian, Benling will treat her even better, right?

Liang Wenbo curled his lip, silently mouthed something at the air, then tugged on Huang Qian’s sleeve.

“Don’t zone out, Commandant Huang!”

“Hurry—we’re on the clock!”

And so, with only a quick tidy-up, the group set out.

Huang Qian and Liang Wenbo took the lead, with Cao Chuan and Bai Xiang a half-step behind. The other students followed, elite scouts flanking both sides. Dozens of people, like a spearhead, drove into the shadowed forest.

“Vmm—~~~~~~”

Huang Qian held the Demon Pool “Bronze Cicada,” constantly plucking at its metal wings as they went.

The wings gave off a low hum. As the sound spread, it shook the blood-mist apart and revealed the road ahead: a sealed corridor wrapped in massive shrubs on all sides, leaving only a mouth low to the ground.

This was the entrance to the Demon Kingdom.

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Though this stretch still looked like “forest,” veterans like Huang Qian knew the space here was no longer the same as outside.

Unless demonic aura was deliberately leaked, you’d never find it under normal conditions.

This is why the Demon Kingdom is so hard to root out.

Without another word, the team plunged into the passageway at a forced march.

Because the corridor was narrow, Bai Xiang unconsciously fell a step behind, ending up shoulder to shoulder with that Senior Sister Xu.

“Hello, I’m Xu Xi.”

Senior Sister Xu looked at Bai Xiang in curiosity and tried a greeting.

Bai Xiang glanced at her, gave a nod, and said nothing.

What an icy-cool little sister…

Xu Xi thought to herself.

Even cooler and more chic than Junior Sister Chai.

Strangely enough, though both were aloof, the feeling Bai Xiang gave her was completely different. She didn’t feel the least bit put off.

“Since just now, I’ve noticed Junior Sister Chai’s eyes on you,” she probed on. “…Do you two know each other?”

At that, Bai Xiang smiled.

It was probably the first time she’d smiled so brightly; that instant of charm showed, and Xu Xi’s heart skipped a beat.

“We do,” Bai Xiang said.

“I have a score to settle with her.”