Volume 5, Chapter 89 – Former Ties (2-in-1)

In the blink of an eye, several days passed. In the Listening-to-Rain Tower, Bai Xiang recompiled a full series of tutorials for the Shenming Qi-Refining Formula, from beginner level all the way to the advanced stages.

She did not mind showing her face in public, and during that time she had even listened to her younger sister and been dragged out to strike a few poses and say a few uplifting words.

But the atmosphere on site had truly become a little too fervent, so the follow-up plans had no choice but to be canceled and replaced with methods like rebroadcasts and livestreams for publicity.

Even so, Bai Xiang had never forgotten that the real foundation was the power in her hands.

And that power was not just her own. It also included all those people who saw her as their banner and saw the Path of Qi as hope.

During the ten years she had been absent, those people had still had the Shenming Sword and Bai Zhuqing to pass on the teachings in her place. Even so, some among them had still managed to tinker their way into branch qi arts suited to specific groups of people, which was enough to show there really was demand for that at the lower levels.

For example, the Tingyun Formula invented by Bai Tingyun was known for its efficient circulation and simple, brutal style. Though it had side effects, its strengths were distinct, making it especially suitable for army formations and battlefield slaughter.

Beyond that, there were many other branches of qi arts, all created according to different qi-force characteristics.

For instance, some people had high qi-force output and high conversion rates. That type was suited to training in the One-Force Qi-Penetrating Art.

Some people had qi-force that felt soft in its initial surge, yet possessed tremendous lasting power. That type was suited to training in the Stacked-Force Qi Art or the Canglang Art.

There were even arts suited to elemental qi-force, such as the Cloudwater Formula and the Crimson Flame Formula. New methods like these were created one after another, then registered and included in universities across the country, before finally being organized and compiled into corresponding teaching materials for systematic instruction.

Bai Xiang had reviewed the statistics. At present, across the nation’s fifty-four Dao Cities and base cities, there were a total of 106 institutions of higher learning, that is, universities. Altogether, they had collected more than 30,000 volumes of various qi arts and qi formulas.

Yet of those, less than one percent could be systematically compiled into actual textbooks. There was still a huge gap in this area.

“If we’re abandoning the sect-transmission model and switching to modern systematic education, then we absolutely can’t neglect the textbook side of things.”

“If we wait for suitable teaching materials to emerge on their own from below, it’ll be far too slow. I may as well just use my soul-abilities to simulate them directly. Whatever type is needed, I can provide it.”

So lately, apart from her own cultivation, Bai Xiang’s main work had been compiling teaching materials and tutorial manuals. The very first batch alone had produced more than a hundred new methods.

From the most common characteristics, such as “qi-penetrating types,” “soft-flow qi types,” and “qi-control types,” to rare traits like Five-Element Qi and Yin-Yang Qi, all kinds of cultivation-manual tutorials were included.

When Bai Zhuqing came to collect the books, even she was startled. When she had first heard Bai Xiang say she was going to compile these things, she had assumed her elder sister was just acting on a whim. She had thought that writing ten or eight books would already be about enough. Who could have guessed that the very first batch would contain so many?

It got to the point where she began to suspect whether Bai Xiang had “poured out her heart’s blood” and “overworked herself.” She kept probing Bai Xiang’s condition in her words and even tried to use concern for her as an excuse to get handsy.

“Has your body recovered already?”

Bai Xiang caught the hand her younger sister was sneaking into her arms and glared at her. “Yu Daoyong’s towers, the newly opened roads, there’s no shortage of things you need to handle. And you still have the mood to come play with me?”

It should have been a thoroughly disadvantageous position, yet Bai Zhuqing argued her case with perfect confidence. “It is precisely because government affairs are so complicated, draining both spirit and strength, that Qing’er must come visit Elder Sister often, breathe in Elder Sister’s fragrance, and replenish my heart and energy that way.”

?

At those words, even Bai Xiang could not help narrowing her eyes and frowning.

What am I, some kind of immortal elixir? Just looking at me and smelling me is enough to erase fatigue?

She suspected this was some bizarre sweet talk the girl had invented herself, but Bai Zhuqing’s gaze was extremely sincere, so the matter was left at that.

Bai Xiang let go of her hand and allowed Bai Zhuqing to lean against her. Holding her and rubbing at her head, she listened while Bai Zhuqing continued reporting on work.

“Ahem, ahem!”

Having gotten what she wanted, Bai Zhuqing did not push things any further. Relatively honestly, she began flipping through those newly compiled cultivation methods. The more she looked, the wider her eyes became.

These… they were all just basic qi formulas, so how could every single one of them be cultivated all the way to the Golden Core Realm?

Taking out more than a hundred qi formulas like this in one breath meant that in just a few days, her elder sister had simulated more than a hundred kinds of qi-force characteristics, along with every single point of caution for those characteristics, from beginner level all the way to Golden Core.

Was this really something a human being could do?

If someone else had been here instead, like Xu Shu or Liu Yong, they might also have thought it impressive. But if you asked how impressive, they definitely would not have been able to explain the profundity of it.

After all, in those people’s hearts, Bai Xiang had long since become synonymous with invincible and omnipotent. Whatever Bai Xiang did, they were never surprised. They accepted it very quickly.

But Bai Zhuqing had also cultivated the Jade Spirit Mingxin Method. She knew exactly how much computational power this would consume, an absolutely astronomical amount.

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We cultivate the same method, yet the gap between me and Elder Sister is truly so great…

Thinking of that, she could not help blaming herself again.

If I could also cultivate the Jade Spirit to this extent, then couldn’t all this work have been handed to me?

If that were the case, then I would not even have needed to stupidly wait for Elder Sister to come back. During these ten years, I could have compiled enough basic cultivation methods on my own.

Once those methods were distributed to the universities, they would definitely have fostered a large number of promising talents. A chain reaction would follow. Many places would not have been so desperately short of manpower, and I would not have had to make compromises with certain associations and factions. Then when Elder Sister returned, what she saw would surely have been a stronger Great Xia…

“Once these formulas are cultivated to the Golden Core Realm, I also have the methods here for advancing into the Origin Realm.”

“But there wasn’t enough time for me to write all of them out. And having them typed out from dictation wouldn’t be as effective as my actual handwriting, so you’ll need to come again tomorrow and take back the remaining formulas for processing as well… Why are you crying?”

Bai Xiang was still explaining the fruits of her labor when she sensed Bai Zhuqing sniffling over there.

Well, she had not actually started crying yet, but there was definitely a trend in that direction.

What now? Had she thought of something sad again?

“…It’s nothing.” Bai Zhuqing raised her head and gave Bai Xiang a bright smile.

“Elder Sister’s earlier reprimand was correct. Qing’er is busy with government affairs outside, so I won’t disturb Elder Sister too much.”

“Qing’er takes her leave. Elder Sister, please make sure to rest during the day.”

And just like that, Bai Zhuqing rose and withdrew. Before she had even fully turned around, the aura of high office was already showing through. She had entered work mode directly.

“Little thing… always overthinking from morning to night.”

Watching that swaying red dress disappear beyond the doorway, Bai Xiang merely shook her head inwardly.

She had already seen what Bai Zhuqing had been struggling over just now.

But the problem was that the reason she could do things to this extent was not simply because of the Jade Spirit alone.

Without the simulation meditation of her soul-abilities, even she would have found this workload difficult to handle. No matter how far Bai Zhuqing cultivated the Jade Spirit, it still would not solve that. She would be better off conserving her strength and making sure she rested.

Now that it was quiet, Bai Xiang cultivated on her own for a while. Once her mind cleared, she began considering the government affairs Bai Zhuqing was handling, thinking that perhaps she could also offer some guiding experience.

This life was different from the old days, yes, but even in the former Xuan Dynasty, this land had never once borne fruit like this.

As for how a modern nation ought to be managed, she could at least offer some advice and guidelines.

Oh… and one more thing.

It was also about time to hold a somewhat larger meeting and bring in more external publicity, so as to set the official tone on classifying the northwestern nations and the Sacred Weapon Clan under the category of voidfiends. That way, some people would not continue harboring lucky fantasies, thinking to worship those fiends first and fanatically chase after them within their own jurisdictions.

“Aowm…”

Just then, the little white fox crawled out from beneath the low desk and slipped directly into the circle formed by Bai Xiang’s crossed legs, then sprawled over her black-stockinged feet and sniffed around.

“Grrrrr…”

Immediately after came a low bestial growl, and then another “little black fox” crawled out from below, fur bristling as it bared itself and hissed in this direction.

At first glance, its outline and appearance looked exactly the same as the little white fox’s, but anyone who looked closely would immediately see through it.

Beneath its fur were a full 106 eyeballs hidden away. Adding the two eyes on its face made a total of 108, and its whole body radiated an evil, uncanny aura.

Such a bizarre thing within the Dao could naturally only be the Hundred-Eyed Buddha Corpse Bai Xiang had brought back.

It had many uses. It could become an Illusory God, possess others, and transform into different appearances. It could also be counted as a capable enforcer.

Bai Xiang had not bothered with it these past few days. Instead, she had tossed it to her master, Xiang Xian, and instructed it that it was not permitted to disobey Xiang Xian’s orders. After only a day or two like that, the Buddha corpse had already been trained into this state by Xiang Xian.

Quite a skill.

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Master seems to like foxes quite a bit. Is it because she excels at deduction and calculation, so that matches a fox’s cunning?

Bai Xiang shook her head, seized the black fox by the scruff of the neck, and opened her Golden-Pupil Illusory God eyes to meet its gaze.

“Did Master send you to fetch me?”

Her gaze, when she was serious, was far too oppressive. The black fox had only been hissing at the little white fox to begin with, but now it wilted instantly and smacked its lips in imitation of the white fox’s tone. “Woo woo woo… ying!”

It was actually a pretty good imitation.

Still seated cross-legged, Bai Xiang floated up into the air, placed the two little creatures on her lap, and let a segment of sword edge spring from her right palm. With a lift of her hand, she sliced open a black-rift fissure.

Not bad.

This time, she had not accidentally cut the floor.

She raised her head and sized up the fissure, then nodded in satisfaction. Only then did she grip the crack, wrench it open wider, and vanish straight into it.

On the other side, atop Yuming Peak, a black-rift fissure likewise appeared inside the hall where Xiang Xian cultivated in seclusion. First, a pair of fair hands braced against it and pulled it apart, and then Bai Xiang’s head and face poked through.

“If you’re going to come like this next time, you should at least give me a heads-up first.”

Seated in the place of honor, Xiang Xian looked utterly helpless.

There had been no sound at all. It was far too startling.

Thank heaven she had not entered meditation yet this time, or she would have been frightened again.

“Once I’m more practiced at it, it won’t happen anymore,” Bai Xiang promised her.

I rather doubt that.

Xiang Xian shook her head inwardly.

If anything, it might become even more terrifying.

“I had Hundred-Eyes go fetch you because I wanted to talk to you about that demon god corpse.”

Skipping over the matter, Xiang Xian said directly, “…What are you planning to do with it afterward?”

“Didn’t we already follow Qing’er’s suggestion and have Bai Tingyun dismember it on-site?” Bai Xiang asked.

Strip the tendons, extract the marrow, remove the organs, peel off the bones, and make full use of every bit of material. Anything for craftsmanship or medicine could be submitted for application. She remembered that had indeed been the decision at the time.

“That is the situation, yes. That is indeed what was said, exactly right.” Xiang Xian nodded very firmly, then moved her lips a few times, looking very much like she was thinking, There’s something else, but I’m not sure whether I should say it.

“Does Master want to apply for materials?” Bai Xiang relaxed a little. “…Then I presume you have worked out a new prescription? That would be a great thing for the country and the people, and it also conforms to the rules. Why be so hesitant and cautious about saying it…”

“It’s not me who wants it,” Xiang Xian interrupted her, her expression complicated.

“…Then who is it that wants it?” Bai Xiang narrowed her eyes slightly.

“Since Master says it like that, then it must be someone else.”

“For someone to leave Master so reluctant to speak, that person must be someone with close ties to me.”

“How about you say it plainly, Master, and I’ll go ask them myself, see whether they actually have a legitimate reason to bypass procedure and come looking for me.”

She felt she had already bestowed more than enough blessings upon the Bai family. Naturally, she disliked this kind of attempt to turn matters into a “private family calculation.”

It was probably some relative trying to reach a hand in, taking advantage of their identity for personal gain.

This could be used as a good opportunity to impose punishment and warn the others as well: do not cross the line in matters like this.

“You child… ah.”

Bai Xiang had thought Xiang Xian would drop the awkwardness and speak plainly, but instead she only shook her head and sighed, looking just short of saying, What a sinful mess, like some gossip-loving auntie at the village entrance.

What was this situation now?

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She could not make heads or tails of it.

It was just a name. Was it really that hard to say?

It couldn’t possibly be Grandfather wanting to do something like this, could it?

…

Meanwhile, in the urban district of Zhennan Circuit, inside the Starwater Company tower, Xu Shu and his group had come to return equipment to Bai Maoxu.

They did not have Bai Xiang’s ability to get back with a single shift of space. Quite apart from the time spent on the journey, they had also remained behind in the northwestern desert to help the Tingyun Army quite a bit.

Especially that demon god corpse. Even though the soul within it had already been completely annihilated, meaning it would not “come back to life” the way the Hundred-Eyed Buddha Corpse had, the body itself was so sturdy and its sinews and bones so hard to sever that ordinary military cultivators absolutely could not process it.

On top of that, its flesh still contained Loss of Order pollution. If ordinary people rashly came into contact with those “blood mushrooms,” they could even be directly parasitized by them and transformed into alien monstrosities that knew only slaughter and blood-drinking. Xu Shu and the others naturally had to stay and help out, which was why they had only returned today.

“We still have to thank Maoxu for his support.”

Inside the laboratory, Xu Shu took out the locator, signal transmitter, and other little gadgets that had been entrusted to him before departure and returned them to their owner with great gratitude.

Bai Maoxu, meanwhile, wore a helpless look on his face.

You say you’re thanking me, but is that really the attitude of someone who intends to return my stuff?

Your mouth is full of nice words, but underneath, you’ve got a death grip on my hand and won’t let go.

Sigh. This old Xu hat really has learned to go bad in the end…

“All right, all right, enough.”

Bai Maoxu raised a hand to stop Xu Shu.

“I’ll inspect these things for you. If anything’s broken, I’ll repair it. Come take them back again in a few days.”

Only after hearing that did Xu Shu finally let go. Even then, he did not forget to beam at him with fake sincerity. “Many thanks, Maoxu!”

I’ll thank your head!

Bai Maoxu glared at him, then turned to the others, genuine interest lighting up his face.

“I’ve heard the rough sequence of events.”

“Looks like it was Yong-ge’s arm that sent out the coordinates.”

“Now, which one of you is going to tell me the details of how exactly my elder sister slaughtered her way across the battlefield? Sitting here, I’m dying of curiosity.”

Ordinary questions were one thing, but the moment he asked this, several people in the group instantly perked up.

“Master fought the Qingyun Demon Saint and the Jiuli Demon God, repelled a Saint from Pilgrimage Mountain in the middle of it, and then battled an opponent suspected to be the Blood Lord, confronting him head-on and frightening him into retreat…”

That rigid, methodical account naturally came from Liu Yong.

“I saw the Dao Master slash out with a single sword, and at once the heavens and earth filled with radiance, like moonlight pouring through the cracks of a shattered moon, beautiful beyond compare, intoxicating to the spirit…”

That wildly exaggerated description, brimming with teenage style, naturally came from Guo Feng, Bai Changze, and the others.

Bai Maoxu frowned harder and harder as he listened.

He had the odd illusion that he had somehow arrived in a roadside teahouse and was listening to old storytellers spin their tales.

“This is actually very easy to describe.”

Just then, Zhu Sheng spoke up.

No one knew where he had produced a folding fan from. With a snap, he flicked it open and pointed forward with his other hand in a sword gesture.

“Basically, both sides’ forces converged in midlane. The enemy had more people and nearly surrounded us.”

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“Then at the critical moment, Yong-ge popped his ult and called the Dao Master over.”

“The Dao Master directly turned around and surrounded them all by herself.”

“The enemy force-tanked the Dao Master’s skills and got wiped out.”

“The Dao Master hard-pushed the enemy’s first tower,” he meant Fang Yang and the Qingyun Demon Saint, “and when she was taking down the second tower,” the demon god’s body, “the other side got reinforcements,” the Blood Lord.

“But the enemy reinforcements were intimidated by the Dao Master’s aura and didn’t dare come up. They only stood way back on high ground and watched.”

“And could the Dao Master tolerate that!?”

“How could she possibly tolerate it?”

“I’m taking down your second tower, and you still dare watch?”

“No watching allowed!”

“So after taking down the second tower, she pounced straight over there, and then sword qi went all over the place, slash slash slash…”

As he spoke, Zhu Sheng waved the fan around and jabbed randomly at the air, making a whole series of swooshing sound effects with his mouth. There was something uniquely ridiculous about the sight.

What kind of nonsense was that…?

Everyone listened with frowns on their faces, yet unexpectedly Bai Maoxu’s eyes lit up as he shouted, “Now I get it!”

Get what exactly?

Ignoring the fact that everyone else’s eyes had gone wide, Xu Shu pressed a hand to his forehead at the side.

He had remembered now. Outside of work, this Young Master of the Bai family seemed, in private, to be an absolute gaming maniac…

“Then shall we head back up the mountain first and pay our respects to the Dao Master?”

Once the equipment handover was complete, even Liu Yong and Chen Jing had switched out their prosthetic bodies, leaving behind the equipment they had carried these past days for maintenance. The group all looked toward Bai Maoxu, which was more or less a polite way of asking his opinion.

In truth, it was only courtesy. They had not expected any complications, yet Bai Maoxu arched a brow.

“Oh… my suggestion is that you don’t go disturb her for the next couple of days.”

Hm?

The group froze. Then Lu Zheng immediately jumped out and asked, “Why?”

“Well, how should I put it…” Bai Maoxu stroked his chin.

“That Yu Daoyong, his Heaven-Monitoring Directorate. You all know about it, right?”

“We do. And?”

“The Heaven-Monitoring Directorate has a project. They’re making a kind of sentry tower for detecting demonic aura.” Bai Maoxu gestured as he spoke.

“Starwater, and I personally as well, have both provided quite a bit of help to Director Yu. A lot of the equipment was tuned by me, for example, so I usually hear about their progress earlier than most. Those towers also function as signal stations at the same time. You understand?”

More or less…

But what did that have to do with not going up the mountain to visit?

The group looked at one another, all feeling unable to grasp the mystery within.

“To put it simply, some cheap relatives have come knocking to claim kinship…”

Bai Maoxu narrowed his eyes.

“This is a very troublesome matter.”

“So to avoid running into bad luck, you’d all be better off resting at home for a couple of days first.”