Volume 2, Chapter 10 – Heaven Turned Upside Down

After settling Bai Shengju in, Bai Xiang ran into two people at the door.

The figures were wrapped in the night. Only when they stepped out could she see their faces clearly—it was her eldest uncle Bai Guanshan, and second uncle Bai Lianzhou.

“You… Bai Xiang.”

Bai Guanshan spoke first, his words a bit halting. “That… the medicine you gave Grandpa worked well. I ought to thank you.”

“And, my attitude before wasn’t aimed at you. If you felt uncomfortable about any of it, I’d like to apologize to you here.”

Bai Guanshan ran a small company outside; he was the one in charge. He was used to giving orders, and suddenly having to say this kind of thing to a junior was something he really couldn’t get used to. After a few hurried sentences he took his leave, practically running away.

“Don’t blame him.”

Bai Lianzhou watched his older brother’s retreating back and spoke softly.

“Before, we kept things from you because we didn’t want you to know about the previous generation’s disputes. But now that I think Grandpa has already told you, I can speak plainly too. Back then, big brother really was the one who doted on our little sister the most.”

Tonight, Bai Lianzhou was unusually talkative. He said a lot to Bai Xiang—how, in those years, Bai Shengju had poured all his hope into these three children, even naming them, in order, Guanshan, Lianzhou, and Qingmin.

First Guanshan, then Lianzhou, and finally Qingmin.

That was aiming straight at land clearing, wasn’t it?

Only now did Bai Xiang understand the thought behind the Bai family’s second generation names. So Bai Shengju had held such hopes for them back then—he’d actually wanted these children to make their mark and earn merit.

The Nine Provinces of Great Yu, thirty-six Circuits, plus the villages swallowed up by the wilderness and the hundreds of Protectorates set outside—that was the actual territory under effective control today.

Those controlled regions and population clusters hadn’t naturally formed in that outline. Compared to the past, some parts of that outline had certainly grown, and some had certainly shrunk.

When they grew, you could call it opening up new lands.

When they shrank, you had to call it recovering lost ground.

Either way, how was that not a form of earning merit?

The most standard, most orthodox kind of meritorious service.

Too bad.

Because of Bai Nianchan’s death, the Bai family’s second generation had completely lost heart.

Bai Guanshan threw away his original ideals entirely, decided that Sword Dao and martial cultivation were hopeless, and went into business instead, opening a company. Even his personality had become much more smooth and accommodating.

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Bai Lianzhou, who’d had the chance to go study in Yujing, stayed at the dojo for the same reason. Of course he’d also been hit hard. For the sake of the dojo and the family, he married a woman he didn’t dislike, but who absolutely did not share his heart for Sword Dao.

And as for third uncle Bai Qingmin, Bai Xiang hadn’t even seen his face. He’d gone off to make his own way early on, looking very much like he was cutting ties with the family.

The ways of the world were fickle—it made one sigh.

“But fortunately… there’s you now.”

Bai Lianzhou looked deeply at Bai Xiang. “I really should thank you as well.”

In the shadows, he seemed to bow deeply to Bai Xiang. Then he turned and left briskly.

Bai Xiang knew Bai Lianzhou had also guessed she would be the one stepping into the ring tomorrow. He didn’t want to delay her, hoping instead that she could find some peace sooner and get a good night’s rest.

“But I’ve actually already rested three nights…”

So she thought to herself.

It was still early; she wasn’t sleepy at all.

When she returned to her own little courtyard, the first thing she saw was Bai Zhuqing nodding off while sitting at the side room door.

Right.

Bai Xiang narrowed her eyes.

There had been quite a commotion in the daytime; they’d probably been glued to the news and hadn’t had the chance to nap.

She walked over quietly and stood above her, looking down at her little sister’s face.

Bai Shengju had taken welcoming Bai Xiang very seriously, so everyone in the Bai family was dressed in formal wear today.

Bai Zhuqing wore an archaic-style outfit: a light cyan, rolled-hem ancient dress on white fabric. Her hair was done up in double buns, with a layer of bangs hanging over her forehead, making her look especially cute and lively.

Unconsciously, Bai Xiang’s gaze dropped lower. Sure enough, she saw Bai Zhuqing was wearing a common pair of white silk tights, her little feet curled inside her sandals, the white silk faintly showing the skin tone beneath.

“Auntie?”

Maybe it was because she was blocking the draft, but Bai Zhuqing blinked awake, and when she saw her, her brows and eyes lit up. She jumped up and threw her arms around her. “I finally waited until Auntie came!”

So they say, without comparison there is no harm.

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After her trip to the Bai family’s Ancestral Ground, and after seeing the likes of Liang Wanming, Bai Xiang realized she now actually found Bai Zhuqing pleasing to the eye.

At least she wasn’t that sort of spoiled, unreasonable type.

She was a bit twisted in some ways, but at least she didn’t drag people down, knew how to behave, and could even chant that Bon Sanskrit—she’d made a real contribution to Bai Xiang’s success with the Transforming Qi.

If she truly didn’t ask for more than this, then keeping their relationship as it was wouldn’t be bad at all.

Thinking that, Bai Xiang didn’t push her away. She let her enjoy a good, wild cuddle in her arms and was curious to see whether she’d dislike the smell on her.

What smell?

The smell of blood.

She was still wearing the tight combat suit. It had been stained with blood several times; there was no getting that metallic scent completely out.

When meeting adults, those people didn’t really care, but Bai Zhuqing was a genuine child. There was no guarantee she wouldn’t find it disgusting.

“Mm~”

At first, Bai Zhuqing did frown a little, but very quickly she sank into the faint fragrance carried by that bloody scent.

Was this the scent of her hair?

Or sweat? Her body’s scent?

How could Auntie’s chest smell this good… it was downright irresistible!

“On your feet.”

Bai Xiang, having tested her reaction, grabbed her dangling braid from behind.

“Come inside, I’ll teach you the ancestral method.”

To be fair, Bai Zhuqing had played no small part in her successful Transforming Qi.

Not just because she knew that Bon Sanskrit and had helped translate The Scripture of Returning to Origin and Transforming Qi, but also because of her special affinity with Shenming Sword, which had helped Bai Xiang notice the aberrations in the sword moves early on.

With such a big contribution, Bai Xiang naturally had to repay her.

After meeting her two uncles, the matter of Feixiang Heaven wasn’t so urgent anymore, because she’d suddenly had a sort of spiritual insight—she’d come to understand what “Human Principle” really meant.

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It had always been a vague thing.

Some said it came from the classics, some said from the Daoist canons.

But now, Bai Xiang felt that Human Principle was the web of human ethics in a human-ruled world.

To live for human bonds.

To die for human bonds.

Without conviction at at least that level, how could you possibly withstand the erosion of demonic power and hold onto your true self in Sword Dao cultivation?

So yes, her attitude toward Bai Zhuqing had subtly shifted.

Bai Zhuqing was the kind of person who engraved Bai Xiang’s every word and action into her mind, constantly using her as a reference. Of course she noticed the change in her sister’s attitude right away.

Her first reaction was wild joy.

Damn, I went all-in and the result wasn’t “regression”? It actually wasn’t?

There was even “progress”? Actual “progress”?

Victory.

A huge, sweeping win!

Bai Zhuqing felt almost light enough to float. In her heart she was calculating—if their relationship could keep “progressing” a little every so often, then maybe the day when Sis shyly stretched out her black-silk-clad foot for her to play with… wouldn’t be so far off?

The moment she thought of that, she found the clothes on Bai Xiang an eyesore.

They looked good, sure—but how could they be missing it? How could they be missing the most important thing!

“Auntie, wait a second.”

She hadn’t even heard clearly what Dao method Bai Xiang wanted to teach. She just sprang up.

“Auntie’s been exhausted for days, and these clothes are all torn. I’ll go draw you a bath and get you some clothes—eh—?”

Her voice trailed off, because Bai Xiang had grabbed her by the collar and yanked her back. Her feet stumbled, and she fell onto the bed spread-eagled.

That posture was really far from proper.

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Bai Xiang frowned; she was a bit at a loss when it came to disciplining younger juniors.

The merged memories were no help.

Bai Zhuqing was in her rebellious teen years now. Bai Xiang had no experience with kids like that.

Just then, she caught sight of her sister’s little white-silk-clad feet sticking up and had a thought—there were many acupoints on the soles of the feet.

Shenming Sword, when you boiled it down, was all about that one word: vibration.

If you won’t listen when I explain it in words, then don’t blame me for doing it the direct way.

Thinking that, Bai Xiang immediately grabbed both of Bai Zhuqing’s slender ankles, one in each hand.

Huh?

Bai Zhuqing froze, her face flushing scarlet.

Th-this… how can this be…

I haven’t even touched Sis’s feet yet, and my own feet are getting grabbed first!

Heaven turned upside down!

Those four words filled Bai Zhuqing’s mind.

But then, unexpectedly, Bai Xiang pressed her thumbs firmly into the flesh of her soles and began sending vibrations in using the “Vibration Formula.”

Huh?

Huh-huh-huh-huh-huh?

With a little cry, Bai Zhuqing went limp, her face burning red, her whole body trembling as the tingling from her soles completely overwhelmed her.

“Feel it carefully.”

Bai Xiang’s tone was still as serious as ever.

“This is the true core essence of Shenming Sword.”