Chapter 297 Gamble (Supplement) Anyone who dares to gamble with me will definitely lose. ...

"The second time we met..."

Lin Feiran recalled what the Goddess Sect Master had said: when the Goddess Sect was trapped in the mist of the Northern Plains, her mother had stumbled into it by mistake.

"Mother, did you go to the Goddess Sect this time?"

Jin Lan was not surprised. She nodded and said, "It's this time."

This time, she searched everywhere for the whereabouts of the ends of the earth and the corners of the sea. By chance, someone pointed her to the Northern Plains, where she met the Goddess Sect, which had been trapped there for several years, and learned more secrets from there.

Jin Lan said slowly, "The more I know, the more I feel something is wrong. Many clues vaguely point to the esoteric sect."

At that time, I began to suspect the connection between the celestial rift, the energy flow, and esoteric Buddhism. Therefore, I made up my mind that if I could climb to the top of the icicle and see him again, I wouldn't ask him anything.

Lin Feiran rubbed the mirror in her hand, and the cold surface of the mirror became foggy.

She continued, "You're planning to make your move when the opportunity arises, aren't you?"

Jin Lan chuckled softly, her eyes crinkling into crescents. Her smile bore a striking resemblance to Lin Feiran's. She blinked and said, "If we weren't mother and daughter, you would definitely do the same if you were me."

The esoteric sects are treacherous and even aid and abet evil, helping the emperor with his sorcery of possession. Even if my guess is wrong, taking action against him is by no means a mistake.

Killing a person who is physically weak and defenseless is such an easy thing. As long as he lowers his guard, his life can be ended with just one move before Bi Sheng and the others arrive.

Having made up her mind, she sent out what she had gained on this trip via secret letter, and then, under the watchful eyes of the Goddess Sect members, she climbed up that section of ice pillar that seemed to reach down from the sky.

Just like Lin Feiran's previous ascent, she also suffered a lot during the climb, but eventually reached the end and fell into that secret realm once again.

Several years later, the ends of the earth are no longer as ethereal as they were the first time I saw them.

When I first arrived here, there were only fairy mountains and lakes, shrouded in clouds and mist. Although it was vast and quiet, it was like a fairyland. This time when I visited again, there were a few more fairy mountains, and the Haihe River below connected to form a whole, reflecting a false inverted sun.

This place looks more magnificent and grand, but it has lost some of its charm.

A towering rocky shore stands on the seashore, with waves crashing against the cliff. Jinlan happened to land on this islet, and she stared in awe at everything before her, looking around as her eyes gradually filled with a sense of awe.

On the west side of the secret realm, a divine palace stands tall, pure white in color, with wide steps leading down from above. On both sides, banners flutter in the wind, and the eaves are covered with glazed tiles, reflecting the setting sun and scattering colorful light.

At the very center of the shrine hangs a jade plaque with only four characters written on it: Heavenly Palace on the Cloud Top.

Jin Lan looked for a moment, and was so surprised that she temporarily put the matter of finding the person out of her mind. She used her magical artifact to cross the river and sea and landed in the center of the Daoist temple at the bottom of the Divine Palace.

After looking around, she wanted to investigate, but before she could step onto the steps, a figure suddenly appeared on the Taoist flag beside her.

He was still dressed in gray and wearing the same mask, but unlike when they first met, he now had several pens hanging from his waist.

He looked down, as if recalling something, before finally saying, "It's you. You've found this place again."

Jin Lan looked at him against the light, and his face was not very clear, but he was obviously no longer as frail as when she first saw him. A wave of shock surged in her heart. To be able to appear so quietly, his cultivation level was definitely no lower than hers. He had made such progress in just a few years. How could he not be wary?

These thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant. She still squinted as if recalling something, and finally feigned surprise.

"So this is still that secret realm. I've actually come back here again!"

After saying this, she clasped her hands in front of her, her face showing a hint of embarrassment, as if she were meeting an old friend she no longer knew. After exchanging a few pleasantries, she had nothing more to say, and her movements were somewhat awkward.

"This place has changed so much that I didn't recognize it at first. You don't need to kick me out. I won't be taking anything this time. Could you please show me the way out so I can leave on my own?"

She said this aloud, but in her heart she was praying that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and that they wouldn't actually drive her away.

The man gazed at her for a long time, then his figure dissipated like mist, disappearing into the flag, but quickly coalesced again beside her, fully revealing his form, with only three steps between them.

Jin Lan's surprise was genuine, but she also strangely noticed that his spiritual power was still faint and not very obvious, unlike that of a master who exuded a deep and still aura.

Unexpectedly, yet logically, he nodded: "Since you've wandered in by mistake, I'll escort you out."

"..."

He took two or three steps, then stopped, turned to look at her, and asked in confusion, "Aren't you coming?"

"Of course I'm leaving!"

Jin Lan showed no unusual expression, and even seemed somewhat pleased. She followed behind him, descending the extremely long staircase together.

Along the way, she made conversation as if to make small talk: "It's been so many years. I never imagined that someone who used to need a cane for support could now soar through the mist and display such extraordinary abilities."

The gray-robed monk glanced at her for a moment and said, "A person must strive for improvement in life; it's impossible to stay in one place."

Jin Lan nodded in realization, then leaned closer and whispered, "But your speed is too fast. As a fellow cultivator, could you give me some pointers? I also want to make rapid progress. But if you don't want to, you don't have to answer."

His voice remained as steady as ever: "Absorb the spirit of the sun and moon, and gather the essence of heaven and earth."

"..." Jin Lan took a deep breath, "How come I never realized before that you were such an interesting person?"

His voice, however, rose and fell slightly at those words, though not noticeably, sounding as if he were surprised: "Interesting? You think I'm like a human being?"

This conversation was far beyond my expectations.

She paused for a moment, then suddenly realized and said, "So you're a demon."

The Daoist Master paused, then turned to face her. His dark eyes, hidden beneath the mask, were deep and unfathomable, yet upon closer inspection, they seemed utterly empty.

He looked away, continuing his steps, but did not answer her question again.

Jin Lan did most of the talking along the way, while he only responded with a few words, appearing quite indifferent and showing no intention of keeping her there.

"How much further?" she asked.

He said calmly, "It's in that dense forest ahead."

The dense forest wasn't close, and the journey was still long. She felt slightly relieved and prepared to make her move when the opportunity arose. However, while passing through a certain stone forest, she suddenly caught sight of a very rare meteorite iron. No weapon-refining cultivator could help but stop and look at it.

She stopped and, as if lured, walked forward: "May I take a look?"

Despite saying that, she had already walked to the meteorite iron. She squatted down and saw a few raindrops on the black iron. The raindrops were dazzling with colorful light, as if they contained all the colors of the world, yet they did not reveal any of them to the outside world.

Such high-quality spirit iron is so rare that it would be hard to find even once every few centuries, yet here it is being used as a table cushion.

She immediately turned her head and asked, "Why are you using this stone to prop up the table legs? Don't you want it anymore?"

She didn't even say it was black iron.

The dark eyes beneath the mask flickered slightly, and he looked down at the iron stone, saying bluntly, "I do not cultivate the way of weapon forging and body tempering, so this meteorite iron is useless to me."

Upon hearing this, Lin Feiran sensed something was amiss. She immediately drew her Golden Wave Sword, its smooth blade reflecting the features of the two people.

She hesitated and said, "Could this have been made from that piece of meteorite iron?"

Jin Lan tapped her fingers together, producing a clear sword sound: "Good iron makes a good blade. When it comes to weapon forging, there is no better base material in the world than that meteorite iron. Since I have the chance to find it, how can I refuse it?"

Lin Feiran recalled other people's comments about her parents, flicked the blade of her sword, and couldn't help but chuckle.

That's the difference. If it were her, she would probably give up on this meteorite. She might not even notice it. Sometimes, she's too tense and focused.

She sheathed the sword and asked again, "Did he just give it to you like that?"

"Of course not." Jin Lan put the comb away, looked her over, nodded with great satisfaction, and then answered.

“I will get what I want, so I made a bet with him.”

"I bet I can retrieve that meteorite intact without using magic, getting close to the table, or asking for help, and without tipping over his table. If I do, the meteorite is mine."

At this point, she revealed a hint of pride.

Lin Feiran suddenly realized: "You're stalling for time?"

Jin Lan shook her finger: "Not entirely, I do want that piece of meteorite iron."

That day, the two sat in the stone forest, waiting for the sunrise the next day.

At night, Jin Lan went to other places to find food, while he sat at the table, took out a notebook and wrote something down. When the moon was high in the sky, Jin Lan still hadn't returned. His weak body began to feel sleepy, but he didn't fall asleep.

In the darkness, she was lurking nearby, secretly observing this place from afar.

After spending a day together, she had a pretty good idea of ​​his current cultivation level, which was about the same as hers, meaning she had the power to kill him with one blow.

Like a hunter, she moved silently forward, changing her weapon again and again, from an iron hammer to a hard pickaxe, and from a wooden awl to a long nail. She tested the waters for a long time until she got close to the table and finally grasped a jade ruler.

This is her latest weapon, and its power should not be underestimated.

"Just like last night, my jade ruler failed to touch him. It stopped abruptly an inch away from his neck, and the move was a complete miss."

I didn't give up either, and immediately launched a second attack, but in the next instant, he transformed into a wisp of mist, which the jade ruler could only disperse; he had already gracefully landed not far away.

Jin Lan recalled that time, her expression still showing obvious regret. It was the most recent time. If she had been more experienced, she would not have missed that move.

At that time, she was unaware of these things; she simply looked on in astonishment and even began to consider her escape route.

But the man didn't make a move. He just stood in the moonlight, his gaze fixed on her. He remained silent for a long time before speaking.

“No matter how many times you choose to do this… This time, I’ll give you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to escape. After that, I will call them and show them no mercy.”

Lin Feiran turned around and looked, his hand clapping against the roof tiles as he asked, "Did you run away?"

Jin Lan tapped her fingertips: "Guess?"

Lin Feiran was silent for a moment, then said firmly, "You won't run away. If it were me, I wouldn't give up such an opportunity."

She chuckled softly: "That's right, I didn't stop. I still have at least the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

I started to fight him, using not only the jade ruler, but also formations, spells, and talismans. I used almost everything I knew, even swinging the large iron hammer used for forging weapons, but I still couldn't succeed.

He could dodge, but not skillfully; there were always times when he couldn't avoid an attack. However, any blow that landed on him was like hitting the wind—powerless and futile.

As the incense stick burned for nearly a minute, Jinlan was already panting heavily, while the Dao Master still stood not far away, as if he had expected it, showing neither anger nor surprise.

He said, "The incense stick has burned out."

"Wait!" Jin Lan raised her hand, her clear eyes looking directly at him. "It's just a sword duel between cultivators. I can't hurt you. Why are you taking it so seriously? Our bet hasn't been decided yet. Don't you want to see the result?"

The Dao Master stood not far away, lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment, then nodded: "Then let's wait until sunrise."

At sunrise, the meteorite iron inexplicably appeared in her hands, just as she had predicted. The lowered corner of the table did not tilt but stood upright, as if something was still supporting it.

He watched intently, certain that she hadn't used any magic, yet the meteorite had vanished just like that, and a hint of confusion still lingered in her eyes.

"I've said it before, anyone who dares to bet with me will definitely lose."

Jin Lan held the meteorite iron in her hand, a smile in her eyes, and disappeared into the stone forest in a flash.

She ran away without looking back, heading straight into the dense forest before Bi Sheng and the others noticed and arrived. After shooting a tiny silver needle into a tree, she ran away through the exit.

Lin Feiran was equally puzzled. She asked, "If we don't use magic and avoid contact with it, what then...?"

She paused, as if she had just realized something, and a smile appeared in her eyes. She said directly, "You lied to him."

Lin Feiran smiled without saying a word, waiting for her to tell what happened next.

This was their second meeting, and although she had gained a lot of information, she still returned empty-handed.

The third time, she had been recuperating in the human realm for a long time. Knowing that he couldn't leave that place and that no one else could enter, she knew that only she could take action against him.

So after breaking through the barrier, she consulted many people and made thorough preparations before setting out. After the previous two intrusions, the esoteric sects were already on guard.

As soon as she entered the secret realm, she was confronted by several Nine Swordsmen. As a weapon refiner, she was inevitably at a disadvantage when surrounded. Being outnumbered, she could not gain any advantage and could only fight and retreat in the secret realm. Later, she escaped by using the formation she learned from the Gengan Saint, and appeared in the snowfield covered in wounds.

It was on this occasion that she met Lin Lang at the border of the Northern Plains.

A seventeen-year-old boy emerged from the snow, riding a chestnut horse with a red-tasseled spear across the saddle, exuding confidence and unparalleled charm.

He dismounted, walked through the snow to her, crossed his arms, bent down to look at her, his eyes smiling, with a clarity like the moon.

"Where did this immortal come from?"

Jin Lan leaned against the tree trunk and chuckled, not forgetting to be sarcastic: "Kid, you saved a master's life, how about I take you on a cultivation journey in a few days?"

Lin Lang straightened up, still smiling: "Oh? I don't have spiritual veins, how can I enter the Dao?"

"I have a brilliant plan."

Lin Lang nodded seriously: "It seems we have no choice but to save them."

He was just making jokes. This person didn't seem bad, and it would be a good deed to save him. He reached out and pulled Jinlan up, moved her to the horse, and was about to return to the camp when she suddenly remembered something and asked.

Do you have any elixirs to cure cultivators?

Lin Lang raised his eyebrows: "I have a brilliant plan."

Afterwards, while recuperating at the border, she devoted herself to studying ways to fight him. After much thought, she forged the first version of the Golden Wave Sword from that piece of meteorite iron, but she still did not know how to break through the wind.

However, a sword is not forged, but rather discovered through continuous experimentation.

So she decided to take the risk and try again.

The fourth time, she left Beiyuan, bid farewell to Lin Lang, and entered the secret realm again, where she met the Dao Lord. This time, he had undergone a visible change compared to before.

If before he could only teleport and barely dodge her attacks, this time he can use magic to fight back.

No one came this time. They fought for three days, and in the end, she was seriously injured and defeated. But what she gained this time was more than ever before.

Fortunately, she had a backup plan. Before leaving the border, she left a piece of jade in Lin Lang's hand. On the verge of death, the array on the jade was forced to activate, taking her away from the place and instantly landing beside Lin Lang.

She escaped once again using the formation, collapsing in the Northern Plains. Lin Lang carried her back, and even took her to Spring City while she was unconscious, as she requested.

During this time, her injuries improved, so she went to the entrance of the Sacred Valley to ask the sage for guidance. However, the valley gate remained tightly closed. Just as she was about to leave, the wind in the valley stirred and blew in a scroll of cultivation techniques.

It was a sword manual filled with annotations.

It was at this time that Jinlan switched to swordsmanship, comprehended four sword moves in the valley wind, and then reforged the Jinlan Sword.

But to this day, it remains an incomplete sword technique, and she still doesn't know how to truly break the wind.

She should have tried the sword technique again, but her injuries were too severe, and she could barely hold the sword. She could only temporarily avoid the esoteric sect and recuperate in the human world.

...

At this point, Jin Lan paused, looked down at Lin Feiran, and raised her hand to stroke the small braid she had styled for her.

During this time, she met Lin Feiran.

After six years of recuperation, her injuries finally healed, and she was finally able to pick up a sword. Meanwhile, the esoteric sect had gained considerable influence in the human world, becoming a sect with a large number of followers.

At this time, Lin Feiran was six years old.

“When you were six years old, my injuries were fully healed, but I did not choose to stay. I took the Golden Wave Sword and went to the Northern Plains again. This should have been my fifth encounter with him, but this time I did not see him, but only Bi Sheng.”

She didn't hold back, forcing me out of the secret realm. Then, a net of heaven and earth swarmed in, and my friends who had come to my aid were also caught in the chaos. We were initially evenly matched, but halfway through the fight, an unusual gust of wind blew by, slowing my sword.

Jinlan looked into the distance and sighed softly, "I lost for the fifth time, but I'm not as lucky as before. I know my time is almost up."

Lin Feiran looked at her, her gaze shifting slightly.

Jin Lan's eyes were filled with complex emotions. She dared not look into Lin Feiran's eyes, but only gazed into the endless darkness: "At that moment, I regretted it. In the end, I abandoned you all and went to Beiyuan."

So, at the end of her life, she used her last breath to escape, riding her magical artifact back, wanting only to see them one last time before she died.

Lin Feiran understood her unfinished words. He lowered his eyes for a moment, then raised them again and said, "My father once told me something. He said, 'You are just walking your own path. Even if we are family, it is still your path.'"

Jin Lan was taken aback, and after a moment she smiled and said, "...I told him long ago that if he could cultivate the Dao, he would definitely go very far."

Lin Feiran shifted her gaze back to the bronze mirror in her hand, which reflected a girl with long hair combed up. She remained silent for a moment before beginning to ponder again.

She was almost certain that the Dao Lord's identity was strange. He was physically weak and needed the spiritual veins of heaven and earth. Could he also be a Skywalker?

This is the most reasonable guess.

If that's true, will his cultivation method be the same as Ru Xian's? How will her sword fall the next time they face each other?

Seeing her remain silent, Jinlan patted her head. Recalling her conversation with her master earlier that day, she felt particularly moved. Regardless of the circumstances, she had the right to know the truth.

After a pause, she asked, "Do you want to go see the other people with your master? He actually gave you a choice last night. You can choose not to go, forget about the Iron Khitan Book, and just stay here and be a simple Lin Feiran."

Lin Feiran looked at the person in the mirror. Half of her black hair was tied up with a hairpin, and her thin braid was pulled into it, revealing her eyebrows and eyes. The sharp light that was usually hidden in her eyes was now so clearly visible.

Her answer was already known last night.

"Of course I'm going."

She got up and landed in the courtyard, looked at the three houses with lights on in front of her, walked straight to the leftmost room of her master, and pushed it open.

...

With a creak, the heavy and strange gate was pushed open, and a faint light swept across it, indicating that someone had arrived.

Everyone in the room immediately turned to look, and saw a figure in black standing in front of the door. She was tall and slender, with a gold-sprinkled red umbrella behind her. Her dark hair fluttered in the rising air before slowly falling to her shoulders.

It's Lin Feiran.

She stood motionless, like a sword shadow, her gaze slowly sweeping over the crowd. Her clear eyes reflected everything, revealing a profound tranquility, like a gentle breeze caressing a hill, unwavering and steadfast.

Several more figures emerged from behind her.

The grandmaster stepped forward and stood beside her, saying slowly, "Everyone, how have you been?"

Author's Note: [Heart emoji]