Chapter 89 I'll sneak a peek at the turtle soup
The training ground was silent. The onlookers quickly stepped back to make way for the two who were about to fight.
Some monks who couldn't bear to eat simply moved their dining table to a corner, drinking and watching the show.
Huo Lan and Ye Rugo sat calmly at the round table, watching everything unfold with great interest. Even Jiao Jiao, with a chicken leg in her mouth, blinked her little eyes with a look of schadenfreude.
The city lord did not speak up to stop it.
The most effective and direct way to resolve grudges and conflicts between cultivators has always been only one: fight!
Complaining and asking others for help are things only the weak do. True strength requires no explanation to anyone.
"Master Bai, what brings you here?" Bai Ye raised an eyebrow and asked.
Although she didn't want to fight this weapon-refining master, if he insisted on fighting, she had no choice but to oblige.
Bai Duan Hong snorted coldly, raised her hand and pulled out the heavy sword stuck in the ground. She flicked her wrist, and the heavy sword flew through the air and stuck straight in front of Bai Ye.
"The sword is forged for you; you owe me a favor! Now, return my good-for-nothing son!"
Bai didn't expect this turn of events. She really thought the other party was there to fight, but it turned out they just wanted people?
She casually tossed the young master, who was emitting black smoke, out of the room.
Bai Duanhong slightly turned her body to avoid the humanoid object that was being thrown at her, letting the young master Bai crash solidly to the ground.
Bai could also tell that this aunt probably didn't like her nephew very much.
However, the observant servants quickly stepped forward, carefully helped Young Master Bai up, and led him away from the training ground to heal his injuries.
The room fell silent again, and everyone felt like they had only eaten half a melon and then realized it wasn't ripe.
It's not right, it's really not right. Even in this situation, why aren't they fighting?
Bai Duanhong stood still, her eyes wide, her gaze fixed on Bai Ye for a long, long time.
"Aren't you going to look at the sword?" Bai Duan Hong asked sullenly.
She had waited here for so long just to elicit a surprised and exclamation of admiration from the other person.
They promised to deliver the sword in a month, but then they disappeared without a trace. She was forced to carry that heavy sword every day, waiting for a whole year.
This sword, a culmination of her life's work, is a masterpiece. Although it wasn't forged from scratch, the effort she poured into it far surpasses that of any other divine weapon she had ever forged before.
As it turned out, the little brat was surprisingly calm when he saw the sword, which greatly discouraged Master Bai.
"Hmm? Let's look now!" Bai also pulled out the big black one and held it in his hand to examine it carefully.
The originally jet-black sword, now infused with dragon crystal, gleamed with a subtle golden light under the sunlight. The light was not ostentatious; it only emitted a faint golden glow when the angle was right, appearing and disappearing, adding to its mystique.
The sword was considerably heavier than before, which suited her current physique quite well. As soon as she held the sword, its blade resonated instantly with the spiritual energy within her body, as if she were not holding a sword, but rather an extension of her body, connected to her will.
Bai was slightly shocked. Was this the unsealed Dahei? Although she hadn't yet seen its power, she could already imagine Dahei's prowess in battle.
"Are you satisfied?" Bai Duan Hong asked impatiently.
"Thank you, Master Bai. I am very satisfied!" Bai put away the big black thing and bowed to Bai Duanhong.
"Hmph!" Bai Duan Hong waved her hand, feigning modesty. "I'm waiting here not to hear you thank me! I just want to see if there's anything else that's not right, and if it can be changed, then of course I'll change it to perfection."
After she finished speaking, she seemed to realize that her purpose was too obvious, and added, "Since you say you're satisfied, then I'm leaving."
"Hey, Master Bai, since you're here, why don't we have a drink together? As they say, you don't become friends without a fight, right?" Bai shouted.
Bai Duan Hong paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over City Lord Ling in the distance. He grinned and said, "Alright, then I'll have a drink with City Lord Ling!"
Lord Ling spoke gently: "Since Master Bai is so kind as to grace us with his presence, there will naturally be plenty of wine!"
Bai Ye pulled Bai Duan Hong back to the round table and introduced them with a smile: "This is Huo Lan, and this is Ye Rugo. They are my teammates for this sand hunt."
Then he looked at the two men and said, "This is Master Bai Duan Hong, you should all know him."
Bai Duan Hong laughed heartily and exchanged greetings with Huo Lan and Ye Rugo.
The group had barely sat down when the servants brought over several large jars of spirit wine.
Bai also picked up the wine jar and poured wine for Bai Duan Hong, raising his cup in a toast: "Although I have already thanked you, this cup of wine is still to Master Bai. Thank you for forging the sword for me."
Bai Duanhong laughed heartily and raised his glass to clink with hers: "You little rascal, from the first day you stepped into Xizhou, I could tell you were no ordinary person. Sure enough, not only did you steal my family's things, but you also beat up my family's people. You're quite a character."
Bai asked somewhat uncertainly, "Are you praising me?"
"Haha, of course I'm praising you!" Bai Duan Hong laughed and finished his drink before lowering his voice to say, "I'm so annoyed with that kid. As the young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect, he doesn't study the art of weapon refining properly. All he does is cause trouble outside all day long."
Bai chuckled dryly, poured her another drink, and asked in a low voice, "Your young master seems to be rather petty. You didn't help him today, will you be made things difficult for him when you go back?"
Huo Lan tugged at Bai Ye's sleeve, somewhat speechless. What kind of questions was this guy asking?
Bai noticed her movement and immediately understood. He turned around and poured wine for both her and Ye Rugo. "Come on, let's drink together! After we finish drinking, let's go take a bath!"
The group laughed and clinked glasses, the clear liquor overflowing the glasses, and the rich aroma of the wine spreading in the air.
After finishing her drink, Bai Duan Hong said nonchalantly, "What do you think my status is in the Hundred Refinements Sect? That kid has no right to make arrangements for me."
"Amazing! Amazing!" Bai also applauded enthusiastically.
The group chatted and drank, and before they knew it, most of the day had passed.
As evening approached, City Lord Ling returned to the training grounds. She glanced at the group, still quite drunk, and said in a deep voice, "It seems all the teams that participated in the sand hunt have returned. Those who couldn't return on time..."
She didn't continue, but everyone knew that those who hadn't returned by this time were probably gone.
Everyone silently put down their wine cups and focused their attention on Lord Ling. Everyone knew that the rankings of this sand hunt would be announced next.
"Captains, you may hand over the mission items obtained from this sand hunt to the attendants for unified counting. Once the calculation is completed, the rankings of this year's sand hunt will be announced to the public."
As soon as Lord Ling finished speaking, dozens of servants filed in and waited respectfully beside each group.
Ye Rugo took out a storage bag that she had prepared beforehand and gently tossed it into the tray held by the servant. "All the mission items are here."
"Yes!" the attendant replied with a smile, bowed, and withdrew, carrying the storage bag.
Before long, all kinds of storage bags were inventoried and presented to Ling Cheng's main table.
Bai Ye looked at the jade slip that recorded everyone's rankings, nudged Huo Lan with his elbow, and whispered, "Do you think we might be number one?"
"Don't even think about it," Huo Lan said in a low voice. "What we're cleaning up isn't even within the scope of the Sand Hunt mission, so we probably won't even make the rankings."
Upon hearing this, Bai Ye immediately felt a little disappointed. "So, not only have we wasted a whole year of our time, but we also haven't been able to enjoy the most authentic Earth Fire Spirit Spring bath?"
Seeing her like this, Huo Lan couldn't help but chuckle, patted her head, and comforted her, "But we have indeed eliminated many hidden dangers for Xizhou, which is more important than a ranking, isn't it?"
"Of course..." Bai's voice rose a little, his tone tinged with pride.
They had worked hard all year, facing danger several times, and even Huo Lan and Ye Rugo were seriously injured a few times.
Hearing the two talking, Bai Duan Hong, her face flushed from drinking, interjected with a slurred tongue, "Little rascal, you want to take a bath? I'll take you."
Bai also turned his head curiously, "Where else can you find a fire spring better than the City Lord's Mansion?"
"Of course, it's my Hundred Refinements Sect's exclusive secret soup. Once you've soaked in it, I guarantee you'll never forget it," Bai Duan Hong said, patting his chest.
"Then forget it." Bai also decisively refused.
Hilarious! She just beat the young master of that place to a pulp, and then she brazenly went to take a bath on his turf? She's not that careless.
It's important to know that people are most vulnerable when showering or using the toilet.
When she's bathing naked in the pool, the Hundred Refinements Sect members throw a handful of poisonous insects into it, and then dozens of top experts descend from the sky—they'll beat her into a Chaoshan beef ball.
"What's there to be cowardly about?" Bai Duan Hong said dismissively. "In the Hundred Refinements Sect, it's up to my sister."
Bai didn't bother with the drunkard; she raised her head and looked towards the high platform.
The attendant held a jade slip and loudly announced the rankings of the sand hunt, from low to high. The names of the teams were read out one after another, and exclamations of praise rang out from time to time.
Until the top ten rankings were announced one by one, the name of Burning Heaven Valley was never heard.
Finally, the attendant announced loudly: "The champion of this year's Sand Hunt, Jinsha Temple!"
Lord Ling waved his sleeve, and ten dazzling streaks of light flew low across the sky, landing in front of the top ten teams.
Everyone looked up and saw that the flowing light contained all sorts of rare treasures.
"These are the rewards for the top ten in this year's Sand Hunt," Lord Ling announced loudly. "Among them are several divine weapons personally crafted by Master Bai, the number one weapon refiner of the Hundred Refinements Sect, as well as a set of battle armor and several bottles of Breakthrough Pills provided by the Medicine Sect."
"May I help you break through your bottlenecks and reach new heights!"
"Bravo!!!" A burst of enthusiastic applause erupted in the arena. Bai joined in the applause, even though she didn't receive a reward, it didn't stop her from enjoying the excitement.
She felt like she was participating in some kind of martial arts tournament, where they would first drink, then give out rewards, and soon there would be a group fight.
That's not right, she's already been in a fight!
The team captains put away their respective team rewards. The bald-headed martial monks from Jinsha Temple, who came in first place, clasped their hands in a salute under the watchful eyes of many cultivators. Their expressions were calm, without joy or sorrow, displaying an air of detachment from worldly concerns.
As the applause subsided, many people turned their gaze toward the direction where the group from Burning Heaven Valley were located.
A low murmur arose in the arena, with many whispering amongst themselves and looking on with amusement. No one had expected that the arrogant young man with the white hair would fail to even secure a place.
Some people made no attempt to hide their disgust. In their eyes, Bai Ye and her group were bullies among themselves, showing no mercy to the young master of the Hundred Clan, who was also human, but dared not kill demonic beasts once they left the desert.
Bai also took in all those people's gazes and pouted somewhat unhappily.
She thought to herself, "It's not that we didn't get a ranking, it's that we killed too many monsters that were too strong, it's beyond our capabilities! If you were to bring out all the big guys we killed, you guys probably wouldn't even be able to catch a whiff of our exhaust fumes."
Just as the noise in the arena grew louder, Lord Ling slowly stood up.
With a simple gesture, she silenced the training ground.
"There is one team in this sand hunt that has not yet been included in the rankings."
Upon hearing this, everyone's gazes invariably focused on Bai Ye and her group, as they were the only ones whose names were never called.
Lord Ling nodded slightly, "You guessed right, it is the team led by Young Master Ye of Burning Heaven Valley."
She paused slightly, glancing around at everyone present, "It's not that they have no merit; quite the opposite, the number and level of the monster lairs they cleared far exceed the scope of this sand hunt. If we were to rank their achievements..."
"That's a bit unfair."
For a moment, the entire venue fell silent.
"Words are no proof; please see for yourselves." With a flick of his hand, the remains of the demonic beasts in Ye Rugo's storage bag transformed into streaks of light and flew into the air.
Although most of the remains were only small parts, making it impossible to glimpse their ferocity in life, the lingering terrifying pressure still enveloped the entire training ground, making many low-level cultivators breathless.
"Heavens! It's a 12th-tier Spider King!" a young cultivator exclaimed in shock, pointing with trembling hands at the Spider King's severed limbs.
“I remember the Sand Spider Nest was removed from the list a long time ago, right? Because dozens of sand hunting teams were wiped out in that rift valley. I didn’t expect that it was cleared out by Little White Hair’s gang.” A knowledgeable cultivator whispered to his companion.
The female cultivator beside him shook her head and said, "That's not all. Look, that crimson tail hook is the Fire Scorpion King! That area has become a restricted zone, and these people actually dare to trespass into it."
"And another thing, is that the Sand Lion King's tail?"
Exclamations rose in waves, and the entire training ground nearly exploded. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the remains of those high-level demonic beasts, all of which were great demons of the tenth rank or above.
Many of them had attacked human cities during the beast tides, and some had even stormed into the cities and wreaked havoc.
Now, they have all become wreckage, floating silently in the air, becoming the battle record of the Burning Sky Valley group.
The doubts and mockery that had just been directed at them now turned into shock and shame.
Even the Jinsha Temple warrior monks who had won the championship looked up at Bai Ye and his group.
Facing the gazes of those people, Bai proudly puffed out her chest and smiled slightly. She said, "They didn't work for nothing this year!"
Huo Lan looked at the little tiger, who was so proud he was practically wagging his tail, and a smile involuntarily crept into her eyes.
For her, these things were just casual things she did while accompanying Bai Ye. From her perspective, she would no longer be proud of such small achievements.
But seeing Bai's bright and cheerful appearance, she felt that she was also happy. Good deeds should be made public and praised by everyone.
Lord Ling stood quietly until the clamor of voices in the arena gradually subsided before speaking again.
"This year's Sand Hunt has come to an end." Her voice pierced through the twilight and reached everyone's ears.
"When we set out, there were 618 teams that ventured deep into the Rama Desert. But after just one year, only 50% of them returned."
Bai was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, not expecting that so many people had died.
Many cultivators in the arena also looked astonished. Everyone knew that there would be casualties in the sand hunt, but no one expected the price to be so heavy.
Which of the young people who come to participate in the sand hunt isn't a chosen one of heaven?
Who wouldn't be certain that they could make a name for themselves by doing this!
No one felt inferior to others, and no one could have imagined that the boundless desert would become their burial ground.
Lord Ling spoke again, "Tonight, eternal lamps will be lit in Xizhou City for all the heroic souls who could not return, guiding the deceased to rest in peace. If any of you wish to go, you may offer a lamp to express your condolences."
"If you do not wish to, you may also follow your attendants into the underground palace of the city lord's mansion to bathe in the Earth Fire Spirit Spring and eliminate the fire poison and fatigue in your body."
"I will not keep you company any longer," Lord Ling said, turning and walking away.
Bai also watched the city lord's back, which resembled that of an old woman in her twilight years, exuding a sense of desolation and weariness.
"Stop looking, you little rascal. If you keep looking, they won't let you take a bath." Bai Duan Hong said, tugging at her sleeve. "Come with me, I'll take you back to take a bath."
Bai also snatched his sleeve back from the muscular woman's hand, looked at the attendant not far away, and asked, "Hello, I would like to ask if we can go soak in the Earth Fire Spirit Spring?"
“Of course!” the attendant replied respectfully. “The city lord has already instructed that a private spiritual spring bath be prepared for you all. If you need it, you can go to the underground palace at any time.”
Bai nodded in satisfaction, "It seems this city lord is quite generous; at least he gave us some reward!"
Since the spiritual spring is available for bathing at any time, there's no need to rush. She looked at Huolan and asked, "Should we also release a sky lantern?"
Seeing the expectant look on her face, Huo Lan couldn't help but smile. "If you want to go, then we'll go."
"Jiaojiao, stop eating, let's go release the lanterns." Bai Ye called out to Jiaojiao, who had been eating all day at another table, and then helped the tipsy Bai Duan Hong out.
Huo Lan stepped forward and supported Bai Duan Hong's other arm, while Jiao Jiao leaped and landed on Bai Ye's shoulder. As she passed their table, she didn't forget to casually tear off a chicken leg from the unfinished roast chicken and put it in her mouth.
The three people and the tortoise left the city lord's mansion and headed towards the Hundred Refinement Pavilion.
Night had fallen, and the long street stretched like a river.
Countless people, holding lanterns in their hands, converged towards the teleportation plaza.
Bai also carefully examined the lanterns held by everyone. These lanterns were made of paper, with words of blessing written on them in ink.
They prayed for the souls of the departed to rest in peace, or wished for the heroic spirits to endure.
"It seems the people of this city are genuinely praying for everyone's well-being," Bai remarked.
Looking at the flowing river of lights, Huo Lan thought, "The cultivators venture deep into the desert, risking their lives to hunt demons, aren't they protecting the peace of the people in this city?"
"And among the common people, more cultivators will emerge. When these cultivators return after completing their studies, they will once again protect their homeland."
"Life is endless, and the cycle never ends!"
Bai turned his head to the side and looked at Huo Lan through the muscular woman.
The streetlights shone like stars, casting shadows on her profile. The lights of countless homes shone brightly in her eyes.
"Every time you say something like that to me, I feel like you're glowing," Bai said with utmost sincerity.
She herself couldn't say whether it was because Zhong Jiuli was prettier than others, or because she never talked about grand principles.
"Hmm?" Bai Duan Hong opened her eyes groggily, interrupting their conversation.
She looked around blankly and asked vaguely, "Where are you taking me?"
"I'll take you home." Bai Ye supported her heavy body and laughed, "Master Bai, you should drink less with others in the future. Your alcohol tolerance is too low."
Bai Duanhong muttered defiantly, "Hey! You've got some nerve, daring to interfere in Master Bai's affairs!?"
"I wouldn't dare to interfere," Bai replied casually. "Come on, lift your foot and step over the threshold."
The two of them half-carried and half-lifted Bai Tuan Hong into Bai Lian Pavilion, where a shop assistant immediately came forward to take over.
Bai also stretched his wrists and waved goodbye to the dizzy Bai Duan Hong, "Master Bai, see you later."
After saying that, she took Huolan's hand and turned to walk into the long street.
The streets were filled with more and more pedestrians. Tonight, all the lanterns along the streets were extinguished, and only the lanterns carried by millions of people and the starlight scattered from the sky illuminated the entire city of Blazing Fire.
The colorful prayer flags fluttered in the night breeze, seemingly emitting a faint glow.
"It's so beautiful!" Jiao Jiao whispered, resting her head on Bai Ye's shoulder.
"It is quite beautiful," Bai echoed, his gaze never leaving Huo Lan's profile.
“Ye Zai, you weren’t looking at the lamp at all, you were looking at Sister Fire the whole time.”
Huo Lan chuckled softly, lightly scratching her palm with her fingertip, signaling her to tone it down. "Shall we go buy some lanterns?"
"Okay!" Bai agreed, and together they turned into a small shop that was still lit up.
The shopkeeper was also holding a lamp with a warm yellow candlelight in his hands. He was about to go out when he saw the two of them come in. He quickly stepped forward and greeted them with a smile, "What would you two like?"
"Bring us three lamps," Bai said.
"Alright!" The shopkeeper turned around and took down three beautifully carved and painted lanterns from the shelf.
Bai shook his head, "I want the most ordinary one, made of paper, plain is fine."
The shopkeeper smiled knowingly, "You two are also going to T Square to pray for blessings, right? Would you like some writing brush and ink?"
Bai also turned his head and asked Huo Lan with his eyes.
Huo Lan nodded slightly to the shopkeeper, "Thank you for your trouble, shopkeeper."
The shopkeeper took out the prepared brush and ink and handed them over. Bai also took the inkstone and handed the brush to Huolan, saying, "You write."
She didn't want to write. She could recognize characters, but she had never learned to write. If she were to write, it would definitely be a mess of scribbles. After all, when she was learning to write, she was still a tiger.
Atractylodes macrocephala wouldn't be so insane as to ask a tiger cub to write; it would be good enough if it could even recognize characters.
Huo Lan took the wolf-hair brush, lightly touching the tip to the inkstone. She leaned forward slightly, gathering her sleeve with one hand, revealing her slender wrist.
Bai also curiously leaned over to see what she had written. Huo Lan stepped aside to block her view, "Don't peek."
"What? Do we still need to keep it a secret?" Bai muttered.
Huo Lan gave a soft "hmm," her voice tinged with a hint of amusement.
She handed the pen to Bai Ye, "It's your turn."
Bai glanced at the lantern she had covered up completely, and had no choice but to hold the pen and write a few large characters in a crooked and awkward manner.
"What about Jiaojiao?" Jiaojiao asked, peeking out.
"You write it yourself too!" Bai handed her the pen.
Jiaojiao slapped the wolf-hair brush aside, waved her little paw, dipped it in ink, and pressed it onto the lantern, leaving a clear paw print.
"That's fine, this is my exclusive mark!" she said with a smug look on her face.
The shopkeeper chuckled softly, "Is there anything else you gentlemen need?"
"That's all, thank you for your help, shopkeeper." Bai also returned the smile, took out a spirit stone from his storage ring and handed it to the shopkeeper.
After paying the bill, the two walked out side by side and rejoined the crowd.
Now, like the pedestrians on the street, they hold a bright lamp in their arms and have become part of this flowing river of lights.
Along the way, Bai tried several times to peek at what Huo Lan was writing, but he failed each time.
"I'm going to peek!" Jiao Jiao whispered in her ear.
Bai's face darkened. This little fool, speaking so loudly, does he think Huo Lan is deaf?
After Jiaojiao finished speaking, she hopped onto Huolan's shoulder and pretended to snuggle up to her.
Huo Lan chuckled and patted her head gently, saying softly, "Sister, you can make turtle soup too~"
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Author's note: [hugs][hugs] I'll be taking a bath tomorrow, and the update will be at 8 PM. Remember to check back on time.
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