Chapter 3 Just Friends 03
The system has truly cracked, and the fragments aren't even in one place.
Ren Yi and the system encountered a spacetime turbulence on their return journey, and both were severely injured. Their souls were in unstable condition and, based on their self-preservation instincts, sought out a physical body. While Ren Yi's original body was supposed to still be in the Transmigration Bureau, the accident occurred closer to the small world, so Ren Yi, who had just left that world, was thus forced back into his still-breathing body.
The system was also badly damaged, splitting into three pieces in the turbulence. The main core returned to the small world that Ren Yi had just left, but the location it landed in was a bit problematic. It ended up in the host's former identity, namely the Sword Master.
After listening to the system's description of the current situation, Ren Yi remained silent for a long time.
However, upon closer examination, this situation is quite reasonable.
Ren Yi has two identities in this world. The Sword Sovereign's physical strength is far greater than his main account. Given his and the system's severe injuries, the Sword Sovereign's account is naturally more suitable for their recovery, making it understandable that the system ended up there. As for Ren Yi, the situation is even simpler. The main account was created based on his data template, so he's naturally more strongly influenced by this body. However, whether the current state of this body's severe injuries will have a positive or negative effect on his soul's recovery... is truly hard to say.
Ren Yi's situation was extremely bad, and the system's situation wasn't much better—the program was damaged, data was lost, and energy was almost depleted—otherwise, Ren Yi wouldn't have been unable to contact it while inside the main body, separated only by a layer of disguise. In the short time Ren Yi was communicating with the system, he had already heard several energy warnings. Almost as soon as the information exchange was completed, the system entered a low-energy hibernation state for self-repair.
Ren Yi pressed his temple, realizing that the situation was far more complicated than he had imagined.
First, of course, we have to get the system back, but this first step is particularly difficult.
After all, it was his own alias, so Ren Yi knew exactly where the Sword Master's body was, but he was also aware of the danger level of the surrounding environment. Even without his current mortal state, or even with his cultivation level before his spiritual roots were extracted, going there would be difficult.
Ren Yi sighed inwardly. Oh well, let's take it one step at a time and focus on healing first.
On another continent in this world, there is the Eastern Continent.
Unlike the sects in the Western Continent, the Eastern Continent is home to numerous cultivation families, and many cultivation techniques are passed down from generation to generation based on blood ties and surnames.
The Xiao family of Tianhuan City is such a prominent family.
In its early years, the Xiao family was merely an obscure clan. However, several hundred years ago, their ancestor obtained an extremely powerful cultivation technique, allowing their cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds. With the support of this ancestor, the Xiao family quickly rose to become a powerful clan comparable to top-tier families. However, their rapid growth and lack of foundation, coupled with their possession of the legendary technique, made them highly coveted—as the saying goes, "wealth moves the heart," and having such a technique was far more attractive to cultivators than gold and silver.
Sure enough, the Xiao family patriarch, who had once been a powerful figure in the family, had just passed away when the entire Xiao family was slaughtered. The reason for this was self-evident.
However, whether the murderer failed to obtain the cultivation technique or deliberately hid it to avoid attracting attention, no second Xiao family appeared in Tianhuan City after that, nor were there any more sudden geniuses or legends of rapid advancement in cultivation. Control of Tianhuan City was divided among several second-rate families that had previously been suppressed by the Xiao family.
After more than a decade of constant minor disturbances and no major events, a young man of extraordinary appearance and exceptional cultivation suddenly arrived in Tianhuan City. Such a cultivator, who was unmarried and had no powerful backing, was naturally highly sought after. In an instant, various families extended olive branches to him. However, due to the long-standing conflicts between the families, they couldn't stand each other. Centered on the young man, the entire Tianhuan City was in turmoil.
If that's the case, the young man was at most a catalyst for escalating the conflict between the various factions. Even without him, someone else could have, or even someone else entirely—for example, a qualification for entering a secret realm, a top-grade elixir, or a spiritual herb thousands of years old. Anyone with eyes to see could see that these factions were bound to fight sooner or later; they just lacked a reason to do so.
This young man was unlucky; he ran right into this juncture and was pushed into the center of the vortex.
Some people even sighed and lamented behind his back, feeling sorry for him because of his bad luck.
This pity might last for a while longer. If it weren't for the old man in the city who thought the young man looked familiar, if the young man hadn't revealed his real name—Xiao Hanzhou, if the young man hadn't used the blood of the five murderers to appease the souls of the Xiao family... it turns out that this person was the orphan of the Xiao family who was protected by his loyal servant and escaped with his life.
More than a decade later, all five clans that jointly orchestrated the Xiao family massacre have paid for their crimes in blood. With a new head of the family, the Xiao family has regained its reputation and is gradually showing signs of restoring its former glory.
In such a rising family, the disciples naturally possess great spirit and never slacken in their training. Even from half a courtyard away, one can hear the powerful shouts from the training ground.
During a break in training, a young man in white directed a servant to come in, placed a tray aside, and said gently, "Everyone has worked hard in your cultivation. I've brewed some medicine to relieve fatigue and also to help restore your spiritual power. If you don't mind, you can use some."
The newcomer's features weren't particularly striking, but together they were quite pleasing to the eye. At that moment, his eyes were curved in a gentle smile, and he spoke softly, making one feel as if a gentle breeze had swept over them, relieving much of their fatigue.
Immediately, everyone stepped forward to express their gratitude.
"Thank you, Uncle Bai."
"Uncle Bai, you've worked hard."
"..."
"Thank you for troubling Uncle Bai again."
...
Bai Jinliu nodded to each disciple, responding to their greetings. He then said, "I've been recuperating from my injuries lately and have nothing to do but do these odd jobs." He added, "Don't feel that I'm disturbing your cultivation." The disciples naturally replied, "We wouldn't dare."
Even after everyone had received their share, there was still an extra bowl of herbal medicine, as if the person who brought it had prepared it just in case. This extra bowl had been coming up every time for days, and everyone had gotten used to it, only once again marveling at Uncle Bai's thoughtfulness and consideration.
But Bai Jinliu knew that was not the case.
His gaze swept across the far corner of the training ground, where a young man was holding a sword, eyes closed, seemingly resting without making a move. Bai Jinliu's eyes flickered, but in the end, he said nothing. He then directed his servants to leave in the same grand procession as when they arrived.
One of the disciples followed the surrounded figure into the distance and sighed, "Why didn't Uncle Bai stay a little longer?"
A fellow disciple nearby chuckled upon hearing this, "Stay and keep you company?"
The disciple who had spoken blushed deeply with embarrassment and hurriedly protested, "I... I didn't mean that!"
The fellow disciple laughed again, "You'd like to have that intention, but you'd probably get your legs broken by the patriarch."
The disciple who spoke first was clearly a very serious person, and he visibly tensed up after being told what was obviously a joke. However, the topic also attracted the attention of those around him, and the other disciples gathered around, each chiming in with their own comments, inadvertently helping him out of the awkward situation.
Although the Eastern Continent is mainly composed of cultivation families, these families are not entirely populated by members of the clan. Disciples from other families and guest elders are quite common. Furthermore, due to the great calamity that befell the Xiao family decades ago, the remaining members of the Xiao clan are mostly from distant branches. Therefore, there are currently more disciples from other families within the sect.
However, Bai Jinliu was clearly not among the disciples.
In fact, the Bai family, from which Bai Jinliu came, was one of the five families that conspired to exterminate the Xiao family decades ago.
However, because the Bai family was not the mastermind and was not deeply involved, with only a few disciples participating behind the family head's back, compared to the other four families that were purged, the Bai family was only dealt with lightly. After the current head of the Bai family brought the people involved back then to apologize, the matter was considered closed.
However, even so, it is extremely unusual for Bai Jinliu, a member of the Bai family, to enjoy the treatment of a guest elder in the Xiao family.
It was naturally "unusual" because the relationship between this young master of the Bai family and Xiao Hanzhou was extraordinary.
—If nothing unexpected happens, this "Uncle Bai" will be the future head of the family's Daoist partner.
There are also rumors that the Bai family was spared by Xiao Hanzhou because of Bai Jinliu's connection. The former can be considered to have benefited from the misfortune. Not only has the power of Tianhuan City not been greatly damaged, but they also no longer have to compete with the other four families whose ashes have been scattered. They have effortlessly become the second largest family in Tianhuan City, and their development momentum is even better than in previous years.
Bai Jinliu was clearly very popular in the Xiao family. Perhaps it was because he had eaten the food that the disciples had given him, but now that they had just used the spiritual medicine that the disciples had sent him, they naturally spoke highly of him, saying that Uncle Bai and the family head were a perfect match.
Someone else said, "If Uncle Bai is so good, I wonder when the patriarch will hold the Dao-completion ceremony and marry her?"
After these words were spoken, the conversation in the training ground paused briefly.
This was also what many disciples found strange. Although the rumors were quite lively, Xiao Hanzhou, as the head of the family, showed no intention of taking any action. If it weren't for Bai Jinliu's free access to the Xiao family and the obvious difference in Xiao Hanzhou's attitude towards him, the Xiao family disciples would have thought that the rumors circulating outside were just that—rumors.
It's strange, really. It was supposed to be their own family head's life-long event, but they heard all this news from outside.
The disciples looked at each other, all seeing the same confusion on each other's faces, and could only say, "The patriarch must have his own plans."
The conversation should have ended there, since whatever the patriarch's plans were, it was none of their business as disciples. But just as they were about to disperse, someone suddenly spoke up in a low voice, "I've heard some rumors, but I don't know if they're true or not."
The speaker was a stranger, seemingly a newly initiated handyman disciple. Because he had only been a disciple for a short time, no one in the sect knew him well. However, no one cared about this at the moment, and no one even paid attention to his later statement, "I don't know if it's true or not."
After all, cultivation is the most boring and tedious thing. You have to practice the same sword move thousands of times before you can even begin to understand it. Not everyone has such perseverance and willpower. Or even if they do have such willpower, it doesn't affect the torment of the process. At times like this, it would be best to have something to relieve the boredom.
As soon as the handyman disciple uttered these words, he immediately became the focus of everyone's attention, with people around him urging him to speak quickly.
The handyman disciple seemed unaccustomed to attracting so much attention, and couldn't help but shrink back, a hint of guilt in his eyes. But when his hand touched the hidden pouch at his waist, the touch of the high-grade spirit stone immediately calmed him down. Therefore, he only paused slightly before continuing, "I heard that when my family was scattered and living away from home in earlier years, they were rescued by someone and received a great deal of kindness from them."
None of the disciples in the training ground had heard of this matter. However, when Xiao Hanzhou escaped from the Xiao family's disaster, he was just a half-grown child. If no one had taken care of him, he would not have been able to grow up to the point where he could seek justice for the Xiao family later in life. This statement is not wrong.
The servant disciple said, "Our master is clear about right and wrong, and he always repays kindness."
Although the disciples listening nearby did not know how this matter had to do with the previously mentioned "forming a Daoist partner," they immediately responded upon hearing this, "Of course." "That's for sure."
Another person said, "Since he is the patriarch's benefactor, he is also the benefactor of our Xiao family. It is difficult to find help in times of need. This person helped the patriarch when he was in a lowly position, so we should do our best to repay him."
The disciples echoed the latter statement, but the servant disciple who had spoken first couldn't help but show a hesitant and embarrassed expression.
His attitude was so obvious that it was immediately obvious that something was wrong, and someone immediately asked, "But what's wrong with this 'benefactor'?"
The person asking the question was surnamed "Xiao". Judging from this surname, he was a member of the Xiao clan who had survived the disaster in his early years. In terms of kinship, he was actually quite distant from Xiao Hanzhou. However, since they were both named "Xiao", he still held a special position within the clan.
Sure enough, the handyman disciple immediately cupped his hands and complimented him, saying, "Senior Brother Xiao has discerning eyes."
It's unclear what this ability has to do with "eyes," but nobody cares about that right now. The handyman disciple also knows that when gossiping about this kind of thing, revealing only half the truth is the easiest way to get beaten up, so he didn't delay and immediately continued, "All of you senior brothers are upright and honest people, but you don't know that there are always people in this world who take advantage of kindness... That person was probably just casually dismissed back then, but unexpectedly, such an opportunity arose. Later, when the patriarch rose to prominence, that person immediately pestered him, demanding many benefits."
Upon hearing this, the disciple next to him immediately showed a hint of discomfort.
The kindness of helping someone in times of need is unforgettable, but when that kindness is used to seek revenge, it inevitably makes people uncomfortable.
However, since this person had helped the family head, they couldn't say much. They just thought it best to give this kind of person some benefits as soon as possible to settle the score and avoid any further entanglements.
Xiao Zhiyu, however, looked thoughtful and murmured, "That day when I went to see him, I saw the patriarch give the ten-thousand-year-old jade marrow along with a piece of warm jade to another person, and said something about 'gratitude'... I suppose this person is the one who came."
Immediately, a disciple nearby gasped in shock.
Millennia-old chalcedony!
This is an extraordinary treasure, even among the most prestigious and established families!
Although everyone present was a disciple of the Xiao family and considered themselves no less capable than others, the Xiao family was still relatively weak. Even without the massacre of the family back then, it was just a newly emerging family.
In short, no matter where it is placed, a treasure like millennium-old chalcedony is not something that can be given away casually.
It was just a small favor I casually gave him years ago, yet that person is demanding such an outrageous amount!
The disciples present exchanged glances, and finally one of them couldn't hold back any longer and angrily denounced, "Shameless!"
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