From the silhouette of her back, one would be inclined to think of her as a weak lady who loved nature. Yet, the lethal battles etched her figure deep within Qianye’s heart. He could recognize Bai Aotu from any direction or angle.
Currently, this lady was shrouded in an aura of gentle elegance, almost as though she weren’t of this mortal world. It was a stark contrast to her usual murderous state. Even Qianye had to look carefully to make sure he hadn’t mistaken her.
Bai Aotu turned to the side somewhat. “Is it Qianye?”
“It is I.”
She stood up and faced the two with a smile. “I’d never have expected that both of you would come. I hope no one caused trouble for you along the way.”
Song Zining replied, “Who would be so blind to cause trouble when we’re using your car.”
Bai Aotu replied, “The elders can’t bring themselves to attack, and the others can’t beat you. Who would dare?”
Song Zining laughed. “Actually, those grandpas and uncles of yours can’t do much to me, either. They’ll find it even harder to beat Qianye now. So, it’s best that we all remain in peace.”
“Can’t beat Qianye? The Bai family has indeed declined somewhat, but not to the point where… Eh?!” Bai Aotu turned to Qianye in shock. “You’re already a divine champion?”
Qianye had to admire Bai Aotu’s sharpness. She was relying purely on her instincts at the moment. In terms of perception, no one under the heavenly monarch realm would see through his Bloodline Concealment.
Qianye nodded. He soon discovered that, despite looking at him, her focus was slightly off. This would never happen in an expert at this level.
Qianye was moved as he recalled Whitetown. “Your eyes?”
“The injury back then was too serious, they never recovered afterward.” Bai Aotu spoke as though she were talking about something unimportant. “I can’t see anymore.”
“How can that be? Does the Bai Clan have no way to treat you?”
“Of course they do, but it’s not worth treating a cripple.”
Qianye said nothing as he glanced at Bai Aotu with the Eye of Control. The latter sensed his probe but, apart from a slight frown, did nothing to resist to hide.
Qianye was shocked. Bai Aotu’s origin cultivation was barely hanging onto rank sixteen. Her origin vortices were dispersed and unable to take form. At this rate, she would lose all hope of reaching the divine champion realm.
Rank sixteen would make her a powerful expert anywhere in the world, but it was not enough to occupy a core position among the major clans. Back then, she was considered a certain candidate to reach the divine champion realm. She was bold and decisive, racking up impressive accomplishments in battle and also making a fair number of enemies within. There were more than a few people who disliked her way of doing things.
Qianye never expected that her injuries would be so serious. Although she had managed to remain at rank sixteen, she was only a thin line away from having her foundations destroyed. She wouldn't have been so badly wounded if she hadn’t charged into Whitetown alone and stood to the bitter end with Qianye and Zhao Jundu.
Qianye didn’t know what he should say. He said only after a while, “You… didn’t need to suffer this fate.”
Bai Aotu replied calmly, “I shan’t cower, though the righteous cause may be difficult. Since I have the power to charge in, how could I watch you guys fall to the dark race siege?”
With that, she smiled. “Actually, I just wanted to duke it out with Zhao Jundu. If he died there, I wouldn’t be able to.” She clearly wasn’t good at jokes, but the other two had no choice but to laugh along a bit.
Qianye was filled with myriad emotions as he looked on at the current Bai Aotu, the enmity from before gone with the wind. If it wasn’t for her, they might not have held out until the end. But for a genius of the generation to fall to such a state, how could it be merely described as miserable?
Qianye recalled her words from just now. “You said there are ways to treat your eyes, what is it? How much will it cost?”
“What, are you planning to pay for it?” Bai Aotu laughed.
“I’ll help as much as I can, there’ll always be a way to solve the problem.” Qianye was now the ruler of the vast Jade Sea and great corridor, not to mention the treasure trove that was Eastern Sun Island. The treatment might cost astronomical numbers, but the money could be accumulated over the years. Qianye felt that it wasn’t impossible as long as the treatment did not involve rare materials that could only be obtained through fortuitous encounters.
“Thank you, but I’ve already gone past the best time for treatment. It’s already too late now.”
Qianye’s heart froze upon hearing this. Apparently, the decision to not treat her was intentional! He shot to his feet and said in a harsh voice, “Is the Bai clan going to watch with folded arms?”
Bao Aotu laughed. “Even I’m not worried about it, why would you?” With that, she sighed, “I now understand why so many people like you and are willing to follow you.”
After a pause, she picked up the teacup and took a small sip. “I was able to calm down after going blind, and think about things I never thought about before. I’ve gotten used to the calm, it’s really not so bad. With the mind at peace, I might be able to try out some other cultivation arts that I couldn’t train before. At least I won’t lag behind too much.”
She laughed self-deprecatingly, saying, “With all that I have done in the past, this is already a pretty good outcome. What’s there to complain about?”
Qianye wanted to say something, but Song Zining pulled him to the side with a meaningful glance.
The seventh young master placed a box on the table, saying, “This secret art is something I found from the Song clan’s depository. It suits your current state very well, so I made a copy for you. When you have time, take a look… have someone read it to you for reference.”
Bai Aotu didn’t take the gift. “Our great Bai clan has its own set of inherited cultivation arts. I’m sure I can find something suitable if I take my time. There’s no need to accept a favor from the Song clan.”
Song Zining said, “This cultivation art isn’t our Song clan’s art. I have no idea where my ancestors got it from, but it’s been sitting there collecting dust because no one can cultivate it. That is until this perceptive young master dug it out. Ignoring everything else, just the name ‘Snow White Chapters’ suits you very well.”
Song Zining’s power of speech left Qianye speechless. The latter part of his speech extinguished most of Qianye’s righteous indignation. Snow White Chapters did not sound like a cultivation art at all. It sounded more like a collection of unpopular novels, a complete conflict with Bao Aotu’s vigor. Just the sound of it felt unreliable.
Yet Song Zining’s speech and expression reminded Qianye of the time when he had brought the Song Clan Ancient Scroll. Perhaps, there was some big secret hidden within the Snow White Chapters. If that really was the case, then who knew how many treasures were hidden within the Song clan’s depository? Just how did their ancestors collect so many mysterious arts and tomes?
Since Song Zining had pushed the Song clan away from this matter, Bai Aotu had no reason to refuse the gift. “Very well, I’ll accept this then.”
The two left after saying their farewells and drove toward the airship port. Although they had forgotten their past differences with Bai Aotu, there were still a lot of enemies in the Bai clan. It would be wise to leave quickly, lest problems arise.
On the car, Song Zining said, “If it wasn’t for Bai Longjia holding the line, she might not even have that courtyard left.”
“Is the Bai clan so snobbish? How can they abandon a rank-sixteen expert just like that?”
“Don’t forget that she can’t see anymore. Even a champion might beat her in a fight.”
Qianye shook his head. “Impossible! I noticed that her aura is stable and strong, even more so than before. The impurities might stop her from advancing in the near future, but her state of mind is growing stronger than before. Once she overcomes the blindness, no ordinary person will be her match.”
“That’s not how others see it. Those who cannot see are crippled.”
As the wielder of the Eye of Control, Qianye naturally understood that perception couldn’t replace eyesight. He could only sigh after hearing Song Zining’s words, feeling unresigned still. “She did so much for the clan but was tossed away once she was injured?”
“Do you not know the style of the four major clans?”
“What style?” Qianye was puzzled.
“The Zhang clan is unmovable like the mountains, the Zhao clan is solitary and exceptional, the Song clan is lenient and humane, while the Bai clan is warlike and ruthless. The Bai and Song are like two extremes. The Song clan’s internal teachings revere using the pen as a weapon, and disdain martial power, while the Bai clan is the exact opposite. They are a clan where the strong devour the weak. The strong must remain strong. If they become weak, they deserve to die. That’s why their treatment of Bai Aotu can be considered quite good already.”
Qianye felt a sense of unfairness in his chest. “This applies even to subjects who have done great service?”
Song Zining replied, “That is their family matter, not something we can interfere in.” He paused for a bit. “Just like the Song clan’s elder assembly.”
Qianye went silent. The Song clan did not discriminate between their descendants, but there was no one left in the last three generations to uphold the clan and it had now fallen to the verge of being demoted. The Bai clan on the other hand refused to waste resources on useless descendants. It was easy for bystanders to criticize this way of doing things, but who was to say they were right or wrong?
It was at this time that the jeep came to a stop. The driver turned back and said, “Someone is blocking the way.”
Song Zining looked up to see a group of furious young men blocking the road. Qianye’s gaze, on the other hand, landed on some elders playing chess under a distant tree.
“You stay here, I’ll handle this.” With that, Song Zining disembarked.
A tall young man stepped out from the crowd. Standing half a head taller than Song Zining, he looked down at the latter with a sinister smile. “Song Zining! How dare you come to Frozen Jade Manor!”
Song Zining replied with a smile, “I came to see old friends, is something the matter?”
“Still acting stubborn! Don’t tell me you don’t know how many of our Bai clan brothers died because of you. You dare come to our clan and hope to leave in one piece? Now, you don’t even have the Song clan to support you anymore!”
Another young man stepped forward with a laugh. “There’s someone else in the car, right? Why are you hiding? Our Bai clan isn’t a savage place like the Evernight Continent. We won’t take your life, we’ll beat you half-dead at most. Are you so afraid?”
Qianye was feeling frustrated, to begin with. He didn’t get out of the car because he knew these youngsters could do nothing to Song Zining. Now that he was being called out, he opened the door and got off with a dark expression. “I’m here. Who wants to beat me half dead? Come!”
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