BAAF Chapter 119

Shen Liuxiang sorted through his memories. He had been to East Wilderness twice.

 

As a youth, his master had told him his destined love was in the East Wilderness area, and then… he had found a large black egg, was chased and bitten by various demon beasts, and fled everywhere with this troublesome destined love. Recalling the process, Shen Liuxiang couldn’t help but laugh.

 

The other time was several years later.

 

Not long after he had attained the position of Immortal Lord, he went to East Wilderness again. What Ming Tan described should have been from that time, which was also when he had an accident and was saved by Ye Bingran, after which he became infatuated with Sword Venerable Ye.

 

But Shen Liuxiang didn’t remember these events; that part of his memory was blank, as if erased by someone.

 

“The child I saved in East Wilderness was actually you,”

 

Shen Liuxiang covered the small black dragon with one hand to prevent others from seeing it, while lightly tapping its head with the other as it looked up at him. “Tell me quickly.”

 

“The Heavenly Dao wanted to kill me, Master saved…”

 

Just as he began speaking, the sky rumbled with a sudden clap of thunder. Zhou Xuanlan paused briefly and didn’t continue.

 

He tilted his head slightly, one hard little dragon horn nuzzling against Shen Liuxiang’s palm in a docile gesture, but the words he uttered were filled with killing intent: “Don’t worry, Master. This disciple will make everything that harmed you turn to ashes.”

 

Shen Liuxiang blinked, vaguely guessing something. His index finger rested on the small dragon horn, stroking along its elegant, flowing lines: “Will I be able to remember these things?”

 

Zhou Xuanlan, feeling somewhat hot from the stroking, resisted the urge to move his dragon horn away and said in a deep voice: “It’s better if Master doesn’t remember. They aren’t good memories.”

 

He had been saved by Master, who had hidden him away.

 

But what happened to Shen Liuxiang afterward, Zhou Xuanlan didn’t know and didn’t dare imagine. Just thinking about it made him feel like he had in his previous life, frantically searching every corner of the continent for Shen Liuxiang’s scattered primordial spirit, collecting it bit by bit-a feeling of heartache so intense it was hard to breathe.

 

“Not good memories?” Shen Liuxiang’s fingertip paused as it stroked the dragon horn, then he curved his lips in a smile. “If you’re in them, they’re good.”

 

Zhou Xuanlan was slightly stunned, then was stuffed back into the sleeve, his surroundings suddenly darkening.

 

Zhou Xuanlan poked his head out: “Master…”

 

“Shh,” Shen Liuxiang extended a finger, pushing the small head at his sleeve opening back inside. “Xu Xingchen is coming.”

 

Zhou Xuanlan: “…”

 

Xu Xingchen, with two people flanking him on either side, didn’t approach but looked from a distance toward Shen Liuxiang, his gaze moving from his face to his sleeve. He narrowed his eyes slightly, then snorted coldly and turned away.

 

The woman beside him on the left, Xu Ziling, exchanged a glance with her father, the head of the Xu family, both concealing their thoughts as they followed Xu Xingchen.

 

Guided by attendants, Shen Liuxiang went to his arranged quarters. Seeing the bed, he yawned and collapsed onto it, but as soon as his body touched the soft bedding, he was scooped up by a powerful arm.

 

Shen Liuxiang rested his forehead against Zhou Xuanlan’s shoulder, tapping it: “In your previous life, why did you suddenly collect my primordial spirit?”

 

According to the original story, Zhou Xuanlan should have hated him intensely.

 

“I found the other half of the dragon eggshell,” Zhou Xuanlan said softly. “There was something written by Master on it. Curious, I followed the clues and investigated, recovering my childhood memories and remembering how Master saved me back then.”

 

The dragon eggshell was extremely hard, and it was impossible for anyone to leave marks on it. Zhou Xuanlan knew clearly that for Shen Liuxiang to have written something on it, there was only one possibility-he had allowed it.

 

The Zhou Xuanlan of that time found it incredible and began to investigate.

 

Shen Liuxiang was surprised: “What did I write?”

 

Zhou Xuanlan’s tone carried a hint of amusement: “‘Gone,’ ‘Will come for you later,’ and also ‘Hand-slapping punishment,’ ‘Standing punishment’…”

 

Shen Liuxiang raised his voice: “Hand-slapping? Standing punishment? To you?”

 

From Ming Tan’s description, the child he saved was probably four or five years old. Imagining a five-year-old Zhou Xuanlan being punished to stand and having his hands slapped… Shen Liuxiang paused, then laughed unkindly: “You must have been disobedient, otherwise I wouldn’t have done that.”

 

Shen Liuxiang pondered, finding it increasingly plausible.

 

A young dragon who didn’t yet understand the world-who knew how rebellious and mischievous he might have been.

 

Zhou Xuanlan was silent for a moment, then cleared his throat and said: “My temper was indeed somewhat bad, but with Master, I was still very obedient.”

 

Shen Liuxiang raised his eyebrows, instinctively feeling these words were a lie. Most likely, that young dragon was not only disobedient but also untamed and quite cold. Unfortunately, he couldn’t remember, so he could only listen to Zhou Xuanlan beautify himself.

 

Shen Liuxiang shook his head, listening to Zhou Xuanlan tell some stories about their time in East Wilderness. Before long, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

 

After he fell asleep, Zhou Xuanlan got up and left the room.

 

Clouds obscured the moon, making the night sky dark. Below, Yingxue City, despite the late hour, was decorated with lanterns and colorful ornaments everywhere, extremely lively with revelers and Xu family members arranging tomorrow’s union ceremony.

 

In the darkness where lamplight couldn’t reach, Zhou Xuanlan pressed spirit stones into the ground.

 

Xu Xingchen arrived and, seeing this, said: “Is this formation secure? Don’t let anyone escape tomorrow.”

 

Zhou Xuanlan changed position and pressed down another spirit stone: “More secure than your barrier.”

 

Xu Xingchen sneered, about to retort, when fireworks erupted in the city, shooting into the sky with continuous bangs.

 

Shen Liuxiang was forcibly awakened by the noise. He reached out to feel beside him, but it was empty; he didn’t know where Zhou Xuanlan had gone. He got out of bed, put on a piece of clothing, rubbed his eyes, and walked outside.

 

In the sky outside, brilliant fireworks bloomed over the entire city. Many people in the villa had not yet retired, leaning against railings to enjoy the spectacle.

 

Shen Liuxiang wandered around but didn’t see Zhou Xuanlan. Just as he was about to return, a familiar voice sounded from behind him, soft and pleasant: “I am the master of Po Qiong Chamber. The beauty ahead… how should I address you, fellow Daoist?”

 

As the words fell, footsteps approached.

 

Shen Liuxiang raised an eyebrow. This voice-was it Su Baiche?!

 

Su Baiche wore brocade clothes and a jade crown, holding a wine pot. His mind was still clear, with only a hint of drunkenness.

 

He narrowed his eyes, staring at the swaying figure ahead. The person had waist-length black hair flowing loosely, a slender figure, and jade-white hands hanging at their sides. With his years of experience, this must be a great beauty.

 

Perhaps he could take them to his room…

 

But just as he was planning in his mind, the person ahead turned around.

 

Su Baiche was startled as he met a pair of phoenix eyes. His mouth fell open, all traces of intoxication gone.

 

Damn… Shen Liuxiang?!

 

Since escaping from Zhuyan, Su Baiche was no longer threatened by Tong Xi. He had changed his appearance, promptly avoiding the sight of Ling Ye and others, established a commercial chamber, and lived a carefree, joyful life.

 

The only heartache was that the beautiful concubines in his courtyard could only be looked at, not touched.

 

Tong Xi, with a determination for mutual destruction, had stopped him time and again, but Su Baiche continued to expand his back courtyard, planning for the future, just waiting to kill this system that was useless to him and only knew how to give verbal commands, to be completely liberated.

 

However, over these years, he had tried many methods but couldn’t harm Tong Xi in the slightest.

 

Po Qiong Chamber was now a famous commercial chamber on the continent. When the Xu family sent an invitation, Su Baiche came. During the day, he had made many acquaintances; at night, with beauties in his arms, he drank a bit too much, but due to Tong Xi’s threats, he had to push away the beauty in his arms and return to his room alone with a slight drunkenness.

 

On the way, he happened to glance up and see a figure in the corridor, instinctively thinking it was a great beauty. He approached, hoping for a beautiful encounter, but unexpectedly, it was like being doused with cold water in the middle of the night.

 

Su Baiche cautiously stepped back, first looking around to see if anyone else was present, and only then did he breathe a slight sigh of relief.

 

Not long after Shen Liuxiang’s death, several groups of people had been secretly watching him. Su Baiche hadn’t noticed at first; it was Tong Xi who repeatedly shouted.

 

“The Sword Venerable is lurking, he must still have feelings for you, quickly do as I say!”

 

“Ling Ye has sent people, they must be coming to pick you up, prepare quickly!”

 

“Even Emperor Xingchen has sent people… I know, he must have fallen in love with your portrait at first sight!!”

 

“Ahhh! It’s Zhou Xuanlan! He’s watching you with his divine consciousness, here’s your chance, quickly approach!”

 

Hearing these, Su Baiche only felt a chill in his heart, cursing Tong Xi in his mind while pretending not to notice the figures in the shadows, quietly going about his business.

 

What feelings? Hadn’t he noticed that all visitors were hostile?!

 

He had no doubt that if he did as Tong Xi said, he would be delivering his head!

 

During that period, Su Baiche couldn’t even sleep well, even suspecting these people had guessed something was wrong with him or had discovered Tong Xi. Fortunately, not long after, he heard Tong Xi cursing in anger, and those watching him all withdrew.

 

After so many years, Su Baiche still felt lingering fear. Now, seeing Shen Liuxiang and remembering Zhou Xuanlan and others, he reflexively became vigilant.

 

Shen Liuxiang narrowed his eyes, looking at the unfamiliar face after the disguise: “Su Baiche?”

 

He stepped forward, but Su Baiche’s face suddenly changed dramatically, and he ran away in a flash, leaving behind a panicked silhouette.

 

“?”

 

While Shen Liuxiang was puzzled, he heard someone call “Master” and turned around to see Zhou Xuanlan had arrived.

 

Finally seeing a shadow of the mission target again, Tong Xi excitedly informed, but in the next moment was so angered by Su Baiche’s actions that he could barely speak clearly, “Why are you running what are you running from if you had listened to me you would have completed the mission long ago!”

 

“You still haven’t given up on that garbage mission,”

 

Su Baiche caught his breath. Although he was at the Soul Formation realm, compared to Zhou Xuanlan and others, there was still a huge gap in cultivation, and before he had the ability to protect himself, he would avoid these people if he could.

 

Hearing Tong Xi’s clamor now, he said impatiently: “You only know how to shout verbally, truly useless. If I hadn’t planned for myself, I fear someone would have held a knife over my head, and you couldn’t have saved me.”

 

“If you had listened to me earlier, who would dare to hold a knife over your head? You’re bringing this suffering on yourself and dragging me down too!”

 

Tong Xi sneered, “Besides, I have powerful abilities, it’s just not convenient to use them.”

 

Su Baiche said: “Hasn’t Di Yunyu ascended? Who else could discover you? I see you value your life even more than I do! Coward!”

 

Hearing his mockery, Tong Xi didn’t counter. Although Di Yunyu had left, if he were to use his powers, there were still people on this continent who could detect him. Not completing the mission would trap him here, but if he were caught, he might lose his life.

 

Su Baiche observed his long silence, his eyes flickering slightly.

 

Tong Xi had once said that even if he died, Su Baiche wouldn’t die, just be trapped on this continent. And even if someone sensed his existence, they would have no way to deal with his ethereal presence.

 

But he was never willing to use his powers, fearing being caught. Could it be that he would reveal a weakness then?

 

Su Baiche contemplated in his heart, thinking he needed to find a way to lure Tong Xi into action to test this, perhaps obtaining a method to solve his problem.

 

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T/N : apologies for the delay!

 (advanced chapters available on kofi)