Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Qiu Baili’s Departure
Editor: Exodus Tales
They could travel much faster than before due to the dragon eagles. Within half a day, they had already traveled thousands of miles.
Qiu Baili did not plan to stop when they did but to continue ahead.
He needed to return to the Hidden Sword Sect soon, so he intended to bring Zhou Xuanji and Little Jiang Xue to a safe place.
This was all he could do for them. The future will be in their own hands.
They traveled for seven consecutive days.
They circled around to Gulan Forest, which was on the other side of the Southern Snow Kingdom.
Gulan Forest was the most prominent mountain range in the peripheral of the Southern Snow Kingdom. There were countless demons, and it was a training ground for many cultivators.
They landed in a valley that was covered by mountain ranges in three directions. They were covered above by a thick canopy, so no one could spy on them from above. The entrance to the valley was quite narrow and was covered with a dense fog, so no one could observe the situation within the valley.
At the entrance, there was a stele. On the stele, there were nine stone pieces in the shape of a half-moon.
Qiu Baili led Zhou Xuanji and Little Jiang Xue toward it. Standing in front of the stele, he instructed them, "I have put protections in the valley. Intruders will be attacked by miasma, and their bodies will be paralyzed. Weak cultivators will die on the spot. Therefore, you must remember the sequence of the switch."
Zhou Xuanji nodded and said, "Let's begin. I can remember everything I see."
Qiu Baili started immediately. He moved all nine stone switches, though the direction and curves were all different. For every switch he moved, he would pause for a moment to let Zhou Xuanji and Little Jiang Xue remember.
Once the energy mechanism was opened, the miasma at the entrance of the valley dissipated quickly.
Zhou Xuanji moved over and tried the mechanism a few times, watching the miasma come back and dissipate again.
He suddenly thought of a question, a very important question.
"Will we use up the miasma?"
Qiu Baili rubbed his head and answered him with a smile, "Don't worry, the miasma comes from within the mountain. I have planted many types of unique herbs, which will be enough for hundreds of years of usage. Based on your characters, I'm sure you will be out of here within twenty years."
Zhou Xuanji heard him and was relieved.
He activated the mechanism again and held Little Jiang Xue's hand and led her inside.
After they circled the pathway at the entrance, they saw a new part of the mechanism.
Based on his calculation, the path the mechanism affected was thirty meters long. There were many demon corpses accumulated along the way.
The space on the inside of the valley was much more open. There was a building, and before the building was a lake. The lake water so clear that one could see through to the bottom. There were small fish swimming in the water, and the mountain walls were full of algae and other types of plants, which made it feel somewhat like a paradise.
"Wahh!"
Little Jiang Xue cried in surprise. She pulled Zhou Xuanji along and ran over immediately.
Ah Big and Small Er started to play catch as well.
Qiu Baili stroked his long beard, and laughed with pride, "Back then, I spent a month tidying up this place."
However, Zhou Xuanji and Little Jiang Xue did not hear him. They were already wandering around.
Ever cautious, he began to inspect the entire valley, just in case some powerful demons or venomous insects were hiding.
Fortunately, there wasn't any hidden danger in the valley.
Now, they could finally settle down.
At night, they could see the moon and stars through the gaps between the tree leaves. Even though they had no oil lamp, the moonlight could light up the valley.
Zhou Xuanji constructed a swing, on which he and Little Jiang Xue sat and swung on as they looked into the night sky.
"This place is good. I hope we don't need to be on the run again."
Little Jiang Xue hugged Zhou Xuanji and chuckled. Zhou Xuanji was very uncomfortable and he felt like he was being squeezed to death. However, Little Jiang Xue was not willing to let go, and naturally, he did not want to force his way out.
He was too strong, and there was no way Little Jiang Xue could withstand his strength.
This girl is overly-attached to him.
She thought he was her toy!
Zhou Xuanji twisted his upper body and changed to a comfortable position, and then said, "Wait until I'm grown up, I will bring you to human cities and we'll live in a big house."
He had already become a Foundation Building cultivator, so he could have a comfortable life in any empire.
However, he had to wait for a few more years. He could venture out only after the Empress was convinced that he died.
It had only been four years, which was a very short amount of time for the Great Zhou Empire.
"This place is not bad either."
Little Jiang Xue mumbled in a low voice.
Ever since she met Shen Hua and the Yellow Gust Seventeen Fiends, she felt that humans were more terrifying than demons.
Zhou Xuanji comforted her, saying, "Don't worry. Even if we go back in the future, no one will dare to bully us!"
A little further away, Qiu Baili was sitting on a tree beside the lake and cultivating. His brows slightly knitted.
He heard a glimmer of killing intent in Zhou Xuanji's tone.
Who does this kid want to kill?
He was unsure whether it is a blessing or a misfortune for him to harbor a desire for vengeance in his heart at such a young age.
Qiu Baili was a little worried. He even had a premonition that the world would change because of Zhou Xuanji.
During the two months that followed, Zhou Xuanji brought Little Jiang Xue out for adventure every day, to allow Little Jiang Xue to try battling.
At night, Qiu Baili would teach Little Jiang Xue some simple spells, such as Fireball, Water Propelling, Wind Summoning, and so on.
Soon, Little Jiang Xue broke through to the fifth level of Qi Nurturing.
Zhou Xuanji did not have a breakthrough, but his strength had increased significantly. According to Qiu Baili's estimation, the little monster's strength had reached a thousand and seven hundred pounds. If he were to activate the Golden Body Incantation, his strength would increase even further.
Today, Qiu Baili was preparing to leave.
At the entrance to the valley, Zhou Xuanji asked him, "Why are you leaving earlier than you said you would?"
Qiu Baili stroked his long beard and smiled. He was dressed in a white robe, as though he was an immortal that had already attained mastery in the Way. He looked at him and said, "If I don't leave, how can you be fully focused on your cultivation?"
Zhou Xuanji grinned and did not reply to him.
With Qiu Baili around, it was not a good idea for him to take out all his legendary swords.
One must keep their trump cards hidden.
"I have already told you all that I need to, so I will not nag anymore. Just one thing."
Qiu Baili rubbed Little Jiang Xue's head, and his face appeared benevolent. He turned his gaze to Zhou Xuanji and said, "You must stay vigilant."
After he said that, he turned and left.
A sword flew out from his sleeves and revolved around his body until it stopped in front of him. He leaped and landed on the sword with ease.
"Zhou Xuanji, I hope that when we meet next, your name will have already shaken the world. Don't tell others about our relationship."
Shwoooosh --
Qiu Baili left, flying on his sword and quickly disappearing into the deep parts of the forest.
Little Jiang Xue's eyes were red with tears that trickled down.
Zhou Xuanji also felt like his eyes were itching. This old guy was quite a nice person.
He understood what Qiu Baili meant by his last sentence. He did not say that because he disliked Zhou Xuanji.
He was worried that he would become a barrier to Zhou him.
Zhou Xuanji had no parents, and he only had Little Jiang Xue with him. Qiu Baili knew that he will be extraordinary in the future. He did not wish to become one of his weaknesses.
Zhou Xuanji heaved a long sigh and switched the mechanism. The miasma came back again.
"Woooo--"
At a distance, Ah Big spread its wing and cried, with Small Er following behind it.
Zhou Xuanji nudged Little Jiang Xue with his shoulder and said with a smile, "Sister, let's go. I want to eat roasted rabbit tonight!"
Little Jiang Xue tears turned into laughter. She rolled her eyes at Zhou Xuanji and replied, "Rabbits are so cute, which means roasted ones do not taste good, let's cook rabbit soup instead."
"No, do what I say!"
Zhou Xuanji said with a wide grin. His hand moved, and the Frost Wave Sword appeared before him. He leaped and landed on the Frost Wave Sword, then reached out to Little Jiang Xue.
Little Jiang Xue pouted and looked reluctant, but she still reached out with her hand.
Give me your hand, and follow me to the ends of the world.
-- Gift
received