Chapter 13: Yunhai Brings Opportunity (13)
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The next day, Bai Chunsheng woke up feeling refreshed. All around him was still and quiet, and he didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary, except for a slight increase in pain from his wound.
There hadn’t been any disturbances from external enemies last night, which was truly a stroke of luck. There was a faint sweet scent lingering in the air, and Bai Chunsheng stretched his neck to sniff it, but couldn’t identify what it was. He jumped down from the tree stump and transformed back into his human form.
Clad in a spotless white silk daoist robe, with ethereal crane patterns embroidered on both sides, Bai Chunsheng looked immaculate. He retrieved a bronze mirror and a small comb from his storage bag, tidied his hair crown, and adjusted his sleeves, ensuring his appearance was proper.
After completing these preparations, Bai Chunsheng sighed deeply.
He had a nightmare last night, but this time it had nothing to do with Yan Jingqiu.
Bai Chunsheng dreamed that he was captured by the blurry-faced King of the Water Abyss Realm, then imprisoned in the Water Abyss Dungeon, enduring the torture of the scorching flames for nearly ten thousand years until his life force was exhausted, turning into a pile of yellow soil. Just the thought of it sent shivers down his spine.
The current King of the Water Abyss Realm, should be the former seventeenth prince of the Dragon Clan, Bo Yan. With numerous descendants of the Dragon Clan scattered throughout various spirit realms and secret realms, many small worlds also had the presence of descendants of the Dragon Clan.
Their royal lineage doesn’t necessarily mean they are all descendants of the current Dragon King, and their sequence numbers don’t indicate their age or seniority, but rather refer to their ranking based on the purity of their bloodline.
The purer the bloodline of a dragon, the higher their sequence number.
For this seventeenth prince, considering his sequence number alone, it’s quite remarkable for him to ascend to the position of Dragon King.
There are rumors that he is a half-demon of mixed human and dragon blood, with a mysterious origin, appearing suddenly out of nowhere.
He rarely acts personally, with the only documented instance being over two hundred years ago. He once engaged in a duel with the wandering immortal Fang Yao from the Eastern Sea. Fang Yao, who was at the mid-stage of the Great Attainment, was defeated and fled, only to later succumb to an incurable illness.
It is said that Bo Yan is a practitioner of the musical arts, skilled and elusive. Falling into his hands, one wouldn’t even know how they met their demise.
Since he has a record of engaging with a mid-stage Mahayana stage practitioner, it’s evident that this individual possesses formidable power. As one ascends the cultivation stages, the number of top-tier practitioners becomes increasingly scarce. In the realm of cultivation, there are only a few names that stand out.
With Bai Jianghan gone, it’s likely that this person will inherit the title of the foremost under the Heaven’s Tribulation.
Bai Chunsheng doesn’t recall ever offending this individual, but disputes over interests are beyond his control. He distinctly remembers that Shen Yuying was ordered by Bo Yan to capture him.
Having slept through the night, Bai Chunsheng had let go of the anger he felt the night before. After careful consideration and a night of reflection, he decided to go and find Yan Yi. He had not only calmed down but also, with the footsteps of reality pressing closer, he had come to a realization. Though pride was valuable, at present, if he wanted to break free from his predicament, he truly couldn’t do it without Yan Yi.
However, this time, he came prepared.
Bai Chunsheng had grown up under the protection of Bai Jianghan, and being unreasonable was something he was accustomed to. But with Bai Jianghan gone, it was time for him to grow up on his own. The obstacles he faced at Yan Yi’s place yesterday could be considered the tuition he paid.
He had misjudged the situation. There were no free lunches in the world. From Yan Yi’s perspective, Bai Chunsheng was severely injured and being pursued by a large number of enemies. Merely relying on a seemingly useless bracelet, Bai Chunsheng hoped to leverage Yan Yi’s forgotten favor to morally coerce him into assisting his escape. Such a good deal simply didn’t exist.
Even if Yan Yi lent his assistance, he would gain nothing from Bai Chunsheng. He would only be further entangled in the pursuit, and perhaps even end up on the radar of individuals like Bo Yan. Yan Yi didn’t even know he was the Sword Sovereign, let alone his current cultivation had fallen to the Nascent Soul stage, the weakest phase.
There was always the possibility of losing his life with one wrong move, so why should Yan Yi risk his life for Bai Chunsheng?
Bai Chunsheng pondered for a long time. What leverage did he have to make Yan Yi willingly help him?
Was it the secret treasures left by his grandmother?
The fact that Bai Chunsheng could even leave the Ten Thousand Demons Sect was already an extreme coincidence. He hadn’t brought much with him, and now that the sect was occupied by the Dragon Clan from the Water Abyss Realm, those items probably had already fallen into the hands of Bo Yan.
The scrolls of techniques that Bai Chunsheng currently remembers?
Probably not. Yan Yi inherited the heritage of the number one sword family in the Middle Realm, and even if he has amnesia now, he probably wouldn’t value those things.
…
After much thought, Bai Chunsheng did think of one thing.
The bloodline inheritance of the White Phoenix Clan.
The history of the White Phoenix Clan is long-standing, and although only Bai Chunsheng remains of the bloodline today, its heritage is highly coveted. Countless lost legacies and rare bloodline abilities accumulated over the ages are meticulously preserved, waiting for the day they can shine brightly once again from the dusty pages of history.
“If I die, the White Phoenix Clan will be completely lost. What use are these artifacts then?!” Bai Chunsheng thought to himself.
However, these items are not currently in Bai Chunsheng’s possession. He has only inherited a partial part of this legacy, and the rest awaits awakening until he advances to the Mahayana stage. If Yan Yi is interested, Bai Chunsheng can relay the part that interests him.
Whether this will move Yan Yi or not, Bai Chunsheng is anxious.
But this is already the best thing Bai Chunsheng can offer at the moment. Furthermore, he doesn’t intend for Yan Yi to wait for him to reach the Mahayana stage, as it would take too long and the benefits for Yan Yi would be too low. He knows Yan Yi would never accept that. Bai Chunsheng wants Yan Yi to shelter him until he fully recovers, and then he will take Yan Yi to the old territory of the White Phoenix Clan, the Wutong Tree Sea.
Bai Jianghan once said that if one day her Dao were to fade away and she were to die, her soul would also follow the mountain wind blowing south along the White Bone Mountains, back to this forested sea.
This forested sea is hidden within the territory of the Chen family in the southern region, but it is not under their control. They don’t even know where the entrance to the forested sea is.
Bai Chunsheng’s father was the second son of the main line of the Chen family, but he unfortunately passed away a long time ago in the continuous battles of the past years.
Bai Chunsheng occasionally went back a few times with his grandmother, and the people of the Chen family treated them with great respect.
The head of the Chen family knelt down multiple times, sincerely expressing their willingness to guard the entrance to the forested sea for Bai Jianghan, considering it the greatest honor for their clan.
Bai Jianghan had instructed Bai Chunsheng that most of the treasures and legacies of the White Phoenix clan were preserved in the forested sea and should not be accessed by outsiders. However, given the current circumstances, there seemed to be no other choice.
If Yan Yi was not satisfied with waiting for him to reach the Mahayana stage, Bai Chunsheng could take him to the Wutong Tree Sea and allow him to freely choose three treasures from the treasure trove.
However, the journey was long, and they would have to deal with external enemies from the Ten Thousand Demon Sect and the Water Abyss Realm. Yan Jingqiu had always been indifferent to joy and anger, and Yan Yi might not be any different. It would likely be difficult to negotiate with him.
He might not even be willing to accept such elusive conditions.
However, even so, Bai Chunsheng still wanted to give it a try. He would use the limited resources he had at hand and the prospects of the future as bargaining chips to negotiate with Yan Yi, persuading him to protect him on the way to the Wutong Tree Sea in the Southern Domain.
Bai Chunsheng prepared himself for rejection, mustered up his courage, and followed the route from his memory back to Chang Hen River. Yan Yi’s black-covered boat was still in its original position, with Yan Yi sitting at the bow in a dark green raincoat, fishing with a slightly grim expression.
The fish bucket beside him was empty, which was expected because he had extinguished all life in this area last night. It would have been strange if he could catch any fish.
Yan Yi hadn’t forgotten about that incident.
So, dressed like this, he sat here not to fish but to catch Bai Chunsheng.
Yan Yi thought for a moment and estimated that it would take Bai Chunsheng about ten days to come and find him. Sitting here so many days in advance was mainly to prevent Bai Chunsheng from seeing him when he passed by. Yan Yi wanted to establish an image of indifference and tranquility, showing that he was indeed reliable.
Bai Chunsheng didn’t find it strange to see Yan Yi sitting there fishing, although he felt that with Yan Yi’s cultivation and abilities, it might be more efficient to directly capture the fish.
But who knew? Yan Yi was always unpredictable, and losing his memory might have made him even more erratic.
If he enjoys thankless tasks, then that’s perfect. Bai Chunsheng now has a very thankless task he wants to brazenly hand over to him.
Bai Chunsheng strolled on the water’s surface, stopping about five steps away from the bow of the boat. With his hands in his pockets, he anxiously waited for Yan Yi to speak first.
Yan Yi watched as Bai Chunsheng approached, feeling somewhat surprised; he had arrived much earlier than expected. But this was probably a good thing for him, saving him the effort of constantly keeping an eye on this demon cultivator. Yan Yi suppressed his surprise, furrowing his brow and adopting an impatient tone as he asked, “What are you here for?”
Bai Chunsheng forced himself to say, “I, I need to talk to you about something.”
He felt extremely embarrassed to speak up, stumbling over his words and turning red in the face. “I, I want to ask you to escort me back to the old territory of the White Phoenix Clan. As for the reward, you can inherit part of the bloodline legacy with me, or, or you can choose any three treasures from the treasury…” This was Bai Chunsheng’s first time asking for help, and as soon as he spoke, he became so nervous that he forgot the carefully prepared words. He even mistakenly said “inherit the bloodline legacy together” instead of “tell Yan Yi part of the inheritance,” and as for the matter of the treasures, he didn’t even mention it properly.
Bai Chunsheng felt somewhat frustrated with himself.
Yan Yi remained silent, causing Bai Chunsheng to think that the whole thing had fallen through. He was considering whether to squeeze out a few tears to appear pitiful. Then, he saw Yan Yi’s gaze drifting lightly over him. Yan Yi’s eyes were extremely deep in color, yet remarkably bright.
In truth, Yan Yi didn’t care about any inheritance or celestial realms; he never cared about material possessions. However, a thought crossed his mind. He remembered how strict the inheritance rules were for the demon clan, where only blood descendants or close companions could inherit. Almost immediately, Yan Yi thought of the intertwined lotus engraved on the silver bracelet. He almost blurted out, “What exactly is our relationship?”
Last night, Yan Yi tossed and turned, pondering over this matter.
Thinking about Bai Chunsheng, Yan Yi felt that it was somewhat improbable, yet at the same time, it seemed somewhat possible.
However, as Yan Yi carefully examined Bai Chunsheng’s expression and found his sincerity without any hint of deception, he began to think that as the last descendant, Bai Chunsheng might have other ways to fulfill his request. It was possible, after all.
If he were to ask directly and it turned out otherwise, perhaps their relationship would start to sour from that point on.
Upon considering this, Yan Yi suppressed the urge to press for answers.
Bai Chunsheng was startled by Yan Yi’s gaze, feeling inclined to step back, but he heard Yan Yi calmly say, “Sure.”
Bai Chunsheng instinctively responded, “If it’s not possible, that’s fine too, but can we discuss it further? You can think about what you want, and I’ll see if I can agree to it…”
“Huh?” Bai Chunsheng belatedly realized that Yan Yi had said “Sure,” and he immediately raised his voice, “You said yes?”
Yan Yi turned his head slightly towards Bai Chunsheng, who exclaimed in surprise, “Really?”
Yan Yi affirmed, “Really.”
Bai Chunsheng couldn’t believe that Yan Jingqiu had become so easy to talk to after losing his memory. It was like a complete transformation compared to before. They were clearly the same person, so how could there be such a drastic difference?
It was as if the heavens had taken pity on Bai Chunsheng’s misfortune and specifically caused Yan Jingqiu to lose his memory, providing him with precisely targeted assistance.
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