Chapter 54: Passing Through the Official Road (Part 5)
“I never had it before? Never had what?” Yan Yi asked.
Realizing he had misspoken, Bai Chunsheng quickly changed the subject. “Nothing.”
“So what do we do now?” Bai Chunsheng asked, shifting the conversation away.
Yan Yi stood up and, in one swift motion, picked up Bai Chunsheng, who had been lying on his lap. “We go outside and see what they’re up to.”
One of the rogue cultivators in the carriage noticed Yan Yi’s movement and asked in confusion, “What is it? Did you find a way out?”
Yan Yi said, “I’m stepping out.”
Imitating Jiang Ji, he gathered the mist and used a minor transformation spell to create a small lantern, infusing its wick with spiritual energy. A pale, wavering light flickered to life, casting a cold glow.
Holding Bai Chunsheng with one arm and carrying the lantern in the other, Yan Yi was about to step outside when an East Sea rogue cultivator called after him. “Leave the artifact controlling the carriage. We won’t wait for you.”
Yan Yi chuckled. “I nearly forgot.” He hooked the lantern around Bai Chunsheng’s neck, then casually tossed the control artifact to the rogue cultivator.
Bai Chunsheng: “…” How embarrassing.
“Don’t get out of the carriage. No matter what happens, don’t let it move forward. That’s my advice.” Yan Yi, for once, offered a rare word of caution.
As soon as he stepped out, Bai Chunsheng protested, demanding that Yan Yi put the lantern away.
The two of them walked back along a barely visible path, the blackened tree trunks appearing as though they had been scorched by fire. Yan Yi carried Bai Chunsheng for a while until, at the far end of his vision, he finally spotted a flickering light. It had to be the lantern Jiang Ji was holding.
Bai Chunsheng had mostly recovered over the past few days, but facing a cultivator in the late stage of the Dao Realm still made him hesitate. More than anything, he was worried about exposing his identity. After some thought, he figured it out—setting aside the risk of exposure, if he didn’t go all out, he might not make it out alive.
Tilting his head up, Bai Chunsheng told Yan Yi, “Put me down. I’ll hold off the ones chasing you while you find the formation’s core. Break the formation and let me know—we’ll escape together.” The one guarding the core was bound to be the strongest and most difficult opponent among them. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Bai Chunsheng selflessly left the toughest enemy to Yan Yi.
Then, he hesitated slightly before speaking slowly. “You can’t leave me behind.”
It sounded almost like a shy, embarrassed plea, but Bai Chunsheng didn’t care. If this could make Yan Yi unwilling to abandon him, then so be it. He inched closer, bit by bit, pressing against Yan Yi’s neck.
Yan Yi, of course, noticed Bai Chunsheng’s little tricks. He felt how soft and warm Bai Chunsheng was. As he leaned in, there was a faint, sweet scent—like a piece of honeyed fruit.
If Bai Chunsheng were in his human form, then right now, he would be wrapped in Yan Yi’s arms, his slender waist held tightly. His radiant face, as dazzling as spring waters and summer blooms, would be framed by his dark, expressive eyes, filled with shyness and longing as he gazed at Yan Yi. Yan Yi couldn’t help but recall Bai Chunsheng’s human form.
—Ah, Bai Chunsheng truly loved him deeply.
The little fool must have thought they were in grave danger, yet instead of running for his life, his first thought was to stay behind and fight off their pursuers for him.
How could Yan Yi not be moved by that?
As expected of him. As expected of his Dao companion.
Bai Chunsheng, seeing that Yan Yi wasn’t responding, simply bit his shoulder. But Yan Yi’s skin was thick, and since Bai Chunsheng didn’t use much force, it had no effect.
Clearly, Yan Yi was reluctant to put Bai Chunsheng down. What if someone tried to steal his little treasure? Bai Chunsheng had a face that made him far too easy to deceive.
Unaware of Yan Yi’s thoughts, Bai Chunsheng blinked his tiny black eyes and stared at him. Yan Yi stared back. In the deep darkness, under the cold, pale light of the lantern, they locked eyes in silence for a moment.
Yan Yi’s heart softened. Perhaps, he thought, he should trust that Bai Chunsheng was strong enough for this.
Bai Chunsheng was not just his dependent—he was his equal, his partner. He was strong in his own right.
With that thought, Yan Yi carefully set Bai Chunsheng down.
Bai Chunsheng immediately shifted into his human form. Not wanting to expose his identity yet, he added an extra black mask over his face—though he wasn’t sure how long it would fool them. He clutched a defensive artifact in his left hand while gripping the sword he hadn’t used in a long time, Surging Swan Sword, in his right.
Yan Yi still carried the lantern, but now, he also held his sword.
Silently, they moved toward the only source of light in the darkness. As they approached, they saw the lantern placed quietly on a stone. No one was around, but faint noises came from nearby—the sound of a blade slicing through flesh, the patter of rain dripping onto leaves.
Bai Chunsheng reacted instantly, raising his sword. The moment the blades clashed, white sparks burst from his sword’s edge. In that fleeting instant, he caught a glimpse of his attacker. He had never seen this person before, but he recognized him.
It was Yan Xingfeng, the youngest son of the second branch of the Yan family.
He bore no resemblance to Yan Jingqiu. His cultivation fluctuated around the mid-stage of the Dao Realm—one minor realm above Bai Chunsheng.
Damn it.
What was Yan Xingfeng doing here?
Everyone in the cultivation world knew that the entire second branch of the Yan family had been sentenced to a thousand years of imprisonment in the Cold Abyss of the Water Abyss Realm by the Yan family’s patriarch. The sentence hadn’t yet been completed, and without Yan Jianhang’s permission, there was no way these people could have returned.
Did Yan Jingqiu’s disappearance really shake Yan Jianhang that much? Had the old man grown so desperate that he even recalled criminals locked away in the ice prison?
Bai Chunsheng was momentarily stunned but quickly became alert. White-hot flames intertwined with his spiritual energy, surging along the blade of Jinghong. The fire spread rapidly around him, forming a crude defensive formation. These white flames were far more useful than Yan Yi’s dim little lantern, illuminating the area in all directions. Bai Chunsheng knew, however, that this hastily woven formation wouldn’t last long against a Dao Realm mid-stage cultivator like Yan Xingfeng. He steadied his breathing, preparing to strike.
Yan Xingfeng had been about to scoff at Bai Chunsheng’s feeble attempt at defense—until he suddenly felt a burning heat in his chest. Looking down, he saw blood splattered across his robes. Where had the blood come from? As that thought crossed his mind, his head rolled to the ground.
It all happened in the blink of an eye. Bai Chunsheng only saw Yan Xingfeng stumble two steps backward before freezing in place—then, his head fell off.
A gust of wind blew past.
Yan Yi’s sword dripped with blood. One drop. Two drops. A small puddle had already formed on the ground.
—His strike had been much faster.
In truth, Yan Xingfeng had already died before he ever made his move against Bai Chunsheng.
Then Bai Chunsheng suddenly realized—
There were sounds all around him.
He listened closely.
It was the sound of water. Like raindrops falling on leaves. One drop. Two drops…
Author’s Note:
Although Bai Chunsheng is still just a “golden” rank, Yan Jingqiu is the undisputed combat ceiling of the entire cultivation world.
The difference Bai Chunsheng thinks exists between him and Yan Jingqiu: the maximum angle at which his webbed feet can stretch.
The actual difference between him and Yan Jingqiu: …..
Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
