Chapter Fifty-Five: Proud
When Baili Suxue looked away from Changling, his body gave off a thread of lifebond energy.
This lifebond energy was very condensed. It was fundamentally different from the vital energy flowing into the ice path below his feet. It had a special presence, like a part of his life and cultivation was gathered into his lifebond energy.
This condensed lifebond energy flowed along the ice path, from the pure colorlessness at the start and turning into an indigo flow like it was infected by the colors in the path. It then seemed to draw out some of the power in the path’s formation, and then flowed like water into an ice room below the ice path.
The door to this ice room was covered in spider web cracks. In the next instant, this ice door cracked into sharp pieces that sprayed out.
Inside the ice room was Xie Rou cultivating in seclusion. She had originally been wrapped up by glowing ice like she was asleep, but at this time, she opened her eyes.
Shadow and light flashed in her energy sea. In her senses, it was like she suddenly reached the sea, and saw a giant mirage. But she could not see clearly. In the next moment, she seemed to see a sword shadow, but she could not touch it.
She was very shocked. She could not understand the profound changes in this, but she was certain that something stunning had happened.
“Do you know why among all these students, in the end, I only chose you and Jing Liuli as my own?”
Baili Suxue stood at the end of the ice path and looked at her, like he was standing in the clouds, among the winds, his figure enormous.
“I do not know,” Xie Rou said nervously. The answer that first appeared in her mind was because she was the eldest daughter of the Guanzhong Xie Family, and the Xie Family was richer than a country. But her subconscious told her that this was not the right answer.
“Jing Liuli undoubtedly possesses the best talent among the youngest cultivators of Changling, but from a certain viewpoint, your personality is more like mine.” Baili Suxue looked at Xie Rou who did not dare to stand up and said simply. “So she can receive Min Mountain Sword Sect’s inheritance, but you can receive mine.”
Xie Rou was very frightened, and instinctively said, “Do you not represent Min Mountain Sword Sect?”
Baili Suxue said matter-of-factly, “Of course I can represent the Min Mountain Sword Sect, but Min Mountain Sword Sect cannot represent me.”
Xie Rou looked at his cold and proud face under the light, and finally understood his meaning.
People like him possessed some special things long ago to have been able to become the master of Min Mountain Sword Sect. Some things that Min Mountain Sword Sect could not teach him. For a sect, this was a true grandmaster.
“I have taught you all I should.”
Baili Suxue glanced at her and then turned around, not looking at her. “But before you truly understand, do not let other people learn your identity.”
Xie Rou was stunned. She did not understand these words.
What about her identity?
Baili Suxue’s lips curved up proudly. He did not explain because he knew that after today, she would naturally understand.
“Go out the gates, someone will take you away.” He brushed his sleeve, and an indigo light flashed.
Indigo light appeared in front of Xie Rou’s eyes. In the next moment, the scenery in front of her had completely changed. She was no longer on the mountain peak, but in a valley without Baili Suxue in sight.
There was a sea of brambles here, one of the obstacles from the Min Mountain Sword Trials.
**
The ice room where she had been cultivating disappeared in that indigo light, the ice turned to powder and was blown away by the wind, without a trace in the world.
Baili Suxue stood at the end of the ice path with his hands behind his back, the empty space in front of him.
The cliff returned to quiet once again. After a long time, there was some commotion coming from different parts of Min Mountain Sword Sect, and then quickly, quiet was restored.
Suddenly, on the indigo jade path to the peak, a bright ball of red appeared near the middle. It was like in a cramped world, many blooming bright flowers were suddenly shoved in.
Baili Suxue seemed to not sense it at all, and just stood there silently.
After a long time, there were clear footsteps coming from below the ice path, and then the white ice and snow slowly turned red.
A general dressed in bright red armor and carrying many swords on his back squeezed into this unmoving world and appeared on this mountain peak.
This was a very handsome middle-aged man, thin, and his face was slightly pale. Numerous swords of different colors were on his back like the spread tail of a peacock, grander than any cape.
“I did not think coming up here would be so easy.”
“Baili Suxue, you are too proud.”
This middle-aged man looked at Baili Suxue’s bright and blurry figure into the light. His words were very simple, but to people like him and Baili Suxue, they contained many strong emotions and intentions.
Baili Suxue still did not look back at him and said coolly, “Then do you dare to attack me?”
This middle-aged man suddenly stopped breathing, an unnatural redness appearing on his pale face. In the next moment, his breathing grew heavy.
He had purposefully provoked Baili Suxue, but he received the other’s direct dismissal. Of course, he was furious. But he could not act.
Baili Suxue was just standing there motionlessly with his hands behind his back, but he could not catch the other’s presence. The other seemed to have merged into one with this mountain and this world. He could exist everywhere. Even though he could use many swords instantly, he could not lock on onto the other’s presence, and his sword could not truly make contact with Baili Suxue.
Everyone knew that Baili Suxue was very proud. But just by standing there, he could make a Qin marquis furious but unable to attack. This was enough for him to be proud.
Furious but the inability to act led to helplessness and discouragement. The bright light on the middle-aged man’s armor and swords faded, like a blooming flower withering.
His pale face grew dark. He understood why the mistress of the imperial palace did not want him to come here from the start, and wanted him and Marquis Li to stay below the mountain together.
Not letting him onto the mountain was not just because she did not want him to get more of the benefits, but because she was certain from the start he was too far from Baili Suxue, and could not force him to fight.
At this time, the mountain wind at the peak seemed to be suddenly drawn away, and the sounds of the wind abruptly disappeared.
Even the flowing clouds above his head seemed to have been cut off. An unusual light fell, landing on him, and illuminating his gray face.