“Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm…”
“So if Gu Province doesn’t work out, where shall we go?”
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Ah…” Perhaps noticing Tang Ruo Wei's expression, Bai Qiuran said to her, “Keep practicing. Once you ascend to the upper realm, your speed should be close to mine… after all, you can use a flying sword.”
“Fate can be changed!” Tang Ruo Wei hummed a tune, holding onto herbs with a beaming smile as she walked into the courtyard, placing the herbs in Bai Qiuran's alchemy room. Bai Qiuran grabbed Tang Ruo Wei’s arm and then spoke.
Three days later, having made ample preparations, Bai Qiuran took Tang Ruo Wei away from the mountain gate of the Qinming Sword Sect. “Wait, don’t leave yet.”
“I need to find you something to do; of course, we first have to gather information.”
“What’s wrong with you?” Tang Ruo Wei felt a little anxious. Bai Qiuran checked the surroundings and then replied, “Follow me, today I’ll give you a glimpse of the rivers and lakes.”
“Okay.” Hearing this, Tang Ruo Wei felt a slight sense of relaxation.
Looking at her bright smile, Bai Qiuran casually asked while sitting cross-legged in the alchemy room, “You look like a monkey that has just won its mating rights. Have you finally reached your heat period?”
“So if Gu Province doesn’t work out, where shall we go?” Cang Province is positioned to the northwest of Gu Province within the Nine Provinces, separated by Yun Province, which means Bai Qiuran had at least galloped across hundreds of thousands of miles, through several countries.
“Hey!” Bai Qiuran answered.
“Don’t be surprised; I’ve lived for at least three thousand years.” Tang Ruo Wei, frustrated, prepared to leave the alchemy room.
Her good mood was instantly spoiled, and she retorted furiously, “Who says such things about their beloved disciple?” Bai Qiuran looked around and then replied, “Follow me, today I’ll take you for a ride through the world.”
“Why suddenly go down the mountain?” Maybe noticing Tang Ruo Wei's expression, Bai Qiuran said, “Keep practicing well. Once you ascend to the upper realm, your speed should be close to mine… after all, you can command a flying sword.”
However, Bai Qiuran unceremoniously replied, “As always, futile struggles. I have already seen the future of Princess Taiping.”
With a speed as swift as lightning, Tang Ruo Wei didn’t even realize how far Bai Qiuran had taken her until the surrounding sights returned to their normal state, and she found herself in a completely unfamiliar land.
Three days later, Bai Qiuran was fully prepared and took Tang Ruo Wei away from the mountain gate of Qinming Sword Sect.
Gazing at the different styles of clothing worn by the pedestrians in front of them, Tang Ruo Wei softly asked, “Where are we now?”
“I won’t tell you!”
“Oh, I think I understand.” Unprepared, she hesitated for a moment.
“Compared to Master, I am still far behind.”
“Fate can be changed!” Bai Qiuran glanced at Tang Ruo Wei's palm and her purple mansion.
Tang Ruo Wei lifted her spirits and asked, “So Master, where are we going now?”
“Wait, don’t leave yet.”
Her good mood was immediately shattered, and she angrily questioned, “Who says those things about their beloved disciple?”
Tang Ruo Wei, full of indignation, prepared to leave the alchemy room.
“Hm, hm, hm, hm, hm…”
“True Qi flows, there’s stone dust on your palm, you’ve fought with someone… Let me think. The only one you might have a grudge with on this mountain is that monkey. I never thought, Ruo Wei, that there are humans in this world who would be pleased to have defeated a female monkey. You truly broaden my horizons…”
We’ve only been walking for less than half an hour. Just how fast is Master?
Bai Qiuran waved it off and continued, “Anyway, this is your first time traveling for experience. It’s just right for me to go down the mountain to look for opportunities to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, so I’ll accompany you.”
Bai Qiuran added, “Although this is my journey, it’s primarily yours. So, if you encounter any situations along the way, unless you’re really up against something you can’t handle, I won’t step in to help. You have to solve your own problems.”
“Follow me.”
Since they were setting out, Bai Qiuran refined a storage bag for her disciple to hold things in. The pile of cushions Tang Ruo Wei needed to maintain her “exterior image” really took up space. Therefore, with the storage bag, Bai Qiuran and Tang Ruo Wei could embark empty-handed, alleviating the burden of carrying heavy packs while traveling.
Unprepared, Tang Ruo Wei hesitated for a moment.
“Oh, I think I understand.” Yet Bai Qiuran unceremoniously retorted, “As always, futile struggles. I have already seen the future of Princess Taiping.”
“I won’t tell you!”
Cang Province is located in the northwest of Gu Province within the Nine Provinces, with Yun Province in between, which means Bai Qiuran had galloped through hundreds of thousands of miles and crossed several countries.
Getting down to the world below the mountain, taking in a breath of long-awaited mundane air, Tang Ruo Wei looked up at Bai Qiuran and asked, “Master, where are we heading next? Back to Shangxuan?”
“Why?” Bai Qiuran replied.
Tang Ruo Wei, full of indignation, prepared to leave the alchemy room.
“I have something to tell you, serious matter.”
Bai Qiuran explained, “You might not know, but your brother, the crown prince of Shangxuan Kingdom, got married last year.”
“Wait, don’t leave yet.”
Thus, the girl kicked the doorstep and circled back, angrily sitting across from Bai Qiuran.
“Compared to Master, I am still far behind.”
…
Tang Ruo Wei felt a shock in her heart.
“I have something to tell you, a serious matter.”
“So if Gu Province doesn’t work, where shall we go?” Bai Qiuran called out to her.
Since they were going out, Bai Qiuran refined another storage bag for Tang Ruo Wei to carry her belongings. The pile of cushions she required for her “exterior image” occupied too much space. Now, with a storage bag, both Bai Qiuran and Tang Ruo Wei could travel light without the burden of heavy bags.
“That’s right, keep up your good work; reach fifty levels in body tempering and I’ll support you,” Bai Qiuran encouraged.
“Compared to Master, I am still far behind.”
“Married?” Tang Ruo Wei’s indignation led her to prepare to leave the alchemy room.
“Why the sudden need to go down the mountain.”
Bai Qiuran shrugged and thought for a moment before answering, “Cang Province, stabilize the country.”
“I have something to tell you, a serious matter.”
Perhaps noticing Tang Ruo Wei's expression, Bai Qiuran encouraged her, “Keep practicing well, and once you ascend to the upper realm, your speed should get closer to mine since you can command the flying sword.”
“Wait, don’t leave yet.”
Three days later, Bai Qiuran was fully prepared and took Tang Ruo Wei from the Qinming Sword Sect's mountain gate.
“No, we won’t stay in Gu Province.”
The so-called journey down the mountain means to come down to find matters to attend to.
“Why?”
“Married to a big lady.”
Then the girl kicked at the doorstep and circled back, moodily sitting across from Bai Qiuran.
“Married?”
“Hey!”
“Oh, I think I understand.”
“Cang Province?”
“What’s with the sudden need to go down?”
This time, Bai Qiuran simply didn’t banter. He directly stated, “Now that you’ve established your foundation, it’s time to head down the mountain.”
Bai Qiuran proceeded to deflect, saying, “In any case, this is your first journey for experience. It’s just right for me to head down to search for a breakthrough at the Foundation stage, so I’ll accompany you.”
“Why the sudden need to go down the mountain?” Tang Ruo Wei lifted her energy, asking, “So, Master, where will we go now?”
“Wait, don’t leave yet.”
The two did not disturb the mountain gate of the Qinming Sword Sect but left quietly under Bai Qiuran’s guidance from Seven Stars Peak, slipping away from the territory of the Qinming Sword Sect’s mountains.
“Ah…”
“I’ll think about it, this place is…”
“I won’t tell you!”
Tang Ruo Wei kept her mouth shut.
“Follow me.”
Bai Qiuran glanced at Tang Ruo Wei’s palm and her purple mansion.
Tang Ruo Wei momentarily had no mental preparation and seemed hesitant.
“Need to find you something to do, of course, we need to gather information first.”
“What’s with the sudden need to go down the mountain?”
Looking at her beaming disciple, Bai Qiuran casually inquired, “You look as if you’ve won the mating rights of a female monkey. Has your heat finally arrived?”
Tang Ruo Wei’s happiness was immediately shattered, angrily retorting, “Who talks about their beloved disciple like that?”
“Need to find you something to do, of course, we need to gather information first.”
“True Qi flows, with dust on your palm, you’ve fought with someone… Let me think. The only one you might have an issue with here is that monkey; I never thought, Ruo Wei, that humans would get so smug about beating a female monkey. You truly broaden my horizons…”
These two people did not attract any trouble as they slipped past the mountain gate of the Qinming Sword Sect into the world below the mountain, taking in a breath of long-awaited mundane air.
Bai Qiuran observed carefully and then responded, “Let’s go, today the experienced driver will take you to explore the rivers and lakes.”
“Hmm.”
With a certain vitality, Tang Ruo Wei asked, “Where should we go now, Master?”
“Cang Province?”
“Just remember to not get too proud.”
In every corner of the Nine Provinces, the territories were immensely vast, almost equivalent to an entire continent on a planet. It was fortunate that this world was large enough to accommodate the chaotic mingling of gods, demons, beasts, immortals, and spirits.
Thus, when Bai Qiuran answered her directly, “I told you that you’ve established a foundation, it’s time to head down the mountain at last.”
“Ah…”
The two continued their pace, each filled with their own thoughts as they ventured into the unknown.