The Unruly Immortals

Facing the wine cup elevated high in Bai Lingmiao's hand, everyone's eyes widened. What on earth had happened to Miss Bai, for her to have changed so drastically? The Bai Lingmiao of the past would have never done such a thing.

Although they were puzzled, faced with the real master of the village, everyone still picked up their cups in twos and threes and toasted to Bai Lingmiao.

When others had started to eat again, Chun Xiaoman returned to Bai Lingmiao's side, eagerly took her hand, and asked anxiously, "Miaomiao, what in the world happened? You seem like a completely different person now!"

Bai Lingmiao was carefree, grabbing a piece of chicken and stuffing it into her mouth. While chewing, she said, "It's nothing, just held Li Huowang's sword for a bit."

"What?!" Chun Xiaoman's voice almost lifted the roof; she had seen the consequences of Scholar Lv holding a sword.

Such a significant event outshadowed the feast as the fellow disciples, unable to focus on their meal, stood up to inquire anxiously what precisely had occurred. The New Year's dinner concluded hastily amid their noisy questions and concerns.

It had been a long while before they finally put this reality behind them. Even though her personality had changed, at least she was still the same person.

But not everyone could be so open-minded. Chun Xiaoman wrapped Bai Lingmiao in her arms, shedding tears and berating herself for not following closely enough earlier—if she had, perhaps this would not have happened.

Bai Lingmiao struggled out of her embrace, saying impatiently, "You're going to make me deaf with your noise. If you truly care about me, you should be happy for me. I've let go of everything in my heart now and feel so much more at ease."

What was done was done, and further complaint wouldn't help, so a red-eyed Chun Xiaoman swore, "Don't worry, once I master the Divine Ability Technique, I will never let anyone hurt you again!"

"Technique? Which technique?" Bai Lingmiao's slender eyebrows began to furrow.

Chun Xiaoman, suddenly panicked, quickly tried to cover, "No, what I mean is that I will find the Divine Ability Technique in the future, and after mastering it, I will protect you!"

But Bai Lingmiao wasn't someone who could be easily misled. "That doesn't sound right. Don't try to trick me. Did you find something beneath the Ancestral Hall? Sister Xiaoman, tell me the truth."

Seeing that she had guessed as much, Chun Xiaoman no longer hid anything. She looked at Bai Lingmiao, her gaze complicated, and finally let out a deep sigh, "Miaomiao, I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry, since you know about your family's..."

Chun Xiaoman talked on and on, but Bai Lingmiao's eyes only grew brighter. She couldn't even wait for daylight and hurriedly walked towards the Bai Family Ancestral Hall.

"I should've thought of this sooner, I should have!" Joy was evident on Bai Lingmiao's face, and not even Chun Xiaoman's shouting from behind could slow her down.

Twisting the monkey bronze statue, Bai Lingmiao, lifting her skirts, rushed into the secret hall entrance.

She didn't search the transparent hall but instead charged into the side doors, one by one.

Just as she was rapidly searching, she suddenly stopped, and some particularly vague memories flashed through Bai Lingmiao's mind—she had been here before, as a very young child.

"Wait... wait... where are Second Uncle and Little Uncle going? Wait! I remember it's this way."

Bai Lingmiao followed the corridor to its deepest part, but there was nothing here just a dead end.

"Miaomiao, it's not here. Huowa is in the third door over there; that's where he found your family's Divine Ability Technique."

Bai Lingmiao ignored her, crouching down and meticulously feeling along the uneven surface of the wall.

Suddenly, accompanied by a tremble, the grating sound of chains rubbing echoed and the dead-end wall slowly rose.

A row of solemn bookshelves adorned with white lotus banners appeared before Bai Lingmiao, and in the distant corner, on a pedestal, a crystal clear White Jade Lotus emitted a faint glow, illuminating the entire room.

Each book was carefully wrapped in soft cowhide, with fine sand placed beside them to absorb moisture; the members of the White Lotus Sect seemed to cherish these books immensely.

"My heavens," gasped Chun Xiaoman, utterly dumbfounded by the sight before her. She truly hadn't expected that within this secret chamber there would be yet another hidden room.

These items, so securely hidden, were obviously of extraordinary value. The cultivation technique she had painstakingly practiced previously paled in comparison as if not even worthy of carrying their shoes.

"It looks like my family has left me quite a few nice things," Bai Lingmiao gleefully looked around from east to west.

"Whimper... whimper..." A barely audible sobbing sound arose from the corner.

Hearing the sobbing, Bai Lingmiao's face showed a hint of impatience, "Stop your crying! There's nothing to cry about! With Li Huowa looking like a ghost right now, aren't you going to help him? Much good those Immortal Sects are!"

Chun Xiaoman carefully approached, only then realizing that the crying was coming from Second God, who was crouched in the corner, weeping miserably.

After a moment's hesitation, Chun Xiaoman steeled herself and walked over to Second God, softly patting her back.

Seconds God's trembling body slightly leaned into Chun Xiaoman's embrace, sobbing softly.

As she held Second God in her arms, Chun Xiaoman momentarily felt stunned; for a brief moment, she thought the Second God before her was that Bai junior sister with whom she was very close.

Embracing Second God's shoulders, Chun Xiaoman looked up with a complex expression toward Bai Lingmiao, who was ecstatic in the distance.

"Miaomiao, this all originally belonged to the Bai Family. I don't oppose you cultivating it, but you haven't forgotten about those people buried in the ground like human pillars, have you?"

"No need to beat around the bush, rest assured, I won't use any of the inhumane cultivation techniques from the White Lotus Sect. I'm not Li Huowang," Bai Lingmiao retorted.

"Giddy up! Giddy up!!" Li Huowang abruptly shook the reins, urging the four horses pulling the cart to gallop forward.

A normal carriage only needed one horse, but to reach the seaside more quickly, three more were necessary.

If one wanted to go even faster, then they would attach Swift Talismans to the backs of the three extra horses.

"Whoa–whoa–" As Li Huowang pulled on the reins, the four black horses, drenched in blood, trembled to a halt.

Standing on the slope, Li Huowang looked up towards the seaside town in the distance. It couldn't compare to the Capital City of Yinling, of course, but it was still bustling with people coming and going.

His gaze went beyond the uneven rooftops to the sea in the distance, blending with the sky.

The salty sea breeze blew against Li Huowang's exposed cheekbones, causing him to feel a faint stinging sensation.

"Finally, we've arrived. Thankfully, there were no accidents along the way," murmured Li Huowang as he put on a black gauze hat and settled back down, giving the reins a sharp shake.

Passing through the unguarded city gate, Li Huowang's first stop was the local station, where he returned the three borrowed horses.

Li Huowang had borrowed these extra three horses from the previous station using his status from the Astrological Bureau.