The Price

Western Ox Continent.

Chen Baiqing sat with her eyes closed, surrounded by a spirit formation constructed from spirit stones arranged by Daoist Yuyang, intended to assist her in her breakthrough on the Western Ox Continent.

Chen Baiqing had now ascended to the Nascent Soul realm.

The advancement had been relatively smooth. Although she had been somewhat greedy for speed, she was at least satisfied with the outcome.

However... she felt no joy after her breakthrough.

She hadn't even stepped out of the room, instead quietly waiting for the door to be pushed open.

Would it be her master's personal reprimand... or a look of helpless sorrow?

Chen Baiqing was trying to steady her emotions, but no matter how she adjusted, she still felt nervous and distressed.

Her thoughts churned incessantly without pause.

She even felt that time freezing like this might not be so bad.

Chen Baiqing didn't know how much time had passed. It felt immensely long, so long that she began to think her master no longer wanted her, that he intended to abandon her here.

Silent, indifferent.

That would be the most devastating outcome.

Yet, all she could do was stay here and comfort herself—her master wouldn't do that.

Thud—

A quiet knock interrupted Chen Baiqing's chaotic thoughts.

Chen Baiqing quickly opened her eyes, her gaze fixed on the door. She slowly spoke:

"Come in..."

Only after speaking did she realize her voice sounded somewhat hoarse.

The door slowly opened, letting in the sunlight from outside.

Daoist Yuyang stood at the doorway, looking at Chen Baiqing seated within the formation. Observing the shift from tension to disappointment in her eyes, he said calmly:

"Was the breakthrough smooth?"

"Thanks to your care, Uncle-Master, it went smoothly."

"That's good. I didn't want to disturb you, but seeing you hadn't emerged for so long, and with a matter that requires your attention today, I had to come find you personally."

Chen Baiqing stood up:

"Please speak, Uncle-Master."

Daoist Yuyang smiled and said:

"Your master summons you back to Tianyan Sect."

Hearing this, Chen Baiqing was momentarily stunned. Seeing Daoist Yuyang's relatively gentle expression, she thought her master likely hadn't taken the matter too seriously after all.

After a moment's thought, she slowly asked:

"What is the current situation on the Western Ox Continent?"

"Dire." Daoist Yuyang shook his head lightly. "Most Buddhas took advantage of that day to cross the Pudu River. Fortunately, I am here, and considering the overall stance, we haven't been completely driven out of the Western Ox Continent yet."

"You have worked hard, Uncle-Master," Chen Baiqing asked further. "What about Wukong and the Bright Buddha?"

"Worse off than us."

Daoist Yuyang sighed softly, turning slightly to the side. "But these matters are temporarily none of your concern. Go back and report to your master. I will handle things here."

Chen Baiqing nodded gently, bowed with clasped hands once more, and then left the place.

Daoist Yuyang watched Chen Baiqing's departing figure with a calm gaze, finally letting out another soft sigh.

Chen Baiqing's demeanor didn't seem like she had truly come on Chu Xingchen's orders.

Yet, the news from Yuzhou City seemed like good tidings.

It was truly hard to discern. But if there was a next time, Daoist Yuyang would never believe it again.

The old monk's words now seemed somewhat validated.

Chu Xingchen, you better live well. Only you can restrain her.

Tianyan Sect, the Harmonious Family Peak.

Chu Xingchen stood silently by the corridor's edge, with Bai Xuanling standing calmly at his side.

After waiting a moment, Li Xingtian hurried over from outside the corridor.

When Li Xingtian saw his master and Bai Xuanling standing in the corridor, both seemingly unharmed, the stone in his heart finally settled.

"Master!" Li Xingtian's voice carried a hint of excitement.

Bai Xuanling glanced over and simultaneously extended a hand in front of Chu Xingchen.

Chu Xingchen saw Bai Xuanling's outstretched hand and also looked toward Li Xingtian's direction. Seeing the aura tinged with blood—the only Blood Qi cultivator currently at Tianyan Sect was probably his second disciple.

He smiled and said, "Oh, my beloved disciple, you're here?"

Li Xingtian quickened his pace forward, his eyes fixed on his master as he composed himself and said:

"Your disciple has come."

Chu Xingchen reached out and lightly patted Li Xingtian's shoulder, smiling:

"Your third junior sister went to the Western Ox Continent, sought out Daoist Yuyang, and claimed to mobilize the Taidao Sect cultivators in my name. What do you think about this?"

Upon hearing this, Li Xingtian dropped to one knee, bowing his head with clasped hands:

"I was the one who sent Third Junior Sister. I deceived her, saying it was your command."

Bai Xuanling slightly raised a hand and wrote characters in the air before Chu Xingchen.

Li Xingtian didn't dare look up, so he was unaware.

"Baiqing could be deceived by you?" Chu Xingchen's tone was curious.

Li Xingtian hesitated slightly but answered:

"It was indeed I who instructed Third Junior Sister to go to the Western Ox Continent. This was my arrangement. I am willing to bear all blame for this mistake."

Chu Xingchen looked at the characters Bai Xuanling wrote, finally sighing softly and slowly reaching out to help Li Xingtian up.

"Xingtian, how many times now?"

"What do you mean, Master?"

Li Xingtian looked up to answer but also saw Bai Xuanling writing with her hand in front of his master. He found it strange but didn't ask.

Chu Xingchen asked again: "How many times have you started over?"

Li Xingtian shook his head again:

"Xingtian doesn't understand what you're referring to."

Bai Xuanling wrote again. Seeing this, Li Xingtian understood it wasn't Bai Xuanling idly passing time; something was wrong with his master.

Before Chu Xingchen could press further, Li Xingtian looked at Bai Xuanling and asked:

"Senior Bai... what's wrong with my master?"

"Affected by an illusion technique. We're still researching a method to break it. Your master currently cannot hear sound nor perceive external sensations. He can only vaguely see people's general forms."

As Bai Xuanling spoke, she retrieved a pill from her spatial ring, casually taking one before continuing:

"For the rest of your replies, write them yourself. Matters between you and your master are not for me to inquire about further. I'll go outside to clear my mind for a while. Find me again when you're done talking."

Having said this, Bai Xuanling turned and left.

Li Xingtian gave a slight bow with clasped hands, then looked back at his master.

Chu Xingchen watched Bai Xuanling leave, sighed softly, then looked back at Li Xingtian:

"You've been reborn again, haven't you?"

Li Xingtian raised his hand and wrote—[No.]

Chu Xingchen frowned, his tone sharpening:

"Then why did you send Baiqing? And how did you know Xu Linglong was setting an ambush in Yuzhou City? If you truly regard me as your master, you shouldn't hide these things."

"Or is it that you cannot answer these questions after being reborn?"

Li Xingtian was silent for a moment, then raised his hand to write—[It felt like a dream, yet extraordinarily vivid. The words Master would say, the words Senior Sister and Junior Sister would say... too many coincidences together are no longer coincidence.]

[I only felt as if I had dreamed of future events, like a divination, or as if someone showed me a story reflected from within the river of time.]

[I don't know if it's real or false, but everything before the events happened matched the dream. Even if there was a one-in-ten-thousand chance, that chance was a weight I could not bear.]

[Whether it's rebirth, this disciple does not know.]

Chu Xingchen's voice turned icy as he inquired:

"Then what price did you pay?"

[There was no price.]

"Your master can see through your past rebirth, do you truly not understand that such insight comes at a cost?" Chu Xingchen said, a trace of sorrow in his eyes.

"Xingtian, did you think your master knows nothing? Has the gulf between us grown so wide?"

Li Xingtian looked at his master's sorrowful expression, a tumult of emotions swirling within him. In the end, he wrote:

[Soul]