Kicked the Ball

Xue Linglong and Li Yunxi were instantly filled with questions. In their half-year of acquaintance with Bai Lan, she had never shown any inclination for elaborate grooming, let alone accessories. She always seemed to prefer a casual appearance.

Drawing closer to Bai Lan, they peered intently at the earrings. These sparkling, exquisite adornments, crafted from a crystal-like material, exuded a faint, cool mist. Both girls sensed they were no ordinary trinkets.

Xue Linglong, in particular, recognized them at once as no mere common items, but treasures of high caliber. Having spent considerable time with Bai Lan, she was certain she had no habit of wearing such things. Moreover, Bai Lan’s earlobes bore no piercings, leading her to believe she was lying.

Yet, when Bai Lan claimed to have found them earlier, she hadn’t detected any falsehood in her words. It was truly perplexing.

“They’re truly beautiful,” Li Yunxi remarked, a hint of envy in her voice as she gazed at Bai Lan’s earrings. “I never would have thought, Bai Lan sister, that beneath your usual unkempt appearance, you weren’t quite as I imagined.”

Girls, after all, were drawn to such sparkling things, and even she, born into nobility, rarely encountered such exquisite jewelry.

“Eh?” Bai Lan choked on Li Yunxi’s words, clearly unwilling to continue the conversation.

“All Outer Sect disciples, assemble at the Hundred Flowers Terrace!” As the three conversed, a commanding voice boomed from the sky. It seemed the Outer Sect Deacon was about to count the survivors.

Hearing the summons, Bai Lan and the others immediately rose and headed towards the Hundred Flowers Terrace. But the moment she turned, the earring pendant struck her face.

“Ow!” The pendant had whipped her, causing an awkward flush to spread across her features.

“What’s wrong?” Bai Lan’s sudden cry of pain naturally left Li Yunxi and Xue Linglong bewildered.

However, when they saw Bai Lan gingerly touching her face, understanding dawned. While Xue Linglong might not have fully grasped the situation, Li Yunxi certainly did, and a teasing smile played on her lips.

“It seems, Bai Lan sister, that you rarely wear this type of jewelry,” she quipped. “Pendants like these aren’t just for adornment; they’re meant to refine a woman’s bearing. If you move your head too much, the pendant will strike your face, serving as a reminder.”

Bai Lan once again felt the urge to curse the Heavenly Dao. Yet, whenever she was on the verge of anger, the Ice Crystal Profound Jade Earrings would emit a cool, soothing power. This force was akin to a splash of cold water, extinguishing the negative emotions welling up within her.

These earrings inherently possessed the ability to dispel malevolent aura. Such treasures were exceedingly rare in the cultivation world, for a cultivator’s greatest adversary was not other cultivators, but themselves.

Poor mood, unhappiness, or excessive aggression could easily give rise to inner demons, which were the bane of all cultivators.

Therefore, with these earrings, Bai Lan could maintain a perpetually calm mind. However, they also came with a slight side effect: they suppressed the wearer’s emotions. Whether it was extreme joy or profound sorrow, the earrings’ power would neutralize it.

Speechless. This thing’s suppressive power is truly formidable. The slightest hint of discontent and it instantly purges it, Bai Lan grumbled inwardly.

Adapting to the adornments on her ears would undoubtedly take time. She couldn’t help but wonder if the Heavenly Dao’s will was intentional, clearly forcing Bai Lan to embrace her current identity.

Yet, it was understandable. The Heavenly Dao was not a person; it was a set of rules. From its perspective, since Bai Lan had transformed into a female, she should naturally develop according to the world’s feminine conventions. The intention was good, but it overlooked Bai Lan’s inherent masculine nature.

In any case, the coming period would be challenging. Even a slight movement would result in a slap from the pendant. With enough repetitions, she would eventually learn how to avoid it; human adaptability was truly astonishing.

Moments later, they arrived at the Hundred Flowers Terrace. Upon reaching it, they discovered that the number of Outer Sect disciples had dwindled by nearly a fifth.

This meant that today’s demonic beast invasion had claimed the lives of over a thousand Outer Sect disciples.

Many more were injured, and those who made it here appeared visibly dispirited. Some still bore expressions of sheer terror, clearly traumatized by the ordeal.

Just yesterday, their friends had stood beside them; today, they were separated by life and death. Such was the harsh reality of the cultivation world: to avoid death, one must cultivate diligently.

“Senior Sister Bai! Senior Sister Xue!” The girls whom Bai Lan and Xue Linglong had rescued immediately flocked towards them as soon as they spotted them approaching.

This swarm of young women converging on her filled Bai Lan with an inexplicable sense of dread, making her want to flee. This reaction, she knew, was entirely normal.

The girls were incredibly enthusiastic, chattering incessantly as they surrounded them, primarily to express their gratitude to Bai Lan and Xue Linglong for their aid. Xue Linglong remained perfectly composed, greeting them with a radiant smile, while Bai Lan wore an expression of profound embarrassment.

Seeing this scene, the Nascent Soul Deacon in front simply offered a faint smile before speaking in a loud voice.

“Quiet down, everyone.”

At her words, the chatter ceased instantly, and all eyes turned to the Deacon. This particular Deacon was responsible for managing the Outer Sect, holding the title of Outer Sect Deacon, and was named Wu Xueying, a cultivator at the early Nascent Soul realm.

Once the murmurs died down completely, Wu Xueying began to speak.

“Today, our sect suffered an invasion by sea demons, and it appears we have lost quite a number of disciples. I understand that for most of you, this was your first encounter with demonic beasts, and fear is a natural response. However, I must tell you that today’s battle was merely a minor skirmish. Such incidents will only become more frequent in the future. The cultivation world has always been a place where the strong prey on the weak. If you do not wish to become one of those fallen disciples, then cultivate diligently and strive to break through to the Foundation Establishment realm as soon as possible,” Wu Xueying stated.

With just a glance, she knew how many Outer Sect disciples had perished—nearly nine hundred. This time, the losses were substantial.

After offering a few words of comfort, she dismissed the disciples, advising them to return to their residences. After all they had endured, a period of calm reflection was necessary.

As for Bai Lan and Xue Linglong, their prestige within the Outer Sect had surged, surpassing everyone else’s in one fell swoop. They had saved nearly a hundred lives directly and indirectly assisted countless others.

Observing this scene, the various noble princesses displayed a range of expressions. Some smiled, others showed clear displeasure, and one remained utterly impassive: Chen Xuan.

After the crowd dispersed, Bai Lan and Xue Linglong returned to their dwelling. However, upon arrival, their expressions were far from pleasant. What had happened?

Their residence had been destroyed, and numerous inner sect disciples were still clearing the corpses of sea demons along the shore. This area must have been a battlefield recently.

“Sigh! It seems we’ll have to rebuild our home,” Bai Lan said, a headache beginning to throb.

There was no alternative, though. Who could blame them for choosing a seaside location? For today, they could only find a temporary shelter.

They would devise a plan tomorrow. Fortunately, the island had an abundance of trees, so rebuilding a house wouldn’t be difficult, merely time-consuming.

“Let’s find somewhere to make do for the night,” Bai Lan suggested.

Xue Linglong and Li Yunxi nodded, then followed Bai Lan into the flower forest. They hadn’t walked far when Bai Lan suddenly felt as if she had kicked something.

She lowered her gaze, and there, by her feet, was a white object.

“What’s this? An egg?” Bai Lan bent down and picked up the item. It turned out to be an egg, roughly the size of an ostrich egg from Earth.