Innocence

Bai Lan nodded at the two women, then walked towards the assessment point. The Outer Sect’s entrance assessment was straightforward, simply requiring a specialized magical artifact to test for spiritual roots.

This time, five thousand Outer Sect disciples were being recruited on a first-come, first-served basis. This meant that even if ten thousand of the tens of thousands of applicants possessed spiritual roots, only those who arrived earliest would secure a spot. Once the quota was filled, latecomers would simply have to return the way they came.

The assessment point ahead was a cacophony of chirping voices, entirely composed of girls’ chatter. According to the Luoshen Sect’s regulations, disciples applying for the assessment could not exceed sixteen years of age. Thus, all those gathered here were young girls from the Seven Nations.

Across the entire Eastern Sea Region, the Luoshen Sect was unique in exclusively recruiting female disciples. Most other sects accepted both genders, yet so many young women flocked to the Luoshen Sect’s entrance assessment for a compelling reason. The sect’s cultivation techniques were uniquely suited for female cultivators, making it the preferred choice for spiritual root-endowed maidens from the Seven Nations.

Bai Lan’s assessment point was situated within a grove of flowering trees, their branches laden with white blossoms. Bai Lan couldn’t identify the species; the Isle of Ten Thousand Flowers boasted an overwhelming variety of flora. The area was permeated by a rich, fragrant scent of flowers and herbs, so potent that a single breath felt utterly invigorating.

Bai Lan didn’t immediately approach. Instead, he leaned against a flowering tree, about ten meters from the assessment point, waiting idly. The assessment hadn’t officially begun; Ximen Xue had informed him that the true start would be signaled by the voice of a Luoshen Sect expert echoing across the sky.

He was not a true girl, so he needed to avoid excessive contact with the other applicants. He also meticulously scrutinized himself, ensuring there were no flaws in his disguise before finally settling down. Casually, he plucked a flower, placed it between his lips, and adopted an air of complete nonchalance.

For the past few days, he had been attempting to cultivate the Snow Divine Scripture, but with little success. The primary issue was that his Divine Bone had not yet fully integrated, making cultivation unsuitable at the moment. He would have to wait a while longer.

“Yun Yao, how much longer until the Divine Bone within me fully integrates?” Bai Lan inquired.

“Approximately another week,” Yun Yao’s voice resonated within Bai Lan’s mind.

A week wasn’t a long time at all; Bai Lan could certainly afford to wait.

“Hey, look over there! That person has absolutely no regard for etiquette. A girl, sprawling on the ground like a man, even chewing on a blade of grass—honestly! If I were a fairy maiden of the Luoshen Sect, I would never allow such a crude woman to enter.”

Perhaps Bai Lan’s unkempt demeanor was too blatant, catching the eyes of the waiting maidens. A group of girls stood in the distance, pointing and whispering about him.

Such was the reality for women in this world: grace and image were absolute necessities. One could lack cultivation, but never decorum; even girls from ordinary families were rigorously taught etiquette.

Unfortunately, Bai Lan was a fake woman, and such niceties held no importance for him. As a seasoned veteran, he understood one simple truth: as long as he wasn’t embarrassed, then others would be.

Bai Lan heard the girls’ distant comments, but he paid them no mind whatsoever.

Ugh, they’re so noisy! Bai Lan grumbled inwardly. They say where women gather, words abound, and it seems that adage holds true. Instead of pointing fingers at me, they’d be better off finding a place to sit and rest.

With approximately two hours remaining until the assessment began, Bai Lan gently closed his eyes and drifted into a brief nap. However, the moment his eyes shut, he was swiftly plunged into a dream.

“What are you doing? Father, Mother, Grandfather, save me…”

“It hurts so much, it hurts! Second Uncle, why are you doing this to me? I hate you, I hate you…”

A series of events from the Xue Clan flashed through Bai Lan’s mind, particularly the memory of the Divine Bone being forcibly stripped away. This vivid recollection sent a cold sweat prickling over him, and he abruptly opened his eyes.

“No!” he cried out, his face contorted in terror.

He shot upright instantly.

Upon waking, he realized it had merely been a dream. His face was grim, his breathing ragged; Xue Yue’s experiences had profoundly affected his psyche. These past few days, such nightmares frequently plagued him the moment he closed his eyes.

Damn it! These memories again, they’re driving me insane! Bai Lan muttered, his expression fierce. This is the third time; they’re becoming my nightmare. Xue Zhongyu, mark my words: one day, I will make you experience the pain of bone stripping yourself!

Xue Zhongyu, of course, was his Second Uncle.

The longer he inhabited this body, the more Xue Yue’s feelings and emotions merged with his own. Consequently, his hatred for the Xue Clan and his Second Uncle grew to an unbearable intensity.

Just as Bai Lan sat lost in thought, a soft voice reached his ears.

“Oh? Big Sister, what’s wrong? You seem to be in great pain. Is there anything I can do to help you?”

Bai Lan froze, then slowly glanced beside him. To his surprise, a small girl, roughly his age, was squatting nearby, though he hadn’t noticed her approach. She gazed at him with eyes full of concern—eyes that were pure, lively, and held an innocent charm that instantly brought a strange sense of peace and comfort.

Bai Lan first surveyed his surroundings, noticing many people watching him with strange, fearful expressions. He surmised that his reaction to the nightmare had been too intense, startling those nearby.

“Cough, cough, it’s nothing,” Bai Lan said with a slight smile to the little girl beside him. “I just had a nightmare; you don’t need to worry too much, little sister.”

The little girl appeared neat and fair-skinned, though her plain attire suggested she wasn’t from a wealthy family.

“Oh, I see! It’s alright then,” the little girl said, smiling reassuringly. “My mother says dreams are often the opposite of reality; the scarier the dream, the better things will be in real life.”

Bai Lan paused, taken aback. As he looked at the girl’s genuine smile, a certain gloom in his heart began to dissipate.

He then raised his head to gaze at the sun, then back at the assessment point. There was still about half an hour until the assessment began, meaning he had been sleeping and dreaming for almost an hour and a half.

“Hmm, perhaps,” Bai Lan said with a questioning smile. “By the way, little lass, was my reaction very intense when I was dreaming just now?”

The girl nodded.

“Yes, a bit intense,” the girl explained. “Your expression looked quite scary, and the other big sisters around didn’t dare come closer, thinking you might be ill.”

Gazing at the girl’s adorably naive expression, Bai Lan couldn’t resist reaching out to ruffle her small head.

“Hey, Big Sister, don’t rub my head!” the girl complained, pouting. “My mother says if someone touches your head, you won’t grow tall.”

Such words were typical teasing from adults to children. Of course, Bai Lan’s urge to ruffle the little girl’s head was simply the natural impulse of an adult encountering an adorable child.

“That’s a lie,” Bai Lan said, a wry smile playing on his lips. “You’re such a cute little lass; everyone else was too scared to check on me, yet you dared to approach. Aren’t you afraid I might actually be ill and hurt you?”

“What ‘little lass’?” the girl said, puffing out her cheeks in displeasure. “My surname is Xue, and my name is Xue Linglong. Big Sister, you only look a year or two older than me, so why do you keep calling me a little lass? Your tone is just like an adult’s!”