Subtle Influence

Xue Linglong noticed the small creature seemed quite fond of her. She gently cradled it in her hands, then began to examine it closely.

As for Bai Lan, she discreetly questioned Yun Yao. What exactly is going on here? she asked.

“Hey, Yun Yao, what’s happening?” Bai Lan inquired. “I recall that demonic beasts usually don’t favor anyone other than their master so readily, do they?”

“Don’t you know?” Yun Yao explained. “Among the Ten Great Divine Physiques, the Linglong Body is the closest to an Immortal Physique. Anyone possessing a Linglong Body is destined to become an immortal, provided they don’t meet an untimely end.”

“This little one likely took a liking to her because it was drawn by the ethereal immortal aura she possesses.”

Upon hearing Yun Yao’s words, Bai Lan felt a surge of regret. Such a magnificent physique, yet she had chosen against it, instead opting for the troublesome Chaotic Body that demanded an immense amount of time to mature.

Even though Yun Yao had assured her that a fully developed Chaotic Body would render her invincible, it was the time factor that was daunting. Who knew how long it would truly take to reach full mastery?

She had been far too hasty back then. She hadn’t bothered to thoroughly question Yun Yao about the characteristics of the Ten Great Divine Physiques, assuming that the more mysterious, the better.

Little did she know that the Chaotic Body was an incredibly complex cultivation physique.

“Sister, have you named this little one yet?” Xue Linglong asked Bai Lan, gently playing with Baiyu.

“Yes, I have,” Bai Lan replied. “Her name is Baiyu.”

“Oh, Baiyu,” Xue Linglong mused. “That’s a lovely name, and her body truly does resemble pure white jade. What does she eat?”

Bai Lan had clarified this point just last night. Demonic beasts typically consumed spiritual treasures, though they could also devour other living creatures.

However, Yun Yao had advised against feeding Baiyu meat, recommending only spiritual treasures instead.

Regardless of whether they were humans, demons, ghosts, or monsters, they all had the potential to cultivate and become either immortals or fiends. Becoming a fiend, however, was not the same concept as being a demonic cultivator.

Once cultivators reached the limits of their current world, they could undergo heavenly tribulations to ascend to the Upper Realm. Yet, successfully passing these tribulations did not guarantee becoming an immortal.

It depended entirely on whether their cultivation path was virtuous or wicked. Those who followed a wicked path could only ascend to the Demon Realm, while only those on a virtuous path could ascend to the Immortal Realm.

If a demonic beast consumed a human or another demonic beast, it was destined to follow the path of fiendish demons. The same applied to humans; this was precisely why the Immortal Dao emphasized ‘Bigu’, or abstaining from grains and meat.

“She consumes spiritual treasures,” Bai Lan explained.

“Spiritual treasures?” Xue Linglong paused, startled. “Where would we even find those?”

“Spirit stones work too,” Bai Lan added.

Hearing this, Xue Linglong immediately pulled a shimmering spirit stone from her person. She offered it to Baiyu, and the little creature, seeing the stone radiating abundant spiritual energy, instantly scurried over.

Its mouth puffed out for a moment before it swallowed the spirit stone whole.

Though the little one’s mouth appeared small, it could stretch wider than its head when eating. It was a rather amusing sight.

The moment the spirit stone entered her mouth, it transformed into a vast surge of potent energy, which she absorbed instantly. After absorbing this energy, the little creature coiled itself around Xue Linglong’s wrist and fell asleep.

“Eh? Asleep already?” Xue Linglong questioned, gazing at the motionless little creature with a hint of confusion.

“Indeed,” Bai Lan affirmed. “This little one simply eats and sleeps, much like a human infant. She seems quite fond of you, so if you don’t mind the trouble, you can take her with you.”

Xue Linglong’s eyes brightened at these words. The path of cultivation was inherently solitary, and ever since she first saw Baiyu, her heart had been utterly captivated.

Since Bai Lan had already offered, there was no way she would refuse.

“How could I ever find her troublesome?” Xue Linglong said with a cheerful giggle. “This little creature is simply adorable.”

Seeing her reaction, Bai Lan decided not to say anything further.

As days turned into weeks, the little creature grew at an astonishing pace. It seemed to get bigger almost every day, reaching three feet in length just a week after its birth.

After a month, its length had already reached nearly two meters. Its body was now as thick as an adult’s arm.

Such was the rapid growth of demonic beasts. According to Yun Yao, this little creature would reach a length of three to four meters, with a thickness comparable to an adult male’s thigh, in just half a year.

This marked its juvenile stage, after which its physical growth would halt, requiring immense energy to achieve its sub-adult form.

Once it entered its juvenile stage, the little creature became extraordinarily lively. Bai Lan found herself unable to manage it, as it constantly pestered her, demanding she play with it.

However, Bai Lan had no time for such games, so she invariably passed the creature to Xue Linglong. Xue Linglong, on the other hand, proved to be remarkably patient.

Fortunately, the little creature could shrink its size, only reverting to its original form when battle called. Despite being merely a juvenile, its combat prowess was already comparable to a Foundation Establishment realm cultivator.

Naturally, while the little creature adored Xue Linglong, it still returned to Bai Lan every evening. Much like a child, no matter how much it liked others, it would always return to its parents.

However, Bai Lan found this rather vexing. Every time the creature returned, it would transform back to its original form, coil around her, and sleep on her, refusing to be pushed away or driven off.

Gradually, Bai Lan simply resigned herself to it.

Time, once again, slipped by unnoticed.

On Eternal Blossom Island, it was perpetually spring, so Bai Lan and the others felt no passage of seasons. Moreover, she rarely undertook missions, venturing out perhaps four or five times a month at most, and even then, only when Xue Linglong coaxed her.

Consequently, she had little concept of time, aware only that her cultivation was steadily advancing.

Then there was the matter of her personality. Her disposition had grown increasingly tranquil, partly due to the emotional suppression from her Ice Crystal Profound Jade earrings, and partly due to her cultivation technique.

The Snow Divine Scripture, being an ice-attributed, yin-cold cultivation method, naturally altered the mind of anyone who practiced it for extended periods.

Bai Lan, apart from the rare smiles she offered Xue Linglong, remained largely expressionless to others, much like Ximen Xue. No matter how surprising or shocking an event, she found it difficult to display significant emotional fluctuations; if they occurred, they were fleeting.

Bai Lan herself was unaware of this transformation. More than that, she was growing accustomed to her new body.

When her body had first matured, Bai Lan hadn’t dared to touch it, feeling an inexplicable discomfort whenever she did.

However, after a year of inhabiting a female form, she had, in a sense, developed a sense of curiosity towards it. When alone in her dwelling, she would secretly explore her own body.

Ultimately, a soul with a male past harbored an inexplicable interest in the female form. Initially, the conflict between her soul and her physical body had caused Bai Lan to resist it.

But as time passed, her soul and body gradually harmonized, and the discomfort vanished.

What remained was curiosity. Once a person developed curiosity, they naturally sought to explore; this was a normal psychological state.

Bai Lan’s first curious touch of her body, particularly the parts she had never possessed as a male in her previous life, likely occurred one night during her second year.

After that initial exploration, her boldness, so to speak, gradually increased. Coupled with her prolonged immersion among a group of women, some of her attitudes and behaviors had undeniably feminized.

Yet, this was also a natural evolution. She began to pay more attention to her appearance, habitually checking mirrors and tidying her previously disheveled clothes.

Once unkempt, she was slowly transforming into a more refined individual.

She herself couldn’t perceive this change. Moreover, now that she was a woman, no one would point out anything amiss.

This was a classic case of subtle influence, for within the Luoshen Sect, an organization comprised solely of women, there was virtually no one to remind her, “You’re becoming more and more like a woman.”