Three Years of Leisure

Three years passed in the blink of an eye, like wisps of smoke vanishing into the air. Compared to her previous life, it had been remarkably peaceful and leisurely.

In her former existence, Bai Lan had been relentlessly busy, constantly striving for survival with barely any time to rest. Yet, in this new world, unless a major crisis arose, her days were free of obligations save for her cultivation.

As for the shift in her identity and gender, she no longer dwelled on it excessively. Three years had passed, and she had grown accustomed to it.

Nevertheless, no matter how much she adapted, there would always be a fundamental difference between her and other women, unless she could completely erase the memories of her past life.

What precisely were these differences? Firstly, in her thought process, Bai Lan still approached matters with a distinctly masculine mindset.

Consequently, many of her actions baffled both Xue Linglong and Li Yunxi. Xue Linglong, for instance, had often felt her elder sister’s gaze was peculiar ever since her body had matured through cultivation over the past three years.

However, being unfamiliar with the intricacies of romance between men and women, she couldn’t quite decipher the meaning behind Bai Lan’s eyes.

Such a look, she knew, she had never witnessed from any other woman.

Secondly, there was Bai Lan’s fighting style. Most female cultivators placed excessive importance on their combat aesthetics, often resulting in drawn-out battles filled with flashy, superfluous movements.

Bai Lan, however, suffered from no such flaw; when she fought, it was always with swift, decisive strikes, simple and direct, devoid of any wasted motion.

Even as Xue Linglong adopted Bai Lan’s combat techniques, she was still a woman with a different mindset. Thus, even as she emulated her sister, she subtly modified certain aspects to suit herself.

As for Li Yunxi, she had become remarkably diligent since the last sea demon invasion, especially in her practical combat training.

She would spar with Xue Linglong and Bai Lan several times each month, though victory, of course, remained elusive.

Nevertheless, through these training bouts with Bai Lan and Xue Linglong, her combat experience advanced far more rapidly than that of other disciples. This was largely due to Bai Lan’s strictness; she would immediately point out any flaws she perceived in Li Yunxi’s technique.

Primarily, Bai Lan’s inner age was significantly older, instinctively leading her to adopt the strict, guiding demeanor of an elder. Indeed, whenever Xue Linglong and Li Yunxi conversed with Bai Lan, they always felt as though they were speaking to a respected senior.

On this bright, sunny day, the door to Bai Lan’s residence opened.

Dressed in the Disciple Attire of the Immortal’s Abode, Bai Lan stepped out, lifting her head to gaze at the sky.

“Hmm, the sky is beautiful today,” Bai Lan murmured, her eyes on the vast, cloudless expanse of blue.

She had achieved another breakthrough yesterday, advancing from the eighth stage of Qi Refining to the ninth. She had now reached the pinnacle of the Qi Refining realm.

The next step would be the Foundation Establishment realm. To have achieved this in just three years was an astonishing cultivation speed.

Most outer sect disciples hovered between the third and fifth stages of Qi Refining; she was currently the only one in the entire outer sect to have reached the ninth stage within three years.

However, her claim might be premature. Just then, the door to Xue Linglong’s adjacent residence swung open.

Xue Linglong emerged as well.

The moment she appeared, Bai Lan’s mouth twitched involuntarily. Xue Linglong, who had only been at the eighth stage of Qi Refining, had also broken through to the ninth.

After a moment of speechless exasperation, Bai Lan simply accepted it. It had always been this way, leaving her to wonder if there was some inexplicable connection between them.

Why did Xue Linglong always break through whenever she did? It was truly bizarre.

“Oh? Sister, you’re out today?” Xue Linglong spotted Bai Lan and waved cheerfully.

It was like neighbors greeting each other first thing in the morning.

“Yes, I’ve broken through the Qi Refining realm, so my cultivation is temporarily paused,” Bai Lan said as she approached. “The next stage is Foundation Establishment, which isn’t as simple. I don’t plan to continue cultivating for now.”

As she drew closer, a small white jiao coiled out from within her robes. It then flew towards Xue Linglong, swiftly wrapping itself around her wrist. This, of course, was Baiyu.

Baiyu’s appearance had transformed. Though still small, she now resembled a dragon hatchling more than a juvenile snake.

The moment the little creature saw Xue Linglong, she completely forgot about Bai Lan.

“You broke through too? I also broke through! I’m at the ninth stage of Qi Refining now,” Xue Linglong exclaimed, playfully interacting with Baiyu as she did her mental calculations. “Oh, Sister, I just calculated the time. It’s been three years since we joined the Luoshen Sect, hasn’t it? I remember the sect mentioned an inner sect assessment after three years?”

Bai Lan was not one to keep track of time, so Xue Linglong’s words immediately brought her to attention.

“Huh? Has it been three years already? That was fast. It feels like only a few months have passed,” Bai Lan replied, suddenly enlightened.

“Of course! How many times a month do you even leave your residence, Sister?” Xue Linglong explained. “You spend most of your time cultivating, so naturally, time flies by for you. It’s different for us. Sister Yunxi and I frequently go out on missions, so our perception of time is much clearer.”

“That’s true, I suppose. So, I’ll be entering the inner sect soon,” Bai Lan said. “Linglong, have you considered which faction’s assessment you’ll take? Why not come with me to the Immortal’s Abode?”

Xue Linglong pondered for a moment, then shook her head.

“The Immortal’s Abode specializes in sword arts, Sister, and I’m not particularly fond of wielding swords,” Xue Linglong stated her intention. “I wish to go to Tianyin Pavilion and study the way of music.”

Over the past few years, they had gained a fair understanding of the inner sect’s various factions.

Seeing that Xue Linglong had her own preferences, Bai Lan didn’t press the matter. She appreciated girls with strong opinions, and truly, Xue Linglong’s personality fulfilled all of Bai Lan’s criteria for an ideal partner.

Given their close relationship, Bai Lan had, consciously or unconsciously, taken advantage of Xue Linglong quite a bit. After all, their bond was akin to that of best friends.

Whenever she was alone with Xue Linglong, a longing would stir within Bai Lan. Yet, each time such thoughts arose, another voice in her mind would remind her, You are a woman now. Nothing can come of it between you two.

Her mind was rational, and thus she was always swayed by logic. But another voice resided within her, the voice of desire.

Desire whispered that in her previous life, she lacked the courage to confess to the goddess she secretly admired, missing out on the love of her life. And now, having arrived in this unfamiliar world, she still lacked the nerve, effectively living in vain.

“Huh? Sister, what’s wrong? Why are you looking at me with that strange expression again?” Bai Lan had been staring intently at Xue Linglong, and the younger girl, sensing the somewhat fervent gaze, quickly asked.

“Ah? No, nothing. I was just lost in thought, daydreaming,” Bai Lan quickly regained her composure and changed the subject. “By the way, when is this three-year assessment? You would know, right?”

Xue Linglong, of course, knew the answer.

“The day after tomorrow. The sect will definitely gather all outer sect disciples then to conduct a more advanced assessment of their aptitudes and physiques,” Xue Linglong explained. “Honestly, with your aptitude and mine, I don’t think entering the inner sect will be a problem. But what about Sister Yunxi after we leave? She’s only at the fourth stage of Qi Refining, and her aptitude is just average.”

Bai Lan, however, was helpless. The inner sect would never casually allow a disciple with ordinary aptitude to enter; it would violate their rules.