First Heart-to-Heart Talk

Bai Lan shook her head, indicating she had no solutions either. With insufficient talent and strength, even gaining entry to the inner sect wouldn’t guarantee a favorable outcome. While they were unaware of the inner sect’s specifics, the outer sect already presented significant competition, implying the inner sect would be far from peaceful. Someone lacking both talent and status within the inner sect would struggle to avoid bullying. It was better to remain in the outer sect and cultivate their strength first. Moreover, once Bai Lan and the other person joined the inner sect, with their protection and the support of the outer sect disciples they knew, Li Yunxi’s life wouldn’t be too difficult.

“Let’s not talk about this anymore. Linglong, why don’t you come for a walk with me?” Bai Lan suddenly suggested.

This was likely the first time Bai Lan had ever initiated an invitation for Xue Linglong to walk with her. Previously, it was always Xue Linglong who had to drag Bai Lan out. So, upon hearing the invitation, Xue Linglong paused in surprise before a smile bloomed on her face.

“Alright,” Xue Linglong nodded.

Thus, the two strolled along the beach. It was around seven in the morning, with the sun just beginning to rise, casting a beautiful glow over Eternal Blossom Island.

However, after walking for a while, Bai Lan remain unusually silent. She seemed unsure how to begin, keeping her head lowered as if deep in thought, perhaps contemplating how to broach a difficult subject.

Xue Linglong, sensing that Bai Lan had something she wished to say but couldn’t quite articulate, decided to prompt her.

“Hmm? Sister, you asked me to come for a walk, but what is it you want to say? Please, just tell me. I won’t mind,” Xue Linglong said with a gentle smile.

Despite Xue Linglong’s encouragement, Bai Lan found herself in a contradictory state; there were words she desperately wanted to speak, yet they remained trapped within her.

“Ah, time truly flies,” Bai Lan remarked, a hint of awkwardness in her tone. “Three years have passed in the blink of an eye. When I first met you, you were still just a little girl. Now, you’ve grown so much.”

Xue Linglong understood that Bai Lan’s words were simply a superficial remark, squeezed out after much deliberation. Still, the fact that she had spoken at all was enough; it gave Xue Linglong an opening to continue the conversation.

“Yes, that’s true,” Xue Linglong replied thoughtfully. “If I weren’t cultivating, I’d still only be around eleven or twelve, so I suppose I am still a ‘little girl.’ But honestly, Sister, you’ve always struck me as peculiar. You don’t seem much older than me, yet every time you speak, you exude the air of an elder, much like how my mother used to be.”

Her answer was, in essence, a question in return.

She had always felt this way but rarely found an appropriate moment to ask. Since Bai Lan had sought her out for a chat, Xue Linglong decided to voice her confusion; after all, genuine connection required opening one’s heart.

Truth be told, she and Bai Lan hadn’t truly communicated on a deeper level, leaving their relationship somewhat ambiguous. It might have been slightly closer than Bai Lan’s relationship with Li Yunxi, but Xue Linglong couldn’t shake the feeling that Bai Lan subtly avoided too much interaction with her.

Bai Lan felt a pang of discomfort upon hearing this. She knew certain truths couldn’t be concealed forever. Yet, she couldn’t simply tell Xue Linglong, ‘I was originally a man, but due to a unique constitution, I transformed into a woman,’ even if Xue Linglong were to believe her.

Uttering such a secret was difficult, but more crucially, she wasn’t entirely sure if Xue Linglong was completely trustworthy. Although her heart told her the girl before her was reliable, her rational mind warned against revealing certain secrets so readily.

After a moment of contemplation, Bai Lan decided to address Xue Linglong’s doubts in an alternative manner.

“Perhaps it’s due to the environment I grew up in,” Bai Lan explained. “I was born into a cultivation family and received a rather mature education from a young age. So, my mental age might be more developed. It’s perfectly normal for you to feel that way.”

Her explanation wasn’t exactly a lie. She was essentially blending Xue Yue’s past with her own current situation to address Xue Linglong’s confusion, which was why Xue Linglong didn’t sense any deception.

“Is that so? No wonder I always felt you were different, Sister. Oh, by the way, I have a secret I want to tell you, but you must promise not to tell anyone else. I’ve been thinking about whether to tell you for a very long time,” Xue Linglong confessed, hesitating slightly as if on the verge of revealing something personal to Bai Lan.

Bai Lan merely glanced at Xue Linglong, surmising that she likely intended to confide in her about awakening the Linglong Body and acquiring special abilities.

After all, Xue Linglong had no idea what her unique constitution truly was. She only knew she possessed abilities beyond ordinary people, yet she couldn’t comprehend them, leaving her deeply perplexed.

“Go ahead and tell me. I promise I won’t tell anyone. It will be just between us, with no third person knowing,” Bai Lan said with a smile.

Xue Linglong offered a faint smile. She wasn’t entirely sure why she felt compelled to share these things, perhaps it was loneliness, or perhaps a sense of unease, a need to confide these secrets in someone she felt she could trust.

“Well, honestly, I don’t quite know how to explain it to you,” Xue Linglong began, her expression tinged with melancholy and distress. “It’s just that, not long after we joined the Luoshen Sect three years ago, I discovered I seemed to have gained some very strange abilities. I feel as though I can hear other people’s inner thoughts, see through their intentions, and even the world itself appears different through my eyes.”

One should never assume that being different is inherently a good thing. For most ordinary people, suddenly becoming unique can actually induce a sense of fear, much like how Bai Lan felt shortly after she transformed into a woman.

Xue Linglong had also been terrified during that period, but she dared not speak of it, fearing others would deem her a monster. Her state of mind back then was remarkably similar to Bai Lan’s.

Bai Lan, already aware that Xue Linglong possessed the Linglong Body, didn’t display any particular surprise. Xue Linglong, however, observed Bai Lan’s expression as she spoke, and seeing Bai Lan’s knowing look, she paused in slight astonishment.

“Hmm? Sister, why are you so calm? Did you already know about my abilities?” Xue Linglong asked tentatively.

Bai Lan chuckled softly.

“You could say that. I know more about the cultivation world than you do, and I’m aware that some individuals are born with unique constitutions and abilities. You seem to be one such person. Don’t be frightened by your powers; they are truly something others can only envy,” Bai Lan replied.

“Oh, and of course, remember this,” Bai Lan added, her tone turning serious. “Unless it’s someone you absolutely trust, try not to casually reveal your abilities to outsiders. This world is not peaceful, and there are malicious individuals who might resort to special means to seize others’ powers.”

Xue Linglong blinked in surprise, but after a brief moment of thought, she nodded in agreement with Bai Lan’s words.

“Understood. Besides you, Sister, I won’t tell anyone else. Also, Sister, you aren’t an ordinary cultivator, are you? In my eyes, a unique aura emanates from you. Moreover, while I can discern others’ thoughts, I can’t read yours at all; I can only interpret them through your words and expressions,” Xue Linglong shared another one of her confusions.

“Then that simply means we share a special destiny,” Bai Lan said, offering Xue Linglong a mysterious smile. “Indeed, I am not an ordinary person either. My abilities are even more unique than yours.”