Chapter 36

Bai Shi held the iron sword, which showed no trace of his soul's energy. Facing these disciples of West Morning Manor, he did not want to reveal any of his strength at this moment.

Some people were still discussing why the long-snouted crocodiles had left, while Lin Nan, upon seeing Bai Shi, immediately stepped forward and saw the iron sword in Bai Shi's hand.

"Hehe... Don't think that just because you picked up a piece of scrap iron, you are really a sword cultivator," Lin Nan mocked.

Bai Shi glanced at him, his expression unchanged, and his tone was very firm: "Whether I am a sword cultivator or not, we don't know yet."

"Your words are quite bold. I remember that in West Morning Manor, you said that in two years, you would defeat all of us here... I really want to see how you will defeat all of us here in two years," Lin Nan said.

As Lin Nan's words fell, everyone's eyes showed ridicule. They clearly knew that this Bai Shi, who was once in West Morning Manor, was recognized by the entire manor as a waste of talent. Even sweeping the courtyard was a special favor granted by West Morningzi.

For these people, calling it a mission was already a great compliment to Bai Shi.

But there was one person who did not react like the others, and that was Ouyang Jingjing.

Ouyang Jingjing knew very well that these long-snouted crocodiles had excellent patience and would not easily leave unless they encountered something dangerous. The moment Bai Shi appeared, these long-snouted crocodiles fled in panic, which must have something to do with Bai Shi. However, she couldn't pinpoint what it was, so she fixed her gaze on Bai Shi, her eyes filled with deep doubt.

Bai Shi looked at Lin Nan but did not speak. Instead, he turned his head and looked at Ouyang Jingjing, saying, "Jingjing, let's go."

Ouyang Jingjing's body suddenly trembled as if she had just realized something. She was about to leave with Bai Shi when she heard Lin Nan say, "Jingjing, don't follow him..."

Before Ouyang Jingjing could speak, Bai Shi calmly turned his head and said, "I think if you knew the way to Daochen Mountain Range, you wouldn't have ended up here... Of course, you don't have to follow me, but I don't want to see you in West Morning Manor in two years. However, whether you want to or not is your choice."

With that, Bai Shi turned around and, without much thought, took Ouyang Jingjing's hand and walked forward.

Ouyang Jingjing's body trembled again when her hand was inadvertently held by Bai Shi. She subconsciously looked at Bai Shi's side face and lowered her head in shyness, though her face was flushed, she did not refuse.

Lin Nan, seeing this, gritted his teeth. Although he was extremely unwilling to follow Bai Shi out of the maple forest, since Bai Shi was unharmed in the depths of the forest, he believed Bai Shi could find the way out.

So, he could only purse his lips and make a gesture to his companions, signaling them to move forward.

As they moved through the maple forest, the white fox's aura had not completely dissipated, so there was no immediate danger in the forest. After about two hours of walking, when the sun was high in the sky, Bai Shi had already left Lin Nan and the others several meters behind. Lin Nan and the others were running and walking hard to catch up, knowing that without Bai Shi's lead, they might continue to wander in the maple forest.

Bai Shi's pace was very fast, and he did not stop during the long journey. By the time it was dusk and they were close to the edge of the maple forest, Ouyang Jingjing was already panting, while Bai Shi remained calm.

This made Ouyang Jingjing notice something.

"Bai Shi, let's wait for them for a moment," Ouyang Jingjing stopped and looked at Bai Shi.

Bai Shi smiled faintly, looked at the figures behind them, who were almost out of breath, and then shook his head as if in resignation. He took out a water bottle and handed it to Ouyang Jingjing, saying, "Alright."

Ouyang Jingjing took the water bottle, drank a few gulps, and took a deep breath, saying, "Actually, I have been suspicious of your strength. Now, what you have shown... makes me even more doubtful." Ouyang Jingjing looked at Bai Shi.

Bai Shi's body trembled, wondering if he had revealed something to Ouyang Jingjing. He then smiled faintly and said, "What can you doubt about me..."

"I don't know why those long-snouted crocodiles fled in panic when they saw you... but I know that after walking such a long distance, even someone at the Ninth Level of Foundation Establishment like me is struggling, while you remain calm. It's clear... your strength is hidden deep within..." Ouyang Jingjing said.

Seeing Ouyang Jingjing's lively eyes, Bai Shi knew he couldn't hide it from her anymore. He then tightly gripped the iron sword, and with a mental command, the sword seemed to come to life, emitting a faint energy aura.

It must be said that when Ouyang Jingjing saw this, her face showed clear shock. She moved her gaze from the iron sword to Bai Shi's face, her eyes filled with surprise.

Bai Shi smiled faintly and said, "What you saw today... I hope you don't tell anyone."

Ouyang Jingjing nodded somewhat blankly. She knew that for a sword to have an aura, one's strength must be at least at the Dongxuan Realm, when a cultivator has their own soul.

So, when she saw this, she didn't know that the reason for this was not because Bai Shi had reached the Dongxuan Realm, but because after taking the soul-stimulating herb, Bai Shi, under the infusion of the green tree's spirit, had prematurely developed his own soul.

In shock, Lin Nan and the others had already caught up, and at this moment, Bai Shi had already hidden his strength. He pointed forward and said, "Walk about two hundred meters straight ahead, and you will be out of the maple forest. I need to return to East Morning Manor, so our paths are different. I'll go ahead."

With that, Bai Shi did not wait for them to speak further and leaped into the depths of the maple forest, disappearing from their sight. Bai Shi knew that outside the maple forest, the strange beasts were no match for Ouyang Jingjing.

After leaving Ouyang Jingjing and the others, Bai Shi quickly walked out of the maple forest. Standing outside the forest, under the pale moonlight, he could vaguely see the stone forest, but his gaze did not linger there for long. In one leap, he landed on a tree trunk and looked towards the indistinct East Morning Manor.

After a long absence, when his gaze fell on East Morning Manor, Bai Shi's face showed no excitement, but rather a sense of沧桑 (cang桑, meaning "沧桑" or "the vicissitudes of life"). He knew that such vicissitudes would continue in the days to come.

Just like the road under his feet, when he took a step... there was still a long way to go!

"I wonder if Su Xuan and Uncle Dongchen are worried about me after I left..." Sighing lightly, Bai Shi pondered and took another step, speeding towards East Morning Manor.

Inside East Morning Manor, in Dongchenzi's room, the candlelight flickered. Two elders were sitting by the wooden table, one was Dongchenzi, and the other was Xichenzi.

"Brother... Today's abnormality, I believe your East Morning Manor also felt it," Xichenzi said, frowning.

Dongchenzi stood up, gently pushed open the window, and looked at the night sky, as if searching for something. At a certain moment, he turned back calmly, his expression similar to Xichenzi's, and his tone was somewhat melancholy, "Back then, Master suppressed the Evil King's Sword to control the Daochen Mountain Range's fate, and the sword souls in your manor also disappeared with the Evil King's...

Today, in that stone cave, the Evil King's Sword trembled violently, as if it had a new life. The fate of the Daochen Mountain Range... is probably coming to an end."

Seeing Dongchenzi's anxiety, Xichenzi slowly stood up and said, "Back then, Master suppressed the Evil King himself, and after that, Master disappeared for hundreds of years. Since the Evil King's soul has disappeared, it will take a few years for it to awaken. During these few years... we should plan how to deal with what will happen next."

Hearing this, Dongchenzi sighed deeply and looked at the night sky again, saying, "Everything is predestined. If it is fate, we must accept it. My only hope now is that if someone really takes the Dragon Roar Sword, that person will not be consumed by the evil soul inside..."

...

Deep into the night, Xichenzi had already left, but Dongchenzi was still awake, his gaze fixed on the night sky, as if searching for something among the stars. Until, the door outside sounded with a 'knock knock'...

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