Chapter 657 - 604: Jingshan Accepts a Disciple
When Jiang Yuebai arrived at Bailoo Beach by the Sishi River, she saw a female cultivator dressed in black with ink-black hair and clear features standing in the midst of a heavy snowfall, like a sword unsheathed. Even the hair flying in the wind and snow carried a chilling Sword Intent that penetrated to the bone.
She resembled a solitary and proud sword embedded in the cold mountains and snowy ridges.
Although she had seen Lu Nanzhi many times in dreams, seeing her in person still made Jiang Yuebai marvel at her transformation—becoming sharper and more like an unstoppable divine weapon, ready to break through the sky.
In fact, it had been more than twenty years since she and Lu Nanzhi had truly met.
"Anan!"
Jiang Yuebai landed on the riverside beach, walking toward her in the deep snow.
Lu Nanzhi turned around, and upon seeing the white-clad, silver-haired Jiang Yuebai with a smile like a blooming flower, the coldness on her melted away, revealing a smile from the heart.
In an instant, the snow and wind around her dispersed, and the world became clear.
"Little Bai."
Their hands met, and Jiang Yuebai chuckled foolishly, Lu Nanzhi couldn’t help but smile.
The words they needed to say had already been spoken in dreams, so they skipped the pleasantries.
"Anan, you actually cultivated faster than me. You’re already at the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul, have you entered the trial at Pojun Mountain?"
Lu Nanzhi nodded, "Yes, after a major hardship, I met a benefactor later. I gained a lot in the Pojun Mountain of the Shaking Light Realm, perfected my Sword Heart, and also reforged my Lifebound Demon Sword. Breaking through to the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul was the natural progression."
Jiang Yuebai was genuinely happy for Lu Nanzhi. Blessings often come from disasters; sometimes one finds opportunity after a low point, but many people can’t overcome that difficult period.
"By the way, where’s Xie Jingshan? Didn’t you send a flying sword message saying he came with you?"
Jiang Yuebai turned her head to search for Xie Jingshan’s whereabouts.
For some reason, over the years, she and Xie Jingshan had grown inexplicably distant. Their correspondence had become sparse, and much of what she knew about him came from Lu Nanzhi.
She really didn’t know what Xie Jingshan was thinking and wanted to ask him face-to-face if she had somehow offended him? He would tell Lu Nanzhi but wouldn’t write to her.
"I’m here!"
A clear male voice came from the distant forest, and Jiang Yuebai looked over, eyes wide with surprise.
The Xie Jingshan she hadn’t seen for over twenty years had matured a lot. Dressed in a dark blue outfit, carrying two long swords, his features were more angular, his skin darker, and he had a mustache, looking like a middle-aged cultivator at the Early-Stage Nascent Soul.
But what shocked Jiang Yuebai wasn’t his maturity, nor the extra sense of weariness he carried.
It was the little girl sitting on his shoulders, holding an Ice Flower, wearing a small red cloak, appearing as if carved from jade.
She looked about six or seven years old, just entering the Dao with Qi Cultivation Third Layer cultivation. Her clean, clear eyes held some rabbit-like timidity and much curiosity, constantly observing Jiang Yuebai.
Jiang Yuebai was taken aback and impulsively blurted out.
"Has Xie Jingshan’s daughter gotten this big already? You formed a couple and had a child without telling me!!"
Pff~
Lu Nanzhi couldn’t hold back her laughter beside her and quickly cleared her throat, trying to appear serious.
Xie Jingshan awkwardly scratched his face, looking evasively at Jiang Yuebai.
"She’s not my daughter, she’s a disciple I picked up in the Spiritual Platform Realm of the Taiwei Star Alliance."
Jiang Yuebai squinted and looked again; indeed, she didn’t resemble Xie Jingshan.
Her gaze was too direct, making the little girl somewhat afraid, hiding behind Xie Jingshan’s head.
"Master, is this strange woman going to eat me?"
Her voice was soft and tender, childish.
Xie Jingshan pinched the little girl’s small foot hanging over his shoulder, "Don’t be afraid, she’s a very good friend of Master’s. In the future, when you meet, you should address her as True Monarch Wangshu. Hasn’t Master taught you many times how to show proper manners? It’s not proper to be so rude."
The little girl lowered her head, "I know, Master."
She took a deep breath, looked at Jiang Yuebai, and performed a Daoist salute with both hands.
"Gui Ti greets True Monarch Wangshu."
Xie Jingshan put her down from his shoulder. She held onto that Ice Flower, tugging at Xie Jingshan’s sleeve, standing in the snow. Her nose was red from the cold, she kept sniffing, so Xie Jingshan put his hand on her head and sent spiritual energy to ward off the cold.
Chu Guirui looked up and broke into a sweet smile, "Thank you, Master."
Meeting Xie Jingshan this time left Jiang Yuebai shocked, leaving her at a loss for words from start to finish.
It felt as if Xie Jingshan had completely changed, no longer the brash young man but a mature, steady ’Master’ who was responsible and caring.
This made Jiang Yuebai unsure how to treat him, like behaving lightly and recklessly as she did with a little brother seemed inappropriate.
Xie Jingshan, holding Chu Guirui’s hand, approached, and whispered to Jiang Yuebai.
"She is actually the reincarnation of Jing Chujun. I found her on the battlefield of the Taiwei Star Alliance. Before I brought her back to the True Martial Immortal Sect, I had no idea about her identity; Master deduced it. Now that we know, I can’t ignore her."
"I’m afraid exposing her identity may attract attention from Senior Sister Jing’s parents, interfering in her life, so I took her out for a walk. With Heavenly Interence Sect establishing, I thought I’d see if I can help with anything and stay for a while."
Jiang Yuebai nodded absentmindedly, Lu Nanzhi came over to break the awkward atmosphere.
"Alright, it’s freezing here, let’s not stand around, Little Bai, take us to meet the elders of Heavenly Interence Sect."
"Ah? Oh, okay!"
Jiang Yuebai pointed in a direction, pulling Lu Nanzhi to walk ahead, speeding low along the river, with Xie Jingshan and Chu Guirui following behind.
Jiang Yuebai glanced back at Xie Jingshan, and couldn’t help but secretly ask Lu Nanzhi.
"Are you sure he wasn’t possessed or his brain damaged by the Demon Clan? How could a perfectly fine person suddenly change so much?"
Lu Nanzhi laughed, seeing Jiang Yuebai’s distressed and clueless look, she replied, "Not even three days."
"Not even three days what?"
"Tell me about the Heavenly Interence Sect, what do you need me to do for this establishment?"
In the back, Xie Jingshan took out a boat-shaped Magic Treasure to ward off the wind and snow, carrying Chu Guirui as they followed from a distance.
Chu Guirui’s big eyes filled with confusion, "Master, she is True Monarch Wangshu, then who is the Jiang Yuebai you were cursing when you got drunk with Drunken Immortal Brew last time?"
"Ahem! Children shouldn’t speak recklessly in front of elders!" Xie Jingshan awkwardly covered his face, scratching the stubble on his lips.
Chu Guirui showed a look of disdain, "Master, your beard is really ugly, and why do you have to make your face so dark? It looks dirty; even my cloak got stained by you."
Xie Jingshan’s mouth twitched, he used a Dust Cleaning Technique to clean Chu Guirui’s cloak.
"Shut your mouth, saying less is good for you."
"I can’t keep it shut, not talking makes me uncomfortable!"
"..."
"Master, why is this place called the Nine Rivers Realm? Is it because there are nine rivers? The Green Dragon Realm is clearly in spring, why is it winter here?"
"..."
"Master, are your eyes uncomfortable? You can spit on white paper, stick it to your eyelid, and it’ll ward off calamities."
"..."
"Master, you said I resemble someone, is it that True Monarch Wangshu? I don’t think so, I’m clearly better looking, that True Monarch Wangshu looks a bit dull and not as clever as me."
"..."
"Master, how do the ice flowers on these branches form? Can you teach me? I want to show it to the great-grandmaster when we go back."
"Master doesn’t know!"
"Master..."
"Stop calling Master. If you call again, be careful of my Silence Technique!"
"Ma... forget it, you don’t know anyway, sigh..."
!!!
Xie Jingshan felt his head swell like a drum. He wasn’t this annoying when he was a disciple. Why is it so difficult to train a disciple himself?
The next time he sees True Monarch Jiuchuan, he must ask how he managed to raise Jiang Yuebai and still maintain that grace. It’s too hard~~