BW Extra 15

Idle Talk

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In the cultivation world, male cultivators forming dao companions with other male cultivators was not uncommon. There were also female cultivators with female cultivators, and even more extreme cases: people with demons, with spirit beasts that had developed spiritual intelligence and could transform into human form, and there were even eccentric individuals who formed contracts with blocks of stone…

The path of immortal cultivation was long and arduous, and most of the time, strength was the most important standard.

However, same-sex dao companions who could give birth to children were few and far between—or rather, extremely rare.

Those who could raise a group of children from different backgrounds, you couldn’t find a second family like that in all seventeen states.

Moreover, the two masters of the Ning residence in Chen City—one was Venerable Jinghe whose cultivation was unfathomably deep, and the other was the great demon who had once stirred up bloody storms across the seventeen states. Their union itself was already surprising, but even stranger was that these two cold-blooded and ruthless people actually raised a group of children with no blood relation to them.

Most infuriating of all was that each child they raised turned out more accomplished than the last.

“…Lord Chengping Feng Zizhang established his own sect at such a young age. Now which young disciple in the seventeen states doesn’t know of Jingshui Sect? I heard it has already joined the Chongzheng Alliance and receives special favor from Alliance Leader Shen. Perhaps in a few hundred years, Jingshui Sect will have a place among the ten great sects and eight great families.”

“Mm, I heard that Fairy Jiang Yizheng also became a disciple under Dean Shang Nuanwei of Wanxuan Academy, and she’s said to be the only close-door disciple. She might very well be the next dean of Wanxuan Academy.”

“Where did you get that news? If you ask me, Fairy Yang Lingzhu is more impressive—she single-handedly rebuilt Medical Immortal Valley, healing the world and saving people. She’s truly a model for our generation.”

“What about the fourth young master of the Ning residence? Haven’t heard much about him?”

“Shh, that one’s an unruly malevolent star. Just recently, I don’t know how the Cui family offended him, but he carried that Purple Flame Knife of his and overturned the Cui family’s main city. If the Cui family head hadn’t pleaded before Demon Lord Ning, and if the Demon Lord hadn’t brought him back, the entire family might have been exterminated that very day.”

“Wow, but isn’t the fourth young master also surnamed Cui? How could he show no regard for family sentiment?”

“He’s the son raised by Demon Lord Ning and Venerable Jinghe—what does he have to do with those surnamed Cui?”

“What about the fifth young master, Little Dragon Lord Long Jin? I heard he’s the only true dragon left in the world.”

“Don’t get any ideas about him. Sure, he’s a divine beast, but he has developed spiritual intelligence. His two fathers treasure him immensely, and which of his older siblings is easy to provoke? Anyone wanting to contract a spirit beast should measure their own abilities first.”

“How would I dare? This is a dragon we’re talking about! I love dragons the most! I want to be friends with him.”

“Yes, who could refuse a dragon?”

“Speaking of which, what about that little master of the Ning family, Ning Xiu?”

“Now that little master, there’s quite a story to tell about him…”

The voices of conversation disappeared into the bustling noise of the tavern. Outside the tavern, the streets were filled with people coming and going. The gentle warm breeze of early spring softly caressed the crowds and the earth, blowing toward the cloudless blue sky.

This land of Xun Prefecture, which had been silent and barren for five hundred years, had finally recovered its clamor and vitality. Ruins were rebuilt, vengeful spirits dissipated, and in just a few short decades, countless new cities and magnificent, soul-stirring stories had emerged.

Where the former Ning city lord’s residence and Chenyue Mountain battlefield once stood, grand tombs had long been erected. Every year, many cultivators came here to pay their respects, and the endless curling incense smoke was the best comfort for the five predecessors who had saved all living beings.

“Are Young Master Xingyuan and the others still in the Eight Trigrams Formation? Won’t they be bored?” a small child asked his father in confusion.

“No one knows,” the father replied. “Some say their souls have already merged with the Eight Trigrams Formation, protecting both the cultivation world and the mortal realm together. Others say they achieved perfect merit and ascended to the immortal ranks right when the Eight Trigrams Formation was completed.”

“That’s wonderful!” The child chose only the ending he liked.

The father smiled. “After all, the seventeen states are blessed with outstanding people and natural beauty. Legend has it that many young immortal lords from the upper realm come down here to undergo tribulation.”

“Tribulation?”

“Mm, experiencing hardships and suffering through several lifetimes, and finally overcoming the tribulation to go home.”

“Then Young Master Xingyuan and his friends must have gone home too! It must be like that, right, Father?”

“Perhaps.”

“Ah, no no no, I want it to be definite! Father, quickly say it’s definite!”

“Because your father doesn’t know either. If you work hard at cultivation in the future and ascend to the upper realm through tribulation, then you can see whether Young Master Xingyuan and the others are really there or not.” A clear, gentle voice spoke beside them.

The child’s eyes widened. “That makes sense!”

He held his father’s hand and turned to look, but didn’t see the person who had just spoken.

Smoke swirled, and the vast sky was clear and bright.

An indistinct figure disappeared into the bustling crowd.