Chapter 217: No Backing Out

Just then, a figure shot through the sky from the Ancient Ship, quickly arriving above the Li Mansion before slowly descending.

The Li Mansion guards noticed the disturbance and gathered around the courtyard, tense and on high alert.

“Stand down!”

Li Qian had already recognized the newcomer’s attire, so he barked the order.

The man wore a ferocious-looking helmet that resembled a tiger’s head.

He was clad in a suit of jet-black armor. Its plates were not ordinary sheets of iron, but meticulously forged segments with subtly curved edges, resembling dragon scales.

Tiger Head Helmet and Dragon Scale Armor—the mark of the Dragon Guard.

“Marquis Li, His Highness has issued an order.”

The man unfurled a bright yellow silk scroll and announced in a deep voice, “You are hereby appointed as acting Governor of Jingzhou and Demon Suppression Envoy, presiding over all affairs in Jing State.”

—————–

After disembarking, Lu Bai and Mo Tang went their separate ways.

Mo Tang returned to the Evil Extermination Bureau to make arrangements and prepare for the journey to the capital.

Lu Bai went to the Four Seas Pavilion, where Chu Huai’an led him to Willow Shade Courtyard.

The moment Lu Bai stepped through the door, Shi Kai and Black Dog came running.

Shi Kai knelt and kowtowed. “Thank you, Benefactor!”

“Get up.”

Lu Bai helped Shi Kai to his feet, then ruffled Ah Mo’s head.

Yun Luo smiled and waved at Lu Bai. “Brother Lu, I heard you got into some serious trouble tonight.”

“It certainly was serious.”

Lu Bai led Shi Kai before the main hall and bowed to Yu Daoxuan. “Apologies for the intrusion, Daoist Yu, Daoist Yun Luo.”

“It’s no problem. It’s not every day we get to see some excitement,” Yun Luo said with a smile.

Yu Daoxuan remained silent. Her expression was impassive, and she seemed uninterested in Lu Bai’s affairs, asking no questions.

“Benefactor, are you going to be okay?” Shi Kai asked.

Lu Bai shook his head. “I don’t know. The Duke of Wei is here, and I have to accompany him to the capital. It’s hard to say what will happen in the end.”

Yun Luo’s eyes darted thoughtfully. “Brother Lu,” she said suddenly, “Shi Kai keeps calling you ‘Benefactor.’ It’s so formal. Why don’t you just take him as your apprentice?”

“An apprentice?”

Lu Bai was taken aback.

‘How long have I even been cultivating the Martial Dao? And my Cultivation isn’t even that high.’

‘To take an apprentice at my current Cultivation Realm feels a bit presumptuous.’

‘But Shi Kai’s situation is indeed special.’

‘The Eight Desolates Returning Essence Scripture I’m cultivating now was only restored to its complete form thanks to that one tattered page from Shi Tianlei.’

‘Passing this Cultivation Technique to Shi Kai would be a way to repay Shi Tianlei for his trust.’

‘Besides, while my Cultivation may not be high, I possess several Ultimate Skills.’

“Benefactor, would you be willing to take me as your apprentice?”

Shi Kai looked up, his eyes filled with anticipation.

‘If I had a master, I would finally have a family.’

“Very well.”

Lu Bai nodded. “You’re still in the Root Bone Stage. I happen to have a Cultivation Technique perfect for your training that I can pass on to you.”

“Paying my respects, Master.”

Shi Kai immediately knelt and kowtowed.

Yun Luo, who was standing nearby, seemed even more excited than Shi Kai. She asked with a grin, “Should we do a tea ceremony or something?”

“No need. I don’t stand on ceremony.”

Lu Bai waved his hand.

Yun Luo clapped her hands and laughed. “I call him Brother Lu, and you call him Master. Shi Kai, that means you’re a generation below me now! From now on, you have to call me Senior Sister when you see me, got it?”

In truth, being a generation lower didn’t make her his senior sister, but the logic was lost on her.

But Yun Luo was simple-hearted. She was just tired of being the youngest at the Four Seas Pavilion.

She had always wanted a junior brother she could tease.

And now, she had finally found one.

Shi Kai was dumbfounded for a moment, not quite understanding the logic, but he did as she said and called her “Senior Sister.”

Lu Bai began teaching the Ultimate Skill, the White Tiger Stance, to Shi Kai, patiently guiding him through the process.

Before they knew it, the night deepened.

Yun Luo couldn’t stop yawning.

Shi Kai had been through too much that day and night. He was still young and physically weak, so he was utterly exhausted, both in body and mind.

Lu Bai had intended to teach him the Eight Desolates Returning Essence Scripture as well, but when he saw that Shi Kai could barely hold his stance, his heart went out to the boy, and he sent him off to bed.

‘In this condition, he wouldn’t remember a thing even if I taught him.’

‘There will be other opportunities.’

‘It wouldn’t be too late to teach him once his Cultivation improves.’

With both children off to bed, only Yu Daoxuan remained in the hall.

From start to finish, Yu Daoxuan had been sitting there ramrod straight, her Duster cradled in her arm. She was motionless with her eyes closed in Meditation, almost as if she were asleep.

Her apricot-yellow Daoist Robe draped around her, making her skin seem fairer than snow. The Cyan Jade Duster rested lightly in the crook of her arm, its three thousand silver strands cascading down with a moonlit sheen.

Her features were as perfect and flawless as a painting. With her eyes closed, the usual coldness of her gaze was hidden away. As she sat there in silence, she exuded a transcendent beauty, as if she stood apart from the mortal world.

Just then, Yu Daoxuan’s long lashes fluttered. Her beautiful eyes opened and met his. “What are you looking at?” she asked.

Lu Bai instinctively looked away, flustered. “I was just admiring your Duster, Daoist,” he said. “It seems quite extraordinary. I was wondering what kind of treasure it might be…”

With a flick of her fingertips, three strands of silver light separated from the Duster’s cascading Dust Silks. Like threads spun from moonlight, they floated down before Lu Bai.

“This is…”

Lu Bai froze.

‘I was just making a casual comment. Did Yu Daoxuan really just cut off three strands of her Dust Silk and give them to me?’

“Of three thousand Dust Silks, I give you three strands.”

Yu Daoxuan’s gaze was cool, her voice perfectly level. “These represent three promises from me. When and how to redeem them is entirely up to you. Just hold a Dust Silk and call my name.”

Lu Bai’s heart skipped a beat.

He’d actually had a feeling back in Bluestone City that Yu Daoxuan treated him differently from others.

He just hadn’t dared to read too much into it, afraid it was all in his head.

Only now was he certain.

Three strands of Dust Silk, three promises.

This was an incredibly heavy favor!

Lu Bai blinked, testing the waters. “Does that mean you’ll do anything I ask? If I ask for something you can’t do, it doesn’t waste one of my chances, right?”

“There are few things in this world that are beyond my power,” Yu Daoxuan stated plainly.

Lu Bai cleared his throat. He held up one strand of Dust Silk and said with a serious expression, “Then turn this one strand into ten strands, to be exchanged for ten of your promises.”

“…”

Yu Daoxuan stared at Lu Bai, speechless for a long moment.

Lu Bai scratched his head, laughing awkwardly. “A little greedy, huh? How about seven promises? Five would be fine, too.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

Her voice carried a hint of exasperation and reproach, her usual composure finally cracking.

“Alright, alright.”

Lu Bai thought for a moment, then tried again. “I have a Mortal Spirit Root. Can you, Daoist, help me defy my fate and upgrade my Spirit Root to the Top Grade Spirit Root level?”

“…”

Yu Daoxuan’s eyelashes trembled, and the hand cradling her Duster tightened its grip unconsciously.

“Stop with the wild fantasies.”

Yu Daoxuan said coldly, biting her lip in frustration.

Lu Bai muttered under his breath, “You just said there are few things beyond your power, and now you’re saying I can’t ask for this and I can’t ask for that…”

How could Yu Daoxuan not have heard that?

Her Daoist heart, usually as placid as an ancient well, was thrown into turmoil by Lu Bai’s retorts. She nearly lost her footing, her breathing grew uneven, and she shot him an exasperated glare.