Journey to the End of the Night-Chapter 1262 - 823: Newcomer’s Wedding Attire (Part 2)
"Besides, compared to others, we should prioritize preserving our own lives... so I believe it is our duty to deal with that pig demon decisively."
Baili An said, "So, young lady, do you mean... sacrificing the small self for the greater good?"
The small self naturally refers to those innocent women.
The girl stared at him with determined eyes and said coldly, "What? Are you going to lecture me with your principles again? Want to say saving a life is better than building a seven-tiered Futu, and that those women are innocent and shouldn’t be sacrificed?"
Baili An shook his head with a smile, "No, I’m not in a position to preach to you, and besides, you’re quite right. It is indeed the simplest way to understand."
The girl’s expression remained calm, "It’s good that you understand..." A hint of distance colored her indifferent gaze.
"But..." Baili An interrupted her, "If you truly thought that way, you wouldn’t have come to me tonight and said all this. Instead, you would be quietly waiting for tomorrow, for everyone to join forces in killing the pig demon together."
The girl’s cold expression cracked in an instant, and she helplessly spread her hands, saying, "Why is it that when you should be smart, you’re dumb beyond help, and when you shouldn’t be smart, you’re as clever as a demon."
Though the girl appeared helpless, that lingering sense of aloofness finally subsided.
Baili An said, "It’s not about being smart or dumb, but rather that I believe the young lady isn’t a heartless person."
The girl chuckled, "Believe? You trust someone whose name and origins you don’t even know?"
Baili An smiled, "I’d be delighted if you were willing to tell me your name."
"Dream on!" The girl stuck her tongue out at him.
"It seems my trust in the young lady doesn’t earn her trust, which is why she came tonight to test me." Baili An said helplessly.
The girl grinned at him, "If it were those three idiots from the Moon Accompanying Palace, they couldn’t withstand such a test, could they?"
"So, they don’t know about this?"
"That’s right."
Baili An sighed helplessly, saying, "I originally thought tomorrow’s battle would be tough enough, but with this development, we’ll have to approach it more cautiously."
The girl let out a playful "Oh?" feigning surprise, "What does tomorrow’s battle have to do with you? Aren’t you primarily responsible for shivering and hiding behind me?"
Baili An chuckled, "I did say the bit about shivering, but I don’t recall ever mentioning hiding behind you."
The girl’s eyes shifted slightly, her gaze resting on the Quansheng Sword hanging at the head of his bed.
With a knowing smile, she said, "What you said about needing to be cautious in tomorrow’s battle isn’t without reason. This sword seems more peculiar than it was when Zhao Baixun tried to snatch it from you a few days ago, indicating you’re prepared."
Baili An’s heart skipped a beat, this little girl... such sharp insight.
He had already placed Shou within the Quansheng Sword, so even in tomorrow’s confrontation, he could use this sword to battle the pig demon without revealing Shou’s presence to outsiders.
Yet tonight, the Quansheng Sword hadn’t been unsheathed, and Shou’s aura was completely hidden. Still, with just one glance, she identified its secret. How could that not surprise him?
The girl giggled, "Don’t be so tense, I’m not overly curious about others’ secrets, and I didn’t perceive the peculiar change in your sword’s aura. My unique constitution merely sensed a dense yin energy around that sword."
Even after hearing this explanation, Baili An remained uneasy. The yin aura she detected was actually emanating from Shou, yet he had specifically instructed Shou to conceal his presence, but she still sensed something.
"Forgive my boldness, may I ask, young lady, what level of cultivation have you reached?" Baili An inquired earnestly.
The girl winked at him, "Do you really want to know?"
Baili An nodded.
"I don’t mind telling you, but don’t get scared, okay? I’m currently at Sixth Grade on the Path of Practice."
Baili An stared at the pale hand waving a six in front of him, feeling dizzy.
Sixth Grade on the Path of Practice...
She’s only fourteen, right? Such talent, even Sword Sect under the heavens’ Tianxi couldn’t produce such a prodigy, could they?
No wonder Zhao Baixun and the others were so wary of her.
Needless to say, Baili An was deeply struck by her, the gap between them wasn’t insignificant.
The night passed quickly, and after the bun girl left, Baili An intended to meditate and cultivate for two hours as usual, then nap for a bit. But after the bun girl’s provocation, he felt a bit downhearted.
Realizing that no matter how hard he cultivated, he couldn’t catch up with her, and with a fierce battle looming tomorrow, he considered resting well tonight to gather energy for the battle.
As soon as this thought surfaced, Baili An gave himself a hard slap.
He felt disappointed in his own lack of resolve.
When facing others with good Talent and rapid progress, he should strive even harder, not become complacent. Despite past hardships and exhaustion, he had never skipped his daily cultivation practice, how could he let one moment of slackness break the tradition?
Without his father’s supervision, he should be even more self-disciplined, and not lose his fighting spirit due to a temporary setback.
Born with deficiencies, one must make up for it through acquired efforts. Even if he’s not as good as others, as the Young Master of Bai Tuo Mountain, he cannot lag too far behind.
After contemplating this, Baili An regained his clarity and resumed his meditation.
Whether it was due to a change in mindset, after reciting the incantation, the blue spirit light within his Sea of Consciousness was for the first time, smoothly circulating without hindrance. The faint blue light flowed through one circulation without error, and by dawn, it had deepened considerably in color.
Though the threshold for Second Grade on the Path of Practice remained distant, it no longer seemed unattainable. He could vaguely see a hazy outline.
Baili An kept his eyes closed, continuously forming hand formulas. Despite the sudden and delightful surprise, he dared not let his mood fluctuate too much.
His father once told him, the greatest taboo in cultivation lies in being overly happy or sad. A Cultivator who cannot control their emotions isn’t competent. The Path of Practice is long and arduous; lacking Talent isn’t crucial, maintaining a stable mind is most important to embrace emptiness and remain tranquil.
"Embrace the utmost emptiness, uphold unwavering tranquility. Observe all things in harmony, and return to the source."
"Seeing but not perceiving, hearing but not discerning, reaching but not obtaining."
In a state of agitation and restlessness, one can’t even accomplish a mundane task, let alone comprehend the greater path.
After two hours of effort, Baili An managed to guide the blue spirit light through two circulations for the first time. Though the shadow of Second Grade on the Path of Practice remained distant, at this moment, Baili An clearly felt his entire being absorbing Spiritual Energy at twice the previous rate.
The Dantian, always blocked like a muddy sea, experienced a loosening under the intense Spiritual Energy flow. Occasionally, droplets of replenishing water seeped into the Dantian, granting an unprecedented sense of fullness.
Baili An calmly completed two hours of cultivation and then lay down calmly. After an hour, he rose with impeccable timing.
He took off his plain white robe, finally donning the luxurious red wedding attire and brand new red boots on the table. Even the simple headband was replaced with a gold-plated crown, as he stood before the bronze mirror, gazing at the red-clad youth reflected within, he felt as if he didn’t recognize himself.
"Turns out, I look pretty good dressed as a groom..."
Baili An muttered to himself.
In the early morning, the gray sky lightened as dawn spread across the inn’s doorstep, evoking a feeling of lazy tranquility.
