Chapter 100: The Price of Resurrection
After finishing her cultivation, Bai Jingxue stepped out of her room, settling down in the courtyard. It had been raining frequently lately, the downpours unusually heavy. She had heard rumors of flooding in the mortal realm.
The floods had generated numerous requests for assistance, keeping Fu Yuan busy. The courtyard was quiet.
Bai Jingxue, realizing that her secluded lifestyle wasn’t ideal, decided to start accepting missions, to gain experience and hone her skills.
She headed towards the library, finding Lü Qingyan on the third floor, her head buried in a book.
Lü Qingyan was still reading those travelogues, but they were poorly organized, their contents a jumbled mess, their timelines spanning centuries.
Bai Jingxue approached her, tapping her fingers on the table. The sound startled Lü Qingyan, but then she saw Bai Jingxue, and her face lit up.
“Jingxue, what are you doing here?” she asked, her voice filled with delight.
Bai Jingxue, gathering a stack of books, placing them back on the shelves, her lips curving into a small smile, said, “Stop reading those. Come with me. We’re accepting a mission.”
Lü Qingyan, gathering the remaining books, rushed over to help.
“Really?” she asked, her voice excited. “When?”
Bai Jingxue, finished with her task, took half the books from Lü Qingyan, placing one back on the shelf. “Now,” she said.
They quickly organized the books, then headed towards the Merit Hall, where they encountered Fu Yuan and her companions. They seemed to be returning from a mission.
He Rong was squatting on the ground, her chin resting on her hands, her gaze distant, while Jwan Jwan perched on her head, resembling a colorful hat.
Bai Jingxue’s lips twitched. Jwan Jwan, for some reason, had stopped transforming into her human form, preferring to remain a bird, clinging to He Rong’s head.
He Rong’s hair was a mess.
Fu Yuan, having submitted her report, was studying the mission board, her expression suggesting she was considering accepting another one.
Bai Jingxue realized that she and Lü Qingyan were inexperienced in these matters. Perhaps teaming up with Fu Yuan would be beneficial.
She approached Fu Yuan, her voice calm. “What kind of mission are you looking for?”
Fu Yuan, hearing the familiar voice, turned, her hair disheveled, the scent of blood clinging to her clothes. She had been injured.
Driven by a sense of urgency, she had simply bandaged her wounds, eager to accept another mission.
She stared at the two individuals who were the source of her anxiety. Her emotions were complex, but she wasn’t jealous.
“I’m thinking of accepting a rank B mission,” she said, her voice laced with a hint of weariness. “Are you two also here for missions?”
She found it strange. The cat and dog were under the Sword Saint’s protection. They had access to all the cultivation resources and techniques they could ever need. Why would they bother with these dangerous and tedious tasks?
Bai Jingxue simply hummed in acknowledgment, her gaze scanning the mission board. At their current level, they could accept rank A missions.
The topmost row displayed the rank A missions. Bai Jingxue spotted one related to the Demon Realm. She pointed at it, addressing the disciple managing the board. “Please retrieve that one for me.”
Bai Jingxue and Lü Qingyan were well-known figures at the Ejian Sect. The disciples knew they were the Sword Saint’s companions and treated them with respect.
“Elder Bai, are you accepting this mission?” the disciple asked, his voice respectful.
Bai Jingxue took the mission token, nodding curtly, then she showed it to Fu Yuan. “Want to join us?” she asked. “We’ll split the merit points.”
Fu Yuan’s heart skipped a beat. The rewards for a rank A mission were far greater than those for a rank B mission. She couldn’t deny the temptation, but she also felt uneasy accepting such a generous offer. She hesitated, then shook her head.
Lü Qingyan, sensing her hesitation, interjected, her voice loud and cheerful. “Come on, Sister Fu Yuan,” she said. “We’re not familiar with these things. And we don’t know many people. Help us out, okay?”
Bai Jingxue, her voice soft, added, “Qingyan is right. Just consider it a favor.”
Fu Yuan’s hesitation wavered. They had a point. She agreed, but she declined their offer to split the merit points equally.
There was a long river in the Demon Realm, flowing from north to south, its waters perpetually black, its banks littered with bones.
The mission was related to this Black River. There had been reports of something living within its depths, a creature that had never been seen before.
This unknown creature had devoured several passing demon cultivators. Their mission was to investigate. If necessary, they were to capture or kill the creature and bring it back to the Ejian Sect.
Logically, this wasn’t a matter for the righteous realm to handle, but private requests weren’t bound by such restrictions.
Bai Jingxue summarized the mission, then shared her theory. “The client probably wants to use the creature’s corpse to refine an artifact.”
Fu Yuan agreed. She grabbed Jwan Jwan, who was still perched on He Rong’s head, then suggested, “Let Jwan Jwan take us there.”
Jwan Jwan’s body trembled, and she let out a shrill cry, her form expanding, her multicolored feathers transforming into a vibrant red, her tail feathers long and elegant, their tips adorned with deep purple circles.
Bai Jingxue stared at the magnificent bird, her eyes wide with disbelief. She couldn’t believe this beautiful, majestic creature was Jwan Jwan.
Despite her imposing appearance, Jwan Jwan’s voice, when she spoke, was still timid and hesitant. “I-I’m a fast flier,” she said.
Lü Qingyan, however, wasn’t fazed. She circled Jwan Jwan, her tail wagging, her voice filled with a sincere admiration. “You’re so impressive, Jwan Jwan!”
Jwan Jwan, her head bowing shyly, mumbled, “Thank you.”
He Rong, accustomed to Jwan Jwan’s transformations, climbed onto her back, her voice cheerful. “Come on, everyone! Jwan Jwan is fast!”
Once they were all settled, Jwan Jwan spread her wings, soaring into the sky.
Bai Jingxue, studying Jwan Jwan’s features, suddenly realized something.
Fu Yuan was sitting nearby. “Could Jwan Jwan be a Vermilion Bird?” Bai Jingxue asked.
Vermilion Birds were auspicious creatures, their appearance a symbol of peace and prosperity.
She had learned this from the books in the Ejian Sect’s library. Her love of reading had proven to be beneficial.
But Jwan Jwan’s appearance differed slightly from the descriptions she had read. Her feathers were darker, their red less vibrant.
Fu Yuan, who was also aware of this, wasn’t sure either, but she had reported this to the sect leader, who had been convinced that Jwan Jwan was a Vermilion Bird.
She stroked Jwan Jwan’s feathers, her voice laced with concern. “The sect leader said she’s a Vermilion Bird,” she said. “But if that’s true, then both these children are special. It might attract trouble.”
Bai Jingxue, staring at Jwan Jwan’s enormous wingspan, her shadow covering them, asked, “Then why did you let her carry us?”
Fu Yuan was usually more cautious. She should have considered this.
Fu Yuan sighed, her voice even more troubled. “I thought the same thing,” she said, “but Master said there’s no need to worry. She even encouraged Jwan Jwan to transform more often. She said she would deal with anyone who caused trouble. But I’m still worried.”
Bai Jingxue understood her concern. He Rong’s ability to resurrect the dead was already a valuable and dangerous power. And now, Jwan Jwan’s identity was also extraordinary.
The Vermilion Bird was a symbol of power and authority. Wherever she went, power followed.
But there was no need to hide. The Ejian Sect was strong enough to deter most threats.
She turned to Fu Yuan, her voice reassuring. “Don’t worry,” she said. “The Ejian Sect will protect you.”
And Luo Nianshang had given her word. There was no need to be afraid.
They flew for a long time, finally reaching the Demon Realm. They couldn’t risk attracting attention, so they switched to their swords.
Jwan Jwan shrunk, returning to her perch on He Rong’s head.
Bai Jingxue, seeing the Demon Realm for the first time, its landscape desolate and barren, couldn’t help but comment, “The book was right.”
Fu Yuan, confused, asked, “What book?”
Bai Jingxue smiled. “Nothing,” she said. “Let’s go.”
The mission had simply stated that the creature was in the Black River, but the river was long. They had no idea where to start.
They were currently at the river’s lower reaches. Although the water was flowing, its surface was still, like a stagnant pool.
Bai Jingxue tossed a stone into the river, but it produced no sound.
She closed her eyes, then opened them, her vision enhanced. There were no living creatures in the water.
She walked along the riverbank, heading upstream, Lü Qingyan following closely behind, followed by Fu Yuan and her companions.
The sky was dark, the air heavy. A flock of demon crows flew past, settling on a withered tree near the riverbank. They stared at them with their beady red eyes.
One of the crows took flight, its wings beating against the air, as it flew over the barren landscape, eventually landing on someone’s arm.
It nuzzled the left envoy’s cheek.
The left envoy stroked its feathers, her voice filled with approval. “Good job.”
“Caw! Caw!”
The crow, pleased by the praise, flapped its wings, then flew away.
The left envoy watched it disappear into the distance.
She touched her face, realizing that her mask was missing, and she felt a surge of anger.
But her personal feelings were irrelevant. Her priority was to identify the creature that had suddenly appeared in the Black River.
She hadn’t expected to encounter righteous cultivators here, but they were of little consequence. The one who truly mattered was Lü Qingyan.
She had seen the dog, through the crow’s eyes. Lü Qingyan, during her time at the Demon Palace, had been miserable, her face always etched with a mournful expression.
But now, she was with that cat, her smile constant.
The left envoy shook her head, her voice laced with a bitter resentment, as she snapped a twig. “Damn it,” she muttered. “Are all the Sword Saint’s companions destined to torment us?”
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