CBGC - ch163

Chapter 163: The Fruit Thief

"Big Bai, do you know where the Ice Jade Realm is?"

Big Bai: “(●—●)”

Big Bai nibbles on a fruit, turns her head, and shakes the two leaf-like ears. Her little red flower blinks like eyes, looking very confused.

"Do we have to defeat the Hei Clan's Word Spirit to help Big Bai regain her memories?"

"The Hei Clan's Word Spirit is incredibly powerful now, far beyond my capabilities," Bai Su says, his tone serious after a moment's thought. Big Bai's strength was greatly diminished after molting in a dangerous place, while the Hei Clan's Word Spirt has always been well-nourished. Over ten thousand years has passed, and it's already one of the most formidable entities in the True Immortal Realm. This is how the Hei Clan was able to progress and develop, and attain a very high status in the True Immortal Realm.

Bai Su has mentioned before that if two Word Spirits were to encounter each other, they will fight to the death. However, Big Bai is clearly not a match for that other Word Spirit. The thought makes Su Tingyun shiver, and she quickly stores Big Bai in her spatial ring. From now on, she must be cautious whenever she lets her out to play.

"The White Cloud Realm is a low-level realm, making it relatively safe, especially since you're not bound by the rules of the Heavenly Dao," Bai Su says, finding Su Tingyun's protective actions amusing. She looks just like a mother hen guarding her chick. No wonder Big Bai chose her...

Su Tingyun understands why the Bai Family trusts her with Big Bai. She intellectually knows that the Hei Family's spirit is powerful, but it's only at this moment that she realizes how extremely strong it is. Looking at her Big Bai, who only knows how to munch on fruits, and comparing her to the formidable Word Spirit, the gap between them feels like heaven and earth.

If they ever meet, she and Big Bai wouldn't be enough to pick that other Word Spirit's teeth. She touches her ring, wondering if the Hei Clan's Word Spirit would be able to find them if they hide inside. If it can't, then they have nothing to fear.

If Big Bai doesn't know about the Ice Jade Realm, how should she start searching?

Just then, Xuanyuan Wentian, who's been lying on the ground, sits up and glances at Big Bai. He suddenly says, "The Word Spirit has a sense for the Ice Jade Realm. Let it search; it might find the realm."

Let Big Bai search?

"Big Bai, can you find the Ice Jade Realm?"

Big Bai shakes her head, "What is that?"

"Take it to the Boundary Lake and let it choose a realm. The Ice Jade Realm moves constantly and could appear anywhere, so let it rely on its instincts."

It such an unreliable method really alright?

But Su Tingyun has no other options. She has to try.

Bai Su must return to the True Immortal Realm to refine the Trial Tower. If he works alone, it would take ten years, but with the help of the Bai Family, it could be completed in a year.

During this period, Su Tingyun plans to explore first. She hasn't considered waiting for Bai Su to join her in finding the Ice Jade Realm because her ring space exists outside the rules of the Heavenly Dao. No matter which realm she enters, she is safe inside her ring unless she encounters an anomaly like Xuanyuan Wentian. The ring cannot hold other living beings, so it's more convenient for her to go alone.

Her words imply that she's not going to wait for Bai Su, so he doesn't suggest it either.

He tries to say more, and after a several false starts, he finally settles on, "I'll go back to refine the Trial Tower. If it's completed and you haven't returned, I'll come find you."

"I've been to many places in the Three Thousand Realms and know much about various realms."

"Okay," Su Tingyun doesn't refuse, "Let's light a soul lamp or something?"

Bai Su gives Su Tingyun a jade pendant. He actually monitors her safety, but he just nods, "That would be good."

He casually takes Su Tingyun's hand, hesitating momentarily while holding her finger. Then, to her stunned surprise, he bites her finger, drawing blood. His palm conjures a soul lantern, and he lets her blood drip into it.

"A heart-blood soul lamp," he says, releasing her hand. No matter where you are in the Three Thousand Realms, I can find you. "Take good care of yourself. If you get hurt, I'll be hurt too."

Her blood has seeped into his primordial spirit. If she gets injured, he will feel it too. The benefit is that he can always locate her and, at a critical moment, project his primordial spirit to her side to eliminate danger. However, the cost is high; projecting the primordial spirit is inherently dangerous, and one misstep could lead to his death.

Su Tingyun's finger hangs in front of her, stunned, with the other four fingers curled up, leaving only her index finger pointed at Bai Su. It looks quite rude, so she retracts her hand, stammering, “Then-then, I'll also light a soul lamp for you.”

She doesn't know how, but there's an ancient monster in her sea of consciousness.

"Quick, quick, how do I light a soul lamp?"

“Tch!” Xuanyuan Wentian scoffs disdainfully but still teaches Su Tingyun the method.

The soul lamp is quite simple to make, and Su Tingyun quickly learns it, conjuring a lantern in her palm. She extends her hand towards Bai Su, “You-Your blood.”

"Your primordial spirit is weaker than mine; it won't work," Bai Su smiles, gently pushing her hand back.

A heart-blood soul lamp is usually created by a higher-level cultivator for a lower-level one, as the latter cannot imprint on the former's soul due to its weakness. Hence, Su Tingyun making one for Bai Su would be impossible.

However, Bai Su takes out a lantern. “This glass lamp contains my Nirvana fire and soul essence. You can use it to find my location.”

If the glass lamp goes out, it means he has fallen. Of course, Bai Su doesn't mention this part.

“Oh.” Su Tingyun takes the glass and examines it closely. The lamp is round, with five-colored glass rings, intricately carved with pomegranate flowers and vine leaves. There is no internal frame, only a jade sculpture of Big Bai in the center, her leaf-like ears as the wick, burning with small flames. Crystal tassels dangle from the bottom, resembling a falling Milky Way, casting silver light on the ground that creates a small patch of shadows. She shakes the lantern, and the tassels sway, making the light spots on the ground move like a flowing river of stars.

Carrying the glass lamp, Su Tingyun returns to her pavilion, feeling conflicted. The wound on her finger, from Bai Su's bite, has already healed, but she subconsciously bites it again, finding the situation unbelievable.

Bai Su...

Could he be pursuing her?!

But Bai Su is Bai Chengyu's brother. Bai Chengyu used to call her Granny, so Su Tingyun has always considered herself as a grandma for everyone in the Bai family. The cool night wind, the lantern in her hand, and her finger in her mouth-- they make her feel inexplicably cold. She gets goosebumps all over...

Different generations can't be in love! But then again, Bai Su's slender waist isn't bad either. Thinking of this, Su Tingyun squints, smacks her lips, and slowly carries the lamp back to her pavilion.

Unbeknownst to her, Bai Su watches her every move from the window, only looking away once she enters the door with her ungraceful movements.

For Bai Su, the concepts of liking or loving someone are complex. He has never considered them deeply.

He simply wants to treat her well, nothing more.

The next morning, Su Tingyun sees Master Zhan Yu and Xiao Budian practicing swordsmanship in the bamboo forest. She mentions her plan to explore the outside world. She doesn't go into specifics, as she feels unsure about relying on Big Bai's intuition to find the Ice Jade Realm.

"Be bold and move forward without any worries," Zhan Yu says, patting her shoulder. "You've already ascended. Why are you still staying at home everyday? Go out and see the world."

“Don't worry, Senior Sister. We can take care of ourselves,” Xiao Budian adds.

Everyone has their own path, and they don't want Su Tingyun to stop her progress because of them.

Her path is unique and cannot be replicated, so no one will change their original goals because of it, nor waver in their own beliefs.

“Okay.”

The other cultivators at the Obliteration Sword Tower are in seclusion, and the Sect Leader is taking care of Third Uncle Bai. Thus, without informing anyone else, she leaves the Obliteration Sword Tower.

The White Cloud Realm has only one Boundary Lake, which leads to the True Immortal Realm. Once they're there, there will be numerous Realm Lakes. By then, Big Bai will have to find their goal through feeling. In other words, finding the Ice Jade Realm will depend on luck.

Bai Su also needs to return to the True Immortal Realm to refine the Trial Tower. So, they travel together until they reach the True Immortal Realm, where they part ways.

In the True Immortal Realm, there are groups of lakes, separated by reeds and sea grass. They are buffeted by fierce winds, making the waters churn and roar intermittently.

“Where should we go, Big Bai?”

Big Bai takes a deep breath, her belly swelling, then selects a lake. Su Tingyun jumps into it, standing in the lake's center and waving at Bai Su before diving in with a spiritual barrier.

“Big Bai, why did you choose this place?”

“I dunno, it smells good and feels comfortable.” Big Bai takes another breath, looking very pleased.

The Ice Jade Realm is formed from pure heavenly energy and good intentions, so it might smell nice? Is Big Bai sensing the Ice Jade Realm's location? Seeing Big Bai's reaction, Su Tingyun feels a glimmer of hope.

She walks for two whole days in the lake before seeing light, indicating multiple exits. Following Big Bai's directions, she moves forward for half a day and exits the lake.

She finds herself on a mountain, halfway up. The Realm Lake looks like a small fish pond, with no signs of its unique winds. The bright moon hangs in the sky, and the tranquil lake surface reflects it like a mirror, as if the lake exists solely to reflect the moon.

Big Bai jumps out of the ring space, hopping up the mountain. Su Tingyun calls out but can't stop her, so she quickly follows on her Springwater Sword.

Her divine sense scans ahead, revealing Big Bai's target: a tree full of red fruits, heavy with enticing fruit.

Su Tingyun: “…”

Big Bai must have chosen this realm because of the fruit's fragrance...

“Hey, wait! We don’t know if those fruits are edible!” Su Tingyun shouts anxiously. As her voice falls, she sees that Big Bai is already hopping onto the tree, her body expanding immensely, swallowing the entire tree.

In the next moment, Big Bai's body slowly rises, and Su Tingyun is astonished to find that in an instant, all the red fruits on the tree are gone, but the tree remains intact, not a single leaf missing.

Big Bai, where did you learn such an impressive fruit-picking skill? It's simply too extraordinary!