The boat hadn't even reached the shore, yet the people aboard were already visible. The clearer Bai Chong'an's wife, Lin Ruojun, could make out the figures on the boat, the more heartbroken she felt.
Bai Junya looked at her parents on the shore, and at last a trace of sorrow showed on her face.
Bai Jingliang arrived late. Seeing Bai Chong'an and Lin Ruojun, he frowned, then stood off by himself, his heart full of resentment as he craned his neck to watch the boat.
When the bow drew near the shore, Bai Jingliang waved and called out loudly, "Sister!"
For some inexplicable reason, Bai Junya's eyes reddened. She waved back at him.
Thud!
The bow eased against the shore. A boatman lowered a gangplank, and soon two figures slowly walked down.
"Father, Mother."
Bai Junya gave a graceful bow. Bai Chong'an nodded slightly, while Lin Ruojun hurried over, heart aching, and embraced her, carefully asking how she had been over the past month.
Sometimes, being born into one of these great aristocratic clans wasn't necessarily a good thing!
After Bai Jingliang left, Hanyu couldn't help sighing over it.
Were there few cases like this? Hardly. Perhaps even today, while the Bai Family went through this, the Zhang and Zhao families were experiencing the same thing elsewhere.
In the end, it was someone else's family business. Hanyu had no comment.
"Have you taken a liking to that girl's sister?"
The little Artifact Spirit suddenly popped up.
Hanyu froze, then blurted, "How could I?"
"Does she have a great figure?"
The Artifact Spirit asked, getting right to the heart of the matter.
"Yeah!"
Hanyu answered honestly.
"See? You really did get lustful."
Little Glazed burst into laughter. Hanyu sheepishly rubbed his nose and fell silent.
A sudden commotion rose in the street, as if something had happened up ahead. Hanyu walked over to take a look.
The people kept scattering. Only then did he see four tall horses pulling a splendid carriage, its finery gleaming. A handsome, well-dressed young master sat inside, with a group of sword-bearing cultivators riding behind him.
What a grand procession!
The onlookers murmured among themselves, guessing which wealthy household the young master belonged to.
"Do you think some rich young master would dare ride horses through the city? Does he think the city's guardian is a pushover?" someone in the know scoffed.
"Then whose carriage is it?" an uninformed bystander asked.
The informed man gave a couple of snorts before replying, "Can't you see those Prefectural Guards don't even dare to fart? It must be the young master of some cultivator clan out for a ride."
Hanyu listened, lost in thought. They were probably here for the Bai Family.
"Let's enjoy ourselves outside today. Don't hurry back just yet."
Bai Jingliang forced a smile as he spoke to the two women.
Not long after they returned home, Bai Jingliang dragged the two women outside, insisting that since they hadn't been back in so long, they should go sightseeing.
Linglan's calves were sore from walking. She rolled her eyes and couldn't help saying, "I know this place so well I couldn't even get lost here with my eyes closed!"
Bai Jingliang only gave an awkward smile.
Word had come today that Qin Hao, the eldest son of the Qin Family, would pay them a visit. As soon as he heard the news, Bai Jingliang had immediately taken the two women out.
Tianning City was where Linglan had grown up. She had visited many times, too, so it didn't take long for her to grow tired of sightseeing.
"Let's walk around a little longer!"
Bai Jingliang's smile looked strained. Bai Junya seemed to realize something and asked quietly,
"Is he coming today?"
Bai Jingliang's expression darkened. He said nothing.
Bai Junya fell silent, too. Linglan wasn't stupid; once she caught on, she forced a smile and stepped forward to take Bai Junya's arm. "The clay figurines over there looked pretty good. Come with me and take another look!"
Bai Jingliang hurriedly nodded in agreement.
But Bai Junya didn't budge. Her eyes lowered, and after a moment of silence, she said, "Let's go back."
Now that things were settled, whatever she did would be futile.
She had thought it through over the past few days. First, she had no interest in cultivation; second, she had been born into an aristocratic clan. The idea that she could avoid having her marriage arranged was nothing but a joke.
Even if it wasn't the Qin Family, then some other clan—the Zhangs, Lis, or Zhaos—could become her future home.
She had always thought herself fairly mature. Looking back, though, she realized it had only been wishful thinking.
"It's your fault. You can't even pick a place to go."
Linglan glared at Bai Jingliang and complained angrily.
The three of them were in low spirits and were just about to head back.
"Ah! Isn't that that... strange Medicine Master?"
Linglan's little finger suddenly pointed at the man up ahead. Ever since the incident with Star Sect, Hanyu had gone from being a bad Medicine Master in her eyes to a strange one.
Hanyu was surprised to see them walking toward him. Why did he keep running into people surnamed Bai whenever he went out lately?
Then his eyes unconsciously slid toward the person beside her. Linglan was still just as she had been before... she hadn't grown at all.
Bai Junya wore a plain-colored palace dress. She looked a little more worn than before, but her curvaceous figure seemed even more alluring. He hadn't expected her to still be growing...
Perhaps because he was staring so intently, and with so little restraint, Bai Junya's face quickly turned bright red.
"What a coincidence!"
Only then did Hanyu seem to realize what he was doing. He pulled his gaze away and gave an awkward smile.
"Eldest Young Master Hanyu!"
"Medicine Master."
The two women greeted him at the same time, and the difference between them was clear. Bai Junya gave a graceful bow, gentle and proper, while Linglan kept it simple, putting her hands on her hips and waving.
"Hanyu, that woman has a water-attribute supernatural power."
Little Glazed suddenly grew animated in his mind.
Hanyu froze, then glanced at Linglan in surprise. You really couldn't judge a book by its cover. She had such incredible talent?
"No, not her. I mean the one with the hourglass figure who made you lustful. She has a water-attribute supernatural power, and it's top-tier!"
Little Glazed irritably corrected him.
That was even more unbelievable than Linglan possessing a supernatural power.
Someone who had no interest in cultivation, with a single-element spirit root and an innate supernatural power—was Heaven really shoving food into her mouth?
"She just hasn't cultivated enough to activate it, so no one's noticed. Since we've run into her anyway, why not give her a pill?" Little Glazed coaxed.
Hanyu's expression turned strange. The little Artifact Spirit never acted without something to gain. If Bai Junya had caught its eye, she might really be one of Heaven's favorites.
Everyone watched Hanyu suddenly stare blankly into space. Bai Jingliang curiously waved a hand in front of him and asked, "Hanyu, what's wrong?"
Only then did Hanyu come to. The little Artifact Spirit's voice had been echoing in his mind the whole time: "Make a pill, make a pill! I want a pill..."
"It's nothing. I just suddenly remembered something else."
Hanyu gave an awkward smile, then looked at them. "Why don't we find somewhere to sit?"
Bai Jingliang was naturally happy to agree. He hadn't wanted to go home so soon anyway.
They went to the teahouse they'd visited the day before. Once they sat down, Linglan chirped, "I thought you'd run off to the ends of the earth! My Master said the Sect Master was gnashing his teeth over you and wanted to eat you alive."
"Does your Master want to eat me alive, too?"
Hanyu was more curious about that old Daoist who loved to wriggle out of things.
At the mention of the old Daoist, Linglan seemed to deflate. "You got him punished with a year of wall-sitting."
Hanyu's spirits soared. Serves that old rascal right. He'd ruined Hanyu's plans back then, too.
Then Hanyu looked at the two who had fallen silent and immediately understood. That young master was probably coming for Bai Junya after all.
"I'm telling you, if that woman awakens her supernatural power, she might not have to get married!"
Little Glazed was still chattering away.
Hanyu helplessly asked in his mind, "What do you want from her?"
"I want half her Supernatural Power Origin. I'll give you just a little, and then you'll have a water-type supernatural power, too!"
Little Glazed cried out happily.
That made Hanyu a little tempted, though he hesitated.
"She definitely needs it. If she shows enough value, maybe her family won't make her marry."
Hanyu hesitated over the other thing: wouldn't taking half her origin cause trouble?
"You keep saying you're not interested in her, but when you give other people pills, have you ever considered what they need?"
Little Glazed scoffed, then continued, "It won't kill her. The pill will activate her supernatural power ahead of time. She'll recover the half I take in ten years or so."
That seemed doable.
Hanyu looked at Bai Junya. After a moment's hesitation, he finally spoke.
"Miss Bai, I have an option I can offer you."
I'll post another chapter tonight, depending on how I'm feeling. If I'm in good shape, I'll see if I can post a few more.
Before you continue