*Knock knock knock*.

The sound of knocking echoed.

“Who is it?”

Bai Lian opened the door, initially seeing only a pair of whites of the eyes.

She blinked, and then from that whiteness, the figure emerged. “What brings Second Elder here?”

“Can’t this old man visit and inquire after the Holy Maiden without a specific reason?” Second Elder smiled, the smile on his aged face should have been considered benevolent, but because his eyes showed only the whites, it appeared quite sinister. “The Holy Maiden’s cultivation has improved considerably, truly a blessing for our White Bone Dao.”

“Not at all. Elder, you are the cornerstone of our sect, the linchpin that holds everything together.”

“Hahaha. Aren’t you going to invite this old man in to sit for a while?”

“This…” Bai Lian’s eyes showed difficulty. “I am, after all, a young woman. It wouldn’t be proper, would it?”

“This old man has watched the Holy Maiden grow up since she was little. You’re like a daughter to me. What’s inconvenient about it?” Second Elder said, squeezing into the room.

Looking around, he asked, seemingly unintentionally, “Why is the Holy Maiden wearing a night veil in her own room within the sect?”

Bai Lian blinked. “Naturally beautiful, I must hide my brilliance.”

“Hahahaha…” Second Elder laughed, the laughter stopping abruptly. “Ouyang has returned. I can smell his scent.”

“That’s good news! All our efforts and the sacrifices of so many hidden agents to cover his tracks all the way were not in vain. Why hasn’t the First Elder shown himself yet?”

“Who can guess his thoughts?”

“If you can’t guess, Elder, how would I know?”

“Is it that you don’t know, or that you don’t want to know?”

“I don’t need to know.” Bai Lian said sweetly, “The sect’s important matters are still for the Elders to decide. I’ll just wait for the news.”

Second Elder gave her a deep look before getting up to leave.

He paused just before stepping out the door. “Why is the Holy Maiden so agreeable today?”

Bai Lian giggled. “What are you saying? When am I not agreeable? Even if I occasionally have a temper, isn’t it all for the sect’s sake?”

Second Elder finally departed, the oppressive feeling that had filled the room seeming to be cut off by the door.

…

“Perhaps that was the final test.”

Bai Lian murmured softly.

She sat quietly for a while, confirming that no one would disturb her again. Only then did she place down a formation plate, open the closet, and pull out Jiang Wang, whose eyes were tightly closed, and throw him onto the bed.

At this time, Jiang Wang was under a seal of his five senses. Only in this way could he evade those eyes that showed only the whites.

Bai Lian performed a hand seal, unlocking the seal.

Jiang Wang abruptly sat up, looking at Bai Lian, hand on his sword, silent.

Although he had been in a state of sealed senses, unable to hear Bai Lian’s conversation with Second Elder, he had emptied his senses, calmed his heart, and repeatedly pondered the events of the day.

“Ask what you want to ask.” Bai Lian walked to the table and sat down.

“You’ve saved me once again.” Jiang Wang’s voice was somewhat strained.

Bai Lian smiled. “It’s nothing to mention.”

“This is the White Bone Dao’s lair. Are you a member of the White Bone Dao?” Jiang Wang asked.

“We are all people of the Daoist path.” Bai Lian said.

Knowing that arguing with her about whether the White Bone Dao belonged to the orthodox Daoist path was pointless, Jiang Wang repeated, “I only ask you, are you a member of the White Bone Dao?”

“Not I.” Bai Lian extended a jade finger, pointing it at Jiang Wang. “Us.”

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t want to tell you so soon, because your ‘transformation’ is not yet complete.” Bai Lian sighed, asking, “But since you’re here today, you won’t give up without an answer, will you?”

Jiang Wang did not answer her question but asked, “So Fang He Ling’s arrival at Oxhead Mountain today was a trap? Aimed at whom?”

“A spare move by the White Bone Envoy, not aimed at anyone. Whoever followed Fang He Ling tonight was destined to die here. We’re abandoning this place soon anyway. You and that Shadow Sentinel of the Ministry of Punishments just happened to be there.”

The White Bone Dao would soon leave Oxhead Mountain.

Jiang Wang keenly grasped this information, but he set it aside, instead asking, “What do you mean by transformation? What ‘us’?”

“The White Bone Lotus on your back, the Soul Recall of Flesh you suddenly mastered… aren’t these enough for you to make the connection?”

“You’ve always known a lot about me. These might all be your schemes. The White Bone Lotus might have been tattooed on me while I was unconscious, and the Soul Recall of Flesh might have been transmitted to me by you using some method… It’s impossible for me to be related to the White Bone Dao!”

“I don’t have the ability to modify memories.” Bai Lian suddenly chuckled. “However, I have indeed been paying close attention to you, even when you were a beggar…”

Jiang Wang was shocked!

To escape Fang Pengju’s pursuit, he had disguised himself as a beggar and lived in the Still Truth Temple, which was before he even opened his meridians. Bai Lian had been observing him since then?

Bai Lian quickly explained, “The choice of you beggars to settle in the Still Truth Temple was made under our guidance.”

Her voice was faint. “The Still Truth Temple is a very meaningful place, a place chosen by the Honored God. As early as the time of Zuo Guanglie’s death in battle, I was curious, so many beggars died, why were you the only one who didn’t die? Was it just a coincidence?

Why did your cultivation improve so rapidly after you returned to the Dao Academy?

You must have noticed it too, right?

After opening your meridians, your cultivation speed surpasses ordinary people.

Most importantly, you can devour White Bone Dao Seeds, you can perfectly adapt to White Bone Dao secret arts, you know the Soul Recall of Flesh! You are not ordinary, you are a Child of the White Bone Dao!”

Bai Lian finally said, “Later, I realized that your appearance at the Still Truth Temple was precisely the Honored God’s arrangement.”

“No, that’s not right!” Jiang Wang shook his head. He believed that his cultivation came from the Mirage Sea, and had nothing to do with any Child of the White Bone Dao. But the Mirage Sea was his greatest secret and could not be brought out to argue.

“I fear that while you say that’s not right, you’re crying inside.”

“What Child of the Dao!” Jiang Wang took a step back. “I’ve said it before, I can’t forgive the White Bone Dao’s actions. I can’t collude with you, we’re not on the same path!”

“That’s because you haven’t seen the truth of this world, haven’t completely erased your hypocrisy, and haven’t found your true self.”

“I know who I am, I don’t need you to remind me.” Jiang Wang tried to control his emotions, allowing himself to calm down and think.

“What is the White Bone Dao Seed you mentioned?” he asked.

“It’s a very precious thing, and I only have one. It can absorb the nutrients of the one it parasitizes to grow, and finally perfectly control the host. But I didn’t expect it to be devoured by you… So you see, the Dao Seed can’t possibly take effect on a Child of the Dao!”

Jiang Wang looked at her coldly. “You tried to parasitize me?”

Bai Lian rarely showed some apology in her eyes. “At that time, we weren’t familiar…”

“We’re not familiar now either. You make me feel very strange!” Jiang Wang said coldly, “No need to say any more! I absolutely don’t believe I’m any Child of the White Bone Dao. Even if I am, I’ll never collude with you monsters!”

An “even if” showed resolve, but also indicated wavering.

Bai Lian was not in a hurry to make a fuss about this point, but instead asked, “Is raising ferocious beasts, disregarding the lives of the people, considered monstrous? Or is extracting the meridians of the water race to refine meridian-opening pills considered monstrous?”

“Don’t even think about using words to shake my Dao heart!” Jiang Wang’s voice was firm, as if only in this way could he resist the pressure he was under.

He tried to calm his breathing, affirming his resolve. “Bai Lian, since we’re on different paths, let’s go our separate ways. I’ve said it before, my life was saved by you, you can take it back now.”

Bai Lian’s eyes were very beautiful, seeming to be reproachful, brimming with autumn waves. She used those eyes to stare at Jiang Wang.

“How could I bear to kill you?” Her voice softened, saying gently, “However, as long as you cooperate, I can erase your memories of tonight. Just take it as if nothing happened. You will only remember tonight’s events when you are fully awakened.”

“Are you burying your head in the sand?”

“No, it’s just that the time hasn’t come.”

Bai Lian got up and leaned in, pressing him onto the bed before Jiang Wang could react.

“Look into my eyes,” she said. “I don’t have the ability to manipulate memories. I’m just using a secret technique to temporarily seal this small portion of your memory, so you must relax and fully cooperate. If anything goes wrong, at best you’ll become mentally unstable, at worst your soul will be scattered.”

Jiang Wang knew full well that this was the best choice.

Tonight, he had mistakenly entered Oxhead Mountain and stepped into the thieves’ den, an event that should have ended in his death.

Bai Lian’s various disguises had already saved his life. But no matter what, she could not let him return to Maple Leaf City with the secrets of the White Bone Dao.

And he would rather die than collude with the White Bone Dao.

Now, he could temporarily delay the choices he had to face without having to die.

Jiang Wang completely opened his mind, allowing his consciousness to be submerged by countless lotus petals.

He felt a warmth and acceptance, as well as a sense of attachment.

Then, in this boundless sea of lotus petals, he saw a lotus bud drifting towards him.

It grew taller and taller, until it was parallel with Jiang Wang’s line of sight.

Then the lotus bloomed, and the very center of that bloom was not a pistil, nor did it bear any lotus seeds.

Instead… a black candle!

…

…