She had an oval face, her complexion as white as snow, and her delicate features were as if painted.
A cascade of dazzling golden hair flowed like sunlight through the snow, grabbing all attention.
Amber eyes carried a hint of scrutiny and amusement.
"Are you Loose Cultivators from Yunxi District? Are you with the Jade Lizard Association or the Stone Mirror Association?"
The clear and youthful voice of the little girl with golden hair carried an arrogance beyond her years.
Chen Ye and the Dark Old Man both felt their hearts tighten.
The tone of this little girl did not hold the two major associations in any regard at all.
"Little girl, which family are you from?"
The Dark Old Man guardedly moved Chen Ye behind him, tightly gripping the Mountain-Cutting Saber in his hand.
Chen Ye remained silent as a pinpoint of golden light like a bean quietly coalesced at his fingertip.
Though his Spiritual Power was not abundant, it was enough to deploy Geng Metal Qi two more times.
The little girl with golden hair leaped down from the tree, landing lightly on the snow without stirring a flake.
Under her cloak was a pale blue fox fur, accentuating her small figure but unable to hide her noble aura.
"Bai Susu of the Bai Family."
She smoothed her not-at-all-ruffled fox fur, raised her petite chin, and her gaze fell on the point of golden light at Chen Ye’s fingertip.
"You’ve practiced the Geng Metal Technique well. But, my father once said, only when all nine airs appear at the same time is the Geng Metal Qi complete!"
Her offhand comment landed in Chen Ye’s ears like a thunderclap!
The Bai Family!
Bai Susu!
She is to become a future Nascent Soul True Monarch, destined to meet her end at the hands of Qing Jun.
And Bai Susu’s father was none other than Bai Li, the founder of Geng Metal Qi!
This cold and arrogant little girl was Bai Li’s daughter?
"People from the Bai Family?" the Dark Old Man gasped in shock, his face filled with horror.
Bai Susu was long accustomed to the astonishment of others, a fleeting hint of boredom on her face quickly replaced by arrogance.
"My father said that the world only knows the blade form of Geng Metal Qi, unaware that the true Geng Metal Technique can transform into countless phenomena."
Chen Ye’s heart was in turmoil,
Other than his two disciples, this was his first encounter with a crucial figure in the game’s plot.
He suppressed his inner shock, secretly on guard, yet forced a humble smile on his face: "Fairy Bai, you flatter me. It’s nothing more than a minor skill..."
Bai Susu showed no reaction to his compliment, her gaze sweeping over the two corpses of the Tribulation Cultivators on the ground with a slight snort:
"I found you amusing, so I took a look. Your methods are only good for dealing with small fry. However, for being able to control low-tier techniques to this extent, you do show some perseverance and insight."
Though her tone was one of praise, it was more like she was addressing a well-performing toy.
Her condescending, indifferent demeanor made Chen Ye very uncomfortable.
Yet he also acutely sensed a hint of desire for recognition in Bai Susu’s gaze.
And when she spoke of her father, there was a mix of pride and loss in her voice...
"Fairy Bai, since you know so much, do you know how the Geng Metal Qi can transform into countless phenomena?" Chen Ye continued to play along, engaging her.
Bai Susu’s eyes lit up, lifting her chin in pride.
Standing short, she nonetheless placed her hands on her hips, her delicate nose upturned at the tall Chen Ye:
"My father left a legacy, so of course, I know. However, for someone like you with Five Spiritual Roots to practice the Geng Metal Technique to this extent is quite impressive. But beyond this... don’t even think about it! Even my father couldn’t achieve it!"
Her tone was full of superiority.
With a casual wave, nine strands of Geng Metal Qi danced around her fair hand.
It was as if to say, for someone with such poor aptitude to reach this level is commendable, yet still far from a true genius.
Chen Ye suppressed his laughter with effort.
Sure enough, this Bai Susu was no different from his eldest disciple, Lu Zhiwei.
Her exterior was very deceptive, yet internally she was just a naive little girl... one who sought attention and loved to boast.
And a bit too enamored with her father.
The difference from Zhiwei was,
If Chen Ye laughed out loud at this moment, he might get killed by Bai Susu on the spot.
"Enough, I haven’t got time to play with you all."
After showing off a bit of Geng Metal Qi, Bai Susu quickly lost interest.
She raised her slender finger, pointing to the distant mountain contour blurred by the wind and snow:
"This world is going to change..."
The little girl paused, her amber eyes sweeping past both of them as if looking at two struggling ants in the snow, with an indifference born of high status,
"Take care of yourselves."
With those words, her figure faded like a wisp of smoke amidst the wind and snow.
In just a few breaths, she vanished without a trace, as if she had never been there.
Leaving only Chen Ye and the Dark Old Man standing there, looking at each other, their spines chilled.
"Brother Chen... what exactly was the realm of that little girl? How did she vanish into thin air? And the world changing, does it refer to...?"
The Dark Old Man’s voice trembled a little.
Chen Ye shook his head: "It’s better to believe it might exist than dismiss it entirely. For now, Big Gen, you have to be careful, quickly relocate, and store more provisions."
He felt a heaviness in his heart,
As the saying goes, a tree that stands above the rest is always struck by the wind.
The proficiency panel might attract too much attention.
The appearance of this arrogant little girl also demonstrated that his Geng Metal Technique had already begun to draw attention from others.
In the future, he needed to be even more cautious!
After some time.
The little girl with golden hair stealthily peeked out from behind the tree, and seeing the two of them gone, she confidently sat on a branch.
"Hmph! That Loose Cultivator wasn’t surprised at all! It was a waste to use the Traceless Talisman..."
Bai Susu pouted.
She swung her slender legs, watching Chen Ye’s departing figure.
Snowflakes fell onto her golden locks, quietly melting away.
"Father, this person’s Geng Metal Qi bears some resemblance to yours..."
Her faint murmur was lost in the wind and snow, carrying a trace of melancholy.
...
Chen Ye and the Dark Old Man walked away quickly, only stopping when they felt Bai Susu’s presence had completely disappeared.
"Brother Chen, was she really from the Bai Family?" The Dark Old Man panted, his face full of shock.
The Bai Family is one of the major cultivation clans in the Yan Kingdom.
Within the clan, there have been several Golden Core True Men.
And the widely known Geng Metal Qi in the Yan Kingdom was created by a Golden Core True Man of the Bai Family.
"According to her own words, yes, but this matter is too fantastical to know for sure." Chen Ye rubbed his temples.
"Regardless of whether her identity is true or false, this little girl is no easy opponent. We should hurry back to the Market to avoid any trouble." The Dark Old Man’s expression was grave.
Chen Ye nodded, sharing the same wariness.
However, his main concern right now was how to leverage his Spirit Stones to enhance his strength upon returning to the Market.
Particularly his Cultivation — it was time to plan on breaking through to the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer.
And, the increasingly imminent "Celestial Tribulation."
"A Nascent Soul True Monarch facing tribulation... that’s no trivial matter. I really don’t know how long this extraordinary celestial phenomenon would last." Chen Ye felt a twinge of worry rise within him.
Currently, he possessed 104 Spirit Stones.
If he sold the small sword taken from the Tribulation Cultivator, the number of Spirit Stones would exceed 120.
The vast amount of Spirit Stones could significantly enhance his proficiency.
Or... should he first settle his debt with Ping Zhuo?
Twenty Spirit Stones — not too much, not too little.
"Well, since we have an agreement for a month’s time..." thought Chen Ye shamelessly.