Chapter 287: Bai Hua and TianmaTranslated by: La0o9

Edited by: Juicetin

Proofreader: Arya

The blinding light that filled the sky was gone.

Both the grey-ish rift in space and the twilight Tianma world portal had disappeared from Shen Wu world.

In the sky, all that was left were Bai Hua Fairy and the black-clothed girl.

They were both people with peerless minds, quickly pieced together 70-80% of what just happened.

Bai Hua Fairy instantly disappeared and reappeared where the rift in space originally opened.

She cast a hand seal and shouted: “Open!”

Once again, the space rift opened up as the chaotic current flowed from inside.

But due to it having just been through a two-world long distance warp, the speed it was opening up was incredibly slow.

Bai Hua Fairy stood facing the chaotic current, ignoring the wind messing up her hair and only had a look of worry in her eyes.

“Open. The. Hell. Up!” she concentrated all the spirit energy in her body and shouted.

Hoh hoh hoh ——-

The wind current flowed out as space was once again opened up into a gate.

But, there was nothing inside.

No formation plate.

No Tribulation realm female cultivators whose cultivation were sealed.

And no Gu Qing Shan.

Bai Hua Fairy stood stock still.

『 It’s useless, that formation plate was too fast. Once you’re unable to catch it, it will instantly disappear into the space vortex. Even the ones using it wouldn’t have been able to return if they wanted to 』the black-clothed girl spoke.

Space closed up again.

Bai Hua Fairy was still staying silent.

The black-clothed girl shook her head and glanced at the vase in her hand, the look of regret on her face disappeared.

She hugged the vase tightly, unwilling to let go of it again as a look of pure joy appeared in her eyes.

But the very next second, she stared at the place Gu Qing Shan disappeared into begrudgingly.

『 What a sly fraud, he didn’t even give me the two-world warp formation plate yet 』

But now that Gu Qing Shan had gone to another world, no matter how furious she was, she couldn’t do anything about it.

——-it’s better to just hold on tightly to the spoils I got on hand first.

The black-clothed girl raised the vase, about to return to her world.

“Wait a second”

From afar, Bai Hua Fairy called her.

The black-clothed girl stopped.

“I know you’re a clone of the Tianma Empress, do you not have a way to reach that world?” Bai Hua Fairy asked.

The black-clothed girl glanced at her, then slowly shook her head.

『 You have quite the good disciple 』the black-clothed girl stared intently at Bai Hua Fairy, 『 as a Projection realm cultivator, the flow of your fate would have been exceedingly difficult to change, yet he still manages to give you a push off the path of death 』

『I can see that the grey essence of death already dissipated from yourself, your future from now on is a complete blank, waiting for you to explore and change, with countless variables, what an impressively rare situation 』

『 Yet a simple disciple is willing to do so much for you 』she suddenly asked.

“Don’t attempt to mess with my mind” Bai Hua Fairy warned.

The black-clothed girl laughed, then spoke: 『 Sister, I’m not doing anything at all 』

She continued: 『 I’m not attempting to mess with you, I’ve already gotten the Tianma Divine Armament, not to mention a Virtualized realm cultivator’s soul, I’m already very pleased with my profit 』

“I’ve never heard of a Tianma that talks to someone so much without any ulterior motives” Bai Hua Fairy responded.

The black-clothed girl muttered: 『 Didn’t I just cooperate with a human cultivator to defeat an enemy? This is already an unprecedented occurrence for the last few dozen thousand years in the Tianma world, so I just couldn’t help but have to tell you a little something 』

“What is it?”

『 My payment for this little venture —-he still owes me a world. After he returns, please tell me, I’ll need to meet him to settle this debt 』

“When can he return?” Bai Hua Fairy asked.

『 How would I know? But since there’s a way for people to come here from that world, as long as he gets a hold of the method, he’ll be able to return 』the black-clothed girl answered.

The clenched fists inside Bai Hua Fairy’s sleeves could finally loosened up a bit.

But as she stared at the black-clothed girl, she released a bit of killing intent.

“You seems to really want my disciple’s soul”

『 His soul 』the black-clothed girl had a complicated expression on her face, then replied after some thinking: 『 A mere Rejuvenation that managed to use everything he had to push a Virtualized realm cultivator to his death, even I find it a waste to eat his soul 』

“Then what do you want with him?”

『 I won’t eat his soul, I’m only going to ask him if he’s willing to convert into a Tianma Emperor and work for our Tianma world 』

After saying so, the black-clothed girl turned around to leave.

But she suddenly stopped.

Intense killing intent was emitting from Bai Hua Fairy’s body as she swung a vine whip of thorn.

“Prove your word, otherwise I won’t forgive a Tianma who’s looking forward to my disciple’s death!”

Following her words, white flowers began to bloom on the vine whip of thorn.

The black-clothed girl glanced at the Wild Raging Flame Armor Bai Hua Fairy was wearing, then stared at the vine whip.

Her expression became serious.

『 Ashura Divine Skill —–another Six Path Divine Skill, how strange 』she muttered, 『 such low cultivation, yet you know both a Huang Quan path and an Ashura path’s Divine Skills, just what kind of world could… 』

The whip began to swing.

The black-clothed girl’s eyes quickly moved, then waved her hands: 『 Stop, I’ll prove it to you 』

The black-clothed girl glanced at the millions of Tianma behind herself, then again at Bai Hua Fairy.

A single person was willing to stand up to a million, such bravery.

The black-clothed girl’s expression was serious.

With her countless years of experience, she naturally noticed how her opponent was in a state of emotional agitation.

If we were to actually fight right now, she would actually be willing to risk her life.

Not to mention.

The young man called Gu Qing Shan really is prime material to be converted into a Tianma.

I also need to rely on that young man to lead me into the other world.

There’s no benefits from picking a fight with this terrifying yet weak woman right now.

Thinking that, the black-clothed girl casually spoke: 『 With the heaven and earth as witness, I swear not to harm Gu Qing Shan’s life 』

A very simple sentence, but it carried the phrase “with the heaven and earth as witness”, this is a so-called oath upon the laws of heaven and earth.

As a being of pure soul, the Tianma are more afraid of the consequences of breaking such an oath, even more than human cultivators.

After her words, the black-clothed girl looked at Bai Hua Fairy.

She saw the killing intent in Bai Hua Fairy’s eyes quickly going away.

Putting the vine whip behind her back, Bai Hua Fairy curtsied and spoke: “If that’s the case, then no matter what kind of deal you had made, as long as you don’t want to harm him, I still have to thank you for helping us this time”

The black-clothed girl found that unexpected, smiled and commented: 『 It’s been quite a few years since I last saw a cultivator who can see debts and grudges so clearly 』(1)

She then also curtsied back and spoke: 『 Farewell 』

A faint glow appeared behind the black-clothed girl, like sand, but like mist, melding, merging with her own body.

The black-clothed girl then turned around and ordered the group of Tianma: 『 Return to the Tianma world, all of you, we still have a Virtualized realm cultivator’s soul waiting for us to harvest! 』

『 If we catch him, I will reward you all with a few strands of his soul! 』she loudly declared.

The Tianma all squealed with joy, even the tiniest strand of a Virtualized realm cultivator’s soul is enough for them to evolve at least one step forward.

They surrounded the vase, dancing while heading into the glow.

As the black-clothed girl walked into the glow, she suddenly turned around and evaluated Bai Hua Fairy closely.

“What is it?” Bai Hua Fairy asked.

The black-clothed girl pursed her lips, then shook her head.

She suddenly sang softly: 『 An orchid in the abyss, without a place to be. ‘Perhaps…’ it thought, but it was hopeless in the end 』

The verse softly drifted.

Following her, the countless beautiful Tianma sung in unison.

『『『 An orchid in the abyss, without a place to be. ‘Perhaps…’ it thought, but it was hopeless in the end 』』』

The harmonized female choir dragged and echoed, as if giving their regards to a peerless beauty.

As the black-clothed girl finished singing, she went into the glow and disappeared completely.

The countless Tianma followed behind her, disappearing from Shen Wu world.

The glow dispersed, and the singing stopped.

Bai Hua Fairy stood still in midair, staring dumbfounded at the place where the Tianma went away, speechless for a while.

Note:

(1) see debts and grudges clearly: a concept in Chinese culture where debts and grudges are considered separately, even if someone is your sworn enemy, as long as you are indebted to them in some way, you’re obligated to return the favor. This was a prime example of being a true hero in times of war, particularly in the “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”, where Guan Yu once spared Cao Cao’s life despite having already cornered him on the battlefield, because Guan Yu owed a debt of gratitude to Cao Cao years before.