Bamboo Chest Chapter Two: Baize

“Lu Yun, don’t forget that three years ago, you were just a little demon with no cultivation, severely wounded. It was the old ancestor who brought you to Lu Cui’s doorstep. Now you want to oppose us?!”

The group that had been sent flying by Dong Sangen’s sword energy earlier now stood before Lu Yun and Lu Cui, pointing fingers and shouting angrily at Lu Yun.

Lu Yun snorted coldly, his eyes full of disdain.

That old beast clearly didn’t want to be entangled in the karmic consequences, so he had abandoned the severely injured Lu Yun at Lu Cui’s home.

That well in the courtyard held great significance!

Not only was it tied to that beast’s cultivation fate, but it also allowed the beast to blur the lines of cause and effect.

At that time, the karmic ties Lu Yun had attracted were ones no one dared to touch. To put it bluntly, when Lu Yun first arrived in the Wild Lands, he was like a rat scurrying through the streets, born under a curse.

There was a certain demon clan who had already resigned themselves to never breaking through the mid-fifth realm. While meditating, they were suddenly struck unprepared by Lu Yun falling from the sky. Out of desperation, that demon threw Lu Yun to Lu Cui.

Unexpectedly, that demon’s fortunes changed drastically afterward. Their cultivation path became smooth and swift, and in less than three years, they broke through that natural barrier to become an eleventh realm great demon.

“You should be the one kneeling to me, old ancestor!” Lu Yun bit his teeth and said, “Even if it dies, it dies with honor!”

The man no longer wasted words with Lu Yun. In his eyes, as long as they took Lu Cui away as a sacrifice, their ancestor would have hope of resurrection!

“Lu Yun, if it weren’t for the old ancestor’s prior instructions, your cultivation would have been closely connected to him. Otherwise, I would have killed you today without hesitation!”

Facing dozens of people, Lu Yun gripped Lu Cui’s hand tightly as they stepped backward, clutching the edge of his sleeve with a firm grasp.

The young man’s sleeve concealed much more than it revealed.

“Both of you must live, but...” Someone drew their sword with a cold expression, “just living is enough.”

A howling wind swept over the city walls of Zhicui. Demonic creatures are naturally sensitive to danger, so without wasting more words, they advanced step by step toward the Lu siblings.

“Sis, you run first!” Lu Yun narrowed his eyes and gently pushed Lu Cui back.

“Lu Yun, you...” Lu Cui looked worried. She knew her younger brother never acted recklessly, but she had also heard Dong Sangen’s words.

The strongest among them had reached the fifth realm. Could Lu Yun really handle that?

“Sis!” Lu Yun looked at Lu Cui, a faint, almost imperceptible smile curling on his lips.

“The position of Zhicui City’s lord—if we win, you become the city lord, and I become the city lord’s younger brother. Then we siblings can roam freely across the Wild Lands, carefree and unburdened!”

No sooner had he spoken than a flying sword shot toward them. Lu Yun hurriedly pushed Lu Cui aside and sidestepped the sword aimed straight for his vital spot.

“You two dream in broad daylight!”

Among the crowd, only one stepped forward, raising his palm to control the flying sword.

Immediately, the man raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Third realm? How is that possible?”

The young Lu Yun tightened his grip on his short blade, bending slightly but still retreating several meters.

The short blade trembled lightly, nearly pierced through by the flying sword.

Hidden depths—thus the blade was named “Hidden.”

...

Above Zhicui City, the sky was clear and cloudless, as if a sword energy had cleaved the heavens.

Dong Sangen staggered, standing atop the city wall, holding a grim, snarling head in his hand.

“Dong Sangen, you are quite impressive.”

A man approached Dong Sangen, hands clasped behind his back.

Dong Sangen sneered arrogantly. “So?”

“So I won’t kill you.”

The man slowly raised his hand. The next moment, the world seemed silent. The flags atop the city walls hung motionless, and the young man holding the short blade froze in place.

Zhicui City stood still at that moment. Only the man and Dong Sangen could move.

Dong Sangen chuckled, “Master Baize is showing off his profound cultivation?”

The man, Baize, smiled and shook his head. Then he raised his hand, pointing toward Lu Yun’s position.

“This matter is neither as complicated as you think nor as simple as I imagined, so I need to observe a little longer... Zhicui City’s lord, if you kill them, so be it. The deal with the siblings can continue, but you must relinquish that sword energy you left behind.”

Dong Sangen snorted coldly, “On what grounds?”

“Because I am Baize.” Baize smiled faintly, then waved his hand lightly, as if concealing something. “Also, for the few breaths I’ve gained for you, many great demons in the Wild Lands want you dead. With this time, you can draw a few more sword strikes, and they will be less willing to act rashly.”

After a moment’s silence, Dong Sangen drew his sword slightly. At that instant, a sword energy burst forth from Lu Yun’s body, forming a gale that ultimately returned to the sword at Dong Sangen’s waist.

“All right,” Dong Sangen said.

Baize took a slow step forward, his form gradually becoming ethereal.

He looked up at the sky and murmured to himself, “Those who seek to become celestial immortals must perform a thousand three hundred good deeds. Some people, before even becoming immortals, begin to act lawlessly. I wonder just how difficult those thousand three hundred good deeds really are.”

...

In the end, Baize’s figure vanished completely, leaving Dong Sangen with one final warning:

“Dong Sangen, for the next hundred years, do not allow anyone from Sword Qi Great Wall to come to the Wild Lands. Only one Dong Sangen may exist here; a second will never be permitted!”

Dong Sangen rubbed his ear, leapt down from the city wall, and walked toward Lu Yun.

...

Lu Yun sheathed his short blade and looked at Lu Cui in surprise.

“Sis, you’re this powerful?!”

Lu Cui embarrassedly brushed back her hair.

Behind the young girl lay a pile of... demons.

The fifth realm demon had already been defeated by the combined efforts of Lu Yun and Lu Cui. For the first time, the siblings gained a new understanding of each other.

“Yun’er, when did you secretly train behind my back?”

Lu Cui clasped her hands behind her back, lightly nudging Lu Yun with her shoulder.

Lu Yun scratched his head and smiled, “Well then, sis, first tell me how you reached the fourth realm.”

“There’s no such thing as a little brother questioning his big sister.”

Lu Cui pursed her lips, then tenderly took the young man’s arm.

“For the next few months, you must behave. Tendons and bones take a hundred days to heal...”

“Heh, you two siblings are quite something.”

Dong Sangen approached, holding his sword at his waist, eyeing Lu Yun with interest.

Lu Yun felt somewhat afraid of Dong Sangen, tugged at the corner of his mouth, and stepped back behind Lu Cui.

“Good for nothing, hiding behind a woman,” Dong Sangen joked and scolded. “From now on, you will be the lords of Zhicui City. I have about a day left here, so you must quickly take control of Zhicui City. Do whatever it takes to assert your authority.”