Even though Shang Ruling told Xiaobai that immortals were merely stronger mortals, Secret Arts that could be crowned with the character “immortal” were undoubtedly the most bizarre among the bizarre, unfathomable and unpredictable.
Just as the world defined Secret Arts, Ethereal Immortal Trace had no threshold for Internal Energy or physical constitution. Naturally, if one’s speed was fast enough and their Internal Energy profound, the execution of the Secret Arts would undergo a qualitative transformation.
However, the peculiarity of Secret Arts lay precisely in the fact that even mortals could practice them.
To cultivate Ethereal Immortal Trace, one first had to master the knowledge of the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams. For ordinary people, even a lifetime of studying the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams would hardly yield breakthrough achievements. Yet Xiaobai received hands-on guidance from her father. Not only did he distill detailed martial arts outlines for her to read and comprehend, but he also tirelessly demonstrated and imparted his own practical experience to her every day.
Xiaobai had once seen masters from other sects teaching their disciples martial techniques. Perhaps it was because she had never encountered true powerhouses in the past, but none of the teachers she had seen or known possessed even half of Shang Ruling’s meticulousness and elegance.
She already had a solid foundation, and this body truly lived up to being a prodigy. Freed from the interference of the heat toxin, she not only possessed a photographic memory but could also comprehend knowledge at a speed far surpassing ordinary people, making her insight extraordinary.
In the blink of an eye, autumn arrived, and Xiaobai was finally able to barely execute Ethereal Immortal Trace. Although she still swayed while leaping and stumbled upon landing, there was no doubt that she had mastered this Secret Art, which combined Lightness Skill and body techniques.
At this point, it is necessary to mention Ming Tianguang. This young hero stayed at the Shang residence for over a month before his adoptive father arrived.
Yes, even Xiaobai had not expected that the person coming from Blazing Sun Palace would be their Palace Master, Ming Xinghao. When she saw him, he was conversing with Old Master Shang.
Time spares no one, and this holds true for men as well. She still remembered that when they first met, he was a proud youth who would say the opposite of what he meant even when he liked something—truly a stubborn little brat. But now, his shoulders had broadened, his posture was tall and robust, and she had to look up to see his face clearly.
Ming Xinghao had neatly trimmed red facial hair, and his gaze was cold and imposing. Even for martial artists, the age of forty or fifty is still considered prime, or rather, the peak of one’s life. Yet, fine lines had inevitably appeared at the corners of the man’s eyes. Combined with the Crimson Flame Solar Mark spreading wantonly between his brows, at first glance, it was hard to discern whether it was a pattern formed from cultivation or a mark left by time.
Blazing Sun Palace is located on the White Sand Islands along the coast of Pearl Star Path. It is said that the beaches there are dazzlingly white, appearing like silver from afar, which is why people also call them the Silver Islands.
Indeed, those islands are rich in resources, boasting a wealth of unique minerals rarely seen in the Central Plains and many exotic fruits. Due to the environment and daily diet, the hair of Blazing Sun Palace disciples gradually turned reddish-brown. Over time, the people there all acquired this distinctive hair color. As for top experts like Ming Xinghao, who had achieved great mastery, their hair had turned crimson red due to their cultivation techniques and the consumption of Yang-Infused Pills during training.
Just as the Shang family holds its position in Kaiyang Prefecture, the Blazing Sun Palace is also the overlord of the White Sand Islands. The Pearl Star Path and Moon Gate Path of the Great Yue Dynasty are both located overseas, while the White Sand Islands lie between the Central Plains and these two paths, making their importance self-evident. However, the Blazing Sun Palace is not the sole overlord of the White Sand Islands.
The White Dragon Cult, known for its ambiguous morality, is also stationed on the White Sand Islands. The two major forces, one in the south and the other in the north, keep each other in check, competing for shipping routes and harboring long-standing grievances. Their conflicts have persisted for generations. Meanwhile, the Shark-Merfolk Gang, an industry under the Shang family, controls the water transport of the Central Plains. Therefore, the Blazing Sun Palace and the Shang family have always maintained a cooperative relationship, as whether their goods can enter the Central Plains ultimately depends on Shang Ruling’s decisions. Upon hearing that Ming Tianguang had offended the young lady of the Shang family, Ming Xinghao initially remained composed. However, when news followed that the young lady had become the young master, he had no choice but to make this trip.
If a rift were to form with the Shang family over this matter, the losses would be severe. The White Dragon Cult had already collaborated with the Prince of Beijiang’s estate, securing the Nine Rivers waterway of the Northern Yongjiang Path. This left the Blazing Sun Palace with no choice but to expand southward. If they could not enter the Central Plains via the Thunderous Grand Canal… and had to detour to the more distant Heavenly Dao Path, the costs would skyrocket.
Thus, Ming Xinghao, who had always been authoritative and renowned in the martial world for his uncompromising stance, not only humbled himself this time but also forced a benevolent smile and lavished praise on Xiaobai for a long while. He even gifted her a pearl necklace composed of 128 uniformly sized crimson pearls. Each pearl on this strand was as large as a thumb, smooth and perfectly round—a rarity even for a family of the Shang’s stature, truly a supreme treasure.
“This pearl strand is called Flowing Flame. It radiates brilliant light and possesses special properties. Though crimson like fire, it can absorb surrounding heat to nurture itself. Our Blazing Sun Palace disciples often wear a few crimson pearls when cultivating near volcanoes to calm their minds and prevent qi deviation.”
Ming Xinghao was not without pain when gifting the Flowing Flame Pearl strand, but he had clearly done his homework before visiting the Shang family. This gift perfectly caught Xiaobai’s eye, matching her current aesthetic preferences while also being practical.
Seeing this, Shang Ruling no longer put on airs, and the matter of Ming Tianguang was considered settled.
Xiaobai understood clearly: Ming Xinghao’s willingness to offer such a treasure was not only to apologize but also to forge goodwill with her. Even if Xiaobai were to become the family head in the future, the cooperative relationship between the two families would not end.
This gesture from the other party greatly pleased Xiaobai. Recalling how Ming Xinghao had once refused to even look her in the eye and spoken harshly, yet now he was bowing to a young girl, she couldn’t help but think of Old Madame Shang’s words: “…Besides, what does it matter if that lad could withstand a whip from you? In the end, he was still subdued.”
No matter how skilled one’s martial arts are, in the end, one still bows for survival.
But Xiaobai also understood clearly: today, Ming Xinghao bowed because of Shang Ruling, not because of her. Ming Xinghao’s martial arts had earned him fame and prestige in the martial world, but his current humility was only because Shang Ruling’s “skills” were superior to his.
She cherished the Flowing Flame Pearl strand, holding it lovingly, and right in front of Ming Xinghao, she wrapped it around her waist, letting it dangle with her small pouch, swaying adorably. The string used to thread the pearls was specially made, ensuring it wouldn’t break even if she tugged on it.
Seeing this, Ming Xinghao was momentarily lost in thought, as if reminded of someone through her. He quickly regained his composure but afterward became much more affectionate toward Xiaobai.
However, this affection vanished entirely in front of Ming Tianguang. With a single palm strike, he sent the originally hopeful-looking youth to the ground, forcing him to kneel and apologize. He showed no regard for the presence of outsiders, delivering a scathing reprimand that left no room for dignity. Ming Tianguang’s expression turned grim. Just as Xiaobai thought this stubborn young hero would erupt in anger, he silently lowered his head and slowly bent his knees.
“Isn’t the palace master being too harsh?” Even Shang Ruling couldn’t help but speak up.
“A child’s misdeeds are the father’s fault. Though he is not my biological son, his failure to distinguish right from wrong is still my failing—I failed to teach him properly,” Ming Xinghao’s face was as dark as water, his gaze icy. “How have I taught you in the past? Is this your idea of chivalry? Acting on what you believe is just without discerning right from wrong—how are you any different from those cowardly and incompetent rats!”
Ming Tianguang bit his lip. After all, he was only a sixteen-year-old youth. Life at the Shang family had not been easy for him. The first few exceptionally difficult days were one thing, but afterward, Xiaobai would often come to torment him—whether by making him copy absurd and nonsensical books or venting her frustrations from studying and training by taking it out on him. For instance, she would make him stand on a floating board in a horse stance while she stood on top of him. Any slight movement would send him tumbling into the lake.
Having grown up by the sea, the young man was naturally skilled at swimming. But Xiaobai would often deliberately wiggle around, causing him to fall into the water. After he fell, she would nimbly step on him to jump ashore, laughing at him alongside a group of servants. Such incidents made a mere month feel like an agonizing decade.
Even though Ming Xinghao had always been strict with him, to Ming Tianguang, he was still a respected father. He would never disobey Ming Xinghao’s commands.
Seeing that Ming Tianguang was truly about to kneel before her, Xiaobai kicked him in the kneecap. She was strong, and under Ming Xinghao’s watchful gaze, Ming Tianguang dared not dodge, enduring the blow directly. He staggered, nearly falling.
“Enough, let it be. If you’re truly that remorseful, why not be like Jin Yuan and let me ride you around the estate?” She said the last few words softly, but Xiaobai knew that with Shang Ruling and Ming Xinghao’s abilities, they couldn’t possibly have missed it.
She expected him to be ashamed and angry, but instead, the kick allowed Ming Tianguang to catch sight of the Flowing Flame Pearl strand hanging from her waist. He immediately became despondent, lowering his head as if lost in thought.
What a boring young hero. Seeing Xiaobai lose interest, Shang Ruling spoke a few more words on Ming Tianguang’s behalf, and the matter was finally put to rest.
Later, Xiaobai heard from Shang Yu that on the night Ming Xinghao retired, someone overheard an argument—or rather, a one-sided plea. It seemed Ming Tianguang was begging Ming Xinghao for something, but shortly after, he was struck with a palm strike and sent flying out of the courtyard, unable to get up for half the day.
Xiaobai listened with great interest but had no intention of delving deeper into the Blazing Sun Palace’s gossip. Having been a miscellaneous disciple for so many years, the jianghu had taught her a crucial survival lesson: curiosity not only kills cats but also people.
Unfortunately, her luck was truly poor. She always seemed to stumble upon the secrets of various sects, only to meet her end as an early-departed short-lived soul.
As it turned out, in the latter half of the night, Ming Tianguang came limping to find her. Ming Xinghao was taking him away the next morning, and he seized his last chance to seek out Xiaobai. However, he was stopped by the hidden guards outside and ended up gritting his teeth and kneeling before the door. Perhaps it was fate that they should not miss each other—Xiaobai dreamt of past events in the latter half of the night and, unable to sleep, got up to go out and feel the cold breeze. That was when she saw Ming Tianguang.
“I said, do you really enjoy kneeling so much? I didn’t let you kneel during the day, and now you come running over to kneel at night.” She realized she truly couldn’t understand what young people these days were thinking.
“I only beg—I only beg you to give me the Flowing Flame Pearl strand. Even if you beat me to death, I don’t care. It was my fault for provoking you, I shouldn’t have used it to…” he pleaded hoarsely. Xiaobai was taken aback for a moment before casually grabbing the strand of beads at her waist. “Is it that important to you?”
“Not to me, but to the entire Blazing Sun Palace, to my foster father—”
“That’s none of my business,” she coldly interrupted him.
Ming Tianguang lowered his head. Seeing his dejected appearance, Xiaobai suddenly found it quite amusing. “But it’s not without a chance. Alright, this Flowing Flame Pearl strand has a total of one hundred and twenty-eight red beads. From now on, you’ll do one hundred and twenty-eight things that satisfy me, and then I’ll consider whether to reward it to you.”
He looked up and stared at her intently. “Do you mean it?”
“Do you think I have nothing better to do? I don’t care how important this Flowing Flame Pearl strand is. Right now, it’s my possession, and if you want to take something from me, you naturally have to make me happy.” Seeing Ming Tianguang in such a sorry state, the gloom that had accumulated from her nightmare dissipated. She yawned, feeling sleepy, and casually dismissed him. “Alright, get lost now. You’re so weak right now, you can’t even defeat my hidden guards. Go back and train properly, or how will you serve me in the future?”
“…I understand.”
Ming Tianguang left with his foster father before dawn. When Xiaobai woke up, she saw servants cleaning the bloodstains outside the courtyard. A few drops had fallen on the stone steps and were difficult to wipe away.
“No wonder he’s a foster father. If he were a real father, he wouldn’t have beaten him so severely.” She shook her head, focusing on cultivating her Secret Arts and no longer dwelling on this complicated father-son relationship.
Author’s Note:
This chapter update is for the 29th, rushing to meet the deadline… It’s already 11:30 p.m. after finishing. Tomorrow—no, after daybreak—I’ll definitely update earlier.
Also, most of the paternal love in this book is focused on the protagonist, so for the other young heroes, well, if you’re a man, just endure it.
【Mini Theater】What Goes Around Comes Around
Shang Yu: I remember a few chapters ago, when I was beaten until I was covered in blood, you were still watching the show on the side.
Ming Tianguang: …I wasn’t watching the show. You were making such a commotion outside, I couldn’t pretend not to hear.
Shang Yu: Bullshit. You were clearly staring the whole time, even sneaking glances at my young master while I was being beaten, and in the end, you even mocked me.
Ming Tianguang: Are we really talking about the same incident?
Thank you all very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!