A Will Eternal

"Brothers and sisters of the Spirit Stream Sect, Bai Xiaochun is back!”

Bai Xiaochun’s voice echoed like thunder throughout the south bank of the Spirit Stream Sect, and could even be heard on the north bank....

Moments before, the sect had been buzzing with activity, filled with a din of voices. But a moment later, everything went completely quiet. Even the phoenixes flying in the air above the sect shivered and forgot to keep flying.

Because Li Qinghou had gone into extended secluded meditation, Elder Zhou had taken over as the peak lord of Fragrant Cloud Peak. When the thunderous voice interrupted his own meditation, his eyes opened and his jaw dropped.

Zhou Xinqi had been practicing cultivation on Mount Daoseed, and had just finished a session of meditation and was preparing to leave. When she heard the voice echoing back and forth like thunder, her face fell.

Xu Baocai had just been preparing to go visit some friends on Green Crest Peak to flaunt some new exclusive information he’d come across, when he was suddenly interrupted by the booming voice, and his eyes went wide.

Big Fatty Zhang was standing miserably in front of Xu Meixiang as she berated him. Then they heard his voice, and they both looked up.

All of the cultivators and disciples on the south bank who had been dragged into Bai Xiaochun’s antics were struck mute by the words they had just heard....

On Fragrant Cloud Peak, one elder had been in the middle of giving a lecture about cultivation to a group of disciples who seemed to be hanging onto his every last word. When he was interrupted by Bai Xiaochun’s booming voice, his face fell. As for the disciples, they didn’t seem as shocked, but were clearly moved.

On Mount Daoseed, Zheng Yuandong stood there reading a jade slip, his expression grim. The news in the jade slip was anything but good, and he was just about to go to the Missions Office to announce an important mission, when suddenly, a booming voice interrupted his train of thought. Immediately, he stopped in his tracks, his expression flickering.

Also on Mount Daoseed were two prime elders whose faces fell. They had been among the group whose clothes were ripped to shreds by Bai Xiaochun’s gravitational repulsion pearl years ago.

Bai Xiaochun looked around at the south bank, at how quiet it was, at how the birds couldn’t even fly, and how even the cultivators who had been speeding through the air had suddenly stopped in place. He was visibly moved.

“Does everyone still remember me...? You guys definitely miss me. Without me around, your cultivation must have been very, very boring....” Sighing, he looked over at Chen Fei and the other three cultivators. “Don’t you agree, Chen Fei?”

At first, Chen Fei wasn't sure what to say. Bracing himself, he chose to offer some praise.

“Sect Uncle Bai, you have unrivalled magical powers. You’re completely and utterly famous. Upon returning, your solitary shout raised the spirits of everyone inside and outside of the Spirit Stream Sect!” Chen Fei’s three companions were shocked to hear him say such things. They had already been surprised to see the reaction caused by Bai Xiaochun’s words from moments ago. But then they heard their Elder Brother Chen Fei, who they always took to be cold and distant, suddenly speaking in such a flattering tone. They couldn’t help but gasp.

These three hadn't been around in the days in which Bai Xiaochun came to be well-known. They had joined the sect in the later days, and had only heard stories about the things he had done. As of this moment, they were exchanging awkward glances.

Bai Xiaochun gave a long chuckle. “Hahaha! You’re right, of course. Everyone misses me to death. Look, a single shout on my part and everyone is at a loss for words.

“Don’t worry, everyone. I’m back. And I won't ever be leaving again....” Sighing, Bai Xiaochun was just about to shout out again at the top of his lungs, when suddenly countless, heaven-shaking, earth-shattering screams rose up from the three mountain peaks of the south bank.

“The heavens don’t have eyes! Bai Xiaochun is back!!”

“Dammit! Didn’t he go out to get experience? It's only been a few years, how come he's back so soon?!?!”

“Not good! The spirit tail chicken population is just getting back to normal....”

“The Apothecary Fiend is back!!”

As the screams echoed out, the phoenixes up in the air let out miserable shrieks and quickly flew away. The cultivators who had stopped flying gasped. Obviously, most of the cultivators who were capable of flying were in the Foundation Establishment stage. When they thought about the terrifying scene in the square when Bai Xiaochun ripped everyone's clothing to shreds, leaving them stark naked, their scalps went numb with fear, and they fled.

As for the ordinary disciples from the three mountain peaks, when they thought of the miserable scenes from the past, their hearts were filled with grief and indignation.

Zhou Xinqi gritted her teeth, her heart smoldering with hatred because of the words he had just spoken. With a cold snort, she decided to simply continue her session of secluded meditation....

Xu Baocai was scowling on the verge of tears, and had lost any mood to go out. However, as soon as he thought about Bai Xiaochun’s status in the sect, he flew out to go meet him.

Bai Xiaochun blinked a few times in response to all the screams. Coughing dryly, he rubbed his nose, and then looked over at Chen Fei and his companions.

“Hahaha! What a passionate group, eh...?”

Sweat dripped down Chen Fei’s forehead, but even after racking his brains, he couldn’t think of what to say next. His three companions looked over at Bai Xiaochun as reverently as if he were a god. They almost couldn't believe that a single sentence from a single person could cause the entire south bank to virtually collapse....

Bai Xiaochun was starting to feel a bit awkward, and even a bit irritated. Back in the Blood Stream Sect, he had been a blood master, and wherever he went, people treated him with the utmost courtesy. All he had to do was speak half a word, or glare, and people would be so scared they would start shaking.

Even as he grumbled inwardly about how unfair it was, a beam of light shot out from Violet Cauldron Peak, which was none other than Big Fatty Zhang, who threw his head back and let loose a long cry.

Hou Xiaomei had been in secluded meditation, but now she burst with excitement as she flew out into the open....

Then there was Third Fatty Hei and Hou Yunfei. The people who had deep connections with Bai Xiaochun felt differently than everyone else, and flew out, delighted.

Zheng Yuandong cleared his throat. Refusing to make an appearance wasn’t really an option. As he stood there on Mount Daoseed, looking over at Bai Xiaochun, he thought back to all the mischief he had caused in the past, and chuckled to himself.

It was in that very moment that a roar of delight echoed out from the north bank. Bruiser appeared, fully thirty meters tall, like a little mountain shooting through the air. His heaven-shaking, earth-shattering cry caused all of the countless beasts on the north bank to howl at the tops of their lungs.

The roaring of the beasts shocked the north bank into silence. Many disciples didn’t understand what was happening and flew into the air. But then they saw Bai Xiaochun off in the distance on the south bank, and immediately, their jaws dropped. Gasps began to ring out, along with cries of shock.

“Bai Xiaochun!!”

“He’s back!!”

Many of the north bank disciples were screaming and backing up; word began to spread like wildfire, sending the entire north bank into a commotion....

Bai Xiaochun laughed heartily, stepping forward to meet Bruiser. Bruiser came to a stop in front of Bai Xiaochun, his eyes wide and his face a mask of joy. Without any hesitation, he shrank back down into the shape he had been when he was born. Then he latched his teeth onto Bai Xiaochun’s pant legs and refused to let go, apparently worried that Bai Xiaochun might leave him again to go on adventures alone.

Face beaming with joy, Bai Xiaochun reached down and scooped Bruiser up into his arms. Then he embraced Big Fatty Zhang, who seemed to be bursting with information to tell Bai Xiaochun. Before he could, Hou Xiaomei arrived, eyes fluttering as she looked at Bai Xiaochun. Big Fatty Zhang immediately stepped to the side.

Bai Xiaochun laughed happily again as he looked at Hou Xiaomei. He wasn’t the ignorant youth he had been in the past. After everything which had occurred in the Blood Stream Sect, he had matured quite a bit. Suddenly, he was struck by impulse to lean forward and hug Hou Xiaomei.

Hou Xiaomei’s face turned scarlet, and she pouted playfully as she pushed him away.

Before long, Hou Yunfei arrived, along with Xu Baocai. There were also many of the disciples whom Bai Xiaochun had helped in the Fallen Sword Abyss. More than a hundred people clustered around him, filled with excitement. After a bit of time, they headed toward Mount Daoseed, chatting and laughing, telling Bai Xiaochun about everything that had occurred in the sect in the years he had been gone.

One of the first things Bai Xiaochun asked about was Li Qinghou. Nobody was very sure about the details, but no one had heard any bad news. Bai Xiaochun felt a bit better hearing that.

Many people were surprised to see such a large group emerge to receive Bai Xiaochun. That was especially true of the people who had suffered at his hands, who were completely incredulous at what they were seeing.

Never could they imagine that a person like that, a person who had annoyed and frustrated so many people in the sect, would have so many friends who truly liked him.

Chen Fei’s three companions began to murmur among themselves.

“I've heard a lot of stories about Sect Uncle Bai....”

“Just what kind of person is he anyway?”

“For some reason, now that Sect Uncle Bai is back, the Spirit Stream Sect seems different than before. Things are usually busy, and the fact that war could break out at any time is a pressure that constantly weighs down over our heads. But now... how come that pressure seems to have lifted a bit?”

Chen Fei didn't follow Bai Xiaochun and the others. He watched them leave, feeling a bit conflicted inside. After hearing the comments of his companions, he fell silent for a moment, then softly said, “He's Bai Xiaochun. Legacy echelon-designate. Heaven-Dao Foundation Establishment expert. Nobody can compare to him. The light which shines from him can cast everyone else into shadow. Most people have a love-hate relationship with him, and yet, everyone believes in him! That's Bai Xiaochun!”

The three companions said nothing further, but their eyes seemed to flicker with understanding. As Bai Xiaochun made his way off into the distance, their expressions filled with even more reverence than before.

As the entire Spirit Stream Sect was shaken by Bai Xiaochun’s return, a certain person emerged from an immortal's cave on Irispetal Peak.

It was a young woman, and as she looked over at the south bank, the wind lifted her hair, revealing fair, delicate skin. Her eyes glistened like pools of deep water, and although she wore conservative clothing, it was impossible to conceal her attractive, curvaceous figure. The alluring look in her eyes, though, made it such that any person who got close to her would feel the fires of desire rising up in their hearts....

Covering a smile with her hand, she said in a melodious voice, “So, you’re finally back, sweetie....”