Chapter Sixteen: Candle Shadow

  "You're Xu Xian!"

  Xu Xian dissatisfied: "Hey, what kind of answer is this?!" But also understood Ao Qian's meaning, even if he was glorious in the past, what did it have to do with his current self?!

  He just wanted to know what had caused this accidental traversal. He came in and worked hard on the stele, repeatedly watching his memories of crossing over, that one loud Buddha's name was not a coincidence.

  Xu Xian asked Da Dao: "Old master, just tell me! If I had any enemies in the past who wanted to harm me after I left, wouldn't that be terrible for me?"

  Ao Gan smiled and said, "Those who can see through your past life are either extremely skilled in the art of divination or have a very deep connection with you. Within the three realms, there won't be more than a handful of people like that. Your arch-nemesis is likely someone from your past...

  "It was all cleared up before reincarnation. So you don't have to worry about this. When the time comes, it will be known naturally. Knowing earlier is not necessarily a good thing."

  Xu Xian still wanted to ask, but Ao Gan didn't pay attention to him anymore. Instead, he said to Bai Suzhen: "Even if you continue to cultivate with your current method for another thousand years, what's the big deal? I only asked you...

  "Do you want to be a candle in the wind?"

  The so-called Candle Nine Yin refers to Candle Dragon.

  Beyond the North Sea, north of the Red Water, there is a mountain called Zhang Wei. There is a god, with a human body and red skin, straight eyes and upright posture. When he closes his eyes, it becomes dark; when he opens them, it becomes bright. He does not eat or sleep or breathe, and the wind and rain are exhausted by him. This is the Torch of the Nine Regions, this is called the Torch Dragon!

  Bai Suzhen exclaimed in shock: "Zhu, Zhu Jiu Yin?"

  She certainly knew what Candle Nine meant to the snake. It was said that Candle Nine, with a mouthful of air, would bring dark clouds and heavy snow, turning into winter; and with another mouthful of air, it would become scorching hot, with flowing gold and molten stone, turning into summer. It spent its days lying dormant on the ground, not drinking, not eating, not drinking water, not sleeping, not breathing, because with one breath, it would become a long wind that lasted for ten thousand miles.

  The most famous of the snake spirits is naturally Nüwa, but the strongest one is none other than Candle Nine Yin.

  Xu Xian asked: "What is Candle Nine Yin?"

  Ao Gan explained: "A greedy snake, its existence made the dragon clan decide to take back all the cultivation and law enforcement. At first, in order to deal with it, dozens of dragons died. Of course, at that time, the dragons were not as useless as they are now!"

  Bai Suzhen thought for a moment and asked: "Can I become the Candle Nine Yin under Lord Dragon King?"

  She clearly understood that the inner elixir method she was currently practicing was only the most basic part, and even a beast without wisdom could obtain it under coincidental circumstances. The Ao Li beside her said, "Let him go to the Yangtze River! From West Lake, Taihu, Qiantang... all the way to the Yangtze River, then the Yellow River! I know she can't do it just by herself, so..."

  Bai Suzhen raised her head, with a gleam in her eyes, saying: "So, I will help her!"

  In a brief moment, she made her own decision. Why should she, who had cultivated for 1,700 years, still be inferior to those whose cultivation years were far less than hers? She was not without resentment in her heart, but the decline of the entire demon way could not be changed by a small snake like herself. However, if she could really obtain that cultivation method and become the legendary Candle Nine Yin who could defy heaven and earth, what would the Heavenly Laws and Regulations matter then?

  "Snakes are indeed greedy," Ao Qian said with a faint smile, "but they're also very clever."

  Bai Suzhen said solemnly, "This is not greed, but I don't want to humble myself and compromise. I understand that even if I really enter the Jade Pool for cultivation, I will only be an ordinary fairy. And I have to bear many constraints, can't do this, can't do that."

  Always silent Ao Li suddenly shouted: "I don't want to, I don't want to worship any Mr., I just don't want West Lake, I want to go back to the Yangtze River. Grandpa, can we go to the Yangtze River? Li'er will definitely not be disobedient and will cultivate well!"

  Tears had already formed in her eyes. She couldn't understand why the grandfather who raised her would give her to someone else.

  "Are you going to give up on the Yellow River as well?" Ao Jian said in a deep voice. "Life and death are predetermined, I don't know how much longer I can protect you!"

  Ao Li said: "I..." Those two words could not be spoken. Bai Su Zhen walked over and hugged her into her arms.

  Ao Gan took out a tortoise shell from his bosom and handed it to Xu Xian: "This 'River Chart' will serve as the gift for becoming your master!"

  Bai Suzhen exclaimed: "Isn't the River Chart in the Yellow River?"

  Ao Qing smiled slightly and said: "The Yellow River is like a treasure, hidden away, not many people can see it, and even fewer can understand it. It's already outdated. This 'River Map' is the result of my deductions over the past thousand years. If you can understand it, you can continue to deduce further." Xu Xian couldn't help but smile wryly. Is this really what they call a new version? But thinking about it again, everything must go through a process from sprouting to development, and that's the rule of all things in the world. It's not possible for something to appear and reach its peak immediately. This is especially evident in the way of numerology. As for continuing to deduce further, Xu Xian thought to himself: "Do I need to deduce calculus?"

  Ao Jian simply finished his explanation and said: "I'm going back to the Yangtze River, I hope one day you can come to my door!" After finishing speaking, he drew a lightning bolt and flew away.

  Xu Xian sat back on the couch, furrowed his brow and said: "I feel like you were different just now." He pointed at Ao Li: "Do you really want her to go fight? She's still a kid."

  Bai Suzhen stretched out her hand to catch the water droplets falling from the eaves, and turned her head to ask Xu Xian: "Hanwen, do you know how many times I've done this action in the past 1,700 years?"

  Xu Xian saw a hint of loneliness on his face: "You?"

  "I'm so fed up, no matter what it is, but it's been repeated too many times. I don't know if I can hold on for another 1,700 years, before that, at least I want to do what I want to do, sit and do things I've never done before! For this, I want to be a candle in the darkness, can you help me? Just like 1,700 years ago!"

  Xu Xian turned his head and didn't look into her eyes, saying: "Can't ignore Ao Li's thoughts"

  Ao Li stared blankly in the direction Grandfather had left, and from Grandfather's expression, he also seemed to have sensed something. At this moment, he turned his head and said: "It has nothing to do with Sister, it's Ao Li who wants to take back Father's Yellow River!"

  Xu Xian gazed at Bai Suzhen's expectant eyes and sighed, "The person who helped you 1,700 years ago wasn't me." Seeing the disappointment on her face, he smiled and said, "Now I'm not just helping you!" He then turned to Ao Li and said, "Hey! Little girl, it's been a long time since we last met. Let your brother... no, let Teacher hug you!"

  Bai Suzhen couldn't help but smile, yes, yes, we are friends, not benefactors, not sisters, not attempts, but her first friend!

  He patted Ao Lian's head again and thought to himself: "Will you be my second disciple?"

  Xu Xian walked on the road, holding that tortoise shell, flipping it back and forth. This tortoise shell itself was not extraordinary, but had many small dots forming a pattern. Bai Suzhen slightly revealed to him the subtlety of its meaning. Xu Xian felt that no matter how he listened, it sounded like mathematical formulas. But isn't the so-called "Shu" just about numbers? However, this Shu is not something ordinary people can grasp.

  Is it possible to predict one's fate just by holding this thing? Is this the so-called "scientific fortune-telling"? If so, then shouldn't someone with a grasp of calculus like myself be able to see 500 years into the past and future? However, Yu Xuanji also said that I really don't have any talent in this area.

  Xu Xian suddenly had an epiphany, thinking to himself: "If I hold onto this thing, she'll definitely come looking for me. The Hetu Luoshu is the ultimate pursuit of the Tao of Techniques and Numbers. Bai Suzhen is only a part-time practitioner of the Tao of Techniques and Numbers, yet she can't bear to part with this Hetu, if my Shifu sister finds out I have this thing, she'll definitely come begging me for it."

  Xu Xian's mind couldn't help but wander, imagining Fisherman Jade kneeling on the ground, sticking out his tongue, and Father knocking against the turtle shell in his hand, then throwing the turtle shell far away... Xu Xian quickly stopped her daydream. Okay, this thought was too evil.

  Xu Xian walked back, but saw a person turning around in front of his own door. Who else could it be if not Zhang Yutang? After a round of conversation, Xu Xian finally understood that he had come to find himself, but was rejected by Qing Luan with the reason "there is no male master at home, it's inconvenient to entertain".

  Xu Xian invited him in, and Zhang Yutang said: "Brother Xu, when are we going to visit Qing's mansion?" He had heard a few days ago that Xu Xian went into the mountains to collect medicine, and as soon as he heard Xu Xian was back, he rushed to his door.

  Xu Xian didn't want to say that he had just returned from someone's home, so he casually mentioned a date and sent the couple off. In fact, if they could be together, it wouldn't matter, but Bai Suzhen had been practicing for a thousand years and her body still had snake venom, because poison was harmless to snakes themselves.

  Bai Suzhen was only able to cleanse the poison with a spiritual pill bestowed by Zhenwu Emperor, but Xu Xian knew very well what level of deity Zhenwu Emperor was. If he were to ask for another pill for Xiaoqing, there would be little hope.

  Xu Xian thought for a moment, and was just about to go to Yunyan's room to be intimate with her, but unexpectedly someone knocked on the door again.

  He came in and took a look, but it was Ning Caichen who had been absent for a long time.

  Ning Caichen's face sank and he didn't say a word as he followed Xu Xian into the hall, whereupon he hastily said: "It's not good, it's not good."

  Xu Xian was depressed and thought: "So this guy is pretending!" Then he asked puzzled: "Ning brother, why did you say that?"

  Ning Cai Chen said: "Today, Academician said that you, younger brother, have not come to the academy for a long time and want to expel you from Xian Tian Academy!"

  Only then did Xu Xian understand the general idea, and he thought to himself: "Can't hold back so soon? This should be considered a revenge from the Liang Wang faction! Starting with me is quite appropriate.

  Ning Cai Chen watched from the side, deeply admiring Han Wen's composure. An ordinary person would have known they were about to be expelled from the academy and wouldn't have looked like they'd been stepped on. How could anyone compare to Han Wen's calmness?