Chapter 16: Nature Is Thus

*Thud, thud, thud.*

Feng Shangfang’s head, still frozen in an expression of terror, rolled quite a distance across the ground.

The blood mist drifting through the air dappled Bai Lan’s face, his long hair, and his Magnificent Clothing. Amidst this contrast, it projected a different kind of eerie beauty. The presence of death within that tragic beauty was now laid bare before everyone—vividly realistic and undeniably true.

Even so, the Silver-patterned Flexible Sword in Bai Lan’s hand emanated a sharp sword qi, remaining untainted by even a single drop of blood.

Luo Qingping’s expression went blank. Along with those behind him, everyone present froze in place. Their Luoqing Sect’s expert—the Sect Leader’s junior brother—had been decapitated in an instant! That was a master of the Xuanyuan Realm! One of their sect’s Protectors!

Bai Lan remained before them with a faint smile. A few strands of his bangs were disheveled, appearing to cling to his eyelashes, yet his smile remained as brilliant and cheerful as ever.

“Spare me… spare me, spare me!”

Luo Qingping wanted to flee, but he was too close to Bai Lan. He had only taken a single step back when he realized his heels had gone soft. He could only fall to his knees and beg Bai Lan.

However, aside from Luo Qingping, his other fellow disciples—the members of the Luoqing Sect—had already used every technique at their disposal to flee far away. None of them cared about their Senior Male Disciple, who was now as good as dead.

Originally, they had only flocked to Luo Qingping because he was the Sect Leader’s legitimate son. But at the brink of life and death, when their lives were on the line, no one cared whether he lived or died.

Bai Lan merely smiled. He reversed his hand to form a sword seal and swung through the empty air. Those who had already taken to the sky were transformed into clouds of blood mist, one after another. Every single one of them was decapitated on the spot by the sword qi.

“Mercy… Mercy! Spare me, Fairy! Spare me, Fairy!!”

Luo Qingping kowtowed repeatedly, making heavy thumping sounds as blood began to flow from his forehead.

Under the threat and terror of death, none of that mattered. Dignity was nothing more than dog shit. Luo Qingping only wanted to survive. As for revenge, he could wait until he returned to the Luoqing Sect to gather experts for a reprisal. But for now, he had to live. His life absolutely could not end here. He still had a grand future ahead of him; he would inherit the sect, rule over a region, and enjoy endless wealth, virgins, and beauties! He could not die in this place!

His life should not be over yet!

Bai Lan covered his face with one hand, but he wasn’t looking at the man. Instead, he was observing another person.

The woman named Junior Sister Chen had not run away either. Instead, she had summoned her courage to stay where she was. She was clever; she knew that in the face of an expert who could kill Elder Feng in one blow and had cultivated a Primordial Spirit, she had no hope of escaping.

What Bai Lan had not expected, however, was that Junior Sister Chen would suddenly draw her own sword. She stepped forward and thrust it out, piercing Luo Qingping straight through the heart from behind. Her face was immediately splattered with blood.

Luo Qingping turned his head in horror. He saw the person who had killed him, but he died before he could even let out a cry.

“Sister!” Chen Youfang immediately knelt and said, “My Senior Brother Luo was a shameless and lewd man. He has been bullying and humiliating me since I was sixteen years old. But I, Chen Youfang, am a mere woman with no power. I have swallowed my resentment until today! Now that they are all dead, I have finally avenged the loss of my chastity!”

After she finished speaking, Chen Youfang’s forehead was covered in a cold sweat. After all, she had fabricated so much just because she wanted to live.

In truth, her relationship with her senior brother had been a violation of ethics that she had initiated herself. She had seduced Luo Qingping to gain favor, which allowed her to rise from an obscure outer disciple to the direct disciple of Feng Shangfang. Otherwise, if not for her good looks, how could she have attained her current status?

But now that her life was at stake, she didn’t care about any of that.

Bai Lan held the Silver-patterned Flexible Sword and smiled. “Little sister, your life truly has been full of ups and downs. You must be a person of bitter fate.”

Hearing this, Chen Youfang thought there was a chance. She rejoiced. “Good sister! Your younger sister has indeed suffered! That year, when I was only sixteen, that beast…”

But before she could finish, a flash of sword light flared. Another beautiful head flew into the air, and hot blood sprayed out into a mist.

The woman before him had also become a headless corpse, though her posture still reflected her previous state of desperation.

“What does your misery have to do with me?” Bai Lan retracted the Silver-patterned Flexible Sword, which remained clean of any blood. “Die early so you can be reincarnated sooner.”

From behind, Si Yan and Su Tao’er naturally witnessed everything.

Si Yan was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead. Because Bai Lan’s other personality was so violent and cruel, he was afraid Su Tao’er would be terrified—and that he, as the master, would fall under suspicion as well.

Sure enough, Su Tao’er was currently in a state of complete shock. She had never imagined that this Senior Male Disciple—who was usually so elegant, soft-spoken, and as quiet as a virgin—could be so ruthless. Every move he made was a decapitation!

Si Yan’s face twitched as he tried to explain to the young girl beside him. “Tao’er, don’t mind him. This fellow gets like this as soon as he puts on women’s clothes. He has no filter, but he’s actually quite normal on a typical day…”

At that moment, Bai Lan tapped Chen Youfang’s corpse with his foot. He turned toward Si Yan with a look of boredom, mixed with a hint of coquettishness. “Honored Master, this little woman seems to have a decent figure, and her face isn’t bad either. While her body is still warm, do you want to take her and use her for a bit?”

Su Tao’er snapped out of her shock from the slaughter and asked blankly, “Use her for a bit?”

Si Yan’s head throbbed as if it were about to explode. He wanted nothing more than to beat this wicked disciple to death on the spot. He roared, “You monster! What nonsense are you spouting? Change your clothes back right now!”

But Bai Lan continued to smile foolishly. “Honored Master, you really are something. You’re always saying you want a girl to keep you company, that you want a female disciple to train so you can soothe your nightly miseries. Why have you suddenly become timid now that it’s time for you to enjoy yourself? Ah! Is it because I’m here? Fine, fine. I’ll turn around. I won’t look. Will that do?”

“Cough, cough, cough!!!!” Si Yan coughed violently to try and drown out Bai Lan’s voice. “You monster, take those clothes off right now!”

Si Yan’s face turned green with rage. He rolled up his sleeves, looking like he was about to step forward and start a fight.

Seeing this, Su Tao’er was afraid Si Yan would actually strike him, so she hurried over to mediate. “Senior… Senior Brother Bai, please change your clothes back. Don’t make Master angry.”

‘Senior Brother Bai is really beautiful,’ Su Tao’er couldn’t help but think.

Especially after putting on these clothes, his appearance had a unique charm to it. ‘Ah! If that’s the case, I must never let my brother meet Senior Brother Bai. If they meet again, I’m afraid my elders back home will have to purge the family line.’

But when Bai Lan saw Su Tao’er, he muttered to himself as if offering a compliment, “You little vixen, your face looks pure enough, but you have the body of a demoness. Honored Master must be having the time of his life at night.”

Su Tao’er: “…?”