Bat

And at this moment, Bai Shaoqing was desperately trying to get to a safe place before the Disintegration Skill started to exhibit a negative effect. The Heaven and Earth shattering pills, the map, and the Bilu Sword were all in his possession. Feng Long was no longer the number one martial arts artist in the world and was now just a miserable wretch that he could easily take his revenge upon. It stands to reason that there were no longer any threats standing in his way.

Now all he had to do was find a secluded spot and swallow the Heaven and Earth shattering pills, and then he could naturally ward off the negative effects of having used the Disintegration Skill. After that he’d have 130 years worth of martial arts ability and 34 Masterstrokes of the other sects in his possession, who in Jianghu would be able to bully him again? In the Bai family, even Bai Moran would be helpless against him.

Mother, there will no longer be anyone who can bully us.

Look at me, I’ve flown up, all the way up to Ninth Heaven, no one will be able to suppress me.

The whistling sound of the wind brushed up against his ear, as the night fell, it was time for the bat to spread its wings.

A genuine smile appeared beautifully at the corner of his lips. A beautiful dream was beckoning him.

Bai Shaoqing was not aware that the Horizontal Heaven Opposing Sun Technique was named the most powerful technique in Wulin for a reason.

It was the most yang and the firmest technique, completely undiluted but multiplying without end.

In fact, just a hit smashing the scapula was not enough to remove the Horizontal Heaven Opposing Sun Technique.

So that meant that in reality, he had actually gone easy on Feng Long with just that one hit.

Bai Shaoqing escaped free and easy. In the end, he stopped at a rundown temple at the foot of the mountain in order to meditate and recirculate his energy.

The gold-coloured pill was in the palm of his translucent pale hands that were almost transparent.

“There are some that devote their lives to practising martial arts but it’s all worth nothing compared to one Heaven and Earth shattering pill.” Bai Shaoqing stared at the pill in the palm of his hand, and continued talking to himself: “The noble princess who made these two pills probably had ill-intentions.”

He suddenly felt his pulse become more erratic and understood that the effects of using the Disintegration Skill were about to reveal themselves. Bai Shaoqing threw the Heaven and Earth shattering pill into the air whilst lifting his head and opening his mouth.

The pills fell into his mouth, sliding down his throat and immediately beginning to dissolve, like the highest quality silk sliding smoothly downwards. Immediately his entire body felt much better, his erratic pulse also returned to normal.

Knowing that there was no time to lose, Bai Shaoqing immediately sat cross-legged and began to meditate.

In a flash, he had gained sixty years of martial art’s abilities.

An ice-cold energy gradually filled his dantian1. An ice-cold but not rigid energy that was incomparably deep. Bai Shaoqing silently integrated this new internal energy into his body, he did not open his eyes for a long while and took in deep breaths.

A moving smile appeared that made his handsome face even more radiant and awe-inspiring.

He sprang up extremely proud of himself and looked into the distance, “I’ve finally done it.” A free and easy look came from his radiant sparkling eyes, as if a massive weight that he had been carrying had finally been lifted off his chest.

In a blink of an eye, a piercing pain radiated out from his dantian, like a viper that suddenly attacked, so painful that it made Bai Shaoqing twist up his face.

He was extremely surprised. What was going on?

The pain came in an instant and then suddenly disappeared. But as he focused his energy, he could find no abnormality.

Bai Shaoqing thought carefully for a while but couldn’t find a cause.

“Perhaps the Heaven and Earth shattering pill is like this.” He muttered to himself and then continued to talk to himself out loud: “How could I gain sixty years of martial arts abilities without suffering a little anyway?”

He calmed himself down a little, and his thoughts began to drift towards the lofty and cold Bai Manor.

“Feng Long no longer has any martial arts abilities. Even if his position isn’t usurped by someone else, he will still have some troubles to deal with. I must take advantage of him being preoccupied with other things and go and get mother.” Having decided on a course of action, Bai Shaoqing turned around to pick up his cloth bag.

Black robes, black shoes, black cloth bag.

From today, no one will ever touch one hair on my head again.

Thinking about being able to pick up his mother and keep her by his side, Bai Shaoqing hurriedly went on his way. He had already secretly purchased a house with a courtyard in the mountains of Yangzhou. He’d also purchased two maids and another servant.

He could be by his mother’s side, chat with her, when he was free, he could play his zither, he could paint, and he could occasionally still go out and travel as well as study. When his mother’s birthday arrived, he would fill the table with wine, learn the twenty-four Filial Exemplars2 and put on some coloured clothing to amuse his mother3. All he wished for was this.

But without the capability, this was all just a pipedream.

Without the protection of others, how much bullying and humiliation would she have suffered, Bai Shaoqing understood it fully.

But now, it was no longer the case.

He flew past the forest, with his heart set on hurrying home. 　　

He saw that familiar lofty external wall from afar, even though he detested Bai Manor, Bai Shaoqing still revealed a slight smile.

A perfect silhouette, just as his smile began to take form, he exhibited a valiant and unconscious elegance.

The Heaven and Earth shattering pill did not seem to be completely absorbed, and was still circulating around his body when it suddenly attacked. It was like his body had an undetected enemy hidden inside, and would slice him with its sword at any moment. After having suffered several sharp pains from his dantian, Bai Shaoqing understood that the issue was not so simple.

But he preferred to sort everything out after he had picked up his mother.

He sneaked into Bai Manor just like a shadow, the servants were running here and there, cleaning the courtyard and delivering food to everyone.

The low standing house was still remote and desolate as it always was.

He pushed open the wooden door, hearing the creaking noise, a familiar feeling arose. That lonely figure came into view.

Bai Shaoqing quietly went over to the woman who had her back to him, half running he was bursting with emotion.

“Mother.”

“Shaoqing?” His mother was a little shocked, her unfocused eyes opened.

She reached out her hand into thin air, and Bai Shaoqing carefully grabbed it.

“Shaoqing, why did you suddenly come back?” His mother sighed, “If fu-ren and your father learn about this, it will probably cause unwanted trouble.”

Bai Shaoqing’s eyes glowed. “Mother, I came back to take you away.”

“Leave?” His mother shook her head, “No, we can’t leave. Why would they let a blind woman leave here and cause the great Bai family to lose face4 on the outside? Shaoqing, did you forget what happened last time?”

“Mother, I’m not afraid of them.” Bai Shaoqing smiled slightly, “Shaoqing’s martial arts is already unrivalled under heaven. If they don’t chase after us then great, if they do, then I’ll teach them a lesson.”

“Unrivalled under heaven?”

“Yes, I, your son, am no longer afraid of anyone.”

“Shaoqing, don’t tease mother.” The woman seemed to think of something in the past, she said with a trembling voice: “They will definitely torture you if they find out you’re trying to take me away. Mother is old, if you can leave here, that’s enough. Go, go and study! Don’t ever come back!”

“Mother, this time, I won’t fail again. Come with me okay?”

“Leave?” 　　

“Yes, on the edge of the Slender West Lake, there is a cool breeze, musicians and children playing and even warm tea.” Bai Shaoqing was holding the woman’s hand with a yearning expression on his face.

A silent night.

The next day, in the remote and desolate house that housed the lonely old figure that never turned around was suddenly empty.

The hurried footsteps of the servant ruined the mood of the people who were currently having breakfast.

“Laoye, Laoye, that……. That person is missing!”

“What? Where is she?”

Bai Shaoxin quickly asked: “Did Shaoqing come back?”

“San-shaoye never came back. That person was fine yesterday, she was still there when I went to deliver her dinner. But she was not there this morning.”

“Has she gone out for a walk?”

“Nonsense! She’s blind, where could she go? After all these years, have you seen her ever leave her room?”

Bai Shaoli looked down and looked up again and sneered: “Maybe Shaoqing has fled with her? Humph, Shaoqing is really something, he could even leave with someone and not make a sound.”

Bai Shaoxin stared at the housekeeper: “What do we feed you for? A scholar and a blind woman, how could you possibly lose them?” 　　

“They can’t have gone far.” Bai Moran said indifferently, “Come! Send people to search in the nearby vicinity. If it really is Shaoqing, then he really has some guts, he’s been rash and headstrong since he was little. He must have forgotten his lesson from last time?”

Bai Shaoxin hastily wiped his mouth and then got up and said: “I’ll go find him.”

“Sit down.” Song Xiangli said very coldly.

“Mother……..”

Song Xiangli shot a fierce glance at him, Bai Shaoxin was helpless and could only sit.

“Housekeeper, take some servants with you and go look. And put up some notices in the nearby villages.” Song Xiangli picked up a wintermelon with her chopsticks and elegantly put it into her mouth. “Just say that there was a thief at Bai Manor, and they even kidnapped a blind relative of the Bai family. If anyone is able to capture this thief, they mustn’t let them off lightly, the Bai family will reward them generously.”

Bai Shaoxin frowned: “Mother, he is still our younger brother. What if he is injured by those crude villagers……”

“How do you know that it is Shaoqing?” Song Xiangli swept a glance over at him: “I still think it’s a thief. Plus, even if it is Shaoqing, why is he sneakily coming back to take that person away? Does he even respect us, his parents at all?”

Bai Moran sighed: “Okay, okay, I don’t think it is Shaoqing. Housekeeper, go and do what fu-ren has ordered. After the person is caught, punish them severely.” 　　

“Yes, laoye.”

“If anyone accidentally kills that person, the corpse can also be brought to receive the reward.” Song Xiangli added.

“Yes, fu-ren.” The housekeeper was feeling a little uneasy inside, and bowed whilst he said: “Should the notice also add what fu-ren just said?”

“Add it.”

“Yes, understood.”