Chapter 50: The Family Code

Just by looking at her back, one would assume she was a delicate woman who found solace in the mountains, rivers, and moonlight. However, having faced life and death battles with her, Qian Ye remembered every contour of Bai Aotu’s body. No matter from which angle, he could recognize her in an instant.

Yet, at this moment, Bai Aotu exuded a serene and unpolluted aura, vastly different from her usual battle-ready self. Even Qian Ye had to take a few more glances to confirm that he was not mistaken.

Bai Aotu slightly turned her head and said, “Is that you, Qian Ye?”

“It’s me.”

She stood up, turned around, and faced Qian Ye and Song Zining with a smile, “I didn’t expect you two to come. Did anyone give you trouble on the way?”

Song Zining replied, “With your carriage, who would dare to cause trouble for me?”

Bai Aotu laughed, “The elders and uncles are too embarrassed to act, and the rest can’t beat you. Who would dare to bother you, young master Seven?”

Song Zining chuckled, “Actually, even those elders and uncles can’t do much to me, and now they definitely can’t beat Qian Ye. So, it’s better for everyone to stay on good terms!”

“Can’t beat Qian Ye? My Bai family may have some decline in talent, but it’s not to the point where… Wait, what?!” Bai Aotu suddenly looked surprised, turning to Qian Ye, “You’re already a divine general?”

Qian Ye admired Bai Aotu’s keenness, which was not based on perception but purely on a warrior’s instinct. If it were just perception, no one below the rank of Heavenly King would be able to see through his latent bloodline power.

Qian Ye nodded, then noticed that although she was looking at him, her eyes were slightly unfocused. This was a mistake that should never occur in someone of her level.

Thinking of the battle in Bai City, Qian Ye’s heart trembled, “Your eyes?”

“I was injured quite badly, and they haven’t recovered since.” Bai Aotu spoke as if it were a minor issue. “I can’t see anymore.”

“How could this be? Is there no way for the Bai family to help you?”

“There are ways, of course, but using them on a cripple is not worth it.”

Qian Ye remained silent, transforming his eyes into the Dominion Pupil, and looked at Bai Aotu. She seemed to sense the probing, her eyebrows twitched slightly, but she neither resisted nor concealed.

With a glance, Qian Ye was shocked. Bai Aotu’s origin power cultivation was barely at the sixteenth level, with her origin power vortex dispersing rather than condensing. There were several areas with mixed energy. At this rate, it was unlikely she would reach the divine general realm.

The sixteenth level was strong anywhere, but it was not enough to hold a core position within the imperial clans, and it was far from the promising momentum Bai Aotu once had. Back then, she was seen as the prime candidate for becoming a divine general, with a resolute and decisive nature. She had countless enemies both inside and outside the clan, and many disapproved of her actions.

Qian Ye did not expect her to be so severely injured. Although she still maintained the sixteenth-level cultivation, it was only a step away from total destruction. If she had not trapped herself in a desperate situation and fought alone in Bai City, if she had not bled with Qian Ye and Zhao Jundu until the very end, she wouldn’t have been hurt like this.

At this moment, Qian Ye did not know what to say. After a long pause, he finally said, “You… didn’t have to go to such lengths.”

Bai Aotu replied calmly, “Where righteousness lies, one mustn’t shirk despite the difficulty. Since I had the ability to fight my way in, how could I watch you get surrounded by the dark races in Bai City?”

After speaking, she suddenly smiled, “Actually, I just wanted to quickly settle things with Zhao Jundu. If he died, we wouldn’t be able to fight, right?”

Clearly, she was not a person known for humor, and Qian Ye and Song Zining could only manage a few dry laughs.

Looking at Bai Aotu now, Qian Ye felt a mix of emotions. All the past grievances had faded away. If it weren’t for her, they might not have held out in Bai City. But seeing a once-great genius warrior fall to such a state, how could it be described as anything but heartbreaking?

Recalling Bai Aotu’s earlier words, Qian Ye asked, “You mentioned there is a way to treat your eyes. What method is it, and how much does it cost?”

“Are you thinking of paying for it?” Bai Aotu smiled.

“I’ll do my best, and it can always be resolved.” Qian Ye now controlled the vast lands of the Jade Sea and Great Corridor, and with the Xudong Floating Island, resource development was only a matter of time. Perhaps the cost of treatment would be astronomical, but over time, it could be managed. As long as it did not require some extremely rare and hard-to-find medicinal herbs, Qian Ye felt that it was not an impossible task.

“You have a kind heart. But the best time has passed; it’s too late now.”

Hearing this, Qian Ye’s heart grew cold. Her words clearly implied not that it couldn’t be done, but that they chose not to!

He leapt to his feet, his voice sharp, “The Bai family just watched and did nothing to help you?”

Bai Aotu smiled, “I’m not worried, so why should you be?” She sighed, “Now I understand why so many people like you and want to be with you.”

She paused, sat down at the table, and casually picked up a teacup, sipping a little, “Being blind has allowed me to calm down and think about things I never had time for before. I’ve grown used to the quiet days, and it’s not bad. In this state of calm, I can try practicing some of the techniques I couldn’t before, at least my cultivation won’t regress too much.”

She laughed self-deprecatingly, “Given my past actions, this outcome is not so bad. What more can I complain about?”

Qian Ye was about to say something, but Song Zining pulled him aside and gave him a look.

Song Zining took out a book box and placed it on the table, “This technique is something I found in the Song Clan’s library. I thought it might suit your current state, so I copied it and brought it here. If you have time, you can… well, find someone to read it for you, as a reference.”

Bai Aotu did not take it, saying, “Our Bai Clan has many inherited techniques. I can slowly find something suitable for me. I don’t need to owe the Song Clan a favor.”

Song Zining replied, “This technique is not a Song Clan heirloom. It was acquired from an unknown source, and since no one could practice it, it gathered dust in the library. Recently, I, the discerning son, rediscovered it. Besides, the name, ‘Ruoxue Collection,’ sounds fitting for you.”

Song Zining’s words left Qian Ye speechless. The indignation in his chest was largely dispelled by Song Zining’s last statement. “Ruoxue Collection” sounded more like a compilation by a penniless scholar than a proper cultivation technique, and it seemed completely out of place with Bai Aotu’s demeanor.

But Song Zining’s explanation and expression reminded Qian Ye of the time he brought the ancient Song scrolls. Perhaps the Ruoxue Collection contained some great secret. If true, the Song Clan’s library must hold many more treasures. Yet, how did the Song ancestors manage to collect so many rare and valuable books and techniques?

Since Song Zining had explicitly distanced the matter from the Song Clan, Bai Aotu no longer refused, “Alright, I’ll keep it.”

They bid farewell and left. Qian Ye and Song Zining boarded their vehicle, heading for the airship landing field. Though they had reconciled with Bai Aotu, they had blood feuds with many in the Bai Clan, and it was best not to linger and avoid trouble.

In the car, Song Zining suddenly said, “If it weren’t for the White Dragon Armor, she might not even have this courtyard left.”

“The Bai Clan is so ruthless? She still has the sixteenth-level cultivation, yet they discard her like a useless thing?”

“Don’t forget, she’s blind. In a real fight, even a general could defeat her.”

Qian Ye shook his head, “Impossible! Her aura is stable and dense, even more so than before. Her origin power cultivation may be mixed and unable to improve in the short term, but her mental state seems to be constantly advancing. If she overcomes her blindness, her combat power will be extraordinary.”

“In others’ eyes, it’s not that way. Blindness means being useless.”

Qian Ye, with his Dominion Pupil, knew that perception could not replace sight. Hearing Song Zining’s words, he could only sigh, still feeling a bit indignant, “She has done so much for the Bai Clan, and now they discard her because of an injury?”

“The four clans each have their own style. The Zhang Clan is like a mountain, unmovable; the Zhao Clan stands out; the Song Clan is broad-minded and kind; the Bai Clan is iron-willed and brutal. The Bai and Song Clans are like two extremes. The Song Clan favors literary competition, while the Bai Clan advocates the survival of the fittest. Once weakened, you are dead. So, their treatment of Bai Aotu is actually quite lenient.”

Qian Ye felt a deep-seated grievance, “Even a loyal servant is treated this way?”

Song Zining said, “It’s their family matter; we can’t interfere too much.” He paused, slightly self-mocking, “Just like the Song Clan’s council.”

Qian Ye fell silent, thinking about the Song Clan’s permissive attitude towards their descendants, leading to a decline in capable successors. The Bai Clan’s merciless methods, wasting no resources on the weak. It was easy to criticize from the sidelines, but how could one judge when it happened to individuals?

Suddenly, the vehicle stopped, and the driver turned, “Someone is blocking the road ahead.”

Song Zining looked forward and saw a group of furious young people blocking the way. Qian Ye’s gaze, however, fell on a group of old men leisurely playing chess under a tree.

“Stay here, I’ll handle it.” Song Zining quickly got out of the car.

A tall young man stepped forward, towering over Song Zining with a sinister smile, “Song Zining! You dare to come to the Jade Mansion!”

Song Zining smiled, “I came to visit an old friend. What’s the problem?”

“Still being stubborn! How many of our Bai Clan’s lives do you carry on your hands? Do you think you can just walk out of here? The Song Clan can’t protect you now!”

Another young man stepped forward, sneering at the car, “There seems to be someone else in the car. Why hide? We in the Bai Clan aren’t savages. We won’t kill you, just beat you half to death. Afraid?”

Qian Ye, already irritated, saw these young men could not intimidate Song Zining. He stayed in the car, not wanting to move. Now, being pointed out, he scowled, pushed open the door, and slowly stepped out, sweeping his gaze over the crowd, “I’m out. Who wants to beat me half to death? Come on, let’s see!”