The lonely journey of the cold fairy

Chapter 25 Talking about the past

Bai Siyao showed little interest, lazily picking at her food.

The craftsmanship at Zhaixing Tower was slightly different from her memories, which was understandable given that a thousand years had passed, and the chefs were certainly not the same. Still, the taste was excellent—worth the steep price.

Out of courtesy, Bai Lian finally responded, "What?"

Bai Xing glanced around before lowering his voice, "It turns out that the young Sect Master Ling has been afflicted with a terminal meridian disorder and cannot cultivate!"

Bai Lian let out a gasp of surprise, her confusion apparent, "He can't cultivate? So, he's just a mortal? How could a mortal be the young Sect Master of Wuji Sect? That's one of the top three sects, a leader among the immortal sects!"

"That's exactly the issue," Bai Xing nodded, perplexed as well. "How could Wuji Sect allow a mortal to hold such a high position?"

Bai Siyao set down her chopsticks and said calmly, "He's not a mortal."

Both siblings turned to her, "You know?"

Bai Siyao nodded and casually lied, "Senior Sister Yue told me."

Since she was close with Yue Yunqiao, neither of them doubted her. Bai Xing, eager to know more, pressed on, "If he can't cultivate, why isn't he considered a mortal? He couldn't have been born with cultivation powers, right?"

"More or less," Bai Siyao sifted through her memories. "Do you know why he became the young Sect Master?"

"Because his father is the Sect Master," Bai Xing answered quickly.

"Wrong." Bai Siyao smiled knowingly. "The current Sect Master is his uncle, but the position was actually passed down from his maternal grandfather."

"Huh?" Bai Xing scratched his head, puzzled by the complexity.

Bai Siyao began recounting old tales, "The former Sect Master of Wuji, surnamed Jiang, was a formidable figure who once fought against the demon clan. He had a daughter who was being groomed as the next Sect Master. However, over a decade ago, while defending the Ming River, they were ambushed by demons. At that time, the young Sect Master Ling was still in the womb, and his mother, Lady Jiang, went into premature labor due to the shock. The child was severely injured by demonic energy and wouldn't have survived if not for Lady Jiang's sacrifice—she used a secret technique to transfer her own cultivation to him, saving his life."

Bai Lian was taken aback, quickly asking, "What happened to Lady Jiang?"

"She died, of course," Bai Siyao said indifferently. "She was injured and gave up her cultivation—there was no way she could survive that."

Bai Lian looked saddened, "It sounds like Lady Jiang was a remarkable woman. What a pity."

Bai Siyao nodded in agreement. "At the time of her death, Lady Jiang had already reached the Nascent Soul stage. All that immense power was sealed inside the young Sect Master Ling. That's why he has the protection of magical powers without having to cultivate."

Bai Xing, a bit tactless, looked envious. "What a stroke of luck!"

Before Bai Lian could reprimand him, Bai Siyao cast a teasing glance his way. "Lucky? His terminal meridian disorder is because of that. He has all this power but can't use it, not even to conjure a spark."

Bai Xing thought for a moment. "Still, it doesn't sound too bad. He just can't fight, but with cultivation, he'll live for a long time... Ow!"

His sentence was cut short by a smack on the head from Bai Lian, who scolded, "How can you not think about where that cultivation came from? It cost his mother's life. Would you want your mother to trade her life for your cultivation?"

Despite his many flaws, Bai Xing was filial and shook his head honestly. "No, I wouldn't."

Bai Lian's expression softened a bit, feeling there might still be some hope for her brother, though not much.

Turning back, she asked, "So what about his father? What kind of formidable figure was he?"

"The Ling family is a prominent sect lineage, holding a high status within Wuji Sect. His parents were well-matched. They both defended the Ming River together, but after Lady Jiang's death, her husband went missing in that same battle, likely taken by the demons of the Ming River."

"How tragic!" Bai Lian sighed. "The young Sect Master Ling seems so powerful, but his life is filled with sorrow."

Bai Siyao, however, wasn't moved. "That's not the whole story."

"There's more?"

Bai Lian suddenly remembered something. "Wait, didn't his grandfather survive? So why did the Sect Master position go to his uncle?"

Seeing her sharp observation, Bai Siyao nodded approvingly. "That's the key issue. Jiang, the former Sect Master, couldn't bear the loss of his daughter. He ventured to the Ming River to search for her soul but returned only to pass away shortly after. The young Sect Master Ling was still an infant then, having lost his parents and grandfather, left as an orphan."

Bai Lian felt a pang of sorrow. "But his uncle must have treated him well, raising him and allowing him to become the young Sect Master, right?"

Bai Siyao shook her head. "The Jiang family's contributions to Wuji Sect were immense, and there were those within the sect who believed that the position should go to their only surviving bloodline. What exactly happened in those internal discussions, no one knows. The official word is that the Sect Master position belongs to young Master Ling, but since he's too young and still suffering from his meridian disorder, his uncle is acting as the interim Sect Master."

However, Bai Siyao had her doubts. As the head of one of the top three sects, Wuji Sect wouldn't be so quick to pass on leadership to a child with a debilitating condition. There had to be internal conflicts at play.

A new dish was served, and Bai Xing, his mouth full of food, muttered, "But isn't it called a terminal disorder for a reason? Can it even be cured? What if it can't?"

For once, he had a moment of insight, and Bai Siyao smiled. "Exactly. That's why it's called terminal—it's nearly incurable. And as time passes, Jiang's legacy weakens. Who will care about a Sect Master who can't even cultivate?"

Bai Lian began to understand. "So, young Sect Master Ling's life within Wuji Sect isn't easy?"

"Correct," Bai Siyao flicked her teacup, her voice cold. "Don't forget, even if it's temporary, Ling has already assumed the Sect Master's authority. Do you really think his uncle will be willing to hand it back? The longer he holds power, the more he'll consider it his own."

These thoughts intertwined with the knowledge Bai Siyao had from her previous life. This young Sect Master Ling had been a puppet for decades. Yet somehow, he had eventually found a way to cure his disorder, reclaim power from his uncle, and ascend to the position his grandfather had left behind.

The realization struck Bai Siyao.

From what she knew in her past life, young Sect Master Ling was a formidable figure. Among the immortal sects, only Ning Yanzhi and the ancient tree of Cangling Mountain could match him. In this life, she was destined to oppose Ning Yanzhi, but she lacked power, and Danxia Palace was a force far beyond her reach. However, if she could align herself with young Sect Master Ling early on, wouldn't her chances of victory increase dramatically? Judging by the timing, Ling Bufei was not in a good position right now. No matter how arrogant he seemed, his predicament couldn't be ignored. If she offered her support at this critical moment, he would surely repay her in the future, much like how Baili Xu later became the revered First Elder!

As Bai Siyao calculated her next move, the sound of urgent drumming filled the air. Shang Liancheng ascended the central stage with a smile, though Bai Siyao couldn't tell if there was a special occasion being celebrated.

True to her word, she would act.