Evening.
"Master! Master! The White Tiger seems to be hatching!"
Shi Tian's excited voice carried over.
The spirit stones contained immense, gentle spiritual energy, most suitable for nourishing meridians and restoring spiritual qi.
With most of the spirit stones from the spirit stone mine, plus the recent fifty thousand spirit stones, the White Tiger became increasingly spirited.
Upon hearing this, Bai Ran turned and entered the spatial realm.
Zhu Que, Fen Tian, and Shi Tian, brimming with excitement, huddled close, staring fixedly at the crack on the White Tiger's egg.
A long crack ran across the entire eggshell. Bai Ran approached, watching the shell slowly break apart.
Vibrant with life, the White Tiger egg suddenly shook, and the shell split into two halves.
A young man, naked, slowly emerged.
His skin was very fair and delicate, and his bright, clear, bronze eyes emitted a soft, warm glow.
His nose bridge was straight, his long, chestnut hair was soft and straight, and his handsome face was as perfect as the youths in ancient Greek myths.
"Master," the White Tiger smiled at Bai Ran, two adorable dimples appearing shallowly.
"Mm."
Bai Ran averted her gaze and found a robe to dress him in; being unclothed was not proper.
"Why can you transform into human form!" Zhu Que flapped her wings, feeling a pang of frustration.
The White Tiger tilted his head and blinked, "Perhaps because I was born in human form?"
Truly, divine beasts are enough to anger divine beasts. Zhu Que stomped her claws in anger.
When she had first hatched, she was only the size of a little bird.
Only as her master's strength grew could she regain her original form. As for transforming into human form, she had no idea how long that would take.
And the White Tiger was born in human form? kuAiδugg
"Good thing you can't fly, or I'd be useless," Zhu Que muttered under her breath.
Still angry, the White Tiger looked at her helplessly. After such a long time, her temper was still the same.
The White Tiger was suddenly startled.
Again? After a long time?
Why did he have this thought? He had never seen them before!
The White Tiger frowned, some disbelief in his eyes.
Fen Tian swayed closer and asked cautiously, "Do you know my name?"
"Fen Tian."
The words slipped out, and the White Tiger covered his mouth. What was going on?
He had never seen this cauldron before, and he hadn't inquired about their names during their time in the spatial realm!
Fen Tian instantly beamed, his voice growing louder, "Then what about him? What's his name?"
He pointed to Shi Tian, who was not far away.
Bai Ran looked at the milky-skinned little boy and, for some reason, felt a trace of fear upon their first meeting?
"Shi Tian."
Hearing the answer, Fen Tian cheered ecstatically, spinning around the White Tiger.
"Finally, someone remembers!"
He remembers!
Fen Tian had spoken until his mouth was sore before, but no one had believed his words!
Fen Tian retained all his memories, but they hadn't believed him.
They had even thought he was foolish and laughed at him!
Bai Ran listened to their conversation and felt something was amiss.
"Remember? Remember what?"
Fen Tian trembled and immediately fell silent, staying obediently by the White Tiger's side.
The master had lost his memory and could only rely on himself to recall it, otherwise, Heaven's will would descend punishment. He was also unable to speak.
"It's very strange. I haven't seen them before, but I know their names," the White Tiger stated blankly.
"Hey!"
Fen Tian had intended to cover the White Tiger's mouth, but in his haste, he didn't stop and bumped into the White Tiger's head.
With a loud "thump," a distinct impact sound.
A red bump immediately appeared on the White Tiger's fair forehead.
He touched the bump and looked at Fen Tian in confusion.
Fen Tian blinked, saw the confusion in the White Tiger's eyes, and his fluttering heart calmed down.
It seemed even the White Tiger only possessed partial memories, so there shouldn't be any punishment.
Never seen them before, yet knew their names?
Bai Ran pondered, unable to grasp the truth.
The time was not yet right; it seemed many things had yet to surface.
Without dwelling on it, Bai Ran settled down to refine elixirs again.
She wondered how Qing Feng and the other four were doing; the elixirs she sent each month were increasing in quantity.
As morning arrived, Qin Mu Bai and Fang Tian Hui's faces were extremely grim, and both were uncharacteristically lacking in spirit.
"Are we really going to the Xuanwu Kingdom?" Qin Mu Bai asked cautiously.
That was the Xuanwu Kingdom! A hell for cultivators!
Most of those who went there never returned!
After agonizing over it all night, he was almost worried to death.
Now, it seemed he wasn't the only one overthinking. He glanced at the haggard Fang Tian Hui beside him.
"What? You don't want to go?" Fang Tian Hui glanced at Qin Mu Bai and asked.
Compared to Qin Mu Bai, Fang Tian Hui was mainly worried that if she died, no one would avenge her father.
As for her life, she had long since come to terms with it; life and death were fated.
"The choice to go or not is yours. However, if you decide to go, prepare yourselves," Bai Ran walked over from a distance.
"We'll go!" Fang Tian Hui said without hesitation.
Upon hearing this, Qin Mu Bai gritted his teeth, "I'll go."
Qin Mu Bai, why are you hesitating? After following Bai Ran for so long, have you learned nothing?
At worst, it's death. In the next life, you'll be glorious.
With their minds made up, the two boarded the carriage with Bai Ran.
"Why aren't we riding Zhu Que?" Qin Mu Bai was somewhat puzzled.
Zhu Que could travel a thousand miles a day, her speed far exceeding that of this carriage.
"I heard that the Xuanwu Kingdom has a barrier in the sky that can sense all outsiders," Bai Ran said faintly, gazing at the scenery outside the window.
"Then why didn't we only start riding the carriage when we were near the barrier?" Fang Tian Hui asked.
Bai Ran turned her head to look at Fang Tian Hui, "The problem is, we don't know how far from the barrier the sensing begins."
"Perhaps, at this very moment, we have already entered the barrier."
So formidable?
Qin Mu Bai rubbed his nose. If they had ridden Zhu Que, wouldn't they have already been exposed?
"It seems the Xuanwu's strength is formidable."
Hearing Qin Mu Bai's words, Bai Ran nodded.
Zhu Que specializes in offense, White Tiger in healing, and Xuanwu in defense.
As for Azure Dragon, he is the most mysterious, and Bai Ran still doesn't know his abilities. Even the little ones in the spatial realm remain tight-lipped.
Now, heading to the most defensively powerful Xuanwu Kingdom, Bai Ran naturally wouldn't underestimate it.
The carriage hadn't traveled for long when Qin Mu Bai and Fang Tian Hui were cultivating as usual.
Suddenly, the carriage jolted, braked sharply, and stopped.
Fang Tian Hui held tightly onto the carriage window.
Qin Mu Bai, however, lost his balance and fell face-first.
He grimaced in pain, "What's going on?"
Bai Ran lifted the curtain and looked outside.
Thousands of ragged, emaciated people were surrounding the carriage, with the man in the lead holding a long saber, pointing it directly at the carriage.
"Robbery! Robbery!"