Chapter Eighteen: The White Egret Master

"Master, chase after him and finish him off!" Shi Qi exclaimed.

Master Egret stepped forward and flicked Shi Qi on the forehead, making him yelp in pain.

"You think killing a Minor Ascension expert is that easy? Besides, this is only an incarnation of mine," Master Egret said.

Bai Qiu, Sun Fanbai, and Yuanwu stood up and bowed to her. "Greetings, Master Egret."

She waved her hand at the three of them. "No need for so much ceremony."

With that, her gaze fell upon Sun Fanbai.

"Are you from Yunqing Sect?"

"Yes, Master, I am," Sun Fanbai replied.

"Well, I have some ties with your sect. Meeting you here is fate—let me give you a gift," she said, reaching into her bag of holding and pulling out two banners, one black and one red.

"These are the Dutian Banner and the Blazing Fire Banner. I believe they belonged to a senior of your sect, though I can't recall which generation. The Dutian Banner can lay out the Dutian Formation, while the Blazing Fire Banner forms the Blazing Fire Formation. Used separately, they're average; together, they become the Dutian Blazing Fire Banner—limitless in transformation and unmatched in might. Since you are skilled in the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, you should find them suitable."

Sun Fanbai received the banners and channeled his energy into them, instantly feeling their extraordinary power—they were high-grade magical treasures. He hurriedly bowed. "Thank you—"

"That’s enough," she interrupted, waving her hand again. "You Taoist types do love your formalities."

Sun Fanbai thought inwardly, "We don't exactly have a choice..."

Master Egret then turned to Yuanwu, the young monk.

She peered at his brow with her spiritual sight, pondering silently. Then, with a sigh, she murmured, "The world has changed and those I knew are gone."

"Young monk, you and I have some connection as well. I know little of Buddhist arts, but let me warn you: when you cultivate the Diamond Body and the Emptiness of All Laws, always remember, cultivate your Buddha-heart first."

Yuanwu pressed his palms together. "Amitabha, this humble monk will remember."

Bai Qiu looked at Master Egret with longing. "Master, do you have any connection to Baixiaosheng?"

"None whatsoever," she replied.

Bai Qiu lowered his head in disappointment.

At last, Master Egret looked at Shi Qi.

Shi Qi knelt, bracing himself for a scolding.

"You’re something, aren’t you? Just a few days off the island and already you’ve provoked a Minor Ascension expert."

Shi Qi scratched his head. "Heh, it’s not that big a deal..."

"I was complimenting you! If my incarnation hadn’t accidentally been left in the Azure Cloud Parasol, you’d be nothing but dust by now."

Shi Qi pouted, thinking, "If you wanted to protect me secretly, just say so—what’s with the ‘accidentally’?" Yet he felt a warm glow in his heart.

"Don’t pout at me!"

"Nothing, nothing."

"If you don’t cultivate properly, you’ll end up annihilated, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear!"

"Alright, my original body has matters to attend to, and this incarnation must hurry. Here’s a bag of holding; there’s something important inside. Open it when the time comes, and then run an errand for me."

She tossed a small black pouch to Shi Qi. He probed it with his energy and found an immense inner space.

"You four have good potential. In the future, you’ll make your mark in the Twelve Provinces—provided you don’t die prematurely," she concluded, then transformed into a streak of rosy light and soared into the sky.

Once Master Egret had gone, Bai Qiu nudged Shi Qi’s shoulder. "Little Qi, your master is something else!"

Shi Qi replied, "Yeah, and pretty good-looking too."

"I meant her power!"

Sun Fanbai added, "Unfathomable."

The four fell silent. Having just escaped death, they were left with an indescribable feeling.

At last, Sun Fanbai spoke. "What are your plans? I must return my fifth junior brother’s body to the sect and report everything to our leader, then await further instructions."

"I too must return to the Baixiaosheng headquarters," Bai Qiu said. "The fact that an evil sect cultivator has mastered my family’s sigil techniques is something my father must hear. Sorry, Shi Qi, I won’t be able to travel with you."

Shi Qi waved it off. "My master has a task for me as well. I think it’s time I went on my own journey and improved my cultivation."

"And you, Master Yuanwu?" Sun Fanbai asked.

The three looked at Yuanwu.

"My master has instructed me to seek guidance at Thunder Sound Monastery," Yuanwu replied.

"Then the four of us part ways here," Bai Qiu said.

After some thought, Sun Fanbai took out four jade ruyi scepters from his bag of holding.

"We are all men of justice. I have a proposal: these four jade ruyi were treasures I acquired by chance. They hold no power for attack, but can transmit messages instantly. Once refined, we can communicate with each other much faster than sending sword-letters."

He handed the ruyi to each of them. "Our sects are unrelated, but all that’s happened began with me. Our meeting is fate. Besides, I have a selfish request: we are all among the leading young cultivators of the Twelve Provinces. I’d like to be friends. Once the truth behind Boyun’s corruption is revealed, if any of you have time, I hope you’ll lend a hand. Of course, if you ever need help, just say so through the ruyi. We’ll look out for each other—how about it?"

Bai Qiu, well-versed in treasures, recognized the ruyi as more than simple communication tools; they could provide real-time intelligence, invaluable for Baixiaosheng. "I agree," he said immediately.

Shi Qi thought, "I don’t mind. Friends on the path of cultivation are better than enemies." He voiced his agreement as well.

"And you, Master Yuanwu?"

Yuanwu, though a monk who preferred to avoid trouble, suddenly remembered his own master’s words: he’d been told to seek him after two hundred years. Who knew if he’d reach Nascent Soul by then, or even if he could save his master? With these three as allies, his chances would be much greater. So, just this once, he’d be selfish.

He pressed his palms together. "Amitabha. Our meeting is fate. Though I am of the Buddhist path, to befriend you all is my good fortune. I have no objection."

Sun Fanbai laughed and presented the ruyi. "Then let me thank you all in advance for your trust."

The four refined their ruyi and chatted for a while. As the sun rose in the east, they bowed to each other. Bai Qiu stepped onto his flying sword and headed north, Sun Fanbai soared into the sky to find his junior sister, Yuanwu set off westward on foot.

Shi Qi stood alone, and opened the bag of holding...