Chapter 64 - Spirit and Funeral

Chapter 64 - Spirit and Funeral
“Spread out, search for Bai Xiaochun! Whoever finds him will be rewarded with contribution points by me personally! Any Fallen Chen Clan members you see on your search are to be exterminated!” Ou Yangjie glanced at the retreating Li Qinghou, the surrounding disciples immediately spreading out after his command.
Ten thousand mile radius, two thousand disciples. The search lasted for a whole month.
(ED note: one li is 576 meters, or 630 yards)
At the end of the month, the area was almost completely covered, yet there were no signs of Bai Xiaochun. They did find, however, the bodies of the Fallen Chen clansmen killed by Bai Xiaochun, discovering the causes of their deaths, shocking more and more of the disciples.
Many of the bodies were killed with a single move, puzzling the disciples as to how a sixth level Qi Condensation outer sect disciple had managed to do it.
Qian Dajin was troubled, suddenly thinking that it would be great if Bai Xiaochun had already truly died. He did not want someone so fierce and as his opponent and Li Qinghou’s anger too had disturbed him greatly. He groaned inwardly.
“Damn it, if you had such a background, why didn’t you mention it? If you did, I would have never involved myself with you!”
The tragic condition of the three eighth level Qi Condensation corpses of the Fallen Chen clansmen in the forest of the nameless mountain were especially hard to forget, causing the minds of those who found them to tremble.
One month of searching finally convinced them that Bai Xiaochun… was probably dead, in this nameless forest where monsters dwell, there were simply too many methods for a person’s corpse to disappear.
They also knew that the one after Bai Xiaochun was most likely at the ninth level of Qi Condensation and realised that Bai Xiaochun was… dead.
After a month, the search was concluded and the disciples returned to the sect. They did find Hou Yunfei, his heavy injuries were healed by the sect with no effort spared.
Hou Yunfei and Du Lingfei’s contribution to the sect was greatly rewarded, but they found no pride nor happiness in it, only sorrowful memories.
They were unwilling to return to the sect, but their wounds were too severe. Li Qinghou was the only person who stayed after the disciples’ departure. He searched for two whole months in the nameless forests, thoroughly searching everywhere except where even he was incapable of reaching. It was clear to him that Bai Xiaochun was here, but he just couldn’t find him. It was as if Bai Xiaochun only appeared to be in the forests, but in actuality, he seemed to be in another world.
He had also encountered many powerful monsters, battling them had resulting in a few injuries. After two months had passed, he found blood on the branches of a tree, along with a torn piece of a robe.
“If I hadn’t brought you to the mountain…” Li Qinghou closed his eyes, picturing Bai Xiaochun on top of a mountain, with a fearful expression. The moment he pulled him from the peak and into the outer sect… The ten stone tablets…
His sigh spread in the silence as his appearance became older. He took the fabric and put it together with seven others, all smeared with blood
Li Qinghou silently exited the forest, transformed into a rainbow, and flew away.
The Fallen Chen Clan’s betrayal ended with the wrathful display of the Spirit River Sect’s power, utterly annihilating the traitors. The news spread, and when the four continents’ masses of cultivator clan and sects discovered the Fallen Chen Clan’s ultimate demise, they felt a stronger wariness for the Spirit River Sect.
As for the cause of the household’s decision to commit the betrayal, Spirit River Sect investigations uncovered many clues - the Blood Pulse Mark was only a part of it, a deeper reason lay beneath it, shocking the entire sect.
Had the Spirit River Sect not prevented the Fallen Chen Clan from succeeding, the result would have been a dire catastrophe involving all of the cultivator clans around the Spirit River Sect. It would have resulted into betrayals from one clan after another with irreversible consequences, shaking the entire sect.
Du Lingfei and the others had contributed greatly to preventing the disaster, Bai Xiaochun in particular. Without him, the information would have trouble reaching the sect in time.
Bai Xiaochun sacrificing his chance of survival for the greater goal of luring away the enemy had made its way to many hearts. The world of cultivation was filled with selfish people, and those like Bai Xiaochun were a very few. The fall of someone like him pained even the sect’s elders.
There was a lot behind the incident. As more information was uncovered, silence plagued the Spirit River Sect, for some reason, the sect had ceased further investigations, but the Foundation Establishment elders remained vigilant.
A storm… was brewing.
The seven ancestors of the South Bank and the North Bank, along with the many elders, came to a consensus after days of discussion and investigation.
Du Lingfei, Hou Yunfei, the fallen Feng Yan, Bai Xiaochun… They were all heroes, Bai Xiaochun in particular. His was the greatest contribution of all.
“Before the storm comes, we need… a surge of spirit. The spirit of the Spirit River Sect, the will to avenge Bai Xiaochun, who, with his small life, rendered such a great service to the entire sect. His funeral will be carried out so such a great contribution; those which greatly benefitted the sect, will eternally remain with the sect!” Those were words of the Spirit River Sect’s Sect Head, Zheng Yuandong.
In the following days, the sect halted all investigations regarding the reasons for the Fallen Chen Clan’s betrayal. They did, however, used this incident to spread the tale of Bai Xiaochun, praising his selfless actions for the greater good of the sect.
His story was known to all disciples in both the South and the North Bank. All of them knew what he had done for his companions and for the sect.
At the same time, the fervor of the disciples continued to burn. Li Qinghou alone was enough to destroy the clan, but two thousand disciples of the South Bank were still sent following him making it seem like ‘using a sledgehammer to kill a chicken’. It was a massacre of matchless and helpless livestock.
At the same time, Bai Xiaochun’s name was instilled in of all the disciples by the sect’s deliberate promotion of Bai Xiaochun but... this also filled all the disciples with zeal.
This is the Spirit River Sect with ten thousand years of tradition!
A finger laid on our disciple will be paid back with rivers of blood!
This was true for every Spirit River Sect disciple. When they were away from the sect, the disciple was never alone, it had the backing of the entire Spirit River Sect.
And this assurance had grown into a strong sense of belonging, to the point where all disciples were willing to sacrifice everything, including their lives, to defend their sect, to defend their home.
This, was the Spirit River Sect... ten thousand years ago, it was but a small sect, less than a dozen strong.
As for the death of Bai Xiaochun, the ancestors summoned an elder masterful in the art of deducing the heavens, personally casting spells and reading the signs of heaven. Traces of Bai Xiaochun’s existence, unfortunately, were not found, only the scent of decay, confirming for the sect... that Bai Xiaochun … was dead.
A few days later, in the early morning, rain poured from the sky. Each raindrop landed with a sorrowful tune. Crowds of disciples were draped in black robes, silently leaving their homes to gather at the hillside of the Scented Cloud Mountain.
A tombstone lay there, with a portrait of Bai Xiaochun’s joyfully laughing.
Zhang Fatso One stood in the crowd, looking at the amount of people who came, and turned to the tombstone with the name ‘Bai Xiaochun’ imprinted on it. Rain fell, soaking his clothes, as tears flowed his face. The memories he had with Bai Xiaochun, eating stolen spirit fruits together, laughing together, selling the promotional positions together, stealing chickens together…
“Fatso Nine…” Zhang Fatso One’s eyes reflected his sorrow, and his broken heart. It was as if his whole world had become darker.
The other fatsos from the Burning Stoves Kitchen were also present, including Black Fatso Three, tears running down their faces.
Xu Baocai, Chen Zi’ang, Zhao Yiduo, Elder Xu, Elder Zhou, all the people Bai Xiaochun had met after going up the mountain, all the people who knew him… all of them mourned.
Zhou Xinqi had come as well. She stared silently at the tombstone. After hearing the story, the first thing she could think of was the passion with which he had guarded the Spirit Tailed Chickens.
Hou Yunfei was leaning on Hou Xiaomei as they stood in the crowd, his fist curled tightly, his body trembling, filled with grief.
“Junior Brother Bai…” Hou Yunfei smiled bitterly. He had drowned himself with alcohol the day he returned to the sect, unable to rid himself of the image of Bai Xiaochun luring the enemies away.
More and more people gathered, covering the hillside, all staring at the tombstone in silence.
Du Lingfei was pale as she stood in the front, rain covered her face, a rain of tears, as she looked on in a trance, her usually beautiful face now scarred by sorrow.
“You could have survived… I live on, but you…”
Du Lingfei sobbed. The last few days she looked emaciated, the iron-blooded figure of Bai Xiaochun returning to save them appeared in her dreams again and again. The scenes stabbed her heart like knives, times and times again as tears flowed.
The funeral knells weighted in the air as multiple rainbows heralded the arrival of the ancestors of the seven mountains. The Spirit River Sect’s elders and Sect Head were all draped in black, sorrowfully looking at the tombstone.
Li Qinghou’s heart was filled with bitterness and remorse.
“Bai Xiaochun, the Spirit River Sect Scented Cloud Mountain’s outer sect disciple. His abilities and strength allowed him to take down many of the Fallen Chen traitors, and his great selflessness allowed him to sacrifice his very life for the good of the sect. We have gathered here today as fellow disciples of the Spirit River Sect to let Bai Xiaochun’s name never fade!” The Sect Head said, his voice echoing out.
Yet their voices were as sorrowful as they were strong. Du Lingfei’s tears flowed uncontrollably, Hou Yunfei, Zhang Fatso One and many others too had tears streaming down their faces.
“On this day, we bestow Bai Xiaochun with a special title - Honourable Disciple of the Spirit River Sect!” The voice echoed out once again, startling the crowd, the title ‘Honourable Disciple’ filling them with shock.
‘Honourable Disciple’ was the highest honorary title of the sect, a unique title above the inner sect disciples, equal to the inherent titles. For the dead, it was the ultimate Honour.
In the past ten thousand years, only nine had received the title of Honourable Disciple, all of them receiving it for a great contribution after dying in a battle. Today, Bai Xiaochun was the tenth.
No one thought it was inappropriate, it was exchanged with Bai Xiaochun’s life.
“Bai Xiaochun has sacrificed too soon after entering the sect, without even taking a master. For this selfless child, I will not let him wander the realm of the dead alone, today, on behalf of my deceased master Ling Luo, I take Bai Xiaochun as his disciple, may he pursue the Dao in the afterworld.” After the Sect Head finished the painful opening, Li Qinghou nodded his head softly, looking at the tombstone with a sad gaze.
“A moment of silence… everyone.” The Sect Head closed his eyes, lowering his head as the disciples followed suit.
After a few breaths, the moment of silence had ended, Du Lingfei weeped silently.
Just as everyone had lapsed in silence, in the nameless forests, Bai Xiaochun’s eyebrow twitched. He slowly opened his eyes and sneezed.
(ED note: in some asian cultures, a superstition exists that a person sneezes when people are speaking of them)
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7th guaranteed chapter of the week and last of today! Thank you for reading, I hope you all enjoyed it!
Translated by: Marcus
Edited by: Crimsonguard, Arch
Translated by XianXiaWorld