Chapter 657 – Visitors from Factions
After exiting the Jiaohu Gate, it was already noon; the sun shone brightly over the city, and the water stains on the streets had long dried up.
Lolan Hill held the oil-paper umbrella she had received the previous day and walked back to the inn where she was staying.
“Young Lady, you’re finally back! I was so worried about you,” the uncle said as he saw the young lady return to the inn, finally relieved. Then he approached her to inquire about what had happened.
After listening to Lolan Hill’s account, he thought for a moment.
“I estimate this matter isn’t over yet, but it shouldn’t have much to do with you. You should rest well today. I guess there will be representatives from other factions visiting you in the next couple of days to understand your intentions. After all, your performance in the election stood out quite a bit.”
“Alright, get some rest.”
“Mm, Uncle Yu,” Lolan Hill nodded. Actually, she wanted to take a bath too. She had gotten rained on yesterday, and even though it had dried, she still felt uncomfortable.
After going upstairs, she told the innkeeper to prepare a tub of clear water for her bath.
Half an hour later, Lolan Hill soaked in the clear bathtub, watching the warm small fireball in her palm. It resembled a lotus flower slowly blooming in the water, then gradually dispersing heat.
Once stable, she retracted her hand, allowing the fiery red lotus to float freely on the surface, continuously heating the water to prevent it from cooling down.
It feels like manipulating flames has become quite effortless. Why didn’t I notice this before? The young lady looked at the gentle flame in front of her and recalled past events.
Back then, she lived alone in the forest, where skills related to wind and atmosphere had significant boosts due to her natural talent.
But now, after waking up, she found that the system displayed many more things, which amazed her.
[Main Character Data]
Name: Lolan Hill · Falling Star
Race: Human (Ancient 100%)
Identity: (Data blurred, pending restoration.)
Status: Healthy (Memory recovery ongoing)
Sequence: Natural Sequence 2 · Nestling Sapling
Talents:
Miracle of Stars [Mythical]: The fate threads woven by starlight have been touched, turning chance into certainty.
Sky Wind [Mythical]: A body as pure as the sky, you control the sky, atmosphere, and wind. All things perceived by you are as clear as hair on a mirror.
Red Flame’s Favor [Legendary]: Flames regard you as a friend; you walk through fire unscathed.
Legacy of the Past [Legendary]: The memories of those legendary witches who once dazzled the world still reside within you. If needed, you can borrow their power. (However, only one can be borrowed at a time.)
Abilities:
[Transformative Wind] (Mythical): Your existence is so free that you can simulate and switch between different forms of power at will.
[Yielding Branch] (Perfect): Accelerates the absorption and condensation of crystalline fruits beneficial for cultivation, providing significant boosts to plant-related skills.
[Downy Nestling] (Perfect): Continuously purifies your essence, making it more suitable for cultivation while increasing affinity with birds.
Skills:
[Mild Breeze Lv. 9] (Perfect): Summon mild breezes to assist with tasks such as reconnaissance, acceleration, and gliding. Directly using it in combat is still somewhat difficult. (With talent bonuses, reached the maximum limit of the sequence level from Lv. 1 to Lv. 9.)
[Germination Lv. 4] (Rare): Effectively nurtures plants, removing pests and accelerating growth. (Affected by the skill of the profession, with corresponding bonuses from Lv. 1 to Lv. 4.)
Although the talents listed above seemed intimidating, Lolan Hill felt they were somewhat ethereal, as if they were far removed from her. The powers she truly mastered were indeed insufficient.
However, compared to before, she now had two additional talents, which made her curious. What earth-shattering deeds did she accomplish back then, gaining the legacy of the past witches? Could it be that the memories of those ancient witches overwhelmed her, causing her to lose her memory?
Thinking about it, it did seem plausible. The young lady closed her eyes slightly, submerging herself in the water, her hair swaying on the surface.
Those memories of witches spanned millennia.
If she waited until she finished reading and regained all her memories on her own, it would be too late.
Indeed, she needed to accelerate the process. It seemed she had to find some cultivation methods related to the soul.
When it came to this aspect, the Necromancer Sequence and the Angel Sequence were more proficient, specifically the Nine Nether and Transcendence Paths in the Eastern Region.
After thinking about these matters while bathing, Lolan Hill felt much better. She no longer lingered in the water and, after washing herself thoroughly, changed into comfortable clothes and set out.
She first poured out the water through the drainage pipe, then tidied up her slightly damp hair a bit. It was around 2 PM when she descended the stairs.
Upon reaching the lower floor, just as Lolan Hill was preparing to consult with Baiqiu Yu, she saw two guests sitting at the inn’s ground floor. She blinked and looked at their information, forming some guesses.
“Is Miss Jialan here?” The two were talking with Baiqiu Yu. Seeing Lolan Hill descend, they stood up happily and asked.
“It’s me. Who are you two?”
“I come from Silver Reed Village, named Cen Zaisi, wanting to understand Miss Jialan’s intentions.”
“I come from the Crimson Immortal Sect, named Yilong Xia. I have the same intention. Hehe.” The woman smiled slightly, and the silver ornaments on her head chimed like beads. She wore a red-line short-sleeved long dress, the style being quite unique, exposing her fair arms and calves, differing somewhat from traditional Eastern attire.
“Why don’t the two of you come upstairs to my room? It’s quieter there,” Baiqiu Yu suggested, seeing Lolan Hill descend and knowing they needed to discuss something.
“We have no objections.”
“Then thank you, Uncle Yu,” the young lady nodded slightly.
Afterwards, they went to the room where Baiqiu Yu stayed, seating themselves around a round table. Then, Baiqiu Yu called for a waiter to bring a pot of tea, placing it nearby.
The windows of the room were open, allowing the afternoon sunlight to fall among the branches and leaves, reflecting bright glimmers. Occasional bird calls could be heard, along with many distant cicada sounds. It was slowly getting into the hot month of June.
The summer breeze gently swept through the lush branches and leaves, entering the room. It was quiet inside the inn during the afternoon hours, with only occasional faint sounds.
“Miss Jialan, what are your current plans?” After settling down, neither party began by introducing their factions but rather inquired about the young lady’s thoughts.
“At present, I really want to enter a faction to learn something, which might also provide a foundation for my future life.”
“Actually, I’ve forgotten some details about my background. If you ask me to explain in detail, I might not remember.”
Although this sounded quite fantastical, somehow, coming from this young lady, it was hard to doubt. Instead, it felt like this was genuinely how she viewed things.
“Oh, Miss Jialan, what areas do you wish to learn about?” Yilong Xia placed one arm naturally on the table, lifting her wrist, where a silver bracelet reflected a soft glow.
“Our Crimson Immortal Sect has a long heritage. Although we are now active mainly in the Seven Thunderlands, we were once one of the top factions known worldwide a thousand years ago.”
Her fingers moved slightly, and a tiny figure in a red dress appeared before them.
This figure danced with a sword and played the zither, walking on waves. Various venomous insects and strange beasts submitted to her control, bowing and serving her.
Seeing the young lady about to be captivated by this dazzling scene, the man beside her had to clear his throat to interrupt momentarily.
“Immortal Yilong is correct. Unfortunately, the glory of the Crimson Immortal Sect is from a thousand years ago. If Miss Jialan comes to our Silver Reed Village, we can provide you with excellent weapons and even have hundreds of villagers dedicated to serving your daily life.”
“You will have people handling your needs and affairs below, so you can focus on cultivation.”
Although the external reputation of Silver Reed Village wasn’t great, it was often said that its style was firm. If someone wanted to become a core leader in Silver Reed Village, many still aspired to it.
Compared to other factions, Silver Reed Village held significant power within its territory, with its disciples virtually acting as local emperors, unchallenged and extremely content.
“I see. Thank you for letting me know.”
“I actually don’t have any grand ambitions. I just want a place to cultivate and live quietly. I’m afraid I won’t be able to contribute much to the faction.”
Hearing Lolan Hill say this, neither of them was surprised. This kind of personality was actually quite easy to get along with. They had seen many peculiar characters and eccentric habits, so this young lady’s ideas seemed quite normal.
“This isn’t a problem.
The Crimson Immortal Sect can arrange a quiet place for you to cultivate, as long as you participate in two ceremonies and gatherings within the sect each year,” Yilang Xia thought about the swampy mountains within the sect and found it would be quite simple to find such a location. The girl seemed to be the kind who understands things and wouldn’t consume too many resources from the sect.
“Silver Reed Village can also help clear out a quiet area for you. I wonder what Miss Jialan thinks of this proposal.” Cen Zaishi made a similar promise. Given his position within the faction, he could certainly fulfill this guarantee.
Seeing that both representatives had made their promises, the young lady felt that refusing might be a disservice to their goodwill, but she was still hesitant and wanted to learn more.
Seeing the young lady lost in thought, Yubai Chou stood up and poured tea for the guests.
“Why don’t you give Miss Jialan some time to think? She just arrived at Leixiazhe not long ago and isn’t very familiar with the styles of various factions. Making a decision right now might be difficult.” This uncle was indeed considerate.
Seeing Yubai speak and Lolan Hill not objecting, they didn’t press further, as this was a matter of mutual consent and couldn’t be forced.
Next, the two introduced the styles of their respective factions, complementing and undercutting each other. By the time they were done talking, it was already late.
“Well, let’s call it a day today. This detoxifying incense is for Miss Jialan. If bitten by a venomous insect, it can be used to counteract the poison.” Yilang Xia took out a small white porcelain bottle and placed it on the table, then continued speaking.
“I’m currently staying at the Poison Workshop on West Street, which is also an asset of the Crimson Immortal Sect. If you have any questions, feel free to come find me.” After saying this, she smiled and bid farewell.
At this moment, Cen Zaishi also took out a small knife from his pocket and placed it on the table.
“This is a brand iron knife forged by Silver Reed Village. It’s a gift for Miss Jialan to protect herself. It’s convenient to carry and can be placed in your boots. Afterwards, you can also visit my branch store, True Silver Shop, on North Ring Street. That’s another branch of Silver Reed Village.”
After saying this, the man waved briefly and bid farewell.
Seeing the two leave, Yubai returned to the house.
“What do you think? I see you seem very hesitant.” Yubai sat down and looked at the two items.
“Actually, everything sounds great, but there’s still a bit of regret.” The young lady rested her chin on her hand, leaning on the table, her smooth black hair sliding down her back.
“What regret?” Yubai compared the small knife with his own long knife.
“In fact, I want to learn more about souls and spirits. That way, I can speed up the recovery of my memories.”
“That would be the two paths of Transformation and Nine Hells. Few factions actually practice these paths.”
“So I’m still hesitating.” The young lady looked at her hair, slowly smoothing it out, then letting it go.
“Then let’s go to the city market and take a look. There are many stores there, and this is a major city within the Seven Continents. Perhaps we can find some clues.” Yubai put down the two items in his hand and suggested.
“Many major factions have branches in Leixiazhe, though they’re mostly peripheral personnel. But sometimes, one can find some leads.”
“Alright.” Lolan Hill also wanted to find factions practicing these two paths.
The next morning.
Lolan Hill and Yubai walked through the eastern market, which was much more bustling than Qingwei City.
Lolan Hill saw all sorts of rare objects for sale, as well as extraordinary fruits and exotic beasts.
“The Golden Mane Lion is docile yet majestic. Riding it will definitely make you look impressive,” a vendor enthusiastically touted the lion in the cage beside him, shaking a small bell to attract passing cultivators.
Lolan Hill took a closer look at the lion. While it looked good, its strength…
[Golden Mane Lion]
Status: Healthy (Tamed)
Sequence: Primal Sequence 1 · Golden Mane Lion (Evaluation: Excellent Common Wood Level)
Talent:
Docile [Excellent]: Calm temperament, unlikely to attack people easily, easy to tame.
Ability:
[Golden Mane] (Common): Even at night, it emits light, making it easy to see the ground. It’s a good helper for nighttime travel. It also has a slight deterrent effect on ordinary wild animals.
Skill:
[Taming Level 2] (Common): Well-trained, able to understand basic commands.
Seeing the young lady stop to observe, the vendor came over. “Miss, are you interested in buying?”
Tonight will have 0 0/
(End of Chapter)
