Chapter 77: White Bone Lotus

His body... aches all over!

Jiang Wang awoke from unconsciousness. The first thing he did was instinctively reach out to grab his sword.

Thankfully, his sword was right beside him.

With his sword in hand, he finally opened his eyes.

The first sight that greeted him was the inverted stalactites.

He was inside a cave.

The entirety of the preceding battle was etched into his mind, leaving no detail behind.

His failure to account for that deer-ox was, without a doubt, a fatal error.

It filled him with chagrin. However, in the instant that creature hurtled through the air to ram him, he had already reached his limit and had no means to evade.

Before opening the Gate of Heaven and Earth, one could not traverse the void. Even with the advantage of the Four Spirits Body Tempering Art, Jiang Wang could only slightly extend his time suspended in the air. He absolutely could not have survived a fall from such a high precipice.

Moreover, the full force of that deer-ox's charge had shattered the Dao Yuan he had instantly mobilized.

He still recalled the sensation of his body plummeting at terrifying speed, that feeling of his heart rising infinitely, as if it would leap from his throat, taking his entire life force with it to escape... a truly dreadful feeling.

But he no longer remembered how he had fallen unconscious.

So, who saved me?

"Naturally, it was this humble one, who saved you with a secret art."

This exceptionally enchanting voice, as if sensing Jiang Wang's thoughts, drifted into his ears from afar and then close by.

Jiang Wang sat up, feeling a certain anomaly in his body, but he had no time to examine it closely because the woman in a black long dress, her face concealed by a black veil, had already approached him.

She is powerful!

This was Jiang Wang's initial assessment.

"The grace of saving my life is etched within my heart," Jiang Wang expressed his sincere gratitude before asking, "May I inquire your name?"

"My given name, I shall not speak of. After all, men are all the same; what is too easily obtained, they do not remember," the black-veiled woman's voice was light and airy, as if it could never reach the desired spot, never land on something tangible.

She extended a hand as pale and white as frost and snow, and gently brushed her finger across Jiang Wang's nose. "You only need to remember, it was I who saved you..."

Jiang Wang was no Zhao Rucheng; how could he have experienced such a situation before? Furthermore, he was in a state of having just escaped death, and his heart couldn't help but panic.

Fortunately, he was gripping his long sword, and that cold touch brought him a slight measure of calm.

He managed to pull at the corners of his mouth, "Since I do not know the lady's name..."

He glanced at the woman's veil, and forced a stiff smile, "And I do not know the lady's appearance. This..."

How am I to remember? he thought.

"Heh~" The black-veiled woman supported her forehead and chuckled. "You, ah, are truly adorable."

"Uh..." Jiang Wang subconsciously tightened his grip on his long sword, not because he felt threatened, but because he was genuinely nervous.

The black-veiled woman squatted down before Jiang Wang, her long skirt touching the ground. She rested her elbows on her knees, supporting her chin with her hands, and gazed directly into Jiang Wang's eyes. "It doesn't matter. I will come find you later. At that time, as long as you see me, you will recognize me. Unless you... pretend not to know me."

Her captivating eyes suddenly swirled with a hint of sorrow. "Will you... do such a thing?"

"No... I will not," Jiang Wang silently recited the scriptures of the Scripture of Salvation in his heart, and said solemnly, "The grace of saving my life, I would not dare forget."

"I knew it, you are a good child."

Child?

Perhaps this is an ancient expert who has achieved success in cultivation...

Jiang Wang subconsciously shifted backward.

But the woman seemed to read his thoughts again, and said coquettishly, "What are you thinking? I am the same age as you!"

The feeling of embarrassment was like a series of connected pitfalls; he kept stepping from one into another.

Jiang Wang couldn't help but ask, "On Peak Yuheng, what is the situation now?"

"What else could it be? They returned without success, of course," the black-veiled woman replied lightly, then added, "Don't worry, your little lover is fine."

"What little lover!" Jiang Wang almost jumped up. "Rucheng and I are good brothers!"

"I was talking about that beauty from the Country Above the Clouds, what are you so excited about?" The black-veiled woman deliberately widened her eyes, appearing very surprised, but the mischief in the depths of her eyes still betrayed her.

"What beauty? She's also veiled, who knows if she's beautiful or not," having been teased repeatedly, Jiang Wang couldn't resist retorting, then said, "I don't know her at all, you'd better not say such things..."

"Oh, you don't even care about beauties..." The woman blinked. "Then rest assured, your brother... is also fine."

She deliberately placed emphasis on the word "brother."

Jiang Wang truly couldn't handle it. If this were a fight, he would have long since thrown down his sword and surrendered.

He simply cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, senior, for saving me. I will certainly repay you with all my might in the future. Now I must return; my friends should be very anxious right now."

"Who is your senior? Perhaps I am even younger than you?"

"Then..."

There was a smile in the woman's eyes. "Call me Elder Sister."

"..."

"Alright, I won't make it difficult for you. However, don't you feel any changes in your body?"

Speaking of changes in his body, there were indeed some. Especially in the area of his lower back, there was a slightly cool sensation. But he had just woken up, and this woman had approached him, so he had no time to investigate.

"Are you referring to?" Jiang Wang asked.

"You wouldn't know, how badly you were injured from the fall. Such a pitiable sight..." The black-veiled woman shook her head, as if she couldn't bear to recall. "That Elder Sister could save you and make you so lively and energetic. Firstly, it is because Elder Sister's cultivation is high. Secondly, it is because the secret art is powerful. And thirdly... you are particularly compatible with this secret art!"

From the woman's tone, Jiang Wang felt something was amiss. "May I inquire what secret art the lady used?"

The black-veiled woman avoided the question and merely said, "You seem to have a faint connection with the Taiyin Star? In the orthodox Daoist sects, there are not many methods that involve contact with the power of the Taiyin Star. Especially at your level."

Drawing upon stellar energy is something only done in the Outer Tower Realm. If Jiang Wang had any connection with the power of the Taiyin Star, it could only be because of the Tai Xu Illusionary Realm. But this was his greatest secret.

Now that he had formally entered the extraordinary realm, he had gained more knowledge of the cultivation world. But he had still never heard anyone mention the Tai Xu Illusionary Realm. It was likely that it had not been made public, or perhaps at Jiang Wang's current level, he was far from qualified to touch upon it.

Naturally, he was unwilling to expose it.

"Your secret art... involves the Taiyin Star? From the lady's meaning..." Jiang Wang intentionally said, "You are not from the orthodox Daoist sects?"

"Call me Elder Sister." The black-veiled woman lightly struck Jiang Wang, it was more like playful teasing than anger.

Only then did she say, "We, ah, are one of the few orthodox ones."

"May I ask..." Jiang Wang vaguely bypassed the form of address. "Are you descended from the lineage of Mount Daluo, Mount Yujing, or Penglai Island?"

"Secret!" The black-veiled woman's eyes were full of smiles. "Don't you want to see?"

"See... what?"

The black-veiled woman's soft, boneless hand gently lifted to Jiang Wang's front, and then her index finger drew downward.

Caught off guard, Jiang Wang's entire upper garment was torn open, exposing his muscular torso.

He subconsciously wanted to cross his arms over his chest, but he felt that would be too revealing of his timidity. So he could only remain stiff and unmoving.

Little did he know that this appearance made him seem even more awkward.

The black-veiled woman took out a small mirror from somewhere and slowly approached Jiang Wang, placing the bronze mirror behind him.

"Look at me," she said.

"Ah?" Jiang Wang was bewildered.

"Look into my eyes~"

The woman was so close, her fragrant breath, as if passing through the layer of black veil, blew onto his face.

"Don't overthink... you, ah, from my eyes, look at the reflection of your back in the mirror."

Clang!

Jiang Wang drew his sword from its sheath.

The black-veiled woman seemed completely unsurprised, not the least bit moved. She still looked at him in the same way, still so close.

Jiang Wang leaned back slightly, holding the sword horizontally in front of him, using the blade to reflect the mirror.

"It's clearer this way," he said.

Then he saw it: at the place where his cervical vertebrae connected with his spine, a lotus flower had bloomed at some point.

It was an eerie lotus, with petals of white bone.