Since it was inevitable that they would part ways, Bai Fanlu thought of compensating in a different way, perhaps easing the burden on his heart.

Although he had promised to teach Xiao Liu some self-defense techniques, Bai Fanlu wasn’t really sure where to start. After all, he wasn’t the original Bai Fanlu, and the cultivation skills he possessed hadn’t been learned from scratch but were more or less innate.

How could he teach an ordinary person to learn these techniques? Bai Fanlu tried to recall any clues from the cultivation novels he had read in the past but found nothing particularly helpful.

He hadn’t read that many, and usually, the protagonists were either naturally talented, able to learn with just a bit of instruction, or they had fortuitous encounters that compensated for their lack of talent. Or, like Yun Zhan, they had everything going for them—timing, location, and support—allowing them to surpass others by leaps and bounds.

Bai Fanlu was genuinely troubled by this. But every time Xiao Liu stood in front of him with such earnestness and anticipation, Bai Fanlu couldn’t help but smile nervously. It was his first time being a teacher, and he was worried about leading Xiao Liu astray, feeling quite embarrassed about it.

Forcing down his awkwardness, Bai Fanlu cleared his throat and pretended to be serious. “Cultivation is the foundation of all techniques. Right now, you have no cultivation energy in your body, so it’s unlikely you can perform any techniques.”

“Then how do I gain cultivation energy?”

“Hmm…” Bai Fanlu thought for a moment before saying, “Spend more time meditating in places rich with spiritual energy.”

That should be correct, right? He vaguely remembered that disciples spent most of their time either meditating or practicing their sword skills.

“Places rich with spiritual energy?”

Eager to learn, Xiao Liu etched his half-baked teacher’s words into his memory, constantly pondering where such places might be.

For example, when they passed by a mountain, Xiao Liu would ask how strong the spiritual energy was there. Bai Fanlu would shake his head and reply lazily, “A mountain doesn’t need to be tall to be spiritual; it’s the presence of an immortal that makes it so. Since there are no immortals on this mountain, there is no spiritual energy here.”

Xiao Liu tilted his head and asked, “But if Brother enters the mountain, wouldn’t that make it spiritual?”

“…” Bai Fanlu paused, cleared his throat, and replied, “It has to be a local immortal; outsiders don’t count.”

Xiao Liu turned away, his shoulders shaking as if he was trying to suppress laughter. A moment later, he looked back, rubbing his eyes and muttering, “Oh…”

Bai Fanlu was sure he had just sneaked off to laugh at him, making his face flush with embarrassment. Feigning anger, he shook a ruler at Xiao Liu, who obediently stretched out his hand, letting Bai Fanlu lightly tap his palm.

As for why they even had a ruler in the first place, it was because Xiao Liu had whimsically decided to break off a bamboo stick and request a disciplinary measure.

Oh well, let it be.

When they passed by a river, Xiao Liu would also ask about the spiritual energy, diligently applying what he had learned. Bai Fanlu patiently answered, “The water doesn’t need to be deep; it’s the presence of a dragon that makes it spiritual. Since there are no dragons in this water, there is no spiritual energy here.”

Xiao Liu scratched his head and asked, “Immortal Brother, do you not want to teach me any techniques?”

“…” Bai Fanlu paused again, feeling guilty as he replied, “A master can only lead the way; the practice depends on the individual.”

Xiao Liu sighed, full of wistful longing, “Then I must be too dull to grasp anything.”

Feeling guilty about his own shortcomings, Bai Fanlu noticed the boy’s eagerness to learn but couldn’t help feeling that Xiao Liu had chosen the wrong teacher. This slight guilt lingered into the evening when Bai Fanlu saw Xiao Liu huddled alone with Zizi, sleeping on the side. He couldn’t help but notice how lonely and pitiful he seemed.

The further north they traveled, the colder it became.

After several moments of hesitation and internal struggle, Bai Fanlu finally spoke softly, “You can sleep over here.”

His voice was very low on purpose. He figured if someone heard it, great, and if not, that was fine too.

But who was Xiao Liu? Even if Bai Fanlu had whispered like a mosquito, he would have heard it clearly. So, without hesitation, he grabbed Zizi, happily snuggled over, and lay down next to Bai Fanlu.

Bai Fanlu’s protective spiritual energy naturally surrounded him, though he wasn’t sure if it could extend to others. But Xiao Liu reassured him, “When I’m close to you, I feel so warm.”

Bai Fanlu decided to believe him since Xiao Liu did stop shivering as soon as he got closer. This gave Bai Fanlu a vague sense of accomplishment, perhaps the kind of caring affection a teacher feels for their student for the first time.

Could this be why Ling Qingzi was particularly fond of the original Bai Fanlu—because he was his first disciple?

Thinking along those lines, Bai Fanlu realized it had been several days since he last saw his master. After going through so much, it felt like an eternity since they last met.

Strictly speaking, since he had entered the world of the book, he had only met Ling Qingzi three times briefly, yet for some reason, recalling him now evoked a sense of nostalgia.

Perhaps it was true that “a day as a teacher is a lifetime as a father.” Ling Qingzi had been very kind to the original Bai Fanlu, even when Bai Fanlu had turned to the dark side. Ling Qingzi never took the initiative to harm him, and the time with the ice spike had been when Bai Fanlu had resolutely decided to sever ties with the immortal sect.

Even during the siege by thousands of immortals, Ling Qingzi had not appeared. The author hadn’t explicitly stated the reason, but it wasn’t hard to imagine—he probably didn’t want to witness his beloved disciple’s demise.

Bai Fanlu thought that as long as he didn’t succumb to darkness, he wouldn’t have to break his master’s heart. This thought strengthened his resolve.

No matter what, he wouldn’t follow the original Bai Fanlu’s path and cause grief to those who truly cared about him over some scumbag.

Bai Fanlu was quite confident in this.

One day, during their journey, they finally encountered a stretch of road with no high mountains or deep pools, only a waterfall cascading down a steep slope.

Xiao Liu circled the waterfall once before running back shirtless, eagerly grabbing Bai Fanlu’s hand.

“Brother! I did it! I released a technique!”

“What?”

Bai Fanlu was meditating and didn’t react immediately. He was trying to figure out what Xiao Liu had been doing that involved taking off his shirt. Could it be because of that nonsense about “becoming one with nature”?

Seeing that Bai Fanlu seemed skeptical, Xiao Liu raised an eyebrow, “Underestimating me? I’ll show you right now. Watch closely!”

He struck a pose, and after three quick flicks of his fingers, three silver needle-thin streams of spiritual energy shot out, hitting the large rock in the middle of the waterfall.

“See, isn’t that a technique…”

Before he could finish, Bai Fanlu’s eyes widened slightly as a loud crash resounded. The massive flow of water from the waterfall slammed into the rock.

Then, the rock that had split the waterfall into two parts shattered entirely, tumbling down below and sending up a huge spray of water, drenching both of them from head to toe.

Bai Fanlu stood stunned, turning to Xiao Liu with a complex expression.

“Uh…” Xiao Liu looked at his fingers, then sheepishly hid them behind his back, mumbling, “I didn’t control it well… It was much lighter just now.”

The last sentence was a murmur that Bai Fanlu didn’t catch, “What did you say?”

“Oh, nothing!” Xiao Liu chuckled awkwardly, “Looks like I need a lot more practice…”

Bai Fanlu couldn’t help but laugh as he used a spell to dry both of them off.

“Brother…” Xiao Liu followed behind him like a child who had done something wrong, whispering, “I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?” Bai Fanlu teased, “You learned a technique in such a short time—you’re amazing. But be careful with what you did just now; you might hurt someone.”

Xiao Liu observed Bai Fanlu’s expression, and seeing that he wasn’t actually angry, he beamed with joy. “Brother, am I especially suited for cultivation? Like, a natural talent?”

Bai Fanlu thought about it. Although Xiao Liu was a mortal, it was possible he was exceptionally gifted. Otherwise, why would Shan Houxue follow him?

And there was also Zizi, who, despite appearing like an ordinary monkey now, had once radiated divine light.

“I think it’s possible,” Bai Fanlu nodded.

Encouraged, Xiao Liu excitedly patted his chest, “Then I’ll train diligently and become the best in the world!”

With his shirt off, this action highlighted the boy’s impressive chest muscles. Bai Fanlu couldn’t help but glance down, admiring his defined abs and feeling a pang of envy.

This kid had an incredible physique. If he were in the real world, he’d definitely be a top-notch young heartthrob.

Noticing Bai Fanlu’s gaze, Xiao Liu didn’t shy away

. Instead, he stood confidently, letting Bai Fanlu take in the view.

When Bai Fanlu realized he had been staring for a bit too long, he felt his face heat up slightly. Only then did Xiao Liu nonchalantly bend down, pick up his shirt from the riverside, and swiftly put it on.

But Xiao Liu had caught the flash of regret and lingering interest in Bai Fanlu’s eyes.

“When I become the best in the world, I’ll protect you, Brother.”

While Bai Fanlu was lost in thought, Xiao Liu leaned in close and whispered.

Bai Fanlu was slightly taken aback, seeing the seriousness in Xiao Liu’s gaze, with no hint of jest.

“You…” Bai Fanlu sighed, reaching out to ruffle the boy’s hair, “I’ll be waiting to see that.”

Suddenly, a thought struck him. If Xiao Liu really became the best in the world, what would happen to Yun Zhan?

But then he found it amusing—becoming the best in the world wasn’t so easy. He really believed Xiao Liu’s words. It seemed that after spending so much time with this naive boy, he had become childish himself. But it wasn’t a bad feeling—it was actually quite pleasant.

The two of them continued their journey, taking their time to stop wherever they found interesting. Since Yun Zhan hadn’t sent any further messages, Bai Fanlu wasn’t in a hurry to move on.

At first, he wasn’t in a hurry, but gradually, a bit of selfishness crept in. Once they reached Lingcheng, they would have to part ways…

But even if they didn’t move quickly, time would inevitably bring them closer to their destination.

The further north they went, the rougher the terrain became. Mountains dominated the landscape. If they had been riding ordinary horses, they would have struggled with the path, but Shan Houxue carried Xiao Liu with ease. Meanwhile, Bai Fanlu continued to fly on his sword, scouting ahead as the mountain paths grew more treacherous.

When they passed through a place called Earjishan, they were asked by some local herders to help kill two spirit-infested brown bears that had been attacking people.

Most of the credit went to Xiao Liu, as it was his first real combat experience since starting his training. As a reward, the herders gave them a snow lingzhi, which Xiao Liu offered to Bai Fanlu as a gift for taking him as a disciple.

Bai Fanlu refused to accept it, but Xiao Liu insisted, “It’s to help you recover. If you don’t take it, I’ll just feed it to Zizi.”

So, Bai Fanlu reluctantly stored it in his pouch, only to trigger a system notification.

**“Unlocked side quest ‘Maternal Love, Filial Piety.’ Quest Objective: The Lingzhi’s Gift Reflects Parental Affection.”**

**“Quest Reward: ‘Reader’s Imagination’ Fragment ×3. Unlocking hidden events may grant additional rewards.”**

**“Quest Hint: A white-haired person sends off a black-haired one, a mother’s heart left unresolved. Through the cycles of life and death, the wandering child will eventually return.”**

This quest was different from the previous two side quests; it wasn’t triggered by specific plot points or background settings. With only a few vague hints from the system, Bai Fanlu couldn’t make much sense of it and decided to just keep going and see what happened.

After crossing Earjishan, they were very close to Lingcheng. The surrounding mountains seemed to be the last barrier holding back the cold, and once they passed the peak, the climate changed drastically.

The north wind howled, sending large, fluffy snowflakes swirling in their faces. Fortunately, the herders of Earjishan had been kind enough to prepare two wolf fur cloaks for them, hearing they were heading to Lingcheng. These cloaks were a lifesaver in the freezing cold.

Even with Bai Fanlu’s immortal body, the cold was a bit much. He couldn’t help sneezing after a short while.

“Brother!” Xiao Liu called from the horse below, “Don’t fly up there in the wind and snow. Come ride with me.”

Bai Fanlu had been flying for quite some time, and the wind was indeed too strong, requiring extra effort to stay steady on his sword. So, he accepted Xiao Liu’s offer and descended.

As soon as he sat down, he was unexpectedly wrapped in a pair of arms. Xiao Liu still held the reins but wasn’t just loosely holding on as before—he was actually hugging Bai Fanlu.

Wrapped in two layers of fur, they were instantly as warm as spring.

“It’s so cold, but hugging Brother is nice and warm.”

Before Bai Fanlu could respond, Xiao Liu sighed and rested his forehead against Bai Fanlu’s nape, leaning forward slightly with some weight.

So, whatever Bai Fanlu had planned to say got stuck in his throat. The boy’s chest was solid and warm beneath the fur, and this feeling of being both supported and supportive was far better than floating alone in the sky. Bai Fanlu found himself reluctant to leave this warmth.

He told himself it was just a practical way to stay warm in extreme conditions—nothing more, nothing less.

The further they went, the heavier the snow fell, piling up thickly on the ground. Shan Houxue leaped out of the snow, speeding up to reduce resistance, and Bai Fanlu didn’t leave the saddle again.

Once someone has enjoyed warmth, it’s hard to go back to the cold, no matter if they’re immortal or mortal.

They spent most of the day covering the final stretch, finally crossing the legendary snowstorm zone to reach a sunny, open area.

It was as if the clouds had been split in two, suddenly transitioning from a snowstorm to clear skies. The setting sun hung low in the west, a bright red orb that stood out vividly against the vast expanse of white.

Bai Fanlu estimated that they were only a few more miles from Lingcheng.

He decided to push on and enter the city before sunset.

But as they continued, he noticed something strange. Although there had been no recent snowfall in this area, the snow on the ground was just as thick as in the snowstorm zone they had passed through. Where did this snow come from?

Was this detail mentioned in the book? Bai Fanlu couldn’t remember. The book only said that after crossing the snowstorm zone, the skies would clear, and they wouldn’t be far from the city. There was no mention of the state of the ground.

After a while, Bai Fanlu started to feel that something was off. They should have seen some sign of Lingcheng by now.

He scanned the horizon, and in the distance, a faint, dark silhouette appeared on the snowy plain. At first, he thought it was a boulder, but as they got closer, he realized it was part of a city wall, sticking out of the snow.

The closer they got, the more pieces of “city walls” they saw, scattered like stones in the snow, forming a disjointed ruin…

Suddenly realizing something, Bai Fanlu quickly dismounted, hurrying forward. With a wave of his hand, he cast a spell that pushed aside the snow, sending it flying in a flurry of flakes, revealing two red characters carved into the greenish stone of a buried city wall—

Lingcheng.