Starting Cultivation During a Trip

Jiang Hu and Yu Fu stood to the side, watching coldly, but there was a chilling glint in their eyes.

As for Jiang Lai, Zhang Fan looked around but didn’t see any sign of her.

”There are some things I need to have Boss Bai go understand.” Sui Chunsheng pulled Zhang Fan aside and said in a low voice.

”Arresting someone? Why?” Zhang Fan raised an eyebrow, his voice sinking.

”Because of that person from the Deserted Mountain…” Sui Chunsheng lowered his voice even more.

”Mr. Nian!?”

Zhang Fan’s heart skipped a beat. Last time because of the Black Rat incident, he realized Boss seemed to have some complicated and inexplicable relationship with that Observatory Master of the Perfect View.

But he hadn’t expected that just as Mr. Nian escaped his tribulation, the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance would come to take their man.

”What does this have to do with Boss?” Zhang Fan’s expression darkened.

Ever since his Primordial Spirit Awakening and leaving Zhenwu Mountain, he’d spent most of his time in Night is not bright.

Bai Buran, as the boss, was a master at squeezing employees, and the benefits weren’t great, but during Zhang Fan’s early cultivation, he really had given him a lot of guidance and help.

Especially those few times facing the Wuwei Sect, it was also Boss Bai who stepped in and saved him from danger.

”No one said it’s definitely related to him, it’s just routine procedure, bringing him in to learn about the situation.” Sui Chunsheng looked at Zhang Fan awkwardly, unable to help but speak.

”I know he’s your boss, try to stay calm. This matter…”

”Zhang Fan…”

At that moment, a gentle and familiar voice sounded from behind.

Bai Buran walked out of his office, and two staff members were carrying out his personal belongings. All of these things would have to be taken back, one by one, examined and checked.

”Can I have a word with him?” Bai Buran looked at Sui Chunsheng.

”Yes.” Sui Chunsheng nodded.

”Leader…”

As soon as he finished speaking, one of the staff members stepped forward and quietly reminded him.

”I said yes.” Sui Chunsheng shot him a sidelong glance, his tone darkening. The staffer’s face twitched and he stepped back, saying no more.

Zhang Fan looked a little grim, but still followed Bai Buran back into the office.

Right now, the office was a mess, as if a storm had swept through, the place emptied out by rats.

”How did it end up like this?” Zhang Fan went straight to the point.

”I still remember the first time you came for an interview; it was also in this office.” Bai Buran didn’t answer directly, instead gazing at the office, now changed, lips curling slightly with a trace of nostalgia in his eyes.

”Back then you were just a green rookie, clueless, Old Yu even pulled a prank on you…”

”You probably thought he was some fierce ghost who’d died a sudden death in this very building.”

Saying this, Bai Buran’s smile grew even brighter.

Zhang Fan was slightly moved, but didn’t speak.

”Time passes so quickly. You’ve already grown to where you are today.” Bai Buran looked at Zhang Fan, expression complex.

”The person you are now, you should be able to protect them.”

As he spoke, Bai Buran looked out through the blinds.

Wen He, Jiang Hu, and Old Yu… They were all here at Night is not bright because of Bai Buran; each had their own past, their own story…

In the past, Bai Buran was like a giant tree for everyone, though there was always the 996 or ”voluntary” overtime…

But in the end, he was the one who shielded everyone from some storms.

And now…

”I probably won’t be back for a while… I’ll leave them in your hands… Let Night is not bright disband…”

”How did things turn out like this?” Zhang Fan asked again.

”Do you remember that I was expelled from Zhenwu Mountain?” Bai Buran said faintly.

”I remember… Don’t tell me it was because…” Zhang Fan hesitated, seeming to realize something.

”Back then, Mr. Nian concealed his identity and joined Zhenwu Mountain. He kept a low profile, always quiet, rarely talked to anyone else, didn’t make friends, but he was especially close to me…”

Bai Buran spoke in a low, heavy voice, his calm face tinged with reminiscence.

At that time, he and Mr. Nian hit it off immediately, talking about everything from poetry and the mundane to Daoist Skill cultivation; their friendship deepened, inseparable as shadows.

”He hid on Zhenwu Mountain for five years. The closer I got to him, the more I felt his depths were unfathomable…”

”For me, he was both teacher and friend. Discussing Daoist Skill with him always brought unexpected insight and benefit…” Bai Buran sighed.

”So being close to him was why you were expelled from the sect?” Zhang Fan couldn’t help asking.

Bai Buran shook his head, muttering, ”During our time together, intentionally or not, he taught me a Daoist Skill. Its name…”

”Devouring God Technique!”

”Devouring God Technique!?” Zhang Fan was stunned for a second.

”This Great Skill is a branch of the Three Corpses Illuminating Fate tradition.” Bai Buran said in a deep voice. ”Once you master it, you can devour and refine the Primordial Spirit of others.”

”Huh? Isn’t that basically the same as the Wuwei Sect’s Refining and Nourishing the Primordial Spirit? Doesn’t sound that special.” Zhang Fan said, puzzled.

”It’s not the same at all.” Bai Buran shook his head.

Refining and Nourishing the Primordial Spirit just uses their Primordial Spirit as medicine, like humans eating and drinking, just to maintain bodily function.

But Devouring God Technique is different. Once you devour someone’s Primordial Spirit, you obtain all of their cultivation, their memories, experiences—even their personality and emotions.

If Refining and Nourishing the Primordial Spirit is pouring water into a cup, then Devouring God Technique is getting the cup, already filled with water, all at once.

The two aren’t comparable at all.

”At first, I thought it was just a Secret Technique to strengthen my Primordial Spirit, but who could’ve known, once mastered, it can’t be controlled…”

Bai Buran’s voice grew darker, more ominous.

His Primordial Spirit seemed to gain an innate attraction to others’ Primordial Spirits, sucked in like a magnet, almost uncontrollable.

”The day the Technique succeeded was the day I made a terrible mistake. It was only then I realized there was no going back for me.” Bai Buran gritted his teeth.

”What did you do?”

”My master—the one who taught me everything—was…”

Bai Buran’s words cut off. His hand clenched tight, veins bulging on his skin.

Zhang Fan heard it but stayed silent.

”After that, I was expelled from Zhenwu Mountain and sent to Yujing City, where I was tasked with monitoring Mr. Nian…”

Bai Buran took a deep breath, calming his emotions.

”Now that he’s escaped his tribulation, there’s no need for me anymore…”

”So of course the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance will take me in for routine questioning…”

Saying this, Bai Buran turned to Zhang Fan: ”I won’t be getting out for a while. Like I said… Take care of everyone…”

”Especially Old Yu.”

”Old Yu?” Zhang Fan was surprised.

”Old Yu was the first to join me, his situation is kind of special…” Through the blinds, Bai Buran gazed outside again.

”Pay attention to two things: when there’s a thunderstorm, keep an eye on him, and don’t let him cross into the Chuanshu region.”

”Got it.” Zhang Fan nodded. ”Don’t worry, I won’t let Night is not bright fall apart.”

Knock, knock, knock…

Just then, a rapid knock on the door interrupted their talk.

”Zhang Fan, that’s enough.”

Sui Chunsheng opened the door and reminded him.

”Don’t worry.”

Bai Buran patted Zhang Fan on the shoulder and walked out of the office.

”Boss…”

Wen He, Jiang Hu, and Yu Fu immediately stepped up, reluctant to part. Especially Yu Fu—there was even a fierce glint in his focused eyes.

Zhang Fan glanced over; he’d been at Night is not bright this long, and had never seen Old Yu with that kind of expression before.

”Don’t worry, everyone. I’ll be back soon.” Bai Buran tried to comfort them.

”If anything comes up, discuss it together.”

Without looking back, he followed Sui Chunsheng and the others out.

”Damn it, can the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance just grab people as they please?” Jiang Hu gritted his teeth and slammed a fist down on the desk.

”Everyone calm down first. I’ll reach out to the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance. Night is not bright can’t stop; we can’t let the company go under before Boss is released.” Zhang Fan said in a deep voice.

”Zhang Fan’s right.” Yu Fu agreed in a low voice.

Without another word, he returned to his desk.

”Daddy’s daddy is a demon, daddy’s mommy is a demon…”

Just then, a pleasant ringtone sounded. Zhang Fan pulled out his phone and saw the incoming call display:

Li Yishan.

”Hello.”

Zhang Fan walked out of Night is not bright and answered the call.

”I replied to you on Superchat, why didn’t you answer?” Li Yishan’s voice came from the other end.

”Something came up.” Zhang Fan murmured.

”Can’t have dinner with you tonight.”

”What a coincidence, I’m not in the mood either now.” Zhang Fan replied.

Bai Buran was locked up, the hotpot right in front of him, yet he had no appetite at all.

”What happened?” Li Yishan asked.

”Nothing major. What about you? Another blind date?” Zhang Fan asked casually.

”Yun Ma’s not feeling well all of a sudden. I need to take care of her.”

”What happened to your stepmom?”

”She got a bit hurt, got hit by a car last night.” Li Yishan said quietly.