Chapter 457: Chapter 240: White Painting Ascends_2
 

Seeing this scene, even the tranquil face of White Painting broke into a slight smile. “Zhi Ling, Fire Feather, I won’t harm you. Come here.”

Zhi Ling and Fire Feather’s faces changed, and they quickly turned to look at Lin Yi, casting pleading eyes at him.

“What are you looking at me for? If White Painting says to come, then you should go. She’s not going to eat you.” Lin Yi opened his hands, pretending to be innocent.

Shaking slightly, Zhi Ling and Fire Feather crept up to White Painting and stood as straight as a pole, accepting her gesture of petting their heads.

Then, White Painting gave a slight bow to Lin Yi and gratefully said, “Big Brother, thank you for taking me out to play in the outside world today. Master, I’m going back to the Misty Forest first. Here is a gift I’ve brought for you.” With that, she took out a brocade box and handed it to Zhang Dao Xuan.

Before Zhang Dao Xuan even had a chance to open it, White Painting had already left through the teleportation array.

Only after Zhang Dao Xuan opened it did he pull out an ancient-looking hairpin that was also a spiritual artifact. He laughed and put it on his head. Despite being but an avatar maintained by some special means, he could still present himself as a solid being, although his soul body remained unchanged.

With the hairpin perched atop his head, he softly murmured in the direction of the Misty Forest Gorge, “White Painting, I am very satisfied with your gift.”

“Ahem, Master, this gift was purchased with my spirit stones. Could you please settle the bill? Including what White Painting bought, it totals to one thousand and three hundred spirit stones,” Lin Yi coughed out.

Zhang Dao Xuan burst out laughing, “You really have dollar signs in your eyes, don’t you? More than a thousand spirit stones, and you want me to settle the account? Don’t think about buying cheap spirit grass from me in the future…”

“Master, I’m only joking. White Painting already calls me ‘big brother’, how could I make you pay? Even if it were ten thousand, or a hundred thousand spirit stones, I would pay for it myself,” Lin Yi quickly interjected.

Zhang Dao Xuan shook his head and chuckled. Since accepting Lin Yi as his disciple, he had indeed been afforded much more amusement. Although this boy was cautious, he wasn’t as stiff as some cultivators who viewed their masters as fearsome beasts, possessing only deep respect and daring not to overstep.

He patted Lin Yi on the shoulder, advising him, “I know you’re joking. In the following half-year, take some time to take White Painting out to play more often, so she can learn more about the outside world.”

In case my actual self cannot find her right after she ascends to the Upper Realm, leaving her alone in some dangerous situation.”

“Understood, Master. Don’t worry. I will take her out every once in a while,” Lin Yi nodded in agreement. This was also part of his plan.

Although White Painting was not naive, some of her thoughts were still as pure as a child’s. She needed to be properly guided.

Then, he teleported to the Giant Spirit Tree Herb Garden with Zhi Ling and Fire Feather. As soon as Zhi Ling and Fire Feather landed, they sprinted away from Lin Yi, shouting back at him as if to say, ‘We’re not going next time.’

Lin Yi chuckled and said seriously, “Are you sure you won’t go? If Sister White Painting finds out, she might come to invite you.”

At those words, Zhi Ling and Fire Feather froze, vividly imagining the intimidating aura of the powerful White Painting.

“See how scared you are, just think about how kind Sister White Painting is to you today. She even bought you gifts. Will she harm you? You two Foundation Establishment little guys don’t know to seize the opportunity and have a good conversation.” Lin Yi tried hard to stifle his laughter as he began to reason with the two little guys.

Zhi Ling and Fire Feather shared a glance. Thinking back on their day shopping with White Painting, they felt very happy and nodded vigorously.

“What are you guys talking about? What gift? What Sister White Painting? What about that big white snake?” An excited Golden Ape moved closer to their conversation.

After hearing about the day’s events from Zhi Ling, the Golden Ape sprinted over to Lin Yi, his eyes wide with curiosity, “Ah Yi, can you take a creature… I mean a spirit beast out too? I want to go out to play next time.”

Lin Yi gave the Golden Ape a thoughtful look, stroking his chin, “As for you… No. You’re too conspicuous with your size being like a mountain. Wait until you’ve transformed before you go.”

Zhi Ling and Fire Feather, one small in size and the other common in the cultivation world, were different from the Golden Ape. This beast was a rarity that is seldom seen in the outside world.

This Golden Ape before his eyes was born and raised in the Secret Realm, taught by the part of Zhang Dao Xuan that remains.

If he were to take a Golden Ape out, the probability of being targeted would be one hundred percent. Countless Sects would likely want to capture this Golden Ape to serve as a Gate guarding spiritual beast.

Of course, this would be the case if a Foundation Establishment Disciple was accompanied by a Golden Ape. However, if he were to reveal his title and increase his external Cultivation levels by eight folds, reaching the Nascent Soul, he would likely be less targeted.

After all, a Foundation Establishment Disciple might not have a significant background, but someone at the initial stages of a Nascent Soul would definitely belong to a sect or organization.

However, people would remember him, Pedestrian A, and it would make his future actions inconvenient.

The Golden Ape lay down and clung to Lin Yi’s thigh, “Ah Yi, take me with you. Take me out to play just once. Just one time will be enough.”

“No way, give up that idea. You are better off focusing on your cultivation. Once you have achieved Transformation, you can go out and play however you want to.” Lin Yi firmly shook his head.

If the Spirit Beasts in the Spirit Pet Column could perceive the outside world, he could put the Golden Ape in the column and take him out. However, the Spirit Pet Column did not have this feature yet, and the outside world could not be perceived from within.

“Fine, Transformation it is.” The Golden Ape grumbled and immediately went to the center of the Medicine Garden to absorb Spiritual Energy and begin cultivation.

Lin Yi laughed, took Fire Feather to the Fire Attribute Area, and then he immersed himself in cultivation.

For more than half a year, every ten days he would take White Painting to the Xuan Tian Realm to explore. Sometimes they would play in the Immortal City, other times they would hunt down evil-doers together.

During this process, Lin Yi showed White Painting the treacherous nature of people in the Cultivation World, which allowed her thoughts to mature gradually.

White Painting also shared the experiences of her cultivation, including the feeling of Crossing Tribulation, with Zhi Ling, Fire Feather, and the three Guardian Beasts.

A year passed quickly, and White Painting had sensed a summoning force from above two or three months in advance. As time passed, the intensity of the summoning grew stronger.

Once the year-end deadline arrived, the summoning force would become irresistibly strong, and nothing could hinder it.

On the last day, Zhang Dao Xuan, Lin Yi, and several Spirit Beasts all gathered on a mountaintop within Dan God’s Cave Mansion to bid farewell to White Painting and say their goodbyes.

At this moment, White Painting was wearing a dress purchased from the outside world. She was also adorned with some accessories and had a Storage Bag on her.

Zhang Dao Xuan stood next to White Painting and instructed, “White Painting, I have given you all the means left by me. Since you and he have a master-servant contract, even if these methods fail, he can roughly sense your location. After Ascension, remember to find a safe place first and do not listen to any advice from strangers.”

“Yes, Master. White Painting understands.” White Painting nodded heavily; she was a Transforming Spirit Beast and was almost invincible here, but in the Upper Realm, she might just be an unremarkable presence, possibly captured by some High-Level Cultivators to serve as a servant.

“White Painting, you go first to scout the path. I estimate that in a few hundred years, I’ll go up and visit you.” Lin Yi laughed and said to White Painting. Judging from the speed of his cultivation, he wouldn’t need five hundred years to reach the Deification Realm and qualify for Ascension.

“Brother, I’ll be waiting for you up there.” White Painting also revealed a bright smile. During these days of playing outside, she had mentally regarded Lin Yi as her brother.

Then, Zhi Ling reluctantly said goodbye to White Painting. This little one had a very close relationship with White Painting since she woke up, almost inseparable.

“Zhi Ling, I’ll be waiting for you up there.” White Painting was smiling as she patted Zhi Ling’s head.

After parting with the other Spirit Beasts, White Painting went to the small island where she first Crossed Tribulation, waiting for the arrival of the summoning force.

About an hour later, an empty hole suddenly appeared in the sky of the Secret Realm. It seemed to appear out of thin air, without any signs of spatial tears in the Secret Realm. Then, a ray of gentle light descended from above.