《Rise of a Planeswalker [Xianxia][Isekai]》


 Prologue - Birth of a Planeswalker

    ¡°Hey! Mikhail! We''ll all drink at Johnny''s tonight. Are you in?"


    A man in a loose-fitting shirt stood at the threshold of Mikhail''s lab, sporting a slightly intoxicated expression. Mikhail could smell the alcohol in the man''s breath, even from the other side of the room. Still, despite the noise the man''s loud voice emitted, Mikhail paid no attention; he was too absorbed in his research.


    ¡°C''mon! Weren''t you looking forward to it?" the man said as he approached the workbench, where Mikhail was currently tinkering. "The girls said Sarah''s going to be there."


    Mikhail raised his gaze while still keeping a firm grip on the device in his hands; the slightest deviation from his calculations would have astronomic consequences. Still, he couldn''t help but be intrigued once he heard the woman''s name.


    He looked at the slovenly man and couldn''t help but frown. Despite also being a researcher in this facility, he couldn''t look further from it. His shirts were always flashy, and he never wore the company white coat. Despite all this, he was one of the most brilliant minds of this century. A shame he was a drunkard and womanizer. He could have propelled the world forward a few decades, but he was much too busy living in sin. Worse yet, he would try to rope Mikhail in his decadence at every chance.


    "Hey, I heard you¡¯re working on a prototype for interplanetary shift?" the man said, wobbling slightly. "What''s wrong with good old teleportation? Did it become so mundane that you now want to tear the dimensions apart?"


    Mikhail frowned as the liquor bottle in the man''s hand sloshed around with every step he took. The man took a gulp from it while a slight tint of red rose to his cheeks; his smile grew wider as he wrapped his arm around Mikhail¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, live a little! This boring world will still be here tomorrow.¡±


    Mikhail shook his head. Despite his insufferable nature, Mikhail couldn''t hate that man. He had something different, something special.


    Despite all his efforts, Mikhail was only slightly brighter than the rest. Even when he applied to this research lab, he could barely make the cut. Even now, his research into interdimensional matter shift remains at a standstill. If he failed to show results within this quarter, the lab threatened to cut his funding.


    The device in his hand was his life''s work, but it was only a step from completion. He knew his theories were correct, but he could not find a way to materialize them until he found an old blueprint tucked away within the research lab''s archives.


    Mikhail had found it odd. Who would use paper blueprints nowadays? Everything was digitized and stored within the nation''s central database. It was as if the person who drew them didn''t wish for the company to find them yet couldn''t bear to throw them away.


    What surprised him most was the illegible signature at the bottom of that blueprint. Mikhail could have sworn it resembled this drunkard''s name. Mikhail paused for a moment, contemplating its implications were it to be true. Yet, he put it out of his mind as it seemed much too farfetched.


    Anyway, those blueprints were a flash of inspiration. Without them, his project wouldn''t have been so close to completion. And yet, he was still missing a piece, the most crucial one. Still, he had no idea what it was. He had tried everything; he was at the end of his rope. He was irritated and stressed. Maybe that man was right, and he needed to let it go.


    ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s this?¡± the man said as he snatched the device from Mikhail¡¯s hand. ¡°Is that your Dimensional Tear Generator? Isn¡¯t it quite puny? I figured it should have more... girth, you know? Something with more piercing power, maybe?¡±


    Mikhail could only shake his head and sigh. Despite the man''s brilliance, it was always drowned out by a sea of alcohol. If only he could rid himself of his vices, he could have made something of himself; he could have been someone important, someone who stood above others. Still, it seemed the man had no interest in that, opting to enjoy his life each and every day. Still, Mikhail couldn''t help but envy the man''s carefree attitude sometimes.


    ¡°Please give me back my device; I need to finish this," Mikhail said calmly, trying to reason with the drunken man. Unfortunately, trying to do so was an exercise in futility.


    ¡°Isn''t it already done?" the man said with a slight smile. "Just give it a good whack, and it should start right up!"


    Colour drained from Mikhail''s face. While he believed the man to be joking, he couldn''t shake the feeling that he would really do such a thing in his drunken state. He wrestled with the man¡¯s arm, trying to free himself from his hold, before extending an arm to reach for his device, but the man jerked his hand back, out of reach.


    This sudden motion prompted the drunken man to fall backward, off-balance. The device flew from his hand as he tumbled backward, falling on his back. The bottle of liquor in his other hand also flew to the ceiling. The device hit the ground with a thud, yet it seemed intact.


    It was a sturdy, three-dimensional, hexagonal black box, not much larger than a baseball. It was made of solid metal, so the soft floor wouldn''t leave a mark on its surface. Mikhail let out a sigh of relief once he noticed that his baby was safe. However, the liquor bottle started his descent before he could reach for it.


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    Mikhail tried to catch it but missed it by an inch. The bottle crashed straight into the device, spilling its contents everywhere. Whether due to the shock or the strong liquid spilling on it, a strong, incandescent light spilled from the device''s core as it split slightly in the middle.


    Mikhail was blinded. He tried to block the light with his arms but to no avail. The light seemed to pass right through before embedding itself straight into his visual cortex. Minutes passed¡ªor maybe just an instant; Mikhail couldn''t tell¡ªyet the light drowning out the world showed no signs of receding.


    Mikhail felt a burning sensation arise within his core as if trying to split his very soul. He screamed, yet no sound was heard, as if he had no lungs. He couldn''t feel his body anymore; the burning sensation seemed just like a lingering pain within his brain, something akin to the feeling of a ghost limb.


    Soon enough, even his consciousness blurred as the light was extinguished. Nothing remained of his research lab. It was now nothing but a smouldering crater. Mikhail and the device were both gone as if they had evaporated in the night.


    ******


    An old man lay on his deathbed, surrounded by his family. In his youth, he had been a famed merchant. He had started from the bottom and created a business empire that now spanned countless star systems. And yet, despite all his money, he still couldn''t go against the universe''s natural laws. He grew old and was about to die.


    Although his life would end, he was content. His wife held his hand as he was to take his last breath while his five sons and daughter watched over him. A man couldn¡¯t ask for more than to die of old age surrounded by one¡¯s family.


    Still, to die was never easy, even if one was accustomed to it. A slight terror could be found in the depths of his eyes, but his time had come, and nothing could reverse death''s judgment. He had no choice in the matter. He would die this very day.


    The old woman by his side looked at her man, breathing his last with a tear in her eyes. She buried her head into his now still chest, weeping silently. She, too, would die soon after from overwhelming grief, accompanying the man she loved on the journey beyond.


    ******


    A rabbit ran on the plains from the predator chasing it. It knew its chances were slim, but its powerful legs would carry him until life would fade from it. Unfortunately, such a moment came much too soon.


    A pair of powerful jaws clamped on its body, plunging the sharp teeth into its flesh. Blood flowed, moistening its captor¡¯s throat. Its mind grew hazy until all its heat finally left it.


    A large black panther held a rabbit in its maw, savouring the taste of the blood flowing in its mouth. Unfortunately, this meal was cut short as an arrow flew before embedding itself on the beast''s side, piercing a lung. The beast lay on its side, struggling to breathe as its own blood endlessly dyed the plains red. Death came for everyone equally.


    ******


    A young woman stood alongside her comrades at the summit of a massive tower. Before her was a floating window congratulating them on their victories over the tower''s overlords, the Mad Gods of Destruction.


    They were battered and bruised; the fight had been intense, but they had survived against all odds, primarily due to the woman''s equipment. Although she could fight, her true talent lay in the art of artifact forging. Thanks to the equipment she had created, her group returned alive more than once.


    Unfortunately, not all could resist the allure of such legendary gear. As the woman was now celebrating their newfound freedom, a blade plunged into her back¡ªthe same blade she had once forged. The blade slid right through her heart effortlessly before emerging from the other side.


    She looked down to see the deadly weapon reaping her life. Traces of blood slid along the corner of her mouth as all life departed her. Still, her gaze was calm as water, as if she had anticipated this and chose to accept it. She stood upright for a moment longer before she closed her eyes for the final time.


    ******


    An old man stood on a mountain peak. His long black robes fluttered in the wind as dark thunderclouds gathered overhead. His expression was grim, if somewhat insane. He was raving, screaming to the heavens above; his frustration at the world''s unfairness was apparent.


    Thunder cracked above before lightning fell mercilessly. The man''s gaze was firm, if somewhat laced with madness, as he leapt toward the incoming bolt of lightning, sword in hand. They collided; the man''s sword shattered the lightning, but he couldn''t avoid the consequences of his rebellion. A mass of blood flew from his mouth, staining his robe, and yet his gaze held firm.


    The sky grew darker as more clouds converged before it fell once again. Heaven''s wrath seemed unending as, soon enough, the old man couldn''t withstand the strain anymore. He became dust under heaven''s thunder, and yet, in his last moment, the old man was content. He had confronted the world and proved his Dao.


    ******


    Countless others rose and fell within the endless flow of history. Some were great heroes, others despicable villains, but most were simply ordinary beings living their lives as best they could. Still, they all had one thing in common.


    Despite their best efforts, they felt alien to the world, as if estranged from their own reality. Some chose to bury that feeling, while others chose to fight against it. One thing was for sure: They made the most of their limited lives and died in the end. The same would hold true for all those who had yet to come.


    ******


    A young man was seated on the sturdy branch of a large tree, watching the sun slowly set with a bottle of liquor in hand. Despite the slight melancholy in his heart, his face held a smile as he felt the soft breeze caress his skin. His long robes fluttered in the wind as he watched the sun slowly descend from the heavens toward its temporary rest.


    The man reminisced of memories so long ago that they were literally lifetimes apart. He was reborn again¡ªreborn to live and die without end¡ªwithout the means to return home. But where was home again? Was it the world where he was a scientist tinkering with interdimensional shifts? Or was it the countless ones after that?


    Still, such questions were best left to philosophers. The young man was content with his life. Home is where the heart is, or so it was said; his heart was here at that moment. The man could live anywhere as long as he had women to flirt with and liquor to drink.


    I wonder how Mikhail is doing after all this time, the man mused. Did he finally rid himself of his virginity?


    He chuckled slightly; it was so long ago, but it seemed just like yesterday that his life was thrown upside down due to the collision of a small device and a bottle of booze.


    ¡°Here¡¯s to you, old friend!¡± the man said as he raised his bottle before bringing it to his lips. ¡°And to our next meeting.¡±


    The man smiled slightly, reminiscing of relationships long past before his smile faded, and he sighed. While still absorbed in his own thoughts, a feminine voice echoed from below.


    ¡°Qin Yun! Come! Your bride awaits!¡±

 Chapter 1 - The Engagement of the Familys Shame

    Qin Yun leaned on a sturdy broom, resting his chin over his hands. While he was tasked with sweeping the grounds by the family¡¯s elders, he found something else that held his interest.


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    All in all, if Qin Yun had a type, she would be it. In fact, it would be difficult to find a man who didn¡¯t find her attractive. It wasn¡¯t simply her beauty, but her strength and character were also impressive. Few were a match for her, either in terms of looks or ability.


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    Qin Yun knew what it referred to. Although he could feel her good intentions, Qin Yun had already chosen his path and remained silent. While he knew his family would never understand, this didn''t matter. Hearing no answer from him, Qin Lihua grew slightly angered.


    ¡°So be it,¡± she snorted. ¡°Have it your way.¡±


    Ignoring their last interaction, they returned to the matter at hand.


    ¡°


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 Chapter 2 - A Scientist at Work

    Once again, Qin Yun was sprawled out on the stairs leading to the Main Hall, reflecting upon the implications of his upcoming marriage. All around him, clan members passed him by as they gave him looks. You know the types: ones filled with mockery and derision. Still, Qin Yun wasn''t bothered by it.


    the family''s shame. Yet, even when he kept a low profile, things didn''t improve. Honestly, they should make up their minds already.


    As Qin Yun expected, when the boy couldn¡¯t get the reaction he wanted with words, he resorted to violence. Typical. A slight trace of pressure swarmed around the boy''s palms as he struck forward. His eyes glowed slightly, and he sneered, expecting his strike to make short work of the failure before him.


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    Qin Yun''s eyes narrowed slightly, but only because of how weak that strike was. While he didn''t remember who those boys were, judging by their relationship with Meihui''s sister, Qin Yun could infer they were probably of similar status. Qin Yun judged that strike to be somewhere between the 2<sup>nd</sup> and 3<sup>rd</sup> level of the Qi Refining Realm.


    What he used to base his observations on wasn¡¯t the strike¡¯s strength but its mastery over Qi. Even if the boy was holding back, this was the limit of his proficiency. Still, Qin Yun couldn¡¯t wrap his brain around it. The boy should be somewhat talented in the clan, yet this was all he amounted to.


    Qin Yun didn''t bother to block; such a weak strike was beneath him. The boy''s fist fell and met its target: the side of Qin Yun''s head. As the two collided, the boy laughed maniacally, then turned to see the young lady''s reaction to his posturing. Unfortunately, he would be disappointed as a look of surprise replaced the indifference in the lady''s eyes. The boy frowned and then turned back, expecting to see Qin Yun writhing on the ground in pain, yet all he saw was Qin Yun giving him a look of pity.


    Undeterred, the boy struck again, this time with all the strength he could muster. Yet, to Qin Yun, this was only slightly more potent than his previous attempt. He could only shake his head at this deplorable sight.


    The boy stood rooted in place, mouth slightly agape, unable to accept reality. As he was stuck in a stupor, his twin entered the fray, claiming some inane theories about how Qin Yun was a fraud, or he used some sort of artifact, or he had killed the real Qin Yun and was a doppelganger who wished to feast on their flesh. Indeed, a boy with a fertile imagination.


    Qin Yun had no intention of being part of this farce. People started to gather, and Qin Yun wasn''t some sort of circus show for other''s entertainment. If anything, he was the one who needed to be entertained. He didn''t bother to acknowledge the twins'' existence and only nodded slightly to Qin Meihui''s sister. It was only proper courtesy as he appreciated her sister greatly.


    The girl nodded back, but soon, indifference returned to her eyes as she resumed her climb, leaving the two clowns behind. Qin Yun smiled slightly, seeing this; the girl was quite interesting. He would have to ask Meihui for her name, as he presently had no idea.


    Qin Yun hadn¡¯t bothered to remember most of the members of his own clan, as his reputation was indeed at rock bottom. Also, the idea of procreating with family wasn¡¯t as frowned upon in this world as most cultivators weren¡¯t bothered by things like blood relations.


    It didn''t surprise Qin Yun, as this world''s moral bottom line was truly low. Besides, he suspected those people had no idea of such a thing as Genetic Diversity. Of course, they probably had no idea what genes were, to begin with, much less of the consequences of consanguineous breeding.


    Qin Yun had no intentions of educating them, as it was pointless anyway. The only reason to avoid breeding with family was to strengthen the blood so that the whole family line would not die out due to one single cause. However, they were cultivators; ordinary diseases and toxins were a non-factor.


    The second reason was purely a matter of ethics¡ªof societal norms¡ªwhich were basically non-existent here. Everything was fair game, a free-for-all, so to say. Qin Yun had never seen such massive hypocrites in all the worlds he had visited. Their so-called idea of justice was just the biggest joke ever.


    As for how Qin Yun could resist the boy¡¯s strike despite being a realm lower, well... that was Qin Yun¡¯s little secret. It all started one day when he was bored¡ªas everything ever did¡ªwhen he pondered the implication of the word: Peak. More precisely, the Peak of the Body Strengthening Realm.


    Qin Yun was a scientist, after all. Defining things and seeking answers was what he did for a living.


    Most cultivators claimed to be at the peak when they were close to achieving the next realm, but that was so broad that it rubbed Qin Yun the wrong way. So, he decided to run a small experiment. He wouldn''t stop until he reached the true peak of the Body Strengthening Realm. That was fifteen years ago, and he was still far from it.


    Common knowledge was that each major realm was subdivided into ten minor stages, which most call levels, with the tenth being the peak. Once reached, one could attempt to break through to the next major realm.


    Qin Yun¡¯s hypothesis was thus: the so-called peak was only the bare minimum necessary to ascend to the next realm. Minimum, as opposed to maximum. Qin Yun wished to seek this maximum. Curiously enough, each level seemed to grant the same strength proportional to an individual''s base power. This meant that by measuring the amount of power gained at each level, one could infer which level was indeed the peak.


    Qin Yun was at the 112<sup>th</sup> level of the Body Strengthening Stage and still seemed far from the peak. Or at least, that''s what he surmised. To his dismay, the strength curve after the 10<sup>th</sup> level wasn''t linear but exponential, which made estimating the levels more tricky.


    As such, when he broke through the 11<sup>th</sup> level, his strength began to skyrocket, but it also brought some more problems that Qin Yun had to deal with. Still, there was no need to be so strict with it, as those further levels were simply arbitrary. This was only done for intellectual curiosity''s sake.


    With this insignificant incident over with, Qin Yun strolled the clan¡¯s grounds aimlessly, lost in thoughts. He had much to ponder, and wandering seemed to suit him well. Still, the sun was beginning to set as night was approaching. The meeting with the elders had taken much more time than he anticipated¡ªreally, he just slept through most of it¡ªit was time for him to go home.


    His feet led him to a massive mansion surrounded by impressive walls nestled in the centre of the clan''s grounds. Still, Qin Yun didn''t enter but continued on his way until he reached a secluded shack hidden in a dilapidated courtyard behind the mansion.


    As he reached home, a slight smile flashed on his lips as he saw his cousin Meihui waiting for him inside. Still, his expression sunk just as fast when he heard her speak.


    "Your father is waiting for you; you should go. Do not make him wait," she solemnly warned Qin Yun.


    Qin Yun sighed; he simply couldn¡¯t catch a break...

 Chapter 3 - Confronting the Master of the House

    ¡°What''s wrong with them, always using you as a messenger?" Qin Yun asked Qin Meihui rhetorically as he shook his head. "Although I enjoy seeing you, don''t they know you have things to do besides yielding to their every whim?"


    Qin Meihui could only smile wryly.


    ¡°Who else but me can tolerate your lazy bum?¡± she said half-jokingly.


    Qin Yun smiled slightly. While her statement was mostly true, the proper reason should be that she would be the only one he would listen to. So many times, they tried to make him do something, and he just ignored them.


    Still, once again, Qin Yun heeded her advice. It wasn¡¯t that he felt pressured, but even if he didn¡¯t care about himself getting into trouble, the same couldn¡¯t be said for Meihui. Qin Yun held no doubt they would use her to pressure him into doing their bidding, even if she was the Patriarch¡¯s granddaughter.


    With some time before the sun completely set, Qin Yun doubled back to the mansion he had passed before, accompanied by Qin Meihui. Qin Yun''s eyebrow rose slightly, and he was surprised to see her accompany him.


    "Your father wants me there, too," she said, shrugging, not knowing why.


    Qin Yun had his guesses. This was probably related to his mother¡¯s inheritance. Qin Yun¡¯s smile grew slightly larger; this would prove to be an interesting show.


    The mansion was simply next door, so the duo arrived there quickly. Yet, as they passed the front door''s threshold, the two men guarding the gate greeted Qin Meihui and shot Qin Yun looks of disgust. Qin Yun could only sigh internally, seeing the brazenness of mere guards. While he might be shunned by his family, it didn''t mean unrelated guards had free reins to disrespect him.


    Qin Yun looked straight ahead, not bothering to entertain them. Yet, as his foot touched the ground, it sunk slightly into the stone surface, causing a localized tremor that unbalanced the two men. They swayed, then fell flat on their asses. While it might be petty, Qin Yun only considered their embarrassment his slight revenge for this affront.


    A man saw the whole scene from the steps before the mansion''s main hall, yet he didn''t notice Qin Yun''s actions. He only saw the ground tremble slightly as the guards fell over. While he suspected something, he had no proof. He could only narrow his eyes, trying to understand how this situation happened.


    Qin Meihui knew exactly what Qin Yun did as she witnessed his actions from a close distance. She had always had suspicions concerning Qin Yun, yet she held them in her heart, as revealing them would bring no good ending. Obviously, Qin Yun had no intentions of making this matter public; she knew he had his own considerations and respected his opinion. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but chuckle slightly as she saw the two men sprawled on their asses.


    Embarrassment crept up the men''s faces at the sight of this fairy''s laughter, yet they were entranced by the beauty of her voice. They stood seated on the ground as the duo walked past. It wasn''t until they heard the man on the step cough slightly that they rose as if springs were being unleashed before clumsily dusting their garments, trying to look as if nothing was wrong.


    The man on the steps looked at the two guards as if they were fools, trying to decide their punishment for the shame they brought to the family he served. Without turning around, the two guards shivered slightly as if some predator had chosen them for his next meal.


    As Qin Meihui stopped before the steps, the man bowed slightly to her, ignoring Qin Yun. Qin Yun merely shrugged at the sight, which was far from unexpected.


    ¡°Steward Li, we have come following uncle¡¯s request. Where might we find him?¡± she asked the man on the steps.


    ¡°The master is in his office. He has been waiting for you. Please follow me," he said as he turned and walked away. Although his words were meant for Qin Meihui, Qin Yun could hear the reproaches laced within, as if Qin Yun had made them waste their time. Still, Qin Yun retained his slight smile, completely unconcerned.


    Whatever plans they had for him, he would go along for the time being. He was quite interested in how they would wrest his mother''s inheritance from his hands, considering that he didn''t even have such a thing in the first place. Of course, he never bothered to point out that fact, as their faces would be priceless when they would find out.


    It had been years since Qin Yun had last set foot in this mansion. Ever since he had remained stagnant in the Body Strengthening Realm, he had been granted that secluded shack behind the mansion. As if physically distancing themselves from him would make people forget they were related. Talk about contrived reasoning.


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    At least the family wouldn¡¯t have to be reminded each time they saw his face. Still, Qin Yun wondered how his brothers and sister had fared since he last saw them. As far as he knew, his older brother was now the disciple of a sect somewhere¡ªQin Yun forgot the name and wasn''t interested enough to find out¡ªwhile his younger brother studied under one of the clan''s elders as he had talent in alchemy.


    As for his younger sister, she was now the family''s jewel and was considered their future Branch Family Head after their father stepped down from his position to focus on cultivation. Still, such a situation would only occur when she had grown up and acquired the necessary strength and backing.


    As for his stepmother¡ªthe biological mother of two of them¡ªshe was doing fine. One might even say that she was doing great, at least according to the men she had sent to harass Qin Yun. Strangely enough, once he beat those hired thugs to an inch of their lives, they suddenly disappeared, and he hadn''t heard from them ever again. As for Qin Yun despising violence, sometimes a good kick in the groin was the only way to get one''s message across.


    The trio walked among the mansion''s halls in silence. Somehow, Qin Yun thought the mansion had become gaudier. All along the halls, works of art, golden statues, or even vases were displayed upon ornate jade pillars, obviously a result of his stepmother''s peculiar tastes. Qin Yun very much doubted his father held an interest in the objects of the mortal world.


    Qin Yun could only smile slightly, but it was short-lived as they finally reached their destination. His father''s office was much too grand for Qin Yun''s taste as if the man was overcompensating for something. The vaulted ceiling was over ten meters tall, supported by massive carved stone columns that pulsated with a slight trace of energy. Obviously, the materials they were made out of were far from ordinary.


    Toward the back of the room was a massive window that spanned the height of the wall. Before it, a large luxurious desk was placed on a slightly elevated structure, with some stairs leading to the door. It was as if the man wished to assert his dominance over anyone foolish enough to enter this room.


    The man in question stood straight before the window, his back to the door. Even as they pushed the doors open, the man didn''t deign to turn around and simply waved his hand, prompting the steward to leave, closing the door silently behind him.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but chuckle internally; his father had always liked posturing. The man was tall, sporting long light blue robes that shone slightly¡ªobviously some sort of precious fabric possessing innate Qi. His long black hair held some strands of light grey coiffed backwards and held in place with a small golden crown that emitted a slight immortal aura.


    Qin Yun had no doubt that his father''s attire was worth more than all the objects displayed in the halls combined many times over. Yet, those clothes held no defensive attribute; they couldn''t be considered artifacts, as their only function was to look good. Qin Yun couldn''t help but shake his head as he thought vanity was universal.


    The man spoke first, addressing his cousin Meihui. Qin Yun ignored their conversation, opting to observe the carvings on the columns. Surprisingly enough, underneath their gaudy exteriors, Qin Yun noticed hints of formation markings within the structure.


    Qin Yun pondered whether his father was aware of such a thing or simply acquired those pillars for their looks alone. Looking at how they were placed haphazardly around the room, Qin Yun opted for the second option. Those formations couldn''t hope to reach more than five percent of their proper strength with how they were set up. Still, Qin Yun wouldn''t point it out to him as he knew his father would only be offended if he were to do so.


    "Are you even listening?" his father bellowed in a low voice, bringing Qin Yun back to reality.


    To Qin Yun''s side, Qin Meihui did her best to make it look like this had nothing to do with her. Although she liked Qin Yun, she wouldn''t participate in his folly.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t,¡± Qin Yun said, much too calmly for his father¡¯s taste. His rage only mounted as he had hoped to see him squirm as he put him in his place, but before he could vent, Qin Yun added, ¡°Can we get to the point? I was planning to get some sleep before you called me here.¡±


    Qin Meihui could only barely muffle a chuckle as she knew that Qin Yun already spent most of his days asleep, trying to slack off on the tasks assigned to him.


    On the other hand, his father¡¯s expression was grim as he wished nothing more than to strangle this unfilial son where he stood. He snorted slightly as a mild wind emanated from his body, prompting Meihui to perspire slightly despite not being the target of his ire.


    Simply being next to Qin Yun brought her pressure she could barely resist. As expected, her uncle wasn''t a Nascent Soul expert for nothing. His youthful appearance was nothing but a facade, as he was much older than he appeared, which was mostly true for any cultivator.


    Faced with his father¡¯s pressure, Qin Yun stood unyielding as he wondered why the people here were so fond of making others bend the knee before them. How shallow was their self-confidence that they could only get validation by humiliating others? Still, Qin Yun saw a slight appeal in it. He was human, not a robot devoid of emotions. Plotting revenge was always something exciting.


    He shook his head and gave up on his plans, as doing so would only lead to something he couldn''t be bothered to deal with.


    Seeing that Qin Yun could resist his pressure, the man raised an eyebrow and increased it even more, hoping to find the limit of his endurance. The room¡¯s pillars trembled slightly as the man¡¯s might permeated the atmosphere. An ethereal and blurry lotus manifested itself above the man¡¯s head as it slowly rotated. Unlike the elders'' lotuses Qin Yun had seen prior on this day, his father''s was a deep red, and an intense heat emanated from it as if it were the sun itself.


    Qin Meihui couldn''t help but step back as a small, weak lotus platform appeared above her head, frantically rotating as it tried to fight the incoming heat storm. Meihui was only at the 3<sup>rd</sup> level of the Foundation Building Realm, a far cry from the Nascent Soul. She had no hope of resisting, even if the man pulled his punches. Noticing that Qin Yun seemed unconcerned, she took refuge behind his back, where the pressure lessened slightly.


    Noticing his cousin''s exhaustion, Qin Yun sighed before lightly punching forward, creating a light wind that pushed back the incoming pressure. The man frowned at this sight and decided to recede his pressure just as Qin Yun had already clenched his fist, intending for a second strike.


    "As usual, you only have brute strength. There''s not a single trace of Qi in you," the man said with a slight hint of ridicule.


    Even if Qin Yun was unrivalled in strength, it was nothing in front of a cultivator''s Qi Mastery; at least, that was their fallacy. Qin Yun didn''t bother to argue that fact as he didn''t see the point.


    ¡°How long do you plan to persist in your crooked ways?¡± his father asked in a voice reeking of frost.


    ¡°Is an immortal that important to the clan?" Qin Yun replied, uninterested. "There are other ways to seek strength."


    ¡°And renounce the legacy our ancestors built?" his father replied in an even colder tone. "Do you have no respect for the path they opened for us? Do you think yourself their equals?¡± he scoffed, reeking with disdain. ¡°Know your place.¡±


    It¡¯s the same thing every time, he sighed internally. Doesn¡¯t he get tired of it?

 Chapter 4 - A Drink Under the Moonlight

    Qin Yun didn¡¯t remember much of the meeting with his father as most of it was just him rambling about face and reputation, something he couldn¡¯t care less about. In fact, he took great pleasure in shaming them. To him, the insults and slander thrown his way were nothing more than children bickering over pointless things.


    As you might recall, Qin Yun was several lifetimes older than most elders. His way of thinking was simply brought by the passage of time, and even he couldn''t escape it. Time wore down everything, just as the wind and rain wore down the earth. It was simply the natural way of the world. It was Dao.


    As you might expect, most of that meeting was related to his upcoming marriage. Still, not much was revealed when Qin Yun asked about his bride, either because not much was known or they simply wanted to keep him in the dark. Qin Yun strongly suspected the latter.


    Once again, he couldn''t wait for the day, as it would prove highly entertaining. From what he could pry out of his father, the woman was the same age as he was but worlds apart regarding talent. Rumours mentioned she was poised to attempt to break through the Void Core Realm; however, something happened, and she was forced to give up. As for the details, they were vague, to say the least.


    Qin Yun didn''t bother asking for more information, as the result could easily be inferred by the fact that this marriage was agreed upon in the first place. Still, Qin Yun hoped that his bride would have quite the tale to tell; he was sorely lacking in entertainment at the moment.


    Most of Qin Yun¡¯s waking moments were spent avoiding his responsibilities. It wasn¡¯t that he was a jerk¡ªokay, he was¡ªbut most of the tasks given to him were asinine, at best: things better left to the servants in charge of the clan''s maintenance¡ªthings better left to professionals. How would he appear if he was seen stealing their jobs from them? He was only doing them a service, really.


    As for what he did with his newfound free time? What he knew best, of course. Experiment! Qin Yun had many theories he wished to probe the depths of, and many things to inquire about.


    Despite all his lifetimes, Qin Yun never changed much. Maybe his personality was deeply ingrained in his soul, but he never felt the urge to deviate from who he was. He had long accepted that he was flawed and had no intention of striving for perfection.


    It wasn¡¯t that perfection eluded him; quite the contrary. With his wealth of experience and all the time in the world, what couldn¡¯t he accomplish? No, perfection frightened him somewhat. What would he do once he achieved it? There would be nothing to strive for, only endless boredom.


    Still, Qin Yun figured that achieving perfection in cultivation was acceptable as he could always start over if he eventually reached the top. Qin Yun wasn''t a man without ambition; he simply never let it show.


    As the duo finally exited the compound, the sun had long gone to bed, and night had blanketed the clan. Only the sparse light of torches fought against the darkness while they walked upon the empty streets. Just as Qin Meihui mentioned that she was leaving, Qin Yun held her back by gently holding her wrist.


    "How about a drink, for old time''s sake," Qin Yun said as he smiled slightly. "I have some thousand-year-old Dwarven Fire Wine."


    Qin Meihui frowned slightly, looking deep into Qin Yun''s eyes. Yet Qin Yun''s smile didn''t falter, and she didn''t struggle from his hold. A moment passed, and then her scowl turned into a charming smile.


    ¡°While I don¡¯t know what Dwarven means, You¡¯re on!¡± She exclaimed with a playful expression.


    The duo quickly made their way to Qin Yun''s secluded hut, ensuring they wouldn''t be spotted by anyone for fear of spoiling their fun. If Meihui was spotted with him at this hour, Qin Yun had no doubts that some unsavoury rumours would be spread about him. Something akin to how the poor girl was forced to keep him company or how he somehow forced himself on her despite Meihui being two whole realms higher than he was. No consistency whatsoever.


    As Meihui reached his courtyard, she stripped herself of her shoes and skipped barefoot into the tall, soft grass. While Qin Meihui was a young adult with many responsibilities, that didn''t mean she didn''t have a childish side. While trying to meet all the expectations placed on her, she had lost most of her childhood to gruelling practice.


    Qin Yun watched her play within nature, with a slight smile on his face, as slight rays of moonlight piercing the veil of clouds ended their journey on her soft and radiant skin, illuminating her beauty. Qin Yun felt akin to a father watching his young daughter make the most of her youth.


    Noticing his old man¡¯s gaze again, Qin Meihui scoffed as she stuck her cute tongue out before sprinting toward the pavilion at the centre of a small pond within the courtyard. Qin Yun shook his head as his smile grew slightly larger before slowly following her.


    Qin Meihui skipped through the shallow pond as she felt the water''s soft, fresh coldness on her feet. Her thin dress fluttered lightly in the night breeze, making her look no less than a fairy.


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    Qin Meihui first reached the pavilion as Qin Yun used a small bridge. Unlike with his house¡ªready to fall apart at any moment¡ªQin Yun had meticulously restored the pavilion to its former grandeur.


    As if on cue, when both sat upon a wooden bench within the pavilion, facing the largest part of the pond, the thin clouds receded from the sky, letting the moonlight illuminate the night. Upon the shimmering watery surface, three round objects of different sizes were reflected as if a mirror of the sky.


    While Qin Meihui was mesmerized by the magical sight, Qin Yun extended his hand, lightly touching the invisible black object. Two jugs of wine materialized from thin air, and he poured a cup for both himself and her.


    Qin Meihui carefully watched the liquid in her hand before slightly taking in its scent. She was pleasantly surprised by its aroma and chose to take a sip of this most peculiar wine. Qin Yun''s smile was mischievous as he knew his companion had never tasted anything like this.


    An intense burn emanated from her throat as the liquid went down to her stomach, yet the sweet taste made her lips ask for more. With each sip she took, a feeling of euphoria overwhelmed her, yet soon enough, her cup was empty, and she couldn''t help but glare at Qin Yun as if he had kidnapped her firstborn.


    Qin Yun could only shake his head slightly amusedly before pouring another cup, which she drank just as fast as the first.


    The duo slowly wasted the night away, mostly with pointless talk. Yet, sometimes, they let the silence linger between them as they appreciated the world''s Dao. While their cultivation was much too shallow to comprehend the intricacies of the natural laws, with just observations and slight reflections, Qin Meihui could feel the chains of her bottleneck slowly disappear as if dust in the night breeze.


    Amid the laughter of their small talk and the comfortable silence, Qin Meihui felt her strength increase as a hazy lotus platform appeared above her head. The rotating lotus was a mix of deep blue and green, and with each passing moment, its ethereal nature slowly subsided, becoming evermore real.


    A small bud appeared on the platform, displacing the three leaves already present, before it burst into a flash of coloured light, illuminating the night sky above Qin Yun¡¯s courtyard. Qin Yun waved his sleeve, prompting the small black box to rise above Qin Meihui. The box rotated slightly, bursting into a black curtain, engulfing all the light as if a giant maw rendering the very sky.


    With the light taken care of, the lotus platform rotated faster and faster until a fourth leaf emerged from the bud, prompting Qin Meihui''s ascension to the 4th level of the Foundation Building Realm.


    "Congratulations," Qin Yun whispered softly as he raised his glass to Meihui, sporting a slight smile.


    Qin Meihui remained in a state of enlightenment for a while longer before the light extinguished and the lotus disappeared entirely. All that remained was Qin Meihui slowly opening her eyes as a joy-filled smile graced her lips.


    She turned to face Qin Yun and opened her mouth to speak, yet no words came out. While she had always known she was on the verge of a breakthrough, none had come as easily as this one. She knew it was somehow thanks to him, yet his expression at this moment made her reign in her joy.


    ¡°What are you gazing at so intently?" she asked softly.


    Qin Yun''s gaze was locked upwards, fixed on the three celestial objects overpowering the night sky. His smile was gentle, if somewhat sad, and filled with nostalgia. Hearing her inquiry, Qin Yun slightly shook his head, then looked her in the eyes, admiring the depths of those jewels.


    Slightly embarrassed, Qin Meihui turned away, humphing slightly. Qin Yun chuckled, but then a slight melancholy overpowered him as memories of days long gone assaulted him.


    ¡°Those sights only made me remember old memories,¡± he said with a slight sadness.


    ¡°You talk as if those were tales from before you were born," she said curtly, less than pleased to hear such a vague answer.


    With a slight smile, Qin Yun replied, "I might be inclined to tell you the truth in the future."


    ¡°Why not now?¡± she asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t ready to know the truth,¡± he said as if stating facts.


    Qin Meihui scoffed but didn¡¯t push him further, knowing she wouldn¡¯t get an answer on this day. After refilling her cup, she asked what was truly on her mind.


    "How do you feel about your upcoming marriage? I wouldn''t have thought you would be the first of us two to get married."


    Qin Yun turned to face her as an eyebrow lightly rose before a playful smile appeared on his lips. He waved his sleeve in front of his face, obscuring his features for but a fraction of a second. Yet, when he revealed his face again, his familiar and ordinary facial features had significantly changed. Gone were the slight imperfections of his skin and the asymmetry of his bone structure, replaced by what one could only liken to perfection.


    This was but a side effect of his cultivation technique. With each step he took upon the road of perfecting the Body Strengthening Realm, his body rid itself of all faults and weaknesses until it reached perfection.


    To avoid garnering attention from the clan, Qin Yun had a habit of distorting his facial structure to become only slightly more handsome than the average man. Obviously, Qin Meihui was aware of this, and Qin Yun saw no reason to hide when it was only the two of them.


    ¡°Are you jealous?¡± Qin Yun asked with a playful tone as his face inched closer to hers, eventually whispering in her ear.


    Qin Meihui¡¯s ears soon took on a red hue as embarrassment overwhelmed her heart. While what she felt for this man wasn''t love, she couldn''t deny that she held a slight interest in him, but she was all too aware that all he felt for her were familial ties. At most, they could be counted as close friends. By this point, she held no expectations in her heart, yet she couldn¡¯t let this man go. He seemed to always tease her with the hope she had renounced long ago.


    Qin Yun knew her heart well, but he, too, felt attracted to this woman. Yet, he had to set some boundaries, as he knew himself best. The world itself couldn''t bear the weight of his unbridled self. If he were to let himself go completely, all that would remain would be dust.


    Still, even though they wouldn¡¯t share the pleasure of the flesh, if she was willing, they could share eternity. Qin Yun was more than willing to walk side by side with her. They weren¡¯t mortals; the urge to procreate wasn¡¯t the driving force of cultivators¡¯ relationships.


    As if to drown her sorrow and embarrassment, Qin Meihui drank cup after cup while Qin Yun simply accompanied her silently. While his upcoming marriage might threaten to upset their relationship, Qin Yun would do his best to prevent it.

 Chapter 5 - Experimenting with Innate Qi

    Qin Yun woke up the next day with a pounding headache. While cultivators could easily reverse the effects of alcohol, where would be the fun in that? He was sprawled out on the floor, wearing nothing but his trousers as all his clothes were thrown around the room. At least he was inside his house with a roof above his head.


    He tried to rise but found another body blocking his path. Qin Meihui was lying on top of his chest, wearing nothing but her undergarments. Her eyes were still closed, and Qin Yun could feel her soft breath on his skin.


    Qin Yun''s gaze was locked on her long eyelashes as they slightly vibrated along with her breath while he did his best to restrain himself from doing something he would regret. Despite his miserable state, Qin Yun''s memories of last night were crystal clear; he knew nothing had happened between them.


    With a slight, mischievous smile, Qin Yun lightly pinched her slender nose, waiting for her to wake. She did this slowly at first until the memories returned to her like a cannonball in her brain.


    She rose in one step, snatching the first item of clothing she could find, which happened to be Qin Yun''s outer robes. Hiding behind it, she looked at Qin Yun with a piercing glare as if to impress her shame into his mind.


    The man chuckled slightly before turning around, letting her get dressed, which she did with much difficulty as her gaze was riveted on him. Once done, her mouth opened and closed several times, trying to find the words to say. After a moment, she finally settled on this.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t... did we?¡±


    While she still had most of her memories, some were missing¡ªthe most important ones.


    ¡°No," Qin Yun affirmed as he turned, locking gaze with her. "The wine was simply too strong, and it unbalanced your Core Qi, which resulted in you taking off your clothes.¡±


    Qin Yun failed to mention that this Dwarven Fire Wine wouldn''t have had the same effect on him as the nature of his Spiritual Roots was wildly different. Qin Meihui¡¯s was of the water and wood attribute, which didn¡¯t mesh well with the fire attribute of the wine, which raised her core temperature substantially.


    While intoxicated, Qin Meihui argued that it wasn''t fair for her to be the only one to take off her clothes, so, with no other choice, Qin Yun obliged reluctantly.


    Still, Qin Yun could tell she didn''t believe in the slightest that this story was so simple. Yet, the sun was already high in the sky, and she couldn''t continue to loiter around here. Unlike this lazy bum, she was quite a busy woman. Still, she wouldn''t let this go so easily.


    ¡°What should I expect from our relationship from here on?¡± she asked as she was about to exit the threshold of his house. She turned and looked straight into his eyes, expecting a truthful response without avoiding the issue.


    Qin Yun sighed and then spoke his mind.


    "That¡¯s up to you," Qin Yun said as he sighed slightly. "There are many things I can give you and just as much that I can''t. Still, the path is long and lonesome. Company would always be appreciated."


    Qin Meihui frowned, thinking of the implications.


    ¡°What about your marriage,¡± she asked sheepishly.


    ¡°For now, I¡¯ve no intentions of going against it. Still, it will all be made clear once I meet the bride,¡± he said as he shrugged.


    Qin Yun rose and, while still bare-chested, approached Qin Meihui, pinning her against the door frame.


    ¡°You should clearly think about what you truly want from me. If you want my heart, then you had it long ago. Still, the heart isn¡¯t that simple. I don¡¯t expect you to give your whole heart to me, so don¡¯t expect this from me. I just want you in my life in any way you choose to be.¡±


    Hearing those direct and sincere words, Qin Meihui''s gaze became slightly hazy as a complicated feeling rose in her heart. She looked Qin Yun in the eyes yet couldn''t sustain his gaze. She turned and walked away at almost a run. Yet, as she left the courtyard, she couldn''t help but turn around for one last look before finally leaving.


    With a peaceful expression, he went back inside and dressed. While he had feelings for her, his were much more subdued than the average person''s. He had loved many people in his long years and had all seen them go, either through his or their deaths. Still, those feelings remained in his heart to this day. To ask him to choose which ranked higher was an impossibility, even if Qin Meihui was alive and they were already long gone.


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    Still, Qin Yun tried his best not to be a hypocrite. He left the choice to her to figure out what she truly wanted. He knew he couldn¡¯t avoid this marriage unless he fell out with the entire clan. While it was still a possibility, he would try to avoid it if possible. He also knew, sooner or later, she too would have to face her own marriage. What she would choose at that point would be up to her. He wouldn¡¯t think less of her if she wanted to be with that man, as it would only be fair of him.


    While some may think he was cold and uncaring, this was the only way to protect his heart in the long years and countless seasons he had been alive. He had no intention of becoming a machine going through the motions. Everything stemmed from his own will. He wouldn''t ask something of someone he wasn''t prepared to do himself.


    With those thoughts at the back of his mind, Qin Yun sat on the floor and started cultivating. While he did circulate his Innate Qi within his muscles and bones every waking moment, it was only when properly cultivating that most of the heavy lifting was done.


    Speeding through the Body Strengthening Realm wasn''t complicated, as most cultivators simply chose to skip this stage entirely. They were already born with a more robust body than most mortals, as their innate Qi perfused their flesh, sculpting it into a receptacle fit to accommodate the world''s spiritual energy.


    Few lingered in this realm, much less those like Qin Yun, who went far and beyond. According to his theories and past experiences, this would come back to haunt most cultivators, as their foundations would be brittle at best, ensuring the road ahead would be filled with hardship.


    As Qin Yun wished to reach the peak, he wouldn''t settle for anything less than perfection. He took a deep breath and started circulating the pitiful amount of Innate Qi he possessed, making sure to quench every muscle and bone fibre.


    Unlike the Spiritual Qi, which cultivators collected in their Qi Centre when they reached the Qi Refining Realm, Innate Qi was a limited and scarce resource determined at birth, which would be slowly expelled as one aged. The only way to retain it was to actively do so, preferably as soon as possible.


    Innate Qi was truly a peculiar existence. Unlike Spiritual Qi, which could be found everywhere, innate Qi behaved much differently. For one, it was much more potent, containing much more power, but it was also impossible to renew once used up.


    Also, Innate Qi and Spiritual Qi were incompatible, as if their origins were two opposites balancing each other. Spiritual Qi was created from Heaven and Earth, while Innate Qi was created by a mother and then transferred to the child in the womb.


    However, as the Spiritual Roots in a newborn child grew, so would the friction between Innate Qi and Spiritual Qi wishing to take root, leading to the dissipation of Innate Qi, almost as if Spiritual Qi couldn¡¯t tolerate its existence.


    Fortunately, Qin Yun became aware almost precisely as he was born, so the amount of Innate Qi he possessed was much more than most thought possible. Yet, compared to what even a 1<sup>st</sup> level Qi Refining Realm cultivator could accumulate, his reserves were indeed pitiful. He could use no techniques for fear of using up any Qi. All he had was his body forged through years of gruelling hardship.


    Tempering the body was by no means an easy task, especially past the 10<sup>th</sup> level. Every time his Innate Qi circulated within his flesh, it would tear at his muscles and break his bones, only to restore them but only slightly stronger. The process would repeat itself, day after day, ad infinitum.


    Qin Yun pushed through the pain, regardless. This was far from the worst torture he had ever experienced. Besides, the reward was worth it. He judged his physical body to be as strong as his father¡¯s, if not stronger. One had to know that his father was easily over a century old while Qin Yun was only twenty.


    If he were to expose his strength, that would surely be a devastating blow to the clan. Still, this didn''t mean he could win against his father in a fight. Only that his current flesh surpassed the Nascent Soul Realm. His father had ample Qi to use, while Qin Yun could only punch and kick his way to victory. Still, he had trump cards but would prefer not to use them.


    Qin Yun did the same as he always did. He made the Innate Qi do one full lap around his body, destroying and reconstructing everything before he ground two packets of Innate Qi against each other. A small amount of Qi was destroyed in the collision, yet its purity seemed to rise slightly.


    Since the start, Qin Yun had followed this procedure to the letter, working his Innate Qi one bit at a time. After years of doing so, Qin Yun¡¯s Qi was almost void of any imperfections. Still, its amount was truly too pitiful to show. Yet, it was still enough to temper his flesh.


    As for why he did so, that was another theory he had. The Qi Refining Realm could be divided into two distinct phases: the accumulation and refining phases, usually done in this order. Yet, Qin Yun thought, why not do it backwards.


    Usually, new cultivators enraptured by the allure of newfound strength would accumulate as much Qi in their Qi Centre as possible before slowly refining it to progress to the next realm. However, they failed to realize that the more Qi you had, the harder it was to refine.


    Most were left with just half-baked refined Qi as they attempted to build their foundations, which often resulted in a shaky base on which to build.


    Qin Yun realized that if you were to add Spiritual Qi to highly refined Innate Qi, the purity would only drop slightly as if the Innate Qi would simply devour the Spiritual Qi introduced. As such, when he finally reached the Qi Refining Realm, Qin Yun could streamline the process and swiftly move through the levels as he prepared to build his foundation.


    Still, one problem arose from all this. Qin Yun had no idea how pure he could make his Innate Qi. He had started this project over fifteen years ago, and there was no end in sight. Maybe he would be stuck in the Body Strengthening Realm for quite a long time. This didn''t really bother him, as his strength would constantly increase even if his realm did not.


    There was another one. As the two types of Qis were incompatible, Qin Yun would be forced to choose between them. His first instinct was to integrate all his Innate Qi into his flesh once it reached its highest purity. This, however, felt like a waste as replacing it with Spiritual Qi would mean a drop in his means. He was reluctant to do so and would seek another way.


    With this day''s cultivation over with, Qin Yun rose and examined his surroundings. He had never put much effort into fixing his shabby dwelling, as he could sleep mostly anywhere. But now, with his marriage quickly approaching, something needed to be done.


    He wasn¡¯t the type of man to let his wife live in such a situation. Even if he didn¡¯t know what type of woman she was, he would do his best as her husband. That was simply the type of man he was. Besides, he was an experienced husband; he knew he could make this work.


    With his newfound goal, Qin Yun spent most of each day simply cultivating during the night and fixing his courtyard during the day. He mainly kept out of everyone''s way as the clan eagerly prepared for his upcoming marriage. Unbeknownst to him, the list of guests was staggering, ranging from the current city lord to the elders of the surrounding immortal sects.


    While most in the clan knew a wedding was coming, the clan''s elders had kept the bride and groom''s identities under wrap, probably fearing an uproar if they were to know their shame was one of the participants.


    As the elders had ordered, Qin Yun had been on his best behaviour for almost an entire month, as he rarely left his courtyard. Nobody even bothered to come see him regarding the details of the ceremony; Qin Yun also didn''t bother to ask and left everything to them to manage,


    And so, the fateful day was finally upon them.

 Chapter 6 - The Brides Arrival

    Qin Yun sat on the branch of a massive tree, overlooking most of the clan¡¯s grounds. From his vantage point, he could see the clan''s main gate where the bride''s family''s procession was supposed to enter. There were no signs of them; only the various guests were seen entering one after the other, while the VIPs were greeted by some of the clan''s elders.


    Qin Yun could see interest and puzzlement on the guests¡¯ faces, meaning they, too, probably didn''t know the married couple''s identity. He wondered how the clan had arranged for all these bigshots to be present with so little information to go on.


    Qin Yun shrugged; this wasn¡¯t his problem. Whatever secret deal the two families had made had nothing to do with him. He would simply go according to the plan he made on his own. Still, all this would depend on his bride¡¯s intentions.


    While the sun had yet to reach its zenith, Qin Yun lounged on this branch, slowly sipping the content of the jug in his hands. He knew the ceremony was still a long way off as it was scheduled for late evening.


    Yet, Qin Yun found some of the details he had been told interesting. For one, these types of grand weddings would usually last for more than a month, leaving quite a long time for the festivities. Yet, both families opted to have the wedding itself on the day of the Yun Family''s arrival as if to get it over with as soon as possible. Qin Yun wondered if this was done on purpose so as not to give them the opportunity to reject the marriage.


    He was mostly sure this was the reason, yet he didn''t take it to heart. He never had a reason to reject this offer, much less try to derail the ceremony. Qin Yun would play along in this little show of theirs, being the filial son that he is.


    On this day, Qin Yun woke to a herd of handmaidens who washed him from head to toe before helping him put on his red wedding garb, which seemed way too gaudy for his taste. His clothes were inlaid with precious metal resembling gold and emitted a slight immortal aura reminiscent of his father''s own clothes.


    Qin Yun had no delusions that he could keep them afterwards. The family would surely come to collect them. While dressing him, Qin Yun noticed the maids'' obvious disgust for him, which he found strange as he had never had any contact with any of them. Still, Qin Yun decided to retaliate, just enough to annoy them.


    He used his Innate Qi and shifted his facial features ever so slightly to make himself uglier than usual, which the maids had no choice but to mask with ample makeup. The session, which should have usually only taken one or two hours, now took over five.


    Qin Yun didn''t mind the wait, as he took the opportunity to cultivate while they did their work. Still, he made sure they wouldn''t realize what he was doing, as most cultivators couldn''t be touched as they cultivated for fear of entering Qi Deviation.


    Qin Yun had no such fears as his body and Qi Channels were much too strong to be affected by something as simple as Qi Deviation. Besides, his mastery over Qi was such that he didn¡¯t even need to remain stationary to cultivate, much less remain alone.


    After all the preparations had been done, Qin Yun gave them the slip. There was still a long time until the start of the ceremony, and he had no intentions of staying obediently in this prison like a caged bird. This was his big day, and he would enjoy it.


    Finally, Qin Yun saw a floating boat slowly approaching in the distance. On top of its deck was something akin to a castle. While Qin Yun hadn''t heard of the Yun Family, judging by this boat alone, their status wasn''t any lower than his own clan. If anything, they might be much stronger.


    The boat landed some distance away from the city''s main gate. Despite its massive size, one could barely see it from a distance. Yet, this was no problem for Qin Yun, as his vision had been quenched through years of gruelling practice. Such a distance was nothing to him.


    After a moment, a procession of carriages exited the boat through a small opening on its side before making the trip toward the city. In front of the gate, Qin Yun saw the three elders who had first informed him of this marriage over a month ago.


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    While the two males sported wide grins and bowed to the approaching procession, the female, Qin Lihua, only had a look of cold indifference, as always. Still, once the line grew closer to the gate, Qin Yun noticed a slight change in her expression. It was so imperceptible that no one would have seen the change without looking as closely as Qin Yun did.


    She showed puzzlement before she frowned slightly, then quickly returned to indifference. This confirmed Qin Yun''s guess; something was afoot in this marriage. Still, this was only affirmation; he still had no idea what the problem truly was.


    While Qin Yun could read the elders'' lips from his vantage point, he opted not to. Why spoil the surprise? Still, he could infer how most of the conversation went. Their expressions alone gave him most of the information he needed.


    It seemed there was some disagreement between the two parties, and his clan was forced to relent. Qin Yun didn''t find it strange as the representative of the Yun Family was much stronger than even his Grand-Aunt Lihua. If anything, the man was comparable to their Patriarch, and he seemed no older than a third his age.


    The man wore long robes just as most cultivators did, yet his were a mix of purple and white, which not many would wear. Besides, his clothes were much more luxurious than anything Qin Yun had seen since his rebirth, even more than his father''s. White lines almost imperceptible to the eyes were inlaid within the fabric, making strange and wild shapes. Qin Yun knew right away that they were from array formations.


    The one who created such a vestment was a genius, to say the least. Formations were usually static constructs utilizing the land and the flow of Qi hidden within to empower or produce some sort of effect, ranging from defence to offence. As long as the power source was strong enough and the design intricate enough, nothing a cultivator could do couldn''t be done by a formation instead.


    As for the mobile formation resting on the man''s back, this used a completely separate formation model. It was as if comparing a land animal to a bird; the two operated on two vastly different concepts while still being of the same nature.


    Needless to say, such a vestment was priceless¡ªat least in the eyes of Qin Yun''s clan¡ªyet no one seemed to realize this fact. Qin Yun could feel the mounting tension between the two parties. Only Qin Lihua seemed to keep her calm, as she always did. She seemed wholly uninterested in their argument.


    With the procession at a standstill, the queue outside the city began to grow restless. All the Yun Family servants near the carriages looked around as they whispered to each other secretly. Qin Yun was familiar with this behaviour, as this was exactly how his family acted when talking about him. Qin Yun wondered if he was the object of their dispute; he most probably was, yet he stood on his perch enjoying the debacle.


    However, before things could escalate into involving the City Lord, the Qin Clan Patriarch showed up just in time to defuse the situation. He walked out of the city gate, followed by most of the clan''s elders. The man was old as the vestiges of time could be fully observed on his senescent skin. His long white beard hovered lightly in the wind, making him look like an old hermit.


    Still, Qin Yun was surprised that the old man''s entrance was so subdued. He figured this probably had to do with the status of the man in the purple robes, as he knew the men of his clan loved their posturing. It would take more than a family with similar strength to make them see them as equals, as the reputation of being an Immortal Family was like a shield, allowing them to be unbridled in their arrogance.


    As soon as the Patriarch showed up, the two men talked briefly before the procession finally entered the city. Qin Yun watched the scene with a slight smile on his face. Still, he had no intentions of prying, yet simply the act of looking at them had attracted the attention of the man in purple.


    Just before the man passed through the gate, he shot Qin Yun a look, locking gaze with him. Qin Yun''s eyebrow rose slightly as he felt a slight pressure on his body, no doubt due to the man''s divine sense observing him.


    Unlike Qin Yun''s sharp eyesight, most cultivators with a certain amount of strength wouldn''t bother to use their physical organs anymore, opting to use their divine sense for almost everything, leading to their senses'' deterioration. If, for some reason, they were stripped of their cultivations, most would be practically blind at this point. That man seemed to be no exception.


    Still, that pressure soon faded, probably because he realized that Qin Yun offered no threat to them. Yet, Qin Yun hadn''t expected to be spotted so easily as he was quite far away and hadn''t used any Qi to trace back to him. It seemed the man was quite the expert. Qin Yun assumed the man to be superior to his Patriarch, maybe even the City Lord. He wondered what the man''s status was in his bride''s family.


    Still, as the procession moved along, Qin Yun noticed a red carriage near the centre of the line. All around it were countless guards wearing imposing armours. Yet, the aura those guards emitted seemed to be no more than the Foundation Building Stage. Even within the whole procession, Qin Yun could only identify Void Core Realm cultivators at best, except for the man in purple.


    Qin Yun frowned slightly; something was wrong. It seemed there were no elders present for this wedding. It was as if the Yun Family didn''t care for it at all. This was like a slap in the Qin Family''s face. Yet, his Patriarch said nothing and let them in regardless. Qin Yun wondered what their game was. Why put on this elaborate show if their hearts weren''t in it? What did they have to gain?


    As he pondered the implications, Qin Yun noticed a slender gloved hand reaching out of the curtains, blocking the view from the interior of the red carriage. Something seemed to have been said, but as he couldn''t see their lips, he had no idea what it was. Yet, he saw a guard bow slightly and then left soon after.


    Still, after their interaction, all Qin Yun could see on the guard''s face was an expression full of mockery and derision.


    Qin Yun followed the guard with his gaze a little longer, but nothing came of it. He stopped before another carriage, said a few words, and then returned just as quickly. Qin Yun made a mental note of this guard but thought nothing more of this. The fact that he held contempt for the individual in the red carriage was more than enough for him.


    With the procession now out of sight within the confines of the city, Qin Yun took another sip out of his jug, wasting time away until he was required. Still, his rest was cut short as Qin Meihui came to fetch him, stating that the Patriarch requested his presence.

 Chapter 7 - The Wedding Feast

    As soon as Qin Yun entered the Hall, he knew that this wedding was by no means the main event. No one even bothered to acknowledge his presence despite being the supposed leading actor of this day. Furthermore, he could spy his bride relegated to a corner, with an empty seat beside her, while all the important people were on an elevated platform near the back.


    All those at the back were in quite a heated conversation. While Qin Yun couldn''t make out their facial features as a hazy film covered the area they were seated in, he noticed their exaggerated movement, clearly displaying their heightened emotional state. Still, no arguments were heard as that film also seemed to filter sounds.


    Qin Yun observed for a while longer, yet nothing could be gleaned as their realms were too far apart. Although he was confident this partition was formed by a formation, and he could probably crack it, he couldn''t do it without attracting attention to himself.


    As for his bride, her whole head was hidden behind a red veil, yet Qin Yun seemed to have felt her gaze linger on him as he entered. Still, she quickly lost interest, and he hasn''t felt it again since.


    Qin Yun and his cousin stood in the middle of the entrance, waiting to be addressed. He had no idea how the ceremony was supposed to proceed. They had only told him to shut up and follow instructions, which he was glad to do.


    Not long after they entered, a group of maids went to fetch them, bringing Qin Meihui toward the area reserved for the clan while escorting Qin Yun to his bride on the other side of the Hall.


    As he took his seat, his bride turned her head toward him and then turned the other side just as suddenly. Qin Yun chuckled internally as her actions reminded him of a feisty wild tiger: independent and full of pride.


    The whole Hall was deep in conversation, mostly ignoring the supposed married couple. From time to time, Qin Yun could feel the glances of the surrounding guests as they tried to examine the veracity of the rumours spreading within the city. Unbeknownst to him, Qin Yun was quite the celebrity.


    Qin Yun spotted some acquaintances belonging to the various different groups holding sway over the city. While most were only from the younger generation and held no real power in this place, Qin Yun was still glad they would be here for his wedding. Unlike the rest, who had next to no contact with him, those people didn''t view him as severely as the rumours stated and would remain open-minded.


    While they were few in number, they couldn''t be underestimated. Despite what his family thought, Qin Yun had made quite the connections outside his clan. So much so that he would have no problems if he fell out with the Qin Family.


    While they were on good terms, Qin Yun didn''t acknowledge them, and they did the same. Exposing their relationship at this moment would be ill-advised. Trump cards weren''t to be used lightly.


    Feeling slightly bored, Qin Yun opted to sample the various dishes available at this banquet. It would be a shame to let them go to waste. Most cultivators practised inedia, claiming that ingesting mortal food would only muddle their Qi, filling them with impurity.


    While that was true, it would only be the case when the Qi was already impure to begin with. In Qin Yun¡¯s case, his Qi was already so pure that nothing could taint it.


    Still, as nobody ate anything, the food prepared by the clan was nothing more than a decoration. Except for the food served to the ones on the platform, which emitted an immortal aura, the rest was only plain mortal food, expertly cooked but nonetheless beneath most cultivators. Despite the scornful looks, full of derision, he received, Qin Yun waved to a maid to bring him a plate, which she did with reluctance.


    In less than half an hour, the number of plates Qin Yun had finished reached a staggering amount. The maid, unable to cope with the pace at which Qin Yun ate, had no choice but to enlist two more for help. The food would disappear as if it had evaporated into thin air as soon as the plate was brought to him.


    Of the massive amount of food prepared for the banquet, almost a third had vanished, eaten by Qin Yun alone. The guests looked at him as if he was a rare animal specimen, while the maid didn''t know what to do anymore as Qin Yun''s pace only seemed to grow faster. Now, at least five maids went back and forth without stopping, bringing him plate after plate. Even his indifferent bride couldn''t help but look at him with skepticism. Despite her veil, Qin Yun seemed to know exactly how she felt, but he paid her no mind.


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    Despite the gargantuan amount of food Qin Yun ingested, not a single scrap marred his face or garments. He was civilized, after all. It wouldn''t do to embarrass himself or his new wife at their own wedding. Still, to waste such good food would be sacrilegious. Seeing Qin Yun enjoy the food, some guests couldn''t help but also try it, leading to the maids being further understaffed.


    As for where all that food went, the answer was very simple. With Qin Yun¡¯s body nearing perfection, an immense amount of energy was required to fuel his muscles and strengthen his bones. He could acquire most from his own pure innate Qi, but as a limited resource, Qin Yun wouldn''t tap into it unless absolutely necessary.


    Instead, food seemed to offer a more sustainable method, yet the amount required was much more than what the clan was willing to provide. From a young age, Qin Yun would often go into the forest surrounding the city and hunt beasts, subsisting on their flesh. Still, not all beasts were edible, yet such a thing was barely a nuisance to him.


    With each step he took on the path of perfecting his body, Qin Yun found that almost no toxins were effective on him. Without repercussions, he could eat as many poisonous and highly deadly creatures as he wanted. His body was like a giant furnace; processing and purifying such an enormous amount of food was child''s play.


    Still, even that was barely enough for his needs. He had no choice but to reduce his expenditure as much as possible while diverting everything he could toward cultivation. He figured that such requirements would be lifted as long as he achieved perfection. Until then, Qin Yun had no choice but to move the least amount possible, hence all the time he spent asleep.


    Qin Yun couldn''t let such a heaven''s gift of a banquet slip from his grasp. He figured this was enough food to last a few weeks without hunting.


    While he hadn¡¯t paid attention, Qin Yun had become the focal point of this gathering. All eyes turned to him, wondering how such a slim body could accommodate that amount of food. Still, Qin Yun¡¯s pace never slowed down; soon, not much remained of the feast the clan had prepared.


    As for how to store all that energy, Qin Yun simply compressed it all within something akin to an artificial Qi centre. Usually, when a cultivator reached the Qi Refining Realm, his Innate Qi would be transformed into a receptacle located just below the navel that would be used to store the Spiritual Qi one could absorb from the atmosphere.


    In Qin Yun''s case, he simply had to do the same thing or something close to it. By separating a portion of his Innate Qi and making it revolve at high speed, he could create a makeshift vortex that would further crush and compact all that energy. Then, he only had to allow a single opening to draw that energy out and use it, making that vortex something akin to a battery.


    The only problem with that process was that it required that vortex to always be in motion as if it were to stop, but for a moment, it would burst outward and probably rip Qin Yun apart. As such, it took him a long time to be able to rotate his Qi even as he slept. By now, it was second nature and it did a wonder for his control over Qi. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say Qin Yun had the best Qi mastery of anyone within Jin City.


    As Qin Yun¡¯s meal drew to a close¡ªnot by choice, there was simply no more food to eat¡ª he thanked the servants for their fabulous service before once again becoming silent and waiting for the banquet to end. Seeing Qin Yun''s indifferent expression, most guests sported complicated looks as this situation was far removed from what they had expected. Only the few familiar with Qin Yun''s eccentricities smiled slightly, expectantly waiting for what was to come next.


    Unfortunately, their wait would remain unrewarded as the banquet seemed to come to a close. Qin Yun was disappointed to find that no ceremony would take place on this day. It appeared that his marriage was nothing but an excuse for these bigshots to convene their meeting. Still, Qin Yun wondered if they had reached a consensus.


    Probably not, as when the hazy film disappeared, the man in purple, who was part of the bride''s retinue, was seen storming out with a grim expression on his face. Qin Yun could see traces of sadness as the man glanced at his bride. Unlike what he expected, the man seemed to care greatly about her.


    The man¡¯s gaze lingered on Qin Yun for a while, yet, despite the pressure, Qin Yun returned his gaze calmly, which seemed to draw a look of interest from his bride. The man stopped halfway down the Hall and then turned to address Qin Yun.


    ¡°Young man, how do you view this marriage?" he asked, his voice deep and clear, yet Qin Yun could feel the pressure on his body rising. He had no doubts about his fate if he failed this test. Qin Yun rose and bowed slightly to the man without seeming too subservient.


    ¡°While I may not have arranged this marriage, Jingfei is my wife," Qin Yun replied calmly. "I chose this path and, as such, will be responsible for my own choices. As a husband, I will fulfill my duties as best as I can.¡±


    The man in purple¡¯s gaze seemed to ease somewhat hearing this, yet it was fleeting at best. His gaze soon became even sterner.


    ¡°What if she were to ask something of you?¡± the man added.


    Qin Yun smiled slightly; they were finally getting to the crux of the matter. Qin Yun very much doubted he would get a wife for free; this must be the price.


    "After this wedding, everything I own is already hers. She only has to ask," Qin Yun replied confidently, which drew a somewhat evil smile from the people on the platform as if he was now prey within their net. Qin Yun couldn''t care less and ignored them.


    "Then I will hold you to it," the man said as he started walking out of the Hall. "Take care of my niece."


    Qin Yun''s eyebrow rose slightly. He hadn''t expected this sacrifice of a wife to have an uncle with such strength. He wondered why she was chosen but didn''t voice his doubts. Not yet, anyway; he would know soon enough.


    "I will," Qin Yun replied as he bowed slightly while clasping his hand in respect. "Uncle can rest assured."


    The man stopped and looked at Qin Yun with narrowed eyes but then ignored him and left. A tense silence still hung in the air after the man''s departure, but soon, conversations renewed, discussing what had just happened.


    Qin Yun sat back down, unconcerned, yet he could feel his bride''s gaze on him as if she tried to bore a hole through him. Qin Yun chuckled slightly, then looked at the veiled woman beside him.


    ¡°Honey, I didn¡¯t know you were this smitten with me,¡± he said. ¡°I can feel your gaze all over me.¡±


    The woman harrumph slightly, then turned away, ignoring him. Qin Yun wished to tease her some more, but a horrible headache assaulted him as soon as he opened his mouth. His clear gaze became dull, and he lost all sense of time. Soon, he even lost consciousness.

 Chapter 8 - Life as a Starship Captain

    A searing pain assaulted Qin Yun¡¯s vision cortex as his sight became a sea of white. He could feel the pressure mounting in his brain as his heart pumped ever-increasing amounts of blood through his body. Still, his lungs couldn''t keep up with the increased demand for oxygen, and his mind felt slightly dizzy. The world whirled around him, and soon, all that remained was blackness. He had lost consciousness.


    Despite all this, a piece of him remained aware as scenes flashed before him. He was in an unfamiliar place. All around him were men and women, all dressed in what seemed like military uniforms, reminiscent of what he knew when he was still just a scientist. Yet, some of those individuals were far from humans.


    Some sported alien features, like tentacles for arms, while one seemed like a giant mantis. Many more sported strange and exotic physical traits so far removed from what one would consider humanoid. Yet, all the humans around seemed familiar with these sights as if it were all too common. Qin Yun looked around, trying to get his bearings.


    He seemed to be on the bridge of a ship, yet the technology was years ahead of what he remembered of his former life, maybe even centuries. Not many would compare, even if he were to liken it to some of the worlds he had explored.


    He looked down at his hands, only to discover that the large hands he remembered were now slender and somewhat feminine. He noticed a strand of long hair resting on his chest. Except his black hair was now green with a shade of orange. Furthermore, a bulging chest rested beneath that hair as if trying to overflow from the same uniform. Indeed, he was now a woman.


    "Reporting," a man in front of a console shouted over the cacophony in the room. "Captain, we have many hostile signals on the hulls of deck 13 through 21. They are breaking through. ETA, less than three minutes."


    ¡°Those damn bugs,¡± the woman cursed, irrelevant of Qin Yun¡¯s own will. ¡°Send the security droids and shut all auxiliary bulkheads. While it can¡¯t stop them, it might buy us some time.¡±


    A large explosion was heard, which shook the command bridge, prompting some of the officers to hang onto their consoles. Some of the less fortunate were thrown to the ground. One even hit his head on the side of a console. He slumped to the ground, unresponsive. Blood flowed from the wound, and Qin Yun could spy brain matter also leaking out.


    "Medic!" the woman shouted in a hoarse voice. "Give me a damage report!"


    The man at the helm tapped furiously on the translucent keyboard hovering slightly above his console. Countless windows of light appeared and disappeared in quick succession. His eyes darted back and forth between them, scanning all the information available. A neural link downloaded an unending flow of strange, obscure symbols directly into his brain. He then reported his findings.


    ¡°Captain! The enemy''s ion beams just grazed our starboard side. While the shield dispersed most of it, they were able to hit the core. Shields are at maximum capacity; we won¡¯t be able to endure another hit unless we vent them.¡±


    ¡°Vent the shield in the middle of battle? Are you mad, Helmsman?" the woman replied with a slight self-deprecating smile, then took a deep breath to regain her calm. "How''s the engines? Can we outrun them?"


    ¡°With the core in this state, we''ll be lucky if we can even run them at half power," the chief engineer said over comms.


    ¡°Can it be fixed?!¡± she barked with a gloomy expression.


    "Not unless we shut it off," the man said after a moment of hesitation. "Their beams severed the main conduit for the coolant while the backups are now at full capacity. If we try to push the engines further, we risk critical system overload or core meltdown."


    ¡°Speak plainly, officer!¡±


    ¡°Fireworks, M¡¯am!¡±


    As the woman contemplated the options left to her, a massive ship appeared before them, easily three times their size. Unlike their state-of-the-art ship, comprised of the newest technology available within the Systems Commonwealth, their opponents seemed more like an amalgam of space debris, held together by their own gravity alone. Yet, despite all their efforts, they were outmatched.


    "Captain, they are hailing us," the Helmsman said. "Your orders?"


    ¡°On screen.¡±


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    What appeared before her was some sort of crystal life form. She knew them well as they were the greatest enemies the Commonwealth had encountered in the eons since it was founded.


    Those creatures weren''t made of organic matter but of some sort of silica base. As far as they knew, they didn''t require oxygen to function and could overcome the vacuum of space, making them one of the most adept space-faring species. Despite all the research the Commonwealth had poured into understanding these creatures, they still had little idea how they developed sentience.


    The most accepted theory was some sort of neural network that utilized background radiation originating from sub-space and linked all creatures in some kind of hive. They were more akin to bugs than any other lifeforms, and their appearance reflected that.


    A stringent sound was heard over the comms, which seemed to want to bore right through her brain. She felt an intense pain assault her, and then the chip in her skull interpreted those sounds into something she could understand.


    ¡°Surrender and become part of the collective, or face imminent destruction.¡±


    She didn''t bother to respond as this was nothing more than a prerecorded message playing on repeat. She motioned for the Helmsman to cut communications before mulling over how she could get out of this one.


    They were light-years away from Commonwealth Space on a secret mission from High Command. They had no backup, no one to come and save them. They were all but doomed. Still, she couldn''t let the artifact they were sent to retrieve fall into those creatures'' hands. She steeled herself. She was, first and foremost, a soldier and would do her duty.


    ¡°Helmsman! Full speed ahead!¡± She screamed over comms. ¡°Chief Engineer, give me all she¡¯s got!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s madness!¡± the man replied. ¡°Are you trying to kill us all?¡±


    ¡°I''d rather take them with me than become one of those things," she said in the coldest tone the chief engineer had ever heard. Despite all his years serving aboard military ships, he couldn''t overcome the dread overwhelming him.


    Seeing his hesitation, the woman wanted to berate him for insubordination, yet she was interrupted by another communication link flashing on the display overhead. She clicked the red button and opened the line.


    ¡°This is security! Decks 13 through 17 are lost. We¡¯ve taken heavy casualties. Most of the droids have gone down. We¡¯re holding for now, but not for long. Requesting reinforcements!¡±


    ¡°Denied,¡± she responded. ¡°There¡¯s none near your position. Just fall back for now. Prioritize buying time.¡±


    "Aye, M''am," the man replied in a grim tone. "It''s been an honour."


    While the line was still open, the bridge was flooded by the sounds of laser turrets hitting their enemies'' crystal carapaces, metal being ripped apart, and men and women''s screams of agony. The woman had done it deliberately so that her staff would be aware of what they were facing. While their demise was imminent, they were seasoned soldiers, so morale remained high. They would see this through to the end.


    "Are you going to give me what I want, or are you still going to waste time?!" she barked over communications.


    The chief engineer gritted his teeth as he heard people dying left and right. He was no soldier, just the guy responsible for keeping this baby in running condition. Yet, even he would have to make his choice eventually. Whether to die in a blaze of glory or at the claws of these pests. There would be no happy ending this day.


    ¡°Disabling all limiters... Injecting supercritical mass into the core... Core now operating at 120%... Temperatures are now out of control... Estimating two minutes before Core Meltdown..." the onboard AI stated apathetically.


    The woman smiled slightly, yet her smile was laced with insanity, the same madness one would have as they stared death right in the face.


    ¡°Helmsman! Forward!¡± she ordered. ¡°Drive us right into their bellies. They want to assimilate us? They should be careful we don¡¯t give them an indigestion.¡±


    She rose from her command chair and opened comms to all parts of the ship. She addressed all her crew in a voice so calm and cold that her earlier display of madness seemed non-existent.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, and others, whatever you may be, this is your captain speaking. This is the end of the line for us. There is no retreat, only the path ahead. Still, for those unprepared to meet their makers, the escape pods are at your disposal for whatever good they might bring. Know that it was my pleasure to have lived and died in service of the Commonwealth alongside all of you. We may perish on this day, but we won''t go alone. We''ll drag all these bastards to hell with us! To whatever God out there, I''m not going to pray to them. My life has always been my own, and I¡¯m proud to say that my choices led me here, and I don¡¯t regret it one bit. My only regret is that I won¡¯t be around to see the day these bugs are exterminated to the last. That¡¯s all from me. Now, Helmsman, let her rip!¡±


    She sat back down on her chair while still connected to the ship-wide comms. She could hear her crew drop left and right as the bugs flooded the interior of her ship, ripping apart anyone they encountered. Soon enough, she seemed to have heard the peculiar voice of her chief engineer as bugs ripped his limbs from his torso, yet her expression didn''t change at all.


    With a glacial gaze, she looked forward through the front screen at the ship they intended to ram. Countless error and warning messages flashed on her command screen, but she ignored them, only focusing on the end of her journey. Even as bugs invaded the bridge, dismembering her crew as they pointlessly tried to fight back, the woman didn''t move one bit. She only waited for her inevitable end.


    She didn¡¯t have to wait long.


    Her large ship, spanning tens of miles and supporting a crew of tens of thousands, was now nothing more than a dead weight as it drifted at break-neck speed through space. The runaway heat from the core melted off entire decks as if it were a small star.


    Still, she didn¡¯t even have to wait for the core to melt down or the approaching bugs to cleave her in half as the ship rammed into the bugs'' mothership. As the inertial dampeners were now offline due to critical system failure, the woman died at the moment of impact as her brain and organs flattened themselves inside her body, killing her instantly.


    Moments later, the core cracked, and an explosion akin to a supernova destroyed the entire star system, reducing all the bugs and their ships to dust. Everything in a radius of a light-year was extinguished and turned into subatomic particles.


    This was the last scene Qin Yun witnessed before being brought back to reality. He could feel his brain throb as an excess amount of information was thrust into it. It took him a moment to adjust himself to his new knowledge.


    His bride to his side looked at him, and he could spy something akin to concern even despite the veil covering her face. Qin Yun took a deep breath and calmed himself. He could now remember all of that woman captain''s memories as if he had lived through her life. He needed some time to reorganize those memories and partition them away from his own so as not to confuse his identity with hers.


    Fortunately, this wasn''t the first time Qin Yun had to do something similar. It had happened so often that he was now highly familiar with the process. He calmly processed the information but was soon interrupted by maids standing before them.


    As the banquet ended, his bride was led away toward a secluded pavilion, while Qin Yun was required to meet with the clan''s patriarch.

 Chapter 9 - Celebrating with Fireworks

    Qin Yun didn''t pay much attention to the meeting with the upper echelons of the clan. He was too busy trying to make sense of the overflowing information now present in his mind. While his brain was a marvel in terms of information storage, it still couldn¡¯t cope with lifetimes of memories.


    As such, Qin Yun had no choice but to relegate some of the most irrelevant memories to something akin to cold storage deep within his mind. While he could still access them if he wished to, bringing them back to the surface would take some effort. He had no choice; this was the only way to keep his sanity.


    As for the meeting itself, it was as Qin Yun expected. While they continued to beat around the bushes, trying to obfuscate their true motives, Qin Yun could glean the true intentions hidden within this impromptu wedding.


    As he was made aware, the Yun Family was a respected family within the Western Domain, but their clan bordered the inner regions. This meant their reach and means were much more potent than those of the Qin Family, which were relegated to the outer wastelands.


    The continent they lived on was quite peculiar. It was akin to a disc where the further one travelled toward its centre, the denser the amount of spiritual Qi in the atmosphere, as if a spring spewed it all from its core. As such, most clans and sects wished nothing more than to migrate toward the continent''s core, which led to massive conflict over territories.


    While the Qin Clan had once been an overlord with an immortal at the helm, they had declined ever since his disappearance. As such, they had lost their territories and were forced out to the outer regions of the Western Domain.


    According to the Patriarch, this was their chance to find their way back to the inner regions. Apparently, the Yun Clan was connected to the Immortal Phoenix Sect, a subsidiary sect below one of the overlords of the outer regions, the Immortal Beasts Sect, and could leverage this relationship to give the Qin Family an opportunity to rise in the world.


    Of course, they wouldn¡¯t do this out of the goodness of their heart. Their condition was Qin Yun¡¯s mother¡¯s inheritance. Qin Yun had long figured as much, yet he couldn¡¯t oblige as he had no such thing.


    His mother had always been mysterious, and some even believed her to have come from the core region of the continent. As such, they believed her inheritance to be something miraculous. How they came to the conclusion that Qin Yun even had such a thing, he had no idea. Still, they seemed quite certain that it existed, enough to offer it as a bargaining chip despite failing to prove its existence.


    They probably figured she wouldn''t leave her son here without insurance as she left. Thus, over the years, they tried countless ways to make Qin Yun spit it out, yet they couldn''t use force in case she ever came back to check on her son. They could only make him turn it over willingly.


    While Qin Yun didn''t know how marrying a girl from the Yun Clan would let them achieve their goal, he still had some guesses. Still, he didn''t think much of it as it was bound to end badly for the Qin Family when the Yun clan would eventually realize they had been duped. Still, this was none of Qin Yun''s concern. They would probably try to pin this on him, but he had long been prepared for such an eventuality.


    As Qin Yun exited the Patriarch''s residence, a maid approached him, wishing to lead him where his wife awaited him. Although the wedding was a sham and the ceremony a joke, Qin Yun still had duties to fulfill as a husband. Still, he was in no hurry and dismissed the maid as he could find his way alone. He had much more important things to do.


    Once alone, Qin Yun found a secluded place to examine his recent gains. He had finally processed all the memories he had received, and something interested him greatly. Those crystal bugs were quite peculiar as, despite his wealth of knowledge and experience, this was the first time he had encountered such a bizarre race.


    Qin Yun extended his hand, lightly touching the hovering black sphere, retrieving an object from within. Once the slight flash of light receded, Qin Yun held one of the Crystal bugs'' legs in his hand.


    The limb was hard, akin to diamond, yet Qin Yun could feel some sort of energy flow within despite being severed and badly damaged. On the legs were sharp, hardened spikes that protruded from its surface, resembling a saw.


    Qin Yun swung it lightly as he would a sword. The leg cut through the air unobstructed, yet he could feel space tremble slightly with each cut. It seemed their ability to affect subspace wasn¡¯t only about communication but also used to sever it.


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    Qin Yun stashed the limb back within the sphere and then brought out one of their heads. The head was a round crystal ball yet possessed mandibles that resembled an ant. Qin Yun couldn''t identify any sensory organs or brain within the crystal skull.


    Yet, after observing closely for a few minutes, Qin Yun saw a powerful exotic energy swirl within the crystal. He wondered how such an energy could still reside within the crystal despite the creature being long dead.


    With his curiosity getting the better of him, Qin Yun injected a small amount of his Innate Qi into the crystalline structure, hoping to probe its mysteries. At first, he was unable to since the crystal seemed to be rejecting this foreign invader. He raised an eyebrow, stupefied that inert tissue could somehow resist his will.


    With much time and effort, Qin Yun could finally inject his Qi within the Crystal Skull after using close to a third of his Innate Qi. While such a wasteful spending gave him a heartache, he felt it was worth it if he could somehow quench his curiosity. Maybe he would find something within that would help him further his cultivation. Their ability to affect subspace was already tantalizing; he wondered what other secrets they held.


    With some apprehension, Qin Yun carefully prodded the energy within with his Qi, trying to unravel its mysteries. Still, once the two energies collided, Qin Yun felt an intense burst of energy as the two expanded by over twice their amount. They swirled within the crystal as if Yin and Yang, both empowering and restraining each other.


    Each time the two energies collided, it would produce a small tear in space through which a small mass of blackened matter emerged, fuelling the process, which strangely resembled something akin to nuclear fission.


    The energy and Qi rammed into the black matter, disintegrating it almost instantly, producing even more power while still being held into the confines of the crystal. Fortunately, the process wasn''t infinite, as the swirling energies would lose some velocity each time they collided.


    Qin Yun let out a sigh of relief since if such a thing didn''t happen, he had no doubt that once the energies reached the maximum threshold of what the crystal could contain, an explosion would occur. As for its scope, Qin Yun estimated, after many calculations, that if the skull in his hand were to explode, it could wipe Jin City off the face of any maps.


    With this newfound knowledge, Qin Yun saw many valuable applications for this crystal substance. This treasure could expedite his cultivation. The only problem was finding a way to extract the new Innate Qi from within.


    Try as he might, Qin Yun couldn''t find a way on such short notice to extract that Qi without risking the stability of the swirling energies within. If he were to disturb the balance ever so slightly, he risked the process collapsing entirely, crushing all the remaining power. To be successful, he would need a way to extract it all in one go or to find a way to harness that exotic energy as well.


    Still, he could ponder all this later when he found the time. For now, his bride awaited him, but before storing the crystal ant''s skull, Qin Yun noticed the space around it behaving strangely. While his cultivation was low, Qin Yun had dabbled in the Dao of Space a few times in his previous lives. He instantly recognized the problem.


    A sort of force field enveloping the skull pulsed at regular intervals, making the subspace tremble slightly. While such a thing didn''t mean much in and of itself, one had to remember those creatures were adept at communicating through subspace channels similar to this one.


    While Qin Yun didn''t know if his hypothesis was correct, he wouldn''t take any chances. He launched the crystal head high into the sky. Once it reached its apex more than a mile above the ground, Qin Yun dug his feet into the ground, creating deep grooves, before punching with all the strength he could muster.


    A wave of air and energy akin to a cannonball was emitted from his fist, travelling close to Mach 30. The impact of breaking the sound barrier created a shockwave that broke the nearby wall while also deafening anyone unfortunate enough to be close to him. The wave travelled upward and hit the crystal object just as it started its descent.


    While the crystal was sturdier than most metal, it still couldn''t withstand Qin Yun''s full-powered strike. The crystal cracked and shattered, spilling all the energy contained within into the surrounding atmosphere, creating a light show reminiscent of fireworks.


    The light produced blanketed the city, illuminating the world below. While some were startled by its sudden appearance, they remembered that today was the wedding of someone from the Qin family and thought not much of it, as they figured someone in the clan wished to celebrate it with this light.


    Many left their houses to marvel at this colourful display, yet some chose to inquire as to who was responsible. Fortunately, once they reached the area where it was believed to have been launched, Qin Yun was already long gone. He had no wish to be questioned as to its origin.


    As for whether or not the bugs would find that subspace communication, Qin Yun wouldn¡¯t care either way. While those bugs were strong enough to battle against the Systems Commonwealth, what could they do against cultivators who were akin to gods?


    Even if they were to somehow find this place, Qin Yun had no doubts they would simply be exterminated, just as so many other races were before them. Cultivators weren''t in a habit of sharing their worlds with others. The only reason Qin Yun chose to destroy that emitter was that he would prefer that his hometown didn¡¯t become a battlefield. After all, he was slightly attached to this place.


    With this minor incident out of the way, Qin Yun still mulled over how he could best use what he had learned as he took the path toward the pavilion where his bride awaited him.


    Their lodging for the night was an old pavilion secluded from the rest of the clan. As he approached, Qin Yun noticed the grounds were in disrepair, and the grass around the stone tiles was overgrown.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but shake his head, thinking that his clan couldn''t even be bothered to keep up appearances despite wanting something from him. Why would they think he would give in to them if this was how they treated him? It seemed they were much too blinded by their own arrogance that the thought that he would defy them never crossed their minds.


    Qin Yun approached the pavilion and saw a tiny flame flicker inside. It seemed his bride was still awake, waiting for him. He made sure not to stifle his steps so as not to startle her with his presence. He opened the building''s exterior door, which creaked as it slid along a rail, yet he couldn''t see the woman inside.


    Thinking nothing of it, Qin Yun took a step inside and scanned the room but was stopped by the feeling of a cold, metallic blade resting on his bare neck while he felt another in the middle of his back.

 Chapter 10 - The Devils Bargain

    Under the oppressive darkness that only a single candlelight resisted, Qin Yun felt the cold edge of a knife on his neck, threatening to reap his life at any moment. Furthermore, he could also feel the sharpened point of another blade as it dug slightly between his shoulder blades. Despite it all, Qin Yun remained calm and composed, feeling no real threat from the individual at the end of those blades.


    Without a word, Qin Yun spun on his heels, swatting the blade pressing on his back with the back of his hand while pinning his assailant to the wall by holding his throat. Unfortunately, Qin Yun couldn''t avoid the blade to his neck.


    The cold metal tore his skin as he rotated, plunging the deadly blade deep within, severing muscles and arteries. An enormous amount of blood was ejected from his carotid artery, staining the walls and floor of the pavilion in countless red circles. Yet, Qin Yun didn¡¯t falter in his assault as he felt no pain.


    One of the advantages of remaining in the Body Strengthening Realm for so long was more than just the increased sturdiness of his flesh, but a path towards complete mastery of all systems of his body, even the involuntary ones.


    As such, Qin Yun could use his Innate Qi to numb specific nerve pathways as he saw fit; to reduce his sense of pain was child''s play at this point.


    With his opponent firmly pinned against the wall, Qin Yun proceeded to disarm him. There was no need for any fancy technique; only pure strength would do the trick. While his opponent was distracted by the large volume of blood spewing from Qin Yun''s neck, he proceeded to wrap his hand around the only remaining blade. He twisted in a jerking motion, dislodging the handle from his assailant''s hand.


    Two knives fell to the floor, yet Qin Yun was slightly shocked by their sight. They pulsed with a bluish energy as slight characters were imprinted on their surfaces. Artifacts! Qin Yun thought to himself. It was no wonder even his strengthened flesh couldn¡¯t hold against them. Besides, they were far from the lowest rank.


    With that out of the way, Qin Yun circulated his Innate Qi within his body and slightly opened the reserves he kept in his artificial Qi centre. The energy flooded his system, concentrating around the area of his neck and palm, swiftly healing the wounds.


    In a matter of seconds, the giant opened gashes were nowhere to be seen. If not for the large amount of blood around, one could scarcely believe he had been gravely injured. As for the missing blood, Qin Yun did the same as before, injecting a large amount of energy into his bone marrow, stimulating the creation of red blood cells.


    With that out of the way, Qin Yun observed the one within his grasp. As he expected, he found the woman in a red dress familiar. It was, without a doubt, his wife, even if he couldn''t see her face due to the red veil she always wore. While Qin Yun felt the urge to remove it and gaze upon her visage, he refrained from doing so as he didn''t want the beginning of their married life to start on an even worse footing. She seemed to have her secrets, but he wouldn''t force her to reveal them.


    While Qin Yun could have chosen to prevent that injury altogether, he chose not too. He had many reasons, but the foremost was to gauge her reaction. He wanted to know if she was adamant in her threat or simply bluffing. While there was much still hidden behind that veil, Qin Yun now knew his bride¡¯s stance on the matter.


    After pondering for a moment, Qin Yun decided to let her go. Yet, her reaction was predictable. As soon as his hand left her throat, the woman struck against his chest, retreating slightly while simultaneously drawing an even bigger knife from beneath her wedding dress. Seeing this, Qin Yun could only sigh.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you would try to kill your husband on our first night,¡± he said while looking at her.


    Her actions reminded him of a feisty cat he had sheltered some lifetimes ago. He couldn''t help but chuckle slightly, which, he could swear, made his bride scowl even despite the veil covering her face.


    "I wonder if the Yun Clan put you up to this?" he asked, slightly amused.


    While this possibility existed, he wondered what they had to gain by doing so. It wasn''t like they would find what they sought from his corpse. Still, the woman remained still and silent, offering no explanation. Unconcerned, Qin Yun shrugged and sat near a small table across from the large bed within the pavilion.


    He pointed forward slightly, and a sizeable exotic tea set emerged from thin air. Then, he busied himself preparing tea to the consternation of the woman standing before him. While pointing again, a small amount of water appeared mid-air before falling into the vessel.


    Qin Yun opened a small box containing some dried herbs he had received as a gift so long ago he almost forgot. Still, he was nearly sure the woman hadn''t seen anything like it, as he could feel her surprise from her body language.


    A strong herbal scent wafted in the air, reminding Qin Yun of long-gone memories buried deep within his psyche. He couldn''t help but show a sorrowful smile, which drew even more restlessness from his guest.


    Without bothering about her presence, Qin Yun relished the memories as they rose to the surface for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. Yet, losing himself in nostalgia would serve no purpose. Once again, he locked those memories deep within his heart and resumed his preparations.


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    He placed a single fingertip upon the porcelain vessel, urging his Innate Qi to rise beyond his flesh. The Qi revolved within the vessel, stirring the water while imparting its energy and raising its temperature. Once Qin Yun confirmed the water to be of ideal temperature, he retracted his Qi and poured the hot content into the teacup, which contained the premeasured amount of tea leaves.


    ¡°How..." his bride stuttered, slightly taken aback. She had seen the whole process of his tea-making endeavour, yet she hadn''t felt any Spiritual Qi from him. She couldn''t begin to comprehend how he had achieved such a thing as a mere mortal.


    One had to know that only those who have reached the Qi Refining Realm could be considered proper cultivators, as one didn''t need to possess Spiritual Roots to strengthen their body. It wasn''t rare for mortals to even reach the Peak of the Body Strengthening Realm. Unfortunately, that would be the furthest they could go on the path as one needed Spiritual Roots to absorb the Spiritual Qi in the atmosphere and make it their own.


    As Innate Qi and Spiritual Qi were two different entities, it wasn''t surprising that Yun Jingfei couldn''t understand how Qin Yun raised the temperature. Usually, when a cultivator used their Qi, the Spiritual Qi found within the atmosphere would resonate, amplifying the phenomenon akin to overlapping waves forming constructive interference.


    Innate Qi offered no such resonance. Furthermore, its usefulness and usability were esoteric, to say the least. Not many had the opportunity or even the will to spend time sharpening their technique in using this nonrenewable energy. Her bewilderment was warranted; however, Qin Yun felt mischievous on his wedding night.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one acclaimed as some heaven-defying genius, you tell me,¡± he said as he rested his head on his fist.


    Qin Yun felt the room grow unusually colder as she stared at him from below her veil. His eyebrow rose slightly as he spied his bride''s whole body tremble from what he assumed was extreme anger. He wondered how mere words could trigger such an intense reaction when she had emotionlessly tried to send him to the afterlife.


    Suddenly, a bright red lotus appeared above her head, yet Qin Yun couldn''t help but frown. Unlike his father''s deep red Lotus, hers was many times brighter, denoting the pureness of her Spiritual Roots. Solely judging by its colour, Qin Yun could see why she would be deemed a genius. Her Spiritual Roots were of the highest class.


    Yet, her Lotus seemed faint and feeble in contrast. As he expected, the lotus platform possessed ten leaves, which was evidence that she had reached the peak of the Foundation Building Realm. Furthermore, a large bulb hovered over the platform, meaning she had reached the entry threshold into the Void Core Realm. A single lotus leaf threatened to split from the bulb as if her entry into a higher realm was all but guaranteed, yet Qin Yun couldn''t help but be doubtful.


    The Lotus, which should have been vibrant and full of life, seemed haggard and slightly wilted. The leaves, which should have been plump and full of energy, seemed empty and shrivelled. Qin Yun could even spot charred areas upon the Lotus''s surface despite her Spiritual Roots being, without a doubt, of the fire element. Even the heat she radiated into their small pavilion from her heightened emotional state seemed highly lacklustre.


    As he expected, something was wrong with his bride. He then remembered she had attempted to reach the Void Core Realm some time ago yet was forced to renounce her breakthrough midway. Unfortunately, it seemed such an act left some unavoidable consequences.


    The red Lotus wobbled slightly as it engaged the surrounding Spiritual Qi in manifesting its heat. Despite the support of its surroundings, the heat generated was pitiful, to say the least. It was comparable to a novice in the 4th level of the Qi Refining Realm, someone who had barely any mastery over their own energy.


    A small orange flame appeared, hovering a meter above the ground, then flickered and disappeared almost instantly. Qin Yun could see his bride clench her tiny fists as pearls of sweat slid across the exposed skin of one of her arms before it fell to the floor.


    Despite all her efforts and the frustration in her heart, this was the best she could achieve. As Qin Yun expected, her journey on the path of cultivation had already ended. She was nothing more than a cripple. Still, Qin Yun didn''t feel any pity for her, nor contempt. His face only showed a genuine, gentle smile, which took her aback.


    Ever since her advancement failure, she had grown used to seeing the ridicule even her family showed her now. While she was once lauded as a genius and given preferential treatment, she was nothing more than a waste and sold as a bride by her clan. Even worse, her husband was nothing more than a mortal, unable to achieve the barest level of Qi Refinement.


    She was frustrated and angry, but more than that, she hated her fate and her family. She wished nothing more than to regain her peak and show them she still had value as something more than a bargaining chip. She would give anything to see these dazzling sights once again as she gazed upon the highest peak where she once stood. Alas, she had no choice but to resign herself to her fate, as nothing could restore her broken Spiritual Roots.


    Unlike the rest of her clan, only her uncle hadn''t given up on her. He even went as far as trading one of his treasures for Artificial Spiritual Roots, which could only be found within the continent''s core region. Yet, even that resulted in failure, as the Spiritual Roots burst into flames, the same way her own had done once she had it transplanted. Despite all her best efforts, there was nothing to be done. She could only live the rest of her life in abject mediocrity.


    Qin Yun closely examined his bride, and he liked what he saw. Despite the repeated failure she had endured since that fateful incident and the pit of despair she was now in, Qin Yun could still see a hint of defiance in her. She was a fighter and would do anything to further her own goals.


    If anything, trying to kill one¡¯s husband in order not to become a bargaining chip for one¡¯s family took more courage than most had in her position. Qin Yun held no doubt that most in her situation would have chosen the easy way out.


    Most cultivators from prominent families weren''t used to hardship and would easily crumble under pressure. Despite her unfortunate fate, she stood above the rest in terms of tenacity, which was a precious quality for any living being.


    Qin Yun''s smile only grew more prominent. He seemed to have taken an interest in this arranged bride. To celebrate their marriage, Qin Yun offered her a chance at salvation. Unfortunately for her, Qin Yun wasn''t in the habit of running a charity.


    "How much are you willing to pay to recover to your peak?" he asked with a smile resembling the devil itself.

 Chapter 11 - To Revolt Against Fate

    Hearing those words, Yun Jingfei felt a small flame of hope arise in her heart. Yet, her optimism was fleeting at best. So many times since the incident, cruel reality had crushed her hopes. She had lost all faith that her situation would turn around.


    Still, she was once proud and arrogant. It simply wasn¡¯t in her nature to bend the knee and accept other¡¯s pity and mocking condescension. While Qin Yun was genuine in his offer for redemption, Yun Jingfei was much too deep in her pit of self-loathing to even consider that a man such as him could alleviate her fate.


    In her anger, she gritted her teeth so hard that Qin Yun could hear them grind against each other. Her tiny fists were clenched so tightly that they lost all blood flow, turning pale white. Her nails dug into her palm, drawing blood, which fell and echoed as the beads impacted the wooden floor, breaking the uneasy silence.


    The unsteady lotus hovering above her head rotated faster as her emotion mounted, producing a slightly stronger heat, yet Qin Yun could only shake his head. If she continued this foolishness, her lotus would be bound to fall apart, and then, not even Qin Yun could help her reshape her Spiritual Roots.


    The blazing lotus wobbled slightly as it spun off-axis. Dark blackened lines were strewn upon the leaves'' surface as they spewed incandescent flames, threatening to reduce the feeble lotus to ash.


    Despite all this, Yun Jingfei felt she had nothing to lose. Her negative emotions were so overwhelming that she discarded everything in a last attempt to reach the peak once again.


    She attempted to stimulate her lotus using the last of her Qi in a last-ditch effort to reach the realm that once eluded her, the Void Core Realm. While doing so in her condition was akin to suicide, she felt she had no other choice if she wished to regain her independence.


    Unfortunately, her struggles were futile, as the lotus couldn''t bear the pressure of her breakthrough. It trembled slightly, as if on the verge of collapse, while the Qi pathways all over her body burned as the unpure Qi, spewed out from her broken Spiritual Roots, flowed through them.


    An intense pain assaulted her every nerve, and try as she might, she couldn''t muffle the scream of agony which escaped her lips. Her Qi stopped and reversed, flowing backwards through her pathways as if upstream toward its origin. She was on the verge of entering Qi Deviation. If she were to do so in her current condition, Qin Yun had no doubts she couldn''t survive the outcome.


    Qin Yun simply couldn''t watch his newlywed wife self-destruct on their wedding night. He clenched his fist, putting a small amount of Innate Qi in his hand before he flicked his finger. The sudden acceleration of his finger created a wave of compressed air that was propelled forward fast enough to break the sound barrier.


    A large bang resonated in the room as the shock wave picked up speed, aiming for the rotating lotus. While the lotus was merely a projection of a cultivator''s Qi Centre as they mobilized their energy, any interference with it would resonate with the mobilized Qi in a phenomenon that Qin Yun would liken to Quantum Entanglement.


    As the blazing lotus was on the verge of collapse and flames wrapped its surface, attempting to burn it to cinder, the mass of air collided with it, dissipating the projection. Yun Jingfei felt the recoil of this impact deep within her Qi Centre. Fortunately, it came just in time to avoid its collapse. Any further, and her Core Qi would have ignited and burnt her from the inside out.


    She collapsed on the floor on her hands and knees, gasping for air as she felt an intense burning sensation in her abdomen. While her foolish attempt had resulted in even further damage to her Spiritual Roots, she was still alive.


    Still, Yun Jingfei didn¡¯t know if such a thing was good for her as she refused to waste away the rest of her life as a cripple. She would have much preferred to perish in an attempt to further her cultivation than to live in such disgrace. Still, Qin Yun had other plans for her.


    The strong blast of wind created by Qin Yun¡¯s strike had blown the red veil from Yun Jingfei¡¯s head, revealing her features. Qin Yun¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much as he gazed upon her, for he had already expected such an outcome.


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    Over half of her face showed signs of deep, unhealed burns. Large craters filled with pus and dead, charred skin were evidence of the ordeal she faced from the backlash of her failed breakthrough. Most of her hair was gone as only a few strands remained on the few intact areas of her scalp. Qin Yun could even see the white bones of her cheek protruding beyond her damaged skin, while most of the fat on her lips and eyebrows was nonexistent.


    She was hideous, to say the least, yet Qin Yun showed no disgust or pity. His gaze remained calm as still water as he examined her condition from afar. Still, he felt pity in his heart, as he could feel her lost beauty solely from the remains of her facial bone structure. He felt it was a shame for such a fine woman to be reduced to this state.


    He understood why she had always kept this veil, never revealing her face. Still, Qin Yun knew it probably came from her family since they didn''t want to reveal their shame. Even as the woman rose after she had calmed down, she did not attempt to hide herself and looked straight at Qin Yun without shame.


    While Qin Yun knew this was an act as he could see her tiny fist trembled as he laid eyes on her, he couldn''t help but be attracted to her steadfast character. Indeed, it would be a shame to let her waste away in obscurity.


    ¡°Now, do you feel like listening to what I have to say?" Qin Yun said with raised eyebrows, looking deeply into her dark pupils while slowly sipping his warm tea. He motioned for her to sit across from him and even pushed back the chair with the air pressure from the wave of his hand.


    Seeing this, Yun Jingfei frowned slightly, and Qin Yun couldn''t help but find that it further removed the last traces of beauty left on her ruined visage. Still, he kept those thoughts in his heart and never mentioned it. To antagonize her at this point would be counter-productive.


    She observed Qin Yun for quite a while, trying to find the depths of his means. Yet, all she could glean was only superficial and irrelevant things. With no other choice in her current situation, she relented and sat beside him, taking in the slightly bitter aroma of the tea before her.


    She felt a sense of peace emit from the cup as if its scent alone could cleanse her heart from all its impurities and flaws. Hesitantly, she raised her cup and brought it to her chapped lips, moistening her dried throat. For the first time in months, she finally felt serene and content, as if all she had endured since her accident were but irrelevant matters of the flesh. She could feel her Dao Heart, which was once on the verge of collapse, grow slightly stronger.


    A slight silence lingered between the two as Yun Jingfei relished this new feeling embracing her heart. Qin Yun didn¡¯t push her and let her immerse herself in the glow of this serene tranquillity. After a slight moment, Yun Jingfei put the empty teacup back onto the table and let out a long sigh.


    "Can you really help me? Why would you?" she asked, unconvinced. Even if he possessed the means, as he claimed. Why would a stranger like himself put so much effort into a broken woman like her when even her family had given up?


    As if knowing what was hidden in the depths of her heart, Qin Yun replied softly, "While you may not think so, you are my wife as of this day. It is only natural, as a husband, to help you."


    "We are husband and wife in name only," she said, slightly dejected. "Our marriage is nothing more than a ploy to join our two families together. Furthermore, this relationship is shaky at best and could crumble at any time. Besides, we never had a choice in the matter."


    Qin Yun took another sip of his tea, not taking her words to heart. His calm expression didn¡¯t deviate a millimetre.


    ¡°While you may not have a choice in the matter, the same doesn¡¯t hold true for me,¡± Qin Yun said with a slight smile, looking her straight in the eyes. ¡°I always had a choice. My family could never force me to do something against my will. While you may think your present appearance will deter me, you obviously have no idea who you are dealing with. Besides, it isn¡¯t something irreversible. Giving you back your beauty is quite feasible.¡±


    Hearing this, Yun Jingfei couldn''t help but let her mouth hang slightly open. While cultivators might delude themselves into thinking that only strength mattered and physical traits such as beauty were irrelevant, not many women could bear to live in such an ugly state. Of course, Yun Jingfei would wish to regain her former beauty if she had a choice. In fact, she would do almost anything for it. She could even give up her cultivation for it to come true. This was how much it meant to her.


    That didn''t mean she was vain, in the least. Few were those unaffected by the desires of the flesh. After all, they were made of flesh and blood and were bound by their desires. Still, some believed that breaking free from them was the true path to transcendence. Many would choose to discard those feelings as they reached higher on the path of cultivation.


    Yun Jingfei was once one of those, standing aloof on the peak with only Dao in her heart. Yet, she still failed in her breakthrough and fell prematurely. Such happenstance rocked her worldview and shook her Dao Heart. She didn''t know whether the path she had treaded thus far was the right one.


    Since her fall, she had lived as a mortal, feeling the anguish that came with her own impending mortality. She had felt the ridicule of those who were once her peers. She also felt the ugliness of her own heart, which she didn''t know existed in the first place.


    She had once thought she was unsoiled by the filth of the mortal world, pure of heart and spirit. Yet, she came to the cruel realization that she was no different from those she had once scorned. She was ugly, petty, and filthy, just as everyone she knew was. Even her family wasn''t spared.


    When she was still the genius high above the clouds, she thought her family to be paragons of righteousness, beacons of morality and goodness. But now, as her perspective shifted, she could see the repulsive oppressiveness her family exuded as they lorded over those they deemed their lesser.


    Still, her family wasn''t unique in any way. It was simply human nature. Despite all their grandiose ideals, cultivators were still humans to begin with and couldn''t escape the flaws of their species so easily.


    Yun Jingfei closed her eyes, thinking back to her life up to this point. All the glory she had known and all the despair she had felt since she had lost it all. All that remained, after all, was a stout determination to change her fate. She clenched her fist and steeled her mind as she asked the most fundamental question.


    ¡°What do you seek from me in return?¡±

 Chapter 12 - A Marriage Like No Other

    ¡°I''m sure you have many questions and doubts," Qin Yun said calmly as he sipped his tea. "I intend to shed some light on them in time, but first of all, we should set some ground rules."


    Yun Jingfei frowned slightly but chose not to interrupt him. While eager to know if she could recover what she had lost, she knew she possessed no bargaining power. Everything was in this man''s hands. Still, as he stated, she possessed many reservations about whether he could hold true to his words and help recover her cultivation.


    This wouldn''t be the first time her hopes were dashed. While her family may have seemed heartless since her accident, cruel enough to give her away for the slim chance to get their hands on an inheritance they weren''t even sure existed, they still tried to help with her situation.


    Many scholars and doctors had been invited to her family in the hopes that they might know of a solution, yet they all came to the same verdict; her chances of recovering from such grievous injuries to her Spiritual Roots and core were close to nil. Unless an immortal intervened, she would spend the rest of her life as a cripple.


    Yun Jingfei was at the end of her rope. She had thought of giving up more than once, yet she couldn''t bring herself to do it. Doing so would go against everything she valued. Cultivators were supposed to be the ones to tread new paths. They already defied the natural ways of the world by seeking longevity. What was broken Spiritual Roots against the Heavens themselves?


    Still, even the proudest non-conformists would have to face reality at some point. Somehow, she felt this was the world¡¯s punishment for her hubris. She was once arrogant enough to think she was special and that her talent meant something, yet, against the Heavens'' ruthlessness, it didn''t amount to anything.


    "While this marriage may have been something our families decided on their own, I intend to honour it," Qin Yun added, looking her in the eyes. "While you may not believe me, I chose to marry you, knowing full well that something was wrong on your end."


    ¡°Why would you?" she stammered, shocked by his honesty. "Why me? You know nothing about me, and there are no feelings between us. Why go so far?¡±


    ¡°You seem to confuse marriage with love," Qin Yun replied coldly. "Marriage is nothing more than a contract between two individuals. Why liken it to something as wonderful as love? Truthfully, I wouldn''t want to thrust something as wretched as marriage unto someone I truly cared for.¡±


    Yun Jingfei was taken aback. She wondered what had happened for him to have such a twisted view of matrimony. Still, this suited her just fine. She had no feelings for the man and only wanted something from him. To keep their relationship purely about business was all she wanted.


    ¡°Still, why go through with this marriage at all?" she asked, slightly confused.


    Qin Yun let the silence linger briefly as he sipped his tea and observed his new wife. While she seemed nervous at first, probably wondering if he would go back on his word, she soon calmed down and waited for him to continue. Qin Yun couldn''t help but appreciate her levelheadedness despite the situation she found herself in.


    ¡°I have many secrets and have no wish to share them with someone unrelated to me," he said calmly. "The only reason I am even entertaining the thought of helping you is that you are currently my wife. You are welcome to renege on this marriage, but you would also forgo any assistance I might provide. You must understand that many would kill to get their hands on what I have. You should remember why you were given to me in the first place."


    Indeed, her family had deeply impressed upon her what they wished to obtain from this union. From what they knew, this man''s mother was from a powerful clan within the core region of the continent, which possessed unimaginable might. Any trinkets of theirs could shake any clan or Immortal Sects within the Outer Regions. If such information came to light, many other clans would move mountains and seas to get their hands on it.


    While information on the Core Region was scarce, to say the least, her family had connections across the Western Domain and had access to an information network that most couldn''t even dare to fantasize about. Yet, even they didn''t possess much information about the Core Region, except for a single piece of news; there were living immortals within the continent''s centre.


    As for the reason there wasn''t any news of them in the Outer Regions, Yun Jingfei could only speculate that it had something to do with the concentration of Spiritual Qi in the atmosphere. The Outer Regions were probably much too barren to sustain them.


    Still, the Yun Family could not relinquish an inheritance from someone who may have been in contact with Immortals. Fortunately, the Qin family didn''t seem to realize the scope of what they possessed and were even willing to hand it over for the measly price of connecting them to some of the sects the Yun Family dealt with. This was a bargain too good to be true.


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    The only problem was that the inheritance was in the hands of one of the members of the Qin Clan, and they couldn''t simply ask him to hand it over, as the man himself was looked down upon in their clan. They wouldn''t dare risk snatching it from him and offending the clan behind his mother. Thus, they devised a scheme to have him offer it as dowry.


    Yet, it wouldn''t do for a family as distinguished as the Yun clan to sell one of their daughters even if they could receive an Immortal Inheritance in exchange. They had their reputation to maintain. Fortunately, Yun Jingfei¡¯s case overlapped with the timing of this marriage.


    Seeing as nothing could be done about her shattered Spiritual Roots, the Yun clan had no interest in continuing to support her. They had already spent too many resources on her cultivation up to this point, only to see it all wasted. While they couldn''t get rid of her, they could send her away as a gift.


    As for the groom¡¯s reaction to her current condition, why would that matter? Just the fact that they were bound by marriage entitled them to demand something from him, and since he didn¡¯t possess the support of his clan, he would have no choice but to relent. Strength was the only thing that mattered; no one cared about morality.


    While this may have seemed heartless, for most clans and sects, the cultivators they supported were nothing more than investments for the future. If they were found to be more costly than what they could contribute to the collective, they would be discarded without a second thought. Such a thing was all too common on this continent.


    There were countless factions vying for supremacy, and resources were limited. To rise up in the world, one had to be ruthless, even in the face of blood relationships. Such a mentality was deeply ingrained into the psyche of most cultivators. Trying to swim against a mighty river''s flow was an exercise in futility. One could only relinquish one''s principles in the face of survival.


    Fortunately, Qin Yun did not lack the means to do so. Even in the face of Heaven''s Might, he would remain steadfast in his convictions. As such, he also expected the ones who wished to share a life with him to do the same. Seeing the resolve on his bride''s face, Qin Yun finally smiled.


    ¡°What do you need from me?¡± Yun Jingfei asked in a firm tone.


    ¡°Secrecy, for one" Qin Yun replied calmly, then added, "and to to take this marriage seriously. I¡¯ve no interest in being married in name only."


    Yun Jingfei remained steady. This was in line with what she had expected. While she had still held on to a glimmer of resistance, it had now faded with the revelation that her husband could alleviate her woes¡ªat least if it turned out to be true. Still, it would be a lie to say she was eager for it to come to this as she had been pushed into this situation by her family.


    "I hope you didn¡¯t think this would remain a sham marriage," Qin Yun said. "I was committed from the start, and I expect you to do the same if you were to choose to go through with this. This is something you should think about carefully as it will impact the rest of your life. Just know that I have no reason to do this much for someone unrelated to me. Your fate is entirely up to you."


    While this may have seemed harsh on his part, Qin Yun couldn¡¯t care less. He wasn¡¯t some sort of hero trying to save the beauty. This was purely a transaction between two individuals. As for why he insisted on marrying her, limiting the spread of his secrets was true enough, but honestly, he felt attracted to her spirit.


    He knew his bride was arrogant and prideful. Yet, Qin Yun felt something special about her and wished to bind himself to her in any way possible. He fully expected her to be resistant to the idea, yet he would leave the decision to her.


    For now, Qin Yun had said everything that needed to be said. The choice was hers: to trust him and take the plunge or crawl back to the family that threw her away without what they sought to acquire. While Qin Yun thought it was a no-brainer, emotions sometimes overpowered rationality. He eagerly awaited her choice.


    ¡°How can I trust you to keep your word?¡± she asked sheepishly. How could she believe that this man possessed the means to repair Spiritual Roots when even the best doctors and alchemists couldn¡¯t resolve this?


    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± Qin Yun replied bluntly. ¡°Honestly, you shouldn¡¯t. Still, you don¡¯t have a choice. I am the only hope you have left. I realize that this isn¡¯t something to be decided lightly. I¡¯ll give you some time to consider.¡±


    Having finished his cup of tea, Qin Yun rose to leave but was held back by Yun Jingfei¡¯s trembling hands, lightly holding the hem of his robes. Seeing her weak appearance, a mischievous thought arose in his mind. Since she couldn''t decide, he would give her the push she needed.


    He grasped her exposed hand within his and pulled the sleeve of her wedding garb upwards, revealing the skin hidden beneath. As he had expected, her forearm was full of burn scars. He lightly touched the damaged skin with his fingertips, prodding whether she could still feel, but the nerve endings had long been burned away.


    As Yun Jingfei had never felt the touch of a man before, she tried to resist at first, but relented slightly once she thought of this man as her husband. Although the thought felt unreal, and she was somewhat unsettled, she tried her best not to show it, hoping he wouldn''t recede his offer before she made up her mind.


    Although Qin Yun had an inkling of what was going on in her mind, he ignored it completely, focusing his attention on this unhealed injury. He wrapped his palm around her forearm and injected some of his Innate Qi alongside a bundle of the reserve energy from within his artificial Qi Centre. Unlike Qi which had many uses, the energy Qin Yun hoarded was purely meant to sustain him. It was the same energy a mortal would gain from food, mostly in the form of adenosine triphosphate, but it also contained many amino acids and other elements used to sustain life.


    Using this energy as nutrients, Qin Yun made his Innate Qi flow within her damaged Qi channels, stimulating her cells to replicate, prompting her flesh to regenerate. He would use his Innate Qi as a knife and purge the damaged cells, leaving only what was necessary behind.


    Although such a thing was much more complex than it seemed, for Qin Yun, who had extraordinary insight into the workings of the human body, it was straightforward to promote cellular division and regenerate the wounds. Coupled with his almost infinite energy reserves, her forearm became as good as new in less than a minute.


    Stunned by the sight of her renewed arm and the feeling coming back to her skin, Yun Jingfei was lost for words. She felt a lump in her throat as well as tears welling up in her eyes. The feeling of hope she had once given up arose once again within her heart. A smile cracked upon her chapped lips while she giggled slightly as if she were a newborn child. After she took a moment to calm herself, the only words to escape her mouth were, "Please, marry me."

 Chapter 13 - Advent of the First Night

    Qin Yun chuckled slightly as he heard her say those words. He couldn''t help but appreciate the decisiveness with which she came to this conclusion once she learned that Qin Yun possessed the means to help her. Still, the process would be laborious and time-consuming. Such deep-seated injuries couldn''t be healed that easily.


    Still, it gave her hope, at least. Hope she was severely lacking at the moment. So much so that she didn¡¯t think twice to propose to this man, despite her slight aversion to the terms of this contract. She would agree if she could finally escape from this nightmare. Anything was better than to live in this state.


    Yun Jingfei looked at her arm, relishing the feeling that came with it returning to its former state. Her scarred visage produced a joyful smile that seemed eerily creepy. Qin Yun couldn''t help but burst out in laughter, which only puzzled her. She had no idea what brought this on. Still, she was eager to recover her former features, and her expression said as much.


    While Qin Yun still had reservations concerning her current state, he opted not to make her wait too long lest she change her mind. He approached her and placed his hand on her face. While she couldn''t feel much of his touch, Yun Jingfei still fought the urge to recoil from the hand pressing on her damaged skin. Yet, she knew that doing so would only seem like a rejection of his offer. She allowed herself to be touched and Qin Yun to proceed.


    Still, after waiting for a few minutes, nothing seemed to happen. She frowned and looked to Qin Yun for answers, yet all she saw was that man deep in thought with his eyes closed. Suddenly, his hand left her face without much change having happened. She opened her mouth to protest, but he was the first to speak.


    ¡°Even if I were to heal you right now, it would only be a matter of time until history repeats itself,¡± he said calmly.


    "Are you going back on your words?!" she said with almost a shout. Her emotions fluctuated wildly, from intense joy to deep anger. While she had learned to control her feelings from a young age, it was as if all she had learned had been erased all at once. Her emotions were so intense that she lost all self-control, and she lashed out with impunity. "Is it not enough!?"


    "Did you ever ask yourself how it came to this in the first place?" he asked calmly, ignoring her outburst of emotions. "Your talent is rarely seen in a generation and your Spiritual Roots are among the highest classes, yet you still failed to reach even mere Void Core Realm. Did you ever think this was abnormal?"


    While his voice was calm, it shook her to her core and alleviated some of her frustrations. While saying she didn''t have doubts would be a lie, her sect had investigated her failed breakthrough, and no foul play was found. They attributed her failure to simple bad luck; no one could fully understand the Heavens'' whims.


    Sometimes, even the most outstanding geniuses were bound to fall before their times. It wasn''t a rare occurrence. Still, Qin Yun spoke of it as if he had seen what so many had missed. Noticing this, she did her best to calm down and waited for him to explain himself.


    Qin Yun was quite satisfied with his new wife''s attitude. Despite her current state, he wouldn''t forget to test her, wishing to know if she could cope with being in a relationship with him and whether she could bear learning of some of his secrets. Qin Yun wasn¡¯t the reckless type, rushing ahead without any assurances.


    ¡°Returning your skin to its former state is easy, as you saw,¡± Qin Yun said as he poured another cup of tea for the both of them. ¡°Even healing your Qi Channels and Spiritual Roots would only be slightly more straining.¡±


    Yun Jingfei took the tea she was offered in an effort to calm herself. She slowly sipped on it as she sat back down and waited for him to finish. While his statement brought her great relief, she also knew that much was still left unsaid.


    "The only real difficulty lies in the source of it all," he added. "How much do you know about your cultivation technique¡¯s origins.¡±


    Yun Jingfei frowned. While she had some doubts in the past concerning her technique, she had put them aside as the cause since her own master utilized the same unaltered technique in her cultivation, and she had had no problems thus far. She had concluded that she was the problem and not the method. Still, Qin Yun had further insights to provide.


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    "I checked your Qi Channels, and they were indeed destroyed by your own Qi due to the backlash of your failed breakthrough," he said. Yun Jingfei also nodded, as this was consistent with what she had concluded herself. "Still, your cultivation technique is high-level enough that breaking through to the Void Core Realm should have posed no problem. I am even confident enough to say that the chances of someone in your situation suffering backlash in this realm are virtually zero."


    ¡°What does that entail?" Yun Jingfei asked as her eyes narrowed somewhat.


    ¡°I would need to examine further to discover the cause. Even if I were to restore your cultivation to its peak, the same would be bound to repeat itself."


    ¡°Is there no hope?" she asked, slightly dejected. Still, she felt somewhat more confident than before, as this was much better than what she had previously.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be discouraged,¡± Qin Yun replied as he sipped his tea. ¡°It isn¡¯t as if there is nothing we can do about it to ensure such a thing doesn¡¯t happen again. There are many preventative measures we can use.¡±


    Yun Jingfei let out a long sigh, knowing that not all hope was lost. Still, she felt slightly impatient. Even if she couldn¡¯t recover her cultivation, she wished to rid herself of those scars as soon as she could. That thought, however, shook her to her core. She had believed herself to be fully dedicated to the Dao, that reaching the peak of cultivation was her life¡¯s calling.


    Yet, she was ready to forgo it all for simple vanity. It wasn''t until one lost something that one would finally find its value. Yun Jingfei felt her Dao Heart waver. She wondered how far she could still go, even if she were to recover and fix the problem that afflicted her.


    While the first few realms of cultivation were based on the accumulation of Qi within the Qi Centre, the later stages were based on the accumulation of insights within the Dao Heart. Once the Dao Heart wavers and collapses, it would mark the upper limit of what a cultivator could accomplish. As such, most cultivators rejected anything that could affect their Dao Hearts for fear of finding faults.


    While it came with its own drawbacks, as everything always did, it was by far the safer method. Few were brave enough to face the world in its entirety with open hearts. Still, those were usually the ones to reach the peaks or fall prematurely. It was nothing more than a gamble, and Yun Jingfei wasn''t a gambler by nature.


    She had tried countless times to forge her Dao Heart to be unmarred by the world''s filth, but such a thing was easier said than done. As long as one was alive, the world''s Dao would always imprint itself onto the hearts of living beings. Besides, her recent ventures into despair had left an indelible mark on her Dao Heart.


    The path she had walked up to this point was already gone for her. She would need to tread a brand new path through untold darkness. Still, Qin Yun believed she had the tenacity to see it through. This was one of the reasons he chose to help her. Without this will to go on, she would be nothing more than a corpse at this point.


    Looking at her shifting expression, Qin Yun knew what decision she had reached. She couldn''t go on while hating herself and what she had become. The only way for her to fix what was broken inside was to restore the exterior first, and Qin Yun agreed with her. Besides, he had no desire to share his bed with her disfigured self. Of course, he would want her to be attractive.


    This wasn''t him being superficial but simply the needs of the heart. While standards might differ depending on the individual, every living being is a slave to aesthetics. Qin Yun felt no shame in affirming so¡ªwell, he mostly never felt shame at all.


    Without the need for words, Qin Yun took her by the hand and made her rise, which she did without resisting, but she felt slightly puzzled. He then brought her to the large bed, which spanned over half the room. Without waiting for her input, he pushed her onto it before standing next to her.


    She opened her mouth to speak, questioning his motives for doing so, but before a sound could come out, he pressed his fingers on her lips, silencing her. With delicate but steady motions, he exposed the skin of her limbs, revealing the scars hidden beneath.


    At first, she felt a slight urge to resist as she felt shame being seen so vulnerable. Still, she already saw this man as her husband and knew this day would come eventually when she had chosen to propose to him. She wasn''t one to speak such words with frivolity or suddenly go back on her word. Once she had decided to go through something, she would see it through to the end.


    Qin Yun carefully examined her body. He could see her nervousness and embarrassment, but he paid it no mind as he was much too absorbed in figuring out the origin of those burns. His hands traced the contours of those injuries, sporadically injecting his Innate Qi into her body, prodding for anything that felt out of place.


    He could see her squirm under his touch, trying to resist the urge to cover herself as those scars were much too horrid to be displayed. Still, Qin Yun felt nothing as he gazed upon her. How could he when she looked nothing like the woman she once was? Still, he reigned himself in to show no disgust as this would be a blow she wouldn''t be able to recover from.


    He had been a scientist for a long time; what hadn''t he seen? He had travelled far and wide, seen much of the world beyond this dimension. Some of the creatures he had encountered would make her look like a sweet rose in contrast. Only by judging her against other human women did she fall far behind in her current state.


    Still, Qin Yun was entirely devoted to changing that. Even he couldn''t bear to look at her in this state for too long. She had burns on nearly 80% of her body, leaving not many places where her skin was intact. As he expected, he noticed that those burns originated inside her body, probably due to her fire element Spiritual Roots spewing much too potent Qi into her Qi Channels.


    As for why the Qi was so strong, Qin Yun had a few guesses but nothing conclusive without delving deeper. Still, he chose to conquer one problem at a time. He reckoned that as long as she didn¡¯t exert her Qi or try to breakthrough, the chances of the same happening again were almost zero.


    Once he was done examining her, Qin Yun raised his gaze and looked her in the eyes. Yet he couldn''t help but chuckle once he saw that her face had become as red as a tomato. It was a shame it happened then since he would have liked to see it on her original face. Still, he knew such a day would come eventually.


    Noticing his laughter, Yun Jingfei wished to reprimand him, to imprint her shame in his mind, yet his hand came much too quickly. She felt the soft touch of his palm over her eyes, blocking her sight. Then came a slight dizziness and the lull of sleep. Within seconds, she had lost consciousness.

 Chapter 14 - Laid Bare Before the Light

    Yun Jingfei awoke to find herself in the same secluded pavilion she remembered. Except, the darkness of night had given way to daybreak. She felt the harsh rays of sunlight on her closed eyelids, which prevented her from opening them. Still, the light helped fight the drowsiness.


    Once she found her bearings, she tried to rise to a seated position but felt much too weak to support her own weight. She had no recollection of the last time she had felt so feeble. Not even after her accident did she have so much difficulty simply moving her muscles.


    Speaking of muscles, she had rarely felt them ache as much as they did now, even more so for the pounding headache in her skull. She tried to prop herself up with her arms, but she found herself unable to sustain the effort and collapsed back onto the soft bedding.


    She took a moment to catch her breath and looked at her surroundings. There was something different about this room. For one, she hazily remembered falling asleep in her wedding garb, but now, it was nowhere to be seen. She was tucked away in bed, naked, as she could feel the soft sheets against her skin. She noticed her wedding garb outside while looking through a window, yet there seemed to be something off about it. It seemed to be stained with some sort of vile liquid.


    Not far away, seated next to the small table she remembered, was Qin Yun looking at her with a slight smile. On the table was a wide assortment of various mortal food. Usually, she would have dismissed this plebeian cuisine, yet, for some reason, she couldn''t help but crave it. In fact, her body seemed to scream for sustenance.


    In normal times, she would have circulated her Qi within her body as she absorbed the required energy from the atmosphere. Yet, try as she might, she didn¡¯t feel an ounce of Qi within her Qi Centre. Worse still, she couldn¡¯t even feel the existence of that Qi Centre, as if it had disappeared overnight.


    While she dreaded the thought, she still put it out of her mind as she was much too absorbed in the food just out of her reach. She couldn¡¯t think of anything else as if sustenance was a drug and she was an addict.


    She crawled out of bed with difficulty, displaying her nudity to the world, yet she didn¡¯t seem to care. Qin Yun¡¯s smile only grew larger as he gazed at her, yet she ignored it. It wasn¡¯t until the sheets slid across her skin and the light reflected on its flawless surface that the weight of it finally dawned on her. There were no burn marks to be seen anymore.


    She remained stunned for a minute or two as she watched in disbelief, her skin radiating the rosy complexion it once did. Tears welled in the corner of her eyes, and a lump of emotions remained stuck in her chest. It wasn''t until a few moments later that reality finally dawned on her. This was no dream; it was all real.


    She couldn''t keep the dam from breaking any more. Her emotions burst like an avalanche, and her tears fell like a waterfall. Months of repressed grief and self-loathing crashed into her simultaneously, finally freeing her from their weight. She could feel her mind soar once again as if a grounded bird had finally found its wings.


    She loudly sobbed within her hands as snot and tears marred her now perfect visage while her long, silky black hair, with a slight hint of blue at the end, fell before her face, hiding her from him. She remained in this position for a few minutes, refusing to acknowledge reality while her assets were fully displayed.


    As Qin Yun had expected, reality didn¡¯t betray the rumours he had heard about this bride of his. If anything, they failed to do her justice. Despite all the years he had been alive, Qin Yun had rarely seen a woman so radiant, especially seeing her in such a vulnerable state. She couldn¡¯t help but heighten a man¡¯s protective instincts.


    As she was still in the midst of sobbing, Qin Yun rose and wrapped one of his outer robes around her as she didn¡¯t even seem to realize she was baring herself to the world.


    With her tears finally receding and her emotions calming down, Yun Jingfei rose from her hands, looking Qin Yun in the eyes. Once full of distrust and apprehension, her eyes were now peaceful and clear. While what she felt for this man was closer to gratitude than love, she couldn''t help but accept that he had wormed his way into her heart, and it would be difficult to deny that they now shared something.


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    While she was still slightly averse to the idea of marriage and what it entailed, she would honour her part of the deal and become this man''s wife. Still, Qin Yun had not gone into the details of this contract, and she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she had been scammed somehow.


    She rose to her full height as she exited the bed. While even standing was painful, as most of her muscles ached from the tension, she couldn''t help but want to examine her body in all its glory. She slowly wobbled her way toward the large mirror spanning most of the room''s height and let the robes covering her body fall off. She didn''t even care to be seen at this point and only wished to reaffirm what she already knew.


    She stood before the mirror, moving her limbs around, checking every recess of her skin for the slight hint of imperfection, but she found none. Curiously, her skin seemed even more perfect than she remembered. She remained silent before the mirror, unable to find words to say as tears threatened to rise to her eyes. Even then, those were tears of joy, and she couldn''t help but smile from ear to ear.


    Qin Yun simply let her bask in the moment, knowing that this was only the beginning. There was much suffering left to come, but it could wait until her heart was finally free from the nightmare that had plagued her.


    While she was still admiring her figure, a strange gurgling sound emerged from her core. She was stunned as she hadn''t heard such a thing in so long. Suddenly, she felt her stomach was a deep, bottomless pit that required sustenance. She turned and saw the feast on the table and couldn''t help but drool as she smelled the appetizing scent. No mortal food had ever seemed so divine.


    She rushed to the table as fast as her weak legs could carry her, not forgetting to cover herself with Qin Yun''s robe. While she didn''t seem to care as she admired herself, she now felt embarrassed when she recalled her actions. Yet, it soon faded away when she finally regaled herself with the sustenance she craved so dearly.


    The both of them ate in silence, gorging themselves with the succulent dishes Qin Yun had prepared beforehand. While Yun Jingfei needed the energy contained within to replenish what she had lost, the same was true for Qin Yun. Most of what he had acquired during his wedding banquet had been used to regenerate his wife¡¯s injuries.


    Over a month''s worth of food had been used in a matter of hours. To say the process had been strenuous would be the understatement of the century. Worse still, Qin Yun was currently exhausted as the process had taken the entire night. He was critically low on energy. Fortunately, Qin Yun always kept some reserves in his black box in case of an emergency.


    Yun Jingfei ate plate after plate, barely stopping to breathe. Unlike Qin Yun''s refined way of eating, she hasn''t had much opportunity to eat since she started inedia at a young age, and she simply used her hands to gorge herself. It wasn''t that she didn''t know how to use utensils; quite the contrary. In most cases, she was as refined as an immortal fairy, yet she couldn''t endure the appeal of the food within her reach and simply wished to fill the void as soon as possible.


    Feeling competitive, Qin Yun picked up the pace, extracting dish after dish from his small black box until both were finally full. Still, Qin Yun was quite impressed by the amount of food her small frame could contain. While her Qi Channels were still crippled, her body was worthy of someone ready to ascend to the Void Core Realm; her energy requirements were astounding.


    As they finished eating, both felt satiated, yet Qin Yun still had urges that needed to be filled. While he might be somewhat of an old man on the inside, his body was still one of a twenty-year-old in the prime of his life. While cultivators could reign in those desires, Qin Yun never saw the appeal; he much preferred being free to express his wants.


    "Thank you," Yun Jingfei muttered after she had cleaned herself, feeling the embarrassment of her previous state. This was all she could think of as no other words could express the gratitude she had in her heart. Yet, Qin Yun wouldn''t settle for appreciation alone.


    "Don''t be," he replied, looking deep into her dark eyes. "We had a deal, remember? I''ve only fulfilled my part."


    It was only now that she remembered the contract terms, and she couldn''t help but turn slightly redder, and yet she smiled. While she was slightly unprepared for what came next, she embraced it as she felt that her heart hadn¡¯t felt so light in years.


    Qin Yun lifted her slender chin with his fingers and neared her visage while locking gaze with her. Soon after, both of their lips made contact. She felt a shock of electricity rush through her brain, yet somehow, she found the feeling quite pleasant, a far cry from what she had expected.


    Still, Qin Yun wouldn¡¯t settle for something so innocent. His tongue entered her mouth and relished in the sweet taste found within. While she was surprised at first, she soon reciprocated his actions.


    Unbeknownst to her, his hands wandered over her body, lightly caressing her skin, searching every nook and cranny of her being as he studied her reactions. She seemed receptive to this treatment, which emboldened Qin Yun. He sought to reach the limit of what was permissible.


    Yun Jingfei didn''t even know how she felt at the moment, but surprisingly, she didn''t feel the disgust she had expected. Yet, she was unsure whether this was love or a sense of duty. Qin Yun had made it clear this was a contract, and she didn''t know if she should expect more from him. Still, if this was to happen either way, she may as well enjoy it.


    She wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him closer, feeling his body heat against her bare skin. It had been so long since she had felt something this real that she wished to experience it even more.


    Knowing her desires, Qin Yun divested himself of his clothes and pushed his woman down on the soft bed before embracing her. He could finally let himself go after enduring for so long.


    As unusual as it was, they had their first night as the sun shone overhead.

 Chapter 15 - An Epiphany at Dusk

    As they grew apart, Yun Jingfei struggled to catch her breath while Qin Yun fell into the lull of sleep. The prior night''s events had taken a toll on his mind, and coupled with their activities during the day, he needed a good night''s sleep.


    Surprisingly, Yun Jingfei felt a new wave of energy flow through her body, and she felt wide awake despite the strenuous burden Qin Yun had placed on her body. She looked at the man to her side, watching him close his eyes and drift to the realm of dream, but she felt conflicted.


    She felt the events had moved too fast like they had left her behind. Not so long ago, she was a hideous, disfigured monster shunned by everyone she had cared for, but now she had found someone who seemed to care about her, even when she was at her lowest. Still, she knew Qin Yun must have his own plans and wasn''t that altruistic. Yet, she couldn''t help but trust him. In fact, she had no choice but to trust him.


    She rose from the large bed, wrapping a set of sheets around her naked body, letting her man get some much-needed rest. While she didn''t know how he had achieved this miraculous regeneration, she knew it mustn''t have been easy to do so, as no expert she had visited had achieved anything close. Even if her Qi Channels were still crippled, she still found herself lucky; she didn''t despise herself anymore.


    As the large sheet trailed slightly on the floor, she walked outside their pavilion just in time to see the sun descend toward the horizon, tinting the sky a shade of red. While she had been witness to such a sight countless times before, it had never felt as wonderful. Simply being alive was a blessing.


    She sat outside as the soft, warm breeze caressed her face; how she had missed its touch. She basked in the glow of nature, feeling a new appreciation for the world. Somehow, she felt her Dao Heart resonate with the world around her.


    Once, her life had been monochrome, filled with nothing but the expectations placed upon her for her talent and the allure of strength cultivation provided. All that ever filled her mind was to go further and beyond on the path, not even knowing why she strove for it, only going through the motions as this was what everyone did. Besides, she had the talent for it, and it would have been a shame to let it go to waste.


    Then, the accident happened, and she lost everything that once mattered in her life: the beauty her peers envied, the strength she had painstakingly cultivated, and her family that had supported her thus far. Even the hope she once had to find a reason to strive forward was lost. More than once, she asked herself why she should continue to suffer.


    She had given up on everything. There was only one hope remaining for her. Even if she was to be used as a pawn, her family still had expectations of her. This was the only thing sustaining her mind, so she let herself be used and agreed to this marriage. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but have cold feet at the last moment. She almost even made a mistake she would have regretted.


    Yet, this man had overturned her world as easily as raising his palm while all others had been unable to help her leave this pit of despair. Still, it frightened her to be so dependent on someone else. It scared her how easily she had given her body to this man, even if they were supposedly husband and wife. She feared how quickly he had wormed his way into her heart. None had managed such a thing but him; not even her own master was that capable.


    What shook her more than anything was how deep that man had hidden himself. His family viewed him as nothing more than a waste, unable to reach the Qi Refinement Realm, yet she knew better. How could an ordinary man do what he did? She had many questions in her heart, but somehow, she was afraid of voicing them and the answers she might receive.


    While all those thoughts swirled in her mind, Yun Jingfei looked toward the horizon and witnessed the world''s beauty. Somehow, all her worries seemed insignificant before it. Her life, up to this point, had been fraught with nothing but days of endless, gruelling cultivation. She had never taken the time to appreciate the world around her.


    Her worries slowly disappeared as she immersed herself in the sights before her, slowly appreciating the Dao of all things. While her comprehension was still shallow, she somehow felt that the path she had once walked was nothing more than a dead-end and that her accident was destiny, allowing her to right her wrongs and seek ever-increasing heights.


    While such a thought was hard to swallow, she had already begun to see the new path she wished to follow slowly appear before her. Still, without a working Qi Centre, no matter how sturdy her Dao Heart was, she couldn''t recover her cultivation. Yet, she had no intention of letting this epiphany slip from her grasp.


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    She sat in a lotus position before the sunset, gazing at the horizon as a sheet lightly draped over her body. She let the world wash over her as she emptied her mind of all negative thoughts. She didn¡¯t bother to try and circulate any Qi and just opened her Dao Heart to the outside, assimilating what she could comprehend.


    If someone could see her now, they would be shocked beyond belief. At present, she was nothing more than a mortal, unable to produce the slightest bit of Qi, yet her body shone with a rainbow hue, radiating some sort of unknown strength.


    While the uninitiated would be unable to understand her current state, some of the old monsters, far on the path, would stare, stunned and unable to comprehend how she could achieve this at her young age. This was the initial step needed for a cultivator to reach the Soul Formation Realm, the embryo of a Dao Domain.


    Unfortunately, her cultivation was non-existent at the moment, and she couldn''t give her Dao form, no matter how hard she tried. Still, her gains were substantial as her Dao Heart grew stronger with every moment.


    So, she remained immobile as time passed. She remained oblivious to exterior changes as her heart absorbed the intricacies of nature''s flow. For now, everything she experienced was subconscious, as she didn''t possess the means to analyze it all. Only when she could consciously understand this phenomenon would she finally reach the Soul Formation Realm.


    Obviously, her current realm was much too lacking. She would first need to reach the Nascent Soul Realm and sublimate her soul to understand such mysteries. Besides, an unfathomable amount of Qi would be required to even consider materializing a Dao Domain, something she was much too far away from to even consider.


    Even her own master hadn''t mentioned anything past the Void Core Realm, as knowing too much would sometimes only lead to disappointment. Few could reach such a realm as the gap between the Nascent Soul Realm and the Soul Formation Realm was a chasm most would never overcome in their lifetime.


    As the night gave way to dawn, Yun Jingfei awoke from her epiphany to the scent of a glorious meal wafting in the wind. As she was but a mortal at the moment, her body could scarcely sustain what her Dao Heart required, leading to her famished state.


    She opened her eyes, yet her pupils still glowed with a golden hue momentarily before returning to their natural colour once all her insights were tightly locked away within her Dao Heart. Her perfect visage glowed with a radiant smile, knowing that what she experienced was too valuable to put into words.


    She looked in the direction where the succulent scent came from, only to see her husband looking at her gently. Still, something seemed amiss. She followed his gaze, only to be directed to her exposed bust. She quickly covered herself as embarrassment crept over her, only to see him shrug.


    "Nothing I haven''t seen before," he said, half-jokingly, before motioning for her to join him at the table. With a slight frown on her lovely face, she rose and approached him, only to see a magnificent blue dress laid out on the bed. She looked at him only to see him smile lightly.


    This dress was gorgeous and much to her taste. The material was soft and light, feeling pleasant on her skin, and most of all offered just the right amount of skin exposure. While she was never one for this tantalizing style of dress, she must admit that recovering from her accident gave her the urge to show off her beauty.


    In addition to the dress, she noticed a pair of knee-high slender boots, long-sleeve gloves, and, most of all, a mask that hid most of her face. While she found this attire peculiar, she didn''t question it and chose to put it on.


    While slipping into the dress, she found that it fitted her perfectly, as if it was designed solely for her. The same could be said for all its accessories. Once fully dressed, Yun Jingfei emerged from behind the partition, intending to show off before her husband. Yet, his gaze didn''t waver, only showing the calm expression he always did, as if he was wholly in control of her actions.


    She couldn''t help but pout slightly, which made him smile. While Qin Yun knew that his bride used to be cold and detached from the world, she was also just a young girl who had experienced much hardship. To see such a range of emotions from her was what he intended from the start.


    Qin Yun had never understood how stifling one¡¯s emotions could lead one to the peak. This wasn¡¯t his Dao. While he knew that detachment was a path as good as any other, this wasn¡¯t what he chose, and he hoped that those willing to follow him would not consider it either. How dull would eternity be without any enjoyment?


    The couple ate silently, slowly savouring the dishes before them. Yun Jingfei had never considered food enjoyable, yet she stood corrected. Somehow, she couldn''t imagine her life without it anymore. It helped that her husband was a masterful cook and that she had never been immersed in the world of taste.


    Still, a part of her couldn¡¯t help but lament that this seemed like a waste of time. Why learn to cook if one can simply cultivate? While she had a new outlook on life, some things were deeply ingrained into her being. As if knowing her thoughts from the look on her face, Qin Yun couldn''t help but chuckle slightly.


    "You think of cultivation as something too rigid," he said, which brought his wife to ponder the implications. "There are countless paths to tread, and none could be deemed right. You have already experienced a new one not long ago. The world is Dao, and so is the entirety of existence. So, why can''t cooking be one? Food can only be acquired through the death of others, whether it be animals or plants. It is then used to sustain new life, forming an unending cycle. Cooking is a way to empower this cycle with intent and purpose, further strengthening it. Since life itself is Dao, why can''t its intermediary be, too?"


    While Yun Jingfei thought he was only spewing bullshit, she couldn''t help but appreciate his eloquence. Still, she had many questions needing answers. She gathered her courage and asked what was on her mind, what had gnawed at her heart since she woke to find her body restored.


    "Can I regain my cultivation?" she asked as she stared him straight in the eyes. "Can I still seek to reach the peak?"

 Chapter 16 - Betrayal on a Mountain Top

    "Why ask me when you already know the answer?" Qin Yun said calmly.


    Indeed, she knew. She had an inkling as soon as she had that epiphany as she looked at the sunset. Her previous cultivation was already gone, and the path barred from her. Nothing could be done to walk on it once again. She would have to tread another path through untold obscurity, fumbling in the dark without a guidepost to find her way. Only then could she restart again.


    Indeed, she would have to restart from the beginning. Still, this offered some advantages. Qin Yun explained to her that the most likely reason for her accident was a flaw in her cultivation technique. More precisely, her technique was so overbearing that her meridians couldn''t sustain the load of her breakthrough and shattered from the intense energy coursing through them as she sought the Void Core Realm.


    Qin Yun had some guesses about why her master was able to advance despite using the same technique, but he would have to meet her to know the full extent of what he had theorized. Only through extensive observations and endless examinations could one uncover the truth of any phenomenon. It wasn''t in his nature to determine the outcome from circumstantial evidence alone.


    While Yun Jingfei longed to know the truth, she knew Qin Yun''s caution was warranted. What if he was wrong and her prior state was due to foul play? She wouldn''t dismiss it since jealousy was a rampant affliction within her sect. She wouldn''t put it past some of her fellow inner sect disciples to plot against her.


    As for her broken Qi Channels, Qin Yun had the means to repair them, just as he had done with her outward injuries. Only, it would be much more laborious since they were deeply ingrained rather than surface-level.


    Qin Yun explained that, at present, she was much too weak for him to attempt such a delicate procedure. He feared she might succumb to her wounds as he used his Innate Qi to repair her meridians. Besides, his Qi was limited in his current realm, and he had already used a significant amount. Anymore, and he wasn''t sure he could perfect the Body Strengthening Realm.


    Unless he found a way to replenish it, he would have to wait until he became a proper cultivator and could harness the world''s Spiritual Qi. He already had an idea of how to achieve it, yet it would require much more time and research. Still, they had more than enough time and had no reason to rush.


    ¡°What about what my family asked me to find? How do you plan to deal with this?¡± she asked, concerned.


    While she had been fully prepared at one point to betray this arranged husband and steal what her family required, if only to feel needed again, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it anymore, knowing what this man had done for her. Still, she was under no illusion that they could go against them and renege on this deal, even if Qin Yun had no part in it. They wouldn¡¯t hesitate to use force if it came to it.


    Listening to her inquiry, Qin Yun only smiled in response. Then, he pointed his finger forward until a strange crystal object appeared. It was long and jagged, somehow resembling a sabre with a barbed edge. Yet, unlike a standard weapon, it seemed much more natural than something forged, almost as if it had been alive at some point.


    Indeed, this was a leg belonging to one of these strange crystal insects. Yun Jingfei squinted as she looked at this peculiar item. While she could barely feel the Spiritual Qi in the atmosphere, she recognized a strange energy pulsating within the transparent object, almost as if it flowed within like Qi in a cultivator''s meridians.


    Qin Yun waved the limb lightly, and Yun Jingfei noticed space vibrate as it cut through, which she found unexpected. Only a treasure above the Soul Formation Realm could affect the world as this one did. Only through the natural laws can one accomplish such a thing. She held no doubt that this was worthy of what one might call an inheritance. No wonder her family would move mountains and sell her to get their hands on such a treasure.


    Looking at her stunned expression, Qin Yun could only smile wryly. This was but a replacement for his non-existent inheritance, only something to get people off his back. As for its worth, Yun Jingfei wasn''t wrong. In the right hands, this could be a priceless treasure. Yet, it would only be such if someone could extract that strange energy.


    Otherwise, as soon as someone tried to refine it into a personal treasure, it would explode in their faces, most likely killing them in the process. As for what happened to it once it left his hands, Qin Yun couldn''t care less. Besides, he had countless amounts of the same material safely stashed away in his black box, ready to be refined into potent artifacts.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not be too eager to deliver it to them,¡± Qin Yun said calmly as Yun Jingfei¡¯s gaze was riveted on the strange crystal limb radiating colourful light. ¡°Besides, I reckon your family should leave us shortly, and my family should come to us fairly quickly to get their hands on it. For now, we just need to wait for the right moment."


    Somehow, Qin Yun¡¯s smile felt eerie to her, as if he was a villain with a scheme in mind. Yet, getting even with the family that had sold her enticed her greatly. She couldn¡¯t wait to see their faces once they realized she had recovered from what was an incurable affliction and rub it in their faces that they had lost her for good.


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    Still, it would be a lie to say she had no regrets. Her uncle had been good to her and did his best to fight on her behalf, even if this fight ended in his defeat. Yet, she understood Qin Yun''s intentions with the mask he had prepared for her. Showing her condition now would only result in further chaos, and she would lose her independence. She would probably be caged again, living as nothing more than a puppet, fighting for the family''s greater good.


    At least now, she was in charge of her life, a life she had chosen even if she was bound to another through marriage. Only time would tell if she would come to view her union with Qin Yun as something she would regret.


    ******


    A long distance away, on a mountain near the continent''s core, stood a young man with long, flowing white hair. His black clothes were ragged, with sleeves ripped at the shoulder and bloodstains covering almost their entirety. However, most of the blood wasn''t his but of his opponents.


    A strong scent of blood and decay wafted through the air, overpowering the gentle scent of leftover nature. Indeed, what had once been a verdant forest upon a mountaintop was now nothing more than a mass grave filled with corpses and broken steel.


    Despite the corpses being only recent additions to this nightmarish landscape, they were dried and decayed as if they had been stripped of all their vitality, leaving behind nothing but empty husks and damaged clothing.


    Despite his numerous injuries, ranging from benign to life-threatening, the young man stood tall and unyielding, facing the world with a grin laced with insanity. All around him were cultivators sporting various uniforms, denoting the different factions they belonged to.


    While conflicts were common, these factions seemed to form a united front against this young man, yet he seemed to prevail against all odds. To the young man''s side was a young lady donning a long, light orange dress. Although she was injured and her face was marred with blood, her beauty nonetheless shone through.


    The man stood before her, shielding her from the endless assaults of these different factions. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the man held his own purely through overwhelming skill and might. Yet, even he was prone to exhaustion as his stamina and mental fortitude weren¡¯t unlimited.


    Sensing this slight hint of weakness, a man with a long white beard swung a long poleaxe, wishing to cleave the young man in two with a single swing. Yet, his bravado would come back to haunt him as the young man effortlessly evaded before grasping the old man''s throat with his hand and digging his long nails into his skin.


    The old man howled before the young man crushed his throat, yet didn''t reap his life at that moment. Instead, a black vortex appeared on his palm as he struck the old man at the Qi Centre, ripping through the flesh of his abdomen. Mere moments later, the old man shrivelled and died, leaving nothing but an empty husk, which the young man threw to the side.


    Almost instantly, the wounds that seemed fatal began to heal under the naked eye. While they still bled, at least the young man was assured not to succumb to them. Seeing this macabre spectacle, most of the cultivators broke their assault, not wishing to be the newest victim of this fiend, becoming the latest evidence of this young man''s might to litter the floor.


    "Liao Cheng! Stop resisting and return the Heavenly Bead to us, and we may allow you to keep your life! Otherwise, do not blame us for being ruthless!¡±


    Liao Cheng could only scoff at their futile attempt to persuade him. He knew fully what awaited him if he were to cave into their demands. While they may call themselves members of the righteous factions, they were nothing more than unashamed hypocrites.


    ¡°Return it to you?!" Liao Cheng screamed at almost the top of his lungs. His powerful voice rocked the nearby landscape, even producing slight tremors on the ground. Some of the most wounded cultivators couldn''t endure the strain of his Qi-laced voice and collapsed on the ground as they vomited lumps of blood. "The Heavenly Bead has always been part of my clan''s heritage, and you dare claim it as your own?! You dare call yourselves righteous practitioners? Even pigs have more worth in my eyes than you lot!"


    The remaining cultivators surrounding Liao Cheng gritted their teeth angrily at this provocation. Yet, they lacked the courage to repudiate his claims, not wishing to be the next corpse to nourish the soil of this mountain. Still, the allure of that treasure could entice even the most diehards of cowards.


    "You demon!" one man shouted as the rain poured, washing the blood on Liao Cheng''s clothes. "The world will thank us for getting rid of your kind. Leaving you the Heavenly Bead would only be an insult to it. Only we can harness its full potential."


    Liao Cheng''s gaze was full of mockery and contempt. He had no need for words anymore as he knew full well the extent of their depravity. Nothing he said could alleviate the fury in his heart. While he knew his chances of leaving here unscathed were slim, he knew he could prevail over them if he were to utilize his trump card.


    From the recess of his clothes emerged a small blue bead, gently nestled into the crux of his palm. On the Bead''s surface were clouds slowly rotating, producing a slight light and somewhat intense energy. Liao Cheng injected some of his Qi within the Bead, which prompted the clouds to rotate even faster, resembling something akin to a hurricane. The energy produced by the Bead soared, becoming much more than all the energy Liao Cheng had expended during the fight.


    As he was ready to unleash that energy toward the men and women rushing toward him, weapon in hand, he felt a sharp, cold, metallic instrument pierce his back. Although sudden, Liao Cheng was prepared for a surprise attack and managed to shift his body slightly, allowing the blade to pierce through but missing his heart by a slight margin.


    Still, what hurt more than the blade now stuck in his chest was the person holding the knife. The woman he had protected until now, wagering his life, had literally stabbed him in the back. While his mind refused to accept reality, he knew in his heart that what he saw was true.


    Liao Cheng opened his mouth to question her motives, yet the woman''s gaze dissuaded him. Her gaze was much colder than he had ever seen, resembling a block of ice. Without a word, she tugged on the blade, retracting it from his flesh, before intending to pierce again. She wouldn¡¯t stop unless he was dead.


    With no other choice, Liao Cheng unleashed the full power of the Bead, targeting all the space around him. A shockwave emerged from the Bead, distorting the world around him and preventing his assailant from coming any closer. Then, a bright flash appeared, bathing the world in light before receding just as fast.


    A few unlucky ones caught in the blast were left with mangled limbs as the space had twisted and severed due to the influence of the Bead, rendering most unable to continue the fight. Yet, it wouldn''t matter since Liao Cheng had now disappeared from this mountaintop alongside the woman who had betrayed him. All that remained was a slight vortex of distorted space, which might lead to his location.

 Chapter 17 - Treading a New Path

    Surprisingly, the couple had been left to their own devices for almost three full days until they were summoned for the departure of the Yun Clan''s procession. As Qin Yun had expected, they had made no demands for his inheritance, relying on the Qin Family to provide it for them. Why dirty their hands when they had lackeys ready to do it for them? Indeed, forcing the issue now would only seem petty and much too forceful for their taste. All cultivation families loved their reputations, after all.


    At first, Yun Jingfei feared someone might notice something strange about her since the last time they met. Yet, to her surprise, not even her uncle seemed to note her newfound vitality or renewed confidence. Still, she did her best to mask it as Qin Yun was right: bringing attention to herself in her current state would be foolish. There was no knowing what their reactions would be.


    Fortunately, the mask and dress Qin Yun had provided seemed to mask her features, even despite her uncle''s strong divine sense that could examine the most minute of details. She wondered how such a thing was possible. Even in her large clan, which had uncountable treasures, she had never heard of such a miraculous thing.


    Her husband always seemed to have a thin veil of mystery hovering over him. She wondered when she would be privy to his secrets. Still, she knew that even though they called themselves husband and wife, they were nothing more than strangers at the moment. Even she had some secrets she would not reveal so easily.


    Her clan¡¯s departure, while grandiose, didn''t move Yun Jingfei''s heart in the least. She knew full well what these people thought of her. Even her uncle wasn''t exempt. Although he had cared for her, she knew it stemmed from the same place as the rest of the clan. After all, the clan was paramount, and individuals were replaceable. She couldn''t fault him as she once thought the same.


    With the Yun Clan''s departure, life in Jin City returned to normality, almost forgetting the last few days'' events. The talks in the street were all about the prestige of the various factions that attended the wedding, discussing with awe and respect the strength of the various characters in attendance. No one even seemed to mention the bride and groom, as if they had only been side characters to the whole event. Which was true for the most part. Still, Qin Yun was content with this arrangement. He had no interest in garnering even more attention and didn''t wish for an unrelated party to disturb his newly married life.


    In the weeks after his wedding, Qin Yun and his wife moved to his small secluded house. Although it was nothing compared to the mansions surrounding it, the small courtyard felt cozy and inviting to Yun Jingfei. Although she had been used to the glamour and extravagance of her clan, she felt this small house held a human touch and somehow warmed her heart.


    Their following days were filled with each other as they lived as a mortal couple would. Although this wasn''t what Yun Jingfei had initially expected, she somehow found peace in their mundane life.


    All her life, she has had to bear her clan''s expectations, always striving forward with all her might. Her mind had always been filled with thoughts of going further and beyond, and she had never recognized how exhausted she had been. It wasn''t until her accident that she felt the weight of it all crash into her.


    But now, she took each day as it came, discarding all unnecessary thoughts. In turn, this did wonders for her cultivation. Despite her talent, she had struggled bitterly to reach the height she once did, always striving to be ahead of the pack. Yet now, everything came to her naturally. She couldn''t help but lament how wrong she had been. Still, her lack of a Qi Centre weighed on her.


    "The way I see it, you have two paths ahead of you," her husband had once said. "Either you tread the orthodox path, as you once did, strengthening your meridians, hoping such a situation doesn''t reoccur. Or, you forge a new path for yourself, using unorthodox ways."


    While walking the path most once did was attractive in its own way, as one wouldn''t have to stumble blindly in the dark, Yun Jingfei discarded that idea. She simply couldn''t bear to live with the fear that her nightmare could return to haunt her at any moment. Besides, Qin Yun impressed upon her that his miracle cure was a one-time deal. Her body simply couldn''t bear the strain of such a procedure again.


    As for her broken meridians, Qin Yun had already started the process of reconnecting them. As they went to bed each night, Qin Yun would take an hour or two after she had fallen asleep to slowly mend them using his Qi. Doing it slowly reduced the chance of him making a mistake and reduced the strain on both of them.


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    Now, a few weeks later, Yun Jingfei could feel the Spiritual Energy in the atmosphere and could control it somewhat. Yet, it was still too soon for her to absorb it into her meridian and make it flow to her Qi Centre. Still, simply feeling the Qi flow unimpeded brought her great joy. She had almost given up hope that such a day would come. While she was somewhat impatient to regain her peak, she knew the day would come eventually.


    As for her new path, Qin Yun had shown her the way forward. On a late afternoon, as they passed the time in their small courtyard, Qin Yun had taken the time to demonstrate something incredible. He approached a large boulder before lightly pressing a finger on its rugged surface. Then, slowly, his finger glided over the surface diagonally.


    As he retracted his digit, a portion of rock slid across its anchor to the ground before tumbling off the edge. Yun Jingfei had remained silent for a while, trying to understand the principle behind his actions.


    At first, she thought he had used his incredible strength to slice the boulder apart. Yet the cut was much too perfect to have been done by strength alone. It was reminiscent of a cut made by a bladed weapon. Yet, even the thinnest sword would fail to leave such a pristine cut in such a hard material.


    Even more peculiar, she didn¡¯t sense any Qi utilized in his movement, as if he had done so as a mortal. Somehow, it reminded her of her epiphany a while back as she watched the sunset, as if this cut was natural, produced by the world itself. Still, she saw the potential hidden within, but it was much too obtuse to grasp at this moment. Yet, what Qin Yun said then left a mark on her mind.


    ¡°I intended to cut; therefore, the boulder was split. To wield a sword is to impose your will upon the world. Power is a means to shape your reality, and Intent is the beginning of it all."


    Intent! Such a mere idea held untold possibilities. How wonderful would it be to materialize one''s Intent and have it affect one''s surroundings? Still, this was easier said than done. Usually, one would need a deep cultivation base and unfathomable insights into the laws governing the world before barely affecting reality with the mind alone.


    Still, Yun Jingfei held deep knowledge, as she had perused numerous books about cultivation, whether in her clan or the sect she belonged to. She knew some things hidden from the populace, such as one form of Intent called a Domain.


    Indeed, a Domain was a way to exercise one¡¯s will on reality, yet such a thing was only accessible once one had formed their own Soul¡¯s Origin. Only through this Origin and the surrounding Qi can one materialize one¡¯s domain. Only a Soul Formation Realm cultivator could do so.


    Yet, Qin Yun had produced the same effect using mental strength alone. She couldn''t even begin to understand how deep one''s insight into the nature of all things one must possess to achieve such a thing. Still, she was undeterred. The untold possibilities that Intent provided let her shrug off all the associated difficulties. Even more so since she was already used to hardship. What was learning this against what she had already experienced?


    Still, cultivating Intent was definitely a crooked path. It overturned everything she knew about cultivation. Usually, a cultivator would utilize the surrounding Qi to reduce the burden their mind had to bear to produce a phenomenon. Yet, this path would put all the burden on one''s mind, but in exchange, the power and control would become much greater.


    As with any path, all would start from a single step. For her, this was the way of the sword, as sharpening one''s Intent was the most accessible and straightforward. While Intent could be used to do almost anything, nothing was easier than the act of destruction. So, relying on Qin Yun''s guidance, Yun Jingfei immersed herself in the path of warfare.


    Each day, she would swing her sword for hours, honing her muscles until the blade felt like an extension of her limbs. Surprisingly, she found that she was exceptionally suited for this path. While her high-grade Spiritual Roots gave her an edge in the art of cultivation, her mind had been sharpened through years of gruelling training and hardship, which were significantly utilized in her new Sword Cultivation.


    While Qin Yun hadn¡¯t explained much of the stages required to progress in this unorthodox cultivation except for their names, Yun Jingfei felt it was straightforward, most likely due to her talent. From what she could infer, the first step was called the Sword of Hardness of the Mortal Sword Realm, which she was presently in. This was the first of the two steps this realm was comprised of


    As the name suggested, this was the sword path all mortals would go through as they sought the pinnacle of swordsmanship. In that step, one would forge their muscles so that they would possess strength and endurance, allowing the practitioner to employ brute force to destroy one¡¯s enemy.


    Although it seemed simple, this strength was overbearing, to say the least, and at the peak, one could contend against even those at the Foundation Establishment Realm. Yet, mortals could only barely embark on this path even through a lifetime of practice and could only achieve the bare minimum of success. Yet, Yun Jingfei possessed an edge over most as her body was already nearing the Void Core Realm.


    Next step was the Sword of Softness, which intended to forge the muscles to become soft and springy, as if whips, greatly enhancing their speed. Through it, the point of the sword could achieve such velocity that it could cut even through most techniques cultivators could use, rendering them void. Even more, one could cut through Qi through physical might alone, disallowing its usage to others unless they possessed greater might. As you might expect, this would be the bane of any cultivators. How could they resist if they couldn''t even harness Qi to fight with?


    Still, Yun Jingfei had difficulties believing it even though Qin Yun had assured her that someone at the peak of the Sword of Softness could contend against a Golden Core Realm cultivator. How could physical might alone hold its own against it? One must know that Golden Core cultivators could be considered elders in most second-rate clans. Yet, how could mortals contend against them?


    Still, she swung her sword regardless. She had chosen to believe in him as he had shown her a way she could walk. She would persevere on this road until she reached the peak or fall prematurely at the hands of others. She knew treading this path would be filled with bloodshed as one could only hone one''s sword through conflict. Still, this was the way she had chosen, and she would see it through to the end.

 Chapter 18 - A Taste of Heavens Might

    As Qin Yun had expected, his clan couldn''t hold themselves back for long in demanding his inheritance. While he felt the urge to deny them this victory, dealing with the aftermath would be too much of a hassle. Still, this success would never come at his own expense. Why should he be the one to pay for a deal he never agreed to?


    As for who was sent to deliver this notice, it was predictable. Once again, Qin Meihui was forced to deliver the news, putting her in an awkward position. While she felt revolted having to do this, she couldn''t go against her family since it was even her grandfather himself, the current patriarch, who had demanded this of her.


    Yet, Qin Yun didn¡¯t hold it against her; he even welcomed her with a smile. As for her attitude toward Yun Jingfei, while they couldn''t be considered friends, they were civil enough. Qin Yun didn''t expect the two women to share all their thoughts immediately, but at least it was a start.


    While most of Yun Jingfei''s life had only consisted of cultivation, she still knew how to recognize the situation due to her prior circumstances. She knew there was something between her husband and this cousin of his, yet she chose not to pry. While she was married to him, she felt no urge to monopolize him nor jealousy.


    Besides, while their relationship was physical, Yun Jingfei felt no emotional attachment to this man. Honestly, she hadn¡¯t felt any attachment to most of those she had met. Maybe her heart had frozen over as she fell to the depths of despair, or perhaps this was simply her nature from the start. Still, this didn''t mean she didn''t feel gratitude or a sense of responsibility. She had agreed to this contract and would fulfill her end.


    On her end, Qin Meihui didn''t know how to feel seeing the man she was close to with another woman. It had only been a few days, yet their relationship seemed close, like they knew some secrets she wasn''t privy to; she felt alienated and lonely, yet somehow glad that this man felt less apathetic than he once was.


    Their conversation didn¡¯t last long as they returned to the dreaded subject. Somehow, Qin Meihui expected Qin Yun to deny them entirely, yet she was shocked when he brought the crystal limb out of thin air. While she didn''t know if this was what the clan sought from him, she knew this object''s value from a single glance. Just the energy flowing through it was overbearing.


    With her spoil in hand, Qin Meihui left, leaving the couple to their own devices. She was eager to report back to her grandfather and be done with this. Somehow, she felt things wouldn''t be that simple, yet she hoped it wouldn''t involve her further. While she did appreciate that man, she had her own life to consider.


    Days passed, and much remained the same. While Qin Yun wasn''t aware of the clan''s thoughts on his inheritance, judging by the silent treatment he received, it seemed good enough.


    With that out of mind, Qin Yun began his new research project. Those crystal creatures offered untold possibilities, and it would be sacrilegious to let them rot in his black box. He tried many things to harness that strange energy, but somehow, all it ever led to was an explosion.


    Fortunately, he was prepared and stifled it by simply putting the crystal material back into the black box, as somehow, time didn''t flow in that dimension. Anything placed inside would come back out in the exact same state it was put in.


    Since his research into that energy had reached a standstill, Qin Yun chose to focus on another aspect. Namely the material''s sturdiness. If he could harness this material to forge artifacts, he might birth something incredible. And so, from this day forth, the sound of heavy objects hammering into the crystal substance echoed constantly from his small courtyard, yet wouldn¡¯t reach the outside as a small formation prevented any sounds from leaking out. He had taken inspiration from the formation he saw during his wedding and improved it slightly so as to render it invisible to any practitioners.


    In a corner of the courtyard, Qin Yun had built a rudimentary smithy where he could experiment with forging. While crude, it still helped reveal some of the material''s properties. For one, this crystal was sturdier than most of what he had ever seen. Using most of his strength, he only made the material cave slightly while destroying most of the ground beneath. As he expected, this makeshift building couldn¡¯t handle the strain of his strength.


    His other discovery was that, as he hammered the material, the energy flowing through would slow down, and some of it would be lost and absorbed into the material, somehow resembling his Qi when he used it to strengthen his body. With each recurrent hit, the material became slightly duller yet much harder. He would need to add more force to his blow to achieve the same effect a second time.


    With his courtyard reaching the apex of what it could endure, Qin Yun had no choice but to relocate if he wished to complete his project. Yet, a smithy sturdy enough to withstand his strength would be hard to manufacture with his current means; he could only borrow one. Fortunately, one of his acquaintances could provide what he lacked.


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    With this goal in mind, Qin Yun left his small workshop only to stumble upon a strange phenomenon. The sky had turned dark as thunderclouds rose overhead. Lightning arced upon their surface, filling the world with a sense of oppression.


    At first, Qin Yun believed this to be the Heavens'' reaction to someone attempting to reach a higher realm but soon ruled against it. Its might was much too spread out to be true Heavenly Thunder. It was as if the very land had incurred divine wrath.


    He found Yun Jingfei not far away, sword in hand, looking above with a complicated expression. Qin Yun could guess her thoughts. It wasn''t that long ago that she attempted her breakthrough, as she faced the very same oppression from the world. Yet, she fell in the end. This situation probably brought only bitter memories.


    Still, this oppression was much stronger than it was for her. It seemed the reason for its arrival was much more severe than they thought.


    A few moments later, opaque clouds darkened the sky as they blocked the sun''s light, plunging the world into obscurity. Then came a flash of light that blinded all creation, followed by another, then another until the land itself was scorched black.


    Forests lit aflame as the land caved in to this destructive force, yet the source of the Heavens¡¯ ire was nowhere to be found. Thunder struck as if to simply relieve its frustrations. This was a scene akin to the end of the world.


    Yun Jingfei shook slightly as she gripped her sword ever tighter. Her knuckles paled as she resisted the urge to buckle under this pressure. Despite her non-existent cultivation, the Heavens still regarded her as someone at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm. She had to resist a stronger pressure than most, which she was mainly unable to.


    Sweat pooled under her mask as she gritted her teeth, trying to keep her consciousness from fading. Yet, such struggles were useless as no one could resist Heaven¡¯s Might. With a slight trace of blood dripping from her mouth as she bit her lips, her world faded to black, and she went limp.


    Fortunately, Qin Yun was there to catch her, holding her in his arms as he had already predicted her predicament. Still, he felt a slight sense of pride at her display of endurance. Few were those who could stand tall under Heaven¡¯s Might. As the saying went, Under Heavens, all are but ants. Yet, Yun Jingfei had proven them wrong as she defied her fate until she blacked out. Few were those who could claim the same.


    As for Qin Yun, he felt no pressure as he wasn¡¯t deemed a cultivator by this ethereal existence. While many speculated on what this strange force was, even whether it possessed sentience, Qin Yun had some doubts of his own, but it was much too soon to tell. Yet, he came to some conclusions, such as mortals were exempt from its control.


    From what he understood, the Heavens was a system whose only purpose was to manage all the Spiritual Qi present in the world, whether loose in the atmosphere or within a cultivator''s Qi Centre; all were subject to its control. As for the mechanisms that led to Heaven''s Thunder''s appearance, Qin Yun would have to experience it himself to truly know.


    As the thunder slowly receded, Qin Yun noticed some fluctuations a distance away, slightly resembling what his own black box produced. Yet, he felt it was many times stronger. Still, spacial fluctuations weren''t something that anybody could notice. Qin Yun could only do so due to untold time spent in the presence of it. Yet, even he felt slightly stumped when thinking about it.


    While he remembered dabbling in it in some of his previous life, the knowledge was somehow barred to him, as if locked away in the recess of his mind. He figured that as he climbed the cultivation ranks, he would find the keys to unlock those memories.


    Brushing those thoughts out of his mind, Qin Yun noticed the chaotic state of the city. While the city was enveloped by a grand formation that protected the city from any foreign invaders, nothing could be done against Heavenly Tribulation. After a few lightning bolts, the formation dome floating above the city receded, letting the destruction flow through as if someone had turned it off to preserve its foundation. Qin Yun had no doubts that any later and the formations would have been irreparably broken.


    While the advent of this tribulation left the land and the city damaged, not many lives were lost, as if the Heavens had chosen to spare them somewhat. Still, panic echoed in the streets as buildings caught fire and crumbled, putting the city in a state of disarray. However, the unrest didn''t last long, as the formation was brought online again, which resulted in the fires fizzling out.


    Soon after, Qin Yun noticed the elders rushing about within the clan before gathering in the Main Hall. Less than ten minutes later, they all ran out and over half left the clan to rush out of the city toward where Qin Yun had noticed the spatial fluctuation.


    Of course, he understood their intentions. Such potent spacial fluctuations were usually the precursing signs of the advent of a treasure. Besides, treasures of the space attribute were scarce, to say the least. It wouldn''t surprise him if it led to a major conflict with all the clans in the city. Qin Yun very much doubted that his clan was the only one to notice such a thing.


    While he was curious as to the origins of this treasure, Qin Yun had no interest in fighting for it. Doing so would only make himself a target to purge. Cultivators wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill even their own clansmen to get their hands on such a thing, much less someone like him.


    With calm slowly returning to the city, Qin Yun picked up his bride and brought her back inside their house. To his surprise, she awoke much earlier than he anticipated. It seemed her mind had grown sharper in recent days since she started on the path of Sword Cultivation.


    And so, two days passed until news arose from those who had left to seek that treasure. While no treasure was found, the City Lord''s Mansion found an injured young man in its place. While their first instinct was to rob him of all his valuables, the young man fought back, despite his injuries, and managed to impress the City Lord into recruiting him. This was the extent of what Qin Yun could uncover.


    While Qin Yun was slightly interested in the young man''s origin, he would let fate take its course. Honestly, he simply didn''t want to be involved in such things. He just wanted to remain quiet and cultivate in peace alongside his wife. Why bother to struggle for resources when he already had all he needed? Still, his peace was cut short, as always.


    A woman in her thirties, along with a regiment of guards, burst into his small courtyard, disturbing his wife''s cultivation. Yun Jingfei frowned and brandished her sword, wishing to cut them all down, yet Qin Yun quickly restrained her, for this woman was her mother-in-law.

 Chapter 19 - His Stepmothers Scheme

    Tension ran high in Qin Yun''s courtyard as his stepmother and a regiment of guards burst through the front gate uninvited. Yun Jingfei had been practising her swordplay since early morning and wasn''t too thrilled to be disturbed in the middle of it, especially since she wasn''t in a habit of wearing her mask while at home.


    In a motion quicker than lightning, she donned the mask before the intruders could see her features. Then, with a light wooden sword in hand, she prepared herself for the eventual clash before being reined in by Qin Yun. Although Yun Jingfei was acquainted with the woman leading the charge, she could honestly say she didn''t have a good first impression of her.


    While they met during the banquet, all she received from her was contempt and derision; she didn''t even try to seem amiable even before the Yun Clan. Yun Jingfei could only shake her head, thinking that this woman''s haughty nature would eventually bite her when she crossed someone she couldn''t afford to.


    Knowing when to push forth and when to fold was paramount in this world. Yun Jingfei had been made painfully aware of it through her recent circumstances. As such, she understood Qin Yun''s intentions. It wouldn''t do to antagonize this woman any further, yet she couldn''t help but feel her blood boil as they so brazenly strutted into their haven as if they owned the place.


    She could barely keep herself from cutting them down where they stood. Qin Yun, knowing her inner turmoil, gently wrapped his arms around her slim waist, restraining her. Feeling his touch in public, Yun Jingfei couldn''t help but blush slightly under her mask. While they had been intimate multiple times already, doing so in front of others simply wasn''t in her nature.


    Seeing the calmness on Qin Yun''s face, despite being surrounded, his stepmother couldn''t help but frown. Her look was that of extreme scorn, and she barely bothered to mask it. Despite being subservient to his family, even her men looked at them both with contempt. It was apparent none of them acknowledged him as a member of the Qin Clan. Also, it seemed Yun Jingfei''s matter had already been known for some time.


    ¡°Mother, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?¡± Qin Yun asked in an inviting tone.


    While the woman despised him to her core, he, on the other hand, felt no strong emotions for her, one way or another. She was utterly inconsequential in his plans. Still, he would always remain cordial, even when she was blatantly provoking him, which only infuriated her further.


    Of course, Qin Yun was aware of this, which was precisely why he did it. This was his small revenge. While he could ignore most of her outbursts, sending assassins after him rubbed him the wrong way. While he didn''t want to cut ties with the clan then, he had to remind them that he wasn''t to be messed with. Unfortunately, his warnings tended to fall on deaf ears.


    The woman herself was youthful and alluring; it was no wonder why his father would want to marry her. Still, she was only his third wife and also the mother of Qin Yun''s young brother and sister. As far as he knew, his father''s first wife had died of illness shortly after this woman was brought into the household. Then, shortly after, Qin Yun''s mother disappeared, leaving Qin Yun alone.


    While there was no conclusive evidence, Qin Yun figured this woman was responsible for both. Or at least the family on this woman''s side had to be involved.


    Her name was Ma Mingzhu, formerly of the Ma Clan, which had been rivals with his family ever since they migrated to Jin City. As for why a marriage between the two families had been arranged, Qin Yun had heard some rumours but wasn''t interested enough to find out. As far as he knew, Ma Mingzhu had been the one to push for it; something about how smitten she had been with Qin Yun¡¯s father ever since he rescued her in his younger years.


    Anyway, her arrival at this time couldn''t bode well for the couple.


    ¡°The clan decided to build a new workshop, and my husband has graciously offered them this courtyard," Ma Mingzhu said, sneering maliciously. "You must move out immediately as we need to begin demolition."


    Qin Yun''s eyebrow rose slightly as a broad smile graced his visage, yet such a smile seemed eerily creepy. Yun Jingfei, on the other, could barely contain herself as she had grown fond of their small haven of tranquillity where she could immerse herself in the path of the sword. She would hate to see it go, especially since her husband had put so much care and attention into making it so that she would be comfortable here. Still, Qin Yun wouldn¡¯t let her loose just yet.


    ¡°Where should we relocate then?" Qin Yun asked calmly, not bothering to entertain their obviously hostile demeanour.


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    ¡°How is that any of the clan¡¯s concerns?¡± Ma Mingzhu said, filled with contempt so thick, one could liken it to honey, yet it had none of its sweetness. ¡°Wherever you go is none of our business, but the clan had no more space for you.¡±


    Qin Yun knew this was a lie since the clan had many vacant buildings. Still, he expected this stepmother of his to have been thorough in her scheme.


    ¡°I expect you made sure of that,¡± Qin Yun replied, still unconcerned.


    Ma Mingzhu deeply despised this nonchalant attitude and her expression reflected as much. Without bothering with further dialogue, she motioned for her men to begin the demolition process. Seeing the home she had found after so long being destroyed, Yun Jingfei couldn¡¯t hold herself back any longer.


    She sprung from Qin Yun¡¯s embrace, brandishing her wooden sword. Ma Mingzhu''s guards, as if expecting this reaction from them, brandished their own weapons and met her head-on. Yet, what they met was akin to a hurricane.


    While not experts in their own rights, the guards were still a force to be reckoned with, with the weakest being at the 9<sup>th</sup> level of the Qi Refinement Realm. Yet, they stood no chance against Yun Jingfei''s fury.


    She danced with her wooden sword while her blue dress fluttered in the wind with each movement she made. Her steps were graceful as she ran amok on this improvised battlefield. Yet, her blows were overbearing, shattering her prey''s armour with every strike despite her weapon being a mere wooden blade.


    The men surrounded her, limiting the space she could use, yet such actions were futile as she simply plowed her way through with overwhelming might.


    While her path had only just begun, Yun Jingfei had already walked farther than most, and her display showed as much. Still, Qin Yun was critical in his observations. His wife''s display was worthy of the Sword of Hardness, as every blow made the men buckle under the pressure. Yet, he found her motions much too straightforward.


    It was expected, as most cultivators could only determine the victor through overwhelming might. Usually, Realm is the only deciding factor between victory and defeat. Experience and tactics are secondary. As such, most wouldn''t waste their time studying this.


    Yet, experience was paramount for a Sword Cultivator. How could one hope to prevail against someone able to engage the world''s Qi with merely a sword in hand if not for tactics and deception? While the sword alone was mighty, the one holding it would also need to be.


    There was an old saying Qin Yun had encountered in one of his previous life. For a sword cultivator, there is no such thing as realm. There are only those you can kill and the rest. While some nuance was lost in translation, Qin Yun deeply agreed with it. Nothing could resist your will as long as you were intent on cutting.


    Still, Yun Jingfei was still far from that realm. While she possessed the talent, her journey on that path was much too shallow to understand its intricacies. She would need much more time to delve deeper. Still, this event could prove useful moving forward. She could know her own inadequacies and mend them.


    As such, Qin Yun stood back and only watched his wife deal with them. The fight intensified. While the group had been in control at first, as they outnumbered her, and the battle had been at a standstill, Yun Jingfei soon reclaimed the initiative.


    With each blow, her strikes became faster and much more deadly. Still, at Qin Yun''s insistence, she did her best not to take any lives and only chose to incapacitate them. Slaughtering them would be counter-productive as Qin Yun had no doubts that his stepmother would find a way to hold it against them, even if they clearly knew that these men weren''t part of the Qin Clan.


    In fact, Qin Yun was sure these men were hired thugs loaned to his stepmother from the Ma Clan. While she was now a Qin, she still retained quite a lot of influence as she was the granddaughter of the Ma Clan¡¯s patriarch¡¯s older brother. One word from her could make Qin Yun¡¯s life annoying.


    While she usually didn''t bother with that, as she thought of Qin Yun as a tiny insect that she could easily crush, if Qin Yun were to push her too far, he would have to do much more than simply ignore her. He would probably have to crush her whole family. Still, he wouldn''t be averse to doing so if they pushed him too far.


    Seeing the men collapse as Yun Jingfei''s sword blows rained on them, the man standing next to Ma Mingzhu chose to enter the fray. He was tall and burly, standing two heads taller than Yun Jingfei herself. He held a large black halberd and donned a sturdy golden armour. Above his head rotated a dark brown Lotus Platform possessing ten leaves.


    "Don''t bother; you cannot match her. Leave her to me!" the man yelled, prompting his men to disengage.


    While Yun Jingfei wished to pursue them and make them pay for damaging their house, the man''s aura prompted her to stop. While she had once been in the same realm as this man, she was now far from her former peak. Still, this wouldn''t mean she would back down.


    She lightly swung her wooden sword in front of her, verifying its structure''s integrity, before pouncing again, not letting the man take the initiative. Unfortunately, her charge was thwarted. The man slammed the butt of his halberd into the ground, destroying her foothold. She stumbled slightly at this unexpected move but quickly regained her balance.


    In her frustration, she kicked a stone tile, aiming straight for his jaw, yet the man effortlessly swatted it away with the back of his hand. With a slight mocking grin, the man stepped forward, spreading an oppressive aura in his surroundings. She felt her legs grow heavy yet resisted while gritting her teeth. Knowing a protracted battle would leave her at a disadvantage, she chose to gamble it all on one blow.


    She crouched slightly, putting all her weight into a single foot before lunging forward, using her legs as springs. Her feet dug deeply into the now uncovered dirt before launching into the air from the impact. With her sword pointed forward, she sped like an arrow, aiming straight for the man''s neck.


    Her speed was too overbearing for the man to react, and her aim was true; the point of her wooden weapon met its mark. Sadly, a golden aura radiated from the man''s armour, stopping her blow mere millimetres from its target.


    With all the force of the impact being concentrated into a single point, the wooden sword couldn''t handle the strain and shattered into countless shards, tumbling to the ground as if rain. With her weapon lost and her hopes all but crushed, the man burst into laughter and swung his black halberd downwards.

 Chapter 20 - To Live and Die by the Sword

    While off-balance from losing her weapon, Yun Jingfei couldn''t avoid the fierce metal halberd crashing down on her. She could only jump backwards in a desperate effort to lessen the blow. She raised both her arms and crossed them in front of her head, knowing full well it wouldn''t change anything.


    With slight regrets in her heart that her path would be cut short, she awaited her inevitable end. She didn''t cry nor beg for mercy; she only looked at her opponent with a firm gaze, wishing she could have battled once more, proving her worth.


    Fortunately, her wish would be granted shortly. A small blue barrier flickered an inch above her crossed arms, which stopped the halberd¡¯s momentum just enough for her to evade. Still, as she lacked proper footing, the impact propelled her backwards until she crashed into the nearby wall.


    The courtyard''s wall had long been in disrepair from years of neglect, which Qin Yun had also been responsible for. As such, it couldn''t withstand the impact. The stones dislodged from their weak anchors and fell on top of her, burying her under their weight.


    Ma Mingzhu gloated about how unfortunate Qin Yun was to already be a widow weeks after his marriage, without even bothering to check the veracity of her claims. Still, Qin Yun¡¯s expression at that moment infuriated her. Unlike the despair she wished to see, Qin Yun only showed his usual look of indifference, laced with a hint of pity for his stepmother''s unhinged reactions, for he knew that such a weak setback wouldn¡¯t deter his wife in the slightest.


    Confirming Qin Yun¡¯s suspicions, the man holding the halberd''s gaze was riveted on the pile of rubble as if awaiting something to emerge from its depths. As if not to thwart his expectations, the pile of stone exploded, reducing most of the rocks into small peddles that fell like rain, echoing their melody as they collided with the courtyard''s cobblestone floor.


    In the centre of it all was Yun Jingfei, unscathed but somewhat dusty as she held a steel sword in her slender hand. While most had missed it, Qin Yun wouldn''t let his wife struggle without a way to resist. In the later stages of sword cultivation, the sword itself would become unnecessary, but Yun Jingfei wasn''t there yet. She needed a conduit for her path. Qin Yun had given her just that.


    As she flew back after the blow, Qin Yun had discretely delivered this weapon to her landing point. It had been easy, considering that his black box was invisible to anyone but him. He only had to infuse some of his Qi to make it hover in her path and dispense the weapon.


    While he could have given her something more substantial than a mere steel sword, Qin Yun knew that reliance on an overpowered weapon would only impede her path. Only through hardship could one soar. This couldn''t be more true than on a sword path. This was also why Yun Jingfei mostly only used a wooden blade during her training.


    With a steel sword in hand, Yun Jingfei''s confidence soared. She wouldn''t repeat the same mistake. She eyed her opponent, seeking any hint of weakness, until finally she found one. She lunged forward again, repeating what she already knew wouldn''t work.


    The man in golden armour knew so as well and couldn''t help but sneer. He braced himself to receive her attack as the brown lotus platform hovering over his head spun with renewed vigour as if a testament to his strength.


    A single metre before their clash, Yun Jingfei''s foot dug deep into the ground, changing the course of her charge. While the strain on her leg was immense, her training in recent days had forged her muscles into something that wouldn''t break under the heaviest loads without altering their appearances. As such, the man was utterly dumbfounded that she could even achieve such a thing.


    She was propelled to the side before her other leg dug into the ground, repeating her previous actions. She brandished her sword forward, aiming for the side of his head. While the man wore a helmet, such a blow would be devastating, regardless.


    Expecting a frontal assault, the man had poured all his Qi into defences and couldn''t react in time. He had no other choice than to parry the blow using his arm, hoping that the armour would be enough to stop the edge coming toward him. If anything, he was confident that a mere steel sword couldn''t compete against an armour artifact of this class.


    How wrong he was. Naturally, a typical steel edge wouldn''t cut into this golden armour. Yet, the man had failed to account for its wielder. Yun Jingfei stomped on the ground, forcefully changing the path of her blade once again. Drawing an arc upwards with its point. The two collided, yet the blade moved much too swiftly in the air that not even the Qi-wrapped armour could thwart its momentum.


    The thick Qi spewing out of the armour was split apart as the blade followed its trajectory unimpeded. Then came the armour itself. Its golden hue resulted from the materials used in its construction: a Golden-Skinned Bull.


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    While a Golden Bull wasn¡¯t some rare and exotic animal, nor particularly coveted, its hide was especially tough, which made it a fine choice to be used as armour. Furthermore, this armour had been carefully refined into an artifact, thus further improving its attributes. The man¡¯s confidence in this armour was warranted, as up until now, no one below the Void Core Realm had managed to put even the slighted dent into it.


    As such, what came next stupefied him. A small amount of the Qi the armour had spewed forth wrapped around Yun Jingfei''s blade before separating into two identical parts and grinding against each other. This act caused a second edge that overlapped with the one already present on the steel sword.


    Those two edges plunged into the armour simultaneously, overloading what it could resist. The armour shook slightly as it opposed the impact but soon fell apart as the Qi wrapping the blade dug into it before causing a small explosion. With nothing impeding its path, the blade dug into the man''s arm, severing it just below the elbow.


    While the man was a seasoned cultivator working for the Ma Clan, the act of seeing his severed limb fly in the air, spewing its blood everywhere, left the man stunned momentarily before he felt the pain that the blade had caused him to rush to his brain.


    His eyes were bloodshot as he howled like a madman, clutching his severed stump, refusing to acquiesce to the reality that this limb was now missing. Seeing an opportunity, Yun Jingfei struck again, but the overbearingness of her last blow was gone, resulting in a lacklustre attempt. Her sword only collided with the man''s breastplate, bouncing off it.


    Dumbfounded, she took her distance to reassess her situation. The man wouldn''t let her get away. Lost in a fit of insanity for losing his limb, he threw said limb back to her, which she swatted away using the broad side of her blade, only to see the man charge her down, this time with the familiar halberd firmly in his remaining hand. He flailed it around, forgetting all his training, only to somehow hope to catch her with his blade in the end.


    She evaded each blow with the slightest of margins, trying to find where she had gone wrong with the second blow. She was sure her form had been impeccable and had put just as much strength in the strike, yet something felt lacking.


    A short distance away, Qin Yun looked at his wife and couldn''t help but shake his head. While she was talented, exceptionally so as she had barely been on this path a few weeks, her inexperience showed. She had only managed a single strike before she let it go to her head, feeling complacent. She had forgotten that she cultivated not the sword but the mind.


    She could display such power again through a firm mind and extreme focus. Unfortunately, she was now distraught, unable to find the answer she sought amid battle. Worse yet, the man, in his madness, wouldn''t let her recompose herself.


    She parried the man''s blow as she retreated, yet her weapon was a simple steel blade and couldn''t hope to match the man''s black halberd. Small chips appeared on the blade with each strike, further reducing its cutting power. Before long, her blade would be on the verge of breaking once again, and she would be unarmed.


    Still, this sense of desperation was precisely what she needed. Yun Jingfei wasn''t the sheltered type anymore, the one to simply let rain wash over her without resisting. She refused to let herself be helpless to change her fight. She would fight even knowing she would most likely lose.


    Her knuckles paled as she tightened her grip over her sword, then chose to advance over retreating. Such a sudden shift shocked the man, and he barely blocked the blow to his midsection using the shaft of his halberd. This slight pause gave Yun Jingfei just enough time to clear her mind. The only thoughts remaining were the sword in her hand and the path it would take.


    The man, still reeling from the loss of his hand, charged forward once again. Brandishing his weapon high above his head, the man sought to cleave her in half in one swift motion. With a firm resolve, Yun Jingfei chose to mimic his actions. Only, she took on a Dragonfly Stance.


    The man scoffed at her attempt since he was the one with the greater reach, pouring all his Qi into the strike as he let his blade fall. Still, despite being the last to move, Yun Jingfei''s blade was the first to arrive.


    She took a large step forward, deeply imprinting her boot''s sole into the stone pavement. The floor cracked, unable to bear the weight of that step, yet Yun Jingfei remained steadfast as if a mountain braving a hurricane.


    Her blade fell, cutting the Qi wrapping the incoming halberd, severing it only to absorb a part of it on its own edge. The man, still sure of his victory, didn''t even bother to put any thought into defence, yet this would come back to bite him.


    As the halberd''s blade was much more massive than a simple steel sword, it was also much slower. Yun Jingfei''s sword was the first to collide with the halberd''s shaft before the heavy blade could reach her head. Contrary to the man¡¯s expectations, the shaft couldn¡¯t bear the tyrannical Qi wrapping the sword¡¯s edge and collapsed under the strain. The blade cut through unimpeded before embedding itself into the man¡¯s armour. This time, however, Yun Jingfei¡¯s sword didn¡¯t fizzle out instantly and collided with the armour, causing a deep cut that reached the man¡¯s torso. Although the wound bled profusely, Qin Yun figured the man would survive, provided he was given immediate attention.


    As for the blade heading for Yun Jingfei¡¯s head, as the man couldn¡¯t control it any longer, it slipped from his hand and flew in the air before embedding itself into a nearby tree, toppling it in the process.


    The man fell face first into a puddle of his own blood, unresponsive, while his armour dulled greatly, becoming nothing more than a giant paperweight. Yun Jingfei didn''t know if he still drew breath, but she didn''t care. He came at her with the intent to kill, and she simply reciprocated in kind. He shouldn''t have expected any mercy from her at that point, not even if Qin Yun had asked her not to.


    Still, she couldn''t celebrate her victory for long as she felt an overbearing pressure pin her where she stood. She tried to struggle, but she had put most of her strength in her last attack and was spent. She gritted her teeth and willed her muscles to move, yet nothing seemed to be working. Soon after, she had a sense of impending doom loom over her.


    A short distance away, Ma Mingzhu was seething. All her plans amounted to nothing, and she would have to bring them to fruition herself. A dark green lotus appeared above her head, which consisted of a complete platform with a sphere of light hovering over it. Three rings of light spun and intersected over its surface.


    Yun Jingfei gasped and struggled even more, yet it was all in vain. The woman¡¯s earlier contempt was gone, replaced with pure coldness and an urge to kill. She didn¡¯t say a word and simply brought a palm forward, launching an attack in the same motion.


    The palm grew as it closed the distance, pressing on Yun Jingfei evermore. She knew she couldn''t resist as this was a strike from someone at the third level of the Golden Core Realm, something much too far from her current realm. She could only wait for that palm to swallow her.

 Chapter 21 - Onward to a New Future

    The palm was overbearing, to say the least. It travelled through space as it compressed the world before it, adding to its destructive power. Gales were created from the vacuum of its advance toward the immobile Yun Jingfei. The ground trembled slightly, fighting the pressure the Qi contained in the palm exerted on all its surroundings.


    Yun Jingfei had no means to struggle against such a fierce attack. She would have never expected that her end would come so soon after she had found something to strive for once again. She also wondered how that woman could be so brazen to simply barge into their quiet life, intending to reap their lives.


    Fortunately, her end had yet to come. As the palm sought to make contact with her body, another stood before her, taking the brunt of the impact in her stead. An explosion occurred when all the energy within flooded the world as the palm collapsed.


    Clouds of dust from shattered floor tiles rose in the air, obscuring Yun Jingfei''s sight. The thick, compressed wall of air dispersed instantly, creating massive winds threatening to topple all structures within their small courtyard. Some of the more feeble ones, which Qin Yun hadn''t taken the time to fortify, collapsed, adding to the cacophony of sounds emerging from this collision.


    Yun Jingfei fought the urge to close her eyes as the wind assaulted her, wishing to cut her skin into pieces. Fortunately, something before her seemed to have withstood most of it as if a boulder in a storm. She couldn¡¯t see what it was, merely its outline, yet that proved enough to alleviate her doubts.


    Once the dust cleared, Yun Jingfei saw the truth of her conjectures. Before her stood her husband, his back toward her, bravely facing this calamity. His clothes were torn, revealing deep and horrifying gashes all over his body. Blood flowed from the wounds, soaking what was left of what covered his flesh.


    Despite his state, the man still stood firm, hands crossed before his face, protecting his vitals. He slightly glanced backwards, seeking knowledge of her well-being. Once he made sure she was unharmed, he let out a sigh of relief, which brought a sense of warmth to Yun Jingfei''s mostly cold heart.


    Yet, once she saw the state of his arms, she couldn''t help but grow pale. His arms were ruined beyond belief. Through his mangled clothes and the blood covering them, she saw multiple instances of bones protruding from the flesh. Were he to be an ordinary man, Yun Jingfei held no doubts his arms would have been blown apart entirely, along with the rest of his body.


    Seeing that her attack had been thwarted, Ma Mingzhu frowned but didn''t launch another one as their demise wasn''t her intention. This had only been the result of a single moment of fury. While she wished nothing more than to erase Qin Yun''s existence, she knew she couldn''t do so without cause, as he was still considered her husband''s son. Even more so considering who his mother was.


    As for Qin Yun''s wife, the clan could spin the news of her demise whichever way they wished, and they didn''t believe the Yun Clan would make a big deal out of it as long as they received what they were promised. This was why Ma Mingzhu hadn''t reined in her blow. Still, she hadn''t expected Qin Yun to take the fall for his wife, as they barely had time to get to know each other. She hadn''t expected their relationship to be so deep already.


    A moment later, once Qin Yun relaxed the slightest amount, his arms fell limply on both sides of his being, unable to rise anymore. He sought air desperately as large beads of sweat pooled on what remained of his skin. His body spasmed as it fought the urge to collapse where he stood, as he knew that once he did so, he wouldn''t rise back up again.


    His face was paler than it had ever been as a lump of blood flowed to his throat before being ejected through his mouth, staining the already red ground. He fell to one knee as he fought the darkness assaulting his mind.


    Yun Jingfei rushed to his aid, helping him stand as she shot daggers at Ma Mingzhu with her eyes, even knowing she had no way of fighting back were Ma Mingzhu to wish them dead. The gap between them was much too large to overcome.


    Finally, getting back his bearing as the winds died down within the courtyard, Qin Yun eyed the alluring woman before him. He held no animosity toward Ma Mingzhu, even after all she had put him through. Why would he? In fact, he respected her will to dirty her hands to reach her heart''s desires. While he felt that seeking power as she did was futile, he didn¡¯t deny that it made her shine.


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    Qin Yun had always been attracted to women who remained steadfast in their convictions, even when their methods may be deemed vicious. Qin Yun was no saint himself and didn''t care about righteousness. He could even ignore the abuse he received simply because this woman was no hypocrite. Her dislike for him had always been apparent for all to see, and she never made any attempt to hide it.


    In fact, he much preferred this treatment over what his father offered. Sometimes, indifference was much worse than open hostilities. Still, he would never tell her that, as it would only further destroy whatever little relationship still left between them. Ma Mingzhu was much too prideful to accept his warped way of thinking.


    ¡°Leave before I change my mind,¡± Ma Mingzhu said coldly, not bothering to even look at Qin Yun¡¯s wretched state. ¡°The clan is done with you. Therefore, you are banished from the clan and repudiated by your family for your resistance to follow the clan''s directives. Never enter these grounds again or face the consequences.¡±


    ¡°Is this the clan''s intentions or yours?" Qin Yun asked with difficulty while still maintaining a slight smile.


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± she replied in a tone much colder than he had ever heard from her.


    Indeed, it didn''t. Their little altercation had caused multiple loud sounds to echo in their surroundings. Yet, none had come to check on their origins. It was blatantly apparent that the clan itself implicitly agreed with what she did.


    Qin Yun knew the reasons why. He had nothing more to offer the clan, as he had already given them what they wished for. Furthermore, he had now become a liability. Were it anyone else, they could simply imprison them within the clan until all others had forgotten their existence. Yet, such a solution wouldn''t work for Qin Yun.


    It all stemmed from his mother''s identity¡ªor at least, the clan behind her. They simply couldn''t have Qin Yun relay to them how he had been treated in the years she had been gone, lest she come to them for revenge.


    Their plan was simple but also effective. Qin Yun couldn''t help but applaud them for their cowardice. They would simply thrust that problem onto somebody else. Qin Yun held no doubt that someone would come to reap his life once he left the clan. Whether it was someone arranged by this woman or someone else, Qin Yun didn''t know. It only mattered that he couldn''t perish before he was seen leaving.


    Still, Qin Yun thought nothing of it. He honestly had no lingering attachment to the clan he grew up in. The only thing still linking him to them would probably only be Qin Meihui, but that wouldn''t stop him from leaving. Besides, he knew they couldn''t stop him if he wished to return.


    As for Ma Mingzhu, once again, Qin Yun didn¡¯t despise her. If anything, he felt pity. She was only under the influence of the affliction known as love. While she may have done this willingly, it was clear who had instigated it all. Without her husband¡¯s approval, how could she command the troops under him? It was only a shame that her devotion would remain unrewarded.


    Qin Yun''s father was much too cold for Qin Yun''s taste. Despite being married three times, Qin Yun doubted that the man even knew what love was. Ma Mingzhu had tried desperately for years to make him look her way but with no success. If anything, not even the two children she had birthed him made him change his attitude. Everything was for him to one-up his older brother, but that''s another story.


    Still, Ma Mingzhu went along with his scheme, even playing the villain, knowing full well the consequences that might arise from it. If anything was to come of this, she would be the one to take the blame for it all. Qin Yun¡¯s father wouldn¡¯t hesitate to blame it all on his wife¡¯s independent actions. Such was the folly of love. Qin Yun had always wondered what she saw in that piece of hardwood.


    With the day''s event clear in his mind, Qin Yun slowly rose to his feet, leaning on his wife''s shoulder. He gave Ma Mingzhu one last long look, showing his gentlest smile, which only brought a shiver down both women''s spine.


    Yun Jingfei couldn''t help but frown as she was utterly lost by this reaction to his banishment. While she knew he held no love for this place, this still seemed way out of place. She contemplated asking him for his reasons yet chose not to. This wasn''t the time or place.


    With no further words, the couple began their journey out of the clan. Yun Jingfei felt heartache leaving behind the courtyard she had grown accustomed to. Once again, she had lost something she cared for. At least she still had her life and her husband; they could restart a life anywhere else.


    On the other hand, Qin Yun was at peace. He had long expected such a turn of events, only not so soon. He wondered what happened to expedite his departure. Still, it was mostly inconsequential and just curiosity on his part. He was fully intending to leave at some point.


    The stares of ridicule and muffled laughter surrounding them as they travelled the main avenue of their clan toward the outside world made Yun Jingfei uncomfortable. While she had somehow grown used to it at this point, it still wasn¡¯t enjoyable. She honestly couldn¡¯t wait to get away from all this toxicity.


    Qin Yun could spy Qin Meihui in the distance, looking at him with a shocked and painful expression. While he wished to explain how it came to this, doing so would only make her life harder. He didn''t wish to shed light on the depth of their relationship for others to dissect. Only Qin Yun''s wife could be privy to such information.


    With mixed emotions, the couple finally left the clan before the gates closed behind them, forever locking them away from that place. As soon as they left the curious onlookers'' gazes, Qin Yun rose to his full height as if his earlier display of weakness was but an illusion.


    Soon enough, all his wounds, even those that seemed life-threatening, began healing at much too fast a pace to appear natural. Yun Jingfei could only watch this miraculous display with a frown. She couldn''t help but slightly resent her husband for this.


    While she had been in the dark regarding his intentions, nothing could be clearer now. He had been faking it all along! She felt the urge to punch him in his stupid smirk for making her worry about him. Still, she surprised herself that she cared as much as she did. She still couldn''t believe she had become so deeply involved with a man so soon.


    Still unsure how to feel about all this, Yun Jingfei remained silent, only glaring at Qin Yun, making her dissatisfaction known. Qin Yun only chuckled in response before taking her by the hand, tugging slightly as he stepped forward.


    "Shall we?" he asked with a mischievous smile, prompting her to follow him. While she still had reservations about what had transpired, she was inclined to go with him.

 Chapter 22 - A Stroll Through Downtown

    Following their exile from the Qin Clan, Qin Yun and his wife walked the streets of Jin City looking for an inn to accommodate them. Unfortunately, any they tried would refuse them at the door, stating they had standards to keep and wouldn¡¯t serve beggars. While Yun Jingfei was slightly offended, Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    Indeed, it was only reasonable for them to think so as their state of dress reflected as such. Qin Yun¡¯s clothes were in tatters and bloody, while Yun Jingfei¡¯s were caked with dust and dirt, dulling their usual brilliance. Even the mask she wore had lost its lustre.


    After seeking shelter from many establishments, they finally decided to acquire lodging in a mortal inn, a distance away from the city¡¯s centre. Unlike with many other planes, mortals and cultivators weren¡¯t estranged from one another. In fact, cultivators were quite common, at over a little more than ten percent of the total population.


    This made for quite a strenuous symbiotic relationship. Cultivators, in their delusions of grandeur, were quite averse to the mundane necessities of their lives. One would think cultivators would provide for themselves, but it wasn''t so for the vast majority.


    While those in the Qin Clan practised inedia, this would only hold true for noble clans with some inheritance, unwilling to mingle with the mortal realm. Most other ordinary cultivators would need sustenance, clothing, shelter, etc, just as mortals would and were reluctant to manufacture them on their own.


    As such, the City Lord tolerated mortals in his city if they fulfilled the populace''s needs. Yet, the ratio remained the same. While Jin City wasn''t large, only accommodating over a hundred thousand people, there were still nine mortals for every cultivator. Sustaining such a population wasn''t something easy. Still, the system has worked for a long time now.


    In exchange for their services, mortals could enroll their children into the nearby sects if they were found to possess Spiritual Roots, hoping they would secure better lives for themselves and their progeny.


    Unfortunately, the chances of a mortal couple giving birth to a child possessing Spiritual Roots were one in ten. It was quite depressing to know since the chances of a child born to cultivators not having Spiritual Roots were also ten percent. While Qin Yun didn''t know if that ratio held some significance, he found its inclusion everywhere quite peculiar.


    This created expectations that the two classes remained separate and shouldn''t mingle as if they were two different species, even if they depended on each other. While cultivators needed mortals for their daily needs, mortals couldn''t survive in the outside world without the strength cultivators possessed.


    There were too many dangers, ranging from demonic beasts occupying most of the continent''s lands to demonic cultivators who had no scruples slaughtering anyone in their paths for the sake of their cultivation to natural disasters occurring every now and then. Life was harsh for those without power.


    With a roof over his head, Qin Yun could finally discard his ruined clothes for something more presentable. While the new blue robes he donned were clean and neat, they weren''t particularly luxurious. In fact, they resembled the everyday wear of most mortals, except that they shone with a slight aura, which Qin Yun promptly hid.


    Yun Jingfei couldn¡¯t help but look at his clothes, frowning, thinking about who in their right mind would refine such a standard set of clothes into an artifact? She wondered which master was bored enough to do such a thing.


    Of course, the answer was Qin Yun himself. He was a man with many hobbies, and artifact refining just happened to be one of them. Still, the path was long, and he hadn''t put much effort into it in this life, as cultivation took much of his attention. He only dabbled into it to provide for himself and his wife.


    As you might expect, he also provided the clothes Yun Jingfei usually wore. While his main reason was to ensure they possessed the required defensive options, he also liked seeing her shine in the clothes he had chosen for her, such as the ones she wore at present.


    Yun Jingfei had exchanged her usual blue dress for a dark green one. Once again, it came with assorted boots and gloves of the same colour, which hid the non-existent burns scars she was supposed to have. She hadn''t changed her mask as she was now used to wearing it most of the time.


    While the clothes themselves weren¡¯t the most striking anyone had ever seen, Yun Jingfei wore them to perfection, elevating them further. Even without her perfect visage showing and most of her skin hidden, she still attracted gazes as they walked the city''s streets.


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    More than once, passersby stopped them, trying to strike up a conversation with Qin Yun''s wife, ignoring him in the process. While he wasn''t the jealous type, being interrupted so often gave him a headache. Still, he had already expected such a thing to happen and had the means to make it stop.


    Qin Yun held her gloved hand, rotating his Innate Qi, prompting the formation hidden within to activate. Slight colourful lines appeared over all her dress, flashing them promptly disappeared. Soon after, they weren¡¯t interrupted again on their date.


    "What did you do?" she asked, noticing the changes around her.


    "Just a formation to muddle their perception of you," he replied with a slight smile. "Just enough that they won''t recognize your existence unless you address them first. Simply put a little Qi into the eye to make it disappear."


    Qin Yun then proceeded to show her its location, just above her heart, while she looked at him incredulously. She had knowledge of this type of formation but had never seen one incorporated so discreetly into clothes, especially not ones made of common materials. A formation with this effect should use a massive amount of energy to maintain, yet Yun Jingfei couldn''t feel any drain on her as if there was a battery powering it. She wondered how he had achieved it.


    Yet, it seemed Qin Yun had no intentions of revealing this mystery. Yun Jingfei didn''t push further, as she had since become used to his antics¡ªat least she thought she had.


    "I hope you have a plan going forward," she said skeptically. It wouldn''t surprise her if he had simply followed along as the day''s events unfolded. She was well aware of her husband''s tendencies to ignore what he couldn''t be bothered to deal with if it didn''t pose any immediate threat. She felt this time was no different, and she would be proven right.


    "Is it necessary?" he asked, smiling, before quickly adding something as Yun Jingfei¡¯s foot threatened to crush his own. ¡°Why not just enjoy this date? It¡¯s not the end of the world.¡±


    Yun Jingfei stopped walking and looked him in the eyes as she scowled. She didn''t say a word and simply stared at him with a look of disappointment. Qin Yun knew her intentions and couldn''t help but chuckle. Then, he wrapped his arms around her slender waist before kissing her tender lips. She felt a hint of anger in her heart yet chose not to resist, enjoying his tenderness even though she knew he was only trying to change the subject. She would get an answer either way.


    People went about their daily lives all around them, ignoring them. While some were on a collision course with them, they would magically swerve around their locations, avoiding them by a large margin. It looked as if their gravity had bent the world around them, preventing anyone from reaching them. No one even noticed this peculiar phenomenon.


    In her inexperience in such matters, Yun Jingfei soon found herself out of breath and pushed herself out of Qin Yun¡¯s arms. She didn¡¯t deign to meet his gaze and simply turned to the side, pouting slightly. Qin Yun burst into laughter, wrapping an arm around her back as it landed on her hips, then prompted them both to resume walking.


    They ambled down the streets aimlessly, sampling the various foods on sale at street stalls. Somehow, Yun Jingfei found the cacophony of sounds and the bustling atmosphere of this mortal food market inviting. She could even feel that it was somehow beneficial to her Dao. She couldn''t make sense of such a feeling as she had been taught by her master that the Dao lay in the detachment of worldly desires. She couldn¡¯t conceive that the exact opposite led to the same result.


    ¡°Dao is everywhere; why can¡¯t it be here too?¡± Qin Yun said with a slight smirk.


    She really detested how her husband could read her heart so easily. She was once known as an ice beauty, effortlessly capable of masking her feelings. Yet, she was akin to an open book to this man.


    Qin Yun couldn¡¯t take all the credit as he had been in too many relationships. Their experiences were worlds apart. Knowing one¡¯s partner¡¯s thoughts only came with time. Yet, Qin Yun had already had too much time, and humans were always humans deep down. While all individuals were unique, their emotions weren¡¯t.


    Too many cultivators failed to realize that such basic knowledge was highly impactful. Too many conflicts could have been averted if any of the participants had a higher emotional quotient. Unfortunately, they much preferred to talk with their fists. Why did they have mouths if they had no intentions of using them? Sometimes, apathy was the answer they needed.


    They soon left the food court and transitioned into an open-air market mainly catering to cultivators. While there was the occasional mortal stumbling in, they would be promptly repelled by the formation surrounding the area.


    As they crossed the threshold, Yun Jingfei could feel a slight force rejecting her, growing stronger with every step she took. While she had once been a cultivator, the formation didn''t discriminate; they would be excluded if they didn''t possess Qi within a Qi Centre.


    She thought of doubling back, yet the thought of not being considered a cultivator anymore rubbed her the wrong way. She wished to prove them wrong. Unfortunately, her mastery of intent was much too shallow to cut through this formation at the moment.


    Not wishing to let this weigh on her mind, Qin Yun used the side of his palm to cut the air before them, splitting the surrounding Spiritual Qi and allowing them entrance. While his movement looked casual, Yun Jingfei recognized the path she wished to walk. She wondered just how strong her husband truly was.


    On the other side of this tear, the couple found themselves in something entirely resembling another world. Gone was the bustle of the street market, replaced by an air of tension. All around, merchants tended to their wares as they eyed potential customers while staying vigilant for anyone even thinking of robbing them.


    While security was assigned to this place, they wouldn''t be responsible if a customer insisted they be granted the wares for free. Offending some of those big customers simply wasn''t worth it for the market''s management.


    Qin Yun and his wife perused the various shops, yet nothing caught his eye. They were all merely trinkets without much useful traits, yet were somehow way overpriced for what they offered. He also found some artifacts relegated to the side, as if worthless. Qin Yun wondered how people were able to turn a profit with these dubious practices.


    There were weapons, defensive artifacts, pills and even precious materials. Yet, all inventory was just the most common things you could find in Jin City. To see the truly valuable items, one would have to visit the various clans or the city''s lone auction house. Understandably, the prices would also be sky-high, something Qin Yun wasn''t willing to pay for mere auxiliary enhancements.


    With nothing much to see, Qin Yun considered moving on, but he heard shouts coming from further in the market. At first, they were simple arguments until things soon took a turn for the worse. While a voice in his mind told him not to involve himself, his curiosity overcame rationality.

 Chapter 23 - Brewing Conflict Within the Market

    Near the far side of the market was a row of peculiar shops that were more luxurious than the stalls Qin Yun had perused before. Standing before one of them was two groups of people facing against each other. While most only glared, two women were deep in conflict over what seemed to be who could buy one item on display.


    From what Qin Yun could piece together from their insane ravings and screaming, one of them arrived first, looking at the store''s wares, yet didn''t find what she was looking for. Then came the second woman with all her entourage. She asked for an item not displayed on the shelves, which caught the first woman''s attention. This also seemed to be what she was seeking.


    After pointless bickering over who should own that item, a catfight ensued. They couldn''t reach an agreement, and the situation only escalated from there. Fortunately, these women weren''t foolish enough to resort to violence in the market, although they were close to their breaking point.


    "Only this item is fit to belong to the young master, and as I was here first, I should obviously be the one to get it!" the first woman screamed, as if raising her voice would make her counterpart listen more closely.


    ¡°Bullshit! I¡¯m the one who asked for it, so it¡¯s mine! I must be the one to give it to the young master!¡±


    Suddenly, Qin Yun''s enthusiasm deflated. He had no interest in some love triangle involving some young master. Still, he glanced at the item in question simply for good measure.


    It was then that his eyes narrowed slightly. The item was a monster core, radiating a slight orange glow. The core was spherical, no larger than some of the pills next to it, yet the energy contained within was astounding. This core had once belonged to a Bird of Paradise, an elusive species of demonic beasts rumoured to be able to lead the way to a treasured land known as Paradise.


    It was recorded that within that land were countless cultivation resources that could make any mortal man an immortal. If a living Bird of Paradise was to be found, it would create such a stir that it might even catch the attention of the continent¡¯s core.


    Yet, for all intent and purposes, those birds were all but extinct as cultivators hunted them all to reach that promised land. After all, Birds of Paradise could only survive in a particular environment. They would perish as soon as they left, leaving nothing behind but their core if they were lucky.


    To find such a rare core was a stroke of luck, yet Qin didn¡¯t bother fighting for it. He had no need for this promised land as it would only bring forth too much attention and conflict. He much preferred to remain the spectator he was, watching as they tore each other''s hair out over some man who probably wasn''t even aware of their existence.


    He strongly considered walking away as Yun Jingfei wasn''t interested in the slightest until he heard a comment that caught his attention.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a young lady from the Ma Clan fighting with Lady Sun¡¯s maid? Isn¡¯t the young master they are talking about the City Lord¡¯s new son-in-law?¡±


    ¡°You mean the one they picked up in those ruins? That genius?¡±


    ¡°I heard he fought to a draw with one of the Sun Family¡¯s Golden Core elders despite being severely injured, yet looks no older than thirty!¡±


    ¡°It''s no wonder the City Lord would betroth his daughter to him, considering his strength. He must surely come from some exalted lineage to have such strength at such a young age!"


    ¡°Don''t say this to anyone else, but there''s a rumour that he comes from the Core Region!"


    Qin Yun could hear the man gasp as this news was much too shocking. They were located at the edge of the Western Wastelands; the Core Region was much too far away, separated by too many forests and mountain ranges that any news originating from there was seen as magical and otherworldly. Simply the fact that immortals walked the earth over there, made people wonder what other miracles existed.


    While Qin Yun was interested in exploring this world, he wasn¡¯t in a hurry as cultivators could easily live for centuries. Why rush through it all? Still, the mention of this man found in a ruin reminded Qin Yun of the tribulations not so long ago. He couldn¡¯t dismiss the thought that it was somehow related to this man.


    Qin Yun put it out of his mind as he had no interest in getting involved unless there was cause to do so. He had much more important things to worry about, such as acquiring their new house. While he considered leaving Jin City after their exile, starting anew in a new town would be too much of a hassle. Besides, he had acquaintances here he could rely on.


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    People started to gather around Qin Yun and his wife, eagerly watching the situation about to meltdown. Neither woman wished to back down, and the situation quickly escalated. The poor shop owner was stuck in the middle, unwilling to oppose any of them and too afraid of retaliation.


    One was a young miss of the Ma Clan in the prime of her youth, while the other was the personal maid of the City Lord¡¯s only daughter. Neither could be dismissed that easily. While the Ma Clan was beneath the City Lord¡¯s Mansion in status, they were actually equal in strength. Any conflict between the two would only end in mutual destruction.


    While the older generation would obviously like to avoid such a thing, the same couldn¡¯t be said for the younger ones. They were used to being arrogant and unbridled, thinking themselves high above others even while interacting with their peers. To simply let go and compromise was beneath them.


    The same could be said for the maid. While most only knew her as Lady Sun''s maid, she was actually her cousin and possessed her own backing in the City Lord''s Mansion. She wasn''t inferior in any way to the Ma Clan¡¯s lady. As such, neither backed down, leading to an impasse.


    It wasn¡¯t until then that security was called in, yet nothing had changed as no one was willing to go against them. Still, one man made a reasonable compromise. If words weren¡¯t enough, why not let money do the talking.


    The person who proposed such an idea was someone Qin Yun was familiar with but never spoke to. He only heard a secondhand account of his as he conversed with one of his friends.


    The man was part of the fourth and last great clan present within Jin City, the Lian Clan. Unlike the other three, the Lian Clan operated more like a business conglomerate. Most of the shops within Jin City were theirs, and they even owned many properties in other major cities. It would be difficult to find a family with more capital than them in the entirety of the Western Region.


    Still, currency was always a coveted commodity, and, as such, many-eyed their assets, leading to many clans crossing them in the past, which they now remain in the past... permanently. With their capital, the Lian Clan employed many rogue cultivators belonging to no clan, ensuring no one would entertain any idea about crossing them anymore.


    While rogue cultivators possessed lower strength than those belonging to proper clans, their numbers made up for it. Besides, they were dirt cheap to buy out compared to a proper security force. Rogue cultivators were so used to poverty that the scraps they were given seemed like heaven-sent gifts.


    The young man who spoke up wore brocaded white garbs made of luxurious exotic material, fully intent on displaying his wealth. Even in the face of the two ladies from distinguished families, he remained calm and polite, explaining how to remedy this situation.


    While most bystanders gasped in astonishment at how easily he had defused the situation, Qin Yun could only sigh in his heart at how simple and obvious the answer was. Yet no one had even considered it, too self-absorbed to take a moment to think.


    The city''s sole auction house complex was located in Jin City''s most prestigious district. The young man''s idea was to have the shopkeeper put the item up for auction and let the two ladies bid for it fairly.


    While the two were obviously unsatisfied with this arrangement, they had to concede that they couldn¡¯t continue the way things had been. A fallout between the Ma and Sun families would mark the end of Jin City as a whole. They had no choice but to relent. Besides, they both knew their elders would punish them if things were to escalate further.


    With a contract signed by the shopkeeper explaining the terms of the auction and its timing, the young man left with the object alongside a convoy of guards surrounding him. The two ladies stared daggers at each other and then at the young man. While the young man thought himself clever in diffusing the situation, trying to show his good side to the two ladies, it had backfired splendidly.


    Their goal in seeking this object was to gift it to another man, but now, they would have to wait another month for the next auction before being allowed to pay much more than what the item was first listed as. In short, all they had incurred was a loss.


    It would be even worse for the maid as she acted on someone else''s behalf, but now, her master would have to get involved. Things would turn out much messier than she first expected.


    With the situation coming to a close, Qin Yun remained stationary, pondering how to proceed while his wife looked around for something to catch her attention. While this type of drama wasn''t usually to her taste, ever since she met Qin Yun, she had learned to enjoy being the audience. It was much more amusing when these types of problems weren''t happening to you. She wondered if her husband¡¯s personality had rubbed off on her.


    On the other hand, Qin Yun wondered whether or not to get involved in this auction. While the promise of reaching Paradise didn''t mean much to him, he still had many uses for that item as the core for various projects he had in his mind. Still, he wasn''t sure whether antagonizing these two ladies over it would be worth it.


    Sometimes, staying out of it and living in peace was worth much more than anything. Yet, Qin Yun¡¯s wild tendencies always seemed to rear their ugly heads. He just couldn¡¯t stay out of drama. Entertainment was too much of an appealing drug to him.


    With his mind made up, Qin Yun returned to the matter at hand, only to see his wife standing before a lone stall near a dark alley. The stall was so unlike the rest that littered each side of the road. It seemed mostly ready to crumble at any moment, yet the objects for sale caught his eye. Their value was over three times what the most upscale shops charged for their most expensive items.


    He first thought it was a scam, wanting to scalp some poor sucker unaware of their actual value, yet Qin Yun stood corrected. On closer look, these items were worth much more than what the shopkeeper asked for.


    Reaching his woman''s side, Qin Yun noticed that Yun Jingfei held a small necklace in her hand. Compared to the rest of these items, the necklace, although beautiful, was a low-grade common artifact whose only effect was to act as an attraction device for surrounding Spiritual Qi¡ªsomething completely useless to his wife.


    Despite the exorbitant price, Qin Yun still bought it for her. He simply couldn¡¯t resist the look with which she looked at the object. Yun Jingfei was surprised when she saw Qin Yun drop a bunch of spirit crystals onto the counter. She had no idea he was that rich. Still, she was grateful for the present but couldn¡¯t accept something so expensive.


    While she wished to protest, Qin Yun didn¡¯t let her. He turned her around and put the necklace himself around her slender neck. Yun Jingfei couldn¡¯t help but blush slightly at this show of intimacy. She wondered if the man was only acting according to their contract or was genuine in his intentions. She couldn¡¯t tell.


    Without lingering at the stalls, the couple resumed their march.


    ¡°Where to?¡± she asked.


    "To our new house, of course," Qin Yun replied.

 Chapter 24 - The Black Token Holder

    Qin Yun stopped in front of a large building that took up most of an expansive plaza near the middle of the city. The building was a massive tower with well-defined layers overlooking most other nearby structures. A broad set of stairs led toward its entrance from the plaza, where two guards in shining armour guarded the checkpoint, armed to the teeth.


    Yun Jingfei looked at the oppressive structure, unable to understand why they were even here. As a foreigner, she had no idea what this structure''s function was and could only infer that it had something to do with their lodging situation. As Qin Yun had mentioned, they were here to get a house. Still, this tower looked nothing like a real estate agency. She was confused, to say the least.


    She could see customers go in and out of the building, leaving with predominantly lighter pockets. She figured this was a store of some sort, yet couldn''t fathom how this was relevant to their situation. Still, she didn''t question it and followed Qin Yun inside.


    While the guards gave them looks as they entered, at least they weren¡¯t stopped. She could only sigh that they had become the talk of the town after their walk of shame out of the clan. It seemed the word had spread around already. While she didn¡¯t know the exact rumours said about them, she could speculate. Still, she ignored most of it, as their attitudes were all too familiar.


    She followed Qin Yun to the counter, where two ladies, slightly older than she was, awaited them. Unlike the guards at the entrance, they didn''t bat an eye and welcomed them professionally. Qin Yun then asked to meet someone, saying a name she was unfamiliar with. She only knew she should be a woman and part of the Lian family.


    Still, judging by the receptionist''s reaction, that woman should have been someone of exceptionally high status in that family as the two women grew uneasy, unsure whether to call her. It wasn''t until Qin Yun retrieved a black token and showed it to the two ladies that they finally took them seriously. Their expressions grew sterner before both of them exchanged looks without a word.


    One bowed deeply before hurriedly leaving, while the other motioned for another to take her place at the counter while she escorted the duo through the building. The customers in the lobby gossiped incessantly as they had never seen this reaction, yet Yun Jingfei could also feel the guards'' stares linger on her. It was clear they held prejudice. At least the woman seemed genuine in her interactions.


    Qin Yun and Yun Jingfei were granted a facility tour as they waited. To Yun Jingfei''s benefit, the woman explained that this was the largest store affiliated with the auction house managed by the Lian Clan and that anything in the world could be found within its walls. While Yun Jingfei knew it was an exaggeration, she must admit it made for a good advertisement.


    They walked the halls, following the woman, yet most of the items on display behind glass cases didn''t hold her attention. While they would be tantalizing for any average cultivator, as these artifacts could enhance their strength exponentially, most of those were useless for Yun Jingfei. All she needed was a sword in hand to slay the world¡ªat least, that was the goal.


    With nothing catching their attention, they were led to the second floor, where the quality of each item was obviously worlds apart from what was found on the first floor. Still, Qin Yun found nothing useful, especially considering the prices. He wondered why someone would buy these useless, overpriced items until he remembered he had done as much just an hour ago. He couldn¡¯t help but smile deprecatingly at himself, yet didn¡¯t regret it.


    Just as she thought, Yun Jingfei noticed that Qin Yun also seemed slightly bored. Yet, since the young woman leading them was polite and professional, they simply went along with the tour. Although looking at the prices displayed near the item, she knew that affording such items was unrealistic.


    If it was before her accident, she could have cleaned them out of all these items if she were to rely on her clan. Yet, since then, she has been cut off and unable to receive any support. And now, all her savings had dried. She was almost out of spirit crystals and had to rely on Qin Yun for their expenses. Knowing she had to depend on him made her feel awful; she would have to remedy this situation at some point. Besides, she didn''t know Qin Yun''s financial situation and didn''t wish to be a burden.


    Yet, all those thoughts floated away as she saw the next item on display as they reached the third floor. It was a sword, but not just any sword. Both the blade and scabbard were displayed, and they were all completely white¡ªeven the blade, as if it were made of pure snow. Ironically, this was also the sword''s name, as characters reading Chun Xue were written on the blade near the hilt.


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    Somehow, Yun Jingfei felt attracted to this weapon, as if it was meant for her alone, as if owning it was destiny. Still, she knew she couldn''t possibly afford it, yet her gaze betrayed her intentions. Even the guards surrounding the open space were fully aware of her desire for this blade despite the mask she wore. Such was her yearning for it.


    All around, the guards looked at them with derision as they, too, were aware of the rumours surrounding the couple. As for who was responsible for their dissemination, the answer was obvious. Only the Qin Clan, who dealt with information all the time, had the resources to do so in such a short time frame.


    The four great clans were the backbone of Jin City. While the Sun Clan was responsible for its administration, with the City Lord''s Mansion at the helm, the Lian Clan was responsible for its economy. They owned most of the large businesses in town and managed their day-to-day operations.


    As for the Qin Clan, they played the role of diplomacy between the various forces within the Western Regions. Yet, despite their history as an Immortal Clan, their influence couldn''t reach the sects that ruled this immense territory. This was why the Yun Clan''s offer to become a bridge was so attractive to them.


    Still, unbeknownst to most in the city, the Qin Clan also dealt in information, whether collecting or spreading it around. As such, it didn''t take much effort for them to make most of the city aware of what had transpired a day prior.


    On the other hand, the Ma clan¡¯s main business was security. As such, Ma Clan personnel could be found in most of the Lian Clan''s business. It wouldn''t surprise Qin Yun that most of the guards present on this floor belonged to the Ma Clan. Still, he ignored them for the most part, even while they glared at him.


    Looking to his wife, Qin Yun knew right away her intentions, as they were much too obvious. Besides, he could see the blade ring slightly in her presence as if it had found its mate. To keep them apart would be much too cruel, so he asked for its price, even though it was written in big font on a card prominently displayed before the item.


    At the mention of someone wishing to buy Chun Xue, most patrons turned to see who was foolish enough to spend such an exorbitant amount only to receive just a pretty sword. They weren''t wrong. Chun Xue was a sword like any other. It was merely a Middle-Grade Common Rank artifact you could find on any street corner. For curiosity''s sake, Yun Jingfei asked why it was displayed with all the other items if it was such an ordinary sword, yet the answer stunned her.


    ¡°This sword was a gift to the Lian Clan¡¯s young lady by a renowned artifact refiner affiliated with the auction house. Knowing the young lady didn''t use swords, they both decided to display this piece as a token of friendship. The price is merely to discourage potential buyers," the young woman replied slightly awkwardly.


    The woman had always found this reasoning convoluted yet was never in a position to dispute it. This store belonged to the young lady, and she could do anything she wanted with it, even if it made little sense.


    While Yun Jingfei felt reluctant to let the sword go, she wasn¡¯t in any position to afford this price. She could only come back later when she had the funds. Yet, Qin Yun had other plans.


    "I''ll take it," he said calmly, drawing the attention of all the patrons in the hall.


    They were all too aware of who Qin Yun was and couldn''t help but laugh as if trying to bury him in ridicule. Still, Qin Yun paid them no mind and only waited for the young woman to return to her senses.


    At this point, the woman had worked in this establishment for years, and this was the first time she had been stunned into silence. Still, she was a professional and would do her job flawlessly.


    ¡°How would you like to settle this account?¡± she asked in the most neutral tone possible. While she was unaware of Qin Yun¡¯s history¡ªwho would bother to remember a minor character like him?¡ªthe woman highly doubted he had the funds to pay for it. If only judging by the clothes they both wore, she couldn''t fathom it. Yet, that was only until she remembered a minor detail.


    ¡°You can put it all on this token,¡± Qin Yun said as he flashed the black token he had shown previously.


    Only then did it really sink in. This store had many repeat customers and, as such, had implemented a system that rewarded brand loyalty. It was precisely the token Qin Yun held. Usually, tokens were separated into three colours based on the customers¡¯ spending habits, with white being the lowest, then yellow and finally red for the biggest spenders.


    Yet, there was also an even more exclusive colour reserved for the highest VIPs. As far as the woman knew, the black token had only been issued three times, and she was sure this token wasn¡¯t one of them.


    At first, she was reluctant to believe this token could be genuine as only the young lady could issue one. Yet, if she were to refuse this transaction and offend the owner of an actual black token, she couldn¡¯t bear the consequences.


    While the woman weighed her options, a group of pompous young adults reached the floor where Qin Yun and his wife were currently. At the centre of the group was a young man who wore long, exquisite black robes and short black hair.


    He was surrounded by four young ladies who clung to him as if afraid they would be discarded. They all wore light and fluttery dresses that exposed much skin, which reminded Qin Yun of the prostitutes in the mortal district rather than immortal fairies¡ªnot that there was anything wrong with that, as Qin Yun had used their services more than once.


    The man was loud and obnoxious, parading through the hall as if he owned the place. The other patrons, afraid of crossing his path, silently scurried away, wishing no part in anything that would occur later.


    While Qin Yun knew the man, he hadn¡¯t bothered to learn his name. He only knew that he belonged to the Ma Clan, and that was enough to stay far away. Yet, the man had other plans.


    As soon as the man noticed Qin Yun, he frowned and approached him, probably wanting to gloat over yesterday''s events. They were all too aware that the Ma Clan had a hand in his exile. Still, the man stopped abruptly once he noticed the black token in Qin Yun¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Guards!" the man shouted as his voice reverberated off the hall''s walls. "Arrest this man for forgery and impersonating a Black Token Holder!"

 Chapter 25 - Breaking the Formation

    When she heard those words, Qin Yun''s young tour guide stepped back as a flurry of guards encircled him and his wife. The guards wore golden armours reminiscent of the one Qin Yun had seen as his stepmother confronted him. This was the official armour of those belonging to the Ma Clan.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but shake his head at this blatant display of abuse of power. This establishment belonged to the Lian Clan; as such, the Ma Clan had no jurisdiction to enforce its rules even if the Ma Clan were hired to guard the perimeter.


    ¡°What makes you think this is a forgery?¡± Qin Yun asked the young man calmly as the guards pointed their spears toward him, limiting the available space.


    "Trash like you can''t possibly be in possession of such a coveted item," the man said, sneering wildly. "It''s obvious this is a fake, and you are trying to defraud this establishment."


    ¡°I see,¡± Qin Yun replied dismissively.


    Seeing Qin Yun''s nonchalant attitude, the young man couldn''t help but frown, as this reaction was wholly unexpected. He assumed that Qin Yun would have panicked and grovelled before him in a futile attempt to garner his mercy. Yet, he seemed to not take his authority seriously. He was on the verge of ordering his guards to apprehend Qin Yun when Qin Yun spoke first.


    "And on whose authority can you make such claims? Are you part of the Lian Clan?" Qin Yun asked in a deep and weighty tone.


    The man scoffed. He knew full well that Qin Yun''s question was rhetorical, as his clan''s emblem was fully displayed on a golden plaque hanging by his waist. While he wasn''t part of the Lian Clan, most guards here were part of his family and would obey his every order. Even if a member of the Lian Clan was here, they wouldn''t dare override him.


    ¡°What if the black token is real?¡± Qin Yun added when he didn¡¯t receive an answer to his earlier query. ¡°Can you take responsibility for it?¡±


    ¡°Ha! Do you think anyone will dare defy me in order to protect a nobody like you?¡±


    Qin Yun sighed. Talking to this man was akin to speaking to a slick brick wall. Whatever sound argument you throw at it, nothing sticks. Qin Yun contemplated teaching the young man a lesson, but would it be worth it? He highly doubted so. Even if he were to beat them all, it would only further confirm that he was in the wrong. Righteousness was so overrated.


    Still, Qin Yun wondered why the young man took no further action. He had already ordered his man to arrest him, but now they only stood around as if they were waiting for something.


    As Qin Yun heard footsteps rushing through the stairs, the young man''s motives finally dawned on him. While the man''s plan was crude, to say the least, Qin Yun didn''t have much ability to resist short of killing them all.


    A short while later, another group of guards emerged from the stairs leading to the second floor. At the head of the group was a large and tall man wearing the same type of armour, yet it was even more magnificent. Qin Yun assumed this man to be the one responsible for the security of the whole building.


    The large man glanced at Qin Yun and his wife before showing an extremely eerie smile. Then he turned to the young man and bowed deeply.


    ¡°What can I do for you, Young Master Ma?¡± the man said in a respectful tone, which made Qin Yun sigh once again. Why couldn¡¯t he just shop in peace without all this drama?


    ¡°This man is in possession of a forged Black Token," the young man said, obviously enjoying the situation and the power he possessed. "I want him dealt with, and the token brought to me for safekeeping."


    There it was... plain daylight robbery. Qin Yun wondered how they could spew such self-righteous words with a straight face. At this time, he strongly considered just slapping the young man¡¯s face, but he had something much more fun in mind. Unfortunately, Yun Jingfei was at her breaking point. She couldn¡¯t stand this oppression any longer. Noticing this, Qin Yun took action.


    ¡°Excuse me, Young Lady,¡± Qin Yun said to the young woman who had desperately tried to escape this conflict. Hearing her being addressed, she raised her head and sheepishly pointed to herself, unsure if he was addressing her. Qin Yun nodded, then added, "I seem to recall having purchased this blade behind us. Am I right to assume the transaction was successful?"


    All eyes turned to her, and she felt her legs grow weak. Yet, she still nodded lightly and uttered, "Indeed," barely audibly.


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    While all Qin Yun had said was to put the bill on the token, this was enough as the token offered many special privileges. He could even buy all the items on this floor without the Lian Clan seeing a single Spirit Crystal out of him. Such was the power of the Black Token.


    This was obviously the reason Young Master Ma wished to acquire it. As for its authenticity, it was evident that it was real, as no one in the Lian Clan would be foolish enough to not recognize it. Just the fact that Qin Yun was allowed free roam onto this floor was proof that it was genuine.


    With confirmation from the young woman, Yun Jingfei knew precisely what to do. She spun slightly and used her elbow to break the glass container next to her. The glass cracked and shattered, revealing the blade within. In the same motion, Yun Jingfei took both sword and scabbard in her hands and went on a rampage.


    She swatted away all the spears pointed at her, slicing through their shafts until they became mere metal poles. The patrons in the audience gasped in astonishment as the spears weren''t mere mortal weapons but genuine High-Grade Common Rank Artifacts. While they were mass-produced models, they weren''t something a Mid-Grade Common Rank Artifact could contend with.


    Yun Jingfei was stunned that this blade was as sharp as it was. She expected it to be just another pretty blade without substance, yet she stood corrected. Somehow, she felt invincible, holding the knife as if her mind was clearer than it was, and her opponents moved in slow motion.


    She leapt forward, showering her enemy in her cold fury. The blows rained, ripping her opponents'' weapons to pieces. Fortunately, she knew better than to start a bloodbath in the middle of the city; they couldn''t withstand it if the older generation involved themselves in these petty conflicts.


    Unfortunately, her rampage was cut short as the man in charge of security raised a gloved hand and activated the floor''s formation. Chains of light appeared from the several pillars scattered around the room, barring Yun Jingfei¡¯s path.


    Her blade struck the chains with all the force she could muster, and she managed to cut two of them before being overwhelmed by superior numbers. Chains wrapped around her body, preventing further movement. She could feel them digging into her flesh, controlling the flow of her Qi. Fortunately, she no longer relied on that Qi; therefore, this seal offered little restriction except a physical one.


    The same happened to Qin Yun. He could feel those chains of light burrowing into his flesh, seeking to reach his Qi Centre. The feeling of those inscriptions worming their way into his body was novel, albeit annoying.


    Although those chains restricted his movements, Qin Yun could still move if he wanted to. In his curiosity, he raised his hand to check the skin under his sleeve, only to see black chains printed on it. As he offered resistance, the pillars glowed, then trembled slightly, shaking the whole building.


    Ceiling tiles cracked as the building shifted, dispensing dust in the air as broken tiles fell to the floor. The patrons watched in astonishment as Qin Yun examined his arms while the building itself seemed to want to disintegrate. The pillars shook once more, producing a second flurry of chains, all headed to Qin Yun.


    They bound him once again. Still, Qin Yun could feel that the restrictive force wasn''t much more potent than before. He could still move if he wanted to, yet he resisted the urge. He wanted to know what Young Master Ma''s next step would be.


    ¡°This token is mine," the young man said, sneering, which seemed to be his default expression.


    Qin Yun expected the man to order his lackeys to find that token, yet he approached his wife first. Qin Yun''s eyes narrowed slightly, but he chose to bide his time. Still, he wouldn''t let anything untoward happen to her.


    Young Master Ma looked at Yun Jingfei with some curiosity. He had heard of this bride, yet the rumours were much different than he expected. She was supposed to have become a cripple, yet her earlier display of swordsmanship proved otherwise.


    Despite being bound and at his mercy, Yun Jingfei¡¯s gaze remained steadfast and unyielding. She only possessed disdain in her heart for this stain of a human being. While her heart was ablaze with fury, her eyes only reflected the coldness of winter. If she were able to move, she would slaughter this pig where he stood.


    Intrigued by her defiant attitude, the man sought to look under her mask, yet that only prompted Yun Jingfei to feel even more disgust toward him. She would never allow a man other than her husband to touch her. It wasn''t some sort of romantic ideal, but only something she thought was proper.


    Fortunately, before the man could make contact, frantic footsteps could be heard rising from the staircase. It seemed the commotion had alerted the Lian Clan present in the building. Indeed, the young man Qin Yun had seen in the market was the first to emerge from those stairs.


    He looked around, completely stunned, unable to understand what he saw. Alas, to Qin Yun''s dismay, the man chose the worst person to ask for answers.


    ¡°Ma Zhiqiang, what happened here?¡± the man asked.


    As you might expect, all that spewed from Ma Zhiqiang''s mouth was pure bullshit, painting himself as the hero trying to apprehend Qin Yun for attempting to steal from their store. Qin Yun could only roll his eyes as this fool''s acting was so forced that nobody in their right mind would believe him.


    As expected the young man from the Lian Clan did not believe it, yet found himself unable to not believe him. He simply couldn''t offend Ma Zhiqiang for someone like Qin Yun, whom he had never interacted with. The truth was irrelevant in most cases.


    Qin Yun knew as much, and that was why he didn''t say anything. He had no reason to explain himself to these sycophants. After a loud and prolonged sigh that brought all the room¡¯s attention to him, Qin Yun decided to change tactics.


    He chose to take a step¡ªjust a single, innocuous step, yet the ramifications would be ground-shattering. As his foot left the ground, the pillars scattered around the room shook as if an earthquake had originated right below them. Runes appeared on their surface, producing countless new chains of light that flew toward Qin Yun, wanting to restrain him. Yet, he could not be stopped.


    As his foot rejoined the ground, a pillar cracked, splitting along its height before dulling and becoming inert. Yet Qin Yun wasn''t finished. The whole building shook as he took another step. The remaining pillars grew ever brighter, trying to fight against the tyrannical strength of this step, but all of it was futile. They broke one by one until all that remained was rubble.


    Fortunately, the building''s construction was immaculate, and those pillars weren''t load-bearing. Otherwise, the structure would have collapsed under the strain.


    To the audience''s bewilderment, Qin Yun walked as if nothing had happened. His face was a mask of indifference, as if the ridicule and mockery he bore were dust in the wind. He took out his black token and threw it to the young man from the Lian Clan. The man was so stunned by what had happened that he didn''t react in time. The token hit him in the chest and then fell to the ground.


    Now free from the pillars'' hold, Yun Jingfei followed Qin Yun out of the hall, relishing their dumbfoundedness. Nobody tried to stop them, as they still couldn''t believe what had happened despite being witnesses to it from start to end.


    "It seems the Lian Clan is overrated," Qin Yun said in a low but calm voice as he passed the young man. "I guess it is too much to hope for people to have integrity. I hope you enjoy being a sycophant.¡±


    Qin Yun then left without looking back as Yun Jingfei replayed their ugly, pale expressions in her mind, smiling slightly.

 Chapter 26 - Taste of a Sisters Love

    Once out of the building, Yun Jingfei''s grin took a sour note. While she gleefully relished in slapping their faces, she hoped this would be the end of it, yet she knew better. The Ma Clan wasn''t known for possessing sense. If anything, they were the type to destroy a whole family for simply looking at them wrongly.


    "What now?" she asked in a worried tone. "I hope you have a plan for how to deal with this."


    Qin Yun, on the other hand, wasn''t worried. The Ma Clan would have much more pressing problems than a small character like himself. The Black Token wasn''t something they could take at their leisure. It carried weight; it was basically equal to the Lian Clan''s reputation. He would be sorely mistaken if that young man thought he could steal it from him simply because of his identity.


    If only to save face and retain their reputation as trustworthy, the Lian Clan would ensure this situation wouldn''t end like this. Businesses don''t run on money but on trust. As long as that trust in their brand image is strong, a company can operate even at a loss. Yet, once that trust is gone, all that remains would be bankruptcy waiting for them.


    The upper echelon of the Lian Family knew this long ago, yet it seemed they failed to teach this simple fact to their junior. Qin Yun could only shake his head at how some people refused to listen.


    Besides, the young man from the Lian Clan''s actions were counter-productive. If he thought grovelling before Ma Zhiqiang would ensure their continued support, he was much too naive to remain in this line of work.


    As long as the Lian Clan remained the heart of Jin City¡¯s economy, the Ma Clan would never entertain the idea of crossing them, lest they earn the ire of the remaining two great clans. The Lian Clan was the clan most linked to the city¡¯s prosperity after all.


    Once Qin Yun explained all this to his wife, she knew where his confidence stemmed from. Still, she should have inferred the same herself, yet she had been much too isolated from the secular world ever since she had joined the Immortal Phoenix Sect. The Immortal Sects and Cultivation Families operated on two different systems that were much too estranged from each other. She would have to learn all its intricacies if she wished to survive in this foreign world.


    With her doubts answered, Yun Jingfei returned to her lodging alongside Qin Yun. According to him, nothing needed to be done. They only had to wait; someone else would do all the work for them. She didn''t doubt him as he had never shown that he didn''t know what he was doing, and she simply eagerly awaited the resolution of this affair.


    ******


    At the tower''s summit, in a large, splendidly decorated office, a young woman seated at a desk poured over countless reports. While she didn''t look a day over twenty-two, she was nearly forty years of age.


    She wore an exquisite¡ªbut modest in exposure¡ªturquoise dress that fell to the floor, revealing only her ankles and light blue shoes. Her long, deep, auburn hair was tied in a bun while a pair of thin, golden glasses were perched on her slender nose.


    While no cultivators required glasses once they reached the Qi Refining Realm, she simply liked how it made her look and slightly hid her bright green eyes. She looked the very definition of a prim and proper secretary, yet she was the one in charge.


    Her name was Lian Huiling, the daughter of the Lian Patriarch. For many years, she had been tasked with the day-to-day management of the family''s main store, which she had acquired after years of dedication and countless achievements. It would be an understatement to say she wasn''t the highest earner in the family.


    As such, her tasks were countless, and her free time was limited. Her cultivation obviously suffered from it. If compared to her peers of the same age, she was lagging behind, having only reached the 8<sup>th</sup> level of the Void Core Realm while most have long reached the Golden Core Realm.


    Still, nothing could be done about it. While many in the Lian Clan were talented in business, none could take her place. She was irreplaceable and, as such, had to make some sacrifices. While business was good and all, cultivation base was still paramount in this world. This couldn''t continue for long.


    As such, she had devised a plan to rear her successor so she could cultivate properly. The one chosen was a brother named Lian Ling, who was many years younger than she was. While she still found him lacking in many aspects, she was hopeful he would be up to the task of replacing her one day.


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    Just as she thought about him, Lian Huiling heard a knock on her door. Without rising from her documents, she prompted the new arrival to enter. As expected, it was Lian Ling coming to report the day''s events as he always did. However, this time, his expression seemed wrong somehow.


    He usually only showed a calm expression laced with indifference, yet now he seemed nervous and uncertain. Feeling the tension in the room, Lian Huiling rose from her desk and carefully examined this brother of hers. While she felt this man was capable of doing business, he was still young and inexperienced. While she could delegate most of her duties to him, she would always be the one with the final say.


    "Do you have something to report," she asked calmly, watching the man''s every move closely.


    She feared something had happened simply from his body language, and the extended silence after her question didn''t help his case. Lian Huiling frowned slightly, prompting the man to fidget in place and sweat slightly, which she found abnormal. Cultivators weren''t in the habit of sweating, as it became unnecessary once they reached the peak of the Body Strengthening Realm. Only through internal factors, such as fear or nervousness, would such a thing happen.


    Yet, her brother seemed ill at ease, as if something weighed on his mind. Still, she wasn''t in a habit of cajoling subordinates, even if they were family. She only glared at him until he was forced to open his mouth.


    What she heard left her stunned. While she knew her brother was somewhat spineless when it came to the Ma Clan, she hadn¡¯t expected it to reach such a point. He had left a splendid mess for her to sort out.


    She tilted her head backwards before letting out a long sigh. She removed her glasses and rubbed the corner of her eyes, somehow hoping this was a nightmare she could wake up from. Unfortunately, this was reality, and she would have to deal with it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not all bad,¡± Lian Ling said, not understanding the seriousness of the situation. ¡°Although damaged, the formation is still operable. Once we replace the pillars, everything should return to normal.¡±


    Lian Huiling couldn¡¯t help but feel a slight hint of anger over this fool¡¯s obliviousness and spoke in a frustrated tone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that!¡±


    Her voice was stern, and her expression gloomy. She wracked her brain, trying to think of countermeasures, yet nothing came to mind. If her family were found lacking due to this situation, it could affect much more than just this business. They might even lose the trust and reputation they had built over countless years.


    As such, they might even lose their virtual monopoly over the City''s economic strength, in turn losing their own family''s power. This involved more than just a couple of young adults'' pointless power struggles. It could devolve into full-blown hostilities. Yet, her brother still failed to see her point.


    ¡°If you are thinking that the Ma Clan may take advantage of us, there''s no need to worry. I''ve already given them the Black Token in exchange for Ma Zhiqiang''s word that this would end here."


    The look of pride she saw on her brother''s face as he recounted his good deed was the last straw for her. Her temper flared up, and he felt her ire.


    ¡°You fool!¡±


    Her voice exploded as her power poured out of her body. A sizeable purple lotus rotated above her head. While most cultivators would try to mask their lotuses'' features for fear of revealing their strength, Lian Huiling had no such considerations. Her lotus was seen in all its glory, from its complete platform to the bulb over it, containing eight large and lush petals. Even a ninth could be seen on the verge of opening.


    As a large amount of Qi was ejected from her body from her heightened emotions, Lian Ling bore the brunt of it. He felt it all crash into him as it lifted him off the floor before ending his journey into the nearby wall, creating a large dent; the crash reverberated throughout the room.


    He felt the impact shakes his internal organs, and a slight trace of blood appeared on the corner of his mouth; feeling the blood stuck in his throat. Although he knew that his sister could sometimes be blunt and direct in her methods, he had never seen her lose control of her emotions, leading to a violent reaction, as much as she did now. While he didn''t know what angered her so, he figured it was best to keep his mouth shut for the moment.


    Hearing the large crash, Lian Huiling''s secretary knocked on the door, asking if everything was alright. Even if the world were to end, the small woman on the other side of the door would never consider entering Lian Huiling''s office without her consent.


    Lian Huiling took a long breath to calm herself before retracting her Qi. Despite her pressure receding, her brother remained embedded into the wall, which only brought her the smallest of consolation. If anything, she considered making this his permanent place of residence. This way, she wouldn''t have to worry so much about her family''s future.


    While her brother was talented in many aspects, he was still too young and naive to see the greater picture. What did the Ma Clan count for? The Lian Clan could easily replace them as their security details. Even if the Ma Clan wanted to retaliate for this, the other two great clans would step in, and a compromise would be reached.


    No, the black token was the real problem. Whoever owned the token was irrelevant; only the token''s existence mattered. The token held the same authority as one of the Lian Clan''s few elders. Its owner could ask almost anything of the clan. As such, only a few were in existence. Two were spread around the Western Region, while another was in the hands of Jin City''s current city lord. This token was the reason the city allowed them to maintain their monopoly. It was vital to the clan.


    But now, its authority had been put into question. What if the city lord felt his token couldn''t be counted on. Could they retain their power? What about the other two? They had spent countless resources trying to entice those two owners into working with them, and now they could lose it all just as easily. They weren''t people the Lian Clan could easily offend.


    Despite the authority she possessed in the clan, this wasn¡¯t something she could decide on her own. She would need to escalate this to her father, the current patriarch. However, she would need to acquire an objective account of all that had transpired during her absence.


    She barked her orders to her subordinates outside her office before rising, intending to leave the room. Lian Ling tried to extirpate himself from the wall but was stopped beforehand.


    ¡°If you so much as think of getting down from there, I¡¯ll slaughter you.¡±


    Her voice was frosty as if winter had arrived early. Lian Ling decided to heed her advice, as he was sure she would keep her promise.


    "Just wait for Father to deal with you," she said exasperatedly as she left the room.

 Chapter 27 - A Traitor in their Midst

    Lian Huiling had many things on her mind, yet one thing came before all. She had to make sure of the situation before proceeding forward. Rushing into things would only come back to bite her. Besides, she was sure the Ma Clan wouldn¡¯t publicize their ownership of that token. Otherwise, the Lian Clan would simply do away with it entirely. While they would lose some leverage in doing so, at least they could retain their credibility.


    Lian Huiling made the rounds around her establishment, taking notes of the damage it suffered. As Lian Ling pointed out, the structure was intact, and only the pillars had fallen. This was also why she hadn''t felt the tremors even though her office was also present in the building. The large formation in the structure''s foundation had prevented the worst from happening.


    Still, she was bewildered by the strength Qin Yun had shown. While the third floor was far from the most secure area of all, the formation there was enough to restrain even someone at the peak of the Golden Core Realm. While their information network wasn''t as advanced as the Qin Clan, they should have been aware of such knowledge. Unless someone had deliberately had it hidden. It wouldn''t surprise her. Who in their right mind would lay all their cards on the table for all to see?


    As she walked through the halls, she received report after report of what had occurred, either from firsthand experience or the rumours that circulated. She couldn''t help but crush those reports with her Qi; the paper became dust before disappearing completely. She could barely control her rage.


    The report from one of the receptionists stated that Qin Yun had requested Lian Huiling''s presence using his token, yet the receptionist delivering her message had been intercepted by the security chief. While Lian Huiling was well aware of his relationship with the Ma Clan, she hadn''t expected him to be so subservient.


    In his younger years, the man had been just another rogue cultivator without roots, drifting from place to place in search of a nest he could call his own. Appreciating his strength, Lian Huiling agreed to employ the man. She had given him a place within Jin City and a goal to work toward. While the work wasn''t glamorous, it was infinitely better than just going along with the flow.


    Over the years, the man had worked tirelessly and advanced from a lowly guard to chief of security. While many in her family weren¡¯t pleased with letting an outsider take a position of power, Lian Huiling thought otherwise. Nepotism would only stifle the growth of their business. It was much better to allocate people where their abilities could shine.


    Furthermore, as the man stagnated in his cultivation, Lian Huiling even supplied him with resources as she believed the man to be loyal to her. The Lian Family valued loyalty much more than talent, after all. Yet, she couldn''t believe that the man she once put her trust in would betray her and her family so callously.


    What did he have to gain by selling his integrity to the Ma Clan? Whatever it was, she highly doubted the Ma Clan would honour whatever deal they made. Only those who possessed power could make them keep their word. There were already so many stories lamenting how the Ma Clan had reneged on their promises that few wished to interact with them. Only the three other great clans had the means to do so without suffering a loss.


    But now, they had crossed the Lian Clan. Lian Huiling highly doubted it would end that simply. While she was practically sure they would attribute this faux pas to the follies of youth, the Lian Clan would never accept this as it would be the same as admitting that the Lian Clan couldn''t be counted on. How would the three other holders of the Black Token feel if they could be robbed of it at any time? Would it still hold value?


    No, the Lian Clan would never take that chance. Still, Lian Huiling hoped the situation wouldn''t devolve to that. She could only curse Qin Yun in her heart. Why did he have to give back the token when he could have simply left with it? It was as if he wanted a war between the Ma and Lian Clan. While she wouldn''t put it past him, she hoped it wasn''t the case.


    Still, Qin Yun could wait. She was sure he was in the midst of gloating as he watched her deal with the mess he left her. That man took way too much pleasure in the hardships of others. Right now, she regretted ever giving him that token. Although he thoroughly deserved it, she wished she could take it back.


    Lian Huiling could only tackle a single problem at a time. First was dealing with the internal threats, then they could tackle the external ones. Her first order of business was dealing with her chief of security, so she made her way to the guards'' command post located in the building''s basement.


    Since no windows were present as they were underground, the halls were illuminated by countless glowing stones embedded into the structure itself. While those stones were ordinary, runic characters were carved upon them. Those characters'' function was to mobilize the surrounding Qi and absorb it within the rune before transforming it into light and expelling it out slowly, thus making them luminescent.


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    While they resembled formations in the effects they created, arrays and runes were two very different disciplines. While formation arrays depended on spatial locations and Qi flow to alter their environment, runes'' power originated from the intent and meaning laced within the characters. Arrays used a more physical power, while runes were more ethereal. As for which was better, they both had their places, and they both led to the Dao. Countless cultivators would spend their whole lives without scratching the true depths of these disciplines.


    As a layman, Lian Huiling could only marvel at what runes and formations could accomplish. These disciplines were the backbones of the modern world they lived in. Without their existence, much of what they took for granted wouldn''t exist as cultivators would be needed to replicate their effects. These two disciplines had liberated so much manpower that society had leapt forward exponentially. Without them, any clan and sect would only be a shell of their former self.


    Once near the command post, Lian Huiling frowned. She expected to see the usual guards at the door, yet they were conspicuously absent. Furthermore, her keen senses detected a stench of death and decay lingering in the air, yet she didn¡¯t feel the familiar scent of blood.


    She stopped and waited, attentively listening for any foreign sounds that could alleviate her doubts. Unfortunately, the command post''s formation was fully activated, isolating it from the outside world as if in a different dimension, making it practically impossible to breach. No sounds could be heard from within.


    Lian Huiling regretted having come here alone. She thought that with her strength, there wasn''t much she couldn''t deal with; this was the hubris all cultivators possessed. Still, she couldn''t turn back at this junction. She was in charge of everything in this building and would have to prove it. She took a deep breath and approached the door.


    Fortunately, those formations were created with her in mind. There wasn¡¯t anywhere she couldn¡¯t come and go at her leisure. As soon as she reached the door, it opened by itself as if welcoming her.


    She stood in the doorway, stunned, unable to step forward. All around her were the dried corpses of those she had employed. She could tell by the golden armours that covered their empty husks. Unsurprisingly, there was not a drop of blood to be found anywhere in the room, only piles of dust scattered around as if some bodies had disintegrated from the lack of moisture.


    What shocked her the most was the man standing in the middle of the room with a corpse in hand. Unlike the bodies on the ground, she could still see remnants of its former features on the body in the man''s hands. Yet, they soon dissipated as if the man was extracting the body''s very life force with his bare hands.


    The only man left standing was someone Lian Huiling knew very well. Yet, his features had changed slightly, becoming somewhat more youthful than she remembered, and his short black hair had lost all its colour, becoming a striking white.


    ¡°Hou Ping! What have you done!¡± she barked as fury mounted in her heart.


    She had given this man so much and brought him out of the pits of poverty, and this was how he repaid her? She wanted nothing more than to dismember this disloyal dog and let him rot in the deepest of abyss. It hurt her much more knowing that, at some point, she had felt something for this man despite the disparity in their respective statuses.


    Now, all she felt was regret to have let this backstabber roam free in her own house. She vowed to never make the same mistake again. As for this being a misunderstanding, the thought couldn''t be further from her mind. Even if she were to dismiss the evidence before her eyes, his earlier conduct with the Ma Clan was all she needed and more.


    Still, the man only watched her outburst and offered no comments, as if her existence was irrelevant. His expression was impassive even as he reaped the lives of many, the lives of the man who had served under him and those he once called friends. Yet, those lives were meaningless to him now. Even the woman he once had feelings for didn''t matter. All that mattered was the newfound strength he had been granted.


    ¡°Explain yourself!¡± Lian Huiling cried in desperation.


    While she consciously wished to repudiate this man, years of memories shared together weren''t easy to erase, much less the feelings of the flesh and the ache of the heart. She desperately wished to explain his actions through logic, yet rejected them all based on a pure deluge of emotions. She had difficulty thinking straight, much less restraining herself from flinging herself at him in a fit of rage.


    Hearing no response, her eyes grew ever colder while her purple lotus spun with a frigid fury that threatened to destroy all its surroundings with its pressure alone. Still, the man stood unperturbed in the face of it all, with no smile or scowl, only a mask of indifference.


    Being looked at with such disinterested eyes cut Lian Huiling deeply. She would have much preferred being looked at with scorn or even derision, as it would provide her with an opportunity to cut him down with impunity. Yet, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do so once she realized how little she meant to him. At least, that was what she thought at first, but the more he belittled her with his gaze, the more she wished to prove him wrong.


    She flung herself at him, bringing out a fan from under her dress. As the fan spread out, a slight light illuminated this underground chamber. Surprisingly, Lian Huiling used the fan as if a sword while a blade of sharpened wind lay along the edge of the fan. Unfortunately, the blade of wind would fail to make contact as the man was much too quick.


    He evaded the blow effortlessly before pressing his palm on her chest, shoving her backwards. While the blow was lighter than she expected, she couldn¡¯t stand her ground and was propelled into the air until she left the room through the opened door. Unable to regain her balance, she tumbled on the ground as a slight trace of blood escaped her mouth.


    As her injuries were light, she rose quickly and saw the lotus hanging over the man she once knew. It had lost all its colours, becoming pure white. Yet, much more shocking than that, she could see a white orb hovering over the platform. Lian Huiling''s mouth hung open as she refused to face reality. The man who should have been weaker than her had now reached the Golden Core Realm.


    "How weak" were the only words to escape the man''s mouth.

 Chapter 28 - Lost in a Mirage

    While Lian Huiling was still reeling from the shock she received, she knew better than to stay passive. Her only way out of this predicament was to fight her way out. However, she knew she was no match for this man as the gap between realms was much too hard to overcome.


    While some Heaven-Sent Genius may be up to the task, she wasn''t one of them. Granted, her talent was much better than the average rogue cultivator, but she wasn''t particularly special within her clan. At best, she would rank in the top twenty within her age group.


    She knew she couldn''t win but didn''t want to die. Yet, she wondered why Hou Ping had reined in his blow. Were he to want her dead, she would have had no chance of survival. Yet, all she received from that blow were some inconsequential internal injuries.


    While Lian Huiling debated her next course of action, Hou Ping continued with his task. The body in his hands jerked as he pierced its Qi Centre with his remaining free hand. Soon after, the body trembled as dark lines appeared on its pale skin. The lines pulsed slightly, making for a macabre sight that Lian Huiling could barely stand witnessing.


    Then, after a moment, Hou Ping retrieved his hand, and the body crumbled as if into sand. All that remained from Hou Ping''s victim was a small mound of dust lying at his feet and two crystals nestled in the crux of his hand.


    One of those crystals, a red one, pulsed as if it were a beating heart. Lian Huiling could feel an embryo of life within while a strong scent of blood permeated the air. The other was a deep blue yet somehow clear and could easily be mistaken for Spirit Crystals. Except for the depth of its colour and the fact that she witnessed it being extracted from a man''s body, Lian Huiling could swear it was an exact match for the countless Spirit Crystals she had seen before.


    Without bothering with her presence, Hou Ping swallowed the blue crystal in a single gulp. Then, his eyes shone with a blue light as Lian Huiling felt the pressure the man exuded increasing. Soon after, Hou Ping¡¯s white lotus spun faster as a new ring of light threatened to emerge from the orb. Yet, it stopped midway as if lacking energy.


    Lian Huiling was stunned. This was incomprehensible. Never in her wildest dreams would she believe what she had seen if anyone had told her this tale. This went against everything she ever knew about cultivation. How could a man plunder another¡¯s cultivation so freely?


    This was akin to a devil¡¯s technique. Were this to spread, it would plunge the world into chaos. None could resist the allure of what this method provided. Years of gruelling cultivation could be easily exchanged for the mere will to dirty one¡¯s hand.


    While she, too, wished to acquire that technique, Lian Huiling was savvy enough to know that nothing came without consequences. She was a businesswoman and knew everything had a price. While she might be tempted to pay that price, she knew that this technique wasn¡¯t hers to obtain.


    Despite her talents, she knew she wasn''t some heaven-defying child of luck but another woman like any other, doing her best to survive. In fact, simply being exposed to this technique''s existence was nothing more than a calamity. Lian Huiling doubted that Hou Ping would let her go free after displaying this technique.


    As she expected, Hou Ping was the first to make a move. Without the slightest change in his expression, he punched forward, hoping to strike the woman he was once intimate with. While Lian Huiling previously doubted why he would enact this slaughter, she now knew. In the face of this technique, one could discard any number of things only to glance at what it could provide.


    Hou Ping''s punch was overwhelming, not something she could contend with. Still, she would do her best to survive. She activated her Core Qi, circulating it at high speed within her meridian. The lotus above her head spun rapidly, dispersing a thin purple mist. The mist bathed the room in its dull glow, yet it did nothing to stop the incoming strike.


    Hou Ping''s punch ripped through the air, creating shockwaves that dissipated much of the purple mist. Yet, Lian Huiling''s lotus was unrelenting, as if its reserves of mist were bottomless. Still, nothing could stop Hou Ping¡¯s charge.


    The Qi propelled from Hou Ping''s strike flew forward to its target so fast that Lian Huiling could barely comprehend what was happening. Even the Qi-enhanced neurons within her brain couldn''t keep up with the speed of that strike. She desperately willed herself to dodge, yet her body couldn''t follow what her mind begged her to do.


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    The strike finally collided with the centre of her being, creating a deep imprint within her abdomen. Unable to withstand it, her body began to crack as the Qi-laced strike wreaked havoc within her meridians.


    In an instant, deep black crevasses appeared all over her skin as her body barely held itself together. Yet, Hou Ping''s strike was unrelenting, and her body was feeble. As if to further break through her defences, the strike rotated on its axis, forming something akin to a maelstrom within the depth of her Qi Centre.


    Unable to withstand the force of this strike, her body began to crumble from the inside out. She opened her mouth to scream, yet nothing escaped as her lungs had already collapsed under the pressure. Soon after, blood flew to her extremities as if she had been spun into a centrifuge. Her eyes swelled from the increased blood pressure before they exploded into a fountain of gore and fluid.


    Her body was next as it collapsed piece by piece, starting from the point of impact to her extremities. Surprisingly, as her blood escaped from every open pore, it turned into the same fine mist spewed from her lotus.


    Purple particles permeated the air, spreading to every recess of the room. Soon, all visibility was gone, and all that remained was the unsteady purple lotus rotating as if in defiance. Unfortunately, Lian Huiling''s body had collapsed into purple particles, and her lotus would soon join her. As if on cue, the lotus exploded in a purple rain shower, covering every inch of the room.


    Despite being the architect of his former lover''s demise, Hou Ping''s expression remained stagnant, as if he had already buried all his emotions. All that remained was a thirst for power and a deep-seated fear of the one who had granted him this fate-defying technique.


    Hou Ping waved his hand, removing the purple tint that covered his golden armour before donning his helmet and masking his features. Unlike his usual armour, which denoted his rank, he wore the generic kind, hoping to blend into the crowd as he made his exit without ever looking back.


    Minutes after he left, Lian Huiling emerged from a corner of the room. Space waved and split, revealing her body. It wasn''t that she was adept in the Dao of space, quite the contrary. This was but an illusion created by the purple mist spread in the atmosphere.


    Purple wasn¡¯t a colour commonly found in lotuses. In fact, Lian Huiling was the only one to possess such Spiritual Roots in her clan. As rare as they were, not many knew the extent of its ability. In fact, only her father was privy to its intricacies.


    While every set of Spiritual Roots possessed an elemental affinity, not many made full use of it as a compatible cultivation technique was needed to harness its full power. For common elements such as fire or water, techniques were a dime a dozen, found on street stalls everywhere.


    Although Cultivation techniques had their own rank¡ªas most everything did¡ªmost wouldn''t bother to find something fully compatible with their Spiritual Roots, as such a thing didn''t exist in the first place. Only by creating it on one''s own could it be achieved.


    As such, all the cultivation techniques found in the great libraries of every clan and sect were once created in the same vain, trying to harness the full power of their creators'' Spiritual Roots. As they were disseminated throughout the ages, they lost some of their specificity, becoming more broad and accessible. This, in turn, made them less potent and more prone to rejection.


    In Lian Huiling¡¯s case, her Spiritual Roots were of the mirage element, something mostly unknown and esoteric. It was regarded as one of the three high elements, alongside space and time. While her clan had access to most of the records found within the Western Region, information on mirage element techniques was few and far between.


    Even using the Qin Family''s information network, what they uncovered was fragmented at best. For a long time, Lian Huiling''s father worried that his daughter wouldn''t be able to cultivate. Using a technique unsuited to one''s element could endanger one''s life in case of rejection, such as Qi Deviation.


    Using the fragments he received and hiring the brightest of scholars, after long years of research, they were finally able to piece together the technique that Lian Huiling now used. Although it was rudimentary at best, it still soared high above those of the more common elements.


    Using her Spiritual Roots, Lian Huiling could disseminate a small purple powder that would attach itself to any Qi it encountered and corrode it into something she could influence. While its influence was limited¡ªshe couldn''t just make her opponents'' Qi Centre explode, killing them instantly¡ªshe could influence its flow slightly, showing a different reality, something akin to an illusion.


    Still, her technique was far from perfect. As long as one was aware of its existence or their control of Qi was far superior to hers, they could resist the mirage. Still, she was confident that no one under the Nascent Soul Realm could see through it.


    She had been proven right. Hou Ping hadn¡¯t suspected anything. As soon as she received the first blow, she had begun disseminating her spores within the room, tampering with his senses. Although she knew she couldn¡¯t beat him in a fight, as the armour he wore was too difficult to breach without ample preparations, she could observe her target and report to her father. This was the most sensible answer she had come to.


    While she wished nothing more than to slay him, she knew her limitations well. She couldn''t risk a failed ambush, as once he recognized what her means were, they would become ineffective. She wouldn''t dare to gamble at such a critical time. Besides, she treasured her life very much. She knew from Hou Ping''s last strike that she would have been shown no mercy.


    While the sight of her death was still fresh in her mind¡ªLian Huiling was still inexperienced and couldn¡¯t target anyone specific with her mirage¡ªshe thought back to the technique she had witnessed and the white lotus that hovered over him. She had never heard of a lotus devoid of any colour.


    Thinking back to all she knew, she could infer an answer, but that answer made her shiver. This wasn''t something that was supposed to exist in this world. Much less since Hou Ping''s original colour was blue. The ability to change one''s innate element was unheard of.


    As the space element was black in colour, Lian Huiling speculated that only its opposite would be white. There was only a single option that made sense: Void. Yet, the void element was but a legend, something that was supposed to be even higher than the three high elements, able to swallow anything endlessly. It matched well with what she had witnessed, yet one question remained. How did Hou Ping¡ªthis mere rogue cultivator¡ªget his hands on such an unfathomable technique?


    She could ponder such questions later. For now, she needed to let her father know of the threat that loomed over them. This had been a long day, and it was far from ending.

 Chapter 29 - The Yearning of a Broken Man

    While Yun Jingfei was back at their lodging, practising her swordplay, Qin Yun walked the streets of Jin City, putting his thoughts in order. This was just another of his hobbies. To avoid being recognized while doing so, Qin Yun had a habit of altering his features, becoming indistinguishable.


    To him, immersing himself in the everyday lives of the common man was something he craved dearly, as, most of the time, he felt alien to the world he resided in. Sometimes, being too experienced wasn¡¯t something favourable. He had difficulty relating to mankind¡¯s minor tragedies.


    For him, the loss of a loved one had long stopped hurting. While he could still feel grief, it would never be like the first time when he had watched the first woman he had married take her last breath. Her face was twisted by suffering, and the tears that blurred his vision were still vivid in his mind, as were the emotions he felt. Yet, it felt less like a memory and more like a fact he could recall as he wished.


    He dreaded becoming numb to the world around him and uncaring of those close to him. This was also why he married in each of his lives. He needed someone to tie him down to reality; otherwise, he would drift away with no anchor and fade away into apathy. Even now, apathy was something close to him¡ªmuch too close, even.


    This was also the reason for his stroll into society; he needed something to remind him he wasn¡¯t alone and that others had their own lives and weren''t just some robots unrelated to him going through the motions. They were living and breathing, with their own stories to tell. It would be so easy to forget all this and simply become an unending monster.


    While he was selfish, he couldn¡¯t forget this world didn¡¯t belong to him, no matter how unique he might be. There were others with their own brand of uniqueness that forged their own paths. While he had difficulty empathizing with them, he could sympathize. Yet, none could empathize with him.


    There was also another problem he could never resolve. The disparity between the unending memories surfacing in his mind and the youthful flesh he possessed. Sometimes, the flesh would take over¡ªespecially in his teenage years¡ªand influence his mind. This duality was something he could hardly control. Besides, he wondered if it was something he needed to control.


    While he knew more than most, he was only a young adult prone to making mistakes. Sometimes, he wondered if the individuals in his memory were even himself. Honestly, he preferred to think of them as all unique individuals possessing the same set of memories. It made living with himself much easier as he could dismiss some of the things that occurred in some of his previous lives.


    It wasn''t that he refused to accept responsibility for his actions, but he knew he wouldn''t have chosen to act this way. Was he Qin Yun, a young cultivator married to a beautiful wife, the drunkard that had perished all those eons ago, or was he the amalgam of all those lives in between?


    While he knew that they all shared a connection, thanks to the hovering black sphere, where should he draw the line on who he was? Should he accept that he would be reborn endlessly until the end of time? But, with all those worlds existing simultaneously and the convolutedness of their existences, was time something that could even end? Would he be doomed to repeat it all endlessly?


    While Qin Yun didn¡¯t fear death, he feared its repetitiveness. He couldn¡¯t restart again endlessly. While his mind could take it, his emotions couldn¡¯t. Yet, no world offered reprieve; none like this one.


    The promise of unending life cultivation offered was something Qin Yun dearly hoped for. The only way to break the cycle Qin Yun had found was to stop its rotation altogether. If he never died, he couldn¡¯t be reborn. Still, this wasn¡¯t his first attempt, far from it.


    Many times, he had trudged on this road only to fall prematurely. Sometimes, he wondered if the heavens wished for his death. Most times, his death would come through no fault of his own, either through illness or something akin to cosmic interference.


    Feeling as if the world was out to get him, Qin Yun then grew bolder in his means, testing the limits of his own self as if betting on his demise. Qin Yun looked back on those days fondly; he was still young and energetic, feeling the revolt of youth against an unknown oppressor.


    But now, he was jaded. He could only feel the monotony of what living offered. Only living vicariously through others offered some sort of salvation. This was why he was attracted to Yun Jingfei. She held a flame of defiance in her heart, something he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. He wished to see how high she could grow, how far she could go, and how important she could become to him.


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    While this marriage contract came from him, he hoped that Yun Jingfei could make him love her as he had loved so many other women, even more still. He wanted a love like a blazing fire, threatening to ignite his life at any moment, even if he would perish in the end. He wanted something that could burn his apathy away; something that was real.


    While Qin Yun had mentioned to her that love wasn¡¯t necessary for a marriage to succeed, he still hoped they would grow past it. Honestly, he mostly said this as he knew she wouldn¡¯t be receptive to the idea of love. It was much easier to ground their relationship in rationality first, then they could foster feelings.


    While this might be too hefty a weight for her slender shoulders to carry, Qin Yun wished to respond in kind. He wanted to give her something real, even if he could not produce such uncontrollable emotions. He was full of them at one point, but they had all been eroded by time.


    This was also why he did nothing while all his family mocked and despised him. He needed to feel some strong emotions coming from others to reignite the flame burning in his heart. Unfortunately, their hate was much too tame to evoke strong emotions in him. All he had ever felt was dismissal. He considered antagonizing them further, yet despite it all, they were family. He couldn''t bring himself to truly hurt them.


    Qin Yun sat at a road stall, watching children play in a communal courtyard. He felt slightly envious of their youthful vibrancy and naive obliviousness. They had no worries and could live vividly in the present.


    Qin Yun had tried countless times to emulate their state of mind, yet it was only a delusion, an illusion of the heart. At times, Qin Yun would drown his apathy in wine, ironically numbing his numbness. When the mood struck him, he would invite others to share this elixir of life, escaping his woes through temporary companionship.


    They regaled him with mundane tales, which could happen to anyone. Yet, it was this banality that attracted him. He had experienced too much, and the extraordinary was now his normalcy, while common occurrences were scarce commodities.


    When the mood struck him, Qin Yun would share some of his experiences, to the delight of most crowds. Children would drink his every word as they imagined themselves in his shoes while their parents gorged on this escapism. Even if he were to tell them the truth about their origins, they would only think of them as the ravings of a lunatic.


    As such, few were ever aware of his true depths, while fewer ever believed him. Qin Yun knew the best way to go about this would be to tell his wife the truth, that he was more than he seemed. Yet, his cowardice prevented him from doing so. He didn''t fear that she would not believe him but that she would instead.


    He didn''t want their relationship to be based on some idolization of who he was supposed to be but on love of who he was at the moment, flaws and all. More than once, he had seen the woman he cared for change her stance once she heard of his story. It was predictable: who could resist the allure of what Qin Yun could offer them?


    Riches, power, longevity? Qin Yun had it all, yet none of it mattered to him. What he truly wished for was denied to him so many times. He wanted someone to mend his broken heart or, at least, infuse warmth into it.


    Still, what Qin Yun wanted wasn¡¯t pity. He may be broken in some ways, but he was still much more than what others could ever dream of. He didn''t need someone to know the real him nor to know the depths of his thoughts. He only wanted to feel genuine emotions.


    Still, he knew this was unfair to Yun Jingfei. How could he expect her to open her heart when he couldn''t be honest? This was why he tried to overcompensate. He would do what he could for her in the best way he could. If this marriage wasn''t what she hoped for, he would let her go in the end. He wouldn''t let her waste her youth on this futile endeavour.


    Qin Yun relished these moments as he drowned in his melancholy. Sadness and nostalgia were some things he held dearly in his heart. While most wished to do away with them, to Qin Yun, these emotions were too precious to part with.


    As he drifted into city life''s bustle, Qin Yun heard some fascinating rumours. Numerous dried-up corpses recently sprung up within the city. Curiously enough, those corpses weren''t limited to one district but were spread equally between mortals and cultivators.


    This was strange to him as both groups were much too distinct from each other and possessed very different predators. This was the work of a man, to be sure, a serial killer. Still, Qin Yun was intrigued with the state of those corpses. Yet, second-hand accounts could only do so much to paint the whole picture without seeing one with his own eyes.


    Besides, how were these many victims even related? What were the motives for their deaths? Why this method of execution? Many questions floated in his mind. Somehow, he felt he should investigate this, yet something gnawed at him. It wasn''t in his nature to involve himself so deeply in something unrelated to him.


    He knew this feeling, however, as if something was stirring him in that direction. Every time he had followed that feeling, some tragedy occurred, usually ending in his death. This was why he mainly chose to remain a spectator.


    While he most likely wouldn''t regain the emotions he had lost this way, he would at least keep his life and not have to restart again. Qin Yun wanted this to be his last life, as he already had some ties to this world. In fact, severing those ties each time was what led to his numbness in the first place. Yet, he couldn''t help but make new ones once again. He feared loneliness too much to bask in it.


    Qin Yun looked to the heavens above, daring them with his gaze. Yet, the heavens ignored his intent as he was but another ant under them. Someday, he would pierce the veil and uncover what lay beyond. And yet, Qin Yun was grateful for the seal they had placed on his memories. The thrill of the unknown was something he missed dearly.


    As the midday sun began its descent toward the horizon, he left his thoughts and chose to return home. Somehow, being away from his wife brought forth emotions of longing. A slight smile appeared on his face as he recalled her features.


    She had already made a place for herself within his heart. Qin Yun hoped it would only grow from here until she took the entirety of his thoughts. This was only the beginning of his plans, and he couldn''t wait to reach the end.

 Chapter 30 - Two Tigresses Staring Contest

    In a quiet and secluded room of a mortal inn, two gorgeous women confronted one another as a heavy silence hung over them. One wore an exquisite green dress while a mask hid her visage. On her lap was a sword as white and pure as the everlasting frost of the highest peaks.


    Her counterpart was a woman of great elegance and refined manners, and her gaze was astute and profound. She wore a long, pale blue dress that hugged the curves of her body. Her auburn hair was coiffed backwards, revealing her bright green eyes, and held in place by a single golden ornate hairpin. A single strand of hair fell over the golden glasses resting on her slender nose.


    Both women relished the tension in the air as they observed each other, while another individual felt suffocated by the atmosphere. A man in a pristine white robe was on all fours, his forehead deeply connected with the ground. It had been more than an hour since he had assumed this position, yet he had been denied relief. Fortunately, he was a cultivator; otherwise, he might have collapsed from the strain.


    "Your husband is a difficult man to get a hold of," Lian Huiling said, slightly lamenting the effort she had to put in to find this inn.


    Over two days have passed since Hou Ping''s departure and the mess he left behind. Since then, she has done everything in her power to minimize the ramifications of this bloodbath. She had managed to contain the news, preventing it from spreading to the general populace. Yet, something of this magnitude couldn''t be hidden from her clan.


    With haste, she had reported this incident to her father in great detail. Even then, many tried to make her admit responsibility for this fiasco. Fortunately, her father saw things differently. Now wasn''t the time to push blame onto others. Minimizing the damages was paramount.


    On her father''s orders, the whole clan was mobilized to seek Hou Ping''s whereabouts, yet nothing had turned up yet. It was as if he had disappeared into thin air. This didn''t surprise Lian Huiling; while Hou Ping was just a rogue cultivator, he was no fool. In fact, most rogue cultivators were quite shrewd.


    They had no choice but to be, as they had no backing to fall back on. Any slight mistake in who they associated with or those they crossed could lead to their immediate demise. All their lives, they were walking on broken glass, hoping to not get cut, and if they did, they hoped to not bleed out or let the wound fester. It was easier to amputate the limb to thwart the infection at its source.


    Even among rogue cultivators, Hou Ping was exceptional. At least, Lian Huiling thought so. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have involved herself in his life. Once, she had hoped he could have risen through the ranks and shown his worth to the clan, thus earning their approval. She had hoped he would have done this for her, as she believed they were in love. Unfortunately, he chose the easy way, the path of power.


    Lian Huiling hated him for choosing this path, yet also hated herself for being worth less than power in his heart. She believed they shared something, but it was only her own delusions. Still, she was a strong woman and refused to fall apart merely because of a man''s foolishness. Besides, she had work to do, and many people relied on her.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Yun Jingfei replied calmly, meeting her gaze. ¡°He can be quite elusive.¡±


    Qin Yun had merely just left the inn once Lian Huiling arrived. They had missed each other by the narrowest of margins. As usual, Qin Yun strolled the street, wasting his time away in the morning, before coming back to spend time with his wife.


    Yun Jingfei was more than happy with this arrangement, as she used that time to practice her swordplay in peace. Somehow, she felt uncomfortable doing so when Qin Yun was present, as he had a habit of watching her. While she didn''t feel repulsed by his gaze, as she would be if any other man were to do so, she felt slightly embarrassed by her inadequacies.


    Despite all the efforts she had put into this unorthodox cultivation, she was still stuck at the initial threshold of the Sword of Softness, unable to reach further. Qin Yun had to remind her that, while she held a sword, what she truly cultivated was the mind. She could only break down the barriers stifling her growth through the right mindset.


    As he had explained, her recent excursion into despair had left scars on her mind, traumas she needed to resolve to move forward. Only through a clear mind and single-mindedness could she achieve greatness. It wasn''t to say she needed to discard her emotions but to learn to accept them. Yet, acceptance was something she struggled with.


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    It wasn''t in her nature, as she much preferred to rely on rationality and logic. She had used the same preset to accept Qin Yun¡¯s offer. While her heart still rejected him as her husband, her mind accepted it through a ham-fisted rationale. It was this duality that hampered her progress. Only by resolving this issue could she go further on the path.


    Unfortunately, there was no miracle solution. Only time could tell if her heart could accept it all. Besides, Yun Jingfei had only just begun listening to her heart. Most of the time, her mind was the one in charge of her actions. It had served her well up to this point, yet now it was time for change.


    Somehow, both women had chosen to ignore the reason for Lian Huiling''s visit, even though Yun Jingfei was aware of why. Just the sight of the man grovelling before her made Lian Huiling''s intentions clear. However, Yun Jingfei felt no inclination to accept her sentiment. If apologies could so readily be accepted, what would be the point of seeking compensation?


    However, Yun Jingfei wasn''t petty enough to ask someone with no hand in this mess to pay the price. This grovelling was enough penance for this man, although she wouldn''t tell them. The Ma Clan, on the other hand, was another story. Still, she wouldn''t be the one to make that decision. This was Qin Yun''s mess, and he should be the one to deal with this.


    "Didn''t Qin Yun tell you of our relationship?" Lian Huiling asked in a slightly playful tone. She intentionally made her question ambiguous, hoping to find a weakness in her opponent''s frosty armour. Unfortunately, Yun Jingfei wasn''t your average woman.


    "No, he probably felt you weren''t important enough to be mentioned," Yun Jingfei said. Her words were as sharp as a blade, intended to cut as deeply as possible. She knew that woman''s intentions and took no pleasure playing these games. "Besides, do you think he is the type of man to share his thoughts?"


    Lian Huiling admitted that she had a point. In all the years she had known Qin Yun, he had never mentioned his objective. All she knew was what he deemed necessary to tell her, nothing more. It seemed the same applied to this wife of his.


    "Don''t you feel conflicted about being kept in the dark?" she asked.


    Yun Jingfei frowned slightly, not knowing why this woman would mention these irrelevant things.


    ¡°Do you fancy yourself a marriage counsellor?¡± Yun Jingfei replied, slightly exasperated by this woman wasting her time; time she could have put to better use cultivating. ¡°Our relationship has nothing to do with you.¡±


    Lian Huiling couldn''t help but shake her head. Usually, she wouldn''t have bothered, but now, the recent event involving her lover brought some unresolved issues to her mind. Understandably, after being betrayed so cruelly, she had difficulty maintaining the same objective attitude once men were involved. She knew her aversion was irrational, yet her heart wouldn''t listen. It was still too soon to grow past it. The wound was still raw and bleeding.


    Unfortunately, Yun Jingfei was unaware of all this, and her reaction was as expected. She had no intentions of entertaining this woman any longer than necessary.


    Feeling the tension between the two, Lian Ling began to sweat slightly. He could feel the oppressiveness spreading in the room slowly seep into his mind. He felt ill at ease and wished to run away as fast as he could. While he knew the fierceness of his sister, he hadn''t expected to meet another woman fiercer than her.


    ¡°My apologies," Lian Huiling replied calmly, ignoring her last comment. She was merely trying to probe the depths of this woman to get an edge in the upcoming negotiations. "Is that jealousy, I sense? I promise you that Qin Yun and I''s relationship has always been solely business-related."


    Yun Jingfei only scoffed at this blatant provocation.


    ¡°Why should I care how many women he slept with before we were married? Am I so petty in your eyes? Jealousy is the furthest thing from my mind.¡±


    Although misleading, her statement was true. Jealousy could only exist if emotions were involved. Besides, that man was hers to do as she pleased once they were betrothed. Even more so now that they were married. If he expected her to be loyal to him, then she would hold him to the same standard.


    If he were to ever break his vows... well, she had many methods at her disposal. This wasn¡¯t about jealousy, but about commitment. They made a promise to each other on their wedding night, and she would keep it whatever came their way.


    ¡°I didn''t expect you to hold such faith in him," Lian Huiling said with slight sorrow in her emerald eyes. She couldn''t help but recall her own faith that had been shattered.


    Yun Jingfei, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. She never had any faith in him, only expectations. If he were to ever disappoint her, she would remind him of the price he would have to pay.


    Although she thought of all this, Yun Jingfei was still quite content with this marriage. Qin Yun had given her much, and she had done the same for him. Giving him her body hadn''t been easy, yet she felt it had been worth it. As for how others would see this transaction, she couldn''t care less. How much weight should she give to their opinions when all it ever involved was her own life?


    She felt it was worth it, and that was all that mattered. As for feelings, they could be slowly cultivated later on. In fact, she felt she could fall in love with this man, although she didn¡¯t know how long it would take.


    Lian Ling couldn''t bear this oppressive feeling anymore and only raised his head slightly, only to have it slam back down, feeling his sister''s heel pressing on his head. She didn''t even deign to address him and only stared at Yun Jingfei.


    Despite the slight hostility between them, Lian Huiling appreciated this woman greatly. If anything, she felt they could be good friends. She liked the flames burning in the depths of her eyes and the strength of her heart. Even if she were to lose her man, she wouldn''t be the type to crumble and die with him. However, Lian Huiling failed to see that all of it was due only to Qin Yun. Without him, Yun Jingfei wouldn''t be nearly as indomitable.


    While Lian Ling lamented being stuck between the two of them. The door to the room slowly opened, revealing a man standing on the other side. As expected, it was Qin Yun returning from his stroll. As soon as he entered, his altered features reverted back to his usual. Unexpectedly, one of Qin Yun''s eyebrows rose slightly as he saw the two women calmly waiting for him.


    ¡°Am I interrupting something?¡± Qin Yun asked somewhat awkwardly, noticing the man on the floor with a foot on his head. ¡°Anyone wants to fill me in?¡±

 Chapter 31 - An Explosion Shaking the Earth

    Qin Yun was slightly dumbfounded when he noticed the man kowtowing on the floor, then thought nothing of it as he saw the woman''s foot on the man''s head, pressing him down. He slowly entered, ensuring none of the other residents were near enough to hear their conversation. To be sure, he activated a small formation he had set up beforehand for such an eventuality.


    While Qin Yun couldn¡¯t use Qi to set up formations as any array masters would, specific nodes in the array could be replaced by artifacts possessing suitable characteristics. While doing so would make the formation less flexible than having him in control, it was enough for his needs.


    ¡°Long time no see,¡± Qin Yun said as he looked at Lian Huiling. ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡±


    Despite Qin Yun¡¯s inviting tone, the woman only frowned, refusing to look at him.


    "You know exactly how I''ve been," she replied, slightly frustrated. "Could you not make my life so difficult?"


    Qin Yun ignored her outburst, opting to respond with only a slight smile before sitting next to his wife.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who insisted on giving me that thing,¡± Qin Yun shrugged, which brought only more displeasure to Lian Huiling. She couldn¡¯t rebuke him as it was exactly as he said.


    Years ago, she had become aware of many of Qin Yun''s talents. To bind him to her, she offered this black token. While Qin Yun knew the value of this token, he didn''t hold much interest in it. It wasn''t until much convincing on her part that he reluctantly accepted it.


    ¡°By the way, I see that you are trying to resolve our little misunderstanding,¡± Qin Yun added as he pointed at the man with his forehead glued to the floor.


    ¡°Who¡¯s fault is that?¡± she replied, with a slight hint of anger in her voice.


    ¡°His?¡± Qin Yun said, obviously trying to feign ignorance.


    ¡°Enough of that,¡± she said, waving her sleeve, trying to change the subject.


    Any more, and she would really lose her temper. While she knew that this man''s existence had been a boon to her clan, it had also brought many inconveniences, which she had been forced to deal with. If not for that man''s habit of playing possum, he might have become something even greater. She felt like it was such a waste, and it led to some resentment.


    "I see you''ve given Chun Xue to your wife," she added in a tone colder than she had ever demonstrated prior. On the floor, Lian Ling could feel the room''s temperature drop a few degrees.


    ¡°Why? Are you jealous?¡± Qin Yun replied calmly, looking into her cold eyes. "I gave you a chance, and you rejected it. I thought we were already past this. Didn''t you only want a professional relationship? Or is it about something else, and you are taking your frustrations on me?"


    Qin Yun had hit the nail on the head, which brought Lian Huiling great shame. Her lover''s betrayal was still fresh in her mind, and this man''s words only made her more agitated. While Qin Yun had once insinuated that they should start a relationship, Lian Huiling knew that what he meant was only a physical one as she felt he was much too detached from the world to truly feel love.


    At the time, she rationalized that they were in two different places in their lives, as she was much older than he was. In response, Qin Yun had said that age meant nothing to cultivators, yet Lian Huiling couldn''t bring herself to do it. While she felt attracted to Qin Yun in more ways than one, she knew he couldn''t give her what she wanted, and fortunately, she met Hou Ping shortly after.


    But now, after Hou Ping''s betrayal, this sudden reminder only brought her more pain. She rose from her seat in a fury and pounced on Qin Yun, hand stretching out. A layer of condensed purple Qi enveloped her hand as she sought to strike Qin Yun.


    Seeing this, Yun Jingfei sought to draw her blade, yet Qin Yun held her hand tightly as if telling her everything would be fine. The palm struck Qin Yun¡¯s chest, yet nothing came of it. Lian Huiling felt as if an egg had hit a brick wall. If anything, she felt her hand throb slightly as the impact reverberated in her bones.


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    As if nothing was wrong, Qin Yun slowly rose and embraced the agitated woman in his arms, ensuring she could feel his warmth. While Qin Yun couldn''t empathize with her pain, her suffering was apparent on her face. He knew this woman was much too prideful to simply break down and cry. She resembled his wife too much in this aspect.


    While Yun Jingfei was surprised by her husband''s actions, she didn''t try to stop him, as she could see the agony Lian Huiling felt through her mask of anger. Yun Jingfei simply waited calmly for the situation to resolve itself. She wouldn''t involve herself in this as it had nothing to do with her.


    While some may think she was cold, she simply chose her battles. This woman was only a stranger to her, and she could feel the slight resentment that woman had against her. It wasn¡¯t until she heard Qin Yun¡¯s statement that things started to make sense. She would have to do something about her husband¡¯s flirty ways. She wouldn¡¯t suffer this unfair treatment ever again.


    Qin Yun could feel his wife''s growing indifference yet chose to dismiss it. It wasn''t as if he could simply erase his past if he willed it. Besides, he was unashamed of it. What happened before they married was irrelevant to their current relationship. At least, he hoped so, and he hoped she, too, would see it this way.


    As stated earlier, breaking down and crying simply wasn''t in Lian Huiling''s nature. Still, she was surprised by Qin Yun''s sudden, caring actions. She wondered if marriage could change a man so much and never expected that man to be capable of such emotions.


    While she had seen that he could treat women gently, it was just a means to an end. She never felt that he was genuine in his actions.


    Qin Yun had known she felt this way for a while, which was one reason they only interacted professionally. He had always been genuine, but he knew he wouldn''t be seen that way, and he accepted it. Still, he knew she wouldn''t be able to see it that way, so he let it go.


    After a few moments in his arms, she couldn''t control her anger. Her heart was a mess, and she lashed out at him. She cursed Qin Yun with all the grievances she had repressed. While Qin Yun was mostly undeserving of them, he still accepted to take the blame. After all, he was used to being the villain.


    Through her anger and frustrations, Lian Huiling still spun a coherent tale of what occurred in the last few days. While Yun Jingfei was surprised by the scale of what had happened, Qin Yun felt things started to make sense¡ªthe dried-up corpses, for one. Still, Qin Yun found some things that didn''t add up.


    The corpses were much too spread out over the city and much too numerous to be the work of a single person. In his opinion, this was the work of something like a cult. Besides, the two crystals that Lian Huiling mentioned caught his attention.


    If Hou Ping wanted to absorb another man''s cultivation, why not do it directly? While this might simply result from this arcane cultivation technique, Qin Yun doubted it. Something as sophisticated wouldn''t introduce such inefficiencies into it, like transforming energy into crystal, without being deliberate about it.


    No, to him, those crystals were simply a way to store this energy for use at a later date. If his speculations checked out, Hou Ping should only be one of many worker bees harvesting honey for the hive to store. As to who the monarch was, Qin Yun had no idea, nor did he care. This mostly had nothing to do with him or his plans.


    So what if many unrelated to him were to succumb to this plague. He was no hero and had no intentions of ever being one. He only felt slightly curious about the identity of this mastermind, yet this wasn''t enough to involve himself.


    Yun Jingfei was of the same mind. This was for the City Lord to ponder and deal with. What did they have to gain by uncovering this mystery? Probably just more trouble as Yun Jingfei was sure that there was much more hidden underneath.


    Still, Qin Yun shared his speculations with Lian Huiling and she nodded slightly as her clan had reached the same conclusion. Qin Yun didn''t claim to be some master detective, as the evidence was there for all to see, and one only had to use his brain to reach this verdict.


    Lian Ling was slightly stunned that his sister had been so forthcoming with this couple. Usually, she wouldn''t be the one to volunteer such information unless she stood to gain from it. He couldn''t help but ask her who this man was for her to give him such preferential treatment. Still, the answer stunned him.


    "He is the creator of that sword," she said calmly, almost dismissively, as she pointed at Chun Xue on Yun Jingfei''s lap.


    To Lian Ling, however, this was a massive shock. He knew full well how vital the creator of that sword was. Even his father had gone to recruit that man only to be told he wished to remain anonymous. To this day, only his father and sister knew his identity. While Lian Ling found it hard to believe, he had no choice once his sister confirmed it.


    ¡°So you forge artifacts too?" Yun Jingfei asked quite dismissively. She wasn''t surprised by this news as she knew her husband had too many talents. At this point, she wouldn''t be surprised if he was the reincarnation of an immortal. Yet, she couldn''t understand why he insisted on hiding it all.


    Unfortunately, Yun Jingfei, despite the horror she had witnessed, was still much too naive. While Qin Yun may seem invincible, this was only compared to those of his age group. Any elders of any clan could overpower him easily. Without any backing of his own, revealing his talents would only make him seem like a fat goose to be harvested.


    Qin Yun knew he couldn''t count on the Qin Clan to protect him, as he knew his father had other plans in mind. Besides, Ma Mingzhu, his stepmother, would never let it reach that point. She would probably take even harsher measures than she already did.


    He could probably convince some elders to side with him, but he would have to abandon the path he was now on and take the same path as everybody else to prove his worth. This, however, was unacceptable to him, as this path was what was most important to him¡ªyes, even more than his wife. If he was forced to choose, his answer was already set in stone.


    After all, to his clan, birthing an immortal was paramount. It was everything the clan strove for. Anything to regain their lost glory. Artifact forging, as good as Qin Yun was, was only an auxiliary path, something to complement a cultivation base. No matter how talented he was, no one would take him seriously. No one except the Lian Clan, who did business for a living.


    Artifacts were highly marketable, which made him a hot commodity. At the time, Lian Huiling stopped at nothing to recruit him. Of course, this was all part of Qin Yun¡¯s plan. He needed capital to help in his research. This deal was profitable for both of them.


    Still, as Lian Ling was still shaken by this revelation, a massive explosion shook most of the city. Clouds of blackened smoke rose like plumes in the sky, obscuring the sun. They all turned to the sound''s origin, only to see the Qin Clan''s compound in that direction. Yun Jingfei turned to her husband, only to see him look at that plume of smoke with a satisfied grin.

 Chapter 32 - The Man From the Ruins

    While the group¡¯s gazes were locked on that plume of black smoke, only Yun Jingfei turned to look at her husband, feeling that something was wrong. She knew that the core of the Qin Clan lay in that direction. In fact, it matched almost exactly with the courtyard they had left behind.


    It had been less than a week since they were thrown out, yet she remembered the excuse they used to do so, some sort of new workshop. Judging by the eerie grin full of self-satisfaction plastered on Qin Yun''s face, he, too, seemed to be aware.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± she asked him, quite concerned by his reaction.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but chuckle slightly as he saw the smoke rising.


    ¡°Do you remember what Meihui came to collect? Let¡¯s just say I left them a little surprise in case they tried to uncover its secrets.¡±


    ¡°A bomb, you mean?¡± Yun Jingfei replied, frowning deeply. While she knew her husband and his clan had a strained relationship, she hadn¡¯t expected him to go that far.


    ¡°Relax,¡± Qin Yun said calmly. ¡°I limited its spread. Unless they were dumb enough to allow the younger generation near it, there¡¯s no way that explosion was fierce enough to do any real damage. I doubt it could even injure someone at the Void Core Realm.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just dying to find out how they¡¯re going to explain this to the Yun Clan,¡± Qin Yun said with a slight chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t you find it weird that they haven¡¯t given it to them yet? Almost as if they never had any intentions of doing so.¡±


    Yun Jingfei indeed had entertained the thought. However, she felt it would be misguided to do so as the Yun Clan had many more means than the Qin Clan. The strength disparity between the two was evident. What gave them the courage to do so? It wasn¡¯t until she remembered Qin Yun¡¯s gift that things fell into place.


    The artifact he gave them was quite special. It was able to rend space but also didn''t feel manufactured. If one was able to uncover its secrets, the possibilities were endless. The ability to affect space was much too valuable to be given away. Especially for the measly price they would get in return. Of course, the Qin Clan would be reluctant to part with it until they got to the bottom of it.


    While the connections with the sects the Yun Clan were affiliated with were something the Qin Clan wanted dearly, they couldn''t pass up the opportunity to elevate their own strength. But now, all their hopes had gone up in smoke. Yun Jingfei wondered how they would deal with it. At first, she thought the Qin Clan would blame Qin Yun, but now, how could they? They had already banished him. He had no more reasons to acquiesce to their demands.


    It seems this was her husband¡¯s plan all along. However, one thing was for sure. The clan would retaliate for this. While they couldn¡¯t do so in the open, they would do so in the dark. Still, Yun Jingfei always knew they would do so from the beginning; Qin Yun had already predicted as much.


    Yet, one thing gnawed at her mind. Why haven''t they made a move until now? It wasn''t as if they were hidden from the world. If Lian Huiling could find their location, the Qin Clan surely could, too. In fact, they probably could find them easily. Yet, since their banishment, their days had been peaceful and tranquil.


    At first, Yun Jingfei had remained on edge, fearing retaliation. Yet, she let down her guard as the days passed, thinking they had been forgotten. Maybe the clan simply couldn''t be bothered to deal with them. But now, she knew how naive her thinking had been. A clan of that scale would never let loose ends go without cause.


    They would never let someone with a grudge grow stronger and return to take revenge. Why should they? Because he was once family? Such things were meaningless in front of the clan itself. All that mattered was the clan''s interest above all; at least, that was the goal.


    Unfortunately, the clan''s decision-makers were still individuals who couldn''t free themselves completely from emotional ties. As such, power struggles between the different family branches were all too common. All this led to only one conclusion: someone in the clan was still fighting on their behalf.


    At least, they probably resisted resorting to drastic measures. But now, they probably couldn''t stop the tides from turning. The loss of that artifact was a blow too massive for the clan to ignore. They would need to give the Yun Clan an explanation. Of course, Qin Yun would be chosen as a scapegoat. Yet, he seemed to have already predicted everything.


    In fact, Qin Yun¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much, only remaining a slight smile. While he could see the worry in Yun Jingfei¡¯s eyes, he didn''t feel the same. He had many means to deflect the Yun Clan''s attention away from him. If the worst were to occur, he could always whip out another leg for them to drool over.


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    However, he hoped it wouldn¡¯t come to that. Only through suffering would the Qin Clan stop messing with him or his wife. In his heart, Qin Yun was done with the Qin Clan. While there were still some individuals he wouldn¡¯t cut out completely, the clan as a whole had failed in its purpose.


    Qin Yun only wanted to see if living in that place could awaken his long-lost emotions. He even tried, through them, to see if he could feel anger. Yet, it was all meaningless. Familial ties weren¡¯t enough for him to regain what he had lost. Maybe if the clan was razed to the ground, he could finally feel something for it. Yet, he still wasn''t insane enough to go through with this. Still, it was always an option in the back of his mind.


    To the side, Lian Huiling had heard the conversation between the two and felt slightly appeased by it. At first, she thought that this was another incident involving the new unrest within the city, but now she knew Qin Yun was the cause. Still, this didn¡¯t make the situation any better.


    ¡°Could you not stir things up and just let things lie?¡± she asked Qin Yun, clearly displeased.


    ¡°Would they have let things go?¡± Qin Yun replied back. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Unable to get through to that man, Lian Huiling opted to change the subject. She returned to her seat and took a deep breath to regain her calm before mentioning why she had come all the way here.


    ¡°What did you want from me that you had even brought out that token?"


    While Qin Yun could go straight to the heart of the matter, he had other things on his mind.


    "How much do you know about those recently uncovered ruins?" he asked.


    Lian Huiling frowned. She knew Qin Yun well. For him to take an interest in something, there may be more than meets the eye.


    ¡°Why would you want to know?¡±


    ¡°Rumours are spreading in town that they found a wounded man within.¡±


    ¡°What about him?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± Qin Yun asked with a slight smile. Still, that smile only gave Lian Huiling shivers down her spine.


    ¡°Lian Ling knows more than me,¡± she said as she motioned for him to explain what the clan knew.


    Finally free from the floor, Lian Ling rose and began narrating what the clan had uncovered. Those ruins were mainly inconsequential. There were no long-lost texts, heaven-defying artifacts, or earth-shattering treasures. Only endless traps and dust were to be found. While these ruins may have contained something in eons past, most had already crumbled to dust or lost all their powers, becoming inert.


    Yet, for some reason, the traps were still just as deadly as they were constructed to be. Of the hundreds that entered, only a few dozen had left unscathed. The only thing of note to be found within was an injured young man. Yet, nothing of his origins could be deciphered. The only thing they knew was that he wasn¡¯t native to these ruins and that he was stronger than his age let on.


    According to Lian Ling, the man was only slightly older than himself or Qin Yun, yet his cultivation had broken through to the Golden Core Realm, at least. If anything, he might be even stronger since he was gravely injured and his cultivation had become slightly unstable.


    "I heard the City Lord took him under his wing," Qin Yun said, intrigued.


    Being appreciated by the City Lord had been quite the news as the City Lord was known for his strict personality. Even the best genius of the Great Clans wasn''t enough to catch his eyes. Yet, as of the latest gossip, he even betrothed his only daughter to a man of unknown origins.


    ¡°How did that happen?¡± Qin Yun interrupted Lian Ling¡¯s tale.


    ¡°He¡¯s a lot like you in that aspect,¡± Lian Huiling said, sneering slightly.


    ¡°How so?¡± Qin Yun replied, quite perplexed.


    ¡°An enigma and a philanderer.¡±


    ¡°And the City Lord let such a man into his house and his daughter''s bed?" Qin Yun replied, completely ignoring the jab made at him.


    ¡°Well, you know how much he dotes on his daughter,¡± Lian Huiling said as she shrugged. ¡°Apparently, Lady Sun is smitten with the man and won¡¯t take no for an answer. Her father had no choice but to acquiesce to her wishes.¡±


    ¡°Yet, I heard a daughter of the Ma Clan is also enamoured with him.¡±


    ¡°Many others also are. In fact, women able to resist his charm are few and far between," Lian Huiling said with a slight hint of scorn.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± Qin Yun muttered, yet it didn¡¯t miss Yun Jingfei¡¯s attention. She narrowed her eyes slightly and lightly punched Qin Yun¡¯s side, cutting his breath short. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and pat her head, reassuring her that he meant nothing by it.


    ¡°What about you? Did you meet him?¡± Qin Yun asked.


    ¡°I did, and he indeed felt a lot like you. There''s much he''s hiding from everyone. If anything, his background should be quite special. This might be the reason the City Lord had agreed to this engagement. Trying to create ties with the people behind him should be his main consideration," Lian Huiling explained.


    ¡°You seem to think highly of him.¡±


    ¡°He''s at least better than you. He''s elegant and refined and doesn''t seem to toy with people''s feelings."


    ¡°That hurts, you know.¡±


    ¡°If only you meant it,¡± Lian Huiling whispered.


    Qin Yun knew better than to take things at face value. If that man was anything like him, all he showed externally was only a facade made to deceive. The more perfect something seemed the more one would have to scrutinize what was hidden underneath.


    While Qin Yun was curious about the man, he still had no intentions of involving himself in any of it. They could play all their games of power but leave him out of it. He only wished to see some fireworks from a distance.


    With his curiosity satiated, Qin Yun explained to Lian Huiling the reason he had sought her out in the first place. While Yun Jingfei thought they were now homeless, Qin Yun had long prepared for his eventual exile.


    He had made a fortune selling newly crafted artifacts to the Lian Clan and, with it, bought a workshop that fit his needs. However, at one point, he grew bored of creating the same things over and over again and chose to retire. While the Lian Clan was against it, as a good portion of their revenue was due to his work, they accepted it, hoping he would change his mind in the future.


    To prove that he was adamant about his retirement, Qin Yun gave his workshop to Lian Huiling to manage. While the Lian Clan were now the custodian of his estate, he was still the owner and could demand it back at any time.


    While Lian Huiling was taken aback by the sudden request, this was good for her clan. Since he stopped forging, his work had grown substantially in price due to scarcity. The Clan had made a fortune yet sold all its stocks. Any new products would create a sensation in the city.


    With the deed in hand, Qin Yun and his wife made their way to their new residence.

 Chapter 33 - Touring Their New Home

    Qin Yun''s workshop was located on a secluded hill near the Lian Clan''s compound. It was once a mansion that belonged to a distant relative of the Lian Clan but was retrofitted to fit Qin Yun''s needs. While the property wasn''t as grand as some of the others you could find within Jin City, its location made for prime real estate.


    Over the years, many had tried to buy it off the Lian Clan, yet they had refused every time. It wasn''t as if they lacked money. It had been in the family for such a long time that it held sentimental value. As such, they were reluctant to allow outsiders to alter it in any way.


    That was until Qin Yun came along. The Lian Clan had tried everything to tie him to them, even once mentioning a marriage between Qin Yun and Lian Huiling. Unfortunately, Qin Yun rejected their offer. While he would have had no qualms marrying her, he didn¡¯t want to tie himself too tightly to the Lian Clan. Besides, Lian Huiling had also been against it.


    With no other recourse, they reluctantly offered that mansion once they heard Qin Yun was seeking a quiet place to further his craft. While Qin Yun initially offered to simply rent it, the patriarch insisted he become the owner. Their intentions were clear, and Qin Yun accepted it.


    Over the years, the mansion had remained unused. A formation had been erected upon its perimeter, which prevented any dust or wear from transpiring within and even disallowed intruders. The only way to gain access to it was to have a specific token. This was the reason Qin Yun had to reach out to Lian Huiling to return to his property. After his retirement, he had given them that token back.


    With the token in hand, Qin Yun could return to this familiar workshop. As Lian Huiling was a busy woman, she parted ways with Qin Yun almost immediately after giving him the token. After hearing the tale of the last few days, Qin Yun knew she had many things on her mind and saw her off.


    As Yun Jingfei stood before their new residence, she felt a sense of familiarity. This mansion subtly resembled their courtyard within the Qin Clan. It was clear Qin Yun had left his touch here. Yet, she couldn''t feel the inviting and warm atmosphere she was used to.


    Of course, Qin Yun was a bachelor then and had no interest in whatever comfort this residence could offer. It was only meant as a workshop away from his clan so that he could lose himself in his work. Now that he returned with a wife in tow, things would obviously change.


    As they entered, a sprawling courtyard greeted them. It remained as Qin Yun had left it as if not a single day had passed since then. There were ornate statues on each side of the main house depicting various guardian animals. Exquisitely decorated pillars supported a large slanted tile roof, while trees and greenery were sprinkled around the courtyard, giving it an aura of life.


    Yet, Qin Yun couldn''t help but frown. It had been years since he last set foot in this place, but the estate had been maintained flawlessly. He expected the flora to be overgrown as no one had taken care of it since he left; the information recorded in the token said as much.


    Of course, the Lian Clan could have sent a caretaker without his knowledge to take care of things, but would they erase his involvement from the token? Qin Yun didn''t think so, as doing so would be much too suspicious. The Lian Clan wouldn''t do such a thing and sour their relationship.


    In fact, they did not need to take care of things personally, as the formation would do it all automatically, at least regarding inanimate objects. This type of formation could do nothing against living plants, only keep out intruders.


    While the neatly trimmed plants remained on his mind, Qin Yun thought little of it. It wasn''t something to dwell on. Qin Yun opted to check on his workshop while Yun Jingfei explored the rest of the house.


    While the courtyard was vast and surrounded by tall stone walls, only three buildings were present within. The main house, where they would now live. A smaller structure which served as housing for the residence¡¯s servants and Qin Yun¡¯s workshop.


    Surprisingly, Qin Yun''s workshop was easily as large as the main house¡ªin fact, it may be even larger. When designing this building, Qin Yun added multiple rooms for all the disciplines he could wish for.


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    There was a large forge with a furnace that could burn hot enough to even melt most of the metals one could find in the Western Region. This was Qin Yun¡¯s primary occupation. He would experiment and forge whatever came to mind, keeping the successful products while gifting his failures to the Lian Clan to sell at auctions.


    Surprisingly, even his failures were sought after as they were much more potent than artifacts of the same class. Of course, few could rival Qin Yun in this field as he had many lifetimes of experience in worlds where artifacts were much more advanced. While he still couldn''t match the treasures born from the world''s providence, common and profound rank artifacts were as easy as breathing to him.


    There was also an alchemy room filled with many rare and precious herbs. Still, this room had barely been used, as Qin Yun had almost no interest in alchemy. In fact, he couldn''t fathom why it was so popular in this world.


    His disdain for it was rooted in logic. Alchemy was the act of extracting the Qi from spiritual herbs and mixing different attributes to create a particular effect. Using a flame, one would burn the vessel containing the Qi, extracting it before using a rotational force to mix all the different Qis, then using pressure to form a pill.


    While this was the most basic of basics, it summed up the discipline of alchemy quite well. Qin Yun''s problem lay in the fact that no matter how talented one was in alchemy, impurities were inevitable. That, however, would be Qin Yun''s bane, as his cultivation philosophy deeply emphasized the importance of the purity of one''s Qi. To Qin Yun, taking those pills, no matter how pure they were, would be nothing more than a setback. There were no shortcuts on his path.


    While Qin Yun was averse to taking pills himself, it didn''t mean he had no knowledge of it. In fact, he clearly remembered being an alchemy grandmaster in one of his previous lives in this world. He could even feel his imprint within modern alchemy techniques as if they were based upon the inheritance of his work. While he didn''t know how much time had passed since then, Qin Yun figured it was so long ago that no records remained.


    By chance, the Lian Clan discovered his expertise in the art of alchemy and built this room against his will, even gifting him all those precious spiritual plants. Little did they know that Qin Yun couldn''t practice alchemy in his current state. Doing so would require using Qi or a natural flame as a base for vessel deconstruction. Even then, Qi would be necessary for the merging and forming steps, which he obviously didn''t possess.


    Qin Yun couldn''t blame them, however, as he did show them some miraculous things while he was forging, and they assumed the same to be true for alchemy. Still, he refused to let their good intentions go to waste, and he started breeding the spiritual plants he had been gifted. Botany had always interested him, even more so regarding these strange and exotic plants containing Qi.


    This hadn''t been easy, however. Most of these plants required particular and diverse conditions to further their growth, ranging from soil quality and composition to the attribute and density of the surrounding Spiritual Qi. Isolating every factor to maximize their growth took him an enormous amount of man-hours.


    For weeks, he had shut himself in his courtyard, trying different combinations and rejecting everyone who came to him for commissions. He was so engrossed that he lost contact with his clan, and they speculated that he had run away from the clan. They might have assumed he had fled into the night if not for Qin Meihui''s assurance of his whereabouts.


    Finally, after multiple months of hard labour, his efforts bore fruit. Through meticulous observations and experimentation, Qin Yun had inferred the foundation of how spiritual herbs came to be. Still, caring for those herbs took too much of his time. As such, he endeavoured to automate the process. Formations were perfect for this purpose.


    Qin Yun could grow almost any plant by overlapping formations to regulate temperature, Qi density, soil quality, and sun exposure. At least the ones most commonly found. Some still stumped him, such as those requiring volcanic soil or frigid air. There was a limit on what formations could do with his current means. The lack of Qi was always a problem for Qin Yun.


    With this knowledge, Qin Yun had replaced most of the plants in his courtyard with spiritual plants, yet camouflaged them as ordinary ones. If someone could somehow intrude into this place, Qin Yun didn''t want them to ransack all the plants he had carefully grown.


    With the help of those plants, Qin Yun''s courtyard possessed a Qi density of over ten times the average of Jin City. While some secret realms belonging to the four great clans might overshadow his courtyard, Qin Yun was still proud of the result as his initial investment was minimal.


    Besides, finding and occupying a secret realm was much too impractical for a single individual. Only the four great clans had the means to do so. Even then, they were barely able to keep their hold on them. If news of those realms were to spread out, the various sects would stop at nothing to occupy them. The same would hold true for Qin Yun''s courtyard.


    Qin Yun''s workshop was just as he left it. All his tools were neatly arranged on the walls, still in pristine condition. He did a quick tour, verifying the integrity of the structure. While the formation could be used to slow the wear of materials, time couldn''t be stopped. Well, it could, but the energy requirement would be astronomical¡ªnot something that Qin Yun was currently capable of.


    Fortunately, Qin Yun had only been gone a few years, and nothing had changed. Almost nothing. Qin Yun saw some dirt on the floor of his workshop. While he would have ignored it in most cases, The dirt was much too fresh, as if it had been left shortly before they entered the compound, which should have been impossible as the formation surrounding it had always been active. If it had been breached, it would have been recorded in the token, yet it showed nothing of the sort.


    Qin Yun grew suspicious. While the formation wasn''t infallible, it had been placed by a formation grandmaster, one of the two mysterious Black Token owners. The chances of it failing were almost nil. There was only one way to bypass it without triggering the recording function.


    Qin Yun thought back to the spatial fluctuations he remembered from a few days ago. While he noticed a big one near the ruins outside the city, there was also a small one, barely perceptible within the city''s walls.


    Qin Yun wondered if the universe was playing a joke on him. What were the chances of this fluctuation originating in the very residence he owned? Qin Yun could only sigh, wondering if his luck was good or bad. As he was lamenting his fate, Qin Yun heard the sound of a struggle originating from the main house. It seemed his wife had encountered this intruder.

 Chapter 34 - Bathed in Coloured Light

    Qin Yun was in no hurry to go to his wife''s rescue. She was no child or damsel in distress; she was more than capable of looking after herself. Of course, Qin Yun wouldn''t truly let her come to any harm, but hardships were necessary on the path she had chosen to walk. If he were to shelter her, she might never reach her desired heights. Besides, Qin Yun would regret it if she were to lose the edge she possessed if she were to get too used to peace. A slight hint of danger was required to keep their guards up.


    Either way, Qin Yun wasn''t worried as he could hear blades clashing behind the main house. Judging from the sound, the fight wasn''t intense, as they were probably only probing each other. Also, Qin Yun only felt a single presence aside from Yun Jingfei. Unless their intruder was someone above the Foundation Building Realm, Yun Jingfei had nothing to worry about.


    Still, Qin Yun wondered if this intruder was related to the man who suddenly appeared inside those ruins. It wouldn''t surprise him as Qin Yun scarcely believed in coincidences¡ªin his case, at least. Most of the time, he could feel the hidden hands of fates around him as if trying to manipulate him. He figured this time felt no different.


    A slight blanket of obscurity hung over the sky as it was late in the day and the sun reached the horizon. Yet, Qin Yun could see flashes of multicoloured light illuminate the courtyard shortly before the sound of clashing steel reached him.


    At a leisurely pace, Qin Yun walked to the back of the main house, only to see Yun Jingfei in the midst of battle with another woman. Yun Jingfei danced with Chun Xue in hand, striking with ever-increasing intensity, probing where her blade would be most suited to hit her opponent. Her movements were fluid and without excess.


    Her improvements in such a short time frame were astonishing. She first held a sword less than a month ago and was now on the threshold of reaching the later stages of the Mortal Sword realm. Once only driven by pure force, her blade began to seek flexibility and also began to forsake the naivety and straightforwardness she used to rely on, seeking what Qin Yun had heard master swordsman refer to as the Hollow Truth, a sort of unpredictability. There was now beauty in her blade''s path.


    While Qin Yun wished to praise his wife, her shortcomings were also apparent. He could feel the hesitation buried within each of her strikes. While some may look down upon ruthlessness, it was necessary, whether toward your opponent or yourself. Yun Jingfei didn''t lack ruthlessness toward herself, but the fact that her opponent was still living spoke volumes of her hesitation.


    Her opponent was by no means weak, but if Yun Jingfei were to unleash all her might, that unknown woman wouldn¡¯t be able to last. At least, not unless she continued to rely on that strange multicoloured light.


    While that woman¡¯s features were blurred by those constantly flashing lights as Yun Jingfei¡¯s blade clashed against that woman¡¯s sleeves, those lights reminded Qin Yun of something he had seen before, yet he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it.


    Still, Qin Yun pondered how the long sleeves of that woman''s orange dress could parry Chun Xue. Even if that dress was a Profound Rank artifact, there was no way it could block its edge. It wasn''t until he took a closer look that he noticed that each time the blade would near the woman, her sleeves would erupt into coloured light, blocking the edge. Furthermore, he saw that the edge of Yun Jingfei''s blade would deviate from its path shortly after the light erupted. At first, Qin Yun attributed this to Yun Jingfei''s inexperience, but when it happened repeatedly, he had no choice but to delve deeper.


    He thought that the woman might be adept in the Dao of Space, as he had noticed the slight spatial fluctuation originating from this courtyard, but he soon ruled against it. Being able to teleport past the formations around the courtyard would mean that the woman was at least in the Soul Formation Realm.


    Only a Dao Domain could achieve such a feat, or at least a High-grade Earth Rank artifact. He wondered if such a thing was possible as an artifact of that type would be worth as much as the Western Region in its entirety. As far as he knew, only two artifacts of that rank could be found in this part of the continent. Also, if that woman was that strong, Yun Jingfei would have long perished at her hands.


    Then, he suspected something of the time attribute as the woman¡¯s movements were strangely inconsistent. She would sometimes be flustered as she tried to evade, others she would retaliate with an uncanny fierceness after parrying a blow with that light.


    All in all, Qin Yun didn''t know what to think. He had seen many wondrous things, and yet he wasn''t all-knowing. The world was much larger than the mind could comprehend. There was always heavens above the heavens, always something more to strive toward. Qin Yun could barely stop himself from interfering in this duel and experiencing this light himself.


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    As time passed, the woman''s light began to dim as exhaustion became visible in her body language. Her chest heaved up and down as she struggled for breath. More than that, Qin Yun could see that she often favoured one side when blocking Yun Jingfei''s assault.


    Yun Jingfei had also become aware of this and relentlessly struck that weakness, prompting that woman to use that weird light solely for defence. Soon, Yun Jingfei was solely on the offensive, and that woman could barely defend herself.


    While that battle had been relatively brief, Qin Yun could see remarkable improvement in Yun Jingfei¡¯s swordplay. While the Mortal Sword realm could be divided into two different stages, they weren''t separate but a continuation of the other. As such, there was no grandiose act of breaking through.


    Still, Qin Yun was now certain she had begun her journey towards mastery of the Soft Sword Style. According to her pace, Yun Jingfei would reach the peak of the Mortal Sword in another four months, barring any accident. Then, she could embark into true Mind Cultivation.


    Only by genuinely mastering the sword would one be able to discard it. At least, that was the goal, as a sword was only a material object while the mind was ethereal. Past a certain point, no matter how exquisite the weapon, nothing could hold a candle to the world itself.


    Beyond the Mortal Sword Realm was the Earthen Sword Realm, which used the earth as the sword and the sky as the edge. While poetic, this meant only using the Spiritual Qi found in the atmosphere to form a blade and use its might to tear realities apart.


    Of course, while cultivators could replicate such a phenomenon through orthodox cultivation, its effect would be limited by the size and sturdiness of one''s Qi Centre. If they could bear the strain, a mind cultivator could move the whole of reality to aid their cause.


    Of course, this came with some drawbacks. A human mind could scarcely conceive of such a notion, and if she were to attempt such a thing, it would only lead to her destruction. As such, Yun Jingfei¡¯s path should be a mix of the two. By cultivating her mind now, Qin Yun hoped that she could transcend the limits imposed on orthodox cultivator once he repaired her Qi Centre.


    Furthermore, Qin Yun hoped that her newfound control over Qi would help her control the rampaging energies that her previous cultivation couldn''t handle. Once she mastered the sword, it would be safe to say she would be free of her nightmare. Qin Yun was intrigued to know just how far she could go.


    Qin Yun himself walked the same path. After all, mind cultivation was based on insights. While most had been locked away by the heavens deep in his mind, he figured they would return in time as he advanced upon the path.


    The two women''s fight was reaching its climax. While Yun Jingfei''s cadence accelerated, Qin Yun could see that the mental strain of such a fierce fight had taken a toll on her mind. Her movements grew sloppier yet much more forceful. Gone was the flexibility she had sought, replaced by anxiety as her opponent refused to fall.


    The woman, too, was reaching her limit. With each new clash, Qin Yun noticed the woman glancing around, seeking a way to flee. Unfortunately for her, Qin Yun had the key to the formation in his hand. Unless he willed it, that woman would be unable to leave. It seemed she was aware of this, which was why the fight had dragged on until now.


    In fact, Qin Yun had long figured this woman wasn¡¯t an intruder in the strictest sense. She had long been here, locked away by the formation as if in a prison, unable to leave. This was probably caused by the spatial fluctuation that brought her here. Qin Yun saw no other explanation for her presence, as only a Soul Formation cultivator could breach it without the key Qin Yun possessed.


    That woman was far from that realm. While he couldn¡¯t see her lotus, he could infer her realm through her fight with Yun Jingfei. At most, that woman was at the later stages of the Foundation Building Realm, creeping towards the peak.


    Usually, this wouldn''t be enough to contend against a serious Yun Jingfei. Yet, that strange light kept the balance, but it dwindled with each passing moment. Soon enough, it would extinguish, and she would be powerless.


    Still, Yun Jingfei had long known that she would win if she were to simply wear down her opponent. Yet, her pride wouldn''t let it come to that. How could she continue on this overbearing path with such a weak mindset? She refused to relent in her assault.


    She charged forward, brandishing Chun Xue in a circular motion, striking at the woman''s waist. Despite her apparent exhaustion, Qin Yun considered this her most potent strike yet. She had put her all into it, leaving nothing behind. While she detested gambling on a single strike, this was no gamble. This was a statement of her intent. Her intent that her blade would follow this path no matter what.


    Yet, surprisingly, her blade deviated from its path. Yun Jingfei''s eyes couldn''t help but open wide as she stared in disbelief at the glowing sleeve that collided with her blade. Qin Yun, too, was intrigued.


    It was worth mentioning that Yun Jingfei had used Chun Xue for this strike. While Chun Xue was an artifact that Qin Yun had personally forged, it didn''t possess any grand abilities. Only a single one, yet it was the perfect one for someone like Yun Jingfei. The ability to choose the ideal path.


    Indeed, if one were to rely on Chun Xue, one would know exactly where to cut to sever anything in existence. Although it seemed overpowered, Chun Xue was just a sword like any other, made of common materials. It was simply infused with Qin Yun''s sword intent. Its wielder would still need to be able to cut it themselves. This was also why Yun Jingfei couldn''t cut that light, no matter how perfect her strike was.


    Besides, Chun Xue also came with drawbacks. While relying on it could give one insight into the depths of swordsmanship, relying too heavily would only be a burden as one would improve. The goal, after all, was to discard the sword in the end and to rely solely on intent. Still, for her current realm, Chun Xue was something that could help her immensely.


    As for her opponent¡¯s parry, Qin Yun had finally found an inkling of how she managed it. Just before Yun Jingfei''s blow landed, Qin Yun saw the light emerge, erasing the blow entirely, and through that same light, another slightly altered blow emerged. For the briefest of moments, Qin Yun had seen the two blows overlap simultaneously.


    Qin Yun''s jaw hung open slightly. Even for him, this was a first. This was no mere light but a light that could affect causality. This woman possessed the means to alter cause and effect!

 Chapter 35 - Being Exposed by the Light

    Qin Yun was intrigued by this new revelation. Causality was such an obscure path that he had never encountered it before. Altering causality would allow one to always choose the best path.


    Like in this case, Yun Jingfei''s opponent could alter her blade''s path by choosing a reality where her blade had missed its target. While such an ability could be world-shattering, it also possessed restrictions. After all, the heavens wouldn''t allow someone to mess around and rewrite all of existence as they please. There was always a price to pay for such heaven-defying actions.


    In that woman''s case, she could only do so in the area bathed in that coloured light. After all, she was only at the peak of the Foundation Building Realm; the Qi she could manipulate was limited. Still, that was enough to prevent herself from perishing to Chun Xue''s edge. Qin Yun wondered what the extent of her abilities would be if she became immortal. Would she be able to alter her own existence as she wished? This was something to look forward to.


    However, her fate would have to be decided now. As expected, both women were exhausted, and the battle was at its end. Yun Jingfei could only stand with difficulty by propping herself up with Chun Xue¡¯s scabbard while her opponent lay on the ground, unable to catch her breath. The multicoloured light she relied on was now dim and unable to fight the incoming darkness. It was on the verge of fading, only resisting through sheer force of will, unwilling to meet its end.


    Once again, Qin Yun couldn''t help but admire this tenacity. This was something he wished for himself. He couldn''t help but remember his first few lives fondly. He was weak at the time, lacking knowledge and the means to survive in these hostile worlds. Still, he struggled as best as he could. Every day was harsh but fulfilling.


    But now? Everything came much too easy. He couldn''t help but crave a challenge, something that would keep him on his toes. This was something he appreciated about this world of cultivation; there was always the world''s might hanging over him as if watching his every movement, considering whether to tolerate his existence. If not for this, Qin Yun might have just gone through the motions and wasted away, awaiting a life that could stimulate him.


    Qin Yun eyed Yun Jingfei''s opponent. She was quite peculiar. For one, her hair was dark red with strands of orange dispersed throughout. She wore a bright orange dress that exposed her shoulders and long sleeves starting at her elbows that hid her hands. Although Qin Yun wasn''t an expert in women''s fashion, this style of dress wasn''t commonly found, at least not in the Western Region.


    As for the woman herself, calling her a girl would be more appropriate as she looked no older than sixteen. Still, looks could be deceiving when it came to cultivators, but Qin Yun was mostly sure of his guess, considering her actions and temper. It reeked of immaturity and recklessness.


    According to his wife, this girl was the first to attack once she saw Yun Jingfei. Even though Yun Jingfei tried to reason with her, her words initially fell on deaf ears. She struck with the intent to kill, yet Yun Jingfei could only feel that her blows were an act of desperation. Coupled with the fact that she seemed to have already been injured, Yun Jingfei figured there was a story behind this.


    Still, Yun Jingfei wouldn¡¯t let herself be defeated that easily. Even if this fight was caused by some misunderstanding, as long as the threat of death loomed over her, Yun Jingfei would take her opponent seriously and respond in kind.


    She struck back with the intent to kill, then the fight intensified. If not for them both being too exhausted to continue, one of the two would have perished on this day.


    ¡°What do you want to do with her?¡± Qin Yun asked his wife, yet she only frowned in response.


    "Why ask me? I thought you''d be interested in her and her strange power. Don''t you like puzzles like these?"


    Of course, Qin Yun did as it could alleviate his boredom. Still, there were rules to follow when battling to the death.


    ¡°As the victor, her life is in your hands,¡± Qin Yun said as he shrugged. ¡°Whether to let her live or take her life is entirely up to you.¡±


    "You''d give away a chance to explore this strange ability only to abide by this strange and outdated principle?" Yun Jingfei scoffed, slightly amused. She would always find new quirks about her husband every day.


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    ¡°Think of it what you will,¡± Qin Yun said, smiling slightly. ¡°Her fate is for you to decide; I¡¯ve no say in this.¡±


    As the couple debated the young girl''s fate, she stared, eyes wide open, as exhaustion overcame her. She had overused the coloured light, which had taken a toll on her psyche. She could barely retain her consciousness.


    Her breathing was ragged, and no matter how much she gasped for air, she couldn''t regulate her breathing. Her heart thumped in her chest as it sought to distribute her blood throughout, yet it couldn''t alleviate the sense of vertigo that assaulted her mind.


    She felt the world spin around her as the images blurred. Even the sound reaching her ears lost its crispness. The world distorted evermore until it finally turned to black. The arms that once supported her torso off the ground collapsed as her muscles failed from the lack of oxygen, and she hit the ground with a thud. Fortunately, the fight had broken the stone tiles beneath her, and her face fell into the soft earth below.


    Both Qin Yun and Yun Jingfei turned to face her as they heard the sound. They expected to find the young girl unconscious on the ground, yet all they saw was a multicoloured light resisting the encroaching darkness of night.


    The light was brief yet incandescent. Qin Yun had no choice but to close his eyes to bear its scorch. Even then, he still felt the light imprint onto his eyeballs. He turned away and even used his sleeve to block it, and only then was it bearable.


    Fortunately, the light receded soon after, uncovering the young girl once more. At least what was supposed to be her. Instead, he saw a bird of approximately half a meter in size lying where the young girl once was. The feathers on its wings were a deep red that transitioned to a bright yellow toward their tips. Its beak was short and pointy, while its small head was a deep green. Unsurprisingly, that scorching light''s colours were represented on that bird''s plumage.


    Yun Jingfei frowned, holding her sword at the ready as this was wholly unexpected. At first glance, the young woman seemed as human as any other, yet now she stood corrected. Only a demonic beast could possibly transform as she did. Still, Yun Jingfei hadn''t heard of any demonic beasts that could transform into a human while only possessing strength at the Foundation Building Realm.


    It wasn''t that demonic beasts didn''t possess the means to alter their appearance, but that the heavens would restrict this ability when it came to humans as long as they didn''t have the strength to overcome this resistance. Usually, a demonic beast would need to be a Divine Beast or on the threshold of it to even attempt such a thing. For those who wondered, a Divine Beast is akin to an Immortal. Only through this ascension can one slightly disregard the rules enforced by the Heavens.


    Qin Yun had some thoughts about why this young demonic beast could do so. The most plausible was that her bloodline wasn''t pure. Maybe one of her ancestors had reached the realm of a Divine Beast and had chosen to mate with a human. Now, with this muddled bloodline, the Heavens'' restriction would be severely limited.


    However, there was another plausible explanation. Maybe her species was one favoured by the Heavens. Qin Yun strongly considered that option as a demonic beast possessing the means to alter causality was ground-breaking. If such a thing came to light, Qin Yun had no doubts they would be hunted to near extinction simply to uncover the secrets of that light.


    Maybe the answer was more straightforward than he thought, and it was exactly how it happened for Qin Yun to have no recollection of such a species. While there were simply too many species of demonic beasts for Qin Yun to remember them all, he would have noticed if any could wield such a peculiar power.


    Still, the more Qin Yun looked at the unconscious bird laid out in the dirt, the more he felt as if he had missed something. He did remember seeing that dull orange glow its feathers emitted somewhere before, yet he couldn''t quite put his finger on it. He stood silent, mulling over it, yet nothing came to mind. While Yun Jingfei felt the same, she had been much more observant.


    ¡°Don''t you feel this colour resembles that demonic core we saw in the market a few days back?" she said, unsure if they were related.


    It wasn''t until Yun Jingfei mentioned it that he finally remembered the scene of two women fighting over an orange demonic core. While he had uncovered the origin of that core, it was only due to it not being the first time he had seen one. As for the live bird before him, how could one expect Qin Yun to liken it to that core when he thought their species to be extinct?


    This was a Paradise Bird, a live one! Qin Yun had only seen records of it in old and decrepit books that threatened to disintegrate at any moment and the core they had left behind. Even then, those records never mentioned their ability to affect causality, and those cores never exhibited such tendencies. Qin Yun wondered if this was unique to her as an individual or if there was something more hidden underneath.


    Anyway, such a discovery was too important to let it go to waste. Judging by the slight trace of blood on one of the young bird''s wings, Qin Yun and his wife weren''t the first ones to stumble upon this youngling, much less uncovering its identity. Qin Yun had no doubt that the whole Western Region would mobilize if the news spread that a live Paradise Bird existed.


    As for the rumours that this bird could lead them to paradise, Qin Yun couldn''t care less. He was only interested in the origin and mechanism tied to that multicoloured light. His scientific nature couldn''t help but be excited by this newfound research subject.


    Still, he reined in his enthusiasm, as it wasn''t for him to determine its fate. This was Yun Jingfei''s responsibility, as she was the one to apprehend it. She would be the one to decide what to do with it. She was the one to choose whether to kill it or let it go, and Qin Yun would respect her decision. Still, the anticipation was hard for him to bear. It had been a long time since he was this excited.


    On the other hand, Yun Jingfei was at an impasse. While she didn''t know what type of bird this was, she could see the excitement on her husband''s face as he barely tried to mask it. Still, it simply felt wrong to keep this bird caged up. If she were in her situation, she would much rather die than be at someone else''s mercy. Yun Jingfei couldn''t help but see herself in her defeated opponent.


    As if knowing his wife¡¯s turmoil, Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but offer an alternative.


    "This courtyard is large, and there is too much for only the two of us to do. Why don''t you have her serve you?" Qin Yun said to Yun Jingfei with a sly smile.

 Chapter 36 - The Girl From a Foreign Land

    ¡°You want to bring a young, unknown, demonic beast into our home?¡± Yun Jingfei said, clearly displeased.


    Qin Yun knew her doubts, as the conflict between cultivators and demonic beasts had been rampant for as long as this continent existed. For one, demonic beast was only a derogatory term cultivators used out of ignorance or pure malice. Anything they disagreed with would be deemed demonic.


    However, these creatures preferred to refer to themselves as Spirits, as what they cultivated was unlike what human cultivators did. While most humans cultivated the soul as they grew their spiritual roots through the use of the world''s Spiritual Qi, Spirits cultivated spirituality within their core. Unlike humans, who must actively do so, most spirits cultivated simply by living.


    Generally, the longer a spirit had been alive, the stronger it would be. Of course, there were always exceptions to these rules. The same applied to humans, such as Yun Jingfei who cultivated the mind. Some spirits were much more powerful than others, relying on their ancient bloodlines.


    In fact, spirits could be divided into two categories: awakened spirits and ancestral spirits. Awakened spirits were once normal mortal creatures. In time, they began absorbing spiritual Qi and transcended the limits of their species. They formed a core and embarked on the road toward divinity.


    On the other hand, ancestral spirits were those whose ancestry could be linked back to mythical creatures that rose at the beginning of time: think dragons and phoenixes. Since they possessed such long lives, one would think that their numbers would be staggering, yet it couldn''t be further from the truth. In fact, they were close to extinction.


    The reason for this was simple: the world had once been devastated by the conflicts and wars they waged. As such, the heavens couldn''t tolerate their hubris and restricted their ability to procreate. They had lost the world''s favour and chose to retreat away from the limelight and fade away.


    As for their current state, most cultivators weren''t privy to such information. Seeing an ancestral spirit could be likened to a stroke of luck. Yet, Qin Yun wondered what was up with his own luck.


    In front of him was such a creature. Birds of Paradise were ancestral spirits, without a doubt. In fact, they were some of the oldest creatures the world has ever birthed. They came into existence around the same time as phoenixes; their species could be deemed cousins. Still, since they were so old, not many records remained. In fact, up until now, Qin Yun thought them extinct.


    ¡°I see,¡± Qin Yun said as he approached the wounded bird on the ground. ¡°So you have chosen death for it. A shame, really.¡±


    Qin Yun reeled his hand back, making it clear that he was about to strike as he closed his hand into a fist. Space crackled slightly as his hand closed, and his muscles bulged as he prepared them for the blow.


    Yun Jingfei¡¯s eyes opened wide once she noticed Qin Yun¡¯s intention. She couldn¡¯t help but step in front of the bird, arms wide to her side. Qin Yun¡¯s motions stopped abruptly, which discharged some of the power he had accumulated into his surroundings, creating a slight wind.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, clearly flustered. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go that far. We can just make her leave.¡±


    Qin Yun eyed his wife for a moment. Seeing as she wouldn¡¯t budge, Qin Yun relented and lowered his fist.


    ¡°If she is going to die either way, I¡¯d rather make it quick and painless,¡± Qin Yun said as he shrugged.


    Yun Jingfei¡¯s eyes narrowed. She knew Qin Yun possessed information she wasn''t privy to. She felt slightly angered, knowing that this was only his ploy to guilt her into accepting this bird as her servant. Still, she kept calm and simply asked him to clarify his intentions.


    Things were as she expected. Qin Yun had long known that if this bird was to leave their courtyard, she wouldn¡¯t be able to last long in the outside world. As for the reasons, there were many. Firstly, Birds of Paradise required an environment dense with pure spiritual Qi to thrive in. If they were to lack such a thing, they would shrivel and die as a fish would out of water or a tree in a desert. Spiritual Qi, to them, was akin to water for mortals.


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    Yun Jingfei did notice that this courtyard had a much higher concentration of Spiritual Qi than the rest of what could be found within Jin City. In fact, it seemed even higher than her master''s courtyard within the Immortal Phoenix Sect. She could see the countless spiritual herbs thriving in every corner of their residence. This would indeed be the perfect place to raise a spirit.


    Secondly, Birds of Paradise were highly sought after as they were rumoured to be able to lead the way to a place called Paradise. While Yun Jingfei had no idea if such a place truly existed or even what it was, the name alone inspired many to dream of reaching it. The bird''s injuries exposed the dangers she had faced in reaching here.


    Lastly was the manner in which she reached their courtyard. Their new residence was surrounded by a powerful formation that prevented any intruders from entering. Yet, she was still found inside while the formation was intact. Qin Yun explained the spatial fluctuations he had noticed a while back and his conjectures that the two might be related. Qin Yun figured that the one who injured this bird had also reached this place somehow. Conflict was inevitable.


    All in all, forcing this bird to leave would only lead to its demise. Still, Yun Jingfei was reluctant to restrict its freedom. How would that make her any different from those who had chased her this far? As for that place called Paradise, her husband seemed to have no interest in it and the same applied to her.


    Would treasures help her cultivate her mind? She didn¡¯t think so. Only painstaking effort and insights could do so. While she could understand why others would drool at the prospect, even though she would have once thought so, it wasn''t her path anymore.


    With this slight incident over, the couple chose to wait and hear their guests'' opinions first. The bird was moved inside the side building, where they would wait for her to wake up. This would take much longer than Qin Yun anticipated.


    At first, Qin Yun thought that her exhaustion was due to her overuse of that strange coloured light. As such, he slightly tweaked the guardian formation so that it would funnel the surrounding spiritual Qi toward the detached house where the bird was resting.


    While it provided some improvements, the bird remained unconscious for another three days. Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but wonder what she had experienced for her to be so drained.


    During those three days, Yun Jingfei spent the majority of her time taking care of the injured bird and tending to its wounds. While they had battled to the death, she didn''t feel any resentment, as both only fought for survival. There was no need to foster a grudge on the edge of life and death.


    While Yun Jingfei was by the bird''s side, Qin Yun had things to deal with. Now that Lian Huiling had made it clear to her staff that they weren''t to stop him in any way, Qin Yun could come and go as he pleased. He went to see her as he had many questions concerning the strange spatial events he had sensed weeks prior.


    Still, his search was unfruitful. He failed to uncover any new information, yet Lian Huiling promised to investigate it and keep him appraised. Qin Yun had no choice but to rely on the Lian Clan for this, as he was now barred from the Qin Clan. Still, it wasn''t as if they would help him if he asked.


    As for why Qin Yun sought information, he couldn''t help but think there was something between the arrival of the City Lord''s son-in-law and their new pet. It was too much of a coincidence that these two spatial fluctuations occurred near the same time. As for what Qin Yun would do if they were related, he hadn''t thought this far. As long as he was left alone to do his own thing, he had no intentions of creating waves. Still, the tides never seemed to leave him alone.


    As expected, once the bird woke up, she elucidated some of his doubts. While she remained vague when talking about her past and the events that led to her arrival in the Western Region, she called herself Feng Xia, which didn''t surprise Qin Yun in the slightest. How could a relative of the Phoenix family not be called Feng? Qin Yun couldn''t help but feel that the universe was playing a joke on him.


    While Feng Xia was initially reluctant to confide in them, she slowly grew attached to Yun Jingfei as she could see the care she gave her, even if her expression left a lot to be desired. In fact, once Feng Xia saw Yun Jingfei''s cold demeanour, it reminded her of some of the humans who had chased her all this time. This was the reason that she attacked Yun Jingfei upon sight.


    She had no wish to be someone''s trophy. Her parents had long explained to her what humans would do to her were they to find out about her origins. She had been shocked to see that the couple had no interest in such a thing. It took Feng Xia quite a few days to come to terms with it. She remained withdrawn for a long time before opening slightly to Yun Jingfei.


    According to Feng Xia, she came from the Central Region of the continent. Some time ago, she had been separated from her mother and had no choice but to rely on someone she met just a few days later. Unfortunately, at the time, her judgment was clouded by the gentle smile this man gave her.


    They travelled together for weeks as Feng Xia sought to reunite with her family. As this was her first foray away from the safety of her family''s lands, Feng Xia had no choice but to rely on this man for the information required to live in such a foreign land. She trusted him implicitly to have her best intentions in his heart.


    Yet, Feng Xia refused to say much more on this subject as the pain of recalling those events seemed much too harsh for her to bear. Yun Jingfei didn¡¯t push her either, as she saw facets of herself in this young spirit. She, too, had been much too naive at one time, unaware of the ugliness of the human heart. She, too, had suffered at the hands of others.


    Empathizing with her current situation, Yun Jingfei decided to allow Feng Xia to remain with them for the time being. While Feng Xia still had reservations about trusting these humans so soon, she felt that her fight with Yun Jingfei had shown her just how straightforward that woman was. She knew she could trust Yun Jingfei to keep her word.


    No, the problem was her husband. No matter how hard she tried, Feng Xia could never come to trust him. There was something in his eyes, something she couldn''t quite place. Something that couldn''t help but make her heart shudder. Still, as Yun Jingfei trusted him, she would try to do the same. In fact, she had no choice but to do so. She was much too aware of how harsh the outside world was to her. She would soon perish if she were to leave this place for too long. She couldn¡¯t help but think it was fate that she landed here and that she met Yun Jingfei.


    Qin Yun thought the same, yet didn¡¯t voice his doubts. This scenario seemed much too perfect not to have been orchestrated by a higher power. Still, there was nothing he could do at present as his wife had already made her choices. He would respect them, even if they were found to be the wrong ones in hindsight.


    Following that, Qin Yun left Feng Xia to his wife to accommodate her new lifestyle, and he returned to what he had waited a long time to do. While he needed a house for the both of them, the reason he chose this place was for his workshop, more precisely, the forge located within. Finally, he could finish what he had started back in his makeshift forge in the Qin Clan.

 Chapter 37 - Danger Looming Over the Horizon

    The sun had just risen on another day when a young man rolled in bed, still weary from last night''s events. To his side was a young woman with bright blonde hair, whose skin was exposed to rays of morning light. Only a slight satin sheet covered her forbidden area. She moaned slightly as the man''s hand inadvertently grabbed something soft in his drowsiness.


    Feeling the presence of another beside him, the man jolted awake as dread filled his mind and sweat poured down his naked body, slightly soaking the bed he sat on. His heartbeat accelerated as memories flooded his mind. The vivid memories of pain so real were ever-present in his consciousness. Still, once the fear washed over him and retreated, only anger remained.


    A dull ache remained on his chest as he lightly touched the prominent scars present on it. While he could have healed it perfectly, as he had done so many others, this served as a reminder of a mistake he refused to make again.


    Feeling movements, the woman awoke to see her partner in a state of shock. This wasn''t her first time seeing this, yet she was powerless. Ever since she met him, those episodes would reoccur almost daily, as if a repressed memory of agony threatened to emerge from the depth of his psyche. All she could do was hold his hand and comfort him as best she could. Still, she felt privileged to see such a moment of weakness in a man so strong.


    ¡°How are you?¡± she asked in a tender voice.


    Still immersed in his pain, the man took a moment to compose himself. Only then did he turn to her, smiling slightly, before kissing her exposed forehead.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he replied softly. ¡°Just the same memory as always.¡±


    Her gaze was gentle as she looked at her man before reaching for his back, pressing her naked body upon him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and sharing warmth.


    ¡°Is there no news,¡± she asked, slightly concerned. ¡°When can you finally be free from this?¡±


    The man¡¯s gaze grew cold as he recalled the one to wound him so. He had sought her for so long since their arrival in this place. He couldn¡¯t help but be grateful for the woman next to him. Without her resources, he would have taken much longer to heal from his wounds.


    "Don''t worry, it will all come to an end, sooner or later," the man said in a deep voice as if the future was guaranteed.


    Hearing this confirmation, the woman couldn''t help but show a radiant smile before kissing her man''s neck, leaving a red mark on his skin as if to show her ownership. She then rose and dressed herself. She wore a long golden dress that accentuated her long hair, making her look as if she were the sun itself.


    The man also rose and tied her golden hair into a bun, fixing it in place using a gorgeous purple hairpin. She turned to face him, showing the curves of her body as if asking for feedback on her beauty. The man remained silent and admired the sight, which the woman also enjoyed, before kissing her deeply. There was no need for words.


    She then left, giggling like a young girl experiencing her first love. The man''s caring look faded almost as she left his sight, replaced with a cold indifference. He only had time to wear his trousers when another man emerged from the room''s darkness.


    The newcomer was dressed in all black, wearing a mask that shielded his features. Only his long white hair was visible amidst the darkness. He dropped to one knee, clasping his hands in respect, awaiting to be addressed.


    ¡°Did you find her?¡± the man asked in a glacial tone. None of the gentleness he had shown the woman remained. There was only the cold rationale of a man much too used to view others as pawns in his games of power.


    ¡°Reporting to the lord," the white-haired man said. "We have distributed her portrait to all our operatives within the city. If she has reached Jin City, as you suspect, we will find her. She will have nowhere to hide as we overturn every stone if we must."


    The man pondered for a long time over this lack of evidence. Maybe she wasn''t transported here as he was. Still, he couldn''t take the chance. She was much too valuable not to seek her out.


    ¡°Double our manpower and find her," he replied. "She may have taken refuge in one of the four great clans. Have our men infiltrate and uncover her whereabouts."


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    ¡°What about Lady Sun?¡± the white-haired man said, slightly concerned. ¡°What should we say if she asks what we are doing with all those resources.¡±


    The man scoffed lightly as he looked toward where the golden-haired woman had disappeared.


    "I''ll handle her," the man said coldly, starkly contrasting his earlier affection. "I''ll be sure to repay all she has done for me and more."


    He then waved his hand, motioning for the masked man to take his leave, which he did without leaving a single trace of his presence. Moments later, a knock was heard on the door to the room. Once the man told them to come in, two maids entered and bowed deeply.


    ¡°Young Master Liao, the Patriarch requests your presence in the main hall." a maid said respectfully.


    Liao Cheng didn¡¯t even deign to acknowledge their existence and strolled out of the room as he put on his white robes. Surprisingly, the two maids weren¡¯t offended by his attitude and only had looks of reverence on their faces. It was already their privilege to even gaze upon such a genius.


    ******


    The following days were uneventful as Qin Yun could finally invest his time into his own cultivation. There was no more drama or cataclysmic event, only peaceful days spent with his wife and their new addition to their residence as Qin Yun pondered the path ahead.


    As Yun Jingfei was now smoothly advancing toward the peak of the Moral Sword Realm, Qin Yun didn¡¯t need to oversee her cultivation. He spent most of his days in his workshop, only occasionally exiting to interact with Feng Xia as well. Still, Qin Yun didn¡¯t push his curiosity as the little bird was still wary of him.


    Feng Xia slowly became accustomed to her new work as Yun Jingfei''s maid. While initially reluctant, her work consisted mainly of assisting Yun Jingfei in whatever she wished to do, which was mostly sparring with her.


    Yun Jingfei was impressed with her last fight against Feng Xia and felt a noticeable increase in her proficiency. As such, they sparred almost daily, and their relationship became as close as that of sisters. Yun Jingfei was an only child, so she greatly appreciated this new bond. Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but be grateful to Feng Xia, as her presence gave colour to their otherwise monotone life. While Qin Yun preferred peace above all else, he still didn¡¯t wish for solitude.


    With time for himself, Qin Yun pondered how he could further his cultivation. A slight problem loomed over him; his reserves of Innate Qi were dangerously low. In fact, he had barely enough to fully heal Yun Jingfei''s internal injuries until he would finally run dry. Furthermore, he had been aware of it for some time. More precisely, he knew he only had enough when he started to heal her.


    As for why he still went through with it even though he knew, Qin Yun had promised her he would, and that was enough. Besides, perfecting his Body Strengthening Realm was never the end goal but just a means to an end. In fact, he only did it for curiosity''s sake. He could reach the Qi Refining Realm anytime he wished. Yet, he still felt like it was a waste.


    Did Qin Yun regret prioritizing his wife''s health over his cultivation? Never. He much preferred she be able to cultivate than his quest toward a peak that he may never reach. Would that mean he would give up on it? Of course not. He still had some hope in mind that could remedy his problem of resources. It was the same thing he had discovered not so long ago. These crystal bugs were the answer to all his woes.


    Still, he needed to find a way to extract that exotic energy to be able to absorb the Innate Qi he had left within. He had tried once to absorb that exotic energy, yet his body had reacted so severely to the experience that one could liken it to a deadly allergic reaction. It was as if that energy was utterly incompatible with this world. No matter what he tried, there was nothing he could do.


    Still, he was undeterred. He wasn''t one to give up due to setbacks. He knew that he would someday reach the answer he sought. In fact, he felt it wouldn''t take him that long at all, as if the answer was staring him in the face. Besides, he was in no hurry. It wasn''t as if he had a nemesis breathing down his neck, and he needed to become as strong as possible in a short time frame.


    Okay... maybe the Qin and Yun Clan might come to him for revenge, but he could always rely on the Lian Clan to mediate. As long as they weren¡¯t blinded by pride, they would be able to weigh the gains and losses.


    Meanwhile, Qin Yun was back in his forge, resuming the work he had started weeks prior. His forge blazed as he quenched the crystal limb in flames before hammering it on a sturdy anvil. The floor trembled with each of his blows, yet the formation set up within the room pulsed with energy as it resisted the force of his strikes.


    Each day, the sound of sharp collisions echoed in the courtyard, coming from two distinct directions. Light flashed as Yun Jingfei''s sword collided with Feng Xia''s sleeve while Qin Yun relentlessly hammered the crystal into shape. He had a goal in mind with this material and hoped he was strong enough for it to come to fruition.


    Each day, his blows would grow in intensity as the once transparent material became duller with every strike. Soon enough, clearness turned opaque as the crystal turned black. Under this pressure, the two contrasting energies combined, perfusing with the material and enhancing its hardness. Now, even Qin Yun''s full-powered strike could barely deform the black crystal.


    Sweat poured down his face as he relentlessly hammered the material with his hammer. In the corner of the room was a small pile of broken hammers Qin Yun wore down as he sought to complete his project. After a week of non-stop work, Qin Yun finally reached the last stretch.


    The shaping was done, and the energies were combined within. Yet, something seemed to still be missing. Qin Yun couldn''t figure out what it was. In fact, it was only a slight feeling he had in the back of his mind. He was so close to perfection, yet he couldn''t reach it.


    Qin Yun felt frustrated as he knew he was so close, yet the answer eluded him. He didn''t wish to see a week''s worth of efforts go down the drain. He could only keep hammering, hoping something would change. While he knew this was the very definition of insanity, he was indeed at a loss.


    Unbeknownst to him, the clear skies overhead grew darker as his hammer collided with this nearly finished product. Dark thunderclouds covered the heavens above as if curtains of blackness. Lightning danced on their surface as thunder rumbled in the distance. Yun Jingfei and Feng Xia looked above with apprehension in their heart. This wasn''t the first time they had been witness to such a phenomenon. They felt a sense of oppression wash over them. Still, Qin Yun hammered down, oblivious to the incoming dangers ahead.

 Chapter 38 - Incurring Heavens Wrath

    Qin Yun was still mulling over what his new project lacked as dark thunderclouds gathered overhead. A foreboding sense of oppression hung over Jin City as its inhabitants remained indoors, fearfully looking overhead, waiting for the incoming calamity. It had only been less than a month since the last time such a catastrophe occurred. Some couldn''t help but wonder if the Heavens had cursed them for their arrogance.


    Yun Jingfei frowned, wondering what was the cause of it. Somehow, she had an inkling. She couldn''t help but think of her husband, who had locked himself away in his workshop for over a week. Next to her, Feng Xia couldn''t help but tremble as dread overcame her heart. She clutched Yun Jingfei''s sleeve, refusing to let go, knowing such actions were futile. Still, it only slightly alleviated her fears.


    Unlike humans, spirits were born from the world''s providence and held much reverence for it. It was ingrained deep into their psyche. As such, the thought of resisting Heaven''s Judgment was nothing but sacrilegious. Feng Xia could only barely resist the urge to fall to her knees.


    Yet, Qin Yun was oblivious to it all. His project was so close to completion, but he couldn''t find the way forward. Everything he tried resulted in failure. He knew only a single piece was missing in this puzzle, yet he couldn''t find it. As he considered giving up, a thunderbolt fell for the first time.


    A flash of light illuminated the dark sky, blinding all of Jin City as thunder erupted, shaking the earth. The bolt fell from high in the sky, aiming straight for Qin Yun¡¯s workshop. If nothing was there to interrupt its charge, it would have been vaporized on the spot.


    Fortunately, the formation surrounding the courtyard sprang into action as it detected the incoming destruction. Nodes located beneath the ground rose as they lit as if incandescent flames, resisting the incoming storm. Lines of light bridged the nodes, forming an obscure and intricate pattern. Qi flowed within those lines, engaging the strength of the earth beneath, creating a dome of light above Qin Yun''s courtyard.


    The lightning bolt collided with the dome, making it flicker as it desperately tried to disperse heaven''s might. Soon after, the bolt of lightning faded from existence as only a much dimmer dome of light remained. It flickered as it siphoned the Qi located within the ground. Unfortunately, the tribulation overhead was relentless. Lightning fell without end.


    As the sound of thunder drowned out the world, the formation cracked, and the ground on the small hill where Qin Yun''s residence stood split into countless large pieces. Without any Qi flow to sustain its might, the dome overhead flickered, then shattered soon after as shards of light disintegrated into the atmosphere.


    Finally hearing the commotion, Qin Yun rushed outside with the black crystal in hand. Now naked before the heavens, the ground of their courtyard rumbled as the heavens'' oppression crushed everything beneath. Yun Jingfei and Feng Xia fell to their knees, unable to raise their heads. Sweat poured out of their pores as dread of the world''s might took root in their heart. Yet, Yun Jingfei''s gaze was unyielding as she struggled to rise. Unfortunately, the world was too ruthless to allow an ant like her to gaze upon it.


    Qin Yun, too, felt the oppression, yet he remained steadfast, pondering the reason for this sudden punishment. He didn''t have much to ponder as the reason was evident. Only the black crystal in his hand was worthy of divine wrath. While Qin Yun considered getting rid of it to alleviate some of the world''s ire, he also knew that doing so wouldn''t change anything. The sin had already been done, and his punishment was due.


    Qin Yun remained stationary, facing the thunder head-on. While the heavens'' were overbearing in their spectacle, Qin Yun knew it was only a show to display its might. If it was true heavenly punishment, his courtyard''s formation would have never resisted even a single bolt of lightning. This was more akin to making a statement than anything else as if demanding a cessation of all this foolishness.


    Unfortunately, Qin Yun¡¯s mind was made up long ago. This project was his only remaining chance to reach the peak he had set as his goal. While he wasn¡¯t sure if it was enough, he wouldn''t give up simply because the world had told him so.


    As if knowing his mind, the sky rumbled again as lightning arced on the clouds, giving him one last warning. Yet, Qin Yun''s gaze overhead said all that needed to be said. Lightning fell once again, seeking its retribution.


    Qin Yun had no thoughts of avoiding it. In fact, there was nothing he could do to prevent it. Not even an immortal was a match for Heaven''s Might. Qin Yun could only hope that his body could resist it and that the Heavens would show mercy. Although he knew that holding such hopes was foolish, there was nothing else he could do.


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    That was wrong, however. There was something he could do. He held the black crystal overhead and slashed at the incoming lightning bolt. It was akin to trying to slash a bullet mid-flight, yet Qin Yun succeeded in this endeavour.


    The tip of the black crystal made contact with the bolt, diverting it only slightly enough that it fell less than a metre next to him. An explosion occurred as the bolt reached the ground, creating a deep crater and scorching it black. While Qin Yun knew he wouldn¡¯t succumb to this degree of might, he still would have been left with various injuries.


    Unfortunately, while his daredevil idea worked, a portion of heaven''s lightning remained on the crystal and then flowed to his hand. As lightning flowed to his skin, Qin Yun could feel that foreign energy dig deep into his flesh, scorching it from the inside out. He resisted the urge to scream as it dug within his bones.


    Unlike when he could cut his nerves at their source to avoid feeling the pain, the world wasn''t that merciful this time. The lightning prevented him from circulating any Qi, rendering him as nothing more than a mortal. Still, even if he could use his Qi, what good would that do? He had almost no Innate Qi remaining, and no matter how pure it was, how could it compare to what the world itself could offer?


    As lightning flowed through his flesh, Qin Yun couldn''t hold the black crystal any longer, so it fell to the ground. Yet, the Heavens wasn¡¯t done demonstrating its ire for this heresy. Thunder fell without end, each time striking the black crystal on the ground, digging a massive hole with each bolt that fell.


    Qin Yun clutched his blackened hand, sweat poured out his forehead, and the pain still assaulted him. His mind raced as he wondered why the world had reacted so strongly to this new creation of his. There was only a single answer: that foreign energy found within the crystal. It seemed the Heavens couldn''t tolerate its existence.


    Surprisingly, no matter how many bolts of lightning fell, nothing could mar the surface of that black crystal, almost as if it were indestructible. Yet, the world wasn''t to be taken lightly. A red hue appeared on the black clouds as the golden lightning changed to a dark red. The sense of oppression that filled the world seemed to have exploded exponentially.


    The girls, who were on their knees, had no choice but to prostrate themselves before heavenly might. Even the old monsters present in Jin City didn''t possess the courage to look at the sky anymore, as all the city''s inhabitants fell to the ground, trembling in fear. Even Qin Yun could only barely resist it, yet he, too, fell to one knee. The world''s might wasn''t something an individual could contend against.


    Red lightning crackled on those clouds for a while longer, and then all fell in unison. Surprisingly, the black crystal still resisted its destruction, yet Qin Yun could see cracks appear on its surface. As if to show its defiance, that exotic energy flowed within the crystal as if it had a mind of its own. The two energies battled on its surface as they sought dominance. The crystal rang as the strain of their war spread over its entirety, almost like it was threatening to explode.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but feel a sense of impending doom. If this struggle was left unchecked, the crystal would collapse, and the energy within would be unleashed on the world. While Qin Yun didn''t know the true scope of its destruction, he could estimate it simply by looking at the lightning falling down. Nothing would be left of this city and its surroundings if it were to blow. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do. The world simply would not let him.


    Surprisingly, once the crystal reached the limit of what it could endure, heavenly might retreated, almost as if it had done its duty and only wanted to watch the end result. Qin Yun was still bewildered by the sudden reaction of the world to what he had created. Did it feel threatened by its existence?


    As the world''s oppression faded and Jin City''s inhabitants could finally move again, Qin Yun''s mind raced for a solution, yet none could be found. They were doomed to perish on this day. His only option was to smother the explosion as best he could using his own body. While he would surely perish, his wife might be able to survive the blast. He was the one responsible for this situation, after all. He should be the only one to pay the price for it.


    Qin Yun steeled himself for death while cracks appeared on the crystal''s surface. The crystal pulsated with a strange energy, flooding its surroundings with a sense of dread. Yet, another rushed for the black crystal before Qin Yun could commit to it.


    Feng Xia stood over the pit where the black crystal was located. While she knew not the meaning of her actions, she only let her instinct take over. She knew this was dangerous and was the only one who could save them.


    ¡°Get back!¡± Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but shout. There was no trace of his usual indifference. He couldn¡¯t let someone else pay for the mistake he had made.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Feng Xia said with a gentle smile, looking him in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be alright. I know it.¡±


    Then, without waiting for Qin Yun¡¯s input, Feng Xia jumped into the hole, reaching for the black crystal. The crystal was hot to her touch, almost searing, as if the heavenly lightning had forged it further.


    Yun Jingfei ran to the crater''s edge, pleading for her to climb back up, yet Feng Xia only returned her a gentle smile. Yun Jingfei sought to plunge into the hole to accompany her, yet Qin Yun embraced her from behind, restraining her. While he didn''t know what Feng Xia intended to do, he figured it couldn''t be worse than his own desperate idea. What was the worst that could happen? Their deaths? Qin Yun scoffed; he was already prepared for such an eventually. He only wished his wife wouldn''t have to follow along.


    Suddenly, the black crystal cracked open, releasing a blinding light that threatened to scorch even Qin Yun''s skin. Acting primarily instinctually, he embraced his wife in his arms before showing his back to the pit, trying his best to shield her from the inferno. If not for the crystal being located deep within a crater, Qin Yun had no doubts this heat wave would have prompted his courtyard to burst into flames. Yet, all that came of it was a pillar of white light that reached the sky, dispersing the black thunderclouds.


    Yun Jingfei struggled within his arms, trying to reach Feng Xia. Still, Qin Yun wouldn''t let her, opting to wait and see. Feng Xia didn''t strike him as the self-sacrificing type. Soon after, the pillar emitted notable changes, and Qin Yun couldn''t help but smile.

 Chapter 39 - Facing the Aftermath

    The pillar of scalding light that rose toward the sky suddenly changed. The white light competing against the sun shifted to different colours as if two entities within were battling for dominion. Qin Yun remained silent as he watched those sights; they filled him with a sense of wonder as well as dread. He knew that light could erase their very existence if it were to engulf them.


    On the other hand, Yun Jingfei was agitated. She struggled within Qin Yun¡¯s arms, wishing to rush to Feng Xia¡¯s aid. Still, Qin Yun wouldn¡¯t let her throw away her life in such a meaningless way. Besides, those flashing colours were proof of Feng Xia¡¯s struggle. He wouldn¡¯t let her attempt be in vain.


    While Qin Yun didn''t know the mechanisms of how Feng Xia''s powers worked, he knew only those could contend against what lay dormant within the black crystal. He only hoped that she would be strong enough to see it through to the end.


    After what seemed like an excruciatingly long wait, the white light began to recede, and all that remained was a sea of colours dancing in the atmosphere. Qin Yun couldn''t help but smile. Once he figured the worst had passed, he let go of his wife.


    "Feng Xia!" Yun Jingfei cried as worry filled her voice. She didn''t even concern herself for her safety before she plunged to the bottom of the hole where the multicoloured light originated. Qin Yun couldn''t help but wonder how his wife had grown so attached in such a short time frame. It seemed Feng Xia was much more special than he once gave her credit for.


    Once all the light was gone, Qin Yun peered down the hole, only to see Yun Jingfei embrace an unconscious Feng Xia. It seemed the little bird had expended too much energy battling that white light. Qin Yun wasn''t concerned as this appeared to be the same as what happened only a few days prior. Still, he wondered if overusing this power would leave some lasting impact on her.


    To the two girls'' side was the black crystal he remembered, yet its shape had changed substantially. Gone were the rugged edges he couldn''t flatten no matter how hard he struck with his hammer. It became exactly how he envisioned it. A black sword more beautiful than he had ever seen. Still, Qin Yun felt no trace of power from the blade, only a slight sense of indestructibility.


    As for the foreign energy that dwelled within, Qin Yun couldn''t feel its existence anymore, as if it had been expunged by the coloured light. Qin Yun couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow at this discovery; this little bird seemed much more valuable than he first thought.


    Wishing to observe his creation, Qin Yun also jumped into the hole, yet he seemed to have stepped onto something as he landed. Below his feet was a transparent orb, the size of an apple, slightly buried under the charred dirt. Once he dug it out, Qin Yun couldn''t help but be stunned.


    The foreign energy that disappeared was now trapped within. In fact, Qin Yun could feel a slight suction force aimed toward his black box. With anticipation in his heart, he decided to validate his theory.


    He removed one of the crystal legs he had used in one of his experiments, the same one he had injected some of his Innate Qi into. The orb glowed as the energy within rotated, creating a vortex. The suction force grew stronger.


    While he knew now wasn''t the time to experiment, Qin Yun simply couldn''t help himself. If his deductions turned out to be accurate, this would be a massive step forward for his cultivation.


    Qin Yun slowly brought the orb closer to the crystal leg. He could clearly see the foreign energy within the leg become agitated, as if it possessed consciousness and had been reunited with a long-lost relative.


    Qin Yun could feel the two objects attract each other as if they were two different poles of magnets. He had to use an extraordinary amount of strength to simply keep the two apart. Slowly, he let the two grow closer, yet it wasn''t until they finally touched that something incredible happened.


    The foreign energy battling his Innate Qi within suddenly charged toward the orb. The sphere''s glow grew stronger, engulfing everything within its core. Qin Yun could feel it pulse within his hand and grow slightly warmer. Before his very eyes, Qin Yun saw the orb grow in size as it absorbed all that energy, from the size of an apple to a mango.


    While the difference was negligible, Qin Yun couldn''t help but ponder the implications. This orb was the answer to all his woes, as it could eliminate that foreign energy while leaving all the pure Innate Qi behind. Yet, Qin Yun felt slightly reluctant to use it. While all the crystal body parts he had in his black box were inert, this orb was clearly alive. Qin Yun couldn''t help but liken this orb to an egg. He wondered what would emerge from it if he were to feed it all the energy he possessed. Would it become one of those bugs or something much more?


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    Qin Yun looked at Feng Xia with a complicated expression. While he had been the one to convince his wife to take her in, he couldn''t help but feel that someone had orchestrated this whole scenario. Ever since he met her, things fell into place much too easily.


    First, she had to appear in the only courtyard that could preserve her life, which was also his. Then, she possessed the means to thwart the calamity his curiosity had caused, in the process, creating the very object he was in dire need of. While Qin Yun didn''t believe in fate, he also couldn''t liken those events to mere coincidences. It was much easier to accept that someone was messing with him.


    Qin Yun looked at the sky with narrowed eyes, watching the dark thunderclouds slowly disperse. Once again, he tried to pierce the veil, wishing to see what lay beyond, yet his efforts were futile. He was still much too weak to reach the answers he sought.


    While Qin Yun was pondering, Yun Jingfei could finally breathe a sigh of relief as she ascertained Feng Xia''s well-being. Still, she glared at Qin Yun, to which he could only respond with a wry smile.


    ¡°How is she?¡± he asked, unconcerned. He already knew she was out of danger.


    ¡°She¡¯s resting,¡± Yun Jingfei replied, still irate from his uncaring attitude. ¡°Her breathing is stable. She should wake up soon.¡±


    ¡°That''s good," Qin Yun said as he removed her mask to wipe the dirt that marred her cheek. "We should get out of here and let her rest in a better place."


    Qin Yun then took Feng Xia¡¯s slender body in his arms. While he knew she was just a young girl, he hadn¡¯t expected her to be so light. He felt impressed that such a small girl had the courage to plunge into such a dangerous situation without regard for her life. Whether or not she knew she would be alright, not many could have done what she did.


    ¡°What just happened?¡± Yun Jingfei finally asked after calming down. The events had happened much too fast for her to process it all.


    ¡°I made a mistake,¡± Qin Yun sighed. ¡°While I knew the energy found within those creatures was foreign to this world, I didn¡¯t expect the world to offer such an intense reaction. It almost seemed like an allergic reaction to a foreign pathogen.¡±


    Yun Jingfei looked at the sky fearfully. While she had experienced heaven''s might before, she had done so from afar. Nothing could have prepared her to withstand the brunt of its oppression as she just did. All the arrogance she once felt due to her talent evaporated as she knew she would have become dust under even a single lightning bolt.


    ¡°How¡¯s your arm?¡± Yun Jingfei asked as she noticed the blackened skin that covered most of his hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he said after a moment of silence.


    Yun Jingfei knew this was a lie, yet she didn''t say anything more. She knew Qin Yun didn''t wish to worry her, but it was clear that this lightning couldn''t be brushed aside so easily. Even now, she could occasionally see the charred flesh twitch and even see small arcs of lightning dance on its exterior. She knew he couldn''t rid himself of the aftereffects so easily, yet there was nothing she could do.


    Qin Yun could still feel lightning scorch his flesh as pain shot through his nerves. Yet, his expression remained impassive. What good would showing his pain to the world accomplish?


    Surprisingly, as the remains of heavenly lightning destroyed his muscles and bones, Qin Yun could feel them regenerate and become even stronger. Better yet, this energy seemed even more potent than his own Innate Qi. Qin Yun wondered if this was a reward or a punishment. Heaven''s intentions were indecipherable, as always. Still, Qin Yun wouldn''t let go of this gift, even if it brought him much pain.


    With a single leap, Qin Yun emerged from the deep hole, only to be stunned by what he heard in the distance. While he knew that such a phenomenon would attract unwanted attention, he didn¡¯t expect it to be so grand.


    The sounds of footsteps rumbled in the air, and the ground shook slightly as if an army was marching in unison toward their courtyard. As they were located on a hill, Qin Yun could clearly see over a hundred individuals in golden armour take position down below, blockading his residence.


    Qin Yun''s eyes narrowed slightly as he observed these unwanted intruders. Their armours clearly depicted their identities, yet he couldn''t believe how fast they reacted. It hadn''t even been ten minutes since the oppression receded, and they were already banging at his doors.


    Qin Yun knew precisely what their intentions were, as they were much too predictable. Once again, people believed heaven''s emergence led to a treasure. While they would be proven right, Qin Yun had no intentions of letting himself be robbed. Furthermore, he didn''t believe they had the means to take anything from him.


    "Take her," Qin Yun said as he gave Feng Xia''s unconscious body to Yun Jingfei. "There''s a switch under the bed in the main house. Take the door that opens, hide in there and lock it behind you. Do not come out unless I tell you to."


    "What about you?" Yun Jingfei asked as she saw the commotion below. While she wished to argue, she knew they were out of time, and she couldn''t hope to provide much help against this army.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, but we can¡¯t let them see Feng Xia. She¡¯s much too important. Now, go!¡±


    However, just as he said those words, Qin Yun could feel a slight prickle on his skin. He knew this sensation too well, as this was the feeling of a divine sense washing over him. He could feel this entity trying to discover all his secrets. Fortunately, unless they touched him directly, they couldn''t uncover what went on inside his body.


    However, the unknown divine sense soon lingered on the black sword in his hand. While he could have hidden it within his black box, doing so would have been akin to suicide. It was much better to show its existence than to pretend nothing of the sort existed; these people weren''t reasonable to begin with.


    Fortunately, the sword distracted the divine sense long enough for Yun Jingfei to leave unscathed. While there was a chance they were discovered, Qin Yun much preferred being the only one in danger. As he prepared himself for the eventual confrontation, a loud voice laced with Qi towered over the cacophony present in Jin City.


    ¡°Come out and hand it over, or face the consequences!¡± the voice said.


    If not for Qin Yun''s sturdiness, his eardrums would have burst from the pressure of this voice. He could feel his body shake slightly as he endured the waves of Qi assaulting him from its mere presence alone. Qin Yun was outmatched in every way, as the owner of that voice was someone comparable in strength to his own father. This was a Nascent Soul expert, yet Qin Yun refused to bend the knee. He still had hope to escape this situation.

 Chapter 40 - To Hold up the Sky

    An old man emerged from the sea of soldiers at the foot of Qin Yun''s small hill. His white hair was dishevelled, and a thin white goatee covered his face. He wore black and gold sleeveless robes that had seen better days. Yet, Qin Yun was much too astute to believe that old man was simply as he seemed. His aura was suffocating him despite the distance separating them.


    Sometimes, the long flow of time leads some cultivators to eccentricities. It seemed this old man was no exception. Still, Qin Yun knew this man, if only through the description he had heard from others. Qin Yun couldn''t help but feel his heart sink into his chest, for this man was Ma Yongzheng, Ma Mingzhu¡¯s grandfather.


    ¡°Come out and offer tribute to this old man, and I might consider letting you leave unharmed,¡± the old man said casually.


    Qin Yun felt the pressure of this man''s voice reverberate in his bones as if it wished to press him to the ground. Just his mere presence alone was filled with so much Qi that Qin Yun was almost unable to breathe.


    While Qin Yun could resist his father¡¯s aura, that was only due to that man not taking him seriously. Against someone of Ma Yongzheng¡¯s calibre, Qin Yun¡¯s options were limited. He didn¡¯t know if he could even withstand this old man¡¯s casual punch, much less him going all out. If it came to a death match, Qin Yun would be forced to utilize his trump card, something he desperately didn¡¯t wish to do as the consequences wouldn¡¯t be worth it.


    Fortunately, another chose to speak up before the situation escalated.


    ¡°Ma Yongzheng! Don¡¯t you put our Lian Clan into your eyes at all?¡± a female voice said, emerging from behind the Ma Clan¡¯s blockade. ¡°This land and everything on it belongs to my Lian Clan. Don¡¯t you have any shame trying to steal from us?¡±


    As Qin Yun expected, this voice belonged to Lian Huiling. Despite the difference in cultivation, she stood firm against a man at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm. Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but admire her courage, yet he lamented her stupidity.


    "Isn''t that Lian Qian''s little girl?" the man said, showing a smile empty of emotions. "You misunderstand me. I am simply trying to apprehend a criminal that incurred heaven''s wrath. If left to his own devices, he will surely bring this calamity on us again. Everything I do is in the best interest of the city."


    Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but applaud him in his heart. It took a man of boundless shamelessness to spout such bullshit with a straight face. Yet, he couldn''t refute that he chose a plausible explanation for this. It was true that the coming of heavenly tribulation wasn''t something to be taken lightly. Most would wish to stay as far away from it as possible.


    ¡°Stop hiding your greed through such baseless accusations,¡± Lian Huiling sneered, showing the man no respect. ¡°We both know what you are here for. Don¡¯t think we have forgotten what your clan did a few days ago. It would be in your best interest to take a step back and reassess your actions.¡±


    Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. While he knew that she resented the Ma clan for the matter of the black token, she shouldn¡¯t have let this cloud her judgment. The Ma people weren¡¯t known for being able to brush aside disrespect, even more so coming from the younger generation.


    ¡°Oh? Is the Lian Clan intending to protect this criminal? Should I take your words as the stance of your whole clan?" the old man asked, showing an alarming smile.


    Suddenly, Lian Huiling¡¯s expression darkened. She now knew she had been misguided. She had thought she could have reasoned with them, yet she forgot that one does not reason with wild beasts. She had been so used to her work as a merchant that she had forgotten that this world didn''t revolve around gains and losses but on power. Whoever could overpower their opposition would be the victor.


    She had thought the Ma Clan would be unwilling to start a conflict with her clan over something so small, yet they were the ones whose intentions were tested by others. It seemed the Ma Clan would have no qualms in going to war. Unlike this old man, who most likely represented the whole clan, Lian Huiling could only speak for herself. The best evidence was that she was here alone with only her personal guards with her.


    "You would destroy the balance between the four great clans merely to settle a personal vendetta? Don''t you have any shame?"


    However, Lian Huiling''s words, although true, didn''t hold any weight. While she could talk all she wanted, the old man would only need a single slap to send her to the afterlife. Fortunately, Ma Yongzheng wasn''t some senseless beast. Killing Lian Huiling here, in front of all these witnesses, would only paint his clan as barbarians.


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    It was much better to cleanse a sinner in the name of justice. If the Lian Clan tried to save him in any way, he could label the Lian Clan as traitors, and then they would be able to rid themselves of them in the name of righteousness. While everyone knew this was bullshit, they only needed an excuse for their actions. The other clans wouldn¡¯t interfere if they were promised a piece of the pie.


    Qin Yun knew all this, as it was much too obvious. Righteousness was a powerful blade when used, yet one must be careful not to fall on it themselves.


    ¡°Enough!" Qin Yun shouted, overpowering the cacophony below. "If this is what you want, then you are welcome to try and take it from me!"


    Qin Yun raised the black sword above his head, showing it to everyone below. While the blade seemed no more potent than a common steel sword, those possessing a minimum of strength could easily sense the power hidden deep within. The dark crystal blade gleamed with esoteric strength, which prompted the greedy gazes of those below to remain riveted on its surface.


    Qin Yun sneered as he lobbed the blade upwards with minimal strength. The sword depicted a graceful arc as it rose up and down, slicing the air as it fell. While Ma Yongzheng was arrogant by nature, he wasn''t stupid. Why would he take Qin Yun at his words? Obtaining this blade would be much too easy otherwise.


    He motioned for one of his men to intercept the weapon on its descent. The man calculated its trajectory and positioned himself below its landing point. When the blade reached him, he extended his arm, trying to catch it like any other object. He wrapped his hand around the handle simply and quickly, yet the blade resisted his touch. In fact, the only thing this blade didn''t resist was gravity.


    While the man was by no means weak, his arms couldn''t resist the momentum of that fall. His fingers wrapped around the handle shattered as the blade fulfilled its destiny as it sought to reach the ground. His shoulders dislocated as the momentum of the blade was transferred to them. Feeling the pain of his fractured limbs, the man screamed, yet it was cut short as the blade ended its journey into the soil.


    The collision created a shock wave as the ground collapsed under the crystal¡¯s weight, creating a massive sinkhole. The shock wave propagated outwards, creating waves into the ground as most soldiers standing guard near the impact were shoved backwards by the wind it created despite the heavy gold armour they wore.


    The unsuspecting soldier tasked with retrieving this blade was less fortunate. He felt the brunt of the impact as waves of kinetic energy rammed into him, shattering his internal organs despite the armour covering his body. While these types of armour artifacts were designed to protect against Qi by diffusing it over their whole surface, they were only as good for physical impacts as the materials they were made of. In the case of these golden armours, they were no better than steel ones.


    Blades of wind sliced the armour as if it were a liquid, rendering any protection he wore meaningless. Soon enough, all that remained of his life was a fine mist of blood and flesh flowing in the air until it covered everything in a radius of multiple metres. Qin Yun''s simple throw had claimed a man''s life.


    Even Qin Yun was slightly surprised by these events. While he knew simply from holding it that his new sword was heavy, he hadn''t expected it to reach such a level. At most, he hoped to embarrass the Ma clan this way, yet things became much more dire than he first expected. With the death of one of their own, they now had an excuse to make good on their threats.


    Qin Yun''s eyes couldn''t help but narrow as he tried to come up with countermeasures to their impending assault on his position. Surprisingly, such an assault never came. The soldiers below were much too stunned as they gazed at the newborn crater at their feet. Even Ma Yongzheng was bewildered by this weapon''s might.


    While he knew that a weapon born through heavenly tribulation would be more potent than usual, he didn¡¯t expect this destructive power. Even more so as he couldn¡¯t effectively ascertain its grade. For all he could see, this black blade was nothing but a mortal weapon. Still, he now stood corrected. He wanted this blade more than anything else.


    Without even bothering to acknowledge the death and disarray of his men, Ma Yongzheng plunged into the crater, wishing to see this embodiment of destruction himself. The blade stood upright, lodged inside a sturdy stone deep within the earth. Despite the sword wedged into it, the stone itself was immaculate.


    There was a glint in Ma Yongzheng¡¯s eye as he gazed upon this perfection of form and function. He couldn''t help but want to try it out for himself. Such was his greed for the power before him.


    He wrapped his hand around the handle and pulled upwards, yet the blade refused to emerge from the earth. Ma Yongzheng didn''t believe an inert weapon could resist his will, even if it was forged with lightning.


    He tugged even harder, trying to pry the blade from the stone; he even opted to utilize his Qi in the process. To the astonishment of all the spectators around, a massive green lotus appeared over his head. Seeing the lotus of an expert at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm wasn''t something one could see every day.


    The lotus was plump, possessing a complete platform consisting of ten massive leaves that slowly rotated. Standing above the platform was an ethereal young man possessing blurry features, seated in a lotus position as if cultivating. For those who knew him, this avatar of light strangely resembled Ma Yongzheng in his younger years.


    As he mustered all the strength he could to dislodge this blade, the green avatar opened his eyes, and light flared from them, bathing the world in a shade of green, even competing with the sun. Still, the blade remained motionless despite his efforts. Try as he might, he couldn¡¯t acquire this blade with his current strength.


    Anger took root in his heart, and he wished nothing more than to part with it. If he couldn''t acquire it, nobody would. He emerged from the crater with a grim look on his face. A slight hint of murderous intent permeated the world around him, spreading an oppressive aura to all present. Those who could still move, gulped silently as they anticipated the coming massacre. As for the victim of the man''s ire, there were no doubts in anyone''s mind.


    While Lian Huiling wished to plead for Ma Yongzheng to regain his calm, nothing could be done at this point. Qin Yun had humiliated someone out of his reach, and he would have to pay the price. Still, she couldn''t help but be stunned as she gazed toward Qin Yun, only to see him smile slightly as if unconcerned.


    Then, without a word, Ma Yongzheng launched an attack on Qin Yun. It was nothing grand, just a single palm reminiscent of the one Ma Mingzhu had launched toward Qin Yun''s wife. Still, their powers couldn''t be compared. It was as if an ant hoped to hold up the sky. Resisting was a hopeless endeavour.

 Chapter 41 - The Storms Second Coming

    Qin Yun''s eyes narrowed as he watched the incoming palm strike barrelling toward him. With barely any time to think, he did the only thing he could to resist. While he knew it was mostly futile as the strength gap was much too wide for him to overcome through strength alone, he would still try to struggle. At least, he was confident he could survive this strike.


    Qin Yun''s feet dug into the soft ground as he braced himself for the impact. While most would only passively receive this strike, his best bet was to counter it. Qin Yun clenched his fist with all the strength he could muster, creating space fluctuations as if his hand could crush space itself.


    Yet, none took notice of it as they were much too absorbed by the magnificence of that palm strike. It wasn''t every day that a Nascent Soul Expert took action, much less against a man who hadn''t embarked on the path of cultivation. It was the very definition of overkill. Not expecting Qin Yun to survive this blow, some even turned away, unwilling to witness his end.


    Yun Jingfei watched from the threshold of their house. While she had disobeyed his wishes to hide with Feng Xia, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to abandon him. Somehow, she had resolved herself to live and die by this man¡¯s side. While the time they had spent together was short, it was more than enough for her to create a bond with him. Still, she remained immobile as her legs refused to move under the oppression of the incoming palm strike.


    With a calm and clear gaze, Qin Yun watched the giant palm made of wind come closer as if in slow motion. Then, just when he was about to unleash his own strike, a flickering light barrier appeared a metre before him. Taken aback, Qin Yun stopped his blow dead in its tracks, yet the world crumbled slightly merely from the residual momentum of it.


    Once the palm collided with the barrier, a massive storm emerged from the top of the hill as the palm collapsed, scattering the wind contained within in its surroundings. Even those stationed at the bottom felt the residual wind blowing past them, making their garments flutter.


    Lian Huiling couldn¡¯t help but pale, knowing that since the wind she experienced was already so fierce, what Qin Yun experienced was at least a thousand times stronger. Even if she knew he possessed some unknown means, she couldn¡¯t possibly envision him surviving this. She already grieved his demise in her heart. While they had their differences, Qin Yun was still someone she cherished.


    A cloud of dust and dirt scattered from the collapse of that palm, obscuring the audience¡¯s vision. None saw the barrier of light appearing in front of Qin Yun; none but Ma Yongzheng. Using his divine sense, nothing could escape his sight. He even saw the spatial fluctuation as Qin Yun clenched his fist, yet only attributed it to a fluke or the result of his incoming strike.


    Honestly, he was merely in denial, refusing to acknowledge that Qin Yun could pose a threat. Besides, he had a much more pressing matter to ponder. That barrier of light wasn''t some natural phenomenon but the result of using a defensive artifact. While many artifacts in Jin City could produce something similar, only one could stop the strike of someone at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm.


    ¡°Lian Qian! What¡¯s the meaning of your actions?¡± the old man said as a frown was evident on his face.


    Hearing this name, most of the Ma Clan soldiers tensed as they knew who the man was. They had been assured by Old Man Ma that Lian Qian wouldn''t dare to intervene in this matter. In fact, since the black token incident, the Ma Clan thought that the Lian Clan was wary of opposing them as they hadn''t suffered any repercussions. Most of the clan members were of the opinion that the Lian Clan had lost its edge and that it was time for the Four Great Clans to become three.


    Yet now, the Lian Clan Patriarch had personally taken action to protect someone exiled from the Qin Clan, the same man who had been in possession of the black token. What was his identity for the Lian Clan to hold him in such high regard?


    As the cloud of dust and dirt fell back to the ground, all eyes turned toward Qin Yun. More than the fact that Qin Yun was uninjured by that strike, what left them truly stunned was the barrier of light hovering in front of him. In fact, it was no barrier at all but a transparent bell.


    The bell''s surface flickered as it dispersed the remaining power of that strike in its surroundings. All around Qin Yun, the ground caved in, leaving only the area under the bell unscathed, resembling a single pillar of dirt with Qin Yun on top.


    The bell flickered between ethereal and tangible as if its existence was undefined. Yet, Qin Yun could clearly see its surface separating two realities from one another as if an unbreakable border. Even the full-powered strike of a Nascent Soul Expert couldn''t leave a single blemish on its surface. Qin Yun would be utterly safe underneath as long as the bell existed.


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    As the spectators were stunned by the bell''s appearance, a middle-aged man appeared next to Lian Huiling. No one saw how he appeared in the middle of a crowd, not even Lian Huiling, who was right next to him.


    Unlike Ma Yongzheng, who exuded strength from his every pore, the man radiated a calm aura reminiscent of a still lake. Still, no one dared to probe its depths. Not even Ma Yongzheng would be foolish enough to do so. At least not without extensive preparations.


    ¡°Ma Yongzheng, you sure have the guts to trespass on our territory. Does my Lian Clan''s prestige mean nothing to you all anymore?" the man said calmly, yet his words were laced with murderous intent.


    Even from afar, Qin Yun could feel their power prickle his skin as if they were comprised of countless tiny daggers ready to render him asunder. Qin Yun judged the man to be close to the Soul Formation Realm; only an expert of that level could project his intent as he did unless he cultivated it from the start. Still, Qin Yun rejected that idea as it was much too unorthodox for someone of such a prestigious clan to do so. Only himself and his wife were brazen enough to attempt such a thing.


    ¡°You would risk a war between our clans only to protect an outsider?" Ma Yongzheng said as he motioned to Qin Yun with his hand, yet his gaze wouldn''t leave the middle-aged man; doing so would be akin to seeking death.


    While they were both at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm, Ma Yongzheng had been stuck at this stage for many years, while Lian Qian was a rising star. None of those below a century old could hope to match him.


    Lian Huiling''s heart thumped in her chest. She had been nervous seeing the palm so close to Qin Yun, and then her father''s appearance had been a surprise. She hadn''t expected him to respond so quickly to her request for help. If anything, she expected him to abandon Qin Yun since no actions had been taken since the black token incident.


    While Qin Yun had helped the Lian Clan greatly, as Ma Yongzheng had mentioned, he was an outsider. Furthermore, their relationship was purely business-related. The Lian Clan had no reason, other than the loss of face, to risk a falling out with the Ma Clan. It simply wasn¡¯t worth it. Yet, it seemed her father had already chosen which path to follow. Lian Huiling could only hope that her father¡¯s actions represented the entire clan.


    Lian Qian wasn''t very tall, especially compared to Ma Yongzheng''s towering physique. Yet, his presence alone made him feel imposing. None of the Ma Clan''s soldiers dared to meet his gaze. Furthermore, without even being ordered, they parted in the middle, offering a path for Lian Qian to reach Ma Yongzheng.


    Some even chose to retreat as far as they could, anticipating a clash between the two. They knew they couldn''t hope to survive if they were caught in a battle. Qin Yun could only shake his head at this display, knowing how futile it all was. No matter how far they were, they couldn''t hope to avoid the destruction the two would bring to this area. This also seemed to be the reason they were reluctant to resort to violence.


    In normal circumstances, Ma Yongzheng wouldn''t have cared about the soldiers beside him. They were merely the progeny of some distant branches barely related to the main clan. Their deaths would be inconsequential. If anything, their families might rejoice, knowing that their demise might benefit the main family.


    No, what gave Ma Yongzheng pause wasn''t even Lian Qian himself. They were both at the Peak of the Nascent Soul Realm. If they were to clash, the victor would be up in the air. Ma Yongzheng was confident he could emerge victorious.


    What truly troubled him was the small bell hovering over Lian Qian''s hands. Despite his gaze being fixated on him, Ma Yongzheng hadn''t even realized when the bell had departed from Qin Yun''s side and returned to its owner. With this bell in hand, Lian Qian was invincible in the same realm. Ma Yongzheng had no way of piercing its defences.


    Seeing the greed in Ma Yongzheng¡¯s gaze, Lian Qian couldn¡¯t help but scoff. His usual gentle and clear eyes were now filled with disdain and a cold fury.


    "If not for your clan disrespecting mine at every turn, would it have come to this?" he asked. His voice was full of contempt for his opponent, which couldn''t help but surprise those in the audience. Never had they seen Lian Qian be so overbearing.


    He was usually a proponent of diplomacy; he believed all conflicts could be averted through negotiations. Yet here he was, taunting his opponent with his every word. Even his daughter barely recognized the man, as he was a far cry from his usual persona.


    As it was well known, Lian Qian wasn¡¯t a fan of violence, preferring to use benefits to steer conflicts the way he wished to. No man was immune to desires, after all. Yet, due to the recent blows to the Lian Clan''s face, Lian Qian had no choice but to respond in kind. Being disrespected in this way would only lead the other clans to think of them as pushovers, further reducing their negotiation power. Lian Qian needed to put the Ma Clan in their place, and this was a perfect opportunity.


    Without another word, Lian Qian showed the extent of his power. A bright blue lotus appeared over his head. The structure itself was no different from Ma Yongzheng''s, except the man sitting on the lotus platform seemed even more full of energy and vigour, as if in the prime of his life. His features were a match for Lian Qian''s, yet he seemed just a little bit younger, resembling him as he was in his mid-twenties.


    As Lian Qian''s might exploded, a dark cloud formed overhead. Yet, unlike with the earlier heavenly tribulation, there were no signs of lightning, only a significant increase in humidity. Soon, rain fell from those clouds, drenching the earth below. While most could use their Qis to resist being soaked by this liquid avalanche, it all proved futile. Nothing could resist its might except for one.


    Ma Yongzheng stood opposite of him, summoning his own avatar. Both towered high in the sky, visible for miles around the city. As the rain fell, Ma Yongzheng prompted his own Qi to revolve, creating strong gales that originated from the green avatar. For the second time today, the clear sky over Jin City had become nothing more than a tempest of rain and wind.


    ¡°I''ll give you one last chance to walk away from this," Ma Yongzheng said, yet his voice betrayed his uneasiness. "Think carefully! Do you think your Lian Clan can resist my Ma Clan''s might if we go to war? You still have the choice to stop all this before it is too late!¡±


    Lian Qian''s earlier display of contempt was gone, washed away by the rain. All that remained was a calm look of indifference as if his heart were but a peaceful lake. Despite his opponent''s words, Lian Qian only had one thing to say, yet his words shook the hearts of all those present. All he said was, "Make me."

 Chapter 42 - Rebirth of a Small Flame

    Ma Yongzheng''s expression was grim, to say the least. He hadn''t expected Lian Qian to be so overbearing in his stance. He couldn''t help but think that the recent silence of the Lian Clan over the incident with the black token was just a ruse to lure them into a sense of complacency.


    Still, Ma Yongzheng couldn''t back down from this blatant provocation¡ªat least, not before this audience. After all, he was an elder of the Ma Clan, the brother of the current Patriarch; he represented the face of the whole clan. They couldn''t be seen as weak and afraid lest their business be impacted.


    Without another word, Ma Yongzheng moved just like Lian Qian wished him to. He extended a finger, circulating a hint of Qi within, probing the ring around said finger. Then, a gauntlet appeared around his hand.


    The gauntlet seemed metallic, yet it pulsed with some intrinsic energy reminiscent of a heartbeat. If not for the coldness Ma Yongzheng felt on his skin, he could have easily misunderstood as it being alive.


    In an instant, Ma Yongzheng punched with all his strength, filling the gauntlet with a massive amount of Qi. The gauntlet glowed as the Qi flowed through it, making runes appear on its surface. While Qin Yun could make out the runes even from his perch in the distance, they seemed ancient, and many of them had faded with time.


    If that artifact was at its peak, it would be a force to reckon with. Yet now, it could only be likened to a High-Grade Profound Rank artifact. While not common, most clans possessed one or two, while the Four Great Clans possessed countless, enough to equip each of their elders with one.


    Ma Yongzheng''s artifact was one most suited to him. As his Spiritual Roots were of the wind element, the gauntlet worked as a conduit for his strength. Wind wrapped around the gauntlet, increasing the pressure of his already powerful punch.


    A torrent of wind emerged from the aftermath of his blow, ripping apart everything that stood in its place. Chaos ensued as those who couldn''t flee in time were slaughtered by the merciless winds flowing towards Lian Qian.


    If it were anyone else, they might be intimidated by how cruel and ruthless Ma Yongzheng''s attitude was, even toward those of his clan. Yet, Lian Qian remained indifferent. Why should the life and death of those of the Ma Clan matter to him? Still, it wouldn''t do for all those witnessing these scenes to die. Lian Qian needed people to spread the sights of the Ma Clan''s cruelty.


    With a wave of his hand, Lian Qian brought out another artifact. While the small bell was the one he mainly used as the Patriarch of the largest conglomerate within the Western Region, how could he be poor enough to possess only one artifact?


    A giant flag emerged from his sleeve. With the support of his large reserves of Qi, Lian Qian prompted the flag to divide itself into countless parts. Then, with only a thought from him, those small flags quickly flew and attached themselves to all the spectators around. While they all possessed but a fraction of the whole flag''s might, it was enough to resist the residual wind of Ma Yongzheng''s strike.


    As for the main punch aimed at Lian Qian, it was even less a cause for concern as the ethereal light of the small bell enveloped Lian Qian''s whole body, leaving no opening for Ma Yongzheng to exploit. The wind collided with the bell, making it flicker slightly, and then the hurricane simply died upon the bell''s surface, leaving no trace of its fury.


    Ma Yongzheng''s expression only grew uglier. While he possessed the edge regarding Qi reserves, as his cultivation was slightly better than Lian Qian''s, he had no hope of breaching the bell''s defence. In fact, out of all of those in Jin City, only those ancestors at the Soul Formation Realm might overcome its defence... maybe. At least, none had ever tried for fear of losing face.


    The best Ma Yongzheng could hope for was a stalemate. Still, the odds of such a thing happening were relatively high as no news of Lian Qian possessing an offensive artifact comparable to the bell was ever unearthed. He could only hope that the information he had was accurate.


    Still, he had no reason not to go on the offensive, as his only advantage was depleting his opponent''s Qi reserves. Without waiting for the wind to completely die down, Ma Yongzheng charged forward, shrinking the distance between the two with every step.


    All those who had survived the first onslaught soon gave way to Ma Yongzheng, hoping not to be its latest victim. Fortunately, Lian Qian¡¯s flag was still firmly attached to them, protecting them from the waves of Qi crashing down around them.


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    Qin Yun couldn''t help but appreciate Lian Qian''s method. It was true that wisdom came with age, at least for some people who cultivated such a mindset. Public opinions had already shifted in the Lian Clan''s favour with only this simple move of protecting the people around.


    At the start, Qin Yun noticed that the audience seemed to favour the Ma Clan, wishing to see a good show. Yet, once they had been involved in all this, they couldn''t help but resent them. After all, public opinions were as shifty as a man''s mood. Nothing was absolute, and one needed to learn to ride the wave and to get off at the right time.


    Lian Qian was an expert in this matter. He had bided his time, not rushing to punish anyone for the black token fiasco. Instead, he waited for the opportune moment to get even with the Ma Clan, even slapping them in the face, proving that the Lian Clan wasn¡¯t afraid of anyone and had the strength to back it up. Those who had lost faith in the clan would stand corrected. After all, strength was paramount of all else.


    While Ma Yongzheng was on the offensive, Lian Qian was in control of the pace of this conflict. Each blow from Ma Yongzheng''s fists was filled with his Qi as it wrapped around his hands, creating sharp and deadly winds that propagated outwards. Lian Qian smoothly dealt with them, using his small bell to diffuse most of it, even taking the time to protect the onlookers with his flag.


    Uneasiness grew inside Ma Yongzheng''s heart as he saw how effortlessly Lian Qian thwarted his efforts at every turn. He could only grit his teeth and pour more Qi into each strike, knowing full well how futile his struggles were. He had no way of breaching that bell''s defence. Still, he was comforted to know that the same applied to Lian Qian. He, too, had no way of breaching the toughness of Ma Yongzheng''s hard skin. Especially since Lian Qian specialized in defence.


    Still, Lian Qian wouldn¡¯t let this battle devolve into a stalemate. Once he noticed that all onlookers had evacuated the battlefield, Lian Qian retracted his flag, retrieving the Qi he had imbued within. With this expenditure over with, Lian Qian could finally show his true strength.


    The avatar above his head suddenly grew brighter and more defined, spewing light and waves of Qi into its surroundings. Despite the distance, Qin Yun could feel its oppression on his skin. It displayed its authority and wished all creatures to bend their knees. While Qin Yun could suppress it, most of the audience members could not, and they fell to their knees, unable to raise their heads and gaze at the avatar¡¯s magnificence.


    Moments later, the avatar''s eyes opened, glowing with an incandescent blue light that bathed the world in its glow, transforming the storm surrounding the duo into a blue shade. As if to counter him, Ma Yongzheng did the same, turning half the world green.


    Both colours battled for dominion as their Qi clashed against each other, prompting the storm to grow stronger. Soon, the wind and rain grew so violent that not even the surrounding buildings, which had been reinforced with formations for such an event, could hope to hold against it.


    The walls began to erode as their formations lit and dimmed in quick intervals, in futile attempts to resist this natural disaster. Yet, it was all in vain, as they weren''t designed to withstand the might of two Nascent Soul Experts, even less those two who were at the peak.


    Some buildings crumbled, and their structures were picked up by the fierce winds, obscuring the sight of the battlefield. The audience stood outside the affected area, eagerly awaiting how this battle would end. While most had chosen to stand on one side or the other, all agreed that this was an awe-inspiring sight. Most had never seen what a Nascent Soul Expert was capable of!


    On the other hand, Qin Yun was long past the age of being excited by such a display. While both were strong compared to his current state, the most they could do was topple a few buildings. It was indeed a far cry from the peak he had once seen. If anything, he couldn''t help but be dejected by his current powerlessness, but more than that, he hated that he had to be saved by someone else.


    The hint of fighting spirit that had once been extinguished had begun to smoulder once more. While it couldn¡¯t be called a flame, it was something he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time; his apathy slowly gave way to his ambition. Still, Qin Yun would need much more than that to regain the youth he could barely remember anymore, yet it was a start.


    Uninterested in how all this would end, as it was all too predictable, Qin Yun chose to be daring and reckless. In fact, he believed that only by doing so could he recover what he had once lost. He had been mistaken to think only by living forever and breaking the cycle could he regain his emotions. In truth, only by acting like the youth he was could indeed grant him the future he wished to see.


    With the birth of a small flame in his heart, Qin Yun took action. Ignoring the storm raging overhead, Qin Yun dove into the maelstrom, seeking the blade he had let go previously. He regretted doing so; he should have never let it go. In fact, he should have stood his ground and slaughtered anything that came his way, even if it would have come at a cost, maybe even his life.


    Indeed, he had been unsure whether he could have survived if someone of Ma Yongzheng''s calibre truly wished him dead. While he could have resisted using all his means for a while, he would have lost in the end. Yet, this new blade offered him an opportunity to go beyond his current means. It was unlike most of what he had ever seen.


    While Qin Yun possessed many weapons of superior strength within his black box, none could be used with his current strength. After all, they all required strict conditions to activate them, most of which couldn''t be found in this world.


    As Qin Yun couldn''t depend on Qi to shield himself from the deadly winds, they ripped his robes apart, yet couldn''t cut through his skin. While most of it was because of Qin Yun''s refining of his body, some were also attributed to Lian Qian bearing the brunt of those winds.


    While Qin Yun couldn''t see much in that storm, he remembered where the blade had landed and could find his way even with his eyes closed. Besides, he could feel that blade calling to him as if it were a part of his body, something he had never known existed yet was now reunited.


    Qin Yun dashed through the storm, quickly locating the hole. While Ma Yongzheng noticed him, he was much too preoccupied with Lian Qian to divert his attention. What could a minor character like Qin Yun do anyway?


    As Qin Yun reached the bottom, he saw the blade he remembered waiting for him, still encased in the stone. Yet, before he could go for it, he only saw the glint of a blade reach for his throat.

 Chapter 43 - A Blaze in a Storm

    Seeing the blade quickly speeding toward his neck, Qin Yun let his instincts take over. He raised his hand in a jerking motion, barely meeting the deadly instrument in time, swatting it away at the last second.


    Adrenaline rushed to his brain, heightening his senses as he sought to discover his assailant''s location. Unfortunately, Qin Yun saw no signs of him; only the endless rain pouring onto him and the hurricane overhead deafened the world. He only just now noticed blood flowing from the slight wound on the back of his hand as it slid across his skin before free-falling to the ground, mixing into the puddles of rainwater at his feet.


    His eyes narrowed slightly, remaining immobile for the moment, knowing this shouldn''t be the only attempt this unknown opponent would make on his life. As for who it was, Qin Yun had many guesses yet so little evidence to rely upon. He could only catch him to know the truth.


    As he pondered, Qin Yun felt a hint of murderous intent behind him. He didn''t have to turn around to find out what awaited him. He pushed the ground as hard as he could, yet his foot only dug into the soft, muddy ground as water pooled into the hole he was in. Still, the ground provided just enough rebound to allow him to evade the same blade aiming for the back of his head.


    Qin Yun felt sweat pool on his forehead before being washed by the rain; he knew this blade could threaten his life, yet he couldn''t keep himself from smiling. Despite the tension that hung in the air, Qin Yun shook his head and chuckled slightly before raising his head towards the sky.


    Overhead was a light show of ethereal beauty yet macabre significance. Green and blue intertwined, battling for control over this insignificant space. Winds emerged from the core of the conflict, scattering to all directions only to be met by the overpowering rain that drowned the world in its weight. Still, the winds refused to yield as they cut through the water using their sharp edges before fizzling out on a sturdy bell, making its sound ring over the battlefield.


    While Qin Yun had seen many sights that were more beautiful or divine, nothing evoked more emotions in his heart than the struggles of man. Seeing an individual at the edge of life and death always kindled his own desire to live. While Qin Yun had never exclusively sought death, it had always been a constant reminder, a close friend.


    There should be nobody as familiar with death as Qin Yun was. Still, for the first time in a long while, Qin Yun felt the threat of death loom over him. Even when Ma Yongzheng had launched his strike, he hadn¡¯t felt like his life was in danger. Yet, this solitary blade hidden in the rain gave him the urge to live.


    Without missing a beat, the blade came once again, this time from the side. Qin Yun turned his head quickly, hoping to catch a glimpse of the one seeking his life, yet all he saw was a dim outline within the rain. Still, this was enough for him to infer a few things.


    Firstly, his opponent''s spiritual roots were, without a doubt, of the water element. Only such a thing would enable him to blend so perfectly in the rain, masking most of his presence. Also, his cultivation should be quite high, as Qin Yun could barely notice him despite his gaze being locked on him. If not for the man''s blatant murderous intent, Qin Yun would have no way of knowing from which angle he would strike.


    Still, water element spiritual roots were one of the most common. Qin Yun had no way to determine this man''s origin. As for being a man, his silhouette hinted as such. While it might have been a woman, Qin Yun highly doubted it as it didn''t resemble one in the slightest.


    Through a quick and accurate motion, Qin Yun caught the blade mid-flight in his hand, clenching his fist as hard as he could despite the blade digging into his palm, even reaching the bone. As he needed all his senses on full alert, Qin Yun didn''t choose to cut his nerves, and he felt the full brunt of this pain assault him.


    Despite his extensive encounters with pain, Qin Yun couldn''t help but wince, but then he felt the blade lose its shape, becoming a liquid before falling to the ground. The silhouette quickly retreated, and Qin Yun could swear he saw it sneer despite the lack of facial features. Then, he could barely muffle a scream.


    Qin Yun could feel the liquid the blade was comprised of rushing through his arteries, invading his body like a parasite. Everywhere this liquid went, Qin Yun could feel his body start to break down as he was attacked from the inside out. Yet, Qin Yun had a grin on his face, which prompted his opponent to wait and see. Qin Yun could see the uneasiness in his body language, to which he couldn''t help but laugh.


    Even as the storm overhead deafened the world and pain worse than death assaulted him, Qin Yun''s laughter pierced through it all, sending shivers down the backs of those unfortunate enough to hear him. Even Lian Huiling, a short distance from the hole, couldn''t help but recoil as she noticed the madness within that laughter.


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    Qin Yun felt alive at the edge of death; something he had sought for so long had been so easy to encounter. He couldn''t help but laugh at his own stupidity. Why didn''t he think of it? Yet Qin Yun knew why. While the threat of death felt wonderful, death was also something he wished to avoid.


    To leave this world for a new one, once again, wasn''t something he could bear. Qin Yun had promised himself this would be the last time; yet, here he was, going against his own wishes. Was the only way to regain his emotions using the same method that had made them so faint in the first place? What irony...


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but laugh at himself and his own folly. Surely, something was broken in him, something that was necessary for all living beings. Yet, he was also like all others, simply trying to make the best of what he could with his limited means.


    Some of those he once knew had expressed envy toward his situation, yet Qin Yun could only scoff at the time. Only he truly knew what it meant to him; nobody could understand what it was like to live and die without end, only to do the same thing again. While the worlds were different, Qin Yun mainly remained the same.


    Lost in his euphoria, Qin Yun couldn''t even feel the foreign liquid ravage his blood vessels, prompting his skin to turn red from internal hemorrhaging. Then, using the last of his Innate Qi, Qin Yun flooded his whole body with it, regenerating the recent internal destruction while displacing the foreign substance from his body.


    Qin Yun then leapt toward his assailant, his feet flinging mud slabs backwards toward the hole''s walls. He reached him instantly, clenching his fist with all the strength he could muster, distorting space in the process.


    His punch flew forward without an ounce of mercy, creating shock waves and a sonic boom just before reaching its intended target. The watery outline exploded as they collided, yet Qin Yun couldn¡¯t feel any resistance from it. He knew his opponent was still hidden within the storm.


    Still, the aftereffect of his punch didn''t stop there. It rammed into a nearby wall, creating a deep trench within the soil that emerged upward to level ground. Yet even that wasn''t enough to stop its momentum. The punch cut through the storm, leaving spatial disturbances in its wake that collapsed soon after, creating a temporary zone devoid of wind and rain.


    Still, the storm was relentless, and that area soon collapsed, as did the blue and green colours, which still battled. Yet, onlookers could now see hesitancy within those two opposing forces as if they were wary of a third one.


    Qin Yun remained attentive as he scanned for the watery figure¡¯s presence. Once again, all he could hear was the rain near his feet and the wind overhead, yet he knew this was only a temporary reprieve. In fact, Qin Yun didn¡¯t have to wait more than a few seconds.


    Unperturbed by Qin Yun''s display, the figure sought his life once again. Qin Yun had a new appreciation for this unknown character''s determination. Not many would have the courage to trudge forward after seeing Qin Yun''s strength firsthand. Maybe it was born out of ignorance; Qin Yun didn''t know.


    Once again, Qin Yun felt something behind his head, yet he ignored it. In fact, he didn''t feel the usual murderous intent in that attack at all. Instead, he had a strange feeling that this was but a feint to make him lose his vigilance. Maybe he overthought, but Qin Yun chose to trust his instincts forged through countless battles and experiences.


    Soon enough, his hunch would be proven right. An arrow made of water materialized behind his back, aiming straight for his heart. It flew at breakneck speed yet disintegrated as soon as it collided with Qin Yun''s clothes. Qin Yun''s head turned slightly to the side, showing a confused expression.


    Then, the familiar figure appeared on the opposite side of where his gaze was pointed, holding a white blade in its hand. Compared to the liquid blade he had experienced previously, Qin Yun felt a much greater threat from that white one. Yet, Qin Yun only showed a slight smile.


    Without allowing his opponent to react, Qin Yun ducked under the swipe aimed at his head, toppling its body in a wrestling move. While Qin Yun couldn''t see the figure''s expression, he knew he must''ve been bewildered as no cultivator would wrestle with his opponent; this simply wasn''t something they were accustomed to.


    Qin Yun couldn''t care less about seeming graceful. All his experience told him that only victory mattered. How you achieved it was inconsequential, as survival was paramount.


    Once on the ground, Qin Yun mounted the figure and wrapped his hand around the knife''s handle, crushing the watery hand. Then, with a single, forceful tug, Qin Yun ripped the arm from its shoulder, yet the body under him collapsed into a puddle, evading his hold.


    Qin Yun frowned. While he could battle this strange phenomenon, he couldn¡¯t deal any lasting damage. How could one strike something as intangible as water itself without the support of Qi? While Qin Yun could try his sword intent, he had something much better in mind.


    He rose quickly as a jet of water barrelled past where his head used to be, but he was left entangled by the muddy, uneven ground below. He fell and tumbled, splashing water everywhere as the hole was slowing filling from the unending rain.


    Once Qin Yun rose again, he seemed exactly where he wished to be. Behind him was the blade he had let go sometime earlier, still immobile, encased into the same rock. Qin Yun didn''t waste any time, ripping the blade out of the stone, using all his strength.


    An explosion occurred as the blade left his stony prison, prompting the stone remains to fly in all directions. Some even collided with Qin Yun, leaving next to no damage. The same applied to his intangible opponent.


    Then, in the same motion, the blade fell down again. While the blade seemed unwieldy, as its weight was much too overbearing for anyone other than Qin Yun to wield with any sort of precision, it was enough to point it in the right direction.


    The water figure saw the blade fall toward him and sought to evade, yet the world seemed to collapse as the blade travelled through it, creating shock waves in its wake. Even Qin Yun could barely resist its might while being on the other side of the blade.


    The water and blade collided, but then an explosion occurred. A flash of light blinded Qin Yun, yet he could still feel the blade in his hand. The blade ended its journey into the muddy ground, creating a deluge of mud flying into the air. Once Qin Yun could finally see again, he couldn''t help but smile.

 Chapter 44 - The Advent of a Bloody Path

    Qin Yun''s joy at this unexpected encounter soon faded, replaced by his usual apathy. While he briefly felt alive, the feeling was fleeting, and all that remained was boredom. This victory had been far from difficult to achieve. In fact, Qin Yun regretted ending it so soon.


    While killing one¡¯s enemies was the norm in this world, he mostly saw no reason to do so. Besides, he was much too sick of blood. Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but shake his head at how twisted his thought process was.


    On the one hand, he wished to feel the blaze of youth, which he could only feel from the edge of death. Yet, he felt battles were tedious and repetitive, with mostly nothing to gain from it except the satisfaction of prevailing against your opponent.


    As for feeling sorry for the corpse before his eyes, Qin Yun couldn''t care less. Once someone had raised his blade against another, one must be ready to die to it. At least, that was the philosophy he adhered to, but he couldn''t expect others to be as reasonable as he was.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening down there?¡±


    Qin Yun recognized the voice that pierced through the storm overhead. He could feel the worry in Lian Huiling''s voice, and it made him feel slightly warm even when pitted against the cold rain that drenched his body. Honestly, there wasn''t anything more precious to him than human interactions. Knowing that someone cared made all the difference. All this time, it had prevented Qin Yun from devolving into an uncaring machine.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he replied, yet his voice betrayed the uneasiness in his heart.


    For too long, he had gone along with the flow of time, rolling with the waves, uninterested in braving the storm. But now, once again, he had things he wished to protect. Remaining passive would only give those who wished him harm the opportunity to act against him. This whole situation stemmed from his own inactivity.


    Still, years of passivity wasn''t something Qin Yun could change with just a passing thought. Habits were extremely hard to change. Even this situation wouldn''t be enough to truly make him change. Still, it was a start. Qin Yun found a flaw in his attitude and decided to take steps to change it.


    In fact, Qin Yun never claimed to be perfect or all-powerful. All he had were his fleeting desires. This was the only thing he could rely on. But even they were flaky at best in the long flow of time. The fear of losing those desires was the only thing that prompted him to carry on.


    The sound of Lian Huiling rushing down the hole brought Qin Yun out of his own thoughts. Once again, he had ignored the outside world, preferring to wander on this inward journey. While introspection was good and all, Qin Yun knew he needed to cultivate an interest in his surroundings, yet this was one of the hardest things for him to do.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t look right. Are you injured?¡± Lian Huiling asked as she examined Qin Yun¡¯s condition.


    ¡°I''m fine, really. Thank you for worrying about me," Qin Yun replied, showing her a gentle smile.


    Lian Huiling couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. She hardly recognized this man. All the time she had known him, he seemed like an enigma, as if he didn¡¯t belong in this world. This was the first time she had felt genuine emotions coming from him.


    As a merchant, Lian Huiling was used to interacting with others, seeing through the facade they displayed for the world. Even she wasn''t exempt from this. She had learned early on to beware those who faked their kindness and sincerity.


    To her, Qin Yun had always seemed to be such a man. A man who could spout bullshit with a straight face as if he didn''t believe in his own words. While he always kept the promises he made, this wasn''t about sincerity, but only as a matter of course. But now, she felt that something had changed in him, yet it was much too subdued for her to put it into words.


    ¡°Who''s this?" she asked as she finally noticed the corpse lying at their feet in a puddle of rainwater and mud.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find out.¡±


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    While Qin Yun''s last strike had been overbearing, the corpse was surprisingly intact. In fact, the only wound he could see was a long gash that ran diagonally from the corpse''s shoulder through his opposite side. While it was deep enough to be fatal, Qin Yun was surprised that it was still in one piece.


    Parting the black cloth that covered the wound, Qin Yun saw a deep blue armour hidden beneath. The armour irregularly pulsed with light as if fighting not to take its dying breath. Lian Huiling couldn''t help but be stunned. While she had seen many artifacts in her work, none came close to how beautiful this armour was.


    The light emitted from it made Qin Yun ponder; it seemed alive for some reason, yet it was on the verge of collapse. It wasn¡¯t a surprise as Qin Yun¡¯s strike had destroyed most of the runes on its surface. It only maintained its shape due to the lingering Qi flowing within. Still, even that would dissipate in time. Soon enough, it would become nothing more than a chunk of metal.


    While Qin Yun was interested in that armour''s origin, he opted to find out who exactly wished him dead. He carefully removed the black cloth that masked the corpse''s facial features, yet what he saw left him slightly puzzled.


    Lying in the mud was the corpse of someone he had recently encountered... Ma Zhiqiang. While Qin Yun could reason that the man wanted him dead, why would he take the risk to do it himself? Besides, as far as he knew, Ma Zhiqiang should have been at the Peak of the Void Core Realm, yet Qin Yun didn¡¯t notice him showing his lotus.


    Something didn¡¯t seem right. There was too much Qin Yun couldn¡¯t make sense of. Besides, this armour was much too high-grade to be in the possession of a mere Void Core Cultivator. Qin Yun speculated this armour was how Ma Zhiqiang had been able to hide in the rain. Still, it was too much of a coincidence that there was rain to hide in to begin with. What would he have done without Lian Qian being present?


    Qin Yun had many questions that needed to be answered, yet so few clues to draw answers from. He turned to Lian Huiling, hoping she could shed some light on some of them, yet her current expression showed disbelief. Still, beneath all the confusion, Qin Yun noticed a glint of realization.


    ¡°What have you seen?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she said sheepishly, yet she couldn¡¯t hide her shock.


    While Qin Yun didn''t wish to push her to reveal something, she was unwilling; this involved more than himself. He couldn''t allow someone unknown to threaten his home like Ma Zhiqiang did. If someone possessed similar artifacts and could infiltrate his house, the consequences could be disastrous. Especially since the formation surrounding his residence was now irreparably broken.


    ¡°His hair... is white," Lian Huiling finally said. She couldn''t forget the sight of her own lover as he tried to take her life. This white hair reminded her of him, especially since Ma Zhiqiang''s hair used to be black just a few days ago. Something was afoot, yet she hadn''t uncovered anything.


    Qin Yun had been too absorbed in observing the broken armour to notice this detail. He lifted the cloth that partially covered the man''s hair, only to reveal that it had become blinding white.


    Qin Yun''s eyes narrowed. While this change was strange, there were countless reasons as to how it might have happened; this wasn''t enough to pinpoint it to a single cause. Still, this was a cause for concern. Something had happened to him between the incident with the black token and now, something that had changed him substantially.


    While Qin Yun was unfamiliar with Ma Zhiqiang¡¯s personality, he knew the Ma Clan. They weren¡¯t the type to go for a sneak attack, much less doing so personally. If anything, they would do as Ma Yongzheng did and simply rally their troops for a frontal assault, using overwhelming might.


    No, this behaviour reminded Qin Yun of his previous clan; only the Qins were adept at gathering information and assassination. Still, would a Ma let themselves be used by the Qin Clan? Something didn''t add up. There were too many unknowns for Qin Yun to reach a conclusion. The only thing he knew for sure was that Ma Zhiqiang was now dead at his hand, and this wasn''t something he could hide, especially not from those above.


    A large explosion occurred above his head, yet it was mostly muffled by the heavy rain. While the blue Qi overhead was calm and constant, the green Qi became erratic, fluctuating wildly as if driven by emotion.


    Qin Yun could feel an intense pressure envelope him; it seemed filled with killing intent. Up to now, in this world at least, this was the first time Qin Yun had felt such a strong urge to kill. Qin Yun knew the reason for this sentiment, yet he could do nothing about it, not against someone at the Peak of the Nascent Soul Realm. He could only hope that Lian Qian would prevail in this conflict.


    Even if Qin Yun was the victim of Ma Zhiqiang''s assault, would the Ma Clan Care? Of course, they wouldn''t. Ma Zhiqiang was a promising junior poised to enter the Golden Core Realm in a year or two. While his loss wouldn''t mean much to the overall strength of the clan, his fall would spell tragedy for the clan''s reputation, especially since he fell to Qin Yun.


    While the incident with the black token might be why Ma Zhiqiang sought his life, Qin Yun couldn''t help but think it was unrelated. No, his instincts told him he was just a pawn used by someone else. Qin Yun''s first clue was this assassination attempt itself. In his opinion, it was much too rushed and sloppy. What would he have done if Qin Yun had remained on the top of that hill?


    Next was the armour. If the Ma Clan had possessed such a thing, they wouldn''t have given it to Ma Zhiqiang, and much less let it be used in a plot against a small character like Qin Yun. Qin Yun couldn''t help but think someone was targeting him personally, but for what reason?


    Either way, this plan for getting rid of him was pretty thorough. Either he died at Ma Zhiqiang''s hand, or he prevailed, and the man died. Killing Ma Zhiqiang in front of the Ma Clan was nothing more than a slap in the face of the whole clan. They would stop at nothing to make his life hell, even if he had the Lian Clan''s support. Qin Yun couldn''t help but applaud the one who had engineered this situation. Yet again, one question remained: why go through all that trouble?


    With a heavy heart full of apprehension for what was to come, Qin Yun looked overhead, feeling the heavy rain crash on his face as he waited for the conclusion of the struggle between the two Nascent Soul Cultivators. Either he would be able to struggle another day or be forced to contend against a wild beast at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm.


    Either way, his days of peace with his wife would be scarce from now on. Still, Qin Yun smiled slightly, which prompted a confused look from Lian Huiling. While the days ahead would be harsh, Qin Yun saw no reason to despair. This struggle would be the leading factor in helping him change his mentality.


    While Qin Yun accepted the events that had unfolded, he couldn''t help but feel sorry for his wife. She had only regained some sort of peace and normalcy, but now she would have to walk this bloody path alongside him.

 Chapter 45 - The Storms Climax

    Qin Yun''s eyes didn''t even have time to narrow as a fierce gale crashed into a shimmering film of light hovering just above the hole he stood in. A giant flag hovered above his head, protecting both him and Lin Huiling from the destructive green waves drowning the world.


    ¡°Lian Qian! How dare you stop me from seeking justice for my clan junior¡¯s demise?!¡± Ma Yongzheng howled, his deep voice clearly piercing through the high winds.


    "You really should learn to hide your hypocrisy," Lian Qian said, scoffing slightly at how absurd this reaction even was. "Should he have let himself be killed when his life was in danger? How absurd."


    Lian Qian couldn¡¯t help but show his scorn for his opponent despite his usual indifference.


    ¡°How can you compare his pathetic life against one of my clan¡¯s young genius?! Given time, he could have been one of the pillars supporting the Ma clan,¡± Ma Yongzheng barked, enraged. Yet, Lian Qian shook his head in derision.


    ¡°Yet he fell to the hands of a young man who¡¯s not even a cultivator. Some young hero he was,¡± Lian Qian added.


    Yet, while he did say those words, he couldn''t help but contemplate how Qin Yun had even achieved such a thing. He was fully aware of how strange and bizarre Qin Yun seemed at times, with all the knowledge he possessed, yet he still didn¡¯t think he would ever be witness to the fall of a peak Void Core cultivator to the hands of a mortal. This threatened to overturn everything he knew about cultivation.


    ¡°He obviously used sinister methods to do so. If anything, that black sword must be demonic in nature; otherwise, how do you explain the recent heavenly tribulation?¡± Ma Yongzheng tried to rationalize, wishing to sway Lian Qian with his words, hoping for the slightest opening to unleash his rage on Qin Yun below. Yet, his words failed in their purpose. Lian Qian remained steady in his convictions.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a stretch?¡± Lian Qian replied with a chuckle, all the while effortlessly parrying the massive storm and the blades of serrated wind colliding with the bell protecting his body. ¡°Let''s be real, this is a matter of face for your clan, plain and simple. Using your logic, I should have been well within my rights to enact vengeance upon your Ma Clan junior for the debacle he caused in our store. Let''s say Qin Yun killed him on my order to regain the Lian Clan''s face. Case closed; do you have anything else to add?"


    At that moment, Lian Qian showed a radiant smile, which contrasted with Ma Yongzheng''s ugly expression. While his logic was absurd, Lian Qian wouldn''t miss an opportunity to rub it in the Ma Clan''s face. The incident with the black token had been too much of a headache for the Lian Clan¡¯s elders to deal with.


    In fact, most had been split on how to handle it. Some wished to go straight to the Ma Clan and demand an explanation, yet Lian Qian had shot it down, knowing full well what their reactions would have been. Would they lower their heads to the Lian Clan? Impossible. The odds of a giant tentacle monster splitting the sky were much higher than the Ma Clan apologizing for anything they did.


    Others wished to punish Lian Ling heavily, wishing for him alone to take responsibility for it, hoping it would appease the other clans, especially the Sun Clan. Yet, Lian Qian also denied them. Firstly, Lian Ling was his son, no matter how lacking he might seem. While he recognized that punishment was due, he would never go as far as what some of the elders hinted at, namely crippling his Qi centre or banishment.


    While Lian Ling had been a disappointment in this instance, and some things were bound to change, it was the parent''s job to take responsibility for how their children acted. As such, Lian Qian concocted a plan, a plan to take the fight to the Ma Clan.


    While an apology was unlikely, the Lian Clan didn¡¯t require that. All they needed was for their authority to be recognized, and what authority was better than overwhelming might? As such, all Lian Qian had to do was prove to the world that he possessed the strength to protect their investment, and what better way was there than to prove it than against one of the Ma Clan''s elders?


    This was truly multiple birds with a single stone. He could save his son, recover his clan''s lost prestige and stick it to the Ma Clan in a single strike, and he owed it all to Qin Yun for this. Yes... really. Qin Yun was the trigger for all this. Lian Qian couldn''t help but think that Qin Yun had intentionally spurred a conflict between two great clans on purpose.


    Down below, Qin Yun could infer Lian Qian''s thoughts as their gazes met. Of course, he intended to create a minor conflict between the two clans once he decided to give back the black token. Still, he hadn''t expected Lian Ling to honestly give the token to Ma Zhiqiang, thus making the conflict''s scale much larger.


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    At best, Qin Yun hoped some friction between the two would alleviate the rumours about him and his wife, all the while making sure the Lian Clan would owe him for the loss of the black token. All he wanted was to take advantage of the situation and get a small bit of revenge, yet the situation quickly grew out of his control.


    Qin Yun marvelled at how unpredictable the world was and how a single diverging moment could have such grandiose ramifications. This sudden tribulation as Qin Yun completed his project on his new black sword was also unexpected, and he couldn¡¯t help but applaud Lian Qian for how masterfully he had taken advantage of it.


    Lian Qian had also been flabbergasted by the sudden heavenly lightning and how quickly the Ma Clan had rallied their forces. While he doubted they had predicted this turn of events, he figured the troops had always been ready to be deployed, most likely in case the Lian Clan came knocking on their doors. While the Ma Clan was confident in its strength, it wouldn''t dare underestimate the Lian Clan''s means. After all, both were two of the four strongest entities in Jin City.


    ¡°Enough!" Ma Yongzheng yelled, clearly displeased by Lian Qian''s attitude. "How long are you going to protect that kid? Are you truly willing to gamble your clan''s survival in a war with our clan just for him?"


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± Lian Qian shrugged dismissively. ¡°Besides, you were the ones who started this conflict. This is merely payback. There¡¯s no use trying to guilt me into ending this by involving someone else.¡±


    ¡°It seems you won¡¯t stop until someone dies,¡± Ma Yongzheng replied, his eyes dilating somewhat.


    He hadn''t expected such a firm stance from Lian Qian; in fact, this seemed so far removed from his usual temperament. Lian Qian was known for being flexible in handling the various issues he had to deal with as patriarch of the Lian Clan. But now, he was a rock in Ma Yongzheng''s path, a rock he couldn''t avoid no matter what.


    ¡°Someone already did," Lian Qian mockingly said as he gazed at the corpse lying in the mud, which only prompted an even uglier expression from Ma Yongzheng. "The time for words is already long past. You should have thought of that before messing with my clan. You people need to learn to let sleeping dragons lie, and pain is the best way to make someone learn.¡±


    At this time, Lian Qian''s expression was savage, to say the least. Even his own daughter could barely recognize him. Lian Qian pointed a finger forward, and then the bell grew exponentially, pushing back the sharp winds that futility collided with its surface. In fact, ever since the start of the battle, not a single blade of wind had managed to leave its mark on the bell''s surface. This bell was impenetrable for all intent and purposes, at least from someone of Ma Yongzheng''s calibre.


    Seeing that slinging Qi at his opponent would achieve nothing other than banging his head against a brick wall, Ma Yongzheng opted for a more direct confrontation. His only hope in getting past that damnable bell was to concentrate all the firepower he possessed into a single point. Yet, even that seemed hopeless. Still, Ma Yongzheng had been much too riled up to think of another plan.


    Wind Qi coiled around his feet, lightening the load his legs had to bear and granting him extra mobility. He sprung forth from his vantage point, slicing through the stagnant water pooling at his feet from the constant rain, creating a temporary ravine that collapsed unto himself after his passage. Yet, a massive amount of water was propelled backward, akin to a jet engine in a rainstorm.


    Ma Yongzheng flew forward faster than Qin Yun could even conceive without using Qi to enhance his senses, only for his hand to end its journey unto the flickering edge of the ethereal bell. Ma Yongzheng''s gauntlet pulsed with light as he injected most of his Qi into it, trying to heighten its destructive power by using the wind blades surrounding it. Yet, all it accomplished was slicing away the rain in an explosion as the bell stopped the wind dead in its tracks.


    The bell rang, absorbing most of the impact and diffusing the Qi-laced strike outwards, only to rebound most of the force toward Ma Yongzheng through sympathetic resonance.


    Ma Yongzheng, despite how sturdy and trained his body was, couldn''t help but feel the impact deep into his internal organs. He felt some of them shatter as a ball of blood and organ matter threatened to be expelled through his mouth. Yet, through sheer force of will, he managed to swallow it back, as showing the injuries incurred through the rebound would be much too shameful for him to admit.


    Lian Qian couldn''t help but admire Ma Yongzheng''s willpower, yet he wouldn''t show mercy. Although Ma Yongzheng''s injuries only left a small gap in his defence, Lian Qian didn''t fail to take advantage of it.


    Through a wave of his sleeve, Lian Qian put into motion all the rainwater that had been laced with his Qi as it fell from the sky. This was the battleground he had prepared for just such an occasion. All the water on the ground pooled toward Ma Yongzheng at insane speed, creating something resembling a maelstrom. Only then did it rise into the air, creating an opaque orb that revolved around Ma Yongzheng, imprisoning him within.


    Moments later, Ma Yongzheng finally recovered the stability of his chaotic Qi, which was disturbed by the rebound. He promptly launched an attack with even more wind blades, trying to slice away his watery prison. Unfortunately, any effort he exerted was futile. Any blade that managed to free itself from the orb would only leave a single gash into the water that would soon be replaced by the next torrent.


    Rather than relaxing his guard and prompting the rain to stop, Lian Qian only deepened it. He knew better than to show weakness in front of an injured beast. As if on cue, Ma Yongzheng howled, trying to blow away the surrounding water through a wind explosion, yet Lian Qian had been prepared.


    The bell, which had been used as a shield since the start of the battle, was now used as a prison surrounding the flowing watery orb. Despite all his efforts, nothing Ma Yongzheng did could break this dual-layered jail.


    Lian Qian finally relaxed slightly, knowing he had won this battle. Still, he had a decision to make: Should he go through with his plan and show the world what happened to those who dared to cross his clan, or should he show his magnanimity? While most would choose to be ruthless, both choices had their own merits.


    Still, as Lian Qian was deep in thought, he heard a voice emerge behind him. While he had always been aware of his surroundings, he hadn''t expected this person to involve herself in this matter. He turned his head as he frowned, seeing a young, beautiful woman as radiant as the sun, yet what she said left him perplexed.


    She said, "Please do not be hasty in your decision, if only for my sake."

 Chapter 46 - Unexpected Discovery

    ¡°Lady Sun Yu, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?¡± Lian Qian asked, trying his best to retain a neutral expression.


    On the inside, he couldn''t help but feel conflicted. Why would the Sun Clan wish to involve themselves in this mess at this juncture? If they wanted to prevent damage to the city, why did she wait until the battle was won to take action? Lian Qian couldn''t help but think this had been premeditated on their part to help the Ma Clan, yet he found that ludicrous. How could they have predicted that things would take such a sudden turn?


    Lian Qian could find no answers in Sun Yu''s countenance. She only showed a radiant smile for the world to see, carefully masking her inner thoughts. For all the time he had known her, Lian Qian had never known her true stance on things, which was also mirrored by the entirety of the Sun Clan.


    In fact, Lian Qian could barely remember the last time he had met with the City Lord, as Lady Sun would always act as his proxy. Even at the recent wedding at the Qin Clan, only Sun Yu was present. Still, that was hardly cause for concern, as Sun Yu''s father had always been somewhat of a recluse, even in his younger years.


    "Let me get straight to the point. How much would it take for you to back off and let this matter go?" Sun Yu said, her voice as beautiful as a rose, yet her thorns were just as apparent.


    Lian Qian could clearly feel the threats hidden within, and he couldn''t help but sigh. Nothing was ever simple when it involved the various clans'' politics. Sometimes, he wished he could do away with this whole patriarch thing, as he was a merchant to the core. While politics and business were closely related, he felt people were more genuine in their wants when only money was involved.


    "Is this your personal stance, or are you here in your official position as your father''s proxy?" Lian Qian asked, yet he couldn''t help but keep his eyes from narrowing slightly.


    ¡°Does that truly matter?¡± Sun Yu replied dismissively as she shrugged.


    While Lian Qian was disappointed in her non-answer, he also realized she was right. Just her presence alone spoke volumes about what the Sun Clan thought of this matter. In fact, what they thought was irrelevant, as most wouldn''t dare cross this woman. Fortunately, Lian Qian wasn''t most people but the patriarch of an entire clan. Cowering here would only make his clan look weak before all these witnesses.


    "The Lian people are merchants to the core. Of course, we are open to negotiation. Still, this all depends on what you are willing to offer for his life," Lian Qian said as he passed the ball back to her. While he could have retained the initiative by asking for an exorbitant price, he much preferred the burden to be on them to figure out how to appease him.


    Deep inside his watery prison, Ma Yongzheng could hear the full extent of their conversation, yet it couldn''t help but make him more enraged. Never have the Ma Clan been so belittled by these two clans as they dismiss his existence, only to bargain for his survival without even considering his input.


    Ma Yongzheng struggled with all his might, exuding all the Qi stored within his Qi centre in a last-ditch effort to break this jail, knowing that if he were to expend all his Qi, he might shrivel up and die. In fact, the more one climbed the realms of cultivation, the more one became dependent on Qi for survival. If, somehow, one was to be deprived of Qi for whatever reason, only death would ensue. While cultivators could survive without breathing, they couldn''t survive without Qi.


    Still, Ma Yongzheng''s struggles were in vain, as Lian Qian had already predicted such a turn of events, and Ma Yongzheng''s personality traits had always been on full display. Lian Qian knew full well that Ma Yongzheng would prefer death over being used as a pawn to threaten his clan. The shame would be much too hard for him to bear.


    As such, Lian Qian had prepared something special inside his bell during the previous battle. He had done this discreetly, and Ma Yongzheng was too riled up to pay attention, so it went unnoticed.


    Dark blue characters lit up inside the bell, pulsing with an energy resembling Lian Qian''s Qi signature. In fact, these had been inscribed upon the bell''s surface using his own Qi, so it wasn''t that surprising.


    Once the characters lit up, chains of light sprung from them, aiming straight for Ma Yongzheng as he expended his energy. In normal circumstances, these chains wouldn''t be enough to restrain someone at the Peak of the Nascent Soul Realm. However, Ma Yongzheng was far from his previous peak, and the bell and water prison had ground away most of his remaining Qi. What little resistance he could offer was much too little to stop those chains of light.


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    Furthermore, those runes had been expertly crafted by one of the two mysterious black token holders for just such a purpose before being infused with Lian Qian''s Qi, just as the pillars that Qin Yun destroyed earlier this month. While their powers were lacking compared to what Qin Yun had encountered, it was enough to restrict a cultivator''s Qi usage. Unless they possessed the same amount of physical strength as Qin Yun, there would be nothing they could do once trapped.


    ¡°Was that necessary?" Sun Yu asked, yet her expression didn''t falter a bit, as if anything that occurred on this battlefield could not pique her interest. Somehow, Lian Qian felt unnerved by this lack of reaction. Still, bluffing was a required skill to have during negotiations. As such, he, too, masked his own intentions perfectly.


    ¡°Of course it is," he replied with a slight smile. "It wouldn''t do for the prize to get away until its owner is decided."


    The tension between the two was palpable. Even Lian Huiling, deep in her hole, couldn''t help but gulp nervously even though she was spared from the intense oppression filling the air, thanks to the hole mitigating most of it. While a crater like this would be irrelevant for accomplished cultivators like them, Lian Huiling was mostly ignored by the residual pressure as she wasn''t one of its targets. Despite all this, she could still feel it, which spoke massively of the depths of their cultivation.


    Surprisingly, Sun Yu seemed comparable to Lian Huiling''s father in some aspects. While the differences in their Qi reserves were unmistakable, the quality and purity weren''t that far apart. Yet, the last she heard, Sun Yun was only near the mid-level of the Golden Core Realm. How could she leap that much in such a short time? Something important eluded her.


    While Lian Huiling pondered the implications of all this, Qin Yun wasn''t that interested as this conversation didn''t seem to involve him. Unless they addressed him directly, Qin Yun had no intentions of meddling in any of it. He already had more than enough problems to deal with.


    No, something else held his attention. This broken armour on Ma Zhiqiang¡¯s corpse was worth examining. Qin Yun crouched down, tracing the contours of the runes displayed on the armour''s surface. While they seemed familiar, Qin Yun was quite sure they didn''t originate from the Western Region. At least he hadn''t seen anything similar in these parts.


    Besides, he had met with the old woman who had inscribed the formation around his residence. She was deemed the foremost expert in arrays and runes in the whole Western Region, and even she couldn''t compare to the runes of this armour. While some hidden master might exist, Qin Yun doubted so. In fact, he could hardly believe someone of that calibre would wish to involve himself with the Ma Clan, much less someone like Ma Zhiqiang. There were always more mysteries to uncover.


    As Qin Yun examined the runes individually, trying to uncover the mechanisms behind their effects, he noticed movements within Ma Zhiqiang''s abdomen. At first, he thought he would come back to life, as necromancy, although frowned upon, wasn''t that scarce a discipline. In fact, there were countless ways to make a corpse move again: Spirit possession, undeath reanimation, puppet sorcery, live artifact forging... Indeed, nothing was impossible for those who dared to tread the path.


    Yet, Qin Yun dismissed it all since only his abdomen showed movement. Carefully, he peeled away the tattered cloth blocking his sight, only to uncover something that made him frown. This was so far removed from what he had suspected, yet somehow, he found it relatively easy to believe.


    A long insect, sporting countless legs and dual pairs of wings on its back, emerged from Ma Zhiqiang''s belly, using his belly button as a gate. Despite all of Qin Yun''s experiences and knowledge, this was the first time he had encountered such a creature. Still, insects burying into people''s bodies was quite common, even if he wished it wasn''t. As such, he could easily infer the reasons it did so.


    In fact, Qin Yun could hardly explain Ma Zhiqiang¡¯s behaviour in this incident, yet this easily shed some light on some of them. If one attributed this peculiar behaviour to this insect, then it started to make sense, even if more questions emerged from this revelation. Besides, controlling others through insects was also quite common in this world, sadly.


    With quick and precise movements, Qin Yun caught the insect between his fingers just before it was poised to take flight. Still, as Qin Yun needed to ensure the insect would remain alive, he made sure not to use too much strength. Yet, this would have proven fatal for anyone but Qin Yun.


    As the insect was only lightly held with his fingers, it spun its body, aiming for Qin Yun''s hand, hoping to burrow within his flesh. Unfortunately, Qin Yun''s flesh couldn''t be pierced by something as flimsy as its mandibles, even if they had evolved for this express purpose.


    Seeing as the insect posed no threat to himself, yet it would be disastrous for others, Qin Yun chose the safest option. He removed a reinforced transparent jar from his black box and put the insect within. While he was dying to uncover its secrets, such a thing would have to wait. He had more pressing concerns, such as the broken armour still attached to this corpse.


    While it was unusable in its current state, it wasn''t something he couldn''t fix. Besides, to the victors went the spoils or something along those lines. Even if this would make him a thief, the Ma Clan owe him compensation for barging into his home and trying to rob him. It was only fair he claimed something in return.


    Behind his back, Lian Huiling had seen the whole scene play out. She had many questions, and her expression betrayed her conflicted mind. While she knew Qin Yun was uncaring and apathetic, sometimes she didn''t realize its depths. How could he ignore the conflict overhead and just do his own thing?


    ¡°Is this satisfactory?¡± Sun Yu said, after much negotiations.


    Yet, Lian Qian was still reluctant to let Ma Yongzheng go. This involved more than his petty wants as patriarch. It involved the sect as a whole and its prestige. How could he sell it all for just a momentary gain? That would only be his failure as a leader.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, Lady Sun,¡± Lian Qian replied, making sure his words were firm yet apologetic. ¡°This involves more than myself. How could I let the clan down when they rely on me to seek justice for them? As the next leader of the Sun Clan, I¡¯m sure you must understand my difficulties.¡±


    While Lian Qian knew Sun Yu wouldn''t wish to let it go, she should at least be reluctant to let things escalate further. Yet, what he saw next left him stunned. Sun Yu had just taken out a black token and had shown it for all the audience to see. Worst of all, Lian Qian could see it was genuine.


    "Would this be enough to change your mind?" she asked, smiling radiantly.

 Chapter 47 - A Light to Pierce the Clouds

    Lian Qian could scarcely believe what he saw, yet he couldn''t deny reality. This was indeed one of the few black tokens that he and his daughter were the only ones allowed to issue. As for which one it was, that was easy to determine. Each black token had a special mark engraved on it that could only be viewed through a special technique, and each mark was different.


    Still, if anything, Lian Qian had expected this black token to be Sun Yu''s father''s token. While sharing black tokens wasn''t something the Lian Clan explicitly discouraged, this wasn''t the intent behind it. Yet, this wasn''t it; far from it, in fact.


    No, through the secret technique, Lian Qian recognized a cloud. This cloud represented only a single person: Qin Yun. Indeed, this was the token Qin Yun had given back to the clan, only to be snatched away by Ma Zhiqiang. As for how it was now in Sun Yu''s possession, any guesses were as good as any. Also, this was beside the point. All that mattered was that the token was real and that Sun Yu could make use of it.


    While some may frown that someone may use the token without its owner''s express permission, the Lian Clan also stressed that they weren''t responsible for securing it. If one wished to exercise that power, they also needed the strength to safeguard it. In the other three cases, this was a non-issue, as nobody would dare cross those three individuals.


    Still, Qin Yun was an outlier. Besides, they hadn''t expected him to give it back so readily. As such, this token had no owner. While the proper response would have been to simply retire it from circulation... well, you all know how it ended. While Sun Yu using it was unorthodox, it wasn¡¯t something the Lian Clan could deny her.


    While Lian Qian was less than pleased, and his expression showed as much, he had no choice but to relent to her demand, as doing otherwise would have questioned the token''s power. Still, he had one recourse in such a case. After all, the Lian Clan wouldn''t dig themselves into a hole without any way out.


    ¡°Does the young lady truly wish to use this token to interfere in the Lian Clan¡¯s affairs?" Lian Qian asked, trying his best to remain as neutral as possible. "In this case, you should be aware of our policy concerning such situations."


    "Policy?" Sun Yu parroted. This was the first time a crack had appeared in her armour of confidence. It was wholly unexpected, as her father had never told her of such a policy.


    ¡°You may not be aware, as you gained possession of this token through unorthodox means, but while the token grants you power similar to one of our core elders, even allowing you to weigh in on our internal policies, it can only be used once for such a purpose. Then, it will have to be returned to the clan," Lian Qian explained slowly, savouring Sun Yu''s change in expression.


    He couldn''t help but want to hug the one elder who had petitioned for this clause to be included in the contract when they first began issuing this token. After all, granting unlimited power to an outsider was beyond foolish, no matter how valuable this relationship might seem initially. After all, people and situations were bound to change. How many could claim to have always remained the same in the long flow of history?


    Sun Yu remained silent, slowly weighing her options. Still, Lian Qian had no intention of pressing her for her answer. After all, this decision would have a much more significant impact than on just the Lian Clan. Her stance would say much about her own clan''s stance in this conflict. If they sided with the Ma Clan, Lian Qian would have to take the appropriate measures.


    Yet, when the tension was at its highest and everyone nervously held their breaths, a man chose to speak up, defusing the situation.


    "Honey," he said gently, looking into Sun Yu''s deep golden eyes. "There''s no need to think so much. It isn''t worth exchanging this black token against a Ma Clan elder. There''s no need to feel down as you tried your best to prevent a conflict between two of the four great clans. If, after all, they are still determined to go to war, there isn''t much you can do to stop them. We can only hope they won''t involve the common populace even further in their conflict. After all, the Sun Clan exists for the well-being of all its citizens, not just the four great clans."


    While his words seemed to be for Sun Yu to hear, in fact, he was addressing the whole audience witnessing this scene. Qin Yun, deep in his hole, couldn¡¯t help but chuckle slightly at how gullible the common man was as he heard the audience cheer for that man.


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    After all, conflicts between cultivators often involved the mortal world, yet they were always ignored by those who possessed power. But now, this young man had implied that the Sun Clan would protect them against the destruction the Lian and Ma clan would bring to Jin City. Indeed, they would be overjoyed to know that someone had their backs.


    Of course, Qin Yun knew better. Since when had people in this world been so altruistic? Why go out of his way to say all this if not for good publicity? There wasn''t anything like having the moral high ground to grind your opponent into dust through societal pressures. Still, to use the masses this way, in a world governed by strength alone, took someone of great intellect. Qin Yun grew curious as to whom it might be.


    While Qin Yun liked being at the bottom of that hole, away from prying eyes, he felt an urge to see who that man was. With a single leap, he emerged from the hole to the stares of the surrounding populace. He was momentarily bewildered until he remembered that the residual winds that had collided with him had slightly cut his clothes. He also had mud caked all over him.


    Qin Yun looked dreadful, yet he held his head high, unashamed. Besides, nobody dared say anything, as the corpse at the bottom of that hole was plain for all to see. While some refused to believe the facts in front of them, most knew better. Even if he used underhanded methods, how could a worthless mortal man truly defeat a Void Core realm cultivator?


    Qin Yun ignored everyone around and only focused on the couple before him. While he had never been acquainted with Lady Sun, Qin Yun immediately recognized her. In fact, how could he not? Those golden locks and eyes were unmistakable.


    He had long heard that she shone like the sun, yet even that couldn''t do her justice. Still, Qin Yun found that almost unnatural; no one could glow that much. Yet, this wasn''t anything for him to ponder¡ªat least not now.


    To her side was a man holding a large umbrella, shielding them both from the torrential deluge that fell without end. Qin Yun couldn''t help but appreciate Lian Qian''s skepticism. Removing his advantage at this juncture would have been genuinely foolish. Unfortunately, unlike other cultivators who could ward off the rain using their Qi, Qin Yun had no choice but to be drenched from head to toe.


    Yet, the cold rain helped him to cool his head. While he didn''t regret killing Ma Zhiqiang, he must admit that he may have been a little premature in his decision. Yet, what hurt the most was the loss of his Innate Qi.


    What hurt him wasn''t the setback in his cultivation but his promise to his wife. Without the use of his Qi, he couldn''t fully heal her anymore. While he was almost done curing her meridians, some remained left to be done. He would have to find a way to remedy that. In fact, this was his most pressing matter. He couldn''t wait for this whole debacle to be over and done with so he could get to work finding a solution.


    Going back to the man, to Qin Yun''s surprise, that man didn''t evoke any particular feelings in him. Yet, it was this normalcy that couldn''t help but alert him to how strange it all was. From what Qin Yun had uncovered from all the rumours that floated around Jin City, this should have been the famed City Lord''s son-in-law. Yet, there was no trace of his supposed genius.


    Either he was injured so severely that nothing seemed apparent, or he had learned to hide it all from the start. Yet, nobody seemed to question him, which Qin Yun couldn''t help but find strange. Qin Yun had once tried to do the same, but it always seemed to blow up in his face. Maybe he didn''t possess the talent to be seen as normal? Still, the conversation went on regardless of Qin Yun¡¯s existence.


    ¡°Indeed," Lian Qian said, responding to the young man''s earlier statement. "It pains me greatly that it had to come to this. Yet, my pain can hardly be compared to those unjustly affected by this sudden incident. You have my most heartfelt apologies."


    He then proceeded to bow down to all those present. The scene was so silent that all you could hear was the sound of the rain hitting the ground. Yet, Qin Yun couldn''t help but applaud in his heart. This, indeed, was a show worth seeing. The patriarch of one of the great clans bowing his head was unheard of¡ªat least, no records of such a thing had ever been spread around.


    Even Lady Sun seemed taken aback for a moment, yet her radiant smile never left her lips. Qin Yun could swear he saw the young man''s eyes narrow slightly. He hypothesized that the young man was plotting how to eliminate Lian Qian. At least, if that man was anything like Qin Yun, as Lian Huiling had pointed out, this is what he would do.


    As for the loss of face, Lian Qian didn''t really care. What was his own face in front of his clan''s face? If bowing his head could elevate his clan''s reputation in the populace''s hearts, he would do it in a heartbeat, just as he did.


    ¡°Sun Yu truly admires the Lian Clan Patriarch¡¯s magnanimity. This is why I hope you will find it in your heart to let bygones be bygones and end this conflict right here.¡±


    At this moment, Qin Yun wished for nothing more than a seat and a snack so he could sit back and watch this drama unfold. Still, since when did people here even care about swaying public opinions?


    On the receiving end of that statement, Lian Qian shook his head, showing an expression laced with unwillingness.


    "While I wish for nothing more than to acquiesce to your wishes, I am the clan''s leader and must think of the clan above all else," Lian Qian replied. "How can I sleep at night knowing that my clan had been wronged and I did nothing to remedy this situation? What righteousness would there be in letting a criminal who has sinned against my clan go unpunished? No, even if I must become a sinner myself, I must do it for my clan."


    Qin Yun could barely stop himself from laughing out loud. He hadn''t expected Lian Qian to have such a mischievous side. While he knew Lian Qian was flexible in his means, this was so far removed from his usual personality that even his own daughter, Lian Huiling, could scarcely recognize him.


    Still, the discussion was at an impasse as it just went full circle. Lian Qian wouldn¡¯t relent unless the Sun Clan offered something of equal value. It wasn¡¯t that Lady Sun was unwilling, but she simply couldn¡¯t. Lian Qian asked for much more than what she could give.


    Yet, at that moment, the world stood still. Light pierced through the heavy rain before swatting it all away, and all that remained was a sun hanging in the sky, two in fact.

 Chapter 48 - The End of Hostilities

    All the world raised their gazes as the rain receded, yet they were blinded by this light hovering over them. While it might have seemed like a second sun, Qin Yun could discern that it resembled more of a halo surrounding a figure hidden within the light. Yet, the individual within seemed intangible, as if reality had been blurred, and no one could hope to gaze upon it.


    While Qin Yun wasn''t entirely sure of the individual''s identity, he could infer some hints only by looking at the faces of corresponding individuals, namely Lian Qian and Sun Yu. While Lian Qian remained calm, Qin Yun could still see the surprise he barely tried to hide. As for Sun Yun, she seemed to be completely stunned, yet somehow slightly ashamed. She only briefly glanced at the figure before lowering her gaze.


    All these clues pointed to only a single person. Besides, this halo of light and the fact that this person hovered midair were the most significant clues. After all, flight was only possible through a domain, and such a domain only came into existence once one stepped into the Soul Formation Realm.


    Indeed, this was a Soul Formation realm cultivator and, most importantly, seemed to be Jin City''s City Lord, Sun Yu''s father. As for why he chose this exact moment to appear, Qin Yun had no idea. He could only wait and see. He only hoped that things would finally end and he could return to doing his own things.


    ¡°This conflict ends here!" the figure said, his deep voice shaking the sky and pressing all creatures towards the earth from its overpowering presence.


    Qin Yun could feel his body involuntarily wishing to lower itself in reverence. This was unlike the usual pressure he felt from cultivators like Lian Qian, but something more visceral, something deeply ingrained into his being, as if he had no choice but to revere this existence.


    Of course, Qin Yun wouldn''t prostrate himself just because his body told him to. Yet, all around him, people fell to their knees, unable to raise their gazes. This was the gap between a Nascent Soul cultivator and the step beyond.


    The insights one needed to reach to create a domain were so much more impactful than a simple amalgamation of power the previous realms were comprised of. In fact, while there was only a single realm between the Nascent Soul and the Soul Formation, they were nothing more than ants before the latter. Even Lian Qian, with all his treasures, had no hopes of contending against the figure in the sky. It was as if trying to fight a god.


    Fortunately, the second sun had no intentions of causing destruction. In fact, it seemed his goal was for peace to return.


    ¡°The Sun Clan will make sure the Lian Clan is properly compensated for this incident,¡± the figure said shortly before vanishing, yet Qin Yun could feel a residual presence linger overhead.


    Surprisingly, Qin Yun felt sweat pool on his forehead despite the figure only saying a few words. It wasn''t that he thought he might have been in danger but that its existence alone brought forth a primal sense of dread. Besides, if that being wished for his demise, Qin Yun would have no way of resisting, such was the giant gulf between the two.


    Despite the figure seemingly having already left, the scene remained silent as no one dared to utter a single word. All remained on their knees, basking in the majesty of that figure. Only four were brave enough to remain upright in his presence.


    Lian Qian went without saying as bowing to another clan leader would have been seen as subservience. Yet, this was all he could do at that moment. The thought of going against this figure''s wishes was the furthest thing from his mind. Fortunately, his clan also possessed existences of that level, yet they were all in secluded cultivation, trying to reach an even higher level. Seldom would they be seen outside the clan, interfering in mundane matters.


    After all, they had been alive so long that such matters couldn''t hold their interest. Only furthering their own powers and longevity mattered to them. In fact, the longer-lived one usually was, the more one feared death. As such, conflicts between Soul Formation cultivators were rarely seen. If what Qin Yun remembered was accurate, the last sighting of a battle between Soul Formation cultivators in Jin City dated back to two hundred years ago. As for the reason for the conflict, the books didn''t mention it.


    Aside from Qin Yun, the remaining two to remain upright were Sun Yu and her companion. This wasn''t surprising to him. What kind of father would expect his only daughter to bow to him before all these witnesses?


    Yet, as the figure appeared, the man''s expression remained burned into Qin Yun''s mind. He seemed to have seen a hint of greed for a split second before swiftly returning to indifference. While Qin Yun could understand feeling envy for that display of power, this expression seemed much too eerie to be read as simple yearning. It felt more like a man seeking another man''s wife. Some kind of visceral desire for what others possessed.


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    While perplexing, Qin Yun didn''t put much thought into it. After all, seeking what others have is human. Qin Yun, too, was envious of what others possessed, mostly their humanities and desires.


    With this farce coming to an end, Qin Yun sought to return home. Yet, as he turned, he noticed Yun Jingfei rushing down the hill toward him. Despite her obviously flustered expression hidden beneath her mask, she tried to look as nonchalant as she could, as if his safety didn''t matter to her one bit.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but chuckle slightly under his breath. Yet, he couldn''t help but find this dissonance between her thoughts and her actions endearing. While she disobeyed his request to hide in the secret chamber, Qin Yun couldn''t fault her. If their roles were reversed, he, too, would have rushed to her side. At the very least, she ensured Feng Xia would stay quietly within their residence. To have her seen would only engineer another drama to unfold.


    ¡°Lord Lian, now that my father has expressed his stance, are you still unwilling to compromise?¡± Sun Yu said, yet her usual spirit seemed to fall flat as if it had been deflated by her father¡¯s intervention.


    Still, Lian Qian did notice the change in how she addressed him, yet no sense of victory arose in his heart. While he wasn''t the loser in this ordeal, his victory felt shallow. He had hoped to grow his clan''s prestige by showing his strength, yet he had so easily been overshadowed by the advent of that second sun. Now, all the audience would talk about was the radiance of Sun Yu''s father.


    Lian Qian couldn''t help but admire the timing of his arrival. Only by showing himself did he turn the tide in his favour. Lian Qian couldn''t help but lament that strength was the only thing that mattered in this world and that he was still lacking.


    ¡°The City Lord has spoken; I would be a fool to ignore his good intentions," Lian Qian finally said, trying his best not to show his reluctance.


    Still, he could comfort himself in the fact that the Ma Clan suffered the largest loss of face. Not only did Ma Yongzheng lose, proving he was inferior to Lian Qian, but he even had to be saved by the City Lord, thus owing him a favour. Furthermore, the Ma clan''s casualties in the aftermath of their battle were substantial.


    Replacing the troops they lost would be time-consuming and resource-intensive. If they were to go to war in the near future, this discrepancy in manpower might give the Lian clan an edge. After all, while the stronger cultivators were pivotal in such conflict, they served more of a deterrent role. Most conflicts were waged only by the younger generation, seeking prestige for their respective clans. Even fights between Nascent Soul cultivators were rare indeed.


    Lian Qian looked toward Ma Yongzheng, locked away within the water prison, and dismissed it with a wave of his hand. Even the ethereal bell that held him in place vanished, only to return to Lian Qian''s hand.


    Seeing the situation come to a close, most of the audience could finally breathe again. The heightened tension finally dissipated as most opted to return to their own dwelling as the show was over. Even Qin Yun was done here and sought to return to his residence. He had much to do following the descent of heavenly lightning.


    Some of his precious spiritual plants had been hard impacted by its might, and most formations had crumbled. Returning everything to its former state would take him weeks. Yet, he also had other problems to address. Someone was obviously after him or someone close to him. While Qin Yun thought of someone obvious, he shouldn''t make assumptions, as there may be more than one. Still, he couldn''t help but think that the insect he retrieved was instrumental in all this.


    While everyone thought the situation was over, only one person still had a grudge to settle. He couldn''t care less whether the City Lord wanted this to end. As Ma Yongzheng emerged from the water vortex, his expression was grim, showing obvious signs of anger and madness. Yet, it soon dissipated, returning to indifference.


    ¡°Let this be the end of this,¡± Lian Qian said to him, yet his words fell on deaf ears. The man only walked away, ignoring him completely.


    While Lian Qian was slightly infuriated by his attitude, it wasn''t wholly unexpected as no one liked to be on the losing side, much less someone like Ma Yongzheng. Still, his subsequent actions left him completely stunned.


    Ma Yongzheng pushed against the ground, propelling himself forward with extreme force. He even broke the ground below, and water and mud flew in the air as he took each step. Unprepared for his actions, Lian Qian was slow to react and even slower to realize his intentions.


    Lian Qian prompted his remaining Qi to revolve once again, yet his reserves were too pitiful to even be mentioned. In fact, he had exhausted most of it in his battle against Ma Yongzheng. He went all out as he knew Ma Yongzheng wasn''t someone to be taken lightly. As such, he couldn''t stop what happened next.


    Qin Yun stood in Ma Yongzheng''s path, his back turned to him. As Ma Yongzheng''s Qi reserves were also near rock bottom, his charge was considerably slower than usual, and Qin Yun could sense it coming. He turned and faced the beast charging at him, yet despite his extraordinary reaction time, he only had an instant to decide his best course of action.


    If alone, Qin Yun could have chosen to strike back, even knowing there wasn''t much he could do. Yet Yun Jingfei was by his side, and he couldn''t let her be involved in this vendetta. He only had enough time to push her out of the way using his left hand, and an instant later, Ma Yongzheng''s fist collided with his right shoulder.


    Qin Yun had expected that Ma Yongzheng was out of Qi, yet that beast had hidden his cards well. From the moment he knew there was no way out of his prison, he seated himself in a lotus position before meditating to recover his Qi as fast as possible, seeking a single chance to change his fate.


    While the amount he managed to recover was pitiful, it was enough to threaten Qin Yun. Blades of wind twirled around Ma Yongzheng''s fist, cutting into Qin Yun at the point of impact. They dug into his skin, ripping his flesh, but fortunately, his bones were strong enough to stop their advances.


    Qin Yun''s blood flew from the wounds, adding to this tempest, tinting it a shade of red while a strong scent of iron assaulted all those who remained on this battleground. The fist''s impact resonated into Qin Yun''s bones, breaking those closest to the epicentre before he was propelled in the air from the rebound.


    Qin Yun flew backwards. His right arm, having taken the brunt of the impact, flapped like a wet noodle in the wind as all the bones were broken. He ended his journey on the side of his hill, within a mound of rocks. An explosion occurred as his back crashed into them, sending those rocks flying upwards before they crashed back down onto him, burying him beneath.


    All the audience stood back, mouths agape, unable to process what had happened. Even Sun Yu and Lian Qian could not react in time. Silence hung over the scene, and all that could be heard was the sound of rocks falling, Ma Yongzheng gloating, and Qin Yun''s wife shouting his name.

 Chapter 49 - The Meaning of Slaughter

    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± Lian Qian screamed at Ma Yongzheng.


    While he wanted nothing more than to attack him right then and there, he could still feel the city lord''s presence overhead. Lian Qian still remembered his words and couldn''t bring himself to disobey him, as he couldn''t antagonize two great clans at the same time. All he could do was grit his teeth and let this slide, no matter how unwilling he was.


    Lian Huiling rushed to Qin Yun''s side, only to find his mangled right arm sprouting out of the collapsed rubble. While she had seen some gruesome things in her years as a cultivator, even she could barely look at that arm while trying not to hurl, despite not having eaten anything recently. It was so bad that it didn''t even resemble anything a human would possess. She couldn''t even bring herself to dig as she feared the worst and was too scared to find out.


    On the other hand, Yun Jingfei was almost catatonic. She could barely process that Qin Yun had pushed her out of the way only to bear the full brunt of that strike. If not for her, she held no doubts that he could have evaded somehow. Her heart drowned in guilt, but more than that, fury. Indeed, a flame of hatred arose in its depths.


    While she knew it was futile, her actions weren''t driven by logic but by something much more visceral. In prior circumstances, she might have shrugged it off as the price would be too high for her, yet now she didn''t care. If Qin Yun wasn''t with her anymore, nothing seemed to matter.


    She lashed out in rage, her target an unsurpassable mountain. Yet, to her surprise, she was the one in control, the one to set the pace of battle. Chun Xue danced as Yun Jingfei sliced with abandon, barely conscious of her actions. Her body moved instinctively, trying to inflict as much damage as possible.


    While Ma Yongzheng sneered at first at her futile attempt at revenge, he soon couldn''t help but frown. As a Nascent Soul cultivator specializing in brute strength, he was confident that nothing Yun Jingfei possessed could threaten him. Yet, he stood corrected.


    Although minimal, her blade could nick his skin and, on some occasions, even draw blood. Furthermore, her swordplay was so esoteric that he could barely follow her sword''s path. All he could do was stay on the defensive, waiting for her to tire herself out. Unfortunately, such a plan was misguided.


    How could a swordswoman be exhausted swinging her sword? Wielding her sword was her life, and her blade''s path was breathing. How could such a natural occurrence put any burden on her body? Still, Yun Jingfei''s sword was imperfect, and some losses of strength were inevitable. Yet, if he sought a battle of attrition, he would be the one to lose.


    Yun Jingfei''s sword path was fueled by her emotions, which furthered it. The barrier she had once felt and had been unable to cross was now nothing more than a fine mist she could cross at any time. The acceptance of the natural way she once denied had crumbled when faced with her own deepest desires.


    Her sword was now free from rationality''s hold, yet her heightened state of mind only temporarily emboldened it. While her body wouldn''t get tired in this state, her heart would, even more so, as she wasn''t used to her heart being in such a state. If she couldn''t get control of herself, she would crumble before her opponent.


    Although she was aware of this, in fact, she had been aware of all her actions thus far; she couldn''t care less. She let herself be overwhelmed by her own emotions, letting her heart flow wherever it wished to, even through a path of no return. Besides, what would she have to return to if Qin Yun wasn''t there to welcome her back? What was the point of seeking eternity if it was spent living with regrets?


    Her blade collided with Ma Yongzheng''s skin, and tears flew from her eyes. The audience watched in disbelief as a small girl of barely twenty, with not an ounce of Qi in her body, overpowered an ancient being at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm. Even if he was out of Qi and could only rely on his physical body, this was so far out of the realm of possibilities for any of them to conceive.


    Watching this scene, Lian Qian couldn''t help but remain still, stunned. He couldn''t comprehend how Qin Yun and his wife could achieve such feats so removed from their common sense. He didn''t understand the principle behind her swordplay, yet her power was undeniable. Still, he knew this would be far from enough to overcome the mountain that was Ma Yongzheng. Whether in experience or pure power, he was above her in all aspects. In time, his Qi would return, and the tables would turn.


    While Lian Qian couldn''t act against Ma Yongzheng for fear of escalating this incident further, he could at least protect Yun Jingfei once she would inevitably be overwhelmed, if only to alleviate his guilt toward what happened to Qin Yun.


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    ¡°Not bad little girl," Ma Yongzheng said, sneering slightly. "I hadn''t expected someone to be so achieved in the path of the sword. Too bad your cultivation is crippled; otherwise, I might have been in danger."


    Then, Ma Yongzheng went on the offensive. As Yun Jingfei only struck with abandon, such a change surprised her. She barely had the time to evade as a giant fist sought to crash into her. She took her distance, hoping to use her added range to her advantage, yet Ma Yongzheng wasn''t a newborn cultivator: how could he let her?


    He rushed forward, closing the distance as Yun Jingfei lightly hit the uneven ground with her foot. She then rushed backwards, all the while still striking with her sword. Yet, without being able to put her weight behind her strike, her blade only nicked the old man''s skin, causing no lasting damage. She knew that unless something changed, she would undoubtedly lose this fight.


    Still, it wasn''t as if she rushed into this conflict, hoping to emerge victorious. She knew from the start that her chances of victory or even survival were bleak. Yet, she went for it regardless. Her emotions were a part of her, and she saw no reason to stifle them, at least not in this case.


    Suddenly, Ma Yongzheng''s fist aimed straight for her face, and she could only barely evade it. It touched the edge of her mask, prying it away, revealing her features hidden beneath. To everyone''s surprise, her skin was flawless, without any blemish. After all, most had heard the rumours surrounding this woman''s past that had been spread around town. Besides, her mask had been far too conspicuous.


    Gasps echoed in her surroundings, yet Yun Jingfei''s expression didn''t change. How could this all matter, considering the situation? She didn''t miss a beat and started on her counter-attack. While she managed to push him back, Ma Yongzheng was relentless in his assault.


    Slowly, Yun Jingfei could feel her opponent gain the upper hand as his movements became more fluid, and he struck with more force. She could even feel the surrounding air respond to his will. He was slowly recovering his Qi, and once he did, she would be done for.


    While her situation was grim, Yun Jingfei''s gaze was clear if somewhat maddened, which couldn''t help but unsettle the surrounding audience. While they were entranced by her beauty as her long black and blue hair danced in the air, they were also stunned by the might she evoked.


    The advent of cultivation did wonders to close the gaps between the genders, yet, in cities like these, traditions were deeply ingrained into the psyches of most everyone, especially for those who lived so close to the mortal populace. As such, seeing a woman stand her ground against a man so superior to her couldn''t help but evoke some conflicting emotions in the hearts of those who witnessed it.


    Still, as all this started, so too must it come to an end. While Yun Jingfei was relentless and fierce with her sword, her opponent had always been out of her reach. She was slowly cornered, restricting the space she had left to dodge. After all, Ma Yongzheng possessed much more experience than she did, even if it took him a while to use it.


    Soon enough, she had been cornered, her back against a stone wall. Yet, to her dismay, this was precisely where her husband had been blown away as she could see Lian Huiling kneeling next to the collapsed rubble.


    Yun Jingfei''s eyes narrowed, and she frowned, feeling nothing but disgust for her opponent. Not only had he attacked a junior so much weaker than himself in a surprise attack, but he wouldn''t even let him go now that he had fallen. While she felt unwilling, she knew there was nothing she could do.


    Suddenly, an explosion rang behind her, yet she couldn''t afford to see what happened as a fist was aimed at her core. Still, she could see the consternation on her opponent''s face and a familiar figure reflected in his eyes.


    Qin Yun had broken free from his stone prison as if he had risen from the dead. Yet, his body was still battered and bruised, and his right arm was all but gone. Still, he stood again, if only to pay back what he owed.


    In his left hand was a black blade with an edge of crystal, as if an abyss trying to suck all light to its depths. While his body wobbled slightly, the blade was firmly held in his hand, and his eyes were clear despite the blood flowing over them.


    Ma Yongzheng sneered and then chose to change target. While Qin Yun seemed to see him say something, the words couldn''t reach him as he had only just awoken after being knocked unconscious. Still, his body already knew what to do.


    Qin Yun took a single step forward, bypassing his wife and facing the incoming strike of death. His feet dug into the muddy soil, breaking the ground below. Using the rebound force, Qin Yun slashed upwards with his remaining good arm, putting all the strength he could muster into it and using the trump card he had saved for such a moment.


    Qin Yun felt a pounding headache assault his mind, yet his mind had never felt sharper. His black blade slid along its already predetermined trajectory, slicing everything in its path, whether it was the body that stood in its way or the very space itself.


    This slash shattered reality as it reached for the sky. It was the very embodiment of destruction, the meaning of slaughter. It was a pure and unadulterated sword intent, breaking free from Qin Yun for the first time in his current lifetime.


    As expected, Ma Yongzheng couldn''t bear the strain, and a long, deep ravine appeared on his torso, showing the white bones that had been hidden beneath. Still, as Qin Yun was fully aware of the destructive nature of this sword, he had intentionally aimed it toward the sky, hitting Ma Yongzheng with but a fraction of it. Qin Yun couldn''t bring himself to aim the full brunt of that strike toward the city, raining pure destruction upon it.


    As such, the sword intent contained in this slash rose upwards toward the heavens. Then, another surprising thing happened. The slash collided with something above as if it had hit the world''s ceiling. Yet, nothing could impede its path, nothing could stop this embodiment of destruction.


    Following the collision, the sky cracked and shattered, leaving behind a prominent scar unto it as Qin Yun¡¯s slash faded into the void beyond. Then, from beyond the scar, one could see a giant eye look over them, filling all creatures with a sense of dread and madness as if the world could grow insane from its mere sight.


    Giant dark grey tentacles wrapped around the scar''s edge, trying to pry it open, hoping to offer passage to their world to the large eye. Everyone was rooted in place as the fear of whatever lay beyond took root in their hearts. Some fainted at its sight, frothing at the mouth, while others ran around like headless chickens.


    Pandemonium ensued. No one could keep the peace, as barely anyone could keep their sanity, except for a few more resilient than the rest.


    With a pounding headache in his skull, Qin Yun raised his head, seeing the monstrosity from beyond. Yet, unlike the rest, who couldn''t comprehend what had occurred, he finally had some answers.

 Chapter 50 - Creatures from Beyond

    The sky split, and creatures from beyond sought to invade the land, spreading their filth and corruption. While giant grey tentacles held the spatial crack in place, countless deformed limbs of various sizes sought to push their way through the opening. Yet, in their zeal, they remained stuck in the narrow breach.


    The sky flickered as if in resistance, and a loud ripping noise echoed in the atmosphere as the tear began to widen from the concentrated forces applied to it. Furthermore, a dark grey mist poured out of it, dyeing the world in its stain as if removing all colour from it. Everything it touched became black or white or anything in between.


    Countless eyelids strewn upon the contorted appendages slowly opened, revealing nightmare-inducing eyes possessing bottomless irises. A sense of dread and madness spread on the land from the mere sight of this creature. In fact, upon closer look, it resembled more of an amalgam of countless creatures pieced together without rhyme or reason. It seemed to be the very definition of chaos.


    Qin Yun looked overhead with realization in his eyes, yet soon had to look away as he, too, felt insanity take root in his heart. Despite all he had experienced, this creature was much too fearsome for mere mortals to contend with.


    Qin Yun soon felt weakness assault him, and he began to collapse as his legs failed to support him, only to be held up by Yun Jingfei. Blood flowed from his nose and mouth, and he felt disoriented, and his pounding headache only grew in intensity. He knew imbuing sword intent into his strike would be fraught with danger, but he didn¡¯t expect it to take such a toll on his body. He could barely stop himself from losing consciousness.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Yun Jingfei asked, her lovely features twisted with worry.


    Yet, Qin Yun could barely make them as his vision began to blur. He steadied himself, trying to overcome the pain, if only to reassure her. Besides, Qin Yun knew this pain was only temporary, yet he couldn¡¯t allow himself to collapse. What happened here would shape his life from now on; this was his turning point.


    A roar of frustration emerged from the other side of the spatial tear, sowing destruction in its wake as the wave of wind it created toppled some of the weaker structures and trees. Even Qin Yun and his wife stumbled backwards, unable to resist this monstrous force.


    Then, a single giant tentacle plunged from the crack in the sky, seeking to reach the ground to spread its corruption. Yet, before it could do so, it was intercepted mid-flight.


    A sun burned in mid-air, blocking its path. As the two collided, the world stood still momentarily, yet their hopes were dashed. Even the mighty sun that had bloomed was no match against this monstrosity.


    The dark grey tentacle sought to reach the sun''s nucleus, but it was burned by its radiance. Yet, this corruption slowly corroded its light, losing all vestiges of its brilliance.


    The sun began to fall, coming ever closer to the land. Its heat dispersed unto the ground''s surface, evaporating the puddles of water leftover from the torrential rain. The mud dried quickly, turning to dirt and then crumbling away.


    Some mortals could barely stand the sun¡¯s incandescence, but fortunately, the city¡¯s formation was engaged just in time, spreading the heat to the whole of its surface.


    Despite it all, the sun was losing ground as the appendage pressing on it was relentless, akin to an unending flood. A dark liquid spewed from the void, somehow resembling saliva. It tumbled from the sky, hitting the formation barring its path. The formation flickered in resistance, yet the black substance flowed without end.


    Despite looking away, Qin Yun could hear a grating voice whisper in his head, speaking an incomprehensible language. Yet, somehow, he knew its intentions as if the sounds themselves carried their meanings.


    It spoke of death and destruction, the end of all things, enough to drive any living creature to the edge of madness. These creatures were the bringers of nightmares, the apostles of despair, and the heralds of the apocalypse¡ªat least, those who gazed upon them thought so as they lost their minds.


    If this creature was despair, then hope must exist somewhere. Such was the sun overhead for all those who waited beneath. Yet, even hope was failing them. The sun became evermore dim with every moment, futilely trying to stop this deluge. After all, a single man''s power was nothing against the end of the world.


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    The giant eye peered over the crack, regaling in the destruction it brought to this foreign land. But then, hope arose, or something close to it. In response to their city lord¡¯s struggles, five others rose in defiance.


    Their figures were blurred, hidden behind a colourful light. Above their heads, giant lotuses materialized, depicting crisp avatars seated on those lotuses. On their heads were crowns made of flames, water, or countless other elements.


    The world¡¯s laws bent to their wills as they took flight, joining the city lord in his fight against this foreign oppressor. Their powers were immense, yet esoteric. No matter how many sought to uncover the secret of their strength, all they could see were countless colourful lights pushing back the darkness.


    The sky was split between colour and monochrome, struggling within this endless tug-of-war between the opposing entities. Yet, the invaders from beyond were relentless. No matter how many perished at the hands of those six individuals, there were already more to replace them. The situation soon devolved into a battle of attrition, yet it was clear who was on the losing end.


    The giant tentacle still rampaged with all its might, swiping away with abandon with no target in sight. Whether the creature simply had a taste for destruction or couldn''t identify its target was impossible to know. All that was for certain was anything that stood in its path would be crushed without mercy.


    Feeling somewhat responsible for this debacle, Qin Yun couldn¡¯t stay on the sideline any longer. Even more so, knowing that even those six figures were incapable of repelling this creature.


    He steadied himself and took a deep breath before turning to look at his wife. He could barely see straight, owing to the blood that dripped over his eyes and the massive headache that still assaulted him. Yet, her worry was evident, which couldn''t help but make him smile despite it all.


    She seemed to be saying something, yet he could hear almost none of it as blood dripped from his ears. He could only feel the familiar vibrations of her voice on his skull as her head was close to his. Unsure of what would happen next, Qin Yun wished for no regrets if he were to leave this place due to the events that would follow. As such, he crept ever nearer before finally making contact with her lips. Yet, it was a disappointment as all he could taste was blood. Still, her expression then warmed his heart.


    She seemed flustered and confused, yet Qin Yun had no time to explain everything. The situation was much too dire. The dangling appendage was slowly closing in on the ground despite being held back by the six glowing figures.


    Qin Yun rose to his feet with difficulty, propping himself up with his crystal sword. Yun Jingfei sought to help him at first. Yet, once she realized what he intended to do, she stood before him, trying to reason with him. Yet again, Qin Yun could hear none of it, but her intentions were obvious.


    With a gentle wave of his hand, Qin Yun created a burst of wind that picked Yun Jingfei off the ground, propelling her backwards straight toward the hill. Fortunately, Lian Huiling was there to catch her as she was nearby. Whether or not Qin Yun had planned this was uncertain, yet this allowed him to enact his plan.


    He stood straight, gazing upwards, then closed his eyes. The pressure of the appendage overhead was as clear as day in his mind. It was akin to a dark, heavy mass distorting space within the peaceful sea of his mind.


    He propped his arm that held the sword back as if winding a spring. Then, using his whole body, he let his arm lose from its restrain, thrusting upwards with all the strength he could muster. Once his body was all in alignment, from the sole of his foot to the tip of his sword, the blade came to a sudden stop. Yet, the intent imbued within flew forth, breaking everything in its wake. The destruction was contained to the width of the blade, concentrated into a single line, all aimed to the point of the dangling appendage.


    The sword intent rose to the sky, bypassing the six who held these foreign invaders back, then met its mark without any deviation. It plunged forth into the mass of flesh, breaking and tearing asunder everything that stood in its path from the inside out. Unable to contain the force of that blow, the flesh cracked then burst, yet this wasn¡¯t the end.


    The massive chunks of flesh cut from the roots were further sliced apart until all that remained was the same grey mist that spewed from the crack in the sky. Qin Yun''s sword intent was akin to a virus infecting every cell before cutting them up at the atomic level as it propagated upwards toward its origin. Once the sword intent passed the threshold of this world, it disappeared into the void beyond. Whether or not Qin Yun had dealt a blow to what lay beyond would be left unanswered.


    Still, this blow came at a cost, a cost that may be too hard for Qin Yun to bear. His head pounded as if his skull had been split with an axe. He could barely think as excruciating pain assaulted his mind. The recoil of this strike was too much for him to bear at this moment, yet he couldn''t allow himself to lose consciousness. He needed to see the aftermath.


    Once the giant appendage was removed, the six figures could finally push the invaders back. Yet, to their dismay, countless others of a similar nature could be seen beyond the edge of reality, waiting for the hole to grow bigger. Even with their mighty powers, those six couldn¡¯t hope to hold back this massive invasion.


    Yet, when all hope seemed lost, dark clouds gathered again over Jin City, showing the might of the lightning hidden within. This time, however, the lightning was coloured black, emitting an air of destruction. Indeed, unlike the previous lightning, which was meant as a punishment and a warning, this existed solely to annihilate whatever stood in its path.


    Lightning crackled as its might intensified. The two overbearing forces battled in the sky while all the world could only watch. Even the six deities could only be spectators in this conflict. Lightning collided against the grey mist, obliterating it with each strike, yet more always spewed from the opening as if an endless sea lay beyond. The world''s only hope was to close this breach.


    Black clouds gathered endlessly before forming two massive hands in the sky. Then, the palms took position against each other with the crack in the middle. With overpowering might, they pressed against each other, willing the breach to close, all the while discharging its black lightning every chance it had.


    While the outpour of creatures from beyond seemed endless, the hole only allowed a select few to pass its threshold, which wasn¡¯t nearly enough to face the might of the world.


    While Qin Yun could no longer see due to the repercussions of using his intent twice in a short time, he knew that the world wouldn''t let him down. In fact, he had counted on it to close this hole. How could it not? It was the world itself; how could it allow itself to be invaded? Still, it wouldn''t interfere unless Qin Yun paid a price. After all, he was responsible for this; this was his punishment.


    Qin Yun felt weak, having spent all his energy on this last strike. He couldn''t stop himself from collapsing or his mind from fading into obscurity. The last thing he remembered before he finally let himself go was hot tears falling on his face.

 Chapter 51 - The Edge of Reality

    ¡°Master, are you sure we are going the right way?" a young man asked a woman who looked only slightly older than himself.


    The young man wore white robes with trimmed blue edges. Despite his neat appearance, the edges of his robes were frayed and torn. They had travelled for so long that they had lost count of days. The void through which they travelled resembled an abyss that would swallow anything within its depths. Not even time would be spared.


    To his side was his master, wearing a long white dress that trailed after her, only showing her small feet and half her ankles. Furthermore, she also wore a veil that masked her features from her nose down, only showing her eyes. They were akin to obsidian jewels, matching well with her long hair of the same colour.


    "Do you see a better way?" the woman replied with a sigh. "How can you even choose a path when no landmarks guide the way? It''s empty as the eye can see; any way is as good as any. Let''s just keep going; we are bound to find something eventually."


    Yet, the young man couldn¡¯t share her optimism. This place was so far removed from what they had been promised.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be the Celestial Realm? Did something go wrong with our ascension? Could it be we were transported to somewhere else entirely? What about all those who rose before us? Are they also here?¡±


    The young woman sighed again, then stopped and turned to her disciple.


    ¡°Do you think I have the answers to those questions? Am I not stuck here with you? What makes you think I know more than you when no one has ever returned once they began their ascent? For all I know, this could indeed be the Celestial Realm or another realm entirely. Who knows where we are. Let¡¯s just keep going until we find something. It¡¯s not as if we are lacking time.¡±


    Despite his master¡¯s dismissive attitude, the young man couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. This empty realm made him fearful, and the absence of all things, even colour, didn¡¯t help.


    ¡°We¡¯re not dead, are we?¡±


    "If this is the afterlife, then I can only conclude that the universe has a twisted sense of humour for me to be stuck with your constant questioning even in death. How about you seek the answers on your own for a change?"


    "In this empty land where nothing but darkness exists? How am I supposed to do that?"


    ¡°Yet you expect me to know the answer?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know everything? You always had the answer to everything I ever asked you.¡±


    "I only know what I know, nothing more. No matter how much time one devotes to this pursuit, the realm of existence is much too big for a single person to experience it all."


    ¡°How old are you again, master?¡±


    ¡°Is this how you conversed with the young ladies back in the sect? No wonder you are still single at your age. Asking a woman her age will only grant you rejection.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a low blow, master. It¡¯s not as if I was ever interested in those women.¡±


    ¡°Oh?" she asked, slightly amused, raising a single eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you are still enamoured with your master? Don¡¯t be shy. It¡¯s not as if I don¡¯t understand where you are coming from. Who wouldn¡¯t be? But sorry, you¡¯re not my type.¡±


    Being shot down in this way left the young man hurt, even though this was a common occurrence. Yet, he could only keep silent for so long.


    ¡°How long have we been in this place?¡±


    "Somewhere between an instant and an eternity," she replied.


    ¡°I see... I wasn''t the only one who lost track of time. Will we drift aimlessly until the end of time or until we crumble to dust?¡± the young man mused.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t aimless.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± The young man¡¯s eye dilated slightly. This was news to him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you had no idea where we were?¡±


    The young woman sighed again.


    "Just because I don''t know where we are doesn''t mean we don''t have a path to follow. Can''t you use your head for once instead of always asking questions?¡±


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    "But answering my questions is your job as my master," the young man said with a grin.


    "Why did I take this clueless guy as my disciple again?" she asked out loud, intending for him to hear. "Can''t you feel the flow of Qi around you?¡±


    ¡°What flow of Qi? There hasn¡¯t been any Qi around here for as long as we¡¯ve been here.¡±


    "Although faint, it''s there. You might have felt it if you''d taken a second to shut your mouth and concentrate. Or is your cultivation too low for that?"


    The young man stopped, sat in a lotus position and closed his eyes. He opened his mind to the outside world, letting his consciousness flow outwards like a light breeze. He didn''t try to resist and let his mind blend into his environment.


    Then, he felt it¡ªa flow of Qi barely perceptible in his current state. Yet it slipped from his grasp just as soon as he reached for it. Even for someone with a cultivation as deep as his, he couldn''t feel that faint flow for more than an instant. How deep was his master''s cultivation that she could follow it amidst answers and banter?


    "There''s a light ahead!" the young man said as he opened his eyes. There, in the distance, it flickered as if taunting them. "Master, let''s go, quick!"


    The young man flew forward toward the light, yet his master hesitated momentarily. The light had appeared much too suddenly. She couldn''t help but feel something was amiss. Yet, she couldn''t let her only disciple face whatever that light was alone. Therefore, she followed after him.


    ¡°Master, look at this. There are fish swimming in the void! How crazy is that?"


    Indeed, they were fish. Yet, the woman had never seen fish quite like those. Their boundaries blurred with the surrounding darkness, and countless lights shone in their cores, resembling galaxies. She couldn''t feel any signs of life coming from them, yet they moved similarly to fish in water. They were unsettling yet wondrous at the same time.


    She had no idea what they were. The galaxy at their core felt more like a concept than a manifestation of something physical. Even using her full cultivation to probe their depths yielded no result. This was so far above what she could understand as if they were beings living in a higher dimension.


    Feeling their presence, most of the fish swam away, out of sight. Yet one remained, unmoving. The young man carefully approached it. As he grew closer, he realized that those fish were much bigger than they first appeared. The distance separating them had distorted their scale.


    The young man flew toward the fish for what seemed like an eternity, yet the fish only grew bigger as time passed. Finally, their whole vision was filled with this sea of stars. It was so big that they couldn''t see its edge anymore. They had no way to comprehend its scale.


    The young man grew ever closer, approaching the boundary of the fish''s being. Surprisingly, while they had assumed from a distance that the boundary was vague, it was far from it. A slight edge separated the light inside from the void beyond. It shimmered with power, and the young man couldn''t help but be attracted to it. He reached for it, trying to touch it, but he was stopped by his master.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch things so carelessly!¡± she snapped. ¡°We don¡¯t know what will happen once you do.¡±


    ¡°This is the only living thing we found in this place in so long. How can you not be fascinated?¡±


    ¡°How do you even know it¡¯s alive? Don¡¯t make assumptions.¡±


    ¡°How can it not be? Just look at it? That light? Those stars? How can you not feel wonder while looking at those?"


    ¡°And how can you not feel dread? Remember where we are, don¡¯t be impulsive.¡±


    ¡°Master... that¡¯s not like you. I remember you plunging ahead without a care in the world. You were the one eager to reach the other side of the sky, remember? How can a few fishes of light be any threat?¡±


    ¡°I just have a horrible feeling this time," she said quietly. "Just don''t. Listen to me this time, please."


    ¡°Master, it¡¯s going to be fine. I feel it,¡± the young man said.


    Then, ignoring his master¡¯s pleading, he touched the shimmering boundary, only for it to collapse as a result. A dark grey mist poured from the inside, dyeing the black void in its shade of grey. Then, a deformed appendage sprung from its core, wrapping around the young man¡¯s arm. He could feel the corruption crawl over his skin as it sought to invade him.


    Suddenly, a ray of light burst to the side, aimed at the grey creature. Once they collided, the grey appendage burst, dissolving into more grey mist, spreading outwards. Yet even more masses of flesh emerged from beyond the boundary as if freed from their prison. They were much too numerous to contend against.


    The young woman stood with a spear in her hand. That ray of light came from her, hastily launched as she saw her disciple entangled with those bizarre entities. She struck relentlessly at the grey beings that emerged. Yet, even with her strength, she couldn''t beat back the flood.


    She had hoped that her disciple would have taken this time to distance himself from the supposed fish, yet he was rooted in place, clutching his arm. She launched another ray of light, striking those who sought her disciple before rushing forward to his side.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?!¡± she screamed as she positioned herself before him, stopping the unending flood for a moment. ¡°Do you want to die? Get out of here!¡±


    Yet, the young man didn''t respond. Something seemed to be invading his mind, and he seemed unable to see the world outside himself.


    ¡°Mikhail! Do you want to die!? Get out of here!¡±


    Hearing his name finally snapped him out of it. While he was still dazed, his body, at least, had been conditioned to follow her orders once she addressed him with that name. With a look of worry in his eyes, he heeded her words and left, only hoping not to become a burden in her battle.


    While she could only momentarily halt the grey flesh''s advances, it was enough to allow her disciple to leave. Yet, now, she was trapped as she had been surrounded. Despite it all, she swung and thrust her spear with abandon. Whatever the situation was, she wouldn''t lose hope for a chance at life.


    Unfortunately, she was outnumbered. While she was distracted dealing with the grey mist surrounding her, a large deformed tentacle emerged from the fish, aiming for her core. There wasn''t enough time to retract her spear to block the incoming strike.


    With pure instinct, she held a hand forward. Then, at the end of it, a small black box appeared, slowly rotating. The mass flesh collided with it, yet the box remained in place as if nothing could move it as it existed in its own dimension, irrelevant to everything else.


    Still, this alone wasn¡¯t enough to stop the entire force of this collision. The woman was propelled backwards, unable to control herself, as she felt the impact reverberate in her bone, crushing her internal organs. Fortunately, she would survive this.


    Yet, the grey appendages'' chase was endless. They didn''t give up after this setback and sought to reach her again, this time in greater numbers. She frowned, knowing she couldn''t stop them all, yet she wouldn''t have to.


    Unexpectedly, another fish crossed her path. However, as she collided with its boundary this time, it didn''t disappear; she simply passed right through. Then, the grey beings rammed into it yet could go no further. The boundary flickered, yet it held its own against this invader.


    Mikhail watched this whole scene unfold, unable to do anything. Guilt assaulted his heart, yet he was powerless. "Master!" he cried in despair, yet his voice wouldn''t reach her.


    Once he regained control of himself, he noticed the boundary fading ever so slowly. He knew one day it would collapse, and the grey mist would feast on it. He couldn''t let that happen, yet he was much too weak to prevent it. He couldn''t do it alone; he needed to find some help.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, master. No matter how long it takes, I¡¯ll find you and save you,¡± he said to himself as tears fell from his eyes. He then left, seeking a way without looking back. He could only forge ahead.


    All that remained was the small black box hovering in the void before it, too, faded, returning to its master''s side.

 Chapter 52 - Waking Up in a Cozy Jail

    Qin Yun''s pounding headache slowly subsided, yet it never disappeared, remaining a dull pain. He opened his eyes, yet his sight was blurry; getting his bearings took him a while. Meanwhile, he tried to remember memories that had ingrained themselves into his mind while he was unconscious, yet most were missing. Only some very distinct scenes remained vivid¡ªand fish. He remembered fish, yet he didn''t know what they meant.


    "Was that a dream or some other reality?" Qin Yun mused out loud.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think denying reality would do you any good.¡±


    This voice jolted him awake. It was deep and masculine, yet he remembered hearing this distinct tone before but could hardly place it.


    He sought to rise, yet he heard a clanking sound at his side. Furthermore, he could feel a restraint on his wrist. He turned only to see his hand stuck in a black shackle attached to the wall. Qin Yun frowned and attempted to free himself using his remaining hand, only to find it missing. In fact, his whole arm was gone.


    This frightened him, yet only for a moment. After all, it was only a limb, and he was still alive. This was all that mattered. He quickly checked his surroundings, yet he felt puzzled. He figured from the shackle that he should have been imprisoned in a dungeon, yet this seemed to be just another ordinary residence, except for the countless armed individuals watching him. He could feel their barely restrained murderous intent even through the walls where they hid.


    Qin Yun took a deep breath and calmed his mind, recovering his usual indifference. Only in times like these was he grateful for his affliction. He then sought the origin of that voice.


    ¡°Quite impressive. Few could remain as calm as you are in your situation,¡± the voice added.


    While Qin Yun wasn¡¯t particularly familiar with this individual, he nonetheless recognized him. The man¡¯s facial features were handsome yet ironically unremarkable. They reminded Qin Yun of his own trick to remain inconspicuous. The man had long, silky black hair that he let fall loosely, only holding it backward using a simple crown. Yet Qin Yun felt something odd about it, but he couldn''t place that feeling.


    ¡°I must admit, I wasn''t expecting you to be the first one I saw when I woke up, Mister Son-In-Law," Qin Yun replied.


    Indeed, this man was Liao Cheng. He was seated on a simple chair, watching over his prisoner. Qin Yun was sitting against a sturdy wall, where all his limbs were attached to by sturdy chains. He was bare-chested, his wounds still raw from his last fight, yet only the stump of his arm had been bandaged, stopping the hemorrhage.


    ¡°So, I would assume this is an interrogation, or are we going straight to torture?" Qin Yun asked. His gaze was as calm as a peaceful lake.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Liao Cheng replied, slightly amused. ¡°I greatly appreciate a man quick on the uptake. After all, I loath wasting time.¡±


    ¡°This is a sentiment we do not share," Qin Yun replied. "Wasting time is what I do best. However, I could be inclined to accommodate you. After all, I do not seem to be in a situation to bargain.¡±


    ¡°Once again, your candour has me in awe. The rumours I have heard about you do not do you justice. You seemed to have been greatly underestimated.¡±


    ¡°Rumours aren''t to be trusted, don''t you think so, Mister Son-In-Law?" Qin Yun tried to probe at every moment, yet Liao Cheng only returned a blank smile devoid of emotion. "If I am allowed to ask a question, are we in the Sun Clan compound, or are you acting on your own?"


    ¡°Of course, the clan sanctioned all this. I wouldn''t dare do this without their permission. After all, the city lord was quite interested in the events that occurred."


    ¡°In that case, are the restraints necessary?¡± Qin Yun asked while jingling the shackle and chain attached to his lone arm.


    ¡°We both know you aren''t that naive, so let''s not play any game. You know what we are after. We couldn''t find it on you."


    ¡°Ahhhh,¡± Qin Yun sighed. ¡°So it is a robbery, after all. Why can you not just have the decency to come out and say it instead of hiding behind flowery words. Do you enjoy being a hypocrite?"


    For the first time, Liao Cheng''s mask of indifference faltered, yet only for a moment. Qin Yun seemed to have noticed a hint of disgust hidden beneath, yet he couldn''t be sure what triggered it. At the moment, he could only assume it was aimed at the word hypocrite.


    ¡°Do not test my patience; where is it?" Liao Cheng asked, yet a slight hint of anger cut through his words.


    ¡°Do I look like I am hiding it from you?¡± Qin Yun said as he showed his body. He had only had a pair of pants on. They had even removed his shoes. If he wanted to hide something, he couldn¡¯t. At least, they didn¡¯t know he could. Still, Qin Yun wouldn¡¯t expose himself unless he absolutely had to. ¡°I¡¯m sure you must have searched me thoroughly. Maybe try elsewhere?¡±


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    ¡°Maybe we should. How about this wife of yours? Maybe she knows something?¡±


    Finally, Qin Yun had gotten something out of him. While this could mean they also had their hands on his wife, Qin Yun doubted it. After all, unlike himself, they had no cause to detain her. He was sure Lian Qian would protect her as he owed him one. Still, he knew that was the best Lian Qian could do considering the current situation. Qin Yun could only rely on himself.


    ¡°Really? As you said, you hate wasting time. You should have done so while I was out of it. Why haven''t you?" Qin Yun said, pressing the matter further before adding, "Don''t threaten me with matters you can''t accomplish. It''s unbecoming, and it insults my intelligence."


    Both men stared at each other in silence. The atmosphere grew heavy with each passing moment, yet Qin Yun refused to back down. While he knew antagonizing his captor was ill-advised, he needed to know how far Liao Cheng was willing to go. Only with this information could Qin Yun enact his following plans. However, the silence was only fleeting.


    Charming laughter echoed beyond the room''s threshold, only growing clearer by the second. Then, a woman as brilliant as the sun entered the room, and Qin Yun recognized her immediately as this man''s betrothed. While it didn''t surprise Qin Yun to see her here, he hadn''t expected to meet her so soon.


    ¡°I rarely see someone be your match,¡± Sun Yu said to Liao Cheng as she rested her hands on his shoulders. ¡°It seemed the Qin Clan do not know what they lost.¡±


    "I''m honoured, Milady." Qin Yun replied, giving his best impression of being civil. "I would get up and bow to you, but I am currently indisposed. I hope you understand."


    Sun Yu only addressed his remark with a smile before she took a seat next to Liao Cheng.


    ¡°While your attitude is entertaining, it is counterproductive for your situation, don¡¯t you think?¡± Sun Yu asked, maintaining her smile.


    ¡°Why would you say so? I am quite comfortable at the moment. I see no reason to seek some changes,¡± Qin Yun replied. ¡°Besides, I always wanted an opportunity to speak with you. After all, it isn''t every day that one has the opportunity to meet the most beautiful woman in all of Jin City. I must say Mister Son-in-Law is lucky to have you."


    Sun Yu seemed surprised for a moment, and then her smile only grew wider. After all, women as vain as her were weak to compliments. Liao Cheng, on the other hand, couldn''t help but frown. He couldn''t get the upper hand on this prisoner despite the overwhelming superiority of his situation.


    ¡°Enough of idle banter,¡± Liao Cheng spat, surprising Sun Yu. ¡°Where have you hidden it? Where is it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to be more specific,¡± Qin Yun replied calmly. ¡°I have many things people would kill for.¡±


    ¡°The blade!¡± Liao Cheng said as he rose from his seat. ¡°The black blade you used to split the sky. Where is it?!¡±


    ¡°Ohhh, that. I had almost forgotten about it,¡± Qin Yun replied, shrugging. ¡°It¡¯s not on me. Have you tried looking in the mud?¡±


    Power seemed to pool into Liao Cheng''s fist. Yet, Sun Yu stopped him just before he sought to unleash this power on Qin Yun.


    "Don''t," she said. "We still have uses for him."


    Liao Cheng looked at her, calming himself slightly, before looking back to Qin Yun. He then scoffed before walking out of the room. Sun Yu sat back down, letting out a small sigh.


    "My friends tell me he and I are similar," Qin Yun said once it was only the two of them. "Frankly, I don''t see it. We couldn''t be further apart. Honestly, I admire his drive."


    Sun Yu¡¯s slender eyebrows suddenly rose. She looked at Qin Yun with renewed interest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have goals to strive for?¡± she asked.


    "Are they necessary?" Qin Yun replied as he shrugged. "What if you achieve them? Should you find new ones to fill the void? Why not enjoy what you already have? What good will seeking power achieve except from birthing further tragedy?"


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you envied him?¡± Sun Yu asked, slightly puzzled.


    ¡°I admire his drive since this is something I lack, yet his thirst for power couldn¡¯t be further from what I want.¡±


    ¡°Then what is it that you want?¡±


    ¡°Something everybody wants. To live with meaning.¡±


    ¡°Quite hard to achieve.¡±


    "Isn''t that why it''s worth striving for?"


    ¡°In other circumstances, you might have been good friends.¡± Sun Yu lamented.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why we couldn¡¯t be. I do not see him as my enemy,¡± Qin Yun replied.


    ¡°He will not see it that way. After all, you have something he wants.¡±


    "Wasn''t it something your father asked you to get? Should you really go behind his back just to help your lover boy?" Qin Yun asked, slightly surprised.


    ¡°Let me ask you,¡± Sun Yu said as she rose from her seat. ¡°If your wife asked you for something, yet it would go against what someone you hold as family wanted from you, would you give it to her?¡±


    Qin Yun remained silent, only looking into her clear golden pupils. He could see no hint of hesitation; her mind had already been made. She would go to hell alongside him if he wanted her to.


    ¡°You are beautiful,¡± Qin Yun said, yet there was no hint of his usual womanizing tendencies. This sentence came straight from his heart. Sun Yu was momentarily surprised, yet her smile only grew more radiant.


    "We still have time; you should think about it more. I would hate for something untoward to happen to you," she said.


    ¡°So do I,¡± Qin Yun said as she exited the room.


    Now, finally alone, he hatched a plan. It was crude as he didn''t have much time to ponder it, yet it would have to do. Qin Yun tugged on his arm, verifying the structural integrity of his binds. As expected, the chains held strong against his strength, and so did the wall it was attached to. Furthermore, this metal had been manufactured to restrict the usage of Qi¡ªnot that it would have any effect on Qin Yun.


    With a rough plan in mind, Qin Yun concentrated on his hand, feeling the world revolve around it. Then, using his mind, he grabbed space on both sides of his shackle and ground them together, forming a deadly edge that cut straight through it.


    His hand was free, yet he felt slightly dizzy. He touched his nose only to find blood dripping from it. Fortunately, it was only a minor inconvenience. He rested momentarily and did the same for the chains around his ankle.


    Now free, Qin Yun waited. He expected armed guards to barge straight into this room, yet he was disappointed. It seemed that the surveillance placed upon him was lacking. He assumed that they only checked for the use of Qi and hadn''t placed any physical watch over him. Qin Yun could only frown at this lack of vigilance, yet it was understandable. Qin Yun''s case was so far removed from normality.


    Qin Yun rose to his feet and stretched his muscles. His bones creaked slightly as he moved around; his stiffness felt warranted after all he had gone through. Fortunately, his wounds had greatly healed, yet he felt unbalanced from the loss of his arm. Still, he could worry about all this later.


    "Now, if I were the exit, where would I be located?" Qin Yun asked himself.

 Chapter 53 - Hidden in Plain Sight

    ¡°Senior brother, I¡¯ve returned,¡± a woman said as her foot landed on the rocky path of a high mountain.


    Below her vantage point, she could see a sea of clouds reaching the horizon. Occasionally, they would part from each other, offering a glimpse of the wilderness below. In front of her was a middle-aged man sitting on an elevated stone slab in a lotus position.


    He had his eyes closed and seemed to be cultivating. The laws of the world bent and weaved as he breathed in the world''s origin. Reality shifted with his every minute movement, yet it all seemed natural as if everything was meant to be.


    Hearing the woman''s voice, he slowly opened his eyes, departing from the deep trance he had been in during his meditation. A radiant light flashed from his eyes before it faded, returning to normal.


    ¡°Welcome back, junior sister. How was your trip?¡±


    "Uneventful," she said as she sat next to him, her long crimson dress and vermilion hair striking against the barren scenery of this mountain peak. "Honestly, it was a waste of time. I would have preferred staying here and taking care of my disciple."


    The man smiled slightly, yet there seemed to be something hidden in his eyes. Still, his expression didn¡¯t betray any of it.


    ¡°Even if so, someone had to do it,¡± the man replied, still looking to the horizon, unwilling to meet her gaze. ¡°The meeting of the four sects is coming soon. It was only right that you, as the youngest, were entrusted with organizing it.¡±


    ¡°It is still five years away,¡± the woman replied. ¡°Besides, do they really need our input? As usual, they will only do what they want.¡±


    The man sighed, yet even his breath contained untold mysteries.


    ¡°Even so, as the Immortal Phoenix Sect, it is our duty to participate, even if only to keep face.¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t one of those pitiful cultivation clans; why should we think like mortals as they do?¡±


    ¡°Even though we are cultivators, we belong to mankind. To forget our roots is to deny our origins. You would do well to remember this lesson unless you wish to be unable to further your cultivation.¡±


    ¡°This is your path; don¡¯t try to push it on me. I have my own way of doing things.¡±


    ¡°Apparently so,¡± the man said as he smiled. ¡°Your cultivation seemed to have risen substantially in the last year. Yet, remember, this disciple of yours also comes from a cultivation clan."


    The woman was silent momentarily, looking down on the clouds below.


    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± she said. ¡°Where is that brat? I didn¡¯t see her when I went home.¡±


    ¡°She is gone,¡± the man said, yet his expression didn¡¯t change in the slightest. ¡°Her clan took her back.¡±


    "What!?" the woman shouted as she rose, scaring the birds that rested their wings on the branches of the sole tree that stood on this mountaintop. They flapped their wings and flew away, leaving trails of light in their wake; they had no intention of being witnesses to this woman''s wrath. "That ungrateful... why would she? She should have been ready to attempt the Void Core realm. What could be more important than that?"


    The man sighed again. He knew he couldn''t avoid the topic any longer. He turned to face her, looking deep into her eyes. The woman was beautiful and bright, resembling a fierce flame dancing against the darkness, threatening to burn anything in her path. Whatever obstacle she faced would be reduced to ash.


    ¡°Her clan arranged a marriage for her, and she agreed.¡± the man said calmly, his voice resembling a soft breeze, yet it could turn into a storm in but a moment. ¡°I saw no reason to hold her back.¡±


    "Why didn''t you?" the woman''s temper flared. A hazy lotus of flames appeared above her head, threatening to burn the scarce vegetation of this mountaintop. The temperature of the surrounding air rose quickly, evaporating the few traces of snow on the ground.


    Seeing his peaceful refuge invaded by the incoming heat, the man waved his sleeve, blowing the flaming lotus away. It crumbled in the wind, and the temperature quickly decreased.


    ¡°She failed,¡± the man said with a slight sorrow in his voice.


    ¡°What do you mean, she failed?¡± the woman replied with narrowed eyes.


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    "Her breakthrough; she couldn''t overcome the tribulation. Fortunately, she survived, but there were consequences. Her path is broken; she is no longer a cultivator; therefore, I saw no reason to let her remain here."


    ¡°And you never thought of informing me!?¡± the woman screamed, unconsciously lacing her voice with Qi. Her voice resonated in the sect below, alarming those who cultivated quietly within. Fortunately, they recognized its owner and were also aware of the reason for her agitation.


    ¡°The conference took precedence,¡± the man said, his voice devoid of emotion. ¡°I couldn¡¯t let this incident affect it in any way. I don¡¯t expect you to understand.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I don¡¯t,¡± she said through gritted teeth, barely controlling her rage. ¡°You may be the sect leader and must think for the good of the whole sect, but she is my only disciple. You should have informed me!¡±


    ¡°The past cannot be changed, no matter how much you wish it to,¡± the man replied, closing his eyes once again.


    The woman looked at her senior brother, a flame of anger seething in her heart. While she knew his words may have been valid, she couldn''t accept it. Without a word, she turned away and chose to leave.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± the man asked, his eyes still closed. ¡°You aren¡¯t young anymore; do not act rashly.¡±


    ¡°Just worry about your precious sect,¡± the woman scoffed. ¡°She¡¯s my disciple. I¡¯m just going to bring her back.¡±


    She left without looking back, floating down the mountain before soaring at tremendous speed. The man opened one eye only slightly, watching her depart, and he closed it just as soon as she was out of sight. Then, all he could do was sigh.


    ******


    ¡°I can''t believe he managed to free himself. Weren''t those shackles made especially to restrict cultivators?" Sun Yu asked as she stared at the broken chains dangling from the wall. "I thought Sunken Dark Iron was supposed to be strong enough to hold a Nascent Soul Cultivator."


    ¡°Considering he could tear a hole in the sky, this small thing isn¡¯t all that unexpected,¡± Liao Cheng replied, yet his gaze betrayed his slight uneasiness.


    The couple had only left the room for less than an hour to attend a meeting, yet Qin Yun seemed already long gone. Furthermore, all traces of his presence seemed to have dissipated into thin air.


    "I wonder how many secrets he is hiding from the world," Sun Yu mused. "Didn''t the Qin Clan mention that his mother originated from the Central Region, as you did? Doesn''t the name they gave mean anything to you?"


    Liao Cheng remained silent for a while longer, then sighed.


    "Who''s to say that name is even real. Would the Qin Clan truly reveal what they know simply because you asked? Besides, many aspects do not make sense. For one, if they truly feared the clan behind his mother, why would they shun him so? Just because he can''t cultivate? Pride?" Liao Cheng scoffed. "All I know is that I have never heard that name before. Still, it doesn''t mean anything. There are countless hidden clans in the Central Region. She could be part of any number of them or none at all. There''s no way to know with so little information."


    ¡°I see. Do you still believe this blade is his mother¡¯s inheritance? I remember the Qin Clan mentioning they already acquired this inheritance from him.¡±


    "Who knows, but that''s not important. All that matters is the power this blade possesses. You saw it, too," he said as he looked at her. "What else could have sliced away the sky, revealing these creatures?"


    "Maybe we are looking at it backward. Maybe Qin Yun was the one to do it, not the blade."


    Liao Cheng only looked at her in silence. His eyes alone told her how ridiculous this thought was.


    ¡°Forget it,¡± she replied, slightly embarrassed. ¡°Our time would be better spent searching for him. He couldn¡¯t have gotten far. Besides, didn¡¯t you have people watching him?¡±


    Liao Cheng''s eyes narrowed slightly, and a slight ethereal dark vortex appeared on his hand hidden behind his back.


    "My bad. Forget I said anything," Sun Yu said, looking slightly sad. "If there are things you would rather keep to yourself, I understand. I''ll retire for the night; don''t return too late."


    Liao Cheng watched her leave, yet her sadness didn''t imprint itself on his heart. It was already too full of thoughts of revenge to accommodate any other feelings. Still, even for him, this seemed much too ruthless.


    Liao Cheng retracted his Qi, and the vortex dissipated. Then, a man wearing a mask over his face emerged from the darkness. His hair was short yet blinding white, contrasting with his all-black uniform.


    ¡°Reporting to the lord,¡± the man said as he fell to one knee. ¡°We have lost the target.¡±


    Liao Cheng¡¯s eyes grew darker, as did his expression.


    ¡°There were four of you supposed to keep watch. How could you lose track of him?¡±


    "My apologies," the man said, feeling pressure on his neck as if it could be removed from only saying a single wrong word. His body slightly shook, and sweat poured on his face behind his mask. "Two of our men saw him leave and intercepted him. By the time the remaining two rushed over here, our men were unconscious and their clothes stolen. We didn''t see how he left, but he should have been dressed in a Sun Clan''s guard uniform."


    Liao Cheng¡¯s hand crushed the back of a chair on which it rested, making it explode into splinters. The man jolted slightly yet did his best not to raise his gaze. A slight murderous intent spread across the room, suffocating the man on his knees.


    "How could you not find a one-armed man, even if he slipped into guard clothing?" Liao Cheng said, frustration apparent in his voice.


    ¡°We tried to locate him," said the man sheepishly. "But, he couldn''t be tracked using the methods we possess as he doesn''t have any Qi. Also, our sphere of influence is limited inside the sect; too many eyes are watching us."


    Liao Cheng clenched his fist yet released it soon after. He then sighed, regaining his calm. Indeed, this was his oversight. As Qin Yun was akin to a mortal, all the techniques cultivators used to locate each other would become useless. Also, using a Nascent Soul expert to scan the clan with his divine sense would only alert those unaffiliated with him.


    At this point, the only way to find Qin Yun was to physically search everyone leaving the clan, which was impossible for him without stating why. He could only give up for now.


    ¡°Forget it. You¡¯re dismissed.¡± Liao Cheng said as he waved his hand.


    The masked man bowed slightly and then disappeared back into the darkness. Losing traces of Qin Yun was a blow he hadn''t expected, but this wouldn''t affect Liao Cheng''s further plans. Besides, as long as he remained in Jin City, there would be no escape for him.


    With this reassurance, Liao Cheng returned to his dwelling, where Sun Yu awaited him. The sun had already set, and Liao Cheng had a long day. While he could curb most of his fatigue using Qi, he still enjoyed the appeal of sleep.


    Yet, as he entered his residence in the middle of the clan, he remained stunned. He wondered if his eyes played tricks on him. As expected, Sun Yu waited for him, seated on a gorgeous wooden chair. What truly baffled him was the individual who sat in front of her. Liao Cheng couldn''t help but tense slightly as he saw that man''s inviting smile.


    ¡°Mister Son-In-Law, we were just waiting for you,¡± Qin Yun said, looking back at him.

 Chapter 54 - Rising Tensions

    ¡°Why don''t you have a seat? We have much to talk about," Qin Yun said, motioning to the wooden chair before him, yet Liao Cheng did not move.


    He remained standing in the doorway with a single hand behind his back. He was slowly pooling his Qi into it, forming a dark vortex. His eyes had dilated briefly, only to narrow soon after, becoming the coldest glare Sun Yu had ever seen.


    Qin Yun could feel the room''s temperature drop from the man''s presence alone. It wasn''t something physical, only the impression Liao Cheng gave to others as if he were an ice deity in the dead of winter.


    Both men looked at each other, yet none spoke, enduring the uneasy silence, while Sun Yu slowly sipped the cup of tea in her hands. She couldn''t be bothered to play mediator between these two men.


    Seeing as this was going nowhere, Qin Yun broke the silence.


    "Suit yourself if you''d rather keep standing. If you must know, I don''t despise your cautious attitude. Once upon a time, I used to be like you, but time changed everything.¡±


    Qin Yun sighed just before taking a sip of his own cup, which he then put down on the nearby table.


    Liao Cheng frowned further, unable to ascertain this man¡¯s intentions. Knowing that remaining silent wouldn¡¯t grant him the answers he sought, he could only ask.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be long gone after stealing this uniform.¡±


    Liao Cheng''s eyes couldn''t help but scrutinize this man seated before him. Qin Yun still wore the uniform he had removed from the guards he had subdued, yet what was unsettling was that both sleeves were full. Furthermore, Liao Cheng could see a gloved hand sitting on Qin Yun''s right thigh.


    Qin Yun smiled as he noticed Liao Cheng''s gaze resting on his right arm. He raised it and unveiled what lay beneath his sleeve for Liao Cheng to see. There were countless small metal gears and rods intricately arranged within an exterior cage resembling an arm. All these mechanisms spun and shifted as Qin Yun moved this artificial arm, producing next to no sound. Only through a lack of exterior coating could one realize this was made of metal.


    It was a marvel of engineering, yet much more than that. Liao Cheng was fascinated by the fact that he couldn''t feel any Qi used in this construct. He couldn''t understand how Qin Yun was able to move that limb otherwise or how he acquired it on such short notice.


    "Beautiful, isn''t it?" Qin Yun said. "A shame this thing is mostly useless to cultivators. After all, how hard is it to regrow a limb? Still, going around with a single arm would catch much attention."


    "Why are you still here?" Liao Cheng repeated, slightly losing his patience, yet he didn''t stop the vortex in his end from growing.


    ¡°And become a fugitive?" Qin Yun replied, shrugging. "No, thank you. Do you know how much of a pain that would be? I still have some things to do in this city before I leave."


    Qin Yun then used his mechanical arm to take another sip of tea. Without knowing this limb was made of metal, Liao Cheng wouldn¡¯t be able to tell it was fake from the way it moved alone.


    ¡°Besides, I doubt the city lord even cares about that sword of mine,¡± Qin Yun added. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Miss Sun?¡±


    Qin Yun turned to face her, yet, as expected, her expression didn¡¯t betray any of her thoughts, only remaining a slight smile. Qin Yun didn¡¯t expect her to validate his conjectures as he didn¡¯t need her to. The situation spoke for itself.


    ¡°Thinking I could evade a Soul Formation cultivator would be nothing but a pipe dream," Qin Yun continued after he put his cup back down. "If he wanted me found, I wouldn''t be able to be here right now. No, this was never about the city lord, only about yourself, my friend."


    Liao Cheng eyed Qin Yun in silence for a moment longer, yet he couldn''t find that man''s depths. He prided himself on having experienced much of the world, yet he still seemed like a child in front of him, as if all his secrets were laid bare.


    He shook his head, driving this preposterous thought away, before crushing the vortex materialized in the crux of his hand. He knew from Qin Yun¡¯s expression that his intentions had already been seen through. Still, he had no reason to panic. He finally took him up on his invitation and sat before turning to Sun Yu. Yet, before he could express his thoughts, Qin Yun spoke first.


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    ¡°Miss Sun didn¡¯t tell me anything; have more faith in her. You know, you¡¯re lucky to have a woman willing to sacrifice so much for you. It''s not every day you find someone willing to go against a man of true power like the city lord for a stranger..."


    ¡°Our relationship doesn¡¯t concern you,¡± Liao Cheng said, cutting him off. ¡°Speak. What are your intentions here?¡±


    ¡°To make friends, of course.¡± Qin Yun said, showing a bright smile, yet Liao Cheng couldn¡¯t help but doubt him.


    ¡°You¡¯d think I¡¯d believe that? How naive do you think I am?¡±


    ¡°I know you''re not," Qin Yun sighed. "But that also comes with its own set of issues. Betrayal comes easy for you. Therefore, you project this state of mind onto others. No need to make that face. I''ve seen many people like you. Cold, practical, driven, but there''s always an underlying issue spurring it all. While I don''t know about your past, I know your future. Bloodshed. Endless bloodshed. Honestly, I''ve lost interest in that path a long time ago."


    ¡°You sure know how to run your mouth,¡± Liao Cheng replied, barely concealing his animosity. ¡°Assuming your intentions are true, what¡¯s in it for me?¡±


    ¡°Before we get into the meat of it, I''ve been curious about what happened once I lost consciousness. After all, it''s not every day one gets to witness such creatures. I assume the city is in an uproar?" Qin Yun asked casually.


    Liao Cheng frowned even further. Qin Yun could feel murderous intent spilling out of him. While he knew he was edging a fine line, walking next to a precipice, he needed to be the one to drive this negotiation. Fortunately, Sun Yu was present and remained cool-headed, as she had no stake in this matter. She gently held Liao Cheng''s hand, which prompted him to calm down.


    "Surprisingly, nothing major happened after their appearances," Sun Yu replied. "The heads of each major and minor clan were invited to discuss the matter, yet nothing came of it, for now. The most surprising is that many of those who have lost consciousness following their appearances have no memories of it anymore, which can be considered a small comfort. As such, the city mostly returned to normal. You wouldn''t happen to know what those things were?"


    Qin Yun was taken aback by how forthcoming she was. It seemed he hadn''t misjudged her. Sun Yu was much more flexible in her ways than her fiance. It had been a great idea to include her in those talks. Otherwise, Qin Yun was sure Liao Cheng would have already sprung into action.


    "Invaders from beyond," Qin Yun replied. "I thought it was obvious from how the world reacted to their presence."


    ¡°And how would you explain your role in all this?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d like to laugh it up as a joke the world played on me, but it is much more serious than I first believed," Qin Yun said, feeling a slight hint of guilt. After all, his irresponsible actions had snowballed into something he would be forced to face sooner or later. Unlike all other things, he couldn¡¯t avoid this one as long as he lived in this world.


    ¡°You seem strangely unconcerned,¡± Sun Yu replied. Her gaze was riveted on him, trying to uncover whatever he sought to hide.


    ¡°With our current strength, there is not much we can do about it. After all, even the world seemed to have its hands full repelling them, so why stress about it. We can only do what we can until the time comes.¡±


    ¡°You seem to have a plan in mind. Care to share? After all, this involves all living beings in this world. Burying our heads in the sand won''t do us any good."


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you feel that way, but unless you reach the realm of immortality, you won¡¯t even be considered canon fodder in the conflict to come. Besides, there¡¯s no need to be in a hurry. This conflict began a long time ago. Unless the world¡¯s will declines, they won¡¯t find a way in anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°You seem strangely confident. How would you know?¡± Liao Cheng asked, unwilling to believe him. ¡°How can we know you aren¡¯t waiting for them to invade? After all, you already made a way for them once. How can we be sure you won¡¯t do it again?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you cared about the world?¡± Qin Yun replied with a smile, but then his expression turned darker. ¡°Drop the pretense; it¡¯s unbecoming. You couldn¡¯t care less about the world; otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have tried to reach Paradise.¡±


    Liao Cheng''s expression remained passive, yet his fist unintentionally clenched but for a moment, only fleeting enough that Qin Yun could notice it. This proved his conjecture. After all, how could he and Feng Xia not be related somehow? Their arrival would be much too coincidental otherwise.


    "Paradise?" Sun Yu asked, perplexed. She had never heard those terms. Liao Cheng had never confided in her how he had reached this place. She turned to him, seeking answers, yet his gaze was occupied by the man sitting before him.


    "Paradise is a land where all your dreams come true, or something along those lines," Qin Yun replied dismissively, as he alone had no interest in such a thing. "Whether riches or power, you can get your hands on anything you want, provided you know how to get there."


    ¡°Sounds too good to be true,¡± Sun Yu replied without thinking.


    "Doesn''t it?" Qin Yun replied, shrugging. "Since when did cultivators believe in such fairy tales? Yet, this doesn''t stop the most hard-headed ones from trying to reach it. If you care about reading them, there are books about it in the Qin Clan''s library."


    ¡°Where is she?¡± Liao Cheng replied, barely controlling his rage.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to be more specific as I know quite a lot of people,¡± Qin Yun said. He was quite satisfied with Liao Cheng¡¯s reaction.


    While Qin Yun had led him all the way, he was gratified to know he had reached the right conclusion. Whether the situation would evolve into what he wished to achieve was yet to be seen. Still, the foundation was there.


    ¡°I know you must have met her; otherwise, how would you know about Paradise!" he almost shouted. He was on the verge of exploding once he knew she must be nearby.


    ¡°I don''t know what you''re talking about; who''s she?" Qin Yun replied, trying to sound clueless. "I just saw Miss Sun''s maid trying to buy a Bird of Paradise''s core for you. Its greatest use would be powering a tracking device that could lead to Paradise. I simply made an educated guess."


    ¡°How would you know such a thing?¡± Liao Cheng almost barked, yet his agitation had slightly subsided. Still, he wouldn¡¯t believe Qin Yun that easily.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know who that black token¡¯s owner was when you flashed it earlier?¡± Qin Yun replied, showing a slight condescending smile. ¡°Lian Qian gave it to me because he appreciated my refining talents. I could forge that item for you in exchange for certain conditions.¡±


    Sun Yu¡¯s eyes widen at the mention of that token. She was aware that the city harboured a master artifact refiner, yet she had never known who it was. In fact, not even her father was privy to that fact. While she could scarcely believe it, the doubt was already planted in her mind.


    Meanwhile, Liao Cheng was already deep in thought. While his greatest chance of success was finding that stupid bird, having a backup plan wouldn''t hurt. Still, he could hardly trust that man to keep his word. However, Liao Cheng didn''t linger in hesitation for long.


    "If you want me to trust you on this, prove to me that you are worth it," Liao Cheng said as he sprung from his chair, a dark vortex swirling in his hand.

 Chapter 55 - A Clash of Wills

    Qin Yun¡¯s eyes narrowed as he watched an angry Liao Cheng rush toward him, a whirling vortex spinning within the crux of his hand. At least, that was what he expected. Yet, his opponent¡¯s expression seemed to only exude indifference instead of frustration.


    Using only the briefest moment before the collision, Qin Yun eyed the swirling mass of energy, attempting to uncover its mysteries. Yet, even for him, it proved much too esoteric to uncover at a glance.


    The black mass spun, making the world shift alongside it. Light curved around the edge of this vortex, forming a glowing disc that seemed to rip into the very fabric of reality. Qin Yun had no doubts that not even his body, refined through years of gruelling repetition, could overcome this maelstrom of destructive intent.


    As such, he made no attempt to block. He rose from his chair, flinging it backward out of the way, before twisting his body to the side just enough to avoid the incoming vortex.


    Qin Yun had calculated Liao Cheng''s palm''s trajectory, choosing to evade with the slightest of margins. Yet, this decision proved to be erroneous. Liao Cheng poured even more of his Qi into this attack, materializing a slight ethereal white lotus above his head. The lotus only flashed into existence briefly, yet Qin Yun saw it in all its glory.


    His easy-going attitude crumbled at that sight, and a slight feeling of dread took hold of him. While he still felt confident he could come out on top in this conflict, he would no longer make the mistake of underestimating his opponent.


    The vortex in Liao Cheng''s hand grew larger as he poured in more Qi. Unable to retreat further in time, the disc of light at the edge of the vortex scrapped against the guard uniform Qin Yun wore. Unlike the metallic armours of the Ma clan, the Sun clan uniforms were made of fabric, resembling modern military uniforms. Still, they possessed just as many defensive properties as they were artifacts in their own right. In fact, their grades were a step higher.


    Even then, Qin Yun''s uniform couldn''t withstand the incoming vortex scrapping against it. The black vortex shredded the fabric on Qin Yun''s chest as if it were a mortal vestment before those fragments were engulfed into the vortex¡¯s core.


    From this sight alone, Qin Yun could infer the mechanisms behind this vortex. At first, judging by its colour, he had hypothesized this was some kind of space attribute ability. After all, the man had teleported in from far away. It wasn¡¯t all that unexpected. Yet, the white lotus he saw briefly spoke otherwise. Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but feel something was wrong.


    It wasn¡¯t until he felt the pull of this vortex on his skin that he realized the dangers he was now in. This was more than just a miniature black hole, ripping apart anything in its path. This was an insatiable gaping maw, wishing to extract all forms of matter and energy for its own consumption. This was the void itself.


    Qin Yun frowned at this realization. This would prove more difficult than he first anticipated. Furthermore, Liao Cheng''s talent was more overbearing than he had thought. The sight of that white lotus spoke volumes of his origins.


    ¡°Are you truly trying to kill me?" Qin Yun asked; his earlier nonchalance was all but gone. "What would you have done if I couldn''t dodge that strike?"


    Liao Cheng scoffed, yet his indifferent expression didn¡¯t waver.


    "It would only mean you weren''t worthy enough to negotiate with me."


    "Do we really need to settle this using violence? Can''t we just talk it out?" Qin Yun said as he dodged a second blow aimed straight at his head. There were no doubts anymore; if Qin Yun had failed to dodge, that strike would have killed him.


    ¡°Talk is cheap,¡± Liao Cheng sneered. ¡°Anyone can spew pretty words others wish to hear, yet so few can back them up with something tangible."


    Qin Yun¡¯s eyes widened slightly, yet his feet didn''t stop moving. He ran in a circle around the room as Liao Cheng chased. While he considered breaking out of there and gaining distance, it would be ill-advised in his current situation. After all, he was deep into enemy territory with no backup.


    "Must you thrust your trust issues on me?" Qin Yun said helplessly as he ducked under another strike aimed at his face. "Why can¡¯t you be reasonable?¡±


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    While he could still evade Liao Cheng, his room to maneuver was slowly shrinking. Besides, the last thing he wanted was to cause a commotion and for people to rush over here. He could only keep dodging and wait for the perfect moment to strike back. He would only have a single attempt at this.


    ¡°You talk about reason?¡± Liao Cheng said as his strikes grew closer to Qin Yun with every passing moment. ¡°Give me one reason I shouldn¡¯t kill you right now and get the answers I seek from your corpse.¡±


    ¡°How would you explain this to your fiance''s father if the clan knew about this situation? I assume you don''t want to attract attention to your more covert operations. Let''s just stop this," Qin Yun sighed.


    But then, Qin Yun felt the black vortex scrap the side of his chest, just under his arm. The already damaged fabric ripped before being disintegrated by the revolving disc of light as it tumbled into the vortex¡¯s core.


    Qin Yun winced in pain as the vortex dug slightly into his skin, ripping his sturdy muscles apart and drawing blood. An overbearing scent of iron permeated the room, drowning its occupants¡¯ senses. The atmosphere was filled with intent of slaughter as Qin Yun¡¯s blood dripped onto the wooden floor, penetrating the material, leaving behind its colour and stains that would tell stories of the struggle happening within.


    While Qin Yun struggled for his life, Sun Yu watched all this disinterestedly. Unless Liao Cheng required her input, she would remain seated and slowly sip on her tea.


    Qin Yun felt a burning feeling in his chest as he felt his blood slowly pour out of his wounds. Then came a cold sensation around his injury that crept up to his arms, filling it with an all-encompassing numbness. His only remaining arm dropped to the side of his body. His dodging maneuver made the limb fling into the air uncontrollably.


    Fortunately, the sensation soon returned to this limb, starting from the shoulder down to the fingers. It felt like millions of ants crawling under his skin, nibbling at his nerves. The limb that had been drained white from the loss of blood was now returning to its usual pink complexion. Furthermore, the exposed skin of his injury could be seen to be slowly healing.


    Yet, Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but frown at how slow it all was. Ever since he had used up all his remaining Innate Qi, he had been unable to maintain the swirling vortex of energy within his core. As such, his miraculous regeneration had slowed down considerably. All he could rely on was his natural fortitude.


    Qin Yun was now slightly angered. He had tried to be reasonable, yet his opponent insisted on escalating this. Although he knew that Liao Cheng still went easy on him, as he, too, didn''t wish for outside interference, Qin Yun had had enough of being thrown around, only able to dodge.


    He stopped backing away, choosing to stand his ground. His expression grew stern as he braced his legs, digging his feet into the wooden floor before clenching his fist. While he could have laced this strike with intent, Qin Yun only relied on pure physical strength. After all, trump cards weren''t meant to be used at the start.


    As the dark vortex grew closer, Qin Yun unleashed his strike, aiming straight at the centre of this mysterious light disc. The air in front of his fist collapsed as his fist pierced through, producing a loud explosion that propelled most of the furniture outward from the blast.


    A slight smile crept on Qin Yun¡¯s lips as he noticed runes light up around the room, creating a bubble, isolating them from the outside world. However, as Qin Yun¡¯s strike met the incoming vortex, a secondary explosion occurred, propelling even more waves of wind, overwhelming what the runes could withstand. They pulsed with energy, attempting to quell this tempest, yet it seemed futile.


    As the two entities collided, a hurricane formed in the middle of the room. The vortex tried its best to swallow the impact, yet it couldn''t do much against the pure force ramming into it. After all, this vortex''s primary function was to swallow Qi. As Qin Yun didn''t use any, it could only show a fraction of its true power.


    Still, the vortex could disperse most of the impact when the light disc sought to encroach on Qin Yun''s flesh, rendering it apart. Knowing this, Qin Yun quickly retracted his fist merely an instant before it was ripped apart by the light. Still, Qin Yun wouldn''t stop there. He had been slightly agitated by Liao Cheng''s belligerent attitude and sought some payback.


    Just as Liao Cheng was reeling from the earlier clash, feeling the reverberation of this impact in his bones, Qin Yun clenched his fist once more, this time pouring even more of his strength into it. His muscles bulged slightly as they contracted, storing even more force. Then, they recoiled like springs, driving his fist forward, ripping through the atmosphere.


    Space was slightly distorted as the mass of flesh ripped through it at an insane speed. Liao Cheng''s eyes widened as he desperately poured much more Qi into the vortex, prompting it to grow twice its original size. Even then, it was barely enough to stop the impact from ripping through the vortex.


    However, this time, Qin Yun didn''t draw his arm back. In fact, he pushed further on the ground, driving himself forward. Runes of light appeared on the floor, pulsing with energy as they resisted the force of Qin Yun''s feet digging into it. Nevertheless, all it achieved was to drive further force behind Qin Yun¡¯s blow.


    His fist dug deep into the vortex¡¯s dark core as the ring of light ripped into his flesh, carving deep groves into his skin. Blood flew everywhere around the room as a thin red mist hung slightly in the air before dropping to the floor.


    Yet, Qin Yun¡¯s expression was serene even as pain assaulted his nerves. There was no contorted grimace, only his clear gaze fixed on his opponent, making his resolve clear. After all, this was only an arm, not even the first one he had lost this week.


    Liao Cheng was slightly unnerved by this display of indifference to bodily harm. While limbs could be regrown without much difficulty, the pain was real. Not many could endure the agony of a limb being ripped apart by this vortex without showing any signs on their faces.


    As such, Liao Cheng''s determination faltered, and this was enough to ensure which one would emerge victorious in this clash. Still, Liao Cheng quickly weighed his options and chose the best course of action to offer the minimum repercussions.


    He jumped backwards, lessening the opposition he offered to Qin Yun''s strike. As such, Qin Yun''s fist dove further in. Liao Cheng retracted the power he had imbued into the vortex while extracting his hand from it.


    The vortex hovered in place momentarily before vanishing. Still, it remained for just enough time to reach Qin Yun''s shoulder. The lingering power ripped the remainder of Qin Yun''s sleeve before leaving lacerations up his upper arm. Yet, Qin Yun never stopped. His fist was still on a collision course with Liao Cheng.


    Knowing this, Liao Cheng only had a single moment to enact his contingency plan. As the first reached for his core, Liao Cheng dug an item out of his clothes and brought it to meet the incoming fist. It was a small sphere with clouds spinning around its surface. Qin Yun''s eyes widened at the sight, yet he didn''t stop his strike.


    Finally, the two collided.

 Chapter 56 - Life as a Gamble

    Despite Qin Yun''s injury from the dissipating vortex, his fist never stopped rushing forward, ripping through space as it barrelled toward its target. Yet, a peculiar object barred its path. An orb, not larger than an egg, laid nestled between Liao Cheng''s fingers.


    On its surface, countless white clouds rotated, hiding whatever was concealed beneath. Strong waves of energy pulsed from its depths, making Qin Yun reconsider his actions. Still, it was already too late, as the strike had already been unleashed.


    The two collided.


    Qin Yun expected some sort of reaction from this treasure, but even then, he was stunned. The surface was much harder than he first thought, as not even his full-powered strike could dent it. Furthermore, the orb remained in place as if the collision didn''t even register on it.


    Liao Cheng, however, was propelled backward by the residual air pressure of Qin Yun''s strike, just as Qin Yun, too, was stopped dead by the rebound.


    A brief moment later, a transparent film emerged from the orb as it hovered midair. The film was thin, yet it shimmered with energy. Qin Yun''s eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the thin light layer propagate outward. He braced himself for a collision, yet he was surprised to see it pass through him as if it was intangible.


    Still, Qin Yun could feel space fluctuations after the barrier had traversed through him. These fluctuations lingered in the air, making a slight sense of uneasiness rise in his heart. The layer reached further until it arrived at the edge of the room. It was then that Qin Yun finally realized why he had that feeling. This room had been isolated from the outside world, all thanks to that hovering bead with clouds on its surface.


    Qin Yun''s expression grew grim. While the most important factor limiting his strength was gone, namely the fear of being exposed as a trespasser on this foreign land, the same held true for his opponent. After all, Liao Cheng had only demonstrated a fraction of his true strength.


    ¡°Must you really do this?¡± Qin Yun asked as he stopped and eyed his surroundings.


    While the room remained largely the same, there was a single change, yet it made all the difference. The space had expanded severalfold. If anything, the small bedroom was now as large as the Qin clan''s main hall. Furthermore, the strange barrier of light still existed, isolating them from the outside world. Qin Yun held no doubt that piercing through this barrier would be difficult¡ªnot that Liao Cheng would let him try.


    ¡°While impressive for a mortal, this is far from sufficient to make me acknowledge you,¡± Liao Cheng replied.


    However, this time, his usual adversarial attitude was gone, replaced by some sort of recognition, probably due to the strength Qin Yun had displayed. On the other hand, Qin Yun was not interested in this rivalry. He could never understand how people communicated with their fists.


    With this limiter gone, Liao Cheng exposed all of his strength. A massive white lotus emerged above his head, bathing his surroundings in a radiant light. Liao Cheng didn''t bother to mask it as they were isolated from the world, and only Qin Yun and Sun Yu could witness it.


    The lotus rotated on its axis, flinging energy waves outwards as ten lush leaves floated up and down. Above its core, instead of the ball of light most would have expected Liao Cheng to possess, a small newborn being hovered over it. This was proof that Liao Cheng had already transcended the Golden Core Realm and formed his Nascent Soul.


    Qin Yun felt those waves of pressure crash onto him, pinning him in place. He felt his lungs threaten to collapse in his chest as his body could barely suppress the waves of Qi assaulting him. Unlike Ma Yongzheng, who had been exhausted from his fight with Lian Qian, Liao Cheng was still fresh and would offer much more of a challenge. After all, Qin Yun was still much too far from that realm.


    Qin Yun''s mind spun rapidly, seeking the best available path to survive this confrontation. After all, Qin Yun knew that Liao Cheng wouldn''t hesitate to resort to lethal means to test him. Qin Yun would have to uncover all his means simply to match a cultivator of his level. Still, he would rather it not come to that.


    ¡°How about we put limitations in place?¡± Qin Yun asked, yet he knew he didn¡¯t possess much bargaining power. He could only try to reason with the man. Surprisingly, Liao Cheng seemed receptive to the idea.


    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± he replied much too calmly for Qin Yun¡¯s taste; something seemed wrong.


    "Let''s say it''s my victory if I leave this place. After all, I have no chance of winning if I were to fight you."


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    ¡°What¡¯s in it for me?¡± Liao Cheng asked, sneering slightly.


    ¡°This," Qin Yun replied, reaching for the black crystal sword hidden within his black box.


    Once it emerged, Liao Cheng¡¯s gaze brightened, yet he frowned soon after. After all, something had to be wrong for his opponent to be so forthcoming at this juncture. Still, his greed for that sword was apparent. Seeing as much, Qin Yun chose the most appropriate course of action.


    He lightly threw the sword to the side, only for Sun Yu to catch it easily. This was no mistake; Qin Yun had intended for her to hold on to it.


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I figured you would do as a referee for our contest,¡± Qin Yun replied.


    ¡°How can you be sure she won¡¯t simply give it to me?¡± Liao Cheng said.


    To this, Qin Yun shrugged before replying, "There''s no guarantee any of you will keep your word, so why sweat the small stuff? I can only gamble."


    After all, Qin Yun''s goal was never to bring Sun Yu to his side or for her to be impartial. The only reason for his actions was to buy time. After all, his arm had been injured in their last clash, and he needed just a little more time to become good enough to be used.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but lament the loss of his Innate Qi. It made things much more complicated than they once were. After all, back then, with his means, he could have healed such a wound in a matter of seconds. Yet now, he could only rely on his natural fortitude to do it. Fortunately, his flesh was nearing perfection. Even his missing limb could regenerate in time. Still, time was something he didn''t have at the moment.


    Unfortunately, Liao Cheng seemed to have noticed Qin Yun''s wounds slowly recovering, and he wouldn''t let him. The white lotus above his head spun faster, pulsing with strength. Then, Qin Yun felt a sense of impending doom in his heart. Thankfully, Qin Yun was attuned to intent and Liao Cheng wasn''t adept at concealing his murderous intent. Otherwise, Qin Yun might have perished at this moment.


    He felt danger aimed at his head, so he jerked it out of the way, mostly instinctually, only for a white vortex to materialize right where it used to be. Qin Yun had no doubt his brain matter would have been splattered all around if he hadn''t noticed in time.


    He ducked and tried to rush Liao Cheng down, yet multiple other vortexes appeared one after another, barring his path. To reach him, Qin Yun would have to rush through this minefield. His only solace was that he could feel where Liao Cheng intended for these vortexes to appear. If Liao Cheng had been more adept at concealing his intent, Qin Yun would have had no way to resist. After all, he could only rely on his flesh at the moment.


    Qin Yun took a step back, avoiding the most recent deadly vortex. He took a moment to observe them, trying to find a way to retaliate against them. Unfortunately, their existence was much too fleeting. As soon as they materialized, they faded almost immediately.


    Qin Yun could only conclude that it was linked to Liao Cheng''s white lotus and the bead artifact hovering in midair. After all, the same space fluctuations emanating from the bead could also be felt in the vortexes. As for their functions, they seemed to resemble black holes, ripping everything apart before engulfing them.


    With little time to think, Qin Yun could only formulate a crude plan. Still, it was better than nothing. His only advantage against Liao Cheng was endurance. After all, he could see sweat pool on Liao Cheng''s skin each time a new vortex materialized. Using that much Qi, even with the help of that treasure, wasn''t something he could sustain for long, even if he was a Nascent Soul Cultivator.


    All the while dodging, Qin Yun raised his mechanical hand, pointing his index finger toward Liao Cheng. Then, with a jerk of his middle finger, a small bead of metal was ejected for a small opening at the tip of his index finger. A small explosion of sounds filled the space, yet not loud enough to deafen anyone.


    If anything, Liao Cheng frowned as it seemed much too quiet. It wasn¡¯t until he noticed the small metal bead collide with his skin that he felt something was wrong. The metal fragment dug into his flesh despite the film of Qi Liao Cheng usually maintained to protect himself. It pierced through it as if it didn¡¯t even exist.


    More pressing was the fact that Liao Cheng could feel his Qi flow being hindered by this piece of metal. Near Qin Yun, the white vortexes faltered slightly following this incident.


    Qin Yun smiled slightly before pressing his middle finger down toward his palm. The explosion sound reoccurred in quick succession as multiple metal balls barrelled toward Liao Cheng. Some missed their target as he dodged, yet more than a few lodged themselves into his flesh. While they weren¡¯t enough to cause lethal injuries, it was more than enough to impede his use of Qi.


    Now seeing his chance, Qin Yun rushed forward, only to wrap his left hand against the small orb hovering in the middle of the room. He tugged with all his might, yet the sphere didn¡¯t budge a millimetre. Still, Qin Yun wouldn¡¯t be deterred by this failure.


    He dug his feet into the ground, lighting more runes in the process as they worked to protect the floor against his might. Veins bulged on Qin Yun¡¯s skin as his hand attempted to crush the bead within. Unfortunately, it seemed nothing could be done to contend against this artifact. Qin Yun couldn¡¯t affect it in any way, at least not with his current strength.


    Seeing his treasure being assaulted, Liao Cheng''s expression grew dim. He circulated his Qi as he gritted his teeth, fighting against the pain he felt as the metal fragments were slowly extracted from his flesh. He heaved up and down as sweat pooled on his skin as they were all removed one by one. While the process was excruciating, Liao Cheng prioritized speed over anything else. As such, extracting them all took him a couple of seconds.


    Once he did so, most of his Qi had been used in the process as those metal fragments seemed to eat away at his Qi. In fact, Liao Cheng recognized the material they were made of. It was the same metal they had used in the making of Qin Yun¡¯s shackles, namely Sunken Dark Iron.


    Now free from their restrictions, Liao Cheng charged toward Qin Yun as a fire burned in his heart. The sight of his late clan''s treasure being assaulted by Qin Yun was too much for him to take, and he couldn''t let him go easily after all that.


    Liao Cheng arrived next to Qin Yun in less than the blink of an eye and simply punched him. Yet, this punch held the might of a Nascent Soul Cultivator. In fact, this punch wouldn¡¯t be considered inferior next to Qin Yun¡¯s.


    As he was in the midst of a battle against the hovering bead, Qin Yun only had time to let go of the bead and block using his left arm, just as he did against Ma Yongzheng. Fortunately, Liao Cheng was still much weaker than the Ma clan elder.


    Qin Yun was propelled backward to the edge of the barrier, only to ram into it. Surprisingly, it couldn¡¯t stop Qin Yun¡¯s body as he crashed right through it, shattering it in the process. The expanded space quickly folded in on itself until only the previous room remained and the bead fell to the floor.


    Qin Yun crashed into the wall as runes of light flashed, stopping the wall from collapsing due to the impact. Qin Yun slumped to the floor as blood flowed from the wounds on his arm, yet he had a smile on his face.


    ¡°I win,¡± Qin Yun said, breaking the silence permeating the room.

 Chapter 57 - The Imprint of Destiny

    Qin Yun''s self-satisfied grin didn''t last long, as Liao Cheng never stopped his assault. He pounced on him, his fists laced with murderous intent. Qin Yun''s eyes widened as he rose to his feet in a hurry, barely avoiding the strike aimed at his head.


    The runes, present on the wall, flashed with effervescence, then quickly dimmed as they expended their energy, dispersing the concentrated force of Liao Cheng¡¯s blow on its whole surface. The walls creaked as they deformed from the impact, leaving vestiges of it on their exteriors.


    ¡°I guess I was a fool for believing any of you had any integrity," Qin Yun said out loud as he kicked Liao Cheng away, ramming his foot into his chest.


    Liao Cheng recoiled back, his breath cut short. He took a moment to compose himself, feeling that the flow of his Qi remained somewhat obstructed even after removing the metal fragments from his flesh. However, he knew this would only be temporary.


    ¡°Why should I go along with your games? Besides, I never agreed to those terms,¡± Liao Cheng said, sneering.


    Yet, even Sun Yu didn''t believe that. She knew full well what type of man he was, and it wasn''t unexpected knowing his character. In fact, she found this indomitable character, unwilling to suffer a loss, somewhat endearing.


    On the other hand, Qin Yun had lost all patience with this man. He had done his best to resolve this peacefully, yet his counterpart knew only how to rely on violence to get his way. Therefore, Qin Yun would do the same.


    The usual smile he permanently plastered on his face faded, becoming neither warm nor cold but only the epitome of indifference. He seemed to be apathy personified. He rose to his full height, looking down on Liao Cheng as if he was inconsequential, which couldn''t help but make Liao Cheng feel insulted. He was used to contempt, yet this indifference was unnerving.


    Qin Yun always tried to mask his indifference, even when he sometimes let it slip. He knew that smiling, even if it was fake, would leave a good impression and might make some situations easier to overcome.


    But, now, he was done. Done with this man who only knew how to use violence to get his way. Done with cultivation clans where people only cared about stepping on others to rise above them. Done with this city where intrigues, machinations, politics, and betrayal were the norms, and done with this world that rejected anything foreign.


    Qin Yun only wanted to spend time with his wife, probing the mysteries of cultivation with her, all the while trying to regain a joy for living. Yet, much too many things were standing in his way. If violence was the only language they recognized, then Qin Yun would speak it. If pain was the only stimulus that spoke to them, then Qin Yun would utilize it to its fullest.


    He was done accommodating people who couldn¡¯t be reasoned with.


    Liao Cheng felt unnerved looking at the present Qin Yun, yet he soon discarded that feeling. After all, his opponent was a wreck. Blood flowed from his wounds, staining his clothes red, while the man''s right arm seemed to be out of ammunition. He could see that Qin Yun was at the end of his rope, yet that feeling only grew stronger.


    Qin Yun looked down on Liao Cheng briefly, but then a light flickered in Qin Yun''s eyes. Near where his vision ended, space started to weave and fluctuate, creating ripples onto the very fabric of reality.


    An alarming sense of dread appeared at the bottom of Liao Cheng''s heart, and he jerked his right arm back mostly on instinct, yet he was slightly too late. His hand seemed to have been held in place by space itself as if locked up in a vice, unable to move. Yet, the tension produced by his jerk was transmitted to it. Unfortunately, his flesh had never been designed nor trained to sustain such forces, and his muscles started tearing at his wrist.


    Liao Cheng screamed as the bones in his forearm broke, shattering the flesh enveloping them as it created a miniature explosion. After all, the force a Nascent Soul cultivator could produce was several times higher than their flesh could sustain. Unconsciously using Qi in an effort to get away could only lead to that result.


    This time, Liao Cheng looked at Qin Yun with a slight fear in his eyes as he clutched his limping hand once it was released from its stasis, only to see bloody tears drip out of Qin Yun''s eye sockets. Then, he felt other space fluctuations near his legs.


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    The space contorted, folding in on itself. Liao Cheng pointed a finger at the bead lying on the floor, trying to inject his Qi into it and attempting to lock space. Yet, even after doing so and assuring that space was now fixed in place by the power of the bead, the space fluctuations near his legs only grew more prominent.


    Dread took over his heart, and he tried to escape, yet it would prove futile. Space held one of his legs in place before twisting it in an unnatural shape, distorting it and making it resemble a ball of flesh and blood.


    A yell of agony escaped Liao Cheng''s throat as he fell to the floor. Still, Qin Yun was far from done, even as his eyes were bloodshot and blood now fell from his nose. A pounding headache assaulted his brain as the strain of what he did seared into his mind. Still, he didn''t care. Liao Cheng wanted to see what he was capable of, so he would show him.


    Once he could finally regain his breath, Liao Cheng gritted his teeth, replacing the fear he felt with pure fury. Even as he lay on the floor, a white lotus appeared above him, showing its might. He then pointed toward Qin Yun, manifesting vortexes aimed at him, yet nothing came of it.


    Just as they sprung into existence, reality split itself, shattering those vortexes in two halves right down the middle. They fizzled out¡ªthe Qi infused within scattering outwards. Yet, this wouldn''t be the end of it.


    The same happened near Liao Cheng''s remaining arm, but this time at a much smaller yet numerous scale. In fact, the number of splits was uncountable, almost infinite, all aimed at Liao Cheng''s arm. It was only after the intense pain he felt receded that he recognized what had happened. His entire arm had exploded in a shower of gore, only leaving a clean cut at the shoulder.


    Minuscule beads of blood hung in the air momentarily before falling like rain, dyeing Liao Cheng in its gore. Surprisingly, even as Qin Yun walked toward his victim as blood flowed from all of his seven orifices, Liao Cheng still showed defiance and reluctance on his face, yet he couldn¡¯t mask the dread hidden in his eyes.


    With difficulty, Liao Cheng circulated his Qi around the ring on his remaining hand, extracting countless clear crystals before a white vortex engulfed them. Then, as if a miracle, his wounds began to heal rapidly, even faster than Qin Yun could with his Innate Qi. In fact, it seemed more akin to rebirth than regeneration.


    Qin Yun watched the spectacle with disinterest, seeing no reason to stop him. In fact, this would only make Liao Cheng slightly more resistant to Qin Yun¡¯s torture. Qin Yun took no pleasure in it, yet lessons needed to be learned just as he had learned his. Without incentive, people weren''t prone to remember.


    Liao Cheng reconstructed his limbs by extracting the life energy contained within the crystals. He could now stand and walk again in a matter of seconds, yet this only gave Qin Yun an excuse to take them away.


    With a wave of his hand laced with his destructive intent, one of Liao Cheng''s limbs was blown away once again, jolting his brain with excruciating pain once more. Every time the man regained his limb, Qin Yun would strike again, finding new and novel ways to break them. Yet, Qin Yun''s state would grow worse each time, but he didn''t care. They would learn the consequences of not heading his words.


    Soon enough, Liao Cheng ran out of crystals to use. His hair was dried out white as he lay on the floor, panting, his visage now twisted by pain and fear. Yet, Qin Yun could still see a hint of defiance in his eyes, which he couldn''t help but admire. Not many could endure what he had without breaking.


    To his side was Sun Yu, pleading for Qin Yun to show mercy. She had tried to block Qin Yun''s onslaught on her lover, yet Qin Yun hadn''t cared. Each time she attacked him, he would retaliate on the helpless Liao Cheng, only furthering his pain. Soon enough, she stopped, fearing she would be the reason for his demise.


    She clung to Liao Cheng''s limbless body, sobbing uncontrollably, yet her tears didn''t evoke any emotions in Qin Yun''s heart. The only reason he hadn''t taken Liao Cheng''s life was that doing so was a mercy he wasn''t inclined to give.


    Besides, Qin Yun¡¯s state was also precarious. Intent wasn¡¯t something to be used lightly. While it could be used to bend the universe to one¡¯s will, it would also put an equal strain on the psyche, taxing the brain, something a human brain could hardly sustain. It was only due to Qin Yun not using intent to its fullest that he could remain standing and conscious.


    His clothes were now completely red as his own blood was caked all over it. He felt dizzy from the blood loss and could barely remain conscious. Yet, unless the man admitted his mistake, Qin Yun wouldn¡¯t stop.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t kill Liao Cheng as he couldn''t contend with Sun Yu''s father if he were to incur his wrath for doing so. Still, he would instill fear in Liao Cheng''s heart, making sure he would never dare cross him from now on.


    While Qin Yun loathed using such methods, drastic measures needed to be taken at this point. He couldn¡¯t continue to be at the mercy of other higher beings. Was living in peace too much to expect? Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but feel someone had orchestrated all this to push him to this point. After all, what were the chances of Liao Cheng¡¯s freak teleporting incident ending here?


    From the first day he entered his residence and found Feng Xia within, Qin Yun had felt as if every incident was linked, only to push him toward a specific outcome. He had tried to fight against it, even negotiating with this man, if only to resist the feeling he had sensed in his heart. Yet, there was nothing to be done.


    It felt like destiny was slowly wrapping the noose around his neck. He only had two choices: to comply or perish. If destiny wanted him to be ruthless, then so be it. He would be as cruel as he needed to be if it meant he could get what he truly wanted. In this case, he wanted this whole incident to be over and done with. However, for it to be so, he would need this couple''s cooperation.


    Qin Yun''s gaze locked onto Sun Yu, which couldn''t help but make her shudder. She once thought she understood what type of man he was, yet the indifference in his gaze was hard to sustain. She couldn''t help but feel like an ant under it, ultimately inconsequential. Sweat poured out of her pores as she felt a primordial fear of death take over her.


    Qin Yun scoffed at the sight, which prompted tears to well in the corner of her eyes. Then, without even deigning to acknowledge their existence, he went and retrieved the chair he was once seated in before taking a seat as if nothing had transpired, wiping the blood on his face using torn fabric he found around the room.


    "Are you ready to listen now?" Qin Yun said, his tone colder than they had ever thought possible.

 Chapter 58 - A Small Respite

    ¡°Should I take my leave?¡± Sun Yu asked, her gaze lowered, unwilling to meet Qin Yun¡¯s.


    Following their latest altercations, Qin Yun had finally managed to get his point across. The couple now knew not to cross him as he could take their lives whenever he wished.


    The sight of Liao Cheng crawling on the floor as his limbs were severed again and again while he was unable to defend himself was seared into Sun Yu¡¯s memory. She couldn¡¯t find the courage to see Qin Yun as an equal, much less the junior he was. She could barely stand to be in his presence anymore.


    Each time he addressed her, she felt a jolt of electricity rush to her brain, making her body tremble with dread. After all, she saw no hope of resisting this man''s mysterious means. She couldn''t even find the courage to tell her father, knowing what would happen to Liao Cheng if she did so.


    Qin Yun was currently in a small room adjacent to Sun Yu''s bedroom. Inside was a large bath filled with hot water. Steam rose from the water''s surface as runes were inscribed around the large tub indented into the ground. From what Qin Yun could see, these runes were used to regulate the water''s temperature while also acting as a cleaning agent, ensuring the water would remain as pure as it could be.


    How extravagant, Qin Yun thought, inspecting this large and exquisite bath. Nothing less for the daughter of the city lord.


    Sun Yu waited silently as Qin Yun didn''t deign to address her. Sweat pooled on her lovely face as uneasiness grew in her heart. Ever since this man fought against her lover, his attitude had significantly changed. There were no traces of his easygoing attitude nor his faint smile; all that remained was indifference.


    Qin Yun ignored her and removed the bloody pieces of fabric covering his skin. Sun Yu''s eyes widened as he revealed his body; she could see countless deep scars on his skin. They were bloody and raw, some still oozing blood. She couldn''t understand how this man could even stand the pain of those lacerations. She knew she wouldn''t be able to. She turned her head to the side, unable to bear the sight.


    Once naked, Qin Yun entered the water, feeling the warm liquid assault his wounds, digging into them as if trying to sear them shut. The pain was excruciating, as if bathing in flames, yet Qin Yun''s expression didn''t change at all, not even offering a wince or a grunt. The pain of the flesh was irrelevant.


    Once he submerged his whole body, the filth and blood that caked his body dissolved into the water, colouring the clear liquid a shade of dark brown, a mixture of red and black. The runes surrounding the bath sprung to life, shining with effervescence as they mobilized the surrounding Qi, purifying the water of this filth. Soon enough, the water was clear, and Qin Yun finally felt alive again.


    This was the first time since the descent of heaven''s lightning that he could finally relax, if only a little. He needed to organize his thoughts and figure out his next course of action. What did he wish to achieve?


    Only then did he notice that Sun Yu remained, bashfully looking away, her cheeks slightly rosy. Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    ¡°Why are you still here?¡± he asked, his voice was cold and imperative.


    ¡°Should I wash your back?¡± Sun Yu replied, trying her best to remain calm, even showing a forced smile.


    Qin Yun only frowned further. This woman was more dangerous than he first thought. Being flexible and not remaining stuck in one''s way was a necessary trait for survival. While Qin Yun appreciated her efforts, he was done playing their games.


    ¡°You are a smart woman,¡± Qin Yun said while showing a smile, which couldn¡¯t help but spark a flame of hope in her heart, yet Qin Yun crushed it immediately. His voice grew colder than ever as he added, ¡°I am a married man. Leave, and don¡¯t come back until you learn to behave. I won¡¯t tolerate this a second time.¡±


    Sun Yu felt a shiver down her spine as she saw Qin Yun''s indifferent gaze resting on her. She bowed quickly, unable to respond, before rushing out of the room at almost a run. Qin Yun could see tears in the corner of her eyes and fear in their depths.


    Once she finally left, Qin Yun could only sigh. Becoming her nightmare had never been his intention, yet he had no choice. The situation had moved much too fast for him to do otherwise. If only Liao Cheng had been more reasonable, things wouldn''t have come to this. Qin Yun could only blame himself for thinking people could think rationally.


    Maybe he should have just left? Yet, becoming a fugitive wasn''t his idea of a good time. If he only had himself to think about, Qin Yun would have already left, yet he also needed to think about Yun Jingfei. It wouldn''t do to abandon her here, alone in a foreign place. Qin Yun would have to deal with this carefully.


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    Still, Qin Yun had something to deal with first. He sat in a lotus position in the deepest part of the bath, letting the water rise to his neck. He could feel warmth envelope his body and steam caress his face. While the injuries on his body looked grim, they were only superficial. In time, they would all heal, same with his missing arm.


    No, what concerned him were the internal ones. Ever since he had been hit with heavenly lightning, that force had lingered in his body, slowly breaking it apart as his flesh fought against it. The continuous cycle of destruction and regeneration had taken its toll on his fortitude.


    In fact, no matter how resilient he was, Qin Yun was slowly reaching his limit. Being constantly in pain wasn''t something anyone could overcome. Even while forging his body himself, he would always use some time to regain his strength after every round of forging. Yet, this lingering lightning gave him no such respite.


    The only good thing about it was that his flesh was creeping ever closer to perfection. In fact, he was extremely close to it. He wondered if this was its intended consequence or just a stroke of luck. He couldn''t help but feel this was the heavens urging him to complete his transformation. After all, this lightning relentlessly forged his body without needing his input. It was even faster than what he could achieve with his Innate Qi.


    Qin Yun took a moment to observe the changes within his body. He calmed his mind and let go of all external stimuli, driving his consciousness deep into his flesh. His breathing followed a strange pattern, looping back on itself after a series of breaths of varying lengths. Somehow, this felt natural, as if it was meant to be. Qin Yun even started to blend into the background, as if his body was one with nature.


    His consciousness dove ever deeper, following his bloodstream to every recess of his flesh, examining the changes within. Through his inner vision, he could see arcs of electricity jump between his cells as they broke down at the DNA level before being reconstructed anew, yet slightly different.


    As for what the change was, Qin Yun couldn¡¯t tell at his current level. He would need to reach the Nascent Soul realm and gain access to his divine sense in order to probe further. For now, all he could feel was that his flesh was becoming what it was meant to be.


    While the thought of losing control over his own evolution scared him somewhat, his curiosity took over. He was intrigued to know where this would all lead.


    He followed the flow throughout his whole body, seeing all the changes happening. Yet, none were as wondrous as what was currently happening to his Qi Centre or, more precisely, his former artificial Qi Centre. It was in the process of forming a real one without even needing his input.


    Qin Yun frowned, feeling that things were happening much too quickly. Before, he had estimated that he would be ready to reach the Qi Refining realm only five years later. But now, with this speed, Qin Yun knew he could reach the apex of the Body Strengthening realm in weeks at most.


    Was this a blessing or a curse? Qin Yun couldn¡¯t tell; he could only make the most of it.


    With most of his fatigue bled off by the warm water, Qin Yun rose to find that most of his injuries had healed satisfactorily. While he wanted nothing more than to remain in this warm embrace, he knew he couldn''t. There was much that needed his attention.


    ¡°Bring me my clothes,¡± Qin Yun said through the closed door.


    The door opened, revealing a woman Qin Yun was unfamiliar with. She wore a light yellow dress, and her golden hair was tied in a bun. What struck Qin Yun was how tall she was. If anything, she seemed to be even slightly taller than Qin Yun himself, and he was taller than average.


    Despite her stature, the woman''s proportions were exquisite, making her look more than natural as if this was the way she was meant to be. While Qin Yun didn''t think much of it at first, he couldn''t shake the feeling that there was something more to it. Besides, such a tall woman wasn''t something ordinary. Qin Yun had a feeling this wasn''t their first meeting. It wasn''t until he heard her voice that he recalled where he had seen her.


    ¡°Young master¡±, she said as she bowed. ¡°These are the clothes the young lady has personally chosen for you to wear.¡±


    Her voice was free of resentment or condescension, as if her young lady had not told her of their relationship. Yet, Qin Yun knew better, as he knew who this woman was. This was Sun Yu''s maid and her cousin, the same woman Qin Yun had encountered in the market.


    Qin Yun could scarcely believe that this woman wasn¡¯t aware of what had transpired earlier. Just the fact that she was chosen to serve him made it clear she knew. Still, her gaze said it all. She couldn¡¯t care less who he was and would only do as Sun Yu had asked of her. While Qin Yun was slightly interested in the two¡¯s relationship, he had other matters to deal with first.


    ¡°Where is your mistress?¡± Qin Yun asked as she dressed himself.


    The woman''s gaze was clear and unperturbed as she looked at Qin Yun as if not even noticing his state of undress. There was not even a single ripple in her voice as she replied, "She is currently waiting for you to finish in her bedroom. She wanted me to inquire what your plans would be from now on."


    Qin Yun turned to face the woman, fixing his gaze on her. Yet, once again, he couldn''t see any fear or anger. Was she oblivious to what he had done, or was she uninterested? Qin Yun couldn''t help but be slightly interested in how she had become that way.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name,¡± he asked her.


    ¡°Young master can call me Sun Ya,¡± she replied as she bowed once again.


    Qin Yun¡¯s eyebrow rose slightly, finding something odd, yet he let it go.


    ¡°Very well, Sun Ya," he said as he finished dressing, ensuring his clothes were presentable. "Lead the way."


    ¡°Follow me,¡± she replied before turning to the door. ¡°The young lady will be overjoyed by your visit.¡±


    Qin Yun doubted it, as he had something else in mind. He was led by Sun Ya around the winding corridors of Sun Yu''s residence until he finally returned to where this all started. Sun Yu was seated on the same wooden chair she once did, awaiting Qin Yun''s entrance.


    Qin Yun scanned the room, seeing no traces of Liao Cheng. Still, he didn''t care. Whatever Liao Cheng hoped to achieve in Jin City had nothing to do with him. Qin Yun would let him be as long as he never crossed his path again.


    The room itself was in the process of repairing itself. Runes flashed as the wall shifted, recovering lost materials as if it were one giant organism healing its wounds. Qin Yun knew just how costly this type of formation was. One could count on one hand how many could afford such a thing in Jin City.


    Then, his gaze turned to Sun Yu, which made her jolt slightly. She opened her mouth to speak, yet Qin Yun cut her off.


    ¡°Take me to your father,¡± Qin Yun said in a firm tone. ¡°Let¡¯s end this, once and for all.¡±

 Chapter 59 - Unexpected Encounter

    ¡°Here we are,¡± Sun Yu said, yet Qin Yun noticed a hint of uneasiness in her voice despite trying to hide it before she added, "Are you sure you wish to see my father? Now isn''t the best time after all that happened recently. Why don''t you come back another time?"


    "And live with the thought that you all could keep interfering with my life?" Qin Yun replied, slightly exasperated. "I''d rather not. Let''s just finish this so I can return to my wife. This has taken too much of my time already. Besides, why are you trying to stall? What is it that you are trying to hide?"


    Qin Yun''s gaze pierced through her as if to uncover her secret. He noticed that his words shook her slightly, yet she remained silent, unwilling to divulge whatever was in her heart. Qin Yun shrugged and stepped beyond the threshold of two large intricate doors, knowing he would have the answer soon enough.


    Beyond was a large room adorned with countless treasures and intricate works of art. The room was splendidly decorated, displaying the Sun clan¡¯s wealth. It seemed more like the clan¡¯s treasury than anything else. Qin Yun also noticed countless dim runes blending into the structure, more likely the room¡¯s security system.


    Still, Qin Yun frowned, seeing no traces of the man within. In fact, no one was waiting beyond those doors. He turned to the woman at his side; his look was all the evidence that Sun Yu needed to know his thoughts.


    ¡°This is only the main hall,¡± Sun Yu replied. ¡°My father¡¯s chambers are further in. Follow me.¡±


    She then walked away, showing none of the reluctance she once had. It seemed she had resolved herself that this meeting was inevitable. Still, Qin Yun felt something was wrong. How could a man of the city lord''s status be willing to meet another within his private chambers, especially when there was such a splendid hall for just such an occasion?


    Furthermore, on their way here, Qin Yun noticed the uneasiness within the clan, as if a huge secret hung over them. He wondered if this had anything to do with the recent invasion of those grey creatures. In fact, Qin Yun was confident they were related.


    With a slight apprehension, Qin Yun followed after Sun Yu. They didn''t have long to walk as her father''s chambers were just behind the large throne that took most of the space at the end of the hall.


    The throne was made of gold and crystal, inlaid with precious spiritual stones. It emitted waves of pressure akin to a living being. Its majesty permeated the hall, bathing the countless marble columns that supported the ceiling in its glory.


    Qin Yun had no doubts this wasn''t something he was meant to see. In fact, he was sure this room was the eye of the city''s formation. Countless groves carved into the stone pillars directed the flow of the spiritual veins beneath the city. By harnessing their power and directing it toward the throne, one could control this colossal formation, becoming the master of Jin City.


    This was one reason why the three other great clans acknowledged the Sun clan''s supremacy over Jin City. If the city were a living being, this would be its heart, and only the city lord had the means to make it move.


    Qin Yun''s gaze would only linger a few moments on the crystal throne. While the city-wide formation intrigued him, he knew he would have no chances of probing its depths. This, after all, was the pillar supporting the Sun clan. Simply, the fact that he was allowed into this room was already momentous.


    In fact, Qin Yun could feel numerous eyes on him coming from the countless shadows present in the room. Furthermore, he could feel endless divine senses probing his depths. They didn''t even bother to hide themselves; therefore, Qin Yun didn''t either. He walked, head held high, toward the back of the room, following Sun Yu.


    And yet, once he reached the door hidden behind the throne, what he saw left him stunned. A woman he knew well waited for him. Her long black hair fell like a waterfall over her light blue dress. Her dark eyes pierced through him as if trying to uncover his secrets, yet her expression was filled with nothing but indifference. This was Qin Lihua, his grand-aunt and one of the Qin clan''s elders.


    Qin Yun''s mind raced, attempting to make sense of her presence here. Could it be she was waiting for him? Qin Yun found that ridiculous. How could she know when he had only decided to come here an hour ago? Was she acquainted with the city lord? Of that, he had no doubts. How could she not be? However, was she close enough to be allowed near the crystal throne? Qin Yun couldn''t help but wonder what their relationship was.


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    ¡°Aunt Lihua," Qin Yun said as he bowed, clasping his hand. While the clan had repudiated him, Qin Lihua was nonetheless family. Qin Yun wouldn''t be that petty. He knew all that happened stemmed from his own choices.


    Qin Lihua only gave a slight nod to Sun Yu before walking away. She didn''t even deign to address him. Qin Yun wasn''t offended; he had expected such treatment, yet he wouldn''t let her leave like that. He had many questions and sought answers.


    ¡°Should I thank you for fighting on our behalf within the clan?" Qin Yun asked while Qin Lihua was leaving, only for her to stop abruptly, her last step echoing off the room''s stone walls.


    She turned and eyed Qin Yun, showing no signs of emotions. Qin Yun did the same, waiting for her to take the first step. While this was but a guess, Qin Yun was sure she was the one who protected them from the Qin clan''s retaliation. After all, there was no one else but her.


    ¡°How would you know?¡± she finally said, only confirming Qin Yun¡¯s earlier assumptions.


    ¡°Inferred from your own words. After all, didn''t you say you were acquainted with Jingfei''s master?"


    ¡°So you were listening,¡± Qin Lihua replied, her expression softening somewhat.


    ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is why bother? This isn¡¯t like you to get involved in the clan¡¯s politics even if it concerns your friend¡¯s disciple.¡±


    ¡°I owe a favour," she replied softly, her gaze wandering slightly as if lost in memories.


    Qin Yun remained silent, waiting for her to continue, yet she didn¡¯t elaborate. Therefore, he had no choice but to ask, yet he couldn¡¯t bring himself to. After all, this was between her and his wife. But then, Qin Lihua addressed him again.


    ¡°I owed your mother, too," she said, which only made Qin Yun frown.


    Time and again, he had been jerked around by people involved with his mother. He wondered if her existence had been a boon or a curse. While he never held great interest in that woman, things were beginning to change. She had been much more involved in his life than he once thought. He would have to seek answers from her in the near future.


    ¡°Are you even?¡± Qin Yun asked, his gaze fixated on his aunt, masking the thoughts swirling in his mind.


    "Who knows? I owe her too much. I don''t know if I could ever repay her," she replied before falling silent.


    Both looked at each other. Qin Yun had never been close with any of his family except for Meihui. Yet now, it seemed there was someone who cared about him, even if only to repay a debt. This warmed his heart much more than he thought possible, considering Qin Lihua''s cold personality. It seemed not all his clan members were beyond hope.


    ¡°You¡¯ve changed,¡± Qin Lihua finally said, her gaze somewhat gentle.


    ¡°How so?¡± Qin Yun replied, frowning slightly.


    ¡°I used to think you were nothing more than a walking corpse. You never possessed any of the drive that spurs humans to survive. Yet, you hid it all behind a facade. It felt like an outsider trying to mimic others and blend in. However, your disguise felt superficial, as if you couldn''t be bothered to perfect it. Or maybe you simply wanted to be found out? Either way, your behaviour made many uneasy within the clan. At first, many thought you might have been replaced by some creatures. After all, many demons are known to possess these talents. However, your grandfather quelled those rumours down.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware...¡± Qin Yun said, his mind spinning.


    ¡°Of course. How could you when you never took an interest in others? I warned you multiple times, yet you never heeded my words. Now, look where you ended up.¡±


    Qin Yun could only sigh. Indeed, she was right. His apathy had led him to this debacle. If he had bothered to play along, none of this would have happened, yet regrets never solved anything.


    ¡°Why tell me this now?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You feel different, finally like a human being, or at least an embryo of it. I don''t know what changed you, but I''m glad you did. I can only attribute this to your encounter with Jingfei."


    Indeed, this had been the trigger. Without her existence, Qin Yun would probably have remained within the clan, testing how far he could go before they got fed up with him. Then, he would have simply left and never looked back. After all, nothing was tying him down to Jin City. Yet now, things were different. He couldn''t simply run away as he had been.


    ¡°Indeed, her existence is special.¡± Qin Yun replied absentmindedly, almost as if he was talking to himself. ¡°Not in the sense that the world considers her unique, but special only for me. After all, I chose to marry her. She is my wife.¡±


    Qin Yun could finally feel desires welling at the bottom of his heart¡ªnot superficial desires like greed or lust, but something more tangible, something more real. He finally felt eager for life, if only to be with his wife and to go through life together.


    Reaching this undeniable conclusion, Qin Yun could only laugh at himself and how stupid he had been. He knew the answer all along, yet he refused to take the first step himself, claiming he was apathetic. In fact, he might have never been. He was only lazy and too self-important to try and change himself.


    In his laziness, he had put the burden on his wife when he was the one who needed to make an effort. While this wasn¡¯t some sort of miracle solution, as he couldn¡¯t change that easily after all he had experienced, this was the push he needed. Qin Yun now knew he couldn¡¯t rely on others to cure him of his ailment. He was the only one able to do so.


    Qin Yun genuinely smiled for the first time in what seemed like forever. This wasn''t the usual smile he used to fool others, but a true smile from the bottom of his heart.


    ¡°Thank you, Aunt Lihua," Qin Yun replied after his laugh receded. "I won''t forget what you have done for me."


    Qin Yun then bowed deeply to her, leaving her quite perplexed. She hadn¡¯t expected such a quick change.


    In fact, even Sun Yu, who had witnessed this whole conversation, was bewildered. Once again, she couldn''t recognize this man. Yet, the dread she felt slowly subsided. She thought he had mellowed out somewhat, yet he now possessed a drive that was once absent. She couldn''t help but wonder how such few words could change a man that much. She also wondered if she could do the same for another man she knew.


    Qin Yun then rose, flashing Qin Lihua a smile before turning around and reaching for the door.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said to Sun Yu. ¡°I¡¯m sure your father is tired of waiting.¡±

 Chapter 60 - Hidden Intentions

    Just as Qin Yun pushed open the doors to the city lord''s chambers, he felt a suffocating pressure assault him. His eyes narrowed as he saw a middle-aged man quietly seated on an ordinary wooden chair, slowly sipping a cup of tea.


    Contrary to the imposing sight he had witnessed days prior, the man before him looked akin to a middle-aged scholar teaching the neighbourhood kids. While clean and well-adjusted, his clothes were much too ordinary compared to the splendour Qin Yun had witnessed in the throne room. If not for his aura, Qin Yun could have believed this man to be a mortal.


    Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but gulp nervously as he entered the room. After all, the man before him was the strongest being found within Jin City. His presence alone could crush Qin Yun where he stood.


    The room was filled to the brim with thick, pure Qi, constantly revolving around the man. Qin Yun could feel the world''s natural laws bend and weave whenever the man drew breath. Furthermore, he could see a thin golden film shimmer around the man''s body, pulsing with power. This was this man''s domain, constantly protecting his body from any foreign substance.


    Yet, despite the depths of this man''s cultivation, Qin Yun couldn''t help but feel his vitality was lacking. In fact, the man''s face was much paler than Qin Yun anticipated. While the Qi permeating the room was abundant, he still felt it was lacking. After all, if not for the domain enveloping him, Qin Yun would think this man was in the Nascent Soul realm at best. Something was wrong.


    ¡°Greetings to the city lord," Qin Yun said as he bowed deeply. While he rarely showed such respect, Qin Yun knew this man deserved it. After all, not many cultivators could reach the Soul Formation realm at such a young age.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you,¡± the man replied, yet his voice was much weaker than Qin Yun expected. ¡°Since you are acquainted with my daughter, you can call me Sun Yang.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Qin Yun replied, bowing even deeper, yet Sun Yang only waved his sleeve.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to express what you don¡¯t mean.¡±


    Hearing this, Qin Yun''s slightly flustered expression returned to a deep calm. This man before him was much more challenging to deal with, and playing games here would be pointless. Qin Yun could only be straightforward.


    "Then you should know why I am here," Qin Yun replied as he took a seat facing Sun Yang after being invited while Sun Yu sat behind her father. Her expression was complicated, ranging from shame to concern. Obviously, Qin Yun wouldn''t believe this concern was aimed at himself. "I don¡¯t care what your son-in-law is up to, but I want no part of it.¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me to control him?" Sun Yang asked but then shook his head. "You have something he wants. This alone will make you his enemy."


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ve been lenient for long enough. If you won¡¯t stop him, then I will.¡±


    ¡°Is that a threat, young man?¡± Sun Yang¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly.


    The golden film enveloping Sun Yang''s body grew larger, propagating to the edge of the room and passing through Qin Yun. Qin Yun felt as if he had entered another dimension where Sun Yang was king. Anything within this realm was within his grasp, even Qin Yun''s life and death.


    This was the reason for the massive gap between the Nascent Soul and Soul Formation realm. Within their own domains, cultivators were invincible. Only an equal or stronger domain could fight against one. As such, Qin Yun had no hope of resisting, yet his calm and peaceful demeanour didn''t change. He only took the tea he was offered and slowly sipped on it, which couldn¡¯t help but make Sun Yang smile.


    ¡°You are only the second young man to not be overwhelmed by my domain,¡± he said, slightly amused.


    ¡°I would assume Liao Cheng to be the first,¡± Qin Yun replied as he put down his cup.


    In the back, Sun Yu felt slightly suffocated by this confrontation. While she was used to her father being domineering, she hadn¡¯t expected the events to turn this way. It seemed her father had taken an interest in Qin Yun and wished to test him.


    Qin Yun, too, concluded the same. Still, this was within what he expected. After all, the old generation rarely bothered to take action against their junior¡ªunless they were part of the Ma clan. Obviously, the city lord was no exception. He knew full well what would happen to his reputation if he were to act personally against someone like Qin Yun. Therefore, Qin Yun chose to exploit this.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    "Is your favour toward Liao Cheng related to his origins, or are you simply a doting father?" Qin Yun asked, probing the man''s reaction. Hearing those words, Sun Yu stiffened, fearing her father would feel insulted, yet the man laughed instead, making her slightly dumbfounded. Even Qin Yun couldn''t help but be surprised.


    ¡°Lihua did tell me that you were audacious, yet even she underestimated you,¡± Sun Yang replied. ¡°Careful, young man. Not many are as understanding as I am. Someday, you might offend someone you shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I don''t go out of my way to offend people," Qin Yun replied, shrugging slightly. "I just have too many things people want from me."


    Then, Qin Yun retrieved his black crystal sword from his storage and showed it to Sun Yang. As expected, Qin Yun saw a hint of greed on the man''s face, which turned into surprise. Then, he frowned deeply. Qin Yun couldn''t help but smile.


    "I can''t hide anything from you, it seems," Qin Yun said before taking another sip of tea and placing the sword on the table between them.


    Sun Yang carefully tried to pick up the weapon, yet it proved much too heavy to do so casually. He could only utilize the full strength of his domain to aid him in this endeavour, yet this was barely enough for him to hold it with two hands. As for swinging it, Sun Yang couldn''t even conceive such a thing.


    "What an unwieldy weapon," Sun Yang muttered before placing it back on the table. Yet, he couldn''t help but frown as he did so. After all, even if he could barely hold it, how could this ordinary wooden table hold its weight? He tried to probe the inside of the weapon''s crystal structure using his domain, yet he felt a strong sense of rejection.


    The deeper he probed, the stronger the rejection became until he could finally no longer sustain it. The black crystal repelled the invader, flinging the domain outward. While this rejection wouldn¡¯t be enough to injure someone of Sun Yang¡¯s calibre, it nevertheless left him stunned and bewildered. He remained silent for a while, observing the peculiar object.


    ¡°It¡¯s no wonder the heavens would reject its existence,¡± he finally said. ¡°After all, how could it tolerate this foreign entity? Yet, what puzzles me even more is you.¡± Sun Yang raised his gaze toward Qin Yun. ¡°Lian Qian did tell me of your relationship, yet I was reluctant to believe it.¡±


    ¡°What made you change your mind?¡± Qin Yun replied, his gaze calm and peaceful despite what he knew would be coming.


    ¡°How can I not when you showed me a thing that shouldn''t exist?" he sighed, but his breath turned to a cough.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but frown as he looked at the man who was supposed to be a god among men, coughing as if he were but a mortal. Sun Yang''s complexion became as white as a sheet, and his lips turned bluish. The radiant film around his body dimmed slightly before flickering each time he coughed.


    After more than a minute of unending coughs, calm finally returned as Sun Yu brought a handkerchief for her father to wipe the slight traces of blood that had pooled at the corner of his mouth. Qin Yun could see the worry on Sun Yu''s face, yet her father seemed unaffected, as if he already knew his condition and had already accepted its outcome. Qin Yun, too, had an inkling of what had happened.


    ¡°So you were corrupted, after all,¡± Qin Yun said, showing some compassion for the man¡¯s situation. After all, the advent of those creatures in this world was tied to him, whether he wanted it or not.


    ¡°You realized?" Sun Yang replied, smiling helplessly. "This is one of the reasons I agreed to this meeting."


    ¡°Let me stop you right there. There is only one thing that can completely cure you of their corruption," Qin Yun replied, pointing upwards.


    ¡°I suspected as much,¡± the city lord replied, shaking his head. ¡°However, one cannot force the heavens to do anything.¡±


    ¡°You''re lucky that you have reached the Soul Formation realm; otherwise, you would be doomed," Qin Yun said after a moment of silence.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Sun Yang replied.


    Seated next to her father, Sun Yu couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What do you mean? Is my father going to be okay? Ever since he was attacked by those things, his condition only became worse!¡±


    "He''ll be fine," Qin Yun replied dryly. "It might take him a long time, but he''ll get through it. After all, domains are granted by understanding the heavens. As such, they possess a sliver of its power. He can slowly force out the corruption by infusing his domain into his body. However, such a process will be lengthy and difficult. He can only persevere through it. I imagine the other five are going through the same thing as we speak."


    ¡°Their conditions are much less severe than mine,¡± Sun Yang said.


    ¡°That would explain the uneasy atmosphere I felt within your clan. I expect some are eager to take advantage of your moment of weakness. Is that why you let Liao Cheng do as he pleases?¡±


    Sun Yang smiled, giving confirmation to Qin Yun''s assumptions. While Qin Yun wasn''t aware of the details, he knew Liao Cheng wasn''t as simple as he seemed. His earlier display of devouring those crystals with his vortex explained much of Qin Yun''s suspicions. Those mysterious disappearances all over Jin City were most definitely related to him. Either directly or not.


    Qin Yun doubted that the city lord was unaware of such a connection. Yet, this begged the question: why would he let him do so for so long if he knew? After all, the city lord''s job was to ensure that peace reigned within the city. Liao Cheng should have been dealt with as an unstable factor long ago, yet Sun Yang seemed to embrace his existence.


    The most reasonable conclusion was that the two had reached an agreement. As for the terms, Qin Yun couldn''t help but think this had something to do with Paradise. After all, what else would a Soul Formation cultivator want other than furthering his own cultivation? Paradise would precisely offer that opportunity.


    ¡°Going back to the matter at hand, what do you want from me, and what can you offer in return?" Sun Yang asked sternly.


    Qin Yun could feel the room''s atmosphere drop a few degrees as a slight pressure hung over him. While his counterpart was injured, he knew he had no means to fight back if the city lord wished to harm him. Still, Qin Yun remained calm and composed, as if the situation had always been in his hands.


    "There''s no need for all that coercion," Qin Yun replied, hiding his uneasiness behind a slight smile. "I want the same thing I offered Liao Cheng. To be left alone. I have no interest in what happens within this city, yet people cannot help but involve me against my will. To be truthful, this is nothing but a bother.


    ¡°And what can you offer me in return?¡± Sun Yang asked, a slight glint in his eyes.


    ¡°The same thing I offered Liao Cheng, yet he refused me. The key to Paradise."


    ¡°The girl, you mean? You know where she is?¡±


    ¡°Don''t play dumb," Qin Yun scoffed. "We both know you were always aware of her location. After all, how could she hide from the city''s main formation? In this city, no one can hide from your eyes. No, you never sought her out because you knew it was useless to do so. After all, you knew the girl could only open the door to Paradise, not lead you to it. What I propose is the means to know its location."


    Sun Yu gasped; she had been unaware of this information. However, her father showed a satisfied smile.

 Chapter 61 - A Pact Sealed

    Silence reigned as the two men stared at each other. While based on logic, what Qin Yun had asserted was only his own conjecture. Whether or not Sun Yang truly knew where Feng Xia was located, yet never told his daughter, was unclear. In fact, this seemed almost like a gamble.


    Qin Yun could only rely on the fact that most people couldn''t resist the allure of Paradise. He hoped to bring that man to his side through this exchange. He only brought this up because Qin Yun wasn''t concerned about being betrayed by this man.


    After all, Sun Yang''s reputation as the city lord preceded him. For decades, he had presided over the balance between the various factions of this divided city. He knew trust and integrity were the major factors attributed to his stable rule. More than that, Qin Yun trusted Qin Lihua''s judgment. Among all those of his former family, Qin Yun trusted Qin Lihua only slightly less than Qin Meihui. Her appearance within the preceding hall spoke volumes of their relationship.


    ¡°You would give away Paradise¡¯s location?¡± Sun Yang asked, slightly unconvinced. ¡°Have you never thought of keeping it to yourself?¡±


    ¡°What for?¡± Qin Yun shrugged. ¡°For the treasures within? The cultivation resources? The way to immortality? Why would I want to take the easy way out? Isn¡¯t cultivation supposed to be a way to elevate man to become immortal and eternal? How can one achieve such a thing through shortcuts?¡±


    Qin Yun''s words resonated through the room and in Sun Yu''s heart. Liao Cheng had told her tales of what could be achieved when they set foot into Paradise, the wonders within, and the opportunity waiting for them. But now? Qin Yun''s words made her feel as if it was all an illusion, a beautiful dream without substance. Qin Yun had made her heart waver in her quest for Paradise.


    Sun Yang began to ponder his words, yet his slight smile didn''t leave his lips. If anything, it only grew larger. Qin Yun felt something was behind that smile, yet he had more to say.


    ¡°While Paradise could grant me an enormous amount of instantaneous strength, even if it could make me an immortal, what would be the point? How could such hollow strength be worth anything? Besides, did anyone ever state that immortality was the end of the path? How could you go any further without the foundation built through relentless hard work and enlightenment?¡±


    Qin Yun paused momentarily, letting his words entrench themselves deep inside their psyche, only to further add, "Worst of all, this would go against my Dao. I believe no tower¡ªno matter how miraculous¡ªcan reach the heavens without the intent of stacking stones, perfecting each one as they are laid down. To go against this would be my end as a cultivator. Honestly, I¡¯d rather die than discard this path. This has fuelled me for the last fifteen years of my life.¡±


    Sun Yang remained silent, digesting his words, while Qin Yun slowly sipped on his cup of tea, awaiting the man''s verdict. Would he renounce his quest for Paradise, or would he nonetheless seek it? While Qin Yun would be fine with either, helping them reach Paradise was a hassle he didn''t wish to deal with. There were too many things requiring his attention.


    ¡°Interesting philosophy," Sun Yang finally replied. "Not many youths today understand the value of a solid foundation. Although, I believe you might have taken it to quite an extreme. Not many would choose to linger in the Body Strengthening realm for so long."


    While Qin Yun was slightly surprised, it wasn''t unexpected for someone of Sun Yang''s calibre to understand what he wished to achieve. Even then, his recent exploits had shed some light on the path he chose to tread and just as many questions. After all, not many could conceive of such a thing as talent usually equalled cultivation speed and not much else; depth was barely ever considered.


    ¡°But,¡± Sun Yang added, ¡°to say you don¡¯t have any interest in that place... I¡¯m not sure I can believe that. After all, who can say they are free from temptation?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn''t say that," Qin Yun replied. "I do hold an interest, but only on an intellectual level. After all, how many thousands of years has it been since anyone has reached Paradise? The mysteries hidden within are enough to boggle the mind. After all, a dimension that constantly shifts its location is amazing enough on its own. Simply being able to research the principle behind its existence would be priceless. I''m sure someone whose domain is closely related to space and time would kill to unravel its mysteries. The treasures within are simply trash compared to that."


    "It seems we agree on that point," Sun Yang replied with a smile. "Besides, reaching Paradise is only the first hurdle to overcome. After all, who can say what dangers lie in such a place."


    Qin Yun didn''t reply, yet his expression evoked much more than mere words could convey. Sun Yu watched the back and forth in silence; she hadn''t expected her father to be so forthright with a man so many years his junior. Even when he convened with others of his generation, he wasn''t so straightforward. It seemed she would have to pay even more attention to Qin Yun''s actions from now on, even more than she already did.


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    "What are your upcoming plans?" Sun Yang asked, taking Qin Yun by surprise. After all, he had only a vague outline of what was coming. Besides, whenever he made plans, something unexpected would always derail them.


    "Just a short and long-term goal with not much in the middle," Qin Yun replied honestly. Trying to swindle this old man would only be reckless.


    "I assume that your long-term one pertains to those grey creatures?"


    "Indeed." Qin Yun said grimly. "No matter how much I want to, this isn''t something I can ignore. As you might have realized, I seem somehow linked with them. This isn''t something I can avoid forever. The only upside is that we seem to have time on our side unless something unexpected happens."


    Sun Yang seemed to have many questions, yet he didn''t voice them as he knew Qin Yun wouldn''t give him a straight answer. With his thoughts in order and his mind made up, Sun Yang rose from his seat. Despite his haggard countenance, he seemed like a lighthouse in the mist, casting his light in the distance, showing wayward ships the way, a beacon of hope in the darkness.


    Still, Qin Yun knew better than to believe that first impression. After all, no one could become the leader of this kind of city without dirtying his hands. The fact that Sun Yang had no intentions of stopping Liao Cheng in whatever he sought to accomplish spoke volumes of the depths of his thoughts.


    Honestly, Qin Yun couldn''t help but pity Liao Cheng at this moment. With such a man as his opponent, Liao Cheng''s chances of achieving whatever he set out to do would only depend on Sun Yang''s thoughts. Unless... Liao Cheng also hid his depths. This wouldn''t surprise Qin Yun as Liao Cheng''s background was much more profound than he first anticipated. Whoever emerged victorious would shape this city for decades to come.


    However, that would only hold true if both men were to face each other. If they were to team up... Such thoughts scared Qin Yun somewhat. Still, he put it out of his mind as it had nothing to do with him. He would be gone long before the situation would reach such an extreme.


    As Qin Yun was deep in thought, Sun Yang extended his hand toward him, a dim rune of light appearing in his palm. Unlike runes formed by rune masters, this rune was summoned through Sun Yang''s domain. Then, with a flick of his finger, this rune flew forward before crashing onto Qin Yun, lodging itself within his chest.


    Its light disappeared into his flesh, yet Qin Yun could feel its heat inside his chest as if he had gained a second heart. Still, Qin Yun knew better than to rejoice.


    ¡°A little insurance,¡± Sun Yang said as he showed Qin Yun the door. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want something untoward to happen to you before you fulfill what you have promised me.¡±


    Qin Yun frowned, yet he remained silent. Of course, he knew full well what the man tried to imply. This was a gift, as well as a shackle. While the mysteries and energy contained within this rune could help him forge his body, this was also a piece of Sun Yang''s domain, through which he could easily determine Qin Yun''s location.


    ¡°I look forward to our next meeting," Sun Yang said. "Ask my daughter if you need anything, but don''t make me wait too long. I may be patient, but even I have my limits."


    Qin Yun¡¯s gaze lingered on the man for a bit longer, but then he rose and left, not uttering a single word.


    ******


    ¡°I must say, I wasn''t expecting this to be the face behind the mask," Lian Huiling said in a playful tone.


    She was seated outside, in the shade of a small pavilion, at a mahogany table, slowly sipping her tea. Next to her was a young girl in an orange dress, cheerfully munching on some small cake. Somehow, this couldn''t help but remind Lian Huiling of a vibrant bird taking small bites with its beak.


    A short distance away, another woman in a deep blue dress was practicing her swordsmanship even under the blazing sun. Beads of sweat covered her perfect skin as they reflected the sun''s light into colourful arcs. Her long black hair was held in a ponytail. Yet, it fluttered in the air as her blade ripped space apart with every swing of her hand.


    The longer this dance continued, its pace quickened, and her movement grew even fiercer. Lian Huiling could swear she could see the ethereal avatar of a fierce deity behind her back. Not receiving a response, Lian Huiling tried another approach.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry if I were you. Qin Yun is as resilient as a cockroach. It would take much more than that to bring him down.¡±


    Suddenly, Yun Jingfei''s blade fell downward, stopping right before it reached the stone floor. Yet, the wind produced by this strike scattered outward, slicing every leaf in a three-meter radius from her body. While crude, Yun Jingfei had reached the starting point of sword intent. However, using it intentionally was still far from her. All of this was born of instinct.


    "I''m not worried about him," Yun Jingfei said, taking a slight breather to regain her breath. "I''m just like you... frustrated by my own deficiencies. However, unlike you, I don''t have time to brood around."


    She then began her practice anew, leaving Lian Huiling with a bitter expression.


    ¡°Can you not cut so deeply? That hurts, you know?¡±


    ¡°As it should,¡± Yun Jingfei replied without ever stopping. ¡°Only pain can motivate you to strive to improve yourself. I learned this the hard way.¡±


    ¡°I heard,¡± Lian Huiling replied, somewhat dismissively. ¡°As I recall, you used to be a genius. It seems not much has changed.¡±


    Yun Jingfei stopped abruptly, then turned to face her, her expression somewhat grave.


    "I once believed that cultivation was the only thing that mattered, that my talent was the reason everyone I knew held me in high regard, and I was proven right. Yet, only by losing it all did I realize it was that way, only because I had made it so. It might not have led to this if I sought anything other than reaching the peak. If I stayed as I was, we wouldn''t be having this conversation. After all, I used to think relationships were a waste of time."


    ¡°I guess we have Qin Yun to thank for that. After all, after these few days, I quite enjoyed your company.¡±


    Yun Jingfei didn''t reply, yet a slight smile could be seen at the corner of her lips. However, it turned to a frown when she saw a small token in Lian Huiling''s hand light up.


    ¡°Are they finally here?¡± Yun Jingfei asked, a slight trace of murderous intent in her eyes.


    ¡°Indeed. Our guests have finally arrived," Lian Huiling replied with a slightly devious smile.

 Chapter 62 - Battle in the Mist

    ¡°Are you sure the target is in there?¡±


    Five men wearing black clothes and masks, hiding their features, were quietly hidden within the vegetation near Qin Yun''s residence, observing the situation. One of them was perched on a tree overlooking the compound. Using his qi, the man relayed his words so that only his companions could hear them.


    "Affirmative! The target is confirmed." the man said as he rushed down the tree, making sure to erase any traces of his presence. In fact, none of the branches even wavered the slightest bit despite his passage. "It''s a match with the description we''ve been given."


    ¡°Did you double check?¡± a large man one and a half times the other¡¯s size asked. ¡°The client won¡¯t accept any mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Positive, boss. I¡¯d recognize that orange dress anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Good. Prepare yourselves. We¡¯ll enact the plan at sundown.¡±


    Three of them nodded in silence, yet the man who had been on a tree couldn''t help but ask a question.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we act during the night?¡±


    The large man sighed.


    "In normal circumstances, I would agree, yet the client left rigorous instructions. Apparently, the target is able to use some kind of multicoloured light. Acting during the night would only offer a beacon attracting attention to the operation. Enough with the questions. To your positions and lay low. We act at my signal."


    The men nodded once again, then scattered around the hill''s peak, awaiting the sun''s descent.


    ******


    "They sure are taking their time," Lian Huiling said, still sipping her tea.


    Next to her, Yun Jingfei couldn¡¯t help but frown, while Feng Xia seemed a little nervous. Yun Jingfei gently patted her head, blowing away any tensions Feng Xia may have felt. Sometimes, Yun Jingfei couldn''t help but think she was taking care of a small pet.


    ¡°Are you sure this isn¡¯t a false positive?¡± Yun Jingfei asked.


    ¡°Hey! Do you think so little of me that I''d make such a rookie mistake?" Lian Huiling scoffed, showing a very obvious displeased expression. "They''re here alright. Don''t look down on them. They are professional, after all. If I had to guess, I''d say the weakest of them should be at the Void Core realm, while the strongest may have reached the Golden Core."


    Yun Jingfei''s frown only deepened, and her murderous intent propagated outward, bathing their small courtyard in a scent of slaughter. Her killing intent was so thick that Lian Huiling could smell an odour of blood waft in the air as if they were standing on a mountain of corpses. She couldn''t help but be taken aback by how real it all felt. By her side, Feng Xia couldn''t help but tremble as she looked at Yun Jingfei''s expressionless visage as if she were the reaper itself.


    ¡°Calm yourself, will you?¡± Lian Huiling sighed after expunging the dread that had mounted in her heart. ¡°Leave some of that for when they truly arrive.¡±


    Yun Jingfei looked at the woman dressed in green and gold before sighing deeply, retracting her killing intent. Yet, her grim expression remained.


    ¡°When do you think they¡¯ll take action?¡± Yun Jingfei asked.


    As she had been raised in a sect, sheltered by her master from such mortal occurrences, Yun Jingfei was unaccustomed to the machinations of politics. While she was a fast learner, this was the first time she had been targeted by assassins. As such, she could only rely on the experience of others.


    ¡°If I had to guess, they''ll strike either when the sun goes down or deep into the night. Which of the two will depend on the information they gathered about us."


    Yun Jingfei nodded. While she had no interest in deception and subterfuge, when it came to talent for battle, few could match her. She knew full well when the most opportune time to strike would be; the rest would only depend on if their opponent proved worthy.


    With nothing to do but wait, Lian Huiling raised her hand, motioning for a maidservant standing in the corner to refill their cup and bring a plate of cookies. Feng Xia''s smile became more radiant at the sight and then began munching again on the small dessert, yet there was a glint of anticipation in her eyes.


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    Yun Jingfei didn''t miss it, yet she ignored it. She eagerly awaited what was to come. Those who thought of them as easy marks since her husband was absent would come to regret it. Then, she, too, took a cookie, breaking it with her teeth as if it were the heads of her enemies. Lian Huiling couldn''t help but shake her head and silently sipped her new cup of warm tea.


    ******


    With the sun almost hidden beneath the horizon, the sky was dyed red, reflected on the numerous clouds blocking the sky. A slight drizzle began falling, moistening the soil of this forest. With the appointed time upon them, the large man clapped his hands and injected his qi within the resulting wave, sending a high-frequency sound wave outward that only his companions could recognize.


    As if in unison, the five men rushed out of the forest, blending themselves into the encroaching darkness of night. Their steps made no sounds as they rushed through the densely packed forest full of brittle branches and dried leaves.


    Less than five seconds later, they each arrived at their own infiltration point, then scaled over the wall separating the outside world from the residence in a single step. But, even then, they didn¡¯t even leave a single footprint on the fresh and soft forest floor.


    With expert movements, they blended from shadow to shadow, peering through every window in search of their prey. However, their search proved futile. They combed the rooms one by one, yet no signs of life could be discovered. Eventually, the search went on for so long that night had fallen on the land. Surprisingly, despite the incoming darkness, not a single sign of light could be seen within the residence.


    The large man frowned, thinking whether the target had seen them coming and chose to flee. Still, he rejected the idea as they kept a watchful eye on all sides of the residence. They would have seen anyone if they were to leave, yet they saw no such thing. They were bound to be within.


    Then, as the five men regrouped within the centre of the compound to share their discovery, countless torches lit up simultaneously, revealing the three women looking down on them from the roof of the main building.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Lian Huiling said with a smirk. ¡°I was getting tired of waiting.¡±


    The men were stunned into silence; they couldn''t conceive of being ambushed. Still, their reaction was quick, if almost rehearsed. They let their instincts and experience take over, and they scattered in all directions, wishing to blend back into the night. While they wouldn''t abandon this contract, they weren''t foolhardy enough to strike head-on against prepared opponents.


    However, as they repositioned themselves, the man in black came across a shimmering boundary that separated them from the outside world. The large man who seemed to be their leader poured qi into his fist before his muscles bulged, becoming twice their size. A dark brown yet ethereal lotus outline appeared above his head, slowly rotating as he dug his feet into the stone floor before striking with his fist.


    His knuckles collided with the shimmering barrier, yet all it created were waves propagating on its surface as it dispersed the impact outward. For a split second, the man seemed to have noticed dimly glowing lines appear on the floor, yet they were much too fleeting for him to seek their origins.


    He turned and sought to warn his men, yet the sight behind his back left him stunned. A thick purple mist enveloped all of the ground within this bubble, cutting all visibility. Fortunately, the man could still rely on his affinity with his spiritual roots to determine his surroundings.


    The brown lotus above his head became ever more tangible, creating pulses of qi that travelled through his body before propagating outward within the ground as if a sonar. Then, as the man felt the rebound of those waves on his feet, he could determine his men''s whereabouts with extreme precision without using his sight.


    Still, the man felt something unusual return to him, yet he couldn''t place the feeling he had. To be safe, he poured a massive amount of qi into his arms, hardening them as if they were made of stone before raising them before his face. This instinctual action would prove to save his life.


    A blade emerged from the purple mist, striking against his qi-laced arms, leaving a shallow groove. The man''s skin collapsed slightly as if they had been hit with a metal rod, yet no blood had been drawn. The man recoiled back from the impact, gliding along the ground until his back collided against the light barrier blocking his path.


    From the purple mist emerged a woman in a blue dress, her dark hair fluttering in the night breeze. Her eyes were cold, colder than the moon''s surface. Yet, just as the moon reflected the sun''s light, they too shone with light, the light of murder. Indeed, her killing intent seemed thick enough to be tangible. So dense that the man could even suffocate on it. Even as an experienced killer, the man had rarely seen someone so intimate with death. He couldn''t help but wonder how many she had killed.


    "Who''s your client?" Yun Jingfei asked, her voice cold and calm, akin to a frozen lake in winter. "I might be inclined to give you a painless death for your honesty."


    Hearing her words, the man felt a shiver down his back. His hands trembled unconsciously while cold sweat poured down his neck. While he was deeply intimate with death, none seemed as real as the woman before him. He felt an irrational conviction that this woman could follow through on her promise.


    The man gritted his teeth momentarily before letting out a howl purely meant to regain his composure. His short fingernails dug into his large palm strongly enough to cut the skin and draw blood. The red liquid cut through the purple mist as it fell to the cold stone ground.


    Only then, as he heard the sound of his dripping blood, did he see the dim pulsating line on the ground hidden by the mist. They all converged towards the centre of the courtyard. A small flame of hope arose in his heart as his courage bloomed again.


    He rushed toward the woman, striking the flat of her sword with his knuckles while parrying the edge with the back of his forearms, letting it glide along its hard surface as if it were made of stone.


    Sparks scattered in the wind as the metal collided with the man''s arms, yet the edge could only leave a scrap upon its surface. Yun Jingfei frowned, yet she remained patient, slowly chipping away at the man''s qi with every strike. She knew the longer the battle lasted, the softer those arms would become as they lost the qi within. Her eyes were those of a predator slowly cornering its prey, waiting for the perfect time for a final strike when she would reap its life.


    The man knew a fight of attrition would only lead to his doom; as such, he recklessly dove in, trying to bridge the gap within them. As long as he was close enough, he knew she couldn''t produce the force needed to break his defence.


    Yun Jingfei frowned slightly but then smirked. She remembered Qin Yun''s lesson on this subject. She shouldn''t retreat but, in fact, dive forward herself, using her opponent''s momentum against him.


    Her blade collided with the man''s arms, yet the man''s charge was transferred to this collision. As such, the force was close to double what it was earlier. The man muffled a cry of pain as the blade dug halfway into his arm, yet he gritted his teeth and counterattacked, striking Yun Jingfei in her core.


    The blow came so swiftly that she couldn¡¯t avoid it; she could only retract her blade from her opponent¡¯s flesh to lessen the blow. She flew backwards, disappearing within the purple mist.


    With blood dripping from his arm, the man rushed along the dim lines on the ground, toward their origin, only to come across the torches he had noticed earlier, standing upright into the ground. Revelation flashed into his mind as he now knew the reason for their existence.


    ¡°Men!¡± the large man yelled. ¡°Follow the lines on the ground and regroup here! This is the formation¡¯s eye! As long as we destroy it, victory is ours!¡±

 Chapter 63 - Deadly Combination

    ¡°As long as we destroy it, victory is ours!¡±


    This cry was heard in the distance. Somehow, it seemed to originate from much too far away compared to the distance that truly separated them. Countless lines of light pulsed along the ground, joining dim runes inlaid among the stone tiles, just out of reach on the other side of the flickering barrier that separated them from the outside world.


    Hearing their boss''s order, the four masked individuals wished to rush to his position, yet a small woman in an orange dress barred their path. Each time they ran past her, they encountered a strange multicoloured light. Then, they changed course, only to collide with their own allies.


    Sometimes, one would use the other threes as decoys, plunging into the purple mist only to emerge to the same sight as before, as if space folded onto itself, trapping them in a revolving prison.


    "Let''s take her down!" one intruder shouted, spurring his companion forward as he charged toward Feng Xia. "The client only wished for her to be alive; they didn''t specify they needed her to have all her limbs intact."


    Feng Xia frowned as she watched the remaining three rush toward her, weapon in hand. Even with her miraculous light, facing four individuals in the Void Core realm would strain her qi reserves. Fortunately, she wasn''t alone.


    Blades of wind emerged from the purple mist, aimed at the two rushing on Feng Xia''s left. Although the wind was sharp and deadly, the two masked men reacted fast enough to evade. Yet somehow, a limb was severed, and blood rained from the wound.


    A man clutched the open gash, somehow trying to staunch the bleeding, all the while screaming his pain. His voice echoed in the night air, creating a nightmarish rendition of this symphony of bloodshed and strife.


    "It''s just an arm," Lian Huiling said as she emerged from the violet mist. A purple lotus quickly rotated above her head, spewing its spores into the surroundings.


    Her green dress was striking against the purple background, while the silver fan in her hands was slowly waved back and forth, creating a slow wind that dispersed the fog hovering near her visage, making her features clear for the intruders to see. Even while masked, Lian Huiling could see many emotions in their eyes, ranging from frustration to fear. Somehow, she couldn''t help but show a content smile, which only made the masked assassins shudder.


    Still, their consternation wouldn¡¯t hold them back for long. In fact, one of them grinned and struck back just as soon as the opportunity presented itself. From the recesses of his sleeves emerged metal darts, and with but a flick of his fingers, they were thrust through space, slicing through the air, aimed straight at Lian Huiling''s throat and heart.


    The man couldn''t help but sneer at his opponent''s stupidity. Why did she emerge from the mist when she could have simply remained hidden? She only made herself a target. He didn''t believe this woman possessed something as mystical as that girl in the orange dress. Unfortunately, reality would prove otherwise.


    Lian Huiling made no indications of dodging. Furthermore, her expression didn''t waver in the slightest, as if those darts aimed at her vitals were inconsequential. In fact, that was all they were. Those metal darts had been thrown with the expert marksmanship of someone who had spent his whole life doing so, and, as such, their aim was true.


    They collided with Lian Huiling''s body, yet, unlike what the man had expected, they didn''t rip through her perfect skin but only passed through harmlessly. In fact, all the man saw was a slight purple shimmer at the point of impact before the metal object disappeared into the mist. A second later, a sound came back to them: the sound of metal hitting the barrier imprisoning them.


    ¡°You''ll have to do better than that," Lian Huiling said with derision. Yet, the voice didn''t seem to come from the body they could see but from behind them.


    As they turned their eyes toward its origin, another Lian Huiling emerged from Feng Xia''s right. Both women looked at each other, nodding slightly and then showed a radiant smile. The bird in the form of a young girl seemed confused for a moment before realization came to her. In fact, to not reveal her hand before their enemies were too deep to escape, Lian Huiling hadn''t shared the intricacies of what her spiritual roots could achieve. Still, seeing two Lian Huiling was enough for Feng Xia to infer a few things.


    ¡°It¡¯s just an illusion,¡± one of the men said, yet his voice was far from calm. ¡°They¡¯re not real! Don¡¯t be fooled; she must still be hidden with the mist.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± both Lian Huilings said in unison, hiding their derisive smiles behind their silver fans. ¡°Do you believe that enough to wage your life on it?¡±


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    Then, as if synchronized, both waved their fans, creating countless blades of wind from their edges. The wind cut through the purple mist, displacing it as they barrelled toward where the intruders were.


    "Ignore it," the same man said as he propagated his qi outward to pierce through the purple veil. "I don''t sense any qi within; they must be illusions. This is just a distraction for us to let down our guard and attack us from the mist!"


    Nodding, the remaining men thought the same and used their own qis to prob the purple mist, trying to find the real Lian Huiling''s location. Unfortunately, they would have to pay dearly for such hasty conclusions.


    While most were busy probing the mist, a single man of the quartet felt dread rise in his heart. As such, he didn''t devote himself entirely to the task and sought to block the incoming wind blades. This decision would prove to save his life.


    He used his qi to erect a barrier around him, blocking most of the rampaging wind crashing into it. However, due to the hasty nature of this barrier, the man still felt most of the impact upon his body. Nevertheless, even as blood fell from the wounds where the wind had ripped his skin, the man remained alive and breathing. The same couldn''t be said for all his companions.


    Thinking his reasoning to be infallible, another man dismissed the blades of wind aimed at him. However, as they collided with his body, he couldn¡¯t help but feel the sharp breeze containing a massive amount of qi that ripped into his being, invading organs through his wounds and wreaking havoc on his insides. The wind was like a poison, destroying everything it touched until nothing remained. Only a scream of agony escaped his lips until his breath of life ceased altogether to the consternation of his companions.


    ¡°How?!¡± one of them cried in frustration. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! How could an illusion possibly confuse our qi perception?¡±


    ¡°Denying reality won¡¯t get you anywhere,¡± the two Lian Huiling say simultaneously. ¡°You can only blame your own ignorance.¡±


    In the distance, hidden by the mist, countless sounds of metal clashing against hard stones could be heard. The battle between Yun Jingfei and the intruder''s leader had resumed. While these men wished nothing more than to heed his orders and help him overcome this formation, they had more pressing concerns. The two women before them were much more than they first appeared. However, not all hope was lost.


    "Maintaining this illusion must be taxing on her qi reserves," one of the more cool-headed invaders said. "I don''t believe she can maintain this scale for long, even with the help of this formation. We only need to hold out until she runs out of qi, and we''ll win."


    Lian Huiling¡¯s eyes narrowed only for a brief moment before returning to normal.


    "A praise-worthy analysis," she replied sincerely. "I would expect nothing less from professionals. Coldly abandoning your leader isn''t something one sees every day."


    She hid her smile behind her fan, yet she couldn''t hide the derision in her words. More importantly, she had no intention to.


    ¡°While I must admit our leader¡¯s opponent seems strong, unless they have reached the Golden Core realm, there¡¯s no way they can be a match for him. You better pray their corpse is still intact after he is done with them.¡±


    The intruders'' expressions were laced with malice. They were fully confident of their leader''s victory. Such confidence gave Lian Huiling a slight sense of unease. She had wished to grind them out slowly until they collapsed, but now she had to reevaluate her plans.


    ¡°If that''s the case, it''s time for plan B," she said, throwing Feng Xia a look from behind her fan.


    Lian Huiling waved their fan from both sides of the trio, creating even more blades of wind headed for them. However, this time, these intruders had lost all their non-nonchalance; they would meet the incoming dangers with all the strength they could muster.


    One retrieved an artifact from his storage ring that resembled a turtle shell. It expanded to envelop all three of them, shielding them from the deadly winds. Despite their sharpness, those wind blades only left shallow marks upon its surface before dissipating. However, as soon as they appeared, these marks would fade as the men poured their qi into the artifact, repairing it faster than Lian Huiling could damage it.


    Although her fan was of a higher grade, she had to use too much qi to sustain the purple mist to effectively utilize it. She could barely use half of her fan''s power at best, far from enough to overcome that turtle shell artifact.


    ¡°Give it up,¡± one of the men sneered within the safety of the turtle shell. ¡°This is a Mid-Grade Profound Rank artifact. There¡¯s no way you can break it with your current strength.¡±


    Lian Huiling¡¯s expression, however, didn''t show any impatience or concern, as if the situation was in the palm of her hand. She waved her fan again, repeating the same motion that had once failed, not even infusing more qi into it than she once did. The only divergent factor was Feng Xia, following behind one of those sets of wind blades.


    Just as the wind was about to collide with the hard shell, Feng Xia¡¯s sleeve reached it first, bathing it in a multicoloured light. Blinded by the light, the men within had no choice but to close their eyes for a brief moment. Still, they did so without worry as they were fully confident in their defence, yet that proved just enough for Feng Xia¡¯s purpose.


    An instant later, as the light receded, a cry of agony pierced the heat of battle. The men opened their eyes but couldn''t help but be shocked. One of their own fell limply on the ground, his body full of deep gashes and wounds. His human shape was no more. What they saw was akin to a mound of severed limbs and gore.


    The remaining two knew in their guts what led to this; however, they couldn''t conceive how it had happened. They raised their head, examining the turtle shell that should have protected them, only to see it intact and flawless, as if not a single wind blade had reached its surface. All they saw was Feng Xia next to them, looking at them with pity in her eyes as if their deaths were simply expected.


    Fear took root in their hearts. After all, while they were professionals and were ready to face death at any moment, doing so at the hand of something they couldn''t comprehend left them feeling helpless. Still, not all hope was lost. As long as they resisted until their boss could come to their rescue, they could turn this around.


    "Only two remaining," Lian Huiling murmured, yet her voice couldn''t help but be overheard by the two remaining men. Their hearts were heavy, and their courage was fleeting. Then, two more ladies in a green dress emerged from the purple mist, surrounding them on all four sides, all holding the same silver fan.


    "Let''s finish this," they all said simultaneously. Do your best to stay alive, as I have many questions and expect some answers.¡±


    The two men couldn¡¯t help but imagine the devilish smile hidden behind those fans.

 Chapter 64 - Hidden in the Mist

    ¡°Those fools... why can''t they just follow simple instructions," a bulky man murmured as he stood in the centre of a torch formation, frustration apparent in his eyes.


    His gaze darted all around, yet all he saw was an ocean of purple without end. He stood motionless, seeking to locate his subordinate with his ears, yet the purple mist seemed to obfuscate the direction from which howls of anguish emanated.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive them. They are presently indisposed.¡±


    Yun Jingfei emerged from the mist, her white sword in hand. While she could have taken advantage of the element of surprise, hiding within the mist, she saw no reason to do so. Only by facing her foes head-on could she progress on the path she had chosen.


    ¡°Do not mock me!" the man spat back. "Do you think you alone can prevent me from destroying this formation? Without the aid of this purple mist, how could someone like yourself possibly stand against me?"


    Yun Jingfei sighed, her gaze full of pity. She had once been as ignorant as he was, believing that the mainstream was the only path opened to her. She hadn''t even considered any way of life before she met Qin Yun. As such, she couldn''t fault the man for being stuck in his preconceived notions. Still, she had no intention of still being underestimated.


    Without another word, she lunged toward the man, bringing down her sword in a quick but beautiful arc. The man sneered, thinking her blow to be much too predictable. He took a step back, out of range of her blade. Yet, as the deadly metal missed its target, the man felt sharpness plunge into his chest, ripping apart his skin. A flood of red liquid fell from the wound as the man futilely tried to clutch it close with his hands.


    ¡°An illusion?¡± the man gasped as his pupils dilated.


    His complexion became whiter as blood escaped from the wound, forming small streams upon the stone floor. Then, using his qi, the man sealed the wound shut by transforming the blood itself into a stone scar. A dark brown lotus spun over his head, spewing waves of energy in all directions, struggling to push back the purple mist.


    For the first time, Yun Jingfei could see the full glory of her opponent''s strength. His lotus was dense and vibrant with energy, but more than that, the bright orb hovering over the platform caught her attention. Four rings of light rotated above the orb. They spun in all directions, resembling objects orbiting a central nucleus at high velocity.


    Fourth stage of the Golden Core realm, Yun Jingfei thought as she frowned slightly. Stronger than I thought, but not unbeatable. Thankfully, Huiling¡¯s mist is the best support I could ask for.


    Yun Jingfei didn''t hesitate for long, opting to push her advantage. After all, her opponent had to use a considerable amount of qi only to staunch the bleeding. Her blade danced as she sought the optimal path for her sword to take. With every successive blow, her blade would dig a little deeper into her opponent''s defence, slowly pushing him back.


    Try as he might, even as he sought to go on the offensive, the man couldn¡¯t even touch the hem of her skirt. In fact, Yun Jingfei¡¯s movements were much too complicated for the man to anticipate, much less catch her. He swung his fists regardless, hoping for a lucky hit, yet all he would catch was air.


    She had him in the palm of her hand, yet she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this was too easy. After all, the man had only used his Earth element qi thus far. She didn¡¯t think a seasoned assassin would only rely on such a mundane thing. Her cautiousness would prove invaluable.


    As she prepared for another strike, she caught a glimpse of an opening. In his frustration, the man swung wildly, leaving himself open just enough for her blade to cut deeply into him. Yet, Yun Jingfei felt something was wrong. She couldn¡¯t explain it, yet she chose to heed it. She had no need to take unnecessary risks in her position.


    She chose to halt her charge and draw back at the last second, which would prove to save her life. A moment later, at the location she would have been had she pressed further, a bright light emerged from the void, slightly blinding her. Once the light receded, what remained was a golden chain hovering in mid-air.


    Yun Jingfei smiled slightly; her intuition hadn''t let her down. Yet, she couldn''t help but frown soon after. The golden chain emitted waves of power that made her sword ring. She even felt an eerie pressure from it, making her hair stand on end. She knew this was no ordinary artifact.


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    ¡°I praise you for pushing me this far,¡± the man said as he walked toward the golden chain. ¡°I underestimated you. However, this ends now. You won¡¯t be getting away any longer.¡±


    Yun Jingfei scoffed yet remained attentive. This golden chain gave her a bad feeling. Besides, artifacts weren''t to be ignored. Depending on their grade, these objects could even multiply their wielder''s power. This chain wasn''t some low-grade artifact you could find on any street corner but a true masterpiece by a renowned refiner. It was at least of the Profound grade.


    The man extended both hands toward the chain. The artifact briefly glowed brighter. Then, when the light receded, the long golden chain was divided into two equal parts. With a simple thrust of his hands, the chains wrapped around the burly man''s arms, digging slightly into his hard skin before the rest of the chain''s length fell to the floor.


    Yun Jingfei frowned. This would complicate things. The man''s aim in using this artifact was obvious. Yun Jingfei''s main advantage was the range of her sword. But now, using these chains as whips, her advantage was all but gone. Still, she didn''t have the luxury of pulling back at this juncture. She could only make the most of the situation.


    She mustered her courage and dove back in, striking the man with all her strength. Yet, once her blade collided with the chains wrapped around the man''s arms, it was stopped dead in its tracks. She felt the chain''s hardness reverberate in her bones. Fortunately, Chun Xue wasn''t an ordinary sword that would falter from this collision alone.


    She pulled back to try again, but the man swung his arm to the side, propelling the end of the golden chain in her direction. Just before the collision, she used her blade as a shield, taking the brunt of it. However, the impact was too strong for her thin arm to cope with.


    Through instantaneous judgment, Yun Jingfei jumped backwards, evading most of the impact. Still, she could feel the bones in her arms ring as if they were close to shattering. A trace of blood appeared on her lips as she felt the impact on her internal organs.


    She flew backwards, disappearing into the mist. The world was silent except for the cries of the man''s companions in the distance. The man remained motionless, anticipating Yun Jingfei''s ambush, yet nothing came of it. He began feeling restless, knowing his men needed his help just as he needed theirs to overcome this mist.


    If not for this purple veil, this formation wouldn''t stand a chance. How were they able to create such a mysterious thing? The man thought.


    While he was deep in thought, Yun Jingfei struck back. Her blade emerged from the mist, as well as her white hand. However, her body remained concealed by the dense purple particles. The man felt a murderous intent aimed at his back and twisted his body to avoid it. However, his reaction speed was too slow to entirely avoid the blow.


    Her blade dug into the man''s back, drawing blood once again, yet the wound was shallow. Moments later, the wound was closed shut using a layer of stone. Still, every time the man used his qi in this manner, his reserves would dwindle. While he could employ a staggering amount of qi, his reserves weren''t infinite, and they were decreasing alarmingly.


    The battle raged on for a while. Yun Jingfei plunged in and out of the mist, striking her opponent once she found an opportunity. Then, in retaliation, the man would swing his chains in her direction. More than once, she evaded the incoming golden chain by the slightest of margins.


    But even then, the residual power of its passage alone would collide with her, dealing non-trivial damage, adding little by little. Besides, her stamina wasn''t inexhaustible either. She felt her limbs grow numb from the countless clashes of metal and stone. Her palms dug deeply into her sword''s handle as she gritted her teeth, striving to deliver another blow. She relied on the hope that her opponent, in his impatience, would commit a mistake she could exploit.


    And he did.


    The man frowned in frustration. His qi reserves were growing thinner by the second. Through a lapse in judgment, the man swung both arms downward, striking the ground with all the strength he could muster. The chains'' tips cut through the air as if whips before embedding themselves into the ground, caving it inward from the impact.


    While Yun Jingfei had anticipated such an exaggerated motion, she hadn''t expected the resulting effect. A wave of air was propelled outward as the ground buckled under the strength of this blow. The purple mist was pushed away, revealing Yun Jingfei hidden within. She felt this wall of air crash into her, and a lump of blood seemed to want to escape from her lips.


    Still, she did her best to push it back down and forced herself to move. After such a big movement laced with an enormous amount of qi, her opponent would now be defenceless; this was the perfect opportunity to strike, a chance she wouldn''t miss.


    Her boots dug into the ground, shattering it as she propelled herself against the wind. She thrust her sword in front of her, piercing through the incoming gale as she sought to reach her opponent. The man tried to raise his hands in defence as his eyes widened at her sight. He hadn''t expected her to be able to resist the shock wave of his blow with her current strength.


    Unfortunately for him, Yun Jingfei''s reaction had been much too quick for him to defend himself properly. Her blade flew past the man''s arms, aimed straight at his chest. In a last-ditch effort, the man screamed and mobilized all his remaining qi, forming a patch of stone over his heart.


    The point of her blade collided against the stone, yet nothing could impede her charge. Even before the metal could reach it, the hard stone had been cracked and split apart purely from the ethereal force of her murderous intent. Then came the cold metal plunging in his chest.


    The man grabbed the blade with his bare hands even as it dug into his palms, yet nothing could stop it from reaching its target. The sharp blade sliced through the man''s chest as if there was no resistance, puncturing his heart. He opened his mouth to speak, yet all that came out was a flood of blood that stained his dark clothes.


    Besides, Yun Jingfei had no interest in hearing him out. Even before the man could draw his last breath, she had already swung her blade, making a path for it at the side of his chest. Blood flowed from it as the man collapsed soon after. All that remained from the man was a lifeless corpse and a puddle of blood.


    Intrigued, Yun Jingfei bent down to examine the golden chains still pulsing with energy. Yet, before she could reach them, she heard a cracking sound that drowned the world. She turned around as her eyes narrowed, only to witness the surrounding formation shatter into countless shards of light as they rained from the sky, only to disappear into the purple mist.


    Yet Yun Jingfei''s gaze was calm and composed. Her face did not show any urgency.


    It is just as she predicted. The fish has finally taken the bait, Yun Jingfei thought, a slight smile creeping on her lips.

 Chapter 65 - Shattered Formation

    Three mask-wearing individuals stood before the threshold of a formation. It shimmered with power as a man placed his hands on its surface, repelling it. Then, with an excruciating slowness, the man¡¯s fingers dug into the boundary, creating countless cracks on its surface as the formation failed to defend against this intruder.


    The barrier pulsed faster as countless runes appeared on the ground, yet the man''s hand couldn''t be stopped. The formation dimmed as a white vortex appeared in the crux of the man''s hand, sapping away the power contained within. With each moment, his fingers dug deeper until cracks appeared on the runes. Yet, despite the man''s effort, the barrier still held firm, albeit barely.


    A frown could be seen on the man''s face from behind his mask. He motioned for the two next to him to help with this endeavour. The same white vortex appeared in their hands as they pressed their palms on the now dim barrier. Unable to bear the strain of its fleeting power, it shattered into countless shards of light, the sound of which drowned the world.


    Then, as the purple fog spilled from this enclosure, with a wave of his sleeve, the mist scattered to the four winds, revealing those hidden within.


    Yun Jingfei''s eyes narrowed slightly as she gazed at those three new arrivals. Yet, she remained calm and composed, feeling no urgency nor peril. She bent over the corpse at her feet and grasped the golden chain. She felt its weight and sturdiness as she picked it up off the ground, but more than that, she felt power welling within her as if it was imparting her its strength. Still, she simply stored it within her storage ring; something this heavy wasn''t meant for her.


    Soon after, Lian Huiling, too, emerged from the fog. While she could spew this purple mist anew, doing so would only be a waste of qi. Besides, she didn''t need to. At her feet were the four intruders they had dealt with, yet only a single one was still intact and unconscious, while most others were only piles of broken limbs, meat and gore.


    Despite it all, there was not a single trace of blood that stained Lian Huiling''s garb. She hid a vicious smile beneath of fan, yet it all turned sour as she gazed upon these new intruders. The white hair that protruded from behind the men''s masks seemed all too familiar. She couldn''t help but freeze in place for a moment, but soon, a blaze of fury arose in her heart. Still, she held herself back by biting her lips until blood flowed from the wound. The slight metallic taste distracted her from the ache of her heart.


    The battlefield was silent as the wind carried the mist, revealing the macabre spectacle that occurred within. The atmosphere grew heavier as the white-haired trio realized that Feng Xia was nowhere to be seen. Their gazes darted around as they sought her traces, yet none could be found.


    Then, without saying a word, the man in front pointed a finger toward the two women before rushing past them, paying them no mind. Cold sweat poured on Yun Jingfei''s back as she realized that if that man wanted her dead, she would have no way to resist without the aid of the purple mist. In fact, he seemed much stronger than the man she had just dispatched.


    Then, before she could even get back her bearings, the two remaining masked individuals attacked, splitting themselves to face the two women simultaneously. Yun Jingfei could only will herself to move, taking on this new foe. Fortunately, her opponent was much weaker than the man who had passed her by, yet he was still stronger than her. All she could do was evade as best as possible while trying to buy time.


    The same applied to Lian Huiling. Her opponent seemed to be a woman who specialized in speed. Lian Huiling sought to disappear within the mist, yet her opponent''s relentless assault left her no chance to do so. At best, she could only throw wind blades in all directions, hoping to keep her at bay. She knew that once she bypassed her range, she would be helpless before her, even more so now that she was already exhausted from the earlier confrontation.


    While the battle raged, the man entered the main hall, seeking Feng Xia''s whereabouts, yet none could be found. His eyes narrowed as he realized she had disappeared into thin air. He hurriedly advanced, fearing she had fled while they broke the formation. He couldn''t help but feel a sense of dread rise in his heart, knowing his fate were he to fail in his task. His master wasn''t the type to tolerate failure.


    As he entered the main bedroom, he saw an orange feather lying on the floor beside the bed. He picked it up and examined it, only to grin from behind his mask. Then, with a single punch, the man shattered the bed, revealing a stairwell hidden beneath. The man quickly rushed down, only to find himself in a dark corridor. The man ran along without even bothering to check for traps, shattering everything that stood in his way.


    It only took him a few seconds to catch up to his prey, cornering her into the room at the end. He found a small teenage girl in an orange dress calmly looking at him as if unaware of her current predicament. The man frowned, unable to comprehend her actions, feeling something was wrong. But then, the girl smiled. This smile only brought him an overpowering sense of unease.


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    He felt something behind his back; he quickly turned as he prepared a white vortex in his palm, striking with all his might. Yet, his strike was effortlessly caught at the wrist. The man struggled with all the strength he could muster, even opting to show the full might of his white lotus, yet it changed nothing. His arm was held as if in a vice, unable to move a single millimetre.


    Before him was a middle-aged man wearing lavish white garbs. His beard was neatly trimmed, interspersed with countless white hair, yet not a single wrinkle was apparent on his skin as if aging was but a concept to him. Still, his temperament echoed the long flow of time.


    The white-robed man looked at his prey with indifference, yet there was viciousness hidden in the depths of his eyes. The masked man sought to escape from his grasp, yet his arm remained immobile.


    ¡°Give it up,¡± the white-robed man said. ¡°The young lady wants you in one piece; otherwise, you would have already been dealt with.¡±


    The masked man felt dread arise in his heart as his captor¡¯s pressure crashed over him, as if the weight of an ocean was overhead, preventing any movement from him. He even felt unable to breathe. Still, the fear of this man couldn¡¯t surpass the one of his master.


    Through gritted teeth, the masked man spun a vortex within his hand, lessening the pressure slightly enough to allow movement. However, instead of striking his captor, the man aimed for his own arm, shattering it in an explosion of gore.


    Now free, the man jumped back, his remaining hand outstretched toward Feng Xia, attempting to grab her. Feng Xia was stunned by this man''s determination. She couldn''t help but flinch as she saw his shattered arm dangling limply as blood flowed endlessly. She could even see the skin of this man''s neck becoming whiter with every breath he took.


    Still, his struggle would prove useless. The white-robbed man took only a step forward, appearing before Feng Xia. The space around her vibrated slightly as if the world couldn''t contain him. Then, with an outstretched palm, the white man pressed it down over the void as a black lotus revolved over his head. To Feng Xia''s surprise, there was an ethereal silhouette of a young man seated on the black lotus platform.


    The masked man felt as if the world crashed down on him. His legs buckled under the pressure, and he collapsed onto the stone floor, unable to rise anymore. Then, the white man pointed two fingers toward him, tracing a single straight line, which severed the mangled arm at the shoulder with a clean, almost bloodless cut.


    Using those same fingers, the man wrote a simple rune into the air, which then lit up, bathing the underground chamber with light before receding. A small flame stood in its place, fuelling itself with the surrounding qi before the man breathed into it, infusing it even more. The flame then followed his gaze, colliding with the masked man''s fresh injury, burning the wound shut.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t do for you to die of blood loss,¡± the middle-aged man said calmly. ¡°After all, the young lady has many questions for you and the group you are a part of.¡±


    Through only the use of his qi, the white-robed man picked his victim up off the floor, making him levitate in the air. He then turned to Feng Xia, giving her a nod and a smile, before leaving this underground chamber.


    Once he was gone, Feng Xia collapsed onto the floor, feeling like years had been shaved off her life. While she knew this man had been posted here through Lian Huiling''s order and this was all part of the plan, she couldn''t help but fear the strength he had displayed. After all, if he wanted to take her captive, she would have no way to resist.


    Once she could finally stand again, Feng Xia exited this dark place, only to be stunned by what she saw.


    ¡°What happened here?¡± She asked, confused.


    Before her were Yun Jingfei and Lian Huiling, completely unharmed, along with another woman she didn''t recognize. That woman wore clothes resembling the man''s: a long white dress that contrasted with her long auburn hair, similar to Lian Huiling.


    At her feet were too headless corpses and blood smeared in a circle on the ground. It was as if their head had exploded, leaving the last traces of their existence around them.


    ¡°You¡¯ve failed?¡± the white-robed man said to the woman, yet there was no reproach in his voice, only gentleness.


    The woman scoffed and turned to the side, obviously irate with the events that occurred. She kept her mouth shut, unwilling to speak a word.


    ¡°Uncle! Aunt! Thank you for your help," Lian Huiling said as she bowed slightly. "We couldn''t have done this without you."


    Both turned to her, yet only the man smiled, while the woman only nodded.


    ¡°Think nothing of it. After all, your father has personally asked us to help you with anything you need. I''m only doing what I should for the clan," the man said. "Still, how brazen they are so soon after the recent commotion is quite shocking. This girl must be quite valuable for them to dispatch such a force and even some contingency."


    The man eyed Feng Xia, which gave her goosebumps. Fortunately, Yun Jingfei had arrived at her side, taking her hand. She could finally feel somewhat relieved that this ordeal was over.


    ¡°That''s not something you should concern yourself with," Yun Jingfei said, her tone stern and calm.


    The man''s gaze turned to her, and she could feel the pressure of his presence on her skin. Yet she stood unperturbed, indomitable, even as her sword was held tightly in her hand.


    ¡°Quit it, please. This girl is Qin Yun¡¯s business, and I have no intention of prying,¡± Lian Huiling said.


    The man¡¯s gaze lingered for a while longer, as did the woman in a white dress, yet they soon lost interest, preferring to return to the prey they had captured.


    ¡°While it¡¯s a shame about the other two, let¡¯s see who we have here,¡± Lian Huiling added as she approached the masked man hovering midair.


    She pried the mask away from his face, yet her expression became complicated as she saw what lay beneath. It started as surprise, then turned to rage, but soon subsided as she took a deep breath before ending on derision. She couldn''t help but show a mocking smile.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think we would meet again so soon, Hou Ping,¡± she said with the flames of vengeance in her eyes.

 Chapter 66 - A Task Unforgotten

    The sun rose on another new day as Qin Yun lay in bed, deep in thought. Somehow, he had difficulty adjusting to life within the Sun Clan. For one, the room he had been granted was much too luxurious for his taste. He couldn''t help but question their motives for doing so.


    Trying to put it out of his mind, Qin Yun took out a small orb from his black box. Since the incident days prior, this was the first time he had the opportunity to thoroughly examine it.


    The orb flashed regularly, pulsing with power like a heartbeat. Qin Yun could feel life bud within. The more he looked into it, the more he felt like this crystal orb resembled an egg. As for what kind of creatures would emerge from it, Qin Yun could only speculate.


    At first, he thought it might be how those crystal insects came into being, yet he couldn''t help but dismiss it. After all, the events of its creation were much too singular. How could an entire race be born the same way? Qin Yun¡¯s curiosity was piqued. He couldn¡¯t help but toy with it, wondering what it would become as it grew up.


    From time to time, Qin Yun would take crystal limbs out of storage before feeding them to this crystal egg. Every time, the orb would extract that foreign energy from them until they were empty and crumbled to dust. While Qin Yun possessed countless such limbs, the orb''s appetite seemed insatiable. It would absorb everything Qin Yun gifted, only growing brighter each time.


    However, as expected, every time the light within would grow from this feeding, Qin Yun could feel the pressure mount around him as if the world sought to keep it in check. No matter how much he fed this egg, it would never be able to come out as long as the world refused to acknowledge its existence.


    This only drove Qin Yun to hatch it even more. Still, the time wasn''t right, and he simply stored the crystal egg back in his black box before retrieving a crystal bug head he had once infused with his own innate qi.


    With the foreign energy removed, all that remained was pure innate qi that Qin Yun could absorb anytime he wanted. Still, he hesitated.


    Even since he was struck with heaven''s lightning, he could feel its might linger in his flesh, tempering it further. He knew that as long as he let it do its thing, he would eventually reach the peak of the Body Strengthening realm he sought. The only price would be excruciating pain, something he was more than willing to endure.


    While he missed the appeal of what his innate qi could bring, he was reluctant to interfere with the process currently happening within his body. After all, injecting innate qi during this transformation could have unexpected ramifications.


    With a sigh, Qin Yun relented and stored those back in his black box, as well, when he heard a knock on the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± he said.


    The door opened, revealing a beautiful but modest woman on the other side.


    ¡°Is it time?" Qin Yun asked without bothering to look at her as if he knew who it was.


    ¡°Yes," the woman replied calmly, yet her voice had a hint of scorn. "We''ve just received news from the Lian clan. The object is scheduled to be auctioned off tonight."


    Hearing this, Qin Yun turned to face her. The woman¡¯s golden hair was striking against her black dress as it fell to her shoulder. She stood straight, showing none of her usual servant¡¯s demure mannerisms.


    "Sun Ya, are you displeased serving me?" Qin Yun asked, a slight smile creeping on his face.


    She, on the other hand, scoffed and evaded his gaze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about. I am only doing as is expected of me.¡±


    "Don''t take it out on me," Qin Yun shrugged. "Your cousin was the one that forced this on you. After all, she should have been the one to do this, yet she was too proud to get it done."


    ¡°Are you finished?"


    Sun Ya¡¯s gaze was colder than an iceberg as she turned to face him.


    ¡°I''ve been wanting to ask, are there any reasons for your names to be so similar? I find it all a bit confusing. Couldn¡¯t they have picked something a little more original?¡±


    ¡°Does that matter?" Sun Ya asked, yet Qin Yun only nodded back. She sighed and added, "My mother and Sun Yu''s mother were quite close, and as we were born the same year, they chose to give us a similar name so that we could be as close as our mothers were; an infantile reasoning."


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    ¡°Yet they made you her personal servant? They seem quite heartless.¡±


    ¡°Sun Yu is the heir to the clan leader; our different status is only to be expected. I don''t expect someone like you, who couldn''t care less about your own clan, to understand."


    ¡°I just feel it¡¯s unfair to you.¡±


    Sun Ya¡¯s eyes narrowed, becoming even colder.


    "Why would you care?" she asked. Qin Yun could feel a hint of murderous intent in her voice. "If you are trying to create a rift between us, you are wasting your time."


    "Isn''t it a shame that your talent isn''t recognized by your clan, or are you hiding it for fear of overshadowing her?"


    ¡°Silence!¡± she barked, extending two fingers toward Qin Yun.


    A ray of light emerged from their tips, scorching everything in its path. Qin Yun''s eyes widened, seeing the strength she had poured into this seemingly innocuous attack. Through a quick motion, Qin Yun retrieved his black sword from his storage and used its flat as a shield, dispersing it all around.


    The blinding rays scattered upon the black crystal''s surface, leaving no trace on it before being reflected all around the room. All at once, runes appeared, resisting the heat of those rays, yet most of them couldn''t help but dim as they couldn''t contain the blaze held within.


    Fearing breaking this formation, Sun Ya retracted her fingers, stopping the blaze. Then, she scoffed and spun on her heels, exiting the room. With a slight smile, Qin Yun rose and followed suit.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to take out your frustrations on me,¡± Qin Yun said as if the deadly altercation hadn¡¯t happened. ¡°After all, I just spoke the truth. If the current situation doesn¡¯t sit well with you, why not try to change it?¡±


    Sun Ya abruptly stopped and looked at him; her exasperation was evident.


    ¡°Could you stop? What you hope for won¡¯t happen.¡±


    "Oh? What do I hope for, exactly?" Qin Yun replied, slightly amused.


    Sun Ya remained silent momentarily before she resumed walking away, not bothering to respond.


    ¡°So the Lian clan finally decided to honour their contract and put the object for auction? Took them long enough,¡± Qin Yun said, changing the subject.


    ¡°They have many things on their minds,¡± Sun Ya finally deigned to reply.


    ¡°I would assume so. I suspect they find themselves in a precarious situation against the Ma clan.¡±


    ¡°And who¡¯s fault is that?¡±


    Qin Yun shrugged, unconcerned.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t force anyone to do anything. They were always in control of their own actions. How is that my fault?¡± he said.


    ¡°I wonder what they all see in someone like you," she said under her breath before adding out loud, "Prepare yourself. The patriarch won''t allow failure. You only have one chance to make good on your promise."


    Qin Yun only smiled back. He found any assurance he would utter would only sound empty. It was much better to speak with his actions.


    ******


    The sun was beginning to set over Jin City as countless light runes illuminated the streets leading to the plaza before the city''s lone auction house. Countless cultivators from all walks of life, from rogue to those of the major clans, were steadily entering the structure through wide-opened doors as if a giant maw swallowed them whole.


    Numerous armed men guarded the premises on each side of the stairs leading to the doors. Yet, unlike the usual golden-armoured soldier, they were all clad in silver, with their heads hidden beneath full helmets while holding giant silver halberds. Their oppression permeated the atmosphere, making some of the guests ill at ease.


    A luxurious carriage bearing the mark of the sun quickly approached the premises. At its head were two ferocious beasts pulling it. Their furs were white with black stripes. Their paws were wide, and their claws sharp. Long fang protruded from their mouths, resembling sabre-tooth tigers, yet they were much too large to be such simple animals. Fierceness glowed in their eyes as the chains binding their bodies rattled with each step they took.


    The crowd parted ways, letting the beasts and carriage through until it reached the stairs. From inside, Qin Yun eyed the guards slightly, nodding with appreciation. It seemed the Ma clan had been dismissed from their contract with the auction house and replaced by the Lian clan''s own troops.


    "Did you have the item delivered?" Qin Yun asked his partner for this event.


    Sun Ya was seated before him, wearing a gorgeous black gown that reached her feet while exposing her thin shoulders slightly where her long golden hair fell. On her neck was a crystal necklace that glittered under the dim light of the light runes inside the carriage. Her eyes were deep and calm, indifferent to the ocean of people outside crowding around the carriage.


    ¡°I have made sure your wife has received it. Care to tell me what needed to be delivered with such urgency?"


    Qin Yun smiled. He also wore luxurious black robes that paired well with his partner for the night. These clothes had been expressively chosen for him by the Sun clan for this occasion, yet Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but be amused: were they hoping Sun Ya would be able to entice him to their side? Was this the proverbial carrot-and-stick approach?


    ¡°Just something for her to remember me by,¡± Qin Yun replied.


    "You never give a straight answer, do you?" Sun Ya said, her eyes showing how jaded she was having to deal with Qin Yun. "Fine. Be that way. I wasn''t interested anyway. Remember why we are here, and don''t stir any more trouble than you already have."


    ¡°I can¡¯t promise anything,¡± Qin Yun replied helplessly. ¡°Trouble seems to find me regardless of what I want.¡±


    Sun Ya''s glare was cold as always, and she couldn''t help but sigh.


    "Besides, I doubt we''ll be able to avoid trouble this time. As I remember, the Ma clan''s young lady was also interested in this item. A confrontation seems inevitable, don''t you think?¡±


    "She''s irrelevant," Sun Ya replied. The Ma clan has already had its hands full dealing with the Lian clan. They can''t afford to pick a fight with our clan over this. Even if their younger generations act foolishly, the clan won''t let it come to that."


    "You place too much confidence in their rationality. Would their juniors act this way if they weren''t encouraged by the support they received? No, they are overbearing because they have the confidence to be. Whether or not this confidence is warranted is irrelevant. Humans are emotional creatures, after all.¡±


    Sun Ya remained silent, weighing his words, yet this wasn¡¯t anything she could have any effect on considering her current status. She could only dismiss his words for now.


    ¡°Regardless, I don¡¯t want you doing anything that could jeopardize this transaction. You should remember that your continued existence hangs on this.¡±


    Qin Yun placed a hand over his chest. He could still feel the warmth of the city lord''s imprint on him. Still, he smiled and seemed unconcerned.


    Sun Ya wasn''t sure if that man was indifferent or had means she wasn''t aware of. Still, she put it out of her mind; it wasn''t her place to worry about it. Only the task at hand mattered.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived. Let¡¯s go,¡± Qin Yun said as he held his hand for her to take, which she reluctantly did before they both disembarked.

 Chapter 67 - Wings of Flames

    Curious onlookers crowded around the luxurious carriage pulled by two ferocious beasts as they sought to discover who would emerge from it. Given the emblem on its side, many wondered who from the City Lord''s Mansion would bother to come to this monthly auction, while others speculated on the treasures that attracted them here.


    Still, none dared come too close, fearing those beasts would rip them apart with their sharp claws or maul them with their long fangs, until an unlucky one, pushed by the crowd in their restlessness, came slightly too close to those beasts.


    Their head turned sharply toward him. They growled, showing their intent as violence became clear in their eyes. The closest one''s maw opened, revealing a row of small but barbed teeth shining in the depth of that dark gulf.


    The beast sought to leap toward its prey, yet as its restraints became taut, the chains binding it to the carriage shone. The light propagated to its body, enveloping it in countless runes. The feline beast came to an abrupt stop, unable to go further despite its efforts.


    It thrashed, seeking to plunge its fangs into the man, wishing to drink its blood, yet was denied. Drool flowed from its deadly jaws as it revelled in the scent of fear and horror wafting from the man as cold sweat dripped down his back, drenching his garment.


    The man retched from the disgusting odour coming from the beast''s mouth, a reminder of all that was left from its past victims. The man fell on the ground on his ass before backpedalling back toward the crowd, yet most didn''t budge, only looking at the poor man with contempt on their faces. None sought to help him, even as the beast crept closer to him as it fought against the bonds that held it.


    If anything, the onlookers only spurred the beast, craving some actions. Yet, the carriage glowed with renewed intensity. A light pulse travelled from the carriage to the beast along the chain, ending on its flesh.


    The beasts howled in pain as runes were seared on their skin, even visible through their furs. Their domineering demeanour soon faded, replaced with looks of abject fear as they looked back toward the carriage. This was their master showing these beasts their place. Despite their ferocious natures, they were nothing more than slaves before these cultivators.


    Despite their current subservience, a hint of defiance could be seen in the depth of their eyes, which didn¡¯t go unnoticed by the crowd. While the crowd had shown scorn for the unfortunate victim, now, this contempt was aimed toward the beasts, showing that despite the majesty of their strong and agile body, forged through countless generations of evolution toward the apex of what a predator should be, those beasts were nothing but playthings for the might of cultivators.


    "Enough!" a voice broke through the audience''s din, silencing them with overwhelming authority.


    The voice was feminine yet fierce as if the crowd were beneath her, and their obedience was to be expected. Even the beasts recoiled slightly merely from hearing it. The silence was suffocating as they waited for the owner of that voice to show herself. They held their breaths, internally speculating who could possess such a domineering attitude. Still, a single name came to mind, and they waited with anticipation.


    Then, the carriage''s door opened, and the crowd went wild. The first thing they saw exiting the carriage was Qin Yun dressed in a black garb. He scanned the crowd, noticing their gazes toward him. Some showed confusion, others disdain, and some, surprisingly, jealousy. Some showed a dismissive attitude and walked away uninterested, while others barely masked their aversion to his presence; Qin Yun even spotted some of his past flings in the crowd waving at him, yet he simply ignored them.


    Then, as he reached the ground, the crowd became silent once again. None could retract their gazes from the woman emerging from the darkness of the carriage. Unlike some guests, her dress was black and plain, showing almost no skin, yet it only emphasized her presence.


    She wasn''t the most beautiful woman these people had ever seen, yet none could look away. Her nature demanded their unmitigated attention as if a monarch had emerged before her subject; some even felt the urge to kneel.


    Her dispassionate eyes only lingered on the crowd for so long before dismissing them with her gaze as if they weren''t worthy of being reflected upon them. All that could be heard was the strained gulps within the audience and her soft feet hitting the ground.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± Qin Yun said softly, yet Sun Ya ignored him. She withdrew her hand from Qin Yun''s and began walking away from him as the crowd parted ways, showing her a clear path up the stairs. Some in the crowd sought to object to this treatment, as she was nothing more than the maid of the Sun Clan, yet they felt their bodies deny them this luxury.


    As the duo climbed the stairs to the auction hall, leaving behind a sea of curious onlookers, only a single individual dared to bar their path. She was a young woman, slightly younger than Sun Ya herself. While seemingly an adult, her facial traits were somewhat childish, contrasting with the ampleness of her bosom, overflowing from her tight dress.


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    While Sun Ya could be likened to a wisteria flower, elegant but deadly, this young woman was more akin to a rose, a vibrant beauty with thorns apparent for all to see.


    At the sight of Sun Ya, the young lady shook her head, her black hair held in long twin tails cutting the air as if two whips. Her face showed a confident smugness, which Sun Ya promptly ignored as she merely walked past her, opting to continue climbing the stairs. The young lady''s cheeks turned red as she noticed chuckles from the crowd. She pointed her slender hand toward its origin, and several men clad in gold armour emerged from her side and rushed toward it.


    Seconds later, a commotion occurred below, shattering the silence, yet the young lady ignored it and chased after Sun Ya. "Sun Ya! How dare you ignore me?¡±


    Sun Ya barely altered her pace as she heard this cry of frustration. Qin Yun looked curiously at her expression, only to see that she was full of exasperation. He then turned below and saw the young lady huff and puff as she sped toward them, even overtaking and standing in front, this time blocking their path.


    ¡°Must you always do this in public?¡± Sun Ya sighed. ¡°Can¡¯t you consider your clan¡¯s reputation, young lady Ma?¡±


    Qin Yun knew he had seen this woman before but couldn''t place her until he heard what Sun Ya said. This was the young woman he had seen over a month ago arguing with Sun Ya over the paradise bird''s core. He hoped their animosity wouldn''t be an obstacle he would have to overcome to get his hands on this item.


    ¡°Who cares about these plebeians?¡± the young lady said as if she was haughtiness personified. ¡°Does their opinion mean anything? They should be grateful they can even breathe the same air as our Ma clan!¡±


    "Is this how they teach their young ones in your clan, or is this something inborn? I''ve rarely met a Ma that didn''t think this way," Qin Yun replied, somewhat amused.


    ¡°Who the hell are you to address me?¡± the young lady said with a frown before pointing her finger toward him.


    Soon after, three large individuals appeared before him. Their golden armours showed signs of blood splattered on their surface, no doubt coming from the pitiful individual who had the audacity of laughing previously. Qin Yun tilted his head, feeling somewhat intrigued that, despite all that had happened between himself and the Ma clan, there still existed some who didn''t know who he was. He wondered if she was simply clueless or merely a sheltered young lady.


    ¡°I didn''t expect your taste in servants to have stooped so low," the Ma young lady told Sun Ya. "You shouldn''t be afraid to teach them their places."


    Sun Ya shook her head, then looked at the woman before her with pity.


    ¡°What about the Lian clan''s guards all around us. Are you simply going to ignore them? Doesn''t your family already have enough conflict with them?" Sun Ya asked.


    ¡°Look at them!" the Ma girl spread her arms wide. "Do they dare cross me for this nobody? They don''t even dare move."


    Yet, her gaze became somewhat uneasy as she said those words. Unlike the gaze she had expected¡ªlooking down, unable to meet her eyes¡ªthe soldiers clad in silver guarding the whole length of the stairway looked unfazed, ignoring all of them as if whatever happened here was none of their concerns. If anything, they seemed more preoccupied with making sure none interfered than stopping this confrontation.


    The young lady frowned yet refused to back down. She only motioned for her men to do their thing, which they did without uttering a single word of protest. However, Qin Yun could see the reluctance in their eyes. After all, they weren''t as clueless as their mistress. Still, Qin Yun would show them no mercy¡ªnot anymore. Usually, he would have offered a warning, but he knew it would have fallen on deaf ears; he was done with their antics.


    As a guard put a hand on his shoulder, pressing onto him with all the might a Void Core cultivator nearing the peak could offer, Qin Yun did the same, brushing off all the pressure that sought to push him down as if it was but a mere breeze.


    Qin Yun''s hand landed on the man''s golden pauldron. His fingers dug into the metal as if the concept of sturdiness didn''t exist. His fingers displaced the material as if it were a viscous liquid before they reached deeper, striking the skin. Still, it couldn''t stop their advance.


    The man howled in pain as blood spurted from the wound. A loud crack was heard as the man''s shoulder deformed from the force, his arm dangling limply to his side. Still, Qin Yun didn''t stop there. Even as the man''s face contorted with pain and others were stunned with shock and awe, Qin Yun''s own expression remained utterly indifferent to the man''s pain. If anything, he dug deeper, severing the man''s shoulder at the root.


    The arm fell from its socket, scattering flowers of blood onto the stone stairs before a flood of the same red liquid emerged from the wound and erased the picture in a puddle of gore.


    ¡°I dare you to touch me again," Qin Yun said calmly, only showing a slight but eerie smile.


    The remaining men reeled back, unwilling to confront him, only looking at their companion clutching his wounded shoulder as the colours were leaving his face. Some onlookers couldn''t stomach the gore, turning away while trying not to retch, while others couldn''t help but cheer Qin Yun on. However, upon looking at Qin Yun''s face, they suddenly stopped and turned silent. An oppressive silence lingered until Qin Yun spoke again.


    "I thought not," he said as he bypassed the guards, who were unwilling to stop him. "You people only know to oppress those without the means to retaliate, yet can''t help but crumble under those stronger than you. While this is a praiseworthy trait for any species seeking survival, it can''t help but make me laugh when it comes from cultivators who seek to defy the very laws of nature."


    Qin Yun stopped before the young lady, looking down at her. While her small shoulders trembled slightly under his gaze, her own was steady, looking straight into his eyes. Qin Yun could see she was terrified of him, yet her pride wouldn''t let her cower.


    He smiled momentarily, granting her a slight reprieve, yet reality came crashing down onto her again. Qin Yun extended his hand, reaching for her head. She sought to back away, yet her feet wouldn''t move. She could only wait for her eventual demise.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Sun Ya said, her voice clear, free from any fear. She looked at him, showing a slight hint of scorn. "Remember why we are here. You can''t afford to stir up any more trouble."


    Qin Yun¡¯s hand lingered over the young woman¡¯s head for a few seconds more. However, just as he was about to retract it, a ball of flames appeared high into the night sky. Unlike the pure light that the Sun clan was proud of, this was a pure blaze that sought to scorch the world.


    The ball of fire descended like a meteor toward the city yet stopped mere moments before hitting the formation dome protecting it. Wings sprouted from the ball, transforming it into what seemed like a giant bird of flame. They spanned at least half the city''s width, bathing it in their radiance.


    The heat from those wings radiated outwards, crashing into the formation and making it shimmer. Even with the formation dispersing most of it, Qin Yun could still feel it scorch his skin slightly. He raised his head, gazing into the centre of those wings, only to see a woman dressed in red. His eyes could barely sustain her sight for a moment before he had to look away. It was as if that woman was flame incarnate.


    "Come out, you Qin bastard!" A voice crashed down from overhead, shaking the earth below. "If you don''t give me a suitable explanation, don''t blame me for reducing your clan to ash!"

 Chapter 68 - Tears Before the Blaze

    Wings of flames lingered over the city as waves of power and heat crashed against the surface of the formation dome, making it shimmer. All those below felt her oppressiveness. They were unable to raise their heads, much less look at it. They could only bow down before this blazing light, fighting against the darkness. Fortunately, the formation remained strong, dispersing most of it against its surface, protecting all those below.


    A woman waited in the centre of it all for her opponent to come. Her dress was a vivid red lined with gold, resembling a fierce flame, as was her hair. Her features were masked with a slight veil, yet none in the know doubted her identity. After all, this blaze alone was proof of who she was.


    A strenuous silence hung over the city as none dared to speak for fear of incurring her ire. Still, most people next to Qin Yun couldn''t help but turn toward him, remembering the woman''s earlier words. Her grievance with the Qin Clan was plain to see, and considering who she was, her plight was apparent.


    As she lost her patience, a veil of darkness appeared overhead, blending into the night; even the bright wings of flames couldn''t illuminate its depths. It was as if this was another world completely detached from reality where darkness ruled as its only sovereign.


    The woman¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as she gazed into the abyss. Then, a man clad in black emerged from it. His long black hair fell on his back, blending with his attire, while his deep and calm gaze rested on the woman before him.


    Without a word, he took a step forward over the void; the realm of darkness around him followed. Sparks flew at the intersection of where darkness met the blazing light as the two forces battled each other for dominion. Two domains rejected each other''s superiority, struggling for survival as waves of qi from their creators crashed into each other, creating countless explosions.


    The two entities swirled into each other yet remained separate, unable to blend before scattering to all sides, bathing the world in their duality. To one side of the city was an inferno, while on the other was a dark abyss, and in the middle was a gulf where nothing existed but the two individuals facing each other.


    "I''m impressed," the man said, his face a mask of stone. "I didn''t expect the Immortal Phoenix Sect''s young genius to have already reached the Soul Formation realm."


    Unlike the blazing flames swirling around her, the woman''s eyes were cold, like a glacier devoid of emotions. While her features were soft and elegant, her expression only showed the strength of her temperament.


    ¡°Are you part of the Qin clan?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I am," the man replied. "However, you''ll have to excuse me; my name isn''t worth remembering."


    The woman''s eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn''t lose her composure. She only looked deeper at this man, but she soon lost interest. His identity was irrelevant if he could get her what she wanted.


    ¡°I heard you have a junior named Qin Yun in your clan. Bring him to me."


    Her tone was imperative, leaving no room for protest. The man remained silent for a while. Whether he was considering her request couldn¡¯t be gleaned from his face. In fact, ever since he had appeared, no emotions had been displayed, just an unfathomable indifference.


    ¡°Why should I humour you?¡± the man asked, his power rising further. The darkness seemed endless, poised to devour everything around him.


    "Because I said so," the woman replied, standing her ground. Her wings of flames burned even brighter, making the formation flicker ever faster. Below, mortals could feel their skin sizzle as if being baked alive. They sought refuge away from the heat, yet it seemed all-encompassing.


    Suddenly, the barrier became stronger as lines and runes of light appeared on the ground all over the city. The formation shone with renewed strength as it pushed back the two foreign entities overhead. Then, a sun appeared in the night sky, separating the two.


    Now bathed in light, the world fell silent as it stood still. The crowd below held their breaths as they waited for whatever would come next, whether a cataclysmic struggle or a peaceful resolution. Time passed slowly as the mortals felt apprehension rise in their hearts. Conflicts between Soul Formation cultivators weren''t something they could comprehend. After all, they were nothing more than ants before their mighty powers.


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    Whatever words were said overhead, none would ever reach their ears as they were all hidden by the light. Suddenly, the light receded, but only two individuals were present: the City Lord and the woman in a red dress.


    With a single step, both disappeared from the sky, leaving nothing behind, not even an afterimage, then reappeared meters away from Qin Yun at the top of the stairs leading to the auction house.


    All those present lowered their sight, unable to meet the woman¡¯s gaze as it now burned with a peculiar blaze. Unlike her earlier cold eyes, they radiated a flame of will and purpose. Most couldn''t bear her presence and collapsed on the stone steps, unable to move further. Even taking a breath was denied to them. They felt crushed by the world''s weight, suffocating by a power they couldn''t understand.


    Then, this mysterious force vanished as the City Lord touched the woman''s shoulder. The crowd could breathe again, yet they remained limp on the ground, unable to stand. Only Qin Yun still felt her oppressiveness, all directed toward him. Still, he remained standing as best he could, refusing to evade the woman''s gaze. His gaze was filled with endless indifference as he looked at the City Lord before him. While Qin Yun knew his reasons for so, he had enough of being taken advantage of.


    Next to Qin Yun, Sun Ya had only just regained her ability to breathe as she struggled to raise herself from the ground. Never in her life had she felt such an oppressive force, even if it wasn''t targeting her specifically. How strong would it have been if she had been hit with the brunt of it as Qin Yun had just been?


    She couldn''t help but feel a slight admiration for Qin Yun, knowing he had remained standing under all this. Yet, this awe turned to dread as she looked at his emotionless face. This was the first time she had truly felt afraid of the man. Somehow, she felt this indifference much more unnerving than pure murderous intent.


    The woman''s eyebrows rose slightly as she gazed toward Qin Yun. No matter how she looked at him, he seemed just like a mortal, yet his flesh alone rivalled her own. Still, this was far from enough to deter her.


    ¡°I am told your name is Qin Yun," she said. Whether this was a question or a statement was irrelevant. All knew what it entailed.


    ¡°I am,¡± Qin Yun replied, his tone neither subservient nor arrogant. ¡°What brings you to see me?¡±


    Seeing his calm gaze under her oppression, the woman smiled slightly, but it was fleeting at best. No one could stop her from doing what she intended.


    ¡°I¡¯ve come for my disciple; where is she?¡±


    Qin Yun remained silent for a moment but then sighed loudly, which only brought a frown to the woman''s face. While Qin Yun could only see her eyes, it was enough to know her intent.


    ¡°What made you start caring now?¡± Qin Yun said, his voice dripping with reproach, to which the crowd could only involuntarily gasp. They then held their breaths, unwilling to believe their ears. Still, Qin Yun wasn¡¯t done. ¡°Where were you when she needed you the most? It¡¯s been over a year since the incident, a year she had to spend alone when she needed you the most. I may have asked, but it was only rhetorical. After all, nothing you say could ever change what happened. Do you think you have the right to call yourself her master after all this?¡±


    The woman was stunned¡ªstunned that a junior would expose all this before this crowd¡ªbut most of all, she couldn''t deny his words. After all, her heart was truly heavy with guilt. Had she known, she would have been by her side, disregarding the cost.


    She wished to deny his claim, to rectify her reputation, but words failed her. She had failed her only disciple, and that was the truth. Still, to be told so by a man who had taken her disciple from her was more than she could bear. Anger rose in her heart like a blaze, aimed at this man but just as much at herself.


    Flames sprouted from her hair, dancing in the still air. Qin Yun felt the heat on his skin, feeling it drying out. His lips were chapped from the moisture loss, and he could barely keep his eyes open. Still, unlike the unlucky bystanders who ran away as fast as their legs could carry them, Qin Yun remained still, his whole body radiating an eerie peacefulness. His hands were crossed behind his back, and his black robes fluttered in the rising wind of this heat wave.


    ¡°Is this what you intend to do?" Qin Yun asked, his meaning sharp as a knife digging into her heart. "Will this bring her any type of consolation? I may be selfish, but I am nothing compared to you."


    Qin Yun''s voice was soft, but his intent was deadly. The woman in red felt the words burrow deep in her heart, making her Dao Domain falter slightly. Despite her many years of life and the sturdiness of her Dao Heart, Qin Yun''s words had shaken her mental state. The flames in her hair had extinguished just as abruptly as they came to life.


    ¡°Who do you think you are to reprimand me so?¡± she asked, yet her voice lacked her earlier firmness as if her words had lost all their strength.


    Qin Yun looked at the woman with pity, yet it soon faded. He could see her struggle, the pain she felt, yet at this point, he couldn''t bring himself to care. Compared to the pain Yun Jingfei had felt, this was nothing. While Jingfei might hate him for wounding her master, he had to do this.


    ¡°We possess the only relationship greater than master and disciple; we are husband and wife.¡±


    Qin Yun¡¯s words cut her once again, yet somehow, the woman in red felt a slight relief. However, she soon frowned, expunging that feeling from her heart. How could she allow herself to feel that way? Yun Jingfei wasn¡¯t just a disciple to her; she was closer to a daughter.


    How could she allow her daughter to be wed to a random man? If anything, her husband should be someone of great talent and prestige, someone born to stand above others at the peak with Jingfei by his side, not a small man despised by his own clan.


    ¡°What can you even give her now that she has lost her beauty and cultivation? It may be cruel of me to say, but why would you want to be wed to a cripple? At least she can spend the rest of her life with me in peace. This is my responsibility," the woman said, yet the words almost remained stuck in her throat. She wavered constantly between sadness and rage.


    As for whom that rage was aimed at, Qin Yun figured it was aimed at everything around her: herself, Qin Yun and even the world itself. She was like a bomb ready to explode at any moment, yet Qin Yun wouldn¡¯t mince his words.


    ¡°Was Jingfei ever someone to be satisfied with peace? She may be content for a while, but her blood burns for a challenge. To keep that from her is to watch her die a slow death. I¡¯d rather give her wings than watch her rot away.¡±


    The woman''s temper flared up once again, but before she could bring her ire onto Qin Yun, a voice emerged from the confines of the auction hall.


    ¡°Qin Yun! That¡¯s enough. Don¡¯t you dare say anymore...¡±


    Yun Jingfei, dressed in a familiar blue dress, emerged from beyond two massive doors. She held her mask in her hands as tears flowed from her eyes. Her gaze was conflicted, yet it remained steadfast as she looked at her master.

 Chapter 69 - Memories of a Fateful Day

    ¡°I know you don''t resent her," Qin Yun said, his voice softening somewhat as he addressed his wife, "but some things need to be said. She hasn''t seen you at your worst, so how could she even understand what you went through? After all, not even I know the full extent."


    The woman in red lowered her gaze, too ashamed to look at Yun Jingfei. There was a flash of resentment in her eyes, but it soon faded, replaced with shame. She opened her mouth to speak, yet couldn''t find the words. A heavy silence hung over them as none dared to speak except for Yun Jingfei herself.


    ¡°She has her own difficulties," she said after calming down. "She can''t be expected to protect me from everything that might happen at any time. Doing so would only make me dependent. Besides, if not for that, you and I wouldn''t have met."


    A slight smile appeared on Qin Yun''s face as they looked at each other. Although theirs wasn''t a typical romance, he did feel a sense of fulfillment being with her. Whether this was love was too soon for both of them to tell. Still, he knew that things were bound to change.


    ¡°So be it,¡± Qin Yun replied. ¡°It¡¯s not my place to tell you how to feel about all this.¡±


    Despite the tears that marred her face, Yun Jingfei showed a slight smile, which shocked her master. She had rarely seen her disciple display such emotions.


    Is this man that important to her? The woman in red thought as she gazed at Qin Yun.


    With his piece said, Qin Yun waited in silence for the two estranged women to connect again. Yet, both failed to find the words to say. Yun Jingfei had long waited for that woman''s support yet had been disappointed by her absence for too long. While she understood, some things were ingrained much deeper than rationality.


    As for the woman in red, her shame made her choke on everything she sought to say. Even with decades of life and experience, such a thing was a first for her. Still, as the master, it was her responsibility to break the ice, yet she hadn''t expected it to be so hard.


    "I was told you had been disfigured..." she said with much difficulty as she gazed at Yun Jingfei''s visage.


    Surprise flashed on Yun Jingfei''s face, and then her gaze landed on the mask in her hand, only now realizing she had bared her features to the world. Still, hiding it was pointless at this point. She had already shown it all during the previous storm, yet she couldn''t bear to depart from this object. After all, it was a reminder of what Qin Yun had done for her.


    "I was..." Yun Jingfei said, the torrent of emotions in her heart having calmed substantially as she thought of the events that had happened since she met Qin Yun. "If not for him, I would still be.¡±


    Qin Yun felt her gaze on him¡ªthe same gaze he had felt so many times¡ªyet there seemed to be something more hidden within¡ªsomething that set his heart aflame.


    Is this admiration, or something more? Qin Yun thought, yet he shook his head. He knew exactly what it was and couldn¡¯t help but smile. It seemed she finally started to experience love for the first time. Still, his smile didn¡¯t last long as he knew their parting wouldn¡¯t be far away.


    "What about your spiritual roots? I can''t feel your cultivation anymore..." her master said, her expression grim as she prodded Yun Jingfei''s body with her domain.


    ¡°According to Qin Yun, there is only a little more to go until they are all repaired. Sadly, I will have to cultivate again from the beginning.¡± Yun Jingfei replied, her joy was apparent.


    Her master''s eyebrows raised slightly as she couldn''t mask her surprise. She had visited the Yun Clan before coming here and had heard from them of her condition. She had expected her to be nothing more than a mortal, unable to cultivate.


    "Did he... help you do this?" She saw Yun Jingfei offer a slight nod before she added, "How?"


    "You''ll have to ask him," Yun Jingfei said as she shrugged. "My uncle tried all he could, and nothing worked, yet Qin Yun just needed an instant to see through it and find a solution."


    Those unaware of the meaning of her words didn''t offer much of a reaction, yet those who knew better were stunned as they looked toward Qin Yun. After all, broken spiritual roots, especially those destroyed by failed advancement, weren''t something to be treated lightly.


    In fact, almost none who failed their breakthrough survived, much less had another chance to cultivate again. This seemed akin to a miracle. Even the woman in red was momentarily stunned into silence. Still, she composed herself and asked what had been on her mind this whole time.


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    ¡°What happened? With your talent, how could you fail to advance to the Void Core realm? We were prepared for it. It should have been nothing more than a formality.¡±


    Yun Jingfei shook her head. A hint of pain was on her face as she recalled the events of her failed breakthrough.


    It had been deep into the night as she sat outside on a stone slab, high on one of the countless peaks of the Immortal Phoenix Sect. No clouds obscured the light of the stars as they were all gathered below the peak.


    A layer of snow covered the barren ground, fresh from the previous night. She felt a cold breeze assault her skin while a white mist emerged from her mouth with every breath. Yet, none of it could mar her mental state. She had spent the past few hours meditating, ensuring everything was ready.


    She took a deep breath, prompting her lotus to appear above her head. It was a deep red, slowly rotating as small flames danced on its surface. It was, but a lotus platform, consisting of ten lush leaves, yet its might was apparent as waves of burning qi emanated from it, spreading in her surroundings and warming her skin.


    The thin layer of snow that rested on her being suddenly burst into steam as the temperature rose sharply while she rotated her qi within her qi centre. She felt warmth spread from her core to all her extremities as it diffused throughout her cells, empowering them for what was to come.


    She took another breath, bidding the surrounding qi to rush to her core through her mouth. The qi flowed without end, forming a vortex around herself that attracted all the qi present on this mountain peak. Soon enough, her surroundings were bare of qi as she had engulfed it to the last drop. Yet, it wasn''t enough¡ªfar from it. Still, she was prepared.


    With a wave of her sleeve, she brought to life the countless crystals she had spread around herself a day prior. They glowed with intensity, burning through the snow that rested on them, forming a puddle of water that soon turned to steam.


    Then, their glow dimmed as a bluish mist was extracted from their core as it floated to her mouth. She felt the breath of life enter her body, rushing to her qi centre, filling her with more power than she had ever known. Yet, it was still far from enough.


    With another wave, countless lines and runes appeared on the ground, pulsing with energy and intent, extracting the qi found within the earth. The location she had chosen for her breakthrough wasn''t random but something her master had deduced: the node of an earth vein, a place where qi pooled beneath the earth, something she could use.


    Now, with endless qi rushing to her core, she was finally ready to make her attempt. She made the qi rotate within her core, just as the lotus above her head did, which was just a mirror image of what could be found within her qi centre.


    Through careful manipulation and intense pressure, she made the qi form an orb over the lotus platform, ensuring not a single drop of qi could be missing. Her concentration was heightened to its limit as she felt a slight trace of sweat appear on her skin. The fateful moment would soon be upon her.


    She took another deep breath, staying calm as she pressed the rotating qi mass together, reducing its size every second until it was no bigger than a grain of sand. Even then, it wasn''t enough.


    She felt a dull pain in her core as it resisted the might of this miniature qi vortex, yet she persevered. She was now at the most critical moment.


    Through immense pressure, the vortex of qi began to liquefy, becoming a single drop of pure power. This drop was barely perceptible to her inner sight, yet its power was unmistakable. This drop seemed almost too much for her to contain with her means.


    A smile crept on her lips as she looked at that drop of liquid qi, yet it began to tremble, struggling to break free from this state. Her smile faded almost immediately as she regained her calm, and so did the drop. This simple lack of concentration had nearly cost her everything.


    With but a thought, she pushed down on the drop, bringing it closer to her lotus platform until they touched. The drop was then absorbed into it, making it shimmer with resplendent light. A flame sprouted above her lotus, forming a voluptuous bulb that contained the entire might of that drop of qi.


    She exhaled; finally, the worst was over. Now, with her void core formed, all she needed was to sprout the first petal to truly achieve the Void Core realm. She took another breath and began her work, willing her consciousness to enter her lotus, prompting its growth by injecting even more qi into it. However, this was where the first problem occurred.


    A flame sprouted from the bulb, bathing her qi channels in its heat. The flame was uncontrollable as if it had a life of its own. She sought to rein it in, willing it to calm down, yet the heat only intensified. Sweat poured down her back, as her body could barely contain it.


    In a desperate act, she sought to expel all the qi she had accumulated, hoping the flame would die down¡ªeven if she knew this would lead to a failed breakthrough.


    The burning qi shot out of her every pore, bathing the world. The snow surrounding her burst into steam, forgoing passing through the liquid state, creating countless explosions that echoed into the night air. The scarce vegetation burst into flames, dissipating into smoke almost instantly. The mountain peak became barren, containing only a sea of molten rocks, with her seated in the middle.


    Fortunately, her cultivation technique and spiritual root made her resistant to the heat, yet this proved barely enough. With every moment that passed, she reached closer to her breaking point, yet no matter how much qi she expelled from her body, it never seemed to be enough. The flame only grew in intensity, as if wishing to engulf the world in its destruction, and she could do nothing to stop it.


    Furthermore, the situation only grew worse. She felt the world''s might as dark clouds gathered overhead. It was as if the world felt threatened by that small flame''s appearance. Thunder cracked in the sky as it readied itself to strike. She raised her head, and her heart sank; for the first time in her life, she felt powerless.


    Her red lotus grew even bigger, radiating even more heat. Her skin burst into flames as it breached the threshold of what she could endure. She felt the fire dance on her skin as it ate away at her nerves. Yet, this would offer her no respite as the energetic flame also willed her body to heal itself at the same pace.


    Regeneration and destruction alternated and then blended into each other, becoming inseparable. Her suffering was indescribable, yet the pain in her heart was even worse. She couldn''t believe she would die on this day.


    She raised her gaze, looking at those black clouds overhead as she felt her skin crack and burn and her qi channels burst. She could barely retain her consciousness. Still, she would fight until the end, unresigned to her fate.


    She fought through the pain and did what she could to regain control of that flame, yet it was pointless. What fuelled this flame wasn''t qi anymore, but her life itself. She would perish under it or go insane.


    Dark clouds blotted the sky, and rain fell, sizzling and bursting as it touched her skin. The pain only intensified. Then, as if to relieve her of this unending suffering, lightning fell, bathing the world in white¡ªbut for a moment.

 Chapter 70 - Predestined Parting

    Dark clouds covered the stars as lightning crackled and fell, splitting the dark sky in two through a ray of white. Yun Jingfei felt it fall on her head, breaking apart the flame that engulfed her body. The mass of energy travelled through her qi channels, extinguishing the blaze raging within, but its rampage was just as devastating.


    She felt them collapse under the strain, shattering apart as if tubes of glass, and those shards rendering her flesh. Steam rose from her charred body as the flames died down and the downpour drenched her completely, yet the rain on her raw burn wounds was much more than she could take.


    Then, the lightning reached her core, breaking everything in its path until it collided with the burning lotus within. The two forces struggled for dominance, yet the flames were no match for the world''s might. Dark cracks appeared on the lotus as it rotated but then shattered.


    The lotus crumbled into pure qi as if a castle of sand falling apart. Waves of qi were blown outwards, scattering in all directions as they were ejected through every orifice of her body, mixing with blood and pus as they fell while most of it was simply scattered by the wind.


    Since the start of her ordeal, she had managed to retain her sanity, bearing through the pain with gritted teeth. But now, as the soothing rain fell endlessly, the truth of what had occurred was finally made real. She couldn''t help but scream¡ªa scream filled with pain and helplessness.


    Her voice was hoarse as her throat hadn¡¯t been spared from the deadly burns. Then, without warning, a mass of blood was ejected from her mouth, sizzling as it hit the boiling ground. Even through all that, she could still feel the scent of death, decay and burnt flesh that accompanied her on this day. She took a breath, only to find her lungs had been scarred by the heat, making it painful for her to simply exist.


    She touched her head, only to feel her scalp akin to burnt leather. Her long, silky hair was all but gone. She couldn''t help but wail at the sky as if a banshee. Her world had collapsed instantly despite all the preparations she had made. Her heart was filled with grief and agony, yet the world wasn''t done with her.


    Lightning crackled once again as it threatened to bury her within. She raised her head, despair in her eyes, yet there was also a slight hint of relief. The world was merciless to all living things, but maybe it was better like this. After all, how could she bear to keep living as she was now? At least her suffering would end.


    Her mind was hazy, the pain being the only thing keeping her consciousness alive, yet even that was stretched thin. She managed to keep herself from blacking out only through pure will, yet to what end? What could she hope to achieve in her current state?


    She finally let herself go; there was no point keeping a brave front and enduring the pain¡ªnot anymore. Her mind swam in a sea of darkness until it finally collapsed under the strain, becoming nothing more than inert. She collapsed on her back, facing the sky, awaiting the world''s reckoning, unable to avert her fate.


    Then, lightning fell once again, aimed at her. Yet, it would miss its mark. A man dressed in white appeared next to her, bearing the brunt of this lightning strike with his hand. The world''s might swam in the man''s flesh, charring the limb black, yet it didn''t go further than the elbow. His hand fell limply to his side, unable to move, yet the man¡¯s expression remained neutral as if none of it mattered.


    Thunder struck again, but as the man raised his gaze, the clouds parted ways as if they had expended all their energies, revealing the stars hidden beneath. The man remained silent as if awaiting something, yet nothing happened. It was only a moment later that he lowered his gaze, putting his sight onto the mess that was now Yun Jingfei¡¯s body, yet his expression didn¡¯t shift in the slightest even as he gazed at her wretched state.


    Was he simply indifferent, or was there something more hidden behind that expression? Yun Jingfei would never know as she was barely breathing at the time. Without that man''s intervention, she would have surely died.


    The man bent down over her body and pressed on her skin with his remaining hand, infusing something within. She began healing quickly; the open wounds closed as the pus was removed, yet those burn marks wouldn''t leave her skin as if something was deeply ingrained within.


    Seeing this, the man frowned for the first time, yet his expression soon returned to neutral. Her weak breathing stabilized as her wounds closed, while her heartbeat became steady. She was now out of immediate danger, yet her days as a cultivator were over. Her qi channels were shattered, and her qi centre had collapsed. Despite his means, the man could do nothing to remedy those.


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    The man sighed as he gazed upon the shattered remnants of this mountain peak. It was now completely barren, with molten rocks everywhere. The landscape had changed drastically after this event. It would take decades for nature to regain its rightful place on this mountain summit.


    Then, with a motion of his hand, Yun Jingfei''s unconscious body rose from the ground, enveloped in a thin shimmering film that made her hover above the ground. The man''s blackened hand twitched slightly; he then closed his fist as the outer layer of burnt skin fell off of it before scattering like ashes in the wind. His hand was now good as new, as if nothing had ever happened to it.


    The man placed his hands behind his back, looking straight ahead to the horizon as Yun Jingfei floated next to him. He took a step over the void and disappeared from the devastated mountain summit, Yun Jingfei alongside him.


    "I then woke up days later in one of my family''s own mansions," Yun Jingfei said as she finished recalling her story. "There were countless physicians and alchemists at my side, discussing my condition and treatment. I''ve no recollection of how I ended up there or managed to survive until then. The last thing I remember was the tribulation seeking to strike a second time, then unending darkness. If you went to my family, the rest is as you''ve heard. They tried various things, yet nothing could reconstruct my broken spiritual roots. Not wanting to waste more resources on a cripple, they decided to marry me off. That''s how I ended up here."


    Somehow, the tone Yun Jingfei used to recount this story cut even more deeply into her master''s heart than it would have had she done so while crying. This indifference spoke louder of the pain she had suffered as if the only way to even survive that event was to discard it entirely.


    Tears flowed from the woman in red''s eyes, yet they burst into flames almost immediately¡ªsomething Qin Yun couldn''t help but notice and reflect upon. Still, the two women wouldn''t stop their reunion on his account.


    ¡°I¡¯m... sorry,¡± the woman said, choking on those words. ¡°I should have been there for you... I should have... but I am now. Come back with me... I¡¯ll find a way to get back all you¡¯ve lost.¡±


    Yun Jingfei smiled slightly as she gently took the woman¡¯s hands, shaking her head.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to burden yourself like that,¡± she said. ¡°As strange as it might sound, I¡¯m happy things turned out this way. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have met him.¡±


    Her gaze turned toward Qin Yun, showing a slight smile. Seeing this, Yun Jingfei''s master''s expression grew complicated.


    ¡°Are you in love with him?" she asked, her tone graver than before, which Yun Jingfei couldn''t help but pick up on.


    ¡°Who knows? Is that important?¡± Yun Jingfei asked, feeling somewhat helpless. ¡°Our relationship was never built on such flimsy emotions. We both had something to gain from this union. Although, I must say he was never forthcoming with me in sharing his reasons.¡±


    Qin Yun could feel her gaze pierce him as if trying to burrow through his soul.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m prone to feeling lonely,¡± he said, shrugging.


    Yun Jingfei just rolled her eyes and ignored him.


    ¡°Master," Yun Jingfei said. "I''m touched you came this far for me, but I made a deal and intend to honour it; therefore..."


    However, Qin Yun interrupted her before she could finish.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go back to your sect? I¡¯m sure you miss being there.¡± He could feel her mood darken and the questions that swirled in her eyes, yet Qin Yun chose to continue, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I seem to know you better than you know yourself. This isn¡¯t where you belong. This mundane world filled with deception and power struggles would only hold you back on the path you have chosen. It would only hinder your cultivation.¡±


    ¡°I can cultivate here just fine!¡± she exploded, yet Qin Yun shook his head.


    ¡°How many times have we been interrupted since we''ve married? While battles can help you with your sword cultivation, you''d have better luck finding that among your peers within your sect than here. Besides, too many people are trying to take advantage of me and, by extension, you. At least your master can shield you from them."


    "I thought you didn''t think much of her..."


    "I only aired my grievances, but now that it is done, why hold it against her? If you don''t care, why would I?" he said, shrugging again, then added, "Before you say anymore, this isn''t goodbye; I intend to follow you to your sect."


    This brought a frown to the woman in red, yet she held her tongue. On the other hand, Yun Jingfei didn''t quite know how to feel. Still, one thing was certain: she had been played by Qin Yun. She felt a seed of frustration bloom in her heart, yet it soon transformed into embarrassment.


    ¡°Why did you put it like that in the first place?¡± she said.


    ¡°Because I won''t follow you right away. There''s something else that requires my attention."


    ¡°Is it what happened when you were taken away by the City Lord''s Mansion?"


    ¡°I need to find some answers,¡± Qin Yun said, neither agreeing nor denying. ¡°Once I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll be sure to come and find you.¡±


    "This is too sudden," she stammered, taken aback, and then added the only thing she could think of to make him reconsider, "You still haven''t fulfilled your end. How am I supposed to cultivate in my current state?"


    From the recesses of his clothes, Qin Yun took out a thick tome bound in leather. He lightly threw it at the woman in red. She pointed at it, stopping it in midair using her domain. She quickly skimmed through it, and then a frown appeared on her face. She looked at Qin Yun with a mix of surprise and puzzlement.


    ¡°You are almost healed; there¡¯s not much more remaining, and with what I have provided, your master should be more than capable of doing the rest.¡±


    Yun Jingfei remained silent for a while as they stared at each other. None of the audience dared to make a sound. After all, they were in the presence of two Soul Formation cultivators. It wasn''t their place to comment. Surprisingly, while the woman in red''s expression fluctuated wildly as she felt excluded from what was happening with her disciple, the City Lord only watched the events play out with a slight smile; he chose to remain a spectator.


    ¡°There¡¯s one matter you haven¡¯t mentioned. Even if my master were to heal my spiritual roots as you did, I still cannot cultivate,¡± Yun Jingfei finally said.


    ¡°I know. I''ve thought about this for a long time and finally had a spark of inspiration once I took a look at your master," Qin Yun said with a smile, then added louder, his voice covering the whole plaza," Feng Xia! Why don''t you come out? Someone''s here to see you!"

 Chapter 71 - Birds of a Feather

    Qin Yun''s voice echoed off the plaza''s stones, and silence reigned momentarily. Everyone held their breaths, wondering who would show up, yet no one rose to claim attendance. Qin Yun just looked upwards and sighed before turning to the woman in red.


    "I''ve just realized I never asked you your name." Qin Yun asked, completely ignoring the tense atmosphere and the mocking gazes thrown his way. "I suspect I have no need to introduce myself."


    The woman frowned, feeling slightly displeased. Yet, as she looked at her disciple, seeing how perfect her skin now was, she couldn¡¯t help but relent.


    ¡°Feng Yanmei...¡± she said, yet her displeasure was apparent. ¡°Considering your relationship with Jingfei, I¡¯ll allow you to call me that.¡±


    "As expected," Qin Yun replied, yet his voice was barely audible. Yun Jingfei seemed to recognize his tone but held her tongue, knowing she would get an answer soon enough.


    "Feng Xia! You have nothing to fear," Qin Yun added, his voice being carried to every part of the plaza, drowning the heavy silence that hung over the audience. "There''s nobody here stupid enough to try anything with an expert like Miss Feng Yanmei here to protect you."


    Qin Yun then glanced at the woman in red, showing a slight smile. Feng Yanmei looked back at him, her displeasure ever more apparent, yet she could only relent when she saw her disciple plead her with her eyes.


    ¡°As long as I am here, I swear that no harm will come to you,¡± Fen Yanmei said, now somehow interested in where this was all going. ¡°If someone here dares to seek to harm you, they will have to contend with the full might of the Immortal Phoenix Sect.¡±


    Gasps could be heard in the audience as people recoiled backwards, unwilling to involve themselves in whatever was poised to happen. In fact, quite a few chose to leave entirely, even forsaking the auction that was supposed to take place. After all, their lives were worth much more than whatever trinkets they could acquire. They didn''t possess the strength to involve themselves in a situation the Immortal Phoenix Sect was part of.


    After hearing those words, a small head of red and orange peeked out of the building''s threshold, calmly scrutinizing the woman in red. Feng Yanmei looked back only to frown. Then, her eyes widened in bewilderment. Feng Xia''s eyes did the same; consternation and puzzlement were evident.


    With a slight nod from Qin Yun, Feng Xia finally emerged, showing her usual orange dress. On her wrist was a small golden bracelet emitting an unfamiliar light. A strange energy whirled around it, prompting the surrounding qi to pool around her, yet none seemed to be aware of the strange phenomenon. Lian Huiling stood behind her, as did her uncle and aunt. Qin Yun''s eyebrow rose slightly as he gazed at those two, yet soon ignored the duo. They were inconsequential in his plans.


    Feng Xia walked down the stairs as the auction house''s patrons gave way, parting on both sides. Qin Yun''s gaze was riveted on the city lord, yet as expected, the man seemed to have no interest in the little bird coming their way. He couldn''t help but ponder that man''s motives in all this. What did he hope to gain?


    Feng Xia stopped before the woman in red, her orange dress slightly fluttering in the wind. They both looked at each other but said no words. Yun Jingfei seemed to want to introduce them, yet Qin Yun gently stopped her, only watching how things played out.


    Feng Xia''s eyes were somewhat hazy as she looked at the woman, almost as if she was lost in memories. She opened her mouth a few times but couldn''t find the words. Her indecision was apparent, just as Feng Yanmei seemed confused by the situation, but also a strange feeling rising in her heart.


    This was obviously their first meeting, yet she felt a connection to this teenage girl, almost as if they were long-lost relatives who had just found each other again. Of course, Feng Yanmei wouldn''t act on such an unclear motive before fully knowing the underlying matter. She could only turn to Qin Yun, the instigator, to know the true scope of what he hoped to achieve. However, Feng Xia beat her to the punch.


    ¡°It''s faint, but you feel familiar..." Feng Xia said, her mind still swimming in nostalgia. Feng Yanmei saw tears welling in the corner of the teenage girl''s eyes as several emotions flashed on her face. She felt her own emotions stir in response before the girl in the orange dress added as she looked toward Qin Yun, "Why do I have this feeling?"


    ¡°Why ask me when you already know the answer?" Qin Yun shrugged, prompting Yun Jingfei to try to pinch his arm. Yet all she found was the sturdiness of metal.


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    She frowned, then rolled up Qin Yun¡¯s sleeve only to reveal the mechanical arm hidden beneath. She turned to him, her expression grim, yet Qin Yun placed two fingers on her lips, letting her questions be stuck in her throat.


    ¡°Just follow your heart,¡± Qin Yun added as he looked back toward Feng Xia. ¡°You know better than anyone what this feeling is. I just made a guess based on the evidence I saw, but it seemed I didn¡¯t see wrongly.¡±


    Feng Xia nodded and turned back to face the woman in red. She tilted her head as she pondered, yet this evoked strange emotions in Feng Yanmei''s heart. She couldn''t help but think of Feng Xia as the cutest thing, just as when she first met Yun Jingfei.


    As a Soul Formation cultivator, she could feel the hidden hands of fate all around her. Their meeting was no coincidence, even if she didn''t know for what reason this all happened. She couldn''t help but look back toward Qin Yun, only to see him shrug as if he knew her concerns. She frowned and made a point of remaining wary of this man before she turned back toward Feng Xia, only to be stunned by what happened next.


    Despite having her domain surrounding her at all times, Feng Yanmei felt the young woman in an orange dress pass through it as if it didn''t even exist and embrace her body. She was stunned by how easily she had been approached despite consistently keeping her guard up. Cold sweat soaked the back of her dress as she realized that if this young woman had wished her harm at that moment, she wouldn''t have discovered it.


    Fortunately, none of that seemed to have happened. In fact, the sense of kinship only grew more substantial, and the urge to dislodge herself from her embrace slowly faded away. She couldn''t help but embrace her back despite her better judgment. It was as if something deep within her psyche controlled her every action.


    Qin Yun looked at all this with a smug expression, probably the only one who realized the underlying reason for this behaviour. Even the city lord, who seemed to have everything in his hands, seemed slightly taken aback, as did Yun Jingfei.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± she asked, taken aback by her master¡¯s odd behaviour.


    I have a favour to ask, senior," he said to the woman in red. She looked back at him, seemingly at a loss, yet Qin Yun ignored her helpless demeanour before adding, "This isn''t something that should be spread around."


    As if only now realizing his meaning, Feng Yanmei nodded before a slight ethereal flame emerged from her body, propagating outward and engulfing everything in its path. Yet no harm came to them. In fact, even as it passed right through his body, Qin Yun couldn''t even feel its heat or existence, yet he could feel as if space had shifted slightly.


    This was her domain of flames, where she ruled supreme. Unless one possessed a similar or greater domain, one would have no way to disobey its owner''s will, much less escape from it. It also doubled as a barrier, shielding them from prying eyes, as Feng Yanmei could prevent sounds and light from escaping the estranged world she had created. It made for the perfect privacy feature, except for a tiny problem.


    Beyond the boundary, Sun Yang looked at the group with a slight smile. Feng Yanmei frowned as she raised her hand, preparing to dispense some much-needed punishment for this intrusion, yet Qin Yun stopped her.


    "There''s no point," he said. "He''ll know sooner or later. Nothing can escape his eyes as long as you remain in this city. The formation he is in charge of was built that way."


    Feng Yanmei''s eyes narrowed slightly, yet she lowered her hand. Qin Yun''s words made a significant impact on her resolve. If possible, she didn''t wish to be this man''s opponent¡ªat least not while in the confines of this city. In fact, she couldn''t wait to leave this forsaken place and return to her sect for some much-needed rest. Still, she wouldn''t do so without her disciple in tow.


    "Speak," Feng Yanmei said, yet Qin Yun couldn''t help but chuckle at her response. She had lost most of the shock and awe she displayed as she arrived, and now she looked nothing more than an embarrassed individual trying to save face. Seeing her so vulnerable after how stoic and unyielding she had been as she first presented herself made her seem much more endearing¡ªmuch more human.


    ¡°Let me ask, how much do you know of your genealogy?¡± Qin Yun asked the woman in red.


    ¡°What does this have to do with anything?" Yun Jingfei replied, yet for the first time, there seemed to be a hint of realization in her master''s eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve felt as if you¡¯ve just met a long-lost relative,¡± Qin Yun added. ¡°For your information, Feng Xia, the girl in your arms, isn¡¯t human but a spirit called a Paradise Bird. Do you see where I¡¯m going with this?¡±


    Feng Yanmei¡¯s gaze was locked onto Qin Yun as her fingers glided within Feng Xia¡¯s hair, unconsciously stroking her head. She didn¡¯t even realize she was doing so until her disciple pointed it out.


    ¡°Master told me she has no recollection of her parents." Yun Jingfei explained as she knew her master would be reluctant to say as much to a stranger like Qin Yun. Yun Jingfei had no such reservations. She knew Qin Yun wouldn''t pry as he did without a good reason. "She told me she had been found as a baby near the foot of the Immortal Phoenix Sect by the Sect Leader a long time ago. The only thing that could point to her origins was a blanket depicting the shadow of a bird and a set of hazy memories."


    ¡°Did she ever try to find out her origins?" Qin Yun asked, but before Yun Jingfei could reply, Feng Yanmei sighed but then spoke of her own volition. These events were so long ago that she had mostly put them behind her. Still, if her disciple thought this was important for her recovery, she would dredge up the memories she had once buried. After all, she owed her that much.


    ¡°The sect leader and I tried long ago, yet nothing came of it. After all, how much can an ordinary blanket tell me about my origins? We only know that whoever left me there wasn''t ordinary, as this was within the boundary of the sect''s protection formation. To bypass it without activating it would take someone close to achieving immortality at least."


    ¡°I thought as much,¡± Qin Yun said as he sighed. ¡°Nothing is ever simple. I can¡¯t just marry a girl and lead a simple life. There¡¯s always some hidden mystery to be uncovered everywhere as if guiding us to a predetermined destination... what are the odds?¡±


    Qin Yun burst out laughing, to the bewilderment of the group. Even Yun Jingfei was stunned, as this type of overflowing emotion was rare for him. Still, she found this wholly inadequate for the situation and chose to bring him back to reality.


    "Don''t leave us in suspense, I''m sure you''ve noticed something. Out with it."


    Qin Yun regained his calm yet retained a slight smile. He turned toward Feng Xia and addressed her.


    "I''m sure that after all this time, you must have noticed. After all, the two of you are closely related. She''s a phoenix, right? At least, one of her parents was."


    Yun Jingfei and Feng Yanmei were both stunned. Their mouths hung open slightly. They had many questions yet were unable to verbalize them. They could only turn to Feng Xia for confirmation. The young bird only nodded slightly before burying her head back into Feng Yanmei''s bosom. Silence hung in the air as the master and disciple duo tried to process what had happened, only to see Qin Yun smile as if he had expected all of this.

 Chapter 72 - Departure

    ¡°How would you even know?¡± Yun Jingfei¡¯s voice was laced with so much skepticism that Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but show a helpless smile.


    ¡°Feng Xia¡¯s reaction is the best confirmation you can hope for. It¡¯s easy for spirits to recognize one another. The best way to describe it would be something akin to resonance. I¡¯m sure your master feels something similar,¡± Qin Yun replied.


    ¡°By the way, what''s with Feng Xia''s actions? Most of the time, she acts like an adult, but now she looks like nothing more than a child," Yun Jingfei added as she looked back at the duo stuck to one another.


    Qin Yun opened his mouth to answer, yet Feng Yanmei was the first to speak as she gently stroked the little bird''s head.


    "Do not judge spirits based on human principles, especially ancestral ones," she said. "These types of spirits age as their cultivation grows. As such, it doesn''t always reflect their mental age. Besides, spirits also grow at a speed different from short-lived races. It wouldn''t surprise me if she was over a hundred years old yet retained the naivety of a child. Still, that doesn''t make her stupid. She has probably been taught how to hide it but couldn''t be bothered in the presence of those she trusts."


    ¡°She''s right," Qin Yun said as Yun Jingfei was deep in thought. "However, you wouldn''t usually see an ancestral spirit so young away from its clan. At least their elders wouldn''t let them. After all, they have many useful traits, making them especially coveted. Cultivators are just such creatures, after all."


    Yun Jingfei could feel the hidden intent behind his words but ignored it. She had many more important questions that needed answers.


    ¡°That¡¯s good and all, but if master is part phoenix, how come nobody knew but you?¡± she asked.


    "Who says no one knew?" Qin Yun shrugged. "Her sect is called the Immortal Phoenix Sect. You expect me to believe no one could recognize a young phoenix appearing at their doorstep? Think about it; this is no coincidence. Her parents probably have done it on purpose. As for why, I don''t know nor care."


    Yun Jingfei looked back to her master only to see her nod slightly.


    ¡°I was picked up by the sect leader back then,¡± she said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to have kept it from me. After all, it wouldn¡¯t be the first time.¡±


    Her eyes became cold, laced with a slight murderous intent, yet fleeting at best. Once she felt Feng Xia stiffen in her arms, she couldn''t help but sigh and renew stroking her head. Somehow, she already grew attached to this little bird. She wondered how shared ancestry could have such a significant effect on her psyche.


    ¡°Back to the matter at hand," Yun Jingfei said, feeling slightly overwhelmed by this realization, even though most of it was about her master. She couldn''t comprehend how she didn''t seem perturbed by the news but added, "What does this have to do with rebuilding my spiritual roots?"


    ¡°Well, now that I know the reason for their destruction, finding a solution became much easier. I would assume the cultivation technique your master passed onto you was something she had always known, something inborn, right?" he asked, only to see the woman in red nod slightly. "She found you possessed a compatible set of spiritual roots for it. That''s probably why she even chose you as a disciple. However, that technique was made for her, someone who possessed the blood of a phoenix, meaning flames are but the breath of life to her. While your spiritual roots were compatible with that flame, it doesn''t mean that human qi channels can bear its heat. After all, I''m sure she added some parts to control the heat, making it unstable, hence your predicament. That technique was never meant to be used by humans¡ªat least not pure-blooded ones."


    The atmosphere grew heavier as both women looked at each other. Yun Jingfei could see remorse flash on her master''s face, something she had rarely seen. In fact, ever since she remembered, her master had been strict toward her, only interacting when it came to cultivation. Still, Yun Jingfei had been fine with it, as cultivation was all she ever wanted.


    But now? She had experienced much more in the last year away from her master and had changed substantially, and she could understand her master much more. After all, considering her past, her master probably could only rely on herself to reach her current heights. While the sect wasn''t as bloody as the cultivation clans, it didn''t mean it wasn''t filled with competition. No one could reach an elder position without their hands stained with blood.


    Qin Yun remained silent, letting them both sort this out. He told them what needed to be said and didn''t want to intrude into their relationships. After all, the relationship between master and disciple was sacred¡ªat least those in this world thought so. Still, it wouldn''t stop some from discarding it entirely for profit. Cultivators weren''t gods, no matter how they claimed to be. Just flawed living beings.


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    ¡°What does this mean for my cultivation?¡± Yun Jingfei finally asked. ¡°Does this mean my master¡¯s cultivation technique is unusable?¡±


    "Not entirely," Qin Yun replied, shaking his head. "While her being a phoenix was beyond my expectations, the result wasn''t. After all, your qi channels being unable to bear the heat was plain as day. What you need to do to cultivate again hasn''t changed. I already showed you the path; you only need to walk it to the end."


    ¡°Intent," she murmured as realization dawned on her. "By comprehending intent, I could spread that heat evenly or even use it to strengthen my qi channels to better resist the flame. Still, this is far from fool-proof and will take me a long time to master."


    ¡°Does time matter for cultivators?" Qin Yun said, shrugging. "Is the rest of eternity not enough time? Would you rather take the chance that something might go wrong again and wallow in mediocrity, or seek to reach the peak even if it takes you much longer? Why do people always emphasize speed? It only stuns their growths."


    ¡°Interesting philosophy," Feng Yanmei said, her eyes locked onto Qin Yun as if trying to see his depths. "Is that what you are currently doing? I must admit I haven''t seen anything like this before. I doubt someone so young would have as much patience as you do. After all, who could resist the allure of what cultivation brings? Not even I could claim as such."


    Qin Yun remained silent, unwilling to reply, only showing a slight smile, which Feng Yanmei reciprocated. Yun Jingfei looked at Qin Yun and was about to roll her eyes, yet her master chose not to push things further. Instead, she brought up the subject that Yun Jingfei knew was coming.


    ¡°Are you ready to go back to the sect with me?¡± she asked.


    Yun Jingfei looked at Qin Yun; her gaze was complicated, a mix of reluctance and eagerness. Knowing her turmoil, Qin Yun gave her the push she needed.


    ¡°The way you are, you will only get in my way,¡± he said bluntly.


    Her eyes narrowed as she frowned, a slight hint of anger apparent, yet she held her tongue. She wasn''t a child, oblivious to human interactions. His aim was clear, and she knew that deep down, he was right. After all, things never turned out as they intended ever since they were married. She could only reluctantly agree that it would probably remain the same as long as they didn''t possess the strength to deter those who wished to plot against them. She could only shake her head and sigh.


    "Don''t make me wait too long, or I might just find someone else," she said, a playful smile on her face, accentuating her lovely features. Despite not hearing her words, some of the remaining audience couldn''t help but be enraptured by her. Some even cursed Qin Yun in their hearts in jealousy.


    "I don''t doubt it," he said as he stepped toward her, taking her small hand into his before kissing the back of it.


    She frowned, not understanding the gesture, yet she couldn''t help but feel slightly embarrassed. She wished to inquire yet couldn''t bring herself to; their parting was already set in stone, and she felt much more reluctant than she originally thought.


    She turned around, unable to meet his gaze and could only murmur almost inaudibly, ¡°Don¡¯t cheat on me, or I will...¡±


    Qin Yun chuckled before embracing her from behind, holding her small waist tight.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare. I don¡¯t know how long we¡¯ll be apart, but you will always be in my thoughts.¡±


    Yun Jingfei turned with a slightly shocked expression. While he had said something similar countless times before, this was the first time she had felt the words to be genuine. Despite her embarrassment and the crowd around them, she gathered her courage and vowed not to have any regrets.


    She stood on the tip of her toes, and her lips made contact with his. Qin Yun was surprised for a moment, yet soon reciprocated the feeling. He could see her cheeks turn slightly redder despite this kiss being quite innocent. Still, he chose not to push further as he thought that this seemed perfect for the moment. He didn''t need anything more.


    As they grew apart, Yun Jingfei took a deep breath, seemingly having forgotten to breathe. Qin Yun chuckled, which only brought more colour to her face. She turned around and walked to her master, yet tears threatened to well in the corner of her eyes.


    Her master had watched all this silently, yet her expression couldn''t be more complicated.


    It¡¯s only been a month since they met, she thought. What happened for her to grow so attached to him? Is it only due to the tome in my hands?


    Still, she had no intention of inquiring at this moment.


    "Just a piece of advice," she said as she shrunk her domain to only envelope Yun Jingfei and Feng Xia within. "Not just anyone can come at their leisure within the Immortal Phoenix Sect. If you want your relationship with Jingfei to be recognized, you must prove yourself worthy."


    ¡°Senior doesn¡¯t need to worry yourself over this,¡± Qin Yun replied with a peaceful smile. ¡°I am done playing around.¡±


    While she didn''t understand the meaning of this statement, probably only thinking of him as an arrogant junior, Yun Jingfei did understand, and her eyes couldn''t help but widen before a radiant smile graced her lips. She already couldn''t wait for the next time they would meet.


    With their goodbyes over with, the three women rose into the sky, wrapped in a shimmering barrier wreathed in flames. Then, as they pierced through the formation barrier overhead, large wings of flame resembling a gigantic bird sprouted from the orb, spreading their heat everywhere. The being of flame then flapped its wings, creating shock waves before disappearing into the night sky, becoming just a radiant dot of light in the distance.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you chose to let her go,¡± the city lord said as he stepped next to Qin Yun, watching the light slowly fade away.


    ¡°I could say the same to you,¡± Qin Yun replied, his gaze fixed toward the direction his wife had left. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you would let Feng Xia leave with her.¡±


    He then turned toward the man, looking him in the eyes.


    "What are you really after?" he asked, only to see the man smile and then take a step over the void, only leaving a flash of light as he disappeared from this place.


    Qin Yun sighed as he shook his head. Many thoughts swirled in his mind, yet none mattered at this moment. He had already chosen his path. Seeing him in this state, Lian Huiling walked next to him.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to leave with her?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I do, and I will," he replied. "However, before doing so, there are many things left for me to deal with, many people I must pay back."


    He then walked away, entering the auction house at the top of those steps. Yet, somehow, Lian Huiling couldn''t get Qin Yun''s smile out of her mind. She couldn''t stop her body from trembling and cold sweat pooling on her back.

 Chapter 73 - A Stroll in the Dead of Night

    ¡°My lord, we¡¯ve just received news that the target has recently left the city...¡±


    A man wearing an all-black outfit, his features hidden beneath a mask, was kneeling before another man. His back was soaked in sweat, and his body trembled slightly as he could feel the heavy tension and slight murderous intent that permeated the atmosphere. Fortunately for the man in black, his lord could control his anger and merely sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Liao Cheng said as he returned to his cold indifference.


    ¡°Should we send some men to pursue?¡± the man in black asked tentatively, knowing his question might provoke the man before him further. Still, his loyalty urged him to do so.


    "Only for them to die?" Liao Cheng sneered, then sighed again. "No... Have them pull back their surveillance. Now that one of the four sects is involved, we cannot be careless lest it affects our further operations. What of Sun Yang? Do we know what his motives were for letting her go?"


    The man in black¡¯s gaze lowered slightly as he spoke once again, trying to keep his voice as even as possible.


    "All we know is that it should be related to Qin Yun. After the Immortal Phoenix Sect Elder departed, he participated in the auction, followed by a daughter of the Sun clan. The only object he bought was a monster core of unknown origins. This should be the paradise bird''s monster core he had mentioned. From this, we can infer that he made a deal with the city lord in exchange for something that may lead him to Paradise."


    Liao Cheng stared out of a window, the bright sun shining overhead, yet his gaze was dark as night, and a cold frost lay deep within.


    "Qin Yun... That man will pay for this," he murmured loud enough for the kneeling man to hear.


    The man felt a shiver spread through his back and could only remain silent, letting it pass before sheepishly


    adding, "Should we send some men after him?¡±


    Liao Cheng pondered for a moment, feeling a flame of fury rise within his heart, yet could only shake his head in the end. Ever since his confrontation with Qin Yun, he hadn¡¯t felt he could win against the man who was nothing but a mortal. That man seemed to defy all logic.


    "Let him be for the time being," Liao Cheng said, yet he couldn''t hide his anger and reluctance. "He is inconsequential... for now. As long as he doesn''t disturb our plan, I don''t intend to go against him. Doing so would only be foolish." He remained silent for a while longer before adding, "How far along are we?¡±


    ¡°Doing so while trying not to alert them is a slow process," the man said. "Currently, we only have nearly 20% of the necessary personnel in place. However, most operatives are only relegated to the rogue cultivator and the minor clan. Trying to infiltrate the four major clans proved to be much harder than anticipated, especially the Qin Clan. They seem to have a way to discover our men but have yet to retaliate against us. It may be they have no idea who is behind this."


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure,¡± Liao Cheng chuckled slightly. ¡°I know your family is at odds with the Qin Clan, but you should never underestimate your opponent. The only reason they haven¡¯t done anything is simply that they cannot afford to. After all, didn¡¯t they just offend the Yun Clan recently? This won¡¯t blow over anytime soon and will give us the leeway to bring our plans to fruition. You know what to do.¡±


    Liao Cheng then waved his hand, not bothering to look back at the man in black as he quickly retreated from the room. Only after he was alone did he turn around, only to see a beautiful woman with hair of gold emerge from the darkness before standing next to him, her eyes shining with inquisitiveness.


    "Why did you ask me to witness this?" Sun Yu asked, somewhat perplexed by her fiancee''s actions. Ever since his loss to Qin Yun, he had behaved strangely. Usually, he would have never allowed her to witness such a thing, much less have her hidden from his own subordinate. She couldn''t understand what went through his head.


    Liao Cheng ignored her question and simply replied back with one of his own.


    ¡°What do you think of him?¡±


    Sun Yu''s eyes widened slightly. She knew this man much more deeply than even he realized, yet this sudden interest in her opinion took her slightly aback. He wasn¡¯t one to seek other¡¯s opinions while plotting something.


    "Are we talking about the man who just left or Qin Yun?" she replied.


    Her words made him frown for a moment, yet Sun Yu didn''t feel intimidated in the slightest. She couldn''t help but find his slight burst of anger somehow cute. Ever since his loss to Qin Yun, his air of invincibility had crumbled, and she could finally see his hidden vulnerability. Somehow, he felt much more human and had only reaffirmed her love for him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about him,¡± Liao Cheng said, burying his anger in his heart, only showing a disinterested expression, which couldn''t help but make Sun Yu smile and wrap her arms around his neck. Liao Cheng sighed before holding her by the waist, looking deep into her golden eyes.


    ¡°What made you doubt yourself? That¡¯s not like you,¡± she asked, showing him a gentle smile, yet some worry could be seen in her eyes. ¡°Are you worried your own men will betray you?¡±


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    ¡°Betrayal is never far from those with ambition,¡± Liao Cheng replied, his voice cold and laced with a hint of pain. ¡°Not even you would be exempt from it.¡±


    His words cut Sun Yu deeply, yet she barely showed it on her face. If anything, her gaze only grew gentler.


    ¡°You still do not believe my feelings for you?¡± she asked, her voice trembling slightly.


    ¡°I do, but I also know human nature,¡± he said.


    His words couldn¡¯t help but make her show a pained expression, yet Liao Cheng only brushed it off.


    "Sooner or later, you will have to choose between me and your father," he added, his voice colder than she would have liked. "When the time comes, I won''t show any mercy. Until then, you remain useful."


    Sun Yu smiled before kissing his lips. Liao Cheng was taken aback yet didn''t retreat. However, unlike Sun Yu, who enjoyed the moment, he kept his sight on her the entire time, ensuring there would be no foul-play. To his surprise, this woman seemed genuine. After a moment, they grew apart, and Sun Yu showed a satisfied smile.


    "At last, you are honest with me," she said. "However, much honesty remains to be drawn out."


    ¡°What are you hiding?¡± Liao Cheng asked, unable to understand her. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you resigned yourself to be used for something as intangible as love.¡±


    Sun Yu sighed as she looked back at him.


    ¡°And I don''t believe you are that cold," she said with a sad smile. "We''ll have to see which of us is right in the future."


    Liao Cheng remained silent, pondering as he watched her leave, her buttocks swaying with her every step. A slight smile crept up his lips as he shook his head, knowing full well this was all intentional, but then a cold indifference masked it all. His thoughts returned to the matter at hand, his game of power against the various factions of this city.


    "What do you hope to accomplish?" Liao Cheng whispered to himself as he gazed outside his window, which offered a spectacular view of most of the Sun Clan, especially the main hall. He sighed after a moment, then disappeared into the darkness.


    ******


    Night had fallen as Qin Yun stared at a massive wall near the city''s centre. It was grand and sturdy, laced with countless runes and formations. Pressing his hand against it, Qin Yun could feel the flow of power within, akin to the strength of the earth itself.


    His mind grew calm as he probed its flow, deciphering the intricacies of the formation protecting this structure. The process took a few minutes, yet no one seemed to discover his presence, even as several armed guards made their rounds near the wall.


    Suddenly, Qin Yun opened his eyes, and a slight smile graced his lips. A dark bracelet on his wrist produced a small light, and he felt a small barrier cover his body, masking all traces of his existence. Then, his hand flowed through the stone wall, bypassing the material as if its existence was under question.


    Qin Yun walked through the solid object as if through liquid matter; none of it was disturbed by his passage; not even the countless formations laced within discovered his intrusion as he bypassed them all.


    He emerged from the other side; his clothes remained immaculate as if none of the dirt he had waded through had left a mark on him. Only the bracelet on his wrist had dimmed considerably, almost extinguishing.


    From his storage, he withdrew a small, transparent, round marble. Inside were countless lines that crossed endlessly, somehow resembling a cultivator''s own qi channels. However, unlike marbles made of glass, this one seemed made of crystal and strong enough to contain the power within.


    Qin Yun pressed the crystal marble onto the bracelet, dimming the orb considerably until no light remained. It was now black as night, looking no different than a common black stone except for its spherical nature. In exchange, the bracelet now glowed with renewed vigour, casting a slight light in its surroundings.


    ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t imagine it?¡±


    ¡°I know I felt qi fluctuations around here. Why don¡¯t you believe me?¡±


    Hearing the voices, Qin Yun faded into the background, hiding within the darkness of night around one of the countless small buildings surrounding him, only moments before two guards clad in golden armour emerged from just around the corner.


    ¡°See? I told you there¡¯s nothing there!¡±


    ¡°I could have sworn I felt something...¡±


    "You are just on edge, considering what has happened lately."


    ¡°You are referring to the young lady? A waste of talent...¡±


    ¡°Hey! Watch your mouth! There is no knowing who might be listening.¡±


    "Still, it''s a shame what happened to her. How could she have been reduced to that state? I heard the rumours... some say the trauma was so intense that she lost her mind!"


    "Quiet, or I''ll tell the higher-ups and see what they''ll do to you! We''re just guards here; it''s not our place to spread these things."


    A moment later, Qin Yun could finally hear the two voices grow fainter as they moved away. He emerged from the darkness and couldn''t help but feel slightly conflicted after what he had heard. He wondered if it would have been more merciful to go through with it instead of leaving things halfway.


    He shook his head and put it out of his mind. He had more pressing matters. From his sleeve, he took out a map Lian Huiling had provided. Under the dim light of the stars, Qin Yun could barely see it, yet it was enough to know where he was. Once he found his destination, Qin Yun folded it again before burning it, ensuring no evidence would be left behind.


    He crept from shadow to shadow, avoiding the several patrols he encountered on his quest toward his destination. He also discovered several divine senses, yet they all flowed through him like he wasn''t even there. Although he was confident that the bracelet on his wrist could keep him hidden from them, he couldn¡¯t help but be slightly nervous. After all, if he was found here, his death would be gruesome.


    It took him over half an hour to reach his destination; he even had to use two more marbles on his bracelet. Fortunately, he had prepared enough.


    He stopped before a magnificent mansion just a step away from the compound''s main hall. As he expected, the wall encircling the mansion was comparable to the exterior wall he had to traverse earlier. Still, this didn''t prove much of a challenge. After all, most of the patrols were located near the edge of the clan and not near its centre. In fact, Qin Yun didn''t encounter a single one in the 15 minutes it took him to overcome the formation laced within.


    Once inside, the way was clear. There wasn''t even a single obstacle in sight. Qin Yun could only deplore their overconfidence in their security. He scoured the property for his target, and sometime later, he found it in a room near the depths of the mansion, surrounded by countless formations whose functions were to boost the body''s natural healing.


    A slight smile crept on Qin Yun as he entered, only to find a man lying on a luxurious bed, fast asleep. He was a large man, wearing elegant clothes even as he slept, yet Qin Yun could see bandages rise from under the man''s clothes, covering up to his neck. Furthermore, they seemed to be so drenched in blood that it even seeped into his clothes.


    Despite it all, he still seemed to breathe, yet Qin Yun could find no trace of qi flowing within his body. His qi centre seemed to be as dry as a desert.


    Qin Yun smiled as he had found his target.


    Qin Yun found himself deep within the Ma clan''s compound, in a room specially devised to heal the gravest of wounds, a room made for a man of great importance to the clan. Within this room was Ma Yongzheng, a man Qin Yun had a vested interest in.

 Chapter 74 - A Gruesome End

    Qin Yun slowly went about his work, slowly closing every possible entrance to this room while carving runes mid-air using his intent, which inevitably gave him a headache. However, as he took necessary breaks between them, it was manageable.


    Once done, he sat near the bed, observing the man lying on it. A slight smile crept on his lips as he saw the pitiful state the man was in. Usually, he would never have taken pleasure in a man''s downfall, no matter his grievance against him, but Ma Yongzheng was special. He had dared to attack his wife. Qin Yun wouldn''t feel right leaving like that without some sort of retribution.


    ¡°To not even wake up after all this, your lack of awareness disappoints me,¡± Qin Yun said, not bothering to muffle his sounds anymore.


    Ma Yongzheng snapped awake. However, as he tried to rise from his bed, a massive amount of pain assaulted him, prompting him to fall back onto the soft cushioning. The white bandages wrapping his torso were now soaked red with blood.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you,¡± Qin Yun added, showing a slight smile. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want your wounds to open up again, although that may already be too late.¡±


    Ma Yongzheng turned his head toward the sound of the voice, only for his pupils to dilate and his eyes to frown soon after. Qin Yun was nonchalantly sitting on a chair, looking back at him with naught but a care in the world.


    "How are you here?" Ma Yongzheng asked, his voice low and feeble, barely able to articulate the words. Upon seeing this, Qin Yun''s smile grew more prominent, bringing a shiver filled with cold sweat to Ma Yongzheng''s back.


    "I considered letting you go. After all, despite what she thinks, Ma Mingzhu can still be considered my mother. However, there are some things I just can''t tolerate. I don''t need you to understand; I just felt like letting you know," Qin Yun said, completely ignoring his counterpart''s look of terror.


    Mustering all his strength, Ma Yongzheng yelled for the guards posted near him to come and apprehend him, yet Qin Yun made no movement. After all, his preparations were already done, and no actions were needed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Qin Yun added. ¡°I¡¯ll be long gone before they even discover what happened to you.¡±


    ¡°How did you reach here? There should have been countless obstacles in your way,¡± Ma Yongzheng asked, fighting through the pain.


    "Hurts, doesn''t it?" Qin Yun''s expression was as frosty as a mountain in the dead of winter. "But, it also never goes away. Had you lived, you would have had to suffer this torture for the rest of your life, never feeling any relief. Thinking of it this way, I could be considered your saviour! Aren¡¯t you going to thank me for this favour?¡±


    "Answer me!" Ma Yongzheng barked, opening his wounds again. He clutched at his chest and couldn''t help but grimace, all the while panting like a dog out of breath.


    Qin Yun remained silent until the man finally regained his breath, only shaking his head in disappointment.


    ¡°Knowing your fate is already set in stone, I suppose I can humour you," Qin Yun replied as he showed the device embedded into his mechanical arm. It glowed slightly but slowly became dimmer. Upon seeing this, Qin Yun extracted another crystal from his storage and recharged it, only to tuck the now-blackened stone back in.


    ¡°I managed to infiltrate this place thanks to your junior," Qin Yun added to the consternation of the old man on his deathbed. "I hope you remember him, as he was the trigger for this whole affair. He possessed a most peculiar armour, enabling him to shift himself into an adjacent dimension where he could exist as a mere liquid thanks to his water spiritual roots. I simply used the same artifact after altering it to fit my needs, of course. Not even your Soul Formation Ancestor should be able to find my traces as long as this remains active."


    ¡°What do you hope to accomplish with this?¡± Ma Yongzheng asked, now struggling to speak. ¡°Whatever happens to me, you won¡¯t be able to escape.¡±


    ¡°Now you try to be rational?" Qin Yun scoffed then sighed. "It is much too late to try to reason with me. If you had been reasonable back then, we wouldn''t be here right now, wouldn''t we?"


    Ma Yongzheng remained silent for a while, yet he couldn''t keep the unwillingness in his heart from rising. He tried to lash out at Qin Yun, yet his body failed him, unable to obey his mind. His heart sank in his chest as he became powerless to resist whatever Qin Yun had in store.


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    ¡°Why don''t you get it over with instead of prattling on and on. I won''t suffer contempt from a child like you who has only been alive for a mere two decades!" Ma Yongzheng''s voice grew hoarser as he spoke, cracking as if it was on the verge of breaking. Despite the strong exterior he tried to maintain, Qin Yun could see right through him.


    ¡°Ending it so soon after all the efforts I made to reach you?¡± Qin Yun said with a sneer. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be here if you deserved that much consideration. No... I have something much more interesting in store for you. Call it... an experiment."


    Qin Yun then rose and approached Ma Yongzheng''s bedside, standing right over him. Ma Yongzheng''s half-closed eyes widened as Qin Yun retrieved a small insect from his storage. It was long and narrow, fitting snugly into his hand, resembling a large caterpillar, yet it was a bright white¡ªdevoid of all other colours.


    Ma Yongzheng opened his mouth, most likely to protest, yet Qin Yun didn''t let him. He kept his jaw open with his mechanical arm, digging his fingers into the man''s cheeks before plunging the insect into the opened gap, forcing it down his throat.


    Ma Yongzheng choked as Qin Yun did so, even seeking to grapple with him despite his injuries. Yet, his large arms, full of bulging muscles forged through gruelling training and cultivation, were now so weak and devoid of strength that Qin Yun could easily brush them off as if they were twigs.


    Qin Yun calmly looked into Ma Yongzheng''s eyes, which were filled with terror as he awaited the change he knew was coming. He pressed his metallic palm over the old man''s mouth, keeping it sealed shut. Ma Yongzheng''s fingers clawed at his arm and hand, yet they did nothing more than emit some scratching sounds that barely registered over the noise of the old man''s body thrashing around.


    It only took a few seconds for it to take effect. Dark veins bulged upon the old man''s skin, draining the colours from his flesh as if dark lines on a white canvas. Even his sparse grey hair became a blinding white, while his eyes became completely black, like two dark abysses.


    ¡°You know, this gift came from your junior, I hope for you to appreciate it to the fullest,¡± Qin Yun said, his tone as flat as his gaze was. There was no spark of life in them, only the eerie calmness of indifference as he watched the man struggle under his vice-like grip.


    ¡°While I¡¯m sure nothing will come of it,¡± Qin Yun added. ¡°I didn¡¯t see a reason not to give your clan this parting gift. Call it a whim if you will, but I thought it fitting.¡±


    The old man stared back at Qin Yun despite his vision becoming as black as night. Still, Qin Yun could clearly see the terror in the man''s eyes, yet it offered him no comfort. In fact, he felt nothing, even as he toyed with a man''s life or thought of his clan''s inevitable retaliation. If anything, it all felt so trivial.


    "You know, it''s nothing personal... Actually, it is, but I needed someone to satiate my curiosity, and I thought, why not two birds with one stone. After all, in your current state, what else are you good for?"


    If Ma Yongzheng had seen Qin Yun''s expression at that moment, he might have simply died of fright. Yet, Qin Yun only thought himself lucky that wasn''t the case as that would have skewed the result of this experiment.


    A while later, after an intense struggle as the old man fought for his life, even ripping his wounds open multiple times, Ma Yongzheng''s body convulsed violently. Qin Yun could feel the man''s grip on his arm grow stronger, if only for a moment, before the old man''s arms went limp and fell lifelessly on each side of his body.


    Qin Yun remained silent and stationary for a while longer as he watched the last sliver of life depart the old man for the last time, a mix of satisfaction and disappointment in Qin Yun''s eyes.


    ¡°Interesting," he said in a low voice as he finally released the dead man''s mouth, only to see the same white insect emerge from it, only this time covered in a black liquid that seemed to be the old man''s transformed blood.


    Qin Yun¡¯s eyebrow rose slightly as he picked up the insect with his mechanical arm. He pondered for a while, considering leaving the insect for the Ma clan to find, yet he felt it was a waste. There would be no certainty to find another one, and he doubted it would lead to anything¡ªnot as long as the city lord still reigned over this city.


    Still, the result was satisfactory, at least. He had learned much from this experiment, and he had dealt with a loose end¡ªsomething worth celebrating.


    Now that this is over, it¡¯s time to get out of here and proceed with the next part of the plan.


    As he prepared to make his exit, an alarm rang in the room, yet Qin Yun had already predicted this. In fact, that function had already been blatantly present as he entered. He once considered tampering with it, yet that would only be proof of his trespassing. He much preferred to remain a ghost, a breeze in the night.


    With a wave of his sleeve, the runes he had carved mid-air with his intent crumbled into the breeze as if they had never existed, leaving no signs of his presence. Only a few moments later, an old man in a luxurious gown barged straight into the residence, hastily making his way to the room, only to find it empty, except for the dead body on the bed and the black blood staining the sheets.


    Qin Yun was not even that far away, yet the old man''s divine sense as he scanned his surroundings never caught a glimpse of him. Still, he could feel the power reserves of the device embedded into his arm quickly lower each time it had to counter the other man''s senses. Fortunately, Qin Yun had far too many crystals to replenish it, making it virtually impossible for him to be found out unless they saw him visually.


    As countless others rushed into the residence following the first old man, Qin Yun stood on a nearby roof, observing the scene while well hidden within the darkness of night. Once satisfied, he simply left the same way he came in, shortly before another alarm rang, prompting the Ma clan into lockdown.


    As he reached the exterior wall, Qin Yun could see it glowing with resplendent light, further strengthening its defensive property and even disallowing any entry or exit. Yet to Qin Yun, this might have seemed like nothing but a bump in the road. As he had already bypassed it once, he could do so again with little effort.


    He pressed his palm against it, the device in his arm chewing through the power held within to keep him hidden. He frowned and replenished it once again. In fact, he had to do so two more times before he could bypass the barrier, yet he had ample time to do so as he had chosen this spot precisely for this reason.


    Huiling''s information proved accurate. Before I leave, I should find a way to thank her.


    With a slightly satisfied smile, Qin Yun emerged from the other side as if nothing was wrong and simply blended into the night, disappearing from sight as a crowd of curious onlookers gathered near the Ma clan''s compound.

 Chapter 75 - Unknown Intentions

    Metal hammering sounds echoed within a lush courtyard filled with countless exotic plants, which spewed a thick qi-filled mist that lingered around a large workshop. Within was Qin Yun, deeply focused on his current task, engraving obscure symbols upon a small orange glowing monster core. To his side was Lian Huiling, slowly sipping a cup of tea as she watched him work.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve always wanted to ask. What are those strange characters you always engrave on your work?¡± she asked.


    Qin Yun''s hands never stopped, striking a small chisel with a metallic hammer, all the while keeping the same rhythm as it dug into the core''s surface, creating shallow grooves.


    ¡°There are many ways to forge an artifact, yet almost all of them require the usage of qi,¡± Qin Yun replied, the constant sound of his strikes ringing over his words.


    "That''s what I meant," she said as she took another sip. "I don''t mean to be rude, but you can''t even use the slightest bit of qi. So, how can you even forge artifacts? Doesn¡¯t that seem impossible?¡±


    ¡°There are always ways to circumvent a problem. Just because you think it impossible doesn''t mean no solution exists."


    Lian Huiling sighed.


    ¡°That¡¯s a non-answer if I ever heard one. Can¡¯t you just tell the truth, for once?¡±


    Qin Yun raised his head from his work, looking at the elegant woman for the first time.


    "I don''t believe you took the time out of your busy schedule just to ask me about forging techniques. What are you truly here for?"


    Lian Huiling returned his stare, yet she couldn¡¯t sustain it for long. She lowered her gaze, looking deeply into the amber tea water.


    ¡°What¡¯s your opinion of this city?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Why would my opinion matter?" Qin Yun replied as he returned to his work. "Besides, that''s not what you truly want to ask me. It should be related to your lover boy. I heard you''ve held him captive deep within the Lian Clan. That''s quite the kink you have there."


    ¡°Enough,¡± she replied softly, a frown on her lovely face. ¡°I didn¡¯t come here for you to make light of the situation...¡±


    "I know," Qin Yun cut her off. "You want my help to bring him back to normal. I know you are attached to him, but you should face reality. This is what he chose, and he should face the consequences."


    ¡°There must be something that can be done?¡± she pleaded, yet Qin Yun¡¯s gaze remained lowered on his work, striking his chisel to a repetitive rhythm.


    ¡°Is there really nothing you can do?¡± she added, pain filling her voice. ¡°I know there''s much you''re not telling us, but you aren''t that coldhearted."


    Qin Yun sighed as he rose once again.


    ¡°Would you still wish to save him, even if it would endanger the whole of the Lian clan?¡±


    Lian Huiling remained silent, pondering his words. As time passed, her pain-filled expression soon transitioned to one of hardened resolve, as if the desperation she had expressed had been but a fleeting dream.


    "If those are my only options, then the choice doesn''t even need to be made," she replied in a steel tone. "Still, how can you be so sure? Does this have anything to do with your recent stay with the Sun clan?¡±


    At that moment, Qin Yun''s expression was all Lian Huiling needed to know the answer. She looked at him as she took another sip, only to see Qin Yun shrug and return to work.


    ¡°Why must everything be so complicated?¡± she said softly, just loud enough for Qin Yun to hear, prompting him to show a slight helpless smile.


    ¡°As long as people possess desires, conflicts will be inevitable,¡± he replied.


    "There''s no need to point the obvious," Lian Huiling scoffed, yet she, too, showed a helpless smile.


    As the two were basking in the moment, another voice drowned out the hammering emanating from the workshop.


    ¡°Qin Yun! You bastard! What do you have to say for yourself?¡±


    The door to Qin Yun¡¯s workshop opened with a bang, revealing a young lady in a white dress, her golden locks falling softly upon her thin shoulders, yet unlike the elegance that exuded from her, her expression was one of deep frustration.


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    "A good morning to you, too," Qin Yun replied, not even bothering to raise his head, striking his chisel without faltering. Lian Huiling, however, only showed a derisive smile as she recognized the young lady.


    ¡°Sun Ya! Is that any way to behave? What would your fans think if they saw you act like this?" she asked.


    ¡°Leave those fools out of this,¡± Sun Ya replied, an expression of disgust on her face. ¡°They¡¯re irrelevant, and I couldn¡¯t care less what they think.¡±


    Lian Huiling shook her head, saying, "I wonder what they see in her to be so obsessed..."


    ¡°There''s no need to seek understanding," Qin Yun replied, unconcerned by Sun Ya''s outburst. "Fetishes are everywhere, and some men just want to be stepped on."


    The two women stopped and looked at him, eyes wide open. Qin Yun could feel the rising awkwardness, and he couldn''t help but chuckle. Sun Ya''s glare became even colder as she looked at Qin Yun, and his chuckle turned into a hearty laugh.


    "Right there," he said as he looked back at Sun Ya, smiling brightly. "That look is exactly what they want from you."


    ¡°Men are pigs,¡± Sun Ya murmured under her breath.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Lian Huiling added, showing a disgusted expression.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Qin Yun said as he returned to his work.


    Silence hung over Qin Yun¡¯s workshop while only metallic striking sounds cut through it. Still, it only took a moment for Sun Ya to return to her senses.


    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject!¡± she said, the frustration in her voice clearly apparent. ¡°You know exactly what you did; how could you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to be more precise than that,¡± Qin Yun replied, not bothering to interrupt his work to acknowledge her outburst. ¡°There¡¯s many things that people try to pin on me.¡±


    ¡°Ma Yongzheng¡¯s dead,¡± Sun Ya added, her tone extremely grave.


    ¡°And how does that relate to me?¡±


    ¡°Rumours are growing rampant in the city saying you did it. We all witnessed the grudge between the two of you.¡±


    Qin Yun rose from his work, his expression as calm as a peaceful lake. The two women couldn¡¯t help but feel shivers down their spines as they looked upon him. Somehow, this indifference felt much more eerie than they expected.


    ¡°Do they have any evidence to back up their claims?¡± Qin Yun asked.


    Sun Ya remained silent, unable to offer any. She could only gaze into Qin Yun''s eyes, trying to uncover the truth, yet she gained nothing to confirm her suspicions.


    ¡°I thought as much,¡± Qin Yun added as he shrugged. ¡°I doubt the Ma clan would move on mere speculations, not unless the Sun clan let them.¡±


    Qin Yun''s gaze rested on Sun Ya, making her feel uneasy. After a moment of silence, she turned her head away, unable to sustain his gaze; she sighed.


    "Of course not," Sun Ya said softly. "Uncle won''t let it come to that as long as you keep your end of the deal. Besides, it seems the Ma Clan already have a suspect in mind."


    ¡°Is that so, then why are you so nervous?¡±


    ¡°You obviously can¡¯t be trusted!¡±


    ¡°That''s quite the prejudice you have. What did I ever do to you?" Qin Yun said, feeling quite perplexed by her obvious resentment. Only after a moment of contemplation did it finally occur to him. "This is about Liao Cheng, isn''t it? It seems you''ve heard about what happened between us. Rest assured, I''ve no interest in whatever game he''s trying to play. You should really think about yourself.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your pity!¡± Sun Ya blurted out, responding to the look he gave her. ¡°Are you done with what¡¯s been asked of you?¡±


    ¡°Nearly,¡± Qin Yun replied, showing a slight smile. ¡°You came just at the right time. I¡¯m just making the finishing touches.¡±


    Qin Yun''s chisel danced upon the orb''s surface, carving shallow grooves. With only a few more hits, the last channel was finally completed, creating a web of exotic characters upon the core''s surface. Then, as if filled with an esoteric power, the core rose into the air by itself, spinning on its axis as it dispersed waves of power in its surroundings.


    The two women watched the spectacle with wide-open eyes, barely able to understand what was happening. However, they could feel that the power originating from the orb could do wonders for their cultivation as if it contained the secrets of the universe.


    They both sat on the ground in a lotus position, closing their eyes as they tried to uncover the mysteries within. Ray of light spewed from the orb, bathing Qin Yun¡¯s workshop in a dense sea of colours reminiscent of what he had seen coming from Feng Xia, if only more diluted. After all, compared to a living specimen, this orb was only the monster core of a Paradise bird. The fact that it possessed even a fraction of its power was astounding.


    Even for Qin Yun, this phenomenon was unexpected. The characters he had carved upon its surface were only a means to regulate the power, allowing it to be extracted while not encroaching upon its structural integrity. After all, monster cores were but a mass of power. Wrongly trying to extract whatever was within could easily lead to an explosion.


    Satisfied, Qin Yun looked upon his work with a slight smile. Yet, unlike the two women trying to comprehend what lay within, he didn''t even bother. There was no point as no human could ever learn such a thing. This was something he was deeply aware of after interacting with Feng Xia.


    The power over causality that she often used was granted to her species by the Heavenly Dao. After all, how could a living being possess such a broken ability. This power alone could make one invincible, yet, as far as he knew, Paradise Birds were almost extinct. It seemed this power came with many restrictions, which Qin Yun was deeply opposed to wielding. Maybe he could make this power his own in time. However, he felt he would become nothing more than a pawn of the heavenly Dao, something he had no interest in.


    Still, he wouldn''t stop the two women from trying. After all, power was the same for all things. Only the method of using it differed. Maybe they could extract something from this experience. Still, now that he made good on his promise, Qin Yun was finally ready to leave and embark on the journey he had put off for quite a while.


    As he looked at the spectacle, a middle-aged man appeared next to him, as if from thin air, his white robes bathed in colourful light.


    ¡°Is this what you have promised me?¡± he asked.


    Qin Yun didn¡¯t even bother to look at him and only responded with a nod. The man¡¯s gaze was calm and peaceful, unbothered by Qin Yun¡¯s insolence as he stretched his hand forward, reaching to take possession of the core.


    As if in defiance, the core''s glow became stronger, almost blinding, yet its opponent was akin to the sun itself, and it was only the glow of a candle. The man''s hand wrapped around the core as it dimmed, becoming inert before the man carefully tucked it in his clothes.


    "Very good," he said in a low voice, slightly smiling.


    ¡°I¡¯ve done what you asked,¡± Qin Yun replied, then pointed to the mark on his chest. ¡°How about you remove this now?¡±


    The middle-aged man looked back at him, offering only a smile before he vanished alongside the orb, leaving Qin Yun alone with the two women, deep in a trance.


    Qin Yun sighed as he shook his head, yet there was no frustration in his gaze. In fact, he seemed somewhat interested. After a while, Qin Yun pointed two fingers to his chest, right where the mark was, buried deep in his flesh. He closed his eyes and concentrated, feeling every minute movement his body made.


    Then, everything was still as if the world was dead and time had perished. Only Qin Yun''s mind remained sharp as a blade. Soon after, a cracking sound burst into existence, shattering the women''s concentration. They woke from their trances, only to see the mark of light the city lord had left upon Qin Yun''s heart being shattered into countless pieces before scattering into the void.


    Qin Yun stood still as if waiting for something. Yet, even as time passed, nothing happened. He had expected to see the city lord rush back once he felt his mark being shattered, yet that wasn''t the case, which couldn''t help but leave Qin Yun perplexed. He crossed his arms, tilted his head and pondered.


    Even for me, this man is an enigma, Qin Yun thought. I wonder what his endgame is?

 Chapter 76 - Exodus in the Night

    ¡°I swear... What do they expect me to do about this?" Qin Meihui mumbled as she walked the streets of the Qin clan towards her domicile. "No matter how often they ask, it won''t change anything. If they want to fix this, they shouldn''t have forced him out in the first place..."


    She sighed as she passed the threshold of her own house, nodding to the servants who welcomed her back. She had just returned from another unproductive summon by the clan''s elders, and it only left a bitter taste in her mouth. Somehow, she couldn''t help but resent Qin Yun for all her woes. After all, if not for him acting callously, she wouldn''t be asked to deal with all this.


    As she reached her room, hoping to find some much-needed rest, she stopped and stared at the slightly opened door, a feeling of tension rising in her chest. She considered calling for the guards yet ruled against it. Not many could infiltrate so deep into her home without anyone noticing. Whoever they were were far from ordinary.


    After taking a deep breath and calming her nerves, Qin Meihui put on a mask of calmness and walked, head held high, into her room as if nothing was wrong. Yet her mask crumbled soon after as she realized who was waiting for her.


    "Do you know how much of a nuisance your departure was for me? What makes you think you are welcome here?" she said, her frustration apparent in her voice. Yet, she couldn''t hide the joy on her face as she gazed at the man present in her room.


    Qin Yun had been waiting for her, seated on her bed, eyes closed. As she entered the room, he rose and walked toward her silently, closing the door behind her. He then pasted a sheet of paper filled with countless obscure characters onto it. It was only after all this that he chose to open his mouth.


    "You know, you don''t have to put up with it," Qin Yun said, showing a slight smile as he sat at a nearby table, prompting her to do the same. "I''m sure your father would be inclined to make it stop if you were only to ask. You only have yourself to blame for not turning them down."


    A slight pout marred her face, yet it soon disappeared as the scent of a freshly brewed cup of tea reached her slender nose. She only looked back to Qin Yun, feeling a slight nostalgia. It had only been slightly more than a month since he had been banished from the clan, yet it already felt like an eternity.


    "What are you here for?" she asked, showing a slight frown. "I don''t believe you came to see me only because you missed me. I know you aren''t that type of man. Besides, I heard your wife has already left the city with her master; why haven''t you gone with her?"


    Qin Yun took a sip of tea, basking in the feeling. Somehow, he had missed how frank this woman could be.


    ¡°I''ve come to say goodbye," Qin Yun finally said as he put his cup on a luxurious wooden table. "I felt I owed you that much."


    Qin Meihui''s big eyes widened even more, if only momentarily before a gentle smile graced her lips.


    ¡°Did you finally find something worth striving for, or is this just another one of your whims?" she asked, somewhat conflicted. "Where are you going?"


    ¡°For now? As far west as I can go... There''s some answers I need to find."


    Qin Meihui paused, her small mouth hanging open slightly, barely able to process the information she had received.


    ¡°Do you seek to reach the western edge?" she asked as she regained her composure. "Don''t you think it''s called the Dead Lands for a reason? What made you want to do something like that? That''s not like you..."


    Qin Yun sighed, closing his eyes for a moment as he tried to find the right words¡ªwords that could keep her from worrying about him. Yet, obviously, he could find none; he could only be honest.


    ¡°I hate to say this, but I don''t think you would understand even if I tried to explain. It has nothing to do with your intelligence, but there''s just so much you don''t know, and telling you would only be a disservice. Sometimes, finding the answer on your own is worth so much more."


    After saying so, Qin Yun remained silent for a moment, watching her reaction. All he could see was obvious derision, which only made him chuckle.


    ¡°Once you possess the strength, you should consider making the trip yourself,¡± Qin Yun added, taking another sip of tea. ¡°What you¡¯ll find is sure to change your worldview.¡±


    ¡°Why are you making the trip if you already know?¡± Qin Meihui asked, her eyebrows rising slightly.


    ¡°It''s only speculation for now, but I need to know for sure. Otherwise, I can''t decide the best way to move forward."


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    Qin Meihui remained silent, her gaze lowered, fixated on the amber water of her tea. She felt slightly melancholic.


    ¡°What about after that? Are you going to come back?¡± she asked, unable to sustain the heavy silence.


    ¡°...No," Qin Yun finally replied, watching her reaction. "This isn''t where I want to be. This city has nothing to offer me anymore. Besides, I can''t leave my wife alone for too long. Once I''m done, I plan to follow her to her sect and take things from there."


    Qin Meihui had many words she wished to say, yet they were all stuck in her throat, unable to come out. She wished to berate him for his selfishness, yet she also understood him. After all, she had been attracted by how free he seemed to be¡ªunlike herself, always bound to the whims of her clan.


    Seeing her turmoil, Qin Yun rose without a word and approached her, putting his hand on her thin shoulder.


    ¡°You should learn to live for yourself,¡± he said, looking into her eyes as she raised her gaze. ¡°Whatever the clan wants from you, you are the master of your fate. Only you can decide how to live your life. If you are content with how things are, that¡¯s fine. But, if there¡¯s something else in your heart, you¡¯ll know where to find me...¡±


    With his goodbye said, Qin Yun vanished from her room as if a slight breeze rustled in the leaves, leaving Qin Meihui with the scent of freshly brewed tea leaves to remember him by. She sighed before she rose, standing next to an opened window, feeling a fresh breeze on her skin, yet her heart was as heavy as a stone, conflicted and lost.


    ******


    A curtain of blackness hung over the world as Qin Yun sped through the woods and climbed a nearby hill, a mantle of darkness hanging off his shoulders. He stopped and looked back, only to see bright lights in the distance, the birthplace he had left behind.


    There was no nostalgia in his eyes as he looked at the only city he had known in this life grow dimmer the further he ventured away from it; there was only the thought of what was to come.


    He steeled his mind and turned back, venturing further west, seeking the world''s edge. Except for Meihui, Qin Yun didn''t warn anyone of his departure for fear that he would be made to stay. He only left a single letter in his workshop, containing the deed to that place, returning it to the Lian Clan.


    He knew Lian Huiling would resent him for it, but honestly, he didn''t care. That city meant nothing to him, and the clan''s struggles were irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.


    With this phase of his life behind him, Qin Yun dove back into the dense forest surrounding Jin City, yet he couldn''t help but feel something was amiss. As if instinctually, he tilted his head to the side, avoiding a flying dagger aimed at the back of his head.


    The dagger cut the wind as it passed by before hitting a nearby tree. It passed right through, leaving a significant gap in its trunk before a black liquid oozed out of the wound. The dagger then swerved into the air and rushed back toward him.


    With precise movements, Qin Yun stopped the dagger mid-flight, pinching the edge with his vice-like grip before snapping the back in one quick motion. The dagger fell utterly inert to the soft forest ground in two distinct pieces.


    ¡°How about showing yourself?" Qin Yun said as his eyes narrowed, looking deep into the darkness where the dagger originated. "I would much rather see what kind of man you are before I end your life."


    His tone was grave, filled with a slight murderous intent. Yet, as expected, his opponent remained camouflaged in the darkness of night, completely out of sight. Even for Qin Yun¡¯s enhanced eyesight, this foe remained an enigma.


    Hearing a slight breeze from his left, Qin Yun stepped back, barely avoiding another flying dagger as it nicked his cheek before catching it in his mechanical hand. He scoffed at how pointless this attempt on his life was, yet he soon felt vertigo assault him as he lost his balance, falling to his knees as the colours drained from his face.


    His breathing became ragged as dark lines appeared on his white skin. Black blood flowed to his throat as it stained the forest ground. With disbelief in his eyes, Qin Yun collapsed, unable to move but barely able to remain conscious.


    ¡°Poison..." he said with difficulty, drawing air into his lungs, getting harder and harder as he felt his eyes slowly close.


    Then, a man dressed in all black emerged from the darkness, almost perfectly blending into his surroundings. He stood over Qin Yun''s immobile body, looking down at him, only his eyes full of murderous intent barely visible.


    ¡°Who... are... you?" Qin Yun managed to say as the man bent down to his level, uncovering his visage and showing a wide sneer.


    ¡°The Ma clan send their regards,¡± the man said, his voice grave, and the glee within was easily recognizable.


    ¡°Why..." Qin Yun said, almost inaudibly, as he struggled to breathe.


    ¡°I don''t mind entertaining your curiosity, as you''ll have no one to share it with in the afterlife," the man said almost joyfully, knowing his prey was at death''s door. "Do you really think a clan of that size would allow any loose ends to get away? Don''t be ridiculous!"


    He looked down at Qin Yun, watching him lying on the wet forest soil.


    ¡°Ever since the events with the black token, the elders had you in their sights,¡± he added. ¡°I must say, Ma Zhiqiang, that fool, left the elders quite some headaches, then went and got himself killed. The same applied to that idiot Ma Yongzheng... If not for his brother''s protection, the elders would have torn him a new one."


    The man paced back and forth, feeling glee at telling this story.


    "He was so eager for the balance between the four clans to crumble that he acted prematurely, leaving the elders with no choice but to postpone the plan. Then, he, too, just had to wind up dead at the hands of the man he hoped to use as a trigger for all this. Even if you weren''t directly involved in his demise, don''t you think it''s ironic how it all turned out?"


    He stopped and looked down on Qin Yun once more.


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t have you interfere more than you already have. You should have died at Ma Yongzheng¡¯s hands back then. Still, choosing to leave as you did gave us the perfect opportunity to act against you. After all, it was impossible to hide this from the city lord as long as you remained in the city. You can only blame your own stupidity.¡±


    ¡°I see," Qin Yun said, his voice solid and flat, no trace of his earlier weakness present.


    Seeing this, the man''s eyes widened as he tried to take a step back. However, Qin Yun was faster. His hand sprung forward, catching the man''s ankle as he tugged on it fiercely, pulling the man to the ground.


    Qin Yun then mounted him, catching his wrists as he tried to defend himself with blades hidden in his mantle, breaking them by only squeezing his hand.


    The man howled as pain assaulted him, yet none could hear his scream within this dense forest except for Qin Yun and the surrounding fauna. Unable to resist, caught within Qin Yun''s grip, the man could only look up, feeling an overwhelming dread as he saw Qin Yun showing a slight eerie smile.

 Chapter 77 - An Arrow in the Dark

    Qin Yun''s grip was firm around the man''s throat, squeezing just enough to stop him from struggling without him having to lose consciousness. If anything, this only prolonged the man''s suffering as his lungs burned from the lack of oxygen. The man''s skin turned pale due to the lack of blood flow. His fingers wished to dig into Qin Yun''s hand, yet they only met cold, hard metal.


    Qin Yun looked upon the man with a hint of curiosity, wishing to know the lengths the man would go through to escape from this impasse. After all, he didn''t believe the Ma clan would bother to send an assassin against him if this was all it amounted to.


    Less than a moment later, his doubts were confirmed. A whistling sound burst into existence on his left as an arrow carved a path through the air, ripping apart all that stood in its way, whether it be the surrounding vegetation or the very space separating them.


    With eyes slightly narrowed, Qin Yun mainly reacted on instinct, his hand jerking toward the arrow''s flight path as he felt the murderous intent laced within. It felt thick and too deadly to originate from some two-bit amateur like the man stuck in Qin Yun''s grasp. This was the mark of a true professional with countless kills under his belt, yet not the very best. After all, Qin Yun could easily find the archer simply by following the assassin''s killing intent back to its source.


    With a slight smile on his face, Qin Yun caught the arrow mid-flight, firmly stuck between his fingers. Then, his eyes widened as he saw another arrow hidden behind the first, the second one aimed straight at his heart.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but release his captive by jumping backwards to avoid the second arrow from claiming its prize. But even then, the arrow nicked his clothes, leaving a long dark mark that soon corroded them as if iron had been left too long in the rain.


    With a swift movement, Qin Yun divested himself of his outer clothes, bunching them in a ball before throwing them away toward a nearby bush. The dark mark propagated outward, engulfing his clothes before reducing them to ashes as if a flame-less fire, yet it didn''t end there.


    The invisible fire soon spread to the bushes, burning them black before the breeze carried away their remnants. Fortunately, it seemed there was a limit to its spread; otherwise, this whole forest might have met its demise on this day.


    Since Qin Yun had removed its hold on the first assassin, the man soon took action. His body seemed to dissolve into a mass of poison but was then absorbed into the forest soil, his being entirely out of sight. The ground the man once stood on became dark brown as fallen nearby leaves all died in unison and crumbled.


    Qin Yun¡¯s eyebrow rose slightly as the hint of a smile formed on his face, only for his mechanical arm to parry another arrow just a moment later, this time coming from the opposite side.


    These two are pretty impressive, Qin Yun thought. While not perfect, their teamwork is worthy of praise. One acts as bait, while the other is the hunter, and their use of poison is quite advanced. Too bad it has almost no effect on me.


    Knowing that the current terrain worked against him, Qin Yun opted for the simplest approach. He raised a single foot before letting it fall, putting all his strength and weight behind the blow. The sole of his foot dug into the soft forest soil, creating an explosion of dirt as a shock wave propagated along the ground, toppling trees in a radius of over twenty meters around him, leaving nothing but a barren wasteland in its wake.


    In the middle stood Qin Yun. No trace of dirt marred his clothes as the shock wave propelled it outward alongside the trees and rocks that populated this remote forest hill. In fact, the hill was now gone, entirely levelled by Qin Yun''s strike.


    With nothing obstructing his sight, Qin Yun could finally locate the assassin who had turned into liquid, even more so as he could track him by his killing intent, no matter how hard he tried to hide.


    He pushed against the ground again, but this time more moderately, just enough to leap toward his prey, quickly grasping the man''s neck as he was still shaken by what had just happened.


    "Caught you," Qin Yun said with an eerie smile as he ripped the man''s arm clean off at the shoulder before using the limb to block another arrow headed his way.


    The man howled in pain, yet the scream was muffled as Qin Yun crushed his throat but did not kill him instantly. Those people didn''t deserve any mercy from him. This was the price they had to pay for their actions.


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    Feeling no urgency, Qin Yun watched the man''s dying struggles, still caught in his vice-like grip, as he became unable to breathe, the embers of his life slowly dimming. He scratched at Qin Yun''s arms, trying every method he knew to poison him, yet none of the methods left to him could even breach Qin Yun''s skin. He could only gaze upon Qin Yun''s indifferent expression as his own gaze, filled with terror, was reflected into Qin Yun''s eyes.


    Still, Qin Yun remained vigilant, for he knew men of their ilks always had many means at their disposal. In fact, what happened next didn''t surprise him in the slightest, yet he also made no efforts to prevent it, as it didn''t seem worth the hassle.


    Another arrow took flight, emerging from deep into the surrounding forest. This time, Qin Yun wasn''t the intended prey but the man in his grasp. Of course, those people would try to prevent information from leaking out, yet Qin Yun didn''t care. Even if he were to learn exactly who had hired these assassins, nothing would change.


    Besides, why should he even believe what these assassins had to say in the first place? Qin Yun didn''t honestly believe the Ma clan were behind all this¡ªat least not before he verified these facts himself. After all, painting the Ma clan as evil was all too convenient; there were much too many factions who could profit from that, and Qin Yun had no interest in doing their dirty work.


    The arrow easily embedded itself into the man¡¯s back, piercing through his heart as a look of disbelief spread on his face. Then, countless dark pustules grew on his skin as they filled with a vile liquid. An intolerable stench spread around Qin Yun, all originating from the man in his grasp.


    The assassin''s body involuntarily twisted and deformed as his muscles tensed and relaxed in quick succession, making him resemble a post-modern art sculpture, if only for a moment before he began to enlarge; his skin was now dark and on the verge of bursting.


    Watching all this happen, Qin Yun reacted quickly. He spun on his heel, gaining momentum as his feet dug into the soft soil of the remains of this hill before abruptly stopping, letting go of the weight in his hand as it barrelled in the distance toward where the arrow came from.


    Qin Yun dashed the opposite way before leaping forward, burying himself in the dirt, safely within the earth''s embrace. A few moments later, as the body impacted the ground, it burst into a flood of black liquid, tainting the world with its vileness and showering the surrounding vegetation with its corruption.


    Life faded as it was eroded by this poisonous substance, wilting all the flora as it spread outwards. All that remained in the aftermath was a radius of death where nothing would grow for decades to come, just a barren land devoid of life.


    After waiting more than was necessary, Qin Yun rose from his tomb of dirt, laying eyes upon the result of this battle. Yet he felt nothing, as he knew this was irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Life would struggle to recover its bountifulness for a while, yet it would do so in time. To believe he was responsible for the outcome would be nothing more than arrogance; he wasn''t so great a man to think himself omnipotent.


    Qin Yun gazed in the distance, seeing no traces of the archer who had hunted him. He remained in place for a while, scanning for any signs of murderous intent, yet none were aimed at him; only the sound of a slight breeze hung over the world.


    He left, Qin Yun thought. I¡¯m not surprised. That archer was much more dangerous than the other one. I can¡¯t help but feel our paths will cross once again.


    With this encounter behind him, Qin Yun approached the explosion''s epicentre, trying to uncover whatever could lead to the assassin''s identity. Yet, he knew this would most likely be futile, as no one would be stupid enough to possess something that could identify them.


    As he expected, the man was now nothing more than masses of black flesh scattered around, spreading their filth on the ground and nearby dead trees. Qin Yun looked upon the man''s remains yet found nothing worth salvaging; not even the countless weapons that had been hidden on his body had survived the blast, unscathed enough to be worth keeping.


    Suddenly, Qin Yun heard a roar from behind him. As he turned around, he came face to face with a massive bear that towered over him, standing on his hind legs, his paws twice as large as Qin Yun''s own chest. Still, he remained calm and simply observed the creature slowly creep up toward him, making itself look gigantic as it stopped less than a meter from him.


    "Equivalent to the peak of the Golden Core realm... not bad, considering how close we are to the city," Qin Yun said to the beast, his voice calm and serene, with no traces of urgency within. "Still, you would do rather well to better pick your opponents; this could end badly for you.¡±


    As if his words fell on deaf ears, the bear swiped his massive paw at Qin Yun, sharp claws ripped into the air as the motion almost created a shock wave. Still, Qin Yun stood still, weathering the storm as the claws collided with his skin. Yet, they left no marks¡ªnot even making him take a step back.


    Qin Yun looked up, witnessing the hesitation in the beast''s gaze even as it took a stance for a second swing. However, this time, Qin Yun chose to parry, taking hold of the creature''s hard muscle before turning on his heels. He used the beast''s momentum against it, throwing its massive body on the ground, his back digging into the soil while its four paws were in the air.


    Looking down at the creature, Qin Yun sighed and shook his head.


    "I know this is your territory, and I am intruding, but you should really take a look at who you''re dealing with," Qin Yun added as he filled each and every word with a thick killing intent that spread around him, filling the beast with so much dread that it could barely breathe anymore, much less move.


    ¡°I''d choose another den if I were you. Far away from human civilization, lest you want some cultivators to seek you out for your monster core. Your life is already perilous as it is; no need to make it even riskier on yourself."


    The giant bear nodded slowly before turning back on its stomach and rushing back into the dense flora of this forest, unwilling to ever look back.


    A moment later, now that he was truly alone, Qin Yun couldn''t help but crack a smile before a slight chuckle escaped his lips, yet it was only ephemeral.


    Enough wasting time... Now that I¡¯m finally away from that city, I should find a secluded place for what comes next.

 Chapter 78 - Unexpected Consequences

    Qin Yun had rushed westward for more than a week, avoiding human settlement even as they became scarcer. He traversed through many mortal nations, isolated from each other by the verdant ocean surrounding them.


    This was a land of survival of the fittest, where humans weren''t kings, and only the most adaptable could reign. Unlike Jin City, which was under the protection of the city lord and the various cultivator clans, these settlements were at the mercy of nature and the creatures that inhabited these woods.


    Qin Yun did encounter a few spirits on his way west, yet it was never anything he couldn''t handle. For the most part, he ignored the ones who couldn''t threaten him while avoiding the territory of those he couldn''t stand against.


    The qi is growing thinner. I haven''t seen any strong spirits in quite some time...


    Qin Yun stood at the peak of a tall tree, looking toward the horizon. To the north, a massive mountain range formed a large belt that seemed to blot out the sky as it pierced through the clouds. All the while, the area was covered by a blanket of snow all year round.


    The Immortal Phoenix Sect should be located deep within those peaks. Still, I didn''t think they were this close to the western edge. They shouldn''t be too low within the sect rankings... I wonder if there''s something special about that mountain range... Forget it... I just hope I won''t have to make her wait too long.


    To the south was a large lake¡ªso large it may be deemed an ocean. Even from his vantage point, Qin Yun couldn''t see to the far side as a thin mist obscured his sight. Somehow, he couldn''t help but feel there was something unnatural about this mist. Whether it was in how it moved with the wind or simply a feeling he had, Qin Yun couldn''t tell.


    Ahead, to the west, Qin Yun saw the dense and lush verdant scenery he had trekked through for more than a week give way to a barren land. All vegetation slowly disappeared alongside spiritual qi until nothing remained but an unending desert as far as the eye could see.


    I¡¯m almost there... Once I enter the dead lands, there¡¯s no turning back until I reach the world¡¯s end. However, before that...


    Not far from here, Qin Yun found what he had been searching for: a large rock over ten meters tall surrounded by countless other rocky formations devoid of verdure. This natural formation prevented any living being from approaching or discovering its existence, making it the perfect place for Qin Yun to finally become a cultivator in the strictest sense.


    Ever since he had been struck with heavenly tribulation as he forged his black crystal sword, Qin Yun had felt the remnant lightning course through his body, refining it as he had done for all those years, making the whole process almost pointless. After all, what better method was there than to forge the flesh using the most potent force in the world?


    Although living during this forging process was painful, Qin Yun had grown accustomed to it. In fact, he couldn''t help but wish the process would be even faster. After all, if he had the means to do so, Qin Yun would have liked to have been done already, even if the pain would have become unbearable.


    The flesh is reaching perfection; the only problem is qi-purity... Now that my innate qi is gone, there''s no telling what effect this will have once I reach the qi refining realm. Maybe the qi will acclimate itself to the flesh like some sort of entanglement, or perhaps I''ll have to restart the whole process... Even so, my goal won''t change. I will never settle for mediocrity...


    With his mind made up, Qin Yun approached the stone formation, feeling an instinctual disgust as he ventured further. Even knowing the reasons why wasn''t enough to counter its effect entirely. He could only take a single step at a time, accustoming himself to its effects before delving deeper.


    It took him almost a full day to reach the base of the boulder, where the repelling sensation was strongest. He could barely stand to stay in its presence, as the urge to flee was almost too overwhelming.


    Qin Yun squatted down, digging his hand into the ground, only to find that it was mostly made of sand, created by wind erosion over countless millennia. The repulsive force was such that not even grass could grow here¡ªthere was no trace of organic matter.


    It might be worth investigating this formation as it could prove helpful in the future...


    Although Qin Yun was eager to start accumulating qi, his flesh had yet to reach its peak, if only by a small margin. He figured that he should be ready in less than three days, which gave him just enough time to prepare and satisfy his curiosity.


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    For the next two days, Qin Yun spent all hours awake, examining the boulder before him. The wind had carved countless grooves into its surface, which seemed extremely eerie as this wasn''t how the wind was supposed to operate. Still, Qin Yun couldn''t bring himself to think these were made by living beings, as they felt much too natural as if this was the way they were meant to be: a dichotomy he couldn¡¯t wrap his mind around.


    The more he observed those grooves and the way qi flowed around them, the more Qin Yun realized that uncovering the secrets of this natural formation was a pointless endeavour¡ªat least with his current cultivation level. Even if he possessed the knowledge, without the cultivation to match, the intricacies deep within were invisible to his eyes.


    He could only engrave all these sights and sensations into his subconscious for the time being, hoping he could return in the future and glean something useful from it. Such was the hidden beauty and strength within nature, something cultivators always strove to replicate with barely any success.


    As he felt his flesh reaching its apex, Qin Yun dug a small hole outside the rock formation, seeking to create a hidden refuge below it, where he could enter the qi refining realm without any disturbances. While the process was simple for most cultivators, his situation was uncharted territory even for him. He couldn''t tell what might happen and could only plan for the worst.


    This was one of the reasons he left Jin city when he did, as doing so within the city would have been much too dangerous. After all, spirits were much more predictable than humans.


    Qin Yun sat deep underground in complete darkness, feeling the warmth of the earth all around him. As he expected, a qi vein flowed through this rock formation, powering it. He could extract the slightest bit of it through runes he inscribed into the nearby stone for his own consumption and advancement.


    He waited¡ªwaited for the heavenly lightning perfusing his flesh to finally reach the peak... perfection.


    His wait didn''t last long, maybe an hour at most. But then... nothing. The pain he had endured for all these years as he used his innate qi in forging his body and an even greater pain as the heavenly lightning did the same had all but disappeared, leaving Qin Yun confused about the result. Still, he maintained his calm and waited.


    Yet, nothing happened.


    With a frown on his face, Qin Yun prodded the muscles on his leg as he sat in a lotus position. They seemed firm and springy, no different than they ever were. He could only frown further as he clenched his fist, yet he couldn''t feel an increase in strength. It wasn''t until he cut his own flesh open with one of the daggers his wife had once tried on him that he noticed the difference.


    The blade shattered as it touched his skin, leaving behind but a nick as shards flew in all directions, some bouncing as they collided with his body, leaving close to no traces except for slight cuts onto his clothing.


    While the blade was, at most, a high-grade common artifact, resisting its cutting power without using qi was a staggering achievement. It was almost as if his body itself had been forged into an artifact. Still, this realization gave birth to another thought.


    If my body is now an artifact forged by the world''s natural laws, does this mean it possesses a grade? If so, maybe this is not the end of its path. After all, artifacts are composed of three things that need to be balanced to be considered successful: vessel, power and meaning. If the vessel is my body, then the power is qi. Only by reaching the qi refining realm can I show its true might. As for the meaning...


    Qin Yun thought that maybe mind cultivation was the answer, but somehow, it seemed too easy. Even as he infused his intent into his flesh, nothing seemed to change. His flesh remained just as sturdy, yet his mind couldn''t bear the burden, leaving him with a massive headache and blood flowing from his orifices.


    It seems the strength of my body did nothing to alleviate the recoil from using mind techniques. They were right when they warned me that humans weren''t designed to wield such power. Only gods¡ªas they called themselves¡ªwere worthy of doing so...


    Qin Yun chuckled slightly, recalling events of ages long past, feeling how pointless their superiority complex had been. After all, they all died in the end.


    Feeling stumped by the meaning part of artifact refining, Qin Yun put it aside, finally infusing qi into his being for the first time.


    He took a deep breath and calmed his mind, cutting all distractions as he honed in on himself. He fell into a deep trance where all that existed was his own being and the universe that surrounded him¡ªtwo entities, distinct yet intertwined, his own self and the sum of all things.


    He breathed in, and the world flowed, bathing his parched meridians with the elixir of life¡ªits origin. It flowed as if a fast torrent, breaking all barriers that wished to contain it as it crashed into his core, flooding it. Yet, unexpectedly, none seemed to have been retained. Somehow, an ocean of qi had flowed to his spiritual roots, yet none remained after its departure, almost as if it had been rejected for being of poor quality.


    I didn¡¯t expect this... Qin Yun thought as he frowned deeply. I thought I would at least be able to retain some of the more high-purity qi, however small it might be. Yet it seems none meets the criteria. Is my only option to use high-grade spiritual stones? If so, it''s definitely not practical... what else could I do?


    As Qin Yun was deep in thought, pondering how to circumvent his picky spiritual roots that had been used to high-purity qi, something happened overhead. Unbeknownst to him, dark thunderclouds gathered above, bathing the world in darkness, purely illuminated by the scarce lightning arcing upon their surface.


    After a while, as their density grew, a face seemed to imprint itself within the clouds, its features female, yet barely defined, as if it could belong to any woman. Still, they were undoubtedly human in nature.


    The visage in the sky looked down, lightning sparkling in its eyes as it gazed upon the location where Qin Yun was currently seated deep underground, utterly unaware of what was happening.


    There was a glint in the woman''s eyes as a faint smile graced her lips. However, its smile felt eerie; the scarce life in the surroundings felt the urge to leave as they gazed upward. Their instincts screamed at them to do so, and yet, Qin Yun felt none of it as if the woman in the sky meant for it to be so.


    A moment later, the face in the sky vanished, and a giant hand appeared, pointing a single finger toward Qin Yun, lightning arching on its surface.


    Once again, Heavenly Tribulation fell.

 Chapter 79 - The End of an Era

    Lightning fell, bathing the darkness, created by thick black clouds that blotted out the sun, in its glow before striking the ground that hid Qin Yun in its embrace, bypassing the natural formation as if its existence was meaningless.


    Stone shards chipped off the boulder as its exterior was charred by this conduit of energy before being blasted apart as it couldn''t resist its might, shattering into countless pieces as the boulder exploded from its core, raining its remnants over the plains while a thick mist of dust hung in the atmosphere before being blown away by the breeze, leaving nothing but the charred remains of its existence behind.


    Still, the ground absorbed most of the shock, only slightly caving in on itself as most of its might was spread outward from the blast. This created only a slight quake in its wake, something Qin Yun barely felt as he was still in the midst of cultivation, deep in trance.


    A storm brewed overhead as the world prepared for another strike. A heavy silence hung over all things in anticipation before an explosion occurred, filling the world with light as an even greater might fell.


    This time, the ground shattered as they collided, creating a gigantic crater as if a meteor had fallen, easily changing the surrounding geography. Fortunately, as this area was barren, no life had to witness such destruction¡ªnone except for Qin Yun.


    He woke from his trance as his makeshift shelter of dirt was blasted apart, rendering him bare to the elements. A strong gust of wind assaulted his skin, and dirt and stones fell to the ground around him.


    He rose to his feet, dusting his robe, and calmly looked overhead, feeling slightly conflicted at the sight. The heavens had once again presented itself, enforcing its will upon Qin Yun, leaving him no choice but to relent and abide by its will or be destroyed where he stood.


    Lightning crackled on the clouds, illuminating the world as thunder was overbearing as if wishing for Qin Yun to lower itself and accept its will¡ªsomething he refused to do.


    ¡°My path is my own!¡± he yelled to the clouds above, yet the only recognition he received was a bolt of lightning falling less than twenty meters from his location, shattering the ground a second time. ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    Yet, as soon as the words left his mouth, Qin Yun already regretted it. He acted impulsively and couldn''t help but resent himself for it.


    Explosions occurred in the clouds, filling the world with unending noise. Although unintelligible, those sounds were filled with significance, as if driven straight into Qin Yun''s brain, giving them meaning.


    YOU ALREADY KNOW...


    Qin Yun¡¯s head buzzed as if the sounds themselves came from a higher realm of existence than his own, enabling him to understand purely to drive home a point: he was powerless to resist.


    Indeed, he knew why, yet he couldn''t bring himself to accept this. If he were, his path would be bound to this world, and breaking away from it would become much more tedious.


    ¡°Why me?¡± he asked, but this time much more calmly. ¡°Why should I be your champion? I¡¯m sure there must be others who would jump at the opportunity.¡±


    The world grew silent once again, and Qin Yun waited for the answer. Still, it took longer than the first time, so much so that he even thought he might have been ignored. However, as he was about to give up hope of an answer, it came regardless.


    Contingency...


    Somehow, the word felt much weaker, as if the world had to strain itself to articulate it. Still, Qin Yun knew that it might have only been his imagination. After all, it was only a cacophony of noise, barely able to be translated by hijacking his brain; making a mistake in translation wouldn''t be unexpected.


    Still, contingencies... Meaning, I may not be the first one to receive the world''s favour and probably not the last. It seems the situation is much more dire than I first anticipated. Should I go along with this, or...


    Qin Yun was conflicted. On the one hand, his first instinct was to refuse this boon, opting to walk his own path, however long it might take if only to remain free from heaven''s hold. However, did he have the time to do so?


    Somehow, his mind always returned to his small shack in the corner of the Qin clan, where he spent most of his days idly, simply watching the woman he called his wife practice her swordsmanship. Her blade cutting through the air, her blue dress fluttering in the breeze, and her piercing gaze, as she strove forward to regain what she had lost, were engraved into his mind.


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    He knew that if the world''s end was upon them, Yun Jingfei would be the first to act, if only to prove her path. This was simply who she was. Even with broken spiritual roots, she never backed down from the challenge, even if this would lead to her inevitable doom. Qin Yun couldn''t let her walk this path alone; her smile was the only thing on his mind at that moment.


    With a deep sigh, Qin Yun closed his eyes and sat back down among the rumbles of his destroyed shelter, awaiting what was to come. He returned to his cultivation state, opening himself to the outside world as he began absorbing all he could, even if it were to flow right back out without leaving anything behind.


    He didn''t have to wait long as lightning crackled overhead once again, but this time, it felt much more gentle in its approach, yet the might laced within those clouds only grew, making all existences feel pitiful in contrast. Qin Yun was but an ant against its majesty. Its will was king, and Qin Yun could only relent if only this time. He buried feelings of resistance deep in his heart, patiently waiting for the day of their resurgence¡ªa day he knew would come eventually.


    He felt a surge of strength as heavenly might struck his head, coursing through his meridian as they flooded with the purest of qi, transforming them, if ever so slightly, into something more than they were.


    As the qi flooded into his core, feeding the seed nestled into its depth, Qin Yun could feel it wriggle slightly¡ªsomething that seemed impossible for most cultivators, as the process was much lengthier for others than in Qin Yun''s case.


    A manifestation of this seed appeared above his head, its form ethereal as it rotated slowly on its axis. Qin Yun felt his realm increase, feeling the seed grow bigger as he passed the threshold of each realm until he reached what most would consider the peak of the Qi Refining realm in one leap. Yet, the seed made no indication of stopping its growth.


    The reason was simple. Usually, the seed''s growth couldn''t exceed what the vessel could bear. However, in Qin Yun''s case, the vessel could be considered perfect, only reaching the threshold of what this world could contain. Therefore, the seed had no limiting factor to its growth¡ªor close to none.


    Coupled with the highest quality qi available, Qin Yun¡¯s seed grew with no end in sight, unhindered by even space itself. In fact, the seed above Qin Yun¡¯s head was more than what cultivators imagined. They believed it was merely an illusion displayed by the lotus as its strength was sought after, while the truth wasn¡¯t quite that simple.


    Qin Yun clearly felt that the seed''s size had exceeded the physical limits of his qi centre, becoming something it shouldn''t be able to contain, and yet, the truth was before his eyes, hovering about a metre above his head.


    Even considering his various previous lives in this world, none had felt something similar, as none had wished to follow this path, opting for something more orthodox. This was uncharted territory, and he also had to consider heaven''s involvement.


    Yet, even the seed expansion had a limit¡ªa limit he could clearly feel, and he soon reached it. However, that limit wasn¡¯t reached because of how confined it was, but simply because of a lack of qi. Even the world¡¯s might itself wasn¡¯t enough to satiate its thirst.


    Qin Yun¡¯s eyes snapped open, and he raised his chin, looking up at the sky, only to see the clouds recede as if they had delivered all they could. They felt somewhat feeble as they dispersed back into the atmosphere.


    Seeing this, Qin Yun closed his eyes again, feeling regretful that this wasn''t enough. He now had another choice to make: whether to proceed to the next stage or hope to find something that could help bridge this gap.


    Qin Yun gazed upon the seed slowly rotating in his core. It was plump, yet it seemed obvious something was missing. As he had expected, its colour was dark brown, denoting the element he was most compatible with. Yet, there were also gold lines on its surface, flowing as if spiritual veins¡ªthe same kinds of veins found deep within the earth, forming a huge flow that cultivators usually tapped into.


    Is this intentional, or simply a stroke of luck? I can never tell... If so, then its intentions are apparent. However, the path to reach it seems almost impossible... Contingency, isn''t it? Indeed, if all else fails, this might be the only path available. However, there is one thing it failed to consider, or maybe it was its intentions all along... who knows?


    Qin Yun rose with a smile on his face. Playing a game of chess with the world itself seemed interesting enough. Would he be but a mere pawn and be used in a war, not of his own choosing, or be able to shatter the board entirely? Only time would tell.


    Still, the threat was real and not something he could ignore. After all, even if he was a pawn, he wasn''t ungrateful enough to dismiss the favour he had been granted. Besides, to let the world die would leave a bad taste in his mouth, and he still had things he cherished.


    After this trip, it might be worth investigating the world''s other agents. If they prove to be enough, I may not have to get involved directly.


    A thought struck him. Looking back, he always felt there was something special about Liao Cheng, yet he never thought much of it. After all, geniuses were a dime a dozen. Although mind-blowing to most, in the grand scheme of things, his current cultivation wasn''t anything special, and yet, the heavens made its presence known, only for the two of them to finally meet. Maybe he was putting too much thought into it, or maybe there was something to it. Either way, it was worth investigating.


    With countless thoughts on his mind, Qin Yun chose to test his current strength, if only to know how to proceed forward. After all, he had never chosen a cultivation technique and only absorbed as much qi as possible. Whether he could use all that qi remained to be seen.


    He clenched his fist and separated a small amount of qi from the source, letting it flow through his body and infusing his muscles with strength. Just as there were golden lines on the lotus seed, runes of a similar colour appeared on his skin, glowing ever stronger the more qi he infused into his body.


    Not wishing to be reckless in his first time using it, the amount he used was but a fraction of the whole, and yet, it filled his body with strength¡ªa strength he could scarcely believe could belong to someone in the Qi Refining realm, yet his body could handle with ease.


    A slight smile appeared on his lips as he faced a mountain of compacted dirt standing before him, then punched.

 Chapter 80 - To Face the Tide

    There was no explosion of sounds or rain of dirt. In fact, the world remained silent as Qin Yun''s fist collided with the hard surface and broke through it as if it wasn''t even there, displacing all that mass without much effort; only a hole big enough for his arm remained.


    Qin Yun''s pupils dilated at the sight, feeling the surrounding space twist as if to accommodate the force of his blow without the world being subjected to its existence. This was more than pure physical force but an extension of the world''s law as they bent to restrict its destructive nature.


    Furthermore, the mass that stood in the way of his strike seemed to have disappeared altogether; whether it was due to displacement through sub-space or disintegration into energy remained unknown.


    Qin Yun grew intrigued by this phenomenon. Although he could feel his strength''s growth¡ªif he ignored the new way it manifested itself¡ªit wasn''t as drastic as he first thought. Still, it was to be expected.


    Some might misunderstand what achieving perfection in the Body-Strengthening realm entailed. They might believe it would result in a massive gain of strength, but that was only a side effect. In fact, its true wonders lied in how one used qi.


    For most cultivators, the qi centre¡ªor dantian¡ªis used to accumulate qi. Then, through a cultivation technique, the qi is diffused through the meridian before being used to manifest either a spell or a technique. The amount of qi able to be stored inside the flesh is minimal at best, purely because the body simply cannot tolerate it. Forcing it would usually lead to a breakdown.


    In Qin Yun''s case, his body became fully attuned to qi, enabling him to infuse as much qi as he wanted without backlash. However, no matter how pure the qi was in his current realm, there was only so much qi he could infuse at once. After all, the seed had yet to bloom. Without truly building his foundation, the flow of qi from his dantian would remain limited.


    Still, this is more than enough for my current needs. I should be able to stand against someone of Ma Yongzheng''s calibre without much difficulty. Yet, this doesn''t mean my current fighting style doesn''t possess any weakness others could exploit...


    Qin Yun had thought long and hard about his chosen path, opting for one that focused more on strengthening the body, as it seemed the most compatible with his earth-element spiritual roots. After all, the earth element was renowned for its defensive nature.


    Satisfied with his little test, Qin Yun rose from the crater. Noticing how battered his robes were, he quickly changed them before looking around, observing the destruction his breakthrough had wrought upon his surroundings.


    Nothing remained of the natural formation he had used as a shield, destroyed by heaven''s intent. Although it was a shame to have lost it, Qin Yun was glad he had taken the time to fully observe it. Once he reached the appropriate realm, it would be worth trying to recreate it. After all, this type of defensive formation would be priceless if it were to fall into the hands of any half-decent sect.


    For now, Qin Yun¡¯s destination was already set. He looked toward the west, seeing an orange glow paint the sky as the sun began its descent. Although night was upon him, Qin Yun didn¡¯t feel weary in the slightest, even after his breakthrough. He didn¡¯t even feel the need to consolidate his realm. If anything, tribulation qi had perfectly fused into the seed, as if the two of them were made for each other.


    This wasn''t surprising for Qin Yun as the two came from the same source. Both were born of the Heavenly Dao, but only the spiritual seed had been granted to living beings. Therefore, they had to make do with sub-par spiritual qi to make it bloom, resulting in an unstable fusing.


    Why it was granted to humans alone could only be deemed heaven''s secret... After all, the way spirits cultivate differs too much from the path humans walk. Although I can speculate, there''s no way to know for sure, short of asking her directly.


    With slight apprehension of what was to come, Qin Yun pushed himself off the ground, leaving only a subtle imprint of his foot upon the soft dirt. Yet, his body was propelled upward much higher than he intended.


    Although only slight, the sudden increase in strength had left him unable to fully adjust it as he used his strength mostly unconsciously. Doing so would take some time; however, Qin Yun chose to do so as he moved.


    He fell back to the ground at a high velocity, yet once his foot touched it, there was no hard collision as his muscles fully absorbed the impact. Then, if ever so slightly, he pushed the tip of his foot against the ground using only his ankle before being propelled forward at even greater speed, gliding just a metre above the ground as if a plane supported by the wind.


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    He raced toward the setting sun, swerving around the surrounding rock formations that blocked his path without ever slowing down, his breath steady and his usage of qi almost non-existent. While the amount of qi he could use was limited by his realm, there was one thing that separated high-purity qi from the norm, namely its endurance.


    Although not as explosive as he would have liked, this qi was almost inexhaustible. He only had to infuse a moderate amount into his flesh to produce decent results, and he could quickly replenish what he used within his dantian before it was entirely consumed, making Qin Yun something close to a perpetual motion machine. However, whether this could be maintained in the heat of battle remained to be seen.


    He ran for the entire night, feeling no exhaustion whatsoever, until he finally reached the edge of the western wasteland, where the desert slowly encroached upon the plains. As far as the eye could see, there were no signs of flora, just an ocean of sand rising up to the horizon.


    The sun began its ascent as Qin Yun stepped upon this desolate landscape, feeling the scarceness of spiritual qi in the atmosphere. Furthermore, the flow of underground spirit veins became almost imperceptible, as if the world had lost all its vitality. Yet, somehow, Qin Yun could still feel the beauty hidden in this painting of bleakness, a feeling of isolation gripping the hearts of men.


    With a slight melancholy, he trudged upon the dunes, fighting against the harsh sun''s heat overhead with no shade or clouds to resist its might. Fortunately, Qin Yun could easily regulate his temperature using qi, dispersing the heat outwards.


    His destination was a small city close to the edge, near one of the few oases scattered around this unending desert. However, before he could reach it, he stumbled upon a most peculiar scene, a display of carnage and gore, most unsuited to this parched land.


    Laying on the sand were countless corpses of bloodied beasts, their flesh showing signs of lacerations and a few burn marks. These creatures could be mistaken for worms if not for their exaggerated size.


    Standing next to one, Qin Yun estimated its length to be almost three times his height and its width to be more than the span of his arms. Had it been alive, the opening of its mouth would have been enough to easily engulf someone his size.


    Speaking of this orifice, it was laced with countless rows of pointed teeth, sharp enough to rip apart flesh; the evidence of its last meal remained in its maw, masses of flesh stuck on its teeth. Whether or not that flesh was human was impossible to know without a closer look, something Qin Yun was uninterested in finding out.


    All around this massive creature were countless smaller ones, maybe half of Qin Yun''s size. Their razor-sharp teeth were barely formed, yet they had already tasted blood. Still, even those had been slain without mercy, showing the same kinds of wounds as the previous ones.


    Fresh signs of battle, Qin Yun thought as he bent down, touching the bloody footprint still visible on the soft sand. Heading west, probably trying to reach the city. They were ambushed... Judging by the number of footprints left behind, they were quite a big group, yet they didn''t come out of the battle unscathed.


    He brought the blood to his nose, and as he expected, it didn''t possess the stink of the surrounding dead sandworms. As he rose and looked in the distance, he saw some unnatural traces upon the sand dunes, something impossible to be created by the wind alone.


    Even more worms are stalking them, probably following the scent of blood...


    As he considered whether to follow those traces, a rumble occurred under his feet. He pushed on the soft sand, jumping to the side just fast enough to avoid the ground caving under him, unveiling the abyss of serrated teeth that appeared where he stood.


    The worm jumped out of the sand, engulfing air as it ripped through space before doing a half turn and falling back down, creating a sand explosion as it dove back into the dune. Although brief, Qin Yun noticed that the creature resembled the biggest corpses lying on the sand.


    The world remained silent as Qin Yun waited for the worm to surface again, yet contrary to his expectation, he didn''t seem to be the target.


    A few seconds later, a hole opened below the dune, creating a sand avalanche that attracted all the corpses to its core, where the creature opened its maw and waited for them.


    Feeling his feet sliding under him as the sand fell toward the bottom of the hole, Qin Yun pushed himself against a nearby corpse, using it as a springboard to reach the top of the dune where he could observe his opponent. However, instead of trying to seek its teeth into him, the worm seemed more inclined to feast upon the corpses of its own species.


    There''s no point dealing with this one. I''m sure there''s an unending supply of these creatures in this place. My time would be better spent trying to reach the city.


    Leaving this place behind, Qin Yun quickly made his way west, following the fresh traces left in the sand by those who had trekked this place before him. As expected, they were headed the same way.


    Qin Yun changed his bearing ever so slightly, if only to reach the city without encountering any complications, yet it seemed the world had other plans in mind.


    "Junior sister, let''s go! He''s already gone; you should think about yourself!"


    A voice cut through the desert wind, the tone strong yet laced with desperation. Qin Yun stopped and listened closely if only to hear a rumble in the distance swiftly coming closer.


    Soon enough, he saw three individuals wearing similar clothes rushing toward his direction, a large cloud of dust and sand closely following them. There were two males, one with an injury to his legs being supported by the other, while a woman launched some attacks behind her, trying to slow down their pursuers, but to no avail. The cloud of sand gained on them at every moment.


    Their desperation was evident in their eyes, yet as soon as they spotted Qin Yun, they rushed toward him without hesitation, closely followed by the giant maw seeking to engulf them.


    Qin Yun knew what was to come yet made no indication of moving. Things went exactly as he expected. The trio bypassed him, leaving him alone to fend against the giant worm that ripped the dunes apart.


    He only heard the wounded man utter a small ¡°Sorry...¡± as he passed him by, his reluctance apparent on his face. With a sigh, Qin Yun unsheathed his black crystal blade, ready to face the tide.

 Chapter 81 - A Favour Worth Remembering

    Guilt arose in the depths of Yao Ruolan¡¯s heart as they left a stranger to fend for himself against the foe they couldn''t contend with. Rationally speaking, she knew this was their best chance of survival, considering her senior brother had already been injured in the ambush they had encountered as he protected them both.


    Yet she couldn''t shake the thought that this was wrong. She looked upon the two men beside her, torn between thoughts of survival and the guilt that would always remain if she were to do so. She couldn''t help but grit her teeth while her small hand paled as she gripped her slender sword even tighter, stopping her feet from fleeing.


    She remained motionless while the two men stopped dead in their tracks, looking back at her with incomprehension in their eyes.


    ¡°Ruolan! What are you doing? Let''s leave before the sandworm eats him and comes after us!" one of the men said but was interrupted as the man he supported put a hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°Junior sister, I know your thoughts as I feel the same." the injured man said through ragged breath. "It''s all my fault, and I can only blame my own powerlessness. I promised to protect you all and have already failed in my vows. Please do not make me hate myself even more..."


    Yao Yuolan''s bright eyes grew resolute, and her expression became calmer than a still sea. She relaxed the grip of her sword, letting the blood flow back as she smiled slightly.


    "This isn''t who we are," she replied, her voice gentle yet firm. "The Moonlight Sword Palace doesn''t acknowledge cowards. Remember what the Palace Master once said? ''Only the brightest of swords can drive away the unending night!'' I wish to stand by those words and never let my sword dim."


    She turned and faced the wave of sand coming their way, her feet steady and her heart at peace.


    "Senior brother, thank you for all you''ve done. Please take this chance to run away," she added. "I''ll try to buy you as much time as possible."


    While the senior brother showed reluctance, the other man couldn¡¯t help but panic at the sight, fear evident on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay...¡± the injured man said. ¡°I can¡¯t let you face it alone...¡±


    However, without even being able to finish his words, the man who had supported him pushed him away, letting the man''s injured body fall upon the desert sand; a slight trace of blood appeared on his lips from the impact.


    ¡°Think about the state you are in!" the other man said, panicked. He then turned and ran away alone, shouting as he did so. "If you want to die, do it alone! I want no part of this folly!"


    The remaining two were stunned at their fellow disciple''s exodus yet couldn''t resent him for it as the beast was almost upon the unfortunate stranger and would soon be upon them. They had no time to lose. Yao Ruolan raised her sword and sought to run toward the beast, hoping for one brave last stand.


    Qin Yun clearly heard the conversation behind him and couldn''t help but shake his head.


    Humans will act as humans do, he thought with a slight smile. Nothing is ever black or white. Every time I come to be disappointed in humanity, there are always a few who prove me wrong.


    With the sand wave just a few metres before him, Qin Yun showed no signs of resistance or panic. He casually raised his sword before letting it fall into the emptiness of space, entirely missing the creature as he had swung much too soon.


    The tip of his blade reached the sand but only gently rested upon it, leaving just a small indent that was soon covered up by the arid breeze. As if his work was done, Qin Yun turned around, feeling completely uninterested in the result, as he began to walk nonchalantly toward the duo.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yao Ruolan exclaimed, panic in her eyes. ¡°Behind you!¡±


    Just as the words left her mouth, a massive sandworm emerged from the dune, its mouth a giant abyss ready to engulf anything that crossed its path. Countless rows of serrated teeth gleamed in the sunlight as the creature ran straight into Qin Yun''s back.


    However, just as they were about to collide, a shimmer could be seen in its path, barely visible in the desert''s heat. The beast ran straight into it, and the most miraculous thing happened. Yao Ruolan''s eyes grew wide at the sight, and her mouth hung slightly open.


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    It all started with a slight vertical line appearing on the worm''s head before it busted open. Dark green blood flowed from the wound as inertia carried it forward. The worm''s body was severed along its whole length, its two halves falling on each of Qin Yun''s sides as its innards dyed the desert''s sand.


    A scent of putrefaction assaulted all present parties as death and decay became synonymous with this scene of carnage. Remains of the sandworm''s previous prey were also ejected from its gastric system as it was severed in two, the wound clean and pristine as if a molecular blade dissecting a still-specimen.


    While some of those remains were human in nature¡ªtheir clothes sporting different emblems and not just those of the Moonlight Sword Palace¡ªsome were also those of the fauna that inhabited this harsh environment.


    Qin Yun took notice of these corpses as he glanced to the side, yet he didn''t think much of it. The number of people¡ª mortal or cultivators¡ªthat became lost to these sands was almost uncountable. The name Land of the Dead stuck for a reason.


    "How long are you going to gawk?" Qin Yun asked, raising a single eyebrow before pointing to the injured man. "Shouldn''t you stop the bleeding?"


    Yao Ruolan immediately snapped out of it, her thin brows furrowed as her expression became stern.


    "Senior Brother?" she said as she turned to the injured man, only to see him sprawled on the ground, unresponsive. She approached him, only to see him much too pale, looking nothing more than a corpse. However, albeit only slightly, she could feel a pulse as she pressed two fingers to his neck.


    "Wake up!" she added as she shook him, if ever so slightly, as panic set in her heart. "Talk to me!"


    Qin Yun unhurriedly walked to the fallen man, ignoring the sea of green blood that drenched the sand all around him, only to shove the young girl out of the way before gazing upon the man''s clothes. They were ragged and bloody; multiple lacerations were visible on the man''s flesh, much too jagged to have been done by a bladed weapon. Obviously, the result of those serrated teeth.


    However, one thing jumped to Qin Yun''s attention: a small hole in the side of his neck, almost like a mosquito bite. While benign in and of itself, Qin Yun could put it out of his mind. Still, there were more urgent things to do.


    Qin Yun carefully removed the man''s clothes, yet flesh and blood clung to them as they coagulated upon their surface. He almost had to pry it off the man''s skin, prompting a grimace from the young lady who watched it all. Her complexion was white as snow as she feared for the worst while also trying her very best not to hurl.


    Impressive, Qin Yun thought as he examined the wound, peeling away layers of clothes to reveal the laceration beneath. Not succumbing to such wounds at a mere early foundation building realm requires quite the will to live. If anything, staying conscious must have been excruciating. Furthermore, it''s not only external wounds but also internal ones. He must have pushed himself beyond his limits to accrue so many injuries. Honestly, it''s a miracle he''s even alive.


    "Can you help him?" Yao Ruolan said, her voice as quiet as a mouse. She knew her request was much too shameless, considering what they had done. Yet, she would rather be seen as such than watch her senior brother breathe his last.


    ¡°This will cost you; can you pay the price?¡± Qin Yun replied, his voice devoid of emotion as if the tearful scene of a junior sister caring for her senior brother couldn¡¯t imprint itself upon his heart.


    Those words chilled her to the bone, yet she couldn''t help but resolve herself to her fate. Her deep brown eyes glistened under the sun as tears welled in their corner, yet her gaze was firm and steady as she nodded in consent.


    ¡°If you can help him, the Moonlight Sword Palace will owe you a life-saving favour,¡± she said. ¡°I can swear on my master¡¯s honour.¡±


    Qin Yun abruptly stopped, thinking back to her exact words, yet he couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing, stunning the woman in the process. He turned to face her, his gaze seemingly boring straight through her.


    Her complexion turned a deep red as shame assaulted her. She lowered her gaze, unable to meet Qin Yun''s. Yet, just as she was about to say something else, Qin Yun shook his head and proceeded to give first aid to the fallen man.


    Yao Ruolan remained speechless as she watched Qin Yun expertly stop the bleeding using only a simple needle and thread; she had never seen such a technique. Usually, in the case of injury, her sect would use pills to activate the body''s regenerative abilities or infuse qi within. To use a mortal technique to treat such severe injuries couldn''t help but fill her with doubt.


    On the other hand, Qin Yun couldn''t be bothered to explain the process. The man''s injuries were much too grave for a simple pill to take effect. Furthermore, his internal ones were so severe that it was as if his meridians were all but severed. Even if he were to administer a healing pill, none of its properties could travel through his whole body with his meridians in this state.


    His best bet was to staunch the bleeding, all the while infusing his own qi into him, reconnecting the man¡¯s meridians almost the same way he had done with his wife. Still, his new influx of tribulation qi made the whole process much less of a hassle.


    It took Qin Yun over an hour for the man''s situation to stabilize. The blood had stopped flowing, yet his body was still a mess. Qin Yun exhaled as he closed his eyes, regulating his own qi. Still, even after such an overuse of something he wasn''t that familiar with, his qi showed no signs of instability.


    Suddenly, Qin Yun¡¯s eyes jolted open as his left hand rose sharply, catching a thin wrist in his iron grip. Caught by surprise, Yao Ruolan shook but didn''t panic. Qin Yun turned to her, his eyes slightly narrowed, yet he couldn''t help but relent when he noticed the handkerchief in her hand.


    ¡°I just wanted to wipe the sweat and blood from your forehead...¡± She said, her voice barely audible.


    Qin Yun sighed before letting go of her wrist, his expression becoming slightly more gentle as he took the piece of cloth from her hand. He then wiped his face and hands clean with a bottle of water he kept in his storage.


    ¡°How is he?¡± she asked after he was done as she gently caressed the sleeping man¡¯s face.


    ¡°He¡¯ll pull through,¡± Qin Yun replied. ¡°Whether he can still cultivate after all this remains to be seen. After all, his internal injuries were much worse than his external ones.¡±


    ¡°Why would you help us? We...¡±


    ¡°You came back,¡± Qin Yun stated dryly.


    ¡°We couldn''t do anything..." Her big eyes looked at him, confusion evident in them.


    "You did more than most would have," he replied. "As far as I have experienced, how the other man acted is the norm."


    Yao Ruolan hung her head, gazing upon the sleeping man before she raised it once again.


    "I''m Yao Ruolan, Third Generation Disciple of the Moonlight Sword Palace, and this is our senior brother," she said as she held the man''s hand. "Can I ask for your name?"


    "You can just call me Yun."

 Chapter 82 - Heartfelt Matters

    With Yao Ruolan¡¯s senior brother out of immediate danger, Qin Yun brought the two of them to a rock formation he had found some time earlier if only to stay out of the harsh sun, giving the man a chance to recover. However, this brought them further from their destination.


    "Shouldn''t we try to reach the city?" Yao Ruolan asked, her senior brother''s cold hand resting on hers as they rested beneath a small stone alcove, sheltering them from the heat. His complexion was pale, and his lips were bluish while sweat covered his body.


    ¡°What if we are attacked on the way?¡± Qin Yun replied as a piece of sandworm flesh was skewered on the tip of his sword and stood over the burning flame of a makeshift campfire he made from wood he had accumulated along the way. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll survive the journey, but you are welcome to try.¡±


    Stunned by his words, Yao Ruolan lowered her head, feeling slightly ashamed at how brash her thoughts were. She took a deep breath and composed herself.


    "I''m sorry... I wasn''t thinking clearly enough," she said as she raised her head. Her eyes showed no shame, but Qin Yun could glean a slight hint of doubt.


    Even after all this, she doesn¡¯t seem to trust me, Qin Yun thought, showing a slight hint of a smile. Good... Of course, she shouldn¡¯t. If she did, I might have thought something was wrong with her.


    ¡°I happened upon the remains of your party,¡± Qin Yun said as he turned the meat over; pools of fat fell onto the flames, making them flare up, spreading an aroma in its surroundings¡ªan aroma that had no business being so attractive. "Sandworms aren''t usually the types to hunt in groups. Do you remember anything that could have led to this ending? Did anyone have something to gain from your demise?"


    ¡°Are you thinking of foul play?" she replied, then sighed. "While I can''t discount anything, don''t you think this is far-fetched? They are just beasts hunting for prey. We were just unlucky. Besides, our group wasn''t just made of disciples from the Moonlight Sword Palace but also of three other local sects. Plotting against us would be akin to making them all their enemies. Unless..."


    "I heard those who live at world''s end have been more active in recent years," Qin Yun said as he took the meat from the flame before cutting a piece and offering it to Yao Ruolan. She only showed a look of disgust, prompting Qin Yun to shrug before eating it himself. While the texture was chewy, the taste made up for it, yet something seemed missing.


    ¡°Needs more salt," Qin Yun murmured before addressing Yao Ruolan. "Isn''t this the reason why you are even in this place to begin with? Isn''t it you local sects'' job to keep them in check?"


    ¡°That¡¯s just the four major sects pushing this duty unto us,¡± Yao Ruolan said as she frowned deeply. ¡°If not for them outnumbering us ten to one, do you think we would do their dirty work?¡±


    ¡°The strong prosper and the weak perish,¡± Qin Yun replied as he looked into her eyes, seeing them gleam with an uncanny fury. ¡°But you already knew that. Just as the meat in my hand is used to nourish me, small sects are used to nourish bigger ones. If you do not want to be the prey, your only choice is to become the predator.¡±


    ¡°A world where the strong bully the weak... Is that what you wish for?¡± she replied, a slight trace of anger in her tone.


    ¡°What I want is irrelevant; only reality matters. If it were up to me, I''d like the world to be a little more peaceful, but obviously, these are the ravings of an idealist. We all know who made it that way, even if some choose to ignore it..."


    ¡°You are talking of those in the central regions?" she asked, her pupils growing slightly larger.


    ¡°Those?¡± Qin Yun replied, uttering a slight chuckle. ¡°Although they are called immortals, they are humans just like the rest of us. Even they cannot escape their fate, much less this world, however much they want to. They can only hide away in the central regions, awaiting their inevitable ends.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked, her head swimming in uncertain thoughts. She couldn¡¯t help but feel that the man before her was slightly mad, talking of those who had reached the apex of cultivation so casually, yet she also couldn¡¯t dismiss his words that easily.


    ¡°No matter who may proclaim himself master of his own fate, even emperors or immortals, there is only one person who''s truly in charge."


    Qin Yun pointed a finger towards the sky, prompting Yao Ruolan to raise her head, only to be blinded by the sun. Yet, to her stupefaction, the sky began to darken as black clouds began to gather, blotting the sun''s light. She could even feel a hint of oppression descend upon her heart, even while it didn''t seem to be aimed at her but at the man before her.


    ¡°Would you knock it off with the threats?¡± Qin Yun spoke calmly, not even bothering to raise his head. ¡°If you want me to do this, you better let me do it my way.¡±


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Hearing his words, the clouds began to disperse, not before a bolt fell, striking the meat hanging on the tip of his sword and reducing it to ash. Yao Ruolan couldn''t help but recoil as she rose to her feet, cold sweat pouring out of her pores and drenching her back.


    "Was that necessary?" Qin Yun asked, shaking his head, before gazing at the remains of his meal being carried away by the breeze, feeling slightly sorrowful at this waste of time and effort.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Yao Ruolan blurted out, panic setting in her eyes, yet Qin Yun barely acknowledged her emotions.


    ¡°What else could it be but this world¡¯s will, what most cultivators call the Heavenly Dao? Were you never present when your seniors broke through to higher realms?¡±


    ¡°I obviously know what the Heavenly Dao is!" she replied, her tone becoming harsher. "However, I didn''t know mere words could trigger a reaction this swiftly... Who the hell are you?"


    She grabbed her sword and stood before her fallen senior brother, shielding him from Qin Yun. Qin Yun couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow at this reaction yet paid no attention to her outburst. He preferred to skewer another piece of worm meat onto his sword before putting it over the flames.


    ¡°Can we just say we go way back and leave it at that?" Qin Yun replied before he turned his gaze toward her, bringing a shiver to her spine. "You should put that sword down before you hurt someone... mostly yourself."


    Although reluctant, Yao Ruolan did so before sitting back down, if only because she knew she couldn''t win. While the man before her was only at the peak of the Qi Refining realm, and she wasn''t that far from it, considering the strike he used against the massive sandworm, she could not prevail against him. She took a deep breath before sheathing her sword and sitting back down, yet she didn''t lower her vigilance in the slightest.


    ¡°Wise decision,¡± Qin Yun added. ¡°I may be somewhat of a pacifist, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can tolerate everything. Do remember how we met.¡±


    Yao Ruolan lowered her gaze once again. This time, however, she felt shame, as her reaction had been unwarranted. This man had been good to them, yet she had threatened him for almost no reason. While she still couldn''t trust him, this was no reason to be ungrateful.


    ¡°Were you headed toward the frontier?" she asked. "It''s rare to see cultivators outside the four local sects going this far toward the edge. Without someone to vouch for you, I doubt you''ll be able to enter the city. Is this why you chose to save us?"


    ¡°Partially,¡± Qin Yun replied, watching the flame sear another piece of monster meat. ¡°The city isn¡¯t my end goal; just a stop along the way.¡±


    Yao Ruolan¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    "Are you thinking of entering their territories?" she asked. "You may be strong, but only at the Qi Refining stage. These barbarians kill on sight!"


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d care about my well-being,¡± Qin Yun replied as he turned toward her. ¡°I have some business over there. If they choose to impede my goal, then that would be their loss.¡±


    ¡°The city official won¡¯t approve your entry.¡±


    "That''s not up to them," he replied, calm but sharp.


    "You''re a fool..." she said with a hint of dismissal, yet she could clearly sense Qin Yun''s intent. His words weren''t said in jest.


    Suddenly, Yao Ruolan felt the hand resting on hers twitch, if ever so slightly. She turned to her side and almost couldn''t stop tears from falling. The man sleeping on the ground opened his eyes and offered a weak smile as he gazed upward.


    "Junior sister... It seems we are safe..."


    His voice was weak and hoarse as if it had been denied moisture for far too long. He tried to rise but fell back almost immediately, the back of his head crashing down onto the pile of clothes that served as a pillow.


    "We are..." she replied, choking through her tears as they fell. Never had she seen her senior brother so frail, yet he was alive against all odds.


    "You shouldn''t try to get up so soon," Qin Yun said as he flipped his meat, the fat sizzling as it touched the flame. "You''ve lost a lot of blood, and your meridians are a mess. Trying to push yourself would only exacerbate your issues.¡±


    The man turned his head to the side, spotting Qin Yun, yet his vision was blurry at best.


    ¡°What happened? Who are you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I give you some time?¡± Qin Yun said as he slammed the butt of his sword straight into the rock, making it stand upright over the flame, then rose. ¡°Your junior sister can fill you in on what you¡¯ve missed.¡±


    The duo watched Qin Yun leave, feeling slightly stunned.


    ¡°Can we trust him after what we did to him?¡± the man asked as he turned back to his junior sister.


    "I don''t know..." she said as she shook her head and dried her tears. "I only know that, without him, you''d be dead. We owe him."


    The man remained silent as he pondered. But then, a violent cough assaulted him, prompting him to expel some blood from his mouth. However, the cough soon subsided, leaving most of his face bloody. With worry in her eyes, Yao Ruolan brought a damp handkerchief to clean his face, but the man caught her thin wrist instead.


    "Whether that man can be trusted isn''t that important right now," he said, his voice slightly unstable. "We need to report to the sect. The creatures in this desert have been much more active than usual. It seems something is afoot. I''m afraid those outsiders are involved in some way." He remained silent for a while, a slight worry in his eyes, but then sighed. "We also need to report our failure. The sects may want to pin this on me. After all, too many people died."


    ¡°That¡¯s not your fault!¡± she blurted out, yet the man only gently held her hand.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he replied gently. ¡°Someone needs to be held accountable for this. If not me, who else?¡±


    ¡°I...¡±


    "Don''t even think about it!" his firm tone brought another round of coughing. As it eased slightly, he added, "My body is a wreck. I may not even be able to cultivate anymore. If it means alleviating the blame the sect would have to bear for my failures, it''s the least I can do."


    Yao Ruolan''s expression grew dark, and she squeezed the man''s hand, unable to find the right words. She could only stay silent.


    Not far away, yet out of ear¡¯s reach, Qin Yun stood on top of a rock formation, scanning his surroundings for any signs of life. Still, despite the distance that separated them, he heard the conversation carried by the breeze as if he stood right next to them. Somehow, he felt a slight trace of admiration for the man. Not many would own up to their mistakes, especially if it could result in the punishment Qin Yun knew was coming.


    It might be worth stopping at the Frontier for a while...

 Chapter 83 - Frivolous Accusations

    Far in the distance, Qin Yun noticed clouds of sand burst into the air, obscuring most of his vision from behind a giant sand dune. At first, he thought this was but another one of those sandworms joyfully slithering along the ground in the hopes of finding another prey, yet he stood corrected as four riders emerged from it, ascending the dune.


    Their mounts were unusual for the rest of the western regions, yet not so much for this part of the land. They were large quadrupeds, much larger than a horse. Their legs were long and slim, allowing them to run incredibly fast. Their tails were short, while their necks were much longer than a horse''s. They also drooped in the middle, allowing their heads to rest parallel to their bodies.


    On their backs were too large lumps covered by thick carpets, allowing the riders to rest comfortably, even through the rocky speed of their gallops. Qin Yun also spotted two large bags resting on each side of their hind quarters suspended by straps, allowing these beasts to carry large loads for an extended distance, even under the harsh heat of this desert sun.


    In fact, these creatures seemed almost unbothered by the severity of this environment as they sped along the dunes, unlike the individuals that stood on their backs. They wore deep green robes, which seemed most unsuited for these conditions. Qin Yun could even see them guzzling water from their pouches as if they had been denied hydration for years.


    Judging by their current heading, Qin Yun and the duo would be bound to encounter them. With a single leap, Qin Yun fell from his perch, making next to no sound as he reached the ground, his legs absorbing the impact as if he possessed almost no weight. There was barely any vibration at the point of contact.


    ¡°We seem to have some visitors,¡± Qin Yun said, surprising the two with his arrival. ¡°Friends of yours?¡±


    The two swivelled their heads to the side almost in unison, locking into the barely perceptible sand cloud in the distance. Yao Ruolan even had to squint and use her hand to block the sun to ascertain their headings.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell from this distance,¡± the man said. ¡°Did they have any unique features?¡±


    "Green robes embroidered with the emblem of a snake," Qin Yun replied casually. "Most of them are in the Foundation Building realm."


    Yao Ruolan¡¯s hand grasped the man¡¯s arm, showing a brilliant smile.


    "Disciples of the Emerald Lord!" she exclaimed, her joy apparent. "They have been searching for us! They should be able to cure you, right?"


    Unlike her optimism, the man remained calm, even showing a slight frown, which Qin Yun took notice of.


    "Emerald Lord?" Qin Yun asked. "A man of prestige, I''d assume?"


    The duo turned toward him, perplexed by his ignorance.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Yao Ruolan blurted out. ¡°Where do you come from to not have heard of him?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time near the western edge,¡± he replied, shrugging. ¡°You can¡¯t expect me to know everyone. Besides, do you have any idea how large just the western region is?¡±


    "Oh... just another stuck-up city boy,¡± she mumbled, her expression soured. ¡°Too good to remember the names of us plebeians...¡±


    Qin Yun''s eyebrows rose slightly, amused, only for the injured man to sigh.


    ¡°Please forgive her," he said as he took the woman''s hand. "Yao Ruolan has had bad encounters with some disciples of the sects out east. Hearing you say that you don''t know the Emerald Lord, she just assumed you to be one of them."


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Qin Yun replied. ¡°I¡¯m just a rogue cultivator. I¡¯m not interested in your rivalries.¡±


    ¡°Why do you act as if this has nothing to do with you?¡± she asked, her temper flaring up. ¡°Do you know that without our four local sects holding the fort, the outsiders would have already spilled inwards, laying waste to the land? Your peace was only built on top of our sacrifices! Without us, all of you would be nothing more than corpses under their blades.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°If the threat was as great as you claim, the Immortal Beasts Alliance would have already dealt with it and not leave it to you to do so," Qin Yun replied. "Do you really think they don''t possess the means? You shouldn''t be so selfish in your thought process and look at the bigger picture."


    ¡°What bigger picture!?¡±


    ¡°Instead of the outer region, what if we were able to secure a place in the middle region?¡± Qin Yun said. The argument stunned Yao Ruolan, prompting her to keep silent, ruminating his words as he added, "Between the outer and middle regions, the choice is obvious. However, you must realize that ousting someone from the middle region requires so much resources that they simply cannot spare any for something as trivial as the outsider''s threat."


    ¡°So we should just serve as a shield in the meantime?" she replied through gritted teeth, her small hand paling as she clenched it, almost drawing blood, until the man took hers into his, making her relax slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in the morality of their decision," Qin Yun said as he shrugged. "Right or wrong is irrelevant. However, the benefits are clear, and it seems worth the price. Thinking purely in terms of profit, their decision is the right one. What your sect should focus on should be to take advantage of it."


    ¡°And how would that be?" the man asked, keeping his cool, unlike Yao Ruolan.


    ¡°There are many ways," Qin Yun replied. "The most straightforward would be to prove your worth. Only through strength will you have a chance to change your fate. You can''t expect kindness from others if they don''t benefit."


    The man''s gaze lingered on Qin Yun, keeping his silence for a while longer. Qin Yun met him without faltering. The man smiled slightly and asked, "What about you? What is the price of your kindness?"


    Qin Yun smiled back, yet before he had the opportunity to respond, new arrivals were already upon them.


    Four large camels stopped just a few meters before them, their riders looking down on the trio, scrutinizing them. The four were males, and their strength ranged from upper-level Qi Refining Realm to Mid Foundation Building. Judging by their ages, none of them were talentless. In fact, the youngest didn''t seem more than fifteen years old, yet had already reached the eighth stage of the Qi Refining realm.


    The men dismounted and approached the trio, but there was something in their eyes that Qin Yun couldn''t quite place. He ignored it, only to grab his sword stuck on the ground, the aroma of his sandworm steak spreading in the air. He took a bite before leaning on a large rock, pretending to be only a bystander.


    ¡°Who¡¯s He Zihao?¡± the strongest of the four said, as his gaze rested on Qin Yun, a slight glint in his eyes.


    His voice was deep and cold. Despite the injured man''s current state, there was no trace of concern in it. Yao Ruolan frowned and sought to rise, her hand close to her blade, yet the man gently stopped her as he rose himself with difficulty.


    ¡°I am,¡± he said. ¡°What business do the Emerald Lord¡¯s disciple have with me?¡±


    "So it''s you..." the man said as he turned to face He Zihao, his gaze staring right through him. "You are to be taken captive on the grounds of conspiracy to murder disciples of the four sects and suspicion of treason against the Western Region by collaborating with the outsiders in a plot to let them bypass the Great Barrier."


    Yao Ruolan''s hand jerked, trying to reach for her sword even more, yet He Zihao''s grip was as firm as steel despite his weakened state. They both looked at the four men dressed in green as if this was one big misunderstanding, yet the resolve in the men''s eyes gave credence to their intent. Qin Yun only watched all this play out with a slight smile.


    ¡°Do you have any evidence for these claims?¡± He Zihao said, his voice calm and cold, yet he couldn¡¯t stop a slight hint of anger from transpiring. ¡°I doubt my sect would have approved this without sufficient facts to back this up.¡±


    One of the men stepped forward, a large sneer on his face as he pulled a small dagger from his clothes. He looked upon the trio with disgust as he spoke next.


    ¡°Why would the Moonlight Sword Palace''s stance matter? We already have a witness who testified against you. Your guilt is already apparent. Either you surrender yourself or face the consequences. We have already been given the right to use force should you choose to resist."


    The men stood upright, ready for battle. Some displayed their weapons while others simply waited, arms crossed, trying to seem imposing. Qin Yun could only shake his head, yet the duo were utterly taken aback.


    Yao Ruolan shook with rage, her mind on the verge of exploding. Even for He Zihao''s usually calm demeanour, this seemed almost too much to process. He barely had the presence of mind to stop her from escalating the situation, yet this also proved insufficient. She wrestled herself out of his hold and held her blade forward, its white edge glistening under the sun as her murderous intent pervaded the atmosphere.


    "We were attacked by a swarm of giant sandworms almost as soon as we left sight of the Great Barrier!" she said, losing her cool. "Most of us died, eaten by the worms, while others of their wounds soon after. Only three of us managed to escape the onslaught alive, and if not for someone''s grace, we, too, would have died. Now, you have the gall to accuse senior brother of being personally responsible for their deaths like some kind of executioner? If you want him so badly, then you better do so over my dead body!"


    Although her words were filled with strength, she knew her chances of prevailing against these four men were slim to none. She was only in the Qi Refining realm, while her opponents were almost an entire realm beyond her. Her only hope was to somewhat even the odds. She glanced at Qin Yun, only to see him eat his morsel of cooked meat without a care. She could only grit her teeth in frustration at her powerlessness.


    ¡°If you collude with this criminal, then you leave us no chance but to apprehend you too,¡± one of the men in green said. ¡°You may avoid sharing the same fate if you know what¡¯s good for you.¡±


    Qin Yun burst out in hearty laughter, almost dropping his meat in the process. The men were stunned, turning toward him as their eyes narrowed, a slight hint of killing intent in their gazes. Even Yao Ruolan and He Zihao stood there, unable to comprehend his actions.


    ¡°Don''t talk as if you have any intentions of letting any of us go," he said after finally calming down, looking at the men in greens as if they were clowns. "You''re not fooling anyone with such flimsy excuses. Why don''t you just come out and say it? Someone ordered you to kill them, didn''t they?"


    The tension in the air was palpable as the scene remained silent. It wasn''t until one of the men reached for something nestled inside his outer robes that the silence finally broke as Qin Yun''s black crystal sword whistled through the air before being impaled into the man''s forehead, shattering his skull into a fountain of gore.


    Before the body could even hit the stone slab it perished on, Qin Yun had already retrieved his blade, but also the weapon the man had tried to reach: three large needles coated in a potent poison that stung Qin Yun''s nostrils as he merely held them in his hand. He turned toward the remaining three men, only offering a slight smile.


    ¡°These two owe me,¡± Qin Yun said as he pointed at the duo. ¡°Before they pay me back, you¡¯re not touching them.¡±

 Chapter 84 - A Hint of the End

    For a few seconds, the world stood still as they all processed what had just happened. In the meanwhile, Qin Yun squatted over the lifeless body, his black sword laid on the ground as he non-nonchalantly went through the man¡¯s belongings as if nothing was wrong with his actions.


    Soon enough, the remaining three men in green came to their senses. One¡¯s complexion became as white as snow, while the other two screamed incomprehensibly as they rushed Qin Yun, weapons drawn.


    With a swift motion, Qin Yun took a step back, deftly avoiding a throwing knife by a mere inch before colliding with a man, grasping both of his hands at the wrist. The man exhaled, and a cloud of green smoke was released from his lungs. The smoke was thick and opaque, while its scent was pungent, much too vile to be breathed in. Worse yet, its poisonous nature was evident, just as were the nails on the man''s hands.


    Keeping the man''s wrists in his iron grip, Qin Yun raised his knee, colliding with the man''s chin as he pulled his hands downward, shattering his jaw and trapping the smoke within his body.


    Bloody veins appeared on the man''s eyes as they bulged from the increased pressure, making the man''s lungs swell like a balloon ready to burst. Qin Yun''s eyes narrowed before he made a quick decision.


    He let go of one of his hands before spinning in place, his raised leg ripping through the breeze before his shin collided with the man''s chest, causing it to cave in slightly. The impact was so intense that the man''s body rose from the ground, tugging on the limb still stuck in Qin Yun''s grip as it sought to accelerate backwards.


    Unable to bear the strain, the limb ripped at the shoulder. At the same time, the rest of the man''s body was propelled backwards, embedding itself into a nearby boulder, its body shattering as the over-pressured gas sought to escape, creating an explosion of green flesh and blood that rained down its stench everywhere.


    Feeling a rustling noise behind him, Qin Yun ducked, only to see the throwing knife rip through the air once again as if its flight path could be remotely controlled. With the limb still remaining in his grasp, Qin Yun used it to swat the blade away, only for it to return soon after, punching right through the flesh as it sought to embed itself into Qin Yun''s core, spreading the poison laced on its surface.


    With the limb being only a useless mass of flesh, Qin Yun threw it toward his opponent. The man barely ducked in time, avoiding it, yet became distracted as the limb exploded, colliding with another nearby boulder, shattering in an explosion of sound.


    Using this small interval, Qin Yun spun, grabbing the flying blade as it passed next to him. Its flight path had lost some complexity, if only for a moment, which was enough for Qin Yun to accelerate it toward its owner.


    The knife ripped through the air as if through space itself, much faster than the man could even conceive, making it virtually impossible for the man to react in time. Just as he caught a glimpse of the flying knife, it embedded itself into his chest, ripping through his flesh until only the hilt could be seen protruding from it.


    The man''s body rose from the ground, overcoming inertia as it was propelled backward into the same boulder, but this time, the man''s body only slumped to the ground, inert and lifeless. Yet, it didn''t end there.


    The corpse''s skin turned black, almost as if the flesh itself was decomposing in real-time, becoming nothing more than a black puddle of goo as the flesh, muscle and bones liquefied. The stench and gruesomeness of the poison were so unbearable that Yao Ruolan couldn''t bear the sight. She turned her head away if only to stop herself from vomiting.


    On the contrary, He Zihao watched the battle play out with conflicted emotions plastered on his face, ranging from powerlessness and dejection to relief. Yet, it all turned to self-pity soon after.


    With three of his comrades having met their ends, the last man in green shivered in fear as he looked at the state of their demise. None of their bodies were complete, and none had been granted any mercy from their killer.


    ¡°Do you think our master, the Emerald Lord, will let you go after this?" the last man spat, a single flame of hope in his eyes.


    ¡°If anything, he might even thank me for it,¡± Qin Yun replied with a slight smile, which couldn¡¯t help but send a shiver through the man¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Don''t you dare spout nonsense!" the man replied, yet Qin Yun felt no authenticity in this outburst, and he couldn''t help but interrupt the man''s rant.


    Do you really think we''re that stupid?" he said as he picked his black blade back up. "You expect me to believe the frontier has already reached a consensus following what happened to their group?"This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    He Zihao''s eyes grew wide as he heard Qin Yun''s words. He had been so overwhelmed by the events that he had failed to consider all this clearly.


    ¡°The frontier should be governed by an alliance of the four local sects and a representative of the countless rogue cultivators that seek to impress them in the hopes of joining their ranks,¡± Qin Yun added. ¡°Such a decision would require the express acquiescence of all involved parties which means they cannot escape from the plague that is bureaucracy.¡±


    Yao Ruolan''s eyes grew brighter, and she finally realized what Qin Yun meant. She could only blame herself for her narrow perspective, for being too deeply involved in this conflict to consider all sides of it.


    "Indeed," she said. "It has only been a day since we were ambushed by the sandworms and just a few hours since that witness of yours may have made his way to the city if that even is him. There''s no way they could decide so soon, and choosing to blame Senior Brother for it is even more ludicrous. There''s no way the sect would accept that. Even if they did, you people found us way too quickly.¡±


    Yao Ruolan''s eyes narrowed, and she gripped her sword slightly tighter, feeling something was afoot. Qin Yun simply smiled as he walked toward the man, his sword twirling in his hand. The man in green looked back at him, cold sweat pooling on his skin and his eyes filled with dread. He fell to his knees as if trying to beg for mercy. Yet, something strange happened.


    Qin Yun''s eyes narrowed as he watched the man''s aura change completely, becoming something utterly estranged from its earlier rendition. The shakes disappeared almost immediately, replaced by a calm that seemed almost eerie.


    The man rose to his feet, his eyes were dead as if a walking corpse, yet the man¡¯s beating heart still resounded in his chest. Before Yao Ruolan could even comprehend what was happening, the man lunged toward He Zihao, his hand forming a claw that sought to grab He Zihao¡¯s neck, yet Qin Yun had reacted in time, blocking the man¡¯s charge with his sword.


    The claw and the black crystal collided, yet surprisingly, Qin Yun''s blade seemed to be on the losing end. While no damage would come to it, the claw couldn''t be stopped as it pushed Qin Yun backward. While he hadn''t used all his strength, he had used more than enough to battle against a mere early-stage Foundation Building novice, yet he was still pushed back.


    This man¡¯s strength seems unstable, Qin Yun thought as he dug his feet into the hard stone, stopping the man¡¯s advance. It''s almost as if this is not his own but borrowed from an external source.


    Qin Yun''s conjecture would prove to be right. Cracks started to appear on the man''s skin as he pushed further, driving Qin Yun backwards as he dove deeper into the stone, shards of rock splintering as he did so.


    As the two were engaged in battle, Yao Ruolan attacked from the side, thrusting her sword and aiming for the man''s side. Yet he disengaged just as they were about to collide, making her miss her mark. She gracefully spun, her blade creating an arc of light in the air as it ripped through space as if there was no resistance before creating a deep cut on the man''s abdomen.


    Dark grey blood flowed from the wound, yet only for a moment before the laceration cauterized itself, leaving almost no traces of the injury behind. She frowned, yet her feet carried her forward, her blade never stopping its motions as it dug further into the man¡¯s flesh.


    While her movements were deadly and precise, her blade could only reach her opponent because Qin Yun occupied most of the man''s attention, keeping the claw from being used as a shield as he, too, plunged into the heat of battle.


    Even two against one, the man in green wasn''t to be outdone. The wounds bled and healed as Qin Yun restricted him, yet he wouldn''t fall and would fight back somewhat, leading to a stalemate.


    He Zihao watched the battle unfold, powerlessness apparent on his face. He clenched his fist in frustration yet had to stop as the pain became unbearable. Even standing took most of his strength.


    How interesting... Qin Yun thought. While ending him wouldn¡¯t be that hard, it would be a waste. I do wonder where he acquired such strength. Still... that grey blood...


    Despite the heat of battle, Qin Yun turned his head to the west, and a strange feeling arose in his heart. Feeling Qin Yun''s attention slipping, the man shoved Yao Ruolan''s blade aside before charging him, his claw forming a spear aimed straight at Qin Yun''s heart.


    The sharpened point flew forward yet couldn''t break Qin Yun''s skin, stopping just above the surface as if it had hit an unbreakable object. Feeling something was wrong, the man sought to retreat, yet his wrist was caught by Qin Yun''s mechanical hand before his other one reached for his throat, suspending him into the air at arm''s length.


    The man thrashed, clawing at Qin Yun''s arm, yet none of his attempts held any promise. He even kicked Qin Yun''s side to no effect. Dark grey saliva fell from the man''s mouth onto Qin Yun''s skin, making it sizzle. Qin Yun frowned, feeling a slight hint of pain as the substance seemed to wish to dissolve him entirely, yet couldn''t overcome his resilience¡ªat least not with this impure of a solution.


    ¡°Who are you?" Qin Yun asked calmly as he released his grip ever so slightly, allowing just enough leeway for the man to utter sounds.


    "You may have won this time, yet it is meaningless. You cannot stop the flood from engulfing all that exists!"


    The man''s voice was cold and emotionless, bringing a chill to anyone who heard it. It seemed like it couldn''t possibly come from any living thing; it seemed more like a phenomenon. Somehow, this reminded Qin Yun of the voices he had heard as he conversed with the world''s will but given shape through a living conduit.


    ¡°The flood? Is that what you are?¡±


    ¡°We have no need for such things as name, as we are all that exist and all that will remain in the end.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the title you gave yourself,¡± Qin Yun replied. ¡°Why go after He Zihao? No offence, but he seems inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.¡±


    However, Qin Yun''s question was doomed to remain unanswered. The man began to disappear as if smoke billowed in the breeze. His flesh quickly crumbled into grey particles carried by the wind, leaving nothing but a sentence as proof of its existence: "All things will come to an end."


    ¡°What was that?" Yao Ruolan said as she stepped next to Qin Yun, consternation on her pretty face as she watched this bizarre phenomenon. There was a slight dread in her heart that she couldn''t explain, but it was soon forgotten as He Zihao took her hand; he, too, felt something was awry.


    "Something we aren''t ready to face," Qin Yun replied, yet there was no sign of his usual slight smile this time.

 Chapter 85 - Facing the Great Barrier

    ¡°What do you mean we aren¡¯t ready to face them?¡± Yao Ruolan said with a frown on her face. ¡°If you know something, why be so vague about it.¡±


    However, Qin Yun didn''t respond. Instead, he looked toward the west, where the world''s edge lay, pondering over something. There was an uneasy stillness in the air. She turned toward He Zihao, wishing to obtain his viewpoint on what had just happened, yet he, too, seemed to have something on his mind. Yao Ruolan couldn''t help but want to break the silence, yet relented, opting to wrangle the leftover mounts instead.


    Of the four, one had been grazed by the poison spilled by the Emerald Lord''s disciples, killing it almost instantly. What remained seemed like a puddle of putrid flesh and gore that lost shape. She could barely stand more than ten meters away before she had to turn back; the leftover stench became too much to bear. Even the satchels that once stood on each side of its body began to break down like organic matter.


    ¡°What kind of poison could do this?¡± she mumbled, almost imperceptibly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to imagine what would happen to me if I ever were to touch that thing.¡±


    She could barely restrain a shiver as she looked at the aftermath but then turned away to search for the remaining three. Two of them had been scared by the fight, yet they were close enough for her to catch them without much effort. The third was already long gone, making it impossible to find, especially with their current condition.


    ¡°Find anything worthwhile?" Qin Yun asked as he stepped next to her.


    She twitched and tensed before drawing her sword in a flash. The cold metal blade drew a graceful arc in the air, aimed at Qin Yun''s throat, yet he caught it easily, pressing his fingers on the blade''s flat, stopping its movement. Only then did Yao Ruolan realize who her target was, pulling back her sword.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sneak up behind me!¡± she exclaimed, still rattled by the events. However, she seemed more surprised that Qin Yun had managed to catch her blade. ¡°How did you do that?¡±


    ¡°I can tell how much time you''ve put into swordsmanship," Qin Yun said calmly, not at all concerned that her blade had been aimed to kill. "However, you lack experience. Your blade is much too straightforward, making it easy to determine its path, however quick it might be."


    ¡°I¡¯m one of the best within the clan,¡± she said, frowning slightly. ¡°Even the elders praise me for it. I don¡¯t believe I am that lacking. None of those of my generation can even come close to me.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. If we only look at your talent, few can match you, and yet, you were still ambushed by mere worms and almost lost your life. Also, if not for me, you and your senior brother might have already reached the netherworld at the hands of those assassins."


    Yao Ruolan frowned further, unable to find the words to repudiate his claims. She could only hold her tongue in frustration.


    "How old are you?" Qin Yun asked, yet didn''t give her any time to answer before adding, "No older than seventeen at most, I would wager. It¡¯s no wonder things turned out this way. After all, you can¡¯t anticipate something you have never experienced. You may have been taught the knowledge, yet using it isn¡¯t that simple. Isn¡¯t that why your elders arranged this trip for all of you? A shame most die before they can learn...¡±


    After this, both remained silent for a while; Qin Yun only gave her a slight smile, which Yao Ruolan couldn''t stand. It felt like she was standing next to one of her sect''s elders. She felt like nothing more than a child before him, despite the man being seemingly only a few years older than she was.


    ¡°He''s right," He Zihao said as he slowly wobbled toward them. "Teaching you all this was my responsibility, yet it seems I failed in the end. Forgive me."


    He then lowered his head, yet his gaze seemed calm and tranquil, making Qin Yun even more interested in him. Yao Ruolan, on the other hand, seemed close to panicking when she saw her senior brother bow to her.


    ¡°I suppose you''ve come to terms with it?" Qin Yun asked.


    ¡°Wallowing in self-pity will achieve nothing. My time would be better used reaching the city if only to inform the various sects of their disciples'' demise."


    ¡°While those assassins'' words are not to be trusted, there''s one thing worth considering: they will no doubt try to pin this on you. I doubt your sect will try to protect you if it means antagonizing them. Are you truly ready to face the world''s ire?"


    Hearing this, He Zihao''s breathing accelerated slightly, and his pupils dilated. Yet he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, taking back control over himself. As he opened them again, there were no traces of his earlier distress. He seemed just like a windless lake: calm and serene.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "I cannot lie and say I feel justified in my actions. I let them all down and should pay for it. However, I will not be made a scapegoat. All I can do is relay what happened truthfully. If they still wish to persecute me after all this, then there is nothing I can do."


    "A foolish sentiment," Qin Yun replied as he shook his head. "While I commend your integrity, what will that achieve? You may think owning up to your mistake will lessen your sect''s involvement, but do you truly think so? Are those sects truly worth your faith in them?"


    He Zihao frowned, feeling conflicted at Qin Yun¡¯s rebuttal. On the other hand, Yao Ruolan couldn¡¯t contain her anger.


    "The hell with them!" she exclaimed. "We were attacked by demonic beasts. In that case, deaths are to be expected. This was supposed to be a training expedition, and everyone''s lives were their own responsibility. They can''t expect Senior Brother to shoulder all the blame!"


    ¡°If the world ran on logic, then most conflicts could be avoided, yet bloodshed is still everywhere,¡± Qin Yun replied, offering a slight sneer. ¡°Besides, reputation is paramount for those sects, even more so for the small ones. How could they recruit new blood otherwise?"


    ¡°But that''s not his fault!" she screamed, yet even she barely believed the words coming out of her mouth.


    Her pretty face deformed as she wrestled with the idea of her senior brother being made to pay for something that was out of his control.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the justice in that?¡± she added on the verge of tears, not even expecting a response.


    ¡°There''s no such thing as justice to begin with," Qin Yun replied, shrugging, unconcerned with her volatile state of mind. On the other hand, He Zihao took her in his arms, comforting her as she shook from a mix of anger and sadness. Qin Yun added, "There''s only desire. There are so many people with different sets of values; it''s no wonder they can''t help but inevitably clash."


    ¡°Indeed,¡± He Zihao replied, feeling a bit hopeless. ¡°Nothing can really be done. An individual¡¯s strength is limited compared to the collective. I can only do my best to ride the wave, wherever it might take me...¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Qin Yun said. ¡°You can also learn to be selfish. Why should other people¡¯s values concern you? As long as you keep to your own principles and moral values, why should their intentions matter?¡±


    ¡°Are you telling me to become a criminal?¡± He Zihao asked, a deep frown on his face.


    ¡°You already are... Besides, I''m just a stranger to both of you. Why should my opinion matter? It''s your life, and the choice has always been yours."


    ¡°Even if that choice is forced on me?¡±


    ¡°Whether or not you feel forced is irrelevant. There are still choices to be made, and we all have to face the consequences of our choices eventually," Qin Yun replied as he began rummaging through the satchel found on the two remaining mounts. "Anyway, we should get going. Nothing good will happen if we remain here. You can think about how you want to proceed as we return to the city."


    Yao Ruolan and He Zihao looked at each other, reluctance evident on their faces, yet he couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just return to the sect?¡± she asked.


    He shook his head before sliding his fingers through her long black hair.


    ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± he replied. ¡°Doing so would be admitting my guilt in this incident. Besides, I may feel regretful that those deaths occurred under my watch, but that doesn¡¯t mean I have anything to be ashamed of. As you said, this place isn¡¯t lenient enough to allow inexperienced cultivators to come and go so easily. Death is everywhere, and we should get used to it. I can only hope that the sect will see it that way. Besides, I owe them too much to simply run away."


    ¡°If you say so,¡± she replied, yet her tone carried her reluctance.


    He Zihao couldn''t help but smile and press the palm of his hand on her cheek, which brought a slight blush to it. She closed her eyes, expecting something, yet he stood motionless, only looking at her features, as if for the last time.


    ¡°We should go," he said as he walked away, leaving her alone with her expectations. She opened her eyes and felt the blush intensify before her mouth formed a pout. She stumped her feet onto the soft sand, making it dance in the wind as she followed two men to their new mounts.


    ******


    ¡°There it is, the Western Frontier," He Zihao said as he pointed toward a large storm in the distance. Clouds of sand rose to the heavens, blotting the sky and churning with extreme velocity as if seeking to destroy the world.


    Yet, the storm remained stationary but extended on all sides, forming an impenetrable barrier that separated the inner desert from the world''s edge. It was a sigh to behold, if not a grim one, but more than that, it felt somehow artificial as if someone had created it to keep away from whatever was on the other side.


    There was only a single crack in this wall of sand. A single area of peacefulness where the massive walls of a city stood as if carving a safe passage through the storm. As they trekked closer to the town, Qin Yun couldn''t help but notice how flawless those stone walls were despite the constant assault of sand grinding on their surface. Yet, on closer look, he noticed an intermittent shimmer, barely perceptible from this distance.


    "I''ve heard rumours; this city is impressive, but the barrier surrounding it is even more so," Qin Yun said.


    "Indeed," He Zihao replied. "No one even knows who built it, only that it stood for countless eras already. If not for the constant threat looming on the other side, many scholars would have liked to take a closer look at the formation. Some say the city is built on a dragon vein and is drawing powers from it, allowing it to even repair itself automatically, requiring no input from anyone."


    Qin Yun remained silent for a while longer but then spoke in a tone filled with interest.


    "Doesn''t it seem overkill, only to keep the outsiders at bay?" Qin Yun mused, making the other two ponder as well. "With the storm raging constantly, this city is their lone entry point into the inner lands, yet it has never been breached until now. Don''t you think there was something else they were concerned about as they built it?"


    From the back of their own camel, the two turned to face Qin Yun, only to find him showing a slight smile as if he knew something they didn¡¯t. Yao Ruolan opened her mouth to ask, yet her senior brother gestured for her to wait.


    ¡°Maybe so, but we probably aren''t qualified to know. Whatever is out there¡ªif there is such a thing¡ªdoesn''t concern us. Better to leave it to the sects'' higher-ups," he said.


    ¡°Quite true,¡± Qin Yun replied, yet his smile only deepened, looking toward the city with a glint in his eyes before adding, ¡°Shall we?¡±


    Without waiting for their input, Qin Yun spurred his mount toward the city, followed shortly after by the two riding their camel, Yao Ruolan''s hands wrapped tightly around He Zihao''s waist.

 Chapter 86 - Troubles at the Gate

    As the group approached the wall, Qin Yun was stunned by its magnificence. It wasn''t beautifully ornamented or made of precious material, but it possessed some sort of functional beauty. The stones were thick and heavy, interlaced with each other, making the wall sturdy enough to support any assault.


    Countless runes were engraved upon the stone surface, creating an almost invisible barrier; only a slight shimmer could be gleaned, even up close. Those runes pulsed at a low frequency, propagating a feeling of oppression in their surroundings. It was almost as if telling those near it not to approach under any circumstances lest they wish to wager their lives.


    "Quite impressive," Qin Yun said as he looked up to the top of this over 25-meter-tall wall. I''m surprised it''s able to resist the storm to this extent. Despite the passage of time, these stones appear to be brand new."


    ¡°No one has been able to truly uncover all its mysteries without shutting it down, but from what we know, the formation can attach sand particles to its surface, repairing itself with time," He Zihao replied, feeling somewhat proud of himself. "This place is the focal point of our conflict with the outsiders. Keeping this fortress in good condition is our local sect alliance''s mandate."


    ¡°Well, we can only do what we can,¡± Yao Ruolan said, showing a slightly hopeless smile. ¡°This side isn¡¯t that bad, but the other is in really rough condition. Their relentless assault leaves us no time to perform repairs. The formation simply cannot keep up.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± He Zihao sighed. ¡°Somehow, they¡¯ve got worse in recent years, almost as if they¡¯ve been bolstered by something we aren¡¯t aware of.¡±


    Qin Yun''s eyebrows rose slightly, feeling something was at odds. He couldn''t help but voice his doubts.


    ¡°I heard the other side of the great barrier is barren, almost unfit for life. How can they sustain the numbers needed to assault this place? Did the two of you ever venture to the world''s end?"


    ¡°Never," He Zihao said but then frowned. "I always wondered what someone unaffiliated with the alliance was doing near the barrier. Don''t tell me you intend to venture to the other side?"


    Qin Yun turned to face him but only offered him a slight smile, to which He Zihao shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid your trip will be for naught,¡± he added. ¡°The alliance won¡¯t allow you passage.¡±


    ¡°Why so?¡±


    ¡°They are afraid of spies," Yao Ruolan interjected. "Too often people go missing on the other side, only to reappear months or even years later completely changed. In years past, some had even infiltrated the city and threatened to open its gates during an outsider invasion, almost costing the city dearly. After that incident, comings and goings are strictly monitored.¡±


    ¡°There must be a way to be approved?¡± Qin Yun asked, yet showed no signs of restlessness, as if these restrictions were inconsequential.


    ¡°Join the alliance and devote yourself to the war effort. If your contributions become substantial enough and your strength exceeds the void core realm, you may be allowed to venture over there, but there are always some restrictions."


    ¡°Join a sect, I would imagine.¡±


    ¡°Indeed," He Zihao said. "Many rogues cultivators, who have been rejected by the sects inland, flock to this place if only to join the four local sects and try to be accepted as inner disciples. After all, sects have a much better environment suited to cultivation than trying so by yourself."


    ¡°Most are only treated as cannon fodder,¡± Yao Ruolan scoffed, clearly displeased. ¡°They come here for the simple hope of trying to better their lives, only to be told to fight and die for the faint hope of maybe achieving it. Most never make it past outer disciple, while only a select few can become an inner disciple. As far as I know, none in our generation has ever made it to core disciple.¡±


    ¡°A necessary evil,¡± Qin Yun replied, making Yao Ruolan frown even further. ¡°The city must stand by any means necessary. Of course, the sects will use outsiders if they can avoid sacrificing their own people. This is war, after all. No method is truly off the table."


    ¡°The Moonlight Sword Palace isn''t like that!" she replied. "While we may not accept as many outer disciples as the other three, at least we care for them as our own."


    ¡°Quality over quantity,¡± Qin Yun shrugged. ¡°A different path, the same destination. All of it to further strengthen the sect.¡±


    Yao Ruolan was on the verge of fuming, yet He Zihao restrained her.


    "He''s not wrong," he said softly, yet his tone was firm. "While we take our duty seriously, the sect will always come first. If something should threaten that, then it should be removed..."This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Qin Yun looked at him briefly before dismounting. They had finally reached the gate, the only opening permitting entry into the city from this side of the barrier. On each side of the gate were two large towers serving as lookouts. From his vantage point, Qin Yun couldn''t see anyone on top, yet he could clearly hear banter originating there and a very familiar smell.


    Booze, and a lot of it, he thought. Doesn¡¯t surprise me in the slightest. After all, this is the inside gate, and security should be somewhat more lax. Still, I didn¡¯t expect them to drink on the job. If this is how the rank and file behave, their boss should be even worse.


    ¡°Who goes there?¡±


    The voice originated from the other side of the large steel gate just as a small slit opened in the metal at face height, showing the grizzled visage of a man who had spent too much time in the desert. He was thin, and his beard was unkempt with countless grains of sand within, making him look as if he had been weathered by the climate. And yet, he felt as if it had only made him more resilient.


    A gatekeeper at the peak of the foundation-building realm? If this is their standard, I can see why rogue cultivators would be relegated to cannon fodder. Even in Jin City, gatekeepers would at most be in the qi refining realm, if even that. I guess that¡¯s a war zone for you...


    ¡°Disciples of the Moonlight Sword Palace reporting back to the sect,¡± He Zihao said, supported by Yao Ruolan as he showed the gatekeeper his sect emblem.


    The man squinted as he looked, using his hand to block the harsh sun overhead. He then frowned and glanced to the side.


    ¡°Wait here,¡± he replied before closing the small window.


    As they waited to be granted passage, Qin Yun heard numerous footsteps on the other side and whispers that were mostly muffled by the raging storm around them. Unbeknownst to the duo, Qin Yun took a few steps back, distancing himself from them, and then waited in anticipation.


    "What''s taking them so long?" Yao Ruolan grumbled as she waited restlessly for the gate to open.


    ¡°They may be contacting the sect. I¡¯m sure they already received news of what occurred,¡± He Zihao replied, urging her to calm down.


    A few moments later, the massive gate opened, revealing countless armed guards lying beyond. Most of them sported long spears, and their cultivation ranged from early qi refining to late void core. Most of their gazes betrayed their animosity, which couldn''t help but make the duo frown.


    "What''s the meaning of this?" He Zihao asked, his voice still calm yet betraying a hint of uneasiness.


    Then, a man with a golden emblem strapped to his waist strolled to the front of the crowd and addressed the duo.


    ¡°He Zihao and Yao Ruolan, I assume?¡± the man said with a wide sneer on his face. ¡°You have guts coming back here after what you¡¯ve done. No matter... You¡¯re now under arrest for suspicion of treason against the alliance. Men! Take them away!¡±


    The guards fanned out, taking position all around the group, threatening them with the point of their spears. They seemed to want to poke them to get them to move, yet Qin Yun made no indication of budging. Instead, he looked at the men who surrounded him with slight pity in his eyes, which only prompted them to back off involuntarily, feeling that something was abnormal.


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡± He Zihao exclaimed. ¡°On whose authority are you acting on? I demand to speak with one of my sect¡¯s elders. They must be informed of what had transpired!¡±


    ¡°Whose authority?" the man scoffed. "This is my gate, and I can do what I please with it! As for your sect, they can come and see you in jail if they even want to. You have no idea of the shitstorm that your actions have created. If you don''t move, don''t blame me for being rough on you!"


    The guards stepped forward, their weapons inching closer to the group. The duo looked at each other, feeling completely helpless. Without their sect''s backing, trying to plead their case was an exercise in futility. These men had no intentions of hearing them in the first place.


    As they resolved themselves to their fate, Qin Yun remained calm and collected, only looking at the man who was obviously their leader with a slight derision in his smile, which undoubtedly caught his attention.


    "What are you smiling at?" the man said, his face showing a slight trace of anger. "Do you think you are in a position to do anything about it?"


    "I can''t help it," Qin Yun replied. "It''s just so funny seeing pawns do someone else''s dirty work. We both know this isn''t about taking responsibility but purely about politics. While your men die on the front line, preserving the peace inland, here you are, trying to gain the upper hand in this game of power. It''s no wonder that the Immortal Beast Alliance looks down on you small sects. You won''t ever amount to anything with this mentality. You''ll forever be relegated to this hell hole without any chance to crawl out of it."


    Unnerved by Qin Yun''s calm attitude and harsh words, the guard captain gestured for his men to take him down, yet the situation was completely reversed. Through quick and accurate movements, Qin Yun swiftly broke all the weapons that surrounded him, leaving all the men unharmed, looking back at him with wide-open eyes.


    "Impossible!" one of them yelled. "Those spears are all artifacts, yet he broke them with his bare hands!"


    They stepped back, unwilling to confront him anymore, even if their realms were much higher than Qin Yun''s. After all, their bodies were much weaker than the spears they relied on.


    "I can let it go once, but try it again, and I can''t promise your men will remain in one piece," Qin Yun replied, his breath still steady despite the forceful actions he had taken. He looked back to the guard captain only to see him grit his teeth. Unwilling to let the situation devolve into an all-out melee, He Zihao chose to speak.


    ¡°That man is uninvolved in all this. It¡¯s me you want, right? If I come quietly, promise not to escalate this any further. You can¡¯t bear the consequences.¡±


    While He Zihao didn''t believe that Qin Yun would honestly act upon his threat, putting on a show of strength was the only way he found that he could keep the situation stable. He now could only hope that the man would be reasonable. However, he would only be disappointed.


    ¡°Why would I?" the captain replied. "I have the might of this city behind me while you are merely a criminal. You don''t possess the right to bargain with me. Enough of this! I''ll do it myself if I have to."


    His aura exploded, the strength of the golden core realm spreading into the surroundings, prompting the duo to fall to the ground, kneeling on the soft, warm sand. However, Qin Yun stood motionless as if the pressure he felt was a slight breeze.


    Qin Yun clenched his hand, preparing to strike the man if he ever were to act against him, yet he was stopped by a deep voice originating from beyond the door, preceded by an overpowering divine sense that stopped the man in his tracks.


    "Cease this foolishness!" the voice exploded in their surroundings, almost deafening them. "You may think you represent the city, but you in no way represent my sect. If any of our disciples acted in any reprehensible manner, then the sect will take care of it. If you have any objections, please forward your dissatisfaction to the Moonlight Sword Palace!"

 Chapter 87 - A Figure in the Mist

    A middle-aged man sporting simple white clothes slowly walked along the central avenue toward the city gate, his aura spreading in his surroundings, prompting all to cower under its overbearingness. While but a fraction of its true might, it forced the guards to stop against their wills, making them unable of any further movements. Sweat drenched their faces as a primal fear assaulted them, making their body shiver unconsciously.


    ¡°Master!¡± Yao Ruolan exclaimed, her expression swiftly shifting from frustration to pure joy.


    The guard captain turned back, his gaze fixated on the new arrival. He was unable to stifle his emotion as a frown became visible.


    "Are you an elder of the Moonlight Sword Palace?" the man asked, trying his best to speak confidently, yet his tone betrayed his anxiousness. "Even if you are, you have no jurisdiction over me. You do not have the right to dictate my actions."


    "Oh?" the white man said, raising a single eyebrow. Yet, this simple action prompted the captain to step back involuntarily, dread sprouting in his heart. "So you would deny a sect the right to investigate the wrong-doings of their own disciples? Since when were mere guards this bold?"


    His voice was deep as an ocean and as calm as a windless night. His face showed no emotional fluctuations, just the boundless confidence of a man who had lived his whole life at the edge of death. He looked straight ahead, almost ignoring the guards, only for his gaze to soften as he looked at his own disciple.


    ¡°It must have been hard for you," he said as he stopped before Yao Ruolan, gently patting her head as he would a child. "Thank you for coming back unharmed."


    Tears pooled at the corners of her eyes, threatening to fall. While all she had shown thus far was the temerity of a seasoned warrior, she was still just a young girl, unable to restrain herself before the man who had seen her grow up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, master,¡± she said while fighting through the tears, but then showed a bright smile. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, martial uncle. Please punish me for my failure,¡± He Zihao said as he bowed, gritting through the pain as he did so, trying to not let it show. Yet, it could hardly escape the white-robbed man¡¯s keen eyes. Still, he showed no intentions of acknowledging it.


    The man turned to Qin Yun, and only then did his expression shift, if ever so slightly. A slight hint of surprise flashed, then returned to normal almost instantly, which only Qin Yun had grasped.


    ¡°Who is this young man who has accompanied you?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°Without him, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to return safely,¡± He Zihao said. ¡°We owe him a life-saving grace.¡±


    The man turned to Yao Ruolan, only to see her nod in confirmation.


    "Then consider him a guest of the sect," he replied, showing no more fluctuation. "I''m sure the sect leader will be interested in hearing your side of the story. Let us return."


    The man then turned around, only to be encircled once again by the guards. Yet their faces showed only unwillingness. Only their captain seemed to show a mix of shame and anger.


    ¡°You have no right to take these prisoners away from me!¡± the guard barked, ¡°The other three sects won¡¯t stand for this!¡±


    "Then they are welcome to come to the Moonlight Sword Palace to seek an explanation," Yao Ruolan''s master said dismissively as he walked straight into the outstretched spear, swatting them away without ever touching them.


    Interesting, Qin Yun thought as he smiled slightly. While still rudimentary, his sword path has already taken shape. While I can''t say much with just this, he should already be in the earthen sword stage. The Moonlight Sword Palace seems more interesting than I initially assumed. It should be worth meeting their sect leader.


    "You''re just an elder!" the captain barked, slightly unhinged. "Your words do not represent your sect and, therefore, have no sway in my actions! As long as I remain in charge of this gate, no criminal will ever be allowed to roam free!"


    Yao Ruolan''s master frowned, feeling something was odd. Never had he seen this man be so hellbent on following the rules, much less take pride in his work. Suddenly, the white-robbed man swivelled his head to the right, feeling something in the distance. It was intense, almost overpowering as if trying to send a message. While he felt confident he could overcome anything they threw in his path, he couldn''t help but stop and reassess the situation.


    As the man was absorbed with whatever was in the distance, the captain started gloating at his apparent victory over a man his superior in strength.


    "Just because you''ve reached the Nascent Soul realm doesn''t give you the right to act so unbridled in front of me! Do you even know who stands behind me? Resist, and they''ll come down on you and your entire sect!"


    The captain showed a satisfied grin, fully confident in himself, while Yao Ruolan and He Zihao couldn''t help but show concern. On the other hand, Qin Yun barely muffled a chuckle, fully intent on having all those around hear him clearly.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    The captain stopped and stared, taking a few steps toward Qin Yun while releasing the full might of his Golden Core realm strength. Qin Yun felt the wave of power wash over him, yet it only resembled a light breeze. If anything, it only served to make his hair flutter a bit. He looked at the man with a slight smile but shook his head.


    "Just a piece of advice," Qin Yun said calmly, completely unperturbed. "Do not rely too much on those who support you; they might just abandon you when you need them most."


    The guard captain frowned, feeling something was wrong with this man who was obviously at the peak of the Qi Refining realm yet could stand under the might of his aura. While there was some truth in Qin Yun¡¯s words, the man could only scoff and ignore them as they came from a man so inferior to himself. Taking heed would be too much of a shame, a blow to his pride.


    The man unsheathed his sword without another word before pointing it at Qin Yun. The blade glistened under the sun, and runes of power were carved on its surface, pulsing with extraordinary might. Qin Yun couldn''t help but show surprise at the sight.


    "A High-Grade Profound Rank artifact?" Qin Yun said. "It''s not every day you see a mere guard captain with such a valuable artifact..."


    Qin Yun offered a derisive smile, which couldn''t help but make the man frown even further. Through a dismissive scoff, the man took a step forward, the blade ripping through the air as he thrust it forward, aiming straight at Qin Yun''s heart, offering a sneer as Qin Yun made no indication of dodging.


    ¡°If this how you want to play, then do not blame me for how this will end,¡± Yao Ruolan¡¯s master whispered almost inaudibly as he threw a wooden token in the path of the guard captain¡¯s blade, not even bothering to turn his sight to him. He only looked in the distance, keeping most of his attention over there.


    The point of the blade collided with the wooden token, yet the unexpected happened. The token floated in the air, unperturbed by the collision, keeping the blade in place, unable to be moved as if imprisoned by space itself. Then, a light emerged from it, bathing its surroundings in its resplendence, almost blinding all who made the error of looking at it.


    From the light emerged the silhouette of a woman, her features ethereal as if a fine mist being swayed by the breeze yet retaining its form. The woman was tall and graceful, yet her aura was domineering. She held a sword in her hand; its sharpness bled into the woman''s intent, making her look like death incarnate, yet none could extract their gazes from the beauty conveyed.


    From the mere act of raising her sword, most felt compelled to fall to their knees, unable to sustain the overbearing aura of her gaze as if trying to strip away their humanity, making them nothing but thralls in her presence.


    How sharp, Qin Yun thought as he closed his eyes yet remained standing. Too bad her murderous intent is so pervasive. She may have the talent to go quite far on the path of swordsmanship if only she learned to make it her own. At this pace, she may very well self-destruct.


    The woman turned her gaze to the same point in the distance that Yao Ruolan¡¯s master was fixated on, offering just a calm look before she spoke.


    "If you have any comments on how my Moonlight Sword Palace deals with their own disciples, then you are welcome to come over and taste my blade... If you are even worthy of it."


    If her eyes could be seen clearly, Qin Yun would imagine there would be disdain in them. Only when the pressure in the distance disappeared did the woman''s image also dissipate, leaving the guards sprawled on the ground, most being unconscious, foaming at the mouth.


    Only the guard captain remained somewhat able to think coherently after her sight was imprinted on his mind, but even then, he could hardly stand on his own two feet. He offered no resistance as the man in white walked over to him before retrieving the token he had thrown. Unfortunately, it was split in two, and the power within was gone forever. Still, he meticulously tucked it in his robes as if it were the most precious of treasures before stopping before Qin Yun just as he opened his eyes.


    ¡°How did you?¡± the man asked, slightly surprised.


    "Only intent counters intent" was all that Qin Yun offered before taking a step back, letting the man walk toward his disciple, who seemed to have a difficult time regaining her senses.


    The man only offered a slight nod before ignoring him, which caused Qin Yun to become slightly interested.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to fight it,¡± the man said as he stepped near the duo who were struggling yet still on their feet. ¡°Let it wash over you. You know she means you no harm.¡±


    Hearing her master''s voice, Yao Ruolan relaxed, taking a deep breath before calming her mind. She felt the leftover power rush through her body harmlessly, like a breeze on a plain, unobstructed by anything. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and felt strangely refreshed, as if what had plagued her had completely disappeared.


    On the other hand, He Zihao couldn''t help but frown, feeling something was wrong. He felt a burning sensation in his core as if the power flowing through him had found something that could impede his flow. In fact, two forces battled within him, endlessly trying to gain the upper hand while leaving devastation in their wake.


    Without warning, He Zihao threw up a mass of blood from his mouth, yet unlike the vibrant red most had expected, Qin Yun could spy a slight trace of grey, making him raise an eyebrow. He couldn¡¯t help but look at the broken token now within the man in white¡¯s grasp, feeling a slight admiration for the woman in the mist.


    Why did I not suspect the corruption would spread? Was I arrogant enough to think it couldn''t escape my sight, or did I not care enough to check?


    Qin Yun shook his head, showing a slight depreciating smile. He was still human, after all. Prone to make mistakes.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Yao Ruolan panicked, trying to rush to her senior brother¡¯s side, only to be held back by her master. Only able to watch over him as he suffered in silence, not even able to utter a single sound.


    ¡°You are still young," the man said calmly, looking at He Zihao with pity. "Knowing too much would only put you in danger."


    She tried to struggle, yet she was unable to free herself from her master''s iron hold. She was also unable to help her senior brother in the slightest way. Even worse, her master showed no intentions of interfering with the process currently happening. Only Qin Yun stepped toward He Zihao, yet his gaze was riveted on Yao Ruolan''s master.


    "Since when have the foreign invaders breached the Great Barrier?" Qin Yun asked, prompting the man to turn his gaze toward him and show a deep frown. "Have you all failed in your purpose and kept it from the Immortal Beast Alliance, or has one of the four sects betrayed us?"


    ¡°Who are you, really?¡± the man asked, his aura becoming thicker by the second as if preparing to strike.


    Yet, Qin Yun ignored the question, opting to put his hand on He Zihao''s shoulder, prompting the grey substance on He Zihao''s skin to rush to his own limb, burrowing into Qin Yun''s flesh.

 Chapter 88 - A Warning From Above

    As Qin Yun pressed his hand onto He Zihao''s shoulder, he could feel something foreign trying to invade him. It felt cold and hostile, like a venomous snake slowly crawling up his limbs through his meridians, seeking to reach his core. Even his skin seemed to lose its colour as dark grey veins bulged on it, and yet, he made no attempt to impede it, only letting it flow until they were fully connected.


    The foreign invader even spread to his brain, seeking to take control of him, which Qin Yun couldn''t help but ponder. From what he had observed, he had seen no evidence of He Zihao being under its control.


    It seems he was merely a carrier. If not for the introduction of that woman''s energy, it would have remained dormant until it had achieved some sort of condition. I was wrong to think of it as a parasite. Those things act more like pathogens than living creatures. Spreading is merely what they do.


    With a slight grasp of this entity, Qin Yun finally acted before the grey substance could take control of him. With but a thought, Qin Yun separated a piece of his qi from his core, letting it flood his system, washing over the grey entity.


    The two opposite forces battled just as they did within He Zihao. Yet, unlike the misty apparition''s force, Qin Yun''s tribulation qi was much more suited to eradicate the invader. Even then, the process was lengthy and painful, yet it couldn''t come close to what he had endured as he forged his body.


    For over a quarter of an hour, the scene remained still as the man in white looked upon Qin Yun, feeling slightly puzzled. He had seen the changes within, starting from when the grey substance infiltrated Qin Yun''s core to when it was finally pushed out, leaving nothing behind, yet he still couldn''t comprehend how Qin Yun had done it. After all, even his sect leader''s force couldn''t achieve the same thing. The most apparent evidence was that He Zihao was still battling this corrosion.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Yao Ruolan said, held tight in her master¡¯s embrace, unable to rush to He Zihao¡¯s side. ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything we can do?¡±


    The man only shook his head, keeping a careful eye on the situation as he spread his aura in his surroundings, ensuring no bystanders would be foolish enough to attempt to approach them.


    "This corruption isn''t something that could usually be expelled," the man replied. "Not unless you reached the sect leader''s level. If she was here, she might be able to help them, but with only the remaining force she had placed into the token, there''s no telling how things will end up."


    "Then, why did Yun seem to have repelled it?"


    ¡°Is that his name?¡± the man said, looking back at Qin Yun. ¡°How did you encounter this young man?¡±


    Yao Ruolan quickly explained how they had met, glossing over some details, yet told her master all that was relevant, not forgetting to include the demise of the Emerald Lord''s four disciples. The man in white couldn''t help but frown as he heard the news, especially the manners in which they had perished.


    ¡°According to what you witnessed, those were indeed signs of corruption," the man said before musing out loud, "However, how could they bypass the Great Barrier? How could they make it through the formation to the other side if they were infected? There''s no way... unless..."


    ¡°Master!" Yao Ruolan said, breaking her master out of his thoughts as she pointed toward the two in the midst of an inner battle. "Something seems to be happening!"


    A bright light spewed from Qin Yun''s core, propagating to every part of his body before receding into countless small golden runes pulsating on his skin. The man in white couldn''t help but frown, feeling a slight trace of oppression as he looked at them.


    He tried to probe them using his divine sense, yet all it amounted to was a backlash he couldn''t help but suffer. While not enough to cause any damage to someone with such deep cultivation, he was unable to comprehend the depths of those characters, which somehow reminded him of what it felt to come into contact with a domain, albeit a really weak one.


    Unbeknownst to exterior factors, Qin Yun was fully absorbed into repelling the grey corrosion, pushing it out using the remnants of tribulation in his core. However, the grey entity was much more stubborn than he had first anticipated.


    It''s only to be expected. Otherwise, the Heavenly Dao would have already dealt with it without involving me. Still, this is just a small part, separated from the whole, yet the energy found within is extraordinary. Simply getting rid of it seems like too much of a waste. Isn''t there anything I can do about it?Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    As Qin Yun pondered, the two forces reached a stalemate, creating an unsteady balance that could crumble at any moment through the slightest of fluctuations. Worse yet, the two forces were polar opposites, repelling each other, unable to blend at all.


    While on the verge of letting go of this opportunity, Qin Yun felt a third foreign entity pulse within his body, not belonging to any of the previous two. He couldn''t help but frown, trying to uncover what it was. To his surprise, it was something he could barely believe.


    Deep within his black storage, in an unused corner as if forgotten, a small sphere pulsed with energy like a beating heart. This was the crystal insect egg he had retrieved over two months ago yet had found no use for, as the tribulation had done what his innate qi had failed to do. As such, he had left it in his storage, collecting dust¡ªif dust was present within that space.


    Why would it appear now? Besides, time and space shouldn''t exist within the storage... All things within should remain as they were, stuck in stasis, and yet here it is in my body as if a bond had been formed... A bond?


    Despite his countless lifetimes, Qin Yun was always amazed at how little he knew. There was always so much more out there that he could barely conceive. These crystal insects were much more miraculous than he first assumed.


    Is it that sub-space link? Can it truly pierce through the void of that dimensional storage, shattering time and space merely to form a connection with me? But to what purpose? What is it trying to achieve?


    While slightly unnerved by the sudden awakening of the crystal egg, Qin Yun chose to let it proceed out of intellectual curiosity. While he knew the dangers of allowing something unknown to roam within his body, he couldn''t help himself.


    As the two forces struggled against each other, a subspace channel brought forth by the egg awoke among them and began siphoning them both, exhausting their strength. Then, as if to ensure their continued existence against this outside threat, the two opposing entities joined forces, trying to push back the third force''s encroachment.


    Feeling the mess his body was now in, Qin Yun couldn''t help but wince as pain assaulted him, yet he chose not to interrupt it. After all, he had noticed that all the remaining grey substance in He Zihao''s body had flooded his own system, rendering He Zihao clean of any corruption.


    Qin Yun removed his hand, letting He Zihao fall back to the floor, unconscious. While the corruption had left him exhausted by its departure, his breath was stable, and his skin gradually regained some colour.


    Seeing her senior brother out of danger, Yao Ruolan rushed toward him, slipping out of her master''s grasp as he was too fixated on Qin Yun''s condition to bother about his sect''s disciple. If anything, a small amount of qi pooled within his palm, poised to strike at any moment should Qin Yun threaten the frontier''s security.


    Unaware of any external factor, Qin Yun was much too absorbed in the strange phenomenon happening to care about anything else. Struggling against the vortex sapping their strength, both forces blended into each other, yet the egg kept carving at their strength, leaving them helpless to resist it on their own.


    These energies act as if they possess sentience. It doesn''t surprise me in the tribulation qi''s case, as it is this part of the Heavenly Dao¡ªas everything in this world is. However, what''s the purpose of the grey substance? Is it just to spread? Still, I shouldn''t allow this to continue for much longer, lest it drains all the qi I have accumulated.


    Through thoughts alone, Qin Yun sought to close the connection between the egg and himself by isolating his storage. He had continuously tried to uncover the black box''s mysteries through countless lifetimes, almost to no avail. He could only glean from it that it possessed power over dimensions, a higher realm of existence than mere space attribute. As such, cutting off the subspace channel the egg had created was quickly done by the object.


    However, sensing that something seemed to interfere, the egg redoubled his siphoning efforts, if only to gain all it could. Noticing this, Qin Yun retracted all the tribulation qi he had used to keep the grey substance at bay back to his core, letting the two remaining forces flood his system.


    His skin became a dark grey, losing all colours, as did his eyes. Dark veins bulged on his skin, making him look ghastly, yet it only went on for a moment until most of it was snatched away by the egg as if a creature suffering from unending hunger¡ªan insatiable thirst to further its growth.


    Less than a moment later, Qin Yun''s body returned to normal; the grey substance had all disappeared as if it were a mere snack. Then, the egg turned his attention toward Qin Yun''s core, hungering for Qin Yun''s tribulation qi. However, Qin Yun had already predicted this and closed the channel as soon as he found no more foreign energy assaulting him, rendering the egg cut off from this dimension. Qin Yun did not relax just yet. Before opening his eyes, he thoroughly examined his body for any foreign entity.


    While my body and meridians suffered some damage from the struggle, nothing can''t be healed with time. The crystal insect energy is gone¡ªat least for now. Still, there''s no telling what might come out of that egg once its hunger has been satiated, nor how much it would take. As for the corruption...


    Qin Yun frowned as he scanned his core, finding a wisp of grey matter intertwined with the tribulation qi. The dark brown seed with golden lines on its surface now had a single gray line intertwined with the others. What puzzled him most was that the seed remained stable, and the two energies didn''t reject each other, almost as if they had become one, but not yet.


    He tried to extract some qi from the seed, only to find that its purity had risen, making him slightly surprised. After all, he had expected the opposite. However, what truly concerned him was that he felt his qi''s connection to the Heavenly Dao become slightly blurry. While barely noticeable, this proved enough to open countless doors before him.


    As he pondered the ramifications, he felt a deep oppression flood over him, making him shiver unconsciously. His eyes jerked open as his gaze flew upwards, yet there was nothing in the sky other than the ever-raging sandstorm on each side of the city.


    He felt his heartbeat pound in his chest, and sweat pooled on his skin. He couldn''t help but feel a slight sense of dread in his heart. He took a deep breath to calm himself before lowering his gaze, only to see the man in white looking over him, a puzzled expression on his face.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± he asked.


    "I''ll survive," Qin Yun replied, yet his thoughts were still on fleeting feelings he had sensed.


    A warning, was it?

 Chapter 89 - The Woes of Unending War

    ¡°What happened?" Yao Ruolan asked, slightly panicked as she held He Zihao''s unconscious body in her arms. She only felt somewhat relieved as she could feel his body heat spread into her own, warming the cold sweat brought on by the dread she had experienced.


    Qin Yun approached the fallen man, putting his hand on his forehead before showing a slight smile. All the grey corruption and the feminine apparition''s force were gone, returning to calm. However, the battle had left its traces; his body was battered and bruised, yet nothing that couldn''t be healed.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine,¡± Qin Yun replied. ¡°He might need to sleep it off for a while, but once he wakes up, he should be good as new.¡±


    While she didn''t doubt Qin Yun''s assessment, Yao Ruolan couldn''t stop her mind swirling with worry. She couldn''t believe that things were over as long as she didn''t witness it with her own eyes.


    ¡°What is that corruption supposed to be?¡± she asked as she turned to her master. ¡°Why haven¡¯t we been told about it until now?¡±


    Her gaze pierced deep into her master''s heart, filling him with pain and regret. He could see the distrust within, as if he had betrayed her, yet he could only sigh.


    "This isn''t something I can tell you," the man replied helplessly. "The council doesn''t allow those below a certain level to be told. My hands are tied. If you truly wish to know, only the sect leader has the authority."


    Before Yao Ruolan could show her dissatisfaction with this non-answer to her question, Qin Yun cleared her doubts.


    "A foreign invader," he said, ignoring the man in white''s concerns. "Beyond the world exists creatures that seek to infiltrate it. As for their purpose, no one really knows. We don''t even know if they are sentient or just natural phenomena. We can only say that they won''t stop until they consume the world. Have you ever wondered why the sand wall you call the Great Barrier came to exist?"


    Yao Ruolan¡¯s eyes grew wider as realization came to her.


    ¡°I thought it was created by our ancestors to keep the outsiders away from the mainland. Don¡¯t tell me...¡± she said.


    "Do you think mere cultivators can construct such a thing and maintain it for such a long time? Not even immortals could do so. Besides, the outsiders are inconsequential. If the Immortal Beasts Alliance wished to eliminate them, they would have already done so. No, the world created this barrier to keep these creatures away. Still, now it seems they found a way past it."


    ¡°Who are you, really?¡± Yao Ruolan¡¯s master couldn¡¯t help but voice his doubts. ¡°You¡¯re not just another rogue cultivator, are you?¡±


    Qin Yun only shrugged; telling the man the truth would only complicate things.


    "Who I am is irrelevant," he replied. "Shouldn''t you inform the alliance about what has transpired? However, I''d appreciate it if you left me out of it. I''m not interested in getting swept up in your politics."


    Qin Yun''s voice was filled with a slight disdain, which the man couldn''t help but pick up on. His eyes narrowed as he looked upon the young man at the peak of the Qi Refining realm, feeling a sense of mystery he couldn''t place, almost as if looking at an old man worn away by the vicissitudes of life. He couldn''t help but find Qin Yun''s dismissive attitude somewhat jarring. Even Yao Ruolan felt the same.


    ¡°You never said what your goal was," Yao Ruolan said, looking straight as if to burn a hole through him. Qin Yun couldn''t help but smile.


    ¡°Are we close enough that I should disclose such information?¡± he replied. ¡°We only met by chance, nothing more. What I seek is for me to know.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you need the alliance¡¯s permission to cross the barrier?¡± she added. This prompted a slight hint of surprise to flash on her master¡¯s face.


    ¡°In that case, only our sect leader can help you," the man said. "Trying to force your way through would only be foolish, as anyone suspected of doing so without proper clearance would be immediately taken down."


    Qin Yun remained silent, weighing his options. While what the man said was true, dealing with a Soul Formation expert was something he wished to avoid. After all, using their domains, they might be able to pry into the mysteries of his cultivation or even discover the Heavenly Dao''s involvement in all this. It would only complicate things. Still, he hadn''t much of a choice at this point. It was either relying on the Moonlight Sword Palace or taking his chances alone.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Qin Yun closed his eyes, feeling the flow of qi within this city. While he didn''t possess a divine sense that could allow him to uncover anything he wished within his surroundings, his tribulation qi was attuned to the world, enabling him to feel even the slightest flicker of qi around him.


    A few moments later, he frowned and then opened his eyes.


    "So be it," Qin Yun said, sighing. "I guess I should meet with your sect leader, at least."


    ¡°She''ll be happy to hear this," the man replied. "However, she is still in the sect and can''t afford to make the trip. You will only be allowed to talk remotely. Arranging this meeting might take a few days. Meanwhile, you are welcome to come back with us to the branch sect. We still need to thank you for saving those two."


    Qin Yun''s gaze was locked in the distance, and he felt a pair of eyes spying on them. However, it seemed he wasn''t the person of interest but someone else among them. Still, due to the distance separating them, Qin Yun couldn''t pinpoint its target.


    ¡°As you wish,¡± Qin Yun replied absentmindedly. ¡°Let me indulge in your hospitality.¡±


    That said, the group made their way toward the city''s northern district, where the Moonlight Sword Palace''s branch office was. Qin Yun couldn''t help but feel that, once again, he had been embroiled in something that had nothing to do with him against his will.


    Still, there was nothing he could do. There were too many experts in this city. Sneaking past the barrier would prove impossible, much less forcing his way through. Relying on the Moonlight Sword Palace was his safest bet.


    ******


    ¡°Xu Weizhe, are you sure he¡¯s from that sect?¡±


    The voice was clear and sharp as if the words alone could slash the world in two, yet it also felt calm and serene, a duality that was hard to conceive.


    In a magnificent hall, a woman was seated on a luxurious wooden throne. Her long white dress fell to the floor like a waterfall, only showing the tip of her naked feet. To her side was a sheathed sword, yet its might couldn''t be held back by the metal scabbard. It propagated outward, filling the hall with its sharpness.


    On each side of the hall were three men and one woman, each seated on the ground, only a single cushion carrying their weights. Despite being older than the woman on the throne, they had nothing but respect in their eyes as they looked at her.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be completely certain,¡± Wu Weizhe said after taking a moment to carefully choose his words. ¡°Still, if my disciple¡¯s account is to be believed, I can¡¯t conceive a man like him coming from any other place. Except for...¡±


    "You are thinking of the inner regions?" the woman interrupted him. "It''s not a bad guess, but I doubt it. Those fools never cared about what happened to the outer regions. They think that if we fall, they can simply stop it at the border. Their arrogance knows no bounds."


    "Sect leader is right," an old woman added as she looked toward the misty image of a man projected in the middle of the all, resembling the man in white Qin Yun had encountered. "They have no concept of what we are against. If it could be so easily dealt with, it would have already happened long ago. Why was the Great Barrier erected, if not out of necessity?"


    "We all agree on this," the woman in white said, waving her hand to stop the old woman. "Still, a man able to fight against corruption, despite only being at the peak of the Qi Refining realm, is certainly interesting. Almost make me want to see him for myself.¡±


    Her eyes had a slight glint as if her competitive spirit had been awakened, yet it deflated just as fast, regaining her serenity. The elders around easily noticed the change and became somewhat flustered. Most held their tongues, knowing better. Yet, the old woman had no such reservations.


    ¡°So, the integration is still incomplete?¡± she asked. ¡°As we thought, is it impossible?¡±


    The woman frowned, clenching her hand tightly enough that her nails dug into her palm. Yet, they drew no blood, remaining pristine as she slowly let go, sighing with dejection.


    ¡°I refuse to believe it can''t be done." the woman said, her face a mask of indifference as if she had slain all her emotions. "Achieving this is the only way to stand against the four major sects and the Immortal Beasts Alliance. Only then can we finally remove ourselves from this unending war. Too much of our blood has already been shed as a shield for others."


    ¡°Junior sister..." the misty figure of Wu Weizhe said as he looked at the woman in white. "While I share your thoughts on this, the threat concerns more than just us. It''s only right for someone to stop the corruption from spreading. Our Moonlight Sword Palace values righteousness above all else. How can we stay true to our roots if we ignore this threat to our existence and others?"


    ¡°Are you saying we should continue to bleed so that others can profit from our sacrifice?" the woman said as she rose from her throne, her voice deep and majestic. "Every year, their sects grow in strength, ever trying to seek a place within the inner region to escape the calamity at their backs, leaving all of us to fend for ourselves. Didn''t you notice that their support dwindles every year? Even the other local sects in the alliance only fight halfheartedly. More and more traitors are found each time, and there are even rumours of sects trying to negotiate with the outsiders. We are slowly losing this war, and they think of nothing but their own profit. Why should we be any different?!¡±


    Her words echoed off the marble wall, stunning the surrounding elders into silence. Even Wu Weizhe could only look at her with sadness, knowing just how difficult her position was. She was only a few years younger than he was, much too young to assume the weight of her responsibility. Unfortunately, she was the only one worthy.


    ¡°Even our master died in this conflict," she added as she sat back down, a trace of sadness on her face. "It''s my responsibility to ensure our sect has a future. If it means forsaking our obligation so our disciples don''t have to die in vain, then I am willing to bear that infamy. Anything is better than seeing the sect our master cared for being destroyed by our own hands."


    ¡°If we were to do that, the corruption would devour the land. Nowhere would be safe anymore. We cannot let that happen,¡± Wu Weizhe said, a tear welling at the corner of his eye at the thought of their late master.


    ¡°Do you think I want it to come to that? But what else can we do?" she said as she let out a long sigh. "This corruption isn''t something that can be stopped by the few of us. Maybe if we all join hands, something could be done, but can you expect them all to put away their grievances to serve a greater cause? If so, you are much too naive..."


    ¡°There may be another path," the man said, catching the attention of the entire audience. While slightly hesitant, his words sparked a flame in their hearts. Even the woman felt the atmosphere shift, realizing something. She frowned slightly as she looked at the blurry image of her senior brother.


    ¡°You think he has something special?¡± she asked, yet she barely believed her own thoughts. ¡°Is he worth betting on?¡±


    ¡°My disciple seems to think so, and I am inclined to agree. What I witnessed was something I couldn''t conceive before. It''s a slight hope where there was none before. Still, it would require further tests and trials."


    ¡°If so, I should meet him myself," the woman said, showing a slightly intrigued smile.

 Chapter 90 - A Clue Clad in Bronze and Silver

    He Zihao woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling, feeling dazed and confused. His heart thumped in his chest, creating an increased blood flow that pooled in his cranium, giving him a headache from the increased pressure. His mind was dazed from the sudden awakening, his awareness slowly blooming as the haze receded.


    He felt a slight pressure on his hand and instinctively squeezed, only to find that it fitted perfectly. A comforting warmth spread from his side, prompting him to offer a look which left him with a wide smile. With much difficulty, he raised his other hand and gently glided his finger through the mass of hair lying on the side of the bed.


    "You''re finally awake," a voice said from the other side of the room, prompting He Zihao''s hand to stop abruptly. He gently removed it, letting her rest.


    "What happened?"He Zihao asked, his voice hoarse and his throat as parched as the desert they were now in. "I remember a force invading me... then nothing."


    "You don''t have to worry; that force belonged to the sect leader," Wu Weizhe said as he approached the bed. He couldn''t help but shake his head as he looked upon his sole disciple snuggling to another man.


    She is already old enough but still acts like a child sometimes... Wu Weizhe thought. I guess the instincts of youth are much harder to control for some. Not all can overcome what it means to be human. Not even myself...


    He looked down at his sleeping disciple and offered a slight smile. But his thoughts drifted to the image of a beautiful woman dressed in white, and his smile soured. He could only shake his head in dejection, feeling that he had missed his opportunity.


    ¡°Martial uncle, is something wrong?¡± He Zihao asked, feeling the shift in the man¡¯s expression.


    ¡°I just have some things on my mind, like the man you found in the desert. Ruolan did tell me what she experienced, but some things are still unclear.¡±


    "Speaking of Yun, do you happen to know where he is? I don''t know why, but I have this feeling that I should thank him as if I wouldn''t be alive if not for him..."


    Wu Weizhe looked down, pondering for a moment.


    Interesting... Was he aware of what occurred even while unconscious? If we could get hold of the method he used, it might alleviate her burden. Still, using force would be ill-advised... What should I use?


    His gaze landed on his sleeping disciple, feeling how much she had grown since the first day he was made to be her master. She had always been beautiful but now was even more so. Should he...


    Wu Weizhe shook his head, dispersing those crude thoughts.


    If he is as I suspected, and is part of that sect, why would he even fancy a girl like Ruolan? She may be beautiful and talented, but those traits aren''t much compared to those heavenly fairies. Still, I don''t doubt some will try despite it all.


    His eyes grew wider, and his breath accelerated as a preposterous thought bloomed in his mind.


    She wouldn¡¯t dare... would she?


    ******


    Feeling bored waiting for his meeting with the Moonlight Sword Palace''s sect leader, Qin Yun opted for a trip around town. While Wu Weizhe had wanted guards to follow him as he was a distinguished guest, Qin Yun categorically refused to be restricted in any way. Seeing as they owed him, Wu Weizhe acquiesced to his demands, only giving a token sporting the Moonlight Palace emblem.


    I doubt this will be useful should I encounter someone I can''t handle alone¡ªjust like the last one I was offered.


    Qin Yun offered a slight smile as he looked back to the city he had left behind, feeling a subtle nostalgia even though it wasn''t that long ago. He wondered how the Qin clan had fared without him ever since the deal with the Yun clan had fallen through.


    Did they find another item to offer them? I guess they are merely trying to delay as much as possible. Whether they will come through in the end remains to be seen. I just hope they won''t involve me in this any further... Speaking of the Yun clan, would they be brazen enough to reach out to Jingfei once they learn of her recovery? Her master probably won¡¯t like it...


    Qin Yun slowly walked the deserted street of this frontier city, drowning in his own thoughts. Unlike the boundless vitality of Jin City, this place was devoid of any activity; only the scarce patrols of the local sects could be seen listlessly wandering the street with no goal in mind. Occasionally, they would encounter a poor rogue cultivator and harass him, if only for the men to cure their boredom. Even Qin Yun had been stopped once or twice, but would soon be let go as they saw the token on his waist.


    This thing is more useful than I thought. Still, I didn¡¯t expect the military discipline to be so flawed. How do they expect to prevail against their foes that way? Do they not care about victory, or am I missing something?


    Seeking answers, Qin Yun arrived in front of what seemed like a tavern. Unlike the countless other buildings made of what appeared to be mud, this was one of the few built in the style he was familiar with, resembling most of those he frequented back in Jin City.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    He pushed the door open, only to be stunned by the countless stares instantly turning his way as if they tried to burn their sight into him. He could see the distrust clearly imprinted in their eyes, but even more than that, there only seemed to be hostility.


    Not a cultivator in sight... Is this a mortal inn? These men and women are pretty hardy to be able to live in such harsh conditions...


    Ignoring the heavy atmosphere, Qin Yun approached the empty bar and sat at the counter. A tense silence hung over all, prompting Qin Yun to ponder why. However, as he was absorbed in his thoughts, a voice brought him back to reality.


    ¡°How rare for an honoured immortal to grace us peasants with his presence; you must not be a local.¡±


    Qin Yun turned, only to see a woman emerge from the backroom. Her clothes were quite strange, yet made up for it by their utility. A large sand-coloured sheet covered her whole body, only showing her head and hands. Undoubtedly a protection against the harsh midday sun.


    Still, not even the other women in the bar wore clothes that were even slightly similar, making her the odd one out. But even that wasn''t the strangest thing about her. From what he could see, her skin was a dark bronze, much darker than the other patrons, who had no doubt spent numerous hours under the sun. Her eyes were a deep silver. If not for the slight hint of a shine, he might have mistaken them for grey.


    Catching Qin Yun stare at her, the woman offered Qin Yun a broad smile, all the while slowly making her way toward him. Although she looked to be in her late thirties, she still exuded the allure of youth. Her exotic charm was such that she didn''t need to expose any skin for Qin Yun to be captivated.


    However, the woman was mistaken. While she was undoubtedly beautiful, what caught his attention was the energy she desperately tried to conceal, trying to appear as nothing more than a mortal, even going as far as to mingle among them.


    "Isn''t saying so ironic, considering your own situation?" he replied, slightly smiling.


    The woman stopped in place, showing a worried expression. She looked around her, only to find nothing seemed out of the ordinary. None of her patrons seemed to have heard what Qin Yun said; they all remained absorbed in their conversation as if Qin Yun and the woman were estranged from all others in their own little world.


    Unbeknownst to her, Qin Yun had used a part of his qi to power the device hidden in his mechanical arm, making them both invisible to the rest of the tavern. By slightly tweaking what the device was capable of, he could make it so that only the two were aware of each other.


    "How did you..." the woman asked, slightly shocked by the people''s lack of reaction.


    "I don''t want to get too technical, but I altered their perceptions. The brain is a magnificent thing. A slight tweak in energy potential is all it takes for it to do what you want. Unfortunately, this is only temporary. They''ll snap out of it in time."


    The woman frowned, looking at him with suspicion. Still, she didn¡¯t run away, nor showed signs of agitation. It only took her a moment to regain her composure before reaching for a bottle below the bar. She removed the lid, and a strong scent of alcohol wafted into the air, prompting some of the patrons to turn their way.


    Qin Yun frowned slightly before offering a smile. More of his qi flowed into the device, emitting a stronger glow that was entirely stopped by the cloth of his sleeve. In less than an instant, those who had turned their head were again oblivious, returning to their conversation as if their memories had been reset.


    ¡°Impressive," the woman said as she nonchalantly poured herself a drink and offered one to Qin Yun, who drank it without any reservation. The liquid burned as it flowed, filling him with a feeling of euphoria that came as soon as it touched his lips. Unlike normal liquor, Qin Yun seemed unable to dissolve the alcohol, making him feel slightly tipsy.


    ¡°Good stuff,¡± Qin Yun said as he put the cup down. ¡°Where does it come from.¡±


    ¡°The edge,¡± the woman said dismissively.


    Qin Yun¡¯s eyebrow rose slightly, and he could feel that the woman sought to reach for something under her clothes, yet he chose to ignore it.


    "It''s the same for you, I''d assume," he replied before taking another sip. He couldn''t keep himself from slightly smiling as he licked his lips.


    The woman suddenly stopped midway, letting go of whatever she sought before putting both of her elbows onto the bar and leaning slightly forward.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°What for?¡±


    He looked straight into her silver eyes. Both of their gazes were unwavering until she finally chuckled and leaned back.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you are clueless or just a fool,¡± she said.


    ¡°Why not call me brave?¡±


    ¡°Bravery is for fools... Fear exists for a reason.¡±


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but agree. Too many people mistook obliviousness for bravery.


    ¡°You may be one of those they call outsiders, but I couldn¡¯t care for this conflict any less.¡±


    ¡°You seem so sure I am... Have you met any of them?¡±


    ¡°You''re the first," he said, taking another sip. The woman couldn''t help but shake her head.


    ¡°I''m just a half... a bastard. Otherwise, how could I live in this city?" she said, a slight trace of sorrow on her face, prompting Qin Yun to no longer ask. Everyone had their own life stories, and prying into a stranger''s life would be nothing more than crass.


    ¡°How about you?" she said after her expression returned to normal. "What brings you to this hellhole? I don''t suppose you came here searching for riches like all those other fools?"


    ¡°The world¡¯s edge... That¡¯s what I¡¯m after.¡±


    The woman froze, looking into Qin Yun''s eyes. He expected her to look at him as if he were a fool, yet he was surprised to see only fear in those silver gems. It took her a while to calm herself, yet Qin Yun made no attempt to aid her in the process.


    "A fool''s errand," she said weakly, yet her shoulders betrayed her agitation. She picked up the bottle of liquor, trying to pour herself another cup, only for the tremors of her hand to make this task more difficult than it should have been. "Why would you even want to go there?"


    ¡°To see what lies beyond,¡± Qin Yun replied calmly, observing her reaction closely.


    Without warning, her hands froze in place, the bottle slipping from her grasp as it fell to the wooden floor, shattering into countless shards of glass. The sound broke the silence, bringing all the patrons out of their trances. They all turned to stare at them, their eyes piercing into Qin Yun''s back. Still, Qin Yun''s gaze was only fixated on the woman.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen it, haven¡¯t you?¡± he said, showing a wide smile.

 Chapter 91 - An Obvious Class Divide

    ¡°What was it like?¡± Qin Yun asked, ignoring the stares that seemed to want to carve a canyon on his back.


    The woman shook slightly as if reliving vivid memories that her mind had sought to forget. Her hands trembled, and fear was evident in her eyes. Seeing that no answers would come his way, Qin Yun relented for the time being, letting out a deep sigh as he leaned back and closed his eyes.


    As I expected, it''s not something humans are meant to see... I''ll have to see it for myself to be certain.


    ¡°Forget it,¡± Qin Yun added as he shook his head before taking another sip of the sweet liquid. ¡°Instead, why not tell me about what¡¯s been happening in this city? The atmosphere¡¯s heavier than I expected.¡±


    Snapping out of her trance, the woman took a deep breath and her shakes slowly disappeared. She looked around as if dazed, only to finally notice the shards of glass and the liquid pooling on the floor. She frowned and bent down, picking them up individually, ignoring what Qin Yun had asked. He couldn''t help but look at her with interest.


    Same reaction as what happened back in Jin City... Were her memories wiped or locked away? What are they trying to hide?


    As she finished cleaning the mess, the woman rose only to see Qin Yun quietly staring at her. She frowned; confusion was clear on her face. Qin Yun smiled and reiterated his questions.


    ¡°Aren''t you part of the Moonlight Sword Palace? Why aren''t you aware of this?" she took a step back, approaching a small indent in the bar behind her, prompting Qin Yun to raise a single eyebrow but soon chuckle slightly.


    ¡°That token was just a gift," he said as he put the wooden token on the counter, showing the exquisite carving of a sword under the moonlight. It emitted a slight hint of sword intent, just enough to convince others of its validity. "News of this city don''t reach far into the western regions. I''m afraid most people aren''t even aware of the war happening here."


    The woman stopped, scrutinizing Qin Yun before finally stepping away from the bar. She approached him, only for her slender fingers to trace the contours of the token, marvelling at how exquisitely made it was¡ªeven more so as she felt the lingering intent laced within.


    After a moment, she finally let go and addressed Qin Yun once more.


    "The Moonlight Sword Palace isn''t known for giving out this kind of treatment. You must be quite the distinguished guest. In that case, why come here? I''m sure they can tell you everything you need to know."


    ¡°And have their bias taint it?" Qin Yun said, a slight hint of ridicule in his eyes as he took another sip. "I think not. Besides, just because I''m a guest, doesn''t mean they don''t have their own agendas."


    The woman''s eyes grew slightly wider. She couldn''t hide her surprise, which was also laced with a slight trace of interest.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t trust them, why do you think I¡¯ll be any better?¡±


    "It''s not about trust. I only believe what my own eyes see. I don''t want to go down a path only to find I was wrong all this time."


    The woman sighed before pulling out a stool and sitting opposite Qin Yun.


    "The war''s been going on for too long," she said, a slight trace of vicissitude in her voice. "People are too tired to go on. They are reaching their breaking point. The sects have tried multiple times to plead to the alliance for them to help in the effort, yet they have been denied every time. Now, they don''t even bother anymore."


    "It doesn''t surprise me," Qin Yun replied. "There is much more to gain back east. After all, what can this barren land even provide that the East cannot. Their choice is obviously the best in terms of gains and losses."


    "Those fools don''t even take this threat seriously..." she shook her head. "Not even the local sects know the scale of what they are up against. They think everything will be fine if they keep the outsiders at bay."


    "You have some history, it seems," Qin Yun said, looking straight at her. "I assume you tried to warn them."


    The woman scoffed, her temper growing shorter by the moment. Qin Yun could even spy a metaphorical flame in her eyes.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t listen,¡± she said, a trace of spite in her tone. ¡°They even tried to shut me up, claiming my claims were lowering morale... A bunch of fools too absorbed in their self-interest to see reality.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°I''m surprised you''re still allowed to remain in this city, even more so that you can run your own bar."


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice the emblem?¡± she said, surprised as she pointed at a sign hanging over the door depicting a sword under the moonlight. ¡°I thought you had, considering the token you wore.¡±


    ¡°I admit, I was distracted," Qin Yun replied, slightly embarrassed. "Are you part of the sect? Considering your ancestry, there should have been some backlash from the other sects."


    ¡°There was, but the former sect leader personally acted on my behalf, shutting them off. I owe him a great deal. However, ever since his passing...¡±


    Before she could finish, the wooden door burst open, plunging the room into a heavy silence. All the patrons turned toward it, holding their breaths as they saw three men in their late thirties in dark red garbs slowly walk in. Their heads were held high, and slight smirks were plastered on their faces. Their arrogance was plain for all to see.


    ¡°Friends of yours?¡± Qin Yun asked, not bothering to muffle his voice, yet the woman¡¯s expression was all he needed as an answer. If looks could kill, those men would already be six feet under. However, it appeared for but a moment before a professional customer service smile replaced it.


    ¡°What can I do for you, gentlemen?" she asked as she rose. Yet Qin Yun noticed one of her hands held behind her back was now completely white, devoid of any blood, as she clenched it much too hard. However, her voice was calm and even slightly sweet, betraying none of it.


    ¡°Nalia!¡± one of the men exclaimed as he made his way toward the bar, leaning on it. ¡°Can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t expect you to still be here. Still too afraid to return back to your people, you little traitor?¡±


    The man offered a sneer, looking back to his companions as if to seek approval. On the other hand, Nalia flashed a pained expression, trying her best to remain neutral, yet failed. She also bit her lips, trying to keep calm, yet she almost drew blood. Qin Yun watched all this from the other side of the bar, unwilling to interfere, unlike some of the mortal men present.


    "Don''t talk to her like that!" Half a dozen men rose from their seats, shaking in anger, yet fear in their eyes. Still, they couldn''t keep the words bottled up anymore. "She''s done more for this city than you parasites will ever do!"


    Two red-robed cultivators'' eyes shrunk slightly, making the mortal men reel back. However, the man in the lead only offered a smile¡ªa smile filled with animosity. He didn''t even deign to address the mortals before waving his hand, prompting one of his lackeys to release his aura, forcing the mortals back down on their seats. Two of them couldn''t resist it and started frothing at the mouth, completely unconscious.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± Nalia pleaded, an expression of panic on her face. Qin Yun had expected her to ask for his help, yet surprisingly she did not.


    Does she have something up her sleeve, or is someone substantial behind them? Either way, this is a show worth watching.


    ¡°How many times must I tell you? Don''t involve mortals in this. The other sects won''t take this lying down if you go too far!" she said, yet her words seemed to lack impact. The man only chuckled as he picked up her chin with his fingers, lifting it slightly.


    "Are you still hoping one of them will try to defy us?" he said, his voice dripping with contempt. "For a half-breed like you? If not for that old man, you would already be just a corpse. Even the world rejects these sub-humans, so why should you be treated any differently. Taking you in was his biggest mistake."


    ¡°You¡¯ve no right to talk about him like that!¡± she said, blood flowing from her lips.


    "Are you hoping for the Moonlight Sword Palace to fight on your behalf?" the man replied, content. "They''re barely holding on as it is. Give them less than twenty years, and they''ll crumble on their own. His successor is just a young woman; she can do nothing to stop the inescapable."


    ¡°She may be young compared to the others, but she is still worthy of respect!¡±


    "Indeed," the man said as he leaned back. "Reaching the Soul Formation realm at her age is commendable. However, can she hold back the inevitable all on her own? Their decline is already guaranteed."


    "Don''t talk as if you have nothing to do with this! If you cowards hadn''t fled then, then he may not have had to perish to save us all!" one of the mortal men spat, resisting the oppression. Yet, he soon fell to the floor, his body being crushed against the ground, losing his ability to breathe as the pressure mounted, slowly being suffocated to death.


    Unable to hold herself back, Nalia swung her fist, yet the man easily caught it within his iron grip. She tried to struggle but was unable to. From what Qin Yun could feel, she was at the mid-stage of the Foundation Building realm while her opponent was in the Void Core. This struggle was doomed from the start.


    However, something surprising happened. Dark grey markings appeared on her bronze skin, filled with an aura he was familiar with. Qin Yun became stunned as he watched Nalia''s tiny fist overpower the man, sending him reeling across the floor, her strength much greater than what her realm would suggest¡ªmuch like his own.


    She gripped the counter as if trying to vault over it, yet remained in place, struggle apparent on her face. She couldn''t will herself to follow through, only able to endure silently, knowing she was no match for those who supported these men. However, her hesitation was precisely what these men hoped to see.


    The red-robed man in the lead approached the mortal man sprawled on the ground, only to lift him up by the neck, choking him.


    "You''ve no right to speak to us that way," he said, his voice chilling all the mortals who heard him. "If not for us, how long would you survive in this place, surrounded by monsters and the constant outsider raids? You only need to keep your mouth shut and do your job digging up those spirit crystals in those mines. Maybe someday you''ll earn enough to leave this place... Although I doubt it."


    He then threw the man¡¯s limp body aside, but from what Qin Yun could see, he still seemed to be breathing, albeit only barely. Still, Qin Yun wondered how things had degenerated this far. Although the gap between mortals and cultivators had always been unbridgeable, even in Jin City, it had never been that bad.


    This seems like more than mere arrogance. Was there a societal shift, or is there something more behind this?


    Qin Yun remained absorbed in his thoughts, staring straight into his drink, unconcerned by the fate of these mortals. After all, he was only a guest here. Unless directly provoked, he felt no inclination to do anything. After all, any of his actions would be reflected upon the Moonlight Sword Palace. However, once again, nothing would ever go his way.


    As the man returned to the bar, his gaze was attracted to Qin Yun, or more precisely, the wooden token on the counter next to him. The man frowned and approached him, standing right over him, even putting his hand on Qin Yun''s shoulder. From his expression, Qin Yun knew precisely where this would go. Without waiting, he went straight into action.


    He took the man''s wrist and twisted. A cracking sound echoed as the man''s arm broke from the rotating force, but it didn''t end there. The man spun in the air before landing on his back, yet Qin Yun still held the limb firmly before stepping on the man''s windpipe, pinning him to the floor. His gaze landed on the two remaining men as he rose, stopping them dead in their tracks.


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate if you didn¡¯t touch me. Although it might be too late for that,¡± Qin Yun said, preparing to follow through in case he should.

 Chapter 92 - Performing Electroshock Therapy

    ¡°Do you even know who you''ve messed with?" one of the men screamed, yet his voice had a slight quiver. Unlike his companion, who managed to remain calm, this one seemed on the verge of pouncing at Qin Yun as if in desperation, yet he was restrained by the other. Still, Qin Yun didn''t care.


    "I don''t, and it doesn''t matter," he replied. "Why would it? I''m sure you think terrorizing the populace makes you feel good about yourself, but there''s one thing you forgot to take into account."


    Qin Yun offered a smile, pulling slightly harder on the broken limb, making the man under his feet utter a muffled whimper. This had just the intended effect, making the men hesitate, if only slightly. Unwilling to waste his chance, Qin Yun sprung forth, letting go of his current prey as he charged toward the other two.


    Taken by surprise, they were slow to react. With a simple blow to the stomach, Qin Yun floored one of them, making him unable to resist. The man clutched his guts, unable to breathe as he lay on the ground. The other''s eyes widened as he saw that he was next. He quickly reached beneath his clothes, pulling out a small furnace. It was red and filled with rudimentary runes carved on its surface.


    The man infused his qi into it, prompting the runes to light up. They emitted a heat so intense that the mortals within the tavern had to step back to not be burned alive. Qin Yun, however, had no such trouble. He had already experienced the destructive nature of heavenly tribulation. This little furnace was nothing compared to it.


    He dove into the heat, brushing it aside. However, his clothes threatened to burst into flames. To prevent this, Qin Yun used his earth element qi to form a thin film over them, protecting them from the scorch.


    He clenched his fist and punched lightly, only for the man to use the furnace as a shield, receiving Qin Yun''s strike with his artifact. However, this was more than it could take.


    While Qin Yun''s body had become an artifact, it was still at the bottom rung of what it could be. Still, it was enough to deal with the little furnace as it hadn''t even reached the profound rank yet.


    The furnace shattered from the impact, raining shards as it exploded, spewing intense flames. Most were headed straight for Qin Yun, while some propagated outward, threatening to burn the building down.


    While crude, Qin Yun''s only current way to stop it from happening was to redirect them somewhere else. He spotted an opened window on a nearby wall and aimed a strike at it. However, just as his punch was about to collide, creating a squall of air pressure that could blow the flames away, the floor lit up, spreading a dull glow around the room.


    Qin Yun''s strike stopped just as he was about to unleash it, looking at the symbols on the floor with some interest. It didn''t resemble any familiar runes, yet it wasn''t something he hadn''t seen before. In fact, he had seen those markings only minutes prior, prominently displayed on Nalia''s skin.


    Unlike runes that relied on meaning to spur the surrounding qi into doing what it needed of it, those markings seemed to siphon some sort of energy from the world before transforming it into something it could use. As proof of it, the flames quickly dwindled before fizzling out of existence altogether. Nothing remained of them once they were done.


    The man remained stunned as he watched his artifact crumble to pieces, unable to contend against a man in the Qi Refining realm. With a frown, the man sought a token hidden in his clothes, yet Qin Yun''s hand was faster, reaching for the wrist before slamming him into the ground, cutting his breath short, yet not hard enough to damage the floor.


    Qin Yun sat on the man''s back, holding his wrist high, making him as uncomfortable as possible without breaking the bone. He bent down slightly and spoke in a calm and even tone, yet it couldn''t help but chill those who heard him.


    ¡°I don''t know the dynamics between the various factions in this city, and frankly, I don''t care. I''d prefer if you didn''t involve me in it. I already have enough problems of my own."


    ¡°You don''t sound that convincing," Nalia said as she stood next to him, being the only one who didn''t seem afraid of him.


    After all, all the mortals were currently stacked up against the back wall, unwilling to involve themselves in the conflicts of cultivators, while the other two men in red were still trying to regain their breath.


    ¡°What do you intend to do with them?" she asked, looking at the three men in red. Her expression was complex, filled with satisfaction and a slight trace of dread.


    ¡°I assume they are part of one of the local sects," Qin Yun replied.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°The Raging Fire Sect,¡± she said, nodding. ¡°They may not be the strongest of the four, but they still are a force to be reckoned with. They also don¡¯t take being opposed lightly. If they learn of this, they won¡¯t stop until you pay for this. I don¡¯t think even the Moonlight Sword Palace can protect you from them.¡±


    ¡°I never intended for them to,¡± Qin Yun replied, unconcerned.


    However, as the words left his mouth, the bar''s main entrance suddenly opened, revealing a beautiful young woman. Qin Yun couldn''t help but chuckle as he realized who it was.


    ¡°Sister Nalia!¡± Yao Ruolan said. ¡°I need your help. There¡¯s someone I need you to find.¡±


    However, it was then that she finally laid eyes on Qin Yun sitting on one of the Raging Fire Sect''s disciples while another two lay beside him, writhing in pain. She remained stunned, unable to comprehend the scene, while Nalia could only lower her head into one of her palms, shaking it slightly. Despite the current situation, she could only laugh at its absurdity.


    ¡°How¡¯s He Zihao?¡± Qin Yun asked, completely unconcerned. ¡°If you are here, I assume he¡¯s woken up?¡±


    ¡°He has...¡± Yao Ruolan answered, slowly taking in the scene. ¡°Master asked me to come and get you. The sect leader said she wished to see you. She intends to make the trip to the city...¡±


    Qin Yun¡¯s eyebrow rose slightly as images of the figures hidden in the mist flashed in his mind. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what prompted this when she could have easily used long-distance communication instead.


    "What happened here?" Yao Ruolan asked hesitantly, only for Nalia to recount the events leading to all this. Yao Ruolan showed a conflicted expression. Seeing this, the man pinned under Qin Yun smiled somewhat derangedly as he began to shout.


    ¡°You won¡¯t get away with this! Once our master finds out, you¡¯ll rue the day you chose to oppose us!¡±


    All those in the bar showed strained expressions, while the mortals were more terrified than anything. Only Nalia and Qin Yun remained calm, and Qin Yun couldn''t help but be interested. It was a grand departure from her early hesitation.


    "I know we owe you, but the sect can''t afford to start a conflict with the Raging Flame Sect," Yao Ruolan said with difficulty. "The outsiders have become more active, and we need the city to stay united to repel them..."


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Qin Yun replied. ¡°They don¡¯t need to find out about this.¡±


    Qin Yun''s smile chilled all those who gazed upon it. Even the man under him could feel the atmosphere grow colder despite being unable to see it. He could clearly feel something was wrong and couldn''t help but dig a deeper hole for himself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare! The sect won¡¯t ever let you go should anything happen to us!¡±


    ¡°Should have thought of that before trying to throw your weight around,¡± Qin Yun replied. ¡°You should have expected things to end this way when you started it all. Besides, what makes you think your words would help your current situation?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with trampling upon mortals? It¡¯s our right as elites to exploit those below us. What can the powerless even do about it?¡±


    ¡°At least, don''t be a hypocrite and stand by your principles," Qin Yun sighed. "Anyway, I never intended to silence you. In fact, there''s something I''ve been wanting to try out. Ever heard of electroshock therapy?"


    ¡°What?¡± the man said as dread took over his heart.


    He began to struggle, trying to free himself, yet Qin Yun held the man''s wrist tighter, prompting a jolt of pain to run up his arm. Then, he had his left palm upwards, fingers slightly curled, before prompting the tribulation qi within his core to flow to it.


    As the qi filled his palm, lightning arced between his fingers, filling the room with a sense of oppression. Qin Yun felt tingling on his skin, and sweat pooled on his forehead. He had to strain himself to keep the current constant without being too overbearing. Otherwise, he might be affected by the backlash.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡± the man said as he jerked under Qin Yun¡¯s hold, unable to free himself.


    Yao Ruolan looked upon the lightning in Qin Yun''s hand, and a hint of dread rose in her heart. For Nalia, the feeling was even more intense, akin to a primordial fear rising from the deepest depths of her being, something she could never control. She stepped back until her cheeks touched the counter, her gaze fixated on the flickering light as her heart thumped in her chest.


    As the lightning stabilized and he slowly could control it, Qin Yun grabbed the man''s head with his hand, sending the current straight into his brain. Using his knowledge, he made the current swim between the man''s neurons, slightly adjusting their connections while avoiding any lasting damage.


    The procedure was much too quick for anyone to comprehend what had happened, yet it felt like hours for Qin Yun. The concentration needed for it was almost inhuman, as the tribulation qi was like a wild horse trying to run away from Qin Yun''s grasp. He had to use everything in his power to keep it in check. Fortunately, his control was pristine, and the surgery was a success.


    As he retracted his hand and used his sleeve to wipe away the sweat, Qin Yun rose. The man slumped to the ground unconscious, yet his eyes were still open. Yao Ruolan could see the white of his eyes.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Once he wakes up, he won''t remember anything that transpired here. In fact, he might not even care to find out the truth," Qin Yun replied with a slight smile, making Yao Ruolan take a step back. While she hadn''t feared him even as he slaughtered the men in green back then, her opinion couldn''t help but change slightly. After all, this was something that not even her own master could achieve, even with his boundless cultivation.


    The two remaining men looked at Qin Yun with fear, trying with all their might to rise, yet Qin Yun was faster. With more experience under his belt, the procedure became smoother each time he did it, becoming even faster. Less than fifteen minutes later, the two men had collapsed again, unconscious, and Qin Yun finally let out a deep breath, feeling that his qi had decreased substantially.


    He would need to rest for an entire day to regain what he had lost. However, time wasn''t on his side. As he considered how to dispose of those three bodies and how to silence the rest of the audience, a bell sound echoed over the city, drowning the world in its ring.


    Hearing the bell, the sight of what Qin Yun had done faded from everybody¡¯s mind, replaced with a frantic nervousness. Without waiting for Qin Yun¡¯s input, everyone rushed outside, looking to the west where a giant bell tower stood, towering high above the city wall. On top was a plume of black smoke, prompting the two girls to show dark expressions.


    Qin Yun stood next to them, letting the mortals pass him by as they all ran toward the east. Yet, there was no panic in their steps, as if they had rehearsed it countless times. Qin Yun could feel the ground rumble under his feet and countless footsteps on stone flooring in the distance. He saw myriad dots stand shoulder to shoulder upon the fortress walls.


    ¡°Are we under attack?¡± he asked.


    "Yes," Yao Ruolan said, her expression darker than he had seen before, even as she faced the incoming sandworms with no hope of survival. "Black smoke means everyone is to prepare to fend off the outsiders. It¡¯s all-out war...¡±

 Chapter 93 - A Voice to Drown the World

    ¡°Is this a common occurrence?" Qin Yun said, and the tranquillity of his voice seemed to prompt Yao Ruolan to calm down. She took a deep breath, regulating her heart rate as she gazed into the distance.


    ¡°It is and isn¡¯t,¡± she replied. ¡°While they¡¯ve been more active in recent times, I haven¡¯t seen this scale of deployment on our side before¡ªat least ever since we''ve been transferred here.¡±


    There was still a slight hint of worry in her eyes, a tension she couldn''t help but show externally, as this was the first real conflict she was poised to take part in. Death was now but a step away. Whether she could survive the tide remained unknown.


    While the girl was about to drown in her own anxiety, a group of young cultivators¡ªsome slightly older than her¡ªpassed right next to them, heading toward the nearby wall. They wore clothes resembling hers while also sporting the emblem of the Moonlight Sword Palace. A young woman stopped next to Yao Ruolan while the rest of the group didn''t falter in their pace, only offering her a quick look.


    "Ruolan!" the woman said, looking over her. She was young and beautiful, yet there was a fierceness in her eyes. She glanced at Qin Yun but completely ignored him as if she was above addressing him. However, Qin Yun saw the truth of the matter. Her hand rested on the pommel of her sheathed sword, holding it tightly as if trying to crush it. Her bravado seemed only for appearance''s sake. Even Yao Ruolan seemed to notice it.


    ¡°Sister," Yao Ruolan replied, yet there was a quiver in her tone, which she desperately tried to hide. "Where''s Master? What are our orders?"


    ¡°The elder''s already on top of the wall, accessing the situation," the woman replied. "We are to rendezvous with him and await further instructions. Let''s go!"


    Without waiting for Yao Ruolan''s acknowledgement, the woman sprinted in the group''s direction, quickly catching up to them. Yao Ruolan turned to Qin Yun, a question in her eyes which seemed much too obvious.


    "I''m not going," he said flatly and could see the disappointment on her face. "Securing this city is no responsibility of mine. Besides, what do you think I could even accomplish against such numbers?"


    Qin Yun could clearly feel the murderous intent spewing from beyond the wall. It was thick and ever-present, akin to a storm forming in the distance¡ªa storm none could face alone. Not even the Soul Formation ancestors would prove enough to brave the raging winds of destruction. There was such a thing as strength in numbers once their intents aligned.


    Knowing she couldn''t convince him otherwise, she nodded. Her eyes were now firm, her fate clear. Even if she were to die on this day, she would do so for the honour of her sect and her master. Only a single thing was plaguing her mind¡ªsomething she couldn''t erase no matter how hard she tried.


    ¡°If anything should happen to me... please take care of him.¡±


    As those words left her mouth, she turned and sped away in the distance, never looking back until she disappeared near the wall¡¯s edge. Qin Yun closed his eyes, feeling much older than his body¡¯s age. Somehow, seeing the young ones rush to their deaths always left him feeling melancholic.


    As he was absorbed in his thoughts, Nalia stepped next to him, breaking away the spell as her sweet scent wafted through the air. He turned toward her; there was a glint in his eyes.


    "Aren''t you going to follow them?" he said, his eyes pointing toward the east. She glanced back, yet her expression didn''t change much, barely showing the conflict within. She remained silent, her tiny mouth closed, yet Qin Yun noticed the strain.


    "It must be hard, being stuck in the middle, unable to choose," he said, which prompted her eyes to glare at him. There was a spark of fury in them as if he had touched on a thorny subject but soon relented, turning to sadness, which made her even more beautiful.


    ¡°My choice wouldn¡¯t change anything. So, why bother when the result would be painful either way?¡± she replied softly.


    She didn''t say much, but it was enough for Qin Yun to infer the meaning. Still, there was something more. Qin Yun examined her every word and action closely until he noticed her glancing toward the city centre, slightly toward the ground.


    He did the same, only to find a large fountain in the distance, which seemed to be part of the city''s central water system. However, upon closer look, Qin Yun could feel something more than water flow, originating from the earth''s bowels. It only took him a moment to realize what it was and why she would be so preoccupied with it. He could only smile at the thought blooming in his mind.


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    ******


    On the top of the massive stone wall, facing the sand dunes beyond, Xu Weizhe prominently stood, braving the horde of outsiders seeking to ransack this city and the world beyond. The conflict had yet to begin, yet he almost felt overwhelmed by the outsiders'' fighting spirit. They seemed nearly crazed in their fanaticism. In contrast, the troops'' morale on top of the wall seemed underwhelming.


    This isn¡¯t good, he thought. We may have the advantage regarding terrain, but not even this city can withstand a relentless assault. Sooner or later, the barrier will fall, and we''ll have no choice but to confront them on the dunes. If only we weren''t so fractured, we could contend against them...


    Unlike Xu Weizhe''s pessimistic point of view, the other sects'' commanders seemed almost too sure of their victory. There wasn''t even a single doubt in their minds that they could swiftly dispatch these bunches of barbarians. To them, their victory seemed assured. No matter how often Xu Weizhe warned them about their overconfidence, they all refused to listen. Soon enough, it would spread to the lower ranks.


    While it might bolster morale, simply relying on the city is reckless. How can they not see this? The outsiders aren''t dumb; they wouldn''t simply throw away a force of this size without any hope of victory. They should have something up their sleeves, but what?


    As he was deep in thought, looking over the countless dark dots neatly arranged in broad lines on the dunes, a massive number of footsteps echoed behind him, prompting him to turn around, only to see something that left him conflicted. If possible, he wished it wouldn''t have come to that, but he knew he couldn''t help it. Being overprotective would be counterproductive to her growth.


    "Master!" Yao Ruolan said as she stepped next to him, while all the others respectfully stopped a short distance away, bowing slightly. Xu Weizhe gave them a slight nod. They rose but stayed silent, awaiting instructions. Yao Ruolan had no such reservation.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why would they attack now?¡±


    Xu Weizhe sighed before turning to the soon-to-be bloody battlefield, a slight feeling of apprehension in his heart. It pained him to think that some of the young talents next to him¡ªwho possess bright futures ahead of them¡ªwould undoubtedly be robbed of them in the coming conflict. However, such sacrifices were inevitable. Even he wouldn''t hesitate if it meant that the sect could rise from it.


    In this aspect, I''m not so different from all the other sects. We all have our own reasons for being here. Whether righteous or not is irrelevant. All that matters is not allowing those outsiders to trample what we cherish.


    He couldn''t help but look at his only disciple, fervently wishing that she take no part in this. He even contemplated sending her back to He Zihao, if only to escape this momentarily. Yet, he shook his head and relented. As an elder of the Moonlight Sword Palace, how could he be willing to send these young talents to their deaths while not being willing to do the same to his own disciple? His duty to the sect superseded everything.


    "Master?" Yao Ruolan asked again, slightly tugging on the man''s sleeve as if she could feel the conflict brewing within. Somehow, it filled her with an unease even greater than the hordes before them.


    "They fight for the same reasons we do," Xu Weizhe finally said after a sigh. His voice may have seemed soft, but it cut through the nervous chatter on top of the wall, resonating in all men''s and women''s minds. "We may see them as beasts trying to pry away what we hold dear, as invaders seeking to plunder our homes, but they are humans just like us. They, too, have something they wish to protect, loved ones they cherish. Their world is barren, hardly hospitable for life. Of course, they would seek our land, full of lush greenery and abundant life. It''s only natural to seek a better life for oneself. Wouldn''t you do the same in their places?"


    He offered his disciple a slight smile, which left her puzzled. Even the others who witnessed his words couldn''t help but question if this was the right time to say such words. After all, morale was flaky at best, and trying to sympathize with one''s enemies would only dull their edge. However, Xu Weizhe wasn''t done.


    "Have you ever asked yourself how the Great Barrier came to be? Why it exists?" he added, planting a seed of doubt into all their minds. "I once did. I even asked myself, if we are all humans, why couldn''t we live in harmony? After all, this land is big enough to accommodate all of them. There''s no reason why it shouldn''t be possible."


    He looked down at his disciple, seeing her conflicted expression filled with doubts. He couldn¡¯t help but pat her small head, feeling her heat on his palm.


    ¡°I once fought for this ideal, trying to convince the sect¡¯s elders to see reason. After all, nobody wants this war to continue. Nobody wants to see their loved ones die an ugly death, especially in a war that could be prevented. But, do you know what they answered in response?¡±


    Yao Ruolan could only shake her head. Even her fellow disciples could only keep silent, awaiting the reason they craved. After all, even if they had readied themselves for their oncoming deaths, everyone wished to at least find meaning in it.


    "They said, ''What about heaven? If the world wished for peace, why confine them to the world''s edge using the Great Barrier? How dare we question the way of heaven with our limited knowledge! What if going against it would lead to damnation? Are you ready to shoulder the responsibility?'' Such words left me stunned, unable to repudiate them. After all, I am but a small man under heaven''s embrace. How could I dare question its wisdom? Those who do are either fools or madmen. I''m just a coward. I would rather die than bear that responsibility, so I will fight. How about you all?¡±


    His words stunned them into silence. They were all young, and their experiences were much too shallow. Trying to claim themselves as righteous would be nothing but arrogance. After all, if the world had deemed it as such, how could they even question it? They were all ants before Heaven''s Might. All they could do was relent and accept it.


    ¡°They may be our enemies brought merely by fate, but I will show no mercy. They come to us with the intent to kill, and it is only right to respond in kind. There are no grievances, only survival. Either they die, or we do. Remember well," he said as he turned toward all his sect''s disciples around him. "You all chose to join the Moonlight Sword Palace of your own free will. The sect has nurtured you and helped you grow until you became what you now are. Therefore, your lives belong to the sect. It is time to return what you owe. However, fear not; I will be with you until the very end!"


    Xu Weizhe unsheathed his sword, lifting it high above his head. He watched it gleam under the harsh light of the sun, prompting a fire to rise in the disciples'' hearts. They, too, raised their own swords, their fear slowly fading away as they knew they were among friends. Whether they lived or died, at least they would do so in good company.


    ¡°Brace yourselves!¡± Xu Weizhe shouted, his voice drowning the world, even prompting the other sects¡¯ disciples to respond in kind. ¡°Here they come!¡±

 Chapter 94 - The Other Side of the Coin

    Hidden behind the dunes, a distance away from the high frontier wall, was a large tent made of thick leather standing next to an oasis. Unlike the lush beauty that could be found on the inner side of the Great Barrier, this fountain of life within this parched desert seemed rather desolate.


    There was no blue crystalline liquid, only the remnants of a dark grey substance spewing from the earth. Yet it was this corruption that allowed life to sprout in this bleak land. Without its intervention, the spark of life would have long fizzled away into obscurity.


    From the confines of this haven of leather stood a man. His skin was as dark as the earth as if he had been born from it, yet in truth, he had only been scorched by the restless sun for eons. His chest was bare, showing countless dark grey markings, pulsing with foreign energy. Their designs were unlike what the people of this world had ever known, almost completely foreign yet possessing their own meanings.


    His muscles were firm yet not overwhelming. They seemed the perfect size to allow maximum force but also flexibility. They seemed almost perfect in their design. On his head was short grey hair, yet his face showed no signs of aging. He couldn''t be more than thirty years old. Despite it all, he carried himself with a maturity scarcely found in men of his age, almost as if his boundless experience couldn''t be hidden. His dark grey eyes also told such stories.


    ¡°Commander!¡±


    A man barged into the tent uninvited. However, the man within only rose from the pieces of leather scattered upon a large table made of chiselled bones, intricately laced into each other, enabling it to support a substantial weight.


    There was dark lettering on the large sheets of leather parchment, closely resembling the markings of their own bodies, except that the ink used to write upon them was black as night, contrasting well with the pale skins. As for the meaning of the words, none but those who lived at the world''s end were privy to their secrets.


    ¡°Lieutenant,¡± the commander replied, his gaze rising slightly as he surveyed the mountain of a man that stood before him.


    Unlike his own physique, carefully sculpted to achieve perfection of movement, the man before him had opted for a more brute-force approach. His large muscles bulged from his body, making him look like a large, hairless tiger. He even possessed markings resembling the stripes theirs possessed. The marking scarcely resembled the commander''s own, and the meaning seemed different, yet the power emanating from within seemed to come from the same source.


    ¡°I believe I asked to be left alone until preparations for war were nearly complete,¡± the smaller man added before returning back to the document he poured over. ¡°If it isn¡¯t urgent, then leave.¡±


    The only way to describe the language they spoke would be foreign. They didn¡¯t even use the standard alphabet, opting for a more primal form of communication, which couldn¡¯t help but sound like grunts to the uninitiated, leading to their classification as barbarians by those on the other side of the Great Barrier.


    They failed to realize that the sounds themselves were irrelevant; only the meaning mattered. Still, only those who had lived their whole lives in this harsh environment could even comprehend such a thing. One had to be immersed in it to comprehend this language''s intricacies.


    ¡°A message from the High Priest!" the large man replied, putting a fist on his heart and thumping it against his chest. Despite the difference in size, the lieutenant only felt reverence for the smaller man before him and also a slight trace of dread. Even if his hand was large enough to cover the entirety of the commander¡¯s head, such a ridiculous thought never crossed his mind. He only remained silent, watching the man raise his head once again.


    ¡°Was there a new oracle?¡± the commander replied. ¡°I thought the plan was foolproof... We already invested too much into it to change it now.¡±


    ¡°I''m unaware of the details," the large man replied, beads of sweat dripping on his exposed bronze skin. Despite the almost overwhelming heat, the temperature dropped almost as if an ice age had arrived¡ªeven if he didn''t know what an ice age was. He felt a chill creep up his spine as a primal fear overwhelmed him. He could only remain fixed in place, patiently waiting for winter to recede.


    The smaller man¡¯s gaze rested on him. He would have much preferred to be in the thick of battle where life and death intertwined than to be made to suffer this man¡¯s gaze for but a moment longer. He held his breath and tensed his muscles, yet it could only barely stop the tremors of his body from surfacing.


    Seeing the lieutenant''s fragile state of mind, the commander sighed before turning his back to him, which offered him solace. The large man could only barely refrain from collapsing in place, his muscles sore despite their lack of movements.


    ¡°Out with it. What does the old geezer want from me?" the commander asked, prompting another shiver to assault the large man''s body. He almost felt his spirit collapse, but a slight hint of anger flashed in his mind, yet the fear quickly overwhelmed the rage. He took a deep breath and braced himself.


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    ¡°He wants the attack to start without delay," the large man replied with a quiver in his tone. His struggles were all too apparent, yet the commander ignored them. In fact, the messenger''s state was inconsequential compared to the message he bore.


    The commander couldn''t help but show a trace of genuine anger. His features twisted slightly after hearing those words, and a slight trace of murderous intent permeated the leather tent, spilling from its bounds into the camp beyond. This even prompted some of the warriors staying nearby to recoil in fright as they raised their weapons toward the man they called their leader. Their survival instinct took over as it screamed that their only chance to prevail was to take up arms.


    They wielded spears made of bones that looked too fragile to be used in any practical conflict. Still, in all of their long history, such weapons had always been a staple of their armament. Through eons, they had waged war using those, and they had yet to fall behind those on the other side of the Great Barrier despite the artifact they liked to use. If anything, their weapons possessed a slight advantage.


    ¡°Why now?!¡± the commander exclaimed as he slammed his fist onto the bone table, shattering it into countless bleached pieces that fell to the ground. His loud voice spread into the surroundings, breaking the silence of this windless day. The men jolted to attention, fear sprouting in their hearts. The large man held himself back through sheer force of will, yet his gaze was lowered, unable to even look at his commander anymore.


    ¡°How can he not know how much is riding on this?" the man added, calming down only slightly. "Does he think of war as a mere game one can start and end at one''s leisure? What about the countless sacrifices the tribes made until now, only so we might finally have a chance to escape beyond this desolate landscape? Would he have us throw it all away before we were fully ready? Who does he think he is?"


    ¡°This is God''s will," the large man added. His voice wasn''t loud, yet it cut through his commander''s outburst, prompting him into silence.


    The commander looked upon his subordinate, his gaze piercing into his soul, yet the large man held his ground, his conviction firm. Silence reigned as everyone held their breaths, unable to determine their commander''s state of mind. He only showed a mask devoid of emotion; his eyes were glacially cold, yet they exuded a terrifying fighting spirit.


    Without a word, the commander walked forward, past the large man and exited the tent, only to be faced by the harsh light of the sun glistening on his bronze skin. The grey markings displayed prominently as they seemed to absorb the light. The tension crumbled from the commander''s absence, prompting the large man to collapse on the ground in a puddle of his own sweat; his duty was achieved, the message relayed.


    ¡°Gather the men!" the commander barked. "The time has come! It may be sooner than expected, but the oppressor will finally feel our reckoning. We may die on this day, but know this! Our sacrifice will spell a better life for our family. Do not falter, for this is God''s Will. He is always here with us!"


    He pressed his fist against his chest, and the grey markings pulsed briefly before dimming. The men reciprocated the gesture, and their own markings did the same before they scurried away, carrying out their own duties.


    A slight tension hung over the camp as the men hastily put on armour of bone and leather. A stench of death and decay assaulted the commander as he looked toward the east where the Great Barrier of Sand stood, the only obstacle barring their path toward verdant lands. The scent was but a communal memory etched into their very beings. Slaughter was all they knew. Only through massacre could they ensure their own survival. As such, they showed no remorse for their deed, nor mercy.


    ******


    Less than half a day later, bronze-skinned men spilled onto the dunes facing the frontier. At the front stood worm-like beings, restlessly waiting as men stood on their backs, hooks digging into their sides, allowing the men to direct their courses and prompting them into obedience.


    However, unlike the sand-coloured sandworms Qin Yun had encountered on the other side of the barrier, these were almost completely grey and sported the same grey markings as the men who stood upon them.


    Slightly behind them was a sea of camels awaiting in a scattered formation upon the dune. They, too, were mounted by the bronze-skinned men. However, unlike their worm-like counterparts, their riders wielded bows made of bones and tendons while fielding arrows of the same material. Despite their seemingly brittle appearances, the edges of those points were sharper than obsidian.


    Behind them were countless hordes of men on foot, wielding armours of leather and bones. Some even chose not to wear any protection, instead letting their skin bare to the elements. Still, their markings pulsed alongside their breathing, spewing waves of power that threatened to overwhelm the battlefield.


    Their weapons were crude, mostly made of bones, ranging from swords to spears. Some even tried to wield clubs or maces instead of weapons with sharp edges. However, they all had one thing in common. Countless grooves were etched onto their surface, allowing the power of their markings to flow onto them, empowering them with the strength they possessed, and allowing them to contend against the oppressors¡¯ own weaponry.


    ¡°Brace yourselves!" the commander said as he stood at the front, on the back of his very own mount, a large grey scarab that even towered above the camels. Even the sandworms couldn''t hold a candle to this mount''s ferocity. Its two large mandibles clashed against each other as they opened and closed, producing a sharp grinding sound that brought fear into all who heard it. It was even reflected onto the sand dunes, propagating to the city, drowning the ants on its wall with restlessness.


    "After millennia of oppression, our God has seen fit to offer us a chance to avenge our ancestors and carve an existence for ourselves away from this harsh land!" the commander barked as he raised his own sword.


    It was made of bones, like all the others, yet its edge was black and seemed much sharper than the rest. The intent of slaughter was thick and restless, awaiting the incoming confrontation.


    ¡°For too long, we waited for this moment, but enough!" the man added as all others looked toward him. There was no hesitation in his gaze, only a firm resolve. "The time has finally come! Cast away your hopes of emerging alive from all this! Plunge yourself into the madness of carnage! You will bleed, and you will perish on this day. There is no salvation for any of us, but know this! Your sacrifices will bring about a new era! An era where none of our children have to starve, where none have to struggle to even survive..."


    The man then pointed his sword toward the wall in the distance.


    ¡°Beyond there lies our paradise, our promised land!" he added. "They seek to keep us from it, only to watch us slip into oblivion... Enough, I say! Enough of their tyranny! It is time we take our destiny into our own hands. Our God may have shown us the way, but it is up to us to seize it, and seize it we will! Even at the cost of our lives! Are you with me?!"


    The men all raised their weapons in unison, their cries drowning out the land, even reaching the wall in the distance, making them tremble in fear. It was a torrent of emotions, an unstoppable flood, all directed toward a single objective. The outsiders'' fear had vanished; only the embrace of death remained. With unshakable resolve, they stared death in the face, witnessing their own doom with a slight smile on their faces.


    The man returned that smile, feeling proud of the men and women he represented. He turned his mount toward the wall, feeling a slight exhilaration in his heart as he raised his weapon again before letting it fall once more.


    ¡°Charge!!!" he screamed as he spurred his mount forward.

 Chapter 95 - Longing in the Face of Death

    A long distance away, deep in the desolate desert, standing next to an unending abyss, was a stone altar. The sun barely shone on this forsaken place, and the ground was devoid of all colours; only grey remained.


    The altar was grand and majestic, yet awe was replaced by isolation and loneliness. There were no signs of life except for the three beings standing atop the structure. They wore garbs made of animal fur and bones yet had almost been entirely eroded by the passage of time.


    These individuals were much too skinny, practically resembling living skeletons. It was a wonder they still lived, as all but the barest traces of vitality had been severed away, leaving only the dried husk of their flesh behind. But, despite it all, the flame of their duty still remained, and it burned bright in their chests as well as their eyes.


    ¡°Were we not too hasty?¡± one man asked.


    His voice was hoarse, barely audible, as his jaw hardly moved. It was almost drowned out by the cracking sounds of his aging bones as they produced the slightest motions. The other two''s gaze landed on him, their breath nearly nonexistent, resembling two corpses on the verge of collapse.


    Still, they stood seated on top of this desolate structure, their backs straighter than their aging body should be able to accomplish, awaiting the opportune time to fulfill their duties.


    "What else can we do?" another asked, offering the slightest of sigh. "Every year, our population dwindles, unable to bear the barrenness of this land. Should we wait until our strength fades away into obscurity to take action? Besides, our God cannot wait any longer. Remember, we would have long returned to dust if not for its grace. After all, the world itself rejects us... What else can we do?¡±


    The other two men looked at him, the same thoughts filling their hearts. They were at an impasse; death surrounded them on all sides. Resolves sprouted in their eyes as they nodded to each other.


    They sat in a circle and began mumbling words foreign to all¡ªnot even the high priest was privy to this language, as it was forbidden. They were its last inheritors, and it would fade away as they breathed their last.


    The words themselves hung onto the air, forming ephemeral runes that sparked to life before them. They slowly rotated around them as they formed obscure sentences, always shifting as they swam through space itself.


    The three dried-up living corpses closed their eyes, slipping into a trance they might never recover from. This may be the last time they would ever be conscious of their own thoughts, forever becoming instruments of their divine.


    The dark grey markings on their shrivelled skin sprung to life, emitting a dull glow that drove away the darkness. The scene was silent, except for the rustling sound of sand slowly shifting as it fell beyond the world¡¯s edge toward the unending abyss, all of it without end, forever eroding at this plane of existence. Beyond was merely an ethereal ocean of grey, devoid of all light.


    The men sang in soundless voices as the meaning alone came into existence. They shattered reality¡ªor what remained of it. This place was too far removed from the truth of existence. Laws bent and weaved into each other, slowly losing their meaning.


    Space seemed to be all that remained, as not even time flowed correctly, leaving this small pocket of reality in near stasis but also free-flowing through history, forever unable to be reached again. Only through this incomprehensible chanting could the outside world be accessed¡ªonly through communion with their one true God.


    They lived on an island of sand, forever drifting in an ocean of grey, unable to see the shore again. And yet, the men felt no despair at their situation, for they had once made a choice¡ªa choice to become the conduit for their God.


    That choice was made so long ago that none of the three remembered what it was or even the name they once called themselves. Now, they were merely the oracle, the apostles of the end. They lived as corpses, awaiting their God''s advent so that they could finally fade away into the peace of oblivion. Until then, they would remain the faithful arbiters of its will.


    ******


    Xu Weizhe held his sword tight as he watched the outsiders rush toward the city wall. He saw the gigantic sandworms taking the lead, gliding along the sand with riders on their backs. They used the hooks buried into the creatures¡¯ flesh to direct them, inflicting pain so that they might know who their masters were.


    The worms rushed with uncanny speed, as if this desert were a mere ocean, and they were marine creatures. Waves of sand crashed into each other as they dug through the dunes, creating countless avalanches that deformed this malleable terrain.


    Their momentum seemed tremendous¡ªso much so that the inexperienced novice standing next to Xu Weizhe became unable to mask their fears and restlessness. Their hands began shaking, and even some couldn''t keep their eyes on the tide seeking to crash into them.


    Only the most experienced looked at the incoming flood with a slight sneer on their faces but also glee in their eyes. Some even laughed at their opponent as if they were looking at fools, which couldn''t help but make Yao Ruolan frown.


    She wished to ask her master the reason for their callousness, only to be stopped by the grim expression he showed. Unlike the rest of the older cultivators on the wall, Xu Weizhe couldn''t help but feel something was wrong. He couldn''t explain it.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    In fact, he knew well why the other sects were looking forward to it. In the long history of their conflict, the times the outsiders were able to breach the city''s barrier could be counted on one hand, and yet the city still stood to this day. There was no reason to think this battle would be otherwise.


    Suddenly, the dunes rose akin to waves on an ocean, revealing the immensity of its essence¡ªunending and overflowing. The sand rose to an unspeakable height, casting a shadow onto the city, plunging it into obscurity, and blotting out the sun.


    The laughter and derision suddenly stopped. Only the rustling sand remained, grinding against each other as it threatened to shatter reality itself. Fear sprouted into the hearts of all those who gazed upon the magnificence of this phenomenon, unable to believe their eyes yet unable to reject reality.


    The worms surfed on the tide, rising to the sky alongside it. They dug within its flow, feeling its embrace as they rushed forward while the rest of the army waited for the inevitable.


    The wave sought to reach its apex. All under it were but ants, stunned in awe but also terror of its destructive nature. Few were those who could remain hopeful watching this grim spectacle.


    Then, the wave broke, burying the city beneath, its massive weight crashing into it, wreaking havoc if not for the thin barrier protecting the peace within. It flickered, resisting the granular mass, even pushing it back somehow. Still, the strain was plain for all to see. Even the ground quaked as the flood receded back to the desert, its army of worms alongside it.


    Silence reigned.


    Only the flicker of the barrier could be heard as it pushed back the tide. Only for the tension to mount. None of the cheerfulness they once displayed remained; only the dreadfulness of their foes was etched onto their heart.


    ¡°Attack!¡± a cry was heard.


    Some chose to lash out prematurely, if only out of desperation. Unlike the invaders, who waited for the second wave calmly, sitting on their mounts or on foot, safely out of reach, the cultivators drew their weapons.


    Some wielded their artifacts, spewing waves of elemental qi in the distance, yet could never reach them. Colourful lights flashed, creating paintings in the sky, yet it all amounted to nothing. Some even drew more conventional weapons, either bows or flying swords, but even those proved insufficient. They were all swallowed by the rising sand tide, ready for a second assault.


    Their expressions became grim; they were helpless beneath nature''s might. While some knew what had to be done, they simply couldn''t bring themselves to do it. Not even Xu Weizhe¡ªeven after the speech he had made¡ªfound himself that courageous. After all, how could one leave the safety of this city wall, only to charge head-on onto the incoming wave, only to be buried within the sand, only to perish without a grave?


    "Don''t lose hope!" someone shouted, breaking their hopelessness. "No matter how often they try, the barrier will never break. The most they can do is allow a few of their men to slip through it as they collide. Don''t forget the barrier has stood against their assault for eons, never breaking. It is tightly tethered to the Dragon Vein flowing beneath the city. Its source is the world itself! There''s no way they can sustain this tide longer than the Dragon Vein!"


    Hope was rekindled, if only barely. Xu Weizhe looked toward the man who spoke, only to see an aged individual, his long white beard flowing in the wind, giving him the countenance of a sage. Some even cheered him on, if only to cheer for themselves by proxy. While this prevented morale from breaking, morale alone wasn''t enough to win a war.


    ¡°Does that man speak the truth?¡± Yao Ruolan asked, feeling the sword in her hand shake as she watched the deluge rise for a second strike. She couldn¡¯t help but have doubts in her heart¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t?


    ¡°In theory,¡± Xu Weizhe replied, his expression somewhat grim. ¡°However, there¡¯s no telling how they achieved this. Besides, those aren¡¯t easy opponents, or we would have long wiped them out. There¡¯s no way they think they can breach this city through brute force alone, even if they rely on the desert itself.¡±


    Yao Ruolan''s expression grew grimmer as she watched another wave rise above the sky. She only hoped the barrier could outlast their opponent, winning this war of attrition. And yet, she couldn''t help but think that remaining passive was to their detriment. She also felt the best way to resolve this predicament was to take the fight to them.


    However, she also knew this was a death sentence. She knew this hastily assembled band of rabble could never hope to match against their opponents who had grown up in the harshness of the deep desert. She could see it in their eyes. Unlike themselves, the outsiders oozed determination but also a faith in something greater than they were.


    Picking up on her doubts, Xu Weizhe couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    "There is nothing scarier than a man with conviction¡ªnothing more dangerous than a people with faith as their anchor. There is no reasoning, only conflict. In this sense, we aren''t much different from them. We also believe in the Heavenly Dao, but our faith is based on retribution. If not for heavenly might, would we even care?"


    Yao Ruolan remained silent. There was too much she didn¡¯t know to comment on this. She only turned away from the battlefield, looking back to the city they protected, thinking of the one man who was her world. She didn¡¯t really care about the world, and while she believed in justice, she wouldn¡¯t wage her life on it.


    The only things worthy of her devotion were her own feelings, fleeting as they may be. Maybe she wouldn''t always feel that way. Perhaps she would come to regret it someday. However, fearing the future would achieve nothing. She much preferred to live in the present, fighting for what mattered in the moment.


    She steeled herself and looked forward. Maybe her sacrifice would mean nothing in the grand scheme of things, but at least she would live without regrets.


    The wave crashed again onto the dome of light, but this time creating tiny holes, just enough to allow passage before swiftly closing back. Sand fell through those openings, bringing with them their most hated enemies.


    The worms fell from the sky in droves, their mass alone able to substantially damage the city, to say nothing of their riders. Their maws opened, releasing countless other creatures from their depths, flooding the walls but also the city in their numbers. If not for the evacuation notice, the populace would have already been drowned in a sea of death.


    Yao Ruolan swung her sword with abandon, slaying creature after creature, yet they flooded without end. The walls became filled with death as they came from all sides, even rushing up against the vertical surface.


    Blood was smeared on her face as her sword cut through all that opposed her, but she barely made a dent in their numbers. Even her fellow disciples were deep in the midst of battle, some even sustaining some injuries.


    However, the number of worms was limited, and soon, the more senior individual present had dispatched them all, her master having slain more than a dozen of them. Still, this was only the beginning as the wave of sand receded back, awaiting a third impact.


    She breathed hard, feeling the fatigue envelope her despite the fight being over quickly. She could feel her muscles tense, draining away at her stamina as the threat of death loomed over them. She couldn''t sustain the effort forever. Even her comrades didn''t fare much better. She looked back, only to see the city devastated, corpses littered everywhere.


    ¡°Go, if you must,¡± Xu Weizhe said to her. ¡°If you wish to be at his side, then go. I won¡¯t deny you the chance to make the most of it.¡±


    There was a longing in his voice, which felt much too real to her. She had an inkling of who he was talking about. Even the surrounding disciples were well aware as this was an open secret.


    "Master, I won''t leave you," she replied, her gaze firm again as her breathing became stable. "While I would like nothing more, I cannot be so selfish. I owe the sect too much. Either we live united, or we all perish as one. I wouldn''t have it any other way."

 Chapter 96 - Venturing Through Forgotten Halls

    Deep below the flowing sand of the frontier, entombed into bedrock, were long and winding corridors forgotten by man and time alike. Only a few had been witness to their existence as it guarded what was considered most sacred to the people of this land: the core of the formation guarding the city, the foundation of their current lives.


    Deep within the underground darkness were two men dressed in green. One held a glowing stone in his hand, producing a peculiar light. A blue flame hovered a short distance before them, dancing in the nonexistent wind as if showing them the way.


    ¡°Are you sure this is safe?¡± one of the men asked, his voice but a whisper. ¡°I heard those who ventured into this place were never found again.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± the other reassured him. ¡°With the soul flame guiding our path, nothing can happen to us.¡±


    ¡°I hope so," the first replied, sighing slightly. "Our people went to great lengths to acquire it. I hope it lives up to its reputation. After all, getting lost in this place would be a death sentence. Not even retracing our steps would enable us to leave."


    ¡°Calm yourself, will you? We have a mission to accomplish. Anything else is inconsequential. You can choose to leave if you want, but you know as well as I what the consequences would be."


    The first man grew silent, his expression becoming grimmer until he sighed again, resolving himself for what was to come. He looked straight ahead at the winding corridors of stone he couldn''t tell apart from each other, wondering how long it had been since they dove underground. He wasn''t only lost in space but also in time. He might have already lost his mind if not for the flame guiding their ways.


    ¡°Do you think we''ll be able to convince him?" the man asked once again, unable to bear the heavy silence until he heard the other man sigh.


    ¡°I doubt it. These hermits aren''t the most open to bargaining. They are set in their ways, rarely changing their stance. Still, we must try, if only to fulfill our lord''s mission."


    ¡°What if he won¡¯t budge?¡±


    ¡°Why ask me when you already know the answer?¡± the man scoffed, showing a derisive smile.


    The other sighed again, feeling his aging spirit more and more in recent years. While he retained some youthful features, his appearance betrayed signs of aging. His long black hair had a slight trace of grey in it, giving it a more experienced and mature allure, yet his uneasiness couldn''t help but show.


    His eyes darted all around as if seeking any change in their environment despite the darkness surrounding them, erasing all landmarks except for the monotone walls all around, smooth and without any blemish¡ªa reflection of perfection, immutable in time, forever unchanging. It was unsettling, to say the least.


    ¡°Stop fidgeting," the other man ordered, yet it did almost nothing to ease the man''s nervousness. "Think about how old you are; you can''t keep acting like a child. What would Master think if he saw you that way?"


    ¡°You¡¯ve been with him long enough to know what he¡¯s like,¡± the man replied, crossing his hands behind his back, holding them tight enough that they became slightly white. ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t affect him personally, he¡¯s not the type to care about trivial things.¡±


    "Indeed," the other man replied, raising his gaze as he drifted away in memories while still following the hovering flame religiously. "However, this is bigger than you and I. It concerns everyone within the cult. Our failure would be badly reflected on all our brothers and sisters. We were selected for this simply because we were the most suited. Take some pride in that fact, junior brother."


    He then smiled at his junior brother, placing his palm on the man''s shoulder if only for him to feel a familiar warmth, somehow hoping it would be enough to calm his nerves. Surely it did, if only for a moment, until they felt a cold sensation, as if a frigid wind had been blown, chilling them to the core¡ªsomething that seemed improbable considering their current location.


    ¡°What was that?" the junior brother hissed, his pupils widening, trying to see through the all-encompassing darkness, but with no success. One of his hands slowly made its way to the recesses of his clothes, tightly holding on to a small glass vial gently tucked away close to his chest. His steps stopped, nervously awaiting the inevitable, yet silence reigned for much longer than he felt comfortable with. If not for his senior brother''s calming presence, he might have already turned and left¡ªdamned be the consequences.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    His senior brother also stopped. However, his expression was serene, as if he had already anticipated that things would come to this. He clasped his hand before him, showing respect to the void as he bowed silently, prompting his junior brother to hurriedly imitate him as if he had only realized the reason for the feeling. His expression couldn''t help but betray his surprise.


    "Greetings, Senior," the older of the two said. "I hope you will pardon our intrusion."


    Both remained in the same position, patiently awaiting a response. They didn''t dare to presume anything of their counterpart except for the feelings they had felt previously. They were all too familiar with it, even if it took one of them slightly longer to conclude. Only after a few moments of torturous silence was it finally broken.


    ¡°Who... do you... represent? Know that any... falsehood... will be met... with death...¡±


    Sweat drenched the younger one¡¯s forehead. His eyes narrowed, trying to see through the darkness, yet it was impossible to make out anything further than a few steps away, even with the blue flame illuminating their path. It remained stationary, unable to move further as if an immaterial force pushed it back.


    "Our Master, the Emerald Lord, offers his greetings. In light of the danger looming upon the frontier, he has tasked us to come to Senior''s aid," the older one said calmly. His head remained lowered, not daring to rise even an inch further, too afraid to infuriate the owner of that voice.


    While the voice might have seemed disjointed, even feeble, there was no mistaking the might it contained. It travelled through space, losing none of its power as if the concept of distance was inconsequential. The dialect with which it spoke was ancient, as if it had originated from a bygone era. If not for the fact that they had prepared for such an eventuality, they may not have been able to understand each other.


    ¡°The Emerald... Lord? I do seem to remember... such an upstart... However... that was a long time ago... What can he even help me with?¡±


    The man took a deep breath, calming his nerves before he spoke, knowing that his following words might be his last. It was well known that some of the old monsters that even time had forgotten possessed some temper which could flare up at any moment.


    "The city is under siege," the man replied. "It is unknown how long the barrier can resist their onslaught. They seem to have the aid of some magical force able to move the desert itself. It is only a matter of time until the formation fails and the city is overrun."


    "I''m aware," the voice said as it cut him off, its tone showing impatience.


    The man audibly gulped before lowering his head further. His junior brother did all he could not to collapse, prostrating himself on the floor if only to try and appease its owner. The only thing that sustained his mind was that he already knew something even more terrifying. While imposing, the voice couldn''t hope to match the image of their Master in their minds.


    "Our Master has long been aware of what the outsiders hoped to achieve and has devised a plan. However, it requires the aid of the formation Senior watches over. This is why he sent us here. If we join forces, we can surely drive them back or even deal a severe blow that they will think twice before attacking us again."


    The voice remained silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the statement. The two men felt their hearts resound in their heads, becoming almost deafening as the seconds passed like an eternity. Yet, both only waited, doing their best to remain sane in the suffocating silence. After all, both of them were only in the Golden Core Realm, while the voice''s owner was much further along the path.


    Not much was known about the city''s guardian, neither his age nor his true strength, only that he had remained underground, guarding the formation for a long time. According to the rumours, he had once been an outstanding disciple of the Immortal Beasts Sect Alliance but had been exiled due to some matter that had been concealed from others.


    To redeem himself, he came to the frontier, becoming its guardian, and has remained here ever since. The few who had met him spoke of his unfathomable strength, but after so many eons living in isolation, wasting away in obscurity, there was no telling how much of it remained. After all, if he could still be of use to the city, it wouldn''t be in its current predicament.


    "Proceed," the voice said, yet a sigh lingered after the words, creating a slight breeze that prompted the slick walls surrounding them to start glowing, showing them the way.


    Both raised their heads, smiling with relief, as they walked down the hall until they emerged from the corridor into a slightly larger open space. In the centre was a slightly elevated altar on which a large blue brazier burned, resembling the blue flame that had shown them the way.


    The two eyes opened wide at the sight. They could clearly feel the strength and vitality of this flame as if it represented the world itself. Although they were elite disciples of their Master and had been thoroughly disciplined in the arts, both couldn''t help but betray their desires for this flame. After all, it possessed such might that few could resist its allure.


    Still, their greed was merely fleeting as they came face to face with the voice''s owner, who sat upon the stone stairs leading to the flame, his white uniform having wasted away from the unending flow of time.


    The older of the two disciples couldn''t help but frown, knowing that the Immortal Beast Sect''s uniform was a light blue. How long would it have to be for the colours to fade as much as they did, only for white to remain? It wasn''t anything his mind could even conceive. Despite having lived for countless years, even the Emerald Lord was but a child in comparison.


    ¡°We thank you for the opportunity to hear us out," the senior brother said as both lowered their heads again in respect. "Our Master has high hopes for this plan, and your cooperation will be greatly appreciated. Once the outsiders are beaten back, our Master estimates that your sect might even welcome Senior back."


    The white-robbed man raised his head. Of the few strands of hair on his head, all were blinding white but also seemed weak and sparse, as if all their vitality had been eroded by time. The man''s skin was but countless peaks and valleys, showing the vestiges of his entire existence. His hands seemed almost like a corpse, composed of only skin wrapping the bones as if without any flesh. He seemed almost like a mummy on the verge of perishing, yet his aura was nearly suffocating.


    Then, without any warning, the man raised an arm, pointing his palm forward, only for the younger of the two disciples to be swept off his feet. His body rushed through the air until his neck was firmly in the old man''s grasp. He squeezed only slightly, yet the disciple became unable to breathe, clutching at his neck, yet unable to free himself.


    "Senior! What''s the meaning of this?" the other man frowned yet made no attempt to aid his junior brother. He only looked at the old man, showing an ugly expression.


    "Do you think me senile?" the skinny old man replied. His eyes were clear despite his voice''s vicissitude, showing his mind''s sharpness despite his aging body. "How do you explain this?"


    Through a light flick of his wrist, a vial shot out of the captured man''s clothes. The vial was like any other, mainly used to store poison, yet its content was anything but. It was a grey, viscous liquid, taking most of the vial. It offered no distinguishable aura, yet the liquid seemed to move independently, almost as if it was still alive!

 Chapter 97 - An Inescapable Plot

    ¡°Senior! What¡¯s the meaning of your actions?¡± the man said as he watched the old cultivator grasp his junior brother¡¯s neck. His eyes narrowed slightly, yet there was no trace of panic in them¡ªsomething which couldn¡¯t escape the old man¡¯s notice.


    ¡°Enough," the old cultivator said. His voice was calm but authoritative, leaving no room for argumentation. His gaze was peaceful, which couldn''t help but bring a shiver to his captive as if he wasn''t even seen as human but just an ant he could squash anytime he wished. "I do not know what you wish to accomplish by bringing this here, but you better not test my patience."


    Silence reigned, if only for a moment, before the old man squeezed slightly harder, making the man in his grasp foam at the mouth. His eyes bulged out of his skull as his face turned blue from the lack of oxygen, yet it wasn''t enough to make him lose consciousness. He wouldn''t be granted respite from this torment.


    His senior brother gritted his teeth as he watched the scene, yet something was hidden in his eyes. Noticing this, the old man relented as he knew such methods wouldn''t work. Instead, he chose to turn his attention to the vial in his hand, which surprisingly proved to offer the reaction he wished to see. The green-robed man''s eyes widened, if ever so slightly, which didn''t escape the old man''s notice.


    "You should know what this is," the old man said. His voice had no emotions, yet the strength of his words alone betrayed his fury. Seeing the vial, he couldn''t help but wish to see its content destroyed to the last, wiped out entirely until nothing remained. "Do not lie to me... I will know.¡±


    ¡°This is part of our Master¡¯s plan,¡± the disciple said cautiously, his gaze resting upon the old man. ¡°He found a way to use this as a power source. By fusing it with the Dragon Vein, the barrier will have unlimited power, and be able to last an eternity. You may even be able to free yourself from its control.¡±


    His voice had now shifted, becoming more callous as he spoke of the benefits, almost as if enthralled by the substance''s powers. However, the old man looked at him as if a fool, a slight derisive smile on his aged face.


    Then, the old cultivator couldn¡¯t help but laugh, his voice reverberating off the stone walls of this chamber, showing his contempt for all to see as he looked down on the man before him.


    ¡°How bold!" the old man said. "Do you know how long I sequestered myself here, watching over this formation? How many sought to uncover its secrets, only to be left with failure and a life of regrets? Of the many who once used to call this tomb their home, I am the only one who remains, the only one who still remembers his duty. How can you even claim that your Master knows more than I do regarding this mechanism? To last until today without any maintenance, this formation has already reached the realm of the divine. How could any mortal boast he can improve it? Young man... your words are but heresy to my ears."


    His tone was laced with murderous intent as his gaze landed on the man in the distance. If not for his aged spirit, his opponent would have crumbled apart from his mere sight. Instead, sweat drenched the young man''s back, yet there was a slight smile on his lips which couldn''t help but infuriate the old man further.


    He raised his hand, trying to end this farce, only to be stopped in his tracks, noticing something amiss. A sweet smell lingering in the air couldn''t help but give him pause. How long had it been since he had smelled something similar? He couldn''t quite remember, but he knew it was foreign to this underground chamber.


    Although his cultivation had declined with time, the old man still commanded ample reserves of qi, which he promptly used to sweep away at the smell, knowing where it came from. Although he didn¡¯t know its concrete effects, he could infer its purpose. Poison!


    Yet, something ate at his mind. He remembered the young man these people addressed as Master. The Emerald Lord, as they call him, was once a young genius well-versed in the art of Alchemy, primarily specializing in various types of poisonous substances. As such, creating an odourless poison would be as easy as breathing to such a character.


    ¡°What are you playing at?" the old man asked, keeping the scent at bay with his qi. While he could have quickly dispatched the two of them, he couldn''t help but feel something was afoot. Not uncovering their purpose would spell danger for this place in the future. After all, he couldn''t always be there to shoulder the responsibility of its protection. One day, he would die, and the formation would be left without a guardian. His sense of duty wouldn''t allow him to leave any loose ends. Unfortunately, his question would be left unanswered.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    The Emerald Lord''s senior disciple waved his sleeve, scattering a fine powder in his surroundings. The powder promptly mixed with the gas he had released early, transforming it into something more. In fact, the air turned purple and became tangible, as if the atmosphere itself had come to life. The purple air twisted and turned, spreading all around, even infecting the old man''s qi as he tried to push it back.


    The old man frowned, his thoughts racing as he saw the purple air stretch until it sought to reach the vial of grey liquid in his hand. Surprise flashed on his face as he hastily covered the bottle with his domain. Yet, due to his old age, his domain was feeble and barely able to materialize itself. It distorted itself, becoming ephemeral as if it struggled to ascertain its own meaning. It flickered from existence to oblivion, materializing for a split second before dissipating into thin air.


    Unable to stop the spread of the purple air, the old man breathed death from his lungs. Out of his mouth came a wind of death, bringing forth the end of all things as if time sped away, bringing the world ever closer to its inevitable demise.


    The vial crumbled to sand as if by the erosion of time, spilling the grey content, only for it to also crumble and die, unable to sustain itself. No matter what it touched, his breath would soon collapse into shards, further destroyed by erosion until nothing remained.


    Seeing the grey substance disintegrate, the old cultivator couldn''t help but smile, only to be disturbed by the man''s struggle within his grasp. Unable to avoid the wind of death, the man''s skin lost its suppleness until it shrivelled like a raisin, making him look like a husk of his former self.


    Terror was all that remained of his face as the old man released it. A shriek of agony escaped his chapped lips before being replaced by a grating sound as even his vocal cords were eroded by the passage of time.


    The junior brother turned toward his senior but now looked nothing like the man he once was¡ªmore like a decaying old corpse on the verge of collapse.


    "Save me..." he muttered as his hair fell from his scalp and his teeth decayed as he spoke, spewing out putrid air from his mouth, only for silence to be his reply. The senior brother only looked at his junior with pity but also a small hint of relief. Only then did comprehension appear on the former young man''s features, yet they were fleeting at best as the flesh fell from his bone as if it melted from an acid solution.


    He tried to crawl toward his senior even as his muscles collapsed, leaving puddles of blood and fat behind as a bleached skeleton collapsed before the other man, a bonny hand grasping his ankle before even the bone was scattered into dust, leaving nothing of his existence behind.


    ¡°Time is truly ruthless," the remaining man lamented, yet his eyes had no sorrow. In fact, they showed a peculiar light¡ªone which only brought confusion into the old cultivator''s mind. He couldn''t help but voice his doubts.


    ¡°Your junior brother is now dead... What does your Master even hope to accomplish?"


    ¡°The Emerald Lord?" the green-robed man asked, yet there was no more hint of his once submissive attitude. In fact, the old man only saw boundless confidence in his eyes. "We are all slaves to a higher being, born to carry on its will. Some choose to be the heavens'' slaves while we follow the light that will bring us true freedom.


    Hearing those words, the old man''s eyes widened, barely masking his surprise. Through a wave of his sleeve, he conjured a mass of qi before propelling it toward the green-robed man. Although a crude attack, their realms were too far apart for the man to ever defend himself, much less retaliate. He only waited for the impact with a smile on his face.


    ¡°It is already too late. Our sacrifice will bring about a new dawn, free from the cursed fate that plagues us all!¡±


    The mass then collided with the man''s body, shattering his flesh in one blow, scattering blood and entrails all around the room. However, the expected deep red had now turned to a dark grey, painting the world in its colours as it spread all around, even onto the old man sitting on the steps.


    It coated his clothes, infiltrating his flesh as it propagated like a disease, even trying to spread its taint to the blue flame behind the man. He tried his best to resist the encroachment and protect the flame, yet his domain was unstable. The flow of time had weakened him too much to allow his full strength to be used. He could only focus on slowing the spread, hoping it would last long enough to end the fighting above.


    However, he knew this was but wishful thinking. The timing was immaculate. This being a coincidence was improbable, to say the least. It was most definitely a concerted effort by their enemies. Still, if they could infiltrate the ranks of someone as illustrious as the Emerald Lord, there was no telling who else was compromised.


    The old man couldn''t even ask for support lest he disclose his current situation. Spreading this information at this time would only lead to chaos. He was truly at an impasse.


    The old man frowned further, his thoughts swirling as he pondered the best course of action, yet could only sigh in the end. He raised his gaze, looking within the dark corridor from which the two traitors had entered, only to release a slight pressure from his body, making himself look less like an old corpse and more presentable. He rose and held his hand behind his back to make himself look like a sage on earth. Despite the pain that assaulted him as he fought the corruption, his expression betrayed none of it.


    "How long will you hide in the darkness and watch?" the old man asked, his tone firm despite his weakness. Silence reigned, if only for a while longer, before the void shifted, revealing a man dressed in black walking out of the darkness into the chamber filled with a mix of blue and grey.


    The old man frowned as he looked at the new arrival, a young man of barely twenty years of age. Despite his clothes, which were undoubtedly of good quality, the man''s long black hair was only held together with a single hemp string, making for a strong contrast. However, what truly puzzled the old man was that the young man was unperturbed by the lingering grey mist that corroded everything it touched. He strolled within the chamber as if it was but a fine mist, unbothered by it all.


    "Who are you?" the old man asked, looking at the young man suspiciously.


    "Just a witness to your unfortunate demise; you have my condolences," Qin Yun said as he looked at the old man before him with slight pity.

 Chapter 98 - The Forgotten Ones End

    ¡°Do not play games," the old man said, yet he couldn''t stop his voice from growing hoarse. Despite the piercing pain, he added, "Who are you, and what do you hope to accomplish?"


    Qin Yun sighed as he looked at the man before him. He couldn''t help but feel a slight hint of pity for this man of unyielding loyalty who would soon depart from this world.


    "Does it matter?" Qin Yun asked. "Your death is but a step away. Why care about what happens to this world after your passing. Isn''t it time for you to be selfish for once?"


    The old man frowned, lost between anger and puzzlement.


    ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with the outsiders?¡± the old man asked again, ¡°How can you be fine when the corruption spreads all around?¡±


    Qin Yun ignored the man as he walked toward the blue brazier flickering against the darkness, desperately trying to fight off the grey that sought to reach its core. The old man stepped before him, but before he could use his mighty power to confront him, an intense cough assaulted his body, ejecting a mass of blood from his mouth; there was a trace of a grey substance laced within.


    Qin Yun walked by, stopping before the flame as he looked into its core, feeling its strength and vitality. Despite the corruption, it remained strong as if nothing could impede it. After all, it was the avatar of the Dragon Vein, the intersection where multiple earth flows met, forming a node of power.


    If the world could be considered a human body, then the earth veins would be the qi channels while the dragon veins would be the meridians. The ability to tap into them would grant access to immense power but also to extreme repercussions should one attempt to tamper with them. After all, the heavens were merciless to those who denied its will.


    "You asked me about my relationship with the outsiders," Qin Yun said, gazing deep into the flame. "My answer would be that there is none. I take no part in this conflict as it is of no consequence."


    "How can you even claim that there are no consequences!" the man replied, his voice growing in intensity despite the pain that assaulted him. As time passed and his death approached, he felt less inclined to control his emotions. "Did you even see the corruption that spread thanks to them? If you are not with us, then you stand against the world itself! It then falls to me to enforce its will and render judgment onto you!"


    The old man steeled his will, prompting what little qi he could still muster to gather onto his hand before forming a palm. The palm grew larger as it travelled through space, becoming as large as Qin Yun''s body before colliding with him. Yet, Qin Yun made no effort to dodge, only letting the palm strike his body.


    It created an explosion of dust mixed with the grey mist that still lingered in the air, blocking their visions. Still, this meant nothing to the old man as he could use his divine sight to see clearly through it all, and this was why he couldn''t help but frown.


    Once the dust finally returned to the ground, it revealed Qin Yun standing unscathed in the same place, his arms behind his back, having withstood the palm with merely his body while sparring no thought for defence.


    ¡°It''s pointless," Qin Yun said as he looked at the old man, showing no anger at his actions. "Although your cultivation had once reached the peak of the Soul Formation realm, time has been merciless. You cannot even apply a fraction of it at this point¡ªso much so that you must rely on the world''s support to maintain your existence."


    The old man''s eyes frowned even further as he remained silent, wondering how this young man could even estimate what he had reached at his peak. Still, Qin Yun was far from done.


    "There is a good reason you never left this chamber, even as the corruption spread. Your life is already tied to the Dragon Vein. You used it as an anchor for your soul, prolonging your life. However, this also came with some restrictions, such as being unable to leave, but also doomed to forever protect it. Now that you have failed in your duty, death is all that awaits you."


    ¡°How do you know all this!¡± the old man spat back, feeling his heart rate increase substantially despite the weakness that now afflicted him.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°We aren''t so different, you and I," Qin Yun replied calmly. "We are both forced to fight battles that are not our own. The only difference is that I refuse to become a slave to its will. This is merely a transactional relationship. We take what we need from the other, then go our separate ways, and if negotiation were to break down... well, I''ll cross that bridge when it comes to it."


    Qin Yun offered the man a slight smile filled with pity, yet the old man only returned a look of confusion. He could even be seen to look at Qin Yun as if he had lost his mind, yet Qin Yun couldn''t care less. He only chose to divulge some things on a whim, knowing that the man didn''t have long to live. After all, he could see clearly the old man''s vitality slowly leaving him as the corruption spread within his body.


    "If you were still at your peak, you might have been able to fight off the corruption, "Qin Yun added. "Yet now, you cannot even materialize your own domain, much less use it to eradicate the invading force. A shame, really. Your comprehension of the Dao of Time is quite eye-opening. It made for a good show."


    The old man clutched at his chest as he fell to his knees, growing weaker at a noticeable rate. What remained of his hair fell from his head, and his eyes began to turn a dark grey. His lungs burned as he breathed in even more of the grey mist, and dark veins bulged on his wrinkled skin.


    ¡°You have two paths ahead of you," Qin Yun said as he walked toward the old man, stopping just a metre before him. "Either you do nothing and become an agent of what you have fought against all your life, or... well, you should know it by now." He paused, waiting for the old man to come to terms with what he had said before adding, "I could also do it for you... if you would require this of me."


    The old man raised his pain-filled gaze, looking deeply into Qin Yun''s peaceful eyes. The terror and resentment that once filled the old man''s eyes soon faded, being replaced by acceptance as he rose to his full height, even as he battled the corrosion within. He had finally made up his mind.


    "I do not know who you are nor what you hope to achieve," the old man said as he walked toward the blue flame. "Whatever the case is, it is now out of my hands. I spent my whole life fighting for what I believed was right, trying to make a difference. Whether or not I did will be left for others to decide.¡±


    ¡°Senior, can I ask for your name?¡±


    The man stopped and turned to face Qin Yun, his face a mask of peacefulness and resolve. Yet, a slight sadness lingered. He sighed and answered, "All those who once knew it have long returned to dust. It has been so long since someone called my name that even I have forgotten. Besides, what use is a title for those who have been forgotten by the world? Just call me what you will..."


    He then closed his eyes and let himself fall backwards. Despite dark grey veins bulging on his skin, which undoubtedly caused him pain, he had a slight smile on his face. Yet, he showed none of it in his final moment.


    The man fell into the brazier before being embraced by the flame. There was no cry of agony, just a spark as the flame grew in size. Its blue hue spread to all corners of the chamber, bathing the darkness with light as it used his body as fuel for its revival.


    Slowly, the grey was countered by the blue, slowly dissipating, its purity restored. But even then, its might grew without end, as if it sought to overflow from its receptacle. Countless runes appeared on the wall of the chamber, pulsing with energy in unison with the evergrowing flame. It resembled a tide of ephemeral warmth that sought to scorch away at the darkness until nothing remained of the world.


    Qin Yun knew that if it wasn''t stopped, the flame''s spread would engulf the city whole, erasing all that threatened it and those who sought to protect it. This was the old man''s final act of resistance against the corruption, to use his body as fuel so that the darkness would not cross the line he had defended all his life, damned be all the bystanders caught in it.


    Qin Yun knew all this from the start yet made no attempt to stop him. After all, what would be the point? The man was but a stranger, as were all those fighting above. Their lives or deaths were inconsequential to him. All that mattered was that he couldn''t allow this fortress to fall. After all, what he needed most was time, and this could grant him the time he needed.


    "Farewell, senior,¡± Qin Yun muttered as he looked into the growing flame.


    While the man was but a stranger, his courage and dedication were admirable, even though his only reward for it was death. Qin Yun sighed, knowing that if he continued on this path¡ªbeing the heaven''s champion in this conflict¡ªthis would also be his fate. He couldn''t help but feel pity for himself. Still, there was a glimmer of hope, a single hint of a path he could take. While treacherous, it could offer him a way to escape its control.


    He looked at the lingering grey mist as it was banished by the blue light, fading away as it was consumed until nothing remained. Qin Yun stood at the edge, feeling the growing heat on his flesh. Golden symbols appeared on his skin as he touched the blue flame, feeling the power of the Dragon Vein flow into his body, forging it anew.


    He could choose to absorb its might, turning the flame into his own strength, yet he hesitated. Doing so would spell doom for this city, but that wasn''t what made him hesitate. Once again, he felt things fell into place much too easily.


    How did nobody think of securing this place? Did they have too much faith in its guardian, or were they merely complacent? How could they believe the outsiders would spring an all-out attack against the frontier without anything up their sleeves? This was the most vital part of the city, yet it was disregarded¡ªso much so that Qin Yun didn''t even have to search thoroughly to find a way within. He only had to follow two suspicious individuals, and they led him straight to the core and even dealt with the guardian for him. How could he not find all this too convenient?


    Qin Yun extended his hand into the flame, feeling its heat on his skin, yet the scorch was minimal. It only felt like a slight tingling sensation, yet the energy contained within was the purest he had ever felt. Even the tribulation qi within his core paled in comparison. This was the world¡¯s very essence, the foundation of its being. Without it, the world would become desolate and crumble.


    Still, this flame was only a fraction of its true might, just a single node among many where the flows intersected. To lose one would mean almost nothing in the grand scheme of things. This land might decay slightly faster, accelerating its demise, yet it would replenish in time as long as nothing untoward happened.


    Qin Yun''s lips produced a deep sigh as his eyes showed his resolve before closing them and taking a deep breath. He then took a single step toward the flame.

 Chapter 99 - Unprepared for the Battlefield

    Qin Yun''s body was bathed in the blue flame, yet his clothes remained intact despite the heat. He only felt a slight tingling sensation as the flame clung to his flesh, while golden characters appeared on his skin, pulsing with a slight energy as if to resist the heat. He felt a soothing warmth as if he had returned to the womb. There was a peacefulness to be found within the inferno akin to the eye of a storm.


    Qin Yun closed his eyes, letting the light wash over him as he let his consciousness wander. He could feel the world around him from a bird'' s-eye view, minute details clear in his mind. This flame was more than a physical manifestation of the world''s essence. It was also a conduit through which it could exercise its will.


    Throughout the underground chamber, countless runes appeared on the walls, leaving no stone unclaimed. The darkness receded, leaving only a bright blue light flickering in the middle, its glow slowly spreading outward.


    The runes were unlike those Qin Yun was familiar with. They felt ancient, probably originating from an archaic language lost to the endless flow of time. The meaning left in those strokes was profound and intricate but also esoteric. Trying to uncover their essence, even with Qin Yun''s depth of knowledge, would be arduous, especially without a frame of reference.


    At least, he could infer its function with the flow of qi from the flame and the transformation that happened as those runes were empowered. If the flame could be likened to the roots of a giant tree, slowly siphoning away the underground river flowing below it, then the runes were the branches splitting from the trunk as they spread in all directions like invisible tendrils rising to the sky, only to end up high above the city in a blanket of leaves, silently protecting the city.


    This was the guardian formation''s foundation. Without one of these factors working in unison, the city would have long been reduced to dust. The fact that it could maintain itself without outside intervention was a testament to the perfection of this design. Qin Yun highly doubted anyone alive today would be able to replicate it.


    Still, this type of autonomous formation wasn¡¯t without dangers. While bathed in flames, Qin Yun could feel the minute changes within. He could feel the remnants of the old man¡¯s will slowly empower the flame as it burned, breaking the balance that had lasted until now.


    The runes began to burn brighter, flickering slightly. The qi pathways even became visible to the naked eye, bright enough that they might even burn a man''s retina. Qin Yun''s eyes remained closed, yet he frowned. The old man''s intentions were clear: to burn his own life to shatter all that threatened the city.


    The flame had already been destabilized by the advent of grey corruption. It would have collapsed had nothing been done. The old man''s solution to this conundrum was simple yet effective. He simply used his body and his connection with the flame to open the floodgates, hoping the increased flow would shatter the remnants of corruption within.


    A good idea... in theory. Doing so is akin to an engine working at 200%. The formation may sustain this output for a while, even pushing back the hordes attacking the city. However, the formation will collapse sooner or later and all that pent-up energy will have to go somewhere...


    Qin Yun sighed, knowing this outcome was within the old man¡¯s expectations. The city would be razed to the ground, and all lives above would be lost, allies and enemies alike. While the four sects protecting the city were almost trivial for the Western Region, the same couldn''t be said for the outsiders attacking it. While Qin Yun had no way of estimating their actual numbers, he couldn''t help but feel that most of their able-bodied warriors had been called upon for this assault. Objectively speaking, the old man''s intentions were correct¡ªat least in the short term.


    However, what happens after that once the barrier is breached? The formation does more than just keep the outsiders away from the inner realm, but also the corruption. With nothing barring their path, it would only need to use those sandworms to spread its filth. If he gambled on the Heavenly Dao closing the breach, he was mistaken about its intentions...


    Feeling the increased flow within the flame, Qin Yun even began to feel the flame overwhelm what his skin could resist. While all he felt at the start was a slight tingling sensation, it became a dull ache. Nothing too alarming, yet it seemed to grow without end. Sooner or later, he would be wholly consumed by the energy flowing through it.


    With time running out, Qin Yun made up his mind. While he could have let the old man¡¯s plan go through and even profit from it, absorbing the leftover force of the Dragon Vein to forge his body further, maybe even increasing its rank, he chose against it as doing so would mean the fall of the frontier¡ªsomething he couldn''t allow to happen.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The world needed a bulwark against the spread of corruption, something to slow down its advent until Qin Yun could implement his plan. Although he knew it was reckless, he wouldn''t settle for half-measures. He refused to become some unknown force''s pawn in all this. The world wouldn''t always have its way with him.


    Qin Yun took a deep breath, letting all tension flow away as he let go of the reins of his consciousness. It spread all around, even diving within the runes as it was transmitted to every part of the city.


    Qin Yun saw sandworms diving from the sky as they opened their maws, spilling out the countless creatures that hid within like a flood on dry land, destroying everything they touched. The scarce defenders tried to stand against them, only for most to fail. The difference in both party''s zeal was plain to see.


    Most of the four sects¡¯ disciples stood at the back, letting the rogue cultivators in their ranks weather the brunt of the assault. Men and women died in droves, their blood soaking into the sand that now covered the city. Their cries of anguish and the madness of war resonated in the air, drowning the battlefield in mass hysteria as steel clashed against bone and the sturdy carapaces of the creatures unleashed upon them.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but sigh as he watched the bloodbath, knowing the battle was already lost. Three of the four sects had already pulled out most of their core forces, leaving only their outer disciples and elders to hold back the tide. Only the Moonlight Sword Palace remained, fighting with all their might, yet their quest was doomed to fail. They were completely outnumbered and would soon be surrounded, only to die a pointless death.


    Xu Weizhe stood at the front line, his blade carving a path forward through untold numbers of creatures that looked like giant scorpions. Their bodies were as large as a human male but also covered by an armour of stone, making their flesh strong enough to deflect most weaponry. Only by aiming for the gap between each rock plate were the disciples of the Moonlight Sword Palace able to inflict any damage on these creatures.


    On the other hand, Xu Weizhe''s sword sliced into the stone as if it didn''t even exist, severing everything that stood in its path. Nothing could stop his blade as stone limbs and giant claws flew away as they were severed before exploding into dust, then rained on the battlefield.


    Still, their numbers were unending, and their stamina was limited. Although they could catch their breaths between each assault, their respite was growing shorter every time, owing to the fact the barrier was weakening, allowing even more sandworms to get through than the last time. It was only a matter of time until the city fell, and they would all be buried under the sand tsunami.


    Yao Ruolan''s blade carved into another creature. Her white robe was now stained a dark red colour from the blood and entrails of her enemies. Her limbs were slightly numb, and the familiar sword in her hand felt much heavier than she remembered. Still, she swung it regardless, as her life depended on it. Yet it had lost its lustre and some of its edge. She needed to use ever-increasing amounts of qi only to slay the foes before her.


    A slight smile remained on her lips, even in this pit of despair, as she was surrounded by those she loved: her fellow disciples, her beloved master, and the man she cherished above all else. Despite his injuries, He Zihao stood next to her, his own sword in hand. His movement was sluggish, and he winced in pain at every strike, yet he remained steadfast as he watched her back, allowing her to make the most of her limited means.


    ¡°Why did you come? You could have chosen to leave. There is no reason for you to do this!¡± she asked over the cacophony of the battlefield, yet her expression betrayed how she really felt. She couldn¡¯t mask the smile that appeared on her lips.


    ¡°What would have been the point of that?¡± he replied as he parried the blow from a stone scorpion¡¯s claw.


    He sliced away at the joint, severing the limb. A slight trace of blood appeared on the corner of his lips, yet he masked it almost immediately, hoping she wouldn''t have noticed, but of course, she did. She struggled with her own thoughts before being attacked by another two beasts.


    She swiftly dispatched them, yet one of their tails lightly grazed her sleeve. The poison contained within slowly crept up the fabric. She deftly ripped the cloth before throwing it away, revealing the naked arm beneath, yet the sight only made He Zihao frown.


    Unlike the pristine skin he remembered, Yao Ruolan''s arms were full of cuts and bruises. While minor, her injuries were numerous, but also a reflection of what she had endured in this conflict. She could only lament that training was a far cry from actual battle. Nothing she had ever experienced in the sect, even during the countless competitions she took part in, could ever prepare her for the insanity she was now part of, nor the grief she would feel afterwards, were they to survive.


    After all, there were already countless casualties among the rogue cultivators and some of their own. Two of her fellow disciples had already fallen within the melee, their bodies devoured by the endless creatures raining from the sky, lost to them all.


    Her body felt like it moved on auto-pilot, only reacting to outside threats as it deflected blow after blow and cutting where she could. Ironically, her mind felt free, letting her blade dance wherever it wished to. Her swordsmanship felt natural as if the blade had a mind of its own and her body only followed its will. Whether she had reached a new height in her swordsmanship or was slowly losing her mind, she didn''t know. All she truly knew was that this was the only edge she had in this battle and that it was temporary. Sooner or later, she would collapse from exhaustion and be devoured by hordes swarming them.


    The end came sooner than she expected. She saw the body of her master fly through the air before colliding with a nearby building, shattering it as the rubble flew high into the sky before raining down on the battlefield. She evaded the most she could; she needed to use her sword for a few of them, which gave a scorpion the opening it sought.


    Its tail sought to pierce her chest with its needle. She couldn''t hope to dodge in time. She resolved herself for the end through a split-second decision and swung downward. If she was to perish, she wouldn''t go alone. Fortunately, her time wasn''t now.


    She felt a tug on her clothes, which dragged her out of the way. The tail ripped through the air, missing her. Even as she fell, Yao Ruolan exerted herself to change the path of her sword, which sliced away at the scorpion''s tail, severing it in two before she fell on her back, feeling someone under her. It was He Zihao, his hand around her waist as they both rolled on the soft sand, evading the subsequent attacks aimed at them, only to be saved by their fellow disciples.


    The wave was at its end. They grouped up to slay the last remaining insects. Once they were out of danger, the fellow disciples looked to where Elder Xu was propelled, only to see no movement. They turned in unison to where he had been just a moment ago, only to see a man much larger than them, wielding two large clubs, standing in the distance, looking at them with an eerie smile on his face. His killing intent was almost tangible.

 Chapter 100 - Blood on the Sand

    The man stood over two metres tall. His shoulders were broad and bare, as was his upper body. His muscles were massive, almost at an inhuman level, making him look like a mountain in the form of a man. On his head, a skull masked his features, only letting his bloodthirsty eyes show through.


    His lower body was covered with animal skins and held in place with a leather belt. He stood barefooted on the blazing hot sand yet seemed strangely at ease under the desert''s scorching heat.


    Yao Ruolan''s eyes widened as she looked at the man, fear stuck in her heart. His stature alone was impressive enough, yet what struck her the most was the killing intent pouring out of him, which he barely even tried to contain. The eerie smile plastered on his face told her all she needed to know.


    Still, her gaze was attracted to the man''s hand. They were as big as her head and with arms just as big. She could easily believe he would be able to crush her skull with a single hand. Yet, they were also empty. Two large axe heads of sharpened bones attached to bone shafts with leather straps rested in the soft sand.


    The man crossed his arms, making his pectoral muscles bulge as he looked down on the children before him. While most of the disciples of the Moonlight Sword Palace were in their early twenties, they might as well be children in his eyes. At least, his gaze told such a story.


    Some felt insulted yet couldn''t bring themselves to do anything about it. In fact, they could barely even move. His killing intent was almost tangible, holding them in place through pressure alone. They weren''t foolhardy enough to believe they could contend against this man. The best they could hope for was a quick death.


    While keeping his eyes on the man, He Zihao slowly stood before Yao Ruolan, protecting her with his own body despite the overwhelming pain that assaulted him. Standing alone proved hard enough, considering the desperate situation they had overcome to be here.


    He had almost no strength remaining and his vision began to haze, yet he still stood regardless, which couldn''t help but bring a tear to Yao Ruolan''s eyes. She wished she could hug him from behind and help him support his weight as she could see his legs trembling, yet she was unable to do so. She couldn''t help but curse her own weakness.


    Her gaze hardened as she looked at their opponent, transitioning from the fear of death to resolve. If they were to die regardless, she would at least do so from the front. She would never allow herself to be struck down from the back as she fled, and most of her fellow disciples shared her sentiment. While most were still terrified, they held tight to their swords and willed themselves to move.


    Unfortunately, reality wasn''t as kind. The man only sneered, pausing momentarily before taking back his weapons when he noticed that the man he had just struck hadn''t risen up again. Whether he had been slain was unknown, yet the outsider wasn''t reckless enough to dismiss a supposedly fallen opponent, yet could barely hold himself back.


    As his patience grew thin, the outsider leapt toward the group. Both axes were held above his head, and he let them fall toward the earth. Yao Ruolan gritted her teeth, trying to contend against the force of the blow she saw coming, yet couldn''t will her legs to move. The same applied to all her fellow disciples. She could only helplessly watch as the bone axes came ever closer, as if in slow motion, ready to reap their lives.


    She could almost see her life flash before her eyes, her early youth, as she was found by her master. She didn''t remember much of her parents, only that they were citizens of a nearby kingdom. She couldn''t remember much of their features, only that they were on the older side, with their skin having been weathered by the harsh sun and countless years toiling away on their small farm.


    She was also just one among many children the couple had. Yet she couldn''t remember how many siblings there were, as the oldest already had their own families by the time she became conscious of the world around her. All she knew was that her family was ordinary¡ªone you could find anywhere¡ªexcept for one single fact: herself.


    She had always felt different from other children¡ªalien to the world around her as if she didn''t belong here, yet she could never pinpoint how or why. She had also never felt the bond family should share, and this affected their relationship. They weren''t abusive by any means, but she felt a gap that couldn''t be crossed.


    It wasn''t until her master happened to pass by that she finally found the reason¡ªshe had finally found someone she could relate to. It didn''t take much for her parents to give her away when Xu Weizhe offered them some money, and Yao Ruolan also didn''t protest. The transaction worked well for both parties, and Yao Ruolan never saw them again. She never felt the urge.


    Her life within the Moonlight Sword Palace was more than she anticipated. Coming from a peasant background, it took a while for her to adapt and fit in. Yet, once she finally held a blade, it was as if she had found a home and hadn''t left ever since. All the woes she might have felt at one time became irrelevant, and only the blade mattered.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    It became her world, and the man who introduced her to it almost became an object of worship. If not for He Zihao, she might still feel that way. Yet, love did change her perspective.


    Years of memories flashed in her mind, yet reality advanced but a single instant. The two axe heads were still on the same trajectory, aimed at them. They had no hope of survival should they collide, as the might contained within was almost suffocating. If not for her muscles being locked tight, she might have collapsed on the ground in a pool of her own sweat. She could practically hear her swordheart breaking within her.


    Just as the axes fell, a sword emerged from the rubble in the distance. The blade was a metre in length and sharp enough to slice through the air itself, only for it to linger a while before collapsing back in on itself. The handle''s design was clean and simple, made of pale blue leather wrapped around a smooth piece of softwood, while the image of a moon was inscribed into the pummel.


    The sword cut through the air, making almost no sound as it did, only arriving just at the right moment to receive the outsider''s strike. Metal and bone collided, yet neither gave way, producing a deafening noise that rang over the battlefield. They hovered in the air briefly before the man planted both feet firmly into the ground and pressed further into the floating blade.


    Both weapons struggled for dominion, yet the blade was slowly losing ground, owing to the fact that the outsider only added to the force of the blow as time went on, while Xu Weizhe was nowhere to be seen. Only his blade had emerged from the wreckage of the collision.


    ¡°How long do you plan on hiding?¡± the outsider barked in broken tongue, his words almost indecipherable if not for the fact that all those who stayed in this city for any lengths of time would be accustomed to hearing them speaking that way on a weekly basis as they assaulted this fortification, throwing jeers and insults their way in their foes¡¯ language.


    The group stayed quiet, awaiting a response that never came. The outsider frowned, feeling slightly humiliated by his opponent''s attitude. His killing intent couldn''t help but spill outward even more, chilling the young disciples to the bone. Some even collapsed on their knee, their fighting spirit extinguished in the face of this man''s cold stare. They trembled on the ground, unable to raise their gazes. Only Yao Ruolan and a few managed to retain their minds in the face of this terror, if only barely.


    ¡°Not coming out, eh?¡± the man sneered, his gaze fixed in the distance. ¡°If so, don¡¯t blame me for what is to come!¡±


    His sight then fell onto the group, killing what remained of their resolve. Yao Ruolan couldn''t even breathe anymore as his mere gaze was suffocating. At that moment, however, what came to her mind was a question she could only consider out of place.


    How can they produce such force without the aid of qi? Where do the outsiders get their strength?


    Then, her mind blanked out as the blade was forcefully shoved out of the way, tumbling to the wayside as the axes fell once again, this time aimed straight at her as she was the only one still standing. Even He Zihao had collapsed long ago, completely unconscious. In fact, none but her retained their awareness.


    She closed her eyes and awaited an edge that never came. She only heard the sound of a collision, as if the world itself had collapsed. She could feel a tremor through her legs and couldn¡¯t help but slowly reopen her eyes to a scene she could hardly believe.


    Her master stood before her, his clothes torn and his back bloody, yet he still stood tall despite the many injuries. His long hair fell to his shoulders, freed from the restraints of the hairpin that usually held it in place. While she could not see his face from this angle, she nonetheless could imagine the pain he was now in, only by the sight of his many lacerations.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel ashamed of using children in this way?¡± Xu Weizhe said coldly, his voice firm, not betraying the slightest hint of a tremor as he looked at the man before him.


    The sword was now in his hand, deeply stuck into the ground alongside the two bone axes. Despite the outsider''s muscles bulging and dark veins popping out of his skin, the axes made no indications of moving. Yet, Yao Ruolan could see her master''s back was drenched in blood and sweat. She knew this stalemate would be short-lived.


    "Are you dumb?" the outsider spat as he tugged harder, producing a slight motion. "This is war! Anyone holding a weapon is a foe and will be killed accordingly. Age or strength has no bearing on this. If you don''t want to die, just run away. But know this, we will not stop at this city. Soon, the world will know of our grudge. There will be nowhere for you all to hide!"


    The man showed a madness-filled smile before his skin and eyes turned a deep grey. His strength surged, surpassing even Xu Weizhe''s current might as he retrieved his axes despite the torrent of qi surrounding them, holding them in place.


    The ground shattered as he pulled them back. Xu Weizhe¡¯s blade was knocked to the side as the impact propagated outward as if a sound wave in water, striking at his already unstable qi centre, prompting a mass of blood to be ejected from his mouth.


    Xu Weizhe fell to one knee, his strength slowly leaving him, as his injuries were already too severe to allow his strength to be used. He could only glare at the man before him, unresolved. If not for his injuries, this outsider wouldn''t have been an issue, yet he would now succumb to a man his lesser. The shame was immense, yet the thought of his only disciple falling with him was even worse. He couldn''t help but resent the three other sects for their cowardice.


    The outsider sneered as the blades fell for a third time. While the action was simple, it was filled with uncanny destruction. Xu Weizhe even wondered if he could receive such a strike at his peak. At least, he would have been injured severely, if not outright perish. However, this time, there was no question.


    He watched the blade fall, only to be stunned into silence. Even the outsider''s eyes grew wide open, and his mouth hung slightly. An almost invisible blue barrier shimmered before the axes, stopping them mid-swing, yet they produced no sound nor shock waves, almost as if it had absorbed the impact entirely.


    The man tugged on his blade, yet they were stuck in place. Not even his newfound strength could make them budge. He let go of his weapon and leapt backwards out of range. However, before his feet could even hit the ground, the man''s torso was severed from his lower limbs, the blue barrier having formed an edge and ran right through him, leaving a pristine cut devoid of imperfection before vanishing entirely.


    It was only when she heard the sound of the axes hitting the ground that Yao Ruolan finally regained her senses, wondering what just happened. Even Xu Weizhe was bewildered by the events that occurred.


    Deep underground, underneath an ocean of sand, but also bathed in blue flames, Qin Yun offered a slight smile.

 Chapter 101 - A Timely Arrival

    Following his intervention, Qin Yun could feel instabilities in the barrier. It flickered slightly, weakening as another wave of sand crashed overhead. This prompted even more sandworms to fall from the sky as holes opened up in the boundary between the city and the hostile world outside.


    The situation was even more dire than it seemed. Unbeknownst to those fighting above, the barrier wasn''t lacking power. In fact, the opposite was true. The Dragon Vein raged as the formation siphoned away its power, while Qin Yun could barely staunch its flow.


    The forgotten one''s sacrifice had triggered a chain reaction that prompted the barrier to run wild. If Qin Yun had not used his body as a valve to regulate its flow, it would have consumed everything in its wake, destroying everything for countless miles around its epicentre.


    The formation was like a runaway horse, rampaging along the plains with infinite stamina. The best that Qin Yun could do was to stop it short of exploding. In the worst case, he would have to turn it off entirely, which would mean the city''s fall. In that case, letting it run wild might be the better outcome. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place.


    His only saving grace was that absorbing the earth''s force through the dragon vein did wonders for his body cultivation. In the short moments he had been connected with the Dragon Vein, his body went from a low-grade common-rank artifact to a mid-grade one. If he didn''t have to put most of his focus on stabilizing the situation, he might have reaped even more profits from it.


    The situation above devolved into barely controlled chaos. Most of the core disciples of the three sects besides the Moonlight Sword Palace had already retreated to their own compound within the city, possessing their own protecting formations. They were also making preparations to evacuate the city entirely if necessary.


    Even when the world hangs in the balance, most people will always choose their own self-interest, Qin Yun lamented deep within the earth as he watched the city¡¯s troops being slowly overrun.


    Corpses and blood littered the streets, while broken bones and shattered steel were discarded everywhere, painting a macabre picture of this once bustling city. Although this city breathed war, it was still a painful sight for all its inhabitants.


    Nalia stood in her tavern. Her gaze was unhurried as she watched the deluge of sand fall from the sky, burying all who dared stand against it. Countless desert creatures patrolled the streets, sinking their teeth and fangs into unfortunate passersby as they ran from the onslaught. Yet, surprisingly, they seemed to avoid her completely, almost as if they couldn''t perceive her existence.


    Qin Yun noticed this particular detail yet thought not much of it, only offering a slight smile. He had more pressing matters to attend to. The desert receded, preparing for the next onslaught. Through the formation, Qin Yun watched the outsiders'' assembled forces. Their numbers had dwindled substantially, having exhausted most of the desert beings they had brought. They were now left with mostly their own warriors. Still, they seemed reluctant to use them.


    It seems they aren¡¯t ready to expend their own men until the formation is broken... It appears they put much of their hopes on the two they sent here. It might have worked had I not been here. However, they might still get their wishes the way things are going...


    Qin Yun could only shake his head at how passive he was in this situation. He could only watch as the city was overrun while he did his best to keep the barrier from vaporizing everything in sight. It was then that he found something most peculiar.


    A man stood at the front of the outsiders'' main army, watching the assault. Yet, unlike his own men, he had no joy or eagerness for battle on his face, only a stern determination to do what was necessary, even if it meant sacrificing all those who stood behind him or even his own life.


    Qin Yun could easily recognize this look as he had seen it countless times before. This was the look of a man with conviction and a goal to strive for. This wasn''t the mere zeal of fanaticism but something much more¡ªsomething that made Qin Yun envious.


    While he couldn''t make out the words as the formation only transmitted visuals, he could infer what was happening through body language alone. A few large men who wore nothing but fur on their lower bodies approached the man, only for an argument to strike.


    From what Qin Yun could decipher, they seemed eager to join the melee, yet the man denied their request. Some tried to reason with him, while others showed discontent, yet the man didn''t budge. In fact, his features only showed his intent were they to disobey him.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The few large men recoiled, frightened of a much smaller man. Qin Yun could see them trembling, unable to hold on to their weapons as they fell to the soft, warm sand. Some even had to bend their knees as they couldn''t support their own weight, only for their chests to heave up and down as they tried to catch their breaths.


    Intrigued, Qin Yun sought to take a closer look at the young man, only to be shocked by what he saw. As he looked upon him, he felt a striking resemblance to someone he had met before. Although their features differed in some aspects, the resemblance was uncanny. Qin Yun remained lost in thought for a while, pondering the implications.


    Then, the man''s head turned abruptly, ignoring the men that had fallen to the ground. He faced the city in the distance, his eyes narrowing as a frown appeared on his face. A slight killing intent slowly spilled out of him as his hand rested on the bone sword attached to his hips. The men next to him recoiled even more in fright, thinking themselves to be the target of his ire. However, Qin Yun knew better.


    He could feel the man''s killing intent aimed at him¡ªor, more precisely, at the formation he was now in charge of. He frowned, gazing in the distance. It was as if, despite the distance separating them, both men could feel each other''s gaze and their fighting instincts resonated with each other.


    Interesting... I didn¡¯t expect him to be able to feel the formation spying on them. It seems they have means we aren¡¯t aware of.


    Having seen enough, Qin Yun disengaged. He knew antagonizing this man would only lead to further complications. Still, he couldn''t help but quickly glance at the tavern he had frequented earlier in the day. Nalia was still there, impassive as she watched the battles in the streets as countless desert creatures overran them while avoiding her by a wide berth.


    He also glimpsed at the group from the Moonlight Sword Palace. Most had looks of horror on their face, probably owing to the fact that Elder Xu was bloody and battered, and his breath was shallow and inconsistent. They struggled against the waves of enemies, slowly retreating from the front lines.


    Qin Yun frowned further as he watched the front lines collapse. He mobilized all the power he could from the formation, slowing the onslaught against the city, but all it did was delay the inevitable. He could feel the Dragon Vein below his feet further destabilize as he needed to further tap into its resources, only to stop the situation from devolving into utter chaos.


    Unless a miracle happens, this city is doomed to fall... Should I just let the Dragon Vein go wild?


    As Qin Yun wavered between the city''s conquest and destruction, a massive pressure appeared, standing just over the shimmering blue barrier. All the creatures that had infiltrated the barrier were pinned to the ground, unable to move, but so were most of the defenders. The pressure was indiscriminate.


    Yao Ruolan felt her breath cut short, and her vision grew slightly hazy. However, she smiled, for she was familiar with the pressure she felt. It was strangely similar to her own but only orders of magnitude stronger.


    Up above, a sword hovered above the world. On it was a young woman in a white dress. Her long hair danced along the sand-laced wind, yet none could reach her as every grain would perish before they had the chance. They sublimated into nonexistent particles as they entered the slim domain wrapping her body.


    Another sand wave rose to the sky, aimed again at the city. Qin Yun concentrated, stabilizing the structure of the formation, if only to better resist the impact, yet he knew that his efforts were mostly in vain. Every time it collided, he would lose a bit of his control, bringing the city further toward destruction. Based on his calculations, the formation could only bear it once or twice. Any more, and it would collapse. Still, there was no nervousness in his gaze as he watched the tide approach.


    The woman raised her hand, pointing two fingers forward, only for the sword below her feet to spring forth, plunging deep into the sand wave, creating a massive impact as it did so. The wind of this thrust alone split the sand in two, carving away a safe haven for the city as the wave exploded and rained sand all around, only for the creatures within to be fully exposed, free-falling toward the city before being shattered by the sword as it made another pass before returning to the woman hand.


    The world grew silent as it stood still; only the sizzle of hot sand falling onto the unstable formation barrier remained. None dared to move, yet it would be more accurate to say that none could. There was only the hot sun overhead and the raging winds of the Great Barrier next to the city.


    ¡°Commander!" one of the large outsiders said as he looked at the woman in the distance. "They''ve finally sent one of their Soul Formation Experts. Should we initiate phase two of the plan?"


    The commander showed no emotion, even as he faced the might the woman exuded. In fact, both of their gazes had already met, yet none of them chose to initiate hostilities first. They probed each other from a distance, yet the man found he was slightly superior. Still, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to proceed. Something had gone wrong.


    ¡°The formation should have been broken by now... Did something go wrong?¡± the man muttered, yet his gaze didn¡¯t leave the woman. ¡°I felt the trap being released; they shouldn¡¯t have failed. What happened?¡±


    "Commander! Your orders, please!"


    More large men lined next to the commander, awaiting orders. Their faces were eager for blood, and their bodies exuded an aura of slaughter. They had patiently waited for this moment ever since the battle had started. Even if the woman''s aura was almost suffocating, they could only barely stop themselves from leaping into battle. They firmly clung to their weapons, exuding an overpowering killing intent.


    "Retreat!" the commander yelled, finally breaking the silence, leaving the men beside him completely stunned. Only one managed to break out of his stupor.


    "Commander! Just give us the order, and we will slay her. The city has almost fallen. Our victory is at hand!" the man replied, barely concealing his agitation. "Why stop now? Are you that afraid of her?!"


    The commander looked at the man, showering him with the coldest look, which alone made him tremble in fear. It only lasted a single moment, yet all those around could feel that they had barely escaped death.


    "Enough! My decision is final. This battle ends here. Have our troops retreat to the next meeting point!"


    He then began to walk away, turning his back to his foe in the distance without fearing a surprise attack. The woman silently floated in the air, her sword in her hand. Only as the man disappeared behind the dunes did she let out a long breath and stopped her hand from trembling. Despite wanting to deny this from the bottom of her heart, she had just barely escaped death.

 Chapter 102 - A Bittersweet Victory

    Zou Lan hovered over the battlefield, her feet softly resting on her sword. She watched the outsiders'' troops slowly recede into the distance, out of sight. Only the sound of rustling sand remained as it fell to the ground from the flickering formation.


    All others were still crushed under the pressure her blade emitted, unable to make a sound. Her might was indiscriminate, assaulting every living being within her domain''s range equally. Only then did the slaughter finally stop, and the city could recover a semblance of peace, if only through forceful methods.


    After she made sure they were gone for good, she let out a long, slow breath, yet it soon turned into a sharp wind that fell downward, coating the city in its presence. It flowed through every street and home, slaughtering every foreign entity found within, all the while ignoring the residents and the wounded that now littered the ground. In less than a single breath, the city was filled with the stench of blood but was soon carried away by the same wind, leaving only the gruesome evidence of his existence behind.


    ¡°Sect Leader!¡± Yao Ruolan yelled as the lady finally landed next to her.


    She held within her arms the immobile body of her master. While a breath remained, his body was cold and pale. Countless lacerations could be found on his skin, and blood soaked his clothes completely. There were also traces of a black substance spewing from the wounds.


    Without offering any input, Zou Lan waved her hand, prompting a wave of qi to gently push the surrounding spectators away. Most were the disciples of the Moonlight Sword Palace who had survived the battlefield, but some of the rogue cultivators had joined them along the way. They all wore expressions of uneasiness and sadness at the sight of Xu Weizhe''s mangled body, but some also showed a deep respect for the wounded man. They knew full well that they wouldn''t be alive to tell the tale without him.


    Through a slight gesture of her fingers, a wave of qi sprung forth, picking the man¡¯s body off the ground, only for Zou Lan to frown deeply as a puddle of blood soaked the desert sand, and even more fell from the wound. Even for a cultivator, this was a deadly amount.


    "Did he take our sect''s emergency pill?" she asked as she examined the wounds, using her domain to staunch the bleeding, but to little effect. No matter how much pressure she applied, blood still flowed from the open gashes, but now it had turned from bright red to almost black.


    ¡°I did as soon as I could.¡± Yao Ruolan replied, fighting through the tears. ¡°The first did almost nothing, so I gave him a second one, but the result was the same. I didn¡¯t dare try a third...¡±


    This only made Zou Lan frown further. Their emergency pills empowered the flesh with countless amounts of qi, allowing the body to use it to restore itself. Using too many could lead to Qi Deviation if it exceeded the amount the flesh could bear.


    However, she could only barely perceive the existence of qi within Xu Weizhe¡¯s body. Either the pills were defective, or something was absorbing all the qi that the pills fed to him. The black substance seemed to be the most suspicious.


    She reached into her clothes and uncovered a small jade bottle. She opened it, only for two pure white pills to come flying out, hovering slightly in the air before she used her fingers to swiftly throw them into Xu Weizhe''s now open mouth. They dissolved as soon as they made contact with his tongue, becoming a mass of qi quickly absorbed by his flesh.


    "High-Grade Profound Rank pills?" one of the disciples proficient in the art of alchemy exclaimed, his eyes growing wide at the sight of those pills. "Judging by their glow, they might have reached the Earth Rank if the refiner was slightly more skilful! Such a treasure!"


    He couldn''t help but show an expression of longing for those pills, but he also showed some pity for their uses, only for his expression to be caught by one of his fellow disciples.


    "What''s the use of a pill if it isn''t used when needed, or would you rather Elder Xu perish of his wounds?" the man sneered, prompting the other man into silence. His expression became one of deep regret; he couldn''t help but apologize to Yao Ruolan for his callousness, but she paid him no attention. Her gaze was fixed on her master as she watched their sect leader supervise the healing process.


    Zou Lan was fully focused on the task, filtering out all unnecessary stimuli as she carefully prodded Xu Weizhe''s body and directed the flow of qi with her own domain. She even used its sharpness to perform some rudimentary acupuncture. As this wasn''t her specialty, the process was laborious and draining. She also had to ingest one of those pills herself, if only to sustain the qi demands.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Over half an hour passed.


    While it was slow and agonizing for Zou Lan and Yao Ruolan, the spectators felt time fly by as they marvelled at what they were shown. Not every day could they witness a Soul Formation cultivator''s masterful control of qi, but also their domain. Some even chose to sit down and meditate on the new insights they gained, ignoring the city''s wretched state and the countless corpses surrounding them.


    After what seemed like an eternity, Zou Lan finally let out a deep breath, as did Xu Weizhe''s unconscious body. While hers was merely due to exhaustion, his was a deep black, made of countless droplets of dark liquid before condensing into a small sphere using her domain. What remained of the dark fog became a small pill that Zou Lan intensely scrutinized in silence.


    "Is Master going to be alright?" Yao Ruolan asked as she sought to approach her sect leader, only to be held back by He Zihao, who had just regained consciousness. She bit her lips and held her tongue, giving the woman space to do what she should. Still, the wait felt like an eternity.


    ¡°He will,¡± she finally replied, yet her expression showed no glee at his survival. In fact, gloom was all that Yao Ruolan saw. Still, she didn¡¯t press her for more, only waiting for her sect leader to speak of it on her own.


    ¡°I purged the poison, but the damage has already been done," she finally added, now showing a look of sadness. "His cultivation base is now unstable. Whether or not he can recover from this is still up in the air. Fortunately, his life is no longer in danger. He''ll have to recover for a long time, and nothing is certain. Still, the sect won''t forget his sacrifice and will do anything we can to help him recover."


    Her surroundings grew silent as everyone was taken aback by what they heard. Most looked surprised, and others were sad. Only Yao Ruolan knelt on the ground, the news sapping her strength. She gritted her teeth and clenched her hand, refusing to believe this was her master''s end as a cultivator.


    ¡°Is there nothing I can do?¡± she finally managed to say, tears welling at the corner of her eyes, only for Zou Lan to press her hand onto her shoulder, using her domain to restrain and calm her down. Only after a brief moment did she finally relent and close her eyes, the tears gliding on her cheeks until they fell on the dry sand, only to disappear.


    "For now, take him back to the compound, and let him rest," Zou Lan said as she placed Xu Weizhe''s unconscious body back on the ground, only to then address the rest of her sect''s disciples, but also those that were witness to the events that had transpired.


    "We have won this battle, and I am proud of you for fighting until the end, defending the city from the outsiders'' threat. However, they may have retreated this time, but it only heralds the beginning of our struggles. The city is in shambles, and our forces grow thin. Even the formation wasn''t sparred. Even now, it threatens to collapse."


    She pointed upwards, only for all those present to raise their heads to gaze at the sky. A shimmering blue dome covered the city, but it seemed far from stable. In fact, countless holes appeared and then vanished, only for the boundary to blur despite no strain being applied to the barrier. The qi contained within fluctuated wildly, from bursting apart at the seam to almost non-existent. It was a wonder it still remained active in its current condition.


    "There''s no telling when they will come next, but we won''t be ready for them when they do. Still, there''s no need to blame yourselves. You did all that was expected of you and even more. The reason for all this lies elsewhere, and I don''t intend for your sacrifices to go unavenged. This threat isn''t ours alone to bear. If others wish to bury their head in the sand, thinking only of their own profits, then I say let them bear the consequences. Our sect washes ourselves of this matter."


    All those who heard her speech were left speechless, unable to utter any response. Still, in their hearts, they, too, felt the same. They had lost much and gained almost nothing, bearing the brunt of the suffering while others hid in the back, reaping the rewards of their struggle. In fact, the longer they thought about this, the more they approved of Zou Lan''s decision. As for the consequences, why should they be the ones to care?


    ¡°Go home. Once he is stable enough to travel, return to the sect," she added, looking at He Zihao, who was comforting Yao Ruolan despite his own injuries. She couldn''t help but close her eyes, only to repress her fury at that moment.


    ¡°What about you?¡± He Zihao asked, clearly seeing the resolve in his sect leader¡¯s eyes. He suddenly had a bad feeling about this.


    ¡°I still have unfinished business here,¡± she added, her gaze looking at the compound of the three other sects with a glint in her eyes. Somehow, her gaze was also pointed downwards.


    ******


    Even as the battle concluded, Qin Yun still had a mess on his hands. The formation remained a wild horse, siphoning the power dwelling within the earth with no end in sight. If not for him using his own body as a valve to regulate the power, it would have burst a long time ago, razing everything within a radius of a few hundred kilometres. Everything would have vanished without a trace, returning to the desolate desert.


    Qin Yun''s state was wretched as well. The intense power of the dragon vein had all but evaporated his clothes. While the blue flame he currently stood in wasn''t a flame but a manifestation of the energy swirling around him, it acted similar to one, burning everything it came into contact with.


    The only reason he remained fine was due to the baptism he had endured as tribulation collided with him, forging his body further. He was now on the cusp of his body becoming a high-grade common rank artifact.


    While this didn''t sound impressive, considering that common rank artifacts could be literally found anywhere, it also meant that his flesh had become invulnerable to anything below it. By refining it further, there was a chance his body could become undying, solving one of the problems that had always plagued him. Needless to say, it would prove unfathomably difficult for him to reach such a level.


    It was then that Qin Yun heard footsteps in the distance. Although the sound was quickly closing on him, the pace didn''t seem rushed but steady and purposeful.


    With his back to the entrance, Qin Yun patiently waited for the new arrival, and only when the sound died a few metres away from him did he turn around to address the newcomer.


    ¡°You''re finally here," Qin Yun said calmly as he gazed at Zou Lan. Wisps of swirling energies crashed around the room but couldn''t breach the edge of her domain. "Ever since I witnessed your avatar, I''ve been dying to meet you."

 Chapter 103 - An Impossible Choice

    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll forgive me for my state of undress,¡± Qin Yun said as he turned to see a beautiful woman in a white dress emerge from the nearby corridor, a frown marring her exquisite features. While his clothes had long been evaporated by the raging power of the dragon vein, at least the blue flames were opaque enough to hide what needed hiding.


    Silence reigned as Zou Lan scrutinized her surroundings, noticing the lingering scent of death and decay that remained in this enclosed underground chamber.


    ¡°What happened to the guardian?¡± she finally asked, her gaze seeking to pierce through him. Qin Yun could only sigh at the open hostility she displayed.


    ¡°Why ask the obvious? You¡¯ve seen the state of the formation; that should give you ample information as to what happened.¡±


    ¡°Do not play games with me!¡±


    The size of her domain grew astronomically as if pushed outwards by a pressure wave. Its sharpness threatened to rend asunder anything that stood in its path, only to be stopped completely by the blue flame, unable to ever reach Qin Yun. It was as if he stood in a completely different dimension, immune to all external factors.


    Seeing the futility of her actions, Zou Lan only frowned further before taking a deep breath. Her eyes returned to calm, losing their animosity; only an emotionless countenance remained. Still, Qin Yun could clearly see how much effort it took for her to kill her emotions. It spoke volumes of the distress she currently felt despite her deep cultivation.


    ¡°Tell me what happened,¡± she finally said calmly.


    While preserving the fragile balance of the unstable formation, Qin Yun calmly narrated the events that took place in this underground tomb. However, he made sure not to reveal the identity of the traitors who had led the city to this fate.


    "Why should I believe you when you won''t even tell me who is responsible for this?" she asked, a slight trace of killing intent in her eyes. Yet, surprisingly, Qin Yun felt it wasn''t aimed at himself but at someone else. Still, he wasn''t interested in finding out more. He had more pressing issues.


    ¡°Are you in any position to do anything about it?¡± he replied, watching the changes in her expression closely. ¡°As far as I saw, the Moonlight Sword Palace has lost most of its strength, and the other three sects cannot be relied upon to do anything about the information I can provide, so what good would it do for you to know?¡±


    He waited to see her reaction, yet all he saw was a bright flame in her eyes. It seemed she wouldn''t budge until Qin Yun finally came clean. He could only sigh and tell her the truth, only for her expression to become even grimmer. She bit her lips and clenched her fist so hard that she almost drew blood despite the heightened strength of her flesh.


    "That''s why I didn''t want to tell you," Qin Yun lamented. "With your sect alone, there''s nothing you can do. Your best bet would be to report this to the Immortal Beast Sect Alliance and wait for them to deal with it, but it might be too late."


    ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with them?¡± she asked, yet her eyes told him she only half-believed his words. ¡°There¡¯s no way you are just another rogue cultivator. No one should be able to survive standing within the dragon vein. Not even I can boast as such.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to it,¡± Qin Yun shrugged. ¡°As long as the world wills it, nothing is impossible. As for who I am, is that important?¡±


    ¡°It is to me.¡±


    Her eyes were locked onto Qin Yun, her slender hand on the hilt of her blade. While Qin Yun felt her caution was reasonable, it only impeded what he had to do next. The dragon vein was slowly growing out of his control; something needed to be done. He could only sigh and be forthcoming.


    ¡°Qin Yun is my name,¡± he finally said after a long sigh. ¡°I doubt you¡¯ve heard of me. While my wife is related to the Immortal Beast Sect Alliance, I¡¯m not part of it.¡±


    "Qin Yun..." she muttered before a light flashed into her eyes. "Any relationship to the Qin Family of Jin City?"


    "Oh?" Qin Yun''s eyebrow rose slightly as he couldn''t contain his surprise. Still, his expression soon returned to his usual slight smile. "There was, at some point. Although, now I''ve been disowned by them. So, you could say there isn''t anymore. I truly am just another rogue cultivator. However, let''s leave my origins for later, as we have more pressing issues."


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    As soon as the words left his mouth, the blue flames erupted like a volcano, spewing molten rocks everywhere. It rose to the ceiling, threatening to burst through the rock and dirt and emerge straight into the middle of the city. If it were to do so, what remained of it would burst into flames, only to be swept away by the cruel winds of the Great Barrier, leaving nothing behind but sand¡ªnot even ashes would remain.


    Qin Yun¡¯s eyes narrowed as he felt the power of the dragon vein grow wild, as if a caged beast trying to rip apart its bond and escape, freedom just a step away. As its jailer, Qin Yun bore the brunt of its ire, the waves of its power crashed onto his body, only for the golden symbols on his skin to light up and pulse as they tried to counteract the pressure he felt.


    Drops of sweat slid along his skin, only to burst into steam as they fell from his body, dissipating into the dry desert air. While the pain was nothing compared to what he had endured while forging his body, it still couldn¡¯t be called pleasant. His strength was slowly being sapped away by the raging dragon vein. Despite the boon he had received as he reached the Qi Refining realm, nothing could stand against the might of the world itself¡ªat least not for long.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?!¡± Zou Lan exclaimed, yet showed no signs of intervening. She knew better than to act rashly.


    Tensions ran high in the underground chamber, yet the storm soon receded, returning to calm as Qin Yun fell to one knee, exhausted. Despite desperately trying, he couldn''t catch his breath. His chest rose and fell, seeking fresh air, yet relief was denied. Only after multiple minutes spent unable to move did peace finally return as he rose once again. Zou Lan had watched the entire scene, yet she remained silent after her first outburst.


    ¡°How long can it hold?¡± she asked, yet her expression was grim.


    It was clear to her that the only reason the dragon vein was still under control was due to the man bathed in blue flames, yet even that wasn''t enough. Sooner or later, it would break out and consume everything in its wake, and she was powerless to do anything. After all, only the guardian had been privy to its secret. So it had been since the dawn of time.


    "Not much longer," Qin Yun finally said expressionlessly, as if none of this concerned him. "You have two choices ahead of you. Either find someone to take guardianship of this formation, making him forever bound to this place, unable to escape, or destroy it entirely before it destroys everything."


    Zou Lan only frowns further. Qin Yun''s meaning was clear. A sacrifice was needed. Either to sacrifice an individual to the flame or the city itself. Anyone would know which of the two was preferable, yet she couldn''t make the choice. She knew the importance of the city, yet it wasn''t enough for her to lose her freedom¡ªnot to the city that had taken too much from her. If anything, a voice in her heart whispered to her to let it all burn, telling her that this was what they deserved. Despite her efforts, she couldn''t silence the voice echoing in her skull, growing louder and louder.


    Qin Yun could see her hesitation and knew of her dilemma. He had been witness to all that occurred above ground, her loss and her pain. Still, this was her choice to make as one of those tasked with overseeing this city.


    "What about you?" she asked as if trying to find an alternative.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a foreigner,¡± he replied unconcerned. ¡°Why should I care about this place? That¡¯s not my problem.¡±


    ¡°Then why bother to keep the flame burning?¡± she added, yet couldn¡¯t mask her dissatisfaction.


    "Call it a whim, if you will. Besides, other matters need my attention. Some forces won''t allow me to stay idle. You should choose quickly; not much time remains."


    Zou Lan bit her lips, this time drawing blood. Visions of past events flashed in her mind, from her master''s fall to the city ravaged by war. Her emotions fluctuated rapidly. Yet, what remained imprinted in her mind most vividly was the sight of Xu Weizhe covered in blood and on the verge of death. However, she could also imagine the smug laughing faces of the three other sect masters. She couldn''t help but feel her blood boil.


    ¡°Let it be destroyed then,¡± she finally said, and to her surprise, Qin Yun showed no change in his expression, as if he had anticipated all of it.


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    His voice was cold, yet she felt no reproach in it. Somehow, she couldn¡¯t help but feel it would have been better if it did. She closed her eyes and waited for the end of an era to come, only to be suddenly awakened by a familiar voice.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    The voice echoed from the end of the corridor as footsteps quickly approached. It was a female voice that Qin Yun also recognized. His hand stopped mid-motion and waited for the new arrival, a slight smile on his face.


    After a minute or two, a group emerged from the corridor into the underground chamber. At the front was Yao Ruolan, supporting her master alongside He Zihao. Behind them were the rest of the disciples of the Moonlight Sword Palace. Qin Yun saw puzzlement in their eyes yet paid them no mind. Instead, his gaze was attracted toward Zou Lan, and he couldn''t help but like what he saw. She had already realized what was happening when she turned toward Qin Yun, only to offer him a look laced with fury.


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± she asked, almost losing control of her domain as it was filled to the brim with murderous intent.


    ¡°Lan...¡± Xu Weizhe said, having regained consciousness much earlier than expected. ¡°Do not blame him. I chose to come here on my own.¡±


    His voice was hoarse and feeble, yet the light in his eyes was stout and pure. His resolve had already been made, which couldn''t help but make her frown further; her lovely features were distorted by her fury.


    "You shouldn''t be here," she replied. She could barely keep her intent from spilling out of her words. The weaker disciples couldn''t bear the strain and had no choice but to back out of the underground chamber, leaving only the two supporting Xu Weizhe. But, even they had trouble breathing under the pressure she emitted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn,¡± Xu Weizhe added. ¡°You know this is the best choice.¡±


    ¡°You put him up to this!¡± she burst out, unsheathing her blade, striking at the blue flame, only to be repelled by the countless runes pulsing on the walls, creating a shimmering barrier that separated the two.


    "I only gave him the same choice I gave you," Qin Yun replied unconcernedly. "It''s only fair of me to do so."


    ¡°Lan. Listen to me," Xu Weizhe said as he rejected his disciple''s aid and walked alone toward the lone woman.


    His steps were heavy and clumsy as if he barely had control of his own body. Sweat poured out of his pore, staining his already battered robes, yet his eyes were clear, without any sign of the pain he surely must have felt.


    He took her hand into his, only to bring it to bring it to his cheek, feeling its warmth as he looked into her radiant eyes, full of anger and resentment. Even then, they didn''t mellow a single bit. He couldn''t help but chuckle, making him cough a little blood. Still, the intensity of her gaze didn''t change in the slightest, while Yao Ruolan couldn''t help but show her concern.


    ¡°You know as well as I the state of my body,¡± he said softly. ¡°Let me do this...¡±


    When she looked back into his clear eyes, he felt her heart waver, if only a little. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, only to utter words that took Xu Weizhe completely aback.


    ¡°Never.¡±

 Chapter 104 - Birth of a Pseudo Sword Domain

    Her gaze was one of steel as she pushed his hand aside. The sharpness of her domain permeated the room, prompting everyone else to stop any movements for fear of being struck with its naked edge. Even Xu Weizhe was taken aback by the suddenness of her actions. Still, Qin Yun showed no indication of getting involved.


    "Do you even know what you are asking me?" she said, her voice cold yet laced with a subtle pain. Her eyes were full of fury, yet Xu Weizhe clearly knew the source of her ire; he couldn''t help but sigh.


    ¡°What¡¯s the alternative?¡± he replied. ¡°Wait for the city to fall, then what? Do you really think the outsiders will stop at one measly city?¡±


    ¡°Considering what they endured to this day, I believe they won¡¯t stop until they ensure their own prosperity,¡± Qin Yun added, fuelling the flame. ¡°It might even mean a paradigm shift in the ruling class. Also, I doubt the world will take kindly to this invasion. The ramifications are more than they seem.¡±


    "Then why don''t you do something about it, instead of seeming so high and mighty?!" Zou Lan spat back, her eyes throwing daggers at him.


    "Oh, but I have," he replied, showing a slight condescending smile. "Who do you think stopped this formation from imploding, razing this city to the ground? I''ve already done more than my fair share."


    Hearing that they only narrowly evaded death, the gaze of the present disciples of the Moonlight Sword Palace grew solemn, feeling their heartbeat pound in their chest, just thinking of the consequences. Even Yao Ruolan could hardly contain herself if not for the intense pressure pinning her in place. Only the three in the middle of the room were able to move; the others could only be spectators.


    ¡°As for you,¡± Qin Yun added as he turned to face Xu Weizhe. ¡°While I commend your bravery for what you are attempting to do, you are missing a crucial point. Only someone who has manifested their domain can fuse their souls with this formation. At present, only one person in this city meets the requirement.¡±


    This revelation felt like a kick in the teeth for Xu Weizhe. Even the audience felt the temperature drop a few degrees, realizing their elder''s will to sacrifice himself was all for naught. Their only choice was to watch as the city they had shed blood and flesh to safeguard would fall anyway. Except, Xu Weizhe noticed a single crucial detail.


    ¡°What about you?¡± he asked. ¡°How can you keep it in check? As far as I can see, you are only at the peak of the Qi Refining realm. This shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t do this alone,¡± Qin Yun sighed. ¡°How could I? This barrier is a gift from the Heavenly Dao, and only someone blessed by it can commune with it. Usually, this takes the form of a domain, something one must earn of his own, but there are also exceptions.¡±


    While all were bewildered by this revelation, Zou Lan turned to face him, a glint in her eyes. She remembered stories her predecessor had once told her about the eternal conflict that had raged upon this plane since time immemorial. Stories of being tasked by the Heavenly Dao to wage those wars in its stead, empowering them to fulfill their task in its name.


    ¡°A champion, is it?¡± she asked, her fury slowly subsiding. ¡°Were you sent here for this?¡±


    Qin Yun shrugged as he shook his head, his eyes filled with pity.


    "Do not put your hopes in her," he finally said after letting the silence linger. "She does not care about your lives, only that the world is preserved. If she could banish this corruption at the cost of every living being on this plane, she would do it in a heartbeat. The Heavens are heartless, after all. Fortunately, such a choice would be pointless as corruption isn''t that easy to be rid of. The best you can do is to choose for yourself."


    His words stunned the audiences, as they had rarely been told of such things. After all, their cultivation time was short, and their strength was shallow, much too low to come into contact with such things. Zou Lan, however, wasn''t so easily deceived.


    ¡°Stop evading the subject!¡± she spat back. ¡°Were you sent here?! Answer me clearly.¡±


    ¡°She cannot dictate my actions, however much she would like to. I came here of my own will, although it may have coincided with her own intent," he finally replied.


    Zou Lan looked deep into his eyes, yet couldn''t find any signs of deceit. In fact, she felt clearly at the depth of her soul that this man was telling the truth. While his strength was far below hers, she couldn''t help but feel slightly afraid of him. After all, since birth, every cultivator had been instilled with a fear of the world that sustained them. Few were those daring enough to rebel against it. The outsiders only did so because they had a force of equal strength to aid them in their quest.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°However,¡± he added. ¡°This doesn¡¯t change the fact that you must make a choice. Now that you know the consequences, is your answer still the same?¡±


    Zou Lan''s gaze didn''t waver as she replied, for her heart had already decided. They had already lost too much, only to be pawns in a conflict that wasn''t theirs.


    ¡°Why should I sacrifice myself for a world that did nothing but take from me.¡±


    Suddenly, the crackling of thunder appeared overhead, passing through tons of dirt and stone as if it wasn''t even there. The sound echoed in their heads, yet it felt as if it originated from their core, shaking the foundation of the lotus inside them. Zou Lan could even feel her domain destabilize, almost as if the control she had over it had been denied by a stronger force. A slight trace of dread sprouted in her heart as she realized what was happening. After all, she only had to put the pieces together to learn the reasons why.


    ¡°Really now?¡± Qin Yun asked derisively as he raised his gaze to the tomb¡¯s ceiling, almost as if he could peer through to the sky. ¡°Resorting to coercion now that you can¡¯t get your way? You must be desperate, indeed.¡±


    Qin Yun''s words brought the group out of their stupor. Yao Ruolan had been so shocked by the sound that she had forgotten to breathe. She let out a long, slow breath as she desperately tried to regain control of her own speeding heartbeat.


    ¡°Was that..." she began to say, but the words remained stuck in her throat as she couldn''t voice them out owing to the absurdity of the situation.


    ¡°It''s exactly what you think," Qin Yun replied as his sight left the ceiling. His gaze had lost all sharpness and became somewhat gentler. She couldn''t afford to have this place fall apart, yet she also couldn''t intervene directly. The most she could do was show her will and hope that people would follow it.


    The group remained silent, mulling his words; Yao Ruolan was the first to break it.


    ¡°Why do you refer to the Heavenly Dao as she?¡± she asked, perplexed. ¡°While I¡¯ve heard some do the same, you speak of it almost as if you¡¯re acquainted, but that¡¯s obviously impossible...¡±


    ¡°I wouldn''t be so sure," Zou Lan interrupted, her gaze darker than it was as a frown marred her features. "I''ve heard my master talk of individuals chosen by the Heavenly Dao into enforcing its will. They receive boons in exchange for their loyalty. Usually, their cultivation rises explosively, towering above those of their own generation. Some even call them the Sons and Daughters of Heaven."


    ¡°Slaves would be a more appropriate description," Qin Yun sneered. "Do you really think such cheats do not come without any downsides? Have you ever heard of them living out long lives? Their fall is always just as fast as their rise. After all, the Heavenly Dao gives and takes in equal amounts. Everything that exists in this world is merely on loan...¡±


    ¡°Quite the bleak perspective,¡± Zou Lan scoffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough of this,¡± Qin Yun said as the flame surrounding him suddenly sprung to life, prompting a deep frown to appear on his face.


    The golden characters on his body shone brighter, resisting the instability of the dragon vein, yet his efforts were in vain. With every minute that passed, the formation edged ever closer to its own destruction. There was only one way to stop its impending doom.


    ¡°If you still intend to go through with this, then there may be a way for you to do so,¡± Qin Yun added as he turned to face Xu Weizhe, only for Zou Lan to object once again.


    However, just as she was about to open her mouth and spring her domain to life, Qin Yun waved his hand, prompting a piece of the blue flame to detach from the whole, only to create a cage of intangible blue flame around her, imprisoning her in place, but also making it impossible for her to recruit any outside qi. She could only use the qi remaining in her core.


    Despite the immense reserves her cultivation at the early stages of the Soul Formation realm afforded her, it was far from enough to compete with the might of the Dragon Vein itself. She could only stand there, unable to interact with anything beyond its threshold. She could only watch.


    ¡°Is that really possible?¡± Xu Weizhe asked, his mind made up.


    He could clearly feel the state of his own body. While a full recovery might be possible, it would easily take more than a hundred years, even utilizing the full might of the Moonlight Sword Palace, something he had no intention of doing. After all, that would mean stunting the growth of many promising youths, only to regain an elder with little chance of advancing further.


    ¡°It should be," Qin Yun replied. "Actually, you are quite lucky that you cultivate the sword. Otherwise, there would have been no chance of me being able to bring you to the next step."


    ¡°What do you mean?" Yao Ruolan asked, perplexed. "I thought a domain was necessary to fuse with the Dragon Vein. Master is only in the Nascent Soul Realm, far from the Soul Formation realm. This should be impossible."


    ¡°Using the orthodox way, you are right. However, more than a single path exists to reach a destination."


    Qin Yun extended his hand, prompting the flame around him to dance, almost as if a large gale had blown through it. If not for the fact that he clearly knew they were deep underground, Xu Weizhe would have thought they were in the middle of a storm.


    A cyclone spun around Qin Yun''s body, gathering the flame around him until it condensed above his hand. Still, as the power of the dragon vein was collected in a single spot, ever more spewed out from the earth, only hastening its destabilization.


    Qin Yun closed his eyes, walking a fine line at the edge of destruction. Only a single mishap and the remains of this battered city would be blown sky high. Yet, he showed no hesitation. In fact, there was a slight smile on his face, even as blood began to spill from all his orifices.


    After all, this was something he was good at, the culmination of many lives brought forth for one single moment. He had tapped into it more than once and relied on it to carve a path for himself out of many dangerous situations, yet this was the first time he used it in this way.


    Silence reigned as everyone held their breaths. Even Zou Lan was amazed by the sight in front of her eyes. She could scarcely believe what she saw despite having been witness to it from the beginning.


    A small sphere began to take shape into Qin Yun''s hand: a mix of the blue flame and the red of his blood, while also somewhat ethereal, but also a piece of the world. All it lacked to become an Innate Treasure was a blessing from the world, yet no such blessing ever came. As the sphere came into existence, the world stood still.


    ¡°What... is that?¡± Yao Ruolan couldn¡¯t help but mutter aloud.


    ¡°The prototype of a Sword Domain, filled with the purest Sword Intent I can presently create,¡± Qin Yun said as he couldn¡¯t mask the grin of satisfaction on his face.

 Chapter 105 - A Cultivators Worth

    Blood flowed from nonexistent wounds yet dissipated into ashes as soon as it came into contact with the blue flame, but even the ashes vanished until nothing remained. Still, Qin Yun looked unconcerned, too absorbed in the creation of the orb in his hand.


    It seemed akin to a world in and of itself, possessing both its own boundary separating it from their own, but also its own mysteries. In fact, not even Qin Yun could delve deep into his own creation, as he had only supplied the sword intent, and the world itself had done the rest. Such a thing would have been inconceivable without the blue flame surrounding him and its almost inextinguishable might.


    The audience was stunned by its creation, unable to understand the intricacies of its birth. Only Zou Lan could peer into its mysteries as the only one able to step through the threshold of the Soul Formation realm, for she possessed something similar.


    "That''s impossible..." she muttered, yet she couldn''t deny the feeling that slowly rose within her heart. This was, without a doubt, a domain. Although unstable, it resonated with her own, its clear boundary proving its authenticity. "How are you able to..."


    "A domain is merely the merging of insight within the lotus, given shape by the world," Qin Yun explained, cutting off Zou Lan. Despite the calmness of his voice, the strain of such a manifestation was evident on his face. "As long as one''s understanding is high enough, and the world approves, the domain can manifest itself. Since this flame is the world itself, I only need to fuse sword intent to create a Pseudo Sword Domain."


    ¡°You¡¯re only at the Qi Refining realm! There¡¯s no way you can manifest Sword Intent!¡± she spat, barely controlling her emotions, yet the evidence was in front of her, swirling into the clear orb for all to see. To deny reality was merely her own arrogance as one of the gifted. She could only bite her lips and frown, acknowledging what her eyes witnessed.


    ¡°Can this allow me to fuse with the flame?¡± Xu Weizhe said, gazing into the orb. His emotions fluctuated wildly from greed to anticipation. The orb produced such a force of attraction that he could barely stop himself from trying to snatch it. Such was his desire for this object. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t the only one.


    A man in his early twenties sporting the garbs of the Moonlight Sword Palace sprung forth. His gaze was a mix of greed and madness, fixated on the clear orb of swirling energies. The only thought in his mind was to snatch it, only to reach greater heights.


    At one point, this man had been known to be pure of spirit, an example for all among his peers, yet the recent events had left him a broken shell of a man. Watching his fellow disciples die one after the other while he was powerless to resist had left his spirit shattered and his sense of morality stifled. Only a single thought remained in his mind: to gain power, no matter the cost.


    Seeing one of her sect''s disciples display such greed, Zou Lan couldn''t help but frown. She extended her hand, and so did her domain, enveloping the man even as he sped toward the orb. Even though his speed was magnificent for his age, it was almost as if he was moving in slow motion in her eyes, almost like a snail before a hawk. There was no way she could miss him.


    However, once her domain stood before him, blocking his path, it was sliced apart, its sharpness dulling until all that remained was a giant opening, allowing the man to pass through unscathed. She only turned toward Qin Yun, offering a look full of surprise but also doubts. It only took her a moment to reform her domain, only for it to be thwarted again. The domain collapsed almost as if it had been slain; only a slight blue tint remained as it shattered into invisible shards.


    All this happened in mere moments, unbeknownst to all those present, even the man now rushing toward the orb. Only Zou Lan and Qin Yun looked at each other. While she frowned deeply, he, on the other hand, only showed a slight smile, almost as if mocking her for her attempt. Then, she stopped all attempts to interfere, only watching as the man grew closer, yet the flames of her fury smouldered slowly at the bottom of her heart.


    Stunned by their comrade''s actions, the disciples could only watch as the man reached the orb, placing his palm on it, only for a blue light to emerge from it, bathing the underground chamber in its glow. Soon, the man''s body disappeared within the light as it blinded all those present, except for Zou Lan and Qin Yun, who could witness the events in excruciating detail.


    As the man''s hand rested on the orb, countless wounds appeared on his skin. Blood flowed from them, falling to the ground, yet the drops were scattered into oblivion as if countless knife edges split them apart at the molecular level until nothing remained.


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    The orb¡¯s sharpness spilled into the world; its destructive intent was overbearing, stunning the man into a stupor. His gaze filled with greed soon dissipated, turning to overwhelming dread, yet it was already too late. Unable to contain the orb''s might or even adapt to it, the man''s body soon started collapsing as countless sharp wounds appeared on his body, slicing everything, even reality itself. It was as if the orb was the true meaning of sharpness, and nothing could resist it.


    The man opened his mouth to scream as pain assaulted his nerves, yet even the sound of his agony was sliced apart, never reaching the ears of those around him. Still, his visage contorted with torment spoke volumes of his anguish, prompting Zou Lan to turn around, knowing full well any attempts to help on her part would only be met with failure. It was already too late for the man.


    In mere moments, the man¡¯s body disintegrated into the light, starting with his extremities, to his core, and then his head. All that remained after his existence ceased was a slowly revolving lotus platform that soon dissipated into the still air, fading as if rejoining the world around them.


    Surprisingly, despite being within the flame, Qin Yun could feel a slight breeze blow within this underground chamber¡ªsomething that should have been impossible. He closed his eyes, only to feel the hidden hands of the world welcome back the seed of the flower it had lent mankind.


    He couldn''t help but show a slight smile that seemed to have been misinterpreted by the audience. Only Zou Lan seemed pensive as she looked back at him. Whether she, too, had noticed this detail was impossible for him to know since he couldn''t ask. The world wouldn''t let him.


    ¡°What happened to Senior Brother Mo?" Yao Ruolan asked as she opened her eyes, seeing no traces of the man. Yet the orb remained firmly in Qin Yun''s hand, barely out of the flame. Her distress was clear for all to see as realization struck her, yet she refused to believe the obvious until it was confirmed.


    "He''s gone," Zou Lan replied, her gaze never leaving Qin Yun. "He couldn''t endure the sharpness of this pseudo domain, so his core and soul were both destroyed. This is the price for trying to use shortcuts."


    The disciples gasped as they realized they could have been the ones to perish. After all, they, too, felt the urge to seek this orb; the temptation was almost overwhelming. Yet, now, all they felt was dread as they looked at this transparent sphere gently resting in Qin Yun''s hand.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this nothing more than a death sentence?¡± Yao Ruolan asked as she turned to face Qin Yun. ¡°Can Master even prevail in his current state?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the only one worthy,¡± he replied. ¡°Why do you think people cultivate the lotus in their cores before trying to understand the world¡¯s mysteries?¡±


    They all remained silent, unable to answer, only for Zou Lan to sigh loudly.


    ¡°Do you truly expect these young chicks to know the answer to such a question?¡± she asked.


    ¡°If they can only go through the motions, treading the same path as their ancestors without ever questioning why, then they are unfit to cultivate in the first place," Qin Yun lamented. "To cultivate is to tread your own path through untold unknowns. You may rely on the experiences of your predecessors in the beginning, but that will only get you so far. Sooner or later, that path will end, and you will have to choose whether to wallow in cowardice and turn back on the path or to tread along in complete darkness with only your spirit to guide the way. Courage is the only metric used to judge a cultivator''s worth, the courage to go where no man or woman has gone before you. Are any of you willing to take those first steps?"


    Silence would have reigned in the underground chamber if not for the crackling of the blue flame. Some young cultivators looked toward the ground, unable to raise their gazes as fear had struck their hearts. Others felt revolt and indignation rise in their chests, yet the words were stuck in their throats, unable to come out. They could only clench their fists at this insult.


    On the other hand, some also found truth within his words yet couldn''t bring themselves to accept them wholeheartedly. They stood on the cusp of realization, unable to take steps to either side, forever lost to indecision. Only Xu Weizhe showed a clear gaze; his mind was made.


    Without a word, he took steps toward the orb. The soft sound of his feet resounded within the chamber, bringing all eyes on him. Zou Lan frowned as she stepped before him, blocking his path. She opened her mouth to object yet failed to do so as Xu Weizhe''s lips collided with hers.


    She was taken aback, and her eyes widened, yet she didn''t deny his touch. In fact, she basked in the moment, forgetting the direness of their situation. She forgot her responsibilities and duties as Sect Leader of the Moonlight Sword Palace for just one fleeting moment. She was just another young girl experiencing her first love. Still, reality had always been merciless. The moment came and went, leaving her behind.


    Their lips finally grew apart to the shocked gaze of their disciples. While their feelings were an open secret within the sect, none even thought to be witness to such a display. Some held their breaths, while others blushed at the sight, even more so as embarrassment assaulted their sect leader, brightening her visage.


    Xu Weizhe smiled, yet it was also filled with a deep sorrow, something he couldn¡¯t mask. Once again she tried to speak, yet his fingers touched her lips, preventing her once again.


    ¡°This is my choice," he said softly so only she could hear. "You''ve always been better than me, whether in strength or cultivation. I''ve always felt inferior, wondering what I could do for you. Sometimes, I''ve even wondered if you wouldn''t be happier with a more fitting man."


    Her gaze grew somewhat grimmer, a slight flame of anger in her eyes, which couldn¡¯t help but make him chuckle.


    "I know," he added. "Those thoughts are my inner demons. They have stayed with me for as long as I can remember. They stifled my potential, preventing me from achieving what I should have been capable of. No more, however. Even with this battered, broken body, there is still something that only I can do... I know you might resent me for this, but this is something I need to do, not only for you but also for myself. Not doing so would be a waste, and my pride won''t allow me to waste away."


    Her eyes grew misty, even threatening to condense at the corner of her eyes. He couldn''t help but use his lips to suck the moisture but then moved past her, leaving her behind as she watched his slim back grow fainter with every step he took until he stopped in front of the outstretched orb.


    ¡°Once you do this, there is no coming back,¡± Qin Yun said, still so calmly as if none of this scene affected him. ¡°There will be no time for regrets later.¡±


    ¡°I''m ready," Xu Weizhe said as he nodded slightly, his gaze clear and his resolve firm before he rested his hand on the orb.

 Chapter 106 - Birth of the New Guardian

    A flash of blue light spread within the underground chamber, bathing the world in its embrace. The disciples had no choice but to once again cover their eyes, unable to witness the subsequent events. Only Zou Lan and Qin Yun remained able to see what was happening.


    A look of pain appeared on Xu Weizhe''s face as the blue flame swirling within the globe rushed through his palm. It sought to enter his body and take root within his core, charring all of his qi channels in the process.


    Zou Lan struggled to watch, clenching her fist and digging her nails into her palms until they almost drew blood. A simple wish bloomed into her heart, yet she couldn''t bring herself to rely on it. She remained powerless to do anything, unable to even share his pain despite the fact that she seemed attuned to it. Their expressions seemed to be synchronized. Both were facing agonies of different kinds.


    Not a single groan of pain escaped Xu Weizhe''s lips, whether because his jaw was clenched so hard that it became immobile or simply because the pain had already numbed his nervous system. He seemed ready to collapse, unconscious, yet wouldn''t allow himself to do so, for he knew the consequences. His only chance to survive the process was to endure the pain.


    Still, this was a pain no man could endure. The flames were remodelling his body, forcibly elevating his cultivation to enable it to receive its boon. Either the transformation would be successful, allowing him to reach the Soul Formation realm, or he would be reduced to ashes by its infernal heat. There would be no in-between. That time had already passed.


    The world stood still as his agony fostered. Whether seconds or hours, Xu Weizhe lost all sense of time. His mind was entirely focused on resisting this invading force if only to spare himself further suffering. It was then that he heard a familiar voice echo in his mind, resonating above the torture of the flesh, bringing him only slight relief.


    "If you continue the way you are, you are doomed to fail. Do not cling to your mortality; all it will bring you is suffering. Learn to embrace the world, for it has everything you wish to gain. Relinquish your fears, and let yourself go; only then will you find what you treasure most."


    While the voice was cryptic, Xu Weizhe instinctively knew what needed to be done yet had been too fearful to attempt it. The Soul Formation realm was still much too far for him. He had been unable to reach it on his own and, therefore, had resisted its allure.


    Only then did he stop resisting, allowing the flame to run rampant in his body. The pain skyrocketed as his body burned from the inside out, yet the agony on his face was slowly disappearing. Somehow, he had learned to grow close to the pain, even cherish it, for he knew the boons it brought, what he would become.


    Zou Lan nervously watched the changes, surprised by Qin Yun''s intervention. While she didn''t hear his words over the loud crackling flames, she easily read his lips and couldn''t help but wonder. She had thought this man was unconcerned by anyone but himself, yet she couldn''t help but be surprised when he offered Xu Weizhe some words of advice.


    Advice even she was unaware of, as her process toward the Soul Formation realm had been wholly different. It was more like an awakening than a forceful transformation. She couldn¡¯t help but frown when she gazed at Qin Yun¡¯s slight smile, wondering what his end game was.


    The orb''s contents swiftly poured into Xu Weizhe''s body, the blue flame integrating into his flesh, strengthening it. The sword intent Qin Yun had dutifully trapped into it was now infusing the lotus at the core of Xu Weizhe''s being.


    The phantom of his lotus appeared over his head, bathing the world in even more light as it burned with a blue flame. A slightly younger version of himself stood seated on the platform, eyes closed as if meditating while the flame slowly transformed the lotus, yet none of it seemed to touch the young man''s ethereal clothes.


    Instead, the man was now bathed in an aura of slaughter so thick that the disciples couldn''t help but recoil in fright; some of them were unable to sustain the pressure and collapsed on the ground, unconscious.


    Zou Lan couldn''t help but frown as she felt the aura of destruction laced within this pressure. It was much more potent than her own as if the being to create it had been closely intimate with death countless times, almost to an impossible degree.


    She knew this aura didn''t come from Xu Weizhe, as even she was incapable of such purity of destructive intent. She turned toward Qin Yun, attentively scrutinizing this young man, only to be completely ignored. Qin Yun was too busy relishing the moment.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    While he had hoped that Xu Weizhe might survive the process, he hadn''t expected the man to be so compatible with his own sword intent. It might have been a fluke or the machinations of a world that liked to toy with him. Either way, this was something worth observing. In fact, seeing his own sword intent from an outside perspective allowed him to notice some flaws not born out of the weakness of his flesh but more of his understanding of slaughter, enabling him to further elevate its destructive nature. While he didn''t need anything more potent, the feeling of improvement was something he scarcely had in recent years. He couldn''t help but show a slight smile.


    The sword intent was slowly fusing within the young man¡¯s core, creating a third layer of separation. If Xu Weizhe¡¯s fleshy body could be considered the first, and the young ethereal man sitting on the lotus the second, then the ball of sword intent fusing within the young man¡¯s core was the third.


    Zou Lan couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the sight, yet her frown didn¡¯t leave her face. She could clearly see that something was wrong. She waited for the ball of sword intent to disperse into the apparition¡¯s flesh, yet it remained within his core, as if in a separate dimension. This was wholly unusual.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± she couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    "You said it yourself. There''s no such thing as shortcuts," Qin Yun replied, his eyes still glued onto the process happening before him. "Did you really think achieving the Soul Formation realm was that easy? How can an external factor allow him a complete understanding of the intricacies of a domain? All I can do is allow him to experience it for himself. Whether he can truly reach it will depend on whether he can truly make it his own. It might take him years, or he might never reach it. However, his path is already set, and he must walk this one whether he likes it or not. This is now his Dao."


    The disciples who remained conscious could barely understand what these two were talking about. Yet, they were mesmerized by the sight now that the storm of flame and slaughter had died down substantially, most of it only raging within the lotus apparition. The look of agony on Xu Weizhe''s face had also faded, replaced with a trance-like state as he absorbed the mysteries hidden within Qin Yun¡¯s sword intent.


    ¡°He¡¯s lucky that he practised the sword all his life,¡± Qin Yun added, breaking the tension that reigned within the underground chamber. ¡°Otherwise, he might have never been able to integrate any of it within his foundation. While still shallow, it¡¯s enough.¡±


    Qin Yun abruptly stepped out of the blue flame, revealing himself to the world, but for a moment, before a new set of clothes appeared on his body as if from thin air. Some female disciples couldn''t help but leer at him, if only on instinct, while the men showed jealousy once they noticed their reaction. Still, Qin Yun paid them no mind.


    Zou Lan didn''t even deign to offer him a look. Her gaze was glued onto Xu Weizhe, watching every minute fluctuation of his current state, seeking any single way to help him. Yet, to her dissatisfaction, she found none. She could only remain a spectator to the bitter end.


    Without anyone to guide it, the formation destabilized even further. It was almost on the edge of breaking entirely. That was when Qin Yun plunged a hand back in, grasping a clump of blue flame within the crux of his hand, before walking back toward Xu Weizhe, who had distanced himself while battling the transformation.


    Xu Weizhe¡¯s mind swam between awareness and unconsciousness, in a constant state of flux between two extremes. Yet, he remained stable against all odds, almost as if something was sustaining him. Still, this was merely a transitional stage, a transient state that needed to end sooner or later. After all, even if his body was transformed by the flame, and his soul by the pseudo domain he had ingested, his mind was on the verge of breaking. Without any outside interference, it would do so sooner or later, as this was one of the consequences of seeking something currently out of his reach.


    With the flame in his hand, Qin Yun pressed his palm on Xu Weizhe''s forehead, enabling a connection between the man and the Dragon Vein. As if a living being seeking stability, the Dragon Vein offered the man a chance. It sought to form a connection with him, only if he could endure its might, but also the world''s will.


    "Will he succeed?" Zou Lan asked, unconvinced. While she didn''t know the details of what Qin Yun intended with his actions, she could infer them by the fluctuations of her domain. After all, all domains were closely related to the world and could feel its intent, if only barely.


    "Of all those present, he is the most likely to succeed," he replied, turning to face Zou Lan. "Except for you, of course. You have already been granted the world''s acceptance, after all."


    She couldn''t help but bite her lips, feeling a slight guilt grow in her heart, yet she soon dismissed it. After all, she already had enough responsibility weighing upon her and could barely afford much more. The thought of being confined to this place for all eternity felt like a sentence worse than death. If only it was up to her, she wished she could be free from all this. The world seemed much too small to accommodate her will.


    ¡°Why not you?¡± she asked. ¡°Despite your cultivation, you seem to possess all the qualifications.¡±


    ¡°Even if I wanted to, she wouldn¡¯t let me,¡± he replied. ¡°She has much greater aspirations for me.¡±


    Zou Lan scoffed, thinking he was merely trying to mislead her. If she could glean anything from this man, it was that he had no interest in saving the world or in this conflict. He was a selfish man driven by self-interest¡ªjust as she was. Somehow, she couldn''t bring herself to despise him for it, despite what he had done to entice her sect''s elder into sacrificing himself.


    The flame raged as it burrowed into Xu Weizhe''s cranium. The three forces: the sword intent, the blue flame''s power that Qin Yun had laced within the orb, and the world''s will all intertwined together, giving birth to something new, a sword domain held together by the balance of the three. Still, the balance was precarious, each trying to get the upper hand at any moment. Any outside intervention could easily set them off, creating an explosion of power that would quickly raze this city if not contained. After all, it contained the power of the Dragon Vein itself.


    After a moment, Xu Weizhe finally opened his eyes, the raging power now under his control, if only barely. He couldn''t help but offer Zou Lan a smile, but just as soon as she felt relief and reciprocated the gesture, Xu Weizhe fell limply, only to be caught within Qin Yun''s embrace. Before she could rush toward them, Qin Yun gestured for her to stop.


    "Give him time," he said. "He needs to accustom himself to his newfound power. After all, he came into them in a most unorthodox way. It may take him some time before he regains consciousness. Still, do you feel it?"


    Qin Yun offered her a smile. It seemed genuinely filled with joy as he supported the unconscious man. Zou Lan took a deep breath, calming herself as she let her divine sense wander around. She took in the sight of the devastated city above, only to be pleasantly stunned by what she saw. The formation was now completely stable. There was not even a ripple to be seen.

 Chapter 107 - Confrontation at Worlds End

    ¡°What do you have to say for yourself?¡±


    The ethereal image of a man stood within a devastated world disconnected from the main one as if the two dimensions had been ripped apart. Only a small unstable rift joined them together, threatening to break apart at any moment.


    Before him were three living husks. Their eyes were either sealed shut or became a dull grey, and their skins had almost completely dried up. Yet their seemingly fragile bodies still emitted an almost overpowering presence, and the man could barely conceive it.


    How could these living corpses preserve their strength to this day?


    Still, the man showed no doubts on his face, preferring to remain as neutral as he could. Still, this wasn''t difficult for him, as most couldn''t decipher his thoughts.


    "Are you even listening?" one of the corpses said. "You were tasked with taking that city, and yet it still stands. Explain yourself!"


    The husk''s hoarse voice grew slightly in intensity, laced with an unfathomable power that made the world tremble. Still, the man''s gaze remained calm as water. He only looked forward and replied with a voice that neither trembled with fear nor laced with the arrogance of youth. He only spoke what he knew to be the truth.


    "I have no need to explain myself," he said. "I only came here at my father''s insistence, but it proved to be a waste of time.¡±


    ¡°You dare!?¡± one of the other said, his features shifting to what the man could only believe to be a frown.


    "Know your place!" the last one said, his might spreading in the surroundings. He even broke pieces of stone from the altar, making them drift away into the void. Still, the man stood his ground, unconcerned.


    ¡°I do know my place, and it isn¡¯t here,¡± the man replied calmly. ¡°The army still awaits my return.¡±


    "What makes you think you still deserve your rank after your failure?" the first asked, not showing the same animosity as the other two. In terms of age, he was undoubtedly the oldest of the three but also the most level-headed. His visage clearly showed the passage of time, the eons he had been alive.


    ¡°What makes you think I failed?" the young man said, not backing down in the slightest, which only provoked the old men further. "My role was to lead the army to victory, and I have done just that. Our losses were minimal, while it would take years for our enemies to bolster their forces. Tell me, in which way have I failed?"


    ¡°The city still stands!¡± the second barked, the dry heat of desert sand coming from his mouth.


    ¡°How is that my problem?¡± the young man shrugged. ¡°As I recall, you were the ones that were supposed to take care of the formation. Why haven¡¯t you done so?¡±


    ¡°Is that why you chose to retreat?¡± the first said, raising a single dried-up hand to stop the other two¡¯s fury from exploding.


    ¡°I will not sacrifice our clan''s army just to take down one measly city," the young man replied; his eyes possessed a coldness that even chilled the men before him. Still, they were only slightly taken aback by the might and resolve laced within and quickly recovered their countenance. Only by observing them closely could the young man discern the shift in their attitudes.


    ¡°The Frontier, as they call it, isn''t just one measly city," the third said, a slight hint of hatred in his eyes, yet it wasn''t directed at the young man. "This is the barrier preventing us from reaching what should be ours. This is the way for our clan to finally prosper. What could be more important than that?"


    ¡°I don''t deny its importance," the young man replied. "However, so what if we take it down? Is it worth the cost of our combined army? This is but the mere outer edge of their land. They still have countless resources in reserve to push us back. They are still divided. Some even believe we aren''t a threat worth eradicating. What do you think will happen once we breach the Frontier?"


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    One of the men opened his mouth to object, yet the young man wasn¡¯t done.


    "They will finally take us seriously, even casting their differences aside and unite against a common enemy. Once it reaches that point, can we even hope to prevail with a battered and bruised army?"


    "Even if the Western Region was to unite, our clan could easily take them on once we have access to the bountiful land beyond!" the second said, an aura of confidence oozing from him. Still, the other two remained skeptical, finally taking heed of the young man¡¯s words.


    ¡°Probably," the young man added. "But do you think the Inner Regions would remain passive then? They may have their own conflicts, but they aren''t stupid. External threats always take precedence. They may take some time to come to this conclusion, but we would have extended too far by then. We simply do not possess the momentum to make the whole world our enemy."


    ¡°Would you have us do nothing?¡± the third asked, a deeper frown on his face. ¡°Even if the clan could accept such a result, our god certainly wouldn¡¯t. Even this failure at taking the city has roused its ire. Someone needs to take responsibility for that!¡±


    ¡°That''s none of my concerns," the young man said, shaking his head. "Did you not assure me you would deal with the barrier? What happened to your promise?"


    ¡°We even summoned the desert for you! Even using some of our limited strength left in the world of men!¡± the second yelled, the platform¡¯s edges breaking yet again, only to be held in place when the first raised his hand, making the second finally calm down. Still, the young man showed no reaction.


    ¡°And yet the barrier stood," he replied. "I have no interest in sending my men to die only to satisfy our god''s demands. If he wants my clan to die, he better make the reward worth it."


    ¡°Such blasphemy!¡± the third said as he raised his hand, projecting his might toward the young man while the other two only watched, them too feeling appalled by his audacity.


    The old man''s might took the form of a palm, crashing through the air as it broke the distance between him and the young man. Unable to react, the young man didn''t even have time to form any defensive measures, as the power discrepancy between the two was a gap that only centuries could bridge.


    He almost saw his life flash before his eyes despite the fact that his real body was worlds apart from this place. He knew the strike would be fatal despite everything, even traversing space and time through the connection that existed between the two.


    He remained still, awaiting his end, as nothing could be done on his end. Still, he neither cried nor begged, remaining indomitable in the face of death. However, just as the palm was about to collide, it fizzled into smoke to the consternation of the old men who had powered it. Only a grey apparition remained between the two before it, too, fizzled out into nothing.


    The young man showed emotions for the first time, stupefied by what he had seen. It was even worse for the three old men, unable to believe their eyes. Still, this wasn''t something they could ignore. They could only accept reality, although it took them a long time to do so, wallowing in silence. After what seemed like an eternity, the first finally spoke out.


    ¡°Do not take for granted the second chance you have been given, lest you end up like your sister.¡±


    ¡°You have the nerve to mention her,¡± the man replied, a deep frown on his face. He didn''t even try to hide his contempt for the man who spoke. "Is this all you can do? Rehashing old stories in the hopes of putting me in my place, is it? How low you''ve fallen. Did you spend too much time stuck in here that you lost all awareness of reality?¡±


    ¡°Watch your words!" the second cried out, growing tired of this insolent junior.


    ¡°Not anymore,¡± the young man replied. ¡°I was done entertaining you the moment you mentioned my sister.¡±


    He then turned and began walking away. The phantasm of his being slowly faded away in the distance yet stopped in his tracks as soon as the third spoke.


    "Why take her side? Her punishment was right and just! You should be grateful it was only exile, as the clan''s law for such an offence was death. If not for us being lenient, she wouldn''t have escaped her fate."


    "If existing is a crime, then all of us are guilty of it," the young man said, keeping his back toward the three old men. "Do not forget that the world itself rejects what we are... Who are we to determine an individual''s worth?"


    ¡°Are you brave enough to go against the clan¡¯s laws?¡± the second asked as the man turned around to face them. The young man¡¯s expression was grimmer than the three old men had ever seen.


    "I never intended to do so, not then and not now," the man said after a moment of silence. Still, his expression didn''t change in the slightest. "I am as guilty as you are. I watched as she was cast aside for her ancestry while the man responsible for it, my father, could continue to enjoy the boons of his position as clan chieftain. I simply find it laughable that the clan''s laws teach us to punish the victim.¡±


    "The clan''s laws exist for a reason, young man," the first said, his voice as stout as a rock. "Do not delude yourself into thinking anyone is above them. Not even your father can claim as such.¡±


    ¡°And the same applies to you?" the young man replied, derision clear on his face. Yet the first remained calm and composed as he answered. There were no doubts in his mind.


    ¡°They apply to all members of the clan, us especially. Our laws do not originate from the consensus of men but directly from our god. They are its precepts, its very own will. None of our blood can ever hope to escape them."


    ¡°Then I should thank you, for she has been freed from her servitude,¡± the young man said, turning his back once again, fading into the distance as he left the three old men behind in their own dimension.


    ¡°He possesses the will and the wit to lead us," the second said after letting the silence linger. "A shame his heart is still too pure."


    ¡°Not to worry,¡± the third added. ¡°None can escape our lord¡¯s will. He will come around in time, whether he likes it or not. As for his sister... humph!¡±


    ¡°He is still too naive if he thinks she can escape," the first said, softly shaking his head. "While her blood may be impure, half still belong to our clan. Once our lord is ready for her, she will have no choice but to submit. To think one can escape its reach by seeking asylum with our enemy is mere folly. She, too, will come around and realize her purpose in time. Our lord will never stop until it makes this world its own, even if it has to do so over a field of dried-up bones and the blood of all living beings."


    ¡°Soon, the day will arrive when we can finally leave this place to spread our wings alongside our lord and finally cleanse this world of their filth," the third added, an eerie smile on his chapped lips.


    ¡°Soon... indeed," the second said, letting the words linger until a grey mist enveloped the world, allowing it to fade into the void.

 Chapter 108 - Meeting in a Ruined Garden

    ¡°I must say, I didn''t expect things to end this way," Zou Lan sighed as she stood in a devastated garden.


    The luscious greens that used to cover the ground of the Moonlight Sword Palace''s mansion within the Frontier had all been lost to the encroaching desert sand. The formation that used to retain the moisture within the atmosphere had been ravaged by the deluge of sand until it ceased to function, prompting the scarce few water ponds to quickly evaporate until nothing remained. She couldn''t help but show sorrow as she gazed at this desolate landscape.


    The Moonlight Sword Palace wasn''t the only one reeling from this devastation. A quarter of the populace had been lost to the outsider''s assault. The streets were teeming with death and the corpses of those who gambled their lives in the hopes that the city would stand against the invaders.


    Men and women mourned their losses as their tears were consumed by the merciless desert sands, and their cries of anguish disappeared into the ever-raging storm of the Great Barrier. Only a few left their houses, as the city had yet to regain any semblance of normalcy.


    Meanwhile, fools gloated at others'' misfortunes, utterly disregarding the city''s woes and what they meant for the future. Zou Lan felt intense disdain for their shortsightedness yet could understand their motives, as she, too, had a sect that relied on her. Still, the embers of her hatred burned bright in her heart, threatening to emerge and reduce all their hopes to cinder.


    However, the time had yet to come. She could only bear it and let it smoulder until the time was right. Sooner or later, they would pay for their actions, and she would personally ensure that.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Qin Yun replied, slowly sipping on the fragrant tea he was offered. ¡°None of us expected they would strike with such force. Still, it¡¯s a good thing they remained level-headed and withdrew.¡±


    Zou Lan turned to face him, slightly taken aback. Since the worst disaster had been averted thanks to Xu Weizhe''s sacrifice, Qin Yun had been invited as a guest of the Moonlight Sword Palace. While they did so on the premise of expressing their gratitude for his involvement, Qin Yun knew better. The woman before him obviously sought some answers, yet was diplomatic enough to not pry them out of him. As such, he saw no reason to refuse, as he, too, needed something from her.


    ¡°That too... but that wasn''t all I was referring to," she said, looking toward an isolated pavilion in their compound''s centre. Qin Yun noticed a slight concern in her gaze.


    ¡°My apologies,¡± Qin Yun said with a wry smile. ¡°Time was running out. I couldn''t waste it answering all your questions."


    ¡°I would have appreciated it if you had not omitted some of them," she replied as she sat opposite him. It would have made the process easier, don''t you think?"


    She offered him a glare filled with reproach, yet Qin Yun brushed it aside with a silent smile. She could only sigh once again and shake her head, driving away her more destructive thoughts.


    "I thought he''d have to spend the rest of his life buried within the confines of that underground chamber, forever hidden within the darkness of history, unable to ever emerge," she added.


    "It seems even you do not know much about this formation," Qin Yun remarked before taking another sip. "I was under the impression that the four Sect Leaders should have been the ones with the most knowledge of it."


    Despite the stench of death and decay that still hung in the air, the aroma of his tea almost made him forget what he had seen as he was in charge of the formation. Still, it wasn''t as if what he had witnessed could leave a mark on his heart. He had already seen too much for such a limited bloodbath to affect him.


    He remained calm and collected even as others were on the verge of breaking. Even Zou Lan, with her deep cultivation, found it hard to remain as serene as he was. After all, she was still considered a junior by most others of her rank.


    ¡°My predecessor perished before he could shed some light on it. Only fragmented information can be found within the clan''s records. None of which depicted the means and consequences of becoming the formation''s guardian. How was I supposed to know he wouldn''t be forced to stay underground like the previous one?"


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°From what I could glean from the Forgotten One''s personality, he was a hermit by choice. I do not know what happened in his life that led him to this, but he chose to fade away, never revealing his name, even at the end. You wouldn''t happen to know, would you?"


    ¡°I do not,¡± she shook her head. ¡°I doubt anyone here knows. After all, he was already the Frontier¡¯s guardian when the Moonlight Sword Palace was founded. If you truly wish to know, your best bet would be to petition the Immortal Beast Sect Alliance. As far as I know, he once was one of their disciples.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡±


    Silence then reigned as neither spoke. Zou Lan''s gaze plunged into Qin Yun''s eyes as if trying to see to his core, yet the man only returned a noncommittal smile. He sipped on his tea without a care in the world, which couldn''t help but make her frown. Still, she refused to be the one to broach the subject, if only because she was the most senior one. She had her pride, after all.


    Even Yao Ruolan felt suffocated as she stood behind her Sect Master. If given the choice, she wanted to be at her master''s side. Ever since the transfer, he had yet to awake. Yet, the formation was now stable. Although its strength had faltered slightly, the outsiders had yet to make another attempt. Still, there was no doubt they were bolstering their forces. They would come in time.


    ¡°Why did you come here?¡± Zou Lan finally broke the silence, feeling as if things couldn¡¯t stay this way. ¡°I doubt you came all this way to sight-see...¡±


    Still, her expression couldn¡¯t help but darken as she saw Qin Yun¡¯s smile brighten, almost as if he had won. She couldn¡¯t explain the feeling, but she had never been able to trust this man. Her sharp instincts screamed at her that he¡ªa mere Qi Refining junior¡ªwas a threat she couldn¡¯t ignore.


    ¡°I have some business further west,¡± he finally said, only for Zou Lan to frown even more.


    Her sword domain began to spill outwards as her emotions mounted. Qin Yun could feel its sharpness on his skin, yet he remained completely calm, looking deep into her fiery eyes, only for her to return his gaze. The silence reigned once again as Yao Ruolan took a few steps back as the rubble that remained from the war exploded into powder as soon as they came into contact with the domain.


    Just as Yao Ruolan was on the verge of losing consciousness, the pressure she felt was suddenly cut short as stone dust rained back to the ground. Zou Lan scoffed slightly as she used her domain to pick up her tea, only to look deep within without taking a sip.


    Qin Yun said nothing as he sat back, looking upwards. He noticed countless vultures circling the deep blue sky, attracted by the stench of blood and death. Still, they could not bypass the shimmering barrier, yet tried nevertheless, for the prize was that attractive. He couldn''t help but scoff at their futile efforts, knowing the price they would have to pay to waste time and energy in this harsh land.


    That being said, Qin Yun didn''t press her for input, knowing how preposterous his claim was. He could only let her come to terms on her own, as he knew she wasn''t the type to be swayed by any rationale, especially from a man as suspicious as he was. The only one who may be able to help was still in a coma, and his only disciple wasn''t faring much better.


    Yao Ruolan supported herself using a nearby wall, feeling intense vertigo, and her heart wanting to beat out of her chest. She could feel the thump in her head as the increased pressure gave her a headache. It took her all just to keep standing.


    Still, she couldn''t help but feel a deep fear when looking back to the small table located under a canopy where the two were seated. While her sect master had left her a deep-seated impression, what truly made her feel dread was the man who opposed her.


    She felt as if the man who had saved their lives within the desert was but a mirage made of her preconceptions. She thought she had already rated him highly, yet could barely register what she had just witnessed. Even under the full brunt of her sect master''s aura and domain, the man remained calm and composed, slowly sipping his tea. She couldn''t even conceive of her master doing the same, not to say of this man barely older than her.


    ¡°So you seek entry into the World¡¯s Edge,¡± Zou Lan finally said. Her expression had returned to normal, yet Qin Yun easily saw the distrust in her eyes. ¡°For what purpose, and why should I humour you?¡±


    ¡°Because you can only gain from it," he replied instantly, raising his gaze to meet hers.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Think about it. What do you all most lack against the outsider''s hordes?"


    Zou Lan only looked at him without answering.


    ¡°Information,¡± he replied, not taking her silence to heart. ¡°You allowed them to take you by surprise. Had you known, you could have prepared.¡±


    ¡°You think we don¡¯t know that?¡± she scoffed. ¡°How many do you think have died travelling these forsaken lands? Trying to do so will only lead us to further losses. The land itself is hostile to our kind. Qi is almost nonexistent. Travelling through them is hard enough, not to mention trying to infiltrate them. Many of our best have already lost their lives. Even the most promising among the four sects dare not stray too far from the fortress. Would you fare any better with your strength?"


    ¡°I would,¡± he replied, his words oozing confidence.


    Yet, Zou Lan remained skeptical. While she knew he was special, she had no way to know how. Every time she tried to probe him with her divine sense or her domain, it was repelled by some unknown force, making her even more suspicious of his identity. While he claimed to be from the Qin Clan, she couldn''t help but doubt.


    Just as she was about to voice them, she was interrupted. A young woman wearing the garbs of a disciple of the Moonlight Sword Palace barged into the ravaged courtyard, visibly out of breath. Zou Lan turned to face her, yet remained silent, allowing the disciple to catch her breath.


    ¡°Representatives of the three sects seek an audience with you, Sect Master!" she finally said, prompting Zou Lan to raise a single eyebrow, but then a vicious expression flashed on her face.


    ¡°So, these cowards have finally decided to act," she said as she rose from her seat, her words laced with clear malice, before turning to Qin Yun. "I must handle this first. You will wait here until I return. In the meanwhile, Ruolan can keep you company."


    She then did a half-turn, her white robes fluttering in the breeze as she walked away toward the Main Hall with the winded disciple in tow. This left Yao Ruolan completely taken aback, yet Qin Yun showed no surprise. It seemed only to be expected.


    ¡°You saw her face, right?¡± Yao Ruolan said as she looked in the direction her sect master had left, only for Qin Yun to slightly nod. ¡°I hope she won¡¯t go too far...¡±


    ¡°Oh, she will," he replied confidently, sipping his warm tea.

 Chapter 109 - Waking the Dragon

    ¡°How long is your mistress intending to make us wait?" an old man said, his expression grim as he looked at the young woman serving him another cupful of tea.


    Despite the veiled threat and the pressure emitted from the old man, the young woman remained calm¡ªat least on the surface¡ªas she waited, head slightly lowered. Yet her small hands slightly clutched at her uniform where her blade should have been. She chose not to say anything even as she was probed, for it was not her place to say.


    "Have you lost all semblance of patience in your old age?" a middle-aged woman replied. An aroma of wisteria wafted from her body, spreading into the large hall, even overpowering the tea in her hand. She offered the man a playful smile, only for the old man to scoff and turn his head away.


    ¡°Elders, please. Remember where you are. I''m sure the Moonlight Palace''s Sect Mistress has many things to deal with following the battle," a sickly man added. He wore long, deep green robes, which couldn''t help but contrast with his white complexion and the dark bags under his eyes. The man was tall yet extremely skinny, making him resemble a corpse. His cheekbones protruded from his face, making him look incredibly ill.


    The hall became silent as they all waited for the leading actress to arrive¡ªsome more nervously than others. Only a single man seemed unconcerned. He was much younger than the other threes, yet a majestic aura exuded from his body. While the Moonlight Sword Palace''s disciples in the hall weren''t able to determine his realm, they couldn''t help but think he wasn''t inferior to the elders before them.


    Suddenly, the doors to the hall opened, revealing a gorgeous woman in a white dress, followed by the arid desert winds causing her dress to flutter, making her look like a goddess descending from the heavens. Still, what captivated these elders of various renowned sects wasn''t her elegance but the sharpness of her being, almost as if a sword stood before them.


    The middle-aged woman lost all her playfulness as she gazed upon her, feeling slightly taken aback by her presence. Still, she felt no animosity in her aura, nor malice. It only felt natural, as if it was only meant to be. She seemed like a naked sword, ready to slice through anything if provoked. The woman could only gulp silently as she looked down into her tea, unable to sustain Zou Lan''s gaze.


    ¡°My apologies for making you wait," Zou Lan said as she entered the hall, her feet stepping into the air as she floated centimetres above the ground before taking her seat on a large throne of wood at the other end of the hall, her sword resting at her side. She didn''t deign to offer the four a look until a disciple brought her her cup of tea before respectfully standing behind her.


    Silence reigned within the hall as three of the guests held their breaths; only the young man looked unconcerned, which couldn''t help but intrigue Zou Lan. She only offered the man a glance yet soon retracted her sight, opting to savour the flavour of the hot beverage in her hand.


    As time passed, the old man squirmed in his seat, constantly glancing toward the young man, only to be ignored. Even the other two offered him looks, yet the man made no distinct motions. He remained perfectly still, eyes closed, almost as if meditating. Unable to bear it further, the old man opened his mouth, hoping to break the silence, only to be interrupted before he could do so.


    ¡°While I''m sure your respective sects have their reasons for demanding this audience, know that I''ve been busy dealing with the aftermath," Zou Lan spoke, yet didn''t raise her gaze from her cup. "Please make it quick, as I have many things requiring my attention."


    The sickly man couldn''t help but show a helpless smile, and the woman did the same, yet hid it behind her lavish fan. Still, the old man blatantly showed his discontent, barely stopping himself from rising, but then noticed the young man had yet to open his eyes, keeping utterly calm as if none of this had anything to do with him.


    Of course, Zou Lan noticed all of this as nothing could escape her eyes within these halls. If she wanted to¡ªand she did¡ªshe could even hide her intentions from these individuals quite easily, as none had reached her realm. While they would probably reach the Soul Formation in a few decades, they were far from being her match. After all, they were only branch elders stationed at the Frontier. Only a few within the Western Wastelands were her match.


    ¡°My lady,¡± the sickly man began, only to be crushed by Zou Lan¡¯s sword domain.


    He felt as if countless sword edges had made their way to his heart, threatening to rend it apart at any moment. He could only hold his breath as sweat poured down his neck, drenching his clothes. If not for his high cultivation realm, he would have lost consciousness the moment he was struck. Fortunately, the pressure was only fleeting and disappeared as quickly as it arrived. He raised his gaze, barely able to breathe, only to be shocked once again.


    Zou Lan''s gaze fell onto him. Despite still being devoid of malice, her eyes were stern and cold, showing no emotions. The man couldn''t help but feel a shiver down his back. Seeing her act this way felt eerie, as she was known for her fiery temper. She rarely showed such coldness, even to her enemies. Something had changed since he last saw her.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°You will address me as Sect Leader, as you should,¡± she said, her voice sharp, cutting to the heart of the matter as the side of her head rested on her closed fist. None dared to question her and could only bury their resentment deep in their hearts, as they knew the consequences awaiting them. She was deadly serious!


    ¡°My apologies," the man said, bowing his head slightly. "Sect Leader Zou, we come to you today concerning a most disturbing rumour currently spreading within the Frontier."


    ¡°Oh? And what, pray tell, does the populace concern themselves with in the midst of this tragedy?" she asked, raising a single eyebrow, showing an interested smile as her long hair flowed down one side of her head like a waterfall.


    The man gulped, absorbed by her youthful charm, only to be brought back to reality by the middle-aged female elder giving him a scornful look. He could only cough into his hand to hide his embarrassment before offering a wry smile. Still, Zou Lan''s expression didn''t shift a millimetre.


    "As I am sure you''re aware, the people are concerned with the formation''s current state," the man replied. "It is clear as day that the barrier has been affected by the battle. Although it seems as if it has since then returned to normal, some people have... doubts.


    ¡°Doubts?¡± she asked, slightly amused.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not beat around the bushes,¡± the old man interjected. ¡°The people are concerned with the fact that you forbid access to the tunnels below the city. They believe that something may have happened to the City¡¯s Guardian.¡±


    ¡°Interesting..." she said as she leaned back, only for the three elders to watch all her movements carefully while a slight tension hung in the air. Still, Zou Lan uttered a slight chuckle, which couldn''t help but take them aback. Even the white-haired old man couldn''t hold himself back anymore.


    ¡°Is this funny to you?" he said as he rose from his seat, his eyes barely concealing his contempt for Zou Lan. "Unrest still lurks within the city, and most of our men are either dead or wounded. The outsiders are still at our doorstep, threatening to invade at a moment''s notice, and you think this is amusing? Have you lost your mind?"


    Zou Lan¡¯s gaze lowered, filling the hall with an extreme coldness. Ever since these men and women had started cultivating, they had lost all dread for the frost of deep winter yet were suddenly reminded of its chill. This wasn''t merely external cold, but one from deep within, as if emerging from their very hearts as if their cores had frozen over.


    Obviously, this wasn¡¯t some sort of spell she had put them under, but merely a trace of her intent blooming within their cores, threatening to freeze them to the marrow of their bones. This was simply their brains overreacting to what she represented and a possible outcome among many.


    ¡°I do have to wonder how the people first learned of such a rumour," she finally said after letting the silence linger. "As far as I know, only the sect leaders of the four local sects and a select few of the Immortal Beast Alliance should even have been aware of his existence. Unless..."


    She let her unfinished words hang in the air as her gaze wandered from right to left, observing the various individuals within the halls. Their reactions were as expected. They did their best to hide their anxiousness, yet nothing could escape her senses¡ªnone except for one.


    The young man remained silent, unperturbed by her words, almost as if he didn''t put her in his eyes. Was this arrogance or confidence? Somehow, Qin Yun''s image flashed in her mind even though the two were nothing alike physically.


    The man had short golden hair and wore an exquisite blue robe lined with gold. The unmistakable aura of an artifact exuded from his clothes, almost making him look like a deity sent to the realm from above. Her eyes couldn''t help but narrow the closer she looked. After all, even if her own dress was also an artifact passed down from ancient times, it paled in comparison with his.


    She couldn''t help but feel a slight trace of apprehension as she looked at him. While he hid his aura well, she could feel his strength was formidable for his age¡ªat least at the apex of the Golden Core realm. Still, this was far from enough to be allowed to speak within these halls. Even the three elders were barely worthy.


    ¡°That¡¯s preposterous! Our sect leaders would never dare to expose such a thing!¡± the old man exploded, yet didn¡¯t even try to hide the ridicule in his tone. While she could plainly see how afraid of her he was, there was some weight behind his words, almost as if he had a trump card to fall back on.


    ¡°Then who do you think is responsible for this?¡± she asked, eagerly awaiting their answers.


    ¡°The real question is, how did the outsiders know about the altar buried beneath the city? Even more so, how did they reach it?" the middle-aged woman asked, hiding her smile behind a floral-patterned fan. "Do not think you can hide this from us even if you locked down all access."


    ¡°How, indeed..." Zou Lan replied, scanning her guests once again, yet she failed to pinpoint their motives.


    They were sorely mistaken if they thought they could make her responsible for the attack on the Dragon Vein. Still, she wondered how they came to know what had happened within the underground chamber. She first thought of Qin Yun, then thought against it. While his motives were veiled in shadow, this didn''t align with his actions.


    There was one most probable possibility, but also the worst if it was true. She could scarcely believe it, yet couldn''t dismiss it. As she was deep in thought, facing the three elders in this battle of words, probing each other, the young man finally opened his eyes and chose to speak for the first time.


    ¡°Enough!" His voice was powerful, easily reaching the Nascent Soul realm and even surpassing the early stages.


    This couldn''t help but make Zou Lan frown as he was barely in his late thirties. Not even she was so far along the path at that age. Surely, this man couldn''t be unknown within the Western Regions. She tried to probe her memories, seeking any mentions of him yet none came to mind.


    ¡°I tire of this discussion. Get to the point." the man ordered, his voice deep and calm.


    ¡°As you wish, my lord!" the three elders said in unison, bowing their heads. This couldn''t help but give Zou Lan pause. She felt apprehension growing in her heart, almost as if she had lost control of the situation.


    ¡°Who might you be?" she asked, yet her earlier imposing nature had turned to caution.


    The man ignored her, closing his eyes again as he began to ignore the situation. She couldn''t help but grit her teeth when she noticed the three''s smug attitudes as they answered her query.


    ¡°This is Lord Lao, Vice-Patriarch of the Soaring Dragon sect, but also a Core Disciple of the Immortal Beast Alliance!¡±

 Chapter 110 - The Alliances Token

    ¡°Vice Patriarch of the Soaring Dragon Sect?" Zou Lan mumbled, her eyes narrowed as she calmed herself.


    Something didn''t feel right. That man was merely in the Nascent Soul realm, while she knew the leaders of the four Immortal Beasts Sects were easily late-stage Soul Formation masters, if not even stronger. His being given this title at his realm spoke volumes of his potential.


    "What is a Core Disciple of the Immortal Beasts Alliance doing here?" she asked, doing her best not to betray her doubts.


    She remained as majestic as she was, her aura just as sharp, yet she reigned in her pressure, if only to give the man face. Still, the man ignored her, remaining silent, eyes closed, meditating. While she felt outraged by his disregard, she could only grit her teeth in silence, unable to offer any rebuke as she wasn''t in any state to do so.


    ¡°Lord Lao was gracious enough to respond to our summons when we petitioned the Immortal Beasts Alliance for support,¡± the middle-aged woman replied, a smug look on her face.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that when our sect was busy dealing with the outsiders¡¯ invasion¡ªdying on the front lines¡ªthe Purple Blossom Sect had enough time to seek outside aid,¡± Zou Lan said, yet her gaze showed no emotions as she looked at the sultry woman in a purple dress. ¡°A shame that support of yours only arrived when the battle had already ended.¡±


    ¡°What are you implying?" the old man said as his gaze grew darker. "Are you saying we shirked our responsibilities? The Moonlight Sword Palace isn''t the only one that has incurred losses. Many of our Raging Fire Sect''s disciples also died in the conflict!"


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Zou Lan said, sneering slightly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that the Raging Fire Sect considered the rogue cultivators¡ªit hired for a pittance¡ªtrue sect disciples. How times have changed; isn''t it convenient?"


    The old man sought to fight back, trying to disprove her words, yet her gaze pierced deep into his soul. He sought to rise from his seat yet was unable. He could only grip the armrests, plunging his fingers into the hardwood, leaving deep grooves. They creaked, almost as if ready to break, only for a small formation¡ªetched onto the wood itself¡ªto light up, preventing it from being destroyed further.


    ¡°It seems I must offer you my apologies,¡± Zou Lan added, losing all her animosity as she looked at the old man, even looking slightly sad.


    This couldn''t help but shift her guests'' attitudes. They were stunned silent by this change, drawing a blank on what to think. They had interacted with this woman occasionally and were aware of her character. This seemed wholly out of the norm; they had never seen her seem so genuinely apologetic.


    "I wondered why the Raging Fire Sect holed themselves up in their compound, only letting their outer disciples die in droves while their core remained safe in the rear," she added, showing a slightly mocking smile.


    The change was again so sudden that the three elders were now on edge, aversely awaiting her following words, knowing nothing good would come from them. Only the young man remained unconcerned.


    "It seems the elder of the Raging Fire Sect is now so old that he can only unleash his strength on defenceless furniture, and even then, it leaves a lot to be desired. It seems your peak is long passed, and your end is fast approaching; my condolences," Zou Lan said, weighing each word, which only darkened the old man''s expression even more.


    His aged face turned bright red, revealing a deep anger, which Zou Lan only reciprocated with a smile. Her callousness only drove the old man further into fury. The power of his cultivation base at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm burst out of his body, filling the hall with its might.


    The other two elders'' eyes narrowed slightly. They only felt the remains of the old man''s aura prickle their skins as the bulk of it was aimed toward Zou Lan. Still, she showed no signs of it, almost as if it was a mere breeze that couldn''t even reach her body.


    In a rage, the old man crushed the armrest entirely, almost causing the entire chair to burst into splinters, only for Zou Lan to raise her sleeve. Her domain burst out of her body, filling the hall whole, suppressing all within as if she was the overlord of her realm, and her words were law, yet not even words were necessary. Her existence alone was something they couldn''t contend with.


    Sweat poured out of the three elders'' pores, drenching them with fear. They glanced only toward the woman in white, feeling as if countless sharp blades were pressed against their very souls. They knew that the slightest movement would result in their demise.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    If only subconsciously, they wished to prostrate themselves on the floor, begging for mercy, yet the last of their pride prevented them from doing so. After all, they were more than just themselves; they also represented their own respective clans, and sometimes, face was worth much more than life.


    Zou Lan was aware of the reason for their arrogance, even against a stronger entity like herself. What prevented the Raging Fire Sect Elder from bowing his head was merely a stronger fear than she could evoke in the man. After all, even she wouldn¡¯t want to make the Raging Fire Sect¡¯s Patriarch her enemy if she could avoid it.


    As for the Elder of the Cult of the Emerald Lord, that was even easier to understand. Having dabbled in poisons all his life, the man was always just a step away from death. While no man was truly unafraid of the void beyond, the disciples of the Emerald Lord possessed something she utterly despised: Faith.


    While most cultivators viewed the Heavens as this all-powerful entity, to this cult, the Emerald Lord was their one true god. They wouldn''t hesitate to throw away their lives and those of the ones they cherished with only a single word from him. Honestly, this blind devotion sickened her.


    Only the Purple Blossom Sect was a mystery. If anything, they seemed even more mysterious than the cult. All their members were female¡ªfrom the lowest of servants to the sect master herself. As for how they recruited their members, Zou Lan had heard rumours, yet nothing concrete. In fact, despite being the leader of her own sect, she had yet to meet the Matriarch of the Purple Blossom Sect.


    ¡°HOW DARE..." the old man began, only for the words to remain stuck in his throat.


    He remained fixed in space, halfway through the motion of rising from his seat as Zou Lan¡¯s pressure crashed on his body. He struggled with all his might, even materializing his bright red lotus over his head.


    Ten luscious red leaves formed the base. They seemed aflame, even distorting the world around them as if an intense heat rose from them, bending the light reflected on their surface. A man of red stood on the lotus, his eyes closed as if meditating: a perfect rendition of the old man''s younger years.


    The old man uttered a groan, trying his best to make qi revolve within his qi channels, trying to wake up the apparition. Yet, all it amounted to was further destabilizing the image, which seemed to be on the verge of breaking. On the other hand, Zou Lan only looked at him with a disinterested gaze, barely breaking a sweat as she pushed him back down in his seat.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t give you permission to rise,¡± she added, her voice cold and powerful as if her earlier anxiousness had merely been a mirage within the desert. ¡°Do not forget whose house you are currently in. The alliance our sects have with each other may allow you a certain leeway, but it doesn¡¯t make you my equal. If you think showing off your backer can allow you to bridge the gap, then think again!¡±


    Her words rang within the hall, stunning the three elders into passivity. In contrast, the few disciples who witnessed their sect mistress''s show of might couldn''t help but feel pride in their hearts. While they had lost much in the recent conflict, they hadn''t lost their backbone. They wouldn¡¯t allow themselves to be pushed around by cowards who were too afraid to honour their words.


    ¡°It seems Sect Leader Zou may have been misled..." the sickly man''s words were cut short as Zou Lan turned her gaze toward him. He could feel his skin crawl as countless sharp edges seemed to dance upon it, giving rise to interminable goosebumps. He even saw his life flash before his eyes, almost as if she could plunge a dagger into his heart with but a look.


    ¡°Are you questioning my intelligence?" she asked while a deadly premonition rose within the elders'' hearts. "The timing of your arrival seems too perfect to be a coincidence. What are you trying to pull when the outsiders camp at our doorstep? Are you seeking to watch the world be trampled under their feet? Are your leaders that stupid, or is there something more¡ªsomething you all aren''t telling me?!"


    It was only then that the young man finally opened his eyes again, calmly gazing toward Zou Lan, yet she didn''t seem to be reflected in them. His voice was monotone, without any inflection or emotion showing through, almost as if none of the pressure or threat Zou Lan emitted was a concern for him.


    "You seem to think these three can dictate my actions, while in fact, my reasons for being here have nothing to do with them," the man replied.


    "Oh?" Zou Lan said, her pressure receding slightly, yet the three elders were still unable to move a muscle. "Are you here in your capacity as the Vice-Patriarch of the Soaring Dragon Sect or as an individual?"


    Despite the elders ascertaining the man to be a Core Disciple of the Immortal Beast Alliance, she found it hard to believe. After all, each core disciple was highly valued, easily one of the greatest geniuses in the Western Region. Most of the resources the Alliance gathered would be used to elevate their cultivation, making them highly valuable to the Alliance.


    As such, their identities would be highly confidential, and only a few high-ranking officers within the Alliance would be privy to them. Even as a member herself and a genius regarded highly, she had no hope of uncovering even one of their identities. It was understandable, as they were the secret weapons the Alliance had nurtured for countless years in secret, only for them to be finally unleashed in the coming conflict against the Inner Regions.


    ¡°The Alliance recently became aware of the Forgotten One¡¯s demise,¡± he replied, unconcerned with her doubts. ¡°Being the closest one, I was dispatched to verify the veracity of those reports. Whatever conflict happens within this city is none of my concerns.¡±


    Hearing his words, the old man''s eyes dilated, unable to contain his surprise, something that Zou Lan didn''t miss. The female elder''s reaction was much more subtle, yet she, too, couldn''t perfectly hide it. Only the sickly man remained impassive. As for whether he was unperturbed or could simply hide it, Zou Lan had no way to know for sure. Still, the young man''s words gave her pause.


    Was his arrival with them merely a coincidence, or did he renege on the deal he made? His reaction seems so unnatural, almost as if the man doesn''t possess any emotion and can''t be bothered to hide them...


    "I intended to verify this as soon as I arrived, yet the way was closed, shut down by the formation itself," the man added. "Not even the token the Alliance granted me allowed me to enter. You should know that tampering with the formation is a great offence. If found guilty, the Alliance may even choose to make a move and restore order. However, if you cooperate with my investigation, I may allow you to plead your case. Remember, we are not asking. This is the Alliance''s will."


    The man tossed a token, which Zou Lan caught with her domain, before bringing it close to her eyes. Upon seeing it, she couldn''t help but frown. It depicted four ferocious beasts entangled with one another: a flaming bird, a large turtle, a fierce tiger, and finally, a soaring dragon.


    The token emitted a strong force, almost repelling her domain as she probed it with her divine sense. Upon touching it, she felt the beasts'' roars echo in her mind, proving its authenticity. Whether the man was a Core Disciple of the Alliance was still up in the air, but there was no doubt he represented the Alliance. This token was proof!

 Chapter 111 - The Eve of a Festival

    Zou Lan remained silent, observing the intricate token in her hand. Despite her aloof outward appearance, her thoughts seemed lost in a maelstrom, swirling without resolution. No matter the angle she approached this problem, no path seemed to lead to the resolution she hoped for. She was caught in an impasse with no way out. Still, she knew passivity wasn''t an answer.


    "Does the Alliance''s interest lie only in the Forgotten One''s survival?" she asked.


    Her gaze rested on the young man seated near the end of the hall. If only unconsciously, her pressure spilled into the room, yet the man showed no reaction, meeting her gaze head-on. She even felt slightly taken aback by how dismissive the man seemed, almost as if he didn''t put her or her sect in his eyes.


    ¡°Think what you will,¡± the man replied emotionlessly. ¡°The Alliance has more pressing concerns than this backwater place.¡±


    Zou Lan frowned, searching her memories for where their concerns might lie, only to sigh soon after. It was only to be expected. Her pressure receded as she tilted her head backwards, closing her eyes as she felt the burden of her position weigh on her.


    Was this what Master felt while he was alive? she thought. Everybody seeks power, yet they never think of the responsibilities that come with it...


    A storm seemed to brew within the hall, and the three sect elders were caught in the middle. From the atmosphere alone, Zou Lan could feel their impatience and resentment toward both her and the young man. It was clear they once expected something from him, yet the Alliance wasn''t concerned with the Frontier. Indeed, there seemed to be only one thing on their minds.


    ¡°The conference should be happening soon,¡± Zou Lan stated after finally opening her eyes.


    They were now much calmer, having lost most of her passion. This was now bigger than her, bigger than her sect, even bigger than the Frontier. The man only nodded, yet Zou Lan didn¡¯t need any confirmation as it was now much too obvious. The Alliance had set their sights much higher, and it wouldn¡¯t be long until they acted on it.


    ¡°Has a date been announced?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No,¡± the man replied. ¡°However, the Alliance¡¯s elders predict it should happen in less than two decades.¡±


    The atmosphere shifted almost instantly. While the three elders were merely outer sect elders and were oblivious to most of the happenings within their own sect, they weren¡¯t dumb. They knew the repercussions of such a statement. They would need to change their plans.


    ¡°So soon?¡± Zou Lan asked. ¡°What¡¯s the hurry?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s been some changes. That¡¯s all I¡¯m allowed to tell you. I¡¯m sure you understand.¡±


    Of course, she did. She couldn''t help but let a slight hint of anger flash on her face, yet it soon disappeared without leaving a trace. Still, all those within the hall were fully aware of her thoughts.


    ¡°That would explain your request," she said, her small hands firmly holding her throne''s armrest. "It seems the Alliance believes that the Frontier will not fall as long as the Forgotten one remains."


    Her words seemed laced with a sneer, yet the man paid it no mind. Instead, he looked at her like a child throwing a tantrum.


    ¡°Is that wrong?¡± he replied. ¡°For who knows how long, he has presided over the formation, breaking invasion after invasion. There¡¯s no reason to think it will not remain so as long as he lives. Now. How long do you plan to waste my time? Open the path, and I will be on my way, or will you deny the Alliance¡¯s order?¡±


    Zou Lan fought to refrain from sneering. She couldn''t help but wish to tell him the truth: that the Forgotten One had already perished of his own arrogance and that the city had been saved by a man half the Alliance''s envoy''s age.


    She couldn''t help but wonder how shocked they would be to learn this truth, as even she had a difficult time believing it despite being witness to most of it. Even the shimmering blue barrier that still formed a dome over this city remained all thanks to him but also to another man who sought to give his life for what he believed was right.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Yet, here she was, playing diplomacy with traitors and opportunists. Sometimes, she wished she could throw it all away and resort to her base instincts. Flattening the insects that dared to cross her path. Alas, her sect was weak, and she lacked the strength to change anything. She could only sail these stormy seas as best as possible, hoping not to capsize or shipwreck on the shores.


    Just as she was about to respond to his inquiry, a knock was heard on the massive stone doors of the hall. Zou Lan turned her head to the side only to see her disciples look taken aback. It seemed even they had no idea who it might be. She had given strict instructions not to be disturbed unless it concerned the city''s safety.


    With a way of her sleeve, her domain permeated the hall, clinging to the massive doors, only to have them cave inward, revealing a man she hadn''t expected to see. The elders frowned as their gazes landed on him, a mix of interest but also aversion at this interruption.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to remain where you were?¡±


    Zou Lan broke the silence. Despite her cold tone, it betrayed her nervousness, as she couldn''t predict this man''s actions. She only hoped his intervention wouldn''t make the situation even worse.


    Beyond the threshold was a man dressed in black robes, uncommon in the harsh desert lands. Despite the pressure weighing on him from the elders'' gazes, he showed none of it on his face, almost as if they were merely a soft breeze caressing his skin.


    ¡°Qi Refining realm... at his age?¡± the Raging Fire Sect elder scoffed. ¡°I hope you have a good reason to interrupt this meeting!¡±


    His words were laced with power, and they crashed onto the young man, yet he didn''t even take a step back. In fact, he stepped forward against the current as if crossing but a small stream. He casually entered the hall, showing no respect to the elders present. His gaze rested only on Zou Lan.


    ¡°Qin Yun, what do you wish to say?¡± Zou Lan sighed, knowing things couldn¡¯t get much worse. She could only humour him, hoping he had a good reason for his actions.


    ¡°He''s awakened," Qin Yun said, ignoring all eyes on him. "I thought you''d wish to know."


    A spark flashed into her eyes, and she couldn''t help but rise from her seat. Her breathing accelerated slightly, and a radiant smile slowly crept on her face to the puzzlement of the three elders. So rarely had they seen that woman smile. Every time they met, she only sported the most sour expression.


    ¡°How is he?¡± she said, taking a single step, disappearing from her throne, only to reappear in front of Qin Yun.


    ¡°He¡¯ll live, just as I told you,¡± he shrugged. ¡°Have I earned your trust, now?"


    Zou Lan scoffed as she looked at Qin Yun¡¯s smug expression, yet her expression couldn¡¯t help but betray her joy. Ever since Xu Weizhe had integrated with the formation, he remained asleep. His vital signs had become barely recognizable, almost like a corpse. Still, Qin Yun had assured her of his well-being.


    For days since the battle, she had spent every moment she could by his side, even shirking some of her responsibility. Yet, now she didn''t have to wait anymore.


    She wished to let her feet guide her to his side, yet they were bound by reason. She turned around, only for her joy to suddenly deflate as she looked at the four individuals seated in the hall, once again feeling the weight of her position.


    "Are you worried about your guests?" Qin Yun asked as if he didn''t know the reason for her turmoil. As she turned back again, showing a deep frown, he couldn''t help but chuckle and add, "Their request is simple enough. Why not humour them?"


    From the start of Qin Yun''s arrival, Zou Lan''s expression fluctuated violently, yet it couldn''t be darker now. Still, if only through sheer force of will, she cut herself from her own emotions, if only to not show weakness to the other three sects.


    ¡°What are you planning?¡± she asked, using her domain to isolate her words, ensuring none could hear them.


    "Politics really isn''t your strong suit," Qin Yun chuckled, feeling slightly amused by the woman before him. Despite her high cultivation base and several years spent on this plane, she acted much too youthful for a woman of such status. Still, he couldn''t help but appreciate it.


    "Do you have something to say, or will you keep wasting my time?" she rebuked, slightly aggrieved. She wished nothing more than to teach him a lesson, yet she owed him too much to do so. This duality made her conflicted, heightening her emotions even more¡ªso much so that she almost shouted, yet her words were blocked by her domain.


    "If you have something they want, why not give it to them, if only for them to go away. It''s not like it''s going to cost you anything. Just have them peek inside the barrier. It''s not so hard, is it?"


    ¡°They came for the Forgotten One, but he¡¯s dead, or did you forget?¡±


    "We know that, but they don''t," Qin Yun replied, unconcerned. "The Frontier''s formation is still active, isn''t it?"


    It was then that realization bloomed in her mind. She couldn''t help but look at Qin Yun differently. Still, she pondered for a while, wondering whether such a basic scheme would even work. She couldn''t help but doubt, yet had no other alternative. She knew that young man wouldn''t leave unless granted what he wanted.


    After a long sigh, she finally turned again, facing the four individuals. She could clearly see the three elders conversing with their divine sense, yet she paid them no mind. They were utterly inconsequential. Only the Core Disciple of the Alliance mattered. With but a thought, her domain receded back to her body, allowing her words to be heard once again.


    "You wished to see the Forgotten one?" she asked, yet sought no answer. "In that case, follow me. However, know that whether or not he chooses to meet with you is out of my control."


    Unlike the three elders'' gazes, which couldn''t help but be attracted to Qin Yun, wondering how he had convinced that stubborn woman to give in, the young man barely even registered his existence. He nodded slightly as he rose, ignoring everything around him. He exited the hall and made his way to the nearest entrance to the maze of corridors buried beneath the city.


    The three elders followed soon after, glancing toward Qin Yun, yet he only offered a slight smile back before following after them.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? Don¡¯t you have anything better to do?¡± Zou Lan asked, frustrated with herself that she had to receive Qin Yun¡¯s help in this matter.


    "You can''t expect me not to watch the show? Why not summon your disciples too¡ªmake it a festival of sorts. We can also invite the other sects and the remaining rogue cultivators. The more the merrier," he replied, showing a devious smile.


    "I''m glad we aren''t enemies," she sighed again, feeling slightly lost. This wasn''t how she liked to do things, yet they forced her hand. She deserved a small payback, right?

 Chapter 112 - Playing With Fire

    Almost all the Moonlight Sword Palace''s disciples gathered in a secluded area of the city where an inauspicious small building resided. They numbered more than fifty. Yet compared to the number of active agents of the other sect, they were almost negligible. Too many had died in the recent conflict while others hid within their fortified base.


    The building was one of the numerous entrances to the underground tunnel leading to the formation''s core. The tunnels were spread throughout the city, guarded by each sect, yet almost all that guarded them were oblivious to their use. Only a few of the higher-ups were even aware of their existence. But now, Zou Lan had made them public, allowing all citizens to know of their existence.


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± the elder of the Raging Fire Sect said as he watched the crowd gather around the entrance, a deep frown on his face.


    Zou Lan chose to ignore him, simply awaiting the opportune moment. All around them, the crowd whispered; no one had been told the reason for this gathering. They merely followed the Moonlight Sword Palace''s Sect Mistress''s wishes.


    Since the Outsiders'' withdrawal, Zou Lan''s reputation and that of her sect had soared. Everyone knew of their involvement in the city''s continued existence, fostering thoughts of gratitude. This city was all that most ordinary citizens had ever known, having lived here for generations. This was their home and would always be.


    On the contrary, the prestige of the other three sects couldn''t be lower. Many witnessed their cowardice as they retreated to their own garrison, leaving all others to fend for themselves. Coupled with the numerous rumours circulating as to what had happened within the underground chamber, the people''s animosity was at an all-time high. It seemed to be on the verge of bubbling over.


    The only thing keeping this city from erupting was Zou Lan¡¯s presence. She was like a light in the darkness. The people knew only too well that this was but the beginning. The peace was only temporary. The Outsiders would come again, just as they always did, and they wouldn¡¯t be ready.


    All this led to an uneasy atmosphere as the citizens looked upon the representatives of the various sects with disdain, and they reciprocated the same. The city was divided and on the verge of bubbling over, yet it was held in place through might alone. Still, this was only a temporary solution. Zou Lan hoped that Qin Yun''s scheme would be enough to alleviate some of it, though she was doubtful.


    "The people are uneasy," Zou Lan replied. "After the recent ravages to the city, they desperately wish to know what the sects intend to do to restore order."


    ¡°They are merely mortals. What can they do even if they know? They should just do what they are told,¡± the old man added.


    ¡°You underestimate the people''s power," Qin Yun said, standing next to Zou Lan. "Gather enough of them, and you might even be able to dethrone a god."


    ¡°As if! Don¡¯t talk nonsense, boy,¡± the man added, barely hiding his scorn. ¡°What do you even know with your limited experience? People are sheep and need someone strong to lead them. Strength means everything. Do not forget the only reason you are allowed to even speak is also due to it.¡±


    The man glanced at Zou Lan, yet she looked utterly unconcerned. The man''s eyes couldn''t help but narrow slightly, and a slight trace of anger appeared on his face. Still, Zou Lan showed no intentions of doing anything. She knew better than to stop Qin Yun from speaking. Besides, she also wished to know where he intended to go with all this.


    ¡°What if they refuse?¡± Qin Yun replied, hiding his smile.


    The man humphed, not bothering to answer his question. Still, he didn''t bother to muffle his voice, letting his thoughts be heard by the crowd. The restlessness mounted, yet none could find the courage to oppose him, for they knew their fate. They only turned toward Zou Lan, hoping she would come to their defences.


    She could only sigh at the sight. If possible, she wished she wouldn''t be an outlet for the people''s resentment. Still, she couldn''t let it bubble uncontrollably until it burst in her face. However, just as she was about to speak, Qin Yun interrupted her.


    ¡°It might work for a time, but you forget one significant detail."


    The man didn''t even bother to turn around, ignoring him. Still, the elder of the Purple Blossom Sect was intrigued by what she had heard and couldn''t help but inquire, "What detail?"


    ¡°Mortals are the basis of our society,¡± Qin Yun explained. ¡°From their unions, new life is born. Haven¡¯t you ever wondered why it¡¯s so difficult for cultivators to procreate?¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    The woman remained silent, pondering his question. The old man did the same yet chose not to show it. He remained stoic, yet his ears perked up, awaiting the answer, which came from an entirely different place.


    ¡°Because the Heavenly Dao is afraid of us,¡± the envoy of the Immortal Alliance said, taking a few steps toward the group. ¡°It is but a means to control our growth.¡±


    He then turned around, facing the small building, remaining aloof. Still, the three elders were stunned by the revelation. Only Zou Lan remained calm, as she had already predicted this. However, she couldn''t help but be slightly fearful, as talking about the Heavenly Dao always came with some risk, even more so for someone as closely linked to it as herself. Regardless, Qin Yun had no such reservations.


    "Exactly," he said. "I''ve thought about this for a long time while I was free. If only ten percent of individuals born to a mortal couple possess a spiritual root, why do ninety percent of those born to cultivators have one? What makes them different?"


    ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± the sickly elder of the Cult of the Emerald Lord said, joining the conversation. ¡°Spiritual roots are inherited at conception. However, the process is difficult, resulting in the premature death of the new life. Only a few can survive the process. Only a small portion of the time is the spiritual roots not inherited, allowing for a much easier birth."


    "Indeed," Qin Yun said, looking at the man with a slight admiration. "However, this is only part of the truth. If spiritual roots are inherited, why do some children possess spiritual root elements unrelated to either parent? Also, if they are inherited, why can mortals¡ªwho neither possess spiritual roots to begin with¡ªconceive a child with one?"


    ¡°Are you going somewhere with all these questions?¡± the old man asked, clearly irate, yet was silenced by the purple-robed elder, as she wished to know the answer.


    ¡°Did you not wish to know why people have power that can threaten cultivators?¡± Qin Yun asked, unconcerned by all the stares now aimed at him. His words had captured the interest of the crowd. They kept silent, awaiting his words as if to drink the wisdom contained within.


    Still, not all were as captivated. Some of the disciples of the other sects couldn''t help but look at him with jealousy in their eyes. For one, Qin Yun seemed to be someone of their generation, yet he could converse with the elders on an even footing. However, more than that, he could stand casually next to Zou Lan.


    To them, Zou Lan was like a distant star they could only gaze at from afar. Indeed, she was young and beautiful, yet beauty alone wasn¡¯t enough to capture their hearts, as which cultivator wasn¡¯t beautiful? Cultivation had a way to shape the vessel into its perfect form, which couldn¡¯t help but feel attractive.


    No, Zou Lan''s attractiveness went beyond the bounds of appearances. In fact, both men and women held her in high regard. Not only was her cultivation high, but she was also the leader of her own sect, possessing power and prestige. Still, she also had an air of mystery.


    Countless rumours have spread within the Western Region concerning her ever since she first started on the path of cultivation. Her journey had been like a shooting star; no obstacle had been able to hinder her path. However, her success hadn''t been earned without effort. With a single blade in her hand, she had carved herself a place for herself¡ªso much so that even her sect''s elders accepted her as their sect master despite her lack of experience.


    Of course, Qin Yun would be the target of their ire; how could he not? An unknown man with no achievements to his name stood among the pillars that sustained their world, but his cultivation base made the people talk even more. Many believed themselves more worthy, yet weren''t brave enough to act on it, resulting in resentment.


    Qin Yun was aware of it, yet couldn¡¯t care less. They were only children, after all. In time, they would come to realize how foolish they were. As for their idolization, he couldn¡¯t deny Zou Lan¡¯s achievements. She was indeed worthy of respect, but he wouldn¡¯t tell her so. It would only spoil his fun.


    ¡°Let me ask something else,¡± Qin Yun added, ¡°Have you ever wondered why spiritual qi is slowly thinning? Year after year, there is less and less to go around. Sooner or later, there may not even be enough to allow people to cultivate.¡±


    While some scoffed at his words, many couldn''t help but gasp at the revelation. However, the sentiment was further elevated when they noticed the strange look on the elders'' faces, almost as if Qin Yun''s words rang true in their minds. Zou Lan even looked above, slightly panicked, wondering whether to stop him. However, nothing seemed to happen, so she chose to wait.


    ¡°A cycle," the young man said, looking toward Qin Yun as if for the first time acknowledging his existence. His gaze was clear, yet a slight hint of interest was laced within.


    ¡°Indeed," Qin Yun replied, slightly interested in the man himself.


    However, the crowd seemed unable to understand the man''s words. Even the elders found it hard to comprehend. Only Zou Lan, with her high cultivation base, could understand. Qin Yun looked around and smiled.


    ¡°Let me give you an example,¡± he added, his voice slightly louder, allowing those further away to hear him clearly. ¡°Imagine the world is your body. The sky is your flesh, covering everything in existence in its warm embrace. The countless rivers contain your blood, nourishing the land by its flow. The mountains are your bones, strong and sturdy, supporting the world. Deep within the earth, the earth veins are your qi channels, allowing qi to spread to every corner of the world. Then what, may I ask, is the breeze flowing endlessly throughout the world?"


    The crowd remained silent, pondering. Then, the elders came to a realization, yet were unable to verbalize it, too afraid of the repercussions. Even Zou Lan didn''t wish to say it; her eyes glanced above fearfully. Only the young man had no such reservation.


    ¡°The wind is the breath of life, and the world between the sky and the earth are the lungs,¡± he said casually.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Qin Yun said, showing a radiant smile. ¡°The world follows a cycle, breathing in qi and filling its lungs, which leads to prosperity. However, such times cannot last forever. As qi stagnates within the body, it becomes polluted and must be filtered out. Sooner or later, the world must breathe out, eliminating much of the qi and allowing another fresh breath to be taken. This is where we are currently."


    ¡°An interesting take, but is it not overly simplified?¡± the sickly man asked, only for Qin Yun to shrug.


    "Of course. How could the world be defined by the mere words of man? This is only an example to better illustrate my point. Take from it what you wish."


    Then, a small voice emerged from the crowd, coming from a young woman garbed in red. Despite her hesitance, she couldn¡¯t help but blurt out a question, hoping to find answers.


    ¡°If what you say is true, then what is the Heavenly Dao?¡±


    Her question was innocent, yet the elders couldn''t help but frown. They knew all too well the consequences of trying to define the Heavenly Dao. Only those who had reached at least the Soul Formation realm were privy to such information as they had touched upon it. Even then, it was slight at best. Not even immortals could claim to know its full extent. Still, Qin Yun couldn''t help but smile and answer.


    ¡°If the world is a human body, then the Heavenly Dao is consciousness.¡±

 Chapter 113 - Preaching to the Choir

    Despite the storm raging on either side, the sky over the Frontier was clear. No cloud was in sight, only a warm breeze rustling over the dunes. Zou Lan looked above nervously, awaiting something that never came, as did some elders.


    An air of tension hung above the plaza where a large portion of the populace had gathered. They had no idea why they did so. Still, Qin Yun''s revelation had left them pensive, yet its true meaning eluded them. Only Zou Lan had an inkling of what he meant by this, yet it was vague even for her. She couldn''t help but look back at him, eyes frowning, wondering where this man had emerged from.


    ¡°Consciousness?¡± the girl in red asked, confused. ¡°Are you trying to say the Heavenly Dao is a living being?¡±


    The crowd erupted into an uproar while wild speculations were thrown around. Most were mortals or had only just begun on the path. Their understanding of the world they lived in was shallow at best. To be told the Heavenly Dao¡ªthe entity they had been told was responsible for the world''s very existence¡ªwas alive was world-shattering. A newfound fear rose in their hearts, wondering if thoughts alone were enough to offend such a mystical entity.


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Qin Yun replied. ¡°This is just a metaphor so that you can better understand. The Heavenly Dao is more like a system of governance.¡±


    Qin Yun raised a hand, prompting the crowd to calm down. Soon, they all kept silent, awaiting his following words. Qin Yun pointed to Zou Lan and then smiled.


    "Haven''t you ever wondered what makes a domain?" he asked, only for the crowd to remain silent, shaking their heads in ignorance. "The world is made of countless laws intermingling with each other, giving rise to the reality you are all familiar with. For example, those laws allow water to flow within fields, nourishing the soil and allowing crops to grow. However, they also allow water to freeze, creating ice. Laws also make stone hard, allowing you to construct your homes, but also allow the wind to blow, eroding those same stones into sand."


    ¡°Everybody knows this. What does this have to do with domains?¡± the young girl asked, confused even more.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting to this,¡± Qin Yun replied, unperturbed by the interruption. ¡°Where do you think those laws originate from?¡±


    The young girl was stunned by the sudden question yet quickly recovered. She began seriously pondering, but the vast majority of the crowd only waited for Qin Yun to deliver the answer. He couldn''t help but sigh at the sight.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just the way the world works?¡± a voice in the back asked, cutting through the crowd.


    It came from a young man slightly older than Qin Yun. His clothes were slightly tattered, the hem of his sleeves was frayed, and a slight trace of dried blood remained on the side. His long hair was unkempt, tied with only a dirty hemp rope. Unlike the disciples of the four sects, whose robes were immaculate despite the recent struggle, this young man seemed to have recently emerged from the battlefield.


    ¡°Are you a rogue cultivator?¡± Qin Yun asked.


    A look of pity flashed in his eyes, which the young man couldn''t help but notice. The young man''s expression grew sour, and his fist clenched for a moment before relenting. He sighed, yet his eyes remained clear, never leaving Qin Yun.


    ¡°So what if I am? How does that matter?¡± he spat, yet could see the gaze aimed at him slowly change.


    He even felt the crowd part slightly, as if they were trying to distance themselves from him. He gritted his teeth as anger rose in his heart. Qin Yun was witness to all of it yet showed no reaction. He was slightly interested in the man who chose to rise above the crowd.


    "It does matter," Qin Yun replied, somewhat sorrowfully. "You may think sects and clans only allow better cultivation resources for their disciples, but it is much more than that. They possess wisdom passed down by their predecessors, more than just cultivation techniques. In this way, rogue cultivators are truly at a disadvantage."


    Qin Yun shook his head, yet such a small action prompted ridicule to rise within the crowd. Still, the young man wasn''t the only rogue cultivator present. Many more came due to Zou Lan''s summon, yet were now being humiliated, if only by proxy. Rage flashed on the young man''s face, almost ready to explode. Still, he knew better than to act. He only had to look at Zou Lan and the three elders for his grievance to fade, yet still smouldered in his heart.


    "I''m not saying this to discourage you from your path. This is reality¡ªa reality you must all accept," Qin Yun added. "Rogue cultivators are inherently at a disadvantage, as they lack guidance. They must reach the answer all by themselves, fumbling in the dark. If you were a sect''s disciple, you would have been told that understanding the world allows cultivators to grow. Only by forming a bond with the Heavenly Dao can one break the shackles of the Nascent Soul realm and achieve a domain."The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    The crowd remained silent once again. This was new information even for the numerous disciples of the four sects. Never had they been told what was needed to achieve the Soul Formation realm. They were either too far from it, or their elders didn''t want them to be discouraged. After all, of all those who started on the path, only a minuscule fraction could achieve it. Even the three elders were far from it.


    "So... domains are created when one understands a law?" the girl in red spoke again as the crowd turned toward her. While her eyes were clear, and realization dawned on her, she still seemed somewhat confused as she couldn''t see the path.


    ¡°Do not delude yourself into thinking you understand what laws are,¡± Qin Yun chuckled slightly, knowing the young girl¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Not even Sect Leader Zou¡ªwho has achieved the Soul Formation realm and materialized her own domain¡ªcan claim as such. The path of cultivation is long and arduous, and the understanding of laws and domains is but the base of the mountain, and its peak is hidden deep beyond thick clouds. Even several lifetimes wouldn''t be enough to understand it all."


    ¡°You claim to know a lot of things," the young man said, a slight anger in his voice. "How do we know you''re not just spewing bullshit, attempting to gaslight the audience? After all, your cultivation isn''t even that high. Don''t think everyone is that gullible. We all know what you are trying to do!"


    Unlike the reaction the young man hoped for, Qin Yun only returned a slight smile, remaining completely calm. Taken aback, the young man frowned, yet his anger didn¡¯t fade at all.


    ¡°Thinking for yourself is good," Qin Yun replied. "However, you need to know that what you believe is the truth, not your own delusions. If I had said anything wrong, then surely Sect Master Zou would have pointed it out."


    The audience turned to Zou Lan, only to see her nod slightly yet refuse to elaborate. Still, everyone knew that she agreed with Qin Yun''s statement. Even the elders chose to remain silent, tacitly agreeing.


    ¡°You see?¡± Qin Yun added. ¡°It seems we are all in agreement.¡±


    ¡°Of course, they would!¡± the young man exploded, his cultivation base at the peak of the Foundation Building realm spreading outwards, crashing into the individuals around him, prompting them to take a few steps backwards, creating a circle around him.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t stupid!¡± he added. ¡°We all saw how the four sects retreated, leaving us rogue cultivators to do most of the fighting! We bled and died to protect the city for only the crumbs that the sects couldn¡¯t be bothered to pick up, yet now you stroll in trying to change the narrative, making yourselves look good by preaching the Dao. How gullible do you think we are?!¡±


    ¡°How dare you defame our sects! Know your place!¡± the Raging Fire sect elder said, his voice crashing onto the young man, pinning him in place under immense pressure. He couldn¡¯t help but fall on one knee, yet the fire in his gaze raged on despite the threat of death hanging over him.


    "He''s not wrong," Qin Yun said, raising a hand to stop the elder from going further. "This is exactly what I''m doing."


    Another uproar erupted from the crowd when the words left Qin Yun''s mouth. Even Zou Lan was slightly taken aback by his honesty. She had long deduced as much, yet couldn''t believe how brazen he was to admit it. The old elder also frowned, retracting his pressure but only slightly. The young man rose to his feet but couldn''t contain his surprise. He, too, hadn''t expected Qin Yun to admit it so readily.


    ¡°Is that so hard to believe?¡± Qin Yun smirked. ¡°What would be the point of sugarcoating it at this point? As you said, people aren¡¯t that stupid; they can clearly see the obvious.


    The young man looked at Qin Yun, mouth slightly agape, his anger leading to confusion. Qin Yun couldn''t help but sigh.


    "I understand your resentment; really, I do," he added. "Let''s say you succeed in making them pay; what will it achieve? The outsiders¡¯ threat is still very much real. This is merely a small setback for them, and they will come again very soon. Can you hold the city without the four sects¡¯ help? What can you even achieve on your own? Your path was doomed from the start.¡±


    ¡°So, I should just do nothing, is that it?¡± the young man said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Don''t let hatred blind you," Qin Yun shook his head. "There are many other paths. You can always leave and grow stronger¡ªstrong enough to contend against them. Or, you can simply join them."


    "Are you asking me to join those who left us to die?" he replied. His anger was palpable, almost like a glacial winter breeze freezing all those it touched to the core. Many seemed to share his sentiment¡ªmany more than Qin Yun had originally thought. If left to fester, it would soon bury the city, making it impossible to form a united front against the Outsiders. Qin Yun couldn''t let that happen.


    ¡°The best way to change an organization is from the inside,¡± Qin Yun explained. ¡°You do not possess the strength to force them to, and you may never will. After all, they aren¡¯t dumb enough to allow something that can threaten them to grow.¡±


    Pointing out the obvious made the crowd gasp in unison. They fearfully looked toward the three elders as if awaiting their fates. Fortunately, Zou Lan was there, overseeing them. She wouldn''t allow them to act impulsively. Still, she couldn''t help but be stunned by how Qin Yun would be brazen enough to use her in his scheme.


    ¡°Why not join the Moonlight Sword Palace?" Qin Yun asked the young man, not letting him have the chance to argue. "Your talent in the sword isn''t bad. I''m sure Sect Master Zou would be delighted to have another promising recruit."


    Zou Lan couldn''t help but frown, looking at Qin Yun''s devious smile aimed at her. She couldn''t understand his thought process, and the same applied to the young man. Things had happened much too fast that his anger had been superseded by shock at the mere thought of joining a sect. If asked to choose, none would refuse to join. He had tried once yet couldn''t make the cut. Being suddenly asked couldn''t help but make him hopeful. Still, his thoughts were cut short.


    ¡°How long is this farce going to last?¡±


    An emotionless voice cut through the crowd''s noise, silencing them. The envoy of the Immortal Beast Alliance stood before the small building unperturbed, his gaze resting on Zou Lan, ignoring all else. She glanced at Qin Yun only to see him nod.


    She sighed, waving her sleeve. A slight breeze came from it, her sharp domain laced within. The wind struck the building, and without a sound, it began to disintegrate, almost as if it had been eroded by time. Only the three elders and the envoy knew what was happening, but even they didn''t know its full extent. Only Qin Yun felt it for what it was.


    Countless sharp swords made of qi struck the bricks and pieces of wood, shattering them at the molecular level. Only small particles akin to sand carried away by the breeze remained.


    After but a moment, the building was gone, revealing just a hole in the ground with stone stairs leading downwards. This was the entrance to the underground tunnels¡ªone of many.


    The envoy remained in place despite the uncovered entrance, awaiting something else. Only those with keen senses knew the reasons why. The three elders couldn''t help but frown, feeling cold sweat pouring down their backs. Despite nothing being reflected in their eyes, they knew they would perish were they to take a single step inside. It was as if a sharp sword was pressed onto their very necks.

 Chapter 114 - Stepping into Darkness

    Silence hung over the world as if time stood still. None of the countless individuals within the crowd dared to move as sweat poured down their backs and dread took root in their hearts. They could feel countless sharp objects pressed all over their skins, causing interminable goose bumps as if endless ants were crawling upon them.


    Down an inconspicuous road near the exterior wall was a small dilapidated building that had now been razed. Its razing revealed a downward staircase made of smooth stone reaching into the bowels of the desert. It resembled a dark abyss only illuminated by the harsh midday sun. Still, with but a look, all knew of the perils to be found within.


    Even the three elders could barely sustain its sight, but unlike the clueless crowd, they knew the reason for their apprehension. They turned toward Zou Lan in unison, only to have a renewed appreciation for this woman''s strength. This was but a piece of her domain left behind to discourage any would-be explorer, a giant sword hanging over the necks of whoever was brave enough to venture within. As for their fates, there would be no doubt.


    Her sword intent is sharper than I thought, Qin Yun thought, showing a slight smile.


    Unlike the rest, Qin Yun felt nothing as he gazed upon the abyss. After all, her sword intent only evoked the fear of death in its victims, making them want to turn away from it, if even unconsciously. However, it might as well be just a fresh spring breeze for Qin Yun. The fear of death had long faded from his mind.


    ¡°Most of you might not be aware, but this entrance leads to the core of the Frontier: the nodes where the earth veins connect, forming the Dragon Vein,¡± Qin Yun said, taking a few steps toward the stairs.


    Zou Lan, as did the three elders, couldn''t help but show surprise. Even for them, seeming so casual under the pressure of Zou Lan''s murderous domain was impossible, yet Qin Yun walked easily.


    ¡°Usually, this information would be highly confidential, but in lieu of the recent events, and to quell the unrest, Sect Leader Zou was gracious enough to allow you knowledge of it,¡± he added, standing next to the dark hole.


    He gazed within and could feel a swirl of violent energies colliding with each other as if in the midst of battle. Qin Yun frowned before glancing toward Zou Lan, feeling something was wrong, yet only sighed softly. She seemed to pick up on it, only making her more interested in him.


    Her sword intent is much too violent, probably forged in this constant battlefield, he thought. Still, she won¡¯t ever reach the essence of intent if she only focuses on its destructive nature. Such a shame... maybe I should show her a glimpse as a reward.


    Qin Yun bent down, picking up a nearby stone before tossing it into the abyss. However, just as it passed the threshold, it burst into powder, as if sliced with countless swords before being carried by the wind.


    ¡°As some of you might surmise, the core of this city was the Outsiders¡¯ objective all along. As such, Sect Leader Zou felt it necessary to protect those entrances with her own domain. There is nothing to fear, however. As long as one doesn¡¯t try to seek entrance, nothing will happen to you.¡±


    A smile flashed onto Qin Yun¡¯s face before thrusting his hand inside. Zou Lan¡¯s eyes grew wide open, yet was too slow to react. Taken aback, her domain remained at full strength when Qin Yun¡¯s flesh finally made contact.


    She expected to see a flower of gore bloom as his hand was torn to shred by the collision of violent sword intent, yet no such thing occurred. In fact, Qin Yun¡¯s hand remained completely intact as it passed the threshold, which couldn¡¯t help but make Zou Lan frown deeply. Still, this display provoked a completely different reaction from the crowd.


    Having now been slightly accustomed to the deadly sensation, some began to be able to move, allowing gasps to escape their mouths. Despite not knowing the full extent of a domain¡¯s capabilities, they knew they weren¡¯t brave enough to plunge a hand within.


    "Of course, as the domain''s owner, Sect Leader Zou is fully able to allow anyone she wishes passage," Qin Yun said, retracting his hand and showing the crowd how intact it was.


    Qin Yun offered Zou Lan a slight smile, yet her gaze was now entirely focused on Qin Yun''s hand. She had missed it due to how shocked she was, but now she could truly see. Wrapped around Qin Yun''s flesh was a slight invisible film protecting it.


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    What truly took her aback was that she hadn''t felt the surrounding qi move. After all, as long as her domain was present, she remained the undisputed master of her surroundings. Without her consent, none could move it in the slightest, not even if the envoy and the three elders were to join forces against her. All they could use was the pitiful amount of qi that resided in their cores.


    Still, Qin Yun seemed able to construct a pseudo-domain to protect himself within the bounds of her domain. This went against everything she knew, yet she couldn''t deny reality. The proof was in front of her eyes.


    Still, the film dissipated a moment later, and Qin Yun''s hand returned to normal. Yet, the feeling of that barrier remained etched into Zou Lan''s mind. Somehow, she instinctively knew how important it was to remember it¡ªso much so that she fully immersed herself in it, even filtering out the world around her.


    The world began to slow down as if time had reached a standstill. She felt the world around her much more clearly, as if her senses had sharpened substantially. The last time she had felt it this strongly was when she achieved the Soul Formation realm and built her domain, almost as if she had communed with the world itself and touched upon its mysteries.


    She looked at Qin Yun in complete shock yet took hold back of herself almost immediately. She knew she couldn''t waste this chance. She closed her eyes and drove away all idle thoughts, searing the fleeting image of Qin Yun¡¯s hand into her mind, remembering the moment perfectly.


    She remembered the heat of the sun on her exposed skin but also the intermittent breeze that followed. She remembered the shock she felt as his hand plunged into her domain but also the relief she felt as she saw that nothing was wrong. She felt the world become one, formed around the mysterious feeling exuded by the thin film, growing stronger and stronger until it finally became obvious. How could she have not seen it before?


    Laws... she thought. I don''t know how, but he manipulated laws without a domain...


    To say she was shocked would be an understatement. Still, despite how little sense it made, she felt her conclusion was proper. She felt her own world turned upside down; the rigid rules of cultivation ingrained into her since a young age began to erode away, leaving only the truth staring her in the face.


    Still, she couldn''t grasp it. No matter how hard she tried, it seemed out of reach, just a step away, but she didn''t know how to take that step. She felt just like a newborn, seeing the world for the first time, yet it all felt so natural like it was meant to be. But she was lost in a fog of her own design, built on preconceived notions.


    All she had to do was strip away the excess to reach the truth hidden within, but it took more out of her than she ever thought possible. She felt her mind swim inside her own head, but all it led to was a profound exhaustion.


    Still, she persevered, extending a single hand within the darkness, trying to reach the dim light taunting her. She felt as if she was trapped, an ocean of doubts pressing on her, wishing for her to retreat, to falter. She refused. Within that darkness, the light seemed so attractive, so blinding. She had to reach it. And she did, if only for a moment.


    As soon as her fingertips brushed against it, reality came crashing down, and her eyes opened. She gasped, her heart racing, feeling cold sweat running down her back, but she also felt a warmth in her heart, a remnant of the spark she sought. She smiled, yet it soon turned sour, embarrassment creeping up on her as soon as she noticed the countless gazes aimed at her. But more than that, she couldn''t stand Qin Yun''s knowing smile, as if he had seen through her. Somehow, she couldn''t help but now fear this man, but that fear was also laced with admiration.


    The three elders looked perplexed as they looked at Zou Lan. Still, their keen senses could feel the change. While slight, the pressure her domain emitted had risen. However, they knew for sure this was no breakthrough. After all, a breakthrough at the Soul Formation realm was always accompanied by some world phenomenon, yet the sky above was still blue, not a cloud in sight.


    Qin Yun''s gaze turned toward the envoy. He noticed a glint in the man''s eye, which disappeared soon after. The man retained the same indifferent attitude as always, so Qin Yun''s interest couldn''t help but be piqued.


    ¡°I dare to ask Sect Master Zou to recede her domain,¡± Qin Yun finally said, bringing her back to reality. ¡°I¡¯m sure we have made them wait long enough.¡±


    Zou Lan remained silent a while longer, her deep gaze resting on Qin Yun, trying to probe his depths, yet nodded soon after. With a snap of her fingers, the oppressive aura permeating the stairs evaporated into the air, allowing all to finally take a deep breath.


    Finally released from their bounds, some mortals couldn''t bear the strain and fell to the soft sand unconscious. Others felt a lingering vertigo, while some only felt the sweet release. Even the elders weren''t spared. On the other hand, the envoy showed almost no reaction, not even the anticipation Qin Yun had expected. Somehow, he doubted this was the man''s true objective.


    Without a word, the envoy''s gaze rested on the Raging Sect elder, prompting him to move forward. While his reluctance was apparent, the old man still heeded the envoy''s wishes, taking a few steps toward the dark abyss, standing next to Qin Yun as he gazed deep within.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Qin Yun said with the most benign of smiles. ¡°Now that the domain isn¡¯t there anymore, you should have nothing to fear.¡±


    Most thought nothing of his words, yet some knew the hidden meaning. Zou Lan had to try to refrain from smiling, as did the other two elders. On the other hand, the old man resisted the urge to slap Qin Yun to death, knowing full well what he intended by this. He knew he couldn''t, as Zou Lan''s gaze was focused on him. He would be dead as soon as he raised a hand.


    Still, a few chuckles emerged from the crowd, bringing him further shame. His hand was clenched tightly and his gaze grew darker, but it all evaporated away as soon as he noticed the envoy¡¯s impatience from the corner of his eye.


    With a deep sigh, the old elder finally stepped forward on the first step, only for a blue shimmering barrier to emerge from the void, pushing back his limb with a force the old man hadn''t expected.


    Taken by surprise, he couldn''t resist in time. He felt as if a cannonball had rammed into his core, not enough to hurt him, but enough to lift him from the ground, barrelling his body into the distance until he collided with a stone building on the other side of the road, destroying its facade in the process.


    The world was deathly silent. Nobody had ever expected to see the old Nascent Soul elder being flung away like a puppet with cut string so abruptly. Even Zou Lan was taken aback, looking toward the shimmering blue barrier with a complex expression. Only Qin Yun remained utterly calm. If anything, he seemed to enjoy the awkwardness. He was also the first to break the silence.


    ¡°My apologies,¡± he said. ¡°It seems the Guardian doesn¡¯t intend to receive guests at the moment. Do you wish to make an appointment?¡±

 Chapter 115 - To Improvise a Scheme

    The rubble of a destroyed stone house shifted slightly as a soft breeze floated over it, only for an explosion to occur soon after. The explosion propelled stone and wood upwards, resulting in thick sand clouds that lingered for a moment before being blown away, revealing the old elder looking slightly worse for wear.


    His dark red robes were slightly frayed at the hem, and dust covered his long white beard, but he was otherwise unscathed. Still, the look in his eyes alone prompted the crowd to take a few steps back, unwilling to be the target of his ire. Fortunately, Zou Lan was ready; her domain prepared to engulf and restrain the man. However, Qin Yun had other plans.


    ¡°Although the old Guardian took pity on you and went easy with the formation, you might want to check if you haven¡¯t broken any bones. After all, you aren¡¯t young anymore, and he has a really difficult time trying not to hurt the weak ones,¡± Qin Yun said, his tone not betraying a single ounce of malice.


    The crowd gasped, watching the old elder like a hawk, awaiting his reaction. Qin Yun''s disrespect was too blatant for the old man to ignore. Still, the image of Zou Lan silently standing on the side was firmly imprinted in his mind. His only choice was to bear it. After all, he valued his life much more than his pride.


    ¡°I''m impressed. It''s not every day you can meet a man of such self-control," Qin Yun added, his smile fading from his lips, losing all pretense. "Tell me, is your patience born out of magnanimity or cowardice?"


    Silence hung over the crowd. Even the two remaining elders were perplexed by Qin Yun''s actions. They couldn''t understand what he tried to do, antagonizing the old elder with his pitiful strength. Was he relying on Zou Lan''s support? Was this part of her plan?


    If only unconsciously, their gazes were drawn to her, yet she seemed just as surprised as they were. She wore a deep frown, almost as if she couldn''t believe her eyes. It seemed as if she was wavering, unsure whether to act or not.


    ¡°What are you playing at?¡± Zou Lan asked, breaking the silence.


    She spoke just in time, noticing the old man was about to act. While she could easily prevent him from reaching Qin Yun, she hoped to avoid such an outcome, as it would only confirm that she somehow agreed with Qin Yun''s words.


    While it may be true, she would rather avoid it. The situation was already much too complex, and she didn''t wish to muddy the water even more. However, her intentions seemed to fly over Qin Yun''s head.


    ¡°I just spoke the truth,¡± Qin Yun shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just a small Qi Refining cultivator, and just insulted a big elder from a prestigious sect, yet he doesn¡¯t even dare to refute my claims. What is it if not cowardice? Or do you claim to be above it all, that your actions are beyond reproach? How about we ask the crowd? Is the Raging Sect elder a coward or not?¡±


    Despite Qin Yun''s provocative words, the crowd remained silent, too afraid to speak. Some sought to open their mouths yet were restrained by the pleading looks of their own families, as they knew the consequences all too clearly. Most were mere mortals or rogue cultivators; they couldn''t afford to offend any of the present parties. Silence was the most prudent course of action. Still, not all had such self-control.


    ¡°He¡¯s a big coward!¡±


    The one who spoke was a young boy, no more than ten years old. His skin was dark as if burned by the harsh sun, and his clothes were tattered, eroded by the unending sands of this parched desert. His body was thin, weak even, yet he stood with much more strength than most of the adult males around him. His gaze was firm, his eyes clear, even as he faced the old elder, and the frightened gazes locked onto him.


    To his side was a woman of small stature, probably in her early thirties. However, sorrow and hardship had eroded her features, yet she still shone regardless. She stood before the boy, protecting him with her body despite the fear that plagued her eyes. She knew her son¡¯s words couldn¡¯t be taken back, yet something in her heart told her he shouldn¡¯t, no matter how estranged from reality it was.


    ¡°Why would you say so, boy?¡± Qin Yun asked, ignoring the heightened tension, especially the old elder now looking at the boy.


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    Zou Lan felt more tense than ever, wondering whether she should interfere before things devolved further. Yet, a small part of her wished to see where Qin Yun was going with this. What was it all for?


    "They''re all cowards!" the boy cried, but his words were aimed at all three elders this time. "My father bled and died to protect this city while they hid within their own clans. While I resent him for leaving me and my mother alone, people call him a hero. He''s a thousand times better than these cowards!"


    The woman held him tighter, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Her small back was turned towards the three elders, and she shivered slightly. Qin Yun couldn''t help but begin to clap his hand, offering hommage to the boy''s bravery, only to hear the old elder scoff.


    ¡°What can a child even know?¡± he said, looking unperturbed. ¡°The four sects are the pillars that sustain this city. What do you think would have happened if they were to have been wiped out in the recent battle? Short-term losses are inconsequential when thinking of the greater good.¡±


    The atmosphere became heavy as the people heard the old man''s words. Some of these losses had been acquaintances, friends, even fathers, sons and daughters, not counting the countless rogue cultivators that gave their lives so that they could live another day. To have them all relegated to "short-term losses" was an insult to their sacrifice.


    While the old elder looked smug, unconcerned by the masses, the other two elders couldn''t help but frown. While they agreed with the man''s statement, they weren''t brazen enough to state it outright.


    ¡°You see? This is what they think of you,¡± Qin Yun said, addressing the crowd. ¡°They think nothing of your life and death. You are mere sheep for them to slaughter as they please.¡±


    However, just as the words left Qin Yun''s mouth, a light flashed into the old elder''s eyes, taking even Zou Lan by surprise. It was so sudden that it took her entirely aback.


    The old man raised his hand, stretching a palm forward. Then a flame emerged from it, propelled forward as if creating a heat ray. Qin Yun''s eyes opened wide as he saw it was aimed at him. He raised both hands, protecting his vitals, yet this was all the time he was granted.


    Less than a moment later, the beam collided, producing a large explosion that engulfed most of the underground entrance Qin Yun stood next to. The heat wave continued outwards, threatening to engulf the crowd in its deadly heat, only for Zou Lan to stop its spread with her domain.


    Just as dread took hold of the crowd''s hearts and cold sweat poured down their back, Zou Lan glared at the old elder, only for him to ignore her as he knew she wouldn''t retaliate. He only looked at the dust cloud lingering in the air, blocking the view as it slowly fell back down. Before Zou Lan could open her mouth, the old man was the first to speak.


    ¡°Do not believe his words," the old man said as he turned to address the crowd. "That man was a spy sent by the Outsiders to overturn the Frontier''s order with his devilish tongue. He sought to undermine our unity if only to allow his vile masters to invade us further. Fortunately, I took swift action to rid ourselves of this pest. Now, the city can finally return to its proper order!"


    Either due to the power behind his words or the confidence with which he spoke, some within the crowd couldn''t help but believe him¡ªmostly the various disciples of the three sects. Of course, Zou Lan knew better, yet she debated whether to act or to hold her tongue. After all, what could she even hope to accomplish now that the man himself was already dead? Still, her hand rested firmly on the hilt of her sheathed sword.


    Still, just as the crowd had burst into a loud uproar over the young man''s death, it soon became deathly silent as the dust cloud fell back down to the ground. Some cheered in their heart, while others couldn''t believe their eyes. Even Zou Lan was taken aback, unable to comprehend what she saw.


    Seeing their looks, the old man frowned as he turned around, only to see Qin Yun standing next to the same entrance, looking completely unscathed, but this time, the shimmering blue barrier seemed to be covering his body, protecting him from the inferno the old cultivator had unleashed.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± the old elder shouted. ¡°There¡¯s no way a Qi Refining cultivator could survive that! What kind of demon are you?!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s no demon,¡± the Alliance¡¯s envoy said, eyes slightly narrowed. ¡°The city¡¯s barrier protected him.¡±


    Looking closer, the old man finally noticed the shimmering blue barrier, only to see it slowly recede from Qin Yun''s body back to the entrance of the underground staircase. Surprise remained on Qin Yun''s face for a while longer before he shook his head and turned around, bowing slightly as he clasped his hand to the abyss below.


    ¡°Many thanks to the old Forgotten One for saving this unworthy one¡¯s life,¡± Qin Yun said to the darkness. "This city is lucky to have you watch over them for so long, protecting them all this time without your existence ever being recognized¡ªso long that even your name has been lost to the great flow of history. I, Qin Yun, thank you for all you have done!"


    He closed his eyes and paid his respect to the void, only for the crowd to be most bewildered. Never had they heard of this Forgotten One, yet according to Qin Yun''s words, he had long protected them in the dark, never asking anything in return.


    To show their gratitude, some began to bow alongside Qin Yun, only for others to follow suit, almost like a wave rolling on the ocean''s surface. Soon, all had clasped their hands, bowing just as Qin Yun did, except for the three elders, the envoy, and Zou Lan, who seemed utterly taken aback by the events, for she knew all too well that the Forgotten One was already dead and gone. Still, she noticed the slight smile creeping on Qin Yun''s lips.


    Discarding the scene before him, the envoy approached the passage, standing right next to Qin Yun, yet he ignored him completely. He bent down, looking closely at the shimmering blue barrier marking the threshold of this underground passage.


    He extended a hand, pressing his palm onto it, only to be rejected. Unlike the old elder, he wasn''t thrown away by the rebound. He even pressed slightly forward as if seeking to break through, yet it was all for naught. Even exerting most of his strength and prompting surrounding qi to come to his aid, the young envoy could only push the barrier inward less than an inch, not even destabilizing the boundary. He had no way of breaking through.


    ¡°How long are you going to punish yourself like this, Ancestor?¡± the young envoy mouthed silently.


    As the only one near him, Qin Yun was the only one to read his lips. Still, the revelation couldn¡¯t help but make him pensive. Maybe he had misread the situation. However, his course was already set. He had no way to back down anymore. He could only push through with what he hoped to accomplish.

 Chapter 116 - Setbacks and Regrets

    Qin Yun looked at the envoy with interest, only to be ignored. The man pressed a single palm onto the shimmering blue barrier, only to be repelled slightly. He sighed and began walking away, uninterested in the crowd that gathered and the three elders looking toward him as if seeking instructions. Even Zou Lan seemed taken aback by the man''s disinterest. She had expected something more from him, yet the realization that the old Guardian might still be alive seemed enough for him.


    While Qin Yun might regret this, he couldn''t stop himself.


    "That''s it?" he asked, not trying to mask the smile creeping on his lips. "I thought you wouldn''t stop until you met with him."


    The man stopped but chose not to turn around. His firm voice easily cut through the bustle of the surrounding crowd.


    ¡°The Alliance only wished to ascertain his current status,¡± he said. ¡°As long as he remains, the Alliance won¡¯t interfere. Everything else is inconsequential.¡±


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but frown. Maybe the old Guardian was more than he seemed, but thinking of such things was no use. He was already dead and gone. Still, he hoped this truth would remain hidden for a while longer.


    ¡°My lord,¡± the female elder said, pleading with her eyes. ¡°What about what you promised us?¡±


    Her whole body exuded an air of sensuality, attracting most of the surrounding gazes. Surprisingly, even Qin Yun felt attracted to the woman¡ªas weak as it was. Still, some of the surrounding mortals couldn''t help themselves and lost their self-restraints, seeking to rush to her with all their might.


    Even women weren¡¯t spared¡ªexcept for one. Zou Lan looked more than annoyed. So much so that she spread her domain once again, bathing the crowd in it. As the threat of death loomed over them, most snapped out of it almost immediately, while the rest simply fell to the ground unconscious. All that remained was a slight scent of flowers permeating the world before being crushed under the might of Zou Lan¡¯s domain.


    Still, the envoy didn''t bat an eyelid as he was bathed in the most concentrated scent. His stride didn''t falter, only offering the slightest glance toward the woman in purple. His eyes were emotionless, almost as if all the sentiments he ever had had been spilled when he faced the blue barrier. Now, nothing remained. Qin Yun couldn''t help but feel he resembled himself somewhat. They seemed to be cut from the same mould.


    ¡°Remember my exact words," the man said, walking past. "I never promised anything. Besides, all of it was contingent upon the fact that the Guardian was gone. However, the fact that the barrier remains already proves his survival. Or are you telling me someone else may have taken ownership of it? How absurd..."


    He then faded in the distance, leaving the three elders stunned. However, Qin Yun noticed that only the sickly elder seemed not to care as much as the other two. While they showed grim expressions, full of resentment and even anger, the green-robed elder seemed pensive, almost as if he had something else on his mind. Qin Yun could easily infer a reason. He knew something had to be done about this.


    He glanced to the side, only to meet Zou Lan''s gaze. He gave her a sign that she understood immediately before retracting her domain and letting her prisoners go free.


    ¡°That''s enough," she said softly, yet the breeze carried her words into the ears of every man, woman and child present, even resounding throughout this small part of the city. "Return to your homes and grieve, for this is but the beginning. As long as this city stands, the Outsiders will try, time and again, to break down its defences. Sooner or later, they will come again, and we will be ready, for the Guardian remains to block their path. The barrier protecting this city is proof of his caring nature, thinking nothing of his own sacrifice, if only to protect the Western Regions that stand behind us, but also those that made their lives here, and those that fight alongside him."


    After a moment of silence, the crowd finally nodded before returning to their homes, a slight hope blooming on their visages. However, just before they left, some offered the three elders a parting glance, yet those glances seemed laced with partially hidden disgust and resentment, only for it to fade soon after as they went back to their own lives.


    The three elders left soon after, closely following behind the envoy. Their expressions were grim, furious even. Most were aimed at Zou Lan, yet some even landed on Qin Yun, but he brushed them away as easily as sand falling on his shoulders.


    "You are playing a dangerous game," Zou Lan said, standing next to Qin Yun while isolating them within her domain. Still, she didn''t bother to mask how content she seemed, looking at the elders'' frustration.


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    "It needed to be done; otherwise, the city would have fallen long before the Outsider returned," Qin Yun shrugged, yet he didn''t taste the sweetness of victory. This was but the respite before the storm. Nothing had been averted, only delayed. Still, this was the best he could do at the moment.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be hidden forever,¡± Qin Yun sighed. ¡°Sooner or later, the truth will come out. Too many people know what happened.¡±


    "You think some of my people would be traitors?" she asked, a frown growing.


    ¡°Whether through betrayal or carelessness, nothing remains the same forever. If I were you, I would keep an eye on that envoy. He is by far the most dangerous of all of them.¡±


    "I am inclined to agree," she nodded. "While the three elders'' agendas are as clear as day, only his remains obscured. I doubt he came all this way only to turn back without meeting the Guardian in person. The Alliance wouldn''t be so callous in their orders. There must be something else he wants... just like you."


    Her gaze rested on Qin Yun as if trying to peer through him. She seemed like a predator stalking her prey, yet Qin Yun was no normal prey. He remained calm and composed, betraying no nervousness or anxiety, which couldn''t help but give her pause. Still, Qin Yun had nothing to fear since, despite it all, he had been forthcoming and truthful all along; only she refused to believe him.


    ¡°This city cannot afford to fall. At least, not now. It is that simple.¡±


    ¡°Yet you still wish to venture further on the other side?¡± she asked, perplexed. ¡°Why not remain and lend us your strength? While your cultivation is lacking, I know how resourceful you can be. There are many areas where you could be useful.¡±


    ¡°What can one man do against the tides of history,¡± Qin Yun shrugged. ¡°This city is doomed to fall eventually; the only question is when... and how. Whether I stay or go doesn¡¯t make the slightest difference.¡±


    ¡°Why prolong the inevitable, then?¡±


    While Zou Lan was reluctant to entertain the notion, she couldn¡¯t help but agree with Qin Yun¡¯s assessment. Each year, the Outsiders¡¯ raid grew much fiercer, while the support they received dwindled with each victory, almost as if they truly believed the fortress was impenetrable, if only because it had never been breached. Still, those far away were always quick to forget just how much had to be sacrificed for such victories in the first place.


    ¡°You know as well as I that the Outsiders are inconsequential; only the force backing them matters," Qin Yun shrugged. "Even if the fortress stands, this war isn''t limited to the Western Regions. I''m willing to bet each of the other three regions has its own conflicts to contend with. Who''s to say which will break first?"


    Zou Lan frowned even further, mulling on Qin Yun¡¯s words.


    "True... Interactions between the different regions have become scarcer in recent years, and we know almost next to nothing about the Eastern Regions. The Inner Regions even seemed to be actively concealing it. If anything, only the Alliance would be privy to such information, and they don''t seem that eager to share."


    "It may already be too late," Qin Yun added, yet still looked as unconcerned as ever, for he knew that if things were this dire, the one above would have already informed him unless he, too, was inconsequential in her plans. Thus, his destination remained. He needed answers that only the World''s Edge could give.


    "It seems I can''t stop you," Zou Lan sighed before a wood plank emerged from her storage ring.


    It was plain, the type of wood you could find anywhere, not even possessing the slightest bit of spirituality. Using a finger, Zou Lan began to use her domain to carve the character for moonlight upon its surface, even integrating a piece of her domain within. This gave the piece of wood a slight glow but also a very subdued trace of energy before gifting it to Qin Yun.


    With a bright smile, Qin Yun accepted it, only for it to disappear out of thin air. Zou Lan couldn''t even feel the slightest trace of space fluctuations, yet she chose not to probe further. Instead, something else was on her mind.


    ¡°When do you plan to leave, and do you ever plan to come back?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Soon,¡± he replied, looking in the direction the three elders had left. ¡°I have a few loose ends to tie up before I do so. I''ll let you know. As for your other question, I have only a slight idea of what I might find on the other side. This trip may take less than a year or a whole century."


    ¡°What are you hoping to find?¡± she asked casually, not expecting an answer.


    Qin Yun remained silent for a while, looking in the distance as he felt Zou Lan''s sword domain fluctuations. In the short time since he showed her the true wonders of intent, her domain had stabilized substantially, becoming even more profound than ever. Even her murderous intent¡ªthough it remained¡ªhad subsided. She seemed more composed and less prone to acting on her emotions. Figuring this might be the last time they exchanged words, Qin Yun offered her more than he first intended.


    ¡°Back in the Immortal Phoenix Sect, my wife is waiting for me,¡± he said solemnly. ¡°If I never come back...¡±


    The silence lingered for a while, only for Zou Lan to speak.


    ¡°How long should I wait?¡±


    "Who knows..." Qin Yun shrugged. "Up to you."


    Feeling the sincerity in his words, Zou Lan couldn''t help but feel a kinship with Qin Yun, for she, too, had someone she cared for. However, what Qin Yun told her next left her stunned.


    He spoke of what he believed he would find on the other side, yet the revelation seemed too much for her to take. She thought her cultivation had brought her close to the Heavenly Dao, yet these revelations left her wondering how little she truly knew. Dread couldn''t help but sprout in her heart, wondering if it was worth knowing. Somehow, she couldn''t help but wish she had remained ignorant. It would have been much easier to swallow.


    ¡°Now you know why I didn¡¯t wish to say,¡± Qin Yun lamented.


    Still, Zou Lan was much stronger than she appeared, and her mind was much more stable than the average individual''s. She took a long, deep breath and recomposed herself.


    "How many know about this?" she asked.


    "Know this for a fact? Not many, I''d wager. However, I''m sure those immortals in the Central Region know something we don''t, so I need to see it for myself. I''ll let you know when I do."


    Qin Yun took a step forward, passing through the boundary of her domain, following the trail the three elders had left, only for Zou Lan to still be lost in her own thoughts, yet there was one thing she was sure of.


    ¡°Somehow, I wish you hadn¡¯t told me...¡± she muttered to the breeze, looking sad and forlorn as she gazed toward the World¡¯s Edge.

 Chapter 117 - The Depths of Corruption

    A sickly middle-aged man sporting long black-trimmed green robes walked down a hall. A thin mist of water vapour condensed on his skin, only to be pulverized by the qi emanating from his flesh, contrary to his weakened demeanour.


    The hall was made of intricately carved hard stone, depicting an art style long out of date from a forgotten era. Maybe a few of the remaining living immortals might have lived through these ages; however, they were nowhere to be seen.


    The hall branched into countless adjacent rooms; some were used as libraries of knowledge while serving a more secretive purpose.


    As the man strolled, countless others wearing similar colours turned to face him, bowing slightly as they awaited him to walk out of sight. He ignored most of them, only nodding somewhat to the most seniors of them.


    ¡°Elder Guo! Did you achieve what the Lord asked of you?¡±


    A white-bearded old man stood before a massive stone door at the end of the hall. He wore identical clothes to the sickly elder, with only a single difference. A single line of silver separated the black trim from the rest of the green robe, while Elder Guo''s was gold.


    "Unfortunately, the envoy seemed to have other plans," Elder Guo said as he walked past.


    The heavy door opened by itself as the elder arrived in front, causing a tremor to resound throughout the mansion. Yet, countless runes flashed on the walls, preventing any vibration from propagating down the hall. With a wave of his hand, Elder Guo prompted the white-bearded man to enter with him.


    ¡°A shame,¡± the old man said. ¡°The Lord will be most displeased with this.¡±


    Within was a small table in the corner, but also a desk with pieces of paper strewn onto it and pieces of spirit stones glowing slightly. If one were to look closer, countless inscriptions were inscribed on its surface and deep within, yet it showed none of them as they were practically microscopic, needing a special instrument to read them.


    "There''s nothing we can do," Elder Guo said as he sat at the table.


    With a wave of his sleeve, the ring on his hand flashed, and two cups of tea appeared before him. He took one and offered the other. Still, the old man remained standing, his eyes frowned as he looked at the sickly man in silence. Only after what seemed like an eternity did Elder Guo sigh again as he put down his cup.


    "See for yourself," he added before tossing one such spirit crystal to the old man.


    The old man caught the crystal easily before using his divine sense to probe its depths, analyzing the countless characters within. As he read, his expression went from surprise to deep consternation, only to crush the crystal into a pile of dust that scattered out of the hall through a slight breeze even though they were much too far away from the nearest window.


    "How is that possible?" the old man exclaimed, anger clear on his face. "There''s no way he could have survived. There must be a mistake."


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Elder Guo shrugged. ¡°After all, we couldn¡¯t confirm his well-being, but the fact that the formation remains would point as such.¡±


    ¡°What about the other two? I doubt they remained still once the envoy left.¡±


    ¡°The Raging Sect elder reacted as expected," Elder Guo said, sipping his tea. "As for that woman, who knows what that sect is thinking. For all we know, they may simply be awaiting the right moment to strike. It would be foolish to believe they have no plans."


    The silence lingered, yet the old man''s expression couldn''t be much worse. On the contrary, Elder Guo seemed utterly unconcerned. In fact, he only sipped on his tea without a care in the world.


    ¡°The Lord will have to be told about this,¡± the old elder said grimly. ¡°He will no doubt seek an explanation.¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± Elder Guo replied casually, yet something caught his attention.


    The edge of his robe moved as if caught in a breeze. His eyebrows rose ever so slightly, and he turned his gaze toward the far side of the room, toward the massive bookshelf containing countless leather-bound books and thick rolls of parchment. However, the protective formation that kept the dust away pulsed at regular intervals, proving nothing was wrong. He nevertheless scanned it with his divine sense but found nothing out of the ordinary, and yet, he offered a slight smile, which couldn''t help but catch the old man''s attention.


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    "What''s so funny!" he exclaimed, enraged. "Both of our lives are on the line! Do you think the Lord will forgive such a failure?"


    ¡°You are already old. Your end was always near. What does it matter if it comes merely a bit sooner?¡± Elder Guo chuckled, turning back to face the old man. ¡°As for me, I¡¯m already dying, so why should I care?¡±


    A fire started to burn in the old man''s eyes, yet he managed to restrain himself. Still, his aura flared for a moment, filling the room with its might, even crashing against the bookshelf, prompting the formation to life. Still, there was a single place where the formation seemed to dwindle, which couldn''t help but draw Elder Guo''s attention away, prompting the old man''s fury to rise even more.


    With gritted teeth, the old man turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, his aura still spilling out of him, even prompting those who were attracted to the door opening for a second time to be struck unconscious before he left Elder Guo with some parting words.


    "If this is how little you care, don''t blame me for what happens next!"


    The door closed automatically once again, leaving Elder Guo alone with his thoughts. He smiled slightly as if the old man''s threat hadn''t registered in his mind. In fact, his gaze was fixed on the bookshelf as if he had found something much more interesting.


    "Aren''t you going to go after him? I''m sure what he plans will be detrimental to you?"


    A voice emerged from the void exactly where Elder Guo''s gaze was fixated, yet his expression didn''t shift. He remained remarkably calm, but only after a while did his smile grow slightly wider as he recognized the owner of that voice.


    ¡°Are you sure you wish to reveal yourself?¡± Elder Guo asked. ¡°Whatever means you used makes it extremely hard to notice your existence.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point in hiding when you already know where I am?¡±


    With but the sound of a single step, the void trembled, and a being emerged from the distortion, wholly garbed in black and long black hair tied to the back of his head. It was Qin Yun, appearing out of thin air with his usual calm expression. However, this time, he couldn''t help but be curious.


    "How did you find me?" he asked as the two men faced each other. The tension was rising, yet none opted to resort to violence; they only observed each other. "If you don''t wish to say, that''s fine, too."


    Without being prompted, Qin Yun approached the small table and sat facing the middle-aged elder. With a raise of the green-robed elder''s hand, a cup of warm tea appeared before Qin Yun, which he promptly took a sip from, savouring its slightly bitter taste. Its sweet aroma filled the room but also moistened the dry desert air before disappearing just as fast.


    Elder Guo observed Qin Yun closely and couldn''t help but be surprised at how casual he was.


    "Aren''t you afraid I might have poisoned this cup?" the elder asked. "I''m sure you know what our cult specializes in."


    Qin Yun put the cup down. A slight trace of tea remained at the corner of his lips, which he wiped away with a dark handkerchief before examining it, yet there seemed to be no change in colour.


    ¡°This room is already full of poison, so why would you need to poison this cup?¡± Qin Yun shrugged.


    Elder Guo leaned onto his chair''s backrest, holding his tilted head with his fist as he observed Qin Yun closely.


    ¡°And yet you checked after the fact, which means you are confident in your ability to resist most of them,¡± he said. ¡°But beware, our cult¡¯s poisons work in mysterious ways. You may already be dead without even realizing it.¡±


    ¡°Was that how you found me?¡± Qin Yun asked, slightly intrigued.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± the man replied before letting the silence linger.


    It was thick and heavy, almost tangible enough to be cut with a sword, yet neither made any sudden motion, almost like the calm before the storm. Still, Qin Yun relished this tension, feeling more alive than usual. While his ultimate goal was to remain alive, he couldn''t help but seek such thrills. He knew that one day, it would come back to bite him. However, that day wasn''t today.


    ¡°So, what do you seek by coming here?¡± the elder asked.


    ¡°What everyone else seeks,¡± Qin Yun replied. ¡°Answers.¡±


    ¡°And you think you¡¯ll get them from me?¡± the man shrugged before pouring himself another cup.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Qin Yun smiled. ¡°You seemed to be a reasonable man.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t do charity. What do you have to offer?¡±


    ¡°It would be a shame if our dear envoy were to learn what your cult''s disciples were up to during the siege," Qin Yun said, taking up his cup once again before bringing it to his lips. Yet he abruptly stopped, for the elder''s eyes didn''t shift at all. The man remained as calm as a windless lake.


    ¡°Blackmail, is it?¡± the man finally smiled. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯m sure the envoy would appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you care?¡± Qin Yun said as he frowned. ¡°This could implicate your entire cult. What would the Alliance think of it when it gets out? They might even order a purge.¡±


    ¡°Then so be it,¡± the man shrugged. ¡°You must have heard. I¡¯m already a dead man. My time on this plane is limited, so why should I care about the fate of others? The cult isn¡¯t what it used to be, anyway.¡±


    Qin Yun''s eyes opened wide, surprised to hear this. However, what surprised him wasn''t the fact that the man was dying. After all, the man''s pale and sickly complexion already showed as much. His hairs were thin and the point of his fingers had blackened, as did his lips; all apparent signs of long-term poisoning.


    Of course, as a poison master, the elder was well-aware of his own condition, which was more than likely self-inflicted through years of research and experimentation. Qin Yun turned to the side, observing the large bookshelf full of bound books and rolled parchment. This most probably was that man''s legacy¡ªa deadly legacy that would soon take even that man''s life.


    ¡°Is the Emerald Lord compromised?¡± Qin Yun asked, seeking an honest answer.


    Elder Guo was taken aback by how straightforward Qin Yun''s question was and couldn''t help but return a smile. He remained silent, pondering something, yet Qin Yun chose not to press further, letting the man reach a conclusion on his own.


    ¡°Who knows?" Elder Guo finally replied, a sad expression on his face. "A small outer elder like myself can rarely come in contact with the inner sect, much less meet the Lord himself. But, from what I''ve seen, the corruption runs deep. As for how deep it runs, I wouldn''t be able to tell you."


    Qin Yun''s expression turned grim for the first time. While the worst wasn''t confirmed, he knew just how bad things were. This was like having a wolf posing as a sheep-guardian dog, only waiting to strike when they least expect it. In fact, those dogs may not even realize they are wolves until their teeth have drawn blood, flooding the plains with millions of corpses. Still, Qin Yun had an ace to play.


    ¡°How much would you sacrifice, if only to remain alive?¡± Qin Yun asked, looking straight into the green-robbed elder¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 118 - Accounting for Contingencies

    The man remained silent, his expression fixed in place. Whether the shock of this inquiry left him stunned or he had long given up, Qin Yun couldn''t tell either way. He could only press further, hoping to elicit the reaction he had hoped for.


    "Any toxin has a cure," he said, gauging the man''s expression closely. "Did no one offer you any remedy?"


    A muffled chuckle emerged from Elder Guo''s mouth, only to become a loud laughter soon after. However, Qin Yun could clearly feel the origin of this laugh. It lay in desperation and resignation as if he had already given up all hopes, and Qin Yun had only brought back unhealed wounds to the surface.


    ¡°You think you can buy my loyalty with false promises?¡± Elder Guo said, a slight trace of anger now within. Still, his gaze was filled with pain rather than indignation.


    "I spent my whole life researching poisons, mixing many exotics and virulent substances in the hopes of creating something unique¡ªsomething that had never been birthed to this day," he added. ¡°All of it was for the Cult¡ªall of it for what the Emerald Lord represented.¡±


    His voice then grew much calmer and sombrer, yet there was also a slight trace of pride within.


    "I succeeded," he said. "A poison so potent that not even I was spared. Of course, the Cult wished to get their hands on it, but this was my masterpiece, the culmination of my life''s work. It burrows through a cultivator''s flesh, nesting in their core, only to be fully unleashed upon their demise, killing all exposed. How could I let something so miraculous be used for their petty power struggles."


    Qin Yun''s eyes opened wide, remembering what he had witnessed within the depths of the burial chamber deep within the desert sand below the city. It described exactly how the Forgotten One had perished. A poison fatal to even Peak Soul Formation Cultivator was potent but also rare. In fact, the materials alone would be worth a fortune. Yet, another thing caught Qin Yun''s attention.


    "Is that why you were sent here, a mere outer sect elder?" Qin Yun asked, only for the man to remain silent, eyes slightly narrowed. Yet, from his expression alone, Qin Yun could infer some things.


    ¡°I¡¯d assume the cult was less than enthralled to be denied its use after the investment they made into its creation,¡± he added. ¡°They took everything you had and banished you away to this forsaken city, yet they couldn''t kill you outright, only hoping you''d capitulate. Am I wrong?"


    Qin Yun noticed the man''s hand turning white as he grasped the tea cup firmly, even making creaks as if it was on the verge of shattering, yet his expression remained calm, almost as if he had cut the memory of such a time from his mind, yet the flesh remembered.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the tale,¡± the man replied, yet there was a quiver in his tone. ¡°How would you even know?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only too common,¡± Qin Yun shrugged. ¡°Besides, your poison has already been used¡ªin this very city, no less.¡±


    The man rose, pushing his chair away, only for outrage to flash on his face. He banged the cup on the table, shattering it in the process, splinters exploding in all directions as the elder''s Nascent Soul might spread within the room, covering every inch of the place.


    Qin Yun felt a massive pressure on his skin as if he were on the sea floor with an ocean above his head. However, it was much lighter than he expected. In fact, as the elder exerted this pressure, Qin Yun could see the black on his fingers propagate toward his heart, turning his veins black, which made for an eerie contrast against his pale skin.


    Less than a moment later, the pressure receded, alongside Elder Guo¡¯s fury, only to be replaced with an unending cough which resulted in blackish grey blood being spilled from the man¡¯s mouth, staining the floor, only for the grey part of it to sublimate into the air and disappear.


    Qin Yun lost his calm for the first time, looking at the man in complete shock. Unlike He Zihao''s condition, which resulted from corruption, this was clearly done through poisoning. Yet, a trace of corruption lingered within the man''s blood, almost as if to use him as a vessel, hiding in plain sight. It had even escaped the detection of his tribulation qi, which always reacted strongly against the corruption as if it was its antithesis.


    ¡°You actually did this?" Qin Yun muttered before adding aloud, almost in a rage. "Did you not think of the consequences of creating such a thing? Did you think you could control it?"


    While a slight trace of anger remained, Qin Yun''s outburst prompted the elder to regain most of his calm. As he finally regained his breath, a slight trace of blackish blood remained at the corner of his mouth, which he wiped away with a handkerchief, only for it to dissolve almost immediately into the corrosion. Even the room''s stone floor now had a slight indentation where the blood had fallen, producing traces of dark smoke dissolved within the atmosphere.


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    ¡°I¡¯m a scholar by nature,¡± the man said, yet Qin Yun could feel the sneer in his tone. ¡°Nothing is sacred, just as nothing is taboo, only the truth matters.¡±


    "Did you turn your research over to the Cult?" Qin Yun asked, weighing each word.


    "My research''s findings are mine and mine alone," the man replied after a slight pause. "Whether I share them is up to me. Still, I can''t believe they would use it in this way. They saw firsthand what it did to me..."


    ¡°What did you expect?¡± Qin Yun scoffed. ¡°Did you think they wouldn¡¯t be attracted to a way to wield the corruption to achieve their heart¡¯s desire? How naive can you be?¡±


    "I do not have to explain myself to you," Elder Guo said, his aura surging as it spread within the room. However, it was much more subdued and controlled this time than during his earlier outburst. "I do not know who you are or where you came from, but even if Zou Lan favours you, you cannot escape the fact that you are merely a trespasser within these halls. I offered you courtesy as a gesture of goodwill, but that is all you are entitled to. Now, I should punish you for your insolence!"


    A thin green mist spread from the man''s body, like waves on a stormy sea, crashing onto Qin Yun with such force that he had to take a few steps back, if only to resist them, his hands raised to protect his head.


    Yet. Qin Yun stood tall under the pressure, undaunted even as the might of an ocean crashed upon him. His body withstood it all without breaking, allowing the pressure to flow through him. However, he couldn¡¯t stop the thin green mist from seeping into his pores.


    It flooded his system, wreaking havoc in its wake, seeking to destroy all in its path as if a miniature army armed with countless microscopic bladed instruments, slashing away with abandon at each and every cell, wishing to tear them apart.


    What a potent poison! Qin Yun thought, yet showed no urgency.


    His body, forged into an artifact by the Heavens themselves, was extraordinary. While it couldn''t prevent the poison from spreading or the damage from being incurred, it could slow down the damage but also repair it faster than it would accumulate. However, sustaining such regeneration took a massive amount of qi. While he possessed more than the average Qi Refining cultivator, and its purity was massively higher, he knew he couldn''t contend against it for long.


    Without wasting a second, Qin Yun brought out his black blade, slashing away at the mist, creating a gale that pushed it backwards away from him. Yet, as the fog was formed from qi, physical wind alone wasn''t enough to fully affect it; a large portion of it remained, actively gnawing at his qi reserves.


    His mind raced, seeking the best course of action. While he could quickly deal with this with his current means, he would rather avoid others learning of this recent escapade. He had hoped to be a spectator until his existence was uncovered, but it seemed his opponent also grew tired of conversing.


    There was one path he could choose¡ªa contingency he had prepared for just such an eventuality. Yet, before it came to that, he would try to reason again.


    "Does the Emerald Lord deserve such loyalty that you would forgo your one chance at survival?" Qin Yun said, his voice firm and steady despite the pressure and the poison assaulting him.


    The elder couldn''t help but frown, unable to comprehend how this young man could oppose him. While he was weakened substantially, he still possessed enough strength to deal with a few dozen Void Core cultivators, much less a Qi Refining one.


    "Again, with your lies," the man said with a sneer. "How could anyone know better than I what my creation can do? If a cure existed, I would have already found it. I gave you a chance, but you will tell me what you hoped to accomplish by coming here. I don''t believe you truly expected me to abandon my Lord on such baseless claims!¡±


    The green mist suddenly turned blackish grey, assaulting Qin Yun with renewed vigour. Qin Yun''s veins turned black and ran rampant within his flesh, rampaging like a stampede. While he could stop its spread, were he to be so inclined, he had no time to do so. The battle was fierce as waves of power and clouds of poison and corruption continuously ran through him, keeping him at bay. It was like trying to run upwind through a storm. Every ounce of his strength was used to cut through the gale.


    On the other side, Elder Guo didn''t fare any better. Even he wasn''t immune to the poison he released. While minuscule, a slight amount infiltrated his own flesh, further deepening the poison''s hold on him. Yet, there were no signs of him slowing down. If anything, it only seemed to grow worse from there.


    Consternation appeared on the elder''s face, unable to believe his own eyes. He wondered how Qin Yun could stand against the torrent, even as his flesh was corroded by the grey substance. Still, the more he watched Qin Yun struggle, the more he felt his own will rise, ignoring his body''s collapse. Somehow, he wished to prevail in this collision.


    Whether it was his pride speaking or his survival instinct finally kicking in after so many years on the edge, he didn''t know. He knew that victory was within his grasp as long as he kept Qin Yun at bay. Yet, there was a single detail on his mind. Why hadn''t that intruder sought to run away yet?


    As if a waterfall, a torrent of power crashed onto him, yet Qin Yun used his black sword to slash through it, carving a path toward his target. Still, he had to be careful to keep his power in check. He couldn''t risk those outside this room knowing what was occurring. Thankfully, the room''s formation was fully activated, isolating them from the outside world. Still, it seemed much more fragile than he had hoped. One misplaced cut, with just the right angle, might be enough to collapse it entirely.


    After much thought, Qin Yun chose the most barbaric and safest options for his needs. He stopped slicing and sheathed his sword, only to let the waves crash onto him unobstructed. He felt the elder''s whole power ram into him head-on. His body creaked, only for the golden symbols to appear on his skin, shining bright, but also within his core, protecting his vitals from the deadly corruption.


    With only his own flesh to protect him, Qin Yun used himself as a battering ram, breaking the boundary separating them apart, only to finally reach the man. While he didn¡¯t come out completely unscathed, Qin Yun could finally reach his target.


    With a swift motion, Qin Yun clenched his fist and punched, putting most of his weight behind the blow, yet the use of his qi was minimal. The blow tore open the revolving qi around Elder Guo, blasting away the cloud of blackish smoke, revealing a sickly middle-aged man on the verge of collapse, his eyes wide with disbelief.


    His world faded to black as Qin Yun''s fist collided with the man''s stomach, shattering all his defences in the process, yet Qin Yun didn''t reap his life. The green-robed elder fell limply on the floor with a thud, as did Qin Yun shortly after, on a single knee, black veins bulging on his skin, but also the mysterious golden characters pulsing with light.

 Chapter 119 - Being Cruel to Oneself for Future Rewards

    A dark mist filled the entire room, burning Qin Yun''s eyes as it seeped into his pores. It filled his flesh with destructive substances and corrupted his body at the cellular level. Fortunately, he managed to resist most of the encroachment on his core, relying on the golden characters spread over his skin and qi centre.


    However, such measures were only temporary. Sooner or later, the cult would discover what had happened within this closed-off chamber, and they would come after him. He held no delusion that he could hide this from them. Still, he remained unconcerned, as he had ways around this. His first concern was the unconscious man at his feet.


    While still breathing, the green-robed elder was much paler than before, his aura almost nonexistent. Without his deep cultivation and the deep green lotus blooming within his core, the man would have long been an unfortunate victim of his own poison. In fact, the corruption spread much farther than he had hoped, reaching halfway up his arms and slowly making its way toward his heart. Once it reached, the man would surely perish. Furthermore, the surrounding poisonous mist certainly didn''t help the matter.


    With no second to lose, Qin Yun sat in a lotus position and began meditating. This was a gamble, as he was now defenceless, but he reckoned this was the best way to counter this mist. In fact, this was an opportunity¡ªan opportunity he couldn¡¯t miss for fear of something that might happen.


    He took a deep breath, releasing most of the darkish mist within himself and letting it flow toward his core. At the same time, he brought forth the mysterious black box, slowly floating before him, then opened a channel toward its depths, waking the slumbering crystal egg within.


    As soon as the passage was opened, Qin Yun felt its presence clearly, almost as if they possessed a connection. Its image appeared in his mind, showing that it had grown slightly since the last time it had emerged.


    How can it do that? Qin Yun thought as he frowned. There should be no flow of time within. How can it continue to grow without me noticing?


    Still, those questions would remain unanswered¡ªat least for now. He had more pressing matters to address. The dark green mist was continuously corroding everything in the room. Even the few formations meant to preserve everything in their optimal states were buckling under its corrosion. Sooner or later, nothing would remain¡ªnot even his corpse. He had to act fast.


    Just as an ocean of gas filled his being, Qin Yun also unleashed his tribulation qi, flooding his system and creating a stalemate between the two. War raged as the two battled, with Qin Yun''s body as the battlefield, creating injury upon injury, whether to his muscles or to his organs.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but suffer as his every cell was torn apart by the poison, only to be repaired by the continuous flow of qi, strengthening his flesh in the process. Everything was as it should be¡ªeverything but one. The slight trace of dark grey within the poison was what made it so dreadful.


    It didn''t simply destroy, but also latch on to him, trying to turn him into something he wasn''t. No matter how hard the tribulation qi repaired the damage, a trace of corruption would remain, continuously eating away at him, only so that it could corrupt him to his core. The only silver lining was that it couldn''t enter his core as the tribulation qi remained ever-vigilant, keeping a careful watch.


    Qin Yun remained in this state for more than an hour, continuously fighting against the pain but also reaping the benefits. At the same time, the room was now devoid of poison, all being absorbed by him.


    His skin was now pale, as white as a sheet. Black veins bulged upon his flesh, reminiscent of the unconscious man next to him. If not for Qin Yun''s high tolerance to pain, he would be swimming in and out of consciousness, probably too distraught to think clearly, not much better than the cult''s elder. Yet, he remained lucid. Struggling all this time against the invader.


    The two forces were in equilibrium, yet the balance would soon fall. No matter how pure and potent it was, Qin Yun''s qi was limited. Sooner or later, he would run out, and the poison would run rampant. Furthermore, that moment was fast approaching.


    This should be enough, Qin Yun thought, finally opening his eyes to the clear room devoid of green mist.


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    Still, the remains of its existence were plain to see. Qin Yun''s black robes were in complete shambles, half-eaten through. The elder''s were better, as they possessed certain defensive qualities. The wooden furniture and most other decorative objects had been reduced to ash, filling the newly formed divots on the stone floor.


    Only the large bookcase, which took up most of the back wall, remained, its defensive formation still pulsing with power, albeit weakly. The runes were half eroded, barely able to sustain themselves. As such, more than a third of the documents and leather-bound books were gone, destroyed.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but feel a single tinge of guilt and sadness as he looked upon the desolate scenery, even more than when he witnessed the aftermath of the recent battle. It may seem cruel, but to him, these books were much more valuable than those who perished in the conflict. They possessed the knowledge he sought, an entire lifetime of research into poison¡ªbut more importantly¡ªthe grey corruption.


    He rose to his feet, only to feel a sudden vertigo. The balance held within, between his qi and the corruption, was a strenuous undertaking, ready to collapse at any moment. Still, he couldn''t help but wish to approach the bookcase and rescue the unintended victims of this poisonous corrosion.


    With a swipe of his hand, a vortex appeared, slicing apart the lingering formation. This gave rise to the countless pages and scrolls, lifting them from their resting places to fly straight into the hovering black box, finally reaching their safe harbour after the storm.


    He quickly glanced toward the two massive stone doors, only to see that the formation keeping them shut was also on its last leg, ready to break at any moment. Once it did, he wouldn''t be able to hide anymore. Anyone with a divine sense could probe the depths of this chamber and discover him. Time was of the essence.


    He sat back down on the floor, closing his eyes, and saw that the stalemate was about to collapse. The pain he felt was slowly mounting, and soon, he would become unable to bear it. His only option was to take drastic measures.


    A few days ago, he had sealed away the crystal egg in its own dimension, deep within the black box. But today, he would let it loose again, allowing it to run rampant and gorge itself on what seemed to be its favourite food. With but a thought, the connection between them was reestablished.


    In a mere instant, the egg sprung to life like a voracious being with unending hunger, swallowing everything that crossed its path, whether it was the dark green poison laced with grey or the golden characters keeping it at bay. All were mere prey before it.


    As they had done some time prior, the conflict ceased almost immediately, and the two energies turned to face this newcomer with little success. Despite seemingly being the apex of what they were, respectively, they couldn''t contend against the deep void, swallowing all, and had no choice but to join forces, somehow beginning to fuse with each other against a common enemy.


    The process was as Qin Yun expected, as was the pain. It all happened much the same as last time, though this time it wasn''t an accident but of Qin Yun''s own volition. Given time, he could have successfully driven the corruption out, but in his current condition, time was but a luxury. His priority was to leave this place, leaving as little evidence as possible.


    After another hour, both energies were on the verge of collapse, unable to drive back the void. On the other side, the egg shone with resplendent light, almost gleefully, like a child savouring its favourite treat. Yet to the two energies, it seemed more like a reaper, seeking to strip away everything that made them what they were, so much so that they had discarded a small piece of themselves in the futile effort to resist it.


    This small piece was now imprinted onto Qin Yun''s lotus seed. Just another greyish line replacing a gold one on the countless characters glowing on the seed. This change might seem trivial, but to Qin Yun, this was an experiment: a path among the many he could walk if given the chance. Just one of many possibilities.


    When the struggle was over and the grey corruption all but gone, all that remained was the vortex sucking everything away. With another thought, Qin Yun sought to cut away the connection, yet was denied. He could feel the unending thirst from beyond, slowly encroaching on his inner world, unwilling to let go of its hold on this succulent meal. Fortunately, this wasn''t outside of Qin Yun''s expectations.


    Unafraid of the repercussions, he created a sword with his fingers. Although invisible to the eye, its sharp presence was unmistakable. Then, with steel-like resolve, Qin Yun thrust that sword straight into his qi centre, aiming for the conduit siphoning his qi away.


    With his mastery over intent, Qin Yun could fully dictate what he wished to cut, allowing him to bypass his flesh, only for the vortex to bear the brunt of his sword''s sharpness. The typhoon raged, as if in defiance, yet reality split, shattering its hold on this plane, only to vanish soon after, its passage through the dimensions severed, leaving the insatiable egg isolated within the black box, unable to free itself.


    As soon as the conduit collapsed, Qin Yun forcefully severed the black box''s connection to the outside world, then couldn''t help but vomit a massive amount of blood, panting as he supported himself with his hands on the cold stone floor.


    He had suffered significant internal injuries, not from his sword intent, but from the conduit''s collapse. It created something akin to shrapnel as it vanished, mauling most of his internal organs. Fortunately, qi alone was enough to sustain their processes until they healed on their own. What concerned him more was the strain this had posed on his core and the effect it would have on the seed within. He couldn''t afford for it to collapse, lest he needed to start over from the beginning.


    After a moment to catch his breath, Qin Yun finally rose, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. The worst had passed, yet there was still more to come. He was still deep within hostile territory, trapped within a cage of his own making, with the only man able to grant him freedom still unconscious on the floor.


    He looked toward the doors, only to see them on the verge of breaking. Once they did, Qin Yun held no illusion that swarms of angry cultists wouldn''t flood into here, most likely led by the white-bearded elder who had left not so long ago. His only chance was to find another exit, something they wouldn''t expect.


    With a devious smile, Qin Yun picked up the limp body, slinging it onto his shoulder before approaching the opposite wall, the one where the bookcase used to be¡ªthe one that was now empty. After slightly deliberating, weighing his options and determining this to be the best, Qin Yun clenched his fist and punched.

 Chapter 120 - Watching From the Darkness

    Stone ruptured as they flew through the air, shattering as they collided with the opposite wall. The sound was deafening, reverberating throughout the compound like a small centralized quake shaking through its foundations.


    A cloud of dust lingered, obscuring the view of the unfortunate bystanders roused away from their studies by the cacophony of sounds. Wood splinters scattered everywhere, the last remnants of a well-used bookcase, a now-empty vault of knowledge.


    "What''s happening?!" many cried in shock, peeking out of their chambers into the long hallway behind Elder Guo''s study.


    ¡°Are we under attack?¡±


    As the thunderous sound echoed, many panicked, rushing away from the noise while others stood rooted in place, unsure of what to do. Despite the many attacks on the fortress, never had any of the four sects'' compounds been breached. Still, a slight minority rushed forward, weapons and artifacts in hand, but also many poisonous means, ready to spill their content on any would-be invaders, all too eager to witness the fruit of their research. Still, they abruptly stopped when they noticed where the sound originated from.


    ¡°Lock down the branch!¡± the white-bearded elder ordered, letting his divine sense carry his voice in all directions as he stood before the massive stone door. ¡°Capture all unauthorized personnel! Kill all those who resist!¡±


    Like a well-trained army, green-robed disciples flooded the halls, scattering in all directions. Their gazes were firm with resolve and a slight murderous intent laced with anticipation. They smiled slightly, clutching their many concoctions, anticipating the opportunity to use them.


    The white-haired elder remained in place, watching the door closely. While the formation remained, its strength was weak¡ªmuch weaker than it should have been. The runes flickered with dying light, barely holding on under the strain. The barrier was unstable, creating irregular waves on its surface, which died as they crashed into each other and disappeared.


    As he stood guard, another individual with similar strength stood opposite him, facing the massive breach alongside two others. All three also wore green robes, yet their linings were different colours. Two were red, and another was silver.


    She was a woman of small stature, half of her face hidden behind a mask. Her long green hair fell to her shoulders, yet a single strand of grey split them in two on her right side. She didn''t look that old, maybe in her early forties, yet her deep cultivation spoke of her seniority. Also, the looks of respect from the two individuals next to her were dead give-away.


    ¡°Stay on your guard!¡± she said in a hoarse voice, almost grating. Yet, the two thought none of it, only looking at her more fervently. "Whoever is responsible may still be within. Do not let them through under any circumstances."


    Her gaze was fixed on the lingering dust cloud, awaiting its descent. Despite her strength, she remained still, using her divine sense to scan within. Yet, she couldn''t help but frown as she realized the chamber was empty. There were no traces of Elder Guo or the supposed invaders.


    For a split second, she began to second-guess herself. Had the invader managed to leave before she could arrive? The thought alone was preposterous. Who in this city could avoid both her and her fellow elder''s pursuit, leaving no traces behind?


    An uncontrollable shiver ran down her spine, shaking her body slightly as her eyes opened wide. Fortunately, she managed to conceal it from her two aides. They remained none the wiser, executing her orders to perfection. Their hands remained stuck to their weapon, ready to unleash their full might at a moment''s notice, while she began to panic slightly. She had no choice but to seek counsel.


    ¡°Any clues on your end?" she said, projecting her voice to the other side of the chamber with her divine sense, allowing only the white-bearded elder to hear her. There was a slight quiver in her voice, almost as if she wished for the man to quell her doubts.


    ¡°Nothing to report,¡± he replied in the same way. ¡°It¡¯s eerily quiet¡ªtoo quiet.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think...¡± she began, only to be interrupted almost immediately.


    "She may be brash, but even she wouldn''t," he replied, confident in his answer. "Not now. Not after what happened. She wouldn''t be foolish enough to antagonize us in this way. Not while her sect has suffered the most. Besides, this is not her style."


    "You''re... right," she agreed, reflecting on all she knew about this individual.


    His words made sense, but she had a feeling she could not shake. If not her, who else possessed the strength to infiltrate this far into their stronghold while avoiding all detection? Not even the mysterious elder of the Purple Blossom Sect could claim such, not even with their strange means. Only that woman had the means to conceal herself from their divine senses using her domain.


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    According to the Cult''s guidelines, a Nascent Soul elder always remained within the research wing, using his divine sense to continuously scan for intruders or spies. This was Elder Guo''s turn. How could they have slipped past his guard? Unless...


    Her eyes narrowed as she reached the worst conclusion. Despite her constant search, she saw no signs of the man himself, except for a small puddle of greenish-black blood and the several traces of poison use remaining within the room.


    While she didn''t know the specific, she was acutely aware of which poison produced such a result. There was no doubt in her mind that this was Elder Guo''s prized poison, which only those of the main branch could safely use.


    There were only two reasons for its presence here. Either Elder Guo used it in self-defence, or someone from the main branch had come here without their knowledge. It could only be one of the two.


    ¡°Preposterous..." she muttered, the very thought vanishing.


    Elder Guo must have been fighting with someone, but who? Who would be daring enough to even reach him in his very chamber? Not to say forcing him to use this poison despite his condition. It must have been a fierce opponent, yet nothing remains. Neither from Elder Guo nor this mysterious opponent. How could this be? It¡¯s almost as if he could survive this poison...


    The thought alone brought another shiver to her spine. While she wasn''t privy to the details, she was intimately familiar with what poisons could do¡ªher mask was proof of it. Furthermore, she had seen firsthand how it slowly killed Elder Guo, eating him from the inside. She couldn''t conceive of anyone surviving such corrosion.


    ¡°Do you have anything to report?¡± the white-bearded elder¡¯s voice echoed in her mind, giving her slight comfort.


    At least she wasn''t the only one dealing with this mess. She shared her doubts, only for the man to grow silent, slowly absorbing the news, his expression growing ever more sombre.


    Just as she inspected the chamber''s interior, the man had done the same and reached the same verdict. The lack of any traces was unnerving. The barrier over the door still remained, eliminating this as a possible exit point. Undoubtedly, the intruder could have only left through the hole on the other side. Yet, the search using his divine sense had yielded nothing thus far. He could only wait for their disciples'' sweep to conclude. Still, their news wasn''t any better.


    "Elder!" a man said as he respectfully bowed to the white-bearded man. "No suspicious individuals were reported. Also, there were no traces of forced extraction or intrusion. As of now, we have no idea how this could even happen. Still, our search will continue unless you have further orders."


    A slight trace of sweat appeared on the man''s forehead, even as he refused to rise. He could feel the temperature drop as waves of power crashed onto him, almost making him lose his balance. Yet, he remained utterly still, awaiting the storm to pass.


    The white elder''s gaze was glacial; only a slight trace of fury slumbered within, prompting most of the surrounding disciples to take a few steps back. The curious onlookers, peeking from the confines of their own studies on each side of the hall, quickly returned to their own matters, too afraid to bear the brunt of it or even be witnesses. Only the bowing man remained, stoic under the pressure.


    After a long moment, the elder finally sighed, dismissing the man with his hand. Yet his gaze remained on the stone door and the quickly failing formation.


    ¡°As you wish,¡± the man said as he rose, relief clear on his face. ¡°We will begin a second sweep. We will not rest until whoever is responsible for this is found.¡±


    He began walking away, his pace almost a run. Yet, he could only take a few steps before a thunderous noise echoed, nearly as if a meteor had struck right next to them, shaking the compound again, the impact even stronger.


    The man turned, only to see the two magnificent stone doors shatter into a cloud of dust; not even their hinges remained, as they had been torn apart by the blow. As the noise died down, none uttered a sound, too shocked to respond. Only the white elder''s footsteps broke the silence as he walked toward the now-opened gateway, his steps heavy with purpose.


    Within the chamber, his eyes darted all around, taking in the emptiness. The corrosive substance had ravaged the ground and walls, leaving them full of tiny indentations. Most of the furniture was gone, evaporated into smoke, leaving only the piece that supported a few half-eaten runes, barely pulsing with leftover power but on the verge of fizzling out.


    A large hole was on the back wall, and with a single sweep of the old elder¡¯s sleeve, the lingering dust was pushed aside, revealing the masked elder standing on the other side, a concerned look in her eyes.


    Both entered the room, scanning all they could with their divine senses, yet there was nothing to find. All traces of the invader had been corroded to be nearly unrecognizable. The only clue as to his identity was a small puddle of putrid blood lingering on the floor. Yet, this could barely even be called blood.


    Even if they wished to use this to identify this intruder, they couldn¡¯t. All information contained within had already been corrupted beyond belief. They didn¡¯t even have to test it to know. They had already seen something similar, from Elder Guo, no less.


    ¡°How could they have disappeared?¡± the female elder asked, slightly perturbed.


    Only a few seconds elapsed from the impact to her arrival. Besides, as did her counterpart, she had used her divine sense to scan her surroundings almost immediately. The compound was crawling with their disciples and various security measures. To think someone could escape from their grasp was inconceivable.


    ¡°Have all our disciples within the city return at once!¡± the old elder barked, his voice threatening to shatter the very ceiling above their heads. ¡°If any one of them are missing...¡±


    He didn''t even have to finish his sentence, as all who heard him could imagine the rest. They gulped silently, wishing not to be the target of his ire, yet they soon scattered relaying his orders to all. Soon, only the two elders remained, but even they soon left, as there were no more clues to find. They each chose a sector of the compound to comb through, if only to validate the report they received for themselves.


    In a dark corner of the room, shielded from the light, Qin Yun remained entirely still. His heart had stopped, and his breath had died, as if a corpse, yet his eyes were wide open as he watched the two elders leave.


    Even as they faded away, he made no movements and merely waited. The device on his wrist pulsed at full power, creating an invisible barrier that resisted the divine senses constantly striking against it. It was hot to the touch, almost searing against his skin, yet Qin Yun uttered no sound.


    His skin was cold from the lack of blood flow, yet his mind was even colder, watching as they left. Elder Guo''s unconscious body had disappeared, leaving only Qin Yun in the darkness, as if mice watching the cats miss every trace of his existence. Once he was finally alone, a small smile crept on his lips.

 Chapter 121 - Banking on an Unpaid Debt

    The sun slowly faded behind the dunes as Zou Lan stood within the Moonlight Sword Palace''s branch. Dusk blanketed the land, yet a sudden cacophony of sound disturbed its peacefulness. Although muffled by the distance, the distinct noises of countless footsteps of people rushing around echoed clearly into Zou Lan''s perked-up ears.


    With a single step, her domain spread, and she rose to the sky, only to see the world below come alive as multiple points of light appeared one after the other, most concentrated near the Cult of the Emerald Lord''s compound.


    She saw the light of countless torches fight back the darkness as they seemed to frantically search for something. With a single breath, she extended her domain, reaching every corner of the fortress, using it as a medium to amplify the sounds, yet one conversation caught her attention.


    ¡°Have you found the intruder?¡±


    The voice seemed agitated, almost as if on the verge of a meltdown. Yet, the reply wasn¡¯t much better.


    ¡°We searched everywhere... twice, and we found nothing! How can this be possible?! There¡¯s no way Elder Guo could have just disappeared... right?¡±


    ¡°Search again! We must have overlooked something...¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think... Could the outsiders have anything to do with this?¡±


    ¡°Are you dumb? The barrier surrounding the city is stable. There¡¯s no way they can bypass it without our knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Then, who¡¯s responsible for this? Who has both the power and the motive to act against Elder Guo?¡±


    ¡°We both know who does. After what happened today, she is the most likely suspect!¡±


    ¡°You think Sect Master...¡±


    The voice became muffled, almost as if it had physically been interfered with.


    ¡°Shhhhh!¡± the other voice hissed. ¡°Don¡¯t say her name. Do you want to die? Don¡¯t forget she may be listening in at this very moment!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re paranoid!¡± the other replied, probably breaking free of its hold. ¡°She has much better things to do than to listen to us in secret.¡±


    ¡°What''s taking so long?!" a third voice appeared, cutting through the two other''s conversation. Its tone was much more authoritative. "Get back to work! The elder wants results. You aren''t to stop until you find something... anything!"


    Zou Lan could hear the two scurry away, their footsteps scattering in opposite directions. She took a moment to take it all in, a slight frown on her face. She glanced at the barrier, only to see it strong and stable. Besides, she had just visited Xu Weizhe, and he seemed perfectly fine, albeit still weakened. Without his knowledge, there was no way for the Outsiders to bypass the city''s defences.


    It was then that she felt a disturbance in her domain. It was subtle, almost imperceptible. Without being fully focused on it, she might have missed it purely because of how benign it all felt. The sensation was common, just another entity moving within the bounds of her domain, yet she could barely feel its existence. She had to concentrate fully to even identify its current location.


    Her gaze swung downwards, fixed on this anomaly, only to see a blurred figure nonchalantly strolling through the busy streets of early dusk. What caught her attention was the unnatural behaviours of those around this anomaly, swerving out of the way as if unconsciously. They didn''t even seem to realize what they had crossed paths with.


    Zou Lan concentrated her domain around this blurred figure, only for it to stop, almost as if it had felt the change. She frowned at the sight yet kept its hold on it, concentrating on uncovering what lay behind the hazy veil. The blurred figure remained calm but suddenly raised its gaze, locking onto Zou Lan''s current location, levitating in the sky. She was but a dot on this endless canvas, yet their eyes met, and it was then that she pierced through it. She couldn''t help but show a grimace.


    ¡°Can¡¯t he keep still?¡± she muttered, shaking her head. ¡°What has he done this time?¡±


    Judging by his current trajectory, his destination was obvious. Zou Lan floated back down, landing next to a bowing female disciple, respectfully waiting for her. Zou Lan''s white gown made her look like a ray of moonlight descending from the sky to illuminate the darkness of dusk, prompting awe to rise in the disciple''s heart. However, it soon vanished as she noticed Zou Lan''s grim expression.


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    ¡°When he arrives, bring him to me,¡± she ordered as she entered the main hall.


    The female disciple remained folded in half, waiting for Zou Lan¡¯s footsteps to disappear as the stone doors closed behind her. The disciple felt a cold sweat on her back, unable to utter a single sound, not even to ask who exactly she was supposed to be waiting for. Still, after a moment to regain her senses, she rose and headed toward the main gate, almost at a run.


    A few minutes later, Qin Yun was escorted to the main hall. On the way, he had to face the glares of countless disciples, but what made him chuckle was the looks of apprehension plastered on the female disciple leading the way.


    He only remembered seeing her from afar and never interacting with her. He couldn''t even begin to understand how he could have slighted her, much less what grudge she could hold. Yet, the most peculiar thing was the pity also laced within. This was highly disconcerting.


    Just as he arrived before the massive stone doors, they opened on their own, revealing Zou Lan sitting in the back, on her throne, her head resting on her fist. She looked at Qin Yun with such emotionless eyes that he was taken aback. He glanced at the side, hoping to see his guide, yet she had vanished. Still, he could hear her hurried footsteps fading away in the distance.


    With a slight smile, Qin Yun stepped forward into the hall. Yet as soon as he passed the threshold, the two massive stone doors slammed shut, imprisoning him within. He glanced around the room, only to find that they were alone. Silence reigned as they looked at each other, her gaze seeking to bore a hole through him, yet Qin Yun couldn''t help but find it funny. Somehow, he couldn''t help but relish in the tension.


    ¡°What do you have to say for yourself?¡±


    Zou Lan was the first to break the silence, not wasting a single moment as she went right into the heart of the matter. Qin Yun opened his mouth, yet no words came out. Somehow, his instinct screamed at him not to go with his first impulse. He quickly glanced at her expression, only to see she was deadly serious. After a slight sigh, Qin Yun opted to be direct.


    With a wave of his sleeve, the black box appeared, hovering a meter above the stone floor. Zou Lan¡¯s eyes narrowed, watching the peculiar object slowly, only to witness something she wished she hadn¡¯t.


    A flash of light occurred, sparking to life momentarily before receding, revealing a limp body. Zou Lan was stunned as she recognized the owner of this body, yet what truly shocked her was its state. Black marks had risen from his extremities toward the man''s core; somehow, she could feel the slight traces of corruption within. Yet, this wasn''t what truly shocked her. This was a lifeless body, a corpse. There was no breath of life within and also no heartbeat.


    ¡°What is that supposed to achieve?" Zou Lan asked, her tone grave but also laced with a slight murderous intent, awaiting a satisfactory answer.


    Qin Yun didn''t say a word, merely approaching the corpse as the revolving black box disappeared into the void. He bent down, putting a single palm onto the man''s chest, and concentrated. A spark rose from Qin Yun''s core as countless golden characters appeared on the seed within, only for a bolt of lightning to rush through his body, along his outstretched arm, then out of his palm, only to strike the man''s still heart.


    As if risen from the dead, the elder''s body shook as his eyes snapped open, drawing breath in an instant. However, the resuscitation was such a shock that the man began to convulse on the ground before an unending cough assaulted him. Soon after, a mass of blackened blood was ejected from his mouth, staining the stone floor of the hall, only for the man to lose consciousness once again, his limp body resting on the cold stone floor as the mass of blood began to bore through it.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the reason for this mess?¡± Zou Lan asked, slightly taken aback. ¡°Can this be traced back to you?¡±


    Fortunately, Zou Lan had been prepared, and her domain enveloped the entirety of the hall, ensuring none would be aware of anything that occurred within except the two of them. Still, she remained on guard, unsure of what to do, as the ramifications of such an act would be too much for her to handle.


    I doubt it,¡± Qin Yun shrugged. ¡°They are still running around like headless chickens.¡±


    ¡°This won''t end well," she sighed, looking slightly exhausted. "While just an outer sect elder, Elder Guo is well-respected as a scholar within the Cult. I doubt they''ll just forget about him and move on. You won''t be able to hide this forever."


    "I don''t intend to," Qin Yun replied dismissively. "I''ll be long gone by the time they realize. Besides, unless you tip them off, I doubt it will come to this."


    Qin Yun offered Zou Lan a knowing smile, only for her to avoid his gaze as if in protest. Still, there was something else on her mind.


    ¡°Why would you go that far?¡± she asked. ¡°You did tell me the cult was involved in the former guardian¡¯s demise. Was Elder Guo involved as well?¡±


    Qin Yun sighed as he began relaying what had happened within Elder Guo''s chamber: the conversation he heard between him and the white-bearded elder and his own with Elder Guo. Zou Lan remained pensive as she began digesting the information she had received. Still, her expression grew worse and worse as she began to realize how deep the corruption had spread.


    "You''re telling me you can fight such corruption?" she asked skeptically.


    Still, she couldn¡¯t dismiss his story entirely. After all, it was a fact that he infiltrated the Cult¡¯s branch and came out carrying one of their top elders¡ªone at the Nascent Soul realm, no less. Things never seemed to be that simple when it came to this young man.


    "Give it up," Qin Yun sighed. "It''s not something you can replicate. Your best bet would be to find a way to stop its spread rather than try to eliminate its influence. As I''m sure you''re aware, only one thing in this world can fight against it."


    Zou Lan''s gaze rested on Qin Yun for a while longer as if trying to uncover his secrets or¡ªat least¡ªpress him to share. However, Qin Yun remained stalwart against the pressure, and his mouth stayed shut. She could only sigh, thinking what to do about what she had just heard.


    ¡°Even if I believe you, others won¡¯t. Do you hold any evidence of your claim?¡± she asked.


    "You have all the evidence you could need right here," he replied, pointing to Elder Guo''s unconscious body.


    ¡°That¡¯s not enough,¡± she sighed. ¡°They¡¯ll only think we coerced a confession out of him. We need something more substantial.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± Qin Yun replied firmly. ¡°You only need to instill doubt. The goal is to gain time. If you can make people doubt them, they won¡¯t dare go through with whatever they have planned. While everyone has their own objectives, the world won¡¯t allow those that overtly side with its enemies."


    Zou Lan remained silent, pondering. Qin Yun didn¡¯t press her. This was a choice she had to make on her own. After all, this would affect much more than just the two of them. Her sect would be implicated, as well as the entirety of the western edge of this region. This wasn¡¯t a decision to be taken lightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not enough,¡± she finally said. ¡°I¡¯m too young. My reach alone is not enough. The Emerald Lord isn¡¯t something I can shake on my own.¡±


    However, Qin Yun wasn''t deterred by her refusal. In fact, he offered her a slight smile as if he had predicted her reaction.


    ¡°If what you lack is merely influence, then I have the perfect accomplice in mind. If I am the one to ask, then she is sure to help.¡±


    Qin Yun then explained who he was referring to, only for Zou Lan to be unable to hide her shock.


    "Why would she take that risk?" she blurted out. "She''s one of the Alliance''s pillars. Few don''t know her name within the Western Region. What would make her help us with this?"


    "She owes me," Qin Yun merely replied.

 Chapter 122 - The Return of Bronze and Silver

    ¡°She... owes you?¡±


    Zou Lan had a hard time wrapping her mind around this revelation. To her, Feng Yanmei was a bright flame shining high into the sky, forever out of reach. Ever since she had embarked on the path of cultivation, she had heard stories of this rising star of the Immortal Phoenix Sect, seeing her as a role model¡ªso much so that many labelled Zou Lan as her second coming.


    "What''s so hard to believe?" Qin Yun shrugged. "I don''t believe you haven''t sent people to investigate my past. You should know what transpired a few months back in Jin City."


    Indeed, she had, yet the reports she received were difficult to believe. Following her master, rumours of Yun Jingfei had also spread within the Western Regions, yet the details of her accident and her recovery were scarce, making people speculate. All she knew was that this young man¡ªas her husband¡ªhad a hand in it.


    "Would she agree?" Zou Lan asked, her voice and expression laced with skepticism. "This would involve more than just her¡ªmaybe her whole sect. Would she dare to involve herself in it all for a stranger?"


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that,¡± Qin Yun replied.


    He then took a translucent crystal from his clothes. It was half the size of his fist, yet sparkled in the fading light as it hit one of its countless facets. It seemed like there was a maelstrom within, as if qi was continuously swirling inside a crystal prison, unable to break free.


    Even with this mysterious object in hand, Zou Lan¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t shift as she had seen this much too often. She only narrowed her eyes slightly, waiting to find what Qin Yun Intended.


    Using an outstretched finger to lightly touch the crystal, Qin Yun concentrated as a sharp intent bore right through the boundary, inscribing a message deep within its core. Watching this, Zou Lan''s eyes couldn''t help but open wide as she felt the residual waves of intent crash upon her, slightly stirring her Dao Heart, but also her own domain.


    Akin to sympathetic resonance, her domain began to ring, creating a strange hymn as it propagated within. It felt as if it had been reunited with a long-lost relative, its joy unable to be expressed but through mysterious songs.


    Qin Yun used his sword intent to carve a message within the crystal, yet it also resonated with Zou Lan¡¯s sword domain, creating a hymn filled with meaning, but also the Dao.


    As the waves of newborn Dao filled the space, she couldn''t help but close her eyes and absorb the meaning laces within, unable to bear wasting this opportunity. All the doubts and apprehension she felt when looking at this man of unknown origins faded away, replaced with an eagerness, unlike her usual self.


    After all, the Dao was the goal of all cultivators, their only means to reach a higher realm after they had condensed their own domains. Such opportunities were few and far between, sometimes necessitating heaven-sent fortunes or the inheritance of a long-lost expert to make even the slightest progress.


    After all, epiphanies didn''t grow on trees. Yet, this was her second one in such a short time. There was only a single explanation for this. Qin Yun''s mastery of the sword dwarfed her own, and not by a small margin. She couldn''t help but feel fear grow in her heart, yet she discarded it all, unwilling to lose this opportunity.


    Strands of sword intent flew around her, infusing into her domain, creating a mysterious dance as each strand clashed in this limited battlefield, unleashing the Dao of Slaughter with each collision.


    Although their Daos differed and Qin Yun¡¯s lack of domain meant the meaning was unstable as the world resisted its advent, Zou Lan benefited greatly from it¡ªso much so that she would need a long time in closed-door cultivation to make the most of it, integrating her new insights within her own domain.


    As she absorbed the lingering sword intent swirling around the hall, Qin Yun watched over her. The crystal was now firmly in the palm of his hand, golden characters swirling within, yet protected by a sea of sharp blades that wouldn''t rest until attempts to uncover its secrets were destroyed utterly.


    An hour passed, but Zou Lan remained immobile, except for a slight smile unconsciously adorning her lips. She basked in the moment, unwilling to extirpate herself, yet Qin Yun felt her domain grow slightly unstable. The change had been too quick, threatening to shake its foundation. As such, he took out his black sword and cut mercilessly, shattering the lingering sword intent swirling within the hall.


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    Zou Lan''s eyes jolted open as sweat poured down her pores. She had felt the might of this slash yet couldn''t find any remnants within the hall, only the lingering sensation of her own demise within her heart. She couldn''t help but look toward Qin Yun fearfully, only to be stunned by a slight trace of blood dripping from his nose, which he tried his best to hide but couldn''t.


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡± she asked carefully, yet couldn¡¯t hide her disappointment.


    ¡°Impatience will only spoil the path forward," he said with a slight smile. "Didn''t your elders ever warn you about its dangers?"


    Zou Lan was stunned, but only because of his tone. She remembered¡ªmany times in her youth¡ªelders speaking in the same tone, addressing those many generations their juniors, even if their respective statuses weren''t much different. An idea struck her¡ªan idea that would explain much.


    ¡°Who were you?¡± she asked.


    Her meaning was clear, and Qin Yun knew precisely what she meant. Even if he had no reason to hide it, he had no answers for her. While many of his former lives outside this world were like an open book, those within were hidden behind a veil he could never look past. He only knew some lives had been spent here, yet not much more. Even whether they were past or future ones were hidden from him.


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± he asked, yet he could see her waver. He knew she expected something more, yet this was all he could offer. ¡°It¡¯s up to you whether to trust me or not. You also have the chance to walk away from it all. There¡¯s no need to bet your sect on all this. I know you do not feel any loyalty to this cause. I don¡¯t blame you. Anyone in your position would feel the same. Just look at the other three sects. They have made their choices long ago.¡±


    She frowned, feeling slighted. Yet, she didn¡¯t offer more of a reaction, as she knew this was what this young man wanted. She wouldn¡¯t be the puppet he wished, dancing to his every whim.


    ¡°You never gave me a straight answer,¡± she said. ¡°What¡¯s your endgame in all this? How do you expect me to trust you without even that much?¡±


    Qin Yun sighed, feeling cornered. What little information he could offer was limited. Most of what he knew were fragments of memories scattered behind the veil, just out of reach. The rest was mere speculations he had yet to confirm. While he wished he could paint the entire picture, the one above wouldn''t let him. Some things were better left unsaid.


    "I''m just like you," he finally said, looking deep into her eyes. "Just a puppet dancing to another''s tune. As long as we remain in this world, we are bound to it. You''ve asked me what my end game is; that''s easy. I just wish to survive, even if I have to save this world to do so."


    Zou Lan frowned further yet remained silent. While Qin Yun had given her what she wanted, it only prompted more questions than answers. She wished she could be as steadfast as Qin Yun in her resolve, yet she had too much to consider. Such was the burden of command.


    ¡°I can''t decide this alone," she finally said. "Soon, I will need to return to the sect. Once I do, this city..."


    ¡°Will probably fall,¡± Qin Yun added, without the slightest hint of doubt, almost as if it was but a forgone conclusion. ¡°The outsiders will surely come again, and when they do, the city won¡¯t be able to hold, even with the new guardian. Especially with all the traitors within your midst. The best you can hope for is to gain time.¡±


    "Time is what we lack," she sighed, tilting her head back onto her throne''s backrest, letting her long hair flow. "There''s not enough time to wipe out all those who became corrupted, even if we were to take the more drastic measures."


    ¡°Time is something I can grant you,¡± he said, unyielding.


    She looked at him, feeling his boundless confidence. She had many questions yet chose not to speak them. In fact, she thought she was better off not knowing. Somehow, at this moment, this man felt dangerous, filled with purpose, yet hidden beneath an ocean of disinterest. He was an enigma¡ªan enigma too dangerous to uncover.


    ¡°So be it,¡± she said. ¡°I assume you¡¯ll be leaving, then?¡±


    ¡°I will soon," he replied. "A few matters need my attention, and then I''ll leave."


    He tossed the small crystal in her direction, yet it stopped just a few inches before her, levitating in the air. She tried to probe it with her domain, yet it was repelled at the boundary, and she could not investigate further. Still, merely looking with her eyes, she could see mysterious golden characters swim within, out of reach but for one who possessed the correct means.


    "Can she even open this?" she couldn''t help but ask, slightly taken aback by the mysteries contained within that even a Soul Formation cultivator couldn''t uncover.


    "My wife can," Qin Yun said with a smile. "You can have Ruolan be the messenger. I''m sure the two of them will get along well."


    He then turned and walked out of the hall, unconcerned with awaiting her permission.


    Zou Lan remained silent, observing the mysterious object. The more she probed, the more she felt how dangerous the sword intent hidden within was. It was so sharp and deadly that even her domain couldn¡¯t compete. She felt it would be severed in two were she to delve deeper. She couldn''t even begin to comprehend how Feng Yanmei''s disciple could uncover its secrets. Still, there was nothing she could do. She could only hope this would be enough to enlist their help.


    She sighed as she watched Qin Yun walk away, maybe for the last time. Where he intended to go was a barren land wrought with unending dangers. Many had fallen travelling through that forsaken place. He wouldn''t be the first to not return.


    Night had now fallen over the city, yet the streets were still alight with people roaming through them as if to bask in the forced cheery atmosphere if only to squash the anxiety deep within. Unhealed scars remained in the people''s hearts, yet booze and company helped soothe the pain. Taverns were teeming with people drowning their sorrows, and such a tavern was Qin Yun''s destination for the night, yet his goal differed from all others.


    He stood before a familiar sign¡ªthe sign of a tavern he frequented but only once. From within, the boisterous voice of an inebriated patron resounded into the night, singing cheerful songs. Yet their sorrow and loss cut through their words, no matter how slurred they were.


    Although foreign, these songs brought forth emotions Qin Yun thought long forgotten. The longing within reminded him of days long past. A look of melancholy appeared in his eyes, yet no tears were shed, almost as if he had forgotten how. Only a sad feeling bloomed in his heart as he rode the waves of sorrow fading into the night.


    With a slight smile, he entered, only to be greeted by bronze and silver.

 Chapter 123 - Seeking a Path Through the Storm

    Within the halls of this tavern, a jolly atmosphere uplifted all who stood between these walls. The wine flew aplenty, drenching its customers'' weary hearts, allowing them to sail over this sea of bitterness with only temporary bliss on their minds.


    No waves occurred as Qin Yun entered the inn; most weren''t even aware of his presence. Slipping through the crowd and avoiding the many young servers toiling into the night, Qin Yun arrived at the bar only to find a bronze-skinned beauty behind it.


    Although her attire was much different than the last time he encountered her, Qin Yun recognized her at a glance. After all, her skin and those silver eyes were a dead giveaway, as was her long silver hair, now free from the veil she wore some days prior.


    She turned to face him, and a stunned expression appeared, if only momentarily before being replaced with puzzlement. Without meaning to, Qin Yun had been caught staring, which couldn''t help but draw a light chuckle from her mouth.


    Her current clothes couldn''t be called modest, yet they seemed strangely appropriate for this desolate desert. A long patterned skirt rested on her hips and flew down to her ankles. She also wore a light top that revealed her shoulders and midsection. Countless polished metallic rings¡ªsome gold, silver, or other exotic materials¡ªwere on her wrists and ankles, rustling as she walked and served the alcoholic beverages.


    Two large earrings hung from her ears down to her shoulders, flapping away as she moved, but matching well with her long, flowing silver hair. Yet, what truly caught Qin Yun''s attention was the silver jewellery attached to her belly button, which rang each time it swayed.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like what you see,¡± she said with a smile, motioning for another server to take her place behind the counter. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you again.¡±


    Qin Yun remained silent for a moment longer, relishing the view and the atmosphere. His gaze, however, was completely calm, showing none of the perversion present in the surrounding patrons'' eyes. His was only laced with curiosity.


    "Is this dress style common among your people?" he asked casually, just as Nalia began to feel slightly uncomfortable with his stare. "I must confess the contrast between this and your previous outfit left me perplexed. I almost didn''t recognize you."


    ¡°The sun is harsh during the day,¡± she explained, leaning on the counter. ¡°My people¡ªas you call them¡ªdo not possess your means to fight it. As such, long garments are necessary during the day. However, the heat lingers long into the night, allowing us to free ourselves from their bonds. Why wouldn¡¯t we take advantage of it to be a little adventurous?¡±


    She smiled playfully, which couldn''t help but attract countless gazes toward her, almost as if she was the midday sun shining overhead, deadly but irresistible. People couldn''t help but stare regardless of sex, even if they would get burned in the end.


    However, not all those stares were born out of desire. Some were laced with ridicule, and others anger, which Qin Yun also felt a slight trace of murderous intent deep within. He observed those individuals from the corner of his eyes, only to recognize them.


    He didn''t know them individually, yet he recognized their garbs. They seemed part of the Raging Fire sect, sporting their distinct red robes with the pattern of a black flame near the hem. Still, Qin Yun was unconcerned as they were, at most, mid-rank Qi Refining cultivators. No matter what means they might possess, they were no match for this woman.


    Yet, he felt it better to be safe. Just as he was about to warn her, he saw her glance in their direction and scoff. Although muffled, Qin Yun heard her clearly and couldn''t help but smile.


    ¡°It seems the recent skirmish didn¡¯t help your situation,¡± Qin Yun said. ¡°How many cannot wait to rid themselves of you?¡±


    "Too many," she sighed, yet her expression remained unconcerned. "Believe it or not, the populace at large couldn''t care less about my origins¡ªas you can see. Only those stuck-up cultivators wish to take their frustrations on me... hypocrites. This is war; what did they expect? Did they think my people would just roll over and die when asked?"


    "Your people are the aggressor," Qin Yun shrugged. "It''s only expected for resentment to fester in the ranks of their enemies. Some of their friends and comrades were lost in the last battle. They need an outlet to vent their frustrations. You just happened to be in enemy territory."


    "Aggressor, my ass," she scoffed even harder. "While I don''t really agree with their methods, did they expect my people to just roll over and die? We aren''t blessed by this world. Our only option is to take what we need by force, if needed. Can they even understand what''s at stake if my people don''t?"


    "Of course, they don''t," Qin Yun jabbed back. "Why should they care? People are inherently selfish. Why would they put themselves in your position if they didn''t have to? All they know is that your people threaten to take something of theirs. Of course, they''ll fight to protect it."


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    Her smile vanished; her gaze grew sombre as a frown appeared on her face. Her gaze landed on Qin Yun, threatening to sear through him, yet he only smiled in return, enjoying her frustration. She didn''t offer a rebuttal, as she knew he was right. In fact, her people were the same. They wouldn''t have acted differently were the situation to be reversed.


    "Did you come here to talk politics, or did you have something else in mind?" she sighed, her frown vanishing. Then, without missing a beat or asking for his opinion, Nalia poured him a cup of wine.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving soon,¡± he said, taking a sip, feeling the sweet nectar fill his mouth. ¡°I felt it was a waste to leave things as they were before we were so rudely interrupted.¡±


    A single eyebrow rose upon her forehead as she looked deep into Qin Yun¡¯s eyes. After a moment of tense silence, a smile appeared on her lips, and she seemed genuinely happy.


    ¡°Finally getting out of this mess, huh?¡± she asked. ¡°You seem to travel quite a lot. Where are you headed this time?¡±


    ¡°Westward,¡± Qin Yun replied dryly, his voice cutting through the bustle.


    Silence propagated like a wave as people stood still, letting Qin Yun''s words resound over the now tense atmosphere. While only a few had been present to witness Qin Yun''s speech earlier in the day, word was now spreading as muffled murmurs cut through the silence. Their eyes were glued to him, yet their gazes weren''t comforting in the slightest.


    The mention alone of going westward had left them all apprehensive. The thought of what they had just faced was still fresh in their minds; they couldn''t help but think of him as a madman for going there of his own will. Even Nalia found the thought wild despite originating from there.


    Taken aback by the sudden shift, Qin Yun couldn''t help but turn to face the crowd. All he saw were derisive smiles, with only a few looks of pity. All this only brought a chuckle to his lips, which soon became a hearty laughter, making the people even more puzzled. Even Nalia couldn''t help but look at him as if he were a fool.


    "Forgive me," Qin Yun said, trying to catch his breath through the laughter. "I just didn''t expect the people here to be so frightened of what lay west of here. I would assume many rumours spread of what one might find; not many of them good."


    Conversations began anew, though many lent an ear, hoping to catch more of the two''s discussions. However, Nalia''s glare prompted them to turn around, minding their own business.


    ¡°Is this courage or obliviousness?" she muttered, shaking her head.


    ¡°Why choose?¡± Qin Yun shrugged with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s just say it is both.¡±


    ¡°Knowing this, I doubt you came here without purpose,¡± she stated, her eyes slightly narrowed before adding dryly, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Qin Yun turned his head to the side, only to see another patron, a ways further back, look down as if to avoid his gaze, and yet, his actions were much too suspicious. He was neither tall nor short, his shoulders neither broad nor slim. In fact, he seemed average in almost everything. A common man among common men. There wasn''t a single identifying feature about him.


    Therein lay the problem. How could one not have any uniqueness, a single trait to distinguish him from the crowd? It was as if he had been meticulously manufactured to be such. Even his manners and gestures were unremarkable, so one could easily overlook him in the crowd. However, Qin Yun could clearly feel his gaze upon him, differing from everyone around. He could feel the man''s intent as well as if it was his own¡ªsuch was Qin Yun''s mastery.


    No doubt a spy keeping an eye on me. Still, was this merely a coincidence, or was he sent? Probably reporting to one of the three sects, but which one? he thought, but then chuckled. I shouldn''t rule out Zou Lan. She would be wise to do so and not trust me at my word. Still, it matters not...


    With a slight shake of his wrist, the device attached to it began to emit a noiseless hum. It propagated outwards, creating a bubble akin to a domain, yet all it could do was slightly alter mortals¡¯ perceptions, or Qi Refining practitioners at best. Still, not one of the few cultivators in attendance had reached further than the peak of the Qi Refining realm, much less built their foundation, except for a single one.


    Nalia''s expression darkened as she felt the shift, glancing around the room only to feel that something was off. It wasn''t until one of her servers swerved around her, avoiding the collision despite her never registering in his sight. It was almost as if he had been directed to take this course instead of choosing to do so. Still, she held her tongue, only casting Qin Yun an inquisitive glare.


    "Just a bit of privacy," he shrugged. "I''m sure there are some things you wish weren''t spread around."


    ¡°What do you want,¡± she repeated dryly.¡±


    "A path," Qin Yun finally said, choosing his words carefully. "The Western Desolate is large and barren. Only a few oases moisten this dry land; even fewer aren''t home to your people. There''s also the harsh climate. Many people call this place the Great Barrier, yet those unending storms aren''t all there is to it. They reach far into the desert, moving constantly, yet I know paths exist¡ªpaths the storms never cross."


    ¡°Why do you believe I would know of such a path?¡± she said, not missing a beat as she crossed her arms defensively. Yet, Qin Yun only offered a smile back.


    "You reached here safely, did you not?"he replied confidently. Either you had help or made the journey on your own. "Either way, neither would have been possible without the knowledge of such a path."


    "What if there is no such path," she replied, her tone grave. "Would you reconsider this foolishness or forge on ahead?"


    ¡°I need to see for myself what lies at the edge,¡± he replied.


    ¡°You would brave all those dangers, only for this?¡± she said, slightly taken aback. ¡°You will die.¡±


    ¡°We all die eventually,¡± he shrugged. ¡°Danger is everywhere these days, and eternity is long lost. What more is there to fear?¡±


    He offered her a smile, yet this smile wasn''t laced with confidence or belief but with certainty, almost as if he had seen what lay beyond and had come back to tell the tale. Somehow, she couldn''t help but feel this man was special, almost as if his talk of reaching the World''s Edge wasn''t mere folly but something he could truly accomplish and even come back from. Somehow, she couldn''t help but trust his words.


    Without a word, she went into the back and remained there for a long time. Still, Qin Yun showed no impatience, sipping his wine as he watched the world revolve around him. The numerous patrons had forgotten his existence, returning to their own lives and sorrow as Qin Yun lived vicariously through them and their emotions as he observed them.


    Only after a long while did Nalia finally emerge with a small pouch in her hand. She threw it in Qin Yun''s direction, offering no explanation as she gazed at him, her back on the back wall. Still, Qin Yun could see expectations in her eyes and a slight sorrow, almost as if she didn''t believe he would come back.


    Qin Yun returned her silence with one of his own. Rising from his seat, he tucked the pouch straight into his black box without opening it. Only giving her a slight smile, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the city''s darkened streets, leaving only a glistening small crystal behind.

 Chapter 124 - Journey Through the Western Desolate

    The storm raged on either side, merely offering a lonely path, only wide enough to provide passage. The path wound and bent around the ever-changing dunes sculpted by the never-ending winds. The path would fork from time to time, sometimes in multiple other directions, yet only a single one led to his destination. Others became dead-ends or looped in on themselves, creating a large natural maze.


    A week passed since he left the Frontier. He left at dawn with no fanfare; none even realized he had gone. Still, he was under no illusion that his departure remained hidden. The sects were undoubtedly aware of it, maybe even sent some of their men after him. After all, he had left a storm in his wake¡ªa storm that wouldn''t die down anytime soon.


    Still, he had never hidden his destination. Zou Lan was fully aware, yet didn''t try to stop him. In fact, he only briefly met with Yao Ruolan before he left. She came only to express her thanks for what he had done for her and those she cherished.


    Xu Weizhe had slowly regained his strength and, even more, gained ownership of the city-wide formation. With his help, the city might stand a bit longer, yet it would only remain so until the Outsiders were ready for another assault. Qin Yun knew his time was limited.


    Ever since he left the city, Qin Yun had felt the qi density slowly dwindle, almost as if only the remnants of what passed through the Great Barrier were slowly being devoured the further he went on his journey.


    Qin Yun made great time the first few days, relying on the surrounding qi to supplement his own. On the fifth day, qi came to an equilibrium, unable to restore his reserves. As such, his pace had slowed considerably, trying to ration its use as much as possible. He could only rely on the strength of his own body to survive in this harsh environment. Fortunately, this was enough for his current needs.


    It wasn¡¯t until today that things turned rather dire. He was now too far from the city to consider returning. Besides, the path changed constantly, and even the map Nalia had given him was nothing more than a suggestion. There were no landmarks within these storms, only endless, ever-changing sands and the creatures living in this harsh ocean.


    Speaking of which, Qin Yun felt movements beneath his feet. It was more than mere wind; more like a low-frequency rumble that appeared deep underground, yet was swiftly surfacing. Without much thought, Qin Yun launched himself into the sky, using his muscular legs as springs. His white mantle¡ªprotecting him from the glaring sun¡ªfluttered in the wind as he rose, then fell a moment later.


    Mid-air, Qin Yun glanced at where he stood just a moment earlier and saw an open maw swallow mountains of sand, only to be ejected from each side of its body through tiny openings, as a fish would water.


    The sandworm chased after Qin Yun, using its tail firmly planted into the ground as a foundation to extend its jaw toward him. It was massive, much bigger than those he had seen attacking the city. It was easily a hundred times his size; its maw able to swallow over a dozen individuals at once. Its sharpened teeth spun within this gulf, hoping to shred him to pieces, yet he was just out of reach.


    A few moments later, the sandworm couldn''t support its weight and fell back to the earth, shattering a dune in the process. Then, it dived back into the storm, awaiting another prey to enter its net.


    Using his mantle, Qin Yun slowly glided back down, a look of calmness on his face. This had been far from the first time he had a run-in with such a creature. At first, he used his sword to slaughter them, yet they seemed endless. Furthermore, the spilled blood attracted more of their kind, feasting on the corpses of their deceased kin before following the trail that led back to Qin Yun.


    I''d hoped the storm would be enough to mask my presence here, but it seemed they could locate me through the vibrations of my footsteps. Unfortunately, the storms have eroded any signs of firm footings. I wonder how the Outsiders deal with these pests? How did they maneuver an entire army through these lands to reach the Frontier?


    Qin Yun had many questions yet had little time to ponder them. As soon as he set foot back on the ground, it gave under him, creating a large crater where sand swirled down to the middle as if a land whirlpool.


    In the middle, two large mandibles emerged from the sand, akin to two large curved swords rising to the sky. Yet there were countless barbed spikes on the sides. They swiped at him, trying to ensnare him within, yet Qin Yun reacted just in time, pushing against the sand slope just enough to avoid the two bladed jaws.


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    In a single leap, he had reached the other side of the crater yet could barely stop his descent toward the central abyss where the creature waited for its prey. The sand fell all around him, unable to bear his weight, only for the jaws to swiftly turn around to try and catch him once more.


    With a slightly exasperated look devoid of fear, a black sword appeared in Qin Yun''s hand, which he swiped in the jaws'' direction. However, to his surprise, the black crystal sword only bounced, leaving but a nick on one of them.


    Still, it seemed the creature could feel pain as it began to thrash within its hole. Clumps of sand flew high in the air before falling back down, causing multiple avalanches that swept up Qin Yun, bringing him close to the core, where the creature lay in wait.


    With slightly narrowed eyes, Qin Yun struck again, this time aiming at the soft ground beneath his feet, putting all his strength and weight behind the blow, only for a massive rain of sand to be propelled into the air, most of it out of the hole, only to reveal the creature behind his predicament.


    It was large¡ªat least ten times his size¡ªyet its body seemed infantile, as if it hadn''t reached its true form yet. It was insectoid in nature, possessing the two large jaws he had witnessed before, as well as countless small legs on either side of its large body. Its body was brownish black, blending well with the surrounding sand.


    Qin Yun failed to notice any eyes on the creature, yet it possessed countless small bristles, alerting it to the slightest of movements. It also had multiple antennae able to register the slightest fluctuation in pheromones and scent. It would be the perfect hidden predator if not for its disproportionately large body, unable to be manoeuvred quickly.


    Qin Yun stood still as the two faced each other, prepared to strike. His black crystal sword was firmly in his grasp, but it offered no sheen even as the harsh mid-day sun fell upon it. It was like an abyss, absorbing it all within its core, like a black hole given shape.


    Qin Yun noticed the beast sway back and forth, displacing mountains of sand as it sought to bury itself under the land. Its massive body quickly slipped through the granular ground as its bristles pushed the sand back and forth. Qin Yun''s eyes narrowed, and his legs were ready to launch forward to deliver a devastating strike. He knew he only had a single chance to slay the beast.


    Ever since the sixth day, Qin Yun felt the change in his environment. The world had never been so barren: devoid of water but also qi; he might even liken it to the void of space. He couldn''t even hold on to the qi within his core anymore.


    The flow of energy Qin Yun absorbed from the world had slowly reversed, depleting with every moment. The further he trekked from the well of qi at the continent''s centre, the faster the flow became. He was now almost back to being a mortal, utterly devoid of qi. Thankfully, he still had his sturdy body and the sword in his hand. Still, he couldn''t help but imagine what he might encounter at World''s End.


    Just as the beast was about to vanish beneath the sand, Qin Yun was poised to strike, yet abruptly stopped himself. He felt a deep vibration propagating underground like a ripple upon a lake, swiftly closing in. He had been so focused on the foe before him that he was too slow to react. The ripple was now upon them.


    Suddenly, another giant sandworm emerged from the sand, the large insects stuck in its open maw. Its head rose to the sky, its sharp, spinning teeth ripping into the insect''s body. Part of its flesh and bodily fluid rained upon the dry desert, only for countless others¡ªbut much smaller¡ªto emerge from the dune to partake in this feast, gorging themselves in this creature''s humidity.


    Qin Yun watched the scene, slightly shaken, knowing he could have been targeted. Yet, he remained completely still, his sword still ready to strike, were it to come after him next. Fortunately, such a time never came. As if satisfied, the large sandworm fell back toward the ground, digging away the soft sand as its body quickly disappeared underground, leaving behind few scraps of his recent prey.


    Only half an hour later did Qin Yun finally decide to move again. He sat on the ground, slightly exhausted by the ordeal. He prided himself in his ability to survive and the massive amount of experience he possessed, but even for him, such a harsh environment was a first. There was no such thing as good and evil here; it was only predator and prey¡ªjust survival of the fittest. He couldn''t help but feel admiration for those who this place was all they had ever known.


    It¡¯s no wonder they try so hard to breach the Great Barrier... For us, the edge of the Western Region is called a wasteland with its lack of qi and vitality. To them, it would be nothing less than paradise. Yet, for some reason, the creatures here seem to thrive. I haven''t seen any sandworm near that big on the other side. Does the Heavenly Dao stunt their growth somehow? Is this what these creatures genuinely look like, free of its oppression?


    With many more questions in mind, Qin Yun rose again, resolved to reach his destination. While the road was long still, he was determined to press on, willing to adapt to this place if it meant he could find what he sought.


    Still, the soft sand sapped his strength with every step, as did the harsh desert sun. Fortunately, he was well prepared, his storage filled to the brim with sustenance and water, enough to satiate a small nation. It cost him much of his fortune, yet he felt it worth the price. After all, what good would spirit crystals be in a world devoid of qi? They would only crumble to dust as time went on.


    Just as he parched his thirst with a sip of water, Qin Yun finally saw something other than sand on the horizon. A break in the storm where peacefulness reigned. In fact, he could even hear the cries of birds in the distance, as well as a slight humidity on his skin.


    As he climbed to the top of a nearby dune, Qin Yun finally found what he was looking for: an oasis within the desert where life thrived. There was even a small amount of greenery near the lake''s edge, as well as several man-made structures. He had reached the first step of his journey.

 Chapter 125 - Reaching Past the Darkness

    Qin Yun stood on top of a sand dune, slightly taken aback by the sight before him, which wasn''t what he was expecting.


    Nestled beyond the reach of the storms was a small oasis, hidden behind giant sand dunes that acted as barriers against the corrosive winds. A large pool of crystal clear water stood in its core, surrounded by scarce but lush vegetation. Palm trees rose to the sky, offering much-needed shade for the small animals, quenching their thirst and the individuals living within the oasis'' vicinity.


    Numerous shelters were strewn around this body of water. Some were made of stone; their construction seemed ancient, almost as if this settlement had been built upon the aged ruins of a prior civilization. However, many large tents were also located at its periphery, yet they were by no means temporary dwellings.


    They seemed made of leather that differed significantly from the ones one could find on the mainland. They were blinding white, almost as if they had been bleached of all colours, only to better reflect the sun''s harsh rays, leaving their interior much cooler. In fact, Qin Yun saw them scatter the light back to the sky as if they possessed a mirror sheen.


    However, the scene was far from peaceful. There were no residents working to feed themselves for another day, nor children laughing as they played near the body of water. In fact, the scene was macabre. Blood flowed upon the sand, and cries of anguish echoed upon the dunes while plumes of blackened smoke rose into the sky, creating a veil hanging over them.


    The oasis had been set ablaze!


    Qin Yun dropped to his stomach, using the dunes as cover as he observed further. There were two distinct groups locked into deadly combat, slaughtering each other with impunity.


    The first were warriors clad in black¡ªa strange choice for this environment. Their visages were hidden behind blackened cloth, letting only their bloodthirsty eyes shine through. Judging by their imposing statures and sharp curved blades, Qin Yun knew they were seasoned warriors, most likely belonging to one of the countless tribes within the Western Desolate.


    However, something seemed amiss, for their opponent could hardly resist them. The other group was primarily comprised of women and children, completely unable to contend against their dark-dressed enemies. Qin Yun found it peculiar that next to no men were present, except for the elderly¡ªbarely able to raise their own weapons¡ªand those who had barely reached adolescence.


    However, it was not to say that no men of age were present, except that they were in no condition to fight, yet they tried regardless. These men¡ªalthough few¡ªwere wrapped in bloody bandages, some even missing limbs, barely even able to stand. However, Qin Yun found this most peculiar.


    Their wounds seemed fresh, yet they did not seem to have been made in the midst of a battle against bladed weapons. In fact, they appear to have been caused by teeth and claws, almost as if they battled large predators. Nevertheless, considering the number of women and children, there''s no way there are only this many men. Where could they all have gone?


    Qin Yun watched the injured men struggle against their foes, yet their efforts seemed most futile. They tried to command the women to fight, barking orders in their own language, yet most only tried to protect their children behind them, a fire of survival in their eyes, yet were ill-equipped against the black-clad warriors. Their blades of bone missed their marks as the men in black deftly avoided their weak swing, only to plunge their blades deep into the women''s abdomen.


    Fear sparked in the children''s eyes as some chose to flee while others snatched the discarded bone weapons, rushing the black-clothed men with murderous intent in their cries, tears streaking down their cheeks¡ªtears of madness. Unfortunately, they, too, were powerless to resist as their blood dyed the sands.


    Qin Yun watched these sentient beings being cut down with mere disinterest. To him, death was banal, just an inevitability. Although the sight was gruesome, he felt no compulsion to aid either side, even more so as none were related to him. Still, there was a singular event that piqued his interest.


    As a bronze-skinned woman was rammed with the entire length of a sharpened-bone sword, her trembling fingers grasped the edge of the cloth covering her murderer''s visage, only to rip it apart in a moment of desperation. However, her look of pain faded, replaced with shock, which soon turned to rage.


    She yelled as she clawed at the man¡¯s face, her voice laced with agony and desperation, seeking answers from her foe, yet he remained completely silent, his eyes devoid of emotions as he twisted the blade embedded deep into the woman¡¯s abdomen.


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    A flood of blood spewed from her mouth, drenching the man, yet she refused to relent, still yelling with all her strength even as life departed her and her words began to slur. Even if Qin Yun didn''t understand the language, it relayed her intentions completely. At the edge of death, she had uncovered something so shocking that death was but an afterthought. Answers were all she sought before the end.


    However, the revelation had an unexpected consequence. As the woman screamed her lungs out, others turned toward her, only to be shocked as well. Their pupils grew larger as their gazes rested on the man, only for some to break down instantly, unable to resist as realization crashed upon them, tears streaming from their eyes, only to be beheaded a few moments later, their deaths swift and free of further pain.


    As for what they realized in their last moments, Qin Yun couldn''t even begin to guess, nor was he inclined to. This mystery belonged to them, and them alone as he was but a lonely traveller on his path, and this was but a blaze on the road¡ªone he sought to steer clear of. Yet, he found the scene perplexing.


    Somehow, there was denial in her eyes¡ªan emotion which could be owed to her impending death. Yet, it only emerged as she looked at her murderer''s face. She extended her hand, seeking to touch his face, yet her fingers trembled slightly before her arm fell limply; all traces of warmth slowly faded as her life drained through the burning sand.


    Yet, Qin Yun couldn''t erase her last expression from his mind as she closed her eyes for the final time. Within her was an unexpected gentleness and an endless sadness. Yet her passing only brought fear into the gazes of others, unable to avoid their impending fate.


    Qin Yun didn¡¯t avoid the scene, watching until all embers finally smouldered on the desert sands. This was his responsibility, as well as his penance. He could have intervened, saving their lives with his own hands, but to what end?


    Every day, countless tragedies happenned to good people, but also to not-so-good ones. How was Qin Yun to know on whose side they stood? Better not to act than to do so foolishly. At least, that was what he told himself. Was this self-deception to bury the guilt? Maybe... were he to feel any guilt at all. Death came to all... eventually. Their turn simply happened to be earlier than they expected.


    The sun created a small arc into the sky as Qin Yun simply watched the hooded men depart, leaving lifeless ruins behind. The stone walls were covered in signs of battle and soaked in the blood of their former residents. The numerous tents had been burned to ashes until nothing remained of their existence except a plume of blackened smoke lingering over the carnage before being blown away by the winds of a nearby tempest.


    After more than an hour of inactivity, Qin Yun finally rose. A blanket of sand had formed on his back, and fell as if a waterfall as he rose, crashing into a nearby dune, creating a slight avalanche. With a single leap, Qin Yun began his descent toward the ravaged oasis, sliding upon the dunes as he would a snowy mountain.


    In less than a moment, he found himself before the remnants of this unknown tribe, their corpses strewn around, left to the elements. Their blood tinted this small pond a shade of pink as vultures began to circle the camp, eyeing Qin Yun with hunger in their eyes.


    Something¡¯s strange... They left without taking anything...


    Although not what you would call wealthy, Qin Yun could see several objects that could possess value. They weren''t made of any precious metals but of bones, fur, and wood. In fact, many women wore wooden bracelets, and judging by their signs of use, they were obviously treasured.


    Did they come here merely to slaughter them? Women, children and the elderly? What for? What crimes did they commit to suffer such a fate?


    Qin Yun shook his head, feeling this was too much of a waste. This was murder for the sake of murder, and judging by the wounds on the corpses, this wasn''t even done for the sake of revenge. The cuts were made expertly, purely for the sake of killing. The inflicted pain was kept at a minimum, preferring efficiency. In fact, he hadn''t seen any of the crazed glee one would usually find in those able to commit such an act. In fact, this felt much too cold, almost mechanical.


    As he approached the lake, Qin Yun''s eyes narrowed slightly. He could feel an energy swirling deep within. This was odd, as the surrounding qi was so thin that it might as well be nonexistent. The fact that he could feel something made him put his guard up.


    Cautiously, he bent down at the water''s edge, scooping a palm-full with his hand, only to bring it to his nose. There was no chemical scent except charred flesh and burnt wood lingering in the air. This felt like regular water, except he could feel the energy within even more clearly.


    Tilting his hand, the water drained on the sand, only to flow back to the lake. In a swift motion, Qin Yun removed his white mantle, only to store it back into his storage, before slowly walking into the water until it rose above his head. After taking a deep breath, Qin Yun disappeared below the surface.


    The water was surprisingly clear despite the blood mixing within. He could see the sun''s light piercing deep inside, illuminating his surroundings, yet the pond seemed much deeper than he first anticipated. Even with the burning sun overhead, he couldn''t see its depths. It was a dark abyss extinguishing all light.


    Yet, Qin Yun''s feelings originated from within that abyss. He pondered for a while, returning to the surface to take another breath. Yet, despite the dangers, Qin Yun couldn''t let it rest. He had to know what that energy was, hidden in this barren land. He couldn''t curb his curiosity.


    Resolved, Qin Yun dived again, exploring this oasis''s depths. Soon, he stood before the darkness, yet to his surprise, it felt more like a boundary than a gradual loss of light, almost as if a separate realm existed on the other side¡ªone he could not see from this side, one that could not be touched, even by light.


    He extended a single hand, pressing onto the darkness, which felt hard to the touch and repelled at the point of contact. Intrigued, he pressed further, yet without sufficient anchor, Qin Yun was merely pushed back. Still, he remained undeterred.


    Using a minuscule amount of qi, Qin Yun let it flow throughout his body, making the golden characters glow upon his skin. Yet those on the seed in his core also pulsed with strength¡ªthe ones with a touch of grey even more so.


    To his surprise, the barrier fell almost instantly, as if he had been granted entry. As for why, he had a slight idea, yet had to make sure. With eyes slightly narrowed, Qin Yun pushed through the boundary, reaching past the darkness.

 Chapter 126 - Hidden in the Depths

    Qin Yun felt the world shift as he passed through the boundary. Darkness lay beyond, blocking all his senses as if he stood in outer space. No sounds reached his ears, and he couldn''t feel the wet touch of water on his skin, yet his instincts screamed at him that it remained. He, therefore, held his breath, too afraid to suffocate in this nonexistent space.


    Blackness was all that lay before his eyes, except for a single point of grey deep below, down in the depths. Despite the boundary, Qin Yun realized he hadn''t been transferred to another realm but remained within the oasis. This was merely a defensive formation preventing any would-be invaders from reaching further.


    Still, there was one detail on his mind. As he approached the lake, he hadn''t seen any signs of a formation: no runes nor earth veins flowing through the ground. In fact, the land was barren of power, except for what lay beneath the oasis. Furthermore, the locals didn''t indicate proficiency in such a discipline. They were remarkably unsuited to seek mastery over qi, as they had never felt its embrace.


    This was an oddity Qin Yun couldn''t understand, which drove him to seek answers despite the risks.


    Still, the touch of grey deep within the lake was all too expected. Indeed, only the corruption kept its hold on this barren land, driving away all manners of qi back toward the continent''s centre. It was as if the two forces were in a war of attrition, where only one could rule supreme, and as expected, the corruption seemed to be winning slowly but surely.


    Qin Yun stopped in his tracks, wondering whether to dive even deeper. Would he find something worthwhile were he to go forth or merely face unneeded risks? Still, he felt the energy pulsing as if calling for him to go on. Was this a trap meant to snare him, but how could they have known his path? After all, even he didn''t know the path he would take, only letting fate guide his steps. Maybe fate had a hand in this, after all.


    Resolved, Qin Yun dove further into the darkness. The trip took much longer than he anticipated and seemed physically impossible. The path to the bottom stretched for what seemed like miles, yet the boundary above didn''t move in the slightest, yet the grey colours grew slowly closer.


    Quite the peculiar place, Qin Yun thought, trying to understand the rules that formed this place, yet his current cultivation didn¡¯t allow for such insights.


    The Dao flowed into everything that comprised this world, and only by understanding its intricacies could one make the lotus bloom, treading further on the path. While the path forked into countless directions, one couldn''t hope to skip steps, lest the endless staircase leading to the top begin to crumble with each step, cutting off their paths halfway up the mountain.


    While Qin Yun possessed much knowledge of cultivation, most of it was locked behind a veil, only revealing once the opportune moment had been reached. Still, the path seemed familiar, almost as if he had walked it before. It all seemed much too coincidental.


    Yet, he put those thoughts out of his mind. Even if he was to walk to the tune of another, this was still his path. All of it stemmed from his own choices, and he had never been forced into making those choices. If this path led him to a dead-end, he would only have himself to blame.


    The closer he became to the swirling masses of grey substance at the bottom of the lake, the more he felt how potent and corrosive it was. It was a far cry from the corruption he had witnessed on the other side of the Great Barrier. It was comparable to what he had seen as he had breached the world''s boundary back in Jin City. The purest form of corruption imaginable in this world was now before his eyes.


    A way away from the edge where grey met black, Qin Yun stopped to observe. The grey swirled as if an ocean below a sea of black. Waves upon waves crashed into each other, mixing until they became uniform, only for a disturbance to appear within, and the cycle began anew. Yet the ocean grew ever so slightly.


    Qin Yun''s eyes narrowed, and he felt the energy contained within growing slightly stronger. The change was minute, almost unnoticeable, yet Qin Yun''s sense was heightened to the limit. All he could feel within this sea of blackness was the energy swirling just out of reach. He could feel all its intricacies as if he were bathing himself in it, entirely submerged in this ocean of grey.


    Is this... a Gu? Can corruption even corrupt itself, strengthening this aspect even further? If so, the amount should only decrease, and not the opposite. How is this possible?


    Gus were common among practitioners, especially among poison masters. In fact, the poison afflicting Elder Guo had most likely been made in such a fashion. By mixing countless poisonous substances, one could eliminate all detrimental attributes while strengthening the desirable ones. This process worked even better with living specimens.


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    Although the technique was ancient and almost obsolete, some cultivators still relied on Gu for cultivation. By sealing countless poisonous insects into a container, the creatures would fight to the death, mixing with each other, only to create something new¡ªsomething that was the sum of all that once was. Using those Gus as nutrients, a cultivator could enhance his poisonous Dao, skipping many steps. Still, such methods always harboured side effects. It was, therefore, deemed forbidden a long time ago and faded from the social consciousness.


    Did someone try to revive this forbidden art? No... This is too natural to be someone''s work. It feels as if the corruption did this alone, yet what could be fuelling its evolution. A Gu cannot grow without extracting from something else...


    In the core of the mass of swirling grey, Qin Yun finally found what he was looking for¡ªa point deep below the surface where masses of grey spewed as if from a spring. Gradually, renewed corruption emerged from the depths, only to be merged within, adding to its corrosive nature. To his dismay, Qin Yun couldn''t peer through the mass and identify the cause.


    In fact, this was the closest he dared to advance, feeling the deadliness of the mass of grey below him. He knew that if he fell into this ocean, he would surely perish. This wasn''t something he could contend with. Unlike the poisonous smog he absorbed back at the Frontier, this would corrode his very soul until nothing remained. If unleashed upon the world, the fortress would fall, as would most of the Western Region.


    Fortunately, the boundary remained stable, keeping it in check. Judging by the extent of this ocean and its purity, it had been so for a long time and may remain so for much longer to come. Still, there was no telling when it would emerge to cover the land nor how many others were scattered throughout the Western Desolate. Besides, this place was but one of four quadrants of this world. There were also three other desolates threatening the world''s stability. It was only a matter of time before they spilled into the mainland.


    This world is doomed, isn¡¯t it? Qin Yun sighed. Even if I reach the edge, what can I hope to accomplish on my own? If only I had more time...


    As he turned to leave, Qin Yun felt something shift. The ocean of grey began to churn, creating waves that crashed into each other, rising from the depths, resembling a hand that sought to ensnare Qin Yun with its grip.


    His pupils dilated as the hand picked up speed, rising faster and faster. In a mere instant, the black crystal sword appeared in his grasp as he swung with all his might. The force was such that it created a void within the water, only for it to collapse soon after from the water pressure.


    The extinction of this cavitation bubble formed explosive pressure waves that spread in all directions, colliding squarely with Qin Yun and flinging him out of this side of the boundary. Yet, the waves of grey seemed unhindered by the explosion, piercing through it as if to chase after Qin Yun.


    As he gazed upon the encroaching corruption, he felt something stir within his core. The two golden characters laced with grey began to burn upon the lotus seed, searing onto its surface, almost as if they yearned to be reunited with the ocean below.


    They pulsed as if in resonance with each other, beating stronger the closer they became until Qin Yun''s back finally collided with the boundary. Air was ejected from his lungs as the impact propagated throughout his body, threatening to shatter his bones, if not for the fact they had been strengthened to absurdity.


    Yet, the wall he crashed onto was but temporary. As a secondary wave smashed into him, Qin Yun¡¯s body pierced through the threshold, emerging from the other side, only for the boundary to repair itself almost instantly, trapping the ocean of grey within.


    Qin Yun could feel his heartbeat pound in his chest as he watched the ocean recede, only to feel a shiver of dread run down his spine. Without his quick reaction, he would have surely perished beneath all this corruption. Not even he could hope to survive. With nothing else to observe, Qin Yun slowly surfaced, the recent events reeling in his mind.


    Does the corruption possess consciousness? Qin Yun pondered. Is it merely its instinct to propagate, or has it developed sentience? This should be impossible... This is but a fraction of the whole, similar to qi. While the Dao exists, it is merely the rules that shape our world, and qi is but the fuel that makes the engine called reality run. There should be no way for corruption to gain sentience, not as long as the Heavenly Dao exists to shackle its nature...


    Qin Yun sighed as he emerged from the pond, his thoughts in shambles. The situation was much more dire than he first anticipated. While the ocean of grey was still trapped beyond the boundary, it wouldn¡¯t remain so for long in its current state.


    As he expected, the boundary relied on qi to maintain its existence, yet qi was scarce in the desolates. Sooner or later, the boundary would collapse, letting this evil free into the world, ready to reshape reality according to its twisted design. This was inevitable; even Qin Yun had no solution for this. Yet one question remained in his mind.


    The boundary''s existence consumes a massive amount of qi; where does it all originate from?


    Despite risking his life by diving into the oasis, he had found no answer to this query. The boundary seemed to be maintained as if out of thin air. There was no rhyme or reason for its existence, yet Qin Yun knew better. There always was a logical explanation for all phenomena. This missing link was merely proof of Qin Yun''s ignorance. There was still so much he didn''t know about this world.


    As he pondered facing the lake, his wet clothes quickly drying under the dry desert heat, Qin Yun felt movements behind. It was more than mere winds blowing over the dunes as he also felt a gaze on his back¡ªone laced with killing intent.


    Qin Yun spun on his heel, digging slightly into the soft sand, only to see a bone dagger aimed at his head. A bronze-skinned young man stood on the other side, his face twisted with a mask of rage and sorrow as he shouted something in the Outsider¡¯s tongue.


    If only by reflex, Qin Yun parried the blow as he struck the man''s wrist aside before striking the man squarely in the chest. Once he realized what he had done, Qin Yun reigned in the blow, if only in time to avoid having the young man explode into gore. Yet, the young man was still propelled into the air before crashing into the dunes a few ways away, creating an explosion of sand.


    To Qin Yun''s surprise, he didn''t even have time to catch his breath. The young man emerged from the sand, seemingly unscathed, yet countless grey lines and symbols had appeared on his skin, making him look extremely menacing.


    Still, Qin Yun was now calm and prepared to deal with anything thrown at him. Yet, he could barely believe how sturdy the young man was.

 Chapter 127 - Fuel for the Blaze

    The bronze-skinned man''s muscles bulged as he prepared to strike Qin Yun. Yet, unlike his wide and sturdy frame, his facial features betrayed his youthfulness, almost as if he had just reached adulthood.


    He charged forward, fists clenched, leaving a trail of airborne sand behind him with each decisive step. His eyes shone with fury, but also tears streamed down his cheeks, screaming his rage until his voice grew hoarse. Despite the language gap, the man''s intentions were as clear as the bright blue sky overhead. Still, Qin Yun struck regardless.


    His fist cut through the distance, shattering space, only to thrust a mass of compacted air forward at unimaginable speed. It collided squarely with the young barbarian''s chest; the white cloth covering the man''s upper body exploded into scraps, almost turning into dust. Yet the man remained unscathed, his bronze skin unmarred, except for the countless grey symbols pulsing with power.


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    Qin Yun shouted, trying to deter the young man, yet his words were ignored. The young man was too consumed by unending rage. Surprise couldn''t help but flash into Qin Yun''s eyes, but it soon turned into fascination. While he had reigned in the blow, he didn¡¯t expect it to have so little effect. And yet, the young man¡¯s charge remained unhindered, swiftly closing the distance.


    Mercilessly, Qin Yun''s eyes narrowed as he clenched his fist for the third time, anchoring his feet deep into the sand. He stared down the barrel of a gun as a bronze-skinned bull charged at him. The young man seemed barely conscious of his actions, eyes red with fury.


    Qin Yun calculated the distance and then struck. His punch shattered the world''s fabric, if only for an instant before it repaired itself as if nothing happened, only for Qin Yun''s thrust to reach the apex of its velocity just as the young man entered his range. Yet, the young Outsiders wasn''t defenceless this time.


    As if on instinct, the young man readied a punch of his own, only to unleash it in the exact same instant Qin Yun did, adding to the speed of his charge. Their two knuckles collided, creating a shockwave as if an explosion, shattering the nearby dunes as they rose into the air, only for the majority to come back down as dry rain, while another part was carried away by the desert wind.


    The world stood, if only for a moment, as Qin Yun felt his bone shake from the impact. He felt the shock wave deep in his core, shaking the slumbering lotus seed deep within. Golden characters lit up over his entire body as if absorbing the impact, yet Qin Yun couldn''t help but raise a single eyebrow in surprise.


    Before him stood the bronze-skinned young man, undeterred, as if he had braved the raging seas and won. Their knuckles were still connected, neither backing down. Even more unbelievable, Qin Yun even felt he had lost the confrontation. He had been pushed back over three metres; his feet carved two deep grooves into the sand until they finally stopped.


    Yet, the man¡¯s raging state didn¡¯t falter. If anything, this failure only added to the torrent of sorrow and self-loathing raging in the young man¡¯s heart¡ªso much so that tears of blood even began to fall. Of course, Qin Yun knew better than to attribute this to sorrow.


    Despite the raging winds around him, Qin Yun could clearly hear his opponent''s heartbeat echo around him. Deep black veins bulged on his skin as the tears from his eyes turned dark. His chest heaved up and down as he tried to catch his breath, and his muscles trembled, screaming for more oxygen. Despite it all, the young man''s strength didn''t falter, pushing Qin Yun even further back, almost as if he had lost all control of himself, resorting to pure instinct, immersed in vengeful rage.


    In an instant, Qin Yun switched tactics. He completely stopped his meaningless resistance, only to swiftly turn to the side. As the force holding him back crumbled, the young man couldn¡¯t stop himself from lunging forward.


    Using the momentum, Qin Yun turned his back and slipped under his outstretched arm. He held the man''s wrist with both hands, then pulled down as he leaned forward, all the while pushing against the soft ground.


    Taken aback, the young man''s feet created an arc into the air before his back was slammed onto the sand. His lungs collapsed as he collided with the ground, yet before he could draw breath again, Qin Yun had already slipped his leg around the young man''s throat, cutting his access to oxygen, all the while restricting any other movement.


    High on emotion, the young man didn''t care and only struggled more. Qin Yun even felt a few of the man''s joints pop under the strain of his own strength, yet Qin Yun held tight, suffocating the man with each passing second.


    The wait seemed endless as Qin Yun''s muscles tensed, restricting the man''s freedom. Yet silence soon arrived, and the man stopped his futile resistance. His red eyes rolled back into their orbits, and foam dripped from the man''s mouth. Yet Qin Yun held tight even as the man''s limb fell limply on each side of his body.


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    Only when he felt the man''s heartbeat start to slow did he finally let go before rising swiftly. He anticipated the man''s resurrection, yet no such surprise came. The man remained immobile on the hot sand, the grey characters on his skin slowly fading.


    ¡°I didn''t expect this to come in handy in this world," Qin Yun said, slightly proudly, as he looked upon his handy work.


    Some of the man''s joints¡ªnamely his two shoulders¡ªwere dislocated entirely, and some muscles showed signs of tears. Reddish patches lay under the man''s bronze skin, mostly likely from internal bleeding, but there was also a mass of blood lingering in the man''s mouth, slowly dripping away to dye the sand.


    It seems the grey characters give strength he cannot control. Any longer, and he would have self-destructed.


    Qin Yun turned to face the still smouldering ruins, yet no sorrow or concern appeared in his eyes. While he knew the pain the young man felt, if only intrinsically, none of it was reflected in his heart. This part of him had died so long ago that he couldn''t bring himself to care for their passing.


    After a deep sigh, Qin Yun picked up the fallen man, stopping before the single building that remained standing. Just as he retrieved his robes, he also extracted a thick chain from his storage. It was by no means an artifact, just a regular metal chain, yet Qin Yun knew better than to rely on artifacts in this barren land. Still, he expected the young man to be able to free himself regardless of when he came to, yet it was better than nothing.


    ******


    The sun had shifted from its prior position high in the sky to almost below the horizon, and darkness blanketed the land. Still, the day''s heat lingered upon the land, creating an updraft radiating away from the scorching sands.


    Qin Yun spent the entire afternoon sifting through the numerous corpses scattered around the village, yet found nothing substantial. Most had died of bladed weapons, mainly of a single expert strike to a vital, leaving no doubt of their demise. Most of their deaths were quick and painless, yet some also bled out onto the sand; most of those were the elderly.


    Yet, if only judging by their muscles, Qin Yun could clearly see the expertise they built up over the years. Even if their bodies had started to decay from old age, they had once been experts in their craft and were given a warrior''s death. At least, he believed so.


    Suddenly, Qin Yun heard the slightest rustling of chains from within the ruins, only for a slight smile to appear on his face. Yet he showed no urgency. With all the respect he could muster, he neatly lined the remaining corpses next to those he assumed were their family. Still, all he could do was group those who had died together.


    A moment later, Qin Yun heard a muffled groan and then the snapping of the chains, only for the young man to emerge from the broken building, his two arms still limp on each side. The fire in his eyes still smouldered, yet was held back by reason.


    The young man''s gaze lay on the neatly lined corpses, only for tears to well in his eyes. He fell to his knees and started bawling, ignoring Qin Yun''s presence. Qin Yun opted not to disturb his grief and instead glanced at the stone pillar to which Qin Yun had tied the young man.


    A thick chain lay broken on the ground, teeth marks clear on its surface, cutting straight through one of the links as if squeezed by a bolt cutter. He couldn''t help but turn toward the young man, slightly astonished, as not even he was confident enough to cut through metal that thick.


    "Did... you do... this?" the young man said.


    The words were disconnected; not only were they said through tears, but Qin Yun barely recognized them through the heavy accent. Still, he knew they were directed at him. He remained silent for a while longer, pondering his response, only for the man to turn to face him while still on his knees, standing over the remains of a woman he recognized¡ªthe one who broke down as she uncovered her murderer''s identity.


    ¡°I did move them and clean them,¡± Qin Yun said slowly, looking straight into the young man¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re asking about their murder, you already know the answer.¡±


    "But... you know who did it."


    This was no question but a statement. The man''s gaze showed no doubts, only unwavering conviction as if the truth were laid bare for him to see. Qin Yun wondered how he could be so confident yet chose not to push further.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know their identity, but I witnessed the scene,¡± he replied.


    ¡°You did... nothing?¡±


    His voice betrayed his emotions as barely veiled accusations filled his tone, yet Qin Yun remained as cold as steel as he sustained the man''s gaze, only to see rage bubble again in the man''s eyes. Qin Yun could only look at the slowly darkening sky and sigh.


    ¡°Why should I?¡± Qin Yun shrugged. ¡°Why should your people¡¯s infighting concern me?¡±


    The man¡¯s pupil dilated at the revelation. He swiftly rose to his feet, even trying to charge Qin Yun down, only to collapse on the ground soon after as he slipped on the slick sand, falling directly onto his injured shoulder. A muffled grunt remained stuck in his throat as he repressed the pain, an expression of hatred apparent on his face.


    Yet, Qin Yun felt this wasn''t directed at him. Many could be the target of such hatred; not even the young man himself would be spared. However, soon, the rage fizzled out, replaced with despair, as he finally recognized his current state. He closed his eyes as tears streamed down his face, only to utter two simple words.


    ¡°Kill me,¡± the young man said through gritted teeth.


    Qin Yun could feel the pain in his voice, yet none of it affected him. This young man was but a stranger, as was this slaughtered tribe. This was merely a small bump on his path toward the world¡¯s edge. Yet, for some reason, fate had seen fit for them to meet, even if what most considered fate didn¡¯t exist on this side of the Great Barrier. Only luck remained in this barren land, and Qin Yun couldn¡¯t decide if he was lucky or not. Still, something gnawed at Qin Yun¡¯s mind.


    "Do your people not possess the concept of revenge?" he asked, closely watching the subtle changes on the man''s visage, only for the spark of hope and the fires of vengeance to burn deep in the young man''s eyes as they snapped open.

 Chapter 128 - To Peer Through the Veil

    Only a soft, arid wind blew as the two men stared at each other. Both remained silent, yet the tension was palpable. Qin Yun could see the young man''s nails dig into his palm, almost drawing blood, if not for the fact that they couldn''t penetrate his bronze skin.


    The man finally relented only after a long, drawn-out moment. His gaze lowered as he sighed deeply. The tension crumbled almost instantly as a slight smile flashed on Qin Yun''s lips.


    ¡°How can I possibly find them...¡± the man lamented, shoulders lowered in defeat. ¡°Even if I somehow manage to, what can I do about it?¡±


    He glanced to the side, watching the remains of all he had known, being eyed by the numerous scavengers slowly circling in the sky. In fact, both men could feel they were slowly encircled by the desert''s wildlife, awaiting the opportunity to snatch their immobile prey. Yet, they seemed more vigilant of each other than they were of Qin Yun. Still, a sparkle appeared in Qin Yun''s eyes as a thought rose in his mind.


    I can use this!


    ¡°What if I give you that opportunity,¡± Qin Yun said.


    Yet, to the young man, Qin Yun''s words felt much too cold to be likened to a blaze of hope in the darkness. His eyes couldn''t help but narrow as he looked upon him, distrust apparent in them.


    ¡°Why should I believe you, Avaad?¡± the man said, derision clear in his tone. "Your people are not to be trusted. More than once, we have been deceived by your honeyed words."


    ¡°Avaad?¡± Qin Yun repeated, slightly intrigued. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    The man scoffed and refused to answer. Instead, his gaze remained fixed on the neatly lined cadavers littered on the desert sand, sorrow twisting his facial features. Qin Yun didn''t push further, letting the silence work its wonders as he simply listened to the melody of the blowing winds. Merely a few moments later, the silence was broken as the man turned to face Qin Yun once again.


    "It means ''servant'' or ''slave''. This is what my people call you, as this is the name you deserve."


    ¡°Really?¡± Qin Yun replied, slightly taken aback. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how an entire race of people could be reduced to such a word. ¡°How did that come to be?¡±


    The young man shook his head as he sat on the sand, feeling the lingering heat of the day rise back from the ground. He looked toward the horizon, watching the moon slowly rise into the night sky.


    ¡°What''s wrong with calling you slaves when you all serve a false god?" the young man replied emotionlessly. Somehow, all the aversion he displayed to Qin Yun''s presence had evaporated, and all that remained was resignation as if he had given up.


    ¡°False god?¡± Qin Yun said, slightly puzzled.


    While cults were a dime a dozen in the Western Regions, none were stupid enough to declare themselves as God, not with their pitiful strength. The world itself wouldn¡¯t tolerate their existence, as it alone ruled supreme over all.


    Qin Yun¡¯s eyes widened slightly as he finally realized what the young man meant, yet this came as a slight shock. Did these people truly believed that all individuals on the other side of the Great Barrier were merely slaves of the Heavenly Dao? Even Qin Yun, with his intimate knowledge of the one ruling above, found this to be a bit of a stretch.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that hypocritical of you,¡± Qin Yun jabbed back. ¡°Don¡¯t you worship the Grey Corruption? How can that possibly be better than acquiescing to the whims of the world itself?¡±


    ¡°Some of you call us barbarians, but we aren¡¯t stupid,¡± the young man scoffed. ¡°We know what you call the ''Grey Corruption'' is no god. We simply worship it for the strength it grants us. While some of the older generations may have lost themselves in the power it provides, We know better than to entrust our future to it. Still, if this is necessary to gain back what has been stolen from us, it is worth the cost."


    Qin Yun slowly ruminated what he had been told. While he always knew that one couldn''t distill an entire people down to one ideology, he had to admit that he had thought of these people too simply. He believed that these Outsiders were merely misled by the promise of a better life, and had sold themselves in the service of this foreign entity.


    While most of it was true, it seemed there was more to the story. And yet, Qin Yun couldn''t bring himself to care. He had his own problems to deal with, and so little time. He couldn''t help but imagine Jingfei eagerly awaiting his return to the Immortal Phoenix Sect, diligently seeking to rise to her former height alongside Feng Xia and her master. He had promised her not to tarry for too long. Yet, this trip hinted at taking much longer than he first anticipated.


    ¡°Do you not care to leave their deaths unavenged?¡± Qin Yun finally said, yet the young man only scoffed.


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    "You wish for me to turn against my own people. Do you really think I am that stupid?" His eyes glowed with such intensity that they almost seemed ablaze, yet there was such frost in his tone that Qin Yun nearly felt a shiver pass through him. "Their wounds were clearly made using our own weapons."


    ¡°Then why attack me?¡± Qin Yun retorted back.


    "The only good Avaad is a dead Avaad," he replied nonchalantly. "What do you do if you find a scorpion in your home? You kill it, of course."


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but laugh at this dry response, yet had no reply. After all, the young man was utterly right. He couldn''t help but find this logic flawless. No wonder these people were able to survive for so long in this environment.


    ¡°So be it,¡± Qin Yun sighed, resigned as he turned around to leave.


    The young man¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but narrow slightly, a small amount of killing intent hidden deep within. And yet, he reigned in it, only to ask some questions.


    ¡°Now that I am no use to you, why won¡¯t you kill me? Aren¡¯t you afraid I might reveal your existence to others?¡±


    ¡°Do you think seeking death will alleviate your guilt?¡± Qin Yun replied without bothering to turn around. ¡°Cowards like you don¡¯t deserve to die from my hands. You can let the desert take you if you really wish for it. You aren¡¯t worthy.¡±


    Whether in anger or shame, the man suddenly rose to his feet, snatching a nearby bone sword as he rushed Qin Yun''s position. Hearing his loud footsteps digging deep into the sand and feeling the man''s killing intent clearly on his back, Qin Yun spun on his heels as his black crystal sword appeared in his hands, ready to strike.


    The sword created an arc in the air as it struck the bone sword, just as the man performed a downward slash using all his strength. As the two swords collided, the bone sword rang, filling the night air with sound, and then shattered soon after.


    Sharpened bone shards scattered as the sword was destroyed, only for some to strike Qin Yun''s chest. They shredded his outer robes yet couldn''t penetrate his skin as golden symbols suddenly appeared.


    The explosion propelled both of them apart. Qin Yun slid along the fine sand until he finally came to a stop a short distance away. His patience grew thin, uninterested in allowing this to devolve further as a slight murderous intent appeared in his eyes, only to fizzle out soon after as he noticed a look of surprise plastered on the man¡¯s face.


    What bewildered him was that the man wasn''t looking at him but at the ground where he stood a moment ago. A small pouch rested on the desert sand, and a cryptic symbol rested on it, one that Qin Yun didn''t recognize, except that it had been given by the bronze-skinned lady back at the Frontier.


    "Why do you have this?" the man asked, his voice shaking slightly, almost as if he could believe his own eyes.


    Qin Yun remained silent, simultaneously interested in this unusual reaction, but also exasperated. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the symbol held some significance.


    ¡°It was a gift. Why do you care?¡± Qin Yun replied dryly.


    "That''s impossible!" the young man exclaimed, rushing to the pouch only to lift it closer to his eyes.


    Yet, his pupils grew wider once he took a closer look, only for a frown to appear as he looked again in Qin Yun''s direction.


    ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with the princess?¡±


    Princess? Is that Nalia¡¯s title? I expected her to have some status, but this...


    ¡°Princess?¡± Qin Yun questioned, maintaining the distance. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect your people¡¯s governance system to be a monarchy.¡±


    "It''s not," the man replied, his eyes still glued to the symbol on the pouch. "No word in your language correctly defines what she is. Princess is the closest. She''s the main tribe''s chieftain''s fourth daughter. It was declared that she was dead, killed by Avaads in their endless greed and depravity. How did an item depicting her symbol come into your possession?"


    His eyes seemed filled with even more hostility as if this item''s origins were more important than the numerous corpses laid to the side.


    ¡°Dead?¡± Qin Yun muttered, unsurprised at the revelation as Nalia had hinted as such. ¡°She seemed very much alive when she gave me this.¡±


    "She gave... Alive?" The man''s pupil dilated, but then tears threatened to fall from his eyes. He collapsed on his knees as he clutched the small pouch before bringing it to his face. "Her scent... She''s alive."


    Hot tears fell, yet they couldn''t quench the ground''s thirst. And yet, precious water fell without end. The young man who shed tears of blood in his anger was now overwhelmed by relief, so much so that he seemed to completely ignore Qin Yun''s presence, too immersed in the lingering scent attached to the small pouch.


    Taken aback, Qin Yun didn''t know how to react. Killing this man would be simple, but he couldn''t bring himself to do it. The fact that the bone sword had to break at that exact moment and the flying shard flew the path to liberate the pouch, only for someone to recognize the symbol to be present, lingered in Qin Yun''s mind. He could scarcely believe coincidences could explain all of it.


    Did she give me this map expecting this?


    Qin Yun''s eyes narrowed, feeling this conclusion was less far-fetched than it first seemed. In the old Qin clan''s library, Qin Yun had found many books pertaining to divination, yet most claimed that no entity could be all-seeing as one always superseded the rest. As long as it remained, no individuals could truly predict the future. And yet, something strangely similar had just happened. There were too many coincidences overlapping for Qin Yun to deny outside involvement.


    Finally, after a moment that seemed like an eternity, the young man stopped sobbing, almost as if all his tears had dried. He now looked at Qin Yun with something akin to respect, which Qin Yun couldn''t help but find unnerving.


    ¡°What is it?¡± he stammered, completely taken aback by this young man¡¯s violent mood swings.


    ¡°You wanted me to take revenge?¡± the young man finally asked. ¡°While I don¡¯t know your reasons for wishing me to do this, I¡¯ll go along with it. Consider it done.¡±


    ¡°Why the sudden change of heart?¡± Qin Yun replied, slightly suspicious.


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t give you her symbol without reason. Your actions must somehow be part of her plan. Therefore, I should help you."


    ¡°Why would you think so?¡±


    Qin Yun grew more suspicious as he saw how forthcoming the young man had become. All his animosity was gone, replaced with a slight hint of respect, as if the mere ownership of this small pouch could change a man''s outlook.


    ¡°In your language, she would be called a seer," the young man said, a slight trace of awe laced within. "She is able to peer through the veil and see the future. I refused to believe her gift would allow her to die, and it seems I was proven right."


    "So it is as I thought..." Qin Yun muttered, slightly shaken by this revelation.

 Chapter 129 - Under a Curtain of Blackness

    For days, Qin Yun had travelled alongside the young man. Their destination: an isolated oasis far from the main tribe ruling this desolate landscape. They travelled along the dunes on the backs of giant sandworms, anchors plunged deep into their sides, prompting them to keep rising to the surface. This was the ancestral method of the Sand People, used for generations in an effort to tame this hostile land.


    Now, they stood just a single day away from their destination, hiding from the abrasive winds by one of the few mass of stones remaining, slowly being ground away by the violent winds.


    "We''ll rest here today," the young man said, taking a small sip of water from a gourd attached to his side.


    Yet, Qin Yun noticed a slight dejected look as the man felt the liquid moisten his dry lips. The man shook the gourd slightly, yet Qin Yun clearly heard but a small amount of liquid slush inside. It seemed almost empty.


    On the other hand, Qin Yun had no such troubles. From the black box emerged a hot cup of tea; plumes of water vapour rose from the surface only to disappear into the arid air. Qin Yun slowly sipped on it as he watched the man before him look slightly bewildered by his extravagance.


    ¡°Do you care for one?¡± Qin Yun asked, bringing another cup as if from thin air, but the man remained silent, frowning.


    Still, Qin Yun could see the struggle in his eyes. It almost felt like a predator eyeing his prey. Were it not for their current cooperative relationship, Qin Yun held no doubt the man would have already pounced on him. This was just how precious water was for those travelling between oases.


    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Qin Yun shrugged as the second cup disappeared. ¡°Where are we going exactly?¡±


    They now stood within a small cavern safely hidden on a massive stone slab. Such stone formations were few and far between, yet they served as magnificent shelters against desert predators, especially those from below.


    Qin Yun stood seated, his back against the stone, as he observed the night sky largely visible through the cave''s opening. The familiar stars and the three moons that were once high above were nowhere to be seen. The sky was a curtain of blackness, devoid of all light.


    How peculiar... Do they only appear under the watchful eye of the Heavenly Dao? What could this all mean?


    The young man sat by his side yet remained distant. Although he had exclaimed his volition in conforming to Qin Yun''s will, an air of distrust remained between the two. Eons of warfare between two opposing races couldn''t be erased that easily. Still, this suited Qin Yun just fine, as he, too, couldn''t believe things could change that easily.


    ¡°Our destination is to the south: an isolated tribe that was once friends with mine," the young man said solemnly. "If your intentions are to buy some time for your people, then we will need allies of our own. As far as I know, this tribe would be the only one willing to lend you their aid."


    Qin Yun felt slightly surprised yet showed none of it. He hadn''t told the man what he intended, yet the young man could infer as much. The young Outsider seemed to possess a wealth of knowledge, unbefitting his young age.


    I guess they would need to mature swiftly to survive this harsh environment.


    ¡°Would they be willing to betray their own?" Qin Yun replied skeptically. "What would push them to do so?"


    The young man sighed as his gaze rose up to the darkened sky. Qin Yun glanced at him, only to find a slight hint of melancholy in his eyes, which couldn''t help but leave him pensive.


    How much suffering must one experience for one to possess that look? I guess the demise of his tribe weighs heavily on his heart...


    ¡°They used to be related to the previous ruling tribe...¡± the young man began, only to be interrupted.


    "Let me guess. In a bid for power, the previous ruling tribe was ousted by the current one. And, as a deterrent, all those related to that tribe were mercilessly cut down to the last men¡ªprobably women and children, too. Being distantly related but fearing retaliation for overzealousness, but also not to reduce the population even more, the tribe we seek has been exiled to the edge of your territory, awaiting to die a slow death or be used as cannon fodder against the Mainland. How close am I?"


    The young man''s eyes were wide open as he stared at Qin Yun, mouth slightly agape. He stood silent, barely able to process what he had just heard, yet Qin Yun only returned him a slight smile, which couldn''t help but make him frown.


    "You speak as if you have witnessed it all," the young man finally said, suspicion in his tone. "How would you know all this? This incident is taboo and rarely told by our elders. Even I hadn''t heard of it until Lady Nalia told me herself when we were young."


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    ¡°People are people,¡± Qin Yun said dismissively. ¡°No matter their origins, culture or religion, their essence remains the same. Every sentient being seeks to profit, even on the backs of innumerable corpses. They always seek to better their positions. History is built on bloodshed, after all..."


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Avaads to be so cynical,¡± the young man said after a moment of silence. ¡°Isn¡¯t the Mainland supposed to be a Paradise where water flows endlessly and strife is nonexistent?¡±


    ¡°Did your elders feed you that?¡± Qin Yun asked, laughing slightly. ¡°I guess they need something to fight for, a prize for you to willingly give up your lives. Otherwise, what would be the point?¡±


    ¡°Are you saying they are lying?¡±


    The young man''s expression became grim, almost furious. Qin Yun could feel the tension in the air. It was nearly palpable, yet none of it was aimed toward him. He only looked at the young man with a slight smile. Somehow, he couldn''t help but envy the exuberance of youth.


    ¡°They aren''t," Qin Yun replied. "Compared to this place, the Mainland may as well be considered Paradise. However, this doesn''t mean it is without conflict. As long as people exist, different values will clash, and conflict will arise. Fortunately, the Heavenly Dao prevents the worst from happening."


    ¡°Are you satisfied living in a cage?¡± the young man asked with a deep frown.


    "We all live in cages, whether of our own designs or of others. Some are satisfied living this way, while others spend their entire lives trying to escape it. Still, the vast majority do not even realize that their world is a cage, nor where the boundary exists. In that case, can it still be called a cage?"


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just sophistry? A cage remains a cage, whether one realizes it or not. It can be nothing else.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of perspective. To an outside observer, the cage seems real, its bounds defined. But, for someone on the inside, how does one tell where your freedoms become restricted if this is all you have ever known? The mind can only build upon what it has observed. Only rarely does one break the bounds of one''s cognition."


    The young man remained silent, ruminating on the ideas he had been introduced to. Still, Qin Yun was surprised by his flexibility of thought.


    Most people wouldn''t be able to exchange ideas with those they deem enemies... Is this a result of this harsh land that they won''t hesitate to use anything that may increase their odds of survival?


    Somehow, Qin Yun grew quite fond of this young man, yet a chasm remained between the two¡ªone that would remain as long as the war continued. Qin Yun held no delusion that he could end this war, nor would he try to.


    However, he saw some signs of hope. Resentment didn''t seem as entrenched as he first thought. This war seemed to be more about benefits than ideology. In that case, an agreement could be reached if both sides were to compromise.


    Is that too idealistic of me?


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but smile, shaking his head, yet the young man didn''t notice the change, too absorbed in his thoughts. Still, Qin Yun had other questions that needed answers.


    ¡°Even with all that, would they turn against their own people? Surely, you must know, this will likely mean their deaths. Are you truly fine with that?"


    Qin Yun¡¯s words brought the man out of his reverie, yet his gaze remained firm, filled with conviction.


    ¡°As long as you possess Nalia''s emblem, you are her representative. While I can''t promise you anything, they will at least hear you out. Whether or not you can convince them will be up to you. But I can tell you this: resentment against the current main clan runs deep within the tribe. If you give them sufficient reasons to, they won''t hesitate to raise their blades."


    These people aren''t so different from us. As expected, people remain people, no matter their origins.


    Qin Yun''s smile widened slightly, yet something gnawed at his mind. While he didn''t care much about these people''s lives or deaths, he simply didn''t find much of a reason why they should do as he wished.


    Given time, he could probably organize a rebellion strong enough to shake the foundation of the Main Clan''s reign. After all, it had been done before; why couldn''t it be done again? The sand people''s tribes were hardly a monolith unless it came to invading the Mainland.


    However, what he lacked was precisely time. He had a destination to reach and could hardly afford to postpone it forever. Somehow, his wife''s seldom lonely expression flashed in his mind, prompting him to chuckle slightly.


    Indeed, he had to hurry. There were many things requiring his attention. Still, this endeavour was, at least, worth a try. He didn¡¯t have much to lose. Qin Yun looked to the side, his gaze fixed on the young man.


    If this meeting goes well and I can start the process, I may have to leave it in his hands.


    ¡°Even if I possess her emblem, would they be willing to meet with a Mainlander¡ªan Avaad?¡±


    ¡°That''s what worries me..." the young man sighed. "Unlike the current Main Tribe, the previous one were traditionalists to the core, as were those that followed them. While I doubt they would be outright hostile, convincing them may prove impossible, even more so considering your origins."


    Qin Yun thought momentarily, but then an idea came to mind. While his qi was slowly being drained away, and almost none remained, it was still enough for his current uses.


    His qi flowed through his meridians, infusing it all into his flesh. The young man looked in horror, almost as if he were in the presence of a demon, as Qin Yun''s facial features began to shift, looking nothing like his previous appearance.


    In fact, his skin began to darken until it resembled the young man before him, becoming a deep bronze. His long black hair also shifted, becoming a bright silver. He then used a slight hint of sword intent on his fingers to cut it much shorter. After all, he had yet to see a single Outsider with hair as long as his.


    He also removed his mechanical arm, leaving only the stump behind. As for his clothes, he brought out a much less luxurious set from his storage, only to break it further, adding a few gashes, tears, and blood and dirt stains.


    In less than a few moments, Qin Yun had transformed from a neat and tidy Mainlander to a downtrodden Outsider who had barely escaped the battle at the Frontier with his life, only to be rescued by the young man before him.


    "How?" the man asked, taken aback, yet Qin Yun merely smiled.


    ¡°This way, they¡¯ll have no choice but to hear me out¡ªthe man who emerged alive from the Avaad¡¯s fortress, carrying a message from their beloved seer,¡± Qin Yun said with a devious smile.

 Chapter 130 - Standing on Damp Ground

    The sun rose and fell one more time over these arid lands as the newly transformed Qin Yun and the young outsider remained safely tucked away within their stone shelter from the ever-blowing abrasive winds that slowly chipped away at the rock.


    During this time, Qin Yun spent all his waking hours swiftly learning to speak in the Outsiders'' dialect. Yet, even as he relied on his extensive experience in different and obscure languages, the best he could do was memorize a few thousand words and how to make them flow to carry their meanings. But even then, his pronunciation remained atrocious.


    Qin Yun employed the young man as his teacher, exchanging this favour with a few provisions he brought on this trip. The young man initially refused, as their language was part of their culture, something no outsider should have access to. It was sacred, something they used to commune with their god.


    However, in this land where resources were the cause of many conflicts, Qin Yun¡¯s wealth wasn¡¯t something a young warrior could turn away. In fact, it might even help them in their future dealings with the rest of the tribe. But more importantly, the young man¡¯s water reserves had almost been exhausted.


    As for the flaws that remained in the way he spoke, Qin Yun found them inconsequential. While he could easily spend another few days here to perfect his craft, he saw no need for it. In fact, he felt it was better for his cover as a young outsider born on the other side of the Great Barrier. It gave legitimacy to his claim to have been in contact with the tribe''s lost seer and to the token now in his possession.


    On the next day, at dawn, Qin Yun and the young man resumed their march southwards. They had travelled in a large arc, keeping their distance from the constant storm raging between them and the Great Barrier.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but be stunned at the extent of it all, covering countless miles from the edge of the Northern Realm down to the Southern one. He could scarcely imagine the amount of energy required to keep it always in motion, the battle against the encroaching corruption notwithstanding.


    Not even the Immortals living within the periphery of the Well of Souls could accomplish this herculean task. Only the Heavenly Dao possessed the means to keep the taint contained within, drawing from the endless swirling energies contained within the land''s crust and flowing through every Earth Vein.


    After another day on the backs of those giant sandworms, the young man gave Qin Yun a sign to disembark. While he didn¡¯t know the reason, Qin Yun abdicated to the young man¡¯s wisdom and did as he was told, only for the large creature to swiftly turn around and vanish beneath the desert sand.


    Qin Yun frowned, finding this odd. Each time they had to do so at the end of a long day of travel, their mounts had always tried to attack them, irate to be used as a vehicle. But, as they had been too tired from the long journey, the young man could easily repel them with something resembling incense, emitting a scent that repulsed them as if it were poison.


    As for what it was, Qin Yun tried to analyze it with its scent alone, but it was made from ingredients one couldn''t find on the Mainland, mostly corrupted ones. The most he could find was that it wasn''t something he could recreate¡ªnot at the moment.


    As he pondered this curious reaction, Qin Yun saw the young man bend down, taking a cupful of sand in his palm before bringing it to his nose. Qin Yun did the same, only to find the same scent permeating the granular ground. More than that, the sand felt slightly damp, a stark contrast to the arid land they had just traversed.


    Qin Yun rose, letting the damp sand slip through his fingers as he observed his surroundings. They were nowhere near any oases. There wasn''t a slight trace of water for miles, yet the ground was damp.


    Is there an underground river flowing through here?


    However, Qin Yun soon dismissed this thought. They stood on a loose pile of sand that could be blown by the breeze at any moment. There was no telling how deep this mountain of loose particulate stretched. It might be just a few meters down to a few miles. There was really no telling.


    Even if an underground river existed, it could only exist under a bed of hard rock. But, even then, where would it originate from?


    Qin Yun looked far in front of him, and as he squinted, he could barely see a dull shade of green in the distance¡ªsomething that shouldn¡¯t exist this far from the Mainland.


    At least, not on the western edge... We did go southward for an awfully long time...


    "We''re almost there," the young man said as he rose. "The damp ground proves we have almost reached the exiles."


    Qin Yun squinted even further, trying to see any signs of settlement, yet all he could see were a few large rock formations sprouting from the sand as if dull mountain peaks eroded over eons. They were the last remnants of solidity in this ocean ravaged by time.


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    "If water can be found here, why does the Main Tribe not relocate?" Qin Yun asked. "Or, is it that the location where the Main Tribe is that offers much more than here?"


    "No, if anything, the Main Tribe is the most inhospitable place within these lands," the young man replied bluntly, which couldn''t help but make Qin Yun raise an eyebrow.


    ¡°Is it for defence against the Mainland¡¯s attacks?¡± Qin Yun asked, yet couldn¡¯t help but find this dubious.


    What would be the point if they couldn''t even feed themselves properly? Considering the Main Tribe''s population, they would need an array of at least half a dozen to over ten oases to sustain their basic needs. There was almost no chance of finding so much vitality this far from the continent''s centre.


    Unless they relied on something else...


    "Do they sustain themselves on corruption?" he asked, slightly shaken.


    "Yes," the young man said casually. "For generations, only the most valiant of warriors can access our god''s blessing. Its essence empowers our flesh, quenching our thirst and enabling us to live in these harsh lands to the best of our ability. Of course, such an honour is not for everyone. Many pilgrims from other tribes journey to the desert''s heart if merely to gaze upon its might. If a warrior proves themselves in combat against warriors from other tribes, the victorious tribe is granted a part of its boon. This is an honour many covets."


    "Did you..." Qin Yun asked, once again studying this young man. Qin Yun''s senses were on edge, yet he found nothing. No traces of outward corruption.


    "While my tribe won a few decades back, I wasn''t even born then," the young man replied. "Of those who enjoyed the rewards, only a few may yet remain, but I have no idea where they are now, nor do I care. Those who abandoned their own tribes aren''t worth remembering."


    This young man has quite the life story, Qin Yun thought, slightly stunned. Yet, there was something troubling him about the way they went about spreading the corruption around. He couldn¡¯t help but voice his doubts.


    "I figured the Main Tribe would be eager to spread the boon of their god around," he said. "Isn''t that the best way to entice people to its worship?"


    "You''d think so?" the young man said, shrugging. "I told you already, we may consider it our god, but only because of the benefits we receive from it. Those who are truly devout are merely those closest to it¡ªthose of the Main Tribe, but also the priests."


    ¡°Priests?¡±


    "Some geezers older than the desert itself, or so they claim," the young man said as he spit on the now damp desert sand, losing some of its much-needed moisture. Qin Yun couldn''t help but frown as he knew the significance of such an act. But then, the man added, "What you call a contest is a sacred ceremony where we prove ourselves worthy of god''s graces. The victor takes it all, and the loser perishes."


    ¡°So it¡¯s a battle to the death?¡± Qin Yun asked with a frown.


    "Not always. Cowards always choose to forfeit, but in that instance, the whole tribe is found unworthy and punished for it."


    ¡°What kind of punishment?¡±


    "Don''t ask," the young man said, facing Qin Yun. His extremely sombre expression spoke volumes more than any words he could have said.


    ¡°That being said, if not for the war, the once-in-a-decade ceremony should have happened already,¡± the man lamented. ¡°The elders assured us of our victory, yet look where we ended up...¡±


    ¡°Will that ceremony occur now that they have retreated?¡± Qin Yun asked. He could barely conceal the interest in his tone, but fortunately, the young man didn¡¯t pick up on it.


    ¡°Probably, but that doesn¡¯t concern me anymore,¡± the young man said dismissively. There was a trace of sadness in his eyes, yet no tears threatened to fall. If anything, they were as dry as the desert sand near the World¡¯s Edge.


    Interesting timing... I can probably use this...


    "Speaking of which, you said we were nearing the exiles," Qin Yun said, now gazing near where he had seen some traces of green. "I must admit, when you referred to them, I expected to see a much more desolate land. Why would they exile them where water could be found."


    "Because this water is poisonous," the young man said plainly. "Think about it. What could be worse than a land abundant in the one thing all tribes fought for for so long, yet none could be safely consumed. It is worse than damnation. It is despair itself."


    Qin Yun frowned before taking another patch of damp sand into his hand. He raised it over his head and squeezed, extracting but three tiny pearls of water. They fell from the clump before moistening his throat.


    The young man was so taken aback by Qin Yun''s sudden action that he didn''t even have the reflex to stop him. He could only utter a loud, "YOU FOOL!" after the fact, yet it was already too late.


    The three drops of water hit Qin Yun''s tongue before funnelling down his throat to his stomach. Along the way, Qin Yun analyzed many of its components, from its taste to its viscosity, yet it all came down to one simple realization.


    Salty... as expected. This is salt water. No wonder they thought of it as poisonous. They probably have never seen an ocean to begin with. Still, these people aren¡¯t dumb. They probably tried to extract the salt somehow. What else could it be?


    Examining further, Qin Yun felt something foreign try to infiltrate his flesh. It swam through his body, breaching the walls of his stomach, only to find itself within his arterial system, seeking to reach his heart or vital organs. It stirred like something alive, possessing consciousness and moving with purpose until it finally reached his qi centre but then disappeared in the empty void where the remains of his tribulation qi were located.


    Now, only an almost transparent brown lotus remained, with golden characters pulsing along its surface. Once the strange energy collided with the ethereal object, it seemed to blend perfectly within, leaving no trace of its existence and no lingering side effects.


    As expected, this water is laced with remnants of the world¡¯s qi. For those possessed by the corruption, it might as well be poison...


    "Are you alright?" the young man asked, brows slightly creased.


    ¡°Perfectly. Why do you ask?¡± Qin Yun replied casually, looking rather smug.


    The young man looked unconvinced but soon shook his head. He could see that Qin Yun seemed completely fine, but he also knew that, at this point, there was nothing he could do about it; he could only let go.


    "We''ve wasted enough time," he said as he looked above, only to see the burning sun slowly beginning its descent toward the distant horizon. Without another word, both men started walking in the direction where Qin Yun had noticed distant verdure.

 Chapter 131 - A Glimpse of the Southern Desolate

    When they both reached their destination, the sun had almost disappeared beneath the land. According to the young outsider, they were deep into the Land of Exiles, located at the extreme south of the Western Desolate. As proof of this, Qin Yun could see a massive river, easily hundreds of miles wide, cutting through the land and flowing southwestward.


    On the other shore, Qin Yun saw the same verdure he had seen from further afar. Qin was amazed at the size of those trees. By approximating the distance, he calculated they stood a few miles tall, easily resembling small mountains as if they sought to pierce the Heavens.


    This isn¡¯t what I was expecting when thinking of the Southern Desolate...


    Indeed, on the other shore was the southern part of the continent. As far as he knew, this massive river was but one of four, dissecting the realm into four equal parts. They all originated in the continent''s centre, overflowing from the maelstrom at its core.


    It was the origin of the land''s vitality, spewing endlessly alongside a massive amount of qi, which was then carried throughout the land through a massive network of rivers and earth veins, nourishing the land.


    However, the massive river standing before Qin Yun seemed stale and sickly. It had long been deprived of any qi, and even the earth veins surrounding it had already run dry. In fact, the river barely flowed forward, resembling a lake more than anything else. Yet, it was a lake devoid of any vitality.


    From what he could see, there were no signs of life to be found within. There were no fish or marine creatures, plants such as algae or seaweed, or microscopic life such as plankton or bacteria. In fact, the water seemed crystal clear if not for the slight grey hue, no doubt originating from the corruption spreading within this land.


    "Did the Exiles ever try reaching the other side?" Qin Yun asked, slightly intrigued. For people who had seen nothing but sand throughout their lives, he couldn''t conceive they wouldn''t have tried to reach a distant land filled with such verdure.


    "Many times," the man said solemnly. "They were met with failures after failures, death after death. They gave up hope long ago and accepted they will never reach it."


    ¡°What happened?¡± Qin Yun frowned.


    The young man sighed, turning away from the body of water before walking toward a large rock formation in the distance. After one last look at the distant shore, Qin Yun followed him.


    ¡°You saw the weather, right?¡± the young man said as Qin Yun nodded.


    "I have never seen such a clear day," he said. "The wind is as dead as can be, and there are no traces of any clouds for miles around."


    ¡°Indeed. Every time they tried to cross this watery grave, they were assaulted by a sudden storm as soon as they reached the midpoint. The boats they created from bones and hides were smashed to pieces by the violent winds and the raging waves. They all drowned in the end. Their bodies now sleep at the river¡¯s bottom. Can you even imagine their shock?¡± the man said as he turned to face Qin Yun. ¡°We, the desert¡¯s people, drowning to death. It felt like the world itself was mocking us.¡±


    Qin Yun remained silent, but inside, many thoughts were swirling. Sudden changes in weather weren''t uncommon on the ocean, but this was no sea but a river¡ªalbeit a large one. This could have happened once, and Qin Yun wouldn''t have thought much about it, but for it to happen every time, these people may be closer to the truth than they originally believed.


    I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the Heavenly Dao tried to keep them contained within the Western Desolate. However, there should be more to this...


    First, the river was already infected with corruption. If the world truly wished to limit its spread, then it had already failed in doing so. From what Qin Yun had read in the Qin Clan''s library, many measures similar to the Great Barrier existed within each of the four realms, most likely to keep the corruption from spreading inland. This foreign entity''s encroachment wasn''t limited to the Western Desolate. Something similar should be happening within each of the four regions.


    Maybe the Heavenly Dao wished to prevent each strand from coming into contact with each other, thus making a united front against the world, piercing through its defence in one fell swoop. Its ultimate objective was undoubtedly the Well of Souls at the continent''s centre. Once it did so, the world as they knew it would probably collapse.


    However, why would it take the risk? At the current rate, it''s only a matter of time until the world exhausts all its resources. Against an enemy coming from outside this plane, there''s just no way it can compete in a war of attrition. Unless...


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    A single notion appeared in Qin Yun''s mind, but he almost dismissed it entirely for how preposterous it seemed. Yet, this was the only logical explanation for the way corruption behaved. Despite all its advantages in this conflict, time wasn''t on its side. There were probably factors outside of this world to consider, such as an unknown entity currently battling it that it felt desperate enough to try and brute force its way through.


    The situation is much more complicated than I first thought. I really need to hurry and verify this hunch of mine...


    ¡°Have they ever been contacted by what lay on the other side?¡± Qin Yun asked, but the man only shook his head.


    ¡°Not that I know of," he said. "From what they told me, they tried many things, such as burning a few of the precious wood they could accumulate, using the rising smoke as a signal, but nothing. However, it''s also possible they simply didn''t want to tell me."


    The man shrugged, yet Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to have a good relationship with them?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Ultimately, we belong to different tribes,¡± the man said nonchalantly. ¡°Despite the ties that bound our two tribes, without Lady Nalia, it¡¯s all pointless.¡±


    "Nalia? Is it because she is a seer? Is that position so valuable that it can influence an exiled tribe?"


    ¡°It¡¯s... complicated,¡± the young man sighed. ¡°Lady Nalia is related to them.¡±


    "How is that possible?" Qin Yun asked, slightly shocked. "She told me her blood was tainted by the blood of the Mainland, which was why she was exiled to the Great Barrier. They even expected her to die for it.¡±


    ¡°Yes... and no," the young man said, looking slightly conflicted. "These are just some rumours I heard from my clan''s elders, but Lady Nalia''s parentage is unorthodox. For example, did she tell you her father is the current High Chieftain of the Tribes, and her brother was the one to lead the assault on what you call the Great Barrier?"


    Qin Yun was surprised, but thinking back on it, it seemed to make sense. Someone possessing the power of a seer, able to peer through the veil and uncover mysteries that even the Heavenly Dao couldn''t keep contained, simply wouldn''t be born into an ordinary family.


    Stories of heroes who rose up from their peasant ancestry to rule over the world with their own strength and cunning, relying on their own potential, were merely that: stories. In the real world, those who possessed absolute power would crush these types of people early. They would never allow those who could threaten them to rise up. It would simply be foolish.


    As such, most of the power remained concentrated in a few families, and through different marriages, the power would be consolidated further, allowing the birth of extraordinary beings. There is an old saying common throughout the land: Power that relies on luck is not true power; only purpose enhances power. Old families never do anything at random.


    ¡°What about her mother?¡± Qin Yun asked, now intrigued.


    ¡°That¡¯s the part many won¡¯t talk about, but also the main reason used for Lady Nalia¡¯s exile.¡±


    "Let me guess," Qin Yun interjected. "She originated from the exiles we are about to meet. Probably someone of great importance, enough so that went to great lengths to rid themselves of Nalia."


    With eyes slightly narrowed, the young man jerked his head to the side, his gaze searing a hole straight through Qin Yun, yet he only returned a smile.


    ¡°How?¡± the young man muttered.


    ¡°Mere reasoning,¡± Qin Yun shrugged. ¡°Your words led the way to the answer. I merely reasoned my way through.¡±


    ¡°I see...¡± he said, yet his tone made him look slightly unsure, but it only remained so for a brief moment. He soon returned to his usual expression. ¡°You¡¯re right. Lady Nalia¡¯s mother was indeed from this tribe. She was the current chieftain¡¯s daughter, to be exact.¡±


    ¡°Was?¡± Qin Yun asked.


    "Indeed, she died a long time ago. Neither Nalia nor I had the opportunity to truly get to know her."


    Qin Yun frowned. He could feel the sadness in the young outsider''s voice. However, it seemed not to be his own sadness but on behalf of someone, most likely Nalia herself. Still, there was one point Qin Yun couldn''t make sense of.


    ¡°If both of Nalia¡¯s parent were members of the desert tribes, why did she say her blood was tainted? Was it because her mother was one of the exiles?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s much simpler than that,¡± the man sighed. ¡°You¡¯ll see when we arrive. Speaking of which, you can see it from here.¡±


    The young man pointed toward a large rock formation sprouting from the desert sand. It was large, almost like a mountain, yet made completely from rocks. Not the slightest bit of vegetation was found upon its surface, nor even a single oasis within sight. And yet, Qin Yun could see some slight irregularity within the rock itself.


    One of its surfaces was a sheer cliff, rising hundreds of meters in the air. The cliff itself was far from smooth. There seemed to be countless grooves digging deep within, most likely carved by the wind as it hit the rock wall through an untold amount of time. There was no telling how long this rock mountain had stood against this erosion nor how tall it had been at the start. But now, everything was well-rounded, except for the few jagged rocks where they broke apart.


    However, something caught Qin Yun''s attention. Hidden within the many crevasses, he could see many holes that differed from the rest. There were tool marks all around the opening, alluding to the fact that this was a man-made construct and not carved by the passage of time.


    ¡°Is that where they live?¡± Qin Yun asked, feeling slightly cautious now they were nearing their destination.


    "One of their many outposts," the young man replied. "In this part of the desert, oases come and go with the seasons, so they must always remain on the search for water. They can never remain in the same place for too long. With any luck, they might still be here or not be too far away. Let''s go."


    Although Qin Yun felt this to be too convoluted, he agreed that this place was inhospitable to human life. While a large river flowed but a few miles away, it wasn''t safe for consumption¡ªit was filled with the battling energies of the Heavenly Dao and corruption. Any organisms trying to quench their thirst with it would be torn apart by their raging antithetic energies. The only outcome would be death.


    "Alright, let''s hope they''re still here," Qin Yun said, yet his voice lacked the optimism it once did. Although this seemed necessary to gain some much-needed time before the outsider''s subsequent attack on the fortress, he couldn''t help but think he was just wasting time.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to have to chase them all over the place,¡± he muttered under his breath.

 Chapter 132 - Below a Starless Sky

    The two men stood at ground level before a large entrance that led deep into the rock formation. The sky was now fully dark, and the world was black as far as the eye could see, except for the massive river running through the two regions.


    From what Qin Yun could understand, the light was created when the sparse qi remaining within the water was extracted into the atmosphere before being destroyed into miniature flashes of light by this barren world.


    It wouldn''t typically result in enough light to be perceived by the human eye. Still, in this environment devoid of any other source, they seemed like fireflies bursting into the air, washing the world in dull colours with their dying breaths.


    Unlike this mysterious interaction, the tunnel leading further into the rock mountain felt darker than the sky itself. It was a profound blackness that even Qin Yun¡ªwith his enhanced sight far removed from normality¡ªcouldn''t see much of anything.


    ¡°This darkness is annoying,¡± he sighed. ¡°How do your people deal with this?¡±


    "What do you mean? It isn''t much different than during the day," the young man said as he turned to face him. If Qin Yun could see, he would recognize the deep puzzlement on the man''s face. Qin Yun was stunned momentarily but then thought deeply about it.


    It makes sense. If these starless nights are all they have ever known, they have probably adapted to them over generations. With all the heat radiating from below our feet, the most logical explanation is that they can see the infrared spectrum.


    Qin Yun had to stop his curiosity from inquiring further, yet he promised himself that, if given the chance, he would dissect one of these people. There was still much he could learn from them.


    ¡°What now?¡± Qin Yun asked, staring deep into the void threatening to swallow him. Despite many lifetimes of experience, even he felt reluctant to step foot into such a place.


    "Quite a few tracks are leading out of the cave and deep into the desert," the man said.


    Qin Yun instinctively looked down, trying to observe what the man had found, yet he obviously couldn''t. Everything looked the same, and the sparse light from the river, even reaching this far, made the world just a blurry mess.


    ¡°Do you think they already left? How fresh are these tracks?¡± Qin Yun asked, slightly exasperated that he had to rely on someone else for this.


    Without missing a beat, he reached for the hovering black box, extracting a wooden rod from its depths. He gripped it with his teeth as he also extracted a red stone that glowed slightly. A symbol carved onto its surface that read "Heat" in a language that none in this world had probably ever heard of.


    Wrapped around one side of the rod was a bundle of cloth filled with congealed fat. It emitted a putrid stench, prompting the young man to frown, yet he didn''t recoil in disgust. While slightly different, it reminded him of the odour of sandworms'' corpses left to dry under the sun, as their multiple layers of fat cooked under its heat. It was revolting but familiar.


    With a simple strike of the red rock against the bundle of cloth, the imbibed fat burst into flames, creating a torch to drive away the darkness. As the flame burst into existence, the rock dimmed almost by half, and the power within slowly disappeared.


    Without missing another moment, Qin Yun returned the stone to his storage and looked around him. Finally, Qin Yun could see the tracks lying at his feet, and as expected, the young man was right. There were many, all headed in the same direction.


    ¡°How many exiled should there be?¡± Qin Yun asked. ¡°This can¡¯t be all of them.¡±


    "Those were my thoughts, too," the young man replied as he tried to block the flame with his arms. To his eyes, the burning flame was as if the sun shone straight into his retina. All he could do was turn and face away from it. Only then could he add, "They usually don''t leave all at once. There''s always a scouting party leading the way to ensure they won''t run into any troubles at their destination."


    "Does that mean they are preparing to leave?"


    "They may have already left," the young man said, yet there seemed to be doubts in his voice. Qin Yun wasn''t sure, as he still wasn''t used to the Outsider language they were now speaking in, but then the man added, "These tracks are way too obvious. My guess is they are already long gone, and those were left behind by the last group."


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    ¡°Last group?¡±


    "The migration is always done into three parts," the man explained. "The second is usually the main party, consisting of women, children and the elderly, while the third is akin to a rear guard. Their job is to neutralize parties trying to follow them and erase their traces."


    "So... Are these traces real or not?" Qin Yun asked, feeling frustrated that they had yet to make contact. This side-quest of his was beginning to take its toll, and his goal was growing farther away.


    ¡°Only one way to know,¡± the man said, looking into the blackness leading further away from the mountain.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Qin Yun finally said, his tone decisive. ¡°Let¡¯s separate. You go follow those tracks, and I¡¯ll search in there.¡±


    Qin Yun pointed into the giant void standing before him. He didn''t want to do so but had no choice. This was the most effective strategy. As if reading his thoughts, the man nodded before stepping into the darkness, away from Qin Yun''s only light source, before saying, "I''ll follow them for a bit, then come back. If you find them, try not to provoke them. They aren''t used to seeing strangers down these parts."


    I¡¯ll try... Qin Yun thought as he entered the darkness of this tunnel.


    Surprisingly, his flame on a stick could barely drive back the blackness. It felt like the rock absorbed most of the light, leading to Qin Yun not seeing further than a meter or two before him. He had to sharpen most of his other senses so as not to face-plant face first into a rock wall, as the tunnel wound and bent but also split into countless other paths.


    While the darkness didn''t help, this world seemed like a maze, waving back and forth and looping in on itself. More than once, Qin Yun was forced to backtrack as he hit a dead-end or was forced back out of the countless other openings carved into the vertical wall of this mountain of stone¡ªsome were even a few levels higher.


    Despite all his expertise, Qin Yun had a hard time mapping the entirety of this maze in his mind¡ªsomething he usually wouldn''t have any problems with. He was no fool. Something was obviously messing with his sense of direction, yet he could do nothing about it short of tunnelling through the walls in a single direction.


    He was now entirely out of qi and had no more spirit stones to use as batteries. Even then, they wouldn''t be helpful as his tribulation qi conflicted with ordinary qi. To use the simplest of techniques, Qin Yun would have to siphon an exorbitant wealth.


    After wandering down these tunnels for a whole hour, Qin Yun was beginning to have enough. At periodical intervals, he had placed marks onto the stone, if only to eliminate ways he had trekked before. However, he still inevitably returned to the entrance even though he chose ways unmarred by this mark. It felt as if someone was playing a trick on him.


    In frustration, Qin Yun struck a side wall with all his strength. He expected nothing from it, knowing this mountain could take the blow. However, he was surprised to find that a hollow chamber just happened to be on the other side.


    The rock shattered, propelling shards through the chamber to the opposing wall; they ricocheted all around before finally stopping, leaving deep indents just about anywhere. Qin Yun was stunned. It took him a moment to realize what he had just chanced upon.


    Looking closer, as remnants of this explosion slowly detached from the shattered wall, Qin Yun noticed that this section of the tunnel was slightly different. He even noticed a change in the rock''s composition, leading him to believe this change was intentional, intended to hide this opening altogether.


    So this was never an entrance after all...


    Slowly, Qin Yun peeked through this newly made opening, using his torch to illuminate this void, but it was much larger than he expected. It could fit at least a hundred people. There were even pillars scattered around the room, supporting the massive weight of the mountain hanging over them.


    Qin Yun stepped through, but as soon as he did, he felt the movement of the wind coming from his blind spot on his left. Without any thoughts on his part, Qin Yun¡¯s legs folded, letting him slip under a sharp edge that passed right over his head before bouncing off the stone and scattering sparks.


    Qin Yun felt as if he had just brushed against death. His brain even imagined the pain of his severed neck as he knew this was where the edge was aiming for. However, that feeling lingered for a moment as Qin Yun jumped to the side, just out of range, yet he felt the same wind coming from behind him this time.


    He spun, catching the edge between his thumb and index finger. However, the blow was much stronger than he expected. Even using all his strength, he couldn¡¯t stop the edge from inching closer. He almost lost his fingers as he nudged the edge slightly to the side, allowing it to pass harmlessly off-target.


    He jumped backwards again, feeling the hard surface of the stone walls against his back. He narrowed his eyes, trying to peer through the darkness, only to see his torch lying on the ground a few meters off his location. He had had no choice but to let it fall to parry the blow, as he had removed his prosthetic arm to make his story more believable.


    Now, all that remained of his right arm was the stump wrapped in layers of bandages, cut off slightly below the shoulder. He even sliced the healed wound a few times, some time ago, so the timing would be right. The abrupt movements he had made just now had reopened the wound. He could feel his blood slowly seeping into the thick bandages.


    ¡°Are you part of the Exiled Tribe?¡± Qin Yun shouted at the darkness, only for his voice to echo back to him off the stone walls. ¡°If so, I mean you no harm!¡±


    However, just as Qin Yun''s words left his mouth, he felt another movement coming from his right, aimed at his missing arm. He twisted his body, barely avoiding the blow aimed at his core, threatening to split him in two. Still, as he was near the wall, the edged weapon struck it cleanly and, from the sound, was deeply embedded within, even remaining stuck.


    A sword... No. An Axe!


    Qin Yun''s eyes narrowed. Having a better grasp of his opponent''s capabilities, he could now formulate a plan. He could roughly feel where the man stood from the slight air fluctuation around him. However, before he could do so, Qin Yun noticed a shadow emerging from the darkness, standing over the small flame on the ground.


    Great... There¡¯s more than one...


    While Qin Yun couldn''t make out the man''s features, judging from the size alone, there was no doubt he was one of the Outsiders. Before Qin Yun could react, he saw the man raise his leg and let it fall onto the torch.


    The impact was such that not even the flame filled with fuel could resist the wind pressure it created, and it was extinguished on the spot. Now, all that remained between him and his two opponents was a sea of darkness.


    ¡°Guys... Can we just talk about this?¡±

 Chapter 133 - Battle in the Dark

    The cave in which Qin Yun now stood was pitch black. Now that his torch had been extinguished, he had no way to find the location of the two men assaulting him. Worse yet, they didn''t even make any sounds as they moved, almost like they were gliding over the ground. The only thing he could rely on was the slight airflow created by their movements as it struck his bare skin. However, that was enough.


    Qin Yun leaned to the side, feeling something sharp brush against his skin. Although he was certain he had evaded the blow, he felt something unfamiliar in the blade that just missed him¡ªsomething that shouldn¡¯t exist in this world.


    As the axe struck against the rock wall, sparks were created at the point of impact, and against the all-encompassing darkness, it was just enough to allow Qin Yun to uncover the source of that feeling.


    Strewn across the large bone blade and the handle, Qin Yun noticed countless grey characters springing to life for just a moment before vanishing as the darkness returned.


    This was no language he was fluent in, yet he knew of its origins. This was the language of the outsiders. Unfortunately, his mastery of this language was still at its early stage; what he could recognize was extremely limited.


    Still, he pooled from his expertise of runes and formations, and could infer their uses. They were more likely a type of spells that used corruption as a medium to empower physical objects. It wasn''t unlike the Mainland''s way of forging artifacts.


    In fact, it even seemed to have an even longer history than he first imagined. The characters were complex, containing many ideas and meanings, and judging by their density, they also included more power than one could imagine.


    While Qin Yun was lost in this discovery, the man swinging his axe swiftly changed its trajectory and aimed it straight at his core. By reflex alone, Qin Yun used his fist to strike the side of the bone blade, hoping to destroy it, yet all he managed was to evade the blow by the slightest of margins.


    He frowned and felt the reverb of that blow in his bones. Despite the strength of his body already having reached past what most cultivators could achieve, without the aid of his qi, he felt his own bones could lose to that bone axe.


    What kind of creatures is that weapon carved from?


    From what he had seen, the bones seemed ancient. There were dark spots on the bones, while the rest of them were a dull grey, eroded by the corruption seeping into them and the long flow of time. They had no doubt lost most of their sturdiness already, yet Qin Yun wasn''t sure he could compete.


    How strong could a creature possessing such a bone be at its peak? I can see it hadn¡¯t reached the Divine Realm, but it was probably close... I wonder how it even died, or who could craft weaponry from its remains...


    Qin Yun had many thoughts concerning the Outsiders. Unlike the rest of the Mainland, he didn''t think of them as barbarians. Their history was just as long as that of cultivators, if not even longer. The only reason they hadn''t forced the Mainland into an all-out war was their lack of resources. The land was much too harsh to sustain the population they needed.


    This weapon only proved these people''s ingenuity. However, there was something he couldn''t reconcile. It was unlike any weaponry he had seen from these people. This axe could be considered an Earth-ranked artifact even in its degraded state, yet all he had seen from those people were Common-Ranked ones at best. Even the young man he travelled with only possessed a Low-Grade Profound-Ranked bone blade, at best.


    Do the exiles truly possess such wealth?


    Something didn''t seem right, yet Qin Yun had no time to think. He felt another blow aimed at the back of his head and twisted his body just enough to barely avoid it. Thankfully, the two men were entirely focused on trying to kill him. It made reading their killing intent much easier. Still, the lack of sight was a huge disadvantage.


    How long has it been since I had to fight while blind?


    Qin Yun couldn¡¯t remember, yet his body never forgot. Every dodge and parry was made with pure instinct, allowing his body to move in the most natural ways. However, his lack of practice still shone through. Sometimes, his conscious mind would take the reigns, slowing his reaction time just enough to allow the blows from the sharpened axes to nick his skin.


    He could feel hot blood flow from the wounds, yet there was no pain. His body automatically filtered out all superfluous stimuli until all that remained was a sharpened survival instinct, allowing him to survive just a second longer.


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    He knew from the start these weapons could injure his body. Despite it now being an artifact, he was merely at the beginning of that journey. Against such potent weapons, he had no hopes of contending against them. All he could do was to keep dodging.


    However, despite slowly acclimating to this sightless battle, so did the two men attacking him. They were slowly getting used to the way he fought. Qin Yun''s only advantage was his stamina, yet it wasn''t much of one as he still couldn''t hear any breaths coming from his two armed opponents.


    If only I could take out my sword, I could beat them easily. However, I really don''t want this whole mountain to come crashing down over me. I need to get out of here...


    Feeling the airflow originating from the hole Qin Yun had punched into this chamber, he rushed against it, only to be stopped by a blow aimed straight at the back of his head. He dodged to the side, yet this slight loss in momentum allowed the second man to position himself between Qin Yun and the exit. He then kicked Qin Yun square in the chest, lifting him off his feet as he was propelled back into the opposite stone wall, leaving a shallow indent onto its surface.


    Fortunately, Qin Yun had blocked the blow with his arm, yet still felt a dull ache reverberate in his bones. He now dearly missed the loss of his arm and regretted not regenerating it while he was breaking through to the Qi Refining Realm, even if it might have hindered the process. Still, it was too late for regrets as he could feel the two Outsiders quickly closing in on him.


    ¡°Can we stop and talk about this? I didn¡¯t come to bring you harm!¡± Qin Yun said as he composed himself, yet the two men¡¯s killing intent didn¡¯t show any signs of ever fading.


    Qin Yun steeled himself; he was done with his passivity. Even if it might sour his future relationship with the exiles, he couldn''t allow this to go on. He still had a place to go and someone waiting for him. He couldn''t allow himself to be injured further, only for future prospects.


    With a swift motion, Qin Yun reached into the hovering black box, only to extract a sword made of black crystal. Even against the blackness devoid of all light, the sword resembled an even more bottomless abyss¡ªone that could freeze one''s soul with a mere look.


    ¡°I¡¯m done playing nice,¡± Qin Yun muttered, eyes narrowed. ¡°Come at me.¡±


    For the first time in this conflict, Qin Yun chose to advance instead of retreating, but as expected, the two men showed no change of behaviour. Their blood lust was just as apparent. That was until Qin Yun¡¯s blade finally struck.


    He didn¡¯t put much force into the blow, yet its sharpness was unequalled. The black blade ripped through the air as if trying to sever the dimensions apart. To the men charging at him, it must have felt like a mountain crashing down on them or an ocean wishing to drown them, yet their faces remained stoic, showing no signs of fear nor the expected overwhelming dread. In fact, they seemed almost lifeless, like corpses.


    The blade swung down as one of the men swung his own axe sideways, trying to parry the blow, yet Qin Yun''s blade was unequalled. The axe of bone shattered into countless pieces at its mere contact, showering its wielder in a rain of pain as the shard flew right through him, leaving large holes of mangled flesh. But despite it all, the man refused to fall; his charge had only slowed.


    Qin Yun frowned, feeling something was wrong, as he noticed the blood lust growing bolder. He spun on his heels, evading the second man as the remaining bone axe cut only air. Qin Yun swung his blade in a graceful arc, aiming straight at the first man''s head.


    The head was removed at the torso, leaving but a pristine cut even through the bone as if he had cut through butter, but once again, the man had yet to fall. Qin Yun could feel the headless body flailing its arms in a desperate attempt to restrain him. If anything, the headless body seemed almost emboldened by his lack of head, as if he had nothing else to lose.


    All this happened in but a moment, so swiftly that Qin Yun barely registered the man''s demise. Many thoughts swirled in his mind, from the walking dead to some sort of sorcery, yet he couldn''t see the most probable option due to the darkness.


    The numerous holes in the now-dead man''s flesh were rapidly closing as grey tendrils stitched up the wounds, replacing the bronze flesh with a dull grey matter. Even his missing head seemed to be healing. As for what it would become, nobody knew, probably not even the man himself.


    Despite watching the horror his companion had become, the second man never stopped in his assault, even though he might encounter the very same fate. Pressed with the one remaining man and a healing beast, Qin Yun could finally take his distance, gaining enough time to raise his blade and put his weight behind it.


    The black blade ripped downward, shattering everything in its path, even the sturdy bone that stood in its way. This time, the bone didn''t shatter but was sliced straight in two parts, followed by the man who once held it.


    The blade ran right through him, severing him into two equal parts, yet to his surprise, Qin Yun only heard the broken bone axe hit the floor and not the dull thud he expected. If anything, he only felt the blood lust grow even stronger.


    What kind of creatures are these? Can the corruption truly change a man this much?


    Qin Yun dodged a few more times, assessing the situation, but soon, he had no room left to dodge. He felt the rock wall at his back and the surging blood lust swiftly closing in.


    With narrowed eyes, pointlessly trying to peer through the darkness, Qin Yun planted his feet into the hard ground and let his sword intent surge forward as he swung his blade sideways.


    Qin Yun felt hot blood flow from his eyes as tears and a lump stuck in his throat. However, the blood lust vanished, leaving Qin Yun time to recover from the damage he had caused himself. He waited, yet there seemed to be no traces of the two men''s regeneration. He couldn''t tell if they had been vanquished or fled. Without feeling any movement, he could only wait, blade firmly in hand.


    But soon, he heard something coming straight through the tunnel his sword intent had created, reaching deep into the chamber where he now stood. It was the sound of the wind rustling through the desert sand. He had pierced a hole through the mountain to the exterior. However, there was also a voice he recognized.


    "What was that?" the young outsider said, his head peeking through the hole large enough to allow him passage. "If that''s you in there, you should come out! I found some clues. The exiles are already gone! But there''s more. It seems they were chased after!"


    Qin Yun frowned, feeling things were much more complicated than he first expected.

 Chapter 134 - The Edge of Mystery

    ¡°What do you mean they are already gone?" Qin Yun screamed back as he went to fetch his extinguished torch.


    In the brief moment when his sword intent impacted the rock wall of this underground chamber, a flash of light occurred, giving him just enough time to locate it. As he reignited it, the young man''s voice travelled again through the newly formed tunnel.


    ¡°I mean just what I said! I followed their tracks, but as expected, they were dummy ones meant to deceive. However, I know the route they usually take to reach their next hideout, so I went and took a look.¡±


    His voice grew closer as he spoke, and only when he finally emerged from the tunnel did light finally burst into existence, scattering off the rock walls as it bathed the chamber in its glow.


    The man stopped, frowning as he looked upon the remnants of the two men Qin Yun had vanquished. Remnant was the appropriate word, as all that remained were chucks of bloodied bronze flesh scattered throughout the chamber in an arc.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± the young man finally said, stepping toward Qin Yun while avoiding the mess on the floor.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to know,¡± Qin Yun shrugged. ¡°These people attacked me as soon as I stepped in here.¡±


    ¡°People?¡± the young man muttered, but then his eyes widened as he noticed the remains of the severed bone axe lying in the corner.


    He went and picked it up. His fingers glided along the edge, threatening to cut through the skin at the slightest hint of pressure. Despite being half destroyed, the edge remained surprisingly sharp.


    ¡°You know what this is?¡± Qin Yun asked as he stepped next to him.


    ¡°A weapon carved from a sandworm¡¯s teeth.¡±


    "Thanks for the obvious," Qin Yun replied. "I knew that, but this one is obviously special. It would be worth a fortune if this thing was found within the Mainland."


    ¡°It¡¯s priceless,¡± the young man replied, yet Qin Yun could feel a hint of disgust laced in his tone. ¡°This was made from the fallen tooth of the largest and oldest sandworm ever found along the World¡¯s Edge, as you call it. We just call it the point of no return. The legends of my people state that it is even older than the desert itself.¡±


    ¡°No return? Surely, some of you must have gone there and back? What do you mean, no return?¡±


    "It means exactly what it means," the young man sighed. "Past a certain point, all oases cease to exist. All you''ll find further west is nothing but sand. Even all rock formations have been ground to dust over time. It''s the most desolate land in the world."


    ¡°And yet, this sandworms lives there?¡±


    ¡°I know, right?" the young man turned to face Qin Yun, expressing what Qin Yun could only liken to devout belief. "It''s a land where no living being wishes to tread, yet this being calls it its home."


    ¡°Surely, some of your people must have gone there.¡±


    ¡°Some did, and they returned carrying these fallen teeth. However, they were barely at the edge of the Deep Desert. Those who ventured further were never seen again.¡±


    ¡°Wait!" Qin Yun exclaimed, trying to make sense of this. "Why are there rumours of the World''s Edge if no one has ever reached it and come back to tell the tale?"


    ¡°Why wouldn''t it be?" the young man replied, confused. "This is the furthest we ever went. Why shouldn''t it be called the World''s Edge? What did you think it was? Surely you didn''t think it was a literal edge? How could the world possibly have an edge?"


    Then, who chose that name for it? Qin Yun thought. Everything exists for a reason under the Heavenly Dao. It surely wouldn''t allow this name to transcend time and be deeply embedded into two opposing cultures. We don''t speak the same language, yet both names refer to the same thing. It couldn''t be just a coincidence...


    Qin Yun was more resolved than ever to reach that mythical edge. Only by seeing it with his own eyes could he truly know whether or not his hypothesis was correct and not just a figment of his imagination. Still, judging by all the testimony he had accrued in this journey, reaching that proverbial edge would be no walk in the park, especially considering the supposedly ancient sandworm patrolling the Land of No Return.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Qin Yun said aloud, pupils dilating as he faced the young man.


    ¡°What?¡±


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    ¡°You said those weapons were made from its fallen teeth, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the man said, not understanding what Qin Yun meant. ¡°How else were we supposed to acquire them?¡±


    ¡°So, that means that thing is still alive¡ªstill roaming through that ocean of sand?¡±


    ¡°Obviously,¡± the man sighed. ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡±


    Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but shudder as he instinctively turned to face the west. While he roughly knew of the strength of that beast from its bones alone, he could also see they were ancient¡ªmuch more ancient than anything he had ever seen within the Qin Clan. If anything, it might have been the most ancient thing he had seen in this world from the start.


    The only reason he had been able to cut through those bone weapons was simply that they had been ground by time for so long that they had lost most of their strength. Still, even then, they were comparable to Low-Grade Earth artifacts.


    "I thought the one those bones came from was at most at the Quasi-Divine level," Qin Yun said as concern spread over his face, which couldn''t help but prompt the young man to frown,


    ¡°What about it?¡± he said. ¡°That is already common knowledge among the tribe.¡±


    ¡°Think about it!" Qin Yun exclaimed, slightly losing his calm. "You said it yourself. He is older than the desert itself. How long, do you think, it took for the desert to spread this much?"


    ¡°Stop beating around the bush,¡± the man replied. ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡±


    ¡°Roughly calculating from what I¡¯ve observed, this desert is, at minimum, a million years old.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± the young man interjected. ¡°A million? Are you sure you aren¡¯t exaggerating? Did you just pull this number out of your ass?¡±


    Qin Yun smiled as he didn''t expect the sand people''s language to possess expressions similar to those of the Mainland. However, his smile faded as he added, "Considering everything, a million years old is quite young for a desert. Anyway, if your legends are true, this big sandworm of yours should be more than a million years old. Don''t you see something is wrong?"


    ¡°Enough with the exposition,¡± the man sighed. ¡°Give it to me straight.¡±


    ¡°No living being can live to be a million years old,¡± Qin Yun stated. ¡°The Heavenly Dao simply won¡¯t allow it. Even if it were to become a Divine Beast in this barren world¡ªwhich is improbable¡ªit also would have to survive through the five blights, and that¡¯s just impossible¡ªnot even immortals can.¡±


    ¡°So, you mean it''s either already dead or¡ª"


    "¡ªsomething else is sustaining its life, and we all know what that is. The question is: why does it remain at the edge of the world? If something like a Divine Beast was to attack the Great Barrier, it would have collapsed a long time ago."


    Both men were silent. Despite hearing tales of this giant creature from the moment he was born, the young man had never thought of it that way. From what he knew, no sand people knew the mind of the Heavenly Dao. To them, it was merely a great evil they needed to destroy to gain the right to live. He had never thought of it more deeply than that.


    The man had more questions, yet before he could voice them, he felt a strange sound originating behind him. It sounded like something crawling on the ground multiplied by a thousand¡ªlike an army of insects moving in unison.


    The man turned around and lowered his gaze, only to be stunned, unable to utter even a word. Before him were the remnants of the two men Qin Yun had slain. Except their flesh had morphed, becoming indistinguishable from what they were before.


    The bronze skin and the bloody pink flesh underneath had lost all colour, turning a dull grey. Tiny, almost microscopic tendrils sprouted from every cell as they burst before combining into slightly larger ones.


    They tried to join themselves back together but failed to do so as a sharp intent remained fixed on the wound. However, as time passed, Qin Yun''s sword intent slowly dissipated away, allowing the morsels of grey meat to finally attach themselves back together, except that its new form was in no way human-shaped.


    It felt more like a formless blob of matter, barely held together with hopes and dreams. Qin Yun''s strike had blasted away over a third of the two men''s mass, resulting in a monstrous amalgam as the two remnants tried to fuse together to construct something vaguely resembling a human being.


    However, it all failed miserably. It could barely hold itself together. Most of the flesh tendrils sprouting from the whole crumbled into parts at the slight movements.


    ¡°I know I should¡¯ve asked sooner, but what did you do to them?¡± the man asked, hand firmly around his weapon.


    ¡°I did nothing! That¡¯s your god¡¯s doing,¡± Qin Yun snapped back.


    ¡°Bullshit! I know our god can bless us with the gift of regeneration, but that¡¯s pushing it too far. This isn¡¯t even humanoid anymore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m inclined to agree,¡± Qin Yun said, yet unlike the young man, he remained much calmer as he knew his sword intent would remain a little longer before it would fade entirely. ¡°Any idea who those two were?¡±


    The young man''s eyes narrowed slightly, yet his gaze didn''t leave the living blob of flesh writhing on the ground. Instead, he lifted the broken bone axe head to eye level and began deciphering the patterns carved upon its surface. Still, it didn''t take long before his gaze darkened even more.


    ¡°Seems you know who they were,¡± Qin Yun said with a slight interest.


    "Yes," the man said, attaching the broken bone piece to the side of his hip. "Every tribe has its own markings; it''s a way we determine whose property it is."


    "A signature, of sorts," Qin Yun acknowledged. "Couldn''t they falsify it? You know, frame another tribe."


    "Never!" the man almost exploded. "It would be blasphemy. These are more than mere markings; they are also a pledge to our god. It is our vows in exchange for the strength given to us. Every tribe have slightly different vows, depending on what they pledged and what they received. No one would be foolish enough to modify them or use the vows of another tribe."


    Qin Yun''s gaze fell downward, resting on the weapon in the man''s hand, and yet, he didn''t see any markings on it, unlike the axe head dangling from his hip.


    How interesting...


    Still, Qin Yun chose not to bring it up¡ªnot now. Something else interested him even more.


    ¡°So, who were they?¡± he asked. ¡°You seemed to recognize them.¡±


    ¡°Although they differ slightly, I have seen them before,¡± the man replied after hesitating momentarily.


    ¡°Well? Don¡¯t keep me in suspense. Where did you see them?¡±


    The man bit his lips. Qin Yun could see his reluctance, yet after a while, he finally spoke.


    ¡°Lady Nalia,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen similar markings on her equipment when she was thrown out of the Main Tribe. I¡¯ve no doubt about it.¡±


    ¡°The Main Tribe,¡± Qin Yun muttered pensively. ¡°Why now? Why would they go after the exiles at a time like this? They had all this time to do so. What are they trying to gain?¡±


    Still, all of Qin Yun''s questions lingered in the air, as neither he nor the young outsider had any answers. All they had were questions, yet one question seemed more pressing than all the others: What should they do about this blob of grey flesh that tried to regenerate even as its hosts were already long dead?

 Chapter 135 - Pulling Strings From the Void

    At the edge of the void, on an altar floating over a grey abyss, three dried-up corpses faced each other. The eternity of time left vestiges on their skin, deep crevasses that told stories of the eons they had lived.


    "He is getting bolder," one of the men said, the Second of the three. His voice was hoarse and dry, yet the strength hidden within each word couldn''t be denied. "Does he truly think he can deny our God''s will?"


    ¡°Just another foolish lamb blinded by the hubris of youth,¡± another added, the Third. He was shaking his head. ¡°It may be time to replace him. There are many waiting to take his place.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, none can truly come close to him,¡± the Second replied. "He is the most talented of his generation, remember? This was the reason our God chose him..."


    ¡°What good is it when his arrogance threatens us all?¡± the Third added. "Even now, he conspires against us. It is only a matter of time before he acts. We should exorcise this tumour before it infects all we have built."


    "And, what of our God''s wishes? Every day that barrier stands is an affront to his magnificence! They are currently weak! We should pool our armies and strike again before they have the time to receive reinforcements."


    ¡°Attacking while a wolf is in our midst is utter foolishness!¡± the Third said, his voice growing in intensity. "Our best course of action is to rid ourselves of him before he becomes a threat we cannot ignore!"


    "How would you propose we do that?" the Second sneered. "Although he suffered criticism from the various chieftains for his early retreat, the soldiers hold him in high esteem. If he were to die in dubious circumstances, it wouldn''t surprise me if a civil war were to erupt. We simply cannot afford it. I hope you remember what happened during the last regime change."


    His expression twisted into something grotesque, chilling anyone unfortunate enough to look at him. However, his two counterparts showed no reaction as they were much alike. However, the First''s expression hadn''t changed since they began arguing. His eyelids remained closed as he silently pondered.


    ¡°All too well,¡± the Third replied, his expression growing darker. Each word was said with deep emphasis, almost as if they weighed heavily on him. "Still, there is no need to act directly. We only need to rid ourselves of the source of his power. He will become much easier to control once he only has himself to rely on. If all else fails, we can always replace him."


    ¡°The source of his power?¡± the Second asked, slightly confused. "We''ve remained hidden for so long that few are even aware of our existence. Now, all believe the Primarch rules the tribes. As the Primarch''s son and commander of his armies, his authority falls only slightly behind. Are you suggesting we target our own puppet?"


    ¡°Of course not,¡± the Third scoffed. "The Primarch knows better than to refuse our will. Even when we asked for his daughter''s death, he was all too ready to comply. If not for her brother''s interference, she would have already joined with our God, becoming an agent of his will."


    ¡°Wait,¡± the Second interjected. "Do you mean to target the girl? She is a bird in a cage¡ªa hostage kept within the frontier. What manners of aid could she possibly give her brother? Even if she can see the future, who could she rely on? None of those Avaads would take her seriously. It would be the same as admitting she was equal to the Heavenly Dao they revere so much. The most probable outcome would probably be they deemed her a heretic if only to not have its wrath cast upon them."


    ¡°You aren¡¯t wrong,¡± the Third replied. ¡°The odds of her relying on the Avaads are almost null, but that isn¡¯t what concerns me. What matters is her existence herself. Her name alone may be enough to rally some of those discontent with the current rule. He would no doubt take advantage of it. Fortunately, I was already one step ahead.¡±


    The man¡¯s face twisted into a creepy smile. He raised one hand and snapped his fingers, creating a shock wave that resounded through the void. The very fabric of space shook, then ripped, allowing an individual dressed in black to step through.


    The individual was tall and broad, yet his face was covered by a dark hood, obscuring his features. Unlike the outsiders who took pride in letting their bronze skin shine under the sun, every inch of the man¡¯s skin was covered in fabric, only letting his grey eyes shine through the darkness.


    ¡°Who might that be?¡± the second old fossil asked as confusion filled his tone.


    His eyes narrowed as he glanced at the new arrival, yet the bulk of his discontent was directed at his counterpart, who was smiling broadly. Meanwhile, the First showed almost no reaction. His eyes remained closed and expressionless.


    ¡°Allow me to introduce The Blood of the Great One!¡± the Third exclaimed, obviously proud of himself. Still, something in the name struck a cord in the first.


    ¡°The Great One?¡± he questioned. ¡°Is that referring to that little worm?¡±


    ¡°Precisely!¡± the Third replied, slightly smug as he turned to face the man who had just arrived before shouting, "Unveil yourself!¡±


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    The robbed man nodded before pulling back the hood covering his face. Hidden within the darkness were features so hideous that even the second decrepit old fossil¡¯s eyes narrowed at the sight. Still, he sustained the man¡¯s gaze as he observed closely.


    The hooded man¡¯s skin was dark¡ªmuch too dark to belong to one of the tribes. In fact, it reminded him of the Great One roaming around in the desert¡¯s deepest part¡ªpast the point of no return.


    The skin seemed thicker than it should have but also highly elastic, making the man slightly bloated. However, the Second knew this was a consequence of its newfound durability. He even tested it by extending a single finger and pressing onto space itself.


    A pressure wave sprang from the man''s finger, creating a sharp edge as many dimensions distorted and rubbed against each other. Meanwhile, the hooded man showed no indication of dodging. He merely remained in place as the deadly edge barrelled in his direction.


    A mere instant later, when its sharpness was almost upon him, the edge veered off course, barely brushed against the man''s cheek, leaving a deep gash in the skin, but surprisingly, no blood flowed from the wound, nor did the man seem to feel pain. Instead, he seemed more like a bloodless corpse waiting for orders.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± the Second muttered, yet his surprise was only beginning.


    Soon after, he saw grey tendrils sprouting from the thick hide, attaching both sides of the wound together, even ignoring the sharp space remaining attached to the wound. Although it slowed the regeneration process, it healed nonetheless. After but a mere moment, the wound was good as new, nowhere to be seen, as if he hadn''t been injured to begin with.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± the Second said, raising a single hairless eyebrow as he turned to face the third. ¡°Where did you find him?¡±


    ¡°I made him,¡± the Third replied with a slightly creepy smile. "Him and many others."


    The Second couldn''t help but frown, his gaze burning a hole in his counterpart. The surrounding space began to buzz and crack, almost like it was about to shatter. The stones¡ªof which the altar was made¡ªwere about to break, some even rising up to float mid-air from the power of the corpse''s presence alone. And yet, the Third merely looked on, uninterested.


    ¡°Have you reneged on your vows?¡± the Second asked, his tone extremely grave. "Experimenting on the tribes behind our backs is unacceptable! Our agreement clearly states that a majority consensus is needed for something of this scale!"


    ¡°Who says a consensus wasn¡¯t reached?¡± the Third shrugged, looking toward the second like a fool.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you lie to me!¡± the Second snapped back, clearly irate, as if a volcano about to burst. "Unlike the Avaads on the other side of the Great Barrier, who mingle with all manners of beasts and demons, our people are the people of the one true God! They are meant to remain pure! If I''d known about this, I would have never allowed it!"


    ¡°Exactly!¡± the third interjected, cutting off the first¡¯s rant, yet he didn¡¯t elaborate, letting this single word echo into the void.


    The Second was at his breaking point, his anger almost flooding his mind. His fist was clenched, digging into what was left of his dried-up skin. However, before he let his fury explode, he turned toward the First, hoping to find validation, yet all he saw was apathy. The first man''s eyes remained firmly closed, almost as if he had no interest in children''s bickering. That was then that a most absurd thought hit him.


    ¡°You...¡± escaped his mouth through gritted teeth. However, before he could extrapolate, the First opened his eyes for the first time, letting his peaceful gaze lay on the Second, only for the Second¡¯s anger to quickly be stifled. All that remained was a barely muffled self-denigrating laughter. "I should have expected this..."


    ¡°Now you finally get it,¡± the Third said with the smile of victory.


    ¡°Since when?¡± the Second asked with a sigh. ¡°How long have you two been planning this?¡±


    ¡°From the start, old friend,¡± the First said calmly. ¡°As you have said, you would have opposed our decision. However, the will of the council is absolute. I made the choice to hide it from you, if only for your own sake.¡±


    His words were as calm as a peaceful lake, yet the Second could fully sense the power laced within. He knew that this man wouldn¡¯t hesitate to enforce the contract between them three if one was to ever break one of its clauses. He could even feel the threat in the First¡¯s eyes at this very moment, prompting him to back down.


    He had lost this round.


    As he saw the Second''s fists relax and the conflict between them come to a close, the First''s eyes closed once again, leaving only the two others to stare at each other. Unlike the Second''s eyes, which were filled with bitterness, the Third merely looked on with glee before turning back to face the creature at the foot of the altar, who awaited patiently.


    ¡°Now, report! How goes the operation?¡± the Third asked in anticipation.


    "Reporting to the High Priests!" the robbed man exclaimed, head slightly lowered. "My troops report that almost all the tribes once associated with the Seer have been exterminated. As ordered, we left a few clues pointing to the Avaads as perpetrators should any other tribes ever stumble upon the remains."


    ¡°Is that what you are planning?¡± the Second asked, frowning deeply. ¡°Lowering his supporters by culling the tribes associated with his sister? You would even slaughter our own people. Haven¡¯t there been enough deaths already?¡±


    "They are not our own people!" the Third snapped back. "They are nothing more than parasites leeching off our God''s mercy. They are not true believers and, so, shall not be spared. The only mercy I am willing to show them is to die fighting the Avaads in service of our God."


    The Second looked at the Third, yet all he could see was a fanaticism he had never seen in the man. While they were both fervent believers of their God, he had never believed the man would ever treat the various tribes with such callousness.


    Everything was supposed to be for the people of the desert to escape their cage at the realm''s edge and thrive in the wider world. He couldn''t help but think something had changed.


    He turned to face the First, yet the man who was the eldest showed no signs of change. His passivity was his implicit acknowledgement. All the Second could do was relent as the contract between them three was still paramount.


    ¡°What about the rest?¡± the Third asked as he turned back to the man dressed in black. ¡°Any news of the Exiled tribe?¡±


    "We are tracking them down and should reach them in the coming days," the man said solemnly. "However, there is something else more to report. Two of the Fangs of the Great One have been destroyed.¡±


    "What?" the Third exclaimed, frowning for the first time. "Who in this land could possibly destroy them? Is it him? Has he made his move?"


    "Negative," the man replied. "He has yet to move against us. He is still within the Main Tribe, gathering his forces. We''ve investigated the man responsible for this, yet nothing is known. Our best guess is that he belongs to the Exiles. The two who perished were following them."


    ¡°Find him, and kill him!¡± the Third ordered. ¡°Nobody breaks my toys and walks away with it. Get on with it!¡±


    "As you wish, my lord!" the man bowed before disappearing into the void, leaving the three decrepit old men to bask in an uneasy silence.

 Chapter 136 - Imprints on the Sand

    ¡°So, what do you plan to do about all this?¡± the young man said, pointing at the grey flesh slowly wriggling on the ground, tendrils rising up to slowly pull the chunks together. ¡°Should we try and burn it?¡±


    Qin Yun paused, looking at the torch in his hand, then back at the morsel of meat slowly regeneration, pondering something, yet soon came to a decision.


    "That would be a waste, wouldn''t it?" Qin Yun replied. "It''s not every day one finds something this interesting. How many creatures can claim to be immortal? This one nearly is, if only they weren''t dead already."


    ¡°They¡¯re dead? Are you sure?¡± the young outsider asked, using the tip of his bone sword to poke one of the larger chunks.


    The mass of flesh didn''t react to the stimuli, yet he could feel a slight pulse transmitted through the weapon, almost as if a heartbeat lay buried deep within. He couldn''t help but frown, questioning whether life still existed within this mass. But then, even more grey tendrils sprouted from it, distorting its former form as they wrapped themselves around the edge, almost pulling the deadly instrument out of the young man''s hand. Fortunately, Qin Yun reacted quickly.


    Using the torch itself, Qin Yun created an arc from which a sharpness emerged. It ripped through the air, barrelling toward the tendrils trying to wrest the sword from the young man¡¯s hands, if only to sever them in two. While the cut tendrils retreated within the flesh, the parts that clung to the bone weapon soon disinterested into the air as miniature particles.


    Qin Yun could even feel them attacking his lungs, trying to infiltrate his body as he took a breath. However, as soon as they came into contact with his blood, where the power of his tribulation qi flowed, they vanished out of existence. On the other hand, the young man seemed perfectly fine, almost immune to this level of corruption.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± the young man asked, feeling the sharpness of that blow lingering at the tip of his weapon. Somehow, it reminded him of the feeling he had while travelling through the newly created tunnel that led him here. However, just as soon as he turned to face Qin Yun, he couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    Blood pooled at the corner of Qin Yun¡¯s eyes before falling like tears, staining the white rock in a shade of red. Although he once believed that the blood staining Qin Yun¡¯s skin was due to his battle against his two opponent, now, the young man wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°Don''t let it bother you. This happens often these days¡ªmore than I''d like to," Qin Yun said as he wiped the blood using his sleeve. While the young man seemed unconvinced, he let it go and focused on something more important.


    ¡°We can''t just leave it like this. There''s no telling what it might do once it fully reconstructs itself," he sighed but turned to face Qin Yun. "Do you think they might recover from this?"


    He spoke those words without even believing in this notion. He only wanted someone to agree with him. However, Qin Yun¡¯s answer wasn¡¯t something he expected.


    "I''m sure it will, in time," Qin Yun replied calmly. "The vessel is quite easy to reconstruct. Even on the mainland, many techniques and medicinal herbs offer the same results. It''s only about the transference of energy, after all. No. The real problem is the essence. Once damaged, it is incredibly difficult to repair. Even if the corruption can remould their physique, their essence¡ªtheir souls or whatever you''d like to call it¡ªwill never return. They''ll only be puppets by then."


    ¡°If so, why not just get rid of them?¡±


    "Because this can give us insight into the grey corruption. It would be a shame to let it go to waste."


    With but a nod, the invisible black box positioned itself right over the countless grey morsels of flesh scattered on the ground. Surprisingly, Qin Yun saw the countless tendrils extending toward each other suddenly twitch in unison. Instantly, they all snapped in the same direction, aiming straight at the hovering box. Qin Yun couldn''t help but frown, yet a few moments later, a smile appeared on his lips.


    While the regeneration was extremely slow, the tendrils extending about an inch a minute, they all rushed toward the box at uncanny speed. Yet Qin Yun remarked that the flesh from which they sprouted was decaying at an alarming rate, almost as if they were sapping all the remaining vitality in an effort to promote their growth.


    However, despite this sudden, desperate attack, the black box would have the last laugh.


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    The countless tendrils rammed against the box''s surface, yet it didn''t move a single inch, almost as if it was fixed in place. They didn''t even leave a single dent on its surface or make any sound at the moment of the collision. If anything, it made the situation even more surreal, especially for the young man who only saw the tendrils abruptly rise in the air, aiming at something that wasn''t even there. However, only Qin Yun knew what had happened in great detail.


    The tendrils didn''t even reach the box. A layer of compressed space had stopped them. In fact, "stopped" might have been the wrong word to use. In a sense, they were still travelling at full speed; none of their velocity had been lost. It was only that the distance between the box and the tip of those tendrils was much greater than it seemed, almost infinitely so. At this speed, it would take millennia for the corruption to reach it, but the box would only need an instant¡ªand that instant came abruptly.


    The black box shifted, creating a large opening encompassing most of the room. It was like a giant maw wishing to take but a single bite out of the surrounding space. Despite being just an inanimate object possessing no inherent intent, the young man still felt a chill down his back, almost as if death loomed over him.


    Then, a moment later, both the grey flesh and the tendrils vanished, leaving only the black box slowly rotating overhead before it returned next to Qin Yun.


    ¡°I have to ask," the young outsider said, almost stammering every word. "Are all Avaads as strange as you?"


    Qin Yun''s smile grew wide, and he almost uttered a laugh, but he could only reply, "You know what? I once thought it would be more interesting if there was, but now? I feel the world is already strange enough as it is."


    The young man frowned and briefly looked toward Qin Yun but soon sighed as he replayed the events in his mind. He couldn''t help but feel dread as he remembered the grey tendrils just vanishing out of existence. It wasn''t the sort of rational fear one could explain with logic, but something more gut-wrenching, more visceral¡ªsomething coming straight out of one''s soul, overwhelming and omnipresent.


    He couldn''t help but look at Qin Yun in a new light; it wasn''t such a great feeling. Even if Qin Yun possessed the Lady''s seal, the man thought he was just another Avaad, yet it seemed she had chosen him for a reason¡ªand that reason was beginning to frighten him.


    ¡°So, where have they gone?¡± Qin Yun asked.


    ¡°What?¡± the man replied, snapping out of his trance.


    ¡°The Exiles?¡± Qin Yun added. ¡°You mentioned you knew where they went?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes! The tracks lead to the south-west. I found what seemed to be a shipyard next to the riverbed. There were remnants, bone shards, and leather scraps around the shore. It seems as if they made boats to cross the river."


    "Wait," Qin Yun interjected. "Didn''t you say those were dummy tracks, and it was impossible to reach the other shore? Don''t tell me this is some sort of double-fake."


    "Not at all," the man replied with a slight smile plastered on his lips. "About a day''s journey to the north is a small oasis where I believe they might have taken refuge. It''s a little too small for their needs, but I guess they''ll only linger there for a few days before venturing deeper into the West. Judging by the depths of the tracks, we should only be a day behind. If we leave now, we should be able to catch up to them before they relocate."


    While what the man said made sense, Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but have some doubts. Firstly, the only way to erase the tracks of an entire tribe''s migration was time. Only the desert could do so, yet the man''s hypothesis was based only on conjecture and not on empirical evidence. He had found no traces leading to the north, meaning they would have left much earlier than they once believed.


    Secondly, there was the issue of the two men Qin Yun found loitering in this chamber. He didn''t believe that a strike team of such strength wouldn''t possess a tracker that would be outdone by a warrior who had barely reached adulthood. They wouldn''t have made such a simple mistake as to be fooled by dummy tracks leading to the river''s other shore. Unless they weren''t the only ones here, and the others were scouring the desert, but then, one question came to mind. Why hadn''t that young man come across them?


    And finally, there''s the most obvious clue: this chamber itself. Why would they still be here if they believed the Exiles were already gone? Better yet, why would they need to lay in ambush in a secret chamber? There are only two explanations. Either they thought they would come back eventually, or they never left!


    Qin Yun smiled, an idea forming in his mind. In a single leap, he raced toward the tunnel he had created, rushing outside, only to look up toward the summit of this rock formation. It had been more than a few hours since the sun had faded to the north, and now it was finally returning from the south, its light finally giving colours back to this sea of black. He felt the dampness of the morning air against his skin, coming from the nearby river, and the humidity rising from the ground under his feet. Somehow, the desert sand seemed even more damp than usual.


    But then, something struck him. He felt a blinding light strike against his retina despite the sun rising behind him. At first, he thought it was merely the reflection of the sun''s light against the white stone mountain, yet after quickly calculating the angle of this reflection, he noticed that the only way this could have happened would be for the light to strike from the top of the mountain. Only after he raised his head fully did he find what he was looking for.


    "Bingo," he muttered, yet the young man beside him was utterly confused.


    ¡°We should leave now if we wish to catch up to them,¡± he said. ¡°Once they reach the deep desert, there¡¯s no way we¡¯ll be able to find them.¡±


    "Oh, that''s what they want us to think," Qin Yun smiled. "They made this big, elaborated setup, hoping to confuse their pursuers, and it might have worked at first, yet some of them weren''t fooled. At least two remained behind to scour every inch of this place. I wouldn''t be surprised if there were more waiting inside."


    "All the more reason we should leave," the man said. "Didn''t you already have enough trouble dealing with only two?"


    "They''re inconsequential," Qin Yun shrugged. "This place is built like a maze, made to confuse people. There''s no way these people can live there with any kind of comfort, which means they didn''t."


    ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m sure this is one of their bases.¡±


    "It''s more of a defence system," Qin Yun struck back. "Who in their right mind would live in a place with so many entrances? It would be a nightmare to defend unless none of those entrances led to their true shelter."


    ¡°Then how, pray tell, do you believe they enter and exit this place?¡± the man said, confused.


    However, Qin Yun had already found the answer. Without waiting a moment, he simply raised his still-burning torch to the sky, pointing to the top of the sheer vertical cliff before them, prompting the young man to raise his gaze.


    ¡°Up there, of course,¡± Qin Yun replied.

 Chapter 137 - Reaching the Summit

    With a powerful kick, Qin Yun''s foot dug deep into the rock, snugly entrenching itself between two stable masses as his only hand wrapped around a protuberance slightly over his head. He hung there, hundreds of meters above the desert, dangling from the sheer cliff that rose toward the sky.


    He felt the dry wind blow across his now bronze skin as the sun slowly rose from the south, only to be reflected by the white-washed wall straight into his eyes. He could barely look at it, making the climb much more arduous than it should have been.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± the young man said from the ground, his voice barely reaching over the blowing winds. ¡°If we don¡¯t leave right now, we might not be able to catch them!¡±


    And yet, Qin Yun ignored him. He focused all his strength on reaching the top. He had tried to explain his thought process, yet all it amounted to was something akin to a hunch, something the young man couldn''t put his faith into. Qin Yun didn''t blame him as they barely knew each other. Still, he trusted his instincts.


    Bending his legs like springs, Qin Yun pushed against the rock, leaping several meters into the air as he barely reached a small ledge. His fingers dug into the stone, grinding it into dust, yet this hold remained secure in his grasp. Despite possessing only one arm, he easily lifted himself onto said ledge.


    This one-armed business is starting to become a pain. I should deal with it sooner rather than later...


    Now pressed against the cold stone, Qin Yun looked up, estimating the distance. He then looked downward, only to realize he had reached the halfway point. Without even knowing, he was now over two hundred meters into the air. While those were rookie numbers for any decent cultivator, a fall from this height could be dangerous, if not outright fatal. However, no Qi Refining cultivator could brag about possessing a body as strong as his. Not even the outsiders could boast as such.


    Still, the climb had been more gruelling than he expected. Every move and every leap he made against the white rock wall used more strength than it should have. Although his muscles were still in their prime, his breath had become slightly ragged¡ªsomething he had yet to experience in this lifetime. While he had been injured before, this was the first time he experienced fatigue.


    There¡¯s something peculiar about this mountain. It¡¯s like the rock itself is absorbing my physical strength...


    Qin Yun stopped his ascent once he reached a slightly larger ledge if only to take a small break. Yet, he used this moment to look in on himself, examining the state of his empty meridians.


    It was such a peculiar sight, seeing his qi channels so barren. The world around him was so devoid of qi that it even seeped out of his flesh as if by osmosis. But, even with the river running right through both regions, transporting the qi born in the centre of the continent, it wasn¡¯t enough to stop this exodus.


    Although he could feel remnants of qi perish all around him as it sublimated into the air, he could absorb none of it. To be exact, he could, yet it would remain for but an instant before disintegrating into something he didn¡¯t recognize¡ªsome sort of energy which qi was supposedly made of.


    He found this interaction interesting. He prided himself as a man of learning¡ªpossessing many lifetimes of knowledge¡ªyet facing the unknown still brought him so much joy. He wondered whether or not he could harness such energy, yet nothing he did seemed to have any effect on it. Not even the lotus at the core of his dantian could move it in any way.


    Speaking of his lotus, it was wilted beyond belief¡ªlike a plant in desperate need of moisture. This explained why the ancients created the frontier and the Heavenly Dao the Great Barrier. The Outerlands were hostile to their kind. A prolonged stay in this environment would wreak havoc on most''s cultivation, maybe even shattering decades of gruelling efforts.


    However, Qin Yun''s path was far from ordinary. The golden characters pulsed on the brown lotus, almost as if they were nourishing it. It seemed to be the only thing keeping it afloat in this dry ocean. Without their support, his lotus would have collapsed so long ago.


    It¡¯s surprising how much they adapted to this environment, Qin Yun thought as he looked downward toward the young man. Everything about them screams survival of the fittest. I wonder what they would become if they ever set foot on the Mainland.


    While the thought was entertaining, Qin Yun knew he couldn''t let it happen¡ªnot until the corruption was over and dealt with. The great barrier couldn''t be allowed to fall, but he couldn''t do this alone¡ªnot with his current strength. As such, he needed to reach the top of this pile of rocks.


    From this ledge, Qin Yun leapt again, aiming for a slight protrusion. However, he hadn¡¯t expected his footing to be so brittle. Just as he was about to take off, the rock gave under his feet. His jump was far shallower than expected, and he missed his landing by over a meter.


    He tried to hang on to something else, yet the walls were slick, polished by the ever-raging winds. No matter what little he grasped, it would either break, or his fingers would merely slide along the smooth surface.


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    His body picked up speed, heading for the ground at increased velocity. There wasn''t any protrusion on his path to break his fall. He would hit the ground in only a few seconds if nothing was to be done.


    Despite all this, Qin Yun remained level-headed. He didn''t panic, knowing the fall wouldn''t be fatal. He might be hurt, yet he would survive. Still, he had other plans.


    He jammed his hand forward, straight into the rock. If there was no hold to break his fall, he only had to make one. The stone was as hard as granite and just as sharp, yet Qin Yun''s hand ripped through it just like butter, sending shards of rock and dust flying.


    It felt as if the mountain itself would split into two halves, even creating a slight tremor, yet after but a second more, Qin Yun''s fall had been stopped. While he had dropped more than a hundred meters, it was better than hitting the ground at that speed. Still, what concerned him was the dull ache in his shoulder¡ªsomething a fall of this scale shouldn''t have produced.


    Am I getting old, or is this rock formation much more than it seems?


    "Hey! Are you still alive up there?!" the young man shouted as he watched chunks of the rock wall fall back down to the desert sand, creating small explosions of sand as they hit the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Qin Yun shouted back. ¡°I was careless. This won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Indeed, it didn¡¯t. Having climbed this way once before, Qin Yun sped right through it, returning to the height at which he fell. And yet, his fatigue kept mounting, making each action take slightly more time and effort. This felt very curious to him.


    I should probably take a few samples to examine later.


    However, just as he was about to dislodge some of the white stone to take with him, he heard a rumbling come from overhead. The strangest thing was that he felt no tremor assaulting the rock platform where he stood, yet he still felt peddle and sand fall on top of his head.


    ¡°Watch out! Above you!" the young man shouted as he stepped away from the rock wall.


    A loud cracking sound reverberated through the rock, almost as if the earth had split open. Qin Yun hugged the rock wall and used his arm to shield his eyes if only to sweep away the falling sand as he looked up. However, what he saw stunned him.


    It was as if a mountain itself was falling straight onto him.


    It almost blinded him as the falling white wall reflected the sun''s rays straight into his eyes. Despite it all, he knew clearly that this mass was aimed at him.


    Without much thought, Qin Yun dug through his clothes, pulling out a short dagger, which he infused with a slight amount of sword intent, then threw straight into the heart of this falling boulder.


    The dagger sped through the air, carving away at the wind like an arrow mid-flight. Even down below, the young man could hear the blade sing even as it dug straight into the boulder¡¯s hard surface. It left but a slit in the rock as it travelled further, yet the damage was done.


    When the sword intent finally dissipated, having travelled almost halfway through it, the blade shattered due to the sudden increase in pressure. However, the impact was much more substantial than expected, and this was what Qin Yun relied on.


    When the blade suddenly stopped and shattered, all its kinetic energy was transferred to the boulder from the inside out. It shattered into countless smaller pieces, some no bigger than a grain of sand, before raining down to the desert below.


    The rock explosion rang, creating a shock wave that traveled along the rock surface, even through Qin Yun''s body. However, more troubles were coming. Many smaller fragments were still heading straight toward him, but this time at even greater velocity. However, he was prepared.


    He raised his hand to the sky and activated the black box swirling over it. It expanded, opening like a giant maw, swallowing every piece headed his way.


    The rock rain lasted only a few seconds, yet it drastically changed its surroundings. Some fragments embedded themselves into the rock wall, while others dislodged even more from it. The smooth surface was now ragged, laced with many more footholds, while the rest fell to the desert, creating showers of sand.


    I didn¡¯t think these rocks were that unstable. What were the chances? Qin Yun thought, eyes slightly narrowed as he retracted the swirling black box full of white stone. He looked up to the summit and then down toward the young man.


    Fortunately, he had taken refuge far from the rock wall, and no debris fell anywhere near him. Qin Yun could hear him shout something, yet he couldn''t make the words out as his ears were still ringing. Regardless, he chose to continue upwards.


    The rest of the journey was uneventful. In fact, it was even easier now that more holds had been dug into the wall by the explosion. He arrived at the top in almost half the time it took him to reach the halfway point.


    The summit felt quite strange. He expected a more rugged terrain, made of peaks and valleys, yet the summit was mostly flat¡ªunnaturally so. Thinking back on it, this mountain did strangely resemble a large prism. Although its edges weren''t exactly at a right angle, it strangely resembled a half-buried tower.


    Why did I not realize sooner? Did something mess with my perceptions?


    Qin Yun advanced slowly as he explored his surroundings, yet something immediately caught his attention. Not far away from the edge was a rock protrusion sprouting from the ground, but what truly bewildered him were the steel anchors digging into its side.


    Since when did the desert people use metal?


    Ever since he had left the frontier, everything he had seen from those people was objects made of bone and leather. Occasionally, they were made of wood, yet metal was a first.


    Three metal hooks were embedded deeply into the rock, and a large chain was still attached to one of them. Surprisingly, the metal surface did not show signs of rust, almost as if someone had taken great care of it.


    ¡°Hey! What¡¯s it like up there? Talk to me!¡±


    Qin Yun frowned at the sight but then doubled back toward the edge. There was no doubt that people once used this place for something, yet the question was, what for? Still, he couldn''t let the young man below hanging for too long.


    However, just as he reached back to the edge, he noticed something else that was strange. He stood right where the massive boulder that fell used to be, a mass of rock hanging right over the edge. He wondered how such a large mass could have suddenly split from its foundation before tumbling down the side of the mountain, but there was his answer.


    Tool marks, Qin Yun thought as he knelt down, brushing his fingers against the broken stone. Somebody meant for it to fall...

 Chapter 138 - A Portal Between Worlds

    The edge of the rock where it had broken off felt unnatural. The fault line was too straight, and Qin Yun could see something resembling chisel marks on the stone. There was no doubt someone had intended for this rock to fall.


    As he pondered the implications, Qin Yun explored the summit of this mountain. Although its area was quite substantial, it was as barren as the desert below. He found nothing except the slight protrusion where the metal chain was attached.


    Was I overthinking? I at least expected something like an entrance. What did they do? They can''t have just simply disappeared, right?


    A short moment later, Qin Yun felt something at his back. He abruptly turned while slightly on edge, yet the tension faded instantly. Before him was the young man he had followed all the way here.


    ¡°So you finally decided to join me," Qin Yun said smugly. "Weren''t you in a hurry to run after them?"


    ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± the man shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re the one wanting to seek them out. Finding them on my own rather defeats the purpose.¡±


    Qin Yun smiled, yet couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by how quickly the man had climbed that vertical cliff. It took him a minute or two at most while even Qin Yun struggled. The outsiders were genuinely suited to this environment. However, something caught his attention. In the man''s hand was a lump of metal.


    ¡°Can I see that?¡± Qin Yun asked, extending a hand.


    Without a word, the man threw it his way. While the form was slightly damaged, Qin Yun recognized the object as a metal hook. It was twisted and beyond usable, with the remnants of a broken chain attached to it, but he recognized the metal it was made from.


    ¡°This type of metal can only be salvaged from the deep ocean. Where did you find this?¡± Qin Yun asked.


    ¡°The ocean? What''s that supposed to be? I found it attached to a broken shard of the fallen stone."


    Qin Yun frowned but only just realized that he had spoken that word in the common tongue, for there was no equivalent in desert people''s language.


    It''s not surprising there''s no such thing here. Still, this obviously came from somewhere. Was there an ocean here long ago? Did it dry out when the qi receded?


    This hypothesis seemed valid. The fact that a river still existed between the western and southern regions proved that water travelled all this way. It wasn''t unreasonable to think an ocean may have existed here at some point.


    How long ago was that?


    Qin Yun shook his head. There was no point thinking about that. Yet the mere existence of such an amount of Deep Sea Sunken Iron could be found so far inland was nothing short of miraculous. If this was in Jin City, it could be sold for quite an extreme amount. Even a year of the Qin Clan''s budget might not be enough to afford it.


    "Why a hook and chain?" Qin Yun muttered as he checked the chain lying on the summit, but sure enough, it was made of the same material.


    ¡°What¡¯s so unbelievable? Isn¡¯t it just a chunk of metal?¡±


    "You really don''t know?" Qin Yun asked, not masking the surprise on his face. "Although not easy to forge, this metal is hard and durable. Take that chain. It''s been subjected to the harsh desert winds for who knows how long, yet there''s not even a single mark on its surface. Why not make weapons out of it instead?"


    ¡°We already have weapons,¡± the man replied, unsheathing his bone sword.


    The white bone glistened under the sun¡¯s light, its edge sharp enough to cut the wind itself. Despite this being made of but a common sandworm¡¯s teeth, Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but acknowledge this was an exceptional weapon. Still, it couldn¡¯t compare to one made of Deep Sea Sunken Iron.


    "Let me ask you, do we even possess what is needed to forge this metal?" the man asked, obviously aware of how peculiar it was.


    ¡°Water¡ª¡± Qin Yun began but then stopped.


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    Deep Sea Sunken Iron was different compared to other metals. While most needed heat to mould them, this type of metal was forged using water currents. Over eons, it was infused with countless amounts of water qi sealed tight into its core by the insane pressure of the ocean''s depths. The only way to truly forge this metal was to recreate the conditions of its creation¡ªsomething utterly impossible in this dry desert. Even for the present Qin Yun, this would be an impossible task.


    "Of course, they couldn''t forge weapons out of it. This was probably a chain long before anyone came upon it¡ªlong before this place turned into a desert. They just used what they found. Still¡ª" Qin Yun stopped again, looking at the break between the two pieces of broken chains.


    How did it break? This chain obviously held that massive boulder right over the cliff, keeping it from falling. A trap, perhaps?


    More mysteries were piling on top of each other. This had been a simple quest to find the Exiled Tribe, yet now he had found something that elicited many more questions than it gave answers.


    Deep in thought, Qin Yun leaned back onto the rock protuberance located straight in the middle of the summit, like a demon''s horn rising from someone''s head, yet just as he collided with the hard surface, he fell backwards straight through it, almost as if it didn''t exist in the first place.


    ¡°What?!¡± the young man exclaimed, hanging tight to his sword as he watched Qin Yun phase through the rock, disappearing from sight.


    He carefully approached the rock, using the tip of his bone sword to probe it. It felt solid to the touch, not any different than any regular boulder, until he reached the area where Qin Yun had leaned on it.


    The sword slipped right through as if the wall didn''t even exist. He plunged the blade in up to his guard, yet felt no resistance, not even as if it was in water, but only a pure void. He could only retract his blade out of pure fright, yet it remained as pristine as it once was. There wasn''t a single nick or blemish on the blade.


    "An illusion?" the man muttered but added much more loudly, "Hey! Are you alright?!"


    But his voice didn''t seem to reach the other side. He heard no response from Qin Yun and hesitated about what to do. He slowly approached the rock wall, lending an ear to it, hoping to hear something from beyond, yet all he heard was a deafening silence and a slight breeze blowing overhead.


    That was until a hand emerged.


    It wrapped around the back of his neck, and then, with monstrous strength, the young man was dragged toward the wall. He tried to resist, but the sudden appearance of that hand left him off-balance. Unable to stand firm, he could only cross his arms, trying to protect his head as he plunged straight toward the wall.


    However, the impact never came. In fact, he found himself falling forward. The world had become dark, which wasn''t because his eyes were closed. They were very much open, yet the sun''s shine seemed to have disappeared. He extended his arms just an instant before hitting the floor.


    Surprisingly, while lying on the ground, what first came to mind was how damp it was. It wasn''t the familiar dry sand or the hardness of the rock, but something much softer¡ªsomething he had rarely seen in the desert¡ªdirt. There was a patch of damp dirt under him. He could taste it as he had fallen straight into it.


    ¡°Nice of you to join me,¡± Qin Yun said as he stood over the man with a slight smile on his lips. Yet, there was something strange about him.


    While it was apparent that Qin Yun was the reason for his fall, the young man hadn''t seen it that way initially for one simple reason. The hand that emerged from the stone wasn''t bronze-coloured like Qin Yun''s hand should have been. Instead, it was much paler, like those of the Avaads.


    Only when he turned to face Qin Yun, he found the reason for this discrepancy. Qin Yun had returned to his original appearance, yet there was something odd about him. While he wasn''t versed in the Avaads'' standard of beauty, he didn''t remember Qin Yun being that handsome.


    "Where are we? What happened to you?" the man said as he rose to his feet and looked around, only to find they were in an empty cave. There was barely any light reaching them, coming from one opening not far away that led outside.


    "You mean this?" Qin Yun said as he exposed his pale skin for the man to see. "My guess is this has something to do with the rules governing this place. It doesn''t allow for any deception. I don''t know if this is limited to physical appearance or also words."


    "Deception?" the man asked, frowning deeply. "You mean this is how you''re supposed to look?"


    However, Qin Yun merely returned a smile before walking toward the cave''s back wall, where he plunged a hand straight through it. The man was stunned by the sight. Instead of creating a hole, Qin Yun''s hand disappeared beyond the threshold, creating waves upon its surface, almost like he had plunged it into water.


    ¡°How do you do that?¡± the man asked.


    "I''m not doing anything," Qin Yun shrugged, retracting his hand. "This is something of a portal separating two different dimensions. I didn''t realize it initially, but some subtle spacial ripples are propagating from it. However, they are so slight that I wouldn''t have found them without knowing where to look."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" the man asked. "Does this lead back to where we were?"


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Qin Yun said with a smile. ¡°A hidden portal between worlds.¡±


    ¡°Worlds? Are you sure you aren¡¯t exaggerating? This is probably just an illusion.¡±


    Qin Yun stopped and looked at the man, which made him slightly nervous. However, he soon began to walk out of the cave toward the light as he said, "Why not see for yourself?"


    The young man followed soon after him and couldn''t help but be stunned by the sight. He expected to see the familiar desert, yet what he saw couldn''t have been further from his mind.


    They both stood at the edge of the cave, faced with a most miraculous sight. Before them was a lush and moist jungle¡ªso much so that the man could feel the dampness of the air on his skin. Even during the few times a year that water would fall from the sky to nourish the desert, it wasn''t as humid as it was now.


    ¡°What is this?¡± the man asked, completely stunned.


    While trees existed near the sparse oases, none were as majestic as those before him. They were thick and tall like towers rising to the sky. Unlike the familiar tree he knew, which possessed only a few leaves at their top, those were filled with foliage. They almost bloated out the sky.


    Countless branches spread in all directions, creating a net over the jungle where many species of birds lay perched, looking down on them. They weren''t the familiar scavengers, filled with the putrid scent of death and decay, but colourful ones whose singing rang throughout the jungle.


    He almost wanted to bask in the serenity of this place yet drew his blade in one swift motion, for he felt gazes lay upon him¡ªmany, in fact. However, Qin Yun showed no signs of urgency. He merely stayed by his side, looking deep beyond the many bushes in the distance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act rashly,¡± he said softly while pressing on the young man¡¯s arm, making him lower his weapon. ¡°We are already surrounded.¡±

 Chapter 139 - A Mirror of the Past

    Despite Qin Yun''s insistence, he held his weapon tight, frowning as he tried to peer through the scattered thick bushes. They obfuscated most of his line of sight, yet he could feel movement beyond, hiding behind. Whatever they were, they moved silently. The wind could not catch their scent, but they were undoubtedly there.


    ¡°Show yourselves!¡± the man cried, pushing away Qin Yun¡¯s restricting hand.


    Qin Yun frowned as the man chose simplicity. Whether that was good or bad for him remained to be seen. Yet, their path was already determined. He only had to walk it.


    "We come in peace! There''s no need for bloodshed," Qin Yun said in the common tongue. Now that his disguise was breached, he saw no point in keeping up the facade. Besides, they did not know if the inhabitants of this world would even understand either language.


    At least the flora here doesn''t seem to have been corrupted. Same with the animals.


    This felt unsettling. These two worlds were obviously connected, and the breach between them might as well always be open. There was no reason to think the corruption couldn¡¯t have made its way inside a long time ago.


    In Qin Yun''s mind, there were only two explanations for this. Either the corruption saw nothing of value, or it simply couldn''t. The first was almost impossible. Just looking around, Qin Yun saw many things ripe for the picking.


    Plants were thriving, rising high into the sky, while animals were aplenty. There were even countless insects all around him. No way the corruption would leave a world so rife with life unattended. It was begging to become a breeding ground, a beachhead for its assault on the Great Barrier.


    And yet, there wasn''t a trace of it to be found. All around him, Qin Yun saw untouched nature, free from outside interference. Yet, this also applied to the Heavenly Dao. There wasn''t a trace of the qi that permeated the world outside.


    How could the Heavenly Dao have never left its imprint here? He thought, musing as to the implication.


    While this place was now within the realm of the corruption, once upon a time, the Heavenly Dao no doubt ruled here. Why wouldn''t vestiges of its existence remain unless destroyed by the inexhaustible passage of time?


    How long ago was this all?


    As Qin Yun pondered, so did the young man. Yet, his concerns stemmed more from the fact that this realm existed at the summit of the Exiles¡¯ hiding place. He had been here a few times in the past, yet never could fathom such a place was hidden from him. Were they also unaware? Yet, he very much doubted so.


    Both men waited, yet no response ever came from the other side. Qin Yun felt countless pairs of eyes resting on them, mostly from many colourful birds perched high up on the branches. They looked at him as if scrutinizing his actions. There was no doubt intelligence was hidden behind those eyes.


    Spirit beasts? Here? That should be impossible! How can their spirituality coalesce without spiritual qi to support them?


    This was an enigma. Qin Yun had seen many spirit beasts in his time, even some taking human form¡ªFeng Xia being one of them. However, none had ever achieved this state without the Heavenly Dao''s assistance, much less its permission. To do so would take Heaven-defying talent¡ªsomething these creatures obviously didn''t possess, yet here they were, right in front of his eyes. He couldn''t deny their existence however much he wanted to.


    ¡°If I may ask,¡± Qin Yun began. ¡°Who is sustaining this plane?¡±


    His words rang within the jungle. Although subtle, Qin Yun felt this prompted a reaction from their observers, almost as if they held back a gasp of astonishment. He felt the whole jungle holding its breath. Only the young man turned to face him, confusion in his eyes.


    ¡°Think about it," Qin Yun added, loud enough for all to hear him. He spoke as if to address the young man, yet his words were for all, mainly those looking on from afar. "This place is obviously unnatural. There are just too many things that don''t make sense. How can a portal be this stable without something to keep it open."


    "I''ve heard that on the Mainland, such places aren''t rare," the young man replied. "Some might even say they are quite common."


    "Where did you hear this?" Qin Yun asked as he turned to face him. "I thought your people never breached the other side."


    "We might not be able to walk the Mainland, but they were people who could. They were fools, thinking themselves invincible. They sought to parade their strength yet felt the might of my people. We learned a great deal at their expense."


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    ¡°How unsurprising,¡± Qin Yun lamented. ¡°Many people overestimate themselves. I gather they are already long dead?¡±


    "My people see no value in hostages. The time for bargaining has already long passed. We either take what we need or die trying. There is no third option for us."


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that quite bleak?¡± Qin Yun asked, yet the man only returned him a dark expression. It seemed to say: ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen the world we live in?¡± There was no denying their way of life wasn¡¯t for the faint-hearted.


    ¡°Enough of this," the man said, holding his sword tight. "What did you truly mean by the one sustaining this place?"


    ¡°Back on the Mainland, such places are called sub-dimensions," Qin Yun explained. "They are linked to the main one by portals. However, these portals usually shift in and out of existence depending on many factors, but mostly the phases of the moons and the shifting of the Earth''s Veins. Some appear at regular intervals¡ªlike every century or so¡ªwhile others randomly. Those are impossible to predict and can only be found through luck and destiny."


    ¡°Which one is this, then?¡±


    ¡°Neither," Qin Yun replied decidedly.


    The young man turned back to face him, his confusion apparent. Yet, just as he was about to inquire, Qin Yun explained further.


    "There''s also a third type, but this one is sustained artificially. By pouring a large amount of resources¡ªobjects possessing countless amounts of qi such as artifacts or even spiritual stones¡ªone can stabilize these portals so that they do not fade, even when the Earth Veins run out."


    ¡°I¡¯m not that well-versed when it comes to the qi that you people use, but doesn¡¯t that require an insane amount?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Qin Yun replied. ¡°More than an individual can ever imagine. Even within what people call the Western Outerlands, such portals can be counted on one hand. Not even my family can claim to have one perpetually open. At most, it can be entered once a year.¡±


    ¡°Your family?¡± the man exclaimed. ¡°Are you some kind of bigshot over there?¡±


    ¡°That''s not important," Qin Yun cut him off. "You need to know that something¡ªor someone¡ªis artificially keeping this portal open. It may even be responsible for maintaining this whole dimension."


    "Wait, wait," the man glanced toward Qin Yun while still facing the bushes. "Isn''t that farfetched? What could possibly possess that kind of power?"


    ¡°Who knows?¡± Qin Yun shrugged. ¡°Usually, the Heavenly Dao would be the one maintaining these dimensions, yet its influence cannot be felt here. There¡¯s no traces of qi, after all.¡±


    Only then did the weight of it all crash upon the young man. It was as if realization suddenly slapped him in the face. He couldn''t help but look in the distance, past the numerous bushes and majestic trees rising up to the sky, hoping to glance at this mysterious entity, yet all he saw was peacefulness¡ªan eerie peacefulness.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t they doing anything?¡± the man asked, slightly uneasy.


    He could feel their stares on his skin¡ªthe stares of whatever that was. It remained noticeable from the first time they arrived here until now, never fading yet growing any stronger. It felt much too stable to have come from any type of lifeform.


    ¡°Who knows?¡± Qin Yun replied with a smile. ¡°Why not find out?¡±


    Without waiting for an answer, Qin Yun nonchalantly walked toward the bushes, not even bothering to keep his guard up. He knew that if whatever creature in charge of this dimension was hostile to them, there was nothing he could do, as it should be at the immortal level or close to it.


    After weighing the pros and cons and fighting the urge to run out of this place, the young man chose to follow him despite his better judgment. They both dove into the thickets without ever looking back.


    The jungle was lush and dense, but surprisingly, Qin Yun felt strangely light, almost as if the force of gravity was slightly lesser than in the main world. Qin Yun took a deep breath and tasted the air, letting it fill his lungs to the brim before exhausting them until they were empty.


    Somehow, the air itself tasted sweet. Almost as if it was saturated with volatilized sap. But, there was something else laced within¡ªsomething he couldn''t quite put his finger on, yet he believed this had something to do with the size of the flora around them. Even for this world, the trees were much too grand. Some reached over a hundred meters, while their trunks were over five meters in diameter. He recognized the species, yet they shouldn''t even be a quarter of those numbers. Even the bushes rose to over two meters high.


    Think. I know there¡¯s something wrong, yet why can¡¯t I find the answer? Am I getting old?


    Qin Yun bent to the ground, examining the soil beneath his feet. He found it teeming with life, much more than it should. However, what truly surprised him was the size of some of those bugs feeding on scattered leaves and other forest waste. They were at least five times what they should be.


    What could prompt them to grow so big? Wait... Oxygen! The proportion of oxygen is way higher than it should be!


    Qin Yun should have realized such a simple change already, yet he was too preoccupied with the one maintaining this space. Upon closer look, it was easy to see that his body burned at least twice as much energy as it should.


    Qin Yun had tuned his body to extract as much oxygen from the atmosphere as he could, being extremely efficient with every breath. Years of doing so had made this process second nature, allowing for much more explosive strength while also allowing him to better manage his qi expenditure, as he didn''t need to use quite as much to produce the same effect.


    But now? With over twice the concentration, his body felt much stronger than it should, but this came with many downsides. He was already getting famished. Without the use of his qi, Qin Yun needed to rely on food for his needs, yet it had been a while since his last fulfilling meal. Even the man at his side felt the strain of their environment. He could hear his stomach growling.


    However, this also means that the native fauna should be much bigger. The question is... how much?


    The answer to this question was soon to come.


    Qin Yun saw two red eyes radiating from beyond the bushes. He prompted the man to stop, and they both waited, weapons ready. Yet, even more eyes appeared in quick succession. Finally, their foes chose to show themselves. However, it wasn''t quite as Qin Yun expected.


    A bipedal lizard sprung from the bushes, exposing its green, rugged body covered in feathers that shone under the sunlight. In its maw were rows of sharpened teeth while large, pointy talons adorned its large hind legs. Its front legs were much scrawnier. They were barely a threat, yet three claws could be found at each end, sharp enough to dismember any adult man.


    Its form was very distinct¡ªso much so that Qin Yun recognized it at a glance. He had seen records of this creature in the world from which he originated. They were considered long extinct, yet here they were in the flesh.


    Velociraptors!

 Chapter 140 - A Single Sword Against the Hordes

    ¡°What kind of bird is this?" the young man exclaimed, holding his weapon tightly. "Is it even a bird?"


    "Now that''s the interesting thing," Qin Yun began, feeling slightly amused by the existence of this creature. "There''s been debate over whether these are reptiles or birds, but the consensus seemed to be trending toward being both simultaneously."


    "What are you babbling about?" he replied, confused about Qin Yun''s nonchalance. "Do you know those things?¡±


    ¡°I do have some experience with them,¡± Qin Yun added. ¡°Still, there¡¯s no records of them in the main world. I wonder what parameters led to their creation.¡±


    As Qin Yun was pondering, the creature took a step forward. It growled in a high, hissing tone, prompting the man to wince, feeling a sharp pain assault his mind. He instinctively reached to block his ears but promptly stopped himself. Instead, he reached for the ground and grabbed a stone the size of his fist.


    He wound up and threw the stone with all his might. It cut through the air, shattering all the leaves standing in its way, then collided with the creature''s throat, collapsing it in one strike. The hissing noise dissipated, and silence returned. The velociraptor collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain as it struggled to breathe. However, no air ever reached its lungs, and it died just that easily.


    The young man frowned, waiting for it to rise, yet it never did. But then, Qin Yun couldn''t help but sigh.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t really the best course of action,¡± he lamented.


    ¡°Why do you care?¡± the young man said sharply. ¡°It was about to attack, so I struck first. Showing mercy will only come back to bite you. Are you feeling pity for this creature?¡±


    ¡°Not at all," Qin Yun shrugged. "The strong will survive. I''m only concerned about the rest of them. These creatures should be solitary hunters, feeding on smaller animals and using trapping tactics. However, this one seemed different."


    ¡°You mean when it didn¡¯t run away?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°Being hunters, I¡¯m sure your people have extensive expertise in the subject. Doesn¡¯t this strike you as odd?¡±


    The young man didn''t have to think about it to know that Qin Yun spoke the truth. A carnivore this size wouldn''t confront two much bigger prey, especially when hunting alone. Its behaviour was bizarre, to say the least.


    Just then, many other hisses rose from beyond the foliage. The noise grew louder as they approached. Qin Yun could feel the ground tremble slightly, growing stronger as time passed, but then it suddenly stopped just as countless other feathered dinosaurs emerged from the overgrown thickets.


    There were many species, not just velociraptors. Some were even herbivores, standing completely fine amidst their supposed predators. Qin Yun could feel their stares boring a hole through him, but not all of these creatures'' gazes were locked onto them. Some were aimed downward toward the lifeless creature lying still on the jungle soil.


    The wall of dinosaurs parted, opening the way for a feathered carnivore to step forward. It strangely resembled the dead one. It possessed the same sharpened teeth and similar-looking talons. Its shape also looked similar, except for one aspect that dwarfed everything else: its size.


    It easily towered over Qin Yun with a mouth the size of his torso. It could rend him apart with but a single bite. Still, this massive creature only looked downward at the lifeless body. There seemed to be something in its eyes, a glint much more prominent than in the others¡ªa sign of intelligence.


    Did it awaken its spirituality? Qin Yun thought, yet he couldn¡¯t help but frown. Without the influence of the Heavenly Dao, that seems highly unlikely. Something else must have prompted this change.


    Qin Yun looked in the distance, past the hordes of dinosaurs barring his way. His sight was blocked by the thick vegetation, but his mind peered through it, for he could sense a gaze originating from the other side.


    He had felt it on him since he first set foot into this place. It had watched his every action, maybe even elicited the fauna here to do the same. But for what reason? Qin Yun didn''t know, but he was interested in finding out, and his first clue was the massive creature before him.


    "Sorry about this," Qin Yun said respectfully, even bowing slightly to the creature. "While I know this could never compensate for your loss, you have my greatest condolences. This young man felt threatened, and he acted on instinct. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive him."


    The young man glanced towards Qin Yun, stunned by his words. He even opened his mouth to speak, finding this all preposterous, yet caught himself just in time. He didn¡¯t know what Qin Yun intended with all this, but he chose to give it a try.


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    The large creature ignored his words. It opened its large maw and wrapped its teeth around the fallen creature¡¯s torso. Then, with but a snap, its jaw closed, ripping the corpse¡¯s flesh asunder.


    There was a crunch as bone shattered under the pressure. The sharpened teeth dug deep into its flesh, making blood flow through them as it pooled inside its mouth. Once through, the creature easily raised its head, even with the added weight now in its maw, before launching its spoils into the air, snapping its jaw again.


    The sight was gruesome, with bits of blood and flesh being thrown everywhere. Yet both men didn''t flinch a single inch. Both were much too used to such sight. Qin Yun had seen many of his acquaintances, or even close friends, die in much more gruesome ways, and such little bloodshed didn''t do anything for him. As for the young man, his birthplace was much crueller than this.


    No, what held Qin Yun''s attention was the glowing orb he saw for a split second as the creature''s torso was rent apart. It was tiny, only slightly bigger than an alchemical pill, yet Qin Yun felt something familiar wafting from it¡ªsomething that shouldn''t exist down these parts. Qi, and a non-negligible amount.


    It wasn''t enough for Qin Yun''s use, but it was something. Still, most of it was now absorbed by the creature. Qin Yun could hear the pellet snap under its teeth, its content draining down its throat. It didn''t produce any noticeable change, yet Qin Yun knew the large creature had grown slightly stronger. Its own spiritual core must have increased in size, if only slightly.


    After its meal, the creature turned to face them both. It eyed them, almost as if deciding whether they were fit for consumption. The young man remained at the ready, tightly holding his blade, yet Qin Yun remained relaxed, staring back at the creature, awaiting its choice.


    It felt like an eternity.


    Qin Yun could feel the desire in the numerous other animals surrounding them. Unlike the large one, they seemed merely hungry, while others seemed to view this as entertainment. Yet, none made the first move. They all waited for the large creature with blood dripping down its jaw to make up its mind.


    "What are they waiting for?" the young man hissed softly, ready to strike or flee at a moment''s notice.


    "It''s calculating whether the rewards are worth the risk," Qin Yun replied, not bothering to hide his words. "Unfortunately for it, there''s no point in eating us. If this were back on the mainland, it might have gained something from eating me, but here? I am just a piece of meat¡ªa much too dangerous piece of meat.¡±


    Qin Yun smiled, feeling the piercing gaze of that creature on his skin, yet all his attention was focused on the one behind it all, hidden far away in the distance, constantly watching him.


    ¡°Has this something to do with this ¡°qi¡± you people like to use?¡± the man murmured, keeping his eyes forward.


    ¡°Indeed. On the mainland, spiritual beasts usually feast on the insight granted to them by the Heavenly Dao. This creates a shell they use as a vessel to accumulate qi. Unlike us cultivators, most spiritual beasts do not possess any cultivation technique. The most they can do is absorb raw spiritual qi while waiting for their flesh to process it. This usually takes a long time¡ªcenturies to rise even a single rank. But, there''s a way to accelerate the process¡ª"


    "¡ªPredation," the young man said, eyes slightly narrowed, watching the blood drain down to the soil.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Qin Yun replied, slightly surprised. ¡°However, there shouldn¡¯t be any qi for them to ingest, much less the Dao to form the shell. Something else should be prompting their evolution.¡±


    Just as the words left Qin Yun''s mouth, he saw the creature open its own. A roar erupted from its throat, creating a sound blast that struck the two of them. The young man felt the tip of his blade shake alongside the atmosphere, as did the ground beneath his feet. The creature seemed much more dangerous than it first appeared.


    Following this roar, the other dinosaurs all rushed them as one. Some opened their maw, showing their teeth as they added to the cacophony. Yet, most of the danger didn''t come from their sharp bits like fangs and talons but from their weight alone. With this many creatures charging all at once, they would undoubtedly be trampled.


    That was if they weren''t who they were.


    The young man turned to the side and threw his blade away. It flew through the air before striking a nearby tree. The blade plunged deep within, up to its hilt, and remained stuck in the dense fibres.


    Following it, the man leapt upward, striking the hilt with the sole of his foot, and easily grasped a thick branch more than ten metres above the ground. He stood there in silence, watching all the creatures now rushing toward Qin Yun alone, hanging safely above them. While some smaller birds were perched up next to him, they posed no threat.


    As for Qin Yun, he responded calmly to this threat.


    He extracted his black blade from his box and infused it with all the killing intent he possessed. Eons of slaughter were perfectly concealed within¡ªnot a single trace escaped it. The blade became the very personification of destruction, yet no one became aware of it.


    Once the stampede was but a few short steps away, Qin Yun plunged the blade into the ground and only then was what was contained within finally extracted. A wave of death spilled outwards, washing over the incoming horde.


    It wasn''t some sort of physical force but much more of instinctual dread. Their joints locked as fear took root in their hearts, and they collapsed to the ground, tumbling as the soil broke their fall. Some even reached the edge of the blade from the momentum of their charge, but a single mere look made them lose consciousness.


    In less than a second, the threat had been neutralized. All that remained was a mound of collapsed beasts as they writhed in pain, some possessing broken bones while others had been crushed under the weight of it all.


    The young man was stunned, watching how easily Qin Yun had dealt with it. He couldn¡¯t help but voice his doubts, yet Qin Yun¡¯s response left him just as perplexed.


    "They are just mindless beasts," he said. "How could they not be afraid of death when it stared them right in the face?"


    However, Qin Yun showed no pride in this achievement. Instead, his gaze was locked at the back of the horde, watching the last remnant of the large creature as it disappeared back into the jungle, leaving all those it had brought with it to fend for themselves."


    A wise choice...


    But then, a rustling sound rang in the air. Qin Yun raised his head sharply and saw a dark shadow nestled among the leaves overhead. The reflection of the few rays of sunlight struck against a metallic object headed straight for his forehead.


    He tilted his head slightly, just enough to avoid the projectile. It was an arrow. It ran past him before embedding itself into the soft soil. But still, Qin Yun didn''t account for the sharp wind it created. It struck him on the side of his head, against the skin.


    His skin ruptured, creating but the slightest of nicks. Only a single drop of blood left the wound before it closed itself almost instantly. Yet, Qin Yun did not pay attention to it. His gaze was locked on the figure high up on the tree. He could clearly see the bronze of its skin and its long silver hair blowing along the wind.


    ¡°I was wondering when you people would show yourself,¡± Qin Yun said with a slight smile.

 Chapter 141 - A Storm on the Canopy

    While keeping his gaze up, Qin Yun took a few steps backwards before bending down and retrieving the arrow deeply embedded into the ground. He then raised it to his eyes and noticed that the tip was black yet didn''t resemble any metal he knew of. This was to be expected for this was no metal at all.


    ¡°Obsidian?¡± Qin Yun muttered, unable to contain his surprise. ¡°No spirituality whatsoever. Just an ordinary rock.¡±


    This struck him as strange, for no mere obsidian should have been able to even nick his skin. It was then that he noticed a peculiar scent wafting from the stone. It was faint, barely perceptible, yet it reminded Qin Yun of something, but he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. Yet, he knew this was the most likely reason for the arrow¡¯s unusual piercing power.


    "Aren''t you going to come down?" Qin Yun asked, but then tilted his head again, for another arrow sped right by his head. If not for his quick reflex, it would have pierced right through his forehead.


    However, this attack wasn''t as futile as it appeared. By tilting his head away, Qin Yun had lost sight of his assailant. They had hidden themselves within the thick foliage, acting as a ceiling for the jungle. With the wind blowing through this canopy, Qin Yun couldn¡¯t differentiate between the archer¡¯s footsteps as they leapt from branch to branch and the breeze rustling the leaves.


    ¡°Quite the agile one," Qin Yun said, trying to peer through the veil, but his admiration was genuine.


    The speed at which they carried themselves was almost inhuman, so much that Qin Yun could barely follow it with his eyes. Only when he heard the whistling of arrows as they pierced through the air did he have a chance to find their location. Fortunately, they were relatively easy to dodge as they could only travel in a straight line, giving him ample time to move out of the way.


    And yet, something unexpected happened, as it always did.


    One of those arrows was headed way off course, more than a few meters away from Qin Yun. His eyes narrowed slightly, but once he determined the arrow would only end up in a nearby tree, the threat faded from his mind. That was a mistake.


    Just before its flight ended, the arrow unexpectedly curved, creating an arc with Qin Yun as its new destination. Taken aback, he could only twist his body. The arrow avoided its primary target, mainly his heart, but pierced his shoulder instead, burrowing almost halfway through.


    The pain was intense, almost maddening, yet Qin Yun showed virtually none of it. Instead, he merely winced as he checked on the wound. The arrow''s shaft remained, spilling out of the wound akin to the blood flowing from it. Qin Yun''s first instinct was to pull it out. He even wrapped his hand around it, yet changed his mind at the last second.


    This was his only good arm, and he could barely raise it as it was. Were he to sever some nerves, he would become completely defenceless. Instead, he raised his hand to his black box, retrieving his mechanical arm, the same one he had stored again when choosing to disguise himself. With deception being ineffective within this space, Qin Yun saw no reason to keep up the pretense.


    ¡°Are you alright?" the young man asked from his perch on the trees.


    From the time of the first arrow, he had climbed upwards, leaving his blade embedded into the tree. Fortunately, he also possessed several smaller bone knives he could use, either in melee or as throwables.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Qin Yun replied, putting the artificial arm back into place.


    He first removed the bandages, then pressed the arms onto the stump. Countless metal needles dug straight into his flesh, digging deep until they found the nerves and attached themselves to it.


    Pain flared once again, and he couldn''t help but grunt. It was even worse than the wound on his other shoulder. He felt a scorching heat, almost like he had put the limb straight into lava. Every severed nerve burned as they came alive, binding him to this mechanical creation.


    It was far from the first time he had experienced this pain, yet he could never get accustomed to it. The pain of having your very nerves drilled through wasn''t something any man was meant to endure, yet Qin Yun endured nonetheless, even while dodging incoming arrows.


    Now that he knew their path could bend, Qin Yun paid much more attention to them. He didn''t dare to look down on this opponent anymore, as every motion and every shot was done purposefully, meant to lower his guard. Even the most innocuous of actions may have untold consequences. He seemed to be facing a master of its craft.


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    Still, how could an arrow bend without qi?


    This puzzled him. While this world was one of fantasy where miraculous things existed, it was still, for the most part, bound by the laws of physics. The main thing that separated this world from the many others was the Heavenly Dao and the mysterious form of energy born from it¡ªqi.


    To his knowledge, there was no other way to break the world''s rules except for one¡ªIntent. However, manipulating physical objects through intent alone took a level of mastery even Qin Yun found difficult and he had practised this for many lifetimes. He almost couldn''t believe someone could have a greater understanding than himself.


    However, this, too, was wrong, for he was overthinking.


    While dodging another arrow by moving backwards, Qin Yun felt the arrow embedded in his chest move. He felt it tug on his flesh, forcing him to stop his escape as the pain flared once again. His legs almost buckled under him as another arrow was headed straight for one of them. Fortunately, his mechanical arm was now connected.


    It moved just as he wished and grabbed the arrow shaft mid-flight. The arrow remained suspended midair, held within Qin Yun''s grip, but then he saw the arrowhead was split in the middle, almost on the verge of breaking. The slightest impact would have shattered it into countless smaller pieces.


    He couldn''t help but shudder at what damage those shards would have done were they to have been stuck into his flesh. While he could easily heal the wound, removing those shards would have proven time-consuming but also extremely painful, much more than the arrow stuck in his shoulder.


    ¡°What a cruel one," Qin Yun muttered, but all he felt was admiration.


    While they seemed to be enemies, Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but praise the skill displayed. This assailant among the branches produced almost no sound. If not for the arrows periodically whistling through the air, one would merely believe it was but a breeze blowing. And yet, it was deadly.


    Qin Yun ducked to avoid another one but then realized something. A small string, almost imperceptible to the human eye, was attached to the tail of the arrow lodged in his shoulder. He traced it back to the end, only to watch it disappear among the leaves.


    So this is how they made it swerve, even stunting my movements...


    All these shots happened in less than a minute, leaving Qin Yun little time to get his bearings. As such, he missed this crucial piece of information, leading to his injury. However, this was not all. Had he been in optimal condition, such details wouldn''t have escaped his scrutiny.


    From the time he used his sword intent to blast away the two outsiders a few hours ago, Qin Yun''s mind had been fuzzy. While using this method came with consequences, he would generally be able to heal in just a few hours, but without the support of his internal qi, these types of injuries took much longer to heal.


    After all, these weren''t physical but more akin to mental. Though he did bleed when using this power, this was merely a result of overusing his nervous system. It made him slower to react, his reflex having been diminished. However, the worst of it all was the strain on his mind. While in this state, his thoughts wandered, making concentrating much harder, leading to blind spots or weaknesses that others could exploit.


    There was also the pain he felt from the arm he had reattached and the strange substance coating the obsidian arrowhead. All in all, Qin Yun''s current situation was slightly dire. Not enough for him to lose his life, as he always had the option of fleeing back through the portal, but admitting defeat would leave a bad taste in his mouth.


    However, the young outsider had already sprung into action before he could choose. Unlike the hidden assailant, the bronze-skinned man charged through the treetop, breaking smaller branches in his wake.


    Each of his mighty footsteps threatened to shatter his footing, while countless leaves fell to the ground like rain, but it gave him uncanny speed, enough to be on even ground with his prey.


    "Not bad," Qin Yun said as he could finally catch his breath and remove the arrow stuck in his shoulder.


    He tugged on it gently, twisting slightly as he did so, just hard enough to not break the arrowhead in the wound, nor the shaft attached to it. It took him a few seconds, and he had to bite a nearby branch to fight the pain, but he felt relief wash over him once it was done.


    Meanwhile, the young man rushed forward like a hurricane, destroying everything in his way. However, he was no mindless beast. His every action was purposeful and precise, leading him to slowly gain on his opponent.


    While he had yet to see them fully, he was merely following the movement of the leaves as they danced back and forth. The chase began only two minutes ago, yet two minutes of this herculean effort left the man feeling drained. Qin Yun could see him almost out of breath, yet the young man''s eyes showed his confidence. These two minutes were enough to learn the pattern.


    He took one of his bone knives and threw it forward. He aimed just ahead of where the figure would be. However, this wasn''t one of his preferred weapons, and he couldn''t hide his intent as skilfully as he wished. As such, the figure hidden in the leaves swerved to the side, heading back toward Qin Yun, but this was what the young man hoped for.


    He followed soon after and then heard a satisfying crack. In its hurry, the figure had just stepped on one of the branches the young man had broken. The first step hadn''t been enough to break it completely, allowing just a fissure to run almost the way through. But, when the hidden figure stepped on it the second time, it failed utterly, pulling the ground from under it.


    This wasn''t enough to take them down, but that wasn''t the point. The young man only needed the slightest advantage, and this was it. He pounced forward, reaching the slim figure he was chasing all this time before tackling it with all his might.


    Both fell back to the ground with the soft soil cushioning their fall. The young man suffered no injury, but the one under him was far less lucky. The wind was knocked right out of them, but they didn¡¯t lose consciousness.


    Their body was petite, not unlike a woman, and she seemed to be half his size. Despite being pinned under the young man¡¯s weight and having her slim wrist caught in his hand, the woman still tried to resist, only until she got a good look at the man¡¯s face.


    ¡°Kerak?¡± she said softly despite deeply seeking for air.


    Her eyes widened as she looked upon him, and the young man did the same, only for her struggle to cease almost instantly. Qin Yun stood over them both, clutching at his wound to stop the bleeding, noticing the young woman¡¯s skin peeking out of her clothes.


    "Friend of yours?" he said, seeing her clear bronze skin and long silver hair held in a bun.

 Chapter 142 - Ressa, the Deserts Prodigy

    ¡°Ressa? Is that you?¡± the young man stuttered, slightly letting go of his grip over the young woman¡¯s arms. However, he still stood over her, bracing her against the ground.


    She was small, much smaller than he was. Unlike the Outsider women, who wore long garb that covered them from the harsh sun, the young woman''s outfit was much more revealing. What Qin Yun found strange was that most women''s clothes were made of material similar to his, while the men wore mainly animal skin. He wondered where the plants needed for this all came from, but now it seemed he had his answer or at least part of it. This jungle could provide much more than the desert could.


    As for the young woman, she wore a sash around her chest, leaving her shoulders and stomach exposed to the outside air, and also a long skirt reaching to her knees with a long slit on one side, allowing for ease of movement. Dangling from her neck was a string with bones attached to it


    , yet Qin Yun couldn''t help but be impressed, for despite her extreme movements, he had never heard it make a single sound.


    ¡°Kerak,¡± she said after regaining her breath. She looked into the man¡¯s eyes, and her expression softened just enough for him to lose his guard.


    ¡°Get off me!¡± she yelled before shoving him away and rising to her feet in a single leap.


    She took out two small obsidian knives from the leather bands wrapped around her wrist before throwing one and rushing after it. Both were headed straight for Qin Yun.


    Qin Yun anticipated this, for he had seen the shift in her eyes. It was subtle, yet the disdain contained within as she looked in his direction was hard to hide, as was the killing intent spilling from her. However, now that range wasn''t a factor, Qin Yun wasn''t concerned.


    He effortlessly dodged the first knife and even ensured the almost invisible string attached to its base had been cut. He used but the tiniest bit of sword intent for it, but that was enough to slightly disorient him.


    Qin Yun faltered ever so slightly, which Ressa took advantage of. She used her small size and got in close, using both hands to try and drive the small knife upward into his heart. However, Qin Yun''s black sword appeared in his hands in the blink of an eye, stopping the knife dead in its tracks. It even broke into smaller pieces from the impact.


    ¡°AHHH!¡± Ressa leapt backwards, clutching her bloody hand.


    The peculiar substance in which the knife was coated had broken her skin, assaulting her with immense pain even though only a tiny amount had reached her. From her reaction, the young man couldn''t help but wonder how much pain Qin Yun was currently in, as he could clearly see the still-bleeding open wound on Qin Yun''s shoulder.


    ¡°Kerak? Was that your name?" Qin Yun asked, slightly confused, just as the young man had caught the young girl in his arms. It wasn''t clear if he wished to stop her from attacking Qin Yun anymore or if he was protecting her from him.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Kerak said. ¡°I never told you, but you also never asked. Our names are given to us by the ancestors, and in no way should be given to the Avaads. Them uttering something so sacred is seen as nothing more than blasphemy.¡±


    "My bad, then," Qin Yun shrugged, unconcerned by these people''s beliefs. Religions were a dime a dozen, and he had no interest in imposing his views upon them, even if he felt how inconvenient this all was. Still, he saw the purpose of it all.


    The bigger the divide between the two people, the more the outsiders will be inclined to fight, thinking of us as usurpers. This rule was made to make interactions as hard as possible. It''s quite clever, actually.


    ¡°Is hatred of the Avaads so prevalent among the exiles?¡± Qin Yun asked as he stared back at Ressa.


    For her convenience, Qin Yun now spoke the Outsider¡¯s language, yet it only prompted an even more visceral reaction from her. She already had daggers in her eyes, but now, she looked like a rabid dog seeking to rip his throat apart. Seeing such a young girl with so much killing intent was jarring for Qin Yun, as most of the Mainlanders he had interacted with could never compare.


    ¡°Our language is also sacred, just as our name is,¡± Kerak replied, keeping her in check as he tried to extract the shards embedded in her hands. Yet, his efforts were mostly futile as she thrashed within his embrace. ¡°While she would kill you for simply being from the Mainland, as you call it, she wants you dead even more for merely speaking in her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s concerning,¡± Qin Yun sighed. ¡°Will the tribe also show the same reaction?¡±


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    ¡°Most definitely,¡± Kerak replied. ¡°With the way you look now, they¡¯ll kill you before you can even say a single word. Any way you¡¯d be able to turn back?¡±


    "Not likely," Qin Yun shook his head. "Not unless whatever is keeping this dimension stable allows for it. It isn''t unlike the Heavenly Dao, enforcing its rules onto this world. Unless one''s strength transcends the world, one becomes bound by those rules. A mask would probably be the best option, but my skin and hair will give me away even then."


    "Best not to try, then," Kerak sighed. "Trying to deceive them with such a half-assed disguise would only complicate things.


    "Deceive us?" Ressa spat, still struggling within Kerak''s embrace. "Kerak! Why do you collude with this Avaad? Have you turned your back on the tribes? Shame on your ancestors!"


    She then began spouting something Qin Yun couldn''t quite translate, but from her expression alone, he judged that this was mostly slurs. He ignored the young girl and returned to address Kerak once again.


    "How long has it been since they interacted with the Mainland? Why do they still react with such hatred? I understand this is deeply rooted in tradition, but unless fostered, hatred fades with time."


    "And fostered, it was," Kerak replied, putting one hand over the young girl''s mouth. "We weren''t always the aggressors, trying to break through the Great Barrier. A long time ago, in a time probably forgotten for you, before the desert took hold of our land, there was an invasion from the continent''s core. There are no records left of what they were seeking, but in their zeal, they slaughtered most of the tribes. The land was red with blood; if not for our god''s advent, we might have completely perished then. This story is deeply ingrained in our culture, and we never forget. While we do seek freedom from this cage, there are many others who simply seek retribution.¡±


    This explains quite a lot, especially the fervour to which they show the corruption, even deifying it. Still, what could those people seek back then to even go so far as to cause genocide? Did they even find it in the end?


    However, just as Qin Yun was pondering what he had just heard, the young girl bit down on the flesh covering her mouth, even drawing blood. Kerak yelled, feeling pain rise through his nerves, but instead of letting go, he squeezed harder, cutting off her air supply, as well as the arteries around her neck. In less than a few seconds, she lost consciousness, and her body went limp.


    ¡°She has quite the spunk for such a young girl," Qin Yun said, slightly amused as he watched Kerak retrieve his hand from the inside of her mouth. The skin was deeply embedded with teeth marks, and blood even flowed from where her two canines had dug.


    ¡°She''s a prodigy," Kerak said as he shook his hand with a wince in his eyes. "Women don''t usually hunt, much less a child, yet she''s always been among the best. She solo-mounted her first worm at barely five years old, you know."


    There was pride in his tone. While Qin Yun didn''t know the significance of such an achievement, he knew how dangerous an adult sandworm could be. Even for him, mounting one of them was no easy task. And yet, this young girl had done it from a much earlier age.


    ¡°How old is she now?¡± Qin Yun asked. ¡°From what I see, she looks to have just reached adulthood.¡±


    "She''s still fourteen, actually. No matter how talented she is, she shouldn''t even be here on her own," the man replied, scanning the surroundings for other signs of life, yet Qin Yun had already done so.


    He could only feel animalistic gazes on them, probably from the creatures he had scared earlier, but also the same gaze he had felt since he arrived here. It felt more vague and diffused than the other, much farther. In fact, he could feel that gaze coming from many different directions.


    At first, he thought the overuse of his intent had led to him misjudging this, but now he was increasingly sure he wasn''t imagining it. It felt as if the world itself was looking down on him, somewhat similar to the Heavenly Dao but in a much more subdued fashion. In fact, it felt almost feeble, as if on the verge of death.


    ¡°That means her tribe should be nearby, right?¡± Qin Yun asked, only for the man to nod. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll listen now that things have come this far?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s hard to say,¡± Kerak replied, yet Qin Yun could see from his expression that this quest was most likely for naught as the hostility between the two races was much too deeply entrenched. He had hoped to deceive them by appearing as one of them, but this realm wouldn''t let him. Still, he would give up that easily.


    ¡°Do you think that might help?¡±


    Qin Yun retrieved the pouch containing Nalia''s symbol from his black box, only for it to light up like a beacon. It wasn''t some sort of searing light that rose high into the sky, piercing through the veil of leaves, but one much more subdued and dull, but the fact that it lit up at all remained on Qin Yun''s mind.


    There''s no qi here or any other type of energy. What could possibly power this effect?


    Qin Yun was at a loss. No matter how he tried to explain this strange phenomenon, he always arrived at the same impossible conclusion. It shouldn''t, yet here it was, shining before his eyes.


    ¡°Why is it shining?¡± Kerak asked, eyes wide open.


    ¡°So you also do not know... Still, can I use this alone to gain their trust?¡±


    ¡°Doubtful,¡± the man replied. ¡°You might have more chances with the elders than the young generation, though.¡±


    "Really?" Qin Yun said, slightly surprised. "I''d have expected the elders to be sticklers to traditions and the younger ones to rebel somehow. It''s the same almost everywhere else. Are the exiles somehow different in this aspect?"


    ¡°Not really, but she has a history with this clan that the young ones aren¡¯t aware of.¡±


    "And somehow, you are?" Qin Yun asked, his voice dripping with skepticism. Not only did that man recognize Nalia''s map at first glance, but he was also versed in the knowledge of another clan hidden from them. That man was more than he seemed.


    I guess that''s what makes her a seer. She arranged all this, knowing he and I would meet. Still, what is she hoping to achieve?


    At first, he thought maybe she wanted him to overthrow the current Main Tribe and reinstate the Exiles as the dominating faction. Still, if she could see the future, surely she would know he had no interest in such a thing. The only reason he even went this far with it was merely to delay their subsequent assault on the fortress, and the more time he wasted on this quest, the higher the chances it would all fall apart.


    Then, his gaze fell downwards on the young woman currently unconscious on Kerak''s lap. A devious idea sprouted in his mind, and if he possessed the slightest hint of a conscience, he might have opposed it. But at this point, his goal took precedence over morals. He couldn''t help but smile.

 Chapter 143 - Pushing Ones Luck

    ¡°What are you thinking?" Kerak asked, noticing the devious expression on Qin Yun''s face. Qin Yun''s gaze was locked downward onto Ressa''s unconscious body, and Kerak couldn''t help but feel a slight chill.


    ¡°Nothing, really,¡± he replied as this expression vanished, returning to normal. ¡°She won¡¯t be unconscious for long. We should probably tie her up. I doubt she¡¯ll suddenly become cooperative once she wakes up.¡±


    Kerak felt conflicted about doing such a thing to a fellow outsider, yet he had no better option. He knew full well how wilful she could be once she made up her mind. Qin Yun''s worries weren''t unfounded.


    So they tied her to a tree using the chains that Qin Yun provided. They weren''t made of anything exceptional, just your normal iron, yet they were thick enough that not even Kerak knew whether he could break them with his bare hands, much less the much smaller Ressa.


    Once it was done, both men simply waited for her to come to. Meanwhile, Qin Yun focused on healing his wounds, but there was also something he wished to inquire about. From the bottom of his black box, in an area he had never ventured into in this life, Qin Yun extracted a single red pill.


    It wasn''t anything magical. There was no spiritual fluctuation, nor qi wafting out from it, for this was no pill born of the techniques of this world. He had acquired this a long time ago, in another lifetime.


    He held it in his hand and waited¡ªwaiting for something to happen, yet nothing of note did. In fact, the only change was the gaze he always felt on them was growing slightly stronger, yet he felt no threat.


    Unlike the Heavenly Dao, it doesn''t seem as omnipotent. I guess it already has its hands full, keeping this world alive, and has no time to smite me down.


    Qin Yun relaxed a little, and a smile appeared on his lips. He then opened his mouth and threw the red capsule in. It broke when it struck his tongue, spilling the granular content down his throat.


    Qin Yun felt a warmth spread throughout his body, vitality coursing through his veins. The pain receded, becoming a minor itch as the wound slowly healed.


    "What was that?" Kerak asked as he watched him take the pill.


    While the Outsiders had no discipline of alchemy, they knew very well how the mainlanders'' pill looked, and this capsule was unlike anything he had ever seen before. For one, it wasn''t a sphere, but some sort of tube with a slit in the middle, almost as if two halves had been stuck together as a vessel for something. Somehow, it felt unnatural.


    ¡°Just some regular medicine,¡± he replied. ¡°Something I came across on my travels.¡±


    Kerak was unconvinced as he wasn''t a fool. He could clearly sense that something had shifted around them, but unlike Qin Yun, he wasn''t versed in this world''s nature. All he had was his instinct, and they screamed at him that something had changed, yet it wasn''t enough to threaten them.


    A soothing sensation overcame Qin Yun, and the fog over his mind slowly dissipated. He could finally think clearly again as the damage caused by his overuse of his intent slowly faded.


    Qin Yun basked in that warmth for over ten minutes, feeling all his fatigue fade, yet he noticed something concerning. The medicine couldn''t reach his qi centre. It was blocked from ever going too close by a golden barrier created by the now-dull characters shining on his lotus. Qin Yun couldn''t help but chuckle.


    Even here, cut away from the world, the Heavenly Dao still tries to exert its will over me. There really is no free meal. This tribulation qi did come with some restrictions.


    Still, Qin Yun merely shrugged and reached back into his black box, delving even deeper this time. Out came another pill, but this one was pure black. Qin Yun looked at it with hesitation in his eyes.


    Then, the ground beneath their feet began to shake. A sharp gale blew through the thick vegetation, breaking branch after branch, even threatening to collapse the tree around them. The ground cracked, forming deep fissures that ran for many meters, and even as Qin Yun looked down into one of them, he couldn¡¯t see the bottom. There was only darkness as the eye could see.


    "What''s happening? What did you do?" Kerak asked, seeing the timing. He would be a fool to not notice that all this happened as soon as Qin Yun took out this black capsule. Still, Qin Yun ignored him. Instead, he raised his gaze and looked to the sky as if awaiting something. His hand containing the black capsule remained near the black box, ready to return it immediately.


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    The sky darkened gradually, almost like night had fallen, yet there were no stars, only thick dark clouds blotting out the sun. Fortunately, Qin Yun could not see lightning arcing on their surfaces, nor did he feel the oppressive dread that Heavenly Tribulation usually evoked.


    Qin Yun merely waited, yet for Kerak, this felt like an eternity. His instincts screamed at him to run away, lest he face the might of this world, yet this might never fell, almost as if it couldn''t. Gradually, he grew used to it and could keep his legs steady, keeping them from buckling under the pressure.


    Surprisingly, Ressa didn''t wake up, and Qin Yun could only be thankful for small mercies. He had no interest in dealing with her now that something of this scale was happening. But, after a while, the clouds dissipated, and the world returned to peace; however, something had changed.


    The surrounding vegetation was slowly wilting, almost as if something was sapping its strength. It wasn''t enough to topple the massive trees rising to the sky, yet countless much smaller bushes were reduced to ash, picked up by the wind, and scattered everywhere, almost creating a dust storm.


    Kerak even had to cover his eyes and mouth with a small piece of cloth to avoid inhaling all of it, and he did the same for the unconscious Ressa. Meanwhile, Qin Yun didn''t care. His gaze merely remained upwards, watching as the dark clouds dissipated to the last, with his hand still hovering near the black box, always waiting.


    Only when they were completely gone and the gaze he felt upon him had faded substantially did he finally relent and let out a long breath.


    "What is that pill?" Kerak asked, somewhat irate. He was still shaken from what had just happened, yet could mostly keep his composure. "Is it something dangerous?"


    "It''s not," Qin Yun replied, shaking his head. "It''s merely foreign, something that shouldn''t exist in this world, just like the corruption. The one sustaining this world just mistakenly thought it could bring it harm and overreacted. It exerted its strength, but that seemed to have backfired."


    Kerak remained confused but gave up questioning him further, for he knew this was all he would get. Instead, he checked up on Ressa, ensuring the tremors hadn''t broken her bonds or injured her in any way. Fortunately, his fears were unfounded. She still remained unconscious.


    "Keep an eye on her," Qin Yun said as he walked a short distance away before sitting on a large, flat rock. "Alert me if something important happens or if she wakes up. Otherwise, you shouldn''t disturb me."


    Qin Yun didn''t bother to explain more than this. He even ignored the complicated look Kerak was giving him as he reached for his mechanical arm and pressed on the two releases on each of the sides attached to his flesh.


    I shouldn''t have been so impulsive to reattach it. I guess overusing intent made my thoughts more muddled than I first thought. Had I been more clear-headed, I wouldn''t have had to endure so much pain.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but sigh, for what he was about to do would look more than idiotic for someone who didn''t know better. Once the two latches were held upright, the mechanical arm slowly detached itself from his flesh, retracting the drills attached to his nerves.


    The process wasn''t as painful as when they drilled into him, but it was by no means comfortable. He felt the same intense itch that was now omnipresent on the wound of his other shoulder. Still, the first red capsule he had taken made this all much more bearable.


    Once the arm was entirely removed, he carefully put it back into storage, then eyed the black pill in his hand. He took a deep breath, steeled his resolve and finally took it.


    This time, it wasn''t warmth spreading to his body but a dull pain slowly rising in intensity. It started out mild as the capsule broke, spilling its contents down his throat. However, it never reached his stomach, for it quickly dug through the walls of his esophagus and mouth to reach his bloodstream.


    This was no common medicine, but countless machines too small for the eye to see. There were millions upon millions, even reaching up to a trillion, yet each was a few nanometres long. At this size, they could slip into every cell in his body as they flowed through his bloodstream and could enact repairs on injuries Qin Yun didn''t even know he possessed. They were even small enough to enact changes on his DNA itself, mutating him into whatever he wished.


    Of course, Qin Yun had no such intentions. All he wished for was to return to his peak, and this method was simply the most effective. Yet this didn''t come without cost. The way these nanomachines made repairs was rather barbaric. They simply destroyed damaged cells before prompting the nearby ones to divide further, replacing them.


    The more they destroyed his cells, the more pain Qin Yun felt, but fortunately, he had taken the red pill, making this experience much more bearable. However, the worst was his missing arm. It felt as if it was plunged into boiling water. Fortunately, it wasn''t in vain, for there were signs of new growth.


    While qi could offer the same effect, even without pain, it wasn''t close to as effective. It would have taken at least a month in an area brimming with qi to fully recover his arm, yet after just a few minutes, his elbow had already reappeared.


    Kerak watched it all in stunned horror and morbid curiosity. He knew even his people had methods to regrow missing limbs, but all of them required the blessing of their god. But even then, they wouldn''t quite be the same ever again. However, Qin Yun''s growing limb was an exact copy of the one on the other side.


    Entranced by the sight, Kerak only just now felt some movement at his side. He turned sharply, only to see that Ressa was now awake. To his surprise, she hadn''t said a single word; she had merely watched Qin Yun''s regeneration with the same look he currently had on his face. She was too stunned to even attempt to break the chains that bound her to this massive tree.


    As for Qin Yun, he wasn¡¯t aware that she had woken. All his attention fell on this miracle, using intent to drive all the nanomachines to his right arm, yet the most he could do was to nudge them in the right direction. Still, they were far from perfect.


    Some split from the pack as they began attacking his cells, destroying and regenerating them quickly. This led to rapid aging, something Qin Yun might have been concerned about, but as a cultivator, he could easily remedy this at a later date once he returned to where the world was brimming with qi. At most, he aged maybe a year or two, hardly worth mentioning.


    After less than another ten minutes, his arm was now complete, and only one task remained to be done, the most important one, the one Qin Yun had been dreading from the start. He now needed to rid himself of these nanomachines, yet he couldn''t just let them loose upon the world, for this was what the world feared most of all.

 Chapter 144 - All In on a Bet

    Qin Yun felt a wave of relief wash over him. While he had fared just fine with only one arm, as he had his mechanical one to rely on, he couldn¡¯t be more satisfied to finally have the use of this limb back. He even opened his eyes momentarily to admire his work.


    It seemed slightly different than before, yet the differences were minute. Some of his moles were slightly displaced, while others were gone completely. This wasn''t the same arm he had lost but a completely new one, and he would need some time to grow accustomed to it.


    He could feel the nanomachines quickly reattach his nerves, allowing a tingling sensation to rush throughout the newly formed limb. He tried to make it move, yet his nerves were still unresponsive. His limb seemed to move as if put on a delay. He almost smacked himself in the face while trying to make it rise.


    However, this was merely temporary. These nanomachines were a marvel of engineering. Even in the world where they originated, they were treated as a miracle cure, even able to bring an individual back from the verge of death.


    And yet, they didn''t come without any side effects. They were still machines, after all. They acted only upon their parameters and nothing else. People back in that world thought this would be perfect, allowing them to control them how they wanted.


    How they were wrong.


    Just a rogue batch of nanomachines the size of a fingernail was enough to sterilize an entire world. They were programmed with the ability to replicate themselves, and as such, they multiplied exponentially until the whole world was covered in them.


    These nanomachines were medical ones, and their primary directive was to cure any illnesses through any means possible. While this worked extremely well while contained and observed, once they began to spread uncontrollably, they began to think of the world itself as an organism and the species living upon it as mere diseases.


    It didn''t take long for them to rush into action and eliminate this threat¡ªQin Yun included. Fortunately, he had acquired and stored an earlier prototype¡ªone that wasn''t programmed to replicate.


    As such, those he had injected himself with were relatively safe, though they could cause untold harm were they to be released in the wild. Qin Yun believed the Heavenly Dao, with its mastery over its own realm, would be able to contain them, while this isolated world wouldn¡¯t be able to, for it had allowed their existence in the first place.


    Once the nanomachines healed all his injuries, they congregated near his qi centre, just outside the golden barrier protecting his core. Qin Yun had expected this, for cultivation was foreign to them. They had never seen a human possessing such a thing. As such, their primary directive kicked into gear. They would try to annihilate anything deemed foreign and repair the damage done.


    Qin Yun obviously couldn''t allow for such a thing, but his methods were limited without qi.


    Qin Yun pondered his choices as the nanomachines rammed themselves into the golden barrier, trying to pierce through, even dismantle it with their many sharp metal arms. He hadn''t done this without a plan, yet his plan was rather drastic, and he didn''t know his chances of survival. If he succeeded, he might gain another powerful tool, or he might just have to start over again from the start. Either way, he didn''t have much time to find an alternative.


    I could probably expel them using intent, but that would defeat the purpose of using them in the first place. It would wreak havoc on my body much more than what they fixed. Am I willing to take that risk?


    Originally, losing his cultivation would have been no big deal. He had many ways to restore it, even if he had to start from the beginning. But his current situation didn''t allow for that. Time was an unknown quantity, for he didn''t know how long the Heavenly Dao could resist the corruption''s encroachment.


    He may have as much as a thousand years or as few as a few decades. He currently had no way to tell. Losing his cultivation would set him back too much.


    On the other hand, with his current potential, even if he were to cultivate for a thousand years, he would hardly make a difference. His path was one of optimization. He wished for the peak of each realm, and this came with some stark drawbacks, such as the time needed to achieve them.


    With his current understanding of each cultivation realm, even a thousand years might not be enough to reach the Nascent Soul Realm, much less Immortality, which he deemed the bare minimum to make a difference in this war. He had no choice but to use unconventional methods. No shortcuts, just much more drastic than that.


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    With his mind made up, Qin Yun went to work. He allowed a pinpoint hole to appear into the golden barrier, allowing the nanomachines to stream in a single file. They were so small as not to be perceptible even to Qin Yun, but their massive numbers made them look like a small black cloud hovering near Qin Yun''s brown lotus, with a single miniature black needle slowly reaching for it.


    Once the first nanomachines came into contact with the lotus, Qin Yun shut out the hole he had made, leaving over three-quarters of them outside, while one-quarter was allowed in. He wished it would have been less than that, but the machines moved too quickly for even his enhanced nervous system to catch up to them.


    The nanomachines buzzed around the lotus and began to destroy it. They were like termites eating away at a magnificent tree trunk, weakening it so that a mere breeze could topple it. In their minds, there was no enmity against the tree. This was only instinct, the way they were programmed.


    No matter how mystical Qin Yun¡¯s spiritual lotus was, it couldn¡¯t contend against this swarm attacking it. These machines feasted on the brown bulb that had yet to bloom, digging through its closed leaves as they sought to reach its core.


    Qin Yun waited nervously¡ªanxiously waiting for what he hoped would happen. Despite his usual stoic appearance and usually numb nature, he was still sometimes assaulted by diverse human emotions, such as in times like these, where the result would be a coin toss¡ªwhether he had bet correctly and lived or might just become a cripple.


    The tension became quite maddening, yet he let none of it show as his concentration was heightened to its limit. Even Kerak and Ressa, who quietly watched over him, saw no significant change in his attitude, but as they were both warriors, they could instinctively feel that something was happening.


    Qin Yun''s legs were crossed, and his palms rested on his knees, but he could feel their dampness through his clothes. This wasn''t due to his nervousness, as such a mild emotion would never provoke his body into producing this much sweat. Instead, this was a result of the pain currently afflicting him.


    It was no wonder, as the pain of the lotus being eaten through was many times more than what he had just experienced. If he wasn''t in a meditative state and actively trying to numb the pain, Qin Yun might have fallen unconscious already. Fortunately, the mastery of intent did wonders on his mental capacity, allowing him to isolate that pain in a corner of his mind as if putting it in a box for later. While this was merely temporary, it was needed at this precise moment.


    The machines had dug over halfway through one of the leaves, yet Qin Yun waited. A lotus wasn''t something mere machines should be able to dig right through, not even those as advanced as they were, for the lotus itself was born of the Heavenly Dao and possessed a portion of its might. Usually, it wouldn''t allow itself to be contaminated in this way, except by a force able to surpass it, such as the foreign corruption, which these nanomachines were nowhere near.


    The only reason they could go this far was that the Heavenly Dao''s influence was almost non-existent in this realm. Not only was Qin Yun much too far from the core of the continent where the Heavenly Dao was strongest, but he was also currently in a sub-dimension governed by a completely different entity. What it could do to protect him was extremely limited, but it wasn''t completely useless.


    After an instant that felt like an eternity, the golden characters on his brown lotus finally flared up, bathing their surroundings in their brilliance. So did the grey marks, too.


    Qin Yun finally let out an internal sigh of relief, but his concentration didn''t break, far from it. This was merely the first step. He needed his connection to the Heavenly Dao to be reinforced, and these golden characters provided just that. Only with its aid could he transition to step two.


    Through these characters, Qin Yun felt his core filled with qi¡ªsomething that shouldn''t have been possible in this world. Of course, such impossibilities came with some consequences. This qi didn''t sprout out of nowhere, but the Heavenly Dao''s influence transformed his vitality into qi.


    Such a mysterious entity, Qin Yun thought while fighting through the pain of this process. It can command the world as it pleases, yet it feels strangely limited in what it actually does. Is it programmed to act in a certain way, or is there a conscious decision behind every of its actions?


    Such was the Dao, seeking ways to understand the heavens. It seemed like a futile endeavour at first, yet this connection with the world allowed the lotus to grow and blossom. The stronger the connection, the more strength one may siphon from it.


    With the aid of qi, Qin Yun could finally hold the nanomachines in place and enter the second phase of his plan. He used the grey marks on his lotus to infiltrate the nanomachines, changing them from the inside out.


    When these lines first appeared, Qin Yun was concerned that corruption might influence him in some way. Yet he soon realized that the process had broken the connection but retained its nature, mainly the ability to corrupt. As such, he chose to use this on the machines. By corrupting them, he could bend them to his will.


    Unfortunately, this corrupting power only manifested itself within his lotus. As such, he needed the machines to dig right through the exterior walls of the closed lotus leaves to even attempt this, and he had no way of knowing if those grey lines would even wake up in the first place. But now that they did, Qin Yun''s victory was almost assured.


    The corruption spread among the nanomachines, turning them to his will. With the corruption serving as a link, he needed but a thought to control them as he wished. It wasn''t as convenient as qi, but it could easily be used in a desolate place such as Deep Desert, where he intended to go.


    The machines swiftly changed from black to a dull grey with a hint of golden. The change spread among them like wildfires; soon, none of the black ones within his core remained. There were only the three-quarters still ramming themselves into the golden barrier.


    Qin Yun separated his quarter into two halves, using one to quickly repair his spiritual lotus, using most of the qi created during the process. Meanwhile, the other half rushed toward the golden barrier. Qin Yun opened it once again, letting the black machines stream inside, only to be caught by the grey ones, turning them into their own.


    The entire process lasted less than ten minutes, yet to Qin Yun, it might as well have felt like more than a couple of hours, such was his concentration. Once all the machines were turned and subjected to his will, he confined them to his lotus until he had further need of them. Then, finally, he chose to open his eyes, only to be faced by the two outsiders who looked toward him incredulously.

 Chapter 145 - A Position of Strength

    Without bothering to address their stares, Qin Yun rose to his feet and took out a knife. He plunged it into his forearm, being sure to leave a long, bleeding gash. Blood splattered everywhere as the two looked upon Qin Yun in horror, thinking he had gone mad. However, Qin Yun''s expression was still calm and serene. He showed no indication of the pain he was surely feeling.


    Instead, Qin Yun stared at the wound. Thanks to his amazing vitality, he could see it slowly heal, yet it was much too slow to his liking without the aid of qi. As such, he unleashed the nanomachines he had just acquired and felt them rush through his body before pooling around the wound.


    He felt his skin tingle as a golden light sparked around the wound¡¯s edge. There was a slight hint of grey within, just enough so the two outsiders could recognize the source of this power. They couldn¡¯t help but frown as they watched Qin Yun quickly regenerate the wound.


    After less than a minute, the wound closed shut, and the nanomachines returned to dormancy, only waiting for the next time they would awaken again.


    However, these machines weren''t some type of miracle cure. They sapped much of his energy with each activation, leaving him completely famished.


    He reached into his box and pulled out a fragrant grilled sandwich made with lamb meat. The sandwich was so moist with juices that they spilled everywhere, and its scent even attracted the jungle''s wildlife closer.


    Ressa was stunned, while Kerak frowned, as they had never seen such food. Most of their meals consisted of meat, with only the occasional vegetable. Only the main tribe, with its many oases, could keep livestock and farm the land.


    As Qin Yun dug into the bread, he could see them both salivate. Kerak didn''t bother to hide it, so Qin Yun tossed him one, only for the man to ravage it as if he hadn''t eaten in forever. Yet, Ressa was another matter. Her pride didn''t allow her to bend the knee to an Avaad, no matter how much she wished to.


    Qin Yun walked slowly toward her, then bent down to her level. She was still bound to a nearby tree with a solid rope restricting her movements. Qin Yun could feel her stare dagger at him, but he knew they were aimed at the meal in his hands.


    ¡°Want some?¡± Qin Yun said as he brought another sandwich to her lips.


    Yet, instead of taking a bite, she turned to the side, ignoring the food taunting her. But even then, her greed for it was apparent to Qin Yun. Her folding was just a matter of time.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± she spat, her tone filled with poison. ¡°And you, Kerak! Aren¡¯t you ashamed of yourself? You sold your soul to the Avaads! What would your tribe think of you now?¡±


    ¡°They''re dead, Ressa," Kerak said with a slight sadness. "They''re all dead..."


    Ressa¡¯s pupils widened from the shock. She hadn''t expected such a revelation. She turned to face Qin Yun as her expression darkened, ready to unleash a barrage of mostly incoherent slurs, yet Qin Yun reacted faster. He jammed the large piece of bread encapsulating thinly sliced meat straight into her mouth, shutting her up.


    "I had nothing to do with it," he said calmly. "I can''t speak for all mainlanders, but I doubt they''d go this far. They are already too busy trying to repair the fortress before your people launch another assault."


    "We believe it was the main tribe," Kerak added. "They''re trying to silence all those affiliated with you. I don''t know why they would do such a thing, but you''ve probably seen them yourself. You''ve made tracks leading to the west to fool them into leaving, haven''t you? However, you didn''t expect them to stick around. Don''t worry, we got rid of them."


    ¡°You fool!¡± she said as she ripped the bread apart with her teeth. ¡°We could have killed them whenever we wished, but now that they are dead, they¡¯ll know where we are! If you two could find the entrance to this place, then surely others will too!¡±


    "They would have found you eventually," Qin Yun replied confidently, prompting Ressa to look at him suspiciously. "You might not be aware, but this plane isn''t meant to house people like us. Our presence alone here is enough to disturb the plane''s integrity, putting a higher burden upon the one keeping it stable. But you knew that, didn''t you?"


    Ressa''s expression changed swiftly from disbelief to outright fear. It seemed that Qin Yun had hit the nail on the head. He wondered why these people would travel from hideout to hideout, even constructing elaborate tunnels underneath this rock, if they possessed this type of miraculous place.


    They only needed to stay within, blocking the entrance, and they could have lived happily in a land much more fertile than this desolate desert. They only did things as they did because they couldn''t do otherwise. The one sustaining this place must have warned them of the dangers of their presence.


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    It wasn''t that the one that created this space was weak enough that it couldn''t harbour a few hundred more, but that every creature in a world was intrinsically linked to that world. As the administrator of the main world, the Heavenly Dao always remained aware of the location of that link, even if they travelled through space to another realm.


    It wouldn''t usually bother to seek out a single individual, but with many hundreds going missing, even if they were outsiders, the Heavenly Dao would surely begin asking questions. The only reason it hadn''t found this place was simply because of how barren the desert was in Qi. It was a blind spot for it, so it was mostly ignored, but it all changed now that Qin Yun was in the picture.


    The Heavenly Dao wouldn''t dare not to track him. Indeed, it would soon be aware of where he was. Their time was limited.


    He explained all this to the two of them yet omitted the part about himself. There was no reason to further antagonize these people when he needed their help.


    ¡°You¡¯re just talking out of your ass!¡± Ressa spat after swallowing what was put into her mouth. Her expression changed for just a moment as she relished flavours she hadn¡¯t ever known before. Yet, she still had more to say, ¡°How could you even know this?¡±


    ¡°We cultivators study the Heavenly Dao,¡± he said. ¡°That is where we get our strength, just as you rely on the corruption.¡±


    ¡°The corruption?¡± she interjected. There was a big frown on her face, but also doubt and confusion.


    "You might have another name for it, God or something else, but that''s unimportant. The important part is that the farther we go on the path of cultivation, the stronger our understanding of the Heavenly Dao. If it was at its prime, the world wouldn''t allow this place to exist outside of its influence. Fortunately, it is too busy fighting off the corruption, but the longer this goes, this place may enter its eyes."


    ¡°Get to the point!¡± she said, becoming agitated.


    She tugged on her bounds, yet the ropes were firmly anchored around the tree. Despite her abundant strength, she could do nothing to free herself. She even invoked the power of her grey markings. They began shining, pulsating with strength, yet she had been bound so that none mattered; she couldn''t move a single muscle short of uprooting the tree itself. Qin Yun slammed the sandwich further into her mouth to shut her up.


    "Once this world cannot accommodate you anymore, will your tribe have any place left to flee?" he asked, yet he wasn''t expecting an answer. "You''ll probably be hunted all over the desert. There won''t be any moment to rest, and all the resources you acquired since the day you were exiled will slowly run out, leaving you without food or water. If you even survive their relentless assault, you''ll only die of starvation. Your fate is already set in stone."


    Enraged, Ressa didn¡¯t bother to swallow and spit out the food in her mouth, only to glare at Qin Yun. He knew his analysis was correct, and history would flow in these tracks. He realized this when he found the two individuals within the maze underneath this rock. This gave him an idea, yet this Ressa seemed much more stubborn.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll fight to the last!¡± she barked. ¡°There¡¯s not a single individual in the tribe that would surrender to these traitors. They all have the blood of our tribe on their hands!¡±


    ¡°A commendable attitude," Qin Yun said softly. "However, all that will achieve is your death. You won''t even make a difference. From what this man has told me," Qin Yun pointed toward Kerak, "The main tribe alone is over ten times your numbers. If you add all those that support them, it should be over ten times that. You were doomed from the start."


    ¡°Stranger, why have you come this far to dissuade us?¡±


    A male voice arose from further away. It spoke the same dialect as Ressa, yet it was much calmer and aged, seemingly filled with wisdom. Qin Yun felt no threat from it, yet his body involuntarily shuddered, almost as if there was something mysterious about him.


    ¡°Quite the contrary,¡± Qin Yun said as he rose to his full height. ¡°I came here so that you would fight.¡±


    "By your own admission, this quest is doomed to fail. Why do you wish to bring harm upon us? And you." the voice said, and for some reason, seemed to be aimed at Kerak. "We welcomed you to this tribe with open arms, and this is how you repay us? By trapping one of our own?"


    "I never..." Kerak began, yet his voice faltered. He couldn''t help but lower his head in shame. Qin Yun paid him no attention. His gaze was fixed on where the voice originated from, for this was the most significant threat he had encountered since stepping foot on this land.


    "I have not come to bring you harm but aid instead," Qin Yun said calmly, not backing down. He knew he couldn''t, for these people valued strength above all else.


    ¡°Aid? What kind of aid could you, alone, possibly give us?¡±


    ¡°This!¡± Qin Yun said as he reached for his black box.


    Countless resources spilled from it, starting with all types of food. Everything from the most basic types of meat and vegetables to already prepared meals, still smoking hot. Countless different scents and flavours wafted into the air, attracting some of the local fauna, yet they did not dare approach more than a hundred meters as Qin Yun could feel the fear in the air. Not the fear of him, but of the man who had yet to show himself.


    The man seemed unreactive to the sight of this mountain of food or to the fact that it had appeared from thin air. He didn''t say a single word, neither of approval nor disapproval. Qin Yun couldn''t even read the man''s emotions from the strength he projected; such was the man''s mastery over his own strength.


    Then came mineral resources. The desert was known for its sand and stone but lacked most metal. Even with this sub-dimension opened to them, Qin Yun doubted these people had begun to mine the ground, for this simply wasn''t in their natures. Even now, Ressa''s weapons were still made of bones despite the metallic chain found at the top of the mountain of rock.


    ¡°Are you trying to buy our allegiance, young man?¡± the voice said, growing slowly sterner, yet Qin Yun didn¡¯t falter.


    He took a few steps toward it and said, "We have the same enemy. Our goals align, but if this is how you want to think about it, then yes. I want to buy your aid. Consider this a gift to show my good faith. There is also much more to come."


    The voice hesitated for a while as if pondering, and when it spoke next, it had slightly mellowed out in its aggressiveness, yet it remained just as sharp.


    ¡°Are you not afraid that we may simply capture you and take these resources for ourselves?¡±


    ¡°You may try," Qin Yun replied confidently. "However, be ready to lose more than you expect. Also, I can leave whenever I want. Even if the one sustaining this place was to sever the portal bridging the two planes, it wouldn''t be enough to confine me here. I''m not stupid enough to enter an isolated world without a plan."


    There was an uneasy silence reigning over the jungle. Even Ressa dared not utter a word, yet her glare spoke a thousand. She seemed to think of Qin Yun as a fool for saying such grandiose words, yet she had no idea that he meant every one of them.


    Should the door leading back to the desert be closed, Qin Yun would make another one. After all, he had breached the edge of the main world before. This sub-world couldn''t resist his strike.


    ¡°Alright, young man. Let¡¯s negotiate,¡± the aged voice said as he emerged from behind a large tree.

 Chapter 146 - Speaking Nothing But the Truth

    Despite the amiable words that had been spoken, Qin Yun didn''t relax a bit, for the pressure emitting from the old man''s body hadn''t diminished in any way. It wasn''t the strong coercion of qi waves striking his body like when he met a cultivator approaching the peak of the Soul Formation realm, someone like the master of Jin City, Sun Yang. It felt more like space itself bent to the old man''s every whim, like his presence alone was enough to distort reality itself.


    This old man¡¯s not to be trifled with, Qin Yun thought as he swallowed with difficulty. Despite his outward apathy, he could barely stop his body from shivering out of instinctual fear.


    He has long broken the bounds of the Soul Formation Realm. I wonder how far along the transformation he is...


    The Soul Formation realm was meant to integrate one''s complete domain into one''s soul. Once achieved, a cultivator would reach the first transformation, allowing his strength to bloom to greater heights while strengthening his connection to the Heavenly Dao even further. However, this old man had achieved this spectacular act with strength alone. He had broken the bounds of his own mortality.


    I wonder how old he truly is...


    ¡°You''ve come a long way, stranger," the old man said as he stepped away from a nearby tree, yet all that the three of them saw was reality warp from a single one of his steps as he stopped right next to Ressa, who was still bound to a tree.


    With but a touch of a finger, the chain keeping her in place snapped and fell to the ground with a clang. Neither Qin Yun nor Kerak thought about opposing the old man, for they knew they couldn''t. Qin Yun didn''t even know if he could guarantee his life should the old man prove hostile, yet he spoke with confidence.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t come here by choice,¡± he said. ¡°But, I need your help, and I can pay the price. I¡¯ve already shown you my sincerity.¡±


    "That you did," the old man said as he looked down at Ressa, but fortunately, despite being bound to the tree, she didn''t show any external wounds. All she had was frustration as she looked toward Kerak.


    "The tribe trusted you with our whereabouts, and this is how you repay us?" the old man said, addressing Kerak, yet there was nothing but disappointment in his eyes.


    Kerak felt his body rooted in place, unable to move. All he could do was utter, ¡°Elder, I...¡± but the rest was stuck in his throat, unable to be verbalized. Despite having a good reason for his actions, his shame knew no bounds, for he had betrayed their trust. He had known all along this reckoning would come.


    The old man made a palm before slamming the air that separated him from Kerak. A wave of compressed wind struck Kerak''s body so fast that he couldn''t even protect himself. All he could do was tighten his body, hoping the impact wouldn''t be enough to kill him.


    The pressure struck him square in the chest, lifting him off his feet as he was barrelled backwards until his back crashed into a giant tree, toppling it. Qin Yun had seen a mouthful of blood being ejected from Kerak¡¯s mouth at the moment of impact, yet this wouldn¡¯t be enough to permanently hurt him, for the Outsiders were known for their resilience and their immense vitality, allowing him to heal most wounds in a matter of hours. Kerak¡¯s wound wouldn¡¯t be any different. As such, Qin Yun had no intentions to help, and this caught the old man¡¯s eyes as Qin Yun had remained much too calm.


    ¡°Let this be a lesson, Young Kerak. The tribe''s laws aren''t meant to be broken lightly," the old man said before turning to face Qin Yun. "As for you, you made him bring you here, yet you show no trace of concern for him. I must say, as expected of those vile Avaads. You think of our kind as something you can use then dispose of."


    The old man paused, looking Qin Yun straight in the eyes. The pressure he exerted on his surroundings only continued to mount, and despite standing up becoming harder, Qin Yun showed no signs of weakness, yet the old man wasn''t done.


    ¡°Kerak isn¡¯t the type to ignore our laws without cause,¡± the old man added. ¡°I wonder, how did you do it? I wouldn¡¯t put it past one of those Avaads to be responsible for what happened to his clan.¡±


    ¡°Is this your kind¡¯s concept of negotiations? If so, I¡¯m not impressed,¡± Qin Yun scoffed, which prompted the old man to show but the slightest hint of emotion.


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    The pressure on Qin Yun''s body suddenly doubled, almost forcing him to take a knee, yet he resisted with all his might. He couldn''t hide his struggle anymore, as his teeth were clenched against each other, and his muscles shivered under the strain. Yet he remained upright, to Ressa''s surprise, as she watched the events, hoping for Qin Yun to get what was coming to him.


    On the other hand, the old man only showed a hint of interest, for he could see there wasn¡¯t a single ounce of qi flowing through Qin Yun¡¯s body, yet he could still fight through his pressure, something that no Avaads had done before, even those at the Soul Formation realm.


    Still, it would only be correct to say that none of those who had reached that stage would be foolish enough to delve so far out from the continent''s core where they received their strength. This was a land that cultivators had no claim over, where strength alone was law, yet Qin Yun''s strength had simply impressed the old man.


    Slowly, the pressure increased as the old man wished to probe Qin Yun¡¯s depths, wanting to know when he would buckle under the pressure. Yet, to his surprise, Qin Yun quickly acclimated to the increase.


    Despite the old man''s overwhelming strength, his control was found lacking. If one were to be judged by experience alone, Qin Yun was miles ahead of the old man. In fact, probably nobody in this world could compare to him.


    By shifting his body ever so slightly, Qin Yun found gaps within the ever-changing waves of pressure. Each time the old man breathed in, a slight negative pressure wave collided with stronger ones. This created an ever-changing field of low and high pressure, whereas by finding those low-pressure waves, Qin Yun could calculate the best way to position his body to distribute the force evenly. It was by no means simple, but as he could barely move, Qin Yun only needed to concentrate on this, which allowed him to resist much longer, even as the pressure increased.


    However, even that had its limits.


    All his muscles were tensed to their breaking point. They were almost about to snap. He could feel his blood boil inside his veins, and without the help of his qi to keep them steady, they might burst. As such, Qin Yun had no choice but to take drastic measures.


    Once again, his vitality was converted into qi. This procedure was akin to self-harm. It shaved a few months of his life for just a pocket of qi, yet this qi was like an oasis in a harsh desert. It was indispensable.


    By making those few strands of qi rotate around his lotus, Qin Yun could bring it to life. The golden characters on the bulb¡¯s surface began to shine, bathing his qi centre in a golden light with a trace of grey lost within.


    This light spread throughout his body, fighting back against the ever-encroaching pressure. The golden characters were then imprinted onto his skin and reflected into his eyes. His whole body shone with a golden light as lightning arced on his skin.


    This phenomenon lasted for but an instant before disappearing with a whimper when the small amount of qi he possessed was exhausted, yet it had the intended effect. The old man was taken aback by the change, prompting a flaw to appear in his pressure, allowing Qin Yun to retrieve his black sword from storage.


    With his sword in hand, Qin Yun could have fled, but he didn''t, for he didn''t want this trip to have been in vain. He still hoped, maybe foolishly, that these people could be reasoned with.


    ¡°Must it come down to this?¡± Qin Yun asked, holding tight to his sword.


    ¡°Of course it does," the old man said in a voice devoid of all emotions. "Our people have been persecuted by yours for who knows how long. You''ve come into our lands, killed our men, enslaved our women and children, and now you expect us to forget about it all? This grudge isn''t that easy to resolve. In the first place, if you wanted us to hear you out, you should kneel and announce your guilt."


    Ressa looked upon Qin Yun with a sneer. She couldn''t wait to see an Avaad being brought to his knee and beg for mercy. Her heart was elated at the mere thought. However, Qin Yun wouldn''t be bullied that easily.


    "Why should I?" he spat, sporting a mocking expression. "Why should the actions of others have anything to do with me? If you wish to speak of guilt, what about yours? Wars are a common occurrence throughout this continent. Which nation hasn''t had its citizens butchered by another? And yet, you people are the only ones with the gall to retaliate by seeking the world''s destruction. What about all the innocent women and children who will have to die to fulfill your perverse need to be seen as the victims? Have some shame!"


    For the first time, the old man exploded into anger. Qin Yun felt the old man''s strength grow stronger. His once slim and somewhat feeble muscles bulged to at least twice their size as grey characters appeared temporarily on his bronze skin, just long enough for the man to launch a single finger strike toward Qin Yun.


    Qin Yun''s expression darkened, and his eyes narrowed, yet he didn''t avert his gaze. He faced this maelstrom of physical force head-on. The image of that finger strike flew through the air, accompanied by such an intense pressing that space itself broke as it passed yet restored itself soon after.


    Qin Yun''s eyes were drawn to those ripples, as he could feel a strange power woven directly into the very fabric of this dimension that kept this wave of power in check, even decreasing its strength the further it travelled. Still, it wasn''t nearly enough for Qin Yun to contend against this strike. The only thing he could do to survive was to use his indestructible black sword as a shield, which was precisely what he did.


    Once the finger strike reached the black sword''s edge, it was cut in two right in the middle. With one hand held tight around the handle and the other pushing against the back of the blade, Qin Yun stood his ground despite the strain on his muscles as they screamed for release. They incessantly ruptured, only to be repaired almost immediately by the swarm of nanomachines rushing throughout his body.


    This hurricane lasted but an instant, yet to Qin Yun, it seemed like an eternity. Countless cuts appeared on his skin, drenching his clothes in blood, only to be healed. Yet the wind picked up this blood, creating a red gale that flew past Qin Yun and into the jungle.


    It was a macabre experience for all those involved, so much so that Kerak feared the worst, thinking that Qin Yun had perished in a red mist. Yet, he couldn''t help but be stunned when the wind receded, and he saw Qin Yun standing in the same place, feet anchored to the ground, holding his black sword in front of him. He looked ghastly, yet he was still alive.


    ¡°The truth hurts, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Qin Yun said with a slight smile.

 Chapter 147 - Personification of a Myth

    ¡°What would you even know, youngster? You weren¡¯t even born when I watched many of our tribes being cut down like insects while you bask in the protection of this biased world. How much more should we suffer by your hands? The Avaads¡¯ very existence is proof of their guilt!¡±


    ¡°Oh, please. Get off your high horse. You''re far from the only ones who suffered," Qin Yun said as he used his blade to prop himself up.


    His whole body was bloody, yet the wounds were quickly closing. His ragged breath was swiftly stabilizing, and the pain receded, allowing him to rise to his full height again. He held his sword to the side, yet it still rested firmly in his hand.


    ¡°I may not know the depths of your grievances, but I know enough to say that if this conflict doesn¡¯t end, the world, in its entirety, will have to pay the price. Not even this sub-dimension will be exempt from the consequence,¡± Qin Yun added.


    No matter how isolated this plane was from the main world, they couldn''t deny that its entrance was inexorably linked to it. If the main world were to collapse, so would this one, unless the one that had created it could break the bounds of the Heavenly Dao.


    Sadly, it could not. Qin Yun had already verified this. When the old man struck, he saw ripples spread through space, mitigating his strike. This was what allowed Qin Yun to survive with minimal injury.


    Qin Yun knew the old man wouldn''t simply kill him, no matter how enraged he might seem, yet this wouldn''t stop the old man from crippling him. Qin Yun had been ready to lose a limb or two, yet the sub-dimension creator''s intervention was a surprise, but it also proved Qin Yun''s doubts.


    This dimension couldn''t even contain the strike of the Soul Formation cultivator, much less one at the First Transformation. Had the old man not pulled his punches, the dimension would have shattered entirely. In its current state, there would be no way for it to survive the collapse of the main one.


    ¡°You may think your god will bring upon you a new world, but are you truly willing to take the chance?" Qin Yun said again, looking slightly smug despite how battered he looked.


    ¡°Enough of your blasphemy!¡± Ressa yelled. ¡°You know nothing of our beliefs! We may have been exiled from the rest of the tribes, but that doesn¡¯t mean we have turned our back on the cause!¡±


    ¡°However, the elder doesn¡¯t seem to share your optimism,¡± Qin Yun replied with a smile.


    The old man''s expression, despite not being very expressive, looked much more complicated. An almost imperceptible frown was on his face as he looked back toward Qin Yun.


    ¡°How much do you truly know?¡± the old man said softly, yet each word was said with an uncanny intensity, almost as if to pry the answer right out of Qin Yun. However, there was no need for it all, as Qin Yun was all too ready to give it to him.


    "Enough to know what will happen once the Great Barrier falls," he said. "The Heavenly Dao does not need a world on the brink of ruin. If it feels that the Well of Souls may come under attack by the Corruption and deems the situation is beyond saving, it will simply reset everything."


    "What do you mean by that?" Kerak said as he finally rose from the remains of the tree that cushioned the impact. There was the deep imprint of a palm on his chest, but other than that and shortness of breath, Kerak didn''t look that injured. A few moments of rest was enough for him to regain some mobility.


    "Exactly what I said," Qin Yun repeated. "The world administrator would rather let it burn in cleansing flames than let it fall in the hands of your lot and the Encroaching Corruption. There was no way for your wish to be granted from the start. The Corruption only gave you false hope."


    Kerak''s expression fell. While he didn''t fully trust Qin Yun''s words, he had been beside the man long enough to know that his words held an ounce of truth. Still, the mere mention of it all couldn''t help but bring him close to a pit of despair, barely able to extirpate himself from it.


    Ressa was in complete denial. She only scoffed at his words, thinking of them as the words of a madman, yet her entire demeanour wholly changed once she noticed that the old man didn''t share her derision. He looked towards Qin Yun with a solemn expression.


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    ¡°Those aren¡¯t words to be said lightly,¡± the old man finally said. ¡°What evidence could you possibly bring forth to corroborate them. Know that any deceit on your part will be met with lethal means. One does not simply mock our god and get away with it.¡±


    The tension was at its highest. Kerak could even feel a murderous intent being spilled out of the old man''s eyes, so much so that he could barely look at him. Qin Yun felt the same but magnified by an order of ten. If not for his extreme familiarity with the concept of intent, Qin Yun would already be sprawled on the ground while foaming at the mouth. Such was the murderous intent aimed toward him.


    However, Qin Yun knew this was just the old man''s posturing.


    ¡°I have no need to show you evidence. You have already witnessed the best proof of it all,¡± Qin Yun said confidently.


    Both Kerak and Ressa were utterly taken aback, unable to recall when he had done so. Ressa even thought Qin Yun was just buying time through any means possible, knowing he had no such evidence. Yet, the old man''s expression made her reconsider, for it was much less assured than it first was. In fact, he looked utterly conflicted.


    ¡°You claim to be ancient. Surely you recognize the signs?" Qin Yun added.


    The old man''s expression grew increasingly sombre, prompting Kerak and Ressa to grow uneasy. They silently waited for his response, yet what they heard left them stunned.


    "It would be hard not to recognize the tribulation, yet how can a youngster like you possibly wield it? You are far from strong enough," the old man replied slowly, barely believing his own words, yet Qin Yun''s smile grew wider, for he knew he was close to what he had hoped for.


    ¡°You¡¯re right that I shouldn¡¯t be able to resist the tribulation, but that¡¯s only assuming it has the intent to resist. Besides, I do not control it. The most I can do is unleash it.¡±


    The old man''s pupils visibly dilated as realization came to mind. He could scarcely believe his eyes, yet the proof had already been shown.


    "So, you''re its champion, then," the old man said. Have you come in its stead to pass judgment on us?"


    ¡°This judgment isn''t mine to pass, so why should I care?" Qin Yun shrugged. "I told you my reasons for being here already. I need your tribe''s help, and in doing so, you might redeem yourself in its eyes."


    Qin Yun was talking out of his ass, knowing full well what awaited these outsiders should the Heavenly Dao triumph against the Corruption. They were traitors to the realm, having chosen to side with an invader once their land had been taken from them. Still, these people were worthy of pity, for their ancestors had chosen to go down this path, and they were already too deep to turn back now.


    But maybe it wouldn¡¯t be too late for this tribe. If they were to fulfill Qin Yun¡¯s goal, he may be inclined to plead on their behalf, if the Heavenly Dao was even inclined to listen to him in the first place.


    Still, Ressa had a rather important question.


    ¡°Grandpa, what do you mean ¡®Champion?¡¯¡±


    Kerak also waited anxiously for the answer, as it was rather important. He had had many questions about Qin Yun from the start yet had voiced none. However, if he could get some answers to alleviate his doubt, Kerak wouldn''t dare miss them.


    "The Heavenly Dao''s Champions appeared long ago in one of our kind''s prophecies," the old man began. "It stated that when the Heavenly Dao found itself at a loss, with its demise imminent, special existences would be born across the land, carrying its favour. They were said to be nigh unkillable, possessing immeasurable providence and talent. They would rise high above their peers, becoming paragons of strength. Their paths would be smooth, and they would not encounter the slightest obstacle. If they did, it would resolve itself until the day they reached their peaks, only to be thrust into battle as the world''s agent, possessing both authority and the world''s reverence. It was supposed to be a myth, yet you still stand before me with your pitiful strength, which seems proof enough."


    Both Ressa and Kerak looked at Qin Yun as if observing a rare specimen, but, on the other hand, Qin Yun couldn''t help but chuckle.


    "You make it sound as if I''m some mythological creature. Truth be told, champions or whatever aren''t so rare. Some are propped up and discarded for the most asinine reasons, never to feel the glory promised to them, while others never even knew what they were. This world is a lot more ruthless than many would believe. My case is slightly different, however. If given the chance, I wouldn''t even want to be here, yet I also cannot allow this world to crumble. We are both stuck between a rock and a hard place, but unfortunately, one of us must yield."


    Qin Yun hardened his gaze as he looked back at the old man. At first, Qin Yun could see uneasiness in the old man''s eye, yet it seemed far from enough to change his mind. While it was already a great boon for the man to listen to this extent, Qin Yun knew this alone would be far from enough to erase eons of mistreatment at the hand of the one Qin Yun wanted them to now help. This was an uphill battle, yet the first fight was already halfway won.


    ¡°It''s not enough," the man said. "I may believe you are a champion, but this alone isn''t enough to entrust the fate of my tribe to it. Even if you could negotiate in our favour, opposing the rest of the tribes is nothing but a death sentence."


    ¡°Surely, for a man of your strength, it shouldn¡¯t pose too much of a problem.¡±


    ¡°What do you know?" the old man scoffed. "I cannot even be considered within the top ten in strength within the tribes. The only reason the Great Barrier still stands is because the Heavenly Dao won''t allow us near it. Otherwise, we would have already invaded your lands and slaughtered your people."


    Not likely, Qin Yun thought. They may be able to run wild within the Outer Region, but once they reach the boundary of the inner one, they would have been slaughtered like cattle. They don''t know of the horrors of what lay within the continent''s core.


    "So, you''ve chosen to bide your time here until your very existence fades from people''s consciousness, but how long can you all last?" Qin Yun asked. "How long until this dimension collapses on itself and you are forced to return to a world where everyone you know is hostile? Won''t you take a chance with me or fade into obscurity? Your choice."


    ¡°Give me one reason why I should believe you?¡± the old man said after a long silence.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but smile, for he had been bidding his time for just this one moment just to turn the tide with a single action. From the confines of his black box, Qin Yun retrieved a single leather pouch. It was an ordinary brown bag, except for one single thing. A significant character was prominently shown on the leather, prompting the old man''s gaze to grow astonished, for he had recognized it.


    This was Nalia''s emblem, the same outsider woman that had given him this map when he had left the fortress, the Main Tribe''s Little Princess.

 Chapter 148 - The Heavens Grand Design

    ¡°Why do you have this?¡± the old man asked.


    There was a deep frown on his face, filled with doubts and uncertainty. Never had he expected to witness this symbol after so long, much less from the hands of a foreigner. However, there was no way for it to be fake, as its shine was all that was needed to verify its authenticity.


    "She gave it to me. Why else would I have this?" Qin Yun replied rather smugly. He couldn''t help but revel in the awkwardness this prompted in the old man. Still, he knew not to push his luck. The fact that he was willing to listen was already more than enough.


    "What''s this?" Ressa asked, completely lost, but the old man ignored her. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Kerak, expecting an answer out of him, and Kerak didn''t disappoint. He nodded with a look of deep seriousness.


    The old man''s expression twisted between doubt and relief, mostly likely relieved to know she was still alive. However, this news didn''t seem enough to tip the scale in Qin Yun''s favour. This grudge between the two people seemed too deep to be erased that easily, yet the worst had passed. Qin Yun opted to push slightly further.


    ¡°She gave me this when I told her I would seek the World''s Edge," Qin Yun added, only for the old man to frown even more. However, his pressure had almost wholly receded, making Qin Yun utter a nearly imperceptible sigh of relief.


    "What did she say? Please be precise," the old man asked, but his tone was much more respectful this time. There was no further trace of the disdain he had first manifested,


    Qin Yun slowly relayed the events between them, from when they met in her bar to when the Outsiders first attacked, and until he arrived in this sub-dimension to face the old elder. Of course, he omitted some of the more sensitive information concerning the Great Barrier, such as the change in its guardian. This wasn''t something the Outsiders should know.


    After hearing Qin Yun''s tale, the old man began to ponder silently, leaving the three youngsters with their own thoughts. Ressa looked just as hostile as before, which took Qin Yun slightly aback.


    ¡°Has she never met Nalia before?¡± Qin Yun asked Kerak, yet the man only shook his head.


    ¡°She was much too young when we lost her,¡± he said. ¡°She may have some vague recollection, but for the most part, she has probably forgotten all about her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me as if I¡¯m not here!¡± Ressa snapped. ¡°Who the hell is she supposed to be, anyway?¡±


    ¡°A Priestess of the Old Gods, but also a prophet,¡± the old man said, having reached a decision.


    "Old gods?" Qin Yun asked, slightly intrigued. "I assume you''re not talking about the Encroaching Corruption but something that precedes it."


    The old man looked conflicted when looking toward Qin Yun but soon sighed and relented. He murmured something almost inaudible, yet Qin Yun could only make out parts of it, something about fate and destiny, but he soon lost interest. He felt much more drawn to this mention of Old Gods.


    According to the old man, long before Corruption was even a thing and the desert took over the land, this place was a lush valley nestled between mountain ranges, and their people worshipped living gods.


    These gods taught them to survive, and they presented them with boons in exchange for their faith. The power of prophecy was one such boon. However, when the war between the world and Corruption began, these gods left their people behind, and these boons vanished alongside them, except for the rare chance that they might reappear in their progeny. Only a few times in their entire history did the power of prophecy reemerge, and Nalia was one of them.


    "Surprisingly, this power only appears in women. That''s why we call them Priestesses of the Old Gods," the old man finally said.


    Sounds an awful lot like the Power of Faith. Did these Old Gods cultivate the Dao of Faith and Worship? As far as I know, this should have been a Heretical Dao, forbidden by the Heavens for its immense power.


    The Dao of Faith allowed cultivators to absorb a hint of the fervour displayed by their believers, allowing them to rise without much effort. One needed only to increase the number of believers for one¡¯s strength to rise. It was only limited by population.


    Qin Yun couldn''t help but smile, knowing how broken this Dao was.


    No wonder the Heavenly Dao wouldn''t let anyone cultivate the Dao of Faith. After all, a portion of the Heavenly Dao''s strength comes from the Power of


    Faith! It wouldn''t allow someone else to compete against it.


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    The upper echelon of the cultivation world long knew that the Heavenly Dao was granted strength by those who lived in the world it created. At the moment of their deaths, their souls would be recycled in the Well of Souls, and the strength they had accumulated throughout their lives would be stripped away, only to start anew in a new life.


    This strength would then be absorbed by the Heavens, sustaining the world they lived in. The Heavens gave all life the means to cultivate, and then cultivators used their gifts to take from the world, only to give it back at the moment of their deaths, creating a circle of power sustaining the world. However, the Power of Faith changed it all.


    Through displays of power by the Heavens, the Heavenly Dao instilled a primordial fear and reverence in all living beings, prompting them to worship the Heavens as if a god, giving it even more strength. It was a well-thought-out system meant to elevate the world to greater heights. It would have done so eventually if it had not been for the arrival of Corruption.


    It wasn''t as simple as a struggle for supremacy. The Corruption''s mere existence took away most of the Heavenly Dao''s leeway in fostering this faith and reverence. In recent years, it seldom manifested itself as it simply couldn¡¯t spare the strength needed to keep the Corruption at bay, leaving some of the newer cultivators to even doubt its existence in the first place.


    This all led to a downward spiral that might culminate in the eradication of the Heavenly Dao by Corruption.


    This should be the primary reason for creating champions, Qin Yun thought, his pupils slightly dilating as he came to this sudden realization. By showing the world the boons and providence they received from the world, champions would spread the news of the Heavenly Dao''s reemergence, prompting a new wave of faith and worship to spread throughout the cultivation world, boosting its strength. Cultivators wouldn''t hesitate to bow to it if it meant for their strength and status to increase.


    Qin Yun was in awe of the Heavenly Dao¡¯s Grand Plan.


    ¡°If she¡¯s so important, why did she give her emblem to a foreigner?¡± Ressa asked, confused.


    ¡°She probably had no other choice," Kerak answered. "From what he told me, she is currently in exile within the Fortress. She probably saw a future in which this man''s action would grant her the result she wished to see."


    Ressa nodded, yet her doubts and suspicion remained. On the other hand, Qin Yun couldn¡¯t have cared less about her, for it was only this old man whose opinion truly mattered.


    ¡°Whatever she saw, it¡¯s not going to change the help I require from you,¡± Qin Yun said.


    "And, what would that be?" the old man replied. He was now much calmer, yet Qin Yun could still see that he was somewhat distrustful of him. At least his hostility had decreased substantially.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing too difficult,¡± Qin Yun began. ¡°I only need time. I need your tribe to delay the new assault on the Fortress long enough to allow them to prepare for it. I do not know how long they need, but the longer, the better.¡±


    "You''re asking for much, young man," the old man said with a frown. "Breaking past the Great Barrier has been a long-held wish of our people. Trying to impede this endeavour would be seen as treason by all the tribes."


    "There''s no need to do so so openly," Qin Yun said with a mischievous smile. "I''m sure you''ve heard rumours of attacks against the smaller tribes, right? Kerak''s tribe couldn''t have been the only ones to suffer such tragedies; surely, there must have been others. My guess is the ruling tribe is trying to snuff out dissent before they commit to the next offensive, trying to consolidate power. My advice is to reach out to those tribes and offer them resources and aid so that they become thorns in their sides. There''s no need to oppose them directly. Harassing them is enough."


    The old man remained silent, pondering. Qin Yun''s words did hold some truth to them. They had already been attacked once, and there was no telling when they would come again, this time with much more force behind them.


    They were still safe as long as that sub-dimension remained, but there was no telling how long it would last. Still, this was a gamble that could put the entirety of the tribe in jeopardy. The old man couldn¡¯t make that decision lightly. He needed something more.


    ¡°These alone aren''t nearly enough for your purpose, young man," he said. "At most, it might give the Barrier a couple of months. Many tribes won''t move against the ruling tribe for so little."


    ¡°I know,¡± Qin Yun replied with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s why I said this was just the start.¡±


    He then reached back into his storage and retrieved ten black rings the size of his wrist. There was a slit in each ring, allowing it to be worn on the wrist. The old man couldn''t help but frown as he felt space fluctuations radiate from those rings, disturbing the very fabric of this sub-dimension. However, it only lasted for a fraction of a second and then stopped, almost as if reality itself acclimated to their existence.


    ¡°Each bracelet contains over ten times the amount I showed you previously,¡± Qin Yun added. ¡°With this, it should be more than enough resources for you to last a couple of years.¡±


    ¡°Who are you among the Avaads?¡± the old man asked, his face filled with suspicion. ¡°Not just anyone can possess this amount of resources, much less these rings...¡±


    The old man had every right to be suspicious. Ordinary spatial rings used qi to warp space and open a sub-dimension for storage, yet they could only be maintained with the aid of qi. However, these bracelets were different. The material from which they were crafted contained the rule of space, allowing them to be used in an environment barren of all qi, perfect for this harsh desert.


    Qin Yun had spent most of the fortune he had acquired from the Lian clan to buy the material for those rings and the rest on the food and resources contained within. He was now completely broke, yet it was well worth it if his riches could buy the world a couple more years.


    ¡°Think nothing of it,¡± Qin Yun said. ¡°This amount of food isn¡¯t worth much on the other side of the Barrier.¡±


    What he said was the truth. Although it was enough food to feed a small country for over ten years, it was almost worthless to a cultivator. Just a couple dozen spirit crystals was enough to buy it all.


    ¡°Why should we even go along with this? Instead, we should aid them in breaking the Barrier and reclaim our land!¡± Ressa snapped as she watched the elder waver when faced with the ten dark bracelets now in his hands.


    Since young, she had been taught of the atrocities their tribe had suffered at the hands of the Avaads. Her pride simply wouldn¡¯t let her bow to them. However, Qin Yun knew how to reply.


    ¡°You don''t really have a choice," he said. The ruling tribe attacked you once and will do so again. They may save you for last, but you cannot escape them. This confrontation is inevitable; it is better to do so with a few allies than alone. As for breaching the Great Barrier, you should forget about it. I told you before, but if the Heavenly Dao deems the situation unsalvageable, it may just eradicate the land itself and start anew."

 Chapter 149 - The Oncoming Dread

    ¡°Grandpa! Are you really going to trust an Avaad?¡±


    Qin Yun couldn''t comprehend what made her so mad. While he understood the friction between their two races, this was much more than that. It was personal. Still, he couldn''t just come out and ask for fear of worsening the current situation. He could see the old man was receptive to what he offered.


    "Enough!" the old man said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "While in the presence of others, you will observe proper decorum and calm me, elder. Is that clear?"


    The old man''s tone was stern, yet Qin Yun could feel the softness hidden beneath. Besides, the man''s eyes barely hid the affection with which he gazed at the young woman. However, she was too taken by her emotions to notice. She opened her mouth to protest, yet the old man was quicker.


    ¡°Is that understood, young lady?!¡± the man said rather harshly.


    She slowly nodded, yet Qin Yun saw tears welling in the corner of her eyes. Her visage had turned slightly red, and she had bitten her lips hard enough to leave a mark. She threw Qin Yun a look he could hardly forget before storming off the other way, disappearing into the lush jungle.


    ¡°Do not mind her. Your presence only brought bitter memories to the surface. Give her some time, and she''ll understand the necessity," the man said to Qin Yun.


    Qin Yun nodded, yet he was mostly uninterested in her story, as it was most likely all too common. These types of outbursts were often the result of repressed emotions bubbling to the surface born out of loss¡ªand losses were all too common in wartime. However, something the old man had said piqued his interest.


    ¡°Necessity?¡± he asked. ¡°Are you agreeing to the terms?¡±


    Qin Yun grew slightly hopeful. While the negotiations hadn''t been as easy as he once thought, they mainly went as he expected. Fortunately, he had encountered someone who could think rationally and wasn''t completely blinded by past hatred. However, the old man''s answer wasn''t exactly what Qin Yun had hoped for.


    "Do not get excited," he said. "This isn''t something I can decide on my own. I need to report this to the Council of Elders to be put to a vote, for this concerns the very future of this land. I couldn''t possibly take responsibility for this alone."


    Qin Yun understood, yet he couldn''t help but show his disappointment. Still, he urged the man to do so with haste, as he had already wasted enough time reaching them. If they were to delay further, there was no telling if many tribes would remain to oppose the ruling one.


    As Qin Yun was a foreigner in these lands, he wasn''t allowed to follow them further and couldn''t even remain within this sub-dimension. While he wasn''t exactly thrown out, the man had made it clear that he wasn''t welcome in these isolated lands. Even if they were to work together on this endeavour, that would be the extent of their relationship, for the other tribes couldn''t know where these resources came from.


    Qin Yun¡¯s contribution to this cause would have to remain hidden, but honestly, that suited him just fine. He had no intention of playing the hero. He was merely forced to walk this path by an entity he couldn¡¯t oppose just yet. Given the chance, he wouldn¡¯t have left his wife behind and embarked on this foolish quest. It had been just a couple of months, yet he already missed her so.


    Qin Yun was alone for the first time in a while, seated beside the sheer cliff that overlooked the dry desert. Behind him was the same rock that served as a portal to that isolated dimension. When he left, he had tried to reenter, yet he had been denied. No matter how strongly he pushed where he remembered the portal to be, his hands couldn''t plunge in more than a few centimetres.


    The existence sustaining that world now rejected him. So, he waited¡ªwaited for them to reach a consensus. He remained seated for over a day and night, never rising as he looked into the distance.


    As a token of his trust and to prove his commitment, Qin Yun had left the ten dark bracelets with the old man. Upon seeing them, they may choose to keep them and rid themselves of Qin Yun, but that was a risk he was willing to take. Besides, if the old man wished to rob him, Qin Yun had no way to defend himself.


    Even if he had once said he could escape from that place, it was at most a half-truth. Yes, he could have left by piercing a hole through that dimension with his sword intent and left, but he would have surely been caught just as soon by the old man. This whole thing was just one big gamble, yet it paid off.


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    I guess it was worth it to believe Nalia wouldn''t have given me her emblem if they were simply going to kill me on the spot. Still, I hope they make the right choice in the end.


    Qin Yun was looking towards the West, following the massive flowing river with his eyes, but despite his current height, he had yet to see the edge. There was only sand as far as the eye could see. There were still a few oases on the way, yet all signs of life disappeared past a certain point. This seemed to be the edge of the deep desert where he intended to go.


    But then, he saw something shimmer in the distance. At first, he believed this to be heat radiating from the desert sand as it was burned by the sun¡¯s intense glow. But, as he squinted further, enhancing his sight with all he could, he finally saw the origin of this motion against the peacefulness of this desolation.


    It wasn''t the breeze rushing through the dunes but the signs of a living being rampaging through the desert. It was massive, easily the most enormous creature Qin Yun had seen roam this land. From head to tail, it was at least a few miles in length, with a maw able to at least engulf the giant rock mountain he now stood on.


    This creature was an impossibility taken form, for nothing in the deep desert should be able to sustain its existence. No amount of food would be enough for the furnace, which was this creature''s metabolism. And yet, its existence was a fact, just as the sun shone overhead. Qin Yun couldn''t deny what his eyes could see.


    This was most likely the giant sandworm Kerak had mentioned when they spoke of the two ancient artifacts made of sandworm teeth. Having now seen it, even from this distance, Qin Yun couldn''t help but be in awe. Even a simple swipe of its tail was enough to bring mountains crashing down. The simplest of wriggles of its body as it dragged itself through the desert was enough to create rains of sand for a few miles around, creating unending dust storms each time it exhaled from its gaping maw.


    Such a force of nature, and it has yet to breach the divine threshold...


    Indeed, this creature had yet to take that final step and was still bound by the world. It made sense. One needed the world''s approval to reach that step, yet it existed in a dead zone where nothing grew but the Corruption lingering in the air. Without going further inland, this creature would never have the chance to break the chains of its own mortality.


    Why doesn''t it do so? What is keeping it there? Does it believe the world isn''t ready to grant its wish, or has it lived too long already and found its consciousness eroded by time? One may never know... It seems to only wander away without purpose... or is there one?


    As Qin Yun pondered all this, trying to pass the time, the giant worm returned underground. It created an explosion that rose so high into the sky that it resembled clouds, only to fall back down like rain.


    Despite the distance, Qin Yun felt the explosion''s shock wave reach him a few minutes later, along with its sound. A low note rang in his ears, akin to thunder after a flash of light and then silence. Only the dull sound of the wind striking against the rock mountain remained.


    "Have they reached a consensus?" Qin Yun asked without turning around, as he felt a presence at his back. This presence suddenly appeared from thin air, making the hidden portal the only possible origin.


    Kerak walked from behind him, only to take his place at his side. He squinted as he looked in the distance, as Qin Yun did, yet he saw nothing but sand stretch on for hundreds of miles. He only sighed as he gazed at the vastness of it all.


    ¡°They are still deliberating, but from what I¡¯ve seen, the tribe seems most uneasy. Rumours of fallen tribes have already reached the exiles,¡± he replied.


    "So, as expected, they have spies all across the desert," Qin Yun said, giving Kerak a knowing look. The man could only give him back a wry smile, for he couldn''t hide anything from him.


    ¡°Forgive me for keeping it a secret. This isn¡¯t something I could share with a foreigner.¡±


    ¡°Were you one?¡± Qin Yun asked, yet he did so dismissively, almost as if the answer didn¡¯t matter.


    Upon hearing his question, Kerak could only lower his gaze. As for what went on through his mind then, Qin Yun didn''t know, nor did he care, for the answer was obvious. For him to be the only one who survived such a massacre and return alone when no one else did, he was either aware of what was happening to a certain extent, or everything was just a big coincidence, and Qin Yun seldom believed in coincidences.


    After a long pause, Kerak opted to ask a question.


    "If they agree to your terms, what then? Will you also participate in it?"


    ¡°You mean this conflict?¡± Qin Yun shrugged as he faced the young man. ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less who wins or loses, whether my people or yours. It makes no difference to me. I only want to secure this world¡¯s continued existence. As long as the Corruption isn¡¯t eradicated, the threat of world destruction will always remain, so I hope to find a way to purge it, and if it can¡¯t be done, at least seal it.¡±


    ¡°You hope to do something that not even the will of this world could achieve? You seem to think highly of yourself,¡± the man said derisively.


    Yet Qin Yun only returned him a smile and a chuckle, for he knew how insane it must have sounded. Kerak, too, burst into unbridled laughter, for he too knew how absurd it was, yet he knew it needed to be done. He didn''t know if everything Qin Yun had told him was true, yet he somehow felt it was. It was merely a feeling, an instinct, yet it felt too real to ignore.


    "So, tell me. You said you wish to journey to the World''s Edge. What are you hoping to find? We probably won''t see each other again, so it should be fine to tell me, right?"


    Qin Yun hesitated momentarily. He hadn''t known the young man for long, yet some sort of camaraderie had been born between them. Despite being from two entirely different worlds, supposed enemies, they were able to talk as if no barriers existed between them.


    ¡°If you must know," Qin Yun relented. "They call it the World''s Edge, but is it really? What if there exists something beyond¡ª a world engulfed by Corruption so long ago that no one even remembers anymore? What if we are just the last island free from its grasp, yet soon to be inevitably consumed¡ªthe last bastion of life free from its tyranny. This is what I must ascertain."


    Qin Yun looked closely at Kerak¡¯s change in expression. It shifted swiftly between surprise and disbelief, but after a long, peaceful moment where all that could be heard was the wind, all that remained was dread.

 Chapter 150 - An Ancient Rivers Dying Throes

    It took another full day for the Exiles to reach a consensus. From what Qin Yun could piece together from what he was told, his offer had created a three-way divide within the tribe. A nontrivial number of them had already realized the threat the Ruling Tribe posed and were in accord with Qin Yun''s plan. They believed this to be the best way to navigate these uncertain times, as food and water had always been their foremost worries.


    A slightly smaller contingent believed in isolationism. They had faith in this sub-dimension to always offer the protection needed to live in peace away from the struggles of the other tribes. They were even in denial that this dimension wouldn''t last forever. They believed that if they did nothing, the Ruling Tribe would soon forget about them, allowing them to live peacefully. However, to Qin Yun, that was nothing but wishful thinking, and the old elder did think the same.


    The last group was by far the minority yet also the most vocal. Their thinking resembled that of the isolationist group, yet they wanted to take it further. Qin Yun''s resources were too attractive to let them go to waste. They even devised a plan to rid themselves of him just to keep it all to themselves.


    However, their plot was over before it even started. The leaders of the two other groups were all too aware of the conspiracy and had crushed it without Qin Yun ever being aware of what was transpiring.


    All in all, these two days had brought much conflict to the tribe, the first in a long time. So much so that their leader had to step forward to keep the peace. As for what they did, Qin Yun wasn''t told the details; they just broke the stalemate and chose to side with him.


    ¡°Should I give them my thanks?¡± Qin Yun asked the messenger as Kerak stood next to him.


    ¡°No need," the burly man said. "Our leader believes your involvement within the tribe has been destabilizing enough. They assure you that the terms attached to this gift will be upheld, for this is in the best interest of the tribe. However, they also advise you to leave as soon as possible."


    Qin Yun showed no reaction, for this was expected, yet Kerak couldn''t help but show his displeasure. He opened his mouth to say something, yet Qin Yun promptly stopped him.


    ¡°Let it be,¡± he said. ¡°I understand the optics here. The tribe cannot be seen fraternizing with a foreigner. Besides, I don¡¯t have the time to be lingering here any longer. Tell your leader I appreciate the warning.¡±


    The burly man nodded before rushing back into the portal. Qin Yun turned back to gaze at the western end of the desert, only for Kerak to gaze alongside him.


    ¡°So, you''re leaving things as they are?" he said. "Aren''t you worried they might not keep their word?"


    ¡°So what if they don¡¯t?¡± Qin Yun scoffed. ¡°With my strength, what could I possibly do to stop them? This was a gamble from the start. What I can do is strictly limited.¡±


    ¡°But what about the princess¡¯ prophecy? Doesn¡¯t it count for something?¡±


    "I am unsure of what she saw, but that doesn''t matter," Qin Yun said dismissively. "I don''t really care to know the future because it wouldn''t change my choice. How could one mortal possibly make a difference when the world itself is unable to?"


    Kerak remained silent, feeling his own powerlessness. The image of his dead tribe members lying motionless on the dry sand flashed in his mind as a flood of repressed emotions reemerged. His guilt couldn¡¯t help but spur him on, even if he might suffer the ultimate consequences for it. Even if told otherwise, Kerak knew he wouldn¡¯t stop¡ªhe couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°So, you''re really going?" Kerak said, looking toward the west, where all signs of life disappeared among the sand dunes.


    ¡°I don''t have a choice," Qin Yun replied. "I must ascertain the truth. I must know if the possibility of saving this world still exists or if it''s all in vain¡ªthe dying woes of a doomed world. What about you? I guess you''ll stay here and fight, won''t you?"


    Kerak smiled, yet it was a smile filled with sadness and frustration. This would be a long, protracted war against his own people. Although the conflict wouldn''t be a direct one, blood would still flow endlessly, dyeing the sand, and yet, it was inevitable, for the Ruling Tribe already wished for it.


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    Kerak had no idea why they would go this far, but the reports of the various spies they had within the countless tribes all corroborated one thing. Qin Yun was right in his assessment. A purge was incoming, and this was the decisive factor for them to reach a consensus.


    ¡°So this is goodbye...¡± Kerak said rather solemnly. ¡°If someone had told me I would be reluctant to part with a foreigner, I would have surely punched them in the face. Such a thing would have been inconceivable just a few months earlier, yet here I am.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please...¡± Qin Yun shook his head. ¡°Find yourself a wife if you wish to be sentimental. I¡¯m so far from interested.¡±


    Kerak jerked his head to the side, feeling slightly stunned by Qin Yun¡¯s words, yet all he saw was a mischievous smile on Qin Yun¡¯s lips just before he leapt for the ledge of this rock mountain, leaving Kerak alone at the top.


    Less than a few seconds later, a few explosions of sounds rang in the air, and then a shower of sand bloomed almost halfway up the mountain before falling back down like rain. In its core was Qin Yun, unharmed as he walked away without looking back.


    He had skilfully slowed his fall by pushing off the rock wall three different times before finally reaching the ground. His final speed had been slightly too high, prompting his legs to bear the brunt of the impact, yet the minute injuries he suffered were quickly healed by the rush of the machines now in his bloodstream.


    Surprisingly, he had yet to feel the backlash of their existence from the world. It may be because the Heavenly Dao''s influence there was too thin to amount to anything, or it may be that it approved of Qin Yun''s use for them. There was no way for him to truly know, only that it was fine for now.


    Without so much as a look back nor any word of farewell, Qin Yun rushed into the distance, leaving only a rain of sand in his wake with each decisive step he took. The last Kerak saw of him was Qin Yun raising his right arm in the air, waving it back and forth, only to disappear behind the dunes.


    Kerak remained still for a while longer, sighed loudly, and turned around to return to the hidden dimension. There was much work to be done. Their rebellion was only beginning, but they now had a fighting chance.


    ******


    It had been a week since they parted ways. Qin Yun relentlessly ran upon the soft sand, following the river''s edge separating the two regions. He stopped barely enough to catch a quick nap, just enough to allow his brain to refresh itself.


    As for fatigue, Qin Yun ignored it. The machines he had acquired were a good substitute for rest, allowing him to keep running constantly. He only had to make sure to fuel them appropriately. Almost every waking moment was spent eating something, trying to fuel the furnace that was now his body.


    Fortunately, he had kept a massive amount of food on him. He may have pointed out that he had spent his fortune on these ten bracelets, which was the truth, but only what he had acquired in this life. He still had many lifetimes of resources safely tucked away within the black box, waiting only for him to need them. Still, using so much of his reserves at once couldn''t help but leave him regretful. He was a hoarder by nature.


    Qin Yun had traversed much more distance in only seven days than in the last month. Such were the perks of travelling alone, unhindered by the bounds of the flesh. Still, he already couldn''t wait to be at his destination.


    On his journey following the flowing water, Qin Yun encountered oasis after oasis, yet not many had been populated. Of those that were, they were barely big enough to accommodate only more than a few dozen, far from enough for a whole tribe. Those people were mainly criminals exiled from their respective tribes, forced to live the rest of their lives on the edge.


    Those oases slowly dwindled as he went on, becoming far from enough for humans to live on. He only saw the rare bird refresh itself on the sparse water before continuing their journey to another one, just a rest stop amidst the desert.


    After a week of travel, Qin Yun finally reached the edge of the deep desert. The large river that once ran to the southwest was now a shadow of its former self. With but a single leap, Qin Yun could easily reach the other shore, stepping into the Southern Desolate, but he had no intentions of doing so, for the sight was even more revolting than these dry piles of sand stretching on as if to infinity.


    While he had yet to see the Corruption take over the Western Desolate, as there was almost no life to encroach upon, the same couldn''t be said for the southern one. Last he saw, the Southern Desolate was a large jungle without end. Just standing near its edge, Qin Yun could feel the intense humidity in the wind as it struck his face, only to disappear into the desert.


    Qin Yun found this interaction peculiar, for with the amount of water being so close, Qin Yun had yet to see a single cloud cross the river''s boundary and step onto this barren sky. It was most disturbing.


    Yet, the worst wasn''t the peculiar climate but the sight he had seen along the way as he travelled toward the edge. When he met the Exiles, Qin Yun had noticed the verdant lushness of that jungle from across the water. It was a deep green, and despite not hearing any sounds of animals from that distance, it seemed to be blooming with life. But now, things weren''t so.


    As he progressed, Qin Yun had seen green slowly turn to grey. Once upon a time, he could recognize the specific flora, even recalling their names, but now, nothing was familiar. Every species of plant had been transformed beyond recognition, becoming grey caricatures of their former selves. This garden filled with life had become a true representation of its name: the Southern Desolate.


    Standing across the water, Qin Yun could feel the stench of decay coming from the other shore. The plants were twisted beyond belief, some becoming tendrils Qin Yun could recognize anywhere. From a mere look, Qin Yun also felt the erosion of the mind he had once experienced back in Jin City when he punctured the sky.


    The Southern Desolate was already beyond hope. Even if sentient creatures could survive this Corruption, there was no telling what they might become. Fortunately, its spread hadn''t reached its own equivalent of the Great Barrier yet, for everything had yet to turn completely grey.


    After one last look, Qin Yun followed the river further. It became narrower with each step he took, its flow steadily decreasing. Some was lost into the ground as this was only water; the qi contained within had long vanished into the atmosphere.


    Now, all that remained was a small stream less than a meter across. Qin Yun wondered if it would vanish entirely into the sand, yet he was wrong, for he saw the water disappear in the distance as if falling like a waterfall from an edge that seemed to appear suddenly.


    Qin Yun couldn¡¯t help but rejoice, for he had finally touched upon the World¡¯s Edge.

 Chapter 151 - To Stand at Worlds End

    Qin Yun stood at the edge of the precipice. All he saw was a sheer drop into a dark abyss. What remained of the river tumbled down without end. There wasn¡¯t even any sound of it hitting the ground, just a deep, prolonged silence.


    As he gazed into the dark, many emotions swirled into Qin Yun''s heart. No matter how apathetic he had become through his many lifetimes, there was simply no way for a living being to remain unmoved at the sight. There was always an ember smouldering in the depths that couldn''t help but be set aflame¡ªa flame of survival when confronted by the desolation of the end.


    But in Qin Yun''s case, there was something more¡ªsomething he could only liken to relief. Somehow, a frail voice at the back of his mind told him to jump. Was this but a mere demon trying to prey on the weaknesses in his heart, or was this something more profound? He had felt the urge to end it all more than once, tired of this endless cycle where everything was somehow different, yet it all felt the same.


    To end it all would have been such a relief, yet he could never bring himself to do it. He believed that life was sacred, and he didn''t believe he had the right to determine the end on his own. He believed he had been thrust upon this path for a reason, even though he never found what that reason was.


    Qin Yun turned away from the edge. It was the only thing he could do to stop his intrusive thoughts from spilling out. He retrieved a small, round, metallic box from the recesses of his clothes. The box was simple: just grey metal with no ornaments. On the side was a latch. He flipped it open to reveal that the cover could swing on its hinge.


    Inside was a needle suspending inside a glass dome. That needle spun freely, yet no matter how he turned it, the needle would always point in the same direction. This was a compass Qin Yun had made himself a long time ago. He had used it to find his way here, yet this compass differed from all others.


    It wasn''t the compass itself that differed but how it was used. Usually, a compass''s needle would point to the north or to any large magnetic field, yet this one pointed to the East. For a long time, Qin Yun had a theory, which he only proved during this trip away from Jin City.


    This compass didn''t point to any particular cardinal direction but to a single fixed point¡ªone filled with a magnetic field so large that it encompassed the entire land. The compass'' needle pointed to the continent''s core, where the Well of Souls resided.


    Still, this always prompted a singular question in Qin Yun''s mind. He had pondered it numerous times, yet he never found any real answers¡ªuntil he saw the abyss stretching below his feet. If the Well of Souls was where all compasses led, where did the concept of cardinal directions originate from?


    It stood to reason that if this world had a concept of north and south, north would be where the needle would point, yet it wasn''t so. All four cardinal territories were neatly arranged around this magnetic field; it felt almost artificial in its design, like someone had meant for it to be that way instead of it being done organically.


    Qin Yun always had many doubts about this world. For one, the way the sun travelled across the sky was unnatural. Instead of the many worlds he had found himself onto that rotated onto their axis around a star, forming night and day, the sun of this plane moved in a clockwise motion in a large circle. It would rise in the south while waning in the north, only to become night while in the East. This was counterintuitive to his regular reasoning if he thought of this realm as a spherical planet, yet it made much more sense if it were a somewhat flat plane. It would explain a lot of incongruences.


    Even now, despite it being almost noon, Qin Yun could only see the sun dimly in the distance. Even the heat of this desert had become somewhat lacking.


    I shouldn¡¯t stop here, Qin Yun thought. This is but the beginning of the Deep Desert. I should go as far as I can...


    Indeed, this was but the start. Despite the fact that the river was at its end and the scarce remaining water was slowly falling off the edge, the desert still stretched on for much longer. It felt as if the river had carved a long canyon into the soil, uncovering the abyss below, yet on each side of this large fault, the solid ground remained, still stretching on toward the West.


    Exhausted from running along the sand, Qin Yun gazed toward the sky, only to place a bet. It had been days since he last saw the slightest hint of anything up above, neither stars nor clouds, rain nor colour. The once blue sky had now become dull and grey, no doubt due to the influence of the Corruption, and the absence of the Dao.


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    Qin Yun reached into his storage and retrieved a long metallic board. On its underside were two circular designs, while on top were imprints made especially for Qin Yun''s feet. With but a touch of his fingertip on the side of this plank of metal, the two circular designs sprung to life, roaring with power as light fuelled their core.


    Qin Yun gazed attentively into the sky and noticed a slight change. It was so minute that he didn''t even bother to look anymore. He had seen traces of black clouds struggling to gather, yet they soon dispersed back into the sky''s immensity, vanishing into the bluish-grey.


    Looking rather smug, Qin Yun dropped the board, yet it began to float a few inches above the sandy soil. It bobbed up and down briefly before stabilizing at a constant height.


    Without further delay, Qin Yun hopped onto it, nestling both of his feet into the grooves, and he felt them held in place by something he could only liken to magnetic clamps. The closest word to describe this contraption would be a hoverboard.


    Being out of practice, Qin Yun needed a few moments to regain balance, yet the self-balancing system was perfect. No matter how much or how little he leaned forward, the system would always bring him back to neutral, making staying upright on this device much easier than he remembered.


    It''s just like riding a bike... except that it floats...


    With a slight smile, Qin Yun made the anti-gravity engine roar as he spurred it forward, gliding a few inches above the dunes, creating a storm in his wake. Fortunately, there weren''t any living beings close enough to hear him laugh like a maniac as he sped into the distance without care. For the first time in a long while, Qin Yun truly did look his age.


    He rode up and down the dunes, prompting sand avalanches to follow after him. While there was still a long way to go before he would reach the end, Qin Yun decided to enjoy himself, for there were so few opportunities. In this desolate land, free from the Heavenly Dao''s influence, Qin Yun was finally free to do as he pleased. There were no constraints imposed upon him anymore. The will of the world couldn''t punish him as it pleased.


    So, he ran the engines at full blast, feeling the wind on his skin. With the sun so far away, the desert had cooled substantially, making the temperature much more bearable than when it was at its full height. The breeze was cool and peaceful, yet it was drowned out by the sound of the engine.


    As he slowly got used to his new mounts, Qin Yun even decided to do a few tricks of his own. He climbed along a sand dune, using it as a ramp, only to perform what could only be described as a triple back flip.


    It was far from perfect, and he even scoffed the landing. Yet, despite crashing straight into the sand and tumbling down another dune, Qin Yun couldn''t stop laughing. This was something he had missed in his life. Now, far away from society and the responsibilities thrust upon him, Qin Yun had let himself loose, yet he knew this could only be temporary, for his journey would end soon. He would eventually be faced with the end.


    Qin followed the edge of the desert further west, yet slowly, it began to curve slightly to the north. The sea of sand was peaceful as far as the eye could see. The large dunes that once towered over the desert, carved by high-speed gusts of wind, had dwindled to miniature waves upon this ocean, almost disappearing the further West he travelled.


    Soon, even the flames of the midday sun couldn''t reach him anymore, and the world was bathed in total darkness. The wind had died and so did light. The sky was as dark as the abyss below, yet the desert still stretched on for what seemed like hundreds of miles.


    Fortunately, Qin Yun possessed the means to light the way. With the Heavenly Dao''s influence unable to reach him here, Qin Yun could retrieve two spherical objects from his storage. He tossed one of them high into the sky, only for it to explode like fireworks, bathing the world below in its glow.


    However, the light remained for more than just an instant. Like a miniature sun, the orb hovered high into the sky, closely following Qin Yun as he glided over the sand.


    As for the other sphere, he held it in his hand, and through a circular opening, it projected a beam of concentrated light forward, piercing through the encroaching darkness. Although he had yet to see the overt signs of the spreading Corruption, Qin Yun could somehow feel it all around him, but there was something more he felt.


    It''s been following me... It''s been on my trail for almost a day now. Why hasn''t it made a move? With its size, catching up to me should be pretty easy...


    Except for himself, Qin Yun knew of only one other living being to make the Deep Desert its home: the same gigantic sandworm he had witnessed back when on top of the Exiles'' hideout. Against the peacefulness of this world without climate, the signs of a monster worm spanning a few miles were much too easy to notice, even despite the distance separating them. However, it had yet to make its presence known, only following him thus far.


    While its presence was cause for worry, Qin Yun soon put it out of his mind, for he saw the edge he had been following turn ever more north. Qin Yun knew he was soon reaching the end. Through his travels, a hypothesis as to the true shape of this world had formed in his mind, and what he had seen thus far in the Deep desert had only further convinced him of it. He only needed the final verification to see it with his own eyes.


    After another day of travel in complete darkness, in a land the sun couldn''t touch, Qin Yun arrived at his destination. It was a land where two abysses met. The abyss that had been on his left since the river died had now been joined by another one on its right, creating a single point, a cliff in the shape of an arrow point, from which all that could be seen was darkness.


    Qin Yun looked downwards, throwing one of his luminous balls into the abyss. It exploded like the sun, bathing the world in light. Yet, despite the searing blaze, Qin Yun could only see a distant outline, but that was enough. That was what he needed to see so badly.


    ¡°That settles it,¡± Qin Yun finally said, standing near the precipice. ¡°I now know for certain the shape of this world. A leaf. The Western Regions are shaped like a lotus leaf. Just one among many. Yet, of the countless that should have once existed, only four remain... this world is dying."