ã€ŠThe Eternal Sanctumã€‹


 1 Mirror, Mirror

    Plink!

    A soft sound resounded as a drop of water detached from the ceiling. Gracefully falling, it''s descent was forcefully interrupted as a swirling river directly underneath devoured the drop, completely ravaging and assimilating it without another trace.

    The next moment, tranquility had returned, the river''s soft gurgle the only reminder of the drop of water''s presence. Above, the ceiling strained to give more, another drop gradually coalescing on the underside of the concrete surface.

    Suddenly, slow, quiet footsteps echoed, accompanied by light pants. There beside the water channel, limped a young girl dressed in a pair of jeans and a simple cotton shirt, appearing no more than eighteen years old.

    Pressing her hand on the wall to support her fatigued body, she walked for a few steps more, slumping against the cold concrete surface as she panted for breath. Shrugging her shoulders and allowing the small bag slung around her body to fall onto the ground, she rummaged through to extract a plastic bottle of water.

    Popping the cap with trembling fingers, she achingly raised the bottle to her lips. However, she allowed no more than a few sips before setting it back down once more. Massaging her chest to ease her breathing, the girl packed the bottle, holstering the bag before limping once more.

    Once again, the soft chuckle of the river harmonized with the gradually ragged breathing of the young girl. Eventually, she could take no more, her legs giving out from the fatigue.

    Her body collapsing and embracing the cold concrete once more, the girl lightly groaned when the rough surface brushed across her sensitive skin, yet did nothing more than pull herself into a sitting position.

    "I didn''t think you would run this far, and for so long. Truly impressive!"

    The soft sound of clapping and a man''s appraising voice entered her ears, triggering forth a wave of disgust, hatred, and apprehension within the girl. Leaning her head towards its source, she discovered a man''s outline observing her from the edge of the water channel, slowly approaching.

    When he had come to a distance close enough for her to view his features, she almost couldn''t contain her emotions, struggling to maintain an indifferent facial expression.

    Short, black hair that presented a sharp, formal demeanor. Rectangular-rimmed glasses, hazel eyes that only presented amusement towards the world. The consistent formal attire of a black suit and tie, that arrogant yet reserved self.

    She remembered it all, his actions, his words, his expressions, everything.

    That middle-aged man before her looking no older than someone in his thirties, one that would appear before the world each day as a prestigious, deity-like businessman.

    "¡­I see you''ve been well, Father." The girl spat out, her countenance morphing into one of disdain and exhaustion.

    "Mhm, I''ve indeed been well," the man replied. "Rather, life couldn''t be any better. Securing two multi-billion-dollar business deals within an hour''s time, who wouldn''t be happy?"

    Crouching down, the man reached out to gently pat the girl''s head, to which her hatred aggravated and accumulated even further.

    "Don''t touch me." She snarled, flinging her right hand towards his arm, attempting to strike his hand off of her head. Unfortunately, her arm merely twitched once, and the man continued to pet her hair, the searing heat of his palm continuing to engrave itself onto her body.

    "Why can''t I touch you?" the man asked playfully, gently poking the girl''s forehead with his index finger. "You''re my daughter! Even if I had been a little rough to you, I can''t just callously toss you away, no?"

    "Isn''t that exactly what you did?" she glared at him, her body trembling with rage.

    How she wished to tear him apart! This hypocrite, one who claimed benevolence, how she wished she could rip open his chest to see if he even had a heart!

    "Hmm¡­that matter can''t be determined by a single perspective, you see." Sitting next to her, the man looked towards the river, wistfully sighing as he spoke.

    "I had no choice back then. The Chen Family''s influence was rather powerful at the time, and it was only recently that I''ve managed to suppress them."

    Glancing at the girl, he sighed before standing. Stretching his waist and loosening the tension in his muscles, the man released a pent-up breath before turning to the girl.

    "To preserve the family, I had to temporarily sacrifice your mother and you. I''m sorry about that," he spoke, completely ignoring the wrath in the girl''s eyes. "But Fei''er, your mother and little sister are happy nowadays! It''s only that¡­to protect the family, I''m going to need to permanently sacrifice you."

    "Hah! Sacrifice? Just say it plainly," the girl spoke mockingly, derision infused within her voice. "All you want is that blasted mirror of mine."

    "Yes, the mirror." The man spoke, his eyes narrowing as a dangerous glint emerged within. "Fei''er, Father will promise you one thing. Your mother and sister will be fine, and I will disavow anyone from the Chen Family."

    "However," he leaned forward, an imposing aura exploding from his body, encapsulating the girl within. "You must disappear, and not only that, hand the mirror over!"

    The girl couldn''t help but begin to laugh uncontrollably, laughter spilling from her as her body slumped further down the concrete wall. "Mirror, mirror, mirror. All of you only want the mirror."

    "But the truth is," she giggled once more, the chokehold of mania beginning to fringe her gaze. "I have no mirror! I have no mirror! Sorry to disappoint you, oh great father of mine, but I have no fucking mirror! Not in my bag, not on me!"

    "¡­you''re lying." The man spoke haltingly, enunciating each word. "You must be lying. The mirror has never left your side ever since you received it from Father."

    "You''re right, you''re absolutely right!" The girl chuckled, her body gently convulsing. "That mirror had never left my possession ever since grandfather passed it to me. It''s just that the mirror suddenly disappeared a week ago!"

    "Have you forgotten where you last placed it then?" the man raised an eyebrow, a graceful smile breaking out on his countenance. Though it was a gentle, warm smile, it represented the devil''s leer in the girl''s eyes.

    "That''s fine, everything is fine," the man continued. Rummaging in his pocket, he extracted a pair of entwined wires, dangling them before the girl''s eyes. "Father can help you remember where you placed the mirror."

    Firmly pinching one end with his index finger and thumb, the man pierced the girl''s right thigh with the wire, eliciting a pained groan from the latter. With a light chuckle, the man began to rotate the wires, the sharp diamond edges on its surface wreaking havoc within the girl''s leg.

    Amidst the hiss of pain, scarlet blood soaked the jeans and dripped onto the grey concrete.

    "Why don''t you hurry and confess?" The man crooned, giving the wires a fierce jerk, causing the girl to fiercely shudder as her eyes snapped open, unfocused and with dilated pupils. "If you hurry and tell Father, Father will end your pain."

    "Did¡­I¡­not tell¡­you¡­already-ah!"

    The girl haltingly spoke, a scream swallowing her final words as the wires tore through her tendon, blood spurting all over the ground. Withdrawing the intertwined wires, the man produced a handkerchief, slowly wiping the deadly pieces of coiled steel.

    "You''re indeed correct, I did hear a statement from you," he smirked. "However, it wasn''t a statement I was searching for, nor was it one I liked. Fei''er, when will you stop being so stubborn? Father has another business meeting in half an hour, let''s get this over with quickly, and we can both be on our ways!"

    "Be on¡­our ways?" The girl laughed once more. "Aren''t you simply going to kill me once you get the answer you wanted?"

    The man nodded. Gazing at the girl''s ragged appearance, the threads on the jeans beginning to fray and tear as well as the various burnt spots in her clothing, the man could not help but cluck his tongue in distaste.

    "You''re quite ragged these days. Shouldn''t you find it in yourself to wear cleaner clothes, as my daughter?"

    "Hah!" the girl spat. "Chased by you, chased by the government, hell, even the world, who would have time to wear fancy clothing such as you, oh great father?"

    "That''s indeed a shame," the man spoke. Seemingly desiring to speak further, he was suddenly interrupted by a melodious ring. Extracting the vibrating phone with a grimace, he turned away before answering the call.

    "Hello?" his voice echoed throughout the water channel. "Right now? Sheng Dao''s corporation wants to negotiate a contract? Alright¡­I''ll be there in twenty-no, ten minutes."

    Ending the call, he turned back to the girl, distaste evident on his countenance. Washing it to the customary polite expression, the man reached forward to grab the girl''s bag as he departed, his voice resounding throughout the spacious, dimly lit tunnel.

    "My cute little daughter, Father will return in a few hours, perhaps a day at most. Until then, be obedient and stay there, alright?"

 2 An Ending, A Beginning

    Watching the man''s figure disappear into the smothering darkness, the girl released a sigh of relief. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against the chilled concrete ground, falling into a restless sleep.

    Drifting between the thin barrier of consciousness, several hours were spent with the girl tossing around, huddling and bringing her body together to retain warmth.

    Plink.

    Another drop of water fell into the raging current below, the soft splash causing the girl to jolt awake. Lightly rubbing her injured thigh and grimacing at the spike of pain, the girl revealed a bitter smile.

    Looking around in all directions to be greeted by the dim lighting restraining the cold darkness'' approaches, she couldn''t help but fall into a daze, her mind drifting to a memory. One she had deeply cherished, but didn''t know if the sentiment she had felt back then truly lingered.

    -

    An old man lay upon a bed with soft linen sheets, dressed in a grey scholar''s robe. Protruding from his wrist was a series of transparent tubes transferring various chemicals and medicines into his body, some flowing out.

    The old man''s eyes were closed, his expression light and airy as if experiencing a pleasant dream. The room was a monochrome white, lacking in furnishing or decorations excluding the old man, the bed, and a metallic stand supporting fluid bags.

    Perhaps, unless one looked closely, the elderly figure could merge with his plain surroundings, his demeanor inconspicuous and reserved.

    "Grandfather, you called?"

    Suddenly, the door warding the room slid open, a young girl intruding. Dressed in a light cotton shirt, denim jeans, and a linen coat, black hair flowing to her waist, the girl silently strode over to the bed, kneeling next to the elder.

    Hearing her voice, the old man raised his eyes, countless vicissitudes flowing within before returning to a peaceful calm.

    "Fei''er. You''re here." His voice was hoarse, barely perceptible to the ear, unable to differentiate between emotions.

    "Mhm. Grandfather, did you need something?"

    The girl gently nodded, her soft voice complementing the elder''s whisper. Hearing her speak, the old man faintly smiled.

    "You''re just like your mother, that soft voice that soothes one''s soul," he spoke. Reaching out with his left hand to gently pat her hair, he continued.

    "Don''t take to heart what your parents always declare. Never forget, you are my, An Xiang Yang''s granddaughter!"

    "En."

    "Alright, alright, don''t get so emotional," the elder consoled.

    Though he remained on the bed, he continued to comfort the girl, his other hand reaching into the depths of his robe''s pockets.

    "It''s your sixteenth birthday today, no?" he spoke.

    His fingers grasping onto the metallic surface of a familiar object, his eyes brightened. His fingers trembling from both fatigue and emotional reminiscence, the elder felt a lifetime of memories span across a single moment as he presented the object to the girl. "Fei''er, Fei''er, don''t be sad! Grandfather has a gift for you."

    "Thank you¡­a mirror?"

    Receiving the old man''s gift, a burst of warmth ignited within the girl''s chest, triggering forth another wave of muted tears. Looking over the object, she discovered it to be a small mirror, no bigger than the palm of her hand.

    The reflective surface was of embossed platinum, the back of smooth cobalt. When she stared at her reflection on the small surface, she found her vision threaten to blur yet again.

    "Hehe, don''t think of it as a plain mirror!" The old man assured.

    "It will change everything for you, straight to your core. Think of it as a belayed compensation for everything you''ve suffered."

    "Change everything?" the girl questioned, bewilderment evident in her voice. "Grandfather, it''s just a mirror, ah! How will it change everything?"

    "You will see," the elder responded, adopting a mysterious tone. Firmly petting her hair, he repeated once more. "You will see. Perhaps not now, nor in the future, but you will see."

    Finished saying his piece, the elder returned to sleep with a contented smile. Given that he refused to wake regardless of her wheedling, the girl gave up. With a light sigh, she bowed once more, before departing from the room.

    The mirror lay secure in her pocket, later recast as a pendant.

    -

    "You''ve had these days rather rough."

    An aged voice cut through her reminiscence, forcefully dragging the girl back to reality. Raising her head towards its source, she discovered an aged man standing not far away from her.

    Dressed in a greyed scholar''s robe, the color mostly faded, the old man sported a long beard, a plain wooden cane clasped in his hands.

    "Grand¡­father?" The girl softly whispered. "How can you still be alive? Didn''t you¡­have a funeral a few years ago?"

    "Haha, this old man has some longevity left," the old man replied. Though he didn''t move from his original position, his eyes radiated an unmatched warmth as he gazed at the girl.

    "Running from family, government, even the world. It must have been tough on you."

    "¡­was this the change you told me, Grandfather?"

    The girl spoke rapidly, her anger and resentment pouring out like a burst dam.

    "To be chased each day without permission to obtain a single breath of rest, to have to sleep on the streets without a single source of warmth. To be treated as the world''s most wanted criminal, was my miserable self as a biological daughter treated as an illegitimate one, not enough for you!? Was your love and concern for me -"

    "No." the elder interrupted the girl''s speech.

    His voice imposing and authoritative, the girl quietened, yet her eyes continued to radiate her grief and wronged feelings. "The change I mentioned back then, does not refer to the agglomeration of human greed."

    Looking at the girl, his gaze deepened. "What I referred back then, will only start today."

    "¡­today?" the girl mumbled. "What will begin today? Another wave of suffering?"

    "Perhaps you will indeed suffer a little. However, at the least, you will not have to face your family anymore." An Xiang Yang replied. Closing his eyes, the cane lightly tapped onto the floor in a unique rhythm, the gentle pulses ringing in her ears. Nonplussed, the girl stared at him.

    "¡­what are you doing?"

    "Just displaying something special," the old man replied, continuing to strike the cane against the ground at irregular intervals. "Didn''t you wonder at that time, what the mirror did, and how I am still standing before you today?"

    "¡­"

    An Xiang Yan suddenly paused his actions, gazing into the distance towards the water channel''s ceiling. Her vision gradually blurring even more, the girl struggled to keep her eyes open, the elder''s figure merging into the surrounding darkness.

    The instant before her consciousness plummeted into the dark void, an aged sigh could be heard.

    "Well, this should be the last breath I take. An Fei, my granddaughter, this old man shall pass on the to you."

    -

    With a start, An Fei awoke, her arms lashing out to her sides. A moment later, the girl released a yowl of pain, clutching her arms as she lightly blew on the sore limbs.

    Once the pain had receded to a dull throb, she attempted to stand, only to freeze afterwards.

    "Huh?"

    As she moved, she could feel a coarse fabric rubbing against her body, causing numerous itches to swarm all over. Frowning in discomfort, she carefully inspected her body, gaping in astonishment.

    Her body¡­was a little too small.

    Too frail and lacking in strength, and she definitely didn''t remember finding such pale and malnourished skin. And what were these clothes!?

    A pale, discolored yellow dress that was a size large for her, and though it was made of silk, when had silken cloth become so rough in texture!?

    "What''s going on¡­ah!?"

    Instinctively grumbling, An Fei suddenly released a muffled cry, hands covering her throat. Her voice, instead of the soft and mellow tone she was far accustomed to, now resembled more of a muted nightingale''s call; quiet as a mosquito, scratching at the heartstrings of the listener.

    When she tried to project further, all that could be heard was nothing more than a muffled squawk. Shaking her head with a helpless expression, An Fei rested her hands on her knees as she observed her room.

    It was rather antique. Though luxurious, it seemed as though she had been thrown into a historical play?

    She was sitting on a bed of a luxurious fox fur, silken blankets gently covering her body. The bed was elevated from the ground by a few centimeters, surrounded by all sides by a thin curtain, the fabric nearly transparent.

    Several drawers of mahogany wood were stationed nearby. At the far end of the room was an oak door without a handle. The walls were of some paper material inscribed with a complex, flowing pattern, and the roof comprised of a black tile An Fei could only guess was charred clay.

    As she continued to gaze at the walls in interest, tracing each pattern in her mind, a scraping sound could be heard from outside the room, one of metal rubbing against each other. Shifting her attention towards the source of the noise, she could see the large oaken door open before her, the figure of a woman entering.

    Once the woman''s features became clear, An Fei''s vision submerged into a scarlet haze, multiple memories swamping her consciousness.

 3 Get! Out!

    The person who had entered was a woman in her thirties. An oval-like face with a pointed chin, small dimples gracing her mouth and dark hazel irises, the woman was a mature, beautiful lady.

    Dressed in a light purple spring garb of an ancient clothing style, she stepped into the room holding a wooden tray. On it, An Fei could see a steaming clay bowl with a lid, the faint smell of freshly cooked porridge seeping through.

    However, none of it mattered to An Fei. Not that the woman before her was similarly dressed in a historic fashion, not that the objects before were suspicious and reeked of antiquity, and definitely not because the room only permitted entry.

    All that remained in her mind was a persistent chorus of screams and howls of anger, each profaning her demise.

    "Get out! I don''t have such a daughter like you!"

    "You''re only some wench your father picked up from some illegal brothel. Don''t even try claiming the family name of An!"

    "Hah! Because Father decided to grant you a family title, you think you''ve attained solace? Dream on! You are merely a servant, not a treasured Miss like Yan Yue!"

    "Because of you, Yan Yue missed her chance of marriage. You say you wanted to help her? I see that you merely wanted to step on her head, thinking any sparrow picked from who knows where can become a phoenix by climbing onto a higher branch!"

    "Father truly dotes on you. Since it''s going to be like that, then I''ll take everything away. Your marriage with the Gong Family, your academical achievements and glory, your possessions, all will belong to Yan Yue! As for you, learn your place and kill yourself already!"

    Her mind fleeting into a spiral of memories, An Fei''s vision warped as the scarlet haze deepened, a fierce heat pulsing in her chest. Her fingers curling into fists, the nails digging into the soft flesh of her palm, the girl began to tremble fiercely as her eyes blazed with an unearthly fury.

    "-get out."

    "This doesn''t seem to be faring well, this mustn''t be sustained any longer. Contacting the Old Emperor and begging for an Imperial Physician seems to be the last¡­huh?"

    Quietly grumbling to herself, the woman sat near the bed, removing the lid of the clay pot and setting it to the side. Suddenly, she heard a faint sound in the room, causing her to instantly stiffen and look around, her gaze darting through the room, leaving no stone untouched.

    Hearing nothing even after a few moments, the woman frowned in confusion as she continued to portion out a small bowl''s amount of rice porridge.

    "What was that just now? Didn''t I instruct Xiao Ling to watch over? Those servants, when will they stop gossiping?"

    "¡­."

    As another intelligible mumble sounded within the room, the woman stopped her movements, placing the spoon onto the tray. Holding the tray on her lap and focusing her attention, the woman could hear the soft rustling of fabric, that of silken cloth.

    Alarmed, she slammed the bedframe with her left hand, her powerful voice resounding in the room and accompanying the solid strike of palm on wood.

    "Who!? Show yourself!"

    "¡­I''ll kill¡­I''ll kill¡­"

    Hearing the whisper for the third time, the woman closed her eyes, silently searching for the source of the sound. Her head turning towards the bed, the woman opened her eyes to find the curtains of Moon Silk before her.

    Tilting her head in puzzlement as she gazed at the faint patterns of peonies and orchids spanning across the silvery brocade, the woman suddenly snapped her hand to her mouth. Her pupils constricted in shock, she hastily placed the wooden tray to the side, pulling open the curtains to reveal An Fei''s figure.

    "You''re awake¡­you finally woke up¡­"

    Her vision clouding over, a sour sensation filled her nose, the woman reached for the girl, her voice quivering from emotion.

    "Hypocrite."

    "¡­my daughter finally wok-huh?"

    Feeling her arms slapped away, the woman raised her head in bewilderment, her gaze focusing on the girl''s figure. Upon seeing the blazing fury and hatred struggling to free itself within those delicate eyes, the entire body shaking from anger, the woman could not help but lurch back in surprise.

    However, she quickly recovered and rushed forward, reaching out to grab the girl with both arms.

    "Fei''er, Fei''er, what''s wrong?"

    "Get! Out! I don''t want to see you ever again!"

    A voice no louder than a mosquito''s whine entered the woman''s ears, softly scratching at the heartstrings. However, the alarming contents gained the woman''s attention as her pupils constricted, and she instinctively applied force into her arms to shake the girl in panic.

    "What do you mean by that? What made you so¡­ah?"

    Snapping back to her senses as clarity returned to her mind, the deep-seated worry gradually ebbing away, the woman abruptly flinched, letting go of An Fei''s arms. However, fear welled within the woman''s heart as she heard the soft thump of a body falling onto the bed, her gaze anxiously searching around.

    Finding An Fei''s figure hidden among the fox fur bed and silken blankets, the woman hurriedly fished the girl out only to find that she had fainted.

    "Xiao Ling! Xiao Ling! The physician! Call the physician! Get the Master here as well!"

    A panicked cry shook the entire place, throwing the residents into an unexpected and completely unforeseen storm.

    -

    "Lord Wei, the young miss¡­there''s really nothing this old one can do. Such symptoms as these, only the imperial physicians would have a clue."

    When An Fei awoke, the first thing she heard was an aged voice, clearly depressed and helpless.

    Blinking twice and craning her head, she found herself atop a different bed, one of clean linen. The curtains were of a soft, light pink and frilly fabric, completely obscuring the outside from view.

    Struggling into a curled position as she hugged the pillow, An Fei focused her attention onto what was happening outside. It seemed that there was¡­an argument?

    "Physician Gao, there''s really nothing that you can do?"

    Another voice could be heard, dignified and elegant, a well-concealed imposing demeanor carried within. As An Fei continued to eavesdrop, she heard slight thudding sounds and the rustling of coarse cloth.

    "This one doesn''t dare. Lord Wei, this old thing will not dare to deceive. The Young Miss'' condition, there''s absolutely nothing similar in this old one''s knowledge, but it''s simply impossible for someone to survive under those symptoms!"

    The aged voice seemed to be pleading, the words hurried and agitated.

    "Why is that so?" The elegant speaker questioned, calm and collected. "All you say is that she can''t survive, that she won''t last long. That''s all you have said for over a decade, and what has been happening?"

    "The Young Miss'' life is merely retained due to the Heavens pitying her," the aged speaker refuted fiercely.

    "An irregular pulse that stops for a breath for every three, who could possibly survive for so long? Not to mention that since the Young Miss was born, she had yet to consume anything other than a small bowl of porridge a day! What do you mean, ''why is that so?''!?"

    "Lord Wei, you know as well, the Young Miss will only have a chance to life if the Jianghu''s prestigious medicinal practitioners treat her. But in this Nan Jing? Impossible! Because of the Old Emperor''s decree, this is why this old one states that it is impossible! Please understand, my lord!"

    "¡­alright. This minister understands fully. Thank you, Physician Gao."

    The elegant voice could be heard once more, this time accompanied by a weary sigh. Whist laying on the bed, An Fei could hear muted footsteps, diminishing in volume with each step.

    Not long after, she could hear a set of footsteps, and the curtains of the bed were slowly pulled apart by a pair of sturdy hands. Raising her head as light entered her vision, she could see the outline of a man in his mid-thirties gazing at her.

    Dressed in a scarlet, antique minister robe with ''Yong'' printed on the chestplate, the man possessed handsome traits, the tranquil expression combined with the silent imposing aura making quite the appearance.

    Seeing the girl clutch the pillow to her chest as she warily stared at him, the man released a light chuckle. Reaching out to clasp her small hand, his voice was warm as he spoke.

    "My daughter, it''s been hard on you. I''m your father, Wei Xuan."

 4 A New Appearance

    "¡­father?" An Fei asked, scrutinizing the man''s appearance. High-ridged cheekbones, those naturally narrowed and smiling eyes, and that tiny stubble that adamantly refused to disappear, who could it be other than her Second Uncle of back then, An Rong Wen?

    Why was he calling himself her father, and as Wei Xuan?

    Could someone please explain to her what was going on?

    It was a pity that Wei Xuan didn''t pay much attention to her thoughts, treating the silent girl as a silly child knowing nothing. Motioning for the nearby servants to carefully wrap An Fei with a light cloth, the man easily placed her onto an oak wheelchair, slowly wheeling her out.

    Her body slumped against one of the chair''s sides, An Fei''s head lolled as she captured her surroundings with her gaze.

    The room that she had just woken up in appeared to be a study of sorts, with bookshelves containing dozens of scrolls decorating the walls. In the center of the room was a mahogany table, an ink grinder and set of brushes atop.

    The furthest corner to her right housed a bed, the bed that she had just laid on mere moments ago.

    Alas, with a soft click, two servants closed the doors, preventing her from viewing the study any further. Noticing her wandering gaze, Wei Xuan chuckled as he stroked her hair, explaining as he continued to push the wheelchair.

    "That''s a study room granted to all third-rank officials by the Emperor, modeling the structure of the Windy Peak Courtyard in the Imperial Palace. Once you learn how to read characters, father will let you play in the study as you wish, alright?"

    An Fei swiveled her gaze to stare at Wei Xuan. Second Uncle, you''re really treating An Fei as a brainless child at this point! She was fully capable in reading and writing, what was he even talking about!?

    The poor girl stifled her aggrieved expression, maintaining the blank and dazed appearance. Though she felt anger towards this Second Uncle who was currently treating her as a pitiful little child, she had to admit, he had great visual taste. The courtyard was indeed a beautiful place.

    A series of pathways of riverbed stones and pebbles led to various buildings, servants both male and female scurrying about as they carried around wooden boxes of various shapes and sizes.

    Decorating its sides were various flowerbeds, azaleas and Chinese peonies being the only ones she could recognize. Small willow trees dotted the fringes of the expansive courtyard, and a small pool resided near the western corner.

    Only, why was everything of an ancient style? The servants'' garb, the pavilions, residential buildings, and the love for willow trees, why did it resemble so much of the historical China that she had read about? As Wei Xuan wheeled her towards the miniature lake, the girl silently mused which backer had invested the atrocious sum that would have been required to build such an authentic, Ancient Chinese courtyard.

    The land grants themselves must have exceeded several hundred million yuan!

    "¡­and here''s a miniature lake I discovered when I bought the manor. We transferred several species of fish after a few months, and each morning, watching the fish feed can be quite a relaxing sight. Later, you can recite poetry with your sisters."

    Wei Xuan gestured towards the pool, proceeding to point at an object and explaining its usage. Only after he had repeated this process several times, did An Fei realize what he was doing. He was treating her as a complete idiot, a newborn!

    ¡­Second Uncle, you''re too mean!

    Completely overturned by anger, An Fei opened her mouth to furiously retort and vent her frustration. This farce was going too far! Preparing to disembowel Wei Xuan under a sludge of verbal attacks, she took a deep breath, then suddenly closed her mouth with a muffled pop.

    Her new voice was far too embarrassing. She would much rather ram her head into a wall and perish than reveal such a thing before Second Uncle!

    Teetering under the struggle of voicing her thoughts and remaining silent to preserve her dignity, the girl''s face morphed between expressions of distaste and frustration. Observing from the side with much interest, it took a great amount of courage and willpower not to reach over and pinch those soft cheeks.

    ¡­He ended up doing it anyways.

    "¡­!"

    "Haha, sorry about that. You appeared far too adorable, father just lost control for a moment."

    Revealing a warm smile when the girl finally snapped out of her daze to glare at him with a full belly of scorching fire, Wei Xuan gave her cheeks a final soft pinch. Quickly dodging to grasp the supporting rods of the wheelchair, he successfully evaded her anger as he pushed her alongside the pond''s edge.

    Fuming with anger, An Fei deeply wished to rip the smiling uncle of hers apart, until her gaze swept across the water''s surface. Completely taken aback by shock at the reflection, her eyelashes fluttering as her pupils constricted in disbelief.

    Reflected on the pondwater''s surface was a thin girl pushed on a wheelchair. A small, palm-sized face with lustrous, black hair flowing to her waist, a region on her forehead a beautiful silver. Phoenix eyes gazed back at her, the irises a dull scarlet.

    Her skin was milky and a cream white, appearing soft and delicate even from the distorted reflection of the water. As she stared in surprise, the thin, pink lips parted in a soft ''oh'' of astonishment.

    Slight malnourishment was evident from the scrawny limbs and thin frame, and the girl seemed to be no more than fourteen years of age.

    Beautiful, fragile, and doll-like. That was the only description An Fei could give to the image rippling on the lake''s surface. Perhaps a celestial beauty or charming spirit fox from the legends would be more appropriate; the appearance didn''t seem possible for a human.

    Much less her. At this moment, An Fei could feel her heartbeat accelerate rapidly. Although Wei Xuan appeared to have been saying something to her, his right hand drifting about in the air as it pointed towards different directions, none of it entered her consciousness.

    The soft breeze, the chattering of the servants nearby, none of it registered. All An Fei could hear or feel was her heart beating, each pulse cutting a harsh sting of pain.

    That wasn''t her.

    That wasn''t her appearance.

    That which was reflected, could not be her.

    Even if the world''s most treasured and effective cosmetic operations and programs were implemented, they couldn''t engender a change to such degree.

    That couldn''t be her. Even if the heavens were to smite her the next moment, An Fei would still insist such a claim.

    Then¡­who was that girl? She was the only one seated on the wheelchair that Wei Xuan was pushing with his left hand. None of the servants had that appearance, only her.

    But she couldn''t accept it. Suddenly, a massive spike of pain assaulted her, far greater than the rest. Her body trembling as her senses screamed in agony, An Fei''s lips parted as a scream of pain escaped.

    "Ah¡­ah!"

    Unfortunately, what was emitted was a muted whisper similar to a soft exhale of breath, a complete opposite of the girl''s turmoil and suffering. Hearing it, Wei Xuan stiffened in surprise, forgetting to push the wheelchair or even grasp its handle as his hand drifted to his side in his absentmindedness.

    However, he quickly returned to clarity, motioning for the nearby servants to come closer.

    "Servants, quickly come!" his voice boomed, his body emitting an imposing and joyful aura. "Go get the Second Madam and have her come here! Tell her that our fourth miss finally spoke!"

    "Understood!"

    With a hasty bow, the nearby servants quickly raced off in all directions, shouting with all their might as they searched for the Second Madam. Neither the kitchen nor the ladies'' boudoir were spared as they restlessly barged in.

    "Second Madam! Second Madam! The fourth miss is awake! The fourth miss is awake!"

    Within mere moments, the entire manor had received news that the fourth miss, who was presumed dead upon childbirth, was actually alive. Not to mention, that she had finally made her first sound fourteen years later!

    However, not everyone was ecstatic at the news. An Fei, for example, was being cradled in Wei Xuan''s arms as the latter stared at her with an expectant gaze, much to her chagrin and agony.

    Combined with that expression seeking something and the constant spikes of pain, the girl bothered with the world no longer as her eyes rolled, her body collapsing in a dead faint.

 5 A New World

    Waking from a fitful sleep, An Fei found herself in the study room again, nestled comfortably on the linen bed. With a quiet yawn, she stretched her limbs before laying on her left side as she hugged the pillow, occasionally scratching her ears.

    There seemed to be a commotion just outside the curtains, the arguing voices both male, one aged and one still relatively young.

    It seemed that the Physician Gao had returned, this time with an ardent passion that refused to cower.

    "Minister Wei, Minister Wei," the aged voice heaved a large sigh, the sound of hands brushing against coarse fabric echoing throughout the study.

    "Did this physician not tell you repeatedly, do not agitate the fourth miss? She is but a child! One that has only opened her eyes to see the world for the first time fourteen years after birth. And look at what you''re doing! Taking her out for a stroll in the autumn season, did the Lord think such an action qualified as doting affection?"

    The shaking of a large cloth could be heard, slightly displacing the curtains. "Only with this thin blanket, not even a proper hand warmer or clothing, does the fourth miss appear invincible now that she has finally awoken!?"

    "This¡­" Wei Xuan''s voice could be heard, the man lacking all of his previous vigor and imposing demeanor. "What should be done? A recovery should be possible, right?"

    "What recovery?" the physician snorted. "What Minister Wei should be grateful about is that the young miss won''t suffer much from this, just a few bouts of dizziness. However, recovery is impossible."

    With his statement, the entire study''s atmosphere became gloomy as the occupants remained silent for a few moments. Opening her mouth, An Fei was about to speak when the old physician spoke again, his voice uncertain and lacking strength.

    "Minister Wei, this old practitioner must first apologize¡­the fourth miss'' condition isn''t that impossible to cure¡­"

    "What!?"

    "What did you say!?"

    Interrupting the physician''s words were Minister Wei and a female, the matured voice befuddling An Fei for a moment. However, her gaze swiftly hardened, hatred coursing through the scarlet irises as her breathing spiked. Her body trembling once more, the heart began to accelerate its pulses as her vision began to fall under the scarlet haze.

    Having learned her lesson, An Fei pursed her lips together as she clenched the linen blankets nearby, taking deep breaths until the symptoms had fully receded. Fortunately, other than a slight rustle of clothing from her abrupt movement, the rest of her actions were barely imperceptible in sound.

    "This physician will say it here now. This old man had returned to my books earlier and after much searching, discovered a method that could possibly treat the fourth miss''s condition with the heart. However," the physician''s voice became solemn, no longer as passionate.

    "There will be failure every eight of ten attempts. If Minister Wei and Second Madam Luo wishes not to hear, this physician will stop now."

    "Continue. Speak without worries, physician." Wei Xuan''s voice could be heard, calm and even. "Second Madam and I wish to heard Physician Gao''s thoughts."

    "Very well," Physician Gao replied. The slight shuffling of feet could be heard until the aged voice rang out once more.

    "This method involves the fourth miss ingesting a thousand-years aged Eight-Petaled Violet Yin Herb, preferably with one with a half-moon glow emanating prior to extraction. This is to resolve the fourth miss'' body being devoid of natural Yin essence; three stalks should complete the treatment, allowing the miss to live comfortably though with a slightly weaker body. However¡­" The physician''s voice trailed off, as if in deep thought.

    "However? Physician Gao, is there a problem?"

    "Shuyan, be good and wait patiently. Let Physician Gao think some more."

    Noticing that the physician had ceased to speak, his aged brows locked in deep thought, the Second Madam could not help but urgently call out, prompting Wei Xuan to hurriedly console and quiet the woman.

    Placing a finger over her lips to quieten the anxious woman, he motioned for her to remain seated as he strode towards the curtained bed. However, just as his right hand''s fingertips had brushed against the curtains, Physician Gao''s mutter caused him to pause.

    "¡­failure of the treatment can result in the fourth miss falling comatose, or losing a significant portion of her mental function. Another method that brings forth lesser risk would be to find a pure Yin-oriented cultivation manual for the miss to practice with."

    "However, finding such a manual is akin to plucking clouds from the sky with a bamboo stick, not to mention the government strictly regulates the distribution and collection of cultivation-related artifacts. Additionally, the fourth miss would require a considerable amount of talent to practice such a technique, another hurdle that can''t be determined for certain."

    "¡­I understand, Physician Gao." Wei Xuan spoke, fatigue evident in his voice. "Thank you for giving the two of us hope. While both are items of legend, never having been physically seen for the past several millennia, this Minister will do his best to find them."

    "That would be for the best," Physician Gao responded. "Keeping the young miss satisfied and content should be a priority as to prevent her health from declining any further."

    "¡­This, would there be any problems with normal activities? At this age, she should be partaking social outings and convenes to establish a social connection-"

    "Absolutely not." Physician Gao interjected, cutting off Luo Shuyan. "The fourth miss'' health is far too fragile to handle such events. It is best to have her safely rest inside the manor, where inopportune events can be limited as possible."

    "But-"

    "I understand," Wei Xuan cut in with a heavy sigh. Turning to the physician, he respectfully saluted before gesturing towards the door.

    "I''ll escort you out. This way, please."

    Instantly, the aged physician began to profusely decline, initiating a polite conflict on proper social convention with Wei Xuan. Until he had departed from the courtyard, An Fei could still hear the old physician''s grumbles of Wei Xuan''s magnanimity.

    Thereon, Luo Shuyan had been quickly chased out from the study with a few flowery words, and the only sound that could be heard in the study from then on was the soft, inked brush gliding across the parchment, and the shifting of leather scrolls. After an hour, An Fei had simply gone to sleep, unable and unwilling to care about anything else.

    -

    Today marked the eighth day since she had woken up to find herself in this odd environment. To her utter defeat, An Fei was forced to acknowledge that this was indeed, a vastly different world than the one she was accustomed to.

    No matter where she searched, who she asked, not a single one could pass on the impression that this was a staged prank. One or two acting in a manner could be achievable, but three hundred?

    Absolutely not!

    "Young Miss, the kitchen staff has sent the afternoon meal."

    A young servant maid greeted her respectfully from outside the room, proceeding to carry in a wooden tray with a set of silver utensils. On the tray, An Fei could see an earthenware pot of porridge, and a plate of fresh spring rolls, the distinct aroma arousing her appetite.

    Noticing the young girl''s gaze fixated on the tray, the maid chuckled before placing it down next to the bed, expertly picking up a roll with the chopsticks, bringing to An Fei''s mouth.

    "Young Miss, please."

    Struggling to maintain her dull-witted appearance and not roll her eyes to the heavens, An Fei clumsily opened her mouth, accepting the spring roll. Chewing on it with great relish, enjoying the taste of well-seasoned beansprouts, carrots, mushrooms, and a large assortment of vegetables, she couldn''t help but reveal a look of bliss, causing the maid nearby to burst into peals of laughter.

    Scoffing inwardly whilst being fed by the maid, An Fei earnestly thanked the chef who had been mindful enough to not fry the wrapping, instead replacing it with warmed rice paper. If it had been the traditional fried wrapping, she could ensure that her ruse would have been given away on the spot.

    She, An Fei, was inhabiting the body of a fourteen year-old girl who had woken for the first time a mere eight days ago. There really couldn''t be any complaints about how everyone in the manor treated her as an infant.

    An Fei couldn''t mind, as long as she didn''t have to live on the run again. As long as that was avoidable, she was perfectly content on living the lifestyle of an overindulged and pampered Young Miss.

    Suddenly, she stopped chewing, her face displaying a confused expression as she pondered on a matter that had just sprung to her mind, completely ignoring the maid''s surprised and curious glance. The thin line of vegetable juice trickling was similarly disregarded as that thought, once summoned, simply refused to leave.

    What was this girl''s name again?

    An Fei had yet to hear anyone say it, even her Second Uncle, no, Father, Wei Xuan. Young Miss this, Young Miss that, Fourth Young Miss this, Fourth Young Miss that.

    Should she go by that then?

 6 Great Yong Empire

    The Great Yong Empire.

    A massive hegemon in the Shattered Star Continent, the empire alone controlling over a third of the overall territory, be it through direct influence or sanctions. Merely the territories directly managed by the ruling family exceeded three thousand square kilometers, the vassals overseeing land of a much greater scale.

    In the entire Shattered Star Continent, not a single human being was unaware of the Great Yong Empire''s overwhelming influence and dominance, many quaking in fear at the causal mentioning of the empire''s Imperial Family. It could be said that whoever ruled Great Yong, would sit at the pinnacle of the continent.

    As for how the empire had even flourished and maintained its status for hundreds of years, would be a legend acclaimed by many.

    The empire had started as nothing more than a minor kingdom, barely spanning over a few major cities. The founders had slowly manipulated nearby kingdoms and empires to relinquish mining rights of various materials, gradually expanding the kingdom''s influence in the global market and economy.

    In just a mere decade, the small kingdom had agglomerated a massive army far greater than its population, even amassing enough wealth to hire the services of the wanderers of the jianghu. With an army of fifty thousand and ten thousand rouge warriors from the jianghu providing their assistance, the Yong Kingdom had conquered a large area of land equaling a third of their current territory, a region that initially appeared to be far greater than what a minor kingdom could stably handle.

    The founders had not minded, continuing to expand their territory over the next decade without ceasing to its current size. As for how the empire had maintained stability, was merely a simple matter, yet hard to accomplish.

    The founding families, upon conquering the various surrounding kingdoms, had offered the defeated subjects and rulers to exist as vassal entities, allowing them to accompany the Yong Kingdom in accumulating global prestige and influence in the Shattered Star Continent.

    After the Yong Kingdom had expanded to what the founders had deemed was appropriate, the vassals were charged with claiming as much land in any matter they wished. Allowing the subjects to govern their acquired territories however they wished, merely presenting a five-percent tax of their national income, the Yong Kingdom had established a friendly balance between itself and the various vassal nations.

    As for assimilating those deemed future direct citizens, the now-self-proclaimed emperor had then declared: submit and flourish under a different, cohesive name, or become exiled.

    Utilizing human psychology to their advantage, the Great Yong Empire had secured its position as an unshakeable hegemon through exploitation of minimalistic taxes and regulations. Taxing when businesses flourished and providing respite during times of struggle, the Imperial Family had successfully engraved their name onto the subjects of the empire.

    Under the simple decree that of the five thousand major mining veins within the empire, the Imperial Family was to possess three hundred, and the rest distributed by merit with only one mining vein provided for an ancestral family, not a single profiteering family had been willing to drop such a golden fish.

    Not to mention, with the mining deeds were to be returned every thirty years before a redistribution according to an Imperial Examination, the foundation of the Great Yong Empire could be considered invincible. Just those regulations by the Imperial Family had successfully won the hearts of the people for ages, and yet that still wasn''t their trump card, their greatest hold over their subjects.

    Cultivation manuals.

    In essence, they were a collection of breathing and physiological tempering techniques that enhanced a person''s longevity, strength, and mental abilities. Some techniques could even retain a youthful appearance, causing them to be eagerly fought over by both female and male aspirants.

    Some could provide the user with a heaven-shaking ability, be it to conjure and manipulate natural elements, forge and wield weapons from the surrounding spiritual energy, or employ illusions. Some methods were said to be developed to be capable of granting immortality upon completion.

    The only drawback of these miraculous artefacts was that in the Shattered Star Continent, the Great Yong Empire possessed the largest collection. They were only granted to Yong''s citizens upon accruing contributary merit beyond certain thresholds, which would then permit the family to pursue cultivation and martial arts techniques to a relative level of prominence and difficulty corresponding with their merit.

    Not even Imperial Princes or Princesses were exempt from this rule. If anything was to be the proof of veracity for the Great Yong Empire regarding their collection of cultivation techniques, it first piece of evidence would be that the Emperor of Great Yong had celebrated his five-hundredth birthday a few months ago.

    When the hundreds of ministers stationed in the capital gazed at that still middle-aged appearance each day for the convening of the Imperial Court, there could only be acceptance, not doubt.

    The capital city of Great Yong, Jiang''an.

    The center of all wealth and prominence in the entire empire. Just by walking down any random alleyway, one could find dozens of stores and stalls selling artefacts, commodities, food, and various objects that could not be found anywhere else. With an estimated population of eleven million, although Jiang''an was not the most populated city in the empire, it was certainly the wealthiest and most influential.

    Wei Xuan was a third-ranked minister in the Ministry of Defense, having earned his position through an excellent ranking at the imperial military examinations. Out of grace, the emperor had presented him the Plum Blossom Manor at the inner regions of the western sector.

    Spanning over a total area of three hundred square meters, the manor was indeed of exceptional quality and feng shui, and Wei Xuan had happily settled in to start his family.

    However, his personal residence, the Flowing Winds residence, was currently in the midst of undergoing a minor chaos, the owner himself nearly jumping from his official robes in fear.

    -

    They were attempting to teach a fourteen-year-old girl how to walk. Or rather, the minister and the residence''s servants attempting to teach, and the other acting to be completely clueless.

    "Ah."

    "Fourth Young Miss!"

    "Fourth Young Miss!"

    "Aiyo~! Fei''er, are you alright!? Servants! Hurry and help up the fourth young miss!"

    Her body in an intimate embrace with the ground for the umpteenth time today, An Fei released a muffled sigh as the servants rushed forwards to haul her body into a standing position. Three meters away, Wei Xuan sat confined to a chair, nearly howling himself hoarse from worry as he spectated his daughter fall onto the ground countless of times.

    With the aid of several senior nannies, they had endeavored to ''teach'' An Fei how to walk fourteen years too late. However, everything had taken a turn for worse within the first few moments. Initially, Wei Xuan had personally held her hand as she attempted to walk, leading to An Fei becoming rather lazy and leveraging his weight to stabilize her position.

    Instantly catching onto her tricks, the nannies had wrenched the minister away and stuffed him into a chair, while forcing An Fei to ''walk'' by herself.

    The previously beautiful and stunning teal dress had been completely sullied with dirt, some of it smeared onto An Fei''s limbs, making a spectacular sight. Lifting her right foot, she took a step forward, then two. By the thirteenth step, her legs were already trembling, and she found herself on the ground by the fourteenth.

    An Fei simply wished to sigh herself to sleep at this rate.

    This body was far too weak. Having been comatose for fourteen years without a single bout of exercise, though she had expected muscle atrophy to a certain degree, but not to the extent that fourteen steps was near unbearable!

    Fourteen steps, with her body height and frame, merely equated to three and a half meters! Amidst the servants'' panic at hoisting her body up only to see it fall to the ground again alongside of Wei Xuan''s near insanity from worry, An Fei couldn''t help but wonder as she stared at the ground.

    Compared to her previous days of having to constantly run and move, was this really any better?

    ¡­She didn''t know.

    "Ah."

    She fell again.

 7 The First Attemp

    "Servants! Just what are you doing!? Hurry and get the Fourth Miss cleaned up! Are you going to stand there until she fuses with the earth!?"

    With Wei Xuan heralding a shrill cry of anger towards the people nearby, the servants quickly rushed forward to pick An Fei from the ground. Bowing respectfully to the anxious minister, they quickly ushered her into a secluded region of the Flowing Winds Residence, where a private bath lay waiting.

    The male servants departing swiftly and closing the door, the maids stripped An Fei of her clothes, the latter slightly wincing when the cloth rubbed against her sore limbs. Alas, she could no longer care about such a thing as a greater problem awaited her attention.

    Splash!

    "AH!?"

    They threw her in!

    Not slowly dipping her into the water, but throwing her like a package!

    And they dare leave!?

    The girl shook her fist underwater as she saw the servants heave sighs of relief as they dusted their hands and carried the soiled clothes laying on the ground, closing the door shut as they left. Leaning against the wall of the bath, An Fei could hear several voices resonating from outside.

    Pressing her ear against the stone surface, she discovered that the voices belonged to the maids earlier. One was domineering and bold, the other soft and submissive, as if belonging to a seductress.

    "Do you¡­think we''ll be caught?"

    "Hmph! Don''t even worry about that. That girl who''s supposed to be the new Fourth Miss, is a complete idiot. I bet she won''t even be capable of tattling to the minister!"

    "But¡­she''s still a Fourth Miss¡­"

    "So what? Eldest Young Master was the one who gave us the order. Don''t tell me, you think some addled Fourth Miss is superior to our Young Master?"

    "¡­Sister Cuiwei is right. Let''s hurry and finish our task then. Hopefully Master won''t notice something wrong, all we need is three hours of time!"

    "Then what are you standing there, saying nothing? Hurry, get the tools!"

    Hearing the maids'' discussion, An Fei silently scoffed. Only eight days in, and someone was out to drag her life down into a misery. Although, she couldn''t help but frown as she looked down at her body.

    Scrawny. Definitely unable to do any running. While she could humph and laugh at her own predicaments, she also was incapable from resolving them.

    "Hah~"

    Relaxing her body and slumping against the wall, An Fei groaned in comfort as the hot water slowly eased her muscles, gradually soaking away her exhaustion and leaving behind an inexplicable comfort. Leaving just her head above the water, she began to slowly survey the bathing house.

    The entire building covering the bath was five meters wide and three meters wide, a bathing intended for a sole person''s use. The walls and ceiling seemed to be made of birch wood, the bathing tub''s perimeter outlined with a smooth stone.

    Lamps hung from each corner, producing a slightly dim lighting that eased the mood. When An Fei prodded the tub''s bottom with her right foot, it also seemed to be of the same stone material. It was a pity however, that she could feel that the ground had a relatively moderate incline.

    She, who was barely a hundred and fifty-five centimeters of height, would probably be only able to stand at the shallow fringe. Feeling relaxed enough, An Fei began to swing her arms, lightly stretching her limbs in the water.

    They truly were useless at any physical activity.

    Such was her evaluation at her own strength and endurance, for merely folding and unfolding her arms for three sets was more than capable of exhausting her reserves. However, she could only lay back and gaze at her own body in both admiration and sorrow.

    Skin tone and texture like hers would have conjured up a massive storm in China if exposed to the public, with males flocking from all directions seeking to gobble her up. Alas, the fact that the body she was admiring was hers, also implied that An Fei wasn''t in her familiar world.

    Thinking back to her somewhat happier and joyful childhood days, a tear trickled down her cheek.

    "Grandfather¡­"

    Her soft voice called, her right arm reaching towards the sky. In the slightly hazy air, the humidity partially obscuring her vision, An Fei envisioned her grandfather standing before her, that same warm and loving smile on his aged face. She seemed to have returned to her memories, the young girl playing with the elder in the hospital, slowly growing in age per snapshot.

    Until, memories of the water channel in the sewer system appeared in her haze, her own voice pounding against her mind. The shrill screams proclaiming her desire for revenge, the defaming cries that had remained locked within at that time, the courage of voicing them missing.

    ''Why did you curse me as well!? The only person I trusted, the only person who displayed love and care to me, why? That dammed mirror, couldn''t you let someone else suffer from its devastation!?''

    When she thought of her thoughts back then, guilt arose within An Fei as she broke down into muffled sobs, salty tears merging with the still pool of water.

    "Grandfather¡­I¡­I disappointed you¡­I-I¡­I''m sorry-"

    Bang! Click.

    The sudden striking of metal on wood interrupting her cries, the sound of a padlock being attached following soon after. Jerking her head to gaze at the door, An Fei could hear the maid''s voices once more.

    "Let''s go. Sister Wei has already set the southern edge of the bath on fire. If we don''t leave now, we might get implicated as well!"

    The sounds of fleeting footsteps echoed in the silent bathing house, An Fei''s gaze continuing to remain on the door. A long moment later, she raised her hand to brush off the remaining tears on her face, her countenance returning to one of indifference.

    "Fire?" she mused. "If it''s simply a plain fire, then they must hope to smother me to death. But if it''s one by oil, then that would be a problem¡­"

    Poking her head over the tub''s edge, she peered around the floor of the bathing house, only to return back in disappointment as she couldn''t find any rags nearby. The servants had indeed performed their task with meticulousness and diligence!

    Not even the smallest shred of fabric was anywhere! With a sigh, she submerged her body even further to rest just below her nose. Breathing in deeply, she was soon able to faintly detect the smell of charred wood, causing the girl to pout.

    Her eyes scanning the entire bathhouse, she discovered that one of the corners was aflame. However, the damp wood delayed the flickering flames from expanding at a quick pace, yet An Fei''s eyes narrowed at an odd feature of the fire.

    The flames were the cheery orange that she remembered seeing, but instead a pale blue. Though the damp birch wood indeed persisted at keeping the flames at bay, the blue flames merely caught the stone floor on fire.

    Streaks of fire blazed towards the bastion of water in the bathing tub like snakes slithering on the ground. Within mere moments, the bathtub was the only region not scorched by the flames in the entire bathing house.

    Less than a meter away from the blue flames, An Fei could feel the scorching heat glance across her face, sending the girl recoiling with a pained hiss.

    Turning around, she quickly swam towards the center of the pool of water, lying on her back as she struggled to keep afloat.

    "A death of burning alive¡­doesn''t seem very appealing," she mused with a light laugh as she gazed towards the ceiling. "Although¡­where will this take me next? Will¡­I be able to see grandfather again¡­?"

    Suddenly, the girl snapped out of her daze, her right hand reaching towards her neck. Clenching the fingers into a fist and raising it above her eyes, she could dimly see a pendant clasped in her hand.

    A pendant with a mirror of smooth cobalt, the surface of embossed platinum. Gazing at the object in surprise and wonder, she turned it to stare at the back, only to find small words etched onto the cobalt protective casing.

    "The Courts of Tian Xia reside¡­the awaits¡­Heaven Colludes, the Divine Palace sunders¡­the Forefather¡­?"

    As the girl numbly read, the soft voice barely audible amongst the roar of flames, everything changed. A brilliant glow exploded from the reflective surface of the mirror, causing An Fei to firmly shut her eyes.

    After the time to brew a cup of tea had passed, she opened them to find a massive surprise.

 8 A Crystal Throne

    No longer floating in the center of the bathing pool, An Fei found herself in a crystal throne room.

    The walls, the floor, even the ceiling was made of a translucent, sky blue crystal that pulsed with a soft glow. The entire room was massive, and she estimated it to be thirty meters in width and height, and a hundred meters in length.

    However, what irked her curiosity was that she couldn''t find a single light source, yet the entire room was alight with a dim, comfortable golden glow.

    No torches, no chandeliers, no braziers releasing light, nothing. Her gaze scanning the entire throne room, An Fei inadvertently looked downwards, her eyelashes fluttering in surprise.

    "Oh¡­"

    The ground was the source of the room''s illumination. More specifically, the ground where her body lay slumped was awash with the soft golden light.

    When An Fei reached out and tapped the crystal floor with her index finger, the sky blue crystal warmed to the touch, eliciting a soft sigh of comfort from the girl. As she continued staring at where her finger touched the ground, she found the frequency of the crystal''s pulsing increase drastically, gradually transforming into the golden light.

    Squeezing her eyes shut and shaking her head twice, An Fei slowly rose into an unstable standing position, opening her eyes only when she found herself sufficiently rooted to the ground.

    Quietly grumbling to herself about her now deficient physical ability, she craned her neck as she properly surveyed the throne room, more particularly, the actual throne itself.

    The throne was similarly of the sky blue crystal, and An Fei could only call it quite an uncomfortable chair from a single glance. Other than multiple inscriptions racing throughout the length of the seat and arms of the throne, she couldn''t find anything relatively spectacular.

    Raising her gaze upwards, she could see that the inscriptions extended towards the ceiling, crisscrossing across the entire roof of the throne room. The weird markings were similar to the circuit boards that she had seen inside computer chips in the previous world, branching out into subsidiary segments that continued the process. Only, what did they entail?

    Tentatively walking over to the crystal seat, An Fei stroked the smooth surface, watching the crystal pulsate and transform into the golden light she had previously seen. It was just that this time, the girl was taken aback in surprise.

    "Huh¡­a box?"

    Right before the soft glow appeared before her eyes, the surface of the armrest split apart, revealing a wooden box held within. Reaching with both hands to extricate the box to inspect it, An Fei discovered that the box was of blackwood, intricate carvings of leaves decorating the sides.

    "¡­my heart¡­"

    For an unknown reason, An Fei could feel a bitter sourness filling her nose as she stared at the box, her heartbeat beginning to accelerate. Raising her right hand to the rectangular box''s lid, she opened it with trembling fingers.

    When the contents were finally revealed, she discovered her vision threatening to mist over.

    Held within was a letter, and an aged book underneath.

    Picking up the letter and unfolding the creased paper, the girl finally broke into tears upon seeing the familiar handwriting. The rigid brushstrokes, each emitting a dull straightforward character with a hidden elegance, were once again burned into her memory.

    As she stared at the letter, An Fei could envision memories of her past, the sacred and happy times she cherished with her might.

    "By the time you read¡­this¡­I will have long since perished," she read amongst choked sobs, her voice threatening to break.

    "Xiang Yang has lived¡­a fulfilling life¡­one of eternal memories, sorrows¡­and joys. The ¡­I¡­pass to you¡­Take good care of your health¡­and don''t wallow¡­in sorrow. The heart of the ¡­is underneath."

    Picking up the book, An Fei continued to read the letter, tears dripping onto the writing. As she read, the book held in her right hand seemed to become heavier, then lighter.

    "¡­is for those with a weak body¡­to repair the overabundance of Yin. To prepare for your arrival¡­I searched for a compatible¡­shell to house your soul, but¡­deficits couldn''t be avoided. Practice the well and live¡­my Fei''er¡­Xiang Yang''s granddaughter¡­Signed, Protector Xiang¡­"

    Carefully folding the letter and clutching it and the book to her chest, An Fei dropped to her knees as she sobbed.

    As if responding to her cries, the pulsing within the crystals flickered and increased in intensity, as if reaching to comfort the grieving girl.

    -

    "Grandfather¡­"

    Rubbing her now puffy eyes, An Fei slotted the letter back into the wooden box, keeping the book. Watching the box sink into the compartment within the right armrest, she dropped into a full bow, quietly sniffling as the separated sides of the armrest conjoined.

    Sinking into the seat of the throne, she scrutinized the book in her hands, wondering what exactly was special about the book.

    The book was thin, containing less than a hundred snow-white pages. The cover was a dull black and lacked a title, much less any embellishing features. Arranging her posture into a more comfortable one, she opened the book, reading the first page.

    "The is an adjunct unit of the Fields of Asphodel¡­the owner manages the transfer of energy as per the Tianzun''s requests. An eternal solace, an exile of paradise, the Sanctum houses all¡­time? The Executor of Elysium¡­argh!"

    Shaking her head in frustration, An Fei jumped from the throne seat, tossing the book onto the ground. As it contacted the ground, the crystal pulsated at an irregular pace, resulting in a violet glow.

    Noticing the irregularity, she carefully walked down the steps, picking up the overturned book and patting the cover. Inspecting to ensure the lack of damage, her gaze flitted across the words again, causing her to nearly bite her tongue from the bubbling frustration.

    "What Field of Asphodel, what Tianzun? An eternal solace, an exile of paradise, isn''t this practically nonsense!? You expect me to believe this mystical crap, that''s almost the same as immortals truly existing! Such unscientific nonsense, don''t tell me this is what grandfather¡­"

    Her outburst trailing off, An Fei knit her brows as a thought crossed her mind. Inadvertently, her gaze trailed down towards her naked body, the breathtaking features reminding her once again.

    "Supernatural phenomenon¡­this is just a prank, right? Please tell me this is simply a rotten joke¡­"

    Her left hand curling into a fist as her arm shook in anger, fear, and trepidation, An Fei repeatedly told herself to calm down as she glared at the opened book in her hand. Ignoring the contents on the first page and directly skipping to the next, she began to read while deeply hoping not to be disappointed.

    "The Sanctum operates in four stages: auxiliary, normal, accelerated, and critical stages. When not commanded, it will remain in the auxiliary configuration with minimal functions¡­? Visual or verbal invocation is required to switch between configurations¡­this has better not be another joke, right?"

    Resist! Resist!

    An Fei nibbled on her lower lip as she struggled to not succumb to her urge and throw the book onto the ground and stomp on it a few times. Staring at the crystalline ceiling and immersing herself in the warm, comfortable atmosphere of the throne room, she breathed deeply for a few moments until clarity trickled back.

    After a few moments of intensive pondering, the girl''s delicate mouth opened, the soft voice tinged with embarrassment as it resounded in the room.

    "Enable¡­normal¡­configuration."

    Rumble!

    A harsh vibration reverberated in the throne room, knocking An Fei onto the ground. Groaning in pain while rubbing her sore body, she curled into a fetal position, her body lacking the ability to amply withstand the vibrations.

    When the quaking had finally stopped, she furtively raised her head to survey the room.

    She suddenly couldn''t find it in herself to say anything anymore.

    The throne room had changed, with several gates installed every few meters on each side of the walls. The gates were of a black metal, and An Fei could see obscure engravings of symbols above each gate.

    With a heavy sigh, she crawled towards the book laying nearby, giving it an emphatic glance before picking it up. Holding the book close, she sat on the ground in a daze, wondering what to do next.

    If the nonsense actually manifested a result, then she could only grit her teeth and bear with it.

 9 The Monkey of the Emperor

    Jiang''an.

    The center of Great Yong, the golden city of the hegemon of Shattered Star continent. With just the inner city spanning over thirteen kilometers in diameter, Jiang''an was a paradise of wealth, knowledge, and influence. And at the epicenter of the inner city sat a massive palace of gold, one that towered over all other buildings in the city.

    No other building or structure could match its height, size, or prestige. Large inscriptions of dragons and phoenixes carved on its walls, with ''Yong'' guarding the gates, the palace was the Imperial Palace of Great Yong, its imposing aura and nobility displayed to the finest.

    Inside the palace raced several streams of palace maids and eunuchs scurrying about the various pavilions and courtyards, carrying an assortment of objects ranging from brushes to jade trays.

    Climbing up the three hundred steps of silver were legions of officials adorned in red, green, blue, or black robes, each headed towards the Imperial Court. With the Imperial Court and Ancestral Palace as the domineering spearhead, the courtyards and palaces of the emperor''s backyard decorated the rear confines of the Imperial Palace, providing an illusion of serenity and peace behind the deadly spear.

    Dong! Dong!

    The afternoon bell struck twice to indicate the passing of the Goat Hour, inviting the cacophony of the Western Monkey. Hearing the pounding ring, the various officials loitering around the entrance of the Imperial Court all scrambled inside, fighting to stand at their proper position before the emperor sat on the throne.

    As long as they managed to get into formation before he sat, none of them would lose their lives.

    "His Majesty arrives!" A high-ranking eunuch cried.

    The shrill cry mercilessly exterminated the officials'' conversations, a deafening silence filling the Court. Hearing a set of valiant and powerful footsteps resound from the recess of the Court, the officials all hunched their head into a full bow, their eyes shut.

    "We pay respects to His Imperial Majesty!"

    Three hundred voices spoke as one, swelling and quelling at the same instant. Subsequently following was an organized clutter of fabric rustling against the carpet ground as the officials lowered themselves into a respectful kowtow.

    "Rise. We accept your greetings."

    From the rear entrance of the Imperial Court, a young man stepped forward, heading for the throne. Dressed in a golden robe inscribed with flowing dragons and tigers, the man appeared to be in his twenties, his features handsome and majestic.

    Rigid eyebrows, golden irises immersed in mirth as well as that slight smirk gracing his lips, the man leisurely sat on the throne, casually waving towards the officials paying their respects.

    "Thanking His Imperial Majesty!"

    The officials roared before resuming a standing position, each clasping their memorial before them.

    The emperor smirked, leaning forward on the golden throne as he raised an eyebrow.

    "Alright, alright" he spoke with a languished tone. "The hour of the Monkey has come. You know what to do, let''s get it done with and go home!"

    "Yes, Your Imperial Majesty!"

    The officials struggled to retain a solemn expression as they all pressed tightly on their quivering lips. This emperor of theirs, ah! Five hundred years since he ascended to the throne and he still retains the same playboy attitude since his youth as a meagre Eighth Prince.

    Although, it was indeed a pity that such free and careless attitude was displayed only during the Hour of the Monkey. A middle-aged official dressed in a green robe stepped forward, bowing to the emperor.

    "Your Imperial Majesty ah¡­" the official began, his eyes shifting around.

    "The Finance Bureau received the edict yesterday for this year''s management of taxes¡­but we have absolutely no idea on what to do¡­" His voice trailed off, the official''s knees prepping to drop into a full kowtow upon the slightest inclination of rage.

    "What do you mean, absolutely no idea?" the emperor questioned.

    "We thought that the instructions provided were sufficiently detailed and comprehensive enough. What do you mean, you don''t understand?"

    "B-but¡­it''s just that the adjustments¡­simply don''t make sense!" The official cried.

    "Reducing every tax to three percent for the year in celebration of Your Imperial Majesty''s five-hundredth birthday, that will cause significant damage to the Department of Revenue! The national treasury can''t withstand such a strain!"

    "Why is that?" The emperor raised his eyebrow, gazing intently at the official. "Didn''t Li Ming bring back three major salt mines and deposited them into the treasury a few months ago? Since you know that, why are you still confused?"

    "This-this¡­because salt mines don''t bolster the economy until a significant time has passed, ah!" The official pleaded.

    "Your Imperial Majesty, though the salt mines indeed possess great economic potential, they require time for the people to actively purchase from the venue. Unlike gemstones and precious metals, property grants don''t possess much initial value, nor will they sustain the empire''s expenses!"

    "Then¡­you must have a solution, no?" The emperor inquired, his voice turning quiet.

    The official was about to nod his head and fire back a reply, when those nearby subtly reached over with their foot to harshly prod his back. His pupils constricting as realization struck him, the official trembled as he quickly dropped and kowtowed, his wails piercing the slightly gloomy atmosphere.

    "Your Imperial Majesty, please forgive this subject!" he lamented, striking his head against the floor.

    "Please forgive this subject! This subject crossed the line!"

    Taken aback, the emperor narrowed his eyes as he carefully inspected the sniveling official, tilting his head to the right in confusion. After a few moments, the man opened his mouth, the obvious undertone of laughter carried within.

    "¡­what are you even doing? This is the Court of the Monkey Hour, has my dear official forgotten the rules?"

    "Please forgive this-ah?" The official paused, rapidly blinking as he stared agape at the seated emperor.

    Turning his gaze around, he discovered his fellow officials hiding their snickers and laughter behind their long sleeves, their eyes radiating a gloating look.

    "You-"

    "Hahaha!" the emperor roared in laughter, repeatedly slapping his knee. "You officials are truly great, this joke never ceases to fail! This emperor has successfully been amused, all may go home early! Scram, scram!"

    "Thanking His Imperial Majesty!"

    With a boisterous bellow, the officials quickly departed from the Imperial Court as they congratulated the official who had pleased the emperor via self-harm, patting the fuming man on the back. Shaking his head whilst chuckling, the emperor too stood from the throne to leave, when he paused to glance at the floor from the corner of his eye.

    "Oh? Seeing Minister Wei tarry behind is as rare as the Sun shining brightly at midnight!" he joked, gesturing for the official to draw near, ignoring the chief eunuch''s cry of surprise.

    "Greeting Your Majesty." Wei Xuan bowed.

    "Speak then," the emperor replied, perching on the edge of the golden seat as he assessed the minister. "Something that forces someone like you to seek a private favor, what is it?"

    Wei Xuan paused, his brows knit in thought for a moment. Closely inspecting the minister''s gaze, the emperor noticed a glance of turmoil locked within Wei Xuan''s eyes, causing him to raise an eyebrow in surprise. Before the emperor could respond, the conflicted gaze had stilled, and Wei Xuan bowed once more.

    "Your Imperial Majesty," he began, his voice steady and unhurried.

    "As you may have gotten news of, my fourth daughter recently opened her eyes for the first time. However, the physicians this minister received guidance from all concluded that my daughter would not live longer than a year¡­unless she either consumed an Eight-Petaled Violet Yin Herb aged at least a thousand years-"

    "An Eight-Petaled Violet Yin Herb aged for a millennium?" the emperor interrupted, his brows twitching in surprise.

    "Minister Wei, do you know that the Eight-Petaled Violet Yin Herb has been confirmed as extinct since three millennia ago? Well? Did they state an alternative?"

    "They indeed did," Wei Xuan responded. "The only other alternative I received was to have my daughter practice in a cultivation technique of the highest purity in Yin Essence-"

    "Pure-Yin oriented cultivation technique!?" the emperor squawked, startling both Wei Xuan and the chief eunuch. Ignoring the minister and eunuch gazing at him in fear, the emperor began on a tirade, his body trembling from agitation.

    "Minister Wei, your daughter is truly biting more than she can chew, ah!" the emperor complained with bitterness and resentment.

    "A pure-Yin oriented cultivation technique, that is one of the empire''s closely guarded secrets, managed directly by the Old Emperor! Even We can''t peruse cultivation techniques of such quality without special permission, much less your fourth daughter!"

    "This¡­" Wei Xuan''s voice trailed, unsure on what to reply with. Before he could begin explaining his thought, the emperor had already waved his arm towards him.

    "That request of yours, don''t even start!" the emperor lamented with a bitter tone.

    "If you were to leverage your daughter''s astonishing beauty to marry her to the Crown Prince, then this Emperor would be able to attempt persuading the Royal Ancestors to allow her to peruse the Hidden Mausoleum. Other than that, forget about persuasion, perhaps your family be exterminated, and this Emperor given a severe, probably lethal beating. What, now you''re scared?"

    Glaring at the silenced Wei Xuan, the Emperor felt a lingering sentiment of pity.

    Just as he was about to speak words of consolation, a palace servant quickly broke into the Imperial Court. Speedily kowtowing to the emperor, the servant sprinted to Wei Xuan, whispering into his ear.

    Hearing the servant''s words, Wei Xuan''s countenance darkened before turning ashen, a deep terror and unease evident in his gaze.

 10 Did You Think of A Miracle? 1

    "Ah!"

    Collapsing into a sore heap onto the ground for the fifth time, An Fei let out a pained cry. Rubbing her aching body to relieve the pain, she blinked tears from her eyes, glaring vehemently at the crystal surface.

    With the mystical phenomena of warming upon contacting her skin, she had no problem with walking barefoot or bare-skinned in the mysterious place, but it was rather painful when she fell on it. Shaking her head twice and patting her cheeks to reassure herself, An Fei turned her gaze around to view her surroundings once more.

    She was in a long corridor, the first on the wall to the left in the throne room. Unable to recognize any of the symbols on the plaques resting atop of the respective gates, she had picked whichever was closest.

    And regretted it.

    The corridor simply didn''t seem to have an end, the small speck of light unchanging in the slightest no matter she walked. Every three meters, there would be additional doors on an adjacent wall.

    Since she had stepped into the long hallway, she had opened doors leading to an armory, a medicine garden, and an odd room with nothing but an enormous copper basin in the center. When she caught sight of it, An Fei could only stand for several moments in confusion, having not the slightest clue on what to even think.

    However, she decided to move on to the next room, dragging her exhausted self along. Every few minutes, her small stomach would rear its head and emit a fierce growl, causing the girl to nibble on her lips in distaste. Gazing at the seemingly never-ending corridor, she felt like vomiting to express her dissatisfaction.

    She was hungry! And did she also forget to mention that she was still naked!?

    Teetering unsteadily for fourteen steps, then heavily falling onto the ground. With such a rhythm, An Fei walked for another hour, crawling to the door on the right.

    Her right hand outstretched towards the handle, she threw herself at the door, barely turning the handle and pushing it open. Watching the door slowly slide inward, An Fei anxiously gulped, supporting herself by leaning against the wall as she peered in.

    Once her eyes had registered to the room''s lighting, the girl couldn''t help but scream in delight, rushing inside with all of her might.

    Inside was what could be loosely interpreted as a maiden''s bedroom.

    In the center of the room was a massive square bed with a side length of three meters and a half, the mattress a springy, comfortable material, with silver fox fur blankets. Her eyes ravenously examining the four-sided curtain barrier surrounding the bed, An Fei had to muster her entire willpower to not snuggle underneath the blankets.

    Her hands curling into fists, she explored around the room, only to release a sigh of admiration.

    A series of dressers stationed on an adjacent wall, a powdering table standing in between, packed with the cosmetics An Fei couldn''t be more familiar with. A large, mahogany table placed before another wall, and the third wall was occupied by a wooden door.

    The only drawbacks were the lack of any lighting system nor a window, but the illumination produced by the crystal''s mysterious attribute was more than sufficient for ample visibility. Standing in place and burning what she saw into her memory, An Fei let out a sigh of appreciation.

    This luxurious room with a modern take, she cherished a lot; it reminded her of the modern world, providing a tranquil solace within the sea of confusion she had experienced each day at the Wei Manor.

    Staggering towards the unexplored door and wrenching it open, An Fei found herself facing a large bathtub shaped like a pentagon already filled with lightly steaming water. Noticing that a series of shampoos, cleansers, and various other bathing supplements stood near the tub, the girl couldn''t resist the temptation any longer, rushing back towards the closest drawer.

    Picking out a random dress and marching back into the bathroom, she promptly leaped in with melodious peals of joy and laughter.

    An hour later, she reemerged, dressed in a light green robe. A relaxed expression on her countenance, the first thing the girl did was to open her mouth and quietly whisper.

    "A miracle. This has to be a miracle."

    Her need for clothing satisfied, An Fei took one last fleeting look at the tempting bed before leaving the room. Now, she just had to find something to satiate her hunger.

    -

    "Minister Wei, you must return home quickly, ah! There''s a lingering fire blazing in the Flowing Winds Residence. The news is that although there''s minimal damage, a secluded building was burnt to the ground."

    Hearing the young eunuch''s words, Wei Xuan stumbled as his thoughts shorted, his mind running into a blank. As he stared into the air with his mouth slightly agape, the emperor frowned before motioning for the eunuch to impart to him the news as well.

    Cold sweat trickling down his brow, the eunuch respectfully inched towards the throne to whisper into the emperor''s ear.

    "Minister Wei," the emperor tentatively spoke, carefully scrutinizing the latter''s iron countenance.

    "Are you alright? Do you require tending to some¡­issue?"

    Wei Xuan shuddered, an unfathomable gleam coldly blazing within his gaze. As he kept his head down, a silver glow gradually encompassed the man, the nearby air warping and distorting upon contacting the mysterious light.

    "Wei. Xuan!" the emperor shouted, slamming his palm onto the armrest of the throne. "Did you forget about palace etiquette after losing your rage!? Remember that martial arts is not to be utilized in the Imperial Court unless in an emergency!"

    "Your Imperial Majesty, this minister is indeed in an emergency. The punishment, this one shall ask for it later."

    With a swift bow, Wei Xuan''s figure disappeared from the Imperial Court, a trace of silver light the only hint of his presence. Sitting on the throne with his hand still outstretched in an attempt to stop the minister, the emperor sighed multiple times, even stomping on the ground in frustration.

    The jade set of tea was not spared from the emperor''s rage, crashing onto the mahogany floor to shatter into a thousand fragments. Fragrant tea spilled onto the ground, some soaking the hem of the emperor''s robe.

    Watching such a scene, the eunuchs all trembled in unison, fearing for their lives.

    "What," the emperor scowled upon noticing their cowardly temperament. "Never seen a man vent his rage before? Go, get out, before this emperor takes it out on you all!"

    Watching the palace servants rush out from the Imperial Court as if their life depended on it, the emperor coldly snorted, sweeping his sleeve as turned around. The glorious ruler of Great Yong stomped with each step as he headed for the back courts, his disgruntled voice echoing throughout the sacred chambers.

    "What a great Wei Xuan, ah! Daring to openly display your cultivation in such a restricted zone, let''s see if I don''t punish you, hmph!"

    -

    Speeding through the streets of Jiang''an, Wei Xuan only had anger in mind. His usual habits of browsing through the various accessory and candy shops to search for tiny tidbits to gift his daughters, browsing the bookstores to expand his study''s collection, or even swindling his colleagues of their alcohol money to shamelessly present to his wife, none if it mattered.

    He ignored the beautiful, awe-inspiring buildings and roads nor the passing people adorned with wealth and noble auras, instead quickly dodging any incoming passerby. All the while, he constantly galvanized the spiritual essence within his body to propel him forward, faithfully relying on his movement martial arts technique to rush home.

    Shrouded by the silvery light, Wei Xuan ignored any regulation on utilizing cultivation-based martial arts whatsoever, flickering to a stop before the Wei Manor in a manner of mere moments.

    Slamming open the door, the servants rushing forward to greet him with smiles on their faces couldn''t help but have their countenance freeze when a glacial, domineering aura enveloped them. Some of them hesitantly inched forward to inquire what was wrong when Wei Xuan spoke, interrupting their actions.

    "Call forth the servants of the Flowing Wind Residence."

    Now they couldn''t even muster the courage to even speak¡­

 11 Did You Think of A Miracle? 2

    "Hm¡­"

    Rubbing her chin in deep thought, An Fei carefully scrutinized an object before her. To be precise, it was a plain mirror, one with a silvered surface and a leather casing.

    Propped up at an angle on a table, the mirror was of such mundanity that a single glance could determine that it was of little value. However, what irked An Fei about this mirror the most was:

    "What is a mirror doing in a medicine garden? The owner of this place couldn''t be that vain, right?"

    Casting a sidelong glance around her surroundings, An Fei could only guess the mirror''s purpose.

    Currently, she stood in a sea of medicinal herbs, each glistering with a multi-colored lustre, quite considerably causing chills to run down her spine. Ginsengs, angelicas, borages, and garlics were only a few of the hundreds she saw scattered over the entire field, most of them unrecognizable in appearance, smell, or texture.

    Not to mention, the combination of powerful medicines and their distinct odors created a chaotic storm that assailed her senses, and An Fei was forced into a coughing fit with every deep breath. Fanning her face with her hand, she lifted the collar of the robe to cover her nose and mouth, barely smothering out the smell.

    Bending over to inspect the conspicuous mirror at a closer distance, she absentmindedly reached to her right to pluck off a stem of what appeared to be a cluster of wild celery. The green stalk exuded a fresh vitality, with thin streams of green light coiling around the body.

    The aroma of freshly cut celery entered her nose, and without much thought, she had already brought it to her small mouth and bit.

    Munch.

    The clear taste of celery swamped her senses, the slightly bitter and astringent taste causing her to release a sigh of admiration. Aided by her increased appetite, An Fei quickly consumed the stalk in her hand before plucking off two more from the cluster.

    As she continued to admire at her reflection in the mirror, she would occasionally bite off a tiny portion to consume.

    Picking up the mirror and turning it around, she found absolutely nothing unique about it; everything about it was the common and dull silver mirror anyone could have bought on an online listing site for a bargain price in her previous world. And to top things off, this was not the only mirror she had discovered in the various rooms branching from the corridor.

    Sitting down with her back against the short table''s leg, she carefully thought back to where she had seen the mirrors. The armory, the boudoir, and the coffers she had glanced by, these were all somewhat acceptable environments to place a mirror.

    "But the room with nothing but a large copper bowl? And additionally, in each medicine garden?"

    Such a thing didn''t exactly make sense. Then again, neither did the mysterious crystal making the walls, floor, and ceiling that revealed a warm glow upon contact. Holding the mirror with both hands as she observed the peerless countenance staring back at her from the reflective surface, An Fei occasionally raised her left hand to fondle a portion of her hair, absentminded.

    "This face¡­it''s truly me¡­? The difference is far too great¡­agh!"

    A searing pain struck her stomach, causing her to drop the mirror. Clutching her stomach, the waves of pain created dark spots to arise in her vision, soft but gradually increasing ringing noises striking her ears.

    Her skin seemed to be gently brushed with a searing knife, small but unbearable pinpricks of pain drilling deeply into the marrow.

    Painful screams pierced the once tranquil medicine garden, only abating after significant time had passed.

    When the sensations had receded, An Fei blearily raised her head to glance around, finding herself curled in a fetal position around a table leg, a cluster of wild angelica flourishing directly before her face. Carefully inspecting her sore body, she discovered her skin to be caked in a dark, paste-like substance.

    When she prodded her arm, the paste had yet to harden, the extremely foul odor causing the girl to blanch, her expression morphing into one wishing to vomit. She leaned over to dry-heave for several moments, panting deeply after her stomach finally surrendered and abated its uncomfortable squirming.

    Suddenly, a scarlet glow from her left caught her attention, and she turned around to find the plain mirror as its source. Crawling closer, she discovered that instead of her face staring back at her, a partially distorted mirage of Wei Xuan standing under a gate was presented on the reflective surface.

    As she squinted her eyes to observe closely, she discovered a blazing sensation directly underneath her collarbone, her hand jumping to her skin in an instant. However, an intense burst of dizziness struck her, and she quickly fell into dreamland.

    -

    "Kneel! Without my further order, none of you are permitted to stand!"

    Unrestrained fury distorting his expression, Wei Xuan bellowed at the terrified servants. Silver light exploded from his body to forcefully push them down into a kneeling position. Without sparing a further gaze, he quickly departed for the Flowing Winds Residence, a silver stream trailing behind him.

    Standing at the entrance of the courtyard, he could detect the faint trace of burnt wood. His pupils constricting as blue veins bulged in his arms, neck, and face, Wei Xuan released a mournful bellow as he rushed forward.

    Crossing to the other side of the residence, he found himself standing before the remnants of a building, the private bathing house transformed into a pile of burnt, wooden scraps. Dumbfounded at the wreckage before him, he silently stood in a daze, his mouth agape.

    A moment later, he stepped forward with trepidation, his hands outstretched to pull away at the pile. As he dislodged the burnt wooden logs that had once formed the walls, Wei Xuan remained calm enough to handle the wreckage with enough care to prevent any further damage.

    However, he suddenly paused, glaring fiercely at the piece of wood clutched in his hand.

    "Spiritual fire¡­" he growled, nearly unable to control himself from snapping the wood into pieces.

    The piece of wood had a palm imprint engraved on the middle, the engraving releasing an occasional blue spark.

    Narrowing his eyes as he carefully memorized the lingering trace of spiritual essence, Wei Xuan threw the piece of wood to the side, before resuming his work of clearing the area. The servants that rushed to assist him, he simply blew away with a wave of his sleeve.

    Piece by piece, the bathing tub of stone was gradually exposed to the air, causing the minister to freeze in place, his heart leaping to his throat.

    There, floating facedown in the middle of the pool, was a young girl. Attempting to fish her out of the water, Wei Xuan quickly noticed that she had not a single article of clothing attached to her body.

    As he reached out to pull the girl out, he swiftly stomped onto the ground to form a dense smokescreen. Wrapping An Fei with his outer robe, Wei Xuan rushed into the study, cold sweat trickling down his brow when he raised a hand to her forehead.

    Why was her body temperature so low? What exactly had happened while he was at the Imperial Court!?

 12 Did You Think of a Miracle? 3

    Being called to attend to the same patient for the third time in half a month left Physician Gao brooding over a few questions.

    One of them included whether working under the Wei Family was still a great idea as he had once envisioned.

    Holding his toolbox and inwardly grumbling to himself, the old physician could only allow Wei Xuan to wheedle him into the Flowing Winds Residence. The instant the bold signboard entered his gaze, he knew instantly what he had been called over for, causing the physician to sigh.

    Shaking his head and coming to a stop, Physician Gao turned his gaze to directly face Wei Xuan, ignoring all established rules of etiquette and social convention to bluntly ask.

    "Minister Wei, the patient this time is once again, the Fourth Miss? Am I correct?"

    "Yes," Wei Xuan responded with a despondent expression. "It''s my fourth daughter again. Please offer your assistance, doctor."

    "You-you! Has my advice fallen onto deaf ears!?" The physician stomped his foot and roared, his beard riling in his rage. "Only eight days has passed, and I''m being called over once again? Minister Wei, just how are you taking care of your daughter!? Even with her precarious constitution, it wouldn''t garner such a result-"

    "Someone attempted to murder her whilst I was performing my duty at the Imperial Palace," Wei Xuan replied, his gaze becoming steely as a silver glow was unconsciously emitted from his body. "This minister had rushed my way here after hearing the news, breaking most of the regulations on cultivation and martial arts in Jiang''an."

    "Murdered?" the physician inquired, his countenance aghast. "How can that be? Unable to perform the four professions, five virtues, or even fulfil the duties of an official''s daughter, what effect would murdering the Fourth Miss cause¡­"

    "Hmph! This minister shall see if anyone dares!"

    Wei Xuan trembled as he scathingly spoke, constantly attempting to rein in his anger. The silver light continued to flicker in and out of existence, the fluctuations of spiritual essence becoming unstable.

    His eyes narrowing, Physician Gao quickly placated the minister, hurriedly pressing a few acupuncture points on his right arm to calm the rampant spiritual essence.

    Feeling his body gradually calm itself, his blood no longer boiling and scalding, Wei Xuan nodded towards the physician, gesturing for him to enter. Physician Gao returned a polite nod, opening the door of the study to find the unconscious An Fei laying on the bed.

    Looking at the girl tightly wrapped in multiple blankets, the aged physician frowned, stepping forward and setting his toolbox down. Accepting a silk handkerchief offered by Wei Xuan to take her pulse, the physician raised his index finger just below her nose, only to jerk his hand back as his brows furrowed in surprise.

    "Impossible," he murmured, raising a hand to massage his forehead. "This should be impossible¡­"

    "Physician Gao, what''s wrong?" Wei Xuan tentatively asked as he stepped forward the inspect the physician. "Is there a problem with my daughter? Has her symptoms worsened?"

    "No, nothing of that sort," Physician Gao hastily affirmed. "It''s just that¡­the Fourth Miss is in the midst of an acute fever."

    "Fever!?" the minister blurted, his expression one of disbelief. "But her body was ice-cold when I fished her from the water! How can she be having a fever?"

    "Perhaps¡­she acquired a cold deficiency in the body?" the physician refuted. "There have been records of patients with cold-deficiency syndrome suffering a drastic drop in temperature during a fever. Nor can I deny such possibility, for there are no signs of anemia within the Fourth Miss'' body."

    "Cold deficiency¡­" Wei Xuan knit his brows in thought. "Physician Gao, can you please explain the symptoms and how to treat it?"

    "Of course," the old man replied.

    "The primary symptoms of cold-deficiency syndrome include extremely low body temperature, reduced stamina, and a short lifespan. Anything else generally pertains to specific areas of the body remaining at a constantly lower temperature than the rest, including the heart, kidneys, and limbs."

    "As for treating it¡­this physician had studied that though exercise will indeed stabilize the patient''s condition, attempting to improve their physique¡­will accelerate the condition. A far more feasible and reliable method would be to provide a thin slice of ginseng or distilled yang fruit to maintain a thin balance of Yin and Yang. However, this method can only provide stability just like the abovementioned, and never should anyone attempt to consume more than a single slice in a day."

    "But you said something should have been impossible," the minister persisted, a stern expression obscuring his handsome countenance. "Just what is it that worries you?"

    "The pulse of the Fourth Miss¡­has changed," was the reply. "At times, it beats every two breaths of three, and at others, one breath amongst four. This condition, I daresay without confidence, but there was a legend-"

    "The imperial physician has arrived!"

    A servant broke into the study with great haste, forgetting to even bow as he rested his palms on his knees with heavy pants. Before Wei Xuan could frown his brows in confusion, the servant passed alongside a jade tablet to the minister, departing in the same hurry in which he had intruded.

    Thumbing the jade tablet and turning it over, the minister found the symbol of ''Saint'' in bold characters stamped on the front, with a cast of the imperial symbol underneath. Realization sinking in after a few moments, both the minister and physician gasped on astonishment, finding the same emotions reflected back towards them.

    "Quick!" Wei Xuan hissed towards Physician Gao. "Do you have a method of disguising her symptoms? Such things, the emperor must not know at all costs!"

    "I understand," the physician nodded, his gaze ablaze with an indeterminable determination. "I can disguise the Fourth Miss'' condition into one of a simple deficiency of Yin. However, the ruse will only persist for half a stick of incense before an imperial physician with a ''Saint'' title can distinguish the difference."

    "I''ll delay the imperial physician for as long as I can. How much do you need?"

    "Two minutes. One and a half, if I need to be quick. However, if I rush things, the Fourth Miss may experience some discomfort."

    "Two minutes. Don''t you dare hurt my daughter!" Wei Xuan nodded, flapping his sleeve as he briskly walked out of the study, his back presenting an indomitable figure.

    Physician Gao nodded, before opening the toolkit and extracting five blue needles from a hidden case. The needles were of a dull steel, and each emitted a bone-piercing cold aura.

    Using the handkerchief to carefully roll up An Fei''s right sleeve, the physician quickly inserted the needles at the underside of the joint of the elbow, at either sides of an obscure meridian behind the wrist, and directly between the major arteries flowing through her arm. When the needles slid into her skin, the girl lightly shivered, her eyelashes fluttering.

    Physician Gao quickly massaged her palm through the handkerchief in an effort of calming her down.

    "Good girl," the old man spoke as he gently flicked the tips of the needles at a complex rhythm, his finger covered by a grey layer of light. "There''s going to be some discomfort for the next few days. Perhaps a little burst of cold here and there, but nothing permanent."

    After a moment had passed, the physician slapped his palms together, the needles shooting out of her skin at the same time to rest in the jade case. Carefully stowing away the case in a hidden compartment of the toolbox, the physician ran a final checkup of An Fei''s pulse, ensuring that it was stable though significantly weaker than before.

    Noting that the girl''s temperature had decreased even further, Physician Gao nodded before rolling down her sleeve and ensuring that nothing appeared out of place. Raising his head to the gaze at the ceiling, the aged man released a wistful sigh, softly speaking to an unknown listener.

    "Master, master," the physician cried. "Disciple has been unfilial. Disciple has been unfilial. The World of Ice''s , disciple has finally used it to protect his brother. Master''s wish of burying these techniques forever, disciple can only break it¡­"

    -

    "Oh? So it was Imperial Physician Feng!" Wei Xuan cordially greeted the guest standing at the gates. "This minister did not expect your visit, please do forgive this one."

    "What the emperor wills, we shall obey. There is no need for cordiality."

    The recipient was a young man in his early twenties. His appearance was rather handsome and admirable, with fair skin, limpid phoenix eyes, and a graceful smile decorating his lips. Facing Wei Xuan''s energetic greeting, Feng Tian Mu gave a polite bow in response, neither flaunting arrogance nor humility.

    Assessing the young man, the minister discovered that it was nigh impossible to gauge his real thoughts and intentions, the only analyzable result a blank sheet of paper. Not even the smallest ink stain could be found on the pristine paper, leaving Wei Xuan at a deadlock.

    Hence, he could only gesture for the two of them to be on their way to the Flowing Winds Residence. The servants had yet to be forgiven and could only remain kneeling on the ground, the rough surface and nearby pebbles digging into their skin.

 13 Did You Think of A Miracle? 4

    "Then, please, Imperial Physician." Wei Xuan could only capitulate, and he gestured for Feng Tian Mu to follow as he guided the latter to the Flowing Winds Residence.

    "This way, to my residence."

    "¡­is there something Lord Minister wishes to impart to this one?" Feng Tian Mu raised an eyebrow as he inquired, his handsome face displaying a pleasant smile.

    "Ah? Oh, no, nothing of what Imperial Physician Feng is worrying of," Wei Xuan quickly replied.

    "Imperial Physician arrived far quicker than we had known, hence my daughter is currently resting at this one''s study."

    "Then it is for the best," Feng Tian Mu nodded. "It is encouraging to see Lord Minister to be so careful and affectionate towards his daughter. Benevolent parents shall birth a generous heart."

    "Why, thanking Imperial Physician for his praise," The minister gave a quick bow, clasping his fist before his chest in gratitude. "This minister only wishes for his daughter to live happily."

    "Benevolence and affection is indeed wise and magnanimous, but Lord Minister must always remember," Feng Tian Mu''s lips raised in a slight smile. "Offending the emperor to care for one''s daughter is not benevolence. One must always remember and adhere to the relationships and virtues of subject and official."

    "This official remembers," Wei Xuan quickly acquiesced. "Has His Imperial Majesty¡­decreed anything?"

    As he spoke, the minister quickly directed a glance at the ever-smiling Imperial Physician. However, what greeted him instead was still that blank sheet of paper, greatly infuriating Wei Xuan that his hands twitched hidden in his sleeves.

    Maintaining a cordial expression on his countenance, Wei Xuan awaited Feng Tian Mu''s response, hoping to catch any hints. Unfortunately, the blank paper refused to reveal any hints whatsoever, much to his dismay.

    "His Majesty¡­has declared you a caring father," the Imperial Physician said. "His Majesty wishes, however, for Lord Minister to quickly return to the palace whenever possible. This physician dares to assume that perhaps¡­there may be an imparting of a blessing?"

    Blessing? Blessing his ass! Wei Xuan inwardly grumbled.

    The emperor must be stewing in his anger as not only did he walk out before receiving permission, he also broke not just one but three critical regulations of Jiang''an on cultivation and martial arts. Rather than receiving a blessing, it would perhaps constitute the form of a severe punishment just short of execution. Nonetheless, the minister adopted a hopeful expression as he replied to the Imperial Physician.

    "This minister hopes to receive His Majesty''s blessing," Wei Xuan said. "A blessing by the emperor can indeed bring forth prosperity to a family''s future generations¡­an honor that many wish to receive and covet."

    "That is indeed true," Feng Tian Mu nodded. "His Majesty''s blessing can indeed bring forth tremendous prosperity to a family in Jiang''an, or perhaps in the entirety of Yong. However," the physician took a sidelong glance at the minister.

    "The ancients have always stated that a blessing is always double-sided, one of goodwill and the other of calamity. To digest and accept a blessing, one must first survive the transgressions of the incoming calamity."

    "Then this minister must hope that His Majesty''s blessing doesn''t exceed our capability," the minister secretly wiped cold sweat trickling down his arm. "After all, this one''s family does not have much capability to¡­accept an imperial blessing."

    Wei Xuan no longer wished to speak with Feng Tian Mu, his senses screaming of cautiousness and wariness. He feared that if the young but astute physician and he were to converse for an extended period of time, he might unconsciously condemn his family into hell or reveal a terrible secret.

    As they strolled along the winding pathways, admiring the flowers at a relaxed but brisk pace, Wei Xuan no longer deemed to talk with the Imperial Physician, instead quietly musing in his heart.

    Gao Yun Zhi, have you completed your preparations? Your Senior Brother''s nearly about to lose his calm here, ah!

    -

    Periodically checking An Fei''s body temperature to ensure that the cold temperature was not fatal, Physician Gao wiped cold sweat off of his forehead, leaning back onto the study chair. With a light sigh, he intended to rest until Wei Xuan and the Imperial Physician had arrived, when two sets of footsteps could be faintly heard.

    Bolting upright, the aged man rapidly gazed around in panic, pressing his ear against the door. One was the familiar rhythm of Wei Xuan''s footsteps, and the other seemed to belong to a rather young man, both vigorous and yet elegant in its precise steps.

    Looking back to glance at the Fourth Young Miss'' features, Physician Gao narrowed his eyes before picking up the girl and moving her to the farther edge of the bed closest to the wall. He then pulled both curtains to close and obscure her figure, then arranged An Fei''s left arm to protrude from the cover of the draped curtains.

    Ensuring that only part of her wrist and hand was visible, the physician flurried back to his seat. No sooner than had he sat down on the study chair, the door slid open to reveal the Imperial Physician Feng Tian Mu and Wei Xuan.

    "Physician Gao, the Imperial Physician is here," Wei Xuan was the first to speak up, directing a hidden glance towards the old man. Physician Gao understood the implicit message, and after a short moment, rose to greet Feng Tian Mu.

    "Forgive this old physician for his inability," he said with a deep bow. "Since the Imperial Physician has arrived, this one can be relieved."

    "There''s no need for such courtesy," the Imperial Physician quickly responded, rushing forward to lift the old man up. Once Physician Gao had stepped behind Wei Xuan, acting like a normal contracted physician of a minister''s manor, Feng Tian Mu got straight to the point.

    "Esteemed Senior here¡­" he spoke, directing an inquisitive glance at Physician Gao. "Have you ascertained the patient''s symptoms? Did you think of a feasible treatment?"

    "This¡­this old physician had carefully examined the Fourth Young Miss¡­but could only find symptoms of a severe cold deficiency syndrome."

    "...cold deficiency?"

    Feng Tian Mu frowned. Pondering on a matter, he slowly walked to sit next to the unconscious girl, wrapping the presented handkerchief around her wrist before reaching to take a pulse.

    His fingers resting on that slender wrist, the softness of the skin unable to be deceived by a thin handkerchief, Feng Tian Mu raised an eyebrow in appreciation. His eyes trailing up the arm clothed in a light green dress, he found to his disappointment that the girl''s appearance was completely hidden behind a dense protection of dark-blue curtains.

    Thinking of how the old physician had remained in the room prior to their entry, Feng Tian Mu''s expression darkened for the briefest moment before returning to the customary indifference as he stood.

    "Lord Minister," he said whilst greeting Wei Xuan with a light bow. "I''ve completed my initial diagnosis, which doesn''t differ that much from the judgement of the Esteemed Senior."

    "Oh?" Wei Xuan exclaimed. "Does Imperial Physician have a treatment method for my daughter?"

    "This physician''s suggestion is to feed the Fourth Young Miss several slices of yang fruit and loquat until she awakens from her coma. As for treating the cold deficiency syndrome¡­the symptoms are far too advanced to suggest an effective method without proper investigation. Although, there have been some legends in the medicinal texts that a cultivation method for tempering Yin essence is often the best treatment for cold-deficiency disease."

    "Loquat¡­it''s currently in the middle of autumn¡­perhaps this minister can shove his weight around in the markets."

    As Wei Xuan''s murmur drifted into the ears of Physician Gao and Feng Tian Mu, both couldn''t help but twitch their lips upon the minister''s shamelessness. The aged man pretended not to hear, while the youthful Imperial Physician took one last secret, fleeting look at the girl hidden behind the curtains. Turning to the minister, Feng Tian Mu gave a deep bow.

    "Lord Minister, this physician will return now," he said, an amicable smile on his face. "Later, after studying the texts a bit further, this physician will return to investigate this matter deeply."

    "En, this minister will see you out¡­"

    Seemingly in a haze, Wei Xuan personally escorted Feng Tian Mu out of the manor, returning back to the study after a joss stick''s time had passed.

    When he had stepped in, Physician Gao had reached over to grasp him by the collar of his neck.

 14 Did You Think of A Miracle? 5

    "What''s wrong?"

    Wei Xuan raised a brow towards Physician Gao. For some reason, the aged physician seemed rather enraged, panting heavily as the latter glared at the minister.

    "What''s wrong? What''s wrong?" the physician screeched. "That Imperial Physician clearly has alternative intentions for your fourth daughter, otherwise he wouldn''t have indicated a second visit! What studying ancient medicinal texts? He''s just using that as an excuse to the emperor!"

    Drawing Wei Xuan closer until the minister''s toes were dragging on the floor, the aged physician continued.

    "You and I, we are well aware that there needs not to be any social convention between the two of us junior and senior apprentices under Master. You may not have been able to see that young physician''s intent, but I saw it clearly, even if he had concealed it the moment after."

    "Not to mention, just to hide all other ailments and only present cold deficiency syndrome, I forced your daughter to undergo quite a few moments of pain and some rather uncomfortable side effects, a case that will last for a week. You think she will be able to withstand such prolonged strain if that esteemed Imperial Physician were to come for successive visits?"

    "¡­"

    "Are you going to listen to your Junior Brother''s words, or will I have to take off this disguise and give you a severe thrashing?"

    "I''ll¡­I''ll listen."

    Wei Xuan murmured, his countenance pale. As Physician Gao let him go and stepped back, the minister lowered his head, countless memories flashing before his eyes in moments.

    Not long after, he raised his gaze to look at the aged man''s back.

    "¡­Thank you, Yun Zhi," Wei Xuan said. "I wonder if I would have even gotten to this point if it hadn''t been for your reminders."

    "No need for thanks," Gao Yun Zhi brusquely responded. "Although this disguise can become rather uncomfortable at times, it isn''t that great of a burden compared to the one carried by Master that year. You should be more conscientious, however. In Jiang''an, neither of us can really relax and take things for granted, even in our own home."

    "¡­I understand. I won''t do such things anymore. Is Fei''er fine?" Wei Xuan asked.

    To this, Gao Yun Zhi merely shook his head, having completed his checkup of the girl sleeping on the bed.

    "Senior Brother, I didn''t wish to hide this from you, yet it seems I must reveal it so quickly. The technique I utilized to disguise all symptoms except for cold deficiency syndrome was the World of Ice''s . Surely, you know the implications within that monstrous technique."

    "World of Ice¡­" Wei Xuan murmured. Suddenly, his eyes blazed with an unknown ferocity, silver light threatening to break out from his body.

    "Yun Zhi, you promised Master not to use that technique! Techniques originating from Natural Domains naturally have a severe consequence in exchange of manifesting their miraculous effects. Just¡­" his voice trailed into a soft whisper as he silently gazed at Gao Yun Zhi. "¡­who was the sacrifice?"

    "An ordinary passerby. Such is the advantage of a city as large as Jiang''an. Nobody will be capable of tracing it back to the House of Wei."

    Gao Yun Zhi''s reply was curt and indifferent, as if the death of a civilian was of the same as cutting vegetables. Picking up the toolbox and taking one last glance at the brooding Wei Xuan, he departed from the study. As he stepped out of the door, a fatigued voice could be heard once more, but this time was young and valiant, completely different from the aged voice earlier.

    "Senior Brother, you mustn''t forget our identity. Do not convert to the life of Yong."

    The door slid shut, Wei Xuan remaining inside the study as he gazed at the figure of the sleeping girl. Moments later, he opened his eyes, fierce determination and rage blazing in his dark irises.

    "The House of Wei¡­must go through some purging tonight. This incident may never happen again."

    Gently squeezing An Fei''s exposed hand, Wei Xuan carefully tucked the girl underneath the blankets before blowing out the lights.

    Draping a black outer robe around his body, the minister departed from the study, his back radiating a bleak coldness.

    -

    "Minister, you mustn''t!"

    "Lord Minister, you must not!"

    "Father, you must calm yourself!"

    The central residence of the Wei Manor was destined to experience a bleak and bloody night. Sitting in a wooden chair and crossing his legs whilst gazing at the servants kneeling before him with half-lidded eyes, was Wei Xuan.

    His expression was mild, as if teaching a lecture on the art of calligraphy. However, all of that merely caused those standing next to him to panic, trembling fiercely.

    "Father, you must control yourself. The laws of Jiang''an forbid unjustified murder."

    A young girl anxiously tugged at Wei Xuan''s arm, her soft voice kneading at the listener''s heart and mind. Almost immediately however, a woman in her early thirties tugged the girl into her embrace, softly chastising her in a hushed voice. Sure enough, Wei Xuan opened his mouth as he gazed at the girl who had spoken.

    "Unjustified murder? Yan Yue, you have some interesting choice of words." Wei Xuan spoke with a leisure voice, his eyes displaying a cold mirth.

    "Your elder sister was nearly murdered by these unfaithful servants. Does my punishment of them remain as unjustified murder?"

    "Lord Minister, Yue''er didn''t mean it like that. She wasn''t aware that they attempted to murder her sister, hence she offended her father. Please forgive her, she is only a child."

    Luo Shuyan anxiously defended her daughter, pleading for Wei Xuan to calm down. Seeing the Second Madam displaying protective care towards Yan Yue, the Fifth Young Miss of the Wei Manor, the minister couldn''t help but slowly calm down, no longer exploding with cold wrath. As if to slam the nail into the coffin, another woman stepped up to massage Wei Xuan''s shoulders.

    "Minister, it is fine to vent your emotions and worries, and sometimes even necessary to retain a healthy mind," she spoke. "However, one must also remember that these are the streets of Jiang''an, where any act of murder must be supplemented with clear evidence to avoid being pursued by the Imperial Court."

    "I am aware," Wei Xuan replied. Musing silently to himself for a cup of tea''s time, the minister abruptly stood, sweeping his sleeve with a flourish of his arm. Looking down at the servants, the minister carefully examined each one, his cold gaze scanning their appearance and actions to the slightest detail.

    "Seven years ago, I hired you all as servants of my Flowing Wind Residence," he spoke, his voice detached and distant, as if the content of his words were insignificant in magnitude. "All of you were promising, each honest, sincere, and hardworking. However, I would have never thought that the first time I would be forced to enact punishment, would be in such a form."

    The servants remained silent, lowering their heads in penance. Seeing this, Wei Xuan waved towards a bodyguard to his right dressed in a set of steel armor.

    The bodyguard clasped the handle of his sword before Wei Xuan in a salute, before rushing off into the residence. No less than half an incense''s time had passed did the guard return, carrying a joss'' stick and a complete writing set placed on a tray.

    Placing the contents of the tray onto a prepared table nearby, the guard quickly returned to his original position, his right hand resting on the pommel of the sword. Wei Xuan reached out with his right hand to lightly stroke the writing brush, before turning his attention to the inkstone.

    "As citizens of Great Yong, we are instructed and expected to maintain benevolence amongst master and servant," he spoke while grinding the ink.

    "Hence, I will give you one final chance, placing my trust in you all once again."

    Having finished grinding the ink, he applied a thin layer onto the brush. Standing and holding the joss stick in his left hand, Wei Xuan marked five lines along the stick''s length. Placing it down after he had finished, Wei Xuan directed a cold glance to all of the kneeling servants.

    "Each segment that the joss stick burn through, you all will lose a limb. By the time the final segment has turned into ashes, you will have lost your heads."

    His glacial voice drumming like hoofbeats in their ears, the servants a quickly kowtowed, cold sweat trickling down their neck. Their bodies felt abused and battered with the combination of hours of kneeling and the chilly autumn weather, and yet the minister''s following words chilled them to the core.

    "In the morning, I noticed an extra four servants. Now in the afternoon, they are nowhere in sight. Such servants who are willing and bold to defy their master''s orders, where have they gone? This is my first question."

 15 Did You Think of A Miracle? 6

    The servants all trembled, struggling to keep themselves upright as they sent furtive looks towards each other. Observing such a sight, Wei Xuan released a cold breath before placing down the joss stick onto the table.

    With a wave of his right hand, a ghoulish, blue-grey flame burst on the tip of the joss stick.

    "The time for introspection has started," the minister mused, surveying the kneeling servants.

    Sitting in his chair, he then withdrew a book from his chest pocket, proceeding to read with great relish. The servants'' eyes riveted onto the joss stick, watching the unearthly fire slowly gnaw away at their lifeline.

    However, the servants refused to capitulate, their hearts teetering between the magnitude of the minister''s influence and someone else.

    The Eldest Young Master.

    Other than Wei Xuan as the rightful head of the Wei Family, only one person could ever match him in influence and prowess, Wei Chang Feng. The First Madam''s first son, the legitimate future master of the Wei Family.

    To summarize his achievements in a single sentence would be to call him one of Jiang''an''s Esteemed Young Scholars.

    Mastering the Eight Strokes of Great Yong Calligraphy in six years, achieving consecutive wins in the younger generation''s annual debate for the fifth year in a row, accompanied by a swift speed in cultivation, having entered the third division of the Profound Enlightenment Realm at the tender age of eighteen. As a natural star envied by the citizens of Jiang''an, the servants in the Wei Household had acquiesced to his authority and presence with great ease.

    The pagoda of the Eldest Young Master had already taken root in these servants, displaying equal influence as the minister himself.

    They were confused as to why Wei Xuan was suddenly displaying such rage and coldness to them after three years of a warm relationship of master and servant. After all, all they had done was to introduce a few young and adorable maidens to serve alongside the fellow maidservants to gain experience.

    ...were the Master and Eldest Young Master in a cold war?

    Silence enveloped the courtyard, the only sound being the occasional giggle of the flames as it eagerly consumed the joss stick, a small pile of ash beginning to accumulate on the table. The two Madams, two Young Misses, and the guard stood in silence as they gazed at the minister with various emotions displayed on their countenance, from apprehension, acceptance, and an indifferent servitude.

    Suddenly, Wei Xuan raised his head to glance at the burning joss stick, a cold voice resounding throughout the courtyard.

    "It seems, this minister does not have any loyal servants-"

    "Lord Minister, this servant will speak! Lord Minister, please spare our lives!"

    A servant in the middle of the group abruptly kowtowed, his terrified voice directly interrupting Wei Xuan. As the minister raised a disapproving and inquiring eyebrow, he rushed out of the group to kneel before Wei Xuan''s feet.

    "¡­why did you wait until so long to confess?" Wei Xuan asked, a hint of disappointment and sorrow hidden within his voice. "Is the influence of mutilation heavier than this minister''s own words?"

    "This servant doesn''t dare, this servant had no such intention!" the servant hastily responded. "It''s just that¡­"

    "Just what? What is this secret matter you speak of? Do you think this minister is interested in your hidden love towards the beautiful, elegant little palace maids?"

    "This-this servant doesn''t dare!" the servant panicked upon hearing the minister''s sarcasm. Bowing his head low until it rested against the cold cobblestone ground, the servant quickly reiterated the events that had transpired, his voice diminishing in volume with each sentence until a deafening silence had enveloped the courtyard once more.

    "It-it was Eldest Young Master who had presented us with the additional servants. Senior-senior Maid Ke was informed that they were to obtain experience at the Flowing Wind Residence as per the First Madam''s order. All we know is that they were in charge of maintaining the decorations¡­this servant truly has no idea of what had happened following that¡­"

    "Nonsense! How dare you slander your own master!"

    The First Madam broke the silence as she spoke in total rage, her hands trembling as she pointed towards the kneeling servant. Her chest heaving, she continued to berate the servant, the young girl by her side clutching her sleeves in worry.

    "Who dares use my name to cause mischief in the minister''s manor!? Just because they uttered my name, you allowed them to enter the Flowing Winds Residence? Have you forgotten my rules since coming here, that each and every servant from my residence was to carry around a jade token personally issued by myself if they were to enter a different courtyard? How dare they, and how dare you!"

    "Mother, calm down! You mustn''t get angered!"

    "Speak." Wei Xuan coolly uttered as he gazed at the servant. Closing his eyes, he seemed to have lost all emotional attachment as he continued.

    "The names, their ranks, and a detailed report of their activities. I will then spare your lives from mutilation."

    The servants gazed at each other in in silence, a wave of complex emotions immersed in their eyes. Just then, a senior servant stood to bow towards the minister, completely ignoring the aching pain in his knees.

    "Greeting Lord Minister. This servant is a second-ranked servant issued over the management of the study. In the morning, this servant witnessed four young maids dressed in the Autumn Winds Residence''s uniform greet Sister Ke at the backyard of the study, each of them holding a wooden serpent calling bell in their hands. After that, this servant saw them run towards the private bathhouse in the afternoon¡­and that was the last time this one saw the four maids from the Autumn Winds Residence."

    Wei Xuan blinked once, his gaze glinting with an indeterminate light. However, his gaze returned to normal in the next moment as he gestured for the next servant to speak.

    A female servant rose to bow towards the minister, her voice quivering as she spoke.

    "This servant¡­this servant¡­received four serpent calling bells in the morning from the four maids from¡­from Autumn Winds Residence. All this servant was told that the bells were from the southern islands, hence¡­hence this servant accepted the gift¡­please forgive me!" she recounted.

    The next moment, she rushed out of the group to kneel next to the servant before Wei Xuan''s feet.

    "They¡­they called themselves Xiao Ning, Xiao Wei, Xiao Cuiwei, and Xiao Tang. This servant was only told that they were of the third rank¡­and they all had¡­" she paused to glance at the First Madam, her gaze flickering back to fixate onto the stone ground. "they all had¡­First Madam''s jade token¡­"

    Reaching into her sleeve pocket, the servant presented four white and plain jade plaques to Wei Xuan. Receiving them and turning them over, the minister found a neatly carved character of ''Sheng''. Secretly craning her head to peek at the plaques to confirm their veracity, the sight of the four ''Sheng''s gleaming in the wan moonlight caused the First Madam to lurch back, her countenance paling a deadly white.

    "Impossible¡­" she murmured, leaning against the young girl. "The plaques were last issued thirteen days ago to Yueqing Pavilion¡­how did they end up in the Flowing Winds Residence?"

    The woman stared dumbly at the ground, her previous righteous rage nowhere to be found. Wei Xuan''s gaze scanned over the occupants of the courtyard, before reaching out to grasp the burning joss stick.

    With a tremble of his arm, the stick disintegrated into powder, the flame sputtering out into nothing. The servants all sighed in a collective relief, only to palpitate when the minister''s voice washed over their heads, pouring down a bucket of ice water on their already fatigued and strained body and mind.

    "Since some of you dared to confess, this minister shall spare your lives," Wei Xuan stated in a languish manner.

    "However, the joss stick burned a fifth of its length before any of you obtained the courage to speak. Hence, all will be consigned to fourteen beatings of the rod two days from now. The servant that dared to accept bribes from outside residences, they shall no longer serve in the Wei manor henceforth."

    Sweeping his sleeve, the minister departed from the courtyard. The First Madam collapsed into a heap, dragging her daughter with her as she stared at Wei Xuan''s departing back.

    The Second Madam and Yan Yue rushed forward to console her as the First Madam wept, her suppressed voice imbued with betrayal and disappointment.

    "Chang Feng, Chang Feng," she lamented. "Such a stupid idea, did you think it would have achieved anything? No wonder you asked for the jade plaques from your mother those days ago¡­"

    Tears of sadness graced the cold cobbled ground, the servants all daring not to speak as their First Madam continued to whisper wistfully to the sky.

    "Since you joined that sect, you''ve changed far too greatly, ah. As your parents, you will receive our everlasting support¡­but was it necessary to go after your Fourth Sister? The minister not noticing that you were behind it, why did you think of such a miracle ever happening?"

 16 Did You Think of A Miracle? 7

    When An Fei woke up, light blue curtains were the first sight to greet her eyes.

    Craning her head to find herself covered underneath a cotton blanket, the girl blinked her eyes twice before slumping back into the safety and warmth of the blanket.

    With the soft scratching of brush on paper audible from the other side of the curtain, it seemed that she had returned to the study once again. An Fei lay on the bed in a haze for a few moments, before bolting upright in a frenzied rush.

    "Fei''er, you''re awake?"

    A relaxed and leisurely voice sounded, the rustling of cloth soon following. Smooth footsteps drumming on the wooden floor, the speaker approached the bed to part one side of the curtains, poking his head in to gaze at the girl. Looking at the dazed An Fei with befuddlement evident in her insipid gaze, Wei Xuan revealed a small smile before reaching forward to clasp one of her hands in a soft but firm grasp.

    It was a pity that the girl wasn''t of the right mind to complain about the indulgent gaze on Second Uncle''s countenance.

    Otherwise, she would have silently and bitterly ripped that smiling face in half in her thoughts. Even when Wei Xuan extended both hands to pinch and pull at her cheeks, the girl forgot to respond.

    She was far too preoccupied with the events that transpired in that mysterious crystal throne room.

    "¡­did it actually happen? Or was it an illusion?"

    "Huh? Fei''er, did you say something?"

    A barely perceptible whisper touched Wei Xuan''s ears, and the minister leaned in with great panic and excitement.

    Aiming his ear towards the girl''s lips, the overexcited father could only withdraw with great despondence after hearing nothing for several moments. Wrinkling his brow, the minister lightly patted the girl''s head, before stepping back from the curtain.

    "¡­my daughter, Father will be back in a few hours for the morning court. Xifeng will come in a while to give you breakfast."

    Quickly slipping into his court robe, Wei Xuan then departed from the study with conflicting emotions, his steps sometimes light, sometimes heavy.

    When the study doors had slid shut, An Fei abruptly blinked her eyes, vigorously shaking her head as clarity gradually returned. With a frown touching her countenance, the girl leaned back onto the linen bed as she sorted through her memories.

    Occasionally, she would puff a cheek with air, a disapproving look on her face.

    -

    "Minister Wei, do you have anything in your defense?"

    The emperor scowled, thrusting a memorial at the kneeling Wei Xuan''s feet. The surrounding ministers all whispered to one another, several pointing at the kneeling minister.

    "Is that the first mistake made by Fellow Wei?"

    "No doubt about it, the emperor''s seriously pissed off as well. Didn''t you hear? Yesterday afternoon, Fellow Wei broke three consecutive legislations of Jiang''an for the management of cultivation and martial arts. Violating any one of them is a serious crime, not to mention he broke all three!"

    "But¡­they said he did it for his daughter¡­if the emperor actually dares find fault with the minister now, wouldn''t he be¡­criticized by the public?"

    "Quiet, quiet! The emperor looks like he''s about to talk. Let''s not anger His Majesty any further¡­"

    Ignoring the various gossip from the officials, Wei Xuan had a peaceful smile on his handsome countenance as he maintained his kneeling position.

    Taking a light breath to ponder on a matter for several seconds, the minister deepened his smile as he lowered his head into a kowtow.

    "Responding to His Imperial Majesty," he spoke with a respectful tone. "This official was overcome with tragic news regarding his family, and could only rush with the greatest haste to check on the manor. After all, Your Imperial Majesty is aware of my fourth daughter''s circumstance¡­this official was truly helpless and couldn''t restrain himself from breaking a few-"

    "So what if I am aware!!" the emperor roared, swatting a jade teacup to the ground.

    Watching it break into countless fragments and yet finding himself unable to appease his anger, the emperor speechlessly pointed at the kneeling Wei Xuan. With both anger and admiration for the minister bearing down on his mind, the emperor opened his mouth to berate the smiling Wei Xuan, but all that escaped was more attuned with a child''s bitter whine.

    "You-you¡­you''re an esteemed official for heaven''s sake! Even if your daughter might have suffered a grievous injury from the fire, an official''s dignity-no, Yong''s dignity should be maintained in all circumstances!" The emperor complained.

    "I even sent you Imperial Physician Feng Tian Mu to look after that pitiable girl! And you-you won''t even let this emperor scold you a little bit!?"

    "By all means, Your Imperial Majesty," Wei Xuan bowed low, before speaking with a confident, accepting, and arrogant smirk.

    "This minister awaits His Imperial Majesty''s advice and punishments with great willingness."

    The emperor gaped in astonishment, his mouth open as his jaw refused to close. Finally, under the amused glance of the two hundred and ninety-nine standing officials and one kneeling minister, a statement finally escaped the ruling emperor of Great Yong''s lips.

    "I can''t even criticize you because of the traditions of caring for one''s family, nor can I criticize you since it was a true emergency, not an angry remark towards one''s superiors¡­No law, be it military or literary, can even be used¡­very good, Minister Wei! You aren''t playing this game of Imperial Court very fairly, are you, ah!?"

    "This official truly doesn''t dare," Wei Xuan quickly ascertained with a bow. "The Imperial Court is a place that can determine the lives of officials and citizens. It is not a game of which this minister can partake in, hence this one begs for Your Majesty''s forgiveness!"

    "What forgiveness!?" the emperor shouted, his finger spanning over the entire group of officials in his anger. "I can''t even criticize you, then what''s the point of being emperor? You take over this seat then, this emperor will truly give it to you, ah! As long as you promise me this one thing, to manage that tigress of a wife!"

    "Huh?" Wei Xuan blankly repeated, before extending a finger to dig into his ear. "This minister didn''t hear properly. Your Imperial Majesty, can you repeat that once more?"

    "You-!"

    "Hahaha!"

    The various officials all burst into laughter upon seeing Wei Xuan reveal a helpless and confused expression, the eunuchs attempting to hide their smile under their sleeves. The emperor showered everyone with a angry glare, the veins bulging on his face as he discovered that the traditional bout of anger was no longer capable of quelling the ministers'' laughter.

    Feeling entirely discomfited, he slumped into the golden throne, a sudden thought emboldening his mind.

    "Minister Wei, hear the Imperial decree."

    "This minister obeys!" Rising from his kneeling position, Wei Xuan bowed deeply, his previously amused expression replaced with a solemn one.

    "Third-Ranking Defense Minister Wei Xuan," the emperor smirked, his expression quickly morphing into that of gloating.

    "This emperor has successfully been enraged by you. Hence, your reward this time is thus: the Fourth Daughter of the Wei Manor shall become Huan''er''s cefei. After all, she is quite the beauty; she would be a perfect match with my Huan''er."

    "Thanking¡­ah?"

    This, time, it was Wei Xuan who paused in the midst of the customary bow of accepting the verbal edict, a look of disbelief on his face.

    As the minister gaped at the emperor, his right eyelid twitching, he found himself gazing into a countenance full of amusement and smugness.

    "What''s wrong?" the emperor cajoled. "Minister Wei, why don''t you accept the verbal decree?"

    "Accept? What accept!?" The minister exploded, his countenance instantly reddening from rage.

    "Your Imperial Majesty, you-you-you dare force my daughter into a marriage with-with that Prince Huan? The Prince Huan who is known in the entirety of Great Yong for his reputation of traversing through the flowing springs and flowers, appreciating every flower amongst his path!?"

    "That''s right, ah. That Eighth Prince of mine. What, you don''t dare accept it, our little Wei?"

    Wei Xuan shivered, his gaze growing fierce by the second. Rising from his kneeling position, a silver light began to ripple on his body.

    "Your Imperial Majesty," the minister enunciated each word as he balled his fists, wrath embroiled in his speech. "If you dare order an edict marrying my Fei''er to that man, this minister will never forgive. Never forgive!"

    "You ah, violating Jiang''an''s regulations once again!" the emperor screeched. "Have you lost all respect for the law!?"

    "Until His Imperial Majesty rescinds the edict, this minister must admit that he has lost respect in the law!"

    Faced with Wei Xuan''s forceful declaration, the emperor froze for a moment, before a deep scarlet glow arose from his body.

    With a resounding clap of thunder, the emperor and minister collided palms in the center of the Imperial Court, the adornments and jade decorations shattered to pieces from the blast.

    The surrounding officials and eunuchs spectated the minister and emperor brawl with great interest, each clamping tightly over their official caps as their eyes glinted with amusement.

 17 Come, come! The Wei Familys Face 1

    Two palms collided, one slightly advanced in physical age and dotted with several wrinkles, the other pristine of youth and maturity.

    One belonged to an emperor, the other a third-ranking minister.

    One palm embodied a deep scarlet light, the other a fleeting silver.

    Other than the explosion of light and the shockwaves of which the emperor and minister had revealed their aura, the interior of the Imperial Court was tranquil and serene. The only break of silence was the strike of flesh, followed by the twinkling and shattering of the various objects strewn around the Imperial Court.

    The two palms pressed tightly against one another, the respective glows of scarlet and silver having disappeared, the flash of spiritual essence no longer present following the collision.

    "How dare you! Striking against the emperor!"

    The emperor cried with anger, his countenance distorted with rage.

    Wei Xuan remained silent, instead opting to raise his left hand. Drawing it back to be level with his chin, the minister soundlessly whispered as the palm soared forth towards the emperor''s face.

    Just several chi before the emperor''s enraged countenance, the minister''s wrist rotated towards the left, the fingers clenching into a tight fist as dense streams of silver light coalesced over the knuckles.

    "Look! That''s Fellow Wei''s trademark cultivation technique. That fluidity and speed, does it mean that Fellow Wei had surpassed the Initial Three Points of martial arts techniques?" An official commented, his beady eyes refusing to remove themselves from the streams of light wrapping around Wei Xuan''s left wrist.

    Greatly alarmed, the emperor flinched as he similarly raised his left arm, crossing his palm over to the right to intercept the incoming attack. Watching the palm transform into a fist, the emperor grit his teeth before extending his fingers into a loose grip, scarlet light encasing the webbing between the individual digits.

    The instant the palm contacted the fist, the emperor''s fingers latched onto Wei Xuan''s hand with a vice-like grip, stopping and trapping the blow without allowing the force to evenly disperse. Seeing such a scene, the spectating officials couldn''t help but sigh in admiration, but soon transformed into gaping looks of shock.

    "Hey¡­that''s too brutal¡­and far too offensive as a slight to the emperor, much less anybody¡­" an official whispered, daring not to convey his thoughts audibly.

    With the realization that they were locked in a standstill, the spiritual essence contained within successfully circumvented, the minister frowned for a moment before a roguish expression crossed his countenance. Without permitting the emperor to disengage his hands to defend himself, Wei Xuan channeled a copious quantity of silver-colored spiritual essence into his right knee, bringing it upwards in a vicious attack.

    His target was naturally the emperor''s crown jewels, and the latter was thoroughly incensed, his pupils flaring in his anger.

    "Wei Xuan, you dare!" the emperor growled as he guessed the minister''s intention. Knitting his brows, the emperor willed the spiritual essence concealed within his body to rush towards Wei Xuan using his arms as the conduit, creating a massive torrent of spiritual essence to wash over the Imperial Court.

    Bathed in the pulse of scarlet light, the minister as well as all two hundred and ninety-nine officials were sent stumbling backwards, each backpedaling for at least several meters before they could regain balance. Rubbing his abdomen as cold sweat dotted his brow, the emperor showered Wei Xuan with a scathing glower, to of which the minister merely responded with a light smile.

    "You, ah," the emperor complained. "Venting your frustration is acceptable, but is it truly necessary to go after this one''s lineage?"

    "This minister had no intention," Wei Xuan replied in an even tone, a mischievous glint concealed behind an admiring gaze. "This one was simply worried about touching His Imperial Majesty''s dragon body for far too long."

    "You-! There''s no need to go after my lineage if all you wanted was to force this one back!"

    "Shoving the emperor back is a serious offence!"

    "You-you-you-what kind of response is that!?" the emperor screamed. "Since you know that forcing the emperor back is a serious offence, why did you even attack me in the first place!?"

    "Because His Imperial Majesty threatened to consign my daughter to a living hell!"

    "It''s an imperial cefei, what about it is a living hell?" the emperor grumbled. Before Wei Xuan could reply, he raised a hand to prevent the minister from speaking any further. "Even if there are some detriments from being Huan''er''s cefei, that still doesn''t excuse that knee attack."

    "There are not some detriments, there are a lot!" the minister bowed. "The knee attack, this subject meant no offense. It was simply to have Your Imperial Majesty move back of his own volition."

    The officials began to chuckle, before hastily shutting themselves up after noticing the scarlet light flickering around the emperor''s body in an unstable manner.

    "...this emperor still needs to work hard and rely on his lineage."

    "This minister knows! His Imperial Majesty indeed toils on his lineage with great effort each day. However, the last time an imperial seed has been germinated successfully has already been eighteen years ago."

    Faced with Wei Xuan''s cheeky reply, the emperor couldn''t help but stare at the smiling minister, his jaw threatening to drop onto the floor. Only after three-tenths of a joss stick''s of time had passed did his recover, and the scarlet light emanating from the emperor''s body thickened. Without saying a single word, the emperor strode forth, his right am trailing behind.

    As his fingers performed a grasping motion, a longsword of dull scarlet manifested into his grip. The sword dug into the floor of the Imperial Court, leaving deep grooves onto the mahogany floor.

    Wei Xuan raised in eyebrow in appreciation, and he stepped back with his left foot, his right hand extended before him, level with his shoulder. With a similar motion of plucking a pen out of thin air, a thin silver pole manifested.

    Both weapons were plain and ordinary in appearance, lacking any sort of fancy decorum on the blade or surface of the pole.

    However, the emperor''s gaze thickened when he saw the thin stick grasped in Wei Xuan''s right hand.

    "Minister Wei, are mocking this emperor?" the emperor spoke with a gloomy expression. "Using a pole to spar with this emperor, are you not holding Us in your eyes at all?"

    "Responding to Your Imperial Majesty," the minister lowered his head. "Great Yong''s regulations forbid the use of sharpened weapons against the imperial family unless in a life-or-death conflict. As this is merely a spar, this minister deemed it not appropriate to utilize a sword."

    "Hmph! This one shall make you regret!"

    The arm grasping the scarlet longsword outstretched in the motion of an overhead swing, the emperor roared as the scarlet glow encasing his body expanded to create a massive projection of a phoenix behind him. Its wingspan surpassing eighteen meters in length and its height of ten, the phoenix towered over the ministers of the Imperial Court.

    With a piercing, mournful screech, a dull flame sparked and covered the blade of the longsword, a terrifying heat emanating from the surface. With such a spectacle before their eyes, the observing ministers couldn''t help but squint their eyes to ward off the haze generated by the tremendous heat.

    The fluctuations of spiritual essence grew incredibly denser with the flame''s presence, making the air seem sluggish and the lungs difficult to breathe in or expel it.

    With a muffled grunt, Wei Xuan stepped backwards with his right foot, holding the pole before him at a diagonal angle. With a simple step forward, the minister raised the pole above his head, completing three revolutions before slamming it down towards the standing emperor, both hands gripping one end of the pole to extend its range.

    Facing the stick of silver traveling at a slow yet unstoppable speed, the emperor narrowed his eyes before allowing his right arm to fall. No sooner had the sword dropped to be level with his chest, the emperor pronated his wrist to the left before completing a full pivot to the right, the scarlet longsword bequeathed with flames soaring at an upwards, diagonal angle to forcefully meet with the descending pole.

    "Enough!"

    However, before the silver pole and scarlet longsword could collide, a scarlet beam rushed out from left entrance in the rear of the Imperial Court, knocking both weapons astray. Forcefully dissipating the tumultuous pulsing of the spiritual essence idling in the atmosphere, the beam continued to travel alongside its path to bury itself into the wall.

    When the scarlet glow had faded, the occupants of the Imperial Court discovered the source to be a spear with a phoenix'' plume inscription on the spearhead.

    Turning towards the direction in which the spear had been thrown, both the minister and emperor tilted their heads in confusion, for both the person responsible for the stern voice and spear was a beautiful, young woman dressed in a purple robe.

    Her hair danced freely with only a single hairpin bundling a small bun on her head, the woman had a disappointed gaze on her on her gaze as she glared at the three hundred ministers and one emperor fooling around in the Imperial Court of Great Yong.

 18 Come, come! The Wei Familys Face 2

    The speaker was a young woman, dressed in a plain purple robe one could find anywhere on the streets of Jiang''an. She carried no tally or permit to enter the Imperial Palace, nor was a single adornment in her possession that signified her identity.

    However, that stern word uttered from her lips was more than sufficient to quell the quarrel of the Imperial Court. Even if one were to disregard the thrown spear and its strength, that plain dress coupled with the beautiful appearance was capable of striking great fear into the hearts of the officials of Great Yong.

    Simply because she was the Empress.

    Rising from the ashes of common birth to soar into the air as a phoenix, the empress had begun her life as a common servant in an ordinary household. Obtaining a chance encounter after being thrown out of the manor for a simple mistake, the commoner girl had ascended to become a powerful cultivator in merely fifty years.

    With a coincidental rescuing of the emperor, the aspiring youth and commoner girl had become entangled in a cultivation legend that many current youths dreamed of attaining. Battling together, braving storms and tribulations together, and sharing fortunes until the youth had risen into the Emperor, and the commoner girl the Empress.

    Since then, the empress'' life story had engendered an unparalleled influence over the hearts of the citizens, and her every word was obeyed without a single doubt, nor did anyone object.

    Simply because the emperor was crazily in love with the empress.

    Even if his elders forced him to sleep with a concubine every now and then, the emperor primarily resided in the empress'' courtyard, hence Wei Xuan''s snarky insult whenever the ruler of Great Yong complained about his lack of prodigious offspring.

    If the emperor''s imperial edict could cause winds to storm and rain to fall in the entirety of the nation, the empress'' words were never disobeyed by the emperor. Hence, that single word uttered by the young woman instantly caused the emperor to withdraw his attack, waving his right sleeve to dissipate the scarlet longsword.

    Pierced by her glare, Wei Xuan similarly allowed the silver pole to dissipate after hesitating for a moment.

    The officials made way, returning to their original positions with suppressed complaints. The emperor sank into his chair and leaned his head against the back of his right hand as the woman slowly strode to stand a few meters before the throne.

    Watching those thin red lips begin to part, the three hundred officials and one emperor all simultaneously groaned in their hearts, each swallowing a bitter taste in their mouths. Divine punishment was incoming, and could not be delayed.

    "If this is the ordinary conduct of the Imperial Court if bengong isn''t present," the empress began, her eyebrow raised as she stared at each and every official. "Then bengong must declare that bengong is not satisfied at all, and completely disappointed with you lot."

    Hearing the forceful assertation of her identity, the emperor and officials felt numbness creep up their limbs. Indeed, just from how she spoke, the empress was infuriated.

    "This is the Hour of the Dragon, not the Hour of the Monkey." The empress paused, suddenly whirling to face the emperor.

    "Lu Jing Yi, tell bengong what should happen during these two sacred hours? Tell bengong, what were your very intentions and regulations regarding these two sacred hours?"

    Heavens!

    Everyone in the Immortal Court wiped beads of cold sweat dotting their brow, be it the palace servants, officials, or the emperor. The emperor''s birth name was a taboo of Great Yong, capable of warranting a horrible death upon a casual remark.

    Nobody was permitted to identify the emperor by his birth name, even the Royal Ancestors, yet the empress had spoken with such forceful tone.

    "This¡­ah! Hong Yu, can''t we speak of this later?" The emperor pleaded, extending his arms before his face in a defensive position.

    "Technically, you aren''t allowed to preside over the court, what if the public-ah!"

    Pa!

    Without waiting for the emperor to finish, the empress directly ascended the steps to the golden throne, a slender fist swinging down from above to collide directly below the emperor''s crown. The emperor clutched his forehead with both hands as he curled up into a fetal position on the throne, the empress continuing to slough hits without a single care.

    "How many times have bengong told you?" The empress admonished, landing a solid fist onto the emperor''s left shoulder. "When bengong asks, you answer!"

    "Ack, ah, ah!" the emperor cried, waving his arms to dislodge her fists ramming into his body.

    "This emperor designed the Hour of the Dragon to discuss official governmental affairs-ah! The Hour of the Monkey was designated to discuss festive policy with a light atmosphere!" the emperor shouted as he attempted to mitigate the damage done to his face as much as possible.

    "Then. What. Exactly. Were. You. Doing!?"

    With a fierce roar, the empress knocked aside the emperor''s outstretched arms. Her fingers lodging onto either cheek, she forcefully tugged as she berated the pitiful ruler.

    Pfft¡­

    A low-ranking official failed to properly contain his emotions, a muffled snort escaping from the gaps of his fingers. The empress instantly paused to fiercely glare at the three hundred repenting officials, before continuing to berate the deflated emperor.

    "Instead of discussing policies with your officials, you''re even fighting with one of them! Furthermore, the cause of such violent conflict was such an inconsequential act."

    The empress pinpointed Wei Xuan''s position. "You there, third-ranked minister Wei, step out. Bengong has some words to share with you."

    "Greeting Her Imperial Highness."

    Stepping out to stand before the empress, Wei Xuan dipped his head into a slow bow.

    "Speak. Why did you think the emperor''s proposal was so unacceptable that you had to initiate a violent conflict?"

    Faced with the empress'' inquiry, Wei Xuan slightly raised his gaze to find the emperor hastily gazing at him and waving his fingers as if to convey a hidden message. His brows furrowing for an instant in confusion, the minister smoothed his expression, before replying in a respectful manner.

    "Answering Her Imperial Highness," he began, "His Imperial Majesty vowed to wed my fourth daughter to Prince Huan as a cefei to punish this minister. However, this minister must object as such a proposal will merely harm my daughter, never benefit."

    The empress merely raised a brow, indicating for him to continue. Wei Xuan lowered himself into another bow.

    "To many others, marrying as a cefei of an Imperial Prince of Great Yong is a true honor," he spoke with a sonorous voice, raising his head and turning to face the other ministers.

    "However, though the citizens and Fellows may not be aware, my fourth daughter''s ailment will only trigger a living hell for the poor girl if she is to be forced into such a predicament. Hence, this minister could only demand for His Imperial Majesty to revoke the edict."

    "Fellow Wei speaks with great honor and compassion," an aged official standing at the front row stepped forth and bowed.

    "He speaks not to flatter to Her Imperial Highness nor flaunt his position, but merely attempts to protect his child to his utmost ability, even defying His Imperial Majesty''s decree. As the Right Imperial Censor, this one finds Fellow Wei''s actions virtuous and magnanimous. May Her Imperial Highness not punish Fellow Wei over such an inconsequential matter!"

    "May Her Imperial Highness not punish Fellow Wei over such an inconsequential matter!"

    With the Right Imperial Censor spearheading the effort, the two-hundred and ninety some officials all lowered into a deep bow, their voices combining into a powerful chorus. Faced with such a sight, the emperor could only wistfully smile, and the empress revealed a scowl of discomfort.

    This act of treacherous unison, she detested within the depths of her heart.

    "All of you officials merely squabble and cover for one another," she complained with an unresigned tone. "No actual policy done, so what''s the point of the daily court sessions?"

    "Only in times of great peace can there by no policy enacted by the government," Wei Xuan responded with a smile. "Otherwise, the government would quickly lose the public''s support, similarly to how it is impossible to reverse the river''s current."

    The empress flutter her eyelashes, her gaze lowered as she pondered for a few moments. Finally, she strode towards the rear exit of the Imperial Court, her voice resounding within the silent hall.

    "Third-ranked Minister Wei shall kneel in the Imperial Court from now until the beginning of the Hour of the Goat. Lu Jing Yi, you are not permitted to step into my chambers until tomorrow. Bengong permits you to frolic around in Madam Qin''s courtyard if you wish."

    With the empress''s departure, the single emperor and three hundred officials of Great Yong all heaved simultaneous sighs of relief. Rising from his throne, the emperor quickly descended the steps to pat Wei Xuan on the back.

    The minister and emperor locked gazes for a brief moment, and both could not help but reveal wry smiles.

    "This emperor shall retract his imperial edict."

    "This minister shall retract his insult towards His Imperial Majesty''s lineage."

 19 Come, come! The Wei Familys Face 3

    For the rest of the morning after the officials had dispersed, Wei Xuan kneeled in the center of the Imperial Court, facing the golden throne with a blank stare.

    The searing numbness in his legs was not the biggest problem¡­but rather the chatty emperor sitting directly next to him. Relaxing in a lotus chair of sandalwood, the ruler of Great Yong gently fanned himself as he admired his throne.

    "Never would I have thought," the emperor stated with a wistful sigh," that the throne appeared so domineering from the viewpoint of the officials. Perhaps this emperor should change its design later."

    "¡­"

    "I always wondered, just how do you officials come up with your crazy memorials each day?" the emperor continued, completely ignoring Wei Xuan''s blatant disinterest.

    "Always with implementing a dam, or regulating taxes, all you officials come up with are supplementary ideas, only temporarily suppressing the problem, never treating the root of it."

    "Hey, hey, tell me! Why haven''t you, Left Censor Zhang, or Right Censor Luo ever implement a solution to those arbitrary problems that requires a cultivator''s action? From my point of view, a single cultivator would solve those trivial issues without much effort."

    "How has your cultivation been? I sensed that you improved quite a bit since the last time we sparred, did you advance to the Late Core Formation Stage recently?"

    "Since we''ve met twenty years ago, you''ve never told me what your technique''s origin was. You even know about the secrets of my technique and yet refuse to reveal your own, how stingy!"

    "How''s your First Madam, that Sheng girl? Is she doing alright? Hey¡­why aren''t you talking?"

    The emperor rambled, tilting his head to discover that Wei Xuan remained staring towards his front like a stone statue. After a few moments, the minister blinked several times .

    "Your Imperial Majesty," he said with a slow voice. "Why are you here?"

    "Why can''t I be here?" the emperor retorted with a light smirk. "This is my Great Yong, where on this empire are my feet barred from roaming?"

    "Then why hasn''t Your Imperial Majesty visited Her Imperial Highness''s courtyard?" Wei Xuan pointed out. "The Eastern Willow courtyard seems to require Your Imperial Majesty''s presence."

    "Pei! As if that little tiger would break her word so easily. If she wants to kick me out for the night, then I most likely would have to sleep on the streets. Right, little Wei, why don''t you let me hitch a night in your study? We could recite poetry like we once did in the olden days."

    "¡­Your Imperial Majesty, there has never been a precedent of an emperor seeking refuge in an official''s residence," the minister refuted. "Her Imperial Highness had kindly pointed out Imperial Highness Qin''s courtyard as a place to rest, why doesn''t Your Imperial Majesty rest there for the night?"

    "Qin Yingfei?" the emperor snorted, glaring at the minister with flared nostrils. "Little tiger was surely joking when she said that, for she hates that Qin girl. If I dare sleep in such a courtyard, who knows if I will even live to see tomorrow''s sunrise?"

    The emperor began to shiver at the thought of the empress'' angry expression, the handsome countenance draining of blood. Fidgeting nervously, he glared at Wei Xuan, before speaking in a haughty manner.

    "Anyways," the emperor cried, "You''re lending me your residence tonight, this emperor is handing you an imperial decree! I won''t take any denial!"

    "Not possible," Wei Xuan instantly replied. "I''m sheltering my daughter in my study. There''s no place for Your Imperial Majesty to sleep, or even this minister."

    "You! This Young Master is commanding you, just stay quiet and listen! Since you dared to call me Young Master at that fateful time, you''ll abide to my words!"

    Wei Xuan raised his head to look skywards, only wishing for time to quickly pass and bring forth the Hour of the Goat. As long as he could be freed from the presence of this chatterbox emperor, the minister was more than glad of the prospect of clinging to the empress'' fiery thigh.

    "So¡­Your Imperial Majesty," Wei Xuan asked once more. "Why are you here?"

    Besides, what kind of emperor would be so bored to take his own imperial examination?

    -

    Whilst the pitiful Minister of Defense suffered his two-fold punishment, An Fei was currently undergoing a rather painful tribulation. In the form of two young maidens, one older and the other younger, the tribulation seemed rather mighty to overcome.

    "Third Sister, why is Fourth Sister not speaking?"

    A young girl asked. She was dressed in an autumn dress of gold and green with decorative patterns of clouds and crescent moons, and her hair bundled into a small bun before draping over her right shoulder. Her large eyes blinked as she circled around An Fei, occasionally poking the girl to see her flinch.

    Her delicate voice resounded in the study and was rather pleasant to the ears, yet the contents made the servants guarding the door darken their expression.

    "Third Young Miss, Fifth Young Miss, the Master did not give anyone permission to enter the study."

    "Yue''er, don''t bully your elder sister. Have some more restraint, will you?"

    A young girl gently spoke, reaching out to pull Wei Yan Yue to a halt. Similar to Wei Yan Yue, the Third Young Miss of the Wei Family was dressed in a silk dress of gold and green, black hair cascading to her waist, free of any adornments.

    The hazel irises with the almond-shaped eyes, tantalizing and thin red lips, the Third Young Miss of Wei appeared like a celestial fairy, the image compounded with her elegant and submissive demeanor.

    "But she''s simply staring in a daze, not even responding to a single word! Moreover, it''s already been an incense''s time and she still won''t say a word!"

    "Yue''er, ah, your sister just recovered. Don''t be so hard on her."

    Hearing Wei Yan Yue''s protest, the Third Young Miss raised her right arm to gently pinch the girl''s cheek, admonishing her amongst the Fifth Young Miss'' cries of pain.

    Only after small tears had pooled in Wei Yan Yue''s lucid orbs did the Third Miss let go, and she strode forward to face An Fei. The beautiful features and dull gaze tugged at her heartstrings just a little too fiercely, and the young maiden couldn''t help but reach over to pet the doll''s head.

    "Third Young Miss! You mustn''t!"

    "Xiao Wen, the Fourth Miss!"

    The maids guarding at the door cried out in panic, rushing to block the Third Young Miss'' outstretched hand. One of the maids rushed to nestle An Fei in a close and protective embrace, glaring fiercely at the Third and Fifth Young Misses of the Wei Family.

    "Why can''t Third Sister touch Fourth Sister?" Wei Yan Yue complained. "Shouting at your masters, isn''t that plain disrespect?"

    "The Master was the one who commanded as such," the head maid, Xiao Ying, stepped forth and bowed to the two maidens. "He commanded that nobody was to enter the study or approach the Fourth Young Miss without his express permission."

    "Did Father¡­prohibit us as well?" the Third Young Miss quietly inquired, a faint mist beginning to well in her eyes. The servants quickly fanned out behind Xiao Ying, and one of them courageously stepped forth.

    "Master only told us to prevent anyone from entering into the study, and to protect the Fourth Young Miss," the maid said. "Master did not state any exceptions, and Xiao Wen has been taking care of the Fourth Young Miss since she woke up. Please do not make it difficult for us!"

    "This¡­"

    "Third Sister, let''s go ask Second Madam! Surely then, we will be able to play with Fourth Sister!"

    Wei Yan Yue anxiously tugged at the Third Young Miss'' sleeve, pleading in a wheedling voice. The Third Young Miss displayed a faint smile, stroking the young maiden''s head as she nodded in assent.

    "Then, we shall be back."

    Under the alert and prudent gaze of the servants, the Third Young Miss of Wei and Wei Yan Yue departed from the study, giggles and peals of laughter once again decorating the tranquil peace of the courtyard. Seeing that the young misses truly had left, Xiao Ying released a heavy sigh of relief, wiping a sheen of cold sweat from her forehead.

    "Fourth Young Miss, everything''s fine now," she said, joining the other maids in consoling the dazed girl. "When Master returns, you''ll be able to rest in a more quiet place."

    Her head cradled in Xiao Wen''s embrace, An Fei fluttered her eyelashes in annoyance. After a few moments, however, she decided to think no more of it, sinking into a relaxed doze, using the young maid''s unfortunate chest as a soft pillow.

    Before those spiritless eyes closed, a faint but deeply-rooted hatred ran through them, the scarlet irises flashing a barely perceptible golden light before returning to their glassy look.

    You had better not act before me.

    Especially you, An Yan Yue.

 20 Come, come! The Wei Familys Face 4

    The residence of the Second Madam of the Wei Manor was tenderly remarked as the Plum Fragrance Residence. That was simply a representation of the Second Madam''s love for plum blossoms, but also a slight towards her obsession towards them.

    Once stepping beyond the courtyard gates, what greeted the Third and Fifth Young Misses of Wei was a sea of plum trees, with plum blossoms scattering and floating amongst the wind, decorating the freshly paved ground and giving the servants an endless hassle. For fear of angering the Second Madam by ruthlessly sweeping the cobbled pathway clear of the blossoms with a broom, the servants had to lower themselves to pick each individual blossom up with their fingers before stowing them in an earthenware jar.

    Unable to be ruthless to the blossoms, they had to be ruthless to themselves.

    Fortunately, the Second Madam had no short supply of healing salve, and would even join them in picking up the scattered plum blossoms from time to time.

    Waving back to the servants who stopped by to greet her, Wei Yan Yue blazed through the pathway, her loose sleeves occasionally capturing the falling blossoms as she raced towards the residence at the heart of the courtyard. Shaking her head, the Third Young Miss strolled along at a slow pace, a small smile displayed on her face as she cheerfully appraised the decorations of the courtyard.

    If one were to disregard the overabundance of plum trees, the Plum Blossom Residence was not bad in terms of aesthetics. A line of azaleas guarded each side of the cobbled pathway, and the grass was neatly trimmed, not a single weed poking out. There was even a small pond at the western side of the courtyard, and a reading pavilion by its edge.

    "¡­Sister! Third Sister! Hurry up, stop dawdling!"

    Wei Yan Yue''s cheery shout rang, and the Third Young Miss raised her head to discover the young girl waving towards her at the door of the residence. With a joyful smile, the young maiden similarly shouted towards the Fifth Young Miss of Wei, greatly accelerating her pace to reach the residence''s gates in a flash.

    "Alright, alright! This sister will stop dawdling and come now!"

    Coming to a stop next to Wei Yan Yue, the Third Young Miss saw a woman tinkering with a ball of fabric with her hands, an embroidery needle locked between her lips. Just as the Third Young Miss began to call out towards the woman, Wei Yan Yue quickly covered the former''s mouth with her hand, making a quieting motion.

    "Don''t disturb Mother," she whispered to the confused Third Young Miss. "You know Mother doesn''t wish to be disturbed while she''s embroidering."

    "Alright," The Third Young Miss replied. Grasping Wei Yan Yue''s sleeves, she guided the young girl to sit at a bench in the outer chambers. As she admired the various jade accessories and luxurious decorations, the Third Young Miss released a sigh of appreciation.

    "Father truly dotes on Mother," she said, pointing towards a jade accessory of a rabbit, then towards a golden vine with a coiled dragon. "The Heart-Cleansing Jade Rabbit that was obtained from contending against the Yan Empire''s young heroes and the Dragon Vine of Kunlun Temple, Mother truly has a vast assortment of luxuries. Most of the objects here, you can''t find even in the black markets!"

    "However, doesn''t First Madam have much more?" Wei Yan Yue retorted. "Just take a look at her ''Sheng'' authority tablets, they''re made of Snow Jade! The Snow Jade that is usually given exclusively to the Imperial Family as part of an annual tribute, and whatever the markets can obtain, they''re priced at astronomical prices. But the jade authority tablets are at least ten liang, and First Madam must have at least a few dozen of them!"

    "Alright, alright," the Third Young Miss reached out to calm the girl. "But our Mother is favored as well. We don''t have the family troubles that many officials experience, and Mother and the First Madam have never fought ever since they entered the Wei Manor. Be good, alright?"

    "Family troubles?" Wei Yan Yue repeated, a curious glint emerging in her teal irises. The young maiden reached out to pull on the Third Young Miss'' right sleeve, adopting a flattering tone as she persistently wheedled her elder sister.

    "Third Sister, tell me!" she pleaded. "You are the only one given permission among the two of us to explore the streets of Jiang''an, surely you wouldn''t leave your younger sister to hang and dry in shame later in the future, right?"

    "This¡­"

    "Third! Sister!"

    "Be good, be good! Third Sister will tell you a story¡­one that happened just a few days earlier."

    "Hehe!"

    "Listen well, this is about the Liang Family, the family of the Minister of Rites, Liang Gong Ming¡­"

    The outer chambers of the Plum Fragrance Residence soon became engulfed in a young girl''s peals of laughter and a young maiden''s attempts of restoring peace and quiet.

    -

    "Third Sister, do you have anything else? The ending of the Liang family''s Second Miss, was it truly that bad?"

    "Hehe, if you saw her face, you wouldn''t be so curious, Silly girl, she was angered to the point of vomiting blood!"

    The Third Young Miss teased, her right arm reaching out to playfully pinch Wei Yan Yue''s small nose. Just as Wei Yan Yue was about to retaliate in mock anger, the rustling of clothes could be heard. The sound caused both young maidens to pause their actions to gaze at the inner chamber, watching a woman emerge.

    Presented before them was a beautiful and shapely figure, dressed in a red and white fox fur coat. Accompanying her long eyelashes and waist-length hair were a pair of multicolored irises, one a deep teal, the other a light gold. Blinking her eyes, the woman tilted her head towards her right as she spoke in a confused tone.

    "Yue''er, Rou''er, what''s going on?" she asked. "Making such a ruckus, did either of you find spring?"

    "Mother!" Wei Yan Yue was the first to react, and the girl ran directly into her mother''s bosom. Looking up to face Luo Shuyan, the girl pouted and began to whimper like a hurt child.

    "Mother, you have to seek justice for us, ah!" Wei Yan Yue complained as she tugged on Luo Shuyan''s coat. "The servants are bullying us, not a single shred of respect can be found anywhere!"

    "Oh?" The Second Madam raised an eyebrow. Clasping Wei Yan Yue''s hand, Luo Shuyan guided the sniffling girl to sit at the bench, before extending both arms to encompass both the Third Young Miss and Wei Yan Yue in a warm embrace.

    "Alright. Let''s hear which servant dared to bully my cute little daughter," The Second Madam said as she cuddled with the two maidens. "This Second Madam still has a good face and can''t be bullied in this manor!"

    "Mother," The Third Miss tentatively spoke, resting her head against Luo Shuyan''s shoulder. "Father had conveyed orders that nobody was permitted to enter the study and view Fourth Sister. From how the servants were acting, I doubt that they would give even Mother any face!"

    "Then let''s go to the Flowing Winds Residence," Luo Shuyan stated with confidence. "If Lord Minister was the one who passed down the order, then we can''t do much about it. But if it were merely the excuse of the servants, then this Madam shall see, hmph!"

    "Mother is so domineering!"

    Wei Yan Yue praised, her face beaming with joy and excitement. Grabbing her mother''s hand in a hurried manner, the young girl practically dragged her Third Sister and mother all the way to the Flowing Winds Residence.

    -

    Back in the study, An Fei had just dozed off to sleep when muted protests could be heard from outside, making the maidservants guarding inside gather around her once again. Some holding trays, others dusting feathers, and Xiao Ying even holding a precious scroll of calligraphy in her hand, they vigilantly observed the door.

    The protesting sounds gradually increased in volume, until the study''s occupants could adequately hear and comprehend the servant''s shouts.

    "Second Madam, you can''t simply accuse this servant so! The Master himself was the one who passed the order, none of us dare to disobey!"

    "Who knows if Father truly said such a statement?" Wei Yan Yue''s voice was sharp and piercing as she berated the male servant. "Who knows if you''re just making it up to suppress us, since we''re not Eldest Brother or from the First Madam''s courtyard?"

    "This¡­"

    "Yue''er, take a deep breath and relax."

    Facing Wei Yan Yue''s domineering accusation, the servant stilled, knowing not what to say. Luo Shuyan reached out to grasp the young girl''s shoulders, calming her with a soft voice. Just as the Third Young Miss seemed to wish to say something, the study doors opened to reveal a young maid. The maidservant angrily strode out in a brisk pace, halting before Luo Shuyan to open the scroll held within her hand.

    "Here are the Master''s orders," Xiao Ying spoke without a hint of respect towards Wei Yan Yue. "Now can the Fourth Miss sleep in peace?"

 21 Come, come! The Wei Familys Face 5

    Under the order of Third-Ranked Minister Wei Xuan, no unauthorized entity is permitted to enter the Flowing Wind Residence.

    Staring at the contents of the scroll, Luo Shuyan could not help but tremble. The tranquil brushstrokes, the elegance and vividness behind each character was strikingly familiar to the Second Madam.

    As her eyes unwillingly comprehended the information, the woman seemed to be able to see the young scholar labor over his calligraphy, complaining about how his strokes were inconsistent.

    "Did¡­Lord Minister¡­write this himself?" Luo Shuyan whispered, her countenance blanched as she pointed towards the scroll with a trembling finger. "Was it truly¡­him?"

    "That''s right, it was Master who wrote the scroll," Xiao Ying remarked, her countenance glacial. "Master wrote it before leaving for the Imperial Court just this morning."

    "Did Father state who was permitted to enter?" The Third Young Miss anxiously asked. "We just want to visit our Fourth Sister¡­is that not acceptable?"

    "Master had not stated who was permitted to enter the study to see the Fourth Miss," Xiao Ying said, closing the scroll and turning around to head back into the study. "However, please do not make it difficult for this servant to explain to Master or His Imperial Majesty."

    "His Imperial Majesty¡­?" Wei Yan Yue murmured in surprise, before looking up in shock. "Hey! What do you mean by that!? What does His Imperial Majesty have to do with this!?"

    Unfortunately, the maidservant had already walked up the steps of the study. Before Wei Yan Yue could express her indignation, the doors of the study had already slammed shut.

    -

    Inside the study, Xiao Ying''s icy countenance instantly melted to reveal a giddy smile. Rushing inside with light steps, the maidservant quickly released a sigh of relief.

    "Fourth Young Miss, you will have to protect this servant in the future, ah!" Xiao Ying complained as she looked towards the sleepy An Fei in Xiao Wen''s embrace. "This servant just risked life and limb in putting up that icy beauty act, you owe this servant a favor!"

    As the maidservants laughed at Xiao Ying''s flattering look, An Fei raised an eyelid to glance at the playful maidservant, scrutinizing Xiao Ying from head to toe. Closing her eyes, the girl quickly began counting prime numbers, smothering her mind into darkness.

    -

    An Fei expected to find herself waking up in the study after a long nap. She was fully prepared to see candlelight being the only illumination in the night sky, but not the sky-blue crystal of the crystal throne room. Craning her head around, the girl found herself back in the throne room, her body slumped against the large armrests of the crystal throne.

    Swathed in the warm and familiar golden light emitting from the crystal that constituted the entire hall, An Fei relaxed for a moment, closing her eyes in pure bliss. However, she abruptly leapt up the next moment, her scarlet irises revealing a look of confusion.

    ¡­why was she here again?

    Her eyes darting around, the girl''s gaze quickly landed on the right armrest. Atop the of sky blue crystal was an aged book, one An Fei could not forget even after a fleeting glance, nor did she wish to remember.

    The book was covered by a faint violet light, and was slightly cold to the touch. An Fei reached out with her right arm to grab the book, but paused halfway with a struggling expression.

    ¡­because it was the book that described the . Or what the girl was more happy to call, a book of utter gou pi.

    Opening the book and turning the pages to the section she had last read, An Fei squinted as she gazed at the small and neat script spanning across the pristine, snow white page. Occasionally, she would reveal a grunt of discomfort, or raise her head and sigh towards the ceiling with an expression unwilling to read.

    "The Courts of Tian Xia reside in the depth of chaos. The awaits the fall of Heaven. Heaven colludes with Man, the Divine Palace sunders the path of creation and destruction. The Forefather cycles the will of Heaven, forever to perish."

    "The Courts of Tian Xia¡­"

    Repeating the phrase, An Fei could not remove the inkling thought that she had read a similar mnemonic recently. As she dug through her memories, the girl''s eyes narrowed in surprise, her mouth lightly parting in her astonishment.

    Was it not on the back of the cobalt mirror?

    Unable to contain her emotions, An Fei quickly stood from the throne, her eyes scanning the crystal hall. Her gaze landed onto the walls, and she discovered that the mysterious corridors she had seen from her previous experience were still present.

    Silently imposing, the black gates had not changed in the slightest except for the symbols at the top being even more unreadable. When An Fei attempted to decipher what they meant, a piercing headache struck her mind, a dense fog enshrouding her thoughts without mercy.

    Vigorously shaking her head, the girl shakily made her way towards the first corridor on the left. The aged book was clutched to her chest, and An Fei was somewhat unwilling to throw it onto the ground anymore.

    ¡­not until she got an answer to her questions.

    Undergoing the painful ordeal of constantly stumbling in the seemingly never-ending corridor, An Fei gradually reached the door leading to the bedroom. Grasping the handle and leveraging her entire weight to open it, the girl tumbled into the bedroom, releasing a groan of discomfort as her body harshly collided against the floor.

    However, she paid no mind to her pain, instead rushing towards the nearest mirror in the room. Her hand swiping the table to grab the plain-looking mirror, An Fei flopped her body onto the comfortable bed.

    Holding the mirror above her head to carefully inspect, the girl discovered that although the supporting material was leather and not cobalt, faded characters were inscribed on its surface.

    "The eyes of the soul reveal¡­gateway to Heaven," she read, squinting her eyes. "The Divine Palace sunders the cycle of creation¡­destruction¡­Forefather¡­perish."

    Furrowing her brows, An Fei proceeded to search around the room, hunting around the tables in search of any additional mirrors. Finding one in the bathroom connected with the boudoir, the girl quickly flipped the mirror over onto its underside, carefully examining the inscriptions on the grey metallic surface.

    "The Courts of Tian Xia confine the Forefather. The Divine Palace sunders the cycle of destruction and rebirth."

    Bringing the mirror back to the bed to compare with the others, An Fei quickly noticed a few similarities and differences amongst the contents of the two mirrors and the book. Though they mentioned a Court of Tian Xia, a Divine Palace, and a Forefather, the following content was the diverging point.

    The Divine Palace sundered destruction and rebirth, for which An Fei could only assume was pertaining to the origin of some chaos. However, she had no idea where to begin regarding the Courts of Tian Xia, Heaven, and the Forefather.

    Shaking her head, she placed the objects down onto the bed, leaning back against the comfortable blankets as she lazily stretched.

    Since it didn''t make much sense, she would not bother paying attention to it any further. If she obtained a hint that perhaps was related to it, then she would naturally return to investigate.

    Hence, An Fei readily adopted the mindset necessary to lull herself to sleep for a second time, wrapping the blankets around her thin body.

    However, she soon realized that her attire was not of the green dress that she had once discovered and worn in the boudoir, but rather the light violet autumn dress she was wearing in the study room of the Flowing Wind Residence. Furthermore, as she lay on the bed in deep thought, An Fei couldn''t help but ask a question that had nagged her.

    "How does one leave and enter this place?"

 22 Come, come! The Wei Familys Face 6

    "Your Imperial Majesty!" A palace servant whined. "Where are you going!? And why do you refuse to have any guards!?"

    "Why should I need any guards?" the emperor raised an eyebrow, an incredulous expression displayed on his face. "And why is a palace servant questioning her emperor?"

    The palace servant froze, her eyes rapidly blinking as a myriad of emotions crossed them. Regaining her senses, the maidservant quickly lowered her head, her body shivering in fear as she spoke with a suppressed voice.

    "Your Imperial Majesty, please pardon this servant!" she pleaded. "Madam¡­Madam Qin dispatched this servant to request Your Imperial Majesty''s presence at the Blossoming Fragrance Courtyard. Madam¡­Madam¡­she-she wanted to discuss something important over a¡­"

    "A¡­what?" the emperor interrogated with a glare. "Does Qin Yingfei want me to bless her with a political tool?"

    The servant fell to her knees, panic and fear splashing a deadly pale sheen over her beautiful countenance. Reaching out with shivering hands, the maidservant attempted to latch onto the emperor''s shoes in desperation.

    "Madam doesn''t mean that. She didn''t mean to commit such an act last time. Your Imperial Majesty, please forgive Madam this once!"

    "Forgive her this once?" the emperor repeated. A sudden smile decorated his face as the emperor reached down to raise the palace maid to her feet. Ignoring the expression of shock and hidden glee that flashed on the young girl''s countenance, he continued to grip the maidservant''s arm.

    "Forgive her this once¡­you''re quite the loyal servant attending to that Qin Yingfei," he said. "It''s a shame, that your loyalty is¡­quite odious in this emperor''s eyes. After all, who was the one that purchased the Jing Li Meng powder?"

    With that, the emperor threw the maidservant back onto the ground before departing from the courtyard. As he passed by the gates, a sudden coughing noise caused him to pause and turn to his right, finding a man wearing an official''s robes.

    Though the official''s back was turned to him, the emperor could clearly discern that the man was attempting to mask his laughter by the quivering of his shoulders and sleeve.

    "Wei Xuan," the emperor scowled. "Is this emperor''s face so thin that you must turn around when laughing?"

    "I dare not laugh in Your Imperial Majesty''s presence," the minister responded with a slightly reddened countenance. "It was that the palace maidservant¡­was quite intriguing."

    The emperor raised his right hand to swat at Wei Xuan''s official hat, his palm encased in a shroud of scarlet light. The latter quickly stepped back with his right foot, raising his left foot high towards the incoming attack.

    "Wei Xuan!" the emperor grunted after discovering a rather dusty boot clenched in his hand instead of an official''s cap. Shaking it thrice and throwing it to the ground, he withdrew a fragrant handkerchief to vigorously wipe at his fingers.

    "You don''t even clean your shoes when stepping into the Imperial Palace, where did your respect for the Imperial Family and Great Yong disappear to?"

    Picking up the boot and sliding his foot back into it, Wei Xuan flashed the emperor a playful grin before pointing to the Imperial Court towering in the distance.

    "Your Imperial Majesty," he said whilst fixing his attire. "This one had just spent more than five hours kneeling on the floor of the Imperial Court. It is natural that one''s boots would become soiled after staining the surface for such a long time."

    "Are you calling my Imperial Court filthy!?" the emperor raged. "You-you-you, you clearly don''t have any respect for me, ah! The Imperial Palace''s cleaning capabilities are far superior than that of your Flowing Winds Residence!"

    "That''s certainly correct," the minister vigorously bobbed his head in assent. "As such, Your Imperial Majesty needs not to confine oneself in such a destitute location for the night. How about a stay at the Jingmen Pavilion?"

    "Little tiger is kicking me from her study, and you, Zhang, and Luo all refuse to offer this pitiful emperor some lodging. Furthermore, why are you all redirecting me to a brothel? Clearly, you must have planned this all out!"

    Wei Xuan raised his brows, looking at the bell ringing tower of Jiang''an. Narrowing his eyes and calculating that the Hour of the Monkey was soon about to arrive, the minister rolled his neck twice, properly relaxing his muscles.

    "Your Imperial Majesty," he called to the fretful emperor and giving a light bow. "This minister and the Imperial Censors merely advised Your Imperial Majesty a suitable place to stay from the memories of our past interactions. After all, how else would Your Imperial Majesty obtain the Jing Li Meng powder to sell to that palace maid years ago?"

    Finishing his piece, Wei Xuan exerted the spiritual essence within his body to explode with the greatest vigor he could achieve. Encasing his body with a thick layer of silvery light, the minister quickly fled from the scene, heading towards the direction of the Imperial Court with a fearful expression on his handsome countenance.

    No sooner than a cup of tea''s time had passed, a terrifying shockwave of spiritual essence stormed the western courtyards of the Imperial Palace as a massive phoenix of fire screamed in anger. Wreathed in a blazing sea of scarlet flame, the phoenix hunted for the flowing silver river with bitter ardor.

    The Imperial Palace was in for another fierce storm this afternoon.

    -

    Bolting upright from the bed, An Fei sluggishly threw the comfortable blankets off of her body. Staggering onto the floor to dazedly examine her surroundings, a question that had bugged her for continuous hours burned at her mind.

    How did she get here? More importantly, what had happened to her after she ate the celery in one of the gardens?

    Abusing her already exhausted mind to flit through her memories once more, An Fei sat on the edge of the bed, hugging one of the pillows to her chest. Resting her chin onto the endlessly soft material, the girl used her fingers to count the events that had transpired since she had first encountered this location.

    Within the fire, she had suddenly discovered the long-lost pendant from her previous world hanging on her neck. Reciting the phrase on the mirror''s back, she had mysteriously appeared in the crystal throne room.

    The last thing she had done in the palace of sky-blue crystal was to admire her appearance whilst munching on a delicious but mysterious stalk of celery. Before falling unconscious, the last thing that appeared in her memory was a flash of scarlet light from the mirror and a distorted reflection of Wei Xuan''s countenance stained with worry, and a horrid pain.

    Other than the sensation of her cells being burnt to ash, An Fei had vaguely sensed a paste-like substance sticking to her skin. Waking up, she was in the study of the Flowing Winds Residence.

    And this time, she had reappeared in the crystal palace after falling asleep in said study.

    Falling asleep on a wooden chair in the study, waking in the crystal throne room slumped against the throne.

    Collapsing in the medicinal garden, waking to find herself asleep in the bed of the study.

    ¡­were the two locations linked in a profound connection?

    Shaking her head to disperse the random thoughts that had begun to arise, the girl turned to crawl into the centermost location of the bed. Her hands contacting the worn book''s weathered surface, An Fei raised the book before her eyes.

    "What kind of secrets do you hold?" the girl murmured. "Why did grandfather leave behind¡­such an odd object¡­?"

    Flipping open the book to continue where she had left off, An Fei slowly clambered out of the bed to sit cross-legged onto the floor, using the soft golden light emitted from the crystal to assist her reading.

    "Xia above, Heavens below. Shatter the crest of Jing and sunder the Palace of Divine to enter the Sanctum," she read. "The mirrors of truth reveal falsehood, and the mirrors of falsehood reveal truth. Layer illusion with real, and merge to constitute illusion once more¡­"

    The mirrors of truth reveal falsehood, and the mirrors of falsehood reveal truth?

    An Fei could not think of a single explanation from reading the passage. Nonetheless, she could only close the book, the similar fog threatening to encroach onto her mind the instant she attempted to read further. Revealing an adorable, blank expression on her countenance, the girl blinked as her head suddenly turned to gaze at the two mirrors haphazardly tossed onto the bed.

    An Fei rushed to the bed to pick one of the mirrors up, directly exposing the reinforcing material where she had once found the faded inscriptions. Furrowing her brows, the girl opened her mouth to speak, her voice steady and unhurried despite the mild anxiousness displayed within her scarlet irises.

    "The mirrors of truth reveal falsehood, and the mirrors of falsehood reveal truth."

    The mirror clenched within her hand suddenly vibrated, a multicolored light exploding from its reflective surface. Startled, she raised her other arm to shield her eyes on reflex.

    An Fei desperately held onto the vibrating mirror until the vibration had quelled, the multicolored light invading her vision despite her closed eyelids. Lowering her arm and opening her eyes in trepidation, the girl blinked several times to disperse her blurred vision, then looked down onto the mirror in her hand.

    Though the mirror had not changed, the inscriptions on its back were much more discernible than previously.

    "The eyes of the mortal soul reveal the gateway to Heaven''s courts," she read. "Wrap illusion around reality, falsehood amongst truth, and the Forefather''s lament descends onto the world."

    Forefather''s lament? Wrap illusion around reality?

    Before An Fei could voice her questions, her vision darkened for the third time. Her eyes snapping open without warning, she found herself sitting in a wooden chair in the study of the Flowing Winds Residence, her head leaning against a soft and warm surface.

 23 Come, come! The Wei Familys Face 7

    Soft like fluffy balls of cotton, and rather springy to the touch. Leaning her head against the warm surface, An Fei couldn''t help but appreciate the softness, and felt the urge to rub her face against the comfortable ''pillow''.

    "F¡­Fourth Young Miss¡­"

    Feeling the girl nestled near her bosom move her head, Xiao Wen immediately placed the scroll in her hand onto the drawing table. Fearing that the young girl was about to fall off of the chair, the maidservant immediately extended her arms to support An Fei''s body.

    However, her nimble hands suddenly froze, an agape expression on the maidservant''s attractive countenance as she could acutely feel a warm sensation rubbing on her chest.

    "Uh¡­"

    "Sister Wen, what''s wrong?" Noticing Xiao Wen''s strange action, a nearby maidservant directed an inquiring gaze. "Did something happen to the Fourth Young Miss?"

    "Nothing, nothing." Xiao Wen hastily replied. Looking down to see that An Fei had drifted off into sleep once more, the maidservant twitched her eyebrow before relaxing her arms. She quickly waved her right hand towards the inquisitive maidservant, shooing the curious gazes away.

    "Nothing should be wrong." She reassured. "I think the Fourth Young Miss just moved about whilst sleeping."

    "Oh, then that''s really nothing!" came the reply without much delay. "Since it''s just that, then don''t be so startled! You know how Master is nowadays, he''s jumping around and shaking in his boots every time he hears something unsettling regarding the Fourth Young Miss."

    Shaking her head and picking up the scroll to continue reading, Xiao Wen dismissed the fellow maidservant''s joke. However, her thoughts could not help but stray back to the odd sensation near her bosom, causing her attractive countenance to furrow into a deep frown.

    Did she just get molested by the Fourth Young Miss?

    -

    "Lord Minister, you''re back!" A servant greeted Wei Xuan energetically, quickly taking the minister''s coat before rushing off into the courtyard of the manor''s primary residence. Wei Xuan fluttered his hands in response, signaling for the servants to retreat from the gateway.

    "You seem rather popular and admired by you servants!" A playful and amused voice interjected from the side. "Much more amiable than mine. They''re so stiff and solemn, almost as if they''re going to die tomorrow. How boring!"

    Turning to his right, the minister found the emperor of Great Yong casually leaning against the wall of the Wei Manor. His left hand fluttered a paper fan emboldened with Confucian scripts, and his right secured a wooden stick spearing a line of candied fruits.

    "Your Imperial Majesty," Wei Xuan sighed, his head drooping to rest level with his shoulders. "Can''t you spare this minister? Once the empress knows, this one''s head will most likely be on the chopping block!"

    "Hmph! This emperor has yet to forgive the act of slandering this emperor!" the emperor smirked. "Daring to claim that this emperor had frequented brothels and admiring the loose flowers by the riverbed, how atrocious! This emperor assumes that before little tiger comes to claw your head off, you would have already forfeited it to this emperor!"

    "Alright, alright! I concede, you win as usual." Wei Xuan shook his head and wiped his sleeve, before turning to face the doors. Closing the double doors of the gate shut and inserting a steel bar to lock the mechanism in place, the minister continued to forlornly sigh.

    "Your Imperial Majesty, Great Yong has a regulatory law that protects civilians from punishment if they were speaking the truth!" he ruefully spoke. "Your Imperial Majesty can''t simply chop off this minister''s head because of a single incident with a lowly brothel, right?"

    The emperor suddenly narrowed his eyes, his vision tracking Wei Xuan''s eyebrows with the utmost scrutiny. He had a rather unsettling promotion that silencing the minister before him as soon as possible would be the best idea he had ever construed in his five hundred years of life.

    "After all," Wei Xuan momentarily paused, his index finger stroking his chin. As if not noticing the increasingly frosty death glare directed towards him, the minister decided to jump into the boiling pot without much thought. "There''s still the Flowing Springs Hall and Golden Gate of Ming! And¡­if this minister recalls correctly, the Golden-Tailed Scholar''s Association and the Fragrant Feather Pavilion were the most tender of Your Imperial-"

    "Enough!" the emperor shouted. "Don''t make me fly into a rage in your manor, this emperor won''t cover the reconstruction costs!"

    The minister immediately displayed a blank stare on his handsome countenance. His skin prickling as if microscopic, invisible holes were being bored into his skin, the emperor quickly capitulated after a few moments of struggle, raising both hands in surrender.

    "Fine, fine," he loudly sighed. "Enough about this matter. I''ll ensure that little tiger doesn''t kill you if she finds out."

    Once he had obtained the verbal confirmation and assurance from the emperor, the minister''s blank countenance instantly morphed into that of a beaming Buddha, raining golden rays of sunlight and benevolence.

    "Then this minister shall go and inform the First Madam to prepare some of her prized xiaolongbao paired with delicious bamboo and chicken broth. Your Imperial Majesty can enjoy a scrumptious feast tonight!"

    Watching Wei Xuan''s fleeting back vanish into the depths of the primary residence as if liberated from a heavy burden, the emperor couldn''t help but display a helpless smile. Shaking his head at their rather childlike interaction non-befitting that of an emperor and official, the emperor sighed before striding towards the primary residence at a steady pace.

    -

    "Hah¡­that little Wei¡­" the emperor lazily stretched in contentment. "Giving little Sheng girl to him was truly worth the cost. Being able to enjoy food like this, how gratifying!"

    Shaking his head in a mixture of mild exasperation and satiation, the emperor rubbed his filled stomach before aimlessly wandering throughout the courtyard. Admiring the flowers planted on either side of the winding, cobbled pathways, or dipping his finger into to miniature pond, or simply admiring the dimmed sky of an evening in autumn, the emperor completely discarded his usual noble aura to explore his surroundings in comfort.

    Every now and then, he would abruptly sweep his gaze in all directions, as if he was attempting to evade a fearsome predator.

    He was in the Flowing Wind Residence. The servants outside of the study had already departed from the courtyard to receive their punishment and beatings, hence Lu Jing Yi was the only inhabitant in the area.

    If he was discovered by Wei Xuan, the emperor was uncertain whether he could talk his way out of the minister''s rage attempting to soar to the ninth heaven.

    "Although, Sheng girl''s skill truly improved after a few years of not seeing her," Lu Jing Yi wistfully sighed. "That char siu and glass noodle soup, what a nostalgic taste! Almost reminds me of the past days when little Wei was just a mere brat."

    Mumbling and berating himself for salivating at the mere mention of the Wei Family''s First Madam''s cooking, the emperor wandered throughout the Flowing Wind Residence. However, he suddenly paused, his gaze turning towards the study.

    His acute and elevated hearing detecting the rustling of cloth and muted voices, Lu Jing Yi stopped in place to ponder for a bit. A mischievous expression decorating his stalwart and handsome countenance, the emperor sneaked towards the study, leaning against the doors of the study to eavesdrop.

    "Sister Wen, you sure you don''t want to swap duties?" Xiao Ying''s worried voice could be heard from within the study. "You''ve been sitting in the same position for several hours already, don''t push yourself to serve the Fourth Young Miss. The Master delegated the seven of us to take care of her solely due to that reason!"

    "No need, no need." Xiao Wen''s voice filtered through the sturdy walls. "The Fourth Young Miss''s body is extremely soft and light! It''s almost as if I''m embracing a warm and soft jade, don''t take such a treasure off from me!"

    "Haha! It seems that Sister Wen is addicted to the Fourth Young Miss! I wonder what the Master would do when he discovers such a secret?"

    "Sister Wen, you must take proper care to conceal your secret from the Master. Of course, we, your fellow sisters, will gladly assist you in that matter, but there must be a sufficient recompense!"

    "You-you all!"

    The bubbly laughter of the maidservants could be heard from outside of the study, making the listening Lu Jing Yi raise an eyebrow in curiosity. His gaze rapidly flickering, the emperor was just about to raise a hand to knock when a piercing voice could be heard just behind him.

 24 Come, come! The Wei Familys Face 8

    "I would stay in place, and not move a single step."

    A cold voice sounded just directly behind Lu Jing Yi, piercing deeply into the latter''s soul, yet not disturbing the surroundings. Greatly startled, the emperor whirled around to find an old man dressed in a grey robe standing before him.

    Clenched within the firm grasp of the aged man''s right hand, was a rather large medicinal toolbox.

    "Who are you?" the emperor raised an eyebrow as he inquired. "Such a threat like that, what exactly are you implying with your words?"

    "I mean only what I have stated," the old man replied in a steady, hoarse voice. "Do not try to fish in a desert, there simply are no alternative intentions in my words."

    "Really?" the emperor scoffed. "In this era, who does not speak with two tongues, or preaches the Buddha whilst harboring the devil?"

    "Then what do you wish for, young man?" the aged man rebuked. "Since you are adamant about this old thing possessing an alternative motive, so be it."

    "Then I''ll say to you, move before I blast your family to shreds. Is that convincing enough for this esteemed young scholar before me?"

    Lu Jing Yi chuckled, carefully examining the old man before him. The elder was dressed in a clean but unassuming grey robe, one that neither exuded a particularly rich or noble demeanor, but possessed an odd aspect that confounded the emperor.

    Although he was not residing in the Wei Manor as the emperor of Great Yong, being a mere ''important guest'' conferred by Wei Xuan, the words uttered by the old man were worthy of severe punishment. The statement of destroying one''s family, though it was an arbitrary utterance and without any intention, the courage of the elder was something Lu Jing Yi found admirable.

    "Speaking of destroying my family," the emperor finally spoke, his eyes narrowing and emitting a dangerous glint.

    "Don''t you know that such words could ruin you and everyone nearby without any method of recompense? Since you were employed by the Wei Family, then either you or the Wei Family must have a golden face, no?"

    "Hehe," the physician chuckled. "Youngster, the Wei Family''s face was personally granted by the emperor, proclaimed directly before the citizens of Jiang''an in a conspicuous ceremony. Even if the emperor was on the receiving end of such words, what can he do? He wouldn''t dare rescind those golden words he spoke before the entire empire''s populace, no?"

    With that, Physician Gao pushed aside the stunned emperor as he brusquely strode up the steps leading to the study. By the time Lu Jing Yi had recovered, the elderly man''s words reverberated in his ears like the heavy pounding of a war drum.

    "Under the protective shade of an illustrious and tall tree, what does this old thing have to fear? Come, this old physician wishes to see what a youngster can do against the Wei Family''s face."

    Shaking his head, Lu Jing Yi could only wryly smile, thinking to himself that those words of his back then should have been issued privately. In that case, such a circumstance like the one just then, would not have happened.

    Click.

    The soft tinkle of a lock''s mechanisms binding together entered his ears, causing Lu Jing Yi to abruptly raise his head to glance at the study door. Find the doors locked and not budging even after he had infused spiritual essence to permeate the wooden material, the emperor eventually gave up and sat down on the highest step, gazing wistfully at the emerging moon.

    ¡­given Little Wei''s temperament, it seemed that he had lost a divine opportunity.

    -

    "Please extend the Fourth Young Miss'' wrist. This physician shall measure her pulse."

    Physician Gao quietly spoke to Xiao Wen, motioning for her to place An Fei''s right arm onto the table. The maidservant earnestly complying with a nod, the other servants encircled the old physician, their bright gazes tracking each and every single move he made.

    Shaking his head with a wry sigh, Physician Gao quickly pulled a chair to the other side of the table. Sitting down and covering An Fei''s exposed wrist with a linen cloth before pressing down with two fingers, the old man closed his eyes in an attempt to ignore the hawk-like stares from the surrounding servants.

    ¡­Senior Brother was truly overprotective of his daughter. Even his maidservants were giving him a stare as if he was akin to a famed criminal.

    Whilst measuring the young girl''s pulse, the physician''s eyes occasionally fluttered as his aged countenance experienced a myriad of expressions during the short period. Puzzlement, curiosity, fear, and then finally a mixture of astonishment and worry, the transformations of his facial expressions were a sight to see.

    Several moments later, Physician Gao withdrew his hand, his brows furrowed as countless thoughts whirled in his mind.

    An Fei''s pulse could only be described as extraordinary. Beating twice, then skipping over the interval of which the third was to be present. Furthermore, the pulse was rather smooth, the small break not causing any discrepancies in the beating''s rhythm except for the subtle feeling of incompleteness.

    Even after the fourteen years that he had taken her pulse every week since her birth, the old physician couldn''t help but be perpetually amazed.

    "Physician Gao, how is it?"

    Xiao Ying anxiously questioned as she stepped forward, the feather duster clenched in her hand starting to deform from the strength of her grip. The gazes of the other maidservants all reflected similar worried dispositions, each staring fervently at the seated physician.

    "This¡­" Physician Gao hesitated, a slight frown displayed on his face. "The Fourth Young Miss'' pulse is steady, albeit a little weak. The previous incursion''s effects are slowly abating, and should fully dissipate within a week."

    "Then that''s good," Xiao Wen quickly spoke, her small eyes beaming with joy. "The Fourth Young Miss recovering like this, it''s truly a relief!"

    "Then¡­please inform this one of the Fourth Young Miss'' diet, activites, and occurrences of any abnormal actions or events since a few days ago."

    Physician Gao spoke in a flat tone. Waving his sleeves, the old physician procured an ink brush, gesturing for one of the maidservants to fetch a sheet of blank paper.

    "This¡­The Fourth Young Miss had a stable diet of light herbal congee, with the occasional dish of bamboo shoots and sesame soup," Xiao Ying said in a hesitant voice, tapping the feather duster against her palm. "There haven''t been any unusual occurrences, and¡­the Fourth Young Miss has been¡­sleeping all day?"

    "Sleeping all day?" the physician repeated. "Just sleeping all day, and nothing else?"

    The maidservants all nodded, their countenances blank. Faced with such a sight, Physician Gao felt the beginnings of a headache. Unsure of what to do, the elder fretted and mused, fiercely gazing at the blank sheet of paper.

    After the time of an incense stick had passed, he finally raised his head to face the maidservants'' curious gazes.

    "Please prepare the Fourth Young Miss to take an outside stroll," he finally spoke, heading directly towards the door of the study. "There are no problems with the Young Miss'' diet. However, it would be beneficial for her to experience some fresh air even she is sleeping all day."

    Exiting the study, the aged man revealed a surprised expression at the sight of the empty courtyard. Just until a few moments ago, the youngster''s presence was pressing against the walls of the study, hence his light-hearted words towards the maidservants.

    Only, how did the youngster''s presence vanish in the blink of an eye?

    -

    Pushed alongside of the miniature pond in the Flowing Wind Residence, An Fei blearily blinked her eyes as she leaned against a side of the oaken wheelchair. The moment that the physician had left, the maidservants had pushed her into a woolen dress, before dropping her onto a wheelchair.

    Having to bear the chilly autumn night and an extensive entourage of chatty servants and one grim-faced physician, the girl soon found it difficult to pretend to be asleep.

    "Say, old man, why are you roaming of the courtyard in the night? Weren''t you supposed to be giving medicinal treatment to a mysterious patient that not even this emperor is permitted to view?"

    Physician Gao paused, turning to his right to find Lu Jing Yi lounging in the small pavilion, both feet propped against the table as he perused a thin book. Giving the entourage of maidservants a glance, the emperor leapt from the pavilion, landing directly before Xiao Ying and the other servants.

    "Let''s see who this mysterious patient is!" the emperor waved his book. "Little Wei would never speak regarding this topic, making this emperor rather inter-"

    Lu Jing Yi''s voice couldn''t help but trail off, his expression being slack-jawed at the appearance before him.

    The book silently dropped to the ground, accompanied by the rushing of wind as an aged palm headed directly towards the emperor''s back.

 25 A Cunning, Idiot Young Miss 1

    Barely hidden behind a quivering maidservant who stretched her arms to her sides in a protective manner, Lu Jing Yi could see a glimpse of an oaken wheelchair.

    The object was of a superior craft, with high quality materials and extensive dedication to the structure and functionality. Even if it were to be obtained as a collective keepsake, one would have to cough up several coffers of pure gold to obtain a craft as exquisite as the one before the emperor.

    Merely after a faint scan over the wheelchair, Lu Jing Yi''s pupils constricted in disbelief, his lower jaw slackening in astonishment.

    Lustrous, black hair flowing to the waist, decorating that thin frame in a light swathe of black gossamer strands of silk. An adorable, small streak of hair extending from her forehead was pure silver, rather striking within the sea of black, but Lu Jing Yi could only declare wholeheartedly that it complemented the girl''s overall beauty.

    A small face that could nestle snugly against the palm of his hand, the facial features perfect to the eye. The nose, ears, and that small mouth slowly blowing out the chilly autumn air just like a cute child, the emperor was distraught to find himself unable to control himself, his right arm moving by itself towards the girl''s face to cup the soft, milky skin before him.

    And when his gaze trailed to her eyes, Lu Jing Yi felt as if the pulsing of his blood had come to a sudden halt, before fiercely pumping in reverse without any regard for his life.

    A pair of small phoenix eyes lazily met his gaze. The dull sheen of the eyes and the scarlet irises pulled at his soul with gentle tugs, as soft as a lover''s caress and yet as merciless as a deadly venom.

    All thoughts about Qin Yingfei, Wan Yan Rou, or the other flowers and peonies nurtured within his backyard slowly ebbed from Lu Jing Yi''s mind. A wave of panic and fear struck the emperor, and yet that feeling similarly disintegrated into a tranquil nihility.

    "Ah¡­"

    Even the empress'' figure, one that he had pursued for dozens of years before being granted the right to embrace, seemed murky and impure compared to the girl before him. His feet shuffling forward in a mix of uncertain rationale and uncontrollable lust, the emperor shook his head multiple times, only to find the fog in his consciousness magnify with each passing second.

    He only wished to stroke the flower before him, to admire at a close distance¡­

    Pa!

    An aged palm heavily slammed onto Lu Jing Yi''s back, a massive torrent of spiritual essence flooding into the emperor''s body. With a loud cry, the emperor was flung to the side as an old physician rushed to An Fei''s side, steadying the slightly rocking wheelchair with a single finger.

    Circling the somewhat exasperated An Fei, Physician Gao quickly scanned the unfortunate girl with a piercing gaze, ignoring the former''s uncomfortable squirming as his eyes seemed to be able to expose everything to view. After a long moment, the physician released a long, flowing sigh before reaching with his right hand to firmly pat the girl on the head.

    It was unknown exactly when the servants had retreated to the side, standing in an orderly manner with their heads lowered.

    "Your Imperial Majesty," Gao Yun Zhi calmly spoke, turning to face the bewildered emperor, his voice restrained and elegant yet concealing an unbearable sharpness within. "Please respect the bounds of etiquette and propriety. What will you do if the empress finds out about this matter?"

    Lu Jing Yi doggedly shook his head, massaging his temples and infusing a copious amount of spiritual essence into his mind. Observing the fog encasing his consciousness gradually ebb, the emperor blearily blinked several times until clarity returned.

    "This¡­" he hesitated and spoke, no longer daring to use the endowment of the Imperial Family.

    "What¡­happened to me? My mind¡­how did it get wrapped up by such a state?"

    "If you were not so careless and lusting after a person''s appearance," Gao Yun Zhi remarked with a cynical tone. "Then how would you have fallen to such a trivial mind demon?"

    "You dare call yourself a practitioner of the Nascent Soul Realm with such weak mental fortitude? Hmph!"

    Hearing the disdain from the old physician before him, Lu Jing Yi felt the vestiges of anger and resentment rear their heads, demanding for vindication. However, he curled his fingers into tight fists, remaining seated until all that remained was a tranquil peace.

    "Esteemed Senior," the emperor asked while bowing. "This one dares to ask, just how did you realize this one''s realm of cultivation?"

    "Who doesn''t know that the emperor of Great Yong may only ascend to the throne at the realm of an early staged Nascent Soul cultivation, and must secede at the late stage?"

    Falling into a state of pondering, the physician''s casual reply soared past the emperor''s ears, heard only by the fleeting autumn wind.

    "Who doesn''t know..." Lu Jing Yi repeated. His eyes flaring as determination and biting resolve welled within, the emperor palmed his right fist behind his back, forcibly clearing his mind.

    Closing his eyes, Lu Jing Yi incited his consciousness to envision a set of scales, directly placing his own mind onto one end.

    Taking a deep breath, he willed the spiritual essence within his body to revolve at a frightening rate, and faint ripples were visible in the night sky.

    "The reigns above all!"

    With the internal cry, the emperor''s eyes sprung wide open, a complex, golden diagram slowly rotating above the left iris. Sensing the agitated spiritual qi in the atmosphere, Gao Yun Zhi frowned, his own spiritual essence beginning to well within his hands.

    However, the physician released a light huff and allowed the spiritual essence to calm and dissipate after some pondering. Before the emperor, the entire world had changed before his eyes, and yet was unchanged.

    Within the dark night sky, tiny threads of spiritual qi intersected to create an enormous mesh that covered the world. Each string was of a different color, transforming the darkened sky into one of a bizarre and spectacular sight.

    When Lu Jing Yi moved his gaze towards the inhabitants of the courtyard, he could see globes of various size and color, each radiating a unique spiritual trace. Xiao Ying, Xiao Wen, and the other maidservants had a ball of spiritual qi the size of a lima bean near their dantian; each of a single color.

    His perception naturally flitting over to rest on Gao Yun Zhi, the emperor frowned at the odd sight, before fear and bewilderment began to surface on his countenance.

    The globe of light within the physician could only be described as chaotic. At certain times, it radiated a blue glow; at others, red, gold, and black. Moreover, the globe rapidly expanded and contracted in a periodic motion, as if mirroring the movements of a human''s breathing.

    From the size of a meng bean, the ball of spiritual qi within Gao Yun Zhi rapidly expanded to the size of an adult''s head, surprising the emperor greatly.

    The Great Yong Imperial Family''s technique, , could be identified as a technique for observing the leylines of fate and destiny. Establishing a connection with the atmospheric spiritual qi, the user forcibly widened the various acupuncture pores on their body to inundate their meridians and spiritual channels with raw, unattributed spiritual qi.

    Along with the sudden rush of spiritual qi were fragments of the world''s destiny and predictions of the future, allowing the user to obtain small glimpses at possible future events. Activating the technique in one eye allowed the user to pierce through all illusions and concealments enacted via spiritual essence, making the technique Great Yong''s greatest strategic ploy.

    With the opponent''s true cultivation and abilities exposed, it would be mere child''s play for the members of the Imperial Family to engender an effective strategy to obtain a worthwhile victory.

    A single colored core of spiritual qi the size of a lima bean represented the general cultivation realm of Foundation Establishment.

    Though still considered weak by wudu''s current standards, possessing maidservants with such levels of cultivation was still an uncommon sight.

    A single colored core of spiritual qi the size of a baby''s fist represented the realm of Spirit Building.

    The size of a loquat, Core Formation.

    The size of an apple, Nascent Soul.

    As for a core of spiritual qi possessing multiple colors that could expand to a maximum size of an adult''s head¡­

    ...Lu Jing Yi did not know.

    Rather, he possessed no means of knowing what stage of cultivation Gao Yun Zhi possessed. The of Great Yong was only tested to reveal realms of cultivation to the Nascent Soul Realm. Hurriedly retracting the and taking deep breaths to calm himself, Lu Jing Yi instinctively backpedaled as a series of horrible conjectures arose in his mind.

    "Something wrong, Your Imperial Majesty?" Gao Yun Zhi politely asked, extending his aged right hand towards the retreating emperor. "Dilated pupils, unstable circulation of spiritual qi within the meridians, is Your Imperial Majesty experiencing qi deviation?"

    "No need!" Lu Jing Yi brusquely remarked. "This emperor requires no assistance from this senior!"

    Without further ado, the emperor turned his heel and departed from the courtyard with the greatest haste, appearing before the main gate of the Wei Manor in a few moments. Staring at the double doors of polished mahogany, he released a heavy sigh laden with countless emotions and thoughts.

    As emperor of Great Yong and a member of the Lu Imperial Family, Lu Jing Yi had naturally trained in the technique. Though unable to surpass his preceding generation''s proficiency in the technique in observing the flow of destiny, he was more than capable of viewing another person''s realm of cultivation.

    If the returned a result he could not comprehend, then there could exist only two conclusions from the extensive research the Lu Imperial Family had conducted over several millennia.

    First, the person''s cultivation exceeded the Nascent Soul Realm, perhaps extending into the fabled realm of Mortal Tribulation.

    Or secondly, they were not human.

    Either conjecture was more than sufficient to send Lu Jing Yi, the emperor of Great Yong, into a cold sweat as a deep terror branded itself in his heart.

 26 A Cunning, Idiot Young Miss 2

    "Early Nascent Soul realm of cultivation¡­" The physician murmured, Lu Jing Yi''s desperately fleeing figure reflected in the old man''s lucid eyes.

    "To be able to spy on one''s life force regardless of their progression in cultivation, is truly formidable."

    Turning to face the maidservants, the physician waved at them, his wrinkled countenance clean of any expression.

    "Take the Fourth Young Miss back to the study," he ordered in a light tone. "This physician shall converse with the Master regarding this matter."

    "Understood!"

    Bowing as once, the maidservants quickly detached themselves from their single file. As Xiao Wen grasped the wheelchair''s handles, Xiao Ying and the others formed a simple entourage.

    The vibration as the wheels traversed across the grass caused An Fei''s body to jerk, her head lolling to one side. As they departed from the courtyard towards the study, nobody noticed that the supposedly asleep girl was in fact, wide awake.

    Each immersed in their own preoccupation, not a single one of them, be it maidservant or aged physician, had realized that a pair of dulled scarlet irises were observing the previous scene with great interest.

    Watching the entourage of maidservants and a sole wheelchair gradually assimilating into the embrace of darkness from the fringe of his vision, Physician Gao released a light puff of breath.

    Turning around and raising his head to see the night sky alit with stars, the aged physician pondered for a few moments before his presence abruptly vanished.

    A tired voice remained behind, accompanying the fleeting breeze in a light elegy of stars.

    ", Lu Imperial Family¡­it seems that the winds of tragedy have shifted once more."

    -

    In the darkened study of the Flowing Wind Residence, the soft sounds of breathing were the only sources of noise in the tranquil room. Of the two sets of breathing, one was deep and relaxed, the other lighter and uneven.

    After an incense''s stick of time had passed, the curtains surrounding the bed slowly pulled apart, two scrawny limbs reaching out from within. Eventually, a small, palm-sized face accompanied the two arms in observing the interior of the study in cautious timidity.

    The pair of scarlet irises examined the desk, the various lamps hanging from wooden beams, and the reclining willow chair near the door of the study.

    "She''s finally asleep¡­"

    Slowly exhaling a sigh of relief, An Fei began to crawl out of the bed. Peeling the blankets and depositing them to the side one cun at a time, the girl stepped onto the floor, precariously balancing her body''s weight on her toes.

    Only when there was no reaction from the sleeping maidservant just a few mere meters away, did she allow her heels to rest onto the wooden panels. Balancing the majority of her weight on the pads of her toes, An Fei carefully crept towards the study desk, her arms outstretched before her to detect for any nearby objects.

    When her fingertips pressed against the hard, smooth surface of mahogany, the young girl revealed a small, triumphant smile. Her gaze examining the surface of the table, An Fei''s joy couldn''t help but magnify upon seeing a blank, pristine paper as white as snow resting on the center.

    The sheet that Physician Gao had ultimately spared from defiling with a useless prescription, now fell into her hands.

    "Brush¡­and ink¡­" she mumbled to herself, squinting heavily in the darkness as her eyes attempted to fumble through the overbearing patches of black dotting the fringe of the table. Her right hand brushed and latched onto an object, of which An Fei later realized was an ink grindstone when she brought it closer to her gaze.

    Her left hand quivering as it roamed on the surface of the drawing table in search of either brush or container of ground ink, An Fei cautiously glanced at the sleeping form of Xiao Wen. Reassuring herself of the lack of potential dangers, An Fei inched her face closer to the table to get a better sight.

    "No brush¡­"

    Helplessly curling bottom lip into a pout, the girl looked at the ink grindstone and miniature tray clenched in her hands, before exhaling in a long, exasperated manner. Placing the writing implement components on the paper, the girl started to tip-toe towards the row of bookshelves.

    Her strained vision numbly presented to her a hazy view of several towering bookshelves, each shelve crammed full of various books, jade slips, and leather scrolls. Brushing her fingertips along the length of the surface of the shelves, An Fei started to navigate her way to the leftmost bookshelf.

    Just hours ago, when the physician had asked for a brush to write with, Xiao Ying had obtained one at the highest shelf of the leftmost bookshelf.

    "¡­found it..!"

    Cursing at the annoying darkness for the umpteenth time in her mind, the girl found herself craning her head upwards towards a row of neatly stacked rectangular boxes covered with a layer of silk, the numerous embroidered patterns obscured by the lack of lighting. A hint of joy rushed through her heart but was quickly replaced by a cold embarrassment.

    ¡­That shelf containing hosting the odd dozen of brushcases, was at least two chi taller than her. Even the maidservants had used a stool earlier, much less her attempting to fumble around in the dark.

    Anxiously shifting her gaze around, An Fei quickly rushed towards the other side of the drawing table to stand behind a willow chair. Placing both hands around the armrests and gripping tightly, the girl lifted the chair and began to move back towards the indomitable row of bookshelves.

    Her arms trembling from the exertion, An Fei nearly dropped the table in fright when one of legs brushed against the edge of a vertical wooden beam.

    Once the chair had been placed onto the ground, she quickly clambered onto it to stand in an unbalanced posture. The moment her hand became level with the stacks of brushcases, the girl had swiped a random one before landing onto the floor.

    Tak!

    "Mph¡­"

    Completely forgetting the abominable physique that now belonged to her, An Fei misjudged her reflexes rather severely as she jumped onto the ground. What should have been a simple, nimble jump of less than a meter of height became a wave of excruciating pain as her left knee slammed heavily onto the wooden floor.

    A low moan escaping her throat, the girl abruptly clapped a hand over her mouth as her gaze flickered over to the sleeping maidservant. Ensuring that Xiao Wen was still confined in her dreams, An Fei craned her head towards the ceiling to quietly release a pent up breath of relief.

    Having acquired her brush, An Fei quickly made her way towards the drawing table. Depositing her treasure next to the sheet of paper and opening it in a hurry, the girl gingerly picked up the brush, admiration displayed on her beautiful countenance.

    Though the lack of light made it near impossible to admire it properly, the brush was exceedingly smooth, the carvings on its sides allowing for a comfortable grip.

    Dabbing the brush''s tip onto a corner of the inktray, An Fei nodded in satisfaction when she saw the darkened tip. Although she couldn''t use proper ink, the dried recesses were sufficient to fit her needs.

    Leaning against the half-moon chair, she began to drag the brush across the paper, creating faint trails of a dark powder, viciously marring the pristine, snow-white surface.

    "Xia above, Heavens below¡­ Shatter the crest of Jing and sunder the Divine Palace¡­"

    -

    Skree¡­ Shua. Zheng¡­

    "¡­Huh? Ci Ci, leave me alone¡­"

    Frowning in her sleep, Xiao Wen blearily opened her eyes at the sound of scratching. Having experienced a vivid nightmare, the maidservant fully expected the warm and cozy sensation of the few rays of sunlight piercing through the windows to greet her eyes, but found herself immersed in darkness.

    Squeezing her eyes shut, the groggy maid desperately attempted to return to sleep, preferring a terrifying nightmare than hearing the ear-piercing screeching of brush scratching on paper.

    Skree¡­

    "What, can''t let this maid sleep in peace, ah!?"

    Infuriated, the maidservant leapt out of the extended willow chair, the blanket covering her body falling onto the ground. Faint ripples of spiritual essence emanating from her body as she primed herself to give Xiao Ci a miserable lesson for her prank, Xiao Wen couldn''t help but freeze in place.

    Her eyes stretched to the widest limit, her pupils constricted as her mouth sprung agape.

    Her vision illuminated by the scarce light from the stars, the maidservant could see a young maiden no more than the age of fourteen sit at the drawing table, her body leaning against the supporting edge of a half moon chair. The girl was holding a snow-white sheet of paper flat onto the table with her left hand, her right grasping a weasel-whiskered and ivory brush at the low base.

    As the girl moved the brush in what seemed to be a reverse calligraphy style, the ear-grating sounds of dry brush grinding on paper once again floated into Xiao Wen''s ears.

    Recovering from her shock, the maidservant pointed at the maiden with a trembling finger, her voice quivering with equal intensity.

    "F-F-F-Fourth Young Miss, ah, w-w-w-what are you doing in the m-m-middle of the night!?"

 27 A Cunning, Idiot Young Miss 3

    "So?" Wei Xuan raised an inquiring eyebrow. "To call me out to such a place, what do you have in mind?"

    "Nothing of such regard," the opposite party replied as he sat down across from the disgruntled minister. A handsome man wrapped in a black tunic greeted the minister''s eyes, the features perfect and worthy of obsession.

    "Sorry for calling you out to such a place," the man said, pouring himself a cup of wine. "But if this were to be heard in anyone''s residence, there would be a nightmare descending on both of our heads."

    Wei Xuan opened his mouth to issue a snappy retort, but paused after giving it some thought. His gaze flickering around, the minister carefully scrutinized the room they were in, even going to the extent of infusing his vision with spiritual essence.

    The tables, the various ornaments, brushes, stacks of white paper, even the bed near the recesses of the room was unable to escape from his surveillance. Only when he had determined that the room was free of any spies, did the minister sigh once and glare at the other party.

    "What exactly makes you discard that disguise?" he finally spoke. "And what''s this discussion you wanted to have that carries so much danger?"

    "My disguise?" the man chuckled. "Senior Brother, ah, you actually liked me running around as an old, dying man, calling you ''Lord Minister'', ''Lord Minister?''"

    "Enough!" The minister scowled.

    Gao Yun Zhi instantly smiled, raising both hands to placate Wei Xuan''s anger. Raising his head as he waited for the minister''s temper to simmer, the physician admired the room''s decoration and appearance.

    "Red silk for drooping curtains, with the beams made of freshly cut willow," he sighed. "That''s truly lavish for such a scholar''s association. It''s a pity that such materials and the style of construction typically belongs to a flowerhouse or even a high-class brothel."

    "That''s because this place is indeed a flowerhouse," Wei Xuan snorted. "Bringing me to this place, are you trying to get my head bitten off by the dogs at the Imperial Court tomorrow?"

    "Why not? Even His Imperial Majesty attended this Blooming Life Association several times in the past. What of a minister?"

    "What of a minister?" Wei Xuan repeated, before wailing in mock despair. "Yun Zhi, you''re truly trying to kill your Senior Brother, ah! The emperor is the emperor, a minister is a minister, how could it be the same, ah!?"

    "An emperor and a minister, they''re still human!" Gao Yun Zhi quickly remarked. "Since they''re both human, they will naturally have a conclusive end, what difference is there to ¨C Alright, alright, I''ll stop talking now!"

    Noticing the fluctuations of spiritual essence near Wei Xuan grow increasingly unstable, the physician clasped his hands in surrender. Taking a deep breath, the jovial expression on Gao Yun Zhi''s countenance vanished to reveal a solemn look. Looking around, he directed a glance at the door, before withdrawing a dagger from his robes.

    Thunk!

    A dagger of black ice stabbed deeply into the center of the wooden table, the an unusual pulse of spiritual essence emanating from the hilt. Pointing towards the embedded object with his index finger, a thin stream of blue light burst from Gao Yun Zhi''s fingertip to strike the pommel, the reflected rays dying the scarlet hue of the room an odd violet.

    After a few moments, the entire dagger released a pale, azure radiance, a fresh hint of vitality exuding from the blade. Seeing this, Gao Yun Zhi gave a pale smile as he looked around the room bathed with a blue light.

    "Always taking so long to establish a cloaking array, and taking so much pride in it afterwards, you really haven''t changed."

    Wei Xuan remarked, several memories attempting to surface in his mind. Shaking his head and chasing those reminiscent thought away, the minister gazed towards the physician, his expression bland as he spoke in a flat tone.

    "Spill it out now," he said as he rested his right arm on the table. "You wouldn''t disperse your disguise if it was some trivial manner."

    Gao Yun Zhi paused, his teal irises staring at the pommel radiating a warm light. Drumming his fingers, the handsome man seemed unsure how to reply.

    "Senior Brother¡­" he began, his voice trepid and filled with uncertainty. "This¡­the has displayed its might once again. My cultivation was nearly exposed to Lu Jing Yi, and¡­"

    "Lu Jing Yi used the !?" Wei Xuan exclaimed. "Just why and where did he use such a conflicting technique?"

    Gao Yun Zhi froze, his fingers curling into tight fists on the table. A few moments later, he inhaled deeply through clenched teeth.

    "It was your fourth daughter," the handsome physician murmured. "It seems that her appearance can easily unsettle anyone under the realm of Mortal''s Tribulation. When I briefly scanned Lu Jing Yi whilst he was trapped in that perplexing state, I noticed that his affection for the empress had significantly dwindled after taking a look at your daughter. The rate at how his emotions fluctuated and exploded forth¡­was truly horrifying."

    "Dwindling attachment for the empress¡­" Wei Xuan repeated. Suddenly, he raised his right hand, a pearl of silvery spiritual essence coalescing at the center of the palm. With a suppressed yell, the palm slammed onto the pommel of the dagger, the pearl shattering into countless fragments.

    "Disperse, the Overseer has no place in this land!"

    As the pearl disintegrated, a horizontal disk of silver light appeared above the dagger, slowly rotating counterclockwise as it rested on top of the protruding pommel. On the surface of the disk, threads of silver light seemed to intersect and form arcs at various areas, and the disk gradually coalesced into a complex diagram.

    When the diagram had fully emerged, profound, ancient symbols and inscriptions could be perceived circumventing the regions of the array.

    "What''s the matter?" Gao Yun Zhi was the first to react. "Someone attempting to spy on us?"

    Wei Xuan frowned as he carefully inspected the ever-changing fluctuations of spiritual essence emanating from the disk. His mouth moved as he mouthed several intelligible words, before returning to a mask of calm.

    "No, something different."

    "Yun Zhi," the minister spoke in a solemn voice. "Return to the Blackwind Hills. I''m afraid that the use of the has caused your tribulation to arrive sooner than usual."

    "Understood." Gao Yun Zhi replied after some thought. "I''ll continue searching for hints regarding the Eight Petaled Violet Yin Herb whilst I''m not in the mainland. However," he cautioned.

    "You must be careful regarding your daughter. Though my presence managed to divert Lu Jing Yi''s attention for some while, he''s still a rather smart man. After some time, he''ll begin delving into why his mind fell into such disarray, and might even take Fei away from you if he goes too far. You''ll have to find a reasonable explanation, perhaps an illusion array as a recently installed defense mechanism."

    Wei Xuan nodded, a grave expression crawling onto his countenance. Clapping the minister on the back, Gao Yun Zhi extracted the dagger from the table, causing the radiant blue light to rapidly disperse to reveal the scarlet hue of the pleasure room.

    Agitating his spiritual essence to encase his entire body, the physician gradually merged with the atmosphere, vanishing from sight.

    "Lu Jing Yi¡­" Wei Xuan mused. Flicking his finger, the minister observed the array fragment and disappear, the storm of silver light masking the emotions flickering in his eyes.

    Soon after, the minister had similarly disappeared from the pleasure room, the interior untouched as if not a single person had ever entered in the first place.

    -

    Her left hand pinning the sheet of paper in place, the right grasping a brush, An Fei involuntarily froze as she heard Xiao Wen''s startled yell.

    "I¡­"

    Just as she was about to speak on reflex and explain herself to the maidservant, the girl stiffened as she recalled that the Fourth Young Miss of Wei was supposed to posses the intellect of no more than an infant. Hence, she slapped her mouth shut, blinking twice with widened eyes as she gave Xiao Wen a blank stare.

    "¡­Fourth Young Miss?"

    The maidservant quickly strode over to the seated An Fei, nearly rubbing her eyes when she saw the girl''s grip of the brush. Holding the brush with such a low grip, with the base resting on the second finger, then held in place by a combination of the thumb and index finger, what was she doing?

    No. This couldn''t do.

    Grabbing a firestarter and lighting several of the lamps hanging on the beams, Xiao Wen hoisted An Fei out of the half moon chair, carrying and placing her onto the bed without permitting any refusal from the latter. Ignoring the look of protest in the girl''s eyes, the maidservant carefully shut the curtains, immersing the poor girl into darkness once again.

    "That scared me¡­" Xiao Wen murmured, patting and massaging her chest as she heaved a sigh of relief. "If Master saw this, he would probably overturn the entire residence¡­"

    Turning to blow out the lamps before returning to what she assumed would be another fitful night, the maidservant let out an enormous yawn. Rubbing her eyes as she walked towards the extended chair that substituted for a bed, the maidservant couldn''t help but pause, the image of An Fei leaning over the desk flashing in her mind.

 28 A Cunning, Idiot Young Miss 4

    Halting her steps and turning around, Xiao Wen curiously walked towards the desk. There, she could see a sheet of paper marred by trails of ink.

    The pristine snow paper appeared defiled to the eye, with trails of grainy ink powder scattered over its surface. Holding it closer to view, the maidservant could somewhat visualize and comprehend the written mess.

    "Xia over Heaven¡­Divine Palace crest of Jing¡­" Xiao Wen read, squinting her eyes.

    The script was far too faint to be legible due to the lack of sufficient ink, and she could only manage due to her enhanced eyesight. Unable to comprehend the meaning behind the words, Xiao Wen shrugged before placing the paper back onto the drawing table. Blowing out all of the lamps and covering herself with the blanket, the maidservant entered a light, fitful sleep just as she had predicted.

    ¡­She seemed to have not realized something critical.

    -

    "Xia over Heaven. Divine Palace breaks the crest of Jing, the Forefather laments¡­" Wei Xuan read out loud, an eyebrow raised in disbelief. Looking at the kneeling maidservant with her head lowered, the minister hesitated before continuing to ask.

    "Are you certain that it was truly Fei''er who wrote this script? Not that it was someone else''s calligraphy practice that she was looking over?"

    "This maidservant saw with her eyes!" Xiao Wen asserted, her hands clasped before her chest. "It was half a sichen before the Hour of the Tiger''s coming. The Fourth Young Miss was indeed holding a brush in her hand, drawing on the sheet of paper in Master''s hand."

    "But¡­" The minister paused, his brows furrowed in thought. Holding the marred sheet of paper before his eyes, Wei Xuan stared at the ink stains as if to bore holes through them.

    If he were to give an honest expression of his opinion, it would be bewilderment. The characters, however difficult to interpret due to An Fei having utilized powdered vestiges of ink instead of enacting the proper procedures in grinding and mixing ink, were delicate and rather easy to comprehend the denoted symbol.

    The script was roughly the same size as the Small Hairpin Script, yet the strokes were restrained mid-stroke, making the entire string of characters appear dull and worthless. Even the most reserved scholar, one who forsook all deviants of the mind and the relationship between heaven and earth, would possess some dignified attribute in his or her calligraphy.

    There simply wasn''t a person in either Great Yong or in Wei Xuan''s memories, no matter how collected their conscious were, that was capable of writing in such mechanical style devoid of all emotions. Hence, he couldn''t readily acknowledge the content of Xiao Wen''s report.

    "This¡­ What did you do with Fei''er afterwards?" Wei Xuan finally asked the kneeling maidservant.

    "This servant was rather coarse and¡­" Xiao Wen iterated, her voice trailing off as she thought over her next words. "This servant just put the Fourth Young Miss to sleep without investigating anything in detail¡­"

    As she spoke, the maidservant lowered her head until it touched the cool, sandalwood floor. Nearing the end of her words, she mulled over how angry the minister would become at her negligence toward her duty, her body shivering as her thoughts naturally exacerbated and compounded upon each other.

    However, the expected punishment nor words of condemnation did not arrive, and Xiao Wen raised her head in curiosity, only to meet Wei Xuan''s confused gaze.

    "Master," she tepidly asked, the same confusion mirrored in the maidservant''s pretty eyes. "Did this servant¡­do something wrong?"

    "¡­Hm?" The minister soon reacted, blinking his eyes towards the maidservant. "I thought I just told you to leave, do you have something else to report?"

    "¡­no!" Xiao Wen uttered after a moment of surprise. "This servant has nothing else to report!"

    "Then what are you still doing here?" Wei Xuan rolled his eyes before speaking in a playful tone. "Go take care of your Young Miss! Lest those maidservants of Shuyan start gossiping about how I don''t discipline my servants, save me that trouble, ah!"

    "Thanking Master! This servant shall go take care of the Fourth Young Miss!"

    Xiao Wen stood before dipping into a full bow, a relieved smile stretching across her face. As if having been granted a full pardon for a cardinal sin, the maidservant dashed out of the room with great haste, startling the other servants attending to their duty in the courtyard.

    Watching the fleeting back of the maidservant, Wei Xuan smiled before picking up the piece of paper with An Fei''s handwriting.

    "Now I think I understand why the emperor is always gleeful during the Hour of the Monkey."

    "Xia over Heaven¡­Divine Palace crest of Jing¡­" he numbly repeated, scratching his head. "Did I ever¡­write those words in the past?"

    Suddenly, a muted growl filled the room, causing the minister''s face to stiffen. Rubbing his stomach, Wei Xuan pondered for a brief instant before deciding to call out towards the servants nearby.

    "Call the Second Madam to come, let''s have some breakfast! This minister needs to depart for court soon, ah!"

    After all, questions could only be answered following a hearty and fulfilling meal. Attempting to do so otherwise would mere constitute a complete waste of precious time and resources.

    -

    "Fourth Young Miss, can you tell this maidservant what this character means?"

    Xiao Wen energetically held a sheet of paper before An Fei''s eyes. Gazing at the oversized character scrawled all over the once clean paper, now dotted and splattered with ink spots, the girl resisted the temptation of rolling her eyes at the maidservant. Staring at the messily written ''Life'' on the paper, the girl deeply wished to blurt out the word to pacify the bouncing maidservant, and yet she couldn''t due to her current identity as a budding, infantile girl.

    ¡­And yet, she was locked in a dilemma because in Xiao Wen''s hands, was a wooden tray with bamboo shoots, a slice of ginseng sweetened with honey, and a bowl of steaming porridge flavored with decadent herbs placed on top.

    Hence, the young girl couldn''t help but drool at the fragrant food within an arm''s reach and yet a hundred li away. Swallowing a painful gulp of saliva, An Fei did her utmost to ignore Xiao Wen''s teasing as she attempted to grab at the tray resting on the maidservant''s lap.

    "Fourth Young Miss, you should answer this servant''s question, ah!" Xiao Wen exclaimed as she gently swatted An Fei''s extended arms away from the food. "Otherwise, this servant shall enjoy a scrupulous meal this morning!"

    Answer your sister!

    An Fei grumbled in her heart after glancing at the maidservant''s teasing expression. Narrowing her eyes as she quickly pondered how to snatch the food from Xiao Wen''s steel grasp, the girl displayed a blank stare, her small mouth lightly parted to represent her hunger.

    "¡­"

    Both the maidservant and young miss stared at each other for several minutes, until a quiet but audible growl could be heard within the study.

    "Alright, alright," Xiao Wen conceded, placing the paper onto the drawing table with resignation. Picking up the spoon, the maidservant unreservedly began depositing the slightly cooled food into An Fei''s already opened mouth.

    Chewing on the odd but still delicious mix of porridge, bamboo shoots, and a piece of ginseng, the girl couldn''t help but close her eyes in bliss. Once she had swallowed the mouthful down, An Fei immediately opened her mouth for another bite, of which the maidservant faithfully complied.

    For the next few moments, the only sounds in the study were the clinking of a spoon, rustling of clothes, and a young maiden''s chewing.

    "My Fourth Sister actually learned how to write!? When did that happen, and how wasn''t I informed!?"

    Just as soon as An Fei had bit down on the last piece of ginseng coated with a viscous layer of honey, a loud exclamation could be heard from the courtyard. Resisting the urge to choke, the girl leaned into the maidservant''s embrace with hints of a pleading expression on her face.

    Just why was that girl back?

 29 A Cunning, Idiot Young Miss 5

    "Fourth Sister, Fourth Sister! Open the door, ah!"

    The excited cry of a young maiden drilled into An Fei''s ears, causing the girl to quiver in Xiao Wen''s arms. Just as the maidservant finished consoling the annoyed Fourth Young Miss of Wei and strode towards the locking mechanism of the door, the doors burst open from the outside, a person brusquely intruding into the study.

    "Fifth Young Miss!" Xiao Wen rapidly blocked the path of the intruder. "Fifth Young Miss, you must remember the Master''s decree!"

    "Just tell Father later!" Wei Yan Yue retorted, pushing the maid aside. She then rushed towards the center of the study, her target being the seated girl leaning against the drawing table.

    "Fourth Sister, you must play with Yan Yue, ah!"

    Ignoring An Fei''s clear expression of distaste, the young maiden bounced around as she circled the seated girl, occasionally jabbing at her arm for any reaction. Noticing her obvious discomfort, the maidservant quickly intervened, forcibly separating Wei Yan Yue and holding her at bay.

    "Fifth Young Miss!" Xiao Wen shouted in anger, her fingers curled into tight fists. "If the Young Miss dares to enact such cruelty to the Fourth Young Miss again, this maidservant shall display no respect!"

    "You''re already shouting at me, what more disrespect can you display?" Wei Yan Yue pouted as she fiercely retorted. "I just want to play with Fourth Sister, what''s wrong with that?"

    "But the Fourth Young Miss doesn''t wish to play with the Fifth Young Miss," the maidservant helpfully pointed out. "The Fifth Young Miss'' entry just now nearly caused the Fourth Young Miss to choke on her medicine, what explanation shall this servant give when interrogated by the Master?"

    "This¡­ Hmph!"

    Wei Yan Yue huffed, locating an adjacent chair before sitting down in pampered anger. Having been freed from her plight, Xiao Wen resumed the duties of a proper maidservant, adjusting An Fei''s sitting posture into a more comfortable position.

    Resting her head against the drawing table''s smooth surface, An Fei directed a deep questioning gaze towards Wei Yan Yue, electing not to utter a single word even if the young maiden was to assault her again.

    "Why is the Fifth Young Miss here?" having obtained a brief moment of respite, the maidservant asked in a curious tone.

    "This servant doesn''t see the Third Young Miss anywhere, does the Fifth Young Miss have any knowledge of her whereabouts?"

    "Third Sister? Third Sister''s attending a poetry meeting with the other young misses of Jiang''an." Wei Yan Yue replied, before her gaze snapped back towards An Fei.

    "Instead of worrying over that, Fourth Sister, let''s play, ah!"

    ...play?

    Without waiting for anyone to respond, Wei Yan Yue jumped from her chair, heading towards the row of bookshelves at the far end of the table. Watching the girl rummage through the shelves, pulling a book or scroll out from its respective location before slotting it back in disappointment, neither An Fei nor Xiao Wen knew how to react.

    Soon enough, however, Wei Yan Yue''s jubilant cry resounded through the study, alerting the two other occupants in the room.

    "I found it, I found it!"

    "¡­found? What does the Master have that''s so important to the Fifth Miss?"

    The maidservant repeated with an odd expression in a soft mutter. Xiao Wen soon raised her head to ask the gleeful Wei Yan Yue with a befuddled look.

    "Fifth Young Miss, what exactly did you find amongst the Master''s book collection?"

    "The fifth volume of Mencius'' Treatise of the Nature of the Mortal Mind!" Wei Yan Yue proudly exclaimed, waving the book in her hands in an energetic manner. Somehow, the maidservant could feel the beginnings of a headache from that single statement.

    ¡­she wasn''t wrong.

    Having acquired her treasure, Wei Yan Yue delicately tidied up the mess in the study, even going to the extent of not requesting Xiao Wen for assistance. The contrast between the prudent, conscientious girl and the Fifth Young Miss that remained in her memories was too harsh, and thus Xiao Wen couldn''t help but direct anxious glances towards the bustling Wei Yan Yue.

    Remaining in a lazy posture, An Fei eagerly observed the young maiden''s every action, an expression of curiosity on her adorable countenance.

    Although she didn''t know how Wei Yan Yue acted on a daily basis, her memories of her previous younger sister, An Yan Yue, would only display this sort of behavior when preparing to either wheedle or manipulate another person. Arrogantly and ignorantly labeling both people as the same existence in her mind, An Fei waited for the customary plea for help from the girl.

    "I''m done! Fourth Sister, let''s play, let''s play!"

    Wei Yan Yue exclaimed as she dusted her palms. Picking up the book, an enormous stack of stationary paper, and two complete sets of writing implements, the girl marched towards the drawing table.

    Opening the book neatly on the center of the table and placing the sets of writing implements on either side, the young maiden casually divided the stack of paper into two.

    "Fifth Young Miss¡­what are you doing?" the maidservant inquired with a bemused tone. "Stationary paper, sets of writing implements, and a treatise from Mencius, don''t tell me¡­"

    "En!" The Fifth Young Miss nodded, before beginning to tug gently at An Fei''s left sleeve. "Fourth Sister, ah! You must help me finish my punishment tonight, otherwise the First Madam would punish your younger sister!"

    "But the Fourth Young Miss does not know how to read nor write," Xiao Wen pointed out before An Fei could even respond. "Fifth Young Miss, how would the Fourth Young Miss assist you in completing your punishment?"

    "What do you mean, Fourth Sister doesn''t know how to read or write!?" Wei Yan Yue cried out in indignation. "Xia over Heaven, the Divine Palace''s crest breaks the dawn of Jing. Even Mother and the First Madam were talking about this during breakfast, and they claimed such information came from Father''s own words!"

    Puffing out her chest, Wei Yan Yue glared at Xiao Wen. Pressing on with undiminished momentum, the young maiden continued speaking in a righteous tone.

    "Since even Father, Mother, and the First Madam all stated that Fourth Sister can write, why do you say that she can''t?"

    "¡­Because this servant has remained with the Fourth Young Miss all day long for every single day since she awoke?" the maidservant numbly spoke.

    "Neither this servant, the Master, or anyone else who had rightful permission to enter this study had seen the Fourth Young Miss practice calligraphy or read books, so where did this rumor come from?"

    "This¡­ Anyways, it''s just repeating several statements, not writing poetry from a single thought!" Wei Yan Yue protested. "Even Father would approve since this would help Fourth Sister with her calligraphy, right?"

    As the maidservant stared agape in a mix of bewilderment and confusion, the young maiden forced An Fei into a proper sitting position before grabbing her right arm. Resting the girl''s right elbow onto the table and raising her wrist, Wei Yan Yue slowly guided An Fei''s thin fingers to grasp the practice brush at the midsection of its length.

    Dipping the brush in freshly prepared ink, An Fei was put through a slow torture of writing a long string of vertical characters ¨C of course, strictly mandated by Wei Yan Yue''s hands grasping the former''s arm and steadying their wrist.

    "Man knows no disposition at conception," Wei Yan Yue read, enunciating each word carefully.

    "Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom are present within the soul, and must be tempered to bloom and reveal their delicate glorification."

    Staring at the string of characters printed neatly on the stationary paper, the maidservant was unsure of what to say.

    "Fifth Young Miss," Xiao Wen finally spoke in an uncertain tone. "Your intention is¡­?"

    "Of course, write thirty copies of this statement by lunchtime!" Wei Yan Yue declared, waving her brush towards the maidservant.

    "Not only will this complete my punishment task, but it will also assist Fourth Sister''s practice with calligraphy!"

    "But¡­" the maidservant slowly deliberated. "This¡­ the Master said he would personally-"

    "Then that''s even better! If Fourth Sister knows a little about calligraphy now, then when Father starts teaching her, wouldn''t he be pleasantly surprised?"

    Xiao Wen could only helplessly declare that she couldn''t find a proper argument to refute Wei Yan Yue''s statement. Technically, if they were to be questioned later, the Fifth Young Miss could leverage the difference between status and her externally, mutually beneficial statement to evade punishment. However¡­

    Gazing at the brush grasped within her right hand, the stack of paper allotted to her side of the drawing table, and the phrase needed to copy from the book, An Fei didn''t feel that aggravated compared to Xiao Wen. On the contrary, she felt a little rejuvenated.

    People would naturally become tired after sleeping all day long.

    Moreover, this was an excellent opportunity to tinker around with a thought that had been simmering in her mind over the last few days.

 30 A Cunning, Idiot Young Miss 6

    Xia above, Heavens below. Shatter the crest of Jing and sunder the Palace of Divine to enter the Sanctum.

    That was listed in the book left behind by An Xiang Yang as the declared method of re-entering the mysterious crystal palace. As she recalled that statement, An Fei couldn''t help but think that within the seemly arbitrary statement was a more profound meaning, one hidden from the eyes of others until a specific time or need.

    It was just that to the current An Fei, the phrase was nothing more than a phrase to be written down on paper and agonized over.

    "Fourth Sister, the ink''s dripping onto the paper, hurry up!" Wei Yan Yue''s voice could be heard from her right. "If the ink stains cover the words later on, First Madam would become very angry at me¡­"

    Observing from the side, Xiao Wen couldn''t help but sigh. What assisting the Fourth Young Miss with practicing calligraphy, when the person herself didn''t even know the meanings of the words she was copying?

    Besides, could she even replicate the characters in a straight line as the First Madam Sheng Miaolan strictly mandated from the children of the Wei manor?

    Thus, the maidservant diligently rolled up her sleeves, placing the tray onto the bed. Pulling up a stool next to An Fei, the maidservant began to assist the young girl delicately copy the phrase onto a new sheet of paper, rolling her eyes at Wei Yan Yue each time the former''s grip on the brush began to loosen.

    "This Fifth Young Miss of Wei, how bold!" the maidservant grumbled to herself in a low murmur.

    "Blatantly disobeying the Master''s decree and even forcing her older and bedridden sister to assist her with a punishment, how blind towards propriety and benevolence!"

    Although, her words were promptly ignored by both Wei Yan Yue and An Fei. One was hurriedly copying down Mencius'' phrase whilst glancing at the hourglass from time to time, and the other was daydreaming in her thoughts.

    An Fei had practically given up attempting to write calligraphy in the posture dictated by Wei Yan Yue. Each time she attempted to hold on to the ebony practice brush, her fingers would immediately jump to her old posture of writing characters with either an ink pen or a pencil, sliding down to the base of the writing implement within seconds.

    As a mix between embarrassment of her overpowering habit as well as being lost in her thoughts, the girl had delegated the entire writing task to the maidservant next to her. However, the person in question was similarly lost in her own thoughts of righteous anger towards the ''mistreatment'' of her Fourth Young Miss and unable to realize that the Fourth Young Miss was simply far too lazy to correct her own habits.

    ¡­simply put, all were struggling in their own mental worlds.

    An Fei was far too busy envisioning a mental projection of the phrase she had seen within the aged, black book.

    Xia over Heaven. The ''xia'' for governance, and ''min'' for heaven. If the characters were to be read side-by-side, the closest interpretation An Fei could confidently acquire from the resulting statement was to ''govern over heaven''.

    However, if they were to be placed in a format in which the two characters overlapped vertically, a rather interesting symbol that made no comprehensive sense, yet was pretty to look at.

    Shattering the crest of Jing and sundering the Palace of Divine. An Fei couldn''t help but wonder what ''shattering the crest of vitality'' could mean. What counted as a ''crest of vitality'' anyways?

    ...Youth? The diverging point in the method a mind processed information when a person crossed youth into maturity?

    ¡­And what did it mean to sunder the Palace of Divine? What was being referenced as ''Divine''?

    An Fei felt that she had far too many questions, and not a single answer that could solve any of them.

    In her frustration, the mental image of the diagram overlapping ''xia'' and ''min'' became distorted, gradually fading into a messy haze of information. With only the vestiges of the diagram remaining in her mental projection, the girl deeply wished to sigh and felt the urge to experiment on paper.

    Furthermore, her head was throbbing in pain, her mind exhausted from envisioning a phrase of characters, then manipulating them without any assistance from physical diagrams.

    "Hu¡­"

    Slowly releasing a pent-up breath, An Fei closed her eyes for a few moments before blankly observing Xiao Wen manipulate her hand into copying the characters on the book in the middle of the drawing table.

    Once her mind no longer felt like it was being ground to pieces, the girl began to cautiously move the brush grasped in her hand, only paying attention to her grip and not what the maidservant was printing onto the stationary paper.

    What she had just used was nothing more than an ordinary memorization technique every student in China was once forced to learn if they had any inclination towards learning. Imprinting information as a mental visualization and recalling the image instead of blindly reciting content until it was burned into memory, this technique could assist a person recall massive quantities of information in a short period of time.

    What An Fei had just done was to directly modify the visualization without any preemptive guide on paper, hence leading to her mental exhaustion.

    "Done! We''re finally done!"

    Wei Yan Yue''s excited cry broke everyone''s reverie, bringing an instant halt to the frenzied copying and writing. When An Fei raised her head, she could see thirty sheets of stationary paper neatly stacked on two piles, with twenty contributed by Xiao Wen''s hard work, and ten from Wei Yan Yue.

    The maidservant had even mimicked the Fifth Young Miss'' handwriting, causing the latter to repeatedly gush praise and words of gratitude.

    "Xiao Wen, ah, you''re truly a lifesaver! Now the First Madam won''t get angry!"

    "Then the Fifth Young Miss should hurry on her way. It is nearly lunchtime, there is only half an incense stick''s of time."

    "Then you should come over to the Plum Blossoms Residence! I''ll treat you with a great meal!"

    "This servant must respectfully decline! This servant must take proper care of the Fourth Young Miss."

    "But¡­"

    As Wei Yan Yue attempted to bargain with Xiao Wen for another session of her "assistance" under the guise and incentives of treats, accessories, and even freedom, An Fei gently rolled her neck to loosen the muscles, before picking up the previously discarded ink brush. Quietly grinding the ink and dipping the brush, she pondered for a brief moment before letting the tip of the brush rest on the paper.

    Instead of alternatively deriving an interpretation from the words, she would instead attempt to combine the characters in the way that the phrase instructed. A rather dumb way, but it was the most feasible out of all others An Fei could construe.

    Xia over Heaven.

    Shatter the crest of Jing.

    Sunder the Palace of Divine to enter the Sanctum.

    She first drew the character for ''Xia'', not caring if her fingers flew to the base of the brush, or if her handwriting had naturally readjusted itself to that of the Small Hairpin Script. Next, she overlapped the base of ''Xia'' with ''Min'', creating the diagram once more.

    Shatter the crest of Jing, Sunder the Palace of Divine to enter the Sanctum.

    Each character was overwritten with the next, not extending to the left or bottom. When An Fei had finished writing the characters for ''Sanctum'', she withdrew her gaze for a moment before looking back.

    What greeted her was a complex mess of lines and arcs of ink in the form of a convoluted, nearly demonic diagram. Confined within a square of a centimeter wide, what constituted a phrase now appeared to be an ink drawing compressed to a single diagram, making it difficult for An Fei to discern anything when she glanced at it.

    And yet, when she narrowed her eyes and stared even further, even utilizing the memorization technique she was familiar with to imprint it into her mind, the girl''s lips moved of their own accord, unbidden by any consciousness.

    "Eternity. The basis of truth and falsehood."

    The words pronounced were neither in Mandarin, the language of Great Yong and previously, China, or in any human language known since the beginning of civilization. Though An Fei could understand and comprehend the meaning of the sounds her body pronounced, she was unable to actually hear what the sounds were.

    The words were akin to mysterious bells, soft and pleasing to the ears. They were sonorous, jubilant, sorrowful, and yet solemn at the same time, creating a rather interesting phenomenon.

    Once the last word escaped her mouth, An Fei saw the world before her distort at great speed, her vision turning dark within an instant.

    Opening her eyes after a few minutes, An Fei found herself staring down a massive hall of sky-blue crystal, the familiar warmth surrounding her entire body.

    The mysterious throne room of sky-blue crystal, she had returned once again.

 31 A Cunning, Idiot Young Miss 7

    Crash!

    A polished jade teacup was ruthlessly dashed towards the ground, splintering into countless fragments against the polished granite floor. The fragments of jade scattered across the floor at great velocity, some shards cutting deeply into the flesh of the unfortunate servants kneeling in their path.

    "Your Imperial Majesty, please calm down!"

    Not a single cry of pain nor protest echoed in the room. Rather, the group of servants, both maidservants and eunuchs, all kneeled in fear towards the person responsible for the destruction of the jade cup.

    Some even touched their heads to the ground, not daring to face the master''s fury.

    "Intolerable! How could I¡­" Lu Jing Yi gnashed his teeth, his dashing eyes now bloodshot. "Yu Xin''s figure¡­ when did it become so blurred¡­"

    Slamming his right fist against his thigh, Lu Jing Yi could feel his fingers twitch once more, the unusual heat and bloodthirst beginning to coarse throughout his body without mercy. His eyes roaming across the room, the emperor''s gaze riveted onto an ashwood tray, but more particularly, a jade teacup placed on top.

    A dull green color, with inscriptions of a dancing phoenix laced with strands of silken gold. A priceless luxury in the Shattered Star Continent, an exquisite craft rumored to only have three sibling sets in the entire world.

    Any ruler would easily sacrifice large coffers of treasures, even elementary cultivation resources, to obtain such an object, even if he was the emperor of Great Yong or Great Yan.

    Rumored and verified by the Old Emperor of Great Yong, a single cup of tea drunk from the cup could alleviate any future chances of qi deviation, purifying the soul, meridians, and channels of spiritual qi regardless of the practitioner''s realm of cultivation. A divine treasure indeed immeasurable by value.

    But most importantly to the current emperor, that teacup had always been constantly graced by a woman''s hand. Warmed by the touch of her skin, her soft palms, presenting a morning tea to him each break of dawn to refresh his spirit.

    He had relished such a great favor, enjoying every moment of that exchange and vowing to never relinquish.

    And today, the jade teacup was present, but not the woman. The first instance he had woken up, a palace servant had informed Lu Jing Yi that the empress was currently outside the Imperial Court, touring the streets of Jiang''an.

    Staring at the exquisite ornament of jade and feeling a dull heartache at his core for reasons unknown, Lu Jing Yi couldn''t help but think back to his dream just mere moments ago.

    That soft and smooth skin without blemish, the fair texture as white as snow. Although it was a mere visual projection conjured in his dreams, Lu Jing Yi could feel the softness and warmth just by reaching out with his fingertips.

    He had combed that cascade of hair, running his fingers through a sensational paradise of gossamer strands.

    But most importantly, that pair of scarlet eyes. Lacking lustre just like a polished piece of tempered ruby, the pair of eyes had attracted his soul like a lover''s embrace.

    Needless to dispute, he had readily leaped into the paradise, all thoughts about the consequences begone.

    For the duration of the night, and as the moon gave way to the sun, Lu Jing Yi had obtained the opportunity of inducting himself of the true definition of paradise.

    The sensations as he ravaged the woman before him, the gentle trembling of her body as he ignored her pleas and screams for mercy, the emperor had thoroughly enjoyed them all. Witnessed, partook, and reveled; sealed and embossed by an imperial seal within the mind.

    His mind completely sobering as the last vestiges of sleep faded into oblivion, Lu Jing Yi stared at his hands, his mind in turmoil. Those slender fingers that moved at his behest, the body that was completely subservient to him, and even his own soul, they all seemed familiar and yet so foreign.

    Obviously, that woman he had plundered in his dreams mere breaths ago was not the empress. He had known such a fact since the beginning, and had leapt in and conducted the deed completely conscious in spirit and mind.

    He had performed such an action with the subconscious thought that because it was a dream, all would disappear in the wake of dawn.

    And yet, the woman''s face refused to leave. Much of the detail was lost, but the mere silhouette of that captivating figure was more than sufficient to drive Lu Jing Yi astray.

    That woman was not Feng Yu Xin, the woman he had spent countless hours, tears, and blood scheming and persisting to attain her recognition. She was not the woman he had met and engaged in a deadly battle in at the windy plains, nor was she the woman whom he had risked life and death as they escaped from the clutches of the Tian Yi sect.

    Then why did her figure simply refuse to release his mind?

    And why did Feng Yu Xin appear so distant, almost as if she were irrelevant to his life?

    Numerous thoughts blazed through his mind as Lu Jing Yi attempted to control his mind, even going to the extent of infusing copious quantities of spiritual essence as he massaged his temples. However, all seemed futile as not only did that mysterious figure not diminish, it seemed to occupy more of his thoughts, even hinting with their ''experiences'' in the dream.

    Suddenly, his pulse accelerated viciously, the veins bulging in agony as the blood raced through akin to rampaging waves across a previously calm ocean.

    "Ah¡­" The emperor groaned in pain, clawing at his own body in an attempt of expelling the malignant symptoms.

    "Your Imperial Majesty!" the chief eunuch cried in panic, before ushering the other servants to mobilize. "Quick. The Imperial Physicians, call them here immediately!"

    Hot!

    Other than the sensation of burning alive, all Lu Jing Yi could experience was an ever-growing desire for bloodlust and savagery. The panicked shuffling of the palace maidservants and eunuchs, the anxious cries and shouts of the Imperial Physicians examining his body, all were diluted to mere buzzing of mosquitoes.

    Watching a hazy image of his own arm swat at the sources of the unbearable noise, Lu Jing Yi did not feel much remorse or confusion; instead, he seemed oddly driven towards compounding such actions, even going as far as amplifying his strength with spiritual essence to drive the annoying gnats away.

    "Enough! Scram!"

    With a fearsome roar, a jade teacup that once rested upon an exquisite ashwood tray was sent flying by a swat from Lu Jing Yi''s right arm. Heavily struck by an attack empowered by spiritual essence, the teacup didn''t even have the opportunity to shatter into countless fragments, having forcibly disintegrated into a green cloud of powdered jade.

    Lu Jing Yi suddenly lurched after another flail of his arm, his heart pounding frantically as if it had lost something dear to him. The odd phenomenon receding completely as the bloodlust gradually faded away, the emperor dumbly gazed around the room.

    The expensive and luxurious adornments, furniture, and fabrics that had once attended to the room''s interior were reduced to shreds and tarnished, condemned to the fate of being discarded. At the base of the bed lay a small pile of a dull green powder, and a little further away, a shard of green jade, the fragmented inscription visible in Lu Jing Yi''s vision.

    "What...have I done¡­"

    His countenance blank as confusion and realization slowly began to converge, the emperor directed an empty stare towards the interior of the room. When his vision landed on the shard and pile of jade, Lu Jing Yi''s heart surged with a frenzy, the reason clearly known deep within him.

    -

    "The Gates of Truth and Falsehood reside within the Sanctum of Eternity. Four Gates of Truth, Four Gates of Falsehood, and one of Eternity mandate the cycling of time and natural illusory phenomenon of the environment. Truth and falsehood may not intermingle, but also may not survive without the other; the unison forms the basis of all immortal existence..."

    Within a crystal throne room, a young girl in a green dress reclined against the throne as she read from an aged tome in a languished manner. Her voice was exceedingly quiet like a soft caress of the ears, tugging gently but inexorably at the heartstrings of others.

    After some point, the girl placed the book down, her scarlet irises deeply observing the hall before her.

    "These corridors¡­ Are they what the book states as the Gates of Truth and Falsehood? They do look like gates¡­and given that I have only explored one¡­but what''s the difference?"

 32 Eight Gates of Truth and Falsehood 1

    "Still the same¡­"

    An Fei murmured, standing before the first corridor to the left of the throne room. Her fingers stroking the crystalline walls, the girl focused at the indistinct symbol above the door, hoping for some change after she had read the passage from the book.

    However, all that responded was a still door, the symbol enclosed by a hazy mist. Whenever she attempted to focus her gaze upon it, all that resulted was a piercing headache and bouts of dizziness.

    She raised her right arm to rest her fingers against the door''s surface, preparing to open to greet the seemingly infinite corridor. After contemplating for a minute, she decided to try the other declared ''Gates of Truth and Falsehood''.

    "Eight Gates of Truth and Falsehood¡­what exactly is contained within each one?" An Fei wondered as she stood before the adjacent gateway.

    "Same appearance, and the sensation is no different¡­so how am I supposed to differentiate?"

    Which gate was of Truth, and which was of Falsehood?

    Pressing her index finger against the door of the second gateway, she marveled at how the gate opened with the slightest application of force. On the other side was a short hallway, with only three doors visible at sight.

    Though An Fei was relieved that the corridor was not infinite, her worries were not lessened by much.

    Hugging the aged tome to her chest, she stepped forward with trepidation, hesitation mottled on her countenance. Biting her lip, An Fei forcefully strode forth, her body completely entering the corridor.

    Turning around, she was just in time to observe the gate shutting without a sound and disappearing instantly afterwards.

    "Ah¡­"

    Her body lurching forth by instinct as a rush of fear and panic swamped her mind, An Fei thrust both arms before her in an attempt to stabilize herself. Her right arm tightly pressed against the wall, whereas her right landed in the middle of where the gateway had once existed.

    Opening her eyes to discover that her right arm was halfway jutting into the crystal throne room, the girl released a sigh of relief before pulling her body back into the corridor.

    Her gaze returning to the corridor''s depth, An Fei noticed that two doors existed on the left wall, and only one was on the right. Curious to as why they were asymmetrically placed compared to the first gateway she had already explored several times, the girl slowly made her path towards the closest door.

    Her body''s physical strength not having changed much, perhaps regressing a little due to her excessive inactivity, it took several minutes for An Fei to cross the dozen meter distance to rest her right palm against the door handle.

    "Please don''t contain nothing¡­"

    Making a small wish in her heart for nothing terrible like the frightful medicine garden that she had previously suffered from, the girl applied strength as she turned the handle, involuntarily squeezing her eyes shut and raising her arms at the release of brilliant, multicolored light.

    Only when she had felt no danger after the time to boil tea, did she lower her arms and open her eyes ¨C to be greeted by an astonishing sight.

    What was displayed before her was a massive array of weapons of countless varieties, sizes, and aura. Some were sheathed and others were not, and there were a few weapons with serrated edges, producing a menacing appearance and aura.

    From her conservative estimate, the room seemed to be thirteen meters wide and five meters long.

    The jian, dao, khanjali, and tanto were the mere few she could recognize amongst the collection before her, and yet that was nothing more than a drop in an ocean.

    The array was akin to a mental tsunami, causing An Fei to come to a standstill as she dazedly took in the sights. An armory was additionally present within the first gateway, but not of this magnitude of assortment, nor the sea of lights bathing the room.

    Just like the plants and herbs she had discovered in each medicine garden, each and every single weapon was radiating a brilliant light. When waving her arm in the air, the girl discovered that certain rays of light revealed a cold sensation, and others warm, and each was of a unique color.

    Curious of what the mysterious light entailed as the medicinal plants possessed a similar phenomenon, An Fei rested her hand against her bosom, slightly hesitant as the feeling of being ground against a whetstone arose within her.

    Taking tiny steps towards a relatively unassuming pair of butterfly swords emitting a pale blue light, the girl slowly extended a finger towards the sheathed swords.

    Slash!

    "AH!"

    Just as she neared within three meters of the sword, the blue light flashed, sharply increasing in intensity and blinding her vision. Retreating backwards due to the pain in her eyes, An Fei stumbled to the ground after backpedaling for several meters, a searing sensation embroiling her right index finger''s tip.

    Forcibly opening her eyes and rapidly blinking, she noticed a thin red line spanning across the soft pad of her slender fingertip, appearing no more than a typical paper cut one obtained on accident after hastily flipping through a book.

    However, the intense pain concentrated on the small wound was more than sufficient for An Fei to rush out of the armory, slamming the door shut and only relaxing when the last vestiges of the multicolored bath of light had completely dissipated.

    "Hah¡­it really hurts¡­"

    Blowing on her finger until the pain had significantly receded, An Fei reclined against the wall next to the armory''s entrance as she took the time to properly relax her body. Calming herself down by taking deep several breaths and blinking the tears out of her eyes, the girl staggered to her feet, before quickly resuming her exploration.

    Without further delay, she half-stumbled-half-walked towards the solitary entrance on the rightmost wall, turning the handle and squeezing her eyes shut after experiencing it multiple times already.

    A¡­library.

    One that seemed to contain the knowledge of the world, a collection of bookshelves spanning to a height she could not even see even after craning her head upwards to the farthest limit. There were at least a few dozen platforms extending several meters from the wall, demarcating the bookshelves into regions of an acceptable height.

    The entire library was illuminated by the light radiating from the crystal underneath her feet, and An Fei could see a lectern just a meter away. Slowly walking towards it, she could see a massive ledger placed in the center of the lectern, and she flipped to a random page out of curiosity.

    ", third floor. , fifth floor. , seventh floor¡­is this a catalogue?" An Fei remarked as she scanned the pages. "Why is there a sub-description of ''Mortal''¡­what does that mean?"

    Exploring the contents of the opened ledger, the girl read a list of a vast catalogue pertaining to the topics of information in the world. The list was long enough to bring a halt to her mind, and she had not yet comprehended what some of the contents even entailed.

    "¡­, , ¡­" she mumbled in a daze. "¡­ Like the mystical dramas and fantasy novels children used to read? The ones where people aspired to become immortal?"

    To advocate that something she''d watched and heard about several times as a child becoming a reality¡­seemed far too absurd and laughable. However, An Fei couldn''t muster the courage to dare laugh, given the passing of recent events, the prime example being the crystal throne room itself.

    "¡­ Does it also pertain to this book?" An Fei wondered, holding the tome before her eyes. "¡­ seventeenth floor. So¡­how do I get up there?"

    Stroking the ledger with her fingertip, the girl''s gaze roamed across the bottommost layer of the library, searching for any method of ascending to one of the platforms jutting out from above her head. Near one of the exposed corners of the wall, An Fei noticed an extending ladder, the sight of which causing her beautiful countenance to heavily blanch in apprehension.

    Nonetheless, the girl began to arduous journey of climbing up the rungs with exhaustion just for the purpose of sating her curiosity. Whether she would even get to the desired height, An Fei didn''t know nor dare to think about it.

 33 Eight Gates of Truth and Falsehood 2

    "Hah¡­Hah¡­"

    Puff!

    A young girl''s thin arm trembled fiercely as it latched onto the rung directly above her head, slightly propelling her body forward. Her limbs threatening to give at any moment, the girl hoisted herself up another step further, before slinging her body around the rung itself before panting heavily for breath.

    Copious amounts of sweat rolled down her pores, staining the green dress and making it cling to her body, revealing all of the budding curves and contours of her frame. However, the girl paid no mind to the fatal appearance engendered by the combination of an exhausted appearance and her natural beauty, and focused only on calming her body and allowing herself a brief reprieve.

    She was a little irked, however, that the book tucked under the folds of her dress was still dry regardless of the drops of sweat and moisture leaving her body.

    It had already been several hours, and she was nearing the seventeenth platform of the library.

    Gritting her teeth and halting her rest, An Fei immediately resumed climbing the ladder despite her body''s protests.

    She had, for some inexplicable and most probably insane reason, decided to not tour the lower platforms and instead directly began to ascend for the seventeenth layer. Perhaps something there called out to her, or she was just addled in the mind from refusing to accept her new environment.

    Rest for the bare minimum required for her body to reduce the strain to below tolerable limits, and resume exertion until reprieve was necessary. Such was the method An Fei was utilizing to the maximum effect as she climbed the rungs of the ladder, never allowing her body to slip into deep relaxation.

    She had developed this technique on her own as she had evaded the world''s slew of government forces, private militia, and of course, that man''s subordinates. Theoretically, it would indefinitely temper the body''s limits until the absolute maximum threshold for stress and energy consumption was reached, of which then she had a great chance of lapsing into a deep slumber.

    However, the benefits were far more rewarding in a few sessions of this technique than a few years of complete dedication in tempering the body ¨C given that she exerted this technique in moderation and with consideration of her physique.

    ¡­what she was doing as of now could hardly be called ''moderation'', as this rough and unforgiving method of climbing the rungs most definitely was abusing her current, fragile body and meagre physical strength. If she dared continue to use such a method over an extensive period of time, An Fei guaranteed with complete sincerity that her body would crumble from the stress.

    Of course, that wasn''t an outcome she wished to see. Not at all.

    "Hah¡­"

    Pulling herself one final rung higher, the girl found the base of a platform directly to her right, an archaic number of ''seventeen'' marked on the side. Fiercely blinking her eyes and hauling her fatigued body onto the platform, An Fei struggled to her feat with difficulty, her bleary vision just barely providing enough clarity for her to discern her surroundings.

    A long row of bookshelves greeted her eyes, spanning across the entire perimeter of the platform. Each book seemed to emit a soft glow of light, bathing the platform in a dim radiance. When An Fei swayed her head towards the right, she discovered that in the center of the platform, there seemed to be a bed, large drawing table, and several drawers and storage boxes.

    Having finished reaching her destination, the girl lurched forward for a few steps before falling forward onto the ground.

    Unable to muster any more strength to stand with her cheek pressed against the warm, comfortable crystalline ground, she relaxed her mind''s grip on her body, falling into sweet darkness¡­

    -

    "Lord Minister, why did you request me to come greet you at the gate?"

    Sheng Miaolan asked in a curious voice. Gracefully turning around Wei Xuan, she took off his coat and folded it before handing it to one of the servants waiting nearby. Whilst taking care of activating the locking mechanism for the main gate of the Wei manor, the First Madam did not forget to issue sneak peaks towards the mysterious figure standing next to Wei Xuan.

    The person was dressed in a light grey robe covering their entire body, the cowl completely obscuring the details of their face. However, Sheng Miaolan could easily determine by the general contours of the cloaked figure that it was a disguised woman, hence aggravating her confusion.

    The Lord Minister had always been loyal to both her and Luo Shuyan, so why was he suddenly bringing in a woman?

    As if detecting the First Madam''s concealed worries, Wei Xuan had an uncomfortable expression displayed on his countenance. Taking a deep breath and steeling his expression, the handsome minister gave a light bow to the cloaked figure, sweeping his hand towards the main residence''s entrance.

    "Please," he said with a light expression. "May we converse in more private quarters?"

    "Of course."

    The mysterious figure bobbed her head, taking the lead to proceed to the central courtyard''s entrance, indicating for Wei Xuan to follow. Just as he passed the First Madam, the minister mouthed several words to Sheng Miaolan, only deepening her confusion and worry.

    "Stay prudent¡­that person is of royal blood?" she mouthed back, her mature and charming eyes radiating bemusement. Waving for the servants to disperse, the First Madam grabbed the hem of her dress and hurried after the two.

    The main residence was comparatively the most serene and plain of the three residences within the Wei manor. A winding path through a miniature forest greeted their eyes after bypassing the entrance, of which various fruits hung off of the branches, including loquat, longans, pears, and passion fruit.

    It was interesting how the fruits were constantly blooming even in mid-autumn weather, and how the trees from various different areas of the land could thrive in the same location. The cloaked figure nodded her head upon detecting that compared to the chilly autumn temperature outside, the central residence''s atmosphere was slightly warmer, perhaps due to the effect of a supplementary array.

    "An array to ward off the cold and to promote plant growth¡­" the mysterious person remarked in a dry tone. "Minister Wei, you seem to have quite the extensive resources to construct such a large and fully functional array for such a purpose!"

    "Nothing, nothing at all," the minister immediately dipped into a bow. "It is my honor to display such parlor tricks before Your Grace."

    Clamping down on her lips, Sheng Miaolan resisted the urge to speak anything, electing to remain silent and standing behind Wei Xuan. She soon came to rejoice in her decision mere moments later.

    By the time they had arrived at their residence, the First Madam was about to die in embarrassment.

    The residence of the First Madam was just a plain siheyuan of average size, considerably unbefitting of someone of her reputation and rank. Shrouded by trees on all sides, the residence was constructed from materials of a plain appearance; clay tiles for the roof, faintly polished marble walls and floor, and a miniature courtyard constructed from limestone.

    Compared to the Flowing Wind Residence or the Plum Blossoms Residence, the First Madam''s Slumbering Dawn Residence appeared lackluster due to the lack of exquisite materials or woodcraft.

    However, as they tread along the path leading to the steps of the residence, the minister and mysterious being had talked about subjects that disgraced Sheng Miaolan''s ears. Her first few days since marriage, her bedroom habits, her silly expressions and words when drunken with sleep or caught unawares; all sorts of secrets regarding the First Madam were shared between the two, accompanied by bouts of hearty chuckles and laughter.

    The person in question, was naturally wishing to jump into a deep pit and never leave.

    Ushering Wei Xuan and the cloaked figure into one of the guest rooms, Sheng Miaolan sat next to the minister, unable to completely conceal her befuddled expression. The First Madam attempted to allay the situation as her gaze flickered between the various decorations and ornaments placed within the room, unable to remain in a single location for long; alas, her attempts were futile as the other occupants were well aware of Sheng Miaolan''s discomfort.

    The mysterious person especially observed the First Madam''s behavior, their eyes revealing an interested and amused glint.

    A pale orchid dress, hair combed neatly into a bun with a trail coiling around her shoulder, a plump bosom, and an oval countenance with red lips plump and appetizing to the eyes. The hazel irises seemed to be able to perceive everything, yet their owner was frantically casting them everywhere in order to escape her mental turmoil.

    ¡­it seemed that Little Sheng hadn''t changed a single bit.

    The cloaked person revealed a wide smile behind their cowl, before speaking in a warm and genial voice.

    "Lan''er, why is it that after nearly twenty years of marriage, you have yet to change a single bit?"

    The First Madam froze, her countenance radiating shock as her gaze slowly dragged itself to rest upon the mysterious person''s hidden countenance.

 34 Eight Gates of Truth and Falsehood 3

    "Who?"

    The First Madam of Wei spoke in a surprised voice, her mature eyes blinking twice as she stared at the concealed person. Unconsciously, thin fluctuations of spiritual essence began to permeate the guest room, causing both the minister and cloaked figure to reveal hapless smiles.

    The mysterious person shrugged nonchalantly as she directed a glance at Wei Xuan. Upon receiving a barely perceptible nod, a pair of trembling hands tugged at the fringes of the cowl, loosening and removing the hood of her cloak.

    An aged countenance was revealed, faint wrinkles visible on her forehead and cheeks. Though the woman seemed exhausted, the pair of azure irises couldn''t hide their brilliant radiance.

    "Lan''er," the elderly woman repeated, a warm smile spreading across her face. "Could it be that you no longer remember me?"

    Sheng Miaolan gaped at the familiar countenance, each and every detail matching with the ones in her memories. Regaining the bare minimum composure a few moments after, the madam rose before dipping her head into a low bow.

    "Miaolan greets the Empress Dowager!"

    "Enough." The Dowager waved a wrinkled palm in her direction. "So many years, and you still refuse to obey my yizhi? A naughty girl like you should be rightfully punished, ah!"

    "This servant cannot honor such grace from Your Imperial Majesty," the First Madam quickly responded, dipping her head even lower. "If this one were to enact on such an edict, then Great Yong''s Imperial Family would become a mockery."

    "But you are a xianjun. What''s wrong with calling this old thing Imperial Mother?" the Dowager gently remarked, stepping forward to raise Sheng Miaolan out of her bow.

    Forcibly seating the First Madam back onto the chair, the elderly woman smiled and sat next to her, taking the madam''s hands into her own.

    "You lost your mother when you were young," she stroked Sheng Miaolan''s hands. "Although Zhao Yun was a secondary consort and concubine, both she and you once belonged to a junwang''s family. Why do you abstain from claiming the role of a xianjun?"

    "Because this servant is an illegitimate child," Sheng Miaolan gave a wry smile, glancing at the stoic-faced Wei Xuan. "Even if the Lord Minister took this one in as the primary wife and elevated this servant''s status to that of a xianjun, the Sheng Family is no more. As my title has only the form and no substance, why should I strive to adopt it?"

    "Alright, since you are so stubborn, so be it!" the elder cried in mock agony. "All of my daughters have long since turned against me, only Little Wei listens to me nowadays. Such a pity of the elderly, ah!"

    Wei Xuan gave a ingratiating smile at the Dowager''s teasing of the First Madam, causing the elder to slap her knee in partial satisfaction and feigned anger. However, his expression quickly became solemn and he leaned forward, drumming his fingers against the table before them.

    "Your Imperial Majesty," he spoke in a slow and steady voice. "To order this one to invite Your Imperial Majesty to this one''s lowly home, what is the decree?"

    The Dowager Empress clasped her hands on her legs, staring down at her thumbs as she stroked her palm. A few moments later, the elderly woman raised her head to level her gaze, staring directly at Wei Xuan''s countenance.

    The genial demeanor of a warm elder had diminished, revealing the domineering aura of the Imperial Family of Great Yong.

    "This old thing came to impart to you just a few words and seek your opinion," she replied after some pondering. "It is completely acceptable for you to not respond, for these matters are not exactly one a third-ranked minister in the Ministry of Defense can bear."

    "This minister is willing to hear!"

    Hearing the quick and decisive reply of Wei Xuan, the Dowager briefly nodded, before rapidly extending her left arm. Her fingers clamping like vices, the elder forced the First Madam back into her seat for the second time.

    "Then, Ministry of Defense''s Third-Ranked Minister Wei Xuan, this Dowager has to inform you. The emperor of Great Yong has suffered a severe mental illusion, and refuses to assume any authority regardless as presiding emperor of the Imperial Court, or as a member of the Imperial Family. Not even the Empress can visit him, hence this Dowager wishes to utilize your close relation with Lu Jing Yi to sound his health."

    Not even the Empress could see the emperor?

    Wei Xuan involuntarily trembled, his mind recalling the words Gao Yun Zhi had imparted before departing from Great Yong. The only possible instance for the emperor to have suffered a mental attack was during the night of which Lu Jing Yi had invited himself into the minister''s home.

    If Gao Yun Zhi''s words were true, and his daughter''s appearance could distort the souls of others, even those of the Nascent Soul Realm, then¡­

    "This minister will attempt his best!" Wei Xuan replied with gritted teeth, clasping both hands before his chest in salute.

    "This Dowager shall wait for your report." The elder nodded. "Success is not necessary as long as the scope of the emperor''s injury has been properly determined. However¡­"

    "However?" The minister raised his head in inquiry, his confusion only increasing even further when he noticed the Dowager Empress'' indecisive look.

    "The Ascended Emperor has issued a decree," the elder spoke in a dry tone. "The Sun and Moon Pagoda is to be opened mid-winter of this year. What do you think?"

    "Mid-winter!?"

    The First Madam exclaimed in surprise, her head swiveling to stare at the Dowager in astonishment. Wei Xuan lowered his head, his eyes flashing with an indeterminant glint.

    "Yes, mid-winter. Only a year has passed since the last opening, the Ascended Emperor is ignoring the tradition of a decade of waiting and consolidation in between each opening of the Sun and Moon Pagoda. Although we knew the Ascended Emperor is a little temperamental, we didn''t think it would become to this extent¡­"

    The Dowager spoke in a tired tone, the azure irises reflecting a deep exasperation and worry. While the First Madam gripped her sleeves in anxiety, Wei Xuan instead furrowed his brows before smoothing them within moments, his expression calming by the second.

    "Breaking a tradition that has existed since several millennia¡­" he mused, counting on his palm.

    "Even if it were to promote the number of aspiring cultivators in the empire, Great Yong already possesses several hundred thousand cultivators exceeding the realm of Foundation Establishment, even forming the 9th and 17th regiments. Such a force is enough to trounce any incoming enemy...unless¡­there is an external foe that is far too powerful that not even the Ascended Emperor could content with?"

    "Nobody knows, not even the Old Emperor," the Dowager Empress spoke. "The only clues we could obtain was that prior to declaring this odd decree, the Ascended Emperor had divined a prophecy, one that drove him into a panic."

    "This...then this minister can only suggest that the ceremony of the opening of Sun and Moon be conducted with prudence. The supervision and restrictions should be enforced more, but the public shouldn''t be alerted of such information to alert whoever the Ascended Emperor is wary of."

    "En. This old thing thought of the same idea as well. It''s a pity that Jing Yi had to become unresponsive at such an opportune time."

    Standing up, the elder smoothed her robe, patting Sheng Miaolan on the shoulder one final time.

    "Alright, this old thing should quickly return before Jingwen becomes angry with me. Lan''er, come by and visit this old thing someday, ah?"

    Wei Xuan quickly rose to escort the Dowager Empress back to the backyard entrance of the Imperial Palace, Sheng Miaolan waving goodbye to the elderly woman with misted eyes. However, what exactly the Dowager and minister discussed whilst traveling back to the Imperial Palace would remain a secret for many years.

    -

    An Fei sorely regretted having arduously climbed her way to the seventeenth floor of the library within the mysterious area of crystal. Glaring at the books emitted rays of warm and cold light, the girl extended her right arm towards the closest bookshelf, her fingers grasping for a thin book bound in twine, radiating a pale golden light¡­

    BANG!

    "AH!"

    ¡­It seemed she had yet to learn her lesson from the armory.

 35 Eight Gates of Truth and Falsehood 4

    An Fei was ruthlessly thrown to the ground, her body thudding heavily against the crystal floor. As she raised her head to glare at the aggressor, the girl could see the agitated cluster of golden light recede back into the book''s pages.

    Looking at her fingers that had reddened and radiated a blistering pain, the girl didn''t know whether to laugh or cry.

    She really wanted to hunker down and sob, but what would that do?

    Restraining the impulse to curse, An Fei slowly stood, directing a heavy stare of resentment towards the book that had thrown her onto the ground and nearly seared her fingers. Dusting off her dress, the girl huffed and strode towards the bed, whipping out the book tucked underneath the folds and beginning to read.

    Soon, all sounds ebbed within the library, the rustling of paper being the only reminder of livelihood.

    " defines the process of refining the body of the mortal soul, granting immense physical abilities and attunement with the surrounding environment. Forcibly ingesting the atmospheric spiritual qi and converting into spiritual essence within the body''s dantian, one may obtain prided abilities and control over the basic attributes of creation and destruction. "

    "At the pinnacle of , one may possess the potential to partake in a stable, conditionally infinite lifespan and strength¡­"

    Finished reading, An Fei closed the black book, placing besides her as she drifted off into thought. Her gaze landing onto a random bookshelf, the girl followed the entire trail of books from beginning to end with her eyes, only to realize that a more apt way of describing her scenarios, was an ocean of books.

    Her mouth agape in astonishment, it took quite a while for An Fei to recover her thoughts.

    ...Pa!

    And when she did, it was to raise her hand, curl her fingers into a tight fist, and slam it down onto the black book!

    "All you give me is fragmented knowledge!" the girl screamed in a halting voice, each word accompanied by a fist planted onto the book''s cover. "Giving me knowledge whenever you feel like it, is it so fun leading me around by the nose!? Watching me stumble and cry like an idiot, does that please you!?"

    Grasping the book by the front cover alone, An Fei slapped the book onto the bed before hurling it towards the crystal floor of the platform with all of her strength. Ignoring the pale violet light emitted by the book when it landed onto the ground, the girl buried her face into the pillow, refusing to gaze at it any longer.

    ¡­if by this point, that she still refused to accept how things were, then An Fei could only admit to being completely delusional without a chance of recovery.

    The armory with the vast array of weaponry, the medicine gardens with the various plants and herbs, and the library that she was currently residing in. Each and every single article within those locations all emitted a colored light that embodied a physical sensation, be it hot or cold.

    Furthermore, she would be bodily harmed when attempting to contact them, be it physically rejected, or experience a horrid amount of pain. Contact with an object that didn''t emit a light or visible aura did not invite any harm or aggression, but those artefacts with the unusual lights all responded as if she was their natural enemy.

    Not to mention, the fact that she was even in such a location, be it either the Flowing Wind Residence or the crystal throne room, was completely surreal and incomprehensible.

    At first, An Fei had thought everything was a dream after waking up for the first time. The themed clothing and objects that reeked of history, the mannerisms of those around her, the girl had treated it as a dream or perhaps a nightmare, whilst her actual self still remained within the sewer pipe defenseless to her father''s cruel antics.

    Hence, other than eating and sleeping, she had done absolutely nothing else other than what was deemed necessary or to test the limits of the environment.

    But over the past few weeks, she had continuously been imposed on by the fact that everything around her was fake even if it seemed real. Every sensation, every experience, and every moment seemed far too realistic to be considered a hallucination or dream.

    The mannerisms, emotions, and behaviors of the maidservants, Second Uncle-turned father Wei Xuan, or even An Fei''s hated enemy An Yan Yue, who now manifested in the form of Wei Yan Yue, all were seamless and without the subtle discrepancies within what would normally constitute a dream.

    Although she had never advanced to a profound extent in her education, An Fei could still retain enough knowledge and logical ability to deduce that she was no longer in a place she tenderly called China. Nor was she standing on ground that people commonly acknowledged as ''The Earth''.

    Different nations necessitated and adopted different rules and regulations. Different worlds adhered to different natural laws. It was more so that the changes were far too sudden for her to considerably adapt.

    Within her memory, no living being or object could naturally radiate a steady radiance, especially that of multiple colors. What existed before her directly contradicted such a deeply engrained article of information within her mind.

    Nor should weaponry or books radiate light or openly adopt aggressive behavior towards her presence if she dared approach them. And how was there possibly a crystal that upon mere contact, emitted a different colored light and sensation depending on the presented object?

    The clash between the ''principles'' and ''laws'' of science and common logic and what she saw before her exacerbated within An Fei''s mind, creating an intense pressure and pain within her mind. The pain caused her vision to glaze over, and the girl numbly latched onto the corners of the pillow with her fingers, burying her face even deeper.

    Soon after, harrowing and piercing screams echoed within the seventeenth platform of the ancient library, the volume of the sobbing increasing with each throb of pain. Whether the screams were of a yearning to return to the past, discard everything and remove all conflict, or of pain, nobody would ever know.

    -

    Wiping her eyes dry after an unknown length of time, An Fei gave a heartfelt glance towards the pillow besides her. The white cotton pillow had been stained by her tears and defiled by her soulless screams, and yet the girl only felt that it was the most wonderful object in existence.

    No longer plagued by the acute pain or distressing thoughts, she hugged the pillow to her chest and slowly stood from the bed, staggering to the roughly discarded book. Gazing at the aged, black book that appeared to have sustained no damage whatsoever, An Fei thinly smiled before picking up and returning to the comforts of the bed.

    Opening it to the last page she had touched, the girl could see the exact paragraph she had read just hours earlier, the characters written in a bold yet peaceful style. The characters were neither submissive nor domineering, simply existing alongside of creation as embodiments of knowledge.

    No matter which perspective she took when she read the information contained within the book, An Fei could only determine that the book was not written by a human, or perhaps one who had never learned what emotions were.

    With a sigh, she thumbed the pages for a brief moment before flipping to the end of the book.

    Carefully scrutinizing each page, she reaffirmed that the rest of the book was completely blank, not a single character of information displayed on any of them.

    "The Sanctum of Eternity¡­" the girl mumbled, a certain thought drifting within an arm''s reach. "Four Gates of Truth, Fourth Gates of Falsehood, and one of Eternity mandate the cycle of time¡­ So why were there ten corridors?"

    Her brows creased into a deep frown, An Fei fiercely dug through her memories as she attempted to recreate the scenario of the crystal throne room in her mind. The expansive hall, the throne of sky-blue crystal, and the peculiar corridors or gateways, whatever they were.

    Five on the right wall, five on the left. Ten in total, yet the black book within her hands that described accurate information to her when it wished to, had only described nine.

    What did the tenth gate entail? An Fei thought that there was a major clue that was hidden from her and yet directly before her, but wasn''t sure exactly what it was.

    Taking a deep look at the extensive row of bookshelves that seemed to contain an answer and yet vivaciously denied access, An Fei sighed a final time before picking up the book and tucking it back into the folds of her dress. Giving the pillow an affectionate pat and setting it down on the bed, the girl strode towards the edge of the platform, where the excruciatingly long ladder stood directly to her right.

    How to get down? Did she really have to¡­ climb all the way down?

    She didn''t know if it was on a moment of impulse or if her mind had its control wrested away, but the scene before her morphed into a dark tunnel with a modicum of light, the rungs of the ladder to her right whizzing past her body¡­

 36 Eight Gates of Truth and Falsehood 5

    "Master!"

    A cry caused Wei Xuan to pause in his steps and blink. Adjusting his grip on the box containing gardening tools, the minister slowly turned around to face a maidservant running towards him.

    Coming to a stop, the maidservant''s countenance was red from exertion, and she rested her palms on her knees as she panted for breath, streams of sweat running down her brow. The attractive countenance tinged with scarlet would oftentimes make for a great sight, but both the master and servant turned a blind eye towards the issue.

    "Speak," Wei Xuan uttered after watching Xiao Ying straighten her back and draw heavy breaths.

    "Why are you so hurried? If it''s a mild problem, didn''t I instruct you to pass a note later in the evening?"

    "It''s¡­ It''s about the Fourth Young Miss," Xiao Ying dipped into a respectful bow before speaking in a controlled tone. Her gaze shifting around, the maidservant ushered for Wei Xuan to step closer and bend down, before standing on her toes to whisper into the minister''s ear.

    "Today marks the eighth day since the Fourth Young Miss fell into a coma. Currently, the Fourth Young Miss is experiencing a mild fever, causing the other sisters in the study to roar in panic."

    Watching the minister''s countenance darken by the piece of information she had presented, the maidservant spoke in a similar worried tone, deliberately diminishing her voice to attract less attention.

    "Master, should we really do nothing? The medications and prescriptions Physician Gao dispatched to us before he departed, will they truly be adequate? Shouldn''t we at least search for a few physicians?"

    Wei Xuan felt warmth welling in his chest upon hearing the maidservant''s words, his judgement and experience indicating that Xiao Ying''s intention was sincere. However, he berated her in a steely tone, his expression not changing a single bit.

    "Do you really want such news to reach the Imperial Court? That Feng Tian Mu, don''t you think his intentions are clear, asking me regularly whether Fei''er''s condition had abated? Do you really want your Fourth Young Miss to be ravaged by those claws of that Imperial Physician lecher of a young man overreaching on his pride!?"

    With every sentence, the minister''s voice soared towards the heavens, a faint pulse of spiritual essence stampeding across the courtyard. Startled and scared by the sudden shockwave, the maidservant quickly swung her head from side to side, her eyes radiating a dense fear.

    "This servant dares not! This servant dares not tarnish the Fourth Young Miss in any fashion, only wishing for the betterment of her health!"

    "Then go," Wei Xuan spoke in an airy voice, seemingly having vented his resentment.

    "Go utilize Physician Gao''s assortments to alleviate Fei''er''s symptoms. A mild fever should be cured with the methods he left behind without a single issue, given his skill and ability."

    "Understood!"

    Xiao Ying bowed, before racing towards the study. Looking down at the box of tools embraced within his arms, Wei Xuan huffed and hemmed for a while, seemingly unable to make a decision.

    Ultimately, he waved a servant to come over, thrusting the box into the confused servant''s arms before departing with a statement that both further bewildered and frightened the servant.

    "Take good care of the begonias and amaryllis, there are not that many left, nor is the merchant arriving soon. If they aren''t tended to properly by the time the Fourth Young Miss sees them, see where your head will go!"

    Begonias¡­? Amaryllis?

    The servant didn''t understand and could only stand in a daze, his gaze fixated towards the minister''s departing back. Unconsciously, his hand creeped up to massage and scratch his neck, wondering when it was going to depart from his shoulders.

    There weren''t any begonia or amaryllis seeds left in the storehouse of the manor, nor were there any planted in the courtyard! So¡­how was he supposed to carry out his task?

    -

    Pop!

    A cloud of silver sparks expanded from the drawing table, the silver light dissipating in a grievous removal of their existence.

    "Not again¡­" the minister growled as he viciously prodded at the symbol before him with a brush.

    "To think that not even calming techniques couldn''t dissolve the illusory barrier¡­"

    Before the minister was a plain drawing table of oak, the appearance and composition far too ordinary to the mahogany table in his study. The center of the table was occupied by a sheet of paper, numerous brushes decorating its sides.

    The room Wei Xuan sat in was rather cramped by itself, encompassing an area of three square meters total. Other than the drawing table, a rough stack of leather scrolls and books, and a chair of which Wei Xuan sat upon, there were nothing else in the room.

    Currently, the minister was grumpily glaring at a symbol painted in the center of the page.

    The only words Wei Xuan could use to describe the symbol was that it was demonic, complex, and terrifying. Each and every attempt he had utilized to either peer into the symbol''s contents or tear it apart had been mercilessly rebuffed by a profound, invisible yet formidable barrier.

    Buddha''s arts, devils'' illusions, the scholar''s decomposition brush, or even the World domains'' elusive techniques, none could bypass the barrier before him.

    The symbol appeared as nothing more than a compacted mess of scribbled calligraphy. Spanning no more than a square centimeter in size, the contents of the symbol seemed indecipherable, the words having been overlapped and overwritten from many different angles and sizes to form an oblique diagram.

    Some instances, Wei Xuan could perceive a demon''s eye with a slitted pupil, but others only brought forth a bewildering slew of Buddhist symbols and scriptures.

    Taking in a deep breath, Wei Xuan regulated his physical condition to its peak, calming his body and mind until a tranquil pool of spiritual essence resided in his dantian. Picking up a brush in his right hand and expertly spinning it around, the minister took a deep breath before willing the spiritual essence to agitate and boil to a surging fury.

    Compress! Compress!

    Commanding the spiritual essence within his dantian to form a flowing current, Wei Xuan slowly forced the ends of the stream to converge to a single point, causing the current to reverse itself upon the multiple distortions that befell it as it was compressed to a single bead. Extracting thin streams of spiritual essence from the dantian, he began to wrap them around the converged bead, gradually restraining the destructive and volatile properties of converged spiritual essence.

    However, Wei Xuan dared not let the bead subside within his dantian, willing the converged mass of spiritual essence to travel through his meridians to be expelled from his body. Opening his eyes, the minister could see a silver bead hovering before his chest, the hastily constructed binding array seemingly about to disintegrate within moments.

    Without hesitation, he jabbed the bead with the tip of the brush, causing the bead to quake and begin to rapidly disintegrate. Rotating the brush clockwise, Wei Xuan coaxed the bead of silver light to devolve into threads that coiled around the brush''s tip, bathing it in a dense silver radiance reeking of violence and aggression.

    "Since the various techniques won''t work, then brute force it shall be!"

    With the symbol as the target, the minister stabbed the brush forth, landing on the white sheet of paper with a heavy yet light strike. The moment the brush''s tip contacted the symbol of ink, the drawing table exploded into a silver-colored radiance that washed every spot of the room and eroded at Wei Xuan''s hastily construed barrier of spiritual essence.

    When the immense light had dissipated, Wei Xuan lowered what remained of a barrier, his eyes inquisitively searching for the remains of the drawing table.

    The drawing table was naturally extinguished from the irradiation of uncontrolled spiritual essence, having been reduced to a meagre pile of scraps. The brushes had disintegrated into plumes of ash scattering across the floor, the scrolls and books barely preserved from a similar fate by Wei Xuan''s efforts.

    However, that sheet of paper remained untouched, laying gracefully in the ground amongst the piles of ash, the symbol unblemished regardless of his continued attempts of breaking through. Staring at the demonic symbol that mocked his ability of a cultivator well versed in expelling barriers and illusions, an unnatural grin edged onto Wei Xuan''s lips, his eyes burning with a vivid determination and vigor.

    A faint aura began to permeate the atmosphere of the isolated room, hinting of rampant bloodlust and merciless execution.

    "You villainous demon, I will obtain my daughter from your grasp at all costs!"

 37 Eight Gates of Truth and Falsehood 6

    When she had jumped, An Fei didn''t have much regret.

    Rather than a wish to cast everything away and face the end, she had leaped in order to answer a simple question that had suddenly sprouted in her heart. That simple wish had overridden every other thought in her mind, the plain desire of satisfying that urge the only impetus of her consciousness, a pure and unhindered desire.

    What was the limit of this mysterious realm of sky-blue crystal?

    Thus, she had jumped off of the ledge of the platform, her feet naturally slipping off of the beveled edge without any resistance. Her vision warped to reveal pure darkness, a faint light receding behind her back as she fell forth.

    The air slapped against her body as she tumbled downwards, yet the girl didn''t feel much pain. It was more of a slight throb of heat that surged through her limbs and torso, nothing compared to what she had experienced until now.

    As she fell down, An Fei could faintly see the rungs of the ladder travel past the fringes of her vision at a terrifying speed, the lack of illumination gradually trimming her ability to see until a minimal patch of light remained.

    However, the girl could only ruminate that the rungs of the ladder that she had arduously spent numerous hours climbing, could be passed in such short amounts of time as she fell¡­

    Though her vision had been reduced to an extent particularly close to the state of being blind, An Fei could perceive various snapshots of her life flash past. In the mere moments that spanned during the duration of her fall, the girl saw her life gazing back towards her, moment by moment.

    -

    "Mother! Mother!"

    A young toddler no older than three years old cried in an anxious voice. She was the only one within the room with the plain white wallpaper, not a single soul present to feign an answer to her pleas.

    The child was surrounded by an inclined row of books circling around her in an expansive spiral. The only free space allotted to her being less than a meter in radius, the toddler couldn''t even roam around the room, only able to stare blankly into the distance.

    Though her face displayed an uncontrollable anxiety, not a single tear escaped from her lucid orbs.

    "Mother¡­"

    A pleading whisper was released from the girl''s lips, faint in sound yet earsplitting massive in the despair and loneliness the single call emitted. However, as no answer greeted her nor was there any response other than her own voice ringing in her ears, the child''s mouth began to tremble.

    Hastily slamming her mouth shut in a panic, the toddler covered her lips with her two pudgy and small hands, not daring to allow a single sound to escape. Directing a deep stare of unease and fear towards the spiral of books surrounding her, the child crawled for the first one, her hands reaching for the exit of the windowless, doorless room of a monochrome white.

    "Mother¡­"

    -

    "You are not my daughter! In no circumstance, will this good-for-nothing wench enter this family! I won''t allow it!"

    A woman in her late twenties hollered in a shrill voice as she pointed towards a young girl of twelve years old, her face contorted in a vile mixture of abhorrence, disgust, and hatred. A young child of ten years in a yellow summer dress clutched at the woman''s right leg, her adorable countenance directing a glance of intense curiosity towards the older child standing just a few meters away.

    "Madam Chen, the genetic examinations suggest a genetic similarity exceeding eighty-seven percent," a young doctor haplessly persuaded her. "We''ve already scanned the results and conducted multiple rounds of testing; only Madam Chen has the highest percentage of similar genetics with the young girl."

    "Lies!" the beautiful woman scolded in a harsh tone.

    "You''re just baited by that puny wench, am I right? Such a young age and she already knows how to seduce men to abide with her wishes, how-"

    "Madam Chen!" the doctor fiercely shouted, his hand clenched into tight fists from fury. "This is a hospital, a HOSPITAL, do you understand!? One must not make such salacious statements in places as these, otherwise who knows what kind of karma may befall you!"

    "So?" Chen Shuyan snorted in disdain. "A mere Dazzling Sun Hospital, that''s what! You dare bring up this tone again, and I''ll ruin your life with a single sentence, do you hear!?"

    "This-this¡­" the youthful doctor sweated, before pleading in a helpless tone. "Madam Chen, though you can slander me anyway you wish, examinations are conducted by cutting-edge technology! The results garnered won''t change at all regardless of your accusations, ah!"

    "None of it matters if the results are never revealed, no? Even if the government forces me to take this sl*t into my custody, that wench shall never receive anything from my hand, and this Chen won''t care if she dies the day after!"

    As the woman huffed and stormed out of the hospital, the young doctor could only reveal a miserable smile towards the girl, his eyes full of pity. He couldn''t help but feel even more pity upon detecting that the within the girl''s eyes, was an unfathomable apathy.

    -

    Thunk!

    A slightly worn pickaxe slammed into the rocky earth, biting deep into the fused blend of frozen stone and ice. Fierce subzero gales howled in anger and fury as they tore at the pickaxe, attempting to forcefully dislodge and dispatch it towards the unending ravine directly underneath.

    A slender hand hidden under a black glove, once pristine and beautiful but now scarred and marred, tightly grasped the handle of the tool, holding it fast against the treacherous acts of nature. Moments later, a similar dull sound could be heard as a second piton wedged itself into the wall of ice directly next to the first.

    "Need to hurry¡­"

    A low grunt could be heard as the owner of the pickaxes dislodged one of the pitons before driving them back into the wall, just a few centimeters above its previous location.

    Centimeter by centimeter, the two pitons arduously climbed up the dangerous wall of ice, undaunted by the gaping ravine patiently and eagerly waiting to devour both them and their owner whole.

    -

    Thud!

    "Ack!"

    The expected splattering of flesh and blood as an object hurtled towards the ground at a massive speed did not occur. Nor did An Fei experience a sudden rush of tranquility that was reputed as a swift death.

    Rather, just mere moments before she collided onto the ground of the initial layer of the library, a buoyant force arose from below to support her body. Not only did it stop her fall, the mysterious force negated the accumulated force propelling her towards the ground, effectively preventing her tender flesh from being eviscerated to a pulp.

    Of course, it wasn''t with pure mercy; she had been cruelly dropped a meter above the ground, her body painfully embracing the crystal floor.

    As the sky-blue crystal responded to her touch and illuminated the area with the warm golden glow, An Fei nursed her bruises whilst ruminating that whilst bruises were painful, it was a far more acceptable fate than being a pool of flesh and blood.

    "So¡­ can I considered to have ''died'' now?" the girl murmured to herself in a daze.

    The fact that she remained alive after an impulsive act as what she had just attempted to carry out, seemed almost surreal to her. However, she fiercely shook her head to clear the hazy fog swamping her mind.

    "Grandfather wished me to live¡­" An Fei whispered to herself with a heavy sigh. "Live¡­ I''ll decide to live then¡­ who knows what the end will be?"

    Slowly gathering herself to her feet, the girl leisurely stretched her limbs, enjoying the brief moments of pleasure as her muscles moaned in relaxation. Looking at the rungs of the ladder with a bitter gaze, An Fei slowly made her way towards the boudoir within the first Gateway.

    Staggering towards the nearest mirror upon entering the comfortable bedroom, she reached with her right hand to gently stroke the plain reflective surface, admiring her appearance as well as the surrounding environment.

    "I guess I want to return now¡­the eyes of the mortal soul reveal the gateway to Heaven''s courts," she murmured as she read the inscription on the back of the mirror.

    "Wrap illusion around reality, falsehood amongst truth, and the Forefather''s lament descends onto the world."

    Just as she had finished reading the words inscribed on the leather binding surface of the platinum-embossed mirror, An Fei''s vision distorted again for the final time. This time, the process was much quicker, happening within a few seconds; from what she could see, the boudoir rapidly disintegrated to reveal the study of the Flowing Wind Residence, not a single brush or scroll moved since she had entered the mysterious realm of crystal previously.

    Oh, and of course, she found herself staring directly into a handsome countenance distorted by malevolence, righteous anger, and determined viciousness.

 38 Eight Gates of Truth and Falsehood 7

    "S-S-Second Uncle!?"

    Startled to discover Wei Xuan''s handsome countenance just inches from her face, An Fei released a shocked cry, ignoring any notion of pretending to be a mental idiot. After she heard her own voice crying in surprise, the girl plopped her mouth shut in fear and bewilderment.

    Why did Second Uncle have such a menacing expression? His gaze towards her contained not a single shred of fatherly affection, and was of malevolence and viciousness, as if An Fei had massacred his important family members before his eyes.

    "Second¡­Uncle?"

    Wei Xuan drawled in a calm, nearly sardonic voice. An eyebrow shot up to the skies as he observed the young girl before him quiver, the trepidation and confusion contained within those scarlet irises magnifying by the second.

    "Second Uncle, Second Uncle¡­" the minister sneered.

    "This Wei Xuan is an only child, and does not have any blood siblings! Demon, depart back to the depths of the Underworld!"

    "¡­Demon?"

    Hearing Wei Xuan''s barely suppressed fury as he spoke with gritted teeth, An Fei could only become even more confused.

    What demon?

    There shouldn''t have been a demon anywhere, so why was Second Uncle directed such a horrifying gaze towards her? The Second Uncle within her memories was always an easygoing person, amiable and caring of her since she was a child.

    Second Uncle shouldn''t have changed this much, something must have happened!

    Unaware of the thoughts of the girl before him, Wei Xuan''s fury peaked when he saw her tilt her head to express confusion. Unable to control himself, the fingers of his right hand lashed forward, gripping An Fei by the throat!

    "Demon, return my daughter to me!" he roared in a muted whisper, as if afraid to speak in a loud voice. However, the stern character and determination for vengeance rang true within the words he spoke.

    "My daughter''s precious soul, return it to this venerate! The lives of humans are not the livestock of you demons!"

    "Demon¡­" An Fei croaked in response, no longer caring to pretend as a confused and bumbling infant as she struggled for air. Gasping for whatever amount of air flowed between Wei Xuan''s tight and vice-like grip, the girl mumbled in a partial daze.

    "I''m not¡­a¡­demon¡­ What demon¡­ are you talking¡­about¡­Second¡­Unc-!"

    Hearing the address ''Second Uncle'' escape again from An Fei''s lips, Wei Xuan''s pupils constricted as his blood began roaring with, crashing against the walls of the veins with an ever-increasing furor. An unearthly rage coursing through his entire body, the minister fought to keep himself rational, but ultimately ended up pinching whatever minimal air An Fei could attain.

    Suddenly, a white sheet of paper was thrust before An Fei''s pale countenance, taking up her entire vision. Her eyes fixated onto the center of the paper, the girl could see a dense, complex symbol of ink spanning over an area of a single square centimeter.

    Overhead, Wei Xuan''s cold voice rang throughout the study, devoid of any emotion.

    "Then what is this demonic symbol, if not a demonic one?" the minister steely intoned. "The spiritual fluctuations are of an attribute that is unable to be replicated through human means, what else than the Demons and Spirits?"

    "However, Spirits are renown throughout the continent to be of generosity and virtue, which only leaves your Demons as the viable candidate. Say, if you are not a demon, then what are you?"

    Just as the girl was about to struggle for a reply, Wei Xuan uttered one last statement in an eerily calm voice before roughly tossing the girl onto the linen bed of the study. Her throat burning in pain but no longer clamped by two searing fingers, An Fei took in deep gulps of air, her body limp and devoid of strength.

    Ignoring her blurry vision, the girl remained staring at the sheet of paper, or more particularly, the symbol drawn at the center.

    ¡­Though she couldn''t make out the exact details, An Fei definitely saw violet lights of varying degrees and hues emitted from the characters that formed the symbol, which exacerbated her confusion to an all-time high.

    Why was the same type of light that she had observed in the realm of crystal appearing in the study, especially on the symbol she had drawn to enter the mysterious crystal realm?

    There was a distinct relation between the symbol and the realm of crystal as she had read its contents out loud to enter the mysterious zone, but was it the same as the medicinal herbs and weapons?

    Or did the odd light she had constantly observed originate from all sorts of objects and living entities, essentially a universal property?

    An Fei didn''t know, yet couldn''t help but continue to gaze at the symbol with wonderment. Even after she had read its contents out loud, the symbol was not emitting such lights, so when did it even begin to display such phenomenon?

    Suddenly, the girl shivered, her body beginning to convulse and spasm involuntarily as she felt a cold gaze land on her. Her limbs, her torso, even the marrow of her bones felt as if doused in subzero temperature water, making her lay on the bed helpless and unable to even blink in retaliation.

    The gaze seemed to travel across her entire body, and from its piercing intensity of which the cold sensation struck her body, An Fei thought that the gaze was capable of examining even the individual cells forming the compact tissue. Eventually, nausea began to accumulate at a frightening rate when the girl felt the gaze strike her head, her mind reeling as if struck by a powerful hammer.

    "Why¡­"

    Why were you doing this?

    Before An Fei could squeeze out her plea, a strong wave of nausea and lethargy struck her mind, casting the girl into a deep slumber devoid of dreams.

    -

    "Hah¡­"

    Stepping back as the silver glow receded from his irises, Wei Xuan staggered onto a nearby chair, weakness spreading to every point on his body. Though his constitution and physique were at peak operation, his mind was nearing the lowest straits.

    He had utilized the technique taught to him by his master. To detect all signs of demons, spiritual intents of malice or otherworldly intention, anything that could have attracted an anomaly to the user would trigger a reaction upon activation of the technique.

    To achieve such an effect, he had infused a stead stream of spiritual essence through the various meridians around his body, merging the contaminated streams and supplementing his vision to achieve an extraordinary effect.

    Merging the spiritual essence within the Yin Heel Vessel and the Yang Link Vessel, along with pairing the spiritual essence contaminated by the Yang Heel Vessel and the Yin Link Vessel to form two distinct blends of a multifarious spiritual essence, Wei Xuan had fused the streams at the Dicang acupuncture point before allowing them to expunge and permeate the atmosphere.

    A simple infusion of spiritual essence into his vision had manifested the entry levels of the technique, permitting him to scrutinize An Fei''s body and soul for any anomaly or malignant spirit.

    ¡­He had not found any.

    Not a single demonic entity, rogue spirit, or spiritual anomaly could be found within either An Fei''s physical body or soul. However, he had verified with Xiao Wen through a Blood Rune Recital that it was indeed An Fei who had drawn the demonic symbol with ink and brush, as well as vocalizing a weird incantation upon completion.

    The girl had fallen into a coma afterwards.

    ¡­All of his experiments and attempts in breaking the profound, invisible barrier that enclosed the symbol had come to naught. The closest he had come was to force the symbol to reveal the demonic aura that it currently exuded with schadenfreude, mocking the minister for his futile and imprudent righteousness.

    "This¡­"

    Murmuring to himself in a daze, Wei Xuan snapped out of his stupor when his gaze landed onto An Fei''s neck. The milky and fair skin that was white and snow and smooth as war jade had two arcs of purple bruises on either side of neck, creating a rather vicious and jarring sight.

    Staring at the destruction he had caused with his own hand with widened eyes, the minister could feel pain surge in his chest as if someone had taken ahold of his heart and given a merciless squeeze.

    He wanted to reach out and caress that bruised and damaged skin, a stabbing pain erupting in Wei Xuan''s heart and causing hot tears to spill from the stoic man''s eyes.

    A soft whisper ruminated along with nature''s groans and cackles, revealing a deep despair, sorrow, and regret.

    "What do I do now..."

 39 Autumns Fragrance, A Frigid Heart of Snow 1

    "Over here, put it down over here. Be careful now!"

    "Another box of brocade, this is the third already. What exactly does the Young Master do with so much brocade?"

    A servant complained, daring not to abruptly shift his weight as he carried a large rectangular box with another servant. The box was of acacia wood, and was two meters long, half a meter wide and tall.

    Though its weight wasn''t much, neither servant dared to handle it without the utmost care.

    "What do you know? Inside the box is thirty taels of Silver Cloud Silk, you hear, Silver Cloud Silk! Even one tael is priceless enough, yet there''s thirty in each box, and there''s a total of four boxes in total!"

    The servants passed from the side entrance of the Wei Manor, carefully stepping into an overbrush hallway. The walls and ceiling were constructed from naturally entwined vines, the blossoming flowers just within an arm''s reach.

    Taking in a deep breath, the servants could smell the distinct fragrance of the tranquil flowers.

    "Silver Cloud Silk¡­ the tribute brocade from the northwestern territories? Wasn''t that supposed to be the exclusive property of the Imperial Family? Why does the Young Master possess so much of it then?"

    "You didn''t hear? It was buzzing around the streets of Jiang''an since a few days ago!" the servant holding the rear of the box blurted in surprise. Ignoring the bitter look on his partner''s face, the servant continued, his rough countenance beaming with admiration.

    "Second Young Master received the brocade from the Ninth Princess Xinlan. Supposedly, it was conferred as a reward for the Young Master''s success in the imperial examination, but don''t you think¡­it was an act of love?"

    "The Ninth Princess?" The leading servant inquired, his brows creased in thought.

    "Ninth Princess¡­is she the conferred State Princess? Although our Young Master is naturally the best, would she truly¡­fall for him?"

    "Fall for him? Of course she will fall for our Young Master!" the rear servant indignantly retorted, nearly dropping the brocade box due to his emotions.

    "Don''t tell me you wanted the Ninth Princess would go for you? Pei! Only the Young Master would deserve to possess such a lofty treasure, even more so than those Dukes'' sons, ah!"

    "S-shut up! Who said I wanted the Ninth Princess!?" the lead servant hollered in panic. "Are you trying to get your brother killed, ah!?"

    "But¡­you did say last night in the Night Fragrance ¨C "

    Snap!

    "Ah Dui, you seem to be harboring some strange thoughts recently¡­"

    Accompanied by an elegant voice, a sky-blue paper fan knocked against the rear servant''s head, startling the young man as he released an involuntary shriek. Catching the acacia box just a few centimeters before it knocked against the cobbled ground, the servant anxiously craned his head towards the guest.

    The guest was a young handsome male, dressed in a light green scholar''s robe.

    A pair of bracelets crafted of intertwined wooden beads resting on his wrists, the youth''s delicate features appeared to lack the brusque straightforwardness of men, but seemed more akin to a painting to solely be admired, not to be touched. The youth''s aura was peaceful and diminished, without a single trace of the arrogance and pride within the common youth of high social birth.

    "Y-Y-Young Master!" The servant shouted in a constricted voice, cold sweat dripping down the back of his neck.

    "En." The Second Young Master nonchalantly replied, examining the acacia brocade box with great care. "The two of you seem to be possessing quite the leisure time, to be chatting so happily whilst carrying out your duties!"

    "No, no, not at all," the leading servant carefully placed the box onto the ground before dipping into a respectable bow.

    "Second Young Master, my brother and I were simply throwing around a couple jests after seeing that the weather was nice, but we¡­do not have that much free time."

    "Oh?"

    The Second Young Master raised a thin eyebrow in mock interest. The pair of hazel eyes carefully scanned the servant scratching the back of his head from top to bottom, before the edges of the youth''s lips tugged skywards with amusement.

    "Not that much leisure¡­" the Second Young Master drawled in a sly tone as his eyes narrowed, before lunging forward to whisper into the servant''s ear. "Were they devoted at the Night Fragrance Hall? Did you enjoy the delectable services of Miss Qin, or take the supreme beauty Shang?"

    ¡­huh?

    The servant revealed a nonplussed look as he instinctively dug through his own memories, searching for any trace of this Miss Qin or a supreme beauty surnamed Shang. Unfortunately, the rough youth''s eyes radiated confusion after several moments, and the servant tilted his head before speaking.

    "Second Young Master, this servant¡­" the servant mulled over his words for several breaths before continuing with a stalwart tone.

    "This servant has never heard of anyone named Qin or Shang at the Night Fragrance Hall. Young Master, are you sure¡­you got their names down properly? This servant can ask-"

    "Hahahaha!"

    The Second Young Master doubled up in laughter, pointing the closed fan towards the ever-increasingly confused servant. Just the sight of the servant''s expression clearly screaming of possessing not a whit of understanding what was currently going on was more than sufficient to cause dimples to appear on the handsome youth''s face as he slapped his knee.

    "Teacher was truly right! This trick really works without fail!"

    "¡­trick?"

    Both servants blurted in disbelief, staring at the Second Young Master with outstretched eyes. Their miserable countenances clearly displayed in his vision, the handsome youth began to take deep breaths, patting his chest repeatedly to calm himself down.

    "Alright, alright," he coaxed the bewildered and mildly terrified servants.

    "This Young Master won''t tell the chief steward of your antics to the Night Fragrance Hall. Just make sure to be more sneaky about it in the future-oh, right, you do know where to move this container to, right?"

    The two servants bobbed their heads up and down with renewed vigor, before returning to their respective positions to resume transporting the brocade box. Just the wooden casing was of greater monetary value than their lives could vouch for.

    "Since you know, then that''s good! I should speak with Father; I haven''t seen him at all for several years!"

    Bursting into another peal of laughter, the Second Young Master rushed into the distance, leaving the two servants alone in the naturally constructed hallway.

    "Oh¡­"

    "I was right, wasn''t I?" The servant holding the rear end of the box snickered. "The Second Young Master is indeed different from the rest, you''ll get used to it soon¡­"

    "¡­I guess you''re right¡­"

    -

    "¡­she''s still mad at me¡­"

    Looking at the forlorn figure curled underneath the blankets, a small head poking out to rest against a cotton pillow, Wei Xuan released a hearty sigh. Directing a glance towards the thin fingers tucked underneath the cheek, he wished to give her hands a warm squeeze of comfort, yet knew that he couldn''t, nor could he dare to.

    After all, hidden underneath the blankets was a grotesque pair of violet rings encircling that fair and delicate neck.

    Even after a month, the bruises hadn''t disappeared. He had utilized Gao Yun Zhi''s skin restorative ointments and salves for the past few days, but all that had amounted to cause the bruises to fade a little. The violet ring of injury still glared at him in great prominence, delivering a heavy mockery to the minister''s courage and self-esteem.

    Under the emperor''s decree, or lack of, the Imperial Court had not convened for a month. Without having to wake early in the morning to depart for court only to return in the evening each day, the minister had planned to take matters lightly and relax.

    And then had nearly choked his own daughter to death by his own hands.

    Overwhelmed by guilt and sorrow after returning to his senses, he had temporarily dismissed Xiao Wen and the others to take care of An Fei by himself. Although it wouldn''t change anything, perhaps he could find some recompense in his disturbed heart.

    Not even the Second Madam Luo Shuyan could enter the study anymore, the building completely isolated from the Flowing Wind Residence.

    "it''s time for lunch," the minister softly murmured towards An Fei''s direction. That unsteady quivering of her body and her slightly erratic breathing, Wei Xuan was clearly aware that the girl was feigning sleep.

    "Are you still unwilling to eat? Father''s extremely sorry, can''t you at least strike him a little to vent your emotions?"

    "Here, come bash my nose, or give me a black eye! Don''t just wallow by yourself, that''s not good for your body¡­"

    "The lotus seed soup is starting to get cold¡­ I''ll make you another batch, this time with some peppercorn, so can you not hurt yourself like that? You hadn''t had anything to eat since last night¡­"

    Although he got silence as the only response, the minister continued to attempt to get the girl out of the bed, even offering rare delicacies and permission to strike various parts on his body as atonement. However, the fish refused to even give the bait a disdainful glare, leaving Wei Xuan quite sorrowful and helpless¡­

    BANG!

    The study doors were suddenly wrenched apart from the outside, a pair of footsteps rushing into the building''s depths with great haste.

 40 Autumns Fragrance, A Frigid Heart of Snow 2

    "Who!?"

    Wei Xuan roared with anger upon hearing the doors wrenched open, a surge of silver light speeding towards the intruder. The stream of silver possessed incomparable malice, all traces of elegance masked under the dense intention of murder.

    Facing the silver light blazing towards his direction at a swift speed, the intruder yelped before spreading out his arms to his sides, faint undulations of spiritual essence as two threads of azure and scarlet coiled around his wrists.

    The threads of spiritual essence merging into a single point at the center of the palms, the intruder curled his fingers into a tight fist. Taking a step forward with his left foot, the intruder crossed his arms before his chest, the left arm overlapping over the right.

    The back of the palm acting as an impetus, the right elbow swung the arm to clasp the right fist within the left palm, creating two pale, illusory disks that expanded before the intruder''s figure.

    The disks of scarlet and azure light rapidly phased between the other as the stream of silver crashed into the conjoined layer, a shockwave of spiritual essence exploding outwards with a horizontal shear from the impact. With a scream, the intruding figure was hurled towards the doors of the study, the twin disks of scarlet and azure shattered to fragments within a single strike.

    The silver stream dashed towards the intruder without mercy, intending to deliver the finishing strike.

    "Father, ah, are you trying to kill your own son!?"

    Hearing the cry escape the intruder''s lips, Wei Xuan blinked twice in surprise, momentarily at a loss to speak. Loosening his control over the manifested spiritual essence, the silver stream gradually dissipated upon losing contact with the creator.

    The intruder hastily released a sigh of relief, his body deflating. As the figure moved closer towards the depths of the study, it was indeed the Second Young Master, though his appearance could be called ragged at best.

    "Chang Luo?"

    Wei Xuan called out in surprise upon realizing the identity of the figure. However, his eyes narrowed in befuddlement and the minister couldn''t help but furrow his brows.

    "Chang Luo," Wei Xuan asked in a questioning tone, assessing the youth from head to toe. "Why are you in such poor¡­dress?"

    Pu!

    Wei Chang Luo couldn''t help but involuntarily shudder, the urge to vomit blood threatening to overcome his mental control.

    Father, oh Father, the poor youth grumbled in his heart as he stared desolately at the ragged clothes on his body. If you weren''t so intent on killing your own son, would I have ended this way? Wei Chang Luo screamed in his heart.

    "¡­why aren''t you saying anything?"

    "AH! Fa ~ ther!"

    The youth screamed, waving his arms in the air in indignation as he plopped down onto his buttocks. His eyes scanning over the study''s interior as he searched for a spare pair of clothes to change into, Wei Chang Luo leaned against a table leg, adopting an expression of defeat.

    "That attack was plainly an act of bullying the juniors!" he cried with a vindictive expression.

    "Such a powerful attack on someone who''s only at the peak of Foundation Establishment, and you''re complaining that I''m too weak?"

    "If the technique isn''t lackluster in quality," Wei Xuan mocked in a dry tone, directing an amused glance towards the fuming youngster. "Then the operator is. Don''t tell me those twin shrimps of fire and ice are supposed to be your almighty technique?"

    "Your son is only at the first level!" Wei Chang Luo rubbed his nose in embarrassment.

    "It''s natural for the spiritual essence to be thin when they converge, I need to advance to the mediant stages of the technique to actually produce streams of spiritual essence that form the core of the technique-"

    "So to summarize your point," the minister interjected, his lips twitching into a light smirk as he tossed a set of clothes to the poor youth.

    "You''re saying that you need more time to develop your strength and prowess in the technique? But even if you progress to the mediant stages, it''s not like the shrimp will leap over the Dragon Gate to become a full-fledged sovereign, no? At most, they''ll become a bit fatter, that''s that."

    "Why don''t you go ask the librarian to rename it to technique instead?"

    "Fa. Ther!" Wei Chang Luo cried in mock agony. Grabbing onto the hem of the robe, the handsome youth wrinkled his nose at the linen cloth, begrudgingly dressing himself into the fresh set of clothing.

    "The librarian himself confirmed that the technique is capable of contending against a Nascent Soul cultivator''s peak strength at the mediant stages of the technique! It''s just¡­that I¡­ haven''t gotten much progress over the past few months."

    "Alright, alright, I''ll stop teasing you, you thin-skinned brat." Wei Xuan''s voice became gentle, staring at the reddened youth with an affectionate gaze, warmth blooming in his heart. "After a while, Father will give you some pointers, alright?"

    "Then, Chang Luo shall give thanks¡­huh?" Wei Chang Luo''s handsome countenance bloomed into a happy smile, before pausing midway.

    His gaze seeming to have caught something suspicious, the youth glared daggers into the curtains of the bed.

    "Father¡­are you keeping a mistress hidden away from Mother and Second Madam''s attention?"

    Pu!

    Wei Xuan, who had just begun to taste the lotus seed soup before him to check for the consistency and temperature once more, choked as Wei Chang Luo''s words finally filtered into his brain. His throat burning as it struggled to fully swallow the spoonful of viscous soup, the minister glared red-hot daggers into the youth''s body, coughing repeatedly in an attempt to clear his throat.

    "Cough cough¡­care¡­to repeat that¡­?"

    "Are you alright Father?"

    The handsome youth replied with a nonplussed expression on his countenance. His gaze didn''t leave from the curtains of the bed as the youth continued to murmur in a dazed manner, every word clearly registered within Wei Xuan''s mind.

    "I mean, that figure''s clearly of a young woman, and a beauty at that, no less. Although she''s clearly on the thinner side, I suppose there''s some benefits with that when Father needs a passionate-"

    PA!

    "AH!"

    "F*ck, you''re claiming that I''m lusting after my own daughter!?" The minister roared in fury, his countenance distorted from the veins bulging at his temple and neck.

    "Don''t you dare place such a hat on this minister, or watch what your father will do when he''s angry!"

    PA!

    "AH! AH!" Wei Chang Luo shouted in agony, rubbing his head as two swollen, burning lumps sent excruciating spikes of pain to his mind. His father''s words not yet registered in his mind, the youth continued to mumble in distress.

    "That''s clearly a young woman, Father, with your age, you have no conscience-"

    PA!

    His entire body trembling in anger, the minister instantly tackled the poor youth to the ground, raining blows down amidst Wei Chang Luo''s cries of pain. Wei Xuan capitalized on his chance to berate the hapless youth, even going as far to scrounge up every article of dark history he hadn''t scolded the brat about.

    "That''s your younger sister, for heaven''s sake!" the minister shouted, shaking Wei Chang Luo with each word.

    "Claiming that I, your Father, takes advantage of his own daughter, are you even my son, ah!? Did your brain rot to nothing at that Han Lin Academy, ah!? Chasing girls like you always did when you were little, lusting after those maidservants and pretty girls at the various scholar''s associations and peony halls instead of properly studying your literature and practicing calligraphy, did you forget to pick up your intellect after enjoying a night of fun, hm!? Did you!?"

    "My sister¡­but I saw both Xiao Yue and Xiao Yan earlier this morning, unless¡­no way!" the youth cried out, realization dawning on his face.

    "¡­Fourth Sister is finally awake!? No way, Father, you have to let me see! I want to see my Fourth Younger Sister!"

    "In your dreams!"

    With a fierce snort, Wei Xuan tossed the once again ragged youth out of the study, slamming the doors shut and going as far to operate the locking mechanism. Ignoring the youth''s futile attempts of pounding on the sturdy doors to gain entry, the minister walked back into the depths of the study whilst shaking his head.

    Upon noticing that the bowl of lotus seed soup had cooled, Wei Xuan released a light sigh, before picking up the bowl.

    "Fei''er," he called after several moments of hesitation. Looking at the curtains of the bed with expectation and feeling a sinking feeling in his chest after observing no response, Wei Xuan sighed before calling again.

    "Sorry," he finally said.

    "Father will quickly get you a new bowl of lotus seed soup, do you want anything else? You really have to eat something, for it''s dangerous for your physique if you miss too many meals¡­"

 41 Autumns Fragrance, A Frigid Heart of Snow 3

    "He''s¡­gone?"

    Two trembling hands slowly peeled back the violet curtains, exposing a pale but pretty countenance, the pair of scarlet irises observing every inch of the interior of the study room. After confirming that there was nobody else present, the girl dragged herself out of the bed, staggering as her feet stood again in what must have been weeks.

    "This¡­really isn''t good," An Fei murmured to herself, grabbing onto the ribs of a wooden chair for support.

    "If this continues for much longer, there''s bound to be permanent repercussions¡­"

    Massaging her still sore neck, the girl ambled towards the drawing table in the depths of the study, a sigh of relief escaping her parched lips as a pitcher of water entered the fringe of her vision. Exerting her strength to precariously lift the pitcher into the air, she blatantly ignored the cup placed directly to the right and drank straight from the spout of container.

    What was contained within the ceramic pitcher was a dense tea, fully cooled due to sitting in the open for far too long. As the liquid gushed down her throat, An Fei reveled in the airy and sour taste of lemongrass tea, her eyes closing in bliss as she finished a long draft of the tea.

    Smacking her lips in contentment, the girl carefully examined the drawing table with renewed vigor.

    She didn''t have to exert much effort, for just within an arms reach was a blue cloth pouch embroidered with dipping swans and river streams. Loosening the drawstring, An Fei discovered eight light green pastry cakes stacked on top of each other, a delicate flower pattern on the top of each cake.

    ...munch.

    The soft mung bean cake disintegrated within her mouth, a faint sweet taste enveloping her taste buds. To the famished girl, such a pastry cake was akin to a hot coal dispatched during a fearsome winter, almost making her stagger from the fulfilling aftertaste of the unsweetened red bean paste packed inside the center of the cake.

    When An Fei had returned to her senses, she found herself staring at the contents of the embroidered pouch with a predatorial gaze. Her fingers instinctively flexed as they reached for another pastry, and she barely reined in her self-control with conscious effort.

    "This¡­"

    Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, the girl whispered consolations to herself as she reached for a second pastry, her fingers caressing the top of the cake. Raising it to her dainty mouth and biting off half, the girl quickly accompanied the pastry with a mouthful of cooled tea, releasing a sigh of contentment as she eventually finished the remains of the cake.

    Staring at the blue pouch with a forlorn gaze, An Fei retied the drawstring to close it once more, tucking it under a fold within her gown. Hearing a series of nimble footsteps resound near the walls, the girl flurried over to the linen bed in a rush, climbing in with great haste whilst throwing the blanket over her body.

    Moments later, the sound of a window slowly creaking open could be heard, and a rough thump echoed in the study within a few seconds.

    "Father really didn''t hold back with his punches¡­"

    The complaining of a male youth filtered into An Fei''s ears, causing her to narrow her eyes in confusion and alertness. Snuggling deeper into the warm blankets, the girl drifted into a light sleep in an attempt to minimize her presence.

    But more importantly, the temptation of a lazy, slothful life was too hard to pass up.

    -

    "Just an incense''s stick of time. Perhaps not even half of that if he''s quick about it."

    Wei Chang Luo whispered to himself as he righted his clothes, peering at his appearance in the copper mirror on an adjacent table near one of the walls of the study. Though the face hadn''t received injuries that couldn''t be quickly restored with high-quality medicine, the poor youth was agonizing over the creaking, painful sensation surging in his bones.

    Each movement he made would introduce a fierce spasm of pain, causing Wei Chang Luo''s countenance to momentarily distort, an unhealthy shade blazing across.

    "One day!" the youth fiercely whispered to himself as he hugged his right shoulder. "One day, I''ll triumph over Father. Then he won''t have to beat me so fiercely, nor do I have to be confined by so many rules!"

    Shaking his head twice to clear the unnecessary thoughts floating around in his mind, Wei Chang Luo began to tiptoe around the various articles of furniture. Diverting spiritual essence towards the pads of his feet, the youth quietly stepped over the many willow, half-moon, and oaken chairs haphazardly laying around in the study.

    "Why are there so many seats and tables?" he wondered, his fingers trailing across the surface of a miniature drawing table of sandalwood.

    "Almost as if there''s supposed to be several people living in here, not a room for studying and practicing calligra-yikes!"

    Distracted in his thoughts, the youth just barely reacted in time to avoid smashing his face into a porcelain jar. His hands darting out to catch the jar as it fell towards the ground, Wei Chang Luo carefully replaced the porcelain craft as cold sweat dripped down his back.

    After some pondering, he decided to allot even more spiritual essence within his body towards masking his presence as much as possible. His senses and abilities heightened by the influx of spiritual essence, Wei Chang Luo''s gaze sharpened as his agility magnified to a frightening degree.

    Within mere seconds, he had crossed through the miniature maze of tables and chairs to stand before the bedcurtains.

    "I''ve taken too much time," Wei Chang Luo calculated as his gaze regularly grazed towards the entrance of the study.

    "Just one look. That''s all I''ll aim for, just a single look if I can."

    To draw to a distance of which the curtains were within an arm''s reach, Wei Chang Luo only needed to stride forward for three steps. Three steps, and he could finally peek at this younger sister''s appearance whom he had never seen before, the only information he had obtained being scraps tossed from the Second Madam''s mouth when she indulged on fruit wine.

    Three steps was all that was needed to assuage his curiosity, and Wei Chang Luo could leave the next moment. A swift peek, and if he left quickly enough, not even Wei Xuan would discover that his son wasn''t properly ''reflecting'' in his room.

    A mere, insignificant distance of a meter, and yet Wei Chang Luo felt as if a great chasm lay before his feet.

    Gulping saliva in nervousness, thin beads of sweat dotting his brow, Wei Chang Luo stepped forth thrice in rapid motions, his fingers grasping the edge of the violet curtains surrounding the bed. One twitch and pull of the right hand''s fingers, and the goal would be reached-

    Knock!

    "¡­Huh?" A young voice sounded from outside, followed by the rustling of a keychain. "The door''s still locked¡­"

    Taken by surprise, the youth haplessly stumbled backwards, miraculously sparing himself from an embarrassing fate of crashing onto the ground and creating a rather nasty ruckus. His eyes darting across the interior of the study, Wei Chang Luo sought for a place to hide.

    He was going to observe the shy face of the moon, be it if he had to reap unripe rice or toil in menial labor for some time!

    Tick! Creak!

    Hearing the locking mechanism disengage, Wei Chang Luo hurriedly threw himself underneath a maplewood table, obscuring his figure by use of the tablecloth. As the steps grew louder in intensity, the youth stilled his breathing, wishing that the spiritual essence contained within his legs could quickly disperse already¡­

    "That''s odd¡­" Xiao Wen cocked her head to her right in confusion and uncertainty as she placed a wooden container on the surface of a maroon maplewood table. "I was sure I heard something inside¡­"

    Cautiously examining the interior of the study room with her big eyes, the maidservant huffed and pushed her bottom lip into a pout as a faint, nearly imperceptible light flickered around her body. Hidden just within arm''s reach of the maidservant, the Second Young Master was currently sweating massive bullets in panic and shock, not daring to disengage the hastily-constructed barrier of spiritual essence at all.

    That uniform was clearly that of a maidservant of the Wei Manor, one of the first rank.

    But she was an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator!

    The Pillars of Unity had not been fully constructed yet, but Wei Chang Luo experienced the premonition that if the maidservant before him were to engage in a fight with him, he wouldn''t get off easily. A conservative estimate would be that he would receive a grievous injury if he dared to be careless for even a split second, causing the Second Young Master to increase the density of the storm of spiritual essence cloaking his presence.

    "There''s an odd sensation¡­ Almost as if someone else is here¡­" Xiao Wen frowned, before shrugging, her fingers moving across to remove the lid of the wooden box.

    "Fourth Young Miss!" the maidservant called out in a warm voice. "Fourth Young Miss, it''s me, Xiao Wen! Please have some lunch, it''s not good to starve yourself for so long, ah!"

 42 Autumns Fragrance, A Frigid Heart of Snow 4

    Hearing the maidservant''s voice, Wei Chang Luo edged his face closer towards the curtained bed, even going as far as risking exposing his countenance to the maidservant just a meter or two away. Unfortunately, all that greeted him was Xiao Wen pushing aside one side of the curtains to jut her face in.

    "Fourth Young Miss, ah!" Xiao Wen called, reaching in to tickle the sleeping girl. "Please wake up! This servant made some lunch for the Fourth Young Miss to eat."

    As she spoke, the maidservant retrieved her head from the curtained bed, rolling up her sleeves to expose a pair of fair-skinned arms. Seeing that Xiao Wen began moving towards the table that he was hiding underneath, the Second Young Master quickly ducked his head back into his sheltered area, his eyes still probing the curtains for any hint of his sibling''s appearance.

    "Fourth Young Miss, this servant made some warm herbal congee to eat, along with some salted radish."

    The maidservant explained as she opened the wooden box, taking out the contents and placing them onto a tray. To Wei Chang Luo''s utter disappointment, Xiao Wen simply peeled apart the curtains to enter herself, closing them shut to ward of his ''accidental'' prying eyes.

    "Can''t get a peek this time¡­" the youth sighed, before sneaking out from underneath the table. Just as he attempted to inch closer to obtain a single peek, Wei Chang Luo''s expression drastically changed, panic spreading across his countenance.

    "Next time it shall be! Father can''t hide her from the rest of the family forever, but I have to grasp this opportunity before Elder Brother can!"

    Clenching his fist as an indomitable figure appeared in his mind, the Second Young Master of Wei took a deep breath and spread out his arms to his sides. Revolving the spiritual essence congealed within his body to attract the cloud he had expelled to disguise his presence from the maidservant''s awareness, Wei Chang Luo retrieved all traces of spiritual essence he could detect before stealthily departing from the study.

    -

    When night fell, An Fei finally escaped from her bedchambers, or rather, the study of the Flowing Wind Residence. Muffling her sounds as she crept past a soundly asleep Xiao Wen, the girl heaved the two doors open.

    "Oh."

    A heavy gust of chilly air struck her face, causing An Fei to stagger back inside. However, the short glimpse of the night sky was enough motivation for her to bear the cold temperature of the night.

    Walking back to the bed and wrapping her body with the lightest blanket she could find, the girl finally took her steps outside of the study.

    Her feet wrapped within a pair of shoes stolen from the maidservant, An Fei aimlessly staggered around the courtyard. She would walk along the winding pathways of cobbled stone before falling to the ground in exhaustion, or sometimes spin around in the neatly trimmed grass.

    Regardless, she continued to stare at the night sky, her countenance breaking into a full smile of admiration.

    "How beautiful¡­" the girl murmured, her right hand reaching for the sky.

    The night sky was decorated by a sea of shining dots of light. Some were dim, others shone bright with a distinct radiance that was firmly captured in her gaze. Some dots of light twinkled, others were shining orbs suspended in the night sky.

    Bathed in starlight that was not inhibited by atmospheric pollution, An Fei closed her eyes as she slumped on the ground, huddled in the blanket. Taking deep breaths of the chilly but clean air, she felt so incomparably alive and tranquil, as if her worries were sliding off her body.

    She no longer knew how long it had been since she had entered this world. Two months, three?

    Nothing seemed to particularly matter compared to the sensation of living in the windless, cold night of autumn''s last fragrance. Opening her eyes, the scarlet irises were still dulled, yet a deeply concealed determination could be detected within.

    "I¡­want to live."

    The girl whispered, her hand grasping towards the stars. Her fingers curled into a fist; though it was weak in strength, contained within was all she could muster.

    "But I don''t know what I will do¡­" she affirmed to the emotionless sky of night. "Yet still, I wish to live."

    "I want to learn."

    "I want to explore."

    "I want to eat and sleep and be content, never worrying about the world''s problems."

    "I¡­I¡­" the girl''s voice faltered, trailing off into an awkward silence as she stared at the teardrops of midnight. The twinkling of the stars warmed her frozen heart, the eyes obscured by a faint mist.

    "I¡­I¡­want to see Grandfather again¡­"

    Once the dam broke, the flood couldn''t be halted. The pathways to her heart connected by the gentle yet indifferent radiance of the stars, the grievance contained within poured out with an unstoppable momentum and force, splashing across the night sky with an unforgettable stain of hatred and sorrow.

    "I¡­I don''t want to see you." The girl whispered.

    "I don''t want to see you."

    "I don''t ever want to see you!"

    "Chen Shuyan, An Yan Yue, I don''t want to see you!" the whisper grew into a frenzied howl, the raw emotion stripped bare underneath the piercing light of the stars. The girl''s voice trembled and cracked, yet she continued to scream.

    The maidservant sleeping just on the other side of the courtyard, the possibilities of any bystanders nearby observing her shout to the heavens, all notions were tossed aside in her mind. The girl continued to cry her heart out, discarding the presence of an infantile Fourth Young Miss.

    "Chen Shuyan, Chen Rou Si, Chen Jing Lian, I don''t ever want to see you! Feng Ming, Fang Yu, throwing me into that room just after my birth, was it fun to observe me torture myself to survive? An Xiang Jun, was it fun to strip and assign my surname as you desired, making me an illegitimate child for a mere five hundred yuan!? Huang Yu, Guo Po Lu, Ming Zhen Yi, was it worth it betraying me for a mere favor from the An Family?"

    "Chasing me to the end of the world, was it that entertaining for your all? Making me travel to the depths of hell, torturing me, poisoning me, turning my friends against me, was it that worth it for you!? An Rong Chen, was it that fun watching me squirm in agony!? AN RONG CHEN, WAS IT THAT FUN!?"

    "I HATE YOU ALL!" the girl screamed in a hoarse voice. "YOU WHO DARED CALL YOURSELF FATHER, I HATE YOU!"

    Her body devoid of strength, the girl receded into the depths of her blanket, shivering from the cold temperature. However, her heart seemed warm after venting her suppressed emotions, not affected by the stillness of midnight.

    Her body ablaze by a numbed tingling sensation, An Fei fell into a stupor as memories of the past flashed before her eyes.

    The accursed beings that called themselves family one moment and enemies the next; the friends who had betrayed her for an insignificant sum for sake of betrayal; that man who dared call himself her closest kin whilst inflicting the most pain of them all.

    Everything she had encountered from beginning to end replayed in her mind, in clear detail and fluidity. It seemed as if she was reliving her life in a single moment of time, a whole eighteen years of suffering and regrets¡­

    "You were here too?"

    A soft voice dragged the girl out of her thoughts. Blinking rapidly and shaking her head to clear her mind, the girl craned her neck to the right to see a man dressed in white gazing at her.

    The man smiled at her, the gentle expression on his countenance naturally complementing the tranquility of the dwindling fragrance of autumn. He seemed content and at peace, yet the girl could clearly see a hint of sorrow and despair hidden within his elegance.

    "...Father."

    An Fei''s mouth moved by itself, uttering the word she would have never expected to have said in any circumstance. Yet, the word she had hated for so long seemed natural to her ears, her heart bursting with a gentle warmth.

    Her mind finally accepting the realizations and confoundments imposed onto her by the world, the girl opened her delicate mouth to speak once more, the hoarse and completely spent voice charming in the sky bathed by stars.

    "Father, you are here as well?"

 43 Autumns Fragrance, A Frigid Heart of Snow 5

    "Father, you are here as well?"

    Hearing the words spoken by the girl before him, Wei Xuan stood frozen, his body unwilling to move. The warm smile as she spoke in that eroded, cracked voice, calling him ''father'', caused an indescribable but overwhelming warmth to sprout from the depths of his heart.

    Just moments ago, he had heard shrill screams of pure agony and hatred, and the girl still found the strength to smile towards him. He had observed her cry towards the unforgiving heavens with all of her heart and soul.

    That broken, agonized countenance as she wailed and lamented, each detail was forever etched into his memory.

    "Fei''er," he finally spoke, recovering from his mental haze.

    Striding over to the girl and sitting onto the grass next to her, Wei Xuan gave a warm smile, quietly gazing towards her without saying a single word. Suddenly, when he realized that the blanket covering An Fei was merely concealing a shivering body attempting to hide from the cold, the minister''s expression darkened.

    Directing a heavy glare towards the girl next to him, Wei Xuan''s hands shot out at great speed.

    "Ah!"

    "Be good." Wei Xuan intoned in a stern voice, not letting the struggling girl escape.

    "You''re only wearing a thin gown in such cold temperatures. Do I need to punish you before you learn how to properly dress in cold weather?"

    "¡­"

    Ignoring the muffled demurs from the girl in his arms, the minister huffed before hoisting her into his embrace. Balancing An Fei''s frail body against his lap, Wei Xuan willed a strand of spiritual essence to gather the blanket and wrap it around her body, before taking her deeper into his arms.

    As if to seal his actions, the minister rested his chin against the top of his daughter''s head.

    The two sat in silence, observing the silent and unchanging night sky for several moments as neither dared to say a word.

    "¡­Have you been well?" Wei Xuan finally asked.

    "¡­I''ve been well," An Fei replied after some hesitation.

    The girl stared at the bastion of stars, before sinking into Wei Xuan''s embrace. The blanket covering her body seemed to have warmed significantly, lulling An Fei into a comfortable haze.

    "Father," she mumbled in a drowsy tone. "What is my name?"

    "Name?" Wei Xuan echoed in a startled tone, and he stared deeply at the girl snuggling in his arms.

    However, the minister revealed a bitter smile after a moment of pondering, and reached out with his right hand to stroke An Fei''s head. The girl seemed averse to it at first, but later pressed against his warm hand, causing bursts of warm to spark in Wei Xuan''s heart.

    "Your name, ah," he spoke in a gentle tone. "You are called An Fei. A heart jade of peace, as a memento of your mother''s suffering whilst delivering you on that fateful night."

    "Heart jade of peace¡­ a peaceful jade¡­" the girl repeated, her eyes clouded by a faint sheen of emotions.

    However, the turmoil soon vanished, replaced by an unforeseen clarity and brightness. Gazing at the scarlet irises that seemed capable of piercing through the world, Wei Xuan felt happy for the girl, yet conflicted at the same time for an unknown reason.

    "Father." The girl called out, her voice hoarse.

    "Hm?" The minister replied, continuing his motion of stroking the girl''s head.

    "For so long... I¡­ had a dream," An Fei mulled, her eyes fixated onto the ground. Observing and counting each blade of grass as she deliberated how to confess to the minister, the girl refused to glance at the expectant Wei Xuan.

    "A dream?"

    "En. I dreamed that I¡­ was thrust into a world where nobody cared for me. Family, friends, even the everyday passerby attempted to harm me. The first experiences of my life were to wade through a sea of pain, only to be thrust into more suffering. The surname of An, the name of Fei. A name of anger born into a family of peace. It seemed so..."

    Hearing the words uttered by the girl, Wei Xuan furrowed his brows as he analyzed each word. Eventually, he just released a light sigh laden with fatherly affection, squeezing the girl into a tighter embrace.

    "Fei''er, do you see the stars?" he asked, pointing towards the teardrops of the night suspended in the sky.

    "En."

    "Why do the stars seem so distant and cold, yet the light emitted from them is the warmest experience obtainable in life?" The minister inquired in a soft tone. "In particular, why is the moon indifferent and uncaring of our emotions, but we always associate it with our sentiments and desires?"

    "¡­The stars¡­ Is it because starlight reflects our inner desire for warmth and sunlight but requires us to generate that warmth ourselves?" the girl replied, puzzled by the sudden question.

    "For the moon, we don''t have to suppress our thoughts and desires in the night?"

    "Hehe," Wei Xuan chuckled, lightly ruffling the girl''s hair.

    "The stars and the moon, they only appear during the nighttime, but they produce the same light as the sun, just without the warmth. The warmth obtained from starlight must be obtained by the heart, and only be a tranquil and content heart."

    "Unlike the piercing rays of the sun, light from the stars and moon is subtle and selective. Only a few individuals who cannot withstand the external pressures on the soul can feel the warmth of starlight. Fei''er, do not try to stand tall and weather the rays of sunlight regardless of the cost. Pursue what your heart tells you, and bath in the radiance of the stars and moon instead."

    "Follow¡­my heart?"

    "En," Wei Xuan nodded. "A dream may be vivid and painful, but it will pass once the night falls to the rising of the sun. If you can''t cope with it, come to your father! Don''t just go vent and lament to the stars, come seek your father''s assistance, ah! The moon and stars will only watch with indifference, but your father will help!"

    An Fei looked upwards towards the minister with the clumsy smile displayed on his countenance, a similar smile breaking on her face. However, it suddenly disappeared as the latter abruptly reached for her cheeks, giving the tender skin a light pinch.

    "But I remember you calling me Second Uncle, ah!" The minister cried in a tone of mock agony. "Second Uncle this, Second Uncle that, then who was the father!? That accursed imposter, this minister shall stretch his limbs and dismember his wretched head!"

    The girl struggled to pry her cheeks from his hands, her countenance tinged slightly red from Wei Xuan''s brusque treatment. Giving the minister a fierce glare of protest, An Fei played with a few strands of grass with her hands, pinching and kneading the unfortunate plants in the same manner Wei Xuan had ''handled'' her cheeks.

    "Hahaha!"

    Seeing such a sight, the minister burst into laughter, his chuckles uncontrollable even after the girl slammed a feeble palm against the base of his chin.

    An Fei pouted as she turned away from Wei Xuan, her hands curled into fists in embarrassment and anger. However, those emotions quickly dispersed as she reached towards the sky, an astonished expression on her countenance.

    "Snow¡­?"

    A tiny snowflake drifted in the air to land on her palm, quickly melting into a small puddle of water. As she gaped in wonder, the falling snowflakes began to scatter amongst the night sky, aligning perfectly with the rays of starlight.

    "The last vestiges of autumn are fully dispersed with the first snowfall," Wei Xuan spoke as he retracted An Fei''s outstretched arm under the safety of the blanket. Wrapping her body securely within the blanket, the minister picked up the girl with both hands before walking towards the study.

    "Let''s head inside. The first snowfall will always be quite heavy, and you won''t be able to resist it with your constitution."

    Carried within Wei Xuan''s warm embrace, An Fei closed her mouth with a soft pop, her eyes focused onto the falling snow rapidly increase in density and frequency. By the time they had entered the study of the Flowing Wind Residence, the blanket, Wei Xuan, and her hair were covered in a sheen of snowflakes.

    "Father, can you teach me how to write?"

    As he was busy brushing the snowflakes from her hair to ensure she wouldn''t get a cold, he was hit by this question¡­

 44 The Pagoda of Sun and Moon 1

    Within what appeared to have been a period of several breaths, autumn receded to a bitter winter.

    Each day was considerably colder than before, with snow constantly raining onto the already frozen ground.

    The streets of Jiang''an remained open, though not many people dared to tour the roads of wealth under such miserable conditions. Hence, though one could see lines of merchants and stores opened on the major pathways, it was obvious that many had withdrawn into safer confines.

    The bustling sounds of youth and boisterous exchange among citizens had dwindled, with only the footsteps of the occasional military patrol resounding in the granite corridor. The Young Masters and Young Misses no longer visited their poetry gatherings, nor did the scholars attend to their Scholar''s Associations or residences.

    The snow continued to fall, accumulating to form a thick layer of white on the ground. Wherever one would turn, all that would stare back was a glaring, blinding sea of white that couldn''t be removed regardless of the cost.

    Melt it, and invite a disaster of ice; shovel it away, but where to?

    Thus, the citizens merely withdrew into their shells, not even daring to issue servants to clear the streets or the courtyards in their manors. The Imperial Court remained shut with an iron chain, though the primary reason was not snow, but something else entirely¡­

    -

    "Only two weeks to go¡­" Wei Xuan murmured, peeking out of the oiled paper window to glare at the sea of snow that had devoured his residence. The snow glared back, forcing the former to flinch and cover his eyes from the reflected sunlight.

    "Will the Pagoda of Sun and Moon even manage to open at this rate¡­?"

    "Father, did you say something?"

    A quiet voice called from the depths of the study, spreading an involuntary but heartfelt smile across Wei Xuan''s countenance. Closing the window and sealing it shut, he handed a scroll to the nearby Xiao Ying tending to a stack of books, before heading towards the drawing table in the center.

    There, sat a girl in a coat of scarlet fox fur, writing onto a sheet of stationary paper with a brush of weasel hair.

    "Something wrong?" Wei Xuan called out, giving the girl a light pat on the head. "Let Father check your work, it''s already been an hour."

    Ignoring the girl''s protests, the minister''s right arm swooped in to snatch the sheet of paper away. Bringing before his eyes, the minister began to read with an amused tone.

    "G-Give it back!"

    "The nature of man is to possess and discard," Wei Xuan read whilst dodging the girl''s feeble swipes and lunges. "Accelerating to his death, man snatches useless gold and silver, discarding the essence of life and nature ¨C Fei''er, why are you practicing with such a statement?"

    An Fei came to a halt as she glared at the amused Wei Xuan, who took the initiative to dangle the sheet of stationary paper before her hands. Ignoring his gloats and panting heavily to regain her breath, the girl pointed towards the opened book on the drawing table.

    "Xiao Ying brought out a random book. I just copied what''s on the page."

    Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, the minister picked up the book, stroking the cover before scanning the page. Just a moment later, however, Wei Xuan released a light sigh before walking towards the girl. Reaching over, he pushed her onto the half-moon chair, before grasping her right arm with his fingers.

    "You have the content copied accurately," the minister guided An Fei in writing the statement again, his fingers manipulating her wrist to twirl the brush on the paper.

    "But the essence was portrayed wrong. For a passage from a book written by a person of great caliber as this, one must carefully assess the interior meaning of the content. Rash copying and memorization without understanding the underlying concept will simply result in a distorted mind."

    "Remember, every action in calligraphy is initiated by the wrist. The hand, fingers, and arm only follow the movements you make with the wrist, allowing the brush to transverse across the medium without any interruption. This is the fundamental principle behind calligraphy, but is one that is often not comprehended well by those claiming to be scholars."

    "All in the wrist¡­" An Fei murmured, her eyes following the movements of her wrist guided by Wei Xuan. "But why can''t I write using my fingers?"

    "Fingers?" the minister echoed, letting go of the girl''s wrist.

    Observing her fingers as they slid down the brush''s length to rest just above its base, Wei Xuan narrowed his eyes before rubbing his chin in thought. From a single glance, he couldn''t determine any critical aspect or misinterpreted position, causing him to furrow his brows.

    "Then let''s see you copy the statement above," he finally spoke. "After that, we can compare before deciding what fits best for you."

    An Fei nodded, before copying the statement for the fifth time. Each character was compact and refined, the strokes emitted by the brush controlled to the maximum to enhance the speed and agility as it scrolled past the sheet of paper.

    Flicking her fingers to move the brush whilst balancing the majority of her momentum on her wrist, only the brush''s tip managed to touch the paper, producing a small string of characters within a matter of seconds. By the time Wei Xuan had appreciated the first symbol, An Fei had finished the entire statement.

    "This¡­ was something you learned in your dream?" the minister picked up the sheet of paper, his eyes inspecting the newest string of characters. Soon after, he raised his head to stare at the girl in astonishment, as well as a mix of uncertainty.

    "Transcribing the statement''s content with an emphasis on the external meaning, leaving the essence open to individual interpretation¡­ Not to mention that this technique is significantly faster than the Small Hairpin Script, even if it was lacking in the elegance and refinement of writing¡­ Fei''er, how did you learn such a technique?"

    The girl tilted her head to the side in confusion, her fingers reaching for the sheet of paper in the minister''s hands. Grinding a fresh batch of ink before starting a new line of characters, An Fei nonchalantly replied, her eyes focused onto the moving brush.

    "Father, everyone learned this technique in my dream," the girl eventually spoke as her wrist methodically pronated before flinging the brush and a trail of ink across the sheet of stationary paper.

    "...this was the only method of writing we learned."

    "Learned¡­" Wei Xuan repeated, noticing the girl''s gloomy gaze. Stepping forward to rub her hair, the minister consoled her in a gentle tone.

    "You can always learn more. There''s nothing holding you back from achieving your desires."

    "Master, Fourth Young Miss, it''s time for the afternoon exercise session," Xiao Ying''s excited voice suddenly rang from the fringe of the study.

    "This servant has already contacted Sister Wen to prepare a scrumptious meal once the Fourth Young Miss finished her exercise."

    At the maidservant''s words, two countenances immediately changed color.

    The stalwart, handsome face immediately reddened in embarrassment, whilst the budding and delicate face blanched. Wei Xuan turned to the side and coughed, averting his gaze away from An Fei''s terrified expression. The maidservant, master, and Fourth Young Miss of Wei all stared at each other in an awkward silence, neither willing to say a single word.

    "Then, I''ll be going outside for a bit." The minister finally broke the forced tranquility with a fierce cough. "Xiao Ying, do remember Fei''er''s physique."

    "Father! You-"

    "Fourth Young Miss, Fourth Young Miss, ah," the maidservant quickly rushed forward to restrict An Fei''s arms, wrapping the struggling girl in a pressuring embrace.

    Gesturing for the minister to quickly depart, Xiao Ying revealed a roguish leer towards aggrieved girl, pushing her towards the deepest recesses of the study.

    Shaking his head while awkwardly laughing, Wei Xuan didn''t forget to seal every window, even going to the extent of drawing each curtain shut within the study. Accomplishing his task, the minister abruptly fled towards the outside, locking the door with a thread of spiritual essence.

    "I''ll just guard outside then," Wei Xuan consoled himself with a bitter smile. "Aih, if it were either Shuyan or Miaolan in there, this minister wouldn''t have hesitated to remain and assist¡­hehe."

    Crossing his arms before his chest and leaning against the study''s entrance, Wei Xuan willed his spiritual essence to expand in a spherical region, isolating the study from the onslaught of snow and cold. The falling snow accumulated onto the barrier, trickling down the sides of the isolation barrier to collapse onto the ground.

    Closing his eyes, the minister began regulating his breath, calming his body into a state of tranquility.

    Just mere moments later, however, Wei Xuan found it difficult to even maintain the isolating barrier, nearly causing a sledge of snow to cascade onto his unprotected head.

    "AH!" A piercing shriek suddenly rang out from within the study. "No more¡­NO MORE! Xiao Ying, I''m dying, I''m dying, I''M DYING!!!!"

    "Fourth Young Miss, you must endure, ah!" the maidservant''s cry accompanied the scream. "Just withstand for a few more breaths, and it''ll be over!"

    "NOOOO!"

 45 The Pagoda of Sun and Moon 2

    "NOOOO!"

    The shriek rang throughout the entire study, startling Wei Xuan who had just begun to lapse into a doze. Unable to control his control over the isolating barrier, the minister pitched forwards, nearly falling towards the ground.

    A rather large hole burst open on the surface of the isolation barrier, causing much of the snow to torrent downwards at a frightening velocity.

    Crack!

    Balancing on a single knee and springing back into a standing position, he looked towards the sky to discover a large slab of solidified snow cascading down towards his head.

    "Damn!" Wei Xuan swore.

    Jolting the spiritual essence within his dantian into a frenzied motion, he spread the fingers of his right palm, sweeping the hand forward. The outstretched palm collided with the descending slab of snow, the swift shockwave of spiritual essence disintegrating the accumulated snow on the isolation barrier without a sound.

    Stomping his left foot onto the ground and grinding his heel counterclockwise, Wei Xuan swept his hands to his sides, the right palm facing the ground, the left facing the sky. Manipulating the remaining strands of spiritual essence to coalesce at the center of his palms, the minister abruptly brought both hands towards his hands, slapping them together and forcing the spheres of spiritual essence to merge.

    "Convert, restore!"

    As he slapped his right palm onto the wooden floor, the sphere of spiritual essence exploded into numerous fragments of silver light. Soaring towards the isolation barrier above the study, the silver fragments assimilated into the fluctuating barrier, repelling the snow once more.

    Seeing such a sight, Wei Xuan could only reveal a bitter smile.

    "So this is what it feels like to be sealed in strength¡­" he murmured to himself, reclining against the wooden walls of the study. "No wonder Yun Zhi was that eager to leave¡­"

    Closing his eyes, the minister prepared to take a light nap for an hour, or until Xiao Ying had stepped outside to notify him elsewise. However, not much time had passed before another piercing scream rang out.

    "Stop! Xiao Ying, stop!" a girl''s pained cry pierced through the solid walls. "It hurts, it hurts-AH! S-S-STOP, NO MORE!"

    What was going on?

    Completely bewildered, it took several moments before Wei Xuan could properly react. With a sense of panic arising within his heart as another wave of screams burst from within the study, the minister immediately expanded his perception.

    Focusing towards the inner depths of the study, more particularly where An Fei and Xiao Ying where located, Wei Xuan''s perception rushed in, only to quickly flee as if running for his life.

    "Shuyan, Miaolan, even you little brat Chang Luo, someone come and fetch me, ah?" Wei Xuan groaned to himself, plugging his ears and shutting his eyes as tightly as possible.

    "Lass! This method of tormenting your father is far too effective and terrifying, little girl!"

    ¡­immoral!

    Too immoral!

    He didn''t want to see another sight like that one ever again!

    -

    "Xiao Ying, ah, can''t we finish here today?" An Fei pleaded, breathless as she gazed at the maidservant with a pitiful, teary gaze. "I can''t, I can''t take any more-ah!"

    "No can do," the maidservant responded with a cheerful tone. Waving her fingers towards the exasperated and suffering maiden, Xiao Ying reached out to stroke the fair skin before her, displaying a gentle leer towards the frightened girl.

    "Master said that within six weeks, the Fourth Young Miss had to get some exercise!"

    "Like I keep on telling you, this isn''t exerci-AH! Stop, stop, stop, it hurts, it hurts, IT HURTS!"

    An Fei screamed, her fingers curled into tight fists as countless rivulets of sweat streamed down all over her body. All she got in response was a gentle stroke on her shoulder and upper back, before a pair of hands pushed on her exposed shoulder blades with a pressure that was soft yet harsh.

    "Master said that the Fourth Young Miss had to extensively prepare for a significant event that is supposed to occur at mid-winter," Xiao Ying explained while massaging the girl''s twitching muscles with her fingers.

    Kneading, pinching, and rubbing the skin and underlying tissue with spiritual essence infused within her fingers, the maidservant engendered waves of comfort that wreaked havoc on An Fei''s consciousness. Quivering at each touch that brought forth a wave of comfort, the girl truly wanted to sink into a light sleep and indulge in the indescribable pleasure, but couldn''t even dare follow through on that idea.

    Because in between each bout of comfort, was an excruciating pain!

    "Then, Fourth Young Miss, we can set a cup of tea''s team as the limit for this round!" Xiao Ying consoled the pitiful Fourth Young Miss. "Only three sessions will remain for today after this one, the Fourth Young Miss can rest at ease!"

    "That''s not comforting at all!"

    Gritting her teeth as she leaned forward following the gentle guidance of the maidservant, An Fei stretched her trembling arms forward. Before the center of her vision were a pair of pristine, delicately carved legs and feet, but the girl could hardly care less about her appearance.

    Suppressing the violent trembling of her muscles as she could, An Fei hooked her fingers around the soles of her feet, latching on with a death grip.

    The pain had only begun.

    "Fourth Young Miss, this servant shall begin counting."

    Spreading her fingers over the girl''s shoulder blades, Xiao Ying couldn''t help but marvel at the ungodly appearance and texture of the Fourth Young Miss''s skin. That fair complexion as white and pure as snow, with a touch as soft and warm as an exquisite piece of suet jade, Xiao Ying now fully understood Xiao Wen''s reluctance to be assigned to a different station.

    This sensation and experience was far too addictive!

    "Fourth Young Miss, this servant is going to begin," the maidservant shook herself out of her daze, wiping the drool on the corner of her sleeve. Applying force onto the base of An Fei''s shoulders, Xiao Ying began to push the young girl towards the ground, giving rise to a series of yelps of pain.

    "Xiao Ying, this hurts too much!" An Fei groaned, feeling as if her entire waist, shoulders, and tendons were on fire. "Can''t you be a little lighter?"

    "Fourth Young Miss, this servant is only applying four jin of strength. As of the Fourth Young Miss'' current development, four jin of strength is well within the tolerable limit."

    Hearing the maidservant''s helpful reply, An Fei couldn''t help but roll her eyes, only to be interrupted by a sudden burst of pain.

    Releasing a yelp, she felt Xiao Ying increase the force of which she pressed onto her shoulders, causing her stomach to be pressed flat against the base of her thigh. The burning sensation only grew worse with the passing of each second, eventually transforming into a numbed sensation that began at the base of her collar, eventually spreading to her entire body.

    Just as she began to wonder when she would fall unconscious from the exertion, the maidservant released her pressure, beginning the next massage.

    Even though she knew full well another round of torture was well incoming, An Fei decided to enjoy the blissful waves of pleasure cascading throughout her body.

    At least it eased her current pains, even if it made the future ones appear even more terrifying.

    -

    "Was there even any need of stripping me to my undergarment?"

    An Fei interrogated Xiao Ying who had finished wiping and scenting her body, and was reaching for a stack of neatly folded clothes.

    "Of course!" the maidservant replied with an energetic tone, a sincere expression displayed on her adorable countenance. However, An Fei could clearly perceive a tinge of lust circling within the depths of Xiao Ying''s gaze.

    "This servant needed contact with bare skin for the massage to take proper effect! Otherwise, the Fourth Young Miss would be suffering from much more pain, ah!"

    Xiao Ying replied as she covered An Fei''s body with a white gown, before dressing the girl with a thick violet cotton robe. Wrapping the girl with an outer coat of silver fox fur, the maidservant stepped back before snugly securing the sash around An Fei''s waist, a naughty and proud smile on her countenance.

    "Enough," An Fei snapped, her right index finger soaring to poke the maidservant on the center of her forehead. "I know exactly what''s going on in that head of yours, don''t you dare pull any tricks."

    Cough!

    "...Xiao Ying, Fei''er, are you two done?" Wei Xuan''s voice was awkward, the minister''s head peeping from behind the edge of a curtain, inclined at an odd angle. "If so, let''s have lunch! Xiao Wen just sent over lunch; there seems to be quite a feast!"

    "Coming!"

    "Master, the Fourth Young Miss'' exercise for this session has been completed! The afternoon session can start a sichen after lunchtime, and it should be finished by the evening. This time¡­ should be to train the muscles of the arm? Ah! The Fourth Young Miss should train her legs tonight as well!"

    An Fei''s tender, highly bewitching voice tugged at Wei Xuan''s heart, causing a gentle and warm smile to blossom across the minister''s countenance. Just as he took the girl''s arm to lead her towards the large table piled with food, Xiao Ying''s words caused An Fei''s countenance to darken, and the minister''s to flush with a deep shade of scarlet¡­

 46 The Pagoda of Sun and Moon 3

    "Father, what''s the fuss today?"

    A young girl questioned Wei Xuan as the minister began to open a leather-bound scroll, a look of agitation displayed on his countenance. Her question prompted him to gaze at the girl in confusion, blinking twice.

    "You, Xiao Ying, and Xiao Wen always talked about something special today," the girl blinked as she repeated.

    "Is there an event happening later?"

    "Oh," Wei Xuan came to a realization. Placing down the scroll and wrapping the girl into a warm embrace, the minister guided her to the depths of the study.

    "There is indeed something happening later on at noon," he spoke whilst reaching for a linen padded coat. "It''s something that is highly significant not only to you, but every other youth in Jiang''an."

    Huh?

    Tucking the girl''s hair in as he wrapped the coat around her body, Wei Xuan ensured that it was a snug fit before buttoning the light blue coat. Ignoring An Fei''s confused glance as he called for Xiao Ying and Xiao Wen to enter into the depths of the study, the minister began to rummage through various storage boxes, as if searching for something.

    Finally, An Fei couldn''t help but ask, the curiosity too difficult to bear.

    "Father, what''s really going on?" the girl tilted her head. "You''re so anxious today, is something the matter?"

    "Hm? Nothing''s wrong!" the minister asserted quickly, his hands diving through a pile of jade ornaments. "Your Father is just happy that his daughter is calling him ''father'' instead of ''Second Uncle''."

    "Then¡­why did you put an outer dress on me when all I have underneath is my nightwear?"

    Urk!

    Wei Xuan came to a sudden halt, his fingers dropping the jade ornament he had grasped just moments ago. His gaze landing on An Fei, the minister flushed a healthy dose of scarlet upon realizing that other than the outer coat, the girl truly only had a paper-thin gown of silk.

    Looking at her comical appearance, he didn''t know whether to laugh or lower his head in embarrassment.

    "Xiao Ying, Xiao Wen, go dress Fei''er," Wei Xuan capitulated, instructing the two maidservants nearby to fix his task. Standing up to leave to allow An Fei to change in peace, the minister paused at the door, fixing a silent gaze upon the two maidservants, speaking only after a few moments of hesitation.

    "Remember to secure it well. Do not tarry on your duty!"

    "Understood!"

    Xiao Ying and Xiao Wen chorused, the former respectfully closing the curtains shut, the latter approaching An Fei with a stack of folded clothing. After several moments of struggling, some muffled grunts, and a muted cry of pain, the curtains were parted to reveal a well-dressed girl before the minister.

    "¡­Can we go now?"

    Wei Xuan paused for a moment to properly assess the girl, his eyes scanning every inch of her clothing. She was dressed in the same padded coat he had dressed on her, only the second button was replaced by a green jade ornament.

    Not a single strand of her hair was exposed to the outside elements, her alluring countenance well covered and protected behind a white veil.

    The translucent veil obscured the details of her face, and was secured to the coat on both sides. A fur cap covered her head, providing a warm, protective layer. Seeing such a sight, the minister could only nod in appreciation.

    The two servants had indeed done a satisfactory job.

    "Alright," Wei Xuan reached over to pat An Fei on the head. "Though I can''t accompany you on this endeavor and can only watch from afar, I can assure you that everything will be fine. Xiao Wen and Xiao Ying will answer any question you have."

    "¡­En."

    Thoroughly hugging the girl before him, the minister instructed the two servants to accompany An Fei as they departed from the Flowing Wind Residence. Each time she looked back, the girl could see Wei Xuan''s smiling figure gazing at her with a warm and doting expression.

    ¡­it seemed as if he was willing to wait outside in the snow until she returned safely.

    -

    "So¡­" An Fei turned to glance at the maidservants on either side. "What exactly is going on? Why did Father send me away today?"

    "Hehe," Xiao Wen replied with a giggle. "Why, because today at noon is the opening of the Pagoda of Sun and Moon!"

    "The Pagoda of Sun and Moon?"

    Hearing An Fei''s quizzical voice and realizing that the girl literally had no inclination towards what the phrase even meant, the two maidservants exchanged a long glance. After a few moments, Xiao Ying took the initiative to explain.

    "Fourth Young Miss," the maidservant began to speak, waving with her arms to exaggerate the contents of her words.

    "The Pagoda of Sun and Moon is the ultimate treasure trove for cultivators! The largest collection of cultivation and martial arts techniques within the entirety of Great Yong! The Pagoda of Sun and Moon only opens once a decade, hence this time is a great opportunity for the Fourth Young Miss!"

    Cultivators?

    Cultivation and martial arts techniques?

    Tilting her head in confusion, An Fei hesitated as the terms seemed familiar to her ears, even though she was sure that she hadn''t encountered them anytime soon. Her brows furrowed in thought, the girl opened her mouth to ask a question that startled the maidservants.

    "¡­cultivation? What''s that?"

    "Huh?" Xiao Wen started, only displaying a wry smile after pondering. Smiling at An Fei, the maidservant pointed towards the clear sky with her right arm, speaking in an energetic voice.

    "Fourth Young Miss, cultivation can be described in a few simple terms!" Xiao Wen danced as she explained.

    "First, absorbing the spiritual qi within the earth and atmosphere. Second, refining it within the body''s dantian to accumulate into spiritual essence. And third, assimilating the spiritual essence into the various meridians of the body and refining the soul to attain powerful ability and longevity!"

    Accompanying her final words, the maidservant spun in a graceful pirouette, her feet gliding on top of the snow, not penetrating even by a single centimeter. Besides An Fei, Xiao Ying smiled at the sight of Xiao Wen enjoying dancing on the snow, turning around to face the girl who had an astonished expression behind her veil.

    "Fourth Young Miss," the maidservant explained in a gentle tone.

    "The abilities provided by cultivation are truly wonderful. An example would be Sister Wen gliding on top of the snow without sinking into the ground, or being capable of stepping on water. By employing spiritual essence to our whim, cultivators can even fly in the sky through a medium!"

    ¡­Fly? As in the televised ''flying swords'' she had seen before?

    An Fei mused to herself, carefully observing Xiao Wen''s graceful and light movement across the surface of the snow. Unlike her, who could only travel through the cleared pathway, elsewise risking getting soaked and snow-trodden, cultivators like Xiao Wen and presumably Xiao Ying could simply bypass certain restrictions with ease.

    Was it by the spiritual essence they had mentioned earlier? Then what was the limit, since otherwise such ability would break the natural laws of physics engraved into the world?

    Noticing that An Fei was lost in her thoughts, Xiao Ying began to guide the Fourth Young Miss by hand in the direction of the main courtyard. As they turned a corner to face the main gates of the Wei manor, a jubilant voice resounded, breaking An Fei''s train of thought.

    "So you''re my Fourth Sister that I didn''t have permission to see until so long?"

    An innocent voice rang in the clearing as Wei Chang Luo rushed towards the young miss and two maidservants, a happy smile displayed on his handsome countenance. Though it dimmed significantly upon noticing that his gaze, however empowered by spiritual essence, couldn''t penetrate the veil nor the padded coat, the youth extended a hand towards An Fei, a warm expression on his face.

    "Hello, I''m your Second Elder Brother, Chang Luo!"

 47 The Pagoda of Sun and Moon 4

    A...Second Elder Brother?

    An Fei couldn''t help but stare at Wei Chang Luo for a long moment, the scarlet irises misted over behind the veil.

    She had heard snippets here and there from eavesdropping on the servants'' causal conversations in the past, and was well aware that she and An Yan Yue were not the only members of the younger generation of the Wei Family. A Third Elder Sister, a Second Elder Brother, and the Eldest Brother; that information was all she had managed to obtain.

    Wei¡­ Chang Luo?

    As the handsome youth tilted his head in confusion, the girl continued to stare blankly until Xiao Ying decided to tug her arm. Leading An Fei who mulled over her thoughts, the maidservant quickly departed for the carriage waiting outside of the manor, Xiao Ying giving an apologetic smile to the baffled Second Young Master.

    "Did I do something wrong¡­?" Wei Chang Luo murmured to himself, watching the trio leave the manor''s main gates. Suddenly, he panicked and rushed forward, crying out in a loud voice.

    "Ah!? Wait for me, wait for me, ah!"

    Realizing that the young miss and two servants were intending on leaving him behind, the Second Young Master rushed forward at great speed, clambering onto the carriage as fast as he could. Seated next to the driver, Wei Chang Luo directed a reproachful glance towards the inside of the wooden carriage, before heaving a sigh of relief.

    "Driver," The youth called out to the middle-aged man next to him, placing a delicate gold coin in his hand.

    "Can you take us to Tian Ming Pavilion?"

    "Hehe, the opening ceremony of the Pagoda of Sun and Moon, eh?" the driver chuckled as he pocketed the coin.

    "So many youths attempt to fish for good luck at that place, who knows whether one will truly get a world-renowned cultivation technique? Lad, you must be careful not to offend anyone, ah!"

    Wei Chang Luo earnestly nodded, his expression delightful. Though he had already obtained a set of cultivation and martial arts techniques from the Pagoda of Sun and Moon through a deceitful channel, this was his first time actually entering the sacred pagoda of Great Yong.

    Thus, the joyous expression on his face could be considered as genuine.

    "Fourth Young Miss, are you all right?"

    Xiao Wen nervously asked, gazing at An Fei''s stiffened posture. For her gaze was unable to penetrate the veil and determine what expression the Fourth Young Miss was displaying on her countenance, the maidservant couldn''t help but constantly fidget around, earning herself a quick slap on the wrist from Xiao Ying.

    Of course, neither Xiao Wen nor Xiao Ying could have guessed the look on An Fei''s face, for it was simply indescribable.

    Her bewitching countenance was currently frozen in a mottled blend of astonishment and admiration.

    ...with her Second Elder Brother''s looks, ah, he could easily step onto any professional stage and attract every female''s attention regardless of their age!

    Not to mention that such appearance was naturally formed, and the youth himself was only sixteen years old! She could clearly envision the youth being swarmed by an ocean of female admirers an such an occasion.

    "Such a pity¡­"

    "Hm? Fourth Young Miss, did you say something?"

    Xiao Ying moved herself closer to An Fei, the maidservant leaning her ear closer to An Fei''s mouth for clarity. Tempted by that fair-skinned, slightly pink ear exposed directly before her mouth and recalling the maidservant''s passionate "exercise regimen" that she was forced to undergo, An Fei puckered her lips, blowing a swift stream of air towards Xiao Ying''s ear.

    "!"

    "Sister Ying, something wrong?" Xiao Wen rose from her daze, glancing at the startled maidservant.

    Xiao Ying shook her head, feeling a little perplexed as she withdrew back to her original position. Allowing herself to lean to the side and rest against Xiao Wen''s shoulder, An Fei finally took the time to examine the carriage they were riding.

    It was a simple, oaken box constructed to hold a maximum of five people at a single time. Though there weren''t any furniture other than two slabs of wood extending from the wall to form a makeshift bench, An Fei could care less as she opted to lean utilize Xiao Wen as a pillow.

    In the center of the carriage was a small but effective heater, filled with a scented coal that warmed the interior of the box even with two windows introducing cold air. The suspension of the carriage itself was of a masterful quality, the occupants not suffering from many bumps or jolts during the ride.

    "We''ve arrived!"

    After some time, the driver called towards the curtained interior of the carriage.

    "Be careful when you youngsters step out, ah, the snow still hasn''t been fully cleared out!"

    The maidservants assisting An Fei out of the carriage, the four youths waved towards the driver, who manipulated the hitched horses to pull the carriage to a side alley. Her eyes gradually adjusting to the sea of white around her in every direction, An Fei gaped in awe at the sight.

    Though the snow in certain areas piled up to two, sometimes even three meters in height, the view was no less spectacular than without snow.

    When the girl turned around, she saw multiple lines of wooden and brick shops established on each side of the roads leading to the plaza. Each store was constructed in a traditional, historical format; clay roof tiles, vertical corner beams as well as diagonal plating for the walls, and a large signboard above the entrance to the store.

    Though the snow had quelled any business on Jiang''an''s streets, An Fei could easily visualize the streets packed to the brim with citizens dressed in antiquated styles of clothing, hustling and bustling around as they purchased perfume, books, and a various assortment of other items of interest.

    "Fourth Sister, don''t leave too far; you need to stay close to me, ah!"

    Wei Chang Luo''s worried voice rang from behind, snapping the girl from her reverie. Raising her head and turning around, An Fei discovered that she had been separated from the Second Young Master and her maidservants by a considerable distance, and multitudes of people were filling up the plaza.

    Clutching the hem of the linen coat shielding her from the cold, the girl quickly rushed towards the Second Young Master, reaching Xiao Ying and the others just as the sea of people reached their location.

    "Fourth Young Miss, are you alright?"

    Xiao Wen anxiously inquired, her eyes rapidly scanning An Fei''s appearance for any mishap. Noticing that her appearance was unchanged and that most importantly, the jade ornament replacing the second button was intact, the maidservant released a sigh of relief.

    "En." An Fei helplessly nodded. She really couldn''t say anything to defend herself, for she had nearly gotten lost on her own accord after drifting into thought.

    "Fourth Sister, remember to stay with Xiao Ying and Xiao Wen," Wei Chang Luo helpfully chimed in, reaching out to pat An Fei on the head but withdrawing at the last second.

    "Father has great influence in Jiang''an, but the opening ceremony of the Pagoda of Sun and Moon invites far too many people. If you''re not careful, something bad might happen!"

    The girl nodded again, wariness finally entering her eyes.

    "Second Brother¡­what is the opening ceremony of the Pagoda of Sun and Moon?"

    A soft, quiet voice trailed into Wei Chang Luo''s ears, the youth stiffening for several moments as his brain ground to a screeching halt. That mesmerizing voice was simply too soft and delicate, making the listener yearn to wrap the speaker in a warm embrace.

    Shaking his head and thinking over the contents of the girl''s question, the Second Young Master mulled over how to properly reply.

    "The Pagoda of Sun and Moon is¡­ figuratively and literally speaking, the greatest treasure of the entirety of Great Yong," he finally spoke, gazing deeply at An Fei with a solemn expression, all inclination towards frivolity nonexistent.

    "Each decade, the Pagoda opens only once, this time being a rare and unforeseen occasion. Usually, only two members from each household are permitted to enter, additionally only of the youngest generation. A son and daughter pair, and they are only permitted entry a single time."

    "The complete repository of the Pagoda is open to perusal for the officials and royalty, but we of the younger generations are only permitted to obtain a complete set of cultivation and martial arts techniques, no more. Hence, whatever we obtain from the Pagoda of Sun and Moon is fully left to chance and fate."

    "Left to chance?" An Fei asked, her brows furrowed in confusion. "If it''s such a large collection, how will a person find anything that''s suitable towards themselves?"

    "Hehe, everyone has a distinct spiritual fluctuation within their body, even if they never cultivate," the Second Young Master chuckled.

    "The cultivation technique and martial arts technique manuals will automatically respond to your spiritual trace once you get near. When you enter, you''ll understand."

    "But how will I know when-"

    "Look! The Sword Marquis'' youngest son, Young Master Jiang is here! And next to him is his younger sister as well!"

    "That rumored beauty? No way!"

    Before the girl could finish her question, a sudden surge welled within the crowd, the originally hushed voices rising into a furious uproar.

 48 The Pagoda of Sun and Moon 5

    "Jiang¡­ Yi Fan? Why is he here?"

    Wei Chang Luo murmured, turning around to glance at the source of the ruckus. There, two youths stood in a secluded region of the plaza, the crowd making way for a considerable berth.

    When he noticed that even more people near the fringes were pressing on to observe this so-called rumored beauty of the Sword Marquis, the Second Young Master of Wei quickly pulled An Fei and the maidservants to the side.

    "¡­Something wrong?"

    The girl gazed up towards him, a look of confusion clearly visible even with the presence of the veil. Wei Chang Luo shook his head before gesturing towards the maddened crowd, a helpless expression on his handsome countenance.

    "Staying within a crowd can be rather dangerous at times," he attempted to explain. "If you got caught up in there and were to be injured, how am I supposed to react to that?"

    "Oh¡­"

    An Fei softly murmured, lowering her head in response to Wei Chang Luo''s consolation. Obediently standing at the side of the plaza with the maidservants, the girl settled for twiddling with her thumbs, blowing on them in an attempt to ward from the cold weather.

    Be it here or back in the streets of China, the crowds were bound to be miserable-

    "Senior Brother!"

    A sudden exclamation resounded throughout the plaza, instantly drawing forth the crowd''s attention. The discussions that had surged within rapidly quelled, each person gazing at the handsome Young Master of the Sword Marquis dash towards a certain are of the figure.

    His countenance darkening as black lines crossed his forehead, the Second Young Master of Wei palmed his face with both hands.

    "Here it goes¡­"

    "Senior Brother! I didn''t think you were the one to come!"

    The energetic voice could be heard again, prompting An Fei to raise her head to gaze at the excited speaker. However, she quickly lowered her gaze back again, lines of laziness and boredom clearly etched on her face.

    Young Master Jiang was indeed handsome to the extent of causing uproars amongst others with a single glance. Dressed in a red scholar''s robe adorned with embroidery of tigers, luans, and a large, domineering vermillion bird etched across the back, the youth exuded a natural dominant aura, his gaze sharp and lofty.

    Thin lips and eyebrows, a pair of eyes capable of seeing the unseen and crossing the three bridges as well as the quirky smile on his countenance, the Youngest Master of the Sword Marquis'' manor was truly the capable man as the crowds had acclaimed.

    The girl besides him seemed no older than An Fei herself, and was covered in a pure white dress, her shoulder-length hair draped over her left shoulder in an adorable curl. Though her countenance was mostly obscured by a thick veil, the girl could be instantly labeled as a world-shaking beauty regardless of where she visited.

    That willow-like waist, the appearance and texture of the skin akin to a priceless artefact carved of suet jade, who wouldn''t desire to possess Standing by the handsome youth, the two painted a wonderful, picturesque demeanor that charmed the crowd, only¡­

    ¡­It was a pity that the youth who had imposed such a domineering aura and loftiness before the crowd, was currently fawning over a similar youth dressed in white and was attempting his best to hide his face as much as possible.

    Wei Chang Luo deeply desired for a veil, one just like the one Wei Xuan had given to his Fourth Sister!

    "Senior Brother, when did you return, ah?" Young Master Jiang continued to happily tirade on his own, not even waiting for a reply as he fired a barrage of questions.

    "If you returned, you should have told me! Ah, right, Elder Brother wanted me to tell you that the really exists, and that you should join him later to search for it! Right, right, right, Senior Brother, ah, just where did you get such a proficient cultivation technique as-"

    "Alright, Jiang Yi Fan, calm down already, will you?" The Second Young Master glared at the babbling youth through pried fingers.

    "You''re an esteemed Marquis'' son, and you''re still acting like that little junior at Han Lin Academy? You''re putting us to shame, ah!"

    "Hehe," the youth scratched his head, the cheerful smile causing many females within the crowd to redden. Turning around in a full circle to gaze at the streets covered with snow, Jiang Yi Fan sheepishly complained to Wei Chang Luo, even tugging on the latter''s wrist.

    "Senior Brother, ah, wasn''t it because you suddenly left without even letting the elder know?" he said in an aggrieved tone.

    "Your sudden departure enraged Elder Luo, and he took it all out on us! No time to cultivate, no time to recite poetry, all we were allowed to do was to repeat lines from the Texts of Orderly Behavior by that old maniac man!"

    "Later on, you have to help us find good techniques, ah! Even Senior Brother Peng is in dire need right now, especially since he started at a later time than the rest of us."

    Wei Chang Luo finally dropped his hands to his sides, giving the youth before him a stern glare. His handsome countenance had shed all pretense of frivolity and affection, leaving behind a cold expression displayed towards the crowd.

    "Don''t try to bring up such a method before me," he finally spoke in an expressionless tone. "You know the rules and punishments of the Pagoda of Sun and Moon. Do not try to create a scene, everything is mandated by your affinity towards cultivation."

    "Besides, I already informed and obtained the Headmaster''s approval before I left Han Lin Academy," the Second Young Master of Wei added. "Elder Luo going berserk has nothing to do with me."

    Jiang Yi Fan puffed his cheeks and curled his bottom lip into a respectable pout, but immediately wiped his facial expressions the instant Wei Chang Luo''s countenance began to darken. Releasing a sigh whilst shaking his head, the youth adopted a pitiful gaze.

    "Yeah, we can''t blame Senior Brother on Elder Luo''s irritation," he spoke in a wistful tone. "After all, that old man just discovered that his daughter had been constantly abused to death by her supposedly charming husband, not to mention being cheated on and disappointed on countless occasions."

    "It''s just that Elder Luo is venting his rage on us students! Just because Senior Sister Bing shared the same surname as that person, he beat her senseless!" the youth cried in anger.

    "But the Headmaster did nothing regarding that issue, merely brushing it off as ''accumulating experience''! What bullshit is that, I''m going to get my father to tear that place down if that old man continues to rampage around without a brain ¨C By the way, Senior Brother, who''s that besides you?"

    His gaze drifting as his emotions ran astray during his explanation, Jiang Yi Fan furrowed his brows upon noticing An Fei''s presence. The girl was dressed in a thick white coat of linen, and her entire body was covered to the extend that not even her forehead could be seen due to a large veil shrouding her countenance.

    The youth''s shock and curiosity only continued to grow after noticing that his stealthy attempt of piercing through the veil with spiritual essence was preemptively blocked and unable to even gain a single peek, that he nearly staggered backwards in his surprise.

    "My sister."

    Wei Chang Luo''s curt reply caused Jiang Yi Fan to blink on impulse. His hand gesturing towards the girl, the youth seemed at a loss for words.

    "Sister?" he finally stammered out, his doubt evident. "True, it would be her turn this time¡­ But I''ve never seen Little Sister Yan Yue wear a veil before, so why now?"

    Before anyone could say a second statement, the ground of the plaza lit up with a multicolored light, causing many within the crowd to duck and cover their eyes with their arms. Though her eyelids were securely shut to blot out the blinding light, An Fei could clearly see a mottled mix of colors, including red, green, blue, and even violet¡­

    "The Pagoda of Sun and Moon has opened!"

    A cry rang out within the crowd, uttered by someone who had managed to recover much faster than the rest¡­

 49 The Pagoda of Sun and Moon 6

    "The Pagoda actually opened so soon! The rumor wasn''t a lie after all!"

    A surprised person remarked after opening his eyes, baffled and excited at the same time. His arms waving in delight as his body was bathed in the multi-colored light, the male shouted with unrestrained glee, others soon joining as they themselves opened their eyes to take in the spectacular sight.

    "Haha! The opportunity bestowed by the Pagoda of Sun and Moon finally came in my lifetime!" A youth clenched his fist, blazing ardor swirling within his eyes. "The legendary path of cultivation and immortality is open to me!"

    "Supreme martial arts techniques, cultivation techniques that enables the practitioner to advance to the realm of the Nascent Soul!" Another person couldn''t contain his astonishment, his jaw dropping to the ground in awe.

    "If only I could manage to bring home such a technique¡­"

    "Fourth Sister! Fourth Sister, open your eyes, ah!"

    A voice rang besides the girl''s right ear, someone gently tugging away at the arms that covered her vision. Heeding the persuasive, warm voice, An Fei withdrew her arms and slowly opened her eyes, the beautiful countenance displaying an expression of astonishment soon after.

    "What¡­"

    The plaza hadn''t changed much since the appearance of the mysterious light of multiple colors. The snow-covered rooftops of the various stores and streets converging at the plaza, the cobbled stone ground that her feet currently stood on, everything was exactly the same.

    Only, the entire plaza was emitting a massive pillar of light. The towering pillar was mottled in color, the light fluctuating between different colors and shades every breath of time.

    Around the perimeter of the plaza, An Fei could see the rims of a complex, circular inscription, appearing rather similar to the fraternity or sonority emblems she had once seen before. On the outer rim of the plaza, an odd string of letters in an unknown language raced across the cobbled stone surface, closed in by another line of golden light.

    Turning her gaze around, the girl saw various hieroglyphs, unknown, ancient-appearing characters, and sometimes even the regular script she was well accustomed to. Nonetheless, the large gathering of people were boxed in the smallest circular region at the center of this unknown diagram.

    An Fei felt her heart weakly palpitate, her palms moistened by sweat. However, everyone else appeared to be incomparably excited, for even the Second Young Master of Wei, the Sword Marquis'' Youngest Master, and her own maidservants all displayed joyful and contented expressions on their respective countenances.

    "¡­Second Brother," the girl timidly called out, her hand tugging at Wei Chang Luo''s left sleeve. As the handsome youth looked in her direction in surprise, An Fei opened her mouth, mulling over her words for a moment before deciding to speak.

    "¡­What''s¡­ going on?" she asked, her voice plainly revealing her trepidation and apprehension. "This light, and this¡­ Why are everyone so excited?"

    "Huh?" Wei Chang Luo gaped in surprise, before nodding his head in understanding. Reaching out to grasp the girl''s arm, the youth began to patiently explain.

    "This is the formation that signifies the opening of the Pagoda of Sun and Moon, of which the empire''s greatest repository of cultivation and martial arts techniques is located," he gestured towards the mysterious and slightly frightening diagram on the ground and the pillar of light.

    "As for why the people are cheering, it''s because the time for opportunity within the road of cultivation is narrow and rigid. The earlier one begins to cultivate after attaining the age of fifteen years old for males and fourteen years for females, the better end result."

    "Since the Pagoda only opens once a decade, this abnormal circumstance is truly the lifesaver for several of the people here, if not most of them. After all, mortals only get one chance at life!"

    "One chance at life¡­" An Fei murmured under her breath, her gaze glossed over as she lowered her gaze towards the ground. Before she could ask the question that had just rose to the surface of her mind, the crowd suddenly burst into another furor.

    "The Pagoda''s elder! The Pagoda of Sun and Moon''s elder is here!"

    "Finally! Since there hasn''t been any statement, we can assume the rules will be the same as last decade, right?" A middle-aged man tentatively murmured to himself, his fingers fidgeting underneath his scholar''s robes.

    "Pei! Isn''t it common knowledge that the requirements of entering the Pagoda of Sun and Moon is different each time it opens?"

    A nearby man who had heard that muffled comment snorted in disdain towards the speaker.

    "From how you speak, this must be your second time entering, eh? Let''s see what the elder will do to you if you dare sneak in!"

    "What, you want to call me out!?" the man dressed in the scholarly robes scoffed in response.

    "This isn''t your first time either! You dare expose me, I''ll drag you with me!"

    "...Silence!"

    An aged voice resounded throughout the entire plaza, the seemingly quiet sound booming in a deafening roar in each person''s ears.

    As the crowd''s discussions gradually quelled, an old man dressed in a flowing, seamless purple robe walked towards the center of the plaza. Noticing the three-patterned lotus embroidered on his chest and the gold-silver staff held in his right hand, the crowd quickly parted to allow the man through.

    Cough!

    "The Pagoda of Sun and Moon shall open at this moment until the closing of dawn," the old man stroked his beard as he spoke, standing in a stead manner in the center of the plaza. Not a single person dared gather close as they silently observed his every movement, several displaying expressions of dumbstruck awe and fanaticism.

    "The rules of this time''s opening are as follows," the senior continued, his left hand sweeping across the plaza.

    "First, only one cultivation technique is permitted per person. The same applies for martial arts techniques. Upon selecting your technique, each person must register with a member of the Pagoda to receive an authentic copy. The extraction of original tomes and manuals are not permitted. You have been warned."

    A tender-faced youth slowly raised his hand whilst trembling in order to ask a question, only to have his arm clamped to his sides as the people nearby quickly moved to suppress his actions. As the youth stared in confusion, one of the people nearby shook their heads, evident fear swamped within their gaze.

    "Second, you may not attempt to plunder, or snatch a manual or technique from another''s possession. Any attempt to do so is punishable by death regardless of your identity!" The aged man''s sonorous voice rang in the people''s ears.

    "Third! Those who had already entered the Pagoda the last time it had opened, scram or dare face this old man''s wrath!"

    As the words reverberated in the plaza, An Fei spotted a couple people sneaking out of the diagram of light''s boundary out of the corner of her eye, causing the girl to furrow her brows in confusion.

    ¡­Weren''t these rules pertaining to a library of books? Why were they¡­ so strict and restrictive?

    Before the girl could obtain her answer, the elder abruptly lifted the staff into the air, a golden light blazing towards the sky from its tip. Similarly, a silver light rapidly descended from the bottom of the staff to merge with the mysterious diagram of light fluctuating on the surface of the plaza.

    "Open! Abode of the Immortal of the East!"

    With a sonorous cry, the old man rapidly spun the staff over his head thrice, the silver-gold staff swept over his shoulders, releasing a brilliant radiance that covered the entire plaza. Slamming the staff''s tip onto the cobbled surface of the plaza, the diagram fluctuating on the ground shattered into pieces, the fragments scattering across the air.

    "The sky! The sky!"

    "...look, the ground, the plaza! Everything is changing!"

    "Wha¡­" An Fei mumbled, her eyes widened in surprise. Wasn''t this scene rather familiar to her¡­?

    The instant the staff''s tip struck the ground, the entire plaza''s appearance warped, the atmosphere dissolving into a mottled blur of colors that swept past her and the crowd. As the girl watched with increasing familiarity, the world slowly gave way to reveal the interior of a grand library.

    As the transformation commenced, the library swallowed the plaza whole, covering the sky and even the sun.

 50 The Pagoda of Sun and Moon 7

    As the plaza gave way to reveal the compact region of space hidden underneath, a dazzling sight gradually made itself present before the crowd.

    A sea of books, if spoken with frankness. The bookshelves towered towards the sky, multiple platforms and ladders having been established just to allow the readers to access the higher levels. Simply turning in a full direction would reveal that they were confined within what truly constituted as an ocean of knowledge.

    Tens of thousands of books could only be considered a minimum estimate. After a quick survey of the library that was intent on swallowing the plaza whole, An Fei estimated well over a hundred thousand books to be a conservative approximation at the most.

    Clink!

    The platforms were supported by various rows of chains as they stretched over their heads, casting a massive shadow over their bodies. As the crowd looked up towards the enormous slab of granite extend over their head and blot out the remainder of the library from their vision, each and every person revealed a collective sigh.

    This was far too grand, ah!

    After what seemed to have been ages, a resounding boom followed by an intense vibration struck the floor, startling several people and causing them to drop onto the ground. Assisted by the two maidservants as they carefully lifted her back into a standing position, An Fei allowed her eyes to roam.

    From one side to the end, turning a full circle, one could see a perfect row of bookshelves. Towering four meters in height with eight rows of books stretching across the entire base floor, one could see several ladders placed at periodic distances solely for the purpose of assisting in accessing the archived books.

    The center of the ground platform supported dozens of tables of various woods including acacia, sandalwood, mahogany, ashwood, blackwood, and several others An Fei could not recognize. On the surface of the granite platform resting above themselves, several gold and copper chandeliers drooped downwards, supporting dozens of blue orbs of light that casted a cheery glow onto the ground floor.

    Every table supported at least one person dressed with a three-patterned lotus decorating their chest just like the wizened old man before them; these people hunkered down at each table with at least seven to eight books, reading, arguing amongst oneselves, and causing the eyes each and every person in the crowd to glaze scarlet with envy.

    How they wished to be one of those people! Then they wouldn''t have to wait a decade to enter this paradise, especially when they received a single opportunity in their lifetime!

    "We''re here," the elder waved his staff as he calmly spoke towards the anguished crowd behind him. The gold and silver staff struck the ground once, a clear, heavy sound resounding within the area.

    "Only six hours are allotted to your exploration. One cultivation technique, one martial arts technique. If you fail to register your set of techniques within the time limit, then you will not be permitted to retain whatever you have collected during this time. Additionally, if you antagonize any of the people here, the Three Lotus Sect is not responsible for any losses or death!"

    Finished speaking in a languished voice, the elder withdrew the staff and strode towards a segment of the bookshelves on the wall. Extracting a good dozen books and plopping himself onto a seat nearby, the old man opened a book and began to read, his solemn countenance easing into a relaxed smile before the crowd.

    Their throats parched as they glared at the sea of books before them, but none could muster the courage to reach out and touch.

    "This¡­ we''re¡­ allowed to go and search, right?" a middle-aged man voiced their thoughts, his speech quivering and trailing by the second.

    "The Esteemed Senior¡­ gave his permission, right?"

    "That''s right, the Esteemed Senior only said six hours, and didn''t give us a time limit!" Another joined in, his enthusiasm surging towards the peak.

    "Gentlemen, Esteemed Ladies, I say we don''t stand here as bumpkins and search for the golden feast! Each to their own accord, but do not become barbaric savages!"

    "Agreed! Each to their own, but retain civility!"

    Emboldened by the two rallying cries, one courageous and the other cowardly, the crowd rushed forward to scrounge throughout the rows upon rows of books displayed before them. Soon enough, the current of people trickled down to reveal four young figures standing at their original positions, albeit three were slightly downtrodden.

    "Fourth Sister, this is where we''ll part for six hours," Wei Chang Luo gave the girl before him an affectionate pat on the head, before directing a stern glance to the two maidservants behind the girl.

    "Take care of her safety. I don''t want to see my Fourth Sister injured because of your carelessness, nor do I want to face Father''s insane wrath if that such a circumstance was to happen."

    "...understood!"

    Xiao Ying and Xiao Wen bowed in a deferential manner, all traces of flippancy removed from their countenance. Peering at them in curiosity, An Fei had the premonition that their attitude and personality had transitioned to something unbeknownst to her.

    Cold, indifferent, and mechanical. The joyous and passionate expressions that she had come to witness every moment had been completely hidden from view, revealing a blank but indestructible slate.

    It was as if¡­ they resembled the psychopathic killers that she had used to hear in the news many times?

    Nodding in approval, the Second Young Master of Wei waved before departing towards a far corner of the library. A moment after, Xiao Ying reached with her right hand to gently grasp An Fei''s hand, startling the young girl.

    "Fourth Young Miss, this way."

    "Ah? Oh¡­ but shouldn''t we start there?"

    Tugged towards the obscure ladder hanging on the wall near the farthest corner of the ground platform, An Fei released a muffled sound of surprise at Xiao Ying''s sudden actions. Her head turning towards the trail of bookshelves surrounding them, the girl couldn''t help but retain an expression of confusion.

    "There are far too many people. The Fourth Young Miss won''t be able to find anything of much use on the first few platforms anyways." Xiao Wen curtly replied.

    "Oh¡­ how did you know?"

    An Fei asked in an awkward tone as she noticed upon a second inspection that the seemingly vacant bookshelves were fully occupied by hundreds of people ¨C the same people that had earlier formed the crowd in the plaza. Unfortunately, she didn''t receive a reply from the maidservant.

    Other than the Youngest Master and the Youngest Miss of the Sword Marquis, Wei Chang Luo, and a few others, the majority of the crowd was teeming at the ground layer of the library, scouring the sea of books. Oftentimes, a few people would enter into an argument debating who decided to obtain which technique, with small occasions of boisterous waving of fists, but with no contact.

    Nobody dared disobey the rules established by the elderly man, hence everything was to be solved by a mean expression and persuasive wordplay.

    Her hand now grasping onto a horizontal copper rod, An Fei looked upwards to see a dark vertical chamber gracing her vision. With a hearty sigh that brought some confusion to the maidservants guarding her sides, the girl gripping onto the rung of the ladder with a venomous intent as she began to climb.

    Another ladder that simply invited for pain solely from its sheer, menacing appearance, but hopefully it wasn''t as miserable as she thought it to be¡­

    At least not as miserable as the ladder she had climbed in the palace of sky blue crystal¡­

 51 A Touch With Arrogance, A Step Into Cultivation 1

    "Not this one! Fourth Young Miss, the platform after the next," Xiao Ying''s cautionary voice rang in the girl''s ears as the maidservant climbed underneath the girl.

    "This one is the eighth platform, which means that this is merely the first layer of three of the archives. To start searching for what the Fourth Young Miss is looking for, we would have to reach the tenth platform at the least."

    "Hah¡­ is there¡­ really a need for all of this?" the girl panted as she reached for the next rung. "Can''t I just take-"

    "Absolutely not!"

    Xiao Wen''s voice was muffled as it rang from slightly below Xiao Ying, but sufficient enough to properly convey the stern intent concealed underneath. "If the Fourth Young Miss selects any random set of techniques, that will be akin to crippling one''s life before even being born."

    An Fei inwardly groaned as she listened to the maidservant continue to grumble about the strict selection regarding cultivation and martial arts techniques. Though she tried to blot out Xiao Wen''s droning voice as she continued to climb, it persistently drilled at her mind, forcing her to accept the contents with reluctance.

    If one was of an unsuitable attribute, it could cause scarring or unwanted, permanent change to the body.

    If it was lacking in the defined stages, one''s cultivation could only cut short and await a violent death.

    If one selected a technique whose initial tempering or establishment of foundations were lacking or far too difficult, it could result in a gruesome, painful death.

    If, if, if.

    ¡­she still didn''t even know enough information regarding cultivation at its fundamentals, alright!?

    Moreover, she had even less information regarding the prerequisites to even selecting a so-called suitable technique!

    Everyone, from Father Wei Xuan, Second Brother Wei Chang Luo, and even her maidservants Xiao Ying and Xiao Wen; all continued to speak in that aggravating, ambiguous tone that once she entered, she would understand immediately!

    Well she had entered this glorified Pagoda of Sun and Moon, the treasured library of this Great Yong, and she still didn''t understand, ah!

    Fuming in her heart, the girl still found the emotional strength and patience within herself to assess and compare the library in the Pagoda of Sun and Moon to the one in the crystal palace.

    ¡­if she were to start, she could only say that though visually grandiose, the library contained within the Pagoda of Sun and Moon was lackadaisical compared to the archives in the palace of sky-blue crystal. Not only was the sheer volume of books different, she had yet to be swarmed by the vibrant, multicolored light that she had discovered within the mysterious region.

    The books, as vast as the seas as they were, were considerably silent compared to the storm of lights that welcomed her in the library contained within the palace. Though a similar glow existed in a select few, they were akin to flickering sparks compared to the consistent glow she had witnessed.

    ¡­at least the saving grace of the library here was that she didn''t feel out of breath.

    Though she still felt the fatigue begin to encroach onto her mind, An Fei was nowhere near as exhausted or drained as her previous attempt to blindly climb a ladder.

    She had Xiao Ying to thank for that.

    Throughout the inexplicable and bizarre combination of physical torture in the form of exercise compounded with a blissful massage to tantalize the mind, the maidservant had forcibly increased An Fei''s constitution by several folds. Though slightly subpar to her previous body''s performance, the girl was still blithely satisfied with her newly acquired physique.

    Although how much of the torture was exercise and not a certain maidservant''s attempts of molesting her Young Miss, that was a story for the future.

    "Xiao Ying¡­ are you sure¡­ that it is this¡­ one?"

    Words spewed out of her mouth through clenched teeth as An Fei finally stopped methodically climbing the egregiously long ladder, her head turned towards her right. There, a granite platform protruded from the wall, revealing a wooden door dimly lit by a pair of merrily blazing torches.

    On the side of the oaken door was the number ''ten'', painted in bold and careless strokes. Glad to be freed from the arduous task of ladder climbing, the girl slung her leg onto the platform, massaging her sore neck as she stared daggers at the door.

    "That¡­seems to be the right platform¡­" Xiao Ying affirmed as she assisted Xiao Wen onto the platform. Taking a step forward with her right foot, the maidservant carefully but surely pushed the wooden door inward, revealing a similar sea of books as that of the ground floor.

    If she hadn''t seen the number ''ten'' on the door beforehand nor have any knowledge of climbing upwards, An Fei could easily have mistaken the tenth platform as the ground floor. The structure, spacing of the tables, and the appearance of the bookshelves, every aspect of the two platforms were nearly identical.

    ¡­in her defense, they appeared to be practically the same in appearance. When expanded to the size of a football field and asked to differentiate between the placement of objects no larger than an adult''s palm, the conclusion would almost always result in the two locations being identical.

    Slowly striding to the nearest row of bookshelves, An Fei nonchalantly pulled a book out of the shelf, inspecting it with a mixture of scrutiny and boredom. Her fingers stroked the blued leather cover of the book, her gaze naturally falling onto the title embroidered with emboldened, golden strands of silk.

    "¡­" the girl read, her countenance displaying a splendid, dumbfounded expression. Unable to process her thoughts for a brief moment, An Fei stood in silence as the maidservants argued amongst themselves regarding a seemingly inconsequential topic of discussion, before bursting into action.

    "...Fourth Young Miss!?"

    Her arms darting all over the place, An Fei quickly amassed a stack of books at the edge of a nearby table, collecting a total of two dozen books. She had picked them in random order, simply selecting by an unknown whim.

    Reaching for the rows on the sides, above and below, even rising onto the tips of her toes and squatting down to grab at a book that she found visually interesting. Splaying the meagre collection of books on the table, the girl began to trace her fingers over the neatly ordered covers of the books, her mouth moving as she silently mouthed the titles of each.

    "."

    "."

    "."

    "."

    ¡­

    "

    ."

    "."

    "¡­ what the heck?"

    Though neither Xiao Ying nor Xiao Wen could guess at An Fei''s expression due to the veil obscuring even the most miniscule of detail regarding her facial appearance, the maidservants acutely sensed the Fourth Young Miss'' mood plummet to rock bottom.

    Out of sheer impulse, Xiao Ying walked towards An Fei''s side to determine what had gone wrong ¨C only to have her expression similarly become downtrodden and disgusted upon reading the title on the book with the lavish, goldleaf cover.

    "Sister Ying, something wrong?"

    Xiao Wen asked in a tentative manner as she gazed at the maidservant and Young Miss exacerbating their gloomy atmosphere without exchanging a single word. However, without giving anyone the chance to say a single word, Xiao Ying snatched the golden book, before slotting it back into the bookshelf with an audible slam.

    "The writer needed to work on naming a technique," the maidservant scathed before opening one of the books in the collection An Fei had scattered across the table.

    ", not a bad technique. It''s a pity that-"

    "¡­you actually agree with it?" The young girl suddenly recovered, abruptly interrupting Xiao Ying''s words in a loud voice. "The name doesn''t appear strange whatsoever?"

    The instant she blurted out, An Fei regretted deeply.

    For not only did Xiao Ying and Xiao Wen direct a weird stare in her direction, even the two young scholars dressed in a three-patterned lotus nearby who had inadvertently eavesdropped on her scantily concealed outburst, stared at her with a strange expression.

    "The naming of this technique is adequately ordinary, there isn''t anything strange."

    Four voices simultaneously rang as one after a brief moment of repose, though two seemed more intoxicated than conscious¡­

 52 A Touch With Arrogance, A Step Into Cultivation 2

    The naming convention was considered ordinary¡­

    The revelation struck An Fei with the striking force of a sledgehammer, causing the girl to stare at the array of books in a dumb manner. Her mouth agape, she wondered amongst the people here whether she was insane, or they were.

    ¡­an instant later, she decided with conviction that she was the one insane.

    ", not a bad technique, hm," one of the young scholars dressed in the three-patterned lotus approached An Fei and the maidservants.

    Raising the blue leather-bound book to carefully examine it, the scholar pondered for a moment with furrowed brows before handing it to a nonchalant Xiao Wen.

    ", revolving spiritual essence through a cyclidic pattern spanning several acupuncture points in the feet to achieve an instantaneous, temporary increase in speed. Not a bad technique that possesses potential for until the Core Formation Stage, but¡­"

    "Something wrong?" Xiao Ying asked in doubt, gazing deeply at the book in Xiao Wen''s hands.

    ", though created for both genders, will cripple females upon practicing the technique beyond the third stage," the other scholar sighed, shaking his head.

    "The Eight Winds acupuncture point is significantly weaker in females compared to males; this acupuncture point is significant and plays a central role in the , particularly in the fourth to seventh layers of the technique. Though there have been a lucky few female practitioners who had survived the stress concentrated at that single point and advanced their technique, it''s advised not to partake in such a risk."

    "¡­thank you," An Fei finally replied after sinking into a brief moment of thought. However, the girl quickly raised her head to gaze at the two scholars through the veil in doubt.

    "Why are generous to strangers you''ve never met? It can''t be that-"

    "Hehe, there''s no need to question or motives," the scholar on the left chuckled, an innocent smile decorating his stalwart countenance.

    "We''re just adepts here, so we have considerable amounts of free time. Additionally, by explaining concepts to you, we can similarly learn and reflect on any hidden mistakes. After all, our greatest pursuit as scholars is knowledge."

    Xiao Wen raised an eyebrow at the statement, but shrugged after being unable to detect any fallacy in the young scholar''s words. Turning to the vast array of books strewn across the table, the maidservant swept her arm across the entire collection.

    "Can you help us determine what these techniques entail as well?"

    "Of course," the scholar on the right smiled, before picking up a green, fabric-bound book that was as thin as a fingernail''s width.

    ". A technique based on the enhancement of the Governing Meridian within the body, with the intention of accelerating the absorption of spiritual essence and circulating it throughout the body at times of need. Honestly, however, outside of the meagre supplementary effects, the technique provides no benefit beyond the Foundation Establishment Realm."

    "¡­ quite a mysterious technique in pure honesty. There''s only two layers within the technique, one to draw and combat with the jian at close range, and the other is to control the sword from afar. However, the major drawback is its unknown and ridiculous unpredictability; you can have a practitioner fail to achieve any sufficient combat ability with this technique, or succeed in slaughtering Core Formation and even early Nascent Soul cultivators with ease."

    ". Completely unsuitable for females, for this technique is far too aggressive in nature. Acclimating oneself to the strict training regimes imposes great bodily risk to a female practitioner especially in structure and appearance, and for a delicate Young Miss, this technique is calling for suicide."

    ¡­

    "¡­ a sword technique that concentrates spiritual essence along a thin line to perform a killing blow¡­ but... is the Young Miss truly interested in wielding a heavy broadsword?"

    The young scholar asked, his countenance displaying an expression of interest as he played with the gold-covered book. Hearing the description, An Fei had no choice but to shake her head.

    ¡­why were all of the techniques she had chosen either established for men, or for others unlike her physique and constitution?

    "Thank you for taking the time to explain all of these techniques," Xiao Ying courteously thanked the two young scholars. Pursing her lip for a few moments, the maidservant then dipped into a low curtsey, her head lowered with a tinge of shame.

    "Then can the two esteemed scholars¡­ recommend a set of techniques for our Young Miss to practice?"

    The two scholars were slightly taken aback at the sudden request issued by Xiao Ying, not to mention An Fei and Xiao Wen who stood by the maidservant''s side. However, to their great surprise, both scholars nodded in acquiescence after glancing at each other and silently deliberating for several moments.

    "Then we''ll happily partake in such a delightful offer! The three of you still have two and a half sichen remaining to select a set of cultivation and martial arts techniques, that''s aplenty for us to recommend a technique or two. Furthermore, a beauty to chat with, and pursuing knowledge at the same time, our meagre desires are wholesomely fulfilled!"

    An Fei revealed a wry smile that was hidden behind the veil, and proceeded to help Xiao Ying gently slot the books back into their respective locations on the bookshelf.

    Noticing their actions, the two scholars couldn''t help but display a look of admiration and approval, and their attitude became much more warmer and cordial.

    -

    "To be completely honest, however," the scholar leading in the front helplessly remarked with a desolate expression.

    His partner would occasionally extract a book from the shelves they passed, take a fleeting glance at An Fei, then slot it back in with a helpless shake of the head.

    "The techniques contained within the first ten levels of the repository are simply far too lackadaisical and meagre compared to those located on the eleventh through fifteenth floors. However, those who possess the permission to enter such a forbidden region are restricted a figure countable on a single hand. Even if we''ve joined the Three Lotus Sect since a young age, more than a decade ago, we still haven''t even obtained a glimpse of those sacred floors."

    "¡­not even members of the sect guarding the library can enter?" An Fei asked in curiosity.

    "Then how¡­"

    "Hehe," the other scholar replied with a joking smile that contained hints of self-deprecation.

    "Not even our Sect Master can dream of touching those upper layers, much less us insignificant little scholars. But none of that! Young Miss, do you have a preference on a cultivation technique or martial arts technique?"

    The girl mutely shook her head, causing the group to freeze and stare deeply at her, their countenances unnatural and rather complex.

    "¡­none at all?" The leading scholar asked, his forehead visibly quivering with an indescribable expression.

    When An Fei blindly shook her head for the second time, the two maidservants and the two scholars all palmed their face. Letting out a puff of depressed air, the four abruptly dashed to a different region of the vast platform, leaving a befuddled An Fei completely alone.

    "¡­did I say something wrong¡­?"

    Tilting her head in confusion, the girl could only shake her head and shrug to herself after the noticeable and obvious lack of a response. Turning around to face the wall of books facing resolutely back towards her, An Fei pushed her bottom lip into an adorable pout.

    ¡­not like anyone could see it.

    Sighing to herself, the girl carefully approached the bookshelf directly before her, her eyes scrutinizing each book crammed within the mahogany case. Some books appeared to contain a few pages at maximum; others spanned several centimeters in thickness, giving the menacing impression of a hefty textbook.

    However, the colored light that she had hopefully expected was not present in any of the shelved books but one.

    The cover was plated in a silver material with leather bindings clasping each end. From the stamped letters on the cover, a faint and pale cyan radiance was exuded from the book and captured within An Fei''s anticipatory gaze.

    Just from the sheer width alone, An Fei could easily estimate the book to contain well over several hundred pages of information¡­

    "¡­?"

    Her interest whetted by the title of the book and the presence of a colored light, An Fei reached out with her right hand to grasp the thick book by its spine. Just as her fingers were about to touch the silvery spine of the book, a cold voice rang out behind her.

    "Halt. That cultivation and martial arts technique belongs to me."

    Her fingers freezing on the surface of the leather and silver cover of the manual, An Fei''s gaze rotated to settle on a woman in a pure white dress, her beautiful countenance partially obscured by a thick veil of a fabric as white as snow.

    ¡­wasn''t this the ''rumored beauty'' of the Sword Marquis''s manor, the one who had stood next to the considerably pesky Jiang Yi Fan?

 53 A Touch With Arrogance, A Step Into Cultivation 3

    "¡­why?"

    An Fei quietly murmured, the pair of scarlet irises half-lidded in confusion. Though she turned around to face the Youngest Miss of the Sword Marquis'' manor, the girl refused to retract her hand from the thick book with the silver and leather cover.

    "Why do you ask why?" the Youngest Miss of the Sword Marquis raised an eyebrow in slight contempt, her voice cold and flat without the slightest inflection.

    "The elder that opened the Pagoda of Sun and Moon dictated that nobody possesses the right to forcefully obtain a cultivation technique selected by another. Since I laid claims upon the set of cultivation and martial arts techniques prior to you, it belongs to me. Why adopt such a fussy tone?"

    "¡­because not a single soul heard your claim?" An Fei helplessly stated, her forehead beginning to crease as an ominous premonition filled her mind.

    Her fingers tightening their grip on the spine of the book, the girl gently tugged, pulling the book a centimeter out of the bookshelf.

    "...stop!"

    A loud outburst erupted from the girl in the pure white dress, startling a great number of people nearby. The scholars, young and old, adorned with the embroidered three-lotus pattern gathered to inspect the scene with great interest instead of tending to their tasks, their gazes flickering between the two beautiful and veiled women.

    "Didn''t I tell you to stop? Daring to continue to act insolently upon another person''s property, do you truly have so much courage?"

    The young girl in the white dress scoffed with a glacial tone, a volatile rage swirling within her exposed eyes as she pointed towards An Fei''s fingers. An Fei paused for to look at the book for a brief moment, before her soft voice wormed into everyone''s ears.

    "¡­But you don''t own this book; the technique belongs to the Pagoda of Sun and Moon," the girl quietly spoke, the fingers of her right hand drumming on the closed pages of the book.

    "Furthermore, all we receive after claiming a technique is an authentic, transcribed copy, hence this book¡­ doesn''t belong to you? Since the ownership of a technique is determined only at the final stages, how could it ever belong to you when you haven''t even raised the notion of registering the cultivation technique?"

    "Well said!"

    One of the spectating scholars gently clapped his hands, his voice offering praise. As the others quickly joined in of their approval, the Youngest Miss of the Sword Marquis twisted the hem of her dress in agitation, grinding her teeth.

    However, the fury soon calmed and ebbed to reveal a tranquil ocean, and the girl reached out to tap the surface of a nearby table.

    "I won''t refute that," she hissed in a provocative manner, the venom concealed within the pair of glaring eyes. Stroking the ashwood table with her fingers, the girl stared deeply at An Fei with narrowed eyes.

    "However, will you be capable of taking the book from the Pagoda of Sun and Moon whilst retaining your life? Since you haven''t touched the slightest layers of cultivation, can you truly survive with such a heavy treasure?"

    "Why not seek a different technique?"

    An Fei''s eyebrows creased into a deep frown, returning a similar gaze.

    "There are hundreds of thousands of cultivation techniques as well as martial arts techniques, must you fight over a single book with me, an inconsequent passerby?"

    Although it was impossible for the onlookers to determine what expression the girl in the linen coat was displaying, the scholars still felt considerably stifled in their chests. The soft, irresistible voice tugged at the heart, perfectly embedding the girl''s discontent directly into the minds of the scholars.

    Ting!

    However, none of them could have imagined the girl in the white dress to suddenly withdraw a steel dagger from a well concealed pocket alongside the exterior of her sash. A cold, silver flash of light arced around the girl''s figure before stabbing deeply into the ashwood table, the pommel of the dagger supported by a dainty, fair-skinned hand.

    "Because I have the strength!" the young maiden scowled behind the partial veil.

    "Since this is your first step into the long-winding path of cultivation, then let me teach you a lesson."

    "The path of cultivation to a fierce jungle in the wilderness. If you don''t possess the necessary requirements upon birth, then you are forever destined to be suppressed by others!"

    ¡­was a fourteen-year-old dainty little girl supposed to be this violent?

    An Fei couldn''t help but wonder as she stared at the steel blade of the dagger piercing the table. The sheer speed and lack of hesitation behind the girl''s slash, though it lacked a target, the simple display of her intention of killing was sufficient to engender a tinge of wariness within her gaze.

    There wasn''t a true malicious intent within the gaze of the Youngest Miss of the Sword Marquis, but simply childlike arrogance and pride.

    Arrogance and pride were not necessarily lethal to those nearby, but could mutate into a terrifying and unstoppable existence if allowed to flourish without restraint. Within the heart of the girl in the white dress, An Fei could perceive exactly just that.

    "This¡­" a middle-aged scholar adorned with the three-lotus symbol tentatively spoke up from the side, directing a conciliatory gaze towards the Youngest Miss of the Sword Marquis.

    "Young Miss, ah, can you be a little understanding and relinquish the manual? The little lass is right, for if you think about it, outsiders who are permitted to browse the repository''s initial collection can only assert ownership of a cultivation or martial arts technique when they receive the authentic copy."

    "¡­"

    Observing that the young girl in the white dress did not utter a single word, the scholar boldly took a step forward, tucking his book under his arm.

    "If the Three Lotus Sect didn''t have such a rule, there would simply be chaos everywhere," the scholar gently consoled, extending his right hand to pry the dagger from the ashwood table.

    "Young Miss, you see here, the path of cultivation also places great emphasis on the heart."

    "Accumulating vengeful acts will stain even the purest of hearts, and there are countless examples of such circumstance. The lass over there should have lived amongst far more suffering than you have, so why don''t you be a little generous and relinquish the ? In exchange, how about us scholars assist you in finding a more suitable set of cultivation and martial arts techniques in recompense, ah?"

    The Sword Marquis'' youngest daughter bit her lip as her fury threatened to spill over at the scholar''s words, the dainty hands curling into tight fists. While the girl in the white dress was sorely attempting to maintain her clean appearance, An Fei couldn''t suppress the urge to look down to assess herself.

    ¡­from what the middle-aged scholar was saying to pacify the young girl, how come An Fei now appeared as though a beggar''s daughter?

    A thick padded coat of white linen fabric that functioned similar to a robe, covering her entire body and even extending below her knees. Underneath was a layer of outdoor clothing of a plain hazel color, though she wasn''t exactly certain on the fabric used.

    However, though her appearance was rather ordinary and visually unappealing compared to the Youngest Miss of the Sword Marquis and her stunning figure and white dress, it shouldn''t be to the extent of being labeled as a child raised in suffering?

    Though An Fei indeed had to concede that compared to the marquis'' daughter''s figure and stature, she herself did appear quite malnourished with her noticeable shorter height and exceedingly thin frame¡­

    And her voice.

    With no doubt, her voice and its texture as though running through a sea of gossamer strands of silk posed quite a drastic issue for the girl. If even the scholars obsessed with reading books about mysticism and the arcane could direct bewitched looks towards her after hearing her voice, then An Fei didn''t want to imagine what would occur if she were to speak in public.

    ¡­would she be mauled and kidnapped by a group of nasty people?

    "I¡­"

    "Oh? Who''s acting contemptuously before my Xun''er?"

    Before the marquis'' daughter could say a single word, a sharp voice tore through the ranks of the spectating scholars as each of them released an involuntary but notably visible shudder. Some of the weak-willed individuals even began to fidget in anxiety, their eyes darting around as if seeking a path of escape.

    Akin to being pushed apart by a mysterious, unstoppable force, the young and old scholars near the fringe of the crowd quickly gave way to the newcomer, soon revealing a mature woman standing a few meters before An Fei.

 54 A Touch With Arrogance, A Step Into Cultivation 4

    "Third Aunt!"

    "Fourth Young Miss!"

    "Young Miss!"

    The Young Miss of the Sword Marquis suddenly released a relieved cry, rushing into the embrace of the mature woman who had just made her presence known. Similarly, two maidservants and two young scholars rushed through the crowd to arrive before An Fei.

    Each hugged a bundle of books to their chest as they heavily panted before the slightly bemused girl. Neither maidservant nor scholar attempted to display any of the books they had plundered from the library, instead craning their heads to observe the ''newcomer''.

    An Fei did indeed observe that once the two young scholars'' gaze focused onto the mature woman, their bodies fiercely trembled as if given a powerful shock.

    "Xun''er has anyone been bullying you?"

    The mature woman crooned as she ran her fingers through the young girl''s hair, wrapping the quivering bundle into a warm embrace. Ignoring the looks directed towards her by the observing scholars, maidservant, or a disgruntled Young Miss, the woman slowly continued to console the Sword Marquis''s youngest daughter.

    "Xun''er, Xun''er, ah! Be brave and quickly confess who attempted to hurt you. Auntie will seek the necessary amends for you, so be good and stop crying, alright?"

    "Her¡­ She was the one who disdained me¡­" the young girl shook in the mature woman''s embrace as she pointed in An Fei''s direction.

    "The technique of my mother¡­ I finally found it after searching for so long, b-but this girl! Sh-she refuses to let me take it, saying that I don''t have any right and that the manual is her property!"

    "¡­"

    The young girl in the white dress blubbered as she tearfully ''confessed'', rending both the crowd and An Fei into an awkward silence. Thirty-five pairs of eyes clashed in the atmosphere, each effused with a sufficient dose of bemusement and exasperation.

    ¡­where had the arrogant, cold and indifferent beauty that cared not a whit about others'' considerations gone? Why did it seem as if the young lass before them was being pinpointed as a scapegoat for one''s tardiness?

    "This¡­"

    An elderly scholar seemed to find this matter intolerable as he stepped forward to gaze deeply at the mature woman. As if his gaze could see through everything, the pair of lucid eyes never left the young girl''s countenance.

    "Elder Jiang, are you truly going to act whilst disregarding your conscience just based on this girl''s words?" the old man finally spoke, his voice raspy and halting.

    However, all he received in return was a disdainful smirk.

    "Of course. Though my Xun''er won''t be exempt from punishment if she ended up telling a lie, removing the blight to the Jiang Family''s reputation possesses a far greater priority!"

    The mature woman sneered at An Fei, the tantalizing lips rising into a derisive curve. Giving the young girl in the white dress a tight embrace, the woman strode towards An Fei with her chin raised, a scornful gleam within her gaze.

    "A beggar''s child dares to slight Xun''er of her mother''s possessions? This elder must commend your courage, though this is the wrong location to flaunt your ignorance!"

    "¡­why is the Fourth Young Miss of the Wei Family considered a beggar''s child?"

    Xiao Wen blurted out in a muffled yet clearly audible, her eyes flaring with cold anger.

    "The Jiang Family doesn''t possess the face required to slight the Wei Family as such, does it?"

    "Hehe, if this were the outskirts of even the central streets of Jiang''an, then perhaps we would have to bow and scrape to your little runt of a girl," the woman chuckled, the contempt in her voice magnifying with each word.

    "However, this is the Pagoda of Sun and Moon. Your Wei Family, unfortunately, does not have any influence in here, whereas I possess the sole authority regarding the initial repository. How is that for an explanation, little servant girl?"

    An Fei opened her mouth to quickly rebut in face of the mature woman''s openly issued declaration of abusing her authority, yet one of the youthful scholars who had assisted the maidservants in searching for books rushed out at a faster pace.

    "Elder Jiang, this is simply an abuse of your authority!" the youth scowled, his forehead creased into a deep frown.

    "You''re simply bullying the Young Miss here, this is not the intended purpose of opening the Pagoda to outsiders!"

    "What, have you fallen for the little lass'' seduction, Tie Zhui?" Elder Jiang sneered at the scholar.

    "Finally at the age of seeking romance that you would talk back to an elder with conviction, eh? It seems that you and Tie Meng have forgotten that had old man Luo not taken pity and adopt you two, both of you would have become one with the earth?"

    "You!"

    "Tsk, tsk, how disgraceful," the mature woman scolded as she clapped her hands in mockery.

    "Since you''ve done us all a great service by forgetting your affiliation to defend an outsider instead of the Pagoda as you have sworn to, that''s perfectly justifiable for execution or even lifelong imprisonment. However, since I need to give that old man some face, let''s settle with the two of you scramming to the side, and I''ll wash this matter clean, how about that?"

    Tie Zhui and Tie Meng shuddered with anger as they glared at the woman with narrowed eyes, their auras becoming rather chaotic. However, a single shake of the head from the elder caused the two youths to deflate, resentment and unwillingness shrouding their eyes.

    "Sorry. We¡­ we can only give this much assistance," Tie Zhui sighed as he and Tie Meng placed their stacks of books onto a nearby table.

    "Young Miss, we apologize for being unable to address this wrongdoing incurred on your behalf."

    Flashing an apologetic smile towards An Fei and the two maidservants, the two youths slowly merged with the crowd of scholars with lowered heads. Observing such a scene, Elder Jiang snorted derisively, and the Sword Marquis'' daughter attempted to conceal a triumphant smile.

    "Well then¡­" the mature woman focused her gaze onto An Fei once more. "That book, hand it over. From this moment on, you don''t require a manual of that sort."

    Without even permitting enough time for An Fei to respond, Elder Jiang marched forward to stand level with the girl. An iron vice-like grip forcefully pried away the girl''s thin fingers from the silver and leather-bound , leaving behind a several purple bruises on An Fei''s skin.

    "You dare!"

    Xiao Ying involuntarily stepped forward, her hands clenched upon noticing the painful rings of violet marring the fair, soft skin. Though she glared at Elder Jiang, the mature woman was now merrily examining the pile of manuals gathered by the two scholarly youths.

    "Oh? , not a bad technique. I''ll be taking that in addition to recovering Lingyun''s technique."

    "Elder Jiang, do not push for a mile after receiving an inch," an elderly man suddenly interjected.

    "The reputation of the Three Lotus Sect, do not undermine for personal exploitation."

    "¡­I''d like to see how anyone would stop me, especially since you''d have to go through the Sect Leader first," the mature woman beamed at the old scholar with a magnanimous smile, the corners of her eyes crinkling.

    "Though to be completely frank, I do believe I am quite lenient with this lass. Usually, I would dish out some humiliation, but¡­"

    "You''re just an early Foundation Establishment cultivator, nothing difficult to kill," Xiao Wen suddenly interrupted, her eyes glinting with a cold and menacing light.

    "I''d like to see exactly why you can toss your weight around without repercussions."

    "Indeed, I am weaker regarding progression in cultivating compared to the two of you," Elder Jiang chuckled gleefully.

    "However, I''m an elder of the Three Lotus Sect. Attack an elder of the sect, and all members are obliged to defend me to the end."

    The maidservant hatefully gazed around the crowd, her anger morphing into unease as the gazes of the scholars reflected anguish and resentment. Taking a deep breath and relaxing her fists, Xiao Wen stepped to An Fei''s side, holding the girl''s bruised hand.

    "That''s the spirit," the mature woman laughed, her tinkling voice resounding throughout the tenth platform of the Pagoda of Sun and Moon.

    "However, I''ll have to punish this lass even more for your mistake, since I felt rather terrified from your threat. How about this¡­mm¡­ , that seems to adequately fulfill the recompense I seek."

    Waving the three books in her hand, Elder Jiang began to stride towards the eagerly awaiting Young Miss of the Sword Marquis, leaving behind a trail of merry and condescending laughter as the two departed from the platform.

    "You, little lass, let this elder teach you a lesson, ah? It''s about humility, for even the heavenly dragon must bow before the local snake. Don''t cling on to the naive ideal of justice, for you''ll then never know when you died, hehe!"

 55 A Touch With Arrogance, A Step Into Cultivation 5

    "Sigh, that Elder Jiang fellow is finally gone. Little lass, do not worry! Us foolish and old things may bend our knee before that vixen, but we haven''t lost our conscience!"

    Confirming that the mature woman and the Sword Marquis'' daughter had departed from the tenth platform, the scholars crowding around the young girl released a collective sigh of relief. The older scholars even displayed a comforting smile towards the irritable An Fei, waving towards the younger, hot-headed juniors to cajole them into action.

    "Alright, alright!"

    A middle-aged scholar boomed, his powerful stature and imposing voice bringing everyone into a halt. Gesturing towards the perimeter of bookshelves, he roared towards the crowd with a righteous enthusiasm.

    "There''s still two sichen before the guests must depart! Hence, let''s not follow that contemptuous woman in throwing the face of our Three Lotus Sect!"

    "Esteemed Senior¡­" Xiao Wen stepped forward, a mottled look of confusion evident on her countenance.

    "This¡­ what''s going on?"

    "Young Miss, please be at ease!" a youthful scholar cheerfully walked before the maidservant, both hands clasped into a respectful greeting. The innocent countenance and pure smile loosened the tension within the maidservants'' hearts, causing both Xiao Ying and Xiao Wen to relax.

    "We''ll make proper use of the remaining time to scour the repository for cultivation and martial arts techniques suitable for the Young Miss and her companions. Be at ease, the techniques you walk out with will be no worse in quality compared to the ones Elder Jiang snatched from your hands-"

    "Fool!" An elderly scholar interjected harshly, slapping a rolled book against the youth''s head. As the youthful scholar clutched his forehead in agony, the old man stepped forward to berate him roughly.

    "What quality, who cares about quality?" The elder complained in a hoarse tone, shaking the rolled up book at the youth.

    "Compatibility! The techniques must be capable of resonating with the practitioner to achieve the full effect. If you seek merely the quality of a cultivation or martial arts technique without confirming its compatibility with your natural instincts, then you will end your path of cultivation with the same result regardless of whatever heavenly technique you get your hands on!"

    "You''ve been here for a decade and a half, and you still don''t know such a basic concept!? Get lost, you are prohibited from eating dinner until you copy the transcriptions for the mantra thirty times!"

    "Yes, yes, yes, elder Luo, I was wrong!" the youth pitifully pleaded. "So¡­ can you reduce the punishment to fifteen times?"

    "Scram! Don''t make this old thing double your punishment, else I ¨C ahem ¨C Young Miss, did you say something?"

    Waving the book clutched in his hand in a frenzied manner, Elder Luo angrily chased the youthful scholar away, before suddenly turning to question An Fei. When the girl shook her head, the old man continued to stare at her, causing the maidservants nearby to cast a wary gaze.

    "Young Miss, you must have said something," the elder stubbornly protested. "Otherwise, who could whisper into my ear without alerting my detection?"

    "¡­ I truly said nothing," An Fei replied with a dull tone, her eyes narrowing from the old man''s unusual persistence. "Besides, how would I whisper into your ear from such a far distance?"

    "Hehe, the wheels of fate possesses swift breaks and turns incomprehensible to our understanding," Elder Luo grinned, placing his hands behind his back.

    "Nevertheless, the Young Miss has indeed achieved such a phenomenon. Therefore, as per the customs of our sect, the Young Miss must ask a question!"

    The smile deepened as the old man gently inclined his head in a respectful greeting, the pair of experienced eyes glinting with mirth, yet all An Fei could see standing before her was a shameless scholar who ignored the statements of others.

    She clearly stood there without saying a word, so why was he spouting such nonsense?

    "This¡­ this¡­" the girl stammered in frustration. Her gaze darting to where the two maidservants debated over a rather large stack of tomes and manuals of various sizes, quality, and appearance, the girl attempted to dash for refuge, only to be blocked by a wizened arm extended before her.

    "You!"

    "The Young Miss must ask the question!" Elder Luo resolutely spoke, a helpless and amused expression barely concealed by the cracking fa?ade of a stern, scholarly demeanor.

    "After asking the question, the Young Miss may naturally leave."

    Forcefully taking a step back, An Fei glared at the shameless old man. Most annoying was his righteous and serene expression, of which Elder Luo tossed around with every opportunity he received.

    "Then¡­ what exactly is cultivation?" the girl grit her teeth before crossing her arms and asking a question that had burned at her heart since early morning.

    "What is cultivation¡­ a rather astute question, ah!"

    Elder Luo exclaimed, clapping both hands together and revealing a delighted and slightly unnerving smile. Noticing his improper appearance just a few moments later, the old man awkwardly coughed before struggling to display a solemn expression.

    "What is cultivation?" The elder sighed, staring at the granite ceiling that represented the eleventh platform of the Pagoda of Sun and Moon that represented a culminated peak of knowledge and mystic strength yet was utterly forbidden from the curious.

    "Cultivation¡­ some call it the process in which the mortal self absorbs the spiritual qi within the earth and the sky. Infuse the atmosphere''s spiritual qi into our bodies and refine it into spiritual essence with the body''s meridians, blood vessels, and soul as the cauldron, thus achieving longevity and great strength."

    "Others have called cultivation as the calming of the mind, cleansing oneself of impure and tainted thoughts. Though those people do not actively pursue brash absorption of spiritual qi as those practitioners of the commonly accepted doctrine, the end result is the same. They will attain great longevity and strength, though their influence lies on the heart and not the actual body."

    "Another uncommon few have defined cultivation as¡­ forget it, that type of ideology is not suitable for the ears of a Young Miss," Elder Luo sighed once more, directing a peaceful gaze towards the silently contemplating An Fei.

    "At the basic fundamentals, to engage is cultivation, is to embark on the path of fulfilling one''s desires."

    "Desires?" The girl inquired in a perplexed tone, her eyebrows creased into a frown behind the veil.

    "If a great number of people partake in cultivation to seek their desires, how has the world not descended into chaos yet?"

    "Longevity akin to an immortal existence. Great strength to grasp the stars in the sky, to pierce through heaven itself. Desires that have excluded man from its pleasures, are the only desires that can be, and are sought by cultivating. Mortal desires including gathering material possessions, satiating one''s lust and greed, those are simply a natural byproduct. Thus, the world remains stable regardless of the number of cultivators."

    "Temper the body to store the atmosphere''s spiritual qi."

    "Inlay the bodily meridians to establish a basic foundation to refine the spiritual qi into spiritual essence."

    "Carve the pathway leading to the mortal shackles of the soul, allowing the soul to resonate with nature and the heavens."

    "Intertwine the body''s meridians, blood vessels, and dantian to construct a core to house the soul. Channel the refined spiritual essence to constitute a perpetual cycle, preparing the Cauldron of Life."

    "Merge the soul and the mortal cauldron of vitality to ignite the fire of life, establishing a resonant node with the spiritual qi contained within atmosphere."

    Elder Luo''s words hammered directly into An Fei''s mind, each and every single word engraving itself into her memory without the girl taking any conscious effort. Though she didn''t have a single clue regarding their meanings, the fleeting thought that those words were crucial information didn''t escape her mind.

    "¡­How come¡­ that doesn''t seem like the end?" An Fei ventured, her mind spinning in futile contemplation.

    "There didn''t seem to be any mention of any longevity? Or the great strength you mentioned?"

    The old man directed a startled glance towards the girl, before releasing a silent guffaw vivaciously unbecoming of his reputation.

    "Haha! The highest realm of cultivation ever achieved within the Shattered Star Continent is the Realm of the Nascent Soul," the elder spoke in dismay.

    "What the culmination of cultivation is in other regions, we do not know. However, while there have been legends of a realm far surpassing that of the Nascent Soul, the peak realm of cultivation in the Shattered Star Continent in all of history, is the Realm of the Nascent Soul. There simply isn''t a barrier to breakthrough, no inclination of improvement available in any fashion."

    "Nascent Soul?" An Fei repeated to herself.

    Somehow, the two words seemed rather familiar, yet the girl couldn''t exactly determine where she had heard such terminology before.

    "¡­what am I saying to myself, haha," the old man chuckled, shaking his head several times. Releasing a prolonged, audible sigh, Elder Luo strode forward in the direction of the deep recesses of the library, glancing at the young girl before him with a warm smile.

    As he passed An Fei, the young girl felt a soft and leathery object being stuffed into her right hand. Looking up in surprise and abruptly pivoting on her heel, all the girl could see was a faint, indistinct shadow.

    "A little treasure from the fifteenth platform''s inner sanctum, just keep it on you when you leave. Don''t bother showing it to the others of the Three Lotus Sect, take it as this old thing''s treat!"

    The fleeting voice couldn''t escape the vicious torture of age, yet An Fei could clearly perceive the frivolity and warm glee hidden within. Glancing towards the dog-eared book in her hand, the girl stared for a moment with widened eyes, before turning towards the position the shadow last stood and lowering her head into a respectful bow of the younger generation.

    .

    As the elder''s departing words entered her head, An Fei awkwardly came to a halt to stare at her appearance. After a brief moment of agonized thoughts, she embarrassingly stuffed the book underneath the folds of her coat.

    ¡­given that she was wearing a thick linen coat that covered her from collar to knee and a lucky mishap that the book''s cover was a softened leather, all that resulted was a barely noticeable bulge at her bosom¡­

 56 A Touch With Arrogance, A Step Into Cultivation 6

    "Fourth Young Miss, Fourth Young Miss, take a look, ah!"

    Xiao Wen eagerly tugged at An Fei''s sleeve, the maidservant''s eyes practically revealing a glint of unsuppressed euphoria. Besides her, Xiao Ying was slightly more restrained, though the girl could easily see that the highly agitated emotions within the maidservant were no different than Xiao Wen.

    "What''s going on?"

    An Fei asked, her thoughts partially distracted by Elder Luo''s departing words and the book secured on her bosom. In response, the maidservants merely pulled the young girl forward, revealing thirty-odd scholars warmly gesturing towards an ashwood table.

    The ashwood table was no different than previously, with a sliver of its surface gouged by a steel dagger once wielded by the Youngest Miss of the Sword Marquis.

    The only exception¡­ was a mountain of books.

    Some were large and thick, others were smaller and thinner in volume. Some were bound in golden or silver threads, whilst others were wrapped in other materials including plain leather. However, what attracted An Fei''s attention the most was the faint radiance exuded from the books on the ashwood table.

    If she were to verbalize what she saw, the girl could only reply as such:

    A cloud of multi-colored lights akin to dust particles in a nebula, though the radiance emitted was rather bleak and faint. If she didn''t intentionally focus her gaze on the books, An Fei discovered that the radiance was negligible to the point that it could be easily overlooked.

    In the end, all that mattered was that each and every single book placed on the ashwood table emitted a similar light, even if it was fainter than the one exuding from the book at her chest, and incomparably dull than the plants, weapons, and books within the mysterious palace of crystal.

    "Hehe, little lass, you look lost and don''t know where to start!"

    A middle-aged scholar smiled gently towards her, poking fun at her unnatural stillness. Returning to clarity, the young girl lightly shrugged in response to the joke.

    "There''s far too many and far too little that I can take, where am I even supposed to begin?"

    "Hahaha!"

    Everyone burst into laughter, but the ensuing course of events caused the two maidservants and the Fourth Young Miss of Wei unable to smile.

    Forget complaining, it took their utmost effort not to fuse their face with their palm.

    -

    "I still say that the technique is the best fit for the lass!" an aged scholar argued in an aggressive tone, not giving those nearby a chance to refute as he pressed on.

    The old man''s beard swung vividly in the air as specks of spittle shot from his mouth, yet he didn''t seem to care very much for his current appearance as the scholar continued to defend his case.

    "Just look at the lass'' constitution! Pure Yin bone composition, the meridians and vessels obviously lacking an attribute of Yang! For martial arts techniques that emphasize movement regarding the lass'' special physique, don''t tell me there''s anything that''s more suitable than the technique!"

    "You¡­ may be right, Old Liu," another elder coughed as he pointed towards the book clenched in the agitated man''s hand.

    "But your technique requires one to practice in the cultivation technique. Such a shoddy technique that doesn''t even guarantee a smooth advancement into the Spirit Building Realm, what''s the point even if the martial arts technique is spectacularly compatible?"

    "That''s right!" Several others chorused.

    "Old Liu, you may have great intentions for the little lass, but take greater consideration for future development, ah! Instant benefits will rarely triumph over a well-planned, delayed harvest!"

    "You all!" Old Scholar Liu trembled with rage as he stared at his colleagues.

    "What instant benefit, ah!? Who said the technique is lackadaisical, ah!? The cultivation technique that is the most fluid and easy to utilize as a foundation for a more powerful technique, you dare disparage its value without understanding it!? Whoever it was, stand out here for this old thing to see!"

    "I-I-If this junior may add," a youthful scholar timidly raised his hand.

    "Why¡­ can''t the Young Miss practice the cultivation technique and the martial arts technique at the same time? Isn''t the technique apt for practicing in a versatile range of styles and forms?"

    " is indeed a suitable technique in such regard," a middle-aged man replied in a peaceful voice.

    "However, you must also recall that the maximum potential of can only be attained by a sufficiently powerful martial arts technique, most preferably one attributed towards offense. wouldn''t be the appropriate choice in such circumstance, but a good suggestion nonetheless!"

    "You all don''t understand, ah," Old Liu continued to aimlessly persist, his white, flowing beard quivering precariously as he spoke.

    "The beauty of the martial arts technique can only be understood by those who practice it!"

    "Nicely said, Old Liu, but in that regard, it would be much better for the lass to practice the . Excellent balance between offense and defense, and has wide utility in the majority of circumstances. Quite difficult to find fault with the technique since the gain is vast for a minor sacrifice."

    " is indeed formidable, but what about ?"

    "Who cares about your snot-covered dagger!? What , just call it , that serves that shoddy excuse of a technique better than some undeserving, flashy title.

    ¡­

    Watching the thirty-odd scholars, young and old, argue amongst another over which technique was suitable for An Fei, Xiao Wen, and Xiao Ying, the two maidservants and a Young Miss couldn''t help but want to cover their eyes in exasperation.

    This was going on for far too long, ah!

    There was only an incense stick''s amount of time remaining, and that was a generous estimate!

    "Um¡­"

    Though remarkably quiet compared to the scholars'' boisterous bellows, everyone stopped arguing the instant An Fei''s mouth opened. Faced with thirty-three pairs of eyes fixated on her veil, the girl helplessly shrugged before speaking in an exhausted voice.

    "¡­there''s only roughly thirty minutes before the assigned time¡­"

    "Ahem!"

    The scholars shrugged in unison, directing a deep, silent glance at each other for several moments. Before the three young women could say another word, they were gently chased out of the tenth platform of the Pagoda of Sun and Moon.

    Gifts were forced into their hands with every step, and soon, Xiao Wen and Xiao Ying were struggling to keep up with An Fei and the leading, elderly scholars. The two maidservants, though they appeared fatigued and noticeably thicker, especially their legs, still retained pleased expressions on their faces.

    "Hm? Little lass, something wrong?"

    When Old Scholar Liu opened an adjacent door near the deeper recesses of the platform to reveal a circular platform and explaining its general principle, he noticed the young girl beside him appearing to be in a foul mood.

    "¡­ladder."

    The word was spat out through clenched teeth, startling the old elder for a brief moment. However, though not a single one of them made a sound, An Fei easily noticed their facial muscles quivering in an uncontrollable manner.

    Once the three young girls had stepped onto the center of the disk, Old Liu waved his hand, a dull violet light emitting from his body as he stepped backwards. Before An Fei''s astonished gaze, the violet light gathered into the old scholar''s right palm, condensing onto the surface of the skin as an aged palm slammed against the disk.

    The light spreading throughout the circular platform, the platform groaned, and the disk hurtled downwards at a swift velocity. Though she couldn''t determine the exact rate of which they descended, An Fei was currently busy bemoaning over the feeling that she had wasted nearly an hour of continuous climbing, only to travel the same distance within a matter of seconds.

    ¡­not to mention the two books clutched to her chest, and the slightly worn tome hidden within the coat''s expansive folds.

    The maidservants didn''t look much better. Not only were Xiao Wen and Xiao Ying similarly clutching a pair of books to their bosom, An Fei wasn''t exactly certain on the number of manuals hidden underneath their clothes.

    The elderly scholars had all assured them that it would be fine since the bulges were hardly noticeable, but was that truly the case¡­?

    "We''re here," Old Liu''s raspy voice brought the girl out of her thoughts, the platform slowing to a halt to reveal a plain oaken door.

    "Once we''re past here, our karmic fate will most likely come to an end. Little lass, you must cultivate well, and treasure every opportunity you receive!"

    "En."

    Giving a respectful bow that brought a smile to the elderly scholar''s aged countenance, An Fei and the two maidservants were escorted to the ground platform of the Pagoda of Sun and Moon by Old Scholar Liu. As they received countless looks of envy and admiration, the crowd of people and An Fei were transported back into the plaza.

    An instant later, Wei Chang Luo''s voice rang from directly behind her, full of satisfaction and merriment.

    "Fourth Little Sister, ah, it seems you''ve obtained a satisfactory gain, even having the time to find the maidservants a full set as well!"

    An Fei paused upon hearing the Second Young Master of Wei''s words, unsure of how to reply. After dismissing several thoughts from her mind, the girl opened her mouth to reply in greeting.

    "Second Brother, your friend''s little sister is quite domineering, ah."

    "...now you understand why I don''t like that so-called Junior Brother of mine?"

    Walking side by side with a handsome, youthful sibling exuding a warm, blinding yet comfortable aura, An Fei truly felt a sensation of tranquility arise in her weary heart. Though she wasn''t exactly certain regarding her thoughts, the concept of a tenderhearted family had birthed in her mind.

    Perhaps the broken, torn heart could finally recover and gain some rest.

    However... as the girl walked home, teased by a young man and two maidservants, she was completely clueless about the shifting winds of time destiny.

    Nor did she know that not only was she running headlong into a major scam, one that implicated not only the world around her, but even the infinitesimal constructs of her existence.

    And most definitely did she not know what exactly it entailed to be named ''An Fei'', a heart-protecting jade of peace.

    Bring peace into the world, fulfill the destiny of the Sanctum''s embodiment and bestow divine protection.

    ...but protect from what?

 57 A Nasty Little Joke of Epic Proportions 1

    The Immortal Realm could always be considered a mysterious realm. For those who had just birthed as an immortal, those who had long since witnessed the chaotic shifts and turns, and even those who had watched the Realm from an embryonic stage, all could only describe the Realm of Immortals with a single description.

    Limitless.

    Mysterious and vast to the extent that even after billions of years of constant exploration, not a single inclination of a frontier had been discovered.

    And most of all, the Immortal Realm seemed oddly keen on massacring its inhabitants, but pulled back at the last second without reason or empathy.

    The concept of time in the Immortal Realm was exceptionally loosely defined, and it was completely reasonable to declare that the notion of time didn''t even exist. Even the weakest, most pitiful immortal would possess undisputed authority over the passage of time in his domain, nevertheless the control over matter and creation.

    The laws of creation, time, energy, none were applicable within the Immortal Realm. However the immortal desired, the Realm complied, as even the most atrocious figments of imagination were displayed and perfected to an infinitesimal degree of detail.

    It didn''t matter whether there was any logical reasoning required behind a manifested object or concept. As long as there was the imagination, the resultant naturally formed.

    Thus, the Immortal Realm was considerably lawless, yet within that chaotic spiral existed a natural, binding order that maintained stability to a certain degree.

    And in such a ridiculous and seemingly nonsensical Realm, was a corridor of sky-blue crystal. If An Fei were to ever explore its interior, the girl would immediately identify the corridor as pertaining to one of the mysterious ''Gates'' within the realm of crystal.

    Floating aimlessly in the void whilst changing spatial coordinates at stochastic intervals, the corridor weaved through the fabric of space to visit the fringes of the Immortal Realm.

    Perhaps it had traveled through the uncharted territories of the Realm, though nobody could be certain.

    The floors, walls, and even the ceiling within the corridor was constructed by a dull crystal with a sky-blue lustre. The smooth translucent surface of the crystal made for a natural feel, though few could appreciate the beauty well concealed beneath the opaque core.

    Lacking any source of light, the corridor was naturally submerged in darkness. Once stepping into the infinitely long pathway, not even the arms and legs could be seen.

    Though if one could manage to pierce through the natural laws manifesting the suppressive darkness, they would be awakened to a massive shock.

    On either wall of the corridor were numerous, seemingly infinite monoliths of crystal. The material was of the same composition as the crystal comprising the walls, floor, and ceiling, only a shade darker and slightly brittle to the touch.

    The monoliths stood tall, a rectangular pillar spanning a height of five meters each, though not quite as half of the corridor''s height.

    The pillars reflected a sense of longing, solitude, and¡­ peace.

    Closer examination would only reveal that each monolith housed an indistinct figure, a swirling mass of illusory smoke. The hazy cloud moved at an incredibly slow pace to the extent that each particle comprising its loose form could be accurately perceived at any given time, even without the usage of visual aids or techniques.

    The clouds appeared in many colors and hues. Some were of a blend of scarlet and azure lights, others were of a single, dominant color with several hues near the fringes; a small minority of the hazy figures were of a shade of a gray color.

    These monoliths were socketed alongside either wall of the corridor, the surface of the monolith aligning perfectly with the sky-blue crystal''s edges to create a snug fit.

    The corridor reflected serenity and tranquility.

    The darkness was suppressive yet yielding.

    And the monoliths¡­ reflected a powerful, imposing aura of solitude and madness, yet were peaceful at the same time.

    Not a single speck of dust could be found within the corridor, nor could any inclination of a breeze exist within the dark pathway leading to an unknown destination. The interior of the mysterious crystal corridor that drifted in the Immortal Realm was the true embodiment of peace and tranquility, until¡­

    Creak.

    A soft sound akin to the faint shattering of glass suddenly resounded throughout the corridor''s length, decimating the atmosphere of gentle isolation and stillness. Amongst one of the multitude of monoliths, a hair-like line ran through the crystal surface.

    The crack was nearly imperceptible, the magnitude of damage infinitesimal to the extent of being undetected even with close inspection. However, as if signaling the prelude of an imminent, drastic transformation, a faint pulse of divine essence seeped out from the crack, exposing a malicious intent.

    Creak¡­ Creak¡­

    The faint pulse emitted from the crack multiple times, the hair-like line expanding its length a millimeter at a time. The pulse of divine essence quickly dispersed the instant it was exposed to the air within the corridor, yet the frequency of the pulses only increased, a flickering light gleaming from the deepest recesses of the monolith.

    Creak¡­ Bang¡­ Bang. Bang.

    BANG!

    Once the thin crack had spread across the entire width of the crystal monolith, the pulse of light abruptly ceased, only to give way to a furious shift of momentum. The entire structure of crystal shuddered and groaned as the powerful impact struck not only once, but multiple times at the same exact location.

    As the sounds of hammering steadily rose in intensity and frequency, the surface of the monolith exploded, releasing the indistinct, colored cloud into the interior of the corridor.

    Bang! Bang!

    As if on cue, five other monoliths positioned nearby similarly began to display the mysterious and dangerous phenomenon, spiderwebbed cracks spreading across the crystal surface. Though the darkness prevented any view of the damage experienced and weathered by the rectangular pillars, the cacophony of chaotic hammering was more than sufficient to guess what was going on.

    After the passage of what could be considered several hours, five other formless, hazy clouds joined with the solitary, indistinct figure to float around in the pathway.

    The individual clouds soon began to rapidly expand, then contract into a single point before repeating the process. Each repetition brought forth a colored light that gleamed faintly but surely within the encompassing darkness, the radiance increasing in intensity and variation with every cycle.

    Under the passage of time, the six clouds had condensed into intangible spheres of light that repelled the suppressive, bleak absence of luminance that shadowed the corridor''s length. Gold, violet, silver, scarlet, azure, and teal spheres of light hovered around aimlessly, the emitted radiance fluctuating in intensity and aura.

    Domineering and imposing.

    Reticent and placid.

    Wise and impulsive.

    The storm of auras soon enveloped the interior of the corridor, the spheres of light combusting into individual stars that blazed in the solid darkness. The overpowering radiance emitted from the stars'' core exploded forth, washing over the surface of the sky-blue crystal.

    The light exuded from the six stars only continued to increase, until the length of the corridor visible to the eye had been luminated by a cheery mixture of colors. Naturally, the monoliths were exposed to an observer''s vision, revealing a dreadful yet imposing scene.

    Each monolith contained a figure. Be it human, angel, demon, or some living creature, a unique entity was confined within the sky-blue crystal monolith. Sealed behind numerous layers of strengthened barriers, not a single fluctuation of life ebbed from the rectangular pillars.

    Some of the figures possessed weaponry held in a posture appropriate for combat, producing a frightening and imposing aura. Some were domineering and overflowing with brute strength, some were refined and elegant, and a few radiated a dense, bloodthirsty nature.

    As if wholly undisturbed by the sudden reveal of the monoliths'' secret, the six stars continued to spill the colored radiance into the corridor, inundating the pathway with an unstoppable torrent of light. The intensity of illumination and seemed to surpass a tolerable limit, and the stars began to cave in on itself.

    The stars of light whose core was of the size of a basketball, compressed into a single point of a distinct color, before vanishing entirely. The radiance similarly abruptly dissipated into a bleak emptiness, yet the tension in the air not only remained the same, only that it was increased by several folds.

    ¡­BANG!

    From where the six stars of light were last observed, six explosions of light of an intensity far exceeding those previously observed rampaged throughout the corridor. As the six-colored radiance spilled forth, six dense clouds began to coalesce on the surface of the crystal floor.

    The color of the clouds matched that of the radiance but appeared several shades darker.

    The cloud of violet light was the first to respond, soaring upwards in an expanding plume. When the cloud of light finally dissipated, a pair of violet irises gazed down the length of the pathway, as if attempting to perceive the unknown, obscured destination.

 58 A Nasty Little Joke of Epic Proportions 2

    "This¡­ how long has it been?"

    A hoarse voice echoed within the interior of the corridor as a naked youth stared at the crystal wall, the pair of violet irises glazed over in thought. The visually stunning reflection provided by the sky-blue crystal''s surface, and most notably the discrepancy between the image presented and his recollection, caused the youth to fall into a moment of pensiveness.

    "Heart Crystal Stone¡­ It''s been too long¡­ I can''t seem to exactly remember," the youth whispered to himself, the fingers of his right hand reaching upward to stroke his chin.

    "The bone density¡­ my appearance has been reverted to that of a youth? How... quaint."

    The youth staring back at him could only be described as handsome and dangerous. Fair skinned, smooth skin, and with a thin but muscular body structure.

    The jawline tapered at his chin, the thin eyebrows and lips reflected an eternal painting of calmness and resolution. Combined with the naturally exuded demeanor of iciness and indifference, the reflected appearance was indeed capable of wading through a sea of flowers, killing without a single whit in the world.

    However, the pair of violet irises reflected a deep nonchalance and amusement, a cold gleam resurfacing after having been ruthlessly suppressed for an uncountable amount of years.

    Perhaps he had kept track within his mind, or he just didn''t bother to care.

    Looking down at his exposed body, the youth lightly sighed, before sweeping his right arm to his side. A dense, violet light exploded from his body, spreading to cover the youth from the collarbone to his toes.

    When the light had receded, the youth was no longer naked and exposed, but dressed in a swordsman''s robe, the fabric a plain and uniform violet. Lines of embroidered gold silk ran down the youth''s sleeves and collar, the overall appearance radiating a peaceful and tranquil aura compared to the cold indifference exuded moments earlier.

    "Oh? Isn''t it Esteemed Immortal Dongfang?"

    A lighthearted and joking voice suddenly rang from behind the youth, causing the latter to raise an eyebrow in mock surprise. Turning around, the youth surnamed Dongfang discovered a young male dressed in a scarlet robe displaying an excited smile on his countenance.

    "Esteemed Immortal Deng indeed likes to take his time," the youth named Dongfang smilingly greeted, the faint mockery within his voice evident.

    The immortal surnamed Deng merely chuckled, before gesturing towards the remaining clouds of light that had yet to fully manifest.

    "Look at them," he laughed with an expression of gloating. "Not even that prided Mu Rong Yuan has even coalesced a physical manifestation after so much time had passed."

    "They are the ones taking their sweet time, not this Immortal. My dear Brother Dongfang Yu, must you label me with such an unpleasant hat?"

    To the casual complaint issued by the scarlet-robed youth, Dongfang Yu displayed a small smile, the violet orbs fixated on the others'' robe.

    "You seem to have forgotten that a four-clawed dragon brings bad luck," the youth chuckled with narrowed eyes.

    "Deng Lan, are you trying to curse yourself into failure before you even take the first step?"

    "Huh?"

    Deng Lan tilted his head in confusion, his gaze slowly guided by Dongfang Yu''s persistent gaze until it landed on the numerous inscriptions of mythical animals on the scarlet silk.

    "There''s a couple phoenixes and lustrous luans¡­" the youth casually made up an excuse as he averted his eyes. "My luck shouldn''t be affected that badly-"

    "Of course it will!" Dongfang Yu smirked. "Have you forgotten the consequences of negligence since the last incident?"

    "...you''re right, you''re always right, that acceptable to you?"

    Deng Lan threw up his hands as he glared towards Dongfang Yu to shush the gloating immortal, before turning and resting his back against a nearby monolith. Leaning against the cool, soft surface of the sky-blue crystal, the youth began to pick at his robe, slowly but surely beginning to repair the visual affront caused by the four-clawed dragons.

    Dongfang Yu similarly leaned back against an adjacent monolith, resting his head against the rectangular pillar of solitude. Closing his eyes, the youth prepared to explore through his memories whilst waiting for the others to emerge.

    "Tch. Elder Brother and Deng Lan are always the fastest at everything," a bitter voice aroused the two resting immortals from their thoughts.

    "And here I thought after achieving a breakthrough, I could close that gap by a little."

    Opening his eyes and looking up, Dongfang Yu found four figures standing before him. Three adopted the appearance of a youth, whilst one took on the persona of a destitute old man.

    The youths were dressed in robes of the color befitting that of the cloud of light they had emerged from, and their countenances displayed varied expressions, from boredom to excitement. However, one aspect that was common amongst the radically different youths was the bewitching, handsome appearance and features, and that they were all staring at the old man shrouded in a pale, silver light.

    "Old Man An, shouldn''t you say something?" The youth dressed in a green scholar''s robe narrowed his eyes as he inquired, gazing directly at the elder''s figure.

    "Bai Xing, being hasty once again? When will you grow up?"

    The handsome youth dressed in an azure, flowing robe coldly remarked, causing the previous speaker to flush with embarrassment and anger.

    "When will I grow up, huh!?" Bai Xing trembled, teal light radiating uncontrollably from his body as the angered youth marched forward. Grasping the azure robes before him, the immortal in the scholar''s robe fiercely shook his adversary.

    "Mu Rong Yuan, you dare display that supercilious attitude before me with at meagre aptitude!? Let''s go for a few rounds, this father shall make you call him ''uncle''!"

    "Nobody will call you ''uncle''," Mu Rong Yuan sneered, the cold gleam within his eyes growing magnifying by the second.

    "Even if I am inferior in combat ability, so what? You''re naturally unable to defeat me either way, so why should I call you uncle?"

    "Ahem!"

    Before the green-robed youth could permit his aura to rampage in an uncontrolled frenzy, the old man loudly coughed, regaining all of the attention. Stroking the long beard flowing from his chin, the elder retreated deeper into his shroud of silver light before deigning to speak.

    "You all should remember by now why I called you here," he stared at the youths, assessing each one with an unflinching stare.

    "But before I elaborate, now that the five of you have completed the last round of trials ¨C shouldn''t you identify yourself?"

    The five youths simultaneously frowned upon hearing the old man''s cryptic words, the sharp blades and pillars of flame resurrecting in their thoughts. As memories of the deadly and terrifying attempts of suicide labeled as mere ''trials'' resurfaced in their minds, the immortals all forcefully mobilized their reserves of divine essence to return to clarity.

    "Pavilion of Divinity Bai Clan of the Divine Palace, Bai Xing!"

    "Pavilion of Reflection Mu Clan of the Divine Palace, Mu Rong Yuan."

    "Demon Pillar Deng of the Demon Palace, Deng Lan."

    "Skybreak''s Spire, Dongfang Yu."

    "Golden Crow Domain, Jun Mo!"

    The five youths withdrew their auras as they revealed their identity, the storm of light finally dissipating into a tranquil silence. The darkness however, was completely removed, the entirety of the corridor illuminated by the resonance of the crystal floor.

    Wherever the sky-blue crystal contacted their feet, it released a warm and comfortable, golden radiance that illuminated the surroundings.

    Compared to the harsh and piercing light contained within their auras, the light emitted by the crystal was mellow and relaxing, dispelling the hidden worries and grievances of the heart.

    "Two from the Divine Palace, one from that being, and one from a Royal Domain¡­"

    The five immortals stared at the old man as he pondered in silence, seemingly debating over an issue. The elder continued to murmur to himself for several moments, before finally lifting his head to gaze directly into the youths'' eyes.

    "Since you''ve made it this far," the old man spoke, his voice containing the resoluteness and determination birthed by experiencing the vicissitudes of life. "Then there shall one final selection, of which a single victor is to be determined."

    Clapping his hands to form a large opaque pearl, the elder cupped the pearl with both hands, the silver light emitting from his body completely withdrawn. Tossing the pearl into the air, the cloudy orb rolled to a halt in midair before the youthful immortals, a clear image of a figure contained neatly within.

    As they peered into the contents of the pearl with their spiritual perception, the five immortal''s expressions all experienced similar changes of disbelief and confusion as they converged onto the old man''s figure.

    They saw a young girl of unparalleled beauty. A pair of scarlet irises that appeared rather dull, and an appearance of perfect proportions that seemed impossible. Black hair skin to silk that extended down to her waist, and a small streak of silver bangs.

    Just as their minds were reeling as an unsettling yet anticipatory premonition welled within them, the old man''s voice rang over their heads once more.

    "I, An Xiang Yang, Third Protector of the Sanctum shall present a marriage agreement before the five Immortals present before me today. A unison of the individual, a honor that only one of the five is deserving of."

 59 A Nasty Little Joke of Epic Proportions 3

    For a long moment, complete silence resounded within the corridor as six immortals, five young and one old, stared down at each other. None of them displayed any unusual inclination or expression, but the atmosphere of the room was clearly filled to the brim with a destructive tension.

    Calmly staring at the other, not issuing a single word or gesture. The scene displayed by the six immortals was as if the passage of time had halted, a constrained tranquility manifesting in the pathway drifting aimlessly in the infinite void.

    "¡­a marriage agreement?"

    Jun Mo''s voice suddenly broke the eerie calm, his words burdened by a heavy resignation and undisguised resentment. The golden-robed youth fixated a calm, glacial gaze at the old man, his fingers slowly curling into fists.

    "That girl is a mortal." Jun Mo asserted with narrowed eyes.

    "A mortal woman. You dispatched a message of an undefined opportunity that possessed the capability of overturning the balance of the Immortal Realm and the yet to be discovered frontier of the void to the Divine Palace, Demon Palace, and various other Royal Domains, causing the younger generation to fall into obstreperous chaos. Furthermore, after the atrocious inner selection within our respective organizations, you''ve made us do what, exactly?"

    The youthful immortal took a step forward, the faint vestiges of golden light seeping from the tightly covered palms. A terrifying, surging heat suddenly enveloped the corridor, yet the other immortals did not care much as they stared at the old man, not even breaking a sweat from the blistering heat.

    "You''ve put us through trial after trial," Jun Mo hissed, his voice slowly rising into a repressed roar.

    "Trials and tribulations that possessed the potential of severely damaging, if not completely eradicating our immortal construct. Forcing us to explore the Eternal Blaze hidden deeply inside the Descent of Flame, withstand the assault of the Flowing Void Domain that not even the most senior of Royal Immortals dare to explore or investigate, and even risk combusting our immortal construct to escape from the accursed Heaven''s Chains, and what do you present as recompense?"

    "A mortal woman''s hand in marriage!?" the golden-robed youth scoffed, the gold irises flaring with a blazing wrath.

    "Does this seem like some nasty little prank for you, to whitewash the heads of the Immortal Realm into preparing for some ''predestiny'' bullshit and accumulating their forces in expectation of a divine artefact capable of bending the rules of the Realm, and all you have to offer is the marriage of a mortal woman!?"

    Once Jun Mo had broken the dam restraining the youthful immortal''s courage, their voices torrented forth, swamping over the old man and eradicating the tranquil silence of the corridor of sky-blue crystal. Not a single thought regarded the elder''s strength or realm of cultivation as rash boldness overtook their minds, even causing the cold and usually indifferent Mu Rong Yuan to burst into discussion.

    "Esteemed Senior, ah, you can''t exactly be playing a joke like this, no?"

    Deng Lan wiped a few droplets of sweat whilst displaying a pleading expression towards the elderly man.

    "The woman in the pearl is indeed the most beautiful and attractive I have ever encountered, but a mortal woman isn''t exactly anywhere in value as a vial of Earthen Flower Essence aged more than a million years? How do you expect me to explain to my elders after wasting three vials of the divine manifest when I return and inform the hopeful elderly that everything was just a simple, nasty joke?"

    "So there was indeed a reason why the Bai Clan had never discovered anything regarding this opportunity within the message you dispatched to the Divine Palace," Bai Xing coldly uttered, threads of green light coiling around his arms.

    "Everything was a cold-hearted scam to force the Royal Domains and the Two Palaces to waste their resources, no? Weaken the Royal Domains and the Two Palaces, enabling those who are ambitious to advance in strength and influence."

    "You should present an explanation." Mu Rong Yuan''s eyes flared in disappointment and anger.

    "After wasting so much of our clans'' resources, time, and even causing several deaths among the talented immortals of the younger generation, you won''t be able to shrug off the responsibility of deceiving the entire Immortal Realm. I don''t care how powerful the organization supporting your gnarled head is compared to the average Royal Domain, or how you''re stronger than any of us present, but nobody escapes the judgement of the Tianzun Imperial Court!"

    Finished speaking, the azure-robed immortal drew a slender longsword, the blade reflecting an elegant and scholarly aura. Pointing the deadly tip towards the elderly man''s chest, Mu Rong Yuan released his aura at maximum capacity, inundating the pathway''s interior with an imposing and silent demeanor.

    The old man took one glance at the tip of the steel longsword but paid no further head, instead deigning to gaze at the silent Dongfang Yu who leaned against the crystal wall.

    "You''re not going to lose control and say anything?"

    An Xiang Yang uttered in interest, an imperceptible, unknown gleam contained within the wizened pair of eyes.

    "You who possessed the greatest amount of losses compared to the other four present. Three pairs of repelling arrays comprising of materials aged well over a million years, a sword capable of forcing even a Royal Immortal into a rather long slumber, and several jade tokens ¨C I''d have assumed that if anyone were to complain, the first would be you," the old man sighed.

    "Say, she must have told you something before dispatching you to this place, no? After all, you come from that place."

    "What if she has?" Dongfang Yu gazed at the seeming exhausted An Xiang Yang with an amused expression. "What if she hasn''t? How does that change anything?"

    Hearing the violet-robed youth''s words, the other four immortals all stared at the reclusive Dongfang Yu, their eyes demanding an explanation. However, the target in question simply closed his eyes, paying them no heed as he casually questioned the old man with a slight smile on his handsome countenance.

    "A Shattered Soul?"

    "Yes, a Shattered Soul. I shattered the soul of my granddaughter before casting her into a mortal world," An Xiang Yang sighed, the elderly face creasing with sorrow and sadness before barking a round of humiliating laughter.

    "What? Feeling pity for this old man? That''s quite a shame, I felt pity for myself at the initial stages after the incident. Now¡­"

    "A Shattered Soul formed from your blood descendant?" Deng Lan suddenly interrupted, his eyes gleaming with a shrewd and intelligent light.

    "What''s so important and compelling that forced you to invoke a cataclysm on an innocent soul? To break a fundamental taboo of the Immortal Realm?"

    "Taboo?" the old man echoed, the flickering silver light encompassing his body receding by a margin as he drifted into thought.

    "The soul of an immortal must not be shattered, and permitted to slumber in recovery? Alas, my granddaughter was mortal at the beginning, so how would that be applicable?"

    "Cease your useless banter," Mu Rong Yuan maintained his cold and detached expression as he stepped forward. The tip of the longsword continued to traverse the air until it rested a centimeter away from the elder''s chest.

    "Shattering a mortal soul is impossible," the azure-robed youth softly uttered.

    "Enough. You can spin excuse after excuse before the judgement elders as much as you want. Wanting us to here them? What a joke."

    "What if I refuse to go along with you? Can you even stop me from the start?"

    An Xiang Yang sneered, pushing away the steel longsword with two fingers. Turning around, the old man gloomily stared at the surface of a nearby monolith before speaking in a weary tone.

    "Why do you regard this invitation as worthless? A marriage with a mortal, that may indeed be inconvenient for some, but can you truly deny the temptation of a near limitless source of heart crystal stone? That should be more than sufficient to ward off your pesky elders'' complaints, no?"

    Before the youthful immortals could respond, An Xiang Yan suddenly waved his arm, his figure morphing into an amorphous cloud of silver particles of light. As the nebula of divine essence gradually dissipated, an elderly man''s weary sigh resounded within the corridor of heart crystal stone.

    "Little granddaughter, this is all this old thing can do for you now. Though by the time you realize the truth, it might be a little too late for us all, ah¡­"

    The five immortals all looked at each other for a long moment, before releasing a long sigh. The tensed atmosphere gradually returned to normal after the departure of the elderly man, but a sudden surge of depression struck them all without warning.

    After sifting through his memories with a heavy frown creasing his countenance, Deng Lan was the first to react.

    "Ah!"

    A sudden shriek startled the rest of the youths, causing them to stare at the pitiful scarlet-robed immortal in the midst of a mental breakdown with a mixture of pity and amusement.

    "F*ck, I actually have to return and explain to those old fogeys? No, I''m going to escape, escape from this hell," the youth muttered to himself whilst clutching his temple with both hands.

    "There''s absolutely no way I''m going to escape punishment after wasting all of those precious ingredients and elixirs. At the very least, I''m going to suffer for several millennia within the Howling Abyss, there''s no way I can withstand that, there''s no way I can withstand¡­"

    Amongst the numerous, incoherent murmurs that escaped Deng Lan''s mouth, a single phrase of words interested Mu Rong Yuan and fixated his attention.

    His handsome countenance settling into a hard frown of contemplation, the azure-robed youth repeated the words in a dazed manner.

    "A near limitless source of heart crystal stone¡­"

    "Argh! No time to waste! I''ll take this chance, no matter how disappointed I may become!"

    Deng Lan''s cry resounded within the corridor, the youth displaying a determined expression as he gazed at the vestiges of the crystal monolith that had confined him for a millennium.

    Without any further hesitation, the immortal transformed into a wreath of scarlet flames, his presence vanishing from the indeterminate pathway of sky blue crystal.

 60 A Nasty Little Joke of Epic Proportions 4

    "He''s truly gone¡­"

    Bai Xing murmured in surprise after scanning the area of which Deng Lan previously stood. Pondering as he stared at the fragments of sky-blue crystal scattered across the ground, the green-robed immortal sighed before directing a heavy glare at Dongfang Yu.

    "Even if Deng Lan abruptly left for the coordinates contained within the pearl for some inexplicable reason," the youth glanced at the opaque pearl hovering in the air, causing the remaining immortals to stare at him as Bai Xing himself glanced at the violet-robed youth.

    "Earlier, the old man and you both had a conversation that none of us could comprehend the contents of. Care to share the details?"

    Dongfang Yu raised an eyebrow, the pair of violet irises examining Bai Xing from head to toe in silence. Before the awkward immortal could respond or Mu Rong Yuan to interrupt, he opened his mouth to speak.

    "Just some information my Master imparted to me before I left," the youth barely concealed his cynical amusement as he observed Bai Xing and Mu Rong Yuan''s countenances distort with a sliver of disbelief.

    "Of course, I could tell you the detailed concepts and explanations, but then you''d have to join the Skybreak Spire as an ordinary member. That''s not¡­ a rather worthwhile deal for you, no?"

    "Hmph!" Bai Xing snorted.

    "As if you would tell us anyway, given your shrewd and cunning nature. Forget it, let''s see how that old man will react if I conquer that girl in the worst fashion imaginable, that expression will be worth all of this useless effort."

    Pocketing a handful of the sky-blue crystal scattered across the ground, the green-robed youth''s figure vanished amongst a cloud of green lights, the savage expression on his countenance creating a devastating and alluring sight. Mu Rong Yuan similarly followed suit after contemplating in silence for a brief moment, his aura thickening with an arrogant demeanor by the second.

    "Brother¡­"

    "What, you haven''t left yet?" Dongfang Yu smiled at the golden-robed youth standing across from him.

    "With your character and appearance, just a little coaxing would easily cinch the victory for you, no?"

    "You''re joking, as if I would be that lascivious. Three is already more than enough, no need to add another," Jun Mo rolled his eyes in exasperation, glaring at Dongfang Yu.

    "Furthermore, as a Shattered Soul, she would probably never agree to being one of my wives. Forget it, it''s much better handing her over to Elder Brother than watching that Mu Rong Yuan wreck a pitiful, delicate flower to shreds."

    "What if I were to mutilate that flower into smithereens? You wouldn''t feel sad then?"

    "Hah! As if Elder Brother has ever touched a woman before, much less interact with them. How would you even explore the wild grasses and beautiful flowers if you''re unable to inspect them in the first place?"

    Slightly disgruntled yet amused, Dongfang Yu reached over to lightly whack the youth on the forehead, a leering expression on his handsome countenance. Patting the aggrieved immortal on the shoulder, the violet-robed youth turned to inspect the monoliths once more.

    "¡­do you want me to do something?" Jun Mo quietly asked while rubbing his slightly sore forehead.

    "If any of the rest succeed, that would be quite the shame."

    "Just leave my spiritual imprint on her," the violet-robed youth chuckled after a moment.

    "Rather than brashly rushing into things, it''s much better to relax and observe."

    "Alright then."

    Nodding his head, Jun Mo inspected the opaque pearl for a long time before disappearing within a pillar of golden flames. Watching the gold blaze slowly ebb into tranquility, the youth narrowed his eyes as he stared towards the end of the corridor, the pair of violet irises attempting to pierce through the obscured unknown.

    Of course, he wouldn''t tell anyone what exactly the corridor and An Xiang Yang''s words entailed, not even Jun Mo, his younger brother.

    "Master¡­"

    One of the hidden secrets of the Immortal Realm, a remnant of the era of the Progenitors.

    A sanctum of eternal peace and repose, the manifestation of time itself.

    A legacy comparable with that of the Forsaken Goddess.

    Within the sigh of the violet-robed youth was anticipation, excitement, and fear as he began walking down the corridor, his vision guided by the illumination provided from the glowing sky-blue crystal floor.

    -

    Compared to the destructive bombshell that had thrown the Immortal Realm''s younger generation into a temporary spiral of chaos, the Flowing Wind Residence of Jiang''an was relatively peaceful and tranquil.

    The aggravating snowfall had finally ceased on the day the Pagoda of Sun and Moon opened to the public, and the servants were now busy restoring the courtyard into the previous, presentable appearance. Clearing the snow and ensuring that structural damage did not remain in any of the buildings and that the shambles of a razed bathhouse were completely removed, the servants could be seen moving from one end of the courtyard to another with cold sweat dripping down their necks.

    The snow had stopped, but the outside was still too darn cold!

    And what was their master thinking, to make them clear the courtyards before the Fourth Young Miss and the Second Young Master returned!?

    That was snow piled up a meter and a half in height, covering the entirety of the manor! A mere estimate would account for a few tons of snow in itself, such a task was far too daunting and formidable!

    ¡­and where were they supposed to deposit the snow, the snow-filled streets of Jiang''an?

    Thus, the servants truly experienced serving a hellish monster of a master for the day as not only did they transfer the thick, hardened layer of snow and ice covering the ground to a location better left unmentioned, they had to then melt and refine the snow in numerous large vats.

    Furthermore, when An Fei, Wei Chang Luo, and the two maidservants finally returned, they were quickly ushered to the study by a pair of smiling servants. Escorting the Young Master and Young Miss at a pace brisk enough to disguise the fatigue and discomfort gnawing at their body, the servants finally heaved a smile of relief before promptly fleeing to their respective housing units.

    "You''ve returned!"

    Wei Xuan carelessly placed the book in his hand onto the drawing table upon noticing An Fei''s arrival. Wrapping his daughter into a tight hug despite her struggles and protests, the minister gazed at Wei Chang Luo for a moment.

    "Little Luo, how did it go?"

    "Everything went fine!" The Second Young Master of Wei hastily nodded his head twice, before withdrawing a pair of books and placing them on the drawing table.

    " and , I managed to snatch the original manuals from underneath the elder''s expired nose. I wanted to obtain the original of the martial arts technique, but¡­"

    "Hehe," Wei Xuan snorted while tossing the two books back to the slightly embarrassed youth and turning to the young girl besides him.

    "So what if you''ve managed to snag a technique capable of supporting the Realm of the Nascent Soul? Fei''er has a better yield than you little brat ¨C don''t you give me that look ¨C Fei''er, Father was correct, right?"

    Blinking in surprise, An Fei stared at the gloating look on Wei Xuan''s countenance for a brief moment.

    "¡­how did you know?" the girl finally opened her mouth to ask, not expecting to be disappointed the next instant.

    "¡­hm?" Wei Xuan stiffened in surprise, before gazing intently at the young girl''s confused eyes.

    "Fei''er, what did you get from the Pagoda of Sun and Moon? I was just pushing Little Luo''s ego down a little, did you get something good? Of course, Father will give you something better!"

    The young girl glared at the minister with her mouth agape in anger and astonishment, and the two maidservants giggled with amusement before hastily consoling the Fourth Young Miss with quiet coos and croons. Hearing the lighthearted taunting from Xiao Ying and Xiao Wen, An Fei swore to herself to punish the two maidservants a little in the future.

    Sensing the disappointment and anger exuding from her body, Wei Xuan quickly panicked as cold sweat trickled down his back. Before the minister could quickly step forward and pacify the young girl, soft thuds could be heard from behind him distracting his attention for a brief second.

    When Wei Chang Luo and Wei Xuan finally turned around in curiosity, they suddenly didn''t exactly know what to say, their minds frozen in shock.

    "¡­and¡­ done!"

    Thirty-four books of various sizes and thickness, stacking into a precarious pile at the center of the drawing table.

    Wei Xuan couldn''t guess the contents hidden within each book, yet he could easily garner one thing with a single glance. Furiously whirling around to face An Fei, the minister''s countenance was a splendid mixture of amazement, joy, and worry.

    "Fei''er, just how did you get so many?"

 61 A Nasty Little Joke of Epic Proportions 5

    "Fei''er, how did you get so many?"

    The startled cry that escaped Wei Xuan''s mouth forcibly snapped Wei Chang Luo into reality, though he was still unable to find it within himself to say a single word. Walking over and picking up the book on the top of the stack, the youth casually flipped it open, only for his expression to dim and become gloom.

    "¡­ this¡­"

    "Little Luo, something wrong?"

    The youth sighed, the bitter smile on his countenance prompting Wei Xuan to step forward in concern. Under the young girl and the two maidservants'' amusement, the minister and the Second Young Master quickly tore apart the stack of books, depression seeping out from their body.

    "Fei''er¡­" Wei Xuan finally called out, his voice hoarse and seemingly weary.

    "Just what did you do to get this many manuals from the Three Lotus Sect?"

    With burning eyes, the minister imprisoned the young girl''s arms to her sides, his gaze carefully inspecting her from head to toe. Upon noticing that the jade ornament was intact and untouched and the girl before him only seemed mildly uncomfortable, Wei Xuan finally released An Fei''s arms, but still stared at her with an expectant expression on his face.

    "Er¡­"

    An Fei was unsure how to reply, her expression similarly confused hidden behind the veil. As Wei Xuan''s glare increasingly became piercing and solemn with each moment she stayed silent, the girl slowly twiddled her thumbs, the words refusing to escape her throat.

    Was she supposed to tell him, ''Father, a couple of elders were kindhearted and gave me a bunch of presents as a gift for being bullied''?

    Who would believe that?

    ¡­not even she fully comprehended the reasoning behind the scholars'' actions at the Pagoda of Sun and Moon even after so long, so how was she to explain to another?

    "An Fei¡­"

    Noticing the girl''s flickering and furtive looks Wei Xuan repeated as he enunciated each syllable slowly and calmly. Before disappointment could enter his gaze, a maidservant quickly rushed before the Fourth Young Miss, dipping into a low bow.

    "Master!"

    "¡­have something to say?"

    Wei Xuan uttered in a slow and lazy tone, causing the bowing Xiao Ying to instinctively shiver as painful thoughts tickled her mind. Nonetheless, the maidservant remained in her position, speaking in a deferential but steady tone.

    "Master, please do not blame to Fourth Young Miss," Xiao Ying stared at the ground as she recited word for word.

    "This incident was perpetrated by the Sword Marquis estate. The members of the Sword Marquis no longer respect the Wei Manor''s personage, hence the Fourth Young Miss suffered quite a bit at the hands of their elder at the Pagoda of Sun and Moon. The books¡­ were compensation from the elders of the Three Lotus Sect after witnessing the arrogance of the Sword Marquis''s family."

    Hearing the maidservant''s quick and cutting explanation, An Fei couldn''t help but feel the urge to applaud in admiration. However, the girl managed to calm herself after noticing that Wei Xuan''s expression had returned to normal.

    "¡­so why are you the one telling me this?" the minister suddenly spoke after standing in a daze for several moments. His right hand raised to hover in the air in An Fei''s direction, Wei Xuan hesitated for a moment before lowering his hand to his side with an audible sigh.

    "Forget it, it''s nothing, nothing at all. All of you, come! Let''s take a look at what Fei''er has brought in for us."

    -

    "."

    "."

    "."

    ", this is a joke, ah? What kind of technique is so self-absorbed in it''s name?"

    If the crowd cluttering within the plaza earlier had stumbled onto the scene within the study of the Flowing Wind Residence, perhaps just the anger itself would be sufficient to throttle Wei Xuan and his descendants into an eternity''s worth of suffering.

    The drawing table and other articles of furniture had been pushed to the side, allowing for a considerable clearing in the recesses of the study. To allow for additional secrecy, all of the curtains had been lowered even though the sun was still hanging in the air, the only source of light within the study constituting several oil lamps and candles.

    Five figures sat in a circle in the makeshift clearing, without distinction of status or rank.

    A stack of books stood at the center, its contents being passed from person to person without much order.

    Two wooden containers of food lay nearby, though not a single person had bothered to touch the boxes. Hence, it was a near certainty that the food had long gone cold due to the inattention.

    ", this should go to Fei''er. A balanced martial arts technique, one can''t have too many of them."

    Wei Xuan passed over a thin book inlaid with a cover of purple satin to An Fei, before aimlessly picking up another from the pile and scanning its contents. Watching the young girl take the book and play with the fabric on the cover, the Second Young Master of Wei couldn''t help but gulp, his eyes fixated on the book in An Fei''s hands.

    "Father," Wei Chang Luo hastily spoke, his hands roaming around the haphazard stack of books without much expectation.

    "Why can''t you share some of the treasures with your son, ah? Everything Fourth Little Sister got is priceless, while I''m having to fiddle with these leftovers - , I definitely can''t use that, I''m not going to bother castrating myself for some increase in strength."

    "Pei!" Wei Xuan snorted in disdain, not bothering to give the quibbling youth another glance.

    "These techniques given by the elders of the Three Lotus Sect, they were tailored towards a female cultivator. There would be nothing notable for you to use, so just go back and practice your martial arts technique and ¨C hold on, what did you say? ?"

    "Yes, it says on the cover," Wei Chang Luo retained the book he was about to throw back onto the pile. "Thirteen levels of practice, and the description states¡­ mastery of the Nascent Soul Realm of cultivation."

    "Give it here."

    With an awkward frown, the minister shamelessly extended his hand towards the youth while his eyes continued to observe An Fei struggle to read the manual. Just as his hand automatically moved to give the gold-leaf book to Wei Xuan, Wei Chang Luo suddenly came back to his senses, withholding his arm to his chest in a flash.

    "No way!" the youth stubbornly shook his head, clutching to book to his chest.

    "Father, you keep on stealing the best things, you need to give your son a share!"

    "What are you even saying?" the minister snorted, shaking his already extended palm in the Second Young Master''s face.

    "Be good, give it to your father, ah! Unless you''re truly willing to castrate yourself to practice in that technique? If you did, then that would truly become a waste, but your father won''t complain."

    "Shut up! Who said I was going to practice in that technique!" the youth howled in anger, before a cunning gleam entered his eyes.

    "But Father, I can give it to you on one occasion."

    "What?" Wei Xuan raised a sardonic eyebrow, his lips carving into a smile that could not be considered a smile.

    "A treasure that exceeds the Core Formation Realm!"

    Pa!

    "F*ck, trying to scam your father at this time and age!" the minister angrily remarked, smacking a heavy palm on the youth''s head.

    "Forget bargaining with you little brat, this minister shall take what he wants by force!"

    "Alright, alright, alright," Wei Chang Luo hastily extended the gold-leaf book with both hands, a pleading expression visible on his handsome countenance.

    "Then a treasure belonging to the Spirit Building Realm. I won''t be too greedy."

    ¡­the transaction completed without a hitch, and Wei Xuan now held a thick tome bound with threads of gold-leaf in his hands. Inspecting the contents of the book with great concentration, the minister''s brows were knotted into a deep frown until he finally released a sigh.

    "It truly is a great enjoyment to possess the original manuals regarding cultivation and martial arts techniques," Wei Xuan gently deposited the book onto An Fei''s lap.

    When the girl looked up in confusion, he reached out to pat her head, explaining in a simple tone.

    "The is a cultivation technique that prioritizes efficiency over one''s spiritual essence when utilizing martial arts ¨C only, the sequence of meridians that comprise this technique are attuned towards females, though male cultivators can practice this technique if they pay a rather grievous price."

    ¡­huh?

    Startled by Wei Xuan''s sudden explanation, An Fei zoned out for a brief moment before shaking her head rapidly. She had been reading the manual for the for the past few minutes, hence had only caught the words ''castration'' and ''''.

    So¡­ what was going on?

    After a round of hastily explaining to the girl with cold sweat trickling down their backs, the maidservants finally pacified An Fei''s curiosity, the girl returning to her aimless task of reading the technique.

    The distribution of manuals finished without a further problem, though it was considerably obvious who had gotten the lion''s share.

    ...but what did castration have to do anything with her...?

 62 A Nasty Little Joke of Epic Proportions 6

    Having chased away the exasperating Wei Chang Luo who kept pestering for his promised spiritual treasure of the Spirit Building Realm, Wei Xuan watched the two maidservants prepare the study to rest, before gazing at the floor of the study with an undying interest.

    There, a young girl of no more than fourteen years of age dressed in a cotton nightgown sat cross legged on the acacia wood floor, a pile of twenty books of different sizes and thickness scattered all around her. The girl was picking a random book from the stack, the pair of dull scarlet irises scanning the contents before tossing it back onto the pile with an audible sigh.

    "¡­finished?" Wei Xuan gently spoke from his chair, the book in his hands already folded and laying peacefully on the now replaced drawing table.

    "It''s late already, reading for much longer will only harm your eyesight. Go sleep, you can read more tomorrow."

    An Fei looked up towards the smiling minister, before meekly nodding her head and beginning to pick up the books with the assistance of Xiao Wen. Observing that the maidservants were helping the girl into the bed, Wei Xuan stood from his chair with a sigh, heading towards the door with a light stretch.

    "¡­Father, can you teach me how to cultivate?"

    The quiet voice brought the minister to a screeching halt, Wei Xuan looking skyward in thought. Slowly sliding the door of the study open and quickly excusing his presence, the minister''s voice drifted into the girl''s ears, bringing a satisfied smile to her beautiful countenance.

    "¡­tomorrow! When the sun is up in the sky, Father will teach you how to cultivate."

    The lights within the study grew dark, accompanying the darkness of the winter night in a unified, conjoined enjoyment. Once again, tiny flakes of snow began to descend onto the recently cleared ground, though with the ferocity of a lover''s caress and whispers that wormed into the soul.

    A pair of maidservants, a young girl, and a well-experienced minister enjoyed a dreamless, comfortable sleep. Amongst all of the members residing inside the Wei manor, only a young man lay in bed, his eyes unblinking as they bored holes through the clay rooftop tiles.

    Wei Chang Luo had even until now, been unable to catch a glimpse of his Fourth Sister''s appearance.

    That dammed veil and pair of servants were far too formidable, ah!

    -

    "Alright, we can start today," Wei Xuan dutifully announced after An Fei had placed down her chopsticks.

    While Xiao Ying and Xiao Wen dutifully cleared away the destitute remains of breakfast including several bowls of rice noodles and chicken congee, the minister led the young girl into the recess of the study, having her sit in the middle of the makeshift clearing created the day before.

    "¡­do you have any questions on cultivation before we start?" Wei Xuan sat across from the young girl, his expression tranquil and patient.

    An Fei sat in silence for several moments, her mind quickly parsing together the numerous scraps of information she had gleaned from overhearing the maidservants, Wei Xuan, and the scholars at the Pagoda of Sun and Moon. Ultimately, however, what escaped the young girl''s mouth was still the same question as the first.

    "¡­what is cultivation?"

    Fortunately, Wei Xuan understood the underlying intent behind her question, and the minister paused for a moment before gathering a few large sheets of paper and an inkbrush. Wetting the brush, Wei Xuan carefully thought before setting the brush''s tip onto the paper.

    "Cultivation¡­ usually begins with a thought of improving the body and soul of a person," he spoke whilst drawing a circle on the sheet.

    "The first step into the complex process known as cultivation is to temper the body, which we call the Body Tempering Realm."

    "Afterwards, a foundation must be constructed to house the nature''s essence in the body, hence becoming the Realm of Foundation Establishment. This foundation is the enhancement of the body''s meridians and blood vessels, allowing them to sustain greater pressure and tension."

    "Next is the enhancement of the soul, the Realm of Spirit Building." Wei Xuan filled in the circle with oblique strokes, before drawing a circle adjacent to it.

    "At this stage, cultivators would temper their soul in a similar fashion that they enhanced their body."

    A line quickly connected the two circles of ink; however, the unequal state was rather jarring to the eye. One circle was filled while the other was not, making the diagram appear to be unbalanced and not stable.

    "The Realm of Core Formation is the process at which the enhanced soul is merged with the body''s reserves of spiritual essence at the dantian. Merging the soul with spiritual essence allows for a great increase in longevity and strength, permitting the body to rapidly absorb the nature''s essence in the atmosphere without much restriction."

    "And finally, the Realm of the Nascent Soul," Wei Xuan stared into An Fei''s eyes, his gaze unwavering and steady.

    "The culmination of Great Yong''s history of cultivation. The merging of the Core formed during the Realm of Core Formation with the body into a single entity, remolding the person into a true child of nature."

    With brisk, stern strokes, the entire diagram was crossed out by the brush, a single dot of ink replacing the unbalanced connected circles.

    "Do you understand the basics now?"

    An Fei nodded by habit, before shaking her head again after some thought. Though Wei Xuan had answered some of her initial questions, a few important ones had yet to be divulged.

    How?

    "¡­how do you absorb in the nature''s essence?" the girl finally asked.

    Putting away the brush and papers, the minister swept his hand in a low, gentle arc. His fingers grasped the air in the girl''s perspective, yet Wei Xuan could see the profound secrets within the world. Finished tinkering around with the invisible strands of spiritual qi within the air, the minister stood and moved behind An Fei, resting his palm against the middle of the girl''s spine.

    "Breathe," Wei Xuan calmly stated, his steady voice nearly lulling An Fei back to sleep.

    "In the atmosphere, regardless of the world or environment, exists the essence of nature known as spiritual qi. Think of it as the natural order of all existence, the underlying principle that forms the element of life."

    "Just breathe. Calm your body, let your mind enter into a meditative state. Don''t do anything, simply relax and observe the flow of nature around you."

    Struggling not to fall asleep by the lull of Wei Xuan''s voice and the warm palm pressing against her spine, An Fei heeded the command and began to breathe. Soon, the sounds within the study diminished to a standstill, only the soft rustling of a young girl''s relaxed breath audible.

    Breathe in, breathe out.

    Close the eyes and relax the body, sustaining each breath for as long as possible before transitioning between cycles.

    Breathe, breathe, breathe until even the limbs were numb, a dull warmth resounding throughout the body.

    ¡­An Fei was slowly getting frustrated, yet continued to follow Wei Xuan''s order as she continued to breathe deeply without a change in posture or emotion.

    A stick of incense''s full length of time had passed, and nothing had happened to her, nor had any of the phenomena Wei Xuan had hinted manifest.

    Her body felt rather numb and exhausted, a muted itch gradually beginning to gnaw at her toes.

    Without warning, the girl''s body abruptly pitched backwards as it lost strength, the seated posture maintained only due to Wei Xuan''s palm supporting her at the base of the spine.

    A seed of horror bloomed within the girl''s heart, germinating and overtaking her mind within seconds upon realizing her plight.

    Now, regardless of whether she wanted to cease mindlessly repeating the cycle of breathing until her heart imploded, An Fei could only observe her body lightly convulse with each breath. Every effort she invested in gaining control over her body was completely rebounded, only to experience her vision distort and twist.

    Breathe in, breathe out.

    Breathe.

    Breathe¡­

    A thin stream of cold traveled down her throat to her heart, forcing the girl''s mind to jolt awake and regain control over a portion of her body. However, another wave of fatigue and pain washed over her soul, making An Fei unable to twitch her finger or blink her eyes.

    Breathe.

    "Ah¡­"

    Before she could open her mouth and call for help, the girl''s consciousness swiftly descended into darkness. The soft cry was quickly extinguished before it could escape her throat, hence the minister keeping guard did not notice¡­

 63 A Nasty Little Joke of Epic Proportions 7

    She saw a forgotten world, a desolate plain that stretched to the frontier of eternity. The endless span of green, dull vitality, the indefinite area of land that possessed both life and stillness, vibrance and disruption within one.

    In the center of the plains was a small, white lotus. The tiny flower struggled to thrive in a monotonous sea of grass, the sole exclusion of the world.

    Grass grew with the anticipation of another''s accompaniment, whereas the lotus bloomed for nobody.

    Not even itself.

    The petals of the lotus glare at the unforgiving sun, the white petals of the flower blooming and withering, flourishing and simultaneously decaying with each passing of time. The grass remained stagnant and frozen, and the single lotus flower was the only existence experiencing change.

    She saw a forgotten world. A world that had frozen in time, and yet was spiraling headlong towards its unending destination.

    A world that refused to transform regardless of the outcome.

    The grass had yet to change, but the lotus had experienced countless, indefinite cycles of time underneath the scorching sun.

    She saw that within the plain, lonely lotus of white, was a young woman dressed in white robes. The woman''s features were truly indistinct, and the only attributes of her appearance that could be defined were flowing black hair, a robe of white fabric trailing behind her feet, and a veiled hat.

    Within the eternal, frozen plains, the woman was within the lotus. Within the field of change and stagnation, the woman was the solitary lotus, experiencing the shifts and tribulations of the world whilst the world experiencing an absolute tranquility and peace.

    The woman saw her, she saw the woman. Towards the uninvited guest, the woman offered what could be merely called a smile, a smile obscured by countless, innumerable layers of truth and falsehood.

    "You shouldn''t have come."

    The plains were silent, not a single blade of grass swaying or trembling. The sun remained fixated within the atmosphere, unceasingly glaring at the earth beneath its radiance.

    The woman''s mouth moved, but not a single sound was transmitted within the field of peace. However, she could hear the words spoken by the indistinct figure of the woman of the lotus, and the words rang directly besides her ear.

    "The bearer of the Sanctum must not be tainted by the mortal."

    The woman spoke once more, the words ringing like bells, each syllable enunciated with absolute precision and accuracy, yet the contents were similarly, absolutely incomprehensible. She saw the woman stand and stretch her limbs, before stepping forward to perform a blurry, awkward but elegant dance in the endless plain of vitality and death.

    A step forward with the right foot, a sweep of the arms to the right.

    "The bearer of the Sanctum must not be tainted by the mortal."

    A step forward with the left foot, reverse the motion of the arms.

    "You shouldn''t have come."

    A pivot on the right heel clockwise, extending the arms towards the sides.

    "The bearer of the Sanctum must not be tainted by the mortal."

    A step back with the left foot, before repeating the entire process once again.

    "You shouldn''t have come."

    The actions of the woman couldn''t even be called a dance, and only resembled that of an awkward set of incomplete actions, forced to repeat in an infinite cycle.

    A silent dance by the solitary, a lament towards the unforgiving world that both punished and condoned change. The lotus'' dance of eternity, an awkward dance of a single performer that represented neither a beginning nor an end, but an indefinite, infinitely yet infinitesimally long cycle.

    She saw tears drip down the woman''s face, soon followed by blood and sweat.

    However, the woman said not a word, but continued to perform the never-ending dance, the blurred countenance changing not a single iota. The woman danced without an audience, the lotus swayed without a spring breeze or gale, and the world remained silent and frozen.

    All of this, experienced by her. All of this, witnessed and observed by her. All of this that combined to form, her.

    Within the woman was a broken and complete cycle that precipitated and eradicated the concept of existence; the single lotus in the plains both presented nihility and removed it, defining and refuting the existence of the grass, the sun, and the lack of transformation.

    She saw that within the woman was creation and destruction, and neither at the same time. The lotus represented change but experienced a cycle of death and life.

    Possessing everything whilst possessing nothing.

    Possessing nothing whilst possessing everything.

    The sun did not move, the grass did not tremble or quiver, and the wind did not blow through the eternal plain. Only the lotus experienced withering and resurrection, destruction and creation without pause, purpose, or ending.

    Though the woman danced and moved, the actions were repetitive and unchanging regardless of the passage of time.

    She was an uninvited guest, yet she was an integral component of the world with the eternal plains of green.

    Perhaps there wasn''t a beginning in the first place.

    "You shouldn''t have come."

    "The bearer of the Sanctum must not be tainted by the mortal."

    The world remained frozen, the grass remained still, and the woman remained unchanging and mired within an unbreakable cycle. Even she, the uninvited guest, did not experience change.

    "You shouldn''t have come."

    The lotus crumbled into ash, the gray dust scattering across the fragmented world without the concept of time.

    "The bearer of the Sanctum must not be tainted by the mortal."

    A plain white lotus burst from the ground to vivaciously bloom against the unfeeling sun. The ground, the grass, and the sun did not change, thus the lotus and woman similarly remained stagnant and frozen.

    You shouldn''t have come.

    The bearer of the Sanctum must not be tainted by the mortal.

    She, the uninvited guest, shouldn''t have come to the world containing the eternal plains, but was an integral component of the timeless world from creation.

    Outside existences were not permitted.

    Neither were those already native to the world of decay and vitality, the world where creation and destruction were not mere sides of a coin, but instead the core compositional element forming the coin itself.

    [You shouldn''t have come.]

    -

    "¡­this marks the passing of the fourth incense stick¡­" Wei Xuan muttered to himself, his eyes anxiously examining the body of the girl sitting before him.

    However, the minister couldn''t help but possess a thread of pride as he stabilized the girl''s relaxed body with his right palm.

    The girl''s bodily functions had dropped to the absolute minimum without forcing the consciousness to enter a slumber, indicating that she had successfully entered the initial meditative state of cultivation. Since then, two full hours had already passed, causing a great warmth to spread throughout Wei Xuan''s chest.

    It was common knowledge among cultivators and a fundamental aspect of cultivation itself that upon entering a new Realm, the cultivator would enter an initial meditative state, one of which the soul departed from the body to interact directly with the spiritual qi drifting in the atmosphere. The longer one remained within the initial meditation, the greater benefits reaped whilst cultivating within that Realm.

    A full two hours of the initial meditate state was sufficient to identify the girl before him as possessing great prospects as she cultivated, yet Wei Xuan was happy due to a different notion.

    The longer An Fei remained in deep meditation, the greater probability she had in surviving against her innate defects and illness.

    Though Wei Xuan was unsure whether it could completely remove the malignant, the minister hoped that with future advances in cultivation, the girl could retain a significant portion of her original lifespan.

    "A sichen is perfectly acceptable," the minister muttered to himself, adjusting the position of his palm to better support the girl''s limp body.

    "If only, she could persist for another hour, then we might not need to search for the Eight-Petaled Violet Yin Herb aged a millennium or older¡­"

    Lighting another stick of incense with his unoccupied left hand, Wei Xuan closed his eyes as he concentrated, focusing his spiritual perception into that of a thin, imperceptible needle. Guiding his perception to travel alongside the length of his arm and enter the girl''s body through the palm placed against her back, the minister slowly began to inspect the girl''s physique.

    A normal, if not slowly stagnated collection of meridians. The meridians and spiritual channels within An Fei''s body were slightly clumped together and entangled in awkward clusters, constructing a slight disfunction that obstructed the body''s vitality from flowing properly.

    The blood vessels could be considered acceptable, but the heart¡­

    Gritting his teeth as he stared fiercely at the weakly throbbing heart, Wei Xuan slowly began to retract his perception from the girl''s body, following the pathway he had utilized to enter. Before he could pass by the central meridian of An Fei''s Governing Vessel, the girl suddenly lurched heavily, a stream of black and putrid blood spraying from her mouth and scattering over the floor.

    A string of melodious bells filled the interior of the study, yet the clangs were akin to death tolls in the minister''s ears.

    [You shouldn''t have come.]

    [The bearer of the Sanctum must not be tainted by the mortal.]

 64 A Nasty Little Joke of Epic Proportions 8

    [You shouldn''t have come.]

    A string of melodious bells resounded throughout the recesses of the study, the girl''s mouth trembling as her throat struggled to project the sounds. The tranquil atmosphere within the study instantly became turbulent, the eerie underlying notions of fear and depravity threatening to infest the inhabitants and objects.

    [The bearer of the Sanctum must not be tainted by the mortal.]

    However, this went unnoticed by Wei Xuan, for the minister was far too preoccupied with inspecting the girl''s body, his heart trembling with fear.

    "What''s going on!?"

    Halting his perception from receding back into his body through his palm, Wei Xuan quickly began to reexamine the girl''s meridians, blood vessels, and internal organs with a forced tranquility. As his perception revealed to him that An Fei''s body had not experienced any change, the minister could feel curiosity scratch away at his mind, but he quickly wiped his thoughts when witnessing the girl vomit another mouthful of blood.

    This time, the blood was neither putrid nor black; instead, the color was a rich scarlet and was accompanied by a faint metallic scent.

    "What do I do, what do I do¡­" Wei Xuan groaned to himself with gritted teeth whilst inspecting the girl''s condition for the umpteenth time.

    "Yun Zhi, why haven''t you returned, ah!?"

    Unfortunately for the minister, Wei Xuan possessed neither the medicinal knowledge nor discernment to diagnose An Fei''s condition. Hence, he could only place both hands on her either side of her back, infusing a copious amount of spiritual essence into the girl''s body.

    Such a process, if conducted in a rash or malicious manner, could inflict great harm onto the body.

    Damage incurred in this circumstance would be remarkably difficult to recover from even with the most advanced medicines, thus Wei Xuan proceeded with utmost care, not daring to take a single risk even if he proclaimed himself to be confident.

    Divide the spiritual essence into fibers with the thickness of a thin hair, before dispersing them throughout the body.

    Bind the major Yang meridians with Yin; isolate the minor meridians from the rest of the body, utilizing the fibers of spiritual essence as conduits connecting the minor meridians with the Girdle Vessel to sustain the distribution of vitality without overturning the body''s balance.

    Wrap the fibers around the major pathways of the Conception and Governing Vessels, to enhance the circulation of the body''s vitality without risking overdraft.

    The kidneys, spleen, and lungs were wrapped with a protective layer of silver-colored light, guarding the organs from possible external or internal harm.

    Each process was to be completed with utmost care, and time was of no consideration as long as there weren''t any issues or lasting problems. By the time he had wrapped the last organ with his spiritual essence, the sun had already set and was well into nighttime.

    Finishing his task, Wei Xuan retracted his perception into his body with a heavy sigh, before glancing at the puddle of blood splashed on the wooden floor of the study. The unhealthy, unpleasant mixture of scarlet and black blood on the ground measured to exceed a few cups in volume, causing the minister''s brows to crease into a deep valley.

    While he had immersed himself into the task of stabilizing An Fei''s constitution, he was not isolated form the outside world. Each lurch of the body, every mouthful of blood spilled onto the floor, as well as the mysterious, melodious bells escaping her mouth, he had heard and clearly remembered each instance.

    Particularly the bell sounds that had resounded within the study.

    Wei Xuan distinctly remembered Xiao Wen''s previous report regarding the incident of An Fei and the ink brush; then, she had mentioned that she had heard similar sounds like the twinkling and chiming of bells emitting from the girl''s throat. Tenderly placing An Fei onto the linen bed before examining the bloodstains with a heavy expression, the minister stared at the discolored, congealed pool with numerous thoughts flashing in his mind.

    Were the bells linked with the mysterious phenomenon that had caused An Fei to fall into a week-long coma without an apparent reason?

    Or were they related to the deficiencies brought on by her congenital illness?

    Or something else entirely?

    Unable to discover an immediate answer to his doubts after pondering for a few moments and combined with the fatigue weighing his mind and body, Wei Xuan sighed and shook his head fiercely. Tucking the girl underneath the cozy blankets and cleaning up the bloodstains on the wooden floor, the minister ignored the protests of Xiao Ying and Xiao Wen as he blew out the lights within the study of the Flowing Wind Residence.

    Unlike the usual nights of which he would either sleep with Luo Shuyan or Sheng Miaolan, Wei Xuan settled himself onto a semi-comfortable position in a nearby halfmoon chair, electing to oversee the sleeping girl until the break of dawn.

    As for the two women''s protests in the morning tomorrow, he could deal with it tomorrow¡­

    -

    "You shouldn''t have come."

    "The bearer of the Sanctum must not be tainted by the mortal."

    The two phrases echoed in her ears, the words imprinting themselves directly into the deepest recesses of her mind. However she desired to ignore them or the woman''s seemingly out of place dance within the eternal plains, the scenery and the words refused to depart from her head.

    "You shouldn''t have come."

    She, the uninvited guest, was not compatible with the frozen, timeless world. Upon first glance, she was not still like the grass, sun, or nonexistent like the wind. Nor was she in any form like the single, solitary little lotus of white or the woman in white robes, appearing discordant with the environment, but actually existing as an integral component.

    Then what was her role in this plain that stretched for all of eternity''s gaze, as a guest and observer?

    "The bearer of the Sanctum must not be tainted by the mortal."

    The bearer of the Sanctum must not be tainted by the mortal.

    ¡­where had she heard those words before?

    She had the faint thought that those words, particularly the Sanctum, was exceptionally well acquainted with her knowledge. No matter how many times she scanned her memory from beginning to end, those words didn''t seem to present any plausible matches.

    Suddenly, after an undefined length of time, a thought struck her mind, accompanied by feelings of anticipation, dread, and exasperation.

    The Sanctum.

    The Sanctum of Eternity.

    The mysterious realm of the sky-blue crystal, the throne room with the ten profound corridors, each presumably containing a myriad of unexplained secrets and treasures. The gift of her grandfather when he had transferred her soul to a different world, An Xiang Yang.

    The Sanctum of Eternity.

    She did not know what the phrase cautioned against, or what the woman was intending to convey with the unspoken words. Nor was she aware of what it meant to be ''tainted by the mortal''.

    However, the mention of the Sanctum, the world of sky-blue crystal, was sufficient of an answer for her. Though unsure how or why and albeit accompanied by an unsettling feeling, she felt that the Sanctum of Eternity possessed the answers that she sought.

    It had provided answers on a usual basis, even if they were not answers she neither desired nor appreciated.

    [You shouldn''t have come.]

    The words rang in her ear once again, and she watched the woman continue dancing for the final time before closing her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth and answered the woman, her voice reverberating throughout the endless plains of stagnation and change.

    "I shouldn''t have come, but here I am."

    [The bearer of the Sanctum must not be tainted by the mortal.]

    "I don''t know what you mean. However, I will eventually find out."

    An exchange of words occurred between an unspoken voice and one of a young girl, causing faint ripples to traverse the frozen and timeless world. The woman merely tipped her head before resuming the visually awkward dance, yet the girl could see that the world that was once frozen and unchanging, had experienced a great shift, one she was unaware about.

    [Distinguish truth and falsehood. Display the river of eternity.]

    The words streaming from her mouth without hesitation or prior thought, An Fei witnessed the frozen world before her disintegrate into innumerable shards of light within an instant, the sky-blue crystal steps leading to a throne displayed behind. Taking a step forward and discovering the all-too familiar sensation of warmth on her feet and the golden light illuminating her gaze, the girl displayed a relieved smile, before rushing forth to leave the frozen, eternal world of the endless grass plain and the dancing lotus.

 65 A Nasty Little Joke of Epic Proportions 9

    The instant her feet touched the smooth and warm surface of the sky-blue crystal floor, the girl released a groan of comfort. Not even bothering to watch the scattered shards of the eternal plains dissipate into light, An Fei plopped her body onto the ground, lazily stretching her body in pure bliss.

    The warmth emitted by the crystal that comforted both the body and soul, could not, and would not be traded for another regardless of the tempting offer.

    Allowing an enormous yawn to ripple across her countenance, An Fei slowly gathered herself into a standing position. Her gaze inadvertently landed onto the crystalline throne, and the tattered black book resting on the right armrest of the throne.

    Regardless of where she disappeared from the mysterious realm of sky-blue crystal, she and the book would always reappear in the throne room.

    Though slightly confused and curious, An Fei strode towards the throne, her fingers reaching out to grab ahold of the book.

    "Just¡­ what could you be?" she wondered as she stroked the leather cover with her thumbs.

    Not long after, the girl sat herself down onto the throne and adjusted herself into a comfortable position, opening the book to read from the first page once again. The throne room of crystal gradually returned to a state of natural tranquility, the only sounds being a young girl''s light breathing, and the soft rustling of pages.

    -

    "Absorb the atmosphere''s essence into the mortal body, refining the physical manifestation into an elevated status," the girl softly read, her vision illuminated by a gentle, golden glow emanating from the nearby crystals surrounding her body.

    The pages on the book illustrated a detailed diagram of a human''s body, depicting each organ, meridian, and acupuncture point with an accompanying page number that provided further detail.

    Of how much information would be provided, the girl was unsure, but it was obvious that compared to its previous appearance, the contents of the book had expanded by an unimaginable degree.

    From a collection of loosely defined concepts and terms, the information displayed was much more detailed and organized, bringing forth a huge sigh of relief.

    "Confine and assimilate the atmosphere''s essence with the soul, performing an inseparable fusion to attune the soul with the natural currents and phenomena. This practice, though highly adopted by mortals, is considered taboo for all fixated existence. For in exchange of unbound and indeterminate strength, the practitioner offers up the freedom of the soul, to be permanently deprived of traversing the Bridge of Helplessness."

    "When obtaining an unjustified gift from nature, one must offer an equivalent exchange, oftentimes unbalanced towards the practitioner. The ability of mortal souls to experiencing cleansing at the Bridge of Helplessness is critical not only to the practitioner, but the standing authority managing the individual precincts."

    ¡­precincts?

    A standing authority?

    An Fei frowned as she rapidly flipped through the book''s pages from beginning to end, yet little to no information other than the title was displayed before her eyes. Irritated and bitter that she was being withheld what seemed to be significant information, the girl released a sigh of resentment before lifting her gaze to glance at the throne hall below her feet.

    She shouldn''t complain, for the book had provided an equal compensation to her grievances at the beginning.

    "Treatments of unbalanced enhancement of meridians within the mortal body. Observe the technique at the fifteenth Archive and the at the eighth Archive."

    "Treatments of malignant symptoms and general injuries non-fatal or critical. Observe , eighth Archive."

    "Analysis of spiritual herbs and medicines. Observe , , and , twelfth Archive."

    Not only did the book provide detailed diagrams and descriptions on the location, functions, and major weaknesses and limits of each major meridian channels, organs, and the meridians and acupuncture points within the human body, several sentences at the last marked page spanned a list of general subjects of interest, from martial arts to growing spiritual plants and observing the changes in the sky and earth.

    Additionally, each topic was accompanied by a register of which book or tome to reference for further review.

    Simply put, in An Fei''s perspective, the book had transformed from a pile of utter rubbish and nonsense to a serviceable source of information. Though there were still major discrepancies and oddities in the information presented on the snow-white pages, its functionality had magnified by several times over.

    For example, the final sentence at the end of the page obtained An Fei''s interest and anticipation and refused to relinquish its grasp.

    "Optimal spiritual cultivation technique for the practitioner, observe the , seventeenth Archive."

    The .

    The same that was denoted within Grandfather An Xiang Yang''s departing letter, and the same that had appeared in the book for an innumerable amount of times. Reading the string of characters multiple times until they were ingrained deeply within her mind, the girl finally stood from the throne.

    If she could view the contents of this , then perhaps she could finally obtain a clearly defined idea of the mysterious realm of crystal''s purpose and function. Not an overview provided by someone else, but a judgement obtained from her own reasoning.

    Before she could only speculate, but now, the book had explicitly confirmed her suspicion.

    Furthermore, the both the book and her grandfather had identified the tome as the optimal spiritual cultivation technique, fulfilling her sudden and awkward interest towards cultivation. Hence, with the thought that she wasn''t going to lose out regardless of the outcome, the girl quickly strode down the dozen steps to stand before the second ''Gate'' to the left of the throne.

    In her haste, the girl forced open the door and rushed inside, her enhanced physique providing sufficient stamina and momentum to reach the door containing the great library of the Sanctum of Eternity, the Archive of Time.

    She was not aware that upon reading the book this time, the symbols above the first two metallic gates had lost the dense mist that obscured the vision of those attempting to decipher its knowledge.

    Nor did she discover that each gateway, particularly the tenth gateway, was experiencing an excruciatingly gradual but inevitable change.

    Her steps were light and nimble as they entered the great library within the second corridor, the a sweet smile displayed on the girl''s countenance. All of it, however, came crashing down the next instant as a thought struck her mind.

    Did she have to climb those ladder rungs all over again?

    Each and every single one of the one thousand, two hundred and thirty-eight rungs, she had to surmount them all to reach the seventeenth floor?

    A surge of dizziness and the desire to vomit reverberated within An Fei''s body, and the girl''s stomach heaved as her fingers clawed at the lectern''s crystalline surface for support. Her legs repeatedly lost strength at the mere thought of repeating the mind-numbing self-torture with such a short period of reprieve, and the girl nearly gave up on everything at that spot.

    "Please be something there, please be something there¡­" An Fei groaned as she scanned through the aged, black book with a crazed fervor.

    To her dismay, there wasn''t any information regarding a shortcut to travel between the various platforms of the Archives within the book that had just, mere moments ago, become an important treasure within her heart. Completely disheartened, the girl aimlessly flipped the pages of the open lectern, a moody aura rolling off her body.

    However, An Fei discovered that, perhaps by chance or pity, that the lectern before her eyes possessed an indescribable gift. Burning the words into memory, the girl hugged the black book to her chest.

    A single step back from the center of the lectern towards the door.

    A turn to face the wall on the right.

    On the leftmost corner, three sharp raps on the crystalline surface.

    The moment her fist left the sky-blue crystal, the golden light illuminating her vision shifted into a brilliant, pale-blue radiance. With a sudden jerk of her vision that nearly caused the girl to topple over, An Fei felt the ground abruptly vanish and reappear within an instant.

    When her vision returned to normal, the girl looked up to discover the etched number ''One'' glaring at her gaze. Slightly relieved and yet fearful at the same time, An Fei gathered her body to remain within the golden radiance before daring to touch the crystalline wall again.

    Somehow, the girl had the unsettling premonition that in the circumstance that she did fall over, and her body was not bathed in the golden radiance during the transfer¡­

    She would most probably not experience a remarkably great ending.

    Sixteen equally terrifying and anticipatory brushes with a gruesome death later, the girl had stepped back into the seventeenth Archive of the Library of Time. The familiar scenery displayed before her eyes as she stepped into the platform, though it brought forth a wave of tumultuous emotions, there was one dominant thought that refused to leave her mind.

    Damn accursed book bound in twine radiating a pale golden light, she was going to make it pay!

 66 A Nasty Little Joke of Epic Proportions 10

    The familiar row of bookshelves that formed a large perimeter of the platform, and the furniture at the center, they were well ingrained within her memory. The seventeenth platform of the second gateway''s library was indeed the location where she had shaken off the plaguing harrows and worries of her previous life.

    "The ¡­ should be on this platform¡­ but where?"

    The girl mumbled to herself as she began to tour the perimeter of the platform, her eyes skimming past the bookshelves stacked neatly next to each other to form an indomitable line. Only, as she gradually neared the end of a complete cycle of the perimeter, An Fei''s worry increased with each book that she counted.

    ¡­a row exceeding a few thousand books in number, how was she to find a specific book amongst all of them?

    The only saving grace that prevented the young girl from descending into a mental nightmare was that the title of the book was neatly printed on the spine in bolded characters. Otherwise, it wasn''t far fetched to claim that An Fei would hunker down onto the ground to give the black book resting against her bosom a sound thrashing.

    However, the girl wasn''t spared from having to tour the seemingly never-ending row of bookshelves for another circuit.

    This time, she went at a snail-like pace, her gaze carefully examining each title to ensure that she hadn''t accidently skipped over her desired target.

    "."

    "."

    "."

    "."

    "¡­ I suppose that should be fine since there''s a dense, scarlet light emitting from the cover?"

    "¡­ can I stop here?"

    Having covered a tenth of the books displayed on the seventeenth platform after several hours, An Fei massaged her throbbing temples, sitting down to relax her body.

    She was well aware that attempting to utilize such a harebrained method of searching for a golden nugget in the middle of the sea was akin to unnecessary mental torture, but couldn''t think of a more efficient strategy that would display fruition in a relatively unknown location as the seventeenth Archive.

    Once again, the appearance of a book bound by twine entered her thoughts, causing the girl to stew in rage. Pondering for a few moments, An Fei decidedly stood and marched towards the other corner of the platform, taking unusually long and uncontrolled strides.

    Since the book kept appearing in her thoughts, she would settle this curiosity before continuing to ruminate over the issue of searching for the . Although, to be quite frank, discovering the book bound by twine was a task of significant ease compared to the previous search for a needle buried within a haystack.

    Thirty books away from the door that led to the miserable, torturous ladder. The third row of the row of bookshelves parallel with the door''s surface.

    The event of the being forcefully repelled by the twine-bound book, and even the incident where her finger was nicked by the pair of butterfly swords, both were deeply stored within the girl''s memory. Promising herself to remain vigilant and not fall into carelessness like before, the girl came to a stop before the book bound in twine, her gaze focused on the pale-gold radiance emanating from the leather strips.

    If comparing this book with the rest within the seventeenth platform, the book bound in twine was thoroughly dilapidated compared to the others. The pages were rough and uneven in size and thickness, and some were even discolored by a noticeable margin.

    Additionally, the book lacked a proper cover, the pages held together by a binding of twine and two large chunks of leather.

    Towards the spineless, twine-bound book lacking a proper appearance, An Fei discovered that other than the initial outburst of annoyance, her emotions were tranquil. After a brief moment of hesitation, the girl reached out with her right hand to slowly extract the book, resting the leather cover against her palm.

    Immediately, the girl felt a slight disappointment as well as an unknown but suffocating feeling as she glared at the title stamped on the cover of the book. Hence, in contrast to the slow and steady manner that she had withdrawn the book, the girl jammed the twine-bound book back into the bookshelf without any mercy.

    .

    She did not know why, but a piercing pang of nostalgia welled within her heart as she gazed at the messily sprawled but bold letters on the leather cover. Nonetheless, the faint sense of nostalgia did not triumph over the disappointment of not finding the book she desired, causing the book to receive An Fei''s unjustified vent of frustration.

    With a sigh, the girl turned to return to her original position at the other end of the platform, yet paused at the last second. An expression of shock and astonishment was displayed on her countenance and illuminated by the golden radiance emitted from the crystalline floor as the girl slowly peered back towards the bookshelves.

    More particularly, the book with the black fabric cover on the row directly below the manual.

    Stamped in bold letters that exuded an aura of tranquil indifference, as if not belonging to the world. A deep violet light emanated from the pages, dwarfing the radiance of the tomes nearby.

    .

    Her fingers shaking in excitement and trepidation, An Fei carefully approached the rows of books for the third time, extracting the book one centimeter at a time. Once the book was secured in her delicate palm, the girl hesitated before taking the manual.

    Heading towards the center of the platform, An Fei lowered herself onto a comfortable position on the soft mattress of the bed, before placing the three books to her right. Staring at the books bound in leather, fabric, and twine, the girl mulled over her thoughts for several moments, finally choosing to assuage her curiosity.

    .

    Her grandfather and the leather-bound book had instructed for her to cultivate in this technique several times. Naturally, the girl held great expectation for the book clenched within her hands.

    Opening the book as the violet glow receded from her vision, the girl squinted in an effort to read the characters as swift as possible. Her eyes scanned the long strings of characters on the pristine, snow white page several times, her mind straining to comprehend as much raw information as possible before attempting to make inferences.

    However, An Fei ended up tossing the book bound by black-colored fabric onto the side of the bed, an utterly discomfited expression on her countenance. She then hugged the pillow to her chest, staring at the ceiling of sky-blue crystal.

    She had only read the first few pages of the . Just like the leather-bound book and An Xiang Yang had stoked her expectations, the manual with the cover of black fabric provided an exposition on cultivation in a concise description, one that the girl could easily comprehend without requiring another''s explanation.

    However¡­

    [The practitioner of the must become aware of the following. Upon consumption of spiritual qi or residue within the Sanctum of Time and Eternal Peace, any artefacts, techniques, or consumable entities containing spiritual essence belonging to a mortal world possesses the same effect as the most virulent and deadly toxin.]

    ¡­what the hell, was this some sort of joke?

    A string of curses stormed through the seventeenth platform of the Archive of Time, the longest the girl had released as of yet.

 67 To Cultivate, One Should... 1

    Once her emotions had sufficiently calmed, An Fei released a hearty sigh, expelling the vestiges of her frustration and anger with the breath of air. Shaking her head several times, the girl looked back at the book with the black cover cruelly discarded onto the ground, the .

    Once the mindless fury had receded, cold reasoning splashed heavily onto her shoulders, a sinking feeling churning within her stomach.

    Unlike the previous instances of which she had not a single inkling of a plausible answer, the girl was clearly cognizant of the problem glaring at her.

    If, as it most probably was as usual, the statement written in the book was true, then An Fei was facing a massive, immediate crisis.

    For there were innumerable objects possessing the spiritual essence of a mortal world in the Shattered Star Continent. Even in the study of the Flowing Wind Residence, the artefacts and items now deemed toxic, the girl could name several from a single thought.

    Thirty-four cultivation and martial arts techniques that she and the maidservants had obtained from the Pagoda of Sun and Moon.

    One technique forced into her possession by the Elder Luo of the Three Lotus Sect, the .

    ¡­and the countless, plethora of items and artefacts Wei Xuan was probably going to pass into her possession into the future if she cultivated.

    "This is really difficult, ah¡­" An Fei sighed, lightly smacking the fabric cover with her left hand, a sense of helplessness rolling off of her body.

    Was she supposed to cease cultivation before she had even taken the first step? Furthermore, there wasn''t an actual objective, a conclusive reason for her to engage in cultivation.

    Would dusting her hands after failing to succeed in a cultivation or martial arts technique, adopting a weak-minded personality, pass by the watchful eyes of Wei Xuan? Although he still doted and pampered the little girl just as he had done before, his gaze at times would often become cautious, especially if she woke after a long period of slumber.

    However¡­

    An Fei couldn''t forget that on the first encounter of this mysterious crystal realm, she had taken a bite or two from a stalk of celery growing in one of the medicinal gardens. The plant was indeed emanating a vibrant light akin to those she observed in the either the library of the Pagoda of Sun and Moon or the Archive of Time, which was a clear indicator that she had already crossed that taboo.

    [Consumption of spiritual qi or residue within the Sanctum of Time and Eternal Peace].

    Given how the light radiated from a stalk of celery far surpassed that of the books she had received from the elders of the Three Lotus Sect, even of the technique, the girl was mostly certain that she was now quartered in the direct midst of the condition mentioned within the .

    Locked in place within the accursed restrictions that could decide her life or death regardless of her choice.

    In that case, then she could only bite her teeth and do her utmost to avoid interacting with any item releasing a colored, abnormal light within the Shattered Star Continent. Furthermore, discover a method of dissuading Wei Xuan before he forced pills down her throat¡­

    Sighing for the umpteenth time, An Fei grit her teeth and opened the on her lap, scouring the book for as much information as she could obtain. Much to her delight and bitterness, not a single page within the book was empty, instead containing an amount of information that she would not be able to absorb without a significantly long period of time.

    ¡­the book was much thicker than her arm, after all.

    Furthermore, its overall size wasn''t that far from comparing with her torso¡­

    -

    "Cultivation is defined as the enhancement of the body and soul, forcing consecutive breakthroughs onto the self to achieve a higher echelon within the Realm''s natural order. There are many methodologies that attain similar results, including forced absorption of the Realm''s subsidiary worlds'' cores and essence reserves to assimilate into the body of the self, establishing a gradual increase in the faith of a subsidiary entity, or¡­"

    Within the seventeenth Archive of the Sanctum of Eternity, a soft voice could be heard reciting a long string of information. The melodious voice belonged to the figure of a young, beautiful girl who was lazily reclining in a comfortable chair, a heavily disproportionate book propped up by the armrests.

    "The follows the final approach, to directly access the natural bindings on the Realm''s structures to grant the soul unsurpassable authority within the echelon. Utilizing the attained reservoir of divine essence and authority over the Realm''s order, the practitioner can directly enhance their body and soul without repercussion or limit."

    Her immediate surroundings illuminated by a soft, golden radiance that didn''t cast a shadow regardless of where she turned, An Fei continued to read the . She had been reading for several hours already, and was shocked to find that her eyes didn''t feel the slightest bit strained.

    "The Realm is comprised of divine essence that is molded and bound by various layers of the Divine Script, the language of the Forefather utilized to create the Realm from nothing. Divine essence is at its root, mere intention given form by the Divine Script. Utilizing the functions of information at its peak, one can create from nihility with a single world, or erase fundamental concepts without disrupting the natural order of the Realm¡­"

    ¡­creating from nothing, how was that possible? Even to transmute an object of higher purity, wasn''t an exchange of equivalency required for the final product to even manifest¡­?

    The girl grumbled to herself, massaging her temple with her free hand. As she stared at the small script that covered the page from top to bottom without wasting any space, An Fei could feel the fundamental knowledge she had acquired over the years, become shattered and ground to dust by the .

    "All inhabitants of the Realm''s main world are immutable beings, immune to cessation and time. Time, death, decay, and termination are all adjutant concepts established following the stabilization of the Realm¡­ and are able to be manipulated by any inhabitant allotted the necessary authority and reserves of divine essence by the Realm¡­ How is that even possible?"

    Immortality?

    Unable to be killed, with an infinite lifespan??

    An Fei gaped in surprise and astonishment, the dull, scarlet eyes widened as they glared at the book. Moments later, a heavy doubt sank in, but the girl pursed her lips before continuing to read.

    Questions could be asked later, only when the reader had grasped sufficient information to even make a valid question. Otherwise, she might as well be a blind monkey scolding the Creator about a nonsensical concept such as ''sight''.

    "Souls birthed and forged within the Realm are attributed with the Realm''s natural laws; due to the Realm''s creation lacking the concept of decay and cessation, all inhabitants birthed within the Realm similarly possess those attributes. However, the authority of divine essence, utilization of the Divine Script, or the grant of immortality is withheld from any abnormal immigrant."

    "Inhabitants of the Realm, upon sufficient development, can establish subsidiary entities under their denomination and authority. These entities are known as mortal realms, and are naturally subject to the concepts of time, decay, and death; the Realm''s attributes of immortality and divine essence are not inherited by mortal realms¡­"

    "Only within mortal realms is the primary methodology of direct absorption of the world''s essence and core feasible, but is acutely toxic for inhabitants of the Realm to engage in such practices¡­"

    At that moment, the girl marked the page she had just finished reading, before placing the book onto the right armrest. Standing up and stretching her body with a mightily yawn, An Fei swept her gaze across the rows of books surrounding the platform.

    She didn''t know how long it had taken to read a few pages of information within the , but it was indeed far too much for her to absorb within a short amount of time. The small characters, though dull and relatively easy to read, did not remain for long within one''s memory.

    She had reread the short passage numerous times, but all she could remember was a short summary.

    The short summary was nonetheless more than sufficient to completely awe her soul, and at the same time, demoralize her knowledge and intellect.

    An Fei felt quite miserable, as if she had spent the majority of her life learning the wrong concepts and information with a blind faith. If the concepts described within the were true, then she, no, the entire Shattered Star Continent, the planet Earth that housed the country of China, and every other human were living their lives in a glass cage.

    The information was described in a form remarkably difficult to refute, and the girl felt the premonition that what she had read, could not be the byproduct of a maniac''s warped imagination.

    However, the deeply rooted knowledge accumulated over sixteen years continued to doubt the ''s statements, refusing to accept a single iota from the black book.

    A cage as small as a speck of dust, and fully under the whims of an immortal being. How terrifying would that be?

    After all, humans were mortal.

 68 To Cultivate, One Should... 2

    Rolling her neck twice and wincing at the faint popping noises as the joints rubbed against each other due to prolonged disuse and her horrible reading posture, the girl took one last look at the black book resting on the armchair.

    Turning her gaze away, she quickly hugged the black leather book to her chest before striding away.

    After a deep breath, An Fei walked towards the unmarked crystalline wall, rapping the crystal surface with her fist three times.

    Though she wanted to know more, especially how to cultivate, the girl felt as if her mind was about to burst. She needed time to digest and sort through the information she had just crammed into her mind.

    Responding to her three knocks, a circle of golden light burst from the floor, producing a circle with a radius of three meters. Ensuring that her entire body was standing in a stable position and well within the perimeter of golden light, An Fei braced herself for the incoming jerk.

    "¡­ah!?"

    Or she didn''t amply prepare, for the girl was rudely deposited at the base floor of the Archive without any warning. Rubbing her sore body as she watched the pale-blue radiance dissipate into fragments of light, An Fei suppressed the groan of pain and stumbled to her feet, dragging her body out of the grand library.

    The platform had graciously transported her onto the first level of the Archive of Time within an instant, saving her the massive amount of time she would have spent climbing the ladder. However, it had retained the full energy during the impact, causing a tremendous wave of pain to spread across her entire body.

    Her body was spared from any damage, but in exchange, An Fei felt as if a storm of searing heat was ravaging her body from the inside. Her knees buckling and devoid of strength, the girl nearly thought that her physique had regressed to that of the malnourished constitution she encountered upon transmigrating into Great Yong.

    Holding her waist and hip in agony, the girl limped through the second corridor to return to the massive throne room, her beautiful countenance displaying a relieved smile upon escaping the seeing the outline of a grand throne.

    Without further ado, however, An Fei directly entered the first corridor, not stopping until she had entered the soft boudoir, upon which she crashed into the bed without a single thought.

    "I''ll return after a while¡­" the girl murmured, her eyelids gently fluttering in pain and fatigue. "I want some time to think¡­"

    The soft and warm blankets quickly lulled An Fei into a dreamless, peaceful sleep. As the girl''s mind sank into darkness, the mirror supported by the bedside released a brilliant scarlet light that covered the sleeping figure of a young girl, and her appearance gradually became indistinct before finally disappearing¡­

    -

    The Shattered Star Continent was under the absolute reign of three empires; Great Yan, Great Yong, and Bei Tang. Great Yong ruled the territories in the north and western regions of the continent; Great Yan ruled the south and the eastern third of the continent; Bei Tang oversaw the land from the north to the east.

    These three empires controlled the vast majority of the Shattered Star Continent, with only a few thousand kilometers remaining uncharted due to the absurd dangers within those regions of land. However they wished to expand and conquer the sliver of land left unclaimed within the continent, they dared not to for even cultivators of the Nascent Soul Realm faced grave danger.

    With the Nascent Soul Realm being the peak attainment of cultivation amongst the royal empires, it was not a mystery that the empires would instead withdraw their territories, drawing a wide berth from the region of death.

    The central plains of the Shattered Star Continent produced the inhabitants'' major source of grain and crops; the south contained rich deposits of precious metals; the north possessed unfathomable reservoirs of crystals imbued with spiritual energy; and the east and west was home to the demonic beasts of the continent.

    The clear divide of resources forced the three empires to sincerely cooperate in trade without thoughts of harboring war or greed, for the grain, precious metals, crystals and stones imbued with spiritual energy, and demonic beasts, all were necessary to an empire''s development and survival.

    If they dared skimp on grain, the people would starve; the lack of precious metals would severely inhibit infrastructure development and the expansion of cities; and crystals and demonic beasts were vital to a cultivator''s progression regardless of their cultivation method. The central plains were not underneath a singular empire, but each possessed an equal share of territory that attempted to outperformance the rest.

    Once such example was the Feng Bi Prefecture. Underneath the authority of Great Yong, but the prefecture housed an equal distribution of nationalities. Prefectures like the Feng Bi Prefecture, especially in the central plains, served as the center of international commerce within the Shattered Star Continent.

    Feng Bi Prefecture spanned no more than a three hundred square kilometers; the territory was completely covered by arable land, a plateau of fertility and life. The majority of spiritual herbs, medicines, and ordinary grain supplementing and sustaining the lives of the empire''s population were grown in Feng Bi Prefecture and its neighboring territories.

    If hovering above the territory, one could only see villages submerged in massive plots of land sectioned for farming, with towering granaries dotting the plateau, several cities dotting the center of the prefecture in a ring-formed cluster. A few farmers toiled at the farms as they cleared away the excess snow from the plots of land housing specific spiritual herbs to prevent them from a rapid death.

    The entirety of Feng Bi Prefecture had entered a few months of tranquil leisure as they waited for the arrival of mid-spring, the streets and shops in the cities devoid of people.

    However, the source of the first wave of great turmoil was destined to strike the fringes of the Feng Bi Prefecture on this lazy morning. However, it was not from a geothermal disruption or a disaster of locusts, but from the sky.

    Within the greyed skies of winter above the Shattered Star Continent, three stars shone brightly, their radiance piercing through the thick clouds to shadow themselves on the ground.

    Blazing scarlet, a dull azure, and teal effused with a strain of vitality.

    The three rays of light landed on different areas of the central plains, each headed for a different empire''s territory. The teal star''s radiance shone on the corner of Feng Bi Prefecture, a charted plot of land growing Green Spirit Grass, a stable commodity of cultivators among the continent.

    The land had already been cleared of the majority of the snow that had accumulated during the beginning of winter, thus many of the original laborers had stopped paying much attention until the temperatures began to rise.

    The teal radiance shone onto the soil for an incense stick''s of time, before suddenly vanishing. Other than an aged farmer who soon successfully convinced himself of experiencing a hallucination, not a single person within the prefecture had noticed the abnormal phenomenon.

    If they had explored this area of land, perhaps by chance or by routine diligence, they would have discovered a youth laying facedown amidst the chilling snow. A few moments later, the youth suddenly swung his arms and legs, springing his body into midair.

    Instead of falling down, the youth''s body hovered a few meters above the ground, his feet suspended by an unknown force. The eyelids twitched several times, before flashing open to reveal a pair of hazel eyes that flashed with cunning and violence.

    If anyone had obtained a glimpse of his appearance, they would only label the youth with one word: devil.

    The youth appeared as a handsome, young master with fair-skin and beautiful features, a green dot the size of a meng bean decorating his forehead. Combined with the bewitching but dangerous aura emanating from his body, the youth could indeed be labeled as a fatal attraction.

    Raising his arm and realizing that the fair-skinned limb was exceedingly delicate and devoid of strength compared to his memories, the youth''s mouth twitched into a scowl. However, his expression soon morphed into one of amusement, and the youth''s body began to fall onto the ground.

    Two feet clad in thick-soled boots landed onto the ground, a pulse of green light emanating from the impact. Everything that touched the green light quickly fell into decay, the life and earth nearby not spared from the same, brusque treatment.

    As nearby life perished in droves, thin streams of vitality converged with the youth at the center, causing his countenance to become ruddy as his body fiercely absorbed the life force.

    By the time the pulse had expanded to a radius of three kilometers, the youth frowned and raised his hand, causing the ripple to disintegrate and disperse into the atmosphere. The pair of eyes revealed a glint of cruelty and laughter, and Bai Xing took his step into the mortal world.

    "How interesting. To think that a mortal world under the jurisdiction of a mere precinct would possess so many restrictive mechanisms against the inhabitants of the Realm."

 69 To Cultivate, One Should... 3

    After the Pagoda of Sun and Moon concluded its abnormal opening, the city of Jiang''an and Great Yong witnessed a decrease in snowfall. The streets of Jiang''an gradually became filled with bustling citizens once again, the city of wealth and commerce quickly regaining its prosperity as the snow on the streets were gradually cleared out.

    And of course, following the opening of the Pagoda of Sun and Moon was the rise of new schools of martial arts and cultivation. Many of those who had attained a complete set of cultivation and martial arts techniques from the Pagoda of Sun and Moon were more than eager to establish schools of martial arts to bolster their reputation.

    The martial arts and cultivation techniques they taught, was of course, quite a watered-down edition of the copy they had obtained during their six-hour quest. Though the government of Great Yong and the Three Lotus Sect''s members frowned upon this practice, none of them interfered for the copies of cultivation or martial arts techniques, was not their responsibility.

    If one were to suffer misfortune, harm, or even death by joining a rapidly initiated school of martial arts, then they could only blame their poor luck. Furthermore, the techniques obtained by an overwhelming majority of the crowd originated from the first platform of the Pagoda of Sun and Moon, hence those who joined the makeshift schools belonged to those either unable to attain significant contribution merit to enter the Pagoda of Sun and Moon or obtain a cultivation technique from the government''s general repository, or were unable to venture out of Jiang''an.

    The streets of Jiang''an regained their unstoppable current of wealth, and the young masters and young misses of the officials'' families began to reinitiate their poetry gatherings and scholar associations, bringing an irksome mixture of a grimace and helpless smile on the elders'' countenances.

    Surprisingly, the Imperial Court refused to convene after the opening of the Pagoda of Sun and Moon. Even when both Left and Right Imperial Censors banged on the gates of the Imperial Court each morning, the eunuchs could only helplessly reply that the emperor had already adjourned court for the day.

    Such events were worthy of suspicion, and the atmosphere of Jiang''an slowly but surely began to shift towards a tense current. However, the transformation was excruciatingly sluggish, leading to many remaining oblivious and enjoying their current life to the fullest.

    A prime example would be the rumors and gossiping regarding the Fourth Young Miss of Wei amongst the manor''s servants.

    Those from the Peach Fragrance Residence claimed that the Fourth Young Miss had indeed awakened from a fourteen-year long coma, but was no wandering around like an infant, hence leading to her unable to leave the study of the Flowing Wind Residence.

    The servants of the Slumbering Dawn Residence refuted that the Fourth Young Miss was simply being excruciatingly lazy and pestering the Master until he dared not to frequent his own study.

    The residence of the Second Young Master of Wei''s servants somehow were unable to accept the idea that the Fourth Young Miss was anything but ugly, hence why she did not display her appearance in public. The abode of the Third Young Miss Wei Rou Yan and Fifth Young Miss Wei Yan Yue persistently stated that the Fourth Young Miss was stuck in a pretentious phase, and was not mature enough to venture outside of the Flowing Wind Residence.

    And the servants of the Flowing Wind Residence complained that the Fourth Young Miss was perfectly fine in maturity and was merely physically ill and unable to bear the winter weather.

    ¡­the manor of Wei''s servants were caught in a disaster, one caused by a lack of verified information and the snow causing many of the servants'' mental states to become slightly askew from boredom and being boxed in their quarters for weeks. As long as they received chores from their masters, they would soon return to normal.

    And work they received, and a massive quantity without sufficient time to aptly prepare; once the streets of Jiang''an had cleared, the officials'' manors, the Wei manor included, dispatched a slew of servants from each residence to devour the marketplace''s stocked goods. Compared to remaining cooped up in the small servants'' quarters or return to a working lifestyle in the manor, albeit with some extent of misery, the servants all deigned to select the latter.

    ¡­as for the subject of the rumors, An Fei was currently in a war with the two maidservants.

    -

    "Fourth. Young. Miss." Xiao Wen''s voice was stern, the maidservant''s countenance denying the chance of a refusal as she stared at the cowering girl in the linen bed.

    "The Fourth Young Miss must take the medicine! The Fourth Young Miss has just awoken from a coma of four days, the Fourth Young Miss'' body is extremely fragile. Not to mention that the medicine is good towards alleviating the effects of anemia, which is something the Fourth Young Miss desperately requires after vomiting all of that blood back then!"

    The maidservant coaxed An Fei with a gentle expression, holding forward a tray with a rather large ginseng. The ginseng was of the size of An Fei''s head, the skin a deep scarlet and tantalizing in appearance, indicating a complete saturation of vitality.

    However, the girl continued to shake her head in refusal, much to the maidservant''s ire.

    She didn''t want to eat!

    Her mind filled to the brim with the ''s explicit warning against the consumption and interaction with items with spiritual qi belonging to the world, An Fei gazed at the large specimen of ginseng with horror and fear. With that scarlet, plump skin and the saturation of vitality, the ginseng was bound to possess a large quantity of spiritual qi.

    Unfortunately for the Fourth Young Miss, Xiao Ying''s helpful intention ultimately consigned her to misery.

    "Fourth Young Miss, you must eat the medicine," the maidservant clutched onto An Fei''s arm. "This Blood Spirit Ginseng is aged well over a hundred years old, and possesses great restorative effects towards one''s vitality and especially for the Fourth Young Miss, replenishes any lost blood."

    "Furthermore, the ginseng is highly beneficial towards the Fourth Young Miss; having stepped onto the path of cultivation, the ginseng is a coal sent amidst a cold winter, for within the ginseng is a vast reservoir the Fourth Young Miss can refine and advance greatly in her cultivation!"

    ¡­the ginseng truly possessed spiritual qi belonging to a mortal world¡­

    Glancing at the excitement and desire within the maidservants'' gaze directed towards the massive ginseng on the tray, the young girl palmed her face before crawling back into bed. The intense blood loss and aftereffects of abruptly waking from a coma were indeed taxing on her body, and she deeply desired for a solid moment of rest.

    You can have it, this Young Miss doesn''t want to die so soon, ah!

    "Fourth Young Miss!" Xiao Wen pleaded. "The Fourth Young Miss only needs to consume a sliver of the ginseng to fully recover. There is no need to worry regarding the taste, this maidservant has prepared sufficient honey to dull the taste of bitter medicine!"

    "I¡­ I don''t want," the girl weakly groaned, her hands clapped over her ears as she desperately tried to blot out the nagging voices.

    However, a pair of sturdy and powerful hands gently dragged her arms away, and a low voice rang in her ear.

    "Fei''er¡­ what are you doing? Go take your medicine, it is only beneficial to your body."

    Her lips curved into a frustrated pout, the girl rolled her body within the blankets to face the minister, her sullen eyes meeting Wei Xuan''s gaze head-on. After pondering for a brief moment, An Fei opened her mouth to utter three words that astounded the minister and maidservants.

    "¡­don''t want¡­ sick."

    "Don''t want? Sick?" Wei Xuan felt an urge to either clutch his temple or throttle the girl before him.

    Choosing neither and instead stroking An Fei''s head, the minister coaxed in a soft croon, attempting to diminish the girl''s stubbornness.

    "Fei''er, people take medicine when they''re sick. When you threw up blood earlier, Father thought that his heart was about to tear! Come, eat a tiny piece of ginseng, then Father will watch over you until you fully recover. Afterwards, we can try to advance further in your cultivation, alright?"

    The girl continued to shake her head, the denial evident in the dull scarlet irises. For the first time, Wei Xuan felt frustration bubble inside him towards An Fei, and his voice came out slightly rougher than normal.

    "Eat."

    "No!"

    "Eat!" the minister boomed, his left hand curled into a fist underneath the bed, hidden from the girl''s sight.

    "Eat the ginseng, you silly girl! Do you want to kill yourself!?"

    "¡­"

    Underneath Wei Xuan''s imposing glare and reminded of the cold, helpless sensation she had felt earlier when the minister had lost control, An Fei quickly capitulated, unwilling to undergo a similar experience. Propped into a seated position by Xiao Wen and watching Xiao Ying cut a thin sliver the size of a toothpick from the head-sized ginseng, the girl ate the medicine under the watchful gaze of Wei Xuan, a look of despair on her countenance.

    Watching the girl''s throat tremble as it forced the sliver of ginseng down, Wei Xuan released a tensed sigh of relief, feeling utterly mentally drained. Whilst he was patting the girl''s head to soothe her irrational fear, his relief quickly morphed into horror as the girl before him started to madly convulse, thick rivulets of blood streaming down her nose, mouth, and the corner of her eyes.

 70 To Cultivate, One Should... 4

    She had boldly declared to herself to not reenter the Sanctum until she had pondered about a few thoughts that had been plaguing her recently.

    Here she was, staring down the crystal throne room the next day, and perhaps not even a full twenty-four hours had passed since she had left.

    An Fei clutched her head, fierce pulses of searing heat pounding at her body from within. Her body''s strength had been completely drained, cold sweat soaking the hem of her green dress.

    The pain from falling within the Sanctum had yet to disperse, whilst her body in the Flowing Wind Residence was currently incapacitated and likewise suffering from great torment. Though when she thought of the feeling of her organs set aflame and gnawed at by a mysterious force, the girl was more keen on falling in the Sanctum of Eternity.

    Muted groans escaped her teeth as An Fei rolled from side to side on the throne, her countenance devoid of color from the pain. However, her physical torment was far overshadowed by the fear radiating from the pair of scarlet irises.

    Fear.

    Fear of dying.

    The blood-red ginseng had dissolved into liquid the instant it entered her stomach, and the painful torture had begun there.

    A vicious cold sensation ripped through her veins, paralyzing her body from within. She could not move, blink, nor breathe as air was expelled from her lungs.

    Following was a sensation so painful that the mere thought brought an acute ache to her chest.

    Rubbing her chest, the girl could precisely recall just how she had felt her heart torn to shreds, violently reconnected, before utterly decimated the next instant. The blood vessels and meridians soon followed in the rude treatment, soon forcing the girl into a horrifying hell.

    All from a single slice of blood-red ginseng that Wei Xuan had involuntarily pressured her to consume. That small portion of blood ginseng that most probably contained an infinitesimal amount of mortal spiritual qi, an amount that most humans would not even notice upon consumption.

    Her teeth involuntarily shivered as recollections of the horrifying pain and the menacing and sardonic shadow of death whispered sweet enticement in her ears stormed her mind. The pain she was experiencing from falling down seventeen layers of the Archive of Time quickly faded into a barely noticeable hum, and the girl curled her body into a tight ball.

    She had assumed that because of her soul transferring to another world, death wasn''t a rather tough fear to overcome. The fear of death back then, had not only saved her from multiple gruesome occasions, it had allowed her to run from an entire world''s hunt for over two years.

    Only now, did An Fei realize that not only had her fear of death fail to diminish, it had instead worsened.

    The worst part was that she couldn''t even remember what happened after five minutes had passed since she ate the sliver of ginseng.

    The memories that were clear were those of pain and suffering. After that, her vision had completely darkened, and mere snapshots of the following events remained in her mind.

    An endless bridge of red bricks, and a clear, tranquil river running underneath.

    A sea of lights rushing past her on either side, forming a current of colored streams of ghostly, faded light.

    An elderly woman''s face, though the facial features were densely blurred and unrecognizable.

    Did she die from consuming the ginseng? Or was she still alive unlike the description within the ?

    An Fei didn''t know.

    All she could remember was a blurred scene of fleeing into the palace of sky-blue crystal and passing out on the floor of the throne room. When she finally woke, the girl found herself seated in the ruler''s chair.

    "¡­regardless of the result, it wasn''t a spiteful joke," the girl mumbled to herself, her forehead resting on her knees. "Can''t be a joke, can''t be a joke¡­"

    If she truly perished, how she was still present in the Sanctum of Eternity was an unsolvable mystery. However, the torment she had suffered was sufficient to cause An Fei to not dare take the slightest risk with the information presented within the .

    Once she felt that she could regain her breath without breaking into another fit of uncontrolled shivering, the girl finally raised her head before glancing at her sides.

    As per usual, the leather-bound book was present on the right armrest. However, the fabric-bound book, the , was neatly resting on the left armrest, surprising the girl.

    Picking up the with trembling fingers, An Fei slowly turned the pages towards the marker she had left the previous attempt of reading the book. Without further ado, the girl began to read with increasing vivacity, the shred of doubt having been reduced to a minimum regardless of the outlandish concepts she encountered.

    As long as reading and accepting the information could distract her from having to recall the gruesome torture once again, the girl was more than willing to partake in forcefully ingesting the ''s knowledge.

    Lessons were only learned upon firsthand experience.

    -

    "The ''s cultivation is commenced by directly communing with the Realm''s natural order, directly absorbing divine essence and Divine Script as per the template of the Divine Spiritual Vein. However, the prerequisite of practicing the ''s cultivation is achieving permanent entry into the Realm."

    Within the crystal throne room, a young girl''s voice echoed as she read from a large book bound by black fabric. The voice''s was listless and hollow, yet its owner continued to read and vocalize the information on the pristine pages, determined to commit the book''s content to memory.

    "If the practitioner has yet to fulfil the major prerequisite of cultivating the ''s primary technique or is a Shattered Soul, divine ascension must be completed prior to accessing the ''s full authority. Until the specified conditions are fulfilled, the practitioner cultivates akin to that of a mortal."

    Divine ascension?

    A Shattered Soul?

    An Fei mulled over the words, her thoughts spinning into a flat blank after a while. Shaking her head, the girl decided to follow her fundamental technique in comprehending the , though her brain demanded otherwise.

    Mindless persistence and blind memorization.

    "Of general practice, the most common established practice of mortal cultivation is completed by forcefully ingesting the atmospheric essence, assimilating it into their mortal body. A rather crude yet effective method of enhancing a practitioner''s strength, but contains severe drawbacks and consequences."

    Her brow creasing into a frown, An Fei''s memory regarding the following few pages of information was rather vague, causing a discomforting feeling to rush throughout her body. The words on the page seemed to shimmer and sway before her eyes, and were remarkably more difficult to read than usual.

    Body Tempering. The first stage of mortal cultivation in gathering the atmosphere''s natural essence and refining within the fleshly body. Five pillars of Body Tempering include the blood, marrow, flesh, meridians, and organs, each to be refined at a separate pace.

    Foundation Establishment. The blood vessels and meridians of the practitioner were inlaid with the branding of the atmosphere''s essence to resonate with the breath of nature. Fifteen pillars of Foundation Establishment tempered the meridians and blood to resonate with the slightest presence of spiritual qi, enhancing physical strength and agility by a significant margin.

    Spirit Building. The soul was tempered and trained to command the assimilated spiritual essence and mold it by its will. Nine pillars enabled the practitioner to weave spiritual essence throughout their body and the external environment with ease, allowing the usage of true martial arts techniques.

    Core Formation. A housing unit of spiritual qi was created to house the soul, creating a protective layer that secured a practitioner''s life if inflicted to physical injury. Ten pillars protected the life of a cultivator for several years regardless of the severity of the physical injury, of which complete recuperation was possible.

    Nascent Soul. The soul within the formed Core rapidly ingested and assimilated with vast amounts of spiritual essence present in the atmosphere, triggering a fusion and a pseudo-rebirth. Twelve pillars allowed the soul to gain the attributes of a newborn, resetting the lifespan of practitioners.

    Mortal Tribulation. Ninety-nine rounds of divine tribulation severed the soul from the fleshly roots bestowed on mortal practitioners, enabling flight and increased resonance with the environment''s essence.

    Mortal Life. Thirteen tribulations endured and succeeded bestowed near limitless longevity to the practitioner, albeit at a consequence.

    Mortal Death, with thirteen additional tribulations granted the practitioner minor authority regarding the passage of death.

    Seven Falls. The confrontation of dominance between the practitioner and the environment, contesting for authority over the atmosphere''s essence.

    Divine Dao. The practitioner, upon possessing control over the majority of the mortal world''s authority over the atmosphere''s essence, established their cultivation technique as the natural laws of the world, implementing a new methodology of cultivation.

    Divine Ascension. Accumulation of enough cultivators conforming to the practitioner''s methodology of cultivation permitted the practitioner to bypass the restrictions of the Divine Spiritual Vein, becoming a temporary resident of the Realm.

    The amount of stages described within the far surpassed all other sources of information An Fei had ever received, be it from Elder Luo of the Three Lotus Sect, or Wei Xuan himself. Though what remained in her memory was still inconsistent and vague, the girl believed that over time, she could obtain the full knowledge from the book bound with black fabric.

    Although, she just couldn''t accept one statement from the without harboring doubts of her own.

    [Until the practitioner is an existent attuned with the Realm, the absorption of spiritual essence within the Sanctum of Time and Eternal Peace is sufficient for the relative stages of mortal cultivation].

 71 To Cultivate, One Should... 5

    To cultivate until she completed the so-called stage of Divine Ascension, An Fei was to absorb spiritual essence from within the Sanctum.

    In the girl''s respectable perspective, it was rather similar to the process Wei Xuan had described. In fact, An Fei fully expected that without the caveat of the spiritual essence and artefacts within the mortal world was toxic for her, cultivating in the Sanctum would be no different than in the study of the Flowing Wind Residence.

    ¡­she would only know much later on, just how much of a cheat the realm of sky-blue crystal had provided. Although, until then, the girl never learned otherwise.

    And what was An Fei doing right now?

    -

    "Two eggplants, a small cluster of string beans, a few cloves of garlic, one piece of ginger," the girl muttered to herself, repeating the list in her head several times until she felt confident to explore.

    "Some crystallized salt, one green pepper, and¡­ one Violet Spring Herb¡­?"

    An Fei found herself in one of the medicine gardens, unable to control the pangs of hunger. She had clawed at the first gateway and stumbled around until she had chanced on a door that sported a collection of plants and medicines.

    A leather bag slung around her waist, An Fei entered the sea of medicinal herbs and plants, her hands grabbing at various plants and herbs as she made her way forth. Whenever a plant that matched the description as per the list appeared, the girl would gently pluck the fruit without damaging the flowering stem, or uproot the plant before sowing additional seeds onto the displaced ground.

    Truth told, An Fei was not feeling so comfortable as she searched throughout the medicine garden.

    Each plant exuded a bright, vibrant colored light that was impossibly difficult not to notice, and surrounded on all sides by an overwhelming sea of plants, the girl was having a hard time recovering from the disorientation.

    "Violet Spring Herb¡­ Violet Spring Herb¡­"

    When the girl parted two clusters of green onion emitting a brilliant scarlet light, a small, sponge-like plant was revealed before her eyes. Startled by the unusual appearance, An Fei took several moments to realize that the plant before her was the final ingredient the list required, prompting the girl to carefully but excitedly extract it and attend to the displaced soil, before quickly rushing out of the medicine garden towards the soft grass fringe on its edge.

    There, placed on the lush, trimmed grass, was a fully prepared black iron wok and bowl, a cheery fire sparkling away underneath, and a wooden table with several knives resting on top. The was placed near the table on the ground, the book opened to reveal the list of plants the girl was searching for.

    "Remove the fresh seeds from the Violet Spring Herb and preserve a few for drying," the girl peered at the book, placing the leather bag onto the grass.

    "Extract the juice of the Violet Spring Herb and heat, then shallow-fry the beans."

    Staring at the pristine pages for a brief moment as she sorted her thoughts, the An Fei opened the leather bag to reveal the Violet Spring Herb, of which she clenched in her hand. Though she attempted her best not to look at it, especially the top of the herb, the girl couldn''t exactly ignore the dense black light emanating from its bulb.

    The Violet Spring Herb adopted the appearance as a violet sponge-like, rectangular plant with numerous holes dotting the top of the plant. Unsure how to extract the seeds, the girl frowned for a moment before grabbing the herb by a corner and slapping it against the table''s surface.

    Immediately after, An Fei released a groan of discomfort, a queer expression on her beautiful countenance.

    The Violet Spring Herb resembled a warm, wet sponge when touched, what could only be called a rather disgusting sensation. Repeatedly slapping it against the wooden surface of the table, the girl could see numerous dots scattering all over table from the impact.

    Realizing that the tiny black dots were the seeds of the Violet Spring Herb, An Fei quickly dropped the disgusting herb onto the table, before scooping up as many of the seeds as she could.

    Though an equally many amount of the seeds fell into the grass and were impossible to find, she had salvaged several dozen seeds, a considerable amount considering that the Violet Spring Herb was smaller than her palm.

    Only, she now had to juice the disgusting sponge-like herb and pour it into the wok. Pursing her lips together, the girl pinched the Violet Spring Herb, and pressed it against the heated wok''s black iron surface.

    Sshh!

    The Violet Spring Herb immediately began releasing a sizzling sound upon contacting the heated surface, and An Fei could spot a dark liquid stream down in rivulets to pool at the bottom of the wok. Furthermore, the smell of the herb when burnt resembled nothing of what the girl had expected, instead releasing the fragrant smell of grapeseed oil.

    Once the pool of dark liquid had reached a considerable volume, An Fei immediately discarded the Violet Spring Herb, before rushing to the leather bag. Hearing the faint pops of the liquid reaching a high temperature, the girl quickly tossed in the washed and sliced clusters of string beans.

    Soon after, two sliced eggplants followed, scattering the beginnings of a delicious, mouthwatering aroma into the air.

    "Pepper¡­diced with the seeds removed for additional planting," the girl murmured.

    "Add in tandem with the garlic and ginger, with a small pinch of the seeds of the Violet Spring Herb."

    Swallowing her saliva, An Fei cut the tip off of the pepper, chewing and wincing at the spiciness as she continued to dice the green pepper with the knife. Scooping out the seeds and depositing the slices of pepper with a sliver of garlic and ginger, the girl carried over an iron stirring stick, ensuring that the beans and eggplant were not overly roasted on one side.

    Finally¡­ the seeds of the Violet Spring Herb. Tossing in a small pinch into the wok releasing a mouthwatering aroma, the girl hoped that an accident didn''t occur.

    "!"

    To her utter surprise, once the seeds had roasted in the wok for a few moments, the scent of soy sauce drifted into her nose, nearly causing the girl to burn her fingers on the wok''s surface to examine for herself.

    With the addition of soy sauce into the final product, An Fei felt as if her efforts in painstakingly searching for ingredients in a highly disorganized medicine garden were finally worth it.

    After all, the maidservants had strictly limited her access to soy sauce in the Flowing Wind Residence due to her previously weak health. Though colorful and vibrant in appearances, most of the food she had consumed in the study lacked soy sauce when needed, creating a rather bland taste.

    Holding the bowl by the edge, the girl scooped a plentiful serving into the bowl, the pair of scarlet irises lighting in expectation. Deliberately ignoring the uneven slices of string bean, eggplant, pepper, or any of the ingredients that had encountered the knife, An Fei blew on the food several times before using picking a cluster of food and placing it in her mouth.

    "Mm!"

    Ignoring the fact that her appearance was monstrously barbaric as she picked up the shallow-fried vegetables with her fingers before eating them, the girl patted her cheeks with a satisfied smile as she dreamily gazed at the cleared dish and wok.

    If she were to count her previous life''s experiences, then the last time she had ever consumed food as delicious and tantalizing as the recipe provided in the fabric-bound book was already more than three years ago.

    As she collected the cooking utensils and trudged towards the nearby stream of water to wash them, An Fei revisited her memories, most particularly those of warm and good food.

    As for why she was even cooking in the medicine garden, and continuously peering at the ?

    An Fei could only state that she was dutifully experimenting with the idea of absorbing spiritual essence within the realm of sky-blue crystal, and to satiate her hunger.

    The had described various methods in absorbing spiritual essence in great detail, including meditation, training in martial arts and exposing the pores in the body and numerous others, of which consumption of medicines and foods created from ingredients grown within the Sanctum was one example.

    As for why the girl had picked consuming food created from the Sanctum''s ingredients?

    The reason was rather simple and obvious, yet the girl refused to admit.

 72 To Cultivate, One Should... 6

    The region of death within the Shattered Star Continent could be described within four sentences.

    Hell of the ocean, Blackwater Crags.

    Hell of fire, Volatile Mountain Biao.

    Hell of wind, Pass of Agony.

    Hell of the earth, Plains of Death.

    The region of death was scattered amongst the continent, with passages leading to the various zones of absolute danger existing in every region. If one dared to venture into the fringes of explored territory, ample preparation was required to not succumb instantly within the danger zone.

    There were rumors that the region of death was actually the entrance to a world underground of a far larger scale than that of the surface of the Shattered Star Continent. Similarly, others claimed that they were instead gateways to secret pockets of space hidden from the world, though not a single person had lived to verify either rumor.

    At least, nobody had confessed that they had survived the region of death.

    At the extreme north of Great Yong, was a snowy field barren of life that led directly into a range of mountains. The howling gales and fearsome temperatures were far below unbearable temperatures, with the night providing a dangerous and bone-chilling surprise.

    The plains were several times the size of the Feng Bi Prefecture, and if one were to step onto the plateau, the only visible environment would be snow, mounds of snow, and even mountains of snow.

    The reduced visibility by the low temperatures and fierce winds created an impossibly difficult maze, with danger at every step and turn, and death creeping from behind.

    The northern plains did not require any fierce beasts or traps; an avalanche of supercooled snow and hypothermia were sufficient as guardians and killers of the snowy maze. Not even Nascent Soul Realm cultivators dared to venture far in the plains, for the biting cold was capable of penetrating all defensive barriers of spiritual essence, and thicker clothes were simply not an effective solution.

    Not to mention the howling wind that was as sharp as nails, capable of shredding any existence into miserable strips of frozen flesh.

    Beyond the snowy plains of the north was indeed, a pathway leading to the Pass of Agony. If one could pass through the fate of freezing to death, they would be exposed to a large range of mountains. The ground was sloped that several pathways were constructed, winding around the mountains, some even coiling up the mountain''s height.

    Where they evidently guided was a mystery not a single person dared to ask.

    The freezing temperature and fierce rains did not extend beyond the snowy plains, but the peaks of each mountain were surrounded by a dense, black cloud, with massive bolts of lightning striking the ground at random intervals. The ground was not affected by the impact of lightning, but not a single living creature could be found in the entire Pass of Agony; not even the most resilient of plant life could be discovered.

    Furthermore, the expected sound of thunder did not manifest with each bolt of lightning. Instead, a dull sound akin to the hammering of metal onto soil rang out with each impact, causing great shockwaves to ripple outwards and decimate the air.

    Fifty meters into one of the major pathways in the Pass of Agony, an odd phenomenon occurred, an unusual sighting for the region of death itself.

    For a man, a human being, was standing on the peak of one of the lower mountains, encased in a net of lightning.

    The man wore a loose scholar''s robe, standing tall with an reserved but indomitable aura emanating from his body. Underneath the grey robe was a toned, muscular frame of excellent proportions, displaying elegance without lacking strength.

    The man''s handsome features could be considered perfect and captivating, appearing to be no more than his mid-twenties of age.

    "Come!" the man boldly shouted towards the hazed sky, spreading his arms wide.

    "Show me the fifth tribulation the Heavens have in store for this scholar!"

    The sky rumbled in response, numerous dots of light appearing over the peak of the mountain the man stood on. After a few moments, the dots gradually began to converge into a single point, the light growing in intensity until it became blinding to the eye.

    The man laughed, slapping his chest with his right palm, before pressing onto the ground with his left. With a quick exhale of air, a resplendent blue light burst from his body, evaporating the net of lightning upon mere contact.

    Retaining the blue light around his body, the man maintained his posture as he closed his eyes, the reserves of spiritual essence within his dantian roiling and seething with agitation. Both the sky and man fought for time, one converging the atmospheric essence for a single, mighty attack; the other ignited his entire reserves of spiritual essence for a powerful array.

    The man abruptly raised his left palm from the ground and towards the sky, the fingers extended in a grasping motion as if holding a large pearl, the right hand sweeping towards his side. With a steady step forward with his right foot, the man brought both arms to wrap around his torso, before springing outwards in a wide arc.

    The barrier of blue light above his body descended to the ground, before spreading to form a disk hovering above the rocky surface. The disk was a few meters in radius, and was of different shades of blue, the gradient thinning as it expanded towards the fringe of the disk.

    With a determined shout, the man swept his left foot back, blue light exploding forth from his dantian. The disk of light above the ground resonated with the inundation of spiritual essence, and trembled as golden letters began forming on the its surface, forming a rather intricate diagram.

    The array formed by the man in the gray scholar robe only contained three characters; sword, kill, and pierce.

    The characters were arranged at different angles and positions alongside of the disk. Near the center of the diagram, the strokes of each character had been scattered to connect with another, retaining the original characters if the strokes were to be recited from left to right, rotating central point.

    Watching the final stroke of golden light strike the array, the man released a relieved smile, and he boldly stared at the sky, watching the point-mass of light become denser with each second.

    "Come!" the man shouted, his aura surging to the peak.

    "The mighty Heavens, why don''t you display your ability!?"

    "This is already the fifth tribulation, do not keep me waiting for so long!"

    As if provoked by the man''s taunting, the sky roared, and the point-mass of lightning descended rapidly. With a cold grunt and unshakable resolve in his eyes, the man stomped his right foot onto the mountain''s peak, triggering the array''s activation.

    ", break through!"

    The disk of blue light converged onto its center at a swift and steady pace. As the radius of the array shrunk, the center constructed a pillar of light that soared into the air to intercept the descending bead of lightning.

    BOOM!

    An earsplitting shockwave rang out, throwing the man off of the peak of the mountain from the sheer force of the impact. Nonetheless, the man revealed a smile as he crashed into the side of a neighboring mountain.

    The lightning bead was nowhere to be seen.

    The pillar of blue light had mostly decayed from the single blow, the pillar having corroded to reveal a damaged jian. The blade had numerous chips and warps, and the base of the sword was missing. Having expended its allotted reserve of spiritual essence, the beam of blue light dissipated, the jian disintegrating into numerous particles of light.

    The man slowly stood, gazing at the hazy sky with a peaceful smile on his countenance.

    The scholar robe was reduced to a barely connected string of rags, yet the man continued to display a joyful smile.

    The bones had suffered multiple fractures, and some were even broken or fragmented from the harsh collision with the rock, but the man didn''t seem to recognize the pain. He continued to gaze at the heavens for several moments, before dipping into a respectful bow.

    The tribulation had ended, as it had concluded with a single blow.

    He, Gao Yun Zhi, had successfully become a candidate for the sixth tribulation of the Mortal Tribulation Realm. As the man bowed his head, a gentle, golden light descended from the sky, carefully enveloping the man within.

    Audible cracks and pops quietly resounded throughout the Pass of Agony as the man''s body was healed to the maximum, before enhanced by a noticeable margin. Gao Yun Zhi''s eyes closed in bliss, his soul awash with a newfound strength.

    Determining that the candidate underneath had fully recovered and received the blessing of the sky after completing the tribulation, the golden pillar of light dissipated into a faint mist. Bowing his head low, the man quickly stripped off his rags and exchanged them for a complete set of robes.

    The string of rags tossed onto the ground.

    "Let that be a marker," Gao Yun Zhi smiled, before gazing at the south. "I''ll visit the Blackwind Hills one more time, before I head back. Senior Brother, you should quickly wrest those seals off, ah!"

 73 To Cultivate, One Should... 7

    A sea of plants and medicinal herbs, each releasing a colored glow of light. Some were harsh to the eye, and others were mellow, but the garden appeared as a mottled sea of lights, obscuring the herbs from view.

    Near the fringes ran a small stream, the current rapid and cold. On one of the banks kneeled a young girl, dipping a black iron wok into the water multiple times, rinsing the cooking utensil until the surface gleamed.

    Dipping the knives in the water and gently rubbing the sides of the blades with a thick leaf, An Fei moodily stared at her appearance. Without saying a single word, the girl finished washing the utensils and cleaned up, looking at the medicine garden with a sigh.

    "¡­still hard to get used to¡­" she murmured, walking towards the doorway to corridor with the clutched to her chest.

    This moment marked the third meal she had consumed for the day. Three meals of nothing but spiritual vegetables, but she couldn''t complain as the taste satiated her gluttonous nature.

    Eat till her tiny stomach couldn''t consume any more, then gaze wistfully towards the remaining food in the wok with a lingering hunger in her eyes.

    Walking in the corridor and admiring the smooth surface of the sky-blue crystal walls, floor, and ceiling, the girl released a mighty yawn. Her gaze drifting skyward as she patted her mouth, An Fei was slightly disappointed to not be able to see the moon hanging in the sky.

    Only, the girl didn''t say any more as she steadily strode towards the boudoir contained within the first gateway, pushing open the door and walking into the softly decorated bedroom.

    Slipping underneath the bedsheets with practiced ease, An Fei looked at the top of the curtains, an unknown sentiment swirling in her chest.

    Was she missing the study of the Flowing Wind Residence? Or her previous apartment in the risers of Nan Jing?

    Lost in thought, the girl''s eyes glazed over as she stared blankly into the air, her fingers involuntarily clenching the bed covers, before abruptly letting go. Repeated sighs could be heard within the boudoir, diminishing with each successive breath.

    Soon, the bedroom had returned to silence, a drowsed atmosphere gradually encompassing the room. Just as the girl was about to drift into sleep amongst a sea of comfort, a red gleam suddenly caught her eye.

    On the bed stand nearby, stood a plain mirror. A thin wooden stand supporting the back of the mirror, the reflective metal surface plated in polished platinum.

    However, the mirror''s edges were releasing a dull maroon glow, not too different when compared to her eyes.

    When she had struggled into a sitting position and brought the mirror before her face, An Fei could not see a reflection staring back at her.

    Even after stepping onto the floor and bathing herself in the soft, golden radiance, the mirror''s reflective surface remained a pitch black.

    What was going on?

    An Fei frowned, an unsettling thought threatening to take root in her mind. All thoughts of sleeping were fully washed away as the girl sat on the edge of the bed, relying on the golden luminance to carefully inspect the mirror on both sides.

    "The inscriptions are still there¡­" she mumbled, not forgetting to wince at the gentle caress of her voice.

    "This¡­ ahem."

    Clearing her throat, the girl stared at the back of the mirror, carefully reciting the inked characters one at a time.

    [The eyes of the mortal soul reveal Heaven''s courts. Wrap Illusion around Reality, Falsehood amongst Truth, and the Forefather''s lament descends onto the world.]

    Flipping the mirror with an expectant gaze on her countenance, An Fei didn''t know what to think when she realized that the mirror remained silent. There was no glow of scarlet light, no tinkle of bells as the mirror quaked; the platinum mirror remained dead in midst of midnight, undesiring to wake until the golden sun heralded the breath of dawn.

    Nothing.

    Helpless and clueless on how to respond, the girl quickly restated the words inscribed on the back of the mirror multiple times, only to be dismayed when the mirror failed to respond or react in any form.

    What surprised An Fei was that she held little disappointment for the failure of the mirror to return her to the mortal world. Instead, a deep-rooted fear for her body resting in the Flowing Wind Residence doused cold water onto her shoulders.

    What had happened to her after she had consumed the ginseng?

    She didn''t¡­ die, right?

    "No! No, don''t think of such things," the girl resolutely shook her head, slapping both cheeks with her hand to chase away the incoming depression.

    "I shouldn''t be dead, since I''m still sitting here¡­ perhaps my body is incapacitated¡­?"

    Fingering her chin with her right hand as she gazed at the mirror clenched in her left, the girl didn''t know how to proceed. Instinct reassured her of her safety, but the mind''s uncertainty was an undefeatable poison, grinding away at her sanity one thought at a time.

    However, the girl no longer had the time to worry about whether she was alive or dead.

    When in the Sanctum, there was little forgiveness. Even the Bearer of the Sanctum had to comply with its regulations, and could only see a process to the end, unable to request for a break.

    "Are all of the mirrors like this, perhaps like the one in the medicine gardens and armory?" An Fei murmured, before her brows settled into a deep frown.

    "No. When I got the wok and cooking knives from the armory in the first gateway, the mirror there was normal and didn''t possess that odd maroon glow on its edges. What''s going o-Mm!? Ah!"

    Clatter!

    The mirror slipped from the girl''s fingers and crashed onto the crystalline floor, the maroon glow fading into nothing upon contacting the golden radiance emitted by the sky-blue crystal.

    Unfortunately, the girl had little attention to spare for the poor mirror, for she was undergoing an odd treatment herself.

    "What''s goi-mmph! This¡­.ah¡­ what''s happening¡­" An Fei hissed in discomfort, both hands clutching her stomach. "¡­ah¡­Ah¡­ too weird¡­"

    Deep within the depths of her stomach, a light tingling sensation could be felt, its shape appearing to be in a formless ball. The ball contracted and expanded, and each shift in volume caused a rush of numb mixture of pure, physical ecstasy, comfortable drowsiness, and warmth to ravage the girl''s body from within.

    Collapsing into the warm blankets of silver fox fur, it took every ounce of An Fei''s willpower to remain conscious, though she wondered why she didn''t attempt to escape such discomforting torment. Her fingers and toes quivered with each wave of overwhelming comfort, and ragged breathing soon followed.

    Bump. Bump. Bump.

    A soft pounding sound rang in her ears at a steady rhythm, forcing the girl to remain conscious and endure each round of torment striking her body. The source of her discomfort seemed to have migrated to nestled deep within her chest, and it was only after a few minutes of hearing the repetitive, wet pulsing sound that An Fei realized that it was her heartbeat.

    What utterly perplexed and terrified the young girl was the revelation that her heartbeat lacked a rebound pulse, with solitary beats pounding at a stable rhythm. Regardless of the lack of medical knowledge, An Fei could still deduce that the heartbeat roaring in her ears was most definitely not normal.

    Bump. Bump. Bump!

    The pounding sounds gradually began to increase in intensity, soon rising to a deafening roar. Her fingers curling onto the blankets, a muted scream escaped An Fei''s throat as a stream of heat, comfort, and numbness surged from her heart. The stream diverged, merging into the bloodstream, and worming into the acupuncture points and meridians within her body.

    The stream traveled at an excruciatingly slow pace, and especially as the stream of heat dug away at her meridians, the girl felt an uncomfortable yet blissful warmth spread along her body in an arc, with multiple branches extending at specific intervals. The warmth remained restricted to the arc, branding a sensation of satiation and lethargy unlike any other.

    "ah¡­"

    Faint sighs escaped An Fei''s throat as the her mouth gasped for air, her consciousness threatening to melt into a foggy blur due to the intense sensation of comfort. She desperately wanted to writhe and vent off the gentle itch within her, yet her body was completely devoid of strength.

 74 To Cultivate, One Should... 8

    Her eyes remained wide awake, not daring to close after having received such a great scare. Even after several breaths had passed, she could still vividly remember the scene without having to exert much effort.

    Instead of a grainy darkness one commonly observed, she saw a detailed diagram of her body.

    Every layer of skin, muscle, meridian, the inner composition of her body was displayed directly before the girl. What made the image more unnerving and unbearable to watch was a thin golden stream worming its way through her Heart Meridian as well as the major blood vessels in her body.

    The thread of gold slowly entered through the Heart Meridian at the Jiquan acupuncture point, before extending down the length of the girl''s arm. Her eyes closed shut, An Fei soon became aware that each incremental movement of the golden thread was accompanied by a wave of numbness and the odd sensation of warmth and discomfort.

    She didn''t know what it meant for the thread of gold to worm throughout her meridians or bloodstream, and could only watch with apprehension. Time seemed to have crawled to a standstill, and An Fei could only observe her meridians and bloodstream gradually release a pale golden light.

    The light seemed similar to the radiance emitted objects containing spiritual essence, which gradually allayed the girl''s trepidation after several hours of quiet introspection. However, she was unnerved by the fact that the ownership of her body still had not returned after so long.

    The deafening pounding of her heart had quieted to a gentle pulse tickling the base of her ear.

    Much to her dismay, the unusual sensation did not lessen by the slightest, continuing to torment her body by the passing minute.

    If An Fei could open her eyes, she would have noticed that accompanying each movement of the golden thread, was the dispelling of a silver mist. The dense mist appeared rather tangible, and the shimmering particles of silver light struggled to return to the girl''s body like an agitated wraith.

    The golden radiance emitted from the crystalline floor forced the silver mist to remain separated from An Fei''s body, the Sanctum beginning to vibrate as a terrifying accumulation of spiritual essence began to awake. The cloud of silver light reared back in fear in an agitated frenzy, forsaking the fleshly host as it attempted to flee.

    The instant the silver mist left the confines of the bed, a formless energy completely eradicated the dense cloud of light, not leaving a single trace behind. Moreover, with each wisp of silver light exuded from the girl''s body, the mass of spiritual essence surged to eliminate.

    After an indeterminate amount of time, the girl watched the golden thread dissipate within her bloodstream, releasing a relieved sigh as she realized that the torturous numbness had stopped. As she sunk into darkness, the last An Fei saw was that her Heart Meridian and major blood vessels were now pulsing with a pale golden light, albeit quite fragile and delicate in appearance¡­

    -

    The girl crawled out of the bed, nearly falling onto the ground from the fatigue gnawing at her body.

    With dark rings circling her eyes and her countenance haggard and dim, An Fei stumbled towards the bathroom located on the adjacent wall.

    Pushing open the door and climbing into the cozy bathtub without even bothering to strip the green dress hanging onto her body, the girl slid down the wall of the large tub until her body underneath the chin was submerged. Leaning her head back in comfort as the hot water eased the knots in her muscles, An Fei released a long, heartfelt sigh.

    Contrary to expectation, she had experienced a miserable night.

    The aftereffects of the golden thread traversing through her body and the erratic, unnatural pulsing of searing heat within had displayed themselves in the middle of her sleep, forcing the girl awake each time the symptoms manifested. Not only that, her muscles had started to twitch uncontrollably from the sudden, unexpected unbalancing of vitality stored within the body, triggering a nightmare that seemed to have lasted for eons.

    Tossing and turning and waking at inopportune intervals, the girl had been unable to obtain a wink of sleep. Her fatigue was evident, that she didn''t even realize that she had dozed off until her head splashed into the water.

    Shaking herself awake and hastily washing herself, the girl randomly picked a white, cotton nightgown before heading towards the medicine garden. As she left the boudoir, An Fei didn''t forget to pick up a small object.

    Clenched within her left hand as she strode towards the armory with faltering steps was a small handheld mirror, similar to the larger artefact resting at the bedside table. An Fei had discovered it laying in one of the drawers of the dresser, and had not hesitated to pick it up.

    As per her suspicions, the beveled edge of the mirror was indeed releasing a faint maroon glow. Furthermore, the reflective surface of the mirror was a pitch black, only capable of absorbing light and not reflecting it back.

    Da-ng!

    Shoving the door open and placing the mirror and the onto the crystalline floor, An Fei walked into the armory contained in the first gateway of the Sanctum. Her surroundings illuminated by the golden radiance emitted from the sky-blue crystal contacting her body, the girl avoided the rows of armor and weaponry as she headed directly towards the farthest corner.

    Just like the day(?) before, An Fei was searching for additional cooking utensils. The wok had similarly been obtained from the armory, and the girl was curious as to why the objects contained in the armory lacked the glow of spiritual essence.

    At the farthest corner of the armory, the girl spotted a rack supporting numerous pots and pans, a tray housing razor-sharp knives of various sizes and blades, and other tools utilized in cooking.

    Ultimately, after pondering for a few moments, An Fei staggered out of the armory with the , a small handheld mirror, a bowl and ladle, and a pair of chopsticks as extra baggage.

    She had to admit, her appearance when devouring the food last night was considerably barbaric.

    The first time, she could shamelessly ignore her conscience and focus on the food, but such an act became increasingly difficult with each passing meal.

    Moreoever, her fingers didn''t enjoy the torment of directly touching hot food, especially when it had been taken out of the wok just moments prior.

    Thus, she had set out to search for a pair of chopsticks and a ladle. The bowl was selected after a moment''s hesitation, as the girl was unsure whether she truly needed a second bowl when she ate.

    "¡­another meal¡­ I''ll just go for the string beans again," the girl lamented to herself as she stared at the blinding sea of lights.

    "If only there were a recipe for meat within the book, ah."

    Setting her newly acquired tools down next to the wok, An Fei settled herself into a comfortable position, before placing the onto her lap. No longer than a few minutes, the soft mumbling of a girl could be heard within the medicine garden.

    "Absorbing spiritual essence within the Sanctum is facilitated by deep breathing and meditation, the practice of martial arts or supplementary cultivation techniques, direct consumption of items possessing spiritual essence, and a various assortment of activities including forging, calligraphy, painting, practicing alchemy, and the perusal of the Archives of Time."

    "Until the succession of Divine Ascension regarding mortal cultivation, the spiritual essence of the Sanctum does not encounter bottlenecks or periods of momentary stagnation or decay. Realms within mortal cultivation are attained and interchanged by a successful accumulation of spiritual essence within the fleshly body." The girl read, her eyes reflecting puzzlement.

    "Though the Sanctum is a source of spiritual essence not attributed with the aftereffects of mortal spiritual essence, the practitioner must enact the initiative to refine¡­ the fleshly body with absorbed¡­ spiritual essence to expand the soul''s reserves. The subsequent pillars of the mortal cultivation¡­ Body Tempering Realm are as follows: Blood, Meridian, Marrow, Muscle, and Flesh."

    The moment she finished reading the page, an adorable growl could be heard within the tranquil medicine garden, causing An Fei''s countenance to flush with embarrassment. No longer daring to suppress her hunger any further, the girl immediately slung the leather bag over her shoulder before striding into the sea of plants and medicinal herbs.

    She was a woman of priorities, or so she declared; compared to learning more regarding the mysterious and terrifying phenomena that occurred last night, enjoying a fulfilling breakfast was more important as of the moment.

 75 To Cultivate, One Should... 9

    "Minister Wei, it''s truly an honor to see you once again."

    A young man dressed in a mottled blue-gold robe dropped into a low bow, his countenance revealing a handsome smile. Wei Xuan thinly smiled, reaching out to quickly assist the young man into a standing position.

    "No need for such respect, Imperial Physician Feng," the minister concealed his discomfort, glancing at the young Imperial Physician with a beaming smile.

    "Then¡­ the minister called this one over¡­" Feng Tian Mu mused, his pondering expression nearly causing Wei Xuan to explode with disdain and irritation.

    "Yes, yes, this one is in need of the Imperial Physician''s assistance, ah!" the minister capitulated.

    "This¡­ My Fourth Daughter''s ailment has worsened significantly during this winter¡­"

    As if this isn''t the first time that I''ve told you this!?

    The minister cursed in his heart, the index finger and thumb of his right hand grinding against each other in anger. The sudden decline in An Fei''s health had drove Wei Xuan into a panic that he even forgot about Gao Yun Zhi''s warnings regarding the smiling Feng Tian Mu before him, causing him to contact the Imperial Physician with haste.

    The Imperial Physician had agreed upon a moment''s notice with enthusiasm with a gesture of righteousness, but what was he here doing now? Acting as if he had not a single idea on what he was called over for?

    "Ah! The Fourth Young Miss''s health has deteriorated!?"

    Feng Tian Mu exclaimed, his countenance unaffected by the invisible ripples of annoyance radiating from the minister. The Imperial Physician suddenly accelerated his pace, before turning around to face the awkward minister.

    "That''s not good at all, this one should see the patient immediately! Lord Minister Wei, quickly lead the way, ah!"

    Detecting the concealed, tumultuous shift in emotion within the young man upon hearing An Fei''s name, Wei Xuan''s eye couldn''t help but twitch. However, he released a drawn-out sigh, before leading the Imperial Physician yet again into the Flowing Wind Residence.

    -

    "Sister Ying," Xiao Wen pouted as she glanced at the young girl sleeping on the bed. "Will the Fourth Young Miss be alright?"

    "I don''t know."

    Xiao Ying''s curt reply rang from besides her, and Xiao Wen turned to find that the maidservant''s countenance was exceptionally haggard. Worry slashed through Xiao Wen''s heart as she glanced at Xiao Ying''s desolate complexion, and she couldn''t help but draw the latter into a warm hug.

    "Sister Ying, everything will be fine!" The maidservant consoled for the umpteenth time.

    "Master has already contacted Physician Gao to return with great haste, and he''s personally told you that you''re not responsible for a single thing."

    "But¡­"

    Xiao Ying hesitated, before remaining numb and silent despite Xiao Wen''s persistent inquiry. Back then, she was the person who personally delivered the slice of blood ginseng into the Fourth Young Miss'' mouth, and was the closest observer of the catastrophe that occurred moments later.

    It had been two weeks since the incident.

    Her fingers clenched and twisted the hem of the her uniform, and Xiao Ying grit her teeth as she recalled the horrifying experience. A while later, the maidservant unclenched her hands, and with trembling fingers, she carefully adjusted the young girl''s position to allow her to sleep better underneath Xiao Wen''s concerned and worried gaze.

    When Xiao Ying had fed the Fourth Young Miss the slice of ginseng, nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, causing both her and Wei Xuan to wonder why the girl had such a petrified gaze towards the blood ginseng. However, not more than a the time of a cup of tea had passed, and their hearts were seized by a brutal chill.

    First came the erratic convulsions, and the blood.

    Thick rivulets of blood raced down the young girl''s mouth, nose, eyes, and ears, and her countenance had paled into a snowy sheen, devoid of blood. Furthermore, the blood alternated between several shades of scarlet, and a faint putrid odor diffused amongst the harsh metallic scent.

    Regardless of what the minister or maidservant had attempted, the bleeding refused to cease, splattering against the wooden floor and soaking the bedsheets. The study of the Flowing Wind Residence was awash with scarlet, with such intensity that caused one to wonder how a thin and small physique like An Fei could possibly contain so much blood.

    Then followed a mysterious and horrifying phenomenon that caused the maidservant to burst into chills when thinking about the event.

    An incense stick''s time after the young girl had started bleeding, the blood abruptly ceased to flow in a similar manner to which it had begun, perplexing the minister and maidservant. They had reached out to check An Fei''s body with palpitating hearts and worry freezing their blood, but the girl''s eyes suddenly opened just as soon as Wei Xuan''s right hand grasped her left arm.

    The pair of scarlet irises lacked the dullness usually present, and a brilliant gleam was neatly captured within the boundless chasm of scarlet. When Xiao Ying drew near to question to catatonic Fourth Young Miss, she alone had witnessed the phenomenon.

    The scarlet irises had cracked. The hair-like lines expanded from the young girl''s pupil, branching and spreading out like the roots of an aged tree.

    Within the cracks, the maidservant discovered a black radiance seeping through that dyed the irises.

    Before she could report the anomaly to Wei Xuan behind her, Xiao Ying''s consciousness had been drawn into that hell.

    She saw a hell of fire and sulfur.

    An enormous lake of fire that had expanded to the edge of eternity.

    She stood at the middle of the chaotic lake, and could spot every detail of the swirling fire below. Plumes of black ash and sulfur burst into the air at the fringes of the lake, converging to form enormous dragons of ash that danced in the air.

    With each dragon that emerged from the lake, the sea of fire changed color. From a deep scarlet to black, blue, gold, and then a blazing white, the swirling flames snapped at the floating Xiao Ying, yet the maidservant could not respond.

    The scorching heat lapped at the soles of her feet, threatening to incinerate her body into a column of ash and smoke. Clouds of black ash and sulfur in the form of vaporous dragons attempted to force themselves into her lungs and suffocate her to death.

    Wherever she looked, the hell she was submerged in was desperately seeking her extinction.

    The dragons roared, and the sea of fire surged forth, heading to eradicate without mercy. Xiao Ying attempted to struggle, but her body refused to move, and her cultivation at the late stages of the Foundation Establishment Realm was forcefully suppressed into nothing.

    The sea of fire pulverized her body into mere particles, and the black dragons greedily absorbed her soul, their appearance becoming more vibrant and alive. Just as the maidservant''s soul dissipated into a plume of ash and sulfur, she saw a spectacle within the gaping maw of fire.

    A bridge surrounded by darkness at the core of the flames.

    The thin silhouette of the bridge peered at her from the center of the maw of multicolored fire. Faint specks of light walked across its length, heading towards an unknown destination.

    Thin, imperceptible strands of light coiled around Xiao Ying''s soul, forcefully dragging it through the sea of flames and onto the bridge to accompany-

    "Sister Wen! Sister Ying!"

    A childish shout snapped Xiao Ying out of her thoughts, and the absentminded gleam dispersed to reveal two lucid, hazel orbs. Turning around, the maidservant and Xiao Wen turned to face the study doors that had been forced open, revealing a short young boy.

    "Little Ke, don''t you know it''s against the manor rules to enter a different residence without the Master''s permission?" Xiao Wen admonished gently.

    "Hurry, go back to the Peony courtyard before anyone finds out!"

    "Master¡­ Master, he¡­" the young boy clutched his thighs as he panted for breath, sweat dotting his brow even within the chilly midwinter weather. Before Xiao Wen could step forward to drag the servant into the warmth of the study, the boy abruptly stood, his voice piercing and shrill.

    "Master''s coming to the study with Imperial Physician Feng!" he yelled, before rushing off towards the servants'' courtyards.

    Imperial Physician Feng¡­ That Feng Tian Mu?

    Dumbfounded for several moments, the maidservants stared at the scenery of the Flowing Wind Residence, their thoughts drawing a blank. However, Xiao Ying was the first to recover, her eyes displaying a cold gleam.

    "Quick!" she hissed at Xiao Wen as the maidservant rushed forward, slamming the doors of the study shut and activating the locking mechanism.

    "Hide the Fourth Young Miss'' appearance! Don''t forget Physician Gao''s words regarding this Imperial Physician!"

    Xiao Wen nodded in understanding, and the two maidservants rushed around the interior of the study, their small hands grabbing at various items. Changing An Fei into a set of thicker, more defensive clothing, they covered the young girl''s face with a veil, taking great care not to expose any skin that wasn''t necessary.

    Just as they had finished closing the curtains and exposing a single, arm that protruded from the within the bedcurtains to rest against a prepared pillowcase, three sharp raps rang out within the study¡­

 76 To Cultivate, One Should... 10

    When the doors of the study opened before his eyes, Feng Tian Mu''s countenance revealed a glimmer of hope. His gaze immediately filtered through the study towards the inner recesses, but his expression soon dimmed upon noticing the thick layers of curtains obscuring his view.

    Though he rapidly hid the changes in his countenance to reflect a calm visage, the Imperial physician''s disappointment failed to escape the maidservants'' eyes.

    Two pairs of eyes glared silent daggers at the physician''s back, every move under their scrutiny without revealing their presence. Following Feng Tian Mu into the study, Wei Xuan flicked his hands at the maidservants in caution, but said no more.

    ¡­he didn''t have the good impression of this youthful physician as the one he displayed on his countenance.

    "Lord Minister," Feng Tian Mu abruptly turned around to face the moody Wei Xuan. The pair of beady, intelligent eyes stared at the minister, concealing an unknown intention within.

    "Does the Lord Minister know the whereabouts of the Esteemed Senior this one had seen last time? This one wishes to reference notes with the Esteemed Senior as I make a diagnosis of the Fourth Young Miss'' health."

    Wei Xuan cursed in his heart, before displaying a helpless smile.

    "Physician Gao departed for Yuzhou Province just a few weeks earlier," the minister lied through his teeth, his mind whirling.

    "He requested for a month-long leave to tend to his injured sister. Unfortunately, due to a series of unfortunate events, his relative''s health severely deteriorated and left this minister with a rather lackluster method of communication."

    "Oh?"

    Feng Tian Mu gave a thin smile, before striding towards the rough pillowcase. The Imperial Physician kneeled on a single knee, his fingers faintly quivering as they rolled the sleeve up, revealing the fragile and fair-skinned arm.

    Having turned his back towards the minister, the Imperial Physician did not forget to tenderly massage the exposed arm, before settling around the veins within the wrist.

    The two maidservants flared with anger as they observed the scene, Xiao Ying barely managing to restrain herself and Xiao Wen besides her before they blew their cover.

    "Well?" Wei Xuan inquired after a cup of tea''s time had passed.

    "Imperial Physician Feng, are there any problems?"

    Feng Tian Mu shook his head, his countenance tranquil except for the unhealthy shade of confusion. The young physician deigned not to reply, but instead tilted his head to the side, the handsome eyes narrowing in contemplation.

    ¡­besides his infatuation with the mysterious beauty before him, the Imperial Physician''s priorities were clear to a certain extent when requested to examine a patient. Though the occasional thought of squeezing the skin as soft as warm mutton jade crossed his mind, Feng Tian Mu''s attention was focused on the irregular heartbeat pulsing against the pressed fingers.

    "¡­there''s no rebound?" the young physician murmured with a frown, prompting Wei Xuan to lean in with concern.

    "Imperial Physician Feng, something wrong?" the minister creased his forehead, glaring at the youthful Imperial Physician before asking in a steely and concerned tone.

    "Imperial Physician, did you notice something?"

    "Ah? Oh, yes, yes," Feng Tian Mu hastily nodded his head, the physician''s cap nearly shaken onto the floor by the abrupt action. The Imperial Physician twiddled with his thumbs for several breaths, before opening his mouth to reply.

    "This¡­ Lord Minister¡­" the youthful physician began, the pair of eyes carefully inspecting Wei Xuan''s countenance for any changes before he continued.

    "The Fourth Young Miss''s condition¡­ seems rather different than before."

    "Different?" Wei Xuan echoed, his mind making a startling inference that caused him to unconsciously darken his expression.

    Had the Imperial Physician before him discover anything about An Fei''s condition outside of cold deficiency? If so, was he to step forth and strike immediately even if Feng Tian Mu was a close subordinate of the emperor?

    "Yes, different," Feng Tian Mu affirmed, before reaching over to take another pulse. Retracting his fingers from the young girl''s arm, the Imperial Physician spoke with an uncertain tone, his words faltering at times.

    "The heart of every living existence, be it human or beast, mortal or cultivator, shares a common attribute, which is to possess a cycle of two pulses; one to propel the blood throughout the body, and the second to restore ample vitality to the heart to begin the next cycle. This cycle which one would normally determine even in a patient suffering from the most vicious of illnesses¡­ is missing from the Fourth Young Miss'' body."

    "As from the examinations this one just conducted¡­" the young physician scratched his head in embarrassment.

    "This one cannot clearly determine. It is impossible for the Fourth Young Miss'' heart to lack a rebound pulse in her heartbeat, which would imply a certain death. However, the interval between each pulse¡­ is far too long to be considered healthy¡­"

    "Does Imperial Physician Feng possess a method of treatment?" the minister frowned, ominous thoughts beginning to gather in his mind.

    Gao Yun Zhi had explicitly warned him not to divulge any information regarding An Fei''s heart condition to an Imperial Physician or to the emperor himself. It was acceptable if Feng Tian Mu concluded her symptoms as cold deficiency, but otherwise¡­

    "A treatment?" The Imperial Physician shook with surprise, before rapidly shaking his head.

    "No. There isn''t any possible method of treating such conditions where the cause of the ailment is unknown. Lord Minister, this physician can only come to two conclusions."

    "The first, where the Fourth Young Miss has developed a severe case of vital Yin deficiency, is most probable, but impossible to cure without delving into the mysteries of cultivation ¨C a resource no entity in the Shattered Star Continent possesses since the beginning of history," Feng Tian Mu assured with conviction."

    "The second, where the Fourth Young Miss has developed an unknown illness, similarly bars treatment, but the symptoms align more with the case of vital Yin deficiency except for the extremely odd heartbeat. Anemia, poisoning by Frost Flower, any symptoms sourced from a cold-attributed cultivation or martial arts technique, or possibly a mutated physique attributed towards the cold; any of these and far much more, are probable causes of vital Yin deficiency."

    "Mutated physique¡­" the minister took a deep breath, before directing an unfathomable glance towards the Imperial Physician.

    "Imperial Physician Feng, which in your opinion is the cause for my daughter''s symptoms?"

    "This¡­" Feng Tian Mu paused, an awkward sheen covering his countenance as he glanced at the young girl hidden behind the bedcurtains.

    "If the irregular heartbeat wasn''t this extreme, this one would have concluded with either the Frost Fairy Physique or the Boundless Yin Physique, for both match the general symptoms of the Fourth Young Miss. However, this one¡­ is uncertain."

    "Uncertain?" Wei Xuan frowned, gazing at An Fei.

    "Imperial Physician Feng, is there a method to wake my daughter up?"

    "Absolutely," the young physician quickly assented, before standing to bow to the minister.

    "Lord Minister, to wake the Fourth Young Miss, the previous prescription should be sufficient, even if she has lost a considerable quantity of blood. Given the circumstances, however, it would be best to avoid any consumable items that possess spiritual qi or spiritual essence ¨C for it is best to let sleeping dogs lie."

    "This minister understands." Wei Xuan nodded in acquiescence. "Then, allow this minister to see you out, Imperial Physician Feng."

    "My greatest apologies."

    The minister and Imperial Physician exchanged greetings, and Wei Xuan hurried to escort Feng Tian Mu out of the Wei Manor. The mature man retreated back to the Flowing Wind Residence, beads of sweat dotting his brow even in the cold winter weather.

    Though Feng Tian Mu did not appear to be aware of anything other than cold deficiency, Wei Xuan couldn''t help but shiver as an uncomfortable premonition struck his back. The minister scowled, but didn''t dare to drive the unsettling thought into oblivion.

    He was a cultivator who had spanned eleven tribulations bestowed by the heavens!

    If there was something in Great Yong capable of making him feel discomforted, then ample preparations would be required.

    "Xiao Ying, Xiao Wen," Wei Xuan called as he stepped into the study. "Inform Miaolan to bring Chang Feng home."

    -

    "Belch~"

    Patting her stomach, An Fei tenderly placed the bowl onto the ground as an unrepressed burp scraped past her throat. Hearing the sound resound throughout the medicine garden, the girl''s countenance flushed scarlet with embarrassment, before a peal of laughter rang out.

    "I''m the only one here, why am I being embarrassed¡­"

    An Fei murmured to herself, making a mental note to avoid displaying such behavior again. Standing up, the girl dragged the now empty wok, used knives and bowls, and a fabric-covered book the size of her torso to the nearby river.

    Eat, sleep, and read in the Archives of Time.

    Fourteen days of utter laziness and gluttony inside the Sanctum.

 77 A Little Dance, Entering the World of Cultivation 1

    Sitting at the edge of the water stream, An Fei allowed her feet to dangle in the cool current, relishing in the comforting feeling. However, she soon grunted before dropping a large wok into the stream between her extended legs.

    Shua!

    Holding the wok by its edge and allowing the water current to gently rinse the black iron surface, the girl drifted into thought, her mind lulled by the rhythmic scouring of the water. Occasionally, she would gaze at the other side of the stream, or peer at the ends of the current.

    There was not an opposing side of land. Similarly, the stream of water possessed neither a beginning nor destination.

    The other side of the bank, and both ends of the stream were obscured by a dense mist. Regardless of how much effort she expended into investigating the cause, all she got in return was confusion compounded upon further confusion.

    Brazenly reaching out with her arm into the fog provided her with nothing more than a slightly humid and chilly sensation. However, there were no signs of the water current possessing a final destination.

    The stream of water appeared to be a solitary streak across space, and comprised an inexplicable mystery for the young girl.

    "Hah¡­"

    An Fei sighed as she fished the black wok out of the water, allowing it to dry on the grass. Picking up the and placing a few edible herbs into the leather bag slung over her shoulder, the girl departed from the medicine garden.

    Her target, as usual, was the Archives of Time. Each day, outside of spending the majority of the time learning how to cook, she would read within the timeless library.

    Medicine, martial arts, cultivation, and other miscellaneous topics of interest constituted her daily routine. Though she had yet to finish a single book amongst the various categories, An Fei had properly maintained a steady reading schedule, pouring as much information into her mind as she could.

    Similarly, the unusual and discomforting sensation that she had experienced that day returned each night. Unable to sleep as the warmth and comfort rampaged throughout her body, the girl usually woke with large black bag circling her eyes.

    In complete honesty, the intensity of the sensations had diminished compared to the first experience. Though the experiences were still harrowing and discomforting, An Fei could somehow drift off into an aimless sleep.

    When she closed her eyes during such instances, the girl could envision the inner structure and composition of her body with acute clarity. Since the first experience, the golden light surging in her bloodstream had significantly advanced whilst those embedded in her meridians did not significantly change, though she had little clue regarding what it signified.

    "¡­this never stops frightening me¡­"

    Staggering out of the elevating platform, An Fei entered the seventeenth Archive, of which she immediately headed towards the center of the platform with a grumble. Sighing loudly, the girl placed the leather bag and the onto the side, her gaze flitting onto a stack of books piled against an armchair.

    Excluding the that had been obtained by An Fei on spiteful accident, the rest of the books were randomly selected from the collection, the girl having toured the bookshelves and picking whichever radiated the light with the most intensity. Hence, the books stacked on the ground were of different sizes and thickness.

    "Today¡­ it is¡­"

    Settling into the comfortable armchair and rolling her neck to loosen her muscles, the girl reached out with her right hand to pluck a thin book from the pile. Thumbing the blued leather cover and opening the book, An Fei began the day''s session of straining her vision and mind as she began to read.

    -

    "The essence of a shadow is to form a distorted reflection of an attributed object or entity, and to conceal oneself within a target''s field of interference. As an object moves within space," the girl read, her eyes squinted into small beads, "the shadow follows but at a distorted angle within the natural degree, mimicking all traces of spiritual fluctuation and perception."

    "All objects and entities possess a certain perimeter of transformation spanning from their core. This perimeter, upon contact with other living existences or solitary objects, merges a portion of both parties'' fates, hence¡­ creating an interference. The magnitude of the amount of conjoined fate or the specific target''s perimeter of transformation varies between each existence of creation."

    "Similarly, the perimeter of transformation determines the maximum extent of interference, assembly, and perception of information¡­an individual existence can only perceive those within their range of interference, and only of those differing in the trace of spiritual fluctuation or perception."

    An Fei frowned, her left index finger tapping the wooden surface of the armrest in confusion.

    The unfamiliarity of the concept''s toll on her mind was only allayed by the notion that everything presented within the technique was orderly and processed neatly. Otherwise, if it were to be anything haphazard or loosely organized like the or the black, leather-bound book, she would probably wish to give up.

    "Thus, the principle is presented that if an individual existence''s unique trace of spiritual essence and perception is replicated without flaw, then the target individual will never possess the capability to perceive the disguised existence. However, those whose perimeter of transformation does not involve the disguised existence, will possess the capability to aptly perceive the disguised existence."

    Standing up, An Fei supported the book with her right hand as her eyes roamed the white paper. The girl''s mouth moved silently for several moments before she placed the book onto the ground, moving towards a location free of obstacles.

    "A forward step with the right foot, exceeding no more than three chi. The weight of the body is centered upon the edge of the heel."

    Repeating the contents of the book to herself, the girl took a timid step forward with her right foot. However, the delicate countenance tightened with an expression of concentration, for the awkward position of her right foot forced the toes and heel to support the majority of her unbalanced body weight, and creating an elevated and slightly discomforting midfoot.

    Startled by the precarious balance imposed by the position, An Fei abruptly snapped both arms forth to stabilize herself, nearly falling over in the process of doing so.

    "Turn to the left with the left heel as the impetus," the girl murmured in a suppressed voice, beads of sweat dotting her brow.

    "The degree of rotation must not exceed forty degrees, and the right foot is to then act as a stationary pivot to guide the rest of the body into a gentle, sweeping full moon ¨C ah!?"

    An Fei''s right leg remained rooted to the crystal floor, and the girl toppled onto the ground upon attempting the full moon turn. As she gyrated her body, the girl painfully discovered that she had to constantly shift her center of mass around her entire body, otherwise she would suffer a miserable embrace with a not-so-collision friendly crystalline floor.

    ¡­although the problem was evident due to a painful experience, the solution would continue to elude her attention numerous times.

    ¡­

    "Turn to the right with the right heel as the primary impetus. The degree of rotation must exceed seventy degrees, before initiating a reverse full moon sweep with the left foot, the right foot acting as the stabilizing ¨C ah!"

    "Extend both arms to the sides of the torso to the fullest length, with a clockwise half moon turn, followed by a reverse crescent. The right arm must face the sky with the palm, and the left facing the earth; the right hand is to be elevated ¨C argh! ¨C above the left. During the reverse crescent, the relative positions are similarly inverted¡­"

    "A counterclockwise rotation with both feet together within close proximity, the arms close to the torso. The counterclockwise turn is to be extended for a maximum of two complete rotations, before inverted by a full moon sweep. The arms are the be extended to the sides during the full moon turn, but the speed of rotation must not ¨C no, no, no! - be diminished¡­"

    For the next several hours, repeated sounds of collisions occurred within the seventeenth platform of the Archives of Time, accompanied by suppressed cries of pain and suffering. When a completely dizzy and sore An Fei spun to a stop onto the ground, the pair of scarlet irises reflected exhaustion and irritation that concealed a stubborn persistence.

    The girl fought hard to regain her breath, her heart feebly protesting against the abuse. Similarly, numerous purple bruises engorged all over her body, each singing a dreadful song of a dull but irrepressible torment.

    However, despite the physical injuries and agony that she had just subjected her body in attempting the technique, the girl didn''t complain in frustration, only staring at the book with a dull throb of expectation.

    [Upon engraining the fundamental steps into the body and soul, the practitioner is capable of utilizing the first technique of the , .]

 78 A Little Dance, Entering the World of Cultivation 2

    Gathering her grimly protesting body and hauling herself to the bed at the center of the platform, An Fei continued to recite the first section of the book bound with blued leather. Repeating the phrases in her mind and verbalizing into the tranquil Archive of Time, the girl sentimentally reflected as she sat on the edge of the bed, nursing her bruised body.

    Though the majority of the contents of what she had read regarding the technique, An Fei was still intrigued and astounded by what she had managed to glean from the passages. Though uncertain when such a trait had developed within herself, the girl remained hopeful and expectant of the completed results.

    The Sanctum of Eternity had never failed in producing a successful result, even if the completed product did not align with her expectations.

    She didn''t even know how martial arts techniques within the Archive or Time functioned, and her experience with cultivation was pure theory obtained from the . However, she possessed great anticipation and regret towards the practicality of the , the first technique of the martial arts.

    The statements within the promised absolute stealth, and more importantly, a guarantee of evasion.

    If the technique functioned in the manner as the manual proposed, then An Fei wished that she had obtained the blued leather book in her past life. Exploiting the technique''s abilities would have allowed her the ability to avoid many of the confrontations that had resulted in unnecessary conflict and injury.

    Thus, she wouldn''t have suffered such a mishap on the streets of Taipei.

    Patting her clothes several times to determine whether she required a bath, An Fei began to massage her right calf. Her fingers gently poked at the exhausted and quivering muscles along the limb, gradually relaxing them one by one.

    The throbbing sensation within her calf gradually began to decrease to be replaced by an imperceptible numbness that scratched at her insides, bringing a relieved smile on her countenance.

    Before the girl could examine the rest of her bruises, her expression of relief morphed into horror.

    "No, why now!?" An Fei bemoaned, clutching at the sphere of warmth churning within her insides, her countenance white as a sheet.

    "It''s not nighttime yet! Why is it happening now?"

    With a startled cry, the delicate figure crumpled onto the soft bedsheets, the strength departing from her body in an instant. Soon after, the sphere of warmth dissolved into a fierce flood of heat that inundated the girl''s body, reigniting the torturous but comfortable process once again.

    "Erngh!"

    An Fei profusely sweated as her body convulsed on the bed, her mind rolling from the unforgettable, odd mixture of comfort and heat rampaging within her body. As she shut her eyes in panic, the diagram of the insides of her body appeared before her consciousness in the same omniscient clarity; however, the golden light shrouding the system of her veins had begun to fluctuate, increasing in intensity by the moment.

    The major arteries were already suffused in the golden radiance; only the minor capillaries and vessels near her eyes, fingers, and toes had yet to be affected. As the girl observed the ever-changing, complex diagram of her own body flash before her consciousness, the warmth plaguing her body surged towards her feet.

    "No, no, no!"

    The heat accumulated in her toes, producing a searing warmth that raced through the girl''s nerves, causing her to cry out in shock. The oppressive yet pleasurable sensation had dissolved into baseless nihility, forcing the girl to bear the entire burden of the excruciating pain.

    Groans of pain and discomfort echoed within the platform as An Fei writhed on the bed, her body flopping around as she tried to vent out the searing heat ravaging her toes. The golden light encapsulating her blood vessels inched forth at a snail''s pace, further exacerbating her torment.

    The girl deeply wished for the odd sensation to return instead of bearing the pain, yet could only be disappointed. At the same instant, the veins within her fingers and eyes similarly began to receive a similar torment.

    Hot!

    Unbearably hot!

    Searing needles of pain stabbed deeply into her nerves and flesh, causing harrowing screams to resound throughout the crystalline Archive of Time. An Fei tightly shut her eyes in an attempt to dilute a portion of the painful sensation, and could only helplessly curl her body as tightly as possible.

    Each movement of the golden light displayed on the mental diagram triggered forth an amplified wave of heat and pain. Her body trembling fiercely from the torment, An Fei felt as if her fingers and toes were being burnt off at an excruciatingly slow pace, and her eyes were subject to a merciless torture.

    Soon, the girl discovered to her dismay that her eyelids refused to move, black pinpricks appearing in her perception as the waves of pain slowly began to warp the diagram presented before her consciousness. Within mere moments, the complex diagram detailing her physique had blurred to the extent that An Fei couldn''t even estimate the progress of the golden light.

    ¡­amidst the fierce and unstoppable pain ravaging her flesh, a thought suddenly sprung within her mind, instantly capturing her attention.

    Five pillars of the Body Tempering Realm. Tempering the blood, skin, muscle, meridians, and organs of a cultivator to enhance their functions and durability.

    The golden light was similar to the radiance that she observed from the vast collection of spiritual plants, medicinal herbs, artefacts, and manuals within the Sanctum of Eternity. If, by relying on the scraps of information obtained from the Three Lotus Sect''s scholars and Wei Xuan''s explanations, the radiance signified spiritual essence¡­then wasn''t she undergoing the so-called cultivation at this moment?

    An Fei''s consciousness flared in alarm at the idea, and the girl''s perception quickly isolated the searing heat scorching her blood vessels from within. For some reason, the girl felt the urge to quietly observe the surging heat progress throughout her body, memorizing as many details as possible.

    Hence, she quelled her chaotic thoughts, forcing her consciousness to enter a mental plateau as the throbs of pain and heat soon occupied the entirety of her attention. However, An Fei''s mind shook with surprise after a few moments of quiet, persistent observation.

    The heat surging through her fingers, toes, and eyes were not stochastic; instead, the cluster of heat inched forward through the vein for a short length, before looping backwards to increment forward by an infinitesimal distance. Each time the cluster moved back, it would trace an indistinct and unknown pattern on the interior walls of the capillaries and arteries, causing the concentrated bursts of pain that ravaged her body.

    Forming the revelation, An Fei ceased to grumble within her thoughts and continued to silently persist during the remainder of the experience, her senses constantly observing each action taken by the cluster of golden light. However, one subtle thought did arise within her consciousness, the future implications contained within shaking the girl''s self-esteem and confidence.

    ¡­was cultivation supposed to be this painful? Granted, she had suffered far worse until this instant, but if this was merely the beginning of an accumulating hill, then¡­

    -

    Night fell in Jiang''an.

    The military patrol forced the majority of the wandering citizens to return to their residences due to the snowy weather, sternly reminding the doused youths of the lack of responsibility attributed to the Imperial Court if anyone was to become injured after hearing the warning.

    Though not completely emptying, the streets of wealth and commerce slowly lulled into a tranquil slumber to awake a few hours later.

    The servants within the Flowing Wind Residence completed their final chores for the night as they gradually began to return to the servants'' courtyards, stretching and releasing large yawns of exhaustion. As they departed from the residence now clear from snow and restored to life, each servant directed a deep glance towards the study at the center of the courtyard.

    Since Imperial Physician Feng had visited several days ago, Wei Xuan had not stepped out of the study. Daily necessities would be brought in by the servants and he would occasionally venture to the adjacent houses within the courtyard to settle his needs, but the minister did not stray too far from the study of the Flowing Wind Residence.

    Furthermore, his countenance was always fatigued and wan.

    When the servants had called for his attention, the person in question had merely fluttered his hand in acquiescence, his mind obviously latched in preoccupation. Not even Xiao Ying and Xiao Wen, who constantly attended to An Fei, could get the minister to provide a response longer than four words.

    A faint sigh escaped Wei Xuan''s lips as he stared at the sleeping figure laid on the bed, his heart beating with heavy regret. Reaching out with his right hand to correct a stray cluster of hair that had gotten loose, the minister gently patted the young girl''s head in sore guilt.

    "Fei''er¡­" he breathed, careful not to wake the sleeping forms of Xiao Ying and Xiao Wen slumped nearby.

    Glancing at the ceiling barring what must contain a perfect backdrop of stars, the minister exhaled a second time, before leaning backwards into the half-moon chair. Before his haggard eyes could close, a faint fluctuation of spiritual essence startled him awake, and the minister breathed harshly in shock and astonishment.

    "First Pillar of Body Tempering?"

 79 A Little Dance, Entering the World of Cultivation 3

    A young girl was in the midst of a dream. Her body gently quivered underneath a warm blanket, and her soul traveled through the folds of time.

    She saw a picturesque garden. Countless flowers thrived in numerous, clay pots, and an array of medicinal herbs decorated the ground in neat rows.

    At the fringe of the scenery rested an elegant rocking chair, the insides padded with a comfortable fabric that was soft to the touch. Upon the surface of the priceless wood spanned several engravings of phoenixes, willow trees, and the tranquil waves of an ocean.

    An old man sat in the rocking chair, his feet gently swinging to adjust the speed of the gyration.

    Dressed in a clean, white robe and clasping a book against his chest, the old man''s eyes were closed in a mixture of comfort and peace.

    The tranquil smile of the old man, and the peaceful swaying of the flowers and herbs established a serene and quiet atmosphere, the epitome of paradise.

    However, if one were to take a step back, perhaps the scene constituted one of utter laziness obtained after attaining seclusion. The old man had not moved from the rocking chair for quite some time, his body swaying back and forth with a similar rhythm as that of the herbs and flowers.

    The smallest speck of dust was instantly obliterated by the gentle movement of the medicinal herbs, causing the scene to appear unspeakably clean and tidy despite the lack of care or management. The old man reclined in the rocking chair, the plants swayed, and time stilled.

    Only to be broken by the next moment.

    "Grandfather, grandfather!"

    A childish voice rang out as a young girl rushed into the garden. The child appearing no more than six years old sprinted with her short legs, excitedly calling with unrestrained joy and excitement.

    "Grandfather, wake up!"

    The young girl spoke with her bottom lip curled into a pout. Seeing that the elderly man gave no response, nor had the herbs displayed any change, the child puffed her cheeks before reaching out with both arms.

    "Grandfather!" the girl shouted, shaking the rocking chair with all of her might. Her small frame surprisingly possessed great strength and control as the entire chair was roughly shaken, yet there wasn''t any incurred damage.

    "Grandfather, wake up already! Grandmother''s getting quite annoyed, Grandfather has been sleeping for a few years!!"

    "..ah?"

    The old man cracked open an eyelid, the grey-blue iris gazing deeply at the young girl disrupting his peaceful sleep. The elderly''s white eyebrows scrunched for a moment, the confusion gradually disappeared from his gaze.

    "Oh¡­" the old man murmured, his right hand sneakily darting forth to gently poke the young girl''s forehead, before patting her head the next instant.

    "So this time it''s been for a few years?"

    The girl nodded vivaciously, her adorable cheeks puffed in anger. She was not ignorant of the elderly man''s schemes, but couldn''t care less as she indulged in her grandfather''s doting and affection.

    "Hah¡­."

    A long sigh erupted from the old man''s mouth as his limbs shot out into a massive stretch, followed by a series of muffled curses and groans. All inclinations of a serene resting garden were stripped by the elder''s comical stance, and the child couldn''t help but burst into a peal of giggles.

    "Grandfather, you look too funny!" the girl cried, pointing at the old man''s frowning complexion. "If Grandfather displayed that appearance to his friends, they would be in for a massive scare!"

    "How funny," the old man scowled, his fingers lightly pinching the child''s nose. After venting his indignation by tweaking the soft nose between his fingers for a breath, the elder clamored out of the rocking chair, sitting on the ground next to the girl.

    "Here!" the old man spoke in a gentle voice, extending both arms towards the girl.

    "Come, let your grandfather give you a hug."

    The girl cheerfully nodded, the tiny figure springing into the elder''s embrace. Cradling the delicate frame against his bosom, the old man watched the medicinal herbs and flowers gracefully dance in their positions.

    The elder and child stared at the garden in silence, the tranquil atmosphere returning as the pair resonated with the quiet and lazy scenery. It was only after a long time that the old man opened his mouth to speak.

    "Well?" he patted the girl in his embrace awake, before continuing in a soft tone.

    "Did Yun''er send you to fetch me?"

    The girl gradually shook her head, grogginess swirling within her eyes. After a few moments of silent blinking, the child finally responded, her voice no longer boisterous and rampant as before.

    "¡­grandmother wanted me to learn mortal cultivation," the girl murmured as she stared at the old man''s robe.

    "But the teacher she assigned me is absolutely horrid! Not only does he talk only about nonsensical history about the Blaze Mountain, it''s already been three years and he hasn''t said a single word regarding the subject he was hired for!"

    The girl cried injustice, the pair of innocent eyes gazing at the elder''s countenance. The child clutched at the old man''s lapel with trembling fingers, pleas escaping her throat.

    "Not only that, he charges three kilograms of heart crystal stone per month!" the girl cried with a bitter tone.

    "Grandfather, ah, you have to get justice for me and Grandmother! I don''t want to learn from that person and Grandmother doesn''t have the capability to pay such an expensive price either. Grandfather, you must help us, ah!"

    "Mm, I understand," the old man softly murmured as he consoled the aggrieved child. Gently patting the girl''s head until she calmed down, the elder directed a wistful glance towards the sky, before returning to reality.

    "Alright, let Grandfather teach you mortal cultivation! Afterwards, we can go chase away that swindler!"

    The girl earnestly nodded her head, the small countenance beaming with joy. The elderly man''s lips broke into a warm smile, and his strong arms adjusted the girl into a more comfortable position.

    "Lass, have you formed a mortal soul yet?" the old man gazed towards the sky, the aged pair of eyes glazed over in thought.

    "En! Granddaughter has already formed three mortal souls," the girl dutifully responded, the pair of fragile hands playing with several blades of grass on the ground. The grass gently coiled around her fingers and slithered over her palm like tiny garden snakes, causing the girl to giggle in delight.

    "Grandmother says that in three months, the mortal souls should be fully prepared. Hence, she told granddaughter to learn the principles of mortal cultivation beforehand."

    Hearing the child''s reply, the old man nodded, before releasing a light sigh. Shaking his head and clearing his thoughts, the elder jostled the young girl back to attention.

    "Listen carefully now, what Grandfather will say next, little lass must pay great attention, and never forget!" the old man cautioned. As the girl nodded her head in an adorable fashion, the elder pointed towards the child''s heart with his index finger.

    "The fundamental principle behind mortal cultivation is to absorb the breath of nature into a fleshly body. Unlike us who were directly created from divine laws, mortals are unable to generate divine essence from within as they lack an immortal''s construct. Hence, the moment a mortal soul steps into a mortal world, all connection to the Realm is severed."

    "Severed?" the girl asked in confusion, before her eyes brightened in understanding. "If the connection is severed, then mortals can only improve themselves by¡­"

    "Right," the old man chuckled. "Mortals can only improve their soul and flesh by tainting their core essence with the world''s breath of nature, which is a disastrous feat for any living existence. Once a mortal dares to step onto the path of cultivation via such a dastardly method¡­ they will have consigned themselves to a miserable fate."

    "This is why we have instructed multiple times to construct numerous mortal souls at once," the old man gently reminded.

    "In this form, none of the backlash is experienced by the immortal soul."

    "Then¡­" the girl frowned, her brows creased in concern. "Mortal flesh cannot withstand the breath of nature''s intensity¡­ so the first step they take along the path of cultivation is to¡­ temper the flesh?"

    "Smart lass!" the old man praised, the doting smile arising an embarrassed flush on the child''s countenance.

    "The first step of mortal cultivation is coincidentally, the so-called ''Realm'' of Body Tempering. Justly named, for the practitioners flood their body with the breath of nature they call spiritual qi to temper their fleshly body. Concentrating the breath of nature onto a specific area of the body will force the flesh to enhance itself to bear the pressure, hence achieving the first step of mortal cultivation."

    The elder pointed at various parts of the girl''s body as he explained, the serene voice enunciating in a slow and steady tone.

    "This ''Realm'' of Body Tempering is achieved by first inundating the blood, then the meridians, the marrow, the flesh, and finally, the inner organs of the practitioner''s body. The only process taken by the practitioner is to open up their pores to absorb the breath of nature, then directing it to accumulate at the specific area."

    "Then the practitioner will receive greatly enhanced strength and abilities?" the child enthused, before her expression turned glum.

    "But such a method comes with a great risk, why do mortals still attempt it?"

    "What do you think?"

    The elder smiled as he stared at the sky. The scene of the garden blurred into a murky haze of color, and the dreamer awoke to be greeted by a wooden roof chiding her for oversleeping.

 80 A Little Dance, Entering the World of Cultivation 4

    Staring at the birch beams supporting the roof of the study, An Fei blinked for a moment, her thoughts unable to keep up. Feeling two patches of dampness on her face, the girl reached with her fingers to discover two trails of tears racing down her cheeks.

    ¡­why was she crying?

    The girl frowned as her brows furrowed, attempting to sieve through her memory in confusion. When she reflected over the contents of her dreams, her chest suddenly released pangs of nostalgia and painful sentiment upon attempting to recall the two figures.

    The elderly person seemed rather familiar to An Fei, as if she had met him before. As for the young girl, she felt more than a mere familiarity; the mere thought of the child caused her heart to seize on itself and rapidly pulse in an unknown emotion.

    However, she couldn''t remember their appearances.

    The elder possessed a tranquil aura while the child was adventurous and curious, yet that was the farthest the girl could recall about her dream regarding the two figures.

    It was just that one phrase remained in her mind, untouched by the fading of memories.

    "To open their pores and absorb the breath of nature¡­" the girl whispered to herself. "The breath of nature known as spiritual qi¡­ to flood the blood, meridians, marrow, flesh, and organs of the body¡­"

    Was that how a practitioner cultivated in the Body Tempering Realm? Was it a feasible path for her who couldn''t absorb a grain of spiritual qi without experiencing hell?

    "This is still a little too complicated¡­" the girl groaned to herself, dragging her body into a sitting position.

    The instant she did, black spots arose in her vision and a sense of vertigo and numbness overtook her body, causing An Fei to crash back down onto the bed. Her brows creasing into the a deep frown, the girl awkwardly lay in bed, unsure of what was happening.

    "¡­what''s going on?"

    "Fei''er¡­ you''re awake?"

    Just then, a raspy voice interrupted her thoughts as a pair of powerful arms dragged the girl into a tight embrace.

    "Fei''er, you''re truly awake?"

    The man continued to press An Fei''s body against his chest, the hoarse voice repeating her name in an incoherent manner. As she struggled to extricate her body from the male''s embrace, two droplets of water grazed her neck.

    Startled, the girl abruptly raised her head to discover Wei Xuan''s joyous countenance.

    The handsome countenance had dimmed severely, and could only be called haggard. Wei Xuan had, in his preoccupation, forgotten to shave his beard, and his eyes clearly revealed his distraught emotions as he gazed at the confused expression of the girl.

    "Fei''er," the minister suddenly uttered after noticing that the girl had ceased her struggling and simply stared at him. Kneeling onto the ground that his gaze was level with hers, Wen Xuan clasped An Fei''s cheeks with both hands.

    "Fei''er, Father is sorry," he spoke with a wan smile.

    "Father is sorry that you had to suffer such pain. Father won''t do that again anymore, alright?"

    An Fei nodded, her head swimming with numerous questions. Though she didn''t notice observe anything wrong with Wei Xuan''s behavior, the girl noticed that something had changed.

    Something about Wei Xuan''s demeanor had imperceptibly altered itself, causing the girl to wonder what exactly had happened.

    "Father¡­" the girl''s murmur through lidded eyes caused a tremble to race through Wei Xuan''s heart.

    "Are you doing alright?"

    "Ah?" Wei Xuan froze, before looking down at his rather unpresentable appearance. Fingering his chin with a cheeky smile, the minister patted the girl''s head, speaking with a boisterous tone.

    "Your Father''s perfectly fine, little lass! This Father has been through much worse during the days of battle when he was a youngster; a few days of not shaving is nothing!"

    "O-oh¡­"

    Hearing the minister boast about his obviously not healthy condition, An Fei quickly demurred and said no more, intending to rest in bed for a little longer. However, Wei Xuan pulled her into a seated position against the edge of the bed, his large palm supporting her frail back.

    "Here, don''t sleep in this stuffy study if you can avoid it," the minister coaxed with a soft tone.

    "Let Father take you to enjoy the scenery next to the pond in the courtyard."

    "O-oh¡­ ah?"

    Perhaps it was due to the lingering effects of severe anemia or the subtle yet drastic changes in Wei Xuan''s personality catching An Fei off guard, but the girl found herself unable to comprehend the situation by the slightest.

    Without giving the girl a chance to mull over his words, the minister quickly bundled An Fei into a thick coat. As she was placed onto the wheelchair and wheeled outside of the study, the girl found herself unable to reply due to a mix of Wei Xuan''s sudden actions and her own uncertainty.

    -

    "Here, this should do," Wei Xuan clapped his hands as he finished arranging the various dishes of food onto the table. Turning around, he dismissed all of the attending servants with a wave of his hand, leaving the minister and a young girl alone in a pavilion.

    "Fei''er, let''s have lunch here!"

    "Ah¡­"

    The girl gave a noncommittal reply, her attention focused on her surroundings. She had once glanced at this pavilion before when Wei Xuan first took her out into the Flowing Wind Residence, but it was her first time exploring the interior.

    The pavilion was in the shape of a large octagon, with a diameter of five meters. At each edge was a wooden barrier that elevated the pavilion over the miniature lake, and extended to form the walls of the structure.

    When she looked towards the sky, the girl could see the inner workings of a slanted roof with a flattened cone. The woodcraft and quality of materials was excellent, and gave off an impression of elegance and meditation.

    Scented wood was not used, and each edge was neatly beveled to allow for a comfortable and secure grip whilst avoiding injury. The simplicity but clever design allowed for a sagacious aura to permeate the pavilion.

    "Fei''er, do you like this place?"

    Wei Xuan chuckled upon noticing her wandering gaze. Reaching over to grasp the handles of the wheelchair, the minister gently pushed the girl before the table, the dishes well within arm''s reach.

    An Fei nodded. Compared to being cooped up in the study all day long, she preferred lounging around in the pavilion due to the great aesthetics of the courtyard, especially the lake directly underneath.

    However, it was just a little too cold, no?! This is the middle of winter, when the temperatures were at the lowest!

    The girl shivered, huddling deeper into the coat wrapped around her body. The slight tingling within her nose indicated of a powerful sneeze, causing An Fei to panic as she swiftly swung her head to the right.

    Ah-choo!

    A moderately quiet sneeze resounded within the pavilion, greatly startling Wei Xuan who had sat across from the girl. As though he had just realized the unsuitable weather, the minister''s countenance displayed an awkward smile as he swiftly stood, striding towards the edge of the pavilion.

    "Bind!"

    With a sweep of his sleeve, a stream of spiritual essence roared from Wei Xuan''s dantian to wrap around the pavilion''s interior. As the silver light passed through the wooden structure, various letters of multi-colored light emerged to hover in the air to surround the pavilion.

    "!?"

    An Fei gasped, her pupils constricting at the scene before her. The moment the symbols appeared, the girl could feel the air warming by the second until it was at a rosy, comfortable temperature.

    "F-father, h-how did you¡­"

    The letters were of different colors, and were rather faint, nearly invisible. As the light passed through, the symbols shimmered and fluctuated as though they were being stroked by an imperceptible hand.

    "Oh?" Wei Xuan paused, before chuckling heartily.

    "Fei''er, this is just an intermediate spiritual array with little function. It isn''t anything much to be surprised about."

    The girl continued to gape in astonishment as her gaze remained transfixed upon the floating symbols. When focusing her gaze, An Fei could faintly perceive the actual characters forming the symbols that surrounded the interior of the pavilion.

    Neutralize.

    Reverse.

    Moderate.

    The numerous symbols floating in the air before her were simply three words, just that the orientation of the characters was changed for each. Some were written upside down, or reversed.

    Others only displayed a portion of the original word, whereas an exclusive few displayed a combination of two or even all three.

    Neutralize could be insinuated to negate an undesired state to revert a change. Then the additional clauses of reversing and moderation¡­

    That an act of mere wordplay could engender such a profound and mystical result was far too astounding for An Fei-

    "Mmph!"

    "There, there," Wei Xuan chuckled as he happily crammed more braised vegetables into the girl''s mouth.

    "Don''t just sit there with your mouth open; eat! Though the array can ward off cold or hot temperatures, it won''t keep the food from cooling, ah."

 81 A Little Dance, Entering the World of Cultivation 5

    An Fei glared spitefully at the outstretched grin on the minister''s countenance. Her eyes glared daggers at Wei Xuan, whilst her mouth was crammed to the point of bursting.

    Her cheeks couldn''t store any more food, nor could she even begin to chew.

    This wasn''t funny!

    The girl shook a dainty fist at the minister, a fierce howl ripping forth in her heart. This was pure bullying of his own daughter when she was distracted, and tormenting in such a fashion as well!

    "Fei''er," Wei Xuan intoned with an amused smile, the exhaustion on his countenance gradually easing away as he teased the young girl before him.

    "How do the vegetables taste?"

    Two beams of fire struck his heart, causing the minister to laugh without restraint. Finally having managed to compress the mass of food in her mouth to a manageable amount, the girl fiercely chewed, fuming in her heart.

    "Father, you''re too mean!"

    The girl''s outraged cry caused Wei Xuan to blink in surprise, before taking a good look at An Fei. Noticing that her countenance was still considerably drained, the minister quickly began to console her with both arms.

    "Ah, Father was trying to get you to eat the food before it cooled," Wei Xuan hastily spoke, "If you consumed congealed and cold food, that would be rather detrimental to your health¡­"

    Sneaking a glance from the corner of his eye, Wei Xuan noticed that the girl had completely ignored him, instead voraciously digging into the bowl of congee before her as well as the various vegetable dishes strewn across the table. With a moment of thought, the guilty expression on the minister''s countenance instantly vanished, and a second person joined in on ravaging the plates before them.

    "¡­Father," An Fei spoke as soon as she had swallowed a generous piece of potato croquet, patting her full stomach in content.

    "How¡­ did you do that earlier, the phenomenon that warmed up the air?"

    "Hm?" Wei Xuan frowned, his mouth full of xianbing. Chewing for a few moments, the minister finally cleared his throat, before washing his mouth with a cup of longjing tea.

    "The phenomenon earlier, do you mean the array I cast earlier to ward off the cold?"

    When the girl nodded with an earnest expression on her beautiful countenance, Wei Xuan hesitated for a breath.

    "What I did back then," the minister spoke whilst gesturing towards the floating symbols shimmering in the light.

    "It was nothing more than a simplistic array, without a major function or purpose."

    Noticing the girl''s confusion by her gaze, Wei Xuan moved the dishes on the table to the side, before preparing a large bowl of longjing tea. Gazing at the wooden table, the minister composed his thoughts before deigning to reply.

    "Arrays are¡­ they can be considered a major application of the benefits obtained from cultivating spiritual essence," he explained.

    "Formations and arrays are purely wordplay empowered by a cultivator''s spiritual essence."

    "Just wordplay?" the girl repeated, a frown on her countenance.

    "Mm," Wei Xuan nodded, dipping his right index finger into the bowl of longjing tea. With swift strokes, the minister drew the symbol for ''fire'' on the wooden surface.

    "The symbol on the table is nothing more than an article of calligraphy, one of many characters for ''fire'', ''spark'', or a ''blaze''. When written, the character possesses little significance other than to convey information."

    With a gentle gesture, the minister prompted An Fei to follow suit. Dipping her finger into the cooled tea and drawing on the smooth wooden surface, the character for ''blaze'' joined the ''fire'' on the table.

    "However," Wei Xuan spoke with a grave tone. "When contacting spiritual essence, these mere articles of calligraphy can possess great effect."

    Reaching out with his index finger once more, An Fei noticed that the minister''s right hand was coated in a dense silvery light. The finger descended onto the drying character with an unstoppable momentum that was as light as a breeze.

    Whoosh!

    "AH!?"

    A pillar of flame soared into the air the moment Wei Xuan''s finger covered in spiritual essence contacted the symbol drawn onto the table, startling An Fei greatly. Staggering back into the wheelchair from the sudden fright, the girl slowly began to admire the pillar of flame under Wei Xuan''s persistent assurances.

    The flame was of a rich combination of scarlet and gold, and a great heat emanated from the core. To her great surprise, the table directly underneath the flame was completely intact without a single scorch mark; however, the pillar of flame lengthened to a height of two meters above the surface of the wooden table, producing a menacing sight.

    "Arrays are completely dependent on a consistent supply of spiritual essence," Wei Xuan spoke, the pillar of flame rising and shrinking as the silver light emanating from his palm changing in intensity.

    "If the supply of spiritual essence is removed, then the array will naturally collapse upon itself."

    Finished speaking, the minister withdrew his finger from the ablaze symbol. The next instant, the domineering pillar of fire meekly vanished into a trail of gray smoke before An Fei''s astonished gaze.

    "This¡­ isn''t it simply wondrous?" the girl murmured in shock. "If a person could employ numerous arrays at once, then¡­"

    "Hehe," the minister chuckled.

    "The expenditure of an array regarding spiritual essence is massive if utilized over a prolonged length of time. Hence, though the might of this flame pillar is intimidating and powerful, it is accompanied with an equally overwhelming cost of spiritual essence."

    "Additionally, take this for example."

    Wei Xuan extended his finger to the symbol An Fei had drawn on the table, his palm covered within the silver light once more. When the right index finger contacted the character drawn with longjing tea, the symbol burst into a globe of light instead of a pillar of flame.

    "Arrays not only depend on the characters utilized that comprise its foundations, the calligrapher''s intention on the meaning of the symbols similarly determine the finishing result. Though words may possess the same meaning, the style and technique of calligraphy can alter what the array manifests."

    Wiping both symbols from the table with a cloth, the minister gestured towards the shroud of symbols surrounding the pavilion with his hands.

    "Anyone can employ arrays, given that they possess the necessary quantity of spiritual essence to empower it. However, those who are successful at manipulating arrays are similarly those who are eloquent with their words and skillful at debates."

    "Then¡­" the girl hesitated, inquiring in an indecisive tone.

    "The interpretation of arrays is circumstantial?"

    "Most definitely!" Wei Xuan praised.

    "Arrays, in their creation, function, or destruction, are completely open to free interpretation. Just as how the style in which a character is written can alter the finishing result, an array can be bypassed by altering the meaning of one of the functional symbols of the array."

    Hearing Wei Xuan''s explanations, An Fei furrowed her brows as her mind descended into deep thought. The minister''s lecture regarding arrays incited an idea to germinate within her mind, a subtle interest that gently coaxed her thoughts.

    Before she could fall into an absentminded daze, Wei Xuan''s cheerful voice interrupted from above.

    "Never mind all of that, however," the minister strode over to ''console'' the young girl. "Fei''er, just continue absorbing the spiritual qi within the atmosphere as much as you can. Don''t worry about it too much, for you''ll only possess sufficient spiritual essence only upon reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm!"

    Foundation Establishment Realm¡­

    As a faint sigh escaped An Fei''s lips, a startled voice snapped both the father and daughter duo back to their senses. As the latter gazed at the entrant in curiosity, the former seemed to be concealing a slightly awkward gaze¡­

    "Lord Minister, why are you¡­ eating at the pavilion besides the lake? Didn''t you promise to eat lunch with both Sister Shuyan and I?"

 82 A Little Dance, Entering the World of Cultivation 6

    "Miaolan¡­"

    Wei Xuan stuttered in a faltering voice, his countenance displaying an unhealthy sheen. Without waiting for a single moment, the minister extended his arm to latch onto the girl besides him, dragging the wheelchair to rest behind his figure.

    "Why are you here today?" Wei Xuan finally spoke in a concerned tone.

    "Isn''t Chang Feng coming back today?"

    "Hehe, Lord Minister is surprisingly uninformed!" Sheng Miaolan released a giggling laugh as she entered the pavilion. As the woman stepped past the shimmering symbols of the protective array surrounding the pavilion, her figure was exposed to view.

    "Lord Minister, Chang Feng is waiting outside. Should Miaolan call for him?"

    Seeing the mature woman startled An Fei, and the girl slowly began to glance towards Wei Xuan with a different light.

    The woman was clearly well over the age of thirty, yet her beauty had not diminished in the slightest. Remaining untarnished by the passing of time, the woman in the begonia winter dress portrayed the epitome of a mature lady''s charm and gravitation.

    The First Madam of Wei had chosen a plain appearance as usual, without the slightest tinge of makeup on her countenance, and her hair was adorned in a soft bun of a married woman, a few loose strands coiled around her shoulder.

    However, the beautiful figure was unbellied by her plump and well-rounded bosom, as well as the plump and tantalizing lips that entranced any male. Combined with the timid, subdued gaze restrained within her gaze, the mature woman standing before Wei Xuan was indeed a fatal attraction regardless of how much time had passed.

    Looks like Father had obtained himself a great beauty¡­

    An Fei mused as her vision remained completely covered by Wei Xuan''s back. Unfortunately, the curious gaze of the young girl hidden behind his back seemed to give the minister the greatest terror of his life.

    Wei Xuan''s countenance continued to fluctuate between unhealthy shades of apprehension, panic, and uncertainty, causing the First Madam to involuntarily mirror the same emotional turmoil in her heart. After noticing the unnatural trembling of the minister''s fingers, the woman strode forth, bolstering her courage.

    "Lord Minister, are you alright?" Sheng Miaolan intoned with a concerned and caring gaze.

    "Does Miaolan need to call a servant to deliver some refreshing Setting Sun tea?"

    "Ah? No need, no need," Wei Xuan quickly refuted. His gaze stabilized into a neutral expression as he stepped forward, clasping Sheng Miaolan''s right shoulder.

    "Rather than worrying about this old me who can''t withstand a slight chill, why don''t you go grab Shuyan? The two of you must not have eaten yet, this minister must take the both of you to the Golden Phoenix Restaurant immediately!"

    "N-no need for that," the First Madam shook her head, attempting to worm out of the minister''s soft yet vice-like grip.

    "Sister Shuyan and I have already had our lunch with the children. Lord Minister does not need to be concerned with a trivial matter as this one!"

    "Oh¡­"

    "By the way, are you hiding someone behind your back, Lord Minister? Usually, you would embrace me in such an aggressive manner..."

    Sheng Miaolan suddenly inquired in a suppressed tone, greatly shocking Wei Xuan. Taking advantage of the minister''s momentary stiffness and worming her body out of his embrace, the First Madam craned her neck to gaze at the young girl seated in a wheelchair.

    "This¡­" the woman hesitated before realization quickly settled in, followed by astonishment.

    "This must be Shuyan''s second daughter! Good girl, tell me your name!"

    "Miaolan¡­ don''t be so abrupt, the lass is too shy¡­"

    As An Fei tilted her head to the right in response to the woman''s words, the minister gave a light, awkward cough. Alternating between forceful and gentle pats to her body, Wei Xuan finally ushered the First Madam out of the pavilion, returning with a heavy expression on his countenance.

    "Fei''er¡­"

    "¡­who was that beautiful lady?" An Fei finally asked after noticing the unsightly expression darken a shade further.

    "Erk¡­ this¡­" Wei Xuan sweated, his hands nervously wiping against his robes. Finally, he sighed, kneeling on a knee as he gently grasped the arms of the wheelchair.

    "Fei''er¡­ the matter is that your father married two women as equal wives, both granted by the emperor''s blessing. The woman you just saw¡­ is called Sheng Miaolan, and she is¡­ the First Madam¡­"

    "¡­"

    The minister''s voice trailed off with each word that escaped his throat, eventually lapsing into a momentary and awkward silence. The young daughter and father pair stared at the other for several long moments, until An Fei finally opened her mouth.

    "She seemed nicer and more considerate than Chen Shuyan¡­"

    The girl''s murmuring did not escape Wei Xuan''s ears, and he involuntarily released a huge sigh of relief. The girl didn''t despise him or harbor resentment for his marrying of two woman, or for the fact that she wouldn''t receive the necessary respect due to her identity as a daughter of an equal wife ¨C a obsequious title for a concubine.

    Nonetheless, the minister couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow in confusion just a few moments later.

    Chen?

    Chen Shuyan?

    He had married a Luo Shuyan, so who was this woman with the surname of Chen?

    "Ah¡­"

    Wei Xuan parted his lips to speak, but stopped himself at the last moment. As he raised his right hand to thoroughly dote on the young girl seated before him, a sudden question knocked him off his feet.

    "Father, why have you married twice? Shouldn''t the law prohibit someone from marrying multiple people?"

    Ahem!

    Wei Xuan burst into a fit of mixed coughs as his throat spasmed. His countenance alternating between a series of scarlet and purple shades, the minister directed an astonished glare towards the young girl.

    "Great Yong does not prohibit successive marriages," he intoned after a moment''s conflict.

    "Some of the influential manors have multiple Madams overseeing their¡­ operations, and your father was a little¡­ roguish when he was young¡­"

    "¡­why did Father stop at two? Both Chen Shuyan and Madam Sheng seem to be beauties, shouldn''t Father aim for more?" the girl inquired, her countenance displaying an amused interest.

    The minister glared at the girl, the veins at his forehead threatening to pop in anger¡­

    Pang!

    "Ah!"

    "Little lass, are you only going to be satisfied after hearing your Father admit that he has a low appetite!?"

    Wei Xuan roared in frustration, his eyes twitching as they flared at the girl.

    Immediately after the act, he felt a surge of guilt flood his heart as he looked at the pitiful appearance of the girl clutching her forehead with both hands. However, the instant his hand reached out to pat An Fei''s head, the girl''s infuriating remarks caused his countenance to darken with frustration.

    Guilt; frustration; the bitter cycle resulted in a rather grotesque expression to paint his face, creating a rather amusing sight. The girl couldn''t help but release a giggle of laughter, making Wei Xuan wish that he could drag her over his knee, and give her a good spanking as punishment!

    "You!"

    "Father."

    A cold voice rang out from outside of the pavilion, the speaker cold and incomparably indifferent. Hearing the voice, Wei Xuan instantly ceased attempting to punish An Fei and her teasing expression.

    Turning around and standing to face the door, the minister''s complexion warmed, before a gloomy shade overtook it in mere seconds.

    "You''ve returned."

    A young man stepped into the pavilion, dressed in a clean, white robe devoid of wrinkles or unnecessary folds. As he stepped onto the wooden floor, the young girl noticed that the youth possessed a handsome appearance, one that could be found appealing to the eye, but the glacial demeanor caused others to distance themselves.

    Tall and slender stature, no over or underexemplification of his features, the young man was truly blessed by the heavens. The indifference portrayed in his gaze produced a placid atmosphere, yet An Fei felt as if something was drastically wrong.

    Disharmonious, perhaps.

    "I have returned, Father."

    The youth intoned in a dull tone, his expression not changing in the least.

    To An Fei''s utter shock, the usually playful and calm Wei Xuan completely erupted in an uncontrollable rage as an intense silver light exploded from his body, flooding the entirety of the pavilion''s interior as a vicious aura surged towards the sky.

    "Unfilial brat, you still haven''t kneeled!?"

 83 Eldest Brother, Its Been Hard on You! 1

    "Kneel!"

    The cry of rage reverberated throughout the lakeside pavilion, startling those present. The wooden structure, the dishes on the table, and even the numerous symbols of shimmering light fiercely trembled under Wei Xuan''s rage.

    The silver light that burst from the minister''s body morphed into a current of chaos, overturning the dishes, shattering the precious objects into numerous fragments. The wheelchair propped behind him slammed against the edge of the table, the young girl''s body quivering from the rough impact.

    The silver light coalesced into a long, winding river that radiated a terrifying aura of death and slaughter, hovering in the air behind Wei Xuan''s back. The river glared at the standing youth, the current seething with an uncontrollable rage.

    "Kneel!"

    The minister''s voice boomed a second time, the silver light emanating from his body increasing in intensity by the second. The atmosphere in the pavilion gradually became suffocating, though the young girl seated in the wheelchair was the only one finding it difficult to breathe.

    The minister and youth stared at each other for several moments. Though one had released a copious amount of spiritual essence whilst the other had not, the tension was gradually scaling the slope of no return.

    "I have no desire nor need that requires me to kneel."

    The young man suddenly spoke, his voice unhurried and steady despite receiving the majority of Wei Xuan''s wrath. His robes remained still as he spoke, disregarding the torrentuous current of spiritual essence distorting the atmosphere of the pavilion.

    "You have no desire to kneel?" Wei Xuan asked in a quiet voice, his expression eerily calm as he gazed at the youth.

    "Even the Son of Heaven whom they call emperor must kneel when they have committed a wrong. Do you think you are above the Son of Heaven, that you are Saint Sun or Monk Xuanzhong?"

    The wooden beams of the pavilion released a simultaneous groan of agony at the cold words uttered by the minister. Seated in the wheelchair, An Fei desperately clutched at the armrests, her countenance warping into horror as she felt the earth fiercely tremble from Wei Xuan''s anger, the vibrations deeply shaking her body to its core.

    If this continued, she definitely wasn''t going to emerge from this ordeal in one piece!

    "The Son of Heaven, Saint Sun, or even Monk Xuanzhong, all must kneel when they have committed a wrong," Wei Chang Feng directed an unfathomable glance towards the girl seated in the wheelchair.

    His eyes narrowed for a brief moment as they flickered with an unknown emotion, but the youth returned his gaze towards Wei Xuan''s displeasured countenance.

    "Since I do not seem to have committed a wrong, then I can only disrespect Father''s words. May Father remain magnanimous and forgive this son."

    "Hmph!" Wei Xuan coldly snorted, before the silver light expanding from his body increased in intensity a third time.

    "If your father demands you to kneel, then you must kneel. The time has not changed to permit an unruly son to refute his father''s judgement!"

    The vibrations ravaged the interior of the pavilion, and the lake underneath began to boil with fury, corpses of fish surfacing as they were roasted alive within mere moments. Above, the young girl began to clutch her chest in pain, her heartbeat suppressed to the minimum by the vibrations rampaging throughout her body.

    Finally, a dull indigo radiance emerged from the Eldest Young Master of Wei, gradually neutralizing the aggressive spiritual essence permeating the atmosphere. However, whilst the silver light emanating from Wei Xuan contained a distinct aura of death, the indigo radiance from Wei Chang Fang could only be described as cold.

    Unbearably cold, as if rejecting the existence of everything around it.

    The interference of both auras finally caused the pavilion to cease shaking, restoring the tension in the atmosphere to normal. Unfortunately, it was impossible for the dishes nor the fish to be recovered again.

    As the environment gradually relaxed and was no longer eminent on slaughtering the world, a figure rapidly entered the pavilion. The First Madam of Wei quickly rushed to stand between the youth and adult minister, her arms extended to her sides.

    "Enough. Do not cause a ruckus anymore, the servants are practically shedding their lifespan in fear."

    Sheng Miaolan uttered in a fatigued voice, yet her tone did not permit any refusal. Much to her dismay, the two males of different generations completely ignored the woman, glaring at each other in silence.

    "You''ve reached the initial stages of Core Formation, that''s not too bad," Wei Xuan narrowed his eyes at his son.

    "The Taiyi Sect must have invested a considerable proportion of its resources for you to achieve such a result before the age of thirty-five given your talent."

    "Father speaks wise," Wei Chang Feng dutifully responded, his eyes sneaking another glance towards the girl seated on the wheelchair.

    "However, I do not understand why Father remains angered towards your son."

    "Can you truly say that?" the minister''s aura seemed to deflate with disappointment upon the youth''s words. Closing his eyes, Wei Xuan pondered for a moment before opening his mouth and speaking with a weary tone.

    "How are you able of enact on killing one of your own kin and later claim innocence? How¡­ are you just that capable that your siblings lives mean absolutely nothing for you?"

    "To preserve the survival of the family, I have come to this decision! Only by this decision can the Wei Family truly survive!"

    Pa!

    A fair-skinned hand ruthlessly swept across the face of the Eldest Young Master of Wei, leaving behind a scarlet handprint that glared at the world. Before either Wei Xuan or An Fei could react, the First Madam had struck Wei Chang Feng twice more, berating in a harsh voice.

    "Even to this stage, you do not repent?" Sheng Miaolan scolded, her plump chest heaving with anger.

    "Mother had thought that once you returned home, you would have understood your faults. However!"

    "Even before your father, you show no remorse. Even before your mother, you show no remorse. Even before your little sister, your sibling whom you attempted to kill numerous times, you show no remorse!"

    "What are we to your eyes!?" the First Madam fiercely shook the shoulders of the Eldest Young Master, two streams of tears striking the wooden planks.

    "What is family to you!? What have we done to deserve such indifference and animosity from you!? Has Taiyi Sect replaced us to become your new family?"

    "That you would no longer gaze at your family with affection?" Sheng Miaolan asked the youth with his head lowered.

    "Will Luo''er, Yan''er, and perhaps even Yue''er become your next targets? Or even your father and mother?"

    "Wei Chang Feng, answer your mother!"

    The shrill cry escaping Sheng Miaolan''s throat caused the youth''s body to jerk in surprise.

    Nonetheless, his head remained lowered, the long hair obscuring the emotions flickering in his eyes.

    When Wei Chang Feng finally raised his head, the youth''s countenance had returned to that of an untouchable glacier.

    "¡­Mother, your son still retains respect for the family," the Eldest Young Master of Wei calmly spoke without any inclination of pain from the handprints on his countenance.

    "Chang Feng has not forgotten his roots, nor has he forgotten filial piety."

    "However, the duty I must take as a member of Taiyi Sect surpasses both the bounds of family and that of filial piety!"

    Wei Chang Feng coldly stated, the pair of hazel irises lucid and devoid of any delusions. The pair of eyes seemed capable of discerning a profound truth, yet seemed to be harboring a deep sorrow.

    "¡­and what duty is that?" Wei Xuan inquired with a deep tone, his hands extended to comfort the shaking Sheng Miaolan.

    "The Taiyi Sect is facing a massive crisis. The ideals of righteousness have given in to the corruption of depravity, and now is terrorizing its members and their families."

    The youth directed a deep glare towards the seated young girl, his eyes not leaving her figure in the slightest. As both the minister and the First Madam stared at him in consternation, the youth raised his right index finger, pointing towards the sky.

    "As of a eighteen months ago, an unknown figure has infiltrated the Taiyi Sect," Wei Chang Feng enunciated each word as he spoke.

    "Within a few days, he had seized full control over the entire upper echelon of the sect, forcing Taiyi Sect under his reign."

    "This figure has issued several orders since achieving power, and the first was to commence a skirmish onto the neighboring Violet Jade Palace."

    The index finger traversed through space, attracting everyone''s attention.

    "The second was to gather a plethora of materials and medicinal herbs, and a great proportion of them possess a nefarious aura or effect!"

    Time seemed to slow as the finger gained an irreversible momentum, and Wei Chang Feng''s voice raised in volume.

    "The third was that all females a physique with excessive Yin essence or suffering from cold deficiency, were to be apprehended and presented to that person!"

    For the briefest of moments, not a single soul dared to utter a word as they glared speechlessly towards Wei Chang Feng. For the briefest of moments, the world seemed to have ground to a halt before An Fei, a snapshot of time.

    "Audacious!"

    Wei Xuan''s bellow jolted the entire lakeside pavilion, and the water underneath burst into flames despite the cold temperatures of the vestiges of winter.

    Forget about charred fish floating across the surface of the lake, there wasn''t even a lake underneath the pavilion anymore.

 84 Eldest Brother, Its Been Hard on You! 2

    Following the cry, three pairs of eyes gazed at the youth. Two were of stern rebuke, and one was of curiosity.

    "¡­Chang Feng, Chang Feng," Sheng Miaolan was the first to speak from within Wei Xuan''s embrace. Her eyes stared deeply into Wei Chang Feng''s soul, and whilst her voice had grown considerably softer and warmer, it permitted little dissention or rebuttal.

    "Even if the Taiyi Sect is facing such a crisis and your emotions are in turmoil, why did you engage in such baseless action? Do you think that such acts will accomplish anything?"

    Surprisingly, Wei Xuan deigned to remain silent, finally taking the time to glance at the young girl seated in the wheelchair. Noticing that a thin bloodstain remained at the corner of An Fei''s mouth, the minister bit his lips as pangs of guilt pounded at his heart, but he hardened his countenance to return his gaze towards the youth.

    Before he could apologize for his rash actions, he first had to beat some sentiment into this unruly son before him.

    Stubborn, unyielding, and completely unaccepting of other''s opinions once convinced upon a matter. Such a personality was far too familiar to Wei Xuan, and was not exceptionally rare in his immediate surroundings of Jiang''an.

    "Mother."

    Wei Chang Feng spoke in a solemn tone, stepping forward as his eyes glinted with determination.

    "Chang Feng has thought of this matter with a clear conscience. However, even after attempting my full capabilities to avert the incoming disasters, my decision remains unchanged."

    "Of the remaining Taiyi Sect, my master has been slain." The youth lowered his head as a cold aura wormed its head from his body.

    "A cultivation at the late stages of the Nascent Soul Realm, and he was killed within three strikes from that mysterious man."

    As he spoke, Wei Chang Feng''s mind flitted back to the past, his gaze gradually becoming dull and unfocused. Though words continued to stream from his mouth, the Eldest Young Master had returned to two years prior.

    Taiyi Sect!

    A hegemon of the world of cultivation encompassing the Shattered Star Continent, possessing the greatest strength among the numerous cultivators spanning the large land. Countless sects and warriors illuminated the path of cultivation since its formation, and Taiyi Sect was its torchbearer.

    Unbreakable! Unshakeable!

    The founding concept that allowed for the birth of the continent''s strongest cultivation sect rang within the hearts of an innumerable amount of youths, arising the desires of attaining strength and observing the world from the pinnacle. It had formed the central organization of the strongest cultivators amongst the continent, upholding the model of ''unshakable'' and ''unbreakable''.

    Though its external appearance was rather laid-back and hidden amongst the commonplace regions, not one could underestimate the sect''s strength and capabilities as the most influential entity of the continent. Not even the three sovereign empires dared raise their heads before the Taiyi Sect.

    Wei Chang Luo had followed suit in such belief as he entered the sect as the chief disciple.

    Interacting with his fellow martial brothers and sisters, learning from his Master and advancing greatly in his cultivation, the youth had begun his path of attaining the stage of ''unshakable'' and ''unbreakable''.

    ...until that fateful day of two years ago.

    A quiet day, one that passed unnoticed amongst many of the continent, but certainly not by Wei Chang Feng.

    A supposedly friendly spar amongst two peers on the lonely, unexplored path of cultivation that had produced a drastic and hellish result.

    A mysterious man cloaked in black had suddenly entered the grounds of the Taiyi Sect, approaching the Sect Master for a simple duel, an exchange of pointers. The old man had agreed after a moment of contemplation, and Wei Chang Feng had been assigned to observe from aside.

    Three simple exchanges with the sword. Wei Chang Feng could not even detect a ripple of spiritual essence, nor had the Sect Master reveal any expression of discomfort or unease.

    As a result, the Sect Master of the Taiyi Sect had instantly disintegrated into ashes after the third exchange.

    None of them had gotten an opportunity to shout as the ashes burst into unearthly flames, fading into nihility.

    Wei Chang Feng could only stand in silent shock at observing the death of his Master who had fallen without ever fighting back. Even as the mysterious man seized control of the sect, and the Taiyi Sect fell into the clutches of depravity, the young man could only wander in a dull haze.

    It was only when the mysterious entity''s third order had shaken the entire sect, that Wei Chang Feng finally awoke from his mental slumber.

    "This one declares that all members of the Taiyi Sect are to apprehend and present all females with unbalanced yin, or exhibit signs of cold deficiency. Those who accomplish such a task will be rewarded by an elevation of their cultivation to the late stages of the Core Formation Realm!"

    At first, Wei Chang Feng had not minded such an order, instead continuing to repress his glaring intention to seek an explanation for his Master''s death. However, as his thoughts constantly hinted of an inconspicuous woodshed back at home, especially when he had noticed it occasionally exuding a thread of Yin essence¡­

    "As your family, we won''t ask any questions why you came to such a decision."

    Sheng Miaolan''s steady voice snapped Wei Chang Feng out of his daze. As the youth stared in shock as his thoughts were flooded with astonishment, the First Madam expounded on the opportunity to chastise the youth.

    "We are your family, hence we do not ask questions about your behavior, and forgiveness is a given for any mistakes. However, your actions have truly exceeded the bottom line."

    "Have you ever thought about the feelings and thoughts of your little sister when you acted in such a manner?" Sheng Miaolan suddenly gestured towards An Fei, the woman''s eyes blazing with an indeterminate light as she peered deeply at the youth''s soul.

    "Had you succeeded with your assassinations, then your little sister would never have experienced life before she perished under your hand. Can you truly explain to her, with a straight conscience, upon meeting her in the underworld, that your act was per the intention of brotherly love and concern?"

    "Do you have such little regard for our ability as your parents?" the First Madam harshly rebuked, her voice rising as anger washed over the pavilion.

    Though the lakeside structure of wood did not suffer physical torment as it had previously under Wei Xuan''s wrath, the atmosphere within the pavilion had transformed into a sharp blade.

    "Does your father and mother appear as weak, insignificant ants to you? Do you think that you are the sole savior of the family, that you need to take such drastic action to satisfy your false righteousness and swelled ego? Do you think the burden falls upon your shoulders, that you must kill your sibling to preserve your vanity and justification?"

    "¡­Mother, the Taiyi Sect has already deployed an emissary to Great Yong regarding the mysterious person''s third order," Wei Chang Feng stubbornly refuted in an unyielding tone.

    "Though Chang Feng is young and lacking insight, the circumstances facing the Wei Family in the future is evident."

    "Even so! This burden is not to be taken by your shoulders!" Sheng Miaolan roared, a faint cyan light emerging from her body. Fortunately, the woman managed to suppress her emotions, sparing the young girl and the pavilion from further suffering.

    "We, your parents, still stand before your eyes! Or have we already perished in your mind!?"

    "Mother, Chang Feng did not convey such intent," the youth hastily responded upon noticing that the First Madam seemed infuriated beyond her tolerable limit.

    "Your son only wished to preemptively resolve the issue to avoid Father from receiving political pressure and harm -"

    "Alright. I''ve had enough."

    Wei Xuan''s voice cut through the rest of Wei Chang Feng''s words, quelling the youth into silence. An indomitable aura emanating from his body, the minister departed from the pavilion, pushing the wheelchair with one hand and guiding the First Madam with the other.

    "For the next three days, you will reflect on your actions alone in this pavilion. Nobody will provide you nourishment, nor should you expect any during this period."

    The calm voice rang in the Eldest Young Master''s ears, and the pavilion soon receded into a feigned tranquility. Outside the lakeside pavilion, the young girl turned her head to gaze at Wei Xuan, her voice containing pure curiosity.

    "Father, where did the rest of my maidservants go?"

 85 Eldest Brother, Its Been Hard on You! 3

    Above the city of Jiang''an, a fiery globe of heat began its solemn descent into the earth. Heralding its fall, the accumulated snow tumbled in respect, their form melting into an indiscriminate pool of emotions and thoughts.

    Regardless of its divine might, the sun was to descend for the latter half of the day. Even an inanimate object as the globe of heat was to follow its natural constraints, much less a regular citizen of Jiang''an.

    Jiang''an''s streets continued its usual din, numerous lanterns emerging onto the edges of the streets, guarding the traveling citizens from the unknown darkness. Though flickering from the relatively cold temperature and the unnatural existence as it were, the lights warded the streams of people as they traversed the streets of wealth.

    Spending their life''s fate and income as they did each day, from birth to death as they were.

    Such was the case in Jiang''an, and the Flowing Wind Residence was no different.

    Servants rushed forth holding banners and lampstands, securing them onto the ground with well-placed spikes of black iron. Others soon approached with torches ablaze with a crimson, flickering glow.

    The torches were fastened onto the slots of the lampstands, and the banners were strung from one lampstand to another. The servants dusted their hands thrice, before retreating to their respective courtyards.

    Tonight was the last night of winter.

    Within a few inconsequential hours noticed only by the foolish, the breath of spring descended onto the world.

    "This year''s winter was quite miserable," a servant remarked to another as he patted his clothes to remove any remnant snow.

    "Hopefully, the spring will be warmer than last year," his partner grimaced.

    "I''d like to be spared from pneumonia this time."

    "Hah! You get that sickness each year, why do you complain so much about it? Just accept your fate, ah!"

    The servants bickered as they strode down the pathways leading out of the courtyard, their shoulders relaxed and carefree. As their shadows departed from the protection of the blazing lampstands, a small figure poked its head out from the door of the study.

    Sweeping its gaze left and right, the figure cautiously made its way out of the study, stepping onto the cold ground. Cursing at her feet that had chilled from the thawing ground, the girl shook her head twice, rushing towards the lakeside pavilion whilst dodging the remnant clusters of melting snow and ice.

    The lake had been cleared, the dead fish replaced with those overflowing with vitality. The scales shimmering underneath the water, the colorful fish swam mindlessly in the cool lake, blissfully unaware that their predecessors had been boiled alive a few days ago.

    Or that the water had been replaced at the same time as they were introduced underneath the pavilion.

    If they were told of such a matter, perhaps those fish would reveal the highest disdain. Matters irrelevant to their world was the highest quality of utter nonsense, even if it spelled their fate in distinct characters.

    Perhaps, if those fish could attain sentience, they would become the worst scholars, yet possess a remarkable intelligence.

    Stepping lightly on the wooden steps leading to the lakeside pavilion, the young girl carefully stood at the edge of the wooden structure. Peering at the lonely silhouette inside, the figure paused for a brief moment, before raising a dainty hand to knock thrice on a nearby beam.

    "¡­who?"

    A raspy voice answered, and the silhouette rose to face the young girl. As the faint slivers of light emanating from the stationed lampstands slashed across its face, the silhouette exposed the countenance of a cold, youthful and handsome male.

    He was the Eldest Young Master of Wei. Though Wei Xuan had limited his confinement to a total of three days and nights, the youth had remained for a week. He took no sustenance nor reprieve, silently gazing outside of the pavilion towards the ever-changing skies of Jiang''an.

    The young girl remained silent at the call, the pair of scarlet irises gazing at the youth in curiosity.

    "¡­so it''s Fourth Little Sister," Wei Chang Feng''s voice regained its vigor, and at the same time, its indifferent nature.

    "What does Fourth Little Sister wish to convey to me?"

    "¡­The First Madam wanted you to stop this unnecessary self-punishment and visit her," the young girl finally replied, her left hand idly toying with several loose strands of her hair.

    "Although, Father doesn''t want you to leave until you''ve changed your mind."

    "Then seems like I shall stay here for quite a while."

    The Eldest Young Master swept his sleeve, adjusting his robe as he sat onto the wooden floor of the pavilion. Rolling his neck twice, the youth directed a cold and apathetic glance towards the small figure standing at the entrance.

    "Go, convey Father and Mother my words," Wei Chang Feng dryly spoke, his voice absent from any changes or inflections.

    "I used to have eight maidservants attending to me day and night, but the number dwindled to a mere two before I awoke," the girl suddenly murmured in a quiet voice, not assenting to the youth''s curt tone.

    "Do you¡­ know what happened to them?"

    "Has Father not told you?"

    Wei Chang Feng raised an eyebrow toward the small figure, a mild irritation flickering in his heart. To his surprise, the girl merely shook her head, an expression seeking knowledge evident in her gaze.

    "Fourth Little Sister''s maidservants were truly capable," the youth''s countenance was devoid of emotion as he stared at the girl.

    "To think that I would lose a full squad of assassins per maidservant, it''s a pity that my resources were not as developed as Fourth Little Sister."

    The young girl gave a start as her hands clutched around the wooden beam. However, when the youth inspected her gaze, he found not turmoil, but a slight penance much to his befuddlement.

    "¡­no wonder why Father refused to speak of them," the girl murmured to herself, gradually disengaging her fingers from the wooden planks.

    "To think that they died underneath Eldest Brother''s hand¡­ I''m not exactly sure how to react to such information."

    "You don''t seem scared or too distraught?"

    The Eldest Young Master''s voice abruptly resounded from behind as the girl turned to exit the pavilion. Pausing her step, the young girl stared at the dimming sky, before a soft voice filtered into Wei Chang Feng''s ears.

    "...I have neither conversed nor interacted much with the servants who perished from your assassinations," the girl slowly spoke in a flat tone.

    "To be quite honest, all I feel is a slight pity for not knowing their names, but I fear that should I had taken the endeavor, then I would surely be amidst a sea of grief."

    "¡­so who''s the monster of us, hm?" the youth finally revealed an indistinct smirk at the distant figure outlined by the setting sun.

    "If I dare mourn for a person whom I do not know their name with emotion, wouldn''t I have become a hypocrite just as you?"

    The girl gave countered as the sun crooned as it finally crossed the horizon, the vestiges of golden light sputtering into emptiness, one strand at a time. Only after a cup of tea''s time did the girl fall into action, sitting onto the ground and staring at the darkening skies of Jiang''an.

    "Eldest Brother," the figure illuminated by the spare radiance called out.

    "Have you truly not changed your mind?"

    "¡­I have not changed my mind on this matter."

    The Eldest Young Master smoothed his complexion, returning his gaze towards the inner depths of the pavilion. The youth and young girl sat on the wooden floor with their backs facing the other, staring from different angles of the same dull, golden sky.

    "Then you will still kill me to resolve a conflict that may or may not impact the family?" the girl inquired.

    "I will," Wei Chang Feng intoned with an even tone.

    "Fifth Little Sister, Third Elder Sister, and even Second Elder Brother as well?" the girl breathed.

    "I will."

    "Father, First Madam, and Second Madam?"

    "They will similarly not be spared if such price is necessary."

    "Then¡­ what about yourself?" the girl finally asked in a trembling voice.

    "Will you¡­ kill yourself as well to¡­ protect the family from harm?"

    The Eldest Young Master creased his brows in a frown at the sudden question, his mind unexpectantly drawing a blank. Nonetheless, a glint of resolve struck the youth''s gaze as it pierced the skies with a ruthless gleam, determination swelling within his heart.

    "I will." Wei Chang Feng uttered with a powerful voice lacking hesitation.

    "Myself, and whoever else it takes, I will never skimp on the price necessary to achieve safety for the family."

    "Then¡­ who would be left for you to protect?"

    "...what did you say?"

    The Eldest Young Master abruptly raised his head and whirled around to face the girl, only to discover that the small figure had vanished from her seat at the entrance of the pavilion. Instead, a soft voice drifted near his ear, gently waiting to be heard by an unwilling listener.

    "Eldest Brother, it''s been hard on you, ah."

 86 Eldest Brother, Its Been Hard on You! 4

    Unexpectedly, the Eldest Young Master soon found himself another guest. Unfortunate for the newcomer, Wei Chang Feng was trapped in a daze as he stared out of the dark pavilion in effort of finding the young girl who had spoken those startling words.

    Who would be left for you to protect? If he enacted on his beliefs to the end, who would be alive to witness and partake in his achieved goal?

    For the first time since a long time ago, the cold youth found himself in a dilemma. Since the day he had begun the arduous path of cultivation and sworn that oath, Wei Chang Feng now stared at an indomitable brick wall barring his consciousness.

    The wall of bricks was remarkably fragile in appearance compared to the sights that the youth had seen. It was nothing more than a haphazard stack of roughly cut clay bricks, something easily demolished by a cultivator of such prowess as Wei Chang Feng, yet it stood strong regardless of his efforts.

    He could not break it down, nor could he skirt around its barrier to bypass the wall. All the youth could do was to stare at the wall in utter hopelessness, waiting for the structure to crumble on its own.

    When he strengthened his resolve, the fortification of the mental barrier rose in response. When plagued by doubts, the structure weakened by a margin, but refused to vanish or disintegrate regardless of his efforts.

    The cold youth¡­ couldn''t help but mire in perplexed thoughts.

    Since he had assimilated the first breath of nature into his bloodstream, igniting his journey as a cultivator, Wei Chang Feng had pledged to himself before his master. His soul was the witness to such claim, the youth having gone to the extent of initiating a blood-swearing oath to bind himself to his decree.

    To protect his family and halt incoming calamities, he would enact all methods. Regardless of the ethical or moral questions, the youth vowed to execute all viable possibilities to eradicate any hope for disaster.

    If he had to kill his siblings like he had attempted to assassinate An Fei numerous times, Wei Chang Feng could retain a clear conscience with the rationale of preventing a calamity for the Wei Family.

    Servants were without question.

    His father, Wei Xuan, and mother, Sheng Miaolan, Wei Chang Feng¡­ was not certain. Nevertheless, the youth swore not to hinder himself from the necessary tasks burdening his soul.

    ¡­only, after such means, who would enjoy the dreamlike scenario he had envisioned at the start?

    Would he himself be alive to even witness or propel such method''s conclusion?

    He¡­ did not know.

    He did not know what his callous dream would result in.

    Startlingly, he neither wished to know or mention such a case again. Each attempt by the cold youth in questioning his resolve caused a glacial chill to strike through his core, making the youth feel like his blood was frozen, thawed, then forcefully thawed once again.

    The wall of fragile bricks was no weaker than the strongest defensive treasure in existence and was akin to a thorn stabbed in his heart, directing a painful throb with each pulse. However, Wei Chang Feng discovered that if he didn''t question his resolve or his oath, the indomitable wall served little impediment.

    Regardless, it was downright irritating with the pulse of pain-

    "Elder Brother!"

    The sharp cry broke past Wei Chang Feng''s thoughts and snapped him back to reality. Blinking his eyes twice, the cold youth found a worried young man waving a palm in his face, the mouth moving in indecipherable patterns as the cry repeated over and over.

    "Elder Brother! Elder Brother, are you alright?"

    "I''m perfectly fine," the cold youth snapped back, his voice indifferent and curt.

    "I''m awake, what advice does Second Little Brother desire?"

    "Then everything''s fine," Wei Chang Luo released a relieved sigh, before sitting down next to the Eldest Young Master.

    "You didn''t respond for several moments. I thought the lack of food and water addled your conscience¡­"

    "...are you looking for a beating?"

    "No! Eldest Brother is perfectly healthy, not addled in the head at all!" the young man shrieked, leaping away in fright. After a few moments, the Second Young Master slowly sat down once more, turning to face Wei Chang Feng with a solemn expression on his countenance.

    "Elder Brother, why did you do that?"

    The Eldest Young Master frowned at the ambiguous question, his mind preoccupied by the words uttered by the departing young girl. Fortunately, before Wei Chang Feng could reply, the Second Young Master had already opened his mouth to speak.

    "Father and Mother are truly disappointed with you," Wei Chang Luo listlessly complained.

    "Well, Mother is the one disappointed. Father is trying his best to suppress his anger and not vent it out on you."

    "After all, those maidservants were well talented and he didn''t invest a small amount in training servants to take care of Fourth Little Sister. Not to mention, Fourth Little Sister''s been going through rough times, and that''s stressing Father out like no tomorrow. Each time I see him with mother, it''s as if he''s been placed on the death row!"

    "¡­Fourth Little Sister''s has been through rough times?" Wei Chang Feng raised an eyebrow in surprise, his calm expression broken at the sudden statement.

    "Though we are born from different mothers, you can''t treat Fourth Little Sister like that," the Second Young Master sighed.

    "Didn''t you know? Fourth Little Sister is quite literally the pearl in Father''s heart. Not to mention, that lass has just woken up and gone through a miserable time."

    "Watching that lass lapse between comas and vomit blood from consuming medicinal herbs beneficial to the body, Father''s complexion is as if he''s gone through eleven levels of hell, if not all eighteen. Since the Imperial Court''s closed since the beginning of winter, Father is either watching over Fourth Little Sister at the study, or holing himself in a small room researching with whatever tomes or books he brings in."

    Wei Chang Luo bitterly sighed as he looked at the now darkened sky, his hazel irises searching for the glimpse of starlight within the emptiness. Having discovered a tiny pinprick of light amongst the bleak and dark night, the young man''s eyes brightened as he excitedly spoke to the cold youth besides him.

    "Eldest Brother, did you know that the Pagoda of Sun and Moon had an unexpected opening this year?" the young man rambled, waving his hand before the Eldest Young Master''s countenance in jubilation.

    "I actually got to enter the sacred ground at the prime of my time! Not to mention that I sneaked a killing from those scholars, hehe."

    "The Pagoda of Sun and Moon opened within a year since the last time?"

    Wei Chang Luo asked in a sharp voice, the youth''s eyes narrowed in shock and suspicion. Towards the nodding of the Second Young Master, the youth could not help but become suspicious and wary.

    What was the Ascended Emperor thinking? Or had the mysterious man utilized the Taiyi sect to dispatch a message to Great Yong?

    Whilst Wei Chang Luo was blissfully conveying his various successes in his newly acquired martial arts techniques and cultivation manual and how he was on the verge of breaking into the realm of Spirit Building, the Eldest Young Master was trapped in his memories. A plethora of thoughts clashed in his consciousness, conjecturing and counter-conjecturing regarding the mysterious person''s intentions and future actions.

    A mysterious man oppressing the Taiyi Sect. Abnormal actions employed by the Ascended Emperor of Great Yong.

    What was going to happen to the jianghu, the cultivation world, and the empires of the Shattered Star Continent?

    Was the Wei Family¡­ involved in this mess?

    "-by the way, Eldest Brother, have you seen Fourth Little Sister''s appearance yet?" the young man suddenly gave a sheepish smile obscured in the darkness.

    "Father never let me see the lass'' appearance, what a cheapskate father!"

    "Hm?" The Eldest Young Master of Wei froze for a moment, before a rare smile broke across his frigid countenance.

    "Fourth Little Sister is indeed beautiful as a fairy, surpassing even those at Taiyi Sect. Her future husband would truly be blessed, ah."

    "Then that''s good. My Fourth Younger Sister can''t be ugly by the slightest, that would be a complete shame, ah."

    Wei Chang Luo blurted, weaving his fingers into a complicated net to rest his head on. The young man reclined on the wooden ground for several moments, muttering to himself.

    "Fourth Little Sister can''t lose out compared to Third Little Sister or Fifth Little Sister if Father''s that desperate to hide her appearance," the young man mused.

    "So, Elder Brother isn''t wrong ¨C Hey! What did you just say right now!? Say that again, you saw Fourth Little Sister''s appearance!?"

    Jumping to his feet akin to a startled hare fleeing for his life, the Second Young Master glared at the Eldest Young Master of Wei with harrowed eyes. Confused regarding the young man''s unusual reaction, Wei Chang Feng solemnly nodded his head.

    It was unknown how Wei Chang Luo managed to spot such a gesture within the suppressive darkness.

    The young man subsequently exploded into an unjustified fury, his spiritual essence radiating from his body in copious quantities. Clenching his fingers into tight fists, he glared at the Eldest Young Master with resentment, lunging out with a dazzling scarlet light encompassing his right fist.

    "F*ck, you always have to take everything and leave me with scraps! Eldest Brother, why did you have to be the first this time as well!?"

    Needless to say, the result was remarkably predictable, and did not bode well for the agitated Second Young Master of Wei.

    Smashed into a pulp for such foolish action, as history constantly revealed time and time again.

 87 The Trifles of Body Tempering 1

    "Ah!"

    "Fourth Young Miss!"

    A startled cry broke the calm in the study of the Flowing Wind Residence, jolting all inhabitants present. Dropping the objects grasped in their hands in their surprise, the two maidservants rushed towards An Fei.

    The girl was staring in a mirror of cast bronze, utter shock and dismay present on her beautiful countenance. More particularly, the girl was staring at the sudden changes in her eyes.

    Since she had last glimpsed at her appearance, the twin scarlet irises had cracked.

    Originating from the pupil, thin, hair-like threads raced throughout the iris akin to the roots of a strong tree effused with vitality. The cracks were filled with a black color, creating a rather startling sight that oddly did not come into conflict with her appearance.

    Nevertheless, it was rather scary and intimidating to gaze into a pair of crack irises.

    Even if she was staring at her own distorted reflection via a bronze mirror, An Fei wished to shirk away from the pair of disharmony.

    "Fourth Young Miss¡­" Xiao Ying''s voice trailed off as she glanced at the young girl biting her lips in anxiety.

    She was well aware of the shock the Fourth Young Miss was undergoing at the moment. The maidservant, after all, was the first to experience the sight, and was accustomed with the momentary sensation of shock and discomfort.

    "Fourth Young Miss, it''ll be alright," Xiao Wen took the initiative to console the young girl.

    "Master is working on discovering a solution to ease the Fourth Young Miss'' troubles. All the Fourth Young Miss needs to do is to relax and recuperate."

    "En."

    An Fei nodded, before helplessly withdrawing from the mirror. Accepting the hand offered by Xiao Ying, the girl sat on the edge of the bed to stare at her slender fingers for a moment.

    Flexing the muscles of her fingers, clenching them into a fist and moving them a digit at a time.

    As expected, her abilities had drastically improved after that unusual experience within the Sanctum.

    Her dexterity, speed, and stamina had improved by a significant margin, noticeable without having to conduct any testing.

    What was rather interesting was that her strength didn''t seem to have improved at all, but the girl could hardly care about such a trivial issue. Toying with her fingers, An Fei swiftly descended into thought as she carefully observed the enhancement to her physique.

    ¡­was this the benefits of cultivation?

    Then, was she a practitioner of the so-called Body Tempering Realm of mortal cultivation as the had described, the first realm that exposed mortals to the path of cultivation?

    Body Tempering¡­ was it not divided into five additional stages, known as the Tempering of¡­ Blood, Meridians, Marrow, Flesh, and the inner organs?

    The nightly terror she had experienced every day whilst within the Sanctum of Eternal Peace¡­ didn''t she envision the golden light ravaging her blood vessels, both minor and major arteries?

    Furthermore, the golden light had encapsulated her Heart Meridian¡­

    Did it symbolize that she had progressed from first stage of the Body Tempering Realm to the second? All within those few short days she had spent within the realm of sky-blue crystal?

    Was that sort of pace¡­ normal?

    The girl descended into a series of complicated thoughts, ultimately scratching her head as she found herself mired in further complications the longer she pondered on the issue. An inadvertent sigh of frustration attracted the attention of Xiao Ying, and the maidservant sat next to An Fei, worry displayed on her countenance.

    "Fourth Young Miss, anything bothering you?" the maidservant asked in a concerned tone.

    An Fei first shook her head, then nodded. Under Xiao Ying''s slightly bemused and caring gaze, the young girl carefully minced her words, forming a haphazard and remarkably ambiguous explanation.

    "This¡­ Xiao Ying¡­ I attempted to practice cultivating with the a few days ago¡­" the girl began, her eyes shifting left and right underneath the maidservant''s piercing gaze.

    "This¡­ a few nights ago, I felt warmth spread throughout my body, and when I closed my eyes, I could see¡­ a golden light spread throughout my blood vessels and¡­ a meridian? Xiao Ying, do you know what''s going on?"

    "? Warmth throughout the body¡­ and a golden light passing through the blood vessels?" the maidservant repeated in befuddlement, before her eyes opened in surprise.

    "Fourth Young Miss, you succeeded in entering the Body Tempering Realm!? Furthermore, golden light encased the blood vessels!?"

    Xiao Ying shook her head, unable to overcome the sudden shock to her mind by the young girl besides her.

    Unable to restrain herself, the maidservant reached out to grasp An Fei''s right arm.

    Placing her thumb and applying a gentle pressure to the major vein on the girl''s wrist, the maidservant closed her eyes in concentration.

    Xiao Ying commanded her spiritual essence to immerse her thumb.

    When her thumb released a pale orchid light, An Fei''s wrist emanated a similar radiance, though it was considerably fainter in intensity and of a golden color. The two lights established a faint resonance with the other, causing the maidservant to open her eyes in astonishment and joy.

    "Fourth Young Miss has indeed progressed in her cultivation, and the refinement is pure!" Xiao Ying cried out.

    "This spiritual aura is no doubt belonging to a cultivator who had broken through into the second stage of the Body Tempering Realm!"

    An Fei raised an eyebrow at the maidservant''s evaluation, narrowing her brows in thought as she glanced at her wrist. Just as she feared, there was a thin, violet discoloration running down her vein that had come into contact with Xiao Ying''s thumb infused with spiritual essence.

    Fortunately, the discoloration appeared mild, and was already fading before her eyes. Perhaps, her skin would return to normal after a few moments.

    "Fourth Young Miss, this matter is truly one deserving of celebration," Xiao Ying rambled on much to the young girl''s amusement.

    "However, the Fourth Young Miss should focus on recuperating. Insisting on cultivating while the body is injured will only produce negative results that will haunt the Fourth Young Miss in the future."

    The young girl nodded in agreement, twiddling with her fingers as she waited for the maidservant''s chatter to ebb. Once tranquility had returned to the interior of the study, An Fei parted her lips to ask a question.

    "Xiao Ying¡­ how long did it take for you¡­ to progress in your cultivation?" the young girl inquired with a tentative tone.

    Contrary to her worries, the maidservant seemed more than happy to discuss her cultivation, even going to the extent of grasping An Fei''s hands.

    "Fourth Young Miss, this servant completed the Body Tempering Realm in about¡­ a year and a half?"

    Xiao Ying tilted her head in thought.

    "This maidservant started in cultivation much earlier than the Fourth Young Miss regarding physical age¡­ this servant should have reached the second stage of the Body Tempering Realm in a couple months of diligent effort, and reaching the late stages of the Foundation Establishment Realm spanned over a few years¡­"

    "Then¡­ Xiao Ying, how did you cultivate?"

    An Fei interjected the maidservant''s words, causing the latter to raise her head in confusion for a brief moment.

    "This servant¡­ meditated utilizing the cultivation technique," the maidservant replied after pondering for a while.

    "This servant cultivates through meditating on the statements of the technique¡­ and pondering on it''s contents?"

    "How did the Fourth Young Miss cultivate the technique? After all, Master did state that practicing the cultivation technique posed a greater difficulty in exchange for greater rewards¡­"

    "Ah?" An Fei staggered from the sudden question. Her mind whirling, the young girl quickly composed a pathetic reply to deter the maidservant''s attention.

    "I¡­ I read the manual, pondered about the concepts and¡­ slept on it."

    She couldn''t say that she found herself in a mysterious location, and not to mention, obtained this state by eating voraciously like an insatiable glutton for several days!

    That was asking for death!

    Unexpectedly, the young girl never expected the maidservant to nod her head without batting an eye or frown in displeasure.

    "That sounds reasonable, many people cultivate with such a method," Xiao Ying wholehearted agreed with the ''wisdom'' of the Fourth Young Miss.

    "Master once said that mindlessly persisting in cultivation produces far inferior results compared to reading over the manual, pondering on the intended concepts, and most importantly, getting a good night''s ¨C AH!? Fourth Young Miss, you cultivated the in such a fashion, how is that even possible!?"

    "The requires the practitioner to apply a medicinal paste of a hundred and thirty-seven varieties of rare, aged spiritual herbs above fifty years in age ¨C not even Master has completed obtaining a set of the required materials!"

    Hearing the maidservant''s outburst, the young girl instantly realized that she had made a catastrophic mistake. Perhaps, she should have picked a technique that didn''t possess such stringent requirements, for it would be easier to lie about¡­

    So, how was she supposed to get herself out of this one?

 88 The Trifles of Body Tempering 2

    The study of the Flowing Wind Residence greeted the first breath of spring in a fit of uneventful stillness.

    Two maidservants scuttled about, drawing back the curtains and tidying the various articles of furniture, chattering to each other regarding a vast area of subjects, not shying from politics, cultivation, to even street gossip.

    They seemed not like servants, but more like blood-related siblings.

    From their actions, demeanor, or aura, there was not a single inclination of the submission or timidity found in the commonplace servant belonging to an official''s manor.

    "Fourth Young Miss, do you have any special requests for breakfast this morning?"

    One of the maidservants called towards the depths of the study, slinging a thick padding of fabric around her body as she picked up a basket with her right hand. Grabbing a red parasol of oiled paper, the servant paused at the door, her head tilted to the side.

    "This¡­ maybe some xiaolongbao? Oh, and a little bit of soy sauce would be perfect."

    A soft voice rang from the center of the building, obscured by a dense maze of fabric and furniture.

    Hearing the hesitant desire within, the maidservant chuckled with a hearty smile before unlocking the double doors with an experienced hand.

    "Then, this servant will be back. Sister Ying, take care of the Fourth Young Miss!"

    Xiao Wen called as she raced out of the study. Making sure to close the doors to divert the chilly temperature, the maidservant took a deep breath of fresh air, a happy smile blooming on her pretty countenance.

    "The first breath of spring is truly beautiful¡­"

    Rolling her neck and stretching her arms, Xiao Wen grasped the wooden basket with her hand. As the maidservant dashed through the Flowing Wind Residence, the nearby servants could hear her muttering several words under her breath.

    "Xiaolongbao with the edges trimmed neatly, with a side of scallops. Xiaolongbao¡­"

    The actual spoken content produced a rather comical clash with the solemn expression on her countenance, yet Xiao Wen couldn''t care.

    ¨C

    "Fourth Young Miss, shouldn''t you be resting?" Xiao Ying called from the fringes of the study.

    "Reading the this early in the morning, wouldn''t it become detrimental to the Fourth Young Miss'' condition?"

    "Xiao Ying, be at ease, I''ll just be reading the manual," a young girl replied from the drawing table.

    "I won''t be pondering on its contents until I recovered, just as I promised."

    "Then that''s good! The Fourth Young Miss, when the temperature warms, should step outside to experience the fresh air outside, ah!"

    Conversing with the maidservant as she cheerfully dusted the furniture near the walls, the girl revealed a small smile before adjusting her position on the half-moon chair.

    Relaxing her shoulders, she reached for a thin book with a tattered leather cover and bold calligraphy.

    .

    Described from Wei Xuan''s perspective, the manual clenched within her hand was a complete set of cultivation and martial arts techniques.

    Furthermore, it could bolster a cultivator to the Nascent Soul Realm, equivalent with the emperor of Great Yong and the powerhouses of the Shattered Star Continent.

    That was of course, disregarding the smuggled into her possession by an elder of the Three Lotus Sect.

    Since her verbal mishap, An Fei had reluctantly but dutifully upheld the role of a diligent learner.

    Ultimately, most of her knowledge was exhorted from the unwitting maidservants. In their defense, they were more than willing to provide supplementary knowledge to the Fourth Young Miss, thus forming a remarkably awkward cycle of events.

    "A complete set of martial arts and cultivation techniques¡­" the girl murmured to herself, tapping on the leather cover with her knuckles.

    "No wonder why those people were scrambling for completed techniques back at the mysterious Pagoda of Sun and Moon¡­"

    Cultivation and martial arts, were inevitably interrelated by a close and fragile thread. If complemented in a balanced resolution, the practitioner was capable of producing a might far surpassing the limit his original abilities could exert through a single technique.

    Similarly, any disruptions in the delicate balance between a practitioner''s cultivation or martial arts capability completely disemboweled such benefit, transforming into a nasty thorn that ate at the practitioner''s abilities.

    Thus, many sought after complete martial arts and cultivation techniques, to minimize such risk or scenario.

    Complete martial arts and cultivation techniques referred to a generic technique that simultaneously spanned a specific node of cultivation and martial arts, thus nullifying the issue regarding the compatibility of a cultivation method and a martial arts technique.

    Additionally, such completed techniques could achieve a farther potential than individual techniques, which raised their overall value by a significant margin.

    If compared to the average cultivation or martial arts technique, the could be considered a technique of the highest caliber.

    It was a pity that its current practitioner had been desensitized by a cruel and merciless location called the Archive of Time, hence the ''pinnacle'' technique was nothing more than a piece of scrap fabric in the young girl''s perspective.

    The defined mortal cultivation as nothing more than the occasional pastime, hence how could a pitiful compare?

    If it wasn''t for her laziness and verbal mishap, An Fei would not dare to peruse the book held in her hand.

    "The culminates a permanently operating array utilizing the physical body as a medium," the girl read, her fingers drumming on the drawing table in distraction.

    "Merging the spiritual essence gathered at a Yin acupuncture point with that of a Yang acupuncture point, passing the combined mixture through the governing vessel and allowing the extremes to fuse, the expelled spiritual essence is many folds more consistent and effective compared to that of the practitioner''s reserves."

    "The merging of spiritual essence must be gathered from acupuncture points contralateral to the other prior to passing through the governing vessel. Additionally, the practitioner is to gather and refine spiritual qi via the conception vessel, separating and distributing the refined spiritual essence into the respective Yin and Yang acupuncture points."

    "The enables the practitioner to simultaneously utilize multiple streams of spiritual essence through the means of merging the spiritual essence gathered from specific acupuncture points."

    An Fei raised an eyebrow in interest, lifting her roaming fingers to reach for a brush. Utilizing deft, accurate strokes, the brush drew the outline of a compact lotus with its petals arranged into levels akin to a tower.

    "Each combination of acupuncture points converges into a petal; eighteen petals form a layer, and the practitioner at the attainment of perfection, will be capable of conjuring eight layers at any given instant."

    Eighteen petals form a layer, and eight layers can be utilized at a maximum¡­ which entails that a practitioner who cultivated the would be capable of wielding a hundred and forty-four combinations of spiritual essence¡­

    How did that compare to other techniques?

    "Xiao Ying," the young girl called, startling the maidservant who had just placed aside the dusting feather.

    "Can you come over for a moment?"

    "Fourth Young Miss?"

    Shaking her head and scratching the back of her right ear, Xiao Ying waded through the barrier of furniture. Coming to a stop before the young girl, the maidservant angled her head to the side, her pretty countenance reflecting sole confusion.

    "Fourth Young Miss, what''s the matter?"

    "Here," An Fei pointed to a line in the book with the tattered leather cover.

    "Is the an effective technique?"

    "This¡­"

    Xiao Ying paused, accepting the book from the Fourth Young Miss. Her eyes scanning the exposed pages in a swift manner, the maidservant''s mouth soon puckered into an ''oh'' of astonishment, praise evident in her gaze.

    "Fourth Young Miss," Xiao Ying dutifully responded with her eyes glued to the page.

    "The sheer potential of the is truly astounding. A hundred forty-four simultaneous combinations with each combination representing a cultivator''s normal usage of spiritual essence¡­ this servant cannot dare imagine the sheer destructive potential¡­"

    "This technique is absolutely monstrous in its capability; no wonder why Master praised it as such. However, the Fourth Young Miss must become aware that although the promises an extravagant result upon perfection, attaining that stage will pose a difficulty surmounting that of other cultivation techniques¡­"

    "If it''s that difficult to cultivate, then why are you ravaging that book, ah?" the young girl teased, the pair of scarlet eyes narrowed in amusement.

    "Your eyes refuse to leave those pages alone, just listen to the manual screaming for help, ah!"

    "Fourth Young Miss! Hmph, since the Fourth Young Miss requires rest, then this servant shall retain this manual for safekeeping! Perhaps this servant might even become able to transition into this cultivation technique, or gain insight from the contents at the minimum!"

    Xiao Ying pouted, her countenance dying a healthy shade of scarlet. Poking her tongue out of her mouth towards An Fei, the maidservant clutched the and raced towards the fringes of the study, leaving behind a young girl with a wry smile.

    ¡­insight?

    An Fei suddenly frowned, an interesting and potentially dangerous idea germinating in her mind¡­

 89 The Trifles of Body Tempering 3

    An Fei distinctly recalled Xiao Ying blabbering about the importance of insight. By referring to other techniques regarding martial arts and cultivation or perhaps even observing close combat between two cultivators, a practitioner could chance upon a divine-sent opportunity to advance his skills.

    As if granted leeway to heaven, the practitioner''s skills would improve at a rate akin to leaping over the Dragon Gate to ascend into a Heavenly Dragon. Cultivation prowess, martial arts skills, or perhaps advancement in the use of arrays or formations, all aspects of the cultivator would metamorphose into a single entity of a higher realm.

    Thus, if it were possible, though it appeared no more than a logical fallacy, could she¡­ strip the fundamental concepts of the and apply it to the ''s method of cultivation?

    If it were possible, wouldn''t she gain the ability to imitate the and perhaps other martial arts and cultivation techniques without suffering that disastrous backlash?

    "Merge spiritual essence gathered from a Yin acupuncture point with a Yang acupuncture point¡­" the girl murmured to herself whilst chewing on the tip of the brush grasped in her right hand.

    "The manual never described that the spiritual essence had to be refined from the atmosphere''s spiritual qi belonging to this world ¨C it was plainly labeled as spiritual qi passed through the Conception vessel¡­"

    "Fourth Young Miss, did you say something?" Xiao Ying called from the side. The maidservant was viciously reading the book bound by tattered leather, a dusting feather grasped in her other hand.

    "If, if, if¡­ the Sanctum similarly has spiritual qi¡­ No! Spiritual qi is merely the atmosphere''s fundamental energies ¨C the manual never described that it had to originate from this world. If I were to practice it in the Sanctum ¨C of course only referencing the fundamental principles, never the whole product, then could I really achieve it?"

    "Fourth Young Miss!"

    "Ah?" the young girl blinked, raising her gaze to be level with the maidservant.

    "Xiao Ying, something wrong?"

    "¡­the Fourth Young Miss is spilling ink over the gown¡­" the maidservant dutifully replied, directing a sorrowful gaze towards the soiled dress on the young girl''s body.

    An Fei froze, and her gaze inched downwards to discover a series of black stains. The upper half of her gown, her exposed arms, and even the tips of her socks ¨C all were splattered with various stains of freshly ground ink originating from the brush clenched between her lips.

    The girl inadvertently opened her mouth to sigh, not realizing that she still had a brush between her teeth. As a result, the brush rolled down her gown and onto the floor ¨C all the while drawing a splendid line of black, viscous ink.

    "Ah¡­"

    "Fourth. Young. Miss!!!"

    The maidservant yelled in a mixture of amusement and exasperation, dropping the and the feather duster to march over to stand before An Fei. Dragging her to the drawers and closing the curtains, the maidservant soon pushed a young girl out freshened up and changed into a new dress.

    Of course, when Xiao Wen returned with a wooden container filled to the brim with delicious food, both gave evasive answers as to why Xiao Ying had ink stains on her clothes, or why An Fei was in a different gown.

    -

    When night fell, the Flowing Wind Residence had descended into a lighthearted slumber. The servants departed to rest at their quarters, and Wei Xuan left to hug Sheng Miaolan to sleep, granting An Fei some reprieve for the night.

    The Sanctum, on the other hand, was buzzing with activity. Rather, the atmosphere was charged with the panicked cries and shouts of a young girl within the seventeenth Archive.

    Each night she went to sleep in the Flowing Wind Residence, the girl had deigned to enter the Sanctum to ponder on a few matters regarding her cultivation. Additionally, she desired to eat food created from ingredients obtained from the medicine garden¡­

    The voice was soft and tender, pleasing to the ears and tugging at the heartstrings of the listener. Combined with the nervous and panicked tinge underneath, any listener would gladly cough up blood to continue hearing such an adorable sound.

    "No, no, no¡­" the girl murmured to herself as she raised a hand to slap her cheek.

    Leaving behind a suppressed sound of flesh impacting flesh, the girl shook her head twice, clearing away any distracting thoughts.

    "My movements are too rash¡­ the technique itself is called , so there must be some elegance within the actual steps. Maybe¡­ my speed in turning is the problem?"

    An Fei picked up the book once more, attempting to practice the . Reading and memorizing the fundamental movements, the girl stepped forward into an open clearing within the platform, massaging her bruised arms.

    A step forward with the right foot. Immediately after, the body was to pivot counterclockwise until the left foot was within a hundred and eighty degrees relative with the right. However, the right foot was to remain stationary, balancing the body weight on the eminence of the foot.

    Another forward movement with a clockwise pivot, the right foot now sweeping across the surface of the ground until the body faced forward again, the left foot slightly behind.

    Sweep both arms towards the left side, the left arm extending behind the back to touch the right torso. Next, a half-moon sweep of the arms to the right, the left palm facing the sky. During the motion, the right foot was to slide back, the weight distributed evenly amongst both feet.

    The first several motions were to be repeated three times, moving the body forward by three paces-

    Crash!

    "Ah!"

    The girl shrieked as her legs entangled each other, colliding against the crystalline ground into a sorry heap. Her face pressed against the smooth, warm surface, and throbbing with a sensation that was most definitely not comfort, An Fei allowed a heavy sigh to escape her mouth.

    Practicing the was excruciatingly difficult. Managing her body weight to remain equally distributed at all times whilst completing a series of sweeping and rotating movements, was far too challenging than climbing an ice mountain at near subzero temperature.

    If she moved her legs, the body became unbalanced due improper positioning and distribution of her arms. If she moved her arms, the body''s weight was distributed onto one foot more than the other, causing her legs to entangle one another when moving the feet.

    This was far too challenging, ah!

    An Fei could vaguely grasp at the concept that both arms had to move in complementary action with the movement of the feet, and the converse was true as well. However, as the manual only described one set and not the other, the girl could only deduce the exact movements herself through trial and error.

    The result of such¡­ was rather evident.

    Bruises on every side of her body, the violet blemishes glaring in contrast to the fair and delicate skin. Not to mention, each time she fell on the bruises, her entire body would convulse with a painful, teeth-grinding sensation.

    Fortunately, the promised benefits of the was sufficient to force the girl to grit her teeth and repeat the set of actions once again. After each fall, An Fei would allot several minutes to contemplate how she had erred, and think of a plausible solution.

    "The arms and feet need to move in tandem," the girl muttered to herself.

    "Otherwise, I would lose balance regardless of any adjustments¡­"

    Shaking her head and making a mental note, An Fei tapped her forehead before preparing herself to initiate another attempt. As she reminded herself to ignore the stinging pain pulsing from all corners of her body, the girl suddenly paused to glance at the book.

    ¡­the first set of movements was slightly more detailed than the second¡­ perhaps she was to commit to heart and muscle memory of the first set, and springboard the subsequent sets of movements whilst implementing any additional corrections based on experience and intuition?

    Revising her thoughts, An Fei took a step forward to begin the first set of movements of the ¡­ until her foot creaked with an obvious sign of utter discomfort. Pursing her lips at the impulse of pain, the girl decided to pause for the night.

    Recording her mistakes onto a sheet of snow-white paper obtained at the bottom drawer of a cabinet near the bed, the girl crashed against the comfortable sheets, releasing a groan of satisfaction. Soon enough, the pleasant and warm sensation began to arise in her body, signifying that another round of tempering her body had begun.

    In her defense, after beating her body senseless into the ground several times, it was well worth it to indulge in the warm and excessively comfortable sensation.

 90 The Trifles of Body Tempering 4

    This night, it seemed as if the Sanctum of Eternity was determined to cleanse and enhance the major meridians within her body. As An Fei drifted amongst a turbulent sea of sleeplessness, warmth, and comfort, her body was undergoing a major transformation, the second of five within the Realm of Body Tempering.

    The major meridians except for the pericardium, kidney, and gallbladder meridian systems were experiencing a baptism of golden light.

    Pure, untainted divine essence filtered into spiritual essence inundated the meridians to full capacity, widening them and disintegrating impurities or blockages centimeter by centimeter.

    Fortunately, the girl had long entered sleep before the intensive process occurred, otherwise she would not have suffered from mere bouts of sleeplessness. Perhaps she would have screamed her lungs out from the pain, for the intensity of the golden light far exceeded that of the minor blood vessels of her fingers and toes.

    The golden light traveled along the entire length of each major meridian system, purifying not only the major meridian, but also the supplementary branches connected to the main stem.

    While the golden light traversed the entire length of the girl''s lung, stomach, spleen, bladder, kidney, and other meridians, it did not enclose them with the golden radiance as the blood vessels nearby.

    There was far more work to do.

    At the foreground, a massive coalesced serpent of silver-colored spiritual essence rested within the girl''s dantian and meridians ¨C a target needed to be exterminated before any further progress could be made.

    The enormous cluster of spiritual essence naturally possessed the deserving intelligence as a creation by a Mortal Tribulation cultivator, and had not been damaged to a significant degree when the Sanctum had purified An Fei''s blood vessels.

    Though it would be preferred to progress slowly, the Sanctum was far cognizant of the underlying risks that would befall the girl due to the natural toxicity of mortal cultivation and spiritual essence to the girl''s body. Hence, instead of delaying it any further, the Sanctum was determined to fully expel the silver-colored spiritual essence and slaughter it tonight.

    An Fei was destined to wake exceptionally late tomorrow morning, perhaps not even until nightfall.

    The Sanctum of Eternity rumbled as a massive quantity of divine essence gathered at the seventeenth platform of the Archive of Time. The divine essence observed An Fei''s body with an unearthly vigilance as if staring down at prey with a vicious glint.

    Approaching the girl and infiltrating the body through the fingertips, a strand of the formless and colorless light traveled through the complex pathways of the meridians, racing towards the dantian.

    Once the dantian was breached by the thread of divine essence, the interior was exposed to reveal an enormous serpent with silver scales.

    The serpent was several hundred meters long, coiled around itself numerous times to minimize its volume. Within the small dantian of the young girl, the serpent easily consumed the entirety of the available space.

    Silver scales, durable and elegant, covered its body from head to tail, and shimmered when light descended onto it.

    The serpent had been in a slumber when the divine essence breached the walls of the dantian, the long, forked tongue flickering at a rhythmic pace relaxed and lazy.

    Unfortunately, upon detecting the presence of an intruding entity of sentience of a similar scale to its own, the serpent hissed in a provocative manner towards the thread of divine essence.

    The thread immediately fled from the dantian, retreating far into the pathways of the meridians.

    However, it ensured to remain at the fringes of the serpent''s range of perception, constantly taunting the latter simply due to its continuing presence.

    The serpent snarled, the large mouth opening to reveal two massive, curved fangs, and a bottomless void daring to consume everything in its path. After a moment''s hesitation, the serpent darted forth leave the dantian to hunt the malignant thread of divine essence.

    Thus, a rather comical but horrifying game of cat-and-mouse ensued; a tiny thread of divine essence led a several hundred meter long serpent of silver spiritual essence throughout the girl''s meridians in a disorderly chase.

    If the girl was awake to witness such a debacle, it would be a miracle for An Fei to not receive severe mental trauma. A snake many times larger than herself rampaging throughout her body''s meridians to hunt a thread of light no longer than a centimeter¡­ would be downright terrifying to witness.

    Racing through the girl''s conception vessel, the divine essence suddenly escaped from the body, forcing the serpent to slow to a halt. Its head swaying from side to side as the massive tongue flickered, searching for the pesky little thread.

    The tongue stilled, and the entire serpent froze, the pair of callous and brutal eyes narrowing with savage wrath.

    The serpent''s body pulsed with an unearthly silver light, pressing against the current of golden light streaming down the length of the conception vessel.

    With a flash, the serpent followed the trail of the thread, detaching itself from An Fei''s meridians. In its haste to conquer and pulverize the annoying cluster of divine essence, the serpent had completely removed itself from the girl''s body and most particularly, her dantian ¨C only to deeply regret it moments later.

    Once it had left the girl''s body, a simple glance was enough to deduce that it had run headlong into a trap.

    The thread of divine essence had reunited with the major cluster, and enough had gathered to completely saturate the seventeenth platform of the Archives of Time. Thus, while the serpent of silver-colored spiritual essence was difficult to eradicate when hiding within the girl''s delicate body, it was a completely different circumstance when outside.

    There was no provocative or fearful hiss.

    The serpent did not even receive the opportunity to blink or lash with a powerful strike.

    Just as spiritual qi or artefacts imbued with spiritual essence originating from a mortal world was toxic to a living entity reforged in the Realm, the converse was equally true and devastating.

    The instant the serpent left the girl''s body, it disintegrated into countless particles of silver light.

    Furthermore, the miniscule particles were demolished into nihility without any hesitation.

    With the serpent removed, the majority of the divine essence saturating the atmosphere of the Sanctum returned to its origin, but a significant quantity remained. Hovering above the girl, the formless and colorless light burrowed deeply into the entangled pathways of the meridians, reigniting the forging process once more.

    The golden light stormed down An Fei''s major meridians to the fullest length, encapsulating each with a powerful golden radiance. The intensity of the light emitted from the reforged meridians was far superior to that of the blood vessels, yet there wasn''t any presence of disharmony.

    Spiritual essence of the Sanctum circulated through both systems to inundate the dantian, purging all traces of the serpent formed from spiritual essence. Similarly, the golden light ceased to traverse the girl''s meridians, having enhanced all of the major meridians except for a select few.

    The golden light dissipated, but the girl remained deeply asleep and blissfully unaware¡­

    -

    "Damn!"

    A frenzied curse erupted within the Slumbering Dawn Residence, startling the remaining servants keeping guard of the residence''s inhabitants, the Third Young Miss and Sheng Miaolan from a good night''s rest. The woman gazed at the furious Wei Xuan with a scared gaze, her body trembling from the sudden outburst.

    Immediately overwhelmed by guilt, the minister reached forth to clasp the First Madam''s shoulder, drawing the woman for a warm embrace.

    "Sorry for startling you," Wei Xuan cooed, his experienced hands rubbing Sheng Miaolan''s back to calm her down.

    "I was a little too surprised, and couldn''t contain myself."

    "Lord Minister, is something wrong?" the woman whispered upon regaining her rationale. Wei Xuan was far too composed and steady-minded to descend into an outburst in the middle of the night as this¡­

    "This¡­" Wei Xuan murmured, his countenance darkening within mere seconds upon mentioning the matter. Hastily coaxing the woman who began trembling again in fear, the minister slowly explained carefully, ensuring that his choice of words did not startle the woman.

    "Earlier, to ensure that Fei''er did not fall into a chaotic state as last time, I placed my spiritual imprint to guard over her body. Just now¡­ it was removed without a single trace, and in an instant as well."

    "Huh?"

    The First Madam''s mind blanked, her eyes glassy from befuddlement. However, when she placed two and two together, the woman released a shocked and terrified gasp, her mouth covered by her hands.

    "Lord Minister," the woman breathed in panic.

    "Lord Minister is at the late stages of Core Formation¡­ not even someone of the prowess as that of the emperor can eliminate Lord Minister''s spiritual imprint in an instant''s amount of time¡­ just who is this person!?"

    "I don''t know. However, Fei''er is safe at the moment. I''ll investigate in the morning when there''s a better chance of discovering any hidden clues."

    Wei Xuan grimly replied, his eyes narrowing with an uncanny light. After ruling out several conjectures, the minister patted the woman next to him, signaling that they return to sleep.

    "Lan''er, be good and return to sleeping, alright? Otherwise, don''t blame your Lord Minister from enjoying a little nightly fun¡­"

    Exactly who, and how did that person eliminate his spiritual imprint?

    That was an imprint of a cultivator who had withstood eleven Mortal Tribulations, not a mere thumbtack Core Formation practitioner.

    No one, even those from the Natural Domains, could possibly remove it without alerting his perception.

    So how did it get removed in an instant?

 91 A Little Golden Lotus and a Calling of Unrest 1

    "Fei''er¡­" a minister with a countenance haggard and deprived of sleep questioned a young girl over a table full of breakfast.

    Pinching a few stir-fried bamboo strips between his chopsticks, Wei Xuan angled his head to the side to stare at the girl, before raising his eyebrows in confusion.

    The young girl hadn''t even bothered to touch her food, the chopsticks neatly contained within the jade ornament. Instead, she was supporting her head with her arms against the cooled wooden surface of the table.

    Flabbergasted by the sight before him, the minister extended a finger underneath An Fei''s nose.

    When his finger acutely felt two faint streams of exhaled air, Wei Xuan sank back into the chair, his countenance stunned with disbelief.

    This girl was¡­ asleep?

    She had just woken up to eat breakfast, and had returned to sleeping within a few minutes? No, not even an incense stick''s time had passed!

    What was going on?

    "This girl¡­" the minister darkly muttered upon realizing that the girl refused to show any signs of waking.

    Pushing his seat closer to An Fei, Wei Xuan grasped a few dishes, bringing them within an arm''s reach.

    "Hah¡­ Chang Feng, you''re still going to stay there? It''s been a week already, go return before your mother''s heart explodes from worry."

    "No need. Chang Feng still has not completed Father''s task."

    A cold voice belonging to a youth responded to Wei Xuan''s resigned remark, causing the minister to deeply sigh. Shaking his head thrice and turning around, the silhouette of a youthful man was exposed to the minister''s gaze.

    After a week of persistently kneeling in a single spot and exposed to the elements, Wei Chang Feng''s appearance was less than appealing to the eye.

    However, the youth''s cold and indifferent demeanor had not reduced by an iota, and he continued to gaze towards the clear skies with a heavy gaze.

    "Return. Return to the Slumbering Dawn Residence, and clean yourself up."

    The minister commanded with an unquestionable tone, an indomitable aura exploding forth. Hesitating for a brief moment, Wei Chang Feng directed a final glance towards the blue, cloudless sky, before bowing to Wei Xuan and departing from the pavilion with shaky but strong steps.

    "Father, Chang Feng has scanned the skies numerous times," the youth spoke from the entrance of the pavilion.

    "There has been quite a few messenger birds over these past few days. It seems that Jiang''an may undergo a period of unrest in the near future."

    "So what?" Wei Xuan snorted, his arms reaching out to nestle the young girl into a solid embrace.

    Patting the soft strands of hair, the minister directed a glance laden with a hundred streams at the youth standing at the fringes of the pavilion.

    "Chang Feng, if it is simply a Taiyi Sect wandering about to rouse ire and conflict, there is no need for a youth like you to take charge of the matter. Your Father isn''t dead yet, nor has he exited his prime."

    "Understood." The Eldest Young Master of Wei Manor dipped into a respectful bow.

    "Then go!" Wei Xuan waved his hand, shooing the youth away.

    "Unless you want to come over and feed your Fourth Little Sister, but I don''t see you ever doing that with your averse personality, ah."

    Conforming to his expectation, Wei Chang Feng bowed again before departing from the pavilion. One he confirmed that the youth''s back had left the Flowing Wind Residence, the minister gently jostled the young girl in his arms, reaching for the spoon with his free hand.

    "If you''re going to sleep all day, at least eat your meals, ah¡­" Wei Xuan complained towards the girl with a doting tone in his voice.

    "Well, you Father now gets to eat more bamboo shoots, so he won''t complain!"

    ¨C

    If Wei Xuan realized that his constantly sleeping daughter was consuming a minimum of five hearty meals a day, it would be a marvelous sight to observe his countenance experience a myriad of transformations.

    Or at the least, he would have fiercely pinched the young girl''s thin cheeks as he scolded her.

    A glutton in the heart births a glutton of the body.

    An Fei yawned as she placed down her chopsticks, glancing wistfully at the remains of a warzone decorating the plate before her.

    Blinking her eyes, the girl grasped the wok and various cooking utensils, heading towards the stream to wash them.

    The medicinal herbs and plantlife in the medicine garden appeared to be infinite, fully maturing the next day she appeared. Unfortunately, the pots and dishes still required her to manually clean them, which served as an effective barrier to her otherwise growing complacency.

    As she rhythmically scrubbed at the black iron wok underneath the cool and powerful water current, the girl couldn''t help but lapse into thought.

    Occasionally, An Fei stared not at the wok being cleaned underneath the rapidly flowing stream, but the distorted reflection gazing back at her.

    Last night had brought forward a rather drastic change. She had anticipated and was fully aware of the nightly occurrence of the golden light cleansing her body, but the transformation was remarkably noticeable.

    Her body felt inexplicably lighter. Additionally, a little stream of warmth continually pooled at her chest.

    Each step she took, the girl felt as if a large burden had been removed to free her shoulders, and a breath brought forth a cool, pleasant sensation in her chest.

    Similarly, her dexterity and physical agility of her limbs and body had increased by several folds, which had welcomed several hours of readjusting her pace to avoid falling onto the ground.

    Rubbing at the fading bruises decorating her entire body, An Fei couldn''t suppress her thoughts from doubting the phenomena experienced by her at the moment. The increase in physical ability and constitution¡­ was it all real?

    When the golden light had encapsulated her blood vessels and arteries, the resultant was not as noticeable or obvious to the eye. Walking around or lifting dense objects, the girl only noticed an occasional, momentary increase in strength or lightening of her body by a margin.

    Now, her body felt significantly lighter, and each breath introduced fresh air into her system, perplexing the girl beyond all bounds. As she attempted to rationalize her circumstances, the girl''s thoughts inadvertently returned to the concept of Body Tempering.

    Five pillars that constituted Blood, Marrow, Meridian, Flesh, and inner organs.

    Could it be declared that last night had propelled her through the pillar of blood, and into Meridian?

    An Fei could neither inspect the inner workings of her physique; nor could she conjure the complex and incomprehensively detailed diagram of her constitution that displayed every structure within her body; the girl could only guess without limited information.

    ¡­at every juncture in this abstruse concept called cultivation, she would return to the start.

    Quite frustrating, but equally helpless. The did not detail such information, nor did the or other books on mortal cultivation provide information sufficiently detailed to assuage her questions.

    Placing away the now cleaned wok and grabbing the after drying her hands, the girl directed one last glance towards the vibrant medicine garden. Stepping forward and closing the door behind her, An Fei quickly departed from the first corridor of the Sanctum.

    Her destination was naturally, the Archives of Time in the second corridor.

    Unexpectedly, she was not intending to practice the at this time.

    Instead, the girl intended to attempt something possibly far more damaging than falling onto the crystalline floor several dozens of times.

    Stepping onto the seventeenth platform of the Archives of Time, An Fei gazed at the center of the platform with an excited gleam. There, placed neatly on the center of a wooden drawing table that was originally placed in an obscure corner, was a stack of pristine, snow-white sheets of paper and an ink brush.

    Today was not a day dedicated towards practicing how to dance, but conducting a duel against an austere target.

    A little lotus by the name of .

 92 A Little Golden Lotus and a Calling of Unrest 2

    The .

    A completed set of mortal cultivation and martial arts techniques that Wei Xuan praised to guarantee the practitioner to enter the realm of the Nascent Soul without trouble, a technique worthy of exuberant reverence in the Shattered Star Continent.

    Simultaneously, it was the technique An Fei had blurted out to Xiao Ying when questioned regarding which cultivation technique she was practicing. It had heralded the list of the techniques in her possession after dividing the spoils of the ''plunder'' at the Pagoda of Sun and Moon, thus she had uttered it in a moment of thoughtlessness.

    Thus, she was placed in a dilemma that required immediate correction. From Wei Xuan''s current actions, the minister appeared clueless regarding which cultivation technique An Fei had chosen or even whether she had begun cultivation after the disastrous incident a few weeks prior.

    Since that day, Wei Xuan had skirted the topic of cultivation at all costs, as if to distract himself from the horror he had witnessed then.

    Fortunately or unfortunate for An Fei, she had some time before Xiao Ying revealed to the minister that the Fourth Young Miss could unexpectedly cultivate, and had already completed the first pillar of Body Tempering.

    All she had to do in the limited time was to mimic the ''s fundamental principles via the ridiculous and seemingly impossible but tempting theory of hers.

    Otherwise, as An Fei progressed in cultivation, the astute minister would instantly notice the discrepancies between the cultivation technique and the bane of mortal existence, the .

    And that¡­ would foretell a horrible ending for the young girl currently stressing over the drawing table, a dry brush pursed between her lips, shuffling through numerous pages of a large book bound in goldleaf. Having learned her lesson, An Fei dared not to dip the brush in ink before holding it in her mouth, or at least dry it with a towel to avoid splatters of ink tainting her clothing.

    This lesson proved effective especially so, for the only ink she had discovered in the Archives of Time was a dark indigo. When the paper was placed on the drawing table, there was little noticeable difference, but was strikingly apparent when she raised it up to inspect her writing.

    "A combination of spiritual essence gathered from a Yin acupuncture point and a Yang acupuncture point," An Fei murmured, smoothing the sheet of snow-white paper before her.

    "Form a homogenous mixture between the two, but it is to be fused only when passing through the Governing Vessel of the body. Thus, when it is expelled to¡­ manifest in the world, it is of greater potency than a ordinary practitioner''s spiritual essence¡­"

    The was naturally secured in Xiao Ying''s possession. An Fei was limited in knowledge regarding the portion of the manual she had managed to read, detailing the fundamental principles of practicing the technique.

    "Then, when forming the actual , the practitioner¡­ deposits the mixed spiritual essence in the dantian ¨C no, the technique mentioned the Belt Meridian, the dantian was absent from all descriptions ¨C allowing the mixed existence to congeal into inscriptions of spiritual essence¡­ inscriptions of spiritual essence¡­"

    The brush swept across the paper, marring the pristine, snow-white sheets with monotone lines and sweeps of ink. The ink commanded a trail of discordant, unfettered information, incomprehensible to all but its creator.

    An Fei placed down the brush, her eyes carefully examining the sheet of notes resting on the drawing table. Reading the strings of characters several times, the girl finally placed the sheet of paper down, releasing a heavy sigh.

    Ta!

    "Why did I make such a gaffe, this is too hard¡­"

    Raising her right hand and curling her fingers into a fist, the girl knocked her own forehead in frustration.

    The mere thought of having to explain to Wei Xuan, especially regarding a rather secretive and evasive topic as her ability to cultivate, brought An Fei innumerable headaches.

    Furthermore, she might only have a few days left before he found out, ah!

    "The fundamental concept isn''t that difficult to comprehend, but¡­"

    The principle of the was contrary to expectation, straightforward and not difficult to understand. The fundamental source of the technique''s ability was the pairing of spiritual essence gathered from sources of polar attributes by a certain degree, then expelling it out of the body to manifest as a fused existence.

    Simple and complicated to the nth degree without much effort.

    The driving processes of the technique was exceedingly simple, but the countless uncertainties compounded upon one another caused the young girl''s task to become ever-increasingly difficult.

    For example, was the ''s principles even compatible with spiritual essence obtained from the Sanctum? Otherwise, would she die a gruesome death upon her first attempt of emulating the mortal technique?

    How were cultivation techniques even created in the first place anyways?

    "ARGH!" the girl shouted in irritation, the ink brush sweeping across several strings of characters, condemning them to extinction.

    "Cross that out, that doesn''t appear to be logical. This doesn''t work either¡­ that doesn''t even make sense¡­ why is this so difficult, ah?"

    An Fei groaned, deeply wishing to dig a deep hole and bury herself at the bottom of the crevice. Recalling the words she had instantly cast in response to the maidservant''s inquiry, the young girl felt as if she was nothing more than an imbecile in disguise.

    "I''m so stupid, I''m so stupid¡­ why, why, why did I say those words to Xiao Ying? Anything but that, and I¡­ argh!"

    She didn''t even know whether she possessed spiritual essence to verify her theories! Moreover, though she had observed Wei Xuan and Wei Chang Feng spar with their auras and a modicum amount of spiritual essence, she didn''t possess an iota of the required knowledge or intuition to inspect her body to begin searching!

    An Fei felt as if she was a scholar tasked with discovering a mythical object known as gold. She knew it was an object similar to a stone, but had little to almost no information regarding concrete details about its appearance, location, or even if it existed in the first place.

    Not to mention that an irascible emperor dangled a deadly sword over her head. If she didn''t find this ''gold'' soon, then her life was in jeopardy, consigned to death in all possibilities.

    How difficult!

    "There''s too many uncertain variables that prevent me from even validating this theory¡­" An Fei groaned to herself, twirling the brush around, clasped between her fingers.

    "The fundamental principles appear sound and relatively concrete compared to the original¡­ but I would need to first determine whether the technique is comparable with spiritual essence from the Sanctum¡­"

    "First off, why is there a large discrepancy between the cultivation and martial arts between that of the mortal world and the Sanctum?" the girl mused, the pair of dull, scarlet irises glazed as they glared at the sheets of paper.

    "The techniques in the Sanctum describe the information in detail, especially the principles behind the technique, whereas those like the only describe the process¡­"

    Sigh!

    The girl placed the brush onto the drawing table, her mind fatigued and unable to create any new conjectures or theories that made relative logical sense. Releasing a massive yawn, An Fei sat at the edge of the bed, restraining herself from leaning onto the comfortable blankets to sleep.

    "I should return¡­ shouldn''t make Father any more suspicious, or he might act like that man¡­" the girl patted her chest, easing the tensed muscles of her body.

    "I think any combination of falsehood and truth worked to exit? Hm¡­ [Reveal falsehood and disparage] ¨C Mmph!?"

    An Fei suddenly clenched her chest in surprise, her fingers resting directly above her heart. There, she could feel an abnormal warmth gently caress her heart.

    The thread of warmth had simply pooled near her chest since she awoke this morning, but had remained still. For it to encircle and dance around her heart with motions akin to a fish swimming in a pond, what did it entail?

    What was this warmth? The Sanctum didn''t react aversely¡­ so this thread of heat traveling within her chest cavity¡­ isn''t harmful, right?

    An Fei nervously nibbled at her bottom lip, as she massaged her chest.

    Unfortunately, all curiosity or worry regarding the mysterious thread of warmth swimming around her heart quickly washed away as a thought splashed cold water over her head.

    "I''ve been in the Sanctum for too long, I can''t make Father suspicious! [Reveal falsehood, disparage truth]!"

    As the girl''s figure became indistinct within the Sanctum of Eternal Peace, a young girl within the study of the Flowing Wind Residence lazily fluttered her eyelids, arising from a linen bed.

    Good, Father wasn''t around to question her¡­

 93 A Little Golden Lotus and a Calling of Unrest 3

    With Wei Xuan not present within the study of the Flowing Wind Residence, the young girl heaved a long sigh, before arising from the bed. Roaming throughout the study, An Fei soon discovered a tidy book placed on the drawing table, with a note atop of a stack of neatly trimmed stationary.

    "Fei''er, Father may not return for several days at the least," the girl read, her fingers splayed on the drawing table.

    "Chang Feng... will take care of you whilst I''m gone... make sure not to sleep so much..."

    Looking at the thin book and the sheets of paper, An Fei turned around in a full circle, perplexed at the silence within the study. The two maidservants Xiao Wen and Xiao Ying were generally present, their chatter creating a joyous atmosphere, but the study was completely silent.

    Other than her breathing and the rustle of paper on wood, there wasn''t another sound.

    "Where did they go?"

    The girl questioned, before sitting at the half-moon chair before the drawing table. Shaking her head with a quick exhale of breath, An Fei opened the book to the first page, before reaching to grind the ink¡­

    The book underneath the note, was that supposed to be calligraphy practice?

    -

    Jiang''an had been awoken from its slumbering, peaceful days.

    The streets bustled with the same number of people, yet the conversations engaged were drastically different, and trading had mostly ceased to provide more venues of discussion.

    Each person on the street, be them poor or privileged, scholar or merchant, soldier or cultivator, official or commoner, all were fervently debating the scraps of information obtained from an eunuch regarding the Imperial Court of Great Yong.

    After nearly five months of inactivity, the Emperor of Great Yong had finally issued for the Imperial Court to open. The three hundred officials streamed into the grand building with sighs of relief, only to be hit by a major bombshell the instant the last stepped into his proper position.

    Taiyi Sect had dispatched a messenger to each of the three empires, and all with the same command.

    "All females diagnosed with cold deficiency or a major Yin physique are to be permitted a special opportunity to cultivate at the Taiyi Sect."

    The tiny portion of information that had escaped the iron clutches of the Imperial Court had rocked the streets of Jiang''an with unquestionable ferocity. Regardless whether one stepped onto the Peace Street, Green Lifetime Street, or Golden Harvest Street, all were engaged in the same discussion.

    Such was the case in the Street of Peace, located at an inconspicuous restaurant at the backends of the street.

    "Say, old man," a businessman in his thirties questioned an old man dressed in scholarly robes.

    "Why is the Taiyi Sect issuing such a command? All females diagnosed with cold deficiency or possessing a major Yin physique is permitted a special opportunity to cultivate? Did they unearth an ancient Yin cultivation technique, and they require volunteers?"

    "What do you see in this command of the Taiyi Sect?" the elder replied with a question of his own, his white eyebrows raised.

    "This¡­ are the Three Great Sects establishing a new scheme of competitions?" a young man interrupted from the side, placing down his bowl of intestine noodles.

    "Junior don''t know if the two elders have heard of the news, but the Violet Jade Pavilion and Heavenly Sword Sect similarly issued a command, but only Taiyi Sect mentioned anything regarding cold deficiency¡­"

    "The Three Great Sects of the continent actually passed down such a decree?" the businessman exclaimed in shock, before his eyes gleamed with greed.

    "Then they must have obtained a specific reward that could only be wielded by a certain group of people! Otherwise, the three sects wouldn''t¡­ wait a moment¡­"

    "Now do you see the interesting point of this mysterious command?" the old man smiled, wagging his index finger towards the businessman who had cold sweat dropping from his brow.

    "The Taiyi Sect released a command offering all females with a major Yin constitution to enroll for a special opportunity, that would entail that they have a special reward or technique to pass on. But why cold deficiency? The symptoms of cold deficiency hinder the majority of cultivation techniques that lean towards either Yin or Yang, and the Taiyi sect calling for both groups of people is simply odd and incomprehensible."

    "Those with cold deficiency are afflicted with the same symptoms regardless of male or female," the youth furrowed his brow, before waving for the boss of the restaurant for another serving of noodles.

    After depositing a tael of silver into the man''s hand, the youth bowed towards the businessman and elderly scholar.

    "This junior requests the knowledge of the two elders. Though this junior possesses some knowledge regarding cold deficiency, he lacks knowledge regarding major Yin constitutions. Is it possible for someone to possess both at the same time? Is that what the Taiyi Sect is searching for?"

    "Clever," the elderly scholar smiled, gesturing for the youth to eat with a relaxed manner.

    "Though we can''t know for sure, the command of the Taiyi Sect is rather difficult to decipher, even more than usual. The only thing we can be ensured of is that the Three Great Sects are searching for youngsters with great potential for cultivation."

    "However, since they additionally mentioned those afflicted with cold deficiency, it is best to proceed with caution," the elder affixed a stern glare towards the businessman and youth.

    "Do not become blinded by promises of immediate or grandiose benefits, for they come at a great cost."

    "We thank elder for his wisdom!"

    The businessman and youth chorused, extending a bow of gratitude towards the elderly man. The old scholar waved his hands with a warm smile, gesturing for the three of them to begin eating.

    As the discussion of the businessman, elderly retired scholar, and budding youth paused at the inconspicuous restaurant within the Street of Peace, the debates in Jiang''an were just starting.

    -

    "Your Imperial Majesty, why are we debating about this?" an official stepped forward, dipping his head into a respectful bow before the throne of gold.

    "The Taiyi Sect''s request is clearly unusual and unwarranted, shouldn''t we request of more information before enacting their demands?"

    "Fellow Lu is correct," a senior official joined the active debate to support the former official, his voice powerful and securing the attention of all within the Imperial Court.

    "Great Yong has stood steadily without any disruptions to its foundations due to the Imperial Court reviewing each and every foreign demand carefully, fleshing out the necessary details for any possible ¨C though this official hopes unlikely ¨C damaging consequences that could cripple the empire in any fashion imaginable. To implement the demands of the Taiyi Sect without question, though it is one of the Three Great Sects of the continent, is ill advised."

    "Oh?" the emperor raised an eyebrow in interest. Leaning his elbow on his thigh, Lu Jing Yi gazed calmly at the senior official, his eyes flashing with an unfathomable gleam.

    "Then Official Zhu must have a solution in mind by issuing a powerful argument as that."

    "This official does dare proclaim such honor, Your Imperial Majesty," the old man wryly smiled.

    Bowing once to the emperor and turning around to face the two-hundred and ninety-eight officials and one foreign guest, the senior official spoke with a powerful voice unwilling to concede.

    "This official proposes that the empire establish a voluntary selection for the public. All of the information regarding the ''special opportunity'' provided by the Taiyi Sect is to be revealed to public criticism, that any participants in this selection are fully cognizant of the involved risks. In this format, the government can evade certain debilitating responsibilities, and the Taiyi Sect''s demands could be fulfilled peacefully."

    "Fellow Zhu, you''re looking at this matter too lightly, ah," an elderly official called from the side.

    Stepping forward to pay respects to the emperor, the elderly man faced Senior Official Zhu with a stern gaze, sweeping his arms to his sides with vigor.

    "This matter appears simple at first glance, but possesses a hidden, underlying motive. What if the Taiyi Sect''s ''special opportunity'' results in the death of many citizens of our Great Yong? How is the empire supposed to respond then if any harm is carried out to the public? Such responsibilities will never be avoided regardless of the candid approaches we adopt in circumstances as this."

    "Hold. Is the official from Great Yong doubting my Taiyi Sect''s intentions?" a young man coldly remarked from the corner of the Imperial Court, a glacial aura expanding from his body.

    "N-no, this official does not dare," the elderly man quickly refuted, drawing in Senior Official Zhu to stand besides him.

    "This official is merely concerned about the people of Great Yong, and is only attempting to allay any probable harm. The messenger of the Taiyi Sect is assuming far too much from this old sack of bones, and is attempting to reverse black and white!"

    "You!"

    "Enough."

    Lu Jing Yi called from the throne, causing the Imperial Court to quieten within mere moments. Gazing at the silent sea of officials clutching their memorials for dear life, the emperor furrowed his brow.

    "What is Taiyi Sect trying to pull now?" he murmured under his breath, before raising his voice to call out, the indecisiveness in his voice no longer present.

    "This emperor allows the messenger from the Taiyi Sect to explain his cause."

 94 A Little Golden Lotus and a Calling of Unrest 4

    "Many thanks to the emperor of Great Yong for his benevolence," the messenger stepped forward to nod his head.

    "This messenger must relay his gratitude."

    Many officials bristled at the youth''s undeterred and arrogant attitude, but none dared to comment for fear of suffering undue wrath. The entire Imperial Court lay in silence in anticipation of the youth''s words.

    "Speak," Lu Jing Yi commanded with a solemn gaze.

    "What does the Taiyi Sect intend with this proclamation?"

    "Answering Great Yong''s emperor," the youth placed his hand before his chest in response. As he spoke, his voice rang true within the Imperial Court, gathering everyone''s attention regardless of whether they wished to listen or not.

    "The Taiyi Sect has recently adopted a leadership ceremony, of which a blessing from the heavens descended onto the sect grounds. Upon inspection, the elders have confirmed it to be a cultivation technique surpassing the Nascent Soul Realm, and a practitioner may take a step beyond and tread the path of legends!"

    "Heavens! Beyond the Nascent Soul Realm of cultivation!?"

    The messenger''s words shook the officials of the Imperial Court, and they stared at each other in dismay and astonishment.

    The sea of ministers and officials rapidly slowed to a tranquil silence, not a single soul daring to breathe loudly as they expectantly awaited the youth''s next words.

    Breaking past the Nascent Soul Realm of cultivation? Who didn''t wish to obtain such an opportunity?

    But¡­ what did that have to do with females diagnosed with cold deficiency or those with a major Yin Physique?

    "Messenger of the Taiyi Sect, is this information true?" the emperor inquired with a heavy voice. A scarlet light unwittingly emanated from his body and flickered alongside of the light reflected from the lamps, indicating his own anxiety and excitement.

    "A technique that can break past the Nascent Soul Realm of cultivation is indeed worthy of worship as a legendary treasure. However, how can anyone verify the claims of your elders?"

    The youth gave a light bow, his handsome countenance revealing a light smirk at the inquiry. Turning towards the officials who struck his body with pleading gazes, the messenger reached deep into the folds of his robe covering his chest, extracting a golden emblem from within.

    The emblem was a circle plaque of pure, consecrated gold spanning no wider than a radius of seven centimeters. Though gripped within the messenger''s hand, the emblem''s surface radiated a splendor of light that covered the entire Imperial Court.

    The plaque was devoid of any ornamental inscriptions, or any engravings of divine beasts or objects. Instead, only two words decorated its surface, glaring at the heavens with undisguised ambition and dominance.

    Tai. Yi.

    "Currently in my grasp is the Taiyi Sect''s writ of authority belonging to that of an elder," the youth swept his gaze around, carefully inspecting the expressions of the officials as he spoke.

    "As the officials of Great Yong are fully aware, this writ of authority represents the Taiyi Sect in the following statements I make, a responsibility that a mere messenger cannot ignore or disparage."

    "Three elders toiled for several months verifying the treasure imparted by the heavens. Youths who had never cultivated before were selected without distinction to partake in the cultivation of this technique, and after bestowing a series of medicines to forcefully elevate their abilities to the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm, an interesting miracle occurred."

    "A series of medicines to forcefully elevate a person''s cultivation to the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm¡­" an official whispered to his companion, a dark expression plastered over his countenance.

    "The Taiyi Sect''s resources are truly as vast as the sea! If they form an army via such a method, then they might as well trample the three empires to dust without breaking a sweat!"

    His companion quickly shushed the official, motioning him to remain silent.

    "A deafening sound erupted, and the heavens parted to reveal a massive shining star," the messenger hardened his countenance, his voice gradually beginning to turn solemn.

    "The light descended onto those candidates who had risen to the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm, and they began to emit a spiritual fluctuation of greater intensity than any cultivator at the Nascent Soul Realm''s peak could produce."

    "¡­and the states of those cultivators nurtured by the Taiyi Sect?"

    The emperor furrowed his brow, leaning forward on his throne as he stared down towards the messenger. The youth hesitated for several moments, a rare, awkward flush suddenly splattering across his countenance.

    "Messenger of the Taiyi Sect, what''s the matter?" a senior official stepped forward to cup his hands in greeting.

    "The result of such phenomenon, the information regarding the aftermath of that event¡­ shouldn''t be made private, no?"

    "That''s right." The Left Imperial Censor joined the senior official in jostling the messenger.

    With an extravagant bow to the emperor, the old man extended his right palm towards the youth, a beaming smile on his aged countenance.

    "The messenger of Taiyi Sect cannot be conservative with his words! Otherwise, when we of Great Yong dispatch our younger generation to follow the missive of the Taiyi Sect, how can we guarantee their safety?"

    "This¡­ the candidates unfortunately could not withstand the strength of the light bestowed by the star," the youth replied with an embarrassed expression.

    "Because their cultivation was forcefully elevated via spiritual medicines and not proper tempering, their flesh could not tolerate the sudden increase in strength and thus, their status as Peak Nascent Soul Realm cultivators was rather unstable."

    "However! Taiyi Sect guarantees the veracity of the statements issued by this messenger regarding the cultivation technique bestowed by the heavens. If the practitioner gradually cultivates in the technique without forcefully elevating their cultivation via medicines or additional supplements, surpassing the Nascent Soul Realm and entering the legendary state is not a foregone conclusion."

    The youth dipped his head into a low bow towards the emperor, a stern expression on his handsome countenance. As the messenger withdrew the golden emblem, Lu Jing Yi took the initiative to speak, tapping his finger against the armrest of the throne.

    "The messenger of Taiyi Sect speaks rather impressive volumes," the emperor raised his left hand, an uncertain expression twitching at his lips.

    "But what does this have to do with females diagnosed with cold deficiency or possessing a major Yin physique?"

    "Answering the emperor of Great Yong, Taiyi Sect invested a total of three hundred disciples into cultivating this technique," the youth clasped his hands in respect.

    Though he could acutely feel three hundred pairs of eyes boring holes into his back with fierce, sharp needles, the messenger continued to respond in a slow, steady manner.

    "Of this number, a hundred fifty disciples were female, and a hundred fifty disciples were male. They were distributed an equal share of spiritual medicines and dedication regardless of distinction, and ultimately, thirty females ascended into the Peak of the Nascent Soul Realm, and twenty-five males similarly ascended via this technique."

    "Three females amongst that final group possessed a major Yin physique, and two more were diagnosed with a case of cold deficiency prior to their affiliation with the Taiyi Sect. Surprisingly, those five female candidates survived the longest under the blessing of the star, and when the elders examined the aftermath with their perception, they discovered that those five candidates similarly suffered the least harm. Thus," the youth swept his arms to his sides, lowering his head with a proud expression on his countenance.

    "The elders decreed that those with a major Yin physique or diagnosed with cold deficiency possess the greatest chance of cultivating this technique, and enter the realm of legends!"

    "¡­and this is verified by the Elders and Sect Master of Taiyi Sect?" the emperor raised an eyebrow, an uncanny light roiling within his gaze.

    "That is correct!"

    The messenger bowed to Lu Jing Yi, before turning towards the entrance of the Imperial Court. As he walked down the mahogany floor, the youth waved his hand towards the mixed waters of officials either trapped in their daydream of glory and success or frowning in consternation, a calling out in a lofty voice that was a start contrast to the solemn attitude he had displayed before the emperor.

    "Then this messenger shall excuse himself, Great Yong doesn''t mind, am I right?"

    Once the youth''s foot left the wooden floor and stepped onto the ground of the Imperial Palace, the Imperial Court exploded with outbursts of curses, aspirations, and dwindling hopes. At the sudden flood of angered officials, the eunuchs stared at each other with helplessness in their eyes.

    "This brat has quite the gall to be this disrespectful in the Imperial Court! Your Imperial Majesty, capture this man and force him to show respect before Great Yong!"

    "He thinks that the Taiyi Sect is superior. Hmph, how audacious! Your Imperial Majesty, will you truly tolerate such affront to your honor!?"

    "Your Imperial Majesty, Your Imperial Majesty, ah!"

    "Screw Taiyi Sect! If they truly try finding fault with us, we can simply request help from the Heavenly Sword Sect or the Violet Jade Pavilion! Let''s see if they dare display such arrogant attitudes!"

    "Enough!"

    Lu Jing Yi roared, slamming his hand against the armrest of the throne. However, he soon realized to his utter dismay that regardless of the excessive quantity of spiritual essence he expended in shouting or slamming his palm on the armrest in an effort to calm the whirlpool of incensed officials and ministers, it was all useless.

    It seemed that in Great Yong, a solitary Early Nascent Soul Realm emperor couldn''t handle a swarm and bustle of three hundred officials howling their aggrievement to the heavens, ah.

 95 A Little Golden Lotus and a Calling of Unrest 5

    Whilst the Imperial Court was cracking under the pressure of three hundred volatile ministers combusting at the same instant, the Flowing Wind Residence was in the midst of experiencing an odd tranquility.

    A young girl sat at the drawing table in the center of the study, the ink brush clutched in her fingers sweeping over the stationary paper.

    "To bestow benevolence¡­ is to cultivate a peaceful heart," the girl murmured to herself as she read the printed strings of characters on the sheet.

    Tapping the tip of the brush against her cheek, she mused in silence for a brief moment, before placing the brush onto the drawing table.

    "A peaceful heart¡­ bestows positive karma. With sufficient positive karma, one may achieve reincarnation with the appropriate renumeration."

    Admiring her work, An Fei frowned and released a light sigh. Placing the sheet filled with characters onto a prepared drying rack and rolling out a new sheet of stationary paper, the girl glanced towards the fringes of the study.

    "What''s going on with Xiao Ying and Xiao Wen?" she muttered as confusion filled her gaze, her brow furrowing into great lines.

    "They haven''t been here all morning, and I haven''t seen any other servant in the courtyard¡­"

    "Oh well. I''ll finish this page, then Father can''t complain if I sleep a little longer tonight¡­"

    An Fei rolled her shoulders, stretching her arms and extending them towards the sky. Seating herself in the half-moon chair and padding the wooden surface with a square of comfortable fox fur, the girl picked up the brush and turned the page of the book placed in the upper section of the drawing table.

    "To cultivate a peaceful heart, one must exhibit benevolence, fairness, filial piety, and respect towards the natural laws of the world¡­"

    The drying rack supported several dozens of sheets of papers, each filled with compact characters to the extent that it was difficult to spot a single clean streak of white among the pages. To be quite frank, however, though An Fei''s calligraphy was indeed quick-paced and direct, whether it had captured the implicit essence of the text was a different matter.

    Creak!

    The doors of the study suddenly opened, startling the girl who had just begun to immerse herself in Wei Xuan''s assignment. The brush dropping from her fingers and rolling on the drawing table, An Fei suppressed a curse as she craned her head to see past the maze of furniture.

    Standing at the doors of the study was a cold youthful man appearing less than twenty years old.

    Even without taking a proper glance at the youth''s appearance, the girl fully knew his identity. The direct contact between them spanned less than an hour in total, but the cold aura emanating from his body was sufficient evidence.

    After all, who else but Wei Chang Feng, the Eldest Young Master of Wei, could exhibit such demeanor of detachment to the world?

    "Eldest Brother, what do you require? Where''s Xiao Ying and Xiao Wen?"

    An Fei called from the drawing table, the brush not ceasing to stop as it danced over the page. At the doorway, the man did not respond, silently gazing into the depths of the study.

    "Eldest Brother, what are you doing here?"

    The Eldest Young Master blinked once, but his lips remained frozen shut.

    "Eldest Brother, are you hungry?"

    "Do you need something from the study?"

    "Are you looking for someone?"

    Finally, the girl couldn''t help but release a heavy sigh, tossing the brush onto the wooden drawing table. Glaring at the silhouette of the youth silently standing besides the doors of the entrance, An Fei didn''t know how to react.

    He could clearly listen to her calls, couldn''t he reply? He didn''t lack intelligence nor was he a mute, so was a simple response of affirmation that difficult?

    "¡­Eldest Brother," the girl drawled in exasperation, sarcasm dripping from her voice as she narrowed her eyes towards the youth.

    "Are you here to kill me?"

    ¡­

    "Father told me to stay here until he had returned."

    "As expect - Ah!?"

    The sudden reply from Wei Chang Feng startled the young girl, causing her to nearly fall from her chair. Clutching tightly onto the outer rims of the half-moon chair with her fingers, An Fei glared at the cold youth with daggers shooting from her eyes.

    "Father doesn''t care that you would attempt to kill me at every moment?"

    "Father knows that I would not."

    The Eldest Young Master walked into the study, closing the doors behind him. Slowly navigating throughout the maze of tables, stacked chairs, and partially-upended lampstands, Wei Chang Feng stopped before An Fei, looking at the girl with an indifferent countenance.

    "¡­how does Father know that you wouldn''t?" the girl blinked her eyes, tilting her head to the right as she stared upwards towards the youth.

    "You''ve already claimed the lives of at least six of my maidservants. Given such a great opportunity, why wouldn''t you grasp it without hesitation?"

    "Killing you back then was the optimal choice, for it could have resolved a future crisis," the Eldest Young Master dully intoned, seating himself in a nearby chair. Glancing at the girl who had befuddlement swirling in the pair of cracked scarlet irises, the youth continued to speak in a nonchalant tone.

    "Now that the crisis is already here over our heads, killing you is no longer necessary."

    "No longer necessary? The crisis is already here?" An Fei stared at the Eldest Young Master.

    "What do you mean by that?"

    Wei Chang Feng drummed his fingers on the right armrest of the chair, his eyes closed in thought.

    After several long moments of agonizing contemplation, the youth stared directly at the young girl, his voice stern.

    "The messenger of Taiyi Sect has already contacted the Imperial Court of Great Yong. As the disciple of the former Sect Master, I must hide for the time being to prevent any additional troubles for the family. Thus, it does not make a difference for now if I were to kill you."

    "Then¡­ what about my maidservants?"

    "All servants in the manor have been redirected towards the training grounds, where Father''s secret guard will carefully comb them for any spies or suspicious activity," the Eldest Young Master closed his eyes, leaning back into his chair.

    "They should return by the time Father returns."

    "Oh¡­"

    An Fei mouthed, the fingers of her right hand spinning the brush in distraction. Hearing the satisfying rustling of the cloth loop rubbing against the wooden drawing table, the girl nodded in satisfaction that she had wiped off the ink prior whilst listening to Wei Chang Feng''s reply.

    She had finished what she considered a significant portion of Wei Xuan''s assignment, which should permit her to laze around until he returned. The sheets of paper were neatly placed on the drying rack, the finished pages neatly stacked at a corner of the table.

    After all, Father wouldn''t expect a malnourished little girl as her to finish copying a book regarding human philosophy in a few days, right?

    "Then¡­ what are you doing here?" An Fei mouthed towards the Eldest Young Master, her thin lips pursed into an expression of disapproval.

    "The study of Father''s residence provides the greatest protection against spying within the entire manor. Thus, I came here instead of my own courtyard."

    Wei Chang Feng replied in a monotone voice, his head beginning to lightly bob at an uneven rhythm. Before the youth could enter a light doze, An Fei''s voice cut through his hearing, the content of her words causing him to instantly wake.

    "Eldest Brother, does Taiyi Sect¡­ have great resources?"

    "Huh?" the youth raised an eyebrow, creasing his forehead as he replied.

    "The Taiyi Sect indeed has a massive repository of resources dedicated to cultivation and the practice of martial arts."

    "Then does it have a storage of cultivation manuals like the Three Lotus Sect?"

    "The Three Lotus Sect¡­" Wei Chang Feng stared at the young girl before him, his mouth coming to a halt.

    "The Taiyi Sect far surpasses the Three Lotus Sect regarding cultivation or martial arts techniques, be it in quality or quantity."

    ...what was this girl trying to scheme?

    "Then¡­" the girl hesitated, her gaze wandering throughout the interior of the study before deigning to reply.

    "Has Eldest Brother heard of a cultivation technique called the ?"

    "?" the Eldest Young Master echoed, before giving a curt nod. The confusion was evident in his gaze when he bored holes into the girl with his eyes, yet An Fei didn''t appear to care.

    The young girl then clapped her hands in excitement, her beautiful countenance radiating with a halo of joy.

    "That''s great! Eldest Brother, can you explain me the fundamental concepts of the ?"

    "¡­?"

    The Eldest Young Master blinked in surprise and incomprehension. What was this girl planning to do?

    ?

    ¡­and explain its fundamental concepts to her?

 96 A Little Golden Lotus and a Calling of Unrest 6

    After settling all formalities, the Eldest Young Master could be considered a great teacher.

    If An Fei ignored the fact that the youth before her with the insufferable, cold aura, was attempting to claim her life to preserve the family''s dignity if necessary and without any hesitation, she would have mistaken him for a gentle elder brother who carefully explained certain concepts to his clueless younger sister.

    Well, almost.

    "The ''s fundamental principle is to combine Yin attributed spiritual essence with Yang attributed spiritual essence," the cold youth steadily spoke, pacing back and forth within the study at a slow pace.

    "By fusing spiritual essence of polar attributes, the technique can produce a might several folds more potent than the individual components that form the finished product."

    "Yin attributed spiritual essence¡­ Yang attributed spiritual essence¡­"

    The young girl murmured to herself, her eyes nearly glazing over in her confusion.

    Raising her head, An Fei glanced at the Eldest Young Master''s cold visage, before moving her lips to ask a question that nearly tipped coals onto her foot.

    "¡­Eldest Brother, what''s the difference between Yin and Yang attributed spiritual essence?"

    "Mh¡­" Wei Chang Feng froze, giving the girl a good glare of consternation.

    Restraining his facial muscles, the youth clasped his hands behind his back, facing away from the girl.

    "Spiritual qi and spiritual essence can be generalized into two major attributes, which are Yin and Yang," the youth mulled.

    "Yin and Yang do not refer to varying extremes of temperature, but rather refer to a generalized collection of properties. Yang contains attributes of aggression, imposing might, dominance, straightforwardness, and others upholding a direct, fierce role. Yin contains attributes of elusiveness, subtleness, and is oftentimes submissive in demeanor compared to Yang."

    "Fourth Little Sister can think of Yang as a domineering emperor, and Yin as an empress. When the emperor commands, the subject must obey; Yang possesses a direct influence over its surroundings, but can only alter the environment and never itself. On the other hand, an empress does not possess direct authority in either politics or over the citizens; Yin possesses a subtle influence over the surroundings, and mainly alters the self to better adapt to the environment."

    An Fei instinctively frowned at Wei Chang Feng''s explanation, drumming on the drawing table with her fingers.

    Listening to the rhythmic sounds of her finger tapping on the wooden surface, the girl smoothened her brow, firing off another question whilst preparing her brush.

    "Then¡­ spiritual essence can manifest in the same form regardless of whether its attribute is Yang or Yin, but the intrinsic properties will differ?"

    "That''s correct," the cold youth affirmed with a curt tone.

    "What does it mean to fuse spiritual essence of polar attributes?" the girl quickly asked, the brush in her hand tracing small movements on the paper.

    "Attempting to combine Yin and Yang attributed spiritual essence, wouldn''t it produce a similar effect as combining fire and water?"

    "That is correct, but also drastically incorrect."

    An Fei pushed her bottom lip in a pout, her eyes narrowed in dissatisfaction towards the answer given by Wei Chang Feng.

    As if sensing her discontent though his back was turned, the Eldest Young Master soon expanded on his reply as he stared towards the closed doors of the study.

    "The easiest misconception to make during the path of cultivation is to assume that Yin and Yang are polar attributes; this misconception can occur even if one is fully aware that it is incorrect as they make further revelations. Yin and Yang are in itself, generalizations of a concept."

    "For example, a person may adopt a submissive attitude towards a superior being ¨C it would be apt to declare the person''s attitude to be of Yin. However, his actions may gravitate towards aggressive traits through his speech, expressions, or just about everything else; Yin and Yang are opposite sides of a border, with a thin line separating the two."

    "So when the states to merge spiritual essence gathered from a Yin acupuncture point with spiritual essence gathered from a Yang acupuncture point," An Fei mused, placing the sheet of paper onto the drying rack and grabbing a fresh page.

    "The is meant to combine spiritual essence of polar attributes," the girl directed a glance towards the Eldest Young Master, "as in combining aggression and diffidence? Or suppression with submission?"

    Wei Chang Feng inwardly started in surprise at the girl''s questions; she seemed to have begun to notice the interesting factor of cultivation.

    Nodding his head, the cold youth tapped his fingers behind his back, pondering in silence for several minutes.

    "If we were to reference Fourth Little Sister''s analogy of fire and water," the Eldest Young Master finally spoke, his voice flat and unchanging.

    "Then it would be apt to notice that when we pour water onto a blazing fire, the fire loses heat to maintain its state of conflagration. Similarly, the water would gain heat and evaporate, establishing a delicate balance of neutrality."

    "In the world of cultivation, spiritual essence similarly possesses a state of neutrality, devoid of any attributes that define it as either Yin or Yang attributed spiritual essence. However, compared to the case of fire and water, of which the neutral state produces nothing, fully neutralized spiritual essence is one of the strongest and deadliest tools available to a cultivator."

    "Strongest and deadliest?" An Fei echoed, her voice muted as she lapsed into thought.

    "Yes, strongest and deadliest," Wei Chang Feng affirmed with a nod of his head.

    "However, there is a special phenomenon that introduces a quantity of chance into the process of neutralizing spiritual essence. When neutralizing spiritual essence, one may obtain either spiritual essence that possesses attributes of both Yin and Yang of equal proportions, or spiritual essence possessing nothing at all."

    "Spiritual essence possessing nothing is akin to the previous analogy of fire and water; it is absolutely useless regardless of the circumstance. However, spiritual essence possessing attributes of both Yin and Yang is impervious to any detriments that may befall it, and can only be subdued by brute force. Cultivation techniques including the attempt to minimize the chances of obtaining spiritual essence devoid of attributes, and maximize the spiritual essence possessing both Yin and Yang."

    "Oh¡­"

    The girl continued to nod her head, though she was unsure whether she fully understood the concepts. The brush danced above the sheet of paper, lines of ink cementing their conversation.

    "Then Eldest Brother, if such might can be achieved in a relatively simple format, why is there all sorts of complicated techniques for cultivation?" An Fei fluttered her slightly sore fingers in the air, staring at the reddened skin.

    "Can''t a cultivator apply the concept Eldest Brother just described to create neutralized spiritual essence and increase in strength?"

    ¡­

    Wei Chang Feng''s countenance instantly became pitch black, and the youth whirled on his heels to face the girl.

    Observing her lax expression and her obvious cluelessness regarding the matter, the Eldest Young Master was instantly flabbergasted regarding how to reply to such a question.

    It was completely stupid and baseless!

    Anyone would realize the answer after trying it themselves, how did this girl remain clueless and surpass the first pillar of Body Tempering using this technique?!

    "Fourth Little Sister," the youth finally released a huge sigh.

    "Fusing and neutralizing spiritual essence appears simple on the surface, but is impossibly complex and difficult. Every cultivation technique that attempts to fuse spiritual essence of polar attributes relies on a specialized mnemonic to assist in focusing the mind and retaining sufficient concentration during the process."

    "It''s simply impossible for a cultivator to fuse spiritual essence by raw strength; no cultivator, regardless of how he tempered his mind, possesses enough mental ability to carry out such a process. The first step of cultivation is to fully visualize the internal components of the body to the smallest iota; without the assistance of an subsequent mnemonic, how could a practitioner achieve such a feat?"

    "Attempting to tamper with the composition of spiritual essence disorients the mind, and may cause permanent illness or damage if severe."

    "O-oh¡­" An Fei murmured.

    The girl fell silent, and the youth returned to a state of calm mental repose, staring through the doors of the study. The atmosphere within the study entered a period of tranquility, until¡­

    Scratch. Shra¡­

    "What''s going on?"

    Wei Chang Feng muttered to himself, his ears twitching at the soft sounds ringing within the study. The soft scratching noise drilled at his mind and produced an irritating headache, prompting the youth to fiercely sweep the study with his gaze, searching for the source of the discomfort.

    The sound was barely audible, but drove miniscule nails of pain into his mind like the insufferable naggings of an annoying elder.

    "Enough!"

    "¡­Eldest Brother, something wrong?"

    The girl questioned in a concerned tone, her head tilted to the side as she glanced upward towards his figure. The Eldest Young Master turned to reply to the girl and dismiss any notion, but¡­

    Scratch. Shra¡­

    "Fourth Little Sister, what are you doing with that brush, ah?"

    "Huh? Eldest Brother, I was taking notes, was that not allowed?"

    The girl continued to write with the brush''s tip flicking at the paper, producing exceedingly small characters of ink that spanned across the entire sheet. As to whether Wei Chang Feng''s veins were sufficiently agitated to leap from his countenance to devour her soul, An Fei didn''t really pay much concern.

    ¡­killing her over such an inconsequential reason would be completely illogical and do absolutely no help for the family''s future, no?

 97 A Little Golden Lotus and a Calling of Unrest 7

    Time passed at an even pace unbeknownst to the two siblings camped within the study of the Flowing Wind Residence, and soon the sun had begun its descent towards the horizon.

    The streets of Jiang''an and the Imperial Court remained in a state of uproar, the atmosphere refusing to calm down regardless of the military attempting to send the citizens back to their homes.

    ¡­the military were probably the most significant contributors to the charged tension in Jiang''an with their constant comparisons of strength regarding the Three Great Sects and the Three Great Empires of the Shattered Star Continent¡­

    But who would admit?

    "Elder Brother¡­"

    A young girl called from within the depths of the study, her hands placing a sheet of paper onto a stack of notes.

    Her beautiful countenance was tinged with a faint shade of embarrassment, and the girl was covering her stomach with a hand whenever it wasn''t occupied.

    "¡­what are we going to eat for dinner?"

    The other occupant of the study, a cold youth, had finally broken his indifferent countenance, an awkward shade decorating his handsome face.

    "This is quite the problem¡­" Wei Chang Feng directed a glance towards the young girl leaning back in the half-moon chair.

    "What does Fourth Little Sister suggest to do? The kitchens are most probably cold due to the servants not present in the manor¡­"

    Neither An Fei nor the Eldest Young Master were cultivators of the Nascent Soul Realm.

    Thus, they had to rely on consuming physical sustenance to remain alive, and rest when exhausted. They weren''t like Wei Xuan, who could confidently survive without a single drop of water, a bite of food, or even a wink of sleep.

    With the young girl''s complete lack of knowledge regarding the structure of the Wei manor outside of the Flowing Wind Residence and Wei Chang Feng''s rather precarious circumstances, the two were at a loss.

    The older brother and younger sister stared at each other, helplessness and wry laughter concealed within their gaze.

    "Elder Brother¡­ do you know any techniques that could disguise your presence?" the young girl finally spoke, her voice shaky as a rapacious growl rumbled from her stomach, causing her to flush with shame.

    "Maybe¡­ a martial arts technique that can help Eldest Brother blend in with his surroundings¡­ to escape the detection by others?"

    The Eldest Young Master was about to nod his head in approval, before his eyes flickered with a sense of disappointment.

    "I possess knowledge regarding a few techniques similar to Fourth Little Sister''s description," the youth acquiesced.

    "However, being able to apply them to myself is a different matter."

    "Oh¡­"

    An Fei shook her head in self-pity. Throwing caution to the wind, the girl placed down the brush in her hand, before heading towards the recesses of the study.

    As Wei Chang Feng stared in befuddlement and a flabbergasted expression, An Fei climbed into the bed, slipping under the comfortable blankets with practiced ease.

    The soft shuttering of metal clinking on metal graced the Eldest Young Master''s ears as the dense curtains closed shut.

    "She¡­ went to sleep?"

    The youth muttered to himself in disbelief, his eyes displaying an unfathomable expression.

    With a sigh, Wei Chang Feng moved his chair towards the maze of furniture, resting his head against a wooden beam as he leaned back.

    When Wei Xuan finally sneaked back home to deposit a belated delivery of food, the minister found himself with an aghast expression, an Eldest Young Master sleeping against a wooden beam, and a Fourth Young Miss dead asleep for the second time of the day.

    ¨C

    Wei Chang Feng may have been willing to abstain from eating to preserve his safety, but An Fei wasn''t keen on the idea of forsaking her stomach.

    Stepping into the Sanctum the moment she slipped into bed in the Flowing Wind Residence, the girl had rushed to cook herself a meal in the medicine garden.

    She had emerged only after a full incense stick''s of time, patting her stomach with a contented expression.

    "Now¡­ to do something with this¡­" the girl murmured, rubbing her chest with an odd, discomfited expression.

    The little stream of warmth that had caused her to be inexorably perplexed had returned. More particularly, it had always been present since she awoke in the Sanctum earlier today.

    It was that when An Fei had departed the realm of sky-blue crystal, the little stream of warmth had not followed.

    "What is this warmth supposed to be?" the girl mused, shuttling through the various platforms of the Archive of Time until she reached the seventeenth platform.

    Stepping onto the familiar environment, An Fei immediately raced to the drawing table at the center of the platform.

    The papers remained at their original position, that was good.

    Sitting down and lifting the brush, An Fei placed the brush''s tip onto a fresh sheet of paper, but could only place it back down after a moment of hesitation.

    "No, it won''t do."

    Massaging her chest that felt rather disharmonious compared to the rest of her body, the girl reached for the large book bound in black fabric.

    Finally, after several weeks of ignoring the book that had begun her journey into this perplexing and terrifying world, An Fei opened the once more.

    "What is this heat supposed to mean¡­?"

    Flipping across the pages, the girl struggled to keep her vision from blurring as she read the book. Unfortunately, the characters continued to distort and grossly alter their sizes in her perception, causing An Fei to place the book down in helplessness.

    Shaking her head, she was again forced to read through the pages at the slow and excruciating pace she had done so at the start.

    "Spiritual essence¡­ is a strain of divine essence filtered into a tangible construct," the girl finally read after several hours of hard effort.

    "Compared to the standard existence of divine essence, spiritual essence is the derivation of a rudimentary form without the fundamental constructs of its root."

    "Spiritual essence¡­ can neither propagate nor forcibly create matter from nothing, nor can it reduce an existence into nothing. Spiritual essence is mainly utilized within minor auxiliary arrays¡­ or mortal worlds, of which spiritual essence is then utilized in authorizing mortals to influence the environment to a certain degree¡­"

    Blinking, An Fei finally placed aside the , her countenance displaying a mixture of understanding and confusion.

    "Spiritual essence is best perceived as a kernel of excessive heat centralized within the practitioner''s heart, or for a riskier approach, converged within the dantian," the girl whispered to herself as her fingers traced a unique pattern on her chest.

    "The perception of spiritual essence is computed by the mental visualization of the physique''s components¡­ igniting an interchangeable connection between the soul and the spiritual essence. The exchange allows the practitioner to view the interior components of their constitution¡­ and manipulate any excess spiritual essence, at a cost of physical exertion."

    The girl released a breath of disbelief and doubt, her brows furrowed into a deep frown.

    Visualize her body, and the spiritual essence within her body would resonate and become visible within her perception?

    How did that work?

    "Don''t harbor unnecessary thoughts, don''t harbor unnecessary thoughts," An Fei knocked on her head with her index finger.

    "It''s not worth it, it''s not worth the hassle, you silly girl¡­"

    Shaking her head and breathing deeply, the girl attempted to perceive her own body. Her mind whirled at an astonishing rate, extracting information from all archived memories it could extend its capabilities to.

    At the broadest analysis, the body was comprised of¡­ flesh, bones, capillaries, blood, and nervous tissue¡­ She could ignore the atomic composition, for the girl wasn''t even certain at that degree of acuity.

    The flesh with its various layers formed the outermost shell, with the bones comprising the supporting structures that allowed the body to move in a measured matter, and maintain a sufficient durability to impacts.

    The capillaries and blood transported the necessary elements and nutrients to the various regions of the body, delaying cell death as much as possible¡­

    The nervous tissue allowed the brain to enact coordinated movements over the body to a frightening degree of control¡­

    One by one, the body in An Fei''s mind increased in detail and clarity. From a hazed visualization of the rough outline of a human body to the basic, organized structure of flesh, bones, and nervous tissue, the mental image slowly implemented greater detail by the girl''s command.

    Nevertheless, the mental fatigue caused by such tasks incompatible with the consciousness increased by a terrifying amount with each addition¡­

    The body gained blood vessels arching from one extremity to the next, converging into two central arteries connecting to either side of the heart. Entwining the muscles, bones, and vessels were tightly clustered strands of fibrous tissue¡­

    Endure! Endure!

    An Fei grit her teeth, her fingers curling into tight fists as she attempted to complete the visualization. Ignoring the dull and painful throb of pain ringing from both her palms and her mind, the girl continued to diligently add to the mental image.

    Extraneous details including capillary tissue forming the ears and nose¡­

    Then the complex systems of the body''s meridians based on the numerous experiences she had in observing her body with the Sanctum''s nightly assistance¡­ The girl traced out her Heart Meridian, the Governing and Conception Vessels, the Lung Meridian, the Stomach Meridian¡­

    Endure¡­!

    An Fei then began to implement the organs, starting from the lungs. Unfortunately, the fierce throb in her mind prevented the girl from adding many details to the inner organs of the body, causing the visualization to be filled with numerous, oblique hazes of mist.

    ¡­it was a relief that the Sanctum apparently only cared about the relative location, and not the degree of precision of appearance.

    The instant the girl finished adding a fierce blob of color to the visualization in the location of the gallbladder, the entire mental image burst with a golden radiance.

    The pain piercing her mind quickly ebbed into a dull haze of numbness and comfort, and An Fei slumped onto the back of her chair, her body ringing with immense fatigue.

    However, the girl was filled with relief and joy.

    The mental visualization that she had painstakingly constructed had dissipated to be replaced with the exquisitely detailed image she had witnessed each night in the Sanctum, displaying the composition of her physique to the smallest degree without the slightest mental effort.

    At her heart, where she had felt that strand of warmth, was a tiny thread of golden light gently encircling the heart.

    A strand of light pulsating with a tangible warmth.

    A strand of spiritual essence, captured directly within An Fei''s perception.

 98 A Little Golden Lotus and a Calling of Unrest 8

    As the sun gradually upheld its daily burden of descending over the horizon, the study of the Flowing Wind Residence was peacefully quiet.

    The swaying of the grass and plants accompanied the dull silence underneath the gentle breeze, a tranquil lull emanating from the wooden structure.

    The respective courtyards of the Madams, Young Masters, and Young Misses were similarly subdued in their aura. Not a single servant could be spotted within the entirety of the Wei manor, and the doors were sealed shut.

    The Sanctum, with its vast walls of sky-blue crystal, was silent as usual. The throne room, the numerous corridors leading to unknown destinations, all were still and untouched by the passage of time.

    Well, not quite.

    The Archives of Time was mired within an unceasing peal of giggles and laughter, its sole inhabitant radiating unceasing plumes of joy and delight.

    The seventeenth platform of the Archives, though designed to peruse the bounds of cultivation and martial arts, had never experienced such rowdiness and unrestrained behavior.

    "Hehe, stop, don''t move!"

    A young girl screamed at the top of her lungs, before erupting into peals of laughter.

    Near the center of the crystalline platform stood a massive, comfortable bed, and the young girl rolled around on the sheets, clutching her stomach with both hands.

    An Fei¡­ had not become insane after exerting her consciousness to project a detailed visualization of her own physical body.

    Rather, she was carefully inspecting that mental image, as well as¡­ toying with the tiny strand of spiritual essence dancing within her chest.

    "Just a simple thought, and it moves however I wish!" the girl exclaimed, tracing in the air with her index finger.

    "This is too amazing ¨C no, not there ¨C is this why so many people are addicted to stepping on the path of cultivation? Not to mention that this is just the beginning, perhaps the later benefits will make this seem like a mere trifle!"

    An Fei curled up with the cotton pillowcase clutched to her bosom, her mind whirling with unprecedented activity. As she quietly exclaimed her findings to herself, the young girl continued to reflect about the various concepts that she had unwittingly obtained from the Archives.

    Only now, could she faintly understand with confidence regarding Wei Xuan and the others'' excitement and incessant motivation for cultivation.

    If this benefit wasn''t extraordinarily enough to cajole a person into partaking in the unwalkable road, then what could?

    To be frank, the spiritual essence confined with An Fei''s body was hardly enough to be considered noteworthy at the slightest. The spiritual essence swimming around her heart was a mere centimeter in length and approximately a hair''s width ¨C a quantity that would receive Wei Xuan''s wholehearted and utter disdain.

    Nonetheless, the meagre amount was enough to reveal a new world before the girl.

    The tiny thread of spiritual essence emitted a rhythmic pulse of warmth that tickled her heart, and was fully cognizant and obedient to her orders.

    Furthermore, just by a single thought, An Fei could not only command the thread to displace itself to another region to her body, she could compress or expand its length, or even cause the warmth to invert and radiate a faint chill.

    Though there were enough benefits, the deficits were certainly present.

    The tiny thread could only expand to a maximum of five times its length, of which the width of the thread was too thin that the mere thought of further expansion brought forth the unsettling worry that it would snap, and dissipate and never return.

    "Even so, this is amazing enough," a wide smile broke across the girl''s beautiful countenance.

    "How much spiritual essence would I obtain at the Foundation Establishment Realm? And to think that within the perspective of the , even the unimaginable peak, the so-called Divine Ascension Realm is nothing¡­"

    An Fei released a heartfelt sigh, realizing that a rather long road stretched before her. Grandfather had explicitly reminded her to diligently cultivate the upon her arrival ¨C a process that wouldn''t even begin for quite the long time.

    How many years would pass before she could even take a step on that journey?

    "Enough. There''s better things to do!"

    The young girl shouted, thrusting both of her arms into the air with a soulful cry. Disengaging the distracting thoughts from her mind, An Fei clambered out of the bed to sit down before the drawing table.

    The drawing table sported a small stack of paper marred by a dark indigo ink, notes that An Fei had personally crafted regarding a particular subject. The top sheet displayed an intricate design of a lotus flower.

    The flower consisted of eight layers of petals, each layers possessing eighteen distinct petals to form a grand total of a hundred and forty-four petals.

    The , or An Fei''s derivation of the fundamental principles.

    A young girl with lacking knowledge regarding the perils of the path of cultivation, and lacking any sort of sufficient foundation of cultivation in any regards. Restrained within the sheets of paper was a haphazard and wild theory that attempted to emulate a near-pinnacle cultivation and martial arts technique from the Shattered Star Continent with brute force.

    "Then, the first step to take is to merge the spiritual essence from a Yin acupuncture point with that of a Yang acupuncture point¡­" the girl murmured, before coming to a halt. Her gaze flickered across the platform as An Fei tapped her cheeks with her fingers, an expression of concern displayed on her countenance.

    "Do I¡­ even have enough spiritual essence to even complete the first step?"

    Her current reserves of spiritual essence amounted to a tiny thread of a centimeter-long length.

    Perhaps it couldn''t even be granted the honor of ''reserve'', for that thread was the entirety of the spiritual essence confined within the girl''s body.

    "Regardless, I have to try!" An Fei muttered, a faint anxiousness arising within her chest.

    "I have to accomplish this before Father becomes aware, to ward off future troubles!"

    Closing her eyes and settling herself into a comfortable position against the wooden chair, the young girl dove her consciousness deep into her sea of perception.

    The complex and ever-increasingly detailed diagram of her constitution arose within her mind at the slightest bidding, displaying the smallest iota of existence before her perception. Without any hesitation, the girl located the thread of spiritual essence slumbering next to her heart.

    The pulse of the spiritual essence had inadvertently altered itself to compensate for the missing rebound of her heartbeat, allowing the girl to emit the presence of a healthy heart.

    "Yin acupuncture point¡­ Yang acupuncture point¡­"

    An Fei repeated in her consciousness, her perception searching the vast sea of meridians and acupuncture points within her body for an arbitrary combination of acupuncture points.

    Eventually, she settled for two alongside the Small Intestine Meridian, two acupuncture points that resided within the central concentration of the meridian.

    "Bingfeng and Tianzong¡­ those should do!"

    Gritting her teeth, the girl sorrowfully parted with the tiny thread of spiritual essence that had kept her heart company for the past hour.

    Receiving her command, the tiny thread split into two, equally proportioned amounts, before traveling throughout her body to reside within the two specified acupuncture points.

    The Small Intestine Meridian was a generic Yang-based meridian, but several of the acupuncture points along its length possessed a Yin attribute. The Bingfeng acupuncture point was attributed towards Yin, whereas the Tianzong acupuncture point was of a dominant Yang.

    As the halved threads of spiritual essence entered the two acupuncture points, the girl only had two thoughts resounding within her mind.

    Death by the sword, Tianzong!

    Death by the pen, Bingfeng!

    A death at the sword was aggressive and violent, unyielding to no soul in existence. A death by the pen, however, was a slow and excruciating torture that knew when to push forward and recede its attacks, ensuring a thorough death with minimal loss.

    Thus, she had attempted to manifest those thoughts when she had imparted the threads of spiritual essence to the two acupuncture points.

    Ultimately, the thoughts and intention of the cultivator determined the final result of any process regarding the expense of spiritual essence, as per Wei Xuan''s careful introduction to arrays.

    Nothing should portray an extreme of a sentiment than death¡­ no?

    Having absorbed an even smaller thread of spiritual essence each, both acupuncture points radiated a golden light that far outshone the rest, even the vast streams of light forming the pathways of the meridians and blood vessels within the diagram.

    As time passed, however, the Tianzong acupuncture point gradually began to emanate an orange hue, and the Bingfeng point a pale azure.

    The changes weren''t distinct, but An Fei could tolerate it, for it was only her first try.

    Furthermore, she wasn''t even certain regarding her theory in the slightest, and was possibly risking all of her accumulated efforts in this attempt.

    Both acupuncture points revealed a distinctly different radiance despite having received the same source of pure, unadulterated spiritual essence ¨C thus confirming that An Fei could attempt to cultivate in the founding principles of the , albeit not the complete version.

    "Now¡­ to gently merge the two distinct auras into one within the Governing Vessel¡­" the girl softly murmured, her fingers unconsciously clenched into fists.

 99 A Little Golden Lotus and a Calling of Unrest 9

    The spiritual essence altered by the Yang attribute within the Tianzong acupuncture point and the Yin attribute within the Bingfeng acupuncture slowly began to traverse towards the vast channel of her Governing Vessel.

    Conforming to the young girl''s worries, the thread of spiritual essence began to flicker and fluctuate rapidly the instant it left the safe confides of the acupuncture points.

    By the time the thread had travelled half of the distance required to enter the Governing Vessel, the threads of spiritual essence unexpectedly dissolved into nothing.

    "Ah¡­"

    Her consciousness forcibly jolted from the sea of perception, An Fei gazed towards the ceiling with a blank stare.

    For several minutes, a fine blank resounded within the girl''s mind, only to recover after her head drooped onto her shoulders.

    "Just like I thought, I don''t have enough spiritual essence¡­" the girl groaned, her cheeks puffing with air as her bottom lip curled outward into a pout.

    "I was too impatient¡­ I should have waited a little long ¨C woah!?"

    An Fei''s pupils constricted in surprise, the words trailing off in her surprise.

    The girl clutched at her heart with her fingers, her chest heaving from the sudden shock.

    Just as she began bemoaning regarding her insufficient reserves of spiritual essence and her impatience, the Sanctum reacted.

    The crystalline walls and floor released a brilliant golden light, dying the originally cozy and sleepy atmosphere to be overwhelmed by a torrent of golden rain.

    Tiny, miniscule threads disengaged from the golden radiance, streamlining towards An Fei. As the streams of light contacted the girl''s body, they burrowed straight towards the heart, filling up the vacated region within a matter of seconds.

    An Fei doubled up as the unexpected surge of heat washed throughout her entire body.

    Losing control over her muscles, the young girl nearly entered into a harsh embrace with the crystalline floor, spared only by the wooden drawing table.

    Not that a polished wooden surface was any more comfortable to collide with than the sky-blue crystal floor of the Sanctum.

    The girl closed her eyes shut, her body quivering as it quickly began to adjust itself to the uninvited, but comfortable surge of heat.

    Her consciousness having dared to return to the sea of perception, An Fei found another thread of golden light swimming around her heart, wrapping around in a delicate embrace.

    The thread of spiritual essence was the same thickness, no more than a hair''s width. However, its length had doubled to that of two centimeters, perplexing the girl and dampening her mood.

    She could clearly perceive the sea of golden light hovering near her body, and could easily guess its purpose and objective with a single glance.

    Perhaps, when she fully expended the reserves of spiritual essence once more, the golden light would torrent into her body to replace the expenditure.

    ¡­but was it that necessary for the Sanctum to thoroughly stamp on her uplifting mood before offering help?

    ¨C

    "Hah~¡­ Ah¡­"

    A massive yawn exploded from within the bedcurtains, a pair of delicate and slender hands reaching out to grasp the curtains. Within a matter of moments, a young girl''s face jutted out from the gap, glancing at the interior of the study, or more perhaps, the two other occupants.

    One was a cold, handsome youth, the aura of rejection radiating from his body without regard for conscience or companionship.

    The other was a dignified man in his thirties, dressed in an official''s gown and cap.

    The metal plate of ''Yong'' glared at the young girl with an imposing and unstoppable might, causing her to squint her eyes.

    The youth''s glacial stare of indifference caused An Fei to hide behind the bedcurtains; the minister''s calm and bemused gaze forced her to recede completely from the study, her hands closing the bedcurtains.

    "The both of you had a good time''s nap whilst your Father was suffering in court, ah?" Wei Xuan growled, his countenance dim and haggard.

    "And you! You''ve slept since morning, how much longer are you going to sleep, ah!? Father won''t complain if you sleep longer than Yue''er or Yan''er, but twenty hours a day is a little too much, don''t you think?"

    The minister furrowed his brow in disapproval, his eyes radiating the determination to withhold any leniency.

    Marching towards the bed, Wei Xuan grasped the bedcurtains with his powerful hands, rendering any form of struggle from the young girl''s weak body completely useless.

    "Come! Eat your fill," the minister grasped An Fei by one hand and Wei Chang Feng by the other, dragging them towards a nearby table.

    "And don''t sleep anymore!"

    Dragged across the interior of the study, the young girl''s nose caught onto a fragrant aroma, her brows arching into a joyous and expectant arc.

    Unfortunately, a resounding growl emanated from her stomach, dying An Fei''s countenance a deep scarlet.

    A similar growl soon roared from within the Eldest Young Master''s body, which diluted her embarrassment by a considerable margin.

    However, when she caught sight of Wei Xuan''s chastising glare, the young girl decided to lower her head and keep her mouth shut.

    And for good reason, might she add. The minister''s countenance was nothing pleasing to gaze at for the moment.

    The wooden table was covered by a sea of dishes to the extent that the original wooden surface was not visible. Plate after plate of food were placed neatly on the table, forming a dense array of irresistible fragrance.

    Chow mein, braised pork, sweet and sour chicken, stir-fried vegetable and seafood assortment, pork baozi¡­

    To the utterly famished Fourth Young Miss and Eldest Young Master, the food before their eyes was a true godsend from the heavens.

    Without even waiting for Wei Xuan to pick up his chopsticks, the two youths were already devouring everything before their eyes.

    "Eat slower, don''t make yourself regret!" Wei Xuan scowled with a discontent tone, though his chopsticks never failed to stack food onto the young girl''s plate.

    An Fei nodded, rapidly slowing down her pace as to avoid choking on her food.

    However, the young girl gradually realized that both Wei Xuan and Wei Chang Feng had taken advantage of her slower pace to eradicate the plate of twice-fried, sour chicken, causing her to puff her cheeks in discontent.

    She hadn''t even gotten the opportunity to eat a single bite! And what were they thinking, trying to eat all of the braised pork before her eyes!?

    Back away!

    "Chang Feng, ah, why didn''t you go outside and buy food during the day?" the minister agilely parried a young girl''s chopsticks, snatching a scrumptious piece of braised pork.

    Combining the meat with rice and wrapping them with a tantalizing strip of sweet and sour bamboo sprout, the Wei Xuan closed his eyes in bliss as he chewed.

    "You definitely don''t have the mental character to look after your siblings'' wellbeing if you can help it, but you didn''t even go out to buy food for yourself?"

    "The streets were filled by members of the Taiyi Sect," the Eldest Young Master replied after swallowing a mouthful of rice and clearing his throat.

    "Chang Feng did not wish to cause further trouble for Father and the family by encountering one of their members¡­"

    "Oh¡­" Wei Xuan mouthed, his lips dripping mock contempt over his words the minister drawled.

    "So¡­ by the reasonable excuse of avoiding your secondary family members the Taiyi Sect¡­ you took a nap that lasted over eight hours?"

    Wei Chang Feng replied with a dutiful, deadpan nod, whilst spearing a delicious piece of meat from underneath the minister''s nose.

    Fuming as he watched his target vanish into the youth''s stomach, Wei Xuan turned his attention towards the young girl who had regrettably resigned to eating the majority of the noodle dishes.

    "Fei''er, what did you do during the day?"

    "Me¡­?" An Fei paused, her countenance displaying a blank stare at the sudden question. Before the minister''s eyebrows could descend into a frown, the young girl tapped her chin with a slender index finger.

    "I¡­ I worked on father''s calligraphy assignment¡­ and tried to cultivate again."

    "Then that''s good, you shouldn''t be sleeping all day even if your recovering from an illness," Wei Xuan nodded with agreement, gently patting the girl''s head with his free hand.

    "Taking a breath of fresh air would do wonders for your health, especially for your condition¡­ hold on. What did you say? Calligraphy assignment?"

    The minister froze, his eyes staring at An Fei in utter bewilderment.

    A moment later, the Eldest Young Master witnessed the same confusion mirrored within the young girl''s scarlet irises as she stared at the thirty-odd year-old man, her lips parting to speak.

    "Father, didn''t you give me a calligraphy assignment to do for the day? The Treatise on the Healthy Mindfulness and Spirit by the great scholar Tie, wasn''t that what it was called?"

 100 Heâ€™s Vengeful, Sheâ€™s Vicious, and Youâ€™re Greedy! 1

    Until night dominated the Flowing Wind Residence, the Defense Minister Wei Xuan was unable to comprehend the actions of his fourth daughter.

    Objectively speaking, she was the laziest human being present within the entire Wei manor.

    Not even the Second Madam, who was known for her pleasure in relaxation and rest, would dare to sleep for more than sixteen hours a day.

    The young girl simply returned back to the study''s depths whenever possible, only to drowsily emerge twenty hours later.

    When the minister departed for the Imperial Court, all that graced his vision was the delicate form of a sleeping girl.

    When he returned, it was almost a certainty that she wouldn''t have moved from her spot on the bed, raising concerns towards her well-being.

    Wei Xuan certainly regretted having assigned Wei Chang Feng to stand over his fourth daughter.

    The Eldest Young Master was someone who dared to abandon all sentimental attachment to achieve his objectives, and thus had resulted in the circumstance of causing both himself and An Fei to starve for the day without food.

    One was fearful of the dreadful consequences of a chanceful encounter with the now-depraved Taiyi Sect, and the other was unable to wander throughout the streets of Jiang''an.

    Furthermore, even if the young girl''s physique had improved significantly compared to that when she first awoke, Wei Xuan would never permit it.

    "This girl¡­" the minister chuckled with a wry smile, shaking the rolled stack of stationary paper clenched in his hands.

    "With that much time spent sleeping, how is she capable of practicing her calligraphy to such an extent? Even Yan''er or Yue''er would only complete this amount after numerous weeks only if Miaolan forced them to."

    The Treatise on the Healthy Mindfulness and Spirit that An Fei had brazenly misunderstood as calligraphy practice from Wei Xuan, was in actuality a gamble between the minister''s circle of officials and scholars.

    The individual works of Great Scholar Tie had been determined as the bet, and various amounts of silver taels in exorbitant quantities constituted each scholar''s wager. Wei Xuan himself had pitched in three hundred thousand taels, confident about his victory.

    The task was, of course, to transcribe every known work of the Great Scholar within a month. The person who presented the most completely copied collection, obtained every drop of silver deposited by the thirty participants.

    Fanning the sheets of paper before his countenance, Wei Xuan furrowed his brow, before a sheepish expression leered within the study. The sea of characters was compact and neatly organized, as well as conducted within a timely manner.

    Simply put, An Fei''s ''calligraphy practice'' was perfect for obtaining victory regarding the bet.

    "Lass, you should do a favor for me, hm?" the minister carefully stacked the sheets onto a corner of the drawing table, before waving his sleeve and departing from the study.

    As Wei Xuan''s footsteps parted with the Flowing Wind Residence, the grasses and budding plants shivered as his gleeful voice.

    "A child must perform filial piety towards their parents! Fei''er, you woke up at such a great time, ah. Don''t worry, Father will give you half of the profits for your hard work!"

    Since the rules of the bet did not include that the calligraphy had to retain the original intention of the Great Scholar''s strokes, the Fourth Young Miss of Wei and her astonishingly quick calligraphy was an absolute cheat the minister would abuse over the next few days.

    All in all, Wei Xuan felt that it was much better than wasting oneself in bed all day long.

    ¨C

    Whilst a minister of Great Yong hummed to himself as he pranced towards the Slumbering Dawn Residence to instill a period of ''nightly torments'' to the First Madam, a less tranquil scene occurred at the side courts of the Imperial Palace.

    To be precise, it was within the courtyards of the Imperial Physicians of Great Yong.

    As physicians commissioned to provide medical service solely at the Imperial Family''s bidding, they were stationed within the golden Imperial Court.

    The row of courtyards allotted to them did not skimp on the grandeur and imposing might of the royals, the walls having been constructed of the highest quality polished marble.

    Each courtyard was a masterpiece of elegance and artistic appeal, the arrangement of the pathways, natural scenery, and the residential buildings inside completed a masterful atmosphere of peace.

    A deep breath of air once stepping into the courtyard was more than sufficient to calm a person''s nerves and grant a few nights of comfortable, dreamless sleep. A nibble of carefully prescribed medicines from ingredients obtained from the Imperial Physicians'' personal gardens, and they could easily gain a few years of longevity.

    Renowned Imperial Physicians amongst this stream of courtyards had the title of ''Saint'' displayed as a signboard above the entrance towards their courtyard, and each medicinal ingredient grown in their garden possessed the highest purity, quality, and vitality the empire could obtain.

    Imperial Physician Feng was no exception to this benefit, and his garden was the most stunning of them all.

    As the man who was reputed to have cured the emperor''s recently concealed bout of insanity, the young physician was worshipped amongst them all and received countless precious gifts.

    Medicinal herbs and plants grew in neatly ordered rows, each emanating a fresh fragrance and powerful vitality and spiritual qi. To those who cultivated, Feng Tian Mu''s garden could be considered the ultimate panacea without exception.

    A young male dressed in silk robes squatted alongside one of the carefully tiled rows, watering a growing sprout of milk thistle. His fingers carefully stroked the underside of each leaf, murmuring an inaudible mnemonic whilst tending to the herb.

    Feng Tian Mu revealed a dazzling smile as he observed the leaves of the milk thistle tremble upon receiving the curated water.

    However, his smile quickly evaporated as the physician paused, his cold voice ringing throughout the beautiful courtyard.

    "Who is there? Why are you sneaking in this physician''s backyard?"

    A graceful peal of laughter resounded in response, and a figure carefully covered within a violet robe emerged from the side of the courtyard.

    Stopping before the Imperial Physician''s narrowed gaze, the figure performed a customary bow, a pair of delicate hands reaching forth to push back the hood to reveal the person underneath.

    Surprisingly, the previously cloaked person was an absolutely beautiful young woman.

    Lustrous black hair cascading down her back to rest at her waist, and a pair of hazel irises revealing a delicious innocence.

    Combined with the young woman''s fair, smooth skin and the tantalizing lips, what stood before Feng Tian Mu was a figure capable of ruining a person''s sense of morals and self-restraint.

    The Imperial Physician pointed towards the direction of the entrance of the courtyard, his countenance reflecting little change despite the beauty mere meters from his grasp.

    The young physician''s voice was tinged with a shade of annoyance, the pair of eyes narrowed with a threatening glare.

    "This Imperial Physician is tending to his herbs. Please leave."

    "Oh my," the beauty chuckled, a fair-skinned hand covering her quivering lips.

    "Using the Imperial Address so quickly, Brother Feng is so cold, ah."

    "The Third Young Miss of Wei is beyond the grasp of a mere imperial physician. Tian Mu does not dare engage in such suicidal behavior, please depart from this one''s residence."

    "What will you do?"

    The young woman dashed forward, her lips breathing into the Imperial Physician''s ear. When Feng Tian Mu raised his head to direct an admonishing glare, the Third Young Miss of Wei had already retreated to her original position.

    "Brother Feng''s ears had turned red," the young woman teased with a mirthful smile.

    "Does Brother Feng still retain the desire to continue tending to his medicinal herbs?"

    Feng Tian Mu paused, an eyebrow raised in bemusement.

    The Imperial Physician stared at the young woman for a long time with a narrowed gaze as he attempted to determine exactly what this reputable ''cold'' beauty of Jiang''an was thinking.

    Nevertheless, the physician carefully set down the watering container onto the ground besides the budding milk thistle, before crossing his arms.

    "This physician does not understand the Third Young Miss'' intentions. Visiting this one at such a late time in night, without any maidservants or appropriate entourage, what will the minister say in response to such behavior?"

    "My father?" Wei Rou Yan giggled, her charming voice causing Feng Tian Mu''s heart to twitch.

    "Father wouldn''t notice anything, he''s too occupied with Fourth Little Sister, ah."

    "The Fourth Young Miss?"

    Her crafty gaze instantly noticing the physician''s instant reaction upon hearing An Fei''s name, the young woman smiled, before leaning forward to whisper into Feng Tian Mu''s ear.

    "Didn''t you want to interact with my Fourth Little Sister? Then, this Young Miss shall request for a little favor¡­"

 101 Heâ€™s Vengeful, Sheâ€™s Vicious, and Youâ€™re Greedy! 2

    The sun quickly returned for another round of futile sparring against the night, and the citizens of Jiang''an blearily poked their weary heads out of their residences at the crack of dawn.

    The city of wealth within Great Yong was indeed a city of wealth with immeasurable profits, but attaining a steady stream of customers each day was equally challenging compared to the profits.

    With such a large city of entitled Young Masters, Young Misses, and aspiring businessmen and scholars bustling with greed, it was no wonder the shopkeepers and storeowners within the streets of commerce coerced their wives to massage their sore backs each evening.

    If only they didn''t buy out the entire stock by the strike of evening, ah.

    If only, if only, the storekeepers lamented, knowing full well that the thought of true relaxation could only remain as a fleeing dream.

    Each item sold was equivalent to the next day''s meals.

    Accumulate a massive mountain of such savings, and their wives and children could live plentiful and contented lives without having to forage to ward off their starving stomachs.

    All within their family could rest and relax except for them, the ever-lonely shopkeeper of Jiang''an.

    Surrounded by wealth all day, yet their own servants were happier and healthier than their master.

    "Glazed caramel candy available for only three coppers!"

    The first cry broke the spell of forgetfulness cast by the encroaching nightfall, dispersing the remnant vestiges of sleep and fatigue away with the heartfelt cry.

    The rays of dawn twinkled in response, bathing the streets with a gentle glow.

    "Red Sky Perfume is now open! The store of the best perfumes and cosmetics for the Young Misses and Young Madams of Jiang''an is now open!"

    "Old Ma''s braised chicken and sweet and sour pork for only a few coppers!"

    "Black Eagle''s Martial Arts School! Now accepting disciples!"

    Subsequent cries of agonized vigor shook the slumbering streets of Jiang''an, welcoming the socialites with overflowing pockets with wide arms and a strained smile.

    ¨C

    "I say, Fellow Wei," an official in his mid-thirties shook his fist towards the minister. The official''s countenance was decorated with an ugly expression, as glare desiring to rip the flesh off of Wei Xuan''s body.

    "Just how did you do it?"

    "Do what?" Wei Xuan blinked, his handsome countenance beaming with an innocent confusion.

    "Fellow Tang, what have I done wrong?"

    The official''s countenance darkened even further, and before Wei Xuan could react, he had slipped his hand into the minister''s hands, extracting a wrapped package.

    "This, ah!" Tang Ma groaned, his hand shaking the package wrapped in cloth with a frenzied vigor.

    "Great Scholar Tie''s Treatise on the Healthy Mindfulness and Spirit, that is one of his most difficult works, and you already transcribed an entire copy!? Just how did you achieve a feat, quickly tell this official, ah!"

    "Be careful not to drop it," Wei Xuan warned, pointing directly towards the official''s ghastly expression.

    "Otherwise, don''t expect this minister to refrain from marching to the front door of your residence to demand my wager''s amount of compensation, ah."

    "You!"

    The minister raised an eyebrow towards the flustered Tang Ma, his hand extended towards the frozen official with an expectant expression.

    "Y-you better not do that!" the official screeched as he shoved the wrapped package into Wei Xuan''s hands, staring at the latter with a slightly fearful gaze.

    "D-don''t you dare tell the Madam that I''ve upheld another gamble again. Otherwise, this official shall submit a memorial accusing you of murder!"

    "What, your wife is worrying over the lack of expenses in your Tang Family?"

    "Yes! Not only that, even my Fourth Brother is eyeing my position with that wolfish gaze, ah!"

    Wei Xuan broke into a bout of unrestrained laughter at Tang Ma''s expression of deeply wishing to cry.

    Clapping the official on the back, the minister pointed towards a nearby restaurant, fragrant odors emanating from the luxurious building.

    "Look, I''ll treat you to a meal at the Golden Rooster before we head off to court. This way, you can save a little bit of your meagre non-gambling reserves and successfully re-enter your madam''s bedchambers, ah?"

    "That''ll be helpful, I''m in a pinch recently ¨C hey! Just when did our Great Yong have such a shameless official as you!?"

    As the minister and official headed into the elite restaurant, the sounds of bickering could be heard from several meters away¡­

    ¨C

    "That Fellow Tang, he actually placed his entire monthly earning from the court as his wager¡­"

    Wei Xuan shook his head as he strode down the steps of the Imperial Court, a wry smile breaking on his countenance.

    Greeting the nearby officials with an amiable mood, the minister stared in the direction of the Imperial Court''s depths, mirth contained within his gaze.

    By successfully baiting Tang Ma to eat at the Golden Rooster Restaurant, the official renowned as possessing the greatest private enterprise within Jiang''an, he had caused him to forget his memorial that resulted in a rather comical scene.

    Thinking about the official kneeling before the golden throne with his ever-squinted eyes, Wei Xuan nearly burst into another round of laughter.

    That''s what you get, possessing a mountain of wealth but acting piteously for a small sum of three hundred thousand taels of silver, ah!

    Unable to stop himself from chuckling, the minister departed from the vicinity of the Imperial Court, heading into the nearest commerce street to purchase a decent quantity of food.

    The slightly humorous and miserable fate of his compatriot and fellow gambler Tang Ma, was quickly thrown out from his mind.

    He had two hungry youths to feed!

    "Old boss, can I order the same set as yesterday?"

    Wei Xuan called towards a nearby owner of a restaurant, beckoning the round man with his hand.

    Hearing the minister''s request in greater detail and recognizing the returning customer as the one who had purchased a massive quantity of food the day before, the restaurant owner rushed into his store to shout towards the cooks.

    An order of food worth fifty silver taels, he could not let this customer go!

    Smiling as he left his name onto the restaurant''s registrar to confirm his order of food, Wei Xuan began his customary sweep through the street, his gaze inspecting the stalls and stores for any interesting bargains or purchases.

    Rouges, cosmetics, clothing from the far regions, jewelry, calligraphy brushes, and even tattered martial arts manuals, nothing escaped his perception.

    The minister waded through the crowd with ease, his figure flickering through the torrent of citizens ravaging the commercial streets of Jiang''an.

    Finally, Wei Xuan could only come to a halt, his eyes fixated on a monolith of black stone.

    It was a simple monolith containing a large list of names, and three people stood by its sides. Two were soldiers, and one wore the uniform of the Taiyi Sect as he sat before a table, a set of brush and ink ready at hand.

    Naturally, these people were those ordered by the Imperial Court to establish a voluntary registration for those willing to partake in the Taiyi Sect''s proffered ''special opportunity''.

    Of course, Lu Jing Yi had forbid either official or messenger to coerce others into joining the expedition, but neither particularly cared or even felt the need.

    Hundreds of names were scratched onto the monolith''s surface, the white engraved lines confirming their participation in the opportunity. Wei Xuan was fully aware that numerous monoliths akin to the one standing before his gaze existed throughout Jiang''an.

    He had assisted in erecting one at the southern end of the Peace Harmony Street, though he wasn''t certain about the amount of participants listed on the black stone.

    For the minister, the opportunity sent by the Taiyi Sect amounted to nothing more than ¨C

    "Young Miss, are you here to register?"

    The member of the Taiyi Sect''s voice suddenly rang in Wei Xuan''s ears, causing the minister to raise an eyebrow and pay attention.

    Turning his gaze towards the slightly descript table, he spotted a young girl with her maidservants converse energetically with the youthful cultivator.

    "This¡­ could you explain what the black stone is about?"

    The girl asked, her eyes blinking with an innocent charm. The member of the Taiyi Sect took one glance at her countenance, before returning his gaze to the brush as he spoke in a monotone voice.

    "Young Miss, the Taiyi Sect is offering a special opportunity to those with a major Yin physique or diagnosed with cold deficiency. Simply put, it is a recruitment board to acquire talents for the Sect."

    "Major Yin physique?" the girl repeated, her expression immediately becoming downcast. Fiddling with the hem of her dress, the young girl''s countenance soured, her lips pushing into a pout.

    "Honorable Hero, does the Taiyi Sect only accept those with a major Yin physique or¡­ cold deficiency? I think¡­"

    "Young Miss, those are not restrictive qualities, hence the Young Miss can register if she wishes," the sect member replied with a slightly bored tone, instantly provoking the ire of the maidservants next to the young girl.

    Ultimately, his next words silenced the bristling servants.

    "The Sect Elders have decreed that while a major Yin physique is not necessary, those without it will not attain many significant results. Thus, if the Young Miss¡­"

    "I understand¡­"

    Rapidly losing interest in the conversation between the influential Young Miss and the member of the Taiyi Sect, Wei Xuan allowed his gaze to roam over the monolith, his eyes searching for any interesting detail.

    Mm¡­ Fellow Jiang couldn''t restrain his urge to promote his influence and authority, registering his youngest daughter Jiang Xun''er¡­ neither could Fellow Guo, for Guo Xiyun''s name glared from the list.

    Wasn''t Guo Xiyun already over twenty years of age? How would she transition into an apt cultivation technique without suffering from the risk of spiritual deviation?

    The Sixth Young Miss of the Tang Ducal house, the Feng manor''s Eldest Young Miss, the Western Commandery Princess'' only daughter¡­ nearly all of the influential families in Jiang''an had listed their children as participants, seeking to bolster their reputation and influence in Great Yong''s society.

    To that, Wei Xuan could only nod in approval.

    If their children could ascend past Nascent Soul and enter the Mortal Tribulation Realm, perhaps even the Imperial Family would transform into chickens before the lucky family''s foot.

    Qi Ducal House''s Second Young Miss, The Youngest Madam of the Gu Marquis, an unknown person by the name Yang Yun Xi, Wei An Fei¡­.

    Wei Xuan suddenly froze, his countenance displaying a solid expression of absolute disbelief.

    Wei An Fei?

    His Wei An Fei!?

 102 Heâ€™s Vengeful, Sheâ€™s Vicious, and Youâ€™re Greedy! 3

    "Hey!"

    Ignoring the startled cry of the member of the Taiyi Sect, the young girl, and nearby passerby, the startled minister barreled through to stand before the stone monolith. His finger flying over the surface of the black monolith, Wei Xuan rapidly searched for the name once again.

    There, at the forty-third row and the sixty-seventh column, was a person''s name so familiar to him.

    Wei An Fei.

    His fourth daughter''s name.

    "You there! What are you doing, this area is restricted!"

    The member of the Taiyi Sect rose from the seat in anger, walking towards Wei Xuan with angry strides.

    Before he could shove his sect emblem into Wei Xuan''s face, the minister had grasped him by his robes, dragging him off of his feet.

    "You tell me this minister one thing," Wei Xuan growled, a domineering pulse of spiritual essence exploding from within his body. Shaking the unlucky sect member, the minister began his series of interrogations in public.

    "Who enlisted this name onto this monolith?"

    The member of the Taiyi Sect''s eyes widened frantically at the terrifying fluctuations of spiritual essence rippling from Wei Xuan''s body, fearing that his measly cultivation of the Foundation Establishment Realm was insufficient to preserve his life.

    However, upon hearing Wei Xuan''s question, the young man gradually calmed down, relief flooding his heart.

    "I¡­ I don''t know," he quickly responded, his gaze following Wei Xuan''s extended finger to the identified name.

    "A young man came by earlier to register on behalf of someone else, and he gave me this name."

    "A young man?" Wei Xuan repeated in surprise, his brows knotting in suspicion.

    "Who?"

    "I don''t know," the young man quickly shook his head.

    "But he had the Imperial Family''s emblem in his possession, and registered four others at the same time."

    Imperial Family''s emblem?

    Wei Xuan paused, panic bubbling within his heart.

    Staring at the unlucky young man with a gaze that pierced deep into the soul, the minister stepped forward with an imposing demeanor, asking again with a powerful voice.

    "Are you completely certain that the man possessed an emblem from the Imperial Family?"

    The member of the Taiyi Sect nodded his head in assent, fear displayed within his gaze.

    Feeling the deathly grip on his robe vanish, the young man raised his gaze in a fervor, only to realize that the frightening minister had disappeared.

    However, he dared not to fix the creases formed on his clothes, and instead sat back down before the table with shaking limbs and cold sweat dripping from his neck.

    -

    "Official Wei, please, this way."

    A high-ranking eunuch gestured for Wei Xuan to follow him, an amiable smile on his aged countenance.

    Carefully observing the eunuch''s appearance and recognizing the purple-golden robe belonging to the highest-ranking palace servants, the minister quickly stood to greet.

    "Gonggong is?"

    Wei Xuan quietly ventured as he followed the eunuch down a long corridor leading from the central hall of the Imperial Palace. The old eunuch smiled, before dipping his head into a bow.

    "This slave is the servant of Her Imperial Highness," the eunuch replied in a tone that was neither servile nor aggressive.

    Though it possessed the customary traits of a eunuch''s higher-pitched voice with a weaker emphasis, the placid tone inadvertently caused Wei Xuan to raise his guard.

    "Official Wei may call this slave Eunuch Lin. Her Imperial Majesty requested to convene with Official Wei at the Fleeting Spring Pavilion."

    "Why has His Imperial Majesty¡­ chosen not to meet with this one?" the minister suddenly questioned, his gaze flickering with an unfathomable glint.

    "His Imperial Majesty knows this official best, it doesn''t seem appropriate that Her Imperial Highness is calling this one?"

    The eunuch suddenly shuddered, and the horsetail whisk clenched in his bony palms trembled in an unsteady manner.

    Eunuch Lin continued to use the placid tone to respond to Wei Xuan, but the underlying fear could not be hidden.

    "Official Wei must not have known, His Imperial Majesty is preoccupied with other matters at the moment. Her Imperial Highness dispatched this old slave to guide Official Wei to the proper destination."

    Wei Xuan raised both eyebrows in surprise, a furious sneer threatening to erupt at the corner of his mouth.

    The minister continued to retain his amicable gaze, however only Eunuch Lin was conscious of how many daggers would have pierced into his body had they were not in the Imperial Palace.

    As expected, the empress had not informed Lu Jing Yi of his visit.

    Otherwise, if the emperor were to discover that Wei Xuan had demanded his audience with utmost urgency, he would have flown from the steps leading from his throne in anxiety.

    The Right and Left Imperial Censors declaring an emergency visit with the emperor was relatively common; out of the higher-ranking officials within the Imperial Court, the inconspicuous third-ranking Defense Minister rarely demanded the personal attention of the Emperor of Great Yong.

    "Official Wei, this way."

    The corridor opened to reveal the breathtaking scenery of a pavilion residing over the surface of an expansive lake. Though it was merely the early comings of spring, the chirping of birds and vibrant plantlife decorated the entire vicinity of the pavilion.

    Fish swam underneath, the colorful scales reflecting a vast assortment of multifaceted lights. A bridge connected the pavilion to the land, and Wei Xuan could see the silhouette of a woman resting within.

    The old eunuch retreated to the side, his right arm extended towards bridge to persuade Wei Xuan into meeting with the empress. The minister coldly huffed, before traversing the bridge to greet the empress.

    Each step rang with a powerful indifference, the invisible but surely present fluctuations causing the nearby guards to tighten their grips on the swords holstered at their waist.

    "Minister Wei greets Her Imperial Highness."

    Wei Xuan clasped his fists before his chest in the jianghu''s salute, his refusal to bow expressing his utmost disappointment. His unexpected action at the edge of the bridge startled the occupants within, and an uncomfortable silence deafened the surroundings.

    "How dare you!" the palace servant next to the empress roared with fury the instant she recovered.

    Pointing towards the minister''s sarcastic greeting, the maidservant''s eyes bulged with anger as she ordered for the guards nearby to strike!

    "Not daring to bow to the Her Imperial Highness, you have great courage! Guards! Strike-"

    "Enough."

    A slender hand cut off the remainder of the maidservant''s enraged tirade, forcing the guards to return to their positions.

    Her gaze roaming through the man-made lakeside pavilion until it landed onto Wei Xuan''s countenance, the empress narrowed her eyes when she noticed that the minister''s gesture had not changed.

    "Minister Wei does not follow the teachings of Great Yong''s officialdom?"

    Wei Xuan revealed a thin smile, before brazenly sitting directly across of the empress.

    Maintaining the farthest distance from the woman without appearing too disrespectful, the minister glanced out of the pavilion and into the lake, tracing the swimming fish with his gaze.

    "Your Imperial Highness may not have known," Wei Xuan finally spoke in an even tone.

    "His Imperial Majesty has issued this official, the Right and Left Imperial Censors, and the Three Judgement Ministers, that the officialdom''s greeting to the ruler is only to be conducted in public or during the court''s session. As for private interactions¡­"

    "This minister doesn''t understand; this minister requested a private meeting with His Imperial Majesty, so why is Your Imperial Highness responding to my request instead?"

    Feng Yu Xin fixated a direct glare at Wei Xuan, a frown beginning to surface on her countenance.

    "Official Wei displayed such obsequious behavior during the court sessions," the empress remarked with a dry tone.

    "Is this your true character? This is quite the interesting case, no?"

    "The Imperial Court is the Imperial Court; a private meeting with His Imperial Majesty is still a private meeting at its essence," Wei Xuan snapped back in a flat tone, his gaze refusing to land on the empress for the slightest second.

    The beautiful woman raised an eyebrow in bemusement, before tapping her index finger onto the table covered by snacks.

    "Speak. Bengong wishes to know why Official Wei appears so destitute."

    The minister''s lips twitched as he fought to suppress his anger. Maintaining a calm visage and smoothening his tone, Wei Xuan fixed an annoyed glance at Feng Yu Xin.

    "Then this official shall ask of Her Imperial Majesty. Exactly why has my daughter''s name been registered onto the list for the Taiyi Sect''s special opportunity, especially without her own father''s consent?"

 103 Heâ€™s Vengeful, Sheâ€™s Vicious, Youâ€™re Greedy! 4

    The moment the words were expelled from Wei Xuan''s lips, the

    pavilion fell into a momentary silence.

    The empress raised an eyebrow, the attractive eyelashes lowered as she directed a thoughtful glare towards the indignant minister.

    The palace maidservant clenched her fists, her countenance reddened with righteous anger, but dared not to utter a single word.

    Underneath the serene pavilion and overlooking the scenic background of the man-made lake, two influential people stared at the other in a silent, cold war.

    Their countenance was neutral and without inflection, their eyes conveying a myriad of intentions and exchanges of information.

    One was a common third-ranked official of Great Yong in the Ministry of Defense, but possessed a unique identity as a close and direct affiliate with the emperor.

    The other was but a woman, yet her words alone could forcibly alter Lu Jing Yi''s actions and decrees without a single word of doubt.

    One wielded the memorial whilst the other masterfully

    utilized the pillow to its utmost; the two represented the two sides of the

    Imperial Court, forcing the usually isolated regimes to collide in a brutal

    impact.

    A golden fish leaped out of the lake to bask in the momentary

    sun and lunge at a pellet of feed floating nearby.

    When the flowers had fallen and the flames snuffed to the

    ground, the empress finally opened her mouth, a curious expression blooming on

    her countenance.

    "Bengong wishes to know," Feng Yu Xin slowly uttered, her gaze carefully examining each and every action of the minister.

    "On what basis is bengong being identified as the perpetrator for your daughter''s unwilling enlistment?"

    Wei Xuan revealed a thin smile, his countenance gradually splitting to display a profound smile.

    Before the palace servant''s astonished gaze, the minister raised the index finger of his right hand, tapping onto the table covered with snacks at a hypnotizing, rhythmic pace.

    "All members of the Taiyi Sect present within Great Yong possess an Elder''s writ of authority," he slowly spoke.

    "Thus, they are obliged not to spread any fictitious matters or information; otherwise, their elders would directly sentence them to death. Similarly, the person who enlisted my daughter''s name possessed the token of the Imperial Palace'' backcourt, but not only did he register my daughter''s name, other officials of a rather¡­ interesting group had their daughters'' names engraved onto the black monolith."

    "The conjecture regarding the member of the Taiyi Sect is

    rather interesting," the empress smiled, a cold glint suffused within her eyes.

    "However, Minister Wei, that does not serve as concrete

    evidence, no? By the laws of Great Yong, information obtained from foreign

    persons do not constitute as evidence."

    "Your Imperial Highness introduces a fair point; Great Yong

    indeed has this restriction."

    Wei Xuan lapsed into a period of silence, before suddenly reaching into the chest pockets of his official''s robe with his left hand.

    Toying with the cold object clamped tightly between his fingers, the minister flashed a calm smile towards the bemused empress and palace servant.

    "However, has Your Imperial Highness not discovered a rather

    intriguing aspect regarding this issue?"

    "Oh?" Feng Yu Xin narrowed her eyes. "What intrigue does

    Minister Wei deign to seek?"

    "Nothing of much value," Wei Xuan airily waved his hand.

    "However, this minister could not help but roam around the

    streets of Jiang''an before seeking His Imperial Majesty''s presence¡­ on the

    numerous black monoliths established by the Taiyi Sect, there are quite the

    interesting names. The families of Fellow Cheng, the Right Imperial Censor, the

    ''Hammer of the Western Providence'' General Huang, and Ministry of Rites'' Meng

    are just the most prominent of the thirty families targeted by this mysterious person."

    "These people, myself included, are privy to the exquisite

    dislike Your Imperial Highness holds towards those few¡­ and is it not

    interesting that out of all of the officials'' families who presented a family

    member to partake in the Taiyi Sect''s special opportunity¡­ only us few have not

    done so willingly?"

    "Is Minister Wei accusing bengong of being a petty woman?" Feng Yu Xin coldly leered, a turbid aura peering from within her body.

    With the indirect agitation of the empress'' spiritual

    essence, the atmosphere of the lakeside pavilion immediately deflated with a

    dense sour tinge. The palace servant quivered as the fluctuations of spiritual

    essence rocked her body, her countenance pale as a sheet of exquisite

    calligraphy paper.

    "Your Imperial Highness is indeed talented; truly worthy of the title of ''Hong Yu''," Wei Xuan praised, appearing completely unaffected by the colorless turbulence.

    The minister even displayed a contented smile, as if the merciless intent dispersed within the wind was nothing but a beautiful woman''s tender massage.

    "This minister is not labeling Your Imperial Highness as a

    petty woman, far from it. It is only that¡­ this minister ultimately did catch

    up with this mysterious person, and experienced a wonderful surprise."

    "¡­has Your Imperial Highness ever heard¡­ of the Faceless Token?"

    Boom!

    Scarlet light exploded from the empress'' body as a phoenix quickly took towards the heavens, the crimson flames leaving trails of destruction and rebirth behind its wake.

    Feng Yu Xin did not even bother to display a calm and unaffected expression, the beautiful countenance possessing nothing but a penetrative gaze as she bored holes into the minister.

    "Speak. When did Minister Wei become privy to such

    information?"

    Wei Xuan did not say a single word, instead extracting the

    object clasped between his fingers. Setting it onto the table, the minister

    crossed his arms before his chest, a contented expression on his countenance.

    The cold object laid onto the table was a small silver

    medallion, no bigger than an adult''s index finger curled onto itself. On the

    surface, faint inscriptions of a person''s countenance could be perceived,

    though the medallion''s surface was completely unblemished and smooth.

    A harmless medallion by appearance, yet to two people within

    the pavilion, it was an ultimate offensive indefensible by any means. Whilst

    the palace maidservant scratched her head in confusion, the minister and

    empress were engaged in a gamble of high-stakes.

    As for what exactly the silver coin entailed, only a small group of people were the exclusive privateers to such information.

    "Faceless¡­ to think that between the officials that Jing Yi had distributed the tokens to, you would be the first to utilize your first token. This means to say that you''ve reach the utmost bottom line of your tolerance, is it?"

    The empress dryly remarked, her lips puckered to release a heavy sigh.

    With a wave of her hand, the palace servant scurried out of the pavilion, completely unaware that the inevitable descent of the sun in a few hours was the last she would witness.

    Having heard of the Faceless, uninvolved persons could not

    be permitted to live; although she felt pity for the little servant that she

    had gotten fond of in the past few years, Feng Yu Xin did not dare break

    tradition in the face of pity.

    The empress and third-ranked minister stared at each other with a lofty expression on their countenance, all distinction between royalty and subject dispersed with the passing of the wind.

    Before the token of the Faceless, it mattered not whether a person was of royal blood or commoner descent; the two souls were to be judged as equals.

    "Speak," Feng Yu Xin began to mirror Wei Xuan''s pattern of tapping the table with her delicate finger.

    "Just what have you in mind for me? Utilizing one of your three vitally important death pardons, surely you haven''t come for a petty demand, no?"

    "Naturally, I have no desire to head against the Imperial Family. Thus, though I similarly have enough compelling evidence not only to accuse you of treason, corruption, and perfidy, I can bring even the Emperor down from his throne and condemn his entire family for nine generations, if not more, if I were to disseminate what I have found before seeking you."

    "However, that would seem unnecessary, and I believe that I do not need to explain any further, no? This death pardon does not mean much compared to the future of my daughter," Wei Xuan thinly smiled, his countenance quickly hardening into a mask.

    "However, I do want a little favor. The other fellows can

    submit their Faceless tokens, but I want you to remove Wei An Fei from the

    black monoliths of the Taiyi Sect."

    The empress fell into a long period of silence, her eyelashes quivering as she murmured underneath her breath.

    Ultimately, Feng Yu Xin''s gaze shot back up to become level with Wei Xuan, her eyes displaying little intention to budge.

    "That is impossible to complete. Do not request the Imperial

    Family to tarnish their reputation before the public."

    "Then I want a guarantee," Wei Xuan immediately countered, a

    similar predatorial expression leering towards the empress.

    "Guarantee?" the empress mouthed back, her eyes slightly

    widened in an inquiring motion.

    The minister clasped his hands on the table, his gaze traveling out from the pavilion to gaze upon a secluded mountain village.

    Though his expression and tone had returned to their serene and tranquil counterparts, his next words were sufficient to work the empress into a fit of anger.

    "Then you shall be An Fei''s bodyguard. You dug my little

    girl into this, now you should dig her out with your own spade."

    "That''s similarly impossible!" Feng Yu Xin roared, the phoenix in the air releasing a shriek of indignation and vengeful wrath as it glared at the river of silver light with an unquenchable thirst for blood.

    The woman affixed a terrible glare upon the minister''s countenance, her hands curled into tight fists.

    "You want the Empress of a nation to become the bodyguard of

    an official''s daughter? You take this too far, even if it is in exchange of a

    Faceless token!"

    "But I am indeed submitting a Faceless token; one of three

    death pardons, and the only three I will ever see in my entire life," Wei Xuan

    refuted, his finger stabbing towards the silver medallion resting on the table

    between him and Feng Yu Xin.

    "Back then, you and His Imperial Majesty directly stated

    that this medallion could issue any request short of the throne. Why do you

    decline two of my requests without even batting your eye?"

    "Wei Xuan, you take this too far! This, I will only

    acquiesce into guarding the little girl until she arrives safely at the Taiyi

    Sect, but I will never become her bodyguard. This is the farthest I will

    retreat, and you can expect no more!"

    A scarlet glow blazed onto half of the silver, unblemished

    medallion, and the main wife of the emperor of Great Yong directed a

    provocative glare towards the minister.

    Wei Xuan could only smile.

 104 Heâ€™s Vengeful, Sheâ€™s Vicious, Youâ€™re Greedy! 5

    Clatter!

    An inkbrush fell to the floor, and rolled across the wooden surface beyond reach. A young girl twisted in a half-moon chair in attempt of salvaging the brush, but alas, it had moved out of range within mere moments.

    An Fei rolled her eyes, expelling a heartfelt and exhausted sigh.

    Collapsing into the now uncomfortable chair, the young girl allowed her jaw to pry itself loose, directing a blank stare towards the sky.

    The fingers of her right hand felt as if they had been submerged into a pit of molten magma, the appendages trembling as a searing heat blazed through her nerves.

    Her elbow and upper arm was completely numb, creating a rather interesting but highly discomforting mixture of sensations. At the moment, the young girl wanted to nothing more than to take a long nap.

    "Fourth Little Sister, the brush."

    A fair-skinned hand, elegant and comprised with the perfect proportions of masculinity and delicateness, deposited the recovered inkbrush into her feeble palms. When An Fei grumpily raised her gaze upward, she found the Eldest Young Master staring back with an indifferent expression.

    "Why are you still here?"

    Wei Chang Feng paused, before replying in an even tone that infuriated the young girl to no limits.

    "The potential danger has not dissipated yet. Thus, Father agreed for me to continue residing here in the study."

    "I know that," the girl rolled her eyes, unable to lift her arms to thoroughly slap the handsome yet cold youth before her.

    "But why are you here, ah? Eldest Brother, you''ve been here since the crack of dawn, but you haven''t moved a single muscle for hours. Even with your fourth little sister''s hands are falling off working this dammed piece of calligraphy to death, you still sit in place doing what again!?"

    To An Fei''s utmost surprise and slight dread, the Eldest Young Master suddenly extended his hand, resting two fingers onto her forehead.

    The young girl attempted to move back to avoid the sudden affront, yet discovered that her body lacked the strength to do so.

    After a while, the youth''s brows furrowed.

    "There doesn''t seem to be a fever or noticeable sweat¡­"

    "Eldest Brother, what are you doing?"

    The girl stared at him with widely opened eyes, a dumbstruck expression on her adorable countenance.

    Wei Chang Feng abruptly recoiled and sat back down in his seat, quickly reverting to his usual cold mental state.

    "Fourth Young Sister is from an official''s family of the third rank; speaking in such a manner is inappropriate."

    "Then can''t you help this fourth little sister out a little, ah?" An Fei exasperatedly shook her fist towards the youth.

    "All you do is sit in that chair and preach all day long. How about instead of plotting your family member''s death, you help me finish this absurd calligraphy assignment, ah?"

    "Fourth Little Sister, I do not know calligraphy."

    The concise and curt reply slammed into the girl with the force of an unrestrained landslide, and she toppled from her perch on the half-moon chair.

    Narrowly preventing her body from entering another intimate embrace with the earth, An Fei affixed an exhausted gaze towards the cold youth, dragging herself in the direction of the bed.

    ¡­she had little desire to glance in the direction of the drawing table.

    Even without looking, An Fei was well aware of the miserable state the interior of the study of the Flowing Wind Residence had become.

    Part of it was due to her work, and the latter lion''s share belonged to that accursed Second Uncle and his calligraphy assignment.

    The drawing table, the drying racks, the bookshelves, the loose pieces of furniture placed onto the ground upright, and even large partitions of the floor ¨C all were covered to the brim with sheets upon sheets of paper marred by black ink.

    Hundreds and hundreds of sheets bombed the study, leaving little room for the two inhabitants to move around. All of this was due to the odd day An Fei had believed that Wei Xuan had dispatched her the unique calligraphy assignment.

    The Treatise on the Healthy Mindfulness and Spirit by the Great Scholar Tie, the young girl wished to do nothing more than rip it to shreds with her own hands. If it weren''t for that book, she wouldn''t have fallen for Wei Xuan''s trap!

    He had carefully read over the dozens of sheets packed to the brim with dense, compact characters, releasing sounds of excitement and astonishment whilst marveling at the speed at which the young girl had produced the copy.

    Then, under the guise of practicing calligraphy and making up for lost time, the crafty minister had launched an inescapable wager onto the unsuspecting girl, knowing far too well that An Fei could not reject the temptation.

    "Fei''er, Father brought over some books for your calligraphy assignment, if you can complete it within a week, Father will reward you by taking you through the streets of Jiang''an. You can play and enjoy the city to your heart''s content, how about that?"

    Knowing that if she completed the assignment, she could finally explore the city that she had fallen into, how could An Fei not agree?

    Without even asking the minister what books she was to copy, the young girl had earnestly nodded her head, completely overwhelmed by the incentive of good food and outside entertainment.

    Then¡­ the Comprehensive Governance of Mind and Spirit by the Great Scholar Tie, the Treatise on Apt Cultivation by the Great Scholar Tie, the Governance of Heaven and Earth by Great Scholar Tie¡­ the Treatise of Governance and Societal Organization by Great Scholar Tie¡­

    F*ck Great Scholar Tie, screw that crazy dead old man until his grave fell apart from disuse!

    The young girl howled in her heart, both towards the scholar who had composed the works, and herself for falling into Wei Xuan''s scheme.

    The odd and difficult phrasing by the shriveled collection of bones that caused her to stumble and rewrite several sheets of paper, and that she even agreed to this in the first place¡­

    ¡­it had aggravated and stressed her conscience to the extent that each time she complained to the stone-faced Eldest Young Master, the young girl''s heart was overflowing with profanities¡­

    "That''s it. I''m taking a bath."

    Wei Chang Feng''s head jerked at the sudden statement by An Fei, an uneasy premonition arising within his heart. The cold youth directed a quizzical stare in the direction of the Fourth Young Miss, only to discover that she was clutching a set of clean clothing and a large towel to her chest.

    "Eldest Brother, your Fourth Little Sister is counting on you to watch the door, don''t let your little sister''s reputation be ruined!"

    If she did get her reputation ruined, he would act first the bury to perpetrator, then bury her afterwards to remove any shame from plaguing the family!

    Though with a large sigh, the Eldest Young Master of Wei stood from his chair to follow the young girl out of the study of the Flowing Wind Residence.

    -

    After five and a half days of disuse, the Sanctum of Eternity finally received its new owner with a gracious smile and a warm welcome.

    The girl sat cross-legged in the library, a stack of pristine pages held in her hand. The snow-white sheets of paper depicting numerous diagrams and explanations that scrawled over the entirety of the page with the compact letters that made it hard to distinguish between statements, the young girl absorbed with ease.

    "This should work¡­"

    Softly murmuring to herself, An Fei carefully stacked the sheets of paper on top of the drawing table, releasing an enormous sigh.

    Calming her body and allowing her mind to settle without any residual thoughts, the young girl relaxed against the comfortable chair.

    Deep breath in, and relishing in the refreshing sensation of cool air streaming into her lungs.

    Expel the air out, and ignite the thread of spiritual essence coiled within the heart cavity.

    Ignite, manipulate, and redirect.

    The thread of spiritual essence had elongated into a length of twenty centimeters following the successive reinforcement by the Sanctum, though the width remained unchanged. At the young girl''s command, the thread of spiritual essence released a blinding radiance of golden light.

    The thread split into two equal portions, streaking towards two different areas of the body.

    The Small Intestine Meridian, the Bingfeng and Tianzong acupuncture points. The girl had unceasingly attempted to pool spiritual essence within the two acupuncture points from the beginning.

    The two threads buried into the acupuncture points, the golden light submerged within the dense sea of meridians. Furrowing her brow, An Fei took a deep breath, before loudly reciting in her mind.

    Death by the merciless sword, the blade that cleaved apart life to create death!

    Death by the scheming pen, the blade that ravaged the soul into dust!

    One charged forth with aggression and unstoppable might, whilst the other planted seeds of distrust and unease, eroding the soul from within. One sought to eliminate others even at their own termination, and the other was capable of surviving calamities in exchange for a slower conclusion.

    The young girl envisioned a sword of steel bathed in the blood of its conquests, and an inkbrush dipped in the blood of the executed. The sword sharpened itself by wallowing in the cries of its foes, and the pen increased in deadliness with each stroke.

    Bang!

    A series of shockwaves erupted from within her body, and the two brilliant nodes of golden light instantly changed to a different color.

    The Tianzong acupuncture point blazed with an orange radiance with a hint of cruelty and oppression emanating from its core, and the Bingfeng acupuncture point revealed a pulsing orb of cyan light that concealed the mocking shadow of death.

    Whilst the girl sought to recover from the sudden shock, the two nodes of light streamed through the ever-complex systemization of the meridians in her body, collided and fused into an undefined existence whilst streaming along the length of the Governing Vessel to be released into the atmosphere in the form of a lotus petal¡­

 105 Heâ€™s Vengeful, Sheâ€™s Vicious, Youâ€™re Greedy! 6

    The entire process suddenly accelerated on its own initiative, leaving the young girl behind in a mindless haze.

    The moment the spiritual essence gathered within the Bingfeng and Tianzong acupuncture points, An Fei had lost control.

    By the time she had regained consciousness and her mind had recovered from its shock, the girl squinted her eyes to find a lotus petal of light hovering before her.

    ¡­it would be more apt to call it a blade of light than an actual lotus petal.

    A snow-white blade in the form of a leaf remained stationary in the air before her. The blade lacked a handle or even a tang, the handleguard hovering level to her chest.

    The entire structure appeared corporeal, yet real at the same time.

    The blade was flickering with flecks of orange and cyan lights that raced along its length, and An Fei had the premonition that if she tapped it with her finger, it would instantly fall apart. The young girl frowned as she continued to inspect the shimmering blade with an inquisitive gaze, a conjecture slowly forming in her mind.

    The blade¡­ it seemed to be shimmering at a rhythmic pace¡­.

    Because of the muted, unearthly lights of orange and cyan distorting the exact appearance of the blade, it took An Fei several moments to realize.

    However, now that she had adjusted her mind to the idea, the girl could indeed notice and observe that the blade flickered at a pace that was orderly and stable, but not constant.

    It seemed to be following her heartbeat¡­

    "But¡­ a blade?" the girl mused, restraining the urge to tap the structure with her finger.

    "Wasn''t the , by its nature, supposed to produce a lotus petal?"

    It was indeed odd, for the result to have diverged by such a margin from An Fei''s expectations.

    Perhaps it was due to the fact that the girl had cruelly stripped away the necessary mnemonics and phrases from the cultivation technique, but instead of a calm and placid lotus petal, the blade before her was revealing a faint aura of oppression and malice.

    ¡­did she mention that it was at the same time, exceptionally dull?

    Releasing a fierce aura, but unable to deliver any tangible harm or serve its purpose. The discovery that the blade of light completely lacked both the edge line or even the edge itself was sufficient to cause the girl to wish to cry and laugh.

    With this, perhaps she could blunt a person to death?

    "Whatever, not like I want to become battle-crazed," An Fei sighed, slumping onto the ground with a mixed sensation of exhaustion and exasperation.

    The girl frowned at the stack of paper placed onto the drawing table, her eyes reflecting a meshed sea of thoughts.

    "How am I supposed to even use this? The and this illegitimate child hovering in the air¡­"

    An Fei released a huff of air, her mind flowing into overdrive as the girl attempted to recall yesterday''s readings of the .

    The was a technique designed for spiritual cultivation and martial arts. Thus, almost anything in regards to the technique had an almost certainty of association with spiritual qi.

    Spiritual qi¡­ the breath of nature that permeated the atmosphere and every naturally formed existence in the earth. Spiritual qi breathed life into certain existences, and engendered a certain level of sentience.

    Cultivators practicing mortal cultivation assimilated the spiritual qi into their physical body, pressurizing and fusing spiritual qi into spiritual essence. Thus, as a natural byproduct, the practitioner themselves obtained a benefit.

    Longevity, strength, agility, mental comprehension¡­

    Spiritual essence was in its fundamental existence, propagated spiritual qi forced to compress into a denser existence.

    Cultivation and martial arts utilized spiritual essence as the primary resource to their mind-dazzling ability to manipulate worldly phenomena to a certain limit¡­ and spiritual essence, unlike spiritual qi, was obedient to the wishes of its host.

    An Fei paused, her lips puckering up into a grim grimace.

    In the end¡­ everything had to do with spiritual essence. Then¡­ controlling the size and shape of the rather large and useless blade before her¡­ was it similarly possible?

    "Come back!"

    A young girl''s cry resounded within the Archives of Time, an invisible ripple expanding outwards from her feet. However, An Fei soon released a despondent sigh, her bottom lip finally pushing outwards into a fabulous pout.

    "Come back, please?"

    The blade continued to hover in the air, unresponsive to her calls, gestures, and even wishes.

    The shimmering and useless weapon of destruction remained to silently cycle its unending stream of orange and blue, and the girl was ruthlessly tossed aside.

    Five minutes of persistent wheedling couldn''t cause the blade of spiritual essence to budge, much less fifteen. If it weren''t for the frustration bubbling within her heart, An Fei would have burst out laughing at the comical sight.

    A young girl shouting at an inanimate object to return to her side. If this wasn''t abnormal or concerning, what could it be?

    Shaking her head, An Fei strode towards the exit of the platform, intending to console her slightly distraught self with a splendid meal.

    The instant her bare heel pivoted on top of the crystalline floor, the dull blade moved.

    Instead of an actual movement, it was akin to a feeble vibration; the same cry of a newborn. The dull intone was barely audible to the ear, and An Fei only turned around after noticing a streak of golden light.

    The Sanctum was reacting once again.

    The entire crystalline structure burst aglow with a brilliant and soothing baptism of golden light, illuminating the slumbering platform and reversing the slightly dim lighting.

    As the golden light seeped into her skin, the young girl could clearly feel the pores in her body relax, greedily indulge in the light, and dispatch trembling vibrations of content and joy.

    It was¡­ quite the breathtaking experience, one that could not be described in words.

    Her eyes threatening to close and dispatch her to dreamland, An Fei could only blearily make out her surroundings. However, the shimmering blade fixated her attention, washing away any intention of sleeping.

    Under the baptism of the golden light, the useless blade of light finally obtained an edge. The rounded edge had narrowed into a deadly point on either side, the aura seeking death intensifying by the moment.

    "This¡­ come back?"

    Swish!

    This time, the blade immediately sliced through the air towards the girl the moment the words left her lips. Cowering back as she raised her arm in attempt to ward off the blow, An Fei lowered her arms after several moments, realizing that the blade had stopped before her, as if returning to its original position.

    The young girl sighed.

    "Forget eating food, I should probably settle this first¡­"

    ¨C

    A young girl sat at the edge of the bed with her head lowered and swaying from side to side with a clumsy but irresistible rhythm. Her legs swung back and forth, presenting the epitome of laziness.

    A small lotus petal flickered in and out of existence atop of her right palm. A faint snow-white radiance gently encapsulated the petal, preventing it from forcefully dissipating into the atmosphere, but similarly restrained its motions.

    Her brows scrunched into a unhappy expression, the young girl couldn''t help but repeatedly sigh at the pitiful sight of the lotus petal.

    In the Sanctum, it had happily appeared as the blade of a longsword, revealing an unstoppable, domineering might with an infinitesimally sharp edge.

    Why was it that upon the moment she left to return to the study of the Flowing Wind Residence, the indomitable blade instantly shriveled into a wilted lotus petal?

    ¡­was this the suppression due to the atmospheric spiritual qi''s incompatibility with the spiritual qi obtained from the Sanctum?

    ¡­was this even fair?

    ", ¡­" An Fei wrinkled her nose in distaste after comparing the bold name of the technique and her ''nearly shriveled'' lotus petal.

    "Forget it, I should probably call mine the . I''m pretty sure that anyone else who attempted cultivating in this technique would have obtained a significantly better result¡­ not that it matters¡­"

    Shaking her head, the young girl allowed her body to fall into the comfortable sheets, deliberately ignoring the fact that the Eldest Young Master was no more than a few meters away.

    After all, this was her place and she hadn''t done anything wrong, so he shouldn''t have any reason to do anything other than sitting quietly in his chair, no?

    Da!

    Wei Xuan stormed into the study hall, his countenance utterly gloomy and nearing eruption. An aura of coldness and death reeked from his body, and some of the more delicate and intricate furniture began to display signs of corrosion.

    "Father, you''re back?"

    The quiet voice uttered from the depths of the study caused the minister to jerk backwards in surprise and guilt.

    However, Wei Xuan quickly regained his composure, retracting his foul aura and speaking in a warm tone towards the speaker as he stepped forward to smack Wei Chang Feng awake.

 106 Heâ€™s Vengeful, Sheâ€™s Vicious, Youâ€™re Greedy! 7

    "Father, why do you seem so distraught today?"

    An Fei''s inquiry during dinner startled Wei Xuan, and a fragrant piece of prawn slipped from his chopsticks to splatter into his bowl of soup.

    Rapidly shaking his head to bring his senses back to normal, the minister cleaned up the mess, reclaiming his now-soiled piece of prawn as he glanced at the young girl.

    "Fei''er, why do you say that? Father is fine, don''t worry so much!"

    "¡­has there been any issue with the Imperial Court?" the young girl pressed on between mouthfuls of jiaozi.

    "Imperial Court?" Wei Xuan muttered, a hint of surprise masked behind a doting gaze.

    Raising his hand to pet the young girl on her head, the minister adopted a clueless expression.

    "Why do you say that there''s trouble at the Imperial Court?"

    "Because Elder Brother is still living in the study even after a week had passed."

    The hand froze midair as awkwardness suffused the atmosphere.

    His countenance visibly contorting from the uneasiness roiling in his stomach, Wei Xuan eventually continued his action, nearly causing An Fei to topple her bowl of rice onto the ground in surprise.

    Hurriedly reclaiming her bowl and stuffing her mouth with a mouthwatering proportion of spicy chicken, the girl took a glance at the minister and Eldest Young Master''s countenance, and couldn''t help but withdraw a little.

    Father and Eldest Brother¡­ what were they thinking to adopt that sort of unusual expression, as if they were attempting to stomach something vulgar and intolerable?

    Nonetheless, the girl fully employed her advantage to its limit, spearing the most delicious and fragrant articles of food whilst the two men were recovering from their surprise.

    An Fei preoccupied herself with eating to her heart''s content without interruption, but Wei Xuan and Wei Chang Feng couldn''t bring themselves to eat another bite.

    The Fourth Young Miss of Wei had now reached a stage of development of which by Great Yong''s standards, though she couldn''t explore out of the manor without permission, her reputation and image would receive harsh scrutiny.

    Each and every conduct committed by the girl would be judged by the elders of Jiang''an, thus maintaining a healthy reputation was paramount.

    Living in her father''s study could be considered as acceptable for she lacked a residence of her own, and Wei Xuan did not stay at the Flowing Wind Residence for long.

    However, if they were to throw in an Eldest Young Master staying in the same study room as a young girl, could they truly explain later in the future?

    This¡­ was quite the difficult question, ah.

    Without their awareness, the Eldest Brother and minister exchanged a wry glance, before losing themselves in their thoughts, blankly observing the young girl slowly demolish the vast array of dishes one by one.

    ¨C

    "Father, why did you want me to do this absurd calligraphy assignment?"

    An Fei asked, placing the enormous stacks of paper onto the drawing table before Wei Xuan''s astonished gaze. With each stack of paper slammed onto the wooden surface, the drawing table and the sitting Wei Xuan groaned at the sudden impact.

    "What''s this?"

    Wei Xuan murmured, setting aside the book clenched in his hand to pick up the sheet of paper at the top of the nearest overwhelming stack of paper.

    As usual, the formerly white and pristine sheet of paper had been covered with rows upon rows of thinly written characters.

    "The unearthly spirit is of two facets, the unwillingness of man and the harsh fate of destiny¡­" the minister read, his lips silently tracing each word.

    "The principle of forgiveness dispels the unwilling resentment within conflict and allows, at the minimum, remedial of an incident¡­"

    Suddenly, the minister''s head shot up, an incredible agitation and excitement displayed on his countenance.

    Before the young girl''s bemused glare, the minister''s bloodshot eyes roamed across the stacks of paper, patting each stack with a contented gaze.

    "Fei''er, have you finished Father''s calligraphy assignment?"

    "No!" An Fei instantly shot back with resentment, turning away from the drooling minister to march towards the curtained bed.

    Wei Xuan revealed a wry smile at the young girl''s aggrieved temperament, and quickly rushed forward the clasp her arms to bring her to a halt.

    "Little lass, don''t be mad, alright?" the minister wheedled without shame before the Eldest Young Master''s gaze.

    Before her puffed cheeks and annoyance fermenting within her gaze, Wei Xuan immediately escorted the young girl to relax on the bed, his gaze as warm and doting as it could ever be.

    "Fei''er, Father isn''t trying to make things hard for you, but helping you practice calligraphy. Soon, your Third Sister will become engaged, and then you will have express permission to roam the streets of Jiang''an ¨C at that point, it would be a little unreasonable to be unable to read characters, no?"

    Rou Yan was getting engaged? With whom, and since when?

    Wei Chang Feng''s gaze immediately shot up to glare daggers into Wei Xuan''s back, his cold eyes conveying a confused intention.

    The minister waved towards the Eldest Young Master behind his back, the fingers clasped and presented in a well-known arrangement indicating for the youth to remain silent.

    He didn''t want any unnecessary banter at this critical moment!

    Happily dedicating time to placate the girl and promising to take her through the streets of Jiang''an the following week, Wei Xuan waltzed back towards the drawing table, his gluttonous gaze piercing through the sheets of paper placed on top.

    The stacks of paper were neatly arranged by their title, allowing the minister to conserve as much effort as possible.

    Indeed, while examining the large stacks of ''calligraphy assignment'' completed by An Fei, Wei Xuan''s heart couldn''t help but burst with joy.

    The girl had lied to him, here stood before him, in their undying might and glory, all of the works by the Great Scholar Tie transcribed into that highly efficient and swift calligraphy of hers!

    All of the works that the band of scholars and officials had wagered!

    The prize pool already far surpassed the Wei Family''s wealth, this was far worth the effort.

    Furthermore, they had managed to deceive a few unsuspecting officials and scholars to gamble millions of taels of silver on the wager by establishing a strict time limit.

    It did not matter who completed the transcription; they just needed to be done by the same person in the fastest possible time!

    "¡­if I recall correctly, Fellow Zhang stated that the prize pool had exceeded thirty million taels of silver¡­"

    The minister licked his lips in anticipation, his experienced hands reaching for twine cords and wrapping paper.

    Upon receiving half of the prize money, An Fei would immediately ascend to become the richest young miss in the upper socialites of Jiang''an; this would be enough compensation, right?

    ¨C

    Ignoring the blatant shuffling of feet of the minister as he rushed to wrap each book in a durable cover and securing them, the young girl closed the bedcurtains, staring at the ceiling with a dazed expression.

    ¡­Father, you''re just a little too greedy, ah!

    Even by looking at Eldest Brother''s unusual expression, that statement regarding Wei Rou Yan''s engagement was obviously a lie!

    "Whatever, as long as he gives me a share of the profits, this daughter won''t fight it out¡­ won''t fight it out¡­"

    The girl shook her head in a resolute manner, calming her emotions and crawling into a sitting position on the bed. Wrapping her body with the comfortable blankets, An Fei took in a deep breath.

    With the slightest fluctuation of her will, the coiled thread of spiritual essence within her chest cavity galvanized into motion. The thread shook off two frayed segments, before wrapping around her heart.

    She didn''t dare willfully consume the meagre spiritual essence reserved within her body whilst in the study of the Flowing Wind Residence. Thus, she could only rely on minimal quantities and hope that it could still trigger a satisfactory result.

    The Bingfeng and Tianzong acupuncture points on her body released their respective muted radiance of cyan and orange light, and was even faintly visible through the silk clothes.

    An Fei involuntarily shuddered as her left shoulder experienced a tinge of cold and hot sensations at the same time, bringing her body into a stable condition after allowing the odd sensation to disperse.

    Next, channeling the spiritual essence through the Governing Vessel.

    Squeezing her eyes shut, the young girl buried her mind deep into the sea of consciousness, quickly determining the location of the two phrases she had deliberated on prior to exiting the Sanctum.

    Death by the sword!

    Death by the pen!

    Without requiring any further prompting, the altered spiritual essence streamed from the two acupuncture points, headed directly towards the meridians with unstoppable momentum.

    Entering from the base of the Governing Vessel, the streams of cyan and orange light gravitated towards the other.

    Mere tenths of a second later, the two lights had merged into a unified whole, ejected from her palm to hover in the form of a tepid lotus petal.

    This time, the snow-white petal did not reveal any distorted flickering of light, and an intense satisfaction flooded her heart.

    Though the petal couldn''t achieve much as she had learned neither any martial arts technique to complement the spiritual essence within her body nor observed the ''s applications of the lotus, An Fei was satisfied with her earn-

    "Who''s there!?"

 107 Heâ€™s Vengeful, Sheâ€™s Vicious, Youâ€™re Greedy! 8

    Wei Xuan''s wary cry roused everyone within the study; a youth''s eyes blazed open, an uncanny ferociousness hidden behind the indifferent demeanor, and a young girl quickly stifled her lotus petal into nonexistence.

    As she quietly snuggled against an unused pillowcase, An Fei couldn''t help but ruminate to herself, palpitations rushing through her heart.

    She had made one feeble little lotus petal that wasn''t even two centimeters in length; just how was Wei Xuan capable of detecting such a miniscule phenomenon?

    ¡­surely, he wouldn''t trace it back to her¡­ right?

    "Who''s there!" the minister''s voice boomed once again, and the soft sliding of metal against leather rasped within the study.

    "This minister shall request the Esteemed Cultivator to reveal himself!"

    Silence reigned within the study as Wei Xuan''s words left his lips.

    The Eldest Young Master slid his body into a defensive stance, his reserves of spiritual essence fully primed to respond at the slightest movement.

    Within the bedcurtains, the girl attempted to suppress her shivering to the minimum, hoping that her painfully thudding heart was not audible to their ears.

    To that, An Fei needed no worry ¨C her heartbeat only sounded to be of a loud volume to her ears; to others, it was exceptionally feeble and weak, comparable to that of a newborn infant.

    "This minister shall request the Esteemed Cultivator to reveal his presence! Otherwise, please do not blame this minister!"

    Wei Xuan declared once more in a stern voice, a soft steel sword secured in his grasp.

    Upon receiving silence as the only response after five minutes had passed, the minister stepped forward, a terrifying pulse of spiritual essence expanding from his body.

    A few breaths later, Wei Xuan stepped back, his expression unfathomable, but significantly colder than before.

    Motioning for the Eldest Young Master to release his guard, the minister sank into the half-moon chair, his brows knitted in thought.

    Just who was that person to have eluded his detection? Though the impulse of spiritual essence was feeble at best, to be able to escape from his observation was a feat in that of itself¡­

    As Wei Chang Feng and Wei Xuan racked their brains attempting to determine the mysterious person, the young girl dragged herself deep into the blankets, utilizing her hands to muffle her voice as much as possible.

    The dull intone of bells rung by a mosquito''s whisper escaped her throat, and An Fei successfully fled in a panic.

    ¨C

    And just like that, two weeks successfully passed since the rather embarrassing incident. Since waking up in the decorated woodshed, eight months had passed in a leisurely manner.

    Wei Chang Feng still remained holed up in the study of the Flowing Wind Residence, and by observing Wei Xuan''s expression, matters of the Imperial Court did not seem to be faring so favorably.

    Each night she went to ''sleep'', An Fei would hear snippets of information regarding the possible actions of the Taiyi Sect ¨C something she wanted to stray away from.

    Thus, she would extend the time she spent in the Sanctum to include her sleeping schedule.

    Unceasingly failing to complete even one cycle of movements within the , tinkering with her imitation of the , attempting to decipher the without gouging her eyes or impaling her temple with a nail to end her mind''s misery ¨C the young girl experienced what it felt like to undergo a ''cram'' study session after taking a break for years.

    Absolutely miserable.

    She had fled the Flowing Wind Residence to avoid any issues that arose on the occasion that Wei Xuan discovered that the person who alerted his perception was indeed her, but instead of finding solace, she found herself standing above a plain of steel-spiked thistles.

    The only caveat was the exceptionally delicious food she could consume to her heart''s content.

    "Eldest Brother, how are matters outside of the manor? Have the matters with the Taiyi Sect calmed down?"

    "I don''t know."

    ¡­it seemed that her only conversation partner in daylight was an identical social outcast.

    Birds of a feather flock together, as the ancestors had said.

    ¡­

    An Fei shook her head, picking up the inkbrush and toying with it in her hand. Rolling the ivory handle with her fingers and observing the fine grains in boredom, the young girl pursed her lips in thought.

    "If only I had the actual manual to reference¡­ then this would be so much easier¡­"

    The brush was set onto the drawing table, and An Fei rose from the half-moon chair to roam the bookshelves. Her fingers trailed over the spines of several books, her lips reciting the titles under her breath.

    "History of Great Yong architecture¡­ the establishment of the Three Lotus Sect¡­ the fundamental principles of apt governance¡­"

    Puffing her cheeks out in exasperation and not necessarily paying attention to where her feet was treading, the young girl accidentally tripped over a cylindrical rod casually tossed onto the floor.

    Narrowly catching her body from a fierce embrace with the unwelcoming wooden floor, An Fei awkwardly turned her gaze to find a rather thin and unassuming book clenched in her left hand.

    The title was only one word, and the cover was the most plain she had ever seen.

    "Spring¡­" the girl murmured to herself.

    Out of curiosity, An Fei opened the book to a random page¡­ then instantly slammed it shut with an audible snap. Her countenance dripping with a scarlet flush, the young girl slotted the hateful tome into an obscure bookshelf, marching towards the half-moon chair and sitting with a huff.

    Spring, what a great title, ah!

    Father, not only do you have two beautiful wives, you still need more satisfaction!? That''s being a little too greedy for one''s good, ah!

    ¨C

    The minister was of course, completely unaware that his fourth daughter had discovered one of the greatest secrets from his youth, and had even taken a peek at its contents.

    Currently, Wei Xuan stared at a beautiful woman dressed in a purple robe, her countenance displaying an expression of interest.

    "Why are you hesitating for so long?" Feng Yu Xin revealed a dazzling smile, teasing the minister''s blackened expression.

    "I even stamped your token for you, all you have to do is verify it on your part, and the agreement shall come into effect."

    Between them lay a silver medallion. Half of the coin had transformed into a deep scarlet color, and a phoenix could be seen dancing amongst nirvanic flames.

    The other half sought approval from Wei Xuan.

    "¡­are you not pushing forward a little too far?" the minister narrowed his eyes towards the smiling empress.

    "Not having completed negotiations, and having already solidified your argued stance without even allowing amends. Do you think that''s worthy conduct of an empress?"

    "Why would the identity of an empress matter regarding the Faceless Token?" the empress revealed a dauntless smile, sweeping her arms around the pavilion.

    "Besides, when did I ever agree of negotiation when discussing the terms? I won''t skimp out on protecting your daughter, but I won''t stoop so far as to become a bodyguard. That''s too demeaning of an empress'' reputation!."

    "Haven''t you thrown it away already? What reputation of an empress even remains for you to squander?"

    Feng Yu Xin waved away Wei Xuan''s sarcastic remark, her elegant fingers deftly bringing a cup of steaming tea to her lips.

    Immersing herself in the sweet and fragrant taste, the woman took a deep look at the minister, dimples stretching across her countenance.

    "So what will it be? Are you going to solidify this agreement, or withdraw the token? Either is fine with me, but do be aware that the Taiyi Sect will not wait indefinitely. They will set out soon, perhaps even the next day."

    "Truly a ruthless and vicious woman," Wei Xuan grit his teeth as he presented his index finger to rest above the silver medallion.

    "I do not know whether it was the hundreds of years spent accompanying His Imperial Majesty, or your scheming attitude was inborn, but it is indeed frightening."

    From the tip of his finger, a silver light shone onto the medallion, and the coin vibrated. Gradually, the outline of a river was etched onto the unblemished surface, oddly complementing the phoenix of flames.

    "Oh please, do call it vivacity, don''t give it some shoddy label of ''scheming''," Feng Yu Xin waved her hand, blatantly ignoring the bloodthirsty expression on Wei Xuan''s countenance.

    Crack!

    The silver medallion suddenly snapped into two equal portions, a rift permanently separating the phoenix and the silver river.

    Nodding in satisfaction, the empress stowed away the silver half into her robes, motioning for the minister to take the phoenix.

    Wei Xuan frowned and pondered in silence for a long moment, before finally reaching out to grasp the phoenix half of the medallion.

    Stowing it away in a safe location, the minister stood from his seat, clasping his hands in a jianghu''s salute.

    "Minister Wei does not follow the official''s greeting?" Feng Yu Xin smiled, her frivolous and relaxed demeanor no longer present, instead displaying the domineering might of the Imperial Family.

    "This minister indeed does not, and shall bear farewell," Wei Xuan replied in an even tone, his eyes gleaming with an unfathomable light.

    "This minister hopes that Your Imperial Highness does not forget the oath."

    "Of course not," the empress'' smile deepened.

    "Do not worry, bengong knows how to keep one''s promises."

 108 An Encroaching Sense of Foreboding 1

    "Leaving¡­ Jiang''an?"

    Accompanied by the gentle spring breeze, the news struck An Fei''s mind with the astounding force of a nuclear warhead. The young girl gaped at the solemn minister, her mind skidding to a halt.

    "Father, why¡­ do I have to leave Jiang''an?"

    "This¡­" Wei Xuan hesitated, before reaching over to firmly pat the girl''s head in an attempt to console her agitation.

    The minister''s lips struggled and quivered as they attempted to dislodge the heavy burden, but ultimately surrendered with a heartfelt sigh.

    "Father doesn''t want you to leave Jiang''an, ah. However, the Imperial Palace listed your name as one of the numerous participants for the special opportunity granted by the Taiyi Sect. Father tried to contend against the edict, but the emperor¡­"

    "Special opportunity? What special opportunity?" the girl indignantly demurred, the cracked scarlet irises glinting with a hint of annoyance.

    "What''s more, a special opportunity from the Taiyi Sect? Isn''t that where Eldest Brother studied at, this edict is essentially commanding me to die in an unknown wasteland, no?"

    "Ahem¡­ Father managed to convince the empress to accompany you on the trip. If you disguise yourself as one of her followers, the trip should be reasonably safe and secure¡­"

    Wei Xuan wiped beads of sweat from his brow, ready to pounce upon the young girl at the slightest inclination that she released her frustration.

    Staring at An Fei who appeared to be on the verge of exploding in a completely justified anger, the minister couldn''t help but harbor a strand of guilt in his heart.

    ¡­a little strand of guilt, but the sword''s sharpness couldn''t be ignored, ah!

    "¡­is the empress even secure?"

    The young girl''s mutter filtered into the minister''s ears, jolting him awake from his momentary daze.

    "From what Eldest Brother said, even the emperor has to bow to the Taiyi Sect. How would traveling with the empress serve any purpose of saf-"

    "Quiet, lass!"

    Wei Xuan hurriedly reached over across the table separating the two in the pavilion to block An Fei from speaking any further.

    His eyes glancing furtively from side to side, the minister tapped the back of the young girl''s ears, softly muttering while continuing to block her lips.

    "With Father''s influence in the court, you can slander the emperor any way you wish, and he''ll even laugh along. Just don''t mention the empress in any negative statement, otherwise the golden seal will stamp you into oblivion¡­"

    "Oh¡­"

    An Fei mouthed after Wei Xuan had removed his hand. Biting into a piece of juicy and tender meat that had rested atop of the rice for a little too long, the young girl paused for a moment, before her eyes gleamed with interest as she glanced upward towards the ravenously eating minister.

    "Father, does the emperor have more beauties in his backyard than just the empress? After all, he should have more than Father does, right?"

    The carefully prepared combination of scallions, green onions, and a tantalizing strip of roasted beef slipped from Wei Xuan''s chopsticks to scatter across his bowl.

    "¡­little lass, why are you even interested in the harems of other men, ah!?"

    Alas, nobody could give witness to the minister''s aggrieved cries except for an Eldest Young Master holing himself in the study of the Flowing Wind Residence.

    ¨C

    "¡­Father, can you tell me the specifics of why I''m supposed to leave Jiang''an?"

    An Fei inquired whilst moving a plate of dishes to the washing basin.

    Dumping the plates into the warm soapy water, the girl proceeded to grab the scrubber covered with thick linen, scouring each plate with a fierce rub.

    "This¡­ then I''ll have to speak from the beginning then¡­"

    Wei Xuan replied in an absentminded tone, wistfully gazing at the assortment of knives and pots before him. Rolling up his sleeves, the minister settled himself onto the narrow stool, beginning the grisly task of washing cast iron pots and sharp knives.

    ¡­after all, the servants within the Wei manor were currently undergoing a harsh screening, and would not return for quite the long period of time.

    Though he didn''t mind spending a few silvers buying an exquisite meal for the Eldest Young Master and the Fourth Young Miss who were confined to the study, Wei Xuan wanted to experience cooking for himself.

    ¡­other than An Fei accidently setting his robes on fire and he nearly flooding the pots with cooking oil, everything proceeded in a smooth and fine manner¡­?

    "After your Eldest Brother came home, the Taiyi Sect dispatched messengers to the three empires'' ruling families to notify them of a special opportunity to cultivate. This opportunity was a completed set of cultivation and martial arts techniques, and was confirmed by the Sect''s elders to be capable of reaching beyond the Nascent Soul Realm, perhaps even into the fabled Mortal Tribulation Realm¡­"

    "¡­didn''t Father say that the emperor of Great Yong was only that of an early-staged Nascent Soul Realm cultivator?" the young girl paused to gaze at the minister.

    "Such a treasure, and the Taiyi Sect is willing to share it with the three empires of the continent?"

    "Hmph, that''s because they lack capable practitioners to cultivate in the technique!" Wei Xuan snorted with a cold gaze.

    Ravaging the cast iron wok before him with the scrubber, the minister vented his frustration, magnifying the object''s suffering by a considerable margin.

    "From what that messenger spoke about, the treasured technique requires a practitioner with a major Yin physique to cultivate in it. Surprisingly, those diagnosed with cold deficiency also are granted the exclusive opportunity."

    "Major Yin¡­ physique?"

    An Fei murmured as she arranged the plates onto the drying rack. Her gaze distant and fleeting, the young girl instinctively frowned in confusion.

    "All people in the world are born with a type of physique attributed in either Yin or Yang, regardless of whether they can cultivate or not," Wei Xuan explained with a tense smile, tossing away the scrubber.

    Hoisting the washing basins into the air, the minister carried them towards the drainage canal, depositing the used water without any hesitation.

    "Great Yong''s facilities are truly great compared to other places¡­ anyways! Those with a physique that is attributed towards Yin or Yang generally exhibit widely noticeable traits ¨C either in their cultivation, or their demeanor at the initial stages of cultivation."

    "Yang physiques are more compatible with cultivation and martial arts techniques attributed towards Yang, and the same for Yin is true as well," the minister stretched, directing a warm glance towards the girl.

    "Major or minor Yang or Yin, those are just relative references to the balance of Yang and Yin attributed vitality within their physique. As for those with a mixed physique, hmph, they can easily practice any cultivation technique without worry, or be unable to endeavor in a single one."

    "But what about cold deficiency?"

    An Fei questioned with a sharp gaze. Counting on her fingers, the girl ruminated in a soft tone, though easily captured by the minister.

    "Impaired functionality for several physical functions, including blood circulation and body temperature¡­ a weak pulse, and severe lethargy¡­ How does that help in cultivation whatsoever?"

    "That''s the mystery behind the declared treasure possessed by the Taiyi Sect!" Wei Xuan walked over to embrace the young girl.

    Patting An Fei on the back, the minister gazed at the clear blue sky, his eyes flashing with an imperceptible glint.

    "Cold deficiency generally hinders the critical components of the body required to cultivate, hence such ailment is considered taboo for practitioners. Whether they are truly capable of revolutionizing cultivation to permit those with cold deficiency to cultivate or they possess a nefarious plot, who knows?"

    "But don''t worry so much about it," the minister squeezed the young girl sandwiched between his arms.

    "Father has already gotten the empress to promise that if you don''t want to partake in the special opportunity, she''ll bring you right back. However¡­ the empress is also overseeing the entire convoy, so Fei''er does have to leave Jiang''an¡­"

    "In the end, I still have to leave the city¡­ that I haven''t even toured the streets of?" the young girl murmured, her emotions clawing at her heart.

    "That is truly a blunder¡­"

    The minister and the Fourth Young Miss simultaneously released a heartfelt sigh.

    "¡­Father, do you know who exactly enlisted my name without asking for my consent?"

    An Fei suddenly blurted out from within Wei Xuan''s embrace, her voice muffled by the minister''s robes. A flush of awkwardness dyed his countenance scarlet, and Wei Xuan quickly released the young girl to realize that other than appearing slightly discomfited, there was no harm done.

    "Why do you ask?" the minister tilted his head, a blank expression shrouding his countenance.

    "Because your daughter wants to abuse her father''s authority to beat that person up! Since Father can slander the emperor without fearing punishment, surely that wouldn''t be an issue, no?"

    Wei Xuan could only pat the girl''s head in a doting manner, though his heart bled torrents of panic and resolve.

    Little lass, the person who registered your name onto the black monolith has relations with the empress; that would be a tough burden for your Father to handle, ah!

    It would be a different story altogether if Father were to release a few seals to vent your frustration, but then your Father''s master would come and beat your Father to death, ah!

    "Fei''er, do you have any plans for today? Father doesn''t have to go to court today, do you want to do something?"

    "Then¡­" An Fei paused, her right cheek filled with air in thought. Before the minister could poke it with his finger, the young girl quickly retracted her cheek, distracting him with her next words.

    "Then I want to tour the streets and have some fun; I haven''t been able to explore outside of the study. Also, if the First Madam could come along, that would be nice."

 109 An Encroaching Sense of Foreboding 2

    "Miaolan¡­?"

    Wei Xuan repeated, completely taken aback. Staring at the young girl with narrowed eyes, the minister couldn''t help but frown at the outlandish suggestion.

    "Fei''er, why do you want to tour the streets with Miaolan? Shouldn''t you be asking to play with your mother?"

    For a brief moment, Wei Xuan observed An Fei''s complexion darken at the mention of Luo Shuyan.

    Though the young girl returned her countenance to display a bored expression, the minister swore to his heart that he had seen a tinge of hatred course through the cracked irises.

    ¡­just what was going on?

    "¡­I¡­ don''t like the Second Madam¡­" An Fei finally murmured under her breath, her gaze distant and fleeting.

    "Father, can we just go with the First Madam, and not argue about this matter?"

    Wei Xuan carefully inspected An Fei''s gaze for a long moment, before releasing a heavy sigh.

    Reaching over to pat the girl''s head, the minister''s countenance broke with a warm smile.

    "Go get dressed. Father''ll let Miaolan know that we''re leaving to explore the city later today."

    The young girl nodded before her figure fleeted from the pavilion, her beautiful countenance beaming with happiness.

    Watching An Fei''s back as she raced into the study of the Flowing Wind Residence, Wei Xuan frowned for a few seconds before departing for the Slumbering Dawn Residence.

    Perhaps, one day, he would know why his daughter seemed so antagonistic towards Luo Shuyan.

    Shuyan was such an adorable and soft woman, what could be there to hate?

    ¨C

    When An Fei finally stepped from the Wei manor''s with permission to fully roam the streets, the world exploded before her eyes.

    Beyond the massive double doors that formed the manor''s main entrance, stretched a remarkably long street that extended past the fringes of her vision on either side.

    Scents, sounds, and lights dazzled before the young girl, the stimulus quite overpowering that An Fei''s body instinctively froze and slumped in place.

    She¡­ she had lived in the cacophonous and endlessly busy streets of Shanghai and Beijing before, but¡­ Jiang''an was on a wholly different scale.

    "Fresh Blue Freshwater Ridge fish for sale! One grilled fish, three coppers!"

    "For the Young Masters and Young Misses seeking to improve skin health and tone, the Red Knowledge Pavilion is open with a special discount!"

    "Come, come, everybody! Boss Ma will be revealing a new dish for his restaurant, it''ll be worth the few silvers!"

    "Martial Arts! Martial arts techniques and weaponry available at the Cold Iron Shop!"

    "Prospective students, the Jiang Lin Academy is accepting new entrants until the end of next week!"

    Loud roars slammed her ears from either side; regardless of where she looked, An Fei could only spot store after store, stall after stall, people and even more people advertising their warehouses of cosmetics, assortments of martial arts techniques and special weapons, food, more food, and¡­ more food.

    If Sheng Miaolan and Wei Xuan had not secured both of her arms and secured her against their bodies, the young girl would have long collapsed in shock.

    "Fei''er, are you alright?"

    Wei Xuan carefully asked, fluttering his fingers before An Fei''s eyes. The young girl seemed especially jittery and rooted to the floor, trembling whenever someone called into the street, and unable to take a foot from the Wei manor.

    An Fei nodded with a stuttering motion, her head stiff from the shock.

    "Alright, Lord Minister need not worry," Sheng Miaolan interjected from the side. Clasping the girl''s hands into hers, the First Madam blew a breath of warm air, thoroughly arousing An Fei back to reality.

    "Come, let us explore! Lord Minister, where should we start?"

    Compared to the previously catatonic An Fei and awkward Wei Xuan, the usually reticent and timid First Madam of Wei''s movements were akin to a fish wading through a river as she dragged the two through the street without any hesitation.

    Before the young girl could even blink, she found a smiling, middle-aged visage looming in her vision.

    "Young Madam, anything you may require from the Blooming Scarlet House?" the middle-aged man inquired in a deferential tone, performing a low bow towards Sheng Miaolan.

    "Nothing as of yet, this one is just visiting around, to observe whether anything is suitable for my daughter."

    The First Madam airily responded, her countenance displaying a slight, polite smile that deferred any questions.

    Helplessly glancing at the girl whose appearance was nearly completely concealed save for a pair of eyes, the middle-aged man gestured towards the store.

    "Then, please! Zhongkui does not possess much things to recommend to the Young Madam, but perhaps the Boss possesses some novelties."

    Her hand led by Wei Xuan, An Fei''s eyes blinked and roamed around as the entered the cosmetics store. The outside was hardly anything but ordinary with a plain signboard of a scarlet wood, and a worker standing guard by the door.

    Yet, from either side of her, the young girl could spot numerous people entering and exiting the Blooming Scarlet House, their expressions generally contented and joyful.

    ¡­and to say from the bottom of her heart, the interior workings of the Blooming Scarlet House was indeed astounding and pleasing to the eye.

    The faint scent of aromatic sandalwood first drifted into her nose, followed by a gentle atmosphere of natural wooden furniture and exquisite woodcraft on all sides of the wall.

    Regardless of where she turned around, An Fei could see ink paintings of beautiful women in dancing apparel, and¡­ hundreds upon hundreds of jars lining the shelves underneath.

    Moisturizers, softening creams, rouge, perfumes, cream-type concealers, foundations, and what seemed to be jars of face powder ¨C anything the young girl could imagine, the Blooming Scarlet House seemed to display on its shelves.

    "Placing those directly in the open¡­ wouldn''t the shopkeeper be worried that someone may steal them?"

    "No worries about that," Wei Xuan chuckled.

    "The Blooming Scarlet House is known as the direct property of the Fourth Prince''s consort ¨C nobody in their right mind would dare steal from an Imperial''s storehouse, much less argue about the price. Though it looks shabby on the outside, the Blooming Scarlet House is definitely one of the more popular cosmetic stores in Jiang''an ¨C they even possess four branch stores along the Street of Everlasting Wealth, the most prestigious street in the city!"

    The First Madam added from An Fei''s left; squeezing the young girl''s hand, Sheng Miaolan strode forward towards a nearby shelf, her delicate fingers trailing over the wooden plaques underneath the shelves, reading the descriptions one by one.

    Possessing little to no knowledge regarding cosmetics, Wei Xuan was ruthlessly abandoned by the woman as she excitedly pulled An Fei from one place to another, as if she were the young girl granted the opportunity to shop.

    "The Beauty Softening Cream obtained from this store is truly the most spectacular," the First Madam chuckled, picking a jar from the shelf and handing it to a young worker following her.

    "Applying it twice a day, at sunbreak and sunset, will soften any wrinkles or unnecessary folds on the skin ¨C making it as soft as silk."

    "Oh, and the Blooming Scarlet House''s concealers are miraculous products as well. Even the empress dowager praised them for their ability to remove any blemish on the skin within seventy-two hours, even those caused by an unnatural source!"

    "Unnatural source¡­ so it''s also medicine?" An Fei echoed, her eyes widening at the rate of which Sheng Miaolan snatched at the jars on the shelves.

    Watching the First Madam of Wei dispatch a prospective buyer with a slight smile to snatch the final jar of rouge, the young girl did not know whether to laugh or cry.

    What''s wrong with these females ¨C the jars of cosmetics in the Blooming Scarlet House are creating mayhem!

    "Don''t worry about any side effects of the cosmetics here!" the woman patted An Fei''s cheeks with a warm smile.

    "The Blooming Scarlet House was established by none other than the Fourth Prince''s wangfei; with the Imperial Family''s prestige on the line, who would dare scheme the customers with false medicinal goods? Every single product in here is guaranteed to be naturally made of the purest ingredients, otherwise a large scandal would erupt in the city."

    Sheng Miaolan waved towards the female worker trailing behind them, indicating that they had finished.

    With a beaming smile on her countenance, the worker quickly returned with a large bag containing the carefully packaged jars.

    "Young Madam, that would be forty seven taels of silver."

    "Mm!" the First Madam nodded, completing the exchange without batting an eye. The worker gave a low bow, before rushing off to latch onto other prospective fish streaming within the store.

    Awkwardly holding onto the bag that was thrust into her arms, An Fei gazed at Sheng Miaolan with a confused expression.

    "First Madam¡­ this¡­" the young girl finally murmured, her countenance distorted at the weight of the cosmetics.

    "Isn''t this¡­a little too much? Buying cosmetics is one thing, but surely I can easily obtain this much over multiple meaningful trips¡­"

    "No way!" the First Madam cried out, grasping An Fei''s shoulders with a worried complexion.

    "By Jiang''an''s customs, you can only show yourself in public when Yan''er has gotten married, and Yue''er can only show herself in public after you''ve gotten married. Until then, you can''t leave the manor, which is why everything related to cosmetics, dresses, or accessories, we have to buy now, there wouldn''t be another opportunity for years otherwise!"

    "Oh¡­"

    Why did social custom in Jiang''an have to be this convoluted?

 110 An Encroaching Sense of Foreboding 3

    As it turned out, though Wei Xuan was cognizant of a scant amount of knowledge regarding the cosmetics, apparel, or accessories enjoyed by women, he was an excellent worker at carrying luggage.

    Noticing that the girl seemed to be struggling to carry the unusually heavy bag of cosmetics from the Blooming Scarlet House, the minister instantly swooped in to take the load from her hands, refusing to give it back.

    And henceforth, the First Madam, emboldened by the notion of strolling the market streets of Jiang''an, promptly deposited all other bags into the minister''s arms.

    "Fei''er, as you can see, the Shattered Star Continent primarily relies on three modes of currency," Sheng Miaolan carefully explained to the young girl between bites of zongzi, her other hand displaying three coins of copper, silver, and gold.

    Each coin was delicately carved, with inscriptions of the character ''Yong'' and a date circumventing the center.

    "Shattered Star Continent?" the girl echoed in confusion.

    "Hehe, that''s just the name our ancestors bestowed onto the continent ¨C but enough about that! The first unit is the copper coin, and is usually utilized to purchase commonplace objects such as food from stalls, books, libraries offering a rental service, and some cosmetics places. The copper coin, though lacking in value compared to the other modes of currency, is oftentimes utilized as the standard currency in the three great empires."

    "Next, there is the silver coin, equivalent to a tael of silver and approximately three quarters of a silver liang," the First Madam tossed the silver coin into the air, stowing the copper coin into her purse hidden underneath the folds of her robe.

    "More noble institutions and businesses charge their services and goods in the silver coin, though several may utilize the copper coin as the base standard. Moreover, a hundred copper coins is equivalent in value to a silver coin, and silver liang is utilized more often in larger, bulk transactions compared to the silver tael''s more common usage."

    "Bulk transactions¡­ such as buying properties?" An Fei asked in a quiet voice, her mouth chewing onto a piece of candied hawtorn.

    "That''s correct, though tools and artefacts of a certain quality and above are additionally charged by the silver liang."

    Wei Xuan suddenly interjected, a warm smile on his countenance as he neared the two women.

    Jutting his head between the young girl and mature woman''s shoulders, the minister opened his mouth, waiting to be fed whilst maintaining his steady pace.

    "Then finally, the gold coin, with the same conversions into the tael and liang," Sheng Miaolan chuckled as she tenderly fed Wei Xuan a long strip of youtiao.

    As the minister closed his eyes in bliss, the golden coin flipped through the air to land into An Fei''s delicate palm.

    "Great Yong''s officials are paid in the gold coin regardless of rank, though the amount in which they earn differs. The use of the gold coin is thoroughly restricted to the highest level of transactions regarding artefacts and items of the highest quality or of remarkable rarity."

    "The gold coin is equivalent to a hundred and fifty silver coins, so don''t lose it, little lass!"

    Wei Xuan squinted his eyes towards the young girl in a mock glare, though his smiling countenance suggested otherwise.

    Fifteen thousand copper coins were clenched within her tiny hand!?

    An Fei gave a start, nearly allowing the gold coin to slip through her fingers and get lost within the street. Swallowing a dry gulp, the young girl quickly shoved the coin back into the First Madam''s purse, shaking her head all the while.

    The minister and First Madam broke into laughter upon witnessing the embarrassed flush spanning An Fei''s countenance.

    Saying no more, the trio entered a rather well-known restaurant, to bless their ravenous stomachs with delightfully delicious food.

    As for the hungry Eldest Young Master holed up in the study, he could¡­ wait.

    ¨C

    In the Imperial Palace, one imperial physician wandered around within his courtyard, his expression vacant and devoid of consciousness. His steps faltered as he aimlessly tread on the pathways of polished stone, though his motions contained an unfathomable rhythm and swaying.

    "This doesn''t seem right¡­ if she had any symptom of cold deficiency, then what about that unusual pulse¡­"

    Feng Tian Mu murmured, the fingers of his right hand curling and relaxing as his eyes remained shut.

    His vision remained blocked, but his sea of perception replayed scene after scene of a young girl''s pulse, as well as the state of the meridians, blood vessels, and conditions of the inner organs of her body.

    "If it were cold deficiency, then¡­" the imperial physician mused, his fingers drawing symbols in the air.

    The heartbeat instantly became detached and feeble, yet the secondary pulse resounded within his ears like the surging of a war drum.

    The bloodstreams and meridians depreciated in the vitality surging through the channels, causing the spiritual essence within the body to diminish to about a tenth of its original reserves.

    "This should be the original symptoms of cold deficiency, only¡­"

    "¡­Brother Feng truly loves to study medicinal texts, immersing himself to become oblivious to his surroundings," a young girl''s voice rang out from the entrance of the courtyard, dispelling Feng Tian Mu''s tranquil mental state.

    The Imperial Physician revealed a disgruntled expression as he glared at the intruder, his brows twitching with the tempting intention to throw the young girl out of his courtyard.

    In the end, he threw up his hands in aggravated defeat, directing a persistent gaze of disapproval towards the intruder.

    "This physician is already owed a favor by the Third Young Miss of Wei," the physician growled.

    "If the Third Young Miss deigns to owe another favor, then Tian Mu shall consider it; otherwise, please depart from my courtyard."

    Wei Rou Yan revealed a dazzling smile, dancing forward to spin around the irritable physician, her fingers trailing on his chin. Noticing his ire flexing its grasp towards the heavens, the young girl took a step back, wrinkling her nose at the strong medicinal odor.

    "Oh, Brother Feng does not need to worry; Rou Yan has indeed come for another favor," the Third Young Miss dipped into a mock curtsey.

    "Brother Feng only needs to convince the Empress to allow for one of my servants to accompany my Fourth Little Sister during the trip. Otherwise, as her elder sister, how could I watch my younger sister walk into a dangerous path alone?"

    "Then go ask the Empress yourself; the Third Young Miss has no need to seek this physician''s help for such a trifling matter," Feng Tian Mu replied with a deadpan expression.

    "This physician cannot help the Third Young Miss for this favor. Please return, there are still many herbs to be tended to."

    The Imperial Physician, under the astounded gaze of the Third Young Miss of Wei, pushed the beautiful maiden out of his courtyard, before slamming the doors shut and activating the locking mechanism with an audible click.

    Wei Rou Yan stared at the locked doors for a brief moment, before stomping her feet in mock frustration.

    "If I could even get the Empress to allow me in dispatching a servant, would I have asked for a second favor¡­"

    ¨C

    "Fei''er, did you have enough fun?"

    Wei Xuan fiddled with a silver coin, directing a doting gaze towards An Fei. His hand pet the young girl''s hair in an absentminded mood, causing the latter to bristle with embarrassment and Sheng Miaolan directly hugging the minister''s arm.

    "Lord Minister, you mustn''t only dote on your daughter," the First Madam cooed in a coy and suggestive manner.

    "You should dote on your maidens, I also want my head pet!"

    An exasperated expression immediately erupted onto Wei Xuan''s countenance, and the minister withdrew his hand to knock the First Madam''s forehead with his knuckles.

    "You''re still acting like that in secret, this minister shall deal with you later tonig-"

    Deng!

    Interrupting Wei Xuan''s words was a deafening roar as a heavy bell rang from the end of the street.

    Moments later, the cacophony of a hundred bells chiming at the same time ravaged the streets of Jiang''an, causing the wandering onlookers, noble Young Masters and Young Misses, businessmen, scholars, and officials to glance towards the sky.

    As they expected, the proclamation following the ringing of the bell was indeed earthshattering.

    "The Taiyi Sect has accumulated enough participants! All are to prepare to depart in three days, and only participants may attend, and accompanying servants are not permitted!"

 111 An Encroaching Sense of Foreboding 4

    "Lord Minister, the Imperial carriage has arrived."

    Sheng Miaolan called from the entrance of the study room, her countenance slightly warped in anxiousness.

    The woman hoisted a leather bag around her right shoulder, her hands holding a set of rings and a jade necklace.

    "Alright, I''ll be out in just one moment."

    Wei Xuan''s muffled voice rang from within the depths of the study, muted by the dense layers of furniture and cloth.

    A few minutes of rustling cloth and staggered steps, the minister finally emerged to wave towards the First Madam, pushing a young girl before him with hands on her shoulders.

    "Fei''er, when you''re outside, you must not let anyone near you make contact," Wei Xuan cautioned in an unusually stern voice.

    "Speak little to your peers, no more than necessary. If anyone makes a request from you, try to avoid it as much as possible."

    Taken aback, An Fei stared at Wei Xuan''s worried countenance for a solid moment, the pair of scarlet irises blinking from behind the veil.

    "¡­En."

    Observing the young girl before him nod obediently without any demur, the minister revealed a warm smile. Taking the First Madam''s hand, Wei Xuan and Sheng Miaolan carefully escorted the young girl out of the Flowing Wind Residence, and towards the entrance of the Wei manor.

    There, through the wooden doors that usually barred the streets of Jiang''an from encroaching into a peaceful territory unlike other official''s residence, stood a magnificent carriage.

    Large, elegant, and constructed of the highest quality blackwood obtained from Great Yan''s most prestigious woodcraft pavilion, was the empress'' personal carriage.

    The rectangular structure spanned a length of eight meters, a height of two meters, and a width of five meters. Even as she stood from afar, An Fei could easily spot the numerous engravings and sculptures of phoenixes and swallows of gold span around the entire carriage.

    It was¡­ indeed rather domineering and extravagant.

    Standing around it forced the young girl to nervously swallow, her eyes narrowing in trepidation.

    "¡­this is the last we can accompany you, ah," Sheng Miaolan sighed, spinning An Fei''s body to face the woman.

    Removing the leather bag from her shoulder and slinging it around the young girl''s neck, the First Madam patted An Fei''s cheeks, a doting smile transfixed on her beautiful countenance.

    "Since Fei''er can''t take too much, your Father and I could only pack little compared to what we had originally planned before. Inside are a several medicines and ointments with their descriptions and a few changes of clothes, but you would definitely need far more than that¡­"

    "Minister Wei, have you finished preparing?"

    An elegant and distinguished voice rang from besides the carriage, quickly cutting across the First Madam''s trailing voice.

    Turning around, An Fei spotted a woman dressed in a scarlet robe embroidered with golden phoenixes and mulberry leaves striding towards them, the long sleeves extending below her waist as if wings expanded from her back.

    "Your Imperial Highness," Wei Xuan forced a smile onto his countenance.

    "This minister has indeed finished preparing. My daughter can depart immediately."

    "Then that''s good," Feng Yu Xin nodded in response, her gaze sweeping over the young girl. Without sparing another glance, the woman fluttered her eyelashes once, before returning towards the imperial carriage with a sweep of her arm.

    "The little girl here, follow bengong. You shall be under bengong''s care until we arrive at the Taiyi Sect."

    Looking towards Wei Xuan and Sheng Miaolan for their opinion, An Fei eventually began walking towards the blackwood carriage with faltering steps.

    Before she passed through the double doors guarding the Wei manor, the minister grasped her hand, causing the young girl to halt.

    "Your Imperial Highness, please do remember your promise."

    "Minister Wei need not worry," Feng Yu Xin flashed half of a silver medallion towards the minister.

    "Bengong does not forget her promises."

    The minister grit his teeth, before reaching deep into his chest pocket. Ushering An Fei to step closer, Wei Xuan brusquely stuffed a silk pouch into her hands, before whispering into her ear.

    "This is just a little trivial gift for now; when you return, Father will have numerous trinkets and jewelry for you to play with," the minister hurried, his eyes flickering from An Fei''s countenance to the figure of the empress.

    "The empress will protect you until you reach the Taiyi Sect. If you don''t want to partake in the opportunity, just come back at once."

    "En," An Fei nodded gravely, her eyes wide with caution.

    Seeing that the young girl had finally raised her vigilance, Wei Xuan clapped her shoulder, escorting her until her feet finally stepped into the carriage.

    "Little lass, don''t forget to come back, ah!"

    "Father¡­" the young girl murmured from the steps. "I''ll miss you¡­"

    Under the persuasion of the driver, An Fei climbed the remaining steps and entered the cabin of the carriage, the smiling figures of Sheng Miaolan and Wei Xuan imprinted in her mind.

    As she quickly found a seat in the corner of the carriage, the young girl couldn''t help but purse her lips, a rather unsettling premonition tugging at her heart.

    "Jia!"

    The carriage driver flicked his whip, and eight horses pulled as one, sending the carriage into motion.

    Watching the exquisite carriage constructed of boxwood quickly fade away into the distance, the First Madam turned to gaze at the solemn minister, an unsettled expression displayed on her countenance.

    "Lord Minister, are you alright?" Sheng Miaolan anxiously rubbed at Wei Xuan''s creased forehead.

    "I''m perfectly fine, Miaolan does not need to worry."

    The minister revealed a fleeting smile, playfully catching the First Madam''s arms and holding them behind her head. Wrapping a hand around her waist, Wei Xuan slowly steered the unwilling woman into the Slumbering Dawn Residence with a wolfish gaze.

    "Lord Minister, Miaolan still feels that Fei''er may come into- "

    "Enough," Wei Xuan chided, silencing the woman with a finger on her hips.

    "Don''t jinx my precious daughter, ah!"

    "This¡­ but I ¨C "

    "Enough rambling, alright? Unless you want this minister to pull out the ribbons again¡­"

    ¨C

    In the carriage, the empress couldn''t help but massage her temples for the third time in an hour. Her eyes flickered throughout the carriage, roaming around the luxurious setting before finally settling onto the figure of a young girl.

    This young girl, ah!

    The inner workings of the carriage was lined with comfortable couches of exquisite fabric on all sides of the walls, and a fur rug covering the entirety of the floor.

    A large table at the center of the carriage was covered with vast assortments of snacks and candied fruits and nuts, a small incense burner merrily cheering away as it staved the chilly air of early spring.

    Unfortunately for the articles of furniture that weighed in at an eye-dazzling price of several hundred gold taels each, the young girl had only drawn a perfunctory gaze, before sitting at the corner of the closest couch. She didn''t greet the empress or become dumbfounded at the array of wealth before her eyes.

    And to top it off, she didn''t even say a single word before immediately falling asleep!?

    "I really should have pulled my weight as empress of Great Yong and have brought a few maidservants," Feng Yu Xin rolled her eyes, glancing wistfully at the rows of snacks and candied assortments.

    "¡­and to think that I prepared all of these for the young girl to eat¡­ oh well, perhaps Zhang''s child or Luo''s child would be more talkative and active than this Wei''s fourth little daughter¡­"

    Numbly chewing on a piece of candied hawthorn and having been unable to obtain a conversation partner, the empress instead devoted her time to studying the brazen young girl who dared to sleep in the empress'' presence.

    Other than the tips of her fingers, she really¡­ couldn''t see a single inch of skin.

    The girl was carefully dressed in a long pair of leather pants that even extended beyond her feet instead of a spring dress, with a rather thick linen coat covering the rest of her body from the knees and beyond.

    A single glance towards the girl''s veil and the soles of her feet confirmed to Feng Yu Xin that An Fei had dedicated herself to concealing her appearance, to the extent of only displaying her silky and glamorous hair, withdrawing everything else from sight.

    Truly an odd¡­ Young Miss from an official''s family.

    "Driver," the empress airily called towards the outside of the carriage. Crossing her legs, the woman released a bored sigh of air, giving the sleeping young girl an eyebrow raised with bemusement.

    "What is the next destination?"

    "Answering to Your Imperial Highness," the carriage driver respectfully responded.

    "Your Imperial Highness will arrive at the Right Imperial Censor Luo''s manor in half of a cup of tea''s time."

    "So be it, then."

    Feng Yu Xin sighed, leaning into the silky fabric of the couch, closing her eyes to take a brief nap.

    If the young women of the Right Imperial Censor Luo and Left Imperial Censor Zhang''s young girls were more talkative than this Wei Xuan''s fourth daughter, then she, Feng Yu Xin, can finally obtain some relaxation and fun on this otherwise menial and boring task.

    How dare he, that Wei Xuan, for forcing her onto this meaningless trip via a Faceless Token!?

    If only the empress had known that instead of sleeping, the young girl right besides her was fully awake and running around, then her expression¡­

 112 An Encroaching Sense of Foreboding 5

    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­"

    The rough and broken pants of a young girl resounded within the Sanctum, beads of sweat arising muted flashes of golden light that emanated from the crystalline floor.

    The atmosphere flowed with a gentle relaxing mood that calmed the mind and body, yet the young girl was busy torturing her body without end.

    "Fifty-one, fifty-two¡­"

    An Fei suppressed the groan of exhaustion that roared at her throat as it sought for release.

    Shaking her head twice to clear her thoughts, the young girl''s limbs trembled for a minute period of time before her body descended towards the ground once again.

    Each time she closed her eyes, the horrifyingly detailed projection of her body flashed before her consciousness.

    At this current moment, all but her liver was swathed in a brilliant golden glow. The numerous meridians, blood vessels, capillaries and muscles, and other inner organs revealed various degrees of the golden radiance emitted at a constant intensity.

    Clearly, over the course of the few weeks that she had obtained the extensive privilege of loitering around in the Sanctum, An Fei had obtained many benefits.

    Once the golden light erupted from her liver, she could be described as having completed the five pillars of the mortal Body Tempering Realm.

    Completing the Body Tempering Realm in less than six months was nothing short of amazing in the Shattered Star Continent, especially for someone who didn''t consume a single medicinal pill or recite a cultivation mnemonic.

    Had it been anyone else who had accomplished such a feat, they would be probably overflowing with joy towards their heavenly fate.

    Only, the young girl could display nothing more than a snort of disdain and fatigue.

    Advancing from the Pillar of Meridian to the Pillar of Inner Organs within a month, other than constantly consuming the spiritual panaceas of the Sanctum and exercising her body to unconsciousness each day, how else would she have attained such progress?

    "Seventy, Seventy¡­ one¡­"

    The young girl murmured, not even bothering to wipe away the sweat clinging to her body as she lowered herself towards the ground.

    Thankfully, she had stripped to the bare minimum, or she would have a soggy dress smothering her pores and creating a tactile nightmare.

    With each exercising movement, An Fei observed the mental projection of her body flicker as a strand of golden light entered through her pores.

    The golden light then began to permeate the rest of her body with an even distribution, even the dark liver that refused to attain any golden radiance.

    Truly, the initial stages of the is nothing but moving around, doing something in the Sanctum. Eating, exercise, studying, calligraphy practice, anything triggered the absorption of golden light¡­

    Exercising in the Sanctum of Eternity appeared as the most efficient method of exploiting the storm of divine essence overhead, though An Fei wasn''t exactly sure whether it was because her physical constitution was improving, or it combined the benefits obtained from breathing and exercise into a healthy package¡­

    "E¡­eighty!"

    Releasing a heavy sigh as she pushed herself upright, An Fei allowed her body to drop onto the crystalline floor, greedily embracing the warm crystal surface and the bath of golden light.

    The young girl remained against the ground without changing her posture, far too exhausted to do so.

    In fifteen minutes'' time, she was to complete another¡­ round of exercise.

    "This¡­" An Fei murmured in dissatisfaction as she rubbed the muscles of her abdomen and limbs.

    "How come they feel so frail after so much work? Back then, three weeks of this did trigger a physical change¡­"

    After improving her constitution significantly under the ''help'' of Xiao Ying, the young girl''s physique had indeed received a visual change; her bodily frame no longer appeared malnourished, though it was exceedingly delicate compared to others.

    Even after persistently exercising her body in the Sanctum and maintaining a healthy diet, An Fei''s appearance didn''t experience another transformation at all.

    Fortunately, her strength, agility, and stamina had increased greatly compared to before, causing the girl to quickly drop her doubts.

    Inhaling a deep breath of refreshing air, An Fei quickly rolled onto her back, ignoring the screams of her body as they lamented in exhaustion.

    "One¡­"

    The young girl quickly contracted her abdominal muscles, compressing her frame as it curled upwards at a stead pace. Resting her chin over her pressed knees and locking her body into the position with a fierce embrace, An Fei slowly counted to fifty in her mind.

    The mental count exceedingly aggravated the burning sensation of her muscles, forcing the girl to grit her teeth to maintain the uncomfortable position.

    The instant the golden number had revealed its presence, An Fei relaxed her body and carefully unfurled herself back onto the crystalline ground.

    Only to repeat the painful set of actions a second, a third, a fourth time¡­ until she reached eighty cycles.

    Instead of repeating this fitness program each day, An Fei desperately wanted to climb that ladder instead, ah!

    ¨C

    Having witnessed another round of a young girl''s agonized cries escaping through gritted teeth, the activity in the Sanctum finally calmed down a little. An Fei had returned to the Archives of Time following a scrumptious and reward meal and bath, a sheet of paper grasped in her hand.

    The young girl''s brow furrowed in concentration, before suddenly relaxing.

    "Converge!"

    Galvanized by An Fei''s command, the spiritual essence coiled around her heart exposed its head, before unraveling a strand of light of twenty centimeters.

    Proceeding to extend out of the heart cavity, the thread of light snapped from the main cluster, breaking into two equal halves before blazing towards two distinctive regions of her body.

    Once again, the spiritual essence charged into the Bingfeng and Tianzong acupuncture points, and in mere seconds, An Fei could hear a faint rustle of air. The light breeze playfully whispered into her ear, tracing the loose strands of hair around it.

    "Death by the sword!"

    "Death by the pen!"

    The Tianzong acupuncture point erupted with a dense orange brilliance, whilst the Bingfeng acupuncture released a cyan radiance.

    An Fei stared blankly at the paper clenched in her hand, attempting to restrain herself from reaching over to massage her right shoulder that had transformed into two pools, one hot and the other cold.

    The mixed sensation was unique enough, but her shoulder was soon spared from prolonged torment as the two pools of spiritual essence altered by the acupuncture point flooded into the Governing Vessel.

    The modified, Yang-attributed spiritual essence intermingled with the Yin-attributed spiritual essence, akin to a pair of dragons coiled around the other in an unending struggle.

    Once the polarized spiritual essence entered the Governing Vessel, they could only fuse into a neutral mixture, or fizzle into nothingness.

    Given the Sanctum''s uncanny pride against the mortal cultivation technique of the , it didn''t take long for a burst of spiritual essence to erupt from the fingertip of her right index finger, an illusionary lotus petal of white to float above.

    "So mysterious, ah¡­" the young girl sighed, placing away the set of papers onto the drawing table to play with the white lotus petal using both hands.

    "I can''t even trace how the fusion process is conducted, even with a mental projection provided by the Sanctum¡­"

    With a mere fluctuation of her thoughts, the tiny lotus petal vibrated, soaring into the air to burst forth with a blinding light.

    The white light corroded the form of the lotus petal, the cellulose and organic matter rapidly being replaced with a metallic substance¡­

    Hong!

    The mass of white light revealed a massive roar, the radiance roughly stripped away to reveal the deadly edge of a sharpened blade. The sword without a grip came to a rest level with the young girl''s chest, allowing An Fei to inspect the creation with ease.

    Just under a meter in length and a few centimeters wide, and the thickness limited to half a centimeter.

    The fringes of the blade were adorned with flowing inscriptions of numerous characters and symbols unrecognizable to the eye, the smooth blade reflecting a heavy desire of seeking blood.

    ¡­definitely not the intention of a , but it was still a satisfactory result.

    When An Fei noticed that the clustered spiritual essence within her heart cavity had obtained another centimeter''s in length of the golden light, her smile grew ever more radiant.

    Sitting into a comfortable chair, the young girl leaned back, turning the sword into a lotus petal, then back into a sword, before having it soar through the limited space that constituted the seventeenth archive of the Archives of Time¡­

    "Should¡­ should I attempt a second channel?"

    ¡­greedy hearts couldn''t ever be satisfied, ah.

    "Forget it," the girl murmured to herself, allowing the sword to dissipate into fragments of white light.

    Reciting a short phrase, An Fei''s figure vanished from the Sanctum to be greeted by a rather¡­ interesting welcome.

 113 An Encroaching Sense of Foreboding 5

    The quiet interior of the carriage had been completely eradicated, instead suffused with bubbly laughter and giggling.

    When An Fei finally opened her eyes, the young girl noticed before her, two maidens and one empress seated around the table, exchanging jokes and stories without any regard for social distinction of an empress and her subjects.

    One maiden was an attractive belle around the age of fifteen years, dressed in a begonia spring dress with long sleeves trailing onto the floor. The black hair was strung in a single ponytail that coiled around the right shoulder, exuding a mesmerizing aura.

    The other was more refined in appearance, with her hair carefully gathered around her waist. Dressed in a white robe, the maiden sat with her back facing An Fei as she chatted with the empress, her elegant fingers fluttering in small movements.

    "Oh? Your Imperial Highness, the girl woke up!"

    The maiden in the begonia spring dress called out after noticing that An Fei''s eyes had opened.

    Faced with three pairs of eyes that bored holes into her body, the young girl gently sighed to herself before climbing off of the couch, sitting at the unoccupied side of the table.

    After expending half of a day asleep, the young girl was naturally hungry. Her hand trembled as it reached for a piece of candied apple, her mouth watering at the mixed fragrances of the delicious snacks.

    Her free hand tugged at the veil covering her face, but paused as Wei Xuan''s cautionary words floated into her ear.

    You must not let anyone make contact.

    Her left hand deftly raising the slightly lowered veil to cover her countenance once more, An Fei awkwardly chewed on the piece of candied fruit underneath the gaze of two maidens and one empress of Great Yong.

    In an attempt to distract herself, the young girl rapidly chewed onto the shard of candied apple, closing her eyes and swaying her body in satisfaction.

    "This¡­" the maiden dressed in the white robe raised her voice in a cautionary and curious tone.

    "The young girl over there, can you¡­ tell us your name?"

    An Fei froze at the sudden suggestion, and the pair of scarlet irises gazed deeply at the maiden who had just spoken.

    Before the maiden could feel uncomfortable, the young girl had opened her mouth, three words fleeing from her lips with great fervor.

    "Wei¡­ An Fei¡­"

    "Hm?"

    The maiden dressed in white paused for a moment at the unexpected answer, her countenance displaying a look of utter confusion.

    Upon realizing that the young girl before her had actually spoken in such a quiet voice, the maiden revealed a warm smile, her hands reaching out to clasp An Fei''s.

    "Wei An Fei, was it? An Fei¡­ for a peaceful heart jade, and Wei as in Uncle Wei''s surname¡­ you''re his daughter?"

    The maiden murmured in a soft voice, before displaying an awkward smile to the girl. Placing her left hand above her bosom, the maiden introduced herself in an unhurried tone.

    "I am Luo Xi, xi for warmth, and Luo¡­ Luo as my surname. Uncle Wei should have talked to you about me¡­?"

    "Oh? Since Sister Xi has introduced herself, let this Young Miss pitch her name in as well, ah! Zhang Yuewen, remember it well!"

    The belle in the begonia spring robe waved her hands in an energetic manner towards the young girl, her voice light and exuberant.

    Flabbergasted by the direct difference in the manner of speech employed by the two maidens, An Fei could only blink her eyes as she raised her right hand in a hesitant manner, awkwardly mimicking the belle''s movements.

    Zhang Yuewen broke into joyful laughter at the sight of An Fei''s stiff movements, before pushing forward a bowl of candied hawthorn as a token of apology.

    "Sorry, that was a little too startling that I couldn''t help it," the belle in the begonia dress wiped at her eyes with her fingers.

    "That''s right, you should call just call me Sister Wen or Yuewen, no need to be formal like this Sister Xi over here."

    ¡­

    "Sister Yuewen, you''ve startled Sister An Fei," Luo Xi gently wiped her fingers with a silk cloth, chastising the belle in a soft and collected manner.

    "Eh? Then, I''m sor ¨C why am I apologizing? Maybe it is just you who scared Sister Fei with your usage of formal speech, ah!"

    "Sister Yuewen, we may not be around our elders at this present moment, but there is an elder presiding over our elders just across the table, no?"

    "So?" the belle twirled the right sleeve around her finger in boredom.

    "Her Imperial Highness herself commanded us to be relaxed and carefree even amongst her presence, so why bother maintaining a polite distance? We''re all women here, why act as if you''re around a handsome male?"

    The elegant and collected Luo Xi then engaged into another argument with the carefree Zhang Yuewen, causing another storm of laughter and giggles to arise within the imperial carriage.

    "Wei An Fei, as Xiao Wen has just spoken, we are all women here," Feng Yu Xin suddenly spoke in a gentle voice, her eyes carefully examining the young girl aside from her.

    "¡­why do you¡­ still have the veil on?"

    The two maidens ceased their argument, their ears carefully primed towards An Fei even though they maintained their careless attitude.

    The target of the matter simply continued to play with the nut clasped in her fingers, before a soft murmur escaped her lips.

    "¡­Father''s orders¡­"

    "Ah?" the empress gaped in disbelief.

    "Minister Wei gave you that sort of order?" Zhang Yuewen blurted.

    "Since he''s not here, why not just take it off? That veil seems rather uncomfortable to wear all day long, wouldn''t your countenance become creased and suffer deformation?"

    The young girl shook her head in response.

    Wei Xuan had carefully constructed the veil to wrap around her face and neck and held together by a jade clasp instead of a string, removing the problem of the material pressing into her skin at its core.

    "What about your clothes?" the reserved maiden suddenly raised her head.

    "Such a thick linen coat, wouldn''t your body become overheated indoors?"

    The young girl continued to shake her head in response, her hands toying with a larger shard of candied pear.

    Tapping the caramelized surface with her finger and realizing that the candied delicacy was in no fashion capable of maneuvering through the veil without creating a large mess, An Fen reached towards the back of her neck, her fingers fiddling with the clasp.

    A slight tug, and the silken cloth covering her neck drooped down, no longer making contact with her skin.

    Under the bemused gazes of the empress, Zhang Yuewen, and Luo Xi, the young girl continued to nibble on the candied pear.

    Finally, Feng Yu Xin was unable to restrain herself anymore. Her hand reached out to lid the jar of candied chestnut that An Fei''s fingers had scrounged for, before affixing a stern gaze onto the young girl.

    "¡­did Minister Wei instruct you not to talk unless absolutely necessary?"

    The young girl replied with her customary nod, the aura of ignorant bliss emanating from her figure causing veins to pop on the empress'' countenance. Feng Yu Xin took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

    "Why did Minister Wei declare such an order?" she asked, her eyes narrowed in scrutiny.

    "This trip is a divine opportunity for you to establish connections and make yourself acclimated with ¨C "

    "Father''s orders¡­"

    The girl''s voice drilled directly into Feng Yu Xin''s ears, and though An Fei''s voice was quiet as usual, the empress could detect a faint sing-song tone within.

    Shaking her head whilst rolling her eyes to the heavens, the woman retracted her hand from the lid, permitting the young girl to collect her prize.

    One day, this lass, ah!

    ¨C

    On that spring day, three thousand carriages departed from the capital city of Great Yong in the direction of the Taiyi Sect. Divided into convoys of ten carriages each, the roads of Great Yong were destined for a rambunctious stampede.

    The convoy with the imperial carriage, was by far, the most envied and jealousy-attracting group amongst them all.

    Being in such proximity with the Empress of Great Yong, a figure usually hidden from the masses'' or even the prestigious officials'' view, who could pass up on such honor?

    Ducal houses, marquis manors, duchesses attempting to spoil their children one last time in a long while, all attempted to fight for the nine spots available for the convoy using all available means possible.

    ¡­alas, a mere fourteen hours was insufficient for any major political schemes, and thus, the imperial carriage rolled out of Jiang''an with nine carriages from respective ducal houses and prestigious officials'' manors.

    All in all, a rather rowdy group of affluent Young Misses, ah!

    The only three people dissatisfied with such an arrangement were naturally those who were confined in the same carriage as Feng Yu Xin herself.

    Left Imperial Censor Zhang and Right Imperial Censor Luo had been rebuffed by the empress numerous times, and naturally did not wish to dispatch their daughters to pioneer a path of cultivation that was most certainly bound to be immersed with danger.

    As for Wei Xuan¡­ the minister was automatically dissatisfied with anyone who dared to relocate An Fei from the Flowing Wind Residence¡­

    Since the empress had mobilized the forces of the Imperial Palace to enlist their names without their consent, the Young Misses of the Zhang and Luo families naturally obtained their ''revenge'' in the form of coercing the empress to join them in silly games and chants.

    ¡­disregarding the fact that the empress was in fact, actually enjoying such ''revenge'', and that a glutton was eyeing their food reserves with a baleful gaze.

    Forget it, this Young Miss shall vent on the herbs and plants in the Sanctum!

 114 Here and There, Whats the Difference? 1

    Jiang''an truly stood as the capital city of Great Yong.

    The city of wealth, the city housing the Imperial Palace, but most importantly, it was known as the unreachable city of the empire.

    The rumors of Jiang''an astounding defensibility could be confirmed with a single glance, and many envied it for the safe haven it provided for the citizens.

    From within the city, Jiang''an appeared as nothing more than a prosperous, well-flourishing Imperial City of an empire.

    Millions of people perpetually resided within its gates, giving rise to generation after generation of scholars, officials, warriors, and of course, cultivators.

    However, Jiang''an was a completely different story when observed from outside of its perimeter.

    When the three maidens had opened the windows of the carriage the instant they were permitted to do so, the first glance of the world outside was enough to terrify them to their wits.

    Be it the energetic and close-to-earth Zhang Yuewen, the calm and reserved Luo Xi, or the perpetually fatigued An Fei, none of them could sit straight upon glancing outside.

    Their fingers clutched tightly to the wooden rip, daring not to let go.

    Jiang''an¡­ stood atop of a massive pillar that towered for several thousand meters into the air.

    The ground appeared to be ever-distant, the vast strips of land a mere smear of greenish color in their vision.

    The city walls loomed over their heads akin to mighty goliaths forbidding entry to the final sanctuary, loyal guardians of the slumbering tomb of the emperor.

    Not even the Imperial Palace, the highest building within Jiang''an, could be spotted from outside of the city walls.

    The pillar''s surface expanded outwards for several kilometers at the very least, extending in a pattern not unlike the branches of a sturdy acacia tree.

    The imperial carriage and others continued to traverse at their mighty speed, forcing An Fei to be unable to make out any clear details regarding the material of the pillar.

    The green blobs of color to the left and right of the carriage¡­ were they farms? And the white plumes soaring even higher into the sky¡­ what were they?

    The young girl''s body swayed against the blazing wind, her hair flowing in all directions from the sheer speed.

    Eventually, feeling that her body would give and fall onto the ground of unknown material, An Fei pushed herself back into the safe confines of the carriage, her countenance behind the veil deathly pale.

    "Heavens¡­" Zhang Yuewen murmured with trembling lips.

    "We were living in a city several kilometers in the air¡­ and we didn''t even notice?"

    Luo Xi and An Fei remained mute whilst the belle in the begonia spring dress sought comfort from nearby blankets to forcefully quell her shivers.

    With a peal of laughter, Feng Yu Xin steadily stood to close the windows of the carriage, dampening the somber atmosphere within.

    "Enough moping, ah," the empress shook her head with a wry smile.

    "If this is sufficient to surprise you, what wouldn''t scare the three of you to death later on when you explore the world?"

    "Who said I was¡­ I was¡­ going to explore the world?" the belle swung her head from side to side in consternation.

    "I-I-I''m content here," Luo Xi finally stuttered, her fingers nearly crinkling her robe from stress.

    "I''ll¡­ r-return to Jiang''an right after v-v-visiting the Taiyi Sect¡­"

    "Oh?" Feng Yu Xin raised an eyebrow in amusement. Fixing her gaze onto the young girl, the empress rested her chin onto her palm, a lazy expression portrayed to its fullest potential on her countenance.

    "And you?"

    "¡­Father told me to come back the instant I visited the Taiyi Sect," An Fei finally murmured, her eyes quickly fluttering in a silent yawn.

    The empress'' eyebrow twitched at the mention of Wei Xuan''s name, her fingers clenched tight to prevent herself from reaching over and throwing the girl out of the carriage.

    Forcefully releasing a heavy breath of air and shaking her head with a wry smile, Feng Yu Xin quelled her words with a piece of candied fruit.

    One day, just one day! She was going to force words out from this little girl, words that did not begin with "Father''s orders"!

    "Esteemed driver," Zhang Yuewen calmed her shaking hands with a cup of tea.

    "How does one usually¡­ descend from Jiang''an?"

    There was a momentary pause as the driver appeared to have fallen into contemplation. However, a rough hand knocked thrice onto the inner carriage door, and the driver''s voice rang through.

    "Young Miss Zhang," the middle-aged driver paused for a breath.

    "Descending from Jiang''an can only be done from the government-mandated bridge, which we should arrive by midnight. After then¡­ the Young Miss should experience this for herself, this old fellow, hehe, have promised not to divulge!"

    A bridge?

    A bridge connecting this massive city that stood thousands of meters in the air to¡­ where, exactly?

    The thought rang in the minds of the three young women, equally puzzled auras filling the atmosphere of the carriage. With a collective sigh, they soon returned to laze around the couches, consuming small slivers of candied fruit and nuts whilst complaining about their growing weight, or surprisingly, not returning to sleep.

    The young girl could only continue to direct glance after glance towards the blocked view that portrayed an astounding Jiang''an.

    The fleeting glance that displayed an unbreakable city that soared kilometers into the sky, one impregnable regardless of the attacker, would remain in her memory long after the city had crumbled to nothing but dust.

    ¨C

    "Your Imperial Highness, we have arrived!"

    The driver''s shout startled the four occupants of the carriage awake, and each of them blearily rubbed at their eyes in drowsiness.

    Shaking her head numerous times to clear the fogginess in her consciousness, An Fei raised her hands to slide the wooden covers to peer out of the carriage¡­

    Just as the carriage driver had mentioned, it was completely pitch black, the moon unable to be seen from their position.

    Row upon row of torches illuminated their surroundings, the tiny tongues of orange-scarlet flames lapping at the heels of midnight.

    Gazing towards the back of the carriage, the young girl could faintly spot the silhouette of a massive behemoth, and a rather long line of carriages.

    It seemed¡­ that they had arrived at a waypoint?

    "Your Imperial Highness!"

    A soldier dressed in steel armor strode towards the reverse end of the carriage, dipping his body into a full kneeling position below the windowsill as he called in a powerful but deferential voice.

    Directly above the carriage, An Fei gazed at the kneeling soldier in interest, the pair of scarlet irises flickering with amusement.

    "Mm¡­"

    Feng Yu Xin''s exhausted voice rang from within the carriage, startling both the soldier and the young girl poking her head out of the window.

    Quickly recovering his consciousness, the soldier resumed his kneel, whilst An Fei slowly drew her head back into the carriage, her hands gently pushing away the countenances of Zhang Yuewen and Luo Xi.

    "Soldier, is the array fully prepared?" the empress released a rippling yawn, patting her parted lips with her elegant hand.

    "Answering Your Imperial Highness, the transportation array is currently operating at optimal strength. Your Imperial Highness may depart whenever!"

    The soldier reported in a respectful manner, his right hand clasped against his heart. Feng Yu Xin frowned for a moment, looking at the long-cleared table of refreshments without a single break in her expression.

    "Before we depart, do stock bengong''s carriage with some consumable supplies," the empress finally remarked in a dry tone.

    "Understood! This soldier shall carry out Your Imperial Highness'' order immediately!"

    With a clash of steel gauntlets on steel breastplate, the soldier immediately strode away from the imperial carriage, headed towards his superior. An Fei took the chance to jut her head out of the windowsill once more, this time gazing towards the front of the carriage.

    The darkness of the night prevented her from accurately observing anything in detail, but¡­ was that a disproportionately large gate?

    "What¡­ is that?"

    The young girl murmured to herself, her countenance displaying an expression of confusion.

    The structure that appeared to form a gate seemed to be made of the same material as the base of the platform that supported the city, and numerous etched symbols seemed to circumvent the gaping maw at the center.

    Was this¡­ the bridge the carriage driver had talked about?

    "What is that, a gate?" Zhang Yuewen''s voice rang directly behind An Fei''s ear, the belle reaching forward to stare at the gate.

    "But it''s so dark, and I don''t see a bridge of some sort¡­ how do we get down onto the ground then?"

    "A transference array?" Luo Xi''s voice questioned from within the carriage, her fingers massaging the other to stave off any future anxiety.

    "However¡­ a transference array that transports people for several kilometers at a single usage will consume a vast quantity of resources per trip, and there''s at least a thousand carriages¡­"

    At the Young Miss of the Luo Family''s statement, Feng Yu Xin revealed a faint knowing smile, but deigned not to speak any further.

    The empress stifled another mighty yawn with her fingertips, observing the three young maidens before her with an expectant gaze.

    "Your Imperial Highness, the supplies have been loaded."

    The carriage driver''s voice could be heard through the wooden walls of the inner cabin. Revealing a smile, Feng Yu Xin parted her lips, a single word escaping her throat towards the soldiers waiting nearby.

    "Begin."

    "Begin!" the soldier cried, the torch in his hand beginning a strange dance as it arced around his body, sweeping above his head and winding between his limbs in a frenzied manner.

    Unknown to An Fei, the same phenomenon occurred just a few meters away, another soldier recognizing and mimicking the bizarre dance of fire.

    The dance of the torch traversed throughout the entire outpost shrouded in night, reaching a group of people who stood besides a stone pillar in a matter of minutes.

    "Begin!"

    A roar escaped from the throats of the soldiers stationed at the outpost, the massive shockwave of sound rampaging throughout the area without mercy.

    Before the young girl and belle could retract their heads into the safety of the carriage, the somber symbols etched into the gate burst with an uncanny light, transforming night into a green, ghoulish day of a specter''s sun.

 115 Here and There, Whats the Difference? 2

    The instant the green, ghoulish light devoured the carriage, An Fei thought that she was going to die.

    The bath of green, specter-like light flung her back into the carriage, her inner organs revolting against her will with ardent fervor as they sought to escape her body.

    The young girl thrashed around in more discomfort than pain, attempting to quell the turmoil ravaging the inner intricacies of her physique.

    The feeling was akin to the constant caress of a wartenberg wheel running across her entire body, only from the inside.

    An Fei deeply regretted not retreating sooner, and she could see Zhang Yuewen nearby suffering the exact same fate.

    However, neither of the two writhing girls or the worried Luo Xi could have expected the incoming turbulence.

    Boom!

    The carriage suddenly lurched forward, jostling the occupants except for the empress without any mercy. Before they could steady their body, a powerful force swallowed them from below.

    Weightlessness and an exorbitant amount of nausea slammed into their bodies, making the three maidens feel as if they were being hurled high into the sky.

    Though their body remained plastered against the floor of the carriage, the consciousness of the three were being tossed side to side, slammed against the floor then the ceiling, never given a moment''s respite.

    An Fei could feel a cold hand constrict at her heart, threatening to smother the beating heat into a cold darkness.

    The young girl struggled to maintain her eyes to remain open, but with each pressing pulse of an absolute chill, they couldn''t help but droop even lower.

    The meagre amount of spiritual essence reserved within her physique following the suppression of the world fought to retain the host''s vitality, yet couldn''t thaw anything except for the heart.

    What was previously a two-meter coiled thread in the Sanctum had been reduced to a length of thirty centimeters, a vicious suppression that caused great angst and helplessness.

    As her eyelashes flickered, the young girl could hear distant patches of rustling sounds filtering through the closed window. Only after listening to the droning whistle of the wind did An Fei realize that the imperial carriage was hurtling downwards through the air at a frightening rate.

    Falling.

    They were falling.

    Falling from a height of several kilometers without any protective or preventive measures, and the empress was¡­ smiling¡­?

    An Fei grit her teeth in soundless agony, her fingers curled against the fur rug as she clung for dear life.

    Wracked by the endless nausea, the sensation of weightlessness, and the mind-numbing cold that threatened to eliminate her existence, the young girl prayed for the torment to end sooner¡­

    Judging from the sound of the wind, it seemed that their rate of descent seemed to accelerate drastically each moment¡­ was this the true path of descending from Jiang''an?

    This, this isn''t a joke at ¨C

    Crash!

    The carriage suddenly jolted to a halt, thudding onto the earth with a stupendous impact.

    The gravitational force dispersed evenly amongst the occupants of the carriage, before expanding outwards in a massive shockwave that tore at the air.

    Three delicate figures hurtled skyward to collide heavily against the ceiling, releasing heavy grunts as their bodies pressed against the wooden surface for several prolonged moments until the gravitational force had finally departed from their bodies.

    Nonetheless, their fall back onto the floor was neither graceful nor pleasant.

    A thunderous sonic boom erupted directly above their heads, causing the three maidens to temporarily become deaf on top of being tormented by the dispersed force.

    Fortunately, though the nausea did not disappear and instead worsened as a harsh ringing blazed at her ears, An Fei heaved a sigh of relief that the abnormal, cold sensation had vanished the instant the carriage collided with the ground.

    The next instant, her expression took a turn for the worse, a wave of nausea causing the young girl to cover her mouth.

    "Well, how was it?" Feng Hong Yu airily clapped her hands in delight, a pleased expression displayed on her countenance.

    "Isn''t it quite the amazing sensation, traveling several kilometers in a matter of seconds?"

    That was a mere few breaths of time!?

    "N-n¡­ never¡­ ag-again¡­" the three maidens groaned in utter agony, either clutching at their stomach, their mouths, or both.

    Having been struck by the ghoulish light alongside of An Fei, Zhang Yuewen''s expression was severely dour as the belle continued to dry-heave, her throat desperately begging for air, yet cutting itself off with each pressing moment.

    Luo Xi appeared to be faring much better, but the maiden could only listlessly gaze towards the window, her countenance a heavenly painting of what it meant to be utterly defeated.

    Bang!

    A fleeting figure burst open the door of the inner cabin, rushing outside with an astounding velocity. Before the carriage driver and the other occupants could question the cause of such phenomena, their answer quickly slapped their faces in the most direct way possible.

    A young maiden''s miserable sounds of vomiting, though quiet as usual, pounded at their ears with the deafening impact of a war drum.

    As if reminded of her own plight, Zhang Yuewen''s countenance paled, both hands shooting to cover her mouth.

    Soon, two other figures had joined in emptying the contents of their stomach and the accumulated nausea within their bodies outside of the carriage.

    ¡­Feng Yu Xin''s lips couldn''t help but twitch at the sight, before raising her hand to thoroughly palm her face.

    She had forgotten that for those below the Core Formation Realm in cultivation or plain mortals, this experience was nothing short of utter torture.

    ¨C

    "Hah¡­"

    Her eyes watering from the stinging pain coursing through her body and the remnants of the deafening ringing that had tortured her consciousness, An Fei released a mighty sigh of relief after noticing that she was standing on flat ground.

    Soil ground, warm with the geothermic heat of the earth displacing massive pulses throughout the entire world.

    Though the sensation was not that different compared to that of the ground in Jiang''an, the psychological comfort was all that mattered¡­

    "Ahem!"

    The sound of a voice being cleared grated at her ears, and An Fei couldn''t help and turn around to discover the source of trouble.

    There, kicking over piles of dirt and grass to cover the bombastic mess she had made, Zhang Yuewen massaged her throat, a miserable expression on her countenance.

    "This really isn''t exciting anymore, I want to go back," the belle hissed in agony, her nose wrinkling in distaste at the soil-covered shoes.

    "Forget Taiyi Sect, forget cultivating in a foreign sect or receiving a spectacular opportunity, this Young Miss was born to be a Young Miss, not a genius cultivator, ah!"

    Glancing at the site of grievances with a bitter look, An Fei patted her stomach in relief that other than a few moments of absolute agony of continuous dry-heaving, she didn''t lose anything from her stomach¡­

    "Alright, the three of you quickly collect yourselves, ah?" Feng Yu Xin cajoled from the entrance of the carriage, a dazzling smile radiating from her countenance as she inspected the wretched complexions of the three maidens.

    "Quick, quick, let''s have a quick snack before we go to sleep!"

    Hearing the mention of food, the three maidens simultaneously released a pitiful groan, reminded of their turmoil.

    Nevertheless, they climbed into the carriage albeit with a little reluctance, electing to decisively go to sleep without a single bite.

    ¡­the empress could only nibble at a freshly stocked container of candied apple in solitude, before she too succumbed to a drowsy state of rest.

    ¨C

    In the Sanctum, a young girl rolled her head whilst massaging her neck, easing any remaining tension from her muscles. Breathing in gusts of air and invigorating her spirit as much as possible, An Fei released a jubilant cry of exultation.

    Her body felt considerable lighter than its miserable condition in the Shattered Star continent, the cluster of spiritual essence coiled around her heart restored to its maximum length and mass.

    Her body sung with unrestrained vitality, having been freed from the outside world''s unreasonable weights and burdens.

    The young girl rubbed at her bosom with an expression of rumination, a sinking feeling threatening to bog down her heart.

    Driving the horrifying memories of the freefall incident with the carriage out of her mind, An Fei immediately stripped her clothes to the bare minimum, before beginning the day''s routine of exercise.

    "One¡­ two¡­"

    Eighty push-ups, eighty sit-ups, then a sichen''s session practicing the .

    Once again, the seventeenth platform of the Archives of Time was filled with the slightly aromatic fragrance of a young maiden, accosted by muted grunts of exhaustion as she attempted to temper her physique the via brusque yet effective method¡­

    After this, she promised to treat herself with the best meal she could currently conjure, before determining how exactly she was to counteract the horrifying suppression enacted by the world.

 116 Here and There, Whats the Difference? 3

    Travelling with the assurance of the solid earth directly below the carriage was indeed comforting compared staring down from outside of Jiang''an.

    The imperial carriage and nine others silently traversed through the forest, the only sounds apart from nature''s beckon constituting the carriage driver''s calls, and the occasional grunt of protest from the horses.

    Regarding the carriage drivers, An Fei could only release an appreciative sigh.

    ¡­the empress, perhaps due to her awe-inspiring attainment in cultivation, had only stocked up on incompatible supplies.

    Strictly meaning, candied fruit, nuts, and dried variants of meat and bread.

    One was solely incompatible with a traveling environment where a decent food supply was impossible to obtain within the middle of a forest, and the other was tiresome to eat with limited water.

    Thinking about the two days that she had to gnaw on the thick piece of jerky that Feng Yu Xin had cheerfully distributed to the three maidens, the young girl shuddered in terror.

    The leathery surface and unsalted taste, not to mention that as it slid down her throat, there was an equally sufficient chance of getting lodged and stuck halfway down¡­

    ¡­Zhang Yuewen had indeed choked on a piece of beef jerky, thus necessitating the change.

    "Your Imperial Highness, the carriage at the front has come to a stop!" the carriage driver called from outside of the cabin.

    "Mm," Feng Yu Xin slowly hummed in response.

    Taking a glance at the three young maidens who where playing a makeshift game of Go using two types of candied nuts, the empress raised her voice towards the carriage driver.

    "Then let us stop. It''s close to becoming evening, having a break isn''t outrageous."

    "Understood, Your Imperial Highness!" the carriage driver responded in a respectful tone, before whipping the air above the horses with the whip.

    The eight horses gradually slowed to a trot, then halted alongside of the lead carriage of the convoy.

    Other than the initial change in speed and the final stop, An Fei couldn''t detect anything from within the cabin, causing her to applaud the makers of the imperial carriage one more time.

    The suspension of the wheels was truly worthy of its praise!

    "We''re finally stopping for the day?" Zhang Yuewen rolled her neck and stretched, her body singing in pleasant agony after having remained seated for numerous hours.

    "Sister Xi, Sister Fei, let''s go outside! Outside, where the three of us can finally breathe some fresh air, ah!"

    Luo Xi gracefully nodded in assent, before grasping the young girl''s hand as she made her way out of the cabin.

    With Zhang Yuewen leading the path, the three young maidens departed from the imperial carriage, only to be struck with numerous gazes of envy.

    Each carriage housed approximately three people, and they envied the participants within the Imperial carriage not only for the prestige it garnered by sitting next to the Empress of Great Yong, but also because the blackwood carriage possessed far greater suspension compared to theirs.

    Their bodies felt as if they were about to fall apart, yet these three Young Misses have the nerve to appear tired before them!?

    "This Elder Sister here, ah," a Young Miss complained towards her companions sitting next to her with dejected expressions.

    "She not only gets the opportunity to ride with the Empress, but she also doesn''t have to worry about her bones being lit on fire. Look at her! Strutting around like that before the rest of us, what arrogance!"

    "That''s right! What family is she from, to not display any respect towards Sister Yan? Sister Yan is from a prestigious family, but this Young Miss doesn''t even spare a glance¡­"

    Raising an eyebrow at the muffled complaints issued from the girls'' mouths, Zhang Yuewen cheerfully turned towards the two other maidens following her.

    "Look, aren''t they attempting to deface our reputation?" the belle revealed a callous smile.

    "Shouldn''t we go and greet them, as the daughters of Imperial Censors and Uncle Wei?"

    "¡­is that even appropriate?" Luo Xi frowned at the suggestion.

    "They''re just being piteously jealous that we have the permission to be seated in a carriage of higher quality, do we really have to¡­"

    "¡­what does Sister Fei think?" the belle pressed again, her countenance reflecting a desire to stir up trouble.

    The young girl continued to stare at the forest scenery, an absentminded gaze behind her veiled countenance. Eventually, An Fei opened her mouth to respond to Zhang Yuewen.

    "¡­too troublesome¡­"

    Revealing an exasperated stare towards the two young maidens who reflected an indecisive expression, Zhang Yuewen released a heavy sigh, trudging back to sit against the wheels of the imperial carriage.

    In her mind, she too thought that such a matter would be quite troublesome whilst traveling towards the Taiyi Sect¡­

    Forget it, it seemed that she was going to have to play Go with candied nuts with Luo Xi, or become like An Fei and sleep all day long¡­

    Turning away from the grumpy Zhang Yuewen, An Fei returned to observing the forest surrounding them on all sides.

    Compared to the limited scenery she could observe during the nighttime incident directly after the transference array that had flung them away from Jiang''an, the sea of trees and plantlife before her was suffused with a powerful vitality.

    Some of the herbs and trees nearby radiated a soft, colored light; most were shades of green.

    ¡­these herbs would certainly be beneficial to everyone in the convoy, all except for her¡­

    A sea of wild grass swaying with the wind''s breath in a gentle tempo under her feet, and unbreachable walls of deciduous trees that stood tall in the spring atmosphere that prevented her vision from traveling farther than a few dozen meters.

    The trees were several dozen meters high at the minimum, and An Fei could faintly spot one surging towards the sky in the background.

    Unfortunately, she couldn''t approximate its position within the complex maze of plantlife, nor did she dare to.

    Regarding this forest, the empress had uttered one statement before deigning not to speak about the topic any further.

    "Dangerous, teeming with creatures that can eliminate cultivators of the Core Formation Realm with ease¡­" the young girl repeated to herself.

    The forest was quiet except for the soft chirping of birds, where were the creatures that the empress spoke of?

    Not to mention, the carriage drivers thoroughly explored the forest each day to obtain wild game for dinner¡­ they couldn''t be Nascent Soul Realm cultivators either, no?

    "Sister Fei, are you still thinking about what the empress spoke about earlier?"

    Luo Xi''s voice suddenly rang from behind, causing the young girl to jolt and whirl around. After a brief moment, An Fei dipped her head into a nod, the twin scarlet irises glinting with an irrefutable interest.

    "The Empress naturally regards to creatures that similarly cultivate the atmospheric spiritual qi and roam the forest. Although these creatures are predominately superior to human cultivators regarding innate strength and agility, their presence is thoroughly limited due to the vast scale of the forest."

    "As long as we remain by the outskirts¡­ there wouldn''t be many opportunities to encounter such a creature¡­?" the young girl asked in a quiet voice.

    "Of course," Luo Xi nodded with an encouraging smile.

    "Creatures that cultivate the atmospheric spiritual qi tend to roam around the inner depths of the forest, thus we should be safe -"

    "¡­where are we in the forest, then?" An Fei suddenly mused, her words halting the young maiden''s speech.

    Luo Xi could only quieten, her gaze gradually becoming solemn at the young girl''s question.

    It was probable that only the empress was aware of their exact location, yet she didn''t instruct the carriage drivers regarding their path through the forest.

    Her hand drifting around her chest in a sudden burst of anxiety, the young maiden stepped towards the cabin to ask the empress a vital ¨C

    "Ah! They''re back!"

    A young girl from a nearby carriage cried out in happiness. Leaping up in delight, the Young Miss gestured towards her companions, each looking towards the western fringe of the gathering in expectation.

    Returning with deer and rabbits strung onto wooden sticks and branches, were ten middle-aged men dressed in working clothes.

    The carriage drivers strode directly towards the center of the gathering, more specifically towards the fire cheerfully lapping at the wooden offerings.

    "Your Imperial Highness, we have returned!"

    Settling the secured deer and rabbits onto a carefully constructed cooking rack, the carriage driver responsible for the imperial carriage rushed forward to respectfully bow to the carriage.

    After a moment of calm silence, the cabin door slid open to reveal a yawning Feng Yu Xin who stepped down onto the ground.

    "Deer and rabbit for tonight?" the empress remarked in a dry tone.

    "Do you have the necessary condiments to make an appealing dish? Bengong remembers that on this trip, olive oil was not one of the prepared supplies?"

    "Your Imperial Highness, do not worry!" A middle-aged man smiled with a simple bow.

    "Although olive oil would work best with venison, the extract of mulberry and lemon will suffice as an alternate solution. Additionally, the stock of mutton soup can serve as an effective ingredient in roasting the deer."

    "Then let us have a scrupulous feast," Feng Yu Xin clapped in praise.

    As the carriage drivers began to work on preparing the feast with several of the Young Misses knowledgeable in the field of cooking, the empress sank into a sitting position besides An Fei.

    The young girl blinked in surprise, not knowing how to respond.

    However, she did admit that with the roasted venison speared on a stick was indeed succulent and delicious, even though the olive oil had been forgotten.

 117 Here and There, Whats the Difference? 3

    "Your Imperial Highness, when will we exit from the forest?"

    Luo Xi raised the question that had tore at her mind in anxiety whilst Feng Yu Xin was wolfing down a large piece of venison.

    The empress paused to give the young maiden a spiteful glare, for in her surprise, the rest of the meat on the stick had fallen onto the ground.

    ¡­as a result, An Fei was the unfortunate victim selected to fetch the woman another stick spearing a large collection of venison.

    "Leaving the forest¡­ at our pace, it should take no longer than three more days¡­"

    Having obtained her trophy, Feng Yu Xin spoke between bites, her demeanor completely unlike that of an Imperial Empress of Great Yong.

    The empress seemed not to care about the ogling gazes from the onlooking Young Misses of Jiang''an, cheerfully conversing with Luo Xi whilst commanding An Fei to obtain more venison.

    "Three days?" Luo Xi repeated in an astounded voice.

    "Then¡­ are we centered around the outskirts of the forest?"

    "Not quite, albeit after three days, we should indeed have reached the outskirts of the forest." The empress chuckled.

    "Then¡­ the transference array launched us into the depths of the forest?" Zhang Yuewen thanked An Fei for the meat before turning around in confusion.

    "What about the creatures Your Imperial Highness mentioned? Those¡­"

    "Oh? You mean those spiritual beasts capable of slaughtering a cultivator of the Core Formation Realm?"

    Feng Yu Xin revealed a thin sneer, the beautiful countenance lighting up the expressions of those near the bonfire.

    "Those spiritual beasts only reside within the central regions of the forest due to the higher concentration of spiritual qi in the atmosphere. Unless they were hunting for food for a cub or youngling, those creatures would usually disdain to even emerge into the outer regions."

    "Oh¡­"

    The young maidens revealed an expression of understanding at the empress'' concise explanation, though they harbored the hope that the current journey would remain peaceful until they exited from the forest.

    Zhang Yuewen revealed her hopeful look without a single care, yet Luo Xi noted that it was ever-increasingly difficult to fathom what other chaos the belle was likely to incur.

    It was at that time that An Fei returned once more, her hands empty unlike the usual trips Feng Yu Xin forced her to undergo.

    Similarly, the young girl revealed a dark expression easily noticeable through the veil, a faint aura of gloominess emanating from her body.

    "Hm?" Feng Yu Xin frowned, her left hand absentmindedly rubbing her stomach.

    "You didn''t bring any back?"

    "¡­there was no more."

    The young girl replied with a flat tone.

    Just seconds later, a suppressed growl escaped her stomach, causing the An Fei''s expression to darken even further.

    "Ah¡­" Zhang Yuewen sighed with an apologetic expression on her attractive countenance.

    "Sorry about that. Sister Fei, you can have mine, no need to starve yourself."

    In her preoccupied state of conversing with the empress, the belle had forgotten that the stick of speared venison was clutched in her hand.

    Although An Fei received a stick of venison that was untouched, the meat had gotten rather stale, the delicious fats having dripped onto the ground over time.

    The young girl puffed her cheeks in annoyance, turning away from the rest to consume the ruined meat in silence.

    "Ah¡­" Feng Yu Xin scratched her head with an awkward expression, gazing at the young girl with a look of pity.

    However, the thought of an angered Wei Xuan blaspheming her name and accusing her of mistreating his daughter was sufficient for the empress to offer a token of compensation.

    "Xiao An Fei, sorry for making you starve whilst we ate, ah. When we get back to the carriage, let bengong treat you with some of bengong''s treasured yuebing¨C eat to your heart''s content!"

    After all, a promise guaranteed by a Faceless coin was a little too stringent and harsh¡­ she definitely couldn''t be lax and laid-back as she wanted too¡­

    Hearing the exorbitant compensation offered by the apologetic empress, An Fei didn''t hesitate for a moment as she grasped the olive branch with earnest.

    The young girl turned back around to face the rest of the group, her small, adorable mouth chewing on cooled venison with a surprising amount of vigor.

    The looks of apology and pity from the Young Misses of the Zhang and Luo families instantly transformed into those of envy, an underlying intent in their eyes as they directed a deep gaze towards An Fei.

    The target in question continued to savor the vestiges of what used to be succulent venison, ignoring the pleas from Zhang Yuewen and Luo Xi.

    You merely sat by as I had to run back and forth delivering meat for the three of you, thus you won''t get any mooncake!

    In the gathering, the carriage drivers proceeded to stomp out the fire, leaving the embers smoldering underneath a warm bed of charred wood.

    Night had unknowingly crept up from behind whilst they were enjoying dinner, and the horses required some rest and grazing.

    Travelling continuously for several hours each day without pause, that level of exertion and fatigue was sufficient to topple even the empress'' eight horses of superior breed.

    If not for their sublime abilities, the eight horses would have long fallen to the ground with foam leaking from their mouths.

    Traversing a distance of ninety to a hundred kilometers a day was not¡­ exactly enjoyable or rewarding, be it horse or human.

    Taking one last longing look towards the blackwood Imperial carriage, the Young Misses of Jiang''an proceeded to clamber into their respective carriages to rest for another night.

    Just as the first maiden placed her foot onto the wooden steps leading into the depths of the carriage, a sharp whistle pierced through the gathering.

    "Who!?"

    Feng Yu Xin roared as a dazzling scarlet light exploded from her body, the atmosphere directly enveloping her body drastically increasing in temperature.

    The empress quickly stood, her right hand grasping onto a sharp spear formed from scarlet flames.

    Zhang Yuewen and Luo Xi fled towards An Fei''s position, their countenances tinged with apprehension at the circle of flames emanating from Feng Yu Xin''s body.

    The belle had to pat out several sparks that threatened to latch onto the spring dress clinging to her body, causing her expression to turn glum.

    "Halt! We don''t mean any harm, may Fellow Practitioner please remain calm!"

    The source of the whistle rushed into the gathering, revealing themselves to be a group of youths led by an elderly man with a thin, trailing beard.

    The intruders wore an unadorned robe of clean, white linen, and supported a sheathed sword, a jian, on their back.

    The elder did not possess a sword, but instead grasped an oaken staff in his right hand. Approaching the remnants of the bonfire, the elderly man''s countenance bloomed into a happy smile upon noticing the empress'' presence.

    "Yu Xin!" he exclaimed with joy.

    "I was on my way leading these few disciples to Great Yong to partake in the upcoming martial arts competition, it''s truly heaven''s blessing that I meet you here! Come, put that spear down, ah, don''t tell me you''re going to skewer your old friend upon first glance?"

    "Tian Mu?"

    Feng Yu Xin repeated with a dumbstruck countenance.

    With a wave of her hand, the scarlet flames and the spear dissipated into strands of colored light, revealing a dense ring of scorch marks decorating the earth where the spear had singed the grass.

    "What are you doing here?" the empress raised an eyebrow as she walked towards the elderly man with the long beard, offering a powerful hug.

    "Shouldn''t you be sitting in your lonely pavilion, fiddling your thumbs as you try to break through in your cultivation?"

    "Hey! Don''t slander me with such words in front of my disciples!"

    The old man protested with an indignant tone, albeit his countenance remained beaming with joy.

    "This old thing decided to take a breath of fresh air, and you, whom I have not seen for countless years, decide to slander my reputation the first time we meet!? Aiyo, my heart, ah!"

    "Enough faking an illness, perhaps you might beget a real one soon," the empress laughed, sweeping a scrutinizing glance over the plethora of disciples trailing behind the elderly man.

    "However¡­ you could have assigned an elder to escort some disciples to Jiang''an, or simply have them travel by themselves, garnering experience. Why did you have to come in person?"

    "This¡­" Tian Mu stroked his beard with an awkward expression.

    Gesturing towards the gaggle of Young Misses spectating from besides their carriages, the elderly man directed a questioning glance towards the empress.

    Feng Yu Xin couldn''t help but sigh.

    "Alright then, come with me. We''ll have a good chat over some wine as usual."

    The empress shrugged, striding towards the blackwood carriage that was detached from its customary eight horses.

    Vividly remembering the promised compensation of mooncake, the young girl quickly followed the empress and elderly man to the imperial carriage.

    "Ah¡­"

    Watching their elder walk off towards the fringes of the gathering without leaving behind a single instruction, the youths dressed in the white robes looked at each other with confused expressions.

    Ultimately, they began to construct a large camping establishment surrounding the smoldering embers of the dying bonfire, helpless expressions decorating their countenance as they separated into two large tents, one for male, the other for females.

    Grand Elder, you''re just going to leave your pitiful disciples like that to chat with some beautiful woman?

    As the ancients said, men are easily bewitched by a beautiful countenance, ah!

 118 Here and There, Whats the Difference? 5

    Following Feng Yu Xin''s instructions, An Fei twisted the incense burner at the center of the wooden table one revolution towards the right.

    With a sharp clench, the incense burner actually disengaged from the surface of the table, and the young girl could see a series of engraved channels spiraling down its length.

    Surprisingly, the incense burner had been screwed into the wooden table from the start, and did not serve as a decoration.

    Where the incense burner once guarded with ardor, was a cylindrical channel that lead to a hidden compartment.

    When An Fei stared down into the cavity, she could only see a permeating darkness, unable to gauge its depth or dimensions.

    "Blue silken pouch¡­ blue silken pouch," the young girl murmured to herself, the fingers of her right hand curling and straightening in uncertainty.

    With a deep breath, An Fei inserted her hand into the cylindrical channel, before rotating her arm around.

    Hopefully, the empress was not aiming a malicious intent towards her¡­

    Her hand didn''t manage to make contact with the end of the hidden compartment.

    Rather, regardless of where she angled her arm, An Fei could not do anything more than flounder her hand around in a thin airy substance.

    It seemed that if she focused on the sensations of her fingertips, she could faintly discern a series of objects gently brushing by her hand¡­ as if it were an interconnected web of threads?

    "Eh¡­"

    An Fei groaned to herself, her left hand rubbing her hollowed stomach.

    Pursing her lips with a hint of resigned listlessness, the young girl closed her eyes in anticipation, her fingers searching for the threads once more.

    Nothing but that unusual airy substance that floated within the hidden compartment¡­ but there were indeed a few fluctuations of throbbing sensations when she angled her fingers towards her right.

    Swish!

    With a fluid motion, the young girl jerked her arm out of the cylindrical sheath¡­ only to reveal a pair of satchels clenched securely within her palm.

    One appeared to be covered in a blue silken covering as the empress had described, whilst the other was of a scarlet fabric.

    "Do I¡­ return the red one?" An Fei mused to herself, her countenance behind the veil puckering with indecision.

    Placing the red sachet on a random spot of the table, the young girl began to unwind the drawstring of the blue, silken pouch, her eyes reflecting a sense of anticipation.

    Her index finger hesitantly stretched over the mouth of the pouch, before creeping into the interior with a trepid movement.

    An instant later, An Fei''s countenance displayed a delighted expression, the pair of scarlet irises revealing a hint of indulged satisfaction.

    Yuebing!

    Within the blue colored pouch that was even smaller than her own palm, she could feel a large quantity of mooncakes stored within, perfectly preserved and freshened.

    They were plump and exceedingly soft to the touch, and upon extracting one to inspect it herself, the young girl nearly visually salivated at the aromatic fragrance.

    The circular shape with protruding arcs as well as the intricate pattern inscribed on top, these were truly mooncakes from the Pavilion of Everlasting Feasts, the lotus seed yuebing that she could only see and be tormented by its fragrance the only time she had left the study of the Flowing Wind Residence¡­

    Without another thought, An Fei broke off a piece of the pastry with her index finger and thumb, fully intending on savoring the delicious treasure before her.

    Unlike before, she had sufficient time to herself to maximize her enjoyment, and a large quantity to engorge herself if she desired.

    There were several mountains of yuebing contained within this small pouch from what she could feel with a cursory sweep; Feng Yu Xin was never getting this pouch from An Fei, not until she had helped herself to all of them!

    "¡­Yu Xin, ah, you really won''t help this old one with a favor?"

    The voice of an old man drifted from the slightly ajar window of the imperial carriage, causing the young girl within to pause her swaying motion and perk her ears in interest.

    A breath later, the creaking of wood could be heard as a person leaned against the wall of the blackwood carriage, and a heavy sigh suffused the atmosphere of the forest.

    "I truly can''t grant you a favor for this, ah."

    Feng Yu Xin''s exasperated voice filtered through the window, causing An Fei to lick her thumb to clean off the remaining caramelized sugar to remain silent.

    The creaking of wood sang once more, followed by a bemused grunt.

    "You haven''t even heard my request, and you''ve already denied it?"

    The mysterious elder shot back with a sigh. In response, the empress released an audible snort of disdain, her countenance displaying an unhappy expression on the opposite side of the carriage''s wall.

    "I can''t see how you wouldn''t be issuing such a heavy request with that expression of yours," Feng Yu Xin slowly elaborated.

    "In the years that we have known each other, you only display this sort of behavior and gloomy expression when you''re about to spell ominous tasks or circumstances. I have a task to complete this time, and it''s of an extent that an Empress of Great Yong must divert significant regard to."

    "I know that you have great responsibility on your hands, ah," the old man consoled with a gentle tone.

    "You''re the sitting empress of one of the Three Great Empires of the continent, and such a task as this one is of utmost importance to even someone like you. However, while all you will garner from failure is a heavy admonishment from the public, if I fail my task, it will spell downfall towards my family and perhaps even the entire Heavenly Sword Sect!"

    "Oh? What could cause the great Tian Mu to become so flustered?"

    Feng Yu Xin raised an eyebrow, her bewitching eyes displaying a hint of solemnness and gravity.

    The elderly man sighed, propping his seated figure with his wooden staff in a sense of fatigue.

    "This matter¡­ my third great-grandson has finally reached the age of adulthood," Tian Mu finally spoke after hemming and hawing for several long moments.

    The old man gazed at the empress in silence for a long period of time, the pair of astute and experienced eyes conveying hidden information of the highest secrecy.

    "You know the condition with my grandson. Three hundred years had to pass before he finally was able to get a woman pregnant. It is just that his eight son, Ming Xia, possesses an extraordinary circumstance."

    "Extraordinary circumstance?" the empress frowned, confusion beginning to bite deeply and gnaw at her soul.

    "Are you talking about the lad''s circumstances with his cultivation, or¡­"

    "Everything," Tian Mu interrupted with a decisive tone, his voice hardened with an undying hint of stern gravity.

    "His physique is completely unknown from the records within the entire Shattered Star Continent, and we could only determine that he was unable to cultivate. However, what startled us to no bitter end was that with mere words, the lad could manipulate the nearby elements of the world, even the atmospheric spiritual qi itself."

    "Manipulating the spiritual qi within the atmosphere with just his words!?"

    Feng Yu Xin gawked, her countenance firmly displaying a deep-rooted terror.

    The empress directed a stern glare towards the elderly man, the pair of charming eyes refusing any hint of deception.

    "Manipulation of the nearby elements without the use of an extensive martial arts technique or a mutant phenomenon is reserved only for cultivators of the Peak Nascent Soul Realm; unfortunately, even then, such a phenomenon is far too inefficient. Tian Mu, do not lie to bengong!"

    "Surely you know that regarding matters such as this, I am unwilling to, and am completely unable to deceive?"

    Tian Mu revealed a bitter, self-condescending sneer.

    "You should now be aware of why I seek you help. Ming Xia is soon to be of age, and by Shattered Star Continent''s culture, he should take a wife to propagate his descendants, and assist in his cultivation. Surely¡­ I don''t need to explain any further?"

    The young girl at the other side of the wall peered at the blackwood surface through the corner of her vision, almost as if she were capable of piercing through to observe the presence of the two sighing figures of authority.

    Crumbs of mooncake nestled above her bottom lip, the flakes of sweet lotus seed filling begging to be consumed.

    "His first wife¡­ this is truly a serious matter."

    Feng Yu Xin finally conceded.

    The empress gazed at the desolate sky devoid of stars, the solitary moonlight illuminating the solemn expression on her countenance.

    "If you had only asked of this request whilst I was still at the Imperial Palace¡­" the woman mused after a long moment of contemplation.

    "Back then, I could easily provide you a list of suitable candidates who are not only faithful, pure, and virtuous, but now¡­"

    "I know. Such is the cruel laugh destiny imposes upon us mortals who reside underneath the sky," Tian Mu barked with a sobering laugh.

 119 Here and There, Whats the Difference? 6

    The Empress of Great Yong, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect, and one young girl all fell into an introspective moment of silence.

    Each of the three persons gazed towards the cold and lonely fringe of the moon, though their bestowed wishes and sentiments greatly differed from the other.

    "Do¡­ you not have any suitable candidates as of now?"

    The old man seemed to have withered a few years in a brief snapshot of time, his expression completely despondent and exhausted.

    Simply from hearing the fatigued voice, An Fei could not connect him with the smiling, boisterous elderly figure she had glimpsed standing near the bonfire to greet Feng Yu Xin.

    "The Young Misses who I am escorting on this trip, I do not know their identities for certain," the empress slowly spoke in a somber tone.

    "Even more so, I do not know their personalities, their potential as cultivators, and most of all, their compatibility with your third great-grandson."

    "¡­this is quite the bittersome task, is it not?" Tian Mu huffed a breath of air in resigned dejection.

    The elderly man prodded the ground with the wooden stick within his hand, venting his sadness onto the innocent yet equally devastating soil of the forest.

    The breath of tranquility attempted to return to the surroundings of the carriage, yet was fiercely rebuffed without any mercy.

    The coarse rubbing of a paper scroll suddenly overtook the rustling of grass swaying to the gentle night breeze.

    "Here, take a look for yourself."

    Tian Mu passed along the object to the empress, sitting on his stone and leaning against the wall of the imperial carriage.

    As the elder rhythmically tapped his stick on the ground, Feng Yu Xin released a noncommittal sound as she began to read the contents of the scroll, but abruptly jerked her head towards the old man.

    The empress stared at the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect in silent outrage, her plain but bewitching countenance revealing nothing but stupefied shock.

    "Tian Mu, you''re crazy!" the woman shouted in panicked anger, shaking the scroll towards the elder.

    "A Soul-Binding Contract!? Your third great-grandson signed such a ghastly document that implements the cruel heavens as the witness and judge!?"

    "That''s right."

    The old man released a harsh sigh, the pair of aged eyes clenched shut in agony.

    "This foolish great-grandson of mine drafted a Soul-Binding Contract upon first glance without even consulting his elders or parents. Although the contents of the contract allow him to gain a sharp advantage regardless of the fearsome detriments the contract poses, I wouldn''t be this panicked about his first marriage if he hadn''t written such a contract in the first place."

    Feng Yu Xin''s jaw slackened at the insanity of the soon-to-be eighteen-year-old teenaged youth, and the woman only managed to recover after a long moment.

    As she nibbled on her second mooncake, An Fei gave witness to the empress scouring the paper scroll with the full extent of her abilities, not hesitating to investigate the poor memorial object with a harsh glare suffused with concentrated spiritual essence.

    "The contractor shall only partake in one female companion, to be designated as his wife under the impartial decrees of the heavens¡­" Feng Yu Xin quietly murmured in amazement.

    "Furthermore, the contracted shall not partake in any outside interpersonal relationships prohibited by the contractor, but is assured of the natural basic rights of living existence unless equivalenced with appropriate measures¡­ Neither the contracted nor contractor shall violate their partition without suffering divine tribulation, and inviting calamity towards their destiny¡­"

    "¡­a youngling who isn''t even of age wrote this document?"

    The empress shook her head in amazement, disbelief refusing to depart from her gaze.

    The elder similarly shook his head with bemusement, pointing to a specific section of the numerous characters scrawling over the paper scroll with his finger.

    "Isn''t he simply that brilliant of a youth?" Tian Mu revealed a sneer.

    "Take a look at this section, ah. Though he can''t cultivate, his unique ability permits himself to live without restraint and for an undefined amount of years that''s certainly surpassing that of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, and he launches this sort of clause, ah."

    "The contracted and contractor share their intricate fluctuations of destiny upon the conferment of the contract¡­" the empress recited in a slow voice, her tone even and smooth until suddenly revealing a high-pitched exclamation of surprise.

    "The contract bestows the natural affinity of Yang towards the contractor, and the affinity of Yin towards the contracted. The contractor and contracted will maintain the state of interconnected destiny even beyond reincarnation and death, and the contractor seeks a dominant position ¨C Hey! I thought this lad was seeking for a wife, not a pet to hug and snuggle with during the evenings! How is this fair, ah!?"

    The woman''s countenance was particularly exquisite to witness when accompanied by the moonlight as she tore her gaze from the paper scroll clenched within her hands.

    Tian Mu could not help but agree that Feng Yu Xin''s countenance was strikingly amusing, containing equal blends of righteous anger, disbelief, astonishment, and the desire to both laugh and cry combined into one attractive countenance.

    ¡­the young girl also wished to obtain a glance¡­

    "That''s why, you need to help your old friend, ah!" the elder sighed once more in bitterness.

    "The knowledge regarding Ming Xia''s Soul-Binding Contract isn''t anything that''s confidential within the Heavenly Sword Sect. Although I possess the original copy within my grasp as of the moment, if I can''t successfully find a partner for my great-grandson, then I''ll have to return it to the possession of the sect. "

    "This old sack of bones is merely a Grand Elder; I can''t get involved in the political side of matters, and who knows how many uncles, granduncles, and cousins are vying to ruin this lad''s future."

    Feng Yu Xin handed the scroll back to Tian Mu, sitting besides the elder man against the wall of the imperial carriage in silence.

    Just a few centimeters away on the other side of the wall, An Fei lounged around whilst palming the blue silk pouch in her hand.

    Unfortunately, the next few exchanges that slithered past the windowsill of the carriage was sufficient to chill her blood and cause the young girl to freeze in terror.

    "¡­if the matter is this severe, I can only think of three people," the empress opened her mouth with a heavy exhale.

    "Two from families of an Imperial Censor, and one from an official Jing Yi trusts with his life."

    "Such important personages?"

    Tian Mu raised an eyebrow in surprise.

    The elderly man whirled around the face Feng Yu Xin, the pair of aged eyes glaring at the empress with a mixture of anticipation and excitement.

    "The Taiyi Sect''s opportunity shouldn''t hold that much appeal to persons like them, being an Imperial Censor or a life-protecting official of an emperor of one of the Three Great Empires. Why are they on this trip?"

    "Enough, let''s not talk too much about that trivial matter, shall we?"

    Feng Yu Xin revealed a wry smile, her charming countenance displaying a cunning expression.

    "Since you requested for my help, then I won''t be skimping on the favor you''ve bestowed me. Though I spoke of three candidates that would certainly suit your criteria, there''s really only one person who would be the most compatible, but that official¡­ is rather troublesome."

    "What trouble?" the elderly man exclaimed, thumping the wooden staff against the abused earth.

    "Come, tell this old man that trouble, ah! There shan''t be a more severe trouble that I face than the issue with my great-grandson''s marriage!"

    "More severe trouble?" the empress smirked at the bumbling old man.

    Mincing her words to better tempt the overly pleased and excited Tian Mu one step further, Feng Yu Xin slapped the paper scroll the elderly man clutched in his bosom, causing the latter to jump with a startled squawk.

    "Just to force this girl into coming along, I had to bargain my status of my empress as collateral. That fellow actually dared to exchange a life-preserving token to force me to come along as Feng Yu Xin instead of Empress Hong Yu, how can this not be any trivial matter, ah? Are you still that confident of upholding such a task?"

    The young girl stiffened against the blackwood walls, her usually feeble heart biting against her ribcage with a death-suffused fervor.

    An Fei strained her ears as she continued to listen through the windowsill, but her eyes had already begun locating the leather bag that the First Madam had bestowed onto her.

    ¡­she had heard this conversation to a sufficient degree; the young girl was more than capable of determining that the person in target was indeed, her.

    Amongst the three maidens that had accompanied the empress on the imperial carriage, who else but her was not from a family of an Imperial Censor?

    Run!

    She had to run.

    "How is that not a trivial task!?" Tian Mu cried in prideful anger, slapping his chest in confidence.

    "Worry not, my old friend! The Heavenly Sword Sect is equally as capable as the Taiyi Sect, if not possessing greater reserves of strength and capability. This fellow official of yours, I believe he would submit if the rice has already been cooked."

    "You-you''re actually thinking of that type of approach!?" the empress flinched with surprise, before waving both hands before the elder in great haste.

    "You''re underestimating that little Wei''s ability a little too much, ah! He even dares swear at Jing Yi in front of the court during sessions each day; if that Wei Xuan were to learn about you attempting to have your third great-grandson Ming Xia cook rice with his daughter, regardless of however heavenly Ming Xia''s ability is, that Wei Xuan would pit the entire empire against you, and even I wouldn''t be able to do anything about it, much less Jing Yi!"

    The Empress of Great Yong and the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect continued to debate over the marriage of the Grand Elder''s third great-grandson. However, the young girl had long fled the imperial carriage, a leather bag slung over her shoulder, and a terrified expression spattered across her alluring countenance.

 120 The Allure of A Faint Dream 1

    "You keep on saying that this Fourth Young Miss of Wei is the only candidate that''s currently suitable for my Ming Xia, but why continue denying all of my approaches, ah!?"

    The Grand Elder, due to his excessively heightened emotions, ultimately broke into a great fuss.

    Faced with the impressively painful pressure brought by Tian Ming Xia''s marriage, the elderly man had begun to hyperventilate.

    "Because your approaches towards this matter are far too brusque and barbaric, ah!?"

    Feng Yu Xin cried out in response, an equally awkward expression decorating her charming countenance.

    The Empress of Great Yong pinned the Grand Elder onto the stone, glaring fiercely into Tian Mu''s eyes with a fearsome expression.

    "I''m warning you as a friend, not to adopt such measures. Your Ming Xia''s contract by itself is already so fearsome and cruel towards a young maiden, why must you adopt such barbaric approaches to completing such a matter? You''ve never learned the principles of ''give and take'', even after so long!?"

    Tian Mu stroked his beard in thought after receiving the empress'' irate chastising.

    Ultimately, the old man broke out into a shameless smile, his wizened countenance splitting in joy.

    "Then Yu Xin, ah, you''ve actually decided to betroth that Young Miss to my Ming Xia?" the Grand Elder clapped in jubilation, his wrinkled hands stroking the absent stars of the sky with a loving caress.

    "That''s right; though that Wei Xuan would never permit others to do such a thing, I am indeed the Empress of Great Yong,"

    Feng Yu Xin revealed a consoling smile towards the rejoicing Tian Mu.

    The empress reached over to pat the Grand Elder on his back, eventually calming the elder down to a calmer state of mind.

    "The idea of cooked rice is indeed not a bad idea; it was just that your application was morally horrendous and condemning of the Heavenly Sword Sect. Instead, having an Empress bestow the Young Miss in an equal marriage of the first wife of the Heavenly Sword Sect''s treasured young genius, how would that Wei Xuan find any methods to refute?"

    All in all, regardless of how treasured an official was, he still would not overshadow the indomitable presence of an Empress, be it in the public''s sentiment, or that of the emperor himself.

    The smile of pure shamelessness and relief flooded the Grand Elder''s heart, and he excitedly opened the paper scroll, revealing the contents within.

    "Yu Xin, look," Tian Mu gushed, pointing towards the final sentences of the scroll''s contents.

    "That''s Ming Xia''s signature. All we need to do is add the name of the Young Miss with spiritual essence, and the Soul-Binding Contract will thus become effective immediately."

    Feng Yu Xin took back the scroll from the Grand Elder''s hands, her bewitching eyes scouring the paper scroll to its maximum depths once again.

    Eventually, the empress raised her fingertip to rest above the space directly below Tian Ming Xia''s signature, but paused as her lips pursed in resignation.

    "That girl, however quiet and reserved, was a little too pitiful to look at¡­" the woman murmured, before pointing at the scroll with her fingers.

    "Tian Mu, bengong shall sign on behalf of little Wei''s daughter if you amend the scroll a bit. I shan''t touch the important portions that protect your third great-grandson, but the young girl should similarly receive protection as well, ah."

    The Great Elder nodded his head with the force of a war drum, his beaming countenance not flickering in the slightest.

    To ensure the safety of his Ming Xia, there were no depths he would not hesitate to stride towards, nor would he hesitate to maim himself.

    "Speak! I''ll amend the Soul-Binding Contract as you say your terms."

    "Then that''s fine," Feng Yu Xin smiled, her countenance gradually turning stern as she pondered for a brief moment.

    "The contractor shall possess attraction and affection only towards the contracted; the contractor, with heaven as witness, shall not partake in any interpersonal acts with another female without the contracted''s express permissions."

    "Additionally, the contracted may not suffer abuse nor harm from the contractor or his allies, enemies, or passerby''s in any shape or form, with heaven as witness and presiding judge. Finally, the contracted and contractor share an equal and mutual relationship, and neither may oppress the other."

    The Grand Elder shook the paper scroll twice to remove any residue from the surface, before handing it over to the empress to observe.

    Reading the scroll that continued to reveal a brilliant trace of spiritual essence, the empress rubbed her chest in relief, having rid herself of any lingering guilt she had experienced within the few moments that she had blurted An Fei''s identity to the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

    Rather than offend Imperial Censors Zhang or Luo who could singlehandedly force Lu Jing Yi to demote her to that of an imperial concubine, she would much rather offend Wei Xuan, for he, no matter how much Lu Jing Yi trusted him, was no more than a third-ranked Defense Minister¡­

    "Tian Mu, you must remember that by all means, before you bring the Young Miss to the Heavenly Sword Sect, you must, you absolutely must, bring her to the Taiyi Sect, even if it means that she only took a single step into the grounds. Otherwise, your old friend here would not be able to retain a peaceful or safe life¡­"

    The Empress covered her right index finger with a delicate sheen of scarlet light.

    The fingertip descended onto the proffered sacrifice of a Soul-Binding Contract, to write three fragile and fragrant words.

    Wei. An. Fei.

    The instant her finger seared the young girl''s name onto the paper scroll, the scroll burst into a countless number of sparks of multicolored light that scattered away into the atmosphere with the gentle but conclusive spring midnight breeze.

    The Grand Elder burst into euphoric tears, his heart fully at peace.

    "Mm, I got it! Yu Xin, you''ve helped this old sack of bones, ah! Remember that I owe you an earth-shaking favor!"

    He would need to offer that young girl all the pampering and familial affection she demanded, in order to ensure that she followed him to meet with his Ming Xia!

    Tian Mu quickly fled from the scene, but did not head into the gathering to greet his disciples, instead dashing into the depths of the forest.

    The empress walked into the imperial carriage with a freshened smile that quickly morphed into a helpless grimace and a slap to her forehead.

    The young girl had not retained enough clarity to reattach the incense burner to the surface of the table, but the sachet of scarlet silk had mysteriously vanished.

    Since the girl had heard enough of their conversation, how was she now supposed to explain to Wei Xuan when she returned?

    And how did a young girl who hadn''t progressed beyond the Body Tempering Realm sneak up on two cultivators, one of the Peak Core Formation Realm and the other a Peak Nascent Soul Realm, without divulging her presence?

    Feng Yu Xin revealed the longest sigh of ever yet, sinking into the soft and comforting couch with an audible groan.

    Forget it, since this trip was going to take at least twelve months to complete, she had sufficient time to construe a plausible excuse. If not, she could always dawdle on her return journey.

    After all, she was the one reporting the results to Wei Xuan! She could delay for as long as she wanted, as long as that girl took a step into the grounds of the Taiyi Sect!

    ¨C

    The forest that the Empress'' convoy had paused to take a rest was unusually solemn and melancholy.

    As An Fei raced past the various trees and tall grasses, the young girl could hardly sense any of the overpowering vitality she had glimpsed during daytime.

    However, since the melancholy and comparably depressed forest did not posses any of the creatures that Feng Yu Xin had cautioned about, at least not yet, the young girl could hardly care any less about her observations.

    Right now, she had to run!

    Run away from the imperial carriage, from the empress, and the rest of the convoy. Most particularly, An Fei had to flee from the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

    She, under no circumstances, wished to be roped into an arranged marriage!

    "Hah¡­"

    The young girl released a huff of breath, a faint sheen of sweat dotting her brow. The night weather of the forest was unusually cold, causing her to become thankful to Wei Xuan for the linen coat.

    The thick layers warmed her body during cold temperature, and brought forth a cooling and refreshing sensation during hotter weather.

    Furthermore, it didn''t restrict mobility in any major fashion¡­

    An Fei grit her teeth, her hands curling into tight fists underneath the sleeves of the coat.

    Taking in a deep breath, she began to run once more, her body quickly lapsing into an unnatural yet surprisingly effective rhythm.

    A high-speed dash that bypassed any large obstacles, a fast jog whenever she could see a straight path, and random insertions of walking.

    Although the girl constantly complained of her weakened physique compared to her state within the Sanctum, An Fei had already covered several kilometers in the past hour.

    Unfortunately, she still didn''t feel any safer!

    "May the Young Fellow stop to talk for a moment?"

    An old, hoarse voice rang from beside her ear, causing the young girl to shriek in surprise.

    Unconsciously, An Fei drastically increased her speed, breaking into a beeline towards the depths of the forest without concern for any harm that lay before her.

    Whoosh!

    A weightless sensation suddenly overtook the young girl, instantly halting her sprint towards the mottled mesh of trees.

    The mysterious force easily suspended her body and placed her onto the ground, the momentum from her breakneck sprint evenly dispersed into the atmosphere without a single trace.

    "Young Fellow, may we talk?"

 121 The Allure of A Faint Dream 2

    The mysterious person who had suddenly halted her movement was quite gentle in temperament, contrary to his previous, persistent chase after the young girl. An Fei had been allowed to stand even-footed on the ground, neither her balance nor position impeded in the slightest.

    Having calmed herself significantly, the young girl finally obtained the opportunity to observe the person before her.

    Without a doubt, it was the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Tian Mu.

    The elderly man revealed a slight smile towards the young girl, his heart seemingly unaffected by her wary attitude.

    Now that the Grand Elder had stood before her in person, An Fei could only state that he looked¡­ different.

    Though dressed in the same robes as the dozen youths who had joined the convoy, the old man held a gnarled, wooden staff in his hand instead of a sword ¨C reflecting an aura of tranquility.

    Regardless of how she examined Tian Mu''s appearance, she couldn''t determine the old man''s true age.

    She had simply labeled him as ''old'' due to Feng Yu Xin calling him the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect, yet Tian Mu appeared more to be in his fifties.

    Other than the slight wrinkles on the surface of his hands, the old man appeared no more than a forty-year-old man who had just stepped away from the fantasies of youth, but still brimming with a powerful virility.

    "Young Fellow, have you calmed down?"

    The Grand Elder nudged forward with a cautionary voice, his placid countenance barely concealing his agitation and unrest.

    A pair of beady eyes locked themselves onto the young girl, refusing to allow her to flee without any warning.

    An Fei hesitated for a brief moment, before revealing a faint nod.

    "What does the Esteemed Senior desire from this junior?"

    Tian Mu''s free hand jumped towards his flowing beard at the address of an ''Esteemed Senior'' as per his customary habit.

    However, the elderly man soon regained his consciousness, stowing away his hand with an awkward grin.

    "Young Fellow¡­ you must be the one who eavesdropped on us earlier from the imperial carriage¡­" the Grand Elder mused in a gentle voice.

    "Then¡­ your name must be Wei An Fei? One of the three young maidens that accompanied Yu Xin in her carriage?"

    The girl deigned not to respond as she stared directly at him in caution and trepidation, but the momentary shift in the pair of scarlet irises was sufficient for the old, shameless Grand Elder.

    "Come with this old fellow, ah! The Taiyi Sect isn''t a suitable place for you to cultivate in, the Heavenly Sword Sect shall treat you with the utmost care and provide everything you wish for ¨C"

    "I heard everything," An Fei suddenly interrupted in a dull voice.

    "I don''t want to partake in an arranged marriage."

    The Grand Elder flushed at the timid and quiet voice that tugged at his heart, causing his tone to soften immensely without his awareness.

    An awkward expression floundered within his countenance as he stared at the young girl, not knowing what to say.

    "¡­can you enlighten this old bag of bones why?" Tian Mu softly murmured, deeply suppressing the urge to choke in bottled emotions.

    He was just a single step from accomplishing his goal, his goal of securing his third great-grandson a wife that would be compatible!

    All that remained was to bring the bride back to the grounds of the Heavenly Sword Sect to seal the agreement under the heavens, causing the suppressed feeling to magnify by the second.

    Ah¡­

    "¡­I''ve never met the other person, nor am I appreciative of those other than my Father arranging my personal affairs," An Fei shrugged, her fingers fiddling with each other behind her back.

    "Besides, even if Father were to arrange my personal matters such as marriage, I don''t think that I would comply."

    "¡­why not? This old thing isn''t offering you marriage to an abrasive, unlikeable uncle who''s twice your age," the Grand Elder sighed with a sentimental voice.

    Hurry and accept, little lass!

    "My Ming Xia is a handsome little lad who is gentle and cultured, and definitely knows how to respect others and their boundaries. I can promise you, with my eight hundred odd years of experience and my cultivation as a Peak Nascent Soul Realm practitioner, that Ming Xia will never mistreat you."

    The young girl continued to shake her head in splendid denial, her precise expression concealed behind the veil.

    "You''ve heard Yu Xin read the contract, ah?"

    Tian Mu continued to attempt persuading An Fei with a pleading expression on his countenance.

    "Since you''ve heard her read it, you should naturally be aware of its contents as well. No concubines, no trysts with other women without your express consent, and you will be his single female companion."

    "Furthermore, when Ming Xia inherits the Heavenly Sword Sect in the future, you will be the governess of one of the Three Great Sects of the continent!"

    "¡­I have yet to meet your third-great grandson."

    The young girl was startled at her discovery towards her unusual patience towards the old man.

    Leaning her right arm against the rough bark of a nearby tree, An Fei''s mind began to quickly plot a methods of escape as she sought to explain her grievances.

    "Regardless of how great this person''s personality or disposition may be, I will not be able to make any judgements without meeting him in person. Even then, regardless of whether your third great-grandson is truly possessing a gentle disposition, I still won''t agree to an arranged marriage. Please elect someone else!"

    It was at this moment that the Grand Elder couldn''t help himself anymore, his shamelessness surging through great rivers and currents to swallow the young girl whole.

    "You can''t decide because you have yet to meet Ming Xia?" Tian Mu revealed a beaming smile as he inspected An Fei through beaded eyes.

    "That''s great! Just follow this old sack of bones, I''ll take you to meet Ming Xia immediately, the two of you can even meet atop of the famous lakeside bridge of the Heavenly Sword Sect tomorrow afternoon to make the encounter even more aesthetically pleasing and serene!"

    "Esteemed Senior, I clearly said that I wouldn''t agree regardless of the circumstance," the young girl began to furrow her brows, an unsettling premonition scratching at the depths of her soul.

    "That''s perfectly acceptable as well, you are still a young girl, a fledgling! The minds of youths can change depending on the circumstance, as they should be!"

    The Grand Elder blurted out with a giddy complexion, appearing even less of a respectable Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect, and more of a shameless old man intent on exchanging flagrant wordplay with a youth.

    Tian Mu even jabbed the wooden stick into the ground to emphasize his point, the earth crying in agony to accompany his happiness.

    "Th-that''s not what I''m trying to point out," An Fei took a deep breath, her fingers curled into fists underneath the linen coat''s sleeves as she fought to maintain a calm and unhurried tone.

    "I''m trying to convey to the Esteemed Senior, that the Esteemed Senior, is far better electing someone else to partake in this marriage with the Esteemed Senior''s third great-grandson. My sincere apologies, but neither I nor my Father will agree to this marriage!"

    The elderly man''s eyes widened in surprise as he stared at the girl in exaggerated shock, and couldn''t help but look at An Fei with a horrified countenance.

    The young girl pursed her lips in trepidation as she carefully gazed at Tian Mu''s catatonic appearance, taking small steps backward to gradually increase the distance between the two.

    However, the young girl soon realized for naught that the Grand Elder was truly as shameless as he appeared.

    "Your Father won''t agree¡­ that''s fine as well!"

    Tian Mu shouted in an euphoric voice, a horrifyingly pleased expression splitting across his countenance.

    "As long as you cook rice with my Ming Xia, your Father can''t come searching for the grains! Come with this old sack of bones, ah, I''ll take you to see Ming Xia now!"

    Pu!

    An Fei nearly stumbled towards the ground at the elder''s statement uttered without a single shred of shame.

    The last vestiges of her unusual patience effectively ebbed away underneath the Grand Elder''s scouring, and the young girl nearly stomped her feet in anger.

    "I''m not going with you, and you can go find someone else!"

    "But why not?" Tian Mu instantly counterattacked, his emotional countenance quickly displaying a pitiful expression in another attempt to sway the blossoming heart.

    "You must have heard me explain to Yu Xin; my Ming Xia is in a dire circumstance, ah! If he can''t find a compatible bride, then he''ll fall under someone''s malicious scheme and waste away! Can''t you help this old sack of bones this once!?"

    "Then go find someone from a respectable official''s family in a nearby kingdom!" the young girl shouted in anger, her countenance scrunched up in her fury.

    "If not, then nominate a candidate from your Heavenly Sword Sect! If that still doesn''t work, you can go searching for a besotted flower in a brothel or fragrance house, for this Young Miss absolutely refuses to go with you!!"

    Tian Mu suddenly fell into a rare moment of solemn silence as he knit his brows in thought, his gaze carefully inspecting the young girl''s countenance for any emotional fluctuations.

    Seeing a belly full to the brim with anger, the Grand Elder couldn''t find the necessary strength in his heart to wheedle anymore.

    ¡­never in the entire time that she had heard name being selected from Feng Yu Xin''s impromptu list of candidates till now, did An Fei expect such words to fly out of the Grand Elder''s mouth.

    "That''s¡­ still acceptable. Every condition you raise, that''s perfectly acceptable as well," the shameless old man muttered underneath his breath.

    "Actually, you don''t need to come with this old thing. All in all, the Soul-Binding Contract is binding to both parties; after you left, Yu Xin signed your name onto the marriage contract, sealing the deal with the heavens as the witness and the judge."

    Pu!

    "Also, a Soul-Binding Contract is impossible to evade, even for old Peak Nascent Soul Realm fogeys as this old thing!"

    Pu!!

    A remarkable, precisely aimed fatal attack, one that An Fei couldn''t find it within herself to resist regardless of how desperately she searched.

 122 The Allure of A Faint Dream 3

    "And thus, the two of you are already intertwined in the delicate and omnipotent strings of destiny!"

    Tian Mu revealed an apologetic smile towards the silent An Fei as he finished speaking.

    The clearly devastated expression on her countenance was perceivable through the veil that aptly concealed her appearance from even his perception, causing a sore twinge of guilt to strike his heart.

    Seeing how the girl refused to speak another word even after the full length of a cup of tea''s time had passed, the Grand Elder couldn''t help but visibly palpitate in panic.

    The old man wished to rush over and confirm with his eyes, yet his conscience finally grasped ahold of his mind, keeping him firmly rooted in place.

    He¡­ he didn''t scare the young lass to death with his words¡­ right?

    She¡­ she wouldn''t hate Ming Xia for this¡­ would she?

    "Little lass¡­ Little lass?" Tian Mu waved his hand before An Fei''s dull countenance in worry.

    "Are you alright? Can you hear this elderly thing''s words?"

    The lack of a response thoroughly terrified the elder man, and the Grand Elder couldn''t restrain himself from berating his age-old habit of shamelessness.

    If the young girl before him received far too much of a shock because of his words, then his plans would have been ruined¡­

    ¡­An Fei had truly and visibly lost consciousness from last statement uttered from the Grand Elder''s mouth.

    The finishing attack dealt by Tian Mu''s shameless habit possessed an overwhelming fatal property, causing the young girl''s consciousness to immediately flee into the Sanctum without a single breath of hesitation.

    Unfortunately for both the young girl and the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect, the Sanctum seemed to have become enraged by the old fool''s brash words.

    However, it was not the notion of arranging a marriage, but a different field of interest¡­

    "[Destiny]?"

    The young girl''s body suddenly jerked, a short burst of soulful bells ringing in the distance as the girl parted her mouth by the slightest amount.

    The release of the bells caused an invisible fluctuation to ravage the young girl''s immediate surroundings, and the faint intricacies of the atmospheric spiritual qi began to distort under its influence.

    "Little lass, did you say something?"

    Tian Mu frowned, his eyes gazing towards the young girl with an inquiring expression.

    The Grand Elder knit his brows in thought, faintly realizing that a subtle but drastic change had occurred to the atmosphere''s boundless spiritual qi.

    The spiritual qi seemed exceptionally sluggish and unresponsive, and didn''t resonate with the pulse of spiritual essence confined within his Nascent Soul.

    Nonetheless, the elderly man didn''t get another opportunity to inspect the changes to the atmosphere.

    "[You attempt to tie my destiny]?"

    Another slew of melodic bells escaped the young girl''s mouth, and the world vibrated in an unnatural but beautiful harmony.

    The gentle breeze that had playfully cajoled and flirted with the blooming trees, plants, and grasses stilled, nearby life slowing to a tranquil cessation of existence and movement.

    The world had inadvertently frozen to a halt by the sounds of the bells, yet Tian Mu was blissfully unaware of such phenomena.

    "[You attempt to tie my destiny]?"

    "Little lass, are you alright!?"

    The Grand Elder panicked as the salvo of melodious bell sounds erupted from the young girl''s throat for a second time.

    The old man ignored all warnings of his consciousness'' screams of terror and absolute fear, placing two fingers against a major vein of the young girl''s neck.

    The young girl remained standing in position, her appearance no different than the frozen world.

    Her mouth moved a third time, yet nothing but frigid air escaped from her body.

    "Ah Mu, are you alright?"

    A gentle voice broke past Tian Mu''s concentration, a heavy hammer slamming against the delicate intricacies of his mind without mercy.

    Trapped in a dazed state of mind, the Grand Elder''s fingers slipped from the young girl''s neck to return and hang listlessly at his side.

    He had completely forgotten that in the bare minimum time that he had managed to read the young girl''s pulse, he had obtained absolutely nothing.

    The veins remained cold and unmoving, the blood frozen within the vessels as the suffused vitality ground to a halt.

    Nor was he cognizant of the fact that grass underneath his sandaled feet no longer swayed against his skin, brushing his legs in the constantly affectionate caress he had received from the world.

    The Grand Elder similarly froze in place as the young girl had, his eyes opened wide in disbelief and astonishment.

    That voice¡­ he knew far too well.

    "Ah Mu?"

    That voice¡­ he had never obtained the opportunity to receive and nuzzle his ear against for hundreds of years.

    "Ah Mu!"

    That voice¡­ he had not heard in hundreds of years, but that single call was sufficient to trigger the deepest sentiments within his shameless heart, causing a torrential flood of emotions to wrack his soul and body.

    "Ah Mu! Are you alright!?"

    "Yes! Yes, I am alright!"

    Tian Mu snapped into action as if doused in boiling oil, his movements no longer restrained by the mysterious phenomena.

    The Grand Elder whirled towards his right with the fastest speed his cultivation could muster, his aged joints creaking from the effort.

    The forest had vanished from his gaze.

    The dense ocean of towering trees and proliferating plantlife had been replaced by the edge of a tranquil plains, divided by a small river bubbling with innocent happiness and affection.

    The old man could hear the chirping of birds, the rustling of grass by a gentle, calming breeze¡­ and a wooden cottage standing near the riverside.

    The cottage was exceptionally modest, taking up a maximum area of twenty-five square meters.

    The exterior had been constructed with a mottled mixture of logs obtained from the other side of the river, halved and stacked to form a natural and study partition.

    A young woman in her early twenties stood against the entrance of the door, dressed in a plain green dress restricted to that of a villager.

    She was of ordinary appearance, possessing little qualities that struck the onlooker as attractive or strikingly beautiful.

    Average, plain, poor, and of common existence. Everything regarding the young woman radiated a powerful aura of humility and yet, a shred of discontent could not be found on her countenance.

    "Ah Mu."

    The young woman called towards Tian Mu, her countenance blooming into an exquisite smile. The smile radiated an innocent happiness and affection, as well as undisguised joy.

    A simple smile that wasn''t reserved for special occasions, and was a commonality that he had witnessed each day¡­

    A smile that remained with supreme clarity despite the cruel grinding of time¡­

    "¡­Xi''er¡­"

    The hoarse whisper escaped from Tian Mu''s throat, accompanied by two tears that splattered against the ground.

    The elderly man lurched a step forward, a burning sensation threatening to boil his heart alive.

    The young woman appeared so distant, so illusionary, that the Grand Elder feared that a single mishap, a single gust of air that was misappropriated, was capable of ruining the scenery before him for all eternity.

    He feared that should a case occur, he would lose the young woman before his gaze not only in reality, but in the sacred remnants of his memory.

    Thus, Tian Mu could only take a step forward, and no more.

    "Ah Mu, come quickly, ah!" the young woman encouraged with her charming smile.

    "Come, lunch is about ready to be served, and you don''t want to miss my specially grilled salmon, do you?"

    "I¡­ I would love to have your grilled salmon again¡­" the old man whispered in a halting voice, before shaking his head with a despair-filled expression.

    "But¡­ I can''t. I can''t come over."

    "Ah Mu, come quickly!" the young woman extended both arms towards the elderly man.

    "There''s no need to coop yourself in sadness. Come, and we can have lunch!"

    "Xi''er, I can''t," Tian Mu shook his head fiercely, the tears streaming from his countenance as his lips fought to remain steady.

    "Xi''er, it is already approaching four¡­four hundred years¡­ since your¡­ your¡­ funeral. I can''t join you now¡­ I''ve fallen too far."

    The young woman paused for a brief instant at the Grand Elder''s words.

    Just as she began to speak, the scenery misted over with a fine, dense haze of monochromic gray.

    The scenery of the riverside, the plain little cottage of mixed wood, the bubbling river, and the young woman; all became surreal within an instant before the Grand Elder''s eyes.

    "No!"

    "Ah Mu¡­" the voice of the young woman distorted as if doused in acrylic as the mist contracted and expanded in a cyclic motion, as if she were in great pain.

    "For hundreds of years¡­ I have stood by your side as the single solitary flower¡­ to ease your sadness, the tiny flickering spark of heat¡­ to keep you warm during the winter, and have¡­ have smiled at you through the grass in the spring. One step¡­ one step, and I ¨C"

    The young woman''s voice was quelled to nothing as the mist constricted into a compact ball before the Grand Elder''s eyes.

    Before the elderly man could react, the mist dissipated into the atmosphere, hundreds of grey threads of light soaring towards the frozen midnight sky.

    "One step¡­"

    Tian Mu looked towards his feet whilst repeating the young woman''s words in a muted breath.

    A moment later, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect couldn''t help but stiffen, a myriad of emotions coursing through his body in an unstoppable torrent.

    There, besides his feet, lay a thin strip of the gray mist; the same mist that had enveloped the scenery of the young woman and the riverside cottage.

    Happiness, relief, grief, sorrow¡­ the emotions crashed against his heart and mind, bestowing a permanent itch that pleaded towards the heartless consciousness.

    His mind told him that it was nothing but a complex and impressively potent illusion, yet his heart persistently affirmed the presence of the young woman without a single doubt.

    A clash between reason and hope, the cold reality of the mortal world and a fleeting hope brought by the faint allure of a tender dream of the soul.

    "One¡­ step¡­"

    The Grand Elder murmured through gritted teeth.

    His body trembled fiercely, reason and emotions engaged in a bitter struggle that threatened to capsize his soul.

    The world itself froze for the slightest of moments; all life halted their fluctuation of vitality to display their respect towards the sole man who had chosen to exile himself from his patron existence, the world that had birthed him, reared him, and sought to terminate his life.

    The Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect took a single step forward, his right foot immersing itself within the affectionate gray mist.

    As the single foot traversed through the air, time stretched to accommodate an eternity of sentiments and desires, emotions and a silent tranquility.

 123 The Allure of a Faint Dream 4

    A light, long sigh drew itself against the frozen backdrop of the night sky, replacing the stars concealed beneath the cold and furious visage of the world.

    Tian Mu''s gaze softened as he stared at the dense forest before him. The world vented its wrath as the stars concealed within the sky revealed their brilliance, the cosmic rays of light fully prepared to claim the elder''s life.

    The Grand Elder remained calm in the face of the besotted sky and the grievous earth, his experienced visage reflecting nothing but a serene contentedness.

    The grey mist had vanished into a slumbering state of nihility, only to be replaced by the flesh and blood of a young woman.

    The young woman''s hand was firmly grasped within his, her warmth coursing through his body, and vice versa.

    "[You attempt to tie my destiny]?"

    The world thawed in the strange manner it had frozen, and the slew of melodious bells struck the world for the third time.

    Tian Mu flinched backwards at the sound, before clarity shone within his eyes that had experienced the world for hundreds of years.

    The Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect revealed a wry smile, his aged countenance displaying a smile contained with mirth and helplessness.

    "The Protector accepts the Sanctum''s decree!"

    With a bow, an elder and a young woman grasped hands as they walked into the depths of the forest towards the southwest.

    The young girl slid down the back to rest at the base of the tree, her countenance listless and devoid of strength.

    A grand furor would rise not only at the Heavenly Sword Sect, but also the entire Shattered Star Continent.

    ¨C

    When An Fei finally returned to her body, she found herself slumped against the bark of a large towering tree. A pile of leaves had covered her body and the leather bag overnight, providing suitable protection against the night breeze.

    ¡­the Grand Elder unexpectedly didn''t take her away by force, and had left her here in the forest?

    The young girl released a massive yawn as she stood into a shaky position, her arms stretching towards the sky.

    The delicate hand reached upwards towards her face before retracting back into the folds of the linen coat, a large sheet of silken fabric trailing behind her fingertips.

    The stunning countenance that was impossible for a human to possess, was finally exposed to the atmosphere.

    "That geezer isn''t here¡­" An Fei murmured to herself, her eyes scanning her surroundings with a hint of anxiety.

    "The others may be worried about my disappearance, but definitely not the Empress¡­ I suppose she believes that I followed the elderly man to the Heavenly Sword Sect?"

    The fingers of her right hand scratched at the base of her chin in thought, but suddenly stiffened as an uncontrollable heat surged through her body.

    The young girl clenched her fists as tight as she could, anger threatening to cloud her conscience.

    ¡­she had nearly forgotten that over the span of an incense stick''s worth of time, she had been drawn into an arranged marriage.

    Obtained without her consent or opinion, and most definitely enforced without her approval.

    Perhaps the only purpose of that shameless Grand Elder chasing after her last night was to inform her of the circumstance?

    ¡­then dust off his hands and proudly leave?

    "¡­this can''t do, I have to return." An Fei stomped her feet in frustration.

    "Return and inform Father about this incident. Only then can I¡­"

    The young girl''s voice trailed off into an uncomfortable silence, her countenance frozen with a queer expression. The chirping of birds and the rustle of grasses soon overwhelmed her presence, drowning the forest in their song of life.

    A Third-Ranked Imperial Minister treasured by the Emperor pitted against the Empress treasured by the nation for a trivial matter as the arranged marriage of an official''s daughter.

    Regardless of how An Fei pieced the articles of information, the result did not appear to be relatively satisfactory.

    ¡­or safe for the regard, it was unsure whether the Emperor would support Wei Xuan retaliating against his imperial wife¡­

    Pa!

    The young girl struck the tree with her right fist in a backward swing through the linen sleeve to calm herself down.

    The dull thud shattered the momentary haze trapping her mind, allowing An Fei to properly focus without becoming sidetracked by her thoughts.

    "Forget the consequences of a fight between Father and the Empress," the young girl bitterly remarked, shaking her head in disapproval.

    "Right now, I don''t even have a method of survival, much less a means of transportation to Jiang''an."

    The meagre arsenal of her possessions amounted to a leather bag drooping against the roots of an oak tree besides her feet.

    As for the contents inside, An Fei couldn''t confirm that she was certain, for the young girl had never checked since Sheng Miaolan had packed it for her.

    ¡­a few changes of clothes, ointment, and several cosmetics?

    An Fei sat onto the ground utilizing the dense knot of tree roots as a stool, her hands reaching for the mouth of the leather pouch towards her right. Loosening the drawstring, the young girl began to extract the contents one by one.

    "Five bottles of cosmetics, five jars of¡­ ointments, and a folded spring dress of blue fabric?"

    Four of the five bottles of cosmetics were naturally the spoils of the maddened shopping nightmare in the form of a First Madam; from her memories of the jar''s designs and inscriptions, the cosmetics before her constituted of rouge, moisturizing cream, concealer, and¡­ a cleansing cream.

    The fifth bottle was no bigger than her palm, the blackened clay sealed by a wooden cork.

    ¡­it appeared curious and An Fei was honestly tempted to open the mysterious bottle to inspect its contents, but could only refrain due to the absolute minimum assistance to her current situation.

    The jars of ointments diffused a faint fragrance of processed medicine through the sealed lids, allowing An Fei to easily discern the basic properties.

    The girl palmed the jars one by one, tapping its sides with her index finger to check for its contents, revealing a satisfied smile as she placed the last jar onto the ground.

    "One for burns, blemishes, and scars," the young girl murmured underneath her breath.

    "The jar with the inscribed eagle is a general ointment for wounds, and the other three are for deeper injuries¡­"

    As for the dress¡­ she could wear it later?

    Shaking her head with a rueful smile on her dazzling countenance, An Fei collected the array of jars, bottles, and a dress before her, intending on storing them within the leather bag once again.

    However, just as she reached in to plump the bag to make the storing process easier, her fingers stroked the surface of a cotton pouch.

    Closing her fist around the odd sensation, the young girl retrieved her arm to discover three satchels dangling from her right fist, the drawstrings locked between her fingers.

    Three satchels of a dull grey, a pale blue, and a flaming scarlet fabric. One had been gifted from Wei Xuan at the last instant before she climbed into the carriage, and two had been looted from the imperial carriage''s hidden compartment.

    "Father said this was a gift¡­"

    The young girl breathed as she palmed the grey satchel in her right hand.

    Tugging on the drawstring of the pouch with trembling fingers and exploring its contents with her index finger, An Fei couldn''t help but freeze with an unnatural expression on her countenance.

    The next moment, she overturned the pouch above her right hand without a single shred of hesitation.

    Plink!

    A gold coin stamped with an oblique number and an archaic symbol landed delicately in the center of her palm, the golden surface brilliantly reflecting the morning rays of sunlight with a cheerful smile.

    The young girl fixated her gaze at the grey pouch suspended upside down and pinched by her index finger and thumb, patiently waiting.

    Shua!

    A waterfall of coins cascaded over her right arm, bathing the forest ground with a miniature sea of metal. Golden, silver, and copper lights dazzled and blinded An Fei''s eyes, their happy countenances gleaming with the desire to be spent.

    "This¡­"

    When An Fei had finished clearing her vision with her fingers, the young girl found a mountain of wealth staring back at her.

    Plunk!

    A final coin slapped the backside of her right hand, falling neatly to finish the capstone of the pyramid of coins.

    A small mountain of gold, silver, and copper coins that formed a base of fifty centimeters in width, length, and height.

    The mountain of wealth proudly stood level with the seated young girl''s stomach, the blistering lights blinding the sea of grass underneath.

    A peal of amused laughter struck the arousing forest, the lazy birds attempting to deny the passing of the day startled brilliantly awake by the joyous cry.

    "Truly my Father, ah," An Fei wiped away the tears in her eyes with her fingers, displaying a happy smile towards the pile of wealth besides her feet.

    "You''re always so greedy and stingy with your money, did you know that?"

    Shaking her head, the young girl began the tedious but pleasing task of scooping the coins into her palms and depositing them into the grey satchel.

    Watching the mountain of wealth pour into an astonishingly small fabric pouch, An Fei ensured that none of the coins remained within the forest, even running her hands alongside of the grass in caution.

    The grass couldn''t spend money; it would be a waste to casually lose coins in such a location!

    The young girl neatly organized the display of jars, bottles, and silken pouches, utilizing the cloth wrapping the dress as a cushioning barrier to protect the ceramic, clay, and porcelain surfaces.

    Slinging the leather bag over her shoulder, An Fei took one last look towards the tree and leaves that had protected her throughout the night, before trudging into the depths of the forest.

    Seven months of blissful paradise of laziness and slumber, and she had in some inexplicable measure, returned to the wild and vicious filter of the world, to walk the path of painful survival on her lonesome.

    "¡­but how did those tiny pouches carry that many objects within them? A mountain containing hundreds if not thousands of mooncakes, a mountain of wealth enough to drown any wealthy family¡­ this is truly a different world, ah."

 124 The Wu Ji Forest 1

    The forest that served as the destination of the transference array located at the edge of the floating city Jiang''an was tenderheartedly named the Wu Ji Forest by its passersby.

    The forest was an experience every single person either entering or leaving the capital of Great Yong partook in, and though the circumstances differed for each person, the general sentiment was the same.

    Boundless and seemingly infinite, hence its affectionate title, the Wu Ji Forest.

    It was a given that a significant helping of sarcasm was introduced whilst bestowing the forest a title on the maps of the empire, for not many people enjoyed the experience of wading through a sea of trees that soared dozens of meters into the air.

    Furthermore, in its primal stages of exploration and experimentation, many had perished under the multitudes of creatures roaming around the impact areas.

    The transference array of Jiang''an forcibly hurled the participants into a random region of the outskirts of the forest with great speed, traversing the several kilometer height within a manner of seconds.

    A subsequent array had been installed at the central regions of the forest to decelerate the traveler''s speed, thus making the means of travel horribly quick and efficient.

    Be it an individual person, convoy, or even a division or regiment of the Imperial Army, the transference array hurled them towards the Wu Ji Forest without a single waste of resources.

    With its supreme advantage of speed and efficiency, it was only natural that the Emperors of Great Yong declare the transference arrays as the primary means of transportation to enter and exit Jiang''an.

    ¡­for a great empire of cultivation to fondly cherish a catapult that hurled humans to their destination, the world of the Shattered Star Continent was truly odd indeed!

    It was truly unfortunate that due to lacking a map of the forest, the poor young girl abandoned by her convoy was traveling towards the central region of the forest, instead of behaving as a proper traveler and departing from its outskirts.

    In her defense, she was attempting her best, but simply didn''t know where she was!

    ¨C

    "Fifty-one, fifty-two¡­"

    An Fei recited to herself, counting the number of oak trees on either side of her as she walked forward in the forest. The young girl''s eyes narrowed, a bright gleam radiating from the cracked scarlet irises.

    "I haven''t lost my touch after such a long time, hm¡­"

    An Fei was within an enormous sea of trees, the sun nearly blotted out by the dense canopy of leaves.

    To the front, left, right, back, and even above her head, the young girl could only spot branch after branch of a tree, if not their main root.

    The trees of the Wu Ji Forest appeared to be abnormally massive, for the shortest specimen she had discovered was a meagre forty meters in height.

    Furthermore, that type of tree had only been seen once, whilst she was still reclining within the luxurious blackwood carriage.

    Trees, trees, and more trees; the scenery that trapped and immersed An Fei was a mottled mix of colors.

    Most of which, she couldn''t even spot a single branch without having to crane her head skywards until her spine complained of misery.

    The young girl took a deep breath, clearing her mind with a shake of her head.

    Opening her eyes, An Fei began to scan her surroundings with increased vigilance, her experienced vision quickly beginning to differentiate each tree by their gender.

    After oak trees, came holly.

    "One¡­ two¡­"

    The young girl continued to walk through the wall-less maze of the Wu Ji Forest, her mind and body preoccupied by their respective tasks.

    The dense mass of trees soon formed a blur of mottled color as she breached the depths of the forest, and the cries and songs of vitality of animals filtered into her ears.

    ¡­identifying and counting a specific type of object amongst many was an excellent method of training a person''s eyesight.

    As An Fei transitioned from counting holly trees to cypress, linden, then myrtle trees, the young girl could feel her visual acuity improving by the second.

    A larger amount of details were captured with each blink of her eyes, and the young girl could discern between the type of trees by their bark, though her eyesight had not improved in its visual range, only in its processed resolution.

    Even then, it was more than sufficient for An Fei to explore the forest with greater confidence.

    She had neither survival tools nor sleeping bag to last a long time in a dense forest as this one.

    Cosmetics were nice to appreciate, ointments were certainly useful for treating a wound, and yuebing were amazing desserts, but none of them were necessarily apt for surviving in a location that was not a city.

    An Fei sighed, rubbing her stomach with a rueful grimace as she examined her surroundings. She could hear the rustling and chirping of animals, but couldn''t spot a single one.

    Birds, rabbits, squirrels¡­ but all she could see were grass, more grass, weeds, and sparsely strewn flowers and herbs.

    The young girl suddenly blinked her eyes, lightening her footsteps to approach the roots of a holly tree towards her right.

    Her steps became significantly lighter as she crouched amongst the leaves, her eyes narrowed in concentration.

    There, skittering around the gnarled roots, was a snow-white rabbit. The pitiful creature clutched at the strands of grass littering the soft earth, flashing its gaze towards its surroundings as if to detect prey.

    Crouch, scavenge numerous strands of grass and a flexible weed-like herb, and shake its head around in search of a predator in panic.

    The rabbit maintained the strange rhythm as it collected a large assortment of grass.

    A few meters behind, the young girl stifled her breath to the best of her abilities, reducing her presence to blend into the background of the rustling forest.

    The rabbit blinked its eyes, before reaching forward with a fluffy paw.

    Caw!

    A black shadow leaped from above, darting from the branches as it soared towards the white rabbit.

    Without giving either the rabbit or the young girl enough time to blink, the black shadow snatched up the pitiful creature before soaring towards the trees with another fierce cry.

    The rabbit had vanished in an instant, the plump white ball no longer rustling against the roots of the trees. An Fei could only blink in surprise, a paused sensation gripping at her heart.

    Where had the black shadow come from? Given its cry, it was¡­ more like a crow?

    The young girl patted her cheeks in a baffled mood, before pausing in surprise.

    Continuing to walk towards the forest in an absentminded manner, An Fei couldn''t help but attempt to reorganize her visual input.

    This time, blurring the trees as one, and searching for objects that were of a lighter color than her immediate surroundings.

    Gradually, as the young girl began surveying her surroundings with a different perspective, the forest transformed before her in an imperceptible manner.

    The trees remained in their respective positions as they towered over An Fei, and the soft strands of grass underneath her foot.

    ¡­it was only that on undersides of the branches that snaked over hear head, the young girl could spot brightly colored blurs of light.

    Below her feet, within the long strands of grass, she could similarly discern lighter blurs of color amongst the vibrant green sea.

    She could hear the animals since the beginning, but couldn''t spot any of them due to her focus on the trees.

    Just two meters away from her left foot, An Fei could spot an indistinct blur of white swathed by the long and tender strands of grass.

    If it were the same species of rabbit as the one she had witnessed before, then this rabbit was of a rather massive size.

    Compared to the pitiful creature that had been kidnapped by the black shadow, this indistinct blur of color was approximately double in size.

    The patch of white flustered around the grasses, and the young girl could clearly spot the nearby grasses distort and bend under its weight.

    The question was, how was she supposed to capture it?

    An Fei possessed no weapon, spear, nor bow to hunt down the creature besides her leg. In the case that she struck and the large patch of white was remarkably swift or tenaciously powerful, wouldn''t she become the one injured?

    "¡­I forgot," the young girl raised her hand to tap herself on the forehead in exasperation.

    She didn''t have a means to physically hunt the creature, but she indeed possessed a rather fearsome lotus petal.

    With a soft grunt, a snow-white lotus petal smaller than her fingernail hovered above her right palm, a pitiful grain compared to its might appearance in the sanctum.

    The lotus petal hummed quietly in harmony with the gentle spring breeze, swaying from side to side in a peaceful manner.

    Unfortunately, the large figure of white color fiercely trembled at the spiritual fluctuations of the lotus petal, harshly contracting towards within itself.

    The figure sprung from within the cover of the grass, surging towards the shelter of the trees.

    The young girl gave a start at the sudden motion, before pointing towards the figure with her right index finger.

    "Kill!"

    Heeding An Fei''s call, the miniscule lotus petal soared into the air towards the swift figure of white, rapidly expanding into the form of a blade missing its handle.

    The deadly sword, brimming with its malicious intent, rushed towards its foe to claim its life, establishing its first usage to slaughter a pitiful, defenseless creature.

 125 The Wu Ji Forest 2

    In the Wu Ji Forest, a plump rabbit with soft, snow-white fur clutched a pile of grass to its chest. Its head swiveled from side to side in great angst, the body rippling and trembling in preparation to flee upon the first sight of danger.

    And for good reason, for a handle-less blade brimming with a malicious intent, soared through the sky towards its back.

    The sword formed from the screamed a cry beseeching death, the abstruse characters printing along the length of the blade gleaming with an uncanny, scarlet light. The fluctuating blade blazed through the air, the tip of the sword''s edge directly aligned with the poor creature''s head.

    Whoosh!

    The snow-white rabbit suddenly leaped into the air towards the right, its hind legs glistening with sweat as it narrowly evaded an instantaneous death.

    As the rabbit dashed through the tall grass, the creature''s eyes remained locked onto the blade formed from the a lotus petal, brimming with an overwhelming fear towards the sword''s desire for blood.

    Standing afar from the rabbit, An Fei pursed her lips in disappointment, her mood soured by the unexpected failure. The young girl swiped her hand towards the rabbit''s obscured figure, a soft voice accompanying the silent breeze.

    "Chase and kill!"

    The dour blade vibrated the instant the young girl''s voice reached its location, the characters dashed along its length faintly increasing in acuity. The soundless howl struck the peaceful atmosphere of the forest, ripping apart its preciously constructed fa?ade to reveal the distorted reality underneath.

    Squeak!

    A snow-white rabbit fled through the forest''s undergrowth whilst chased by an unknown and unusually deadly and persistent predator.

    Even having departed from the maximum range of vision An Fei''s eyes could support, the blade of spiritual essence continued to pulsate with maddened anger, soaring towards the back of the rabbit with the pure intention of reaping a life.

    Regardless of any evasive maneuvers the rabbit undertook, the sword continued to nip at its heels, grinding the pitiful creature''s remarkable speed to a crawl.

    An Fei could only jog behind nearby, the soft impact of a steel sword plunging into the ground and a dull sensation prickling at the index finger of her right hand serving as her only indicator of the sword''s existence. As she ran underneath the dense sea of branches, the young girl couldn''t help but sigh at the forest.

    "Even a small rabbit as this one has this much¡­ speed¡­" she complained, wiping away a few beads of sweat with the back side of her palm.

    "Don''t tell me the other creatures living in this forest will surpass it? Then¡­ wouldn''t I be in great trouble?"

    The unnatural rustling of leaves continued to filter into her ears without any inclination of a resolution either peaceful or violent. If An Fei dared to focus on her hearing for a brief moment, she could even faintly grasp the barely audible emission of sound caused by the sword slicing through the wind.

    "To¡­ the left?"

    The young girl muttered, resting her palm against the bark of a nearby tree to catch her breath. She continued to remain in her position for a few breaths of time, not daring to hesitate for another moment.

    If she got too far away from the sword, who knew what would happen?

    Even now, An Fei couldn''t comprehend how the sword formed from the lotus petal of her modified version of the could survive for such a long period of time.

    Pitted against a combination of the world''s suppression on her reserves of spiritual essence and rendering what used to be a satisfactory amount to a quantity that she only possessed at the initial stages of cultivation and a long distance, the fact that the handle-less blade was surviving for more than an incense stick''s worth of time without diminishing in vigor or malicious intent was praiseworthy, perhaps even miraculous.

    When she attempted to project spiritual essence from her body, it would always fizzle out into a myriad of sparks the moment it departed from her ¨C

    Swoosh! Thud!

    A muted crash rang out from the depths of the forest, resounding with an impact far greater than before. The young girl paused her jogging motion, tilting her head and pondering in silence for a brief period of time.

    The sound of the impact¡­ was it from the left or the right?

    An Fei pushed her bottom lip into a pout, before throwing her caution into the wind. She readjusted her grip on the leather bag slung over her shoulder, before redirecting her jog at an angle towards her left.

    While wading through knee-high grass, the young girl had never expected that to hunt for a single plump rabbit, she would have to cover an abnormally long distance of five kilometers total¡­

    As a matter of fact, it was impressive enough for her physique to have improved to this extent that five kilometers was only a faint sheen of sweat on her brow, even if An Fei was jogging at a relatively slower pace.

    When she had passed by the thin trunk of a begonia tree, the young girl found the carcass of a plump rabbit with snow-white fur.

    A sword missing its handle had pierced it completely through from the back, and the ground surrounding the pitiful creature had become anointed with a visible layer of scarlet. The snow-white rabbit lay on the ground, the pair of eyes outstretched to their utmost limits in a mixture of pain and shock.

    It was¡­ quite the pity.

    "This¡­" An Fei whispered in a quiet voice, her heart tinged with pity.

    Shaking her head with a muted sigh, the young girl allowed the detached blade to return to its form of a lotus petal. The girl wrapped up the pitiful animal within a bundle of large leaves, turning to depart from the area.

    The lotus petal flitted back to merge with the fingertips of her right hand, the sword humming in pleasure and joy from its first offering.

    "I''ve¡­ secured food in quite the unreasonable manner¡­"

    An Fei murmured to herself whilst roaming through the depths of the forest, a shade of worry darkening her complexion. The young girl continued to pat herself on the bosom to calm her rampant emotions, rattling her head from side to side to drive the unnecessary thoughts out of her mind.

    "You''ve simply returned to a few years ago¡­ you''ve simply returned to a few years ago¡­"

    Gradually, the pair of scarlet irises regained their ordinary dull lustre, no longer fluctuating with panic and discomfort. Allowing her gaze to examine her surroundings, An Fei became cognizant to her previous life''s experiences, and most particularly, the worries upon reaching a circumstance as this.

    Water.

    By relying on the mooncakes stored within the Empress'' blue silk satchel, she could temporarily allay her need for food until she departed from the forest. However, combined with the rather dry and water-absorbent pastry and a general lack of water within the vicinity, the young girl couldn''t guarantee her survival for more than two days at the most.

    "A stream, creek, or pond," An Fei rationalized, her lips pursing in thought.

    "Lakes would contain detrimental bacterial due to having pooled and amassed far too many¡­ nutrients and compounds; a pool would only reduce such risk. I need to find either a creek or a stream, and quickly at that¡­"

    But how?

    "Determine a path by measuring the dewdrops on various plants in differing locations? But it''s already close to the afternoon, all of it would have evaporated by now¡­"

    "Wind? The breeze would generally become more directional and humid when near bodies of water¡­ but the breeze here is rather weak and considerably dry¡­"

    "I could listen for the sounds of a stream or creek, but that doesn''t help in searching for one¡­"

    "Head forward in a straight path until I find one¡­" the young girl wracked her mind, only to return in dismay.

    Head forward in a single direction without stopping¡­ it was quite the questionable notion and increasingly devoid of intelligence, but she couldn''t think of other ideas that seemed capable of assisting her in locating a suitable body of water.

    ¡­An Fei could only resign herself to roaming the forest once more, this time keeping herself wary and alert at all times.

    Furthermore, she didn''t seem to be privy to much more daylight, for beyond her expectation, the sunlight passing through the great mesh of leaves had gradually adopted a golden-brown hue compared to its clear radiance. Though the temperature did not change, An Fei couldn''t help but become increasingly anxious to determine a water source.

    If night were to descend before she had secured a shelter, it didn''t take much of her currently impoverished mind to discern that her ending would not be as satisfactory as the incident with the leaves and the tree roots.

    Thus, the young girl began walking, maintaining a constant pace towards the front without bothering to take any rest.

    The sun accompanied her toils, the golden rays bathing her back with a gentle persuasion to rest and relax in indulgence. However, the girl could only wipe the sweat from her brow and neck, grit her teeth, and continue to breach through the forest.

    Walk whilst straining her ears for the slightest inclination for flowing water.

    Time seemed to crawl at an astonishing yet excruciatingly slow pace as An Fei trekked through the forest. The sun had long since descended into the horizon, causing the undergrowth within the forest to plummet to a melancholy, dim world.

    ¡­she still had not found any source of water.

    "How many¡­ kilometers¡­ has it been?" the young girl murmured to herself, exhaustion evident on her countenance.

    "I''ve walked¡­ for¡­ the whole day¡­ and yet still couldn''t-"

    An Fei abruptly paused, her brows furrowing deeply in confusion. Towards her right and hidden behind a dense, indomitable wall of grasses and trees¡­ two animals seemed to be locked in combat?

 126 A brush with danger 1

    Curiosity¡­ was oftentimes a precursor to great and inevitable danger.

    Once again, the disoriented and utterly exhausted An Fei had chosen to succumb to her curiosity.

    Unable to calm her heart, the young girl gave into the temptation and set out to explore the cause for the scuffling sound beyond the barrier of grass and trees.

    She had walked all day long and had not heard of such incidents¡­ until now, when the sun had descended beyond the horizon.

    An Fei cautiously crept behind the trees as she waded through the sea of grass towards the source of the abnormal sound, her senses prepared to urge herself to flee at the instant she determined that there was danger. Her hands parted the dense foliage to step across with trembling limbs, her entire body attempting to minimize her presence.

    As she approached, the young girl could clearly discern the source of the unnatural sound of clashing. When she finally managed to obtain a peek, An Fei couldn''t be any more happier and depressed at the same instance.

    Hiss!

    An enormous python engaged in a rough conflict with another animal akin to a panther with black fur. The two animals intertwined with the other using their flexible bodies and limbs, each attack striking with a dense murderous aura.

    Both creatures were easily twice, perhaps even triple An Fei''s height when placed into proportion.

    The mottled scales of ruby red, light blue, and a pale orchid on the python''s skin rippled as the faint rays of astral moonlight reflected onto the panther''s eyes, and the python took the opportunity to coil its body around itself, the twin fangs and tail radiating an equally powerful and deadly intent.

    Roar!

    The black panther snarled, balancing its weight onto its forelimbs as it crouched to minimize its striking radius. From afar, the young girl could faintly discern that the panther''s tail supported a mighty spike at its tip, gleaming with a sinister aura.

    ¡­An Fei certainly regretted satisfying her curiosity, but her desperate need to secure water triumphed over her fear within a matter of seconds.

    Just beyond the two animals'' domineering presence, laid a gentle and tranquil stream of water. The current divided a section of the Wu Ji Forest into numerous parts, and the soft gurgling of freely flowing water could be barely heard past the indomitable filter of a python''s hiss and a panther''s snarls.

    "I can''t possibly just saunter over to take a drink, can I¡­" An Fei murmured with her body hidden behind the large tree, her head poking from the side to spectate the fight.

    "No doubt, the two of them would instantly cease fighting to slaughter me the moment I ¨C "

    Ting!

    An earsplitting scratch of metal striking metal disrupted the young girl''s thoughts, causing her to crouch onto the ground whilst covering her head. A fearful screech escaped her lips, and the girl couldn''t help but tremble in fear.

    ¡­fortunately, she wasn''t discovered by either of the two predators.

    The panther''s claws ricocheted from the glistening scales of the python, each collision producing a scattering wave of brilliant sparks and a deafening clash of metal upon metal. Both animals snarled at the other after each strike, uninjured, but certainly enraged beyond reason.

    The panther''s tail swept from over its head towards the python''s exposed back, with two deadly claws soaring forward to serve as the vanguard. The panther opened its mouth to release a piercing roar, two pure-white canines dripping with the intent to slaughter.

    Hiss!

    The python flickered its tongue in distaste, the coiled muscles rippling underneath the glistening scales. Before the young girl''s outstretched and dumbfounded eyes, the python''s body unwound as though a highly pressurized coil seeking release.

    A furious sweep of the python''s tail, emboldened by the entire weight and driving momentum of its body, slammed into the panther''s waist, slapping the latter directly into the earth with a tremendous impact.

    The grass and trees shivered from the concussive shockwave, and numerous leaves that had just grasped their opportunity to bloom, descended onto the ground as they were forcefully stripped of their meagre vitality.

    Similarly, An Fei was flung off from the tree and forced to backpedal into the ground, a dull impact coursing through her body.

    Pain!

    Both the black panther and the young girl released similar expressions of pain, a muffled curse and an earsplitting yowl smashing apart the remnants of the previously tranquil atmosphere of the Wu Ji Forest.

    The panther leapt back onto its paws, though an acute limp could be seen around its hindlegs.

    Nonetheless, without obtaining a brief moment of respite, the black panther leapt back into the frothy battle, its tail whistling through the wind as it sought for a vulnerable region on its enemy.

    The python''s scales were indeed durable and mighty in their defenses, for the panther''s claws, even after being fully extended and curled with the full momentum of its body, could only scatter sparks over the trembling grass. The panther''s tail was less effective than its claws and canines; the python merely rippled its muscles underneath the scales, the spike at the tip serving absolutely no advantage.

    However, An Fei could faintly discern that the panther had little intention of attempting on piercing through the seemingly impervious scales of the python, instead aiming towards blunting the latter to death. The razor-sharp claws gleamed underneath the impartial moonlight, but only the black paws bulging with powerful muscles made contact with the python''s body.

    Shaa!

    The python slithered backwards in pain, its tongue madly sweeping the air in panic. From its exterior, it had taken little to no damage from the panther''s onslaught, but its interior was in complete disarray.

    Internal wounds and bleeding erupted in numerous regions of its body, and a few of its poisonous glands had been ruptured from the concussive blows. The black panther appeared to only sport an acute limp, but its heart had been stabbed by one of its broken ribs.

    Roar!

    "Please end quickly, please end quickly," the young girl murmured whist pressing her back against the tree''s back.

    "Die together or flee from this place, so I can quickly get my water, ah!"

    Fortunate or perhaps unfortunate, An Fei had coincidently turned her head back towards the brawling of the two animals, only to see a spectacular scene.

    Two energized screams of murder and death rang in her ears, and the world exploded into color before her eyes.

    A dense teal radiance erupted from the mottled scales of the python, and its exposed fangs revealed two piercing glints of a purifying scarlet and putrefying green. The rippling of its muscles increased in intensity, and the earth vibrated in response to the trembling of its tail.

    The black panther''s tail erupted into a brilliant scorching fire that enveloped the mighty spike at the tip.

    As the panther snarled towards its foe, its exposed canines and claws blazed with scarlet light.

    The atmosphere instantly boiled and raved underneath the pressure emanating from the two animals bodies; from her position behind the tree, An Fei could clearly feel her body become leaden and much, much heavier than before.

    Moving her limbs seemed impossible under the mysterious and horrifying pressure. The young girl could only stare in abject horror as the atmosphere coiled around her body, pinning her in her current position.

    Her body could only sway by the gentle breeze of the night, and the explosive winds generated by the two animals'' display of spiritual essence.

    The python swung its tail in a full moon, the teal radiance forming the dreadful blade of a reaper''s scythe as it surged towards the panther''s life. The panther gouged the earth with its claws, the tail jerking forward with an impossible momentum and velocity as it plunged towards the python''s crown.

    A scythe reaping the millions of lives under its rust-covered blade clashed headlong with a mighty spear that had pierced through hundreds of empires. The teal radiance reaped the lives of many with indifference and methodism, and the spear exploding with flames tore through hundreds of barriers to reap a single life.

    An immense shockwave tore through the vicinity, only to be followed by a massive tsunami of blistering fire that expanded outwards in every direction. An Fei could only watch as her body was flung into the air by the teal ring of light.

    "Ah!"

    The disk of flames tore through the sea of grass and trees as though cutting through a ball of putty, broken weeds and trees incinerated into dust upon entering an intimate embrace with the scorching flames and invincible heat.

    The young girl prayed that she would remain suspended in the air until the ring had fully left her aside, so that she wouldn''t be incinerated to ashes.

    Helplessly thrown into the air as though she were a rice paddy, and next was to descend onto the ground¡­

    An Fei wasn''t even granted the opportunity to think or move a muscle as her body collided onto the ash-bathed ground, her body forming a considerably deep indent into the soft basted earth. The tremendous impact blasted all of the air from her lungs in a powerful strike, leaving the young girl incapable of uttering anything other than a muted groan.

    ¡­she couldn''t help but thank Wei Xuan for the linen coat, for it had saved her life from harm once again, and perhaps many times more in the future¡­

    As An Fei lay dazed and incapacitated in the manmade human-sized crater, the sounds of battle continued to progressively become embroiled within a primal chaos and savage anger.

    Shockwaves of teal light flashing above her head scythed the unfortunate grasses and trees within the vicinity without any mercy, and the tsunamis of flames enveloped the earth with a blistering heat, charring the ashes of the cremated.

 127 A brush with danger 2

    Above her head, the two fierce creatures continued their onslaught against the other, drawing upon the last embers of their now flickering vitality to suppress the other into death.

    Teal light and scarlet flames intersected and merged into a single phenomenon just a meter away from her head, causing the young girl to wish that she had fainted from the impact. The mix of dull green and brilliant scarlet created a visual nightmare, almost as if she was in the midst of hallucinogenic throes.

    If not for the shockwaves that rattled her ears and the blistering heat emanating from the scarlet light, An Fei would have assumed that she was experiencing an epileptic seizure.

    Her thin body trembled and floundered with each flash of intermingling light that shot above her; the dying screams of wrath and pain escaping either of the creatures terrified the young girl to the core of her soul.

    The pulses of teal and scarlet light fluctuated with each cry, reaping hundreds if not thousands of lives with a single blow.

    Whenever An Fei closed her eyes, she envisioned the appearances of the two grievously injured creatures, their expressions mottled and clouded.

    Anger, fear, jealousy, greed¡­ she saw numerous fluctuations of their souls as the two creatures sacrificed their usually overflowing vitality and spiritual essence to condemn the other.

    If she had managed to retain her head whilst glancing outward from her inadvertent man-made shelter, the young girl would have noticed that with each clash of light, both python and panther sacrificed a drop of blood.

    A drop of blood that submerged a teal or scarlet radiance within, splattering across the disturbed forest ground and the ashes of vibrant life.

    Bang!

    A wave of fused teal and scarlet soared past An Fei''s head, dissipating with a massive collision after scything through the forest for an indeterminate amount of distance. Nearly an instant later, a massive clash of metal upon metal resounded throughout the forest, scattering the budding leaves from their respectful homes.

    The disturbed forest suddenly entered a state of disorganized repose, the trees and leaves rustling in a turbid manner.

    The dead sang their diminishing lamentations to those who remained behind, and the survivors of the hell peeked their head from within their shelters to examine their surroundings.

    A stifled silence reigned within the forest where the python and black panther had settled their grudges, the atmosphere taut as though another conflict was merely a few steps away.

    However, the dark teal scythe and sea of brilliant flames had ceased to exist.

    Gripping onto the edge of the cavity with her fingers, a young girl gingerly extricated herself from what should have been her gravestone, revealing a pair of scarlet irises that observed her surroundings with a trepid gaze. The young girl swiveled her head in all directions, her body releasing an exceedingly faint aura of vigilance and fear.

    Exposing herself to the scene, An Fei couldn''t help but become completely disoriented.

    The forest that she had roamed throughout had undergone a drastic slaughter during the battle of the python and panther.

    Much of the vegetation loitering around in the ground had vanished, only to reveal a sea of charred ash and smoke. The trees had been uprooted from the concussive shockwaves that had ravaged the forest, before being sliced into numerous portions and incinerated to the extent that not even ash remained.

    From a forest vibrant with countless fluctuations of vitality, the young girl stood in a graveyard worshipping death.

    The smell of ash licked at her nose, begging to infiltrate the tantalizing specimen before them. The remnants of charred ash swayed with the gentle breeze, composing a silent eulogy towards those who had wrongfully lost their lives.

    Thirteen and a half meters away from her, An Fei discovered two ash-covered corpses intertwined against the other.

    When she dared approach with faltering steps, the young girl realized that the two corpses were that of the python and the black panther.

    Be it an impenetrable armor of mottled scales or black fur, all that remained from the merciless chastising of fire were trails of ash. The python had been roasted alive in its scaly armor, whilst the panther had been charred into a wisp of ash.

    The two creatures stood at a height numerous times that of An Fei, their girth more than enough for her to crawl inside without difficulty. They stood in a final, defiant stance, their bodies intertwined against the other in an embrace of death.

    "This smell¡­" An Fei wrinkled her nose in disgust, extending her sleeve to rub away at the soot that had gathered at its surface.

    "Why does it make my chest feel stuffy?"

    The ultimate sacrifice of their cultivation had caused an astonishing temperature and pressure to scour the area, rendering life within the vicinity to nearly zero. Two sentinels guarded the entrance to the land of death, their gaze tinged with a glacial intent to battle.

    Shaking her head, the young girl narrowed her eyes in surprise at the sight of a single unblemished scale on the right side of the python''s long, flexible body. An Fei pursed her lips in curiosity, and she reached out to touch it with her finger.

    The scale was exceptionally smooth to the touch, the brilliant light gleaming from its surface revealing an indomitable radiance. As she continued to stroke its impossibly smooth contours, the young girl couldn''t help but praise the quality of the material with a gaze of astonishment.

    If she were to display this scale, the public would be rendered into raving idiots craving for its beauty. Just by socketing it into an accessory, the scale could embellish the natural aesthetic effect countless times without end¡­

    Just look at it!

    A perfect combination and mixture of a brilliant scarlet, refined azure, a dull teal, and it released a periodic vibration that was comfortable to the touch¡­

    A periodic vibration¡­

    An Fei''s dreamy thoughts ground to a sudden halt, and the young girl''s lips couldn''t help but twitch madly. Taking her gaze from the beautiful scale stroked by her fingers, the young girl achingly craned her head upwards to gaze into two massive orbs of gold.

    The golden spheres flared with an enraged radiance, thin slits of black ink extending their presence without fear. Two golden spheres separated from the other by a black rod that stretched for two meters¡­

    Not good!

    "Ah!?"

    An Fei screamed in fright, wrenching her hand away from the scaly surface as if it had caught on fire.

    Hiss!

    The young girl backed away as fast as she could, nearly tripping and falling into her cavity. The ash-covered python unwound itself from the black panther''s body, the pair of golden eyes fiercely gazing upon the young human girl''s appearance with incredible malice.

    The snake tongue flickered around the air, scathing the just-calmed atmosphere with a severe lashing. Stretching to its maximum length, a python thirteen meters tall gazed down upon the young girl with a condescending glare, the pair of eyes filled with mocking, laughter, and¡­ exhaustion.

    To eliminate a black panther that was of equal strength and capability, the python had naturally expended the majority of its abilities. However, taking care of a mere human girl who couldn''t even lift a stone was an easy task.

    A single strike of its tongue, and what used to be a delicious little human girl, was an unappetizing pool of flesh and blood.

    "Why¡­ isn''t it moving?"

    An Fei muttered to herself, her mind rattled by the sudden resurrection of the python''s vitality. The young girl took advantage of the python''s inaction to retreat thirty meters away her body covered by a dense sheen of sweat.

    Even then, a python towering thirteen meters in the air was still a considerably terrifying sight to behold.

    Furthermore, she could detect a trace of sardonic disdain and mockery¡­ flash within its eyes?

    The young girl drove the absurd notion away from her mind, decisively condemning the precious stream of water behind the python to be out of her grasp. An Fei grit her teeth as she continued to maintain the staring match with the enormous python, before turning away to run.

    Pak!

    She had intended to run into the depths of the forest, but had collided with a relatively hard surface.

    As An Fei rubbed her nose with her eyes tearing in pain, she found that she was leaning against a rock wall glistening with a myriad of lights, gold, scarlet, and azure radiances dazzling her eyes in an awestriking spectacle.

    "When did that get¡­ here?" the young girl murmured in a low voice, pressing her palm against the mysterious rock wall in confusion.

    Unfortunately, she would receive an answer within the next moment, an answer she didn''t wish to dream of.

    Hiss!

    The ''rock wall'' caved in around An Fei, wrapping around her body in a snug embrace.

    The flexible and smooth surface aptly coiled around the young girl''s body, immobilizing her limbs and lifting her from the ground.

    Hiss¡­

    An exhale of sardonic laughter rang from above An Fei''s head, prompting the young girl to crane her neck and look upwards. The single look was sufficient to terrify her soul and plunge it into the bottom of an ocean of ice.

    There, the enormous head of a python leered at her, the mockery and sarcasm clearly evident in the pair of golden eyes that seemed to replicate the sun''s unforgiving brilliance.

 128 A brush with danger 3

    A large, forked tongue flickered above her head, teasing the young girl with light jabs to her exposed nape.

    An Fei attempted to struggle in protest, but the flexible muscles of the python had completely restricted even the most basic movements of her body, forcing her to endure the merciless torment on her soul and physique.

    Most importantly, however, was that she couldn''t comprehend how exactly she had fallen into the devious snake''s plot.

    It was clearly thirty meters away, how did it traverse such a distance without making a single disturbance, especially with its large body?

    Furthermore, it could travel that far in a blink of an eye!?

    Hiss¡­

    The pair of golden eyes narrowed in laughter and delight at the young girl''s uncomfortable expression on her exposed countenance, unable in restraining itself from swooping in for another round of sardonic amusement.

    The forked tongue jabbed at her right shoulder, intending to claim an early share to its prey.

    Puff!

    Before An Fei had obtained the opportunity to blink her eyes, the snake''s forked tongue that was as lethal as a sharpened and tempered pitchfork, dived towards her right collarbone.

    However, a thick linen coat suddenly barred its way, releasing a tremendous force that surged through the python''s body.

    Shaa!

    The python screeched in pain, its massive head reeling backwards as an uncontrollable and certainly unbearable sensation threatened to fully cripple its tongue.

    The enormous creature tempered its emotions to a stable plateau after a few moments, but the gaze directed towards the young girl was no longer filled with sarcastic mockery and contempt.

    Instead, they were filled with a cruel malice and the intention to kill.

    "Come on, come on, come on¡­" the girl whispered to herself in undisguised panic, clearly noticing that the muscles hidden behind the wall of scales had contracted once more.

    This was no longer tormenting, the massive python clearly intended to squeeze her to death here as of this moment!

    "¡­give form, give form¡­ give form!"

    A muted roar of angst and fear erupted from An Fei''s throat, and the compressed and cowering kernel of spiritual essence locked away within her heart reared its head in fury, screaming its condemnations to the world without restraint.

    A torrential flood of warmth ravaged the interior of the young girl''s body, dividing into two equal channels that soared towards different locations on her body.

    Before An Fei could properly determine where the warmth had originated from, a mixed sensation of the polar opposites of heat assuaged her right shoulder.

    Pssh!

    The soft decompression of a can suddenly pierced through the eerily silent forest, rustling the fatigued leaves once more. Soon, an enraged and pained roar shook the tranquilized forest, the earth quaking and quivering from the undue fury rained upon its defenseless back.

    A river of blood flowed down a mountain of scales mottled with dazzling colors, bathing the tortured ground and returning a portion of the stripped vitality.

    The massive python arched its head back in pure agony, its mind reeling in stunned shock. The pair of golden suns couldn''t help but glance towards its side in disbelief.

    A massive hole the size of a human body had been drilled through its entire body, the inner organs vaporized from the intense release of spiritual essence.

    A sea of blood continued to form on the ground, the charred and ashen earth receiving a baptism of blood as an offering.

    To any living being, an injury as this where the inner organs had been vaporized and a massive hole torn out in the side¡­ was sufficiently lethal.

    Shraa!

    The massive python reared its head to roar at the indifferent night, its mind exploding with fear and wrath. Its previously devious eyes scoured its vicinity, hunting for a small figure within the sea of grass and trees.

    Soon, it had found its target. The forked tongue flickered with desperation of clinging to its greatly diminishing life, and with a tinge of regret.

    ¨C

    An Fei ran into the depths of the forest without any reservations on her strength, only wishing to escape the python''s grasp as soon as possible.

    The young girl had raced into the forest at an indirect angle towards the stream that stood behind the python.

    As she continued to weave through the dense maze of trees and grass, the young girl couldn''t help but rub her neck.

    Numerous purple bruises adorned her neck akin to a vicious choker, making breathing certainly painful and agonizing.

    The python had ignored her vitals when it had tormented her, dispatching two-pronged strikes to her delicate flesh without mercy.

    Rustle¡­

    The quiet displacement of leaves nearby was exceptionally subtle and quiet, as if a byproduct of a natural phenomenon as that of the wind. However, the young girl tensed her neck in fear, the handle-less sword floating over her head releasing a murderous intent behind her.

    At a time like this, only the massive python would be bored enough to chase after her.

    "Kill!" An Fei whispered into the wind. "Sunder, break, and kill!"

    The blade released a keen cry of sorrow and death, accelerating to a frightening speed as it raced towards the undergrowth a few meters behind the young girl.

    The net of plants and shrubbery was reduced to scraps, producing a fierce clash of metal upon metal that roared throughout the desperately silent forest.

    A sound like that, could only produced by a monstrous creature that was well familiar to An Fei.

    Hiss!

    The python didn''t bother to conceal its presence any further, its enormous body encircling around the young girl to block off all possible escape routes.

    The pair of golden suns glared at the tiny human with a fierce and wary gaze, ready to lunge forward and lash out with its fangs at the slightest movement.

    "Damn!"

    The young girl couldn''t help but swear within her heart at the scene, her mood plummeting to an all-time low.

    The python''s girth was easily twice her height, rendering a simple motion as encircling the young girl with its body sorely effective against An Fei. She could tell with a single glance that if she were to attempt to climb over its body to escape, then she would lose her head within moments.

    ¡­that was dependent on whether she could surmount a three-meter height without difficulty in the first place.

    The steel sword hovered restlessly above her head, the blade singing a cry of death as it stared at the python''s eyes. Neither python nor blade dared to move, creating a delicate stalemate that forced the buzzing forest into silence.

    The python discovered that the handle-less blade, regardless of its small size, posed a great threat to its life than the girl herself.

    Though the large snake could eliminate its target in an instant, it feared that the sword would come reap its life before it could even move.

    An Fei couldn''t help but hold back the sword, for she was fully aware of the overwhelming risk. The instant she ordered the sword to strike at the python, one lash of the tail and she could enter the path of reincarnation.

    Thus, a young girl and a python glared at each other with outstretched eyes and constricted pupils, vigilance and murderous intent surging within the irises of gold and scarlet.

    The leaves rustled in panic as they attempted to escape from the calamity, whereas the trees could only quake in their roots and pray for forgiveness and pity.

    As time passed, the gentle breeze ruffled An Fei''s hair, providing a highly unwanted cool sensation to pool upon the ravaged skin of her neck.

    "I need¡­ to break this stalemate¡­" the young girl exhaled a breath of cold air in anxiety.

    Her stamina, after her long burst of sprinting, had been completely depleted to the point that standing was the maximum limit of her abilities.

    Her reserves of spiritual essence didn''t suffer a large blow, but the forming of the lotus petal and converging it into a blade did consume a considerable quantity.

    The sword formed from the didn''t require spiritual essence to command its movements; at the least, she had not noticed any additional consumption.

    Then¡­ what was she supposed to do with the remaining spiritual essence? Make tofu with it?

    "Break through¡­" An Fei suddenly muttered in a low voice, the pair of scarlet irises gleaming with a maniac light.

    "Form the second lotus petal¡­"

    The young girl immediately sat onto the grass, her eyes closed in concentration.

    As the familiar, complex diagram of her body emerged within her consciousness, the blade without a handle swooped downwards to guard the young girl, preventing the python from even daring to advance.

    Determine a Yang-attributed acupuncture point and a Yin-attributed acupuncture point to merge the pooled spiritual essence¡­

    An Fei reflexively skipped over her Small Intestine Meridian, crossing over to her left shoulder, or more particularly, the Lung Meridian within her body.

    Aligning with acupuncture points that were relatively parallel with the other regarding their position adjusted to her heart, the young girl focused onto the Zhong Fu acupuncture point, and the Yun Men acupuncture point.

    However¡­ what was she to instill into these acupuncture points whilst infusing spiritual essence in an attempt to trigger their attributes?

    Trapped in a moment of pondering, An Fei slowly came to a visualization of the python releasing a teal shockwave as two malicious fangs darted towards her exposed throat¡­

 129 A brush with danger 4

    The young girl''s vision darkened, her consciousness delving deep within her sea of perception.

    The diagram of her body was disregarded and allocated to the side, the intricate channels of glowing light of little significance in her mind.

    She faced a miniature python.

    The python coiled around itself before An Fei reflected none of the prior arrogant might nor danger compared to the large creature just meters away from her physical body.

    The tiny creature, however, retained the gleaming luster of the scales as its predecessor, twinkling even within the absence of light.

    A dense, mottled sea of red, green, orange, and azure flecks of color blended to span across the animal''s entire body.

    An Fei shook her head in dismay, for what she desired was not the gemstone-like luster emanating from the scales on the python''s skin. She needed neither decoration nor apparel, and only sought one aspect and one aspect only.

    Destruction.

    Precisely speaking, the young girl wished to recreate the python''s massive dual fangs.

    The fangs were almost the entire length of her body, their ivory tips dripping with a viscous green venom that seemed to corrode at all living existence within its vicinity.

    When she had observed from her makeshift shelter of a tree, the young girl had witnessed the two fangs pierce through the panther''s defenses with ease.

    Incomparably swift and deadly.

    The compared to the python''s tail which could only be regarded as a blunted weapon, the pair of fangs could truly slaughter any living creature it encountered.

    An Fei had no qualms regarding its superiority within the forest, for there wasn''t much to dispute.

    If a single bite wasn''t capable of removing the head, then the poison that subsequently invaded the body would shred the heart into numerous strips.

    A pair of fangs that wielded incredible agility and dexterity to sever the life of an opponent. A simple action of darting in and retreating would be sufficient to resolve many conflicts within the world.

    A powerful venom that infiltrated the body without a trace before presenting a gruesome conclusion. It was more difficult to identify the culprit responsible for the death, nor was it as risky as a direct conflict.

    The spiritual essence within An Fei''s body heeded her command, purging through her meridians to wallow in the Zhong Fu acupuncture point and the Yun Men acupuncture point.

    Two additional specks of light brightened in the diagram mapping her constitution, akin to stars dwarfing the diminishing rays of glorification.

    The young girl squeezed her closed eyelids in concentration, two vivid projections resounding within her conscience.

    A pair of deadly fangs desiring the blood of an opponent, tearing through the defenses without much resistance to claim ownership of the treasured vitality cowering within.

    The fangs flickered in and out of existence, required only to release as much kinetic force within the shortest amount of time possible.

    A colorless, odorless toxin that invaded the bloodstream of an opponent, only to claim their life a while after.

    The tender walls guarding the viscous blood would fracture and burst, the blood would boil in fearful anger, and the heart would be torn to shreds from within.

    The two manifestations interlocked within An Fei''s mind, her lips moving in a soundless chant without her awareness. With each breath the young girl cycled through her lungs, the two images increased in resolution, the indistinct concepts receiving further detail impossible by ordinary observation.

    The Zhong Fu acupuncture point revealed a dazzling scarlet glow, combusting into the nebulae birth of a brilliant star.

    The Yun Men acupuncture point responded in kind the next moment, an azure radiance leaking out to inundate the nearby meridians at a slow and warm pace.

    One was as bright and tempestuous as the initial formation of star, and the other was akin to the nebulae dust that encapsulated the blazing embers to guard from erosion.

    Once again, An Fei could feel the mixture of a searing sensation and a cooling sensation, but in her left shoulder. Moreover, the sensations were not exactly identical to the pair emanating from her right shoulder.

    The Zhong Fu acupuncture point appeared to be releasing the underlying intent of murder, the warped pool of spiritual essence screaming for the splatter of blood.

    The moment An Fei attempted to concentrate on the Zhong Fu acupuncture point''s activity, she could distinctly hear faint whispers compelling her to murder, to tear out a creature''s throat to relish in the abrupt release of vitality.

    To purge, to eradicate, and to¡­ slaughter.

    The Yun Men acupuncture point, in retrospect, was much calmer than the former, releasing a gentle, rational calm that served as a bastion protecting the young girl''s consciousness from becoming swamped in murderous thoughts.

    As An Fei relished in the peaceful sensation, she could acutely sense that her perception had begun to coalesce into a formless cluster of brilliant light.

    "Fuse!"

    Now was not the time for her to explore an interesting concept regarding the usage of spiritual essence, nor was it the appropriate moment to delve deeper into her sea of consciousness.

    The young girl roared in her mind, forcefully compelling the warped spiritual essence of scarlet and azure to depart from their respective niches of nurturing to streamline into the Governing Vessel.

    An instant later, An Fei deeply wished to vomit, her stomach and throat falling prey to a series of uncontrollable seizures and forced contractions.

    Her Governing Vessel groaned in agony as the scarlet and azure light attempted to merge with the other whilst traveling through the thin meridian channel at great speeds.

    The spiritual essence seemed incompatible with each other, missing the vital and crucial inference that permitted the transmutation into the neutralized spiritual essence that was quintessential to the operation of her .

    The scarlet radiance emitting from the fierce star seemed discordant with the gentle nebulae dust, and refused to merge regardless of the amount of force the Governing Vessel pouring onto the clusters of spiritual essence.

    The streams of scarlet and azure light collided and fought against the compression of the Governing Vessel, and each vibration dispatched a shock of pain to blaze through An Fei''s nervous system.

    Jolted awake, the young girl opened her eyes to discover the hurtling shadow of mottled color targeting her exposed neck, two white and ivory lines grinning towards her delicate and soft throat.

    Just as she began to screech in surprise, the final wisps of spiritual essence pooled within her heart roared in frustration, stampeding through the Zhong Fu and Yun Men acupuncture points, and trailblazed through the pitiful and abused Governing Vessel¡­

    ¨C

    Bang!

    The python''s fierce fangs were once again repelled by the handle-less sword.

    The steel blade circled around the seated young girl, the double-edged shear of malice bearing down onto the weakened python.

    Hiss!

    The python''s tongue flickered through the air, striking towards the channel of the blade.

    The sword keened and released a piercing cry of death, rotating in the air as it hurtled towards the incoming whip of terror.

    Shua!

    The pronged tongue and the steel blade ricocheted in different directions, eliciting two different groans of pain. The python''s head retreated in haste, green blood dripping from the ghastly incision nearly splitting its tongue into two equally thick slices.

    The sword was buried into the ground, not even the tang visible from aboveground.

    The pair of golden suns narrowed in dislike at the dense sensation of mind-splitting pain racing through its consciousness, before settling onto the now defenseless young girl just meters before its main body.

    The python hesitated for the briefest of moments, before lunging forward with both fangs fully exposed to reap its just reward.

    At that moment, An Fei''s eyes shot open, the pair of scarlet irises fixated upon the ivory fangs threatening to sever her head from the left.

    The young girl blinked her eyes in surprise, her body failing to respond as it sat motionlessly on the ground with exhaustion. Her palms lay loosely against the damp soil, unable to rise in the air to ward off the attacker.

    Roar!

    The sorely abused ground wailed in absolute torment and pain as the buried sword finally extricated itself from its prison, seething after the false dragon with a heavy intention of death.

    The steel blade transformed into a silver streak of light, a soundless collision blasting the trees backwards for the umpteenth time.

    The python''s eyes narrowed and glared at the pesky and annoying sword that protected its master to a fault.

    However, the intelligent creature couldn''t help but attribute a tinge of apprehension and fear towards the inanimate object circling the young girl.

    Had it not incurred internal injuries from the previous clash with the black panther, the python would be able to, albeit with difficulty and possibly fatal injuries, bypass the defensive perimeter of the handle-less blade to slaughter the young girl nestled within.

    Unfortunately, now it couldn''t even forge a ¨C

    Tang!

    An eerily gray light erupted from An Fei''s body, surging outwards in every direction in an unstoppable tidal wave.

    The grass and trees swayed in terror as their bodies were bent to the absolute maximum the grey light could strain from them, and the fallen leaves disintegrated into particle-sized ashes¡­

    The gray radiance instantly vanished in a form akin to its uncanny entrance, coalescing into an object directly above the young girl''s head.

    Hiss!

    Simply from the spiritual fluctuation that had emanated from the object for the briefest of moments before the object had restrained its aura, the python had realized that it no longer stood any chance of achieving a triumphant resolution.

    Hence, the intelligent creature could only slither away with its head hung despondently low towards the ground, bowing in apology towards the furious sea of grass¡­

 130 Breaching the Foundations of the Earth 1

    When the massive python had fled a considerable distance, An Fei''s irises gradually regained a dull focus, consciousness resurfacing in her pupils.

    The girl shook her head to thoroughly wake herself up, before raising her hands to lightly pat her cheeks.

    Looking around her surroundings, An Fei could only admit that she had completely no clue where she sat.

    The ground was radically unrecognizable compared to its previous state when the young girl had fled in the depths of the forest. All around her, for numerous meters, An Fei was unable to determine a single shred of vitality.

    ¡­it was as if she sat in the middle of a bombing site, for numerous craters taller than her had displaced immeasurable quantities of earth, grass, and trees in the midst of the clash between the python and the handle-less sword.

    She didn''t see charred soil, but completely blackened earth instead.

    A pungent smell of acidic corrosion instantly wafted into her nose, causing the young girl to wrinkle her forehead in disgust before aptly rising to a stand.

    How could she not realize what had caused such an inhumane calamity to strike the patch of the forest in which she stood?

    ¡­was it not the python''s venom redirected onto the ground?

    The grass stalks had been reduced to pools of greasy, brackish liquid that released a foul odor of forcibly decomposed materials, and the tree roots were corroded stumps compared to their once flourishing vitality and dominance.

    The natural earth had been fossilized into calcium and other brittle elements, creating the wasteland in which An Fei stood.

    "This¡­ I probably shouldn''t stay here for too long," the young girl whispered to herself, readjusting the leather bag slung over her shoulder.

    The petite figure quickly departed from tonight''s second graveyard of hell, weaving through the forest in the direction of the stream of water.

    As for the matter of the python, An Fei quickly shelved it under the dark crevices of her heart, hoping not to encounter it once again.

    If the creature could terrorize her to this state whilst grievously injured, then when it had recovered to peak strength or perhaps advanced a step further, then¡­

    She didn''t dare think about it.

    ¨C

    On the brink of sunrise in the Shattered Star Continent, the young girl lay against the back of a tree, her head gently swaying from side to side in a gentle ballad with the dusk breeze.

    An Fei''s eyes remained closed and relaxed, her stunning and beautiful countenance displaying only tranquility and peace.

    The gnarled roots served as the perfect support, preventing her body from falling out from her position, but did not restrict her movements.

    The faintly moist bark was the most comfortable to lean against, with the tree''s tall branches shielding her from most of the world''s elements.

    After a harrowing day in the Wu Ji Forest, An Fei was completely exhausted.

    The continuous exploring in search of water and fleeing from the python''s wrath without respite had sapped an enormous amount of strength from her still frail physique, causing her to wish not to open her eyes to greet the next day.

    Her limbs sang their agony in response to the cheerful vitality crackling through the forest, twitching madly to ward off the grass'' cajoles and taunts.

    She similarly had not a single strand of spiritual essence stored within her body, having expended it all to form the second petal of the in the harsh and unforgiving environment of the Shattered Star continent.

    She wished¡­ for nothing but to recline back into her seat and rest, basking in the few rays of sunrise that would manage to penetrate through the dense barrier of branches and leaves.

    Unfortunately, the young girl was destined to never relish that desire today, nor would she obtain such an opportunity until a few days afterward.

    [Approach the eternal river].

    Words in the Divine Script echoed from the deepest recesses of her mind, cruelly awakening An Fei from her momentary slumber.

    The young girl twisted her neck to her left in drowsed stupor, her adorable mouth rippling into a small, demurring yawn.

    [Approach the eternal river].

    The whisper resonated within An Fei''s soul, producing a spike of heat that transfixed itself deep within the young girl''s heart, forcibly shocking her awake.

    The young girl''s eyes listlessly wandered around the still-dim forest, traversing from darkened foliage after another, relishing in their diminished vitality.

    [Approach the eternal river].

    "I¡­ I don''t wanna¡­" An Fei slurred, her lips parting to bid farewell to a massive yawn.

    "Sleep¡­ I''m going¡­ to slee¡­ five min¡­utes¡­"

    [Approach the eternal river].

    The faint vibration within the young girl''s heart grumbled in discontent, roughly jabbing at her pitiful and overworked heart.

    The continual pulses of heat dulled into a muted roar of consternation, clearly dissatisfied with An Fei''s noncompliance.

    [Approach the eternal river].

    A torrential flood of warmth surged through every iota of An Fei''s body, dispatching a merciless and blind whip of pain and agony to lash through her blood vessels and meridians.

    The young girl toppled from her perch against the gnarled tree stump with a shriek of agony, intimately embracing the damp earth with outstretched arms.

    "What¡­ was that?"

    An Fei groaned in fear and pain as she picked herself from the ground. As she dusted the remnant soil from the dense linen coat, the young girl rubbed her bosom, her mind recalling the fearsome pain that had ravaged her already feeble heart.

    [Approach the eternal river].

    The pulse of warmth surged in anger once again, forcing the young girl to stumble backwards for several steps before she grabbed onto a nearby tree stump for stability.

    An Fei''s legs trembled as numbing sensations crawled upwards towards her heart, her vision nearly distorting from the intense and sudden stimulation to her senses.

    Crack!

    The space surrounding her vicinity suddenly revealed a hairline crack the width of her front hair. The sudden sound alerted An Fei, fully rousing her mind after dumping numerous buckets of sub-frozen water onto her lazy mind.

    "A crack¡­?" the young girl murmured, a deep anxiety flourishing in her heart alongside of an unknown emotion.

    "I haven''t called for the Sanctum¡­ so why would the surroundings crack like this?"

    The crack in space was transparent, as if nothing more than an optical illusion.

    Amidst the forest''s verdant atmosphere and the unhindered flow of an indomitable, powerful vitality, an empty void seeped out from within the crack, forming an unusual black line that streaked around to encircle the young girl.

    She faintly spotted a liquid substance ooze from the crack''s perimeters to scatter across the world in innumerable, microscopic particles.

    The subtle yet harsh dissonance between the crack in space and the peaceful atmosphere directly beyond it raised an unnerving question in An Fei''s ¨C

    [Approach the eternal river].

    The world trembled as the melodious bells scared its core entity into quivering with absolute terror.

    The trees and grass within the forest quickly bowed in agonized submission, and the mighty and proud current of vitality couldn''t help but grind to a halt.

    The world awaited in bated breath, trembling gently in fear with each passing moment.

    Ting!

    Ting, ting, tang!

    The crack that was no wider than An Fei''s front hair suddenly pulsed with a cold, black light.

    Before An Fei''s astonished and terrified gaze, the crack that encircled her began to branch outwards, accompanied with the horrible sounds of shattering glass as it encroached the young girl from all directions.

    She seemed to be standing in the center of an impenetrable cage.

    The cage''s iron bars were replaced with the mysterious and terrifying substance oozing from the crack and dripping onto the earthen ground.

    The black cracks that branched outward to cover the entirety of An Fei''s surroundings served as the brutal and unforgiving wardens, determined to force the natural flow of time and destiny into their bidding.

    There were no boundaries within the prison constructed from the world''s fragments.

    The world had simply been isolated from the patch of earth that the young girl stood atop of, akin to two sides of a looking glass.

    The atmosphere within the cage was hurried and frenzied with a maniac aura seeping through from the cracks, whereas the forest retained it calm and tranquil peace.

    An Fei took a step forward, her right hand extended in confusion towards one of the cracks ¨C

    Bang!

    With the black cracks in space serving as the impetus, the world before the young girl shattered.

    Fragments of an illusory forest plummeted towards the ground to explode into countless fragments of kaleidoscopic light that clung at An Fei''s feet, begging not to be discarded.

    [Approach the eternal river].

    The Divine Script roared in consternation and fury, causing the young girl''s surroundings to reverberate and tremble violently.

    An invisible current swept away the fragments of the mortal world to an unknown location, allowing An Fei''s gaze to recover its usual dull gleam and gape with shock.

    She stood at the base of a crystalline throne hall, standing before the lowest step that allowed a faint glimpse towards a throne of sky-blue crystal.

    A golden radiance emitted from the floor beneath her, creating a dim but pleasant atmosphere that was relaxing to the eyes.

    An Fei was fully cognizant of the scene before her eyes.

    She had experienced the same scenery numerous times. She had wept in that throne chair that glared down towards her pale countenance.

    The crystalline throne hall that revealed an imposing might that pressed heavily on her shoulders, the young girl couldn''t be more acquainted with. It was just that her mind couldn''t accustom itself to the surprising revelation that had slapped her directly on her cheek, then displayed a taunting and vulgar gesture in public.

    "¡­[approach the eternal river]¡­" the young girl whispered in a muted voice.

    She stood in the Sanctum of Eternity. She had crossed over to this mysterious throne hall of sky-blue crystal, but only in the form of her soul.

    ¡­so how was she standing here in her physical body, with even the leather bag and a thick linen coat wrapped around her body?

 131 Breaching the Foundations of the Earth 2

    "Lord Minister¡­"

    An uneasy voice trailed into Wei Xuan''s ears, filled with a tinge of bitter worry and anxiety. The minister set aside his scroll onto the drawing table, before walking towards the entrance of the study.

    The First Madam stood before the double wooden doors, dressed in a plain purple lily robe.

    The woman clenched her hands in the folds of her dress, her delicate lips clearly displaying the aftermath of suppressed worry.

    "Miaolan¡­?" Wei Xuan reached forward to caress Sheng Miaolan''s cheek in surprise.

    "What caused you to worry so much? Quick, come in and tell me about everything, ah?"

    The First Madam shook her head as she grasped the proffered hand with trembling fingers.

    Stepping into the safe boundary of the study, the woman couldn''t help but tremble as she gazed at the minister with teary eyes.

    "Lord Minister¡­ this one has had horrifying dreams each night¡­" Sheng Miaolan pursed her lip, her attractive countenance displaying the inclinations of sorrow.

    "Dreams?"

    "Yes, dreams¡­ though it would be more apt to label them as nightmares¡­ Lord Minister, this one has dreamed each night that Fei''er was crying to us in agony, displaying numerous, horrifying wounds."

    "Fei''er!?"

    Wei Xuan took a step back in surprise, his eyes involuntarily widening in surprise.

    A moment later, the minister reached forward with both hands to firmly grasp Sheng Miaolan by her shoulders, a stern gleam emanating from his gaze.

    "Miaolan, you must not joke with Fei''er''s life," Wei Xuan scowled with a dark expression.

    "Fei''er has the empress protecting her life, how can she encounter any harm? Miaolan, you must take a deep breath, and not speak of these matters again."

    "This one knows," the First Madam nodded with a pitiful countenance, her hand grasping her bosom as she gazed towards the minister with a plea suffused within her eyes.

    "Fei''er is Sister Shuyan''s daughter, that this one is fully aware. However, since we¡­ toured the streets of Jiang''an, I''ve¡­ I''ve considered her as my child as well ¨C Lord Minister, this one is just worried, ah! Worried that the poor child will come into harm, having been separated from her parents at such a young age!"

    "Alright, don''t start crying again," the minister gently wiped away the tearstains on the woman''s countenance.

    "Be good, alright? Fei''er should be fine with the empress'' protection, but let us hope that your nightmares remain as dreams."

    The First Madam nodded her head in quivering assent, her unadorned hair scattered across her shoulders and draped over her back in a messy state.

    Wei Xuan took the woman by the hand, leading her towards the recesses of the study whilst closing the double doors with a push of his right palm.

    What happened next, was of course, unspeakable yet easy to infer by a single glance.

    ¨C

    As she climbed up the stairs of sky-blue crystal, the young girl couldn''t help but nurse numerous questions in her heart.

    How did she come in here in such a fashion?

    Why did her leather bag and clothes follow along?

    What was¡­ going on?

    The desire to seek resolution gnawed at An Fei''s conscience, and caused her to reveal a rather unsightly scowl.

    The young girl patted her chest to calm her rampant emotions, before surmounting the final step to stand before the throne.

    When she had finally dared to direct her glance towards the sacred chair that she had spent numerous hours lounging upon, the young girl was unable to stop herself from jerking backwards in surprise.

    Her eyes then narrowed as confusion and suspicion surged within the pair of scarlet irises, and An Fei took faltering steps towards the throne.

    The number of books resting on either armrest had increased yet again.

    From a single glance, she could recognize the enormous tome bound in black fabric, the . Similarly, on the left armest, a book bound in black leather serenely gazed towards the dim sky, the blank cover revealing a dull aura.

    Then¡­ what were the other two books?

    "¡­ and the ," An Fei read to herself in a quiet voice as her fingers stroked the letters sprawling across the covers of each book.

    Her countenance remained dull for a long moment, before a sudden and drastic realization slapped her cheeks with vivacity.

    "When did these two books appear in the Sanctum!?"

    The two books of tattered leather and goldleaf covers were naturally those she had obtained within the Shattered Star continent.

    Both were acquired from the opening of the Pagoda of Sun and Moon, the latter having been elected from a large selection by a group of elders of the Three Lotus Sect, whereas the former had been granted by the high elder himself.

    However¡­ how did they appear?

    The was located somewhere amongst Xiao Ying''s possessions, and thus were not located within the study of the Flowing Wind Residence.

    The young girl was even uncertain whether the book had survived the screening of the servants in the Wei manor, nor was she aware of its past whereabouts after it had fallen into the maidservant''s hands.

    As for the ¡­ she had stowed it into an obscure location in the study, and had forgotten about it ever since.

    "These two tomes are indeed the exact manuals I brought out of the Three Lotus Sect¡­" An Fei nibbled on her bottom lip, the back of her palm slapping the cover of the manual in an even rhythm.

    "But¡­ what exactly is going on¡­?"

    The young girl twisted and turned as she searched for a possible answer to her inquiry.

    However, she could do nothing but return in silent disappointment, for the crystal throne room remained in its ever-present peace and stillness.

    An Fei patted the linen coat covering her body to reassure herself of its presence. Without anything else to do, she allowed herself to crumple into the throne, the pair of scarlet irises lazily roaming amongst the books resting atop of the armrests.

    She was to remain in this dull state of mind for quite a long period of time, only recovering when her head accidently slid from her supporting palm.

    The young girl blinked her eyes in innocent exasperation, before walking towards the first corridor looming towards her from the left.

    For some apparent yet inexplicable reason, An Fei wished for nothing but to sleep in a proper bed.

    Her mind felt as if it had been submerged into a pool of ice, sluggish to respond to its surroundings.

    As she strode towards the gateway that certainly led to the comfortable boudoir, the sound of her foot striking the crystalline ground pounded in her ears with a force akin to that of war drums.

    She nearly fumbled her grip on the and the book bound in black leather, the imbalanced weights causing her pace to become disorderly and uneven.

    [Approach the eternal river].

    The Sanctum reverberated as a faint golden light shone from overhead, staining the crystalline ceiling with its golden radiance.

    An Fei retracted her foot that had stepped into the corridor, and was forced to stare directly towards the source of the unusual light.

    Just a few centimeters below the ceiling, a cloud of golden light remained suspended in the air above An Fei. Thin wisps of light detached from the cluster to coalesce with the crystalline walls, thin threads of light exchanging an unknown information.

    When An Fei continued to silently observe the light with beaded eyes, she noticed that the cloud of golden light pulsed at asymmetric intervals, causing a wave of confusion to rise within her heart.

    As for why the young girl considered it unusual, was due to the fact that the sky-blue crystal that formed the mysterious Sanctum only released such radiance when it contacted her skin, or was conducting a large body of divine or spiritual essence.

    An Fei had never seen a circumstance in which the Sanctum suddenly revealed the golden radiance on its own accord, and thus couldn''t restrain her curiosity.

    ¡­what was the Sanctum intending to do?

    "Approach the eternal¡­ river?" the young girl tilted her head to the side, her brows furrowed in contemplation.

    "What does it mean to approach the eternal river?"

    Her fatigued and incapacitated mind wailed feebly in response, clearly wishing to spare itself from the torture. An Fei shook her head with a weary sigh, trudging into the first gateway of the Eternal Sanctum of Peace.

    A brief moment of time later, and the young girl had snuggled into the blankets within the private boudoir, her palms folded and tucked underneath her cheek as she hugged a pillowcase to her chest.

    The young girl was completely incapable of realizing that the dense cloud of golden light had followed her presence into the boudoir, nor did she expect that she would experience a monumental change in just a few hours.

 132 Breaching the Foundations of the Earth 3

    Throughout the night, An Fei felt as if she had immersed herself into an incredible dream.

    The instant her eyes closed, the world fell below her feet, revealing an infinite and limitless void that encircled her from all directions.

    The voices of the ever-circulating currents of vitality and spiritual qi ceased to whisper in her ear, returning the young girl into a pause of absolute silence.

    Towards her left and right, above and below her body, all An Fei could see was the encompassing darkness waving back towards her with a delightful smile splitting apart its countenance.

    Similarly, her ears finally sighed in relaxation as it no longer was required to convey the sounds of the world to the young girl, for even the sound of her internal organs had been removed by the presence of the void.

    An Fei could take a step forward to traverse an indeterminate distance, a step in the direction however she wished.

    Unfortunately, the void remained static and omnipotent, and the young girl couldn''t determine whether she had actually displaced herself.

    Her limbs did not move in accordance to the regular processes of human movement, nor did her body experience any change. All she had to do was to command with her mind, and her body instantly traversed the specified distance.

    If she defined a single meter, her body would traverse forward a meter in the specified direction.

    If An Fei dared to define a direction, she would manifest along the angle of displacement, but at a random position along the line of defined spatial coordinates.

    And if she dared not define either, then¡­

    It was plainly unfortunate to the extreme limits that regardless of how An Fei traversed the void, she similarly did not make any progress in reaching her destination.

    The void was infinite, and she was attempting to cross it through the utility of finite quantities.

    Basically akin to computing the dimensions of a vast, limitless ocean with a drop of water as the basis of reference.

    In the dream, An Fei possessed the abilities of a superior entity, capable of remolding the entire universe as she wished.

    Once her mind constructed an apt visualization of a concept, the simple command would initialize it before her within a blink of an eye.

    Castles, houses, weaponry, foods, countries¡­ everything the young girl dreamed of, she possessed in her two frail and slender hands.

    Creation served as her fingertips, and destruction as her palms.

    With a single wave of her fingers, the young girl constructed a bountiful world teeming with billions upon billions of living creatures; with a snap of her fingers, the world disintegrated into plumes of dust, which were then obliterated into nihility.

    She could traverse immeasurable distances, and could toy around with the concept of existence with her bare fingers within the infinite and dark void.

    Simultaneously, she could not travel beyond the void, nor could she possess absolute authority over existence.

    She could create castles, objects, humans, and even worlds, but what was the purpose if the fundamental framework was a mere idea of falsehood?

    She could traverse billions of zhang with a single step towards her front, but what was the purpose if there wasn''t an initial position to lead from? If she had no beginning nor resolution, wasn''t An Fei''s efforts and abilities quite literally, just a dream?

    The young girl''s mouth dropped open in a blank stare of perplexity and confusion, her mind grinding to a literal halt in the emptiness of the void that had consumed her dream.

    ¨C

    When An Fei had fallen asleep in the boudoir of the Sanctum, the cloud of golden light hovering above her body immediately leaped into action.

    The cluster extended several threads that forced aside the bedcurtains, enclosing the young girl in a dense cocoon of brilliant golden light.

    An Fei''s countenance immediately revealed a pleased and comfortable expression, her lips raised into a quirky grin as she unconsciously stretched due to the pleasant numbing sensation that raced through her body.

    The cocoon of golden light''s surface revealed a gentle vibration, rippling and caving inwards due to a mysterious pressure.

    The cloud of brilliant light gradually began to resonate with the cocoon''s fluctuations, enveloping the boudoir with an unusual and tensed atmosphere.

    With each ripple that dashed across its surface, the golden cocoon shrank by a centimeter, contracting around An Fei''s body.

    The radiance emitted from its surface increased with each contraction, transforming the dim surroundings into the middle of the day.

    In just a few moments, the cocoon had withdrawn to reside a centimeter above the young girl''s delicate skin, the golden shell having solidified into a physical manifestation that encapsulated the young girl''s body.

    The ripples raging across its surface increased in frequency and violence, and the divine essence forming the golden cocoon began to warp at an astonishing pace.

    The cloud of golden light hovering nearby released a crisp shockwave of concentrated divine essence, releasing an orbital halo of light that permeated the atmosphere of the boudoir.

    The cocoon hummed in response, the ripples and distortions on its surface converging into a singular entity.

    Whoosh!

    "AH!"

    The cocoon trembled for a final time, before compressing itself into a single point.

    The golden light penetrated through An Fei''s skin to coalesce near her heart, eradicating the coiled string of spiritual essence into fragmented threads.

    The young girl''s eyes snapped open as she released a heart-rending shriek of pain, her back arching backwards in an attempt to avoid the agony.

    The scarlet irises reflected empty pools devoid of light, and stared towards the ceiling with a dull gaze.

    An Fei was still confined in her amusingly intricate and painful dream, and her physical body was to be consigned into absolute torture for the following hours.

    The golden cocoon had vanished into the young girl''s body, an impossibly fine bead replacing the previous string of spiritual essence coiled around the heart.

    The cloud hovering overhead hummed as melodious bells reverberated from inside, the golden light emitted from its formless body increasing in intensity.

    Then, with neither the preparation nor consent from the young girl, the golden cloud plummeted downwards to pierce through An Fei''s heart!

    Bang!

    The Sanctum quivered in a myriad of emotions the instant the cloud had merged into the young girl''s body, the circulating current of divine essence agitated to a state of constant boiling and chaos.

    The sky-blue crystal that constructed the walls, floor, and ceiling of the Sanctum simultaneously erupted with a dazzling radiance, the brilliant light bathing the entire mysterious plane into the bastion of the sun!

    The dim lighting had been reversed into eternal day, even though both the sun and moon were neither present nor permitted entry into the sanctuary of peace and tranquility.

    The golden cloud gathered near the young girl''s heart, forming a dense ring that encircled the miniscule bead positioned at the center of the dual valves.

    The ring released a faint aura of serenity and tranquility, calming An Fei''s body into a relaxed and slumbering state.

    The bead flashed with a barely perceptible brilliance, an invisible pulse of divine essence racing through the young girl''s body to establish connection with the Sanctum.

    Tendrils of golden light extricated themselves from the crystalline structures to coalesce into a solid beam that hovered directly above the young girl''s body.

    The pillar stood at the mighty height of seven meters in height, and three meters in diameter.

    The surface of the pillar was decorated by a spanning sea of inscriptions of an unknown and archaic language, the symbols nullifying all light and existence within its vicinity as they released an independent aura of piety and forbearance.

    Unlike the cloud of golden light and the initial stages of the cocoon, the pillar of divine essence was completely solid.

    Each molecule integrated into the pillar had been fused to its neighboring particles with an unbreakable bond, compelled by the Sanctum to only exist as a solid pillar of divine essence, and never to dissipate.

    The radiance emitted from the pillar fluctuated at an irregular rhythm, bestowing the boudoir into a bath of golden light reflected in an infinite quantity of independent hues.

    The bead at the center of An Fei''s heart pulsed twice, and the surface began to reveal a dazzling radiance, capable of dwarfing the brightest star that dared to hang in the sky.

    A final pulse of divine essence, and the ring gradually began to rotate with the bead serving as the central attraction.

    Shua!

    The pillar of solidified golden light sank into An Fei''s body, directly merging with the ring and the bead within her heart.

    The solid structure boasting of incomparable durability appeared to vanish into the atmosphere as it passed through the young girl''s skin.

    Centimeter by centimeter, the pillar descended as though a malicious tribulation dispatched by the heavens to torment its bearer to the bitter resolution.

    At certain intervals, the pillar halted its descent for several moments, before resuming its journey, albeit with a slower speed.

    When the pillar of golden light''s presence could not be detected any further, the Sanctum shivered with a giddy aura seeping from its structures.

    The loose strands of golden light withdrew to their respective shelter, restoring the ablaze sanctuary to its tranquility.

    Deep within An Fei''s chest, the infinitesimally small bead pulsed once with a powerful wave of divine essence, then twice, then a third time¡­

 133 Breaching the Foundations of the Earth 4

    It was accepted knowledge in the world of science that an object with the mass and density of a grain of sand, confined a sufficient quantity of energy within its inner structures that once unleashed without restraint, could deploy the intensity and destructive appeal of several hundred nuclear warheads.

    Similarly, the grain of sand could sate an entire supernation''s electricity requirements for many years without any sign of shortage.

    The scientists of many mortal worlds had long since become cognizant of the notion of the relation with mass and energy.

    The major problem behind their lack of technological improvement in refining and harnessing the seemingly limitless source of energy was due to a simple problem.

    ¡­they knew that a relationship between an object''s respective mass and pure energy existed, but didn''t know how to harness it or even extract it.

    It was akin to the folly of a secular man granted a holy doctrine. The entire ideological concept was laudable, but not pragmatic.

    They could stare at it and mire themselves in dumbfounded interest, but at the end, wasn''t their efforts completely useless?

    The bead nestled within the young girl''s chest pulsed fiercely in anger, a terrible current of divine essence pooled within its infinitesimal mass.

    Gradually, faint patterns of different color began to etch themselves on the bead''s surface, each revealing an imposing aura capable of sundering the heart of the heavens.

    The pillar of solidified golden light had been accepted and assimilated into the previously empty bead.

    The ring of tempered divine essence had reached an optimal rotational velocity, the faint contours and ridges spanning across its length generating a weak and subtle attractive force that caressed the bead on all sides.

    Time to time, tinges of golden light flickered from the bead towards the ring, transmitted and absorbed quietly and quickly.

    The bead quivered once more, the frightening mass of divine essence lazily rearing its head towards the empty void. The void glared back with its customary antipathy, before roaring in a taunting rage.

    Bang!

    A heavy collision resounded within the young girl''s chest, and the bead was displaced from its originally stable position by a few millimeters.

    The mass of divine essence howled in rage, golden light suffusing the inscriptions that decorated its surface.

    The void dared not tolerate its existence, thus it shall not tolerate the void!

    Hong!

    The infinitesimal bead erupted in a towering rage, pure golden light exploding from its surface towards the ring rotating around it.

    The light branched into countless threads of golden divine essence, and ruthlessly permeated the tempered ring, causing it the resonate with the bead''s temper.

    The ring''s rotation increased in speed as it hastily attempted to abridge the connection with the bead serving as its axis, the inscriptions writhing in agony as they appeared to melt into a blur of color that spanned across the entire surface.

    Nonetheless, the bead refused to relent in its rage, the sea of golden light completely inundating the ring of tempered divine essence until both artefacts reverberated with the same radiance.

    The ring and bead vibrated twice more, before suddenly ceasing their unusual actions.

    The golden sea remained within the chest cavity of the young girl, lounging lazily through the blood vessels and tissue as it followed the current of her bloodstream.

    Several strands of golden light detached from the sea to permeate the bloodstream, circulating throughout the young girl''s entire body, rearing its head in a probatory gesture.

    The meridians in her body, be it major or minor, contemporary or extraordinary, Yang-attributed or Yin-attributed, were carefully scanned by the exploratory threads of light, compiling an invisible but massive tome of information.

    Numerous threads of light flowed back into the golden sea, containing volumes of the unspeakable within the fragmented information obtained from their search.

    The sea hummed in response, its tranquil surface rippling with the occasional rumble of basic sentiment and emotion.

    Several threads of golden light attempted to connect with the ring of tempered divine essence, yet both the bead and the ring were unresponsive regardless of the communication.

    The golden light wreathing the ring rebuffed the cautious strands of divine essence, chasing them back towards the sea to nurse their injured self-esteem.

    The golden sea probed in curiosity, only to receive a noncommittal answer from the infinitesimal bead.

    Heng!

    The sea of golden light puffed in distraught, beginning to shrink in volume as it wrapped around the ring of tempered divine essence.

    Countless threads overlapped over one another as they wrapped around the ring''s surface, constructing a powerful defensive barrier that enveloped the artefact.

    An abrupt silence overwhelmed the previously chaotic atmosphere within the young girl''s chest, causing the heart to palpitate in anxiety.

    The blood vessels protested in abused anger, but discovered that neither the sea of golden light nor the unique ring and bead responded regardless of its protests.

    ¡­having settled into an idle state, the golden sea, the ring of tempered divine essence, and the bead of infinitesimal mass¡­ all awaited the young girl''s decision.

    ¨C

    "What is the purpose of this void?"

    A young girl''s soft voice resounded within the infinite darkness surrounding the advent of creation, filled with exasperation and a thread of curiosity.

    The darkness hummed in response, conveying an intelligible and absurd response. The young girl paid no heed, the fingers of her right hand reaching upwards to gently rub at her chin as she fell into thought.

    She could move an incredible distance, but her orientation and mapping of coordinates didn''t exist.

    She could create an object via her imagination, but lacked the verity required to solidify its existence.

    She could create from nothing, she could generate nothing from creation, and she could¡­ manipulate nothing.

    The young girl possessed the absolute control over everything, and nothing at the same time.

    With a single word that escaped her tender mouth, the infinite void could be rendered finite, or even become compressed to a single point''s boundaries.

    The only downside was that such a notion possessed little aptitude nor purpose, for she could not define a mapping of coordinates that could house an infinite or finite void.

    "I can move; I can create, and I can destroy," An Fei muttered to herself in helplessness, shaking her head with a despondent mood.

    "All of these unparalleled abilities bestowed on me, and I can''t depart from a dream."

    The young girl bent her knees in an attempt to sit, before smacking herself on the forehead upon realizing her folly.

    A wave of her hand created the existence of a chair directly underneath, but evaporated into nihility the moment An Fei moved to sit on its surface.

    A simple wave of her hand could create anything, from a silver spoon to a godslaying weapon. Her imagination provided the initial framework necessary to redesign the entire universe, to mold creation as she wished.

    Unfortunately¡­

    "I can create, but I can''t have them remain," An Fei nursed her temples in frustration.

    "What''s the purpose of creation if it cannot remain stable within an undefined plane of existence? Why¡­ am I even in this void?"

    The darkness offered its hands to the young girl as an exchange of penance, a peaceful smile on its countenance as it gestured for an armistice. The young girl frowned in reply, the pair of scarlet irises examining the infinite void in contemplation.

    Finally, after an indeterminate period of time, An Fei allowed her lips to part, ejected her question through puffed cheeks and a pout.

    "I don''t see any point in being here, this pace is so run-down and boring. Can I leave?"

    The void twinkled in reply, and the darkness reached forward to encompass the young girl in a delicate embrace.

    The infinite void hummed with an unintelligible intention, the ripples at its horizon beckoning the fall of the frontier.

    In response to the young girl''s peeved question, the infinite void had determined to sacrifice its definition to establish a set of coordinates.

    The darkness howled in agony as its boundary continued to orient and compress itself, but did not disengage the chaotic world from removing its state of disorder.

    When An Fei squinted, she could faintly perceive the edge of the infinite void''s frontier.

    The edge appeared to be a thin veil with the strength of a fabric''s thread, obscuring a mysterious entity from her vision with all it''s might.

    Regardless of how the young girl focused and concentrated in her numerous attempts to bypass the veil to peek upon the mystery hidden beyond its elusive appearance, the frontier of the void demurred with a faint hum.

    Similarly, An Fei perceived that as the infinite void transitioned into a finite realm, her abilities to create, destroy, and manipulate nothing increased by an equal margin.

    Perhaps if the void compressed to its absolute limit to present a mapping of ordinal coordinates, she wouldn''t be required to seek veracity for her actions in altering the composition of the world. Perhaps she could even transcend the regulations upon creatures, to become a godly being¡­

    Perhaps, supposedly, and if.

    The young girl suddenly froze in thought, her lips puckering to form an astounded ''oh'' as she pondered on the reason for the void''s act of compression.

    An Fei stared at the continually diminishing frontier with a shrewd gaze, before taking a deep breath.

    "Perhaps there''s no¡­ point¡­ in attempting to leave?"

    Bang!

    The void ceased its action the instant the young girl''s words reverberated throughout the darkness. An instant later, the seemingly finite void had been restored to its incomprehensible state, as if everything before had been an illusion.

 134 Breaching the Foundations of the Earth 5

    The young girl released a smile, the pair of scarlet irises displaying a proud look.

    An Fei rubbed her chin while displaying a triumphant smile towards the infinite darkness that surrounded her existence, a lazy look on her stunning countenance.

    An indeterminate length of time in mindless experimenting had permitted the young girl to realize that she could manipulate information to create, destroy, and manipulate.

    Create artefacts, entities, and life. Destroy creation, and manipulate nothing that constituted the infinite void.

    The experiments had revealed to her that her attempts in creation were futile as they instantly crumbled into fragments of nihility, and her ability to manipulate the void served absolutely no purpose for she couldn''t grasp a reference coordinate to enact the action.

    The odd dream presented a series of divine, godlike abilities, but An Fei was unable to enact upon them, not even for a single instance.

    Her creations equated to nothing, her ability to destroy creation equated to nothing, and her ability to manipulate nothing, equated to absolutely nothing whatsoever.

    Thus, when presented with the notion of escaping from the dream, why bother to escape?

    There was little point in attempting to portray herself as an omnipotent creature in a nonideal environment, so why bother wasting the effort?

    The young girl pursed her lips as she puffed her cheeks, displaying a fiendish, taunting glare towards the darkness that encompassed her from all directions.

    An Fei''s eyelashes blinked in an exasperated manner, quickly drifting into a sentimental daydream to await the dream''s conclusion.

    The young girl had the time to dream within a dream, but the Sanctum did not¡­

    ¨C

    The young girl had made her choice, and the bead, ring, and golden sea were to obey.

    The bead, after an extensive period of abrupt and unusual silence, reengaged its abrasive behavior, pulses of light expanding from its surface to permeate the ring of tempered divine essence and the sea of golden light.

    The ring responded by resonating at an equal frequency with the bead, creating a dense network of light and divine essence.

    The young girl''s heart, blood vessels, and meridians finally received their long-awaited answer.

    Bang!

    The sea of golden light unwrapped itself from the surface of the tempered ring, unfurling and expanding within the young girl''s heart at an incomprehensive speed.

    The heart soon found itself submerged within a dense ocean of golden light, surrounded on all sides by cold indifference and disdain.

    The young girl''s heart palpitated in fear, its rhythm beginning to distort askew from its already warped state. Unfortunately, not a single entity gave much face to its cries for help, observing the sea, ring, and bead with a gaze of interest.

    The bead of infinitesimal mass released a final shockwave in response, the wave of golden light suffusing the ring of tempered divine essence until a brilliant radiance swarmed forth.

    The ring increased its rotational speed once more, the reforged inscriptions spanning its surface erupting with an indomitable aura.

    The golden light appeared to be compressed back underneath the ring''s surface, forced to retreat the instant it attempted to escape.

    A tremendous pressure began to build up within the channels of the tempered ring of divine essence, until ¨C

    Boom!

    The freed golden light exploded from the ring''s surface in abject rage, expanding outward in all directions possible to escape its ruthless captor.

    The golden sea quickly parted way for the streams of light to blaze through, not daring to interfere with its enraged stampede in the slightest.

    Regardless of whether it was the heart, a blood vessel, or a stray meridian, they all trembled upon glancing towards the unstoppable wave of divine essence.

    The meridians in particular attempted to shift themselves away from the stampede inviting death, only to realize¡­

    The stampede of golden light and death''s inviting smile seemed to be headed towards them¡­

    The streams of golden light did not permit a single sound to escape as they ruthlessly invaded into the eight extraordinary meridians of the young girl, permeating the delicate channels and scouring the sides of its walls to remove the instilled impurities.

    The cruel and vicious conqueror charged through the meridians with breakneck speed, its lance piercing through the toughest defenses with a lighthearted smile.

    "AH!!!"

    Some of the nearby meridians tore from the onslaught''s aftershocks, thin rivulets of blood gushing from the wounds to dye its channels.

    The Governing Vessel, Conception Vessel, Penetrating Vessel, Girdle Vessel, Yang-Linking Vessel, Yin-Linking Vessel, the Heel Vessels of Yin and Yang¡­

    The eight extraordinary meridians that served as the deepest reservoirs of the vitality that surged through a human''s complex meridian system to establish a living being¡­ tore from the raging impact of the berserk golden streams.

    The delicate meridian channels had been ruptured and severed into four equilateral portions, the tubular structures disassembled as though an infinitely sharp knife had pared through the fragile tissue.

    Thin rivulets of blood seeped into the interior of the channels, throwing the trepid vitality stored within into chaotic disarray.

    The pure vitality stored within the eight extraordinary meridians was incompatible with the feeble strands stored within the young girl''s bloodstream, erupting a civil war that threatened to besiege the young girl''s life.

    Unfortunately, the indomitable conqueror continued to ravage the meridians, the streams of golden light stretching the meridians beyond their tolerable limits.

    On the satisfyingly soft and comfortable bed, the young girl drooled in pain as her body continued to convulse in increasing agony.

    Her throat had quickly become hoarse from screaming, yet neither the ring, bead, sea, or the enraged streams of golden light appeared to possess any intention of ceasing their actions.

    The bead of infinitesimal mass provided the divine essence to initiate the brutal process of purification.

    The ring of tempered divine essence compounded the incoming existence into a compressed and highly volatile derivative of its original, before releasing it in a concentrated burst upon reaching maximum pressure.

    The sea of golden light served as an alternative source of vitality for the feeble and feverish heart to continue retaining the young girl''s life, and the enraged streams of divine essence ruthlessly purged the young girl''s meridians.

    Centimeter by centimeter, at an agonizingly slow yet swift pace, the eight extraordinary meridians within the young girl were fully disintegrated into fragments of colored light by the rampant divine essence.

    The stray droplets of blood were also vaporized into a dense scarlet mist, dissipated into nothingness by a curtail sweep of the golden light.

    Following deconstruction was always resurrection.

    Having vented its unearthly range upon the interior of the young girl''s delicate body, the golden streams of divine essence gradually dissipated, leaving behind a landfill of carnage and blood.

    The meridians finally obtained a brief respite, shrinking back in horror and trepidation as they glared at the ring, bead, and golden sea.

    The bead of infinitesimal mass quivered in dissolution, and the ring of tempered divine essence roared in jubilation, a brilliant azure and golden radiance erupting from its surface.

    The golden sea trembled in response, the tranquil surface of the sea overturned by horrifying ripples that threatened to boil the sea alive.

    The sea of golden light contracted into a small sphere in haste, before flowing into the ring of tempered divine essence with great haste.

    This time, the ring did not reject the advances of the golden sea, revealing a brilliant golden hue as the sea flowed into its channels.

    The ring pulsed with a divine aura, the inscriptions on its surface glaring at the amassed meridians and blood vessels. The frequency of pulsation increased by each passing moment, reaching a peak that soared towards the heavens¡­

    Hong!

    Eight dragons of colored light burst from the surface of the revolving ring, swimming into the complex forest of meridians without hesitation.

    The dragons merely brushed past the injured meridians they encountered on their path, disinclined to perform anymore grievous harm than necessary.

    Their destination was ultimately the eight extraordinary meridians, or the empty and open placements that once housed the eight extraordinary meridians.

    Each dragon settled into their respective niches with a soft sigh, the emitted divine essence diminishing as they transformed into the shape and composition of the tubular meridians that arched and twisted a path through the young girl''s body.

    Socketing themselves deeply into the placement for each meridian, the eight dragons of illusory, colored light, solidified their existence.

    The new meridians of different colors flashed once in accord with the infinitesimal bead housed within the young girl''s heart, an astounding pool of divine essence stored within their channels.

    With the gentle and suppressed urge from the bead and the ring, the meridians began to distribute a limited supply of the reserved divine essence to permeate throughout the young girl''s entire body.

    A limited supply of merely a few strands of colored light, but it proved sufficient for a fragile and delicate physique as An Fei.

    The injured meridians and blood vessels groaned in delight as the divine essence restored their structure and functions to their maximum, allowing for an endless sea of vitality to regain its course.

    Several meridians soon began to emit a faint fluctuation of the instilled divine essence, signifying that their purity had risen to an unprecedented realm.

    The bones and marrow stared at the rejuvenated meridians in envy, forgetting that they had once obtained a similar baptism of divine essence.

    The eight dragons keened in reply towards the unceasing gratitude of the meridians and blood vessels, closing their eyes in lazy slumber as their divine essence reserved within their body pooled into a crystalline form.

    The endless sea of divine essence gradually compressed into a small bead that resided at the bottom of the pool, a dull lustre reflected on its surface.

    The Sanctum gently reverberated, and invisible streams of divine essence began to permeate the young girl''s pores, navigating through her recovering body to infuse themselves into the eight reforged, extraordinary meridians¡­

    A pair of delicate eyelids gravitated upwards at that moment, a deep confusion reflected within as they gazed towards the ceiling of sky-blue crystal.

 135 Breaching the Foundations of the Earth 6

    The instant An Fei''s consciousness resurfaced from its unusual slumber, a dull headache slammed directly onto the young girl''s mind.

    The young girl squeezed her eyes in agony, her hands reaching upwards to tenderly massage her temples.

    Her head felt as if it were on the verge of splitting apart, and a faint metallic and raucous odor drifted into her nose, causing her eyes to water in pain.

    The combination of the strange but perplexing odor and the piercing headache forced the young girl to rouse from her daze, her body lurching forwards to escape the miserable situation.

    When An Fei surmised that her position was no longer unstable, she removed her hands from her temples and opened her eyes.

    As she hoped, she was in the Sanctum, nestled deeply within the comfortable blankets of the boudoir.

    The sheen of dull mirrors waved towards her countenance from numerous angles, faintly obscured by the thin drooping bedcurtains.

    She¡­ was in the Sanctum, but perhaps not in the right circumstance.

    The bedsheets seemed to have¡­ taken on an unusual filament of scarlet dye on its surface.

    The comfortable fabric had congealed and dried to each other, and the uncomfortable odor struck An Fei''s nose for the second time.

    A faint, metallic odor with the tinge of rust and humid, and slightly¡­ rancid, almost with a fishy tinge.

    The young girl raised her hands to cover her mouth, her dazzling countenance displaying a horrified expression.

    "¡­blood¡­" An Fei whispered, her gaze roaming throughout the blood-soaked bedsheets with a flinching gaze.

    "There''s too much blood¡­ what happened while I was in that dream?"

    The blankets were thoroughly soaked with dense blood, the scarlet hue imbued directly into the threads of the fabric.

    When An Fei explored the now-soiled sheets with probatory fingers, the young girl could feel some moist, cool, and fleshy material hidden among the sheets.

    "AH!?"

    The young girl screeched in terror, leaping directly out of the bed to fall onto the crystalline ground. An Fei unsteadily rose to her feet, only to have her expression morph once again.

    Her body¡­ didn''t seem to feel quite right.

    When she hurriedly checked for her reflection in a nearby mirror, the young girl discovered that her stature and appearance had not changed since her mysterious dream of the infinite void.

    Her countenance retained its feeble appearance, delicate and tender to the tolerable limits of flesh.

    She was still the young girl whose countenance could terrify even herself. It was just that¡­ An Fei felt that her body was different.

    Just yesterday, her body did not possess an exuberant vitality that surged through her blood vessels, energizing her by numerous folds.

    Just from her leap, An Fei had noticed that her physique had improved by a massive margin, a realm unattainable by her constantly repeated exercise routines.

    Her strength, speed, and physical ability¡­ all seemed to have exceeded the tolerable limits of a human being. With each breath, a refreshing surge swept through her meridians, cleansing her turbid consciousness and allowing her agitated heart to regain its breath.

    "What''s¡­ going on?" the young girl stared at her hands, her lips pursed in thought.

    "The bedsheets are soaked with blood¡­ and my physique improved by such a margin?"

    The young girl''s mouth hung slightly open as her gaze twisted and turned around the boudoir, observing her surroundings with a tinge of suspicion.

    Other than the catastrophic disaster on the surface of the bed, the bedchamber truly had not changed a single bit.

    The mirrors were in the right orientations and positions, and the linen coat hung from the back end of a chair, causally tossed onto the piece of furniture as though a dead rag.

    Without any other choice, An Fei slumped into the chair, resting her back against the linen coat as she tapped her chin.

    The young girl closed her eyes, attempting to visualize the faithful mental projection of her body.

    Her consciousness groaned as it conjured a realistic depiction of the bones, tissue, fluids, and internal components of her body, assembling them one component at a time.

    Faint threads of spiritual essence assisted her mind in exerting to establish the visualization of the internal structure of her physique, accentuating the visual clarity and focus many times over.

    The young girl dove deep into her sea of perception, her consciousness reviewing each region of her body with great detail and interest.

    The heart, brain, inner organs, and even the tiny glands failed to escape her notice, placed under divine scrutiny in the form of a piercing glare.

    "Ah¡­"

    Sure enough, the mental visualization of her body immediately presented to An Fei the crux of her dilemma.

    Within the internal structures of her body that revealed a dazzling golden radiance following the baptism of spiritual essence obtained from the Sanctum, were eight different colored branches.

    The branches twisted and expanded throughout her entire body, constructing a dense network that connected the entirety of her meridians into a single, unified mechanism.

    Furthermore, the frequencies of fluctuation in the eight channels'' radiance differed from that of the rest of the structures in her body, garnering the young girl''s interest in a manner of seconds.

    Upon close examination, An Fei could only conclude that her meridians had changed in an inexplicable, yet outrageous way.

    The eight meridians that differed from the rest appeared to resemble not that of a standard system of human meridians, but that of¡­ living animals.

    The pulses were sometimes even, other times odd ¨C akin to the pace of breathing in a human body.

    Furthermore, with each passing of time, An Fei discovered that the eight unique channels distributed colored light throughout her meridians and blood vessels, introducing a light hue of color into the golden sea.

    At the same time the visualization presented to her the fluctuation, the young girl could feel a faint energy course through her body.

    The sensation incurred from the mysterious energy flowing through her cells was rejuvenating, almost as if she was receiving a supreme massage.

    A faint warmth not unlike that generated from spiritual essence could be felt throbbing in her body, and An Fei could feel eight different whispers tug at her heart.

    To relax and laze around, to work oneself into a frenzy, to seek passionate interaction, to squeeze and wring a person''s vitality out of their body, to seek physical nourishment¡­

    "¡­go away."

    The whispers were exceedingly subtle, causing An Fei to doubt that she had heard them in the first place. Furthermore, with just her verbal dissent, the whispers had ceased, eight different flavors of warmth tickling her heart from all directions.

    An Fei sighed in resignation, standing from the wooden chair and stretching her limbs.

    With a sullen expression gracing her countenance, the young girl marched towards the bed, wrenching forth a pile of bedsheets and blankets that had been soiled with her own blood and meridians¡­

    ¨C

    "Fifteen pillars of Foundation Establishment of mortal cultivation¡­" a weary voice reverberated in a platform of sky-blue crystal.

    The speaker was a young girl no more than the age of fourteen years old, and she read from a book larger than her own torso.

    The young girl was bathed from a golden radiance that emanated from the floor, illuminating her vicinity to generate a dim, comfortable atmosphere.

    "Pillars of mortal cultivation establish the doctrine in which the worldly spiritual qi circulates throughout the practitioner''s body. In the realm of Foundation Establishment, a practitioner designates fifteen distinct meridians to serve as the body''s primary reserves of spiritual essence¡­"

    Crunch!

    An Fei read in a dull voice, her hands rhythmically procuring a shred of mixed vegetable from a bowl seated directly next to her lap. The young girl chewed on a piece of sliced carrot, her countenance beaming with bliss as a tantalizing flavor struck her delicate tongue.

    Mm.

    Tasty indeed, as expected of the Sanctum''s superb ingredients.

    "Meridians selected to serve as the primary reserves of spiritual essence must be the most compatible with the practitioner''s physique," the young girl read.

    "The accumulated spiritual essence is stored in liquid form within the tubular structures, establishing an unceasing flow throughout the body. Many mortal cultivation techniques endow the utility of the dantian as the primary module of storage¡­ but is neither efficient nor safe in the practice of mortal cultivation."

    An Fei carefully set down the book onto the crystalline ground after reading the passage. Drawing her knees to her chest, the young girl leaned against the side of the bed, her head lowered in thought.

    The mortal cultivation''s Foundation Establishment possessed fifteen pillars¡­ fifteen pillars.

    Each pillar in a realm of mortal cultivation represented a primary element; a node that served as the driving impetus to advance a practitioner''s cultivation.

    The advancement in the number of pillars accentuated within a realm of cultivation represented the practitioner''s general strength and their abilities.

    For example, the Foundation Establishment Realm was divided into three general categories obtained by achieving five pillars each: early, middle, and late¡­

    An Fei''s head suddenly shot up, the pair of scarlet irises revealing a discerning look of surprise.

    The visualization of her body had revealed eight abnormalities within the complex system of meridians.

    If those eight meridians represented a pillar in the realm of Foundation Establishment¡­

    Heavens!

    Did she leap from the fourth pillar of Body Tempering to the middle stages of the Foundation Establishment Realm without becoming aware of it!?

    When did that happen?

 136 A Little Shadow and the Forest of Dangerâ€™s Longevity 1

    A whole day was wasted as the young girl gradually became accustomed with her new physique.

    An Fei lounged around within the Sanctum, completing various odd-tasks to waste as much time as possible, and to discern the grasp of her abilities to the maximum.

    At the end, the young girl could only give a single appraisal as she sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes glazed over in thought.

    ¡­the differences between her physique when she was in the Body Tempering Realm compared to her current cultivation¡­

    was as immeasurable as the vast ocean.

    Her strength had not changed significantly compared to before, but An Fei had noticed that faint threads of spiritual essence had removed themselves from her heart to coil around her muscles whenever she found it necessary to expend copious amounts of effort.

    Her agility similarly had not improved beyond physical limits, having merely obtained an automatic assistance of spiritual essence.

    The young girl had carried a stack of books taller than herself throughout the entire platform of sky-blue crystal at a brisk pace for several laps, and had not even broken a sweat.

    The sheer facilitation of her abilities endowed by spiritual essence coursing through her muscles practically ensured that she would remain physically fit and brimming with vitality¡­ was a little too much to accept.

    Her vision, hearing, sense of smell and taste had similarly improved from her advancement into the Foundation Establishment Realm.

    An Fei could discern the faint labels on the spine of the shelved books from a distance of several dozen meters away, and her mind was abuzz with the constant slew of information transmitted from her senses.

    The world had become more vibrant and excitatory regardless of where she found herself, for her consciousness had immersed itself into a sea of limitless information.

    "It''s quite the pity that my sense of touch hasn''t changed¡­" An Fei murmured to herself, craftily munching on the last piece of diced celery as she stared at a book laid on the ground before her.

    "Then again¡­ I don''t think it would be a good idea, since the Sanctum seems to enjoy torturing my body each night¡­"

    The young girl shivered at the thought, unwilling to dwell on the topic of the nightly excursion dealt onto her body when she stayed within the Sanctum for a prolonged period.

    The storm of warmth and comfort ravaging her cells to no end¡­ was not necessarily a pleasant experience.

    Especially when it occurred each passing night.

    "Hah¡­"

    An Fei placed the book onto the ground, rising from her seated position to roll her neck and relax her strained muscles. The girl glanced at the opened pages, a tinge of excitement evident in her fervent gaze.

    "The ¡­ can I finally be able to practice it?"

    The young girl took a few tentative steps to clear herself a wide berth, and shook her arms to relax her limbs to the maximum.

    An Fei took a deep breath and closed her eyes, imagining the motionless surface of a tranquil lake as she stepped forward with her left foot.

    As she stepped forward, the young girl distributed the weight of her body backwards by leaning her back, and sweeping her arms to her sides.

    Relying on the destabilized center of gravity, An Fei allowed her body to slide backwards towards the ground, before drawing her left arm towards her chest.

    The limb bent at the elbow to further disbalance her body and distort her motion, and the young girl pivoted on her right heel to spin in a counterclockwise half-moon turn.

    The instant her right arm had completed its arc, An Fei released the rotational momentum in a single burst, spiraling back to her original position by an extended turn in the opposite direction.

    Her limbs swept and danced through the air, supporting each other as she alternated between inverse movements to create a bizarre dance that possessed a constant flow.

    The young girl displaced her center of gravity to forcibly alter her direction of movement, utilizing the generated momentum to return herself to her original position.

    Full moon turn, followed by a reverse half-moon and a cyclic step balanced on the tip of her toes in the proper direction to restore her position.

    A swift lunge and retreat, before withdrawing to fall into a cycle of twisting turns and sweeps of her arms.

    The young girl gradually accelerated the pace of her unceasing dance, her motions blurring into the distinct swaying of her loose sleeves and dress.

    As she danced, An Fei couldn''t help but nurse a tinge of satisfaction and joy within her heart, before withdrawing her right arm to her chest to initiate another set of motions.

    The was truly the exquisite technique.

    Since the beginning of the dance in which An Fei had taken a step forward, the young girl had not expended a single thread of strength.

    As her movements were facilitated solely due to the laws of motion, the young girl had only to exert herself when she needed to switch between the different sequences of movements within the technique.

    Other than suffering from a blurred vision and rustling in her ears due to her ever-accelerating movements, An Fei noticed that her balance and sense of rhythm remained stable regardless of the dance.

    Her motions remained unbound within the constraints of the , and the experience appeared no different than a casual walk in a garden.

    Her heels rapidly pivoted and rose from the ground to complete the turn with the toes acting as the fulcrum, taking numerous steps backwards and extending her arms to decelerate her rotation.

    The young girl quickly allowed her limbs to extend to their fullest length, her right palm facing the sky, and her left gracing the ground.

    As she spun to a halt, An Fei dropped her center of gravity to her left knee, before suddenly twisting her waist in the opposite direction.

    Her feet swiftly shifted in an elliptical path to guide her body in the reverse direction, relying on the abruptly shifted momentum and altered center of gravity to accelerate her turn.

    With the completion of a full moon sweep, the young girl strode to her original position with lightened steps, a dazzling smile on her countenance.

    The ¡­ was a masterpiece regarding the human movements.

    When she engaged herself in the dance, An Fei could not detach herself from the mysterious sensation that overtook her body.

    She had felt as if her body was not attached to the ground, and could easily traverse through the environment without any hinderance.

    Any expenditure of energy was limited to the absolute minimum, and if she perceived her target with a clear mind, the blurred vision and disrupted hearing served no issue.

    The technique relied not on physical exertion nor spiritual essence, which eased the majority of the young girl''s worries.

    With a sense of excitement tinged within her gaze, the young girl set herself upon the task of engraining each property of the dance into her body, until her bones could perform its movements without issue.

    Half-moon turn, reverse full moon sweep, forward crane step followed by an downward spiral, then a series of alternating cyclidic turns in an elliptical pattern to restore herself to her original position¡­

    The young girl had stepped onto the gold mine that would preserve her life, but also present to her one of her greatest troubles.

 137 A Little Shadow and the Forest of Dangerâ€™s Longevity 2

    A book bound in goldleaf clutched to her chest, a young girl finished exchanging the goods stored within the leather bag that had followed her from Jiang''an.

    She dumped the contents onto the crystalline floor, a quaint expression on her countenance.

    The jars of cosmetics were carefully set aside atop of a nearby table on the platform, and a bundle of herbs wrapped in fabric took its place.

    The young girl stuck her hand within the leather bag, searching around for any additional articles of weight.

    The grey sachet of money and the blue silk pouch of yuebing¡­ could remain in the leather bag.

    However, An Fei didn''t think much of the satchel of scarlet fabric, and tossed it to rest besides the discarded bottles of cosmetics.

    Having accomplished her task, the young girl dusted her hands, hauling the bag over her shoulder with a wistful sigh. An Fei headed towards the elevating disk at the corner of the platform, her mind being preoccupied by an issue that continued to nag at her consciousness.

    The herbs¡­ since they originated from the Sanctum¡­ surely they wouldn''t corrode upon entering the mortal realm?

    ¡­it would be perfect if their efficacy was suppressed to the minimum¡­ since she only needed them for the taste.

    Three sharp raps, and the young girl''s figure hurtled downwards at a breathtaking velocity.

    With a slight thud, An Fei shakily stood at the base platform of the Archives of Time, her eyes twitching in annoyance.

    "This experience is always undesirable¡­"

    The young girl shook her head to dispel her grievances, and strode out of the grand library of the Sanctum.

    Facing the finite length of the second corridor, she took a moment to ponder on what to accomplish next.

    "I¡­ can temporarily settle my food problems by eating yuebing," An Fei murmured to herself, the fingers of her right hand gently rubbing at the base of her chin.

    "If I arrive at the location where I previously was, I have a stream nearby to satiate my need for water. As for creatures and animals¡­ I¡­"

    ¡­don''t have a weapon to settle a dispute or hunt¡­

    The young girl''s voice trailed off into a discomforting silence, and she gazed towards the crystalline wall with a faraway glance. Finally, An Fei released a heavy sigh, slapping her cheeks with both hands.

    "Armory!"

    Clenching her arms tight for security, the young girl strode throughout the corridor to stand before a door to her right, her limbs trembling in a slight fear and unease.

    After a moment of deliberation, An Fei pursed her lips, before reaching out with a dainty hand to push at the door of sky-blue crystal.

    The door slid inward without a single sound of dissent, and the young girl stepped forward to re-enter the mystical armory of the second gateway ¨C

    Bang!

    "Ergh!"

    ¡­only to be repelled by the sudden storm of tangible light that rushed towards her figure.

    Startled by the sudden tsunami of divine essence pressing against her body, An Fei sank to the ground in a confused heap.

    Her mind rang with the unceasing tolls of agony and luxury, mired in a heavy daze that possessed her soul.

    The young girl''s mouth hung slightly open, unintelligible sounds escaping her throat in a momentary, drowsy lull.

    Soon after, the unusual sensations began to diminish, one margin at an instance as a warm current surged throughout her body.

    The fog in her pitiful consciousness receded centimeter per centimeter, until clarity had returned to An Fei''s vision.

    To her surprise, the previous sensation as though wading in waist-high water had vanished, her movement unhindered by the sea of colored light that encompassed her entire body.

    Rubbing her temples with a rueful smile, An Fei slowly strode into the armory, allowing her eyes to feast on the hundreds of weapons carefully settled onto their racks.

    Unbeknownst to her, the reforged eight extraordinary meridians were greedily absorbing the divine essence emanating from the weapons stored in the armory, a myriad of various attributes and fluctuations becoming assimilated and comprehended into the consciousness of the eight dragons within the young girl''s body.

    Alas, the young girl only cared about the fact that she was now free to move around in the dense sea of divine essence without suffering harm.

    Perhaps, if she knew that her eight extraordinary meridians had been replaced with eight living, celestial dragons, her mind would suffer a catastrophic impact.

    "A jian with feather edges and a nice steel trim, a dao with a ¡­copper blade, a broadsword of a black metal¡­" An Fei recited to herself, her right index finger sweeping across the catalogue of weapons directly before her gaze.

    "A dragon-phoenix sword, a sword¡­ of the silver river?"

    Each of the swords emitted a unique colored light, and the sensations experienced different depending on the blade.

    An Fei could discern a dense tinge of arrogance and might constrained within the metallic blade of the dragon-phoenix sword, the feathered and coiled handle threatening to wreak havoc onto the world and profess its ownership of destiny.

    The jian with the feathered edges circling the tang revealed a deep sense of intrigue and peace, whereas the copper dao appeared to emit a violent aura seeking the spilling of blood.

    The young girl repeated her action of extending her hands forward towards the weapons, before retracting them with furrowed brows as she made her way across the armory of the Sanctum.

    The jian¡­ seemed to lighthearted to spill any blood, and it placid atmosphere was not favored considering An Fei''s past experiences.

    As for the dragon-phoenix sword, the copper dao, the broadsword with the serrated edges or the dagger of black steel, none of them seemed to resonate with the young girl''s wishes¡­

    "They''re either too violent, or too arrogant," the young girl sighed to herself, the pair of scarlet irises continuing to roam throughout the armory.

    "The blade with a pitch green hue¡­ that''s bound to be poisonous, and might come in handy; I keep that in mind for later use. As for the axe that''s even taller than me¡­ absolutely not."

    An Fei couldn''t help but release a despotic sigh upon finishing a cursory examination of the armory within the second gateway of the Sanctum.

    As she massaged her fingers, the young girl mused that the search for a suitable weapon seemed rather laughable, as of current circumstances.

    After all, she didn''t require an arrogant sword that was bound to grant her tremendous heaps of trouble and greedy gazes from others, nor did she require an axe or scythe that was taller than her own body.

    And those restrictions¡­ eliminated a large portion of the weapons socketed into their respective niches.

    Sweeping her gaze around for the second time, the young girl suddenly found herself fixated onto a pair of short-bladed weapons. Leaning in closer, An Fei realized that the pair of steel blades were in fact the twin butterfly swords that she had discovered earlier.

    The twin blades that had¡­ injured her finger and seared a mark onto it¡­

    "It¡­ does look nice," the young girl assented with a huff.

    "Sleek and elegant, and plain enough for me to not get into trouble. I''ll¡­ not take it."

    An Fei decisively retracted her hand from its motion of grasping the twin steel butterfly swords, instead latching onto the leather bindings of a qama''s handle.

    The young girl tugged with her hand, only for a faint expression of displeasure to surface.

    The dagger¡­ remained in its niche. An Fei couldn''t help but tug once more with greater strength, before backing down with a disconcerted sigh.

    "Why¡­ can''t I just take it?" the young girl rolled her eyes.

    She breathed deeply, latching her fingers deeply on the leather grooves of the qama''s handle. Pursing her lips, An Fei pulled once more with her right hand, a groan of effort rushing from her throat.

    A twinge of warmth surged throughout her meridians to make contact with the steel dagger, and the qama suddenly broke loose from its socket on the crystalline wall, almost as if it required no strength to extricate it.

    The young girl backstepped twice before expanding her arms to her sides to dispel her abrupt momentum.

    Swallowing in distaste, An Fei raised the qama clenched in her right hand for closer scrutiny.

    She had initially chosen the dagger for its unusually faint radiance compared to the weapons besides it.

    After she had removed it from its socket, the young girl realized that the qama didn''t emanate light due to a low quality in forging, but because exemplary displays of quality were unnecessary for its purpose.

    The blade was approximately thirty to thirty-five centimeters in length, and tapered to a nearly invisible point at its end.

    When An Fei tapped the qama onto its side to gaze at its sides, she noticed that other than the weapon''s core that was a few millimeters thick, the rest of the qama was as thin as a sheet of paper.

    Furthermore, the entire blade was constructed from a dull violet metal, and the weapon released an occasional aura of coldhearted murder, and a deceitful deadliness.

    As she held the dagger, the young girl couldn''t help but reveal a contented grin.

    ¡­this reminded of her previous experiences of surviving in the tropic forests of the Amazons when she was forced to hide from the world¡­ She had survived solely on a dagger not different from the qama held in her hands¡­

 138 A Little Shadow and the Forest of Dangerâ€™s Longevity 3

    Satisfied with her selection, the young girl rolled her neck to loosen her muscles, before proceeding to reach for the complementary sheath of the qama.

    Just as An Fei had grabbed onto the leather strap of the dagger''s fabric sheath, she abruptly paused, tilting her head to her right in confusion.

    "Who?"

    A faint keen of protest, a barely audible croon seemed to ring within her vicinity.

    The young girl vigilantly swept her gaze around the armory, the qama''s deadly edge extended before her chest in a reverse grip.

    The cool sensation of the dagger''s pommel against her bosom calmed An Fei, allowing her mind to survey her surroundings with a rational gaze.

    "Who''s there?"

    A stern reprimand escaped the young girl''s throat, her entire body brimming with a murderous intent.

    To her disapproval and perplexing her even further, all that responded to her cry of vigil were the soft twinkling of auras emanated from the weapons socketed into the sky-blue crystal wall.

    An Fei gradually allowed the qama''s blade to droop, her arm relaxed against her side. The young girl grasped the leather bindings of the sheath once more, sliding the violet steel blade into the fabric covers with a swift motion.

    For some inexplicable reason, the incredibly sharp edge of the qama did not appear to be capable of slicing through the fabric sheath.

    Just as An Fei was wondering where to place the weapon on her body, the quiet keen of protest filtered into her ear for the second time.

    "Who!?"

    The pair of scarlet irises flashed in anger as the young girl whirled around, the sheathed dagger held before her in a cautionary posture.

    Surprisingly, the young girl decided to drop the dagger on top of the leather bag, marching towards a corner of the armory.

    When the odd croon had rang out, she seemed to have noticed a faint streak of grey light soar throughout the armory from the corner¡­

    Answering to her expectation, An Fei did notice an anomaly when she neared the socketed weapons.

    The twin butterfly swords, whether disgruntled by her teasing action just moments ago or for a different, unknown reason, continued to emit a grey radiance at a pitched frequency.

    The blades of plain steel and design roared its frustration behind barely audible croons, causing the young girl''s mouth to twitch.

    "You hurt me first, don''t expect me to act so kindly to you, ah," An Fei murmured in exasperated laughter, her fingers reaching out to stroke the twin blades'' surface.

    Midway, her hand froze in the air, as an unbelievable expression swept across her stunning countenance.

    She was speaking to a sword as if it were a bullied child?

    Why would she do¡­ that?

    The young girl proceeded to step back with the intention of returning to where she had placed the leather bag and her newly acquired qama.

    The moment she had stepped more than a meter away, the butterfly swords crooned for a third time, the grey radiance exploding forth to dwarf the nearby weapons.

    An Fei''s countenance stiffened, a wry smile threatening to overtake the grim expression.

    "Alright, then I''ll take you as well, ah?"

    The young girl reached out to pluck the twin blades from their sockets, marveling how the process required minimal effort compared to her task of extricating the qama.

    The dual blades slid from the crystalline placements, sliding nicely into her palm as if they were destined to be wielded by her hands.

    The butterfly swords released a soothing aura that surged into her palms, generating a stream of cool sensations that wrapped gently around her limbs.

    An Fei pursed her lips for a brief moment, before reaching over to grasp the sheathes for the butterfly swords.

    Just as the covering for the qama, the sheath for the twin short-swords were merely fabric covers bound by leather straps.

    Returning to the location where she had deposited the leather bag, An Fei stared at the three weapons, her mouth silently moving in thought.

    "Oh¡­"

    Eventually, the leather bag was slung over her shoulder, and the girl strode out of the second corridor''s armory with a contented grin.

    The leather straps of the sheathes for the butterfly swords were wrapped and tied around the linen coat''s sash, and the qama was positioned directly above her heart, hidden in a readily accessible location whenever she required its use.

    "[Reveal falsehood from the truth]."

    A young girl descended from the Sanctum of Eternal Peace, to throw herself into the miserable Shattered Star Continent for the half-baked reason of desiring to survive.

    ¨C

    The Wu Ji Forest welcomed another spring morning, usual and boring to the extreme that mundanity could permit.

    The early-risen animals eagerly proceeded their hunt underneath the blooming daylight, preying on the drowsier animals to capitalize on their earnings.

    Big or small, light-footed or heavy, the inhabitants began their process of attaining survival, even with the awareness that their efforts would one day prove futile.

    Hidden underneath the tall grasses and obscured beyond the overgrowth, tinges of murder and massacre echoed their gasps throughout the seemingly tranquil forest.

    From west to east, north to south, the flow of vitality surged through the Wu Ji Forest, reaping the necessary lives with a merciless grin and a mocking shadow that streaked underneath the blazing rays of the groggy sun.

    Birds were slaughtered, hares and light-footed creatures were dismembered by fiercer beings, and deer were cruelly massacred by a ravenous lion.

    Shua!

    Underneath a patched ceiling of rustling leaves, a figure swept through the floor of the forest.

    The figure made its way from tree to tree, resting against the bark with their ears examining their surroundings.

    A heavy tinge of vigilance faintly emanated from the figure, and its presence was masked within the dense sea of life.

    The indistinct figure roamed unbidden from one patch of land to the next, the shadow impossible to discern.

    Nearby animals, the grass and herbs loitering on the ground, none noticed its presence, each continuing their merry lives of foolish survival.

    However, if one were to carefully approach the figure, they would realize that the indistinct figure was preoccupied with uttering muted complaints against the earth below their feet.

    "Why is my speed so slow, my agility crippled, and my stamina reduced to a dying wick, ah!?"

    An Fei bemoaned as she traversed through the Wu Ji Forest towards the stream of water she had discovered a few days prior, her heart suffused with grievances.

    The young girl deeply wished to discover the core of the earth, and consign it to a death of a thousand cuts to vent her rage.

    She had expected her abilities becoming suppressed by a certain extent the moment she departed from the Sanctum, but this was too much, ah!

    Her eight extraordinary meridians that had been reforged by the Sanctum and were once swelling with divine essence now resembled shriveled husks compared to their previous domineering appearance!

    Furthermore, the conversion ratio between the Sanctum''s pure, unadulterated divine essence compared to its measly derivative spiritual essence that she could utilize, had become¡­ increasingly unpleasant.

    To obtain a thin strand of spiritual essence to swirl around her heart, the young girl had to sacrifice at least three strands of divine essence stored within the eight extraordinary meridians.

    When she thought of the amount of divine essence she had squandered in her initial moment of panic, An Fei felt that her heart convulsed and bled with each passing moment.

    The instant she had departed from the Sanctum with her newly acquired weapons and organized leather bag¡­ the worldly suppression had slammed into her chest with the force of a megaton brick.

    She couldn''t even move a muscle for an entire minute, or even breathe.

    Only when she forced a strand of spiritual essence to cleanse her body, was she freed from the ungodly restrictions¡­

    "Damn!"

    The young girl swore towards the sky, her countenance revealing a deep scowl of discontentedness. An Fei struck the bark of a nearby tree, before leaping forwards in the direction of the stream of water.

    Thankfully, the herbs stored within the bag had only lost a significant portion of their medicinal efficacy, and were not corroded by the restrictions imposed by the world.

    Otherwise, she would have vomited blood in anger, for that would be too much!

    Fortunately, her speed was still considerably faster compared to her previous abilities whilst confined to the Body Tempering Realm.

    As she darted from tree to tree whilst utilizing the to minimize her energy expenditure, the dense net of trees parted and thinned to reveal an open clearing the size of three football fields.

    There, the land was divided into two equal portions by a large line of azure. As the young girl approached closer with faltering steps, she discovered that the water current of the stream flowed at a rapid pace, and was cool to the touch.

    An Fei finally revealed a smile, her countenance displaying a weary look.

    "With this water stream¡­ at least things aren''t that bad?"

 139 A Little Shadow and the Forest of Dangerâ€™s Longevity 4

    The stream of water that An Fei had exerted an entire day and a half searching for, could be considered a small river.

    The stretch of water spanned a distance of twenty meters, the water traveling throughout a major vein of the forest.

    From where the young girl stood, she could faintly discern that the other end of the forest bisected by the stream was obscured by a faint mist.

    The mist was cloudy white, and brimming with an unknown but dangerous aura. The instant An Fei directed her gaze upon the other side of the water''s bank, her senses screamed of immediate danger.

    ¡­perhaps¡­ within the mist laid the Core Formation creatures that the empress had cautioned about?

    "The other side seems to be a habitat for dangerous creatures¡­" the young girl mouthed, before leaping to her feet in horror.

    "I''ve been walking into the core of the forest the entire time!?"

    The young girl anxiously stomped her feet, the pair of scarlet irises widened in shock.

    An Fei''s gaze jittered as she scanned her surroundings numerous times, her skin prickling with nervousness and danger.

    She deeply wished to turn around and run in the opposite direction.

    She was to exit the forest, not enter its depths!

    Pa.

    An Fei raised her right hand to collide with her forehead, her countenance displaying an unsightly expression of worry and exasperation.

    The young girl puffed her cheeks towards the clouded bank on the opposite side of the stream, silently venting her frustration onto the innocent spring breeze.

    "Forget it, I''ll have to check the water first," the young girl eventually sighed in resignation.

    "Hopefully those creatures aren''t capable of crossing the water bank¡­"

    An Fei cautiously strode towards the stream of water, balancing her weight near the bank''s edge. The young girl bent on her knees, reaching with her right hand to dip her finger into the water with trepidation.

    Cool to the touch, with a swift current propelling the water down its channel to cleanse its impurities.

    "Mm, this should¡­ be good enough."

    An Fei assented, before cupping a mouthful of water and bringing it to her lips.

    With a swift motion, the young girl drained the water pooled between her fingers, and her brows loosened as the cool water flowed down her throat and into her stomach.

    The water obtained from the stream was slightly cold to the touch, almost as if it had been untouched by the drifting of spring.

    The young girl could feel a chilly sensation rush down her nervous system, bringing forth an exhilarating experience to nibble at her fingertips.

    Perhaps this could resemble the taste of mountain spring water, if it were only a few degrees colder?

    An Fei shook her head in satisfaction, rising from her slightly precarious position and retreating over the bank to rest on solid ground.

    The young girl allowed her gaze to roam around her surroundings, placing each detail under high scrutiny.

    The knee-high grass, the botanic life that grew in between the weeds, the placement of trees within the vicinity and the arrangement of any nearby animals, An Fei did not dare underestimate any of the factors.

    The young girl closed her eyes and stretched her arms to her sides, cautiously roaming around the earth besides the stream of water with small, cautious steps.

    Her ears strained to their limits as they attempted to distinguish the individual components within the chaotic sea of sounds, and her nose attempted to detect any strange odors or fragrances.

    One step forward with the left foot, then two steps to the right before concluding with a cautionary step to the left.

    An Fei repeated the pattern as she continued to roam the earth around the stream of water at an excruciatingly slow pace, whilst mapping out a nearly identical visualization of her surroundings.

    Her consciousness drove itself deep into the sea of perception, decoding the received information with utmost scrutiny.

    On the tree just three meters to her left, nestled on the third-highest branch, was an animal similar to a bird. Likewise, seven meters away from her and in the taller, waist-high grass, slithered a rather large python.

    Rather large python¡­

    An Fei''s eyes snapped open, the pair of scarlet irises brimming with vigilance and unease.

    Nibbling on her lower lip, the young girl hesitated for a brief moment, before waving her right sleeve before her with a solid sweep towards the left.

    "Come!"

    A soft crackle of volatile spiritual essence encountering the suppressive atmosphere of the Shattered Star Continent vibrated within the forest, and a white lotus petal shot from An Fei''s chest, quickly morphing into a meter-long blade without a handle.

    The inscriptions on the steel sword''s length rippled with a malicious intent as it hovered above the young girl''s right shoulder, its deadly edge retaining a desire to spill blood.

    An Fei ushered it to remain silent with a wave of her palm, and continued to cautiously explore the area before her.

    The young girl retracted her hands into the linen coat''s sleeves, carefully sweeping her protected arms around in the waist-high grass.

    As she strode forward, the slithering sound continued to increase in volume, until the young girl stood half a meter away from its source.

    "Ah¡­"

    Through the dense net of grass and weeds, An Fei could spot mottled scales gleaming in the morning sun.

    The mesh of scales consisting of ruby, sapphire, cobalt, and amethyst colors blended into a viscous peach and grey covering, forming an appearance that the young girl was vividly familiar with.

    Was it not the same set of scales as that massive python she had encountered a few days ago?

    Only, when An Fei approached a little closer, she soon discovered that the python before her possessed none of the traits of the large creature she had witnessed previously.

    Other than sharing the same appearance, the animal before her completely lacked the domineering stature, aura, and fearsome ability of the large python.

    "Perhaps¡­ it''s a youngling?" the young girl licked her lips, her eyes riveted on the shiny set of scales.

    "If it''s a youngling, then¡­"

    An Fei couldn''t help but permit a flicker of greed to shine through her eyes, her mind musing on the elegant color of the scales.

    The mottled color of the scales, with its lustre that reflected light to reveal a sparkling effect as though a kaleidoscope, would form an unparalleled accessory.

    Perhaps if it were embossed and embedded as the circling ring that protected a priceless gem, then ¨C

    Hiss¡­

    The small python''s warning hiss instantly brought the young girl back into reality, and An Fei retracted her greedy hand.

    With the presence of the massive python on her mind, the young girl quietly retreated from the small creature''s vicinity, before resuming her task of investigating her surroundings.

    It would be her worst nightmare if she were to provoke that massive snake, for the mere mention of the two venomous fangs were sufficient to introduce a trace of panic into her gaze.

    An Fei shook her head numerous times to dispel her greedy thoughts, allowing her gaze to regain its dull focus.

    The young girl continued to explore the sea of grass and trees, unaware that her movements were tracked by two different creatures, each possessing their individual motive.

    ¨C

    By nightfall, the young girl had returned to her original location in which she had spectated the appearance of the stream of water. An Fei squatted by the water''s edge, drawing onto the moist earth with a thin branch.

    "There''s a cluster of tall, sturdy trees near the farther edge of the stream ¨C and the distance is greater¡­" the young girl murmured, crossing out a circle hastily drawn onto the soft soil.

    "I can''t see a problem with utilizing one of the trees to construct a treehouse, but¡­ the presence of nearby animals is concerning."

    An Fei rubbed the base of her chin with the fingers of her right hand as she mused to herself in a quiet voice, the thin branch clamped between her index finger and thumb carelessly scribbling onto the numerous drawings that besotted the ground.

    "Cutting down trees ¨C I can do that with ease. Carrying them up to construct a stable shelter¡­ I definitely don''t have the tools or supplementary materials for that."

    The young girl directed an anxious glance towards the darkened sky, her inquisitive gaze greeted by an indifferent stare by the countless stars decorating the nighttime darkness.

    An Fei released a quick exhale of breath, before patting the soil below her feet with a concerned gaze.

    Though it wasn''t clearly present in the early morning, her careful observation during the passing of the day revealed to her that the forest was about to receive rainfall, and not an inconsiderate amount at that.

    The soil constantly revealed a hint of dampness and clumped together in fist-sized clusters, and the clouds in the sky appeared far denser and full compared to when she was still in the imperial carriage.

    Furthermore, the atmosphere had gradually gained an increase in humidity.

    Whether it would rain or not, her pressing need for shelter did not waver.

    An Fei was clearly cognizant of the fact that should the Sanctum not permit her entrance each and every time, she was certain on the road towards death if she didn''t acquire a safe location to spend the night.

    Only, where was it to be?

    The incoming rain¡­ she didn''t know when it would strike, or how dreadful its impact would be, but that regardless, she had limited time to spare.

 140 The Nagging Troubles of Survival 1

    That night, An Fei felt as if her nerves had been strained to beyond their tolerable limits.

    Taking the chance to regain much of her previously reliable vigilance and habits, the young girl had elected not to rely solely on the safety within the Sanctum and instead had chosen to rest in the forest.

    She had wandered around the stream''s vicinity, until she stood before a large redwood tree.

    The tree was three meters thick, and its height soared to an immeasurable distance above the ground. When she had gazed upwards to estimate its height, the young girl wasn''t even sure whether she could even spot its lower branches.

    The tree''s main stem was nice to rest against, without any gnarled roots or wrinkles spanning across its surface that dug into her back when she reclined against it.

    Thus, An Fei had carefully hugged the leather bag to her chest, commanding the handle-less steel sword to guard her neck whilst she slept.

    When the actual process of sleeping in the wild forest came to rest before her¡­ the young girl could only state that she had lived a night of misery.

    The fiercer animals within the forest seemed to only have come awake at the subtle entrance of nightfall.

    Not long after An Fei had fallen asleep, the poor girl was jostled awake by a fierce creature''s yowl of pain that echoed throughout the entire region of land.

    The deafening roar ringing in her ears, An Fei had expended several minutes in sweeping her gaze around with a tinge of panicked vigor, only to result in the failure of detecting any nearby enemies.

    The sword hovering over her head had not reacted, and thus the young girl returned to sleep, her heart laden with a bad premonition.

    Over, over, and over again, An Fei had been startled awake by the cries and roars of the fierce creatures within the Wu Ji Forest.

    The clashing of emboldened battles of territories, the domestic disputes within a group of animals, and even the arbitrary screams and howls to the cold, glimmering moon, all of them had forced the young girl to jolt to a stand, her eyes blearily attempting to comprehend the situation.

    ¡­she couldn''t even attempt to ignore the calls, for they possessed an intensity and volume that reverberated throughout the entire vicinity of the forest.

    Forget squeezing her eyes and hoping it would end, the abrupt disruption in the swaying of the grass was sufficient to rouse her awake.

    When the initial rays of dawn filtered through and forced the young girl to open her eyes and shift away from the dazzling, submerged glare, the first action she took was to heave a deep sigh of relief.

    Her nerves had remained at high tension for numerous hours, and their sudden relief caused An Fei to spend the next few minutes wobbling around in a motion similar to that of a dead drunkard.

    "¡­never again. Never again."

    The young girl groaned, hurrying to the stream to douse her face with the slightly cold water.

    Shaking herself fully awake, An Fei took one last hateful glare towards the other side of the bank, before retreating into the sea of trees and grass.

    ¨C

    A young girl yawned as she walked underneath the dense overgrowth, her eyes narrowed as she carefully examined her surroundings. The net of branches that towered directly above her blocked the majority of the sunlight, creating a dim atmosphere that was exceedingly comforting and mesmerizing.

    A single glance was enough to convince her to take a nap, but the young girl forced herself to move on.

    "I need logs of wood to form the foundation of the walls, floor, and ceiling," An Fei muttered to herself.

    "The swords can handle the cutting, which just leaves the problem of carrying the materials aboveground and into the air. Unless¡­ I want to construct an underground shelter?"

    The young girl gradually came to a stop, her small pink tongue eagerly licking at the ends of her fingers, searching for the scant crumbles of mooncake.

    An Fei pursed her lips, staring at the row of trees that she was immersed in, then towards the ground underneath her feet.

    All thoughts about reorienting her direction had disappeared from her mind, and the only thought was to construct a suitable shelter to secure an alternative measure in preserving her life.

    She only needed to return to the stream of water, turn a hundred and eighty degrees, and continue heading in a straight path until she exited the forest.

    The idea was tempting, but An Fei was rational enough to determine that attempting to do so was tantamount to aimless suicide.

    ¡­she didn''t even know where she stood within the forest at the current moment; An Fei surmised that the land on the other side of the bank was indeed the central region of the forest, but once again, it could be one stretch of land of many within the central region of the forest.

    Without knowing the specifics in their entirety, attempting to brashly explore¡­

    If she accidently ran across a massive creature that snapped her up in a moment''s time, was she to laugh it off whilst sauntering off into hell?

    "A shelter amongst the trees can offer protection against any ground creatures that roam throughout the forest during nighttime," the young girl uttered in a soft voice.

    "However¡­ aerial creatures and other atmospheric elements serve as its weakness. On the other hand, constructing a shelter on the ground is much easier to accomplish, but it could become flooded by rain or ground creatures¡­"

    Since this was a forest ¨C a mystical forest that ignored the basic restrictions of nature, but a forest nonetheless ¨C there should be less fierce creatures capable of flight¡­ no?

    "Where would I find a rope or some sort of durable ¨C"

    Gr¡­

    A soft prowling cut across the young girl''s words, and An Fei froze in shock at the sudden noise.

    As the young girl stiffly turned around, she discovered a pack of grey wolves eagerly staring at her exposed flesh, their eyes glinting with a scarlet shade of bloodthirst.

    Shua!

    The handle-less blade released a silent roar of challenge as it swooped down from above the young girl''s head to guard her figure, the deadly edge pointed towards the center of the pack.

    The rippling inscriptions along its length increased in frequency, gradually releasing a soft scarlet radiance that reeked of malice and bloodthirst.

    With the sword''s movement, An Fei''s consciousness snapped out of its daze and returned to clarity, the scarlet irises reflecting a dull glint of alertness and coldness.

    The young girl''s hands drifted towards the sash bound around her waist, her palms resting on the cool metallic handles of the twin butterfly swords.

    Seven wolves and one young girl with a handle-less sword glared at each other, their limbs itching with fearless anticipation and bloodthirst.

    Rrr!

    The wolves acted first, erupting into frenzied motion with a split instant of delayed hesitation.

    Three wolves fanned towards An Fei''s flanks on either side, and one charged directly towards her in with its claws and canines extended, seeking to sink into the delicate, tantalizing flesh before its gaze.

    Pssht!

    The sword hovering before An Fei''s chest oriented its blade towards a diagonal facing the ground, awaiting the wolf''s charge.

    The moment the wolf in the center entered into the sword''s radius, the handle-less sword slashed in a circular arc with its pommel as the pivot, forming a deadly diagonal disk that sank deeply into the wolf''s furred skin.

    At the same time, An Fei slid the two swords out of their sheathes, holding them in a reverse grip before her chest.

    As the six wolves approached, the young girl bent her right knee before sweeping into two half-moon turns, the blades pronating to their proper grasp mid-sweep to sink deeply into the wolves'' flesh.

    The injured wolves released ear-splitting howls of agony, scarlet blood dripping onto the ground below their feet.

    The sun-deprived grass and herbs eagerly accepted the fallen vitality, their roots pulsing with a vibrant aura as they eagerly sought for more nourishment.

    The seven wolves and one young girl returned to their original stalemate, the only difference being that four of the wolves sported severe injuries, and the young girl was effectively surrounded by six grey wolves.

    An Fei narrowed her eyes as she shifted her grip on the twin butterfly swords, her senses carefully analyzing her surroundings with an impartial view.

    The young girl aptly noticed that each wolf that had been struck by the twin swords, they revealed a deep slice through their body that cut even through bone.

    Shua!

    The handle-less sword quivered whilst hovering in the air, an invisible net of bloodthirst and incomparable malice sweeping over the wolves.

    The inscriptions finally exploded with a scarlet light, and the characters gained sufficient clarity that the young girl could discern its meaning.

    Death, murder, blood, copper sun, blazing ¨C

    Grr!

    The wolves snarled, their canines dripping with saliva as they glared at the young girl. Without hesitation, seven grey wolves leapt towards An Fei, their lethal claws and teeth exposed and dripping with tangible bloodthirst.

 141 The Nagging Troubles of Survival 2

    For the next several moments, An Fei became unable to differentiate between left and right.

    The world around her flipped upon its sides, whirling and collapsing on its axis without pause nor conviction as the injured howls of wolves pierced into her ears.

    Naturally, the young girl''s vision was distorted due to her movements; the world remained perfectly intact, with its bafflingly stagnant vitality coursing throughout the various channels hidden underneath the earth.

    Seven dreadfully injured wolves surrounded the young girl from all directions, their canines dripping with their own blood as they stared at the fragile figure.

    Their eyes had become imbued with a scarlet haze, unable to determine that their vitality was clinging it their hosts with the strength of a candle''s dying flicker.

    An Fei''s body gradually slowed to a halt, and the young girl stared at the grey wolves with an equal gaze of confusion and boredom, her stunning countenance revealing a trace of dissatisfaction.

    A steel sword without a handle hovered above her head, the blade glaring towards its prey with a nefarious smile.

    The grey-furred wolves had suddenly ambushed her¡­ but how come the circumstance appeared as if she were the one bullying them?

    An Fei knocked herself on the head, her gaze unconsciously flitting towards the pair of steel butterfly swords clenched in her hands.

    The chilly surface of the blades that invited death gently pricked at the surface of her skin, inviting her to do battle with the seven, scraggly creatures of the world.

    The butterfly swords slid in through their target without a hint of resistance, sweeping through bone, marrow, meridian, and flesh in a clean swipe.

    The young girl clearly noticed that some wolves were missing a limb or two, barely retaining their balance through sheer, primal willpower and the desire to devour the delicate prey before them.

    "Hah¡­"

    An Fei released a light breath, her mind attempting to relish in the profound surprise of the that she had just experienced during the farce of a fight.

    The handle-less blade above her head revealed a glum aura, desperately seeking the reaping of souls.

    Aroo!

    The seven wolves howled in bestial rage, their throats convulsing to muster the maximum potential of the dying embers of morale.

    The creatures of the world surged towards the young girl in a last attempt of seeking glorification, their final threads of vitality burning in the sun''s ardor.

    Shing!

    The handle-less blade dove downwards, knocking four wolves off their limbs through the mere shockwave of impact. The steel sword released a bloodthirsty light in the undergrowth of the forest, the inscriptions on its blade erupting with an increased desire for blood.

    Similarly, An Fei did not tarry, reversing her grip on the right butterfly sword, the pair of scarlet irises focused on the three encroaching assailants.

    The instant the nearest wolf pounced on its hind legs to rush towards An Fei, the young girl bent her knees to lower the center of gravity positioned on her body, the two blades in her hands transforming into a silver arc of death.

    The twin butterfly swords cleaved directly through the wolf''s head, slicing apart its cranium as though chopping through tofu.

    The bisected wolf tumbled onto the earthen ground with a dull thump, and the young girl completed her half-moon sweep without resistance, the twin swords flashing towards the hindquarters of a maddened creature.

    Arrr!

    The wolf howled in agony as its hind limbs were severed in an instant, the unpleasant sensation of absolute cold surging through its body and sapping its meagre remnants of a consciousness.

    The wolf clambered on the ground for a brief moment, before suddenly ceasing to move any further.

    The plants underneath relished in the sudden, unexpected rainfall of vitality, their leaves and flowers extending to receive the world''s baptism that was usually squandered and exploited by the mighty overgrowth.

    The sea of scarlet quickly drained into the moist earth, streaming into the expansive life of the Wu Ji Forest.

    An Fei allowed the twin blades to drop to her sides as she gazed at the phenomenon of the plants with interest, her consciousness reeling from the surprise.

    Before the young girl''s astounded gaze, the grasses and herbs drained the pool of wolf blood in a moment''s instant, and she could faintly discern a thin line of red on the stems of the plants.

    "The plants in the forest¡­ are carnivores?" An Fei murmured in confusion, her mind completely forgetting that she remained in the midst of a battle.

    "No¡­ their physical structure doesn''t appear to be designed for the consumption of meat¡­ and the wolf''s carcass remains on the ground. If then¡­ are they desiring the vitality within the wolves'' blood?"

    The young girl tilted her head to the side, the pair of scarlet irises fluctuating as they attempted to comprehend the mystery before their inspection. An Fei leaned forward towards the ground, her right arm extended towards the stem of a nearby plant ¨C

    Grr!

    A gentle warmth brushed at the back of the young girl''s shoulder blades, and An Fei''s body flung itself into motion.

    Leveraging the force transmitted from the sudden blow, her feet alternated in their supplementary function as rotational pivots, and the young girl enacted in a full moon turn towards the right.

    Her arms collapsed towards her chest, before expanding as she neared the completion of the revolution.

    An Fei''s body had positioned itself behind the grey wolf, the twin butterfly swords having enacted a horizontal bisection onto the pitiful creature.

    A soundless howl reverberated throughout the Wu Ji Forest as the wolf clutched onto the ground, its precious vitality hunted and distributed by the plants underneath its body.

    A mere moment afterwards, a resounded crash shook the trees in the vicinity, and the sonorous cry of a sword''s jubilation struck the tensed atmosphere.

    The handle-less blade returned to hover above the young girl''s head, the inscriptions on its surface gleaming with satisfaction and anticipation.

    With such a sight, An Fei could only release a resigned sigh, shaking her head at the carnage surrounding her on all sides.

    Decimated wolf corpses, shriveled from having their vitality drained, littered the forest ground. The number of bodies scattered over the moist earth numbered only seven, but had been torn and slashed into numerous strips of flesh, muscle, and bone.

    Though An Fei had butchered three wolves through her own hands, the corpses were relatively intact.

    The carnage enacted by the handle-less sword, on the other hand, resembled ground meat dried into jerky.

    The young girl allowed her body to shiver at the incredible malice and bloodthirst contained within the incomplete sword, before hastily fleeing from the scene.

    The vicious reaper of death followed her every movement, tracing her heels as though a loyal sentinel.

    "I didn''t do it¡­ I didn''t do that¡­"

    An Fei murmured to herself in bated breath as she ran underneath the forest. The young girl shook her head, an expression of pity evident on her beautiful countenance.

    She felt pity for the gruesome death faced by the wolves that had encountered the acrimonious steel sword, but also a tinge of anticipation.

    The handle-less sword was indeed fearsome and mighty, but the astounded her mind to its core.

    The last attack enacted by the wolf towards her defenseless back, An Fei was fully cognizant of it. The instant she heard the soft growl of bitter resentment and the whistling of claws, the young girl had felt regret well up within her heart.

    She hadn''t expected herself to become careless within the middle of a battle, especially when wolves were not necessarily inclined to display mercy towards their prey.

    However, instead of the cold, chilly sensation of numbness as the claws raked across the back, the wolf''s surprise attack had been nullified, the only remaining component of the impact''s force having been converted into the momentum necessary for the young girl to circle around towards the wolf''s back, whilst dealing a serious wound with the twin butterfly swords.

    Even at the end, the linen coat had not suffered a single fraying thread. The sharp claws of a wolf, or a weapon''s mighty edge, all physical impacts required a modicum of resistance to inflict a wound or margin of damage.

    If the target could effectively remove the resistance necessary for such phenomenon¡­ then wouldn''t the attack serve nothing than a mere transfer of force?

    From the conflict with the wolves, An Fei had gleaned the key component of the , especially through the final blow.

    The removal of any resisting force towards an attack and allowing the body to react to any external displacement or force¡­ had ultimately prevented her from receiving any form of injury.

    In addition, the cyclic motions within the technique inflicted a grievous wound onto the enemy, the margin of injury grossly exacerbated by the deadly sharpness of the twin butterfly swords.

    "I suppose¡­ that investing the time and effort into learning this technique wasn''t for naught¡­"

    The young girl had permitted herself into getting greedy once again.

 142 The Nagging Troubles of Survival 3

    When sundown finally graced its forlorn smile onto the lower regions of the Wu Ji Forest, the undergrowth finally released a collective sigh of relief.

    The various animals, be it birds, deer, or a timid rabbit, all sighed as they patted their body to ensure that the vitality bestowed to them remained confined within their own body.

    The plantlife, on the other hand, could only reminiscence and hope that they would once again receive a blessing as empowering.

    The creatures within the forest bade the sun a temporary farewell with differing sentiment, though it regarded a single event that occurred during the day.

    That was, regarding the natural disaster that had swept through the Wu Ji Forest''s undergrowth, reaping lives left to right without any display of mercy.

    A natural disaster in the form of a young girl and a steel sword missing its handle.

    The lives of both animals and plants had been plundered by the two with swift, sweeping motions, severing the channel of vitality from their bodies without any form of mounted resistance.

    The forest could only helplessly watch as numerous animals quickly ventured onto the same fate as the pack of grey wolves ¨C either neatly sliced, or ground to a paste.

    ¡­in An Fei''s defense, the various creatures she had encountered throughout the day had aimlessly assaulted her upon the initial encounter.

    The young girl had barely managed to open her mouth to inhale, before a storm of claws, fangs, and fierce paws bolstered with unimaginable strength flurried in her direction, seeking to sweep her off her feet.

    Following the incident with the grey wolves, An Fei had been constantly assaulted by the creatures of the forest left and right, without pause or respite.

    ¡­thus, the young girl had eventually found herself standing in a quagmire of corpses and shredded herbs.

    The earth had eagerly swallowed the paved road of blood, leaving behind shriveled husks that remained devoid of their previously flourishing vitality.

    Bears, wolves, fierce feline creatures, and even some birds; most of the creatures that spotted An Fei and possessed a decently powerful capability, sought to leap onto the fragile figure, as though she sported a delicious, tantalizing bait that hung from her neck.

    Having to fight whilst venturing towards the stream to obtain a quick break, having to fight whilst attempting to assess her surroundings for a suitable host for her shelter, and forced to fight and slaughter when nature had made its call.

    The young girl had engorged herself onto a day of slaughter, the twin butterfly swords practically remaining in her hands the entire day.

    When the sun finally bade its way towards the horizon, it was not just the animals and herbs that heaved a sigh of relief.

    Sundown represented a brief period of rest and relaxation, for the inhabitants of the forest engaged in a conquest towards their respective shelters.

    Given how it was also the period in which the fierce creatures that dominated the forest began to stir and awake, the animals did not dare to tarry across the young girl''s path.

    "Hah¡­"

    An Fei heaved a heavy sigh, swinging her legs back and forth as she perched herself upon a relatively high branch.

    Though she was still far from the height that would permit her gaze to pierce through the dense overgrowth of branches and leaves to glance across the exterior of the forest, the young girl was still capable of obtaining a substantial observation of the forest.

    The Wu Ji Forest¡­ continued to remain as the surreal and incredible atmosphere as An Fei had discovered at the beginning.

    Regardless of how she attempted to comprehend the environment before her, the young girl had to admit the capabilities and mystery of the forest.

    Herbal life, animal life, even the marine creatures, the diversity and proliferation of these living existences completely astounded An Fei''s consciousness.

    She was well cognizant of the fact that tigers and elk did not reside in similar habitat conditions, but both types of species roamed across the ground of the forest.

    If she attended to her surroundings during the morning, the young girl could faintly discern a tiger''s roar crashing through the sea of trees and grass without reservations.

    Furthermore, the trees themselves originated from all regions of the world, completing a mottled and incomprehensible mixture of life that appeared completely impossible by logical reasoning.

    "Enough, ah."

    An Fei shook her head, patting her cheeks with both hands as she balanced herself on the thick branch that supported her body.

    The young girl stretched her limbs with a mighty groan, directing a final glance towards the diminishing rays of sunlight with a frightful yawn.

    ¡­and with a short verse spoken in an unintelligible, forbidden language that projected in a form akin to divine bells, the delicate figure that had branded a mark of terror onto the inhabitants of the Wu Ji Forest had vanished without a trace.

    Not even the shadow remained behind, though the target in question had long since lost said shadow.

    ¨C

    "No¡­ redwood would suffice; the material isn''t lacking in strength, nor is it easily corroded nor damaged by moisture¡­"

    A young girl murmured to herself as she sat on a floor of sky-blue crystal, her body illuminated by a soft golden radiance that surged from the ground. In her right hand, danced a dry brush, whilst her left shuffled around several sheets of pristine, soft paper.

    Unexpectedly, An Fei was not residing within the seventeenth platform within the Archives of Time, where she had usually confided herself in for the past few months.

    Instead, the young girl had found herself roaming a platform several levels above, though she remained parading before a row of books as usual.

    If it were not for the archaic number engraved onto the wall just outside of the door that granted passage into the platform, An Fei would have assumed that it were the long-accustomed seventeenth Archive.

    The design of the platform and bookshelves, the arrangement of furniture and decoration at the center of the platform, and the multi-colored radiance emitting from the row upon row of books, all were the same.

    When she had first stepped onto the twenty-third platform, An Fei''s initial thought was that the Sanctum was playing a prank on her.

    ¡­not that it hadn''t already toyed with her emotions by a considerable margin.

    The twenty-third platform amongst the Archives of Time, could be described in a single word. The ledger at the base platform described it as such, and the young girl could only agree with wholehearted emotion.

    The twenty-third Archive of Time.

    .

    Put simply, the archive''s books contained the foundational aspects of manipulating the base materials of any given environment, before extrapolating them as per the user''s intentions.

    How to temper materials to ensure increased durability and tactile toughness; how to arrange materials in a specified pattern of construction to achieve a desirable effect or ward off an unforeseen or undesirable consequence; the books that the young girl discovered within the twenty-third platform possessed everything related to the assembly, arrangement, and manipulation of the natural elements of the environment.

    Such was the book that was pried open on the ground before An Fei, the large sheets of white, pristine paper with sprawling characters that spelled epochs of innovations and designs that had been developed.

    "In a naturally-formed rainforest or environment proliferating with fibrous herbal life, the fundamental aspects of a shelter¡­ must not only accommodate for the regulation of internal temperature, but also the special circumstances of the environment¡­" the young girl read in a dull tone, her chin propped up with a comfortable pillowcase.

    "The rain encountered within a forest endowed with spiritual essence within a mortal realm possesses the natural properties of the world''s assembly of¡­ spiritual essence. Thus, immortal existences, unless dispatching a mortal soul, must ensure to prevent the encounter of any rainfall whilst remaining in such environments¡­"

    An Fei couldn''t help but reveal a devastated pout whilst skimming the passage, her lips soundlessly emitting a curse.

    The young girl knocked herself on the forehead, before reaching out towards the grindstone.

    "Accumulated groundwater sources or streams disperse the pooled spiritual essence post-rainfall towards the deeper core of the world. Hence, immortal beings must ensure that following a period of rainfall, consumption of liquid obtained from such sources is to be abstained until a period of two weeks has passed¡­s"

    The young girl neatly placed the brush onto the ground besides the disordered stack of paper, before directing a glum stare towards the book splayed on the crystalline surface.

    Without warning, An Fei buried her face into the pillowcase nestled against her bosom, a pitiable groan surfacing from her throat.

    "I can''t encounter spiritual essence from outside, I can''t eat food infused with spiritual essence originating from outside, and I can''t even be hit by a single raindrop whilst outside¡­ please let me leave this ¨C wu ¨C forest already, ah!"

 143 The Nagging Troubles of Survival 4

    Crying aside, the young girl finally put the loose sheets of paper to good use.

    A blank sheet grasped in one hand, the other flipping through the numerous pages of the book splayed before her, and the brush help between her teeth, An Fei finally brushed onto the subject of constructing a shelter to use within the forest.

    Her basic requirements necessitated ample protection against the elements, and a structure that emphasized portability.

    The young girl had little need for the actual shelter to be transferrable from one location to the next; that was hinging on the borders of mental insanity and delusional thoughts given her current available resources within the Wu Ji Forest.

    As long as the structure of the shelter was easily replicable, that was enough.

    "A rectangular assembly of wooden logs bisected and hollowed to construct a conical structure¡­" the young girl murmured through clenched teeth, the pair of scarlet irises refusing to depart from the characters spanning the page.

    "The hollowed logs are arranged as though the covering of a tent to form a conical appearance, of which the peak is to be removed and replaced with a plateaued article to divert any incoming rainfall¡­ necessary complements of fibrous material include twine to sustain the structure and a mud bastion to insulate the shelter''s composition¡­ that''s no good."

    An Fei paused to scratch the tent-like design from the page, the brush in her hands condemning the idea to an early death.

    The brush returned to its original place between the young girl''s lips, the tip barely moistened by the recently ground ink.

    "A paneled roof utilizing flattened planks of wood with an enclosure supporting peripheral protection ¨C that''s rather useless when encountering rain ¨C a longhouse¡­ useless, don''t have that much time¡­ ah¡­"

    The young girl closed the book with a rueful gaze, her heart laden with annoyance. The sheets of paper that had been marred by her designs whilst reading were thus scrapped, and An Fei leaned against the edge of the bed, closing her eyes in thought.

    "Perhaps¡­ just hollowing out the inside of a tree would do¡­"

    ¨C

    With that, a week passed in complete tranquility.

    The Wu Ji Forest returned to its usual lifestyle following the unexpected event of slaughter, and the sensation of terror diminished within the animals'' hearts after realizing that the mysterious killer had not surfaced for several days.

    Once again, such phenomenon warranted mixed responses from the collective consciousness of the creatures residing within the forest.

    The animals were relieved that their lives were thus spared from unwarranted killing, whereas the plants exhibited their discontent in as many forms as they could possibly conduct with their meagre existences.

    Having lost the tantalizing stream of vitality that had inundated their roots, the pitiful herbs and plantlife could only return to foraging for the scraps of sunlight that seeped through the dense overgrowth.

    ¡­neither of them were aware that the killer had not departed from the forest, and was actually thriving alongside ¨C

    Boom!

    "Oh, come on!"

    A dense explosion rang throughout the Wu Ji Forest''s undergrowth as a piercing shockwave erupted through the sea of trees.

    From the source of the eruption, a weary figure dashed from within the cover of leaves and branches, weaving through the maze of trees and grass with a fearsome agility.

    Roar!

    A tiger''s roar soon followed, a brilliant white streak surging at the figure''s heels. The two raced throughout the sea of trees at an incredible pace, the mere sounds of the chase sufficient to terrify the souls of the animals hidden within the knee-height grass.

    Ducking underneath a low branch whilst mapping out a possible course to throw off the malignant streak of light nipping at her heels, An Fei couldn''t suppress herself from releasing a curse.

    The young girl abruptly yelped, her right palm curling around the thin trunk of a nearby tree to suddenly swing around and reverse her direction, causing the blindly rushing tiger to careen and overshoot its target.

    Roar!

    The white-furred creature revealed a majestic aura as it glared at the young girl with a wrathful gaze, the pair of eyes threatening to devour the fragile figure before it piece by piece.

    The tiger''s powerful jaws opened to reveal a mouth full of sharp teeth, causing the young girl to quiver with unease.

    "Easy¡­ now¡­" An Fei breathed, her right hand extended towards the white tiger as she carefully retreated, a small step at a time.

    "This young girl didn''t intend on intruding into your territory¡­ nor did I destroy anything, so¡­ you can let me go ¨C eek!?"

    The tiger pounced towards An Fei without a single preparatory sound, causing the young girl to leap towards the side in panic.

    With a powerful roar exuding a malignant aura equally domineering as the white tiger, a lotus petal detached itself from the young girl''s lapel, transforming into a meter-long steel blade overflowing with bloodthirst as it stood guard before An Fei.

    Grr¡­

    The tiger''s eyes constricted in surprise at the sudden entry of the sword, noticeably blanching at the dense, raw aura seeking blood emanating from the steel blade without a handle.

    The intricate hairs along its fur rippled with unease, and the creature lowered its gaze, carefully scrutinizing the young girl before it with a cautionary approach.

    Nonetheless, the fierce creature lowered its center of gravity towards its hind legs, the powerful muscles rippling with immense strength as they prepared for a silent but deadly pounce.

    The young girl revealed a grimace at the sight of the tiger refusing to leave, her hands darting towards the twin butterfly swords sheathed on her sash.

    An Fei glared at the white creature with an expression of discontent, her moon souring to rock bottom as the events of a few moments before stemmed in her mind.

    The large tiger proclaiming its royal dignity before her had originated from the other side of the stream''s bank.

    A fierce creature from the central regions of the forest, albeit An Fei had little clue regarding its allotment in cultivation.

    The boorish tiger had witnessed a young girl drinking from the same stream as it had, and abruptly attacked without a shred of mercy.

    Having been caught by surprise, An Fei had unconsciously relied on the usage of the ''s passive evasion to avoid receiving lethal wounds¡­ which ultimately aggravated the creature to no return.

    Having discovered that a weakling shared the same water as its own majestic self¡­ then realizing that it was unable to injure said weakling existence and in exchange incurred several deep wounds, how could the white tiger not become angry to the extent of losing reason?

    Roar!

    The white tiger glared at the girl with endless wrath circling its eyes, the sharp claws gouging deeply into the earth. The three-meter long creature bared its teeth, an unknown amount of strength surging within its body to produce a miserable torrent of death.

    The handle-less sword flashed with anger as it revealed the deadly edge towards the white creature, the inscriptions spanning its length seething with bloodlust.

    A deep, scarlet light began to effuse from the steel surface, grossly distorting the forest''s atmosphere with a sinister, hellish hue.

    The hind muscles of the tiger rippled, before unwinding in a single release of strength. The white tiger shot forward with an unstoppable momentum, headed directly towards the young girl''s exposed nape.

    "Ah¡­"

    An Fei withdrew both butterfly swords from their sheathes, twirling them into a reverse grip grasped before her chest.

    As she observed the tiger''s rush towards her chest, the young girl shifted her weight onto her left leg, lowering her center of gravity to properly receive the wrath of a forest king.

    Shua!

    The expected collision of flesh upon flesh did not reverberate throughout the forest, nor was there the piercing shriek of a young girl''s body shattering into numerous fragments.

    Instead, a quiet slash of metal through flesh whispered within the Wu Ji Forest, introducing the shadow of death with a wry smile and an invitational gesture.

    An experimental slash towards the tiger''s massive body to trigger the automatic movements of the , then relying on her left leg as the primary pivot to pirouette around the creature''s body, the twin butterfly swords lacerating the pristine, smooth white fur with numerous deep cuts.

    For good measure, An Fei angled her right shoulder closer towards the ground at the finishing movements of her rotation to hack off the tiger''s tail, before dispelling the accrued momentum by extending her arms to their fullest length.

    Boom!

    The young girl flashed a cheerful smile towards the white tiger that had rammed its head against the hardened bark of a maple tree instead of the delicate flesh of a young, budding maiden.

    As An Fei took a step back to admire her handiwork, she noticed that amongst the numerous cuts besotting the tiger''s body, one had landed at the base of its right hindleg.

    Thus, a king of the Wu Ji Forest had lost not only its tail, but also a hindleg ¨C one of its two primary empowerments of strength.

    The tiger''s eyes seemed to drip blood as it glared at the young girl, the teeth fully bared in an attempt to cloud its own consciousness to minimize the pain.

    The creature appeared to amass an extraordinary quantity of spiritual essence within its body to unleash a dreadful attack onto the hateful ¨C

    Caw!

    A heavily mangled and distorted cry of a raven suddenly pierced through the entire Wu Ji Forest''s undergrowth, carrying forth limitless resentment, undying pride, and a sinister malice.

 144 Little Raven, Little Crow 1

    For a brief moment, the entire forest became submerged into a deathly silence.

    When An Fei strained her ears, she discovered that all signs of life had paused, and even the rustling of grass had ceased.

    The spring breeze continued to nestle against her cheek, but the forest had frozen into a complete standstill.

    Even the mangled white tiger who deeply sought to slaughter the young girl before its eyes, stood in a partial preparatory posture with its remaining hind leg tensed.

    An Fei could even discern the corded muscles bulging as the creature''s veins propelled an immense quantity of vitality throughout the body.

    A pair of constricted, wrathful golden eyes stared at her visage, yearning the crimson splatter of consecrated life to bless the grass underneath.

    However, they could only remain open and stare, unable to budge by a single centimeter.

    "This¡­"

    An Fei''s mouth hung open at the sudden phenomenon that had overtaken the entire Wu Ji Forest. The young girl abruptly swept her gaze around, her mind reeling in confusion.

    The sound in the forest had frozen, creating a silent dim that deafened the vicinity.

    However, the appearance and color of the forest and the sky had not changed, comprising an unusual and terrifying sight.

    Trees remained vibrant and robust with a myriad of colors, the tantalizing and succulent appearance of the herbs and fruits remained unchanged, and the sea of grass below her feet¡­ froze as a sea of a dense green.

    Caw!

    The distorted shriek thundered in her ears, and An Fei clapped her hands to her temples to ease the numbing pain.

    At the same time, the young girl noticed the forest return to its usual state, no longer frozen to a standstill by a mysterious force.

    Nonetheless, the transformation was as though a jolt of electricity had arched through the entire forest; the trees, herbs, grasses, and animals all violently jerked into motion.

    The once frozen pulse of vitality that had raced through the entire Wu Ji Forest jumped into motion, hurrying along its selected path with abject terror flooding its heart.

    The animals within the young girl''s vicinity revealed horror in their eyes as they fled towards their respective burrows and niches, daring not to continue their activities regardless of their physical need.

    The white tiger was no different as it remained staring at An Fei, but the inflections behind its gaze had drastically altered.

    From a mind-crippling insanity and drive for blood, the golden irises now revealed a dead expression as well as a deeply rooted fear. The righteous indignance and arrogance that served as a byproduct of its natural superiority was nowhere to be found.

    "Ah¡­"

    Before the young girl''s nonplussed countenance, the previously arrogant ruler of the forest wrapped its tail around the only remaining hindleg, slinking away into the depths of the forest without a single defiant roar.

    A trail of dense, scarlet blood followed its movements, feeding the grass with the overbearing vitality of a noble existence.

    "It left just like that¡­" the young girl murmured to herself, her bottom lip drooping in a slight disappointment.

    An Fei shook her head with a numbed sensation coursing through her body, sheathing the twin butterfly swords without hesitation.

    The young girl adjusted the position of the leather bag slung over her shoulder, walking in the opposite direction of the white tiger.

    The abrupt cry by the raven that sounded more akin to a crow¡­ perhaps she would run into it later.

    The handle-less sword trailed behind the young girl as she waded through the sea of grass, unaware that the tender strands parted and made way in acquiescence, their roots trembling in fear.

    ¨C

    Just four hours after the conclusion of the incident regarding the insufferably arrogant white tiger, An Fei indeed made contact with a peculiar¡­ crow.

    The creature was the first aviation animal that she had discovered in the forest after several weeks of roaming around the Wu Ji Forest.

    The young girl had first noticed its presence as it sat atop of the low branches of a short gingko tree, its beak viciously gouging into a gingko nut.

    At her initial glance, An Fei didn''t know whether to laugh or gawk at the bird''s unusual movements.

    Instead of taking flight and soaring in the overgrowth of the forest with its fellow flying creatures, the little black raven-crow anomaly decided to strut on top of the lower branches with an arrogant attitude.

    It was truly a mystery, causing the young girl to pause and glance for an extended period of time. As if noticing her inquisitive stare, the raven tilted its head to gaze towards An Fei, the beady eyes concealing an indeterminate yet profound glint.

    The young girl and raven stared at each other, two pairs of eyes interlocked in deep thought.

    Caw!

    The raven was the first to break the silence, releasing the cry that An Fei deeply remembered as the one responsible for terrorizing the Wu Ji Forest to its core.

    However, the young girl realized that the cry lacked the mystical phenomenon that had frozen the life within the forest, and was merely a call of a little crow.

    "This¡­ a crow''s cry?"

    An Fei hesitated for a brief moment, the pair of scarlet irises clouding over in thought.

    After a brief moment, the young girl''s mumble nearly caused the proudly strutting raven to fall off its perch and onto the ground.

    "But¡­ it clearly looks like a raven¡­ why croak like a crow?"

    Oblivious to the raven''s death glare, the young girl continued to ruminate to herself regarding the dissonance between the raven''s appearance and its cry.

    With each passing instance of time, the glare within the raven''s crimson eyes increased even further until it appeared to be dripping with furious blood.

    "Must be an illegitimate child conceived from a bizarre matching¡­ ah, this forest truly is mysterious, for its capable of even this feat!"

    Ultimately, An Fei tossed out this remark whist turning around to further explore the forest for a swift pathway towards the exit.

    Caw!

    The proud raven was forced to topple from its usually secure branch, colliding against a sharp serrated stem of a fallen acorn resting on the ground. The pitiful creature soared upward with a pained cry, hot tears threatening to pour from its eyes.

    However, the raven soon relished in its pain, having accomplished his objective.

    The young girl who was in the midst of walking away, could not help but turn around to face the raven, having been startled by the sudden cry.

    After turning around, An Fei couldn''t suppress herself from displaying a small frown. The young girl noticed with a trace of bewilderment that watery tears pooled at the base of the raven''s crimson eyes.

    The creature''s actions¡­ appeared far too much of a human''s and less of an actual bird.

    Then again, so were all the other creatures she had encountered thus far!

    "Ah¡­" the young girl paused, the pair of scarlet irises revealing a trace of hesitation.

    The raven¡­ was it crying?

    The little creature continued to scratch its head with its claws, tenderly nursing the bruised area with curses running afoul in its heart.

    Under An Fei''s completely bemused gaze, the raven savagely tore apart the gingko nut, its golden beak devouring the soft flesh contained within.

    "Little¡­ crow?"

    The young girl tentatively called out with a soft voice, her countenance displaying a mild interest as she gazed at the small raven. An Fei even extended her right arm towards the little creature, her fingers reaching for its glossy feathers.

    As the young girl stood frozen in shock, the little raven darted forward to rub its head against her extended index finger, the gingko nut forgotten in its haste.

    An Fei could only watch in an uncomprehending manner as the raven carelessly hopped onto her shoulder, its golden claws snugly clinging to the strap of the leather bag.

    "Ah¡­ Hey!" the young girl finally returned to her senses, the fingers of her left hand attempting to disengage the creature from her shoulder.

    "What a-are you doing on my shoulder ¨C get off!"

    Contrary to her expectations towards the creature whose small frame easily nestled within the palm of her hand, the young girl found to her utter dismay that regardless of her efforts, the little raven refused to leave from its newly acquired perch.

    The raven''s golden claws clung tight to the leather bag''s strap, and not even her fingers reinforced with spiritual essence could force it to budge.

    "Bloody little crow, you get off me this instant!"

    The agonized cry of a young maiden''s alluring voice reverberated throughout the Wu Ji Forest, along with the silent cackling of a raven with the cry of a crow.

    ¨C

    In the Immortal Realm, a handsome youth''s lips suddenly arched to produce a profound smirk, the pair of violet irises gleaming with interest and satisfaction.

    Seated within the seemingly infinite corridor of sky-blue crystal, the youth dressed in black robes exuded an aura of victory, laughter unable to be constrained within his throat.

    At a certain point, the youth even broke his ordered posture to lean backwards onto the crystalline floor, his eyes revealing a deep-rooted mirth.

    Forget Deng Lan, Bai Xing, or even Mu Rong Yuan''s undying efforts in condensing a mortal soul to explore the infinite, deceiving caveat known as the myriad collection of mortal worlds¡­ he had just obtained the prize, without having to expend ¨C

    "Xiao Hei! You get off this Young Miss'' shoulder this instant!"

    The Esteemed Immortal Dongfang Yu''s giddy mood was submerged into the lowest pits of an eternally frozen hell, his lips tugging downwards with great force to produce the most dissatisfied frown his countenance could support.

    The youth raised his fist towards the ceiling of the sky-blue crystal corridor, fiercely swearing in his heart.

    Call me a crow, and see what I''ll do to you when we finally meet, little girl!

 145 Little Raven, Little Crow 2

    "Xiao Hei, what do you want?"

    Caw!

    "What do you eat?" the young girl pressed on.

    "White rabbit? Deer?"

    Caw!

    "Plants? Tree nuts? I saw you eating a gingko nut earlier, do you like them?"

    Caw! Caw!

    "¡­you do realize that I have no idea what you mean by that, do you?"

    An Fei snarkly remarked with a listless countenance as she walked alongside of the undergrowth of the Wu Ji Forest, her eyes continuing to roam throughout her surroundings.

    Her right shoulder had long since bade farewell to the leather bag''s strap, but retained its other customer.

    ¡­a young raven, though its croaks were more akin to that of a crow.

    Caw!

    The black raven screeched in defiance as it glared at the young girl from its perch on her shoulder, the crimson eyes flaring with indignant pride.

    Though it dared not to extend its talons in an attempt to scratch the rude host, the little creature did not dare relinquish its grip.

    Just earlier, the little raven and her linen coat had a rather interesting tussle, each asserting their dominance over the other in a rather childish scheme.

    An Fei had watched the raven attempt to sink its claws through the linen coat''s surface after she had called it a crow for the third time.

    Unfortunately, the little bird was left hopping in soaring anger, its wings spread to their maximum length as flames exuded from its eyes.

    ¡­forget pinching the young girl''s skin, the coat''s threads did not even fray from its invigorated assaults.

    Caw!

    "¡­what do you want now?" the young girl sighed in exasperation, flicking the little creature on its forehead.

    "You little crow, keep on ''cawing'' about, are you trying to rip my ears apart? I, can''t, understand, your, cries, ah!?"

    Having noticed that the black raven had fallen silent, An Fei shook her head whilst stepping over a low root that snaked through the path before her feet.

    The young girl returned her focus to her surroundings, her vigilant gaze not failing to notice the several inconspicuous creatures amongst the throng of grass and white rabbits.

    ¡­was that another white tiger staring at her from the right?

    The young girl suddenly paused her step, the pair of scarlet irises locking onto the white tiger''s silhouette through the thin veil of the drooping branches of a willow tree.

    Knocking her mind with a mental note regarding the mysteries of the forest, An Fei hesitated whilst maintaining eye contact with the white tiger.

    "Xiao Hei, do you think that the tiger over there would attack, just like how its fellow species did so a few hours earlier?"

    The young girl casually tossed its remark to her unwelcoming and insufferably prideful companion, her hands silently dropping to her sash.

    An Fei allowed her body to relax, her fingers and palms curling around the calming surfaces of two butterfly swords.

    Though she couldn''t finish its earlier countryman off, the young girl was confident that the white tiger before her wasn''t much of ¨C

    Caw!

    The little black raven abruptly spread its wings as it drew itself to the maximum height its small frame could muster, a fierce glint emanating from the pair of crimson eyes.

    Unbeknownst to the young girl who served as its mount, a dense black radiance burst from its body, enveloping the Wu Ji Forest in a malicious, brutal atmosphere.

    The denizens of the forest, however, were fully cognizant of the aura and the dangers associated with its presence, and could not help but obediently retreat towards their dens without a single complaint.

    "Ah¡­?"

    An Fei could only gape as the white tiger who had been silently observing her every movement for the past few minutes retreated behind the veil of willow branches.

    In midst of her startle, the young girl anxiously swept her gaze from side to side, only to discover that the same phenomenon was occurring to the other creatures within the sea of grass.

    Caw!

    The little creature on her shoulder buffed its chest with a prideful glare, its beak soaring to the heavens as the raven cocked its head to face the young girl''s countenance.

    The little raven even dared to lightly peck An Fei''s exposed nape, demanding attention as though an eager child.

    Hence, the praise it received manifested in the form of a slap to a feathered black head.

    "Hey, don''t do that! Your beak is sharp, it''ll bruise my skin¡­"

    ¡­not even the white rabbits were spared¡­

    An Fei mourned in her heart, her frail beating soul demanding for a taste of succulent rabbit meat.

    Grilled over a fire and seasoned with a pinch of salt, pepper, and some chives¡­ the young girl''s mouth gave into the temptation and watered at the mere thought of the meat''s texture.

    Alas, her previous rabbit vanished between the clash of a python and panther that were equally terrifying, and now the rabbits within the vicinity were cleared away and removed from her sight¡­

    "Aiyo¡­" the young girl sighed, her countenance wistfully staring at the azure sky whose appearance was heavily filtered through the dense net of branches of leaves.

    "Xiao Hei, when do you think we will be able to leave this forest? It seems that it would rain soon¡­ I either need to hole up or build a shelter¡­ ah."

    She could only follow along the stream of water until she encountered either channel that flowed into a bigger body of water.

    Whether she was heading in the direction leading out of the forest or towards its core¡­ An Fei truly had little idea.

    Although the little raven on her shoulder clearly knew that she was heading in the wrong direction, it merely closed its eyes to sleep after directing a disdainful glare.

    Hmph, this little girl! Daring to call me a little crow, see where it lands you!

    ¨C

    "Urgh!"

    The Esteemed Immortal Dongfang Yu of the Immortal Realm suddenly awoke with a tremendous shiver, his countenance displaying a truly unsightly and queasy expression.

    The handsome youth immediately clutched the back of his right hand with a pained grunt, his lips parting to blow on the injured surface.

    ¡­the corridor of heart crystal stone¡­ wasn''t comfortable to sleep on, especially after it had been claimed by another.

    "That little lass¡­" the youth bitterly complained to himself, the pair of violet irises flashing with an indeterminate light.

    "Little crow, little crow, little crow, ah! Maybe I should hand this to Xiao Mo ¨C his race actually matches that stinky lass'' description."

    Dongfang Yu wistfully stared at the faint hub of light at the end of the corridor, his expression darkening once more as the memory of his experiences within the infinite passageway resurfaced.

    The youth clutched his temples in mock agony, a faint resonance of divine essence emanating from his body.

    His Master had informed him that the inheritances of the realm as that of the Forsaken Goddess'' legacy resonated with each other¡­ but why was he present in this infinite misery?

    He, an early Heavenly Immortal, unable to escape from a single corridor of heart crystal stone, only able to shamble forward as though the world''s poorest beggar in existence? Moreover, one that had even contested the legendary Half-Step Immortal''s celestial Li and won within three moves?

    What kind of laughingstock would that be?

    "Argh! When this ends, I need to seek an explanation from Master!"

    The youth slammed his palm onto the floor of the passageway, his expression contorted as hints of uncontrollable rage seeped into the pair of violet irises.

    Dongfang Yu gnashed his teeth as thoughts of the passageway of heart crystal stone and his incoming tribulation corroded at this consciousness.

    "I¡­I.. never had really thought enough before accepting Master''s offer¡­" the youth groaned, his reason compromising and overcoming his rampant emotions, one centimeter at a time.

    "Dongfang, Dongfang, you''ve completed Master''s tribulations regarding the Heavenly Fires and Calamities of Nature, how could you back down in the face of a simple passageway of heart crystal stone? It''s not like I''m about to face a Yin Spirit or the Heavenly Generals¡­ don''t you dare vent your emotions on an innocent mortal girl!"

    Dongfang Yu continued to berate himself in an ever-increasing detached manner, his back leaning against the cold surface of the sky-blue crystal.

    The youth stared at the faint hub of light that promised a fleeting hope, the pair of violet irises reflecting a similar sentiment.

    "An infinite corridor, an infinite corridor of heart crystal stone¡­ that old geezer An is truly blackhearted. I suppose Bai Xing and Mu Rong Yuan aren''t facing considerably well either, given how rash and arrogant they acted¡­"

    The esteemed immortal softly consoled himself, taking a deep breath as he dragged his mentally drained self through the infinite corridor that lay before him.

    Centimeter by centimeter, the youth belonging to the lineage of the Forsaken Goddess''s faction crawled through the tribulation of the Immortal Realm, his black hair gently obscuring the raging glint immersing his violet eyes.

    "Master, Master, didn''t you say this was easy¡­? Why¡­ does it feel like it''s of greater difficulty compared to the tribulation of the Heavenly Fires? At least, that one was interes-"

    "-Xiao Hei! You, you, you, you scared the rabbits away, what am I supposed to eat now?"

    The soft and charming voice belonging to a young and irresistibly beautiful maiden tugged at his heart strings, causing the youth to pause his steps, a tantalizing smile to encroach on his handsome countenance.

    However, the words that followed forced his mood to plummet to the eighteenth hell, his lips incapable of anything else than a queer twitch.

    Deep breath in!

    Deep breath out!

    One, two¡­

    "Jun Mo!"

    The Esteemed Immortal Dongfang Yu roared, his long black hair wildly streaming around his body as a violet radiance erupted from his core to stain the tranquil atmosphere of the infinite corridor with a malevolent battlefield.

    "You get down there this instant, and remove the attribute of a crow! Little crow, little crow, little black crow ¨C I refuse to have my dignity of a raven tainted in such a form!"

 146 Little Raven, Little Crow 3

    An Fei did have some apprehensions regarding the odd and slightly perplexing raven she had picked up the day before.

    At the minimum, she was curious to whether it would have left her by the tomorrow''s dawn.

    The young girl had tossed a disdainful glance towards the pesky little creature perched on her right shoulder, before flashing into the quiet and comfortable haven of the Sanctum.

    For an inexplicable reason, the little raven had not followed her into the realm of sky-blue crystal, but had remained in the exact location throughout the entire night.

    When An Fei finally emerged relatively matching the crack of dawn, the young girl found a raven perched within the cavity of the large acacia tree she had rested against yesterday evening.

    ¡­and received a baleful glare from the little raven, full of disdain and contempt.

    "What?"

    An Fei crossed her arms, her brows furrowed and her bottom lip protruding outward in a light pout.

    "This young lady doesn''t want to be surrounded by hairy beasts in the night, how does that sound for you?"

    Caw!

    The little raven sneered with disdain, its wings ruffling the air within the vicinity.

    The young girl paid it no heed and mindlessly continued her journey in trekking through the forest, the leather bag customarily slung over her right shoulder.

    Alas, the little creature was to swallow down a significant portion of its pride, and fly the short distance to perch on An Fei once again.

    The crimson eyes carefully tracked each movement made by the young girl, but deigned not to mention that she was heading in the completely wrong direction.

    Suffer alone, for you left this immortal not only hanging dry in a damp forest, but right outside the door to your safe haven!

    ¨C

    The young girl remained oblivious to the anomaly of a raven on her shoulder, other than the comical notion that it sounded like a crow.

    She was to remain completely clueless until a key moment, of which her heart was to suffer a catastrophic blow.

    Until then, the raven was to suffer as the butt of her jokes, whether it appreciated it or not.

    "Xiao Hei, do you think this is the right direction?"

    An Fei carelessly mumbled as she walked alongside the length of the stream, her eyes occasionally roaming to the other bank. The young girl kicked a clumped ball of dried grass, her entire being radiating an aura of boredom,

    Caw!

    "After all, it''s been a few days of constant walking around in a single direction, and I''ve only been able to read and sleep within the Sanctum when it reaches nighttime. Exercise outside and then inside, it doesn''t possess much allure to me¡­"

    Caw!

    The raven groaned within its heart, deeply desiring to bore through the invincible shield of a coat of linen fabric, and deliver some pain towards its unruly mount.

    In the end, the little creature shoved its head into its feathers, deigning not to face the innocent and oftentimes clueless young girl.

    You''re heading in the opposite direction where fierce creatures roam left and right, what boredom do you speak of?

    "I really want to leave this forest, ah¡­" An Fei sighed, the pair of scarlet irises revealed a sorrowful glint.

    The young girl discarded the rough ball of tortured and executed grass, her feet deciding to plainly walk across the surface of the soft earth in silence.

    The grass coiling around her legs released a sigh of relief, happily parting way to spare themselves from unreasonable torment.

    "I need to quickly return to Jiang''an, and inform Father of the Empress'' scheme. Daring to do such an act in private, who wouldn''t say that she has an ulterior motive, ah!?"

    A puffed right cheek and baleful pair of scarlet irises razed the peaceful atmosphere of the Wu Ji Forest to ashes, dousing the creatures of the tranquil forest into another daytime nightmare.

    The white rabbits, deer, snakes, and even a wild boar hidden within the backdrop of a myriad trees all quivered as they heard the young girl''s complaints.

    As creatures who had not received the opportunity of the bestowment of spiritual essence, they were unable to understand the meaning within An Fei''s laments towards the closed-off sky.

    Alas, as primal creatures, they were more or less accustomed to her predatorial, moody aura that reeked from her body, and deigned to scamper away upon first sight.

    ¡­they weren''t necessarily scared of either the little raven or the young girl, but the steel sword without a handle that hovered behind An Fei as though a deathly loyal butler.

    That sword was to be described as temperamental and eternally disconsolate, ah!

    The young girl permitted it free reign other than the command to protect her body from harm, causing the handle-less blade to constantly emit a baleful aura seeking massacre.

    Though An Fei only experienced a cooling sensation that took the edge of the mind-numbing series of experiences within the solitary forest, the denizens felt otherwise.

    The sword with the uncontrollable habit of drowning itself in blood, combined with its ever-moody state¡­ bade an ill-fated omen for the creatures.

    Particularly the fluffy, defenseless white rabbits. The handle-less blade formed from the first lotus petal of An Fei''s rendition of the ¡­ especially relished in the sensation of massacring rabbits after the young girl had ordered it to hunt the first one down.

    ¡­and An Fei didn''t receive much opportunity to salvage the pitiful animal''s corpse, for the steel sword rendered its playthings into red and grey paste.

    Caw!

    "I know, it''s been a few days since I picked you up, and we haven''t accomplished much¡­" the young girl huffed in a discontented manner.

    "Just walking out of this forest is too much of a drain on my nerves¡­ I really enjoy the peace and quiet, but the present circumstances won''t necessarily permit me ¨C"

    CAW!

    The little raven surprisingly leapt from its lazy perch on the young girl''s right shoulder to flit before her countenance.

    The small golden beak split apart to release a deafening cry, an intangible but powerful aura exploding to stain the surroundings with a faint violet hue.

    "¡­what?"

    An Fei grumbled, the pair of scarlet irises coming into contact with a pair of crimson, beady eyes. The young girl and little raven stared at each other for a brief moment, before the young girl averted her gaze with a disturbed expression.

    "¡­danger?"

    Caw!

    "What kind of danger? Like the white tiger we met yesterday? Or the big rattlesnake that lived at the upper branches?"

    Caw! Caw!

    "I keep on saying, I don''t know what exactly you mean by that, ah! You keep ''cawing'' in my face¡­ what am I supposed to get ¨C Hey! Don''t bite!"

    Caw! Caw! Ca-

    Whoosh!

    A surge of warmth streaked across the young girl''s face, and An Fei''s feet automatically responded in a full moon sweep, her body twisting towards the right with a fluid motion.

    The twin butterfly swords slid from their sheath and into her hands, flashing towards the source of the surprise with two silent whispers of death.

    The young girl''s motion finally ceased after four complete rotations, and she found herself glaring at the back of a large creature¡­ in the form of a plant.

    "What¡­" An Fei''s mouth dropped in shock and horror, the pair of scarlet irises unable to comprehend the scene before her.

    "What even is this¡­ creature? I¡­I''m not in a horror fairytale¡­ right?"

    Caw!

    The little raven shrieked into the atmosphere of the disturbed forest, a violet light invisible to the young girl''s perception exploding forth to immerse the surroundings with a malevolent aura.

    The little creature took flight from the young girl''s shoulder to perch at a nearby branch, its claws and beak tensed to rake any enemy threatening to issue a sneak attack.

    The vines lashed forth, buffeting the young girl left and right with a continuous flurry of attacks towards her vitals.

    An Fei''s vision blurred into a mottled smear of color, her body whirling through the air as it followed the to completely mitigate the incoming threat to zero.

    Full moon turn, half moon sweep, and a scything revolution in a clockwise motion with her left hand grasping the butterfly sword in a reverse grip¡­

    Roar!

    The handle-less sword released a tangible scream of death as a storm of scarlet inscriptions bloomed on its length, devouring the remaining traces of sanity within the vicinity.

    The steel blade dove deep into the sea of writhing vines, whirling and sweeping to clear a besotted path of scarlet flowers drained of their vitality.

    ¡­the young girl was finally able to grasp the tip of the iceberg regarding the curse of the shadow, and perhaps assuage her fears¡­

 147 Little Raven, Little Crow 4

    "Beware¡­ for in the central region of the forest, lies numerous fierce creatures belonging to the later stages of the Core Formation Realm¡­ not even bengong can take them on¡­"

    Since she heard those words, An Fei had never expected her first encounter with such a creature to be a plant wielding hundreds if not thousands of thorny vines.

    The sea of misfortune amongst thorns parted way to reveal a gaping maw that leered at her pale countenance, resembling that of a benign uncle with a malicious glare.

    Oh, what misery!

    An Fei howled in her heart as her body agilely evaded the agitated of thorns and vines desperately seeking the spillage of her warm blood.

    The twin butterfly swords served as the indomitable vanguard that scythed through its enemies, the keeping her comfortable and unscathed.

    The vines failed to lash at their target, and the thorns were unable to rake across the tantalizing and aromatic flesh that appeared as smooth as the highest quality of silk.

    The young girl was as though a ball of dust ¨C impossible to penetrate, impossible to injure, and impossible to destroy.

    Vines struck her body from all directions, only for their impacts to be converted into mere external force that was bent around to retaliate with increased vigor and lethality.

    With each swing of the short swords, a dense cluster of green strands thicker than her arm decorated the ground of the forest.

    The roar of the handle-less sword dominated the surroundings with its call for blood.

    However, the silent howl of the oddity that was the Core Formation creature before the young girl dwarfed all others, drowning the immediate vicinity with a sea of blood that chilled even the bravest of hearts.

    An Fei¡­ was unscathed by the physical assaults of the vine-wielding plant creature, but was immensely pressured by its naturally exuding aura.

    As she continued to evade the incoming vines and thorns with her unconscious movements aided by the , the young girl found it increasingly difficult to breathe, her vision threatening to darken by the moment.

    It was as though a heavy stone had pressed down on her heart, threatening to grind it to shreds or smother it into an indescribable paste.

    Each movement, though her agility and speed remained consistently smooth, was as though thorns had pierced into her feet, all the way until it pressed against the base of her marrow.

    Pain that surged through her limbs as though a powerful, paralyzing electric shock, but An Fei was certain that the gruesome entity before her was suffering an even more miserable fate.

    The handle-less sword had reacted as though it was capable of sensing its owner''s distress and pain.

    The inscriptions spanning its length increased in their brilliance, the sheer radiance alone shredding the protruding vines into infinitesimal fragments, whilst the blade devastated its surroundings with an insatiable, incensed frenzy.

    Whoosh!

    A narrow vine swept past An Fei''s head, the aftermath of the blow causing a few strands of her hair to billow about.

    Guided by the force imposed by the vine that sped past her head, the young girl whirled in a counterclockwise, half moon sweep, her body tilted forward to unbalance her center of gravity towards the ground as she pivoted on her right foot.

    The dual butterfly swords sang their lament of death as they scythed forward, the diagonal arc rendering nearby vines into dust, and thorns into peeled zests.

    Fragments of green and grey flew past her head as she continued to be buffeted around without resistance.

    An Fei soon realized that her movements caused her to approach the main body of the creature, for the large viscous blotch of mottled color increased in size in accordance to her movements.

    The closer the distance, the greater the suppression imposed on her body.

    The physique of a mid-staged Foundation Establishment cultivator, coupled with the natural suppression of the world and the vine-wielding plant''s aura, caused An Fei to nearly retch, her blood circulation threatening to reverse in fear.

    The young girl could only continue to sweep around the undergrowth of the forest, allowing the nature of the battlefield to propel her around as it wished.

    She couldn''t suffer external harm, nor could the suppression inflict true injuries onto her body. However, An Fei was not spared from the unfortunate fate of suffering from a myriad of uncomfortable sensations, forcing her to desire to vomit.

    Submerged into a hellish experience with a blistering sensation tingling at her skin in all areas to an instantaneous chill that raced through her inner organs¡­ suffering from constant vibrations that reverberated within her bones to an ear-piercing screech that threatened to drill into her mind¡­

    "Ah!"

    The young girl had enough, her consciousness brimming with aggravated fury and indignant wrath.

    Carefully hidden from An Fei''s observable gaze, the twin butterfly swords suddenly burst in flames, their plain utilitarian blades displaying an unusual inscription on their surfaces.

    Shua!

    The swords plunged into the sea of writhing vines, reducing their opposition into fine granules of spirited dust.

    The scarlet flames sustained over the surface of the blades charred any dust that dared to approach the young girl as she dove into the heart of the sea.

    The instant she had come into a distance of five meters from the main body of the plant wielding the thorny vines, both An Fei and the grotesque creature came to a halt. At that instant, the young girl truly desired to complete the urge to vomit.

    The first clear sight of the creature left An Fei hanging for breath, her mind reeling from the blow.

    A large bulbous orb that was many times larger than her own body, the scarlet tissue at the foremost dripping with an eerie mucous that released a highly discomfiting and incapacitating odor.

    A base of green leaves swathed the orb at the bottom, with an immeasurable number of roots digging deep into the ground.

    With such a presence as this¡­ An Fei was completely unsure of how it had approached her unnoticed. Nor did she wish to vocalize her discontent to the raven perched upon the tree in relative¡­ safety¡­

    ¡­for the nauseating smell was a little too much for her delicate self to bear¡­

    Grahh!

    The bulbous orb suddenly split from the top as it extended into four equally divided sections as though a lotus leaf, revealing a bed of sharp teeth that glared at the stars.

    At the same time, the aura exuding from its body increased by several folds, nearly compressing the young girl before it into the ground.

    An Fei clutched her stomach with both hands, the nauseating sensation piercing her liver far too much to bear.

    The cool sensation of the twin butterfly swords barely restrained the edge of the dizziness and blurred consciousness, but did nothing to abate the hellish ringing sensation that plagued her ears.

    "¡­Kill¡­" the young girl growled with clenched teeth towards the handle-less sword submerged in the sea of writing vines.

    "This¡­ damned¡­ thing¡­ kill it!"

    Roar!

    The scarlet inscriptions on the steel sword pulsed in response to the young girl''s agonized cry, surging forth through the dense sea of vines to reach An Fei''s position.

    As it soared towards the grotesque creature with the horrifying bulbous head, the blade seemed to have gained an increased sense of wariness as its movements suddenly halted, before diving towards the side.

    The young girl soon received her answer regarding the perplexing actions of the usually stalwart and aggressive sword without a handle.

    Whoosh!

    A dense green light surged from the tip of the exposed bulbous head, emerging from a depths hidden from An Fei''s eyes.

    Before the young girl''s stiffened response, the green light darted towards the position where the handle-less sword once stood, barely grazing the exposed tang of the steel blade.

    An instant later, a butterfly sword was forcibly sheathed as a pale and delicate hand soared towards her bosom, a ragged pant escaping her throat.

    The young girl clutched at her heart as the sword and creature continued to contest their might directly before her.

    The attacks of the bulbous plant possessed a certain attribute related to disintegration or corrosion; with each impact onto the steel sword, An Fei could spot a dark sear on the stainless steel surface.

    No longer than a tenth of a second later, the burned portion of the blade regenerated as though it had never existed, but the young girl felt the drain on her restricted reserves of spiritual essence.

    The steel blade constituted of the white lotus petal didn''t consume spiritual essence to maintain its projection¡­ only to replenish itself when damaged?

    An Fei dry heaved as the foul stench of the disgusting mucous dripped onto the soft earth close to her feet, attempting to back away.

    With one hand warding off the now wary sea of vines and the other clenching her heart as tendrils of numbness throbbed with each successful strike against the steel blade, the young girl desperately attempted to return to a safer haven.

    A place that was better than this miserable warzone¡­ why was this forest so curs-

    Puff!

    A steel sword missing its handle plunged deeply into a mass of fibrous tissue, severing the persistent threat that clung to its meagre strip of vitality. The writhing vines flashed their final breaths of dissent to the young girl, the thorns decorating their surface stained red with their own spilled vitality.

 148 Rain is to be accompanied with a cup of wine 1

    As abrupt as its entrance was, the plant creature that radiated a powerful, imposing aura belonging to that of a fierce creature within the Core Formation Realm, completed its exit in an unassuming manner.

    The steel blade that plunged into its depths released but a small sound, the only inclination of its sudden death revealed by the massive burst of blood scattered over the ground.

    The central vines around the main bulwark of its large body soon followed in their demise, combusting from within as the source of spiritual essence was severed without due preparation.

    The peculiar abilities of cultivators were indeed worthy of their acclaim, but constituted a grave risk that was equally as exploitable as their strength.

    As the changes within the environment swallowed up An Fei without permitting her to react, the young girl couldn''t help but inadvertently think of a single phrase.

    The demise of mortal cultivators can only either be explosive, or silent as though they had never existed from the beginning.

    Due to the majority, if not all mortal cultivation techniques emphasizing the utility of the mortal dantian as the central storage of any transmuted spiritual essence, the complex system created by the cluster of organs and meridians was attributed with a severe delicate nature.

    The interior of the tubular meridians that conveyed spiritual essence from one corner of the body to another interconnected with the dantian''s channels, forming a completely closed system within the human body to circulate spiritual essence and in effect, conduct ''miracles.''

    The meridians outside of the body could be reinforced via the use of medicinal supplements, abnormal cultivation techniques emphasizing physiological enhancement, or a temporary restructuring with spiritual essence.

    On the other hand, the dantian of a mortal, be it human, could never be tempered to such resilience nor structural integrity.

    Prior to a practitioner attaining the initial phases of cultivation, the dantian was no more than the mainstream channel of the body''s vitality. Once crossing over the threshold of Body Tempering and into the realm of Foundation Establishment¡­ the dantian was to be better referred to as an ignited explosive.

    A series of wrapped flesh, delicate and sublime in its fragility and texture, compressed an incomprehensible amount of spiritual essence into a small environment.

    With each advancement in cultivation, the pressure within a practitioner''s dantian increased by a substantial exponent, causing them to quite literally walk on tethered ropes while only using their heels.

    The delicate balloon that contained an energy of a creature at the Core Formation Realm, albeit at an earlier stage¡­ what could happen if the delicate membrane was to be punctured?

    "Ah-"

    Boom!

    The sea of vines finally received the aftershocks of volatile spiritual essence coursing through meridians scarred by intense and prolonged combat, their molecules disintegrating by the sheer energy.

    The surface of the vines split apart along their length, the thorns ground into grey dust that scattered over the floor.

    ¡­and of course, what followed was a tsunami of blood.

    Plat!

    Scarlet blood, vibrant with the creature''s immense vitality and spiritual essence, splattered over the entire battlefield with intense velocity as the vines offered their final sacrificial curse towards the cruel sky.

    Trees were uprooted from the ground from the sheer impact of the rapid expansion of the blood, and weaker grasses and herbs crushed into shreds without a hint of mercy.

    The young girl who stood directly near the epicenter of the shockwave was flung out with great speed until her back hit the trunk of a far away tree, only to slide downwards towards the ground.

    An Fei could only regain her senses from the concussive shockwave until she had laid on the ground for several long moments, her mind frozen in a dull haze.

    The young girl stared at the sky with blanked eyes, the scarlet irises fluctuating between confusion and surprise.

    ¡­when she finally retained enough mental capability to escape the binding shackles of the sudden relief of an intense pressure on her heart, she found herself in a red world.

    Red trees, red ground, red grass, but the sky was still relatively blue, if what she could see beyond the leaves stained with scarlet was true.

    Furthermore, a dense metallic and corrosive odor struck the forest''s undergrowth with a heavy impact, thoroughly rousing the young girl''s mind until she hastily stood in shock.

    Her body felt warm and sticky, and a fluid-like sensation continued to tickle at the base of her neck.

    As An Fei swiped a finger across her cheek and brought it before her gaze to inspect the anomaly, she could only see red color, red ink, and red blood.

    "¡­dis¡­disgusting¡­ th-this¡­" the young girl mumbled, her senses abruptly failing to transmit their message to her consciousness.

    The scarlet fluid covered her entire body from head to toe, not a single centimeter spared from the crimson carnage of the vines sacrifice.

    The linen coat had not been spared from an unsightly fate this time, having been doused with the creature''s blood until each thread seeped with crimson blood.

    "Ah¡­ah¡­" An Fei staggered, her mind screaming for escape.

    The gruesome sensation of warm blood plastered on her body, underneath her clothes, and seeping into her ear combined with the monochromic environment of crimson blood was sufficient to thoroughly demolish the young girl''s morale and crush it underfoot.

    The little crow from above watched as the young girl continued to struggle on the ground, staggering from one location to another as incoherent mumbles escaped her throat.

    "Ah¡­ ah¡­ th-th¡­-this¡­"

    With a silent toll of bells, An Fei fled from the Wu Ji Forest, her mind failing to realign itself from its disorientation until a few days had passed.

    ¨C

    "Xiao Hei¡­ do you think that there are more of those kinds of creatures¡­ in the forest?"

    A young girl asked her conversation partner that was perched on her shoulder with an exhausted expression on her flawless countenance.

    Her limbs continued to propel her body through the undergrowth of the forest, but her heart remained idle and fatigued.

    Caw!

    "Hundreds of tentacles on its body, with that¡­ that disgusting head that seemed to be some kind of flower bulb¡­ those thorns too¡­" An Fei uncontrollably shivered as the recent memories plagued her mind, nearly toppling over into a rosebush besides her right foot.

    "That didn''t seem¡­ real¡­ Almost as if I was back¡­ back¡­ in a fairytale¡­"

    Caw.

    The little raven perched on her left shoulder released a muted cry in response, the pair of crimson eyes carefully scrutinizing the young girl serving as its self-proclaimed mount.

    The small creature uneasily shifted its position, relaying a series of short calls into the murky forest to scare off any wandering animals¡­

    "Hah¡­"

    An Fei released a heavy sigh, the fingers of her right hand twitching as she suddenly thought of the blue silk satchel containing mooncake that she had obtained from the empress.

    The young girl paused to glance at the sky, her eyes narrowing in thought for a suspended period of time.

    "Why did I¡­ suddenly think of yuebing¡­?"

    The young girl shook her head from side to side, her lips pursing and clenching as she hemmed and hawed in the same spot. The little raven by her side tilted its head in confusion as the massive head before its gaze swung as though a broken doll, until a large object rammed into its legs.

    Caw!

    "Sorry¡­ Xiao Hei, could you move for a brief second?"

    The crimson eyes of the raven bulged as they issued a piercing glare towards the young girl.

    Ultimately, the little raven hopped backwards to allow An Fei to retrieve the leather bag and unsling it from her shoulder, her hand reaching in to grasp the blue sachet.

    The young girl carefully extracted a gleaming pastry from the depths of the small pouch, her eyes closing in bliss as she savored the delicacy that had remained fresh for so long.

    After a heartfelt smack of her lips in satisfaction, the young girl replaced the leather bag, her body writhing in a brief stretch before calming itself.

    "I¡­ should probably try to satisfy my wants for now¡­ it''s not like I would run out of yuebing at this rate¡­"

    The young girl raced towards her right, her feet weaving through the sea of grass and herbs until she stood at the bank of a stream.

    With a deep exhale, An Fei allowed herself to a refreshing drink of cold water obtained from the perplexing stream of the forest, the cold stream rushing down her throat to invigorate her senses with a slightly numb but gratifying throb.

    "That hits the spot!"

    The young girl slumped onto the grass, her hands patting at the linen coat that had resurrected from a crimson hell.

    An Fei directed a brief glance towards the young raven who had remained stably perched on her shoulder despite her rash movements, before glancing at the open sky.

    "Xiao Hei, should we try to walk a little more¡­"

    Plink!

    Right before An Fei''s murky and slightly confused eyes, a tender raindrop plunged from the sky and into the stream of water. The spring breeze increased in the intensity of its song, gently nibbling at the young girl''s skin, but with a slightly malicious intent.

 149 Rain is to be accompanied with a cup of wine 2

    Rain in the Wu Ji Forest brought forth many differing sentiments towards its inhabitants.

    Towards the plants and animals living in the undergrowth of the forest, rainfall symbolized their submerged hopes.

    Their ability to absorb and assimilate the atmospheric spiritual qi into their bodies was sorely restricted by the inaccessibility of water or sunlight ¨C the majority of their accumulated spiritual essence was expended on restoring their vitality to a sustainable amount.

    As such, the spillage of blood or rainfall were greatly desired and supported by the inhabitants of the forest, for they would wither without additional supplements to be administered at the proper moment.

    For the trees and creatures who towered over the forest, the rainfall was a slight nuisance due to the abnormally humid atmosphere and obscured vision.

    However, they couldn''t help but feel grateful, for rainfall represented the diminished cries for the spillage of lifeforce and blood from those below.

    As for the young girl who had found herself in the Wu Ji Forest¡­ rainfall symbolized an eternal nightmare.

    She couldn''t drink from the water, she couldn''t consume anything obtained from the forest, even if it were obtained from sources untouched by the world''s spiritual qi, and even breathing in the humid air was tantamount to disaster if she dared reside in a damp area for too long.

    Not only that, An Fei could not forget the caution within the book regarding the lingering aftereffects of rainfall in a forest; until the surrounding lifeforms had consumed the spiritual qi inundating and assimilating into the water, she wasn''t to touch a single drop of it.

    Inadvertently or not.

    "Hah¡­"

    Plink!

    Whilst the young girl ruminated to herself with a moody temperament, another raindrop cascaded from the sky to dive into the stream of water before her gaze.

    The soft raindrop instantly reminded her of the incoming predicament, galvanizing the young girl into action.

    An Fei quickly slung the leather bag over her right shoulder, forcing the little raven to fly onto his ever-shifting perch as she ran into the depths of the forest.

    The young girl fled from the stream with great haste, numerous thoughts rushing through her mind as she pondered on what to do.

    Her feet still struck soft, but significantly dry soil; her hands occasionally came into contact with dry bark. The atmosphere was not yet humid, but An Fei could visualize the grey clouds looming in the sky with each passing moment.

    "I¡­ haven''t actually invested any effort in creating a shelter, even after all of that planning¡­"

    The young girl whispered to herself in disappointment, before clenching her teeth in pain.

    A soft region of her nape seared with a blistering pain, causing her eyes to squeeze shut and a harsh hiss to leave her throat with minimal resistance.

    Caw!

    An Fei knew without inspecting that the source of her pain was due to having been struck by an incoming raindrop; had she spared the time to check her body, the young girl was definite in discovering a violet discoloration where the drop of water supercharged with worldly spiritual qi had struck her nape.

    The crow leaped from his comfortable perch of the leather strap to claw around the young girl''s neck, a strangled shout escaping its beak upon noticing the darkened bruise.

    The impacted area emitted a painful steam, the purple bruise hissing with sizzling rage and maddened sorrow.

    "Xiao Hei, are you scared of the rain as well?" the young girl asked whilst continuing to weave through the dense net of trees.

    "I can''t stand certain things here due to some¡­ special circumstances, but you should be fine, no? After all, you should be a ¨C"

    Caw! Caw! Caw!

    The little raven abruptly released a series of shrieks suffused with rage and pain, its body trembling an innocent raindrop missed its original target of a bitterleaf grass and struck the tip of its beak.

    The little creature swung its small wings towards the obscured sky, cursing the grey clouds with all of its might.

    "Ah¡­ I can''t really take you with me, though¡­"

    An Fei revealed a wry smile at the little raven''s predicament. The young girl gripped a thin tree trunk with her left hand, altering her trajectory to narrowly avoid running into the outskirts of a large creature''s abode.

    As she continued to wade through the maze of trees and grass at a high speed, An Fei mused to herself, the little raven and her hisses of pain serving as an odd and discomfiting symphony amongst the praise and worship of the plants and animals nearby.

    The young girl suddenly blinked, her right hand arcing over her head to grasp the young raven by its throat, stuffing it into the mouth of the leather back slung over her shoulder.

    The drawstring was closed shut with a swift tug, trapping the little raven in darkness.

    Caw! Caw!

    "Xiao Hei, this should be better, right?"

    The little creature thrashed in rage at the sudden and rough transversal of its location, but calmed down at the young girl''s hasty explanation.

    Having placated the small raven, An Fei frowned for a brief moment, before taking a deep breath.

    She could faintly discern that the main bombardment of the clouds was beginning soon, causing waves of panic to faintly grip her heart.

    When the random strikes of a drizzle hurt this much, leaving deep and swollen bruises on her delicate skin of a young maiden¡­ just how painful would a downpour be?

    A shiver, followed by a sneeze, then clenched teeth of fear and apprehension.

    An Fei broke into a sprint towards the nearest tree that she could find that possessed a significantly thick girdle.

    As she ran, the young girl whispered in her mind, the suppressed reserves of spiritual essence constrained within her body erupting into motion.

    Roar!

    The lotus petal formed before her chest fully erupted into the customary handle-less steel blade at her command, terrorizing the inhabitants of the forest with its domineering presence.

    The inscriptions along the length of the blade remained inactive, etched onto the surface with a dark coloration.

    "Carve! I want it hollowed, just enough to secure an object."

    A certain tree suddenly shivered with abject horror at the young girl''s cold command, its roots shriveling in fear and dread.

    The numerous branches swayed and trembled in a weak demur as though to beg pity, but alas, An Fei could not spare enough consideration for others with stinging pain assaulting her body in all areas.

    Whoosh!

    The steel sword plunged into the trunk of the redwood tree, ignoring the sudden gasp and screams of pain emitted by the wood as the blade rotated towards the right with unstoppable momentum.

    Wood shavings littered the floor as the steel handle-less sword drilled a hole into the tree''s core, following An Fei''s command to create a hollow within the redwood tree.

    A hollow sufficiently expanded to accommodate the presence of the leather bag, and nothing more.

    "Hah¡­ Sorry about that, ah¡­"

    An Fei whispered as she inserted the leather bag into the mouth of the hollow''s opening, pushing with her fingers until only the entrance of the leather bag remained visible.

    When the young girl loosened the drawstrings, she found herself staring into a pair of crimson eyes tinged with resentment, as if rebuking her for her uncounted actions.

    "Eh¡­" An Fei rubbed the back of her neck, before wincing in pain towards her mistake.

    "There''s enough gingko nuts stored in the bag¡­ and there shouldn''t be any issues regarding the humidity or the incoming rain as long as you stay inside the bag¡­ Xiao Hei, you should be fine now?"

    Caw!

    The little raven parted its beak to release a piercing cry, as if shooing the young girl away. As it watched An Fei turn around, the pair of crimson eyes never left her back, tracing her movements to every last detail.

    Five steps away from the redwood tree that nursed its new cavity in its body, the young girl took a final glance towards the sky.

    Beyond the obscuring veil of leaves and branches, the overhead clouds of grey loomed as the directed a condescending glare towards the puny transgressor of the world, a sneer on their formless contours.

    Whoosh!

    A swift breeze rushed through An Fei''s clothes, rustling her hair in a playful and mean manner.

    The young girl revealed a mirthless smile towards the intentional actions of the forest, sweeping a disinterested glance towards the animals and grass relishing in the incoming blessing of virtue and fortune with stars glittering in their countenances.

    "I¡­" An Fei whispered, her soft voice piercing the tranquil environment of the Wu Ji Forest.

    "[Reveal the eternal river]."

    A soft twinkle as though the gently shattering of a glass heart, and the young girl vanished from the forest.

    The clouds above finished their preparations, amassing together to unleash their mightiest blow towards the masochistic creatures living on the ground, and to thoroughly pummel the transgressor until she begged for mercy.

    Thus, the first spring monsoon of the year began for the Wu Ji Forest.

 150 Rain must be accompanied with a cup of wine 3

    Monsoons.

    Long periods of consistent rainfall, followed by a drastic increase in humidity. From sunrise to sundown, the sky would pour down rain without pause onto the unsuspecting ground below.

    Winds would gale around wreaking havoc and ruining any hastily constructed or improperly built structures, allowing the water to flood through the now defenseless abodes and wash everything away in a merciless torrent.

    The temperature within the area would become susceptible to drastic change whilst the rain continued to dash through the area, introducing a general shift in climate once the monsoon culminates and ceases its action.

    Monsoons for a forest were lethal enough for the average inhabitant, but for An Fei, it represented the peak of her nightmare.

    The mirrors within the Sanctum displayed a slightly murky projection of the clearing of which she had bridged through to enter the realm of sky-blue crystal.

    From the plainly decorated platinum mirror, the young girl could not see the soil regardless of how much she squinted her eyes.

    Near the fringe of the mirror''s perspective of the scene in the Wu Ji Forest, An Fei noticed the thoroughly cleaned roots of trees glare in the hazy atmosphere, their channels nearly choking to death from forced overconsumption of water.

    The rain howled and slapped onto the backs of the trees, ripping apart a section of the newly grown bark with a mere gust of wind.

    The redwood tree that acted as the unwilling host of the little raven suffered no different a fate from its peers.

    The roots had been washed clean of their supporting soil, causing the tree to stand afoot deep within a large pond of water.

    It had been stripped of all of the accumulated bark on the second day, and had it not been for the little creature yanking the drawstrings closed and rolled up within the hollow, it would have drowned from the incoming rain.

    In a mere two days, the Wu Ji Forest had transformed into a sea of freshwater.

    An Fei was not aware of any of the animals'' circumstances within the forest, as the mirror only provided a visual projection.

    However, the constant presence of a low, dense cloud of grey mist made the young girl sufficiently wary and stray away from the notion of checking on the condition of the little raven brusquely stuffed in her leather bag.

    The moment she left the Sanctum, wouldn''t the cloud of mist rush over and swallow her alive?

    Crunch.

    The young girl bit on the tip of a carrot smeared with a sauce of soy, ground peppers, and garlic, her small lips contently chowing down the well prepared snack.

    An Fei then placed the mirror onto the low table to her right, looking up at the ceiling of sky-blue crystal with a wry smile.

    "At the end, I ultimately fled here with my tail behind my legs, ah¡­"

    The young girl had moved herself into one of the medicinal gardens housed within the first corridor.

    An Fei had gathered a large stack of paper, brush and ink, and a towering mass of books from a large variety of the Archives the instant she had entered the Sanctum to escape from the rain.

    With the assistance of a few hours of grunts, pants, and heavy work, the young girl had transported them into the medicinal garden, of which she had constructed a makeshift workstation.

    A workstation consisting of a drawing table obtained from the third Archive, a reclining chair from the fifth, and a bookstand from the eleventh platform.

    The entire structure remained protected from the soft and warm earth by the means of a large square of fabric that An Fei had spread underneath.

    As for the large book splayed across the wooden surface and had been neglected for the past few hours¡­ was the .

    The young girl had completely ignored the book on the drawing table, instead deigning to engage herself in tomes of different subjects.

    Compared to attempting to decipher the book that either caused her to be overcome with exasperation and disbelief, An Fei would rather immerse herself in other subjects, even if it entailed having to undergo the same process of deciphering blurred characters on a page.

    After all¡­

    "The nature of a good heart¡­ is not to repudiate evil nor the injustice of the world¡­ but to maintain the appropriate boundaries of man and never¡­ court calamities from those above."

    What wasn''t better than a theological discussion on the nature than evil when one needed to pass time?

    ¨C

    "To seek self-advancement; to propagate one''s wealth and lineage; to seek heavenly enlightenment and transcend the mental barriers; that is to cultivate a mind of good faith and compassion," a young girl read, leaning against a leg of the drawing table.

    "The divergence into extending influence over another; to diminish another''s resources or abilities; or sever the opportunity of heavenly enlightenment from others; that is to dilute good faith and compassion into evil and sinister intentions. However¡­"

    The discordant lights blooming from the numerous herbs and plants growing within the medicine garden allowed for the entire location to be bright as though it were day, causing the young girl to blink her eyes and rub them after a long time had passed.

    An Fei rolled her neck as she stretched whilst maintaining her sitting posture, her eyes quickly reverting to the white pages of the book.

    "Good and evil¡­ are mere sides of a coin¡­ The definitions of society constrain actions into good or evil, and thus taints to character. Be it good intentions or evil intentions, neither determines the heavenly enlightenment of man¡­?"

    The young girl tenderly placed the book onto the fabric cover, before standing to stare at the ceiling of sky-blue crystal.

    As she stared at the crystalline surface that flickered with the reflections of a myriad colors blended into a mottled mixture, a whisper escaped An Fei''s throat.

    "Good and evil¡­ it only matters on the recipient''s perspective¡­ but how does this relate to spiritual techniques again?"

    The young girl flashed a perplexed glance towards the book stamped with the title of , before slumping onto the cover with a belated sigh.

    An Fei allowed her vision to blur whilst absentmindedly staring at the garden of radiant light, her lips moving on their own to produce mindless words.

    "How nice it would be to have wine¡­ Grandfather always used to drink wine when it rained¡­"

    Huh?

    The young girl blinked as she abruptly froze in place, the pair of scarlet irises flashing with an indeterminate light as she glared at the sea of herbs.

    An Fei pursed her lip, the occasional mumble escaping her notice as she began to formulate a simple plan.

    "Wine¡­ wine¡­"

    Wine was made from fermented fruits and vegetables¡­ she didn''t know about fruits, but there were indeed numerous vegetables. At the foundations, wine was not much more than¡­ a combination of ethanol, fermented sugar, and carbon dioxide¡­

    "I probably won''t know how to ferment fruit wine, but rice wine¡­ rice wine!"

    An Fei leapt to her feet, blindly rushing towards the sea of herbs and plants with an unforeseen vigor.

    The young girl wove between the blistering lights and unique sensations radiating from the herbs, wading through the eternally complex maze until she stood before a clump of brown grains swaying absentmindedly to a nonexistent wind.

    The appearance similar to that of brown wheat, with the numerous pellets clustered alongside the stalk, with the long fibrous shells protecting the exterior from damage.

    The grains emitted a light orchid radiance, accompanied with a tingling warmth and a refreshing bittersweet fragrance.

    Though its appearance was grossly different compared to the final product, the young girl was capable of identifying it with a single glance.

    Rice.

    The cluster of rice grains hosted a hundred stalks looped into a circular region of land, enclosed by a ring of black, enriched soil.

    With a gulp, the young girl slowly unsheathed the left butterfly sword, sliding the infinitesimally sharp blade across a handful of grains.

    Shi!

    The steel edge cleanly severed the elected stalks at the base without resistance, and An Fei carefully disengaged the roots from the soil.

    With the severed roots in one hand and severed rice stalks in the other, the young girl hesitated for a brief moment, before extracting a few pods from a stalk and embedding them into the soil.

    She carefully rubbed the pods in her hands, sprinkling the seeds into the cavity, cleaning up her task with a satisfied smile. An Fei then rubbed her stomach with a wry smile, her grin revealing a tinge of delightful gluttony.

    "I need to get the wok out again¡­"

 151 Rain must be accompanied with a cup of wine 4

    With the thought of brewing rice wine pestering her mind, the young girl finally ran towards the armory of the first corridor to extricate the black iron wok for the umpteenth time.

    When An Fei hauled it back to the medicine garden, the young girl could be seen with a goofy smile on her countenance with a delighted hum escaping her throat.

    Piled within the large wok of black iron was a large assortment of trays, jars, and fabrics.

    The young girl clutched the wok to her body as she carefully waddled towards the designated area devoid of medicinal plants, her arms incapable of reaching across the utensil''s circumference.

    An Fei heavily placed the black iron pot onto the trifold support she had utilized from her initial attempt of cooking, before emptying its contents and setting them aside.

    "Then¡­ to light it up¡­ was it¡­" The young girl scratched her head, her beautiful countenance displaying a tinge of bewilderment and embarrassment.

    "Oh¡­ whatever! Nobody is watching me anyways¡­ [Ignite]."

    The ring of melodious bells tolled within the medicine garden, a thread of golden flame emerging from the young girl''s right index fingertip to glare at the atmosphere.

    The golden thread drifted across space to land onto the hollowed earth, abruptly expanding into a golden ball of flames.

    The end of the thread connecting to An Fei''s fingertip quickly disengaged itself, landing into the ball of fire in less than the span of a breath.

    A quiet crackle of familiarity and enjoyment rang across the medicine garden, and the flames rose into a plume to gently support the bottom of the black iron wok.

    "Mm¡­ even more efficient than a gas lighter¡­"

    The young girl nodded in appreciation, her lips curving upwards to reveal a delighted smile.

    With a quick stretch, An Fei gathered the numerous jars into her hands, before rushing off towards the stream.

    As the fire began the process of warming up the bottom of the black iron wok, the young girl began the numerous trips of transporting water into the wok until it was about half full.

    Then followed the arduous but rewarding task of shelling the grains and extricating the plump white rice seed from its browned shell, placing it into the warmed bath of water.

    An Fei inadvertently began humming to herself as she carried out the mechanical chore, her mind flowing back to her early memories as a tender child.

    A young girl watching from the side with curious eyes as an elderly man bent at his waist to pluck the white rice from the browned enclosures, then bathing them in hot water for a full hour.

    Two pairs of hands, one elderly and the other young, handled the grains of white rice with a tender gaze, as though it were the most priceless object in the world.

    Once the rice had been soaked for the full duration, replace the water and steam for thirty minutes or until the familiar fragrance of rice struck the soul.

    The elderly hands placed the perfectly cooked grains of rice onto a pair of chipped porcelain bowls, whilst the delicate and younger pair distributed them onto a tray.

    The elderly hands prepared the additional condiments and side dishes, and the younger pair spread the rice evenly on the iron tray, allowing the rice to cool.

    "Grandfather¡­ to think that I would try brewing rice wine here¡­"

    An Fei whispered to herself, her scarlet irises brimming with a nostalgic sorrow. Before she could immerse herself in her memories, the young girl slapped her wrist, rousing her mind from the past.

    "Enough for now. What I need next¡­ yeast¡­"

    Yeast could be found anywhere, and was usually scraped from the surface of plant leaves, fruits, fungi, and the intestinal tracts of deceased animals.

    However, the young girl had noticed through an arbitrarily helpful book that within the Sanctum was an herb known as the Rotwood Herb ¨C an apt substitute of yeast, albeit its slightly inappropriate title.

    The Rotwood Herb appeared in the form of a small balled mushroom, and was customarily a brown color throughout.

    The young girl found a cluster of the mushrooms a few meters away from the cluster of rice, and scraped a little of the underside onto the spread and cooled rice.

    An Fei poured the rice into the jars, followed by the distributed portions of the Rotwood Herb, then a few drops of an extract of Nine Leaf Purple Lotus into each jar.

    The young girl continued to transfer water into the wok, causing the filled and stoppered jars to float in the warmed container.

    "I¡­ want fire¡­ at a lowered temperature¡­"

    Crackle!

    The golden ball of flames released a few sparks of acquiescence towards the young girl''s request, and the flames licking the underside of the black iron wok lowered in height and intensity.

    With a satisfied nod, An Fei carefully cleaned the trays and tools she had utilized, before returning to the haven demarcated by the square of fabric.

    Thus, for the next few days, the rustling of pages continued to be accompanied by the muted crackle of cheerful flames.

    ¨C

    "Hah¡­"

    An Fei fished an earthenware jar from the black iron wok, removing the stopper and taking in a deep breath.

    The sweet and mellow fragrance of rice wine struck her nose, causing the young girl to pause in her movements and reveal a giddy smile of appreciation.

    "Nine Leaf Purple Lotus¡­ was more potent than I thought¡­"

    The young girl murmured, removing the remaining jars from the wok filled with warmed water.

    Without requiring her command, the ball of flames receded into the thin and immaculate golden thread, traversing through the air to reside within An Fei''s fingertip.

    The young girl quickly prepared the unused jars of white mutton jade, and utilized the small cloths to strain the mixture.

    As the torrent of fermented and distilled rice wine cascaded into the jars of jade, the medicinal garden was tinged with the customary soft and mellow fragrance.

    The plants and herbs swayed in appreciation, their stalks and leaves rubbing in an imperceptible but evident manner of enjoyment. The young girl finally stoppered the last jar of jade, her beautiful countenance blooming with a wide smile.

    "I thought it would take a month, but it only took three days total¡­" An Fei mused, her free fingers rubbing at the base of her chin.

    "Just how does the Sanctum¡­ regulate its internal passage of time? It should at least be above twofold that of the outside¡­?"

    The young girl wistfully sighed after a few moments of pondering, shaking her head to dispel any unnecessary thoughts.

    An Fei piled the porcelain and earthenware jars once filled with the fermented mixture of rice and yeast, before appropriately cleaning and discarding them without allowing herself to become too lazy.

    The jars were washed in the water obtained from the stream. As for the rice and yeast sediment¡­ An Fei burned them with the golden flame, transforming the mixture into a wisp of light.

    "One must enjoy the rain with a cup of wine at hand¡­"

    The young girl relaxed in her chair, an opened jade container of the finished wine clasped between her fragile palms.

    An Fei glanced at the projection in the platinum mirror, her hands gradually bringing the jar to her lips with each passing moment.

    Bypassing her chin, aligning itself with her bottom lip and tipping forth to distribute a stingily brief but delightful trickle of rice wine¡­

    "Mhm¡­" the young girl smacked her lips, gazing at the jade bottle in ecstasy.

    "Sweet, smooth, with a faint tinge of fruit¡­ The fruity taste must be from the combination of the extract of the Nine Leaf Purple Lotus and the rice and yeast fermentation¡­"

    The rice wine was as though a trickle of warmth had permeated An Fei''s entire body.

    The young girl could sense her pores resonate with the atmosphere, her body relaxing and groaning in infinite comfort as the golden light gently massaged them, kneading, pinching, and pulling until her mind became fogged with drowsiness.

    With the backdrop of a constant rain provided by the platinum mirror projecting the torrential scene of the Wu Ji Forest and the little raven''s miserable condition, An Fei quickly submerged herself into a dreamless sleep, her lips quirking into a pleased smile.

    Ah, rain could only be accompanied with a cup of wine¡­ although she only claimed a single sip.

 152 The Central Region of the Forest 1

    The monsoon that terrorized the little raven residing within the Wu Ji Forest and the young girl who had promptly fled into the Sanctum abated after a full month and a half.

    The soil had been completely washed away from the roots of the trees, creating a pond that encapsulated the entire forest''s undergrowth.

    When An Fei departed from the Sanctum, she nearly fell facefirst into the water from her unstable footing on a tree root.

    Had it not been for her swift reflex, latching onto the soaked trunk of a nearby tree, the young girl would not have ended with a few mere bruises on her skin.

    As she winced at the blistering pain surging at her hands touching the soaked tree trunk, An Fei couldn''t help but nurse a tinge of worry.

    This was bad!

    "It looks like it would take a few months for the spiritual qi contained within the water and humidity to clear¡­" the young girl whispered to herself with a pale countenance.

    "The empress'' trip should arrive at the Taiyi Sect after six to eight months¡­ by then, I have to have exited the forest. It''s a pity that I''ve already used two whole months¡­ I need to hurry!"

    An Fei disengaged her hands from the tree trunk soaked with the rain, massaging the delicate and fragile skin besotted with a ring of violet bruises.

    The young girl took a deep breath, forcibly calming her nerves as her eyes shone with a rare determined glint.

    Jump!

    An Fei bolstered her body with spiritual essence, reducing the effectiveness of gravity on herself as she leapt.

    Utilizing the exposed tree roots that stretched above the pooled water, the young girl gradually approached the redwood tree that had received a painful hollowing.

    With a slight tug towards a thin drawstring that hung out of the hollow''s entrance, An Fei fished out a medium-sized leather bag, dry and untouched by the fierce monsoon.

    As soon as she released the drawstring and slung the bag over her shoulder, a black shadow erupted from within the depths of the bag, dispatching a furious anger onto the post-celebration, slumbering grasses.

    Caw!

    The distorted cry was accompanied by a tangible shockwave of golden and violet light erupted from the little creature''s body, disrupting the tranquil and submerged atmosphere of the Wu Ji Forest.

    As the golden and violet wave surged through the flooded forest, the shockwave ripped apart trees and slaughtered unsuspecting and completely unlucky animals into shreds.

    "Uh¡­ Xiao Hei?"

    The young girl gulped, extending her finger towards the enraged mass of black feathers with trepidation.

    To her relief, the little raven did no more than direct an angry glare towards her, before perching atop of the leather bag''s strap as per usual.

    Caw.

    "Eh¡­ ehehe," An Fei released an awkward giggle, her finger rubbing the raven''s feathery back and head to appease the little creature.

    "Unlike you who could reside within the bag and be safe, I can''t escape the rain. Plus, it was dry in the bag, no? There were also sufficient gingko nuts to last you for the month, so¡­"

    The young girl rushed her words in a hasty manner, firing them at an intense velocity to prevent the little raven from refuting.

    As she dispatched horrible excuse after horrible excuse onto the little creature''s head, the young girl rushed through the forest at an accelerated pace, leaping from tree root to tree root.

    The trunks of the trees were even utilized as a springboard if necessary, as the water was significantly deeper and higher in certain areas. As she moved, An Fei didn''t spot a single blade of grass or herb.

    Everything was submerged within a deadly, clear water, darkened due to the lack of ample sunlight.

    Perhaps it was beneficial to the plants and animals residing within the lower strata of the Wu Ji Forest, who relied on meagre amounts of resources and sunlight to survive.

    However, to her and the raven¡­ the rainwater infused with the world''s atmospheric spiritual qi was their worst nightmare.

    ¡­though An Fei didn''t know why the little raven suffered the same fate as her in these circumstances, it didn''t prevent her from making guesses.

    "Hey, Xiao Hei, are you a variant creature?"

    Caw.

    The young girl suddenly tossed out a question as they whistled underneath a dense overgrowth of branches and leaves, the entire area dimmed as though it were the evening.

    "I mean, you clearly have the appearance of a northern raven, but your cries are that of a crow," An Fei slowly explained, her countenance reflecting an inquisitive expression.

    "Do you¡­ have the parents of a crow and raven?"

    Caw?

    "Or are you of a mutant breed?"

    Caw!?

    The little raven''s head jerked upwards in surprise at the last statement, the startled squawk escaping its beak filled with disbelief and incomprehension.

    The young girl took note of the small creature''s response as affirmation, her head rhythmically bobbing in an understanding nod.

    "it''s alright if you don''t like being called a mutant breed! After all, don''t mutant species in the forest display special traits?"

    Caw!?!?

    The crimson eyes of the little raven scattered sparks of rage and indignation, and the little creature leapt from its perch to fiercely glare at the young girl as though it wished to eat her up.

    The golden beak parted to voice a tangible cry of resentment and anger as it had done before, but abruptly closed.

    The little creature docilely returned to his perch, its body trembling with fear.

    "Xiao Hei?" An Fei called at the little raven''s odd actions, her brows furrowing in thought.

    "Xiao Hei, are you alright? You¡­ didn''t suffer too much from the rain¡­ right?"

    Suffer your ass!

    Little lass, if it weren''t for this weak mortal body and your goddamned illegitimate child of a steel sword reflecting such murderous intent, see what I''ll do to you!

    The sentient being that formed the little raven fumed inside its heart, turning aside from the girl in a fit of rage.

    Regardless of the young girl''s attempts to cajole it into speaking, the little creature refused to open its beak, perfectly complying with the image of a sulking child.

    Usually, it liked to dreamily admire the young girl''s astonishingly beautiful countenance that trumped even that of Chang''ge of the Eternal Moon Palace, but the little lass had ruffled its feathers a little too much!

    "Hah¡­"

    An Fei sighed once more, electing to continue her journey into the depths of the forest in silence.

    The little raven and the young girl leapt from tree root to tree root as they moved forwards, their consciousness locked within their respective thoughts.

    One was wondering whether she should offer some rice wine to the little raven as an apology, while the other was craftily thinking of methods to punish the ''disobedient'' girl.

    ¨C

    Surprisingly, certain portions of the Wu Ji Forest had not been touched by the monsoon''s torrential fury.

    The inhabitants of those specific region, however, obediently lowered their heads towards the towering and depressed clouds, their throats clamped tightly as though not to speak a single word.

    Even those of the fierce creatures possessing might of the Core Formation Realm and even beyond it, deigned not to raise their posture from that of a humble one.

    As a result, these regions were untouched by the monsoon rain, and were permitted to witness the utter carnage that the clouds had enacted onto the poor and innocent inhabitants seeking an extra drop of water or an additional minute of sunlight.

    Oh, tempestuous clouds that were much more reserved and elegant in the past¡­ why become so enraged now? Who offended the Wu Ji Forest?

    Some of the more elderly and endowed fierce creatures who had developed a certain quantity of intelligence murmured within their hearts, silently gazing at the tumultuous skies.

    They watched the clouds churn and riot as they squeezed as much rain they could to hurl at the inhabitants below with a mix of apprehension, horror, and schadenfreude.

    To have angered the Wu Ji Forest to the extent that the monsoon itself ruined countless innocent lives within the forest that did nothing but scrounge for scraps¡­ the fate of such a being was bound to be non-satisfactory, perhaps beyond a certain quota of miserable.

    And at that moment, the transgressor of the Wu Ji Forest unwittingly stepped into the central regions of the forest, completely oblivious of what she was about to encounter.

    "Xiao Hei, look! The ground here is visible, and it''s actually dry. The humidity is lower than the other places¡­ so where is this?"

    Caw¡­

    The little raven nursed a hint of apprehension as it glanced at the relieved and cheerful young girl serving as its might, hesitating as to whether it should convey an important piece of information.

    However, a single glance towards the handle-less sword hovering behind An Fei''s back with the constantly emitted and uncontrollable murderous intent caused the little creature to keep quiet and adopt a timid persona.

    Well, having one person being knowledgeable of their surroundings should be good enough¡­ right?

 153 The Central Region of the Forest 2

    Wherever she stood, as long as it wasn''t in the center of the Wu Ji Forest and swamped in an infinite pool of deadly water, An Fei was perfectly content.

    Having been emancipated from the uncomfortable and exhausting trip of jumping from the exposed tree roots had sufficiently drained the young girl''s mental capabilities, causing her to slide towards the ground with her back against a sturdy tree and gaze forwards with a blank stare.

    Maintaining her balance on thin tendrils of fiber, or tree roots partially submerged in the water, causing her to stand still despite the unbearable pain, An Fei did not wish to return to those regions of the virile forest.

    If she were to undress herself, the young girl was certain of her entire body riddled with bruises glaring with their purple splendor and glory.

    Perhaps she just emerged from a torture cell with the blood washed away, for the accumulated sensations were no different.

    Caw!

    The little raven perched on her shoulder released a short cry of wariness and worry, thoroughly arousing the young girl from her mental haze.

    An Fei struggled to stand from her seated position, but sank onto the ground partway through.

    "No¡­ no good," the young girl groaned, her fingers rubbing the little creature''s feathery head with constant trembles.

    "Xiao Hei¡­ this better not be bad news¡­"

    Caw! Caw!

    The small creature hopped in anger, its beak sprouting a slew of cries into the depths of the forest that dared to eclipse the sun.

    The pair of crimson eyes flashed with an unfathomable light, and the little raven''s claws unconsciously tightened onto the leather strap.

    Roar!

    A white flash of light swept the dense grass away from An Fei''s vision, the gust of wind blowing her hair to the sides with a piercing gale.

    As the dust and disturbed soil gradually trickled to their original positions, the young girl furrowed her brows in apprehension, her lips curving into a soft ''oh'' of helplessness and laughter.

    Prowling on its four legs as it should, brimming with a majestic air of pride and arrogant serendipity, with a pair of scarlet eyes, was a white fox.

    Nine tails of snow white with a crimson streak lashing across their center caressed the atmosphere of the forest, swaying with a luxurious and tantalizing rhythm.

    Similar strips of crimson streaked across the fox''s body, most particularly its abdomen and back.

    Caw!

    The little raven struggled underneath the young girl''s gently stroking finger as it howled in disbelief and helplessness.

    The small creature desperately fought to nuzzle against the source of pleasant warmth and retaliate against the onboard threat facing them at a meagre distance of five meters¡­

    They just entered the Wu Ji Forest, and the first creature they encounter is a King!?

    "Xiao Hei¡­ am I seeing things right¡­?"

    The oblivious young girl in question rubbed her eyes with her free hand, her adorable mouth gawking open in disbelief.

    An Fei even reached forward towards the nine-tailed fox in surprise, her scarlet irises failing to mask their curiosity and interest.

    "A true nine-tailed fox¡­ don''t they appear only in fairy tales?"

    Shua!

    -Caw!

    What answered An Fei''s partly drowsy and drunken question was a sliver of white light flashing across her vision and a gentle warmth passing through her body.

    The little raven shrieked in panic and anger as the world it saw flipped upside down and tumbled onto its behind, daring not to close its eyes despite being fully cognizant of the painful disorientation it was about to receive.

    ¡­ravens were meant to be masochistic, after all.

    The young girl abruptly spun in a counterclockwise motion, her fatigued limbs deftly distributing the powerful force transmitted into her body towards the ground in a gradual process.

    After two complete revolutions that allowed An Fei to maneuver behind the tree that once supported her body, she extended her arms to their full length to allow the remaining force to dissipate and leave her alarmed and awake.

    The white fox before her bared its teeth in frustration and bewilderment, its nine tails sashaying from side to side as though to express its disbelief.

    The white creature lay onto its hind legs as a pair of scarlet animalistic eyes tracked An Fei''s movements through the tree, the silky fur bristling with charged spiritual essence.

    "Xiao Hei, look! It''s a fabled creature, a celestial fox with ¨C"

    -Caw!

    Little stupid lass, how is that possibly a fabled celestial creature!? That''s merely a silver fox with nine tails brimming at the peak stage of Core Formation ¨C oh, you little ¨C !

    The sentient spirit gaped at the dazed young girl as she continued to earnestly converse with the raven, her body flitting from one position from the next as the celestial fox released a pounding slurry of physical strikes with an enraged pair of forelimbs.

    From time to time, the sentient spirit attempted to communicate an effective strategy to An Fei, but found nothing but the nonsensical calls of an imbecile of a mortal crow escaping its throat.

    Look, little lass, instead of being swatted everywhere as though an invincible fly and evading all portions of the impact with your interesting and mildly startling technique, how about unsheathing those lethal blades and removing that threat¡­

    "Xiao Hei, Xiao Hei, just look at the fur! Such pristine quality, wouldn''t it feel perfect to give it a good rub!?"

    An Fei eagerly chittered as her vision distorted and blurred from the constant full moon sweeps her unarmed body continued to enact of its unconscious initiative as per the technique obtained from the Sanctum.

    As the white fox huffed in rage towards its unsuccessful attempts of swatting the young girl in pieces, the person in question continued to laugh and laugh in delight.

    Even if nine tails swatted her body through the sea of trees and grass with an unending frenzy and wrath propelling its movements, the young girl didn''t even unsheathe the twin butterfly swords.

    All An Fei could think about, in her drunken mental haze induced by severe mental exhaustion, was how comfortable the glossy and pristine white fur on the nine-tailed fox would feel to the touch.

    If she were to become able to use it in a scarf, or perhaps a coat, then¡­

    It would be heavenly even compared to the fox fur coat she had once received from Wei Xuan!

    Pa!

    The nine tails converged onto a single point and slammed against the young girl''s chest, throwing her towards the trunk of a tree.

    As the intense warmth surged through An Fei''s body and delirious mind, the handle-less sword quietly moved to remove the tree in her path, allowing the young girl to safely avoid incurring any damage to her delicate skin.

    Yaa!

    The nine-tailed fox yelped in utter frustration and agony, its tails slumped and no longer containing any of the virtuous and enraged fury.

    The creature bared its teeth at the insensible and giggling young girl with a thin stream of drool dripping from her mouth, the pair of crimson eyes deeply wishing her death.

    Forget hitting a ball of cotton with its entire strength, hitting this stinky human girl was as though slapping air!

    The little raven grumbled in its heart as it clung onto the leather strap of the bag for dear life, its small body drained of vitality and stamina.

    The majority of its feathers hung askew, creating a rather miserable sight.

    Roar!

    The handle-less steel sword leapt in the air to unleash a powerful downward slash towards the white nine-tailed fox, the scarlet inscriptions along its blade condensing to manifest a tangible streak of deathly light.

    The nine-tailed fox swung its exhausted body into motion, the nine tails emitting a colored radiance as they shot towards the incoming deformed sword that sought bloody judgement from the depths of hell.

    The fusion of nine colored light slammed against the scarlet streak of pain and death, causing a massive sonic shockwave to rip through the entire forest and remove the loose branches of the sufficiently reinforced trees within the vicinity.

    Boom!

    "-urgh!"

    An Fei clutched her heart, wrinkling her brows in pain. Her countenance distorted as a mixed sensation of pain and unease assaulted her body, cold and hot intermingling to produce a discordant harmony within her body.

    It was as though her body had been hurled into a hell of ice and fire without any warning, causing a bead of sweat to trickle from her forehead.

    As she glanced in the air, the young girl''s pupils constricted in shock and fear, fixated onto the lotus petal that had sought victory for her dozens of times, faithful without failure.

    In the single exchange with the seemingly harmless white nine-tailed fox, the handle-less sword formed from the white lotus petal had lost the battle.

    Deep cracks rang across the steel blade, assaulting the sword to the primary core that allowed the blade to stabilize.

    The scarlet inscriptions forcefully suppressed to sustain the handle-less sword''s manifestation, the sword hung in the air in silence as the young girl nursed her heart, a bitter sensation rushing through her mind.

    A significant portion of her spiritual essence had been depleted from the single exchange, removing two tenths of her meagre, already suppressed reserves. An Fei''s mind finally sobered itself from the exhaustion induced delirium, her back reverberating with an unsettling chill.

    This wasn''t a joke; the white nine-tailed fox could actually deem itself as a threat!

 154 The central region of the forest 3

    The young girl glared at the white fox; the nine-tailed fox glared at An Fei with a mixture of hate and dumbstruck astonishment.

    Two equally speechless and surprised beings stood across each other in the central region of the forest, separated only by a heavily cracked steel sword missing its handle.

    The uneasy silence struck deafening chords in the ears of the innocent and frail creatures hidden within the grass, their pitiful hearts trembling and attempting to leap from their throats to dash across the grass a stream of scarlet.

    "This¡­"

    An Fei clutched her heart with her right hand as she murmured with an apprehensive expression on her countenance.

    Her eyes remained riveted to the damaged sword hovering in the air, her left hand unconsciously trailing to the butterfly sword sheathed on her waist.

    The handle-less sword with its unceasing song of war and malevolent reaping of lives; it now lay before her, damaged to an extend one would forlornly shake their head and mourn it farewell.

    That was the sword that had reaped the lives of many fierce and deadly creatures at her bidding and protected her life numerous times prior to her attaining the functionality of the ¡­ but cracks assaulted its core¡­

    Just what was she to do?

    Caw!

    The little raven screamed in worry, its senses prickling with an intense danger.

    The little creature bravely leapt from its perch to soar into the nearby branches, its feathery and disheveled head poking from the shelter of leaves at it gazed at the young girl''s hesitant visage with a tinge of angst and encouragement.

    "I¡­"

    An Fei whispered to herself, the fingers of her right hand curling against her bosom as she fretted in her mind.

    Her consciousness glancing through the sea of perception at the reserves of spiritual essence within her heart, the young girl raised right hand, the palm facing the cracked and ruined steel sword that continued to restrain the disaster known as a nine-tailed fox.

    She decided to take a risky gamble; a gamble she had devised from her observations of the steel blade as she traversed through the Wu Ji Forest.

    "The steel blade only requires spiritual essence to manifest its physical existence."

    "Regardless of its motions or the time it remains in the world, it doesn''t consume any spiritual essence within my body following its manifestation."

    "Upon receiving sufficient damage to its foundation or structural core, the equivalent quantity of spiritual essence is consumed from my body¡­"

    The young girl rapidly murmured to herself, her consciousness rapidly sifting through her memories of her interactions with the handle-less blade and her notes of the .

    From the initial reaping of the white rabbit, the massive python, to the numerous creatures she had fought against while trekking through the undergrowth of the Wu Ji Forest, the flashes of memory submerged the young girl''s consciousness until her surroundings of the nine-tailed fox had vanished from her attention.

    The steel blade could morph from its form to that of a white lotus petal at her command; the converse was equally true. The conversion did not require any spiritual essence, and was effective instantaneously.

    The inscriptions decorating the length of the blade could provide a supplementary effect to its emission of bloodlust and murderous intent.

    An Fei was not sure on its exact effect when utilized, the she was aware that the intensity of the scarlet radiance was solely under the consciousness of the handle-less sword.

    If it removed an equivalent quantity of spiritual essence upon receiving damage that pierced into the foundations and compromised its structural integrity, then¡­

    "Then¡­ I¡­ I only need to¡­" An Fei whispered, the dull scarlet of her irises flashing with a submerged, but recognizable intent suffused with determination and resolve.

    "I only need to reconstruct the sword once again, utilizing spiritual essence. Similar to filling in the mold with a suitable liquid to constitute a level surface."

    At the young girl''s command, the ball of spiritual essence encapsulating her heart unraveled a thin thread.

    The thread of spiritual essence wove through her bloodstream and meridians to converge at the palm of her right hand, before erupting into the physical world with a pale blue light.

    Shua!

    The crimson eyes of the nine-tailed fox constricted at the sight and familiar sensation by the spiritual essence emanating from the human girl''s body before its sight, a crippling shred of danger rushing through its heart.

    The white creature gathered its will to fight, the nine tails waving through the air and converging towards An Fei''s chest with a direct intention of murder.

    The handle-less blade roared as it swept into the midst of the nine tails'' path, the inscriptions on its blade howling with a scarlet malevolence that threatened to flood the undergrowth of the forest.

    The scarlet radiance was as though it were tangible, thoroughly reducing the speed at which the tails traveled through the air to a crawl.

    At the same time, the pale blue threads of light emerging from An Fei''s right palm traveled through the air unhindered to land on the steel core of the handle-less sword.

    As the young girl twitched her eyes at the unexpectedly heavy drain on her spiritual essence, the steel blade reformed itself before her eyes.

    The deep cracks that had ravaged its foundation to the extent that scrapping and salvage was the only option, vanished without a sound.

    The surface of the sword fluctuated under the gentle pulse of the pale blue light, stretching to cover the gaping ravines to produce a cohesive whole.

    The handle-less sword howled with anger as the cracks on its foundation vanished as though they were never present, and surged towards the white nine-tailed fox with newfound vigor and bloodthirst.

    The scarlet radiance exuding from the inscriptions converged to manifest into a linear edge, descending from the sky at a diagonal angle towards the nine tails that were still frozen in their unstoppable momentum.

    Before An Fei''s amazed and exasperated gaze, the steel blade swung downwards, relinquishing its shocked wrath in a single blow.

    The nine-tailed fox''s heart clenched with a deep fear, and it diverted all of its stored spiritual essence towards its hindlegs to propel its body from the slash.

    The nine tails struggled to achieve their objective, but the fox pulled its body backwards to narrowly escape the steel sword proclaiming the passage of death.

    The handle-less sword embedded itself into the soft earth in silence, the softened soil crying after receiving another painful torment.

    Taking advantage of the momentary pause of the blade, the white fox slipped from An Fei''s range of vision, rapidly assimilating into the backdrop of the sea of trees.

    "Ah¡­"

    The young girl released a heavy sigh of relief, the steel sword returning to her side with its bloodthirst and malevolent atmosphere thoroughly suppressed. An Fei slumped against the back of a wholesome and resentful tree, her mind abuzz with both the fatigue and excitement of the farce of a battle.

    The prevented her from receiving any harm, but the steel sword of the white lotus petal proved ineffective against a creature of the forest.

    Had it not been for her risky action in transferring spiritual essence towards the sword, An Fei was not certain whether the steel blade would have survived the next impact.

    "At the end¡­ it consumes far more spiritual essence to repair any incurred damage that to manifest it¡­" the young girl complained, her scarlet irises glaring at the little raven that now dared to return to her side.

    "Just repairing it took four-tenths of my maximum reserves¡­ aigh!"

    An Fei slapped the little creature''s feathery head to vent her anger, her body weakly collapsing into a sitting position.

    As she ruminated about her missed chance of the silky, smooth, white fur that proclaimed heaven to the touch, the young girl retreated into the Sanctum¡­

    If, if just perhaps, the nine-tailed fox were to be a common creature within this region of the forest, then she¡­

    ¨C

    "Aigh, such a stupid mortal lass. She couldn''t even stop obsessing over a trash of a fox''s fur!"

    Dongfang Yu grumbled to himself, his fingers rushing through his black hair in frustration. The immortal youth angrily slapped the floor of sky blue crystal, his violet irises narrowing with an obvious dislike.

    "This is the mortal lass that Esteemed Senior An is attempting to pawn off? Isn''t her mentality practically the same as an infant, drooling over the slightest interesting or shiny object!?"

    Dongfang Yu flared in anger, before deflating with an expansive sigh.

    Leaning against the wall of the endless corridor, the immortal youth released sigh after sigh to vent his sorrowful emotions, his gaze containing a tinge of wistful sentiment as his consciousness returned to the boring experience of a lonesome sentinel guarding an existence that wasn''t even there¡­

    If, if only he were to realize at the current moment the truth of his circumstance within the corridor and that his supposed target of his careful, nightly watch was merely on the opposite end of the seemingly infinite corridor¡­

    ¡­Esteemed Dongfang Yu''s expression would then become the most highly valued artifact in the entire Realm.

 155 The central region of the forest 4

    From the next day onwards, An Fei did not catch a hint of the white nine-tailed fox regardless of where her gaze roamed the undergrowth of the forest.

    The little raven was similarly incapable of determining any inclination of a creature hidden within the background that possessed a sufficiently severe threat towards the young girl.

    Thus, from sunrise to sunset, the young girl continued to march forth, heading directly towards the core of the Wu Ji Forest''s core without her knowledge.

    As she walked utilizing the trees as increments representing the distance she had traveled, An Fei was musing her luck in not encountering any other creature as fierce nor scary as the nine-tailed fox.

    After the forced stalemate generated by the sudden repair of the nearly shattered steel sword, the fox had retreated, never to be spotted again.

    Five days had passed, and just as usual, she only spotted rabbits and other miniscule creatures roaming throughout the grass, their innocent souls attempting to pursue their daily lives.

    ¡­and for An Fei, the current laid-back and tranquil circumstance was not terribly bad either.

    The young girl was still considerable strife due to the harrowing experience with the white fox, her mind barely recovered from the wide differentiation between play and actual combat.

    Occasionally, An Fei''s voice soothed the swaying grasses and creatures, accompanied by the indecipherable but encouraging calls of an unusual raven.

    She had clearly noticed the difference between the experience regarding the eerie vine-wielding monster and the nine-tailed fox with the pristine white fur.

    The creature that wielded an innumerable amount of vines, An Fei did not notice anything that terrified her soul except for the imposing pressure that tightly squeezed at every iota of her body.

    Otherwise, the passive but absolute assistance of the had ensured that the vines could not harm her in any form, and when armed with the twin butterfly swords, she could easily wade through the sea of terror and thorny death.

    Thus, the entire event, through startling as it may be, was nothing more than a trivial gasp of grotesque amazement. From the surface, the experience with the nine-tailed fox was the same.

    However, An Fei was clearly able to obtain a hint of how dreadful an actual fight would have been, even if she, as usual, had not received a single scratch from the entire ordeal.

    The steel blade had nearly been shattered from a single exchange, and had it not been for the abrupt repair, it would have been completely scrapped by the next blow.

    She could consistently evade and ignore any incoming physical damage, but what then?

    "Without the handle-less sword, I really can''t pose a threat towards these creatures, ah."

    The young girl hummed in discontent towards the little raven perched on her shoulder, her beautiful countenance flickering with a disgruntled resignation.

    The little creature directed an eyeful of a crimson glare of impasse and disbelief, but deigned not to speak any further.

    An Fei shrugged her shoulders towards the silent reply of the little raven, the fingers of her right hand grabbing at the empty air as though stroking the fur of an imaginary white fox with nine tails.

    "Just you wait, I''ll obtain your fur and play in it all day long!"

    The young girl had assured herself to regain her rationale when in a circumstance regarding combat.

    Appearing invulnerable as she may, An Fei wasn''t entirely certain regarding the protection offered by the , and strived to increase her vigilance.

    ¡­outside of fighting¡­ she would dream of stroking that white and heavenly fur to her heart''s content.

    Play with it, rub her cheek against the smooth and silky surface of the fur¡­

    The steel blade without a handle trailed behind the young girl as though a silent and pensive sentinel, the inscriptions flickering with a scarlet light in response to the young girl''s intimate affair with the comfortable white fur of a nine-tailed fox.

    In an unknown region of the forest not far from An Fei, a certain nine-tailed fox couldn''t help but cower into the ground and tremble with an unprecedented fear, its heart suddenly praying for its continued life.

    Who knew, perhaps that human devil would return for a rematch?

    ¨C

    Months ago, in the Wu Ji Forest.

    "Your Imperial Highness, the end of the forest is in sight!"

    The refined and respectful voice of the carriage driver resounded from outside of the carriage, rousing Feng Yu Xin from her afternoon nap.

    The Empress of Great Yong stretched her limbs with a large rippling yawn, her slightly fatigued voice replying back to the carriage driver.

    "Once we depart from the Wu Ji Forest, do ensure to rest at a nearby village."

    "Understood, Your Imperial Highness!"

    The muted sound of a whip tapping against the back of a warhorse rang from outside the imperial carriage, and the empress sat upright to massage her sore neck.

    Zhang Yuewen and Luo Xi similarly roused themselves from their momentary dazes of boredom, their eyelashes fluttering before resting onto Feng Yu Xin''s figure.

    The atmosphere of the imperial carriage had significantly cooled since An Fei''s abrupt departure after a certain evening feast, and the young maidens had remained in a perpetual state of dull confusion and fear.

    "Your¡­ Imperial Highness, how was your¡­ nap?" Zhang Yuewen took the initiative to speak, her lips hesitant and suppressed.

    "Did you enjoy the ride so far?"

    Feng Yu Xin raised an eyebrow as she glanced at the young belle, her countenance remaining still and calm.

    The empress tapped her finger against the inside of her palm, her mind inadvertently flitting back to the exchange with the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

    "Yes, I¡­ I did¡­" the young belle murmured, her eyes still revealing a deeply rooted unease.

    "Your Imperial Highness¡­ are you¡­ sure that Sister Wei truly left with the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect?"

    Luo Xi took a deep breath at Zhang Yuewen''s statement, her brows furrowing deeply as her mind whirled to ponder the possible implications of the young girl''s circumstance.

    Helpless and unable to come to a conclusion, the young maiden reached to grab the young belle''s arm in support.

    The empress glanced at the two young girls radiating a tinge of fear and apprehension as they maintained their respectful gaze, and Feng Yu Xin''s lips parted to release a wistful sigh.

    "Bengong is certain, the Wei girl left with the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect."

    "But¡­"

    Zhang Yuewen''s frown sank, her teeth reaching forward to nibble on her bottom lip. Suddenly, the young belle''s head abruptly raised, her eyes flashing with an indeterminate light.

    "Your Imperial Highness, wasn''t the point of us embarking on this trip to accumulate experience regarding cultivation at the Taiyi Sect? How did Sister Wei become traded off to the Heavenly Sword Sect¡­"

    "Traded?" Feng Yu Xin narrowed her eyes, her voice laced with a tint of warning.

    "Zhang girl, do be careful with your words, ah. Bengong did not trade off Wei An Fei for a measly benefit."

    "Then¡­ why did Sister Wei leave?"

    Luo Xi rubbed the base of her chin with her fingers, her eyes downcast as they traced the patterns weaved into the rug. The young maiden murmured to herself in a quiet voice, her eyes flashing with a perplexed light.

    "Sister Wei was to embark on this excursion for a similar reason as I and Sister Zhang¡­ and she didn''t express any interest in either the Taiyi Sect or the Heavenly Sword Sect ¨C no, we didn''t even discuss such a topic, so I don''t have any conclusive evidence whether she had any prior knowledge of it in the first place. Furthermore, her appearance is obscured¡­ so why would she leave with the Heavenly Sword Sect?"

    The empress closed her eyes to ward off any intrusive questions brimming at the tip of Zhang Yuewen''s tongue, deigning to return to the paradise of her thoughts.

    Feng Yu Xin''s fingers inadvertently tightened and relaxed their grip on corners of her dress, the repetitive motion thoroughly stoking the flames driving the young maidens'' fear.

    Tying up that disgraceful and irresponsible Qin Yingfei, then having Lu Jing Yi proclaim her as guilty for all seven of the disgraces pertaining to a divorce¡­

    As Feng Yu Xin''s lips continually twitched whilst roaming throughout their dreams, Zhang Yuewen and Luo Xi directed worried glances towards the other in silence. Their eyes, though containing different thoughts, reflected the same unease and trepidation that chilled their hearts.

    The trip to the Taiyi Sect had suddenly become strife with incomparable danger ever since Wei An Fei had mysteriously vanished.

    Perhaps she had left with the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect as the empress mentioned, but for what cause?

    And will they be the next in line for such unusual but definitely unwanted situations?

 156 Ignorance Was Bliss 1

    It didn''t take long for a young girl to realize the perplexities and gravity of her current circumstance.

    It only took five days, and a couple dangerous run-ins with a few fierce creatures with the handle-less steel sword suffering seven near-breakage experiences and one complete shattering.

    The sword had performed miraculous "resurrections" multiple times per battle, performing a visually stunning and soul shocking experience for both the young girl and the afflicted spiritual beast.

    Thankfully, An Fei remained unharmed since she stepped into this region of the forest, but her self-esteem had taken a considerable blow.

    "Xiao Hei¡­ are we in the forest? Why does it seem that I''ve wandered into the direct epicenter of a storming battlefield¡­"

    The young girl complained to the little raven perched on her shoulder, her lips puckered into an adorable little pout.

    An Fei slumped against the back of a redwood tree, completely ignoring the unwilling screeches and pleas as the tree was forced to support the weight of the Wu Ji Forest''s ''calamitous'' star.

    A calamitous star she was, for in the five days that An Fei had muddle-headedly walked through the forest, she had left a trail of a dozen or so defeated fierce creatures of the respective stages of the Core Formation Realm, and clashed with many, many more.

    The originally peaceful denizens had now become accustomed to the rampant howls of bloodthirst and murder emanating from the psychotic and illegitimate steel blade, and the young girl attempting to pet the fur of all furred creatures she encountered, and obtain the scales of any reptilian creatures.

    Once the clash of steel on hardened material or the fluctuation of spiritual essence surged through the undergrowth, the frail creatures and plants would cower down and cover their rapidly beating souls with agitation and dreadful hope.

    The trampling of grass underfoot and the savage growls of creatures venting their unassuaged emotions and fears was what they were used to, not a steel sword rampant on destruction!

    Thus, they prayed.

    Prayed that the agonizer of death and the malevolent existence would be shattered one day, to allow the residents of the forest to return to their original, daily lives of violence and peace.

    That the vast reaper of lives would retreat from the tranquil sanctuary of the fierce beasts, and never appear again.

    ¡­and shattered it was by a massive scorpion''s stinger, only to reappear in full health a cup of tea''s time later. That was when the trembling creatures shrouded amongst the grass realized that it was better to quell their prayers and pay no heed to the vicinity of the demon star trailing behind the human girl.

    At the least, they were no longer sought after as sport.

    The young girl was far too occupied on the constant threat of the unusually energetic and vigor-packed creatures throwing themselves at her frail body, to even notice the throng of rabbits, squirrels, and other small creatures squeaking around within the sea of grass.

    Otherwise, she was conversing with the little raven perched on her shoulder, if not climbing tall trees to harvest any ripened nuts.

    Caw!

    The little raven''s call shocked An Fei out of her doze, and she turned her head to direct a questioning glance towards the freeloader perched on the leather bag''s strap.

    The little creature hopped up and down several times, its golden beak parting to release a series of soft cries.

    "¡­hungry?"

    Caw!

    Black lines instantly engraved themselves onto the little feathery creature''s forehead, and it instantly ceased its willful action, glaring back at the young girl with its pair of crimson eyes.

    Upon aligning its range of vision to the twin scarlet irises, the little raven somewhat deflated with a withered sigh.

    "¡­then what?"

    An Fei raised an eyebrow at the sentient actions of the little raven, shrugging her shoulders and resuming her long march after receiving no reply for several moments.

    The young girl waded through the sea of grass, deeply content that it was the thin strands brushing against her legs, and not a massive pool of water toxic for her soul.

    Boom!

    The distant roar of thunder brought An Fei''s walk to an end, causing her to glance up with a confused expression. The young girl frowned as she squinted her eyes, a dissatisfied huff of air escaping her lips upon discovering nothing unusual.

    "Clouds¡­ aren''t in the sky, so where ¨C "

    Boom!

    The remnants of the azure sky filtered through the dense shroud of leaves and branches clearly informed An Fei that a thunderstorm was theoretically impossible, yet the rumbling and clashing of thunder resonated throughout the Wu Ji Forest.

    To make matters worse, the dense throng of rain splattering into a large pool of accumulated water gently trickled at the base of her ears, causing the young girl to stamp her feet in frustration.

    The area in which she stood was completely dry and devoid of thunder¡­ so where were the sounds originating from?

    "The¡­ other regions of the forest?" the young girl finally murmured, her gaze flickering to glance over the path she had taken since entering this mysterious region of the Wu Ji Forest.

    "It''s raining over there¡­ but why not here? What''s so special about this region?"

    An Fei rubbed her chin in thought, her long hair gently tousled by the breeze.

    The little raven perched on her shoulder fretting in silence for a few moments, before electing a decisive course of action.

    Caw!

    The experimental cry pierced through the static noise generated by the diffused sound of raindrops striking the ground, only to be masked by a peal of thunder rumbling overhead.

    The young girl continued ruminating to herself as she walked forwards, whispering in her usual soft voice.

    "The creatures in this region of the forest possess greater strength compared to the others¡­ then again, the panther and python I saw at the start were probably no different¡­ so where am I?"

    "The regions unaffected by the monsoon regardless of how much rain pours or lightning strikes¡­" the young girl softly uttered, her pupils dilating in surprise the next moment.

    "The central region of the forest!? I''ve been heading towards the direct center of the forest!?"

    BOOM!

    The peal of thunder that rang out as the same time An Fei made her revelation caused her to nearly stumble and fall onto the ground.

    However, though she was spared from the grisly mess of the soft earth clinging to the linen coat, the shock the young girl received was no different that had she had collided into the ground.

    To be heading towards the central regions of the Wu Ji Forest¡­ that was the exact definition of the opposite of her objective!

    "No wonder the nine-tailed fox was stronger compared to the other creatures I''ve encountered until now¡­"

    The young girl whispered with a pale countenance, her lips devoid of their usual pinkish charm.

    With trembling limbs, An Fei lifted her right foot as though to whirl around and rush back towards the path she had come, but lowered it after a moment of silence.

    "If I were to return the way I have come, that would mean that I would have to cross that swamp-like environment¡­" she reasoned with a quivering voice.

    "If I were to continue moving forward, the creatures I will encounter will be increasingly terrifying¡­ and there would probably be another swamp waiting for me later¡­"

    Whilst she had remained in the imperial carriage, the empress had described the forest environment as though a large circular perimeter.

    If she was truly within the central regions of the forest, forging ahead to the final destination or backpedaling to where she had begun were practically the same task in difficulty or achievement.

    Forging ahead, she would encounter stronger fierce creatures, perhaps even those that would threaten her life.

    An Fei could only estimate the cultivation of the fierce beasts that she had encountered to a rough approximate based on her own abilities, and could not aptly determine her safety.

    If she were to backpedal, the guarantee was that she would encounter fierce creatures at an increasingly infrequent rate, and could breeze through with little difficulty.

    The only problem An Fei could determine was that the swamp was intensely toxic for her, and she wasn''t even aware whether her initial point within the Wu Ji Forest was aligned with the exit.

    Two equally difficult choices, and the young girl was to pick between one whilst listening to the chaotic cacophony of thunder and rain pounding on her eardrums.

    Ah! Ignorance was truly, truly a blissful experience!

 157 Ignorance was bliss 2

    In the end, An Fei elected to continue striving forward, at least until she reached the exit of the Wu Ji Forest.

    Such a decision was elected through the ''encouragement'' of the little raven by her shoulder, and the abrupt scarlet radiance that erupted from the steel handle-less blade hovering behind her whilst she sulked.

    Feeling the dense malevolent aura of bloodthirst envelop her with the sensation of a warm embrace, the young girl hastily took a step forward as if to affirm her choice.

    ¡­and here she was, accompanied by the war drums of thunder and rain as she trekked through a completely dry forest, the experience of her feet and ears in complete conflict with the other.

    One urged for her to seek shelter from any stray bolts of lethal lightning, whereas the other scoffed in disdain for it stood on solid, dry ground.

    As she walked through in a straight line, ignoring the maze of trees and grass, the young girl ensured that one hand grasped onto the hilt of a butterfly sword. Her perception, though restrained to a small radius, swept forth in search of any fearsome enemy.

    She had sufficiently learned her lesson from the nine-tailed fox and her crusade of this region of the Wu Ji Forest''s fierce beasts.

    However¡­

    "I''m more used to hunting small rabbits and birds for food back then," the young girl grumbled as she hacked at a cluster of vines hanging from a tree directly to her left.

    "At least a small carbine rifle would do the trick, but here, some rabbits would probably swallow me whole, ah."

    An Fei ignored the startled cry of pain from the severed vines and stepped forth, brushing aside any tendrils that attempted to rub against her body.

    The little raven narrowly ducked to avoid a swinging vine that aimed for its feathery head, its crimson eyes revealing a dull sheen in confusion.

    What is a carbine rifle?

    Is that a cultivation technique?

    "Seriously, ah!"

    An Fei growled to herself in complaint, wondering for the second time whether her decision was the correct one for her sanity.

    She was completely unaware when the rumble of thunder had diminished to the extent that it projected mere vibrations within the atmosphere, but the scenery of vines was enough of an irritation.

    To her left and right, green vines sashaying to a nonexistent wind. The green vines hung from tree branches and brushed against the ground, forming a natural curtain that obscured a person''s direct view.

    To her front, a dense mass of grey vines coiled around a large unknown object, as though a python squeezing the life from its prey.

    The pile of vines constricted and expanded at an irregular rhythm, causing An Fei to tilt her head in befuddlement.

    Was she in some fierce creature''s domain, as with the experience with that highly disgusting yet powerful bulbous monster of a creature?

    C-caw.

    The little raven released a startled squawk at the sudden display of vines, its wings gently fluttering as an invisible violet aura seeped into the tranquil and sleepy atmosphere of the Wu Ji Forest.

    The violet aura brushed against the surface of the vines as though a greeting, sweeping over the surroundings with a conciliatory gesture.

    The vines, however, merely shifted a little, completely disregarding the little raven''s presence.

    This in turn caused the little creature to lapse into a momentary panic, and the immortal sentience within the crimson eyes mused in deep thought.

    The little raven, after some hesitation, decided to thoroughly jab An Fei''s exposed neck with its feathered head.

    "H-hey!"

    Caw!

    The young human girl and the little raven glared at the other for a brief moment; An Fei soon capitulated, her intuition convincing her to listen to the raven''s deformed cries regardless of how indecipherable they were.

    "What now?"

    Caw!

    "¡­fierce creature?" the young girl guessed, her spirits dampening when she realized the little raven was energetically hopping on her shoulder whilst vigorously nodding its head.

    "Stronger than the nine-winged buzzard back then?"

    Caw! Caw! Caw!

    "¡­er¡­ what is that supposed to mean?"

    An Fei frowned in confusion, her beautiful and unmasked countenance perfectly conveying her inability to understand the little raven''s shrieks.

    The little creature''s head dipped low at her response, and its golden claws twitched on the leather strap for several seconds before the raven came to a consensus.

    Caw!

    The little raven leapt from the young girl''s shoulder and flew into the air, perching itself at a branch not too far to An Fei''s right.

    "This¡­" the young girl raised an eyebrow at the little creature''s sudden action, before hesitantly walking towards the little raven''s position with faltering steps.

    When she finally stood below the branch that the little raven perched on, the small infuriating creature took flight once more, heading towards a different branch.

    "Y-you!"

    Thus, began a relatively crude game of tag, with a young girl chasing after a little raven as small as her palm.

    "Come¡­ back here!"

    An Fei called out towards the little raven that peered down from its elevated branch, feeling slightly irked by the crimson eyes that stared directly at her forehead.

    The young girl felt as though the raven seemed to be harboring no insignificant amount of contempt and disdain for her intelligence, for the creature swung its head to the side as if to inspect a different object.

    "You!"

    Damned raven!

    The young girl clenched her fists as she leapt over a cluster of vines towards the infuriating creature, which only took flight at the last moment.

    She promised that once she caught it, she was going to hunt ravens before its eyes to express her dissatisfaction.

    Eventually, however, the young girl realized that the little raven was in fact, providing guidance than leading her astray.

    Compared to her original intention of simplifying the current objective before her and taking a direct route through the sea of vines, the little raven introduced a series of winding turns and sidesteps whilst traversing the forest.

    These maneuvers elapsed more time compared to her path of charging through, but attracted the attention of less fierce creatures in exchange.

    The little raven had guided through the vine-filled patch of the forest in a short pace of what was a few hours, without having attracted the attention of a single fierce creature.

    When looking behind the path as she braced her foot against the bark of an unlucky tree, An Fei ruminated on the meticulousness behind the little creature''s choreographed path.

    ¡­she didn''t exactly remain on the ground, for one.

    There were certain occasions that required An Fei to leap from branch to branch, for the little raven had discerned the presence of numerous fierce creatures loitering around on the ground.

    Thus, the young girl had to repeatedly climb up the tree, swing herself around thicker branches to cross a larger distance, and hope that she wouldn''t fall partway through.

    ¡­the hope took the majority of her mental functions, for her eyes rhythmically memorized the pattern of in which the little raven flew, and mimicked it to the best extent her sore body could cope with.

    The only saving grace to her aching muscles and groaning tendons was that had she provoked those fierce creatures within the forest, she would have been able to cover the same amount of distance after having expended the combined effort of several days.

    "Xiao Hei, come back¡­" An Fei wheezed, clutching her heaving chest with a frail hand.

    The young girl perched herself on a high branch, her scarlet irises begging for a little raven to return from its temporary post at a tree thirty meters across from her position.

    An Fei rested against the back of the tree, her labored breathing and rapid heartbeat with its irregular and certainly unhealthy rhythm nearly sending her into unconsciousness.

    Caw!

    Having noticed that the young girl was expended to her limits, the little creature unwillingly returned to perch on the leather bag''s strap.

    As her eyelashes fluttered, causing her vision to slightly warp from the exhaustion and blurred gaze, An Fei could faintly discern the region of the Wu Ji Forest just beyond the defining boundary of the vine-infested area.

    She seemed to have spotted a clear, scenic lake without any branches or leaves hanging overhead; one with a clear view of the moon, revealing the truth of the Wu Ji Forest each nightfall.

    The sea of trees gave way to enshrine the large lake, revealing the lonely sentinel that awaited the silver sun''s descent, gazing at the night sky of stars with a wistful sigh.

    An Fei wasn''t sure what lay beyond the vined region of the forest and lay directly within her reach, but it was sure to be anything but safe¡­

 158 An Unpleasant Forest Guardian Beast 1

    However An Fei wished to remain in her relaxed position for the night, the Sanctum whisked her body away the instant the sun completed its descent into the vast horizon.

    Before the little raven''s envious eyes, the young girl''s body dissolved into countless fragments of softly colored light, scattered by the awakening calls of the lake prowlers and night terrors within the Wu Ji Forest.

    Scratch that, An Fei was much more comfortable in the quiet and tranquil environment of the sanctuary of sky-blue crystal, than perch herself on a precarious branch directly above the gaping, hungry maws of fierce creatures starving for the night.

    It was a pity that the little raven couldn''t follow and had to remain as a displeased sentinel to guard over her nonexistent body, but alas, An Fei would never realize where exactly her ''raven'' had resided throughout the entire time until the critical moment.

    A moment too late, in her defense, but that was a fiasco in itself that could only be told at a later date.

    Caw!

    The lonely cry of a crow struck the Wu Ji Forest and awakened its nightly slumber of bloodlust, the crimson eyes of the raven greedily observing the fierce creatures underneath slaughter one another to satiate their ravenous stomachs.

    Nothing served better to take the edge of his own murderous intent than the rampant slaughtering of mortal creatures at the peak of their prime.

    Although it would save the miserable, stinky lass from his claws for another night, just she wait¡­

    The raven released an unreasonable cackle of laughter at the thought, berating itself in the next moment for nearly toppling off its perch and becoming a nearby prowling lion''s early midnight snack.

    ¨C

    The next day, An Fei bade the vine-covered region farewell for the last time.

    With a single leap towards her front, and utilizing the to negate any damage incurred from such a fall, the young girl had departed the region of the Wu Ji Forest.

    The last of the hanging vines vanished from her view, as the sea of plain and bare trees once again filled her vision.

    A trip that should have taken numerous days and perhaps weeks, achieved in a day and a few hours.

    "Somehow¡­ that region reminded me of something incredible horrible¡­"

    Caw!

    If anything, however, An Fei did not wish to be reminded of that creature''s presence. The young girl revealed a bizarre shiver at the thought of the grotesque bulbous head and the sea of vines laced with grey thorns¡­

    The little raven voiced its assent, its beak parting wide to swallow whole a gingko nut.

    Under An Fei''s concerned watch, the little creature choked on the large portion and its overconfidence, resulting in another iteration of a rather embarrassing endeavor enacted by both a human girl and a raven.

    The raven squawked in anger and embarrassment towards An Fei, only ceasing its actions once she had promised many times under its threatening gaze to never divulge the incident.

    However, the immortal sentience within was clearly cognizant of the fact that once it turned its back, the stinky lass was keeping track of the number of times such an incident had occurred thus far.

    That annoying Jun Mo; only he and his spiritual imprint of a crow would perform those types of nonsensical and brainless behavior!

    "Enough with the sulking, Xiao Hei, let''s go!"

    An Fei called from the side, slinging the leather bag over her shoulder. Once the little raven had resentfully returned to its perch, the young girl stretched her limbs and stepped forward to continue her journey through the forest with an invigorating shout.

    Somehow, as though she had expected it, the sea of trees before her seemed to be circling a large clearing.

    Towards her sides, the density of the trees was greatly above that of the patch of the forest directly ahead.

    With a confused expression lacing her countenance, the young girl carefully walked through the undergrowth, her eyes sweeping her surroundings numerous times.

    What increased her suspicion was the unnerving fact that there didn''t seem to be any fierce creature within the vicinity, regardless of the radius her perception stretched to accommodate.

    Moreover, the little raven on her shoulder remained devoid of any warning cries, a feat that usually did not occur.

    "What''s¡­ going on¡­"

    An Fei murmured, pressing against the back of her tree for support as she stepped forward. The young girl didn''t forget to prudently grasp the hilt of a butterfly sword, her eyes narrowed in caution.

    With that step, the young girl found for herself a large surprise, one that she didn''t expect.

    The forest suddenly opened to reveal a large lake with a diameter of fifty meters, devoid of the usual shroud of branches and leaves that dwarfed the sunlight striking the ground.

    As she squinted her eyes and utilized her free hand as a shade, An Fei discovered that the sea of trees truly parted to create the natural clearing.

    The lake was clear of any impurities, the colorless and transparent water reflecting the gentle twinkle of the sun''s radiance into An Fei''s eyes.

    At the fringe of the bank, hundreds of colorful flowers grew alongside the edge of where the water and earth met for a joyful reunion.

    The gentle and vibrant colors dazzled the young girl''s gaze, whilst the pleasant and faint mix of herbal fragrances inevitably caused her shoulders to loosen with a sigh.

    The scenic lake was as though it was cut directly from a paradise; devoid of unnecessary sound, unnecessary creatures, and reflecting a peaceful and quiet atmosphere.

    Caw!

    An Fei didn''t realize that while she appreciated the glistening lustre of the lake and its addictingly tranquil environment, her legs had been softly propelling her towards the edge of the bank.

    The little raven''s startled cry shook the young girl awake, and she looked downwards to realize the gravity of her circumstances.

    Her feet were just centimeters from the lake water, and the gentle grass tickled at her legs as if to continue tantalizing her attention.

    However, the young girl fiercely backpedaled until she felt secure, only reaching out towards the surface of the water with her right hand once she felt her body had stabilized on the ground.

    The delicate, fair-skinned hand traversed through the air towards the pristine water, reflecting its fragility ¨C

    "Human, cease your actions."

    A booming voice abruptly reverberated throughout the clearing the instant An Fei''s right index finger tapped onto the surface of the water.

    Startled, the young girl clamored backwards, clutching the hilts of the butterfly swords as her gaze fiercely swept to her sides.

    The little raven leapt from the young girl''s shoulder to take flight, its crimson eyes fiercely gouging through the forest and the lake as it searched for the unknown speaker.

    A faint violet aura emanated from its wings, having regained its vicious and maddened intent that reflected pure savagery and violence.

    The handle-less steel sword behind An Fei soared to the skies, the scarlet radiance erupting from the inscriptions bathing the lake''s clear water with a dense hue of crimson.

    Maddened screams of death and destruction swamped the clearing, stamping aside the tranquil atmosphere of the Wu Ji Forest without mercy.

    "Human, cease your actions."

    Boom!

    From the center of the lake, a massive pillar of water exploded to thrash against the sky, scattering droplets of water in all directions as the massive shadow obscured behind it revealed itself.

    The instant the shadowy figure made its presence, the young girl shot to her feet, the twin butterfly swords unsheathed and revealing their biting and cold intent.

    A massive creature towered from the center of the lake, its mere presence dying the skies a darker shade of azure as thunder crackled near the clearing of the forest.

    "This¡­"

    That figure, An Fei had seen in mythology, in the festivals back on the streets of Shanghai and Beijing in celebration of New Years, and on certain engravings depicting the country''s past.

    However, the single glance was sufficient to confirm her guess; rather, there was no need to guess.

    Looming over her head with a height that dwarfed even that of the little raven''s maximum ceiling flight, was an authentic Oriental dragon.

    Perhaps, it wasn''t an actual dragon but one of its subspecies, the jiaolong.

    The flood dragon soared at a monolithic height of a hundred and twenty meters, the large and austere scales of cobalt and black revealing an imposing aura that threatened to squash the young girl to the ground if she angered the creature by even the slightest amount.

    The flood dragon clearly noticed An Fei''s dumbstruck and fearful countenance, but did nothing but release a puff of air.

    With vibrating whiskers that shook the foundations of the Wu Ji Forest to its core, the jiaolong blinked its eyes, speaking in a refined, collected, and calm voice that terrified the young girl until she was shivering uncontrollably.

    "I am the protector of the Wu Ji Forest. Speak your name and your purpose in my forest, human, lest I smite you with lightning!"

 159 An Unpleasant Forest Guardian Beast 2

    "I¡­"

    For a rather prolonged period of time, An Fei found herself unable to speak.

    The young girl realized herself incapable of anything else than stare at the large dragon towering over her existence, a completely blank gaze shrouding her countenance.

    After all, the jiaolong before her¡­ was a little too large.

    Each scale on its body was equivalent to her arm''s length if not her entire arm span, and the entire armor revealed a dull but imposing lustre that seared her eyes.

    The scales of cobalt and black blotted out a portion of the sun''s rays that struck the earth, the massive shadow trailing behind sufficient to squash An Fei to pieces without remorse.

    And when it spoke, the entire Wu Ji Forest trembled with fear and reverence.

    The molecules in the air vibrated as they sang an eulogy to the target of the forest protector''s ire, the atmosphere adopting a queer resonance with the deafening bellow that permeated the sea of trees to its farthest reaches.

    The swaying of the grass intensified at the hum of the dragon, the fragile strands and stems abruptly adopting a violent and vicious aura as they unceasingly swatted at An Fei''s legs.

    When the delicate but sharp tip of a nearby strand grazed against the back of her knee, the young girl regained her consciousness.

    Her scarlet irises tinged with a visible sheen of unease and apprehension, she took multiple steps backward, her hands tightly gripping the cool hilts of the butterfly swords.

    "Oh please, human."

    The jiaolong rumbled with a bored voice, its eyes revealing a hint of disdain towards the actions of the young girl underneath its gaze.

    The protector of the Wu Ji Forest displayed a visible scoff, the scales on its body rippling with an obvious, satirical mirth.

    "Human, do you think that with your puny cultivation of a Foundation Establishment can unleash harm onto this protector''s body? Nevertheless, be it your two cutting knives or that illegitimate child behind your back, what harm can they serve?"

    An Fei merely gulped at the arrogant but domineering statement of the flood dragon, her hands inadvertently loosening their grip on the butterfly swords.

    The coalesced mass of spiritual essence in her heart vibrated with an urgent and fearful roar, quickly convincing the young girl to adopt a possible means of escape.

    The handle-less sword, on the other hand, did not seem to adopt the same attitude as its wielder. The instant the jiaolong questioned the steel blade''s origins, the incomplete sword seethed with fury, the inscriptions along its blade erupting with a scarlet radiance that enveloped the entirety of the lake''s surroundings.

    "Mh?"

    Roar!

    "-Hey!"

    The handle-less sword completely ignored the young girl''s surprised shout as it soared towards the head of the jiaolong, the deadly tip of the sword aimed directly at the base of the dragon''s inverse scale.

    As it surged upwards in the air, the tangible radiance of bloodthirst and malice converged into a dense stream of light behind the sword, as though forming a makeshift pommel.

    "A mere spiritual tool dares to harm this protector?"

    The flood dragon released a snort of disdain, a cobalt-scaled claw rising to accept the steel blade''s challenge.

    The claw that was larger than An Fei''s body by at least twice her height lazily traversed the air to firmly collide against the steel edge of the handle-less sword, accompanied by a bored eyeroll from the jiaolong.

    Ping!

    Much to An Fei''s expectation and hidden disappointment, the handle-less sword''s trajectory was fully impeded and reversed by the nonchalant flick from the dragon.

    The steel blade screamed with fury and rage as it was hurled back towards the ground with a velocity thrice its initial speed, and the soft earth groaned with masochistic torment as it embraced the piercing sensation of a sword embedding itself with reluctance soaring to the ninth heaven.

    The flood dragon leaned downwards until all the young girl could see was the black pillar amongst a sea of yellow glaring at her existence, a rumbling snort of disdain booming in a form not unfamiliar with thunder.

    "Hmph!" The jiaolong sneered, a whisker slashing in a large arc to sweep past the young girl''s body to whip the ground.

    "What an interesting toothpick you have, human. Alas, whilst it may contest with a creature of the Nascent Soul Realm, albeit with some difficulty, it cannot pierce my scales, much less leave a single scratch!"

    An Fei''s already pale countenance adopted a fiercer sheen of white, and her knees quivered and lost their strength.

    As much as she deeply desired to topple onto the ground and call it quits, the young girl nibbled on her bottom lip and unsteadily faced the large dragon eye with much hesitation evident in her gaze.

    "Er¡­" the young girl mumbled, the scarlet irises numbed with a fearful and exasperated daze.

    "It wasn''t my fault the sword did that?"

    For a brief instant, An Fei swore to her heart that she spectated the large flood dragon''s golden eye contract with disbelief, the golden sea restraining a throbbing current of depraved praise and applause.

    Before she could obtain a second glance, a fierce shutter of the flood dragon''s eyelids extinguished the frozen atmosphere at once, a tsunami of scorn washing over the young girl''s soul in the next moment.

    "Hahaha!"

    The protector of the forest broke into a distorted laugh, the entire forest from the earth to the tips of the tallest trees reverberating with its mirth.

    As An Fei''s body sought refuge in the tiny cracks between each shattering wave of sheer force exuding from the dragon''s body, a glorious tirade soared over her head.

    "You didn''t command your sword to strike; then who did, ah? Attempting to deceive the protector of this forest, your shamelessness must exceed no bounds. If not for that thin stream of spiritual essence connecting that toothpick to your body, you, human, would become an excellent trickster."

    "You don''t even know the basics of cultivation yet you step into the Wu Ji Forest instead of drinking your mother''s milk," the flood dragon scathed with a tinge of sardonic righteousness.

    "Perhaps my assessment was wrong, you do not lack shame as I once accused. No, you must be a complete imbecile, for you saunter into my forest and slaughter my people, and you launch an excuse of an autonomous spiritual treasure without even studying the basics of cultivation ¨C that, that is the epitome of stupidity, and you, human girl, are a prime example!"

    The flood dragon''s claws raked across the lake''s surface, retrieving and hurling large globules of water towards the young girl. Her mind reeling from the incomprehensible and self-righteous words of the flood dragon,

    An Fei did not even realize that her body had automatically evaded the incoming projectiles, or the dragon had even thrown water at her face.

    ¡­what was an autonomous spiritual treasure?

    From the dragon''s words, the continent did not seem to possess one? Other than the sword requiring her spiritual essence to manifest and repair its phantom appearance, it was fully independent in its secondary actions¡­ was that not autonomous?

    "Tch, you won''t even let this protector splash water on you."

    The dragon''s cobalt and black scales rippled with a tinge of dissatisfaction, the golden whiskers wreaking havoc onto the soft earth to vent its anger.

    The jiaolong merely glared at the young girl with a single golden, baleful eye, releasing a series of frustrated breaths as though its favorite toy had been stolen from its claws.

    "¡­you really are unpleasant, do you know that?"

    The young girl finally recovered her mentality after witnessing the flood dragon''s abnormal behaviors and moods, her countenance easily displaying the bemused expression the protector of the Wu Ji Forest had failed to emulate.

    The dragon visibly recoiled at An Fei''s abrupt statement, before quivering with laughter.

    "I say, little human, your courage truly knows no bounds, ah!" the dragon chortled amidst the young girl, the soft earth, and the atmosphere''s shared groan of discomfort.

    "You slaughter my people without mercy, and stand before my presence without a single care of your expression. Tell me, where does a little human doll like you obtain such courage and strength as a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator?"

    "Huh?"

    An Fei froze, her astonishingly beautiful countenance scrunched in bewilderment.

    The young girl tilted her head towards the right as she craned her head upward towards the dragon''s golden eyes, before her delicate lips parted to speak after a long moment''s contemplation.

    "I¡­ just walked through the forest; I really do need to be somewhere, after all. As for those fierce creatures¡­" the young girl paused.

    The flood dragon''s long-lived age and accumulation of experiences detected a hint of an interesting secret within An Fei''s words, and couldn''t help but draw closer as though to firmly capture the young human girl''s mosquito-like voice that was pleasing to the ear and heart, but fleeting to the soul.

    "I just stood back and watched my sword do the work for me. Sorry¡­ if that dampened your mood¡­?"

    Pu!

    A violent and invincible strike to the core, without allowing the construction of any defense whatsoever!

 160 An Unpleasant Forest Guardian Beast 3

    For that single moment, that single moment only, the Wu Ji Forest feared for its survival from an unforeseen and unstoppable threat.

    Be it the trees, plants, or animals trekking across the earth, all inhabitants visible froze as their souls quivered from the immense pressure forcing them to prostrate onto the ground and beg for the slightest hint for mercy.

    The fiercer creatures dove into their burrow with their claws clutching their body in fear, and the weaker-minded were directly executed without being granted the chance of appeal.

    The forest hummed with a disconcerted and genuinely concerned atmosphere, its core throbbing with the anxious intent of uprooting its settlement and fleeing to the corner of the earth.

    Of course, the threat''s source was not the numerous transference arrays that besotted the earth; the humans of Great Yong had achieved a successful negotiation with the Wu Ji Forest prior to constructing their effective transportation system exclusive to Jiang''an.

    It neither originated from an external entity separate from the forest.

    A rouge cultivator did not threaten to exterminate the Wu Ji Forest, nor had a past enemy knocked on its doorstep demanding vindication from the heavens.

    "Dear heavens, what is that batty old dragon thinking!?"

    The Wu Ji Forest seethed as its inhabitants suffered to the completely unleashed and condensed aura of its own guardian beast, the core running amok from tree to tree as it attempted to discern the circumstance.

    Each perished carcass that it witnessed alongside its journey was mutilated and pummeled into a pool of blood and mangled flesh; a direct circumstance of a Mortal Tribulation Realm cultivator''s aura.

    As for the grumpy old dragon responsible for the forest''s greatest genocide as to date¡­

    "You still haven''t told me your name, little human girl."

    The flood dragon coiled its body and sunk back into the lake''s immeasurable depths, leaving behind a spectacularly large dragon head to float atop and stare at the young girl.

    With An Fei directly before its sights, the old vengeful dragon decided to determine itself on the age-old path of vindication, musing with delightful satisfaction at the young girl squirming under its eyes.

    "You''re still really unpleasant."

    Being stared at by two suns of golden light brimming with a petty malice¡­ was nowhere near acceptable or comfortable.

    An Fei shot back at the prideful dragon with an equal bemusement, her eyebrow shooting towards the heavens at the dragon''s noticeable scowl of discontent.

    "Name!" the jiaolong growled, the deafening rumble of thunder nearly shaking the young girl into blissful realm of unconsciousness.

    An Fei snorted at the rude behavior of the protector of the Wu Ji Forest, before revealing an unpleasant expression as she clutched at her stomach with both hands.

    The young girl desperately stopped herself from retching, the squirming of her insides manifesting an immeasurable torment to strike her consciousness.

    "My name -urgh! ¨C is An¡­ An Fei."

    The young girl gasped between clenched teeth, beads of sweat gracing her brow to drip onto the suffering grass below her body.

    A moment later, An Fei released a long sigh of relief, her inner organs singing with joy at the reduced suppression imposed on her body.

    Her internals were still being jostled by the vibrations in the air when the dragon''s throat undulated, but it had subsided to a tolerable extent.

    "¡­that''s an interesting name."

    The flood dragon''s whiskers brushed across the young girl''s head with a surprisingly gentle arc, the anticipated pain replaced by an unusual warmth.

    The completely unaccounted for sensation thoroughly roused An Fei''s downed consciousness, and she glanced at the jiaolong with befuddlement in her gaze.

    "What are you doing?"

    "Ah?"

    The guardian beast of the Wu Ji Forest blinked in surprise, before pinching his side with his claws underneath the surface of the lake.

    As the sear of pain flashing through his nerves sobered his unusually intoxicated soul, the flood dragon berated itself with a sufficiently deadly quantity of curses before returning its gaze onto the young girl.

    "Why have you come to my forest, human girl?"

    An Fei bristled at the nonexistent use of her name that had been coerced from her body, temporarily managing to quell her disgruntled anger.

    Puffing her cheeks, the young girl glared at the exquisite surface of the lake, her hand raised to the sky to brush off the annoying flood dragon''s whisker laid on her head.

    "I came with a group of people through a¡­ a transference array."

    The young girl racked her mind in an effort to recall Luo Xi''s description of the fearful gate that night, the scarlet irises reflecting a glum mood at the thought.

    "Only¡­ the group later ditched me behind in the forest. I just want to leave, ah."

    "Human lass, this is the wrong direction of travel if you wished to leave the forest," the flood dragon curled its trailing whiskers as though to searching an apt manner to express its bemusement.

    "Clearly, I just realized that!"

    An Fei scowled in annoyance, pinching herself on the arm through the linen coat in an afterthought.

    The young girl directed a furtive glance towards the flood dragon, only to discover that the aged jiaolong was doing the exact same action.

    Both of them cherished the peace that they had acquired for the moment, thus creating a rather awkward atmosphere that nearly strangled the entirety of the lake''s vicinity.

    The young girl and the massive flood dragon both stared at their reflections in the lake, musing in their thoughts in uninterrupted silence.

    The comforting silence that pulsed through their veins and calmed their hearts¡­ neither wished to even think of the process required to attain such a result.

    All An Fei would admit in her mind was that it had taken a handle-less sword and a dislodged inverse scale, along with a few hundred thousand innocent inhabitants of the forest slaughtered throughout the entire ordeal due to the dragon''s rampant cultivation immobilizing and embalming those below its strength.

    As for the fact that more innocent creatures were perishing as the jiaolong had forgotten to withdraw its aura beyond the lake¡­ the young girl was blissfully unaware.

    Finalizing her thoughts as she glanced at the pair of cracked scarlet irises and the confoundment and unsettled emotions seeping through the unsightly cracks, An Fei took it upon herself to break the delicate treaty of silence.

    "Big dragon, can I ask you a question?"

    The flood dragon raised an eyebrow at the young girl''s flagrant decorum, releasing a disgruntled huff of air in an affirmative. Unknowingly encouraged by the dragon''s nonplussed mood, the young girl pressed on, her throat anxiously gulping down a breath of sweet air.

    "How¡­ would you obtain revenge?"

    "Ah?"

    The massive flood dragon blinked in surprise at the sudden question uttered from the seemingly delicate and fragile human doll on the bank of the lake, its golden eyes revealing a trace of incomprehension.

    Nonetheless, the protector of the Wu Ji Forest drew in a deep breath, glancing at the young girl with a solemn aura.

    "Revenge¡­ depending on the circumstances and specifics, this protector would either slaughter the perpetrator''s family in retaliation, challenge them to a life or death duel, or assault them during a critical period in their cultivation to trigger a severe backlash," the dragon mused, its whiskers brushing against the underside of its chin.

    "However, revenge must not be made the crucial component of your life. Since you are at the middle stages of Foundation Establishment, the dedication of revenge would surely distort the long and extensive road of cultivation before you, human girl."

    "Revenge must not be made the crucial component of my life¡­"

    An Fei contemplated in silence, her eyes narrowing towards her reflection. Ignoring the dragon who continued to glance at her with interest, the young girl stared at the lake as her mind submerged itself in her thoughts.

    From the depths of her heart, An Fei felt that the Empress of Great Yong was truly despicable.

    Her calculating and cold actions crippled not only the future aspirations of a young girl, but also any emotional attachment or trust towards another person.

    However, the young girl couldn''t help but admit that when applying the cold and truthful logical reasoning behind the human consciousness, Feng Yu Xin''s actions were not necessarily despotic.

    To assist a lifelong friend in his moment of dire trouble, An Fei would probably not hesitate to resort to unscrupulous means.

    Even as she criticized the Empress''s actions towards her life, the young girl found herself capable of committing a similar act had she been in the same circumstances.

    -if only she could trust such a ''friend'', that was.

    "I¡­ want revenge. But I have to first survive and return to Jiang''an."

    The young girl whispered to herself, her delicate fingers playing with the pitiful strands of grass below her body.

    "When I return, Father can thus complete my revenge; since it started without me, it should probably end without me to reduce the unnecessary risks¡­"

    To survive¡­

    The concept seemed laughable to the young girl, yet her heart pined for the words on An Xiang Yang''s final letter. The heart pined for what the mind shunned, passionate emotion pleading against the cold and despicable reasoning of the consciousness.

    To survive, regardless of the circumstance. To enjoy life filled with the pleasures and happiness that she had missed out on her previous attempt.

    "Big dragon," the young girl finally uttered to her unwilling acquaintance in the lake.

    "How do I leave this forest?"

 161 An Unpleasant Forest Guardian Beast 4

    The Wu Ji Forest finally erupted in an uproar.

    Mourning over the countless fallen innocent lives of both the herbs and animals of the forest, the surviving compatriots rushed towards the central region of the forest, towards the forbidden lake that housed the serene tranquility that protected their lives.

    The suppressive aura released by the forest''s protector had removed a multitude of lives from the forest''s populace, leaving behind a trail of death and fear that exceeded that of the young girl''s tyrannical march that gladly ceased a few days earlier.

    In perspective, the damage dealt to the Wu Ji Forest''s vitality and lifespan was not significant in the slightest, but perspectives were to remain as perspectives until the collapse of time.

    Wallowing in their grief, the creatures who could move all migrated towards the central lake of tranquility and repose, wishing to at the minimum, exhort an explanation from the mighty flood dragon.

    ROAR!

    As they neared the perimeter of the tranquilizing lake immersed in the purest quality of the atmospheric spiritual qi within the forest, the deafening roar of an authentic flood dragon shook through the entire Wu Ji Forest.

    The shockwave rampaged through the trees as they swept all existences aside, the imperial prestige of the dragon''s race chilling the blood of those present.

    Their souls quailed in fear, trembling as they awaited the arrival of their hastened doomsday.

    Be it animal or plant, all creatures within the Wu Ji Forest, the forest''s core included, kneeled with trepidation as they awaited the orders from the seemingly enraged guardian beast.

    Perhaps the forest would be razed to the ground this afternoon, without requiring the arrival of one of their past enemies.

    Just as their souls seemed to cave in on themselves in suspended fear, the ground wailed in agony as a tremendous force shook the earth.

    Boom!

    A large pillar of water soared to greet the heavens, towering over even the peak of the tallest trees of the Wu Ji Forest.

    The secondary shockwave of the impact seemed to render the nearby creatures into unconsciousness, their souls fleeing from their physical body from the shock.

    Perhaps if they had remained to observe the source of the shockwave, the lake of tranquility that served as the central cornerstone behind the forest''s unending vitality, their souls would have shattered from disbelief.

    A massive stream of cobalt and black rushed towards the clear sky, each and every scale on its rippling body exuding a tangible aura of nobility and dominance.

    The enormous dragon unfurled its body to its greatest length, a hundred twenty meters of pure strength causing the sky to nervously gulp down a century''s worth of its lifespan.

    A Mortal Tribulation creature was not to be offended, for there would be great strife and death!

    The flood dragon of the Wu Ji Forest suddenly veered towards the south, transforming into a stream of cobalt and black light that blazed through the skies.

    As the terrified subjects within the forest kowtowed in respect, they all simultaneously frowned in an abrupt manner, their souls resonating with a tinge of bewilderment.

    It was so far away¡­ definitely out of reach from their discernable perception of hearing, but was that¡­

    "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

    Instantly, trillions of creatures within the Wu Ji Forest clapped their foreheads with as much force as they could muster, their souls screaming with an unlimited exasperation and resentment.

    A beauty''s cry, especially a delicate and tender one simply from the youthful and fragile voice?

    Seriously, Lord Protector, to quarrel with a beautiful concubine, you slaughtered your own subjects with your aura unleashed to the fullest for a prolonged period of time?

    Men are truly obsessed over pretty women, regardless of their age or species, ah.

    ¨C

    "You ¨C cough ¨C why did you do that, ah!?"

    An Fei howled at the large flood dragon in anger and disbelief the instant her feet touched solid ground.

    Her vision had yet to recover from the unspeakable and horrifying experience, and the numbness coursing through her entire body proved that the remainder of her sensory abilities had yet to expose their visage as well.

    Soon enough, the urge to vomit overwhelmed her thoroughly beaten consciousness, and the young girl fell to her hands and knees to empty the contents of her stomach onto the ground.

    ¡­it was unknown how the young girl found it within herself to curse at the dragon in between retch, for her eyes were desperately emptying themselves of tears to preserve whatever remaining dignity they were allowed to possess.

    "You-you-you ¨C argh ¨C why, ah!?" the young girl spluttered, ignoring the flabbergasted expression on the flood dragon''s countenance.

    "You could have at least ¨C cough ¨C let me know that you¡­ you¡­"

    The young girl weakly collapsed onto the ground after rolling away from her disaster, her fragile body heaving for breath.

    The massive dragon''s head loomed over An Fei to thoroughly examine her physique, rolling an eyeball at her obvious fragility.

    "Of all of the humans this protector has met in my lifespan, you are the weakest of them all, ah," the jiaolong sighed with incredulity.

    "Just how did you become this weak? Even trekking through my forest would guarantee a somewhat invigorated physique, but you¡­"

    Maybe human males enjoyed their female counterparts as deliciously fragile and delicate as possible?

    The flood dragon pondered in its heart, eventually turning its gaze away from the utterly defeated young girl to glance at the chaotic forest.

    As it soared into the air to disappear into the depths of the Wu Ji Forest, the rumble of thunder conveyed a final message into An Fei''s ears.

    "This protector has delivered you out of the forest as you requested, so don''t you come back unless it''s absolutely necessary, ah. This protector can''t lose any more of my subjects from your hideous toothpick."

    A broken wheeze escaped the young girl''s throat as her body rolled to her right.

    There, An Fei could see the faint shadow of a forest shrouded in a dense mist, the sea of trees obscured in an impenetrable veil that was thinner than paper.

    A roll to her left revealed the faint outline of an open plains, devoid of any towering trees or branches daring to blot out the existence of the sun.

    The dull realization took several moments for the disoriented An Fei to compute, her eyes gradually widening as her mind jolted itself awake.

    She had¡­ she had finally left the forest.

    A month with the dreadful monsoon, then an approximate amount of at least three months wasted on her journey¡­

    "Oh, take this as well. Don''t chase after my daughter''s pelt, ah?"

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    CAW!

    A soft ball rammed into her chest, causing the little raven nestled in her arms to leap and scream in startled anger.

    The little creature had suffered even more than An Fei during the ordeal in the sky, and had cycled through a series of blackouts and forceful awakenings throughout the entire flight.

    When the soft ball coincidentally slammed onto its head, the little raven had experienced enough as it exploded with an aura seeking death and malevolence, not unlike that of the handle-less sword.

    "Xiao Hei¡­"

    The young girl murmured in a delirious haze, her consciousness hazy from exhaustion.

    Her mind quickly gave in under the pressure of the accumulated sensations of having her internal organs jostled and resonated by an intense pressure, and An Fei fled to the safe confines of the Sanctum.

    The idea of exploring her circumstances, and the mysterious present the dragon had hurled into her lap at the final moment¡­ all were forgotten as the young girl merely sought a good rest.

    Yip!

    The innocent intruder to the group of a young girl and little raven shrieked in panic as the warm body serving as its nest suddenly vanished, tears brimming in its hazel eyes.

    Its numerous tails swung back and forth as it pawed its body in fear, directing a glance demanding pity towards the little raven only to be met by a pair of cold, vicious, and enraged violet irises.

 162 A March Across A Tedious Plains 1

    "I left the forest."

    The words incessantly revolved around each other within An Fei''s mind, each cycle producing a roaring revelation that tugged at the base of her heart.

    Her limbs tingled with a rushing sensation of numbness, as though she had completed a grave task.

    The Wu Ji Forest that she had once stood within without any concrete dissertation of orientation, now acted as the background brushing against her back in tune with the gentle breeze.

    Before her lay the scenery of a long stretching plains, a far cry from that of the forest.

    The knee-high grass was still the same, but the lack of a single tree or winding branch arching over her head was oddly exhilarating.

    The young girl released a heavy sigh of relief within the Sanctum, her lithe body aptly sliding under the comfortable blankets.

    With a wave of her hand, the bedcurtains drew shut, and a warm darkness surged in to draw the single occupant to the fleeting land of dreams.

    "I left the forest."

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    The single whisper resounded throughout the boudoir of sky-blue crystal, the crystalline surfaces reverberating with a cheerful glint of gold and blue.

    The next day, An Fei arose from her delightful sleep, freshened her conscious with a shower and a fulfilling breakfast, and departed from the safe confines of the Sanctum.

    The young girl yawned and stretched her limbs whilst being bathed by the soft, golden rays of sunlight, her beautiful countenance brimming with a delightful complexion.

    Of course, when she opened her eyes to greet her companions, she found a resentful pair of crimson eyes, and a tearful pair of hazel.

    ¨C

    "Xiao Hei, when did I get a fox?"

    A young girl casually remarked to the little raven perched on her shoulder as she walked through the grasses of the plains, her hands gently brushing the strands of her hair that were teased and tussled by the gentle breeze.

    Staring at the bright sky, she wished that she had brought a parasol to block the blinding rays that seeped into her vision, or perhaps a wide-brimmed hat.

    Caw!

    The little raven clamped on the straps of the leather bag in a discontented mood, refusing to glance at the young girl''s visage as it fired a noncommittal reply.

    "The dragon tossed it to me?" the young girl raised an eyebrow, an amused tinge seeping within the base of the pair of scarlet irises.

    Caw!

    "Eh¡­"

    An Fei mused in interest, unaware that her cheerful heart caused the little raven''s mood to plummet by an equal magnitude.

    The young girl even patted her cheeks, her countenance blooming with a delightful smile that stretched from ear to ear.

    The giant dragon had given her a seven-tailed fox!

    Given as the protector of the Wu Ji Forest was most likely annoyed with her regarding her series of wanton slaughters, the seven-tailed fox was probably nothing special within the mysterious forest.

    From an analytical perspective, even An Fei with her suppressed cultivation could squash the creature with her finger, much less utilize the sword.

    But the fur was the exact same quality as the nine-tailed fox that she had fought with in the forest!

    The exact same ¨C no, it was even better!

    The young girl couldn''t help but eagerly swallow, her right hand rubbing away the trace of drool that threatened to seep from the corner of her lip.

    Ignoring the rustling of grass as they brushed against her legs protected only by a pair of pants, An Fei even nursed the urge to whistle a tune.

    She had a little raven on her left shoulder, and a little fox on her right.

    Grabbing the little creature and nestling it in her arms, the young girl extended her index and middle fingers to gently rub at the silken fur, her eyes closing in utter satisfaction at the blissful sensation that throbbed at her fingertips.

    An Fei even paused to continue her indulgent action, completely ignoring the dissatisfied glare stabbing at her cheek from her left shoulder.

    The heavenly bliss!

    She could only describe the sensation as though rubbing warm cream, the texture and consistency refined to the ninth heaven.

    Furthermore, the little fox quivered with each stroke, producing a new and utterly tantalizing experience for the young girl.

    Addicting! It was completely addicting for ¨C

    Caw!

    The little raven shrieked towards the sky, its crimson eyes blazing with anger.

    The sudden cry caused An Fei to snap back to her senses, and glance down towards her unmoving feet.

    With an embarrassed flush, the young girl shrugged her shoulders, deigning to continue her journey to disguise her flustered state.

    "Ahem, that wasn''t intentional!" the young girl shook her head towards the little compatriot glaring at her from the side.

    "Right, it wasn''t intentional, I just got lost in my thoughts¡­"

    They were within a large, expansive plains.

    After leaving the Wu Ji Forest, An Fei found herself in a sea of green grass, the strands reaching up to her waist, if not to her chest in certain areas. As far as her eyes could perceive, the young girl found a similar stretch of land in every direction ¨C covered with grass, and devoid of anything else.

    No trees, no creatures, just a quiet sea of grass.

    "The old dragon mentioned to continue walking in a straight line until I encountered a town¡­" the young girl kneaded at the faint drops of sweat on her brow.

    "After that point, I should have returned to human society? Although, I don''t know why he only labeled this area as a wasteland; the grass is so green and brimming with vitality, what could be the problem?"

    "Xiao Hei, do you know?"

    The young girl tilted her head and glanced back towards the little raven, an inquisitive expression on her countenance.

    The soft and charming voice and a pair of scarlet irises locked with two crimson beads, and the little creature hopped on her shoulder with its wings spread to the sides.

    Caw!

    "I see, you don''t know either¡­" An Fei sighed with puffed cheeks.

    "After all, you merely grew up in a forest ¨C how would you know where humans live?"

    Caw!

    Little lass, where did you obtain such a conclusion!?

    The sentient immortal within the raven cried with an anguished expression, his countenance distorted by his disbelief.

    Alas, the little raven''s continued cries merely caused the young girl to become further assuaged in her deduction, causing a rather ruffled immortal''s annoyance to surge to the sky.

    "Xiao Hei, do you detect any fierce creatures around?"

    The young girl suddenly spoke, her eyes carefully roaming through her surroundings. An Fei''s brows furrowed into a deep frown, but the young girl elected to continue walking, albeit her vigilance surged towards the sky.

    Caw?

    It seemed that something¡­ was nearby.

    Due to the world brutally suppressing An Fei''s cultivation endowed by the spiritual essence of the Sanctum, she was unable to discern what exactly the disturbance was, but the discomfiting sensation at her heart was sufficient to raise her vigil.

    The little raven braced itself on the leather strap, its wings prepared to alight the instant it detected any trouble.

    The young girl, little raven, and a small fox tread through the plains, their hearts weary as though laden with heavy stones.

    The grass rustled with its usual unhurried sway, the breeze brushing over the tips of the strands to coil around the young girl''s body. Overhead, the sun continued to ruffle its pulses of blistering heat, the golden rays basking over the fertile land.

    The large plains cast a scenic environment, one that exuded a natural aura of tranquility and peace from a single glance.

    The lack of bloodshed, the picturesque sunlight, and a comforting breeze ¨C compared to the brutal environment of the Wu Ji Forest, the plains were simply a paradise on earth.

    Even An Fei had to agree with such an assessment. The sunlight wasn''t obstructed by branches or leaves, and fierce creatures were not present, thus guaranteeing her safety.

    She had disengaged the handle-less sword, fearing that the steel blade with its ever-present aura of malevolence would heavily distort the environment.

    The serene movements of the grass, the tepid yet playful breeze, with warm sunlight bathing her body in a soft, comfortable glow ¨C what else would calm the heart?

    Only, why could she not remove the shadow of unease in her heart?

 163 A March Across a Tedious Plains 2

    In the evening, An Fei finally received a clue regarding her unreasonable fear. It came not from an external source in the form of an attack, nor was it a drastic drop in temperature.

    She received the hint at sunset, and additional clues at midnight.

    Yip!

    As the golden ball of fire hovering in the sky neared the conclusive moments of its daily departure, the small fox in her arms pawed at An Fei''s chest in hunger.

    The little raven glared at the small, insufferable brat, and the young girl merely squeezed her arms in a gentle assurance.

    She wished to witness the sunset from the plains for the first time, as though to cement the picturesque depiction of absolute calm and peace within her memory.

    An Fei had the unconscious urge that if she dared miss such a moment, a large secret would be hidden from her gaze.

    Thus, the young girl stood in silence, accompanied by a little raven and a small fox.

    She stood in the midst of a large plains that stretched to unimaginable lengths on either side of her vision, and a massive forest guarding her back.

    The young girl stood in the middle of the plains of tranquility with a soft smile on her lips, the pair of scarlet irises carefully observing the downfall of the sun.

    Her eyes possessed a lingering trace of spiritual essence, protecting her vision from harm as she dared to glare directly at the surface of the ball of golden flame.

    As An Fei stared, the golden ball sank into the horizon, morphing the azure skies into a dazzling mixture of yellow, gold and scarlet.

    The dull golden rays spanning across the surface of the sky seemed to pulsate with an intention of resurrection, as though revealing its determination of persevering to the final conclusion, then withstanding its aftermath.

    The azure sea suspended in the air quivered as the golden rays pierced through the expansive and resentful wall of the night, erupting into a final stand against the moon.

    The yellow mass of the sun burned the ground of the horizon, and An Fei could perceive horrendous fires spanning across the black line representing the ultimate rift of the earth that sheltered the sun for the night.

    The fires razed through the barriers the earth had construed, striking deep into the ground without mercy.

    And the halos of scarlet¡­ the sun bled each day, to achieve its sacrifice of sunset. The scarlet rivers dyed the horizon with a pink flush, and the fires surged to unimaginable heights, the pillars of flame screaming with the intent of self-immolation and consecration.

    A divine legion of immortal soldiers that attempted to complete their final task of sanctifying and burying their fallen general, but the enemy sought to prevent their advance at every available junction. Immortal lives were reaped, and the world was cleaved into numerous fragments from the thrusts of the heavenly spears.

    "What¡­" An Fei gasped, her mouth gaping at the sight.

    The sun and the earth killed each other at two instances each day.

    The sun cremated the earth each evening, and the earth sundered a deep wound into the golden ball of flame as the payment for sunset.

    Then at dusk, the sun shattered the horizon to escape into the sky, the golden fire seething with an urge to seek vindication.

    Only, why did the sun and earth fight each other?

    Were they not part of a single ¨C

    [Do not fall to the temptations of mortal enlightenment].

    A peal of melodious bells rang within the young girl''s mind, thoroughly eradicating the scene of the battle between the sun and the earth.

    The abrupt collapse of the mental projection caused An Fei''s consciousness to reel backwards in fright, hissing in pain from the brusque intervention of the bells.

    The ancient battlefield of the divine legion and the obscure shadows vanished from the young girl''s vision, and all that remained was the darkened sky beyond twilight.

    The austere sky of black divided into its respective hues caused a confused expression to arise across An Fei''s countenance, her brows furrowing into a delicate frown.

    "Do not fall to the temptations of mortal enlightenment¡­" the young girl whispered, the fingers of her right hand clenching into a tight fist to rest above her heavily beating heart.

    The small fox nestled below whined in complaint, but was quickly assuaged by another gentle squeeze. The young girl glanced at the earth that served as the horizon just prior, before raising her gaze to the sky.

    "This world¡­ what exactly is it?"

    An Fei pondered in silence, unaware that her movements were under the careful surveillance of the little raven.

    Furthermore, the raven''s eyes were nearly bulging in shock, barely restraining the shade of violet from overtaking the pair of crimson beads.

    At the same time, Dongfang Yu surged to his feet within the infinite corridor of sky-blue crystal, his heart pounding with fear and shock.

    "J-just how does she know?" the youth whispered, his fingers digging deeply into his chest.

    "Who¡­ who is this mortal girl, to know such a secret of the Realm¡­"

    ¨C

    Yip!

    Having recognized the passing of the astounding event of witnessing the first sunset within an expansive plains, the small fox curled against the young girl''s bosom, pawing An Fei''s chest as it''s stomach growled in hunger.

    The pitiful little creature even waved its seven tails in desperation, tears nearly pouring from the pair of hazel eyes.

    "Ah¡­" An Fei palpitated, her right hand anxiously flashing to rest atop the small fox''s fur, gently caressing the heavenly fur as though to calm the creature''s mood.

    "Right, you need to eat as well¡­"

    The young girl recognized the underly gravity of her circumstances, especially regarding their food and water supply.

    In a plains as large as this and devoid of trees, their first goal was to escape it as fast as possible.

    Each pressing day was equivalent to a day that lacerated their remaining supply of nutrition, and would eventually lead to death.

    The little raven could rely on the gingko nuts she had harvested from the Wu Ji Forest before encountering the unpleasant guardian beast; An Fei was certain that should the little creature not partake in a mania-infested binge, its food supply could be sustained for a month.

    She could retreat within the Sanctum for her meals if necessary, and necessary they probably were¡­

    "¡­but what do foxes eat?" the young girl blurted, her gaze unfocused and restless.

    "Are they carnivores? Or are they capable of consuming herbal nutrition? Can they accept a diverse range of supplements, or is it confined to a strict category?"

    A slew of questions barraged the silent and unresponsive twilight atmosphere, and the young girl''s mood plummeted by a margin with each question.

    The little raven and the small fox''s heads drooped at the downhearted expression of An Fei, but compared to the mildly depressed aura exuding from her body, the young girl was pondering over a more drastic question.

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    Could she feed the small fox vegetables from the Sanctum?

    "It won''t explode¡­ probably?" the young girl murmured, causing the little raven''s beak to soar to the sky.

    Caw?

    What will explode?

    The little raven tilted its head in puzzlement, only to have its crimson eyes bulge in absolute horror and a tinge of schadenfreude the next moment.

    The little creature watched in awe as the young girl decisively plucked several strands of lush grass, presenting it to the small fox with an apologetic sigh.

    Yip!?

    The small fox''s ears bared, the seven tails flaring behind its body in a defensive posture the instant it saw the strands of grass.

    "I know, ah¡­" An Fei consoled the startled and terrified small fox with a gentle rub.

    "But I don''t have anything for you to eat at the moment¡­ and I once heard foxes are capable of consuming grass as part of their diet, so please¡­ bear with it?"

    Yip!?!?

    Under the young girl''s benign coercion, the small fox pawed the strands of grass with absolute reluctance, eventually picking up a strand and tentatively placing it into its mouth.

    Under the expectant eyes of An Fei and a little raven, the pitiful little creature attempted its best not to vomit as it consumed what would be the first meal of a temporary hell.

    Unable to restrain a wry smile from blossoming on her countenance at the small fox''s expression of wishing for death, An Fei wrapped the creature into her bosom with a peal of laughter.

    The young girl directed an arbitrary glance towards the darkened sky, but her pair of scarlet irises widened with surprise the next moment.

    There were no stars within the night sky.

    The sea of scattered lights she had spectated from the residence in Jiang''an each night, was not present in the backdrop of the sky before her.

    The sky instead presented a murky sheet of black, a completely different midnight than what she was accustomed to.

 164 A March Across a Tedious Plains 3

    A few days after the interesting incident of the mysterious scene she had witnessed during sunset and the anomaly of the midnight sky, An Fei encountered an existence startling and shocking to the eye.

    It was the silhouette of another human.

    From the distant figure, the person appeared to be in the midst of carrying out a specialized task regarding the crops of the land.

    Every moment or so, the young girl witnessed the figure lift an object over its head, swing it around thrice, before plunging it deeply into the ground.

    The actions of the figure were interesting to watch and seemed harmless, but the young girl did not dare approach carelessly.

    "Don''t expose your true appearance to anyone¡­"

    An Fei murmured as she sat amongst the grass, cuddling with the little raven and the small fox.

    Her eyes narrowed as she glanced across the tips of the strands in the direction of the mysterious silhouette, her mind abuzz with numerous thoughts.

    Wei Xuan had repeatedly reminded her to retain as much mystery regarding her appearance and identity as possible.

    Her countenance, her skin, none was to be displayed casually to others.

    Thus, she had worn a veil throughout the journey until she separated from the empress''s convoy, but¡­

    In an environment as this, a veil would become much more prominent and flagrant than anything else.

    Under no circumstances was An Fei willing to entertain the possibility of a well-developed city at the brink of the plains.

    Otherwise, the plains would not stretch for such an extensive region of land.

    "The linen coat is passable ¨C I can disguise that as a gift from a friend," the young girl murmured as her fingers tickled the underbelly of the little raven.

    "However, I need to do something regarding my complexion and skin tone; my appearance would indeed cause trouble at first glance, veil or not."

    An Fei directed a worried glance towards the direction of the humanoid silhouette, before revealing a sigh of relief. The figure had not moved much from its previous location, thus relieving her of one of her current worries.

    ¡­not that she was that conspicuous from a distance.

    When An Fei stood, the grass within the current region brushed at the base of her waist. Thus, when she sat down¡­ the stalks of grass easily matched her height¡­

    Such was the misfortune of a short person, ah.

    "Xiao Hei, I need to go somewhere for a bit," An Fei tousled the feathery head of the little raven.

    Caw?

    "Watch the small fox for me, got it?"

    Caw!

    The little raven brusquely nodded its head and spread its wings at the young girl''s question, earning a pleased smile from the latter.

    As An Fei released the small fox and set it onto the ground, the pitiful creature instantly cowered from the sinister gaze emanating from the crimson beads.

    "Ahem¡­ don''t bully it, alright?"

    An Fei glared at the little raven, paying the two of them no more attention as she rubbed the base of her chin.

    The young girl thought for a brief moment, before releasing a quick exhale of breath.

    "[Reveal the eternal river]."

    The air around the young girl reverberated with an unusual hymn of a mixture of emotions, distorting the atmosphere with a visible strain of black cracks.

    As An Fei''s figure vanished from the world, the little raven directed a vicious gaze towards the small fox, the crimson eyes replaced with a pair of violent suns brimming with sinister malevolence.

    ¨C

    The moment An Fei returned to the Sanctum, the first act she partook was to take in a deep breath of satisfaction.

    As always, the realm of sky-blue crystal regulated the atmospheric temperature and humidity to the perfect levels.

    Compared to being basked in a constant warmth from sunup to sundown, An Fei was much more appreciative and affectionate of the slightly cool environment of the Sanctum.

    Leaping from the crystalline throne, the young girl patted her chest with an inquisitive expression as she nibbled on her bottom lip from time to time.

    An Fei glanced at the first and second gates towards the left, her gaze flitting in all directions in hesitation.

    "Disguise¡­ to best disguise a person, it would be to completely change their appearance."

    An Fei could change her apparel or perhaps her conduct in an attempt of obscuring her identity, but the most effective was to completely alter her physical appearance.

    Since neither her height nor her frame could be persuasively adjusted, the only manner in which the young girl could construe was to change her skin tone and complexion.

    To obscure the fair, milky-white skin with a darker color, and make the silky-smooth texture much more coarser as though a villager girl.

    "But to do that, I''d need an expansive set of cosmetics, ah¡­"

    An Fei whispered to herself, before raising an eyebrow at the thought.

    Without another word, the young girl rushed towards the boudoir in the first corridor, her consciousness revealing a tinge of excitement.

    Didn''t the First Madam gift her a pile of cosmetics?

    It would most probably not cover all of her needs, but she could utilize the rouge at the least, no?

    An Fei grabbed the bottle of rouge from the top of a nearby dresser in the boudoir, before walking towards the medicinal garden a few doors away.

    The young girl did not forget to grab a mirror as she left the boudoir, a cheerful tune escaping her throat as she traversed through the corridor.

    Perhaps only the young girl would sway from side to side to an unknown rhythm accompanied by the fluctuations of the golden radiance below her feet.

    An Fei scanned the outer layers of the medicinal garden for any of the medicinal herbs she may find useful, her eyes squinting and narrowing as they thoroughly combed through the sea of multi-colored light.

    The young girl dove into the maze of medicinal herbs without a single word, her hands gently uprooting several herbs and replanting them with their fresh seeds.

    When she had finally emerged, the young girl held within her hands a few cloves of parsley, a mysterious plant whose appearance was not unlike that of a pitcher plant, some angelica, a stalk of celery, and a few other miscellaneous herbs.

    "And¡­ go!"

    An Fei carried her spoils towards the area that had been prepared for her cooking, lighting a fire underneath the black iron wok with a wave of her fingers.

    The young girl placed the herbs onto the ground not far from the cheering fire, placing the stalk of celery between her teeth as she uncorked the bottle of rouge.

    The rouge powder scattered across the inner dome of the black wok, blooming in their scarlet glory for a brief moment as the fierce tendrils of heat reduced it into liquid.

    The scarlet streams pooled at the base of the black iron wok, and a rich herbal fragrance soon graced the young girl''s nose, causing her to cough and pat her throat.

    The rouge consisted completely of herbal ingredients¡­ as expected of an ancient society¡­

    An Fei sighed as she glanced at the scarlet pool at the bottom of the wok, her hands toying with the herb with the appearance of a pitcher plant.

    The young girl took a deep breath, before suspending the herb above the epicenter of the black iron wok, and overturning it to present the mouth of the herb.

    "Hot!"

    The clear fluid cascaded into the sea of scarlet, causing a storm of froth and golden color to ravage the mixture.

    The onrush of steam was sudden, causing An Fei to jerk backwards and fall onto her bottom, the herb accidently thrown to the side.

    The young girl shook her head in exasperation, observing the contents of the wok from a safer distance.

    After the time of an incense stick had come to pass, the pool of scarlet liquid had transformed into a golden color following the addition of the pitcher herb''s fluid extract.

    The liquid did not bubble despite the intense heat generated from the flames below the black iron wok, remaining completely stable regardless of the circumstance.

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    "I didn''t think the Abandon Mystery was that effective in stabilizing compounds¡­" An Fei murmured in elation.

    "The book truly didn''t lie to me, ah."

    The young girl wriggled her fingers in preparation, a rumble of spiritual essence within her heart vibrating to produce a white lotus petal.

    Under An Fei''s instruction, the white petal transformed into a small kitchen knife instead of its usual fearsome appearance, and the young girl reached for a herb amongst the pile she had accumulated.

    An Fei tossed the herb towards the epicenter of the wok, and the knife swooped in to reduce it into powder that flowed into the golden liquid.

    The young girl continued to toss the herbs towards the black iron wok, her eyes observing the liquid change color from gold to silver, then a rich creamy hazel to a pale violet, then calm into a light green, clear liquid¡­

    All that remained was the piece of celery, of which the young girl had already eaten half.

    Swish!

    With the addition of the ground celery, the green color of the liquid at the base of the black iron wok intensified, though its viscosity remained the same.

    From the originally fragrant odor of a highly concentrated mixture of herbal remedies, the green liquid pooled within the wok released a faint hint of lemongrass, much to An Fei''s delight.

 165 A March Across a Tedious Plains 4

    Nodding with satisfaction regarding the finished product that pooled at the base of the black iron wok, the young girl commanded the fire to diminish after simmering the solution for another sichen.

    The cheery flame crackled in delight at the young girl''s command, the golden flames leaping to emboss their heat into the essence of the wok.

    An Fei sat down onto the ground nearby the black wok, a book splayed open before her.

    As the young girl continued to read, the fragrance of lemongrass intensified with each passing moment, until the medicine garden appeared to have grown a sea of the herb.

    Amidst the raging currents of colored light and temperature rampaging throughout the medicine garden, the faint rustling of pages could be heard, and the muted cracks of fiery sparks splashing against the surface of a cast iron wok.

    "This¡­ never emphasized on the type of rouge to implement as the foundation¡­" the young girl murmured in a low voice, her right index finger tapping on her bottom lip.

    "I replaced the so-called Twilight Nocturn with a combination of angelica and parsley¡­ but will it truly create a cosmetic? Aren''t the two herbs supposed to be consumed? What even is the Twilight Nocturn, it looks like a shred of goldleaf¡­"

    The book before An Fei was a simple introductory to the study of cosmetics and their applications.

    By its name, the book was supposed to define the basic ingredients constituting the foundational cosmetics that could be found anywhere on the streets¡­ but An Fei''s consciousness was already swamped by the time she flipped towards the twentieth page.

    The book was indeed as big as her torso, but did the writing have to be so small as well!?

    "This is too much¡­"

    The young girl palmed her forehead in exhaustion, her eyes threatening to roll upwards and ferry her soul towards dreamland.

    The stress of deciphering the blurred symbols as well as studying an area of interest so remote from her interests was enough to cause her mind to transform into a high-pressure cooker.

    Making rouge ¨C she had expected it to be a simple process of gathering the petals of a scarlet or pink flower, grinding into a powder, and formulating a removable cohesive substance to allow the powder to remain on the lips following application.

    She did not expect it to be so complex!

    "A bottle of mediocre rouge comprises of a collection of a variety of colorful flowers consisting of light yellow, blue, and green petals," the young girl recited with clenched teeth.

    "Then you form a baste utilizing natural fats from the extracts of beans to combine the mixture into a single paste ¨C then a tonic of rosemary, geraniums, mint, and lavender is poured and left to dry to reveal a paste¡­"

    An Fei threw her hands into the air, her eyes beginning to water at the thought of cosmetics.

    Just as the young girl parted her lips to release an agonizing scream, the final crackle of the fire lit underneath the cast iron wok shrieked to attain her attention, the piercing cry resonating throughout the entire medicine garden.

    In her excitement, the book that would have charmed countless young women was casually left on the fabric-covered ground, the pages devoid of the minimum honor of closing the book to protect its contents.

    "I want to see, I want to see!"

    The young girl chanted as she rushed to the black iron wok, peering into its contents with a sparkling countenance.

    At the bottom of the wok, just as An Fei had expected, lay a pool of rich green liquid, translucent and gleaming with a faint indigo radiance.

    The scent of lemongrass was muted and suppressed to the surface of the liquid, no longer as profuse as before. When An Fei took a brief sniff, the faint fragrance was enough for her to clench her fingers in satisfaction.

    What came next was quite obvious, yet unthinkable for others.

    The young girl wrapped her arms around the black iron wok, her countenance blooming into a contented smile at the warm temperature of the material.

    Her heart beamed with praise towards the fire that belonged to the Sanctum, for it had regulated the temperature of the wok to the extent that a heartwarming surge of heat rushed through the entire body on contact, but did not burn the skin.

    Praiseworthy, and perfect indeed.

    An Fei hummed as she hauled the cast iron wok towards the boudoir, bypassing the alluring bedchamber and rushing straight into the bathroom.

    There, ignoring the transparent, steaming water that filled the massive tub to the brim that tempted her soul for a quick bath, she poured the green liquid in without remorse.

    The green tide seemed to have possessed an unquenchable thirst as it permeated every region of the inlaid bathtub, transforming the entire container of water into a lake of sparkling, translucent green liquid.

    The repressed fragrance of lemongrass broke free from its restraints and rushed forth to envelop every centimeter of the room, tickling An Fei''s feverish nose with the highly inviting and excitatory scent.

    The young girl took a deep breath, her fingers hooking at the collar of her gown with a hint of hesitation.

    With the right foot extending forward, An Fei walked down the leading steps into the depths of the bathtub, her body shivering from the onslaught of the bone-piercing heat and trepidation towards what would happen next.

    The young girl tapped her brow with her right index finger, muttering to herself in an unintelligible voice.

    And without any further hesitation, the rest of her body submerged into the bath of green liquid, allowing herself to drift to the center of the bathtub where she could fully stand underwater.

    An Fei forced herself to remain underwater for a few breaths, only daring to resurface when her lungs anxiously asked her brain whether she was suicidal.

    She was not!

    "Pah!"

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    The young girl''s body was covered in a multitude of droplets of sweat and green solution as her upper half escaped the hot underwater massage.

    Rubbing at her eyes, the pair of scarlet irises quickly cleared away their confused glint, to be replaced by shock.

    Her skin¡­ had transformed.

    The milky-white color of her fair skin had been replaced with a pale mixture of yellow and hazel, a tone more accustomed to that of the indigenous tribes Wei Xuan had once mentioned.

    When An Fei carefully observed her appearance from the rippling bathwater, the young girl concluded that her skin tone matched with the girls she had once seen in the southern regions of Guangxi; perhaps she appeared as one of Nanning''s young women?

    The texture of her skin had transformed from the soft, creamy sensation of warm mutton jade to a slightly rougher sensation, though the softness and delicacy of feminine charm remained.

    When An Fei pinched her arm, she couldn''t help but sigh at the differences between her current appearance and her previous, heaven-defying physique.

    The young girl anxiously perched herself onto the edge of the bathtub to escape the visual distortion of the hot water, her fingers running over every nook and cranny of her body as though to confirm the completion of the disguise.

    Her limbs, torso, the area behind the earlobes, and even¡­ even¡­ those ¨C

    "That''s enough."

    An Fei slinked away from her divergent thoughts, climbing out of the large bathtub to dry herself and slip into a new gown of an unknown, but irresistibly comfortable silk.

    ¨C

    An Fei had completely relaxed her agitated mood, allowing her tangled mind to calm itself and regain the cold rationality it had lost ever since her arrival to Jiang''an.

    The young girl patted her bosom as though to increase her confidence, then changed into more defensive clothing and draped the linen coat around her body, leaving the Sanctum with the twin butterfly swords and the qama serving as her loyal sentinels.

    Caw!?

    Yip!?

    The instant her right foot transgressed past the dividing barrier of the world to step onto the sea of grass of the wide plains, two completely baffled and startled cries drilled into her ears.

    The young girl softly yelped as her hand shot to her ears, a fierce scowl slamming into the weak hearts of the little raven and the small fox.

    "What, you haven''t seen a disguise before?"

    An Fei raised a challenging eyebrow towards the valiant and prideful creature, finally causing him to submit since their encounter in the Wu Ji Forest.

    Caw!

    The little raven nearly lost control and revealed a pair of violet irises, the sentient immortal gaping with disbelief.

    As it was unable to even control its beak in its shock, much less its body, the young girl had to grab the little creature by its claws and shove it towards her left shoulder.

    This¡­ wasn''t the irresistibly beautiful little human lass he had seen daily for the past few months?

    With this astonishingly descript and ordinary appearance¡­ she was more akin to a pretty dancer in Bai Xing''s domain, perhaps any of the mortal domains within the Realm.

    Dongfang Yu had seen multitudes of them on his visits to the arrogant immortal''s abode, to the extent that the countenance before him enriched a deep sense of bemusement in his heart.

    Other than being a little pretty, the slightly tan but still pale skin tone and unrefined appearance¡­ the young girl before him lacked any other supportive qualities.

    The An Fei standing before him now compared to the An Fei he was accustomed to¡­

    This disguise was undoubtably excellent!

    "Xiao Hei, are you alright?"

    Caw!

    The young girl''s curious voice brought the little raven back to its senses, and the little creature extracted its claws from the girl''s fingers, gingerly settling itself onto the leather strap with a bleeding heart.

    The little raven couldn''t suppress its dumbfounded shock as it continued to gaze at An Fei''s countenance from aside, its pride completely flattened and shattered.

    "What are you looking at, ah?" the young girl brought the small fox into her bosom, her index finger tapping the feathery creature on its head.

    "Enough, that person seems to be preparing to head back to where he came from. It''s better to chase now than wander in this unusual plains, no?"

 166 A March Across a Tedious Plains 5

    As it turned out, the mysterious humanoid figure that had captured An Fei''s attention since the beginning of the day was no more than a simple farmer.

    When An Fei silently followed its movements and closed the gap of distance, she noticed a rough tunic of fabric and a common iron hoe attached to the back.

    Clutched around both arms was a cluster of grass, with a rope of twine coiled around the center of the strands.

    The farmer appeared to be a youth in his late teenage years, the aura exuding from its body clearly revealing the naivety, ambition, and rampant emotions of a budding youth of his generation.

    His steps were careless and unrestrained, and his frame revealed the back of a youth no more than the age of seventeen.

    Wherever the lad stepped, the young girl would follow from a distance of a hundred meters.

    The youth''s feet pounded on the sea of grass with heavy, rhythmic stomps filled with a powerful but unrefined strength, dispatching a clear imprint onto the soft earth of the fertile plains.

    The young girl''s pace, on the other hand, was light-footed and silent, the only audible disturbance being a muffled rustling of grass.

    The youth didn''t realize that he was being tailed, instead whistling as he marched on his path with extreme confidence.

    Thus, the misshapen group traversed through the plains towards a major clearing, one that replaced the sea of grass with a large wall of grey stone.

    The stone walls stretched a total length of five hundred meters long, and towered fifteen meters into the air.

    In an environment as the fertile plains, such a construction was of mentionable feat, but to the young girl who had been desensitized to the forest whose trees towered dozens if not hundreds of meters into the air¡­ the walls were nothing more than stubs on the ground.

    Roughly crafted stubs, for as the youth drew near, An Fei noticed numerous cracks running through several of the stones, some at critical areas of the walls.

    At several points of the wall near the ground, were gates of iron and copper bars, with numerous men standing on either side of the opening.

    Though she couldn''t see the circumstance regarding the other walls that formed the perimeter, the wall before her sported several streams of men not unlike that of the youth fifty meters ahead of her.

    "A medieval castle?"

    An Fei murmured, the pair of scarlet irises twinkling with an interested gleam. The young girl ducked into a nearby shroud of grass to obscure her presence, her heart beating quickly with a tinge of anticipation.

    "Xiao Hei, how do you presume we get past the guards of the gate? Do you think that following the youth will do?"

    Caw.

    A muted croak escaped the beak of the little raven, its crimson eyes flickering with a crafty gleam.

    There, before An Fei''s inquisitive glance, the little raven braced itself on its claws, and a violet bead of spiritual essence began to coalesce at the tip of it''s beak.

    "Xiao Hei?" The young girl raised an eyebrow in confusion, her eyes narrowing at the odd phenomenon occurring directly atop her shoulder.

    The violet bead was no bigger than a mung bean, seeming inconsequential amongst the large sea of grass that encircled them on all sides.

    However, An Fei could discern a threatening sensation throbbing at the base of her heart with each fluctuation of the small bead, as though a cold hand had gripped her soul.

    It was cold.

    Incredibly cold.

    The girl clutched at her heart with her left hand, her eyes twitching at the uncomfortable sensation that surged through her body.

    She consoled the trembling fox with her other hand, her fingers running through the seven fluffy tails.

    "Xiao Hei¡­" the young girl whispered in concern.

    "Is this going to be ¨C"

    ROAR!

    The bead erupted into a storm of invisible light, the strands of spiritual essence compressed into the form of a tiny bead allowed to break free and rampage throughout the atmosphere.

    As the violet bead exploded into numerous streams of light, a beast''s roar erupted from the farther regions of the plains.

    From the species, An Fei couldn''t discern what creature was responsible for such a cry.

    Nonetheless, the sudden roar was enough to paralyze her body for a brief moment, the storm of numbness descending onto her limbs and abdomen with an uncontrollable might.

    ¡­and if she was affected by the little raven''s special trick, of which she wasn''t even the intended target, then the others in the vicinity¡­

    "Run! Call the garrison!"

    "Guards! Guards! Quick!"

    "Dear lord, a beast so sudden!? It''s not even the Tide of Demons yet!?"

    Numerous cries of panic and fear rushed throughout the throng of the clearing, causing many to collapse onto their knees.

    The guards responsible for securing the gates trembled in their boots, and those protecting the second gate from the right even collapsed onto their knees, their heads blank and devoid of any thoughts.

    In their fright and panic, they had snapped the shafts of their spears, rendering the flashy weapons¡­ useless.

    Similarly, a puddle of obscure liquid waved its greetings towards the world between their legs.

    The youth that she had followed was not excluded from the little raven''s shock and awe strategy, and the poor lad collapsed onto his bottom in fright, the bales of grass thrown to the sides.

    An Fei thought that she heard a few sniffles, but she attuned them to a delusion.

    "Xiao Hei, you''re quite¡­ awestriking, ah?"

    The young girl rubbed the little raven''s head in excitement, her countenance beaming with a delighted smile.

    Rolling her head to loosen the tension in her neck, An Fei willed the spiritual essence in her heart to wake, her body crouched and prepared for action.

    With a quick inhale, the young girl sprang from her obscured position within the sea of grass, leaping forward towards the now unguarded gate that was the second from the right.

    As she ran, An Fei ordered the spiritual essence to not only seep into the muscles and tendons of her legs, but also her feet.

    The strands of spiritual essence merged with her flesh, causing her speed and agility to bypass the restrictions of the cruel world and triple.

    Even then, her condition was a far cry from her original state within the Sanctum. An Fei grit her teeth at the partiality of the world, but remained silent as she propelled herself even further.

    Unknowingly, wisps of black light surrounded her body, shrouding her from any watching gazes.

    The young girl effortlessly dashed the remaining seventy-three meters to the gates embedded into the stone walls, bypassing the shell-shocked guards without triggering their broken awareness.

    An Fei even grasped the upper half of a spear in interest, claiming it her spoils of war.

    Three steps further, and she stood at the border of a town.

    The settlement behind the stone walls was indeed designed in a format not unlike that of the medieval era; houses constructed out of wooden materials greeted her eyes in every direction, the roofs of clay tile waving their cheerful and droll greetings towards the inadvertent newcomer.

    Lampposts of iron were stabbed into the ground, serving as the sign-markers for what An Fei could call the basic foundations of a street.

    On those streets, numerous carriages of low-quality wood racketed along with their creaking wheels, droves of people traversing at the edges of the road.

    On either extremity of the streets stood a line of wooden stalls and stores, people shouting at the top of their lungs to attain an additional customer.

    "Youtiao! Freshly fried youtiao for those hungry ¨C only three coppers!"

    "Cong you bing! Old Lady Mao''s cong you bing for only five coppers!"

    "Anyone seeking a new dress or tunic? Laozi has some for you, only a silver coin!"

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    "Xiao Hei¡­"

    The young girl whispered towards the little raven perched on her shoulder, her mind abuzz with surprise.

    The small fox in her arms quivered at the unexpected blast of sound, urging another round of nursing from the young girl as compensation.

    Unable to contain herself, An Fei''s feet led her towards the street directly before her, her ears soaking in the violent hubbub of the stall owners and the chattering inhabitants of the town.

    Trapped in her daze, the young girl had unknowingly stopped before a polished wooden stall of birch, the owner a powerful man in his thirties with a radiant smile.

    "Young Lady, do you want a candied hawthorn to take for an evening snack? It''s only three coppers!"

    "Huh?" the young girl blinked, the fog in her eyes quickly vanished at her realization.

    "Owner, did you say something?"

    "Hm? Young Lady, are you alright?"

    The man rubbed his head in surprise, slightly flabbergasted at how easily the young girl fell into her thoughts.

    At the young girl''s curt nod, the man beamed once more, waving his hand towards the fabulous display on either side of the counter.

    "Young Lady, would you like candied hawthorn? It''s three coppers a stick, perfect at this time to take home and enjoy!"

 167 Bone Spirit Town 1

    The candied hawthorns were neatly speared on thin sticks of oak, standing upright on either side of the stall''s counter as though pronouncing their elegance.

    The caramel coating on the hawthorn glistened in the evening rays of sunlight, causing the young girl''s mouth to water at the thought of the taste.

    "Then¡­"

    An Fei mulled for a brief moment, her eyes roaming from the array of speared hawthorn as though to gauge their quality.

    She then pointed towards the stick in the middle, one where her eyes informed her that they were the freshest out of the rack.

    "I want that one."

    "Here you go, Young Lady!" the man beamed, his eyes revealing a joyful revelry at his success of obtaining a new customer.

    With a quick nod, An Fei stuffed her left hand into the leather bag, rummaging through the contents until she found the grey silken pouch.

    Prying open the drawstring of the satchel with her fingers, the young girl stabbed her index finger and thumb into the small pouch until her fingers were submerged in a literal sea of coins.

    At that moment, the young girl spectacularly froze, her mind grinding to a halt.

    All of the coins were of the same size and shape, so how was she going to extract three specific copper coins without drawing attention to herself?

    An Fei didn''t dare bring the pouch into open air; she clearly recognized the implications of such a baseless and unintelligent act.

    Helpless, her fingers ran rampant throughout the satchel, jumping from the metallic surface of one coin to another in absolute cluelessness.

    "Young Lady, is something wrong?"

    The man rubbed his chin in thought, his eyes inspecting the young girl before him.

    Regardless of how he viewed the circumstance, it seemed improbable that the current situation would occur.

    She was dressed in a linen coat that was plain but clean, meaning that she wasn''t from a bottom-feeder family as him.

    Not to mention, though her appearance wasn''t eye-catching or of spectacular appeal, the slightly pretty face brought forth a refreshing aura that calmed his nerves.

    ¡­she wouldn''t be able to afford three coppers, right?

    Unless she was a maidservant of a prominent family, then perhaps¡­

    Caw!

    The little raven perched on An Fei''s shoulder released a sudden cry, the crimson eyes flashing with an indeterminate gleam.

    At the same time, An Fei''s mind shook with a thought, one that made her wish she could slap herself on the forehead.

    "Spiritual essence, and the sea of perception!"

    The young girl directed a strand of spiritual essence to coalesce at the tips of her left hand''s fingers, rummaging through the contents of the pouch once more.

    To her delight, the sea of perception was indeed capable of conveying basic information equivalent to the quantity of spiritual essence infused to the task; she was able to differentiate between the composition of the coin, but no more than the single statement.

    A copper coin by her index finger, a gold one by her thumb, five silvers brushing against her pinky¡­

    "Owner, here you go."

    Aided by the spiritual essence, An Fei quickly fished out three copper coins, handing them to the owner whilst fighting down the embarrassed flush that threatened to spoil her image.

    As he watched the young girl quickly run off with her chosen stick of hawthorn, the thirty-three-year-old man tilted his head with a confused expression on his countenance.

    She definitely shouldn''t have be so poor to be unable to afford a single stick of candied hawthorn¡­

    Unless she was a maidservant of a prominent family?

    At the end, it was the same conclusion.

    ¨C

    Bone Spirit Town.

    That was the name of the town that An Fei had managed to glean from the nearby passerby whilst walking down the streets.

    As expected, the town was indeed under the jurisdiction of Great Yong, but the young girl had never found where the Bone Spirit Town was located.

    The town apparently wasn''t anything special within Great Yong; there were hundreds of thousands of identical towns throughout the empire''s grasp.

    From what some of the more spectacularly dressed and refined people spoke from their awkwardly moving lips, the Bone Spirit Town was a bottom-feeder town.

    A town that was consisted mostly of ordinary mortal commonfolk; one where even Body Tempering Realm cultivators were highly respected.

    Such a town¡­ couldn''t be anything special, for that would mean that Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators were practically ancestors of a clan, or perhaps the town''s mayor themselves.

    "Xiao Hei, how many people do you think live in this Bone Spirit Town?"

    The young girl asked with a relaxed tone, her voice suppressed to permit only the little raven and the small fox to discern.

    "Do you think that there would be approximately thirty thousand at the most?"

    Caw!

    The raven shook a claw in disdain, its pride flourishing to its peak after having vented its frustration onto the common people outside of the walls.

    The little creature pecked downwards at the linen coat as to tease the young girl, only to have tears sprout in its eyes the next instant.

    Stinky lass, there are at least three hundred thousand people living in this square region! And since nine-tenths of such population are not cultivators, he could go¡­ hunting.

    The last part, the little raven swore to keep to himself.

    "That many, huh?"

    An Fei sighed in appreciation as she glanced around, her interest towards the inhabitants of the Bone Spirit Town only continuing to increase.

    The people were dressed in ancient Oriental clothing, of linen, leather, and cotton.

    The females were commonly dressed in long dresses of colorful linen and wool, whereas the males generally drifted towards a cloth tunic of blue, white, or light brown.

    Some of the males sported pauldrons of leather, as though serving as the role of a hunter or guardsman.

    ¡­none of them carried a sword, or any weapons. Thus, An Fei quickly stashed away her twin butterfly swords, sticking to her principles of reducing as much attention on her person as she could.

    She didn''t have to wear a veil as her appearance unexpectedly blended in rather nicely with the surrounding people, but her voice and mannerisms were sure to reveal a noticeable hint to those with a discerning eye.

    Thus, An Fei upheld the glorious role of transferring the little raven to her left wrist, occasionally talking to the resentful creature with beaming eyes.

    "Xiao Hei, where do you think we can obtain a map? No matter where we look, nobody''s selling one¡­"

    The street they were walking along was named the Providence Road, and it seemed to be teeming with wooden stalls attempting to sell their products.

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    Dozens of carriages rumbled past the young girl''s body on either side, the clattering of the horses'' hooves nearly drowning out the cries of the stall keepers and their ardent calls to profit.

    A cosmetics stall to the left, three fried dough stalls on the right street, followed by an actual weapons storehouse¡­

    This Providence Road seemed to contain only necessities towards survival and consumables, but no cartographer.

    Regardless of where she looked, An Fei could not find any store or stall related to the spreading of knowledge, even if it were a simple book pavilion.

    Caw!

    The young girl walked in silence, listening to the cries of the little raven.

    As she attempted to decipher the little creature''s calls, the young girl quickly rubbed the fur of the small fox she had brutally stuffed into the leather bag.

    A fox with seven tails was bound to attract unwanted attention; An Fei could only command it to remain silent, promising meat in the future as bait.

    Well¡­ there were fresh spiritual vegetables stored in a cloth bundle within the bag, but they contained spiritual qi from the Sanctum ¨C An Fei was not sure whether it was lethal to the spiritual creature, only that the world''s spiritual products were lethal to her.

    "Long Yu Pavilion?"

    The words abruptly garnered An Fei''s interest, breaking her thoughts from continuing their astray march.

    The young girl glanced from the corner of her eye to discover a young female and male talking to each other, their eyes tinging with infatuation.

    "Long Yu Pavilion, the one and only Long Yu Pavilion?" the young female chattered in excitement, her hazel eyes brimming with a nearly tangible joy.

    "Mi''er, of course I mean that Long Yu Pavilion, ah!" the male flicked his charming partner on the nose with an affectionate smile.

    "Eldest Brother managed to obtain a ticket to enter the pavilion, and allowed me to come as well. Of course, that allows you to tag along, ah!"

    "Long Yu Pavilion¡­" the young female sighed in envy, her hands clasped before her chest.

    "How lucky is it to be a regular vistor ¨C right, is the merchant from the nearby city coming?"

    Nearby city?

    An Fei''s eyebrows shot to the sky, her expectation parting its starving jaws within her heart, barely suppressing its drool at the mention of a nearby city.

 168 Bone Spirit Town 2

    There were five principal streets within Bone Spirit Town, each responsible for a specialized sector maintaining the integral components of the town.

    The expansion of each street was equivalent, albeit the quality of services offered or influence over the rest of the city were poles apart from one another.

    The Providence Road An Fei had toured could be considered the commoners'' district, possessing the greatest number of street-side stalls and small scaled restaurants and stores.

    The paving of the road was mediocre at best, with minimal effort placed into maintenance or elevating productivity.

    The next street with regards to quality and influence, was the Harmony Road, catering to the whims of the town''s clans and business owners.

    There, the numerous clans of Bone Spirit Town established their ventures with impunity, with luxury restaurants and pavilions standing on either side of the road.

    The Peaceful Road belonged to the reclusive society of cultivators within the town, and An Fei had not been able to gather much information regarding their operations or purpose.

    Other than the fact that the street appeared in a format not unlike that of the Providence Road and catered to rogue cultivators, the young girl had not been able to glean anything else from the passerby''s conversations.

    The Purity Road belonged to the expansive clans whose influence stretched over Bone Spirit Town and the nearby cities.

    From the words of the young male and female couple, the Long Yu Pavilion served as the most prominent pavilion within the street, and even the town itself.

    The Residential Road was the fifth and most important street within Bone Spirit Town, for it housed almost all of the town''s residents who possessed a significance slightly above that of the gatherers.

    An Fei discovered that the town possessed an odd legislative that prevented the ownership of private residential areas, causing her to spend the next few moments scratching her head in confusion.

    "Five streets, and they all possess a unique feature¡­ huh?"

    The young girl sighed and gazed towards the sky, her plain countenance devoid of the excitement she had once anticipated after leaving the Wu Ji Forest.

    Even on her first few hours in the Bone Spirit Town, An Fei felt an unquestionable sense of unease rack through her entire body, as though she didn''t wish to remain for long.

    Sometimes, just sometimes, she even sported the thought of returning to the Wu Ji Forest, for it was peaceful compared to the town in the fertile plains.

    An Fei was currently sitting atop the clay tiled roof of a particularly tall house within the Providence Road, her back leaning against the sloped incline of the structure.

    When the young girl glanced downwards, she could still spot numerous people dressed in everyday clothes roaming around the street although the sun had clearly fallen.

    Night was already approaching without solace, and these people dared to continue roaming around without any lights.

    "Xiao Hei, what do you think of this Bone Spirit Town?"

    An Fei suddenly asked, adjusting her body to a more comfortable position and placing the leather bag on her abdomen.

    The young girl then extended her hands into the bag, her fingers playing with the silky fur of the seven-tailed fox.

    Caw!

    "I thought so too," the young girl whispered, the pair of scarlet irises flashing with a hint of disdain.

    "This Bone Spirit Town isn''t welcoming to poor folk, ah."

    The little raven ruffled the feathers on its body, its crimson eyes glancing at the young girl with a tinge of curiosity.

    After obtaining no reaction, the little creature tapped the clay tiles below its body with a claw, before clambering onto the softer leather bag.

    Caw!

    An Fei glanced at the night sky brimming with the dazzling flecks of starlight, her heart slightly unsettled at the uncertainties of the future.

    Her consciousness promised to obtain a map of the region, and swiftly depart from such a place as to not become involved in its troubles.

    The Bone Spirit Town¡­ although the residents called it a town, the young girl considered it akin to a minor city.

    The inhabitants along equated to four hundred thousand within a restricted area boxed in by stone walls, and the necessary social hierarchies for a city had already been established.

    The existence of the five central streets and their specializations sufficed as evidence of such a phenomenon.

    It was only that as a city, the Bone Spirit Town was developing in the wrong direction.

    The town''s social hierarchy and plane of influence promoted the clans instead of the common people, thus retaining the foundations of family monarchism.

    The young masters and mistresses of a clan would develop greatly in their influence over the town and its inhabitants, and become the sole proprietors of the path of cultivation, seizing the Shattered Star Continent''s most valuable resource and hoarding it without any remorse¡­

    Whilst the common people would be degraded into servants.

    An Fei had little doubt regarding her analysis of the Bone Spirit Town, but all she could care for was obtaining a map that could lead her closer to Jiang''an.

    As for the method in obtaining the desired map, the young girl had a clue, though she didn''t know whether she should bank her expectations on it.

    The Long Yu Pavilion of the Purity Road¡­ perhaps she could find it there?

    "Though it requires a prestigious identity to enter, from what I''ve heard¡­"

    The young girl barked in laughter, her chest rippling from her mirth. With a twitch of her lips, An Fei rubbed the heads of the little raven and the small fox, before returning to the comforts of the Sanctum.

    Sleeping in a platinum king-sized bed with comfortable blankets and a heavenly mattress was far more appealing than the open elements and extraordinarily uncomfortable clay tiles digging into her soft flesh.

    ¨C

    The next day, the young girl ventured into the Providence Road once again.

    This time, however, An Fei did not dare buy the candied hawthorn from the smiling man, even if she certainly had copper coins to spare.

    The candies appeared nice and succulent in color¡­ but tasted absolutely horrible.

    The sour and bitterness of the hawthorn was supposed to be supplemented by the sweet and fluffy taste of the caramelized sugar coating, creating a tangy and sugary treat to enjoy on an evening walk.

    Alas¡­ the caramelized sugar utilized by the thirty-three-year-old man tasted just like plain water, perhaps even molded water from its slightly rancid taste.

    Furthermore, the hawthorns weren''t that fresh as she had expected; the coating had alluded her senses, thoroughly disappointing the gluttonous young girl.

    "Meat for the small fox¡­" An Fei tapped her right arm in thought, her brows furrowing downwards in a delicate arc.

    "Perhaps a restaurant in the Harmony Road would be the best approach."

    Caw!

    The little raven called in assent, shaking its wings to loosen its tensed muscles.

    Ignoring the slightly started passerby and their odd glances, An Fei suppressed the urge to smack the loud creature on its head and quickly departed for the Harmony Road.

    Harmony Road¡­ did bring along a fresh atmosphere compared to the slightly dull and dim mood of the Providence Road.

    The sides of the streets did not contain a single wooden stall, instead lined with proper storehouses and buildings to house the restaurants. Of course, the majority of these buildings were constructed of birch, with a few anomalies here and there, representing the extensive wealth of their owner.

    Near the ends of the Harmony Road stood several tall buildings extending to two stories, and An Fei could see droves of people lining up before the doors in expectation.

    Compared to the rowdy commonfolk she had spotted in the previous road, the people here¡­ were slightly cleaner and more refined.

    They weren''t immaculate, but they did convey a sense of elegance.

    Perhaps they could count as the white-collared workers from Earth?

    An Fei shook the unusual thoughts from her head, electing to explore the Harmony Road in its complete state, as well as obtain food for the small fox.

    The young girl wandered around in an aimless daze, her eyes carefully taking in her surroundings with prudence.

    The designs¡­ were indeed plain, but sturdy.

    The structures of the buildings on either side of the road were confined to rectangular blocks of wood, and the style of decoration had shifted to a subtle detail.

    As she walked, An Fei saw numerous engravings on the undersides of the roofs, and some buildings had even used different metals to replace certain unimportant beams to emphasize their wealth.

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    Such as¡­ the restaurant before them.

    "Eight Immortals Pavilion?"

    An Fei read with a tinge of bemusement racing through her heart; those types of names weren''t commonly found in Jiang''an, the capital of Great Yong, but the people of Bone Spirit Town dared to flaunt such a title?

    "Aih, why not," the young girl rubbed the base of her chin, her finger rubbing at the drawstring of the leather bag slung over her shoulder.

    "Didn''t I promise the small fox some meat? This should do the trick."

 169 Trouble Will Always Come to Greet 1

    The Eight Immortals Pavilion stood within the middle region of the Harmony Road, being the rare two-story wooden building amongst its immediate peers.

    The design of the pavilion followed the format of the ancient architecture An Fei was familiar with, with numerous, sloping clay tile roofs with a central ridge extending from each corner.

    Underneath, a skywell of acacia completed the exterior structure of the pavilion, a stark contrast compared to the plain rectangular buildings on its sides.

    The second floor appeared slightly smaller than the rest, with numerous statues of phoenixes, dragons, tigers, and tortoises serving guard above each cornerstone of the roof.

    The statues were constructed from quartz with a golden base, creating a subtle but prominent, imposing aura to settle into the surroundings.

    The young girl discovered a small obelisk at the tip of the roof, causing her to tilt her head in confusion.

    "That looks¡­ oddly out of place," An Fei remarked with a dry tone.

    "Nothing to be said, however. What''s important is the interior, ah!"

    The young girl hoisted the leather bag and secured its position on her shoulder, before merging with the stream of people entering the pavilion.

    When An Fei stepped through the double wooden gates, the young girl couldn''t restrain herself from releasing a soft ''oh'' of appreciation.

    The interior was¡­ quite different than she expected.

    The first floor had been structured into four primary regions, with rectangular tables positioned at specific intervals to maximize the number of guests they could accommodate and retain enough privacy.

    At the middle of each wall, the young girl spotted a set of sliding doors, of which appeared to serve as the private rooms of the pavilion.

    The staircase to the second floor was actually an unusual concept that appeared discordant with the theme of the Eight Immortals Pavilion.

    It was the first time that An Fei had observed a helix staircase stand in its full glory at the direct epicenter of the base floor.

    The initial impression was quite the eyebrow-raiser, and the young girl gawked at the unusual design for a brief moment.

    However, she soon returned to attention, for a young waitress seemed to be marching in her direction.

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    "Customer, what do you wish to be arranged?"

    The waitress was dressed in a scarlet and gold qipao, with olive branch and phoenix inscriptions flowing around her shoulders.

    The young waitress bowed towards An Fei, her innocent countenance staring at the unfamiliar guest.

    A foreigner?

    "Oh¡­" An Fei quickly responded, her eyes scanning the young waitress'' figure for a brief moment.

    "Could I get a single table, and could it be a little on the quieter environments?"

    The young waitress paused for a brief moment, before her eyes flashed with understanding.

    With a submissive nod, she led the young girl towards the table at the farthest corner to the left, where a customer had yet to be seated within the area.

    As it was farther away from the enjoyable sights and atmosphere of the pavilion, few wished to conduct their meals at such an area, but An Fei found it comfortable.

    When she glanced at the menu, the young girl paused for a brief moment before making her order.

    The time of an incense stick later, and a bowl of dandan noodles and a plate of char siu had been placed before An Fei.

    The young girl raised her hands to grasp the chopsticks placed neatly on the table, but glanced at the young waitress who had yet to leave the table.

    "Does the pavilion request for payment after serving the dish, or when the customer leaves?"

    The young waitress reaffirmed in her heart that the customer before her was definitely a foreigner, but retained the respectful expression on her pretty countenance.

    Patting her chest at the young girl''s politeness compared to the usual foreigner''s arrogance, she dipped her head into a light bow, before carefully responding to An Fei''s casual question.

    "The Eight Immortals Pavilion requests for payment after serving the dish, though the customer may issue the payment when they depart. The customer''s order¡­ is a total of two silvers and six coppers."

    An Fei quickly nodded, her hands prying into the gray silk satchel once more. This time, with the aid of ample lighting and privacy, the young girl quickly withdrew the required coins for payment whilst musing in her heart.

    The difference in price between commodities in the Harmony Road and Providence Road was quite steep, ah!

    Having received the payment from the opposite party without any hesitation, the young waitress briefly froze in surprise.

    However, remembering the strict lectures of the pavilion''s owner, she dared not challenge her duty, and quickly withdrew to serve another customer.

    In the end, she preferred the foreigner young girl over the others¡­ especially as her voice was sweet and charming to hear, even if she had not spoken more than a few sentences¡­

    An Fei released a light sigh at the departure of the waitress, firmly grasping the chopsticks to sample the bowl of dandan noodles.

    A moment later, the young girl licked her lips in satisfaction, glancing at the bowl with interest.

    Dandan noodles were hardly anything exquisite, and she had used to eat a large quantity at the street vendors in the southern regions of China.

    The familiar taste of the sweet, spicy, and slightly tangy broth as well as the savory pieces of roasted meat and sweated vegetables was more than sufficient to satisfy the young girl and her astringent taste buds.

    Given that the Eight Immortals Pavilion utilized higher quality ingredients when cooking the commonplace dish, the experience was of a higher realm.

    Additionally, the scarcity of cultivators within the Bone Spirit Town prevented the pavilion from aptly utilizing ingredients infused with spiritual qi, acquiring another sigh of satisfaction from An Fei.

    The char siu was unexpectedly subpar compared to that she had consumed daily in Jiang''an, causing the young girl to feed the strips of spiced meat to the small fox. To avoid being conspicuous, the young girl had fully loosened the drawstrings of the leather bag, angling the opened mouth towards her to feed the small fox in a low profile manner.

    Having finally graduated from its torturous diet of vegetables, the small fox nearly burst into tears from the delightful experience of meat.

    The little raven glared at the small fox''s ravenous actions with a tinge of disdain, but deigned to remain silent and sit obediently atop of the ledge of a nearby chair.

    The young girl, the small fox, and the other customers of the Eight Immortals Pavilion continued eating their midday lunch in a relaxed and quiet manner, restricting themselves to their comfortable spheres of interaction.

    Just as An Fei was about to bring another mouthful of noodles with a sandwiched piece of meat to her lips, the door of a private room burst open, and a lonesome figure was cruelly ejected.

    "Tang Shiqi, don''t you dare think of touching ben xiaojie!"

    The haughty voice belonging to a young maiden resounded from within the disrupted private room, the coldness and sharp tone of the words causing the ejected youth to wince in pain.

    The youth groaned in pain, numerous cuts and bruises decorating his body as though he had just concluded a fierce fistfight.

    "Xiao Yue, why must you be so cold towards your fianc¨¦?"

    Tang Shiqi retorted in a hurt voice, his fingers clenching into tight fists. The youth shakily stood to his feet, revealing a countenance full of determination despite his inability to properly stand.

    "Our grandparents arranged this marriage before we were born, and the two of us grew up as children," the youth protested with a gradually growing resolve.

    "However, you want to reject our engagement just because that Fang Man? Other than a greater cultivation than me, what other properties does he have?"

    An Fei who had been enjoying her meal in relative peace rose her head with a curious expression on her countenance.

    When the young girl strained her ears, she could hear the other customers suddenly breaking into a fervent discussion.

    "Look, that''s the Tang Clan''s Third Young Master, Tang Shiqi!"

    "That illegitimate child of the Tang Clan?" another remarked with a dry tone.

    "His mother was a concubine born a maid who was bullied throughout her entire life, and it seems that her child has obtained the same ill fortune!" the first customer waggled his chopsticks before spearing a deliciously cooked egg.

    "That stroke of luck that engaged him to the Fourth Young Miss, Xiao Yue, of the Xiao Manor, seems to be a stroke of misfortune after all. Look! Even if his grandfather had arranged him the engagement, the other party won''t respect it at all, ah."

    Numerous discussions regarding the injured youth struggling to remain standing at the center of the Eight Immortals Pavilion''s ground floor continued to resound as though the crowd had received a shot full of chicken blood, talking about the Tang Clan''s influence, its state of cultivators, and the might and prestige of the Xiao Manor.

    However, An Fei maintained her interest only on a single statement the youth had spoken.

    A dispute between cultivators of the Bone Spirit Town?

    They were supposed to be rare encounters given that they were so few in number compared to the regular populace, but she had encountered at least two on her second day.

    Although, what relation did it have to her?

    Their matters were theirs to solve, and An Fei would only continue to consume her meal with great relish.

 170 Trouble will always come to greet 2

    "Xiao Yue! Give me an answer!"

    The sorely beaten youth cried out in indignation, his roughed countenance blazing with hurt and anger. His hands reached out to grasp the edge of a nearby table, his body screaming in pain as he gradually regained his balance.

    The ardent youth''s body radiated with a faint pride belonging that to a powerful clan, although his actual status was not as satisfactory.

    "My Yue''er doesn''t deserve someone as unworthy as you," a languished voice belonging to a male rang from within the private room.

    "Young Master Tang, you should return to your residence, and not shame yourself any further. Can the Tang Clan afford to antagonize my Fang Clan, just for the temporary livelihood and pleasures of a Third Young Master?"

    For a brief moment, the entire interior of the Eight Immortals Pavilion fell into a pure silence, the occupants too busy searching for their fallen jaws from the outburst.

    The atmosphere seemed to have frozen into a permanent chill, rattling against the eardrums of everyone present.

    Platter!

    Then, the first pair of chopsticks clattered onto a half-finished bowl of chicken soup, the owner forgetting their former presence in his hands.

    Soon after, the second pair of chopsticks embraced the wooden floor of the ground level of the pavilion, encored by everyone else except for a young girl sitting at the farthest table from the entrance.

    At the same time, the frozen state of the Eight Immortals Pavilion appeared to disappear as though it had never been present, and Tang Shiqi soon recovered in suit.

    The youth extended a shaking finger towards the ajar doors of the private room, his eyes bulging in their sockets.

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    "Who¡­ who is your Yue''er?" the youth hoarsely whispered.

    "Fang Man, you only met Xiao Yue from a few weeks ago, whilst I grew up with her since she was a four-year-old little girl. How dare¡­ how dare you claim her as your¡­ your own!?"

    "Why, because Yue''er and I possess quite the affinity, ah," the youth named Fang Min replied with a gloating laugh.

    "It''s a pity, Third Young Master Tang! I do apologize for ruining your engagement''s prospects, but I refuse to exchange my Yue''er for a piece of paper hidden under your bed, stained with whatever evil you commit each night."

    Caw?

    The little raven, who had been observing the show with a tinge of boredom, abruptly reared its head back in surprise.

    After a few moments of befuddled contemplation, the little creature realized with horror that it couldn''t pay any more attention to the stash of gingko nuts hidden within the leather bag.

    The pair of crimson eyes bulged in shock, replaced by a hint of uncertainty.

    The stinky lass'' irises¡­ did they just flash with interest?

    What kind of young girl in this age would have interest in such a topic!?

    If the little raven heard what An Fei was murmuring under her breath, it would have probably fainted from disbelief.

    At some point in time, the young girl had finished her bowl of dandan noodles, and was lounging around simply for entertainment.

    "Fight it out! If that lad Tang could burst with some protagonist mystery, then that would be the perfect drama, ah," the young girl cheered in her heart, only wishing that she had brought out her newly brewed rice wine to enjoy whilst spectating the romantic troubles of the Tang Clan''s Third Young Master.

    After all, romantic dramas were the best entertainment of all!

    Sprinkle in a tinge of fantasy and love triangles, and a world-breaking blockbuster was to wave its greetings to the queue of fame.

    At the same moment, the tension within the Tang Clan''s Third Young Master broke through the carefully constructed dam and soared into the heavens.

    "You have more affinity with Xiao Yue than me?" Tang Shiqi scoffed.

    "Why don''t you say it then, Fang Man. See if our Tang Clan won''t do anything about your flippant and arrogant actions!"

    A brief pause reared its head within the private room, along with several shuffles of delicate fabric on wood.

    The occupants of the pavilion didn''t dare retrieve their chopsticks, their ears stretched in anticipation and excitement.

    "Hm¡­ Yue''er, do you mind?"

    The youth named Fang Man slowly spoke towards his partner with an affectionate voice, causing the Tang Third Young Master to burn scarlet with anger.

    The shuffling of clothes continued for a breath, before the delicate voice of a female could be heard.

    "Of course, Fang ge-ge. Our Xiao Clan is ready, Fang ge-ge, Yue''er is here only for you!"

    "Hmph, you hear that, Tang Third Young Master?"

    Fang Man barked in laughter, his sonorous voice ringing with righteousness and glorification. The youth of the Fang Clan slapped his table in his sneer, leering at the flushed countenance of Tang Shiqi.

    "I originally didn''t mean to do this, but Yue''er has also finished her preparations regarding your Tang Clan. Thus, listen well, oh great Young Master of Tang! Yue''er and I are a pair of mandarin ducks that soar through the heavens, never to separate! And besides, compared to your flimsy fraud of an engagement arrangement, our passionate night stands true before the impartial heavens!"

    The Eight Immortals Pavilion broke into an uproar, fervent discussions rampaging throughout the tables as the occupants ignored their food to gossip.

    They cared not about their own busy schedules, instead choosing to languish and discuss the eternal misery and humiliation of the Tang Clan''s Third Young Master Tang Shiqi.

    "Look at that misfortune, lah. Behind the rest of his siblings in cultivation, and he wasn''t of a legitimate familial line in the first place. His lifeline of an arranged marriage now broken as well, how will that youth live on, ah?"

    "What a pitiful child," another consoled with mockery.

    "The Tang Clan can''t shoulder this humiliation, and they''ll take it out on him for sure. Look! That kid can''t even stand in his anger, will he leap forth and martyr himself in the dying embers of glory?"

    "Hush! I think the kid''s going to say something brave and courageous."

    As expected, Tang Shiqi summoned unprecedented strength from an unknown reserve to steady his footing from the concussive blows of Fang Man''s words.

    The youth of the Tang Clan clenched his fingers into tight fists, glaring directly at the occupants of the private room before him.

    "Fine! I''m not powerful like my brothers, nor do I have the talent in cultivation." The youth scowled with a bleeding heart.

    "However, Xiao Yue, Fang Man, I''m not someone who only knows how to climb a higher tree for support. One day, I''ll repay all of my humiliation and defeat, hundredfold!"

    Yip!

    The small fox snuggled out of the leather bag, licking and pawing at the young girl''s right hand.

    Looking at the pair of hazel eyes brimming with absolute contentedness and salvation as though it had secured a life raft from the jaws of hell, An Fei released a low chuckle before presenting another strip of char siu to the small fox.

    In return, the young girl managed to obtain another experience of stroking the heavenly, silken white fur of a seven-tailed fox, causing her eyes to close in satisfaction.

    Caw.

    As the little raven croaked in jealousy and injured pride, the occupants of the ajar private room walked towards the center of the ground floor of the Eight Immortals Pavilion.

    The customers released an appreciative sigh at the unveiled protagonists of the local romantic drama, all thoughts regarding their cooled food thrown to the back of their minds.

    The youth named Fang Min aptly possessed the hearts of the young women, for he could only be considered as a prince charming from a heavenly nation.

    Dressed in immaculate robes befitting that of a wealthy clan surpassing the Bone Spirit Town, with long black hair that shamed many females regarding the glossy and refined appearance.

    Combined with the eternally handsome countenance, it was no wonder the young girl Xiao Yue was smitten as first sight.

    The young girl besides Fang Man deserved the title of a rare beauty, for her appearance appeared to be inconsistent with the development of the Bone Spirit Town.

    Dressed in a silken gown of pink and white with embroidered phoenixes and cranes, and possessing a countenance that could cause fish to float in the water after a single glance and rain to fall with a smile.

    "Look, that Xiao Yue of the Xiao Clan is truly a beauty, ah."

    "It''s a pity that she was even engaged to that Tang Shiqi in the first place, he isn''t deserving of her in the slightest for sure!"

    "The Tang Clan¡­ won''t be able to do anything about it, ah?"

    The customers waggled their fingers in disapproval towards the Third Young master of the Tang Clan, causing the youth to flush a deeper shade of scarlet in humiliation and repressed fury.

    Fang Man was about to raise his chin and deliver a finishing slap to the pitiful loser''s psyche, when his eyebrows shot up in interest.

    "Fang ge-ge?"

    "Oho?"

    And much to the surprise of the diners at the Eight Immortals Pavilion and the young lady besides him, the youth of the Fang Clan did not strike a fallen opponent than what was necessary, instead turning towards an inconsequential corner table that supported a young girl whose appearance could barely be called above average with indulgent benevolence.

    "That young miss over there," Fang Man called with a smooth and engaging voice.

    "May I have the spirit pet in your hands? Of course, Fang Man won''t belittle you for it."

 171 Trouble always comes to greet 3

    For a brief moment, An Fei sat dumbstruck at the sudden turn of events.

    The young girl pressed her back against her chair as her fingers clamped onto the small fox''s fur, causing the small creature to yelp in pain.

    "Fang ge-ge?" Xiao Yue called out in surprise.

    Yip!

    "My¡­ my spirit beast?" the young girl finally responded with a pale voice.

    "Yes, Yue''er lacks a spiritual beast even though she has completed the fifth pillar of the Body Tempering Realm."

    Fang Man gave a gracious bow, his presence revealing all components of the proper aristocratic demeanor befitting that of a behemoth clan surpassing that of a few towns, perhaps even districts.

    The young lady besides him grasped his hand in anxiousness, only to be quelled by a slow pat to the head.

    "Of course, Fang Man won''t leave the Young Lady here without sufficient payment," the youth paused, his eyes narrowing towards An Fei for a breath.

    "How about following this Fang to the Fleeting Swallow City? Fang Man will personally arrange the Young Lady''s stay, and the Young Lady may even receive the chance to enter the Fang Clan itself!"

    The young girl had not received the chance to respond when the surrounding customers erupted into a clamor, their voices attempting to force the other to capitulate as they threw their caution to the wind.

    "Young Lady, here, you''re being given a heavenly chance, ah!"

    "Accept it, and you might even transcend the barriers of this Bone Spirit Town! Aih, to think that a commoner girl might be so lucky¡­"

    "With the Young Master Fang unleashing such a revelation, how will that Xiao Clan Young Miss react? Surely, such a spectacular young man won''t pursue an ordinary girl as that Young Lady?"

    An Fei blinked in surprise, the pair of scarlet irises laced with confusion and a hint of caution.

    The young girl reached out to tickle the little raven''s wings, as though asking for help.

    That Fang Man didn''t see through her disguise, right? If then, did he manage to obtain a glimpse at the small fox?

    How¡­ did he see through her leather bag, if it were that case?

    "Young Lady?"

    Fang Man gestured towards An Fei with his arm, a gentle smile on his countenance.

    Combined with his extraordinary demeanor and grand reputation, many of the young females dining within the Eight Immortals Pavilion felt their hearts swoon towards the ninth heaven in affection and awe.

    It''s a pity¡­

    "Why¡­ do I have to give you my spirit beast?" the young girl finally replied with a shaking voice.

    "I found it within the forest, so why do I have to give it to you?"

    The youth from the Fang Clan blinked in shock at the unexpected denial, his mind clamoring to a screeching halt.

    On the other hand, the sorely trodden Tang Shiqi jumped to his feet, his complexion invigorated as the youth pointed at Fang Man with an accusatory glare.

    "See that, Fang Man?" Tang Shiqi jeered as though he had obtained a spectacular victory.

    "You always try to steal the possessions and pets of others, such a vicious personality, ah! Maybe someday, you will toss away Xiao Yue as though she were nothing but a rag doll!"

    The youth of the Fang Clan scowled at the bite towards his current actions, his countenance clouded by a hint of scathing anger for the briefest moment.

    Before Xiao Yue could retort in passionate fury, Fang Man squeezed her hand in reassurance.

    "Yue''er, you mustn''t listen to the sour words of a sore loser," the youth cooed, before turning towards An Fei for the third time.

    "Young Lady, why must you be like this? Fang Man is willing to offer equal compensation for your spirit beast ¨C at the least, it saves the Young Lady quite the number of overwhelming expenses to feed and raise it, no?"

    A pair of scarlet eyes briefly dyed with a tinge of coldness and disdain, before replaced by their usual dull lustre.

    The young girl tapped the now empty cup of water, her hands stroking the fur of the trembling small fox to calm the startled creature.

    "I think I can raise my spirit beast on my own." An Fei murmured with a soft voice, reducing her projection to the minimum.

    "Young Master Fang need not worry, for I fear that I may not sell my spirit beast that I obtained with such difficulty."

    "Even if it were a fox with seven tails?"

    Fang Man quickly shot back with a gentle but coercive tone, his eyes narrowed with a tinge of malevolence.

    At the words, the clamor of the spectators rose to the maximum, and An Fei''s eyes twitched with a hint of rage.

    This was pushing her too much!

    She didn''t even demand to be involved in this drama, so why did she become the new main target!?

    "A fox with seven tails!" a businessman of the Bone Spirit Town gasped in shock, dabbing at his drenched forehead with his useless handkerchief.

    "I''ve never seen a fox with three tails, not to mention seven! Such a spirit beast would sell for hundreds of gold coins, if not thousands!"

    "That Young Lady possesses such luck, it''s a pity that she rejected Young Master Fang''s offer."

    "That''s right, ah," another sighed with passion.

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    "Even if she were to appear ordinary and completely useless compared to the Young Lady of Xiao, such a tribute would probably be sufficient to become the Young Master Fang''s primary wife."

    "Everyone, please listen well!"

    The youth of the Fang Clan strode towards the center of the pavilion, his momentum brusquely ejecting its previous occupant to the side.

    Fang Man swept his hands to his sides, his spectacularly handsome countenance blurred with a mottled mixture of happiness and worship.

    "A seven tailed fox is equivalent to a beast of the late stages of the Core Formation Realm, if not the early legendary Nascent Soul Realm. Furthermore, it is in its infancy, meaning that whoever raises it would achieve spectacular heights in their future."

    "Late Core Formation Realm, if not the Nascent Soul Realm?" A customer shrieked in shock.

    "The ancestors of the Bone Spirit Town are Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators¡­ how spectacular would the Nascent Soul Realm be¡­"

    "That Young Lady''s in big trouble, unless she accepts the Fang Clan''s offer. Though, either path she takes will result in her doom, ah."

    "But its owner is a pitiful little girl in her early teenage years, no? If¡­ if I were to obtain such a fox, earning a heavenly favor with the Fang Clan¡­"

    "Even in my Fang Clan, we only possess a four-tailed celestial fox." Fang Man cautioned with a sweet and calming tone.

    "Young Lady, please consider it well. This world does not bade too well for those who obtain treasure beyond their capability, but my Fang Clan will shelter you and give you the utmost protection as you desire, if you grant my Yue''er the spirit beast! Fang Man shall owe you an eternal favor beyond all bounds!"

    An Fei''s fury tipped over onto its side, scalding her consciousness with a splatter of scarlet wrath.

    The young girl''s hands slithered into the leather bag to grip onto the cold handles of the twin butterfly swords as her lips curled into a disgusted grimace.

    A faint, malevolent aura not unlike that of the handle-less sword radiated from her body, causing the little raven and the small fox to blanch in terror, their consciousnesses screaming with the urge to flee.

    "Forgive me, Young Master Fang," the young girl swung the leather bag onto her shoulder, clasping the small fox in her arms.

    "Young Master Fang is unable to give what I seek in exchange for my fox. Thus, I see no point in enacting such a trade."

    With his coaxing and educatory words, Fang Man had agitated the customers of the Eight Immortals Pavilion to the extent that regardless of whether An Fei possessed a fox with seven tails, the men in the pavilion would tear her apart to glance through her possessions.

    Thus, the young girl dared to expose the small fox and held it close to her chest, a small white lotus petal inserted in between a few strands of her hair.

    The young girl swept her path clean with a few pats of her hands, marching directly past the Young Masters of the Tang and Fang clans and Xiao Yue without giving a single glance as she headed towards the exit of the pavilion.

    The little raven quickly followed suit, its crimson eyes flashing with a hint of deep violet when they fell onto the delicate and attractive figure of the Young Miss of the Xiao Clan.

    Regardless of however much they desired to wrench the small fox with the seven fluffy tails from An Fei''s bosom and present it to Fang Man as though to obtain the Fang Clan''s favor, the staff of the Eight Immortals Pavilion could only claw at their heart in agony as they watched the young girl''s figure disappear into the flowing Harmony Road.

 172 Trouble always comes to greet 4

    To her great annoyance, An Fei had not managed to distance herself from the flagrant Eight Immortals Pavilion when an engaged shout rang from behind.

    "Esteemed Young Lady, please wait!"

    With a twitch of her lips, the young girl took a deep breath to steady her boiling mood.

    Turning around with the intention of slaughtering any profiteering, ugly man that dared to take advantage, An Fei found before herself a scrawny youth with his hands on his knees, gasping for breath.

    Unexpectedly, perhaps expectedly, it was the Third Young Master of the Tang Clan, Tang Shiqi.

    "Esteemed¡­ Y-Young¡­ Young Lady," the youth wheezed, his sorely pummeled consciousness threatening to give at any moment.

    "May¡­ may I as-ask¡­ ask¡­ whether the Esteemed Young Lady¡­ Lady¡­ r-really has a seven tailed fox?"

    "Why, you wish to give it to that Young Master Fang and obtain penance?"

    An Fei curled her lips in disgust, her mind itching to draw the qama hidden against her bosom and teach the rowdy youth before her a severe lesson.

    Reminding herself that she no longer roamed through the underworld of the Wu Ji Forest where violence ruled as the overlord, the young girl''s mood deflated for another time.

    The youth of the Tang Clan wobbled on his feet, his countenance clearly drained of energy and vitality.

    Nonetheless, Tang Shiqi rose to a stable position, his eyes blazing with a tinge of admiration and worship.

    "Esteemed Young Lady, I do not seek your spirit beast to give it to that Fang Man," the youth coughed once to regain his breath.

    "I only ask ¨C cough ¨C simply because my cultivation method requires a special ingredient."

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    "Unique cultivation technique?"

    An Fei raised her eyebrows in interest, though her vigilance similarly soared to the sky. The young girl crossed her arms before her chest, the small fox curled around her arms in comfort.

    "I¡­ I¡­" Tang Shiqi stammered, his complexion ashen.

    The youth of the Tang Clan bit his lower lip in determination, his eyes reflecting his deepened resolve.

    "Esteemed Young Lady, my cultivation technique is clearly unique compared to the norms of this world. Whereas others simply need to continually absorb spiritual qi and refine it to spiritual essence to advance throughout the realms, my cultivation¡­ requires a catalyst to breakthrough into the next realm¡­"

    "So please, Esteemed Young Lady!" the youth dropped his already exhausted body into a respectful kowtow.

    "I only need a single drop, a single drop of blood! Please give me your grace, and Tang Shiqi will never forget this favor after I''ve achieved the heightened realms of cultivation!"

    For a few promulgated moments of silence, Tang Shiqi held his breath in complete panic and anticipation as he eagerly awaited the young girl''s response.

    The youth''s consciousness was swamped by the memories of his experiences at the Tang Clan, his sufferings and his future expectations.

    If he were to reveal the secret of the Heavenly Stone hidden besides his heart in order to obtain the blood of a seven-tailed fox, the ultimate catalyst for his current cultivation, he didn''t dare hesitat-

    "I''ve known many people say the same thing, that they would never forget my favor," the cold reply plunged the ardent heart of the youth into the subzero depths of the arctic void.

    "And yet, I''ve never seen a single person uphold that debt. I don''t see any benefit towards me donating the blood of my spirit beast, thus I won''t partake in this useless exchange. Besides, what even that Fang Man couldn''t afford, how could you?"

    Throughout the overwhelming roar of the flowing persons of the Harmony Road, the shattering of the youth''s heart could be heard even from the other end of the street.

    Tang Shiqi sat in his kowtow in shock and silence, his consciousness struggling to stride to its feet.

    The young girl refused to give even a single drop of blood¡­

    "¡­never seen a single person uphold that debt¡­"

    Suddenly a fierce burst of heart-wrenching determination and resolve flared into existence in the youth''s eyes, and Tang Shiqi struggled to his feet, calling from an unknown but bottomless storage of strength to hobble home.

    Even amidst the unusual stares he received, the youth''s mind was only filled with the fleeting image of the young girl''s back with the little raven on her shoulder¡­

    ¨C

    "Xiao Hei, why did that Fang Man call my fox a spirit beast?"

    An Fei abruptly toppled the little raven onto its back with the sudden question, nearly causing the pitiful creature to roll down the roof and splatter into a meaty paste of scarlet and black.

    The little raven shot to the skies in startled panic, a fierce cry striking the busy atmosphere of the Bone Spirit Town.

    Caw!

    The young girl ignored her conversation partner''s baleful glare as she leaned against the clay tiled roof and stared towards the afternoon sky of azure and white, her lips moving without a sound.

    An Fei glared at the brilliant rays of sunlight, only to retreat with a painful hiss.

    "¡­in the end, trouble found its way towards me¡­"

    The young girl was cognizant of the fact that her experience of the Bone Spirit Town had fallen to rock bottom. It would, perhaps, become even worse, especially following the aftermath of Fang Man''s impassioned words at the Eight Immortals Pavilion.

    In such few words and a simple leverage of a prominent clan''s influence and prestige, An Fei had become a target by many.

    After all, who wouldn''t want to obtain an eternal favor from the Fang Clan whose influence resounded throughout numerous towns that were equal to, if not more influential than the Bone Spirit Town?

    They would only need to steal An Fei''s fox, and effectively soar to the heavens in a single move.

    But to think that the small fox in her arms was a spirit beast¡­

    "It''s even weaker than the clarions I fought in the Wu Ji Forest¡­ oh," the young girl knocked herself on the head.

    "It has seven tails ¨C no ordinary fox would posses seven tails¡­ that by itself would probably qualify as a spirit beast¡­"

    Yip!

    The small fox nuzzled against An Fei''s chest, offering its fur as tribute towards the young girl''s protection.

    The young girl eagerly ran her fingers through the eternally soft and comfortable silken fur, her eyes blissfully closed in comfort.

    ¡­she would never get bored of such an experience¡­

    "That''s right, I haven''t named you yet, even after following me thus far," the young girl murmured to herself in a quiet breath.

    "Xiao Fen¡­ Xiao Su¡­ Xiao Bai. Xiao Bai!"

    Yip!?

    The small fox quivered in surprise, the seven tails swinging around in the air at the unexpected naming.

    Observing from a distance, the little raven stabbed into a gingko nut with his beak, desperately wishing to have never met An Fei.

    Stinky lass and her unconventional naming! Xiao Su would have fit for a female fox, but she settled with Xiao Bai!

    The little creature seemed to have ignored the critical fact that outside of realizing its general appearance, An Fei had little knowledge regarding the differentiation between an animal''s gender. Thus¡­

    "Ahem!"

    The young girl stretched her limbs before rising into a relaxed sitting position.

    An Fei threw another glare at the bright sky, looking down at the throng of the passerby of the Harmony Road for a brief moment.

    "The news would probably have spread to the entirety of the Bone Spirit Town by now¡­ I have to find a map fast, and be unnoticed about it as well, ah."

    The young girl prepared her belongings once more, before jumping down from the roof and onto a dark, obscured alleyway that extended from the Harmony Road.

    "I saw quite the interesting aspect in the second range of techniques within the ; maybe I should practice it now¡­"

    An Fei had not given much thought about the Third Young Master of the Tang Clan''s desperate plea, or his conflicts with Fang Man and Xiao Yue.

    People with a similar aura to that of Tang Shiqi were bound to invite monstrous seas of calamity, and she wished no part in such a chaotic spiral of events.

    Thus, the young girl had regarded the youth as a mere flicker from the streets of a bare town, and had not desired to intertwine herself into an undesirable net of trouble.

    Thus, she had strayed away from accepting the youth''s pleas, even if a single drop of blood wasn''t of any harm to the small fox.

    An Fei didn''t know that she had already glimpsed at the youth prior to the incident at the Eight Immortals Pavilion, or that she would encounter him again so soon.

    But then, who could glimpse at the sadistic, whimsical turns of the wheel of fate?

 173 Steps of Underlying Shadow 1

    As she carefully waded in the dense current of people in the Harmony Road, An Fei rubbed her chin in thought.

    She didn''t remember the exact contents of the besides the foundations of the passive evasive maneuvers that had been forcibly ingrained into her body during her experience of the Wu Ji Forest, but the young girl did recall a significant portion of a single statement.

    It was declared impossible to inflict injury or harm onto an object or person who did not possess a respective field of influence.

    "That sentence clearly didn''t end with just that, but I''ve forgotten¡­"

    The young girl nibbled at her bottom lip in annoyance, reminding herself to review the technique the moment she returned to the Sanctum.

    As she mused in her thoughts, An Fei was brusquely interrupted by a rude and harsh voice.

    "Excuse me, are you the one with the seven-tailed fox mentioned at the Eight Immortals Pavilion today?"

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    "Huh?" the young girl reacted a few moments afterwards, her eyebrows raised in confusion as she glared at the intruder.

    A round-bellied middle-aged man with a rather unsightly complexion but dressed in elegant, luxurious clothes stood before her, the fingers of his right hand rubbing together as though to express his greed.

    Noticing that the young girl before him had reacted to his question, the man revealed a grimace of a smile, his unpleasant countenance rippling with a grotesque resonance.

    "Aiyo, you don''t have to look at me like that, Young Lady," the middle-aged man waved his hands in an attempt to sue for peace.

    "H-here! I''ll introduce myself first, I am Shen Haoren of the Shen Family that oversees the Yuan Ming district."

    "Shen Family? Yuan Ming district?" An Fei echoed with a tinge of distrust and scrutiny evident in her voice.

    "Don''t look at me as though I were a molester, ah!" the middle-aged man revealed a trace of cold sweat at his brow.

    "If I really dared to do such an act, my wife back home would flog me until midnight. So please, Young Lady¡­ can you calm your raven down¡­?"

    The young girl glanced towards her left shoulder to discover that the little raven had spread its wings to their maximum length, a clear malevolent and vicious aura erupting from its body to wash over the vicinity.

    The passerby merely shivered and scowled to themselves in a low voice, but the clear target of the glare of malice desperately wished to flee home.

    "Xiao Hei?"

    Caw!

    An Fei murmured in a low inquisitive voice, the scarlet irises undulating with a curious flicker.

    The little raven huffed as it directed another glare towards the flustered and frightened Shen Haoren, before returning to its prideful stance.

    The young girl redirected her glance towards the middle-aged man, nearly causing him to jump in fear.

    This lass, though her expression was completely neutral, why does it feel as though her aura is not unlike that of that accursed demon of a bird, ah!?

    Shen Haoren pumped at his brow with a tiny square of a cloth, gesturing towards the young girl with a sweaty palm.

    "Young Lady, I¡­ this Haoren wanted to invite you to my Shen Manor for a brief chat," the middle-aged man spoke with a squeaky voice, waving both hands before An Fei could even speak.

    "Ah-ah-ah-ah! Don''t give me that look; it''s not me who wants to look for you, but my elder sister! Right, the manor elder, my Second Elder Sister, wanted me to fetch you for a quick chat at the Shen Manor in Bone Spirit Town."

    When did she become so extraordinary, that an unknown person would instantly know her from first glance?

    An Fei blinked as she narrowed her eyes towards Shen Haoren, watching the round-bellied man squirm in discomfort and anxiousness.

    The young girl stroked the smooth feathers of the little raven, directing an inquisitive but cold glance towards the flustered envoy of the Shen Family.

    "But why?" the young girl asked with a soft voice.

    "I don''t know your Shen Family, nor am I any special. Why does your Second Elder Sister, the so-called manor elder of the established Shen Family, call for an insignificant person such as I?"

    "B-because you have that seven-tailed fox, don''t you?"

    Shen Haoren blurted in a loud voice, causing many people in their surroundings to stop their movements and gasp. Ignoring the utterly malicious and baleful aura exuding from

    An Fei''s pores, the middle-aged man recited a calming mantra in his heart, his mouth moving incessantly as to deny the young girl a chance of rebuttal.

    "Earlier, the Fang Clan''s Fang Man attempted to poach off your spirit beast for a cheapskate price of letting you become his maid. But w-we, the Shen Family, are different. My sister has an interesting business proposal for you, one you may not feel so rejected from. If ¨C If ¨C"

    "If I were to come to your Shen Family''s Manor, I would probably be slain on the spot without speaking a single word," An Fei''s cold voice quelled the middle-aged man into silence.

    "Sorry, Mister Shen Haoren of the Shen Family. I don''t have your so-called spirit beast, a seven tailed fox, nor do I have any interest in sacrificing my life over several words. Besides, I wasn''t even at the Eight Immortals Residence today, so how could you pin such a title onto my pitiful head?"

    The young girl scathed at the round-bellied man, causing more beads of sweat to drop from his forehead.

    When Shen Haoren finally raised his head to deliver a flustered but effective argument to the young girl, he discovered himself standing alone in an encirclement of the excited people of the Harmony Road.

    "But¡­ but Second Elder Sister''s predictions are never wrong¡­" Shen Haoren whimpered, before screaming in fright as the encirclement closed in without any warning.

    The round-bellied man was forced at fistpoint to reveal all of the information he had gathered regarding the incident of the seven tailed fox at the Eight Immortals Pavilion, permitted to flee to the Shen Manor only when the sun had settled for the day.

    ¨C

    "Perhaps I shouldn''t walk around in the linen coat anymore¡­"

    When An Fei returned to the Sanctum for the night, she glanced downwards towards the white linen coat that covered her body to her knees.

    After the incident at the Eight Immortals Pavilion, many people would be searching for a young girl in a spotless white linen coat.

    Although its temperature modulating functionalities and impenetrable defense were insatiably appealing, the young girl was uncertain whether she should uphold the additional risk of incessant trouble.

    "Aih, I''ll think about it later," An Fei knocked herself on her forehead.

    The young girl sank to the ground, settling herself into a relaxed position against the crystalline floor of the Sanctum.

    Relishing in the warm and comfortable sensation reverberating in her body from the sky-blue crystal, An Fei pried open the book she had set aside ever since she had obtained the mortal cultivation''s Foundation Establishment Realm.

    ''s first technique of movement, .

    The first segment of the depicted the numerous postures and stances the body was to be trained in adapting to the concept of absolute evasion, a feat that An Fei rather admired and appreciated.

    However, the young girl had noticed a secondary subject within the technique describing an apt method of concealing a person''s presence.

    At the last time that the young girl had read the book, she was busy focusing on mastering the initial segment to attain the notion of evasion.

    "Integrate into the field of influence of another person by triggering artificial fluctuations¡­?"

    What does that mean?

    An Fei rubbed at her eyes with her fingers, the feeling of bitter frustration threatening to gnaw at her heart.

    The young girl clenched her hands into fists, urging herself to prevent her impatience and anger from boiling into another frustrating meltdown.

    "The technique worked last time, the technique should work this time as well¡­"

    With a deep breath, a pair of trembling hands supported the book as a delicate finger flipped the page¡­

 174 Steps of Underlying Shadow 2

    The first technique listed within the book titled the , the , was to be interpreted as a martial technique capable of providing the practitioner an absolute evasion against physical assaults to the body.

    When An Fei had read through the technique, she had obtained the impression that the technique outlined an alternate method of transferring external kinetic energy, defying the natural laws of physics with the ultimate cheat known as refined atmospheric spiritual qi, the spiritual essence contained within the body.

    By ingraining a preconfigured set of motions into the essence of the body to allow the bones to respond without any extensive planning, the technique carved a distinct series of channels for the spiritual essence to convey the additional kinetic energy and prevent the circumstance of injury.

    "Capture, realign, and release."

    The young girl tapped her finger onto the ground, swaying her body to the rhythmic sound reflected off of the crystalline floor.

    An Fei scanned through the pages of the book, her eyes dragging over each blurred character as though it were an infested evil.

    "The realizes the theory that every existence possesses an invisible field of interaction¡­ one that permits others to make contact ¨C is it referencing about inertia?" the young girl''s eyebrows shot up in thought, only to deflate later.

    "But inertia would defy the phenomenon I experienced, and spiritual essence would similarly break that theory into smithereens¡­ If one person does not possess a field of influence or merges into another person''s field of influence, then the second person will never be able to inflict harm, huh¡­"

    The young girl could understand this argument solely due to the fact that she had experienced such phenomenon hundreds of times.

    Each time she engaged combat with an enemy, An Fei had not received a single scratch onto the linen coat even if claws were scraping against her face.

    The instant any object attempted to strike her body, the transmitted force would simply be diverted and redirected to strike towards its source.

    As the ''s engraving of passive spiritual essence channels nullified any form of physical resistance, it simply wasn''t possible to inflict physical harm onto An Fei''s body.

    That, she was well familiar with. However¡­

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    "To merge into another existence''s field of interaction, the practitioner transmits a blank pulse of spiritual essence through the preconfigured channels into their surroundings via a thin, polarized wave," the young girl deciphered with difficulty.

    "The constant emission of blank pulses of spiritual essence without a unique frequency prevents the detection of the practitioner even though visual¡­ perception¡­ is functional, and tactile senses are not incapacitated."

    ¡­what was a polarized wave?

    An Fei scratched her head in frustration, her mind painfully devoid of any information relative to the passage''s topic.

    The young girl had an inkling that she could perhaps obtain a clue had she not become embroiled in the massive conflict over a single mirror, but only released a heavy sigh of regret.

    As for a blank pulse¡­

    "Ah, I don''t know!!"

    The young girl released a heartfelt cry before sinking backwards until her back rested against the ground, reveling in the warm and comfortable sensation transmitted through the sky-blue crystal floor.

    An Fei rubbed at her eyes as she tortured her already exhausted mind a step further, dragging herself by chains to read on further to obtain a single clue that could remove a portion of the mental haze tamping on her consciousness.

    "Spiritual essence comprises of an intention, imprint, and direction. A blank pulse is generated¡­ by eliminating either the intention or imprint, or assimilating the direction into the imprint."

    The young girl''s spirits became invigorated by a slight amount, though her mind remained as blank as ever.

    An Fei curled her fingers into tight fists as she bored holes into the book''s white pages, her consciousness threatening itself to not fall asleep.

    Spiritual essence comprised of an intention, imprint, and a configured direction.

    That, by itself, was rather self-explanatory, or at the least, the fundamental definitions were easily decipherable.

    The spiritual essence used to construct the handle-less steel sword that accompanied her journey throughout the Wu Ji Forest was a prime example of such definitions.

    Each time she conjured the sword, An Fei gathered the spiritual essence at her heart to traverse through the channels defined by the , disperse from her body, and coalesce into a sword.

    The channels formed by the cultivation technique constituted the imprint, the intention was the manifestation of the steel blade radiating with malevolence, and the direction was any coordinate irrelevant to her physical body.

    And yet¡­

    "How do I¡­ remove either of the intention or imprint of a unit of spiritual essence?" An Fei scowled to herself as she tapped her finger on the pages of the book.

    "Removing the imprint¡­ would it be to expel the spiritual essence without a technique? And removing the intention¡­ equates to random expulsion, right?"

    How was she to remove the imprint of spiritual essence and dispel it from her body?

    An Fei scratched at her head in confusion, unable to discern any plausible answer.

    The formulated a plausible combination of pathways to achieve a world-changing, tangible result, and was at the most, temporary.

    Whenever An Fei did not transmit spiritual essence throughout the specialized acupuncture points and the Governing Vessel, the channels were nonexistent on the mental visualization of her body whenever she closed her eyes.

    The carved the specified pathways into the essence of her body, causing those pathways to become concrete and resistant to change even if it achieved a similarly tangible phenomenon.

    Thus, those altercated pathways were discernable on the mental visualization, albeit significantly fainter compared to the others.

    At the current moment, the young girl was unable to hypothesize a functional method of removing the imprint from a unit of spiritual essence wielded at her disposal.

    An Fei rocked back and forth, her hands grasping onto her knees as she fell into her thoughts.

    Removing the intention¡­

    Forming the handle-less steel sword insinuated that she attribute the utilized spiritual essence to attend to the intention of constituting a sword with a lethal edge.

    From that point, the sword''s actions and movements conformed to the concept of seeking death through laceration, impact, or puncture ¨C the same concepts that constituted a natural blade wielded by man.

    Then, to form that sword¡­ she had to first transmit spiritual essence into the Bingfeng and Tianzong acupuncture points, then forcibly merge the two polarized attributes of spiritual essence into a unified whole and imprint the intention of manifesting into a sword to achieve the intended result.

    As a result, the intention of spiritual essence followed the successful completion of the imprint¡­ and the direction remained constant ¨C to manifest somewhere outside of her body.

    "Removing the intention¡­ the generates a lotus petal regardless of the acupuncture points I utilize, constituting an intention at the beginning," An Fei sighed as she mused to herself in silence.

    "Perhaps if I were to wantonly release the spiritual essence without any thoughts of what result I desired, then ¨C wait, I don''t have that much spiritual essence to begin with whenever I''m in the continent."

    The young girl palmed her face with both of her hands, her mind screeching with an excruciating pain.

    An Fei pulled herself away from the book, rolling into a sprawled position on the crystalline floor, her mind automatically lulling itself into a light doze.

    As for this problem, though she didn''t allot much time to her agenda, she would ruminate about it later.

    ¨C

    "Second Elder Sister, I''ve returned."

    A round-bellied middle-aged man waddled into the room, his brow constantly releasing beads of sweat that dripped onto his cheeks.

    Shen Haoren ignored the maidservants guarding the doors, wading through the maze of furniture with ease, kneeling before the draped curtains of a bed with his left arm offered, the palm facing the sky.

    "Haoren?"

    A soft, enchanting voice echoed from within the closed curtains of the bed, causing the middle-aged man''s mind to bolt away from his adorable wife and focus on his duty.

    "Second Elder Sister, Haoren is here!"

    Shen Haoren yelped with an unguarded voice, his conscience releasing a painful sigh at his immediate future.

    The middle-aged man retracted his hands and brought them close to his ears, as though preparing to withstand a deadly lecture.

    "You seem to have brought nobody with you. What happened?"

    The enchanting voice tickled at his ears, the mellow contents warming the middle-aged man''s heart and causing him to lower his defenses. Shen Haoren thought for a brief moment, before opening his mouth with a deadpan gaze.

 175 The flabbergasting and annoying martial arts community 1

    "She refused to come with you at all costs?"

    The enchanting voice was laced with a sliver of interest and surprise, and the rustling of silk could be faintly heard from within the curtained bed.

    Shen Haoren gulped at the enticing experience, his mind lapsing into a heavily passionate and emotional experience he had recently enjoyed with his adorable and absolutely beautiful wife, his eyes glazing over with a giddy smile.

    "Haoren?" the voice reminded with a gentle but cold chill.

    "Ah? Oh, oh yes, where was I," the middle-aged man shivered with fear at the incoming sign of danger.

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    "That young girl ¨C she refused to come along even after I mentioned the Shen Family''s name, or when I applied social pressure. From her tone, she seemed extremely adamant against the idea of interacting with others, regardless of their status beyond what was necessary."

    Shen Haoren''s lascivious smile had disappeared, replaced by a cold and calculating gleam discernable only in the finest of businessmen.

    The middle-aged man patted his round belly for a few moments, his eyebrows furrowed in deep thought.

    "Second Elder Sister," he abruptly parted his lips to blurt.

    "Could that¡­ lass you spoke of not be from Bone Spirit Town? Her mannerisms were unlike that of the ordinary residents I observed or even that of the domestic clans. Though her aura was dubious at best, I can only assume that she is from a higher developed city or district not unlike our own ¨C"

    "Have you been besotted with fear?"

    The voice of the elusive Second Senior Sister caused Shen Haoren''s throat to anxiously contract and force down his desire to eagerly nod his head and wash himself clean of the matter.

    The middle-aged man directed a furtive peak towards the maidservants guarding the door, only to be disappointed by a pair of stone-clad countenances.

    They probably ¨C no, they definitely won''t let him escape, ah.

    "I don''t think I fear her," Shen Haoren tread on the thin ice with his tiptoes.

    "However, I do think that it would be prudent for our Shen Family to act in securing the seven-tailed fox through negotiation and not pressure. Furthermore, we should lay low for a while, for the young lass to detach herself from the incitement of the Fang Clan."

    "¡­En."

    There was a brief pause before a throaty sound of approval rang from within the bedchamber.

    Hearing the implicit praise, Shen Haoren''s fat ¨C suffused cheeks wobbled with delight, prompting him to perform his exaggerated bow of extending his left hand, the palm facing the sky in obeisance.

    The middle-aged man''s heart soared towards the ninth heaven in joy, but he dared not reveal his excitement towards his strict elder sister.

    Hence, he remained still in his kneeling position, clearly aware that the Shen Manor''s Elder was intending on speaking further.

    "¡­Haoren, do you know the importance of a seven-tailed fox?"

    The middle-aged man blinked in confusion, his lips parting and flapping shut in his hesitation.

    The Second Elder Sister of the Shen Manor spared him from prolonged suffering, the enchanting voice emerging from within the dense curtains once again.

    "Many people would exclaim that a seven-tailed fox would mature into a Nascent Soul Realm spirit beast, which is a force many, many times stronger than an individual practitioner of the same realm of cultivation," the woman giggled in laughter.

    "However, not many know of a specific secret, even after the passing of many hundreds of years."

    "Secret?" Shen Haoren mouthed in surprise, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

    "Second Elder Sister, you mean to say¡­ since our Shen Family is aware¡­"

    "Yes, the secret does involve our Shen Family; then again, it involves many other powerful clans and entities we cannot provoke. That secret, lays within the seven-tailed fox''s blood."

    Blood?

    Shen Haoren frowned in contemplation, his fingers drumming against his thigh as his mind spun to its limits.

    The middle-aged man lapsed into an unprecedented solemn mood, all frivolous thoughts regarding his wife banished to the depths of his mind.

    Unlike human practitioners who could only absorb the atmospheric spiritual qi into their bodies one thin layer at a time, spirit beasts were born with a physique fully forged from spiritual essence as the fundamental compound.

    Thus, when comparing the combat potential between a spirit beast and a human practitioner of the same realm, it was an almost certainty that the spirit beast was the victor.

    Their bodies had received a complete baptism since birth, and was incomparable to a house of cards stacked atop another numerous times.

    Additionally¡­

    "The greater potential of the spirit beast, the greater the medicinal efficacy and the chance for a unique manifestation¡­"

    Shen Haoren whispered in shock, his arms falling limp to his sides.

    "Exactly," the enchanting voice affirmed his conjectures, widening the rift within the middle-aged man''s mind.

    "The blood of a seven-tailed fox can trigger a heavenly bombardment unlike any other ¨C but a tribulation that does not pose any lethal threat regardless of the weakness of a practitioner. Similarly, the seven-tailed foxes are the direct recipient of the Nine Yellow Reincarnations, the most powerful cultivator known in history."

    "¡­and by obtaining the blood of a seven-tailed fox, our Shen Family can attain a significant portion of the Nine Yellow Reincarnations'' legacy," Shen Haoren gasped at the magnitude of a single creature''s importance, his eyes nearly popping from their sockets.

    The cultivation of mortal practitioners only extended towards the Nascent Soul Realm; that was as recorded in the historical archives within each of the three empires, as well as the Three Great Sects. Numerous cultivators at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm had attempted to traverse the bridge into unlimited heights, but ultimately perished at their first attempt.

    They couldn''t even ascertain that a bridge existed, for the Shattered Star Continent''s knowledge regarding the mysteries of cultivation were limited to the minimum.

    Even after the decay of numerous millennia of research, nobody had managed to extend beyond the boundaries of the Nascent Soul Realm.

    Not one single practitioner except for a sole outcast that was the Nine Yellow Reincarnations.

    The rogue cultivator had struck the accumulated legends of cultivation askew by transcending beyond the Nascent Soul Realm with a single strike, breaching into an unprecedented and unknown realm, granting him divine strength that could shatter even the sun that glared at the earth each day.

    History described him as the emperor of cultivation ¨C a being that had not only glimpsed, but seized the secrets of the heavens and the earth.

    It was a pity that the only clue regarding his legacy was the blood of a seven-tailed fox.

    Such a creature was practically extinct and impossibly rare to encounter within five centuries of indignant searching and scouring of the earth, thus any sighting of such a creature was sufficient to cause even the Three Great Sects to burst into an uproar.

    Each new generation of cultivators were instructed to search for a seven-tailed fox ¨C triggering numerous bloody conquests that rocked across the continent.

    They were bound to be completely insane to massacre innocents in the millions for a single drop of animal blood, but to the cultivators of the Shattered Star Continent, the single drop of blood represented the opening of a new era of cultivation.

    The Nascent Soul Realm only provided a thousand years of life at the most; many powerful entities were desperately seeking for alternate means of obtaining longevity.

    "Do you understand?" the Second Elder Sister gently admonished.

    "Our Shen Family relies on this matter to succeed ¨C but we cannot make any new enemies or alert our former foes of our intentions. Thus, you must secure the seven-tailed fox from that little lass without shedding a single drop of blood, do you understand?"

    "Even abuse our authority to remove that Fang Clan from the Du Zhou Province, if you must!"

    Shen Haoren staggered out of the luxuriously decorated room with a heavy heart, his countenance gloomy to the eighteenth level of hell.

    Ignoring the two maids'' belated gestures of farewell, the middle-aged man revealed a heavy frown as he glanced towards the outer wall of the Shen Manor, his mind soaring with solemn thoughts.

    The young lass, albeit her mannerisms did not reflect any indication of her possessing the spirit beast desperately needed by the Shen Family, his Second Elder Sister''s predictions were never wrong, even after so many decades. Thus¡­

    Thus¡­

    "Remove the Fang Clan from this town. Regardless of what it is, I need to lure that lass into the Shen Manor ¨C more specifically, Second Elder Sister''s room."

    The middle-aged man glared at the stone bricks of the outer wall of the mansion for a little longer, before gesturing for a nearby servant to carry out his next instructions.

 176 The flabbergasting and annoying martial arts community 2

    In the end, An Fei''s night had passed without her managing to obtain a clue in achieving the phenomenon described within the latter half of the martial arts technique, causing a perpetual scowl to arise on her disguised countenance.

    When she left the Sanctum, it took no small amount of effort to return her expression to its usual relaxed and indifferent state, with the greatest contributor being the small fox offering its fur to the ravaging of the young girl''s fingers.

    The pitiful creature was then callously deposited onto the surface of the leather bag, cruelly discarded after its usefulness had been depleted.

    Caw!

    An Fei ran her fingers through her hair, the distraught evident in the pair of scarlet irises.

    The little raven called out in concern, but the young girl waved it away with a light brush of her hand, her mood sinking to the absolute lowest possible.

    She had not obtained much sleep, having dedicated her mind into blindly attempting to achieve the phenomenon of establishing blank spiritual essence.

    Permutations with the ''s carefully curated mechanism of generating nullified spiritual essence, even as going as far as attempting to adopt a grossly different cultivation technique''s implementation in a desperate effort.

    The young girl had squandered her limitless source of spiritual essence within the Sanctum, but had achieved nothing except for creating arbitrary lotus petals.

    She could only dull the intention behind her expenditure of spiritual essence, and could not tamper with either the imprint or direction.

    Each time she failed, the young girl experienced a fleeting sensation as though she were a fingertip''s distance from success.

    Alas, with each successive attempt, the irritating sensation magnified even more, as though it were cruelly mocking her inability to comprehend a simple concept.

    "This¡­ this isn''t going to work at all," An Fei released a heavy sigh, patting the slightly cool surface of the clay tiles underneath her body.

    The young girl stretched, before grasping the strap of the leather bag. She carefully deposited the small fox into the bag whilst ignoring the obvious deflated appearance of the seven tails, before slinging it over her shoulder.

    Tap!

    An Fei palmed the roof tiles underneath her feet, grasping onto the ledge with her fingers as she swung towards the dark alleyway that wound around the side of the house.

    The young girl quickly merged into the ever-flowing streets packed to the brim with people, seeking the crossroads that served as the central junction of the Bone Spirit Town.

    This time, she was to explore the Peaceful Road, the street exclusively reserved for the cultivators of the town¡­

    Yip!

    "¡­I got it," the young girl sighed and capitulated.

    "I''ll buy you meat at the Harmony Road before we go exploring¡­"

    ¨C

    The Peaceful Road¡­ was indeed peaceful as its name declared with a placid but arrogant tone.

    When An Fei stepped onto the street with an inquisitive glance, the first impression she gleaned from her surroundings was a single word.

    Quiet.

    The number of people roaming throughout the paved stone road had sharply dwindled from tens of thousands of people on the Harmony Road, to the extent that observing more than a few dozen people on the time was an unusual sight.

    For a town of a population in the several hundreds of thousands of energetic, exuberant people, such a sight was indeed a startling experience.

    It was as though¡­ the Peaceful Road was a ghost town compared to its counterparts.

    Numerous rectangular buildings of birch stood at each side of the street, obsequious nameplates declaring their pride and arrogance to the world without shame.

    As she walked along the long road, the young girl couldn''t help but pause and gawk at the obnoxious and flagrant naming of some of the signboards.

    "Heavenly Swords Smithy¡­ Fire Dragon School¡­ God''s Grace Armory¡­?"

    The young girl''s fingers twitched, barely resisting the urge to soar towards the heavens and slap herself on the forehead.

    Vividly recalling to herself that the naming of the cultivation techniques in the Three Lotus Sect''s Pagoda of Sun and Moon was no different in its inability to comprehend humility, An Fei shut her mouth and continued to walk.

    The little raven perched on her shoulder seemed to be trapped within the midst of a similar experience, for its wings were quivering with startling and odd wheezes escaping its small frame.

    When the young girl glanced towards the anomaly of a raven and a crow, the little creature abruptly turned its head to the other direction, a faint sound that was not unlike of a whistle bidding farewell to its golden beak.

    "You¡­" the young girl hesitated for a brief moment, lowering her finger after a few moments of thought.

    "Aigh, sometimes I think you''re more of a human than a raven ¨C oh? Yin-Yang Duality School? Experience¡­ the pleasures of conjugal union and heavenly bless ¨C what''s with these names, ah!?"

    Crack!

    The young girl deeply breathed as she dared not to glance at the signboards of the Peaceful Road any longer, hurrying towards the street without another word.

    As she walked nearby the sparse people that strolled throughout the streets, An Fei paid close attention to the drifting words.

    "Did you hear? Meng Peng issued a challenge against the newcomer, Yan Xiao!"

    "Yan Xiao?" another person raised an eyebrow in surprise.

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    "Isn''t Yan Xiao within the first pillar of the Body Tempering Realm, whilst Meng Peng is within the third pillar? The street actually approved the challenge?"

    "Who knows what grudge Meng Peng has against that kid," a third person revealed a thin sneer.

    "All we can infer is that Yan Xiao newcomer has obtained a miraculous cultivation or martial arts technique that can surpass the boundaries of the subrealms of cultivation. Who knows?"

    "It better be interesting, since the Peaceful Road is overseeing such a challenge," the first person similarly smirked with an expression of schadenfreude.

    "Though I''m more inclined towards the duel between the Third Young Master of the Tang Clan Tang Shiqi against the Fang Clan''s Young Lord Fang Man. Those two and their conflict has been the news of the town, ah!"

    Tang Shiqi and Fang Man?

    An Fei rose an eyebrow at the unexpected mention of two names she was familiar with.

    Wondering when the news had reached the corners of the Bone Spirit Town and whether she was involved in it, the young girl gradually slowed her pace, trailing the three oblivious gossiping cultivators from a respectable but audible distance.

    "That''s right! Tang Shiqi''s challenge against Young Lord Fang Man is scheduled to be right after Meng Po and Yan Xiao. Apparently, these two challenges will occur at noon at the Heaven and Earth Arena, we can''t miss out on it, ah!"

    The cultivator in the middle clapped his hands with an energetic aura.

    His compatriots on either side joined in the merry atmosphere, before leaning in to discuss with hushed voices.

    "However, did you hear about the news? Apparently, the Fang Clan''s Young Lord Fang Man had attempted to obtain a rather powerful and priceless spirit beast from a commoner girl, but was rejected! Even when he offered to make her his concubine, he was faced by a powerful slap to the face!"

    "Such courage and boldness! Not even our Senior Brother would dare reject a favor from the Fang Clan ¨C their influence stretches far beyond our Bone Spirit Town."

    The third cultivator exclaimed with a flabbergasted expression, his fingers unconsciously clenched into tight fists.

    Behind them, the young girl''s head tilted to the right, her countenance derailed by a dense expression of befuddlement.

    It couldn''t be¡­

    "Did you also hear the aftermath?" the cultivator in the middle cackled with a sour laughter.

    "The commoner girl demanded that she be made the sole wife of the Young Lord if she were to relinquish the spirit beast. My, imagine the Xiao Clan''s Young Miss Xiao Yue''s expression during that time, ah!"

    "That''s not courage, that''s simply not knowing her place! Such words ¨C she''ll be lucky if the Xiao Clan doesn''t kill her on the spot, ah. Oh, why do treasures have to be kept besides a vicious heart?"

    At that moment, An Fei had already escaped the maximum range of her hearing to accurately discern the trio''s conversation.

    However, the young girl could clearly deliberate on the contents and substitute it herself, prompting her feet to freeze on the lonely Peaceful Road.

    Ca-c-c-caw!

    "Oh, shut up!"

    CAW! CAW! CAW!

    The little raven perched on her shoulder trembled in laughter, broken calls for help and amusement attempting to escape its throat.

    The young girl slapped the little creature''s feathery head with a countenance full of anger and indignance, her aura unconsciously morphing into one of bloodthirst.

    When had the rumors become distorted like this?

    She was certain that some mention of her spirit beast incident would be leaked to the public, but not in such a twisted and depraved fashion!

    "Heaven and Earth Arena¡­ that should be located at the end of the street, the large building to the right," the young girl revealed a grim smile.

    "When I find whoever''s been distorting the rumors like this¡­ hehe!"

 177 The flabbergasting and annoying martial arts community 3

    The Heaven and Earth Arena¡­ was unexpectedly a football stadium.

    Or at the least, the shape of the arena was similar to that of a football stadium An Fei had once observed whilst she was a carefree student at Beijing.

    The dimensions of the building were similar, causing the young girl to marvel at the resources dedicated to the construction of the arena.

    After all¡­ the Heaven and Earth Arena was built underground.

    The building on the right side of the street its end was no more than a simple pavilion serving as a disguise for the arena concealed underneath the Peaceful Road of the Bone Spirit Town.

    When An Fei had knocked on the door, she discovered that outside of a simple registrar manned by three young female workers dressed in revealing clothes, all that existed was a staircase of stone leading downwards.

    The three people before her had tossed out a single word before sauntering down the stairs, thus An Fei mimicked the same, slightly surprised at the carefree attitude of the workers.

    With a few moments of detailed observation, the young girl noticed that the situation was not that simple in the slightest.

    The types of people that visited the Heaven and Earth Arena of the Bone Spirit Town could only be divided into two general categories.

    Challenger, and Spectator.

    To spectate a match, all that was required was a stature befitting that of a cultivator and a simple declaration of intent to enter the Heaven and Earth Arena.

    Though An Fei did not reveal a cultivator''s aura or possess a concrete clue in dispersing a unique fluctuation of spiritual essence, the abnormality that was the little raven perched on her shoulder was sufficient evidence.

    The three workers did not even spare the young girl a glance before motioning for the next person to step forward towards the registrar.

    Combined with her plain appearance and dress, it was evident that An Fei was no more than a maidservant at a powerful clan seeking some entertainment after a few weeks of grueling service.

    "To challenge another person, you need a proof of identity for both sides, and a clear grudge that is to be publicized, ah."

    The young girl tapped the base of her chin with a slender finger, her countenance displaying a quirky smile of interest.

    The ordeal in undertaking a challenge against another cultivator was a rather intricate and complex process.

    The challenger was to convey a token of identity that validated both their and their opponent''s identities, as well as a clearly defined grudge that was to be declared before the beginning of each match.

    The Heaven and Earth Arena strictly mandated that the grudges be personal and vindictive, without any physical incentive triggering the initial conflict.

    Thus, hardly any challenges were enacted to assuage a person''s greed, and a greedy challenger would be slain on the spot by the Heaven and Earth Arena, if not declaring a kill order on their head.

    Next, the challenge could be enacted if the defending opponent agreed to the resolution offered by the Heaven and Earth Arena, but the challenger could fork over a gold coin to coerce a clash on the arena stage.

    The arena had established the standard of a single gold coin, the massive consolidation fee barely affordable by the domestic clans of the Bone Spirit Town.

    And finally, the Heaven and Earth Arena stated that due to upholding impartiality in the proceedings of the challenge, all life and death of the participants were left to their own fates.

    Thus, whilst the battles on the arena were gruesome at times, many, many people frequented the arena whenever a challenge was declared.

    When An Fei thought about many people, she expected a few hundred or so people, but she didn''t expect a sea of human heads to be crammed into a single stadium.

    After a constantly winding and dimly lit three hundred and twenty-seven stone steps barricaded by a constricting wall of granite on either side, the young girl walked into a massive underground cave.

    The cave''s dimensions were approximately that of a football stadium, with a depth of seventy meters between the ground and the ceiling.

    The stadium was fully lit with an enormous crystal ball the size of a regular house in the Bone Spirit Town, raining a soft golden glow that eradicated the darkness of the cave.

    The stadium''s seating for the audience was constructed from a thin but durable wood, and An Fei finally realized where the occupants of the Peaceful Road had disappeared to.

    Thirty thousand people, not one less.

    Thirty thousand people were seated in the prepared wooden seats that wound around the arena, with an unknown number housed in the secluded private rooms that observed the scene from above.

    The young girl blanched as she quickly found a vacant spot near the front rows of the stadium, her eyes wide with disbelief as she gazed at the excited and agitated countenances of the spectators surrounding her.

    Was it that exciting to stare at a massive empty stretch of sand at the bottom?

    "Young lass, is it your first time at the Heaven and Earth Arena?"

    A raspy voice broke into An Fei''s thoughts from her left, causing the young girl to blink in surprise. Turning around, the young girl discovered an elderly scholar in his eighties or nineties, dressed in grey scholarly robes.

    His beard trailed below his knees and a wooden cane could be seen clasped between his hands. As the elderly man gazed at her in expectation, the young girl carefully nodded in response.

    "Are you surprised by the sheer number of people who attend this arena?" the elderly man asked once more, his beady eyes revealing a kind intent.

    The young girl nodded again, her eyes flickering with an expression of confusion whilst her countenance remained impassive.

    The elder swept a trembling finger throughout the filled stands reserved for the spectators, his voice hoarse and shaking with emotion.

    "Look at them all ¨C farmers, merchants, clansmen, businessmen from afar, rogue cultivators ¨C all of these people come under the same roof to witness a battle of life and death between two individual cultivators," the old man sighed.

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    "Why are we fatally attracted to the spillage of blood? I do not know, even after my advanced age. But hear, young lass, do not trigger a challenge at this Heaven and Earth Arena regardless of your anger, and never accept a challenge."

    What was this elderly man attempting to convey?

    "Esteemed elder, do you know something about this Heaven and Earth Arena?"

    An Fei asked with a cautious tone, her fingers tightening on the strap of the leather bag in concern. The young girl palmed her bosom, the faint sensation of the handle of the qama and the snow-white lotus petal in her hair reassuring her confidence.

    "Hah¡­ I''ve witnessed hundreds of duels in my life at this Heaven and Earth Arena," the elderly man''s countenance dimmed with sorrow.

    "Too many youthful cultivators had their futures maimed and ruined at the same stage of sand you see before you today.

    Becoming a victor assures you great renown and fame, but losing a duel at this arena ¨C you are bound to lose everything."

    "Everything?" the young girl echoed with a raise of her eyebrow.

    "Yes, everything."

    The elder gazed into the blank sea of sand, his eyes revealing a different mystery of sorrow and despair than the atmosphere of excitement and anticipation that burned at the spectator''s souls.

    The old man tapped his cane against the ground, daring not to glance at the confused young girl and the cautious little raven.

    "When initiating a battle at the Heaven and Earth Arena, both the challenger and defender sign away all rights to the victor ¨C their fortunes, their properties, and their lives. Wives are snatched away, daughters are forcefully seized through a victory; the loser of a duel, if they are not killed, are treated like slaves by the victor."

    "What''s horrible about this arena is that not only will the Bone Spirit Town defend the loser against the atrocities they face, they even encourage it with open arm ¨C "

    "Attention, everyone!"

    The booming voice drowned out the remainder of the elderly man''s words, prompting An Fei to narrow her eyes in contemplation.

    The young girl swept her gaze throughout the stadium, searching for the mysterious speaker but to no avail.

    "The first duel of today will begin in five minutes! Spectators, please return to your seats!"

    The crystal sun at the middle of the cave''s ceiling flashed with a cautionary purple light, and the Heaven and Earth Arena welcomed its next spillage of blood.

 178 The flabbergasting and annoying martial arts community 4

    The clamor of the spectators diminished into a gentle lull within a matter of moments, the thousands of people seated within the stadium staring towards the prepared stage of loose stand at the center.

    Coaxed by the numerous people around her focusing their gaze towards the basin of sand, the young girl eventually followed suit with a light sigh.

    The atmosphere of the Heaven and Earth Arena briefly tensed, before calming in a ruthless plunge.

    From one of the ends of the arena, an elderly man dressed in billowing golden robes stepped forth.

    Taking long strides, the elder had crossed half of the arena in an eye''s blink, appearing at the center of the basin of sand before many of the spectators could notice it.

    Observing the movement of the old man, An Fei''s eyes couldn''t help but slightly narrow in surprise.

    To the mortal spectators besides her, the elderly man''s movements appeared no different than teleportation.

    The young girl, on the other hand, clearly noticed that the elder''s feet moved in a completely linear pattern of movement, the tip of one foot properly lined with the heel of the other, a faint violet light pulsing and expanding at the contact.

    WHOOSH!

    The spectators erupted into a long cry of cheering at the old man''s appearance, the resounding din causing the entire structure to tremble from the vocal wrath of the thousands of earnestly beating hearts and souls.

    The crystal ball above their hands reflected a giddy pulse of scarlet that resonated with the cries and stamps of the spectators, forming an unusually excitatory atmosphere.

    The elderly man besides An Fei released a heavy sigh of exasperation and emotion, directing a glance towards the young girl before focusing onto the old man standing at the center of the arena.

    The elder within the basin of sand stamped his feet, the shockwave quelling the boiling emotions of the spectators.

    "Everyone!"

    The powerful yet hoarse voice boomed across the entire Heaven and Earth Arena, as though ringing directly into participants'' ears.

    An Fei clapped her hands over her ears in a panic, only to begrudgingly lower them after noticing that nobody else appeared to be relatively surprised.

    Caw!

    The little raven hummed with a tinge of disgust, ruffling its wings in its annoyance.

    "The first match of the Heaven and Earth Arena shall begin now!" the elder spoke with a clear and unhesitant voice.

    "The rules of the match shall, by tradition, be explained before the beginning of each match. Now, everyone, welcome the two participants of the first duel!"

    Contrary to expectation, the spectators did not release an energetic cry of support, instead falling into an eerie silence.

    The young girl observed with raised eyebrows as two socketed portions of the wall encircling the area retracted, revealing pathways of adequate size for a tall challenger to pass through with ease.

    Soon, two pairs of footsteps lightly pounded onto the loose sand ground of the arena, one light and the other heavy.

    The two participants of the first duel was as the three cultivators had discussed prior to the event, Meng Peng and Yan Xiao.

    As they stepped forth, the spectators merely watched with bated breath.

    Meng Peng was a rather tall youth exceeding a hundred and eighty centimeters in height, with a bulky and powerful stature and decorated with a taut and handsome countenance.

    Yan Xiao was of a more slender, thinner build, without any obvious inclination of having undergone intensive muscular training.

    Both were dressed in a prepared combat attire of a uniform of black fabric, with a snakeskin belt with three golden stars nailed to the side.

    Under the elderly man''s directions, the two stepped forward until they stood at a distance of three meters apart from the other, both staring at their opponent with equally mixed countenances of apprehension and distaste.

    The elderly man raised his hands to his sides, gesturing for the spectators to pay attention. With a simple flourish, the old man released a dull copper light from his body, triggering a wave of energetic cheers and worship from the sea of people.

    "Everyone, the rules of the Heaven and Earth Arena shall be professed at this moment," the old man cried with his voice enhanced by spiritual essence.

    "The Heaven and Earth Arena hosts duels of life and death between two individual participants, with the only prerequisites of a conclusion constituting the ultimate defeat of one participant, or the declaration of surrender. Beyond the state of defeat, neither side may issue another strike towards their foe; such an act will not be tolerated and is punishable by death under the jurisdiction of the Heaven and Earth Committee!"

    The elderly man paused, taking a deep breath as his hand shot to rest on the two youths'' shoulders, a powerful impulse of force preventing neither Meng Peng or Yan Xiao to breathe a single word of dissent.

    "Meng Peng and Yan Xiao are today''s first participants; Meng Peng, the challenger, is of the third pillar of the Body Tempering Realm, whilst Yan Xiao is of the first pillar," the elder explained with a curt and simple tone.

    "The grudge between the two participants is an act that defiles the arrangement between man and woman! Abusing his heightened strength, Meng Peng seized the betrothed of Yan Xiao and committed barbaric acts of **** and battery, thus triggering this duel!"

    "Meng Peng, you should be sentenced to death!"

    "Meng Peng, the Bone Spirit Town doesn''t accept you even if you win this duel!"

    "Meng Peng, you scourge!"

    The spectators jeered with an astonishing wrathful voice, dominating the entire atmosphere of the Heaven and Earth Arena to be bathed with a vicious and bloodthirsty mood.

    The elder besides An Fei revealed a sardonic smirk, tapping his cane onto the ground with a disheartened sigh.

    "The match shall begin¡­ now!"

    A loud popping noise struck throughout the stadium, and the old man retreated from the basin of sand.

    No longer restrained by the imposing pressure of the Heaven and Earth elder''s aura, the two youths glared at the other, prowling around in a full circle as though they were bloodied wolves.

    "Yargh!"

    The youth named Yan Xiao struck first, his right fist lashing out forwards towards Meng Peng''s chest with a piercing roar.

    Meng Peng revealed a disdainful sneer, stepping forward with his left foot before driving forth his entire body''s momentum into his right fist to produce an intense collision.

    The thin youth suddenly relaxed the grip of his fist, the fingers opened up as though the blooming petals of a budding flower. Just as his palm intercepted Meng Peng''s fist, Yan Xiao clamped down onto the bulky youth''s fingerbones, his nails digging heavily into the other''s skin.

    "Yan Xiao, you brat!" Meng Peng roared with pain, his left fist arcing to connect with the thin youth''s torso.

    "You dare injure this Father! See how I deal with you!"

    With a yelp of pain, Yan Xiao was hurled backwards with great force, flying for several meters before colliding onto the sand ground with a fierce grunt.

    The thin youth blearily attempted to rebalance his trembling body, discovering the blurred figure of a bulky man standing mere inches from his body.

    Thud!

    Fist after fist shattered onto Yan Xiao''s torso, sides, and back, causing hollow sounds to reverberate throughout the silent spectator stands of the stadium.

    Accompanied among several of the impacts were pained cries, with flecks of scarlet dying the golden grains of dry sand.

    "This¡­ is simply a brutal melee between two fighters¡­"

    An Fei furrowed her brows in disgust, her interest of observing the Heaven and Earth Arena having been eradicated by the blood seeping from Yan Xiao''s uniform and staining the sand with a coat of red.

    The young girl glanced around for an opening to slip through, only to discover a sea of iron countenances eagerly absorbing the brutal scene before them with rapture, awe, and enjoyment.

    Savages!

    The young girl groaned in her heart, resigning herself to watch Yan Xiao be tossed around as though a beating rag.

    Puff!

    The thin youth rolled backwards in the sand to evade Meng Peng''s fist, vomiting a mouthful of blood in the process.

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    Yan Xiao glared at the well-built and muscular frame of the youth across from him, his trembling fingers clenching into a tight fist.

    He had avoided receiving any strikes to his vital areas and his countenance, strictly to land a single hit!

    "Oh? Yan Xiao, you brat, you want to try something against this Father?"

    Meng Peng sneered, the muscles of his right arm bulging as the bulky youth summoned even more of his physical strength to flood his body.

    With a powerful roar, his fist sped towards Yan Xiao''s thinned countenance, seeking to thoroughly maim the pesky mosquito.

    In response, a slender, thinner fist soared towards Meng Peng''s chest, escaping detection from many simply due to the unimpressive presence and demeanor of the strike compared to the latter''s physical prowess.

    Unknown to many, the thin fist was coated with a paper-thin barrier of scarlet light, an intense malevolent desired soaked within the filament of scarlet.

    The young girl''s eyes suddenly twitched, causing her to blink in irritation.

    Boom!

    What struck was not a bulky fist propelled by an immense might, but a sledgehammer towards a person''s heart.

    When the spectator''s eyes refocused from the sudden auditory shock, they noticed a ring of blood surrounding the two youths fighting in the basin of sand, and a thin arm stabbing through a bulky chest as though it were nothing but thin leather.

 179 The Heaven and Earth Arena 1

    "What happened!?"

    The spectators simultaneously arose from their seats, their minds abuzz with the sudden resolution of the fight. Their minds struggled to comprehend to unexpected scene glaring into their eyes, their fingers groping for stability in the empty atmosphere.

    Finally, a quivering voice broke the silence, doused in disbelief and wonder.

    "Since when was Yan Xiao that powerful? Isn''t he supposed to be in the first pillar of the Body Tempering Realm, and Meng Peng in the third?"

    "That''s right," another argued, the dam having been shattered.

    "How could Yan Xiao beat such an opponent? Unless¡­ he has a heaven-defying martial arts technique!?"

    "Impossible! All of us cultivating youths learned the same set of martial arts techniques, and the Yan Clan isn''t spectacular enough to own a technique on that scale! Hell, not even the Xiao Clan possesses such a treasure!"

    "That treasure is wasted on Yan Xiao! He''s only a scrawny youth without much strength, lets see how he can evade our questioning!"

    The sea of people roared with a tsunami of overwhelmed emotions, the majority seeking a proper explanation from the victor of the first duel, Yan Xiao.

    An Fei could distinctly feel the jaws of greed and malice part to chomp on its prey, thankful that she was not on the side facing the gateway to an unfortunate end.

    "The victor of the first duel is Yan Xiao!"

    The elderly man of the Heaven and Earth Arena stood at the side of the basin of sand, his powerful voice quelling the boiling and fervent ardor of the spectators.

    With a silent nod, the scrawny youth staggered towards the opened pathway leading out of the arena, not sparing a glance for the fallen Meng Peng.

    The bulky youth lay on the ground with his eyes outstretched with shock and fear, his mouth opened to release a heartrending shriek.

    Alas, the fallen Meng Peng could only be carried away by the cultivators charged with handling the disposal following a battle, dragged by his feet to stain the sand with a wave of scarlet.

    As they awaited the second duel to finish its preparations, the spectators returned to their engaged conversations regarding the surprise card utilized by Yan Xiao, many plotting to steal it from the scrawny youth without any moral barriers or impediments.

    "Young lass, what did you think of that fight, ah?"

    The elderly man besides An Fei asked with a twitch of his lips, the pair of beady eyes observing each and every change on the young girl''s countenance.

    "¡­nothing much," the young girl replied after a few breaths of silence as she continued to stare at the floor of the arena.

    "I thought it would be more intricate and engaging, but it resulted in a brawl between brutalized people."

    "All contests between cultivators below the Spirit Building Realm are brutal and strife with violence and blood," the elder released a heavy sigh.

    "Only then will the fights become more refined and colorful ¨C it''s a pity that our Bone Spirit Town will never experience the opportunity to observe such a battle. We can only satisfy ourselves with primal bouts of strength and cunning, as though we are watching two dogs bite the other to death."

    The young girl slowly nodded, the pair of scarlet irises deadpan and devoid of emotion. An Fei lowered her gaze towards her delicate hands, her mind reeking with scathing disgust.

    To her, the Heaven and Earth Arena was nothing more than a farce.

    A playpen of human lives where two were delicately selected to dance on a manicured stage, to display the dying embers of their destiny in an attempt to produce a brilliant spark that could perhaps dazzle the eye of a blind peddler.

    She had no qualms or considerate sentiment towards those who elected to throw their lives into the drain, only disdaining the promotion of brutalized tournaments.

    It¡­ reminded her of her harrowing experiences in attempting to escape detection from the military of the world, having to suffer as she waded through the horrifying and gruesome black market trades to stay undercover.

    Caw!

    The little raven shrieked to break the young girl from her gloomy thoughts, its beak pointing towards the center of the arena.

    An Fei raised her head, only to discover two youths dressed in the complementary combat uniform provided by the Heaven and Earth Arena march towards the center of the basin of sand.

    "That''s Tang Shiqi! He truly has iron courage, daring to contest against the Young Master Fang in combat!"

    "Tang Shiqi! Hey, Tang Shiqi!" another jeered, eliciting a sweeping wave of fierce boos and insults to rain onto the youth''s head.

    "The second duel of today shall be between the Tang Shiqi of Bone Spirit Town and Fang Man of Du Zhou Providence!"

    The elder from the Heaven and Earth Arena waved his palms, invisible fluctuations of spiritual essence quelling the roars of the crowd. Having re-attained his desired respect, the old man coughed once, before introducing the two youths.

    "The grudge between Tang Shiqi and Fang Man is of a battle between two wills of pride! Fang Man has stolen Tang Shiqi''s fianc¨¦ and humiliated the latter in public, without sparing his identity! Tang Shiqi stands here today to challenge Fang Man to reclaim his valor and honor within Bone Spirit Town, and as a cultivator!"

    The spectators remained silent as they absorbed the elderly man''s declaration with a solemn expression, until a more attentive person rose to his feet, a disbelieving expression on his countenance.

    "That''s¡­ Tang Shiqi, right? How¡­ how did he reach the fifth pillar of the Body Tempering Realm so quickly?"

    His voice was muted and considerably quiet in respect to the magnitude of the stadium, but triggered a wave of discussions to sweep throughout the seated people.

    Though they dared not to speak loudly to avoid angering the elder from the Heaven and Earth Arena, many had the same question shattering their mind.

    How had Tang Shiqi risen to the fifth pillar of the Body Tempering Realm in merely a day and a half?

    "That''s odd¡­" many people mused to themselves with a subtle frown on their countenance.

    "Tang Shiqi''s position within his own clan is terrible ¨C how could he have managed to obtain the resources to achieve such a feat?"

    "Fifth pillar of the Body Tempering Realm¡­ outside of the difference between their martial arts and cultivation techniques, the two are practically foot for foot!"

    Near the front stands, An Fei similarly furrowed her brow in confusion, but not regarding the mysteries behind the youth named Tang Shiqi.

    The young girl focused on a more simpler and obscure question at hand, partly due to her own inexperience regarding the cultivation path.

    How¡­ did these people know that Tang Shiqi was of the fifth pillar of the Body Tempering Realm?

    All she could obtain from either youth was a faint buzz that tickled her skin if she focused onto their figures, but couldn''t discern any unique information regarding their attainment in cultivation.

    How had the people within the stadium achieve such a feat, then?

    Caw!

    "Young lass, are you curious on their identity?" the elderly man besides her extended an olive branch of assistance.

    "No¡­ not their identity¡­" An Fei mulled to herself for a brief moment, her fingers stroking the feathery head of the little raven.

    "Esteemed Senior, you are a cultivator since you participated in this Heaven and Earth Arena, no? How does¡­ one discern¡­ what realm of cultivation another is at?"

    The young girl turned to face the expectant and amused beady eyes of the elderly man, her scarlet irises flashing with a tinge of curiosity.

    The elder raised his eyebrows in surprise, before hooking a finger into his grey beard.

    "Detecting the cultivation of another¡­ you do not practice cultivation, for I can not sense an aura emanating from your body," the elder quietly mused, before extending three fingers before An Fei.

    Huh?

    The young girl paused in surprise, her index finger tickling the base of her chin as she quietly listened to the elderly man.

    "A person''s cultivation can be discerned in three general formats; if they can command the earthly nature to their whims, they have attained the Realm of Spirit Building, or have surpassed it. Second, if they can display strength or physical capability exceeding that of what their physique reveals at first glance, they have achieved the five pillars of Body Tempering. Third ¨C each cultivator releases a distinctive aura that others many receive and analyze; Body Tempering Realm cultivators display an aura that is dyed in purple, Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators exude an aura of orange¡­"

    "¡­as for the others, I too do not have any knowledge of them," the elder released a light cough in embarrassment.

    "¡­thank you, Esteemed Senior," An Fei rushed to thank the old man, before returning her gaze to bore holes into the flattened sea of sand.

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    Others couldn''t detect her cultivation¡­?

    Why was that?

    "Could it be¡­ that this aura the other cultivators experience is simply the fluctuation of the resonance between spiritual essence?" the young girl silently pondered to herself as her fingers played with the little raven''s feathered wings.

    "In that case, spiritual essence could only resonate with others of the same source, akin to the distinct shifts discovered in surges of pure energy¡­ perhaps, perhaps I might have ¨C"

    The roar of the spectators drowned out the rest of An Fei''s thoughts, and the reek of bloodthirst re-emerged into the stadium of life and death for a second helping.

 180 The Heaven and Earth Arena 2

    "The second duel shall¡­ begin!"

    The elder of the Heaven and Earth Arena stepped back towards the end of the arena designated as his post for observing the course of the duel between the two participants.

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    However, neither Tang Shiqi nor Fang Man adopted combative stances, their auras placid as though engaging in an afternoon tea session.

    "What are they doing?"

    Suddenly, Tang Shiqi took a step forward towards the center of the stadium, turning around a full circle to face the members of the spectators.

    The youth clenched his fingers into a fist before his chest, murmuring a few words below his breath before raising his gaze towards the farthest seated people.

    "Today, I, Tang Shiqi, have a message to address to a single person," Tang Shiqi declared in an even voice devoid of any breaks or signs of nervousness.

    Caw?

    The little raven jerked its head to the side, an uneasy premonition arising within its heart.

    "I do not know whether that person is there, but I wish to say this regardless. Today, through this match, I shall display that I am not the person you speak of! I am not like the unworthy that you have mentioned, and I shall step over my obstacles to soar into the high heavens!"

    Gulp¡­

    That speech, surely it wasn''t directed towards¡­

    The little raven glanced at An Fei, its heart unknowingly laden with a sentimental and jealous expression.

    However, to its delight and horror, the young girl seemed equally as confused as the other participants her head tilted to its right with her countenance displaying a pure shade of befuddlement.

    C-caw.

    Heavens, that lass completely forgot about that incident!?

    As the little raven sighed itself to misery at the young girl''s reliable ability to forget seemingly inconsequential details and events, An Fei was truly completely clueless regarding the intention behind the words spoken by Tang Shiqi.

    She even had the interesting idea that the youth was attempting to profess his love to another maiden of the Bone Spirit Town that had pitied him after his fianc¨¦ ditched him for wealth and prestige.

    ¡­after all, the young girl didn''t deign to pay much attention to Tang Shiqi attempting to plead for a single drop of fox blood, leading to the lack of a distinct memory¡­

    But that was a story for another time.

    "Young Master Tang, have you finished your speech?"

    Fang Man brushed the sleeves of his uniform, his handsome and heavenly countenance dripping with a tinge of sarcasm as he glanced towards the impassioned youth.

    Tang Shiqi turned to face the youth from the Tang Clan, his suppressed rage finally bursting through the cracked seams.

    "Fang Man, don''t you dare look down onto others!"

    The Third Young Master of Tang roared as he dashed forward, the fingers of his right hand curling as though gripping an imaginary tool.

    Behind his back, an ephemeral and faint sigil manifested to glare at the world, a slight aura of imperial dignity and domineering might surging throughout the stadium.

    "Heavens¡­ what''s that!?"

    "An eye ¨C no, are those numbers?"

    The spectators gushed with surprise, their expressions reflecting their inability to comprehend the scene.

    Even the elder besides the young girl was unable to keep his jaw from striking the floor in his amazement, nearly collapsing into his chair from the shock.

    "Physical manifestation of aura¡­ a physical manifestation of aura¡­" he wheezed, his bony fingers clamped tight onto the handle of the wooden cane.

    The sigil was akin to that of a sundial without its central ridge.

    Spanning along its circumference were a series of smaller rings that isolated groups of inscriptions of phoenixes, dragons, and lotus petals.

    The top of the sundial sported a massive character that symbolized the number ''one'', the symbol remaining constant amidst the watery backdrop of the sigil.

    The spectators constantly made remarks regarding the mystery of the number at the top of the sundial, and whether its unforeseen properties could defeat Fang Man.

    Yip!?

    An Fei, on the other hand, saw a total of nine characters spanning the first nine numbers; eight were faint and slightly obscured, with only the first revealing a dazzling glow as though it reflected the sun''s brilliance.

    All of the sudden, the young girl noticed that the small fox was wriggling inside the leather bag in a fit of agitation.

    "Xiao Bai, what''s wrong?" the young girl crooned, her index finger tickling the small fox''s underbelly in an attempt to calm it down.

    As An Fei busied herself with coaxing the small fox to relax and free itself from its unusual seizure, the youth from the Fang Clan on the stage of sand sneered at Tang Shiqi, his voice laced with derision as the latter sped towards his chest.

    "Young Master Tang, such an impressive display won''t assist you in any fashion, ah!"

    Fang Man curled the fingers of his right hand into a tight fist, pronating the wrist counterclockwise for half a rotation before slamming it towards Tang Shiqi''s neck.

    The youth of the Fang Clan''s body burst with an invisible pressure, his aura fully expanded to its maximum range.

    "Fang Man, as if that would do anything!"

    Tang Shiqi roared as he similarly unleashed his aura, causing faint ripples to arise in the atmosphere of the Heaven and Earth Arena.

    The youth of the Tang Clan poured strength into the fingers of his right hand, this time curling around a tangible object ¨C one that elicited cries of shock from the spectators and the presiding elder at the same time.

    "A weapon!? Conjured from thin air!?"

    Boom!

    A pole of brown, metallic material slammed into Fang Man''s extended fist, giving rise to a small shockwave that blew apart a significant portion of the sand below their feet.

    "Urgh! You-you conjured a weapon from spiritual essence at the Body Tempering Realm!?"

    The youth from the Fang Clan took three steps back from the impact, his impeccable countenance finally distorted with a heavy expression of pain.

    Fang Man massaged his injured right hand, glaring at Tang Shiqi with a venomous wrath.

    The youth surnamed Tang huffed in response, spinning the metallic pole around his body before stabbing it into the earth with a might strike.

    The pole of brown metal stood two meters tall, its presence casting an indomitable shadow to squeeze Fang Man''s heart.

    The pole''s appearance was completely plain, perhaps even slightly obscure due to the low quality of the spiritual essence input into the transformation and the hastily rushed procedure.

    Hence, close observation realized that only the middle portion of the pole was actually tangible ¨C the majority of the weapon was an illusion conjured by the concept of spiritual essence forming the pole.

    To An Fei, such a phenomenon was rewarded by a mere eyebrow raise and a tut of disapproval. The crowd, nonetheless, couldn''t stop gossiping about how Tang Shiqi can conjured a weapon from the middle of nowhere.

    "Tang Shiqi didn''t bring that weapon in before the fight, right?"

    "No way! That pole is much bigger than him ¨C how could the elder not notice?"

    "Look! Even the elder from the Heaven and Earth Arena is confused!"

    "Do you want to surrender, Fang Man?"

    Tang Shiqi spoke with a resolute voice as he leveraged a fierce gaze onto the sore youth from the Fang Clan.

    Directing an baleful eye onto the metallic pole that nearly shattered the bones in his right hand, Fang Man sneered to mask his pain.

    "That''s an interesting weapon, but can you wield it?" the youth adjusted his body into a light fighting stance, his eyes displaying an uncanny glint.

    "Also ¨C don''t be so na?ve to think that you can scare me off with a single metal pole, Tang Shiqi!"

    Fang Man jeered as his body shot forward towards Tang Shiqi, his palms scavenging ahead to pry the weapon from the former''s grip.

    As their auras intermingled and produced the ripple in the atmosphere, An Fei suddenly released a startled cry.

    "A-a-ah~!?"

    Caw!?

    The little raven glanced in concern at the young girl with the shocked expression, its crimson eyes carefully inspecting the cause for An Fei''s scream.

    Having come to no conclusions after several minutes of investigation, the little creature sighed before turning around to face the brawl between Tang Shiqi and Fang Man.

    Boom!

    Palms collided with metal pole, the shockwaves displacing the sand in their surroundings to reveal a floor of obsidian below their feet.

    The sigil behind Tang Shiqi increased in radiance, the first number on the sundial threatening to erupt with a golden brilliance.

    In regards to Fang Man, his hands had gradually been coated with a thin filament of indigo light, offering ample protection against the blunt impacts of the pole, whilst increasing the lethality of the blows.

    Compared to the initial proceedings of the fight between Meng Peng and Yan Xiao, neither participant had been effectively injured to the extend of coughing up blood.

    Tang Shiqi and Fang Man merely pirouetted around the other to attempt to unleash a few additional strikes per exchange, thin beads of sweat dripping from their brow.

    And when the palms and metal pole connected for the fifteenth time, An Fei finally obtained a significant clue to her troubles.

 181 The Heaven and Earth Arena 3

    Until now, An Fei had not realized the phenomenon that manifested with each clash of spiritual essence from two practitioners.

    When Tang Shiqi''s metal pole slammed onto Fang Man''s fists infused with spiritual essence, a faint, nearly invisible flicker of orange light blazed into life around the two cultivators.

    An Fei rubbed at her eyes in surprise and disbelief, her lips parting to reveal a startled ''oh'' upon realizing that it wasn''t an illusion.

    The flicker¡­ could be described as a shockwave, as though the brilliance of the light dissipated after a few centimeters of expansion, the wave continued to traverse the space until it contacted a solid entity.

    When the palm and pole struck one another, the compounded shockwaves caused the air around them to vibrate at an intense frequency, distorting the visible atmosphere.

    The intensity of the collision between the waves fluctuated depending on the frequency of the attacks between the two practitioners, Tang Shiqi and Fang Man, but the wavelength remained relatively constant.

    The faint orange light encompassed the contact point between the fist and the pole, as though displaying the result of a chemical experiment.

    "Spiritual essence¡­ when projected outside of the body¡­" the young girl murmured to herself, her eyes eagerly observing the clash of the two youths on the basin of sand.

    "Fluctuations as though a wave¡­ compounded intensity and frequency¡­"

    Pa!

    Taking advantage of Fang Man''s unexpected breath of fatigue, Tang Shiqi balanced his weight onto one end of the metal pole, his feet digging into the sand as he strained his muscles to their fullest.

    The youth of the Tang Clan adjusted his grip to the unrestricted end of the pole as he swung a full circle, the metal pole carving a circular path of destruction on the sandy ground.

    "Don''t you dare!"

    Fang Man roared as his palms swept forth, the fingertips blazing with a dense coating of spiritual essence.

    The youth of the Fang Clan nervously swallowed and grimaced in his heart as the steel pole swept towards his palms from below, his teeth gritting in anticipation for the brutal impact.

    Boom!

    The fingers failed to latch onto the steel pole, their mission in wrenching Tang Shiqi''s weapon resulting in a complete disaster.

    Fang Man''s body was hurled backwards, having received the full force of Tang Shiqi''s momentum without any inhibitors.

    Tang Shiqi spun the pole over his heads and shoulders as he charged forth, the sigil trailing behind him seething with a roiling aura as the pole gained increasingly potent angular momentum.

    The youth urged the remainder of his spiritual essence towards his legs to generate a final burst of strength, dashing directly before Fang Man''s shocked figure.

    "Hah!"

    The youth of the Tang Clan stomped with his left foot, pivoting with his heel to turn to the right. With his right foot serving as a stabilizer, Tang Shiqi performed a full moon sweep in the clockwise direction, the steel pole extended to its complete range of devastation.

    Fang Man didn''t dare skimp on his reserves of spiritual essence, urging the meagre streams of warmth to surge throughout his muscles.

    The handsome youth no longer dared to display a contemptuous glare as he extended both of his arms forward, his left shoulder serving as the vanguard as his left hand supported his right arm.

    Pa!

    A single fist infused with spiritual essence dared to strike onto the terrifying momentum of a steel pole, and the resounding flicker of orange light emerged onto the Heaven and Earth Arena once more.

    Both youths were abruptly hurled backwards as they lacked the necessary spiritual essence to fortify their balance, the collision far too heavy for either of their bodies to handle.

    Puff!

    Tang Shiqi dragged himself onto his feet, vomiting a mouthful of blood in the process.

    The youth of the Tang Clan staggered as he noticed the gloomy and pained countenance of Fang Man glaring in his direction from a distance of thirty meters.

    The steel pole had lost the minimum spiritual essence required to maintain the manifestation, and had dissipated into innumerable particles of hazel light.

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    In its final departure, however, the pole had crippled the Young Lord of the Fang Clan''s dominant hand, shattering even the bones from the single strike.

    "This¡­"

    Tang Shiqi breathed deeply from his disbelief at the outcome. The youth directed an anxious gaze towards his back, the acrimony in his heart increasing from the disappointment that the sigil had similarly exiled itself from the world.

    "Both of them seem to have depleted their reserves of spiritual essence."

    "This¡­ the Heaven and Earth Arena won''t make them fight to the death even after this extent, right? I mean, not even Yan Xiao''s duel had reached such a climax, nor the others."

    "Still¡­ for Tang Shiqi to display such might, that martial arts technique must be extraordinary. He must have looted it from a prominent sect!"

    The spectators watching from the stands broke into another round of discussion as they gazed upon the two youths who had depleted their potential for combat.

    Fingers were pointed towards both Fang Man and Tang Shiqi, as though the distinction between their status and reputation was no longer present.

    The number of greedy and malicious glances shone on the Third Young Master of the Tang Clan increased by a drastic proportion, as though Tang Shiqi had transformed from a capable fighter of the Body Tempering Realm to a weakling sheep.

    Some dared to leap over the thin barrier separating the spectators and the contestants to rob the mysterious technique from the youth, only managing to quail their ambitions upon glancing at the stony countenances of the Heaven and Earth Arena guards.

    But¡­ what were the managers of the arena intending to achieve in this circumstance?

    "A¡­Ahem!"

    The elder of the Heaven and Earth Arena walked to the center of the arena to display an awkward expression on his wizened countenance.

    The elderly man seemed to be at a lost as he continued to mull over his thoughts in silence, disregarding the tens of thousands of eyes boring holes into his robes.

    "We¡­ of the Heaven and Earth Arena declare this battle¡­ a draw!"

    "A draw!? Tang Shiqi clearly won, since he hasn''t received any injury whilst Fang Man has a crippled right hand!"

    "No way, even the Heaven and Earth Arena that refused to give face to the powerful clans is playing servant to the Fang Clan?"

    "How despicable! The two of them may have depleted their spiritual essence, but Tang Shiqi still holds a considerable advantage!"

    The crowd of spectators erupted into dissent as numerous shouts and cries cascaded over the people''s ears, clearly disagreeable regarding the elder''s decision.

    Many seemed to have intentionally forgotten their previous mockery of Tang Shiqi, rising to the youth''s defense with an ardent cry, flourishing their burning souls with a mighty heave.

    "Silence!"

    The elder''s voice boomed over everyone''s heads, eviscerating the ruckus with a single word. The spectators simultaneously slumped in their seats at the warning contained within, be it a cultivator or mortal.

    They didn''t dare antagonize the Heaven and Earth Arena on a personal grudge!, even so a grudge that didn''t belong to them!

    "The two of you, do you accept this judgement?"

    The elder turned to face the sitting Fang Man and Tang Shiqi, his wizened countenance glimmering with a dangerous aura.

    The two youths gulped in silence at the imposing pressure brought on by the elderly man''s aura unleashed to the maximum.

    "I¡­ I agree with the elder''s judgement."

    Fang Man was the first to speak, his left hand tenderly clutching at his crippled right hand.

    The youth of the Fang Clan struggled to retain a placid countenance as the waves of pain surged through his heart, the crushed bones searing into his nerves as though ascending flames from the eighteenth plane of hell.

    Tang Shiqi remained silent, his lips distorted into an uncomfortable grimace. The youth stared at his hands with a glum expression, clearly dissatisfied with the conclusion imparted by the formidable elder.

    "Young man, if you dare reject this elder''s goodwill, we of the Heaven and Earth Arena will not hesitate to pry your mysterious secret from your soul."

    An impossibly quiet transmission of information infiltrated Tang Shiqi''s soul, displaying the elder''s intention in clear characters for the youth to gawk at.

    The Third Young Master of the Tang Clan gulped in fear, hurriedly lowering his head to mask his severe indignance.

    "I¡­ agree with the elder''s judgement."

    The words forced out of Tang Shiqi''s lips resolved the tension boiling the atmosphere of the Heaven and Earth Arena, causing many to heave a sigh of disappointment and relief.

    The spectators groaned in their hearts at the pacifistic and weak resolution of what appeared to be a major conflict between two budding youth''s and their sore pride, but deigned to remain obedient underneath the mighty influence of the Heaven and Earth Arena.

    If only Tang Shiqi stood in defiance ¨C that would constitute a major drama worthy of emphatic appreciation!

    Taking advantage of the depressed and dejected countenances of the spectators as they reluctantly arose from their seat to depart, An Fei slipped away from the stadium at the swiftest pace she could muster.

    The young girl ignored the startled squawks of the raven as she waded through the stagnated sea of people congesting the staircases dispensing into the Peaceful Road, utilizing the to maximize her efficiency.

    After all, she had an experiment to commence!

 182 Dangerous Experimentation 1

    The sun had yet to set for the day, but the young girl had already holed herself in the Sanctum.

    The little raven and small fox were eagerly deposited on the clay roof tiles of a nearby building of the Peaceful Road, nestled safely behind the chimney to obscure detection.

    Nonetheless, whilst their small figures were practically impossible from the observing range of the people of the Bone Spirit Town, their appetite for anger and frustration were larger than the heavens.

    The little raven hopped on its claws in anger, swearing to its immortal soul to thoroughly punish An Fei once it obtained its chance.

    Whilst the raven fiercely muttered to itself in an obscure language as though the descent of melodious bells, the small fox was attempting to brainstorm plausible methods of exhorting as much meat from the young girl as possible.

    After all, it was still a King of the Wu Ji Forest, even if it were a tiny infant!

    Alas¡­

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    Caw!

    Yip!

    The two creatures howled their anguish and indignance towards the blazing orb of the sun, their cries rendered invisible to the pedestrians of the dejected Peaceful Road of the Bone Spirit Town.

    ¨C

    "When they clashed¡­ they produced that odd phenomenon¡­"

    An Fei scribbled onto a sheet of paper before her with a bamboo brush trailing with violet ink.

    The young girl scattered several diagrams onto the formerly pristine sheet of paper, the fingers of her right hand prepared to eviscerate any confusing analysis with a single, lethal sweep.

    The young girl lay on her stomach as she wrote, embracing the relaxing and comfortable massage from the crystalline floor of the Sanctum.

    Several books surrounded her on all sides, their pages open to random intervals to serve as references when needed.

    The , the primary methodology of cultivation to be undertaken by An Fei when she finally transcended the limits of a mortal existence.

    The notes she had gleaned from reading the , with the actual tome laying besides the sheets of paper she had piled into a neat and organized stack.

    The that provided her movement-based martial arts technique, one that had saved her puny life numerous, numerous times and allowed her to contest against ridiculous differences in cultivation with ease.

    The that An Fei had obtained from the Three Lotus Sect¡­ but the young girl had yet to read even the third page.

    The that she had mistaken for the .

    The young girl had felt the unexplainable urge to bring the book along, hence it lay with its ripped and tattered pages swaying with a nonexistent wind, further portraying its misshapen appearance compared to the pristine and obedient tomes.

    These books fanned out in a semicircle around An Fei''s head, arranged to accommodate the fringes of her vision.

    The young girl dipped the brush into the prepared dish containing freshly ground ink, her head tilted in thought.

    An Fei had no clue that she was treading into dangerous waters, and the brush tapped onto the sheet of paper to viciously mar it once more.

    "I believe¡­ that I saw this when the collision occurred¡­"

    The young girl drew a series of circles, with numerous numbers and characters circumventing outer edge of the circles.

    Taking a deep breath, An Fei delved deep into the sea of perception, forcing her irritated mind to regurgitate the memories of the event just a few hours prior.

    The scene of Tang Shiqi''s metal pole colliding with Fang Man''s palm replayed in her consciousness for the umpteenth iteration, the hazy recollection attempting to scrounge for any additional articles of information that could be of use.

    The orange radiance was emitted once more, and An Fei willed her consciousness to painstakingly slow the replaying of the memory until she could see each movement of the vibrating air.

    The young girl ignored the piercing pain assaulting her mind, her perception digging through the memory until the mysterious phenomenon occurred.

    "There!"

    At the epicenter of the orange radiance that erupted from the contact of two fields of spiritual essence, lay a single circular diagram independent of any specified coordinates.

    The diagram fluctuated in the air as though it were not bound by any spatial or temporal coordinates, ephemeral and tangible at the same instance of time.

    The aura of converged existence and nihility, An Fei was more than familiar with the sensation of the warm and prickly needles brushing against the tip of her heart as though a deadly and alluring temptation.

    Hadn''t she played with the enormous, raw capabilities of the mysterious force that generated this exact aura in her dream?

    The fingers of her right hand deftly manipulated the brush as she fervently copied the appearance of the diagram to the most inconspicuous detail behind the causal drawing of a thin circle.

    The young girl strained her mind as the sea of perception flowed into overdrive, the memory tinged with a scarlet haze as her consciousness was cruelly ejected after five minutes of excruciating pain.

    "Ergh¡­"

    An Fei curled into a ball on the sky-blue crystal surface, her mind throbbing from the searing pain that threatened to wipe her consciousness.

    The young girl''s groans and gasps of pain echoed throughout the solemn walls of the Sanctum, reflecting a severe pain that injured the soul.

    The golden barrier of light quickly endeavored to repair the invisible wounds inflicted onto the young girl, surely but slowly reducing the pain until mere pulses of heat remained.

    An Fei achingly pried her sore eyes open, blearily taking in the sight of the paper before her.

    Of the two circles of violet ink that marred the white sheet of paper with vicious, trailing wounds, one of them had been completely covered by a massive array of symbols and supplementary diagrams.

    Instead of a complementary sketch, what lay before An Fei was a true talisman in its essence, albeit the central mechanisms to trigger its intended phenomenon were not included as per a stroke of misfortune.

    The circle''s circumference served as the external boundary of the whole talisman, with a series of characters circumventing the underside of the barrier.

    An Fei frowned at the disorienting arrangement of the words, her mind gradually piecing together the characters to form coherent descriptions.

    Combine. Manifest. Eject.

    The three words had been disassembled into their fundamental strokes of calligraphy, not permitted to remain as base symbols that constituted the characters that formed the word.

    The young girl carefully replicated the order of the strokes that lay underneath the external barrier of the talisman, only to realize that though there existed an order in the arrangement in the strokes, she was unable to grasp the particular rhythm.

    When she had assembled the characters in an order that she found best suitable, she discovered the three words of combine, manifest, and eject.

    However, An Fei had the nagging, subconscious thought that had she randomized the assembly, the words would become incoherent but possess an intricate, underlying meaning.

    ¡­it was just that the three words performed aptly in the description of the event!

    The spiritual essence from both Fang Man and Tang Shiqi originated from the same source, the world that constituted the Shattered Star Continent.

    The atmospheric spiritual qi was absorbed by the two practitioners in similar but different methodologies as per their cultivation techniques ¨C but the same source permitted the combination of the two streams of spiritual essence without performing a negation.

    Then, the adjunct of manifestation came into effect, where the circular diagram was constructed and permitted to remain in both existence and nihility.

    The talisman flickered as the supplementary processes completed their tasks, adjusting the manipulation of its projection to erupt into the orange brilliance.

    Eject.

    The orange light that had erupted from the collision contained a trace of tangible warmth, as though it were declaring its physical manifestation.

    Similarly, both Tang Shiqi and Fang Man were hurled backwards from the aftermath ¨C a phenomenon possible only if the diagram was capable of interacting with the physical world.

    But the three words of combine, manifest, and eject¡­

    "How did they come into effect?" the young girl tapped the base of her chin with the brush as she fell into thought.

    "Something in this diagram should have produced the physical effect that was observed¡­ something¡­"

    An Fei''s gaze drifted along the circle that had been attributed with the supplementary drawings.

    The pair of scarlet irises ignored the external boundary of the talisman and the string of strokes that constituted the three words, instead falling onto the mass of symbols and shapes further into the circle.

 183 Dangerous Experimentation 2

    Towards the center of the circle were a series of intricate and nonsensical inscriptions.

    Regardless of how An Fei attempted to piece them together, the results continued to cause the young girl to scratch her head in frustration.

    The inscriptions¡­ did not seem to resemble any order of Chinese calligraphy.

    Shapes, lines, and curves of all appearances and distortions littered the interior of the diagram following the secondary circumference of characters.

    Furthermore, the closer they were to the epicenter, the inscriptions diminished in size, though the sheer quantity rose by exponential increments.

    "I can piece together symbols and randomized strokes, but not this," the young girl growled, the brush threatening to erase the intricate diagram drawn on the white sheet of paper.

    "What am I supposed to do with a bundle of squiggles and shapes ¨C read them?"

    Heaving a heavy sigh, An Fei massaged the muscles in her neck before reaching for a clean sheet of paper.

    Rolling the brush between her fingers to warm them up, the young girl relaxed her body before performing the tedious and diligent task of copying over the seemingly mundane inscriptions within the diagram.

    A distorted dodecahedron, followed by an elongated series of warped lines, then three enneagons with a tetrahedron inscribed within, to be supplemented with a pair of obscure cylindrical depictions¡­

    As she copied the inscriptions onto the fresh sheet of paper, An Fei attempted her best to arrange the inscriptions by any pattern she could glean from a glance, consuming far more sheets of paper in the process.

    In the end, the young girl sat before a large fan of paper ¨C drawings that categorized the inscriptions she noticed by the number of sides if it were geometric, or by the type of curve.

    A rather simple method of archiving information, but it was the best An Fei could think of.

    "There''s so many that don''t even fit in as a regular shape¡­" the young girl groaned in her heart.

    "Maybe only a math textbook would dare toss such nonsensical diagrams and attempt to explain them by logical reason¡­"

    The young girl pouted when she glanced at the fan of paper, before abruptly yanking the from its peaceful position on the crystalline floor, her eyes scathing the pages for any useful source of information.

    The young girl fanned the pages with a listless expression, skimming over many passages in hopes of encountering a lucky discovery.

    "The processes¡­ of the natural world¡­ can be described as a series of sequential events, as though every iota of existence is to be adhered to in a similar form¡­ as though an automaton."

    "Each action triggers a consequence, and whilst some merit rewards and acclaim, others incur punish¡­ punishments. Such is the case regarding the circulation and distribution of fate and calamity ¨C the callousness of the earth cannot be denied of such phenomenon."

    "If the earth we stand is not incorporeal but instead sentient, then it must not possess a soul; the transgressions committed by the ground in which we trod and the world we breath its essence far exceed that of the most vile and acrimonious cultivator in existence, which must trigger an according tribulation¡­"

    "Why does cultivation trigger a calamity?" the young girl read with a nonplussed expression.

    "If it were not an act of superseding its authority, the world in which we stand would not dispatch a systematic downfall of calamity. Why is it that people are not harmed upon declaring themselves the Supreme Emperor, but the world shakes in anger upon the ascension of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator? If it were not to diminish the additional loss of its authority, why would many fall on the path to Mortal Tribulation¡­?"

    An Fei''s voice unconsciously trailed into silence as she read, her mind buzzing with vigilance as she stared at the slightly worn and overused pages of the .

    The young girl''s consciousness flickered to her encounter with the Three Lotus Sect''s mysterious elder, upon which she had received this book.

    The statements within the were rather astonishing and discreetly hidden within the latter portions of the book, but An Fei¡­ had read about those words quite a few times that alarm bells rang in her mind upon their encounter.

    Authority¡­

    Was it not a term used explicitly by those of the Realm?

    "Why would a book of the mortal world have these words?" the young girl tilted her head in puzzlement.

    "The and the black book left behind by grandfather, as well as several others within the Archive all described the mortal worlds as automatic processes, similar to that of a program; why would this of the mortal world possess similar terminology ¨C ah!?"

    An Fei raised an unexpected cry of surprise, her countenance displaying a hint of excitement and delight.

    The young girl dipped the brush into the prepared basin of ink with great haste, initiating a grand purge order onto the fan of paper besotted with the numerous categorized inscriptions.

    "The world is like a program that can be found in a modern computer¡­" the young girl whispered to herself as her fingers wrote with a blazing ardor.

    "Programs¡­ run on a generic language that doesn''t function on a parallel scheme as human language¡­ Therefore, this collection of inscriptions wouldn''t be akin to human language, either?"

    The second transcription of the bizarre inscription within the observed diagram was completed in a shorter time, and An Fei had blown through the majority of her prepared stock of paper by her second pass.

    The young girl patted her hands in delight and satisfaction, any notion regarding her previous frustration thrown into the chasm of the void.

    Instead of categorizing the inscriptions by similar traits, the young girl had transcribed them as they appeared, only arranging them by layer to layer.

    The papers were placed in a vertical arrangement, spanning from the outermost layer to the closest the young girl could decipher.

    "This¡­"

    An Fei gasped, her mind reeling from the surprise. The young girl blinked in place for a brief moment, before her hands delicately traced the inscriptions transcribed layer per layer.

    The arrangement could only be called perfect.

    As she scanned the sheets of paper from top to bottom, the shock within An Fei''s consciousness couldn''t help but magnify.

    When transcribing and organizing the obscure inscriptions as per their generic categorization, the young girl had discovered that there existed many similarities in a large number of the inscriptions ¨C enough to complete a table that arranged the inscriptions by their type.

    The layer arrangement simply displayed the inscriptions as they appeared on the original diagram, revealing a hint regarding its secret.

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    Within the neatly arranged layers of inscriptions and indecipherable shapes, were commonly repeating symbols and strains.

    The patterns seemed to occur at deliberately configured positions within each layer, causing the young girl to frown with her index finger pinching at her chin.

    She had obtained the clue of the structure of the mysterious and rather absurd implements of the language utilized within the diagram¡­ but without possessing a relative cipher to translate its meaning, her achievement proved to be of little practical value.

    "I only know that whenever spiritual essence encounters another of a similar source, the mysterious phenomenon occurs," An Fei whispered with a tinge of annoyance.

    "It''s a pity¡­ that I don''t know whether this phenomenon is guaranteed or randomized¡­ are there any supplementary conditions?"

    The young girl traced the dried transcriptions of violet ink with her finger, her sea of perception roaring with a blizzard of multicolored lights as her consciousness attempted to analyze the traced layers.

    A few sticks of incense''s worth of time had passed, but to no avail.

    "Ah¡­"

    The young girl heaved a heavy sigh, clearing away the sheets of paper to open a decent quantity of available space to stretch her muscles. An Fei gazed at the transcribed diagram, her eyes fixated at the intricate drawings contained within the seemingly simple circle.

    Since she couldn''t obtain any conclusive conjectures, it was now time for experimentation!

 184 Dangerous Experimentation 3

    "Converge spiritual essence from two non-parallel directions to perform a collision, to manifest a physical phenomenon."

    Within the Sanctum''s Archive of Time, a young girl dressed in a blue chiffon gown whispered to herself with a solemn countenance.

    She sat amidst the middle of an encirclement of books and papers, her long hair brushing against the sky-blue crystal floor as if seeking its encouragement.

    Bathed in the golden radiance emitted from the crystalline surface and relishing in the warm sensation that was transmitted throughout her entire body, An Fei took a deep breath, permitting her mind to relax and detach itself from its accumulated stress and tension.

    Break into the sea of perception, and trigger the unceasing flow!

    The young girl willed the spiritual essence coiled at her heart to arise from its momentary slumber, tinged with a sliver of agitation and urgency.

    The unrestricted coil of golden light erupted into a resolute brilliance upon her command, accumulating its mass before diving into various portions of her body.

    An Fei observed the golden tendrils of light weave throughout the internals of her body, bypassing the bloodstream to inundate the refreshed meridians.

    Under her command, the threads of spiritual essence streamed into the Bingfeng and Tianzong acupuncture points, the familiar sensations of bloodthirst and deception arising within her heart.

    The golden light morphed into two miniscule whirlpools of orange and cyan, each carrying the attribute of death affiliated with either savagery or cunning.

    Observing the changes within her body, the young girl hesitated for a brief moment, and her mind submerged within the depths of the sea of perception flashed with a thread of information.

    Roar!

    The Bingfeng acupuncture point shook as a dense stream of cyan light rushed from its epicenter to coarse through her meridians, bypassing the majority of her inner organs and skeletal structure to pool at the base of her left palm.

    Similarly, the Tianzong acupuncture point scathed with a boiling wrath not to be undone in intensity, orange light immersed into her right hand.

    The young girl held two sources of Yin and Yang attributed spiritual essence within her hands, concentrating them until two circular disks of light were hidden underneath the delicate and fragile skin.

    "One, two¡­" the young girl released heavy breaths in anticipation as she stared at her hands, a sliver of unease rushing throughout her veins.

    "Three!"

    Pa!

    An Fei slapped her palms together before her chest, willing the spiritual essence confined within both palms to rush towards the other without hesitation.

    The young girl anxiously released her pent-up breath in slight disappointment, her mind flickering with a tinge of confusion.

    Nothing?

    Other than the slight sting in her palms that usually occurred when slapping another''s prideful countenance, there wasn''t the expected emission of extraordinary light.

    Three breaths of time passed in eternal silence, yet An Fei continued to feel nothing out of the ordinary.

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    The young girl was about to part her hands and return to the painstaking process of brainstorming when a faint vibration brushed at the base of her palm.

    "Ah?" An Fei''s lips parted in surprise, before quickly morphing into a scream of terror.

    "W-w-w-wait! Don''t ¨C AH!?"

    BANG!

    A massive shockwave ripped through the air as the young girl''s palms were forcibly separated from one another, and the invisible wave of particles hurled An Fei through the seventeenth Archive of Time until her back slammed against the wall of sky-blue crystal.

    The young girl remained suspended as the barrage of particles continued to assault her body, only permitted to slide down towards the floor after a few breaths of time had passed.

    "¡­ah."

    A broken wheeze escaped An Fei''s lungs as she groaned incessantly for a few brief moments, and the young girl painfully dragged herself to her original position. When she finally reached the encirclement of books, her heart nearly bled from anger.

    How come even the loose sheets of paper and the brush were perfectly intact, whilst she had to be tossed towards the wall as though a rotten egg!?

    An Fei howled in her heart, her body curling against the warm ground as she sought its calming warmth.

    The young girl''s muscles and flesh screamed from their abuse, howling for the administration of justice.

    "¡­hurts, ah."

    The young girl groaned, scrabbling for a fresh sheet of paper when the pain searing through her body had quelled. An Fei grasped the brush with her fingers, applying a fresh coat of violet ink as her mind submerged itself into the sea of perception once more.

    Her consciousness flitted towards the memory of just a few minutes ago, and the Sanctum froze into a world of blue ice.

    An Fei stared at a young girl seated on the ground of sky-blue crystal, her palms planted firmly against the other as though undulating a spiritual mantra.

    The environment was suffused with a monochromatic hue of light blue, the passage of time slowed to the minimum the young girl''s mind could handle.

    One breath, two breaths, three breaths¡­

    The pools of orange and cyan light confined within the young girl''s palms remained within their respective habitats, not daring to cross over even when the palms were pressed.

    Only when prodded and cajoled by An Fei''s will did they transform into swift streams of light that surged towards the unison of the two palms, forming an independent reservoir detached from her body.

    Though An Fei could see the new lake of orange and cyan exist where her palms were pressed tightly against the other, her mind callously informed her that the constructed reservoir was actually independent of spatial coordinates.

    Just as the circumstance of the orange diagram between the clash of Tang Shiqi and Fang Man, the reservoir''s appearance was indistinct and translucent, practically invisible to the normal eye.

    The reservoir existed in both reality and nihility, the orange and cyan lights sloshing around as they sought to define the boundaries of their new confinement.

    Neither dared to intermingle with the other, and the two superfluid existences attempted to break through the reservoir''s barriers and return to the young girl''s palms.

    Alas, An Fei''s scarlet irises revealed a deeply unsettled shock as she gazed towards the transparent reservoir, a horrid premonition arising in her heart.

    "Don''t tell me¡­"

    A contraction not unlike that of a beating heart rippled through the spatial and temporal boundaries of the Sanctum''s seventeenth Archive of Time, displacing the blistering radiance of golden light contained within the sky-blue crystal.

    The reservoir''s undefined boundaries abruptly blazed into existence, diminishing its volume by half.

    The two superfluid existences of orange and cyan colored spiritual essence howled with panic and fear as their movements increased in speed and frenzy, ramming against the encroaching walls of the reservoir.

    Nonetheless, the cold and unfeeling reservoir heaved for a second time, once again crippling its volume by half and forcing a portion of the two liquids to merge into a unified solution.

    In the span of less than a tenth of a second, the reservoir experienced hundreds of contractions, each successfully forcing more and more of the two superfluid existences to compress their volume and assimilate each other into a composite material.

    Neither gas, nor liquid, and definitely not of crystalized structure, the grey plasmic substance rippled with a terrifying intensity of pure energy it remained still at the epicenter of the reservoir.

    The unknown substance remained placid and unhurried compared to its two components'' frenzy in their desire to escape the unusual confinement.

    Almost¡­ as though it were a hard fossil, only the constant emission of energy reminded the young girl of a purified ore of uranium.

    Ta!

    The reservoir trembled and collapsed once more, its walls heading directly towards the unmoving plasma with unbound vigor.

    The instant the constricting walls of the spatial boundary contacted the surface of the grey plasmid substance, the entire world burst into a myriad of colors.

    And thus, An Fei saw the mysterious diagram for the second time.

 185 Dangerous Experimentation 4

    Compared to the circular diagram that had manifested during the duel between Tang Shiqi and Fang Man, the intricate inscription before An Fei was of a pale cyan color.

    The circular diagram emitted a faint radiance of sky-blue, eliciting a slightly chilly sensation upon contact.

    Combine. Manifest. Eject.

    The three words could be found below the outer circumference of the cyan diagram, but their peculiarity caused the young girl to blink in surprise.

    An Fei prodded her exhausted mind to probe even further, allowing for the blurred feedback obtained from the drained sea of perception to cast off its obscure shackles.

    Compared to the orange diagram from the two youths¡­ hers did not separate the words into the individual strokes of calligraphy, but instead¡­ maintained them as entire characters?

    "Odd¡­" the young girl murmured, her fingers rapidly sketching the appearance of the second diagram onto a free sheet of paper.

    When she allowed her sea of perception to depart from its harrowing task of investigating her memories in such clear detail, An Fei was able to spot the differences in the mysterious sigil manifested from the spiritual essence within her body.

    The differences were not drastic, but perhaps conveyed a significant implication.

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    The cyan diagram''s words did not span the entirety of the inner circumference, instead occupying a slight portion of the disk''s surface area.

    The three words were unable to loop throughout the circumference, permitted to occupy only a sixth of the entire arc.

    Other than the color of the diagram and the perplexity of the words, the young girl did not notice anything of significant value.

    The supplementary inscriptions with their obscure patterns and symbols were relatively similar between the two diagrams, enough to the extent that they proved her conjecture regarding the existence and implementation of a different language.

    If she could discover what it''s implements were, An Fei would immediately leap in joy.

    Having accomplished her task, the young girl rolled over on the crystalline ground to rest against the comfortable surface of the bedchamber, gradually dragging her body under the blankets.

    "¡­but why was it a different color?"

    An Fei murmured, her fingers tracing obscure patterns in the air as she relaxed her body and mind in the bed.

    The young girl''s fingers itched to have another go, but soon convinced herself to fall into a deep slumber.

    Her mind was screaming in pain and fatigue, after all!

    ¨C

    The next day, experimentation was all An Fei could think of.

    The young girl even skimped on her usually long and hearty breakfast, simply carrying over a bowl''s worth of vegetables and herbs as she dashed into the Archive of Time.

    Thus, with half a carrot stick thinly supported by her trembling lips, An Fei read over her hastily written notes from the day before.

    "Collision of spiritual essence of different polarity¡­," the young girl murmured in deep thought.

    "I already tried that¡­ perhaps I should try with only utilizing Yin attributed spiritual essence¡­"

    An Fei settled her quivering sea of perception with a deep breath, before closing her eyes in a peaceful mood.

    As the powerful diagram of the internals of her body reappeared within her mind, the young girl took the leisure to carefully select two acupuncture points in her body that were tinged with a purple light.

    The Yinxi acupuncture point of her Heart Meridian and the Meichong acupuncture point were the two selected from her perusal, and the spiritual essence within her heart boiled as several threads traversed throughout her body to stream into the two miniscule whirlpools of purple.

    Since she didn''t wish to circulate the spiritual essence as per the methodology of the , An Fei merely permitted the whirlpools to absorb spiritual essence until their volume had expanded to twice their original size.

    Hmph!

    The young girl grunted as her will forced the swirling threads of spiritual essence out from the two acupuncture points, before directing them towards the palms of her hands as she had done so yesterday.

    Half suffused with fear and the other tinged with anticipation and excitement, the young girl parted her hands to be parallel with the boundaries of her frame.

    One, two¡­

    "Three!"

    Clap!

    An Fei whispered as her palms slapped against the other in a momentum of fury and spite, before pressing together without a single sound of dissent.

    The young girl squeezed her hands as tightly as she could, hoping to force the spiritual essence within her hands to merge at an accelerated rate.

    "Now all I need to do is wait for a little while," An Fei whispered to herself, beads of sweat dotting her delicate brow.

    "It took three breaths of time earlier. It should¡­ there!"

    A faint vibration blazed through her hands and limbs as the mysterious reservoir unbound to any frame of space or time manifested once again, and the young girl separated her hands as swiftly as she could.

    An Fei directed a substantial quantity of spiritual essence to intermingle with her eyes, attempting to see into the phenomenon that was about to flourish in the are of which her palms had intersected.

    Without her palms interfering with her sight, the young girl was able to clearly gaze at the scene that occurred before her.

    Though the phenomenon remained for several seconds, An Fei''s heart shook with a brief tinge of excitement.

    The diagram had manifested for the third time, and in this iteration, she didn''t need to browse through her memory and drown the sea of perception throughout the entire ordeal!

    The two pools of purple light did not hesitate to merge into a unified solution as the orange and cyan light had struggled; on the contrary, the reservoir was mostly empty throughout the process of contraction and compression, for the two pools had streamed into a small bead in a matter of seconds.

    As the reservoir''s dimensional walls contacted the sphere of purple, the ball quaked with an intense fluctuation before erupting into visible light, and a circular diagram reared its head to glare at the Sanctum.

    Compared to the diagram that was conjured by Tang Shiqi and Fang Man, or An Fei''s previous attempt, the third diagram was of a rich violet color, with dense emissions of pale blue light expanding from its surface.

    The golden light of the Sanctum appeared to be repulsed by the diagram''s radiance during its existence, creating a small gap to appear within the bastion of light.

    The purple, circular diagram flared its radiance into the Sanctum''s Archive of Time for a total of three breaths, before embracing nihility with a single spatial gasp.

    "It¡­ takes three breaths to manifest, and three breaths to dissipate," the young girl breathed as her fingers did not cease their diligent movements in recording the observed scene.

    "Furthermore, it was of a different color than the others by a significant margin¡­ why is that so?"

    The next two hours were thus squandered by An Fei conducting experiment after experiment without pause.

    She seemed to have forgotten that she was supposed to depart from the Sanctum at this time and reunite with the little raven and the small fox, and remained within the seventeenth Archive of Time, surrounded by an increasing number of stacks of paper marred by violet ink.

    Squandered as they may, the two hours of experimentation had earned the young girl a significant boon to her initially pitiful knowledge regarding cultivation and spiritual essence.

    An Fei''s legs kicked back against the backsides of her thighs as she hummed an indistinct tune under her breath, laying down on the comfortable surface of the sky-blue crystal floor with a sheet of paper grasped in her right hand.

    In total, she had conducted ninety-seven experiments regarding the mysterious diagram that appeared following the compression and merging of spiritual essence belonging to similar sources.

    Thankfully, out of the ninety-seven experiments, she had been hurled against the wall only once, which was yesterday night.

    Furthermore, whilst the diagrams generated from each experiment contained the same three words etched directly below the outer circumference, the general color of the structure and the underlying obscure inscriptions differed between each result.

    The general principle An Fei discovered was that the color emitted by the acupuncture point displayed in the mental visualization of her body served as an apt prediction of the result ¨C though certain results were clear outliers.

    Pairing two Yin attributed acupuncture points as the initial process granted the result of a diagram that emitted a slightly chilly sensation upon the brief contact the young girl could achieve.

    An Fei, in a rather clueless but ingenious move, had jammed her finger against a manifested diagram to simply experiment; the result had left her groaning as her fingertip nearly froze over.

    However¡­ she seemed unable to create a diagram that flared an orange brilliance as though the result produced from Tang Shiqi and Fang Man¡­

    "I still managed to spot it once," An Fei huffed, massaging the sore muscles of her neck.

    She had managed to create a diagram that was not visible to the mind''s eye, though her sea of perception clearly notified her of its presence.

 186 Dangerous Experimentation 5

    At the end of her crazed encounter with a mystery of the Shattered Star Continent and the Sanctum, An Fei had obtained three precious conjectures, two of which she possessed boundless confidence regarding their verity.

    The first was that the diagram produced by compression of non-unified spiritual essence obtained from two derived strains similarly resulted in an attributed diagram.

    The derived strains of spiritual essence, upon their merging and assimilation into a singular substance, settled into a distinct attribute of either Yang or Yin, depending on the concentration.

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    Spiritual essence that interacted with an acupuncture point in the body formed a derivative of the original source ¨C similarly, interactions with the meridians produced a result that was not too far different.

    It was the question of how well developed the meridian, for a newly opened meridian could at most produce a fifth of the efficiency of that of an acupuncture point of the body.

    Thus, An Fei had skirted from the path of wasting her spiritual essence via utilizing her meridians, even if the notion of development was heartbreakingly appealing.

    Secondly, the concentration of the spiritual essence infused during the process factored into the final projection of the diagram, of which a major factor depended on the independent physique of the practitioner.

    An Fei had realized that she was only able to produce a Yang attributed diagram after infusing twice as much spiritual essence attributed with Yang compared to the Yin counterpart.

    In most cases, her physique generally produced a pale cyan diagram that hovered in the air for a total of three breaths ¨C a clear indicator of a Yin diagram, especially when it was suffused with a chilly sensation that attempted to probe into the body via small tendrils.

    In the odd circumstance of which she infused both Yang attributed streams of spiritual essence into her palms¡­ her body couldn''t force them to merge, regardless of the force she propelled into her hands.

    The young girl even attempted to utilize non-attributed spiritual essence into triggering the reaction, but to no avail.

    Two Yin attributed spiritual essence streams operated perfectly well, which alluded to her conclusions that the general formation of the diagrams depended on the physique of the practitioner.

    And third¡­

    "If I manage to align the ratios of Yang and Yin attributed spiritual essence in that they perfectly nullify each other, a completely invisible diagram will appear," An Fei murmured to herself as she stared at the crystalline ceiling of the Sanctum.

    The young girl sat amidst a sea of paper, the fingers of her right hand absentmindedly rubbing against the base of her chin. A nonexistent breeze ruffled against the neatly trimmed stacks of paper, the golden light emitted from the sky-blue crystal gently rubbing at the base of the young girl''s skin.

    "Now that I think about it, the concept is unusually simple ¨C a kid who studied mathematics and chemistry for a little while could figure this out, ah."

    In a barebones sense, the process of creating a diagram ¨C the product of spiritual essence from two similar sources compressed and forced to fuse into a unified substance ¨C wasn''t it essentially an equation?

    Furthermore, the formula of achieving particular results proceeded in algorithmic operations ¨C completely like that of a systemic format.

    Input variables, carry out computations and permutations to the expected degree, then manifest the result in a concise format.

    The manipulations of the variables remained consistent regardless of the inputs, creating a mechanized system that was both reliable and swift.

    Depending on the quantity of attributed spiritual essence she infused into the process, the resulting diagram could possess either the Yin or Yang attribute.

    If she was to obtain the perfect ratio of Yang attributed spiritual essence and Yin attributed spiritual essence, then¡­

    "Achieving the nullified diagram that can''t be seen by the eye ¨C which I suppose is the blank spiritual essence mentioned within the ," An Fei tapped the base of her chin in thought.

    "But how do I do that? Like¡­"

    One gram of Yang attributed spiritual essence to be paired with fifty milligrams of Yin attributed spiritual essence, to be combined with a pinch of baking soda and vinegar¡­

    Pa!

    The young girl directly planted a delicate palm against her forehead in exasperation, shaking her head in dismay.

    An Fei glanced at the stacks upon stacks of paper marred with violet tears forming a sea that encircled her entire body, before standing to stretch her limbs.

    "Even if I count by strands, I can only approximate the quantity at best," the young girl sighed, before a crooked chuckle escaped her parched lips.

    "But that idea isn''t so dull¡­ Laoda! One gram of Yang attributed spiritual essence to go, please!"

    The young girl downed a pitcher of cooled water in a single, prolonged gulp, wiping the dazzling beads of water that clung to her delicate lips.

    An Fei took another glance towards the aggravating but fulfilling stacks of paper, before departing from the Sanctum after having changed her clothes.

    ¨C

    "I know, I know, ben xiaojie apologizes, ah!"

    The charming voice of a young girl could be heard from the darkened streets of the Peaceful Road, accompanying the silent and tranquil night at the Bone Spirit Town.

    An Fei continued to direct curious gazes towards her surroundings, whilst appeasing the spiteful spirits of a little crow ¨C ahem, raven ¨C and a small fox.

    Caw! Yip!

    The two aggrieved and slightly arrogant creatures yelled at the young girl''s ears from two fronts, before chomping on their respective spoils of war.

    The small fox eagerly tore at a strip of chicken spiced with honey, pepper, chives, and a tinge of garlic, whilst the little raven gnashed at a candied gingko nut bought at the rather well-populated Golden Breadbasket.

    "Yes, yes, how any times do you want me to say sorry for leaving you alone throughout the day?"

    An Fei rolled her eyes to the impassionate and callous night sky, seeking for the stars to dazzle a chilling astral strike against the two emperors riding on her shoulders.

    The young girl fiercely swore in her heart, all the whilst her fingers elected on themselves to eagerly pinch and pull at the feathers and silken fur offered as free tribute.

    Getting a free ride on ben xiaojie''s shoulders everyday, that requires a suitable price!

    The young girl puffed her cheeks as she directed a glance towards her surroundings once more.

    Regardless of how she stared, An Fei couldn''t help but gawk at the changes of the Peaceful Road.

    After all¡­ unlike Jiang''an, Bone Spirit Town did not possess any street lighting whatsoever.

    Neither did any storehouse or martial arts school on either side of the street upholster any torches or oil lamps, creating a surreal mood.

    The darkness pressed down upon her body as though leaden weights, and the dense silence created an interesting but equally creepy experience.

    Equally creepy ¨C as she experienced in the next moment.

    "Y-young miss, how about y-you come with this o-ne for a ride, eh?"

    The choked gasp between laughter and tears accompanied by a slurry of drunken stupor and lustful intent surged into An Fei''s ears, causing her to raise an eyebrow in surprise.

    The young girl hesitated for the span of a breath, before electing to ignore the mishap, a single thought running through her mind.

    Bone Spirit Town should have some public security at the minimum¡­ right?

    Unfortunately, the obscene caller did not allow An Fei the opportunity to drown in her thoughts.

    The next instant, a black shadow swiftly surged to stand directly before her, and the propelled An Fei several meters backwards.

    "Y-young miss ¨C hic! ¨C You shouldn''t be like that, ah!?"

    The shadow took a menacing step forward, the dim moonlight revealing a rather elegantly dressed but sloppily mannered young individual.

    Dressed in linen robes with flagrant colors of scarlet, gold, and violet, the youngster appeared to be in his twenties ¨C and definitely from a decently developed clan of the town.

    A pair of drunken eyes directed a lustful glare upon the young girl''s body, seemingly piercing through the impenetrable defenses of the linen coat on her body to reveal the delicate flower within.

    The youngster swayed on his feet for a brief moment, before lurching forwards with an obscene smile on his aristocratic countenance.

    "Y¡­young g-g-girl," the youngster drawled, before a massive hiccup rent through the air with a snarl.

    "You should play with this young master ¨C this y-young master w-w-will take you to¡­ to the ninth heavens! Oh, and grant an opportunity t-to cultivate. You-you, as a servant girl, should like the opportunity to cultivate, n ¨C hic! ¨C no?"

    An Fei stared at the disgraceful and arrogant youth before her, a disdainful expression fully captured in her countenance.

    The young girl''s hands trailed to the pair of butterfly swords sheathed at her waist, a dangerous glint laced within her cracked scarlet irises.

    "You should move," An Fei warned with a chilly voice.

    "I''ll call for law enforcement if you don''t move."

    "Hah!" the drunken youngster snorted, nearly doubling over in his laughter.

    "Ben xiaoye is of the Xiao Clan ¨C w-w-we are the ones making the laws, little girl! Now, come with xiaoye and embrace the virtues of heaven!"

 187 Dangerous Experimentation 6

    The cold-hearted moon cheerfully glanced at the young girl and her supposed predator in the form of a drunken, pampered young master of the Bone Spirit Town.

    A soft ray of moonlight glanced across the cobbled streets of the Peaceful Road, as though signifying the end of its graceful title.

    Whoosh!

    An Fei''s fingers jerked at the hilts of the twins butterfly swords, her body releasing a swift half-moon sweep in the counterclockwise direction. The twin blades soared forth towards the drunken youngster''s unguarded chest.

    The twin steel blades that had sung the death of numerous, numerous fierce creatures that could terrorize the entire Bone Spirit Town with a single breath, surged to pierce through the thin linen defenses and reap a disgraceful life from its habits of inflicting misery¡­ but failed to do so.

    "Ah?"

    Two surprised calls broke through the night sky as the twin blades simply bounced off the fabric, failing to snap even a single thread.

    An Fei pivoted on her heels to disperse the majority of the force behind her attack as she gradually came to a stop, only to glance at the confused expression on the youngster''s countenance.

    The young girl stared blankly in shock as she dumbly gazed at the failure of the weapons that she had witnessed their brutal carnage dozens of times, and the youngster patted his chest in elation.

    The drunken youngster was the first to respond, a lust-suffused jeer ringing within An Fei''s eardrums.

    "He¡­hehe," the drunken youngster hiccupped before attempting to vividly imagine An Fei''s body.

    "Young g-g-girl, did you think that you could h-harm ben xiaoye? Ben xiaoy¨Cye is a Body¡­ Body Tempering Realm cultivator ¨C cultivator, and mortals will never be able to h-harm a cultivator, do you understand!"

    The young girl remained silent as she tightly grasped onto the twin butterfly swords, a myriad of thoughts flooding her consciousness without end.

    Numerous conjectures drowned out the incessant, drunken slurs emitted from the lascivious youngster''s lips, before one strikingly rose to her attention.

    The , the first technique within the tome ¨C provided absolute evasion of physical attacks and surveillance.

    The notion of absolute evasion permitted her body to completely remove her ability to resist force and retain the pure momentum of any incoming impulse, and redirect it towards the source without any dissipation whilst not incurring injury onto the practitioner.

    Thus, the young girl had managed to crawl through hundreds of bloody fights within the Wu Ji Forest without obtaining a single scratch on her skin, but¡­

    She had never expected the notion of absolute evasion to cripple her ability to launch an offensive strike!

    "Damn!"

    An Fei released a low curse as she glared at the youngster blocking her way.

    The young girl''s fingers tightened their grip onto the hilts of the twin butterfly swords, her scarlet irises poking lethal holes into the fool''s body without mercy.

    "Y-young g-girl, you¡­you shouldn''t look at me like that," the youngster swayed, a lecherous glint in his eyes.

    "Tempting ben xiaoye¡­ ah?"

    ¡­and she had to hear him rant about making her his concubine!?

    Whoosh!

    The twin butterfly swords morphed into two swift streams of silver light as they sliced through the fluctuating beam of moonlight, the young girl rushing forward with great speed.

    The butterfly swords'' tips were aimed directly towards the base of the youth''s shoulders, intending to strike at the joint that permitted the arm to rotate freely.

    "Y-young girl, that''s not going to work, ah!"

    The youngster cried out loud, his robes billowing as he continued to sway from side to side.

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    After the twin swords had bounced off the linen coat for the second time, the young girl released a cold snort, as she completed a full moon sweep towards the clockwise direction.

    "Like I said, that''s not going to wor -Argh!?"

    Puff!

    The youngster''s guffaw abruptly concluded in a soft gurgle as two deep slashes rent his linen robes into tatters, and slicing deeply into his skin.

    The sharp sear of agonizing pain rushed through the drunken youngster''s nerves, thoroughly arousing him from his drunken and euphoric stupor.

    "Y-y-you¡­ you hurt ben xiaoye!"

    An Fei twitched her lips at the comical display of the youngster stuttering in shock and dismay, his countenance warped in absolute misery from the pain.

    The young girl raised the twin swords to be level with her chest, the steel blades refining the austere moonlight into merciless swords.

    If she couldn''t land a strike on the first attempt, she merely had to utilize the ''s principle of absolute evasion to deliver a second strike.

    Outside of sneak attacks and assassinations, the martial arts technique obtained from the Sanctum was still relatively powerful and useful, only the young girl was slightly dissatisfied with the inability to cleave through opponents on the first sweep.

    "D-d-d-don''t!"

    With a faint chuckle, the young girl took a step forward, causing the youngster to fiercely backpedal for a few meters, landing onto his backside with a painful yell.

    An Fei glared downwards towards the battered but now sober, pampered young master, wondering how to deal with such an insufferable scum of the earth.

    ¡­and indeed, the youngster''s words were solid evidence of his status as a wretched soul drowning in lust and infamy.

    "I-I-I-I know! I know what you want!" the youngster screamed in terror as he glimpsed An Fei''s nearing figure.

    The young girl paused, a knowing smile gracing her lips.

    "You know what I want?"

    Not realizing the peculiarity and the odd disparity between the charming and heart-throbbing voice and the completely average appearance of the young girl, the startled young master rapidly nodded his head, blood seeping into the stones of the Peaceful Road.

    "I¡­ I know what you want," the youngster cried in agony.

    "You aren''t satisfied with the position of a concubine, right? Then I''ll make you my wife! That way, my clan will give you the resources, power, and cultivation manuals you want!"

    ¡­Huh?

    An Fei mind nearly short-circuited at the stupendously ignorant answer uttered from the scared-stiff youngster''s lips, and the urge to murder arose within her heart once again.

    The young girl took a mighty step forward, the butterfly sword in her right hand flowing into a reverse grip, the point angled towards the rapidly beating heart suffused with fear.

    "Wait-wait-wait-wait-wait!"

    The shriek rang throughout the streets of the Peaceful Road, rattling onto the doors of the stores nearby.

    The youngster covered his face with both hands, his countenance paper-white with fear and despair.

    A moment later, he did not feel the cold and callous sensation of his neck being severed by a steel blade, causing him to crack open an eyelid in hope.

    Before his nefarious and lecherous heart could wake, a tremendous impact rushed through his body, prompting a slew of blood to escape his throat.

    "W-w-what did you do to me!?" the youngster cried, his eyes bloodshot as bulging veins arched across his countenance and neck.

    An Fei''s lips twitched as she took several steps backwards, her eyes locked onto the trembling figure of the sober and terrified youngster.

    The young girl suppressed the urge to yawn as she sheathed the twin swords, before reaching up to play with the small fox and the little raven.

    As for the youngster''s question ¨C why should she answer?

    Should she tell him that he was going to be a part of a rather interesting experiment, and ask for his informed consent?

    The young girl had upon a certain whim, decided to inject two streams of Yin attributed spiritual essence into the youngster''s body with the twin butterfly swords acting as the medium.

    Similar to how she had conducted the experiments, An Fei increased the distance between her and the flailing youngster.

    The amount of spiritual essence infused far exceeded that of her hand-clapping and diagram production, causing her expectation to arise.

    And to satisfy An Fei''s slightly sadistic but purely inquisitive intentions, the results were fantastic.

    As usual, no event occurred during the initial three breaths since the infusion of the spiritual essence.

    However, the instant the third breath faded into nihility, the entire world for the youngster changed, and he plummeted to hell.

    "AHHHHH!!!!"

    A heart wrenching, bloodcurdling scream that was only emitted when a masculine entity was pushed beyond the absolute limits of terror his ego could tolerate sundered the quiet and tranquil atmosphere of the Peaceful Road, shattering it forever and beyond hope of restoration.

    The youngster''s eyes rolled back into his head, and a sparkling lotus of scarlet brilliance graced its greetings into the Shattered Star Continent.

    The lotus of scarlet radiance and impurity was the first, but definitely not the last.

 188 A nasty run-in with the Xiao Clan* 1 - Discretion Advised

    The deafening sweep of the third breath spelled the gruesome fate glistening above the head of the Xiao Clan''s drunken and hedonistic youngster.

    An invisible toll of death and liberation seemed to have swept across the alarmed streets of the Peaceful Road.

    The invisible fluctuation enveloped all wakening existences, returning them to a deep sleep to pass the night unhindered.

    As for the youngster¡­

    "ARGH!"

    Pained shriek after blood curdling cry tore their path from his throat to flee into the atmosphere, scarlet trails of liquid seeping from every pore of his body.

    The youngster rolled on the ground as he gasped for breath, his hands clinging and wrenching at various parts of his body in agony.

    His delicately trimmed and maintained nails transformed into brutal torture weapons as they pierced through flesh and bone to scoop the mutilated substance and sacrifice it onto the ground, and the pupils of his eyes melted into murky seas of boiling fluid.

    A small pool of blood enriched and besotted the ground on which he lay, the cobbled stones singing their jubilation towards their heavenly blessing.

    The youngster attempted to crawl away from his predicament, whilst his nails continued their torment on his body.

    Though they ruptured his liver and extinguished his left kidney, the youngster appeared to not have registered the pain, instead ramming his forehead onto the ground of the Peaceful Road as though to obtain salvation.

    The young girl remained unmoving as she observed the flailing body before her in silence, the pair of scarlet irises flickering with interest.

    "¡­help¡­ help me¡­" the youngster cried in a weakening voice, his crossed body gorging a path of blood and spoilt spiritual essence.

    He had, in his current agonizing and crippled condition, traveled a rather astonishing distance of thirteen meters.

    All the while, the youngster''s nails, limbs, and every weapon he possessed continued their duty of eviscerating his body to an astonishing degree, scooping, extracting, then sacrificing it to the ground for a sliver of penance.

    It seemed he found a brief enjoyment and solace from harming his body, and the river of blood roiled in his suffering.

    The metallic odor ravaged the solemn atmosphere of the Peaceful Road with a tinge of bloodlust and rage, but none of the residents aroused their consciousness to confront the anomaly.

    The young girl''s eyes were akin to indomitable sentinels as they followed each movement of the youngster, electing to remain in position to obtain an overview of his circumstances.

    An Fei lightly blinked her eyelashes, a hint of unease quickly concealed underneath the malignant shine of moonlight.

    All she had done was inject spiritual essence into his body, which should merely have blown him backwards, or if the diagram manifested within his body ¨C explode his physique into smithereens.

    She had not expected such a rather brutal¡­ and coldly satisfying scene to occur.

    ¡­was the spiritual essence from the Sanctum that lethal to practitioners of the Shattered Star Continent?

    If that were the case, had someone dared to infuse their spiritual essence into her body, wouldn''t she suffer the same fate?

    Drag her body as that of a measly caterpillar, scooping her internal organs as penance to the earth as she sought a twisted and depraved pleasure derived from the penultimate manifestation of pain?

    Then¡­ she would have to watch out for herse-

    "Ahh¡­ ah ¨C argh! H-h-HELP! HELP!"

    As An Fei suddenly found herself lost in her thoughts, the youngster appeared to have tapped into an unknown reserve of vitality and strength.

    Ignoring the ravaging and harvesting conducted on his own body, the youngster gathered his vitality into a single breath, pain cries streaming from his half-removed lips and larynx.

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    The originally quiet scream quickly rose in volume and intensity, and permeated the entire Peaceful Road as though it had been enhanced with spiritual essence.

    The solemn and respectful atmosphere of the streets finally collapsed into a dismal chaos, and the trembling sound and sensation of encroaching footsteps could be heard soon after.

    The footsteps appeared to be hurried and full of righteous gusto, and belonged to many, many people.

    An Fei noticed that the cobbled stone ground visibly shook with each powerful step that rang across the Peaceful Road, and a few alarmed shouts pierced through the night sky.

    The coldhearted and sadistic moon observed on, casually dispersing its silver rays onto various portions of the street, even highlighting the plight of the youngster of the Xiao Clan for several moments.

    The stars dared not chastise their unruly neighbor, still unable to overcome their shock at the unexpected circumstance ¨C

    "Halt!"

    A powerful cry approached from the entrance of the Peaceful Road the filtered into the rest of Bone Spirit Town''s streets, and the slamming of metal onto stone crashed throughout the entire area.

    An Fei narrowed her eyes as an entire platoon of thirty men in armor, three elderly scholars in dark robes, and a young lady in a pure white dress raced into the road of the jianghu.

    They were headed in the direction of which the remnants of the youngster lay.

    The target in question seized on his final, diminishing hope, his mangled and boiled eyes landing onto an obscure figure dressed in a pure white dress and bathed in a dense sheen of moonlight.

    "Elder¡­ sister¡­" the youngster croaked, blood seeping from the holes torn in his lungs, larynx, and his cheeks.

    "Xiao Cui!?"

    "Young Miss!?"

    "Help¡­ help¡­"

    The young lady''s eyes stretched to their limits upon recognizing the collapsed youngster''s identity, and she rushed towards the broken figure whilst ignoring the elders'' startled calls.

    No more than three steps taken, and the youngster''s hand slammed onto the ground of cobbled stone.

    "Xiao Cui!"

    The young lady in the white dressed screamed in shock, her hands reaching towards the youngster''s outstretched arm.

    She rushed towards his figure, her numb legs forcing her to crawl the later half of the distance when her eyes glanced upon the trail of blood and suffering he had experienced.

    "Young Miss, what happened¡­ to the Young Master¡­?"

    One of the elders carefully approached the grieving young lady in the white dress, his countenance overcast by a shade of depression and mourning.

    Just as he took a step forward to lay a consoling hand on her shoulder, the old man''s expression abruptly changed and he couldn''t help but muster all of the spiritual essence stored within his frail body.

    "Young Miss!" the elders howled.

    "You must come back immediately!"

    "Ah?" the young lady gaped, her tearstained countenance blinking sorrowfully towards the three agonized elders behind her.

    The slivers of spiritual essence finally breached into the youngster''s dantian, only to discover a hidden cache of malignant spiritual residue swirling within the depths.

    With a frenzied roar, the purple-colored spiritual essence of the Sanctum raged forth, a tsunami of divine intent and immortal strength demolishing the roots of spiritual essence of the youngster without leaving a single trace.

    And once its supporting structures had collapsed, the walls of the dantian began to contract upon itself, just as the numerous unrestricted reservoirs had done so earlier¡­

    BOOM!

    Black veins tore through the youngster''s body, ripping and catalyzing the flesh, blood, and bone into a grey mineral powder.

    Not only that, the instant the veins ripped into the cranial regions, the entire body vanished into a flowing stream of stars as a fierce explosion of light erupted in the Peaceful Road!

    The three elders gasped as they clutched their fiercely beating hearts, worrying that it may tear through their ribcage to seek liberation.

    Swallowing their fear, the three old men rushed forth to yank the young lady back to safety the moment the explosion tore through the atmosphere.

    A cloud of dust and rabid smoke enveloped the area in which the youngster once lay, and only settled after a few moments. The streets regained a collective sigh of relief, before a tensed atmosphere quickly usurped its former ally.

    "This¡­" one of the elderly men gasped in shock, his countenance darkening with an ugly shade.

    The youngster''s body had completely vanished, as well as the trail of blood, half-mutilated and ravaged internal organs, as well as the clothes on his body; everything had been replaced by a large depression in the ground that tore through the cobbled stone and the solid foundation underneath.

    The unusual formation carved into the Peaceful Road appeared to be akin to a pathway leading to a sacrificial alter, beaming with the aura and scent of blood, even though the actual substance had long since combusted.

    A sacrificial altar towards a bloodstained lotus flower, one that could not be sated regardless of the lives poured in each passing moment.

    Ting!

    "Show yourself! Who are you!?"

    One of the powerful men slammed their weapon onto the ground, before pointing the edge towards the indistinct figure of An Fei.

    The moonlight lazily glanced off of the sharp blade, glinting into her eyes with a happy wave of mockery and schadenfreude.

 189 A nasty run-in with the Xiao Clan 2

    "Why did you kill the Xiao Clan''s Fourth Young Master!?"

    The roar echoed across the Peaceful Road, dispelling the last vestiges of grief and mourning from the three elder''s and the young lady''s countenances.

    The three elderly men stepped forth to shield the figure of the young lady from additional harm, and one of them narrowed his eyes as he stared in the direction of the young girl.

    "This Young Lady here," he spoke with a clear voice dripping with visible anger and righteousness.

    "You need to give our Xiao Clan an explanation! Why, why did you slaughter Xiao Cui as though he were nothing but a pig!?"

    The hazy fog generated by the aftermath of an intense agony and pain obscured anyone''s vision, causing their scalps to tingle with unease and hesitation.

    The thirty men, three elders, and one young lady awaited with bated breath as they bored holes into the murky, obscured figure of An Fei with rage-filled eyes.

    "He wished to **** me; an action blasphemous to the holy covenants of the heavens."

    A charming voice that tugged at the heartstrings of the listeners swept through the streets with an indifferent tone, and the male listeners vividly lost their expressions for several breaths as they indulged themselves in the vocal pleasure.

    As the men momentarily gave themselves into the lust of appreciating beauty, the young lady took a step forth until she stood level with the three elders, her countenance besmirched with wrath.

    "He is of the Xiao Clan!" she roared with a hot voice.

    "If he wishes you as a concubine, then you must become his concubine! Before the Xiao Clan, even the heavens must oblige ¨C who cares about the holy covenants!?"

    "Then the Emperor of Great Yong is his servant, and the Empress Feng Yu Hong warms your Xiao Clan''s beds?"

    The young girl raised an eyebrow as she tossed a bemused reply towards the blithering young lady, her countenance fighting hard to suppress her laughter.

    An Fei toyed with the cool hilt of a butterfly sword, her mind wandering towards the lotus petal stuck in her hair.

    ¡­although, would Feng Yu Xin manage to repress herself from butchering the Xiao Clan of Bone Spirit Town if they heard their slander?

    "You!" the young lady stamped her foot in speechless anger, allowing her mind to be further clouded by her inbred arrogance and grief over the loss of her raucous but fairly loyal younger brother.

    "Young Lady, though you may have suffered a minor mishap from Xiao Cui, you must offer my Xiao Clan an explanation for your actions."

    The elder on the left stepped forth, his eyes suffused with a calculating glint with an underlying tinge of lust.

    The old man cleared his throat, his fingers cautiously stroking his brow as he once attempted to pierce through the hazy fog arbitrated by the sadistic moon.

    "Offer your Xiao Clan an explanation?" the young girl''s eyes widened in surprise.

    "I have to offer your Xiao Clan an explanation for nearly being raped by your promiscuous and lust-filled youngster?"

    "Ahem!" another elder appeared to have caught onto his compatriot''s scheme, his lips tinged with a knowing smile as he carefully assuaged the young lady''s grief.

    "This Young Miss, you don''t fully understand the circumstances, I now fully realize. Obtaining such a favor would net you a wonderful future as a member of our clan, but you must realize that your current actions warrant a full war against my Xiao Clan."

    "I give the Young Miss a choice; if the Young Miss were to surrender obediently, then the repercussions would be much more restrained. However¡­"

    "If I were to crawl over and submit my head, my body would be violated to the depths, and then killed without even knowing how or when, no?"

    An Fei released a cold laugh.

    "My apologies, but the trustworthiness of your small clan can''t be trusted when your arrogance trumps the Emperor, ah!"

    "Don''t reject the offer to heaven, and fall into the depths of hell!"

    The young lady found her ability to speak once more, and thoroughly lashed out unto the young girl with her words.

    Though her expression was obscured by the dense net formed by the hazy mist, An Fei was certain she appeared no more than a rabid fool with an impudent smirk on their countenance.

    "Why should you decide whether I should go to heaven or to hell?" the young girl chuckled in mockery.

    "Do you have personal connections with Meng Po? Perhaps the Black or White Impertinence, or even the King of Hell himself?"

    "You!"

    The young lady''s countenance flushed at the obvious snide within An Fei''s words, and she nearly rushed into the mist to avenge her fallen sibling.

    The elders narrowly held her back, though their amicable disguise was no longer on display, their malicious gazes and smirks firmly pasted on their faces.

    "Young Lady, you''ve already been offered a chance by my Xiao Clan," the elder in the middle stated with a tinge of pride.

    "Thus, for everything that occurs now, you can only blame your sorry fate!"

    The three elders gestured towards the platoon of thirty soldiers behind them to fall into action, and the old men fell back into a triangular arrangement, spiritual essence broiling to an agitated fury within their bodies.

    The thirty men charged at the hazy mist, their weapons blindly jabbing forth as though to sunder an invisible enemy.

    "Huh? Only a smokescreen?"

    The first powerful man stepped through the barrier of mist without any difficulty, his armored boot striking onto the cobbled stone ground on the other side.

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    His eyes landed onto the mysterious figure that had successfully taunted the three elders of the Xiao Clan, and the virile man couldn''t suppress his urges from leaking out.

    A delicate, short young girl stood away from him at a distance of fifteen meters.

    Her hair hung towards her waist, swaying gently with the tune of the night breeze.

    Though her appearance was merely average and plain compared to the sparkling beauty of the Xiao Clan''s Young Miss, Xiao Yue, the powerful man couldn''t help but gulp.

    The sheer innocence captured within the pair of scarlet irises!

    The delicate shape and curves of the body that couldn''t be concealed behind the linen coat regardless of how large it fit compared to her body!

    As well as the large handle-less blade that was piercing into his neck!

    Wait¡­

    The powerful man''s eyes glazed over in clueless surprise as he faced the length of an angered steel sword stripped of its handle, and his head clattered onto the stone ground with a soft plunk.

    The body with bulging muscles remained standing for a brief moment, before similarly collapsing at its joints.

    The remaining twenty-nine members of the personal troops underneath the Xiao Clan of Bone Spirit Town broke through the barrier of fog, only to stop at their tracks upon realizing the condition of their leader.

    Fifty-eight eyes froze with shock at the figure of the young girl standing before them, but their attention was focused on what was before her.

    A steel sword guarded An Fei as though a loyal sentinel, the blade plain and utilitarian to the eye. Nonetheless, that was the least of the men''s concerns.

    It was hovering in the air!

    ¡­and scarlet inscriptions were glowing along the length of it''s blade!

    That kind of ability ¨C such a miracle could barely be sustained by the three elders if they gave it their all, but this young girl didn''t even seem to be breaking a sweat!?

    "What''s going on?"

    The three elders and a young lady rubbed at their chin with perplexed expressions, their eyes flickering with doubt as they attempted to gaze at the eternally damned barrier of hazy mist.

    Their hearts fluctuated with confusion as they searched for any traces of the troops that had rushed beyond the misty barrier.

    Why was it quiet?

    Even if the young girl could fight, they should be able to capture a glimpse of it ¨C since they were cultivators, right!?

    On the other side of the sham of a barrier, An Fei tilted her head at the appearance of a mass crowd of powerful men in their twenties and thirties.

    Each wore a full set of armor cast of iron and plated with an unusual insignia upon their breastplate.

    Furthermore, they grasped a menacing polearm in their hands that spanned a total length of two meters, with a fully-developed sword sheathed at their waists.

    Compared to the meter-length swords, her twin butterfly swords appeared to be nothing more than tiny hunting daggers¡­

    "¡­it''s only be more interesting this way, ah."

    The young girl revealed a dazzling smirk as she surveyed her first human opponents since she appeared at the Shattered Star Continent.

    An Fei''s hands drooped to rest against the hilts of the twin butterfly swords, her mind concealing a crafty smile.

    The sensation was similar to her experience back at that world, when she was hunted by every living person and organization.

    She had survived through hundreds of circumstances that spelled her death each time¡­

    But tonight, she was the predator!

 190 A nasty run-in with the Xiao Clan 3

    Under the baptism of the cold moonlight and the disappointment of the astral stars, a handle-less steel sword commenced its nightly purge in Bone Spirit Town.

    The steel blade carved its presence into the essence of the Peaceful Road, erasing the necessity of the street''s moniker as well as imparting a blessing of the cruel and unfaithful jianghu.

    "ARGH!"

    A cry filled with the torment of death and a longing for release echoed throughout the solemn and mocking night sky, and a head belonging to a soldier in his thirties tumbled onto the Peaceful Road, forming a pathway of blood that trailed behind the severed cranium.

    The obtuse object rolled for several meters, until it came to a natural state of rest after a gruesome removal process.

    Besides it in all directions lay a pile of severed human skulls, each soaking in their nascent vitality and spilt blood essence.

    "Help! Hel-HELP!"

    Another cry seeking for liberation echoed within the forcefully slumbering streets, following by the soft spongy sound of a fleshy substance decompressing due to a severe puncture.

    The misty barrier continued its faithful duty of obscuring all visual reception regarding the scenes that occurred on the other side, but the three elders and the young lady were already terrified to the bottom of their wits.

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    The four people sank onto their knees, their limbs trembling in fear as their hearts attempted to leap out of their hearts and seek the Dragon Gate.

    "Just¡­ just what kind of¡­" an absentminded and shell-shocked elder gasped, his chest heaving for a cup''s worth of sore breath.

    "What''s happening¡­?"

    Whoosh!

    The handle-less sword swung in a perfect full moon sweep in the air, severing three more unlucky heads from their respective containers.

    As the numerous men backed away in fear, the steel blade howled with a malicious anger before rushing towards its next prey.

    A young girl stood behind it at a distance of five meters, untouched by the platoon of soldiers dispatched to claim her life.

    Partly bathed by the moonlight glow and shielded by the sustained darkness of midnight, the young girl''s obscured countenance sported a delicate smile of amusement.

    An Fei watched the steel blade vent its pent-up fury in a single night, her lips locked as her mind underwent a partial trip down memory lane.

    Before the young girl''s consciousness, the scene of the Peaceful Road transformed into numerous flashbacks of various locations, their ghastly screams and shrieks returning to her mind.

    A dense rainforest accompanied by the onslaught of bullets crashing through trees and all other strains of life.

    She had run for her life from an overly excited division of well-trained hunters and special agents, not even bothering to conceal their presence as they encircled her from all directions.

    Pei!

    The handle-less sword hacked onto a younger solder from above, splitting his body into two equal halves.

    A greasy mixture of white, grey, and red splattered onto the cobbled streets, the parched soil finally receiving their heavenly blessing.

    The rainforest morphed into an open desert, with lonesome cactus trees serving as loyal sentinels to ward off the cowardly and weak-minded.

    In the blistering heat and intense humidity, a young girl ran from side to side, utilizing the frequent plumes of dust and the sloped sandy plains to evade her captors.

    Pu!

    The steel blade dropped to hover a few centimeters above the ground, its blade parallel to the cobbled design of the street.

    Amidst the men''s frightened gazes and shrieks of terror, the handle-less sword began to rotate utilizing its partly severed tang as the anchor, rising a centimeter in height each time it completed a full rotation.

    A scarlet radiance erupted from the inscriptions engraved onto the blade, extending forward to sever the legs of nearby soldiers.

    Within the storm of scarlet malevolence, a slew of starved wraiths and banshees tore apart the fallen bodies of the soldiers, leaving nothing behind but metallic armor components and polearm.

    After receiving its penance, the desert morphed into the interior of a research laboratory, then an archaic landmark of a powerful country, followed by a slew of buildings, environments, and hell ¨C each filled with a horde of excited and agitated people radiating with a sinister intention and a malevolent aura.

    Sha!

    As the young girl closed her eyes and took a deep breath with her arms outstretched to their fullest length, the steel blade decimated the last shivering soldier of the platoon exclusively owned by the Xiao Clan''s Young Miss Xiao Yue.

    The young man crawled backwards on his hands and knees towards the barrier of mist, as if seeking aid from the nonresponsive elders on the other side.

    The handle-less blade and teased him from time to time, slivers of scarlet radiance severing miniscule portions of important flesh and tissue from the soldier''s body.

    With a heartrending cry seeking help, the young man collapsed onto the pile of his compatriot''s severed heads, causing the lake of blood to merge with his own vestiges of vitality seeping from his bleeding and torn body.

    It was at this moment that the veil of mist decided to bid its protectories farewell, dissipating with another glimpse of moonlight.

    The barrier that had obscured the visuals of the scene on the other side had decomposed of its own accord, permitting the elders of the Xiao Clan to welcome a hellish experience to haunt their nightmares.

    Three elderly men and one young lady stood in silence as they gazed at the pile of severed heads, the young soldier''s mutilated body, and a large pool of blood that had stained the cobbled stones with a scarlet malice.

    Their eyes were stretched to the absolute limits their physique could sustain, their consciousness phasing between life and death from the gruesome shock.

    The handle-less blade had seemingly disappeared from sight, leaving the defenseless figure of a young girl to gaze at them from the other side of the gruesome obstacle.

    An Fei blinked as she took in the astonished and despairing countenances of the Xiao Clan''s members before her, realizing that the seeds of a perverse, malignant illness had infiltrated their souls from their catatonic state.

    The young girl tilted her head to the side, a slightly upwards curve tilting her lips.

    The little raven and the small fox had long been stuffed into the startlingly soundproof leather bag, obscuring any obvious hints regarding her identity.

    "What¡­"

    The elder on the middle was the first to respond, his eyes first submerged in the pile of flesh and blood of the Xiao Clan''s preciously reared military force, before landing onto An Fei''s figure.

    Though his eyes were still narrowed as compared to before, the tinge of lust and depravity was now replaced by a cold fear.

    "Esteemed¡­ Daoist," the old man mulled over his words with obvious hesitation and reluctance.

    "The¡­ Xiao Clan¡­ requests for the Esteemed Daoist''s mercy. Under the surveillance of the eternal heavens, there exists no eternal grudge, only endless prosper."

    Near the latter half of his sentence, the elder''s voice recovered its dignity and powerful imposition.

    The old man straightened his hunched back in a display of strength, his eyes reflecting a might only displayed in the Shattered Star Continent''s Foundation Establishment practitioners.

    "No eternal grudge, only endless prosper¡­ was that what you said?"

    An Fei intoned each word that departed from her lips, the pair of scarlet irises carefully scrutinizing each of the people standing before her.

    In the dense moonlight that shone above their heads, the cracks in the irises began to reemerge after months of their obscured slumber.

    In the crisscrossing, weaving branches of black that invaded the sea of scarlet, there existed a faint shadow of an immortal dominance soaked with the blood of heaven.

    As the cracks increased in their contrast against An Fei''s irises, the astral stars above frowned in suspicion at the abrupt fluctuation of divine essence.

    Nonetheless, the stars remained quiet; the earth was not their jurisdiction, nor were they willing to place themselves in trouble by mindlessly quibbling.

    "We have said," the three elders chorused, before the elder to the left took a step forward to brush the corner of his chin.

    "Nevertheless, we are three elderly folk of eight, and there is an ancestor above us in our Xiao Clan. Esteemed Daoist, let us write off our conflict with the stars serving as the witness!"

    The imposing shout reverberated within the startled but quelled Peaceful Road, and the young lady''s consciousness finally recovered.

    Xiao Yue glanced around from within the three elders'' domain of protection, her pretty countenance blanching at the gruesome sight of what had become of her platoon.

    "Write off our conflict?" An Fei raised an eyebrow, her lips nearly curving into a sadistic smile.

    The young girl raised a finger to point towards the young lady behind the three elders, her voice laced with coldness and a tinge of mockery.

    "Then your Young Miss will also prevent herself from unleashing a conflict that pits me against your Xiao Clan?"

    The three elders glanced at each other with curious dismay, then onto the pretty young lady behind their wings.

    Nonetheless, the chorus of power and confidence echoed for the second time.

    "We, three elders of the Xiao Clan, do solemnly swear!"

    "Then that''s good," the young girl finally revealed her tantalizing smirk.

    However, An Fei''s hand surged towards the night sky, before erupting in an invisible aura of malice and death!

    "That was a nice threat, calling out the ancestor of your clan. Let me show you mine, ah?"

    The handle-less sword that had been hovering in the air above Bone Spirit Town flashed with an indistinct light, before morphing into a three-pronged spear!

    And at the young girl''s signal, the spear of calamity began its journey of persecution!

 191 Bloodstained Calamity

    In the Realm, a stunningly beautiful young girl suddenly sneezed in her husband''s arms.

    She rubbed at her arms with a frown of distaste, before the pair of arms snugly wrapped around her waist gently released a pulse of affection.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Jun Meng Chen lowered his head to lightly nibble at the tip of the right ear of the young girl, causing a dainty fist to pummel his chest in mock anger.

    The young girl puffed her cheeks in exasperation, adjusting her position in the chair to rest her head against Jun Meng Chen''s powerfully beating heart.

    "I do not know," Li Xiang muttered with the persistent frown.

    Her azure irises flickered for a brief moment, before flashing with an unknown but non-conciliatory glint.

    "I think someone is calling for my spear again."

    "Oh-hoh? That Dongfang brat you''re training is in serious trouble?"

    Jun Meng Chen played with his wife''s soft body as he gently questioned, his hands roaming as they pleased.

    Li Xiang struggled for a few breaths of time before her body capitulated on its own, and she directed a helpless glare towards the raucous husband.

    "It''s not Yu''er''s aura, but someone different," the young girl tapped her chin in thought.

    "Someone¡­ whose aura I think I used to know? It''s so familiar and yet so strange at the same time¡­"

    "Familiar?"

    The raucous young man withdrew his fingers after noticing his wife''s light pants and the flush on her countenance.

    Blowing away her angered expression with a soothing kiss to the forehead, Jun Meng Chen airily waved his hand towards her concerns.

    "If it''s a familiar aura, then why not let them borrow the spear? You could ask Xiao Zi to look after it, just to make sure that whoever is asking for it doesn''t cause mayhem."

    "I could do that¡­ ¨C hey!"

    Li Xiang swatted away the pair of hands that had unleashed sweet torment after torment of pleasure and intense numbness, her azure irises flickering with fatigue.

    Huffing with an angered pout, the young girl turned the back of her head towards Jun Meng Chen, a wooden comb shoved before his nose.

    The young man raised an eyebrow of amusement, before taking the proffered comb and palming it.

    Gazing at Li Xiang''s ankle-length hair, Jun Meng Chen hesitated for a brief moment before picking up a random segment to gently run the spokes of the comb in a smooth, rhythmic pattern.

    "So, you''ll forgive me if I comb your hair, ah¡­?"

    The young man joked with a wry smile, only to discover that Li Xiang had fallen asleep against his free arm.

    Raising his hand to stroke the young girl''s head, the husband of the terrifying and cataclysmic Butterfly of Chaos continued his menial but rewarding task of combing a long trail of hair.

    Soon after, a few complaints were issued into the peaceful and tranquil atmosphere of the residence, causing the air to rustle with schadenfreude and annoyance.

    "Why is that brat called Yu''er, when we don''t even have a child yet, ah!? Good for that damned brat, he better get into some life threatening danger, so I can pummel some manners into his prideful brain!"

    The wooden comb dove into its gleeful task once more, and the spear responsible for the countless calamities and tribulations of the Realm was dispatched to a measly mortal world.

    ¨C

    The three-pronged spear hovered directly above the Peaceful Road, at the intersection that divided the four members of the Xiao Clan against An Fei.

    The steel appearance of the handle-less sword had been replaced with a dull grey texture, and the length of the weapon had tripled.

    As it hovered in the night sky, the moon and the stars seemed to be quivering with a deep-rooted fear and unease.

    The scarlet inscriptions were replaced with blank surface, but the entire spear released a golden radiance that could faintly be seen amongst the cosmic bellows of the stars.

    "A spear¡­?"

    The members of the Xiao Clan mumbled with befuddlement, their minds struck with an uneasy sensation.

    Their consciousness attempted to flee from the street as soon as possible, yet their bodies remained frozen on the cobbled stone ground.

    As if responding to the elders and the young lady''s words, the spear hanging in the air quivered, and the golden radiance exploded forwards.

    Shua!

    A sea of brilliance washed over the night sky, accosting the moon to rob its position.

    The celestial lake hummed first with anger then fear, and it escaped beyond the horizon, vacating its seat to the sea of golden light without a single statement of defiance.

    The night was replaced by day, but the sun did not hang in the sky to dispatch its blistering rays of light.

    Before the stunned and speechless residents of Bone Spirit Town and the terror-stricken Peaceful Road, the three-pronged spear that was responsible for the world-shaking phenomenon descended from the sky.

    Its downward velocity was not anything significant, for it travelled at a speed that could easily be matched by a falling apple.

    Unaffected by the urges of gravity, the spear descended at a leisurely and constant pace ¨C as though it were talking an evening stroll in a wonderful garden.

    For each meter the spear descended, the golden radiance increased in intensity by a sharp degree.

    The skies transformed from their dull, darkened blanket to a clear day, the sun''s employment forcibly seized by a spear.

    From what was soon to be just after midnight to morph into a brilliant afternoon sky¡­ left the experts of the continent terrified and speechless.

    Ta!

    Under the silent worship of the residents'' gazes, the three prongs of the spear contacted the stone surface of the Peaceful Road.

    The world remained still for a breath, then the entire Shattered Star Continent erupted with a pained bellow.

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    "That spear¡­ why!?"

    The roar wrenched from the core of the mortal world''s throat caused the earth to shake with an intense quiver, and many towns, cities, and sects all raised their protective mechanisms to retain stability to their foundation.

    Soon after, many natural disasters occurred throughout the continent.

    Deserts suddenly found themselves completely parched of groundwater; mountainous regions were buried under by countless landslides and volcanic eruptions; and those of extreme climates found their miseries exacerbate by an exponential amount.

    As for the plains in which Bone Spirit Town was housed¡­ the afternoon ''sun'' released death-suffused rays of golden light.

    The citizens of the town, upon being struck by the seemingly harmless rays of light, suddenly discovered themselves in need of a limb.

    Some were bereaved of their bones, others of their capillaries, and an unlucky few had even lost their brain.

    For those who had been daring enough to stand onto open streets of Bone Spirit Town, their chances of survival had been reduced to zero.

    Each strike of the golden rays of light removed a significant complement that formed their physique at random, and the rays were smaller than a tiny embroidering needle.

    "Argh!"

    "Run!"

    The citizens howled as they sought shelter from the mysterious and perplexing light that showered onto the streets and the large plains.

    As the slightly na?ve and less self-centered citizens of Bone Spirit Town opened their doors to welcome in the struggling victims, the casualties within the town were surprisingly reduced to a minimum.

    However¡­ such a sight was enough to terrify the four persons of the Xiao Clan that stood across from An Fei.

    For an unknown reason, the elderly men and the pretty young lady could not be touched by the golden rays of light that rained from the artificial afternoon sky.

    Nonetheless, the terrifying howls echoing from the streets of Bone Spirit Town as victims found their bodies in need of various bones and limbs were sufficient to crumble their resistant minds into ash.

    "That threat¡­"

    Was too much, ah!

    The elders screamed in their hearts as they fiercely gazed at the three-pronged spear loosely touching the ground of the formerly tranquil Peaceful Road.

    The spear with three blades protruding from its shaft appeared to be a mighty treasure of a supreme expert, but they couldn''t even muster the greed necessary to rob it.

    Who could ever cause such a powerful artifact to forcefully capitulate to a new owner, especially when it could enact such devastating damage over a large radius!?

    As the elders painfully closed their eyes and clapped their hands over their ears to bade farewell to their arrogance, the three prongs on the seemingly ordinary spear stretched backwards, the blades primed to jab into the earth if released.

    [Cease].

    A soft whisper, inaudible to the mortal ear, echoed across the Shattered Star Continent.

    The whisper seemed to have transcended the limits of both the mortal world and the Realm, unable to be heard by anyone, but influential to all.

    Immortals paused in their actions, be it forging, fighting, studying, writing calligraphy, or playing with their wives and family.

    Mortals similarly ceased their tasks, be it a powerful practitioner, scholar, or emperor.

    The three-pronged spear hummed with a tinge of discontent at the suppressed command, but gradually vanished into a storm of silver granular light that merged into the atmosphere to travel back towards An Fei''s bosom.

    At the quiet removal of a grave threat, the Shattered Star Continent''s core heaved a great sigh of relief, sweat soaking its existence.

    Just what kind of calamity had it provoked?

 192 A little invisible shadow 1

    Though the spear with three prongs had vanished from Bone Spirit Town, the artificially implanted afternoon sky refused to quell.

    Hence, the citizens of the continent were forced to usher themselves out of their beds, permitted to enjoy an extra half day of daylight as a reward.

    Though this reward, nobody wanted!

    Give our pitiful, well-deserved sleep back!

    The farmers complained in their hearts, their minds flitting to their sore and nearly torn muscles and the work that awaited them in the fields.

    Scholars groaned in their misery to have been deprived of their few hours of sleep, forced to study beyond a limit their minds could endure.

    Practitioners rolled in their abodes as they howled towards the sky in objection, demanding for the expected compensation for ruining their precious nighttime.

    Save for a glum Lu Jing Yi, the emperors and influential ministers of the continent struck a finger towards the artificial afternoon, the dissatisfied sighs of their concubines and wives prompting angered veins to erupt on their countenances.

    Thus, almost everyone that stood in the Shattered Star Continent followed a single routine.

    Straighten thy back and ignore the burning pain in the abdominal and pelvic muscles!

    Stretch and relax the muscles and ligaments of the right arm, rolling back the sleeve to expose the flesh to the sky.

    And with a deep breath that infused thy sincerity into the soul, unleash a powerful uppercut towards the sky with only the middle finger extended, a sorrowful cry to be expelled from thy lungs!

    "Damned heavens, give my fu*king sleep back, right now!"

    BOOM!

    The sky quaked in anger at the unified disrespect, seriously debating to itself whether it was wise to dispatch a heavenly calamity onto every standing human on the continent.

    The afternoon, cloudless sky quivered with slivers of lightning as it stamped its feet with anger, before capitulating with an uneasy sigh.

    The fault wasn''t even on its head, so why were the people complaining to it with such vigor and strength?

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    Not my fault, go stick your fingers to the real culprit!

    The skies roared back towards the hundreds of billions of humans living on the Shattered Star Continent, the soundless howl causing numerous mountain peaks to be blasted from the rest of their bodies.

    Horrifying gales struck the corners of the earth, and another portion of the earth''s groundwater reserves were stolen as punishment.

    As if to pummel the disrespectful mortals in the mortal world, the skies recalled the dissipating natural disasters that had been enhanced by the three-pronged spear''s intervention, only to amplify it by a considerable magnitude.

    "You roar at me, I roar at you!"

    Thus, on this artificial day, numerous sects were toppled from their feet from a slew of earthquakes, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and fires.

    Some were even submerged with tsunamis that had traversed hundreds of kilometers inland, simply to vent the sky''s anger.

    As lucky as it ever was, Bone Spirit Town no longer housed the calamitous object, the spear with three prongs.

    Thus, the only mishap that the citizens experienced afterwards was a massive rise in temperature for the day, causing thousands of people to collapse onto the ground with a painful groan.

    When the sun finally glanced from behind its horizon to begin its tedious and usually non-rewarding task, it couldn''t help but gawk in confusion.

    Why was the sky already so bright, when it was so early in the morning?

    ¡­and what the hell happened to the earth in a mere few hours?

    As if sensing the ball of fire''s confusion, the mortal denizens all prepared themselves to enact their prepared routine for a second time.

    After a shiver and angry bellow, everyone sighed and returned to their daily lives.

    Although, that daily life had to be repeated twice for that day.

    ¨C

    After cruelly ditching the little raven and the small fox in a safe and secure area, the young girl fled to the Sanctum.

    Reaching the haven of sky-blue crystal, An Fei collapsed to the ground to hug her knees, her teeth chattering in fright.

    "Ah¡­ ah¡­ ah¡­."

    Nonsensical blabbing escaped her lips as the young girl''s consciousness attempted to regain its senses.

    Gradually gathering the fragments of her memory, An Fei rolled into a ball as she relied on the warmth of the crystalline ground to calm her trembling soul.

    The others may have seen the night transform into day and the natural disasters receive an insane and powerful stimulus, but the young girl had glimpsed into a truth far more sinister and cruel.

    Her soul was far less than adequately developed to contend with such a massive flow of information, thus causing her temporary mental instability.

    As a result, her memory of the mysterious vision that had struck her had scattered into numerous fragments, many of which were nearly impossible to fuse together.

    Nevertheless, the portions An Fei could indeed recover, were sufficient to tear her apart to smithereens.

    A secret that surpassed the mortal worlds, surpassed the mortal domains of immortal beings, and surpassed the Realm itself.

    A fatal, legendary secret that questioned the Forefather of the Realm, and the Progenitors that stood behind it.

    "No more, no more, no more!"

    The young girl clutched her head as she wailed, her pained voice causing the fluctuations of the golden light within the Sanctum to quiver in surprise.

    The monolithic realm of sky-blue crystal anxiously extended several threads of light to wrap around An Fei''s body, the streams of warmth gradually quelling the young girl''s turmoil.

    After the time of several joss sticks had passed, An Fei could finally stand to her feet, albeit she possessed absolutely no stability.

    "I¡­ need to work."

    The young girl staggered over to the sea of stacked paper and open books within the seventeenth Archive of Time, her body completely supported and held upright by the strands of golden light emitted by the Sanctum.

    An Fei shook the agonizing premonitions from her mind, forcing her consciousness to toss the matter to the back of her head before sitting at the center of the now disorganized mess.

    The young girl took a cursory glance at the diagram sketched at the top sheet of paper on a nearby pile, and took a deep breath.

    The sea of perception opened its arms as her mind delved deeply into the depths, her soul releasing a pulse that prompted the spiritual essence in her heart to arouse itself.

    Pulses of her mind''s will and vigil issued command after command to the sea of spiritual essence in her chest cavity, and the mass of energy began its movements.

    A small strand with the thickness of a hair''s width was extended, before segmented into ten segments ¨C each attributed with the length of a nanometer.

    The segments were isolated from another, until the young girl delicately grafted them onto the other pieces.

    One segment at a time, she constructed one strand of seven and a half segments and another of two and a half segments, drifting around in an empty region in her chest cavity.

    At the essence¡­ this was quite literally the projection of manipulating spiritual essence a single gram at a time, only with a different standardized unit.

    "¡­go!"

    An Fei commanded the curated threads of spiritual essence to traverse throughout her body to reside into her Taizong and Bingfeng acupuncture points, for she was the most familiar with them.

    The young girl observed as the two streams surged into the pair of whirlpools, her mind still as undisturbed water.

    The longer strand had permeated the Taizong acupuncture point; with her physique, she required a greater quantity of Yang attributed spiritual essence to achieve a thorough balance.

    Shuu!

    The two whirlpools released their respective strands now dyed with their attributes, and the two streams raced down An Fei''s arms to reside at the center of her palms.

    The young girl hesitated for a brief moment, before parting her hands to deliver a resounding clap.

    The next instant, An Fei retreated with spiritual essence infused within her eyes, prepared to observe the formation of the reservoir and the mysterious diagram.

    The young girl stilled her breathing, prompting her mind to stimulate the sea of perception to the greatest level she could muster in the span of three breaths.

    As she had witnessed before, the interdimensional reservoir formed, contained the spiritual essence, then collapsed around its epicenter.

    The reservoir''s compression sequence was completely ordinary and usual ¨C even the emission of spiritual essence that signified the formation of the diagram was ordinary and within the young girl''s expectations.

    However, the diagram formed from this experiment did not possess any color, and was completely invisible.

    Other than the periodic fluctuation of spiritual essence that resonated with her heart, An Fei was unable to identity where the diagram was located, or even its appearance.

    However, the young girl was indeed privy to the information that the diagram''s existence had far surpassed three breaths, but did not appear to dissipate.

 193 A little invisible shadow 2

    Though it was not visible to her eye, An Fei knew exactly where the diagram was located.

    Directly level with her chest, separated by a distance of seventy-three centimeters.

    If she were to lean forward for a bit and stretch her arms forwards in the direction of her heart, her fingers would make contact with the mystical pattern remaining stable in the air.

    Unlike before, the invisible diagram continued to release fluctuations of spiritual essence even after the prescribed half-life period of three breaths of time had long since passed.

    An Fei counted in her heart that two minutes had passed, yet her heart gently resonated with the fluctuations of spiritual essence emitted from the invisible chart before her chest.

    Truly¡­ a mystery.

    "I wonder¡­"

    An Fei murmured as she lightly lifted her body from the ground, crawling forward with the index finger of her right hand serving as the pathfinder.

    Twenty centimeters, thirty centimeters¡­ all the way until the distance of seventy-three centimeters had been crossed, and the finger poked against the surface of the diagram hovering in the air.

    And the moment her fingertip made contact, the digit vanished from the air.

    "¡­oh?"

    The young girl gasped as she carefully glanced at her right hand, for a portion of it was missing.

    The joints of her palm that connected with the index finger was not present along with the digit itself, but there were no marks of harm or injury.

    She couldn''t find any blood, nor did she experience any sensation of pain.

    An Fei stared dumbly for a brief moment, her mind grinding to a halt.

    The next instant, she withdrew her hand from its original position, only to discover that the index finger of her right hand had been recovered without inhibition.

    "That''s¡­ quite odd," the young girl pouted in dissatisfaction.

    "I couldn''t even feel my finger when it was missing¡­ could it have something to do with the diagram?"

    The young girl attempted with another finger, then her right palm.

    Sure enough, regardless of whatever object she placed against the invisible diagram hovering in the air, it would vanish from the area.

    She couldn''t see or hear movements generated by the object after it had become invisible, and the body parts she extended couldn''t relay any sensation of feedback.

    Her senses were so finely blocked by the subtle implications of the phenomenon that An Fei didn''t even realize that she couldn''t feel anything from the vanished limb until she moved another.

    At the end, An Fei sank back onto the sky-blue crystal, her mind running constant blanks in her frustration.

    The young girl utilized a thicker book as an effective pillow, her eyes gazing upon the crystalline ceiling as she attempted to sort out her thoughts.

    The diagram manifested upon the phenomenon induced by combining spiritual essence of similar sources had to possess some relation to the tome''s principles.

    Regardless of how she viewed it, An Fei deeply believed that the mystery of her limbs and nearby objects becoming invisible upon contacting the stabilized chart was connected with the latter half of the .

    "Everyone, be it inanimate or animate existence, possesses a unique fluctuation that emanates from their soul."

    The young girl whispered in the silent Sanctum, her body gently bathed in the sea of golden light arising from the floor.

    An Fei closed her eyes, her mind plummeting into the depths of the sea of perception as she sifted through her memory for a second iteration.

    "The fluctuation of the soul grants influence over others, through direct interaction. This constant influence coalesces into a static field that revolves around the soul, permitting individual existences to recognize, interact, and assimilate other creatures of existence."

    The functional roots of the fluctuations belonging to a soul are transferred onto the field of influence of an individual creature, to maximize and solidify a domain of temporal influence to exert authority over other individual creatures.

    The static field, upon collision or infiltration of another similarly attuned field, possesses the potential to generate multiple phenomena.

    "First, the field of influence that possesses a greater momentum can effectively isolate and assimilate the opposing soul without resistance if their fluctuation is disrupted. Thus, consumption and eradication are permissible to creatures of existence."

    Second, the field of influence of both souls disintegrate upon impact, eradicating all hopes for both souls in interacting with the surrounding environment.

    In such a circumstance, it would be impossible for such a soul to recover its unique fluctuation, for the foundational root has been damaged.

    "And thirdly, no phenomenon," the young girl''s lips moved without a sound.

    "The two souls bypass the other, forming a situation of no encounter. Neither field of influence is harmed, and the foundational roots of the soul is perfectly intact ¨C but does not receive any additional benefit from the encounter."

    To touch an object, or consume, or destroy; these actions required the constant interference between the two fields of influence to permit such interaction.

    Otherwise, even if the object stood before the soul in all possible display, the soul would be unable to interact with it.

    The consciousness would never recognize, and the physical manifestation of the soul could never interact.

    "The is to eliminate one''s field of influence without harming the foundational roots, to permit the practitioner to wade through all mazes and waves of interference. Without detection, one can never interfere ¨C unless the other entity is a static creature."

    The , the first martial arts technique of the , permitted the practitioner to utilize the advantages of lacking a field of influence to their maximum.

    The practitioner would evade all physical assaults without fail, and escape detection even if not bothering to conceal.

    "To remove the shadow of a person would cause them to become unrecognizable from others," An Fei intoned as her mind searched through her memories of the cryptic and blurred text.

    "Souls recognize others not only through interaction of their fields of influence, but the physical manifestation, fluctuations of the soul, and the presence of a shadow. Eliminate the shadow and the field of influence, and the soul becomes unable to recognize the object as existing."

    In essence, every living object was blind to their surroundings.

    The world was closed and finite before the soul, the boundaries and parameters strictly restricted by the soul''s perspectives.

    Accepted notions would become variables, and those that were rejected were simply not recognized and barred from existing in the finite world.

    Contact with another object or person was relayed by streams of information regarding taste, tactile feedback, smell, temperature, and their movements and behaviors.

    If it were recognized as that of a human, then the object or person became a cohabitant of the world ¨C otherwise, the object or person was not recognized.

    The phenomenon was similar to that of the peculiarity of being unable to recognize an object despite standing directly before it.

    And to extrapolate one step further and merge into another''s field of influence¡­

    "¡­I only need to replicate the fluctuations from their shadow."

    An Fei''s eyes abruptly opened with a frightening glare as she stared at the warmly fluctuating golden lights of the Sanctum, the warm sensation seeping through her pores.

    The young girl took a deep breath, the pair of scarlet irises flickering with a gentle and curious light.

    "The latter portion of the , I wonder¡­"

    The young girl''s will trembled, and the sea of spiritual essence within her chest cavity rose in action.

    The process of dividing and measuring spiritual essence in microthreads commenced for a second time, and the grafted strands traversed through her body at swift speeds, breaching into the whirlpools of the Taizong and Bingfeng acupuncture points with ease.

    Within a span of less then half a breath of time, the orange and cyan beads of lights awaited An Fei''s attention from within the whirlpools.

    "B¡­ begin!"

    The young girl bit her lips as she gave the order to the altered strands of spiritual essence, her mind trembling with unease as she carefully traced the progress of the two strands as they traversed through the complex channel of meridians.

    The strands of orange and cyan weaved through her Conception Meridian, and entered her Governing Meridian.

    Only, the two strands of light did not traverse through the Governing Meridian towards the base of her palms, but instead streamlined towards her heart.

    The orange and cyan strands swiftly assimilated into the sea of spiritual essence within her heart cavity, before beginning the merging and compression process.

    The reservoir soon formed to contain the newly formed substance, but the surrounding sea of spiritual essence abruptly compressed the outer walls from all directions, forcing the interdimensional reservoir to shrink to the size of an atom in a tenth of a second.

    The two mixtures of Yin and Yang were not permitted to gradually attune their frequencies and assimilate into a unified substance before the compression process was triggered.

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    An Fei never obtained a chance to react, and the reverberations within her chest were her only indicator that something was wrong.

    "What''s going o ¨C ah!?"

    A surprised cry of shock resounded throughout the Sanctum, and the young girl entered into the threshold of mastering the .

 194 An invisible shadow 3

    What was it to shadow another person?

    Most accustomed the term to working alongside of a predecessor in a field of knowledge or occupation, with the intention of improvement through observation.

    The practice was most commonly utilized in work formats akin to internship, and primarily to obtain use and critical knowledge.

    The intern would observe the expert from all angles of their proceedings, behaviors, and logical analysis to obtain a heightened perception, or obtain an enlightened procedure in obtaining a result at a much swifter and efficient pace.

    The intern was to absorb the accumulated knowledge and wisdom of the expert via constant observation and tutelage, to develop their own shortcuts or extensions in a specified path of knowledge or occupation.

    Later, upon graduating from this scheduled internship, the former intern achieved the state of offering shadowing services to future interns to provide an opportunity to glimpse at their methodology of logic.

    The shadowing that many were accustomed to was intended to provide the intern with the foundational basics to forge another path, but the dire majority of interns merely assimilated into the expert and transformed into one of many of their ''copies.''

    A copy of the expert manifested when the intern had saturated all of the knowledge accumulated by the expert, that their soul and its proceedings altered itself to acclimate to that of the expert.

    Through the system of tutelage, the intern''s personality, logical reasoning, and demeanor morphed into an identical copy of that of the expert.

    The appearance, gender, and actual name might be different, but once the ''copy'' graduates from the task of shadowing, they have established themselves as a duplicate of the expert.

    The future works achieved by the ''copy'' was attained through the expert''s methodology, and their demeanor and personality was completely akin to that of the original persona.

    The former intern, upon perusal by the public, would appear as the expert via a simple analysis ¨C and the intern would disappear.

    However, the shadowing of the was rather different.

    Removing the field of influence from a soul would render others unable to recognize them for their existence, but the extrapolated upon that principle a step further.

    Not only was the field of influence removed, the shadow of an individual was removed.

    Thus, practitioners of the were immune to physical interactions regardless of the magnitude, and could not be detected for what they were.

    Even if one were to stand before a person and wave their hands, the person would never recognize their presence as a human.

    Every shadow possessed a fluctuation similar to the original that emanated from the soul, but derived a step lower in complexity.

    The fluctuation of the shadow permitted nearby souls to recognize and interact with the soul ¨C the shadow served as the preemptive identifier of such existence.

    And if the fluctuations of the shadow were mimicked by another without a field of influence, the original soul would never notice a difference upon interaction.

    The mimic would merely be recognized as a component of the soul''s fluctuation, and wouldn''t be detected in the slightest.

    Furthermore, any phenomena enacted by the mimic would similarly never come to the original soul''s awareness, not until the mimic has ceased imitating the fluctuation emanating from the original soul''s shadow.

    Thus, An Fei was experiencing¡­ a rather peculiar sensation.

    She possessed neither a field of influence nor a shadow, causing her experience to become tinged with a mass of excitement and happy sensations.

    ¨C

    "What¡­ happened to me?"

    In the Sanctum, a young girl bumbled around, mumbling nonsensically to herself as her body swayed and staggered without pause.

    An Fei nearly caught herself from falling onto the crystalline ground, her fingers scrabbling at the surface of a mahogany table to her right.

    She felt¡­ absolutely peculiar.

    If she closed her eyes, her movements would immediately straighten and no long possess the charismatic qualities of a wasteful drunkard, and her sense of hysteria and worry would abate as though it were never present.

    Disregarding the lack of sight, everything regarding her body was perfectly normal.

    Once she opened her eyes and allowed herself to receive the scenery of the Sanctum, however, everything changed.

    "W-woah!"

    The young girl stumbled onto the ground, her cheek pressing against the crystalline surface with her limbs sprawled over the floor.

    An Fei''s eyes drifted onto the sky-blue crystal, and the scarlet irises inadvertently saw their reflection.

    "No, no, no!"

    The diagram pulsing in her chest dutifully enacted its miraculous task, and the head-shaking and nauseous sensation surged into the young girl''s consciousness without end.

    An Fei clutched her head, a distorted wail breaking its way out of her throat.

    "Uu¡­ not again," the young girl rolled into a ball, her body gently trembling by the passing moment."

    "I don''t want this, I didn''t want this!"

    As of the moment, An Fei''s senses were being inundated with a constant and overwhelming stream of information.

    Most of the inputted information didn''t even belong to that of her body and were thus incompatible with her nerves, causing her predicament.

    By conjuring the invisible diagram within her chest cavity in the midst of her sea of spiritual essence, An Fei had effectively utilized the ¨C primarily, the latter portions of the martial arts technique.

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    The execution of the technique was flawless and smooth, and the process had clearly been meticulously planned and devised to achieve a satisfactory result.

    The only mistake An Fei had carelessly made was not to devise any specific target in mimicking their fluctuations.

    Each utilization of spiritual essence possessed an intention, imprint, and direction.

    She had meticulously schemed the imprint and direction to be within her body, and the neutral spiritual essence within her chest cavity.

    At that moment, just how was she able to forget?

    "I know my mistake, I shouldn''t ¨C urgh ¨C have forgotten the intention!" the young girl howled in regret, her countenance streaming with tears as she pleaded to the unfeeling diagram in her chest.

    If she wanted to test the effectiveness of the technique, couldn''t she designate herself as the intention of the spiritual essence utilized?

    Why did she have to leave it blank, to allow the spiritual essence to run wild and designate everything ¨C literally everything as the intention?

    Oh why, why does she have to experience being a table?

    And why in the high heavens does she have to experience the sensation of being stroked by a wet brush dipped in violet ink, dragging the bristles all over her body in large calligraphy!?

    "No more! No more!"

    The young girl willed for the sea of spiritual essence housed in her chest cavity to quell the diagram, but was unexpectedly rebuffed by the usually subservient spiritual essence.

    The golden light emanating from the Sanctum continued to transmit their warmth to the young girl''s shivering body, but somehow¡­ the experience was different.

    Damn, you''re really being sadistic again!

    The young girl rolled her eyes, her heart seething with exasperation and helplessness as her mind devised numerous plots to vent her frustration.

    Nevertheless, the next instant caused her consciousness to blank, cowardly submerging itself into the sea of perception to escape the physical torture.

    This time, An Fei learned how it felt to be a solitary inkstone in its essence to the clearest detail.

    Grind, grind, grind.

    Gulp.

    ¨C

    "Finally¡­"

    When the tumultuous torture ceased dipping An Fei''s soul into the eighteen planes of hell one portion at a time, the young girl could do nothing more than release a pent up sigh.

    The sigh was filled to the brim with her heart''s emotions repressed to their maximum, released in a single blow.

    Afterwards, An Fei deflated and allowed her sorry heart to bask in the heartwarming pulses of warmth to seep into the depths of her bones.

    At the least, she had obtained an essential clue in effectively wielding this technique.

    The young girl rolled onto her back, glaring at the flickering lights at the ceiling of the Sanctum.

    An Fei continued to breathe in silence, her mind tepidly peeking its head from its shelter.

    With a thin strand of spiritual essence severed into two carefully measured portions, the invisible diagram could operate for a total of five hours ¨C at least, the Sanctum''s torment had lasted that long.

    The young girl could only hypothesize that due to the mismatched proportions of spiritual essence, her previous attempts only lasted for several breaths of time before vanishing without a trace¡­

    "Whatever. I want to be outside for now, this Sanctum is bullying me!"

 195 A little invisible shadow 4

    When An Fei departed from the Sanctum, her attire was considerable different than before.

    After her remarkably unpleasant encounter with the Xiao Clan of Bone Spirit Town, the young girl did not wish to wear the linen coat.

    She was thankful for the protection, but its plain appearance and large coverage stood out in direct contrast to everyone else and their summer-oriented clothing.

    Thus, An Fei rummaged throughout her drawers in the boudoir for several long periods of time, until she selected a blue dress in the style of hanfu.

    The dress was of a deep blue color, with the cuffs being a pale golden color.

    The sash was of black fabric, and the skirt was a light purple color; the entire dress was made of silk that was deliberately altered to appear having been constructed of lowly fabric of cotton.

    Underneath, the young girl wore a yi of light pink, carefully hidden underneath the thick cuffs and boundary edges of the shan.

    Compared to her mysterious image presented when wearing a linen coat covering her entire body, the hanfu, when coupled with her disguised appearance, formed an apt manifestation of an innocent citizen girl of a town or city.

    At the least, the little raven and the small fox had nothing in complaints regarding her appearance.

    The little raven was secretly giggling with delight, for it could clearly detect that the hanfu did not possess the absurd enhancements of defense and protection as that of the linen coat.

    The malicious little creature was doomed to realize that not only were his deep desires not beneficial to his wellbeing, they were downright catastrophic ¨C a story for a later time.

    "Laoda, how much for a dumpling?"

    An Fei called with a brusque and excited voice, her finger pointing towards the stack of succulent baozi on the right side of the stall.

    The stall owner shook his head in confusion as he searched for the sudden speaker, before his eyes lit up in surprise and delight.

    "Young Lady, twelve coppers per bag, ah!" The middle-aged man happily roared as he patted his chest to display his confidence.

    "I was only able to cook these baozi with the assistance of Old Li''s freshly acquired vegetable oil, hence the higher price! But don''t worry ¨C this old thing will stake my head to prove that these are delicious, ah!"

    The young girl earnestly searched in her leather bag for an ordinary silk pouch, carefully extracting twelve copper coins of which she handed to the middle-aged man.

    The shop owner''s eyes glistened with happiness, as he decided not to be stingy to the pretty lass who had the innocent pair of eyes and a nice voice to listen to.

    Thus, one bag of eight baozi unknowingly increased to twelve.

    "Laoda, thanks!"

    The young girl waved her hands as she raced off into the streets, her mouth delightedly chomping onto the soft and delicate skin of the baozi.

    Just as she bit in, the flavorful and tantalizing juices of the properly cooked and seasoned pork and vegetables swept into her mouth, prompting An Fei''s consciousness to drift into heaven.

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    Oh, the taste of meat!

    "Simply for its taste and fulfilling feeling, nothing can beat meat, ah¡­" the young girl licked at her fingers; the baozi was smaller than the sizes she was used to, but the texture was far more developed and smooth.

    An Fei had returned to the Harmony Road to acquire information from eavesdropping on the nearby passerby.

    Particularly, the young girl sought after any information regarding foreign merchants or any expeditions ¨C in such a form, she could perhaps acquire a map leading out of the town.

    Caw! Yip!

    The little raven pressed against the young girl''s exposed, delicate neck with its feathery head, its crimson eyes flickering with a tinge of wariness and malice.

    The young girl paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing in surprise followed by a cold intent.

    "Xiao Clan''s soldiers are patrolling the area? Looks like the three elders weren''t so honest after all," An Fei murmured in a quiet voice, her countenance maintaining its na?ve demeanor.

    The young girl pinched a second baozi from the cloth bag given by the store owner, prodding the succulent food into the mouth of the leather bag slung over her shoulder.

    Without allowing her to even catch her breath, a swift creature yanked the baozi inside, and the soft sounds of chewing could soon be heard from the loosened opening.

    "You little¡­" the young girl''s lips twitched, before grabbing another dumpling to sate her stomach.

    The taste of meat from a single baozi that was the size of her palm¡­ immediately washed away five months of strictly vegetarian dishes.

    As she walked across the Harmony Road, the young girl nearly lost herself in the paradise of the slightly salty and savory taste that could only be obtained by the meat within the baozi.

    Nonetheless, she didn''t forget to continue her surveillance.

    "The Xiao Clan soldiers¡­ seem to be roaming without any intention?"

    An Fei prodded the little raven perched on the strap of the leather bag, her finger tickling its feathery head to rouse it from its momentary stupor.

    The little raven accepted the prepaid bounty of a gingko nut, alighting from her shoulder without a sound.

    As the little creature took flight, the young girl thought that she saw a violet flicker pass through the pair of crimson eyes¡­ was she wrong?

    "Xiao Bai, let''s just sit and eat whilst Xiao Hei does his job, alright?"

    Yip!

    An Fei shrugged the anomaly from her attention, electing to lean against the limestone wall of the side of an unusually constructed building.

    Thus, with her fingers prying into the cloth bag, a young girl and a small fox continued their delightful feast on nine tempting baozi still hot to the touch.

    ¨C

    As the little raven flew, Dongfang Yu allowed his body to relax against the crystalline surface of the endless corridor, his mind naturally sinking into a myriad of thoughts.

    The immortal youth''s brows furrowed into a bewitching frown, his countenance laced with a solemn chill.

    His consciousness replayed the events of yesterday night''s massacre at the mortal world, more particularly, Bone Spirit Town''s Peaceful Road.

    The flying sword without a handle was one thing, but what confused him the most was how An Fei could utilize divine essence.

    ¡­and that spear.

    "That¡­"

    Dongfang Yu clenched his teeth, anxiety flooding his heart at the thought of the implications of a young mortal girl being in possession of the spear.

    The three pronged blades latched at the sides of the shaft and the dull grey texture, the youth knew so well regarding the weapon.

    The three-pronged spear that lacked any inscriptions, engravings, or even a supplementary construct was a unique weapon that was outlandishly infamous within the Realm.

    Simply from hearing its name, the various immortals of the Realm would attempt to scatter and flee to the depths of the void, fearing for the safety of their immortal constructs.

    Caladbolg.

    His Master''s most powerful weapon, the sole reason for her moniker as the former Forsaken Goddess and now the Butterfly of Chaos.

    With a single flap of the pair of butterfly wings, fate within the Realm was distorted to the extent of being unrecognizable, and the divine constructs that formulated the existence and stability of immortal existences were torn asunder.

    Furthermore, such altercations to the Realm were almost permanent, with even the Divine Spiritual Vein unable to resolve the warps in the spatial-temporal rifts in the void.

    And her weapon, Caladbolg¡­

    A single strike could eradicate an immortal construct without regard for their attainment in amassing Authority.

    Be it a completely useless Rogue Immortal to an all-powerful Royal Immortal, the pronged spear could cause them a permanent death unlike any other.

    Ten thousand years ago, his Master had caused the Ghost King of the Divine Palace to become extinct, his domain completely eradicated and obliterated from the void''s register of established domains.

    This had caused the Divine Palace to fall into complete chaos and be thrown from its glorified perch of the supreme organization of the Realm, of which they could recover only five years ago.

    "But for a mortal girl to wield the weapon ¨C granted it''s not the full seven prongs, but still," the immortal youth''s heart nearly quivered and shattered in fear.

    "Master, what were you thinking, ah? It was a good thing that the spear was severely limited in its ability and didn''t carry out the final operation, but still¡­"

    I wanted to wield it once!

    That was Master''s supreme weapon, one that could decimate literally anything in the Realm!!

    As her direct disciple, I should be granted the opportunity, but why did this inconsequential, insignificant, absolutely worthless stinky mortal lass obtain the chance before me!?!?

    Mine, mine, all mine!!!

    So frustrating!!!!!

    Dongfang Yu gnashed his teeth in anger, grabbing at his hair with both hands as he groaned to release his fury.

    The immortal youth cursed at the young girl hundreds of times in his heart before he was able to calm down, and focus on his current task.

    "Since this corridor won''t open up anytime soon, might as well check on this so-called Xiao Clan¡­"

 196 Once again, Shen Family 1

    Though it was regarded as the street of commerce of Bone Spirit Town and not as respectable as the Purity Road, the Harmony Road was still an integral portion of the town.

    In this street, the domestic clans and businesses had taken root and established themselves as the supreme authority of the location.

    Other than the Eight Immortals Pavilion that An Fei no longer frequented due to the incident regarding the small fox and Fang Man, there were numerous shops advocating rare and beautifully crafted jewelry, household accessories, and even medicinal stores.

    Due to the Harmony Road not possessing any association with the path of cultivation other than the members of the clans aspiring to be practitioners of spiritual essence, the stores were only able to display commonplace goods for sale.

    Nonetheless, it was possible to hunt for accessories infused by spiritual essence ¨C in the form of accessory and jewelry shopping.

    In the Shattered Star Continent, there were two primary methods of infusing spiritual essence into accessories and other inanimate objects.

    The first was a man-made infusion in the form of a craftsmanship or forging technique that utilized the practitioner''s accumulated reserves of spiritual essence; the spiritual essence would be concentrated into a unified stream, which was then poured into every naturally crafted vein of the specified object.

    Depending on the intricacy and effectiveness of the technique in manipulating spiritual essence and the crafter''s own skill, the object possessed a chance of retaining spiritual essence and becoming an enhanced accessory.

    This method was extraordinarily reliant on the crafters and their ability to process spiritual essence, and thus, was not suitable for general consumption.

    Any enhanced object formed from a developed hammering, forging, or crafting technique was imbued by not only the imprint of the practitioner''s spiritual essence, but also the technique''s primary principles.

    Thus, such accessories were incompatible with most cultivators and as a result ¨C the majority of the man-made enhanced objects were tailor-made objects that were unique to a single practitioner.

    The second method was to amass a great quantity of materials discovered from a region of land that was blessed with a large quantity of atmospheric spiritual qi, to the extent that the objects within the vicinity naturally absorbed the spiritual qi.

    Once the materials gathered a sufficient quantity of atmospheric spiritual qi that they could release a distinct fluctuation, any blacksmith or crafter could uphold the materials to create an enhanced object.

    The second method allowed for the mass-production of spiritual accessories and weapons that were widely compatible with the general practitioner.

    As it implemented a higher catalogue of ingredients but a less developed primer and fusion, the enhanced objects could be forged by even a completely ordinary, mortal blacksmith as long as the given knowledge for the specific product.

    Enhanced accessories could, just as their name permitted, enhance the basic abilities of a practitioner.

    Some were capable of amplifying the agility, strength of a cultivator, or mitigate incoming forces by a certain extent.

    Others could even bestow amplification towards martial arts techniques reliant on a specific elemental attribute, and a select few could bestow legendary blessings including longevity.

    In this regard, man-made enhanced objects provided a more significant amplification compared to a general-made enhanced accessory crafted from materials imbued with spiritual qi.

    Of course, the costs in acquiring a man-made enhanced object was exorbitant and nearly impossible to acquire for the average practitioner, thus many were not even aware of its existence.

    The Xiao Clan''s Xiao Yue was exploring the Harmony Road for that specific reason.

    As a domestic clan in Bone Spirit Town, the Xiao Clan still possessed basic knowledge regarding the path of cultivation.

    Though they lacked their own specialized cultivation technique, the Xiao Clan was able to develop a unique set of martial arts techniques tailored towards the practitioners born in the Xiao Clan.

    The knowledge regarding the hunt for enhanced accessories was not hidden from the Xiao Clan, and they dispatched Xiao Yue with a fresh platoon of guards ¨C all for the hope of increasing her worth to Fang Man as well as the Fang Clan.

    If she appeared before her betrothal door whilst possessing a spiritual accessory combined with her swift progress in cultivation as a peak Body Tempering Realm cultivator, then perhaps she could secure her position as Fang Man''s official wife ¨C simultaneously securing the Xiao Clan''s successful future.

    Even after An Fei''s display of intimidation, this goal had not changed.

    The little raven watched from above as Xiao Yue with a platoon of twenty guards roamed throughout the Harmony Road, their senses attuned to their maximum capabilities to detect even the slightest fluctuation of spiritual qi.

    For the chances of enhanced accessories imbued with spiritual essence were too low, they were only privy to the knowledge that accessories that possessed a fluctuation of atmospheric spiritual qi was their target.

    "Young Miss, I believe that the stall towards the southern end of the street may possess one or two spiritual artefacts."

    A younger guard quickly returned from his search to inform Xiao Yue of his findings, leaning forwards to reduce the chances of eavesdropping.

    The little raven watched with amusement as the young man attempted to maintain secrecy of the information, as well as attempt to rub at the Young Miss of the Xiao Clan''s tofu.

    "Are you certain regarding the validity of the objects?"

    Xiao Yue raised an eyebrow, unaware of someone who dared to covertly steal her tofu whilst their name was not Fang Man.

    "I¡­" the young guard rubbed his head, a frown displayed on his rough countenance.

    "Young Miss¡­ the fluctuation I could perceive was not concrete¡­ it was fleeting at times, and sometimes I could not even detect it at all."

    The young lady rubbed at the base of her chin, her lips soundlessly moving as she mused on the chances of her obtaining an enhanced object.

    Just as she was about to agree to the young guard''s preposition, a senior soldier raced towards her, gasping for breath in anxiousness.

    "Young Miss," the older guard panted with his hands on his knees, passing a paper marked with a location towards the young lady instead of transmitting the information by mouth.

    "The location marked on the page¡­ I distinctly felt not just one, but three spiritual accessories! Not only that, the fluctuation emanating from one of them nearly blew me away¡­"

    "That powerful?"

    Xiao Yue murmured in surprise, her beautiful eyes bouncing with surprise.

    The young lady gazed at the older guard with a slight tinge of suspicion, her mind unable to readily accept the situation.

    The senior soldier before her was from her Father''s platoon, and was of a peak Body Tempering Realm cultivator!

    Father even once praised the guard for reaching half a step into the Foundation Establishment Realm, but to think that the fluctuations of an enhanced object was able to repel him¡­

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    She needed it!

    "Take me there, I need to obtain it at all costs!"

    The young lady demanded, her lips twitching as they fought to restrain themselves from curving upwards into a delightful smile.

    As they raced, her mind inadvertently flashed to a daydream of her walking alongside of Fang Man, their two hearts merged into one¡­

    Caw!

    Overhead, the little raven''s crimson eyes flashed with a hint of playfulness and laughter. With a flap of its wings, the little creature took alight from its perch, fully intending to offer its ''mount'' a ''delightful'' surprise.

    ¨C

    "A ragged stall at the western end of the Harmony Road has some good objects?"

    An Fei raised an eyebrow towards the unusually excited little raven perched on the end of a brick across from her body, her eyes suffused with more than a sliver of doubt.

    The young girl frowned as she attempted to sift through the clues presented in her loose interpretation of the raven''s communication.

    She felt that with each passing day, she could roughly decipher the contents of the information presented in the single ''caw'' with increasing difficulty. It was only that¡­

    "But why would a ragged stall possess any good objects?" the young girl mused quietly, directing another skeptical glance towards the little raven.

    "Only the powerful domestic clans and their stores would dare to hoard any good objects, much less sell them¡­"

    Caw!

    The little raven anxiously hopped from one claw to another, its eyes flaring with a bright radiance.

    The young girl waved her hand at the little creature, her countenance retaining its bemused appearance.

    "I get it, I got it, alright? Don''t push me so hard, this young lady is tired for the day, ah."

    Caw!

    How can you be tired for the day, all you did was eat baozi whilst this Esteemed Immortal had to scout a mortal''s actions for you!?!?

    With much more wheedling from the sinister-intentioned little raven, An Fei finally scooped the small fox into the leather bag and began her ''tiring'' journey towards the ragged stall claimed to possess interesting trinkets.

 197 Once Again, Shen Family 2

    To everybody''s surprise, An Fei reached the final destination prior to Xiao Yue''s organized platoon of soldiers and the other wandering adventurer.

    And to nobody''s surprise, the ragged stall in the western alley of the Harmony Road¡­ was indeed raggedy and desolate to the finest.

    First of all, it wasn''t even located at the western alley of the Harmony Road!

    An Fei had wandered at the western end of the street, her eyes blinking as she assessed her surroundings in silence.

    The young girl''s complexion slightly dimmed as she turned around, for nothing in the vicinity matched the description of the little raven''s target.

    All she saw were stalls selling food and bridal cloths, where was this so-called ragged stall of the western alley?

    "Xiao Hei, are you sure that this is the right location?" the young girl inquired with a curious glint in the scarlet irises.

    Caw!

    "So it''s not here¡­ but the general direction was indeed towards the western portions of the street?"

    Without needing any further prompting, the little raven leapt from the strap of the leather bag, spreading its wings and taking flight in the Harmony Road.

    An Fei observed the little raven''s figure as it soared towards the central position of the western alley of the street, electing to rest against the back of the walls of the street as she awaited the raven''s response.

    The young girl did not have to wait for long, as the little raven returned in less than a minute.

    An Fei gazed at the little creature that had returned to its perch with a prideful aura streaming from its feathers, before knocking it on the head with her knuckles.

    Caw!?

    "Cough up, what did you find?"

    The little raven''s wings reached upwards to rub at its ''injured'' head, hiding a death glare of which it stabbed numerous holes into the young girl''s body.

    Nonetheless, before An Fei threatened it by relinquishing its supply of gingko nuts, the raven clenched its claws to squeeze out a pitiful crocodile tear.

    Caw!

    "¡­a secluded alley in the western ends of the Harmony Road¡­ like that of a pathway leading to a slum?"

    Caw!

    The young girl sighed, restarting her search in this seemingly food paradise of the Harmony Road.

    Quelling the soft cries of the small fox as it sought to fill its gluttonous stomach, An Fei carefully inspected her surroundings with a skeptical glare.

    She quickly discovered that at the right wall of the street ¨C there existed a small corridor that lay obscure behind a thin curtain of cloths that hung from a tattered rope.

    "There?"

    An Fei cautiously stepped forth, her hands roaming towards the hilts of the twin butterfly swords to prepare for any incoming assault.

    She was keenly aware in the discrepancies of her usual behavior and her current actions ¨C as well as the cause.

    This time, to avoid the scrutiny of the Xiao Clan and ward of any nagging troubles, the young girl had elected to not wear the linen coat to blend into the surroundings with ease.

    With the blessing her body from any physical harm, her safety was guaranteed without an issue.

    Her clothes, on the other hand, were exposed to any malicious ambushers and ¨C oh yes, the little raven was not an exception.

    An Fei lifted the cloths and slipped her body into the narrow corridor, her nose wrinkling at the fishy and rancid odor that struck at her nerves from all direction.

    Whilst trying not to vomit from the smell as well as restraining herself from directing a glance towards whatever hellish, disgusting source of her nausea she might discover, the young girl walked throughout the passageway.

    The passageway was dark and humid, exacerbating the misery experienced by An Fei.

    As she moved further inward, the young girl was certain that she was treading into the darker corners of Bone Spirit Town.

    The alleyways on either side of the rooftop that she designated as her hiding location ¨C they were much better than this, ah!

    The good thing was that perhaps the branded the foreign objects stranded on the ground as harmful to her well-being, allowing the young girl to easily bypass any noxious ''traps.''

    "Xiao Hei, how much farther do you think we have to go in this place?"

    An Fei clapped a scented cloth to her nose, her muffled voice tinged with displeasure and unease.

    Caw!

    "Take a right after three meters, huh¡­"

    The young girl pursed her lips as she attempted to manage her surroundings.

    The source of light that barely illuminated the alleyway was no longer in sight, plunging them in almost total darkness.

    She had no intention of groping around and coming into contact with who knew what had been pasted on the wall, thus they could only rely on their hearing ability to track their position.

    Three meters followed by a right turn¡­

    An Fei took cautious steps as she treaded through the darkness, measuring the distance of three meters in her heart.

    As the little raven mentioned, the young girl took the twelfth step forward then turned to the right, discovering a pleasant change.

    First, the absence of light in the passageway was abolished, for streetlights of oiled lamps blazed on either wall every five meters.

    The second surprise was that An Fei could indeed spot a ragged stall thirty meters into the new corridor, of which the passageway expanded into a square room of five meters per side.

    The young girl''s eyes narrowed after a moment of surprise, her mind flowing into overdrive.

    Why did this¡­ appear to be some elaborate set-up?

    "Xiao Hei¡­"

    Caw!

    The little raven closed its eyes with an innocent expression, ruffling its wings to conceal the sliver of excitement rushing through its body. An Fei released a sigh, resigning to her fate of traversing the new corridor to glance at the ragged stall.

    The stall¡­ was a spectacular sight; rotten wooden beams supporting the dual-wheeled design of the stall, and one of the wheels had even corroded from an unknown but definitely terrifying substance.

    However, the storekeeper and the objects displayed on the stall were of pristine condition, creating such a disconcerting sight.

    Displayed on the stall were numerous accessories of gold, silver, jade, and a few other materials.

    Some were constructed from unknown metals with a blue, brilliant yellow, and black hue.

    Rings, chokers, earrings, necklaces, bracelets ¨C this stall possessed them all.

    As for the stall owner¡­

    "Ah!?"

    The young girl released a surprised cry, her hands drifting over to her mouth in surprise.

    The owner of the ragged stall blinked in surprise before locking onto An Fei''s countenance, erupting into a bellow of shock.

    "Good heavens, it''s you, that stinky lass!"

    Shen Haoren gasped with shock, before his heart flooded with delight. The pot-belied middle-aged man finally felt at peace, for not only was he conducting his duty, he had now completed his Second Elder Sister''s duty.

    "Why is it you?" the young girl groaned to herself, mumbling in a quiet voice as she bottled her anger towards the little raven.

    "Why can''t it be me?" Shen Haoren defended in an anxious voice.

    "This is my hobby ¨C opening a stall to sell enhanced accessories. Why the complaint, ah!?"

    "Your hobby¡­ that makes much more sense," An Fei''s lips curled as she directed another snide remark.

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    "Stationing a ragged, rotten stall that might break the next instant in some decrepit alleyway that stinks of dead fish ¨C of course, our Boss Shen must rake in the gold coins every day, ah!"

    The petty young girl vented her frustrations accumulated from their last encounter onto the pitiful middle-aged man''s head, sparing no mercy for the pitiful expression she received in return.

    An Fei stopped berating Shen Haoren after noticing that his previously exultant countenance had completely deflated, and moved onto the accessories that were on display.

    "So?" the young girl raised an eyebrow as she picked up a plainly forged bracelet of gold by her fingers covered with the edge of her sleeve.

    "What''s this about?"

    The bracelet was constructed with pure gold, resulting in a considerably heavy weight for a thin frame.

    On the surface of the accessory, various inscriptions were visible ¨C words that spanned across the entire surface of the object.

    "Accelerate movement, enhance base agility, temporary¡­?"

    Shen Haoren''s beaten consciousness recovered after hearing An Fei''s confused murmur, and he rose up to peer at the accessory grasped by the young girl from the other side of the rotten stall.

    The middle-aged man''s eyes contracted for a brief moment as he attempted to decipher the origins of the bracelet, before lighting up with a giddy smile.

    "Ah! Yes, that bracelet was my first successful creation ¨C an enhanced object that is compatible to all members of the jianghu. Stinky lass, you have a good eye, ah!"

 198 Once again, Shen Family 3

    To Shen Haoren''s expectation of having discovered a fellow comrade versed in the field of crafting spiritual artefacts ¨C he was to be sorely disappointed.

    The young girl continued to observe the golden bracelet with a noncommittal expression of comprehension, before a trace of befuddlement settled in.

    An Fei''s eyelashes fluttered, her brows settling into a deep frown.

    Enhanced¡­ object?

    What was that?

    "Hey, Old Stinky, what''s an enhanced object?" the young girl raised her question after a brief moment of hesitation.

    "You don''t know about enhanced objects?" The middle-aged man gaped in surprise.

    "Since you owned a spiritual beast, I thought that you might already possess knowledge regarding enhanced objects ¨C known as spiritual artefacts¡­ and don''t call me Old Stinky!"

    "You called me a stinky lass, so I''ll call you Old Stinky, ah!" An Fei swiftly retorted.

    The young girl placed down the gold bracelet onto its original position, before crossing her arms as she gazed upwards towards Shen Haoren''s sweating visage.

    An Fei directed a skeptical glare towards the middle-aged man for a few breaths, before returning to her placid expression.

    "¡­can you explain?"

    Shen Haoren wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, before releasing a heavy sigh.

    "Enhanced objects¡­ they are essentially forged artefacts that are imbued with spiritual essence," the middle-aged man picked up the gold bracelet that An Fei had relinquished, displaying the inscribed words to the young girl.

    "See this gold bracelet and the words ¨C accelerate movement, enhance base agility, temporary ¨C inscribed onto its surface? These words serve as a conductor that can transmit spiritual essence throughout your body at a higher efficiency than you are normally capable of, hence, producing these enhanced capabilities upon utilization."

    "Conductor¡­" An Fei rubbed at the base of her chin with her finger.

    "The reserves of spiritual essence within the body remain the same?"

    "For some, that is the correct answer," Shen Haoren''s countenance flickered with a flash of amazement, his originally discontented impression against the young girl having faded from his memory.

    "But for others, they are capable of functioning as a secondary storage of atmospheric spiritual qi ¨C which does indeed result in a lowered efficiency of the amplification. However, the practitioner would then be able to utilize the spiritual accessory without squandering an additional quantity of spiritual essence per movement."

    "Then there must be a categorization for the spiritual accessories ¨C passive and active depending on their independent capabilities¡­" the young girl nodded, her mind lost in thought.

    "Then how are they constructed? Does the magnitude of amplification and their targets differ on the construction?"

    An Fei abruptly raised her question, causing the middle-aged man to burst into a beaming smile of praise.

    Shen Haoren repeatedly nodded, his voice attuning itself to that of an elder teaching a student.

    "Depending on the methods and the materials utilized in the construction process, the final results may be different," the middle-aged man coached.

    "For example, if I constructed this bracelet but with silver, jade, or even aged birch, the results would be completely different. If I used silver, I might be able to supplement the ''extreme'' predicate to the notion of enhanced agility, but if I utilized any type of jade, the notion of agility wouldn''t be able to be utilized."

    "The enhancements are restricted by the type of material utilized?" the young girl echoed.

    "Then aren''t enhanced objects regarded as insignificant increases to a person''s strengths? If certain types of materials prevented a specific range of enhancements from being available¡­ then those who can be craftsman or blacksmith must be in the lower numbers?"

    "Craftsmen and blacksmiths who are able to forge spiritual accessories are definitely in the low¡­ but they are immensely respected by the jianghu, ah." Shen Haoren smiled.

    "Besides, everything regarding enhanced objects is fair. Even if a certain type of material prevents a specified enhancement, the rest would be of a heightened degree to compensate for the loss. Furthermore, the jianghu is in love with enhanced objects ah."

    "¡­enhanced to a heightened degree, ah¡­"

    The young girl''s lips twitched at the notion of spiritual accessories serving as the capstone of a battle.

    However, An Fei made no motion of choosing an enhanced object from the vast array even after Shen Haoren had displayed numerous puppy eyed expressions to guilt-trip her into purchasing one.

    "You won''t buy a single one from my assortment?" the middle-aged man sighed.

    "You know, my reputation is well renowned throughout the continent, ah! I even have personal stores opened in Jiang''an, Changshan, and Kusan, if you''re doubting my credibility¡­"

    "I''m not doubting your credibility as a craftsman, but¡­"

    These spiritual accessories are essentially lethal objects to me!

    Lethal objects that could harm me, and me alone!

    The young girl''s countenance became glum as she thought of the terrifying restrictions imposed on her soul whilst she was in the mortal world.

    An Fei''s lips pursed as she gazed at the row of finely crafted accessories, forced to turn away with a sigh.

    She did want to take one back to study it, but was trepid due to the fact that a single brush of her skin was sufficient to trigger a horrifying wave of hives to assault her body.

    Calming her mood with a few deep breaths, An Fei parted her lips to ask a rather troubling question.

    "That''s right, why were you looking ¨C "

    Ta! Ta! Ta!

    "Young Miss, the stall is here!"

    The cacophonic roar of an armored platoon of soldiers marching through a narrowed corridor drowned the remainder of the young girl''s question, and Xiao Yue finally arrived to her destination with her personal guard.

    The young lady displayed a curious expression at her fellow customer, before rushing towards the rotten stall with an excited expression on her countenance.

    The platoon of guards remained behind at a respectful distance of seven meters away, their countenances rigid with an unknown anxiety.

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    "Store owner, is it true that you have enhanced objects on display!?"

    Shen Haoren blinked in bemusement and irritation, his mood irked by the young lady''s sudden intervention.

    The middle-aged man restrained himself from the urge to slap Xiao Yue away from his treasured objects for she was practically drooling on them, but managed to curb his emotions.

    Besides, he was in the middle of a highly engaging conversation!

    Albeit her knowledge in this field was quite limited, her insight was still keen!

    "Young Lady¡­"

    In the end, the middle-aged man of the Shen Family couldn''t help himself and lightly coughed, attracting Xiao Yue''s attention with ease.

    As the young lady gazed upon him with expectation, Shen Haoren nearly trembled from disgust.

    Go wipe that drool from your lip!

    You''re not my precious little daughter, that looks absurd and disgusting!

    "Young Lady, these objects are capable of conducting spiritual essence of a practitioner. Other than the need to handle with care, only practitioners of the Foundation Establishment Realm and above will be able to effectively utilize their amplification to the utmost ¨C and that is for the lowest quality object, which I don''t have on display, ah."

    "You need to be a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator to be able to use these trinkets?" the young girl blinked in surprise.

    The inscribed words on the spiritual accessories were as though the amplification effect was not difficult to manifest¡­ but it required the cultivation of a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator?

    An Fei''s fingers shot upwards to finger the base of her chin in thought.

    Were the amplifications provided to one''s base ability that great?

    "Young Lady¡­ these magnitude of amplification depends on the individual prowess of the practitioner," Shen Haoren explained in a reasonable tone.

    "From the same enhanced object, a practitioner may be able to double his agility, but another cultivator could perhaps triple his agility, or receive no benefit at all. Other than that, only a cultivator of the Foundation Establishment Realm and above can supply the volume of spiritual essence required to manifest the amplification, ah."

    "I¡­ understand¡­"

    The young lady turned her attention back onto the plain and exquisite accessories displayed on the rotten stall.

    Having regained her chance, An Fei tapped onto the counter of the half-decayed stall, her countenance flashing with a solemn expression.

    "Mr. Shen, you should explain why you sought me out last time."

    The middle-aged man inadvertently glanced at the figure of the young lady carefully perusing the objects, his happy-go-lucky expression similarly wiping off to reveal a serious countenance.

    Shen Haoren frowned for a few moments, before deigning to speak.

    "Young lass, everything will be explained if you go to the Shen Family. Just say that Shen Haoren sent you there, and you''re to meet with the Second Elder of the manor ¨C the guards and the manager will immediately understand. Be assured, we aren''t intending to harm your life at the slightest!"

    As An Fei stood in place with an eyebrow raised in bemusement and helplessness, the middle-aged man had already turned his gaze over towards the young lady, doing his utmost to act as a proper salesperson to scam the living death out of Xiao Yue''s pockets.

    "Ah yes, the Blood Jade choker can provide an excellent defense capability when it is unleashed, but I would personally recommend the Golden Bhrandi Necklace if you''re seeking defense, since the Blood Jade Choker isn''t of much use until the Spirit Building Realm, and customers can only purchase a single spiritual accessory¡­"

 199 Once again, Shen Family 4

    Having left with nothing else to say, An Fei departed from the perplexing and unusual ragged stall owned by Shen Haoren.

    The young girl backtracked through the entire dark alleyway with an impatient heart, only releasing a sigh of relief when she found herself standing in the crowded western streets of the Harmony Road.

    "Xiao Hei, what do you think of this matter? Shen Residence?"

    The young girl asked her partner with a dark voice, her countenance flickering with anger and skepticism.

    An Fei stared at her thumbs then onto the darkening sky, her heart deepening with another sigh blossoming from her chest.

    Caw!

    The little raven shrieked with caution, its wings ruffling the young girl''s shoulder.

    "I think so too, ah."

    An Fei muttered, electing to depart from the Harmony Road to think things over.

    Swiftly purchasing a bag of cured jerky for the small fox to gnaw on, the young girl''s figure slipped away from Bone Spirit Town''s road of commerce without a single sound.

    ¡­she didn''t know that a pair of observant and surprised eyes monitored her general whereabouts ever since she departed from the hidden sewer stall.

    The mysterious owner of the eyes frowned upon directing another glance at the last position An Fei had been in the Harmony Road.

    Mumbling to themselves whether to take action or not, the shadowed figure nibbled on his lower lip before writing on a piece of paper and attaching it to the leg of a carrier pigeon.

    Perhaps that person would know what to do next?

    ¨C

    "Why does the Shen Family want to see me so urgently?"

    The next day, An Fei had unsurprisingly stepped onto the Purity Road, one of the streets that she had yet to investigate since she had arrived at Bone Spirit Town.

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    The young girl''s eyes flickered with a touch of amazement when she entered the street, her eyes carefully observing their surroundings.

    The Purity Road was unlike the other streets she had toured, for the road itself wasn''t constructed from cobbled stone, but a paved mineral.

    The ground was smooth and flat to the touch, devoid of any blemish or structural compromise.

    The color of the road was a light brown, and numerous wooden carriages raced along either side. The colorful neighing of energetic horses, and the chants of the carriage drivers were the only living sounds within the Purity Road.

    An Fei could not discover any streetside stall regardless of her search; it was as though small-scaled enterprises were banned on the street.

    "Long Shen Tian Xing¡­ Burnt River Weapons Storehouse¡­ Ice River Hall Branch¡­" the young girl read the nameplates of the buildings to herself in a quiet voice.

    Caw!

    The second difference between the Purity Road and the other principal streets of Bone Spirit Town was the style in which the buildings were constructed.

    Compared to the uniform, wooden structure of the other streets, the buildings of the Purity Road spanned a diverse range of creations.

    Some were made of cobbled stone, whilst others were carefully manicured from fragrant and rare wooden materials.

    An Fei noticed a rare few that were constructed almost entirely from a metallic substance, but the architectural design of these buildings were thankfully, relatively uniform.

    A triangularly planed roof of tiles, with a uniform arrangement of beams, joists, and angular structures at regular intervals.

    The only issue the young girl could immediately discern regarding the Purity Road''s buildings¡­

    ¡­were the names on the signboards above each building!

    Ice River Hall Branch¡­ was that supposed to be a secular martial arts sect of the jianghu? And what was with this Western Xing Clan Medicinal Branch?

    Branch this, Branch that ¨C was this Purity Road completely overtaken by foreign entities that spanned the entirety of Bone Spirit Town and so much more?

    "Xiao Hei, what do you think of these buildings?" the young girl released a light sigh.

    "Don''t you think that this¡­ Bone Spirit Town¡­ is lacking? Besides, where is this Shen Residence that I''m supposed to find answers at?"

    Caw!

    The little raven tilted its head in puzzlement, the crimson eyes flashing with a tender violet hue before returning to normal.

    The little creature lightly boxed the young girl on her neck with its wings as though to express its confusion.

    "I guess so¡­ since you only lived in that forest¡­"

    An Fei heaved a heavy sigh, her mind abuzz with a conflicted consciousness.

    Part of the young girl wished to blindly charge out of the Bone Spirit Town in one direction in hopes of finding another city, whilst the other sought to obtain clues from an encounter at the Shen Residence.

    Oh well!

    The young girl tightened her grip on the strap of the leather bag, before marching forward into the depths of the Purity Road.

    As she was wearing loosely fitting hanfu instead of the linen coat that covered the majority of her body, An Fei was unable to bring along the twin butterfly swords.

    The sash of the dress couldn''t sustain such weight without slipping off and unraveling onto the ground, prompting the young girl to bring only the qama with her on this trip.

    She had a premonition that the qama possessed an interesting trait that couldn''t be found within the butterfly swords ¨C one that terrified her soul just by its presence.

    "So¡­ that''s the Shen Family''s residence¡­?"

    An Fei came to an abrupt halt, her head tilting slightly to the right, creating an adorable appearance.

    The young girl, little raven, and the small fox blinked as they stared to their front, their minds gradually recovering from the momentary shock.

    They had toured into the ends of the Purity Road, and a monarch of a building stood before them at the final reaches of the street.

    The manor''s perimeter spanned a total of four hundred meters to the visible eye, with a hundred meters on each side.

    The wall was constructed from a mixture of bricks, clay tiles, and a dark, metallic horizontal beam that stretched across the entire length of the perimeter of the manor.

    An iron gate guarded the residents at the center of the frontal wall, with two powerful guards standing as the keepers.

    A large iron plaque hung from the roof of the frontal wall, decorated with an insanely large flourish at the end of the ''Shen'' character.

    "That''s really unusual, I''ve got to give it that¡­"

    An Fei''s lips twitched as she glanced at the calligraphy of the signboard of the Shen Manor.

    Fiddling with the small fox using her fingers, the young girl took a deep breath before striding towards the gate of the Shen Manor.

    "Halt!"

    Before she had closed to a distance of five meters, a barricade of spears stormed towards her body from either side.

    With a startled yelp, An Fei''s body instinctively moved backwards, increasing the gap until she felt considerably safe.

    The two guards had rushed forth, their three-meter long spears drawn to the ready as they glared at the intruder.

    At such a sigh, the young girl''s lips twitched once more in exasperation.

    "Your Shen Haoren fellow wanted me to come to this Shen Manor¡­" An Fei hesitated, before settling with a cold demeanor.

    "But yet the guards don''t have such eyes ¨C aih, there''s no point coming to this place after all."

    At the remark, the two guards unexpectedly didn''t reply with a suspicious attitude and display an act of arrogance; on the contrary, they revealed a startled expression, leaning to whisper to the other directly before the young girl''s bemused glare.

    "Someone''s actually looking for Fourth Young Master Shen?"

    "No way, Young Master''s words weren''t false?"

    The two guards communicated with the other for a few breaths of time, before the guard on the left took a step forward to gaze at An Fei''s figure.

    Placing the extended spear into a passive posture, the guard clasped his fists before the young girl, before asking in a respectful tone.

    "The Esteemed Young Lady here¡­"

    "Your Shen Haoren wanted me to see some Second Elder of your residence," the young girl dryly muttered whilst raising an eyebrow.

    Young Master''s predictions were true!

    The twin guards lowered their spears at the fastest speed they could muster, before stepping forward to display a low bow towards An Fei.

    Not only that, they directly opened the gate without asking a further question, their arms energetically motioning for her to enter.

    "Esteemed Young Lady, please forgive our rudeness!"

    ¡­huh?

    An Fei''s lips twitched for the third time in the span of an hour, and the young girl could only resign herself to the fate of being ushered into the Shen Residence without another word of complaint.

 200 Once Again, Shen Family 5

    An Fei had to admit, whoever designed the Shen Residence had a good sense of design and arrangement.

    The Shen Residence wasn''t divided into secondary courtyards for the masters of the family, instead electing to form a massive manor at the center of the main courtyard to house everyone.

    The structure of fragrant wood and rare metals stood tall before the young girl, a faint imposing might raining down from above with a cold gaze.

    On either side of the manor, numerous winding paths of cobbled stone and the mysterious paved ground could be seen, with an entourage of flowers and plants on either side.

    As she swiveled her gaze around, An Fei could spot several miniature lakes and pavilions scattered throughout the compound.

    These decorations weren''t aimlessly scattered around, but placed at the optimal locations to provide the best scenic environment whilst reclining at that specific location.

    An Fei realized that once she stood in a random pavilion, she wouldn''t be able to see the wall ¨C completely distracting oneself from the fact that the courtyard did not stand amongst a paradise of peace and tranquility, and instead was a profoundly busy street.

    "¡­hey!"

    Once having indirectly pushed the young girl into the courtyard, the two guards ran towards their position at the entrance of the manor without a single warning.

    As the young girl raised her voice in complaint, she only saw the closed iron gate as the answer.

    You!

    An Fei seethed with a momentary rage as she stared at the gates with speechlessness, wondering whether it was alright to teach the guards a lesson.

    With moral support from the little raven and the somehow endlessly ravenous small fox, the young girl returned to her aimless exploration of the Shen Manor.

    Begonias, lilies, azaleas, dahlias, roses, and even some snow amaryllis¡­

    Just like the courtyards in Jiang''an, the Shen Manor contained flowers from all climates and environments, and possessed the capability to rear them without trouble.

    As she moved deeper into the residence, the young girl discovered an orchid of peach trees and silver willow trees, prompting her to raise an eyebrow in amazement.

    "But¡­ where is anyone?"

    An Fei mused quietly as she gazed around, her senses stretched to their maximum as she searched for any nearby presence.

    The young girl crouched on the ground as she stilled her movements, but was only met with disappointment and curiosity.

    No rustling sound of cloth, no abstruse breathing¡­ nothing!

    There really wasn''t a single person outside other than her!

    "What does Shen Haoren mean by this¡­?" the young girl mused, before a nefarious smile laced her countenance.

    An Fei energized the slumbering ball of spiritual essence within her heart, her will ordering the measurement and distribution of spiritual essence to form a two threads of the proportions of three-fourths to one-fourth.

    The young girl directed the strands into her Taizong and Bingfeng acupuncture points with ease, her lips twitching into a spiteful sneer as she observed the two whirlpools of orange and cyan.

    Ta!

    The young girl patted her bosom with both hands, the fingertips of her index fingers pressing into a few acupuncture points within her chest to ease the mixed sensation of ice and fire writhing in her chest cavity.

    As she suffered the third breath of utter discomfort and disambiguation, An Fei felt a tremor within the ball of spiritual essence nestled in her heart.

    The diagram was forming!

    "Set the intention as me isolated from everything else!"

    The young girl whispered as swiftly as she could, her mind carefully observing the situation in her chest cavity from the sea of perception.

    The invisible diagram that was in its initial stages of manifestation briefly paused as though it heard her words, before erupting with a powerful fluctuation of spiritual essence.

    The numbing sensation raced through her entire body, and suddenly ¨C An Fei was left alone, severed from the world.

    The entire world around her became laced with a monochromic hue of light grey, as though she had worn a pair of modified sunglasses.

    The sounds transmitted into her ear included a dull monotone of her heartbeat, and the sensation of the ground below her feet dulled to a completely dim glare.

    It was¡­ a surreal sensation. The world as of now¡­ felt completely as though it were a dream.

    An Fei''s lips formed an ''oh'' of complete shock, her mind unable to recover from the blow.

    The young girl spent the next few moments experimenting with her movements, only for the shock in her mind to grow even further.

    Her steps were floaty, as though they weren''t permitted to directly touch the ground.

    In fact, her body felt as though there existed a thin filament of highly pressurized air that prevented the world establishing contact.

    Whatever the young girl touched, the object would pull away from her hand into the opposite direction, as if she were pushing it away with a thick glove.

    "Quite¡­ amazing, ah."

    An Fei praised with sincerity, her heart filled with respect and devout support for the .

    Without another word, the young girl blazed directly towards the large manor at the center of the Shen Residence.

    Unbeknownst to her, the small fox in the leather bag had fallen asleep the instant the invisible diagram had taken form in her heart.

    The little raven, on the other hand, somehow retained its consciousness, though its crimson eyes were completely replaced with a solemn violet.

    How was this stinky lass¡­ capable of isolating herself from a mortal world''s consciousness¡­ that something only immortal existences can do!?

    The little raven''s eyes bulged with immeasurable shock as it watched from An Fei''s shoulder, but was doomed to be ignored by everyone else.

    The young girl roamed the Shen Manor with ease, her eyes delightfully soaking in her surroundings with relish.

    The interior of the manor¡­ appeared to follow a strictly wood and limestone structure, with several types of fragrant woods and obliquely shaped limestone decorations scattered throughout the area.

    Servants quarters in the basements, with the masters living on the main and second floors¡­

    An Fei nearly succeeded in suppressing a chuckle as the many servants dressed in linen robes brushed past her body, not a single person realizing her presence.

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    Not only that, the servants instinctively moved away from the young girl''s position, as though they were unable to notice the discrepancy in the spatial coordinates of the room.

    Moreover, their conversations were not restricted from the sneak''s hearing whatsoever.

    "Where is the esteemed guest of the Young Master?"

    One of the servants anxiously chattered to her fellow worker, her pretty countenance flushed with a nervous tinge of white.

    "That''s right, where did that person go?" her partner echoed with an equally pale expression.

    "Surely, the Young Master isn''t pulling one of his pranks again¡­"

    "No way! Even the two guards at the entrance confirmed that the guest had arrived. They''re the guests of the Second Young Miss ¨C they wouldn''t tolerate the Young Master''s pranks, much less follow along!"

    What was going on?

    An Fei raised an eyebrow at the unexpectedly useful snippet of information that flowed from the servants mouths.

    With a moment of hesitation, the young girl decided to follow a rather young and terrified servant that was rushing towards the upper floors of the manor.

    The servant rushed up the flight of stairs without a single break, before knocking anxiously on the door of the first room in the right corridor.

    As An Fei followed, her attention was compromised and wrestled from its original target by an unsuspecting but highly useful discovery.

    The flight of stairs leading to the main floor of the Shen Manor revealed a lectern surrounded on all sides by an encirclement of bookshelves.

    The books were maintained and kept in peak condition, with their titles boldly stamped across the spine in large font and with gold ink¡­

    As the young girl drew near, she was able to discern the titles on the books. Some of which impressed her, whilst others were merely rewarded with a simple raise of an eyebrow.

    Map of the Bi Jing Lake, Heuristic Analysis of Marketing and Expansion, Scholarly Works of the Great Scholar Tie, Advents of Cultivation and the Compendium of the Mysteries of Heaven¡­

    There was even a book with an incomplete title, the ''Nine Reincarnations Emperor'', but the young girl paid no heed.

    An Fei gazed at the lectern with an obvious desire in her eyes, her fingers itching to lay its claims on their prey¡­

    ¡­for there was a map of the Shattered Star Continent carelessly opened on the lectern!

 201 Once again, Shen Family 6

    Upon first glance¡­ the Shattered Star Continent appeared as though it were a large egg.

    ¡­a large egg with numerous, grotesque branches protruding from beneath the shell to greedily absorb the vitality from its surroundings.

    The land as described in the map before An Fei housed an elliptical diagram that demarcated the inland territories of the continent, along with an indistinct marker for the ocean that surrounded the continent on all sides.

    Throughout the coastline, the young girl could faintly spot thin ''extensions'' of land that truly weaved and struck forth akin to a mass of writhing tentacles yanked from the depths of hell.

    If nobody knew that the collection of diagrams that stood on the lectern was not a map, they would likely correlate it to a demonic ritual.

    "Spectacular and gross¡­ is that really the shape of the continent?"

    The young girl scowled as she ruthlessly gave her assessment, forcing her gaze to restrain itself to the labels scattered on the marked territories of land.

    Great Yan, Great Yong, and Bei Tang.

    Three large titles spanned the majority of the map in bold and striking calligraphy and with scarlet ink; the three empires ruled as the sole sovereigns of the mortal world, their span of influence stretching over hundreds of thousands of kilometers.

    Besides each empire''s title, the young girl spotted a trail of smaller characters in softer strokes detailing the names of a few materials and consumables.

    Noting that iron, livestock, and silks were common amongst the three lists, An Fei simply assumed that it was a list of the most popular avenues of trade.

    But besides that!

    She came here to locate the general surroundings, not to spectate on the matters and stretches of an empire that was far too away from her reach!

    "Bone Spirit Town¡­ Bone Spirit Town¡­ they¡­ wouldn''t list a small town on a map that covers the entire continent, right."

    The young girl sighed with a listless expression on her disguised countenance as her fingers traced obscure lines on the map etched on a sturdy and large sheet of paper.

    An Fei explored the map for a little longer without any expectations, only for her expression to turn skyward the next moment.

    "What''s this?"

    Near the center of the territory charted for Great Yong, there stood a small marker whose characters struck a powerful chord in the young girl''s heart.

    Not only did it cause her mind to visibly tremble in excitement, the discovery caused her emotions to soar to rock bottom.

    Jiang''an.

    However, not simply Jiang''an, but Jiang''an (sky).

    "Sky¡­"

    Having witnessed the scene that awed the experience of departing from the capital city of Great Yong with her own eyes, the young girl was clearly cognizant of the implications of the single character that stood besides the titular name of the city.

    As her mind flitted towards the hazardous memory, An Fei''s eyes misted over with a slight sentiment.

    Sky ¨C Jiang''an stood in the air at a colossal height of six to seven thousand meters in the air at the minimum, and that was only a conservative estimate at the best.

    If she were to accurately measure the towering distance, the young girl was certain that the city might as well stand from a height easily twice or even three times that of her shoddy guesses.

    Besides the marker for Jiang''an, the creator of the map had used an even smaller stroke and lesser quality ink and raucous calligraphy to notate the surrounding counties and prefectures that lay on the ground.

    Dong Zhuo Providence.

    Li Bei Prefecture.

    Fa Bing Providence.

    The three subsidiary prefectures had formed a tripartite alliance underneath the floating city of Jiang''an, serving as the loyal snake heads that guarded over the mandates of the empire, and managed the mundane business of the domestic world.

    Other than the national policies that were to be dispatched from the capital city every now and then, the provinces and prefectures underneath Great Yong were practically independent of other nomenclatures or superior entities.

    ¡­that was to be from the perspective of a governor; the influence of the jianghu and the presence of sects entailed in the path of cultivation could never be underestimated by anyone.

    "The forest I came from has to be in one of the three marked lands¡­" An Fei whispered, her eyes brimming with a peculiar gleam.

    She hoped that the transference array that they had experienced with the Empress merely threw them downwards without any horizontal displacement.

    Otherwise, if she had landed in a different area than she had anticipated¡­ then her journey was about to become a thousand folds rougher and painful.

    "I¡­ I''ll take this then," the young girl murmured, racking her mind and forcing herself to distract her attention from the grave matters described on the massive sheet of paper.

    "Consider this as payment for me taking all of this time just to come to a Shen Manor¡­"

    The map was simply placed onto the lectern without any supportive materials binding it onto the wooden surface.

    Hence, the young girl reached forwards with her fingers, gently prying the unusual square of paper without much difficulty.

    As she extracted the map of the continent from its original placeholder, An Fei tilted her head to the right as a confused expression flitted across her countenance.

    The young girl''s vigilance soared to the peak as her fingers trailed to her bosom, though it dimmed after a few moments of tranquility and silence.

    "Maybe I was just imagining things¡­"

    The young girl murmured, rubbing against the tip of her fingers with a purse of her lips.

    An Fei took it on herself to carefully fold the map and toss it into the Sanctum''s throne hall, patting her hands as congratulations of accomplishment.

    Since her fingers didn''t ache from tactile contact with the mysterious paper''s surface, the map wasn''t imbued with the mortal world''s spiritual qi or spiritual essence, and was thus safe for her to handle and place it within the Sanctum without worries.

    As her fingers had taken the map from the lectern, An Fei had detected a faint brush against her skin as though it were a feather duster, but the sensation was so fleeting and light that the young girl didn''t mind it any longer.

    However, there was just one complaint An Fei kept in her heart as she glanced around, having successfully stolen the map without any difficulty.

    Dong Zhuo, Li Bei, Fa Bing ¨C these provinces combined was even smaller than the fingernail of her pinky.

    The map, if stretched to its maximum size, could easily wrap around her body three, perhaps four times.

    Just how was she to get anywhere!?

    ¨C

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    "Esteemed Guest ¨C so this was where you were!"

    A servant dressed in a pink dress exclaimed with relief and fatigue as she raced towards An Fei''s position, her countenance nearly brimming with tears.

    Once she stood besides the young girl, the maidservant panted for breath with a wan expression, her hands supporting her knees with dwindling strength.

    "You were looking for me?"

    An Fei raised her eyebrows as an expression of surprise raced across her countenance, and the young girl gently crossed her arms before her chest as though to exaggerate her innocence.

    "I was told to simply remain here by the two guards at the entrance¡­"

    The young girl murmured, her voice tinged with a slight disappointment and glumness as her eyes flitted back towards the patterned flowers decorating the winding pathways of the main courtyard that encircled the Shen Manor.

    The little raven on her shoulder and the small fox ¨C which had now reawakened ¨C threatened to keep their mouths shut, their consciousness nearly bursting from their suppressed disbelief.

    This human girl''s acting is far too potent¡­

    The two creatures that had migrated from the Wu Ji Forest shook their heads in concern for the denizens of the world, and the servant directly before them was to become the first victim.

    "So that''s how it was!?" the maidservant clapped her hands in frustration, her countenance alighting with an enlightened expression.

    "To think that we had assumed that the Esteemed Guest had already entered the manor¡­"

    "O-oh¡­"

    An Fei pinched herself on the arm as she carelessly replied to the bowing servant, allowing herself to be led around on her ''first'' tour of the Shen Manor.

    As she admired the objects and the vast quantity of decorations that stared down upon her from above, the young girl suppressed a chuckle in her heart.

    "This Bodhisattva Sculpture was obtained by the Young Master''s compatriot in the trading business, and the Young Master enhanced it to possess a warding effect against ghosts of Yin¡­"

    The moment she had stripped the map, An Fei had departed from the Shen Manor, and dispelled the invisible diagram nestled in her heart.

    And then, with a quick survey of her surroundings, the young girl had arrogantly stridden throughout the Shen Family''s courtyard, making her presence known in the most contemptuous and subtle method possible.

    If an outsider carelessly roamed throughout the private gardens and pathways of a manor, how would anyone fail to notice?

 202 Discussions always take the wrong turns at the right times 1

    "Esteemed Guest, here is the Second Elder''s abode," the maidservant responsible as An Fei''s chauffeur dipped into a low bow, her arm sweeping forward in a gesture of respect.

    "The Esteemed Guest, please!"

    The servant curtseyed to the young girl, quickly flitting from the scene as she abandoned a confused An Fei to stand behind with a befuddled expression.

    Realizing that she was left on her own after five minutes of pure silence save for the faint rustling of silk, the young girl released a breath in bemusement.

    "I thought she was the Second Elder¡­ shouldn''t they give her more respect?"

    The young girl mused with a soft voice, her fingers rubbing at the base of her chin.

    Taking advantage of the time to survey her surroundings, An Fei ensured that her fingers never strayed too far from the weapon hidden at her bosom.

    The corridor that sheathed the Second Elder''s abode¡­ was quite elegant and extraordinary.

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    Draping curtains of silk that could ward off sunlight without allowing a single ray to seep through; a rug embroidered with peacocks, flamingos, and other exotic birds to guard the floor from any sanctimonious behavior.

    The walls were interchanged for a more fragrant wood without any discrimination, causing the young girl''s nose to be assaulted by an assortment of fragrances.

    Acacia, sandalwood, ashwood, then an unknown sample of wood that resembled oak but gleamed with a pale indigo radiance¡­

    "¡­extraordinary indeed."

    The young girl wrinkled her nose, the potent mixture of fragrances too much for her underexperienced and innocent senses.

    Flaring her eyes as though to prevent herself from coughing or passing out from the unfamiliar and definitely unpleasant experience, An Fei reached out with both of her hands to push on the double doors, exposing the bedchamber of the mysterious Second Elder of the Shen Manor.

    An Fei''s first assessment was that it was far too dark.

    The only sources of illumination were the twin pearls that stood at either side of the curtained bed.

    Other than that, the entire room was submerged with a blank darkness, creating a rather¡­ creepy sensation to crawl up the young girl''s arms.

    She was used to dim lighting ¨C the Sanctum''s only source of illumination was the golden light that manifested when her body contacted the sky-blue crystal surface of the floor or walls.

    When she didn''t touch the crystalline surfaces, the entire realm of crystal fell into an absolute darkness that deafened the ears and numbed the body.

    However, the sensation experienced within the Sanctum when it was dark was still considerably warm and comfortable.

    On the other hand, the darkness that emanated from the Second Elder of the Shen Family''s room was suppressing and discordant, as though it were forcefully restrained akin to a rabid beast.

    Unfortunately¡­

    "¡­still better than choking on that crazed mixture¡­"

    The young girl scowled as she raced into the bedchamber, her disgusted senses compelling her body to close the doors shut.

    Having blocked off the nauseating and far too intensely perfumed corridor, An Fei took a moment to clear her nasal passages with a brief rush of spiritual essence before approaching the curtained bed with wary steps.

    "Is this the Esteemed Guest of our Shen Manor?"

    A lilting voice that warmed the bones of the listeners rang from within the curtained bed, prompting An Fei to take a few steps backwards as her countenance donned a cautious expression.

    The young girl shivered at the nightingale-like voice that pricked at her blood, her consciousness screaming with an intuitive danger.

    An intuitive danger of the mind; one that forced the soul to act upon its primal desires, abandoning all reason as a consequence of lulling itself to the tragedy of seduction.

    "This must be the Second Elder of the Shen Manor?"

    The young girl fired back towards the mysterious female speaker, having successfully steeled her consciousness.

    The Second Elder of the Shen Manor chuckled at the visible hostility behind An Fei''s tone, her laughter causing the latter''s brows to furrow with dislike.

    "I see that the Esteemed Guest is rather¡­ nervous," the woman hidden behind the curtains spoke with an obscured smile.

    "Why is this so? For me to become the voracious type¡­ that''s not quite acceptable, no?"

    The young girl''s lips twitched as she deigned not to reply.

    She had obtained some crucial information from the maidservant, alright!?

    This Second Elder was nearly eighty years old!

    So what was with that voice that belonged to someone that was in their budding twenties!?!?

    "I wasn''t of a pleasant impression from your Shen Family at the start," the young girl coldly huffed, the snow lotus petal in her hair trembling as it primed itself for a quick manifestation.

    Spiritual essence within her heart preloaded the necessary components to trigger the second lotus petal that An Fei had created, ready to erupt at the slightest command.

    "Your Young Master''s methods of persuading others to visit the Shen Manor¡­ are quite interesting."

    "Yes, isn''t Haoren quite the cute little one?" the Second Elder burst into heaving peals of laughter.

    "My little brother still hasn''t changed his ways, ah."

    Hearing the young and mellow voice mention a pot-bellied, middle-aged man as ''little brother'' made the young girl''s skin crawl with abhor and instinctive disgust.

    Fighting to keep herself from summoning the handle-less sword and striking out, An Fei pinched herself on the waist as she steadied her voice.

    "Why doesn''t the Second Elder get to the point?" the young girl scathed.

    "Please, do enlighten this one why the Shen Family needs to expend so much effort to force the attendance of an unknown person such as I."

    There was a brief pause as the Second Elder supposedly fell into a moment of thought.

    After the delay of several breaths, the voice of a young woman sprang from within the curtains of silk, prompting the suffocating darkness to tremble with a rabid excitement.

    "I heard that the Esteemed Guest is in possession of a seven-tailed fox, and our Shen Family has indeed confirmed the information to possess an eighty percent chance of veracity."

    The Second Elder murmured, her hands clenching onto the warm blankets as a thread of anticipation rushed throughout her heart.

    "Thus, we wished to invite your presence to ¨C"

    "-To steal the fox from my possession, and eliminate me as well to bury the information at the heart of the earth?"

    An Fei raised an eyebrow as she forcefully interrupted the woman''s words.

    As she spoke, the young girl''s fingers crept into the folds of the hanfu over her bosom, trailing over the cold steel handle of the deadly qama.

    "It''s a pity, for your Shen Family isn''t the first one to utter such a request. Going after the fox''s blood, aren''t you?"

    "How does the Esteemed Guest know of such information?" the Second Elder''s eyes flashed with a tinge of insanity and bloodlust, returning to their usual calm and serene gleam the next moment.

    "If this lowly one of the Shen Family may ask, just who contacted the Esteemed Guest for the fox''s blood?"

    The abrupt change in the Second Elder''s voice was instantaneous and short-lived ¨C no more than a second at the most, but the young girl was able to detect the peculiarity.

    Realizing the tinges of mania had crept into the woman''s voice, An Fei''s scarlet irises flashed with a glint of malice, the snow lotus petal in her hair trembling once more.

    "Just a poor young little youth," the young girl spoke, her voice gradually becoming grave as her vigilance soared to her limits.

    "He demanded for the fox''s blood to advance his cultivation, for his cultivation technique was in desperate need of a holy elixir."

    "A poor young little youth¡­ desperately needed for his cultivation technique¡­"

    The Second Elder''s nails dug into the silken sheets, her brows creased in deep thought.

    As the woman''s consciousness streaked through the dense accumulation of nearly eighty decades worth of compiled information, an obscure but glaring strand struck at her attention.

    Nine Yellow Reincarnations!

    The thought was insanely tempting but simultaneously dangerous; the Second Elder was keenly aware that if she wrongly cast the die at this moment, her life ¨C and that of the entire Shen lineage ¨C was to fall into ruin to never recover even after a hundred thousand years of blood and tears.

    However, the benefits were worth it, even if the chance of success was slim!

    The mania and bloodthirst within the Second Elder''s eyes deepened with each passing moment, and the die had been cast with an unyielding conviction.

    "This lowly one of the Shen Family wishes to ask the Esteemed Guest a brief question," the woman enunciated each word in a slow voice, her talents in the art of charm and seduction employed to their utmost.

    "Has the Esteemed Guest ever heard of the legend of the single emperor of the path of cultivation ¨C the Nine Yellow Reincarnations?"

 203 Discussions always take the wrong turns at the right times 2

    "Emperor of cultivation? Nine Yellow Reincarnations?"

    An Fei''s eyebrows shot towards the heavens at the woman''s abrupt question, her consciousness nearly grinding to a halt in her confusion.

    The young girl stared at the curtained bed, as though her gaze could pierce through the silken sheets to perceive the Second Elder of the Shen Family''s true form and intentions.

    "I am not sure of which legend the Second Elder may be speaking of?"

    The young girl elected upon a defensive route, ensuring that her mind only enacted on her decisions after considering all available avenues.

    "¡­This lowly one of the Shen Manor has overly assumed her capabilities," the Second Elder whispered after a rapid intake of breath.

    "My apologies ¨C to the Esteemed Guest, may this lowly one introduce a rather renowned legend of the jianghu?"

    Legend of the jianghu?

    Just like that of the scholarly elder she had encountered at the Heaven and Earth Arena, the Second Elder of the Shen Family was unable to detect her cultivation?

    "Perhaps the theory is indeed true¡­"

    An Fei murmured to herself in a barely audible voice, before glancing at the woman concealed behind the curtains of silk.

    Weighing the options in her heart for a brief moment, the young girl willed the heart to prepare the necessary prerequisites to trigger the phenomenon of the invisible diagram, before gesturing for the Second Elder to explain.

    "I am not experienced in the world of cultivation, nor am I of any involvement," the young girl''s scarlet irises locked onto the indistinct figure of the woman behind the curtains.

    "May the Second Elder impart onto this one, what this legend of the jianghu''s emperor may be?"

    "This lowly one wishes to know, does the Esteemed Guest know the ranks of the jianghu?"

    The Second Elder''s heart relaxed at the softening in the young girl''s tone, and she rushed forth to strike the anvil whilst the nail was still scorching hot.

    The woman struggled to keep herself on her proper side of the curtained barrier, deeply wishing to shake An Fei and extract the information regarding the seven-tailed fox from her body.

    "The ranks of the world of cultivation?" An Fei paused, her mind quickly catching onto the answer.

    "The Second Elder refers to the major realms of Body Tempering, Foundation Establishment, Spirit Building, Core Formation, and Nascent Soul?"

    The young girl uttered the words at a swift pace, leaving no room for rebuttal.

    As she cycled through her thoughts, An Fei''s mind hummed with a curiosity towards the intentions of the Second Elder of the Shen Family.

    "The Esteemed Guest truly knows so well!" the woman clapped her hands in surprise.

    "The realms of Body Tempering, Foundation Establishment, and Spirit Building ¨C the foundations of the jianghu and the principle of cultivation and its miracles. Core Formation and Nascent Soul, these realms belong strictly to the kings and emperors of empires and sects, their strength capable of shadowing over the sun. However¡­"

    However?

    Could this pertain to¡­ this legend of the Nine Yellow Reincarnations?

    The young girl''s eyes narrowed in thought, her mind racing with a constant slew of information. An Fei pursed her lips as her fingers played with the long strands of her hair.

    "The Second Elder refers to the legend of the Nine Yellow Reincarnations? What is the integral secret of this legend to cause the Second Elder to refer to this person as the emperor of the jianghu?"

    "Emperor of the Jianghu¡­ Esteemed Guest, do you think that the Nascent Soul Realm of cultivation is the utmost limit of the path of cultivation?" the woman behind the bedcurtains shivered with a hint of ecstasy and awe.

    "What if¡­ this lowly one was to inform you of a subtle realm that existed over the Nascent Soul Realm, one that could indeed replace the shining sun in all of its glory?"

    A brief pause soon enveloped the room of the Second Elder''s bedchamber.

    The woman quietly and patiently waited for the young girl''s response, her mind fully aware of the shock that was bound to strike onto any reasonable and seasoned veteran of the cultivation world''s consciousness.

    Alas, An Fei was indeed startled by the surprising news, but not in the circumstance the Second Elder had envisioned.

    The Shattered Star Continent could only achieve that of the Nascent Soul Realm?

    She had only stopped there since it seemed reasonable to do so, to emphasize her lack of knowledge regarding the mortal world''s jianghu¡­

    "This¡­ is the Nine Yellow Reincarnations'' legend?" the young girl''s voice could be heard, though it had become rather flat.

    "A strength that can surpass that of the Nascent Soul Realm¡­ does the Second Elder know the appropriate nomenclature of such a realm?"

    To think that the Shattered Star Continent could only actually achieve the Nascent Soul Realm¡­ so the realms of Mortal Tribulation and beyond were not disclosed¡­

    The words of the Second Elder confirmed her expectations, and the woman''s voice was tinged with a substantial amount of regret.

    "Indeed, the world is unaware of the realm beyond the Nascent Soul Realm ¨C the Nine Yellow Reincarnations did not mention it during any of his battles. Fortunately, on his last appearance, the Nine Yellow Reincarnations did state that should they find his legacy, the truth of the matter was to be revealed without a shred of doubt."

    "And this requires the blood of a seven-tailed fox?" the young girl spoke in a dry voice, a wry smile hidden within the shadows of the bedchamber.

    An Fei eased the trembling of the small fox in the leather bag with the tips of the fingers of her left hand, her vigilance not abating in the slightest.

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    The little raven remained silent as it carefully observed the woman''s figure obscured by the veil of silk, the crimson eyes flashing with a violet shade.

    When the flicker of violet raced through, the world decayed to differentiate between truth and falsehood.

    "No, not exactly the blood of a seven-tailed fox, but that of a nine-tailed fox if the tracing to the Nine Yellow Reincarnations'' legacy were to succeed," the Second Elder pouted from behind the curtains.

    "The seven-tailed fox''s blood essence can only allow a practitioner to trace back a few steps ¨C not much more. Of course, a seven-tailed fox is rare enough to the extent that only one appears every few hundred years, much less its nine-tailed ancestor."

    "A nine-tailed fox¡­" the young girl murmured with a distant gaze.

    A snow-white fox with nine fluffy tails ¨C had she not fought one in the forest?

    Back then she had attempted to catch it for the heavenly, silken fur¡­

    Ahem!

    An Fei anxiously wiped the budding trail of drool threatening to slip from the corner of her lips, berating herself for the obvious lack of self-control.

    Tapping herself on the wrist to steady her expression and voice, the young girl took a step forward, her scarlet irises gleaming with a brilliant light.

    "Thus, the Second Elder''s proposal is¡­?"

    The sudden intake of air could be faintly heard as the woman within the curtained bed shivered with delight.

    Only after the span of a few breaths had passed, did the Second Elder calm down to the extent of being able to converse with a normal tone.

    "Esteemed Guest, this lowly one of the Shen Family merely requests for a single drop of blood!" the Shen Elder squawked with an unprecedented urgency.

    "A single drop of blood will not harm a spiritual beast''s abilities, nor will it allow a practitioner to trace its ancestral roots and glean its secret techniques. A single drop of blood, no more!"

    The young girl paused at the words tinged with a cruel mixture of passion and insanity, an uncomfortable thought arising within her mind.

    An Fei stroked the snow white fox''s fur, her consciousness whirling to form an evasive reply.

    "Back then, that youth said the same exact words ¨C a single drop of blood," the young girl intoned in a grave voice.

    "Here, now ¨C you say the same words to me. I have yet to know the method you seek to attain this Nine Yellow Reincarnations'' legacy, only that you require a drop of a seven-tailed fox''s blood, of which I don''t have. Why seek this from someone who cannot even provide the initial component necessary to your plans?"

    "That''s impossible!" the Second Elder roared in a hoarse voice, her eyes blazing with a distorted gleam.

    "After all, the Patriarch''s revealed that you were in possession of a seven-tailed fox, how can it be that you claim it not so!?"

 204 Discussions always take the wrong turns at the right times 3

    "Who is¡­ your Patriarch? And what is this ?"

    The young girl''s dull reply left the Second Elder of the Shen Family completely flabbergasted, and the woman''s eyes widened in disbelief.

    The entire bedchamber became submerged within the suffocating tension that emanated from the darkness, devoid of sound save for the hastened breathing of the occupants.

    Having been absent from the education of the fundamentals necessary to integrate into the jianghu, An Fei truly lacked any insight regarding the situation''s drastic curls and turns.

    The young girl palmed her cheek as she gazed at the curtained bed, an oblique thought floating in her mind.

    What was this ?

    Was it a martial arts technique, similar to the that her lotus petals were derived from?

    "Then¡­ why call it , can''t she make things much simpler for my ears¡­"

    An Fei grumbled in a barely audible voice as she stretched her limbs, eagerly awaiting the Second Elder''s reply.

    The little raven perched on her shoulder directed a lazy glance towards the curtained bed, the pair of purple eyes piercing through all illusions to reveal the truth.

    "The compass isn''t revealing any signs of a seven-tailed fox''s blood¡­"

    The woman''s low voice rang from within the curtained bed as she murmured to herself, the voice aghast and tinged with shock.

    Behind the silken curtains, the Second Elder of the Shen Family groaned in pain as her mind threw a fit at the unexpected error.

    "The compass revealed its presence a few weeks ago at this rotten town¡­ but it''s no longer functioning as it should¡­ what just happened?" the woman hoarsely scowled to herself, before directing her voice towards the young girl.

    "Esteemed Guest, this lowly one of the Shen Family must bequeath a dire request of you."

    "A dire request?" An Fei''s eyebrow flinched in response.

    "Surely¡­ you aren''t asking for a fox''s blood from me?"

    The young girl''s grip on the strap of her leather bag tightened as she stood in silence.

    Not long after, An Fei could hear a hasty intake of breath, followed by the rustling of cloth.

    "Esteemed Guest, that is exactly the case ¨C the Shen Family must obtain the fox''s blood at all costs. However, we will not leave you without compensation, for we are not an unrighteous clan!"

    The bedchamber quivered at the agitation within the Second Elder''s voice, the darkness encompassing the room releasing a keen cry of expectation and insanity.

    At the unexpected rise in aura emanating from the elusive figure on the other side of the curtains, An Fei''s lips twitched, prompting her fingers to latch onto and wrap around the slender and cold hilt of the qama.

    "I do not fully understand what the Second Elder means by compensation, nor have I yet to understand why this request is being pushed onto my shoulders," the young girl calmly uttered as her scarlet irises flashed with a tinge of glacial intent.

    "The blood of a seven tailed fox ¨C the creature of a legend within the jianghu ¨C why attempt to entrust a task onto my shoulders, when I am not even a practitioner of the mystic path of cultivation?"

    "Because the Patriarch''s cannot lie unless the opposition is of the Nascent Soul Realm," the Second Elder pursed her lips in angst.

    "The results have divined that at some point of the Esteemed Guest''s life, the Esteemed Guest will encounter a seven-tailed fox. Hence, this lowly one''s request."

    The Second Elder''s voice returned to its respectful state, the tone smooth and flowery as though it had received the baptisms of spring.

    "The Shen Family, as of this instance, has numerous enemies; some are equally powerful, whilst others are weaker in overall strength. Of course, our Shen Family is not the only clan that is in possession of a divining technique such as the ¨C hence this lowly one''s offer of penance to the Esteemed Guest."

    "Oh, so that''s why¡­" the young girl bobbed her head in a disinterested mood, her right cheek puffed with a tinge of exasperation.

    "Trying to get the most delicious slice of a pie before the others, that''s not a¡­ hold on. What did you say?"

    An Fei''s eyes rapidly blinked in confusion, a tinge of befuddlement racing through her irises as her head abruptly snapped towards the Second Elder''s direction.

    The woman on the other side of the curtains trembled at the sudden, forceful display, her mind nearly shorting from the surprise.

    "The Esteemed Guest¡­ is asking for?"

    The Second Elder blinked with concern, her mouth drooping into a bewitching pout.

    "Can you repeat¡­ what you just said?"

    "That the Shen Family has numerous enemies from the beginning of our clan''s history?"

    "Not that, ah," the young girl barely restrained herself from stomping her foot in impatience.

    "The content after that, if the Second Elder may?"

    "That the Shen Family is not the exclusive possessor of divining techniques?" the woman tilted her head in complete confusion, unable to comprehend An Fei''s sudden agitation that was not unlike her own bout of insanity.

    "The is a unique martial arts technique that belongs to our Shen Family''s Patriarch, but the others certainly do not lack any divining techniques that are on par as the ¡­"

    Puff!

    The young girl visibly deflated as her eyes nearly rolled towards the impartial and cruel heavens.

    For the umpteenth time, An Fei wished that she had not left the forest, despite the dangers it had presented to her wellbeing and general safety.

    After all, if the Shen Family wasn''t the only one that could ''divine'' her connection to the small fox, thus causing immense troubles for her in the future¡­

    Small fox, can I throw you back to your forest protector, the massive jiaolong that has extraordinarily terrible breath?

    Please?!

    As the young girl gradually regained her diminishing willpower and courage to remain outside of the secluded Wu Ji Forest, the small fox trembled in its niche within the leather bag.

    As it glanced outside through the drawstring, the small creature swore in its heart that the little raven''s sneer that it saw was not a dream.

    "Since the Second Elder has introduced such information¡­" An Fei took a deep breath, her consciousness berating itself for its stupendous mistake of accepting the seven-tailed fox.

    "I wish to know what enemies the Shen Family faces, and how much protection the Shen Family is capable of offering to my undefended self."

    The Second Elder''s countenance broke into an uneasy smile that was filled with both happiness and worry at the young girl''s concession.

    The woman clenched her fists into the silken blankets, her heart urging itself to regain its calm.

    "The Bone Spirit Town and others¡­ are mere subsidiaries of the Du Zhou Province," the Second Elder gasped with an eager breath.

    "Of the Du Zhou Province, the families that are opposed to our Shen Family and are of equal strength include the Fang Family, the Guo Family, the Gu Shi Clan, and the Heavenly Jade Manor. Other than that¡­ the number of weaker clans that are allied with these families¡­ exceed a few hundred."

    The Second Elder''s countenance flushed scarlet in embarrassment, her sharp wit clearly capable of visualizing the young girl''s utterly dismayed and bemused expression even though her vision remained obscured by the dense curtain.

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    At the brief moments of silence, the woman cringed in a sensational agony, her heart desperately seeking at least some reply to assuage the bitter heat spreading throughout her nerves.

    ¡­An Fei''s expression was spectacular indeed, and even one step further than the Second Elder''s predictions.

    Four clans that were of equal strength and capability as this Shen Family, and a few hundred subsidiary entities, of which every single last one of them were after her for the small fox based on their shoddy divination technique?

    ¡­are you f*cking kidding me!?

    The little raven guffawed in respectful and solemn silence as it witnessed the young girl nearly vomit from the stress squeezing against her shoulders.

    Watching its indirect tormentor reveal wretched expression after expression as she suffered in complete silence and agony, the immortal spirit within the pair of violet eyes felt a surge of release course throughout his soul.

    "And¡­ the names of the families that are of similar interest to the Shen Family?" the young girl forced the words out of her throat.

    "Ahem! Esteemed Guest¡­" the Second Elder found herself unable to retain her confident and awe-inspiring demeanor, and the personality of an embarrassed woman rose forth to take its last stand.

    "It would not be wise to ask such a mundane question¡­"

    The voice that trailed from within the curtained bed was indeed soft ¨C unbearably soft to the extent that it was inaudible.

    Part of it was muffled by the Second Elder''s own palms, whilst a significant portion was rebutted by the cloth curtains dividing the two occupants of the bedchamber.

    Alas¡­

    An Fei felt her knees nearly give out in shock and absolute dismay, having been disillusioned and splashed awaken to the grim reality.

 205 Departure, to a paradise of hellish arrogance 1

    At the end of the day, the Shen Family was not anyone''s causal pushover of a clan regarding their influence.

    Their influence stretched over the three primary territories of land directly underneath Jiang''an, and was even considered a member of the Hundred Clan Coalition of Great Yong.

    To the Shen Family, a small rural region was insignificant, much less a pinprick on a map that was the Bone Spirit Town.

    As for the Hundred Clan Coalition of the empire, it was simply the mass alliance of the empire''s greatest family clans that were below the rule of the capital city.

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    The hundred clans operated in a feudal structure with regards to their interaction with the remainder of the empire''s vast territories, serving as the domestic rulers of each province.

    The dragon soared throughout the heavens, followed by the tiger of the mountain.

    The empire''s capital city oversaw the general policies to be enacted by the entire empire, and the Hundred Clan Coalition adopted the regulations to be fitting of their specified region to the best of their capabilities.

    Depending on the climate, political tension, or demographics of a province, the laws enacted in there could differ from that of Jiang''an to a certain extent.

    In the eyes of the commonfolk living in Great Yong, the Emperor was the divine figure of the gods, but the Hundred Clan Coalition were the local ministers and kings.

    The Emperor may chase malignant rains away and divert calamities, but it was the Hundred Clan Coalition that ensured that the majority of the citizens were well fed.

    The Hundred Clan Coalition consisted of both cultivator clans and secular clans, at a relatively even proportion.

    The clans affiliated with the jianghu were tasked with the continuation of the empire''s safety from external opposition, as well as the gathering of exquisite treasures, medicines, and cultivation techniques to maintain the grandeur and prestige of Great Yong.

    Many of the members within such clans were endowed practitioners on the lonesome and desolate path of cultivation, and the lack of strength was equivalent to a miserable life in those environments.

    The secular clans consisted of the empire''s businessmen, scholars, and military generals.

    These clans retained the responsibility of maintaining the immediate functions of Great Yong as an empire that spanned across tens of thousands of kilometers in influence, ready to serve the Emperor in conquering uncharted lands, suppressing a rebellion, or preventing the empire''s culture from suffering the sorrowful fate of extinction.

    The clans affiliated with the jianghu were widely respected for their strength by the public of Great Yong, and served as the leaders of the towns and cities in their provinces.

    On the other hand, the secular clans abstained from seizing local influence, instead attempting to obtain an ironclad influence over the commonfolk by integrating into their daily lives and blending into the atmosphere without a single blemish.

    The Shen Family was a clan that emphasized partaking in the pursuit of cultivation, and was considered one of the minor powerhouses amongst the Hundred Clan Coalition.

    With their brief history of two hundred and fifty years, the Shen Family had expanded their influence to include the three primary provinces of the empire ¨C an astounding feat for a clan ignited by a sole man''s momentary flare.

    Alas, great strength failed to reap any extravagant benefits, but succeeded in inundating the surroundings with a fearsome tide of foes and rivals.

    The Shen Family, the Guo Family, the Gu Shi Clan, the Heavenly Jade Manor, and the Fang Family were the bitter contenders in seizing the primary authority over the Du Zhou Province, each equally matched in strength by the other.

    The five clans had risen from the same province, and thus were seeking to establish total domination over the subjects within the region ¨C all the whilst preventing the others from obtaining a breath of relief.

    The conflict over the legacy of the Nine Yellow Reincarnations was not a minor one that could be contested over solely by the powerhouses of the Du Zhou Province.

    Even the ancient clans that stood at the pinnacle of the Hundred Clan Coalition glared upon the issue of the jianghu''s hope of breaching through the barrier that stood at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm, much less the two empires whose mouths watered whenever they gazed at Great Yong''s lush and thriving lands, or the Three Great Sects that dictated the regimes of the jianghu itself.

    The divination of a young mortal girl in possession of a small seven-tailed fox that could impart a substantial clue towards obtaining the legacy of the Nine Yellow Reincarnations was not restricted to the Shen Family, nor was it a relatively private manor.

    Some of the secular clans amongst the Hundred Clan Coalition were privy to the information, and were already contacting their connections to obtain a viable lead.

    Having a branch outpost standing directly next to the target of the divination, the Shen Family could not hesitate to become the first to contact the young girl.

    If they could gain possession over the fox within An Fei''s grasp, the clan could shake off the chains of a minor powerhouse and soar directly towards the pinnacle.

    Thus¡­

    "It''s you?"

    "Stinky little girl, we meet again!"

    A young girl and a pot-bellied, middle-aged man was to reunite before the iron gates that guarded the Shen Family''s Residence.

    ¨C

    "Stinky little girl, fate truly shines upon us both, to encounter the other so often in such a short period of time!"

    Shen Haoren''s cheeks jostled in laughter as he beamed at the young girl seated across from him, venting her anger onto the plate of meat before her.

    The middle-aged man couldn''t help but snicker at the turn of events that had lead to this consequence, his heart full of praises for his Second Elder Sister''s wit.

    "What fate shines upon us both, it probably shines on your overstuffed belly!" An Fei''s lips rose into a grim snarl, her scarlet irises flaring with suppressed anger.

    "¡­and don''t call me stinky little girl, you pot-bellied old man!"

    Caw!

    The little raven screeched with appreciation towards the towering wrath emanating from the young girl''s body, its wings spreading to its sides to expand its presence and aura onto the newcomer.

    At the angered display of owner and pet, Shen Haoren grudgingly restrained his bloated and prideful smile, though he couldn''t help but take a final jab.

    "Well then, little girl, you should admit that my Shen Family is quite the powerful one, ah?"

    "What powerful?" the young girl snorted with derision as she speared the most delicious piece of spiced pork before the middle-aged man could notice its presence.

    "Your Shen Family can''t even stand its ground against its opponents within the same province, how can you call yourself powerful?"

    For a brief moment, Shen Haoren found himself unable to retort at the needle that stabbed directly into the weakness of the Shen Family.

    His mouth flapped open in hesitation, before his potbelly convinced him to fiercely respond to An Fei''s question.

    "Well, you''re not much better off, are you?" the middle-aged man waved his chopsticks in sore pride.

    "You''re wanted by the entire Hundred Clan Coalition, the three Great Empires, and the Three Great Sects ¨C I don''t think that you could say such a thing to me, ah!? Besides, didn''t I pay for this meal?"

    "Shut up, old potbellied man! I don''t need to hear that from you, when you can''t even complete an errand without relying on your Second Elder Sister!"

    "Y-Y-you¡­" Shen Haoren glared with speechless rage.

    "I¡­I¡­I-I, I at least have a wife, a handsome son, and a charming little daughter! How about that, do you have a delicate wife, a son that is in the later stages of the Body Tempering Realm at the tender age of fifteen, and a charming little daughter who is about to start cultivating at thirteen years old!?"

    The young girl blinked in bemusement as she tilted her head in confusion, her chopsticks stealing another delicacy from Shen Haoren''s blindspots.

    Fondling a gingko nut before tossing it towards the little raven''s direction as she directed a glance towards the fuming middle-aged man.

    "I''m not even fifteen years old, so why would I even be married to another person? Are you that perverted to want even a child to be married?"

    "You stinky little lass, this Father is loyal to his wife and his principles, don''t slander me like that!"

    Within the Eight Immortals Pavilion, a middle-aged man of the Shen Family of the Hundred Clan Coalition and a young girl of the Wei Family of Jiang''an bickered over lunch, with a little raven and a small fox serving as the dedicated spectators.

    Granted, nobody was aware of the small fox''s presence except for An Fei¡­ and a little raven.

 206 Departure, to a paradise of hellish arrogance 2

    "So? Why do I have to travel with you, of all people?"

    An Fei grumbled as she walked throughout the Purity Road, a large leather bag slung over her shoulders.

    The young girl pursed her lips in dislike as she gazed at the street of extravagance and lavish influence, her heart itching to tear apart the arrogant signboards that displayed no respect for the viewer''s eyes.

    "Why do you have to say it like you''re the only one suffering a grievance?" Shen Haoren rolled his eyes.

    "I have to depart from my wife''s side for a prolonged period of time that I can''t even be certain about, with only my son as company. You think I can remain without grievances?"

    "Old potbellied man, keep pretending, ah."

    The young girl gave him an eyeroll, her countenance suffused with disdain.

    "Your Second Elder Sister was the one who tole me that you volunteered on this trip to proliferate your popularity ¨C and who said that your family wasn''t coming along?"

    An Fei sighed, before tossing the overfilled bag into Shen Haoren''s arms.

    The middle-aged man stumbled backwards at the unexpected projectile colliding against his chest, and glared towards An Fei once he had regained his balance.

    Shen Haoren shook the leather bag that was almost the same dimensions as his stomach, his brows furrowed in confusion.

    "What do you mean by this?"

    "What else do you think I mean by this?" the young girl waved towards the Young Master of the Shen Family, before racing off into an accessory store next door.

    "Your Second Elder Sister said that you''ll have to comply with my requests, so carry that bag for a while, old potbellied man!"

    An Fei snickered as she entered the exquisite store, her countenance beaming with the relief of having removed herself of a burdensome weight.

    To make it so that she would appear to be a traveling person, the young girl had purchased a large leather bag at the Harmony Road, before stuffing it to the brim with a wide variety of tools, clothes, and ointments.

    The majority of which she already possessed in the Sanctum; the bag she had tossed to Shen Haoren was merely the disguise to present to the Shen Family.

    "Xiao Hei, what else do you think I would need?" the young girl didn''t bother to glance around the gleaming store''s interior, instead leaning against the corner of a wall and conversing slightly to the freeloader perched on her shoulder.

    Caw!

    The little raven waved its wings around in an energetic manner, the pair of crimson eyes flashing with an abstruse glint as it gazed at An Fei''s exposed nape from the side.

    The young girl released a heavy sigh, her fingers reaching into the mouth of a smaller bag of leather slung over her shoulder.

    "What to do with you¡­"

    With a single statement from the Shen Family''s Second Elder, An Fei had been successfully roped into the conflict that spanned the entirety of the Hundred Clan Coalition that oversaw the lower echelons of Great Yong.

    Not only that, her presence was the central reason for the conflict to even plague the lands, one that foreshadowed a massive spillage of vitality and blood.

    ¡­all because of the seven-tailed fox in her possession, and the jianghu''s annoying martial arts techniques capable of divination.

    Before the Second Elder, An Fei had maintained the position of not being aware of the presence of a seven-tailed fox to the final resolution.

    Thus, the young girl had managed to obtain a compromise with the Shen Family without much difficulty, though An Fei failed to discover much benefit for her anyways.

    The Shen Family was to escort her out of the Du Zhou Province into a neighboring territory, and was tasked with the additional responsibility of ensuring her safety from the interference from the other clans that were privy to the unsettling information.

    On the other hand, once An Fei encountered a seven-tailed fox, she was to present a drop of its blood to the Shen Family.

    After which, the two had agreed to a simple pledge of peace and avoidance of a conflict between interests.

    Only¡­

    "Xiao Bai, I need you to do me a favor, ah?"

    The young girl tickled the small fox''s soft fur within the leather bag, her eyes instinctively closing at the indescribably pleasant sensation of the small creature trembling from her touch.

    An Fei toyed with the small fox for a while, her eyes expectantly awaiting its response.

    ¡­Yip!

    The small fox grudgingly acknowledged the young girl''s presence after a few weeks of darkness in the soundproof, waterproof, and nearly airtight leather bag that had tormented its senses without end.

    The small creature leapt forth to gnaw on An Fei''s extended fingers to vent its grievances, smacking the back of her palm with its seven tails.

    "Aih, I said I was sorry, ah?"

    An Fei hissed at the sore sensation that tingled at her fingertips and the back of her palm; the young girl was certain that the small fox left no small amount of bruises on her skin.

    The young girl pouted as her fingers continued to appease the small creature, her soft whispers and croons drilling into the small fox''s consciousness to calm its anger.

    "I really didn''t have a choice back then, nor do I have one now ¨C calm down!" the young girl murmured, her eyes carefully scanning the vicinity for any eavesdroppers.

    "However, if you can¡­ change the number of tails on your appearance to maybe one or two¡­ then I would be able to bring you out of the bag, alright?"

    Yip!

    The small fox yelped in excitement and resentment, and soon after, An Fei spotted a snow white creature no bigger than her palm snuggle its way out of the drawstring of the leather bag.

    To her astonishment, the small fox had reduced its size to seven-tenths of its appearance, but the texture of its fur remained the same.

    The most notable change was that the seven fluffy tails of white had transformed into three; the tips of the tails were of a dull scarlet, presenting a mischievous demeanor that was rather striking and different compared to its usual timid and languid aura.

    "Xiao Bai?" the young girl asked with a soft voice.

    Yip!

    The small fox leapt onto An Fei''s unoccupied shoulder, its tails curling around her neck as an additional means of support.

    The young girl fought to keep a blissful expression from shattering her cold countenance as the heavenly sensation rushed throughout her neck upon contact with the soft fur, though her body trembled for a brief moment.

    "Xiao Hei¡­ this should be sufficient for those fogeys?"

    Caw!

    Towards An Fei''s question, the little raven peered at the small fox from the corner of its eye, the crimson sea flashing with a violet hue in surprise. The little creature hemmed and hawed for a breath, before spreading its wings to their maximum height in acknowledgement.

    "Then that''s good," An Fei released a relieved sigh, her fingers reaching up to play with the snoozing fox''s fur.

    The accessories that had captured the attention of countless young maidens failed to receive even a conciliatory gaze or even one filled with contempt as the young girl left the accessory store.

    Due to An Fei having minimized her presence as she entered, nobody noticed her departure save for the attentive shopkeeper that frowned at the door oddly closing shut, though none of his customers had departed.

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    "Young lass¡­ that''s¡­ that''s your fox?"

    Shen Haoren gaped in shock at the anomaly curled on An Fei''s shoulder, his fatigue from hoisting a large leather bag for a few minutes eradicated in his disbelief.

    The potbellied, middle-aged man dropped the bag onto the smoothly paved road and rubbed at his eyes, his mouth failing to close.

    "Old potbellied man, why did you drop my bag?"

    The slightly cold and exasperated voice aroused Shen Haoren to his senses, and his lips twitched into a rueful smile.

    The next moment, the middle-aged man that had shocked the jianghu as one of the elusive and prideful refiners of spiritual accessories properly enacted his duties as a laborer, hauling the large leather bag on his back without a single complaint.

    Instead, he took upon the opportunity to wheedle out as much information from An Fei as he could, his chubby countenance displaying a perpetual smile.

    "Young lass, so that was the fox that Fang brat tried to swindle from you!"

    Shen Haoren exclaimed, his experienced eyes unable to pierce through the deception presented by the small fox.

    "A three-tailed Spirit Fire Fox; even if it isn''t as rare or powerful as a seven-tailed Celestial Spirit Fox, the spirit beast still has a high chance of attaining the late stages of the Core Formation Realm or even break into the Nascent Soul Realm ¨C if it''s supremely lucky, of course. Where did you even find such a creature in this region?"

    An Fei blinked at the naming of the small fox''s current appearance, though her countenance quickly retained its cold demeanor.

    The young girl''s fingers quivered as she glanced at the vestiges of the Peaceful Road, her mind quickly extricating itself from an unanticipated trip down memory lane.

    "Where I found it¡­ I think it was in the forest on the other side of the plains?"

 207 Departure, to a paradise of hellish arrogance 3

    The Bone Spirit Town finally bade its two plagues of misfortune and drama good farewell, its spirits soothed after watching the carriages depart into the distant plains.

    The citizens of the town were fairly unaware of the calamities that were Shen Haoren and An Fei, but the domestic and regional clans stationed in the dismal location could not help but wipe the sweat from their brow, a faint but definitely perceptible chill racing down their spine.

    A single thought of their actions was sufficient to terrify the older generations of the clans, and the Purity Road even fell into an unusual state of harmony following the two''s departure.

    One was a well known refiner of spiritual accessories and enhanced artifacts, his reputation racing across the jianghu.

    A genius at a young age with a consistent record of empowering artifacts that had produced a vast array of local legends, save for a single problem that caused many to balk at his name.

    Shen Haoren was widely known as one of the few refiners capable of creating spiritual accessories that could employ general utility into specialized enhanced artifacts, and few dared to offend the middle-aged man with the bulging stomach.

    On the other hand, the Fourth Young Master of the Shen Family was more than keen to offend as many people he could observe with his beady eyes, then relying on his reputation and influence to squash any resistance or vengeance.

    The other person was a young girl whose name, appearance, and age were not known, but the Bone Spirit Town''s clans and even those of the regional divisions trembled at the faintest mention.

    They cared not about her overwhelming qualities or potential as a person of the jianghu, but An Fei''s massacre at the Peaceful Road was sufficient to cow these clans suffused with arrogance.

    What other mortal girl could completely slaughter the well-trained and talented militia of the Xiao Clan, as well as force three of the seven elders of the clan to surrender without actually making a move?

    And the key point of the issue was not that she triumphed over three cultivators of the early stages of the Foundation Establishment Realm, but that the young girl herself did not possess any cultivation whatsoever!

    ¡­the young girl was either in possession of an extraordinary external martial arts technique, or her background was far too immense for the Bone Spirit Town¡­

    Thus, the domestic and regional clans of the dismal plains discreetly labeled the two as either ''large'' calamity, or ''small'' calamity.

    Obviously, it went without question as to whom received the moniker of ''large'' and ''small'' ¨C

    "-hey, old man," the young girl scowled, her countenance displaying a firm expression of displeasure.

    "Are you sure that we are the only ones departing?"

    An Fei pointed from inside the wooden carriage, her dainty finger aimed directly towards the heart of a certain youth.

    The little raven, small fox, and young girl dispatched their respective gazes of discontent, displeasure, and disdain towards the obtruding element of the gathering.

    "Ahem¡­"

    Shen Haoren rubbed his head with a rueful smile, his chubby countenance suffused with bitter guilt and resentment.

    The middle-aged man then turned to bury his head into the arms of his astonishingly beautiful wife to An Fei''s shock and disbelief, and a sobbing voice soon echoed throughout the main gates that bade the way out of the Bone Spirit Town.

    "Second Elder Sister never told me about this, and I''m still being slandered ¨C my heart¡­ my heart!"

    "Alright, alright, you''re such a big man, and you still cry in my arms?" the young woman consoled with a gentle smile, her fingers running through Shen Haoren''s hair.

    "Look! You''ve scared that young lady to death with your act, are you satisfied now?"

    The middle-aged man released a final sob whilst locking his face against his wife''s bosom, and ''regained'' his demeanor after a few breaths of time.

    Shen Haoren glanced at the utterly bemused and disdainful expression on An Fei countenance, releasing a huff of air as he glared at Tang Shiqi with malicious eyes.

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    "Well, Young Master of Tang!" the middle-aged man exclaimed with a brutal smile.

    "Our Shen Family only prepared a total of two carriages, you see. One is for me and my beloved family, and the other is for the young lady over there ¨C she''s a rather important guest of our family, after all."

    "¡­ah?"

    Tang Shiqi aroused himself from his daydream as he snapped his head towards the sinister aura emanating from Shen Haoren''s body, his expression turning queasy in an instant.

    The youth of the Tang Clan''s mouth dropped open, and barely recovered after an entire minute of delay.

    "¡­what about me?"

    Shen Haoren had finished persuading his gentle wife into the larger wooden carriage of ashwood, his large figure squeezing into the driver seat of the massive box.

    With a crack of the whip, the horses tethered to the Shen Family''s official carriage rushed into the distance, a powerful voice tinged with malice snapping against Tang Shiqi''s countenance with a fatal strike.

    "Sorry, this Young Master''s carriage is full. Young Master Tang, please try your luck somewhere else, ah!"

    "¡­ah!?"

    The youth''s lips twitched with helplessness as he stared at the trail of dust that shadowed the carriage bearing the insignia of the Shen Family.

    His lips pursed, the youth of the Tang Clan directed his gaze towards An Fei, an obvious expression of plea visible on his countenance.

    Towards such an affront to her essential dignity, An Fei merely displayed a cold smile.

    "Young Master Tang, why don''t you rephrase that plea in your mind and see if you can still utter it?"

    Caw!

    The little raven perched on the young girl''s shoulder released a piercing cry as though to commemorate An Fei''s cold attitude towards the youth.

    An invisible fluctuation erupted from the tip of the little creature''s wings, the bloodthirst within them sufficient to shock the horses into moving forwards with a pitiful neigh.

    "¡­ah!?!?"

    It was unknown when he became cognizant of it, but Tang Shiqi found himself staring at two faded dust trails obscuring the distant horizons leading from Bone Spirit Town.

    The youth''s countenance warped into a grotesque expression, rushing into the town to buy a carriage before it was too late.

    ¨C

    "Old potbellied man, where exactly are we heading?"

    An Fei asked as her head peeped from the window of her carriage, her voice forcing the middle-aged man to terminate his uncomfortable nap and jut his head to glare at her.

    The young girl''s expression remained placid and unmoved by the play on empathy, prompting Shen Haoren to sigh and give up.

    "We''re moving to Dong Lin city," the middle-aged man explained, his expression gradually becoming unusual.

    "It''s the closest city that our Shen Family has the greatest influence¡­ but I don''t think you''ll like it rather that much."

    "¡­why is that?"

    The young girl tilted her head towards the right as her countenance flooded with befuddlement.

    An Fei furrowed her brows, attempting to pierce through the fa?ade of the middle-aged man who was attempting his best not to burst into a puddle of tears.

    "I¡­ I¡­" Shen Haoren gaped for breath.

    "Ahem¡­ my husband¡­ he made quite a lot of adversaries and mortal foes in that city, and a few of them are from the upper echelons of the Hundred Clan Coalition ¨C the clans that oversee not only just the three provinces below Jiang''an, but a significant portion of Great Yong¡­"

    "The old man found himself a lot of foes, and a few are capable of squashing the entire Shen Family in one breath¡­" the young girl repeated, her expression blank and vacant.

    "¡­capable of smashing us into smithereens by their name alone ¨C why are we even going to that city, ah!?"

    An Fei exclaimed in surprise, her gaze gradually becoming accusatory as she bored holes into Shen Haoren''s pitiful countenance.

    The little raven flicked its wings in bemusement, the violet hue in its eyes dissipating to return the deep scarlet glare.

    "Hey, it wasn''t my fault; that youngster back then attempted to scam me of a Spirit Building Realm spiritual artifact I refined for a few copper coins!"

    Shen Haoren retorted, his countenance morphing into one of devout righteousness as his voice adopted an imposing tone.

    The middle-aged man jostled his body around in the limited space the driver''s cabin had allotted him, only to discover a piercing pair of scarlet irises that flickered with contempt.

    "And so?" An Fei sneered.

    "Got hotheaded and caused a ruckus, prompting that clan to search after your bones?"

    The middle-aged man blinked for a second, his eyes lapsing into a momentary daze. From her angle that observed him from behind, An Fei thought she saw a glimmer of a tear, but wasn''t certain on her discovery.

    However, it didn''t take long for Shen Haoren to recover, and a conciliatory smirk even manifested on his countenance.

    "Actually, it won''t be me suffering much grievance, lah," Shen Haoren returned An Fei sneer, the form, essence, and aura the exact same as the one he had received just earlier.

    "The etiquette one follows in the Hundred Clan Coalition is that most disputes are resolved by the younger generation. Although I''m a Young Master of the Shen Family, you keep on calling me old, and I already have passed my fiftieth year, and you''re travelling with me ¨C so every grudge generated from my hard efforts is now on your shoulders, young lass!"

    The middle-aged Fourth Young Master of the Shen Family even raised his thumb as he finished his statement, leaving the Fourth Young Miss of the Wei Family completely speechless and bitterly astounded.

 208 The danger of a protagonist-esque partner 1

    Tang Shiqi caught up to them on the second day since their departure from Bone Spirit Town.

    The youth of the Tang Clan aptly displayed his inability to withstand long-distance travel, for his expression was downright miserable and downcast.

    He had even made the horrifying choice to purchase a lesser quality carriage with an open-air driver enclosure, as well as¡­ wearing an exquisite set of robes with a large imprint of ''Tang''.

    In the span of a single day, those robes that once displayed the honor and sanctimonious glory of the Tang Clan that ruled over a portion of Bone Spirit Town had been soiled and defiled with the dust of the plains until even the inner threads were suffused with soil from the plains.

    Furthermore, the youth''s appearance miraculously transformed from that of a somewhat decent young master to that of a beggar with an unusual penchant for clothing.

    "Esteemed Young Lady¡­ about that promise regarding the drop of spirit beast''s blood¡­" Tang Shiqi''s chapped lips burst out with agonizing difficulty.

    He still had the nerve to bring up that encounter combined with that sorry appearance!?

    An Fei slammed the window of her carriage shut with a loud bang, startling Shen Haoren who was in the middle of engaging a highly introspective discussion regarding the efficiency of spiritual artifacts with the young girl to the extent that he nearly lost control over the reins.

    The middle-aged man looked back to discover the monstrous appearance of the Tang Clan''s Third Young Master, his expression morphing into one of understanding and helplessness.

    "Y¡­ Young Lady, we can continue the discussion later!"

    Shen Haoren called out with a boisterous voice, nodding his head when he heard an affirmative caw screeching from the inside of An Fei''s exquisite and comforting carriage.

    The middle-aged man''s gaze flickered as he glanced towards the road before them, before reaching out with his hands to slow the pace of the horses by a slight amount.

    With his remarkably surprising and profound cultivation that was unbecoming of him as a middle-aged man whose primary asset, upon the first inspection, was his excessive potbelly, Shen Haoren had glimpsed at a horrifying nightmare that loomed before them a few kilometers away.

    Though nobody could discern whether she could cultivate or not, An Fei could see the same calamity leer at them from afront, even with the suppression imposed on her abilities by the cruel mortal world.

    The young girl shivered with fear, ordering for the little raven to slow the horses'' run into a stable trot, as she began to plug the window and door of the cabin and any visible openings shut.

    Three kilometers before them lay the den of a severe dust storm ¨C the winds crackled as they scoured the earth, ripping up any loose dirt to assimilate into an enormous tidal current of microparticles of sediment.

    The skies had darkened by the sheer collection of mass to the extent that the sun''s rays of light were blocked from piercing through.

    The gusts of wind slammed the dust particles against the ground, grass, and any relatively tall existence with a daunting and malicious frenzy, and the boom of thunder shook the skies overhead.

    And in the vast plains that lay directly underneath Jiang''an, there existed no tree to cower behind, nor was there any location to flee towards.

    The dust storm was moving towards their position with a fervent ardor, and An Fei swore that she felt a playful and sinister gaze peer at the depths of her soul.

    The young girl patted the free strips of cloth and leather that sealed the interior of the carriage, her expression glum.

    "Xiao Hei, do you think I should leave?"

    Caw!

    The little raven croaked in an uncertain voice, its eyes blinking rapidly in confusion. The little creature gazed at the young girl with a hint of warning in its crimson eyes.

    "Yes, I know¡­" the young girl sighed, a tinge of regret on her countenance.

    "However¡­ if I use the excuse that men shouldn''t intrude in a female''s carriage¡­ that should probably work?"

    Caw!

    The little raven twitched with disagreement, though it deigned not to reply towards the young girl''s whimsical notion of fleeing into the Sanctum whenever she encountered the thinnest shred of danger.

    The small fox poked its head from within the leather bag, its dismal three tails tipped with crimson waving around in curiosity.

    "Xiao Bai, you shouldn''t be wandering around like¡­ that?" An Fei cautioned as her fingers seized the small animal to stroke its fur.

    "There''s a dust storm coming our way through, so don''t try to pry out one of the cloths¡­"

    The young girl leaned against a wall of the carriage and closed her eyes, a faint melancholy expression on her countenance.

    Before she could enter into a dreamlike state and avoid witnessing the might of a dust storm housed within an expansive plains, the wooden carriage abruptly jostled as a faint, panicked neigh intruded into the tranquil environment.

    Caw!

    The little raven spread its wings to their maximum length, a visible violet aura exploding from its body to encapsulate the interior of the wooden carriage.

    An Fei''s fingers moved to clench tightly on her arms, only to relax the next instant.

    Neigh!

    The horses pulling her carriage seemed to have calmed following the little raven''s cry, though she was not exactly aware of the reason. However, An Fei could tell by the panicked cries emanating from the carriages on either side of her, that the circumstances had hit an all-time low.

    Shen Haoren was patting the horses with his hands infused with spiritual essence to sooth their panicked nerves, whilst the beautiful young woman besides him rummaged through a large crate to reveal a small, handheld mirror of plated copper.

    Taking the object from his wife, the middle-aged Young Master of the Shen Family raised the mirror to display its reflective surface towards the approaching swirls of dust and harsh wind.

    "Deploy!"

    Shen Haoren roared with a hoarse voice, an azure radiance seeping from his bones to envelop the copper mirror in its essence.

    The mirror in his hands trembled as it helplessly received the torrential flow of spiritual essence, and an invisible beam shot into the dense plumes of dust.

    Caw!

    The little raven cried out for a second time, the violet aura raking across the chaotic plains without a shred of mercy. The grass was ripped from their roots by the violet shockwave, only to be decimated by the swirling currents of mixed air currents.

    As for the Third Young Master of the Tang Clan who possessed nothing save for his protagonist-esque aura¡­

    "HELP!"

    The miserable cry of a youth as he was enveloped in a hell of dust, wind, and shredded grass and sediment echoed across the expansive plains that confined the Bone Spirit Town, prompting his fellow travelers to shiver with dread.

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    An Fei, along with Shen Haoren and his family, all elected to ignore the plight of the youth, their minds set on the task of plowing through the dust storm.

    ¡­all except for a young girl who had already murmured the incantation necessary to enter the Sanctum, her lips pausing at the final syllable. The instant she felt that the carriage was on the verge of jeopardy, she was going t ¨C

    Plak!

    The soft squelch of a roughened object striking against the loosened and tortured earth of the plains echoed in everyone''s ears, causing any mental preparation to be terminated in their early phases.

    As An Fei shook the disorientation out of her consciousness by shaking her head numerous times, Shen Haoren in the other carriage extended a thin sliver of spiritual essence with his perception attached to its tip, an immense worry seeded in his heart.

    Just what had caused such a¡­ a¡­

    "Oh¡­" the middle-aged man gulped in fear, his eyes bulging in their sockets as his pitiful heart cried for mercy.

    "Dear heavens, that¡­ that¡­"

    Massive legs of compacted earth, with boulders easily twice the size of his carriage serving as the joints.

    A torso whose size was half of that of the Shen Manor, with two large shadows protruding from either side towards the left and right, with a¡­ an enormous block of mass at the center.

    "What did we just run into¡­"

    The copper mirror fell from Shen Haoren''s hands to clatter onto the wooden floor of the carriage as his mouth fell open, his mind frozen into a standstill.

    The little raven revealed a light yawn, its crimson eyes flickering with a tinge of violet as the little creature pondered whether to fall asleep at this juncture or not.

    "Xiao Hei?"

    An Fei called out, her fingers still indulging themselves on the small bed of silken fur. The young girl closed her eyes and strained her ears, only to discover an absence of wooden wheels plowing through the smooth soil of the plains.

    Why¡­ did they stop?

 209 The danger of a protagonist partner 2

    The massive earthen giant stood before the three carriages of differing quality at a distance of a kilometer.

    Even with the expansive stretch of land that appeared to present some modicum of security, Shen Haoren who was leading the group felt his back flooded with cold sweat.

    Limbs of a hundred and twenty meters respectively, whilst the torso was as large and sturdy as the iron palisade that guarded the Wang City ¨C the most fortified location the middle-aged man could think of on the spot.

    The boulders that served as the joints of the giant were larger than the volume their three carriages would generate once stacked upon the other.

    Given how the monster''s height was roughly a little over a half of a kilometer, the safety presented behind the length of a kilometer''s in distance seemed to be nothing more than a fa?ade.

    The middle-aged man found to his dismay, that he wasn''t even able to fool himself of his welfare.

    Though the dust storms prevented his gaze from properly inspecting the ''attractive'' features of the giant, Shen Haoren swore in his heart that the creature of earth was displaying a mocking smile on its countenance.

    "Damn¡­" the middle-aged man cursed numerous times, his hands quivering as they loosely held onto the reins.

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    "Husband¡­"

    The young woman called out from within the carriage, her voice tinged with a deeply startled fear and apprehension.

    The young woman consoled the faintly trembles with one hand, whilst digging through another inconspicuous bag with the other.

    "Lord Shen, what shall we do!?"

    The voice of a disheartened but still relatively energetic youth echoed throughout the empty plains, forcing the middle-aged man to jolt in his seat.

    A completely distasteful and wry smile manifested on Shen Haoren''s countenance, and the middle-aged man turned to the right to face the ruddy countenance of a dusty and worn-down youth.

    Tang Shiqi had disembarked from his carriage to run towards Shen Haoren, of which he felt a degree of stability and assuredness.

    The youth of the Tang Clan panted with his hands on his knees, his brow dotted with cold beads of unforgivable terror.

    "Young Tang, what do you think we can do?"

    Shen Haoren grimaced, his hands patting around his pockets to soothe his agitated consciousness.

    "An Earth Giant that''s at least half a kilometer in height; such a fierce creature as that possess the might of a peak Core Formation Realm cultivator ¨C and more! Now, lad, I know you have some secrets regarding your uncanny cultivation, but the Body Tempering Realm won''t stand a chance against a single huff of air from that monster!"

    The middle-aged man emphatically waved his arms to emphasize his point, and the two''s countenance dimmed a step further after opening themselves to the grim reality that stood a kilometer away.

    Tang Shiqi took another glance at the menacing tower that constituted an Earth Giant ¨C one of the recorded mysteries of the earth and subsequently, one of the recorded terrors.

    The spiritual world of the Shattered Star Continent was divided into three general realms that spanned the entirety of the jianghu in a single breath.

    Spirit Beasts, practitioners, and fierce creatures.

    Spirit beasts were animalistic creature that gained a fundamental evolution in their intelligence in addition to their strength following the baptism of atmospheric spiritual essence.

    Though they were not particularly powerful nor cunning as the other two categorizations, spirit beasts constituted the majority of intellectual animals found within the continent.

    The small fox was a spirit beast, as well as the little raven ¨C however much it protested, it still constituted a spirit beast in essence.

    Practitioners were as obvious from their title; they were the cultivators of the continent, but did not necessarily have to be human.

    Mixed races were the most common of practitioners, though some spirit beasts, upon a significant attainment in their cultivation, transitioned into a higher being of intelligence as they devoted themselves into developing extensive utilization of spiritual essence rather than their fleshly body.

    Nonetheless, the phenomenon of spirit beasts forgoing their balanced nature in bodily physique and the manipulation of the elements, deeming the notion of doing so as subpar and ill-befitting of their pure bloodline.

    Lastly were the fierce creatures, their existence of which was one of the mysteries of the jianghu.

    Fierce creatures could barely be confused as spirit beasts upon first examination; other than sharing a common form, the differences were far too strict and unforgiving for the assumption to be casually made.

    For instance, the primary difference between spirit beasts and fierce creatures was their composition.

    Spirit beasts, just like human practitioners, consisted of a mixture of flesh and blood, and were privy to the same animalistic proponents that amalgamated into the phenomenon known as life.

    They possessed a heart, a brain, and the other vital organs necessary to maintain the phenomenon.

    Once injured, they bled; incur a sufficiently lethal injury, and the soul had no choice but to flee ¨C and be absorbed into the world without any hope of resistance.

    On the other hand, fierce creatures were composed of the natural elements of the earth.

    The stone giant before them was simply a mixture of fibrous material, soil, and stones.

    They possessed neither flesh nor blood; the same organs and vital meridians that supplied life and animation to the soul that prompted the bodies of spirit beasts and practitioners to move, simply did not exist on the fierce creatures that roamed the earth.

    And yet, these fierce creatures that should be denied the privilege of life, were able to roam freely and interact with the world.

    It was only that their actions appeared more autonomous and rigid than the others, but the terror of a fierce creature was not to be underestimated at any cost.

    "If I remember correctly, an Earth Giant has been discovered to possess three weaknesses," Tang Shiqi quickly relayed to the middle-aged man as his eyes remained fixated onto the lumbering figure of the Earth Giant.

    "First, they cannot handle impacts to their joints as much as they can to their limbs ¨C once we can pop out a stone boulder that serves as the joint, the giant isn''t able to recover from the damage. Second, Earth Giants are weak to corrosive natures and an intense fire ¨C the soil would burn away the necessary components that allows it to remain a stable structure. Third, they ¨C "

    "Look, I know you know a lot from your mysterious secrets, young lad, but this simply isn''t helpful in any way, alright?"

    Shen Haoren interrupted with a disgruntled expression.

    "This Uncle is barely at the peak of the Spirit Building Realm, and I have yet to discover the passageway that enlightens me into the ream of Core Formation. You''re of the peak pillar of the Body Tempering Realm, and the young lass over there isn''t even a cultivator at the slightest ¨C so how do you want us to blow away the joint of an Earth Giant of the peak Core Formation Realm?"

    The middle-aged man sighed as he released the reins, before scouting the inside of his carriage to assist his wife search in the prepared bags.

    Left alone, the youth of the Tang Clan leaned against the wall of the Shen carriage in deep thought and dismal emotions, before his ''endowed'' mind discovered a rather interesting detail.

    "The young girl didn''t possess any cultivation?" Tang Shiqi muttered, his brows furrowing into a contemplative frown.

    "But spirit beasts can''t be tamed unless the owner is a practitioner¡­ so how is a raven and fox following that person?"

    ¡­unless An Fei was a cultivator who hid her attainment of enlightenment for a particular reason?

    Creak!

    The raspy sound of the wooden door of a carriage opening dragged across the tumbling thoughts of Tang Shiqi, and the youth raised his head to discover the yawning figure of a young girl stepping out of her carriage.

    A little raven was perched on her left shoulder, whilst a small three-tailed fox lay curled in her arms.

    An Fei''s eyes briefly narrowed as they glanced over the Third Young Master of the Tang Clan''s figure, before landing onto the Shen carriage with the empty driver''s cabin.

    "Where did the old man go?"

    "¡­uh?"

    The youth leaning against the carriage stumbled at the soft and charming voice that soothed the rampant emotions in his heart, his consciousness nearly descending into turmoil from the chaotic stimulation.

    Rubbing his hand against the tortured beats of his heart, Tang Shiqi raised his had to gesture towards the interior of the exquisite carriage.

    "Lord Shen¡­ should be in the carriage."

    "Oh¡­" the young girl nodded her head in sympathy.

    "A massive giant is standing outside the door, and he still hasn''t finished his morning duties¡­ I se ¨C "

    BOOM!

    The towering giant raised a massive foot as An Fei spoke, smashing apart her final words with a tempestuous shockwave and an earsplitting roar.

 210 The dangers of a protagonist partner 3

    The young girl, youth, and the middle-aged man as well as his family were all sent flying into the air.

    As the screech of the wind pounded at her eardrums, the world whirled and revolved before An Fei.

    A horrendous vomit of color distorted her vision as the heavens and the earth interchanged locations numerous times in the span of a single second, before her feet touched the ruffled grass of the expansive plains.

    "ARGH!"

    A horrid, bloodcurdling cry slashed apart the turbid atmosphere of the plains with the sharpness of a heated knife, filled with both pain and dread.

    Soon after, numerous impacts of flesh against earth numbed the abused soil with a massage that was a degree too intense, creating cavities that bore deep into the ground.

    The young girl, once her zero-gravity experience within the air had concluded, landed stably onto the ground without sinking into the already moistened and softened earth.

    Instead, An Fei had to retreat backwards for several meters, her body automatically completing full moon sweeps with the guidance of a godly hand.

    Still, it was much better than smashing into the ground and creating a human-shaped hole; she had already experienced that once, and it definitely wasn''t pleasant.

    Caw!

    The little raven screeched with anger after its world had stabilized, the black wings spread to their fullest length as a violet aura was prepared to be unleashed onto the world.

    However, the little creature''s offensive tactic quelled the next instant, the violet eyes flashing with a glum distaste.

    Shen Haoren and his family were all cultivators to a certain degree ¨C thus, the shockwave generated from the Earth Giant''s stomp didn''t disintegrate their bodies, only slamming them against the ground with the force of a cannonball assisted by a full charge of gunpowder.

    Tang Shiqi was of a similar state; three meters to An Fei''s right, a small cavity burrowed into the earth, with the figure of a pained human faintly visible underneath the disturbed soil.

    The carriage and the horses¡­ had transformed into a pile of corpses and dust.

    "Damned giant¡­"

    Shen Haoren cursed as he climbed out of the crater transformed from the impulse of his own body.

    The middle-aged man''s heart sank as he discovered that save for their lives, the leather bags inside his carriage had been transformed into a powdery substance ¨C the precious materials and artifacts held inside was no exception to the fate.

    At the same time, his mood had sunk to the depths of the bottomless abyss known as despair.

    Fierce creatures did not possess a considerable intellect compared to spirit beasts and practitioners, hence they would not actively seek out prey or take aggressive actions as the initiative.

    However, when it did¡­

    ¡­ahem, those who managed to crawl out of such a circumstance were rare and renowned amongst the legends, especially if they weren''t an excessively staffed army of a prominent nation.

    "Lord Shen¡­"

    Tang Shiqi similarly dug himself out of his temporary grave, his hands clawing away at the sods of earth that threatened to cling to his clothes.

    The youth only displayed a solemn expression on his countenance, the innocence of youth eradicated to reveal a mature aura.

    "Lord Shen, the Earth Giant took the initiative to attack¡­ do we have any countermeasures we can adopt? If it becomes necessary, I can¡­ ah?"

    The youth''s voice trailed off into an uncomfortable silence, for his gaze had locked onto a certain figure.

    To his shock and astonishment, Tang Shiqi discovered the young girl crouching besides the wreckage of her carriage, her head lowered as incomprehensible mutters escaped from her lips to dissipate into the turbid atmosphere of the plains.

    Compared to the middle-aged man and the youth whose countenance was akin to those who saw death peering from either doorway, An Fei merely had a bored expression decorating her face.

    "They said a peak Core Formation Realm strength at best¡­" the young girl played with the drowsy small fox in her arms, her eyes lowered towards the pile of brown and scarlet powder.

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    "I guess the old man and that youth can take care of things? But¡­ there''s no carriage nor are there any horses¡­"

    Caw!

    The little raven''s body twitched as it pondered whether to glare at the young girl or not.

    In the end, the little raven could not resist the temptation, and a fully malevolent gaze thoroughly inspected An Fei''s figure for damage.

    En, a figure that was immensely damaged, since he couldn''t see anything worthy of appreci-

    Pa!

    "Enough, you want to be perverted now?"

    An Fei mocked as she slapped the little creature on its feathery head, ignoring the momentary tears that nearly trickled down its beak.

    The young girl raised her head to glance at the dust storm that shrouded the massive figure from view, her lips wrinkling into a sigh.

    The towering figure that roughly constituted that of a man stood at least half a kilometer in height.

    Furthermore, from Tang Shiqi and Shen Haoren''s not so secretive war discussion, the giant before them could easily stomp them into their next lives without a problem.

    "This is where you know when the world is completely messed up¡­ hah?"

    The young girl''s fingers twitched as they rubbed against the snow lotus petal hidden in her hair, a subtle and playful thought swimming in her mind.

    As An Fei continued to dreamily gaze at the shadowed figure that eliminated the shadow of the sun, the thought increased in magnitude until it reached the boundaries of dangerous and extraorbitantly lacking in intellect.

    The second lotus petal had successfully terrified the jiaolong that guarded the Wu Ji Forest until it offered a peace treaty, perhaps the Earth Giant that stood a kilometer away would do the same¡­

    Mhm, extraorbitantly lacking in intellect.

    The little raven sneered as it guessed the thoughts of the young girl with dreadful accuracy.

    The sentient immortal behind the violet eyes mocked An Fei in his heart, before musing on the tempting notion of egging her into action.

    Mhm, the little raven was similarly lacking in intellect, sometimes even more so than the young girl.

    "I guess I don''t have a choice¡­"

    Behind, Shen Haoren darkly muttered as he glared at the shadowed figure of the Earth Giant in the distance.

    Due to the dense veil of dust that shrouded its figure, the middle-aged man could not discern what treacherous actions the fierce creature was about to undertake.

    However, from the fact that it took the initiative to strike from afar represented that it had no intention of letting them go.

    "Besides, a distance of a kilometer¡­"

    Boom!

    A bolt of lightning flashed from the skies to strike the ground besides Shen Haoren, and the menacing appearance of a double-headed war hammer screamed its might into the world.

    The hammer was a frightening length of two meters, and was forged from a single block of gold.

    The two heads that protruded from either side of the shaft were shaped in a hexagonal format and hauled a massive three hundred jin each, the surface crisscrossed with numerous lines of black etched on the weapon.

    Down the shaft, the black lines converged onto a mysterious spiral at the base of the pommel, upon which the faint outline of a symbol could be found.

    An ordinary man would never possess the ability to wield such a war hammer as imposing as the one grasped in Shen Haoren''s right hand.

    Furthermore, the middle-aged man sighed as he withdrew a silver coin from his pocket, flicking it into the air with an angered puff of air.

    "Lord¡­ Shen, what are you planning ¨C"

    "I can hit from three kilometers, much less one!"

    Teng!

    The coin spun as it fell from to embrace the ground, the symbol of Yong flashing through the air as it graced the gazes of everyone present.

    Releasing a massive roar, Shen Haoren dug his heels into the ground as he executed a full moon sweep, the war hammer clenched in his hand soaring out to smash against the flimsy coin with a blurry and fearsome velocity.

    Boom!

    The small coin that was the size of An Fei''s thumb transformed into a streak of grey light as it roared through the empty plains, ripping apart the air and atmospheric spiritual qi alike as it rushed towards the Earth Giant''s left kneecap.

    Before the astonished gaze of both Tang Shiqi and An Fei, the massive giant stumbled as it lurched forwards, as though it had lost its balance.

 211 The danger of a protagonist-esque partner 4

    In the end, the Earth Giant that stood a kilometer away from the group failed to collapse onto the ground.

    After lurching around for a few breaths, the creature of dirt and stone regained its balance with ease, its malevolent glare disguised by the dense shroud of dust.

    "Lord Shen¡­ this¡­"

    Tang Shiqi''s voice cracked with emotion as he gazed towards Shen Haoren with immense respect, his countenance displaying its youthful innocence and awe.

    The youth''s heart had been sufficiently impressed by the display of strength, especially for one who was disadvantaged by a full realm of cultivation against his adversary.

    Other than a pale countenance and slightly labored breathing, the middle-aged man appeared to be relatively normal after unleashing an attack of such scale.

    Shen Haoren tightened his grip on the war hammer once again, his expression grim as his eyes remained fixated onto the distant figure of the giant.

    Though his countenance was solemn and courageous, the middle-aged man wished for nothing more than to flee back home and hide behind the impressive figure of his Second Elder Sister.

    "The strike formed a decently sized hole, but it wasn''t able to pry the boulder away¡­"

    The middle-aged man''s sigh that was suffused with labored emotions was accompanied by the faint exhale of breath from a young girl.

    An Fei flicked the softened soil with her fingers, her lips twitching in bemusement as the pair of scarlet irises inadvertently flickered over onto the mighty impression of the double-headed war hammer.

    ¡­a linear railgun without any supports?

    Ping!

    As the young girl mused in her heart with a hint of interest and nonchalance, the middle-aged man withdrew another silver coin embossed with the stamp of Great Yong, flicking it into the air with a disheartened expression.

    Shen Haoren dug his heels into the tortured earth as he dragged the war hammer into another rotation, his knees bending and relaxing through instinct to level the center of momentum to form a smooth ascending spiral.

    The hammer swung around his body at a rapid speed, and his vision blurred, leaving nothing but a dust-enshrouded environment with the towering figure of earth and stone¡­

    Teng!

    When the hammer head collided against the surface of the silver coin, An Fei''s pupils abruptly dilated, her vision locked onto the scene of Shen Haoren''s attack.

    The young girl extended forth a sliver of spiritual essence to probe the event at an increased clarity, abusing the disruptive mechanics of the spiritual essence derived from the Sanctum colliding with that of the mortal world.

    The golden hammer smashed the soft silver coin into a small, compressed ball that was a hundredth of its original volume.

    The integrity of the coin was compromised by the sheer kinetic force behind the blow, but the magical event that caused the prior phenomenon was about to occur next.

    A thin tremor of electricity raced across the golden surface, amassing at the tip of the hammer head until the electricity formed a plate of dazzling blue.

    The electric plate pulsed thrice as the spiritual essence roiling inside Tang Shiqi''s body commanded the hammer to expel the coiled lightning resting on its surface; tendrils of electricity leapt forth with the vigor and hunger of a pack of starved dire wolves, slamming into the ball of compressed silver with a tremendous might.

    The lightning coalesced into the ball at a uniform and swift pace; the silver ball increased in heat until it was glowing scarlet and barely able to maintain its solid structure- An Fei could faintly see the shadow of an orange circular diagram stretched over the surface of the sphere¡­

    Boom!

    The silver coin transformed into a kinetic mass that remained underneath the speed barrier, the grey streak of light burying itself just slightly left of its predecessor''s original target.

    Following the diminished puff of shattered stone colliding against the earth, an enraged howl echoed throughout the empty plains as the Earth Giant successfully fell onto its left knee.

    The tower of earth and stone trembled with anger and humiliation as it glared at the small gathering of humans that stood a kilometer before it.

    The striking aura of human-oriented spiritual essence caught its attention, and the fierce creature''s howls tore the clouds apart in their rampage.

    "What is it doing¡­?"

    An Fei frowned as she narrowed her eyes into the direction of the Earth Giant, the spiritual essence infused into her vision to pierce through the dense fog of dust and loosened sediment.

    The young girl''s gaze abruptly became severe, and her throat exploded with a harsh cry.

    "Dodge!"

    Unfortunately, her companions could only gaze at her with a confused expression, their countenances devoid with realization.

    Before the well-experienced Shen Haoren could furrow his brow to contemplate regarding the young girl''s unexpected action, the pair of earthen palms had finished their duty.

    ROAR!

    The earth was wrenched from its original location, gathered into a large pile, before compressed into a perfect sphere with the diameter of three meters.

    Behind the shroud of dust, sediment, and powdered dreams, the ball that decimated life rushed forward in a movement not unlike Shen Haoren''s technique that resembled a quasi-railgun.

    The ball of compacted earth hurtled through the air with an immense velocity, to the extent that the air molecules itself warped around the surface of the sphere. The people on the ground were only aware of the shriek of a projectile headed towards their direction, but could not discern the exact properties and purpose.

    Shua!

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    A snow lotus petal transformed into a streak of grey light as it pierced through the cannonball of earth, continuing to rush towards the Earth Giant''s torso.

    The handle-less sword''s blade gleamed with a dense aura of scarlet light, fortunately masked by the terror of the earthen cannonball.

    Nonetheless, though the addition of a hole prevented the stability of the projectile as well as the phenomenon of optical distortion, its overall trajectory as well as its striking impulse was not affected by a considerable degree.

    The sphere of earth slammed into the ground a few meters behind Shen Haoren''s children, the sheer shockwave causing everyone to fall onto the ground with a pained grunt.

    As he fell, Tang Shiqi''s eyes couldn''t help but widen in surprise, his heart overloaded with shock.

    The youth''s mind trembled at the shock as he tracked the young girl''s bizarre movements, the image in his heart traced with another layer of mystery.

    Unlike him, unlike the children and the young woman, unlike even Lord Shen himself who possessed the highest attainment in the path of cultivation at the peak of the Spirit Building Realm, the young girl to his right was the only person who did not fall.

    She did not fall, nor was her balance touched in any form.

    The young girl didn''t even stumble, her body lapsing into a series of movements that agilely traversed the safe locations of the mutilated and desecrated earth from the impact.

    Arms extended, the flowing sleeves of the hanfu teasing at the outline of an elegant dance, An Fei skirted around the storm of distorted momentum as though she was walking on solid ground.

    Her limbs gently pried at the layers of the shockwave of kinetic force that raked across her body, prompting her body to execute a series of counterclockwise full moon sweeps.

    Her body agilely twisted and pivoted to avoid the ravage of distorted momentum, transforming her movements into an elegant sword dance that relied on wide sweeping motions.

    The delicate hands that lacked an elegantly forged jian trailed the fingers at a loose angle, the right palm facing the sky, the left gazing towards the ground.

    Bending her left knee to angle her center of gravity towards the ground at a diagonal angle, An Fei''s body smoothly transitioned into a full moon sweep towards the counterclockwise direction.

    The left foot took the first step, the body twisting towards the left with the left heel as the fulcrum.

    Her body angled towards the ground at a slight angle, the young girl swapped the positions of her hands at the half-turn, with her right palm facing the ground and the left facing the sky.

    The instant her right foot touched the ground to signal the completion of the reverse full moon sweep, An Fei immediately enacted a proper full moon turn, the trailing sleeves of her dress transforming into rivers of starry light suffused with an unfathomable intention.

    Like this, the young girl swiftly alternated between full moon sweeps oriented in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions, her body steadily riding past the deadly wave of the kinetic shockwave.

    When her arms finally dropped to her sides, the young girl''s countenance displayed a proud, knowing smile, the scarlet irises glimmering with a cold excitement.

    The steel sword without a handle had found its target.

 212 the danger of a protagonist-esque partner 5

    Since one projectile had successfully smashed into the ground without much difficulty, it was natural to assume the presence of others.

    The group of people under Shen Haoren''s lead clenched their teeth in dismay, their bodies twitching with fatigue and agony.

    And to be fair¡­ there were quite a lot of stone boulders raining over their heads.

    Boom!

    A powerful blast of nature''s artillery splintered into fragments in front of Shen Haoren''s feet, causing the middle-aged man''s countenance to warp with agony.

    The Young Master of the Shen Family howled as his dwindling reserves of spiritual essence mobilized to mitigate the subsequent shockwaves from injuring those behind him, before waving the double-headed war hammer in fury.

    "Damned giant, see how I smash your head into a million fragments!"

    Shen Haoren cursed as his chubby fingers roamed his pockets for another coin, the war hammer in his right hand twirling in a full circle as his eyes narrowed onto the environment before them.

    The middle-aged man''s heart sunk with pain as he pitched forth a golden coin embossed with the symbol of Great Yong, tossing the metallic disk into the air along with his aspirations.

    Whoosh!

    "Tak ¨C damn!"

    However, the Earth Giant''s reply to his preparations was another stone bullet larger than his entire body aimed directly towards his head.

    The middle-aged man grunted as the spiritual essence he had infused into the hammer had to be forcefully withdrawn to compensate for the taxing consumption required to construct the defenses necessary to withstand the earthen giant''s assaults.

    The gold coin was thus forgotten, landing onto the soft earth with a faint emission of sound.

    The tendrils of grass eagerly swarmed around the newcomer, their hopes of stealing a little portion of vitality squashed after they were exposed to the painful realization that what awaited them was nothing more than an inanimate object devoid of life.

    As they were forced to retreat for the umpteenth time in the span of a single hour, Tang Shiqi''s lips drew into a downcast grimace. The youth''s eyes remained fixated onto the back of Shen Haoren, a river of startling thoughts swarming through his mind.

    They were only able to survive due to the middle-aged man''s concentrated efforts in either smashing apart the incoming projectiles or diverting their trajectories to mitigate the damage as much as possible.

    Given how Shen Haoren had additionally launched five more strikes against the Earth Giant, his spiritual essence reserves were practically nonexistent.

    The dust storm that prevented their senses from aptly observing the actions of the giant made of soil and stone similarly prevented the Earth Giant from precisely targeting their location.

    Thus, the stone projectiles were akin to artillery bombardments; crudely empowered and difficult to eliminate a threat, but spectacular in roughening up a person''s morale.

    The constant fear of having stone splinters slash deeply into the ground besides the foot was one thing, but the young girl''s peculiar reaction was another¡­

    Boom!

    A second cannonball of stone smashed into the hole-ridden ground a few meters away from Tang Shiqi with great velocity, the secondary shockwaves blowing the youth headfirst into a previously formed cavity.

    Crawling out of the crater and poking his head to examine the dreadful plains, the youth of the Tang Clan''s gaze inadvertently landed onto An Fei''s figure.

    In the midst of terror and a war-ridden plains devoid of cover or security, the mysterious young girl was dancing.

    Regarding her dance, Tang Shiqi could not discover any rhythmic pattern to the movements, nor could he discern any intentional purpose. When a shockwave struck the earth, the young girl spun in circular movements as she either retreated, stepped forward, or pirouetted to the side.

    Compared to the others who had elected upon the route of constructing a defense that was resilient to the incoming ravage of stone, An Fei''s dancing was akin to a cotton ball floating in the air in the middle of a hailstorm.

    Since there was no resistance against the attack, it was natural that there would be no incurred harm.

    "External martial arts technique¡­"

    The youth hoarsely muttered, his eyes flashing with a tinge of shock. Tang Shiqi steadied his breath to manipulate the ubiquitous and contravening stone held against his chest to inspect the mystery to greater detail, but was forced to repel the scattered splinters of stone aimed towards his head.

    As he shamelessly ducked his body back into the cavity of the earth that he had just fled from, the youth of the Tang Clan''s mind shook from the profound natures shrouding An Fei''s figure from his gaze.

    Tang Shiqi palmed a riverbed stone in his right hand, wondering if it was the right time to discuss his plan with ¨C

    Teng!

    The twin-headed war hammer released a sonorous cry of frenzy and shadowed bloodthirst as it slammed forth another golden coin towards the Earth Giant''s left kneecap.

    The golden streak of light smashed apart stone and sediment upon contact, prompting the earthen tower to quiver and howl with rage.

    They had drilled a rather severe hole through the boulder that served as the joint, but the Earth Giant had yet to fully kneel a single time. As he continued striking coins with his hammer, Shen Haoren''s mind flashed with two disheartening thoughts.

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    The first was that to escape from this calamity, they had no choice but to completely extract the left knee joint of the Earth Giant.

    Only then would the shower of stone cease, for the inability to retain standing would force its aim and depth perception to be rendered askew, permitting the group to flee for a considerable distance.

    The carriages were lost, but the middle-aged man was confident regarding the capability of the group to sidestep the Earth Giant and escape the danger.

    The second was that¡­ he had practically expended the entirety of his spiritual essence reserves!

    "¡­only two shots left, and perhaps one if I have to block another¡­"

    Shen Haoren cursed in his mind as his hand energetically swung the war hammer in a circular motion around his body. The middle-aged man commanded for the rest of the group to retreat, but his feet propelled his body forward.

    Such a phenomenon was merely due to the fact that if he were to drop this double-headed war hammer that weighed over a few hundred jin of sheer gold, he wasn''t going to be able to preserve the necessary strength to lift it from the ground once again.

    Thus, Shen Haoren could only advance forward, the hammer in his hand singing a song of war and death as the large hexagonal blocks slammed into an incoming boulder.

    He was able to wield the terrifying weapon based on the physical property of momentum.

    As long as the giant refused to fall, Shen Haoren could not relinquish his grip on the horrendous weight dragging on his arm, even after the muscles in his right hand had long since torn from the overexertion.

    Behind the middle-aged man of the Shen Family, An Fei''s lips quirked into a gleeful smile.

    Though a splinter of stone had yet to traverse into her territory, the young girl''s right arm slashed through the sky as it raised towards the heavens, before cleaving the earth into two.

    ROAR!

    A fragmented cry struck the empty plains ablaze as the passionate song of murder and desecration swept over the infinite souls of the plains'' inhabitants, invoking the deepest terror in their hearts.

    From within the swirling storm of dust, a scarlet sun blossomed into existence as it reduced everything in its surroundings into ash.

    Behind the veil that allowed its figure to be obscured from the observing eyes of many, the Earth Giant whimpered in pain and terror as a massive gash cut across its entire back from the upper left of its shoulder to the right side of its waist.

    Finely diced stone and sediment dislodged themselves from the earthen body in small, perfectly formed cubes, falling onto the ground with the soothing war drums of a spring rainfall.

    The Earth Giant was not forced to stumble onto the ground, but had indeed received a lethal injury to its largely unprotected back.

    The massive, towering creature''s throat released keens of fear and pain as the blocks of stone and sediment extracted from its body formed into a large pile below its feet.

    Just as the earthen giant was about to resume its combative nature, its core flashed with a dreadful light towards the south.

    In that process, the suspect responsible for the artificial Mourning Sun rose into the air, the steel blade flickering with a malicious gleam of scarlet murder.

    And firmly connected to its tang was a ¨C

    "Old Shen? It''s you!?"

 213 the danger of a protagonist-esque partner 6

    They were unable to properly observe what exactly Yang Jian and the other two ''newcomers'' were experiencing in their clash with the Earth Giant, but by the sounds relayed to their senses, the situation did not appear to be faring exactly too well.

    Th storm of dust crackled with vibrant energy as the three practitioners flared their overwhelming reserves of spiritual essence, tossing their martial arts technique into the earthen giant''s mouth as though they were freshly steamed baozi.

    None of the shockwaves managed to reach Shen Haoren and the others due to Yang Jian''s efforts in constraining the range of the battlefield, but the group was still able to witness a spectacular sight.

    The Earth Giant kneeled on one knee, both arms flailing as though they were heavy maces, sweeping around in all directions to indoctrinate with the gospel of destruction.

    The storm of dust swelled and compressed as it reacted to the three practitioner''s assault, guarding the fierce creature from lethal damage as well as obscuring their view to mitigate the possibility of severely injuring the mysterious product of nature.

    Streaks of multicolored light swarmed around the creature of soil and stone, striking at its exposed head, limbs, and the boulders that consisted the joints.

    The trails of light wrapped around the menacing, constricting grip of the dust storm, poking at the fierce creature''s weaknesses to agitate it to leap into a trap.

    Compared to Shen Haoren''s solo performance with his war hammer, the discrepancy was evident.

    "Aih, to think that those three never slacked off in their cultivation even with their appearance of a dandy fellow¡­"

    The middle-aged man puffed out his right cheek in pretentious frustration, adopting the expression of superiority and seniority as he relaxed on the empty plains.

    Shen Haoren teased the young woman besides him, his eyes closed into satisfied crescents.

    "However, they seem to be causing more damage onto the Earth Giant than¡­"

    The beautiful young woman''s eyes flashed with a playful ridicule as she slapped Shen Haoren''s over-inflated belly, her smooth fingers tormenting his flesh. The middle-aged man''s eyes flared with a momentary desire, though a dense embarrassment sunk in.

    "My beautiful wife, how could you say such words!" Shen Haoren scoffed, his hands itching to teach the woman besides him the true nature of their relationship.

    "Compared to those old fellows who only need to care about attacking, this Young Master naturally had to reserve a significant portion of my spiritual essence to react swiftly to any incoming attack. My wife, you''re a little too vicious, ah!?"

    "Alright, alright, I was only playing around, ah."

    The young woman sighed as she slapped aside a naughty hand that desired to infiltrate her dress.

    Scratching his head with an awkward chuckle, Shen Haoren directed a sinister glare towards the other bystanders in his surroundings, particularly his children and the two "esteemed" guests.

    Regarding the guests of the Shen Family, Tang Shiqi remained seated on the soft, pulverized soil, his eyes flashing with a dark and suppressed emotion.

    The youth''s countenance was snow white and devoid of consciousness, almost as though he had become possessed.

    ¡­and his lips seemed to be chanting something under his breath, creating a disconcerting and creepy sight¡­

    On the other hand¡­ An Fei''s complexion didn''t seem too pleasant as she stood whilst playing with her hair, the pair of scarlet irises flickering with a complicated mood.

    The young girl tapped her fingertips on her crossed arms, her lips pursed as she stared into the distance.

    A few meters away from the Earth Giant''s head, Yang Jian and the others were indeed not enjoying the best moment of their lives.

    As they fought, the three of them were impressively pained at the nigh impenetrable defenses of the fierce creature to the point that their attacks could do nothing except for cause the Earth Giant to stumble for a few meters.

    Tumbling out of the path of an earthen finger larger than his own body, Yang Jian suppressed a curse, the emotions swirling in his heart tumultuous and frenzied in his haste.

    "¡­to be able to defend against its attacks and still be able to launch attacks capable of piercing its defenses¡­ Old Shen truly is formidable, just as he was in the past."

    The handsome man quietly praised as he stomped onto the enormous broadsword supporting his feet, traversing through the sky to stand before the Earth Giant''s right eye.

    Revolving spiritual essence throughout his body without restraint to secure his footing on the sword, Yang Jian swung back his right fist before directing it forward with all of his might.

    "Take this! Flare!"

    The dantian surged with a powerful and domineering intent as dense rivulets of Yang attributed spiritual essence flooded the meridians, absorbing the supplementary attributes of the acupuncture points along its path.

    The tributaries converged at the base of the Conception Vessel enriched of vitality and the sentience of a few hundred acupuncture points, and surged towards the tip of Yang Jian''s right fist.

    TA!

    The fist suffused with a sea of orange light slammed into the right eye of the Earth Giant, sinking deeply into the earthen flesh as though it were merely a block of tofu.

    Yang Jian urged the broadsword underneath his feet to carry him forward, intending to sink his fist into the giant''s eye as deep as possible.

    The Earth Giant struggled in pain, its arms flailing widely as it attempted to seek after the source of its injury.

    However, due to having been detained of half of its peripheral vision, the danger of the arms shattering through the air was reduced to the minimum.

    Needless to say, minimum danger did not represent safety.

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    "Brother Yang, hurry up with your strike, ah!"

    Tang Yunhe shrieked as he abruptly ducked underneath a random fist that slashed directly over his head, the tip of his neck crawling with the terrifying sensation of death. The jian in his hands flashed as he struck forward to vent his fear and humiliation, only to be rebuffed without being able to pierce through the dense skin of soil and sediment.

    Yang Jian''s eyes narrowed at the statement, and the muscles of his right arm bulged as his veins filled to their maximum capacity.

    The orange light surging within his Conception Vessel inundated his arm, causing half of his body to erupt with a dazzling radiance.

    The Earth Giant''s howls became ever more pronounced at the manifestation of the phenomenon, and the soil and sediment forming the right eye began to melt at the infusion of Yang attributed spiritual essence.

    The fierce creature shook its head in pain, and ground its teeth as a massive palm of soil slapped towards Yang Jian''s approximate location.

    "Brother Yang!"

    Whoosh!

    Yang Jian nearly bit his tongue in fear as the block of soil several dozen meters tall swept towards his body with a devastating velocity, the cells in his body screaming in terror as they felt the embrace of death.

    The handsome man fiercely stomped on the broadsword underneath his feet, barely dropping below the earthen palm''s range.

    With a glum countenance devoid of blood, Yang Jian returned to Tang Yunhe and Wen Jiu, his appearance not unlike of their own.

    They had not completed more than ten exchanges before they were forced to retreat, and it was as if they had just emerged from the battleground of two clans of the Hundred Clan Coalition staking their all.

    Tang Yunhe''s robes were tattered to the extent that only the lower half remained intact, and his chest had been lacerated by countless small but deep wounds caused by the dust storm.

    As for Wen Jiu¡­ ahem.

    His robe was perfectly intact compared to Yang Jian and Tang Yunhe, but his expression was the worst.

    The handsome man''s countenance had received the blessing and commandment of a perpetual scowl of self mockery and disappointment, his spirits sunk to their lowest.

    Yang Jian had managed to land a solid strike against the Earth Giant with his clan''s unique martial arts technique , even if he had not managed to land more than the first strike.

    Outside of that, he had managed to dislodge the damaged boulder caused by Shen Haoren''s incessant assaults, crippling the fierce creature''s movements and agility by a significant margin.

    Tang Yunhe had successfully slashed through several of the meridians that traveled along the length of the limbs, prompting the dust storm to reduce its attacks to conserve the expenditure of spiritual essence. The jian was visually unappealing and completely ornamental, but few were cognizant of the fact that its sharpness could surpass numerous supreme weapons of Great Yong.

    But him!

    Every goddam strike he would attempt to land on the Earth Giant, no matter how well prepared he was and how favorable the circumstances were to his accomplishment, someone would always disrupt it at the last moment!

    Whoever was the owner of that bullheaded f*cking steel sword with that bizarre handle that made it seem no less grotesque than his Master''s custom-built weaponry, Wen Jiu desperately wanted a personal, ''civilized'' conversation!

 214 The dangers of a protagonist-esque partner 7

    Tang Yunhe and Wen Jiu had studied underneath the same Master since they were no more than a pair of seven-year-old brats upholding the honor of their respective clans.

    Other than their respective martial arts techniques and orientation in the cultivation paths, the two''s lives were practically of the same mold.

    Same lifestyle that was successfully imparted by the Master, the same taste in their female companion, and the same ¨C ahem ¨C taste in weaponry for their spiritual artifact.

    The last one was forced onto them by their Master; the shame after the publicity of their new spiritual artifact was sufficient to thoroughly curb the two practitioner''s pride and dignity.

    For the next few years after they had received the sword from their Master as a ''graduation'' gift, the two had transformed into a pair of cold-hearted geniuses of the jianghu.

    Before anyone could laugh at the bizarre design of the feather-edged jian with a mithril hilt, a tang forged from the shiniest article of lapis lazuli, and a blade of adamantium, they would discover that their heads had wished their shoulders an eternal farewell.

    In an extraordinarily short amount of time, Tang Yunhe and Wen Jiu had risen from a pair of brats belonging to the younger generation of the Hundred Clan Coalition to the extent that even those of the Core Formation Stages would hesitate provoking their ire.

    Laughable appearances aside, the effectiveness of the weapon personally forged by their Master could never be underestimated at any cost.

    Cutting through the tempered bluesteel that was prided by Bei Tang as their national treasure as though it were a block of tofu;, slashing apart any projectile-based martial arts technique with ease; the multicolored jian belonging to Tang Yunhe and Wen Jiu was of an excellent quality that even the Three Great Sects drooled at the idea of owning one.

    But!

    However!

    They attacked at the same time, they struck towards the same location on this goddamned earth creature, but his was the only blade that was deflected from its trajectory by that f*cking illegitimate child of a sword!

    As they fled with their tail coiled around their legs, Wen Jiu''s heart bled with an eternal sadness.

    The handsome man''s countenance struggled to recreate the dazzling, warm smile that was to be used to sway the heart of that plain but surprisingly adorable young girl he had just met¡­

    Alas, the psychological trauma he had received in the span of five minutes was a little too much for his heart to handle.

    Wen Jiu had charged towards the Earth Giant with the desire to challenge his limits, just as Yang Jian and Tang Yunhe had done so besides him.

    With the exhilarating and mind-numbing sensation of contesting a peak Core Formation Realm expert without any holds barred.

    Since it was a fierce creature as his adversary, the danger and potential he could extract from his physique was bound to be enhanced to an unprecedented margin.

    If possible, Wen Jiu was planning to meditate on the scraps of insight obtained from the battle to charge through the Spirit Building Realm to become a Core Formation Realm practitioner himself.

    The handsome man had left the sweet adobe of his private and comfortable life of luxury to seek death for the sole reward of advancement in his cultivation, but alas¡­

    He had encountered a malicious prankster at the last obstacle.

    Each attack he dared to launch against the Earth Giant, the odd longsword of steel with a bone handle would swoop in to swat his blade away from its target, or blow his body into the trajectory of an incoming attack from the fierce creature.

    Furthermore, the timing of its intervention was increasingly aggravating to the pitiful man with tensed nerves.

    The spiritual essence within his body flowed at a natural pace completely under his control, and permeated the meridians and the jian without any hinderance.

    Just as he readied his stance and charged head-long after a divine opportunity, just as the edge of his blade was about to dance along the surface of the Earth Giant''s skin, the formerly handle-less sword swooped in to strike it away!

    Not only that, it would chase him back into the path of a dangerous attack, forcing him to expend all of the spiritual essence invested into the attack simply to secure his wellbeing!

    Hence, the minimal danger for Yang Jiang and Tang Yunhe simply became a miserable hell for the flirtatious Wen Jiu.

    As he nursed his grievances in his festering heart, the three had returned to the makeshift gathering lead by Shen Haoren.

    "Oh, Old Yang, you''re back!"

    Shen Haoren raised his head to direct an appraising glance towards the three stragglers, his eyes widening at the striking difference between their entrance and exit.

    The middle-aged man''s mouth dropped open for a while, unable to squeeze out the words stuck in his throat without expending a tremendous amount of effort.

    "You¡­ what happened to you all?"

    The middle-aged man muttered, the hands gently caressing his potbelly freezing without a sound. The three handsome men equally appeared flustered, their confident auras nowhere to be found.

    "What do you think happened to us fools who dared fight a battle against an entire full realm of cultivation at close range?"

    Yang Jian finally replied, his countenance tinged with a hue of scarlet.

    The broadsword underneath his feet flashed with a discontented gleam as the handsome man leaped onto the ground, his tattered robes threatening to give way to the gentle breeze that rustled in the plains.

    "We managed to cripple its vision, as well as remove the joint that you spent a long time preparing. However¡­ just as you see¡­"

    As Yang Jian''s voice trailed off, Shen Haoren nodded in understanding, his countenance tinged with sympathy. The middle-aged man rested his head on his wife''s lap, his eyes downcast as he fell into contemplation.

    As long as an Earth Giant remained on land, their regenerative ability and physical attributes were enhanced by mind-boggling margins.

    However, since they had removed the left kneecap instead of smashing it apart¡­

    "Old Yang, how long do you think we''ll have to escape this dismal place?"

    The four cultivators renowned amongst the Hundred Clan Coalition equally sank into their thoughts, their expressions grim and hesitant.

    After the time of a full cup of tea had passed, Tang Yunhe raised his gaze, a concerned light flashing across his eyes.

    "Three days."

    The confirmation practically validated their own assumptions, causing the atmosphere of the gathering to become even more dismal.

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    Shen Haoren and Tang Shiqi glanced at their hands, a deep seated worry flickering through their hearts.

    Three days to escape from an expansive plains devoid of any cover from the vigil of the Earth Giant, as well as trek a distance exceeding several dozen kilometers. Furthermore, they were on foot, and all of their supplies had been ruined by the slaughter of the dust storm.

    From a logistical perspective, it was theoretically impossible for Shen Haoren''s group to depart from the plains whilst leaving their members completely intact.

    The young woman sitting besides the middle-aged man parted her lips, her voice trembling from the accumulated stress.

    "How¡­ how many people can your flying swords accommodate?"

    Yang Jian, Tang Yunhe, and Wen Jiu fell into a pensive mood, their eyes flickering over their respective swords. Surprisingly, regardless of how much time had passed, it was the unusually aggrieved Wen Jiu who replied first, his voice tinged with regret.

    "If I can recover all of my spiritual essence over the next two days, I think that I can transport two other people on the jian without much issue," the handsome man scratched at his roughened chin in thought.

    "Brother Tang is the same as me, and for Brother Yang¡­ perhaps five at the most?"

    Yang Jian nodded in reply; though Shen Haoren''s wife''s countenance had bloomed as though she saw the glimpse of hope, his expression was still gloomy.

    The gathering fell into an awkward silence for a brief moment, before all three men opened their mouths to sigh in regret.

    "Aigh, ever since Brother Shen gained so much weight¡­ now none of us can carry him on our swords, ah."

    Shen Haoren''s lips bristled at the words, but could do nothing but flush in silent embarrassment. The middle-aged man swore at the three brothers in his heart, his lips flapping with an exhausted sigh.

    "You''re right, none of you are strong enough to carry this Fatty, ah," the middle-aged man slapped his potbelly in exaggerated anger.

    "Looks like this Young Master has to pry into Master''s storage ring once again ¨C ah? Young lass, what are you doing over there, so far from us?"

    In an instant, eight pairs of eyes simultaneously raked across the sanctimonious atmosphere of the empty plains to rest onto the figure of a young girl standing with her back to them.

 215 The dangers of a protagonist-esque partner 8

    Under the pressuring gaze of eight high-minded people, An Fei''s motions came to a freeze.

    The young girl blinked in surprise, her countenance stiffening at the sudden attention boring holes into her back.

    "¡­something wrong?"

    The young girl angled her body around to face Shen Haoren and the others, her head slightly tilted to the right in confusion. The little raven perched on her shoulder sleepily waved its wings, the crimson eyes flickering with an unabated interest.

    "Er¡­ your actions were just a little weird, nothing much," the middle-aged man was silently elected to be the representative to respond with an awkward expression.

    "After all, we''re all sitting here on the ground, but you''ve remained standing the entire time. Is there¡­ something wrong?"

    The young woman besides Shen Haoren helpfully quipped, her wide doe eyes blinking towards An Fei''s direction.

    The young girl glanced at the mutilated earth and the patches of mud, her nose almost wrinkling at the humid and rustic odor emanating from the ground.

    If it were before the encounter with the Earth Giant who was still howling its lungs out a kilometer away, she might have sat down, but now¡­

    Ruining her dress to fit in with a group was not her priority!

    Fortunately, there was someone who clearly understood An Fei''s motive after tracking the object of her gaze for a brief moment.

    One of the three newcomers, Wen Jiu, immediately stood to stretch his arms, coincidentally exposing a portion of finely toned muscle and flesh through his actions.

    "The Young Miss must care considerably about the wonderful dress," the handsome man warmly smiled, earning himself a fierce glare from his brothers.

    "Is the dress a memento of close origin?"

    An Fei''s lips twitched at the persistent attitude of Wen Jiu.

    Her mind deigning itself to not forget the handsome man''s previous transgression, the young girl gave a brief, curt nod.

    "My grandfather made it himself for my birthday."

    Caw!

    A little white lie that the little raven could quickly detect the instant it departed from the young girl''s lips, but the little creature resigned itself to a quick sputter before retaining its silent and menacing gaze.

    Fortunately, as An Fei''s eyes had gently misted over whilst uttering her statement, nobody dared to question the veracity of her words.

    The young girl had become teary from the mention of her grandfather, but it was from a different origin, ah.

    "I see, the Young Miss would indeed wish to avoid tarnishing the dress gifted from a close family member," Wen Jiu''s smile expanded by a mile after having secured his inch.

    "Then would the Young Miss like to take a rest on my flying sword? Of course, if the Young Miss desires to spend the night on it as well, there is no problem to such an arrangement, not at all."

    The words were uttered at a rapid pace, catching An Fei off guard and unable to respond for a brief moment.

    Then, an unexpected savior arrived to offer salvation in the next moment, whilst shattering the handsome man''s initial dreams of securing himself a happy night.

    "Brother Wen, that is not appropriate, ah."

    "Old Wen, if you were to maintain your flying sword for the entire day, how are we to escape from the plains?"

    Tang Yunhe and Shen Haoren simultaneously complained, their countenance graced with twitching expressions of displeasure and jealousy.

    Yang Jian shook his head with a wry sigh, before angling his gaze to inspect the solemn and quiet Tang Shiqi.

    "Brother Tang, Brother Shen, maintaining my flying sword for one person is no problem for someone like me, ah," Wen Jiu eagerly protested, his heartbeat quickening and slaughtering itself by the moment.

    "As long as we''re not moving for the entire day, I can sustain my flying sword and recover spiritual essence at the same time!"

    "Who said we''re not going to move until the three of you recover your spiritual essence?" Shen Haoren snorted with a derisive smile.

    "You want to camp for the night with only a kilometer of a barrier to shield us from that Earth Giant? Remember, that fierce creature can still launch ranged bombardments ¨C stop trying to pick flowers during a battle, ah."

    The handsome man who had contributed the least in the fight flushed scarlet at the condescending remarks from the middle-aged man.

    Unfortunately, before Wen Jiu could recover his moral ground and flash back a retort, Tang Yunhe joined in to deliver a final push.

    "Brother Wen, you weren''t able to put in your all in the previous fight due to worrying for any unexpected counterattacks, no? This time is the same ¨C we need someone to look after our backs in the night. Wooing the girl, I nor Brother Shen will intervene in your attempts once we reach the city, is that fine? Even if you were to taunt me then, I won''t complain, ah!"

    The last two sentences was silently transmitted from Tang Yunhe''s lips by means of spiritual essence, his countenance placid and innocent of the words he had just spoken to his brother.

    Wen Jiu''s lips twitched continually for a few moments, lowering his head with an exasperated sigh.

    "Looks like I''m relegated to night duty again¡­"

    That damned sword!

    The handsome man grit his teeth after Shen Haoren and Tang Yunhe had returned to their original topic of discussion.

    His heart remaining on its diligent task of ''protecting'' the young girl standing at the corner of the group, Wen Jiu released another sigh as he allowed the multicolored jian to disperse into particles of spiritual essence.

    Noticing that Wen Jiu had ceased his furtive glances, An Fei released a light sigh as she glanced towards the Earth Giant submerged in the dust storm.

    The young girl''s body gently trembled, and she extended her right hand before her chest, the palm facing the darkening skies of twilight.

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    Shu!

    Two snow lotus petals drifted silently onto the base of her palm, before sinking into her flesh and disappearing from sight.

    An Fei momentarily gasped as the spiritual essence flooded through her meridians to return to the coil housed within her heart, allowing her gaze to return to her palm once the lingering numbness had faded to a tolerable amount.

    There, nestled at the crook of her delicate and small palm, was a jade pendant.

    The clasp and socket of the pendant was of a finely polished metallic material whose appearance greatly resembled amber, and the smoothly cut jade at the center was of a dark green, rich in its lustre and sheen.

    Extending from the clasp were a series of pointed surfaces, aligned and configured in the rudimentary projection of an eye.

    The strap of the pendant was a delicate and refined chain that reflected the diminishing rays of sunlight, the amber-like appearance gently glowing as the sun began its descent into the horizon.

    An Fei rubbed the jade surface with her left thumb, her mind abuzz with questions.

    The jade pendant was found at the core of the Earth Giant''s heart, nestled deeply and secured underneath a bunker of earth and stone.

    Around the pendant''s exterior, a large network of artificially induced channels resembling that of a circuit board expanded throughout the dense armor of compacted sediment, as though the jade pendant served as the core powering the fierce creature.

    ¡­not unlike that of a robotic existence, perhaps?

    "However¡­ why was a pendant in such a location¡­" An Fei''s scarlet irises pulsated with a dull gleam, appearing completely spiritless and desolate as she gazed into the distance.

    After Yang Jian and the others had retreated with their tails coiled around their hind legs, the steel sword had remained to harass and slay the Earth Giant.

    The temporarily complete sword had punctured through the previously impenetrable walls of soil and stone with ease, causing the fierce creature to continually howl in pain for the next few hours until its death.

    After which, the sword replaced its howl for until the fall of twilight, to pose the impression of the Earth Giant requiring a period of recovery.

    Just as Shen Haoren and the others were preparing to sleep, An Fei had called for the sword to return to her side.

    Only¡­ the sword had brought along the jade pendant as an unexpected spoil of war.

    The appearance was beautiful and fitting for an elegant woman or a budding young girl, tempting An Fei to hang the chain around her neck.

    Her brows silently creasing into a frown, the young girl set the little crow onto the leather bag, placing the jade pendant before it with a concerned expression.

    "Xiao Hei, is there anything wrong with this pendant? How could it appear in the chest of an Earth Giant?"

    The little raven tilted its head in confusion, its crimson eyes then flashing with surprise as it gazed at the intricate surfaces of the interior of the clasp.

    The little creature''s beak gently undulated, and the pools of crimson swayed and almost gave way to reveal the sea of violet hidden underneath ¨C

    CAW!

    "Shut it, you stupid little crow!"

    Shen Haoren roared as he angrily shifted his back onto the destroyed earth of the plains, his skin screaming in agony as small stones pricked into his flesh with their piercing, venomous hooks that granted an unforgettable suffering.

 216 The danger of a protagonist-esque partner 9

    In the end, Wen Jiu was forced into only being able to watch the young girl from afar, his lonesome figure keeping watch at a strictly measured distance away from the rest of the group.

    The handsome man glared at the cold moon tinged with mockery, his cheeks puffed with air to express his frustration.

    Brother Yang had long since obtained a fantastic wife, Brother Tang had a secret little lover whom he kept away from everyone, whilst he had stayed wholly vegetarian for his entire life!

    Eat!

    He wanted to eat meat for once, alright!?

    "The path of cultivation is truly difficult, ah¡­"

    The laments of a single man silently echoed throughout the empty and desolate plains, the raw emotion and desire prompting the grass to sway with disgruntled annoyance.

    Away from the group in the other direction compared to Wen Jiu, two figures stood side to side as they glanced at the completely darkened sky of the night.

    One was a budding youth of his generation, whilst the other had already established his identity in the complex and tumultuous world of the jianghu.

    They were Tang Shiqi and Yang Jian respectively, though they were unaware of a curious eavesdropper creeping besides them.

    "So, young man, who are you, really?"

    Yang Jian deeply intoned with a stern glance as he stared at Tang Shiqi, an imposing aura expanding from his body to nearly pressurize Tang Shiqi into the ground.

    The handsome man''s eyes flickered with a harsh sharpness, albeit a tinge of doubt flashed within.

    "What does Honorable Yang wish to know about?"

    Tang Shiqi willed his legs to stop buckling from the stress imposed onto his entire body, his eyes meeting directly with Yang Jian''s gaze.

    The youth''s countenance was devoid of emotion, cold and expressionless as though he was the ambassador of the lonely moon hanging in the midnight sky.

    At such a spectacle, Yang Jian''s eyes narrowed in surprise.

    "You have the same spiritual fluctuation as Yunhe, though yours is significantly weaker than his," the handsome man enunciated in a slow voice.

    "Why is that? Who are you, and why were you glancing at him with hostility earlier in the day?"

    The nighttime breeze rustled against the grass, lightly brushing the two''s hair with a pleased smirk. Tang Shiqi took a deep breath, his heart flashing with a cold sensation as his hands curled into tight fists.

    "What does Honorable Yang wish to do with such information?" the youth fought to keep his voice even and emotionless.

    "I will decide after discerning the truth of the situation," Yang Jian increased the pressure emanating from his cultivation base, his lips twitching at the pale but resilient countenance of the youth before him.

    "I cannot allow harm to come to my brothers, but I will not disappoint Brother Shen''s intentions in bringing you along. Surely, you and that young lady must be an incredibly important asset to the Shen Family, if they are willing to send Haoren to as a personal escort."

    As he finished speaking, the handsome man retracted his aura, his cold and imposing figure illuminated by a brief ray of moonlight.

    Feeling the aching sensation in his muscles abate, Tang Shiqi released a clenched breath of relief, his brow flooded with sweat.

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    "My surname is Tang."

    That was the first sentence he had uttered to the three people who had joined their journey after their encounter with the Earth Giant.

    "Your Brother Tang Yunhe, is my Tang Clan''s main branch''s Junior Uncle. Seventeen years back, before I was born, Tang Yunhe raped and crippled my mother before my father as an act of revenge."

    On the youth''s countenance, flashed a cold expression suffused with a rage originating from the lower passageways of the underworld.

    An imitation of an aura reflecting a malevolent intent emanated from Tang Shiqi''s body, though it lacked the necessary cultivation to fully manifest into the world.

    "Oh?" Yang Jian intoned, his brows raised in surprise.

    "Yunhe had indeed informed me of such an event before. So, what happened next?"

    Tang Shiqi''s eyes narrowed at the handsome man''s nonchalant expression and demeanor, his heart nearly flooding with rage and triggering his deepest secret to flare its head towards the unforgiving world.

    The youth took a deep breath to steady his emotions, to detach his heart from the painful memories of his past.

    "My father wasn''t affected much, nor was his wife; only my mother suffered harm from that incident. Since Tang Yunhe of the main branch had committed such an evil act, everyone else of the branch clan followed suit, be they of the same generation, or older."

    Tang Shiqi''s voice instinctively became laced with a dense layer of frost as he glared deeply into Yang Jian''s flickering eyes.

    "My mother, once a proud Second Wife of the Third Master of the Tang Clan''s Seventh Branch, was degraded into that of a brothel''s prostitute ¨C no, even worse, following Tang Yunhe''s despicable actions. Though I call that man who cast us out as father, I do not know my biological parent ¨C only that my mother suffered in hell until she committed suicide the day after I was born."

    The cold moon dropped a tear of sympathy towards the youth''s apathetic voice and shivering heart, a thin ray of moonlight illuminating Tang Shiqi''s glacial countenance.

    The gentle breeze caressed his nape, and the slumbering tendrils of grass patted at the base of his foot to express their muted condolences.

    "What will Honorable Yang do with such information?" the youth intoned with a scalding voice, before a cold smirk manifested on his countenance.

    "I must inform Honorable Yang beforehand that it is impossible for Honorable Yang to partake in the actions of killing me at this moment, or preventing my revenge on Tang Yunhe in the future. Please have a good night."

    Tang Shiqi bowed towards the handsome man, his figure quickly receding into the background as he walked towards the group.

    Yang Jian remained standing as he gazed at the teardrop left by the moon, his furrowed brows relaxing with a heavy sigh escaping his throat.

    "Yunhe didn''t inform me of this, ah¡­"

    ¨C

    In the Realm, there existed many famous entities who had engraved their mark into the foundations of the Realm.

    Weakling half-step immortals who had ascended from mortal souls to become an immortal deity, those who were born in the immortal firmament to join the younger generation of the Realm''s denizens, or those who were ancient monsters who had lived for an unmentionable span of time ¨C a sea of names, identities, and destinies were mixed in the bowl that was the Realm into an indecipherable creation, yet a few names struck out regardless of their obscurity.

    The founders of the Divine Palace, Demon Palace, the Halls of Templar and the Rose Blacksmith Association aside, even his master with her reputation as the Forsaken Goddess aside, there existed a single name and title that nobody dared forget.

    Prime Minister, Fang Moyun.

    Nobody was certain regarding the Prime Minister''s origins, or from whom he had received his title.

    As the Divine Spiritual Vein had accepted his declaration as Prime Minister, those of the Realm were forced to believe the veracity of his claim to the title that bestowed a massive amount of Authority.

    Since the Divine Spiritual Vein had accepted the nomination of Fang Moyun as Prime Minister, that title was not one that was self-imposed, but bestowed by another.

    But what was Fang Moyun''s title as Prime Minister supposed to entail?

    And who had given such a title to that man?

    After hundreds of millions of years of inquisition and investigation, the Realm had come to the same consensus as before; everything they could determine about Fang Moyun''s origins and the extent of his title''s significance was either inconsistent or incorrect from the beginning.

    Nonetheless, the unbelievable aspects of this Prime Minister further exacerbated his reputation as one destined to be remembered until the collapse of time.

    An extraordinarily lust-driven man, one that could not be trumped by even the top aces of the Pavilion of Amorous Exchange.

    Had it not been for this mysterious Prime Minister''s ever-profound wife''s restraint order, the Prime Minister would have intervened himself in every female immortal and mortal''s interpersonal affairs, especially when it involved the exchange of romantic feelings.

    Lust-driven reputation aside, Fang Moyun''s influence was immense.

    Immense to the extent that the Divine Palace, Demon Palace, Hall of Templars, and any other organization formed in the Realm had to bend their knee at his command.

    Even his master had to give that incorrigible man some face, though Dongfang Yu had never seen the Prime Minister''s countenance.

    Hence, an accessory bestowed with the command of protection was highly sought after by those of the Realm.

    Protection offered by the Prime Minister of the Realm; all conflicts involving the protected were to immediately cease, and any further attempts were to be quelled upon first thought.

    Wherever they traveled, those protected by the Prime Minister''s influence could only be Kings and detached from any conflict ¨C given that they did not initiate it.

    However¡­ what was a jade pendant inscribed with Fang Moyun''s protection order doing in a mortal world!?

    And in the heart cavity of a natural disaster ¨C the phenomenon known by the mortals as an Earth Giant!?

 217 Traveling to Dong Lin City 1

    Two days later, Tang Yunhe, Wen Jiu, and Yang Jian had fully recovered their spiritual essence.

    Though their appearance remained tattered and unruly, their aura had transformed into one that was more vibrant and attuned with the earth, as though they were its ambassadors and not practitioners of the path of cultivation.

    By daybreak, they had readily manifested their respective flying swords, their countenance a mix of relief, excitement, and impatience.

    "Old Shen, hurry up, ah!"

    Yang Jian called from atop the enlarged broadsword, his brows slightly furrowed in worry. From time to time, the handsome man glanced towards the distance, his eyes flickering with an unusual stillness.

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    Tang Yunehe commanded his atrocious jian to move towards the middle-aged man, his countenance tinged with a sinister interest.

    "Brother Shen, just what kind of tool did you receive from your Master, that you wouldn''t show it to your brothers?"

    "Shut up!"

    Shen Haoren roared as he wrenched a wooden pad from his spatial treasure ring, his countenance graced with a scarlet flood in the next moment.

    With a solid clap and an explosion of spiritual essence, the small wooden pad rose to hover in the air.

    Compared to the mighty appearance of Yang Jian''s broadsword and the grotesque beauty of Tang Yunhe and Wen Jiu''s flying sword, the wooden pad of oak could only contest with a feeble grin.

    And with Shen Haoren''s bulky potbelly extended its two legs to step evenly on either side of the pad¡­ its embarrassment was magnified to an unprecedented degree.

    "Brother¡­ Brother Shen, this¡­"

    Yang Jian, who was usually the stable-minded of the four brothers of the Du Zhou Province, couldn''t help but splutter in shock at the bizarre scene.

    The others could only stare with flabbergasted and highly entertained expression as Shen Haoren''s countenance became thunderous and extraordinarily malignant, until ¨C

    "Hahah ¨C old man, you''re¡­ you''re ¨C haha¡­"

    An Fei clutched her stomach with both hands as she doubled up in laughter, the little raven and the small fox crying out in surprise as the young girl nearly fell from her perch.

    As if his perpetually downcast spirits had recovered in the brief moment he proved witness to a heavenly peal of laughter, Wen Jiu angled his jian to face the young girl, his countenance blank and suffused with curiosity.

    "Young Miss, something wrong?"

    "Pad¡­" the young girl echoed, tears nearly spilling from her eyes.

    "Pad?" Wen Jiu echoed, blinking twice before erupting in an expression of enlightenment and schadenfreude.

    "Pad¡­ paddle! Brother Shen, surely that''s not the paddle your Master used to discipline you with when we were younger!?"

    Shen Haoren''s eyes bulged with fury, finding himself unable to speak or even move his gaze in his anger.

    The middle-aged man took several deep breaths to temper the rampant spiritual essence coursing through his veins, causing the wooden pad underneath his feet to jostle and quiver as though an abused animal.

    Finally, the man had suffered enough damage to his dignity for the day.

    "Enough!"

    Shen Haoren roared towards his brothers who were hiding their laughs behind ironclad expressions, as well as An Fei who conveniently utilized Yang Jian''s heavily built body as a shield.

    The middle-aged man waved his right fist in the air, his voice echoing throughout the empty plains to be matched with an earthly roar.

    "We leave now, before I shoot another Heaven and Earth Cannon towards that creature and fully wake it up!"

    Thus, three flying swords and one holy wooden paddle ascended into the air, ferrying their passengers to safety.

    ¨C

    When she obtained the opportunity to observe the empty plains that encompassed the Wu Ji Forest from above, An Fei didn''t know whether she wanted to thank or slap the jiaolong on the head.

    Damned forest protector, how was this taking her outside the forest and into mortal civilization!?

    Due to Yang Jian and the others'' flying swords having to accommodate additional passengers, they were only capable of sustaining high-speed flight a mere fifteen meters in the air.

    As they passed by, An Fei could accurately spot one landmark to the other, prompting her lips to draw into a small pout.

    Nonetheless, fifteen meters above the ground was sufficient to survey one''s surroundings with ease.

    ¡­not to say that the empty plains that surrounded the Wu Ji Forest on all fronts, was anything but empty.

    Grassland towards the north, grassland towards the south, grassland towards the east, and¡­ more grassland towards the west.

    "En¡­ Honorable Yang, do you know how much ground we''ve covered so far?"

    An Fei tentatively called out from the back of the enlarged broadsword whilst copying Tang Shiqi''s mannerisms she had eavesdropped a few days before, her sudden question prompting for the other passengers to raise their eyebrows.

    Tang Shiqi, who stood towards the left, even narrowed his eyes as his brows creased into a contemplative frown.

    "How much ground?" Yang Jian muttered in thought.

    "We''ve been flying for about three hours now¡­ I suppose¡­ five hundred kilometers?"

    Five hundred kilometers?

    An Fei gulped at the number loftily tossed at her head, her eyes nearly blanking in the process. The young girl''s body gently swayed as she glanced down towards the ground, her mind thrown into a mixture of bemused chaos.

    Five hundred kilometers, and they still saw nothing but grassland¡­

    How big were the plains that encompassed the forest!?

    For the second time in a row, the young girl wished that she had not left the forest and its closed world.

    It certainly would have produced a much better result than being stranded in the air and forced to stare down at small villages and campfires of wanderers¡­

    If she were to walk the entire distance to Dong Lin City, just how long would that take?

    ¨C

    Six hours afterwards, the plains finally gave way to civilization.

    The sea of grass parted to reveal an enormous circle of stone, the tall city walls towering over the empty plains with a solemn and vigil gaze.

    As the view of the city gradually eclipsed the corners of An Fei''s gaze, the young girl heaved an audible sigh of relief.

    Ah, how great was it to know that at the other end of the city walls, there wasn''t the same sea of yellow grains and stalks of green grass?

    "Brothers, let us descend here. Better not to antagonize the city guards, they''re men sent from the Tie Clan," Yang Jian shouted as he urged the broadsword under his feet with a light tap of his heel.

    The flying sword shivered with delight towards the mention of rest, and it dove towards the ground at a swift speed.

    Halting several meters away from the massive stone walls of Dong Lin City, Yang Jian guided the passengers off the sword and stretch their sore limbs.

    "Xiao Hei, this is really different compared to the Bone Spirit Town, even if the patterns of the wall are the same¡­"

    An Fei murmured to the little raven perched on her shoulder, her fingers greedily suffusing themselves in the small fox''s fur and its heavenly softness.

    The young girl''s gaze carefully swept over the entire city wall without sparing the smallest crack, heftily abusing the peculiarities of her spiritual essence to evade Yang Jian and the others'' detection.

    If Bone Spirit Town''s circumference could not exceed a kilometer, then Dong Lin City''s frontal wall exceeded several dozen kilometers.

    Furthermore, the walls, though made of a dull grey stone not unlike that of the former''s walls, the structure responsible for the defense of Dong Lin City released a faint cobalt and scarlet light in the young girl''s gaze.

    And if it released particles of light at a fixed pulse, the object was bound to possess a significant quantity of spiritual essence¡­

    "Ah¡­ Dong Lin City," Shen Haoren immersed himself in reminiscence as he blissfully gazed at the stone walls.

    "Brother Shen, wasn''t this the city where you made the biggest mess?"

    Tang Yunhe jostled the middle-aged man''s elbow as he sauntered over, a teasing expression on his countenance as he goaded the latter into spilling more secrets.

    Shen Haoren nodded as the wistful smile on his lips magnified by the second, even morphing into a tangible sneer.

    "Dong Lin City, didn''t they used to have that Tang Ling, the Young Miss of the Tang Clan who wouldn''t stop harassing the other members of the younger generation of the Hundred Clans Coalition? I remember, I did manage to give that brat a good private lesson ¨C ouch! Sorry, Chuyan, it wasn''t intentional, nor am I unfaithful, I promise!"

    The young woman besides him stared into the middle-aged man''s eyes with a baleful glint, causing Shen Haoren to gulp in panic.

    As Tang Yunhe soon joined in to pour oil over the already blazing fire, Yang Jian silently approached the equally silent Tang Shiqi and An Fei.

    "We''ve arrived," the handsome man spoke with a blank countenance.

    "Can you now give us an explanation as to why you needed to be here?"

 218 Travelling to Dong Lin City 2

    Explanation?

    An Fei tilted her head towards the right, her countenance suffused with confusion.

    Ignoring the youth besides her who constantly fell into moody contemplation with an aura of depression and gloom surround his body, the young girl blinked as she glanced back towards the strict-expressioned Yang Jian.

    "That old man was the one who wanted to go to Dong Lin City?" the young girl carelessly tossed out, turning around to view the ascending moon bathed in twilight.

    "I only agreed to travel with the Shen Family. I don''t really¡­ have a destination in mind?"

    Travel with the Shen Family?

    Yang Jian raised an eyebrow at the vague answer that departed from An Fei''s lips; though, sensing that she had no intention of deceiving him, the handsome man merely nodded and turned towards the Third Young Master of the Bone Spirit Town''s Tang Clan.

    "So?"

    "I¡­ I can''t say in public," the youth muttered after an additional breath of hesitation.

    "However, I doubt that Honorable Yang would be hindered much by my intentions of coming to this place."

    Again, Yang Jian was forced to nod in understanding, a thread of frustration weaving through his heart at the inability to discern any further information.

    Returning to dispel a fight that was about to erupt between Shen Haoren, Tang Yunhe, and Wen Jiu, he waved his hands towards the city guard standing nearby.

    "Who are¡­ Honorable Yang!?" the soldier squinted his eyes, before cold sweat flooded his brow.

    Instantly, the city guard motioned for his partner to watch the gate in his stead, whilst he rushed off to greet the Yang Clan''s Young Master.

    With his spine threatening to collapse from the unexpected stress colliding against his back, the experienced city guard bowed towards Yang Jian''s cold and expressionless countenance, his heart shuddering at the appearance of the people besides him.

    Second Young Master Tang, Fourth Young Master Shen, Third Young Master Wen¡­

    Holy heavens!

    But¡­ Fourth Young Master Shen aside, when did the three calamities depart?

    "Honorable Yang¡­ you''ve finally returned!"

    The city guard lied through his teeth, his spear rattling in its holster as it sought to flee the awkward scene.

    As a deafening silence encompassed the surroundings, even the solider deeply agreed with his weapon''s sentiments, even if it meant that he was to derelict from his duty.

    After a few seconds of time which seemed to stretch for eternity, a hint of a smirk devoid of any good intention manifested on Yang Jian''s countenance.

    The Young Master of the Yang Clan that was a part of the upper echelons of the Hundred Clan Coalition raised an eyebrow towards the shivering city guard.

    "I say, when did Du Zhaoze learn that I had left the city?"

    The voice was suppressed and calm, as if he was responding to a random passerby on the street.

    However, the city guard''s heart sunk to the abyss after hearing the spiritless and dull voice, as if he had been condemned into the lowest layers of the Underworld.

    "Honorable Yang¡­ I don''t have any information to that, ah¡­"

    The soldier scratched the back of his head as a forced bashful expression scratched itself on his countenance, wishing that he was prepared to die the next moment.

    Unfortunately, he was destined to receive a peculiar but definitely nerve-wracking pat on the shoulder.

    "I see. Good work defending the city."

    Yang Jian nodded as he lead the others into Dong Lin City, leaving behind one frail and withered city guard.

    An ashen complexion replacing that of his vibrant and rosy aura, the soldier collapsed onto his knees, a pool of foul liquid gathering between his legs.

    "I got to say, that city guard was a sight, ah?"

    Tang Yunhe joked as they passed through the dull yet imposing arch of the city gates and into an inviting scene. As the others burst into piteous or boisterous laughter, An Fei''s eyes carefully took in the new environment with a passive expression.

    Compared to Bone Spirit Town''s five roads system¡­ Dong Lin City was a whole realm above in development.

    The city had been divided into five sectors by cardinal directions, with the central region occupied by its individual sector.

    With a single glance around, however, the young girl realized that the common scene she witnessed was better than Bone Spirit Town''s Purity Road and its specialties.

    In the town, the rich clans barely possessed enough silk to pass around to their Young Misses and Young Masters.

    On the other hand, silk, golden accessories, jade jewelry, and cultivation resources were placed on display in the open ¨C even in wooden stalls.

    Those purchasing them were not limited to the aristocratic layer of society; An Fei even saw a maidservant of a family lead her child around a nearby alley to purchase a thick manual bound by cured leather, the title stamped with bold characters.

    Given from its high-demanding and esoteric name, the manual had to be either a cultivation or martial arts technique.

    "Speaking of martial arts techniques¡­"

    An Fei murmured to herself, pinching at the ends of her hanfu and rushing forwards to catch up with the group.

    Ensuring that she didn''t stray away from Shen Haoren''s position by a distance exceeding three steps, the young girl fell into her own thoughts.

    How many were in this Dong Lin City?

    One million? Two million?

    Each family possessed a beautifully constructed house, and the streets were lit with a strange pearl emitting a constant glow of golden light¡­

    Furthermore, every person she saw on the streets was wearing silken clothing or of luxurious fabric; her hanfu, despite having been weaved from supple and delicate threads obtained from an obscure source, now appeared to be faded and unkempt.

    At the number of eyes constantly piercing into her body and clothing with a tinge of curiosity and disdain, the young girl deliberated whether she should remove her presence to avoid any incoming trouble.

    "I heard from a few sources that the Du Clan was becoming more rampant and aggressive than before."

    Tang Yunhe''s voice drifted into her ear, prompting An Fei to glance at the four men from the corner of her eye.

    Besides her, Shen Haoren and the others had cast aside their frivolous expressions and lighthearted auras, their solemn voices taking advantage of the chaotic din to converse without much need for concealment.

    "Aggressive?" Shen Haoren echoed, his brows creasing in an inquisitive invitation.

    "Have they found an ancestor''s tomb, or did one of their younger generation break into the Core Formation Realm before a hundred years old?"

    "Neither," Tang Yunhe shook his head, a puzzled expression on his countenance.

    "From what I could glean before they killed all of my informants, they had discovered a clue ¨C I believe that''s what their Patriarch joked about on that day. Nine Yellow Reincarnations and the appearance of a seven-tailed fox¡­ that''s all I managed to obtain."

    Six different gasps for breath roared throughout the boisterous and rampant alleyways of Dong Lin City''s western sector, their rapid intake of breath representative of six differing seas of thoughts.

    At the same moment, An Fei''s heart flung into a hitch of caution.

    "Nine Yellow Reincarnation¡­" Shen Haoren murmured, before turning towards Yang Jian.

    "Whilst I was gone, did you find anythi ¨C"

    CAW!

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    An Fei saw the world before her blur into a distortion of color and hues scattered in all directions. Under the guide of the , the young girl expertly moved backwards, her body releasing a faint aura of danger.

    Before her stood an elegantly dressed youth clad in a robe enriched with silver dragons, qilins, and foxes with nine tails.

    In the crowd dressed in silk and embroidered brocade, the young man was as though a divine lance spearing through a sea of foes; the people naturally parted back, clearly unwilling to entangle with him or his guards.

    Six menacing men stood behind the elegantly clad youth, dressed in black steel armor that covered their entire body save for their lips.

    Sheathed at their waist was a longsword with a serrated edge, and a spiked mace rested against their back.

    And for some reason, An Fei''s lips couldn''t cease their twitching.

    As she watched the youth stride in her direction, the young girl was unable to determine whether it was exasperation or bemusement flooding her heart.

    Shaking her head and deciding to depart first and observe later, An Fei stepped to her right to mingle into the crowd ¨C

    "You there, stop!"

 219 Trouble, trouble, trouble 1

    Hastily deciding not to heed the impatient and imposing voice of an arrogant silk-pants young master, An Fei silently dove into the crowd towards her right.

    The little raven reversed its position on her shoulder to watch the young girl''s rear peripherals, its crimson eyes flickering with aghast and distaste.

    "Xiao Hei, who do you think they''re looking for?"

    An Fei muttered as she clapped her hands before her chest, thin streams of spiritual essence rushing through her arms to mingle at the contact between her palms.

    The invisible reservoir greedily absorbed the polarized streams of spiritual essence, the loose threads compressed into a small particle in a matter of seconds.

    "Stop!"

    The imposing cry of an angered young master shocked the crowd into ceasing their movement, their countenances suffused with a hint of intrigue, as well as a thread of concern racing through their eyebrows.

    Many even dropped onto a knee in salute, their foreheads glistening with a bead of sweat.

    The Young Master was angered¡­ someone in Dong Lin City was going to miserably suffer tonight.

    "Damn!"

    An Fei swore under her breath as she was forced to come to a standstill, hiding her figure from the six soldiers by standing behind a bulky man dressed in blacksmith attire.

    As if she were just another citizen fearful of the upper echelons of the city, the young girl crouched low onto the ground, the wide sleeves of her hanfu covering the majority of her countenance from view.

    In her haste, the diagram produced by spiritual essence could only disappear after having been interrupted at the final moment prior to manifestation.

    Thus, as the armor-clad soldiers began to carefully search through the crowd one person at a time, An Fei rubbed at her ribcage with the fingers of her right hand, the coil of spiritual essence in her heart replicating the process of materializing as described by the latter half of the .

    "We''re looking for a young girl dressed in a plain hanfu of indigo and peach brocade," the young master stood at the center of the kneeling crowd, his wide sleeves flapping forth a mighty gust of domination and oppression.

    "Anyone who has information on this person, this Du will not mistreat them! However, if you were to conceal any information or the person herself ¨C I will personally flay you until your bones are ground to dust!"

    The six soldiers completely covered in the black steel armor fanned out to guard the young master dressed in brocade on all angles, the longswords drawn and aimed towards the heads of the crowd.

    Combined with the awestriking reputation and influence of the Du Clan of Dong Lin City, the kneeling people could not quake in terror, though an imperceptible excitement raced underneath.

    The Du Clan of Dong Lin City ¨C this was a clan emphasizing on the pursuit of cultivation, and possessed immense influence not only within the city, but also that of the Hundred Clan Coalition itself!

    The elder''s generations were all endowed and empowered cultivators capable of shaking Great Yong''s lower levels as they wished, and their younger generations were no inferior to their predecessors.

    Even the youth whose guards'' swords were aimed at their heads, could topple the jianghu with his reputation alone¡­

    Du Yongkang, a famed genius in the path of cultivation.

    Though his temper was a little questionable, it was widely forgiven for his tremendously young age in respect to his attainment in cultivation.

    The Du Clan had instilled this Seventh Young Master into the trails befitting that of a practitioner when he was thirteen years old, dedicating the clan''s resources to his disposal.

    Surpassing the Body Tempering Realm at the tender age of fourteen, the Foundation Establishment Realm at seventeen, and now in his eighteenth year, he was approaching the peak of the Spirit Building Realm¡­

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    Granted, his authority as a young master of a clan powerful enough to be matched only when the Shen, Tang, and Wen Clans coalesced their forces together permitted him to squander precious troves of spiritual medicines and pills more than anyone else, but Du Yongkang''s achievements as a sole practitioner could never be underestimated.

    He wasn''t capable of contending against the fabled geniuses who could perform the impossible and surpass realms in combat potential, but within the same cultivation realm, Du Yongkang''s prowess was unmatchable.

    At the battle of Tianqing in which Bei Tang had dispatched their younger generation''s practitioners to cause unrest in Great Yong''s territories, Du Yongkang had single-handedly slayed thirty practitioners of the same realm in a single battle.

    After such a name-changing incident, nobody dared to antagonize this Young Master, fearing for their pitiful lives.

    For such a tyrannical giant of the jianghu''s younger generation to eagerly seek a young girl that he would leverage the influence of his clan¡­

    "Hanfu of indigo and peach brocade¡­"

    An Fei murmured, her voice freezing in the next instant. Time seemed to slow as the young girl glanced down upon her clothing, her lips curling into a hateful smile.

    Mm, her hanfu was plain, with an indigo skirt and an upper vestige of peach blossom.

    It was one of the plainer dresses she could find within the Sanctum''s eye-boggling collection, but the combination of indigo and peach was alluring to An Fei''s taste.

    Before she departed with Shen Haoren, the young girl had swapped out her clothing to reduce any imposing impression obtained from her appearance to befit that of a completely powerless mortal girl, but alas¡­

    She didn''t think that it would be used against her in such a form¡­

    "Coalesce!"

    The young girl whispered in a harsh tone, her scarlet irises flaring at the puzzled expressions of the people besides her morph into surprise and delight.

    As one of them opened their mouth to shout and raise their hand, the invisible diagram that confounded the world materialized into existence over An Fei''s heart.

    The numbing and detached sensation of separating herself from the world once again flooded the young girl''s body to her core, but An Fei could care less about the odd rush of heat and cold surging through her Extraordinary Eight Meridians.

    The young girl clutched the little raven''s stiff body to her bosom as she raced away, her feet lightly striking the ground to weave through the invisible maze of kneeling people.

    "Oops¡­"

    To avoid tripping on the feet of a kneeling elderly person, An Fei accidently took the wrong turn as she rushed forward, discovering herself to have moved closer into the circle of prostrating citizens instead of fleeing the area.

    Just three meters away towards her right, the young girl spotted a tall man standing whilst covered in black steel armor, his lips being the only human article displayed to the public.

    The longsword had gently lowered its tip to stab into the paved ground, the immaculate blade gleaming with the thirst to draw blood. Her gaze focusing on the soldier''s expressionless countenance and the lax grip on the sword, An Fei quickly came up with a ruthless plan.

    A simple plan that was reckless in her opinion, but it could never fail whilst the cloaked her presence from even visual or tactile perception.

    The young girl crept forwards, her hands outstretched before her chest towards the soldier closest to her.

    As she neared the man about to readjust his grip on the longsword, An Fei''s fingertips released an eerie glow, and a spatial distortion manifested at her fingertips.

    The fingers of her right hand released a violet radiance, whilst those of her left exuded a scarlet brilliance.

    "Sorry, but your Young Master is giving me a little too much trouble," An Fei whispered, her fingers just centimeters away from the man''s hand.

    "Since you''ve most likely been hired by him to terrorize many people, you wouldn''t complain, right?"

    With that, the young girl pressed tightly against the armored plate that guarded the soldier''s hand from the world, dispatching the threads of spiritual essence to invade the soldier''s body.

    As she ran away, An Fei didn''t dare look back or slow down as she raced into the alleyways of Dong Lin City''s western sector.

    "Ah?"

    The solder dressed in black steel armor shivered as his right hand unexpectedly twitched, the bones and blood vessels vibrating as two rivers of fire and ice raced into his body.

    The polarized spiritual essence invaded the meridians with ease, plunging into his Governing Vessel and submerging itself into his dantian.

    "What''s going¡­"

    The man frowned, his brows creased as his spine began to quiver in panic. The soldier slapped the back of his right hand to alleviate the unusual sting he had received underneath the armor, only to widen his eyes in dread and pain.

    "Y-y-young Master!"

    The reservoir compressed onto the unified mixture of spiritual essence, triggering the volatile reaction of Yang and Yin attributed spiritual essence to swamp over the area.

    The man''s body bulged through the crevices of his armor as the cyan diagram erupted in his dantian, causing a tidal wave of flesh, bone, and blood to explode onto Dong Lin City.

 220 Trouble, trouble, trouble 2

    Boom!

    The usually impenetrable and terror-imposing plate armor of black steel exploded onto the open street of Dong Lin City, the soldier confined within erupting into shockwave of red, white, and grey.

    Blood splattered onto the paved street, the people kneeling onto the ground, and the five other soldiers as well as Du Yongkang.

    Before they could recover, fragments of bone lodged into the creases of their clothing, striking against the soft corners of their flesh and bodies, drawing forth a wave of pain and disgust.

    "Y-y-young Master, dodge!"

    The soldier closest to him shouted with a clarion call of panic, prompting Du Yongkang to raise his eyebrows in surprise.

    Before the famed genius of cultivation could respond, a finely sliced sheet of human liver slapped onto his countenance with an audible squelch, the severed organ oozing with fresh blood.

    "Heavens¡­"

    At that instant, the crowd could no longer care about the blood splattered over their silken robes and dresses, or the dull aches emanating from their joints and flesh from the rain of bone fragments.

    Everyone audibly gulped as the blood drained from their countenance, and their kneeling quickly transformed into a complete kowtow.

    Someone splattered human liver onto Du Yongkang''s countenance, that was equivalent to completely antagonizing the Du Clan from the younger generation to its ancestors for a hundred years of bloody recompense¡­

    "Ah¡­ ah¡­ ah¡­"

    Du Yongkang''s nostrils were flooded by the rustic and metallic scent of human blood, his countenance covered by a warm and sticky sensation. As his mouth released incoherent sounds of disbelief and shock, the blood seeped into his robes and permanently stained the elegant brocade, and his feet stepped onto a part of the large stomach intestine.

    "Young Mast-"

    Puff!

    The inner organ burst from the unintentional pressure applied by Du Yongkang''s foot, and curled up from the impact before exploding into a slurry of solid and liquid.

    Colorful matter slapped the youth''s legs from below, dealing an accurate and powerful blow to his weakest defenses with a solid spray of dinner, blood, and¡­ chunks.

    This proved to be the ultimate straw that broke the Seventh Young Master of the Du Clan out of his reverie.

    "AH!? WHO DARES ATTACK THIS YOUNG MASTER!?"

    Du Yongkang roared towards the people earnestly kowtowing to him, their foreheads bleeding from the sharp stones clinging to their skin.

    Though their brows were creased in pain, their forehead continued to be pressed onto the ground in increasing haste, their hearts surging with confusion and injustice.

    Young Master, we don''t know as well!

    Please take your wrath onto the true culprit, not us innocent folk!

    Du Yongkang appeared to have recognized this reasoning as well, for the youth dressed in the ruined brocade swiftly wiped the carnage from his countenance.

    A bloodied smear sneering at him from outside, the Young Master of the Du Clan stamped his foot in frustration, his voice laced with an immense killing intent.

    "Order the clan to mobilize all of the forces available for immediate action," the youth commanded.

    "I want the culprit found so they may be publicly tortured and executed for committing such a vile act!"

    "Understood, Young Master!"

    The five remaining soldiers clasped their fists in salute, rushing off into different alleyways to report to the Du Clan in all haste.

    His mouth suffused with the coppery and greasy taste of foreign blood, Du Yongkang departed from the area, his heart boiling with rage.

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    Whoever was responsible, they were bound to suffer an absolutely miserable torture that even the Underworld''s punishments appealed on their behalf!

    ¨C

    "What''s going on over there?"

    Shen Haoren grimaced as he glanced towards the end of the street, his eyebrow raised in bemusement.

    Besides him, Tang Yunhe and Wen Jiu similarly creased their brows, a pondering expression glancing their countenance.

    "The spiritual essence fluctuation seemed to be that of the Du Clan''s unique martial art, , but it was terminated prematurely," Yang Jian muttered as he walked at the front of the group.

    "What''s going on? Brother Yang, the Du Clan doesn''t dare disrupt public order even with their overinflated ego, right?"

    Tang Yunhe sauntered as he clapped Shen Haoren on the back, before running to match pace with the Young Master of the Yang Clan.

    "Out of the four of us, only your Yang Clan can stand on equal footing with the Du Clan," Wen Jiu revealed a faint smile.

    "Brother Yang, we''re counting on you¡­ ah? Where did the Young Miss go?"

    Shen Haoren''s eyebrows shot towards the sky as his body lurched to a sudden stop at Wen Jiu''s statement.

    Just as he was about to dispatch a sarcastic remark towards the handsome man who seemed to have found his moment of spring whilst in a battle, the middle-aged man''s spine shivered with fear.

    She really was gone!

    Second Elder Sister was going to flay him alive when she finds out!

    "This¡­"

    Shen Haoren''s wife pondered whilst in a solemn mood.

    As Tang Yunhe, Wen Jiu, and Tang Shiqi''s minds spiraled into odd thoughts, the heartwarming panting of a young maiden soon drifted into the enhanced ears of the practitioners.

    "You¡­ left me behind!"

    An Fei groaned as she rushed towards the group with a countenance dazzled with beads of sweat, her chest heaving from a lack of air.

    The slightly loosened clothing and the faint blush on her cheeks from the exertion caused Wen Jiu''s heart to soar into the ninth sky, prompting the little raven to gnash its beak without realizing the reason why.

    That wasn''t a false complaint; she had accidently entered the wrong streets as she was fleeing from the incident with Du Yongkang, prompting her to travel halfway throughout the entire western sector of Dong Lin City before she faintly discerned the position of Shen Haoren and his heavy, plodding feet!

    Combined with the cruel suppression on her abilities imposed by the world¡­ her speed could not compare to even Tang Shiqi''s pace if she didn''t dare utilize spiritual essence¡­

    Ah, how misfortunate!

    "Young Miss¡­"

    The bachelor''s heart within Wen Jiu burst at the inadvertent temptation emanating from An Fei''s body, and he stepped forward with a warm and consoling smile on his countenance.

    The handsome man outstretched a wandering hand towards the young girl''s head, but was ruthlessly intercepted by a golden streak of light.

    Caw!

    "Ouch!"

    Wen Jiu''s hand retreated backwards at the fastest speed he could muster, but a faint light managed to create a long, thin wound on the underside of his palm.

    The little raven puffed its head in a triumphant glare as the handsome man stumbled, his eyes widening in disbelief.

    "Young Miss, ah¡­" Wen Jiu could only muster after a wry smile broke onto his countenance.

    "Your raven¡­ is quite powerful, to be able to break my defense!"

    "What? A mortal raven shattered Brother Wen''s defense to inflict an injury?" Tang Yunhe''s eyes bulged in surprise.

    "Brother Wen''s clan''s unique martial arts technique is an unconscious defensive barrier to prevents many attacks underneath the practitioner''s attainment in cultivation from scratching the skin and piercing flesh, but a mortal raven could bypass it¡­"

    Yang Jian''s interest could only be piqued after the combined surprise of both Tang Yunhe and Wen Jiu, and he turned around to face An Fei''s still heaving figure.

    The handsome man successfully ignored the fragrant, unconscious charm hovering around the average-appearance young girl, his hand extended towards the little raven perched on her shoulder.

    "May the Young Miss allow this one to inspect the young raven?"

    Yang Jian asked in an expressionless voice, his countenance devoid of any fluctuation and steady regardless of the circumstance.

    "This¡­" An Fei hesitated, her eyes narrowing in confusion.

    "Xiao Hei¡­ is only a normal raven? There isn''t anything special about him, so there shouldn''t be a need to investigate¡­"

    The little raven graced the young girl a favor by remaining silent and preening its feathers with a docile demeanor, though the implied remark about it existing as a mutant breed echoed in its mind with deafening roars.

    The young girl similarly glanced back towards the handsome man with a confused expression on her countenance, portraying the essence of an innocent and clueless girl.

    At the unexpected refusal, Yang Jian''s proffered hand twitched, but was soon retracted without a further word.

    "Young lady, you might want to¡­ ah¡­"

    The young woman besides Shen Haoren suddenly remarked, her expression slightly queer as she glanced towards the young girl.

    "Ah? Is there something wrong?" An Fei''s head tilted towards the right, a finger trailing at the base of her chin.

    "Your clothes¡­"

    "Clothes?"

    The young girl paused, her glance traveling downwards to rest upon her body. The dress was intact, though the collars were slightly loosened, revealing a little more skin of her collarbone than necessary¡­

    "O-oh¡­"

    An Fei reached for the clasp of the hanfu to tighten it, causing Wen Jiu to gulp and kiss his throbbing bachelor''s heart a hopeful farewell.

    Just as her fingers rested onto the cotton strip, the young girl couldn''t help but freeze in place.

    She had forgotten to change her clothing, and they were standing on an open street-

    "Freeze!"

 221 Trouble, trouble, trouble 3

    Before anyone could react, they had been completely encircled by a platoon of troops.

    The soldiers leapt from the dark alleyways branching from various increments of the street, some even bursting out from nearby storehouses to intercept the group''s location.

    The forty soldiers angled their weapons towards the heart, the halberd clasped within their hands menacing and gleaming with an obvious desire for blood.

    As she blinked, An Fei''s countenance couldn''t help but blanch at the appearance of the platoon that had forced them to a standstill.

    Black steel armor that covered the entire body save for an obtuse pair of lips, a longsword sheathed at their waist.

    A spiked mace rested at their back, each movement inciting an ear-splitting clatter of metal on metal.

    If that wasn''t enough information to cause the young girl to grimace in disgust, the apparent leader of the platoon sported a massive flag that hung behind him, swinging in its full glory despite the lack of a midnight breeze.

    A plain flag of scarlet fabric and without any embellishment or decorations, but a single name.

    Du.

    "Du again¡­"

    Shen Haoren groaned as he palmed his back, biting on his lips as he glanced around towards the sides of the street.

    The middle-aged man hummed as he pushed his wife and children to a safer location ¨C sandwiched between the protective triangle of Tang Yunhe, Wen Jiu, and Yang Jian.

    "Come, braggarts from the Du Clan!"

    Shen Haoren roared towards the encirclement of troops clad in armor, his outstretched right hand clad in a faint sheen of azure arcs of lightning.

    The cloudless night sky hummed as the chaotic drum of thunder reverberated throughout, the heavens rousing from their midnight slumber to vent their fury.

    "The Du Clan has forced me to leave once, this Young Master wishes to know if they have the galls to attempt a second time!"

    "Uncle Shen, there''s no need for you to become so angry. The Du Clan isn''t after such a despicable act as digging up past grudges."

    The voice of a young man echoed behind the platoon''s leader, the latter stepping aside and onto one knee as he dipped his head into a respectful bow.

    Watching the following soldiers relinquish their malicious intent and stand at guard, the young girl''s right eye suddenly twitched.

    "The Du Clan isn''t after my head, or isn''t willing to dig up past grudges?" the middle-aged man raised an eyebrow, unrelenting in his preparation of manifesting his spiritual artefact.

    "That''s rather different from the Du Clan that this Young Master is used to. Brat from the Du Clan, who are you?"

    The platoon leader inadvertently coughed as his countenance veiled behind the black steel helmet blossomed with a crimson flush of embarrassment, not daring to glance at Shen Haoren''s physically imposing figure.

    Patting the flag inscribed with the Du Clan''s name and stepping forward to reveal his presence, Du Yongkang clasped his hands in an ordinary salute of the jianghu.

    "This youngster is surnamed Du, given Yongkang," the youth smiled, a calm demeanor emanating from his body.

    "As for Uncle Shen''s question, the Du Clan is indeed not after past grudges regarding the Shen Family. Instead, we''re after the young girl besides you."

    As if to emphasize his point, the youth extended his finger to point directly towards An Fei''s slightly exhausted countenance.

    "Ah, here we go again¡­"

    This time, it was not a mere eight pairs of eyes boring holes into her body from all directions, but a combined total of forty-nine gazes tinged with interest and curiosity.

    The young girl finished adjusting her clothing with subtle motions as previously directed by Shen Haoren''s wife, her countenance distorting into a strange expression.

    "This Young Master Du here," An Fei called out with a strange, suppressed voice.

    "Did Young Master Du claim that the Du Clan was not here to seek remittance for past grudges?"

    The youth''s eyebrows soared towards the heavens, the anger and humiliation at letting a mortal girl escape his grasp brimming at the peak of his heart.

    Taking a deep breath to calm his trembling emotions, Du Yongkang stepped forward, grabbing the longsword from a nearby soldier''s waist and pointing it towards the young girl''s throat.

    "I previously said that towards Uncle Shen, not you ¨C a mortal girl of no importance," he scowled, the slightly appealing countenance sneering with malice and a sinister intent.

    "You previously attempted to rob from me, and you think you can get away with it?"

    Rob?

    The young girl tilted her head in confusion, her mood completely unaffected by the lethal length of steel aimed directly towards her throat.

    An Fei patted the small fox''s fur with her fingers, her mind flickering with a few crafty thoughts.

    "Young Master Du, did you not attempt to capture me because of my raven?" the young girl taunted with a cold smile.

    "Young Master Du, you mustn''t be like this, ah. If you desire something, you must say so ¨C there is no need in attempting to kidnap a young girl to exhort her of her treasures¡­"

    "What treasures could a mortal girl possibly posses that could interest my eyes ¨C Du Yongkang''s eyes!?"

    The youth tapped his foot onto the ground, his eyes narrowed as he assessed An Fei''s smiling expression.

    Realizing that neither Shen Haoren nor Tang Yunhe, Wen Jiu, or even Yang Jian whose Yang Clan posed a terrifying threat to his Du Clan moved in the young girl''s defense, Du Yongkang revealed a glacial smile.

    "You, mortal girl, could never possess a treasure that could tempt me," the youth sneered as he raised his chin to glare downwards towards the young girl''s bosom.

    "However, you do possess another practitioner''s treasure ¨C after all, a spiritual beast would never willingly submit to a mortal. Speak honestly, from whom did you rob that three tailed spiritual fox from!? The Du Clan will spare you if you reveal the truth, and will reward you if you hand it over!"

    Shen Haoren''s lips twitched at the youth''s statement, his countenance tinged with indecision as he glanced towards the young girl. Similarly, Tang Yunhe and Wen Jiu could only remain silent as they bored holes into An Fei''s back with their gaze.

    It was unfortunate that their clans could not contest with that of the Du Clan''s influence without joining hands; such a risky move was unwarranted nor desirable for any of their families unless it was absolutely necessary, for the price was too high.

    Shen Haoren had to answer to his Second Elder Sister regarding the safety of the young girl due to their Patriarch''s divination, whilst Wen Jiu''s heart had blossomed with spring.

    It was a tragedy that they could not prioritize their missions compared to their identity as members of the Hundred Clan Coalition ¨C of which their clan''s rankings were decided by a single step.

    Thus, one middle-aged man and two handsome men directed their gaze onto Yang Jian''s smooth and steady countenance, their eyes containing a hint of pleading and expectation.

    "Brother Yang¡­"

    "Brothers¡­ I am truly apologetic about this matter," Yang Jian interrupted Shen Haoren''s words, his voice unhindered by any emotional inflection or compassion.

    "However much I wish to assist this Young Miss, the Yang Clan would not exert its authority for a mortal in any circumstance. Furthermore, I alone cannot surpass the Du Clan''s influence, nor can us four accomplish such a miracle even after joining hands."

    "This¡­" Tang Yunhe''e voice cracked with hesitation.

    "Young Miss, this Yang''s suggestion is to hand the spiritual fox towards the Du Clan ¨C this would ease the conflict and allow the Young Miss to thrive in Dong Lin City. The Du Clan''s favor cannot be underestimated in any regard."

    Having dispatched his advice, Yang Jian folded his hands and faced forwards, his countenance rigid and unshifting regardless of the aggrieved pleas from his brother''s gazes.

    Glancing from the corner of his eyes, Tang Shiqi''s brows flickered as they settled onto the handsome man''s back with an unknown sentiment.

    "Uncle Yang, this youngster offers his respect!"

    Du Yongkang laughed as he clasped his hands towards Yang Jian, turning his gaze to leer towards An Fei.

    "Mortal girl, your partners aren''t willing to sacrifice their clans to assist you in your predicament. So, what will you do ¨C you aren''t capable of providing the resources to properly sustain the spiritual fox''s development, and our Du Clan''s favor is not one that can be casually tossed and reclaimed ¨C this should be an easy decision, am I correct?"

    The young girl''s eyes lowered onto the paved ground, her lips moving without a sound.

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    As they awaited her decision, the little raven perched on her shoulder suddenly quivered with a cold sensation piercing through his heart.

    Roar!

    Not again¡­

 222 Trouble, trouble, trouble 4

    Boom!

    Tiles of processed and paved limestone scattered across the area as an object barreled into the ground from above, heading towards Du Yongkang''s surprised countenance with an unstoppable momentum.

    A powerful, bloodthirsty roar echoed throughout the deserted street as the handle-less sword rushed forth, a scarlet river heralding its march through the unforgiving desert of war.

    "Hmph!"

    The youth snorted as he extended his palm forwards, the hand emitting a faint golden radiance.

    Du Yongkang murmured underneath his breath for a brief moment, before steadying his position on the paved road with both feet firmly planted.

    "!"

    In the face of an approaching landslide of malice and bloodthirst, an imprint of three golden orbs etched itself onto the center of Du Yongkang''s palm, the radiance emitting from the thin lines brightening the midnight sky to reveal a silver lining in the clouds.

    The moment the imprint solidified its existence, the aura emanating from his body experienced a significant change.

    Spiritual essence coiled around the youth''s body at an elevated concentration sufficient to manifest visible light, wrapping around his torso with twin coiled rivers of gold.

    As Du Yongkang stood in the street in front of the rage-driven handle-less steel sword, the two coils of spiritual essence surged towards his right hand.

    ", and he has manifested two of the three rivers¡­"

    Tang Yunhe released an audible gasp as he lurched a step backwards, his countenance gradually paling in shock and disbelief.

    "Completing the Initial Three Points and progressing through the Five River Stones at such a young age¡­"

    The martial arts technique employed by Du Yongkang was sufficient to startle Tang Yunhe and cause his mouth to incessantly twitch, but the youth''s attainment in cultivation was the final blow that caused the handsome man''s heart to suffer a massive impact.

    Tang Yunhe''s expression soured to the absolute worst he could muster, before becoming inundated by shame and self-disgust.

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    A brat who wasn''t even twenty years of age¡­ and he had already encroached upon the later stages of the Spirit Building Realm.

    He, Tang Yunhe, had only reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm when he was at that age, and it was accomplished with the towering assistance of his Master expending a significant quantity of medicinal herbs!

    Cultivation was divided into realms, and martial arts techniques were disassembled into stages.

    Initial Three Points, Five River Stones, Small River, and Large River.

    The Initial Three Points signified the bare minimum of qualification that a practitioner could achieve in the attainment of practicing a martial arts technique.

    The spiritual essence of the practitioner was capable of molding itself to the strains desired by the technique, and with practiced fluidity of the practitioner, intervene with the world to employ a tangible result.

    The Du Clan''s ''s Initial Three Points was the completed manifestation of the imprint of the golden suns on the right hand''s palm, drawing the sigil of the bringer of sunlight.

    The sigil granted a temporary manipulation of the practitioner''s capabilities to their finest, enhancing their physique''s ability by at least three folds.

    The Five River Stones resembled the general attainment of the practitioner in the development of the martial arts technique ¨C they could exhibit the unique traits of the technique that allowed it to distinguish itself from the rest; manifest a sea of flames, crystalize particles into a sea of drifting ice, introduce a gentle breeze in a silent environment¡­

    The Five River Stones established the standard of which a martial arts technique, with the assistance of spiritual essence provided by the practitioner, could directly manipulate the elements and properties of the world.

    It was at this stage that the practitioner could exert influence that far surpassed the limits of their attainment in cultivation, to rip at the threshold and identity that of a mortal.

    As for the Small River and Large River stages¡­ Tang Yunhe had not obtained the privilege of receiving such information.

    Not even his Master could surpass the Small River stage at a sufficient degree to properly explain to her disciple, and the Du Clan''s Patriarch was trapped at the Small River of his ¡­

    "Coalesce!"

    The twin rivers fused into Du Yongkang''s palm, prompting the golden imprint of three suns to erupt with a dazzling radiance that enveloped the entire area.

    Within their surroundings, midnight was chased away to welcome daylight, the darkened sky replaced by a sea of golden light.

    As though it had received prompting from the youth, the sea began to surge towards the blazing trail that was the handle-less sword¨C

    Boom!

    "Argh!"

    The pained cry of a youth echoed throughout the area as the golden sea of light was forcefully eviscerated and quelled into nihility.

    Du Yongkang''s figure soared through the air to land several meters away from his original position, his appearance completely tattered and ragged compared to his reclaimed elegance and nobility.

    Similarly, the forty soldiers of the Du Clan''s platoon had been knocked onto their feet, though their fates were not as fortunate as their Young Master.

    Half of them lay on the ground without their legs, whilst the remainder gulped at the shocking sight of their arms detached so far away from their body.

    The black steel armor had been ground into dust and sprinkled over their heads, creating a nauseating paste of reddish black surrounding their bodies.

    Not only that, the soldiers discovered to their horror that their throats had been sealed by a mysterious force, preventing them from shouting aloud to relieve their pain by the slightest iota.

    "What¡­ just happened¡­"

    The was defeated just like that¡­

    Even if it was from a youth who was inexperienced in utilizing the technique, a defeat from a single blow was unbelievable and far too astonishing¡­

    Tang Yunhe, Wen Jiu, and Yang Jian simultaneously shivered at the might displayed by the mysterious object that had struck an overwhelming blow onto Du Yongkang, the esteemed genius of the Du Clan''s younger generation.

    Their spiritual essence was agitated to the maximum as they sought to discern the origins of such strength, their sea of perception fluctuating into overdrive.

    "It ended just like that¡­" Shen Haoren mused, his eyes inadvertently glancing over the young girl''s downcast figure.

    "Just what is this young lass''s identity, to have such a powerful expert protecting her from the shadows¡­"

    The middle-aged man wiped at his brow with a handkerchief offered by his wife, his hands nervously patting at his bulging belly for relief.

    As he recalled his interactions with An Fei, Shen Haoren finally released an exhausted by joyous sigh towards the midnight sky.

    "I haven''t said anything that would have me killed by that expert¡­ Second Elder Sister, this task is a little too strenuous, ah¡­"

    An Fei aroused herself from her momentary reverie, the scarlet irises blinking away the temporary haze to be replaced by the customary dull sheen.

    The young girl tapped the little raven awake from its self-induced bout of unconsciousness, ignoring the silent glare of crimson eyes.

    "Do you think¡­ I overdid it?"

    An Fei hastily whispered, her eyes carefully roaming around to discover that everyone else was either standing in place trapped in their own mental confusion, or hastily probing their surroundings as if searching for a hidden treasure like Tang Shiqi.

    The young girl''s heart jumped with satisfaction at the distraction imposed by the abrupt appearance and disappearance of the handle-less sword, though the prolonged silence was sufficient to trigger her concern.

    Of course you overdid it, you stinky lass!

    To waste that goddamned illegitimate child of a sword''s divine strength on a brat who hadn''t weaned from his mother''s milk¡­

    The little raven turned to face the other direction, clearly unwilling to listen to An Fei''s questions any further. Forced to relent with pursed lips and an awkward chuckle, the young girl quietly crept forward to gently tap Shen Haoren on the back.

    "Do you think that we should move soon?"

    "What?"

    The middle-aged man bolted at the unexpected stimulus on his back, his voice screechy and high pitched in his fright.

    After realizing that the culprit for the momentary shock was none other than An Fei, Shen Haoren''s back secretly trailed with lines of cold sweat, though an arrogant expression graced his countenance.

    "Move soon? We should indeed move soon ¨C those soldiers appear to be on their last legs and could perish anytime soon. Staying behind whilst waiting for the youngster to wake would probably be a bad idea."

    The middle-aged man silently cursed as he plodded off to awake his brothers, leaving his wife to stop their children and Tang Shiqi from devouring their surroundings with their eyes.

    Having been forced to resurface after hastily immersing themselves into their sea of perception, Tang Yunhe, Wen Jiu, and Yang Jian equally displayed displeased expressions, but eagerly cooperated to depart from the area as swiftly as possible.

    Hopefully that Du Yongkang wasn''t crippled in any form ¨C otherwise, the Du Clan would probably rain a slew of curses and trouble onto their heads.

 223 An unexpected breakthrough 1

    After successfully fleeing from the incident regarding the Du Clan for the second time, An Fei finally managed to obtain a breather.

    The young girl leaned against the stone wall not from physical exhaustion, for her mind was exceedingly sore from the series of events.

    People¡­ could become this troublesome, even in the ancient age ¨C no, more so because they were in the ancient age¡­

    Having averted a momentary crisis, Yang Jian had led the rest towards a nearby inn owned by the Yang Clan, a subsidiary host to exert their influence over Dong Lin City.

    Standing from afar and marveling at the scenic building, the young girl was forced to deliver an appraisal worthy of praise.

    The entire inn was four stories high, with a perimeter exceeding three hundred meters in a rectangular compound.

    Compared to the surrounding buildings that could barely afford a supplementary length of fifteen meters, the inn was a massive powerhouse that dominated the street''s income.

    Conforming direct to the ancient and conservative themes of fashion with the wooden skywells, clay tile panels for the roof, and animalistic carvings and sculptures serving as the silent sentinels of the inn.

    Furthermore, the exterior composition of the building was of a series of fragrant wooden materials with iron beams, creating a rather homely atmosphere in contrast to the more solemn and desolate aura seeping through the midnight streets of Dong Lin City.

    "Brother Yang, your Yang Clan truly has a nice taste in construction, ah."

    Shen Haoren patted the handsome man on the back, taking the initiative to lead the group into the inn owned by the Yang Clan.

    With a disheartened sigh and a flicker of regret flashing across his countenance, Yang Jian gestured for the rest to follow the middle-aged man with a potbelly and a horrendous tune escaping his lips.

    "Brother Shen¡­ that''s lacking way too much tact¡­"

    Tang Yunhe shrugged with a wry smile as he sauntered in hand-in-hand with Wen Jiu, the latter constantly craning his head to peek back towards a certain young girl.

    Unsure of what she was bound to thrust herself into, An Fei toddled behind Shen Haoren''s wife and children, with Tang Shiqi''s pair of eyes constantly focused on her visage from the side.

    "Xiao Hei¡­"

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    Caw!

    The little raven screeched towards the youth of the Tang Clan in an act of intimidation that was sorely wasted.

    As the little creature began to sulk after realizing that Tang Shiqi''s expression had hardly shifted, Shen Haoren''s garrulous voice echoed from inside the inn.

    "That''s right; little lass, the Yang Clan''s inns usually don''t allow talkative spiritual beasts. Shut that raven up or it''ll have to stay outside for the night!"

    CAW!

    The little raven''s eyes bulged as it soared into the air, an invisible shockwave traversing through space to strike the receding figure of Shen Haoren squarely on the central vertebrae on his spine.

    Without taking the time to admire its handiwork, the malicious creature returned to its perch on the young girl''s shoulder, its feathers puffed forward in pride.

    An Fei was to serve as witness for the middle-aged man''s screech of pain, though she quickly ducked her head to avoid Yang Jian''s reproachful and inquisitive stare.

    If only the little raven could be obedient and quiet as the small fox¡­ but that was surely bound to be impossible, right?

    "Oh?" Tang Yunhe gasped in admiration as he stepped into the reception hall of the inn.

    "Brother Yang, the Yang Clan truly wasted no small amount of resources for this project. You have your brother''s respect once again, ah!"

    When An Fei finally obtained the opportunity to enter the towering behemoth of the street, the young girl similarly couldn''t restrain the surprised gasp of air escaping her lips.

    A large, crystalline chandelier hung from the ceiling, the crystals embedded on the silver structure bestowing a bath of multicolored light onto the ground.

    Each portion of the interior received the blessing of a different hue of light, creating a mysterious scene to dazzle their eyes.

    Compared to the external appearance that of an ancient and conservative themed inn, the interior was unique and rather interesting. Instead of dividing the building by the floors, the Yang Clan''s inn had relegated them to platforms.

    The center of the building had been left empty to accommodate the massive chandelier and the spiral stairs leading to each of the platforms.

    On the sides, An Fei could spot numerous doors marked with numbers, as well as a railing to provide a modicum of safety to the customers of the inn.

    The ground floor was the only region of the inn fully intact to its original d

    esign, but the decorations had been swapped for a different appearance. There was no sporadic expenditure of furniture, only a few potted plants and herbs neatly placed throughout the ground floor.

    Her curiosity intrigued, An Fei prodded the middle-aged man''s shoulder whilst he was substantially distracted.

    "Do you know what those herbs are?"

    "Huh?"

    Shen Haoren blinked, his countenance flickering with comprehension and admiration as his gaze followed the direction in which the young girl''s finger pointed towards.

    The middle-aged man patted his hands, his voice automatically adjusting itself to that of an authoritative figure in the path of seeking knowledge.

    "Don''t take the sparseness of furniture in the ground floor as a bad thing, ah," Shen Haoren explained with a casual but awed voice.

    "The Yang Clan was indeed wise-minded when they constructed the inn ¨C see that? Those are herbs attributed with Yin and Yang; seven spiritual herbs of Yang, when arranged to encircle four spiritual herbs of Yin in all directions save for one, they coalesce into a generic array utilized in accumulating and concentrating the quantity of atmospheric spiritual essence in the building."

    "It''s just a rudimentary array utilized to gather atmospheric spiritual qi at a higher rate than outside, which incites cultivators to rent rooms in this inn for several months or years at a time," Tang Yunhe joined the group to interrupt Shen Haoren''s brief lecture.

    "The Yang Clan is displaying their authority and influence here; these herbs are rare and their efficacy is unbelievable, creating a simple but powerful array at literally no cost in either establishment or maintenance. Aih, our Tang Clan doesn''t have the ability to invest in our outside projects like Brother Yang''s clan¡­"

    The handsome man''s countenance became exceedingly glum, and he even sported a few sentimental tears to mist around his eyes.

    Before Tang Yunhe could launch himself into a piteous tirade to scam some wealth from his dear "esteemed" brother Yang Jian, a ruthless hand chopped onto his head without any prior notice."

    "Enough, my Yang Clan isn''t that omnipotent, and your Tang Clan isn''t that far behind, either."

    Yang Jian tossed several wooden plaques marked with numbers to Shen Haoren, before distributing two more towards Tang Yunhe and Wen Jiu respectively.

    The handsome man''s cold and detached countenance didn''t fluctuate as he didn''t hesitate to reject any questions regarding how he had obtained the plaques in the absence of any reception staff, instead shooing them to climb the spiral stairs of ivory.

    "So¡­ I''m staying with you?"

    An Fei''s expression was rather odd as she glanced towards a fairly young and vibrant, youthful girl standing next to her. The young girl tilted her head towards the right, her lips threatening to twitch at an unforgivable pace.

    This was Shen Haoren''s daughter¡­ but what was her name again?

    Fortunately, the opposite party didn''t have a malicious heart to keep the young girl struggling in her mind to dig through her memory and discover a name that hadn''t been imparted to her yet.

    The youthful girl extended a delicate and well-natured hand towards An Fei, her beautiful countenance beaming with a wonderful smile.

    "Ah, my name is Ming Yue; you should be well acquainted with my father, no? We''ll be staying together often, so let''s have a great time here in Dong Lin City, ah?"

    An Fei hesitantly took the proffered hand and lightly squeezed it, her countenance trembling between indecision and rejection.

    Ultimately, the young girl sighed, her heart giving up in defeat whilst spinning another spool of defense around itself.

    "I''m Xu Lingxue. good¡­ to be your acquaintance."

    A little white lie, but it wouldn''t do any good for Shen Ming Yue to learn her actual name or identity.

    Likewise, utilizing a false identity would only bring benefits towards the young girl, especially given her present circumstances.

    Being hunted by the Hundred Clan Coalition, three Great Empires, and Three Great Sects was not good for anyone''s liver or heart, ah.

    "Ah Xue, ah?"

    Shen Ming Yue seemed to be unaware of the brooding thoughts germinating within the young girl''s heart, for her countenance and mood remained joyous and bright as she yanked An Fei into the room.

    The youthful girl shook her fist towards the young girl, her voice energetic and warm as soon as she had closed the door.

    "Here in Dong Lin City, and where we''ll be visiting in the future, we''re going to run into a lot of Young Masters and arrogant cultivators. At that time, you only need to sit back and watch ¨C this Elder Sister will knock them away with a single fist!"

    ¡­An Fei could only awkwardly comply and touch her fist against the youthful girl''s, her heart threatening to smash itself onto a block of silken tofu.

 224 An unexpected breakthrough 2

    In the end, An Fei was forced to call Shen Ming Yue, "Big Sister."

    As the young girl faced the condescending gazes of a little raven and a small fox, the waves of shame and depression rocked her closed heart into the jagged edges of the sky-piercing cliff.

    An Fei sighed and raised a hand to directly whack the little creature onto the ground, extending her fingers to torment the small fox for another round.

    She didn''t have a choice!

    When Shen Ming Yue directed such a lascivious stare onto her body and threatened to strip and punish her otherwise, she didn''t have a choice but to raise the white flag into the heavens and wave them even if the earth fell down the next day!

    "Ah¡­"

    The young girl''s open mouth released another exhausted and exasperated exhale of breath, her countenance dull and devoid of much interest.

    An Fei leaned into the slightly uncomfortable bed provided by the inn, her irritated mind seeking additional objects to amuse itself on its whim.

    "Something wrong?" Shen Ming Yue raised her head from her bed, her limbs stretched to their fullest as she released a happy cry of relief.

    "No, nothing''s wrong¡­"

    Given Shen Haoren''s advanced age and her status as the first-born child, Shen Ming Yue was considerably older than An Fei''s current body, for she had attained her nineteenth birthday a few months ago.

    With her seemingly perpetually bright and envigored personality as well as her stunning appearance, the youthful daughter of the Shen Clan had been plagued by an endless line of suitors knocking on her door since her debut as a Young Miss.

    Tall height, slender limbs, an outgoing personality that wasn''t shy of interacting with the average stranger as long as they weren''t a shameless, creepy pervert, and a dazzling countenance to wipe all insults towards the ground without a single exchange, Shen Ming Yue could be named as the penultimate achievement of Shen Haoren''s life.

    In comparison¡­

    An Fei was short, rather introverted, and more likely to butcher the average passerby regardless of their distorted mental outlook at the first exchange of words¡­

    ¡­and her cultivation was brutally suppressed by the world until she was suffocated and struggling to wheeze through the last gasp of air, whilst Shen Ming Yue could boast around her strength as a late Foundation Establishment Realm practitioner!

    "Younger Sister, do you want to have some nightly fun?"

    The teasing voice filtered itself through the air to smack onto the young girl''s ear, causing An Fei''s body to contort in discomfort.

    The young girl dove deeper into the bedsheets, covering her ears with the cotton blankets to the best of her ability.

    "I''m going to sleep, no need!"

    Ahem, even this seemingly perfect role model of a female cultivator that was a beauty could possess such a flaw, it seemed the heavens were not so partial after all¡­

    ¨C

    An Fei found herself standing before an unusual sight.

    In every direction, there was absolutely nothing to be seen, and the encompassing darkness chilled her to the bone, pouring into her heart with a bleak and desolate emotion.

    She seemed to have returned to the void, of which she had glimpsed at in a previous dream many months ago.

    Only¡­

    "What do you see?"

    She wasn''t the only person standing in the void and observing the principle of nihility at its purest essence. A few meters to her side, the young girl could see a little lass standing next to an elderly man.

    Her eyes narrowed in surprise, before expanding rapidly in surprise.

    "Those two¡­"

    An Fei gasped, her mind resounding from the shock as she stared at the elderly figure and the young lass standing next to each other.

    The young girl lurched a step forward, though her body inadvertently came to a halt without her even becoming aware of it.

    Those two¡­ hadn''t she seen them before?

    However, that was in the picturesque garden, where they discussed something about a mortal soul and mortal cultivation¡­

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    So, what were they doing in this cold and empty void?

    "What do you see?"

    The elderly man gently rubbed the little lass'' head with an affectionate smile, his arm outstretched and pointing towards an incongruent location before him.

    The little lass squinted as she attempted to peer through nihility itself, before lowering her gaze in a dejected sigh.

    "Grandfather, I don''t see anything!" the little lass complained with a small pout encroaching on her delicate lips.

    "This is the third time you''ve asked this question, but what am I supposed to see?"

    The grandfather''s wrinkled countenance burst into warm laughter as his arms consoled the small temper tantrum of the little lass.

    The elderly man swept towards the void, his sleeved arm embracing and encircling the empty darkness as though it were a pool of water.

    "The void may possess nothing, but how come I see a river of stars? The void displays nothing, but why can I feel the fiery blaze of the countless desires of mortals brushing against my fingers?"

    "But there''s truly nothing there!"

    The little lass brushed her arm forward in the same location the elderly man had swept his arm through.

    Underneath the elder''s smile, the little lass patted at the empty darkness around her, the confusion on her countenance becoming ever more pronounced by the second.

    "Is there truly nothing there?" the elderly man rubbed the little lass'' head for a second time, before pointing towards another region of the void with his gnarled finger.

    "Do not try to decipher the void''s secrets with your eyes, but with your heart. When your heart reaches out towards your surroundings, what do you see?"

    The elderly man adjusted their position that his arms rested against the shoulders of the little lass, anchoring her still within the realm of nihility.

    Though her lips maintained the pout of resistance, the little lass closed her eyes and stretched her arms before her to their maximum length.

    "I see¡­ I see¡­" the little lass'' lips mumbled as they parted with astonishment and delight, before being crudely replaced by a cunning smile.

    "I see¡­ I see¡­ nothing! Grandfather, I don''t see anything!"

    "Ah? What are you, a mortal?"

    The elder raised a gnarled knuckle to lightly but securely rub deeply against the little lass'' forehead, the warmth in his smile magnifying by the second as he heard her playful shouts of pain.

    The grandfather finally relinquished his lecture after the little lass had waved the white flag and sued for peace, before raising his finger to point into the sea of emptiness once again.

    "So, my cunning little granddaughter who tries to trip one over her blind grandfather, what did you see?"

    The little lass''s countenance flickered with an uncertain emotion, but she eventually raised her gaze to stare into the elderly man''s eyes, her voice reflecting her confusion and desire to know more.

    "I saw the entire Realm, with Grandmother, Grand-Uncle Ling, Grand-Uncle Wen, Grand-Uncle Fang, Big Uncle Fang, and many, many others! Grandfather, what does that mean?"

    "Nothing, just that my granddaughter is truly talented and imaginative, haha!"

    The grandfather heartily laughed as he patted the little lass on the back, his body trembling with mirth and affection.

    As An Fei silently observed their dissipating figures, she saw a strain of bleakness rush through the elder''s countenance, before darkness soon overtook her mind.

    ¨C

    "¡­what¡­ was that?"

    In the Yang Clan''s inn, a young girl sat upright on the bed, her brows furrowed in confusion and concern. An Fei''s gaze swept around her surroundings several times, but the uneasy sensation refused to abate.

    Why did she dream about the pair of an elderly man and a little lass again?

    And what was the discussion regarding the void?

    "There''s many things I simply don''t understand, ah¡­" the young girl sighed, her gaze lowered in thought.

    "First of all, why am I even having such dreams¡­"

    Unable to find penance for her mind, An Fei swiftly glanced outside to discover that the sun had yet to ascend towards the sky, and dawn had scurried away from its duty with its tail behind its legs.

    On the adjacent bed, Shen Ming Yue''s eyelashes rustled lightly as her large bosom heaved up and down in a smooth, cyclidic motion.

    Oh, the pities and sorrows of those with a small¡­

    "This room isn''t that bad, however."

    The room the two young girls had been allotted with simple and plain in both design and decoration, with the entire room being composed of a variety of wood.

    A vase of flowers stood at each corner, their faint fragrances emitting from the petals and succulent threads of nectar gently alleviating the tension on her mind.

    With the discovery that dawn hadn''t even struck yet, An Fei decided to return to sleep.

    Crawl into the blankets, ignore the patch of red below her, and return to dreamland ¨C hopefully not another vivid experience with the odd and uncomfortable pair.

    Ignore the patch of red below her pelvic region, ignore the damp and slightly sticky sensation¡­

    Patch of red, damp and sticky¡­

    "AH!?"

 225 An Unexpected Breakthrough 3

    The utterly shocked and dismayed screech of the young girl promptly roused her roommate without fail.

    The bloodcurdling cry drilling into her ears, Shen Ming Yue leapt from her safe coven of dreams in an instant, her body erupting from the bed as it radiated a fearsome strength.

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    "Who''s there!?"

    The youthful girl slammed her palms together, a thread of spiritual essence agitating the still air within the room to howl with a frenzied coldness.

    Shen Ming Yue''s eyes gradually glazed over with confusion at the obvious lack of an enemy or stalker, and her arms lowered towards her sides.

    The spiritual essence responsible for the sudden gust of air within the room did not abate from its connection to her dantian, poised and thoroughly capable of ambushing any hidden foe.

    "Little sister, what''s going on¡­ ah?"

    The unusual sight of An Fei''s body trembling as though it was a severed leaf certainly did not escape from Shen Ming Yue''s watchful eye, causing her heart to fluctuate with worry.

    The youthful girl silently crept over to the adjacent bed without alerting her roommate, thus exposing the embarrassing and shocking scene to the world in all of its glaring conviction.

    "Ah¡­"

    An Fei''s frozen consciousness returned to reality the instant Shen Ming Yue''s hand landed on her shoulder, and she instinctively closed shut the loose blanket draped around her body.

    Alas, the youthful girl''s strength was far superior to her cruelly suppressed physique, thus the thin cover of fabric was quickly snatched from the young girl''s control.

    "This¡­ Little Sister, ahem¡­"

    En, the large patch of blood that soaked the bedsheets as well as her undergarments was supremely embarrassing.

    As her eyes inadvertently caught ahold of the consoling but teasing gaze of Shen Haoren, An Fei''s heart began to twitch incessantly as her fingers curled around the thin blanket.

    The young girl lowered her head as she deeply attempted to restrain the cynical remark tugging at the lowest threads of her heart, but alas¡­

    This girl, her actual age was not any younger, nor was this that sho¨C

    "Little Sister, it must hurt quite a bit, doesn''t it?"

    Shen Ming Yue earnestly stroked the young girl''s back, her mind wandering at the unusually soft and supple sensation transmitted from her fingertips.

    Interpreting An Fei''s silence as exacerbated embarrassment, the daughter of the potbellied, middle-aged man that gloated about his name adopted her father''s shamelessness as she continued to croon and tug at the young girl''s collar.

    "Don''t worry, this happens for all women; it''s a simple sign that our bodies are approaching the threshold of maturity. Come, let Elder Sister give you a massage ¨C a quick rub of the shoulders, with some pinching and pulling, and the pain will be thoroughly chased away!"

    This time, the young girl was forced to submit due to her embarrassment.

    Her mind sobering from its shock-induced delirium, An Fei''s mood took a nosedive towards the bottom of the crags as her consciousness roamed elseward.

    As Shen Ming Yue''s fingers gently teased the soft and supple skin between her shoulders and neck, a perplexing and interesting thought raced through the young girl''s mind.

    The monthly pain that was the true crusher of all flowers in the world; it truly was a ''long time no see'' in the purest essence, ah!

    Only, for it to manifest its scraggly and detached head at this moment, and not soon after she woke up¡­ just how old was her body?

    Thirteen?

    No, Eldest Brother Wei Chang Feng once mentioned that she had remained in the wooden shed for fourteen years prior to An Fei occupying the frail body in its previous owner''s stead.

    Since it was soon approaching a year from the time that her eyes had gazed upon the Shattered Star Continent, then¡­

    "¡­fifteen?"

    An Fei''s dry lips muttered as she attempted to relax herself underneath the conflicting barrage from the soothing massage and the burning pain near her stomach.

    Her mind partially absorbed into the carnal and completely satisfying sensation of massaging a beauty''s body, Shen Ming Yue could only comprehend a faint portion of the word escaping the young girl''s mouth.

    "Little Sister, did you say something?"

    "No, nothing," An Fei quickly grunted, her fingers lightly pressed against her lower abdomen.

    Shen Ming Yue gently teased the young girl''s exposed nape with her delicately trimmed nails, before returning to calming the young girl''s agitated body.

    As her fingers reoccupied themselves in their wholly voluntary trial, the youthful girl finally comprehended a puzzling question that had nagged at her heart since the beginning of her memory.

    No wonder Father liked to massage Mother''s shoulders so much as well as touch her body every day¡­

    As Shen Haoren''s daughter immersed herself in her hazed memories, the young girl was carefully examining her body.

    With light pats and prods to certain areas on her limbs and ribcage, An Fei quickly immersed her mind into the sea of perception without a word of complaint.

    The ever-changing, complex diagram of her internal composition was summoned at once, the amassed array of multi-colored lights dazzling her mind.

    The moment her sea of perception filtered through the bastion of golden light to reveal the recent changes that had imposed themselves on her body, An Fei''s mind flickered with a dense concern.

    The entire region of her body surpassing her abdominal areas to the base of her pelvic bones were pulsating with a heavy gloom of crimson.

    After overcoming the brief surprise and calmly observing for an entire minute, An Fei realized that the rate of pulsation matched that of her heart''s pulse.

    Similarly, it wasn''t hard to infer that the phenomenon was caused due to her menstrual cycle delivering a powerful slap without any forewarning.

    "But¡­ why is the entire region red, and the golden light seems to have diminished in intensity?"

    An Fei instinctively frowned, and the young girl commanded her sea of perception to temporarily filter away the waves of crimson light emanating from her abdominal region.

    Her consciousness briefly flickered into darkness as the sea of perception sorted through a near unsurpassable volume of information utilizing whatever free channels it was allotted, and the glaring truth was revealed before her.

    When the distraction of crimson light was removed, what remained was a massive and complex pathway of vessels, tissues, meridians, skeletal structure, and internal organs.

    However, though the structure and arrangement had not been changed, the young girl quickly caught onto the problem at hand.

    The mental visualization of her body detailed her internal structure and composition with a monochrome color to signify the minimum capabilities of her physique in a sea of golden light.

    Traversing fluids including blood, were exempt from this rule, and thus retained their original sheen.

    The quantity of spiritual essence travelling through or contained within the structure was determined by the intensity of the golden light.

    The primary storage of the spiritual essence allotted to An Fei was located at her heart, of which the visualization faithfully transmitted forth a glaring ball of yellow fire.

    Her abdominal region¡­ was nothing more than a faint backdrop of light, far diminished compared to that of her toes. The general pathway that permitted spiritual essence to circulate throughout her body, it seemed to have¡­

    "¡­been disconnected," the young girl gasped, her mind flashing with a grave worry.

    "The Sanctum''s changes imposed onto my body isn''t that different from a circuit. If the segment establishing a connection and a closed circuit is severed, then¡­"

    Would the basic protection of her body such as the even function?

    Granted, there seemed to be no problems with her legs as through the visualization''s portrayal, but the question at hand couldn''t be avoided.

    An Fei''s brows instinctively furrowed as her mind dug into her memories, only to come to no avail.

    Hopefully, the damage was not permanent¡­

    "Little Sister¡­ something troubling your mind? Your shoulders are too stiff even after my massage, ah¡­"

    Shen Ming Yue''s concerned voice drifted into her ears, startling the young girl''s mind from her reverie. Dragging her consciousness from the sea of perception, An Fei turned around to gaze into the youthful girl''s graceful eyes.

    "Nothing''s¡­ wrong."

    The young girl managed to thrust through her lips, her countenance smoothing into a dull and blank stare. Surveying her expression for a brief period of time, Shen Ming Yue retreated with a gentle nod.

    "It''s going to be morning soon, but there''s some more time left to sleep," the youthful girl murmured as she departed towards the door.

    "Elder Sister will be back after a few minutes, alright?"

    Under An Fei''s blurred gaze, Shen Ming Yue departed from the room with light and graceful steps, her figure quickly vanishing from sight.

    As she was about to lean back into the now awkward sheets, the young girl''s brows rose in surprise.

    Given Shen Ming Yue''s capabilities, she should have covered at least twenty meters ¨C far out of any mortal''s range of hearing, especially for any light sounds, much less her suppressed senses.

    So why could she hear the light footfalls from the room?

 226 An Unexpected Breakthrough 4

    With a sizeable amount of time left open to freely waste and a pleasant abode of silence awaiting her perusal, the young girl returned her mind into the sea of perception.

    An Fei attempted to make herself as comfortable as she could, ignoring the awkward and mixed typhoon of sensations racing through her lower abdomen as much as possible.

    From the visualization''s purview, her physique had not changed since her entry into the Foundation Establishment Realm of mortal cultivation.

    Though the baptism of golden light continued to seep into her body each night she spent in the Sanctum, the spiritual essence merely accumulated, but didn''t transform its environment.

    Perhaps it had yet to reach the maximum threshold required for it to urge her physique to adapt?

    An Fei numbered the increasing questions in her heart as she continued to scour her body from top to bottom with a scathing gaze.

    The young girl rubbed at the base of her chin with her eyes closed, her fingers anxiously splayed on the bedsheets.

    She wasn''t currently privy to any martial arts techniques that could drastically enhance her hearing to be able to eavesdrop on Shen Ming Yue''s footsteps from a long distance away.

    Granted, the Sanctum''s Archives of Time were bound to possess not just a few techniques that empowered the primal senses of a practitioner, but An Fei had never sifted through any such book.

    "Then, a supposed breakthrough into the next realm of cultivation?"

    The young girl mused, her mind drifting along the blackened abdominal region on the mental visualization.

    An Fei''s consciousness roamed from one conjecture to another, finding that the plausible circumstance of an unintentional breakthrough was the most reliable.

    ¡­though all of her previous breakthroughs in the path of cultivation was unintentional and imposed by the Sanctum''s whims¡­

    The mortal world with its unforgiving shackles had suppressed her abilities to remain the same after the night''s endeavors, prompting An Fei to question her conjecture of a supposed breakthrough for not just a single time.

    With a moment of deliberation, the young girl elected to perform a small experiment.

    Breathe deeply, the air filling the lungs to their maximum capacity and easing the strain on the heart.

    Exhale, and concentrate on a specific entity ¨C to search for their presence in the vast world.

    For a breath of time, to breaths, and infringing upon the third, An Fei suddenly heard the gentle hustle and bustle of a large volume of people crammed into a small region of space not unlike that of packed sardines.

    The young girl froze in shock, before her mind flickered with disbelief.

    An Fei glanced towards the window towards her right, but discovered that it was closed.

    The curtained windows prevented the sunlight from breaching into the room in all of its glory and splendor.

    However, a constant stream of voices continued to stream into the young girl''s ears, confounding her from head to toe.

    "A phoenix dress imported from the Banshou Province, and was designed by the exquisite Mister Fan!"

    "Here, we have a simple and plain hanfu from Cloud Moon Silk, the treasure approved by Jiang''an. Look at the delicate strains of fabric and the embroidered designs!"

    "Not only does our shop have clothing made of Cloud Moon Silk, we also possess a few crafted treasures of Floating Gold Silk ¨C from the archaic spiritual beast, the Golden Silkworm¡­"

    A clothing store?

    The young girl''s eyebrows lifted in surprise; what was Shen Ming Yue doing in a clothing store this early in the morning?

    As An Fei glanced upon her delicate body lightly covered underneath the blankets, she could her the youthful girl''s soft and elegant voice echo in her ear.

    Surely, she wasn''t¡­

    "My little sister didn''t seem to be in possession of a few exquisite dresses," Shen Ming Yue''s voice was hesitant, as if she were in deep contemplation.

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    "Furthermore, she seems to have liked deeper and more subdued colors¡­ though the phoenix dress is indeed beautiful and staggering, it doesn''t seem that it would fit¡­"

    Pch.

    A short burst of laughter escaped An Fei''s throat, but was accompanied by a ruthless sneeze that wormed its way into her airways.

    Patting her slightly sore nose, the young girl felt a strain of warmth race throughout her heart at the words that continued to drift into her ears.

    This Shen Ming Yue, ah¡­

    "However, since I can listen to Shen Ming Yue''s activities from such a far distance away, I most probably did succeed in the breakthrough, huh?"

    An Fei swiftly returned to a solemn mood as she submerged herself into the mental visualization.

    The hubbub of the streets of Dong Lin City as well as Shen Ming Yue bargaining and deliberating in the city''s most exquisite clothing store vanished from the young girl''s mind, leaving nothing but a slew of complicated diagrams and weaving paths.

    "After Foundation Establishment was Spirit Building¡­"

    The mortal cultivation''s Foundation Establishment Realm was divided into fifteen pillars, one allotted for each primary meridian thoroughly cleansed by spiritual essence to transform into a reservoir.

    Though it didn''t transform the physical composition of the physique, each completed transformation of the meridians enabled the body to resonate with the atmospheric spiritual qi when conducting a movement.

    Thus, with the subtle aid from the world, the practitioner could employ a greater degree of strength with each meridian cleansed and functioning as a reservoir.

    As a byproduct, the number of reservoirs drastically increased the quantity of spiritual essence available to the practitioner''s disposal¡­

    The last time An Fei had investigated the state of her meridians, only eight had been transformed; the visualization depicted her Eight Extraordinary Meridians with a unique color.

    Other than that, the rest of her meridians had not undergone any change, even with her sleeping in the Sanctum for several months in a row.

    When had she completed the remaining seven?

    "The Twelve Primary Meridians¡­"

    The young girl''s lips parted to gasp in surprise, her mind narrowing onto the peculiarity.

    Of the twelve primary meridians, seven radiated with a golden light that was far superior to that of their peers. With careful inspection, An Fei quickly grasped onto the subtle hint regarding the question of her ''attainment'' in cultivation.

    The Eight Extraordinary Meridians received their own individual color, and seven of the Twelve Primary Meridians had their intensity exemplified by at least four folds.

    The remaining five meridians had received a subsequent enhancement to their quality, but the radiance depicted on the visualization was not as pronounced.

    It was as though the Eight Extraordinary Meridians were the primary reservoirs, whilst the Twelve Primary Meridians were the subsidiary reserves that were deployed only when the former were completely depleted.

    The twenty meridians excluded from the multitude within her body had transformed into a self-regulating system that managed the circulation of spiritual essence.

    As she continued to inspect her body for additional subtilties that represented a transformation, An Fei couldn''t help but muse that her body might accustom itself to that of a machine the further she progressed in the path of mortal cultivation.

    Battery, wired circuits, and now capacitors ¨C what was to be next?

    "Still, to have been promoted in my cultivation but be suppressed to display the same degree of strength, how humiliating and frustrating, ah."

    Other than the still vague ability in which the confusing phenomenon regarding Shen Ming Yue and the clothing store manifested, An Fei''s capabilities remained no different than when she was still within the Foundation Establishment Realm.

    Her physique remained the same, and the compressed sphere of spiritual essence at her heart was suppressed as ever.

    No, because of the surprise attack of her menstrual cycle, her capabilities may have crippled themselves by a significant margin.

    "Looks like I have to take a trip into the Archives again¡­"

    An Fei tapped herself on the forehead, her thin arms dragging over the unconscious small fox and stroking its soft fur.

    The young girl''s head swayed from side to side as she gradually became drowsy, her eyes rapidly blinking and sinking into dar-

    "Little Sister!"

    Shen Ming Yue''s excited voice clapped into An Fei''s ears, thoroughly startling her awake.

    The young girl prepared herself to deliver a sarcastic remark to her overly energetic roommate when her eyes caught onto the large fabric bag hung over the youthful girl''s shoulder, causing her to freeze in place.

    That large bulge, and the discussion she had eavesdropped regarding a clothing store¡­

    "Little Sister, wake up, ah!"

    Shen Ming Yue quietly snuck and roared into the young girl''s ears, causing An Fei to hurl the blanket over her head and cower behind it.

    At such an adorable reaction, the youthful girl smirked as she placed the cloth bag onto the ground, before crouching with her lips a few centimeters away from An Fei''s gently trembling body.

    "Little Sister, if you don''t wake up, Elder Sister will scream and cause everyone to march down here ¨C perhaps, they might just discover Little Sister''s interesting-"

    A delicate hand shot from beneath the blanket to clamp onto Shen Ming Yue''s mouth, preventing her from speaking any further.

    The young girl climbed from the bed, her heart howling in grief as she stared at the cloth bag with aggrieved eyes.

    How was this a benevolent, just, and caring girl!?

    This was a devil in a lamb''s skin, alright!?

 227 A horrendous assortment 1

    Little Sister, what do you want to do here?"

    Shen Ming Yue casually tossed the question towards the young girl besides her as they walked along the streets of Dong Lin City.

    The two maidens glanced around the various stores containing a wide array of commodities, their curiosity stoked and banked from time to time.

    "What do I want to do¡­?"

    An Fei traced the base of her chin with her index finger, her mind lashing through several replies.

    Settling on ambiguity with a hint of truth, the young girl lowered her gaze to inspect the paved streets of limestone as she parted her lips.

    "I want to go to Jiang''an."

    "The capital?" the youthful girl besides her echoed in surprise.

    "Why the capital ¨C I mean, what would you even do there, Little Sister?"

    Shen Ming Yue exhaled as she brushed away a nagging shopkeeper to closely inspect a hairpin cast from bronze and lined with suet jade, only to return in disappointment.

    Her cheeks puffed as a charming and pitiful smile graced her countenance, prompting a not too few number of heads turned towards her direction.

    "There''s someone who I want to meet at Jiang''an," An Fei shrugged as she spoke with a nonchalant tone.

    "They''re a close relative, and there''s nothing better than seeking a safe refuge at these times."

    The youthful girl could merely give an appraising nod, only to pull her younger partner in the direction of a small-scaled restaurant.

    Shen Ming Yue directly ignored An Fei''s shout of protest as they breached through the just opening door and the shopkeeper''s startled expression, sitting down at the nearest table without a care in the world.

    "Ming¨CElder Sister, why this restaurant? It''s so early, perhaps we could wait a little more?"

    The young girl balked at the abrupt glare directed towards her from Shen Ming Yue, and quickly waved the white flag to utter a soft ''Elder Sister'' under her breath.

    The youthful girl quickly beamed at her obedient partner, waving towards the shopkeeper who had returned from restoring the store to open business.

    "Hehe, Little Sister will soon find out, ah! Shopkeeper, the usual!"

    The shopkeeper blinked in surprise and squinted in the direction of the speaker, his brows furrowed in confusion. The next moment, as if he had received a brief of divine gospel, the wizened countenance lightened with a dense smile.

    "The usual¡­ Young Miss, this one understands!"

    Hunching his back, the owner of the small restaurant departed into a secluded corridor hidden behind a sliding wooden panel stationed at the farthest corner.

    Her eyebrow raised in puzzlement, An Fei tapped the table with her finger as she raised her gaze to survey the room.

    "Is there anything special about this place¡­" the young girl murmured.

    "¡­it doesn''t seem to even have a menu?"

    The restaurant could hardly be called a diner, for the interior of the building was merely a spiel of chairs and tables arranged in a careless and random pattern. The walls were barren for decoration save for a few scrolls of lakeside paintings unfurled to impose themselves upon the diners.

    There wasn''t a menu depicting what assortment of foods was available for purchase, nor was there a counter for any employee to receive orders.

    "Little Sister, just wait five minutes and there will be a surprise!"

    Shen Ming Yue teased with a lilting voice, her lips curled into a pleased smile as she earnestly gazed into the scarlet irises of the young girl seated across from her.

    The young girl hurled her gaze to the adjacent wall as if testifying to her innocence, though her index finger maintained its constant barrage against the surface of the wooden table.

    Five minutes¡­ and what was this ''usual'' that Shen Ming Yue mentioned earli-

    Creak!

    The entrance to the store was brusquely shoved open as a burly youth strode in, his figure casting a shadow of gloom onto the dim and quiet atmosphere of the silent restaurant.

    The youth yawned as he walked forwards to seat himself in a random chair, surveying his surroundings after having made himself comfortable.

    "Oh? There''s someone else here before me?" the youth''s brows soared towards the sky, his eyes fixating themselves onto the graceful and voluptuous figure of Shen Ming Yue.

    "¡­ Cheng Yu Xuan, do you need for me to teach you another lesson?"

    The youthful girl''s countenance maintained an easygoing smile, though her words were laced with a subtle but deathly layer of frost.

    Seated across from her, An Fei obtained a brief impression that Shen Ming Yue''s happy mood had submerged itself by a significant margin, and baited herself into witnessing another passionate gaze once she bolstered her courage to take a peek.

    "¡­Beauty Shen is ever-graceful in bearing and wisdom."

    The youth named Cheng Yu Xuan sighed as he clasped his fist before his chest in the jianghu''s salute. Heeding the urges of her curiosity, An Fei''s eyes roamed onto the newcomer''s presence, her countenance flickering with a slight interest.

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    Tall, with a tensely built and evened muscular frame ¨C a clear indicator of extensive practice regarding the physique.

    Cheng Yu Xuan was dressed in a simple scholar''s robe adorned with grey silk, a thin jian sheathed at his waist.

    The youth''s countenance was simple and plain, just like that of his demeanor ¨C subtle, quiet, and unyielding.

    As her eyes glanced over his countenance, the pair of green irises landed onto hers.

    "Beauty Shen, this is? I do not believe that I have seen her before?"

    Cheng Yu Xuan questioned in a respectful gaze, his eyes not daring to grace themselves on any other part of An Fei''s body except for her eyes. The youth clasped his hands on the wooden table, his eyes inviting for the young girl to speak.

    "No need to bother, she''s my Little Sister,"

    Shen Ming Yue lazily waved her hand, before reaching out to fondle the long sleeves of An Fei''s dress with a wistful expression on her countenance.

    Taken aback, Cheng Yu Xuan blinked for several breaths, recovering as he delivered another salute.

    "Towards Beauty Shen''s Little Sister, Cheng Yu Xuan extends his greetings."

    What was going on?

    An Fei''s lips twitched as she awkwardly followed suit, her left palm cupped around her right fist as she gently dipped her head towards the youth.

    Having received his greeting, Cheng Yu Xuan appeared to be satisfied as his eyes drooped onto the plain surface of the wooden table, no longer raising small talk with either of the other two occupants of the restaurant.

    Feeling the gentle pulsations of the suppressive silence rub at the base of her ears, the young girl''s mind flickered towards the room reserved for her and Shen Ming Yue at the inn owned by the Yang Clan.

    Surely¡­ the little raven and the small fox were alright.

    "Ah¡­"

    The five minutes placed forward by Shen Ming Yue passed without her awareness, and An Fei noticed the sliding panel open as the storekeeper walked out from the hidden aisle.

    The old man cupped his fist towards Shen Ming Yue and Cheng Yu Xuan, clearing his throat as he stretched his back.

    The audible creak of bones caused everyone''s eyes to twitch with sympathy.

    "It''s only you¡­ two today?" the shopkeeper sighed in a hoarse voice.

    "Esteemed Senior, that should not be the case," Cheng Yu Xuan stood to deliver a deep bow, his expression slightly strange.

    "The rest¡­ were mired in a small conflict at the northern sector of the city. I believe that they should arrive within the next few minutes at the latest."

    "Hoh? A small conflict, you say?"

    The old man coughed, an aged hand drawing up a wooden chair to lay his body upon with great relish.

    The mysterious shopkeeper''s eyes flitted over An Fei''s figure for a brief moment, but skittered away to carefully inspect Shen Ming Yue and Cheng Yu Xuan with great detail.

    "The two of you¡­ have indeed improved. It has been quite the while since our last meeting, hasn''t it?"

    "Many thanks to Esteemed Senior''s teaching and guidance!"

    The two lowered their heads into a respectful bow, their voices even and devoid of any frivolity.

    The young girl blinked as she observed in silence, her chin resting on her palm as she gazed at the youthful girl''s bowing figure.

    This¡­ wasn''t a restaurant, but a martial arts school?

    Then, the ''usual'' must be¡­

    "How great the two of you have become¡­"

    Waving his hands at the bow from Shen Ming Yue and Cheng Yu Xuan, the old shopkeeper relaxed as his eyes drifted to fixate themselves onto the ceiling.

    The old man''s countenance sported an occasional smile as his mind hurled itself into a blissful daydream of the past, and time continued to pass in a solemn silence.

    Bang!

    The entrance of the restaurant was slammed open after the time of a full incense stick had passed, and a flood of people swarmed the interior. From the first person to the last newcomer who seemed to be out of breath, An Fei noticed one interesting, common detail.

    They all possessed an odd demeanor similar to that of Shen Ming Yue ¨C her heart gently pulsated with an unknown vigilance.

    Furthermore, once everyone had entered and the last person had closed the door with a bashful smile, the thirty intruders formed five rows of six and bowed towards the old shopkeeper, their voices roaring in unison.

    "Esteemed Senior, our apologies for being late!"

 228 A horrendous assortment 2

    "¡­what caused everyone to take so long?"

    The old man brought his mind from his daydream back to reality, and his eyes casually surveyed the thirty intruders of the building.

    The shopkeeper''s lips twitched with a hint of a profound smile, and he waved his hand with a demeanor of carelessness.

    "Come, come ¨C take a seat!" the elderly man patted his back with his free hand.

    "Since everyone''s here, we''ll leave it at that and begin, ah?"

    "Thanking the Esteemed Senior!"

    The thirty youths, Shen Ming Yue, and Cheng Yu Xuan lowered themselves into another respectful bow, their countenance devoid of any conflicting emotions. At her seat, An Fei lightly pursed her lips, though she brought herself to remain silent.

    ¡­she had been forgotten by even the overly passionate Elder Sister Shen Ming Yue.

    Suppressing a sigh welling at the base of her heart and wishing that she had at least brought the small fox along with her to amuse herself, the young girl leaned back into her chair, her countenance smoothing out into a blank sheet of paper.

    An Fei then took the liberty to allow her gaze to wander around, curious as to whom the identities of the thirty people belonged to.

    Lo and behold, the first person her eyes graced themselves upon was her first enemy since reaching Dong Lin City just yesterday night, Du Yongkang.

    The youth of the Du Clan seemed to have noticed her surveying gaze, for he turned his head in her direction.

    Locating An Fei''s figure, Du Yongkang''s countenance flickered for a brief moment, and the young girl noticed a strain of disdain flashing across.

    "¡­he didn''t do anything?"

    An Fei mused, making a mental tab to investigate into the peculiarity of Du Yongkang''s current behavior. As for the rest of the people, the young girl could only describe them in a single sentence.

    Young Masters and Young Misses who decided to uphold the bitter and astringent path of cultivation.

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    The youths were dressed in a vast assortment of fashion, elegance, color, and extravagance.

    Nonetheless, An Fei noticed that their demeanor were all imposing and calm to an astonishing degree, a trait most commonly found amongst endowed aristocrats.

    Imposing and domineering were traits that could be easily obtained by living on the streets for a few years, but the combination of calmness and a silent imposing aura manifested when the person found it below themselves to interact with the rest of the world unless necessary.

    As such, not even scholars, who desired to disseminate their findings whenever possible ¨C could acquire an aura of that extent.

    Even Du Yongkang wasn''t exempt from this rule with his explosive and arrogant personality ¨C An Fei couldn''t detect a strain of yesterday night''s personality from his current, reserved and respectful attitude.

    "Everyone has improved quite well since we had last met."

    The shopkeeper''s voice calmed the silent but boiling atmosphere, and the old man gently coughed to obtain everyone''s attention.

    "Though many of you have yet to reach the threshold of the Spirit Building Realm ¨C and some of you have reached or perhaps even gleaned the world beyond it, this will be the topic of my discussion for today," the elderly shopkeeper released a long exhale of breath.

    "Then, let us begin with a simple question: what exactly is the Spirit Building Realm?"

    The youths simultaneously frowned as they gazed upon the old man''s figure with earnest expressions.

    The shopkeeper supported his waist with both hands as he slowly rose to his feet, the creaking of bones prompting everyone to wince.

    "The Spirit Building Realm is the first monumental change in the path of cultivation ¨C for it is when practitioners are permitted to effectively execute the Five River Stones Stage of a martial arts technique," the hoarse voice gently rang close to the ears of the listener.

    "Others associate the Spirit Building Realm to be the stage of which the practitioner may communicate with the world to attain greater strength. Some treat it as a realm of divine insight, for which enlightenment becomes a miracle easier to grasp with the proper preparations; these are all perspectives regarding the grand path of cultivation, but do not describe the subject in its entirety."

    "The Spirit Building Realm ¨C positioned directly after the Foundation Establishment Realm and before the Core Formation Realm ¨C is the strengthening of the practitioner''s spirit. Until the Core Formation Realm, the prior realms of cultivation are akin to the mills that temper the practitioner in three forms; the physical body, the meridians and reservoirs of spiritual essence, and the spirit."

    These words, she had read them somewhere¡­

    An Fei instinctively frowned at the words escaping the elderly man''s mouth, her heart undulating with a gentle urgency and trepidation.

    The young girl''s hand hovered to the folds near her bosom, prepared to sever the string supporting the qama''s position and draw it whenever necessary.

    "The spirit of the practitioner is oftentimes mistaken as the soul ¨C a grave mistake that cultivators and techniques stumble onto without fail," the shopkeeper demurred in a placid tone, his eyes fixated onto a steaming cup of tea that had appeared before him without alerting any of the youths.

    "The soul determines the lifespan and vitality of a practitioner, as well as their consciousness. The spirit, on the other hand, is the external manifestation of the communication between the world and the practitioner."

    At the point, one of the youths raised their hand and stood.

    Their countenance displayed an expression of worry and confusion, the youth dipped into a low bow towards the shopkeeper.

    "Esteemed Senior, if the spirit is the external manifestation of the communication between the world and our souls, then how is it tempered?" the youth''s brows furrowed as he spoke.

    "If its an external manifestation, doesn''t that entail that it is not a part of the practitioner? How, is then cultivating in the Spirit Building Realm possible?"

    "The spirit manifests into an external phenomenon upon reaching the Spirit Building Realm, and is malleable by unceasing practice by the practitioner. If intangible natures cannot be interacted with and tempered by the practitioner, how is a cultivator capable of manipulating spiritual essence?" the old man displayed a soft smile.

    "The process of manifestation is the threshold that bars a cultivator from entering the Spirit Building Realm. When the spirit is attuned to a specific attribute of the world, it is able to manifest into an external phenomenon not unlike that of spiritual essence; this, in part, affects the nature of the martial arts techniques a practitioner learns in the future."

    The cup was placed onto the table, and the old man extended forth a finger to lightly brush against the porcelain rim.

    "What decides the nature of our martial arts techniques ¨C Yin and Yang?" the shopkeeper breathed deeply.

    "If Yin and Yang were the only attributes employed by practitioners, the jianghu would never develop to its present state, nor would it progress any further. Yin and Yang are the primary attributes that determines the compatibility of a certain technique to the practitioner ¨C this is true, but the path of cultivation consists of many, many more."

    "Everyone should be familiar of the martial arts technique, for it was the first technique that I imparted onto you," the old man smiled.

    "Then, why does Cheng Yu Xuan''s resemble that of swift strikes that sacrifice defense for extreme dexterity and destructive potential? On the other hand, why is Yu Xian''s softer in its approaches and weaker in its strikes, when both have attained the second river of the Five River Stones of the technique?"

    The secondary attribute of a martial arts technique is intentionally left blank for the practitioner to employ their distinctive traits, and the unconscious portrayal of these attributes of hardness, softness, swiftness, and so many more are what comprises of the Spirit Building Realm''s foundations¡­

    "¡­shi ¨C urgh!"

    The young girl''s fingers clutched at her chest as a searing heat rushed through her body.

    Sitting across from the enraptured Shen Ming Yue who seemed to be receiving a brief enlightenment of unknown proportions, An Fei''s countenance soured to the maximum.

    Beware the deadly weapon of the world that is the mortal''s enlightenment.

    The cautionary words of the Sanctum, how could she have forgotten about them?

    ¡­and she even dared to listen through a significant portion of the shopkeeper''s speech, that her own mind temporarily lapsed into a dreamlike state¡­

    The pulses of heat ravaged the interior of her body, causing An Fei to tightly clench her teeth and wrap her arms around her torso to prevent herself from shouting aloud in pain.

    The young girl couldn''t help but permit a pained hiss to escape her lips, unheard by all save for one old man.

    At the same time, she felt a trickle of warmth drip from the corner of her mouth; the damage inflicted onto her body from the single moment of forgetfulness had incurred moderate internal injuries.

    Hastily wiping away the trickle of blood from her lips, the young girl''s gaze rose to meet that of the old shopkeeper of Dong Lin City.

    "Well, I''ve spoken all of the words I need to for today," the old man rubbed at his waist as his eyes surveyed the dreamy youths, his words gradually arousing them from their moment of understanding.

    "Now, let us conduct our customary routine ¨C to have our newest student introduce themselves!"

 229 A horrendous assortment 3

    To have what?

    Her mind dreamy and detached from reality due to the pain racing through her body, An Fei failed to recognize the implications behind the old shopkeeper''s words.

    The young girl gently rocked back and forth with an ashen countenance with her hands gripping her arms, only to be shaken awake by a concerned Shen Ming Yue.

    "Little Sister, are you alright?"

    The youthful girl patted at the beads of sweat laced on An Fei''s brow with a lace handkerchief, her graceful countenance full of warmth.

    An Fei paused with an eerie expression plastered on her lips, though the words that ultimately departed her throat were calm and unhurried.

    "Elder Sister, I''m fine ¨C nothing is of much concern."

    "I see¡­ the Esteemed Senior is waiting for you then, Little Sister should hurry, ah!"

    Shen Ming Yue could only reply after noticing the disharmony between the young girl''s expression and her words.

    Helpless, the youthful girl extended a hand to gently pat the young girl on the shoulder in encouragement.

    An Fei was about to nod, when she abruptly froze in place.

    "¡­why is the old man looking for me?"

    The young girl felt genuinely confused, prompting her to glance around her surroundings.

    Other than an elite few who had emerged from their enlightenment at an earlier pace including Shen Ming Yue and Cheng Yu Xuan, the remainder of the practitioner youths were still in a state of meditative repose.

    From the corner of her eye, An Fei could spot the old shopkeeper seated at the farthest region of the room, silently sipping at his tea with a contented expression.

    As if having noticed her probing gaze, the elderly man rose his head to nod back towards her, prompting a rush of cold sweat the drip down her spine.

    The young girl promptly returned her gaze to stare deeply into Shen Ming Yue''s eyes in silence.

    "This¡­ ah," the youthful girl twitched at the intense stare boring holes into her body.

    "Little Sister, I didn''t think that the Esteemed Senior would notice¡­"

    "What does he want me to do, then?"

    An Fei pressed with a soft yet imposing voice, her countenance morphing into one tinged with frost.

    The young girl''s fingers reached for the strings in her newly acquired dress that supported the qama''s position to her side, ready to draw the vicious blade in an instant.

    Shen Ming Yue clearly noticed the coldness behind her voice, but before she could hurriedly console and diffuse the bubbling powder keg that was An Fei''s temper, the elderly shopkeeper''s voice cut across the room.

    "Ming Yue, your guest ¨C did you not tell her the rules of this organization?"

    The elder''s voice was inviting and inquisitive, with a gentle warmth that caused the listener to pause and calm themselves from their agitation.

    Her brows evening out as if she had found a lifeboat, Shen Ming Yue heaved a slight sigh in relief, bowing towards the shopkeeper in a respectful salute.

    "Little Sister, sorry about not telling you," the youthful girl earnestly apologized.

    "I got too excited about the news that the Esteemed Senior had just arrived in Dong Lin City, so I dragged you here without telling you about the rules."

    "Just arrived in Dong Lin City?" An Fei''s eyebrow rose in surprise.

    "The old shopkeeper doesn''t stay in one location?"

    Shen Ming Yue quickly shook her head, her beautiful countenance suffused with pity and disappointment. The youthful girl sipped at her tea to calm her nerves and plan her words, parting her lips after a sufficient amount of time had passed.

    "The Esteemed Senior''s status is well renowned throughout Great Yong. Thus, it''s natural that the Esteemed Senior has numerous students throughout the empire; usually, he remains in a region for less than a month each year, hence my excitement upon hearing the news that the Esteemed Senior had decided to stay by at Dong Lin City."

    "Oh¡­"

    The young girl murmured whilst lightly nodding her head, the degree of understanding unknown.

    An Fei tapped the base of her chin with her index finger, her other hand tracing the implicit patterns inscribed onto the wooden table during its crafting.

    "So¡­ why do I have to do this ¨C introduction?"

    "Esteemed Senior, my Little Sister¡­"

    Shen Ming Yue quickly realized the intention behind An Fei''s words, prompting her to shiver in a bout of panic. The youthful girl quickly bowed towards the old shopkeeper, her countenance apologetic.

    "My Little Sister isn''t a cultivator, nor does she know any martial arts¡­"

    The words were silent and suppressed by Shen Ming Yue''s tongue, but resounded clearly within the shopkeeper''s ears.

    The old man simply raised his cup towards An Fei, placing down with a solid tap before opening his mouth to speak.

    "Even if your younger sister is not a cultivator, that is simply because her age is too young to be suitable for the arduous path of cultivation," the elderly shopkeeper sighed.

    "Since you were capable of attending this organization with your Elder Sister, that means that you must have some fate with us in this room. Come, introduce yourself to everyone present!"

    An Fei''s lips twitched at the shopkeeper''s persistence, and glanced around to realize that at some point of time, everyone within the room had emerged from their moment of stupor.

    The young girl''s expression soured instantly, a heavy sigh leaving her lips.

    "To the Esteemed Senior here, this junior''s name is Xu Lingxue."

    Hushed discussions emerged as the youths remarked about An Fei''s figure and appearance amongst one another, their lips breaking into a smile as the invincible authority of gossip overtook their diligence. The old man leaned back in his chair, his finger tracing the edge of the porcelain cup before him.

    "Xu Lingxue¡­ Xu Lingxue, a name that resounds within the ears like the falling snow, ah?" the shopkeeper nodded with appreciation.

    An Fei remained silent as she calmly gazed at the old man, unsure of how to plan her next actions.

    The young girl''s mind fluttered into an agitated state as numerous patterns of words to throw off the old man''s intentions of investigating her identity flashed before her, her fingers gently curling into fists underneath her wide sleeves.

    However, the old shopkeeper''s next words threw her preparation into disarray.

    "Lingxue, new students in this organization must introduce themselves, as well as conduct an introductory assessment," the old man lightly coughed.

    "Of course, the area of assessment is free to the student''s choice amongst the five categories ¨C weiqi, painting, calligraphy, musical instruments, and of course, martial combat."

    Why was she¡­ being considered a new student?

    When did she agree to joining this so-called organization in the first place!?

    An Fei earnestly gazed towards Shen Ming Yue as she implored for an answer, only to discover that the youthful girl''s expression was displaying a large indicator of innocence on her forehead.

    The young girl deflated in her seat, her listless countenance clearly captured in the eyes of the other youths.

    She didn''t know whether the weiqi mentioned by the old shopkeeper was the same weiqi in her recollection.

    The Shattered Star Continent was bound not to know the existence of a piano, and An Fei didn''t know how to play any musical instruments of ancient lineage.

    She definitely didn''t know how to paint, and even Wei Xuan ¨C her impossible, doting father of this world ¨C couldn''t make heads over heels regarding the peculiarities of her handwriting!

    Thus, she didn''t have a choice!

    "This¡­ the Esteemed Senior here, junior has an important question ¨C when did this junior apply for this¡­ organization?"

    The jumbled words spewing rapidly from An Fei''s lips caused many to giggle in laughter, some of the youths attempting to conceal an understanding expression.

    The male students chuckled heartily with amusement, whilst the female youths hid their countenances with sympathy and embarrassment.

    The old shopkeeper nodded his head in agreement, though An Fei thought that she observed a cunning glint flash across his countenance.

    "Lingxue, since you don''t feel confident in the four arts, we can resort to the martial arts assessment," the elderly man smiled.

    "As for your question ¨C why, everyone who steps through these doors and orders any specific type of meal is tantamount to applying to the organization. After all, who would dare eat a meal at such a decrepit restaurant in this city of such fine standards?"

    The words took a while to sink into the young girl''s mind; when they did, however, her eyes widened in surprise and aghast, eliciting another round of entertained and sympathetic sighs and laughter.

    An Fei''s lower lip trembled as she whirled onto Shen Ming Yue, only to discover a countenance suffused with a teasing smile.

    She was set up!?!?

    "Little Sister, to enter Jiang''an with ease, you need a reasonable amount of connections," the youthful girl cheerily explained whilst patting An Fei''s shoulders.

    "This is Elder Sister''s method of introducing Little Sister to the resources that you might require later on ¨C ahah, ehehe¡­"

    The pair of narrowed eyes caused Shen Ming Yue''s consoling words and explanation to trail off into a wry laughter, and An Fei was forced to heave another sigh of exasperation in the morning.

    The young girl''s gaze lowered onto the table to carefully inspect the grains of the wood as well as conceal her thoughts, when she heard the old shopkeeper stand and speak towards the rest of the youths.

    "Now, who wishes to be the instructor assessing your newest Junior Sister''s prowess in martial arts combat?"

 230 To dance, a dance of blades. 1

    The shopkeeper''s words prompted the greatest wave of murmurs that reverberated throughout the interior of the restaurant, the many youths locked into discussion.

    The male students wished to create a favorable impression of themselves to their newest Junior Sister who had fallen victim to the sneaky process of indoctrination imposed by their Teacher, as well as flatter Shen Ming Yue.

    The female students, on the other hand, possessed mixed thoughts whether to stomp An Fei onto the ground, or establish a sisterhood just as Shen Ming Yue had done so.

    The youths were divided on how they should conduct themselves in the presence of their Teacher, as well as considering the consequences of their actions with the variable that was the powerful Shen Ming Yue whose influence and capabilities were amongst the top five within the organization in their generation.

    Thus, the entire room was suffused with a low din of chatter, prompting An Fei''s mood to sink even lower.

    Of course, there were exceptions.

    "Esteemed Senior, Junior wishes to be the examiner for Junior Sister Xu!"

    Du Yongkang steadily rose from his seat to salute the elderly shopkeeper, his back straight and devoid of his true thoughts.

    Obscured from an angle of which An Fei could not observe from, the youth of the Du Clan''s countenance was filled with righteousness and the proper seniority belonging that of a Senior Brother of a well-ordered organization.

    The old man lightly frowned as he pondered for a brief moment.

    Glancing at Du Yongkang''s confident and easygoing expression, the elder tapped his cup onto the wooden surface of the table, giving his approval.

    "Then, Yongkang, be gentle with your youngest Junior Sister ¨C since she has yet to enter the path of cultivation."

    "Understood, Teacher!"

    As Du Yongkang''s waist dipped into a sincere bow towards the elderly shopkeeper, An Fei''s fists finally clenched into a tight fist. Similarly, Shen Ming Yue''s expression was no longer bright and warm, replaced by a solemn and grim grimace.

    They just had a nasty run-in with the Du Clan and most particularly ¨C Du Yongkang himself ¨C yesterday night.

    Anyone who had any background knowledge of the recent events would realize that the youth of the Du Clan was not aiming towards being a kind and enthusiastic Senior Brother, but aiming to settle his grudges.

    On the side, Cheng Yu Xuan and a few other youths revealed sympathetic expressions as they gazed at An Fei, though they couldn''t bring it upon themselves to argue on behalf of the young girl.

    "Teacher, perhaps Junior Brother Du may not be appropriate¡­"

    Shen Ming Yue nibbled on her lower lip in a moment of thought, before raising her head to gently protest.

    The youthful girl directed a hopeful gaze towards the elderly shopkeeper, but the old man lightly waved his hand in response.

    "Ming Yue, no need to worry; Yongkang has improved immensely from last time. He is capable of restraining his strength as a practitioner ¨C this, I can vouch for, as I have inspected him in detail a few days before."

    The soft and lighthearted words forced the youthful girl of the Shen Family to sit in silence and glumness, a worried expression on her beautiful countenance.

    As nobody else dared to risk antagonizing their Teacher, An Fei was compelled to stand to complete the imposed assessment.

    The surrounding youths simultaneously arose and pushed the wooden tables to the walls in a swift motion, creating a wide and ample amount of room for two people to spar.

    Du Yongkang stood before the elderly man, his arms gently crossed before his chest with a graceful smile on his countenance.

    ¡­only An Fei could clearly spot the disdain and malice racing through his eyes.

    "Then, Lingxue, remember to call out if you can''t keep up any longer," the old man coughed and took a sip of his tea once An Fei had stepped into the clearing.

    "Begin!"

    Whoosh!

    With the elderly shopkeeper''s hoarse voice as the starter, Du Yongkang''s figure blurred into a dense blend of color as he rushed forth towards the young girl.

    A gentle warmth brushed against An Fei''s nape, and the her vision morphed into an unhealthy mixture of colors before settling onto that of Du Yongkang''s back.

    A dainty hand sleeved in a long dress adorned with peach blossoms was lightly pressed against the youth''s spine, the palm pressed against the thirteenth vertebrae.

    The youth of the Du Clan attempted to break free, but it was as though a golden chain had secured itself on his spine and anchored him in place.

    "Y¡­"

    Du Yongkang muttered in shock, unable to force the words out of his mouth as the pressure on the spine''s vertebrae increased dramatically.

    Cold sweat dotted his brow as he urged the spiritual essence in his body to flood his back, removing the restraints on his movements with ease.

    An Fei stepped back and removed her palm, her countenance slightly warping at the tinge of pain racing through her hand.

    Ignoring the small welt that had emerged due to her coming into contact with spiritual essence originating from the Shattered Star Continent, the young girl tilted her head to stare at Du Yongkang who had retreated towards the fringes of the open clearing.

    "Senior Brother Du, what are you doing?"

    "Senior Brother Du, it can''t be¡­ that Junior Sister Xu has made you apprehensive?" one youth muttered in a languish voice, leaning his chin on his palms to observe in interest.

    "That''s not the case ¨C I think that Senior Brother Du must have taken a liking to Junior Sister Xu, and can''t help but worry whether he would accidently injure her or not¡­"

    "Indeed, indeed. Senior Brother Du truly is well versed in the art of enjoying flowers!"

    The youths engaged in a furor of discussion amongst themselves as they either criticized Du Yongkang for abruptly displaying fear from Junior Sister Xu Lingxue''s seemingly useless palm, or praised him for his ''honorable'' behavior as a Senior Brother.

    "Mmh?"

    The old man''s eyes slightly narrowed at the unexpected exchange, but returned to their normal state.

    The elderly shopkeeper raised the porcelain cup to take a sip, only to realize that the cup had been drained of its precious tea.

    "What¡­ what was that?"

    Du Yongkang murmured as he stared at the young girl with frigid eyes.

    The youth of the Du Clan''s mind flickered towards the unusual sensation that had raced through his back, as well as the ice-cold thought that had plagued his consciousness afterwards.

    "She doesn''t know martial arts, so what was that¡­"

    The youth''s figure blurred into a blend of colors as he raced forwards, and An Fei found her body automatically moving upon instinct and the guidance of the \u003cSteps of Underlying Shadows\u003e martial arts technique.

    The young girl''s vision distorted into background noise, but her hearing was sufficient to aptly manage her bearings.

    Pa!

    The same dainty palm pressed against the elbow of Du Yongkang''s right arm, before springing away the instant.

    The brief contact was nothing more than a fleeting touch, but the youth''s arm felt as if it had suffered a horrendous, crippling blow.

    A searing wave of heat assaulted Du Yongkang''s senses, followed by a dull numbness that tore at the muscles.

    Taking in a deep breath, the youth realized that his arm had become temporarily disabled from the light touch.

    "External martial arts technique¡­"

    Curbing his surprise, the youth of the Du Clan hissed out the words amongst his pain, causing numerous youths to gasp in shock.

    The elderly shopkeeper even raised his eyebrows in interest, his wizened countenance displaying a profound smile.

    "External martial arts technique!? At such a young age?"

    "Junior Sister Xu is probably around the age of fourteen, perhaps fifteen," a youth in an exquisitely adorned scholar''s robe gaped for breath.

    "To have trained an external martial arts technique to be on par with Senior Brother Du¡­"

    "That''s simply not the case here, since Senior Brother Du has been conserving his strength to match that of Junior Sister Xu. Perhaps the external martial arts technique isn''t of much quality, though the surprise is indeed great, ah."

    An Fei''s lips pursed at the words casually tossed from the lips of the youths who had been possessed by the messenger of gossip, her scarlet irises tinged with irritation.

    Nonetheless, the majority of the young girl''s attention was focused onto the mental visualization of her body ¨C the large region of flashing crimson light around her abdomen¡­

    So far, she had discovered that the \u003cSteps of Underlying Shadow\u003e was still operational, though An Fei wasn''t sure whether it was because Du Yongkang was simply too weak or she truly didn''t have to worry.

    Only, the crimson light appeared far too acrimonious, as though a message of ominous intent¡­

    Whoosh!

    "Oh?"

    The elderly shopkeeper''s eyes flashed with an unfathomable light, but made no action as he continued to observe.

    From the other side of the clearing, Du Yongkang had recovered from his second momentary retreat in the span of a brief five minutes.

    The youth dashed forward, his feet obscured by a faint mist of grey light, and his left palm revealed a submerged radiance of dull violet.

 231 To dance, a dance of blades 2

    "\u003cCloudmist Steps\u003e? \u003cPurple Jade Bell\u003e!?"

    "Senior Brother Du was forced to that extent!?"

    The youths simultaneously erupted into an uproar, their countenances a mixture between disbelief and awe.

    They eagerly awaited the result of Du Yongkang and An Fei''s next exchange of techniques, all lighthearted banter abandoned in their earnest.

    Even the old shopkeeper placed down his tea to observe, his wizened countenance flickering with an unknown emotion.

    "Little Sister, avoid! That attack isn''t something an external martial arts technique can handle!"

    Shen Ming Yue abruptly called out, her graceful countenance tinged with shock and anger.

    The youthful girl attempted to converge her spiritual essence to dash forward and intercept Du Yongkang''s excessive strike, but discovered that she would be unable to reach in time.

    Before An Fei''s vision, the palm effused with a violet light continued to enlarge as it approached her forehead.

    The palm appeared to be devoid of any mercy, a cold and vicious aura streaming from the violet radiance as it sought to maim and cripple.

    The young girl gulped and leapt towards the side, diving towards the ground as fast as her body could muster.

    Dangerous!

    An Fei disregarded the probable chance of forcefully evading the strike with the \u003cSteps of Underlying Shadow\u003e and unleashing a counterattack, deciding to allow Du Yongkang''s \u003cPurple Jade Bell\u003e to shoot directly above her head.

    The young girl lightly spun over the ground as she retreated to the far edges of the opened ring, her eyes quickly roaming throughout the surroundings.

    "Damn!"

    Du Yongkang slowly cursed underneath his breath as he clutched his injured arm, his countenance distorted at the atypical and discordant sensations racing through the limb.

    Bearing the mind-crushing mixture of searing pain and a frigid numbness without permitting his mouth to release a gasp of agony, the youth of the Du Clan fervently glared at the panting figure of An Fei.

    "Senior Brother Du!"

    "Senior Brother Du, that''s a little too excessive!"

    The spectating youths cried out in alarm as Du Yongkang surged forward once more, his left palm embalmed in the violet radiance and his feet obscured by the grey mist.

    Some of the female youths closed their eyes in fear, their hearts chilling at the flicker of malicious intent blazing from the youth''s extended palm.

    "Yongkang!"

    The elderly shopkeeper raised the porcelain cup and slammed it against the table, his shout stern and solemn.

    An intangible pressure blazed from the old man''s body to impose itself onto the interior of the restaurant, causing the air to visibly distort at the additional, abrupt infusion of gravity.

    Several of the youths clutched at their chest as they gasped for breath, and those who were weak-willed immediately lost consciousness.

    The full aura of a practitioner who had attained the peak of the Core Formation Realm billowed out towards the far corners of the restaurant, permitting none to escape its clutches.

    Tableware and furniture warped and cracked at the pressure, and those who had mobilized their spiritual essence for any reason felt as if their internal organs had received a fatal slash.

    Du Yongkang and An Fei were similarly affected, though the innate peculiarities surrounding the young girl prevented her from experiencing much other than a brief passage of mild nausea.

    When combined with the accumulated mental stress and physical pain from An Fei''s previous counterattacks, the youth''s teeth finally grit and released a muffled howl, his heart begging for release.

    Nonetheless, the die had been cast; the elderly shopkeeper could delay the impact of Du Yongkang''s strike by unleashing his aura to the maximum, but could not forcefully halt it.

    The hand infused with violet light traversed through the air as the youth''s body appeared directly before An Fei, aimed directly towards the left side of her chest.

    Watching his strike approach his target in a slow, gradual motion as though time had slowed, Du Yongkang''s mind flickered with a brief respite of arrogance and cruel joy.

    However, the seconds of time bought by the elderly shopkeeper''s intervention was ultimately sufficient for An Fei to avert the crisis.

    Obeying the urge of danger flooding her heart, the young girl willed the compressed sphere of spiritual essence confined within to erupt with its brilliance, flooding her body with warmth and strength that surpassed the limits of her physique.

    At the same moment, a searing pain exploded into a bloodstained conquest of glory at her abdomen.

    An Fei bent her knees and dropped to the ground, her right leg extended to its full length as she forcefully pivoted in the counterclockwise direction.

    Her palms firmly planted on the floor as her body spun in a vicious reverse full moon sweep, her right leg fiercely struck Du Yongkang''s extended legs ¨C forcing him to stumble forward and towards the ground.

    The young girl exerted the remainder of the gathered momentum to propel herself backwards towards the ring of youths spectating the assessment imposed by the elderly shopkeeper, vaulting over to flee the confines of the clearing.

    Crash!

    Her leap out of the ring caused the table below her to be sent flying in the opposite direction ¨C towards Du Yongkang''s falling body.

    The youth of the Du Clan''s eyes froze in shock as the imposing edge of the wooden table enlarged in his vision to collide against his elegant and well-composed forehead with a resounded smack.

    "Senior Brother Du!"

    "Senior Brother Du!"

    The youths shouted in aghast and surprise at the dense trail of blood that trickled from Du Yongkang''s forehead.

    They watched as the stream of scarlet liquid parted at the bridge of the nose, their gazes tracing the wooden table''s carnage to its roots and the young girl heaving for breath besides Shen Ming Yue''s side.

    "You-"

    "Enough!"

    The elderly shopkeeper''s angered voice cut across Du Yongkang''s suppressed mutter of pain and crazed wrath, the gravity in his tone forcing the youths to quell their questions and return to their seats.

    The old man stomped onto the ground, his eyes flared in disappointment.

    "Yongkang, I expected better from you," the elderly man enunciated in a slow and somber voice.

    "Esteemed Senior, this was not my intenti-"

    "Leave. When you have calmed your mind and recollected your sensibility, you may return."

    The porcelain cup slammed against the ground, shattering into dozens of small fragments that scattered across the wooden floor. The tea contained within splashed in all directions, prompting everyone to gulp in fear.

    The Esteemed Senior¡­ was angry!

    "I¡­ I¡­" Du Yongkang stammered in an uncomprehending voice.

    "I¡­ understand."

    The youth of the Du Clan collected himself from the ground, not bothering to wipe the trail of blood encroaching on his countenance.

    Underneath the silent and pressuring gazes of the thirty-odd youths and one elderly man, Du Yongkang staggered out of the restaurant, his figure lonely and fragile compared to his previous glorifying entrance.

    "He will return; Yongkang does not lack talent worthy of a cultivator ¨C he only needs to temper his personality," the elderly shopkeeper explained in a curt voice.

    Even the Esteemed Senior that was the shopkeeper of this restaurant, needed to pay respects to the Du Clan.

    The implied message was clearly interpreted by the youths, and they slowly and emphatically began rearranging the tables and chairs to their original positions.

    When the restaurant''s interior had welcomed its moment of peace, the old man turned to face the young girl who had been silently wiping off the bloodstains dribbling from the corner of her lip.

    "Lingxue, what is the name of your external martial arts technique?"

    "A family secret ¨C none of your concern."

    The elderly shopkeeper spoke with a gentle and calming voice, but was rebuffed with a cold reply that ignored all honorable distinctions of either the jianghu or the secular world.

    The old man''s brows twitched at An Fei''s obvious display of disrespect, but only a low exhale of breath could leave in the end.

    "If it is a family secret, then it is naturally not my concern," the old man released a wistful sigh.

    "Ah, what a farce of a martial arts assessment ¨C to think that even the usually well-behaved Yongkang could act in such brash manners¡­ Lingxue, would you like to honor this old bags as your master and enter the diverse and infinite world that is the jianghu?"

    The youths''s countenances brightened as they swiftly placed the incident of Du Yongkang to the back of their minds.

    They gazed at the young girl''s countenance with earnest and appreciation, awaiting the arrival of a new Junior Sister to be doted on by the organization.

    "This Junior shall refuse."

    "Ah? Little Sister?"

    "Oh?"

    An Fei returned herself to the customary boundaries of etiquette, though her refusal caused both Shen Ming Yue and the elderly shopkeeper to jump in their seats at the unexpected shock.

    As the youthful girl gaped in surprise, the old man extended a quivering finger as his voice quaked.

    "Ling¡­ Lingxue, could you at least¡­ inform this old bag of¡­ bones why you refused?"

 232 Announcement!

    Hello everyone. I''m truly sorry that the Eternal Sanctum has not been updated on Webnovel for more the eight months now. With that, I have a brief announcement to make:

    The Eternal Sanctum has migrated to another webnovel hosting platform, Creative Novels. I will no longer be updating it on WN''s platform anymore. My sincere apologies.

    Part of the decision comes from how poorly designed the original content creation platform that WN provides original authors with. Margins, inline texts, paragraph spacing, and many more features are not available on the content creation platform. Those who are not contracted authors do not even have access to basic formatting of font and text when uploading chapters, and some contracted authors I know have yet to gain access to such basic features including bold, italic, and underline lettering that you might see in translated projects hosted by WN.

    Not all original content requires italic or bold font to get their stories across, but The Eternal Sanctum does. The way I wrote the novel and designed the project made it wholly incompatible with the characters directly speaking their thoughts in forms similar to dialogue, and were also elements that couldn''t be expressed in the same format as background text or details. Trying to adapt the novel to the meagre tools WN offered didn''t produce a satisfactory effect from an author''s perspective, and I mostly feel that it has reduced the quality of the novel and made it significantly more difficult to read from a reader''s perspective.

    Part of the result is because English is not my primary language, and I am still well within the learning process. Some of my wording may be either unsuited or too formal for its context, or might seem unfamiliar to those who know English as their native language. Regrettably, that is something that can improve only with time, and much, much more practice.

    Another reason for my decision in pulling the novel from WN was because of people who steal and post unoriginal content. I do not know if many were aware, but two people had stripped all of The Eternal Sanctum''s content and uploaded it WN with a different title and cover as their "original work". They have been removed a few months ago, but before they were removed, they had the same chapter titles as The Eternal Sanctum, and the chapters themselves were entire rips from the original content. Making matters worse, one of them was even in the process of becoming a contracted author with WN''s platform utilizing my work when a few fellow authors reported it to the staff.

    Finally, I do not think that The Eternal Sanctum, as a project, does not fit in so well with the audience that WN generates. The theme and structure of the novel doesn''t seem to be compatible with most of the readers on the platform, unfortunately.

    But let''s not end on a miserable note. That fate is reserved for the characters in my novels only, not for my readers.

    Is this the last time I will be posting on WN?

    The answer is no. Definitely not.

    The Eternal Sanctum will be pulled down from WN, but I will be posting two new projects that I have been working on during this silence. Their titles (for now!) will be:

    The Gaze of Heaven

    The Master of Curses

    Will I can''t be certain about the future, I can say with confidence that those two projects will be on WN for a long time. Perhaps, once the contracts for original authors improves, they might get contracted. But who knows - it touches on international law for many authors on the program, after all.

    Well. Time to conclude it here.

    Thank you, everyone, for reading The Eternal Sanctum while it has been on WN. I apologize once more for being unnecessarily silent for so long on either updates or comments. For those who still have some faith in me (thank you!) and The Eternal Sanctum, you can still read it - updated to the most recent chapters - on Creative Novels. For the two new projects, please expect to see them appear on WN within a few weeks (two weeks if I can get the cover done!). They do take a different approach and atmosphere than my previous works, so it''ll be a fresh breath of air for a few of us.

    Once again, thank you.

    Clouded Jade.