Chapter 1: Devastating news

Devastating news arrived from the Central Domain’s Purple Cloud Region: the Blood Demon Sect had essentially been wiped out.

It is said that the one who acted was none other than the Sect Master of Moonlit Grace Sect, the Moonlit Immortal, Yan Zhuyue.

She is one of the few Eighth Realm experts left in the world, standing at the eighth step of the Eighth Realm.

Cultivation is divided into Nine Realms, each with nine steps. For thousands of years, no one has ever set foot in the Ninth Realm, so the Eighth Realm sits at the very pinnacle of heaven and earth.

The Fifth Realm serves as the great divide. For ordinary cultivators, the Fifth Realm is the limit of a lifetime. Anyone who breaks past it possesses talent beyond words.

This time, the annihilation of the Blood Demon Sect was caused by one of Yan Zhuyue’s direct disciples—the Eldest Senior Brother of Moonlit Grace Sect, Bai Jingxian.

With only Fifth Realm sixth-step cultivation, Bai Jingxian stormed the Blood Demon Sect alone, freed every hostage they had taken, burned his own cultivation base to break out of encirclement, and survived with a single breath remaining.

Then Yan Zhuyue herself descended. One sword pierced the heart of the Blood Demon Sect Master; ten thousand swords followed and slaughtered every last cultist.

Fortunately, she arrived in time. Bai Jingxian clung to life, though his body was grievously wounded. Countless people across the world hailed him as a hero. With a little intentional and unintentional embellishment, his reputation outside the sect grew ever more illustrious.

Today was the final day of his treatment.

Canglan Realm, Central Continent, Canglan Region, Moonlit Grace Sect.

The Central Continent is divided into five great regions: Boundless, Purple Cloud, Canglan, Jade Lake, and Candle Sun.

Canglan Region is the liveliest place in the entire Canglan Realm. Countless human sects and cultivators gather here. Secret realms and ancient tombs abound, each hiding untold treasures. Cultivators from the other four regions often come to fight for opportunities. And once every hundred years comes the Central Continent Grand Tournament—an event every young cultivator dreams of. The next one is roughly half a year away.

Late autumn.

Bai Jingxian had lain in bed for three full months.

During that time, countless junior brothers and sisters came to visit. Not only from the inner sect—many from the outer sect were sent as well, bringing gifts and warm greetings. After all, among those the Blood Demon Sect had kidnapped were numerous proud talents from various sects. Gifts were the least they could do.

Bai Jingxian found it all rather noisy. He simply told them to leave the gifts and go. Quite a few female cultivators who admired him offered to the point of infatuation offered themselves in marriage. He either pretended to suffer a relapse or played dumb.

Most were just going through the motions. After about a month, his courtyard finally quieted down.

Bai Jingxian stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.

Judging by the time, it should be almost here.

Because at this exact hour, his senior sister would always come to see him—right on time.

His senior sister’s name was Hua Yuliu.

She, too, was Yan Zhuyue’s direct disciple: a Sixth Realm fifth-step cultivator, twenty years old—only two years older than Bai Jingxian.

Hua Yuliu was not human. Her true form belonged to the long-extinct Azure Luan clan. She had used a secret art to reforge her body into human shape before being found and raised by Yan Zhuyue.

Bai Jingxian had also been raised by Yan Zhuyue. He was four years old when she descended the mountain to slay evil and brought him back. His memories of blood kin had long since blurred. According to Yan Zhuyue, his entire family had perished at the hands of demonic cultivators.

This senior sister of his was breathtakingly beautiful—calling her an immortal would not be an exaggeration. Yet because of the technique she cultivated, the Azure Luan Scripture of Soaring Heavens, her personality was cold to the extreme.

Those who practice the Azure Luan Scripture have their seven emotions and six desires severed. Their path is essentially identical to the Heartless Dao. Thus, Hua Yuliu had another nickname: the Heartless Eldest Senior Sister.

For more than ten years, Bai Jingxian had worked tirelessly to thaw even a sliver of warmth from this block of ice. Perhaps his persistence had borne fruit—every once in a while, the icy immortal would show the faintest trace of a smile.

But most of those smiles were sneers, because Bai Jingxian acted like a masochistic fool far too often. These days, whenever he pushed his luck, Hua Yuliu would string him up on the peach tree in the courtyard and whip him until he spun like a top.

Yan Zhuyue never intervened. Sometimes she even watched from the side, a plate of peach-blossom pastries and a jar of peach-blossom wine in front of her.

Bai Jingxian could only glare at his master in silent fury while enduring the stinging lashes.

Yet during these three months of bed rest, even when he deliberately provoked her, Hua Yuliu never once whipped him. Instead, her gaze had grown increasingly resentful, like a neglected wife locked away in her chambers.

Bai Jingxian wisely chose not to push his luck further. He knew that once he recovered, she would find some excuse to give him a proper thrashing—revenge was her principle, after all.

The hour arrived.

Hua Yuliu appeared right on schedule.

If he remembered correctly, yesterday she had worn a cyan dress. Today she was clad in pure white, softening her usual icy aura with a touch of gentleness. Her long azure hair cascaded down like ripples in a deep pool. Even the flowing skirt could not hide her exquisite figure. Those ink-black eyes remained clear and cold, like an exiled immortal untouched by mortal dust.

No matter how many times he saw her, Bai Jingxian’s heart still skipped a beat.

She carried a medicine jar filled with decoction that had already been prepared.

When she approached the bed and sat on the chair, a faint, pleasant floral fragrance reached him.

“Drink your medicine.”

Her voice was cool and distant.

Bai Jingxian pulled a bitter face.

“Again?”

“This is the last jar. After this, no more.”

Her tone was as cold as ever—not a trace of emotion.

Bai Jingxian obediently took the jar and downed the bitter liquid. It slid down his tongue and burned all the way to his stomach. He couldn’t help coughing once at the end.

The decoction had been made from countless precious herbs. Yan Zhuyue had grieved over the expense for days, but no amount of heartache could outweigh the life of her disciple.

Hua Yuliu took the empty jar, set it on the table, then gently placed her fingers on Bai Jingxian’s wrist and closed her eyes.

After a long moment, she opened them again. A trace of confusion flickered in her beautiful eyes.

“Why did your cultivation only drop three steps?”

“Only?” Bai Jingxian pouted.

Hua Yuliu frowned slightly.

“I remember when Master brought you back, you had fallen six whole steps. Yet now—”

“I have a special recovery method. Even if I lose steps, I can climb back quickly.”

She asked nothing more, merely nodding in silence.

“I have something to tell you.”

“I’m listening, Senior Sister.”

“Master says you are not to participate in the Central Continent Grand Tournament.”

Her voice seemed to grow even colder.

“Why not? It was already decided that I would represent the sect.”

“That was then. This is now. Although your treatment ends today, you still need a period of quiet recuperation. With your current cultivation—”

She didn’t finish, but the meaning was clear.

“I’m going.”

“Master forbids it.”

“I’m going.”

From the moment she spoke, Hua Yuliu’s gaze had never left his face. She tried to read something in his eyes, but found nothing except iron determination.

“Why do you keep staring at me, Senior Sister?”

“…To see if you’re planning to force yourself.”

Her gaze shifted away slightly.

Though she had severed her seven emotions and six desires, he was still her fellow disciple—her junior brother. And even if that junior brother loved to act shamelessly in front of her and rarely behaved properly, after so many years together, she had still developed some compassion.

“I remember you were strongly against it at first.”

“That’s true. But I changed my mind.”

Bai Jingxian’s voice was calm. His eyes inadvertently brushed across the delicate collarbone peeking from the neckline of her dress. He didn’t dare look again—if he did, she might actually gouge his eyes out and use them as walnuts.

“Since you’re so determined, I will report it to Master.”

“Good.”

Hua Yuliu stood. She glanced back at Bai Jingxian, saw his hesitant expression, and spoke in an even tone.

“If you have something to say, say it.”

“I want to watch Senior Sister practice swordsmanship.”

“Can you even stand?”

A playful glint flashed through her eyes.

Bai Jingxian gritted his teeth, pushed himself up, and swung his legs off the bed. His figure swayed, but he managed to stand steady in front of her.

He grinned at her.

Hua Yuliu’s gaze lingered on his face. She lightly pressed her lips together; her voice softened, almost imperceptibly.

“Put on your robes. Come to the courtyard.”

“Alright.”