In the Hall of Returning Origins.
Ning Menglan recalled the confidential information he had seen about the Heavenly Profound Sect, his expression icy and imposing without a trace of anger.
From the very beginning, he had guessed that Lv Tianyun’s intentions were far from good, but he had assumed the man came to the Taiqing Sect merely to scheme for some spiritual treasures.
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that the Heavenly Profound Sect’s true goal was the Taiqing Sect’s fortune and future.
They sought to use an array as a conduit to steal the fortune from the one who bore the greatest destiny within the Taiqing Sect.
Initially, the Heavenly Profound Sect’s target had been none other than his personal disciple, Chu Qingchuan.
Had it not been for the fact that both Xu Wanci and Chu Qingchuan had triggered celestial phenomena during their Nascent Soul formation, leaving the Heavenly Profound Sect unsure whom to target and forced to probe cautiously, Chu Qingchuan’s fortune might have already been drained dry by now.
Just then, another communication talisman lit up.
Ning Menglan frowned faintly at the talisman, which had already activated three times today.
The Heavenly Profound Sect’s scheme had caused too great a stir, and in recent days, many sects had come to him seeking news of Xu Wanci.
For now, he could still fend off these inquiries, but—
The upcoming Ancient Battlefield was an ordeal Xu Wanci could no longer avoid.
Thinking of the perilous Ancient Battlefield, Ning Menglan’s frown deepened.
After the events in the Gathering Shadow Forest, he now saw danger lurking everywhere—let alone a place as treacherous as the Ancient Battlefield.
Yet while he could protect Xu Wanci for a time, he could not shield her forever.
Some trials, she would have to face herself.
Still, before she left, he would ensure she was fully prepared.
With a sweep of his sleeve, Ning Menglan’s gaze turned resolute.
The Taiqing Sect’s stock of protective artifacts had nearly been exhausted.
In the coming days, he would have to scour for more defensive treasures to bestow upon Xu Wanci.
When it came to such precious artifacts, more was always better than less!
On Mount Ruoxu.
Jiang Qiuning finally allowed herself a small sigh of relief as she looked at the several defensive artifacts in her storage pouch.
Even two days later, the memory of what had happened in the Gathering Shadow Forest still made her heart race uncontrollably.
The Ancient Array of Returning Guidance.
Had she stepped into it, her chances of survival would have been slim—even if the Sect Ancestor had intervened, he might only have barely managed to save her life.
Had she been the one leading the way, she would have been the one to enter the array.
All the suffering Xu Wanci had endured that day had been because of her.
Just then, familiar footsteps sounded behind her.
Jiang Qiuning’s body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
Unbidden, her mind replayed the scene after Xu Wanci had entered the array—Chu Qingchuan’s calm, calculated analysis of the situation.
Xu Wanci had not only shown her kindness but had done even more for Chu Qingchuan.
The gift of the Limitless Flame alone was priceless, let alone her willingness to enter the array for their sake.
Yet his reaction had been too composed, too rational, and too… self-centered.
As though he would never willingly suffer for anyone—not even her.
Chu Qingchuan approached, his hands gently settling on Jiang Qiuning’s shoulders as he spoke softly, "Qiuning, what are you busy with?"
Jiang Qiuning turned, subtly evading his touch, her voice even gentler than his.
"I’ve prepared some defensive artifacts to deliver to Wanci."
Before Chu Qingchuan could respond, she lowered her gaze and added,
"If Wanci hadn’t stopped us that day, we might have been dragged into the array as well."
Lifting her eyes, she met his gaze with sincerity.
"You’ve been occupied with cultivation, so I imagine you haven’t had time to visit the Sword Peak."
"If you have any spiritual treasures to give Wanci, I can deliver them along with mine."
Chu Qingchuan paused, but before he could reply, Jiang Qiuning shook her head with a faintly helpless smile.
"Then again, such gifts are better given in person to show sincerity."
Her smile remained tender as she said,
"I’ll head to the Sword Peak first today, then."
As he watched her retreating figure, a faint displeasure stirred in Chu Qingchuan’s heart.
Was it his imagination?
Why did it feel like Jiang Qiuning had grown slightly distant these past few days?
And—
His gaze darkened as he recalled the defensive artifacts his spiritual sense had detected among her gifts.
Some of them were treasures even he had never laid eyes on.
Was her concern for Xu Wanci… a little excessive?
Jiang Qiuning paid no heed to Chu Qingchuan’s thoughts as she quickened her steps toward the Sword Peak.
There, Xu Wanci sat quietly on her bed, circulating her spiritual energy.
Hearing the approaching footsteps, she exhaled softly.
Her injuries that day had never been severe—only the impact of the Void Fragment on her consciousness had forced her into a two-day slumber. Yet everyone assumed her unconsciousness stemmed from grave wounds.
Since awakening, the stream of visitors had not ceased.
At the sound of the brisk knock, she spoke softly, "Come in."
Jiang Qiuning pushed the door open and hurried to the bedside, her eyes brimming with unconcealed worry. "Wanci, how are you feeling now?"
Xu Wanci tilted her head slightly, answering earnestly,
"My injuries were never serious. After two days of rest, I’ve fully recovered."
Jiang Qiuning’s hands clenched involuntarily, her gaze heavy with complex emotions.
In Xu Wanci’s words, she had never suffered a severe injury.
Shattered bones—a minor wound.
Profound Darkness Needles—still minor.
Even the half-body scars left by the Thousand Silence Flames were dismissed as trivial.
To Jiang Qiuning, the words "minor injury" had long become synonymous with life-threatening wounds.
Steadying her breath, Jiang Qiuning forced her expression into something lighter.
"If it’s not serious… that’s good."
She lifted the storage pouch in her hands, offering it to Xu Wanci with gentle care.
"That day in the array was too dangerous, and you expended many defensive artifacts.
"Over the past few days, I’ve gathered some replacements. They may not match the ones you used in the array, but they should still offer some protection.
"I’ve also prepared some protective talismans. The cultivation world is fraught with peril—having these artifacts and talismans will at least bring some peace of mind."
Xu Wanci saw through the gratitude and guilt hidden beneath Jiang Qiuning’s gentle demeanor. Instead of accepting the pouch, she said firmly,
"I entered the array that day because I wanted the opportunities within it.
"It was my own choice, unrelated to anyone else."
Jiang Qiuning showed no surprise at her words, only a quiet understanding.
She didn’t withdraw the pouch but instead asked softly,
"When you triggered the array that day, did you already sense its danger?"
Xu Wanci’s eyes flickered before she lowered them, avoiding Jiang Qiuning’s gaze.
Jiang Qiuning pressed on,
"After the array was activated, others could still have entered if they’d continued forward, couldn’t they?"
Xu Wanci remained silent.
Jiang Qiuning finished,
"You stopped me and took the lead yourself because you sensed the danger, didn’t you?"
Still, Xu Wanci gave no answer.
But in her silence, Jiang Qiuning had already found the truth she sought.
She reached out a hand and gently covered Xu Wanci’s slightly cool left hand:
"So you see, no matter what, I’m the one who benefits."
"You’re the beneficiary of me risking my life to enter the formation."
"No." Xu Wanci withdrew her hand, her voice betraying little emotion as she calmly and bluntly refuted, "I’m familiar with the formation’s patterns. Even if I entered, there would be no life-threatening danger."
"But you would still get hurt." Jiang Qiuning’s voice carried a restrained ache. "And it would still hurt."
Before Xu Wanci could respond, Jiang Qiuning had already composed herself, her tone lightening as she said,
"Wanci, you know these defensive artifacts are nothing more to me than a single strand among three thousand worries—utterly insignificant."
"To exchange such a trivial cost for my safe return—could there be a more worthwhile bargain?"
At this, she pressed her lips together slightly, her eyes tinged with a hint of pleading:
"Just… let me have this peace of mind…"
While carefully observing Xu Wanci’s expression, she pressed a storage pouch into her hands:
"Take it, alright?"
In the end, Xu Wanci did not refuse.
Seeing her accept it, Jiang Qiuning’s eyes brimmed with delight. Softly, she said,
"I’ll have people continue searching for defensive artifacts. In a few days, I’ll bring them all to you!"
Without waiting for Xu Wanci’s reply, she rose lightly to her feet:
"Wanci, you’ve just woken from a serious injury. You need proper rest."
"Once those artifacts arrive in a few days, I’ll come find you again!"
Xu Wanci watched Jiang Qiuning’s slightly buoyant retreating figure before lowering her gaze to the storage pouch in her hand. It was delicate and compact, a pale blue hue adorned with the patterns of a Rain-Bloom flower.
Even this single item revealed the thoughtfulness of its owner.
She slowly clenched the pouch in her hand, her eyes flickering with unreadable emotions.
A moment later, she tucked it away, her mind settling back into calm.
She had no time to dwell on such things. The crisis awaiting her now far surpassed the dangers of the Guiyin Formation.
Piece by piece, she analyzed her current situation:
The conflict between the Taiqing Sect and the Xuantian Sect had already become common knowledge throughout the cultivation world.
As the instigator of this conflict, she had undoubtedly drawn the attention of many.
Thus, in the upcoming journey to the Ancient Battlefield, she would become the focal point of countless eyes—sect leaders, elders, and…
That Jiyun Zunzhang, who revered Immortal Venerable Qingyan to the point of fanaticism after receiving a single word of guidance from him.
Recalling the plotline involving Jiyun Zunzhe in the original novel, an almost imperceptible frown creased her brow.
Merely because Chu Qingchuan had used the half-step divine artifact, the Refining God Tome, left by the Immortal Venerable without sufficient reverence…
Merely because he had heard someone suggest Chu Qingchuan could become the next world’s foremost cultivator…
Jiyun Zunzhe had attacked Chu Qingchuan without hesitation. Had it not been for the intervention of several Taiqing Sect elders, Chu Qingchuan would have been severely wounded before even setting foot in the Ancient Secret Realm.
Not only that, but within a several-mile radius, if Jiyun Venerable heard even a whisper of disrespect toward the Immortal Venerable, he would come swinging his blade.
Yet everything he did aligned with karma, and coupled with his profound cultivation and peerless Jiyun Blade Art, no one could oppose him.
Given his fanaticism toward the Immortal Venerable, once he learned of her fabricated identity as the Venerable’s beloved, only two outcomes awaited her:
First: He would deem her a fraud exploiting the Immortal Venerable’s name and cut her down without hesitation.
Second: If she somehow convinced him of her supposed deep bond with the Venerable, his obsession would ensure he hounded her relentlessly for every detail about the man—regardless of how broken-hearted she pretended to be.
The more she spoke, the more flaws would emerge in her story.
And the moment she slipped up, death would be her only fate.
At this thought, a grave shadow darkened Xu Wanci’s eyes.
Outside the Ancient Battlefield, she might avoid Master Jiyun with caution.
But inside it, where every move would be visible to spectators, she would have to maintain her act of undying love for the Immortal Venerable—especially since the Taiqing Sect’s leaders knew her claims were lies.
She would inevitably reveal her knowledge of the battlefield, inevitably drop hints of her "past" with the Venerable.
And Jiyun, with his fanatical devotion, would inevitably notice the discrepancies.
Thus, the moment she stepped out of the Ancient Battlefield, her true crisis would begin.
If Jiyun Zunzhang meant her no harm, the Taiqing Sect elders would likely not intervene too forcefully.
And then… she would be at his mercy, subjected to his relentless interrogation.
Xu Wanci exhaled slowly, forcing her racing heart to steady.
There had to be a way.
In the original novel, Jiyun Zunzhe was volatile, caring only about the few things that held his interest. He would disregard anything—and anyone—outside that narrow focus.
Even if she performed her role so convincingly it moved others to tears, he would remain unmoved.
To him, what did it matter if she was the Immortal Venerable’s beloved?
He wouldn’t harm her—he’d just ask about the Venerable. He might even protect her in times of danger. Where was the harm in that?
Unless—
A dark glint flashed in Xu Wanci’s eyes as an idea struck her:
Unless Jiyun Zunzhe owed her a karmic debt—one that forced him to heed her feelings.
A debt that would make him back off when she refused to answer.
Xu Wanci slowly closed her eyes.
Immortal Venerable Qingyan stood at the pinnacle of the cultivation world, so lofty that none could compel his attention.
Why, then, had he once paused to guide Jiyun Zunzhe, who was merely at the Mahayana stage?
No one in the cultivation world knew—not even Jiyun Zunzhang himself.
But what if… it had been because of her?
What if something tied to her had been on Venerable Jiyun that day, catching the Venerable’s eye?
If Jiyun Zunzhe owed his enlightenment to her, then this karmic bond…
Could he still ignore her wishes?
Xu Wanci drew a deep breath, then released it.
She remembered that when Venerable Jiyun had met the Immortal Venerable, he had just emerged from a battle, his robes in tatters, the lotus patterns on his outer garment nearly obliterated.
Lotus patterns…
Ah.
Her fingers lightly traced the three-petaled lotus in her palm as she opened her eyes.
What a coincidence—she, too, favored lotuses.
What a coincidence—she possessed a three-petaled lotus personally crafted by the Immortal Venerable.
This small detail was enough.
If she prepared thoroughly for the Ancient Battlefield, she might just deceive Jiyun Zunzhe after all.
With that thought, her tension finally eased.
A sliver of hope was all she needed. She would stake everything to win this gamble.
Xu Wanci swung her legs off the bed and walked, step by deliberate step, out the door.
The ancient battlefield was vast and fraught with danger. The original text only mentioned a few key crises and opportunities Chu Qingchuan encountered—the rest, she would have to navigate on her own.
Before entering the ancient battlefield, she had to maximize her cultivation level.
In the Moyu Pavilion, Jiang Ze watched as Xu Wanci appeared in the courtyard, his gaze unconsciously fixed on her with an intensity he didn’t even realize.
Seeing the abundant spiritual energy swirling around her, he slowly set down his teacup.
The wounds from the wind blades on his arm had finally healed completely, and at last… he could stand before her again.
Jiang Ze rose to his feet, shaking off the frost clinging to him.
A distance of a hundred meters was too far.
Far enough that he no longer wished to endure it.
In just a few breaths, he appeared at the courtyard gate.
He watched Xu Wanci practicing her swordplay, the cold aura around him completely receding, even the icy glint in his eyes softening.
Watching her train like this… wasn’t as dull as he’d imagined.
He stood peacefully by the gate, occasionally offering corrections when he noticed flaws in her technique.
His guidance wasn’t based on rigid sword forms but on the flow of her sword energy, making it far more suited to her.
After one round, Xu Wanci sheathed her spiritual sword and turned to bow toward the gate, her voice sincere:
"Thank you, Young Master Moze."
Jiang Ze detected the genuineness in her tone—unlike the polite detachment of the past, she truly meant her gratitude this time.
His fingers twitched slightly before he realized—she was thanking him for catching her that day in the Juyou Forest.
His voice was cool, carrying a trace of imperceptible softness:
"It was merely…"
Then he noticed her unconsciously rubbing the three-leaf lotus, and his heartbeat slowed.
That person again.
He averted his gaze, his voice no longer gentle but frigid:
"I simply didn’t want to see another cripple in the cultivation world."
After speaking, he instinctively glanced at Xu Wanci, but she showed no reaction, merely drawing her sword again to resume practice. The cold around him deepened.
Yet no matter what, he didn’t leave.
In Xu Wanci’s relentless cultivation, a month passed in the blink of an eye.
With the help of the Xuyu Jiezi, her foundation had solidified considerably, inching closer to the mid-stage of Nascent Soul.
Today was the day they departed for the ancient battlefield.
Before the Jade Extreme Flying Ship, all participating disciples from the seven peaks of the Taiqing Sect had gathered.
But among the crowd, two members of the Jiang family stood out.
Jiang Qiuning stood beside Xu Wanci, her gaze tender to the extreme.
Three steps away, Jiang Ze stood silently, never speaking a word—yet his eyes never strayed from Xu Wanci.
His aura was restrained and steady, devoid of the usual chill, yet radiating an undercurrent of danger.
None of the disciples dared so much as glance in his direction.
Jiang Qiuning eyed the Jade Extreme Flying Ship ahead and frowned faintly before waving her hand. A luxurious yet elegant flying vessel adorned with cyan spirit stones descended beside it.
She turned to Xu Wanci with a bright smile:
"Wanci, the journey to the ancient battlefield is long, and the Jade Extreme Ship is crowded. It won’t be peaceful. Why not join me on the Huaxiao Flying Ship instead?"
Xu Wanci shook her head lightly:
"Thank you for your kindness, Qiuning, but it’s unnecessary."
The moment she finished speaking, Jiang Qiuning retracted the Huaxiao Ship without hesitation, smiling sweetly:
"Perfect. I prefer lively company anyway."
Aboard the Jade Extreme Ship, the gazes of all the Taiqing Sect disciples kept drifting toward Xu Wanci.
She sat at the ship’s prow, surrounded by several people. Jiang Qiuning, closest to her, occasionally offered spirit fruits and tea directly to her lips.
The Taiqing Sect’s Sect Master, Second Elder, and Third Elder stood by her side, speaking to her with a warmth and familiarity they had never shown any other disciple.
And then there was Young Master Moze—a name that could make ordinary cultivators tremble—
standing right beside Xu Wanci!
Such a gathering of stars, such a circle of mighty figures—
While Xu Wanci’s achievement of reaching Nascent Soul in a century was rare, did it truly warrant such treatment from these revered elders?
Elder Brother Chu had also reached Nascent Soul, and his breakthrough had also triggered celestial phenomena.
So why…
One disciple couldn’t resist stealing a glance at Chu Qingchuan, sitting alone at the ship’s stern, and wondered:
Why isn’t anyone by Elder Brother Chu’s side?
Not even Young Mistress Jiang…
A disciple close to Shen Wenxin, knowing she often visited Xu Wanci at the Sword Peak lately, couldn’t suppress her curiosity and grabbed her before she could approach Xu Wanci again.
Her voice brimmed with barely contained intrigue:
"Wenxin, do you know what’s happened recently?"
"Why is Xu Wanci… receiving such attention from the Sect Master and elders?"
Shen Wenxin’s heart swelled with countless things she wanted to say—about Xu Wanci’s kindness, her strength, her composure, her vast knowledge, her unyielding spirit!
But remembering her master’s daily reminder to limit herself to fifteen words, she took a deep breath and declared succinctly yet grandly:
"Because she deserves it!"
The disciples around her, ears perked, felt they’d learned nothing.
But then…
Someone whispered, unable to resist:
"What about Young Mistress Jiang and Xu Wanci…?"
They were burning with curiosity about the current state of their relationship.
Though many had witnessed Jiang Qiuning’s attitude toward Xu Wanci during the Sect Competition, still—
After being rivals for so long, could they really have no lingering resentment?
Shen Wenxin thumped her chest, eyes blazing:
"Extremely close!!"
Another voice, brimming with curiosity, chimed in:
"And what about Xu Wanci and Young Master Moze…?"
Why would the aloof, reclusive Young Master Moze, who disdained company, willingly stay by her side?
Shen Wenxin suddenly recalled the scene in the Juyou Forest where Jiang Ze had disregarded his own safety to catch Xu Wanci. She nodded vigorously:
"Exceptionally close!!"
Hearing her words, at the ship’s prow, the corner of Jiang Ze’s lips curled into a faint, imperceptible smile:
Not all members of the Taiqing Sect are eyesores.
The disciples around Shen Wenxin buzzed with excitement again.
But this time, no matter what they asked, she clamped her mouth shut and refused to speak.
Until one voice piped up hesitantly:
"And Xu Wanci and Elder Brother Chu…?"
"What’s their relationship like now…?"
Shen Wenxin counted the words she’d already spoken. The six-character phrase "merely fellow disciples" was shortened to:
"Just… okay!"
Not far away, Chu Qingchuan’s expression darkened instantly.
On the flying ship of the Wuji Sect.
A striking, unrestrained figure stood atop the railing at the ship’s prow, surrounded by empty space.
He was clad in flamboyant crimson robes, his face strikingly beautiful, with a red mole at the corner of his eye that added a touch of seductive charm. Yet the ruthlessness and volatility in his gaze transformed all that allure into something lethally dangerous.
At his waist hung a long blade heavier than himself, its sheath unable to contain the icy, murderous aura radiating from the steel.
Ji Wang listened to the faint murmurs of conversation drifting up from a thousand meters below the flying vessel, his grip tightening around the communication stone until it crumbled to dust in his palm.
The next unrivaled genius of this era?
Chu Qingchuan—how dare he lay claim to such a title?
With a flick of his wrist, a surge of spiritual energy shot toward the gossiping cultivators below.
The disciples standing a cautious seven feet away from him flinched at the sight of his fury, shrinking back even further, their movements timid and fearful.
In the Wuji Sect, survival depended on remembering two ironclad rules:
First—never speak ill of the Immortal Venerable Qingyan, not even in the vaguest terms.
And second—when Ji Wang was enraged, stay far, far away. The farther, the better.
