All the disciples of Taiqing Sect wore similar expressions of shock:
A seventh-grade demonic soul was one thing, but Xu Wanci even knew the weaknesses of eighth-grade demonic souls—and with such precise detail!
Eighth-grade demonic souls never appeared in the outer regions of the ancient battlefield, so even the sect master and elders had never warned them about such threats. How, then, did Xu Wanci know?
The disciples who had made it here were the elite of the sect, both in temperament and cultivation. After only a brief moment of astonishment, they quickly schooled their expressions and began cautiously probing their surroundings with spiritual energy.
Regardless, knowing the weaknesses of demonic souls was a boon for all of them.
At this thought, some disciples cast complicated glances at Xu Wanci’s back:
Once, like the rest of Taiqing Sect, they had believed her character was despicable and unworthy, ashamed to associate with her.
But now…
Recalling the sword strike she had delivered—slaying a fifth-grade demonic soul before anyone else could react—their eyes couldn’t help but gleam with admiration.
Shen Wenxin was right.
Xu Wanci was a cultivator worthy of their respect.
Shen Wenxin, however, paid no mind to the others’ thoughts. She cheerfully picked up the soul crystal that had fallen to the ground and trotted over to Xu Wanci’s side.
"Wanci, Wanci, Wanci!"
Now that they were on the battlefield, she could finally speak freely, without restraint.
She clung to Xu Wanci’s side, one arm cradling her spirit zither while the other pressed the soul crystal into Xu Wanci’s hand. Then, with barely contained excitement, she tugged lightly on Xu Wanci’s sleeve and whispered:
"You’re amazing! None of us even reacted when that demonic soul attacked!"
"If you hadn’t struck it down in one move, someone might’ve been injured the moment we stepped onto the battlefield."
Xu Wanci felt the cool touch of the soul crystal in her palm and paused briefly before replying softly,
"It was nothing."
By then, the rest of the Taiqing Sect disciples had caught up.
Xu Wanci led at the front, while Chu Qingchuan guarded the rear—one clearing the path, the other protecting the group.
Their task was to hunt as many demonic souls as possible before nightfall, then return to the safe zone Taiqing Sect had established within the ancient battlefield.
They had been transported to a desolate wasteland of jagged hills, where swirling yellow sand obscured everything beyond a few meters.
Within the howling winds, faint wails echoed—sometimes distant, sometimes near.
Whether by luck or misfortune, they had encountered only a dozen or so third-grade demonic souls in half a shichen.
These were barely enough to distribute among their group of forty-nine.
Shen Wenxin, trailing behind Xu Wanci, sighed dramatically.
"Are we seriously going to be the sect with the fewest soul crystals?"
The ancient battlefield wasn’t just a land of opportunity—it was also a competition among the ten great sects of the cultivation world.
The more soul crystals the disciples collected, the higher their sect’s ranking.
If Taiqing Sect, the foremost sect in the realm, ended up at the bottom…
She didn’t even want to imagine the sect master’s expression.
The other disciples nodded in agreement.
While they didn’t want to face life-threatening dangers, they also didn’t want to leave empty-handed!
Hearing the murmurs behind her, Xu Wanci stopped and turned to face them.
"Do you want to hunt more demonic souls?"
The disciples blinked in confusion. After a moment, one ventured hesitantly,
"Of… of course we do."
But the ancient battlefield was vast and perilous—where could they find a place teeming with demonic souls but minimal danger?
Unless…
Before they could finish the thought, Xu Wanci nodded thoughtfully.
Ever since arriving, she had been using her divine sense to carefully survey their surroundings. Though faint, she had detected traces of demonic souls several hundred meters away.
However, the signals were too weak for her to discern their grades or numbers.
If only she could see more clearly…
Xu Wanci lowered her gaze slightly.
No matter how long she concealed her divine sense, the truth would eventually come to light. She couldn’t hide forever.
Besides, having a divine sense stronger than her cultivation level wouldn’t raise suspicions—no one would leap to the conclusion that she could see through illusions.
The ancient battlefield was the perfect place to reveal this ability.
As for why an ordinary cultivator like her possessed such a formidable divine sense…
Well, the sect master and elders of Taiqing Sect could surely guess the answer, couldn’t they?
Outside the battlefield, she had rarely faced enough danger to fully utilize her divine sense, reserving it only to anticipate opponents’ moves during battles.
But now, with a desire to see farther and clearer, her divine sense gradually solidified, stretching toward a specific direction until the rough outlines of the terrain several hundred meters away appeared in her mind.
Once she had seen enough, she opened her eyes and addressed the group.
"Seven hundred meters west. There are roughly several dozen fourth-grade demonic souls there."
Then, hesitating slightly, she asked,
"Do you want to go?"
Her words left the disciples utterly stunned.
As inner disciples of Taiqing Sect, they were far from ignorant—yet in a single day, Xu Wanci had shocked them too many times.
She could actually survey the battlefield within a radius of a thousand meters!
Even a Nascent Soul cultivator might not achieve this—let alone a Golden Core cultivator!
Chu Qingchuan, standing at the rear, also froze momentarily.
He didn’t doubt Xu Wanci’s words.
But he was astonished.
During the sect’s grand competition, he had already recognized her strength—though back then, she had won by fighting recklessly. If they dueled again, he might not lose.
Yet now, watching the figure in blue amidst the swirling sands, he suddenly felt as though she had already left him far behind.
Shaking off his thoughts, he said firmly, "We’ll go."
"Continuing here might keep us safe, but the path of cultivation was never meant to be smooth."
Then, with conviction, he added,
"Besides, I trust Xu Wanci’s judgment."
"I trust her too!" Shen Wenxin chimed in without hesitation.
The other disciples quickly nodded in agreement.
With a clear goal in mind, the group soon arrived at the location Xu Wanci had described.
The moment they spotted the dozens of demonic souls, the disciples lit up as if returning home, charging toward them with eager smiles.
In less than half the time it takes to drink tea, every last demonic soul in the area had been vanquished.
Surveying the now-barren hills, the disciples all turned to Xu Wanci with sparkling eyes, their gazes practically screaming three words:
Is there more?
Though Xu Wanci had never learned to wield divine sense in such a manner, locating demonic souls was not particularly difficult for her.
She pointed in another direction, and the disciples eagerly charged toward it, weapons at the ready.
Outside the ancient battlefield, the sect masters and elders could barely contain their astonishment.
The higher one's cultivation, the more they understood the importance of divine sense—and the more they recognized how arduous it was to refine it.
Divine sense was formless and intangible, making it nearly impossible to cultivate under normal circumstances. Only during breakthroughs, when one gained enlightenment of the heavenly Dao, could it be enhanced. Thus, the difference in divine sense between cultivators of the same realm was usually minimal.
Artifacts and spiritual herbs capable of nourishing divine sense were exceedingly rare. Even if one were fortunate enough to obtain them, it would take hundreds or thousands of years for any noticeable improvement.
Yet Xu Wanci’s divine sense… was already comparable to that of a Divine Transformation or even a Great Ascension cultivator.
With such divine sense supporting her, breaking through to Divine Transformation or Great Ascension would pose no bottleneck whatsoever.
Countless cultivators spent their entire lives trapped at a single realm, but Xu Wanci’s future was boundless.
However…
The way she used her divine sense seemed slightly unfamiliar—as if it wasn’t innate but acquired.
What kind of fortuitous encounter had Xu Wanci experienced to strengthen her divine sense to such an extent?
Recalling the earlier dispute between Ji Wang and Taiqing Sect, many stiffened before vehemently shaking their heads in denial:
Impossible. Absolutely impossible!
At this moment, Ning Menglan and the Grand Elder exchanged a glance, understanding flashing in their eyes before they averted their gazes.
Everyone had witnessed the Immortal Venerable’s concern for Xu Wanci.
Back then, had the Immortal Venerable truly only prepared the Frostmoon Orchid for her?
To elevate a cultivator’s potential, innate talent and spiritual roots were crucial—but the strength of one’s divine sense was equally indispensable.
Some treasures might remain forever out of reach for them, but to the Immortal Venerable, they were nothing extraordinary.
By now, the Sect Master of Zhiqin Sect had regained her composure. She turned to Ning Menglan, her voice tinged with envy:
"Sect Master Ning, your sect is truly full of hidden talents. First, there was Chu Qingchuan, already the envy of us all."
"And now, Xu Wanci appears, with divine sense so formidable…"
"Would Sect Master Ning be willing to share some insights on nurturing such disciples?"
Suppressing his emotions, Ning Menglan replied calmly, "It’s all a matter of fate."
Then, with a smile, he added, "Now, even I am basking in the glory of my disciples, fortunate enough to receive praise from fellow sect masters."
"When they return, I’ll be sure to reward them properly."
The Sect Master of Zhiqin Sect rolled her eyes inwardly but chuckled lightly. "Sect Master Ning, you jest."
Nearby, Ji Wang sat cross-legged, quietly polishing his Cloudrend Blade.
Hearing Ning Menglan’s words, he finally lifted his gaze to glance at Xu Wanci before lowering it again, a mocking smile curling his lips.
With divine sense so powerful and luck so abundant…
No wonder she had deceived so many in Taiqing Sect.
Had he not once met the Immortal Venerable, even he might have been fooled.
Back then, the Immortal Venerable had already been akin to an ascended immortal.
To him, all living beings were mere ants—no cultivator had ever caught his attention.
Including Ji Wang himself.
Only by an immense stroke of fortune had he earned a single word of guidance from the Immortal Venerable.
The reflection in his Cloudrend Blade revealed eyes brimming with reverence.
But then, as if recalling something, his gaze darkened, settling into a cold, ruthless stillness.
Inside the ancient battlefield, under Xu Wanci’s leadership, the disciples of Taiqing Sect had harvested far more soul crystals than any other sect.
By the time Xu Wanci sheathed her sword, dozens of fifth-tier demonic souls had been eradicated.
Shen Wenxin had been watching her closely. Noticing the faint pallor of her lips, she hurried to her side and steadied her.
"Wanci, we’ve hunted enough demonic souls for today. You should rest."
"If you overexert your divine sense, recovery will be difficult."
The other disciples nodded fervently, their voices filled with respect and concern.
"That’s right!"
"Senior Sister Xu, please take a break."
Chu Qingchuan handed Xu Wanci a vial of sixth-tier soul-nourishing pills, his tone carrying a trace of unreadable complexity.
"It’s getting late. Retract your divine sense, Wanci. I’ll lead everyone to the Divine Remains—it’s the safest place to rest."
Xu Wanci felt the warmth in her divine sense. Tightening her grip on the three-leaf lotus at her waist, she accepted the pills without refusal and nodded.
"Alright."
Just then, a thick black mist surged from the distance, swallowing all sound and spiritual energy. No matter how much power they unleashed, not a ripple could be stirred.
Before the disciples could resist, the mist swept them away to an unfamiliar place.
When Xu Wanci steadied herself, her eyes snapped open, her left hand already resting on her sword.
Surveying her surroundings, her fingers twitched, but her nerves remained taut.
She stood in what resembled a maze—alone.
Before her stretched countless paths, each exuding an irresistible allure. Through each, she could almost glimpse treasures capable of shaking the entire cultivation world.
Clutching the three-leaf lotus, she focused her mind, drawing strength from its cool touch.
This was… the Treasure Grotto!
In the original story, even the protagonist had stumbled here.
Countless spiritual treasures lay within, but all had been tainted by demonic energy, twisted into artifacts that awakened the deepest desires of the heart.
The longer one stayed, the stronger those desires grew—until one was consumed by greed, slaughtering mindlessly for those so-called treasures.
Back then, Chu Qingchuan hadn’t yet obtained the three-leaf lotus. Struggling against his cravings, he had barely clung to clarity before incinerating the surroundings with his Netherflame, forcing the Treasure Grotto to spit everyone out.
In the few moments Xu Wanci spent lost in thought, the aura of the treasures grew even more potent.
One path now shimmered with the glow of a celestial-grade spiritual herb, as if urging her to claim it.
She took a step forward—the radiance intensified, beckoning her closer.
Without so much as a glance, she turned and entered a pitch-black path instead.
As a sword cultivator, she couldn’t emulate Chu Qingchuan’s method of burning the grotto to ashes.
Her only option was to rely on her perception of illusions and choose a path devoid of temptation.
Step by step, Xu Wanci advanced with unwavering resolve.
Along the way, she encountered countless forks, each offering treasures more enticing than the last:
Celestial-grade herbs.
Ancient spirit swords.
Divine-tier artifacts.
Some spiritual treasures had even appeared at the entrance of the path, as if with just a reach of her hand, she could gather them into her embrace.
Yet Xu Wanci’s expression remained utterly unmoved. She walked forward with the same calmness, treading the path destined to be dark, destined to yield nothing.
Outside the ancient battlefield, the Sect Master of Wuji Sect couldn’t suppress his confusion:
“This Xu Wanci… does she truly desire no spiritual treasures?”
“Does she truly have no desires at all?”
At this moment, the Sect Master of Mingjian Sect’s eyes flickered with a trace of admiration:
“I see in her an extraordinary resolve. Such unwavering determination resembles my own. With this temperament, how could she not achieve the Great Dao?!”
As he spoke, he glanced at the scene within the ancient battlefield—and suddenly froze.
“Wait—”
His gaze fixed on the supreme treasure that had appeared at the path’s entrance, and he pressed a hand to his chest:
“That… that’s the legendary divine sword, the Tai’a Sword!!!”
“She’s a sword cultivator—how can she not even spare it a glance?!”
The Sect Master of Zhiqin Sect shot him a disdainful look and remarked coolly:
“Such resolve may simply mean she has yet to encounter a treasure that truly moves her heart.”
In another scene, Chu Qingchuan stood motionless, fists clenched tightly.
Before him lay a ten-thousand-year-old Spirit-Converging Orchid, a plant lost to time for millennia—one capable of explosively enhancing divine sense.
Most disciples of Taiqing Sect had already descended into frenzy.
They scavenged madly for every supreme treasure, sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss of desire.
The Sect Master of Zhiqin Sect swept a detached gaze over them all before finally settling on Xu Wanci, whose expression remained as serene and indifferent as ever:
“I wonder… what is Xu Wanci’s true desire?”
Just then, Xu Wanci’s footsteps slowed for the first time.
She stood silently before the Weepingless Spirit Mushroom, now fully formed into the shape of an infant, and did not move for a long time.
The Weepingless Spirit Mushroom—after ten thousand years, it took human form. It could revive the dead, regenerate flesh, restore spiritual energy, and mend divine sense.
To possess it was to possess multiple lives.
Seeing this, the Sect Master of Wuji Sect stroked his beard and sighed:
“A treasure capable of overturning life and death… even a cultivator would pause for such a thing.”
But the Sect Master of Mingjian Sect shook his head slightly:
“The path to the Great Dao demands unrelenting forward motion.”
“To make securing an escape route one’s desire is too shallow. How can one contend with those who stake their lives against heaven for that sliver of the Great Dao?”
Just as everyone sighed and assumed Xu Wanci would take the Weepingless Spirit Mushroom, she slowly averted her gaze.
Her lips curled into a faint, self-mocking smile, tinged with bitterness.
She lowered her head, fingers lightly tracing the three-petaled lotus at her waist, her gaze filled with an almost obsessive focus.
When she looked up again, her expression had returned to its usual calm.
As before, she walked step by step down the path devoid of all temptation.
Watching this, the perceptive Sect Master of Zhiqin Sect mused:
“Does she desire the Weepingless Spirit Mushroom… truly for herself?”
Hearing this, Ning Menglan exhaled almost imperceptibly:
Xu Wanci was not without desire. It was simply that what she sought—not even the Ten Thousand Treasures Vault, nor the entire cultivation world, could offer.
Her ambition was vast, yet not for herself—only for that one person.
At this moment, Ji Wang paused in polishing his blade. Without lifting his head, he stared fixedly at the Cloud-Severing Sword in his hands:
“A petty schemer who exploits the name of an Immortal Venerable… how could she lack desire?”
The Weepingless Spirit Mushroom could save lives.
Save lives…
While the others debated, Xu Wanci had already advanced toward the heart of the Ten Thousand Treasures Vault.
The treasures before her grew increasingly overwhelming, even bordering on absurd:
A treasure that, once obtained, would autonomously circulate spiritual energy to aid cultivation.
An artifact capable of slaying a Tribulation Transcension expert without a sound.
A pill that granted ascension with a single bite.
Xu Wanci’s gaze swept over them all, her eyes hollow with a weariness she hadn’t felt in years:
None of this… was what she sought.
In an instant, her resolve returned, sharper than ever:
If it wasn’t here, she would search the entire cultivation world.
There had to be a sliver of hope.
There had to be.
She reached the path’s end—a place of utter darkness, where only a single sword stood, its blade cracked yet radiating an indomitable sword intent.
The onlookers paled in unison:
“The Nine Heavens Sword of War Goddess Yaoguang!!”
Thousands of years ago, War Goddess Yaoguang had been the world’s foremost sword cultivator. Her Nine Heavens Sword could pierce the heavens—no blade could rival it.
On this very ancient battlefield, she had fought to her last breath before falling.
The Nine Heavens Sword had lain sealed here ever since.
But alas…
The Sect Master of Mingjian Sect sighed at the cracks marring the blade:
Though still a divine weapon, the Nine Heavens Sword could never again birth a sword spirit.
Would Xu Wanci truly forsake countless treasures for a sword that would never regain its spirit?
At that moment, countless spiritual treasures surged toward her, clamoring for her attention:
The Tai’a Sword, most of all, enticed her desperately:
“Come to me, child! Come!”
“I am an ancient divine sword, with a spirit tempered over millennia! Choose me, and I will make you the cultivation world’s one and only Sword Venerable!”
Beside it, the ascension pill’s voice turned shrill:
“Why pick a sword without a spirit? Choose me! I can make you ascend! I can give you everything a cultivator could dream of!”
“Look at me! Look at me!”
Amid the cacophony, Xu Wanci didn’t so much as glance aside.
Her gaze remained fixed on the Nine Heavens Sword:
She had never needed a sword spirit.
The reason she’d never replaced her blade was precisely because she refused to share her existence with another sentience.
Even a spirit born of her own blood—she could trust none but herself.
The Nine Heavens Sword was the only blade worthy of her.
Moreover, the original texts had mentioned this sword.
Once the world’s supreme divine weapon, peerless in sharpness and sword intent, it was even said to hold the power to reverse fate itself.
Reverse fate.
Perhaps just a legend—but it was the legend she needed most.
With this thought, Xu Wanci blinked slowly.
Then, step by unwavering step, she walked toward the Nine Heavens Sword.
The treasures around her shifted, transforming into countless legendary swords from across the cultivation world.
Yet her eyes never lingered on a single one.
She reached the Nine Heavens Sword and wrapped her fingers around its hilt. A surge of icy, formidable energy flooded her heart.
Closing her eyes, she imprinted her divine sense upon the blade, stroke by deliberate stroke.
“My sword path exists to win.”
“My Great Dao is to wrest life from heaven’s grasp—to seize that single thread of hope.”
“To seize the chance to reverse fate itself.”
“Will you walk this path with me?”
The Nine Heavens Sword had no sword spirit. It allowed itself to be chosen by Xu Wanci, to be bound by her contract, and ultimately, to become her spiritual sword.
Witnessing this, the Sect Master of Mingjian Sect nodded with satisfaction:
"To have walked through the countless temptations of the Ten Thousand Treasures Vault and reached this point...
Such resolve must have already earned the approval of the Nine Heavens Sword’s spirit."
Slowly, inch by inch, Xu Wanci drew the sword from the stone pedestal. A clear, resonant sword cry echoed, distant as if from ancient times, shattering all illusions.
In an instant, everyone was expelled from the formation. Many appeared disheveled, their spiritual energy in turmoil, yet their hands still moved restlessly as if trying to gather more treasures.
Nearby, Chu Qingchuan stared blankly at his empty hands. It took him a long moment to realize that everything he had experienced was merely an illusion.
Then, from the depths of the black mist, a figure clad in blue robes emerged, drawing nearer with each step.
She held a long sword in her hand, her entire being radiating an icy, unyielding sword intent.
And the moment she appeared, the surrounding darkness recoiled, retreating before her like a tide.
