Outside the ancient battlefield, the sight of the ninth-grade demonic soul dissipating without a trace of demonic energy left everyone in utter astonishment:
The third page of the Lianshen Book had been turned?!
How was that possible?!
That was the Lianshen Book!
Apart from Immortal Venerable Qingyan from back in the day, no one had ever managed to turn to its third page.
Why had no one in the entire cultivation world, regardless of their cultivation level, dared to covet the Lianshen Book?
Unless acknowledged by the book, even a Tribulation Transcension expert couldn’t flip the first page. In fact, the moment their divine sense touched it, they would suffer severe backlash.
Even Chu Qingchuan, who had been acknowledged by the Lianshen Book and bound to it for years, could barely open the second page after exhausting all his strength.
Xu Wanci was merely a Nascent Soul cultivator. Even if her divine sense was slightly stronger—comparable to a Mahayana cultivator at most—how could she possibly turn to the third page of the Lianshen Book?!
Unless—
A startling thought suddenly arose in their minds:
The Lianshen Book did not reject Xu Wanci’s divine sense.
Perhaps, the Lianshen Book had already formed a connection with Xu Wanci long ago.
Long ago…
At this realization, many recalled the dispute between Ji Wang and the Taiqing Sect disciples before entering the ancient battlefield.
After Ji Wang attacked Xu Wanci, he had said—
He wanted to test this disciple who was connected to the Immortal Venerable!
Initially, they had assumed Ji Wang was simply overly devoted to the Immortal Venerable, and perhaps this disciple had carelessly invoked his wrath by mentioning the Venerable’s name.
After all, Ji Wang had done many incomprehensible things in the name of the Immortal Venerable.
But now, it seemed Ji Wang hadn’t exaggerated.
Xu Wanci truly was connected to the Immortal Venerable.
Perhaps… intimately so.
Ji Wang had realized this too.
At this moment, he felt as if all his strength had drained away. He could only continue channeling spiritual energy into the ancient battlefield’s formation by sheer instinct.
His striking, mesmerizing eyes were filled with stunned bewilderment as he stared at Xu Wanci, kneeling weakly amidst the battlefield’s ruins:
Xu Wanci could also use the Lianshen Book.
Had the Immortal Venerable… truly been connected to her back then?
Words could deceive, but divine sense never lied.
The Lianshen Book remembered Xu Wanci’s divine sense.
How was this possible?!
With the Immortal Venerable’s power, the entire cultivation world was but a fleeting illusion to him.
How could a mere Nascent Soul cultivator like Xu Wanci be worth his… attention?
Moreover, a hundred years ago, she had only been a Foundation Establishment disciple—someone who shouldn’t even have had the right to meet the Immortal Venerable!
While Ji Wang still struggled to accept this, the barrier sealing the ancient battlefield finally shattered.
Before he could react, he found himself instinctively stepping toward Xu Wanci.
But the moment he saw her pale, blood-streaked profile, his feet froze. He stood rooted, unable to take another step.
At the same time, another figure clad in dark robes arrived beside her almost simultaneously.
Jiang Ze’s spiritual energy was on the verge of raging out of control, yet his hands remained steady.
He knelt on one knee, grasping Xu Wanci’s limp left hand. The turbulent spiritual energy was forcibly suppressed, flowing into her depleted dantian like warm, gentle streams.
His lips pressed into a tight line, he retrieved a top-grade rejuvenation pill from his storage pouch and brought it to her lips, his voice almost tender:
"Wanci, take it."
Xu Wanci didn’t open her mouth. Her head hung low, her breathing faint to the point of vanishing.
Her whisper was so soft it dissipated into the ancient battlefield’s swirling sands:
"Is everyone else… alright?"
Ning Menglan, as the Taiqing Sect Master, had been assessing the injuries of his disciples since entering the battlefield.
At her question, his back stiffened momentarily before he slowly closed his eyes.
In that moment, he truly saw Xu Wanci as her own person—unrelated to the Immortal Venerable, unbound by karma.
Having such a disciple was a blessing for the Taiqing Sect.
He turned to her, softening his voice as much as possible:
"All forty-nine Taiqing Sect disciples who entered the ancient battlefield are alive. None are in mortal danger."
Only after hearing his reply did Xu Wanci finally relax.
Her gaze drifted to the Lianshen Book lying on the ground, her vision gradually blurring.
Jiang Ze sensed something wrong immediately. Pulling her into his arms, he swiftly fed her the rejuvenation pill.
Jiang Qiuning rushed over as well, suppressing her worry as she poured spiritual treasures and pills from her storage pouch onto Xu Wanci without hesitation.
The Second Elder, whose spiritual energy was the gentlest, took Xu Wanci’s wrist to assess her meridians. Her movements paused almost imperceptibly:
Her divine sense and dantian were completely drained. Even with spiritual medicines, she would need extensive rest to recover.
Regardless of her thoughts, she channeled her Tribulation Transcension-level spiritual energy, carefully nourishing Xu Wanci’s withered dantian.
Meanwhile, all the Sect Masters and elders who had entered the battlefield busied themselves.
Nearly a hundred severely injured disciples from the Zhiqin Sect and Taiqing Sect required attention.
Only after stabilizing every disciple’s condition did everyone finally exhale in relief.
The Sect Master of Zhiqin Sect approached Ning Menglan, his voice weary:
"Xu Wanci saved all our Zhiqin Sect disciples. As their Sect Master, I owe her a life debt. If she ever needs anything, I will assist without hesitation."
Ning Menglan sidestepped the topic. Glancing around, he shook his head.
"We should leave the ancient battlefield soon. The formation is about to close."
What was supposed to be a three-day expedition ended prematurely due to the emergence of the ninth-grade demonic soul.
The moment they stepped out of the battlefield, Jiang Ze flicked his sleeve, summoning a small, exquisite estate—complete with pavilions, spiritual mountains, and lakes—capable of housing hundreds.
Xu Wanci’s condition demanded immediate rest.
Jiang Ze had never cared for others’ opinions, nor would he go out of his way to accommodate them.
But…
Remembering Xu Wanci’s words before she lost consciousness, he glanced down at the woman in his arms, then spoke indifferently to Ning Menglan:
"The Moyun Residence can restore spiritual energy. The injured disciples may rest here."
Ning Menglan cupped his hands in gratitude.
"Many thanks, Young Master Moze."
With so many injured disciples from both sects—some too fragile to endure the turbulence of flying vessels—the two Sect Masters decided to let them recuperate for a day before departing.
Though the sects present were among the cultivation world’s elite, none could rival the Jiang Clan’s wealth—capable of casually summoning a ninth-grade spiritual estate with a wave of a hand.
After obtaining Jiang Ze's consent, the Sect Master of Zhiqin Sect packed up the modest residence that paled in comparison to Moyun Manor and led all her disciples inside.
Once all the disciples were settled and ensured they wouldn’t suffer hidden injuries that could hinder their cultivation, Ning Menglan finally let out a sigh of relief.
When he turned around, he was met with the sight of the sect masters and elders of the other nine major sects standing in perfect formation.
Wearily, he exhaled.
Ever since learning that Xu Wanci would come to the ancient battlefield, an uneasy feeling had lingered in his heart.
He had anticipated that some might grow suspicious upon witnessing Xu Wanci’s actions.
If it were mere speculation, he had ways to handle it.
But never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that Xu Wanci’s identity would be exposed so abruptly and unreservedly before everyone.
The Divine Refinement Tome.
Even he, the Sect Master of Taiqing Sect, was powerless against such a divine artifact. Yet, a mere Nascent Soul cultivator had managed to open its third page.
No matter how silver-tongued or persuasive he might be, the weight of undeniable facts crushed all arguments.
With this thought, he calmly straightened his outer robe and spoke in an even tone,
"If the esteemed sect masters and elders have doubts, perhaps we should discuss this further inside the pavilion."
Inside Moqing Pavilion,
Ning Menglan sat composedly under the scorching gazes of the others, as if they wished to devour him whole. He leisurely brewed himself a cup of spiritual tea.
The Sect Master of Mingjian Sect, known for his fiery temper, could no longer endure Ning Menglan’s unhurried tea-sipping. He stood abruptly from his seat and demanded outright,
"Just who is Xu Wanci? And what is her connection to… Immortal Venerable Qingyan?"
At his question, Ji Wang, who leaned against the pavilion door, tightened his grip on the Jiyun Blade, veins bulging on the back of his hand.
His lips pressed into a thin line, emotions churning violently within him.
Finally, Ning Menglan set down his teacup and replied flatly,
"Didn’t you all witness it just now?"
The Sect Master of Zhiqin Sect clenched the armrest of her seat, her voice trembling with disbelief despite the irrefutable evidence before her,
"Xu Wanci… truly has ties to Immortal Venerable Qingyan?"
That was the former number one figure in the cultivation world—Immortal Venerable Qingyan, someone even she wasn’t qualified to meet.
A hundred years ago, Xu Wanci was just an ordinary disciple. How could she possibly…
Had this been before the ancient battlefield, they would have dismissed such a claim as absurd.
A ridiculous joke.
But after witnessing Xu Wanci wielding the Divine Refinement Tome, none of them could laugh. Instead, their expressions were dazed, struck with awe.
Ning Menglan glanced at their faces and answered lightly,
"Yes."
Their minds had slowed to a crawl.
Their first reaction was: Yes… to what?
Then, realization dawned.
Ah.
Yes, Xu Wanci truly is connected to Immortal Venerable Qingyan.
The Sect Master of Zhiqin Sect shut her eyes tightly, forcing herself to regain composure. Her voice quivered as she asked,
"How deep is this connection?"
Without waiting for Ning Menglan’s reply, she muttered as if to reassure herself, "If it’s merely guidance or a master-disciple bond, like the one between Honorable Jiyun and the Immortal Venerable, then it’s not entirely implausible…"
Ning Menglan showed no surprise at her self-delusion.
Instead, he posed a sudden question,
"Sect Master Qin, would you allow your disciples to use or even touch your life-bound artifact?"
The Sect Master of Zhiqin Sect frowned reflexively.
Even her lifelong Dao companion would need her careful consideration before laying a finger on her life-bound artifact, let alone…
Then, an inconceivable thought struck her.
Her head snapped up as she stared at Ning Menglan, teeth gritted as she ventured,
"Don’t tell me… they’re Dao companions?"
At this, the Grand Elder of Mingjian Sect slammed the table and roared,
"Impossible!"
"Sect Master Qin, do not spout nonsense and tarnish the Immortal Venerable’s reputation—"
"Why is it impossible?" Ning Menglan interjected softly.
Silence descended upon Moqing Pavilion like a deathly shroud.
The Grand Elder of Mingjian Sect stood frozen, mouth agape.
The others around him were equally stunned.
So even as Mahayana or Tribulation Transcension cultivators, they could still experience auditory hallucinations.
Just then, the wooden door behind Ji Wang crumbled into dust, scattering into the air.
A breeze infused with spiritual energy swept through, jolting the dazed crowd back to their senses.
The Sect Master of Wuji Sect spoke gravely,
"Sect Master Ning, some matters should not be spoken of lightly."
Now that the truth could no longer be concealed, Ning Menglan saw no reason to hide anything further.
Given the capabilities of the sect masters and elders present, they would uncover everything sooner or later.
With this in mind, he stated plainly,
"Xu Wanci carries the Frostmoon Orchid."
Another suffocating silence.
Despite their near-apex cultivation levels, their hearts skipped a beat at the mention of the Frostmoon Orchid.
If they followed Ning Menglan’s implication—
The usually reticent Pingyang Sect Master cut straight to the point,
"So Xu Wanci’s extraordinary divine sense… is also linked to the Immortal Venerable."
Ning Menglan didn’t answer. He merely took a slow sip of his tea.
That was answer enough.
First the Divine Refinement Tome, then the Frostmoon Orchid, and now her divine sense.
At this point, no doubts remained in their minds.
Xu Wanci… was Immortal Venerable Qingyan’s beloved.
Such a relationship—
Meant that Xu Wanci carried the weight of all the karmic debts owed to the Immortal Venerable.
No wonder.
No wonder Taiqing Sect guarded Xu Wanci so fiercely. No wonder they severed ties with Tianxuan Sect over her. No wonder Ning Menglan treated her better than his own direct disciples.
With such an identity, such karmic ties…
Had it been them, they would have acted even more ruthlessly.
Just then, the three elders of Taiqing Sect arrived at Moqing Pavilion.
Gu Yunqi glanced at the missing door, then at Ji Wang, whose aura was suppressed to the extreme. Her voice was icy,
"What? Does Honorable Jiyun now find even pavilion doors displeasing?"
The moment she spoke, Ji Wang remained motionless, but the others inside turned to stare at her with unprecedented scrutiny.
Gu Yunqi’s brow furrowed imperceptibly.
Then, the Second Elder of Pingyang Sect spoke abruptly,
"We hadn’t noticed earlier, but congratulations to Honorable Yunyao for breaking through her bottleneck and advancing to the mid-stage of Tribulation Transcension."
His words sent ripples through the crowd.
The entire cultivation world knew of the Taiqing Sect’s Third Elder’s obsession with opportunities.
Her cultivation had stagnated at the early-stage of Tribulation Transcension for centuries. Despite exhausting every method, she made no progress, eventually pinning all her hopes on elusive fate.
For centuries, wherever fate’s threads intertwined—whether true or false—the presence of Honorable Yunyao could be found.
Yet now, Honorable Yunyao had finally broken through the bottleneck that had plagued her for hundreds of years.
Considering Xu Wanci’s identity, the reason for Honorable Yunyao’s breakthrough was all but obvious.
At this realization, a feverish glint ignited in everyone’s eyes:
If they could resolve their karmic ties with the Immortal Venerable through Xu Wanci, their path to the Great Dao…
Even if ascension remained beyond reach, their cultivation would surely advance.
Before Gu Yunqi could respond, the Second Elder of Pingyang Sect abruptly rose to his feet.
"In the ancient battlefield, Xu Wanci wielded a divine artifact. Her divine sense must have suffered damage."
"I—no, this humble one—possesses a thousand-year Frostbloom, known to nourish the divine sense."
Hearing this, the Sect Master of Zhiqin Sect shot up, unwilling to fall behind.
"I suddenly recall that I still have a Soul-Converging Herb in my possession, also beneficial for restoring divine sense."
Another stood. "I noticed Xu Wanci’s defensive artifacts were destroyed in the ancient battlefield. Coincidentally, I have a ninth-grade Lingxiao Robe, capable of withstanding even a Transcendent Realm expert’s strike."
The others quickly caught on, each presenting their long-hoarded treasures.
Without the Immortal Venerable, the cultivation world as they knew it would not exist.
Their karmic debt to the Immortal Venerable was immense, and resolving it could not be done in a single stroke.
No matter how rare these spiritual treasures were, given their current cultivation, they were of little use. Better to offer them to Xu Wanci—even if it repaid but a fraction of their debt, it would suffice.
Ning Menglan observed the crowd eagerly presenting their treasures but did not refuse.
To reject would only plant a thorn in their path to resolving karma, needlessly straining Taiqing Sect’s relations with the other sects.
Better to accept.
Besides, Xu Wanci’s injuries…
With these treasures, her divine sense and cultivation should recover to their state before she used the Divine Refinement Tome.
Unlike the others, who were desperate to sever their karmic ties, Ji Wang’s eyes held no trace of desire or fervor.
His gaze was like a pitch-black vortex—dark, unfathomable, and unbearably complex.
He couldn’t even begin to untangle the thoughts swirling within him.
So even the Immortal Venerable—a being so exalted he might as well be a god—could… fall in love.
His lips pressed into a thin line.
Xu Wanci… was someone the Immortal Venerable cared for.
And he had once sought to harm her.
No, if not for the intervention of Taiqing Sect’s elders, he would have succeeded.
While he wallowed in self-loathing, the others learned from Gu Yunqi that Xu Wanci had awakened.
Eager to visit, they clutched their treasures, barely containing their excitement.
Ning Menglan swept a glance over the offerings but did not refuse.
As the crowd filed out of Moqing Pavilion, Ji Wang finally lifted his head.
Expressionless, he drew his Jiyun Blade. With a flash of steel, the Transcendent Realm weapon plunged deep into his right shoulder.
Blood gushed from the wound, soaking his crimson robes before cascading down his sleeve like a scarlet river onto the floor.
He paid no heed to the injury, walking forward in silence.
Then, Gu Yunqi’s icy voice cut through the air:
"Wanci is kind-hearted. If you wish to see her, tend to your wound first."
Ji Wang paused. He retrieved a pill from his storage pouch, staunched the bleeding, and cleansed the bloodstains with spiritual energy.
Once the scent of blood had vanished, he stepped toward Mofeng Pavilion, where Xu Wanci rested.
At the entrance, he froze, staring blankly at the lotus-patterned robes she now wore.
The pavilion was crowded, yet he felt as though he’d been cast into an icy abyss.
Suddenly, he remembered the only time he had ever seen the Immortal Venerable.
Back then, his clan had been struck by calamity. Framed and left for dead with crippled meridians, he became an outcast in the eyes of all.
Once a prodigy, his Dao heart wavered, his cultivation teetering on collapse.
Then, the Immortal Venerable appeared.
He had caught only a glimpse of the Immortal’s robes and heard a single, indifferent sentence—yet those words had seared into his soul.
That one line of guidance steadied his crumbling Dao heart, and the spiritual energy within him faintly resonated with the power of the Great Dao.
From then on, he reforged his path, severed ties with his past, and became the Jiyun Honorable he was today.
But…
The entire cultivation world, himself included, had wondered: Why would the Immortal Venerable bother with a discarded cripple?
Ji Wang slowly closed his eyes. The lotus patterns on Xu Wanci’s robes flashed in his mind.
Back then, his own shabby robes had also borne lotus motifs.
Of course. To the Immortal Venerable, all things under heaven were equal—why would he be an exception?
It was because of Xu Wanci.
Because she favored lotus-patterned robes, or perhaps because she loved the flower itself, that the Immortal Venerable had paused for but a moment.
So that was it.
A bitter smile twisted his lips.
How laughable.
A century ago, it was because of Xu Wanci that he had received the Immortal Venerable’s guidance.
A century later, he had sought to punish her based on nothing but baseless suspicion.
A shadow seemed to cling to his Dao heart, one he could not wipe away.
Just then, Xu Wanci looked up. Her gaze pierced through the crowd, landing on Ji Wang at the door.
She blinked, then frowned faintly.
Ji Wang wasn’t surprised.
If he were her, he wouldn’t want to see himself either.
He took a step back, ready to leave, when her voice—calm yet tinged with confusion—stopped him:
"Honorable Jiyun?"
He halted, lifting his eyes to meet hers, his gaze brimming with self-destructive remorse.
Though ninety percent of her injuries had healed, the exhaustion in her dantian and divine sense lingered. Her face was pale, yet her eyes shone like clear glass.
She studied the man who seemed so out of place at the threshold, then slowly blinked.
"Honorable Jiyun, is the Dao you walk truly the one you desire?"
Ji Wang went utterly still.
His Dao—what was it?
The resolve to cut away his past? His reverence for the Immortal Venerable? Or…
"Honorable Jiyun, your Dao should belong to your heart."
"Not to anyone else."
Noticing his wounds, Xu Wanci suddenly recalled his fate in the original story:
A century later, his Dao heart twisted by obsession, his cultivation would regress until he fell beneath Chu Qingchuan’s questioning, becoming nothing more than a stepping stone on the latter’s rise.
Softly, she added:
"Reverence is the result, never the reason."
Ji Wang stood frozen in place upon hearing her words.
Had anyone else uttered such a thing, he wouldn’t have cared—or perhaps he would have simply cut them down without hesitation.
That was why, even though everyone knew his obsession ran bone-deep, no one dared to counsel him.
But this was Xu Wanci.
She was different from everyone else.
Every word she spoke, he heard clearly, and every syllable sank into his heart.
As an unfamiliar emotion surged within him—one so unsettling it left him flustered—he lifted his gaze, staring at Xu Wanci with a dazed expression.
“Why?”
“I nearly killed you. So why… why would you still tell me these things?”
Xu Wanci met his gaze earnestly, the corners of her lips curving into a faint yet genuine smile.
“I’m happy.”
“Happy that in this world, there’s still someone willing to remember him.”
