When Xu Wanci pushed open the door, Ji Wang, standing beneath the Illusionary Blossom Tree, shifted his gaze away from the doorway for the first time.
He turned his head slightly, his right hand trembling faintly:
That single strike had left a scar etched deep into his heart.
The more Xu Wanci seemed indifferent to it, the more that scar stood out, gnawing at him with guilt.
By the Dark Jade Table, Jiang Ze silently hid his bloodied hand behind his back, the cuts from the shattered cup still fresh.
In his life, he had never regretted anything—except…
That first day, when he had tested her.
The memory of Xu Wanci’s bloodied left hand flashed in his mind, and his chest tightened with a dull ache he could no longer ignore.
Only Xie Tingbai remained composed and gentle. He turned to Xu Wanci beside him, his voice soft as he asked,
"Are you feeling better now, Wanci?"
Xu Wanci blinked slowly before nodding earnestly.
"Much better. Thank you, Seventh Elder, for your care these past days."
A faint smile graced Xie Tingbai’s lips, his demeanor as serene and refined as bamboo.
He reached out, gently clasping her wrist as he carefully channeled his spiritual energy to examine her condition.
A few moments later, he withdrew his hand, his voice carrying a trace of warmth.
"It does seem you’ve improved somewhat compared to before."
At his words, Xu Wanci’s fingers twitched slightly. She lifted her gaze to meet his, her eyes cautiously hopeful.
"Then… may I resume cultivation today?"
Xie Tingbai’s smile faded slightly.
"No."
Xu Wanci pressed further, "I won’t use my divine sense."
Xie Tingbai didn’t answer, only shaking his head indifferently.
Still unwilling to give up, she asked again, "What if I don’t use spiritual energy either? Just sword practice—would that be allowed?"
This time, Xie Tingbai’s smile vanished entirely. He stared at her, his voice laced with a barely perceptible chill.
"Are you truly in such a hurry?"
"Even if it means irreparable harm to your body, you still wish to push forward?"
Xu Wanci lowered her eyes, her voice devoid of emotion.
"I just find… waiting too unbearable."
She had already waited a hundred years.
That sliver of hope felt impossibly distant—like the moon hanging high in the sky, visible yet untouchable.
She didn’t know what else she could do besides cultivating.
As Xie Tingbai listened, an indescribable emotion flickered through his heart.
He suddenly recalled a time long ago, before Xu Wanci had learned of that glimmer of hope.
Back then, she had been like an emotionless puppet—unafraid of darkness, pain, or even death.
Everything she did, she did for that person.
Her death was for him. Her survival, even more so.
He stood motionless, the faint scent of medicinal herbs from Xu Wanci drifting toward him.
Over these past days, he had exhausted countless rare herbs from the apothecary, spending every waking moment refining elixirs just to barely stabilize her dantian and divine sense.
A rare shadow of coldness darkened Xie Tingbai’s eyes.
He had never interfered in the karma of others—whether someone sought life or death, what did it matter to him?
But this time, he only gazed at Xu Wanci for a long moment before turning away, his voice calm.
"I’ll adjust the prescription in the coming days to shorten your recovery time."
"Once your body has healed, you may cultivate however you wish."
He took a step forward.
"It’s up to you."
The next day, Xie Tingbai handed her a newly refined pill.
Before this, he had never included bitter ginseng in her elixirs, despite its benefits for divine sense recovery.
Because it was unbearably bitter, with no way to mask its taste.
Yet when Xu Wanci swallowed the pill, her expression remained unreadable.
His hand, holding a piece of preserved fruit, paused briefly before he offered it to her, his voice gentle.
"Was it not bitter?"
The pill’s bitterness rivaled even the Thousand Returns Elixir, if not surpassed it.
Xu Wanci glanced at the fruit but didn’t take it, quietly averting her gaze.
"It’s fine."
How bitter could any pill truly be?
In the past, she had refused the bitter Thousand Returns Elixir only because, in front of that person, she had always been allowed to act spoiled.
Xie Tingbai studied her for a moment before tucking the preserved fruit away.
"Good."
"We’ll continue tomorrow."
And so the days passed.
In the Rain Ink Pavilion, Jiang Ze watched the scene unfold in the courtyard before slowly closing his eyes.
Xu Wanci had been gravely injured in front of him many times.
Some incidents were his fault. Others were not.
But the one thing they shared was his helplessness each time.
Once, he had prided himself on his extraordinary talent and profound cultivation. Now, it all felt like a mockery.
Even reaching the Great Ascension Realm wasn’t enough. He could never protect the one he wished to shield.
Ji Wang, though ruthless by nature, owed Xu Wanci and the Immortal Venerable a debt of guidance. He would never harm her—instead, he would fight to protect her with everything he had.
Now that Xu Wanci’s identity was known among the upper echelons of the Ten Great Sects, the dangers around her would only multiply.
He had to strengthen his cultivation as much as possible.
Only then could he keep her safe.
With this thought, his gaze lingered on the figure in blue robes within the courtyard. A communication talisman materialized at his fingertips before vanishing instantly.
On it were just three words:
Open the Frost Pool.
These days, Ji Wang was like a ghost—appearing in the courtyard’s shadows before dawn and leaving only late at night, never speaking a word.
He simply watched Xu Wanci in silence.
Even when disciples from the Taiqing Sect came to visit, even when Xie Tingbai arrived daily, the loneliness around her never lessened.
Even in a crowd, her gaze remained calm and solitary, her smiles nothing more than performances meant to reassure others.
Most of the time, she was alone.
She would stand there, quietly staring at the Illusionary Blossom Tree in the courtyard, her eyes filled with a sorrow that could move onlookers to tears.
Day after day, it was always the same.
Watching her like this, Ji Wang found his own emotions tangled beyond comprehension.
After learning of her connection to the Immortal Venerable, his feelings had been a mix of complexity and remorse.
It was because of Xu Wanci that he had gained the chance to receive the Immortal Venerable’s guidance, and it was because of her that his Dao heart had been set right.
No matter what, he owed her a profound karmic debt.
He wanted to repay it. More than that—he wanted to protect her.
But he had never stopped to consider how Xu Wanci had endured these past hundred years since the Immortal Venerable’s departure.
Had every day been like this?
An endless wait, a futureless vigil.
From the moment Xu Wanci realized the Immortal Venerable was willing to guide her, she understood just how important he was to her.
But the more important he became, the more bitter these hundred years would be for her.
Ji Wang had only been by her side for a few dozen days, yet he already felt exhausted on her behalf. If this continued for a century...
An unfamiliar emotion surged in his chest, and he turned his head away, unsettled.
Just then, Ning Menglan approached slowly.
Xu Wanci rose from the dark jade table and bowed slightly. "Greetings, Sect Leader."
Ning Menglan lifted her gently with a wave of spiritual energy, his expression kind. "No need for formalities, Wanci."
Noticing her still-pale complexion, his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
"Wanci, how is your condition now? Have you improved since before?"
Xu Wanci lowered her gaze slightly, her voice calm.
"I’ve recovered somewhat."
Hearing her reply, Ning Menglan knew she would never admit to being seriously injured. His frown deepened.
"Can you circulate spiritual energy and use divine sense normally now?"
There was the faintest pause before Xu Wanci replied as if it were nothing.
"Elder Xie said I still need a few more days of rest."
She lifted her head, her tone placid and reassuring.
"It’s only to prevent lingering damage. Please don’t worry too much, Sect Leader."
Ning Menglan’s expression remained tense.
Xie Tingbai was one of the cultivation world’s top alchemists, and with the full resources of the Taiqing Sect at his disposal, it should not have taken this long to heal her.
Clearly, Xu Wanci’s injuries were far worse than he had imagined.
No matter how anxious he felt, Ning Menglan maintained his usual gentle demeanor.
"Then you must rest properly. Don’t rush your recovery."
Xu Wanci nodded.
"Yes."
As if recalling something, she looked up and asked softly,
"How are the Taiqing Sect disciples injured in the ancient battlefield? Have they recovered?"
Ning Menglan’s voice softened further.
"They were only harmed by demonic souls. After taking medicinal pills and resting for a few days, they’re all lively again."
He smiled warmly.
"Chu Qingchuan has already left the sect on a mission, and Wen Xin trains tirelessly every day—his cultivation has even shown signs of breakthrough recently."
"Don’t worry about them. Focus on your own recovery."
Xu Wanci’s fingers twitched almost imperceptibly, but her expression remained composed.
"That’s good to hear."
Once Ning Menglan and Ji Wang, who had been concealed in the shadows, had both left, Xu Wanci exhaled quietly.
In the original story, Chu Qingchuan had accepted a sect mission shortly after the ancient battlefield incident. During that mission, he obtained his next opportunity—
A treasure capable of refining spiritual fire, elevating his mastery of flame energy beyond even some Mahayana-stage experts.
Xu Wanci’s lashes lowered slightly.
Now, all ten major sects knew of her connection to the Immortal Venerable. The ancient battlefield had been an unavoidable trial.
Fortunately, she had revealed no flaws and survived Elder Jiyun’s scrutiny.
What she hadn’t anticipated was how severely the Soul Refinement Tome would affect her.
Nearly half a month had passed since her injuries, and according to Xie Tingbai, even if she could use spiritual energy normally, the depletion of her divine sense would require months of recuperation.
Even with the Three-Leaf Lotus nourishing her spirit day and night, she would need at least another month.
But she didn’t have that much time.
In the cultivation world, nothing remained hidden for long.
From the moment she fabricated her ties to the Immortal Venerable, she knew the entire realm would eventually learn of it.
Now it was the ten major sects—soon, word would spread to the demonic realm.
The Demon Lord, who loathed the Immortal Venerable above all, would inevitably hear of it.
When that happened, she would become a thorn in his side—and a target for the entire demonic race.
The Taiqing Sect might protect her for a time, but not forever.
For now, the Demon Lord was still in seclusion, and rumors of her connection to the Immortal Venerable could still be controlled. This was her best chance to strengthen herself.
She couldn’t afford to waste months recovering.
If only there were a spiritual treasure that could restore her damaged divine sense…
Xu Wanci’s fingers curled slightly.
There was.
The Twin Yin-Yang Lotus.
In the original story, the male lead had also suffered divine sense damage—though that was years later. By chance, he passed through a village and obtained the Twin Yin-Yang Lotus, which had lain hidden there for centuries.
If she could locate it ahead of time using the story’s clues, not only would her divine sense recover, it might even grow stronger.
Xu Wanci lifted her gaze to the boundless blue sky and blinked slowly.
Peach Blossom Village.
---
On Qingzhu Peak, Xie Tingbai sorted spiritual herbs with deliberate calm.
Ning Menglan, unable to mask his concern, frowned and asked,
"Tingbai, how severe are Xu Wanci’s injuries really?"
"It’s been ten days. Why can’t she even use spiritual energy yet?"
Xie Tingbai set down the herbs and replied evenly,
"Divine sense is inherently difficult to heal. Hers was depleted to the point of nearly fracturing her sea of consciousness. If not for timely treatment and those rare spirit-nourishing herbs…"
"She might still be unconscious."
"Until her divine sense recovers, it’s safest not to risk using spiritual energy."
Ning Menglan sighed heavily.
"The situation was dire. If not for Xu Wanci, all forty-nine Taiqing Sect disciples might have perished in the ancient battlefield."
"Even without her other identity, that alone makes her one of our sect’s pillars—worthy of every treasure we possess."
"She didn’t just save our disciples but over forty from the Tianxuan Sect as well…"
Suddenly, he looked up.
"The other sect leaders and elders gifted many restorative pills and herbs for divine sense. Couldn’t those—"
"Sect Leader." Xie Tingbai turned, his voice tinged with weariness. "A weakened body cannot endure excessive nourishment."
"When we returned, I sensed the medicinal energy in her system was already nearing her limits. It took me two days just to stabilize it."
"For Xu Wanci now, quiet recuperation is the only way."
Ning Menglan’s frown deepened.
"Could the Soul-Severing Bone’s backlash still be affecting her?"
"That artifact harms the soul. I was careless—after she used it on herself, I should have summoned you immediately for proper treatment."
"At the time, I was too stunned by her connection to the Immortal Venerable, and she seemed fine, so I didn’t press the matter."
Mention of the Soul-Severing Bone inevitably brought other memories to mind…
"Then there was the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid from that day. It had been fused with her bones and blood for a hundred years. To forcibly extract it would inevitably cause severe injuries, possibly even affecting her divine consciousness. At the time, I didn’t pay it much mind."
"And the Netherworld Needle—she didn’t hesitate to take the hit to save that Illusory Beauty Tree. After learning of the Three-Leaf Lotus’s whereabouts, she didn’t rest for even a day before throwing herself into relentless cultivation..."
Ning Menglan recounted, one by one, the injuries Xu Wanci had suffered over this period, his voice growing heavier with each word.
Any one of these wounds would have been enough to cripple a cultivator, yet she had endured them all within just a few months.
Xie Tingbai listened in silence, his hands clenching and unclenching, his eyes turbulent with unreadable emotions before finally settling into calm.
Many of these injuries were unknown to him, yet the sheer danger they implied was palpable in those brief descriptions.
He lifted his gaze toward the direction of the Sword Peak, his eyes dark with a mix of emotions:
"What truly 'admirable' devotion."
Turning away, his voice was deceptively light, though his expression remained inscrutable. "Rest assured, Sect Leader. In the coming days, I will ensure she recuperates properly."
"She will not be left with hidden wounds, nor will her path of cultivation be hindered."
Atop the Sword Peak, Ji Wang’s aura churned like a vortex of blood, as if threatening to devour everything around him.
Every word Ning Menglan had spoken was so foreign that Ji Wang almost doubted his own ears.
Soul-Severing Bone.
A weapon of utmost cruelty, one that annihilated the soul. Even he would hesitate before using something so deadly—a tool that left no room for survival.
Yet Xu Wanci had used it on herself.
This could only mean she had sought death—utterly, recklessly, with no intention of surviving.
Was it for the sake of the Immortal Venerable?
To follow him even in death...
Before he could fully process the thought, Ji Wang found himself standing in the courtyard.
There, Xu Wanci sat by the Dark Jade Table, as she did every day, gazing quietly at the distant Illusory Beauty Tree.
Ji Wang froze.
This was the tree she had taken a Netherworld Needle to save.
A sudden memory surfaced—the legend of the Illusory Beauty Tree:
It could show a person whatever they most desired.
So this was why she had disregarded her own well-being to preserve this mere figment of longing.
This kind of love was so foreign to him that he couldn’t even name the emotion rising in his chest, let alone find the words to speak.
At that moment, Xu Wanci turned her head, sensing his presence. Her voice was flat.
"Does the Cloud-Sovereign have business with me?"
Ji Wang snapped back to reality. Staring into her calm, unreadable eyes, he swallowed every question he had.
What good would asking do?
It would only tear open her wounds anew.
For the first time, his thoughts were not of the Immortal Venerable he revered, but of the person before him—
Xu Wanci, as she was, separate from anyone else.
He tilted his head slightly, the crimson mole at the side of his neck burning like an open flame, betraying his turmoil.
"...Nothing," he muttered.
Xu Wanci’s gaze lingered on that mole for the briefest moment before she looked away.
It had reminded her—that person also had a red mole, on the inside of his left wrist.
Ji Wang, a Transcendent Sovereign, noticed her glance instantly.
Back in his quarters, his fingers unconsciously brushed over the mole at his neck.
Though his expression remained grave, the tips of his ears flushed faintly red.
If it could bring her even a fleeting moment of joy—
just one—
The next day, the Cloud-Sovereign, who always dressed in tightly fastened martial robes, appeared in an uncharacteristically loose, dark-red gown that accentuated his tall, elegant frame.
The collar dipped just enough to reveal his pale, slender neck—and the striking red mole upon it.
Xu Wanci’s eyes flickered imperceptibly at the sight of Ji Wang’s attire.
Beside her, Xie Tingbai noticed her lingering gaze. His lips curved into a smile, though his usual warmth carried an edge of frost as he glanced at Ji Wang.
