Though the Soul-Bewitching Stone was rare, everyone present here was a top-tier cultivator in the immortal realm. With just one glance, they recognized what it was.
Gu Yunqi narrowed her eyes, her strikingly beautiful face radiating an icy chill:
"The Soul-Bewitching Stone—a treasure capable of distorting a cultivator’s perception."
"Even a Tribulation Transcension cultivator could fall prey to it if they’re not careful."
Gathering spiritual energy in her palm, she glared murderously at the figure collapsed on the ground: "Chu Qingchuan, you truly deserve death."
One was the Ten Thousand Spirits Water, capable of mimicking an immortal lord’s aura, and the other was the Soul-Bewitching Stone, able to deceive even the sharpest cultivators.
The others quickly pieced it together.
Ning Menglan recalled the report from the Hundred Arrays Peak’s master and glared in fury:
So, Chu Qingchuan’s recent preening and posturing had all been for this…
His return to the Taiqing Sect was nothing but an attempt to impersonate Qingyan Immortal Lord before Xu Wanci.
If he succeeded, given Xu Wanci’s infatuation with the immortal lord…
At this thought, Ning Menglan flicked his sleeve, his voice brimming with undisguised rage:
"Chu Qingchuan, the Taiqing Sect has no place for a vile schemer like you!"
Hearing this, Chu Qingchuan clenched his fists tightly.
He had already lost the Jiang family’s support—he couldn’t afford to lose his ties to the Taiqing Sect as well.
Even though his scheme had been exposed before everyone, he shamelessly persisted in his excuses:
"Master, this disciple merely… admires Xu Wanci and couldn’t bear to see her tormented by memories from a century ago. That’s why…"
"I strayed onto the wrong path."
"I never intended to harm her—I only wanted to help her!"
"And in doing so, conveniently seize all the opportunities tied to her," Xie Tingbai interjected, his voice dripping with unprecedented scorn. "Take her fortune, claim the backing of half the cultivation world behind her."
His usually gentle aura turned razor-sharp in an instant: "What a brilliant scheme."
Chu Qingchuan, his true intentions laid bare, still refused to admit it. Gritting his teeth, he retorted:
"Elder Xie, I don’t understand what you’re implying."
Gu Yunqi’s gathered spiritual energy crackled in her palm: "No matter. You’ll understand soon enough."
Just then, another metallic clink sounded.
This time, what fell from his robes was a vial of Corrosion Venom—a substance capable of corrupting a sect’s spiritual veins and secret realms.
Corrosion Venom was exceedingly rare; a single drop could taint an entire sect’s spiritual foundation.
Given that Chu Qingchuan was within the Taiqing Sect’s grounds, if he had sinister intentions… the losses would be catastrophic.
High above in the heavens, Xiao Yuyan observed Chu Qingchuan’s ever-regenerating fortune—emptied again and again, yet persistently regrowing. His expression remained impassive.
Amid the countless voices clamoring in his mind, he stood unmoving, focused solely on transferring Chu Qingchuan’s fortune back to Xu Wanci.
The one favored by the heavens… should only be her.
Back in the mortal realm, Ning Menglan stared at the spilled Corrosion Venom, his fury cooling into a chilling indifference.
With a wave of his hand, he sealed Chu Qingchuan’s meridians and voice before addressing the elders solemnly:
"This matter is too grave. The Enforcement Hall must intervene."
The First and Second Elders understood the severity and nodded grimly.
Before the Truth Stone and the Soul-Revealing Mirror, Chu Qingchuan would have no chance to hide anything.
As Chu Qingchuan was dragged away, his terrified eyes met Ning Menglan’s—as if the sect master already knew the full truth.
After centuries of meticulous selection, he had never imagined his chosen personal disciple would turn out to be such a venomous snake.
Sighing, he turned to Xu Wanci with remorse in his gaze:
"Wanci, my poor judgment led to this…"
Xu Wanci seemed weary. She shook her head lightly, her voice tinged with exhaustion:
"Human nature is unpredictable. How could this be your fault, Sect Master?"
Ning Menglan, seeing her fatigue, said guiltily:
"Then rest well, Wanci."
Days later, no one knew exactly what Chu Qingchuan confessed in the Enforcement Hall.
All that was known was that the Taiqing Sect stripped him of his disciple status, destroyed his life token, and eradicated all traces of the sect’s techniques from his body.
Once a prodigy, Chu Qingchuan had now fallen into the abyss overnight.
Xu Wanci paid him little mind.
She knew that with his fortune, even in dire straits, he would find a way to survive—likely recovering swiftly from this setback.
Seated before a dark jade table, she gazed at the flourishing Illusionary Beauty Tree ahead, unusually idle instead of cultivating.
Warm sunlight bathed her, and the breeze played with her hair, lulling her into drowsiness.
Thinking of Chu Qingchuan’s schemes, she closed her eyes—only for memories of him to surge uncontrollably in her heart.
The Qingyan Immortal Lord who belonged to her alone.
Long-suppressed longing now rose like tendrils, weaving through her thoughts.
Yielding to the drowsiness, she let herself drift into slumber amidst the gentle wind:
She was just tired.
Needed to rest.
That was all.
When she awoke again, the sight around her no longer stirred vigilance—instead, a faint delight flickered in her heart.
In the dream, three months had passed.
Her innate talent, tempered by the Inkfrost Sacred Orchid, had improved, and her cultivation had reached the seventh level of Qi Refinement.
Yet, even with progress, the original owner of this body couldn’t reconcile her fall from noble heiress to an ordinary outer-sect disciple of the Taiqing Sect, remaining as solitary as before.
This time, she had taken on a mission far from other disciples—
To investigate mutated spiritual plants in a fourth-grade spirit field.
Sorting through the dream’s memories, Xu Wanci blinked helplessly:
The dream’s events were aligning more and more with the "original plot" she recalled.
Surveying the spirit-rich field, she gathered Qi Refinement-level spiritual energy in her palm.
Her sensitivity to spiritual energy made identifying anomalies effortless.
Moving through the field, her steps were lighter than usual despite her composed expression.
Just as she expected—
Upon finding the third mutated plant, an unmistakable surge of spiritual energy rippled behind her.
Her lips curled into a resigned smile:
At her current level, detecting a Void Fragmentation Supreme’s arrival was impossible… unless he allowed it.
Tucking away the mutated plant, she turned with a soft laugh.
Xiao Yuyan watched Xu Wanci’s lively figure, the relentless craving that had gnawed at him day and night finally easing—
But only for a moment.
Seeing her standing there, smiling at him as if he were her entire world, his hunger grew ravenous:
Merely seeing her wasn’t enough.
He wanted… more.
Xiao Yuyan's eyes darkened slightly, but the next instant, reason firmly suppressed the emotion.
Yet the spiritual energy around him had already, ahead of his consciousness, enveloped the figure standing not far away.
Sensing Xu Wanci's presence, he withdrew his fingertips, lifted them, then lowered them again—ultimately doing nothing.
He allowed his spiritual energy to roam freely around her, unrestrained.
Step by step, Xiao Yuyan moved forward, his voice tender yet carrying a barely detectable huskiness:
"Wanwan."
"I missed you."
He remembered every encounter they'd shared, every word she had ever spoken to him.
She had once said she hoped the next time they met, he would ask, "Have you missed me?"
But rather than asking, he preferred answering.
Xu Wanci noticed the faint, frost-laced spiritual energy surrounding her. Far from displeasure, her expression held a trace of tacit permission.
Compared to the cloyingly sweet cold fragrance that clung to Chu Qingchuan, Xiao Yuyan's aura was crisp and invigorating, refreshing to the senses.
Besides, given Xiao Yuyan's cultivation level, if he had wished to conceal it, she wouldn’t have detected his energy at all.
She took two steps forward, her voice light and cheerful:
"How is it that we always meet like this?"
Stopping before him, though her eyes held amusement, her gaze was mostly earnest:
"I missed you too."
Long before this dream, even earlier, she had already made her choice.
Once she decided, she would neither waver nor hesitate—let alone regret.
She would walk her path with unwavering resolve.
Hearing her reply, Xiao Yuyan froze in place.
He knew that in the past, her feelings toward him had been no more than the familiarity of a few chance encounters.
Though there had been warmth in her eyes, he had also sensed the subtle distance she maintained.
This was the first time he had felt her longing—raw and unguarded.
At that moment, every desire, every craving in his heart quieted at her words, subdued into stillness, leaving not a single ripple.
Listening to the murmurs in his now-calm heart, his gaze fixed on the woman before him with an intensity indistinguishable from obsession.
She was his... one and only.
His sole connection and bond in this world.
And now, the other end of that bond was drawing closer to him.
Xu Wanci didn’t look up, so she didn’t see the look in his eyes.
Feeling the increasingly crisp and refreshing energy swirling around her, her right hand itched with restless energy.
Channeling her own Qi Refining Stage Seven spiritual power, she playfully mimicked his method, coiling a wisp of energy around his left wrist.
Xiao Yuyan's left hand tensed abruptly. On his slender yet strong wrist, a small mole stood out, red as if bewitching.
The delicate strand of spiritual energy noticed the mole and boldly brushed against it a few times.
Xiao Yuyan stiffened at the touch, the tips of his ears flushing faintly red.
Even though it was nothing more than a wisp of energy—so fragile a breath could disperse it—he let it linger, his taut left hand never pulling away.
After a few moments, sensing her dwindling spiritual reserves, Xu Wanci reluctantly withdrew her energy.
Yet, the one who seemed even more reluctant was the man before her.
Noticing the sudden dimming of the spiritual energy around her, she lifted her gaze to meet Xiao Yuyan's.
Locking eyes, she saw with startling clarity the way he looked at her—as if she were the only person in his world.
He watched her quietly, allowing her to come close, just as he allowed her to leave.
His indulgence was so complete, it seemed as though anything she did to him was permitted.
Xu Wanci’s fingers twitched before she finally hooked them lightly around his left hand, her tone faintly exasperated:
"Since we’ve finally met, let’s not stand here baking under the sun."
She gave his hand a small shake. "Shall we go somewhere else?"
The instant she linked their hands, the air around Xiao Yuyan seemed to freeze. A wintry chill escaped his control, yet by the time it reached her, it had gentled into the softness of falling snow.
Feeling the warmth of her hand against his, he replied in a voice so quiet it seemed afraid to shatter the dreamlike moment:
"Alright."
They walked side by side through the Taiqing Sect’s spirit herb fields, no different from any ordinary cultivators.
Yet no matter which direction they took, Xiao Yuyan’s shadow always fell just so, shielding Xu Wanci from the harsh sunlight, leaving her in cool shade.
The hand she had hooked gradually shifted upward until, at last, their fingers intertwined.
When they reached a grove of Illusionary Maple trees, Xu Wanci gazed at the fluttering leaves, her eyes curving with quiet joy.
In the cultivation world, the Illusionary Maple had been the start of her lies—yet it had also accompanied her every step since.
She rarely left the Sword Peak, so she hadn’t known the Taiqing Sect held such a grove.
Spotting something, she released Xiao Yuyan’s hand and hurried to one of the trees.
Holding up a leaf, her voice brimmed with delight:
"Look—a lake-blue Illusionary Maple leaf."
"This tree must be nearing a breakthrough, don’t you think?"
Xiao Yuyan glanced at his now-empty hand, and in that instant, desire surged violently within him.
Having tasted possession, he could no longer bear loss.
Darkness flickered in his eyes as his spiritual energy surged toward her like a tide.
But then he heard Xu Wanci’s voice—trusting, intimate—and the shadows in his gaze receded slightly.
He suddenly recalled the words he had once heard her speak in the celestial realm:
"Some people, just one meeting is enough."
"Enough to remember for a lifetime."
She had told him that to her, he was never a source of pain. Never.
The longing in his chest twisted sharply before retreating, and he remembered his hesitation during those months in the celestial realm.
His voice was soft, laced with remorse:
"I’m sorry."
"For making you wait so long."
During those months a century ago, had she been waiting, just as she had in the years that followed?
Xu Wanci took a moment to process his words before realizing what he meant.
It hadn’t bothered her at all.
Even in dreams, let alone reality, she would never be troubled by their infrequent meetings.
She had her own path to walk, her own purpose to fulfill.
Having company was nice, but alone, she would still press forward unshaken.
Carefully setting the Illusionary Maple leaf down, she looked up at him with quiet certainty:
"You don’t need to apologize."
There was not a trace of blame in her eyes:
"You are the Immortal Venerable, the only Void-Shattering Supreme in the cultivation world. Naturally, you have many responsibilities."
"It’s only normal to be too busy for leisure."
As she spoke, her laughter was light and carefree:
"And I’m quite busy myself."
"Every day, I have to complete sect missions, study my lessons, and use any spare time for cultivation."
Her voice carried a strength and resilience that belied her Qi Refining cultivation:
"I want to become the strongest person in this world—someone who can protect herself, fear no danger, and live freely."
"I’ll keep striving for that goal, whether or not anyone stands beside me."
"Nothing will change this ambition."
"Not even someone I love and care for."
Xiao Yuyan watched Xu Wanci’s radiant eyes under the sunlight, and the seed nourished by love in his heart grew inch by inch, overshadowing all other desires.
What he loved was this unyielding soul—strong, resilient, and defiant against fate.
Step by step, he walked toward her, his voice slightly hoarse:
"What if the person you love leaves you one day?"
Xu Wanci blinked.
Perhaps because this was a dream, or perhaps because she wanted Xiao Yuyan to see her true self,
she did not respond with the unwavering devotion and life-and-death commitment she often showed in reality. Instead, she answered calmly and rationally:
"I might grieve, but not for long."
"I’ll keep moving forward, pouring all my strength into achieving my goals."
"I’ll live well—very well—on my own."
By then, Xiao Yuyan had already reached her.
The distance between them was so close they could hear each other’s breaths.
She had expected him to be displeased with her answer, or to wish for a greater place in her heart.
So when she saw the genuine, tender warmth in his eyes, she froze for a moment—before hearing his soft but firm reply:
"As it should be."
"Nothing in this world should ever matter more than yourself."
Xiao Yuyan suppressed the storm of desire within him, the greed that longed to claim her entirely.
With one hand, he brushed a fallen leaf from her shoulder and said lightly:
"If that person truly loves you, he’ll find his way back to you."
At his words, Xu Wanci’s pupils contracted slightly.
This had once been her deepest conviction.
And it still was.
Yet hearing it from him stirred emotions too tangled to unravel.
She made no effort to hide them, asking softly:
"And if he doesn’t return?"
Xiao Yuyan’s voice was tender, yet cold toward himself:
"Then it only proves he didn’t love you enough."
He sighed.
"Forget him."
Xu Wanci caught his hand as it fell from her shoulder and tightened her grip:
"Including you?"
Xiao Yuyan answered quietly:
"Especially me."
At that moment, Xu Wanci’s heartbeat spiraled out of control.
Instinctively, she lowered her head, hiding her emotions from the world:
Everyone in the cultivation world marveled at her devotion, envying the depth of her love.
Some even twisted her memories to suit their desires.
Chu Qingchuan and Yan Shuo were no exception.
Only the man before her urged her to love herself above all else.
Xu Wanci closed her eyes:
This dream was becoming harder and harder to wake from.
She didn’t want to leave.
But dreams always end.
When she opened her eyes again, her expression had regained its usual composure.
She looked up at Xiao Yuyan—whose beauty could eclipse all creation—and curved her lips into a faint smile, deftly steering the conversation elsewhere:
"Xiao Yuyan."
"So you knew all along."
"That I love you."
With those words, the seed in Xiao Yuyan’s heart finally bloomed.
For a moment, the world faded into nothingness, leaving only her—real and vivid before him.
His heart raced wildly, yet brimmed with joy.
Xu Wanci’s voice continued, gentle but unwavering:
"How do you know the waiting would be unbearable?"
Even if parting was inevitable, this dream would never be something she endured with suffering.
To her, it was a bliss she willingly lost herself in.
Xiao Yuyan stared at her, dazed.
And in that moment, he heard it—the sound of flowers unfurling in his heart.
