During the period of rampant beast attacks, Xu Wanci sought to temper herself by targeting only the most formidable creatures.
In less than half a month, she had slain countless beasts that even late-stage Tribulation Transcendence cultivators found difficult to handle. Were it not for her agreement with Xiao Yuyan to kill only one beast every three days, the apex predators of the four extreme regions would have already been wiped out by her.
Many cultivators across these regions witnessed Xu Wanci’s sword cleaving through the heavens. Under her sword intent, all beings bowed, all things paid homage, and the beasts were annihilated.
The Honorable Lingxiao’s deeds during this time earned her the admiration and respect of countless cultivators, especially Jiang Yan, whom she had saved—he became her most devoted follower.
At the same time, the title of Honorable Lingxiao spread throughout the cultivation world, solidifying her place as one of its foremost experts.
Yet, whenever Xu Wanci wielded her sword against her foes, a figure in moon-white robes always stood not far behind.
He stood in serene stillness, as if melding seamlessly with the world around him. Were it not for the faint surge of spiritual energy in moments of peril, no one would have even noticed his presence.
The Immortal Venerable Qingyan, who overlooked all living beings, willingly suppressed his aura and lingered behind Xu Wanci.
He watched as she clashed with the beasts, as she subdued them with a single stroke of her sword, as she stood above all—even above him.
His love for the Honorable Lingxiao was never about overbearing protection or confinement, nor was it about shielding her from all storms.
Instead, it was about walking alongside her, watching her grow stronger, and weathering every trial together.
Even if the process filled him with dread and constant worry, he embraced it willingly.
Such devotion was rare, perhaps unmatched in the entire cultivation world.
No wonder Xu Wanci had waited a hundred years for him, unwavering even in the face of life and death.
Soon, tales of their love spread far and wide.
Xu Wanci, however, remained oblivious to the rumors. She knew nothing of how her story with Xiao Yuyan had captivated the cultivation world.
Her focus was entirely on the beast faintly emerging from the Southern Extreme Sea.
Through relentless training, her cultivation had now reached the late-stage of Tribulation Transcendence.
With her formidable spiritual sense and the immortal energy coursing through her body, she would likely soon break through to the Void Shattering stage.
Once there, the immortal energy within her would propel her ascension, just as Chu Qingchuan had in the original tale.
At this thought, she glanced back at the man behind her.
More importantly, he would ascend with her—even if she reached the higher realms of the cultivation world.
Xiao Yuyan’s power already surpassed that of Void Shattering cultivators. Only the weakened heavenly laws and the sealed barrier between worlds had prevented his ascension.
Yet because of this, his strength rivaled that of ascended immortals, allowing him to traverse any realm at will.
A smile curved her lips, her eyes alight with joy.
Sensing the beast’s increasingly violent aura ahead, she called out to Xiao Yuyan with playful lightness,
"Ah-Yan, they say the sunrise over the Southern Extreme Sea is breathtaking."
"Once we slay this beast, let’s watch it together."
Though honing her strength was important, so too were the moments shared with him—every sight, every step of their journey.
"Alright."
At his reply, her smile deepened, but her movements remained ruthless. With a flick of her Nine Heavens Sword, the towering wave charging toward her shattered into countless droplets, vanishing into the sea.
In the next instant, a pitch-black dragon erupted from the depths.
Wreathed in chaotic spiritual energy, the dragon condensed the surrounding seawater into razor-sharp blades. With a deafening roar, the blades surged toward Xu Wanci in a deadly storm.
She shielded herself with a barrier of spiritual energy while simultaneously slashing her sword, sending a streak of sword qi through the gaps—straight toward the dragon’s exposed horn.
The pain enraged the beast further, churning the surrounding energy into a frenzy. The sea heaved violently, waves crashing one after another toward the lone figure at its center.
Xu Wanci defended while probing for the dragon’s weakness with her spiritual sense.
Through her recent battles, she had learned that most beasts had a critical node in their energy flow—a fatal flaw. This dragon was no exception.
Spotting the vulnerable spot beneath its head, she thrust her sword forward.
Her unstoppable sword intent, bolstered by late-stage Tribulation Transcendence power, shot toward the dragon’s weakness.
A strike that should have been unmatched in the cultivation world—yet this time, it failed to kill. The dragon, grievously wounded, thrashed in agony.
The threat of death drove it into a frenzy. The sea, infused with its rampaging energy, seemed capable of tearing space itself apart as wave after wave assaulted Xu Wanci.
Light as a feather, she danced atop the water, her spiritual energy forming an impenetrable shield. For the first time, her expression turned solemn.
This was her first miss.
Had the beasts grown stronger lately, or was it her imagination?
Fortunately, the dragon had lost all reason. After several exchanges, Xu Wanci struck its weak point again—this time, ending its life for good.
As the dragon sank into the abyss, she sheathed her sword—only to sense an attack hurtling toward her from the depths, faster than time itself.
A final, hidden strike from the dying beast.
Her spiritual energy surged in defense, but faster still was a surge of Void Shattering power.
Silent yet overwhelming, it wrapped around her with gentle precision, shielding her without the slightest pressure.
Amid the raging sea, she stood in an oasis of calm.
A breeze tousled her hair, and two stray strands drifted beyond the protective barrier—only to be severed instantly by the violent waves.
In that moment, the Void Shattering energy erupted across the entire sea.
The tempest stilled. The ocean fell silent. Not a ripple remained.
Xu Wanci turned, sensing the lingering power, and met Xiao Yuyan’s gaze.
He stood rigid, his eyes filled with tension and guilt. She blinked in confusion.
Had something happened?
Then her gaze dropped—to the two strands of hair clutched tightly in his hand.
As if holding some precious treasure, he carefully shielded the strands with his spiritual energy, preventing the sea breeze from disturbing them.
Xu Wanci’s fingertips twitched:
Was that… the hair she had lost to the waves earlier?
Only then did she belatedly realize why Xiao Yuyan’s eyes had been filled with guilt:
But those were just two strands of her hair…
A corner of Xu Wanci’s heart softened inexplicably.
How could this person make her fall deeper without reason, again and again?
By now, she had long lost the strength to resist.
With a resigned sigh, Xu Wanci stepped in front of Xiao Yuyan but offered no words of comfort.
After being with him for so long, she had learned a thing or two about how to soothe him.
She reached behind his shoulder and gently lifted a lock of his long hair. With a flick of spiritual energy, she severed two strands.
Her energy met no resistance whatsoever—even though its final point was dangerously close to his vital meridians.
So close that the slightest shift could leave a wound on his neck.
She knew he never guarded against her, but she hadn’t expected it to be to this extent.
Unconsciously, Xu Wanci tightened her grip on the strands, cradling them with her spiritual energy just as he had done.
Noticing her own actions, a hint of helplessness flashed in her eyes.
Truly, proximity breeds similarity.
She lowered her head, placing one of Xiao Yuyan’s strands into his palm while retrieving one of her own from his hand.
Then, with a weave of spiritual energy, she entwined their hair into a simple pattern—the tranquil lotus motif—and concealed it within the collar of his robes.
The dark design became a striking contrast against the moon-white fabric.
Watching her movements, Xiao Yuyan’s hand tensed to the extreme, yet he still carefully guarded the two strands in his palm.
His breath hitched, leaving him utterly at her mercy.
Xu Wanci repeated the process, weaving their hair into another lotus motif and hiding it within her own collar.
Now, the azure-blue fabric of her robes bore the same black lotus pattern as his.
Once finished, she lifted her gaze and asked with a soft laugh,
“Ah-Yan, do you know the meaning of braiding two people’s hair together?”
Just as she expected, Xiao Yuyan had already forgotten the earlier incident at sea.
As his eyes swirled with devotion and love, she rose on her toes and pressed her lips to his.
Silently, she buried the answer they both knew:
With this knot of hair, I vow to stay by your side till our hair turns white.
---
The beastly rampages in the polar regions occurred once every thirty years, lasting three months each time.
Afterward, the chaos would fade, and the lands would return to peace.
Everyone assumed this time would be no different.
Thanks to Xu Wanci’s aid, the casualties from this year’s rampage were far fewer than those thirty years prior.
But when the three-month mark arrived, the beasts showed no signs of calming.
Only the frenzied spiritual energy around them had lessened slightly.
Yet everyone knew—if the rampage continued, the beasts’ energy would only grow stronger.
Until, finally, it became unstoppable.
This was an omen of the cultivation world’s impending chaos.
A century ago, it had happened once.
Back then, the breach in the realm had been sealed by the sacrifice of Immortal Venerable Qingyan.
This time, what was needed was a cultivator’s ascension.
Only by someone ascending—restoring the cycle between the upper and lower realms—could the rampage cease and balance return to the cultivation world, ensuring no further crises.
Now, the great sects and noble clans had sent their Mahayana-stage elders to suppress the disturbances across the four polar regions.
All they could do was quell the chaotic energy and force the beasts into dormancy.
How long this suppression would last—and how long it would need to last—depended entirely on when the one destined to ascend would emerge.
Chu Qingchuan’s cultivation had been crippled, and he was now under the Bai family’s control, making his ascension impossible.
Thus, all hopes rested on Xu Wanci.
Her cultivation had already reached the peak of Mahayana. All she needed was to break through her bottleneck, harness celestial energy, and ascend.
But everyone knew how insurmountable that bottleneck was.
For a thousand years, hundreds of elders had been trapped at this very stage.
Just as despair began to creep in, the long-dormant Ascension Platform finally revealed itself.
