The Martial Ancestor stood still, watching in silence as Baotian’s body began to change.
His form twisted, light bending around him — and in the next mont, the frail old man was gone.
What stood there now was an ethereal being, its outline shimring faintly.
The Martial Ancestor’s gaze sharpened.
"You..." he said slowly.
"Where is Baotian?"
A soft voice answered — distant, impossible to pin down.
"Oh, co on. You know better than that," the figure said with a faint smile that seed to belong to both genders at once.
"He’s safe and sound. But tell , weren’t you a little too hasty?"
The Martial Ancestor exhaled deeply, a tired sigh escaping him.
Even he hadn’t sensed this impostor’s presence — which ant this being’s concealnt had now reached a terrifying level.
He looked up, his expression hardening.
Then he snorted.
"Like hell I’ll tell you anything."
A faint chuckle echoed.
"Still the sa as ever," the ethereal figure said. "Always acting cautious... but your eyes always betray that little spark of curiosity."
"Curiosity keeps the old alive," the Martial Ancestor replied curtly.
"Yes yes, and you are Super Old" the ethereal figure said.
The atmosphere between them thickened — not hostile, but tense.
And just like that, their discussion began.
It was about Yu Xuan.
***
Yu Xuan reappeared at the very spot from where he had been kidnapped (???).
His clothes were still torn and stained with blood.
As his gaze swept the surroundings, he found Ming Tiani and Lingluo standing not far away, Lingluo was looking up at the sky, her eyes had strange patterns.
When Ming Tiani turned and t his eyes, Yu Xuan smiled faintly.
And from that mont on... the rest was history. (Or rather Chapter Two-Two-Three)
[A/N: Just read Chapter 223 and 224 once the rest continues there.]
[Author Techniques 101: Chapter Regression.]
***
Main Myriad Path Peak — Twin Fairy Pavilion
The Twin Fairy Pavilion of the Myriad Path Peak was renowned across the sect — fad for exactly what one might expect from its na: fairies.
No matter the race or origin, beauty always drew attention.
The Pavilion was a sanctuary for won alone — a place where talent, grace, and art flourished. Be it painting, music, calligraphy, dance or myriad of professions, any woman seeking to hone her craft and rise in reputation would join the Twin Fairy Pavilion.
Inside one of its grand halls, a performance by the fad Fairy Luo — known to the world as Luo Xianyin, was underway.
Luo Xianyin’s cultivation stood at the peak of the Soul Nurturing Realm, only a single step away from breaking into the Supernatural Realm.
Though not human, she was of the Moon Fae Race, a race of graceful, long-lived beings whose cultivation paths mirrored that of humans, due to their similar origins, following similar stages of growth and enlightennt. Though, her race leaned more towards the soul aspect.
Her lodies had captivated the audience, every note flowing like moonlight on still water... until everything stopped.
A golden phenonon flashed across the sky.
And in the next instant, Fairy Luo vanished.
The audience was struck silent. Whispers filled the air, but before panic could set in, she reappeared ten seconds later — exactly where she had been, but in complete disarray.
Her once-perfect robes were rumpled, her hair loose, and the zither in her hands shattered.
Gasps echoed throughout the hall.
"Fairy Luo, are you alright?"
"What happened just now?"
"Senior Sister, are you hurt?"
But Luo Xianyin ignored them all. Her eyes burned with fury as she spat a single na—
"YU XUAN!!!"
Her shout thundered through the hall, making the disciples clutch their ears.
For a long mont, silence followed — then, as her trembling fingers tightened, she abruptly turned and ended the performance without a word.
A disciple from the Pavilion hurried onto the stage, bowing to the audience.
"Due to unforeseen circumstances, Fairy Luo’s performance will be suspended for today. We hope the honored guests understand."
The crowd erupted into murmurs.
"Who in the heavens is Yu Xuan, to make Fairy Luo this angry?"
"What was that golden light just now?"
"We’ll hear about it soon enough..."
"Well, whoever he is I’d like to et him. If I catch him, maybe Fairy Luo will owe a favor."
That last comnt earned more than a few heated looks from the young male disciples present. This was a typical Young Master, thought process.
anwhile, as Luo Xianyin stord down the corridor, another woman appeared — a calm, elegant figure whose presence was enough to quiet even the Pavilion’s chaos.
Siyu, her senior sister.
"Well now," Siyu said teasingly, "what could make the star of my Twin Fairy Pavilion this upset?"
But Luo Xianyin’s voice carried venom instead of grace.
"Senior Sister, do a favor — find everything you can about a man nad Yu Xuan from the Elental Heaven Peak."
With her divine sense she shared an image of Yu Xuan with her Senior Sister.
Siyu smiled faintly, her eyes glinting with curiosity.
"Of course. Rest assured, junior sister, I’ll personally uncover whoever dares trouble my Pavilion’s brightest jewel."
And from that night onward — the na Yu Xuan began to echo throughout the Myriad Path Peak.
***
Life and Death Peak
Inside a secluded chamber, silence reigned.
A young man with jet-black hair sat cross-legged in ditation. Around him, the aura of death flowed like mist cold, oppressive, and yet... his body pulsed with boundless vitality.
When he opened his eyes, they were utterly emotionless, twin voids that reflected neither warmth nor light.
This was Li Shen, of the Death Clan, and the direct disciple of the Life and Death Peak Master.
He was also an Irregular.
Since the combined defeat he had suffered, Li Shen had been consud by a single thought:
How do I kill the monster nad Yu Xuan?
Yet, no matter how many possibilities he considered, the answer remained elusive.
Even he had to admit, Yu Xuan’s cultivation was unfathomable, most likely at the Peak Supernatural Realm, or perhaps... beyond it.
With a slow motion of his hand, Li Shen’s shadow rippled.
From within it, a corpse erged, or rather, a man long dead yet moving.
The figure’s body radiated a faint, cold mist of death qi. Despite being a corpse puppet, its cultivation still rested at the early Soul Nurturing Realm.
"Inform Master that I will be entering seclusion," Li Shen ordered, his tone flat.
The undead bowed silently and lted back into the darkness, vanishing into the floor.
Li Shen could have easily used his dallion to send the ssage, but he preferred using his dead — it reminded him of what he controlled... and what he would soon beco.
"Yu Xuan, huh..." he muttered softly, eyes sliding shut once more.
The chamber dimd as the death aura thickened, swallowing even the faintest trace of light.
When Li Shen will erged again — he would be far stronger.
***
Celestial Heaven Peak
In a minor town, within a bustling gambling hall—
A flash of golden light flickered, and suddenly Jun Zha reappeared at the gambling table, right where he had vanished monts ago.
"Brother Jun! What happened? Did a ghost swallow you whole?"
"You fatty, didn’t you see that golden phenonon earlier?"
"Tsk, I wish I got swallowed by that golden light!"
"Haha, Brother Jun, you lost your turn twice and all your spirit stones too!"
Jun Zha glanced at the noisy gamblers, his expression darkening, and then turned to the bald monk who had spoken last.
"You damn monk, aren’t you supposed to not lie? How did you finish two turns in ten seconds? I refuse to believe it!"
They were playing a dice ga, and as usual, chaos was the only rule.
With a sigh, Jun Zha uncorked his gourd, this ti wine ca from it as he took a heavy gulp.
"Ahh... that hits the spot," he muttered, wiping his mouth.
On the outside, he looked relaxed as ever, but inside, his mind was reeling from what had just happened in the illusionary realm. Still, pretending was his specialty.
He flipped a coin between his fingers, using it for a quick divination, then his expression twisted.
"This fatty, fuck you—! You actually stole my spirit stones!"
With that, Jun Zha kicked his round friend straight in the belly.
The fatty stumbled, eyes wide.
"What happened, Brother Jun? You usually just curse, not kick," said another man, clutching a sword like a beloved wife.
"You motherfuckers—!" the fatty roared, "I’m not fat! Your families are just too damn poor to feed you properly!"
"What did you say about my family?!" snapped a bald man covered in jewelry, his rings clinking as he lunged.
And just like that, the hall erupted into chaos.
The four of them ganged up on the fatty, throwing punches left and right — yet each blow just sank harmlessly into his rolls of fat.
"Damn it," Jun Zha exhaled, watching. "Even his fat’s defensive now."
Then, in an instant, the playfulness vanished from his eyes. The others noticed and fell silent, their faces turning serious.
"Let’s go," Jun Zha said calmly, standing up.
"We’re heading back. To Master."
"What? Seriously?" the monk complained.
"Your master’s not my master and who’s paying for the trip back to the main peak?"
Jun Zha’s glare shut him up instantly.
Without another word, the five n left the gambling hall, their easygoing airs replaced by purpose.
Five Guys, five oddballs — heading back toward the Main Celestial Heaven Peak.
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