Yun Heng finally recalled that segment of the plot.
Back then, Su Mingyuan's cultivation had already risen from early Foundation Establishment to early Nascent Soul.
Xie Wujiu had taken it a step further, breaking through to early Soul Transformation.
The two hailed from the Eastern Region, and when they first arrived in the Central State, no one held high expectations for them.
Even though Xie Wujiu possessed the natural sword bone, many still believed he was only invincible within the Eastern Region, and that he amounted to nothing when placed against the whole of the Taiyan Continent.
Su Mingyuan's cultivation was extremely low, drawing even less attention.
Yet as the Prodigy Gathering officially commenced, the two achieved victory after victory in match after match.
Xie Wujiu fought his way into the final rankings, securing fifth place at the Five Domains Prodigy Gathering.
Su Mingyuan also successfully made it into the top fifty.
From then on, their names truly stepped out of the Eastern Region, becoming known to the younger generation across the entire Taiyan Continent.
“That's right, Host.”
The System bobbed slightly.
“Although Su Mingyuan is now dead, Xie Wujiu will still participate in the Five Domains Prodigy Gathering according to the original plot.”
“Furthermore, he is now under the special favor of destiny. The opportunities he receives in the future will only exceed those in the original novel.”
“By the time the Five Domains Prodigy Gathering begins, his strength might be even greater than during the same period in the original book.”
Xie Wujiu had become the new Son of Destiny.
The opportunities that originally belonged to him in the novel would not vanish, and a portion of the opportunities meant for Su Mingyuan might fall into his hands instead.
If events continued along the original novel's trajectory, the Five Domains Prodigy Gathering would inevitably become the stage where Xie Wujiu rebuilt his renown.
She mulled it over for a moment before asking, “When will the Five Domains Prodigy Gathering take place?”
“Five years from now.”
“Five years...” Yun Heng repeated softly.
This timeframe was sufficient.
The spiritual Qi in the Guiyuan Spirit Domain was far denser than in the outside world, and she possessed top-tier cultivation techniques best suited for herself.
As long as she dedicated herself to secluded cultivation, five years would certainly allow her cultivation to advance another step.
If she could achieve outstanding results at the Prodigy Gathering, the Awe Points she earned would undoubtedly be immense.
“Five years is plenty of time.”
Yun Heng rose from the futon and walked into the cultivation room of the Family Head Residence.
The arrays around the cultivation room activated in response.
Dense spiritual Qi rapidly gathered, forming a thin layer of spirit mist.
Moving forward, Yun Heng had only one goal.
Cultivate.
Eastern Region, Taihua Sword Sect.
In a quiet room, Xie Wujiu, lying on a bed, twitched his fingers slightly.
A moment later, he slowly opened his eyes.
The first things that met his eyes were a familiar bed canopy and ceiling.
Xie Wujiu stared upward, his expression filled with confusion.
This was... his room?
Shouldn't he still be inside the Qingming Secret Realm?
Xie Wujiu tried to recall what had happened before he lost consciousness.
After entering the Qingming Secret Realm, he had followed his master's prior advice and kept heading toward the realm's easternmost edge.
Later, deep within a dense forest, he had discovered a natural array formed by countless ancient vines, only to be trapped inside the Ancient Vine Array and lose consciousness entirely.
How had he suddenly returned to the Taihua Sword Sect?
Xie Wujiu knitted his brows, pressed a hand to his forehead—which was still throbbing with pain—and slowly sat up.
His body felt extremely weak.
Although the spiritual energy in his dantian had partially recovered, his meridians remained sluggish. His natural sword bone had also lost its usual vitality, leaving only a few weak wisps of sword intent slowly circulating deep within his bones.
It seemed he had been unconscious for quite a while.
He pushed open the door.
A handyman disciple was standing guard outside.
Hearing the movement, the disciple turned around at once. Seeing that Xie Wujiu had awakened, a look of pleasant surprise washed over his face.
“Eldest Senior Brother, you're finally awake!”
“The Grand Elder instructed earlier that if you wake up, you must go to the Elders' Hall immediately to find her.”
Looking at the handyman disciple before him, Xie Wujiu found himself even more bewildered.
“Wasn't I inside the Qingming Secret Realm?”
“Why am I back at the sect?”
“How did I get out?”
The handyman disciple's expression stiffened slightly.
An ill foreboding rose from the depths of Xie Wujiu's heart.
He pressed further, “Where is Master? Why did the Grand Elder have you wait for me here?”
The handyman disciple's face grew even more uneasy.
He lowered his head and stammered for a long while without producing a coherent sentence.
“Eldest Senior Brother, this...”
“This disciple doesn't know the details either.”
“You had better ask the Grand Elder yourself.”
The unease in Xie Wujiu's heart grew stronger and stronger. He immediately set off toward the Elders' Hall.
Along the way, many Taihua Sword Sect disciples bowed in greeting upon seeing him.
“Eldest Senior Brother.”
“Greetings, Eldest Senior Brother.”
Yet, their expressions were all strangely solemn.
The entire Taihua Sword Sect was shrouded in a heavy, suffocating atmosphere.
Without stopping, Xie Wujiu went straight to the outside of the Elders' Hall.
The disciple guarding the entrance quickly went inside to report.
Before long, the Grand Elder's voice carried out from within.
“Let him in.”
Xie Wujiu stepped into the Elders' Hall.
The Grand Elder of the Taihua Sword Sect was seated in the main chair.
Compared to the image in his memory, she looked visibly haggard.
An undisguisable exhaustion hung between her brows, as though she had not rested properly for a long time.
Xie Wujiu's heart sank. He offered a formal greeting first according to etiquette.
“This disciple greets the Grand Elder.”
“Grand Elder, what on earth happened?”
“Why was I brought back to the sect from the Qingming Secret Realm?”
“And where is Master?”
She remained silent for a moment before sighing softly.
“You have not yet recovered. Sit down first.”
The Grand Elder gathered her thoughts and began recounting from the sudden collapse of the Qingming Secret Realm...
Xie Wujiu sat in his seat, utterly motionless.
No clear emotion could be seen on his face, but his eyes were completely blank.
Only after a long while did he seem to finally comprehend what the Grand Elder had just said.
“Master... is dead?”
Xie Wujiu's voice was very soft, tinged with uncertainty.
“Master actually died...”
He suddenly stood up, his face paling rapidly.
“Impossible.”
“That's impossible!”
“Master was a Soul Transformation Peak cultivator! Who could possibly kill him without a sound?”
The Grand Elder looked at Xie Wujiu, grief surfacing in her eyes as well.
“It was a female cultivator named Yun Heng.”
“She is the Young Lord of a secluded clan, backed by a powerful force beyond our imagination.”
“The black-clad female cultivator beside her possesses unfathomable strength—at least Void Refinement Peak, if not a Body Integration grandmaster.”
“Never mind the Sect Master at Soul Transformation Peak...”
“...even Lu Xuanwei of the Xuanxiao Sect, who was at mid Void Refinement, died by her hands.”
Xie Wujiu felt a chill run through his entire body.
“Yun Heng...”
The Grand Elder closed her eyes wearily.
“Wujiu.”
“I know you are grieving.”
“The Sect Master's death brings equal sorrow to me and the entire Taihua Sword Sect.”
“But Yun Heng is not someone we can afford to provoke.”
Xie Wujiu's fists slowly clenched.
Observing his reaction, the Grand Elder's tone grew even more stern.
“The power backing her is incomprehensibly vast.”
“Just the experts who have revealed themselves so far are enough to easily annihilate the Taihua Sword Sect.”
“Furthermore, regarding what transpired outside the secret realm, the Sect Master was indeed overly impulsive.”
The Grand Elder paused for a moment before concluding,
“Let this matter end here.”
“You are the most exceptionally talented sword cultivator among the younger generation in the Eastern Region.”
“Focus on your cultivation from now on, and do not remain overly obsessed with this matter.”
“The Taihua Sword Sect cannot withstand a second blow.”
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