After entering the secret realm, the participants were randomly teleported to different locations.

To allow the cultivators to showcase their individual abilities, the secret realm was vast. Unless they deliberately searched for each other, the probability of two participants running into each other was low.

Chu Xinghui was dropped into a desolate, uninhabited forest.

He spent two full days tirelessly searching the area around his landing spot, diligently collecting Qiong Yu Pearls. He found fifty-eight of them.

Half an hour later, he killed the last late-stage Foundation Establishment Crimson Fire Purple Tail Scorpion nearby and added the fifty-ninth Qiong Yu Pearl to his specially-made storage bag. He then took out the jade token and began searching for his next target.

According to the jade token, all the Qiong Yu Pearls in this area had already been collected. If he wanted more, he would have to venture farther.

Chu Xinghui found a safe place, quickly recovered his spiritual energy, and then headed toward the next area.

*

Unfortunately, when Chu Xinghui arrived at the location of the next Qiong Yu Pearl, someone was already there.

The pearl was placed on a newly advanced Foundation Establishment Howling Moon Wolf, and the cultivator who arrived first was currently battling it.

By coincidence, the cultivator was none other than Xie Huai, whom Chu Xinghui had seen before entering the secret realm.

*

The atmosphere around the Beiyue Sword Sect entrance was still bustling, but there was a subtle undercurrent of resignation in the air. The trial was coMing to a close, and while most cultivators were just finishing up their tasks, some had already accepted the outcome and were waiting with a calm demeanor.

Chu Xinghui had, by now, gathered more than enough Qiong Yu Pearls, but unlike the others, he wasn’t concerned with being among the top ranks. He hadn’t felt the urge to rush or compete. In fact, the idea of finishing early had crossed his mind—but he wasn’t sure if it would be wise. After all, the reason wasn’t out of personal ambition, it was simply a desire to perhaps meet someone.

*

Earlier in the secret realm, he had been observing Xie Huai, who seemed like he should be an expert sword cultivator. After all, Xie Huai had a long sword strapped to his back when Chu Xinghui first saw him. But as he watched him today, it was clear that Xie Huai wasn’t particularly skilled in swordplay. His sword techniques were average at best.

Xie Huai seemed to rely more on magical artifacts and talismans, which allowed him to hold his own against a Howling Moon Wolf in the early stages of Foundation Building. Chu Xinghui watched him for a while, but didn’t feel the need to intervene or comment.

Despite not having caused him any trouble, Xie Huai’s mere presence had a strange effect on him.

Every time Chu Xinghui thought about the possibility of Xie Huai becoming Xie Liufeng’s disciple, receiving the same attention he had, a sense of discomfort gnawed at him. He couldn’t quite place it, but it bothered him, and he wanted to avoid any awkwardness, so he chose to quietly step away.

*

After finally gathering his sixtieth Qiong Yu Pearl, Chu Xinghui let out a sigh of relief.

His task was now complete, and he didn’t feel the need to press on for more. He decided to avoid Xie Liufeng and had found himself with time to reflect.

The map showed that there were fewer and fewer pearls left, and the competition had grown fiercer. Some cultivators still hadn’t gathered their sixty pearls, while others were working hard to do so before time ran out. It seemed the trial was nearing its conclusion.

As he walked leisurely through the secret realm, Qin Suyun appeared again, almost like an inevitable presence. She had been showing up with surprising frequency, and each time, it left him with a strange feeling, making him think of another Cultivator Qin he once knew—who had long since passed.

He had tried to avoid her a few times, but despite his efforts, he couldn’t help but be caught by her on this occasion.

With a smile, Qin Suyun glided toward him, her hand reaching out to touch his arm: “Senior Brother, what a coincidence! You’re here too?”

Chu Xinghui instinctively stepped back, avoiding her hand. With how often they crossed paths, he didn’t think it was much of a coincidence at all.

Qin Suyun’s smile faltered for just a moment, but she quickly recovered, still exuding warmth and friendliness: “Has Senior Brother finished collecting all your Qiong Yu Pearls? There are still a few scattered about. Should we go collect a few more together?”

Chu Xinghui politely declined: “No need.”

She seemed disappointed but quickly lowered her gaze: “I didn’t mean to suggest you need help… I just thought… with your skills, it would be a shame not to be the one to finish first in the trial.”

Chu Xinghui couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable: “Cultivator Qin, you flatter me.”

There was a brief silence before she adjusted her tone and changed the subject, smiling again:

“Senior Brother, calling me ‘Cultivator’ is a bit formal, don’t you think? I’ve collected my sixty pearls, so I think it’s safe to say that we’ll be fellow disciples soon. You can call me by my name.”

Chu Xinghui thought for a moment, trying to recall her name. But it slipped his mind, and after a pause, he ventured: “Qin Yunshu?”

Qin Suyun’s smile tightened, and she forced out the words: “My name is Qin Suyun.”

Realizing his mistake, he hastily apologized: “My apologies, Cultivator Qin.”

The awkwardness hung in the air as she gave a strained smile. Seeing his chance to escape, Chu Xinghui quickly excused himself, bowing politely before making his retreat.

*

As Chu Xinghui walked away, he noticed that Qin Suyun’s smile had long disappeared. Her eyes narrowed in frustration, and she was left standing there, feeling defeated. Her mind was spinning with thoughts of how she had tried so hard, even changing her appearance and risking everything, just to get close to Chu Xinghui—the so-called Heavenly Dao Child. Yet, it seemed all her efforts had been for nothing.

“Why doesn’t he even remember my name?!” she thought bitterly: “No matter what I do, he’s always indifferent. I’ve tried being weak and dependent, but that didn’t work. I’ve tried being bold and confident, but that doesn’t work either. Is he made of stone?!”

Frustrated, she kicked a nearby tree. The sudden pain in her foot caused her to wince and stumble, but it did little to quell her anger. With a frustrated sigh, she limped away, her thoughts a whirlwind of frustration.

*

Meanwhile, Chu Xinghui, having successfully gathered his pearls, chose not to linger any longer in the secret realm. It was almost time for the trial to end. As he glanced at the clock, he saw that there were just two hours remaining.

Deciding not to waste any more time, he made his way to the exit, where many cultivators were already waiting. Some had completed the basic requirement but knew they wouldn’t make it into the top rankings. Others, having collected only a few pearls, had already resigned themselves to the fact that they would not be joining the sect this time.

The mood was one of quiet acceptance—there was no longer any urgency. For most, the trial was simply about waiting for its inevitable conclusion.

Xie Huai was also among the group of people.

As soon as he saw Chu Xinghui coMing over, he waved at him and invited him to come over.

Chu Xinghui: “…”

He began to consider whether it would be more uncomfortable to chat with Xie Huai or if talking to Qin Suyun would be more frightening.

But since he had already reached this point, Chu Xinghui could only walk toward Xie Huai with a blank expression.

Xie Huai took the initiative to show concern for him: “Cultivator Chu, have you gathered all sixty Qiongyu pearls?”

After asking, he changed his words: “Look at me, with your strength, collecting sixty Qiongyu pearls is nothing, I should be asking if you have the confidence to claim the first place.”

Chu Xinghui shook his head: “I dare not claim that.”

Xie Huai smiled at him and shared his joy: “Although it may not be much for you, but I also successfully gathered sixty pearls this time. I may be a bit thick-skinned, but back home, I was considered a genius. CoMing to Beiyue, I realized I was just a frog in the well. There are many younger than me with higher cultivation, and I originally thought this trial would be difficult, but in the end, it wasn’t so bad—so I should have a chance to become Sword Sovereign disciple.”

He repeatedly mentioned wanting to be Xie Liufeng‘s disciple, which made Chu Xinghui feel uncomfortable, but he still politely said: “Congratulations.”

Chu Xinghui tried to push aside his personal feelings and analyze the situation objectively.

Xie Liufeng had never mentioned his origins. In fact, there were no stories about Sword Sovereign background in the tales circulating in the cultivation world.

It seemed like he had naturally appeared in the cultivation world, naturally gained fame, and after achieving feats no one had ever accomplished, he simply disappeared again.

As for Xie Liufeng‘s family, Chu Xinghui couldn’t recall much, except that he called Cheng Yu Master “cousin.”

Now, suddenly, a junior had appeared, claiming that Xie Liufeng came from his family, even leaving behind a token… If Chu Xinghui hadn’t encountered this person during the Beiyue Sword Sect’s entry trial, he would have likely thought this person was a fraud.

Chu Xinghui thought for a long time and decided to go back and directly confirm with Xie Liufeng.

If it was a fraud, he would let it go. But if Xie Liufeng really intended to take on another disciple… he would try to lock Xie Liufeng up so that he could only see him.

Chu Xinghui expressionlessly entertained the thought for a while in his mind, then felt that this plan, though quite ideal, didn’t meet his moral standards and also didn’t match the power dynamics between them, so he regretfully abandoned it.

Xie Huai was quite talkative. Having finally met a familiar person, he switched topics and started discussing other trivial matters.

Chu Xinghui was still thinking about how to lock Xie Liufeng up within moral standards or make Xie Liufeng lock him up. He wasn’t paying much attention to what Xie Huai was saying, only nodding occasionally to show he was listening.

With Chu Xinghui‘s nods of encouragement, Xie Huai chatted happily with him, and in the end, he looked at Chu Xinghui and smiled gently: “Although my elders always urged me to become Sword Sovereign‘s disciple, I feel quite a connection with you, Cultivator Chu. If I can’t find Sword Sovereign, it would be wonderful to be disciples under the same master.”

Chu Xinghui: “…”

What’s the difference between these two options?

*

Soon, the trial in the secret realm was coMing to an end.

The participating cultivators gradually walked out of the gate, and the spiritual artifacts of the secret realm shrank back into miniature form, to be collected by dedicated personnel.

The Qiongyu pearls had special spells carved into them, so once everyone left the secret realm, the results were immediately posted in the square.

Those who passed the trial could stay to become disciples, while those who failed would leave on the spot.

The cultivators rushed to the board, found their names, and when they looked up, they saw another name at the top of the list—”Chu Xinghui.”

The Beiyue Sword Sect was the best sword cultivator sect in the entire cultivation world. Many young prodigies came to become disciples, but no one had ever heard of this name.

Many who were unfamiliar with this group of disciples began to whisper among themselves: “Who is Chu Xinghui?”

…

 

Chu Xinghui glanced at his score, confirmed there were no issues, and didn’t pay much attention to others’ discussions about him. He began searching for Xie Liufeng.

Xie Liufeng was on a high platform, Mingling with a group of people in a meeting.

He made eye contact with Chu Xinghui from a distance and smiled at him.

Chu Xinghui‘s eyes lit up, but when he thought of the things he was concerned about, he felt a bit upset.

He found a spot far from the crowd, hoping to wait until the meeting ended to speak with Xie Liufeng.

But it seemed that the group of seniors on the high platform was discussing something important. Some of them had already started fighting, and Xie Liufeng had to stop watching the commotion and act as a mediator.

The disciples who had passed the trial gathered nearby, waiting for the next step.

The next step… was the disciple selection.

Xie Huai also stood among the crowd.

Chu Xinghui still hadn’t found a chance to speak privately with Xie Liufeng, and his mind was a bit chaotic.

On duty, Ming Xiao saw him from afar, spoke to a fellow disciple next to him, and quietly slipped over to his side.

He circled around Chu Xinghui a couple of times.

Noticing that Chu Xinghui didn’t pay attention to him, he purposely coughed loudly.

Chu Xinghui finally came to his senses and greeted him.

Ming Xiao cleared his throat and first praised his own contributions to ensuring the trial went smoothly. Then, he subtly congratulated Chu Xinghui for passing the trial.

After speaking, seeing that Chu Xinghui was distracted, he found it quite strange: “What’s wrong with you?”

He rarely saw Chu Xinghui like this.

Chu Xinghui glanced at him.

He didn’t really have high expectations for his friend’s emotional intelligence, but at the moment, there were no other familiar faces around him.

He hesitated for a moment, deciding to give it a try. He opened his mouth and asked Ming Xiao for advice: “Would you ever want to lock someone up?”

Ming Xiao, who was usually the lone wolf of the group, was rarely approached for advice on emotional matters, so he became quite interested: “Like who?”

Chu Xinghui thought about his relationship with Xie Liufeng, quickly making a simple analogy: “For example… your master?”

Ming Xiao imagined it for a moment and wished he hadn’t.

How terrifying.

Even if he really lost his mind and dared to lock his master up, his master would likely have lost his mind too and let him do it. But then, he’d be hanging around in front of Xue Heng, doing nothing all day. Xue Heng would make sure to have him memorize three hundred formation patterns every day, right?

Three hundred. And if they were complicated, he wouldn’t even be able to look at them all.

The more Ming Xiao thought about it, the more he felt he couldn’t memorize them. He began imagining himself being slapped on the palm, then kicked out of the door to stand in punishment, followed by being mocked by the entire sect. Finally, he’d face a miserable outcome, with his dignity utterly shattered.

That was his most important reputation!

Ming Xiao was so scared by his imagined outcome that he suddenly stood up and turned to walk away, as if he had made a firm decision.

Chu Xinghui was confused: “Where are you going?”

Ming Xiao answered curtly: “To hang myself.”

Chu Xinghui was even more confused.

Did their conversation have anything to do with suicide?

Ming Xiao looked as though he was facing death without fear: “I must leave a legacy in this world.”

Chu Xinghui: “…”

He dragged his suicidal companion back.

Chu Xinghui confirmed with Ming Xiao: “So, you wouldn’t want to lock your master up?”

Ming Xiao answered seriously: “Well, my master sometimes wants to lock me up, for example, when my studies aren’t going well or when I upset him. He’ll lock me in confinement.”

Chu Xinghui: “…”

He felt like they weren’t talking about the same thing.

Moreover, he couldn’t really understand the kind of life Ming Xiao was leading.

Chu Xinghui asked again: “What if your master wants to take on another disciple? Would you be unhappy?”

This time, Ming Xiao answered without hesitation: “No.”

That would be a great thing! If his master had a new disciple, he wouldn’t be constantly focused on his studies.

Chu Xinghui thought about it seriously, then nodded at Ming Xiao: “I understand.”

He said goodbye to Ming Xiao and walked toward the group of disciples who had passed the trial.

Ming Xiao looked at his back, feeling completely confused.

What did he understand?

After a moment of confusion, Ming Xiao suddenly had a flash of insight.

Whatever Chu Xinghui had understood, it was all because of his guidance!

Realizing this, he immediately felt incredibly useful and satisfied, continuing his duty with a smile.

*

After a few seniors finally finished their discussion, they straightened their clothes and returned to their graceful, approachable demeanor, appearing as the high-ranking elders they were.

The group settled on the high platform. Xie Liufeng, scanning the group of potential disciples below, quickly focused on Chu Xinghui.

He observed Chu Xinghui‘s state and noticed that his young disciple seemed to be in a low mood.

Xie Liufeng furrowed his brows.

But the disciple selection ceremony had already begun, and he couldn’t intervene just yet. He would have to wait until the ceremony was over to talk to Chu Xinghui.

The ceremony proceeded swiftly. The peak masters and elders who were looking to take disciples had already scouted out their preferred candidates and quickly claimed those with excellent potential.

Xie Liufeng’s sole purpose in being here was Chu Xinghui. Seeing that the time was right, he was about to call Chu Xinghui over and leave with him so they could head home. However, out of the blue, a young disciple looked up at him and spoke: “Sword Sovereign, I am Xie Huai from the Xie family. I hope that Sword Sovereign will take me as a disciple.”

Xie Liufeng hadn’t heard the name of this family in hundreds of years, and he almost didn’t react in time.

Seeing Xie Liufeng looking at him, Xie Huai hurriedly took out something from his storage bag: “I have a token left by Sword Sovereign in my family as proof.”

Xie Liufeng thought for a moment, then used spiritual power to retrieve the item from Xie Huai‘s hands.

It was a plain jade pendant, inside of which was a spatial array, meant for storage.

It hadn’t been used or maintained for many years, and the spiritual light on the jade pendant had already dimmed.

Xie Liufeng lowered his eyes to look at the jade pendant. After rifling through his memories for a while, he recalled a faint connection to it, nodding slightly: “This is indeed my item.”

Chu Xinghui couldn’t help but clench his fists.

He restrained himself from making any further moves.

Xie Liufeng seemed to recall something, and with an ambiguous smile, he continued: “But this isn’t exactly a token. If I had to categorize it, it should be considered a lost item.”

Xie Huai‘s expression froze: “Sword Master’s meaning… I don’t understand.”

Xie Liufeng explained more clearly: “Since you know I’m from the Xie family, do you know that when I was sixteen, I was expelled from the Xie family?”

He felt that such a simple statement didn’t quite cover the nature of his relationship with the Xie family. After a moment’s pause, he added: “It wasn’t an expulsion in the family tree sense, but an expulsion where the Xie family actually tried to take my life. I remember when I left, my ancestral tablet was still in the Xie family’s shrine. I wonder if it’s still there now.”

Chu Xinghui immediately raised his gaze.

Xie Liufeng seemed to have predicted his reaction and gave him a comforting wink.

Then he turned back, casually continuing to recount the past to the young Xie Huai: “The Xie family, although always considered insignificant, once had some standing in Zhongbo City. They were only pushed out of the city after the family’s Nascent Soul cultivator died. Do you know why?”

Xie Huai seemed to be greatly shaken by the revelation, still struggling to process what had just been said. His voice was hoarse as he attempted to explain: “The Elder made a mistake while cultivating…”

“Ah, so that’s the story you’re telling outsiders?” Xie Liufeng smiled, his eyes narrowing. It was the first time he had heard the official version of the Xie family’s story, and with a faint chuckle, he spoke bluntly: “I’m afraid that’s not quite it. The truth is, I killed him.”

Upon hearing this, even Xue Heng, who had been sitting beside him, couldn’t help but glance at Xie Liufeng.

Xue Heng still remembered the situation when Xie Liufeng first came to Beiyue Sword Sect. At that time, Xie Liufeng didn’t even have a trace of cultivation, even defeating a Qi Refining disciple would have been a challenge.

Although Xie Liufeng quickly advanced to the Foundation Establishment and then Golden Core Stage, achieving things beyond normal understanding and causing immense envy, that came only later.

Xie Liufeng looked at Xie Huai and concluded with finality: “The only reason I’m telling you all of this is to make it clear: My relationship with your family… isn’t good. You’ve come to the wrong person if you want me as a master.”

He truly didn’t know which ‘wise person’ had suggested this path to Xie Huai.

Finding Xie Tinglan would’ve been more reliable, though Xie Tinglan would probably not want to get involved with anything related to the Xie family either.

Xie Huai‘s face turned as white as a sheet.

Seeing the young man lost in shock, Xie Liufeng reassured him: “Don’t worry. Although I do have some issues with your family, they’re old, irrelevant matters. I’m not interested in bringing up old grievances or holding grudges. Since you passed the sect’s entrance trial, you should just find a master and learn, and I won’t interfere.”

With that, he stood up and made his way towards the sect’s headmaster, Fang Yan, to take his leave: “Alright, my disciple is taken care of, it’s time for me to head back.”

Though Fang Yan had just been served with a big piece of gossip, he remained calm and nodded.

Xie Liufeng turned to Chu Xinghui, his eyes silently signaling him to follow: “Xing Xing?”

Without hesitation, Chu Xinghui immediately followed behind him. The two left the hall together.

*

As they walked toward a quiet spot, neither spoke. Chu Xinghui kept glancing at Xie Liufeng, so absentminded that he almost walked into a tree.

Xie Liufeng gently steadied him, a faint smile on his lips: “Watch where you’re going.”

Chu Xinghui grabbed his hand and looked up at him, finally unable to hold back his words: “You never told me about this before.”

Xie Liufeng squinted his eyes and answered honestly: “To be honest, if it weren’t for someone bringing this up today, I wouldn’t have remembered it either.”

Seeing that Chu Xinghui still looked troubled, Xie Liufeng reached out and lightly pinched his cheek: “Don’t be upset. Though I didn’t gain much from those events because I was too young, I didn’t lose anything either.”

Chu Xinghui didn’t respond. Instead, he simply threw himself into Xie Liufeng’s embrace, wrapping his arms tightly around him.

Xie Liufeng chuckled softly, smoothly returning the hug.

His voice was warm as he asked: “Well, now that no one is here to ask me for a disciple, do you, a certain ‘Chu’ disciple, want to give me the honor and become my disciple?”

Hearing this, Chu Xinghui slowly pulled away from his arms.

He looked up at him with a serious expression, as if he was scrutinizing Xie Liufeng.

Xie Liufeng blinked innocently.

Then, Chu Xinghui suddenly asked: “What if I don’t want to be your disciple?”

Xie Liufeng was momentarily stunned: “Hmm?”

He quickly ran through his recent memories.

Had he accidentally upset this little ancestor recently?

 

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