When Yun Nian finally woke the next morning, the sun was already high in the sky. It was well past the hour of Si [roughly 9–11 AM in traditional Chinese timekeeping]. The System immediately began scolding her the moment she opened her eyes. [You sleep this late every single day, refuse to cultivate properly, and never go down the mountain for training. What kind of cultivator behaves like this?] Still half asleep, Yun Nian slowly sat up and began dressing herself. Her eyes remained only partly open as she lazily nodded along. “You’re absolutely right.” Among the younger generation of cultivators, Yun Nian’s cultivation was already considered exceptional. At her age, she had successfully formed a Golden Core [Jindan — a major cultivation realm symbolizing condensed spiritual power and the foundation of immortality].
After all, she was the closed-door disciple [a personally accepted final disciple, often favored and taught directly] of True Person Fu Tan [Zhenren — an honorific title given to highly accomplished Daoist cultivators]. Even though she was somewhat lazy by nature, having a master who was a renowned sword cultivator meant that under his guidance, her cultivation could hardly be considered poor. Still the System coldly added:
[With your talent, if you actually worked hard, you might already have surpassed the Golden Core stage by now.] But by then, Yun Nian had finished adjusting her robes.
She tied the ribbon at her waist casually before replying in a light tone, “Xie Qingli became the Number One Sword Cultivator only ten years after entering the Inner Sect [the core disciple division of a cultivation sect reserved for elite disciples]. My mission will probably end in less than ten years anyway, so let me relax a little.” The System fell silent for a moment. Then, noticing Yun Nian preparing to leave, it asked suspiciously:
[You’re really going to find your Junior Martial Uncle?] “Mm.” Yun Nian answered while adjusting the fluffy rabbit-shaped ornaments in her hair.
“The plan was decided yesterday. Of course I’m acting on it today.” She paused briefly before continuing more seriously:
“Next week is the opening of the Ancient Tomb Sword Ruins [Gumu Jianxu — a dangerous ancient inheritance realm filled with sword intent, spiritual treasures, and deadly trials]. What if Xie Qingli’s fire poison isn’t cured by then? If something happens inside the Sword Ruins, it’ll be troublesome.” The System immediately sounded wary. [I’m more worried your Junior Martial Uncle [Shishu — one’s master’s junior disciple-brother] will create trouble again…] At the mention of Wen Guanchen, Yun Nian’s back visibly stiffened. As she laughed awkwardly. “…It shouldn’t be that bad, right?”
The System sneered mercilessly. [Good luck.]
Meanwhile, within the side courtyard of Taxue Peak [Taxue Feng — the mountain peak governed by Yun Nian’s master’s lineage], Xie Qingli had only just stepped outside when he noticed two figures already seated beside the stone table beneath the courtyard tree. His expression remained calm even seeing these unexpected visitors. Xie Qingli just lowered his head slightly in greeting. “Greetings, Master Fu Tan [formal respectful address toward Yun Nian’s master], Senior Brother Jiang [Shixiong — older male disciple-brother within the sect hierarchy].”
Master Fu Tan gave a faint nod to his greetings. His robes of deep white and ash-gray moved lightly in the morning wind, carrying the austere elegance unique to high-ranking sword cultivators. He than gestured toward the medicine resting upon the table. “Yun Nian isn’t in her room, so I brought your medicine instead.” Xie Qingli thanked him politely and than without hesitation, he picked up the bowl and drank the medicine down in one breath.
And as dark medicinal liquid slid down along his chin, which Xie Qingli wiped away casually with the edge of his sleeve. Fu Tan suddenly spoke again. “The fire poison within your body is severe. Allow me to examine your pulse and check the condition of the toxin again.”
“Yes.” Xie Qingli obediently extended his hand. Fu Tan’s fingertips rested lightly against his wrist as spiritual energy slowly flowed into Xie Qingli’s meridians [jingmai — internal spiritual pathways through which cultivation energy circulates]. The courtyard gradually became silent.
A quarter of an hour later, Fu Tan finally withdrew his hand.“You are still young, and your constitution is strong. The fire poison should clear completely before long.” He paused briefly before continuing in a measured tone: “Although you became involved in this matter because you protected my disciple, and though it was not your original intention, you still saved Yun Nian in the end.”
“You may remain on Taxue Peak to recuperate for now. Once the poison is fully cleared in a month’s time, you may leave.”
Xie Qingli smiled faintly. “Many thanks, Master Fu Tan.” Yet beneath the calm surface, neither Fu Tan nor Jiang Zhao felt remotely at ease.
The two silently exchanged a glance. According to outward appearances, Xie Qingli was merely at the early Golden Core stage. Yet yesterday, Chang Xuan had insisted that when facing the Crimson Feather Beast [a powerful demonic beast associated with violent fire attributes], he and the others had suddenly become unable to move — as though their bodies had been completely controlled. How could someone capable of suppressing another cultivator so completely possess only Golden Core-level cultivation?
Thus, bringing medicine to him today had only been a pretext. Testing Xie Qingli’s true cultivation had been the real purpose of them. But Fu Tan himself was already a Mahayana cultivator [Dacheng Jing — one of the highest cultivation realms before ascension]. Across the entire cultivation world, there were fewer than ten individuals capable of concealing their cultivation from him. Could Xie Qingli — merely a young disciple — truly possess a cultivation level higher than Fu Tan’s perception? Impossible.
Perhaps Chang Xuan had simply fabricated the story to evade responsibility. After all, the injuries left upon Xie Qingli’s body by those disciples were undeniable evidence. If his cultivation were truly overwhelming, why would he have allowed himself to be beaten so badly?
Xie Qingli merely smiled quietly at the two men as they contemplated the situation. But that smile never reached his eyes.
After a brief moment Fu Tan seemed to sigh inwardly, unwilling to involve himself further in the schemes and suspicions of the younger generation. At last, he rose to his feet and glanced toward the disciple beside him. “I still need to attend discussions at the Three Main Halls [the central governing halls of the sect where elders and peak masters conduct official affairs].” He than looked at Jiang Zhao. “You remain here and look after Xie Qingli.” The two remaining men watched as Fu Tan departed from the courtyard.
The moment his figure disappeared beyond the stone path, the atmosphere subtly changed. Jiang Zhao’s smile slowly faded. The two young men stood facing one another beneath the cold morning light. Both were tall and straight-backed, their presences heavy as mountains confronting each other in silence.
As this stand off continued the expression in Jiang Zhao’s eyes darkened slightly. Xie Qingli, however, remained calm and courteous as ever.
After what felt like eternity Xie Qingli lowered his head respectfully to end this stalemate . “Senior Brother Jiang.” Jiang Zhao’s expression remained cold and unreadable as he glanced toward Xie Qingli. Not a trace of emotion surfaced in his eyes. When Xie Qingli had first been carried back unconscious, Jiang Zhao had already examined him once. At that time, aside from noticing the youth’s exceptional talent, he had not paid him much attention. But after returning that night, the more Jiang Zhao reflected upon the events at the Twelfth Gate [Shi’er Men — a branch division within the sect], the more unsettled he became.
There was something strange about this young man. Something hidden. It felt as though Xie Qingli constantly wore a flawless mask over his true self, concealing everything beneath calm gentleness. And yesterday’s events carried far too many suspicious details to ignore. Jiang Zhao silently observed him now. The disciple robes [formal robes worn by sect disciples according to rank and lineage] accentuated the youth’s tall and elegant figure. His shoulders were broad, his waist lean, and his black hair was tied high beneath a jade crown. He truly was extraordinarily handsome — standing at the very height of youthful beauty and refinement. Moreover, his temperament was naturally approachable. He spoke gently, carried himself politely, and possessed the kind of effortless sincerity that easily won others’ affection, like an untouched piece of fine jade waiting to be polished.
And that was precisely what Jiang Zhao could not understand. Although his little junior sister Yun Nian was often unreliable, she was not the sort of person who showed kindness to strangers without reason. Yet this morning, on his way here, Jiang Zhao had personally seen Yun Nian heading toward the rear mountain — the secluded residence of Wen Guanchen. He knew perfectly well why she had gone there. Jiang Zhao looked at Xie Qingli for a long moment, but the latter remained calm and unbothered beneath his scrutiny. Finally, Jiang Zhao curved his lips slightly into a faint smile. “Junior Brother Xie [Shidi — younger male disciple-brother], do you know what my junior sister has gone to do?”
Xie Qingli lowered his eyes thoughtfully for a moment before shaking his head with apparent sincerity. “This junior brother does not know.”
Jiang Zhao rested one hand upon the hilt of his sword and replied leisurely, “She went to see my Junior Martial Uncle [Shishu — one’s master’s junior disciple-brother] to request the Cold-Soothing Pill for you.” Xie Qingli paused very slightly. The Cold-Soothing Pill [a rare supreme medicinal pill capable of neutralizing nearly all poisons and harmful spiritual afflictions] was an invaluable treasure. Only three remained in existence, all currently in the possession of Wen Guanchen — the Second Peak Master [a high-ranking sect master governing an individual mountain peak] of Taxue Peak [Taxue Feng].
And Wen Guanchen was famously stingy. How could he possibly agree to hand over such a treasure so easily? For a brief moment, Xie Qingli genuinely did not know whether to laugh at Yun Nian’s innocence… or her foolishness. Still he concealed his emotion quickly and instead showed polite surprise. “This… Senior Sister Yun’s actions are truly inappropriate. How could I dare accept such consideration?” Jiang Zhao chuckled softly. “I’m on the other hand is rather curious what method my little junior sister plans to use in order to obtain that Cold-Soothing Pill.” His gaze than darkened slightly.
“Would Junior Brother Xie care to accompany me and see for yourself?” For a moment, Xie Qingli did not answer. Jiang Zhao did not urge him either. He merely stood there beneath the morning wind, holding his sword quietly while watching him. As a gust of mountain breeze swept through the courtyard, stirring the loose strands of their dark hair.
Then Xie Qingli finally spoke in a calm voice. “Alright.”
On the other hand Yun Nian passed through the bamboo forest behind Taxue Peak and made her way toward the rear mountain.Along the way white mist drifted through the mountainside like flowing silk. The shadows of bamboo swayed gently in the breeze, while distant birdsong and the chirping of insects echoed faintly through the quiet wilderness. It was the perfect place for secluded cultivation.
At the end of the narrow mountain path stood a small bamboo courtyard within four modest wooden rooms rested side by side amidst the greenery, simple yet elegant beyond words. Yun Nian stopped outside the courtyard gate, hesitating. The Cold-Soothing Pill was simply too precious. Even now, she still had no idea how she was supposed to persuade Wen Guanchen to give it to her. At the very least, she needed to offer something in return. She could not shamelessly take such a treasure for free. Thus, Yun Nian stood outside the courtyard agonizing over the matter for nearly a quarter of an hour.
Inside the courtyard, Wen Guanchen had already poured himself a third cup of tea before finally sighing helplessly. “Aren’t you coming in yet?” His voice was clear and gentle, flowing like mountain spring water over smooth stone. But beneath the helplessness in his tone lingered a trace of quiet amusement. Yun Nian carefully pushed open the courtyard gate after hearing this. The young man seated beside the stone table possessed a face so refined it almost seemed detached from the mortal world. His black hair was loosely half-bound with a jade hairpin, while the remaining strands flowed freely over pale robes. His appearance carried an elegant serenity untouched by worldly dust. At first glance, his temperament seemed somewhat similar to Xie Qingli’s — both gentle and refined.
Yet in truth, they were entirely different. Xie Qingli’s gentleness stemmed from something innate within him, pure and natural like untouched snow. Wen Guanchen, however, had traveled the cultivation world extensively in his youth. Now, though only appearing young, he was already over two hundred years old. His calm demeanor was not innocence, but the tranquility that came after witnessing too much of life. Within the sect, disciples often complained that Wen Guanchen lived like a recluse, neglecting sect affairs entirely. Despite his age, his cultivation remained only at the late Nascent Soul stage [Yuanying Jing — a high cultivation realm preceding Mahayana], never advancing further. Though he was clearly a sword cultivator, he spent most of his time researching formations [mystical arrays used for defense, attack, or spiritual manipulation] instead of focusing on cultivation.
But Yun Nian always felt there was something else about him. It was as though Wen Guanchen had already seen too much of the world… and thus no longer cared deeply about anything within it.
As she stand in the middle of courtyard Wen Guanchen looked at her and chuckled softly. “You came to ask me for the Cold-Soothing Pill?”
Yun Nian immediately smiled obediently and stepped forward. “As expected of Shishu [Junior Martial Uncle]. Truly insightful.”
The corners of Wen Guanchen’s eyes curved faintly. “Don’t bother asking.” Yun Nian’s face instantly fell. “Shishu—” Wen Guanchen calmly ignored her pitiful tone and instead poured her a cup of tea.
“Drink first before you start whining.” Yun Nian obediently sat down while looking at him expectantly. Than she raised one finger seriously.
“Just one pill. I genuinely need it urgently. I’ll compensate you properly — I won’t take it for free.” Wen Guanchen lazily raised an eyebrow.
“Oh?”
“And what reward do you intend to offer?” Yun Nian immediately brightened. “I heard Shishu has recently been researching a new formation and still lacks several immortal herbs [rare spiritual medicinal plants containing immense spiritual energy]. I happen to have some high-grade immortal herbs here.” Without hesitation, she placed her Qiankun bag [a magical storage pouch with its own internal space] onto the table with a heavy thud. “I’ll give them all to you.” Wen Guanchen lowered his teacup slightly and looked at her with a faint smile. “You only possess a few high-grade immortal herbs to begin with. Are you certain you wish to hand them all over?” Yun Nian nodded seriously. “Yes.” Wen Guanchen merely smiled without replying and continued drinking his tea leisurely.
The silence immediately made Yun Nian panic. “Shishu…!” She quickly added, “I’ll also make pastries for you for another week! No — for an entire month!” At those words, Wen Guanchen’s eyes visibly lit up. The System immediately whispered excitedly: [There’s hope!]
Yun Nian instantly seized the opportunity and raised one finger proudly. “Pastries made with immortal herbs. How about that?” Wen Guanchen slowly turned to glance at her than lightly tapped the rim of his teacup and said leisurely, “It is merely fire poison. Xie Qingli can survive a month of suffering without issue. Why must you come all the way here to ask me for the Cold-Soothing Pill?”
Yun Nian immediately looked wronged. It was not a question of whether Xie Qingli could endure it or not. She knew perfectly well how precious the Cold-Soothing Pill [a supreme medicinal pill capable of neutralizing nearly all poisons and spiritual afflictions] truly was. If there were any other option, she would never dare ask for it so shamelessly. But the Ancient Tomb Sword Ruins were about to open. And she was anxious.
Very anxious. Yun Nian clasped her hands together pitifully and wailed, “Shishu, please help me this once! At least for the sake of all the formations I’ve tested for you over the years!”
Wen Guanchen looked at her silently for a very long time, seemingly considering her words with genuine seriousness. Only after quite some time did he slowly rise to his feet and gesture lightly for her to follow him. Yun Nian blinked. Judging by his attitude… there actually seemed to be hope for the Cold-Soothing Pill. Instantly delighted, she hurried after him like a little tail. Wen Guanchen’s figure was tall and slender, his robes flowing like drifting clouds. Though his temperament appeared gentle and unhurried, he walked astonishingly fast. Yun Nian almost suspected he was secretly using spiritual energy beneath his feet. He led her through two winding mountain paths. By the end, Yun Nian was nearly jogging just to keep up.
Finally, panting slightly, she leaned weakly against a nearby tree and gasped, “Shishu… if we’re walking this fast… we might as well just fly on swords…” Only then did Wen Guanchen finally stop. His calm voice drifted from ahead. “I can give you the Cold-Soothing Pill.” Yun Nian instantly straightened. “But,” he continued mildly, “I require your assistance first.” Without hesitation, Yun Nian waved a hand heroically.
“Shishu, just say the word.” Wen Guanchen turned slightly and smiled. “I recently devised a new formation [mystical spiritual array used for attack, defense, or suppression]. Enter it and test it for me. If you pass…”
“I will give you the Cold-Soothing Pill.” Yun Nian froze.
“…Ah?” Even the System shuddered. [This…] Yun Nian nearly burst into tears on the spot. Only now did she realize that the seemingly empty clearing before them was not an ordinary open field at all. As spiritual energy surged violently through the area. With killing intent filled the air thickly enough to suffocate.
This was a killing formation. Although Wen Guanchen was technically a sword cultivator, his talent in formations far surpassed his swordsmanship. Most of the great protective formations guarding the Three Sects, Six Schools, and Fourteen Palaces [the major cultivation factions of the realm] had been personally designed by him. Unfortunately… everyone around him had also suffered because of it.
From True Person Fu Tan [Zhenren — an honorific title for a highly accomplished cultivator] down to the youngest disciples of Taxue Peak [Taxue Feng — the mountain peak belonging to their lineage], countless people had been dragged into testing his formations. Once, Yun Nian had been trapped inside one of Wen Guanchen’s formations for seven entire days without food or water.
Jiang Zhao had once emerged from another formation with three broken ribs and required three months of recovery. Even their Eldest Senior Brother [Da Shixiong — highest-ranking senior disciple], while still alive, had been forced into Wen Guanchen’s formations countless times.
Yun Nian weakly attempted one final struggle. “Shishu… my body feels rather frail today…” Wen Guanchen smiled gently and interrupted her with only four words: “The Cold-Soothing Pill.” Yun Nian instantly collapsed into despair. The System immediately encouraged her enthusiastically in her mind. [Host! The number one rule of Transmigration Bureau employees is enduring hardship without fearing difficulty! Stay strong, Yun Xiaonian!]
Yun Nian gave a fake smile. “Have you ever heard a saying?”
[What saying?] “As long as you can endure hardship… there will only be endless hardship waiting for you.” The System: […] Slowly, Yun Nian shuffled toward Wen Guanchen step by step, nearly stopping every few paces as though walking toward her execution. Wen Guanchen completely unbothered by her dramatic dispaly calmly explained, “This formation is extremely dangerous. It was designed specifically for battlefield suppression — capable of trapping and annihilating large groups of enemies simultaneously.”
Yun Nian swallowed nervously. “What kind of formation is it?” Wen Guanchen merely smiled mysteriously. “You’ll need to discover that yourself.” “This is only a preliminary version. I have yet to perfect it.”
“If you can break through it…”
“The Cold-Soothing Pill will be yours.”
Yun Nian immediately raised her head. “A promise?”
“A promise.”
The System quickly added in her mind: [Host, the Cold-Soothing Pill is the only medicine capable of clearing fire poison within a short time. Xie Qingli absolutely must enter the Sword Ruins, and the Broken Thorn Pill must be obtained.] Yun Nian fell silent briefly. The System was right. Xie Qingli’s fire poison had to be cured no matter what. Even if she had to suffer a little, she still needed to obtain the Cold-Soothing Pill.
It was merely a first-generation killing formation. It was not as though she had never broken through one before. Secretly gritting her teeth, Yun Nian finally steeled herself. Wen Guanchen would never truly endanger her life. At worst… she would simply end up bedridden for several days afterward. Fine. So be it.
“Alright.” Yun Nian inhaled deeply and lifted her chin. “Then this disciple will test Shishu’s killing formation.” Wen Guanchen stepped back several paces, making room for her. Then he calmly withdrew a wooden box from his Qiankun bag [a magical storage pouch containing an independent storage space]. The moment he opened it, three crystal-clear pills appeared inside, luminous as spirit pearls beneath the sunlight.
“The Cold-Soothing Pills and I shall wait here for your return.” Yun Nian stared at the pills without blinking, her eyes practically glowing.
Then, in one breath, she declared solemnly: “Rest assured, Shishu! I will absolutely test this killing formation thoroughly, uncover all its flaws, and help you improve, stabilize, and perfect it further!”
The moment she finished speaking, she turned and marched toward the formation with heroic determination. The violent currents of spiritual energy stirred her dark hair wildly, yet even before an ancient killing formation, Yun Nian’s expression remained calm and composed. Now that she knew the Cold-Soothing Pill could cure Xie Qingli’s poison, the anxiety pressing upon her heart finally eased somewhat. Beneath the sunlight, the girl’s features appeared delicate and bright. As always, she smiled easily, her eyes curving gently whenever she laughed, clear and radiant like scattered stars with sword intent coiled around her body like a dragon winding through clouds. Her playful voice rang clearly through the clearing. “Shishu, please enlighten me how to start.”
Wen Guanchen laughed softly as well. “Then, Neice Yun [a familiar elder-to-junior form of address within sect hierarchy]…”
“Why don’t you try breaking this formation?” The instant his words fell, terrifying killing intent exploded outward like a tidal wave. As darkness swallowed everything around her. The formation has now activated.
Wen Guanchen’s figure vanished completely from her sight . As Yun Nian’s vision instantly plunged into absolute darkness — so deep she could not even see her own fingers before her face. Nothing remained except for darkness. It felt as though the entire world had dissolved into emptiness. Even her own existence began to feel vague and unreal. Yun Nian frowned. “What kind of formation is this? I can’t see anything.”
“How am I supposed to fight like this?” Suddenly, violent wind slashed toward her from the side. Yun Nian instantly dodged. Then came another attack. And another. Than wave after wave of murderous force surged from every direction like an invisible net seeking to tear her apart. The System in her mind immediately shouted: [Wen Guanchen is truly merciless! There’s not even a moment of buffer time — this formation attacks to kill! Don’t get hit!]
“I know!” Yet even as she responded, Yun Nian struggled badly. Unable to see anything, she could only rely on instinct while continuously dodging backward. Suddenly, a sharp gale struck her shoulder. “Hiss—!” The wind cut through flesh like a blade, instantly drawing blood. But before she could react, another attack came sweeping toward her side.
[Are you alright?!] The system asked.
“I’m fine.” But the truth was, she was already losing composure. The System immediately yelled: [Find the formation core first!] Right. Every formation possessed a core. Whether offensive or defensive, locating the formation’s core was the key to breaking it. The problem was… Yun Nian still had no idea what kind of killing formation this actually was. Nor did she know how many formation cores it possessed. Around her, only the shrieking roar of violent winds remained. Then suddenly— Yun Nian’s eyes widened slightly.
Wind. She was a cultivator. Who said cultivators relied only on sight? If vision became an obstacle, then blindness itself could become an advantage. Even without sight, a single gust of wind… a falling leaf… a shift in air currents… all could reveal direction. As the violent gales continued to screamed through the darkness like the cries of countless ghosts. Yun Nian immediately released spiritual energy outward, forming a temporary spiritual barrier around herself. Then she slowly closed her eyes. Her ears twitched slightly. Though the winds appeared chaotic, attacking from every direction…
There seemed to be a hidden rhythm beneath them. Yun Nian murmured softly, “Eight winds form one cycle…” “And after each cycle… there’s a brief pause.” The System immediately reacted. [An Eight Directions Formation! The formation cores should be located in the eight cardinal positions — east, west, south, north, southeast, northeast, southwest, and northwest!] Yun Nian instantly raised her sword. And while maintaining her spiritual barrier, she slashed outward in eight directions simultaneously, sword light erupting brilliantly through the darkness.
A distant explosion echoed sharply. Immediately afterward, the violent winds dissipated completely. The System gasped excitedly. [You broke it?!]
But Yun Nian slowly frowned instead. No… Something felt wrong. Would Wen Guanchen’s killing formation truly be this simple? Based on his personality, she should have already been beaten half to death by now. The surrounding darkness remained silent and motionless. Too silent.
As though something far more terrifying was quietly awakening within it. Suddenly, Yun Nian’s heart sank violently. Every hair along her back rose instantly. Her scalp tingled with dread. “No—”
“This isn’t the Eight Directions Formation at all!”
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