Firmament Sword

Xie Yudie cast a doting glance at her younger sister and said softly, "After you go back, calm your heart and focus on your cultivation. Be more dedicated, and don't be so half-hearted. If you want freedom, if you want to control your own future, then... you must become strong yourself!"

Xie Yurou looked up, clearly moved. She glanced at her sister and, instead of arguing, said in a low voice, "I understand, Sister."

Only then did Xie Yudie's expression brighten. A smile touched her lips as she skillfully concealed the trace of sorrow deep within her eyes.

But in truth, as the younger sister, how could Xie Yurou not understand the meaning behind her words?

Back then, as a Celestial Splendor Noble Lady, Xie Yudie's strength was not to be underestimated. But during her youth, she was too playful for a few years and neglected her cultivation. She ranked low in the annual competition and, as a result, lost the sect's protection, becoming a mere tool for a marriage alliance.

It might sound cruel, but this was the law of Celestial Brilliance!

Even the prestigious Xie Family, with their high status within Celestial Brilliance, had to abide by this law!

"Either be strong and seize your own freedom!"

"Or be weak and have your freedom seized by others!"

There was no third path!

Over countless years, many had tried to resist, but those who ultimately succeeded were as rare as a phoenix's feather.

Xie Yudie said faintly, "Seventy-three years ago, Ming Shi Gu, Ming Youyu, ranked last in the annual competition for three consecutive years. The Elder Council then made a decision: she was to be married off to the distant Dongsheng Province..."

"A powerhouse in the Great Saint Realm might not be able to traverse every inch of Xi Hezhou in their entire lifetime. Dongsheng Province... what a remote place! To force a young woman to marry so far away... how cruel is that?"

"And yet... this is Celestial Brilliance!"

"If it showed mercy and accommodated the weak, Celestial Brilliance would have ceased to exist long ago... This is its law. It's incredibly cruel, but it's... also the truth."

"Sister, why did you suddenly bring up Ming Shi Gu?" Xie Yurou's brow furrowed slightly, sensing something was wrong. She looked up, her bright and lovely face a little pale, and murmured, "I've... ranked last in the annual competition for two consecutive years..."

"After the sect made its decision, Ming Shi Gu didn't resist at all. She didn't even voice an objection." Xie Yudie ignored her sister and continued, "With the decision made, she had one year until she would be married off. But she used that year to desperately seek out opportunities and cultivate with all her might. Finally... one month before she was to be sent away, she erupted!"

Hearing this, Xie Yurou understood a great deal. She picked up where her sister left off, murmuring softly, "She started by challenging, one by one, everyone who had defeated her in the annual competition. In the end, she fought her way up to that year's first-place winner and defeated them directly! And then, she was free!"

"Ming Shi Gu... is one of the very few in Celestial Brilliance who managed to reclaim her freedom in this way." Xie Yudie sighed softly, then glanced at her sister. "Your time... is also down to just one year!"

Xie Yurou's delicate body trembled slightly, and she lowered her head.

Xie Yudie seemed unable to bear it, but she knew that if she wasn't firm now, she might regret it for the rest of her life. 'What if... what if my sister really ends up like Ming Shi Gu back then, fated to be married off to a distant land? What... what would I do then?'

"After you return to the sect, you can visit the Celestial Brilliance Medicine Garden often. If... if someone truly presents the token and enters the Celestial Brilliance Medicine Garden to become the Direct Disciple of the Medicine Garden's Chief Grand Elder, Yuwen Ji, you might as well... try to get close to him!" Xie Yudie said.

"Why?" Xie Yurou furrowed her delicate brow. She had experienced the entire incident herself, but she couldn't understand why her sister would say such a thing.

"That man in the black robe is not a wicked person. He... or the person he recommends, should be the same," Xie Yudie said softly. "Inside Celestial Brilliance, it's already full of factions and endless internal strife. You won't be able to make any real friends."

"Okay... wait..." Xie Yurou first agreed, then quickly looked up. Her eyes welled with tears as she stared at Xie Yudie and choked out, "Xie Yudie... did you... did you use the Celestial Secret Divination? You... how could you do that? Don't you know... that using the Celestial Secret Divination once costs twenty years of your life?"

"There, there, look how panicked you are. It's only twenty years of life. Compared to your happiness, what are twenty years? Besides, your sister is about to step into the Great Saint Realm. I have a long life ahead of me." Xie Yudie watched her sister with a calm, gentle smile.

"You're lying! Your body is already..." Xie Yurou couldn't finish as tears streamed down her cheeks. Her face was full of self-reproach. "It's all my fault. I was so thoughtless... Sister, you were already... and you still used the Celestial Secret Divination for me. I really deserve to die!"

"Don't cry. You know it, I know it, and even that brother-in-law of yours in name only... he knows it too. My lifespan isn't going to be very long. Whether it's a few years sooner... or a few years later, it really doesn't matter. You're the only sister I have. I can't let you follow my old path," Xie Yudie said, her expression still serene.

"But you're the only sister I have, too! I don't want you to leave me!" Xie Yurou threw herself into her sister's arms and began to sob uncontrollably.

"I don't want to leave you either, but this is fate. It can't be changed," Xie Yudie murmured, a trace of sorrow finally appearing on her peerlessly beautiful face.

"I don't believe in fate! I'll find a way, I swear! You'll be fine, Sister!" Xie Yurou said, her voice muffled and choked with sobs from within her sister's embrace.

"Alright. I believe in you, so you have to work hard!" Xie Yudie smiled, a brilliant expression as beautiful as a blooming flower.

...

...

Xu Luo's pace didn't seem fast, but in reality, those around him would be left far behind in the blink of an eye. He walked along every bustling street of Baihua City.

An intoxicating floral fragrance drifted through the air.

Xu Luo activated his Jade Balance Demon Sound, enveloping the surrounding crowd. As his thoughts shifted, information about the Su Family Ancestor seeped into the minds of the people around him, silent and subtle as a spring rain.

Someone couldn't help but say to the person next to them, "I've been seeing this old fellow around lately. He claims to be from the Su Family, from the Lower Realm. He's going around telling everyone that some powerful Star Reincarnator will be entering the Divine Domain in the near future, and whoever can find and refine him will be able to step into the Venerable Realm..."

The person beside him nodded. "I've seen him a couple of times, too. For the past two days, he's been active over in the south side of the city. Speaking of which, I kind of think... there might be some truth to what he's saying."

"That old guy isn't in the south side anymore. He's gone over to the west side!" someone nearby interjected.

"That's right, he's in the west side! He was just there an hour ago. That old man is a real smooth talker, very eloquent. A lot of people have started to believe him and are asking for a portrait of that Star Reincarnator!" another person added.

Xu Luo's heart stirred. 'Did people really believe him this quickly?' he thought silently. 'Has it already reached the point where they're passing around portraits of me?'

With that, Xu Luo withdrew the shroud of his Jade Balance Demon Sound, turned, and headed toward the west side of the city.

At that moment, the people who had just been discussing the Su Family Ancestor all wore dazed expressions.

"Why on earth did I bring him up?"

"Exactly. What does that guy have to do with us?"

"Heh, I'm not interested in that Star Reincarnator anyway."

"I don't think it's very reliable either. It sounds like he's just trying to get someone hurt! But... it would be nice to get a portrait. I'm quite curious what a Star Reincarnator... looks like."

Xu Luo paid no mind to their chatter. He sped toward the west side of the city, his figure quickly vanishing into the crowd.

In the west side of the city, a large crowd had gathered in front of a magnificent restaurant. Even more people on the outskirts were trying to push their way in.

As Xu Luo drew closer, he heard an old voice from within the crowd. "Don't rush, everyone, there's enough for all! Just wait for this old man to paint them one by one!"

"Old man, once you finish painting a batch, why not just hand them out? Wouldn't that thin the crowd a bit?" someone in the crowd suggested.

"What's the rush? This old man will paint a hundred or so in one go and then hand them all out at once! That way, many people can get one at the same time. That's what's fair!" In the center of the crowd, an old man with white hair and a white beard was flourishing his brush, painting a portrait of a handsome young man.

It had to be said, the Su Family Ancestor's skill in painting was quite profound.

With just a few strokes, a handsome face came to life on the paper, incredibly vivid and dynamic. Some of the women in the crowd couldn't help but gasp, "He's so handsome!"

"That's right! A young man this handsome... I couldn't bear to refine him. Taking him into my chambers, on the other hand, sounds about right!" A heavily made-up, bewitching woman with bright red lips grinned, letting out a wanton laugh.

Many people around her shot her strange looks, but the woman paid them no mind, seemingly enjoying the attention.

Someone in the know quietly warned their companion not to provoke this woman.

"That's the famous Witch of Baihua City. She comes from a mysterious small sect and has masterful skills with poison. Although her own combat strength isn't exceptionally high, even a Great Saint... wouldn't want to provoke her lightly!"

As this information spread, many who had been trying to squeeze in near the woman turned pale with fright and quickly scrambled away.

The bewitching woman giggled, unconcerned. She watched the Su Family Ancestor paint, a glint flashing in her mesmerizing eyes from time to time.

The Su Family Ancestor said nothing. As he painted, he sneered inwardly. 'This is exactly the effect I wanted! All my efforts these past few days haven't been in vain. This Baihua City is my blessed land! Xu Luo, oh, Xu Luo... I'd love to know how you'll react when you arrive in the Divine Domain only to find that, just like in the Lower Realm... everyone wants to capture you and refine you into a great medicinal pill! HAHAHAHA!'

The reason he didn't hand out the portraits one by one was precisely to attract a larger and larger crowd of onlookers.

Only in this way could his influence grow. As long as word of this spread far and wide, he wouldn't even need to promote it himself like this anymore. Countless others... would do the promoting for him!

As he painted, the Su Family Ancestor suddenly sensed something and looked up, just in time to see a handsome young man watching him with an unreadable smile.

His brow furrowed. He had a feeling... that he had seen this handsome young man somewhere before.

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