Chapter 168

By the end of that spring, the Immortal Ascension Assembly had finally drawn to a close, its aftermath completely settled.

Qing Zhouxue's attire that day was noticeably more ornate than usual. Silver patterns were pressed against a white base, trimmed with deep black, layer upon layer, exquisitely crafted, yet not looking cumbersome. She left the banquet out of boredom and sat with several fellow disciples, numbly listening to congratulations offered from all sides, having heard the same unoriginal phrases a hundred times over.

Ruan Mingzhu muttered softly, "How troublesome."

She fidgeted within her neatly bound clothes, unable to sit still—but only for a moment. Soon she gave up any thought of escape and sat restlessly in place.

Qing Zhouxue, eyes downcast in practiced composure, betrayed no emotion, wearing the expression of one who has entered a monkish trance.

Divine music lingered in her ears, its echoes winding around the rafters.

Before her eyes, goblets clinked and countless faces passed by. Those brought by their masters to such a banquet were surely rare talents within their respective sects.

Qing Zhouxue caught a few glances of envy and curiosity, but she let her gaze drift over them—those she knew were from Taichu Sect, and those she didn't were elders from other sects.

As expected, Yun Shuchen had not come.

Qing Zhouxue sat so close to Yue Changge that others might mistake her for the latter's disciple.

She lowered her eyes, feeling the whole affair utterly lifeless.

The grand banquet dispersed, and people gradually filed away. From start to finish, Qing Zhouxue had barely spoken, only occasionally raising her cup in a numb gesture—its contents plain water.

A few sects with long-standing ties to Taichu Sect lingered, unwilling to depart.

Wuyan Sect's leader, waving his fan, quietly observed Qing Zhouxue for some time.

Then, pulling his own disciple forward, he said to Elder Yue with a smile, "One of my disciples is of similar age to this young Miss Qing—well-mannered, of decent aptitude, and honest in character. If such an opportunity were to arise..."

The Sect Leader's head began to ache just hearing it, as did the other elders'.

Yue Changge nearly broke into a cold sweat. If Yun Shuchen ever found out about this—she'd tear her apart. But why was this man asking her? Could it be he thought Qing Zhouxue was her disciple?

She forced an awkward laugh and declined: "The child is still young. No need to rush—this matter can wait."

"True," came the reply, but the man pressed on, "Still, it wouldn't hurt to make more friends among fellow cultivators."

What was truly strange was that this wasn't an isolated incident—many sought to form marriage ties with Taichu Sect, and nearly all of them had their eyes set on Qing Zhouxue, scheming to forge some connection.

After all, she was young and promising, elegant and refined. Some were drawn by her person, but more by the Sword Soul.

Yue Changge could only be grateful that Taichu Sect was far from being so destitute as to rely on disciple marriage alliances. And Qing Zhouxue had not, in fact, fallen for any disciple of another sect.

Had she, then—though it was her own marriage—she likely would not have the final say.

But looking at their own sect, there was little to weigh in terms of gain or loss... yes, thinking on it that way, Yun Shuchen's decisive sacrifice to keep her disciple from the covetous wolves outside was truly a model for the sect.

Yue Changge felt a warm sense of satisfaction inwardly.

Qing Zhouxue's brow furrowed deeper and deeper. After enduring a little longer, she excused herself on the grounds of feeling unwell, barely managing to slip away.

As soon as she slipped out the side door, the crisp mountain air filled her nostrils. Qing Zhouxue took a deep breath and instantly felt refreshed.

She walked along, her footsteps unconsciously turning back toward Heyi Peak.

Just as Qing Zhouxue opened the door, a streak of color darted back inside. She looked down at A Jin, who had lowered his body, ears flattened, a low rumble in his throat.

What's wrong?

Seeing his wary stance, Qing Zhouxue automatically drew her long sword and walked slowly toward the deeper thicket of grass and trees.

There was indeed someone there.

Besides Yun Shuchen, there was an outsider.

She peeked her head around a corner and spotted two women sitting in the pavilion.

Yun Shuchen faced Qing Zhouxue's direction, while the other woman looked vaguely familiar.

Her master seemed to be discussing something with her, expression mild.

Relieved, Qing Zhouxue sheathed Qingshuang Sword.

She walked toward the pavilion and came around to look—and found the woman's face... rather strange. She couldn't tell if she was beautiful or ugly, and she couldn't remember her features.

The moment she looked away, she naturally forgot what she'd just seen.

That day at Liuyun Sect, Qing Zhouxue had barely kept her wits, and she didn't remember what Taishang Wangqing looked like.

But now, that cold, clear voice from the ice cave echoed again in her ears, and her expression tightened as her eyes shot open in shock.

Yun Shuchen noticed her and said with a slight nod, "Come sit."

Qing Zhouxue settled in beside her master.

She had known that this old ancestor would come, but she hadn't expected Taishang Wangqing to be waiting right here, and moreover, to already be chatting with Yun Shuchen as if they were old acquaintances.

Yun Shuchen had only exchanged casual remarks about matters of Liuyun Sect, asking nothing more.

She was well aware that Taishang Wangqing would likely only speak plainly once Qing Zhouxue arrived.

"That child Gu Ruoshui—why did you claim she was the Sword Soul?" This was a probing question. Yun Shuchen poured a cup of tea and courteously handed it over.

Taishang Wangqing's gaze returned once more to Qing Zhouxue, and she said tranquilly, "When the Sword Soul was to be reborn, a cultivator divined it, causing a great upheaval. To protect her safe growth, I took on another disciple in her stead, claiming her as the Sword Soul."

Yun Shuchen nodded, though inwardly stunned—so Gu Ruoshui was merely a decoy.

If that were so, had Taishang Wangqing intentionally cast the true Sword Soul aside to the outside world?

Apparently, she had known of Qing Zhouxue's whereabouts all along. Even without this Immortal Ascension Assembly, their meeting was inevitable.

Yun Shuchen frowned.

Qing Zhouxue was equally stunned.

But what concerned her was entirely different from Yun Shuchen—she was remembering that thunderous rival who had ridden lightning across the assembly stage, a proud young woman.

Now, having had the title of Sword Soul stripped away, the higher she'd been lifted before, the more desolate she must feel now.

Yet in that brief encounter that day, there had been no hint of bitterness in Gu Ruoshui's eyes. She had still given her all to "save" Taishang Wangqing.

Qing Zhouxue met Taishang Wangqing's gaze. Perhaps through many years of weathering, the woman's eyes held a depth beneath their placid surface.

To treat a disciple she'd raised as a pawn to discard—indeed, she was cold-hearted enough for it.

Taishang Wangqing smiled faintly, as if she'd seen through Qing Zhouxue's thoughts.

She said with pointed meaning, "You owe me a promise."

Qing Zhouxue frowned, perplexed. "I have never seen you before."

"You have. You simply don't recall."

Taishang Wangqing continued, "At that time, you were merely a soul without physical form, barely human. You wandered the world, watching the seasons pass for many years, still vague and uncomprehending, and you asked me, 'What is love and attachment among mortals?'"

A chill crept into Qing Zhouxue's heart: "That dream... was it real?"

Yun Shuchen tightened her grip around her hand: "What dream?"

Taishang Wangqing nodded. "It was truly real."

"The promise you made me that day was this: once you experienced emotions, you would follow me to cultivate the Emotionless Dao."

Qing Zhouxue's face paled slightly, and she answered instinctively, "No."

Yun Shuchen's gaze turned icy. She met Taishang Wangqing's eyes squarely and said, "I won't let her wade into the mud of the Emotionless Dao just because of your baseless claim. Throughout the ages, not a single person in this world has ever ascended to the upper realm through the Emotionless Dao."

"Do you think you haven't already ruined enough of your own disciples?"

Yun Shuchen's words dripped with sarcasm, clearly alluding to one person—Shenshan Shu, whose foundation was utterly destroyed.

"You refer to him?" Taishang Wangqing replied, noncommittal. "I advised him back then not to practice that path, but he insisted on seeking further glimpse into the heavens' secrets. He alone bears the consequences—what followed was fated."

"As for 'baseless claim'—"

Taishang Wangqing suddenly raised her hand and dispelled the spell hiding her face. As the hazy veil dropped away, a familiar, piercingly striking visage was revealed.

The moment she saw that face, Yun Shuchen's blood ran cold. Words caught in her throat, and she stared at Taishang Wangqing in shock, at a loss.

The woman's beauty was otherworldly, though at brow and eye she was sharper, colder—the look of one truly free of desire.

Setting aside the difference in temperament—

Qing Zhouxue's features were a striking seven or eight parts similar to hers.

Taishang Wangqing lowered her gaze and took a sip of tea. Looking at Qing Zhouxue once more, she suddenly offered a faint jest: "By mortal convention, since I gave you flesh and blood, should you not call me mother?"

Yet the two opposite her—one shocked beyond words, the other utterly dumbstruck—neither could muster a smile.

After a long silence, Yun Shuchen drew a deep breath and steadied her voice as best she could, asking, "You... do you know Yun Zhiyan?"

Yun Shuchen's knowledge of her was a total blank, worn down by years of drifting through the world, leaving only her name—three cold characters.

"Her?" Taishang Wangqing narrowed her eyes slightly, as if recalling. She set down her teacup and nodded. "That was many years ago. She was my second disciple—outstanding in both temperament and aptitude."

She spoke without the slightest evasion: "She's dead. The demon-slaying formation—I had set it up. I gave her a way out, but her obsession ran too deep. She was willing to die over some vague, insubstantial feeling. A pity, really."

Qing Zhouxue felt Yun Shuchen's grip tightening painfully around her hand. Afraid she would hurt herself, she forced the older woman's fingers open and slipped her own between them.

Yun Shuchen lowered her lashes. "Is that so."

"Ah, speaking of which." Taishang Wangqing turned her gaze to Yun Shuchen, this time looking at her more carefully. "A young person once wiped out the entire Xu clan—quite the commotion it caused. Was that you, by any chance? You do look somewhat familiar."

From the side, Qing Zhouxue frowned. "The head of the Xu family had practiced an evil art and harmed countless people. Liuyun Sect, as the foremost immortal sect, turned a blind eye—how can this be blamed on others seeking revenge?"

Taishang Wangqing casually raised a hand, signaling her to say no more. "It doesn't matter—I have no intention of pursuing it. When I taught him that technique back then, I had already foreseen this end."