The night was crisp and cold.
The stone door rumbled open, rolling back inch by inch. Lu Sheng stepped out from the sanctuary, his figure framed by the shadows. Exhaustion was etched into every line of his face. After cultivating for hours on end—hours that demanded every shred of his focus and strength—his body felt thoroughly spent. Even at his physical peak, with his vitality burning fiercely, the strain had nearly pushed him past his limits.
He crossed the courtyard and exhaled a long, steady breath. Despite the fatigue weighing down his limbs, a rare sense of comfort welled up from within.
“After soaking in the medicinal bath so many times and absorbing so much medicinal strength, I’m only one step away from initiation… it won’t be long.” Even he hadn’t imagined he could reach the threshold of the Golden Veil Skill so quickly.
Ordinarily, such a hard body skill required at least ten days to half a month just to initiate. But thanks to the sturdiness of his foundation, the potent medicinal bath, and the aid of the Golden Fragrant Ointment, the time needed to break through had been shaved down to a fraction.
“I’ll go into seclusion again tomorrow. I should be able to fully initiate the Golden Veil Skill by then. And once I do, I’ll use the Modifier to push it straight to full mastery.” His eyes shimmered sharply in the darkness.
“I refuse to believe I can’t stand against Anomalies. If one hard body skill isn’t enough, then I’ll use two. If two still fall short, then THREE. I’ll stack them all—let’s see just how terrifying an Anomaly really is.”
A fiery surge ignited in his chest. That hunger—buried deep inside him for as long as he could remember—flared brighter than ever.
It was the thirst for combat, the craving for danger, the yearning for the thrill of a life lived on the edge. A quiet, mundane existence had never suited him. What he wanted was the battlefield, where he could unleash himself without restraint.
“After tomorrow’s seclusion, I’ll start collecting objects infused with Yin Qi. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Anyone who dares refuse… I’ll cut them down with my saber.” His eyes reddened, and he ran his tongue over his lips before turning back toward the sanctuary.
Without another moment wasted, Lu Sheng slipped inside and began yet another stretch of uninterrupted seclusion.
…………
Early the next morning.
Chen Yunxi stood within Eastern Mountain Institute, dressed in a long white gown that brushed just above her knees, revealing a pair of fair, slender legs. Her skin was smooth and taut, glimmering faintly like polished jade beneath the morning sun. A black ribbon cinched her waist, while her long hair drifted freely with the breeze. Crescent-shaped earrings swayed with her every step, catching the light. Combined with her exquisite features and graceful curves, she drew countless glances from passing students—glances laced with pity.
If her legs were just a touch shorter, she would have been perfect.
That silent consensus floated among the crowd.
Chen Yunxi walked through the grand entrance of the Institution, her eyes sweeping across the flow of students entering and leaving the main study block. She then turned her gaze toward the fan-shaped canteen nearby, where students gathered for their morning meal.
“Xixi, why are you here? Didn’t you say you were going to the village school to be a teacher?” A close friend spotted her from afar and hurried over with a bright smile.
“Yan’er, do you know if Lu Sheng is here?” Chen Yunxi asked softly, holding onto her friend’s arm.
“Lu Sheng? I haven’t seen him. He hasn’t come by in quite a while—ever since he made it onto the honor roll. How would he have time to linger around here like us? He’s probably busy preparing for the Governmental Examinations. Why? He hasn’t contacted you?” Yan’er replied, surprise flickering in her eyes.
Yan’er was one of the few who had witnessed the slow, subtle closeness that had formed between Chen Yunxi and Lu Sheng. Though Lu Sheng had always remained passive and it was Chen Yunxi who took the initiative, the two of them had still appeared harmonious enough—on the surface, at least.
And even though Chen Yunxi’s excessively long legs were considered a flaw, her family background was nothing short of outstanding. If Lu Sheng truly ended up with her, his life would certainly become far easier in the years to come.
Mountain-Edge City was no ordinary provincial hub. It governed dozens of towns the size of Lu Sheng’s hometown—small cities that paled in comparison. Here, wealth and influence were on an entirely different scale. This sprawling metropolis could stand shoulder to shoulder with the capital of a prefecture.
“He hasn’t come by at all?” Chen Yunxi’s beautiful eyes dimmed slightly.
“Mm, I really haven’t seen him in a long time. Maybe he’s been holed up at home, studying hard for the examinations?” Yan’er guessed. Seeing the look on her friend’s face, she could already imagine a few unfavorable possibilities.
“Why don’t you look around somewhere else? Or maybe find his friend, Song Zhenguo?”
“Yeah…” Chen Yunxi forced a bitter smile. She glanced at the time—already close to the hour. That young master would be arriving soon. She needed to head back.
“Forget it, I was only trying my luck.”
“Do you want to go to Lingering Fragrance Restaurant? Their food is really good,” Yan’er asked eagerly, her naturally lively spirit shining through.
“Forget it, I have to go home. There's something I need to take care of,” Chen Yunxi replied, her smile tight.
“Oh… that’s a pity. Lingering Fragrance just released new dishes—they’re really delicious,” Yan’er muttered in disappointment.
After bidding her friend goodbye, Chen Yunxi still couldn’t resist stopping by Song Zhenguo’s old classroom. She asked around, but not a single person had seen either him or Lu Sheng. It seemed they truly had no intention of returning to the Institution.
As for Lu Sheng’s residence, she had already visited it before. The doors had been tightly shut, and even the servant girl, Qiao’er, had moved away without leaving a trace.
With nowhere else left to search, Chen Yunxi could only turn her horse carriage around. Heavy with regret, she made her way home.
…………
“Welcome, Young Master Wang, to our humble abode. Your presence truly brings light to this simple dwelling,” Chen Daozao said warmly as he accompanied Wang Shunyong into the main hall. Servant-girls moved gracefully in and out, laying out plates of fine wine and delicate dishes.
“Old Chen, hurry up. I’ve been waiting far too long for that peculiar item you mentioned. Now that it’s finally here, bring it out quickly—I want to see it for myself!” Wang Shunyong urged, his youthful impatience seeping through. Barely twenty, he spent his days immersed in poetry, fine arts, literature—and in his more private time, collecting all manner of bizarre and eccentric objects.
He called them “peculiar items,” little curiosities that amused him and helped him pass the long, idle hours.
When he heard that Old Chen had acquired a rare treasure—and had even gone out of his way to invite him over—he had finished his breakfast in a rush and hurried straight to the Chen residence.
“No need to rush, Young Master Wang. It needs a bit of preparation before it’s fit to be presented,” Chen Daozao replied with a broad smile.
At that, Wang Shunyong tried to restrain himself, though the excitement in his eyes was difficult to hide.
A short while later, a beautiful woman entered at a measured pace, carrying an ornate silver plate. Resting upon it was a rectangular copper mirror—thick, sturdy, and heavy enough to fill the palm entirely.
“Here, Young Master Wang—this is the curious object I mentioned: the Heaven and Earth Mirror!” Chen Daozao announced joyfully as he lifted the mirror and passed it to him.
“Heaven and Earth Mirror?! What a bold name!” Wang Shunyong exclaimed, quickly taking the mirror and inspecting it with keen interest. “Does it mean there’s something unusual about it?”
“Young Master truly has sharp eyes!” Chen Daozao chuckled. “Just give it a light shake.”
The moment he heard that, Wang Shunyong obeyed.
KA-CHA.
A crisp sound clicked from within the mirror. Before his eyes, the reflective surface glided aside, revealing a copper-colored painting beneath it—depicting a red-crowned crane soaring over a mountainous landscape.
“Eh???” Wang Shunyong’s curiosity sparked instantly. He leaned closer, studying the painting in detail—the brushwork so meticulous and vivid that the red-crowned crane appeared almost alive, as though it might lift its head from the mirror’s surface at any moment.
He shook the mirror again.
Ka-cha.
The surface slid over once more, revealing a second painting—an expansive field overflowing with countless flowers, each bloom rendered with breathtaking vibrancy.
“This level of artistry… incredible! It must be the work of a true master!” As someone skilled in painting and calligraphy himself, Wang Shunyong recognized the mastery at a single glance.
“Young Master’s eye is as sharp as ever. This old man is impressed. But this object has more wonders still. Look here…”
Outside the doorway.
Chen Yunxi stood at a bend in the corridor, holding a silver tray with two cups of dark-green wine. It was a rare import from overseas, and one of those cups had been prepared specifically for Wang Shunyong.
Hidden under her sleeve was a small sachet of powder. At this crucial moment, her shoulders trembled. Misery weighed so heavily on her that even lifting a foot forward felt impossible.
“Hahaha! Young Master Wang, please come to the courtyard. This old man has something even better to show you.”
“Something else? Then this young master absolutely must see what other treasure Old Chen has prepared.”
Their voices drifted from the corridor as they walked toward the courtyard—the sound growing fainter as they exited the main hall of the Chen Manor and stepped into the Fine Flowers Garden, where exotic blossoms bloomed in abundance.
Chen Yunxi looked down at the cups of wine. Her eyes shimmered, turning wet. A knot of grievance and helpless sorrow tightened in her chest, suffocating her until breathing itself became difficult.
“Young Miss, it’s your turn now,” the elderly housekeeper urged softly from the side. A loyal retainer of the Chen family, he was one of the few aware of the truth behind today’s arrangements. Watching the young lady he had raised from childhood forced into such a situation pained him deeply—but there was simply no other path left.
“Yes…” Chen Yunxi murmured, lifting her sleeve to partially cover her face. At last, she drew out the small packet of powder. Tilting it carefully, she let its contents fall into the two cups of wine. The fine white grains dissolved instantly, disappearing into the dark-green liquid without leaving a single trace.
She forced a faint smile onto her face, masking the numb daze clouding her eyes, then carried the silver tray toward the courtyard.
Chen Daozao and Wang Shunyong were seated opposite each other, laughing amiably as they chatted. The Heaven and Earth Mirror they had been admiring earlier still rested on the stone table before them.
Chen Yunxi approached with the tray in hand.
“Come, come, Young Master Wang—this is a rare Purple Jade Grape Wine I personally sourced from the Ju Rong Nation in the East. You won’t find it anywhere else! Look at the sheen on its surface—it speaks for itself. Please, have a taste!”
Chen Daozao gestured invitingly. Both cups had been tainted, and having already taken the antidote, he felt no fear whatsoever. Whichever cup Wang Shunyong chose would serve their purpose.
At the mention of an exotic Eastern kingdom, Wang Shunyong’s eyes immediately brightened with interest.
“Since it comes from an Eastern kingdom, then this young master absolutely must taste it!” With a cheerful grin, he picked up one of the cups.
Chen Daozao and the elderly housekeeper watched every movement nervously as he raised the wine toward his lips.
As for Chen Yunxi, her mind had drifted entirely elsewhere. In her blurring vision, it was Lu Sheng’s face that surfaced—clear, vivid, and haunting.
BAM!!!
At that very instant, the doors of the courtyard exploded inward under a violent strike.
A bare-chested, broad-shouldered man with wild, unkempt hair stormed into the courtyard. A vivid green dragon sprawled across his chest, and his thick, swollen waist made him look like a black bear barreling through the entrance.
Behind him surged two neat columns of elite fighters—every one of them tall, muscular, and clad in short black robes. They poured in like a wave of steel and shadow.
“That’s him!” the burly man roared, jabbing a finger toward the stunned Wang Shunyong. “You dare steal my concubine? Beat him! Beat him to death—I’ll take responsibility!!!”
In an instant, the troop of hardened men rushed forward. With brutal efficiency, they pinned the pale Wang Shunyong to the ground and unleashed a barrage of blows. Fists the size of iron pots hammered down mercilessly.
“Ah! AH—AHHHH!!!”
Wang Shunyong writhed on the floor as the relentless beating continued.
To the side, Chen Daozao and Chen Yunxi stood frozen, their faces drained of color as they watched the chaos unfold. The Chen family’s manservants and house guards tried to intervene, but the attackers had sent their own men to keep them restrained, neutralizing them instantly.
As for the Chen family’s martial artists—those at the Strength Proficiency level—they didn’t even dare twitch a muscle. Faced with the sheer savagery of the assault, not a single one of them had the courage to speak, let alone step forward.
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