Echo caught Seraphine’s hand and let out a world-weary sigh.

The elders seated nearby couldn’t suppress their amusement. They’d never seen their Palace Lord act so…… lively.

Meanwhile, representatives from other sects watched the interaction between the two with calculating gazes, their minds racing with implications.

The Xi Lingren had burst onto the Eastern Continent’s stage with shocking strength, and with such intimate ties to Seraphine. The Luanyang Palac had gained another formidable ally. Who in the Eastern Continent could possibly rival them now?

Sharp-eyed observers noted the conspicuously empty seats to Luanyang Palace’s left—the designated seat of Crimson Thunder Sword Sect. Alas, Li Wuhe had met his end through foolish blunders, and his sect had sent no representative to fill the vacant seat.

While the high platform existed in its own bubble of political tension, the square below buzzed with entirely different energy. Nine testing platforms regularly flashed with brilliant light, triggering waves of cheers or groans from the crowd. Each successful candidate had their name and sect recorded on spirit stones, sorted by cultivation level. Those sharing the same stone would face each other in the upcoming arena matches.

The elders focused intently on the spirit stones, watching Luanyang Palace disciples claim the top positions. As Palace Lord, Seraphine nodded with satisfaction.

I found a silk handkerchief and captured her fingers, carefully wiping them clean. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Mm?” Seraphine turned toward Echo just as she draped a white veil over both their heads. Her eyes instinctively closed, and she heard Echo’s gentle laughter—soft as snow accumulated beneath forest trees, cold and serene.

When Seraphine opened her eyes in mock annoyance, she found herself face-to-face with Echo. Her irritation melted instantly. The smile on Echo’s face was gentle, genuine, her lips curved in a natural arc while her long lashes cast soft shadows. Echo’s gaze was calm and tender, completely captivating her attention.

This wasn’t the identical, mathematically precise fake smile Echo had worn before—the one that never varied by even a fraction. Seraphine reached out in wonder, poking the corner of Echo’s mouth. Her finger sank into warm skin, and Echo clearly startled, her smile deepening as she mirrored Seraphine’s action, pressing her finger to the same spot on Seraphine’s face.

Elder Siyi approached slowly, pausing when she saw the Palace Lord’s seat.

A single veil covered two figures: Seraphine’s crimson robes spilling over the jade throne, one pale hand pressed against its surface. The gossamer fabric draped over the bright red, pooling like white pears weighing down crabapple branches, or fresh snow blanketing red plum blossoms—an utterly enchanting sight.

“Ahem.” Siyi cleared her throat pointedly.

Beneath the veil, Seraphine’s lips twitched slightly. She brushed away Echo’s hand and retrieved a wooden box from her storage ring. “I had Siyi refine those shell fragments we recovered from the mirage beast in Chongshan Secret Realm. She crafted you a hairpin with concealment arrays carved into it—same function as your current veil. Once activated, it’ll mask your spiritual signature.”

As she said that, she opened the box, revealing an elegant white hairpin with a wave-like design and a silver pearl at its tip. The pearl was one of five remaining from the battle with the mirage beast.

Seraphine channeled spiritual energy into the hairpin, then gestured for Echo to lower her head. She carefully inserted it into Echo’s hair before removing the veil.

“Impressive.” I said.

The world suddenly snapped into crystal clarity!

Seraphine: “……”

Most cultivators relied on spiritual energy for perception, maintaining awareness even with damaged eyesight. But I wasn’t most cultivators. Aside from combat, I rarely used spiritual energy at all. I’d even stopped flying after becoming human-shaped, preferring to walk everywhere on these two legs.

“They say returning to simplicity is the highest cultivation.” Seraphine teased, flicking the pearl at my waist. “But I think you want to return to being a orb.”

“Would you like to see me try?” I asked.

The horrifying image of Echo’s performing a live transformation flashed through Seraphine’s mind. “Absolutely not.”

Roger that.

I nodded, waved a greeting to Siyi—who sat nearby with a silent smile—then reminded Seraphine, “It’s a new mission.” Leaning in, I lowered my gaze and spoke softly into Seraphine’s ear.

Echo’s breath brushed against it, and Seraphine’s fingers went still. Without letting it show, she tilted her head slightly, pulling her reddening ear a fraction away from the warmth as she listened to Echo’s words.

“Based on known plot progression and past experience, whatever Xue Bushui claims to possess isn’t the Phoenix Codex you need.” I murmured. “He seems overly confident, probably just knows something about your condition and mistakenly believes his item can leverage significant influence over you.”

Seraphine’s expression cooled as she nodded. Echo’s assessment aligned with her thoughts. If the Xue family truly possessed the Phoenix Codex, old Lady Xue—who’d been like a sister to Seraphine’s grandmother—would never have stood by watching her die. This Xue Bushui was just another arrogant fool.

“I’m uncertain how much he actually knows about your situation.” I continued. “To prevent him from spreading rumors, I agreed to deliver his message. You could meet him once.”

Seraphine had already reached the same conclusion. She wanted to see exactly what game he was playing. Her hand moved to stroke her chin as she glanced toward the square below.

Among the bustling crowd, the fallen Lianshan Sect lacked even a seat on the platform. Their blue-robed disciples were scattered throughout the masses like unremarkable fish in an ocean, though they maintained an inexplicably arrogant demeanor.

Seraphine snorted disdainfully and lifted her tea cup.

I tilted my head, watching her drink as I spoke with complete calm: “Xue Bushui fits the profile of every brainless minor antagonist in melodramatic stories—impulsive, self-satisfied, full of obvious weaknesses. Don’t worry. Whatever he’s planning, it won’t succeed.”

Seraphine’s lips paused at the cup’s rim, surprise flickering across her face as she looked at Echo. Echo had already straightened up, cupping her own tea with both hands before drinking it like water.

Echo’s silver hair fell along her face, her eyes maintaining their usual calm clarity. Her movements remained somewhat stiff and awkward as she drank tea like it was plain water, but finding it delicious enough to make her eyes crinkle with happiness, she actually laughed out loud with genuine “haha” sounds.

“Pfft.” Seraphine chuckled, leaning sideways to rest her chin on her hand, eyes curving into crescents.

⁂

The Bone Testing continued day after day, spirit stone boards accumulating more names while restless energy built throughout the crowd. Opportunistic cultivators began selling regularly updated name lists, squatting beside the boards to copy each addition onto prepared stones for customers to monitor remotely.

Those too poor for such conveniences clutched their swords and craned their necks upward, discussing with companions: “Thank goodness the competition uses a point system instead of single elimination. Imagine the disaster if you got unlucky and faced someone two minor realms above you!”

“Look at the top names on the Golden Core board—Luanyang Palace’s Seraphine Velka, Crimson Thunder Sword Sect’s Xu Zehua. One’s at Great Perfection Golden Core, the other’s mid-stage. The eventual Golden Core champion has to be one of these two!”

Behind the speaker, a silver-haired head nodded in agreement.

Another person objected: “Not necessarily! I think each bracket’s winner should be the late-stage cultivator who never loses! The Palace Lord and Young Master Xu have big reputations, but fame can’t bridge cultivation gaps.”

The silver head tilted thoughtfully.

“You’re right, but Palace Lord Velka did kill that late-stage Golden Core Thunder Bird. How do you account for that?”

The silver head nodded again.

“That was pure circumstance—right place, right time, right conditions! Put her against a healthy late-stage Thunder Bird now, and the outcome’s obvious!”

The silver head tilted the other way.

“How do you know luck isn’t part of strength? If someone’s fortune is so poor they draw high-level opponents in every arena match, losing every single fight, what’s there to discuss?”

“Tch! You’re just being stubborn!”

“Who’s stubborn? Let someone else judge!” The sword-carrying cultivator spun around and jumped, startled to find an ethereally beautiful woman with waterfall-like hair and a sword across her back standing behind them.

The married sword cultivator quickly suppressed his initial amazement and asked excitedly: “Senior Sister Xi! What’s your opinion?”

Senior Sister Xi said: “Seraphine works. Xu Zehua doesn’t. Everyone else doesn’t work either.”

See? That’s why I love sword cultivators!

The sword-carrying man burst into laughter, grabbing his companion’s wrist triumphantly. “Listen to that!”

His embarrassed friend, pinned by a pair of crystal-clear eyes, cleared his throat awkwardly. “I was just being realistic.”

“Calling me stubborn when you’re the one with the hard head!” The sword cultivator pointed at the adjacent Nascent Soul spirit board. “Fine, let’s skip Golden Core. Only thirty Nascent Soul cultivators qualified, all similar levels with no late-stage participants. Who do you think will claim the Eastern Continent’s Nascent Soul championship?”

“That’s……” His friend hesitated, scanning the board. Every name belonged to a renowned Eastern Continent figure. “I wouldn’t dare speculate.”

The sword cultivator laughed heartily, throwing an arm around his companion’s shoulders.

That’s when I asked, puzzled: “Why choose?”

“Isn’t the championship mine?”

Both cultivators’ smiles vanished instantly. They replied awkwardly: “Indeed it is.”

“We’re getting caught up in appearances instead of focusing on our own cultivation. Let’s head back to training.” The two men bowed to me respectfully before departing in shame.

I watched them leave, taking another bite of my candied hawthorn stick.

—Radiating the carefree energy of a guaranteed admission student among nervous test-takers.

I walked through the crowd, moving farther and farther away, following the mountain path forward.

Perfect night for dark deeds, I mused. Some things really do need to happen under cover of darkness.

⁂

Distant mountain ridges rolled under the brilliant moon, cobblestones gripped tight by earth only to be stepped on by white boots. The stones pointlessly watched that blue-robed figure disappear into moonlit forests, reaching the mountaintop.

I looked up to see a figure standing beneath the clouds, proud as a phoenix, hands clasped behind their back as they gazed in my direction.

“What took you so long?” Seraphine’s tone held no real complaint as she crooked her finger at Echo with a soft laugh. “Come here. I’ll reward you with candy.”

I hurried over, smiling at Seraphine. She retrieved a paper package from her storage ring, unfolding it to reveal perfectly square pieces of soft candy—syrup wrapped around crushed nuts, peanuts, and sesame seeds, filling the air with enticing aromas.

“Don’t worry, I washed my hands.” Seraphine snorted, pinching a candy piece and holding it to my lips.

My eyes brightened as I bit down, eyes crinkling with pleasure as I offered her my hawthorn stick in return. The berries were large, red, and perfectly round—absolutely beautiful.

“Thank you.” Seraphine said.

“Thank you too.” I replied.

Summer wind carried the sweet fragrance of mountain flora, now laced with additional threads of candy sweetness. XueBushui emerged from the forest, waving his hand to clear the cloying scent from his nose, staring in amazement at the two figures atop the mountain.

This was his first time seeing Seraphine in person. He’d heard she was breathtakingly beautiful, but seeing her now made his heart pound. The rumors were absolutely true—no woman in the world could be more stunning!

But when his gaze shifted to the silver-haired woman beside her, ethereal and moon-bathed, he quickly revised his assessment.

Xue Bushui nervously licked his lips, eyes flickering with excitement as he approached under Seraphine’s cold stare, managing a smile. “Greetings, Palace Lord.”

“Where is it?” Seraphine’s voice was frigid.

Xue Bushui rubbed his hands together, glancing at the silver-haired woman. Seraphine laughed mockingly. “What, wasn’t she the one who delivered your message?”

“……” Xue Bushui startled, connecting the veiled woman from that day with the recently famous Lingshan Sect disciple, finally understanding.

He smiled. “Fine, since Palace Lord isn’t concerned, why should I hesitate? But please swear that if I produce this item, you won’t kill me for it!”

Seraphine’s face twisted with simultaneous mockery and cold amusement. “Fine.” she said sarcastically.

Once she’d sworn the oath, Xue Bushui relaxed and retrieved a wooden box from his storage ring, carefully watching Seraphine’s expression.

Seraphine straightened, staring at the object in Xue Bushui’s hands in genuine surprise. “This is……”

Xue Bushui laughed triumphantly. “Exactly! Palace Lord, I already know about your cultivation technique’s problems. You and the previous Palace Lord spent your entire lives seeking the other half of your cultivation method—and that other half is in this very box!”

I finished my last bite of hawthorn, carefully wrapping the stick to discard later, then clapped my hands and examined the box in Xue Bushui’s grip. The wooden container looked ancient, polished to a clean shine that caught the moonlight with a lacquered red gleam.

Phoenix patterns were carved around the box’s circumference, with two phoenixes facing each other at the handle.

Seeing Seraphine’s silence, Xue Bushui assumed she was skeptical. He quickly channeled spiritual energy into the box, which immediately flashed with golden light, rejecting his probe.

“My father found this in grandmother’s secret chamber this year, hidden behind layers of mechanisms. A letter was placed on the box—grandmother’s message to the Old Palace Lord, your mother. The letter mentioned clues to the other half of the cultivation technique, saying she would retrieve it for the Palace Lord. But grandmother spent years away from Lianshan Sect, and by the time she returned severely injured, the Old Palace Lord had already passed away. Grandmother died shortly after, leaving this as her only legacy!”

His excitement mounted. “Even if it doesn’t contain the cultivation technique you need, it must hold crucial clues!”

“Palace Lord, Lianshan Sect bears no grudge against Luanyang Palace. Even after you and Xue Bufan dissolved your engagement, our families’ historical friendship remains. The Palace Lord’s cultivation technique problems are extremely serious—my father and I won’t mention this to anyone else. We can give you this box, but……”

Seraphine placed one hand on Echo’s shoulder, leaning against her as she looked down and asked softly: “What do you want?”

Xue Bushui’s mouth felt dry. He swallowed hard and said: “I don’t wish to offend the Palace Lord. My father and I aren’t greedy—we just want…… one spirit vein from Luanyang Palace!” His voice rose with excitement.

I looked at Seraphine, expression perfectly calm.

Seraphine asked coolly: “You want to trade that box for an entire spirit vein from Luanyang Palace?”

“Yes!” Xue Bushui declared. “If Palace Lord refuses the exchange, I can’t guarantee what might happen to this box, nor can I promise that news of your cultivation technique problems won’t reach certain ears. Even if Palace Lord kills me now, my father still remains!”

“Kill you? I wouldn’t kill you.” Seraphine shook her head, laughing softly. She raised her hand, gold-traced fingertips pointing into the air. Instantly, countless boxes identical to the one in Xue Bushui’s hands fell from the sky, surrounding him on all sides.

Xue Bushui’s face went pale as he spun around frantically. How could there be so many identical boxes?

Seraphine spoke slowly: “I just wanted to show you that your box is simultaneously worth a spirit vein…… and worth nothing at all.”

“It’s worth something because our grandmothers shared deep affection and loyalty. This box can only be opened with the Velka family’s secret technique, which my grandmother taught to Lady Xue—their friendship was evident.” As she spoke, Seraphine waved her hand, collecting all the duplicates back into her storage ring. “Lady Xue lived a blessed, long life. She outlived my grandmother and my mother. If she had truly found the other half of the cultivation method, do you think she would have hidden it in this box instead of bringing it directly to me?”

“Her old friend’s only surviving bloodline?”

Xue Bushui gulped audibly. “I said it might only contain clues! Grandmother wasn’t certain, so she didn’t want to give you false hope.”

Seraphine chuckled, suddenly tilting her head back to gaze at the sky.

The brilliant moon hung overhead, accompanied by a few stars twinkling faintly in the darkness. Seraphine sighed. “If the old lady knew how her descendants would treat me, how could her spirit rest in peace?”

“Ha! Lianshan Sect has fallen this far, yet Luanyang Palace did nothing to help! You watched coldly as Xue Bufan was crippled, dissolving the engagement without a second thought. Now that Lianshan Sect’s reputation is ruined, don’t you share the blame for ignoring us? If Luanyang Palace shows no loyalty, don’t expect righteousness from Lianshan Sect!” Xue Bushui’s voice turned harsh. “Seraphine, I’m asking you directly—do you want this box or not? Will you pay the silence fee or not?”

Seraphine continued stargazing, lips curving in a lazy smile as her voice drifted on the mountain wind. “Fine. I’ll pay.”

Xue Bushui’s face lit up with triumphant laughter. “After all that posturing, you’re just another coward afraid of death!”No matter how impressive she seemed, once you found her weakness, she was completely at his mercy!

Seraphine’s hand left my shoulder, and I felt her shrug slightly.

Oh! My turn.

My eyes brightened as I rummaged through my storage ring, pulling out a letter. I held it with both hands, offering it to Xue Bushui with utmost politeness. “Please.”

My tone was extremely courteous.

Xue Bushui frowned, looking down at the letter. Two crooked characters were written on its surface, which he struggled to decipher: “Challenge…… Letter.” A chill ran down his spine as he instinctively stepped backward.

I moved forward one step, placing the challenge letter on top of the box he held. “That day, you swore an oath to the Heavenly Dao. If I brought you to meet Seraphine, you would fulfill one condition for me.”

“You said this condition couldn’t exceed one-tenth the value of what you gained from Seraphine. I asked if it could be something other than material wealth, something beyond external possessions. You said yes.”

I tapped the challenge letter against the wooden box, smiling at Xue Bushui. “Since you believe this item concerns Seraphine’s very life and used it to threaten her for benefits, I’ll take your life in return. The heavenly oath is sealed—those who break it face divine lightning. I challenge you to a death match. No surrender, no retreat.”

I drew my sword, lips curving upward. “Xue Bushui, shall we begin?”

[Author’s Note]:

Echo: Sword’s out, oath’s locked, and someone’s about to have a really bad day.

Want to see who ends up as divine lightning’s favorite snack?

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