In an exquisitely appointed chamber, Fang Qing watched as Míng Zǐ’ān departed. When the door closed with a light click, she turned to Gu Yuan and shed her pretense.“Have you ever heard of someone named Zhan Xiuran?” she asked.Gu Yuan smiled faintly and answered ambiguously, “What does it matter if I have or haven’t?”“That means you have,” Fang Qing stated with certainty.He merely returned her smile. Watching his unwavering expression, she said plainly, “I am Fang Qing of the Fang family from the Outer Domain—proud and headstrong.”Gu Yuan chuckled twice, then replied, “I am the wandering scion Gu Yuan, who unexpectedly inherited the mantle of a great master. I love righting wrongs and cultivation above all.”Fang Qing nodded, stepped forward, met his gaze, and said flatly, “Greetings, Young Master Gu Yuan.”“Greetings, Lady Fang Qing,” he replied with gentle warmth.…Night had fallen. Seated on the plush bed, Fang Qing stared at the jade slip in her hand. It contained the Blood Qi Condensation Method she’d claimed from the Blood Path chest. Gu Yuan had already left her quarters, and at this late hour no one dared intrude on a lady of the Fang family—she was perfectly safe. Now, it was time to improve her strength. But first… another box to open.She set the jade slip aside and opened the wooden chest glowing faintly blue.Name: Love of Maple Grass Quality: Rank 1 Purple Durability: 48/48 Type: Accessory (Bracelet) Equip Requirement: Female, under 18 (requirement removed once equipped) Passive 1: Grants immunity to most Rank 1 poisons. Passive 2: Prolonged wear increases affinity for Wood-element qi. Rating: 8 Description: “My daughter, carry my will with you as you journey onward!”Fang Qing examined the bracelet woven from tiny green maple leaves and narrowed her eyes. This was not Tán Fēngcǎo’s trinket but seemed formed from his final will. Shaking off the thought, she slipped it onto her left wrist. Raising her hand to admire the pale skin clasped in verdant leaves, she wondered darkly whether, were he aware in the grave, Fēngcǎo would be furious to see his heirloom on his enemy’s arm. Then again, his daughter was already dead; better that it serve someone than lie unused.Finishing her reflection, Fang Qing summoned her spirit force to the jade slip of the Blood Qi Condensation Method. The moment her consciousness touched it, her vision darkened and she collapsed back onto the bed.…At that moment, Gu Yuan sat in a chair, recalling Zhan Xiuran’s offer:“A Qi practice? Too crude! In my storage ring lies a peerless scripture—Ro Heaven Canon—sealed in a black stone the size of a person. Drip your life-blood into it to unlock its secrets. Once you extract the scripture, you can forge the stone into a heavy sword—though without master-level forging skill you risk both the treasure and your life.”Gu Yuan opened his ring and searched for the strange stone. After a moment, he smiled, retrieved it, and let it thud onto the floor before him. Studying its smooth black surface, he almost dismissed it as an ordinary rock—if not for Zhan Xiuran’s promise. Deciding to try, he hovered his right hand over it and infused his qi, forcing forth a drop of his crimson blood. As the drop splashed into the stone, it shone with a deep, brilliant light. Gu Yuan’s eyes rolled back, and he fainted, hearing a raspy male voice whisper before darkness fell:“Finally, someone willing to inherit my mantle… this time I won’t let you escape!”…High above, the sky was blood-red; below, the land was a crimson wasteland. In that world of endless red, Fang Qing’s mind was seized by a single overwhelming urge.“Kill! Kill! Kill!”“Let the world go dark with their blood!”“Drench everything in crimson!”That murderous desire flooded her senses as she raised her scarlet Wu Qian, ready to obey that fury. Around her, countless blood-colored figures formed. They rushed her bare-fisted like a stampede. But none of it mattered. She unleashed a blade qi dozens of meters wide, a tide of slashes that obliterated every phantom in its path. Still more figures surged forth, and again she struck them down without hesitation—her mind drowned in bloodlust.…In an inexplicable space of shattered mirrors, Gu Yuan gradually regained consciousness. As he scanned his surroundings, he froze. Each fragment reflected scenes beyond understanding:A humble youth kneeling before a tombstone atop a towering mountain; a bloodstained sword ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) planted before it…A girl in a sea of blossoms, gazing anxiously into a mirror at another girl’s reflection…A burly man on a stormy sea, battling a pitch-black dragon with a heavy cleaver…And countless other visions, each in its own broken pane, dancing before Gu Yuan’s wide eyes.Behind him stood a man in tattered Daoist robes, his face obscured by a glowing white light, silently watching. After an unknowable span of time, Gu Yuan’s mind cleared. The faceless man finally spoke:“These… are all the past…”

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.