*POV: BaiShe*
The wind whipped against my face as I soared through the sky, a smile still playing on my lips.
"Yin Void, huh? Interesting."
I never thought I’d encounter soone whose physique I couldn’t decipher at first glance, especially when she’s just a nascent soul. And Qinling, of all people.
My smile widened slightly. It wasn’t ti yet. She was too immature, too impulsive. I had to wait for her to mature, to develop her law. Once she reached her peak, only then would I decide her final fate.
Until then, I’d play along.
Fatigue began to catch up with , and my face grew paler with every passing mont due to blood loss. I could feel the throbbing pain in my chest, but I dismissed it with a simple sigh. It wasn’t the first sword strike I’d taken, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.
After hours of uninterrupted flight, I finally spotted the massive gates of the sect’s domain. The sacred mountains surrounding the territory lood majestically, imbued with ancient and powerful Qi.
I descended slowly, crossing the inner courtyard, where a few disciples shot disdainful glances. They whispered among themselves, but I paid them no mind. My goal was clear: the main pavilion, at the top of the mountain.
However, as I approached the entrance, two guards blocked my path.
They were Saint-Sage level cultivators. Powerful warriors who, once upon a ti, would have shown respect due to my status, but today, their eyes held only contempt and impatience.
"Please turn back, BaiShe."
The tone was cold, detached.
"I need to see my master."
"Tianzun Lingbao is currently absent."
The guards’ gazes darkened slightly. They hadn’t even bothered to address with honorific titles. To them, I was just a reject from my family, seeking soone to lean on.
I knew exactly what they felt. In their eyes, I could see their desire to strike .
I took a slow breath before responding.
"Then may I et the sect master?"
My vision was starting to blur. The fight with Qinling, the blood loss, the nonstop journey, and the self-inflicted wound... It all weighed on , but I stood tall, back straight, expression impassive.
One of the guards clenched his fists before replying sharply.
"Please turn back. Otherwise, don’t bla us for not showing you respect."
They so desperately wanted to throw out like a dog.
I smiled faintly.
"Very well, I see you’re doing a good job."
I took a step back, ready to leave. But before I could turn away, a calm voice rose behind them.
"Let him in."
A heavy silence fell.
The guards bowed imdiately.
"As you wish, sect master."
Without a glance at them, I resud my walk.
I climbed the steps leading to the pavilion. My breath was short, but I showed nothing. Each step echoed slightly on the polished marble floor.
When I entered the pavilion’s office, the atmosphere shifted instantly.
Pangu was there.
Sitting calmly behind an ancient wooden table, he sipped his tea, his gaze lost in the cloudy sky through the large window.
He didn’t seem to notice imdiately, but I knew he’d sensed every movent I’d made since setting foot in the sect.
Finally, he set his cup down slowly and turned his head slightly in my direction.
"Sit."
I took my seat without a word, finally feeling the fatigue overwhelm my body.
Pangu observed for a long ti, his piercing eyes seeming to probe my very soul.
I sat before him and calmly regarded the cup he offered. The aroma was potent, infused with spiritual energy. Just inhaling the steam, I felt my mind calm slightly.
"Drink so, it’ll help with the wound," Pangu said in a neutral tone.
I nodded and took the cup between my fingers, bringing the warm liquid to my lips. With the first sip, a gentle warmth spread down my esophagus and along my ridians. My body absorbed the tea’s energy, accelerating the healing of my wound.
But I knew it wouldn’t be enough.
The wound Qinling had inflicted would heal quickly, but the one I’d received long before...
Under my bandage, there was almost no change. An old scar, a persistent pain that refused to fade, a constant reminder of sothing I wasn’t yet powerful enough to reveal my true identity.
Pangu’s gaze drifted to my bandaged arm before he murmured thoughtfully:
"Encountering the Devourer never leaves anyone unscathed."
I didn’t react imdiately, letting silence settle between us. Finally, I set my cup down and replied in an indifferent tone.
"You’ve t him? I thought he died during the Ancient Period."
Pangu shrugged slightly, a strange glint in his eyes.
"The first Devourer, yes. But in my generation, there was another. Amatsu Mikaboshi..." He paused before adding: "And it seems he’s reincarnated in yours."
I furrowed my brows slightly.
"Why have we never heard of him?"
An enigmatic smile touched his lips.
"He was quite different from the first, and his death was... peculiar. No point in asking, I won’t tell you."
I took another sip of tea without pressing.
"I wasn’t planning to ask."
A heavy silence fell.
The warm liquid continued to flow down my throat, and I took the ti to savor the sensation, letting the energy circulate through my body.
Finally, I broke the silence.
"Why did you help ?"
Pangu set his cup down and looked at with amusent.
"It must have been tough."
I raised an eyebrow, slightly perplexed.
"Never mind. I’ll avenge Xuen Shen."
He shook his head.
"I’m not talking about that."
"Hm?"
"Living with her... It must have been exhausting."
It took a few seconds to realize who he was talking about before my expression darkened further.
"My mother?"
Pangu sighed, his gaze drifting through the window.
"The first ti I saw you, you were an arrogant, lazy kid, only thinking about partying. But your eyes were full of life. Now..."
He fixed with an impenetrable expression.
"I don’t like that look."
I set my cup down, slowly crossing my arms.
"What look?"
Pangu stood and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"You should go. You can stay here; I think Lingbao’s Pavilion is too dangerous for soone of your level."
I looked at him for a mont, confused, before nodding and standing.
"Take any room that suits you."
As I opened the door to leave, his voice echoed behind .
"Don’t beco like her..."
I didn’t turn around.
"That woman is worse than the Devourer."
I simply closed the door behind and walked slowly down the hallway.
My face, until then expressionless, slowly transford into a smile.
Then it widened, more and more.
"Worse than the Devourer?" I murmured, laughing slightly.
"We’ll see about that."
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