Not long ago, at the top of Heaven Mending Peak, within the cave mansion.
In contrast to the bustle elsewhere on the mountain, the summit was completely still—only drifting clouds rose and fell, detached from the world, as though one had stepped beyond the noisy mortal realm.
Before a cliff, two figures stood overlooking the Cloud Sea below.
One of them had white hair and a youthful face, dressed in a black-and-white Daoist robe and holding a duster in hand—an image straight out of mundane tales describing benevolent old Immortals.
The other, who appeared middle-aged, spoke with a mischievous smile:
"Heaven Mending, I heard you're picking a husband for your daughter lately?"
"What? Are you interested?" The Master of Heaven Mending Peak turned to the man. "If he's one of your disciples, he'd be a decent match for Qian'Er."
"Better not."
The middle-aged man shook his head. "I know my disciples—flashy on the surface and hollow inside. Hardly worthy of your daughter. You'd better look elsewhere."
"Then forget it." The Master of Heaven Mending Peak shook his head. "I already have someone in mind anyway. He's cultivated diligently for three lifetimes, bears profound blessings, and not only has a thirty-percent chance of forming a Dao Foundation in the future but has also mastered the might of a True Dragon after learning Perfected Panlong's 'Ninefold Dragon Metamorphosis'....."
"Perfected Panlong? That's not right."
The middle-aged man quickly calculated with his fingers, then shook his head. "Panlong Island vanished—the opportunity was taken by someone else, not your disciple."
"It soon will be."
The Master of Heaven Mending Peak replied calmly, "I've already calculated who seized that opportunity. I sent Yuan Chun to take care of it. Everything will return to the proper course shortly."
"Tsk-tsk, you really show no mercy." The middle-aged man sighed. "The Immortal Dao is already difficult—why be so harsh on the younger generation?"
"Sometimes you give them hope; after all, the Stain Sect needs fresh blood."
"I don't need your lectures."
The Master of Heaven Mending Peak sneered. "If it were only that, I wouldn't have intervened. But I've calculated that the one who seized Perfected Panlong's opportunity is not simple."
His tone carried a hint of astonishment. "This person joined the sect only a few years ago, yet not only made a fortune during the Death-Warding Skeleton incident a few years back, but also mastered the Blood Transformation Divine Light, forged a Sword Pill, learned the Sword Technique of the Celestial Sword Pavilion, and reached the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining....."
"Oh? That impressive?"
The middle-aged man raised his eyebrows, calculated again, and sighed. "Never thought such talent could emerge from our Stain Sect."
Interest flickered across his face.
"Come, show me where he is. Let me see his potential. If he's of fine quality, it might even be possible to make an excellent Dan Pill."
"That's easy, right over th—hmm?"
The Master of Heaven Mending Peak's smile froze as he pointed toward the distance.
...
"Boom!"
The moment his gaze fell, Heaven Mending Peak trembled violently, as though an Earth Dragon rolled beneath the mountain; rocks tumbled into the Cloud Sea below.
Inside a cave mansion, Liu Xin collapsed to the floor in terror, scarcely daring to breathe, desperately hoping the Master's attention would not land on him.
"Not looking for me, not looking for me..."
He muttered frantically, suppressing his guilt and fear.
A Foundation-Stage Cultivator—just a single glance could take his life. And inside his Myriad-Soul Banner was his own child.
If discovered, there would be no escape.
"No need to fear. I have the Divine Talisman's protection. He can't calculate my presence....."
Liu Xin trembled, clutching the talisman tightly.
"Yuan Chun pays respects to master."
Lu Yuanchun coughed blood as he kowtowed, showing neither joy at surviving nor shock—only a chilling despair.
The jade pendant that shattered Luo Yang's grand array contained a strand of the Master of Heaven Mending Peak's Divine Sense, the greatest protection a disciple could receive. Because such strands were nearly impossible to replenish, using even one was like sacrificing one's life.
Now it was gone.
Worse yet, he failed to reclaim Junior Brother Zhao's opportunity, failed to protect him, and allowed him to die. It was an utter failure.
Between the wasted Divine Sense and Zhao Xuhe's death, his path on the Immortal Dao was basically severed.
"I am incompetent."
Lu Yuanchun didn't dare speak more—he simply kowtowed silently, waiting for his master to deal with Lü Yang before deciding his punishment.
Clang——!
A sword cry echoed. The sound was soft at first, like a spring trickling down stone, but it grew increasingly violent—turbulent, roaring, until it filled Heaven and Earth.
Lu Yuanchun instinctively looked up.
There, a figure stood tall in mid-air beneath the Perfected's gaze, spine straight, meeting the sky-born face without fear.
Under his feet surged a Sword Qi River.
The river was crimson—its turbulent flow filled with overwhelming Evil Qi. Yet it did not scatter; instead, it contracted, recoiling until it poured into an exquisite Sword Pill.
"What's he trying to do?"
Lu Yuanchun swallowed. He had a guess, but he didn't dare believe it—who would be so brazen as to challenge the heavens?
At the same time, the face in the sky frowned:
"You want to make a move against me?"
Lü Yang's expression remained calm. The Sword Pill swallowed the blood river, its sharpness pointing straight toward the Cyan Heaven:
"Senior, Please instruct me."
The face said nothing, as though too disdainful to answer.
A moment later, Lü Yang saw a black dot appear high above, rapidly expanding as it fell with overwhelming force.
As it approached, he saw it clearly—a finger dropping from an unimaginable height, the texture of its skin visible.
In that instant, Lü Yang understood:
Ants cannot comprehend the Heavens.
A killing intent so vast flooded him that his mind nearly froze—like an ant suddenly placed beneath the vault of the heavens.
"You want to crush me with a finger???"
Lü Yang drew a deep breath. The True Qi in his body ignited, fully activating the Life-taking Spell from his second life.
Life and death no longer mattered.
All that remained was fury.
In this life, I fought no one. I schemed against no one. I only cultivated.Yet you calculate my karmic ties, rob my opportunities, fail to steal them, and then personally descend to kill me.
Talking about fate. About predestination.
Am I destined to be a Sect Slave, and you destined to stand above?
"Kill!"
Lü Yang roared, his Qi turning into a long howl, his wrath becoming a Sword Light that cleaved through the sky.
A silent collision—a flicker like candlelight—a brief flash—
And then darkness swallowed Lü Yang's vision, drowning his consciousness.