“Speak.”

  Yun Che’s voice was calm as his gaze fell upon the Hehuan Sect woman.

  She gritted her teeth and answered quickly, “At the Xuandao Sect’s gathering point! When we were chasing Li Han, they were still under siege. I didn’t get close—but I’m certain they have a token!”

  Li Han’s expression changed drastically.

  But in the next instant, he gave a bitter smile.

  Because Yun Che was already looking at him.

  “It’s… in Elder Liu Mei’s hands,” Li Han said. He had intended to conceal it, but the moment he met Yun Che’s eyes, a chill shot from his spine to his skull. Even facing Patriarch Pu Nanzi, he had never felt such pressure.

  “Liu Mei?”

  Yun Che paused, recalling a beautiful face.

  Back in Hengyue Sect, Liu Mei had been the most striking among the inner disciples, admired by countless suitors. She and Yun Che had never interacted, though he had seen her from afar during sect competitions.

  “She’s Foundation Establishment now?”

  Li Han nodded, envy flickering in his eyes. “Patriarch Pu Nanzi personally helped her advance.”

  Yun Che fell silent.

  Memories surged—Hengyue’s gates, the training grounds, inner disciples walking past outer disciples with arrogance.

  Blurry images—yet the name Liu Mei reopened old wounds.

  Not because of her.

  But because of what that name represented.

  His parents’ gentle faces surfaced once more.

  He closed his eyes.

  Opened them.

  The last ripple in his gaze froze solid.

  He raised his hand. Invisible force lifted both Li Han and the Hehuan woman. She panicked, legs trembling, nearly losing control in humiliation.

  Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  Yun Che frowned and moved her farther away.

  “Lead the way.”

  She pointed northeast.

  “Thirty li ahead,” Li Han added hurriedly. “An ice forest. Their temporary base is in an underground cavern.”

  Without another word, Yun Che turned into an Azure streak, dragging both through the air.

  —

  Thirty li took less than half an incense stick.

  At the edge of the ice forest lay a battlefield in ruins—broken ice, scorched marks.

  Yun Che landed and released them.

  “You may go.”

  The woman fled without hesitation.

  Yun Che turned to Li Han.

  “Call them out.”

  He paused.

  “I only want the token. I don’t wish to kill.”

  Li Han forced a smile and sent a jade slip flying into the forest.

  After a while, white light emerged from the ground, forming a ringed pillar. Within it sat ten Foundation Establishment cultivators maintaining a formation.

  At the center stood a breathtaking woman.

  Liu Mei.

  A whisk floated above her, spreading circular ripples that shielded them all.

  Yun Che scanned the faces.

  Some familiar.

  Liu Feng—Liu Mei’s brother. Once mediocre, now Foundation Establishment.

  Others faintly recognizable.

  More strangers.

  Liu Mei opened her eyes.

  She noticed Li Han—

  Then saw Yun Che.

  She stared for a long time.

  Then waved her hand, the whisk settling into her grasp as the light faded.

  Liu Feng stood and bowed.

  “Senior Brother Wang… Yun.”

  He corrected himself.

  Once they had called him “trash.”

  Now the word would not come.

  Yun Che said nothing.

  He saw the faint Nascent Soul aura lingering atop Liu Mei—the imprint left by Pu Nanzi.

  Mid–Nascent Soul.

  A life-saving mark.

  “Xuandao Sect,” Yun Che said evenly. “Give me the token.”

  A Ma-surnamed elder stood up coldly.

  “Where did this brat come from—”

  Before he finished—

  A gale rose, sweeping ice shards toward Yun Che.

  “Scram!”

  Yun Che did not move.

  Three zhang before him—

  The gale froze.

  Not dispersed.

  Frozen.

  Wind and shards became a transparent sculpture in midair.

  Crack—

  It shattered.

  A streak of emerald sword light flashed.

  The elder looked down.

  A bowl-sized hole pierced his chest.

  Azure frost spread instantly.

  He froze mid-stance.

  Dead.

  Silence.

  Foundation Establishment mid-stage.

  One sword.

  No chance to evade.

  Yun Che stood without expression.

  His sword hummed at his side.

  He looked at Liu Mei.

  Waiting.

  She stared back.

  At the silent outer disciple from years ago.

  Now wreathed in cold that terrified Foundation Establishment cultivators.

  She remembered the rumors—

  “His parents are mortals…”

  “Then he’ll never rise.”

  Those words now rang harsh.

  She understood.

  That emptiness in his eyes—

  Colder than hatred.

  Without speaking, she retrieved the token and tossed it forward.

  Yun Che took it.

  Looked at her once more.

  Turned away.

  Azure light vanished into mist.

  —

  Back at his cave, Yun Che laid out five tokens.

  Seven existed.

  Five in his hand.

  He crushed four without hesitation.

  Crack—

  They dissolved into light.

  One remained.

  He sealed the cave and began closed cultivation.

  Two months remained.

  For the battle with Teng Huayuan.