Ruo Xianxue laughed cruelly, a bone-piercing, oppressive laugh. The Ancient Devil Monument radiated a terrifying blood-red aura, making the entire Sea of Consciousness surge.

  "Crazy? Oh, pathetic Gold Foundation, you dare insult the Sacred Devil who once shattered the Heavens? Listen to me, stupid insect!" Ruo Xianxue roared, her voice full of cold mockery.

  "Consciousness Transformation is not the limit for you! You know, in my prime. I have seen Immortals shake the heavens and the earth!"

  Zhi Xuan's Sea of Consciousness violently shook, red threads stretched out from his sea of consciousness and wrapped around Zhi Xuan's body. Threatening to crush him in the middle of his own sea of consciousness.

  "And you, here, are still whining about the limits of mortality. Limits that are your emotional shackles. How can those monkeys crawling in the mortal dust compare themselves to me?" The Devil Monument trembled violently, and the blood ripples binding Zhi Xuan tightened even more.

  Zhi Xuan groaned, but did not scream. He forced his Heavenly Samsara Wheel to spin, radiating a pure silver aura that clashed with Ruo Xianxue's red threads. The resistance was not strong, compared to the monument's grandeur.

  "Let go of me, Red Stone!" Zhi Xuan hissed, his breath ragged. "If you kill me, you will never escape your seal!"

  Ruo Xianxue snorted cruelly and released the entanglement of red threads, flinging them back into his sea of consciousness. The thread tendrils immediately returned to the bottom of his sea of consciousness.

  "Precisely," Ruo Xianxue hissed, her tone calm again, but carrying a deeper threat. "That is the only reason you are still alive, boy. And because I know, behind your bitterness, there is a determination to become strong. That is enough."

  Ruo Xianxue sighed, the Sacred Devil's breath felt like a cold wind at the bottom of the Sea of Consciousness. "I am not asking you to be cruel like a devil, but you must have the power to act cruelly for those you love."

  "You want to know what I can give you?" Ruo Xianxue continued, the Monument pulsing with a soothing pure red light. "I will give you what your mortal Grandpa cannot. I will give you the ability to become an unseen knife."

  The Ancient Devil Monument radiated a strong red light. In an instant, the light changed to a faint bluish-black, mixing with Ruo Xianxue's aura. The demonic essence threads, no longer threatening, but flowing. Ancient runes imprinted on the Monument immediately rose, radiating a magnificent rune aura.

  "Mang’zhun... Mang’zhun… Xi’ye... Xi’ye… Wu’dao... N’zhur... Zhraa’thuun…”

  Zhi Xuan was stunned by the sight of the brightly shining rune strings, an ancient language, the rumbling of the runes seemed to envelop his consciousness with something undefined.

  "Va’rha... Rhun’orr… Korr’nazth... Korr’nazth!"

  The runes, which radiated an ancient and oppressive aura, did not enter the Heavenly Samsara Wheel directly. Instead, they spun around the silver Wheel, forming a thin protective layer.

  "This is a fragment of the Ancient Devil Camouflage Law," Ruo Xianxue whispered, her tone filled with undisguised pride.

  "Only the Monument can release it. It will shroud your Heavenly Samsara Wheel. It will suppress your anomalous aura, and to cultivators in the First Ember and even Blood Transformation realms, you will only appear as a new and weak Gold Foundation."

  Zhi Xuan felt the aura of the runes, cold, but soothing. The runes did not clash with his Heavenly Samsara Wheel essence, but instead, they mimicked the Wheel's resonance, creating a perfect disguise.

  "Its name is the Silent Mantle," Ruo Xianxue said. "It will make you a fallen leaf that cannot be smelled by predators. But listen carefully, boy. This technique will slowly drain the essence of your Divine Wheel to maintain the illusion. If you run out of essence, you will die as a weak Gold Foundation, because the Mantle will collapse and your aura will be exposed."

  "This..." Zhi Xuan gasped, his eyes widening with pure fascination. The rune strings circled like an orbit around his Divine Wheel. "That language... W-what kind of magnificent figure are you? A magnificent figure who has fallen to this state."

  Ruo Xianxue gave a soft snort, a subtle purr coming out like the temptation of a goddess capable of shedding stars like falling lotuses.

  "Oh? Already captivated by me?" Ruo Xianxue whispered temptingly, a subtle vocal tremor assaulting Zhi Xuan.

  Zhi Xuan immediately flinched from his reverie. He touched his neck, which felt hot even though he was in his Sea of Consciousness. Ruo Xianxue's touch of cosmic seduction was far more effective than her physical threats.

  "I am not captivated," Zhi Xuan replied, his tone returning to coldness, though there was a hint of nervousness underneath. "I am just curious why a magnificent figure like you is even sealed here with the Nine Heavens Bead."

  "Tsk tsk tsk," Ruo Xianxue hissed. "If you were born in my prime, perhaps you would be captivated to the point of not even realizing your life was already in my hands, little boy."

  The Ancient Devil Monument pulsed once more, emitting a softer laugh, more like a long sigh. Zhi Xuan knew he had to return immediately. This moment—the moment where the Sacred Devil became a reluctant teacher—would not last long.

  "I understand, red stone," Zhi Xuan said, absorbing the rune strings into his consciousness. "I will go, but I will find out the truth behind that Poison Talisman, the Five Elements Realm, and also you. I will not be a stupid Gold Foundation."

  "Go, and do not die a foolish death," Ruo Xianxue commanded. "And remember, boy. Never let emotion control you."

  Zhi Xuan nodded. With a calm mind, he pulled his consciousness back from the dark Sea.

  Zhi Xuan opened his eyes. It was late night; moonlight slipped in through the shack's cracks. He stood up, his body feeling light, and inside his Sea of Consciousness, he could feel the Silent Mantle rune strings spinning calmly. His Heavenly Samsara Wheel now emitted a much dimmer and undefined essence. He looked weak, even to other Gold Foundations.

  Zhi Xuan looked around, the shack that had witnessed his life for over a decade. He saw the bench usually filled by Mingling and Tang, now it felt painful because he was about to leave this village.

  "I will miss you all," Zhi Xuan said, his face stern but hiding deep sadness. "You will be safe, and I will strive for it."

  Zhi Xuan let out a heavy sigh, he could not let emotions control him. Not when he had decided to step forward and take on this heavy task.

  "I must go now." Zhi Xuan stepped, his steps feeling heavy and reluctant. When he opened the door, he froze in place.

  Outside his shack, under the cold moonlight, stood a large group of villagers. The veteran Gold Foundations—Uncle Chen, Teacher Bao, and Uncle Liang—stood at the front with serious expressions. Behind them stood Mingling, Tang, Zhuwei, and Bashan, their faces a mixture of pride and worry. The other villagers, including the children who were now cured, were also present.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  In the middle of the crowd, Aunt Lian—the woman who had cared for him—stepped forward. Her eyes were swollen from crying, but she smiled gently. In her hands, she held two objects: a simple jade hair tie that radiated an aura of purity, and a worn, dark red cloth.

  "We know," Aunt Lian whispered, her voice choked. "Grandpa Wu told us. You... must go to the outside world."

  Uncle Chen stepped forward, patted Zhi Xuan's shoulder and pulled him into a hug. "We will not stop you," Uncle Chen patted Zhi Xuan's back. "The youth who once herded, then approached the hunter's camp to get jade wolf meat, has now grown up."

  Zhi Xuan returned Uncle Chen's hug, his lips trembling from intense emotion. "Uncle Chen..."

  Zhi Xuan remembered the times when he was a child, afraid of the jade wolf meat brought by Uncle Chen, who said the meat could eat him back. A joke he would now miss after his departure.

  Uncle Chen nodded and let out a rough sigh. Releasing his embrace from Zhi Xuan, he patted his waist and pulled out a spiritual pouch, the same kind of spiritual pouch Grandpa Wu had lent him.

  "Open it when you reach First Ember out there later, I put some herbs and meat that will save you from starvation." Uncle Chen handed over the spiritual pouch, giving him a spiritual pouch that was entirely Zhi Xuan's, not borrowed.

  With trembling hands, Zhi Xuan took the spiritual pouch, clutching it tightly in his hand. "Thank you, Uncle Chen." Zhi Xuan attached the spiritual pouch to his waist.

  "Zhi Xuan," Aunt Lian called, approaching. She took Zhi Xuan's hand, her hand felt warm. "Here."

  She handed over the jade hair tie. "This is Heart-Nourishing Jade. I set aside essence from years of tending Granny Mu's herbal garden. It is not as strong as your Spiritual Pouch, but it will calm your Divine Wheel when you are restless. Wear it."

  Zhi Xuan took the jade hair tie. It felt cold and soothing in his palm. He knew the spiritual essence in the jade was Aunt Lian's sacrifice and pure love. Zhi Xuan reached for his hair dangling on his back, tying it in a neat knot.

  "Aunt Lian... This..." Zhi Xuan gave a rough sniffle, he could not let his tears fall, it would make it even harder to leave the village.

  Aunt Lian smiled gently, betraying her teary eyes. "I know, you need that to look tidier. Later, girls will surely be captivated by your appearance now."

  Then, Aunt Lian handed over the dark red cloth. The cloth looked like a remnant of a baby blanket, but it was adorned with small, faded star-flower embroidery.

  "This," Aunt Lian whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. "The cloth you wore when you were found in that basket, under the banyan tree. I kept it. I embroidered this star-flower so you would remember where your heart is. Never forget us, son."

  Zhi Xuan felt his sapphire-blue eyes heat up. He held his breath, afraid his emotions would explode and destroy his cold determination. He allowed the emotion to flow for a moment, but quickly solidified his strength.

  "Aunt Lian," Zhi Xuan said, his voice hoarse. He bowed deeply. "I will never forget. I will return."

  Zhi Xuan tied the red cloth around his arm, hidden inside his robe. The cloth felt warm but also painful, a painful longing.

  Tang, the usually arrogant Gold Foundation, stepped forward. Now shedding tears he quickly covered, he clapped Zhi Xuan hard on the shoulder. "Hurry back. The Gold Foundations must hunt the Steel Tusk Boar together, and you are the most cunning!"

  Zhi Xuan smiled widely, embracing Tang in a light hug. "Don't cry, idiot! You will lose the fishing competition later!"

  Tang laughed, tears wetting his cheeks. "Only a cunning person like you cares about fish! Go quickly! And don't come back without a Hundred-Year Ginseng!"

  Mingling, with a wet face and teary eyes, hugged Zhi Xuan hard, hugging him with the agile Gold Foundation's embrace. "Hey, Protector Foundation! You must return! You must see me get Lin! And we will hit the wheat sack together again! We are waiting for you!"

  Zhi Xuan hugged him back, his voice filled with emotion as great as Mingling's. "Idiot, I will surely miss you and the one-eyed goat too, don't forget to say hello to him!"

  Shi Zi, who had been standing restlessly, shot forward. His face no longer showed mischief, but seriousness and hidden fear. He gave a short, quick, and strong hug typical of him.

  "Zhi Xuan!" Shi Zi whispered in Zhi Xuan's ear, his voice choked. "If you don't come back, I will never get the Steel Tusk Boar thigh you promised! And I will never have 'Broken Duck' again!"

  Zhi Xuan chuckled softly, a laugh that eased the tension. "You glutton. I promise, that thigh will be yours! Keep training your Divine Wheel speed. You must become the fastest Gold Foundation ever!"

  Shi Zi nodded vigorously, tears streaming down his cheeks. He stepped back, making way for He Xin.

  He Xin approached. He did not hug, but stood straight in front of Zhi Xuan. He took out a small notebook—the book he always used to record herbal essence and mileage calculations. He tore off a page filled with neat handwriting.

  "Here," He Xin said, handing over the note. "I have recorded all the hidden routes to Shoutuo City, all the guard posts to avoid, and the estimated prices of herbs you can exchange. Never rely on luck, Zhi Xuan. A plan is always the best Gold Foundation."

  Zhi Xuan took the note, clutching it. He Xin's methodical and cold words were an acknowledgment of true friendship. "Thank you, He Xin. I will follow your plan. Guard the peace in the village. You learn a lot from Bashan."

  Then Zhuwei stepped forward, his hand clutching a piece of Pure Jade the size of a palm. "Zhi Xuan, this is for you," he said, his voice calm but with a tremor of emotion in it. "I know you do not care about mortal things, but this is the purest jade I have. Use it if you are truly desperate and need spiritual essence."

  Zhi Xuan accepted the jade, feeling its cool pure aura in his palm. The jade was far purer than anything he had ever seen in the village, except for the jade veins at Shadow Cliff. It was a great sacrifice from Zhuwei, the most structural and cautious Gold Foundation. "Thank you, Zhuwei. I will use it wisely."

  Bashan, who was usually quiet, now looked at Zhi Xuan with burning eyes. He did not say much, just patted Zhi Xuan hard on the shoulder, a gesture of deep friendship. "I will find a way to strengthen the other Gold Foundations so they do not fall too far behind you," Bashan whispered. "Come back safely, Protector Foundation."

  Zhi Xuan nodded, Bashan's touch felt like an unspoken promise.

  The cured village children, including Deng, now dared to approach. Their faces, which had been pale, were now beaming, and they looked at Zhi Xuan with pure admiration.

  "Brother Zhi Xuan! Thank you for saving us!" exclaimed one child, then another followed, "Come back quickly!"

  Zhi Xuan smiled faintly, a sincere and heartwarming smile, one he rarely showed. He ruffled the hair of a small child standing in front of him. "Of course, I will return. You all must become strong Gold Foundations."

  Finally, Zhi Xuan turned to face the crowd. He saw faces full of hope, love, and worry—the faces of the family he had. He saw Grandpa Wu standing in the distance, nodding slowly, his expression grim but full of conviction.

  Zhi Xuan took a deep breath, letting the coldness of determination flow in to replace the warmth of emotion. He tightened his grip before letting go.

  "I leave," Zhi Xuan said, his voice calm and firm. There was no more doubt, no more bitterness. There was only the resolve of a Protector Foundation ready to face the cruel world.

  Zhi Xuan walked past the village crowd after giving a final hug to Aunt Lian, then with steady steps he walked toward the village gate. However, the rumbling of small footsteps on the ground stopped him from stepping forward.

  "Brother Zhi!" Luzi and Luan, the children he saved yesterday, burst through the crowd and ran toward him, hitting Zhi Xuan's legs and hugging him tightly with cries.

  "Brother Zhi! Don't go!" Luzi sobbed, hugging his knees tightly. "We are scared!"

  Luan, who was calmer, looked at him with big tearful eyes. "We know you will save us again. Don't leave Star Village!"

  The children's innocent cries pierced Zhi Xuan's last defense. He bent down, carefully freeing their small hands from his legs. He looked at them, his usually cold face now softened by a hint of pain.

  "Listen to me," Zhi Xuan whispered, his voice filled with a solemnly spoken promise. "I am not leaving Star Village. I am going to make sure there are no more 'injured Uncles' in that muddy pond. I am going to find a way so you can all live safely here."

  He touched the jade hair tie he had just put on—Aunt Lian's gift—then turned to Grandpa Wu. Grandpa Wu nodded slowly, signaling Zhi Xuan not to linger.

  "I will return," he repeated, the words spoken not as a promise, but as an oath. He stood up, no longer looking back. With calm steps, he spun his Divine Wheel. Concentrating power in his legs and beginning to speed away.

  Behind him, Aunt Lian hugged Uncle Chen and cried into his chest. "Chen... I can't bear for the boy to leave..." Aunt Lian sobbed, her voice filled with pain and longing.

  Uncle Chen hugged Aunt Lian back, his large hand stroking the head of the woman who had been a mother to Zhi Xuan. In his own eyes, there was deep moisture.

  "He must go, Lian," Uncle Chen whispered, his voice hoarse. "Zhi Xuan is no longer a child we must protect under the shadow of the Five-Star Formation. He is... Star Village's knife. The knife we must sharpen out there. If he stays here, he will become a victim, not a protector."

  Grandpa Wu walked closer, his cane tapping the ground with a slow, heavy rhythm. "Stop your crying, Lian. This deliberate sacrifice will guarantee the peace of the other Gold Foundations. Everything Zhi Xuan does is for us. Let us go back inside. We have work to strengthen our foundation; we must not fall too far behind the boy."

  In the midst of the crowd dissolving in sadness, Zhuwei stared at the piece of Pure Jade he had been holding, then looked in the direction Zhi Xuan left. He closed his eyes, channeling essence to his hand. He had to go back to meditation immediately. The promise he gave to Zhi Xuan was not an empty one.

  Zhi Xuan sped out of the Star Village Gate, swallowed by the darkness of the night. He did not look back, but he felt every gaze, every cry, and every hope hanging on his shoulders. The warmth of Aunt Lian's jade hair tie and the friction of the red cloth on his arm were his only solace.