Through circumstances out of his control, Yan Nie found himself being grouped with the Fleeting Mist Sect. After gaining victory, Yan Nie didn’t expect the Fleeting Mist Sect to be assaulted by an enemy sect.
Had the Fleeting Mist Sect reneged on their promise and attempt to silence him, Yan Nie would have found the attack helpful in his escape. But now, he just found it annoying since he was implicated in the invasion.
He felt very out of place among the sea of Fleeting Mist Sect disciples. Although none of them showed him hostility as a result of the invasion and the subsequent eruption of the pillar of light, they did not mingle with him either. Yan Nie could leave, but it would definitely be seen as rude or possibly hostile if he just so left without talking to Pan Lanyue. At the very least, he was given a nice room to stay in, and the density of spiritual qi was very abundant.
“Disciple.”
Yan Nie bolted upright from his bed at the sound of his master’s voice. “Master, you’ve finally responded! I tried to contact you, but you didn’t respond.”
The ghostly image of Immortal Pillrabbit helplessly shrugged. “If I responded, my existence would have likely been discovered by her.”
“Who?” Yan Nie asked, curious as to who would be able to sense his master’s presence. Although his master was only a soul at the moment, his master was still an Immortal.
“Sword Empress Xi, never in my dreams had I imagine that she would appear here.” Immortal Pillrabbit muttered.
“Sword Empress Xi?” Yan Nie asked, having never heard of her.
“You probably never heard of her, having lived in this remote region. Sword Empress Xi is the Grand Elder of the Buzhou Immortal Sect and publicly acclaimed number one Immortal in the Huang Realm. All those in the Immortal Realm should have heard of her. She is fearsome, able to strike anywhere in the Huang Realm at a notice.” As Immortal Pillrabbit spoke, there was a sense of admiration in his voice.
“Hehe, master, you seem to know about Sword Empress Xi.” Yan Nie teased.
“Of course, she is the publically acclaimed number one beauty after all.” Immortal Pillrabbit shamelessly said. “But, I didn’t expect Sword Empress Xi to have a child.”
“How would you know?” Yan Nie asked. “And why would Sword Empress Xi even come here?”
Immortal Pillrabbit shook his head. “I suspected that she came for that pillar of light, the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus.”
“Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus?” Yan Nie repeated, never having heard of it.
“Indeed,” Immortal Pillrabbit said, a sense of excitement jolting throughout his body. “One of the top ten lotuses of the universe! You can use it to concoct a pill that can directly make a mortal ascend to immortality!”
Yan Nie felt his breath hitch. The goal of all cultivators was to reach that distant realm, but how many cultivators would be able to reach that realm? But just by using a pill, a mortal could accomplish what so many cultivators dreamed of.
Immortal Pillrabbit chuckled. “Of course, using the Sovereign Nine Lotus as an ingredient to concoct an Immortality Ascension Pill is just sheer extravagance.”
“Hold on, Master said that Sword Empress Xi had a child. Who is he?” Yan Nie asked with excitement coloring his face.
Seeing his disciple’s gossipy face, Immortal Pillrabbit chuckled while he stroked his long white beard. “You’ve met him before. We even discussed him before.”
“We have?” Yan Nie looked down as he searched his thoughts. He suddenly snapped his head back up. Among the people they discussed related to Sword Empress Xi, there was only one. “Xi Tianyi!”
Immortal Pillrabbit nodded. “That does explain his talent. It’d be harder to be average even if you tried if you were born as Sword Empress Xi’s son.”
Yan Nie felt his breath hitched. The boy from ten years ago, now a young man, revealed his brilliance during the Five Poison Sect invasion. There was a sense of fiery competitiveness ignited within Yan Nie as if telling him not to fall behind.
“But Sword Empress Xi’s son really exceeds one’s expectations. In ten years, who would have thought that he would have reached the Nascent Soul Realm, although only at the early stage. A twenty-year old Nascent Soul Grandmaster, he has surpassed Sword Empress’ record.” Immortal Pillrabbit continued as he stroked his beard.
“When he unleashed his attack, I sensed something even more. It is amazing that one so young could comprehend the Dao of Lighting to such an extent, but for him to have control over Tribulation Essence. Not simple at all.”
“Control of Tribulation Essence?” Yan Nie asked.
“What makes a Heavenly Tribulation a Heavenly Tribulation? It is because it is embued with the Tribulation Essence of the Heavenly Dao! For Sword Empress Xi’s son, no, Xi Tianyi to usurp the power of the Heavenly Dao! What audacity!” Immortal Pillrabbit laughed carefreely. “Furthermore, he even used it to summon the Heavenly Tribulation of the invading sect! Although he is still young, the title of Junior Tribulation Lord is quite befitting.”
Immortal Pillrabbit glanced at the quiet Yan Nie. “How does it feel? Knowing there is someone younger than you but has such amazing power and potential?”
“I’ll just have to work harder.” Yan Nie said. “My Myriad Flame Convergence Manual is not inferior to any Heavenly Spiritual Vein or peak cultivation manual. Once I merge enough flames, I don’t believe I cannot surpass Xi Tianyi. Although I might not be his match when I become an Immortal, I will surpass him one day. Didn’t you say it before, Master? Some geniuses are quick to reach the Immortal Realm, but they stagnate, not being able to surpass those that ascend later than them. Xi Tianyi may not be such a genius, but the more time I have, the greater my potential and power.”
“Indeed. Once you reach the pinnacle of the Myriad Flame Convergence Manual and form the Divine Flame, not even Sword Empress Xi will be your opponent.” Immortal Pillrabbit nodded his head, satisfied. He hadn’t mentioned Xi Tianyi to deliver a shock to Yan Nie, but rather to motivate him. If Yan Nie had really sunk into shock, then he, Immortal Pillrabbit, would have really been disappointed in him.
“But it seems that you can no longer stay in the Northern Region.” Immortal Pillrabbit said. Seeing Yan Nie’s confusion, he elaborated. “The appearance of the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus is both a blessing and a disaster. In the near future, the northern region and the surrounding land will become a battleground of Immortals. At this level, even at my level, I would not dare to intrude.”
Yan Nie showed a shocked expression. “Then what should we do? My clan is still here!”
Immortal Pillrabbit deeply looked at him. “Leave, pack up and leave. The farther, the better.”
Yan Nie furrowed his brows. To leave meant abandoning the roots of his clan. From the records of the Yan Clan, they should have existed in Jingyang City for over a thousand years. To just pack up and leave did not seem possible. But he trusted his Master’s judgment, so Yan Nie would convince the family elders to leave.
But before Yan Nie could think anymore, a knock outside his room broke him out. Immortal Pillrabbit dissipated and returned inside his ring.
“Who is it?” Yan Nie called out.
“Guest Yan, I am a junior brother of senior sister Pan. I’ve come to inform you that senior sister Pan has awoken.” The voice sounded older than Yan Nie’s. Sure enough, the person outside looked older than Yan Nie but had a lower cultivation base than him.
Yan Nie followed the Fleeting Mist Sect disciple. When he saw Pan Lanyue once more, she was no longer wearing the pink dress during the battle but pale yellow clothing. Her spiritual had a hint of the all-encompassing heavens. If she had not entered the Spiritual Crucible Stage, then she would soon.
“You’re up.” Yan Nie said after a moment of silence between the two.
“Yes,” Lanyue said. Suddenly she abruptly stood up, shocking Yan Nie, and gave a deep bow towards the shocked man. “I offer you my apologies. Ten years ago, I was deeply immature, and for my cheap pride, I committed a grave mistake against you.”
Yan Nie finally had the apologies that he had been waiting ten years for, but hearing it rang hollow to his ears. Yan Nie shook his head. “You don’t need to apologize. Back then, I also let my temper get the better of me. Let’s just forget about it.”
“I cannot just forget about it, I must make up for my mistake.” Lanyue insisted.
Yan Nie frowned. “Look, back then, both of us were in the wrong. Let’s pretend it never happened and go about our life.”
“I cannot. As a princess of the Pan Family, I cannot just pretend it never happened.” Lanyue said, standing upright with a frown.
“Look! Just forget it, I don’t need your apologies anymore!” Yan Nie said.
“And I said, I have to apologize. Just accept my apologies already! I intend to keep my promise!” Lanyue rebutted.
When Tianyi walked in with Daoyi, he was met with the sight of the two arguing, much like ten years ago. Only this time, instead of a broken engagement, the topic was about accepting apologies. He felt the edge of his lips twitch at the scene.
“You know,” Tianyi said, causing Lanyue and Yan Nie to stop and stare at Tianyi, who had arrived without their notice. “Usually, you demand people to apologize and not force them to accept your apology or telling them not to apologize.”
Daoyi giggled at Tianyi, upon seeing the embarrassed face of Lanyue and Yan Nie.
Lanyue and Yan Nie’s gazes intersected for a moment, and electricity seemed to have sparked between them before the two turned their head away from each other with a “hmpf.”
Tianyi chuckled. “Sister Pan, I’ve come to say goodbye. Seems like I won’t be able to stay any longer like before.”
Lanyue nodded. She had already heard of the upcoming battle of Immortals. Not just Tianyi, but the whole Fleeting Mist Sect will also leave the Northern Regions for the time being. Thankfully, Mengfei had prepared a mobile Sect Guardian Formation for them. As long as Sect Master Yun carried the anchor for the formation and enough spirit stones, then they would not have to worry about being assaulted during their travels.
Both Yan Nie and Lanyue noticed that the corners of Tianyi’s eyes were a little red. Despite their curiosity, the two ultimately decided not to ask.
For one, Tianyi was a Nascent Soul Grandmaster and would not appreciate them asking about his reddened eyes, which most likely came from crying.
Tianyi gave Yan Nie a deep look. “Sister Pan, Yan Nie, the battle between you two was magnificent. I don’t think I ever saw such a battle in my life before.”
Lanyue and Yan Nie both gave a surprised look. They were just Foundation Establishment Disciples, for a Nascent Soul Grandmaster like Tianyi, their battle must have looked like two children fighting one another.
“I have a feeling that one of you might ascend to immortality. But naturally, I’ll become an immortal before the two of you. So I’ll be waiting.” Tianyi said.
For a Nascent Soul Grandmaster to predict the rise of a new immortal was laughable. But Tianyi was the son of Sword Empress Xi, and the confidence behind his voice could not be doubted.
As for the second part of his statement, neither Yan Nie nor Lanyue doubted the rise of a new Immortal, known as Tianyi. Should Tianyi not meet any pitfalls, then his ascension would be destiny.
After saying goodbye, Mengfei sent Elder Shan, Tianyi, and Daoyi back to the sect while she waited near the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus for the arrival of her peers.