Volume 1, Chapter 198 – Trial Passed?

“Senior…”

The old man’s expression grew a bit anxious.

“Please leave.”

Shi Lan shook her head and turned to walk toward the wooden house.

Her attitude left no room for discussion, and the old man could not help but sigh. Yet he did not dare act too presumptuous and could only helplessly lead his people out of the valley.

“Master, if she refuses, how are we supposed to report back to the Sect Master of Tianshan?”

After the group had left the valley and gone four or five li, the young woman among the six finally spoke.

The old man halted, struggled inwardly for a moment, then turned back toward the valley.

“We’ll stay here and pay her a visit every day. Sooner or later, we’ll be able to invite her to come out and help.”

Hearing this, the others raised no objection and silently turned around to follow.

The strength of Wu Xu Zhenren and the miraculous nature of his methods were already close to transforming into an immortal. Killing from a thousand zhang away was as easy as reaching into a bag.

Ordinary martial artists had absolutely no power to resist. Even Martial Grandmasters of the same level were far inferior to him; it was difficult for them even to escape with their lives.

As things stood, they could only pin their hopes on this strange woman who had suddenly appeared and managed to escape alive from Wu Xu’s hands.

…

After that group’s visit, Shi Lan’s peaceful life was broken.

Over the next few days, several more groups arrived.

Without exception, they had all come to invite her out of seclusion, though their purposes differed.

Some wanted her to come out to protect them and safeguard their lives; some wanted her to join the army and face generals on the battlefield; and there were even those who straightforwardly offered a price, asking her to personally assassinate the emperor.

Among these visitors, besides people from the martial world, there were subordinates of rebel commandery princes, and even one commandery prince who came in person.

It was as if the location of this valley had already become common knowledge.

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Gradually, the stream of visitors thinned, but that original group of six never left.

Later on, Shi Lan stopped receiving guests altogether and had A Qi turn them away at the entrance.

Since this place was no longer hidden, Shi Lan planned to break through to the Innate Realm, then take A Qi and Old Hongtou and leave.

She had already been just one step away from the Innate Realm. After half a year of nurturing her foundation, breaking through was simply a matter of course.

From the Body Tempering Realm into the Innate Realm—the sensation of her dry dantian being slowly opened up by spiritual qi bit by bit felt somewhat wondrous to Shi Lan.

Her empty body was filled with Innate true qi. With a slight stirring, that true qi could unleash power several times greater than her physical body alone.

Within the true qi was a vigorous life force that instantly slowed her rate of aging.

The Innate Realm—shedding the mortal shell and extending the span of life; it was the true beginning of the martial path.

…

Outside the valley, in a cave within a nearby mountain.

“Master, we’ve been here for nearly half a year. She’s shown no sign of relenting. Why don’t we go back?”

“That’s right. When that commandery prince came not long ago, she didn’t even show her face. Clearly, her stance couldn’t be more obvious.”

They spoke one after another, looking toward the old man.

Just as the old man was about to speak, a shrill whistle of wind suddenly cut through the air. His expression changed, and in a single step he was out of the cave, raising his eyes to scan the sky.

A gray rainbow of light streaked across the heavens without concealment, shooting straight toward the valley.

“This is…”

A hint of horror flashed through the old man’s eyes.

All around the valley were many other forces watching. When they saw that gray rainbow, their ranks immediately grew restless.

That streak of gray light had become a nightmare in countless hearts over these past days.

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Dao Lord of Xuanshi Dao—Wu Xu Zhenren!

Shi Lan had already sensed Wu Xu’s undisguised aura and left the wooden house.

She fell silent as she watched Wu Xu descend from the sky.

A Qi stood behind Shi Lan, staring at Wu Xu, his gaze dark, from time to time flashing with killing intent.

“Why?”

“Why?”

Shi Lan and Wu Xu opened their mouths almost at the same time. Their expressions were practically identical—brows slightly furrowed, as if finding all this very hard to understand.

“You’re the host. You speak first.”

Shi Lan sat down on the nearby rattan chair and gestured with her hand.

Wu Xu lightly flicked his sleeves.

A Qi, standing behind Shi Lan, and Old Hongtou, some distance away, suddenly felt as though they had been sealed off by an invisible wall.

Their bodies could not move, and they could hear no sound at all, as if cut off from the entire world.

There was undisguised shock in A Qi’s eyes. Such methods were far beyond anything he had imagined.

“The three-year term is nearly up. Favorable timing and circumstance—I’ve already given it all to you. With so many opportunities laid out before you, why have you still done nothing?”

At those words, Shi Lan’s fingertips trembled slightly. Looking into Wu Xu’s eyes, she slowly spoke:

“Who… are you? The Guiyun Sword Sovereign?”

Wu Xu shook his head and repeated his earlier question.

“Why?”

“For no particular reason. I simply don’t want to do it, so I won’t.” Shi Lan’s emotions gradually settled.

“And the legacy?”

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“I don’t want it anymore.”

“Guiyun’s life’s accumulation—you don’t want that either?”

“If I obtain it, it’s my good fortune. If I lose it, it’s fate,” Shi Lan said calmly. Once some things were set down, she could see them more clearly.

For the sake of a distant, intangible legacy, to go against her own heart—Shi Lan had the intuition that the consequences might be far worse.

“Why don’t you want to complete the trial?” Wu Xu asked.

“I’m unwilling to bear a burden of blood and vengeful souls. It’s heavy… and peace of mind is rare.”

“Sentimental kindness.”

Wu Xu’s tone did not fluctuate in the slightest, but Shi Lan’s face flushed red at once. Blood surged, and she shot to her feet, fingers clenching so tightly her knuckles creaked.

A nine-storied pagoda appeared in her palm, swelling in the wind until it was ten zhang tall. Thick, heavy radiance poured from it as it descended over Wu Xu’s head without the slightest pause, suppressing straight down.

Though A Qi could not hear what Shi Lan and Wu Xu were saying, he could clearly feel Shi Lan’s blazing anger.

In his impression, Shi Lan had never shown such a strong fluctuation of emotion.

“Interesting. Not something of this world…”

Wu Xu lifted his hand, one finger bracing the bottom of the pagoda. Then, with a light flick of his fingertip, the nine-storied pagoda instantly shattered, its fragments scattering across the ground.

“In that case… let us count your trial…”

“Passed.”

The sound of the pagoda breaking, accompanied by Wu Xu’s calm words, left Shi Lan momentarily at a loss.

“Wh—”

Before Shi Lan could finish speaking, Wu Xu raised his hand again and pressed his palm toward her from afar.

“The trial is over. The body of this world shall return to this world.”

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A gale swept through. Shi Lan’s body stiffened, the light in her eyes suddenly going out. Her body, like fine sand scattered by the wind, was obliterated in the air, not even the slightest trace left behind.

Her dress, losing its support, fluttered to the ground.

Wu Xu stepped into the air, raised his fist, and struck at the void. In an instant, the void collapsed into a massive black hole that swallowed his figure whole.

“This is… the Void-Shattering Martial Realm!”

“Has that old Daoist Wu Xu ascended and become an immortal?!”

“This…”

All around the valley, shocked exclamations rang out, but what followed was a wave of wild, ecstatic cheers.

Wu Xu had entered the Void-Shattering realm and departed. Without him, Xuanshi Dao would be leaderless and scattered, no longer a threat.

For Martial Grandmasters, without Wu Xu’s obstruction, taking Zhao Yi’s head would be as easy as reaching into a bag!

…

The invisible walls all around vanished along with Wu Xu.

A Qi stood there in a daze for a long time before slowly moving his feet. He walked over to the dress scattered on the ground and began searching through it.

He was desperately trying to find even the slightest trace of Shi Lan, but he found nothing. Even the warmth on the dress had fully faded. Not a single trace remained.

…

After Wu Xu departed through the Void-Shattering realm, quite some time passed before the people from all sides began approaching the valley.

They very much wanted to know what had become of the woman in that valley.

As soon as they drew near, a long, sorrowful howl suddenly rang out, echoing through the mountains and sending countless birds flapping skyward in fright.

“Sister Lan…”