Listening to Tang Shan'er's narration, all Song Changyi could hear was the admiration in her voice. He couldn't help but get irritated and retorted, "Mother, don't forget, it was he who killed my grandparents and all the elders! No matter how glorious his past was, it cannot change his infamy of betraying and causing the downfall of our lineage!"
"Yes…" Tang Shan'er's emotions suddenly collapsed, and she said faintly, "Why did such a thing happen... why... I didn't have to lose my parents... or my senior brother... why did it turn out this way..."
The remark from Song Changyi shattered the defenses of her heart, and she couldn't help but break down into tears.
At that moment, Tang Shan'er didn't resemble the dignified and solemn sect leader's wife but rather a helpless young girl.
Watching her, Song Changyi felt a pang of heartache. Supporting Tang Shan'er, he said, "Mother, let's not talk about this anymore."
"No!" Tang Shan'er gripped Song Changyi's wrist firmly, "You both need to listen to me. This cannot be forgotten!"
"My senior brother soared in his cultivation journey, breaking through the Core Formation period at an unprecedented speed. Later, based on the 'Heavenly Fire Manipulation Art', he developed a unique divine technique— 'Heavenly Fire Body Refining Art'. From then on, he embarked on a different path of cultivation."
Tang Shan'er looked at Shu Han's right hand and said, "Heavenly Fire Body Refining Art is the culmination of my senior brother's lifelong dedication. It reverses the natural order, incorporating the source of heavenly fire, his own cultivation, and even the Golden Core into his flesh."
Shu Han was taken aback. Melting the heavenly fire was one thing, but to melt both his cultivation and Golden Core?
"Once this technique was perfected, one's physical strength would be unparalleled, and their cultivation and spells would still be usable. My senior brother, relying on this divine technique, was undefeated among those below the Nascent Soul level. After nearly a thousand years of rigorous cultivation, he reached the pinnacle of Core Formation and prepared to advance to the Nascent Soul stage."
"Practicing the 'Heavenly Fire Body Refining Art', he had already fused the Golden Core into his body. He couldn't metamorphose into the Nascent Soul like ordinary cultivators. Hence, after consulting with my father for decades, they finally decided on another path: instead of evolving a Nascent Soul from the Golden Core, he chose to transform himself into a Nascent Soul!"
Self-transforming into a Nascent Soul!
Both Shu Han and Song Changyi were shaken by the audacity of such a decision.
"My father intended to use the 'Fiery Sun Dominating the Sky' technique to integrate the primordial fire of Fire Cloud Mountain into my senior brother's body. He aimed to make him the first cultivator in the history of the Fiery Cloud Instant Sect to integrate with the Earth Dragon Fire source. At that time, my senior brother told me that if successful, his strength would surpass both the Green Thunder Sect's leader and the Devil Music Sect's master, becoming the foremost figure in the northern Great Cloud. He would lead our Fiery Cloud Instant Sect to stand at the peak of the northern Great Cloud!"
Upon hearing this, Song Changyi felt indignant and retorted, "What he couldn't achieve, my father surely will!"
Tang Shan'er sighed, "Yes, he couldn't. That year, the Devil Music Sect, along with demonic sects outside of the northern Great Cloud, declared war on the six righteous sects. The whole northern region of Great Cloud was thrown into chaos, with demonic cultivators invading everywhere. Our Fiery Cloud Instant Sect, with its profound foundation, managed to maintain its ground amidst the turmoil. I vividly recall that during the Fiery Sun Dominating the Sky event, father activated the Heavenly Fire Protective Formation of the mountain, sealing off the mountain gate, with several Core Formation elders assisting my senior brother in his breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage."
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
"By then, with my senior brother's help, I had already broken through to the Golden Core stage. The Fiery Sun Dominating the Sky event should have been an ideal cultivation opportunity for me. However, to maintain the stability of the sect and provide a secure environment for my senior brother's breakthrough, I gave up this chance. Leading a group of Foundation Establishment disciples, I ventured out of Fire Cloud Mountain to fend off the demonic invaders."
Tang Shan'er's voice trembled again.
"But... after we repelled the invaders, everything was lost..."
Leaning on Song Changyi, she choked up, "When I returned and reached the mountaintop, I saw my parents and the elders all lying in pools of blood. Only my senior brother stood there, his body stained so much that one couldn't distinguish between the earth dragon fire patterns and his blood. By the time I arrived, he had already pierced a palm through Song Jinglun's chest."
"I was in shock, murmuring my senior brother's name. But the bloodlust in his eyes terrified me. Your father, holding onto my senior brother's hand with all his might, coughed blood and shouted at me, saying my senior brother had succumbed to demonic possession and urged me to run. But I didn't believe it and approached him in a daze, tugging at his clothes."
With a deep sigh, Tang Shan'er's eyes portrayed the confusion that mirrored the events of that fateful day.
She continued, "But the hand he had embedded in Song Jinglun's chest then moved to strangle me. My mind went blank. He was too powerful; even in my Core Formation stage, I had no strength to resist. All I remember is continuously calling his name in confusion before blacking out. When I woke up, my senior brother had left the mountaintop, leaving only Song Jinglun and me amidst the blood. Only Song Jinglun and I survived my senior brother's onslaught."
"Although Song Jinglun was gravely injured, he miraculously survived. Later, he told me that my parents had tried several times to assist my senior brother in his breakthrough but failed every time. Unwilling to accept failure, my senior brother forcibly integrated the earth dragon fire source. This resulted in the fire overtaking his heart, driving him into madness. In his delirium, he committed such atrocities."
"Years later, Song Jinglun and I found traces of my senior brother around Fire Cloud Mountain. He had turned into this deranged person, unable to recall anything. Upon seeing us, he would just kneel and cry. I wanted to kill him then, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, nor did I have the power to end him."
Upon hearing this, Song Changyi couldn't hold back any longer and declared angrily, "Mother, if you can't do it, I will!"
Tang Shan'er held him back, "No, if you won't listen to me, at least heed your father's words. He always told me that my senior brother was the most loyal to Fiery Cloud Instant Sect, and what he did wasn't really his intention. His current madness and perpetual guilt are already his best punishment. Your father told me to let go of my hatred."
Let go of the hatred?
Song Changyi murmured, "Did father really say that?"
Tang Shan'er nodded, "Yes, he always advised me to let go of my resentment. But how can one easily let go of the grudge against the one who killed their parents? I will handle the matters from the Fiery Sun Dominating the Sky event myself. I don't want you involved. The grievances of our generation should be resolved by us."
"But..."
Tang Shan'er looked earnestly at Song Changyi, pleadingly saying, "Changyi, please listen to your mother."
Hearing Tang Shan'er's imploring tone, Song Changyi's heart softened, and he nodded gravely in agreement.
...
Nine hundred years ago, on the eve of Fiery Sun Dominating the Sky.
The Fiery Cloud Instant Sect's Heavenly Fire Protective Formation was about to activate. Once it did, Fire Cloud Mountain would be completely enveloped in the Earth Dragon Fire. Even Nascent Soul experts would find it difficult to enter, and no one could leave.
Tang Shan'er, with her ethereal demeanor, descended onto the mountaintop terrace, looking like a celestial maiden.
On the terrace, a man stood tall and firm, his back facing her. As Tang Shan'er looked at this man's silhouette, a touch of blush crept onto her face.
Approaching him, the man gently caressed Tang Shan'er's rosy cheek. With a hint of shyness, she asked, "Senior brother, are you confident about this?"
The man responded tenderly, "Of course, I am. When you return, I'll have a surprise for you."
Tang Shan'er nestled into the man's embrace, resting her face on his solid arm, whispering, "Coincidentally, once you succeed in your breakthrough, Shan'er will also have a surprise for you."