“Senior brother, I’ve returned,” a woman said as her foot landed on the rocky path of a high mountain.

Below her vantage point, she could see a sea of clouds reaching the horizon. Occasionally, they would part from each other, offering a glimpse of the wilderness below. In front of her was a middle-aged man sitting on an elevated stone slab in a lotus position.

He had his eyes closed and seemed to be cultivating. The laws of the world bent and weaved as he breathed in the world's origin. Reality shifted with his every minute movement, yet it all seemed natural as if everything was meant to be.

Hearing the woman's voice, he slowly opened his eyes, departing from the deep trance he had been in during his meditation. A radiant light flashed from his eyes before it faded, returning to normal.

“Welcome back, junior sister. How was your trip?”

"Uneventful," she said as she sat next to him, her long crimson dress and vermilion hair striking against the barren scenery of this mountain peak. "Honestly, it was a waste of time. I would have preferred staying here and taking care of my disciple."

The man smiled slightly, yet there seemed to be something hidden in his eyes. Still, his expression didn’t betray any of it.

“Even if so, someone had to do it,” the man replied, still looking to the horizon, unwilling to meet her gaze. “The meeting of the four sects is coming soon. It was only right that you, as the youngest, were entrusted with organizing it.”

“It is still five years away,” the woman replied. “Besides, do they really need our input? As usual, they will only do what they want.”

The man sighed, yet even his breath contained untold mysteries.

“Even so, as the Immortal Phoenix Sect, it is our duty to participate, even if only to keep face.”

“We aren’t one of those pitiful cultivation clans; why should we think like mortals as they do?”

“Even though we are cultivators, we belong to mankind. To forget our roots is to deny our origins. You would do well to remember this lesson unless you wish to be unable to further your cultivation.”

“This is your path; don’t try to push it on me. I have my own way of doing things.”

“Apparently so,” the man said as he smiled. “Your cultivation seemed to have risen substantially in the last year. Yet, remember, this disciple of yours also comes from a cultivation clan."

The woman was silent momentarily, looking down on the clouds below.

“Speaking of which,” she said. “Where is that brat? I didn’t see her when I went home.”

“She is gone,” the man said, yet his expression didn’t change in the slightest. “Her clan took her back.”

"What!?" the woman shouted as she rose, scaring the birds that rested their wings on the branches of the sole tree that stood on this mountaintop. They flapped their wings and flew away, leaving trails of light in their wake; they had no intention of being witnesses to this woman's wrath. "That ungrateful... why would she? She should have been ready to attempt the Void Core realm. What could be more important than that?"

The man sighed again. He knew he couldn't avoid the topic any longer. He turned to face her, looking deep into her eyes. The woman was beautiful and bright, resembling a fierce flame dancing against the darkness, threatening to burn anything in her path. Whatever obstacle she faced would be reduced to ash.

“Her clan arranged a marriage for her, and she agreed.” the man said calmly, his voice resembling a soft breeze, yet it could turn into a storm in but a moment. “I saw no reason to hold her back.”

"Why didn't you?" the woman's temper flared. A hazy lotus of flames appeared above her head, threatening to burn the scarce vegetation of this mountaintop. The temperature of the surrounding air rose quickly, evaporating the few traces of snow on the ground.

Seeing his peaceful refuge invaded by the incoming heat, the man waved his sleeve, blowing the flaming lotus away. It crumbled in the wind, and the temperature quickly decreased.

“She failed,” the man said with a slight sorrow in his voice.

“What do you mean, she failed?” the woman replied with narrowed eyes.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Her breakthrough; she couldn't overcome the tribulation. Fortunately, she survived, but there were consequences. Her path is broken; she is no longer a cultivator; therefore, I saw no reason to let her remain here."

“And you never thought of informing me!?” the woman screamed, unconsciously lacing her voice with Qi. Her voice resonated in the sect below, alarming those who cultivated quietly within. Fortunately, they recognized its owner and were also aware of the reason for her agitation.

“The conference took precedence,” the man said, his voice devoid of emotion. “I couldn’t let this incident affect it in any way. I don’t expect you to understand.”

“You’re right, I don’t,” she said through gritted teeth, barely controlling her rage. “You may be the sect leader and must think for the good of the whole sect, but she is my only disciple. You should have informed me!”

“The past cannot be changed, no matter how much you wish it to,” the man replied, closing his eyes once again.

The woman looked at her senior brother, a flame of anger seething in her heart. While she knew his words may have been valid, she couldn't accept it. Without a word, she turned away and chose to leave.

“Where are you going?” the man asked, his eyes still closed. “You aren’t young anymore; do not act rashly.”

“Just worry about your precious sect,” the woman scoffed. “She’s my disciple. I’m just going to bring her back.”

She left without looking back, floating down the mountain before soaring at tremendous speed. The man opened one eye only slightly, watching her depart, and he closed it just as soon as she was out of sight. Then, all he could do was sigh.

******

“I can't believe he managed to free himself. Weren't those shackles made especially to restrict cultivators?" Sun Yu asked as she stared at the broken chains dangling from the wall. "I thought Sunken Dark Iron was supposed to be strong enough to hold a Nascent Soul Cultivator."

“Considering he could tear a hole in the sky, this small thing isn’t all that unexpected,” Liao Cheng replied, yet his gaze betrayed his slight uneasiness.

The couple had only left the room for less than an hour to attend a meeting, yet Qin Yun seemed already long gone. Furthermore, all traces of his presence seemed to have dissipated into thin air.

"I wonder how many secrets he is hiding from the world," Sun Yu mused. "Didn't the Qin Clan mention that his mother originated from the Central Region, as you did? Doesn't the name they gave mean anything to you?"

Liao Cheng remained silent for a while longer, then sighed.

"Who's to say that name is even real. Would the Qin Clan truly reveal what they know simply because you asked? Besides, many aspects do not make sense. For one, if they truly feared the clan behind his mother, why would they shun him so? Just because he can't cultivate? Pride?" Liao Cheng scoffed. "All I know is that I have never heard that name before. Still, it doesn't mean anything. There are countless hidden clans in the Central Region. She could be part of any number of them or none at all. There's no way to know with so little information."

“I see. Do you still believe this blade is his mother’s inheritance? I remember the Qin Clan mentioning they already acquired this inheritance from him.”

"Who knows, but that's not important. All that matters is the power this blade possesses. You saw it, too," he said as he looked at her. "What else could have sliced away the sky, revealing these creatures?"

"Maybe we are looking at it backward. Maybe Qin Yun was the one to do it, not the blade."

Liao Cheng only looked at her in silence. His eyes alone told her how ridiculous this thought was.

“Forget it,” she replied, slightly embarrassed. “Our time would be better spent searching for him. He couldn’t have gotten far. Besides, didn’t you have people watching him?”

Liao Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly, and a slight ethereal dark vortex appeared on his hand hidden behind his back.

"My bad. Forget I said anything," Sun Yu said, looking slightly sad. "If there are things you would rather keep to yourself, I understand. I'll retire for the night; don't return too late."

Liao Cheng watched her leave, yet her sadness didn't imprint itself on his heart. It was already too full of thoughts of revenge to accommodate any other feelings. Still, even for him, this seemed much too ruthless.

Liao Cheng retracted his Qi, and the vortex dissipated. Then, a man wearing a mask over his face emerged from the darkness. His hair was short yet blinding white, contrasting with his all-black uniform.

“Reporting to the lord,” the man said as he fell to one knee. “We have lost the target.”

Liao Cheng’s eyes grew darker, as did his expression.

“There were four of you supposed to keep watch. How could you lose track of him?”

"My apologies," the man said, feeling pressure on his neck as if it could be removed from only saying a single wrong word. His body slightly shook, and sweat poured on his face behind his mask. "Two of our men saw him leave and intercepted him. By the time the remaining two rushed over here, our men were unconscious and their clothes stolen. We didn't see how he left, but he should have been dressed in a Sun Clan's guard uniform."

Liao Cheng’s hand crushed the back of a chair on which it rested, making it explode into splinters. The man jolted slightly yet did his best not to raise his gaze. A slight murderous intent spread across the room, suffocating the man on his knees.

"How could you not find a one-armed man, even if he slipped into guard clothing?" Liao Cheng said, frustration apparent in his voice.

“We tried to locate him," said the man sheepishly. "But, he couldn't be tracked using the methods we possess as he doesn't have any Qi. Also, our sphere of influence is limited inside the sect; too many eyes are watching us."

Liao Cheng clenched his fist yet released it soon after. He then sighed, regaining his calm. Indeed, this was his oversight. As Qin Yun was akin to a mortal, all the techniques cultivators used to locate each other would become useless. Also, using a Nascent Soul expert to scan the clan with his divine sense would only alert those unaffiliated with him.

At this point, the only way to find Qin Yun was to physically search everyone leaving the clan, which was impossible for him without stating why. He could only give up for now.

“Forget it. You’re dismissed.” Liao Cheng said as he waved his hand.

The masked man bowed slightly and then disappeared back into the darkness. Losing traces of Qin Yun was a blow he hadn't expected, but this wouldn't affect Liao Cheng's further plans. Besides, as long as he remained in Jin City, there would be no escape for him.

With this reassurance, Liao Cheng returned to his dwelling, where Sun Yu awaited him. The sun had already set, and Liao Cheng had a long day. While he could curb most of his fatigue using Qi, he still enjoyed the appeal of sleep.

Yet, as he entered his residence in the middle of the clan, he remained stunned. He wondered if his eyes played tricks on him. As expected, Sun Yu waited for him, seated on a gorgeous wooden chair. What truly baffled him was the individual who sat in front of her. Liao Cheng couldn't help but tense slightly as he saw that man's inviting smile.

“Mister Son-In-Law, we were just waiting for you,” Qin Yun said, looking back at him.