The giant eagle flapped its wings, closing in on the crowd. The force of the wind blew the Qi Refinement cultivators on the square off their feet, tossing them into the air like leaves in a storm.
Jian Xiaolou cursed the five ancestors hovering above them. A single spell from them could suppress this gale, but instead, they reveled in their serene composure, unmoved amidst the chaos.
Despite her best efforts to resist, the winds overwhelmed her. Just as she was about to be hurled skyward, the first chapter of the Dizang Sutra flashed in her mind. She formed a hand seal, chanting a mantra, and activated the Gravity Art she recently comprehended.
An immense force pulled her back to the ground like a magnet. Though she could only lie flat to avoid being swept away, it was better than being flung skyward and crashing down like the others, who were groaning in pain.
Above, the giant eagle halted mid-air, carrying an old man in gray robes whose loose garment fluttered unnaturally in the wind. He sneered:
"Xuan Zhen, you call me a traitor, but what are you? A mere charlatan!"
Elder Xuan Zhen flared with anger. "How dare you spout such nonsense!"
The old man laughed coldly. "Decades ago, you and I competed for our master's inheritance. Knowing you would lose, you set a trap, accusing me of assaulting Junior Sister and forcing our master to cripple my arm's meridians. Had it not been so, do you think Tianbing Pavilion would be yours today?"
A scandal of such magnitude caused an immediate uproar. Those familiar with Fireforge Sect's history quickly deduced the man's identity—Wei Ying, once the sect's prodigy in artifact refining. Over a hundred years ago, he was expelled for allegedly committing a heinous crime against his master's daughter the night before her wedding. Now, after a century of silence, his sudden reappearance cast doubt on the truth of that old scandal.
Even Xuanwei and the other elders exchanged uncertain glances.
"You think baseless accusations can tarnish my reputation? The truth will clear itself!" Elder Xuan Zhen extended his arm, summoning a ruler-shaped spirit artifact that began to rotate around him. With a sharp burst, it transformed into countless shimmering ruler shadows that filled the sky.
"Our master showed you mercy then. Today, you won't escape unscathed!"
The Phantom Ruler was a Heaven-grade treasure, capable of projecting 36,000 shadow replicas to confuse its foes.
Yet lying flat on the ground, Jian Xiaolou noticed something peculiar—she could instantly discern the real Phantom Ruler among its illusions.
Rubbing her eyes and looking again, the result was the same.
Puzzled, she recalled Zenlingzi's words about the Inextinguishable Lotus Lamp being a beacon from the Eighth Cold Hell, able to banish evil and pierce through illusions. Could her newfound clarity stem from her cultivation of the Dizang Sutra?
Testing her theory, she dispelled the Gravity Art and found the illusions returned to their indistinguishable state.
The sutra could enhance the Lotus Lamp's power!
Faced with this significant discovery, Jian Xiaolou felt both excited and anxious. While tempted to explore the Lotus's latent strength, she feared losing control and causing unintended calamities.
Above, the Golden Core cultivators continued their confrontation, but Wei Ying made no move to fight. Instead, he forced Elder Xuan Zhen to agree to a duel, aiming to conclude the challenge left unfinished a century ago.
Unable to duel personally due to his crippled arm, Wei Ying proposed their disciples compete on their behalf: his enigmatic disciple—known only as "Nameless"—against Yue Ze.
The duel would take place on the final day of the Ascension Conference. Each would present a self-crafted spiritual artifact for the other to dismantle—a customary practice among artifact refiners.
Back at Tianbing Pavilion, Elder Xuan Zhen closed the stone doors to his cavern and immediately declared:
"You cannot defeat Nameless."
Yue Ze's face froze. He had seen the artifact Nameless crafted earlier—it would have taken him seven days of sleepless effort to achieve similar results. Nameless's talent was so overwhelming it bordered on the unreal.
Once disdainful of his title as the foremost artifact prodigy, Yue Ze now found himself gripped by fear upon encountering a true rival.
Seeing his disciple's dejected demeanor, Elder Xuan Zhen sighed and handed him a jade slip. "Study this well. Use the artifact detailed here to ensure your victory."
Realizing his master's intent, Yue Ze was shocked. "Master, you're asking me to cheat?!"
Elder Xuan Zhen retorted, "Cheating? This is strategy! Arrogance is a luxury for the victorious. Against Nameless, you have no right to pride!"
Left with no room for argument, Yue Ze reluctantly returned to his quarters. However, he couldn't bring himself to use the jade slip. Resolute in his principles, he decided to rely on his own abilities. A secret material he'd long preserved might just be his key to victory.
At the foot of Dragon Prison Mountain, Jian Xiaolou beamed with pride. "See this star crystal? I'm officially an artifact refiner!"
Worn out, Zhan Tianxiang rubbed his temples. "You've told me five times."
Undeterred, she gloated again. "A year of hard work finally paid off!"
Though amused by her carefree demeanor, Zhan Tianxiang's expression turned serious. "I investigated your brother's disappearance in the Heaven's Will Alliance."
Jian Xiaolou's heart sank. "And?"
"Strange—he vanished without cause or enmity. The Alliance declared him dead with no explanation."
Deep in thought, she murmured, "How could someone just disappear like that?"
Their conversation was interrupted when Zhan Tianxiang suddenly sensed an approaching presence. Before they could react, Jian Xiaolou accidentally initiated a successful Fusion Technique—a comical but intimate predicament that left her temporarily merged with Zhan Tianxiang.
Though hidden from the intruders, Jian Xiaolou could only listen in frustrated silence as Zhan Tianxiang's twin cousins appeared, their scornful remarks revealing the disdain he endured within his own family.
The confrontation pushed Zhan Tianxiang to the brink, his suppressed fury threatening to erupt.
Yet amidst the tension, Jian Xiaolou noticed something strange—a second heartbeat, faint yet distinct, echoing ominously through their fused forms.