Those footsteps stopped several meters from under the old tree.The mountain wind blew gently, making the hem of the girl’s white-blue robe flutter softly. Her simply tied black hair swayed with the direction of the wind, contrasting against the background of pine leaves. Behind her, two royal guards stood with their heads lowered, keeping their distance without daring to approach.Silence descended for several seconds.Qing Tian was the first to recognize the distinguished guest. His eyes widened slightly.“Princess Xiao Yue…”The voice sounded soft, yet it was enough to make the two royal guards immediately offer their respects.“Greetings to Her Highness the Princess.”Xiao Yue nodded her head in reply, yet her gaze never left the figure of Qing Zilong.In contrast, Zilong looked at the girl with a flat expression. He truly did not recognize the face in front of him.Who is she? he wondered inwardly.Xiao Yue appeared to draw a slow breath, as if gathering courage before finally sp

Night blanketed the Heavenly Sword Sect. A thin mist drifted down from the mountain peaks, flowing slowly between the ancient pavilions illuminated by stone lanterns. The clamor of the first-stage selection had subsided into a long, low hum of whispers in the participants’ lodgings. The name Qing Zilong was still a hot topic in every corner, but in a remote outer disciple pavilion, the atmosphere was completely different.Bang!The door to the room shut tightly. Wang Li stood with his back against the door, letting the room sink back into silence. The lantern light in the corner of the ceiling cast his long shadow across the wooden floor. There was no one else inside, yet his jaw hardened.His steps dragged slowly toward the wooden table. He took a porcelain teapot and poured hot water into a plain white cup. The tea overflowed, filling the vessel. His hand froze in the air for a fraction of a second.Crack.A fine crack suddenly appeared on the surface of the cup. A few drops of tea

Night in the Heaven Sword Sect grew even quieter. A thin mist blanketed the mountain slopes, while stone lanterns cast a golden glow along the path leading to the guest pavilion. In the quietest part of the area stood a magnificent building with a dark blue roof, guarded by dozens of soldiers in black armor with a golden dragon emblem on their chests. That was the Tianfeng Royal Pavilion, the resting place for the royal family during the Heaven Sword Sect selection.Inside the main hall, the aroma of jasmine tea filled the room. A middle-aged man sat calmly in the main chair, wearing a dark blue royal robe adorned with gold threads. His face looked stern, but his gaze held the composure of a ruler who had weathered many storms. He was King Tianfeng.Before him, Xiao Yue had just entered the hall, then bowed respectfully. "Your Daughter greets Father."King Tianfeng raised a hand slowly. "Sit down."Xiao Yue sat in the chair on the right. Before she could open her mouth, King Tianfeng

The morning sun had just touched the peaks of the Heavenly Sword Mountains, piercing through the white mist that flowed slowly between the steep cliffs. At the same time, the nine giant bells in the main hall of the Heavenly Sword Sect rang in unison.DOOONG!DOOONG!DOOONG!The metallic vibrations shook the entire sect grounds. Spiritual birds scattered from the tree branches, while thousands of selection participants began moving closer toward the main courtyard, their heartbeats racing against time.Today, the second stage of the selection officially began, and only those who could survive in the Illusion Sword Valley would earn the right to step through the gates of greatness.Qing Zilong walked calmly along the stone path. His black robe fluttered gently in the mountain wind; his steps were light and without hesitation, as if he were simply walking toward his own courtyard rather than a selection arena that would decide the life and death of thousands of young cultivators.Behind

White light swallowed Qing Zilong’s entire field of vision. There was no sound, no sensation of falling only silence that lasted a few seconds, until finally…Tap.The sole of his foot touched the ground. A cold wind immediately swept across his face, carrying a faint scent of iron mixed with damp earth. Zilong slowly opened his eyes. White mist hung low, covering most of the valley until visibility was limited to only a few dozen paces.He did not move. His gaze swept the surroundings first.The ground beneath his feet was no ordinary earth; its surface was covered in straight cracks like the marks of a thousand sword strikes, while the large rocks in the distance were split cleanly, as if once severed by a single, extremely sharp slash.The wind blew again.Shiiing… The faint sound of metal scraping against metal echoed, even though no one was nearby.“Sword aura,” Zilong thought. “Still lingering even after so many years.”Zilong raised his eyes. The mist drifted slowly, revealing