Chapter 1726. Tainted by Ominous Fate, the Rescued Woman in White

“Almost forgot.”

The middle-aged man waved his hand casually, speaking indifferently, “My Xieyue Mountain has now joined the Zhengyi Alliance, so I cannot directly shelter you for the time being. Although your Great Domain is relatively weak, now that you’ve joined the Zhengyi Alliance, others will also provide protection.”

In the past, the fate of a single Great Domain would have been of no concern to him. But now, as a member of the Zhengyi Alliance, he had to abide by its rules: when other Great Domains encountered Dark Beings, he would act to expel them on the spot.

“Understood, senior. I will immediately arrange and issue orders to evacuate and relocate everyone out of this domain.”

The valiant middle-aged man responded respectfully. Behind him, a group of beings and cultivators were grateful to the point of bowing.

If not for the assistance from the forces of Xieyue Mountain today, the land would already be covered in bones, corpses scattered everywhere, and they too would not have escaped death.

Yet the condition of this Great Domain was still grim. Many regions were plagued by corrupting black mists, leaving the lands desolate and lifeless. Cities, sects, nations, mountains, and forests were all in ruin. Rivers had dried, oceans had evaporated, and only remnants of black mists lingered in the air.

The middle-aged man then turned his gaze to the woman in the blue dress and said, “Lan Xin, the Dark Beings retreated so quickly this time, I fear they might be part of some hidden scheme.”

“The Dark Being I fought earlier must have been acting under someone’s orders. And that giant fish I sensed earlier suddenly withdrew midway—it likely received a command as well.”

“I suspect all of this might be mere bait. Recently, the Zhengyi Alliance teams have been hunting many Dark Beings; perhaps this has already attracted the attention of a greater power…”

“This training session ends for now. You and the disciples should return to Xieyue Mountain. I will investigate further.”

Lan Xin’s face showed slight surprise, mixed with concern. She couldn’t help speaking up.

“Master Zhou, although you are powerful, if your suspicions are correct and these Dark Beings are just bait, I worry that if you go alone, you may encounter dangers beyond expectation.”

The middle-aged man shook his head. “I am only going to investigate and will not take unnecessary risks. Leave the disciples to me. After I finish my investigation, I will quickly catch up with you.”

With that, he stepped onto his long sword, transforming into a divine rainbow, disappearing in an instant.

The woman in blue, Lan Xin, looked on helplessly, her concern barely concealed.

This Master Zhou, Zhou Tianyu, had only come to lead this exercise against the Dark Beings because their usual leader, her own master, had been away on some trivial matter. Normally, she would have led the team.

If anything were to happen to Master Zhou, she would feel guilty for life.

Zhou Tianyu had always been helpful to their sect branch. Although his actions were motivated by his desire to pursue her master as a Dao partner, he had indeed done much to assist them. However, her master was entirely devoted to the Dao, rejecting all worldly pursuits.

“Master Zhou, you should give up…” Lan Xin sighed faintly. She had advised her master, but her master’s decisions were like stone, unshakable. No matter how Zhou pursued, he could not sway that resolute Dao heart.

While Lan Xin was lost in thought, suddenly, countless swords seemed to strike the void with sharp, clear chimes, echoing like a sword’s song.

Not far away, a white-clad girl bearing an ancient sword abruptly opened her eyes. Her clear, watery gaze seemed to intertwine with thousands of sword shadows. She radiated the aura of an unsheathed divine sword, her presence chilling and piercing to the bone.

Her delicate, exquisite face could not conceal the joy she felt, as if the recent epiphany had brought her immense benefit.

“Congratulations, junior sister Xian’er, on successfully having an epiphany.”

“Your sword Dao cultivation has strengthened greatly. Soon, you may be able to begin refining your sword Dao essence, preparing for the Dao of Nirvana.”

Lan Xin, returning to her senses, smiled and congratulated her.

The girl in white then collected herself, hiding her joy, and replied hastily, “Thank you, Senior Sister Lan Xin. I was merely fortunate. I never expected to glean some subtleties from Elder Zhou’s sword Dao.”

Lan Xin said with a smile, “Junior Sister Xian’er, there’s no need to be modest. This is not luck—it is your talent and comprehension. Among all the disciples, only you could have this epiphany and gain from it.”

“Senior Sister Lan Xin overpraises me.”

The girl in white appeared embarrassed at the praise, lowering her head, her snow-white face tinged with red. Yet her clear, calm eyes betrayed a trace of contemplation.

Lan Xin smiled knowingly, not surprised by her humility or shyness, and said nothing further. But her smile did not last. Her brow furrowed as she glanced at the group of young men and women nearby.

“What use is talent if one is tainted by misfortune? Anyone who forms a karmic connection with her will be unlucky.”

“Only Senior Sister Lan Xin is kind enough to acknowledge her.”

“Indeed. Otherwise, why would the Sect Master allow such a talented seedling to remain merely a regular disciple in Xieyue Mountain?”

“Heh. Talent without resources or a proper cultivation method will hit a ceiling before reaching the Dao Realm. Moreover, she’s tainted by misfortune—who knows when she might die.”

The young men and women spoke with envy and malice, not bothering to conceal their voices. The girl in white seemed accustomed to this, keeping her head lowered and expression calm, as if she hadn’t heard a thing.

Lan Xin’s expression darkened. She coldly rebuked, “Silence!”

“This training exercise isn’t for mocking others. If you had even half of Junior Sister Xian’er’s ability, the sect wouldn’t have worried so much.”

Seeing Lan Xin truly angry, the group quickly shut their mouths, though some still sneered disdainfully.

Lan Xin turned to the girl in white with an apologetic look: “Junior Sister Xian’er, don’t mind them. They have loose tongues…”

The girl shook her head. “Thank you, Senior Sister Lan Xin. I don’t mind.”

Previously, she might have drawn her sword in anger, but now she had grown—she understood patience and strategy. In the vast world, without a great tree to shelter her, every step required caution.

Lan Xin sighed faintly. These young men and women came from prominent sects with deep foundations. Were it not for her status as a senior sister, they would not show her respect.

The girl in white, like Lan Xin once, came from a small, fledgling Great Domain. Even after being accepted into Xieyue Mountain by chance, her status remained awkward. She was neither respected by ordinary disciples nor elders.

Her talent, if not for the taint of misfortune, might have already earned her a place among the Sect Master’s inner disciples, with prospects to compete for the rank of Dao Master.

This was truly a pity.

“Let’s go. Since Master Zhou has spoken, we shall return to Xieyue Mountain.”

Lan Xin brought the disciples aboard a crystalline, Dao-patterned flying vessel, stretching thousands of feet in length. She leaped aboard and led them away.

Xieyue Mountain, though called a mountain, was not a mountain but a vast continent, almost like a secluded Daoist sect. Ancient masters had gathered rare Daoic soil, celestial metals, and fragments of broken Great Domains, forging it into a firm, self-contained realm with its own rules.

Countless natural laws converged, life cycled naturally, and it had endured countless years.

As the vessel crossed the spatial rift, it arrived outside Xieyue Mountain. After days of travel, Lan Xin and the disciples returned through the sect’s protective formations.

Mountains and rivers stretched endlessly; islands and peaks floated in the void, forming a heavenly landscape. Within the deepest part of Xieyue Mountain, majestic palaces floated among the clouds, surrounded by sacred isles and divine peaks, overlooking all below.

“I’ll report back to Zixia Peak first.”

Lan Xin parted from the disciples, recalling the girl in white who had sat meditating in a corner throughout, and sighed faintly. If not for her master’s refusal to accept more disciples, she might have petitioned for the girl to be officially enrolled.

Xieyue Mountain was vast, home only to Xieyue Sect; there were no other sects. Aside from towns and cities, the mountains, valleys, and lakes served as secluded training grounds. Many disciples built personal retreats in these spiritually abundant areas.

“Finally back.”

The girl in white left the vessel, transforming into a streak of light as she returned to her personal retreat. The location was remote, but serene, with purple mists and rising white fog.

Nearby was a silver waterfall cascading from the sky. She chose this place to cultivate in peace, avoiding disturbance.

Not far away lay ancient ruins, remnants of a battlefield with buried weapons and decayed corpses. At night, eerie phenomena occurred, and the area was shunned even by Xieyue Sect elders.

The girl in white, considered an ominous presence, freely roamed this area. She was not afraid; after all, it was this same ominous entity that had rescued her from a monstrous beast in the vast world and brought her here.

“Xian’er…”

“Xian’er, you’re finally back…”

As she lifted the retreat’s protective seals, a red figure dashed toward her like lightning—but she casually swatted it away.

“You were supposed to guard the retreat. What happened to the dragon peach on the tree outside?”

The girl’s face darkened, her jade-like teeth gritting, as she scolded. “I timed it so the fruit would be ripe when I returned.”

“But now there isn’t even a pit left.”

Her gaze was murderous. She rolled up her sleeves, revealing delicate white wrists, and growled, “Tonight, I want roasted bird meat.”

The red bird flapped nervously: “Don’t… Xian’er, it was only one fruit. I’ll give you the pit back…”

“You’re telling me this is worth our years of friendship? You miserly little thief…”

The bird flapped desperately, losing feathers. Eventually, it coughed up half a fruit with the pit intact.

The girl in white, heartbroken over the ruined fruit, sighed.

Suddenly, a faint whimper echoed from the retreat’s depths. The girl’s heart tightened.

“Cough… Could the person I rescued back then really have awakened?”

She paused, curiosity piqued, and quietly retrieved an ancient talisman from her Sumeru space. Holding it in her palm, she stepped deeper into the retreat.

The red bird followed, equally curious. “After sustaining such grave injuries, barely clinging to life, and now to awaken… She truly is formidable.”

In the retreat’s depths lay a pristine white jade bed. Upon it rested an absolutely stunning woman in white. Her garments were still stained with dried blood, and a terrifying aura radiated from her, keeping others at a distance.

With each breath, wisps of chaotic mist swirled around her, rising and falling, fading in and out.

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