Awakening, Duanmu Xi Divorces Her Husband

After watching over him for two hours, the boy still had not awakened.

The Old Daoist had no choice but to find a Daoist robe for the boy to wear. At a glance, he spotted the jade pendant around the boy's neck, engraved with the two characters: Wang Xian.

"Good disciple, so your name is Wang Xian?"

Seeing that Wang Xian still showed no sign of waking, the Old Daoist simply moved his bed into the main hall and placed it before the Three Pure Ones.

After settling Wang Xian down, he covered him with a beast-hide blanket and placed a volume of the Dao Scripture beneath his head as a pillow.

He lit some incense, then simply sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion and began reciting the Dao Scripture.

From the Beginning of Winter to the Winter Solstice.

Wang Xian slept for a full forty-four days in the Daoist temple deep within the Kunlun Mountains.

Every day, the Old Daoist recited the Dao Scripture once in the main hall.

With the Dao Scripture beneath his head, Wang Xian's body was like a Divine Sword being nurtured in slumber.

Tiny changes took place every day.

When Wang Xian awoke one morning, Sword Qi crisscrossed through his meridians, as though the Coiling Dragon Divine Sword had transformed into countless streams of Sword Qi and surged into every meridian in his body.

And the night before, a mass of golden light had shone from Wang Xian's chest.

Overnight, Wang Xian's shattered dantian had been restored.

The Sword Qi transformed from the Coiling Dragon Divine Sword had, over those forty-four days, remolded Wang Xian's meridians once more.

After forty-four days of nurturing, Wang Xian was now like a spirit sword that had yet to leave its sheath.

Once the sword was drawn—

It would shake heaven and earth.

Just as the Old Daoist finished the last two lines of the Dao Scripture: "The Way of Heaven benefits all and harms none; the Way of the sage acts, yet does not contend."

Bzz!

Before the main hall, beside the Old Daoist, a streak of golden sunlight descended from the sky.

In an instant, it transformed into lightning and plunged into Wang Xian's body.

"Help...!"

With a cry, Wang Xian opened his eyes.

He abruptly sat up and asked the dumbfounded Old Daoist before him, "Who are you? Who am I? Where is this?"

The Old Daoist reached out and held one of his small hands.

He laughed heartily. "This is Kunlun, and you are my disciple who has not yet formally taken me as master!"

"Kunlun? Master?"

Wang Xian rubbed his eyes and asked blankly, "I'm not dead?"

Whether the Coiling Dragon Divine Sword's Sword Qi had been too fierce, or the injuries Wang Xian had suffered on Phoenix Terrace had been too severe—

After awakening, he had forgotten much of his past.

His mind was utterly blank. He could not remember anything at all.

The Old Daoist shook his head. "I picked you up from the snow. I don't know where you were before this, nor what trouble you had encountered."

Yet in that instant, the Old Daoist changed his mind and decided not to dwell on Wang Xian's story any longer.

Whatever grudges there might be, Wang Xian would have to face them himself in the future.

Being able to pick up such a precious disciple already made him very happy.

A youth whose meridians had all been severed and who had become useless had spent forty-four days restoring his dantian and meridians. Even his physical body had quietly changed.

A disciple like this could not be found even with a lantern.

After hearing the Old Daoist's words, Wang Xian did not say another word and threw off the beast-hide blanket.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

He kowtowed three times to the Old Daoist. "Disciple Wang Xian kowtows to Master!"

The Old Daoist laughed heartily. "Good disciple, you must be hungry. Come, come. This is porridge your master just cooked. Try it while it's hot."

Looking at the Daoist robe on his body, Wang Xian could not help asking, "Master, am I a little Daoist too?"

"Yes."

"Master, why have I become so much stronger?"

"Oh, divine light descended from the heavens last night. You reached Foundation Establishment overnight and gave your master quite a fright!"

"Master, this porridge smells wonderful."

Old Daoist: "..."

After eating the porridge and washing up, Wang Xian—

Followed his master in offering incense and kowtowing to the Three Pure Ones. He formally entered the sect and became the Old Daoist's second disciple.

Wang Xian looked at the empty Daoist temple, then at the winter sun in the sky, and asked, "Master, are there only the two of us in the temple?"

The Old Daoist smiled. "Your senior sister went home. She probably will not return until spring."

"I have a senior sister too?"

"Mm! Your senior sister's name is Donghuang Shuyu."

"I like that name!"

"Good disciple, today is the Winter Solstice. Your master will teach you how to draw your first talisman."

"What talisman?"

"A Peace Talisman."

Meanwhile.

Duanmu Xi's parents came to the Academy to discuss the marriage alliance between the two families with the law-enforcement elder, Sima Xuantian.

Sima Xuantian and Duanmu Yunqian sat facing each other.

At the side sat Duanmu Xi's mother, Yun Yiluo, with Sima Jue and Duanmu Xi accompanying her.

Below the hall sat two Academy elders, Shangguan Feilong and Wang Ruofei.

Sima Jue cupped his hands toward Duanmu Yunqian. "Father-in-law, today is a good day."

Sima Xuantian smiled faintly at Duanmu Yunqian. "Brother Duanmu, how about we arrange the engagement today?"

Before Duanmu Yunqian could reply, Shangguan Feilong laughed heartily. "The Winter Solstice is an auspicious day. The Academy can lay out several dozen tables of banquet food without a problem."

Sima Jue's mother, Qin Ruoyu, smiled faintly at Yun Yiluo. "They say it is better to strike while the iron is hot than choose a day. What do you think?"

Yun Yiluo smiled softly. "I think it will do."

Sima Jue narrowed his eyes. He had long been unable to restrain the excitement in his heart!

"No!"

At that moment, Duanmu Xi suddenly said, "Mother, the marriage contract between Wang Xian and me is still in Junior Brother's hands."

Hmph!

Sima Xuantian snorted coldly. "That traitor died on Phoenix Terrace. So what if there is no marriage contract?"

Upon hearing this, Yun Yiluo seemed as if she had been struck by lightning.

She stared blankly at Duanmu Yunqian and asked, "Husband, what should we do?"

At that moment, Elder Wang Ruofei spoke.

"It is nothing. Have Little Xi write a letter of divorce, then drip blood upon it. The law-enforcement elder can burn incense on Phoenix Terrace to honor heaven and announce it to cultivators throughout All Under Heaven!"

Sima Jue's mother, Qin Ruoyu, was startled. "Have Little Xi divorce her husband?"

Yun Yiluo sighed. "If that child is already dead, this is the only way."

Sima Xuantian slapped the table. "Then have Little Xi act at once. Elder Wang, Shangguan Feilong, go prepare an incense altar on Phoenix Terrace."

Wang Ruofei and the other replied, "We shall go at once!"

Sima Jue suppressed the unease in his heart and urged, "Junior Sister..."

After thinking for a moment, Duanmu Xi replied, "Father, give me a sheet of yellow paper."

Under everyone's gaze, Duanmu Xi took the cinnabar Qin Ruoyu brought over and began writing upon the yellow paper.

Today, the woman Duanmu Xi, having Wang Xian as her betrothed, hereby divorces him because he slaughtered and poisoned fellow disciples, committing crimes towering to the heavens.

On this Winter Solstice day, I write this letter to divorce my husband! Henceforth, each shall marry as they wish, and there shall never again be any dispute!

Lest there be no proof in the future, this written agreement is made as testimony...

With several strokes of her brush, a letter of divorce appeared before everyone.

Duanmu Xi bit her finger and let a drop of blood fall beside her name, like a crimson little flower blooming upon the letter of divorce.

Good!

Sima Xuantian picked up the letter of divorce from the table and led the group, transforming into streaks of lightning as they headed for Phoenix Terrace.

By then, Shangguan Feilong and Wang Ruofei had already led several disciples in setting up an incense altar on Phoenix Terrace and lighting incense and candles.

Everything awaited only the law-enforcement elder and the others ascending Phoenix Terrace.

They would burn incense to honor heaven, then make the announcement to All Under Heaven.

Whooo! Whooo!

For some reason, though a warm winter sun had risen today, a cold wind suddenly began to blow, and snowflakes once again drifted through the sky.

The wind and snow remained as before, yet they could not stop Duanmu Xi's determination to divorce her husband.

The group quickly ascended Phoenix Terrace.

Sima Jue softly consoled her, "Junior Sister, don't be afraid. Isn't my father here, along with your parents?"

Duanmu Xi sighed faintly. "Junior Brother, if your spirit is in heaven, do not hate me for being heartless!"

Sima Xuantian burned incense and prayed to heaven. He recited the prayer incantation once more, then picked up Duanmu Xi's letter of divorce and raised it to the sky with both hands.

He shouted solemnly, "August Heaven above, Duanmu Xi today righteously divorces her husband. May all gods and Buddhas in the heavens bless her!"

After saying this, he held it over the incense and candles and set it alight.

Whooo! A cold wind swept over, rolling up the burning letter of divorce and carrying it toward the Ninth Heaven in the blink of an eye.

"Heavens, bless my daughter!"

At that moment, Yun Yiluo suddenly clasped her hands together and prayed toward the sky.

Bzz!

A streak of golden light, sharp as a sword, slashed down from the horizon toward the Daoist temple above Kunlun!

The Old Daoist, who was teaching Wang Xian to draw a Peace Talisman, was startled. He reached out and caught the sword that slashed toward him in an instant.

After taking just one look, he cried out in alarm!

"Holy shit! Disciple, your wife wants to divorce you!"