A Month Passed in the Blink of an Eye

A month has passed in the blink of an eye.

Deep within the Xie Family mansion, in a quiet bedroom.

Xie Qingyu suddenly awoke from his coma, his eyes snapping open, a lingering Golden Thread Sword Shadow and the fear of impending death still visible deep within his pupils.

Almost instinctively, he clenched one fist and lunged forward, while his other hand reached sharply for his waist—where a cold, sharp blade had once mercilessly slashed.

Everywhere you touch, there is intact skin.

Only a faint, almost invisible trace of powder proved that it was not a nightmare.

But that cold, visceral feeling of separation from the body and the loss of life was etched into the depths of my soul like a brand.

"Young Master is awake!" The maid who was standing by was startled at first, then her face lit up with joy, and she hurriedly turned around and rushed out of the room to report.

Before long, hurried footsteps approached from afar, the bedroom door was pushed open, and a group of people rushed in.

Leading the group was Xie Nian, whose face was solemn, followed closely by Xie Qingyu's parents.

Xie Nian walked quickly to the bedside, looking at his cousin who still had a somewhat confused look in his eyes and was subconsciously touching his waist and abdomen, a complex and inscrutable emotion flashed in his eyes.

Ignoring the dissuasion behind him, he brazenly raised his hand—

"Smack!"

A crisp, resounding slap landed squarely on Xie Qingyu's face, knocking his head to the side and causing his cheek to quickly swell and turn red.

"What are you doing! Qingyu just woke up!" Xie Qingyu's mother immediately stepped forward, protecting her son with heartache.

"So what if I just woke up!" Xie Nian roared in anger. "You dare challenge that person?! Do you even know who he is?"

Xie Qingyu touched his stinging cheek and subconsciously replied, "The... Divine Son of the Heaven Above Heaven?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Nian became even angrier.

He was breathing heavily, his voice trembling with excitement. "You know too! The Divine Son of Heaven Above Heaven... he's the Divine Son of Heaven Above Heaven!"

This sentence was almost shouted out, filled with lingering fear and an indescribable awe.

"Do you even know what the Heaven Above Heaven is?! Do you know how powerful it is?! You dared to challenge it?! You've never died before! Let's see if you dare to do it again next time!"

Xie Qingyu touched his burning, stinging cheeks and lips, listening to his cousin's roar. The memories of his near-death experience surged back into his mind like a tidal wave, cold and suffocating.

As I listened, that stubbornness that I had been holding onto as a teenager finally crumbled.

Overwhelmed by immense grievance and lingering fear, his nose stung, and he abruptly turned and threw himself into his mother's arms, his voice trembling and choked with sobs.

"I was so scared... I almost died..."

He clung tightly to his mother, his body trembling uncontrollably, releasing all the fear that had been building up in that moment.

His mother gently patted his back, softly comforting him, "It's alright, it's alright, it's good that everything's alright now..."

Looking at his cousin's vulnerable appearance, where he had shed all pretense and reverted to his youthful nature, Xie Nian felt a mix of emotions.

He was silent for a moment, and the hand that had been raised in anger trembled slightly before finally landing on Xie Qingyu's head with a barely perceptible gentleness, and ruffled it.

"It's good that you're alright..." Xie Nian's voice lowered, carrying a hint of relief and hoarseness, "That person... ultimately held back."

His gaze fell on the almost invisible shallow mark on Xie Qingyu's waist, his expression complex.

A moment of silence filled the room before Xie Nian spoke again, his tone different. "Qingyu, well done."

"I know there are some rumors, but from today onwards, no one will call you a coward."

The praise came abruptly, yet it caused Xie Qingyu was in his arms, to stiffen slightly.

Xie Nian paused, his tone becoming serious again. "But this kind of thing must not happen again."

"Not everyone is as kind and powerful as him."

After giving a few more instructions, Xie Nian stepped out of the bedroom.

Gently close the door, shutting out the sobbing and comforting inside.

He let out a long sigh, as if to release all the pent-up emotions in his chest, but when he looked up, he was slightly taken aback.

Xie Qingshang stood not far from the corridor, leaning against a vermilion pillar, his figure appearing somewhat frail in the twilight.

The two stood quietly at a distance, falling into silence for a moment.

The evening breeze swept through the courtyard, leaving only the rustling of bamboo leaves.

Ultimately, it was Xie Qingshang who broke the silence.

Her voice was soft, carrying a hint of inquiry that she herself was unaware of.

Is he really that strong?

Although she already had the answer in her heart and had witnessed that almost miraculous scene, she still asked the question, as if she needed to get the final confirmation from another eyewitness.

Xie Nian nodded solemnly and said decisively, "Of course!"

After another moment of silence, Xie Nian's fist clenched unconsciously, his knuckles turning white.

"I've never seen anyone that strong in my life." His gaze was somewhat unfocused, as if he were back on that despairing ring. "Just standing opposite him, I felt a kind of despair that came from the level of life itself."

He took a deep breath, as if the fear of that day still lingered.

"What's even more terrifying is that you can clearly feel that he still has room for maneuver. Like the deep sea, just the tip of the iceberg shattered me."

"To be honest, my legs went weak the moment I stepped onto the stage, and all I wanted to do was jump off and run away. That fear spread through me and almost completely suppressed my strength."

"But defeat is defeat, and any reason is just an excuse."

"So," Xie Nian's voice lowered, filled with unspeakable shame, "When I heard that Qingyu actually dared to challenge that person, I was first shocked, and then... ashamed."

He raised his head, looking directly at Xie Qingshang, his eyes filled with complex and unreadable emotions. "I'm scared."

When faced with a powerful enemy, any human being would feel fear.

Fear is instinct, courage is a hymn.

He succumbed to his fear, but he did not run away.

Xie Qingshang did not respond, but listened quietly; her silence itself was a form of understanding.

Suddenly, Xie Nian chuckled softly. The laughter was initially bitter, but gradually it was tinged with an indescribable excitement.

"Though I was afraid, unexpectedly..." He paused, a glint of fighting spirit igniting in his eyes, "I wanted to fight him again."

After speaking, Xie Nian looked at Xie Qingshang again, his gaze intense. "What about you? Do you think so too?"

Although Xie Qingshang did not confront Qin Wangchuan directly, when she recalled those unique, dazzling Golden Eyes in the Secret Realm that seemed to illuminate everything...

A sense of instinctive awe made her nod unconsciously.

"Yes."

Then, she silently murmured to herself, the thought clear and firm: 'I want to see him again.'

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, a name that Chu Wujiu and Zhao Lingyun had casually mentioned when they parted flashed through her mind like lightning.

Oh, right!

"Wandao Academy is accepting applications!"

"As a top-tier Dao Lineage in the Heaven Above Heaven, the Wandao Academy not only faces the Heaven Above Heaven but also seeks out talented individuals from across the Three Thousand Provinces."

However, the number of spots is extremely limited, with only one in ten thousand available.

Those who can enter its gates are all exceptionally talented and Qi Yun with long-lasting good Prodigy.

"Wandao Academy?" Xie Nian's expression immediately turned serious upon hearing this. He murmured, "That's right, Wandao Academy..."

There, you can find him and fight him again!

In the past, he would never have considered a lineage as unattainable as the Wandao Academy.

After all, the threshold is too high. Even if one is lucky enough to enter, the teachings there are not ordinary methods. It is a Daoist academy that is completely open only to prodigies.

"But things are different now." Xie Nian's eyes sharpened, his goal clearer than ever before. "With a target that must be defeated, this trip—is a must!"

Xie Qingshang listened and nodded slightly in agreement.

Then, as if remembering something, she leaned back weakly against the cold wall, looked up at the darkening sky, and a helpless, bitter smile appeared on her lips.

"If we think this way, then others... might have the same idea."

Once upon a time, Xie Qingshang was a highly sought-after and rarely seen woman of exceptional talent.

Now, she also needs to compete with Prodigy for that slim chance to... see him again.

This year's Wandao Academy will likely face unprecedented difficulties.

But--

Xie Qingshang's gaze sharpened, and the bitter smile instantly transformed into unwavering resolve.

Fearless!