The Stirring Winds of Spirit Nexus

In the side room, Shen Yuxi slowly lay back down on the bed. The soft bedding gently wrapped around his somewhat weary body, like a pair of tender hands soothing him. He stared blankly at the ceiling, a trace of confusion in his eyes.

Although True Person Yu Qing had used spiritual power twice to carefully mend Shen Yuxi's damaged meridians, such grave injuries could naturally not be restored to normal in so short a time.

Earlier, with someone tending to him at his side, Shen Yuxi's attention had been diverted, leaving him no time to notice the pain throughout his body.

Now that his surroundings had gradually quieted, drawn along by the waves of pain growing stronger by the moment, his thoughts drifted uncontrollably back to the fierce battle with that demonic cultivator before he had lost consciousness.

It had happened during Shen Yuxi's journey home—

The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion claimed to know the secrets of heaven and understand all matters beneath it. Its location itself was not concealed, yet it was protected by an exceptionally complex formation, like an invisible, insurmountable barrier shrouding the pavilion.

Without an invitation from someone within the pavilion, the lofty tower that appeared and vanished amid the swirling clouds was no more than a mirage. No matter how hard one pressed forward, one could not approach it by even an inch.

It was Shen Yuxi's first visit to the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, and he had his fill of novel sights along the way.

After entering the pavilion, meeting Xuanji Zi, the current Pavilion Master, and successfully obtaining the item his master had instructed him to retrieve, Shen Yuxi quickly began his return journey.

All along the way, Shen Yuxi had acted with caution and kept a low profile. Relying on his considerable strength and quick wits, his journey had gone smoothly enough.

Yet just as he was about to reach the sect, Shen Yuxi's hand gripping his immortal sword suddenly tightened, and his brows furrowed slightly. An unusual sensation came from within his robes.

He instinctively pressed a hand to his chest and discovered that the wooden box he had retrieved on his master's orders was faintly heating up, as though some long-dormant power were awakening. The warmth seeped through his clothes into his chest, stirring an indescribable agitation, as if an invisible hand were teasing at his mind.

He lowered his head instinctively and was just about to take out the wooden box for a look when a beastlike roar crashed down like a heavy hammer, shattering the mountain forest's silence. The roar was deafening, full of primal savagery and violence, as though it meant to mercilessly tear apart and devour everything around it.

Shen Yuxi's pupils contracted sharply. Before he could react further, his figure flashed away like lightning. At almost the same instant, a black claw mark split apart the place where he had just hovered, and the air seemed torn open by an invisible giant hand, emitting a shrill howl.

The surrounding trees snapped beneath the force, and a bottomless ravine tore open across the ground. Dust filled the air, shattered stones flew everywhere, and the scene was a complete mess.

"Roar!" A low growl came from the forest again, followed by an elderly man with disheveled hair bursting out.

His eyes were blood-red, and demonic qi churned around him like black flames coiling about his body. Every step carried the aura of destruction. The old man's movements seemed utterly chaotic, yet every move was lethal, each strike carrying berserk power as though it would grind all things beneath heaven into dust.

Shen Yuxi swiftly landed atop the branch of an ancient tree nearby. The branch bent slightly beneath his weight, yet continued to hold firm.

His gaze was icy as he stared fixedly at the old man. With a light raise of his right hand, his long sword returned steadily to his grasp. Its blade pointed straight at his opponent, its azure sword light especially glaring beneath the dim sky.

"Demonic qi has invaded his heart; his mind is lost..." Shen Yuxi murmured, a trace of gravity unconsciously entering his voice.

The cultivation methods of Demonic Cultivators were unstable. At every step, they might lose their reason and become beasts that knew only madness. From that earlier attack alone, it was clear that the other party's cultivation far surpassed Shen Yuxi's.

He had no room to pity the man. His gaze abruptly turned resolute, and with a flash, he vanished from where he stood, leaving behind only an afterimage.

The next instant, sword light flashed like lightning and drove straight for the old man's throat.

"Clang!" The sword edge collided with demonic qi, producing a piercing metallic crash. Shen Yuxi felt his arm go numb, and alarm flashed through his heart.

Even if the other man was out of his mind, the vast gap in their cultivation still made him difficult to contend with. From that brief exchange, even if the man had not reached the Spirit Transformation stage, he was likely not far from it.

"Die! Die!" the old man howled madly, his voice hoarse and sinister, like the roar of a vicious ghost from the depths of hell.

He suddenly swept out a hand, and black demonic flames surged in from all directions like a raging tide, carrying an aura that would destroy everything as they blotted out the sky and lunged at Shen Yuxi.

Wherever the demonic flames passed, wood and stone instantly turned to ash, leaving behind only scorched black earth.

Shen Yuxi retreated sharply, his long sword swiftly tracing an arcing path. Sword light shone like the moon, cold and gentle, clashing fiercely with the violent demonic flames in a thunderous roar.

For a moment, the mountains shook and the earth quaked. Spiritual power surged in every direction, and the surrounding trees toppled askew beneath the shockwaves as dust filled the sky. This was the sword technique Shen Yuxi had created himself, the Moonlight Art, which emphasized using softness to overcome hardness and piercing a surface through a single point.

Yet against this frenzied demonic cultivator, Shen Yuxi, though far from weak, still found himself struggling greatly.

When the old man's strike failed, his madness only intensified. He closed in on Shen Yuxi in an instant like a ghost, black demonic radiance gleaming around his claws as he viciously clawed at Shen Yuxi's chest.

Shen Yuxi hurriedly twisted aside, but the demonic claws still grazed his shoulder. His robes instantly tore, a bloody mark appeared, and blood seeped out. As if he could not feel the pain in his shoulder, his sword momentum abruptly changed. The formerly cold sword light became incomparably sharp, and a string of sword shadows attacked the old man, trying to disrupt his rhythm.

The old man seemed to sense Shen Yuxi's intention. Rather than dodge, he allowed the sword shadows to fall upon him. The demonic flames instantly devoured them, and he seized the chance to throw another punch. His fist wind howled, as though it could shatter space itself.

Unable to evade in time, Shen Yuxi was struck in the chest. He flew backward like a kite with its string cut, smashing through several ancient trees in succession. He hurriedly drove his long sword into the ground with a backhanded motion, barely stabilizing himself, only to discover in horror that the wooden box in his robes had vanished at some point.

Looking up, he saw the wooden box floating in midair, radiating a faint golden glow.

"Roar!" The old man seemed to be driven even madder by the light, pouncing at the wooden box without regard for anything else.

A cold gleam flashed through Shen Yuxi's eyes. He forcibly drew up a breath of true qi, and his sword momentum changed abruptly. The previously cold sword light suddenly turned incomparably fierce, as if it would tear apart everything within sight.

This was his trump card—Moonlight Art: Dawnbreak. Though it consumed an enormous amount of spiritual power, it could unleash strength far surpassing his own realm for a short period.

Sword light arced like a rainbow, striking straight for the old man's lower ribs. Yet just as it was about to hit, a terrifying wave of demonic qi erupted from the old man's body, like an impregnable black city wall, shattering the sword light to pieces.

At the same time, black demonic flames surged toward Shen Yuxi like a raging flood. Unable to dodge, he was struck by a stream of demonic flame. Blood spilled from his mouth, his body staggered, and his consciousness gradually blurred.

In the instant before he fell unconscious, Shen Yuxi vaguely saw the artifact in the wooden box transform into a streak of golden light and enter his body. That light was warm and gentle, as though it could soothe every wound and bring him a sliver of comfort.

"Wretch!" At the same time, an angry shout exploded like thunder. In Shen Yuxi's final awareness, a familiar streak of sword light tore across the sky, and then he sank completely into chaos.

Recalling all this, Shen Yuxi let out a long sigh.

The demonic cultivator's eyes had burned with a ruthless scarlet glow like that of a starving beast. The black flames formed from demonic qi blazed fiercely, yet carried a bone-eroding chill, as though they could melt flesh and blood down to nothing.

With every clash, Shen Yuxi had felt as if he were slamming into an invisible wall of bronze and iron. The rebounding agony had surged through his entire body like an electric current, leaving him with lingering fear even now.

Why was I trying to act tough...

Staring at the bed canopy, the young man gently flicked the Soul-Calming Jade Pendant, watching it sway leisurely as he pulled the corner of his mouth into a self-mocking smile. His plain white inner robes had long been soaked through with cold sweat, clinging tightly to him and outlining his somewhat slender frame.

If any disciple saw him in such a wretched state now, they would surely be too stunned to close their mouths. The Second Senior Brother, usually as cold and noble as solitary snow on a lofty pine, with an otherworldly bearing, was now curled up without a shred of dignity amid embroidered bedding. Pain had reddened the corners of his eyes as though stained by sunset clouds, and his damp, disordered hair clung to his neck. Compared with his usual upright and composed demeanor, he looked like a completely different person.

"Damn it, this hurts like hell..." the young man muttered a curse, his tone full of helpless resentment. "I knew the task Master gave me would be no good. Just as expected. It was obviously just fetching an item. I was already being so cautious, yet something still went wrong. Heavenly Dao, you really deserve to die!"

As he grumbled on and on, he thumped the bed with his hand, as though that could vent all the frustration in his heart. The blows were weak, yet carried a somewhat childish stubbornness.

Shen Yuxi's complaints poured forth without end. He had no idea that these thoughts, which he had believed he was merely venting silently in his heart, had already reached True Person Yu Qing in the neighboring room without missing a single word.

Clear Parasol Hall had always been the residence of the sect masters throughout the generations. As the current sect master's sole direct disciple, Shen Yuxi naturally had his own residence in Clear Parasol Hall. His room stood next to True Person Yu Qing's, separated by only one wall.

Concerned for his beloved disciple's safety, True Person Yu Qing continued paying close attention to the sounds from this side even after returning to his own room.

Now, hearing his disciple—usually so solemn, composed, and steady—complaining about him so endlessly, he unconsciously curled his fingers slightly beneath his broad sleeve, a trace of awkwardness passing over his face.

He did not feel offended. After all, it had indeed been his own oversight, his failure to consider every possibility, that had left his disciple trapped in danger and nearly cost him his life. Thinking of it this way, it was only natural for his disciple to harbor some resentment.

From the neighboring room, Shen Yuxi's complaints grew ever fiercer, like a flood bursting through its dike, impossible to contain. "I should have just run away. Right. The next time I run into danger, I'm absolutely turning tail and running!"

As if recalling something, the young man rolled over and buried his face in the soft pillow, his voice trembling slightly. "But with the way that demonic cultivator looked, even if I'd run, I probably would've died worse... Looking at the outcome, whether I ran or not, it seemed like there was only a dead end..."

"Ugh... This is so damn annoying, annoying, annoying! When all's said and done, if Eldest Senior Brother hadn't gone into seclusion, how would this job have landed on my head? It's all Eldest Senior Brother's fault!"

The young man abruptly sat up, only for the excessive motion to pull at his wounds. He hissed in pain and fell back onto the bed. The brocade blanket rose in layers like snowy waves with his movement, and the last note of his voice shot upward with a touch of childish irritation.

Listening to the rustle of fabric, True Person Yu Qing could practically picture a figure rolling and tossing amid the brocade quilts. Yet when he connected that image with the obedient, sensible disciple in his memories, one as gentle as a bright moon and clear breeze, his fingertips could not help trembling slightly, as though he had glimpsed some astonishing secret.

If this truly was his disciple's innermost voice, then was this disciple of his, who was usually cold and taciturn, actually so... lively and unrestrained in private?

While he was still uncertain, hurried rustling suddenly came from the room—Shen Yuxi seemed to have finally remembered where he was and smoothed the cloud-brocade quilt flat with lightning speed.

He hurriedly tidied his appearance, clumsily brushing his disheveled hair behind his ears. "Crap crap crap crap crap crap crap! No wonder this bed looked familiar! This is Clear Parasol Hall, holy shit!! Master is next door! Damn it!"

Following that sharply raised cry, the neighboring room instantly fell into deathly silence. It was as if time had stopped at that moment, leaving only the lingering echo of the cry trembling faintly in the air.

Not long after, a weak murmur drifted over, cautious as though afraid of disturbing something.

"Master probably didn't notice, right? Good, good... Otherwise I'd be too embarrassed to face anyone..."

Hearing this, True Person Yu Qing could not help laughing silently. He had truly never expected that beneath his disciple's usual calm and reserved exterior lay such an adorable true nature. Only...

He frowned slightly. In cultivating and seeking the Dao, the most vital thing was to understand one's heart and see one's true nature, to face one's inner self honestly. Why force oneself to suppress one's true disposition and bind oneself beneath appearances?

Shen Yuxi had no idea that his master had witnessed every bit of his reaction.

Things had only just quieted down when, without warning, the final scene before his unconsciousness surfaced in the depths of his spiritual platform like a dream bubble—the golden stream of light that had darted like a fish entering the sea, instantly sinking into his dantian.

That radiance had been dazzling. Even recreated only in his memory, it still carried a soul-shaking force.

He unconsciously touched his abdomen lightly, his movements cautious, as though he could still truly feel the strange warmth that had spread through him in that instant.

Come to think of it... did the thing Master told me to bring back glow before I passed out? And then it somehow burrowed into my body? What was that supposed to mean? A pie falling from the sky? A belated cheat ability?

At that thought, a trace of unease rose in Shen Yuxi's heart.

I don't know what use that artifact has, but from how seriously Master took it when he sent me to retrieve it, I know it must be extraordinary. And it came from the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion... Could it be some sect treasure? It got "absorbed" by me so easily—won't that cause trouble?

But he soon talked himself around.

Well, since Master never mentioned the artifact after I woke up and only told me to recover peacefully, maybe it isn't as important as I thought? At the very least, it definitely didn't cause any serious consequences.

Besides, it wasn't my fault. Who knew a crazed demonic cultivator would suddenly pop out? They usually hide so thoroughly that you couldn't find them even with a lantern, yet the one time I took a long trip after ages, I ran into one. And he was a demonic cultivator just one step away from Spirit Transformation... Wait, could I have happened to catch him failing his breakthrough? Damn it! Where am I supposed to go to argue about that?

Shen Yuxi froze, on the verge of tears. What kind of outrageous luck was this?

Forget it, forget it. Master saw everything anyway, so he definitely knows the artifact entering me wasn't intentional. He must already understand the whole right and wrong of it, which is why he didn't reprimand me.

After comforting himself like this, the worry in his heart gradually faded, and he quickly let it go.

Having a sect master for a master really is great. He has power and influence, so I don't have to worry about anything myself. This feels amazing.

Hearing that, True Person Yu Qing's lips curved faintly upward. He found his disciple's innocence and frankness amusing. After such a heart-stoppingly dangerous ordeal, this child could still remain so optimistic. That was truly rare.

Yet in the blink of an eye, the smile quietly vanished from True Person Yu Qing's face, replaced by worry that could not be dispelled. There were too many unknown variables tied to that artifact. Would it bring fortune or disaster?

Nine Domains Encyclopedia:

○ Misty Spirit Peak

Misty Spirit Peak is the highest mountain within the Profound Heaven Sect. It is where the sect masters of every generation reside.

Clear Parasol Hall is the discussion hall, where matters great and small are discussed. Behind the discussion hall lies the sect master's residence.

Twin-Life Terrace lies behind Clear Parasol Hall. The Twin-Life Tree grows close beside Misty Spirit Peak, towering into the heavens.

The Twin-Life Tree stands west of Clear Parasol Hall, while Shen Yuxi lives to the east. True Person Yu Qing generally lives on the west side, only deliberately moving to the east side whenever his disciple is there.