Time slipped by.

Chu Yukou stood there respectfully, not moving in the slightest, patient as could be.

A full fifteen minutes passed before the icy, piercing hum of a sword suddenly reverberated from within the immortal cave.

Chu Yukou’s body went rigid. The hum caused a piercing pain in his soul, and he felt a chill on his skin. Despite himself, his expression shifted.

The gate to the immortal cave silently opened, and an upright figure emerged.

He was dressed in gray, with eyebrows like swords and eyes that sparkled like stars. His long hair was tied behind his head, and he looked young, save for his brown eyes; when they moved, they had the air of the vicissitudes of life. 

He held a book made of bamboo slips in his left hand, and his right hand was behind his back.

The most eye-catching thing about him was the flying sword in his topknot. It was gold in color, and as clear and lustrous as a jade hair clip.

“Martial Uncle!” Chu Yukou greeted him solemnly.

This youthful-looking man in gray was none other than the great elder of the Wheel of the Moon Sect, Qiu Hengkong! Within the Great Wei, he was a legend of the Dao of the Sword!

He started studying the sword at nine. At thirteen, he became a Xiantian Martial Ancestor. At nineteen, he became an Earthly Immortal. Now, his attainments in the Dao of the Sword placed him at the very pinnacle of the Wheel of the Moon Sect.

In his youth, the brilliance of his swordsmanship outshone even experts of the older generation despite their superior cultivations.

At the time, Qiu Hengkong’s sword dominated the Great Wei, and his name spread far and wide. He was the youngest Earthly Immortal in the empire!

Yet, this peerless figure of his generation had, at just twenty-four years of age, gone into seclusion in the immortal cave beside Heart-Cleansing Pond. There had been no word of him ever since.

Fifty years had passed since then!

“Is the boy you told me about a few days ago here? Su Yi?” asked Qiu Hengkong.

His expression was gentle, but every inch of him emanated a formless pressure so intense that even a late-stage Grain Avoidance Expert like Chu Yukou stiffened; he found it hard to breathe.

Chu Yukou took a deep breath, then said respectfully, “Martial Uncle, Su Yi will arrive at the Wheel of the Moon Sect within two hours.”

“Oh?” said Qiu Hengkong thoughtfully. “I’ve reviewed his accomplishments in detail, and in the end, I reached a conclusion. The boy’s power far surpasses other cultivations. It’s almost impossible to overstate his abilities. Even if I fight him myself, I cannot say with certainty that I’ll win.”

Chu Yukou was stunned. “Martial Uncle, you reached the Grain Avoidance Realm fifty years ago, and you once ventured into Golden Arc Demon Mountain and obtained a matchless ancient legacy of the Dao of the Sword. How could Su Yi possibly be a match for you?”

Golden Arc Demon Mountain was one of the most deeply hidden places in the Great Wei.

Fifty years ago, Qiu Hengkong had ventured in on his own, obtaining a long-lost, peerless legacy. This was why he’d chosen to enter seclusion.

The way Chu Yukou saw it, given Qiu Hengkong’s aptitude, after fifty years of seclusion and contemplation, his strength ought to have long since reached unimaginable heights!

The Unknown Dragons Su Yi had defeated weren’t even remotely comparable!

“Don’t get complacent,” said Qiu Hengkong, gently but solemnly. “We are cultivators. No matter the time and place, we cannot underestimate any foe, much less Su Yi. There’s something strange about him, and you cannot use common sense to evaluate him. If he hadn’t killed Junior Apprentice Brother Yun Zhongqi, I wouldn’t want to fight someone like him.”

Chu Yukou was instantly stunned.

Fifty years ago, his martial uncle was like a sword, his sharp edge on full display. He was aggressive, unrestrained, and brazen enough to call the nation’s other sword cultivators nothing but a pack of riffraff. 

Now, fifty years later, he seemed like an entirely different person. He was as placid as water, without the slightest hint of an edge, reserved and unsophisticated.

The man he’d once been would have rushed out the door in a murderous rage as soon as he heard about what Su Yi had done.

“Since Su Yi has shown up on our doorstep, I’ll meet him,” said Qiu Hengkong softly. “Tell the rest of the sect that when he arrives, they are not to get involved. Leave him entirely up to me.”

Chu Yukou solemnly nodded his assent. “Yes, sir!”

“You can go.” Qiu Hengkong waved, then walked directly across the Heart-Cleansing Pool and sat cross-legged on its surface. He gazed at the lotuses in complete stillness.

When he saw this, Chu Yukou silently turned and left.

“Young Lord, that’s Mount Rama up ahead.” Cha Jin pointed at the vast, majestic, dark mountain in the distance. 

It was home to the top cultivation holy ground in the Great Wei.

“That mountain is actually quite extraordinary. It connects heaven and earth with the force of a rampaging bull. It’s a rare paradise for cultivation amidst the mundane,” commented Su Yi.

“Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!” 

A group of youths galloped over on horseback.

When they caught up to Su Yi and Cha Jin, the leader, a young man in silver, suddenly tugged on the reins and pulled his horse to a stop. When he saw Cha Jin, he exclaimed, “Junior Apprentice Sister Cha Jin, it really is you!”

The other youths stopped too. They gazed at Su Yi and Cha Jin from atop their horses.

When they looked at Cha Jin, the young men’s eyes lit up with amazement.

Su Yi glanced at the youths briefly, then ignored them. 

Judging by their clothes, they were either rich or nobles. The swift horses carrying them were a fine breed of the mundane world; each was worth ten thousand gold.

As for their cultivations…

Some were Xiantian Martial Ancestors, like the silver-robed youth leading the back. He was the real deal.

However, most were Grandmasters, and a few had yet to even enter the Inner Furnace Realm.

“Senior Apprentice Brother Hong Yang?” exclaimed Cha Jin. She recognized the young man in silver robes. He was a main-branch disciple of the Great Wei’s top clan, the Hong Family.

His name was Hong Yan, and he’d been cultivating in the Wheel of the Moon Sect for years. He was now one of the Seven Sons of the Moon Wheel, and he was a publicly acknowledged cultivation genius. He occupied a transcendent position among the sect’s younger generation, and the sect’s elders attached enormous importance to him.

Back when she first met Su Yi, Cha Jin had once compared him to the Seven Sons of the Moon Wheel.

Over time, she understood him better. There was no way she’d be so foolish and immature as to compare Su Yi to the Seven Sons of the Moon Wheel now.

The silver-robed Hong Yang looked at her strangely. “Junior Apprentice Sister Cha Jin, forgive my boldness, but did the Shen Family really send you here to be punished?”

The other young men and women beside him all had strange expressions. Who among them was unaware that the sect now saw Cha Jin as a traitor? 

The sect leader had even exploded in a rage over this, saying that if the Shen Family didn’t turn Cha Jin in, the sect would obliterate the entire family. After that incident, the entire Wheel of the Moon Sect practically boiled over with discussion.

“Accept punishment?” Cha Jin’s delicate eyebrows knit together, but she couldn’t be bothered to explain. “Senior Apprentice Brother Hong Yang, this has nothing to do with you, so there’s no need to ask any further questions.”

“Cha Jin, you’re nothing but a traitor to the sect. How can you talk to Senior Apprentice Brother Hongyang like that?” said a girl in colorful clothes. She sat astride a horse and looked down on Cha Jin from on high.

Her name was She Ziying, and she was a legacy disciple of the Wheel of the Moon Sect. She’d always admired Hong Yang.

The others all shook their heads, and numerous youths couldn’t help but look at Cha Jin with pity. Doesn’t she know how dire her predicament is yet?

The punishment for traitors is simply brutal!

“Junior apprentice brothers and sisters, no need to pursue this any further. Junior Apprentice Sister Cha Jin is pitiful enough already. Even if her mistakes were greater, it’s up to the sect to punish her. It’s not our place to rebuke her,” said Hong Yang.

He then addressed Cha Jin directly. “Junior Apprentice Sister, if you sincerely repent, I’d be happy to put in a good word on your behalf. I can’t promise that you’ll escape punishment altogether, but I can at least help reduce your sentence.”

The crowd was flabbergasted. 

Some of the girls were beside themselves with jealousy; they realized that Hong Yang had to be doing this because he was interested in Cha Jin.

Otherwise, with his status, there’d be no need for him to speak up on behalf of a traitor.

Against all expectations, after a stunned pause, Cha Jin said coldly, “No need. Just mind your own business.”

Hong Yang’s expression froze, then darkened.

Here he was, willing to back her up. He would never have guessed that Cha Jin would reject his offer, much less that she’d do it so bluntly. 

This was an affront to his dignity.

The other youths were flabbergasted. Who’d have thought that Cha Jin, a traitor, someone in dire straits, would reject Hong Yang’s good intentions so rudely?

“Senior Apprentice Brother Hong Yang, Cha Jin doesn’t know what’s good for her. Just leave the traitor to her fate!” said the colorfully dressed She Ziying, indignant on his behalf.

The others chimed in too, one after another. “That’s right! Let’s see if she’s still so stubborn after the sect has dealt with her.”

Hong Yang merely laughed coldly. “Forget it. I just couldn’t bear to see a former sectmate suffer, but it seems… my concern isn’t reciprocated. Come on, let’s go.”

With that, he steered his horse away.

The others followed. Before they left, they shot Cha Jin one last glance, their gazes a mixture of disdain, pity, and sadistic glee.

Especially She Ziying. She even went so far as to laugh, “Cha Jin, just wait! When they punish you, I’ll be sure to come watch!”

Cha Jin didn’t lose her temper. She just shook her head in exasperation, then said to Su Yi, “I apologize for this embarrassing scene.”

Su Yi had been silent all this time, but now, he finally spoke. “There’s never been a shortage of lowlifes eager to throw stones at anyone who falls into a well. That’s just how the world is. However, this time, they’ve misunderstood the situation.”

Cha Jin naturally knew exactly what Su Yi was getting at.

They most certainly hadn’t come here to accept their punishment!

“Come on, let’s go. Let’s finish our business with the Wheel of the Moon Sect before night falls,” said Su Yi. He was already continuing ahead.

He and Cha Jin were traveling on foot, but each step covered over a hundred feet. They weren’t especially quick, but this method saved the most energy.

Just fifteen minutes later.

Two figures appeared at the foot of Mount Rama.

There was a massive square built near the gate of the Wheel of the Moon Sect. The ground was paved in blue stones so shiny, they functioned as mirrors, while numerous altars lined the sides of the square, giving it a solemn and grand atmosphere.

It was near nightfall, and the clouds blazed like fire beneath the light of dusk, enveloping all of Mount Rama in their radiant celestial light. A flock of white cranes flew off in the distance, dancing and weaving through the air with a series of resonant cries.

It was the very picture of an immortal paradise.

“Look! Junior Sister Cha Jin is back!”

“It really is her….”

“It seems the Shen Family couldn’t bear the sect’s pressure. They had no choice but to send that traitor here to atone for her crimes.”

When Su Yi and Cha Jin arrived, the area near the sect’s gates instantly burst into uproar.

Numerous young men and women had gathered there, including Hong Yang and his companions.

It was obvious that, after returning to the sect, they’d spread word of Cha Jin’s arrival. Numerous other members of the Wheel of the Moon Sect had gathered here as a result.

Simply put, they were here to watch the show.