A Master’s Understanding and a Fateful Book’s Awakening

“Xia Yi, why have you returned to the peak so late?”

Having returned from Fei Miaoyun’s place, it was already deep into the night.

Xia Yi had barely stepped into the courtyard when a clear, cold voice called out to him.

It was the voice of his Master—Pei Yunxiang.

“Replying to Master, Martial Aunt Fei summoned this disciple to discuss some matters, which is why I was delayed.”

“Was it Junior Martial Sister Miaoyun who called for you?”

Pei Yunxiang now stood before Xia Yi, her countenance cool and noble, a stark contrast to Fei Miaoyun’s mature allure.

She was clad in a brocade water-silk gown, which, despite concealing every inch of skin, still perfectly showcased her exquisitely graceful figure.

Her fair ankles, adorned with red strings, emerged above a pair of ice-blue embroidered shoes.

Pei Yunxiang was tall, her height nearly matching Xia Yi’s.

“Yes, Master.”

“Hmm… you should go and rest now. Do not forget tomorrow’s Sect Grand Competition.”

Pei Yunxiang merely glanced at him briefly, said nothing more, and allowed him to retire.

“This disciple takes their leave…”

“Oh, and remember to come to my room first tomorrow to collect a new set of clothes.”

With those words, Pei Yunxiang departed, leaving a faint trail of fragrance in her wake.

Xia Yi remained rooted to the spot, a wry smile playing on his lips, for Pei Yunxiang had, after all, seen through his lie.

The garment torn by Fei Miaoyun had been personally sewn by Pei Yunxiang, perfectly tailored to Xia Yi’s physique.

While the clothes Xia Yi currently wore also fit him well, they ultimately lacked the flawless perfection of those crafted by Pei Yunxiang’s own hands.

Yet, Pei Yunxiang had chosen not to expose him; her understanding and care only solidified Xia Yi’s resolve to eliminate Zhen Aoyu, the male lead who would murder his wife.

“Master…”

His encounter with Pei Yunxiang had been extraordinary; Xia Yi, who had wandered since childhood, stumbled upon a gravely injured Pei Yunxiang.

Despite often going hungry himself, he had still chosen to save her.

In gratitude, Pei Yunxiang had guided Xia Yi onto the path of cultivation, unaware at the time that he possessed the Heavenly Spiritual Root (TL Note: A classification of spiritual aptitude, typically ranked from Mortal, Earth, Heaven, to Immortal, with Heavenly being very rare and powerful).

From then on, their lives had unfolded in a tranquil yet warm rhythm, and barring unforeseen circumstances, they were destined for a happy ending.

But!

In the original novel, Pei Yunxiang was also one of the fated heroines, and her ending was exceptionally tragic.

Xia Yi, framed by Zhen Aoyu, had his cultivation crippled and was expelled from the sect.

To save Xia Yi, who was gravely injured and on the brink of death with his cultivation destroyed, Pei Yunxiang was forced to agree to Grand Elder Guang Pengyi’s demand: she would marry Zhen Aoyu, who had assumed a new identity, in exchange for a Pulse-Protecting Pill.

Unbeknownst to Pei Yunxiang, this entire scheme had been meticulously planned by Zhen Aoyu and that repulsive, corpulent pig, Guang Pengyi.

Their objective was solely to aid Zhen Aoyu in cultivating the Absolute Resentment Heavenly Art (TL Note: A powerful, malevolent cultivation technique).

As Fei Miaoyun’s senior martial sister, Pei Yunxiang was aware of Zhen Aoyu’s existence.

However, with Xia Yi constantly by her side, Pei Yunxiang’s attitude towards Zhen Aoyu had always remained neither close nor distant.

This was precisely why Zhen Aoyu had framed Xia Yi.

For Xia Yi’s sake, Pei Yunxiang was compelled to sacrifice herself, surrendering her Dragon Pearl (TL Note: A rare and powerful internal energy core, often associated with female cultivators, that can be used for cultivation or healing).

In the original story, Xia Yi, unable to bear the humiliation his beloved Master endured, chose to commit suicide.

Upon learning of his death, Pei Yunxiang, utterly despairing, dragged Guang Pengyi to their mutual demise.

Consequently, Zhen Aoyu failed to utilize Pei Yunxiang to break through to the Golden Core stage, prompting him to shift his focus to the next target.

Recalling how his Master, who had treated him like a mother in the original novel, had met such a dreadful fate, Xia Yi wished he could tear Zhen Aoyu and Guang Pengyi into a thousand pieces.

“Huu…”

Back in his room, Xia Yi slowly uncurled his hands, his nails having dug into his flesh, and worked to calm his turbulent emotions.

Fortunately, none of the original plot had yet unfolded, and he had successfully thwarted Zhen Aoyu’s scheme.

“What is this?!”

Just as Xia Yi habitually glanced at the ancient book in his mind, as he always did, he made a startling discovery.

The ancient book, which had remained unopened for eighteen years, had finally revealed its contents.

On its pages, only three lines of text were inscribed:

[Book of World Cleansing:]

[Fei Miaoyun (Purification Value): 20%]

[Reward: Grand Sword Intent (One-fifth)]

After some contemplation, Xia Yi experienced a sudden realization.

“So that’s it! No wonder Martial Aunt Fei had a brief moment of lucidity back then. My spiritual energy could easily dispel the effects of those medicines. This must be an added purification effect!”

Learning that this ancient book, which had resided in his mind since his transmigration, was actually his cheat ability, and that it granted him a purification effect, Xia Yi finally felt some of the burden lift from his heart.

After all, the Absolute Resentment Heavenly Art, an existence defying the heavens and the protagonist’s cultivation method, was bound to possess some utterly unreasonable aspects.

In the original novel, cultivating the Absolute Resentment Heavenly Art to its later stages allowed one to seize souls from afar and manipulate desires, instantly creating scenarios where a domineering CEO falls madly in love.

Those under its control would remain completely unaware, devotedly loving their manipulator.

They would carry out all of the manipulator’s unreasonable demands without complaint or regret.

Only at the very end, when they were killed to pave the manipulator’s path to enlightenment, would they regain their senses, ensuring their dying resentment reached its peak.

It could only be said that no novel capable of shattering a person’s Dao Heart was ever simple.

Now that Xia Yi had activated the Book of World Cleansing and gained its purification effect, which could nullify the Absolute Resentment Heavenly Art’s control abilities, he felt considerably more at ease.

****

The next day,

In Pei Yunxiang’s room,

A pair of slender jade hands smoothed out the wrinkles in Xia Yi’s clothes.

Even after so many years together, Pei Yunxiang’s cool, exquisitely beautiful face, so close at hand, still made Xia Yi’s heart pound.

Time had left no trace on the countenance of this noble, aloof immortaless.

Instead, her increasingly mature and voluptuous figure exuded an enchanting aura.

“Still staring?”

“Ah… oh!”

Hearing Pei Yunxiang’s reminder, Xia Yi had to ‘turn off his auto-aim’ (TL Note: A humorous reference to gaming terminology, implying he stopped staring intently), awkwardly shifting his gaze elsewhere.

“Let’s go…”

Disregarding Xia Yi’s embarrassment, Pei Yunxiang, stepping gracefully in her embroidered shoes, led the way out of the room.

Pei Yunxiang produced a slender flying sword and stepped onto it, with Xia Yi following closely behind.

Xia Yi recognized this small flying sword; Pei Yunxiang hadn’t changed it in over a decade.

When Xia Yi was younger, he could barely fit on it.

But now…

“Hold on tight.”

Pei Yunxiang’s calm voice drifted to him.

Xia Yi could only steel himself and wrap his hands around that slender waist, so delicate it seemed one could grasp it in a single hand.

He always found it baffling how such a soft, slender branch could bear such abundant fruit.

Perhaps this was simply the wondrous mystery of an immortaless.

Xia Yi, positioned behind Pei Yunxiang, did not see the joyful curve that bloomed on her lips, nor the faint blush that crept onto her cheeks, as his warm palms pressed against her waist.

****

With Pei Yunxiang’s late Foundation Establishment stage sword-riding speed, the two swiftly arrived at the site of the Sect Grand Competition.

“Go on, but remember not to push yourself too hard.”

Putting away her flying sword, Pei Yunxiang reverted to her usual cool and serene demeanor.

Xia Yi nodded and made his way towards the martial arts arena.

After a round of the traditional, forceful ‘hard control’ (TL Note: A humorous phrase implying lengthy, perhaps dull, speeches or formalities) from the leaders, the Star-Moon Sect’s inter-peak grand competition finally commenced amidst the cheers of countless disciples!

As one of the Star-Moon Sect’s prodigies, Xia Yi’s extraordinarily handsome appearance, coupled with the magnificent white-and-gold-patterned robes personally sewn by Pei Yunxiang, made him the most fervently supported participant.

Of course, also garnering considerable support was Zhen Aoyu, who had suddenly emerged and, with his ninth-level Qi Condensation strength, had advanced with overwhelming force, accumulating no small amount of popularity himself.

Gazing at Zhen Aoyu, who had just defeated another opponent with a single strike on the stage, Xia Yi’s eyes turned icy.