After the path was cut off

A thousand feet above Baixi Town, a sea of ​​clouds surged, and a delicate palace hung in the clouds.

The palace was not large, but it exuded an ethereal, otherworldly atmosphere. Its pillars were made of warm jade, its tiles of glazed tiles, and its eaves and brackets were exquisitely crafted.

Behind the palace is a garden for mythical beasts.

A gurgling spring flows through the garden, and amidst exotic flowers and rare herbs, several kinds of brightly colored and elegant birds are raised, such as the rainbow peacock, the seven-colored phoenix, and the jade-beaked crane...

Normally, these birds are very precious, preening their feathers or strolling around drinking from the spring, almost never getting a speck of dust on them.

But today, a blue hawk has broken into the garden; it is the same ferocious bird that Mo Guyun rode.

As soon as it entered the spirit beast garden, it began to frolic. There were spirit fruits, fine meat, and spirit spring water. It even pecked at the spirit fish in the garden, one by one, with great relish.

In an instant, peacocks spread their tails, luan birds flew about, and cranes cried out angrily. The palace maids did not stop them, but stood at a distance, pointing and whispering, covering their mouths and laughing softly.

This unexpected commotion added a touch of liveliness to the palace suspended in the clouds.

In the side hall of the palace, Mo Guyun sat cross-legged on a cloud-patterned futon, a cup of spiritual tea in front of him that had long since gone cold.

He had been waiting for a day and a night.

His master, Qin Tianzhu, ordered him to go to Zhongzhou to look after Li Wangxiang and prevent evil cultivators from causing trouble during the migration. However, when they were nearing Baixi Town, he suddenly received a secret order from the True Man [Shishui].

The order contained only one sentence—

Come to Weiyang Palace.

Mo Guyun dared not refuse to come.

No one knows for sure how many Golden Core cultivators and Nascent Soul cultivators the Heavenly Profound Sect actually has. The figures of those important figures mostly only appear in the sect's history and decrees.

For ordinary cultivators, seeing a Golden Core cultivator is nothing more than a great achievement or a great mistake. More often than not, they don't even have the right to be granted an audience and can only wait for a decree to descend from the clouds.

Mo Guyun had only ever met one Golden Core cultivator in his life, and that was [Shishui]. It was also a side hall, but on that day thirty years ago, a screen had been added to the hall.

At that time, the four of them, master and disciples, knelt outside the screen. Behind layers of brocade feathers, the reclining figure was too alluring to look at directly; only a clear, ethereal voice emanated from it:

"Tianzhu, the Immortal Palace has issued a decree to the Tianxuan Sect, ordering the complete erasure of all traces related to Qixia Town. After much consideration, I believe it is most appropriate to entrust this matter to you and your four disciples."

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard Wan Ying's resolute voice.

"My lord! Please entrust this matter to your disciple!"

Mo Guyun thought she had misheard. Qixia Town was the hometown of Wan Ying, and she had actually volunteered?

But the soft laugh from the Flowing Water Immortal behind the screen sealed the fate of everything:

"It seems that what I heard in the Immortal Abode was not unfounded."

"For this, I even had a fight with that old guy [Senmu] and made a bet."

"Now it seems I lost my bet."

"Wan Ying, stay. The rest of you, step aside."

"You three, think carefully about why I allowed you to listen in. Don't do anything wrong and dirty my hands."

Mo Guyun still remembers how timid and silent he was back then. For the past thirty years, he has regretted not asking why.

But even if time could turn back, would he really be able to ask that question?

Mo Guyun snapped out of her thoughts and looked down at the low table.

There sat a little maid with her hair in two buns, about ten years old, dozing off while hugging a soft pillow. Her little head was nodding off, and there was a trace of glistening on the corner of her mouth.

Mo Guyun hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke softly, "Little fairy, may I ask when the master will return?"

The little maid groggily raised her head, looking around blankly: "Huh? Food? Where's the food?"

Mo Guyun's brow twitched slightly, and he suppressed his temper and asked again.

The maidservant then came to her senses a little more and mumbled:

"How would I know!"

"If Your Majesty wishes to return, then so be it."

"You don't need to wait here idly. I'll call you when Her Majesty returns."

After saying that, he tilted his head to the side, hugged his pillow, and was about to fall asleep again.

"April."

A clear, languid voice suddenly rang out in the hall: "Gluttonous and lazy, when will you be able to refine your metal nature and condense the golden elixir?"

The maidservant shuddered, instantly regaining her senses:

"Your Majesty!"

A figure had appeared on the soft couch without anyone noticing.

The woman was shrouded in a layer of ripples, her face indistinct, only her eyes, deep as a starry sea, were visible. She leaned casually, her posture languid, yet inexplicably making one afraid to look directly at her.

She reached out and gently rubbed April's head.

In April, she immediately changed to a fawning demeanor, bustling around making tea and massaging her legs, all the while complaining:

"Your Majesty is really something."

He left behind the words, "Move the imperial palace over Baixi Town," and then disappeared.

"If this young friend hadn't come to my door, I wouldn't even know where Baixi Town is."

Shi Shui picked up the spirit tea, his tone indifferent and disgusted: "I went to see a rat."

April blinked: "Another heretical cultivator? Is it that [false karma]?"

The flowing water did not answer, but took a sip of tea and intriguedly changed the subject:

"On the way back, I saw an interesting little girl and couldn't help but take a second look."

April suddenly came and I felt much more energetic.

"Little girl?"

"Is Her Highness considering taking in maids again?"

"Our palace hasn't had any new members for a long time."

The flowing water slowly said:

"Only eighteen years old."

"His sword energy is as refined as ice in a cold pool, and his sword intent is already taking shape."

"Huh?!" April gasped, her mouth agape. "Completely grasped the rudiments of sword intent at eighteen?! Did she start practicing swordsmanship in the womb? I've been practicing swordsmanship for almost a hundred years, and I've only barely touched the threshold of sword essence!"

Her face fell, filled with frustration, and she even stopped massaging her legs.

"Yes," [Shi Shui] gently put down her teacup, her tone suddenly turning cold, "Seeing her, I suddenly realized... I've been raising a bunch of useless people."

April stuck out her tongue, seemingly unafraid:

"Oh dear, Your Majesty!"

"You can just tell me that."

"Don't let the other sisters hear this, or they'll be so angry they'll tear this entire palace down!"

The master and servant exchanged a few more playful banter, creating a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, as if Mo Guyun were merely a transparent object, completely nonexistent.

Finally, [Shishui] remembered there was an outsider in the hall and turned her gaze to Mo Guyun, who had been waiting patiently. Her voice also became more solemn:

"I originally thought that I would have to refine that trace of indestructible golden nature and reach the Golden Core stage before I could have another chance to meet you. I never expected that this opportunity would come so quickly."

Mo Guyun immediately bowed and knelt down, his posture respectful:

"This junior is dull and ignorant, and the path to the Golden Elixir is too vast. I fear I will be unable to forge even a trace of the immortal golden nature, and I will fail to live up to your expectations, sir."

Shi Shui gently raised his hand, and an invisible force supported him.

"According to Xi Yang's deductions before he left, the Tianzhu Peak lineage should have had a Golden Core cultivator. Unfortunately, things are unpredictable."

【Xi Yang】

Mo Guyun's heart skipped a beat. The adult was addressed as [Xiyang].

He was neither father nor sovereign. Is the account in the official histories not entirely true?

And... where did he go "before leaving"? Was it just a casual remark, or was it a deliberate revelation?

The flowing water seemed oblivious to his thoughts, and continued speaking to itself:

"I had high hopes for Tianzhu, but Tianzhu's Dao heart is flawed; I had high hopes for Wanying, but Wanying is entangled in a huge karmic debt; I had high hopes for Wangxiang, but Wangxiang suddenly encountered a change of fortune and was determined to leave the sect and establish another immortal sect. As for that child Anting, Youyou has arranged another path for her."

"Now, in the Heavenly Profound Sect's [Return to Earth] path, you are the only one left."

"This junior is unworthy!" Mo Guyun felt bitter and lowered his head even further. His junior sister had actually been given a different path by Lord Huanyou... Had the sect completely abandoned Tianzhu Peak and the [Return to Earth] lineage?

"It doesn't matter if I'm not talented," said Shi Shui casually. "Whether a person can achieve the Golden Core doesn't depend solely on talent."

With a slight movement of her fingertips, a jade tablet shimmering with a warm golden light appeared out of thin air and slowly flew towards Mo Guyun:

"You have cultivated two streams of energy and condensed two immortal seeds. When you wish to cultivate the third stream of energy in the future, bring this jade tablet to find me."

"The cause and effect involved in the late cherry blossom will be known when you have refined your golden nature and achieved the Golden Elixir."

The jade tablet, shimmering with a warm golden light, hovered in mid-air, casting a flickering shadow on Mo Guyun's face.

Mo Guyun stood frozen in place, not reaching out, looking completely dazed.

He thought he had misheard.

Golden Core? This mediocre talent, who has wasted half his life and doesn't even dare to ask why, was actually named and qualified to enter the Golden Core path?

The top-secret truth that had suffocated him for thirty years, which he thought he would never be able to uncover in his lifetime, could now be touched with just one step forward.

How is this possible... How is this possible!

"S-Sir..."

When Mo Guyun opened his mouth, he realized that his voice was terribly hoarse and even his hands were trembling involuntarily.

Seeing Mo Guyun's helpless expression, [Shishui] sighed silently. Then, a drop of clear water appeared out of thin air on Mo Guyun's brow and touched his brow.

A cool breeze swept over him, and Mo Guyun snapped out of his daze. He suppressed his thoughts and solemnly accepted the jade disc.

"I will certainly live up to your high expectations."

【逝水】 didn't care about his vow, took a sip of tea, and suddenly changed the subject.

Do you know why I have summoned you here?

Mo Guyun's heart tightened, and the guess he least wanted to face blurted out:

"Is it related to... to Junior Brother Wangxiang? Could it be that he... like Wanying back then, is also involved in...?"

His voice was hoarse, and he dared not continue.

【逝水】chuckled lightly: "What are there that many important matters that would alarm the Immortal Palace? I am different from Huan You. He disdains to explain to you juniors, but I do not like to play riddles. I always speak my mind, so as not to let you juniors guess and jeopardize important matters."

Mo Guyun lowered his head and listened.

The Flowing Water says: "There are three things you should know."

"First, the foundation of Liwangxiang Road has been destroyed."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he lived, nor would I be surprised if he died. But the fact that he's half-alive and half-dead, with his foundation shattered, is quite intriguing."

"What do you know?!"

Faced with this sudden questioning, Mo Guyun instinctively lowered his head.

His junior brother's resolute declaration to return to his hometown and protect his family had already aroused his suspicions, but he simply didn't want to confront him directly.

"Junior brother did not tell me anything."

Shi Shui gave a cryptic smile and continued:

"second."

"Baixi Town, and even the surrounding area for thousands of miles, fell into the eyes of a Golden Core cultivator named [Jiaye] more than a hundred years ago."

"This person has been mediating for many years, and several immortal sects have tacitly agreed."

"The evil cultivators and mortals nurtured on this land are all products of his schemes."

"If I hadn't come to watch over him, your junior brother might not have made it out of Baixi Town alive."

Multiple immortal sects tacitly approved?

Does my junior brother know about this?

What exactly is in Baixi Town that would make a Golden Core cultivator start planning for it a hundred years ago?

Should we pass this on to our junior brother?

The flowing water gave Mo Guyun no time to think and continued:

"third."

"The ancestors of the Li family had received a favor from a reclusive sage."

"That True Lord has not appeared in the world for a long time. Some say she has already gone to the heavens, while others say she is still hidden in the Purple Star."

"I also want to see if there are any traces of that True Lord's move in this upheaval."

At this point, she paused slightly, a hint of amusement in her eyes:

"Now it seems, it wasn't entirely without trace. Especially... that little girl."

Mo Guyun suppressed his intense curiosity but dared not ask further.

Shi Shui didn't bother to explain, but simply suppressed her smile and put down the teacup that had long since gone cold.

"In short, in this situation in Baixi Town, those involved must make their own decisions."

The voice calmed down again, but it carried an absolute will that could not be disobeyed:

"Neither you nor your master can interfere."

Mo Guyun felt a bitter taste in his mouth and could only lower his head to accept the order:

"This junior... understands."