Never mind the turmoil at the Heavenly Inquiry Sect; inside the Erosion Wind Cave, Ye Chuxue was already awake.

She opened her eyes, a dazed look on her face. It took a long moment before she recalled what happened before she passed out, and she subconsciously clenched her fists.

"AHH—!"

"Where’s my stone?"

Ye Chuxue tried to lift both hands, only to find one dangling limply, completely unresponsive.

Her expression changed. ’I was clearly holding the stone before I passed out. How could it be gone?’

’And how did my arm get broken?’

She immediately took a Healing Pill. Ignoring the pain, she began frantically searching the area again. But even after scouring the entire cave, she still couldn’t find the stone.

"How can this be... Where did my stone go?"

She plopped onto the ground, her face deathly pale. A wave of panic washed over her, and she could even feel sharp, stabbing pains in her chest.

It felt as if something incredibly important had been taken from her...

The feeling put her on edge, so full of grievance that she wanted to cry.

When she thought about all the awful things that had happened over the past six months, she couldn’t hold back any longer and collapsed to the ground, sobbing.

Before she transmigrated, she was a doormat anyone could walk all over. After arriving here, she started out as just a girl with the despised Five Spirit Roots. It took a stroke of incredible luck for her to transform into someone with a Chaos Spirit Root and become Gu Qingyuan’s disciple. The good times hadn’t lasted long before everything went wrong again...

’Why? Why are the heavens treating me like this?’

Ye Chuxue’s wandering heart could find no anchor. She felt that even after all this time since transmigrating, she was still a shunned outsider.

She bit her lower lip hard, forcing herself to sit up through her blurred, tear-filled vision.

’Not everyone can be like Song Wanning, born a favored daughter of the heavens with a brilliant future ahead of her.’

Deep down, she was both envious and jealous.

That was why she felt a strange sense of accomplishment whenever she saw Gu Qingyuan and his three disciples siding with her.

But now...

Ye Chuxue pinched her thigh. The pain made her brow twitch, and with a ferocious look on her face, she stood up and strode bravely toward the cave entrance.

’Men are all spineless curs who bend with the wind!’

’The heavens can’t be trusted either!’

’I can only rely on myself.’

*

At the main gate of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect, a figure descended from the sky. A longsword was slung across his back, and his black robes snapped in the wind.

"Lu Xingyao of the Ten Thousand Sword Sect is here to challenge Gu Qingyuan of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect."

The deep voice carried on the wind to the gate’s watchtower, exploding like a clap of thunder and leaving the disciples utterly astonished.

"Is that Lu Xingyao of the Ten Thousand Sword Sect?! Quick, report to the Sect Master!"

"Why is Lord Lu here? Is he looking for trouble?"

The guards’ gazes shifted uncertainly. After exchanging a look, they immediately sent word to the Inner Sect, then walked respectfully to the gate and invited Lu Xingyao in.

And so, the news that Lu Xingyao of the Ten Thousand Sword Sect had come to challenge Gu Qingyuan spread like wildfire, quickly reaching every corner of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect.

The already panicked disciples were stunned. ’Is this the first shot being fired to test the Heavenly Inquiry Sect?’

"How dare they! The Ten Thousand Sword Sect has no martial virtue, sending someone to probe us first!"

"That old codger has some nerve!"

The Sect Master was so furious he flipped the desk in front of him. Everything on it went crashing to the floor.

The pressure that had been building for days finally erupted. He felt like smashing everything in sight.

He wanted to tear the very heavens down!

Why was it just one damn thing after another?

It was one thing to have no time for his own cultivation, but now he was at his wit’s end.

Ever since their old ancestor ascended and the Sect’s position became precarious, he had immediately contacted those so-called "allied" powers, hoping to rally them to the Heavenly Inquiry Sect’s side.

But those bastards...

They’d all turned their backs on him, just laughing it off and giving him the runaround.

Not wanting to be snubbed further, he had angrily cut off communication.

He had thought he could buy a little more time. He never expected the Ten Thousand Sword Sect to be so arrogant as to come knocking on their door now...

Outrageous!

"Quick! Go notify Gu Qingyuan and tell him to prepare to accept the challenge!"

The Sect Master, his face flushed with anger, ordered the Seventh Elder to deliver the message, his frustration written plainly on his face.

"Wait! Go to the treasury and grab some high-quality Elixir Pills to take with you!"

"We must have him recover as much as possible! At this critical juncture, he must win. Losing is not an option!"

He pulled out a key and shoved it into the Seventh Elder’s hand. With the Sect’s future on the line, using items from the treasury was perfectly justified.

"Yes, I’ll go at once!"

The Seventh Elder took the key and hurried away. If the Sect were to be demoted, their own resources would be severely impacted. No one could afford to stay out of it.

"Sect Master, Lu Xingyao is already here. Do you think the other sects will..."

The Fourth Elder wore an anxious expression, pacing back and forth in the room, completely unable to sit still.

If this were a challenge during normal times, winning or losing wouldn’t matter much. But the current situation was anything but optimistic...

Hearing this, the Sect Master suppressed his anger. He swept his gaze over the elders present and said sternly, "We rise and fall as one. This is not the time for any of you to be nursing selfish thoughts!"

"We must all work together to overcome this crisis!"

"Don’t just look to me for everything! Go and figure something out yourselves!"

He waved his hand, dismissing them, and went to receive Lu Xingyao alone.

’Since he only mentioned a challenge, the quieter, the better. It would be best if only people from the Heavenly Inquiry Sect knew about this...’

’But those old bastards from the Ten Thousand Sword Sect... they’re probably waiting for good news from Lu Xingyao right now!’

The Sect Master left in a hurry. The remaining elders dispersed, sighing and discussing what to do.

The Second Elder, walking last, pursed her lips in disdain.

’Were the Sect Master’s words just now aimed at me?’

’Hmph!’

’So now he’s worried. What was he so busy with before?’

’Oh, that’s right. He was busy lining his own pockets, thinking he could just lord it over everyone from his position in the Heavenly Inquiry Sect. Who would have thought he’d face a crisis like this?’

’If the Heavenly Inquiry Sect is truly demoted under his leadership, he’ll surely be recorded in the sect’s annals, his name infamous for millennia!’

...

"Mr. Lu, to think you’ve come all this way. Why didn’t you send word ahead of time?"

"It seems we’ve been neglectful."

The Sect Master suppressed his indignation and seamlessly switched to a warm, smiling expression as he went forward to greet him.

Lu Xingyao merely gave a cool nod upon seeing him. "My apologies for the intrusion."

"Not at all, not at all. It’s just that Junior Brother Gu was poisoned a few days ago and has yet to fully recover. I’m afraid, Mr. Lu, that you may have to wait some time."

The Sect Master explained courteously, cheerfully preparing to lead him to Guest Welcoming Peak.

Lu Xingyao, however, refused.

"Since Gu Qingyuan is indisposed, may I go see Song Wanning first?"

"Junior Sister Song?"

The Sect Master was taken aback for a moment, then nodded.

"In that case, let this old man inquire first. I’m not sure if Junior Sister Song is currently within the sect."

He took out a Sound Transmission Talisman to send a message to Song Wanning before leading Lu Xingyao toward Yunxiao Peak.

Along the way, the Sect Master furrowed his brow in deep thought, unable to figure out Lu Xingyao’s motive for wanting to see Song Wanning.

’Could it be that he still doesn’t know they’ve called off their engagement?’

’Since Gu Qingyuan is indisposed, he wants to cause trouble for Song Wanning instead?’

The Sect Master felt he had hit upon the truth!

His eyes widened in an instant, a dark glint flashing within them.

’Song Wanning’s cultivation has been rising steadily. If she could fight in Gu Qingyuan’s place, that would be perfect!’