Chapter 57: Destiny's Threads - I Forged Them in Darkness, and They Buried Me in It

Chapter 57: Destiny's Threads Luo Cong'an was fifteen when she formally joined the Tianyan Sect. The sect boasted a multitude of disciples, along with countless outer disciples occupied with miscellaneous tasks. Undoubtedly, she was a fortunate one. Without having to climb from the bottom, she had the backing of a powerful Jin Dan elder right from the start, a fact that stirred envy among others. Of course, what sparked even more envy, and perhaps jealousy, was Luo Cong'an's incredibly terrifying talent. Within just a month, she transformed from having no abilities to a complete metamorphosis. Although Miao Zhen had also relentlessly supported her, no one could deny Luo Cong'an's terrifying potential. She even managed to catch the attention of the Sect Leader, who directly appointed her as a true disciple and made a special exception to unlock the sect's secret realm for her unfettered use. It was known that cultivating in the secret realm for a month was equivalent to three months in the outside world. However, such a heaven-defying secret realm naturally came with extremely harsh conditions. Ignoring the tremendous resources required just to activate it, the fact that only Qi Refinement cultivators could enter already made the realm somewhat unappealing yet hard to abandon. Nonetheless, for nurturing a prodigy like Luo Cong'an, it was incredibly effective. Thanks to bringing back this prodigy to the sect, Miao Zhen successfully obtained the Guiyuan Pill she wanted. The Guiyuan Pill served a simple but powerful purpose: directly extending a cultivator's lifespan. For a Jin Dan cultivator, with a life span of 400-500 years, Miao Zhen was nearing her end. Without the Guiyuan Pill, she would likely face a sorrowful demise. ... A month after Luo Cong'an arrived at Tianyan Sect. At the entrance of the secret realm, the Sect Leader and Miao Zhen stood a short distance away. Watching the white-haired girl step into the secret realm alone, the Sect Leader stood with hands clasped behind his back, a smile creeping onto his face. “This girl is truly remarkable, both in temperament and talent. Especially her Spiritual Rhythmic Physique; it can automatically further purify and compress the spiritual energy within her. Terrifying indeed! With such a prodigy, how can Tianyan Sect not prosper?” Ambition flickered in his eyes. "Years ago, among the four orthodox sects, Tianyan Sect led the way with great glory. Now, in my hands, it has fallen to this state." Miao Zhen agreed, “I once thought the records in those ancient scriptures were merely fabrications by cultivators, but I see now that they were true.” “It's fortunate that I encountered her. If those from the demon sects had found her, she would never know peace in this life.” As she spoke, she suddenly recalled something and added, “However, this girl has deep roots in the secular world. She's agreed to return once by the end of the year.” Hearing this, the Sect Leader paused, then raised a finger and pointed toward the girl's departing figure, casting a subtle spell around her. Afterward, he returned to smiling. He said, “No worries, I have cast a spell of sensory confusion on her. Let her cultivate well in the secret realm for a few years first.” Miao Zhen was taken aback; she mentioned it intending to remind the Sect Leader to notify Luo Cong'an when the time came, but it seemed he misunderstood her meaning. The Sect Leader glanced over, seeming to read her thoughts, and coldly remarked, “Activating the secret realm once drains countless resources—it's not a place he can enter and leave as she pleases.” “When her cultivation surpasses the realm’s limit, she will be expelled. Tianyan Sect has always nurtured its prodigies in this manner. Nobody leaves prematurely.” He paused, his tone softening, "And since she wants to return home, Tianyan Sect isn’t a place of heartless severance. She’ll just return a few years later." Little did the Sect Leader imagine, Luo Cong'an would remain in the realm for thirteen whole years. Typical prodigies would last only four or five years at most before being forcibly expelled. However, due to Cong'an’s unique physique, she maximized spiritual energy compression, keeping her level at Qi Refinement while her spiritual power internally matched mid-Foundation Establishment. The day Luo Cong'an emerged shook the entire sect. The Sect Leader personally came to greet her. What shocked everyone was that the white-haired girl didn’t exchange a word with the Sect Leader. Upon emerging, she immediately gathered her full spiritual power, transforming into a comet, speeding toward a particular direction. The crowd was dumbfounded, looking to the Sect Leader for an explanation. However, he merely waved a sleeve, his expression shifting between pale and flushed, and left. Miao Zhen, aware of the situation, caught up, asking, “Sect Leader, should I bring her back?” The Sect Leader paused momentarily, then shook his head with a slight chuckle. "No need." “Let her experience the divide between the mortal and immortal worlds a little early. It’s not necessarily a bad thing.” “For cultivators, a single seclusion often spans decades with a snap, while this is an entire lifetime for ordinary mortals.” “She will understand this truth.” As for whether Luo Cong'an would vanish forever, the Sect Leader felt no concern. Tianyan Sect was her best choice. Only Tianyan Sect would stop at nothing to aid her. ... Thirteen Years. The moment she stepped out of the secret realm, all her worries and restlessness transformed into tangible time changes. As Luo Cong'an realized this, she felt no confusion, no hesitance; she merely flew straight towards Guanping City without a second thought. She lacked the time to question why they made such decisions. Fortunately, during her time in the secret realm, she mastered the art of flight, and her refined spiritual power sufficiently supported her journey. Her speed accelerated, long hair fluttering in the wind. Luo Cong'an's eyes reddened. She dared not think of anything, simply forcing herself to accelerate blindly. A small city soon appeared on the horizon. With an expressionless face, Luo Cong'an landed in front of a familiar courtyard. Her feet made a muffled thud in the snow. The girl suddenly realized that the entire Guanping City was blanketed under a silent white layer. She couldn’t help but think back. It seemed that on the day she met the teacher, Guanping City had experienced a heavy snowfall too. Luo Cong'an's body trembled slightly, hugging herself tightly without knowing why. Though now a cultivator, she still felt the chill. Quickly, she shed her apprehensive state. Step by step, she approached the courtyard gate. She reached out, lightly knocking on the wooden door. Next came the silent anticipation, awaiting the moment the door would open. Luo Cong'an’s thoughts suddenly began to drift. Would the person opening the door be the teacher? Thirteen years had passed; perhaps the teacher had long since married and had children... Her thoughts did not last long. For as the door creaked open, a young, delicate face emerged. Luo Cong'an paused slightly, wondering if this was the teacher's wife. While Luo Cong'an stood there stunned, Xiao Yu was also assessing her. Xiao Yu was surprised. Could the world really harbor such a beautiful woman? Nearly rivaling the teacher. As that thought passed through her mind, realization dawned upon her, and she knowingly remarked, "You've come for the teacher's funeral, haven't you?" Outside, the girl’s pupils contracted sharply. (End of Chapter)