53: As soon as I entered the sect, my worldview collapsed

The commotion at Qingyun Hall had not yet reached Zizhu Peak, where mist still swirled and Spiritual Qi was as thick as mellow mead.

Gu Changge, the "fierce individual" Xuan Yangzi spoke of, leaned against the newly built bamboo couch, a smooth white spiritual fruit twirling between his fingertips, his gaze fixed on the open space not far away.

Fang Hanyu was swinging a profound iron axe, chopping bamboo. The young man's figure was slender, yet his movements were as steady as a rock. Each strike landed precisely on a bamboo joint, and the verdant bamboo stalk snapped accordingly.

A wisp of Chaos-colored Qi lingered faintly at the break, indicating that even such a small task as chopping bamboo was subtly tempering his Sword Body Origin.

"Master."

Fang Hanyu neatly stacked the prepared bamboo, a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead, but his eyes shone with astonishing brightness.

"This bamboo shed will be ready by evening."

Gu Changge nodded, tossing him a waterskin.

"No rush, rest a bit first."

The moment the young man caught the waterskin, a subtle light flickered in Gu Changge's eyes. His Eye of Illusory Breaking quietly unfolded, and Fang Hanyu's attribute panel clearly appeared.

Name: Fang Hanyu

Identity: Gu Changge's Second Disciple

Aptitude: Emperor-tier

Physique: Chaos Sword Body (Initially Awakened)

Cultivation: Core Formation Realm Early Stage (Originally Purple Mansion Realm Peak)

Gu Changge's Eye of Illusory Breaking pierced through the veil of time, sweeping over fragments of the young man's past—

Fang Hanyu's parents were Utility Disciples at the lowest rung of Great Yan Holy Land's outer sect.

His father, Fang Lin, was responsible for sweeping the Forbidden Ground's stone steps, and his mother, Su Wan, dried medicinal herbs in the pill room. Both their Cultivation remained at the Foundation Establishment Realm, not even having the qualifications to enter the Core Formation Realm.

Fang Hanyu was born on a cold, rainy autumn night.

The stone hut was drafty. Su Wan wrapped the newborn infant with her body heat and noticed a wisp of Chaos-colored light flash across his brow.

At the time, they didn't understand that this was a sign of the Chaos Sword Body's Awakening; they only thought the child was frail and cried often at night.

When he was ten, Fang Hanyu was playing with mud outside the pill room. He casually picked up a dry twig and drew on the ground, unintentionally shattering the bluestone steps in front of the pill room door.

This scene was witnessed by an Elder passing by.

"This child is an unpolished gem; following you two would only bury his talent."

The Elder squatted down, pinched Fang Hanyu's cheek, "Come with me, and you will be a Core Disciple of the Holy Land from now on."

Although Fang Lin and his wife were reluctant, they couldn't resist the allure of the words "Core Disciple"—it meant their child could escape his utility status and have the chance to Cultivate top-tier Cultivation Techniques.

With tears in their eyes, they handed Fang Hanyu over. Once in the inner sect, Fang Hanyu was indeed "specially cultivated."

He lived in a Jade Courtyard rich in Spiritual Qi, Cultivating the "Heavenly Dao Sword Scripture" daily.

At eleven, he Broke through to the Foundation Establishment Realm; at fourteen, he entered the Purple Mansion Realm, becoming a prodigy among the Holy Land's younger generation.

But he always felt something was wrong—the Elders' gazes seemed to be appraising an object, not a Disciple.

On his fifteenth birthday, he was taken to the Forbidden Ground.

The altar was cold, and runes coiled around him like venomous snakes. Only then did he clearly see what the Elders held in their hands: a bone blade inscribed with spirit-devouring patterns.

"The Chaos Sword Body, rare in ten thousand years, but unfortunately born at the wrong time."

The leading Elder sneered.

"There have been no Great Emperors for a hundred thousand years; the Great Dao has long since faded. Even with your talent, how far can you go? It's better to fulfill the Holy Land's needs, forge a supreme Emperor Armament. Our Holy Land will rely on two Emperor Armaments to suppress the Eastern Domain, which can be considered your fortune."

As the bone blade pierced his chest, Fang Hanyu saw his parents' figures appear outside the Forbidden Ground.

They had somehow heard the news and desperately tried to break in to save him, but the Elders casually cut them down one by one on the stone steps with a single sword strike.

His mother was still calling his name before she died, her voice shattering in the cold rain.

Agonizing pain and hatred intertwined, and the Chaos Sword Qi within him violently surged, but it was firmly locked down by the runes.

Just as his Origin was about to be extracted, a green shadow shattered the clouds. That hand, gently tapping the Void Realm, became his last light before falling into darkness... Although Fang Hanyu didn't know where he was at the moment, only that this place was called Zizhu Peak, seeing his Master Gu Changge's figure brought him peace.

He took the waterskin, tilted his head back, and took a few gulps. The cool spiritual water slid down his throat, washing away some of his fatigue.

His gaze unconsciously fell on Gu Changge. This Master, who had effortlessly annihilated his enemies, always exuded a reassuring aura, as if he could steadily catch the sky if it fell.

In the evening, a slight sound came from the direction of the back mountain, and Xiao Ruobai's figure appeared at the end of the bamboo forest.

His black robes were soaked with blood, his hair clung to his sweaty forehead, and drops of blood from his long halberd splattered on the bluestone slab, spreading a small, dark stain.

Although his Core Formation Realm Late Stage aura was deliberately restrained, it still carried the sharpness of prolonged combat.

"Master."

Xiao Ruobai cupped his hands in a salute, his voice hoarse from exhaustion. When his gaze inadvertently swept over Fang Hanyu, he suddenly froze.

He paused, his gaze lingering on Fang Hanyu for a moment.

The young man before him, dressed in a plain white Daoist robe, looked delicate and frail, his Cultivation merely at the Core Formation Realm Early Stage.

Yet, Xiao Ruobai felt a subtle but extremely threatening fluctuation from him, like a sword hidden in its sheath; though not yet drawn, its keen edge was already faintly leaking through the scabbard.

This feeling made him instinctively tighten his grip on his long halberd. He turned to Gu Changge, his eyes questioning.

Gu Changge twirled the white spiritual fruit between his fingertips, his tone calm: "This is Fang Hanyu, the second Disciple I've taken. From now on, he is your Junior Brother."

Fang Hanyu stepped forward, bowing slightly to Xiao Ruobai: "Greetings, Senior Brother."

Xiao Ruobai withdrew his scrutinizing gaze, his tense posture relaxing slightly. He cupped his hands in return: "No need for formalities, I am Xiao Ruobai."

He looked at the lingering immaturity on Fang Hanyu's brows, remembering how he looked when he first arrived at Zizhu Peak, and a hint of understanding flashed in his eyes.

"From now on, we will Cultivate together under Master. If you have any questions, you can ask me."

Fang Hanyu nodded, clenching his fists inside his sleeves.

He could feel the intense battle Qi emanating from this Senior Brother, an aura honed through countless real battles, completely different from the bloody scent he felt in the Forbidden Ground, carrying an open and sharp intensity.

Gu Changge looked at the two, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Xiao Ruobai just returned from training in the back mountain. It's a good time to rest and tell your Junior Brother the rules of Zizhu Peak."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ruobai raised a hand to wipe the bloodstains from his face, revealing some of a young man's frankness.

"Master is right. Junior Brother Hanyu, there are only three rules on our Zizhu Peak. They are simple, yet complex... you'll understand them slowly."

He sat on a stone stool beside the bamboo couch, his long halberd thudding into the ground, its tip embedding half an inch into the stone slab, speaking with the teasing tone of an experienced person:

"First, don't actively cause trouble, but don't be afraid of it either."

Xiao Ruobai tapped the halberd shaft with his fingertip.

"When you go out for training, remember this: if it comes to blows, make sure you clean up your tracks—if you kill someone, you must pulverize their bones and scatter their ashes. Master doesn't want any trouble."

Fang Hanyu blinked, nodding silently.

"As for the second rule..."

Xiao Ruobai deliberately drew out his words, glancing at Gu Changge, who was pretending to rest with his eyes closed on the bamboo couch, and lowered his voice.

"Stay away from anyone surnamed Ye, Xiao, or Chu, especially those who look unassuming but have ridiculously good luck. Master says these surnames carry a 'trouble Physique' that you can't shake once you get involved."

Fang Hanyu listened with a bewildered expression: there are such rules? But seeing Senior Brother speak so seriously, not like a joke, he kept it in mind.

"The third, and most important, rule—"

Xiao Ruobai dropped his playful tone, his voice becoming more serious.

"Conceal your strength; don't be too ostentatious."

He patted his own chest.

"Although I am currently at the Core Formation Realm, I have always hidden my true Realm as Body Tempering Realm. Look at Master."

He gestured towards Gu Changge with his chin.

"Although Master only shows Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivation now, I'll secretly tell you, Master's true Cultivation has also reached the Core Formation Realm Middle Stage."

"But Master is Master. The last time I sparred with him, I just missed by one move and couldn't defeat him."

Fang Hanyu looked at his serious Senior Brother, then thought about how Master had overturned Great Yan Holy Land with a mere raise of his hand that morning, and a question mark slowly formed on his forehead.

Core Formation Realm Middle Stage?

He silently pinched his own thigh, wondering if his mind was still unclear after just crawling out of the Forbidden Ground.

The young man squatted on the ground, holding his head, gazing at the clouds drifting across the sky, and for the first time, he developed a deep suspicion about this thing called "Cultivation Realm"...

The young man squatted on the ground, holding his head, gazing at the clouds drifting across the sky, and for the first time, he developed a deep suspicion about this thing called "Cultivation Realm"...