Millions of miles away.

An island.

Auroras painted the sky, divine beasts danced through the air.

Within the island.

A towering mountain pierced the clouds, adorned with auspicious clouds like clusters of blossoms, where cranes and phoenixes vanished into the mist—a dreamlike paradise beyond mortal imagination.

At the summit of this sacred mountain.

Another realm unfolded.

Pavilions and palaces stood amidst boundless immortal mist, while mystical flora thrived in an ocean of clouds.

The endless expanse of land.

Seemed to exist as its own world.

Every corner brimmed with supreme vitality, nourished by profound and enigmatic energies.

This place.

Was the domain of the White Emperor.

To sit here was to ascend to immortality—let alone the fortune it brought even to lowly creatures.

When a sage emerges.

The impact is far more staggering.

Since this new sage awakened.

The land had transformed into its own universe, teeming with terrifying auras at every turn. A mere mortal fortunate enough to step foot here, blessed with even a wisp of its fortune, would reap benefits for a lifetime—let alone the generations that would never fully grasp its profundity.

More terrifying still.

Amidst the divine beasts and exotic plants, countless palaces were fortified with supreme formations, amplified ten-thousandfold by the sage’s aura. Even master array specialists would meet certain death upon trespassing.

To reach the sage realm.

Meant standing at the pinnacle of existence, overlooking the entirety of Cloud Star. Even those at the zenith of cultivation were but ants—annihilated with a mere thought.

At the edge of the sea of palaces and clouds.

A modest courtyard stood out, yet radiated an aura several times more imposing.

Just the faintest wisp of its presence.

Inspired boundless reverence, beyond the comprehension of ordinary minds.

A melodious zither echoed.

Its notes carried the mysteries of the Great Dao. To hear even a single breath of it would be a lifetime’s fortune.

Alas.

No audience surrounded it.

Save for the vibrant spiritual herbs and blossoms, seemingly nourished by the music, bursting with the vitality of spring.

Only one woman was present.

Her chin resting on her palm.

Seated on a stone stool veiled in gauze, her eyes drowsy with disinterest.

Had others witnessed this.

They would have raged at such disrespect toward a sage’s music.

But those who had met her even once.

Would swallow their fury and envy.

And might even find it... fitting.

For.

This seemingly youthful woman also exuded the aura of a sage!

At a glance.

She appeared young, her silken hair tied in a ponytail, clad in sleek attire that accentuated her heroic bearing—her beauty flawless beyond reproach.

Save for the sheathed longsword on her back, a silent warning not to underestimate her.

At first glance.

She resembled nothing more than a sword-savvy maiden.

In truth.

She stood among the world’s supreme experts.

One of the few with the authority to decree fate itself.

She was Su Jie.

Legends spoke of her.

A monstrous talent—wielding a sword at three, famed by five, enlightened by nine, and ascending to sagehood through peerless swordsmanship, putting countless men to shame.

For millennia, none had rivaled her.

The world revered her as the Undefeated Sword Saint.

Unaware onlookers might never guess.

That the legendary figure was this youthful, radiant woman.

Growing drowsier.

Su Jie paid little heed to the zither’s melody.

Instead, she stole a glance at her companion.

Beside her.

The White Emperor sat poised, her serene eyes ever-gentle.

Her jade-like fingers glided over the strings, slender and flawless—surpassing even the finest immortal jade. Her beauty eclipsed all celestial wonders.

The aura flowing from her fingertips was so potent that even Su Jie dared not underestimate it.

In both grace and power.

This friend was the most extraordinary existence Su Jie had ever encountered.

By all reason.

Such a flawless prodigy should be unshakable.

Yet.

As the music swelled, a complex light flickered in the White Emperor’s eyes.

Something between melancholy.

And distraction.

Su Jie grew more perplexed.

She knew.

The Three Thousand Great Daos were diverse.

But they should converge toward the same truth.

Yet the White Emperor’s Dao of Emotion was bafflingly intricate—Su Jie had pondered it endlessly, grasping nothing.

What kind of Dao was this?

What was emotion, truly?

Even with her supreme sword Dao, Su Jie couldn’t decipher her friend’s thoughts.

For the first time.

She felt utterly lost.

Just then.

A figure strode into the courtyard, bowing respectfully.

"Reporting to the White Emperor."

"According to the Nine Realms Alliance, traces of Yi Feng have been found."

The zither’s music ceased abruptly.

The White Emperor’s serene eyes flickered—her fingers trembling faintly.

In an instant.

Her demeanor shifted, warmth flooding her gaze, a glimmer of something unreadable surfacing.

With visible restraint.

She steadied herself and spoke softly.

"Where is he?"

The messenger bowed lower.

"Your Majesty."

"Per the jade missive, Yi Feng is currently in a small town called Wu City, within the Nine Realms Alliance."

At this.

The White Emperor dismissed the messenger with a wave.

Her eyes shimmered with unmistakable intensity.

She rose gracefully.

A paradoxical mix of urgency and composure.

Su Jie observed it all.

Her curiosity burned brighter.

"Wait."

"I’m coming with you!"

The White Emperor blinked, turning in surprise.

"Sister, you...?"

Su Jie stood briskly, her confusion deepening.

"I want to understand your Dao once and for all!"

"And besides."

"Who is this Yi Feng? Why does a sage like you still cling to his memory? I must see what kind of man he is."

"Cling to his memory?"

The White Emperor stiffened, flustered.

But knowing her friend’s temperament.

After a pause, she smiled helplessly.

"Very well."

With a wave of her gossamer sleeve, the void before them split open.

Both figures vanished.

......

Wu City.

Outside a humble courtyard.

Two large "rice dumplings" swayed midair, a pack of wild dogs barking furiously below.

Though the cultivation world was no stranger to oddities.

This sight.

Was particularly... unusual.

A growing crowd pointed and whispered.

"Is this some new form of bondage?"

"Eh? Isn’t that the Moonview Sect’s patriarch...?"

"Impossible! Patriarch Xu is a figure of great stature—how could he be hung up like this?!"

"They must be thieves. You’re mistaken!"

"No, I’ve seen Young Master Xu—that’s definitely him!"

"Heavens! Has the Moonview Sect fallen so low that they resort to theft?!"

"Good grief..."

The murmurs swelled.

Even distant onlookers began gawking.

Xu Xianzhi, a hero of his time, burned with humiliation!

In the past.

He’d have slaughtered these ants for their insolence!

But now.

Trapped in this living nightmare.

He had no energy for petty insults—only the crushing despair of impending doom.

To cross paths with that monster...

Was the worst luck in eight lifetimes!

Unless the White Emperor descended.

There was no hope.

But that was impossible!

Rage and hopelessness churned within him.

The more he glanced at his son, the more furious he became.

He shut his eyes, pretending not to know him.

Xu Xianzhi was overwhelmed with grief and indignation, unable to hold back two streams of silent tears!

But suddenly—

The entire world seemed to fall into silence.

The once bustling street outside the gate became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

An indescribably terrifying aura even began to permeate the heavens and earth!

Xu Xianzhi cautiously raised her eyes and saw her son looking equally bewildered.

The two of them looked up in astonishment—

Above them, the skies twisted violently, a clear day torn apart by a rift that seemed to split the firmament itself!

Two jade-like figures stepped forth one after another.

Their dreadful presence radiated across the world, striking fear into the very souls of those who glimpsed them!

Saints!

Could it be…

Could it be the White Emperor…?

That exalted one actually came in person?!

Holy shit!

This just got way out of hand!!