Under the cool glow of moonlight filtering through wispy clouds, Heavenly Radiance Sect lay quiet and still. Yin Shuang's footsteps echoed faintly as she walked along the stone path leading toward a secluded bamboo grove deep within the sect's grounds. Anxiety twisted inside her chest, a quiet yet relentless presence gnawing at her thoughts.
She paused at the threshold of the grove, hesitating slightly. Though outwardly she seemed composed, the turmoil of recent events still churned within her. She had carefully concealed her newfound skills as instructed, warned sternly not to reveal her true strength unless absolutely necessary. Yet the attack by Wu Ming had left her no choice—life or death had hung in the balance.
I had no choice, Yin reminded herself firmly. It was either expose myself or die. Yet doubts lingered stubbornly. Had she endangered something even more important by revealing her secret?
With a soft sigh, she stepped into the grove. Silence enveloped her as bamboo swayed gently in the night breeze, whispering quiet reassurances. Moonbeams danced gently upon smooth stones, leading her deeper into the secluded space.
At the center, nestled within a clearing, sat a humble hut constructed of aged wood and bamboo, illuminated faintly by a single flickering lantern. Yin approached cautiously, pausing just outside the hut's door. A gentle, warm voice spoke from inside, startlingly familiar yet unfamiliar in its openness.
"Come in, Yin Shuang. There is no need to hesitate."
Heart quickening slightly, Yin entered slowly. Inside, Uncle Wood sat quietly upon a worn mat. His aged face, wrinkled and weathered, softened into a gentle smile as she approached. For years, Uncle Wood had maintained a vow of absolute silence, she had not heard he utter a single word. Yet now, he gazed warmly at her, the silence finally broken.
"Uncle Wood," Yin spoke softly, sitting opposite him, her curiosity mixed with deep respect, "forgive my intrusion at such an hour."
He shook his head, eyes kind. "No intrusion. I am happy to have someone to talk to. Come, take a seat"
As Yin sat down, Uncle Wood's gaze grew distant, clouded briefly by memories before refocusing on her, firm and resolved. "I have waited decades to speak openly about this. Now that my silence has broken, I must reveal what dangers lie hidden beneath appearances of peace."
"The ring that was stolen from me by that young man," Uncle Wood explained solemnly, "is one of the Rings of the Guardians—created many decades ago by the legendary Immortal Scholar of the True Way, Mo Xuan."
"Mo Xuan?" Yin echoed softly, eyes wide. She had heard legends about this ancient cultivator, a near-mythical figure from cultivation lore.
Uncle Wood nodded gravely. "Indeed. These rings were forged for a singular purpose—to imprison and contain a terrible force known as the Blood Demon. Not long ago, the Blood Demon ravaged our world, destroying sects, cities, entire regions. No force could oppose its devastating strength."
Yin listened in silent awe as he continued, voice steady and resonant.
"In response to this chaos, Mo Xuan crafted five powerful rings, each representing one of the five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Five powerful cultivators, masters in each elemental path, were chosen as Guardians. I was chosen to wield the Wood ring, becoming the Guardian of the Wood Element."
Yin's eyes widened further.
"Together, we created a powerful elemental portal using the rings, infusing our own Qi deeply into them. This formation imprisoned the Blood Demon within the Void Realm, bound eternally by the Ninefold Sealing Chains, unbreakable as long as the rings remain separate."
"Since that day, the Guardians have worn the rings upon their fingers, each carrying the burden of vigilance. I took a solemn oath of silence, pledging never to utter a single word while serving as the defender of the Wood Ring. That oath remained unbroken, until the day the ring was stolen by that young intruder."
A heavy silence settled briefly. Yin's thoughts spun rapidly, absorbing the gravity of his revelation.
Uncle Wood's voice dropped into a grave whisper, thick with warning. "This is a perilous matter. The loss of even one ring endangers us all. Should a person of dark ambition gather all five, they would unravel the Void Realm's seal—and release the Blood Demon back into our world. The devastation would be beyond imagination."
Yin's heart tightened sharply. Her recent suspicions about Han Long, who she believed was honorable but perhaps unknowingly manipulated by dark forces, surged back with new urgency.
After a contemplative silence, Uncle Wood spoke again, shifting slightly. "The Immortal Scholar Mo Xuan was one of the legendary Three Sages, alongside two other cultivators of extraordinary strength and virtue."
Yin leaned forward, curiosity deepening.
"The second sage," Uncle Wood continued reverently, "was Ren Wuji, known as the Valiant Warrior, peerless in combat."
"And the third?" Yin asked breathlessly.
Uncle Wood met her gaze steadily. "The third was Jiang Xue, revered throughout the entire cultivation world as the Paragon of the Peerless Sword."
Yin's breath caught sharply, her heart hammering within her chest. Jiang Xue—that name resonated deeply, painfully familiar.
"Did you say…Jiang Xue," Yin whispered softly, realization flooding her mind with bittersweet clarity.
Uncle Wood inclined his head slowly, compassion softening his aged features. "Indeed, child. Jiang Xue was the Paragon of the Peerless Sword. Her swordsmanship was unrivaled beneath the heavens, her virtue and grace unmatched. The Peerless Sword she wielded was not merely a weapon of great power—it was a symbol, an embodiment of purity and strength."
Tears shimmered in Yin's eyes, her mother was the Paragon of the Peerless Sword. She had been a legendary hero revered by cultivators across the realm. She had lived a legacy far greater and more profound than Yin ever imagined.
The Peerless Sword… it belonged to my mother. The revelation surged through Yin, powerful and poignant, tearing open wounds of grief and longing while igniting a spark of pride and purpose within her heart. Was it mere fate, she wondered, or had the sword itself recognized the bond of blood and legacy, finding its way into her hands?
The urgency to uncover the truth ignited fiercely within her chest. She had to confirm this—she had to understand the connection fully, deeply, irrevocably.
Swallowing the rush of emotions, Yin quickly rose, her movements sharp with newfound purpose. "Forgive me, Uncle Wood," she said hastily, her voice strained with barely contained emotion. "I must go now. I'll return to visit you soon."
With that, Yin hurried from the quiet sanctuary of the grove, heart aflame and mind racing with a thousand questions she had never dared to ask until now.