Du Tian had spent a century guarding the gate of the forbidden area, dedicating his every moment to cultivation and ensuring the safety of his master during her critical breakthrough. He revered her like a mother, and her success in reaching the True Immortal realm was a goal he held as dearly as his own.
As the qi in the surroundings began to shift, an ominous intent filled the air. Du Tian’s senses sharpened. He exchanged a glance with his junior brother, Wei Beipan, who stood calmly by his side.
“Get ready for anything unexpected,” Du Tian said, his voice firm.
Wei Beipan nodded with a slight smile. “Of course, Senior Brother.”
The qi flow reached its peak, forming a swirling vortex above the Grand Blossoming Mother Tree, The tribulation clouds churned, an ominous shade of purple and gold.
Du Tian’s master, Lan Da Ning, was on the cusp of summoning the Heavenly Dao to witness her ascension. He knew that no mortal even False Immortal could interfere once the Heavenly Dao was summoned.
But before Du Tian could relax, an excruciating pain erupted in his chest. His eyes widened as he looked down to see a purple blade protruding from his body, its edges glowing with venomous light. He turned his gaze to the attacker, his heart sinking as he met Wei Beipan’s cold, smirking face.
“Junior Brother… why?” Du Tian rasped, blood dripping from his mouth.
Wei Beipan twisted the blade slightly, watching as Du Tian winced in pain. “What an idiot,” Wei Beipan sneered. “For all your strength and devotion, you never suspected a thing. This purple poison will keep you paralyzed long enough for me.”
Du Tian’s mind raced, fury and betrayal coursing through him. “You…traitor?”
Wei Beipan laughed. “No, I never on your side. Did you really think I joined this sect to serve that woman? I’ve been waiting for this day, waiting for the moment to bring her down and go back to my Thunderclap blade sect.”
Du Tian struggled to circulate his qi, but the poison was insidious, blocking his spiritual veins. He could only watch as Wei Beipan retrieved a talisman and activated it.
A rift in space tore open, and seven cultivators stepped through. Their auras were oppressive, each one radiating power comparable to Lan Da Ning’s. Du Tian’s heart sank further.
One of the seven, a man wielding an array flag, and with a simple hand sign array flag fly to all directions spoke with a chilling voice. “I already set up the hidden array. Once it’s active, she won’t be able to summon the Heavenly Dao.”
A shimmering barrier formed, cutting off the connection to the heavens.
“Hurry,” the flag wielder barked. “Kill her before she recovers from her dao injury!”
The remaining six nodded and surged toward the heart of the forbidden area, where Lan Da Ning was seated in meditation.
Du Tian’s rage burned brighter than ever. He glared at Wei Beipan, his voice trembling with fury. “You’ll regret this. Master will never forgive you!”
Wei Beipan crouched beside him, a smug grin on his face. “Forgiveness? She won’t even survive to hold a grudge. Sit tight, Senior Brother. Watch as your precious sect crumbles, and your so-called master falls, now tell me where you hide an Immortal treasure, and I will give you a quick death.”
The sound of thunder echoed through the realm as the battle began. Du Tian’s vision blurred, but his resolve remained unbroken. Despite the poison coursing through his veins, he vowed to find a way to fight back.
Suddenly, his master’s voice resonated in his mind through a qi message, firm and unyielding. “Tian’er, activate the jade token I gave you. Once it’s active, the sect’s protective formation will alert the sect master. Hurry!”
Du Tian didn’t hesitate. Although his qi was paralyzed, his mind remained sharp. He focused on the jade token tied to his waist, commanding it with his thoughts. A brilliant light emanated from the token, and the grand Blossoming Mother Tree responded, radiating with dense wood qi. In an instant, a massive protective formation sprung to life, surrounding the forbidden area.
Wei Beipan’s face twisted in anger. Seeing the change, he stormed toward Du Tian, kicking him viciously in the head. “What did you do?! You ruined everything!” he roared. His killing intent surged, and he raised his hand to deliver the final blow.
Before Wei Beipan could strike, three powerful auras descended from the sky, their sheer pressure shaking the ground. The sect master and two grand elders had arrived.
The sect master, with a sharp gaze and a sword that gleamed like liquid light, took in the scene at a glance. His voice thundered, filled with rage and authority. “It was you, Wei Beipan! The spy who’s been sabotaging our sect and slaughtering our talents! You dare to betray us?! DIE!”
He pointed his sword, sending a brilliant streak of energy racing toward Wei Beipan. The traitor’s face turned pale with fear as he scrambled to pull a talisman from his robe. Activating it in desperation, his figure was swallowed by a flickering portal just as the sect master’s attack reached him.
The sect master clenched his fist, his anger barely contained. “Coward!” he spat, his voice echoing across the battlefield.
Without wasting a moment, he strode toward Du Tian and pulled the purple sword from his back. The pain receded instantly, and Du Tian gasped as he regained mobility.
“Sect Master!” Du Tian said, his voice hoarse but filled with urgency. “Master is in danger! Seven False Immortals are attacking her, disrupting her Dao attainment ceremony. They’ve sealed the area to block her connection to the Heavenly Dao!”
The sect master’s expression darkened. He exchanged a glance with the grand elders, and they nodded silently. “We’ll handle it,” he said, his voice steady despite the tension. He gestured for the grand elders to follow him, and they shot toward the Blossoming Mother Tree with incredible speed, leaving Du Tian behind.
But the sect master suddenly paused mid-air and turned back. His voice was grave. “Du Tian, the sect is doomed today.”
Du Tian froze, his blood turning cold. “Sect Master, what do you mean?”
“There are more than the seven False Immortals,” the sect master said, his tone grim. “I’ve sensed five more nearby, along with an army. The Thunderclap Blade Sect has made their move to eradicate us completely.”
Du Tian’s face went pale. “What should we do, Sect Master?”
The sect master tossed a space ring to him. “This ring contains all of our sect’s foundational treasures and resources. Take it. Gather the disciples who are outside and keep them safe. Hide, bide your time, and rebuild. Wait for the opportunity to avenge us.”
Du Tian shook his head, his voice filled with anguish. “No! How can I, a core disciple, run away while my brothers and sisters are being slaughtered? I must stay and fight!”
The sect master frowned deeply. “There’s no time for this! We already know what the Thunderclap Blade sect might do since it was not the first time they eradicated a second-rate force that threatened their position, This is just a retreat—it’s all for survival. If you die here, the sect dies with you. But if you survive, the Blossoming Sword Sect will have a chance to rise again. This is my final order as your sect master!”
Before Du Tian could protest further, the sect master placed a firm hand on his shoulder. A surge of power enveloped him, and the next moment, Du Tian found himself outside the sect’s territory.
Staring back at the distant sky, where the Blossoming Mother Tree stood tall amidst thunderstorms and chaos, Moment later his heart trembled when he felt the faint stir of a qi message reaching his mind. The voice of his master resonated within him, calm yet laced with unshakable determination, carrying the weight of her final will.
“Tian’er, listen well. The sect’s survival now rests with you. The Blossoming Sword Sect may fall today, but its roots will remain in you. You are the seed of our legacy—nurture it, protect it, and one day, let it bloom once more to reclaim its place in this world.”
Her tone softened as if a mother was addressing her child. “I have taught you all I could, but this path ahead is yours to walk. Trust in your strength, in your mind, and in the bonds we forged. Even in death, I believe in you"
The Qi connection began to wane, her voice fading like the last rays of sunlight. “Live… and grow stronger. Farewell, my disciple.”
And then, silence. Du Tian stood frozen, his fists trembling as tears welled in his eyes. Her words were a burden, a blessing, and a promise he vowed to honor. Du Tian clenched his fists. Tears streamed down his face as the realization of his helplessness sank in. “Master… Sect Master… everyone…”
With trembling hands, he held the space ring tightly. “I swear, I’ll make them pay. I’ll rebuild the Blossoming Sword Sect, no matter how long it takes!”
Within the sacred Qi cave nestled deep in the forbidden mountains of the Lan Clan, a place where heaven and earth’s qi converged in unparalleled density, Lan Wangtian sat cross-legged. The air around him shimmered faintly with the energy of his cultivation, an aura of profound stillness that seemed to resonate with the mountain itself.
His closed eyes suddenly opened, revealing a depth of emotion rarely seen in his otherwise stoic demeanor. For a moment, his gaze lingered on the cave walls, where ancient carvings of swords and blooming flowers told the tale of an era long past.
Lan Wangtian's mind drifted back to the events of three hundred thousand years ago, to the day his world shattered and his purpose was forged in blood and loss. The faintest flicker of pain crossed his face, quickly replaced by the unyielding resolve that had carried him through the centuries.
He exhaled slowly, the sound soft yet laden with the weight of countless years of cultivation and silent determination.
“Soon,” he murmured, his voice low and steady, echoing faintly within the stone chamber.
The single word carried the promise of a long-awaited reckoning—a vow to honor the legacy he had sworn to uphold and a reminder that some fires, once ignited, could never be extinguished.