Shang Can’s voice was slightly hoarse, different from its usual clarity.
This abnormality was easily noticeable, and Yun Duan lowered her shoulders slightly, shaking her head slowly.
“You still won’t say it.”
Even though Yun Duan’s expression remained calm, Shang Can seemed to sense a hint of despondency in her.
Her gaze fell vacantly on the horizon, and after a moment, she suddenly walked over to Yun Duan.
“I’ve said it; it’s just that the Cloud Sovereign doesn’t believe me.”
As she spoke, Shang Can continued walking forward under Yun Duan’s unwavering gaze until she stood right in front of her. Suddenly, she reached out, carelessly giving Yun Duan’s shoulder a gentle push.
“Don’t move, Cloud Sovereign.” Feeling the smoothness of Yun Duan’s shoulder more easily than expected, Shang Can suppressed her inner frustration and said softly, “I don’t want to make a move against you.”
Yun Duan’s eyes held confusion, but she obediently took two steps back as if yielding to Shang Can’s strength. Seeing this, Shang Can silently jumped back, retreating to the entrance of the Bi Luo Huang Quan, her palm touching the barrier at the entrance, causing the spiritual energy to gather into a faint golden light.
She didn’t turn back, but lifted her gaze again towards the horizon. At this moment, Yun Duan seemed to feel something too, looking in the same direction as her.
“Have you been waiting for a long time?”
Shang Can asked softly, her tone tinged with guilt.
“The Night Ravens must have watched you for a long time before confirming that you know this place is the entrance to Bi Luo Huang Quan. If only I had come here sooner.”
Gradually, a series of sword sounds, sharp and piercing, came from the horizon. Yun Duan’s expression changed, and she turned to Shang Can, intending to take a step forward, but found her feet ensnared by delicate fire dragons, only preventing her from approaching Shang Can. It didn’t feel hot at all; to an untrained eye, it looked like the pattern on her white boots covered in snow.
“…Shang Can, you—”
“I should take you to eat something first.”
Shang Can’s low voice was drowned out by the increasingly loud sounds of flying swords. She looked at the small black dots in the sky that were gradually approaching, revealing clear human forms, and arched her brows leisurely.
As the first cultivator landed on his sword, Shang Can had just completed reinforcing the barrier at Bi Luo Huang Quan, preventing outsiders from entering while also stopping any demons inside from breaking out.
“So many people have come.”
In front of her stood cultivators from various sects, at least over a hundred of them.
Truly, the call of Tian Wai Tian commanded great respect across the entire realm of cultivation.
After all, Tian Wai Tian was not only the most renowned but also possessed formidable power. Rumor had it that the sect leader, who had been in seclusion for thirty years, was the closest person to ascension in the current cultivation world. What’s more, Tian Wai Tian was generous to all sects, welcoming their disciples every year for study tours and crafting spiritual artifacts for the outstanding individuals among them. Tian Wai Tian was particularly skilled in crafting tools, producing items of exceptional quality.
The Wuyou that Yun Duan was currently using also originated from Tian Wai Tian, and Qing Yu owed Tian Wai Tian quite a few favors, making it difficult for her to decline their invitation.
Shang Can quickly scanned the crowd and recognized several familiar faces she had seen in Tian Wai Tian not long ago, finding it somewhat amusing.
“It’s Shang Can!”
The cultivators clearly weren’t prepared to see Shang Can as soon as they landed. The first few people who landed gasped in surprise. One person reacted especially intensely, immediately unleashing several talismans toward Shang Can, but all were incinerated into ashes mid-flight, without a single one reaching the lazily standing Shang Can.
“You, a demon cultivator…!”
Shang Can glanced at the person, who wasn’t unfamiliar; it was the male cultivator who had warned her and Wan Shao about the “extreme danger of demon cultivator Shang Can” during the competition.
After pondering for a moment, she couldn’t help but softly say, “Did I offend you?”
“Evil and heretical, deserving of death!” The male cultivator didn’t back down, shouting with all his might, “Since the day you, as a cultivator, joined Bi Luo Huang Quan, you have offended the entire cultivation world!”
“I see.” That was indeed a reasonable answer. Shang Can nodded in understanding, “So I didn’t offend anyone.”
“No worries, I think you’re quite good. At least you really take action, unlike those—what’s that saying again? Ah, barking dogs don’t bite?”
The male cultivator’s face turned a deep shade of crimson. Shang Can ignored him and subtly turned her gaze toward Yun Duan.
The restriction she set beneath Yun Duan’s feet hadn’t been withdrawn and hadn’t been noticed by the subsequent cultivators. Yun Duan was now surrounded by many cultivators, their calls and praises blending into a chorus, mostly saying things like “Cloud Sovereign came swiftly, with great courage,” or “To stand against Shang Can alone is truly a model for us cultivators,” leaving her, this dangerous figure, on the sidelines.
In the center of the crowd, Yun Duan neither responded to them nor made any movements, merely gazing steadily in Shang Can’s direction, silent.
“Since Shang Can has revealed herself, it saves us a lot of trouble.”
A familiar clear voice rang out as Pei Chen from Tian Wai Tian stepped out from the crowd, cautiously stopping about ten meters away from Shang Can, cupping his hands and speaking loudly.
Shang Can smoothly shifted her gaze to him, avoiding the persistent look that pierced through the crowd. Yet, that gaze felt almost tangible, causing half of her body to grow numb under its scrutiny.
Yun Duan had always been like this.
She was close to Shang Can, but that didn’t mean she would unconditionally agree with all of Shang Can’s thoughts and actions. So, whenever she felt disapproving and couldn’t persuade Shang Can, she would watch her in silence. Her beautiful eyes, bright and clear, clearly said nothing, yet held a resolve that surpassed many words of admonition. It wouldn’t be long before Shang Can would relent.
Wang Yue laughed at Shang Can for having encountered her nemesis. Shang Can always felt unconvinced, secretly thinking about how iron-hearted someone would have to be to remain unmoved in front of someone like Yun Duan.
Unexpectedly, one day, she herself would become such a cold-hearted person.
Shang Can couldn’t help but laugh, and under the cover of her white jade mask, she laughed even more unabashedly. Her laughter was so exuberant that even Pei Chen, who was considering his words to negotiate with her, noticed something was off and asked, puzzled, “What is Shang Can laughing about?”
“Oh, my apologies.” Only then did Shang Can stop laughing, waving her hand apologetically, “I just think this scene right now… is rather amusing.”
Her words were easily misunderstood, causing an uproar among the cultivators. Pei Chen struggled to calm the fervent crowd, frowning as he spoke in a deep voice.
“Shang Can, be careful with your words. If it weren’t for Bi Luo Huang Quan’s initial attack on Tian Wai Tian and the theft of the Dao Heart Lotus, how could we gather here?”
What she meant was not that— but Shang Can simply decided to let it be and sighed.
“Let me confirm first.”
“The Dao Heart Lotus… has really been lost?”
Pei Chen’s expression stiffened, revealing a hint of guilt. He frowned and replied, “Indeed, although I do not know when it was stolen, when I noticed it, the Dao Heart Lotus was already gone.”
“…”
If it weren’t for the fact that scolding these people now would only be futile and might worsen the situation, Shang Can would want to immediately scold them.
The more she thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed, and she couldn’t help but laugh again. This time, she laughed a few times before stopping.
“Even if the name of Bi Luo Huang Quan was usurped by some unknown villain, it would be forgivable.” Shang Can said gently, her words tinged with sarcasm, “Yet even the prize from the discussion meeting was taken by the impostors.”
“You esteemed cultivators, gathered here in great numbers, yet not a single one could see that something was amiss. Everyone was only thinking they had finally caught a leverage, then hurried to find trouble— is that not funny?”
Her sharp words ignited the anger of the cultivators. An elder cultivator from Tian Wai Tian stepped forward, pointing at Shang Can and angrily rebuking her, “Shameless demon cultivator, even at this point, you still speak nonsense, attempting to turn black into white!”
“Elder Huang is right! The evidence of Bi Luo Huang Quan attacking Tian Wai Tian is undeniable; what is there to argue about!”
“Don’t listen to this demon cultivator’s sweet words! Be cautious of her tricks!”
This Elder Huang was someone Shang Can had seen before, the elder responsible for regulating disciples’ etiquette in Tian Wai Tian, known for his strictness. She had interacted with him many times during her study tour in Tian Wai Tian, from being caught for minor offenses to later entering as if it were a walk in the park— her light-footed skills had improved significantly, thanks in part to Elder Huang’s influence.
He was indeed quite commendable as an etiquette elder, but in the current situation, it was hard to expect him to be persuaded. Knowing that more words would be futile, Shang Can sighed and prepared for a fight.
“…As Shang Can said, I won’t discuss those creatures that claim to come from Bi Luo Huang Quan for now.”
Unexpectedly, after a long silence, Pei Chen suddenly changed his tone, his brows furrowing as he asked Shang Can.
“But at the time of the incident, Shang Can had disguised herself and blended into our Tian Wai Tian discussion meeting. I… witnessed it with my own eyes.”
He emphasized the last four words, looking at Shang Can expectantly, seemingly waiting for her to defend herself. The cultivators behind him murmured in dissatisfaction, shouting “Jun Kun Yao must not trust the demon cultivator,” but Pei Chen only slowly shook his head, his expression filled with worry.
This surprised Shang Can. Unexpectedly, this usually stern and upright Tian Wai Tian sect leader was the only one present willing to listen to her— one shouldn’t judge a person by their usual impressions.
“There are no rules in the selection criteria for the discussion meeting that state ‘demon cultivators are not allowed to participate’.”
This was not a response from Shang Can, but a cool voice that rang out from among the cultivators, sharp and cutting like ice shattering snow, causing those who heard it to shudder.
Shang Can was startled, hastily forming a seal with her hands, only to find that the restrictions had been lifted. When she attempted to reinforce them, she was calmly repelled one by one.
Her heart hung delicately in the air, filled with complex emotions as she gazed in that direction.
The crowd instinctively parted, and Yun Duan stepped forward, her icy demeanor resembling an otherworldly being. However, her brows were slightly furrowed, showing a rare hint of displeasure.
The surrounding cultivators were awed by her ethereal presence, remaining silent for quite some time before slowly reacting to what she had said, exchanging incredulous glances and struggling to believe their ears.
“Although there isn’t, this kind of thing should be an unwritten rule…”
“Why does Cloud Sovereign say such things? Do you believe the words of Shang Can?”
“Indeed! A demon cultivator who has strayed from the right path trying to blend in among righteous cultivators should have some self-awareness!”
“How could someone whose heart is not devoted to cultivation have any intention of genuinely participating in the discussion meeting? They must be harboring plans to catch Tian Wai Tian off guard!”
“Catch off guard?” Shang Can couldn’t help but laugh at their baseless assumptions and kindly reminded them, “If I really had such intentions, do you think you’d still be alive to stand here and say such nonsense?”
The cultivator was momentarily taken aback, then retorted defiantly, “You summoned heavenly fire that day and caused significant damage to Tian Wai Tian. It was only because we were agile that we weren’t harmed by the heavenly fire—”
In their words, they completely ignored the fact that the heavenly fire had killed numerous demonic beasts, focusing instead on Shang Can’s destruction of Tian Wai Tian and attributing their own safety to their skills. Finally, they disdainfully added, “That heavenly fire was so formidable; it must have been difficult to control. Did you not intend to eliminate the cultivators, or was it merely beyond your capabilities?”
As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a sudden warmth around his brows and lips, followed by a soft hissing sound, which quickly faded away.
Before he could process what had happened, he noticed the people around him staring at his face in horror. The cultivator then realized something was amiss and hastily raised his hand to touch the spot that had just heated up.
“What a heart that is lacking strength.”
Accompanied by a slow, deliberate applause, Shang Can’s gentle voice echoed from a distance. The cultivator, after feeling his face for some time, suddenly turned pale.
“Heavenly fire is indeed powerful and hard to control. It must be quite difficult for someone like you.”
Her words were laden with sarcasm, yet her tone remained genuinely polite. Shang Can nodded amiably, rummaging through her pouch at her waist, then raising her hand to toss a small mirror toward the cultivator.
“Unluckily, I’m someone who can control heavenly fire. Why don’t you take a look at which side of your face looks better now?”
The cultivator did not reach out to catch it, but the exquisite mirror floated before him as if it had eyes of its own, reflecting his panicked expression.
His left cheek was missing half an eyebrow, while his right lacked half a mustache, making him look especially ridiculous.
“You… you…”
His voice trembled, unable to articulate for a long time. The earlier bravado had vanished completely, and even the other cultivators could not bring themselves to chide Shang Can.
The heavenly fire had singed away half of his eyebrow and mustache without harming his skin, all occurring in the blink of an eye—no one had had time to react. Shang Can had executed her move with such ease, it felt almost like taking candy from a child.
This action not only demonstrated her absolute control over the heavenly fire but also subtly showcased that the distance between them was still well within her range of attack.
For a moment, no one spoke. Shang Can chuckled softly, somewhat bored, retrieving the mirror and storing it away, concluding, “I did disguise myself to participate in the discussion meeting at Tian Wai Tian because I wanted that Dao Heart Lotus Seed. I admit to that.”
“But the so-called ‘Shang Can’ causing chaos outside Yan Yang was not me. I wonder who it was myself.”
“As for the subsequent invasion of Tian Wai Tian by the forces of Bi Luo Huang Quan—”
“That is pure nonsense. Wanting the Dao Heart Lotus Seed is merely my personal affair and has nothing to do with Bi Luo Huang Quan. I acted because I couldn’t stand the actions of the fakes, targeting those demonic beasts. The fact that no one was harmed was because I had no intention of harming anyone, not because I couldn’t.”
“I will acknowledge what I have done, but I will not take responsibility for what I have not done.”
After saying this, she lazily flipped her hand, and a golden flame suddenly ignited in her palm.
“I’ve said all I needed to say.” Ignoring the tense atmosphere around the wary cultivators, Shang Can spoke gently, the flame in her palm swaying docilely. “Will you fight or not? Please give a clear answer.”
Preferably quickly, Shang Can thought.
Behind her, the spiritual barrier sealing the entrance to Bi Luo Huang Quan was already agitated to an uncontrollable degree, having been restless ever since she sealed it.
Even if she didn’t see it with her own eyes, she could imagine how furious Wan Shao must be on the other side of the barrier, angrily cursing her out.
Fortunately, the cultivators were kept at a distance and captivated by her words, none of them contemplating attacking Bi Luo Huang Quan. Instead, they exchanged various glances, waiting for their leaders to speak.
The cultivators present had all come in response to Tian Wai Tian’s summons, with only Qing Yu possibly unbound by Tian Wai Tian’s constraints. After all, both sects were the most renowned among the myriad of celestial gates, standing on equal footing in terms of status.
The older generation of cultivators had gradually stopped concerning themselves with worldly matters, so the central figure among the present cultivators was the leader of Tian Wai Tian, Pei Chen. However, he remained silent for quite a while, leaving the cultivators to consider following the famous figures from Qing Yu, unaware that—
“She speaks the truth.” Almost immediately after Shang Can finished speaking, Yun Duan responded without a second thought. She stepped forward a few paces, completely distancing herself from the crowd of cultivators. “On the night of the second day of the discussion meeting, I went with her to the outskirts of Yan Yang and confronted that fake Shang Can.”
She stared at Shang Can for a long moment before finally shifting her gaze to the complex-faced Pei Chen and spoke in a low voice, “I witnessed this with my own eyes.”
Similar to how Pei Chen had questioned Shang Can, Yun Duan also emphasized the phrase “with my own eyes.”
Though Shang Can maintained a calm exterior, her heart let out a long sigh, a subtle pang of sorrow arising within her.
It was just like this.
They had always prioritized each other over themselves, which sometimes caused conflicts in their actions, as it did now.
In the past, she could chastise Yun Duan for not listening and express her anger, demanding that Yun Duan promise not to do so again, and each time Yun Duan would comply obediently. Yet, when things arose, it would still be the same, leading to the present situation where Yun Duan had not truly changed.
It was clear that she had already forgotten about her; yet, this pattern remained etched in her memory as if carved into her very bones.
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