Firmament Sword

”I agree!”

Before Xu Luo could even finish speaking, Zuo Mingyu had already eagerly agreed.

The corner of Xu Luo’s mouth twitched. He said, ”Um, I brought the Soul Scripture Stele out...”

”What’s the big deal? It’s just a stone stele... What? What did you say?” Zuo Mingyu first wore a dismissive expression and agreed casually, but he immediately realized something was wrong. His eyes widened as he stared at Xu Luo, asking in shock, ”The Soul Scripture Stele? You brought that stele out? Are you insane?”

Yuwen Ji also reacted at this moment. He looked at Xu Luo with a grim expression and said, ”Absolutely not. Put the stele back at once. As for this... your Junior Martial Uncle Zuo and I can pretend it never happened. Otherwise... if word of this gets out, none of us will be able to protect you!”

Yuwen Ji didn’t mention that he and Zuo Mingyu would also be seriously implicated, because he trusted that his disciple understood this.

Xu Luo gave a wry smile. ”If I could have, I wouldn’t have brought it out... The thing is, I can’t put it back!”

”Impossible!” Yuwen Ji frowned. ”The Soul Scripture Stele is just an ancient monument. Don’t throw away your future!”

Zuo Mingyu, however, adopted a thoughtful expression. Looking at Xu Luo, he said, ”You’re saying... you can’t put it back?”

Xu Luo nodded.

Zuo Mingyu stopped Yuwen Ji, who looked like he was about to speak, and murmured, ”Could it be... you’re the Heaven’s Chosen One?”

”’Heaven’s Chosen One?’” Yuwen Ji frowned. ”This is utter nonsense!”

”No... this matter isn’t what you think.” Zuo Mingyu’s expression grew calm, and his gaze toward Xu Luo turned complicated.

”You mean... there’s a hidden story behind this?” Yuwen Ji didn’t know much about the Soul Scripture Stele. He was taken aback, unable to understand why his old friend had suddenly become so composed.

”When you were comprehending the scripture on the stele, did a chilling aura emanate from it? The closer you got, the more distinct the chill became, with a feeling that could freeze one’s very soul?” Zuo Mingyu looked at Xu Luo with a grave expression. ”You must tell me the truth!”

Xu Luo nodded. ”Yes, the chilling aura was incredibly intense!”

Zuo Mingyu let out a long sigh of relief. ”Then it must be true!”

Yuwen Ji gave Zuo Mingyu a puzzled look. Even as the Chief Grand Elder of the Celestial Brilliance Medicine Garden, he had never heard any legends about the Soul Scripture Stele.

”Throughout the entire Celestial Brilliance Sect, only the Sect Leader of each generation and the Chief Grand Elder of the Scripture Pavilion are privy to this information.” Zuo Mingyu looked at Yuwen Ji and said in a low voice, ”Because this... relates to something of utmost importance.”

”The Soul Scripture Stele was obtained by the first Sect Leader of the Celestial Brilliance Sect from the Divine Domain Forbidden Area. He successfully comprehended it and brought it back to the sect, where it became one of our most treasured artifacts. It was later known to the world as the Celestial Brilliance Holy Scripture.”

”Before the first Sect Leader departed, he left an instruction: If a person can feel the chilling aura from within the Soul Scripture Stele and is able to take it away, then... that person is the Heaven’s Chosen One!”

”’Heaven’s Chosen One?’” Yuwen Ji was utterly baffled. He had never heard such a tale and found it rather absurd.

’What does he mean, feel a chilling aura? And what’s this about being able to take it away? It’s just a stone stele, how heavy could it be?’

’A Sword Venerable could probably haul it away, right?’

”The secret of the Heaven’s Chosen One is known only to each Sect Leader and the Chief Grand Elder of the Scripture Pavilion. It’s different from the inheritance of the Medicine King Ring.”

Zuo Mingyu looked at Xu Luo and couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath. ”Not only have you been acknowledged by the Medicine King Ring, but you’re also the Heaven’s Chosen One... Can such a coincidence truly exist in this world?”

Then, Zuo Mingyu looked at Yuwen Ji. ”A disciple of this caliber... where on earth did you find him? You really hit the jackpot!”

The corner of Yuwen Ji’s mouth twitched, and he rolled his eyes. He thought to himself, ’My Heart Inference Skill... is beyond your comprehension.’

”Elder Zuo, what about this Soul Scripture Stele?” Xu Luo wasn’t particularly interested in being called the Heaven’s Chosen One. He had only one major concern: ’Who does this Soul Scripture Stele... actually belong to!’

”’You are the Heaven’s Chosen One... so the Soul Scripture Stele is naturally yours,’ Zuo Mingyu said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. ’However, the Sect Leader must be informed. I’m certain that this time, Lord Sect Leader will be interested in meeting you personally!’”

Zuo Mingyu wasn’t lying. Xu Luo didn’t have to wait long, either. That very evening, the Heavenly Brilliance Sect Master secretly granted Xu Luo an audience.

The two spoke for the entire night. No one knows what they discussed. Even Yuwen Ji never asked about the matter again.

The next day, Zuo Mingyu, the Chief Grand Elder of the Celestial Brilliance Scripture Pavilion, publicly took on a disciple: a young woman named Su Qianqian.

In stark contrast to when Xu Luo joined the Celestial Brilliance Medicine Garden, Su Qianqian was given a warm welcome at the Scripture Pavilion. Many of the other major figures in the Celestial Brilliance Sect even sent congratulatory gifts.

Xu Luo did not attend Su Qianqian’s discipleship ceremony. Zuo Mingyu had said he didn’t want others to know about Xu Luo’s connection to Su Qianqian, and that concealing their relationship would benefit them both.

His status as the Inheritor of the Medicine King was already enough to make many people burn with envy. As for his identity as the Heaven’s Chosen One, including Xu Luo himself, only four people now knew.

Sect Leader Xiahou Kaiyuan personally warned Xu Luo, ”This matter... must absolutely not get out for the time being! Or it will lead to a great disaster!”

Xu Luo understood this well. He was now a target for everyone. ’Throughout the entire Celestial Brilliance Sect, there are probably too many people who can’t stand the sight of me, just waiting for a chance to take me down,’ he thought.

’If those people found out about my relationship with Su Qianqian, I’m afraid Qianqian would be dragged into my troubles.’

Therefore, Xu Luo agreed without hesitation. In public, he would act as if he and Su Qianqian were strangers.

Returning to the Celestial Brilliance Medicine Garden after a long absence, Xu Luo kept a low profile and went straight back to his residence.

When Sun Xiaohong and the others saw Xu Luo return, they were overjoyed and rushed out to welcome him, each reporting on their current cultivation progress.

Except for Wei Dong, whose progress was slowed by his recovery from injury, everyone else had improved significantly.

Moreover, all of them, including Wei Dong, had successfully passed the assessment and become Heavenly Brilliance Outer Disciples.

This news greatly pleased Xu Luo, and he offered them some words of encouragement.

Afterward, Sun Xiaohong said to Xu Luo, ”Young Master, the annual competition begins in four days. There are many people... waiting to see you make a fool of yourself.”

Xu Luo smiled. ”Then let them watch.”

”I’m sure the Young Master will teach them a harsh lesson!” Han Shuang said, looking at Xu Luo with adoration.

This former servant had now become a Heavenly Brilliance Outer Disciple. It was said that when the news reached Han Shuang’s home, the entire small city was abuzz. Han Shuang’s family had, in turn, become the most powerful family in the region.

The others had similar stories, each becoming the pride of their respective families.

”Xiaohong, I remember you were framed by your maid, which was why you failed to become an Outer Disciple. What... happened to her?” Xu Luo asked.

”She... came to see me,” Sun Xiaohong said softly. ”She came to apologize. I don’t want to dwell on the past. If it weren’t for her... I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to serve the Young Master. So, in a way, I should be thanking her!”

”Sister Hong is just too kind!” Han Shuang chimed in from the side. ”If it were me, I wouldn’t have let her off so easily!”

Xu Luo smiled, but inwardly, he strongly approved of Sun Xiaohong’s decision.

After all, Sun Xiaohong’s status was quite high now. Although she was an Outer Disciple, by staying at his side, it was only a matter of time before she entered the Inner Sect.

At a time like this, if Sun Xiaohong had been merciless now that she had the upper hand, it would have been effortless to punish that maid. She wouldn’t have even needed to lift a finger; someone would have done it for her. And no one would have said a word about it.

But that young maid... could no longer pose any threat to her. To show her mercy at a time like this was a magnanimous act that would earn the admiration of many more people!

”You did the right thing,” Xu Luo said to Sun Xiaohong with a smile.

Sun Xiaohong suddenly grew a bit bashful, smiling sheepishly. ”When you’re with the Young Master, you naturally have to be more careful about your words and deeds.”

Han Shuang scratched his head, grinning foolishly. ”Well, I just listen to whatever Sister Hong says.”

Sun Xiaohong shot him a glare. ”You’re supposed to listen to the Young Master!”

”Oh, right, listen to the Young Master!” Han Shuang chuckled sheepishly.

Afterward, the others took their leave, but Sun Xiaohong stayed behind. ”Young Master, there’s one more thing,” she said. ”Over the past six months, a Celestial Splendor Noble Lady has come to see you several times. She told me to inform her the moment you returned.”

”Oh? And who might that be?” Xu Luo asked.

”Her surname is Xie, and her name is Xie Yurou,” Sun Xiaohong said with a smile. ”She’s very beautiful! The Young Master is so charming!”

’So it’s her...’ Xu Luo thought of the young woman who appeared gentle on the surface but was full of mischief underneath, and he couldn’t help but smile. He then thought of her sister, that kind woman who was always veiled.

”Go ahead and tell her I’m back,” Xu Luo said. Internally, he thought, ’Even if it’s just out of respect for her sister, I should see her. I’ll find out what she’s up to.’

「Early the next morning.」

Xu Luo didn’t see Xie Yurou, but another noble lady, famous throughout the Celestial Brilliance Sect, arrived first.

Qi Yue!

The Senior Sister of the Medicine Garden before Xu Luo’s arrival!

”You’re Luo Tian?”

The girl, who had straight-cut bangs and a sweet face, was surprisingly impolite with her first words upon seeing Xu Luo.

By now, almost everyone knew that Luo Tian was the Senior Brother of the Medicine Garden and Elder Yuwen’s Direct Disciple.

Furthermore, he had been acknowledged by the Medicine King Ring, and even the Sect Leader had personally declared that Luo Tian’s status... was equal to his own!

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the position of Chief Grand Elder of the Medicine Garden would be his in the future!

Under these circumstances, almost every Medicine Garden Disciple had changed their attitude toward Xu Luo. Even if they couldn’t bring themselves to be friendly, they would at least... show their Senior Brother a considerable degree of respect.

As the former Senior Sister of the Medicine Garden, it was impossible for Qi Yue to be unaware of these facts, and even more impossible for her to be ignorant of proper etiquette. Yet, her behavior before Xu Luo was so rude it was genuinely unsettling.