Chapter 1027 - Ancient Breath-Concealing Art

Liu Wuxie intended to give the corpses he had found underground to Master Yi for proper burial, to honor the fallen, and to let their souls finally rest in peace instead of remaining trapped in the cold abyss.

However, just as he reached for the beast pouch, something stirred violently inside, erupting in sudden commotion.

"Thank you, young man!" Master Yi said. Her tone was softer than before. It no more held the distant authority but genuine gratitude.

"Master Yi, wait!" Liu Wuxie stepped forward and raised his hand to stop her. Confusion flickered across his face. He couldn't tell who Fiery was fighting inside the pouch.

With slight hesitation, he opened it.

A blur shot out of the pouch. A beast and a woman slammed to the ground, locked in fierce combat.

"An ancient qilin... how rare," murmured the woman in the gray robe. She narrowed her eyes and leveled her sword. "Pledge your loyalty to the Half-Moon Nunnery, and I'll ensure you will be treated well."

Fiery snapped its jaws in disdain. Its lips curled into a snarl as it hurled one furious glare after another at the woman, clearly rejecting her offer.

Liu Wuxie stood frozen, completely at a loss. Xu Lingxue and Murong Yi exchanged bewildered glances, equally dumbfounded.

Even Master Yi stood frozen in disbelief.

A qilin leaping out of Liu Wuxie's beast pouch was shocking enough, as qilins were ancient divine beasts venerated for their noble bloodline, but what left everyone speechless was the sight of a nun emerging right behind it.

The woman raised her sword again, completely ignoring the chaos unfolding around her. Her gaze locked solely on Fiery.

"Hold on!" Liu Wuxie shouted. His voice cracked through the air like a thunderclap. The sheer force of his soul energy rang in everyone's ears and made the ground vibrate.

Master Yi flinched. Her brow furrowed under the weight of Liu Wuxie's soul energy.

The sword-wielding nun finally paused and swept her gaze across the area. Her expression changed as she noticed everyone staring, each face etched with shock and disbelief.

When Liu Wuxie looked directly at her, his breath caught in his throat. His knees gave out, and he almost collapsed.

"Are you all disciples of the Half-Moon Nunnery? Perfect! Help me tame this beast!" she said, clearly mistaking the gathering of stunned nuns for reinforcements. She gestured at Fiery in a commanding tone.

Fiery's eyes burned with fury. The word "beast" ignited a blaze in its heart. It shook its head violently, and flames flickered in its throat as it prepared to unleash its True Samadhi Fire until Liu Wuxie raised a hand and stopped it.

Master Yi froze in place, her mind spinning as she stared at the impossible sight before her. Suddenly, recognition flashed in her eyes, followed by disbelief.

"Y-You're Ancestor Yang Ni!" she gasped. Her voice trembled. Without hesitation, she rushed forward and dropped to her knees, bowing deeply in reverence.

The nun blinked, visibly confused.

"Who are you? And how do you know my name?" she asked, her brow furrowing with suspicion. The title "Ancestor" clearly baffled her, and she struggled to understand the reverence in the woman's tone.

"Ancestor, I'm Little Yi!" Master Yi choked, her voice trembling with emotion. Despite being nearly five centuries old, she still referred to herself as "Little Yi." The name sounded awkward and surreal.

"Little Yi?" Doubt tightened Yang Ni's expression. She searched her memories and shook her head. "That's impossible. Little Yi is only seven—you can't be her."

She pressed her fingers against her temples, eyes squinting as a wave of pain flickered across her face. Fragments of memory scattered through her mind, refusing to connect. She needed time to piece them together.

"Ancestor, I am Little Yi!" Master Yi sobbed. She dropped to the ground and clung to Yang Ni's legs, tears streaming down her face. "You found me abandoned and took me in. You even captured a beast to feed me its milk. Have you forgotten everything?"

Tears filled the surrounding nuns' eyes. Though they didn't understand why their master had broken down, her grief moved them nonetheless.

"Wuxie, who is she?" Xu Lingxue whispered, stepping closer. She couldn't contain her curiosity.

"I wish I knew," Liu Wuxie said, rubbing his nose with a helpless smile.

"Nonsense!" Yang Ni snapped, brushing Master Yi aside. "Little Yi was just a child. You can't be her! All of you, help me subdue this divine beast!"

She pointed again at Fiery, her tone sharp and commanding, completely ignoring the chaos around her.

"Ancestor, have you forgotten me?" Master Yi stood up slowly, her voice laced with a hint of pain. "You descended underground to search for the Frost Bead five hundred years ago. You never came back."

Yang Ni froze.

Fragmented memories surged through her soul, widening her eyes. They twisted and tumbled inside her mind, crashing against the centuries-long silence she had endured.

She began to tremble.

Fear and helplessness crept into her gaze. She could only remember one thing—the moment the ice had closed in, it had sealed her away. Everything that had followed, had vanished into a gaping void.

"Yes... I remember," Yang Ni murmured. "I went underground to search for the Frost Bead... but the moment the bone-chilling water touched me, everything went dark."

Yang Ni shook her head. She furrowed her brows, trying to piece together her shattered memories.

"Ancestor... I never thought I'd see you again!" Master Yi cried. Her voice cracked with overwhelming emotion as centuries of pent-up sorrow poured from her chest. "The heavens have truly blessed our Half-Moon Nunnery!"

Yang Ni's gaze swept the area, but her joy quickly gave way to suspicion. Her expression darkened, and her eyes settled on Liu Wuxie and Miao Jianying.

"Tell me," she demanded. "What happened to this place, and why are there men here?"

Her disdain was apparent. She didn't bother to hide the disgust in her eyes as she stared down at the two men.

"Please, allow me to explain..." Master Yi took a deep breath, steadying herself before she spoke. Then, slowly and solemnly, she began to recount the full history, including the events that had followed Yang Ni's disappearance and all that had befallen the sect over the past five hundred years.

She recounted everything without pause for half a day.

As Yang Ni listened, her expression slowly crumbled, disbelief giving way to sorrow. The truth sank in like a mountain of snow pressing down on her chest.

Five centuries had passed. To her, it was a single breath, but the world had transformed.

"So, you're saying I was trapped underground all this time... and he was the one who saved me?" she asked in a hollow voice.

The pieces clicked into place.

She had gone in search of the Frost Bead and never returned. Trapped beneath the glacier, sealed in silence and ice, she had become a relic of the past until Liu Wuxie had brought her back to the surface.

"That's right," Master Yi said softly, nodding.

Yang Ni's gaze shifted to Liu Wuxie. She stared with a flicker of gratitude and confusion battling behind her eyes.

Not only had he rescued her, but he had also restored the Half-Moon Nunnery's spiritual array, a feat no one had managed in five centuries. To the sect, he was more than just a guest. He was a savior.

Fiery let out a sharp snort, slicing through the tense silence.

The ancient qilin flicked its tail once before vanishing into the beast pouch. It wanted no part in the cold environment. Fire and frost could never coexist.

"Young lad, you've done well. But the Half-Moon Nunnery does not welcome men," Yang Yi said in a frosty tone, making her stance clear that she wanted no further interaction with men.

"Senior, if I may," Liu Wuxie interjected, unable to suppress his curiosity. "How did you survive five hundred years frozen in ice?"

Even with everything he knew as an Immortal Emperor, he couldn't hibernate for five hundred years.

"This technique is the reason," Yang Ni said. She pulled a book from her interspatial ring and tossed it to Liu Wuxie. "Take it as a repayment for saving me."

"Ancient Breath-Concealing Art!" Liu Wuxie read the title and felt a surge of curiosity.

⋯⋯

After that, he handed over the remaining corpses he had retrieved. Since those people hadn't practiced the Ancient Breath-Concealing Art while alive, they hadn't survived.

Liu Wuxie then left the frozen plains with Xu Lingxue, Murong Yi, and Miao Jianying.

As Yang Ni had made clear, the Half-Moon Nunnery had no place for men, and they would only disturb its peace if they stayed.

Along the journey, Liu Wuxie studied the Ancient Breath-Concealing Art, which was a powerful concealment technique.

If an assassin mastered the technique, they could conceal themselves right beside their target without being noticed. With advanced mastery, they could even fake death so convincingly that no one could tell the difference.

"Wuxie dear, where to next?" Xu Lingxue asked once they returned to Northern City from the extreme north.

"We'll make a trip to the Renowned Sword Manor," Liu Wuxie replied.

Since he had returned to Northern City, he intended to visit the manor. Miao Jianying, of course, accompanied them.

Ten days later, Miao Feiyu and the top elders of the manor personally welcomed them into the Renowned Sword Manor.

They received the highest honors, especially since Liu Wuxie's warning had helped the Renowned Sword Manor avoid devastating losses.

"Brother Liu, congratulations on reuniting with your beloved," Miao Feiyu said, his voice warm with sincerity.

The Renowned Sword Manor had drawn in a wave of new disciples, boosting the sect's overall strength by a large margin.

"I'm the one who should thank the manor," Liu Wuxie replied with genuine appreciation. "If it weren't for your help, I might not have found them so quickly."

He knew that if he had arrived a day later, Master Yi would've already forced Xu Lingxue and Murong Yi into ordination. By then, even if he had found them, it would have been too late.

"No need for formalities between us," Miao Feiyu said with a smile. He pulled out an interspatial ring and handed it to Liu Wuxie. "Take this. Just a small token of our appreciation."

"It's not appropriate..." Liu Wuxie hesitated. Aside from the Autumn Blossom Fruits and supreme-grade spirit stones, he had lost everything during his time in the Void Realm.

"Brother Liu, please accept it. Otherwise, we'll feel forever indebted to you," Ji Qiu urged, stepping forward to support Miao Feiyu's gesture.

Miao Jianying also added, "If you refuse, it would be dishonorable on our part. Without your help, the Renowned Sword Manor would have been destroyed."

Even the blacksmithing techniques Liu Wuxie had shared with Miao Feiyu were priceless, enough to elevate the manor's craftsmanship to new heights.

"Very well," Liu Wuxie finally nodded and tucked the interspatial ring away. "I'll accept it."

He understood the Heavenly Dao Society's urgent need for resources, especially given its rapid growth. Xu Lingxue and Murong Yi also needed materials for their cultivation, and this gift would help ease the burden.

After a grand welcome banquet, Liu Wuxie informed everyone of his plan to depart the following morning. He wanted to return to the Central Plains as soon as possible. His parents and in-laws were likely growing anxious.

"Brother Liu, after thinking it over last night, I've decided to send Jianying to assist you in building the Heavenly Dao Society," Miao Feiyu said the next morning.

Miao Feichen had already traveled ahead to the Central Plains. Reports confirmed that cultivators had quickly embraced the swords from the Renowned Sword Manor, drawn by their ancient swordsmithing techniques and exceptional quality.

"Is that okay?" Liu Wuxie asked. He lacked capable helpers, as those he had brought from the Southern Province still needed time to grow.

After all, Miao Jianying was the heir to the Renowned Sword Manor. If he left, what would become of the manor?

"There's nothing inconvenient about it," Miao Feiyu replied. "I'll feel at ease knowing he's with you."

He understood clearly that Miao Jianying wouldn't have reached the Earth Profound Realm so soon without Liu Wuxie's help. Perhaps not for years.

After witnessing Liu Wuxie's actions in the extreme north, Miao Feiyu had solidified his decision. If the Renowned Sword Manor sought lasting prosperity, it had to move beyond its traditional limits and step into the broader world.

He and the other senior members had grown old, and the manor still required their guidance. Letting Miao Jianying gain experience outside was the wisest course. Once Jianying matured, he could always return to assume leadership.

Since Miao Jianying's father and the upper echelons had already reached a consensus, Liu Wuxie saw no reason to object.

With the decision made, the four of them set off from Northern City.

Meanwhile, atop a towering structure in the heart of the city, two men stood watching. One, a burly middle-aged man, stood with his arms crossed. The other, Steward He, watched quietly beside him.

"The extreme north has been chaotic lately," said the man known as Bei Ming, his gaze sweeping over the city. "I heard he's the cause of it."

"Yes," Steward He nodded. "That boy isn't ordinary. He located the Half-Moon Nunnery, ventured ten thousand meters underground, retrieved the Frost Bead, and still came back alive."

Nothing in Northern City escaped the eyes and ears of the City Lord Mansion.

Back then, only the Half-Moon Nunnery had dared to defy them. Rather than submit, they had withdrawn into the extreme north.