119. Over a hundred people gathered by the lakeside.

Images from the past began surfacing in Baili Qingyan’s mind, scenes that had been with him ever since he was old enough to understand the world.

“Master, I’m so tired. Can I rest for a while?” the young Baili Qingyan once asked Ding Desheng. At the time, Ding Desheng’s beard was streaked with gray, unlike the snow-white mass it had become today.

Ding Desheng snapped angrily, “I am your benefactor, and I am your master! Your life belongs to me, so you must become the sharpest sword in my hand!”

“But... but I want to play like the other senior brothers... I—I want candied fruit. I want to play...”

Before Baili Qingyan could finish, Ding Desheng struck him across the face. The blow sent him crashing heavily to the ground. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he stared at Ding Desheng in fear and awe.

Ding Desheng’s eyes were as vicious as those of the most venomous serpent. He said, “From the moment you joined the Vermilion Cloud Sect, your life ceased to be your own. You belong to me! Every inch of your skin and every strand of hair upon your body was granted to you by me. I want you to surpass Dongmen Yong’s son, Dongmen Jianhao, in every way!”

...

“Master, this technique is so strange. Why do I feel uncomfortable all over every time I practice it? They all laugh at me, saying that although I am a boy, I act like a girl.” Baili Qingyan spoke timidly.

“This technique was created specifically for you. It is your destiny... Hmm. From now on, you must learn needlework, embroider like a woman, and study music, strategy, calligraphy, and painting. Do you understand?” Ding Desheng said. He intended to make Baili Qingyan thoroughly embody every aspect of the technique.

Those who practiced the Sumeru Yin Art would never grow facial hair, and their bodies would gradually become more feminine. Baili Qingyan had begun studying the technique at the age of nine. If he had not always appeared in men’s clothing, people truly might have mistaken him for a girl.

“Master, but my senior brothers have all grown beards. They laugh at me because I have no beard—not even stubble.” Baili Qingyan lowered his head.

Ding Desheng said slowly, “What man or woman? What beard? You need remember only two words: power! Once you possess power and help me reclaim the position of sect master, I will give you anything you desire!”

...

Throughout his life, Baili Qingyan had never felt any warmth from his master, Ding Desheng. All he had received was cruelty. Whenever he made a mistake, Ding Desheng did not patiently guide him. He beat him with a whip.

Every time Baili Qingyan saw Dongmen Yong laughing and chatting with his disciples, he felt envious. Whenever he ventured outside and witnessed the deep affection between the leaders of minor sects and their disciples, he was filled with emotion.

For a time, he even believed that he was merely the source of a tragedy, that he was unworthy of possessing such things...

“Alas...” Baili Qingyan sighed. “Some things are easy to pick up, but once you wish to put them down... how could that ever be easy?”

Seeing the helplessness on Baili Qingyan’s face, Xie Wuji could only sigh as well. “Qingyan, I was merely speaking from the heart. If I have made you unhappy, I apologize. But I still hope you can live a better life—not merely one that appears fine on the surface, but one that is peaceful within as well...”

Xie Wuji’s words were like an invisible arrow. They pierced through the heavy armor surrounding Baili Qingyan and entered the deepest chambers of his heart.

Baili Qingyan gave a bitter smile. “Thank you. I am not unhappy. I am only lamenting my fate...”

The others cleaned up the corpses left behind by the battle, gathered them into one place, and set them ablaze.

Several people approached from the distance. When Xie Wuji looked up, he realized that they were disciples from the Red Dust Valley.

Several female disciples of Red Dust Valley came over and asked, “Xuefen, why are the three of you with male disciples from other sects?”

Xuefen hurriedly replied, “Senior Sister, you misunderstand. It was like this...”

She explained everything that had happened. Only then did Xie Wuji learn that the female disciples of Red Dust Valley were forbidden to communicate with male disciples from other sects—not even to speak with them.

After learning that Xie Wuji had helped rescue them, however, they still expressed their gratitude. Nevertheless, Xuefen and the other two had no choice but to return to their original group and part from Xie Wuji, promising to meet again in the future.

By then, they were drawing closer and closer to the Heaven-Piercing Tower, and the number of people around them had increased. Baili Qingyan noticed someone approaching in the distance and said, “Wuji, I think we must part ways as well.”

“Why? What happened?” Xie Wuji asked, puzzled.

“Shi Zhentian is among them. If he whispers a few more words into my master’s ear, my master will punish me again. Though you and I are innocent, my master is suspicious by nature. It is better to avoid unnecessary trouble.”

Xie Wuji smiled. “Very well. I can see Senior Brother Dongmen and the others as well. It seems the Heaven-Piercing Tower is close.”

“Wuji.”

Baili Qingyan suddenly called out to him.

Xie Wuji turned around sharply. “What is it now?”

“Nothing, nothing at all. I simply wanted to call your name. I’m glad to have met you.”

He smiled brightly, like a flower in full bloom.

Xie Wuji waved to him as well, then bade Baili Qingyan farewell.

Dongmen Jianhao and the others soon came over. It turned out that Dongmen Jianhao had cut his way through every obstacle and traveled without hindrance. Along the way, he had encountered Ji Liancheng, who told him about Yang Hongliu’s habits, allowing them to locate her as well.

Ji Liancheng had not been able to determine where Xie Wuji had gone, however, and everyone had been worried about him. Now that he had suddenly appeared, they were all overjoyed.

Dongmen Jianhao looked at Li Dazui and said, “This fellow is enormous. Where did he come from?”

“It’s like this...” Xie Wuji explained Li Dazui’s circumstances, and everyone felt deeply sympathetic.

Ji Liancheng said, “If that is the reason, then although Li Dazui is a condemned prisoner, the Kingdom of Li has an unwritten rule: sentences may be redeemed.”

“Redeemed?” Xie Wuji asked, perplexed.

“In other words, one can buy a reduced sentence with money. This fellow was sentenced to thirty years, but given his worth, a wealthy patron could pay to shorten his sentence. A death sentence cannot be redeemed, however. If Brother Li Dazui manages to avoid execution this time, we may be able to find a way to reduce his punishment.”

Li Dazui was overjoyed. “If all of you can help me stay alive, then I shall dedicate my life to the Vermilion Cloud Sect!”

Everyone welcomed the gluttonous Li Dazui, while Xie Wuji asked about the surrounding area. Only then did he learn that the Heaven-Piercing Tower lay just beyond them. A vast lake surrounded it, however, and nearly everyone had stopped there.

“If it is only a lake, why do we not simply swim across? Why is everyone standing around doing nothing?” Xie Wuji asked.

Ji Liancheng sighed. “The people of the Supreme Immortal Sect are over there. Whoever launches an attack first at a time like this will immediately become the target of everyone’s hostility. What do you think the other sects would do if we crossed the lake first?”

“They would all attack us?” Xie Wuji asked.

“Exactly. That is why no one wants to be the first to wade into these troubled waters. Originally, the Supreme Immortal Sect should have been the first to set out, but they have remained still as well. Clearly, they deliberately stayed behind to make everyone else remain where they are, thereby preserving their position as the foremost of the Ten Great Sects.”

Dongmen Jianhao said, “That is precisely it. If no one advances toward the Heaven-Piercing Tower at the center of the lake, then it is equivalent to maintaining the rankings from ten years ago.”

“But it is truly maddening,” Xie Wuji said. “The destination is right before our eyes, yet we have to remain here?”

“The Supreme Immortal Sect has never been anything good,” Li Dazui said. “They are in league with the imperial court, and every disciple in the sect is selfish to the core. They possess some strength, certainly, but their actions are infuriating.”

“Anger is one thing,” Xie Wuji replied, “but most people still do not dare provoke the Supreme Immortal Sect, do they?”

At that moment, the shore was packed with people. More than a hundred had gathered there. By now, nearly every sect participating in the competition had assembled, but none of those present were easy opponents. Everyone understood the current situation.

They watched one another warily, and no one dared take the first step.

In the distance, the twenty members of the Supreme Immortal Sect observed everything with calm composure, seemingly quite satisfied with the arrangement.