The Swordmaster of the East Gate is overly protective of his younger sister.

Upon witnessing the bustling splendor of the capital, Xie Wuji was left speechless, awestruck by the grandeur before him. In comparison, Dog Paddle Town and Qingpi County seemed mundane and insignificant. At the gates of Great Liang City stood four imposing statues, which, according to Dongmen Qianyun, represented the four legendary founding generals of the Yunshang Kingdom. These figures possessed profound cultivation, not inferior to disciples of ordinary sects—indeed, they might have been even more powerful.

A nation, in truth, was much like a sect, only on a grander scale.

Taking in the lively scene around him, Xie Wuji spoke, “Qianyun, now that I’ve escorted you to the capital, perhaps you should return home?”

“So eager to be rid of me?” Dongmen Qianyun looked at Xie Wuji, a trace of indignation flickering in her heart.

“It’s not that—I just thought you could give me your address, so I could visit you another time. But right now, I have important matters to attend to,” Xie Wuji explained.

Dongmen Qianyun seemed prepared for this. She clasped her hands behind her back, smiling sweetly. “Very well, don’t forget—you promised to come find me!”

Xie Wuji nodded with a smile, but just then, a group of men in long robes approached from afar, swiftly surrounding him. Among them, one stood tall and imposing, brimming with spiritual energy—clearly someone who had reached the Golden Core stage. “Second Miss, we’ve finally found you. This villain must be the one who abducted you, isn’t he?”

As he spoke, the young man drew his sword and pressed it against Xie Wuji’s throat.

Xie Wuji’s face drained of color. Aside from that run-in with the golden dragon, he hadn’t provoked any other Golden Core experts—or so he thought.

“Gentlemen, perhaps there’s been some misunderstanding?” Xie Wuji hurriedly protested, eager to avoid an unnecessary conflict.

The city gate erupted into chaos, a crowd quickly gathering until the already bustling entrance was packed to the brim. People pointed and whispered, their curiosity piqued by the spectacle of Xie Wuji’s predicament.

“What has this man done to offend the people of Danxia Sect?”

“He’s doomed, I say! Danxia Sect is a giant among the sects of the Yunshang Kingdom. To provoke such a force—he must be courting death, or perhaps he’s simply mad!”

The surrounding citizens chattered incessantly, leaving Xie Wuji bewildered. The sword-wielding youth sneered, “Still feigning ignorance, villain?”

“Stop, Brother Hongliu!” At that moment, Dongmen Qianyun rushed forward, blocking the young man.

The one addressed as Brother Hongliu had a square, resolute face, his features bold and upright, with brows slanting toward his temples—he radiated an aura of righteousness and authority. “Second Miss, surely this man has committed some heinous crime? Allow me to discipline him!”

“You’re mistaken, all of you!” Dongmen Qianyun cried. “I left on my own accord and was captured by bandits—Brother Xie was the one who rescued me…” She then recounted the entire story, and understanding dawned on the crowd.

Yet Xie Wuji caught mocking voices from the distance.

A disciple covered his mouth, snickering, “It’s her—the Second Miss, born with severed meridians. How laughable… Her elder brother is a peerless genius of Danxia Sect, but she herself is a cripple, unable to cultivate. If her father weren’t the sect leader, Danxia Sect would never have been her home.”

“Hush, don’t speak carelessly! No matter her talent, her status is unassailable. Besides, Senior Brother Dongmen Jianhao is notorious for being overprotective—everyone in Danxia Sect knows it…”

At that, the disciples fell silent, but Xie Wuji had heard every word.

Dongmen Qianyun lowered her head. “Brother Xie, I didn’t mean to hide the truth from you, I…”

Xie Wuji laughed it off. “It doesn’t matter. Since your family is here and you’re safe, I’ll take my leave.”

She quickly interjected, “But, Brother Xie, aren’t you here to recruit someone from Danxia Sect? Who are you looking for?”

“I’m looking for my granduncle. His name is Qin Shou,” Xie Wuji replied.

In fact, the Eight Great Protectors of the Undying Longevity Sect all had rather peculiar names. Old Master Song Zang’s name, for instance, sounded like ‘funeral,’ and his sons were named ‘Send-off’ and ‘Filial Mourning’—all quite remarkable. As for one of the other Protectors, Old Master Qin, he was called Qin Shou, which sounded rather bestial, but by all accounts he was a refined and scholarly old man.

At the mention of Qin Shou, Hongliu’s eyes widened. “You’re related to Old Master Qin?”

“Yes, do you know my granduncle?” Xie Wuji asked.

Hongliu’s expression turned grave. “The old master passed away last month—you’ve come too late…”

Xie Wuji’s body stiffened. He seized Hongliu’s collar. “You’re lying! My granduncle was always in good health, how could he—?”

“In truth, when Old Master Qin arrived at our sect thirty years ago, he was already an elder of the Tranquil Treasure Pavilion. He had once been a Protector of the Undying Longevity Sect, but after its destruction, he became gravely ill, his spirit weighed down by sorrow. He’d long been ailing—if only you’d come sooner,” Hongliu explained, sheathing his sword and addressing the crowd. “Alright, disperse! This man is not only Second Miss’s savior but also Old Master Qin’s grandnephew—he’s one of us.”

Some onlookers expressed their disappointment, having hoped for a dramatic street brawl, but seeing the matter resolved, they drifted away.

Xie Wuji accompanied the group to Danxia Sect, and was stunned by its magnificence. Danxia Sect was built upon the waters of Liangshui Lake—it wasn’t particularly mountainous, but the landscape was charming, a veritable paradise. The sect teemed with disciples, the throng so dense it felt like a city within a city.

As soon as Xie Wuji entered, a sudden flash of red streaked across the sky. A towering, imposing man appeared before them.

“My dear sister! Are you alright?” With a cry, a brawny man—about twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old, roughly the same age as Xie Wuji—rushed over. He was strikingly handsome, his features chiseled and well-defined, his face both strong and elegant. Though he seemed carefree at first glance, the sharp glint in his eyes hinted at a formidable spirit. His thick black hair, high-bridged nose, and perfectly shaped lips formed a dazzling smile. His obsidian eyes shone with a heroic brilliance, and beneath their placid surface lurked a piercing, eagle-like gaze—set atop a face as if sculpted by an artisan, his presence was overwhelming.

He was about to embrace Dongmen Qianyun, but she quickly blocked his face. “Brother, I’m grown up now. Even siblings must observe propriety between men and women…”

“Once my sister, always my sister! Haven’t you heard? A hundred days as siblings, a bond as deep as the sea! When mountains crumble, rivers run dry, thunder rumbles in winter, snow falls in summer, and heaven and earth unite—only then would I forsake my dear sister!” Dongmen Jianhao declared, utterly besotted.

Xie Wuji stood awkwardly to the side, saying nothing.

But Dongmen Jianhao had noticed him. Seeing the tender look his sister gave Xie Wuji, he trembled with jealousy.

“I refuse to accept this match!” Dongmen Jianhao suddenly roared.

“Senior Brother, you startled me!” Hongliu exclaimed, clutching his chest.

Xie Wuji scratched his head. “Brother, I think you’re mistaken… I’m just a passerby.”

“What have you done to my sister? If you so much as touch a hair on her head, I’ll send you straight to the King of Hell!” As he spoke, Dongmen Jianhao’s aura erupted, oppressive and fierce.

Xie Wuji found it hard to breathe—this man’s cultivation was truly formidable.

“Brother, how can you treat my savior like this?” Dongmen Qianyun stepped between them.

Seeing his sister intervene, Dongmen Jianhao burst into tears. “Sister, you’d shield an outsider from my sword? When have you ever cared so much for your brother? I absolutely will not allow this boy to set foot in our sect—never!”

Jealousy consumed him. In his eyes, Xie Wuji was a threat that could not be allowed within the sect’s walls.