A Yellow River Gathering had countless people across the land captivated.

Regardless of Qin Chu, who could surpass Jing Mu?

Inside a small courtyard in Xin’an City, Li Jianqiu pushed open the gate and walked in alone, with a peach branch sword that had made his name famous in Zhuang Country hanging at his waist, appearing desolate.

He had failed.

In the competition for a spot at the Yellow River Gathering, he was defeated by Lin Zhengren, who hailed from the Wangjiang City Daoist Academy.

Zhuang Country had advanced a level just last year through national warfare, and the fruits of war needed time to be assimilated; after all, the foundation was insufficient. There were no young and strong cultivators from the External Building Environment that could compete with the geniuses of other countries, nor the capability to participate in an unrestricted decisive battle for those under thirty, only in the Inner Mansion Realm was there a slim chance to exhibit some prowess.

While Zhu Weiwo was still around, there was naturally no other choice but him. After Zhu Weiwo defected from the nation, the spot became open for competition.

Li Jianqiu had given his all but still met with failure.

There really was nothing to be discouraged about.

Lin Zhengren had always been stronger and more famous, and he had the favor of the Monarch, enjoying abundant resources.

Having good relationships with everyone, high and low, he was naturally the center of attention.

During the fight, Lin Zhengren’s endless tactics, like an inexhaustible deck, indeed made him admit a convincing defeat.

His peach branch sword had dazzled Xin’an City. But Lin Zhengren’s constant countertactics, relentless and dense, ultimately wore down his Dao Sword.

Being inferior in skill, it was only right that he lost.

Victory and defeat are common; they shouldn’t be dwelled upon.

Back in Maple Forest City Daoist Academy, his opponent was already the leader of Wangjiang City Daoist Academy, a figure comparable to Teacher Brother Zhu.

Now losing seemed almost inevitable.

Yet he still couldn’t accept it.

But if asked why... he couldn’t articulate it.

Walking through the courtyard’s stone path, he stepped up the stairs, entered the quiet room, and shut the door.

He sat cross-legged on the cushion.

Only then did he move his clenched fist in front of him, opening his hand to reveal a green Yu Jue in the palm.

It was Teacher Dong’s Yu Jue.

It was also found on Teacher Dong’s corpse.

Handed to him personally by State Minister Du Ruhui.

That night Teacher Dong was murdered, he had intentionally been sent away. By the time he returned to Xin’an City, what he saw was the dismembered corpse.

The conversation that night on the streets of Xin’an City, he now realized belatedly, were Teacher Dong’s last words.

"Only you understand sacrifice. Sacrifice is a sacred quality, it’s the foundation of achieving greatness."

"If one day the entire Zhuang Country falls into darkness, you are the spark I’ve reserved for this land."

Even today, he didn’t quite understand these words.

Now he sat alone.

He thought he had hated Dong Ah, for the innocent souls in Maple Forest City, and also because Dong Ah even kept him close and didn’t hide things – why not hide them from him and spare him such pain and torment?

But what else, besides hate?

Now he sat alone, and indeed, he remembered that stern man.

Long ago, back in the City Daoist Academy, he had wondered what it would look like if Teacher Dong smiled. But unexpectedly, it wouldn’t be until his death that he would see it.

What was he smiling at before his death?

Li Jianqiu silently caressed the green Yu Jue in his hand.

This Yu Jue’s earliest owner, it was said, was Teacher Dong’s young friend, Zhang Xinliang.

Zhang Xinliang gave it to Teacher Dong, and Teacher Dong gave it to...

To whom?

Such a trinket, and rather ordinary in style, he really hadn’t paid much attention.

There were so many people in Maple Forest City Daoist Academy, he couldn’t possibly remember what each person wore or carried.

He knew what was inside this green Yu Jue; it contained a secret technique called Control Primordial Decision.

It was a secret technique to enhance the fine control of Primordial Energy.

During his days working under Teacher Dong, he had already learned it, knowing it thoroughly.

Yet, he hadn’t learned it while at the City Daoist Academy.

Who could it be?

The person who learned Control Primordial Decision before him must have been the first one Teacher Dong recognized.

After that person met with disaster, Teacher Dong then chose him...

That person must have been dazzling.

Was it the Bone Messenger Zhang Linchuan, who demonstrated outstanding talent in Thunder Technique within the Daoist Academy? Or was it Wang Changxiang, born with the unique Wind Sparrow vein, gentle and kind-hearted in nature?

Or perhaps...

Li Jianqiu didn’t know why, but a scene suddenly came to mind:

It was also a night.

He was on night duty at the small pavilion in front of the inner court.

A delicate-looking youth hurried over, though he was hurried, he remained composed and said—"Brother Li, there are heretical villains causing harm in the outer court; one of our junior brothers has already been killed! Please take charge!"

He was injured, but his expression remained normal. Having narrowly escaped death, he was still able to speak clearly and maintain his dignity.

Perhaps that wasn’t the first time he had met that youth, since both were in the City Daoist Institute; their paths could have crossed. But it was the first time he remembered that youth.

And after Dong Ah came out, the first thing he did was to remove the corpse poison from that youth.

At that time, he felt that Dong Ah treated this junior brother who had just entered the inner gate in an extraordinary manner. Very extraordinary.

Dong Ah was known for his straightforward nature and serious demeanor, rarely showing such tenderness.

"That junior brother must be outstanding?" he had thought at that time.

Indeed, it turned out to be so. Whether it was during the debates in the three cities or their mission in San Shan City, that junior brother performed exceptionally well.

They could also be considered friends.

He, once a defeated dog, a lone wanderer estranged from the group, had found a sense of companionship again in that junior brother.

Later, he went to the County Taoist Institute, and they promised to meet at a higher place.

At that time, they both harbored their own ideals. He wanted to solve the problem of the Fierce Beasts once and for all, but what was that junior brother’s ideal again? To become an important official, to achieve fame and success, to stabilize a region, allow his sister to enjoy endless delicacies and wear endless new clothes?

And then later...

Later, Fenglin City was gone. He also knew that his ideal could no longer be realized.

Could it be him?

Li Jianqiu suddenly had such a thought in his heart.

He instinctively tightened his grip on the green-colored Yu Jue, sinking his spirit into it. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The information belonging to the Primordial Energy Control, slowly flowed into his heart.

He was so familiar with every word. Dong Ah had recounted it to him, word by word.

He felt them, savoring the memories.

Suddenly, in his thoughts, a drop of blood emerged.

No, it wasn’t just in the thoughts.

From that green-colored Yu Jue, a drop of blood really emerged.

A drop of fresh, full blood.

It directly crashed into Li Jianqiu’s palm, into his body!

Pain!

Intense pain!

Li Jianqiu fell to the ground, tried to scream, but couldn’t make a sound.

This drop of blood seemed to have infinite power, piercing directly into the Five Mansions Sea, crashing into the very first Inner Mansion.

Li Jianqiu’s first Inner Mansion had originally been empty.

This drop of blood fell...

Drip!

Like the falling of spring rain.

It soaked into the floor of the Inner Mansion, leaving no trace.

No, it left a trace.

When the spring rain falls, everything springs to life.

Li Jianqiu’s pain disappeared, and he felt a great power being nurtured.

There was a vigorous vitality, a courage facing death and fostering life.

As if a spring breeze swept over a barren land, the world embraced a new spring.

A blue seed "drilled" out from the floor of the Inner Mansion.

It was like carrying a child for ten months, and giving birth in one day.

It leapt high and hung beneath the dome of the Inner Mansion.

A blue light illuminated the Inner Mansion from it!

Li Jianqiu was no longer in pain, the vigorous power continuously arose within him, yet he did not get up.

He lay on the ground, staring blankly...

Until this moment, he finally understood what this drop of blood meant.

That green-colored Yu Jue had been left by Zhang Xinliang. It had once held Zhang Xinliang’s Primordial Energy Control, and was later passed to Dong Ah.

And Dong Ah also left his mark during this time.

This drop of blood was Inner Mansion Essence Blood, a crystallization of Divine Skills. It was a masterpiece unique to the ever-perpetuating Divine Skills.

This drop of blood had formed only after Dong Ah’s death.