[As the "Flood Dragon Blood Ritual" poignantly concludes, you seem to glimpse a future engulfed by darkness.]
[However... the gears of fate will not end here.]
[The force "A Troubled Destiny" activates!]
[Just as your "Flood Dragon Blood Ritual" ends, Gua Hua leaves without a trace of nostalgia, turning away, leaving only Gu Hongyu watching you with a malicious glint in his eyes.]
[However, at that moment, the entire "Xuanqing Lake" suddenly shook violently for a split second!]
["The wicked flood dragon lacks the Dao, it must be vanquished today!" A soft chant reverberates from outside the lake, and soon, the smell of blood fills the air—demon blood.]
["The Wutong Xie Family, the Zither Sword Pavilion, and the Xuanqing Government Office?!" Already departing not long ago, Gua Hua's voice, suppressing raging fury, resounds throughout the whole Xuanqing Lake.]
["Since when can the martial artists of the sect rub shoulders with the lackeys of the government office?" Gua Hua ascends into the air, sneering coldly, gazing at the incoming outside cultivator at Xuanqing Lake.]
["You wicked flood dragon! You kidnapped the direct descendant of the Xie Family, the true heir of the Zither Sword Pavilion; we have attempted negotiations with you multiple times, yet you ignored them! You should have foreseen today!" A white-clothed figure from the Zither Sword Pavilion, using a zither as a sword, speaks with wrathful words, and without agreement, a fierce battle erupts!]
["Bang bang bang!" The distant sounds of collision echo, and as a mere mortal, you can only vaguely perceive three beings capable of contending with Gua Hua, clashing against him!]
[Simultaneously, alongside the arrival of those three powerful figures, thirty to forty martial artists with cultivation enter "Xuanqing Lake" with heads held high and strides bold!]
[This former "Demon Paradise" has suddenly turned into a bloody battlefield.]
[Among them, a sword-wielding woman in a red palace dress, illuminated like the glow of the morning clouds, breathtakingly beautiful...]
[Arrives at the side palace where you've held the "Flood Dragon Blood Ritual"!]
[As she barges into the hall, you then catch the thick scent of fresh blood in the air, surprisingly coming from her.]
[At that moment, you also realize that she is not dressed in red, but rather in a white gown stained red with blood!]
[Curiously, though demon blood should be filthy, when contrasted with her bright eyes and snow-like skin, it blooms like a sea blossom.]
[Instantly, a line of poetry from a past life flashes through your mind: 'Amidst the crowd, a glance is alluring, world's colors are like dust.']
In memory.
"Deng deng deng..."
Walking over demon corpses, the woman's footsteps are clear, each step bringing her closer.
As Ancient Moon's Jixia looks up, she sees the woman's true visage.
Bright eyes, beautiful teeth, white dress drenched in blood.
An unadorned silk ribbon binds her ink-black hair cascading like a waterfall, one hand grasps a sword, thin as a cicada's wing, without other embellishments, sketching a portrait of earthly beauty.
In past and present lives, Jixia has never encountered such a captivating woman.
But soon, his expression changes:
"Wait,"
"That wretched thing!"
[At this moment within the side hall, only Gu Hongyu and you remain, with scattered demon corpses around.]
[From the sword-bearing woman, Gu Hongyu senses an overwhelming threat, his expression inadvertently shifts, and without a moment's hesitation, strikes toward your back!]
[The palm, imbued with surging demonic power, nearly shifts your internal organs, sending your body flying.]
[Fortunately, you have just awakened the flood dragon blood, barely resisting the attack, but still coughing up blood, severely injured.]
[More dire than this is, as you pale, you realize...]
[Gu Hongyu's palm has sent you flying toward the woman's sword!]
[Meanwhile, Gu Hongyu speeds toward the exit without looking back: "You mere half-demon, a worthless life, awakened impure blood, disgracing your father, no longer tolerated at Xuanqing Lake..."]
["Dying here wouldn't be a waste of you!" With those final words, Gu Hongyu's silhouette grows distant, seemingly about to leave.]
You're running pretty fast!
Jixia nearly cursed out loud.
How many of your underlings and kin has she slaughtered?
As Ancient Moon's Jixia, he has never reaped benefits from Xuanqing Lake, originating from the human race, naturally indifferent to demon deaths.
But you, the dignified "Young Master of Xuanqing Lake," the legitimate scion of flood dragons, lack even the courage to confront foes?
How is that a dragon,
it's a worm!
A real man, even knowing defeat is inevitable, shouldn't act like a stray dog!
At this moment, even Jixia feels his life is likely forfeited here.
Indeed, a troubled destiny is not false.
Yet...
[A pungent smell of blood, accompanied by a cool jade hand, unexpectedly intercepts you mid-air.]
[Struck by this palm and staggering, you catch a quick glimpse, surprised to find that the woman hasn't killed you; instead, she has passed a thread of 'Qi' to you, helping to calm your internal organs.]
[You are somewhat puzzled, hearing her softly mutter, "Half-Demon?" Because you can't discern the situation, you silently nod your head.]
[Hearing this, the woman gazes in the direction Gu Hongyu departed, saying, "I see," with her delicate brows furrowed. She looks at you warmly, then with a gentle sway of her long sleeves, she murmurs a word: 'Go'!]
[As the words fall, a layer of shimmering white mystical light envelops the sword in her hand, following the direction of her slender jade finger, traversing over ten zhang in an instant, within a few breaths, a miserable scream echoes, then abruptly ceases.]
[Following a 'thud', a corpse falls to the ground.]
[As the direct descendant of the Flood Dragon, though yet to truly awaken the demon form, Gu Hongyu, who has reached 'Martial Gate Foundation Establishment'...]
[With the woman's sword departing and returning, meets his instant demise.]
"A splendid kill!"
Jixia cheers!
On the surface, this fairy appears cool and aloof.
But in this moment, in Jixia's eyes, she surpasses any laughing flower-like person in stirring excitement in him.
[You see Gu Hongyu dead, feeling a sense of relief, the accumulated grievances of over ten years nearly swept away by half.]
[Now, when you look at the woman again, even though she is fully stained by Demon Blood, you can't find her cold anymore, you open your mouth wanting to say something, but don't know how to begin, so you remain silent.]
[Or perhaps...]
[In your life of more than ten years, all you've seen are cold eyes.]
[But that fleeting warmth in the woman's gaze, or maybe... heartache, is a color you have never seen before.]
[Though you don't know why, in this vast world, except for your biological mother 'Xie Wei', whom you haven't even seen, no, perhaps even she would detest or be indifferent to you.]
[Thinking self-deprecatingly like this, you feel somewhat saddened.]
[At this moment, the woman speaks, her voice cool and calm, seemingly devoid of any emotion, fitting her outward persona.]
[But you seem to have stumbled upon a secret, that perhaps... she might not be such a person after all.]
["Song Brahman Mirror." she says.]
["My name, Yunluan Mountain, Song Brahman Mirror." The woman looks at you complexly.]
["Your features... resemble someone."]
["Is your mother the direct daughter of Xie Family, Xie Wei?" Song Brahman Mirror inquires.]
[You silently nod 'Mm' after a moment of hesitation, seemingly unwilling to bring up this matter.]
[Upon this utterance, Song Brahman Mirror's pupils contract: "So it is...", then she contemplates for a long time, looking back out the temple, until everything seems to settle into place, only then does she turn back to continue speaking:]
["I happened to pass through here, encountered Xie Family, Zither Sword Pavilion, and Government Office, so I wield my sword to slay demons. Before long, I will soon depart, you..."]
[Song Brahman Mirror gazes at you, seemingly pondering.]
["Zither Sword Pavilion is a 'prestigious' heritage and will never accept a Half-Demon. As for the Government Office... the Empress of Great Zhao is heard to be a peerless Celestial Pride, but the chaos is yet to calm, it's hard to say what truly lies beneath."]
["These three factions' forces pacifying Xuanqing Lake will surely seek to exterminate the demons there. If you were born of Gua Hua and another, it would be very troublesome, but with the Xie Clan bloodline, it should protect your life."]
["Xie Wei is the 'Clan Leader' of Wutong Xie Family—direct daughter of Xie Qiaoxuan. Calculating this, you are also his legitimate grandson, with this relationship, Xie Family should accept you."]
Jixia listens quietly, wandering through memories, finding joy just in observing the woman's elegant profile.
Yet in the next moment ————
[1. Bloodline Connection: Follow Song Brahman Mirror's suggestion and go to 'Wutong Xie Family', unlocking location: Wutong Xie Clan.]
[2. Heart toward the Authority: Learn from Song Brahman Mirror about the existence of 'Government Office', choose nearby, join 'Xuanqing Government Office', unlocking location: Xuanqing City.]
[3. In the Darkness, a Beam of Light: Song Brahman Mirror has brought choices for you, but whether it's Xie Family, Xuanqing Government Office, or Zither Sword Pavilion, all are unfamiliar to you.
But the feeling she gives you is different, so you want to take a gamble and follow her, unlocking location: Yunluan Mountain.]
"So,"
"This so-called 'choice', lies here!"
Originally an 'onlooker', though identical to personal experience, nonetheless, Jixia couldn't help but feel a rising sense of powerlessness.
Looking at the slowly etched three options, finally his eyes gleam with excitement.
If truly he's to choose himself...
Does he need to ask?
Of course, to choose the fairy before him!
Moreover, this one appears to be the kind of person who is naturally a protagonist!
Following her, how can the path of cultivation be poor?
With a big tree behind you, you get to enjoy the shade comfortably!