Upon receiving the tragic news, Yun Zhiqiu dared not delay. He hurried to a quiet chamber deep within the ancestral home.
Smoke curled within the room. A single candle burned slowly, its flame still radiant—but the oil in the lamp was nearly spent.
A soft cough emerged from the haze.
"Zhiqiu. Come forward."
As the voice fell, the smoke dissipated, revealing an elderly man in fine robes. His face was weathered by time, but his back remained ramrod straight as he sat upright in a chair.
Yun Zhiqiu immediately bowed. "Greetings, Ancestor."
"Rise." The Yun family patriarch smiled faintly. "No need to worry. This is my second reincarnation. I have experience. I don't foresee any problems."
"The pity is that after I reincarnate, it will be at least twenty years before I can return. During that time, the family will have no one to oversee it."
"…Zhiqiu deserves death!" Yun Zhiqiu's face fell further.
He understood the patriarch's unspoken meaning. Yun Miaozhen—the most outstanding member of the family in a century, a true Foundation Establishment seed! A celestial beauty, yet she had died at the hands of a demon because of his momentary negligence.
Because of this incident, his prestige within the family had plummeted. The Yun family, now without a Foundation Establishment seed, had suffered a significant loss of standing.
Over the years, Yun Zhiqiu had crossed the righteous-demonic battlefield countless times, seeking revenge on Lü Yang—the one who had killed Yun Miaozhen. But to no avail. After careful inquiry, he learned that the old turtle had actually stayed within the Holy Sect for a full sixty years!
Yun Zhiqiu was so furious he could barely restrain himself from cursing.
"You need not blame yourself overly much." The Yun family patriarch's tone remained calm. "Skull Mountain sixty years ago was a scheme orchestrated by the demons. They concealed the secrets of heaven. In the end, it was my failure to foresee that led to this."
"Otherwise, I would never have sent you and Miaozhen to Skull Mountain."
"Regardless, Miaozhen is gone. My Yun family must now seek another path. So, not long ago, I agreed to a mission entrusted to me by the Sect Leader."
"What!?" Yun Zhiqiu was shocked. "The Sect Leader's mission—does he intend to use your reincarnation, Ancestor, to intercept and kill a Foundation Establishment seed of the Demonic Sect?"
Such tactics were not uncommon on the battlefield between righteous and demonic factions.
The Yun family patriarch nodded. "If I can kill a Foundation Establishment seed of the Demonic Sect, I will surely gain merit. That merit can serve as resources for my future cultivation."
"But Ancestor… you have already reincarnated once."
A Foundation Establishment True Person's first reincarnation inevitably produced a one-in-a-million chosen one—someone whose merit and destiny were unshakeable, with the greatest chance of reclaiming Foundation Establishment.
The second reincarnation was different.
Especially since the Yun family patriarch's cultivation had not improved much over three hundred years. He remained at early Foundation Establishment. This added many variables to the reincarnation process.
"In this life, one must always take a gamble." The Yun family patriarch smiled faintly. "The Sect Leader recently calculated the cause and effect and discovered that the Demonic Sect's 'Secret Realm of Technique Refinement' has undergone changes. Perhaps an opportunity presents itself."
"The Demonic Sect's Secret Realm of Technique Refinement traps hundreds of millions of souls, preventing them from entering reincarnation. The Sect Leader has long been dissatisfied with this. This time, he will not only help me reincarnate within it—he will also personally conceal the heavenly secrets for me. I will awaken my memories at birth, without any prenatal mysteries."
"Thus, I can seize the opportunity to break through the secret realm and allow those living beings to return to reincarnation."
At this point, even the Yun family patriarch revealed an expectant look. "If this succeeds, it will certainly be a great merit. It can also help me return to the Foundation Establishment stage."
"Is this truly possible? This is a blessing for the Yun family!"
After hearing this, Yun Zhiqiu's face finally showed excitement. The most dangerous part of post-Foundation Establishment reincarnation was the first few years—the period still shrouded in prenatal mysteries.
But with the Sect Leader's assistance, their ancestor could break through the mystery of birth upon reincarnation!
This significantly increased his chances of returning to the Foundation Establishment stage. If he succeeded, the Yun family could continue its glory for another three hundred years!
Afterward, the Yun family patriarch carefully explained how to maintain the illusion of his continued existence after reincarnation—thus delaying any suspicion. Only when the lamp beside him grew dimmer and dimmer, on the verge of burning out completely, did he wave his hand with lingering satisfaction.
"Everything is prepared. You may go."
Yun Zhiqiu immediately bowed once more, speaking with deep reverence. "May the ancestor return safely through reincarnation!"
"…"
Yun Zhiqiu waited a moment, but heard no response. When he looked up, the lamp had gone out.
The Yun family patriarch had long since passed.
It was the depths of winter. The world was bathed in white light.
Decades ago, chaos had erupted because of a celestial book's appearance. One volume had been seized by the Haoran Academy, which revered imperial power, and was thus suppressed.
Afterward, the tyrannical emperor of the Great Zhou died suddenly. A new emperor ascended the throne.
Ironically, because so many had perished in the chaos, the population pressure was relieved once the turmoil subsided. The result was a peaceful, prosperous era.
The new emperor was hailed as the restorer of Great Zhou.
This was evident in the capital, Tianjing. People did not pick up lost items. Doors were left unlocked at night. Even after dark, scenes of singing and dancing could be found throughout the city.
In the northeast corner of Tianjing, deep within a mansion, a solemn and dignified man paced anxiously before the delivery room.
Until a loud cry suddenly rang out from within.
"Master! It's born! It's born!"
The delivery room door burst open. A maid rushed out, shouting, "Congratulations, Master! Congratulations! The Madam has given birth to a boy!"
Upon hearing this, the man immediately laughed loudly. "Heaven has not forsaken my Wei family! Finally, a male heir! Good! Everyone will be rewarded today!"
The man's name was Wei Tieyi.
Twenty years ago, he had risen from humble origins but distinguished himself in the Great Zhou's suppression of rebellion. He had achieved great military merit and been granted the title "Marquis of Dingbei." He was quite famous throughout Tianjing City, counted among the military elite.
Now that the Wei family had a new male heir, a grand celebration was only natural.
Meanwhile, in the delivery room, the newborn infant continued to cry. But unbeknownst to anyone, a massive soul resided within its frail body.
Success!
The Yun family patriarch had successfully reincarnated. His original consciousness instantly awakened.
Yet instead of controlling his body's instincts, he sat upright within his sea of consciousness, silently beginning his calculations.
The Great Zhou… the Celestial Book… Heh. So that's it. This is the Sage's Thief.
In an instant, the Yun family patriarch grasped part of the truth. As a Foundation Establishment True Person of the Sword Pavilion, he was intimately familiar with the Holy Sect's various techniques.
The Sage's Thief was a masterpiece among them. He naturally recognized it.
This was the advantage of Foundation Establishment reincarnation. Even without cultivation after rebirth, the powerful soul allowed him to easily calculate cause and effect, manipulate destiny—a devastating advantage over Qi Refining cultivators.
However, the Yun family patriarch soon frowned.
When he attempted to calculate who was cultivating the Sage's Thief, he found only emptiness. It was as if the great net of cause and effect had been severed where the other party stood.
Interesting. A secret treasure obscuring the heavenly secrets?
The next second, his brow relaxed. He had long known that divination would be extremely important after this reincarnation. Therefore, he had attached great importance to it.
He had brought a secret treasure of heavenly secrets with him.
With the 'Heavenly Instrument' bestowed by the Sect Leader, no secret treasure can hide from me.
The Yun family patriarch extended his palm. A spherical magic weapon materialized.
He activated it for divination.
In an instant, he broke through the obscured cause and effect.
The next second—
The Yun family patriarch froze.
Then, soon after, he couldn't help but laugh loudly.
Every cause has its effect. Every cause has its effect! So this is how it is! Cause and effect—retribution is truly swift!
Lü Yang!
He muttered the name of the one who had killed Yun Miaozhen—the one on whom he had placed such high hopes—who had remained carefree for sixty years. The Yun family patriarch's killing intent surged.
Especially after activating the 'Heavenly Instrument' and gaining insight into Lü Yang's many secrets.
The Taiyin Metamorphosis Corpse Dissolution True Method. The Sage's Thief. Third-grade true qi. Secret techniques for stealing heavenly secrets…
If this child masters all of these, he has a forty percent chance of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage!
At this thought, a cold glint flashed in the Yun family patriarch's eyes.
This child cannot be allowed to live!