Chapter Two: The Fall of a Genius

Page 1

Within a mountain cave, artfully concealed among towering peaks, faint light filters through its depths, and a careful exploration reveals a world beyond imagination. Though the cave residence is exquisite, it now exudes an atmosphere of desolation and grayness.

Inside a core chamber, a woman reclines against a large stone. A single glance at her etches her image into memory; clad in white gauze robes, her long black hair cascading to her waist, her face pale and weak—yet none of this diminishes her beauty. Hers is an ethereal allure, not ostentatious but pure, capable of cleansing one's soul and inspiring reverence.

At this moment, she cradles a frail baby in her arms, her eyes brimming with tears as she gently strokes her child, overflowing with boundless love and attachment.

Perhaps overcome by sorrow, she slowly closes her unguarded blue eyes. As if an era has passed, when she opens them again, resolve fills their depths.

She lifts her gaze to her husband, who has stood beside the Life Creation Scroll for a long while. He is eight feet tall, dressed in pale blue Daoist robes, an ancient sword strapped to his back—this is the youth for whom she once abandoned all, a prodigious talent. Yet now, he seems suddenly aged.

She sighs softly and says:

"Yiyang, can't you stay?"

The dignified man turns, gazing deeply at his wife and child, as if carving every detail into his heart. Though guilt is etched on his face, determination overrides as he speaks his truth:

"Jie’er, forgive me. I have failed you and our child.

My whole life, I've been a disciple of the sect, and that identity cannot be erased. My master gave me a second chance at life. I've already let down the sect, but now, in its hour of need, this is my responsibility and burden. Otherwise, I will never conquer the demons within."

"But our child is still so small..." The woman's eyes shimmer with tears.

"In my dreams, I see you holding our family together, and we are so happy!"

"Jie’er... wait for me. Believe me—I will return safely." He steps forward, embracing the two most precious people in his life. "Take care of yourself and the baby. Jie’er, I love you, always..." With those words, fearing his own weakness, he resolutely heads toward the cave entrance.

Tears break free, and the woman weeps in silence. This bitter cup, impossible to dilute, spreads slowly, gnawing at her soul, bringing pain beyond endurance. Finally, she places the child upon her heart and murmurs softly,

"So be it. If this is how it must be, I will follow you."

Page 2

... Flames soar skyward, cries of battle echo endlessly. Like heaven and earth collapsing, agonized voices ring out, and the immortal couple is ultimately engulfed by the sea of fire.

...

"No, no, no...!" A youth cries out, sitting bolt upright in bed, his eyes full of tears as he sobs uncontrollably.

This young man's name is Li Sibai, twelve years old, an ordinary outer disciple of the Xuantian Sword Sect at Jade Void Palace atop Kunlun Mountain. It is deep night, and he has just awakened abruptly from sleep. This is a dream that haunts him—a "lingering soul" dream that has accompanied him for years. Every time it comes, he feels sorrow deep in his soul. He doesn't know what connection this dream has to him, but he firmly believes it is a sign from fate. Though the dream is hazy, he always strives to recall its details, hoping for clues, but after seven years, he is always left disappointed.

Unable to calm himself, Sibai now abandons sleep and sits cross-legged, palms resting on his knees, channeling his inner strength and practicing the sect's internal cultivation method, the Jade Void Heart Art. After circulating his true energy once through his body, Li Sibai restores his composure, preventing himself from losing his way and finding a measure of peace.

But, as usual, when he attempts to circulate his true energy a second time, he fails without doubt. He has grown used to this failure, numb to it—it has accompanied him for seven years.

Li Sibai grew up in Jade Void Palace as an orphan, raised by Uncle Cai Da, the palace's head chef.

Uncle Cai Da was mediocre at cultivation, but his culinary skills were unrivaled. Years ago, the sect leader found Li Sibai in the mountains and, moved by pity, allowed him to stay in Jade Void Palace, entrusting him to Uncle Cai Da’s care.

Li Sibai was exceptionally gifted; from the moment he could walk, he began training with Uncle Cai Da. Though Cai Da was a chef, he was also an outer disciple of the Xuantian Sword Sect with enough foundation to instruct a child.

Li Sibai began practicing at four years old; within a month, he reached the first level of the Phoenix Initial Realm, and two months later, the second level. Such unprecedented speed—where most take a year for the first level and two years for the second—made him a prodigy in everyone’s eyes. Not only did all the outer disciples know of him, but even the inner disciples took notice.

Elder Wu Wei, the esteemed Master Yunfei, personally visited, concerned that Uncle Cai Da might hinder this once-in-a-century talent. He sought advice from Daoist Yunwu, who oversaw outer disciples, hoping to find a suitable instructor for Li Sibai. After a thorough search yielded no results, Yunwu, unwilling to risk it, decided to teach Sibai himself.

Though Yunwu's strength was not equal to Yunfei, he was a sixth-stage Cloud Ascension cultivator, capable of traversing the skies. Li Sibai was delighted at the prospect of learning from him.

Under Yunwu’s careful guidance, Li Sibai’s progress accelerated, soon reaching the third level of the Phoenix Initial Realm. Yet after two more years, he failed to break through further. Strangely, Yunwu discovered that when Li Sibai channeled his inner strength and practiced the sect's internal arts, his true energy could only circulate once through his body before vanishing like water into sand. Yunwu, valuing talent, was reluctant to give up, so he discussed it with Yunfei.

Yunfei was equally baffled. At Yunwu’s urging, he personally taught Li Sibai for a year, but nothing changed. After another half year, still no progress—a normal person would break through the third level in two years, but Sibai showed no sign. Disappointed and perplexed, Yunfei finally abandoned him.

After Pangu created heaven and earth, pure energy rose to form the heavens, turbid energy settled to form the earth, and the human body is largely composed of turbid energy. To cultivate immortality, one must use immortal methods to absorb true energy from the world, channel it within, expel turbid energy, and repeat this process. The more cycles of true energy, the better the effect and retention. When all turbid energy is gone, only true energy remains within, signifying success in cultivation.

But Li Sibai’s true energy could only circulate one cycle within his body, drastically reducing his efficiency in absorbing true energy.

Page 3

Normally, a second-level Phoenix Initial cultivator can circulate true energy once, while a sixth-level cultivator can manage five cycles. Li Sibai, needing a rest after each single cycle, would struggle to reach the Heartstring Realm even after ten more years of training.

This realization filled Master Yunfei with deep disappointment. He could not fathom how such a prodigy, who advanced so swiftly through the first and second levels, was restricted to a single cycle of true energy—an unsolvable puzzle.

The prodigy had fallen from grace. Some began to gloat, even embellishing and stirring up trouble:

...

"Once-in-a-century genius? He's nothing but a waste..."

...

Someone found a kindred spirit and joined the crowd, chatting enthusiastically... "Exactly, it's pure luck—a blind cat catching a dead mouse. Such people are just wasting resources."

...

"What, only able to circulate true energy once? I'm better than that—how is he a genius?"

...

These voices echoed day after day in various places, at all hours.

Li Sibai himself had awkwardly overheard them many times. He had been hurt, mocked himself, but never allowed himself to sink into despair. Perhaps his fortune as a child and the tempering of his dreams had forged his character. Yet Chef Cai, seeing all this, could not bear it. He had long regarded Li Sibai as his own son; unable to tolerate the gossip, his bottled-up frustration finally erupted—he fiercely beat an outer disciple who spoke ill of Sibai behind his back, venting his anger. But even this could not silence the endless rumors.