Chapter 58: A Crossroads of Fate

Jianmu Main Palace, Hall of Longevity.

This was one of the convergence points for the entire Celestial Authority Star’s spiritual veins.

The rich wood-attributed spiritual energy was almost liquefied, transforming into a faint, cyan mist that filled every inch of space.

Even a mortal, with just one breath taken here, could extend their lifespan by three years.

However, for Qin Xiyan, who bore a curse, this place was the most difficult prison to endure.

The more vigorous the wood-attributed spiritual energy, the more it stimulated the deathly stillness of the curse within her body.

These two diametrically opposed forces used her body as a battlefield, locked in an endless struggle.

The hall doors slowly opened.

Qin Xiyan walked in.

Within the great hall, a figure in white robes was already standing.

Lin Qingyue stood there quietly, a veil covering her face, revealing only a pair of eyes as clear and cold as winter stars.

The longsword on her back was wrapped in cloth strips, looking utterly ordinary.

But in the eyes of a powerhouse like Qin Tianheng, the space around that sword was slightly distorted.

“Cold Immortal, I have brought my daughter.”

Qin Tianheng stepped aside, revealing Qin Xiyan behind him.

This was Lin Qingyue’s first time seeing the Qin Family’s Third Young Lady.

She was beautiful.

That was Lin Qingyue’s first impression.

Yet she was also fragile, as if she would shatter at a touch, like a porcelain doll sculpted from ice and snow.

Her strikingly white hair and violet pupils added nine parts of an eerie, desolate beauty to her.

Lin Qingyue’s heart stirred slightly.

Originally, this was just a transaction.

For Gu Qing’s sake, she had to obtain the Mending Heaven Lotus from this Qin Family Third Young Lady.

‘Is this… the person I need to save?’

A trace of…

Pity suddenly appeared in her heart.

“I greet the Cold Immortal.”

Qin Xiyan performed a proper bow, her voice weak but her etiquette impeccable.

She was also sizing up the “divine physician” before her.

For some reason, even though the other party’s face was covered and her aura was icy cold, Qin Xiyan didn’t feel afraid.

Instead…

She felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

Like a certain compatibility in their auras.

“You are too courteous, Third Young Lady.”

Lin Qingyue gave a slight nod, deliberately lowering her voice a little.

She turned to look at Qin Tianheng and the Grand Elder.

“Since the person has been brought, let us begin.”

“Family Head Qin, Grand Elder.”

“My master’s method of examination involves secrets and requires absolute quiet. I must ask the two of you to step aside.”

The Grand Elder’s brow furrowed slightly.

He was about to say something when Qin Tianheng raised a hand to stop him.

“That’s fine.”

Qin Tianheng looked deeply at Lin Qingyue.

“If the Cold Immortal is confident, I will naturally cooperate.”

This was the Hall of Longevity, the Qin Family’s absolute domain.

Every blade of grass and every tree within the hall was within his perception.

If this Cold Immortal truly harbored any ill intent, even if she stood behind a legendary master, Qin Tianheng was confident he could suppress her in an instant.

“Yan’er, don’t be afraid.”

Qin Tianheng patted his daughter’s shoulder, his tone gentle.

“Your father is right outside the door.”

“Yes, Yan’er is not afraid.”

Qin Xiyan nodded, her gaze firm.

As the hall doors slowly closed, the last ray of light was cut off.

Within the vast Hall of Longevity, only Lin Qingyue and Qin Xiyan remained, along with the flowing cyan spiritual mist filling the chamber.

“Third Young Lady, please sit.”

Lin Qingyue pointed to a meditation cushion in the center of the hall.

Qin Xiyan obediently sat down, placing her hands on her knees, looking somewhat nervously at Lin Qingyue.

“Cold… Cold Immortal.”

She asked softly, “Will it hurt a lot?”

She had suffered too much bitterness and endured too much torment in her life.

Though she wasn’t afraid of death, that kind of pain that penetrated to the marrow still made her instinctively fearful.

Looking into those large, wet, deer-like eyes, the hard walls in Lin Qingyue’s heart seemed to soften a little.

She sat down cross-legged opposite Qin Xiyan, her voice also softening a bit.

“It won’t hurt.”

“It might feel a little cold.”

“Endure it. It will be over soon.”

“Yes.”

Qin Xiyan bit her lip and closed her eyes.

Lin Qingyue took a deep breath and slowly extended her hands, palms facing Qin Xiyan’s.

She didn’t make contact immediately.

A distance of one inch remained between their palms.

Lin Qingyue whispered within her sea of consciousness, “Master, I leave it to you.”

‘Relax, Little Qingyue.’

The Sword Immortal’s lazy voice sounded.

The next moment, an ancient, desolate, yet infinitely sharp aura flowed through Lin Qingyue’s meridians, rushing towards her palms.

Their palms met.

And in that very instant—

A terrifying black aura, like a shark smelling blood, surged back along the point of contact, counterattacking into Lin Qingyue’s body!

It was the curse.

It was the divine punishment.

It was that malice that wanted to devour everything.

Lin Qingyue’s face paled.

She grunted, almost unable to stop herself from pulling her hands back.

It was so cold!

‘Hmph, it’s indeed that old ghost’s handiwork.’

In her sea of consciousness, the Sword Immortal snorted coldly.

‘A mere remnant thought dares to act recklessly before me?!’

‘Be suppressed!’

An intangible sword intent erupted within Lin Qingyue’s body.

It was not a sword of slaughter, but a sword of protection, a Dao charm capable of suppressing eternity.

The counterattacking black aura, upon encountering this sword intent, seemed to meet its natural predator.

It retreated in terror back into Qin Xiyan’s body.

“Relax. Do not resist.”

Lin Qingyue gritted her teeth, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.

She was acting as a “conduit.”

The Sword Immortal’s primordial spirit power, channeled through her body, continuously poured into Qin Xiyan’s body, beginning a silent exploration and contest.

Qin Xiyan only felt a mysterious yet not uncomfortable stream of energy drilling into her body.

This energy was extremely overbearing.

Wherever it passed, the “strange illness” that usually tormented her with unbearable pain retreated, shrinking into the deepest recesses of her body.

That long-lost feeling of her body becoming light made her unconsciously immerse herself in it.

Time flowed by.

A quarter of an hour, half an hour, one full hour…

Lin Qingyue’s face grew paler and paler.

Even her veil became damp with sweat.

Maintaining this high-intensity transmission of primordial spirit power was too great a burden for her, who was only at the Tongyou Realm.

But she did not let go.

Because this was for Gu Qing.

And also a little…

For the pitiful girl before her.

Finally—

‘Alright, withdraw your power.’

The Sword Immortal’s voice clearly carried a trace of fatigue.

Lin Qingyue let out a long sigh of relief and slowly withdrew her hands.

As the connection broke, Qin Xiyan’s body swayed, nearly collapsing.

Lin Qingyue instinctively reached out to steady her.

“Thank you… Immortal.”

Qin Xiyan took a deep breath.

Her eyes clearly held a bit more vitality now.

She could feel that the heavy mountain that had been pressing on her heart seemed to have loosened just a little.

“Rest for a moment.”

Lin Qingyue helped her sit properly, then closed her own eyes, quickly regulating the chaotic spiritual energy within her body.

Within her sea of consciousness.

“Master, how was it? Can it be cured?”

That Mending Heaven Lotus, she was determined to obtain it.

The Sword Immortal was silent for a moment.

‘It can be cured, and it cannot be cured.’

This ambiguous answer made Lin Qingyue’s heart tighten.

“Master, don’t be cryptic. What do you mean?”

‘Little Qingyue, don’t be impatient.’

The Sword Immortal slowly explained.

‘This is indeed a divine punishment, and a divine punishment at the ‘Legendary Realm’ level at that.’

‘To completely eradicate it, given my current state as a remnant soul and your meager level of cultivation, is simply impossible.’

Lin Qingyue’s heart sank halfway.

“Then… then isn’t it hopeless? What about my lotus… Gu Qing’s medicine…”

‘I haven’t finished speaking.’

The Sword Immortal sounded a bit exasperated.

‘Eradication is impossible, unless that girl cultivates to fruition herself, or I recover to my peak.’

‘But… we can “trick” this divine punishment.’

Lin Qingyue was stunned.

“Trick?”

‘Correct.’

The Sword Immortal’s voice carried a hint of pride.

‘The essence of the divine punishment is to lock down her vitality. As soon as she attempts to draw spiritual energy into her body, the divine punishment will rage, devouring her spiritual power.’

‘But what if we use a special formation to seal this divine punishment within her dantian? Not only would we stop it from devouring spiritual energy, but we could also use the pressure of the divine punishment to temper her spiritual power?’

‘It’s like building a dam in a flood, turning a disaster into a resource.’

Lin Qingyue listened, dumbfounded.

“It can be done like that?”

‘Of course.’

The Sword Immortal said calmly.

‘This is the Dao method I researched back then to deal with it—the Nine Nether Sealing God Imprint.’

‘However, after my defeat in battle, this Dao method was lost.’

‘This little girl has a special constitution. Though tormented by the divine punishment for years, her body has also been tempered to be extremely resilient by this power.’

‘As long as I personally set up the seal, she will not only live, but she will also be able to cultivate.’

‘In fact, due to her long-term resistance against the divine punishment, her cultivation speed will be faster than that of ordinary geniuses.’

‘This divine punishment will no longer be her death warrant, but her whetstone.’

Lin Qingyue understood.

This was an extremely bold, even crazy, plan.

But it was also the only plan.

“But Master… setting up such a seal, the toll on you…”

‘It’s fine.’

The Sword Immortal cut her off.

‘This is a good opportunity to see just how tough the curse that old ghost left behind really is.’

‘Besides, if we don’t show some real skill, that Qin Tianheng won’t easily give you the Mending Heaven Lotus.’

A warmth spread in Lin Qingyue’s heart.

“Thank you, Master.”

‘Alright, enough sentimentality.’

The Sword Immortal chuckled lightly.

‘Prepare yourself. Tell this plan to Qin Tianheng.’

‘Remember, act profound and inscrutable.’

‘Tell him that a complete cure requires time, but we can let her “cultivate while bearing the illness.”‘

‘For someone judged to be a lifelong cripple incapable of cultivation, the three words “able to cultivate” are even more enticing than “completely cured.”‘

In reality, Lin Qingyue slowly opened her eyes.

Her eyes held a bit more confidence now.

Yet, looking at Qin Xiyan, who was meditating and regulating her breath, a trace of complexity flashed in her gaze.

‘You are a pitiful person too.’

‘But from today, your fate is about to change.’

‘And my fate… is about to change as well.’

Outside the great hall.

Qin Tianheng and the Grand Elder had been guarding the door, not taking a single step away.

Two great figures standing at the peak of the star domain were now quietly waiting outside.

“It’s been over an hour… and there’s not a single sound?”

The Grand Elder couldn’t help but mutter.

“No sound is good news.”

Qin Tianheng said solemnly.

And just then—

The hall doors made a light sound and slowly opened.

Lin Qingyue, supporting Qin Xiyan, walked out.

Though Qin Xiyan still looked somewhat weak, her violet eyes held an unprecedented brightness.

“Father…”

She called softly.

Qin Tianheng instantly flashed before the two of them.

His gaze swept over his daughter nervously before finally settling on Lin Qingyue.

“Cold Immortal, how was it?”

Lin Qingyue released her support of Qin Xiyan, taking a slight step back, her expression calm.

“I have not failed in my mission.”

Those simple four words made Qin Tianheng’s body tremble violently.

“Truly?!”

“Family Head Qin, do not be hasty. Please hear me out.”

Lin Qingyue raised her head, meeting the gaze of this agitated father.

“The divine punishment on your daughter was left by an ancient supreme expert. It has already merged with her bloodline. To completely eradicate it in one go is absolutely impossible.”

The light in Qin Tianheng’s eyes dimmed slightly, but it did not go out.

Because Lin Qingyue had just said—I have not failed in my mission.

Lin Qingyue’s tone shifted.

“However—”

“My master has a method called the ‘Nine Nether Sealing God Imprint.'”

“It can temporarily seal this divine punishment within your daughter’s body, putting it into dormancy so it no longer devours her vitality.”

“And…”

She looked at Qin Tianheng, throwing out the biggest bait word by word.

“As long as the seal is completed, your daughter can break the shackles of her crippled body, draw spiritual energy into her body, and embark on the path of cultivation.”

“What?!”

At this moment, not only Qin Tianheng, but even the usually steady Grand Elder exclaimed in shock.

Able to cultivate?!

Their original hope was merely to preserve Qin Xiyan’s life, letting her live to a hundred like an ordinary person—that would have been the greatest success.

But now—

She could even cultivate?!

This was simply a fantasy!

“Immortal… are your words true?”

Qin Tianheng’s voice trembled as he stared fixedly at Lin Qingyue.

Lin Qingyue said calmly, “Naturally true.”

“My master also said that the power of this divine punishment, though dangerous, is also an extremely high-level force.”

“As long as it is guided properly, it will no longer be a death warrant, but will instead become the whetstone for her cultivation.”

“To ‘prolong life while bearing illness’ is the inferior strategy.”

“What my master intends to do is—defy fate and change destiny.”

The four words “defy fate and change destiny” exploded like thunder in Qin Tianheng’s ears.

What audacity!

But also… an immense temptation!

Qin Tianheng looked at the young woman before him, whose cultivation wasn’t high but whose bearing was extraordinary.

The doubts in his heart completely dissipated.

If she didn’t truly stand behind a peerless master, who would dare make such bold claims?

“Good! Good! Good!”

Qin Tianheng said “good” three times in a row, his face flushed with excitement.

“If this can truly be done, aside from that one lotus petal, whatever other conditions you have, name them!”

Lin Qingyue’s heart rejoiced, but her face remained cool and aloof.

“Family Head Qin, you exaggerate.”

“A transaction is a transaction. One petal is sufficient.”

“However…”

She glanced at the sky.

“To perform this method requires my master’s primordial spirit to descend. The consumption is immense.”

“I must ask the Family Head to prepare an absolutely safe quiet chamber for me, as well as some rare spiritual materials to assist.”

She listed a series of material names.

Qin Tianheng waved his hand grandly.

“Grand Elder, go prepare them immediately!”

“Yes!”

The Grand Elder, his face full of excitement, turned and flew away as a streak of light.

“Give the Cold Immortal whatever she needs!”

Watching this scene, Lin Qingyue let out a long, relieved sigh in her heart.

It’s done.

Gu Qing, I have the medicine to save you.

Meanwhile, Qin Xiyan, standing to the side listening to this conversation, was completely dazed.

She looked down at her own palm.

Able to cultivate?

I can cultivate too?

Does that mean—

I can also ride the wind on a sword, like the people in Gu Qing’s stories?

Does it mean…

I am no longer just a burden he has to take care of?

I can…

I can protect him?

Once this thought emerged, it grew wildly in her heart, blossoming into the most splendid flower.

She raised her head.

The gaze she directed at Lin Qingyue was filled with gratitude and admiration.

“Thank you, Immortal…”

She said silently in her heart.

“Thank you for giving me… the chance to stand side by side with Gu Qing.”

Lin Qingyue suddenly spoke again at this moment.

“However—”

“This matter is not easy to accomplish.”

“The risks involved cannot be ignored.”