At the residence of the leader of the Rainbow Cloud Sect,Xuan Ying'er's consciousness slowly returned. Her eyelids felt heavy, her body weak, and her head throbbed as if it had been struck by a giant hammer. She blinked several times, trying to remember… then her face immediately paled. Memories of her uncle's artifact and that recording hit her mind all at once.
Before she could get up, the communication stone on the table suddenly vibrated. A blue light flashed—an incoming call from home.
With slightly trembling hands, she picked it up.
"Father… Mother…" her voice was hoarse.
But what greeted her was the deep voice of Xuan Hong, stabbing at her ears.
"Xuan Ying'er! What are you thinking?! You… really have done something remarkable!"
Before Ying'er could respond, the soft yet sharp voice of Meili cut in, interrupting her father."We've seen everything, Ying'er. You think we didn't know? Your uncle sent that recording straight to us."
"I… I just—" Ying'er tried to defend herself, but her voice faltered.
"'Just'?!" Xuan Hong barked. "Just what? You can't even subdue a single naive young man! Haven't we taught you self-control since childhood?"
Meili sighed, looking at her daughter with understanding.
"Ying'er… I saw it clearly. When he was angry, he only unintentionally lifted your veil, not hurt you. He even seemed confused, as if merely following what he had read in a book on handling matters. I could feel it… he had no ill intentions from the start."
Ying'er fell silent. Her mother's words made her feel strange—something tickled her heart, yet her pride refused to admit it.
Xuan Hong growled.
"Enough! Ying'er, I will send people to capture him. Period!"
"I won't!" Ying'er retorted sharply, her tone fierce. "This is my business, Father. And I will handle it my way."
A few seconds of silence passed, only the sound of breathing audible.
Finally, Meili gave a faint smile.
"Then prove… that your way will not make you regret it."
The leader of the Rainbow Cloud Sect stood near the door of Xuan Ying'er's private chamber. Watching his niece just close the communication stone, he exhaled deeply.
"Wow… your uncle is really worried about you, Ying'er," he said softly, his voice full of meaning. "You are the pride of heaven, the pride of your family. But because of one young man… look at yourself now. Angry, embarrassed, confused… all mixed. Is this worthy of you?"
Ying'er lowered her head, clenching her fingers in her lap.
"Uncle… I know. But I can't forget him."
The Sect Leader gazed at her for a long moment, trying to pierce her thoughts.
"If what you want is merely revenge, the young man should have come to me yesterday instead. Yet until now, you haven't moved. Ask your heart… is it truly pure hatred?"
Ying'er's face flushed, whether from embarrassment or anger. She stood up, looking out the window toward the sky.
"I… will find him. I don't care where he comes from, or how naive he looks. I will find him… and make him pay."
The Sect Leader sighed once more, then left the room, muttering,
"A woman's heart… is indeed hard to read, even for her uncle."
The next morning, the air in the Rainbow Cloud Sect was still filled with a thin mist imbued with spiritual qi. In his office, the Sect Leader had just closed a scroll of reports when the sound of rapid footsteps approached the door. Before he could call out, the private hall door opened, and Xuan Ying'er entered with a determined expression.
"Uncle, I have a request," she said bluntly.
The Sect Leader raised an eyebrow.
"Hm? You seem to have made up your mind."
Ying'er nodded, then took out a sheet of paper from her storage ring. The paper displayed a portrait drawn with qi brush—an image visualized from her own memory—showing the young man she sought. Her gaze was cold, yet the lines of her face held a hint of doubt, as if even she was surprised she could remember him in such detail.
"I want you to distribute this image to all branches of the Rainbow Cloud Sect, especially among the outer disciples. Anyone who sees or recognizes this young man must report to me immediately."
The Sect Leader stared at the image for a long moment, then shifted his gaze to his niece.
"Are you sure? Isn't this a personal matter?"
"Exactly because it's personal," Ying'er replied swiftly. "I won't let him disappear without a trace."
She continued, her tone still cold but measured.
"Also, I want a complete list of all outer disciples under the age of 20. Can you give me access, Uncle?"
The Sect Leader leaned back in his chair, observing his niece with a thoughtful look.
"That's quite a request… for someone who claims she only wants 'revenge'," he murmured with a faint smile.
Ying'er fell silent for a moment, then spoke flatly,
"Uncle, I don't want to argue. I just need the data… now."
A few seconds of silence passed, then the Sect Leader nodded.
"Very well. I will give you what you ask. But remember, every action you take—don't let your personal hunt become the laughingstock of the outer sect."
Xuan Ying'er received the scroll her uncle handed her, then bowed slightly.
"Thank you, Uncle. I will ensure this is resolved… in my own way."
As she stepped out, the Sect Leader watched her back slowly disappear behind the door.Whether this path leads to revenge… ahh, whatever… maybe it's also a good thing.
In a simple wooden house at the edge of the training forest for outer disciples of the Rainbow Cloud Sect, a young man with black hair sat cross-legged on a straw bed. In front of him lay several worn books—cultivation texts, basic alchemy notes, and a thin book on social etiquette.
He—Bai Tian—was studying the section on
"how to politely refuse without offending others,"
when the ruckus outside made him pause.
"Look at this! The latest wanted poster! They say she caused big trouble with an important figure of the sect!"
"Tch, her face is so innocent… can she really cause trouble?"
"You don't know? They say it's a personal matter with the sect leader's niece!"
Bai Tian frowned, slowly closing his book, then walked to a window gap. Outside, several outer disciples were distributing scrolls with images—and the face depicted nearly made him choke.
That… is me?! That crazy woman…
His hand reflexively touched his own face, confirming the lines matched perfectly with the image. His breathing grew heavy.
"No way… she really did this…" he muttered, thinking of Xuan Ying'er.
He paced back and forth, his mind working quickly.Option one: buy more masks and continue hiding. But I don't have many resources.Option two: join the outer sect training group—it gives a reason to leave the area.Option three… confront her directly. Hah, that last one is insane.
With swift movements, Bai Tian packed several essential items—some worn books, a small pouch of recovery pills, and a thin dagger he rarely used. Then he sat back in the corner of the straw bed, choosing not to act rashly.
No… I won't run. I just need to wait… until the day of the outer disciple promotion exam.
That day will give him a legitimate opportunity to leave the safe zone without raising suspicion.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the sect, Xuan Ying'er continued her nights the same way. Almost every night, she flew to the Moonlight Hill—the place where it happened. There she sat on a large stone bathed in moonlight, closing her eyes and letting the night wind sweep across her face.
Yet, every time her mind began to calm, the memory of that night flooded back—his faint smile, the look in his eyes, and the words he had spoken.
Her eyes opened, and a surge of irritation welled up in her chest.
"Hmph… little thief. How dare you make me like this…" she muttered, her fingers gripping the hilt of her sword tightly at her waist.
Time passed. Day after day was marked by the preparations of outer disciples for the promotion exam. Tension filled the training grounds, examination formations were set up, and senior examiners arrived.
Finally, the day came.The outer disciple promotion exam began—and among the hundreds of participants standing in the arena, two pairs of eyes that had not met since that night would meet again.