Translator: Fate Proofreader: Silavin It wasn’t hard for Gu Changge to find Su Qingge. There were only a few places in the Southern Flourishing Heaven where Eternal Overcast Battlefields would appear. He had eyes everywhere and it wouldn’t be much trouble to observe one person’s movements. The main problem here, though, was that Su Qingge didn’t know Gu Changge had noticed her and was now suspecting her own status in his heart. Thus, he needed to decide which face to use with her. [If she noticed me first, it might stir up the hornets’ nest.] He left after that, heading towards the location his subordinate had reported. He didn’t plan on meeting her directly, as she was smart enough to sense anything suspicious from small hints of evidence. He would give her a great surprise, so she didn’t know he had an ulterior motive. … In the Southern Flourishing Heaven where an Eternal Overcast Battlefield had just appeared, grey fog billowed from the sky. Eternal Overcast creatures gathered below, eyes red and fangs protruding from their mouths. Many resemble humans, but for most of them, their original races were no longer discernible. Terrifying energy flowed through their bodies; most of them were in the True Enlightened Realm. A group of elaborately dressed youths, their bodies adorned with glittering jewellery, were fighting with the group. They looked unique, wearing similar outfits since they belonged to a certain great sect. As they fought, lights flashed and illuminated the sky; the sound of it was enough to shake the land. Their godly weapons and artefacts glimmered in various colours as they cut through the air toward the enemy. The power contained within the light was as powerful as that released when stars exploded, killing off large swathes of the creatures. Mountains collapsed and were reduced to dust under the onslaught of power. Among these youths, some of them looked especially unusual. Principles of the World seem to dangle from their clothes, and their secret techniques came in various forms. This allowed them to easily fight off those even in the Enlightened Noble Realm. The most eye-catching one out of them was a refined-looking young man clad in a pale blue robe. He resembled a scholar, with his shiny clear folding fan. As he waved it, runes flew from between its folds and transformed into colourful winds which rushed forward towards the enemy. Boom! The colourful wind contained the power of Principles, and large groups of Eternal Overcast creatures standing in its way were immediately consumed. The youths standing beside the man started praising him, and several female disciples sent him respectful and admiring glances. “Brother Zhao’s power has developed so much that we should never underestimate your true strength. He is now in the True Enlightened Realm, and many are so much weaker compared to him.” “Exactly. Brother Zhao is truly the prodigy of the Confucian Saint School. His power is comparable to Big Brother, and they may get a similar number of points in the Eternal Overcast Battlefield.” “We may need to call Brother Zhao Big Brother instead…” Many disciples muttered praises as they watched the scene, as they couldn’t help their reverence. The man they called Brother Zhao barely hid a smile at this and shook his head. “These are just simple techniques, far from Big Brother’s level. Please don’t flatter me so much.” His tone was humble and easygoing, eliciting another wave of praise which he waved off helplessly. The man was Zhao Xiaoyao, the second highest-ranking disciple in the Confucian Saint School and considered a genius among the younger generation. The Confucian Saint School was an extremely old sect which focused on cultivating the Qi of scholars. Their most powerful could easily shatter the heavens with a breath of Scholarly Qi. Even if Zhao Xiaoyao was in the True Enlightenment Realm and not as great as those ancient monstrosities preserved within the sect, his power was still considered top among his peers. So, he was tasked with leading his group inside the Eternal Overcast Battlefield. “Oh yes, Lady Su. Where did you learn your techniques from? Your techniques look foreign to me. Even though they seem powerful, they feel a little guerilla-like,” Zhao Xiaoyao asked curiously, looking towards a veiled woman in white who was standing near the back of the crowd. He had noticed her when they fought against the Eternal Overcast creatures and thus observed her unusual techniques. Since they differed from the ones used by the forces he knew of, this piqued his interest. She had followed his group into the Eternal Overcast Battlefield, and he had invited her to join them as she was alone and didn’t look strong enough. That was because he had pitied her, and also they could look out for each other as well. After all, the Eternal Overcast Battlefield was dangerous compared to the outside world, the extremely strong Yin Energy from the Eternal Overcast being part of the reason. Not to mention, the Eternal Overcast creatures and the hidden Successor of Demonic Arts, who were far more dangerous. This woman did not have a partner, and she might not be able to deal with a bigger group of Eternal Overcast creatures in an encounter. There were also many other dangers here too, yet she had dared to come here all alone. This changed his view of her a little. Many other disciples, though, misunderstood his intentions. They thought he had invited her to join them just because he was interested in her. Zhao Xiaoyao felt helpless, but he did not argue with them. “My Sect Master has told me not to trust anyone so easily. Not to even give my name. Sorry, Master Zhao,” the white-clad woman answered calmly with a hint of apology. “I see, I was too rash. I apologise, Lady Su.” Zhao Xiaoyao smiled at that. “With your superior techniques, you should be renowned within the young generation. A reclusive yet esteemed expert.” He had asked for her name, but she had only said her family name was Su. He had gone over his mental records but there was no memory of such a young prodigy. So, he had no choice but to assume she was a casual disciple of some old master, who taught her a few things and left. She shook her head in replied. “You praise me too highly. My skills are meagre, and I cannot make a name for myself, so I’m still unknown.” “You’re too humble, Lady Su. Your skills are no less powerful than some young prodigies.” His smile was gentle and easygoing. “We may need your help on this trip as well.” He had taken a liking to this polite and beautiful woman; some of it came from their conversations in the battlefield, as she seemed dignified and always maintained a distance of at least one metre from anyone she spoke to. This practice was similar to that in Confucianism. Besides, he sensed that her physicality was unique, something he had read in a classic book. He had a strange feeling that their coincidental meeting was fated to be. “Brother Zhao is really interested in her…” “They’ve also only known each other for three days! What a waste! He’s such a great man!” “What’s so good about that mysterious Lady Su that makes him treat her this way?” Many female disciples of the Confucian Saint School were envious. Zhao Xiaoyao’s life philosophy, character, and behaviour were considered extremely proper. So many prodigal damsels had gone after him but had never had their feelings returned. Yet, here, he was, paying this much attention to Lady Su just after three days of knowing her. Any observant person would know what he thought about her. However, the woman didn’t seem to mind it, feigning ignorance although she already knew this. This made them more jealous. [Why couldn’t Brother Zhao treat me like this?] This lady was, of course, Su Qingge. She wanted a place in the Immortal Academy, which had to be earned via killing Eternal Overcast creatures. She initially planned to go alone, but considering the incalculable danger in the Eternal Overcast Battlefield, it might be more convenient to go with some company. That was why she had accepted his invitation. She could naturally sense his liking towards her yet did not say anything about it. After all, Zhao Xiaoyao was like a stranger to her. Soon, the group progressed further into the battlefield at a rapid pace, massacring all the surrounding Eternal Overcast creatures. Towards the end, however, they were already tiring. It was partly due to the more concentrated Yin Energy wearing them out, and partly since the Eternal Overcast creatures were already in the Enlightened Noble or even Enlightened King Realm. Meanwhile, many in the group were only in the Partial-Enlightened Realm and were much weaker even with their powerful artifacts and prepared runes. Zhao Xiaoyao looked around and said in a low voice, “Let’s calculate how many points each of us still needs. Those who don’t have enough can get some from those who have extra. There are some ruins in front of us, probably left over from fighting the Eternal Overcast creatures. Let’s rest there, then we can discuss things.” He led them towards the aforementioned location; Su Qingge hesitated before following them. But then, the voice of her other Soul rang out in her mind. “You must have recognised his physical characteristics, right?” “I do. That’s the Scholarly Dao Body.” Su Qingge nodded, thinking. “I don’t think it’s much use to me.” “It’s not much use, but it’s better than nothing,” the evil voice replied. “Are you such a good person that you will let him off? So many prodigies have already died at your hands, Su Qingge.” Su Qingge shook her head. “There are too many people here. It’ll be hard to make my move. It may make it worse for me.” Soon, she joined the group from the Confucian Saint School inside the ruins. Zhao Xiaoyao and the rest were already calculating their respective points. When Su Qingge did the same, she realised she still needed a lot more points. After all, she hadn’t fought much on the way here; most of it had been done by the disciples of the Confucian Saint School. “Lady Su, do you have enough points?” Zhao Xiaoyao asked her with concern when he saw her frown. “If you don’t, I still have extra.” Many disciples looked toward them immediately, and those who still needed more points felt jealous and unhappy. [Why is he asking a complete outsider instead of us?] He didn’t seem to notice their expressions as he continued, “Don’t be too courteous. I know you didn’t fight much on this trip which gave us the chance to earn more points. This is just what I should do…” Su Qingge shook her head in answer. “No need. I understand your kind intentions, but I’ll earn the remaining points on my own.” She then turned around quickly, planning to leave. The sight made many members of the group sigh with relief. Her presence made them uncomfortable. “Lady Su…” Zhao Xiaoyao’s expression changed and he immediately went after her, but she was too quick for him and soon disappeared. “Wait for me here; I’ll go look for her. How can she just run around when there’s so much danger lurking in the Eternal Overcast Battlefield?” he said to his fellow disciples, before chasing after her. “Brother Zhao is so…” “What’s so good about her? She’s so cold towards him, and what other positive attributes does she have except a good figure and pretty face?” “I just don’t understand.” “She’s so mysterious; it’s obvious she’s up to no good…” The disciples began muttering among themselves as they watched him leave. They didn’t understand why a usually mature man like Brother Zhao would act this way. Meanwhile, Su Qingge had transformed into a divine rainbow as she sped deeper into the battlefield. Mist lingered amongst the mountains, which made everything as dark as night. Nothing was discernible from the grey darkness of the place. She hadn’t stayed as she didn’t want Zhao Xiaoyao to bother her. “It looks like he has lost me. What a useless piece of rubbish. However, he’s lucky enough to escape with his life.” In her mind, a mocking voice rang out again. Su Qingge then shook her head decisively. “Even if he caught up with me, I won’t kill him. It would make me look too suspicious.” The voice fell quiet at her reply, as they couldn’t actually kill him now. … “Lady Su’s too fast. Why is she heading deeper when the Yin Energy here is already so dense?” Zhao Xiaoyao, having lost Lady Su, sat desolately on top of a mountain with clenched fists. Nothing could be discerned from the grey fog surrounding everything, not even with one’s divine sense. Since he could not see her, he could not see where she went. This made him unhappy and lost. He didn’t know if he would ever see her again, as this was the first woman he had taken a liking to. He had truly wanted to take her back to his sect, even if she wasn’t interested in him. Such a thing could develop over time anyway. [Does losing her mean we would never meet again?] “Why is Lady Su hiding from me?” He sighed bitterly, knowing he should have stopped her even if he had to resort to violence. But, what was the point of regretting that now? His life would be in danger if he headed deeper, and he couldn’t go in recklessly. “That’s because she thinks you are like a dog, courting her for no apparent reason,” a mocking voice suddenly said. “Who’s there? Come out and don’t play pretend with me!” Zhao Xiaoyao snapped to attention and watched the air before him cautiously. His expression became dark. The voice had made him anxious and sent a chill down his spine. Thoughts raced through his mind; he had the involuntary feeling that someone was following him. [Has someone been watching our every move during our journey?] “Where are you looking for? I’m behind you.” The words nearly made his head explode as the feeling of fear completely engulfed him. He was shivering right down to his core. Before he could turn, though, his vision turned dark. A terrifying dark light split downwards, drowning him out and leaving him unconscious. “Those ancient wisemen did not lie. No simp is innocent in this world. Naturally, I can’t let you remain with such ulterior motives.” Gu Changge appeared in the space, his expression filled with interest. He had nearly completed everything he needed, and Zhao Xiaoyao’s death would enrage the disciples of the Confucian Saint School. The trap was now set for Su Qingge, and she wouldn’t be able to avoid it. However, something that surprised him was that her behaviour didn’t look like that of a Successor of Demonic Arts. That, of course, might be because she was smart enough to conceal the Demonic Arts without leaving any flaws. “Qingge, I pamper you so much back then. Don’t disappoint me.” He then smiled secretly and disappeared. … The atmosphere within the abandoned ruins was oppressive. “Brother Zhao has gone after her for far too long. Why hasn’t he returned? Has he gone off to fight Eternal Overcast creatures with her?” “But if so, he should’ve returned by now!” “Impossible! Brother Zhao would never abandon us. Has something happened to him?” Half a day had passed since Zhao Xiaoyao went after Su Qingge, yet the disciples had not see him return yet. This made them extremely uneasy and they couldn’t help expressing their worries as they glanced outside occasionally to look for him. However, they did not see anything except for the dark grey fog and the snarling Eternal Overcast creatures. Their hearts sank, realising that something might have gone wrong. He would have returned by now no matter what happened, yet he had disappeared like a stone dropping into the ocean. “Something might have really happened to him.” A woman disciple’s face turned white, refusing to accept it. “Of course not. He’s so powerful and has so many powerful artifacts. What could possibly happen to him? Let’s wait a little bit more…” “Did he…did he encounter the Successor of Demonic Arts?” The presence of that Successor was no mere rumour, and he might still be hiding in this Eternal Overcast Battlefield, even after Gu Changge had forced him back. This made their situation even worse. After all, he might have really met the Successor of Demonic Arts. “Do you think Lady Su is connected to the Successor of Demonic Arts? She could’ve left at any time yet chose to leave now, making Brother Zhao chase after her alone!” “Exactly! She’s obviously not a good person!” “In my opinion, she has a hand in this! The timing is too coincidental.” At that thought, they became restless with anger and hatred. Everything could be traced back to Lady Su, as Brother Zhao wouldn’t have been in danger if not for her! Soon, the news of Zhao Xiaoyao’s disappearance sent shockwaves throughout the Eternal Overcast Battlefield. His cultivation level wasn’t really comparable to that of the ancient monstrosities present, but he was still a famous young prodigy. It was unusual and worrying for him to disappear without leaving any traces. If he had encountered a powerful undefeatable Eternal Overcast creature, there would have been evidence of their fight. However, he had left nothing behind as if he had disappeared into thin air. This terrified many, and their thoughts immediately went towards the Successor of Demonic Arts. After all, who else would have such techniques, to make one disappear into thin air? According to the description made by the disciples of the Confucian Saint School afterwards, everything seemed to be connected with a woman surnamed Su. The quietness of the battlefield was immediately shattered as many young prodigies set off in anger to find this white-clothed woman to seek justice for Zhao Xiaoyao. Many young cultivators also gathered at the entrances of the battlefield to guard them, preventing the Successor of Demonic Arts from escaping. The highest-ranking disciple of the School was Jun Gou. He was a handsome yet skinny young man who resembled a frail young scholar. Even so, anyone familiar with him didn’t dare underestimate him. Three beams of Scholarly Qi had shone upon him from the heavens upon his birth, making his every movement elicit powerful scholarly might. Mountains and seas formed with every stroke of his brush, the mysterious yet amazing techniques surprising anyone. “My younger fellow disciple has died, harmed in secret by the Successor of Demonic Arts!” His expression was dark with anger and murderous intent. “Big Brother, you must seek justice for Brother Zhao! If not for that woman in white, he wouldn’t have ended up like this…” One woman cried in despair, her voice full of hatred towards Su Qingge. “She’s definitely connected to the Successor!” “Big Brother, we have to find her. We might get something from her, such as clues to finding Brother Zhao…” “Exactly, Big Brother! If our teachers blame us, we may at least have something to report!” The other disciples began chiming in, wanting him to make a decision regarding Zhao Xiaoyao’s disappearance. They would all be punished if they didn’t have anything to report. Even if it had nothing to do with Lady Su, they would have to capture her and take her to their Elders. “I understand. I have to seek vengeance for my younger brother. It doesn’t matter whether the Successor of Demonic Arts was truly the one who had done it. That woman is definitely related to this whole affair!” Jun Gou nodded coldly. Suddenly, a disciple came in excitedly. “Big Brother, we have the woman in white. She’s been stopped at an exit of the Eternal Overcast Battlefield!” Hearing this, all the disciples gathered wore an expression full of hate while sighing in relief. “Just in time. Let’s go, she can no longer escape!” Jun Gou got up first, expression cold and murderous as he led the disciples off to seek an explanation for his fellow disciple. … Many powerful young prodigies had already gathered in front of a giant door exuding Space fluctuations, looking guardedly and warily at a woman dressed in white. This was an exit for the Eternal Overcast Battlefield, where anyone could use it to leave to the outside world. For now, many cultivators had rushed here, making the entire place congested and noisy. Even the mountains further away were filled with them. There might have been thousands of them waiting to watch the spectacle. Many of them knew that the second-highest ranking disciple of the School had been killed by the Successor of Demonic Arts, and the incident might be linked to this woman. He had disappeared when going after her, and naturally, she was the prime suspect behind it. Not many thought she was the Successor, just someone probably related to that person. Still, most of them were still here to see how the Confucian Saint School would deal with it. “Lady Su, why did you kill Brother Zhao? He had no quarrel with you but was only interested in you, so why did you do this to him?” “Your looks are wasted with how evil and twisted you are!” “He must have been blind then, generously giving you help when he saw you all alone. Is that how you repay him?” The disciples of the Confucian Saint School were now blocking her way while yelling at her with outrage. Their gazes were full of hatred, fury, and determination. Su Qingge remained calm at these accusations, replying mildly, “I have told you many times. This has nothing to do with me! I haven’t seen him since I left all of you; how would I know where he is?” She frowned internally, wondering, [Why am I being blamed for no reason? I’ve left Zhao Xiaoyao behind after leaving so that I could kill more Eternal Overcast creatures in exchange for points. I hadn’t even seen him since. The next thing I know was news of his death. This must be too much of a coincidence.] She pondered for a while, then concluded that she was just too unfortunate. She could not explain herself; and if she used violence without using her Forbidden Demonic Arts, she would only be able to display the might of the True Enlightened Realm. Using the Demonic Arts was out of the question as well. [In that fact, do I have no choice but to surrender?] Su Qingge was helpless and puzzled, as she couldn’t think of a way to escape this predicament. “Stop denying it! If not for you, he wouldn’t have ended up like this!” The disciples were further enraged, readying themselves to fight her. “He came after me of his own volition, so how am I connected to this? You are all being irrational here, bullying a weaker person like me rather than seeking out the Successor himself!” Her voice remained calm, but her tone was now colder. “What a witty woman! If you hadn’t seduced him, how could this have ever happened?” A cold laugh rang out as divine rainbows descended from the heavens. Their arrival was led by Jun Gou, the highest-ranking disciple of the School. His gaze was cold as he stared at her, attempting to see through her. When she remained silent, he continued coldly, “I think you are related to the Successor of Demonic Arts. If you want to prove this, open up your Knowledge Sea so I can investigate. If we have blamed you wrongfully, we’ll apologise to you and let you go unharmed. What about that?” Su Qingge and the other prodigies became pale upon hearing that. A cultivator’s Knowledge Sea contained all their secrets as well as their Soul. It was something they kept guarded even with their life at stake. Letting others investigate it was extremely humiliating for a cultivator and was a fate worse than death. “It’s a good idea, though…” Some other young prodigies looked interested since that seemed to be the only way out. “No way.” Su Qingge’s voice was cold. [Investigating my Knowledge Sea? The secrets I have concealed are far more important than Zhao Xiaoyao’s death. How could I possibly allow someone to do it so easily!?] “Oh, then you don’t want to? Well, don’t blame us then!” Jun Gou’s voice was cold, his scholarly look belying his terrifying aura. As he spoke, his True Enlightened Realm power came down on her and prepared to suppress her. His cultivation has surpassed many young prodigies. Su Qingge turned pale and clenched her fists. She was livid that this was happening. [Must I show my Demonic Arts now? Is there no other way out of this?] Suddenly, she remembered Gu Changge. If she mentioned her relationship with him right now, would anyone dare face his wrath and trouble her? Just as she was about to speak, energy reverberated from the entrance and made many young prodigies jump in surprise. One cultivator appeared from inside it, shouting excitedly, “Good news! Young Master Changge has heard that the Successor of Demonic Arts is here, and he is on his way right now!”