Ye Xiu steadied himself, then bent down to examine the wooden sword on the ground. “Now that you’ve become a sword, can I still talk to you?”

“Insolence! How dare you speak to me like that.” The blade shook violently. “Now that this Lord is unsheathed, I intend to follow you. If you don’t practice the Ghost Valley Sword Art diligently, I can kill you at any moment.”

“Ah, Senior, isn't that forcing me into a corner?” Ye Xiu truly felt awkward, having to converse foolishly with a wooden sword. “Your junior is admittedly not very skilled in swordsmanship. Wouldn’t that be an insult to you?”

“Nonsense! With me guiding you, becoming the foremost swordsman of this age is no problem. Hurry up and practice.” The Lord of this Sect could no longer restrain himself—or perhaps, the Muzi Sword could not—and it shot directly into Ye Xiu’s hand.

With a sharp whoosh, Ye Xiu’s right hand clenched the Muzi Sword. In that very instant, an idea sparked in his mind. He struck out with a single sword movement, slicing a drifting leaf in mid-air perfectly in half. The cut was so precise that the two halves of the leaf were entirely uniform in size.

A breath, like a swift wind, passed by. In that moment, the leaf settled steadily upon the tip of the Muzi Sword—a superb assassination, successful.

“Is this feeling what they call the Ghost Valley Stabbing Sword Art?” Ye Xiu stared intently at the sword in his hand. The wood was red, incredibly light, and etched with two strange, coiling dragons. “Senior, what is this sword move? Is it truly only one technique?”

To Ye Xiu’s surprise, the Muzi Sword instantly reverted to inert wood. No matter how he called out or cursed, it offered no reply. This thing was truly peculiar; had it become lifeless after just that one move?

The Ghost Valley Asura Courtyard once again awaited such a deep night—a night so melancholic that many found sleep impossible.

Hong’er hadn't seen Wang Long or Ye Xiu for several nights, and she lacked the courage to seek them out, especially Senior Brother Chen Feng.

Chen Feng’s mindset today was vastly different from his usual self. Having done what he did, he suspected he might not be able to remain in Ghost Valley. He had many things to attend to and absolutely needed to secure a fallback plan.

Knock, knock, knock. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Chen Feng opened it to find Hong’er waiting for him.

“Senior Brother, I haven’t seen Elder Sister for days. What’s been happening lately? Everyone seems preoccupied.” It was clear Hong’er was deeply worried about her sister, as she had swallowed her pride to question Chen Feng.

“I don’t know,” Chen Feng shook his head, murmuring low, “Master’s whereabouts are unknown now. I suspect Master might have taken a liking to that boy, Ye Xiu, intending to promote him to Sect Leader. Dammit.”

“Something like that!” Hong’er was too naive to grasp Chen Feng’s true intentions. “How could Father be so muddled? That position should belong to you, Senior Brother.”

“Sigh…” Chen Feng turned sideways and sighed. “I don’t know what Master is thinking. That Ye Xiu fellow doesn’t look like a good person at all. I don't understand why Master would favor him.”

“Hmph! I don’t think that fellow is a good person either.” Hong’er’s initial impression of Ye Xiu was terrible, though the memory of their first meeting often brought a blush to her cheeks.

“It’s alright, Hong’er, don’t worry. I won’t let that brat have an easy time,” Chen Feng’s gaze was resolute. “You should go back now.”

“Oh.” Hong’er felt reluctant, but what could she do? The man she loved was in love with her own sister—what a bizarre situation.

Chen Feng closed the door and began frantically trying to recall where Wan’er might have gone. She shouldn’t have left Ghost Valley. Surely, she wouldn't tell Wang Long what he had done? If that happened, what would he do? Did he really have no choice but to flee Ghost Valley?

“Master, I’ve returned.” Ye Xiu limped before Wang Long, his body covered in sword wounds, excitedly displaying the Muzi Sword strapped to his back. “I obtained a sword—the North Gate Lord you mentioned.”

Wang Long remained silent, but the look of sheer astonishment on his face spoke volumes. He hadn't expected the boy to persevere this long and actually gain the recognition of a Gate Lord. This wooden sword, seemingly ordinary, undoubtedly held great significance.

“Then next up is the South Gate Lord for the Soul Shattering trials,” Ye Xiu pressed on, ignoring his pain. “Master, don't worry.”

“Heh heh.” Wang Long said nothing, merely offering a slight smile. Ye Xiu was indeed becoming the pivotal figure in Ghost Valley’s turning point, and what did that turning point have to do with the wider changes of the era?

The symbol for the South Gate was a circle, a complete loop. What did that signify? A string of beads? Was it something so ridiculous?

Stepping inside, one realized there was a universe within.

He immediately heard countless cries echoing in his ears, a world bathed in purple light, appearing intensely ambiguous and suggestive.

“Heh heh.” Suddenly, a sycophantic woman’s voice mingled with the weeping. “Tee hee, someone has finally arrived, and it’s a man!”

“Woman, or perhaps a demon? What the devil are you?” Ye Xiu could not bear the sound of the crying mixed with that seductive laughter and lost his temper immediately. “Hey, I’m telling you to stop laughing. If you have something to say, spit it out quickly.”

“Heh heh.” The woman continued to laugh. “Young man, have you come to keep me company, ha ha!”

“Damn it, what exactly do you want? Come out now!” Ye Xiu grew angry. “Either you come out and deal with me, or let me deal with you!”

“Ooh, such a temper,” the woman finally produced sounds other than laughter. “Young Sir, you’re quite impatient! I’ll come out right away and serve you well, make you comfortable.”

I’m dizzy! Ye Xiu felt a sudden surge of joy in his heart. So the South Gate Lord of the Four Heavens Tower was a woman—and judging by her voice, quite a wanton one.

A wisp of purple smoke drifted down gently, slowly enveloping Ye Xiu’s entire body, and the upper torso of a stunningly sensual woman projected itself forward.

“Ghost!” Ye Xiu’s first reaction caused cold sweat to break out. “Miss, what are you here to do?”

“Heh heh, I’m here to do you, is that alright?” The purple woman’s laughter reached a pinnacle of seduction. “You’re quite the specimen, young Sir. Arriving here proves you have some ability, ha ha. Come on, follow me.”

Ye Xiu considered this. These Gate Lords were truly extraordinary. This woman seemed to know everything; she was certainly a master of spectral arts.

“Well? Shall I serve you well?” The purple woman’s body featured exquisitely curved lines, and coupled with such an invitation, any man would find it hard to resist.

“Too bad, Auntie, you don’t have a lower half! I’m not interested in your upper body,” Ye Xiu squinted and gestured for her to look down. Indeed, the purple woman was merely a layer of mist, though her upper half had already materialized into human form.

“Hmph! You don't know what’s good for you.” The South Gate Lord uttered those words before dissolving back into the drifting blue smoke. “Boy, do you know anything about the Ghost Valley Soul Shattering?”

“I really don’t know anything about that.”

“Then you still have the nerve to enter the gate! You truly don't know fear.” The woman was somewhat annoyed, feeling that she had, in fact, been teased by Ye Xiu.

“Doesn’t matter.” After dealing with the North Gate Lord, Ye Xiu began to feel that these entities were no different from ordinary mortals; their deceptive arts were perfect for dealing with such ignorant beings.

“Quite the bold declaration,” the South Gate Lord pressed. “Do you know anything about time, or that time itself can be altered?”

“I know absolutely nothing.” Ye Xiu felt impressively cocky. “Bring out whatever strange tricks you have. Altering time—what does that even count as? You don't know that I’m a transmigrator; I’ve changed countless spans of time already.”

“It seems I must let you taste the suffering of reincarnation. You have no idea how powerful I am,” the South Gate Lord was getting agitated, her anger rising. “Boy, do you know that the Purple Wind Chain can plunge someone into the torment of reincarnation, enduring the relentless wear of time?”

“Purple Wind Chain? What is that?” Ye Xiu recalled what the North Gate Lord had said—the South Gate Lord was merely a bracelet. What could this bracelet do? Control time? How conceited.

“Do you know how you died in your previous life? Want to see it?” The South Gate Lord spread her hands, and a surge of purple energy enveloped Ye Xiu. He became instantly immobilized, his vision going black, then white, before he suddenly found himself back in that purple domain.

“Hey, what?” The South Gate Lord seemed bewildered, expressing amazement. “You brat, you didn't enter reincarnation? How is that possible?”

Ye Xiu, who had been nearly scared to death by the darkness before his eyes, suddenly found himself snapped back to the real environment. The woman seemed to have done nothing, merely muttering to herself for a long time.

“Heaven’s will! Heaven’s will! It seems my Purple Wind Chain has finally found its true master,” the South Gate Lord began to sound genuinely joyful. “Boy, what is your name?”

“Ye Xiu.”

“Ye Xiu? That name sounds strange.”

“Um, it’s not really that strange.”

“Are you sure!”

“I’m not sure! Damn it.” Ye Xiu gritted his teeth, completely confused. Hadn’t the South Gate Lord been about to unleash her ultimate move moments ago? Why did she stop so abruptly? Had his masculine charm somehow reformed this woman? It was a miracle.

“You fellow must not be human; you’re not normal,” the South Gate Lord stated with certainty, yet unable to decipher the anomaly. Why hadn't this young man experienced reincarnation, yet he felt as if he had already been through it?

“Senior, do you still need to test me with another move? Or can you just give me that chain? I need to leave and report back,” Ye Xiu remained uneasy, suspecting the entity might be cunning and planning some trick.

“A test? Heh heh! No need,” the South Gate Lord also smiled. “To be frank, boy, I am utterly helpless against you now. I submit to you.”

“Submit to me!” Ye Xiu could hardly believe his ears. In such a short span, two miraculous entities had surrendered to him. This felt like a prelude to defying fate itself.