"Gui Lan, it's all up to you now. You must ensure our Gui Family survives this crisis. If you can join the Profound Sword Sect, then even Duan Li and the Witherwood Gate Sect behind him won't dare lay a finger on us!"
The low but resolute voice came from an old man standing just behind Gui Yiyi. His eyes, though clouded by age, gleamed with unwavering authority. This was the Second Elder of the Gui Family—a revered figure, second only to the patriarch and grand elder. A cultivator at the peak of the fourth level of the Soul Condensation Realm, he had personally escorted the Gui clan disciples all the way from distant Half Moon City to the gates of the Profound Sword Sect.
Yet, notably, his solemn words were not directed at Gui Yiyi. Instead, they were meant for the blue-robed youth standing confidently at his side.
Gui Lan—the pride of the Gui Family, son of the grand elder, and their undisputed number one genius.
Though Gui Yiyi, as the patriarch's daughter, held the highest status among the Gui clan's younger generation, when it came to talent, she could not claim the same prestige. In fact, she struggled to even rank among the top three.
By contrast, Gui Lan had long been hailed as the brightest star of Half Moon City, his name spoken with admiration both within and beyond the Gui Family. His confidence was tangible, almost infectious, as he responded to the elder's words with a faint, assured smile.
"Second Elder, don't worry," Gui Lan said lightly. "I'll enter the Profound Sword Sect without issue."
He spoke with a natural arrogance, as if success was already certain—and, to some extent, it was.
Hearing Gui Lan's self-assured reply, Gui Yiyi gently bit her lip, her slender fingers curling slightly at her sides. A trace of loneliness flickered in her bright eyes.
She couldn't deny it—Gui Lan had the highest chance of being accepted.
No matter how tirelessly she had trained, no matter how fiercely she had pushed herself forward, the gap created by innate talent loomed like a chasm she could not cross. Her cultivation path had been arduous, a hard-fought climb riddled with setbacks and obstacles. Unlike Gui Lan, whose progress seemed to flow as naturally as breathing, every step of her journey was a battle against the heavens themselves.
Just then, a sneering voice cut through the heavy atmosphere like a blade, dripping with disdain.
"Entering the Profound Sword Sect? Hah! Gui Lan, you? Are you even worthy?"
Heads turned sharply. Even before seeing the speaker, many from the Gui clan already knew whose voice it was.
Wang Fei.
Dressed in stark black robes, a smirk of cold confidence tugged at his lips. As the leading figure of the Wang Family—the Gui clan's longstanding rival and one of Half Moon City's other great clans—Wang Fei was a name everyone knew.
Once hailed as the number one youth of the city, Wang Fei's star had begun to fade only after Gui Lan rose to prominence. Their rivalry, fanned by years of competition, had grown bitter and deep.
Gui Lan narrowed his eyes, his calm demeanor hardening as he stepped forward.
"Wang Fei," he said coldly, "if I'm not worthy, what about you? You think you are? Fool."
Wang Fei's smile only widened, undisturbed by the provocation.
"Heh. Gui Lan, you're too proud. Let me tell you—when I enter the Profound Sword Sect, I'll leave you in the dust. And at next year's Half Moon City Grand Competition, I'll show you what true power is."
He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a low, taunting growl.
"Being ahead for a moment means nothing. Whoever has the last laugh… wins."
The tension between the two crackled like lightning, their long-standing enmity laid bare for all to see.
But Wang Fei wasn't finished yet.
Turning his sharp gaze toward Gui Yiyi, his expression shifted into something almost casual—mocking yet intimate.
"Yiyi," he said smoothly, "how about it? As long as you agree to marry me, we'll be family. When I become a disciple of the Profound Sword Sect, I'll personally guarantee your Gui Family's safety."
The proposition, bold as it was, hardly surprised anyone. Wang Fei's pursuit of Gui Yiyi was well known throughout Half Moon City. He had proposed multiple times, only to be refused each time by Gui Yiyi's father, the patriarch.
Since the death of her mother when she was young, Gui Yiyi's father had cherished her beyond all else. Never once had he forced her into marriage—especially not with someone she did not choose.
Gui Yiyi's expression turned to ice.
She didn't honor Wang Fei's offer with a single word. Instead, she shifted her gaze away from the two posturing young men and toward the grand ceremonial platform, where the elders of the Profound Sword Sect had begun to assemble.
And that's when she noticed him.
"Who… is that?"
A young man had just walked onto the stage—a figure none of the disciples, new or old, had ever seen before.
His presence sent a ripple through the crowd.
"Whoa… who's that guy?"
"He's so handsome! I've never seen him before…"
"Wait—why is he standing next to Sect Master Jian Nantian?!"
Gasps spread across the square like wildfire.
The young man stood calmly beside Jian Nantian, exuding quiet confidence and unshakable poise. His features were refined and noble, his deep eyes like still pools, and a tranquil, formidable aura seemed to gather invisibly around him.
It was Xuan Yi.
In an instant, countless girls in the crowd blushed, their eyes sparkling with secret admiration. Yet it wasn't merely his appearance that left them breathless—it was his position.
Jian Nantian, the Sect Master of the Profound Sword Sect, never casually shared the stage with others. Until now, only the two Vice Sect Masters had been seen standing beside him.
Yet today, a young man who looked scarcely older than themselves stood there, shoulder to shoulder with the highest echelons of the sect.
"Who is he? The Sect Master's son?"
"No way! Even the Sect Master's son wouldn't be given such honor!"
Finally, a more knowledgeable voice spoke up from the crowd, full of smugness.
"You really don't know? That's Elder Xuan Yi!"
"He's a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator! The youngest elder in the history of the Profound Sword Sect!"
The revelation exploded through the crowd like a thunderclap.
"Nascent Soul Realm?! But he looks so young!"
"Believe it. My older brother's an inner disciple—he told me everything. Elder Xuan Yi is the only Nascent Soul Elder the sect has right now!"
"And he's not just the youngest—he's one of the strongest!"
The speaker puffed up with pride, clearly basking in the envy of those around him. Having inside information in a moment like this was a priceless currency.
Within the Profound Sword Sect, disciples were divided into three ranks—Outer, Inner, and Personal.
Becoming an Inner Disciple was already a tremendous honor.
But to become a Personal Disciple of someone like Elder Xuan Yi?
That would be tantamount to ascending to the heavens themselves.
Excitement rippled through the sea of candidates. Some whispered fervent prayers under their breath, unable to contain their hopes.
"Please… let Elder Xuan pick me."
"Even one word of guidance would be better than years of blind cultivation!"
Gui Yiyi's gaze lingered on Xuan Yi's calm figure, her heart beating faster without her realizing it.
"Could this man… be my chance?"
Unbeknownst to her, Xuan Yi was also surveying the gathered disciples, his gaze steady and sharp as he measured each candidate in turn.
His eyes passed over Gui Lan… paused briefly on Wang Fei… and finally, for the slightest, most fleeting moment—
—lingered on Gui Yiyi.