Liu Xing sat cross-legged on a small, elongated hill, which, only twelve hours prior, had been the giant he fought to the death. Even now, the reality of it felt surreal. Behind him, a small hole marked where he had dug, confirming it was indeed the giant he had slain. He was baffled because, while some remnants of organs remained, most of the giant's mass had transformed into soil, interspersed with glittering spirit stones that he now stored within his reliable storage. The purpose of the golden bell remained a mystery. His best guess was that the bell, somehow tied to the Royal Barrier or Emperors' Tomb, activated upon the capital's ruin, transforming it into this beautiful grassland. It felt like a stretch, however. He intended to uncover the bell's secrets, as well as those of the Twelve Sun Armor shrouded in darkness later.

As he sat cross-legged, contemplating the day's events while cycling his qi, he noticed a massive tent and several smaller ones erected across the vast grassland. The sun had already set, and a full moon illuminated the expansive plain stretching to the horizon, covering the former capital of the Twelve Sun Empire. Torches had been lit and scattered around the simple yet elegant tents, adorned with sun patterns. People and carriages moved towards the tents like worker ants returning to their nest. He understood these were members of the Yang clan, scattered across the empire, along with important figures hastily summoned by Prince Yang Jinyan's order. Currently, the prince was hosting a banquet, and Liu Xing suspected he would attempt to solidify his position as emperor tonight.

"Must be troublesome," he muttered.

Prince Yang Jinyan's current position was, in fact, quite fragile. The necessity to meet important guests from across the empire inside a tent—albeit a grand one—might lead people to believe he was weak, both politically and materially. After all, many Yang clan members and important figures had perished due to Wei Yi. The empire currently lacked an army, meaning other factions within the empire could easily usurp the throne if they gathered their forces. Furthermore, that only accounted for internal threats. Considering external threats the empire's position, especially the Yang clan and Prince Yang Jinyan's, was so precarious that it seemed a strong wind could topple them.

The prince and the Yang clan were likely searching for him. He was a disciple of the Purple Moon Sect, and his open support for the prince would make those seeking to dethrone him more cautious. He intended to demonstrate his support later. Despite their brief acquaintance, Liu Xing could not deny a certain bond had formed. However, for the moment, he desired a peaceful night, one where he could sit and think in silence.

More and more people arrived at the giant tent. As he allowed the wind to caress his black hair under the moonlight, he began to consider his plans for the days ahead.

"I still need to gather more treasures," he murmured, pinching his chin. "But before that, I need to go to Bai Lin and claim my prize."

He had not forgotten that he was still in the midst of the race. Reaching the Core Splitting realm already guaranteed his position as an inner disciple, but he still desired to win. After all, becoming an inner disciple was not the only reward.

Thinking of Bai Lin's aged face brought a giggle to his lips. Who wouldn't be happy knowing they were about to receive a Heaven Grade Technique?

"There are also groups of inner disciples en route here." He wondered about their reactions. He had desperately requested Elder Zhang Zhenking's help, and these groups had wasted their effort rushing here. "Perhaps they will be relieved since they don't need to fight." They would still receive sect points for technically completing their mission, though the credit would belong to him. He considered the likelihood of conflict between himself and these groups and concluded it was quite small. He also had already decided to depart as soon as possible, increasing the chances they would not even meet.

Liu Xing cycled his qi, observing more and more people arrive and erect new tents. He decided to summon his gun, throwing it like a boomerang and letting his mind wander. Numerous questions occupied his thoughts: the Twelve Sun Armor and the darkness that had enveloped it, the woman who had given her arm as a sword, and many others. He was curious about all of them but intended to be patient. He was a man with a mission. This mission was his priority, and he believed information regarding the darkness would unravel gradually as he pursued his goal.

"Fate, huh," he muttered.

In this world, fate was not mere superstition but a widely accepted concept—among both mortals and cultivators. Mortals followed their threads of fate from birth to death, while cultivators sought to defy it, to challenge the destiny the heavens dictated. Liu Xing remained undecided about it. He came from a world without magic, where humanity survived through its own mortal power, and fate was a concept espoused by religious individuals. But this was a xianxia world. It was not surprising if fate truly existed. He felt he had stumbled upon this empire incidentally, only to discover a demonic cultivator wielding that darkness, and an armor enveloped by it. Even if it wasn't fate in the traditional sense, he thought a force guided him to complete his mission. As the gun returned, and he caught it, he considered that perhaps Nui had imbued such a force into his gun to ease his task.

As he contemplated and waited for the night to deepen, pondering various matters, he suddenly sensed a presence approaching his position. He turned his head and saw the source.

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Illuminated by the moonlight, Yang Liangyu moved with a measured pace, almost gliding across the ground. Her face was expressionless, and her skin as pale as a corpse. Liu Xing was surprised to see her. "She can already move?"

Moments after the golden bell had burst into a golden cloud and spread, Yang clan members had approached him, thanking and congratulating him amidst tears and laughter. The prince had decided then and there to propose to Yang Hongyin officially, and she had readily accepted. Afterward, some members rushed to spread news of their victory, and more people arrived in the grassland. They came with tears and embraced each other happily, but one brought concerning news: the princess was missing. She had been led away by a Purple Moon Sect disciple. The Prince asked if Liu Xing knew who they meant, and from the description, he realized it was Yan Yu. That girl was strangely always present when significant events involved him. The prince dispatched several people to find the princess, and she was discovered writhing in pain in a crater, with magma freely flowing around her.

Liu Xing jumped and glided towards her. Seeing his movement, she stopped and waited. He landed in front of her and immediately felt a curious sensation emanating from her—like the clash of scalding water and glacial ice hitting his face. The sensation was peculiar and unnatural.

The princess lowered her head, and Liu Xing asked her to raise it. "Are you looking for me?"

"Yes," she answered instantly. Her face remained expressionless, an unsettling change. The Yang Liangyu he knew was gentle, warm, and expressive. He remembered her tears as she buried her grandmother. Comparing her former and current demeanor, it was as if Yang Liangyu had been replaced by another person. "My older brother is looking for you, so I came to find you myself."

Liu Xing nodded. "Alright."

They stood there, facing each other in silence. He observed her more closely and noticed details he had missed earlier. Yang Liangyu wore a red robe, but instead of a bright, radiant red, it was a maroon, as if the fabric had been soaked in blood and absorbed light. The fabric was of high quality and suited her, but in this robe, she resembled a mourning empress rather than a princess. Her hair had also changed slightly. Before, it had been as dark as night, yet shiny and lustrous, but now it had blackish-red streaks, with dark blue tips on some strands.

Her altered appearance and temperament could perhaps be attributed to the empire's situation, but as Liu Xing observed her further, he sensed her qi was heavier than before.

"You had a breakthrough?" Liu Xing asked.

"Indeed," she nodded. Liu Xing stared into her eyes, conveying his curiosity, and the princess understood. "Would you like to know about my encounter with Yan Yu?"

Despite her subtle control, Liu Xing detected a faint tremor when she spoke Yan Yu's name, and this made him narrow his eyes. It seemed that girl was the real reason for Yang Liangyu's drastic transformation. He recalled their first meeting. He had initially judged Yan Yu as a bully. Their encounter in Dragon Skull Forest had not been hostile, and he had thought that as long as they stayed out of each other's way, conflict would be avoided. Thinking more deeply, instead of a bully, she seemed more aloof, as if she considered everyone beneath her.

He couldn't judge her further as he was lacking sufficient knowledge. Perhaps it was all a misunderstanding, and deep down, she was kind and warm. But for now, that seemed far-fetched. Since Yang Liangyu trembled when she uttered Yan Yu's name, perhaps Yan Yu had done something that traumatized this girl.

"Did she hurt you?"

"Let's talk as we walk," she said, gesturing towards the large tent in the grassland's center. Liu Xing nodded, and they walked side by side, the grass crunching softly beneath their feet. "She did hurt me, but not in the way you imagine."

"What do you mean?"

"I assume you know about the Infernal Sun Bloodline? Yang Suyin and many of my clan members have spoken of it. It's a potent bloodline that Wei Yi tried to awaken in his creation."

"I know of it, yes."

"Yan Yu also knew about it. In fact, she knew it better than anyone else, perhaps even better than Wei Yi." She inhaled deeply, then exhaled. Her breath became a white mist that floated before her face momentarily. Liu Xing expected it to dissipate, but instead, it suddenly burst into flame before vanishing entirely. "It's a strong bloodline on paper, but not in reality."

Then, Yang Liangyu recounted her encounter with Yan Yu, and Yan Yu's desire for the princess to follow her. Liu Xing's eyes narrowed further. From her story, he learned Yan Yu knew about Wei Yi, even things he himself was unaware of. The revelation that Wei Yi had split his soul in two proved the man's cunning. He felt an urge to inquire about this detail but decided to let Yang Liangyu finish her story before overwhelming her with questions.

"After I extinguished the candle, I felt crushed by an invisible weight. The feeling was agonizing, but the true pain resided within my consciousness. The flame, upon entering my consciousness, tried to burn my cultivation and me. Simultaneously, my body awakened the Infernal Sun Bloodline to fight against it. My consciousness became a battlefield, while I, the owner, could only writhe in pain. Wei Yi was also attempting to possess my body. It was the most intense experience of my life.

"To summarize, I managed to tame the Infernal Sun Bloodline briefly. I burned away half of Wei Yi's soul and incorporated the flame. But it wasn't a triumph. To achieve it, I sacrificed everything I had."

As the wind ruffled her unbound hair, making it wave like a flag, Liu Xing caught the subtle meaning Yang Liangyu tried to conceal. If he wasn't mistaken, she implied she had attempted suicide.

"This is when Yan Yu finally revealed her true purpose." Yang Liangyu offered a bitter smile. "That cave was indeed a trap, but a trap specifically for me, laid by none other than Yan Yu. You see, she also possesses a bloodline, one that is the opposite of mine. While mine burns me from within, hers tries to freeze everything around her. She knew that without her help, I wouldn't survive. So, she offered her help, and I accepted."

"What did she do to you?" Liu Xing asked again, his eyes narrowed, a coldness washing over him. He knew, without a doubt, that Yan Yu's next action was the most hurtful to Yang Liangyu.

"She said to me, 'From now on, you are my slave,' and stabbed my heart with a small frozen sword, no bigger than my little finger."

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