Tianji Sect.
As one of the Five Great Sects of the Muxian Continent, it possessed profound foundations and enjoyed high prestige externally.
Inside a luxurious Cave Dwelling, where the Spiritual Qi of the Sect was currently most abundant, a white-haired youth in Brocade clothes sat cross-legged on a golden jade bed, eyes closed.
He was the Tianji Sect's foremost genius, the Male Protagonist Ye Han.
A moment later, he slowly opened his eyes, touched his chest, and smiled wickedly: "This Exquisite Immortal Heart truly lives up to its reputation! With it, my cultivation speed has increased by more than double!
Miao Miaomiao, don't blame me for being ruthless! A piece of trash like you is not worthy of possessing the Exquisite Immortal Heart. Serving me is your mission, and moreover, your honor! After all... I am the Son of Destiny!! One day, I will surely soar above the Firmament!"
*
At the third watch of the night.
Lightning flashed and thunder roared as a torrential downpour began.
This should have been a beautiful and harmonious night, but an uninvited guest appeared at the foot of the Back Mountain of the Tianji Sect.
It was none other than student Miao Miaomiao, who had been running in the storm for over two hours without even taking a single breath.
The heavy rain soaked her entire body, her wet, long hair stuck to her face, obscuring her pale complexion. At first glance, she looked a bit like Sadako who had just crawled out of a well.
Pushing aside the hair blocking her vision and wiping the rainwater from her face, Miao Miaomiao gave a sinister smile: "Tianji Sect, you didn't expect this, did you? I, Miao Mou, am back!"
Every cause has an effect; your retribution is me! I'll collect some interest today.
The Original Owner had served them like an ox or horse for eight years, so sneaking in was not difficult for her.
Precisely avoiding the patrolling disciples, she darted into the Sect grounds.
Her first target was the Sect Treasury; if she could empty it clean, the Tianji Sect's economy would regress by at least eight hundred years.
The thought was beautiful, but reality was cruel. A Barrier mercilessly turned her away.
Not only that, but important places like the Scripture Pavilion, the Spirit Plant Garden, and the Spirit Beast Garden were all protected by Barriers. Without a Token, and with her current Cultivation Level being only in the Qi Refining stage, entering was simply impossible.
"Damn it! Did I run all this way for nothing?" Miao Miaomiao clenched her Fist, looking unwilling.
She had intended to cause trouble for them, but her strength simply wouldn't allow it.
The rainwater pooling on the ground mirrored the gloom accumulating in her heart, growing deeper and deeper.
No, she absolutely could not swallow this insult!
Miao Miaomiao scratched her head and paced around for a long time. Unknowingly, she arrived at the Back Mountain Cemetery; fortunately, there was no Barrier there.
It just so happened that the old man Li, who was responsible for guarding it a few days ago, had suddenly died, and no replacement had been found yet.
Standing at the entrance of the Cemetery, an evil thought immediately sprang into Miao Miaomiao's mind: "Since the Sect treated me so heartlessly, don't blame me for taking your Ancestors away as atonement!"
Entering the Cemetery and looking at the Ancestral Graves, Miao Miaomiao waved her hand grandly, "—Hand them over!"
"Whoosh~" A Green Light flashed, and ninety-nine Ancestral Graves, not one missing, were collected into her Space. In just a moment, the Cemetery was completely empty.
Miao Miaomiao clapped her hands, revealing a satisfied smile: "That feels much better now! You wouldn't even bless me!"
Whether it was useful or not didn't matter; as long as it caused trouble for the Tianji Sect, it was enough.
Whether it was right or wrong was irrelevant.
As long as she felt satisfied, the rest was left to retribution.
Leaving the Cemetery, she did not depart immediately but continued searching for targets to strike.
Following the principle of 'since I'm already here,' Paving Stones, flowers and grass, trees... she wasn't picky. Taking advantage of the strong wind and heavy rain, she swept through like a swarm of locusts, taking whatever she saw.
Only when the wind stopped and the rain ceased did she flee the scene via the small path on the Back Mountain.
*
One night passed.
The rain cleared, the morning sun rose, and it was another day full of vigor.
Ku Chenzi, the Sect Master, was meditating when he suddenly heard an urgent voice coming from outside his Cave Dwelling: "Sect Master! Something terrible has happened!!"
Ku Chenzi frowned, brushed his sleeves, and stepped out of the Cave Dwelling: "Why the loud shouting?"
"It seems the Sect has been robbed..."
"What did you say!? Robbed!" Ku Chenzi was greatly alarmed and hurriedly asked, "Were any valuable items lost?"
His greatest fear was the Sect Treasury; if it were stolen, the consequences would be unimaginable.
However, the junior disciple's reply plunged him into silence: "No valuable items were lost, but quite a few Paving Stones on the paths, the flowers and plants in the flowerbeds, trees, signposts, Stone Stumps... are missing!"
The Back Mountain Cemetery was usually rarely visited, so the situation there had not yet been discovered.
Ku Chenzi: "..." Does this thief have a serious mental problem? Stealing things like that? Are they desperate for money?
He quickly calmed down, realizing that all other areas were protected by Barriers. Even if she wanted to steal, she was powerless and could only vent her anger on these useless things.
"Sect Master, should we send people to investigate?"
"Forget it." Ku Chenzi waved his hand. "It's just some insignificant, shadowy clown; she's not worth my effort. Go prepare; I need to go to the Cemetery to pay respects to the Ancestors at noon."
After speaking, he returned directly to his Cave Dwelling to bathe and change clothes.
As per custom, on this day every year, he would lead his Direct Disciples and Elders to the Cemetery to pay respects to the Ancestors.
When he walked out of the Cave Dwelling, his six senior disciples were already waiting.
Ye Han, the youngest disciple, stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Master, I heard the Sect was robbed last night?"
Ku Chenzi smiled: "It was just some unimportant things that were lost; I have already ordered someone to procure replacements. Oh, right, that Exquisite Immortal Heart..."
Before he could finish, Ye Han smiled brilliantly: "Master, rest assured! Your disciple has already perfectly integrated it."
"Good, good!" Ku Chenzi nodded repeatedly, his face full of relief and smiles. "You truly did not disappoint your Master; only someone as outstanding as you, a dragon among men, deserves the Exquisite Immortal Heart!"
"Yes, yes!" Eldest Disciple Guan Jieyan chimed in, "With Junior Brother's aptitude, coupled with the Exquisite Immortal Heart, he will surely suppress the Heavenly Pride of other Sects and lead our Sect to its peak! That trash Miao Miaomiao, she died as she deserved."
"Why bring up that unlucky thing when everything is going well?" Ku Chenzi was slightly displeased, flicking his sleeve. "Alright, let's all go pay respects to the Ancestors."
"Yes!"
The group walked under the sunlight, chatting and laughing, proceeding unhurriedly toward the Back Mountain Cemetery.
The moment they pushed open the Cemetery gates, Ku Chenzi's expression instantly froze.
Looking out, the Cemetery was completely empty; not even a single hair from an Ancestral Grave could be seen.
A cold wind blew past, stirring up a few fallen leaves on the ground.
"Am I seeing things?"
Ku Chenzi's lips trembled. He rubbed his eyes vigorously and looked again, but there was still nothing.
His voice suddenly rose: "No, where are my Ancestral Graves? Where the hell are my Ancestral Graves!??"
It wasn't just him; everyone behind him looked stunned.
The Ancestral Graves were gone just like that! What kind of supernatural event was this?
For a moment, the atmosphere became eerily quiet. So quiet that a strange Hand appeared in someone's Crotch without him even noticing.
The Eldest Disciple Guan Jieyan, the first to react, rushed forward to inspect, his eyebrows nearly twisted into a knot: "Strange! There are no signs of digging, it's as if..."
Ku Chenzi glared with wide eyes: "What? Are you suggesting the Ancestral Graves flew away by themselves? Can you use your brain before you speak?"
This Eldest Disciple was good at everything except having a sharp mind.
Ye Han stroked his chin: "Master, do you think this might be the work of that thief who stole the flowers and grass last night?"
"Yes! It must be! That damned soul..." Ku Chenzi gritted his teeth, his old face as gloomy as a septic tank about to erupt.
Although the Ancestral Graves held little material value, they concerned the Sect's reputation. Having them stolen now was no different from someone defecating and urinating on his neck.
Ku Chenzi stomped his foot heavily, his furious voice echoing across the Firmament: "Investigate! Investigate immediately! Even if you have to dig three feet into the earth, you must find this immoral wretch!
Such Morally Bankrupt behavior! Not even sparing the Ancestral Graves—this is inhuman! Once caught, this old man will tear them into ten thousand pieces to quell the hatred in my heart!"
He could have overlooked the theft of some flowers and grass, but she dared to touch the Ancestral Graves; she was asking for death!
"Sect Master, so... are we still going to pay respects?" a seemingly dim-witted Little Fatty asked timidly from behind.
"Pay respects to what! Can't you see the Ancestral Graves are gone?" Ku Chenzi roared in anger, slapped him away, and bellowed, "Get out! Get out of my sight right now! Just looking at you makes me angry, you useless thing!"
*
Thus, the Tianji Sect gained a cold case of missing Ancestral Graves.
And the Originator of all this was already a thousand miles away.
"♪ The sky doesn't have wind, the sky doesn't have rain, the sun is in the sky~~ ♪ The girl doesn't speak, the girl doesn't talk, what is the girl thinking~~ ♪..." Miao Miaomiao walked along, humming a tune with her hands behind her head.
Compared to Ku Chenzi and the others, her mood was clearly much better.
Although she hadn't managed to cripple the Tianji Sect, causing trouble for that bunch of bastards was good enough.
As for revenge, she currently lacked the strength to achieve it.
She was all alone, while the other side was one of the Five Great Sects; shaking them was far from easy. However, the fortunate thing was that those people didn't know she was still alive.
So, the immediate priority was to find a place to hide and develop stealthily.
Just as she was contemplating her future plans, a deep and powerful voice came from the fork in the road ahead: "Catch her! Don't let her get away!"
"You little slut, stop right there!! Hand over the things!"