Shang Can didn’t know from the start that Yun Duan possessed the Flawless Immortal Body.
This constitution was so rare it existed only in legends. Their master, Wang Yue, had only confirmed it after scouring countless ancient texts. To protect Yun Duan, only a handful of people were ever told. For a long time, Shang Can remained in the dark, knowing only that her Junior Sister’s talent was staggeringly high.
“Honestly, your Junior Sister is incredible,” Chu Ming would often remark during their chats. He attended more lectures and saw far more disciples than Shang Can. “I’ve never seen anyone learn so fast—you’re about to be overtaken.”
“That would be wonderful news.” Despite the comparison, Shang Can was happier than if she had been praised herself, her pride practically beaming. “Don’t underestimate us at Yuheng Peak just because there are only a few of us. We’re all formidable.”
“What’s even rarer is her character; she never skips class and is a favorite among the teachers—do you have anything to say to that?”
“Hmm, that really is wonderful news.”
At the time, she had no suspicions. Wang Yue was famously picky about disciples; it took her nearly twenty years as a Peak Master to take Shang Can as her true successor, and several more years before she accepted Yun Duan, whom Shang Can had brought back. If Yun Duan hadn’t been a genius, she wouldn’t have caught Wang Yue’s eye.
Shang Can only learned the truth two years after Yun Duan joined the sect.
It was during Yun Duan’s first journey down the mountain. Worried, Shang Can had made an excuse to secretly follow the group of wandering Qingyu disciples. Her intuition proved right: trouble struck.
The team was ambushed. A few disciples, jealous of Yun Duan’s talent, played a dirty trick, leaving her isolated and surrounded by demon beasts. She was wounded.
Shang Can had fought like a madwoman to pull Yun Duan out of that tide of monsters. Even though she knew nothing of the “Flawless Immortal Body” then, she sensed that Yun Duan’s blood was what drove the demons into such a frenzy.
Covered in blood and panic-stricken, she had split her focus to cast healing incantations she barely knew. After shaking off the pursuit, she raced back to Qingyu, her mind consumed by the need to get her injured sister to safety.
“Senior Sister… blood—”
Just as the gates of Qingyu came into view, the person in her arms spoke in a trembling voice. Shang Can’s heart leaped back into her throat as she looked down in terror.
Ah, it’s not Yun Duan. It’s just my own blood. Good.
Exhaustion finally hit her like a tidal wave. She landed at the gates, struggled to stand, and blacked out the moment she saw a frantic Wang Yue rushing toward them.
When she woke, Wang Yue told her about Yun Duan’s constitution. Shang Can was simultaneously awestruck and terrified: “How can this be? We have to get Duan’er some… uh… invulnerable armor or something, right?”
“…There’s no such convenient thing. And even if there were, wouldn’t that just make people more desperate to snatch her away?”
“But… but…” Shang Can frowned anxiously. “This is too dangerous. Not just demons—humans are even harder to guard against. If someone finds out and harbors ill intent…”
“Then we beat them.”
Wang Yue’s answer was succinct. She patted her eldest disciple’s shoulder—carefully avoiding the wounds—yet still made Shang Can wince.
“To possess a jade is to invite a crime. Since Duan’er was born with this anomaly, she must work hard to become very strong.”
“You, too.” Wang Yue stood up, a rare look of gratification on her face. “I thought it was time to tell you anyway, but you stumbled upon it yourself. It seems to be fate.”
“Now that you know, you must become very strong as well. Stronger than Duan’er.”
“Then protect her as much as you can. Don’t let her get hurt.”
“And if, by chance, the secret gets out and people start coveting her, the two of you can slap their faces together.”
At the time, Shang Can hoped that second scenario would never happen. She didn’t trust human nature; she felt she could never finish “beating” everyone who might want her sister. She made a silent vow: she would protect Yun Duan and never let her bleed again.
It was useless. All of it was useless.
Looking at the cultivators’ expressions turning increasingly strange, and the countless demons surging frantically at the perimeter, Shang Can bit her lip. She gripped the hilt of her sword—a common piece of iron—so hard that her fingerprints were pressed into the metal.
How did she get hurt? I was watching her the whole time from below. How could I let her get hurt?
Shang Can suddenly felt utterly pathetic. Since that incident years ago, she had practiced healing spells tens of thousands of times. Yet when the moment truly came, she still had to chant several times before getting it right.
As the demon tide surged, the cultivators snapped out of their shock regarding the Flawless Immortal Body and returned to the defensive line. By unspoken agreement, no one mentioned what had just happened, but everyone felt the atmosphere on the arena shift.
Shang Can didn’t care what dark thoughts they were harboring. Opening the barrier at the Morning Bell was no longer an option. She didn’t care if these people lived or died; she simply protected Yun Duan, leading her toward the center of the arena. But Yun Duan stopped and shook her head at the retreating Shang Can.
“…It won’t work.”
Her expression was calm, as if the exposure of her dangerous, world-shaking constitution didn’t bother her. If it weren’t for the startling red stain on her waist, Shang Can wouldn’t have noticed anything unusual.
It won’t work? What won’t work?
Did she mean it wouldn’t work if they didn’t open the barrier? Or that hiding was futile? Or that Shang Can’s plan to let these cultivators act as a shield against the demons was “not right”?
Regardless of the meaning, it wasn’t what Shang Can wanted to hear.
“Shang—ah, Gong Shang, Senior Sister?”
Wan Shao had somehow slipped to her side, calling her by her alias with awkward hesitation. Shang Can figured her own expression must be terrifying, or Wan Shao wouldn’t look so cautious.
Wan Shao had likely seen everything and was checking to see if she could help. Shang Can looked at her; the woman’s bright face was full of concern. Shang Can sighed inwardly.
I’ll have to apologize to Wan Shao later. I’ve decided to do something that’s going to be a huge middle finger to the Biluo Huangquan.
Even now, flickering gazes were darting toward them. They were no longer the simple looks of respect or admiration for the Lord of the Clouds. They were scrutinizing, curious, and even greedy—licking over her like she was a rare treasure.
Shang Can loathed it.
“Go down first,” Shang Can said to Wan Shao. Then, without another word, she grabbed Yun Duan’s wrist and strode toward the center of the arena.
A flicker of doubt crossed Yun Duan’s eyes. She frowned slightly. “Wait—”
“Lend this to me.”
The sword at Shang Can’s waist had already snapped into pieces inside its scabbard from her repressed rage. She unceremoniously reached for the hilt of Wuyou at Yun Duan’s waist. With a sharp clang, the blade was drawn, and a mist-like sword light poured out.
They were now at the very center of the platform. Spurred by the sword light, a demon beast lunged from the air toward Yun Duan.
In an instant, the arena was flooded with a brilliant light. A waterfall of white sword qi surged forward, engulfing the demon. When the light faded, not even a scrap of bone remained.
“Chirp, chirp, chirp… so noisy.”
A surge of malevolence rose in Shang Can’s eyes, but her voice was unexpectedly gentle—a jarring contrast to her expression. She held Wuyou in a standard grip, lowered her shoulders, and thrust the blade into the center of the arena floor.
“All of you,” she said softly. “Get lost.”
The arena went silent for a heartbeat. Then, centered on Wuyou, a massive horizontal shockwave of spiritual power exploded. Everyone on the platform except Shang Can and Yun Duan was hit. With no time to react, they were blasted off the stage, leaving it empty save for the two of them.
Groans of pain and complaints rose from below, but Shang Can ignored them. She looked up at the demons who, now seeing their target unobstructed, lunged forward with even greater joy.
She pulled Wuyou out with a flick and sheathed it back at Yun Duan’s waist.
Fine. If the previous way ‘didn’t work,’ I’ll do something that does.
Shang Can exhaled a long breath of turbid air. Facing the oncoming tide of monsters, she slowly closed her eyes.
Her sea of consciousness stirred, waves pushing upward, and the thing hidden beneath the surface finally floated up. Dazzling, fierce, and brilliant.
A ball of golden flame.
“Fall.”
Shang Can whispered.
The temperature soared instantly. Countless bright golden streaks pierced the sky with world-ending heat, crashing heavily into the earth. Even with her eyes closed, the scene was vividly imprinted against her eyelids.
The air was filled with the shrieks of demons, the gasps of cultivators, and the smell of scorched earth. It was the scent of life vanishing—powerful and ruthless.
“…Heavenly Fire.”
The voice from behind her was both familiar and strange. Shang Can’s long eyelashes fluttered. She curved her lips into a silent smile, then let it fade.
She opened her eyes. The meteor shower of fire had stopped. The spiritual barrier that had tormented them was shattered by that asuran power. Before her, the demon tide struggled in the flames—lotus-like red fire danced everywhere, turning half the sky crimson and making the sun look dim. With the piercing howls echoing through the clouds, the once-ethereal sect now looked like the depths of hell.
Shang Can blinked, and the flames obediently shrank and vanished, leaving only charred demon corpses and scorched earth.
In an instant, more than half the demon tide had been wiped out by the Heavenly Fire.
She glanced left and right. Her control was perfect; she hadn’t harmed any cultivators outside the demon ranks, though the landscape of Tianwaitian was inevitably ruined. The once beautiful mountain gate now looked quite pathetic.
“Let’s go.”
Shang Can glanced toward the edge of the stage. Wan Shao sighed and walked up from among the stunned cultivators. Her expression was incredibly complex, but she said nothing, silently standing by Shang Can’s side.
I’ll have to apologize properly to Wan Shao when we get back to Biluo Huangquan. This trip was a total loss. I got nothing, and now I’m covered in mud.
Even my escape is making such a scene. I wonder if I can even get away.
Before she could turn around, Shang Can heard the sound of Wuyou being drawn again. She sighed softly and turned on her heel.
There was no shouting, no burst of sword qi. Only a woman, beautiful beyond mortality, stood there quietly watching—holding her sword.
The scene was agonizingly familiar, but their positions were different now. When she spoke, her voice was that of a stranger.
“The Lord of the Clouds doesn’t want to let me go, I see.”
Shang Can curved her lips lazily, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze. Yet Yun Duan tensed her arm as if facing a great enemy.
“Canzhe.”
For once, there was a hint of hesitation in that cold voice. Yun Duan stared directly at her, her eyes filled with complex emotions that even Shang Can couldn’t decipher.
“…You are Canzhe.”
“It’s me.”
Shang Can didn’t waste words. She nodded bluntly and tilted her head.
“But if I told you—the ‘Canzhe’ who has been causing trouble in Yanyang lately and who brought all these demons to attack Tianwaitian is a fake… would you believe me?”
Seemingly recalling the night they went to the outskirts of Yanyang, Yun Duan’s eyes flickered, and her tensed shoulders relaxed slightly.
In a flash, flames erupted in front of Yun Duan. She swung her sword coolly, and the flames scattered easily—they were clearly just a distraction, lacking any killing intent.
Taking advantage of the moment, Shang Can and Wan Shao rose into the air, riding the wind. Golden fire wings formed on Shang Can’s back. From mid-air, she cast one long look back and moved her lips silently.
Take care.
Then, without another look, she vanished into the horizon in the blink of an eye.
Yun Duan stood still for a heartbeat, then her face went cold as she took to her sword to give chase. Lord Yushan, Chu Ming, followed immediately.
The remaining cultivators looked at each other, not knowing whether to celebrate their survival or rush to spread the news:
“The Biluo Huangquan attacked Tianwaitian! Canzhe has appeared—the evidence is irrefutable!”