The mournful cry of the Vermilion Bird rang out at intervals.

Qu Zhuyue looked at the person still sitting under the eaves and softly laughed: “Another one of your deans has died. Isn’t this pace a bit too fast?”

Yumei frowned slightly. The death of Well Mansion Dean Liu was somewhat unexpected. It was precisely because she knew his strength that she had sent him to Taiwei Forest to block Bei Dou’s people. With Qu Zhuyue’s presence, she needed to remain fully focused and couldn’t attend to Taiwei Forest.

In her estimation, the Well Mansion Dean should have at least held out until she dealt with Qu Zhuyue.

But now… she wasn’t sure if she was too slow in dealing with Qu Zhuyue, or if the Well Mansion Dean had died too quickly.

Yumei looked back at Qu Zhuyue standing in the courtyard. Her erupting Star Force once again suppressed her opponent, blowing Qu Zhuyue’s clothes and hair, while she remained motionless. Fallen leaves and flowers on the ground began to spin and rise, shooting toward Qu Zhuyue like blades.

Battles between Heart Meridian cultivators were known for their elegance.

When one cultivated this meridian to its peak, they would attain Divine Radiance. Their heart would become as clear and bright as crystal, with their spiritual energy contained within. While others couldn’t see through them, they could see through others, using the formless circulation of Qi in heaven and earth to influence and alter others’ mental states and emotions.

A powerful Heart Meridian cultivator needed only to stand still; with just a glance or a smile, they could control your love, hate, joy, anger, obsession, and more.

If the Qi Circulation Meridian controlled “energy,” then the Heart Meridian controlled “intent.”

Therefore, few awakened the Heart Meridian, and even fewer could cultivate it to its full potential.

Yumei had always regarded herself as a full boundary Heart Meridian master and took immense pride in this achievement. She often challenged other Heart Meridian masters to continuously improve herself. She was unmatched in the south until she met Bei Dou’s Dipper Mansion Dean Dong Yeshou and suffered the first setback of her life.

*

That year, she had led disciples to Bei Dou for the Four Directions Examination. It was also when her reputation as a Heart Meridian master was at its peak. Upon arriving at Bei Dou, the deans of the four super sects both flattered and tested her.

Yumei was confident enough and knew these three families wanted to probe the level of her Heart Meridian, so she decided to intimidate them.

She said, “Let’s use the most common illusion technique of the Heart Meridian as proof. You can all see through ordinary illusions at a glance, but Divine Radiance illusions will affect your mental state. Please be careful.”

After speaking, her eyes became clear as she smiled and lowered her head. Many in the hall gradually and involuntarily felt their eyelids grow heavy, slowly closing their eyes and falling into the illusion. Yumei looked at each person until her gaze paused when it reached the Bei Dou area.

Initially, she thought that Dong Yeshou, being at the Life and Death Boundary, was simply slower to be affected by the Divine Radiance illusion. But when he yawned, resting his chin on one hand while looking at Qu Zhuyue beside him, remaining completely awake, Yumei finally realized:

The highest level of Heart Meridian’s Divine Radiance illusion did not affect him.

Her Heart Meridian spirit technique couldn’t influence Dong Yeshou in the slightest.

Dong Yeshou waited for Qu Zhuyue to wake up and even asked: “Was it fun?”

Qu Zhuyue smiled and answered: “It was alright.”

Yumei’s hands clenched tightly within her sleeves, and her breathing momentarily quickened. Her gaze appeared calm as she looked at Dong Yeshou, but her mental state was already disturbed.

Why didn’t it work on him?

Why couldn’t she influence him at all?

Was her Heart Meridian not strong enough? Or did reaching the Life and Death Boundary provide some resistance to the Heart Meridian? No, both Tai Yi and Dongyang had Life and Death Boundary cultivators present, and weren’t they also under her control?

Yumei’s pride wouldn’t allow her to bow her head and ask Dong Yeshou for guidance. In the south, she had been held in such high esteem that she had grown accustomed to others bowing before her while she graciously bestowed favors.

So she maintained her smile and listened to others’ praise and admiration. However, on her way back to Nan Que, she couldn’t let go of Dong Yeshou’s composed and calm demeanor when facing her Divine Radiance illusion.

Later, Yumei learned Dong Yeshou’s secret from Cui Yaocen. Though at the Life and Death Boundary, his strength was on par with the Pilgrims. His Heart Meridian was cultivated to full boundary through later training, also reaching the Divine Radiance level like hers. He primarily cultivated internal spiritual containment, manifesting “intent” as calmness, gentleness, and composure.

Only the Heart Meridian could resist and suppress another Heart Meridian.

With such talent and level, Yumei finally set aside her pride and sent a message to Dong Yeshou asking for guidance on the Heart Meridian.

His reply came quite quickly.

Yumei opened it with delight, only to find Dong Yeshou’s single sentence: “My junior sister has higher attainment in the Heart Meridian. You might as well ask the Tianxuan Dean.”

Tianxuan Dean… Qu Zhuyue?

But she had been affected by the Divine Radiance illusion. Compared to Dong Yeshou, who wasn’t affected, how could she have higher attainment?

He didn’t want to talk to her, or did he think her level was only worthy of sparring with his junior sister?

Such arrogance!

Yumei had never been so humiliated before. She couldn’t swallow this insult. Moreover, within two years, Bei Dou produced the continent’s youngest Pilgrim, who dominated the entire continent for several consecutive years, overshadowing Nan Que.

Heart Meridian was the only one Ming Li hadn’t naturally mastered to full boundary, and Chen Zhou also primarily cultivated the Heart Meridian. Both were taught by Dong Yeshou.

One was his daughter, the other his disciple.

So was Yumei deemed unworthy?

The rage in Yumei’s heart grew increasingly fierce.

She vowed that Dong Yeshou would pay for his arrogance.

*

Flying flowers and falling leaves became blades. The stone lanterns in the courtyard flickered, their light alternating between bright and dim. The flying slender green leaves cut off strands of Qu Zhuyue’s floating hair, continuously attacking her Star Force protection.

Yumei smiled faintly: “It’s you who came, not Dong Yeshou. I’m truly disappointed about this. But I’ve heard you two are as close as siblings. If you die here, he should come, right?”

Qu Zhuyue also smiled: “Why are you so fixated on my senior brother?”

“I don’t know how you lured away Cui Sheng, but she won’t be gone for long. When she returns, none of you will escape,” Yumei said softly. “As for Dong Yeshou… he must pay for his arrogance.”

Qu Zhuyue shook her head lightly, speaking with apparent regret: “Already at the Divine Radiance level, yet still led by the nose through jealousy and hatred.”

Yumei raised her head slightly, unconcerned with her words, because she was convinced that Qu Zhuyue was no match for her.

At this moment, the person reflected in Qu Zhuyue’s eyes was the true embodiment of arrogance.

Yumei’s eyes became as clear as mirrors. She had already consumed more than half of Qu Zhuyue’s Star Force, so she said: “Say your final words. After you close your eyes, you’ll never speak again.”

Heart Meridian: Divine Radiance Illusion.

Qu Zhuyue uncontrollably closed her eyes, countless images flashing by.

Blood flowed like a river along the mountain path when Bei Dou was attacked. The disciples of Tianxuan Mansion lying on the ground looked at her with pleading eyes, hoping their seemingly omnipotent master would save them. Their fear and reluctance in the face of death were reflected in her eyes.

Yumei’s voice seemed to come from a very distant place, reaching directly into her heart: “How does it feel? All these deaths occurred because you weren’t strong enough. Look at your dead disciples. They’re all questioning why you didn’t save them. Aren’t you their master? Why are you so weak?”

“Qu Zhuyue, are you worthy of being their master?”

Qu Zhuyue’s mental state was damaged, exposing a weakness. Her circling Star Force was breached, and the flying flowers and leaves sliced away countless small pieces of flesh. Blood splattered on the corridor and doors, resembling death by a thousand cuts.

Finally, only a blood-soaked skeleton remained in the courtyard.

Yumei’s eyes revealed a smile. It was over.

Just as she was about to rise, a hand pressed down on her shoulder. Yumei’s pupils contracted. As she turned her head, she launched a Qi Circulation word technique, glimpsing from the corner of her eye that the target was scattered. Her heart tightened—it was an illusion!

The flying leaves and flowers in the courtyard were suddenly frozen in place. Qu Zhuyue waved away a bloodstained leaf and said softly: “Your Divine Radiance illusion is merely this.”

“How is this possible…” Yumei couldn’t believe it, suddenly perceiving the subtle circulation of Qi between them. Her expression changed dramatically. “You…”

“Your mental state truly doesn’t deserve my senior brother’s guidance,” Qu Zhuyue sighed. “Because you don’t even know when I arrived, where I am, or when I cast the Divine Radiance illusion. Yet you’ve been muttering to yourself at an illusion for so long.”

“Impossible!” Yumei turned sharply to look at Qu Zhuyue standing behind her, veins visible at her temples. “Your Heart Meridian at most only achieves internal spiritual containment. It hasn’t reached the Divine Radiance level!”

“Internal spiritual containment only makes Heart Meridian cultivators appear gentle and calm. To put it nicely, it’s just a disguise, making people unable to guess or see clearly what level you are. And you… Indeed couldn’t see through me.”

Qu Zhuyue smiled at her, raising her hand to gently push open the sliding door: “As long as I wish, I can make you believe you’re bewitched by my Divine Radiance illusion, while you can’t perceive whether I’ve truly fallen into your illusion, or whether… everything happening in this domain has already been altered or controlled according to my will.”

The sliding door opened. Shan Siyuan, who was guarding outside, looked back: “Master?”

Yumei shouted harshly: “Don’t come in!”

Qu Zhuyue smiled slightly. In Shan Siyuan’s eyes, when he turned around, he saw Yumei with her flesh cut away by flowers and leaves, exposing bone. Instantly anxious, he drew his sword and slashed at Qu Zhuyue, standing under the eaves.

In Yumei’s view, Shan Siyuan drew his sword and came toward her. She knew Shan Siyuan was bewitched by Qu Zhuyue’s Divine Radiance illusion, but her most beloved disciple had launched a killing move against her. She raised her hand to block it, shouting urgently: “Siyuan! Guard your heart and concentrate your spirit!”

Qu Zhuyue said softly, “When you attacked Bei Dou, you controlled the disciples of Yuheng Mansion. He couldn’t bear to attack his disciples, which is why he died at your hands.”

This was perhaps the only thing Qu Zhuyue regretted.

If she could have killed the people in Tianxuan Mansion faster and gone to support Yuheng, perhaps the outcome would have been different.

She remembered that as a young girl, when she cultivated the Heart Meridian, pursuing the most fierce and difficult killing intent boundary, others didn’t approve. Even her senior brother Dong Yeshou feared she would go astray in cultivating killing intent, causing great backlash to herself.

Only Yuheng supported her.

It was just an ordinary summer afternoon when the young man broke off a piece of green lotus leaf to shade her from the sun, walking and talking: “What’s the big deal? Don’t be upset for so long. If you want to cultivate killing intent, just do it. Don’t listen to them. Even if you go astray, with my Yin and Yang dual meridians at full boundary, I can save you no matter how many times it takes.”

“But if you cultivate internal spiritual containment of the Heart Meridian, won’t you speak less and less? You must remember to talk to me more.”

*

Yumei couldn’t bring herself to use a killing move against Shan Siyuan, so she could only suppress him, rendering him immobile. Then she saw Qu Zhuyue push open another sliding door. Kong Yi, who was guarding outside, ran in with an anxious face: “Master! Be careful!”

What he saw was also Yumei with her flesh cut away by flying flowers, exposing bone. Killing intent rose in his heart as he attacked his master’s murderer, Shan Siyuan, whom he saw in his eyes.

“Stop!”

Yumei didn’t have time to release her suppression on Shan Siyuan, causing him to be unable to resist Kong Yi’s punch. He was knocked to the ground, spitting blood.

Her Star Force sent Kong Yi flying, only to see him crash against the door and dissipate.

…An illusion?

Yumei suddenly looked up at Qu Zhuyue, smiling in the corridor. Anger rose in her heart, and she pierced through Kong Yi, whom she believed to be another appearing illusion, with flying flowers.

The sliding doors behind Qu Zhuyue opened and closed repeatedly, with more and more Well Mansion disciples entering. They all shouted “Master” and rushed in recklessly to avenge Yumei.

Yumei laughed coldly: “Don’t think you can trick me again with illusions!”

She killed these disciples one by one as they shouted “Master,” frowning at their disbelieving expressions as they fell. Only when warm blood splashed on her face did she come to her senses.

No… something was wrong…

Her skirt hem was grabbed by someone. Yumei looked down to see Kong Yi raising his head, his face covered in blood, hoarsely saying: “Master… st-stop…”

Yumei’s mind shook. Suddenly turning around, she saw that the exquisite courtyard was now filled with dismembered limbs, blood spreading beneath her feet, and her disciples lying face-up, eyes wide open in death.

Qu Zhuyue mocked: “You call yourself the strongest Heart Meridian cultivator, yet you can’t even distinguish the basic truth from illusion?”

Yumei stared at the disciples she had killed and staggered backward. With her mental state in chaos, emotions surged. These were the close disciples who had attentively cared for her during her recovery period, all beloved and favored by her.

Someone wasn’t completely dead yet, their gaze filled with despair as they questioned her: “Master… why…”

“No…” Yumei reached out her hand, wanting to save this disciple, but instead pointed a Qi Circulation word technique that exploded the disciple’s head. The entire head shattered into pieces, falling to the ground.

This wasn’t what she intended!

She wanted to save people!

Not kill them!

Qu Zhuyue smiled: “How does it feel? All these deaths occurred because you weren’t strong enough. Look at your dead disciples. They’re all questioning why you didn’t save them. Aren’t you their master? Why are you so weak?”

“Yumei, are you worthy of being their master?”

Yumei opened her mouth but couldn’t make a sound. From the corner of her eye, she saw Qu Zhuyue walking toward her, and her heart filled with fear. She saw Shan Siyuan standing up shakily from the ground, desperately wanting to tell him to leave quickly, to escape!

But her raised hand slowly turned to point at Shan Siyuan walking toward her.

No! Stop!

Shan Siyuan walked toward her: “Master…”

Yumei’s eyes reflected the scene of Shan Siyuan being shattered by her Qi Circulation word technique, his limbs flying in all directions. Her pupils contracted, and she opened her mouth to release an enormous wail: “No!”

The flowers and leaves frozen in the courtyard moved at Qu Zhuyue’s beckoning. They rapidly cut the immobilized body of the Well Mansion Dean, with small blood chunks flying everywhere. This scream was amplified throughout Nan Que, causing everyone to look toward Well Mansion, unable to believe this was the scream of the usually gentle and serene Yumei. What had she experienced?

After Yumei’s scream came another mournful cry from the Vermilion Bird.