He Qingqing finally climbed out of the mine shaft, her white dress in tatters, her body covered in filth.

Looking up, she suddenly saw the flickering jade disk of the moon.

Without her veil, she saw everything more clearly.

Clouds and wind gathered in the night sky. The moon alternately hid behind dark clouds and then shot forth clear light, causing the wilderness to shift between brightness and darkness.

A heavy rain was about to fall but hadn’t yet.

The female cultivators who had been playing “hide-and-seek” earlier had all scattered like birds and beasts. He Qingqing touched her storage pouch, calming her heartbeat.

—inside were jade bottles filled with the sap of the Sky-Supporting Tree.

In the dead of night, there was not a sound.

Strangely, no guards were patrolling along the way, not even a single light could be seen, and an unnatural silence prevailed.

He Qingqing ran wildly against the wind to Lotus Peak, suddenly seeing a figure standing outside the Crystal Palace.

By the lotus pond, three thousand strands of white hair and arm gauze fluttered in the wind.

Immortal Lady Jiang Yun’s face looked weathered. Compared to immortals skilled in preserving their youth, she appeared more imposing and dignified.

Especially now, with her hair full of dust from traveling, a sense of solitude in her brows.

“Master, you’re back!” He Qingqing was overjoyed. “I should have gone to the sect entrance to welcome you.”

She walked quickly forward, like a child who had found her mother after suffering grievances. Having not seen her for many days, she had missed her greatly.

Jiang Yun did not respond. She only looked at her, her gaze cold, as if observing a stranger.

He Qingqing’s smile gradually disappeared, leaving her momentarily at a loss.

Her master had returned from a journey of thousands of miles and must be tired.

She decided to share her good news first: “Master, I’m about to establish my Foundation.”

The sap of the Sky-Supporting Tree was a divine substance. When it entered the elixir field, it generated spiritual energy, cleansed the meridians, removed impurities, and enhanced cultivation—its miraculous effects surpassed any spiritual pills or medicines.

He Qingqing had joined the sect relatively recently, with a weaker foundation and a late start. Such good fortune would delight any master.

Jiang Yun, however, acted as if she hadn’t heard.

“I ask you, why do you cultivate?” she asked.

Her voice was severe, her expression solemn.

He Qingqing composed herself and bowed cautiously: “We cultivators seek truth and ascension.”

Jiang Yun’s lips finally curled into a smile, but it was cold and mocking as if she had heard a joke.

She raised her voice: “You took me as your master and became the head senior sister of Celestial Sound Sect. What do you want?!”

He Qingqing didn’t know what she had done wrong. Her usually kind master had suddenly become harsh.

She shivered in the wind, lifted her skirt, and knelt: “This disciple only seeks diligent cultivation, to lead by example, to bring glory to the sect in the future, for our Celestial Sound Sect…”

“Slap!” A crisp sound rang out.

He Qingqing fell to the ground, shocked, holding her face.

Anyone in the Celestial Sound Sect might strike her, but she never imagined Jiang Yun would.

The night wind was desolate, thunder rumbled on the horizon, and all the red lotuses in the pond shrank back.

Immortal Lady Jiang Yun drew closer, shouting harshly: “Speak the truth!”

Her voice was like a whip, her anger igniting the entire Lotus Peak.

He Qingqing’s mind was in a daze as if she had fallen into an ice cave. Her frail body couldn’t stop trembling: “I, I, this disciple only seek successful cultivation, to serve Master in the future…”

“You still dare to lie?!” Jiang Yun screamed, raising her hand high.

“Slap!”

Blood instantly seeped from the corner of He Qingqing’s mouth, and her cheek swelled, making her ruined face look even more hideous.

Withered flowers and fallen leaves flew everywhere, and a bright flash of lightning tore through the night sky.

The master and disciple confronted each other in the lightning, like two beasts trapped in a desperate situation.

Thousands of silver lights descended from the sky as the torrential rain finally fell.

He Qingqing collapsed on her knees on the cold, rain-soaked ground.

The heavy rain poured down on her, like countless silver needles that couldn’t be avoided, piercing through flesh and into bone marrow.

Lightning illuminated the puddles, reflecting her broken face. From Blue Cliff Academy to Celestial Sound Sect, her life had not changed at all.

She suddenly began to laugh.

Her laughter grew louder and louder, stirring through the wind and rain.

Her tattered and filthy dress was soaked in the muddy water. Raindrops fell on Jiang Yun’s protective spiritual energy, instantly evaporating, rising as wisps of white mist, making her appear ethereal and lofty.

Her master’s cold smile overlapped with the disgusted cold faces of her Blue Cliff classmates, merging with the meaningful smiles of the Celestial Sound Sect female cultivators.

Countless faces flashed rapidly before her eyes through the curtain of pouring rain.

The “little girl rescued by Manjusri at midnight” had become “the useless disciple taken in by Jiang Yun.” In the end, she was still He Qingqing, bullied by everyone.

One performance of “The Wind and Snow Battle Tune” could bring her fame overnight, but it couldn’t save her for a lifetime.

“Pah!” He Qingqing opened her mouth and spat out a mouthful of bloody water. “Pah!”

She raised her face high, her eyes wide open, allowing the cold rain to beat down on her:

“What do I want? You ask what I want. I want the most beautiful face in the world. I want to practice the strongest cultivation technique in the world. I want to form a Dao partnership with the most peerless man. I want all those who have humiliated me to die without a burial place!

“I want power, status, beauty, and love. I want all the best things!

“I don’t want everyone to like me, I want everyone to fear me! To hell with the rules, to hell with Celestial Sound Sect!”

He Qingqing cursed at the sky, her clothes and hair soaked through, like a cornered beast charging wildly, screaming in rage: “Why do you treat me like this? Why does everyone treat me like this?”

In the heavy rain, she cursed with the most vicious words, words she never dared to say in her life.

Amidst the lightning and thunder, Jiang Yun suddenly burst into laughter.

“Good, good!” she called out approvingly, just like the night of the zither trial when she accepted disciples.

Jiang Yun bent down, staring into He Qing Qing’s bloodshot eyes:

“Daring to speak the truth makes you my disciple. I took you as my disciple because I saw your undying hatred, which will lead to great achievements. I didn’t want you to become a second Miao Yan!”

He Qingqing hadn’t yet recovered, breathing heavily, her whole body trembling.

Jiang Yun’s cool fingers gently touched her swollen, bleeding lips:

“To have the most beautiful face in the world, you must endure the suffering of a thousand cuts, the pain of ten thousand ants gnawing at your heart. Are you afraid?”

He Qingqing raised her head and shouted: “I’m not afraid!”

“If your will is not firm enough to endure, you may lose your life. Are you afraid?”

“I’m not afraid!”

Jiang Yun raised her disciple with both hands, smiling: “Great Master, please proceed with the technique.”

“Amitabha.” An aged voice chanted the Buddha’s name. “Excellent, excellent.”

He Qingqing was startled. Following the voice, she turned her head and realized there had been a third person here all along.

An old monk stepped out from the shadows of the trees. He was tall and had a kind face with compassionate eyes.

Raindrops fell on him but produced no rising mist as if they soaked through his kasaya yet left no trace.

“This is ‘Miraculous Hands Divine Monk’ Master Wuxiang,” Jiang Yun said.

He Qingqing stared at the old monk’s face, and somehow her vicious energy diminished slightly.

Divine Monk Wuxiang’s cultivation wasn’t considered supreme, but his medical skills were extraordinary, and his reputation for compassion had spread far and wide. Legend had it that even the most vicious and cruel demonic cultivators would feel a hint of Buddha nature upon seeing him.

The old monk looked directly into He Qingqing’s eyes: “The venomous poison has permeated your facial skin and distorted your facial bones. This technique requires scraping the bones to treat the poison. You must remain conscious and endure extreme pain. This poor monk advises Immortal Lady He to think three times before proceeding.”

He Qingqing bowed: “Master, my mind is made up.”