Yang Xiu's heart tightened, but he stayed silent.
This was the moment he least wanted to face.
Lin Xinglan quickly understood, her eyes flashing with shock. "Xiu'er, just how many lives have you swallowed with that demonic art?"
"Master, I had no choice."
Yang Xiu said, "The Qingqiu Secret Realm was filled with danger. Yang Cheng targeted me, driving me into peril. I had no option but to use this method to raise my strength quickly, just to survive."
"You still dare to deceive me?"
Lin Xinglan's voice turned harsh. "When I left behind the Huashe bloodline within Qingqiu, I branded them with the seal of Heaven's Mandate."
"As long as they sensed that seal, they would follow and protect you. You were never in danger of being abandoned."
Yang Xiu's face twisted, first awkward, then aggrieved, and finally furious.
"Master!"
He snapped, "Didn't you see how wretched I was? You saw me like that, yet not one word of concern. The first thing you did upon waking was to interrogate me!"
"I…"
Lin Xinglan faltered.
His words cut deep, forcing her to realize something she had long ignored. The bond between them had already grown cold without her noticing.
Her satisfaction with Yang Xiu had long since faded. Compared to Yang Cheng, he was lacking in every way.
And worse than that—while not as gifted as Yang Cheng, he had strayed into crooked paths.
In truth, she was deeply disappointed in him, her initial warmth replaced with estrangement.
"This matter is indeed my fault."
As a Martial Ancestor, Lin Xinglan was not one to cling stubbornly to pride.
She sighed. "I can apologize for this, but that's separate from the real issue. You must explain why you continue cultivating this demonic art."
"Have you forgotten your promise to me—that you would never touch it again?"
"I…"
Yang Xiu clenched his fists, torn inside. "Master, do you know just how strong Yang Cheng has become?"
"He beat a seventh-stage Martial Emperor right before my eyes. If I don't cultivate faster, I won't even be able to glimpse his shadow, let alone compete with him."
"What?"
Lin Xinglan's expression changed drastically. "His strength… has already reached such a level?"
Yang Xiu had been trained by her personally. Even without relying on the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Technique, his cultivation had already reached the Martial King realm.
At just nine years old, that was heaven-defying.
But Yang Cheng… to defeat a seventh-stage Martial Emperor… it was unbelievable.
"That's right."
Yang Xiu's voice hardened. "So please, Master, allow me to use the Heaven-Devouring Cauldron."
But Lin Xinglan's tone was firm. "No. That cauldron and the demonic art it brings will only drag you deeper into the abyss."
"If you don't turn back now, you'll regret it forever."
Yang Xiu's face filled with unwillingness. "Master… truly not?"
"Actually, by breaking our agreement, I could sever our bond as master and disciple."
Her tone grew heavy. "But I raised you myself. If you've stepped into the demonic path, I too bear blame. So this time, I won't cast you aside."
"But remember, this is the last chance."
Yang Xiu's eyes reddened, and at last he ground his teeth. "Fine."
"And throw away that Heaven-Devouring Cauldron," Lin Xinglan ordered coldly.
Yang Xiu's heart jolted violently.
At that moment, he truly didn't know how to respond. Finally, he stalled: "If I throw it away carelessly, someone else might find it. That would be worse. I'll wait for the right time to discard it properly."
"Good."
Lin Xinglan nodded at last, a trace of relief softening her tone. "Admitting fault and correcting it is no small thing. It's not too late to return to the right path."
"And remember, you don't need to measure yourself against Yang Cheng. Your roads are not the same."
Yang Xiu said nothing.
Just then, a chill ran down his spine. His hair stood on end.
"Who's there?"
He scanned the surroundings.
"Yang Xiu."
A figure emerged from the shadows.
Yang Xiu's pupils shrank. "Tian Congxuan… it's you."
"Yang Xiu, your death has come."
Tian Congxuan sneered coldly.
While everyone's eyes had been fixed on Yang Cheng, he had been lurking in the shadows, watching Yang Xiu instead.
Most thought Yang Cheng was the true monster, but Tian Congxuan believed Yang Xiu was not much weaker.
Especially his rate of growth—it was abnormal.
After entering the Qingqiu Secret Realm, Yang Xiu's cultivation had skyrocketed at a terrifying pace.
That convinced Tian Congxuan that Yang Xiu was hiding an enormous secret.
Without a word, Yang Xiu turned and fled.
He wasn't afraid of Tian Congxuan alone.
But Tian Congxuan wasn't alone—behind him stood an elder of Taoshan, a Martial Saint powerhouse.
Run!
Yang Xiu burst into a desperate flight.
The might of a Martial Saint was overwhelming, and in no time Yang Xiu was on the brink of death.
At that moment of crisis, the Taoshan elder's face suddenly changed.
"Go."
He grabbed Tian Congxuan and turned, fleeing at top speed.
"Why?" Tian Congxuan demanded, bewildered.
"A stronger one has arrived," the elder replied grimly.
Tian Congxuan's face twisted with unwilling anger, but he had no choice.
Truly, both Yang Cheng and Yang Xiu were cursedly abnormal.
Not long after they left, two figures appeared.
One was Tang Yun'er, a face Yang Xiu knew well. The other was an old crone.
Seeing Yang Xiu's state, Tang Yun'er's face went pale. "Little brother!"
Yang Xiu was in terrible shape, hanging on the edge of death.
Thankfully, she had a divine pill. She hurried to feed it to him.
Even so, he couldn't recover right away. He would need time to slowly heal.
"Yun'er-jie…"
Yang Xiu opened his eyes weakly.
"Little brother, who dared strike you like this?" Tang Yun'er asked, furious.
"It was…"
Yang Xiu almost said Tian Congxuan, but he changed his mind at the last second.
He believed he would have a chance to kill Tian Congxuan in the future.
Right now, the one he wanted dead the most was Yang Cheng.
When facing Yang Cheng, he felt nothing but despair—like he would never catch up.
So he spoke bitterly: "It was my Crown Prince brother."
"Him again."
Tang Yun'er's face darkened. "How vicious can he be? He already cast you out of the capital, yet he still won't let you live."
Yang Xiu gave a helpless smile. "Maybe… maybe just being alive is my sin. As long as I breathe, he'll always see me as a threat."
"Hmph. Little brother, you just focus on recovering. Leave this matter to me."
Tang Yun'er supported him, leading him toward Chanzhou.
The Southern Guardian Prince, Wu Zhaoyan, came personally to welcome her.
At his side stood several young men with powerful auras.
They weren't natives of the Wasteland Realm—they had come from other worlds.
Clearly, they had heard of Tang Yun'er's arrival and rushed here to curry favor.
Had Yang Cheng been present, he would have understood why the Southern Guardian Prince later dared to rebel.
Because he had already tied himself to the Tang clan.
In another kingdom, with such a powerful backer, his rebellion might truly have succeeded.
Unfortunately for him, his rebellion had coincided with the rise of the Heaven's Mandate Son, Yang Xiu.
But now, everything had shifted.
Not only were Yang Xiu and the Southern Guardian Prince not enemies, they had met early—because of Tang Yun'er.