If others were to find out how Xu Shoulou was making use of this dream, they would likely call her a fool.
Judging by the dream’s trajectory, the one who seemed destined for the most tragic fate was none other than Xu Shoulou herself. Yet, she hadn’t immediately taken steps to save herself, nor had she thought to exploit this foreknowledge to seize others’ opportunities.
She was simply… saving people.
Xu Shoulou truly hadn’t considered those things. Now that she had successfully prevented a death, her mood was rather light.
It seemed that even an incomplete, fragmented dream could still provide her with useful insights.
“Where would you like to go next? I’ll take you there,” Xu Shoulou asked her junior sister while happily stroking the spirit bird.
Jiuyao, likely enjoying the affection, nestled comfortably in her arms, half-lidded eyes drowsy. Whenever Xu Shoulou paused, the bird would give her a gentle peck, urging her to continue.
Bai Roushuang, the bird’s owner, couldn’t bear to watch and averted her gaze. After a moment’s thought, she said, “I’ll follow you, Senior Sister. Wherever you go, I’ll go.”
Xu Shoulou retrieved a softly glowing pearl from her Qiankun bracelet. The pearl was riddled with cracks, as though it might shatter at any moment. “I found this in the river’s eye just now.”
Bai Roushuang didn’t recognize it and asked curiously, “What is it?”
“A Water-Control Pearl—a rare and precious artifact. However, it can only be activated near rivers or lakes, so its practical use in combat is limited,” Xu Shoulou explained softly. “I suspect someone used this artifact to deliberately worsen the natural disaster.”
“What?” Bai Roushuang, quick-witted as ever, immediately understood. “Senior Sister, are you suggesting this flood wasn’t just a natural disaster, but also the result of human interference?”
Xu Shoulou nodded. “I plan to investigate this further to prevent the mastermind from causing harm again. If you come with me, it might be dangerous.”
Her dream had only mentioned the flood, with no hint of possible human manipulation behind it. Had she not been observant, she might never have uncovered the truth.
“I’m not afraid of danger,” Bai Roushuang replied after a pause. “If Senior Sister doesn’t see me as a burden, could you take me along?”
She had her own reasons. In just a few days of following Xu Shoulou, she had broken through a minor cultivation stage. Though she wasn’t entirely sure how it had happened, staying by her senior sister’s side clearly benefited her.
Xu Shoulou agreed. “Very well. Travel is also part of cultivation.”
After resting briefly to recover their spiritual energy, the two set off immediately. With Xu Shoulou’s level of cultivation, she could fly without the need for a sword. Bai Roushuang, carried aloft by her, felt an indescribable exhilaration as the night wind rushed past her.
On Dustless Island, disciples with weaker cultivation relied on spirit boats for sea travel, so Bai Roushuang had rarely experienced flying like this.
The sensation was so exhilarating that she silently vowed to master sword flight as soon as possible.
As mountains and rivers swept beneath them, a sense of grandeur filled her chest, as though she were gazing down upon the world. Unable to help herself, Bai Roushuang sighed, “I’ve never seen the mortal realm from this perspective before.”
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
“…Yes.”
Though she had always yearned for the immortal realms, she couldn’t deny the breathtaking majesty of the human world.
Xu Shoulou held the Water-Control Pearl, which still carried traces of faint spiritual energy. The closer they drew to its caster, the brighter it glowed—now serving as their compass.
Their journey led them to a cave dwelling nestled in a desolate mountain. The moment they landed, Bai Roushuang was struck by an oppressive chill.
Only after Xu Shoulou channeled a surge of spiritual energy into her did warmth return to her body.
The cave naturally had no door. Xu Shoulou blasted away a chunk of rock, treating it as a knock. “Xu Shoulou of Dustless Island, here to pay a visit.”
Bai Roushuang shot her a sidelong glance, unsure whether to consider this gesture exceedingly polite or blatantly audacious.
“Dustless Island? Since when do Dustless Island disciples meddle in others’ affairs?” The voice that answered was cold and slithering, like a serpent’s tongue dragging across skin, making Bai Roushuang shudder.
Xu Shoulou tossed the pearl toward the shadowy figure emerging from the cave. “Pardon the intrusion. Might I ask if this Water-Control Pearl belongs to you, Elder?”
The artifact blazed brilliantly in the man’s grip, making denial impossible. Not bothering to lie, he instead retorted, “Are you determined to interfere in my affairs today?”
“If you intend to harm lives, then yes, I must interfere.”
“The law of the strong devouring the weak has always governed the cultivation world. Who are you to impose your righteousness?” The old man sneered, no longer wasting words. He struck with a lethal technique. “You dare ruin my plans? You’ve signed your own death warrant!”
Xu Shoulou parried with one hand while weaving a spell with the other, encasing Bai Roushuang in a protective barrier.
Witnessing the old man’s ruthless moves, Bai Roushuang momentarily regretted following Xu Shoulou here. But seeing her senior sister shield her without hesitation, her heart stirred with conflicting emotions.
She didn’t recognize the techniques being used, but as spiritual energy and shattered rocks collided harmlessly against the barrier, and as Xu Shoulou gained the upper hand, she finally exhaled in relief.
Then, from the corner of her eye, she spotted a shadow lunging forward and cried out, “Senior Sister, watch out!”
Xu Shoulou spun, her fan intercepting the ambush from behind. When she saw the weapon in the woman’s hand, she froze briefly. “…A Soul-Summoning Banner?”
The old man cackled. “Consider it an honor to perish beneath this banner.”
“So that’s it,” Xu Shoulou murmured, her expression darkening. “No wonder you orchestrated the flood. You needed mortal souls to refine this cursed artifact.”
Bai Roushuang’s heart clenched in dread.
The woman attacked again. “Few in the cultivation world still recognize this treasure. You’ve got a sharp eye.”
“To refine such a vile artifact to its peak, you’d need at least ten thousand souls,” Xu Shoulou countered, her fan dispersing the shadowy wraiths surging toward her. “Even in its current state, it must have already consumed over a thousand.”
The old man’s lips curled into a smug grin, as though proud of the achievement. “And you—you’ll soon join them.”
Realizing her formidable power, the two joined forces, unleashing the banner’s full might. Countless tormented souls writhed within, now directed toward Xu Shoulou in a vicious onslaught. The force sent her stumbling back, blood trickling from her lips.
Before she could recover, the next wave struck. Yet Xu Shoulou stood firm, eyes closing briefly as she focused. Her Snowblossom Fan shimmered, transforming in her grip into an unadorned, ancient sword.
In that instant—
The wind stilled. The trees fell silent.
A divine weapon revealed, its killing intent unleashed.
Bai Roushuang realized this must be Xu Shoulou’s true artifact. She hadn’t expected to witness it so soon—much less that the elegant fan had merely been an illusion, concealing the blade beneath.
The sword itself seemed unremarkable—plain, neither sharp nor radiant. It was merely longer, broader, and likely heavier than most blades.
Yet in Xu Shoulou’s hand, its presence was undeniable. A surge of lethal aura enveloped her as she clashed with the Soul-Summoning Banner, matching its malice blow for blow.
Xu Shulou wielded her fan and her sword in entirely different styles. Now, gripping her sword, she slashed directly at the Soul-Summoning Banner. The black mist coalesced by the banner seemed peculiarly afraid of the blade, dispersing in just a few strikes.
The two opponents paled in horror, too stunned to mourn their half-ruined banner. They hastily summoned other magical artifacts to defend themselves.
Yet nothing could withstand the heavy sword in Xu Shulou’s hands. After cleaving through the banner, she turned her blade toward the pair. Though they fought desperately, they were soon drenched in blood from her relentless strikes.
The old man was shocked. Judging by Xu Shulou’s bone structure, she couldn’t have cultivated for more than two centuries—which was why he’d dared to confront her so arrogantly. But how did she possess such profound spiritual power? And how could she wield such a fiercely sinister divine weapon?
Realizing defeat was inevitable, their earlier bravado vanished. They begged for mercy: "Spare us, and we’ll give you the Soul-Summoning Banner—along with the cultivation methods to master it!"
Xu Shulou didn’t pause her assault. "What use do I have for such a thing?"
"Though its power is limited now, once fed with enough souls, its strength will multiply a hundredfold!"
"I know," Xu Shulou sighed softly. "A fully realized Soul-Summoning Banner can annihilate a kingdom with a mere gesture, trapping its people’s souls in eternal torment and leaving its lands barren for millennia."
The woman gaped. "So even disciples of orthodox sects understand these arts? But all the better—since you know its value, you must realize how rare this is. Few in the world possess the knowledge to cultivate it. Once mastered, ruling the cultivation world would be effortless!"
Xu Shulou gazed at the banner floating midair. Bai Roushuang noticed something complicated flicker in her eyes before she shook her head. "Why would I want to rule?"
Seeing persuasion fail, the old man knew Xu Shulou wouldn’t relent. With a desperate lunge, he attacked Bai Roushuang instead, hoping to create an opening to escape—or at least drag someone down with him.
The protective barrier couldn’t withstand his death-strike. Xu Shulou leaped forward, shielding Bai Roushuang as her sword’s energy blasted the old man backward.
The woman seized the moment to ambush, but a swing of Xu Shulou’s blade sent her coughing blood, collapsing to the ground.
Facing imminent death, the woman cried out, "We serve a major sect! If you ruin us today, our sect will hunt you both to the ends of the earth!"
Xu Shulou’s sword hesitated. "A sect?"
The woman mistook it for fear. "Of course! We’re merely its keepers. Do you think two like us could gather thousands of souls or dare to refine this banner alone?"
"Which sect? Where is it?"
The old man snarled, "Silence!"
The woman hesitated, clamping her mouth shut.
Xu Shulou’s sword shot forth, piercing the old man’s chest and pinning him lifeless to the ground.
Witnessing his death, the woman trembled with fury. "You—!"
"My apologies. This blade doesn’t return to its sheath unbloodied," Xu Shulou said calmly, withdrawing her sword—its surface miraculously unstained. With a shimmer of light, the weapon transformed back into an elegant fan adorned with red plum blossoms against snow. She clasped it genteelly and bowed. "As for you, you’ll accompany me to the Discipline Hall."
The matter was too grave; she’d let her sect handle it.
The woman glared. When bribery failed, she tried reason: "They’re just mortals—their lives barely span decades. Do mortals pity mayflies that live a single day? To cultivators, mortals *are* mayflies. Why defend them?"
Xu Shulou remained unmoved. "A life is a life. Its worth isn’t measured by its length."
