Qingyang City.
The grand Clan Tournament, held once every ten years, opened magnificently at the Martial Arena.
On the high platform, colorful flags fluttered.
All the prominent figures of the city’s major families were present, the atmosphere solemn yet fervent.
At the central main seat, an elderly man in a green robe with snow-white hair and a youthful face sat upright.
He was Elder Li Changqing of the Qingyun Sanctuary, who had descended from the mountain for this event to select outstanding talents.
Li Changqing held a teacup, his gaze calmly sweeping over the youthful faces below, brimming with vitality.
Yet his heart was undisturbed.
Decade after decade, he had seen too many so-called geniuses.
Most were ordinary jade, sharp-edged yet easily broken.
Those who could truly catch his eye were exceedingly rare.
He took a light sip of tea.
The tea was excellent, yet something was missing from his state of mind.
It wasn’t until yesterday that a stone was cast into the stillness of his Heart Lake.
He still remembered the scene when the Mysterious Woman approached him.
Without any prior notice, she had appeared quietly in his courtyard, dressed in a plain long skirt, without a trace of makeup, yet so pure and beautiful that she seemed almost otherworldly.
“Qingyun Sanctuary. Elder Li.”
She nodded slightly, her voice clear and cold as jade striking stone.
“Xiao Family. Xiao Liuli. I came specifically to inform Elder that the cold poison within me has been completely expelled.”
In that moment, even Li Changqing, who had seen countless wonders, could not help but be shaken.
Xiao Liuli.
He recognized the name.
Three years ago, she had been the brightest star in Qingyang City, only to fall into obscurity due to a strange poison.
Everyone thought she had become a ruined person, but unexpectedly…
He extended his spiritual sense, sensing that although her inner spiritual power was not domineering, it was harmonious and pure, deep and steady, without the slightest trace of instability.
It was a cleanness born from destruction and rebirth, with all impurities washed away.
Is this the fortune of a blessed person?
No, this was not mere luck, but immense willpower and destiny.
“Good. What a Xiao Liuli!”
He had praised her then, clapping his hands.
“Tomorrow’s tournament, I will reserve a place for you.”
Now, Li Changqing set down his teacup, his gaze searching the crowd with a trace of secret anticipation.
He wanted to see what brilliance this rediscovered gem could unleash.
—
“Look! Who is that?”
Suddenly, a restless stir spread through the crowd.
At the entrance of the Martial Arena, a slender figure walked in at a measured pace.
She wore no armor, only a plain long skirt.
Her long black hair flowed like a waterfall, held together by a simple wooden hairpin.
She wore no other ornaments, but the moment she appeared, all the surrounding jewels and finery seemed to dim in comparison.
What kind of face was that?
Cold and exquisite, like a plum blossom blooming beneath the moon, or icy snow untainted by mortal dust high in the heavens.
Her beauty held a distant, unapproachable air, making others dare not profane her—only to admire from afar.
For a moment, the entire Martial Arena fell silent.
Countless gazes, filled with astonishment, doubt, or fascination, converged upon her.
“Who… is she? Since when did Qingyang City have such a beauty?”
“I don’t recognize her. Judging by her clothes… she seems to be from the Xiao Family? But among the young female disciples of the Xiao Family, I’ve never heard of such a person.”
Amid hushed whispers, a trembling voice finally rose:
“Don’t you… think she looks familiar? Those brows and eyes… don’t they resemble Xiao Liuli from a few years ago?”
“Xiao Liuli? Impossible! Wasn’t she supposed to be crippled, her face ruined, always hiding behind a black iron mask?”
“But… it really does look like her…”
The murmurs spread like a tidal wave, eventually reaching the Ye Family’s seats.
Ye Tianjiao’s gaze was fixed on Xiao Liuli, the teacup in his hand cracking under his grip.
Regret.
A wild, poisonous regret grew uncontrollably within his heart.
Three years ago, he had considered her a burden and a disgrace, unhesitatingly casting the ‘black pot’ of their engagement onto that useless Ye Chen.
In these three years, he had never once looked directly at his ‘former fiancée’ who wore a mask.
He thought she had long rotted away in the mud.
But now, she stood there, even more dazzling than before.
The calm and serene air about her was unmatched by any woman at his side.
So, she had never been disfigured, and her cultivation had been restored as well.
Unlike Ye Tianjiao, who was stricken with loss, the Xiao Family patriarch, Xiao Hongshan, on the high platform, was filled with shock and overwhelming joy.
His beard trembled with excitement as he looked at Li Changqing, meeting the elder’s subtly smiling gaze.
His old face flushed bright red.
—
While everyone was stunned by Xiao Liuli’s appearance, another figure silently appeared in the waiting area.
If Xiao Liuli was a cold, aloof moon, then this girl was a sword hidden in its sheath, yet still radiating a faint chill.
She wore a green robe, her figure slender and graceful, her aura pure and otherworldly like bamboo after the rain.
She stood quietly, carrying an iron sword wrapped in cloth on her back.
The blade’s sharpness was concealed, yet a sense of awe emanated from her.
The most striking feature was her eyes.
They were incredibly beautiful, long lashes like butterfly wings.
Yet her pupils were empty, devoid of any light.
She was blind.
Even so, none dared underestimate her.
The serenity and determination she exuded could not be feigned.
“Who… who is that? Never seen her before!”
“One stunning Xiao Liuli wasn’t enough—now there’s a Blind Swordswoman with such a unique presence?”
This time, no one could answer.
For Ling Qingshuang in Qingyang City was nothing more than a phantom.
Ling Qingshuang felt the clamor and countless gazes around her, but her heart remained tranquil.
She knew this was an opportunity arranged for her by her teacher.
In these three years, she was no longer the orphan consumed by hatred.
After her epiphany on New Year’s Eve, her teacher had passed on a new sword technique.
It had no name, only six forms, yet it seemed to contain the laws of heaven and earth.
For three years, she had exhausted all means to barely grasp the first form.
Her teacher said:
“Your sword heart is clear, but you lack the ‘force’ of struggling against others. Go. Go to the liveliest place and let your sword feel the breath of the mortal world.”
She did not fully understand her teacher’s intentions, but she trusted him unconditionally.
Her teacher was her eyes, her light, her everything.
She had come not for empty fame, not for the clan, but for—
To not betray the trust her teacher placed in her.
—
“DOONG—!”
A deep bell tolled throughout the arena.
The presiding elder announced in a loud voice:
“The Qingyang City Ten-Year Tournament officially begins! First match, Xiao Family, Xiao Liuli, versus Li Family, Li Xin!”
Under countless watching eyes, Xiao Liuli stepped onto Arena One.
Her battle of return was about to begin.