The truth

(TN: when alone He/ When with others Her.)

Three male cultivators stood before Li Zhangxue.

One wielded a sword, another a spear, and the third gripped a mace.

Despite her injuries, the three surrounded her with wary precision.

"Attack together!" one of them shouted, his voice ringing with tension.

The trio surged forward in unison, their movements sharp and decisive.

But Liu Ping showed no signs of preparing a defense. Instead, she calmly tucked her sword under her arm and raised her hands.

She clapped once.

In an instant, a boundless wall of darkness materialized behind her. From its depths, countless demons and ghosts erupted like a ferocious storm, rushing toward the cultivators.

Suddenly, 'Fairy Maiden Li' seemed to recall something. She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "Leave the storage bags for me! Leave the storage bags for me!"

The rampaging horde of monsters froze mid-air, their sinister forms suspended like ominous statues.

The Heavenly maiden turned sharply toward her and demanded, "Can I have this man?"

"Sure" Liuping replied with a smirk.

The celestial maiden smiled softly, pursing her lips. "Thank you very much."

The wraths roared with reckless abandon and charged toward the cultivators once more.

The cultivators barely managed a single round of resistance before they were overwhelmed by the storm of creatures. Their frightened curses and desperate roars were abruptly silenced.

Moments later, the bloodstained storage bags were brought before the female cultivator.

She extended her slender fingers and began inspecting them one by one.

"Pitiful... they didn't even have ten thousand spirit stones," she muttered, her brows twitching with irritation as if she were on the verge of losing her temper.

The air grew tense.

The surrounding wraths froze in place, their movements subdued, their breaths held. Fear flickered in their eyes as they looked at her.

The term "SkillBlade" lingered unspoken, but it hung heavy in the air—a name that evoked every dark and terrifying memory imaginable.

"You look like a devil" the Sword Spirit suddenly remarked.

"Rubbish, I'm just going through my tribulation" the female cultivator snapped irritably.

"This is what you call a tribulation?" Sword Spirit muffled a laugh.

"I'm facing the golden core tribulation fair and square! If anything, they brought this on themselves with their wicked intentions. How can you blame me?" She put on an innocent expression.

"Stop!" Sword Spirit interjected. "Don't make that face with her appearance. If you do, I might not be able to stop myself from trying to cut you."

"You think I want to be like this?" the female cultivator sneered, her tone ice cold.

She paused, sniffing the air lightly, and slowly raised a single finger.

"Your Excellency?" the Celestial maiden whispered hesitantly.

Liu Ping pointed into the distance, her voice dropping to a whisper. "There are still people over there. Quickly, hide. Let's go check it out together—maybe there's a surprise waiting for us."

At her command, the Wraths scattered in an instant, vanishing into the black wall. Moments later, the wall itself disappeared without a trace.

'Li Zhangxue' smiled faintly, clutching her sword as she flew forward with practiced ease.

Before long, 'she' reached a tranquil stream.

"Senior Sister!" a voice called out.

She looked up to see a young man hurrying toward her.

"Oh, Why are you here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I heard you were injured, Senior Sister. I was afraid someone might try to harm you. Quickly, take this and find a safe place to hide" the young man said urgently, tossing a jade bottle toward her.

'Senior Sister Li' remained motionless, her grip firm on her Blade.

A shadowy hand extended from the void, catching the jade bottle mid-air. It uncorked the bottle with a quiet pop and inspected the contents.

"It's an advanced healing pill. No problems detected" a familiar voice murmured softly in the Senior Sister Li's ear.

'She' nodded, took the bottle of elixir, then casually tossed it back. She smiled and said, "If you really want to help your sister, give me some spirit stones. I don't need anything else."

The boy hesitated briefly, then retrieved a small storage bag and threw it over.

Catching the bag, the female cultivator shook her head in mock disappointment. "You're a Golden Core cultivator, yet you only have a few thousand spirit stones? Did you spend all your money on that pill?"

"Yes" the boy admitted, slightly embarrassed.

Senior Sister Li paused, thinking. She emptied the spirit stones from the bag, then rummaged through the spoils from the earlier dead cultivators. Selecting a few items, she placed them into the bag and tossed it back to him.

"Senior Sister, what are you doing?" the boy asked, puzzled.

"You're working on that throwing knife weapon technique, right?" she asked, fixing him with a knowing gaze.

"Yes" he replied, nodding.

"Good. Take these materials back—they'll be useful for your practice. Remember, when your technique reaches the ninth level, two problems will arise. At that point, you'll need to practice continuously for three days and three nights. When you feel the urge to fart, hold it in."

The boy blinked in disbelief. "Hold it in?"

"Exactly" the female cultivator said, her tone serious. "As long as you successfully suppress it, the Qi orifice will open, and you'll break through. After that, your cultivation will flow smoothly."

With that, she waved him off dismissively. "Now go. Your Senior Sister has important matters to attend to and can't keep entertaining you."

"...Yes, Senior Sister" the boy said respectfully, bowing low before flying off into the sky.

Liu Ping stood silently for a moment, watching him disappear. Then, without turning, she addressed the foliage nearby.

"You've been hiding for a while. Are you planning to come out, or would you like me to drag you out myself?"

The bushes rustled.

Several cultivators emerged from the forest.

"Looking for me?" She asked her tone even.

The leader of the group stepped forward and said, "Junior Sister Li, we've come to help you."

"Very well" she replied, her expression calm. "Then hand over all your spirit stones."

"Why are you so materialistic? I remember you weren't like this before" the man sighed, shaking his head.

The female cultivator raised an eyebrow, momentarily stunned by his remark. Then she said "I need it to heal my wounds, to eat, to buy clothes. As they say, wealth comes first among the 'four essentials' of cultivation. How am I supposed to practice without spirit stones?"

"As cultivators, we should aim to be pure-hearted, ascetic, and find peace in simplicity. Junior Sister, you've gone astray," the man said with a tone of disappointment as if her actions deeply grieved him.

'She' let out a light laugh. "I need spirit stones to harness their power for things you wouldn't understand—not because I'm blinded by greed. Brother, your path and mine are not the same, and there's no point in imposing your ideals on me. Please leave this matter alone."

The man didn't move.

Tilting her head, she asked, "Is there something else?"

"Be my Daoist partner, Li Zhangxue" he said suddenly.

"Our paths are different—how can we be partners? Brother, please don't waste your breath and return from where you came" she replied with a chuckle, though her gaze sharpened.

But the man stepped closer, undeterred.

Junior sister Li unsheathed her long sword, its edge gleaming in the faint light. In a low, steady voice, she warned "Senior brother, don't force me to use my sword."

"You're injured" the man said, his tone soft yet menacing. "It's better if you submit willingly. Otherwise, if things escalate and word of today's incident spreads, your reputation will be ruined."

"Brother, aren't you the one preaching peace and happiness? Why are you so greedy for women?" the female cultivator asked, her tone sharp and mocking.

"Presumptuous!" the man barked, his face twisting with anger.

He gestured sharply, and his group moved as one, charging toward Her.

Without flinching, she spoke calmly to the void beside her: "Take his heart out—don't let him die—and make him eat it himself."

A sultry, chilling voice echoed from the void, dripping with amusement. "Hee hee, truly the successor of Skillblade. Your methods are as ruthless as ever."

Boom!

Countless Wraths erupted from the void like a tidal wave, surging toward the attackers and swallowing them whole.

"Don't forget the storage bags! Remember the storage bags!" A shout came urgently from behind.

…

Moments later, the 'injured sister Li' stood, examining a freshly acquired storage bag with a satisfied expression.

"To think, someone with such a rich net worth would act all virtuous about peace and happiness. Truly, times have changed" she mused aloud, shaking her head with mock disbelief.

She opened the storage bag, revealing its contents: more than two hundred thousand gleaming spirit stones.

"Impressive" she muttered to herself, her eyes narrowing slightly.

A Rejuvenation cultivator carrying this many spirit stones—it was almost absurd.

"When I was in the Rejuvenation stage, I only had a measly ten million." She sighed, nostalgia and envy flickering across her face.

Suddenly, 'Li Zhangxue' felt a faint stirring in her heart. She raised her head, her sharp gaze piercing the sky.

From afar, streaks of light shot through the heavens, descending rapidly into different parts of the forest.

Cultivators.

More Cultivators.

Yet the forest was barren save for her own solitary figure.

It was obvious—they were all here for Li Zhangxue.

A flicker of confusion crossed her face. This didn't add up.

They were supposedly from the same sect. If they truly wanted to contact her, a simple communication talisman would have sufficed. There'd be no need for such theatrics unless—

Malice.

His thoughts drifted to the boy from earlier. He seemed to be one of the rare exceptions. Most of these others likely harbored darker intentions.

As his mind pieced the situation together, faint, glowing letters ignited in the air before him, burning steadily in the void:

[There seems to be something wrong with the situation.]

[You have discovered the spirit Hunter, along with many other secrets of this world.]

[But now, you stand before a fundamental secret of this world. You must delve deeper to uncover it.]

[Whenever you uncover certain secrets, you will receive corresponding rewards in the form of Role Points, ultimately allowing this Sequence to replace your Golden Core divine ability.]

[Current progress: Scene 0/10.]

'Li Zhangxue's' eyes narrowed as she read the words. Her lips curved downward in an annoyed frown.

"Hey!" she called out to the empty forest, her voice edged with dissatisfaction. "Are you seriously telling me the powers you're forcing on me will actually be stronger than the Golden Core abilities I was meant to awaken? Because if not, don't waste my time!"

Two lines of burning small texts appeared before Liu Ping:

[Please carefully consider the value of 'A Man without a Role' and 'The One Who Debuts.']

[—Mystery class abilities are worth having.]

Liu Ping couldn't help but feel a slight irritation, but he knew deep down, there was no point in arguing.

He fell silent for a moment, then muttered softly, "Something is definitely wrong…"

"What do you mean?" the Sword Spirit's voice echoed in his mind.

Liu Ping didn't respond aloud. Instead, he pondered silently even if Senior Sister Li were poisoned and injured, she wouldn't be chased by so many cultivators hoping to become her companion for the dual cultivation... Something feels off about all of this.'

His thoughts drifted to the elder brother with the title "Spirit Hunter."

An uneasy sensation began to take root in his heart.

Suddenly, more burning small texts appeared in the void

[There may be something about what happened to Li Zhangxue that we don't know.]

[Go and investigate, uncover what's really going on.]

[You will earn Role Points.]

Liu Ping paused, reflecting on the message. After a brief moment of thought, he began walking upstream.

The area around him was open and expansive. The streambed was lined with bare stones, a reminder of the water that ran dry in the summer. It made the place visible from a great distance.

Minutes passed.

Then, several cultivators emerged from the bushes, landing directly opposite Liu Ping.

"Senior Sister, so you are here." The leader of the cultivators smiled and cupped his fists in greeting.

"Yes, I'm here," Liu Ping responded her tone level but pointed. "But let me remind you, I will only have one companion. With so many of you, who will it be?"

The group fell silent for a moment, their expressions betraying uncertainty as they exchanged glances.

"Senior Sister, let's set that aside for now. We are here to spar with you so we can compare notes" one of the male cultivators said, trying to steer the conversation.

"Comparing notes?" Liu Ping raised an eyebrow. "Forget it. Let me ask you again. Do you know I have a soul lamp? If something goes wrong, I will activate it, and the sect will learn of everything happening here through the lamp."

The cultivators hesitated, the weight of her words sinking in.

"Even so, you still want to compete with me?" Liu Ping pressed, her voice cold.

For a moment, the group appeared lost, their faces blank as though caught in a trance. But as quickly as it had come, the daze faded, and they regained their clarity.

The leader, looking nervous, quickly apologized, bowing slightly. "Senior Sister, we... we are sorry. We only had some thoughts, but we didn't mean—"

At that moment, lines of burning small characters flashed before Liu Ping's eyes:

[You've disrupted the original plot.]

[They are beginning to awaken.]

[The original plot is about to collapse.]

Liu Ping let out a deep sigh, realization dawning on him.

'So, chasing after Li Zhangxue was part of the pre-set plot after all...'

suddenly, Liu Ping's expression froze, his alertness sharpening.

Across from him, several cultivators stood motionless for a moment, then their expressions dulled, and in unison, they spoke:

"Senior Sister, we wish to compare notes with you."

Without hesitation, they lunged toward her.

Liu Ping, taken aback, raised an eyebrow. "Are you serious?"

''Just kill them."

"Yes" the Heavenly maiden replied, her voice unwavering.

At her command, an endless tide of wraths surged forth, rushing toward the cultivators. Liu Ping stepped aside, watching the spectacle unfold in quiet contemplation.

His thoughts wandered back to something her eldest senior brother had once said to the old god:

"This card proves I am the lady's disciple. I came to find a worthy card for her!"

His voice had been hoarse, frantic—his purpose laid bare in the desperate need to survive.

As the memory surfaced, Liu Ping's thoughts began to scatter. He lost himself in the maze of reasoning, barely registering the screams from across the clearing.

The battle continued, but Liu Ping remained indifferent, his mind occupied with deeper reflections.

It wasn't until the chaos quieted that he stirred. The demons returned, laying several storage bags carefully at his feet.

Still, he did not move.

A single thought emerged in his mind, and he continued to ponder: The entire situation revolves around Li Zhangxue.

It was becoming clear that Li Zhangxue was the true target of the plot. But the twist was that the story wasn't leading her to become a Daoist partner for some practitioner. No, it was far more complex than that.

Li Zhangxue was being groomed to become a card for Lady Agony.

Yes, Li Zhangxue was a rare swordswoman, born only once every 500 years, and destined for greatness. She would inevitably become a sword saint. Such a powerful figure was a prize even Lady Agony wished to possess.

Now, Liu Ping understood. This was why the eldest brother had gone to such lengths—why he had used miraculous pills and weapons, all in an effort to gain Li Zhangxue's approval.

Liu Ping's mind cleared as he pieced everything together. The plot had always been about this—manipulating Li Zhangxue toward becoming an instrument for Lady Agony.

Just as the realization dawned on him, lines of burning small texts appeared before her eyes:

[This is an advanced plot, and the character script has been recalibrated.]

[We can't change the current situation!]

[Through a series of events, you have deduced the secret behind the current situation, and this sequence judgments it to be the truth.]

[You have gained insight into the intentions of Lady Agony.]

[Your Role points have increased by 2 points.]

[The current Role points are: 2/10.]