Chapter 63: The Day Of The Test!!

— "Miss, wake up! Today is the day!!" — shouted a ten-year-old girl, rushing into the room and heading toward a beautiful, delicate-looking girl still lying in bed.

Tang Chun Xi slowly opened her eyes, still wrapped in drowsiness. The morning sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, illuminating the room with a golden glow. She looked around, confused for a moment, as if the surroundings were unfamiliar, but the feeling quickly faded.

— "Ah Tao, you woke up early today. And you seem more excited than I am" — replied Tang Chun Xi, sitting up in bed and rubbing her eyes.

Ah Tao, the young servant, was radiant with enthusiasm. Her eyes sparkled like stars, and her hands gestured animatedly as she spoke.

— "Of course! Today is your eighth birthday and the day of your talent test! How can I stay calm? How can you be so relaxed?" — Ah Tao chattered in a continuous stream of words. She was already pulling Tang Chun Xi out of bed, hurrying her to wash and get ready.

Before Tang Chun Xi could react, she was taken to the adjacent bathroom and immersed in a prepared bathtub. Ah Tao continued talking as she washed her, her hands quick and careful.

— "Miss, you're so calm today! You must be nervous, but don't worry. You're very smart and talented. The test will surely be a success!" — Ah Tao said, trying to calm herself more than Tang Chun Xi.

Tang Chun Xi simply nodded with a gentle smile. She was used to Ah Tao's chatter. The young servant was the only one who could truly get close to her, and her contagious energy always made her feel lighter.

Soon, time passed, and Tang Chun Xi stood in front of the mirror, finally ready. Ah Tao stopped fixing her hair and stepped back, admiring her work.

— "Miss, you look so beautiful!" — exclaimed Ah Tao, unsure whether she was admiring the girl's cuteness or the result of her own skill.

In the mirror, a beautiful little girl, resembling a doll, was reflected. Her cute face, large expressive eyes, and hair tied in an impeccable bun made her adorable. The blue dress she wore complemented her appearance, highlighting her innocence and purity.

Tang Chun Xi looked at herself in the mirror, and a feeling of anxiety arose in her heart, accompanied by a confusion she couldn't explain.

'Where is this anxiety coming from? Why does it feel like something is wrong?' — she thought, trying to understand the source of this unsettling feeling. But before she could delve deeper into her thoughts, her father's voice called her back to reality.

— "My daughter, may I come in?" — asked a warm, familiar male voice.

— "Father, you're here!" — replied Tang Chun Xi, quickly standing up and opening the door. She found herself face-to-face with her adoptive father, a handsome young man with a gentle expression, looking at her with a loving smile.

— "From what I've heard, today is the birthday of a very special little girl. But I can't seem to remember who it is. Does anyone know?" — he said playfully, picking her up in a warm hug.

Tang Chun Xi froze for a moment, surprised by the affectionate gesture. She hadn't been held like this since she was very young. But her father's words calmed her, dispelling some of the anxiety she felt.

She thought about how, since she was reborn in this world, she had never been able to act like a normal child. The memories of her past life made her more mature than she should have been for her age. Since she was little, this difference had been noticeable, and as she grew, it became more evident. Yet her father never expressed any questions or doubts, as if simply being his daughter was enough for him. This gave her an emotion she had only felt with her biological parents—a feeling of being loved, of having a family...

But along with these emotions came a sense of weakness, of sadness, all mixed together to form something dissonant… This had accompanied her since her rebirth and would only change after today, her eighth birthday. From today onward, she could train, protect herself, and not become a burden to the people she loved.

— "It's my birthday, Father!" — she replied, her voice slightly trembling, feeling the affection in her father's tone, which pulled her out of her reverie.

— "That's right, it's your birthday, dear. Today will be a very special day. But why don't you…?" — he said, looking at her calm face and pinching her cheeks with a playful smile.

Tang Chun Xi laughed, feeling lighter. Her father always knew how to cheer her heart.

— "Whatever is in your little head, remember: I'll always be here!" — he concluded, his voice a mix of reassurance and tenderness.

After this brief but intense moment, father and daughter headed to the main hall, where a sumptuous breakfast had been carefully prepared to celebrate this special day. Each dish, each aroma seemed chosen to commemorate the importance of the occasion.

Soon, the long-awaited moment arrived: it was time for the talent test.

Tang Chun Xi followed her father to the carriage that would take them to the city lord's mansion, where her training and future would be decided. During the journey, the world outside passed slowly, as if the carriage's tracks were guiding not only the vehicle but also the weight of all expectations and fears.

As they traveled, Tang Chun Xi looked out the window, watching the movement of the streets. Her hand was firmly held by her father, and she felt a security only he could provide. However, as they approached their destination, she began to squeeze his hand tighter, though her face remained impassive.

'Why am I so nervous?' — she thought, trying to calm herself. She knew the talent test was crucial, but she couldn't understand the intensity of her anxiety.

When they arrived at the city lord's mansion, they were greeted by a middle-aged butler who led them to the testing hall. The atmosphere was imposing, with guards and servants everywhere. Tang Chun Xi adopted a serious and noble demeanor, following her father through the corridors.

In the testing hall, a crystalline sphere rested on three curved legs, surrounded by empty chairs. Tang Chun Xi's unease grew as she saw the crystal, but she tried to remain calm.

— "What's wrong, daughter?" — asked her father, kneeling beside her and looking into her eyes.

— "I feel discomfort in my heart, an anxiety I've never felt before…" — she replied, her voice trembling.

Her father hugged her, comforting her with soft words.

— "Calm down, my daughter. It's just nerves—maybe even a little fear. We all feel this before an important test. Even I've been like this."

Seeing she was still nervous, he said: — "Let's go back and do the test another time. Okay?" — making a move to leave, but Tang Chun Xi held him.

'Calm down, Tang Chun Xi. It's child's body making your emotions more intense.' — With this thought in mind, she took a deep breath and spoke with the determination she always had: — "No, Father. I'm ready!"

And so they walked together to the center of the hall, while Tang Chun Xi's father shared stories of his own moments of nervousness, recalling how his hands sweated and the fear of having no talent tormented him: — "Back then, I was nervous too. I was afraid of disappointing my parents, of failing. But in the end, my roots were revealed: fire, earth, and metal."

A few steps from the crystal, he looked at Tang Chun Xi and said: — "So, my daughter, remember two things: First, remember the stories you've heard and read, and keep in mind that talent only determines the speed of cultivation, but there are many factors that determine the end of a cultivator's path." — He paused before continuing: — "Second, no matter the test result—you'll always be my daughter, and I'll always love and protect you!" — he said, his voice filled with love and conviction.

His words penetrated Tang Chun Xi's heart.

'No matter the result, I'll make my father proud!' — With this, she steadied her heart, freeing herself from anxiety. She took a few steps forward and touched the crystal.

The moment her fingers made contact, a pulsating energy coursed through her body. Vibrant green, intense red, solid brown, radiant gold, and finally, a tranquil and mysterious blue emerged. Each color seemed to occupy a fifth of the crystal, with red and green dominating in intensity.

'Five roots… of waste.' — Tang Chun Xi's mind froze on the phrase echoing in her thoughts.

Her father seemed to say something, but she didn't hear it. Everything seemed to lose color and spin before her eyes. When she realized it, she was already in her room, tears streaming down her face.

— "Miss, you need to eat. You can't lock yourself in your room all day. Your father is very worried about you," — said Ah Tao, concern in her voice.

Tang Chun Xi touched her tears, confused.

'How did I end up here?' — From what she remembered, she was in the testing hall and had been momentarily shocked by the news of her poor talent. Something she truly hadn't expected, as her past life, the final moment, the Lunar Umbrella, the whispers, and her rebirth all seemed to indicate that her talent was anything but poor.

— "Miss, you locked yourself in your room and haven't spoken since you returned. Are you okay? It doesn't matter what happened!" — Ah Tao insisted.

'Yes, I was shocked and didn't react, and my worried father brought me home…' — she concluded, hearing Ah Tao.

She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself, and frowned as she thought:

'Something's wrong! Even if I was shocked, that wouldn't be enough to make me lock myself in and cry over it!... I need to find my father!'

She wiped her face, grabbed her storage bag, and opened the door, finding Ah Tao outside with a worried look.

— "Miss, are you okay? Your father waited here for hours, but there was an emergency. He asked you to stay here until he returns," — said Ah Tao.

— "I need to see my father, Ah Tao. Stay here, I'll be back," — replied Tang Chun Xi, running toward her father's study.

As she ran through the mansion, she began to notice the strange looks from the servants and guards.

'What are these looks? Why do they make me so uncomfortable? Why are they looking at me like that?' — Tang Chun Xi hesitated to ask, perhaps knowing the answer and not wanting to hear it. She quickened her pace, avoiding them.

As she approached the study, she felt eyes lingering on her for a moment before looking away—the visible guards and the hidden ones. But from the hidden ones, she didn't feel the strange looks. Soon, she reached the door, which appeared to be unguarded.

She opened the door directly, finding the room filled with impeccable books and scrolls, but her father wasn't there.

"I'll go after him," — she decided.

— "Do you know where my father is?" — she asked, looking toward the hidden guards in the room.

They answered, and she thanked them, then left for the family's main store.

Using her sharp senses, Tang Chun Xi began moving silently through the mansion's corridors, avoiding servants and guards with precision. She didn't want to be seen—she didn't want to face those looks again.

The memory of those looks burned like embers in her mind, piercing her heart in a way she had never felt before. Though she didn't know what they meant, she knew they weren't good.

After a few minutes, she managed to slip out through a side passage without drawing attention. Wearing a cloak she had taken from her storage bag, she covered herself to avoid being recognized.

The streets were bustling with conversations and laughter. People came and went, living their lives without noticing the emotional storm brewing inside Tang Chun Xi.

Then she heard:

— "It's a pity that Miss Tang is a waste, don't you think?"

— "Who could have imagined that with such a powerful father, the daughter would have the five roots of waste?"

— "I heard Patriarch Tang fell in love with a mortal and was expelled from his family…"

Each word pierced her heart. It was as if each rumor was a cold blade cutting through her soul. Her breathing grew heavy, and her steps faltered.

The world around her lost its color, becoming a blur of gray. It seemed like all eyes turned to her, calling her a disappointment, a waste, useless.

Her mind spun in a spiral of malicious looks, laughter, and offensive words. She continued walking, unaware of her surroundings.

The memory of the unbearable pain from the moment before her rebirth, the sensation of being nearly torn apart by pain... It all came back like a crushing wave.

'Why does this burn? Why does it hurt more than the pain of forging?'

Her chest tightened, an overwhelming loneliness settling in. It was as if a dense darkness was trying to swallow her. The cold emanating from within her was almost suffocating.

"I don't belong in this world..."

Her aura, unstable and cold, began to spread chaotically. She didn't notice, but the energy around her rippled, restless and chaotic.

Then she heard a conversation that made her stop, putting an end to the pulsating aura forming around her.

— "Miss Tang Chun Xi is lucky, don't you think?"

— "Yes... although her talent is poor, she has a father who loves her. I heard he went to the city lord's mansion personally..."

— "What?! Patriarch Tang?"

— "Yes. He went to find out who spread those horrible rumors about his daughter. I heard he destroyed the cultivation of the servant who started the gossip…"

— "Really? He did that?"

— "He did more. The city lord gave him permission to personally punish the culprits... And even announced a reward for anyone who reports those who speak ill of her."

— "What kind of love is that? He's truly willing to protect his daughter like that…"

Tang Chun Xi felt a pang in her heart and was moved. — 'I knew it! How could I doubt my father's love?' — She blamed herself for doubting. The memory of her father smiling, his gentle touch, and his warm words returned to her mind.

'He's always been there... Always by my side… It doesn't matter what strangers think of me!' — Wiping her tear-streaked face, Tang Chun Xi took a deep breath and decided to return home.

'How long was I in a trance? Strange!' — she thought, noticing the sun was already setting. Again, the feeling of something being wrong arose, quickly replaced by an anxiety that seemed to urge her to hurry home. She left the feeling of wrongness behind.

This feeling intensified as she passed through an alley. For some reason, she expected to see Chen Kai there, but not finding him, she hurried and ran home.

It was already dark when she finally arrived. But as she approached the Tang mansion, an uneasy tightness gripped her chest, along with growing anxiety.

"Why do I feel like something's wrong?"

Her gaze wandered around, and on the street, people came and went, but everything seemed normal.

"This isn't right."

'The door should be open... Where are the guards? Why is no one here? My father wouldn't leave without looking for me!' — she thought, her chest tight with a mix of anxiety and panic.

Trying to suppress these emotions, Chun Xi contained the trembling in her hands and forced herself to knock on the door forcefully.

— "Can anyone hear me?! Open the door!" — Her voice echoed, but there was no response, only silence on the other side.

Strangely, the pedestrians on the nearby streets didn't react. It was as if they simply ignored the scene, as if that suffocating feeling didn't exist for anyone but her.

'What's happening...? What is this feeling...?' — Then, like an electric current running through her body, a sense of immense loss hit her, so strong it nearly made her fall to her knees. It was as if something inside her was shattering.

'Something happened... Something terrible…' — Her aura, which had barely stabilized, became unstable again.

Without thinking further, Tang Chun Xi ran to the mansion's side door, the only other entrance she knew.

— "Please... Let it be open... Please..." — She murmured between trembling lips.

When she arrived, she saw the door slightly ajar and, without hesitation, entered. Immediately, an almost palpable darkness swallowed her. The air carried the metallic, heavy smell of blood. And worse... the door behind her disappeared.

'What happened?!...' — Her aura became more unstable, starting to turn chaotic, something she didn't notice.

The mansion, which had so often given her comfort, now felt like a giant tomb.

The blood scattered on the floor glistened faintly in the darkness, and the bodies... were everywhere. Guards, servants... people who had been alive when she left earlier were now dead within hours…

Each step was a challenge. Chun Xi fought the urge to vomit. Something strange to her—she had never felt this way in her previous world.

'Father... I need to find my father...' — Suppressing her feelings and guided by the hope that someone might still be alive, Tang Chun Xi ran through the rooms and corridors toward her father's study.

"Hold on... Father... please..."

As she turned the corner, however, her heart stopped, and her aura became even more unstable, now chaotic and negative.

— "Ah Tao…!" — The cry escaped before she could contain it.

The body of her loyal servant, the friend who had been with her since she was four, lay sprawled on the floor. Cut in half, her eyes still open, reflecting the horror she had witnessed before death.

The blood mixed with organs was everywhere. Tang Chun Xi fell to her knees, her mind unable to process such brutality.

— 'Ah Tao... No... This can't... This can't be happening… You were alive when I left! This must be a nightmare!! Wake up, Tang Chun Xi!!' — She pinched herself, leaving a mark on her delicate skin, but the pain didn't wake her from this nightmare—it only seemed to confirm it was reality.

The confirmation of this almost consumed her in lament, but then...

A shadow moved in the dim light. Her body was small and fragile, and she reacted too late. By the time she realized it, a blade was already descending toward her.

'No... I can't die here!' — Her heart screamed in despair. She still needed to find her father... Discover the truth... She needed revenge!

The blade almost touched her skin when a shadow appeared in front of her.

— "Chun Xi... Run..." — was all she heard.

The sound of flesh being pierced snapped her out of her stupor. The sword, which should have killed her, now pierced the chest of another person—Chen Kai.

The boy her father had saved, who had sworn loyalty to her father.

— "Run... th-they're after... you..." — He stammered, blood dripping from his lips.

Before Chun Xi could react, Chen Kai's body fell heavily onto the assassin's corpse, which he had killed at the cost of his own life.

— "N-no... Nooo!"

The sight of Chen Kai, his eyes glazed and lifeless, disturbed her even more. Her chest tightened. The air seemed to vanish. Tears streamed down, hot and uncontrollable.

'This... this shouldn't be happening...' — Pain. Guilt. Anger. An overwhelming mix of emotions consumed her.

'They destroyed everything... They killed almost everyone... I... I'll avenge them... I'll kill every one of them!'

But even amidst the whirlwind of dark thoughts, a spark of hope still burned: 'My father... He might still be alive... I... need to find him!'

Wiping her tear-streaked face with her bloodied sleeve, Tang Chun Xi forced herself to stand and walked toward the study.

— "Well, well... finally found the little daughter of the Tang family." — A mocking voice in the darkness made her blood run cold. From the shadows, an elegant man, dressed in noble attire, emerged with a sadistic smile on his lips.

— "Do you know how hard it was to find you?" — He said with false lament. — "Your parents really thought they could hide you forever... But it was all useless. I'll get a good reward for bringing you in alive or dead."

— "Where's my father?" — Tang Chun Xi asked, her voice trembling but filled with growing determination, though her aura betrayed her mood.

He didn't answer and attacked with the fan in his hand, firing hidden blades so fast that all she saw was them hitting the flesh in front of her. Her mind went blank, and her eyes fixed on the face protecting her. Her aura froze.

— "There's your father!! This guy was tricky to deal with and killed many of my men…" — His rambling was interrupted as several black-clad cultivators appeared: — "Mission accomplished! No survivors!"

— "Okay, you heard her, Tang girl, everyone in the mansion, including this man, died because of you! How does it feel? Angry? Sad? In pain, or maybe a mix of everything…" — he said, dissatisfied, seeming to want to drive the girl mad.

Tang Chun Xi saw her father, Patriarch Tang, fall before her, protecting her with his own body.

She knelt beside her father's body, her eyes wide and filled with uncontrollable tears. Her chest rose and fell, choked by the overwhelming pain dominating her. The world seemed distant, as if it had lost all color and sound. All that remained was that image—her father there, motionless, his cold hand still resting on her face.

She couldn't believe it.

— "No... This can't be..." — she murmured, her voice lost in the growing darkness of her mind.

The guilt reflected in her father's lifeless eyes was the final blow. He had tried to protect her until the end, fighting with everything he had—and yet, he couldn't save her.

And so, all her emotions seemed to gather and mix, giving rise to something dark and evil, and then something inside her broke…

The crying stopped abruptly, replaced by icy silence. The air around her grew denser and heavier. Her aura, now completely chaotic and almost corrupted, became cold, dark, and ethereal.

— "You took everything from me!! Why give me everything I ever wanted and then take it away?!" — Tang Chun Xi shouted, her voice cold and filled with hatred. Her eyes glowed with a shimmering purple light. Her childish figure disappeared. In its place stood a worn-looking young woman with torn clothes. Her hair, once black, now shone in a silvery-white hue.

— "Kill her now!" — the man shouted, his voice trembling. He should have been satisfied—this was the result he expected, her corruption. But something was wrong...

That cold, indifferent, hateful gaze seemed to look at something insignificant, along with her aura, this didn't seem like a corrupted person...

But before the assassins could reach her, an intense light appeared above her head, and she said: — "You deserve to die..." — then raised her gaze. — "Turn to dust!!"

The light expanded, a powerful shockwave spreading, sweeping everything around. The explosion lifted debris and rubble, destroying the courtyard and sending the attackers flying like leaves in the wind.

Space itself seemed distorted, cracked, though it reassembled.

And now, above the ruins of the mansion, Tang Chun Xi remained motionless, her indifferent eyes fixed on the city around her. Life continued normally there—children played in the streets, merchants shouted their offers, and citizens went about their routines, a stark contrast to the infernal scene in the mansion.

Above her head, where the light had been, now floated the Lunar Umbrella.

— "Pure lies... Deception..." — she said, her words resonating through the air. — "Everything must disappear..."

The stars on the canopy of the Lunar Umbrella, floating beside her, shone intensely.

A new pulse of power was released.

— "BOOM!"

The energy wave surged in all directions, destroying what remained of the mansion and obliterating the isolation array surrounding the area. But the destruction didn't stop there—the pulses continued, tearing through space itself.

The air cracked and fragmented like shattered glass. A strange darkness took over the landscape. Then, she found herself in a cave.

But her aura continued to grow… Cold. Noble. Indifferent. Negative.

If Lin Xu had been conscious, he would have seen a whirlwind of negative energies of all kinds gathering from all directions and advancing toward Tang Chun Xi… But unfortunately, he was also in danger.

And so, as her aura grew, the Lunar Umbrella emitted new pulses of power. The tunnel walls began to tremble violently. Cracks spread through the rocks, and entire chunks began to fall. Soon, the tremors spread throughout the Clear Water Mountains, making the earth shake, trees fall, animals panic, and cultivators tremble in fear.

But this was only the beginning…