Third Chapter - Hidden Identity

The nights at the Academy of Heavenly Mechanics are always calm and mysterious. The towering ancient trees sway gently in the breeze, and the silver moonlight pierces through the treetops, casting its glow over the tranquil courtyard. Tonight, however, is different from the usual, for within a secret room of the Academy, the Sacred Priestess Shiyan is quietly seated at an ancient wooden desk, her thoughts drifting back to a distant past.

Shiyan, whose true name is Longyan, is a member of the divine race and the wife of Longtian. She was once the most respected priestess in the divine realm, with immense foresight and sealing powers. However, during a critical meeting concerning the fate of both the divine and mortal worlds, she witnessed her husband Longtian being framed and ultimately cast into the mortal realm. In that moment, her world nearly collapsed.

"Longtian..." Shiyan murmured his name softly, a hint of pain flickering in her eyes. She knew that no matter the cost, she could not stand idly by. Thus, she made the decision to sever ties with the divine realm—she sealed away most of her divine powers and descended to the mortal realm to search for Longtian's reincarnation.

Over the years, she has hidden her true identity under the name "Shiyan," becoming a teacher at the Academy of Heavenly Mechanics. She has integrated herself into mortal life, appearing to be an ordinary priestess while secretly searching for the reincarnation of Longtian.

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Since the confrontation at the Hall of Heavenly Justice, Tianming has been constantly contemplating the powers he unexpectedly awakened and the mysterious fragments of memory that accompany them. He vaguely feels that this power does not belong to him, yet there is a deep connection between them. In order to avoid drawing attention to his abnormalities, he has been intentionally keeping a low profile, focusing on his studies and cultivation.

However, none of this has escaped Shiyan's keen eyes. As a teacher at the Academy of Heavenly Mechanics, she has a profound understanding of each student's abilities and performances, and Tianming's unusual behavior has caught her special attention. The sinister aura that erupted within the Hall of Heavenly Justice, along with the power Tianming displayed, made Shiyan uneasy.

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A few days later, Shiyan arranged a special training session for her students—a traditional event at the Academy designed to cultivate the students' ability to react and work as a team. Today's challenge was to break one of the Academy's most complex formations—the Divine Extermination Formation.

The Divine Extermination Formation is renowned for its difficulty. It is not only complex but also contains powerful offensive capabilities. Once trapped within the formation, one must rely on both wisdom and strength to escape. Most students would feel immense pressure when facing such a formation, often unable to complete it.

"Today's challenge is the Divine Extermination Formation," Shiyan said with a serious tone, standing before her students. "It is one of the most intricate formations in the Academy. It simulates the battlefield environment of the ancient gods and demons war, and you must find and exploit the formation's weaknesses within a limited time."

The students exchanged glances, some showing hesitation, while others were eager to take on the challenge. Tianming stood in the group, quietly observing the formation, his mind calculating the method to break it.

"You have one hour. Begin now." Shiyan gave the order, her gaze lingering on Tianming for a moment, filled with deep contemplation. She knew how difficult this formation was. Even she, as a priestess, would need to approach it with caution. Whether Tianming, as a newcomer, could break the formation would be a tremendous test for him.

As the order was given, the students moved into the formation. Some acted alone, others formed teams, trying to find a flaw in the Divine Extermination Formation. The formation began to activate, and various illusions and traps appeared, overwhelming their senses.

Tianming moved forward steadily, his eyes scanning the surroundings, trying to find clues among the intricate illusions and the operation of the formation. The pressure of the Divine Extermination Formation steadily increased, and the environment around him grew more treacherous. Suddenly, a storm of swords appeared before him, countless sword shadows falling from the sky, aiming for his vital points.

"This formation... Could it be..." Tianming's heart skipped a beat. The scene before him bore an uncanny resemblance to certain fragments of memory in his mind. Instinctively, he swung his sword, not using any technique taught at the Academy, but an ancient and mysterious sword style—Sword Rain.

As Tianming swung his sword, countless sword shadows erupted like raindrops from the tip of his blade, directly meeting the sword storm of the Divine Extermination Formation. The clash between the sword rains erupted with earth-shaking explosions, causing the entire formation to shake.

Shiyan, standing outside the formation, watched in astonishment. She clearly recognized the sword technique Tianming was using. It was not an ordinary sword technique of the mortal realm, but a move she was extremely familiar with—Longtian's signature Sword Rain.

"This is impossible..." Shiyan's heart raced. Longtian had once been one of the strongest swordsmen in the divine realm, his swordplay incredibly sharp, and Sword Rain was one of his most frequently used killing moves. But Longtian had already reincarnated, and this sword technique should not appear in the mortal realm, let alone in the hands of a mortal.

Tianming was fully immersed in the swordplay, his body seemingly guided by memories, moving as if he had practiced countless times. Sword energy rained down in torrents, fiercely clashing with the sword storm within the formation. Gradually, he felt the sword growing heavier in his hand, and a headache seized him once more, as if something was trying to break through the seal in his heart.

"This feeling... Could it be... memories from my past life?" Tianming wondered, his mind in turmoil. He felt an intense resonance with some force, one that was identical to the sinister energy he had unleashed at the Hall of Heavenly Justice.

Shiyan, unable to maintain her calm any longer, quickly moved to the edge of the formation, her eyes fixed on Tianming's every movement. Her doubts grew deeper, and she began to sense that this student might be deeply connected to Longtian.

Tianming ultimately used Sword Rain to break through the offensive of the Divine Extermination Formation. The formation began to crack, and with his final sword strike, the entire formation collapsed and vanished into the air. Tianming collapsed to his knees, sweat covering his forehead, his eyes still filled with confusion.

"Tianming, well done." Shiyan quickly approached, her voice trembling slightly, though she tried to hide it. "How did you do that?"

Tianming looked up at Shiyan, a trace of bewilderment in his eyes. "Teacher Shiyan, I... I don't know. It felt as if something was guiding me in my mind, and I just followed that feeling."

Shiyan's heart skipped a beat. This matched her suspicions perfectly. She forced herself to remain calm and asked, "The sword technique you used... it doesn't seem like anything taught at the Academy. Do you remember where that swordplay came from?"

Tianming furrowed his brow, trying to recall what had happened, but the memory was as elusive as smoke. He shook his head. "I can't remember, Teacher Shiyan... I feel like I've seen that sword technique before, but I can't be sure."

Shiyan fell into deep thought. Everything seemed to point to one possibility—Tianming was the reincarnation of Longtian, the very answer she had been searching for. However, she needed more evidence to confirm this.

"Tianming, you did well." Shiyan's voice softened, her gaze filled with a hint of expectation and concern. "Perhaps some memories are hidden deep inside you. With time, they will slowly surface."

Tianming nodded. Although his heart was still full of questions, he trusted Teacher Shiyan's words. He stood up, respectfully bowing to her. "Thank you for your guidance, I will continue to work hard."

"You are a special child, Tianming," Shiyan smiled, a trace of expectation and worry in her eyes. "Remember, no matter what happens, hold fast to your beliefs. Those lost memories will guide you to the answers when the time is right."

Tianming nodded and quietly left the secret room. His figure appeared somewhat lonely under the moonlight, yet it revealed a sense of unwavering strength.

Shiyan stood in place, watching him leave, her thoughts in turmoil. Deep within her heart, a strong emotion surged—both the hope of reclaiming what was lost and the anxiety about the future.

"Longtian, if you have really reincarnated as him, this time, I will not let you fight alone." Shiyan whispered to herself, her eyes flashing with determination. She knew the real challenge was only just beginning, and she would stay by Tianming's side until he regained all his memories and confronted his fate. As night fell, the Academy's courtyard, bathed in the soft breeze, looked even more serene. The silver moonlight illuminated the ancient stone path, casting a mysterious and blurred glow. Shiyan walked alone down this familiar road, yet her heart was tumultuous due to the recent discovery in the secret room.

"Tianming... Longtian... Is this the will of destiny, or just a mere coincidence?" she pondered in silence, recalling the Sword Rain Tianming had performed during the breaking of the formation. That technique, so familiar to her, was almost identical to Longtian's.

Shiyan quickened her pace. She needed to calm down and sort through everything. She decided to return to her quarters and carefully plan her next move. However, that growing unease within her only grew stronger, as if something was about to be uncovered.

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After returning to his dormitory, Tianming was still plagued by a headache. He sat

cross-legged, trying to meditate, but his thoughts were a swirl of confusion. The sword technique, the strange memories, and the hints that had surfaced earlier in the formation... everything seemed connected. But how?

Tianming closed his eyes, breathing steadily. He calmed his mind, trying to clear the fog clouding his thoughts. At that moment, an intense pain surged through his head, and memories flooded his consciousness like a river bursting its banks.

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Fragmented images flashed before his eyes. A man wielding a sword, his eyes fierce and determined, slashing through countless enemies in an ancient battlefield. A woman, her face radiant but filled with sorrow, watching from afar as the man she loved fell to the ground, blood staining the earth. The words "Longtian" and "Longyan" echoed in his mind like a chant.

Tianming gasped, his eyes flying open, sweat dripping down his face. The world around him seemed blurry, the remnants of those memories slipping away like fleeting dreams.

"Longtian..." he whispered hoarsely. He had seen it. The truth was starting to unravel, and a new chapter of his life had just begun.