Chapter 7: The Unseen Path

Yi Zhen and Xiao Wei's Reunion with Yao Zhen

Months had passed since Yi Zhen and Xiao Wei's escape from the Black Veil Hollow, but the memory of that night still clung to Yi Zhen's mind. The harrowing battles, the bitter realization of how fragile they were in the face of their enemies—it had been a long journey to reach this moment. But tonight, their path was taking another unexpected turn.

"Yao Zhen..." Yi Zhen whispered, his eyes scanning the trees around them. The two had been traveling under the cover of darkness when, out of nowhere, a figure materialized before them—Yao Zhen, like a shadow borne of the night.

The reunion was almost surreal. Yi Zhen had spent months fearing the worst, wondering if they'd ever escape the pursuit of the Silent Wraiths. Yet here was Yao Zhen, just as strong and unshaken as ever. When Yao Zhen's eyes landed on them, his entire demeanor shifted, a smile tugging at the edges of his mouth.

"Yi Zhen, Xiao Wei," Yao Zhen spoke, his voice filled with a quiet delight. "I thought I'd lost you both."

Yi Zhen's heart eased at the sight of his foster father, but there was little time for emotional exchanges. Yao Zhen had sensed something was wrong, and Yi Zhen could see the tension in his eyes.

They quickly began their journey. Yao Zhen, always the pragmatic one, guided them to a nearby town, where the famous alchemist Fei Xuan lived—a place where both Yi Zhen and Xiao Wei could heal their wounds.

The Doctor's Visit: Fei Xuan's Clinic

Fei Xuan's clinic was unlike any Yi Zhen had ever seen. The walls were lined with shelves of rare herbs, and the air hummed with spiritual energy. The renowned alchemist, a middle-aged man with an air of quiet authority, greeted them warmly.

"Yao Zhen, Yi Zhen, Xiao Wei. It's been a long time," Fei Xuan said, his eyes flickering with curiosity at the sight of Yi Zhen, who had grown even more mysterious since their last meeting.

Yi Zhen and Xiao Wei underwent treatments, but as the hours passed, Yi Zhen recounted his harrowing experiences at the Silent Wraiths' hideout to Yao Zhen, his voice steady despite the weight of the memories. He told his foster father of the mysterious backer, a figure cloaked in shadow and deception. The source of the Silent Wraiths' newfound power—their cultivation techniques, their rise to dominance—everything came from that veiled person.

Yao Zhen listened intently, his face betraying nothing, but his mind was clearly racing. "And you never saw his face?" Yao Zhen asked, his voice low.

Yi Zhen shook his head. "He wore a veil, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't see past it. He could disguise himself and extract information from prisoners... but for some reason, I couldn't be swayed. Something in me resisted him."

Yao Zhen's frown deepened. "And what do you think he wanted with you, Yi Zhen?"

Yi Zhen hesitated. "I don't know. But I have a feeling it's tied to the seal on my forehead."

At this, Yao Zhen's eyes widened. He leaned forward, his voice dropping. "The seal... is it still there?"

Yi Zhen's hand instinctively moved to his forehead, but his fingers met only smooth skin. The seal was gone.

Yao Zhen's face went pale, his breath catching in his throat. "What... what happened?" His voice cracked with emotion. "How? How could it just vanish?"

Yi Zhen could see the horror in his foster father's eyes as he inspected him. But what stunned Yao Zhen even more was when he examined Yi Zhen's cultivation.

"Qi Tempering... Fifth layer?" Yao Zhen muttered, disbelief etched on his face. "At your age, at this stage of your life, you... you're already this strong?"

Yi Zhen's thoughts raced. A year ago, he couldn't even cultivate. And now, here he was, a Qi Tempering fifth-layer cultivator, something that was almost unheard of for someone so young. It didn't make sense.

Yao Zhen stood there, silently digesting this revelation. "When I was your age, I was only at the third stage of Qi Tempering. This... this is beyond anything I've seen before."

Yi Zhen couldn't hide his confusion. "I don't understand it either. There's something inside me, something... beyond ordinary cultivation. It's this technique, the Primordial Origin Sutra. It's... changing everything. I can feel it, like it's awakening me."

Yao Zhen listened as Yi Zhen explained the full extent of the Primordial Origin Sutra. Despite his joy for his son's growth, Yao Zhen could feel the tension rising in his chest. He didn't know this technique, and that uncertainty gnawed at him.

"Yi Zhen," Yao Zhen said carefully, "tell me everything about this technique. I need to understand it."

Yi Zhen detailed everything he knew about the Sutra, trying to reassure his father. The more he explained, the more Yao Zhen's expression darkened. The Sutra was not something from their world—it felt... ancient. Alien.

Fei Xuan, having overheard their conversation, smiled meaningfully at Yi Zhen's revelations. He said nothing, but his quiet understanding left Yi Zhen with the sense that the alchemist knew more than he let on.

Silent Wraiths Pursue

Back in Black Veil Hollow, the three masters—Gui Wang, He Qing, and the mysterious backer—returned to find their lair in ruins. Spirit formations, expertly set by Xiao Wei, had disrupted everything. They immediately knew who was responsible.

Gui Wang's eyes flared with fury. "That brat—Xiao Wei! He's the one who did this."

He Qing, equally livid, clenched his fists. "This is all because of them—Yi Zhen and Xiao Wei. They've led us into a trap."

But the backer was unphased, his lips curling into a smile. "It doesn't matter. I always had contingencies in place."

As the backer examined the aftermath, his face turned to stone. He had tried to track Yi Zhen's mind, as he had done with countless others. But this time... he was met with resistance.

"Impossible," the backer hissed, his heart sinking. "Why can't I track him?"

The tracker, an intricate tool designed to latch onto a target's mind, had failed. But it wasn't just failure—it was complete erasure. Yi Zhen had somehow wiped away the tracker, leaving no trace.

Gui Wang and He Qing exchanged glances. In their minds, they laughed at the backer's frustration. "Looks like your plans just hit a roadblock," Gui Wang thought, amused by the failure.

The backer seethed but said nothing, knowing that for now, their pursuit of Yi Zhen was back to square one.

Yue Lingxiao's Journey

As for Yue Lingxiao, after parting from Yi Zhen, she traveled to Thunder Clap Union, a place where lightning cultivators thrived. She had heard whispers of a strange prophecy that spoke of her origin.

In a remote village that once served as a commerce hub, she uncovered her past. The villagers spoke of a mysterious group of people who had wiped out the entire village nine years ago, anticipating the birth of a girl. Yue Lingxiao knew immediately that the girl was her.

As she wandered through the now-thriving village, she couldn't shake the sense that she was being pulled into something larger than herself. The village, once rundown, had been transformed by the newcomers—strangers who had arrived just five years ago.

Her heart ached as she pieced together the mystery of her past. The group had come for her, but for reasons unknown, they had arrived too early. The villagers' accounts confirmed her worst fear—she was the girl they had been waiting for. But why? And why had they wiped the village off the map?