Accepting the Legacy

"Empress..." The unfamiliar term made Bai Qianshuang hesitate for a moment.

"Luo Xuan Empress?" Ye Chuan, standing beside her, was momentarily stunned. For some reason, the name carried an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

"Common folk only know of the ten realms of cultivation—Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Crystallization, Golden Core... Enlightenment, Great Ascension, Tribulation Transcendence, and Ascension..." Su Qinghan spoke calmly,

"But none know what lies beyond Ascension."

"And the Luo Xuan Empress is the supreme sovereign who stands above even those who have ascended."

"The Jade Void Sect was once a celestial-born immortal clan... but due to certain circumstances, it has declined to this state." Su Qinghan continued, "Though we have inherited legacies spanning countless millennia, we descendants no longer remember the events of those ancient times."

"Yet, we still preserve the inheritance of the Luo Xuan Empress."

"And this is the Jade Void Sect’s greatest secret."

As Su Qinghan finished speaking, she raised her hand and lightly waved her sleeve, sending ripples of pale gold spreading outward. The ripples ignored spatial barriers, instantly expanding across the entire dome of the secret realm.

The starlight embedded in the icy jade suddenly brightened, and countless thin strands of light rained down from the dome like a meteor shower, converging in her palm and gradually condensing into a radiant seal roughly three feet in size.

The moment the seal appeared, the temperature of the entire secret realm plummeted, as though space itself had frozen. Spiderweb-like patterns of frost spread across the jade floor, each vein shimmering with ancient runes.

The seal’s base was a deep, dark blue—like a compressed galaxy—while its surface swirled with layers of golden patterns. These patterns did not form ordinary runes but instead outlined the faint silhouette of a woman.

The figure wore an imperial robe adorned with frost motifs and a crown hung with dangling pearls. Though her face was indistinct, an aura of overwhelming majesty radiated from her, as though a mere lift of her hand could freeze the sun, moon, and stars.

The moment the silhouette appeared, her gaze fell upon Ye Chuan and Bai Qianshuang—so piercing it felt as though it could freeze their very souls.

Yet, for some reason, the phantom lingered a moment longer on Ye Chuan.

"This is the inheritance of the Luo Xuan Empress. For ten thousand years, no one has succeeded in inheriting its power."

Su Qinghan’s voice carried reverence, her spectral form slightly distorted under the seal’s oppressive might. "But Qianshuang, you are different. You are the Jade Void Sect’s last Holy Maiden, the favored child of Heaven’s Dao, and the master of the Innate Dao Body."

"Without question, you are the most gifted disciple the sect has seen in all these years."

Bai Qianshuang stared at the seal. The aura emanating from it felt like the very origin of all frost power, causing the spiritual sword in her hand to tremble uncontrollably, humming as if in worship.

Su Qinghan’s remnant gaze rested on her, filled with expectation.

"Will you accept it?"

Without the slightest hesitation, Bai Qianshuang tightened her grip on her sword and stepped forward.

"For the Jade Void Sect, for my master, for all those who have perished—I will!"

Ye Chuan stood silently to the side. Faced with this situation, he knew he could not make this decision for her.

He could sense the terrifying power within the seal—far surpassing any realm he had ever encountered. Even its residual pressure weighed heavily on his soul. Just this alone would drive the cultivators of the Tianxuan Continent to madness.

"Good." Su Qinghan’s remnant nodded and pushed the seal toward Bai Qianshuang.

The seal rotated slowly in midair, its golden patterns growing increasingly radiant. The woman’s silhouette became clearer, the frost motifs on her robe flowing as though alive.

The moment the seal touched Bai Qianshuang’s forehead, she let out a muffled groan, her body shuddering violently.

Countless strands of gold and dark blue light surged from the seal into her brow, coursing wildly through her meridians.

The light carried an extreme coldness, yet it also contained an overbearing immortal essence. Wherever it passed, her meridians were forcibly expanded, her spiritual energy shattered and then purified, reforged into something far more potent.

The violent impact on her soul caused blood to seep from Bai Qianshuang’s seven orifices, yet she clenched her teeth, refusing to yield.

Ye Chuan watched with aching heart but did not interfere, silently standing guard.

An immeasurable time later, the seal’s glow began to fade, its golden patterns dimming. The woman’s silhouette dissolved back into threads of light, merging into Bai Qianshuang’s body.

Just as the final wisp entered her brow, Ye Chuan faintly heard a sigh—then, with a resonant hum, the seal shattered into motes of light, vanishing into the secret realm.

Bai Qianshuang slowly opened her eyes, a fleeting glimmer of gold and dark blue flashing within them before settling into calm.

Her aura had transformed entirely. Having broken through from Half-Step Enlightenment to full Enlightenment, her ice-attribute spiritual energy had condensed further, now carrying a faint trace of immortal essence.

She flicked her wrist, releasing a pale blue sword beam. Where it passed, space froze into a hairline fracture before slowly mending.

Her body swayed unsteadily.

"Qianshuang!" Ye Chuan rushed forward, catching her before she could collapse.

Bai Qianshuang smiled weakly. "Ye Chuan... I succeeded..."

Su Qinghan’s remnant gazed at her with a gratified smile, her form growing fainter.

"You have not disappointed me, Qianshuang. From now on, the path is yours to walk... Remember, inheritance is not just power—it is responsibility."

"The Jade Void Sect..."

"...is yours."

With those final words, the remnant dissipated entirely, leaving only a faint fragrance lingering in the air.

Bai Qianshuang stood motionless for a long moment before dropping to her knees and kowtowing three times in the direction where Su Qinghan had vanished.

"The inheritance of an Empress... quite something," Ye Chuan remarked from the side.

Bai Qianshuang rose slowly, silent, her gaze fixed on her palm.

"You’ve reached Enlightenment. Any changes?" Ye Chuan asked.

"My body and soul have been tempered, and I’ve acquired a legacy cultivation method..." she murmured. "The Luo Xuan Empress was the supreme sovereign of ice-attribute power."

"Freezing time and space... incredibly strong..."

As the master of the Innate Dao Body, Bai Qianshuang could wield spiritual energy of all attributes, making her perfectly suited to inherit this ice-based legacy.

"Ice attribute, huh? Just like Luo Xi," Ye Chuan chuckled. "No matter. When Luo Xi trains later, see if you can teach her some of this legacy too."

"If she’s willing," Bai Qianshuang replied softly.

She had no intention of hoarding this inheritance. If possible...

Even Lan Xiaoke could share in it.

After all, she too was part of the Jade Void Sect.

Though Bai Qianshuang doubted Lan Xiaoke would be interested in learning it...

"Let’s go." Ye Chuan glanced around. Perhaps because Bai Qianshuang had inherited the legacy, the surrounding light was dimming rapidly, as though drained of energy.