The Disappearance of Li Mo

The power of the Celestial Clan is bestowed by the heavens, descending from above as radiant auspicious light.

Suddenly.

Before the violet light could fully descend, another strange rumble echoed through the skies.

The violet light seemed to have been cleansed by chaos, as a golden thread abruptly emerged from its core, swiftly dyeing it into a dazzling, gilded hue.

"Where am I?"

Jiang Yu, enveloped in golden radiance and standing no taller than half a person's height, examined his hands—they were not those of an adult.

"The Celestial Clan shall rise!"

The reverent and admiring gazes from those around him made him stop dwelling on what he had forgotten.

The memories bestowed upon him by the Heavenly Phoenix Domain swiftly flooded his mind.

"I am now a denizen of the Celestial City, the rarest and most powerful among the Three Cities—Heaven, Earth, and Mortal. The Celestial Clan possesses a divine sword capable of summoning wind and rain, unmatched in might."

"Every fifty years, calamity befalls this realm, and it is my duty to ensure the eternal survival of the Celestial City..."

"Yet, no one in the Celestial Clan has earned the divine sword's recognition..."

Jiang Yu raised his head and saw the longsword embedded atop the grand hall of the cloud-piercing palace.

For some reason, the blade felt both foreign and familiar to him.

Could it be that he was destined to become its master?

His descent, wreathed in golden light, stirred excitement among the Celestial Clan. It had been years since such a sight had been witnessed—this signified a shift in the Celestial City's fate.

Perhaps he could be the one to draw the divine sword!

......

Within the Scroll of Rivers and Mountains, the events unfolding in the Celestial City were projected for all to see.

Through Emperor Jingtai's perspective, the onlookers could observe everything in vivid detail.

The streets of the imperial capital buzzed with excitement, the crowd even larger than during the grand Flower Festival.

"The light manifests in three colors—azure, violet, and gold. The latter signifies the greatest innate potential," Xie Xuan explained to the gathered crowd beneath the ornate canopy.

"What was your innate potential during your trial in the city?" Huang Donglai asked.

"Violet. To my knowledge, since Master Su Jun's time, Jiang Yu now holds the highest starting point within the Celestial City's trials," Xie Xuan replied.

"In the Celestial City, strength reigns supreme. That's why even I had to defer to him during my trial—infuriating, when you think about it."

"But this time will be different. He’s no longer the top-ranked rising star."

Huang Donglai, Xiao Qin, Murong Xiao, and Zhong Zhenyue exchanged glances, amusement flashing in their eyes.

In unison, they let out a series of sinister chuckles.

"Look! That light—it must be Little Bing'er, right?"

Shang Wu, sipping wine, pointed upward.

All eyes followed her gesture, countless gazes converging on the Celestial City.

A crimson meteor streaked across the heavens, dyeing the clouds in rosy hues.

"Red?"

Those familiar with the Celestial Trials were stunned—this was unprecedented.

It was like pulling a character from a gacha game that wasn’t even in the pool.

As the light reached its zenith, it resonated with the very fabric of the realm. The crimson radiance shimmered like a dust-covered gem rediscovered, transforming into a rainbow that spanned the sky.

The phenomenon sent ripples through the Scroll of Rivers and Mountains, as if the Celestial City itself was undergoing an indescribable transformation.

In comparison, Jiang Yu’s earlier display now seemed like a flickering firefly, swiftly forgotten by all inside and outside the scroll.

Before he could even attempt it, the divine sword embedded in the palace hall shot into the sky, soaring toward the heavens like a swallow returning to its nest.

Emperor Jingtai arched an eyebrow, his eyes gleaming with intensity.

Tian Miao wiped her lips, murmuring in confusion, "Strange. My mastery of fate has grown so much, yet the more I look at Little Bing'er, the worse my nausea gets."

Typically, a person’s destiny could shift, but only within limits.

How could Ying Bing’s fate have changed so drastically in just a year?

She glanced at her master, only to find the elderly woman serenely composed, as if everything was proceeding exactly as she foresaw.

"Master truly is peerless, her insight into fate unshaken even by this."

"..."

"Master?"

Tian Miao blinked, leaning closer—only to hear the steady rhythm of her master’s breathing.

Ah.

Her master had fallen asleep with her eyes open...

The radiant light descended upon the highest point of the Celestial City. Clutching the divine sword, Ying Bing’s gaze flickered with momentary confusion—she, too, was affected by the forgetting of past memories.

But not entirely.

"Have I been reborn? Yet this doesn’t seem to be the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths..."

Standing atop the palace eaves, Ying Bing swept her cool, detached gaze over the scene below.

The Celestial Clan revered strength.

Already, the people below had prostrated themselves, worshiping her as a deity descended.

"The divine sword has chosen its master! We shall obey your every command!"

"You are destined to reign supreme!"

"Henceforth, across the Three Cities, you are the chosen one! Ascend the throne and rule the Celestial City!"

The Celestial Clan seemed to glimpse a glorious future.

Outside, the spectators watching the Scroll of Rivers and Mountains were dumbfounded—the aura of the Frost Fairy was overwhelmingly domineering.

Even the civil and military officials felt an inexplicable strangeness.

It was as if, despite the Great Yu never having had an empress, they were suddenly tempted to urge Emperor Jingtai to abdicate in favor of Ying Bing’s immediate coronation.

"The divine sword..."

Ying Bing’s delicate brows furrowed slightly as she examined the blade in her hand.

A sense of familiarity washed over her.

In her mind flashed an image—a young man brandishing a wooden stick, wreaking havoc in the imperial gardens.

The moment this memory surfaced, it was like a crack in a dam. The floodgates burst open, and her recollections came rushing back.

She remembered everything that had just transpired.

With that, Ying Bing looked down and spoke softly, her voice clear as ice:

"If I command something, will you obey without question?"

"Of course!"

The Celestial Clan answered as one.

"Good. I renounce my status as a Celestial and will leave the Celestial City."

"Your wisdom is peerless—... Wait, what?"

Silence.

The entire assembly froze.

The Celestial Clan, beings of immense innate power, were now covered in metaphorical question marks, their eyes blank with bewilderment.

It was like a newly crowned emperor’s first decree being to immediately abdicate.

Who could possibly make sense of that?

The Celestial Clan was baffled. The citizens of the imperial capital were baffled. Even the Demon Summoning Sect would have been baffled.

But there was no mistake—they had heard correctly.

Clang—

Ying Bing tossed the divine sword onto the ground, then turned and leaped gracefully from the roof, striding toward the city gates.

Not a single Celestial moved to stop her.

First, if they acknowledged her as their leader, they had to obey her commands—yet her command was to relinquish her authority. But if she no longer held power, did her orders still apply?

Their brains overheated trying to unravel this paradox.

Of course, the second reason was far simpler.

Ying Bing’s innate power was beyond measure.

Stopping her?

They simply lacked the capability.

"She’s really leaving?"

"This trial is unlike any before. By abandoning her position, isn’t she crippling her own faction? What could she possibly be thinking...?"

"Wait—where is Young Master Li?"

Some time had passed, yet no one else had descended.

Ying Bing and Jiang Yu had both arrived safely in the Celestial City.

Only the top-ranked rising star, Li Mo, was missing.

After a moment’s contemplation, Emperor Jingtai decided not to wait any longer. He resolved to use the Scroll of Rivers and Mountains to search for Li Mo’s whereabouts.

The scene within the Painting of Rivers and Mountains shifted with the play of light and shadow.

After a moment, the view drifted past the ethereal Heavenly City, beyond the bustling Earthly City, and finally settled upon a desolate little village.