Hooked on Fate, Captivated by Heart

As I made my way toward the stone steps, people began noticing me; some pointed and whispered among themselves.

"Isn't that the woman who drove away Xue Er and his gang in town this morning?" a bearded middle-aged man murmured softly, his eyes laced with apprehension.

"Indeed, they say her swordsmanship is astounding—she subdued three foes with a single move," another pale-faced youth responded, his gaze filled with reverence.

"Truly a remarkable technique, as swift as lightning," a third person added, mimicking the way I had drawn my sword.

Amid the murmurs, I calmly walked toward the stone steps. I closed my eyes, steadying my breath, and sensed the flow of inner energy within. For sixteen years, my father had taught me not only swordsmanship but also a corresponding cultivation method. Although he claimed that the technique was incomplete, it was enough to support my early training. My inner energy flowed within me like a gently murmuring stream.

From behind, Su Li's quiet words of encouragement reached me: "Sister Wei, you can definitely do it!" Her voice quavered with both excitement and nervousness—not only out of concern for me but also from the lingering excitement of her own recent success. Though we had only met for a day, this girl had already come to depend on me, and her sincerity warmed my heart.

As my inner energy began to form a steady circulation within me, a wondrous feeling surged through my heart. I could almost see the energy flowing along the stone steps like invisible rivers, interweaving into a network—both beautiful and mysterious.

Opening my eyes, I no longer hesitated and stepped onto the first stone step.

The runes on the stone step burst forth in dazzling light—brighter than any light seen when others ascended—like a tiny sun illuminating the surrounding space. People raised their hands to shield their eyes, exclaiming in astonishment. I felt a warm force surge up from beneath my feet, resonating with my inner energy to create a wondrous harmony.

Before the crowd could even cry out, I had ascended to the second, then the third step—each step as smooth and effortless as walking on flat ground, as if these stone steps were made just for me. By the seventh, eighth, and ninth steps, the flow of my inner energy quickened, as though guided upward by unseen hands. My sleeves billowed in the wind, and my hair danced lightly, merging with the world around me as I entered an extraordinary realm.

Upon reaching the ninth step, I sensed a shift in the trial of the stone steps. The scene before me blurred, and in an instant, I found myself in an unfamiliar forest. Towering ancient trees blocked out the sky, and sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves, casting mottled shadows. A decaying odor pervaded the air, instilling unease.

"Where is this...?" I murmured quietly, a surge of vigilance rising within.

Suddenly, a dark figure darted from behind a tree—it was the man who had killed my father that day! Instinctively, I drew my sword, only to find my waist bare. The shadow gradually came into focus, revealing a blurred face that remained indiscernible.

"Wei Lingwei, do you truly believe you can uncover the truth..." the dark figure intoned ghostly, its voice echoing from all directions, "Your father deserved his fate, and your mother abandoned you long ago..."

A sharp pain stabbed my heart, as anger and sorrow surged within me. The dark figure's words were like a sharp blade, cutting straight into the tenderest parts of my soul.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm.

Seeing that I remained unmoved, the dark figure shifted its form, transforming into the likeness of my father! Clad in that familiar plain daoist robe, his expression was gentle, yet his chest was stained with blood—a sight both shocking and heart-wrenching.

"Lingwei..." the apparition of my father reached out to me, his eyes filled with disappointment, "Why couldn't you save me? Why did you let me face death alone?"

My heart panged sharply, and my hands began to tremble uncontrollably. His words hit me like a heavy blow, striking at the deepest recesses of my guilt. That night, I lost consciousness; when I awoke, my father was already gone—I hadn't even witnessed his final moments...

No, this cannot be real. My father would never cast blame upon me.

"You are not my father," I stated firmly, staring directly at him.

The apparition distorted and dissipated into a wisp of dark mist. Yet more visions followed in quick succession—my mother's figure, a vague face I had never seen but had imagined countless times in my dreams, her long hair drifting as she receded into the distance; I cried out to her, yet my legs felt weighted as if made of lead, unable to move even a step forward; then the village children mocking me, gathering around, pointing and shouting, "Born of a mother but raised without one"… "Wild child without a mother"; and the disciples at the pinnacle of the Tianyan Sect's stone steps, sneering that I did not deserve to enter the realm of immortality...

Each vision sought to break my will, stirring fear and anger within me. In this illusory realm, time seemed to stretch endlessly—I lost all sense of how long I wandered, feeling only that my resolve was gradually being eroded.

Just as I was on the brink of despair, a sudden warmth emanated from my waist. It turned out that the azure sword sheath my father had left suddenly exuded heat.

The sword sheath was like a beacon, dispelling the fog in my heart. I gradually understood that this illusion, just as a sheath cradles its blade, this vision was meant not to erase my emotions but to teach me how to face, accept, and master them.

I halted my wandering stone steps, closed my eyes, and listened to the turmoil within. Fear, anger, sorrow, and unease—tangled like a knotted mess. Yet I no longer tried to suppress them; instead, I acknowledged their presence, embraced them, and learned to coexist with them.

"I may fear abandonment, yet I refuse to let that terror rule me."

"I am furious over my father's death, yet that anger shall drive me forward, not hold me back."

"I grieve over solitude, but this sorrow deepens my appreciation for the hard-won bonds of friendship."

With every self-affirming word, my heart grew calmer—like a lake settling after a storm. When I opened my eyes again, the visions had vanished, replaced by the serene expanse of a tranquil lake. Its surface was mirror-like, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds in breathtaking beauty.

I saw, at the center of the lake, a sword floating—it was my father's azure blade. It lay silently upon the water, its edge shimmering with a ghostly blue light, as if beckoning me.

Without hesitation, I stepped into the lake, yet the surface remained as unyielding as solid ground. With each step, ripples emanated, though my clothes remained dry. When I reached the sword and bent to pick it up, a mysterious force surged from it into my very being.

In that instant, I realized: this was my final trial—and the greatest gift.

The moment the sword came into my hand, countless memories flooded my mind, as if long-sealed recollections had been unleashed. I saw the figure of my father practicing his swordplay, the determination and tenderness in his eyes, and... a vague silhouette of a woman, her back turned toward us, her hair cascading like a waterfall. Could that be my mother?

Before I could ponder further, the illusion shattered, and I found myself standing once again on the stone steps, the sword sheath at my waist in hand. Yet now, something had changed within the sheath; a faint azure light flowed subtly between the blade and its cover.

"Tenth level... Eleventh level..." the exclamations from the crowd brought me back to reality. Only then did I realize that, without my noticing, I had ascended to the eleventh stone step.

At the forefront of the crowd, Su Li cheered, nearly leaping with joy, her hands clasped tightly over her chest as she whispered like in prayer, "Keep going, Sister Wei, you can do it!" Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and her expression was even more elated than when I reached the twelfth step. Many in the crowd cast dubious glances, but she paid them no mind, wholly intent on cheering me on.

I continued upward, each step feeling even easier than the last. The twelfth, the thirteenth... I sensed that the circulation of my inner energy had discovered a new pathway—more fluid and harmonious than ever before.

The fourteenth, the fifteenth... I had reached the very height where Ye Ming had once stagnated, yet I did not pause.

"Is she about to break through the fifteenth level?" a murmur of astonishment arose from below the stone steps.

"Whose disciple could this be? Such innate talent indeed!"

Within the crowd, Ye Ming's demeanor had shifted from casual indifference at the sight of my ascent to one of solemn intensity. Standing at the forefront, his sword-like brows furrowed slightly as he fixed a piercing gaze upon me; the arrogance in his eyes gradually gave way to disbelief. When I firmly stepped onto the fifteenth level, standing on equal footing with him, his expression became instantly complex—hard to believe, tinged with irritation, yet laced with a trace of interest.

Instinctively, Ye Ming clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening—clearly not expecting that a plain-clad, unknown girl could stand shoulder to shoulder with him. His attendants exchanged glances and murmured softly, their eyes filled with incredulity and suspicion.

I paid no heed to their murmurs, focusing solely on the sensation of each step. The sixteenth, the seventeenth... My inner energy surged like a roaring river yet maintained impeccable order. It was an extraordinary state, as if I had formed a mystical resonance with the runes on the stone steps.

Upon reaching the sixteenth level, Ye Ming suddenly whispered, "Impossible..."—those two words dripping with shock and reluctant disbelief. His gaze locked onto my back, and I could sense a mixture of defeat, jealousy, incredulity, and even a hint of unwilling admiration. As I ascended to the seventeenth level, his expression transformed entirely from initial arrogance to one of intense focus, as if scrutinizing a newly emerged enigma. He even stepped forward involuntarily, as if straining to get a closer look.

Just as my foot was about to alight upon the eighteenth level, an unprecedented resistance struck. I knew this level was no longer a test of my spiritual roots or character, but a more fundamental barrier. I felt as if I stood at a boundary—one more step forward and I would trespass into a forbidden realm.

Recalling the insights gleaned from the illusion, I took a deep breath...

At last, I stepped onto the eighteenth stone step.

Below, silence reigned on the stone steps; everyone held their breath in disbelief. The first to reach the eighteenth level turned out to be an unknown girl?

Su Li was so astonished that she was at a loss for words; covering her cheeks with both hands, tears filled her eyes as she trembled with excitement. Her expression radiated incredulous joy, as though she were witnessing an inconceivable miracle—a moment so extraordinary that she dared not speak, her silent awe and pride suggesting she had just witnessed a legend in the making.

At the forefront, Ye Ming stood dumbfounded, his usually handsome face now marked by sheer shock. His attendants, forgetting all decorum, stood agape. When the brilliant light enveloped me, Ye Ming's eyes flickered with a cascade of complex emotions—initial disbelief, then a flash of irritation, followed by the intense focus of a hunter who had discovered a rare prize.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, studying me with a thoughtful gaze, a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of his lips, his eyes glimmering with an inexplicable light. Gently caressing the jade pendant at his waist, he murmured, "How interesting, truly interesting. There exists such a prodigy in this world—and one who is..." He paused, seemingly aware of his lapse, and quickly regained his composed elegance.

Yet when he looked at me again, his gaze had shifted from initial arrogance and subsequent shock to one of profound interest and complex appraisal. His look was no longer one of condescension but an equal measure of scrutiny—with even a hint of admiration shining through.

At that moment, a resounding chime suddenly echoed through the sky, reverberating in the valley. The eighteenth stone step burst forth with a radiant light, like the stone steps reaching to the heavens, piercing the clouds. I found my body enveloped in that light, as if suspended mid-air.

Within the glow, I witnessed a surreal scene: an elderly man with white hair fishing against the sky, a silver thread dangling from the clouds—not to catch fish, but people; countless cultivators, like moths drawn to a flame, racing to seize that silver line...

As the light gradually faded, I found myself once again standing on the eighteenth stone step, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. Yet the inner energy within me was more abundant than ever, and in that moment, it seemed my cultivation had advanced significantly.

I looked around and discovered that at the top of the stone steps, a few small characters were inscribed: "Understanding the Way enlightens the heart; perceiving one's nature reveals destiny." Though these words appeared simple, they brimmed with boundless mysteries. It suddenly dawned on me that the eighteenth stone step was not merely a test—it was a profound trial, with each level embodying the cultivation insights left by our forebears.

"Come down," Lin Yushuang's cool voice interrupted my thoughts. A complex emotion—one I could not quite decipher—flickered in her eyes. "The eighteenth level, unprecedented by any before; surely the Sect Leader will summon you personally soon."

I drew a deep breath and slowly descended the stone steps. With each step down, I felt a change in my inner energy, as if it resonated with the steps themselves. When I reached the ground, the crowd instinctively parted to make way for me, their eyes filled with awe and curiosity.

Standing by the roadside, Ye Ming was no longer the young master once adored by all; instead, he stepped forward toward me. He bowed slightly with graceful propriety, a charming smile playing at the corner of his lips, while his eyes shimmered with an enigmatic light.

"This young lady is truly remarkable. May I ask your name and which sect you hail from?" His voice was gentle and resonant, yet it could not hide the probing, evaluative tone within his words.

I returned his greeting calmly and replied succinctly, "Wei Lingwei, without affiliation or sect."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by my answer. After a brief silence, he smiled softly, his tone now imbued with sincerity, "If fate has brought us together as kindred spirits, I look forward to learning from you in the days to come."

I merely nodded, saying nothing more. Ye Ming's gaze lingered on me for a moment before finally falling upon the sword sheath at my waist, as he turned away in thought. Yet I could sense him glancing back from time to time, his eyes still tracking my every move.

At that moment, Su Li had pushed through the crowd and rushed to my side. Tears welled in her eyes as she trembled with excitement, stuttering, "Wei... Sister Wei!" She leapt forward, hugging me tightly with her little face pressed against my shoulder, her voice quivering with exhilaration, "Am I imagining it? The eighteenth level! You truly reached the eighteenth level! No one in the entire Tianyan Sect has ever..." She looked up, her eyes sparkling with admiration and longing, "How did you do it?"

Su Li's eyes shone with delight and adoration. "Sister Wei, you are amazing! In the history of the entire Tianyan Sect, no one has ever ascended to the eighteenth level!" She scrutinized me as though trying to see right through me, "I always knew you were extraordinary—I felt it the very first time I saw you."

"It was merely luck," I replied coolly, though my mind replayed that strange vision—Taigong fishing, using a human as bait. How strikingly similar were those words to those of the man in the black robe—could it be... that this was the unknown truth?

Why does the sword sheath left by my father possess such power? Could it be harboring secrets that I have yet to perceive?

I gripped the sword sheath at my waist tighter, silently vowing: I must uncover the truth, for this trial of the eighteenth stone step is only the beginning of my cultivation journey.

Su Li grabbed my hand, chattering excitedly, her eyes brimming with endless admiration and anticipation, her smile as pure and warm as the morning sun. "We will train together in the Tianyan Sect! Even though I am merely an inner disciple, I will surely work hard to catch up to Sister Wei!" Her voice was as joyful as a lark, ringing out crisply in the midst of the tense atmosphere.

I smiled softly, reflecting on the recent events as my gaze turned toward the towering peaks that pierced the clouds in the distance.

Tianyan Sect, here I come.