Severing Ties: The Sect Regrets My Departure

“That Violet Palace you obtained has fueled the continuous growth of your Divine Soul. While this is a fortuitous encounter, you must tread carefully. If your soul expands too rapidly, you risk suffering a Divine Soul Rupture.”

Cloud Firmament City. The City Lord’s Mansion.

In a secluded backyard garden blooming with a hundred varieties of flowers, Sang Shoudao and Gu Xiu sat opposite each other.

After leaving Dongshan Mansion, Gu Xiu had come straight here. His primary purpose was to pay his respects to this old Senior who had protected his path; his secondary purpose was to gift him the rare spirit herbs harvested from Falling Rain Valley.

Sang Shoudao was over three thousand years old. In his early years, he had suffered too many injuries, severing his path forward. He should have withered away, but the “Soul Returning to the Violet Palace” had granted him a miraculous second wind, allowing him to glimpse the road ahead once more.

However, the damage to his physical body remained. Gu Xiu wanted to help him recover.

Sang Shoudao did not refuse the gesture. Instead, he took the opportunity to lecture Gu Xiu on the mysteries of the soul.

“Divine Soul Rupture?” Gu Xiu asked.

“The more one understands the power of the soul, the more one fears it,” Sang Shoudao said, his expression grave. “When the Divine Soul becomes strong enough, one gains spiritual communion—the ability to glimpse a corner of the Heavenly Secrets.”

Gu Xiu nodded. He understood. He had severed his own soul five times to erase his name from the world; glimpsing the secrets of heaven didn’t seem too far-fetched.

“But what is this ‘Rupture’ you speak of, Senior?”

“Sudden growth requires time to stabilize and fuse. If, before this fusion is complete, you suddenly glimpse the Heavenly Secrets… and a part of your soul cannot accept the truth it sees, it will tear itself apart.” Sang Shoudao glanced meaningfully at Gu Xiu. “The Valley Master of the Valley of Ten Thousand Puppets in Azure Mystic likely suffers from this.”

“Is it like an Inner Demon?”

” The Divine Soul and Inner Demons are fundamentally different. Do not conflate them,” Sang Shoudao corrected. “Your soul growth is steady, so normally this wouldn’t be a risk. But you must remain vigilant.”

Gu Xiu made a mental note. “If a Divine Soul Rupture occurs, is there a cure?”

“That is the biggest difference.” Sang Shoudao shook his head slowly. “For a Rupture… there is no cure.”

Gu Xiu fell silent, a chill running through him.

Cultivation was truly like a million soldiers fighting to cross a single log bridge. It was a perilous road, especially for those without the guidance of a powerful sect. Having a predecessor like Sang Shoudao to point out the pitfalls was a blessing.

“You didn’t leave immediately with Lu Dongshan. Are you planning to construct your fourth Dao Platform?” Sang Shoudao asked.

“I am.”

Gu Xiu’s third Dao Platform was already perfect, thanks to the vast resources from Falling Rain Valley. He had delayed his departure specifically to forge the fourth foundation here in the safety of Cloud Firmament City.

“The Dao Platform is the key to the carp leaping over the Dragon Gate. Its influence spans every subsequent realm—Mahayana, Ascension to Immortal, and perhaps even higher. You must treat it with gravity.”

Sang Shoudao pondered for a moment, then looked up sharply. “The Violet Palace still hovers above your Dao Platforms. Can you activate it?”

“I cannot,” Gu Xiu shook his head.

Suddenly, a brilliant purple light erupted from Sang Shoudao’s eyes.

Whoosh!

Gu Xiu felt a massive suction force explode from the Violet Palace suspended in his Dantian.

“Senior, stop!” Gu Xiu shouted, alarmed.

He realized what the old man was doing—Sang Shoudao was using his own Divine Soul as a tether to forcibly agitate the Violet Palace.

“Ignore me!” Sang Shoudao barked, sweat beading on his forehead. “Seize this chance! See if you can borrow the power of the Violet Palace to forge your platform!”

Gu Xiu was stunned. The old man was burning his own soul to feed the Violet Palace, just to open a backdoor for Gu Xiu’s cultivation.

Gritting his teeth, Gu Xiu didn’t dare waste a second of the old man’s sacrifice. He instantly sank his consciousness into his Dantian.

Sang Shoudao was powerful. Under the nourishment of his soul, the tightly shut gates of the Violet Palace creaked open just a fraction.

“The Violet Palace has form but no substance, yet it can capture all souls in the world. That is its essence,” Sang Shoudao’s strained voice echoed in Gu Xiu’s mind. “You cannot refine it, but you can build your foundation in its shadow. Use the suction!”

Gu Xiu moved.

He began to channel rivers of Spiritual Qi, slamming them toward the location of the fourth Dao Platform. He didn’t hold back.

With the Divine Record of Artifact Forging guiding him, his speed was terrifying.

Boom!

Spiritual Qi converged on the Immortal Gate Chessboard like a storm. Gu Xiu dumped piles of heavenly treasures from his storage, using the “Shattering Dust, Gathering Dust” technique to pulverize and absorb them instantly.

This was the conventional method. But this time, something was different.

As the platform slowly took shape, the ancient, purple aura leaking from the Violet Palace seeped into the materials.

Finally!

When the energy reached critical mass, Gu Xiu roared mentally: “RISE!”

Rumble!

The spiritual sea in his Dantian churned, waves crashing over his previous three platforms. And from the depths of that chaos…

A brand new Dao Platform rose from the seabed!

It was merely an embryo, not yet fully solidified, but it had taken root. It was stable.

Normally, a cultivator would spend the next few hours solidifying it. But Gu Xiu snapped his eyes open, shouting, “Senior, it is done!”

Sang Shoudao nodded and immediately withdrew his soul power.

His face was pale, his aura dim. He sat with his eyes closed for a long time, regulating his breath. When he finally opened his eyes and saw Gu Xiu’s anxious expression, he smiled weakly.

“Relax. This old man’s soul is tougher than you think. I’m fine.”

Seeing the guilt still lingering on Gu Xiu’s face, Sang Shoudao added softly, “My soul survived only because of you. Without your past aid, there would be no present outcome. We are even.”

“If you want to say thank you, save your breath and drink some wine with me instead.”

Gu Xiu fell silent.

He swallowed the words of gratitude. Instead, he stood up, clasped his hands together, and bowed deeply—a bow of a Junior to a respected Senior.

First, he severed his own soul to save Gu Xiu. Now, he used his soul as bait to help Gu Xiu forge his path.

This debt was etched into his bones.

Gu Xiu sat down, poured two cups of wine, and raised his glass under the canopy of stars.

That night, the two men talked of many things.

They spoke of joy, of pain, of old regrets and new hopes. Every story became a side dish for the wine. The turbulent emotions of the past were washed away, leaving only the calm acceptance of the present.

How many events of ancient and modern times are all paid off in laughter.

While Gu Xiu and Sang Shoudao enjoyed their peaceful drink, a scene of horror was unfolding at the Azure Mystic Sacred Land.

Nian Zhaoxi was walking out of the Valley of Ten Thousand Puppets.

She moved like a corpse, her eyes hollow and lifeless, her soul seemingly ripped from her body.

Step. Step. Step.

Her feet dragged heavily against the stone path.

Around her, the sect was in chaos. Beams of light streaked across the sky as Elders and disciples flew toward the valley.

Everyone had felt it—the terrifying, world-ending fluctuation of energy that had just erupted from the Valley of Ten Thousand Puppets. And everyone had heard that blood-curdling scream.

A group of disciples landed, rushing past her. Seeing their Senior Sister, they paused, confused.

“Senior Sister Nian? Did something happen inside?”

“Is it an enemy invasion?”

“Senior Sister?”

Nian Zhaoxi didn’t answer. She didn’t even blink. she just kept walking, staring blankly ahead.

Confused, some disciples hurried past her to investigate the valley. But others, sharper-eyed, froze as they looked at her right hand.

Their pupils contracted.

In her right hand, Nian Zhaoxi was clutching a severed arm.

It was slender, pale, and dripping with fresh, warm blood.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

A moment later, the disciples who had rushed ahead came flying back, their faces pale with horror. They surrounded her, blocking her path.

“Senior Sister! What have you done?!”

“That… that is Sixth Junior Sister’s arm!”

“Are you insane? How could you attack your own Junior Sister?”

“Sixth Sister is unconscious! Her arm… you used a forbidden technique to sever it! It can never be regrown! You crippled her!”

The accusations rained down on her like arrows. Screams of disbelief, anger, and fear echoed through the night.

But Nian Zhaoxi remained deaf to it all.

She stood there like a broken marionette, clutching the bloody limb of her martial sister.

Silently, she stepped around them, leaving a trail of red droplets on the pristine white stone, walking slowly toward the Sect’s main hall.