After three days of seclusion, several carriages slowly made their way out of Tianyue City, heading towards Heiyun Town.

  Among them was a particular carriage, towering at 7.2 meters in height and 5.4 meters in width. The carriage's sides were adorned with hanging jade beads, shimmering like precious jewels.

  The wheels were painted in bright red, with 18 spokes on each wheel, each delicately carved and even the nails displayed intricate designs.

  Two Tai Chang flags were hoisted on either side of the carriage. Each flag, woven from yellow silk threads, hung with twelve flowing ribbons. On both sides of every ribbon, a dragon was embroidered, its body coiling and twisting in the breeze.

  The surrounding guards, though slightly less grand in comparison, still exuded an air of opulence far beyond that of an ordinary noble family.

  Among them, warriors with vibrant spirits and cultivators with shining, sharp gazes kept close guard.

  “Lord Zuo, we’ll be entering Heiyun Town soon.”

  A voice spoke softly.

  After a long pause, a calm and deep voice came from within the central carriage.

  “Hmm, no rush.”

  The central carriage was bustling with activity. Sitting at the head of the group was a young man in a grey robe, his eyes half-closed and a plain face.

  Surrounding him were four beautiful women wearing thin veils, all tending to him—massaging his legs, loosening his shoulders, and offering him relaxation with gentle smiles.

  If one looked closely, the young man was not sitting on a cushion. Instead, beneath him was a full-figured woman, her limbs spread out on the floor, her back straight and her body serving as his seat.

  On either side of the group, real cushions rested on boxes, painted red and divided into twelve sections. Each section was intricately decorated with golden powder, showcasing vivid carvings of various beasts—Qilin, lions, rhinoceroses, and more—each piece coming to life with delicate detail.

  It was evident that this carriage was no ordinary one, nor was the identity of its occupants anything short of extraordinary.

  The caravan continued its journey towards Heiyun Town, positioned directly in the middle between Tianyue City and Heiyun Town.

  Suddenly, a gust of cold wind swept by, halting the caravan. The young man’s eyes snapped open, their depth like a bottomless well, betraying no emotion.

  “Guests have arrived.”

  From all corners of the caravan, sharp, piercing sounds echoed, signaling an energy fluctuation in the surroundings.

  A group of figures clad in black emerged, their murderous intent palpable as they rushed towards the convoy, intent on causing destruction.

  An ambush!

  At the Taibai Martial Academy.

  Having completed his martial arts studies for the day, Han was now reading a book when he suddenly felt a pull in his soul space.

  Something new had appeared.

  It was clear that another wish bottle had arrived, but this one was unlike the previous ones. Han had been using the wish bottles for eight or nine days now, and aside from the one he received from Luo Miaomiao, he hadn’t received any others until today.

  "Eh? This one is blue?" Han was surprised. The wish bottle floating in his soul space was blue, unlike the purple one he had encountered before.

  Aside from that, nothing else seemed different; it still held a wish note.

  The change in color likely indicated some shift in the wish bottle’s contents.

  Han pondered for a moment. He’d need to collect more bottles to draw a clearer conclusion.

  He carefully picked up the blue wish note and began reading.

  “I’m a useless person, and everyone in Zhonghuang City knows it.”

  “I’ve grown accustomed to their strange looks, the quiet ridicule. Maybe it’s what I deserve.”

  “Three years ago, I stood at the top, arrogant, looking down on everyone. Now, I understand what others felt three years ago.”

  “I was once a genius—started cultivating at twelve, became famous in Zhonghuang City by fifteen, and even gained some renown across the entire Tianbei Region.”

  “Unfortunately, three years ago, my cultivation, my power, all mysteriously disappeared. No reason, no harm done, and even though my family brought in many powerful figures, they were all helpless. It was as if the heavens took everything away from me.”

  “They now call me: the fallen genius.”

  “Oh, by the way, my family had arranged a marriage for me before I was even born. Back when I was a genius, everything was fine.”

  “But yesterday, my unseen fiancé came to annul the engagement.”

  “I’m grateful for his decision to break off the engagement, as I never wanted to marry someone I’d never even met. But the way he did it was unacceptable!”

  Han paused, a strange expression flickering across his face.

  This person… Could it be someone from the Xiao family?

  Luo Miaomiao’s wish was about her Nirvana Bone being stolen, and now this person was a fallen genius from the Xiao family.

  “The Xiao family’s reputation has been trampled underfoot. I’m furious, but I feel powerless.”

  It really is someone from the Xiao family…

  “Three years—no one knows how I’ve spent these three years. From panic and rage, I’ve finally come to accept things with calmness.”

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  “Maybe being an ordinary person isn’t so bad. Many people in my family are obsessed with cultivation, and eventually, the family’s cities will pass on to me to manage.”

  “But the disgrace to my family’s name, I can’t tolerate that.”

  “Heavens, why would you grant me Xiao Qingwan’s exceptional talent and then take it back?”

  “I want to become an immortal!”

  “I’m not trying to prove anything; I just want to take back what should have been mine!”

  “You want to become an immortal? I do too,” Han muttered under his breath. Who wouldn’t want to become an immortal?

  However, it was clear what Xiao Qingwan truly wanted—she didn’t want immortality, she simply wanted to regain her cultivation talent.

  She had once been a genius, and then in an instant, she became a waste. Who could bear that?

  Three years of being a waste was more than enough to break anyone’s spirit.

  Accepting reality didn’t mean she had given up on reclaiming her cultivation ability.

  Unfortunately, Han couldn’t help her. He had no idea where she was.

  “Tianbei Region? Where is that?”

  Han had never heard of this place.

  He didn’t need to ask Lu Qingmo; he was sure that no such place existed in the current world.

  He had learned a great deal about geography since beginning his martial arts training. Unless, of course, the Tianbei Region was a hidden place known only to a select few.

  The text on the wish note disappeared, signaling that it was time for Han to return the wish.

  After a brief moment of thought, Han knew exactly what to write.

  “Xiao Qingwan, I once read a story about a legendary figure’s life.”

  The phrase felt strangely familiar, but it didn’t matter.

  “A long, long time ago, there was a person named Xiao Shao. He was brilliant from a young age and loved by all. As he began cultivating, he quickly rose to prominence, showing an astonishing talent…”

  After three days of seclusion, several carriages departed from Tianyue City, slowly making their way toward Heiyun Town.

  Among them, one particular carriage stood out. It was a grandiose vehicle, towering at a height of over seven meters (23 feet), and wide enough to span several meters. The sides of the carriage were adorned with intricate designs and hanging beads, each one radiating an aura of opulence.

  The wheels were coated with red paint, with eighteen spokes, each one carved in intricate patterns, even the nails holding them together bore decorative flourishes.

  Two banners fluttered in the wind, each a majestic Tai Chang flag embroidered with yellow silk thread, trailing twelve ribbons each embroidered with the image of a powerful dragon, moving gracefully in the breeze.

  Around the carriage, although less extravagant, the guards were still distinguished, not the sort one would expect from just any wealthy household.

  The procession was accompanied by warriors, their bodies bursting with vitality and energy, as well as cultivators whose eyes sparkled with sharp intelligence, each of them emanating an air of both power and vigilance.

  “Lord Zuo, we are nearing Heiyun Town,” someone whispered.

  After a moment, a calm voice, rich with inner strength, came from within the central carriage.

  "Mm, no need to hurry."

  Inside the central carriage, the atmosphere was somewhat relaxed. Sitting in the center was a young man, wearing a plain gray robe. His eyes were half-closed, and his face was unremarkable.

  Around him were four beautiful women dressed in thin, flowing fabrics. Their figures were graceful, and each had a serene expression as they attended to the young man, massaging his legs and shoulders to ease his muscles.

  Upon closer inspection, the young man wasn’t sitting on a cushion. Instead, beneath him, a well-endowed woman was kneeling on all fours, her back straight, using her own body to support the young man's seating.

  On either side of the young man were true cushions, made of ornate red lacquered boxes, each one divided into twelve sections. Each section was adorned with gold-painted images of mythical creatures like the qilin, lion, and rhinoceros, all carved in stunning detail.

  It was clear—this caravan was no ordinary one. They were heading toward Heiyun Town, but they were already well into the middle of the route.

  Suddenly, a gust of cold wind swept through, causing the caravan to stop. The young man’s eyes snapped open, deep and unfathomable.

  “There are guests approaching.”

  The air was filled with shrill cries as warriors dressed in black dashed toward the caravan, their murderous intent palpable.

  It was an ambush!

  In the Taibai Martial Arts School...

  Having completed his training for the day, Han was absorbed in his reading when he suddenly sensed something.

  A new item had appeared in his Soul World.

  It was clearly another wish bottle, having drifted into his possession from an unknown place.

  Han set down his scriptures and moved to a quiet room, ready to see what this wish bottle had to offer.

  He had been using this mysterious "cheat" for nearly ten days now, and aside from the wish bottle from Luo Miaomiao, he hadn’t encountered any other bottles until today.

  "Hmm? This one is blue?"

  Han was slightly surprised. The wish bottle floating in his Soul World was different from the previous one—its color had changed from purple to blue.

  Other than that, everything else seemed the same, still tied to a wish paper.

  Han pondered for a moment. The change in color could indicate something different about the wish. Perhaps he would need to compare a few more bottles to fully understand.

  He took the blue wish paper and began reading:

  "I am a failure, and everyone in Zhonghuang City knows it."

  "I've gotten used to their strange stares, the subtle mocking behind my back. Maybe I deserve it."

  "Three years ago, I was high and mighty, looking down on everyone, but now I finally understand how others felt back then."

  "I was once a genius, cultivating at twelve, becoming famous at fifteen, known throughout Zhonghuang City and even the entire northern region of Tianbei."

  "But three years ago, my power—my entire cultivation—vanished without any explanation, leaving no harm but no solution. My family sought out many great figures, but no one could help. It was as though the heavens had taken everything from me."

  "I became known as the Fallen Genius."

  "By the way, my family had arranged a marriage for me before I was even born, and everything was still fine when I was a genius."

  "But just yesterday, my fiancé, whom I had never met, came and broke off the engagement."

  "I appreciate his decision, as I never wanted to marry a stranger. But breaking off the engagement in such a manner—he had no right to do that!"

  Han’s expression grew serious as he read these words, and he couldn't help but think: Could this person be from the Xiao family?

  The previous bottle had been Luo Miaomiao’s, whose Nirvana Bone was stolen. And now, this one belonged to a fallen genius.

  "The reputation of the Xiao family has been trampled upon, and I am filled with rage, but helpless."

  "Three years—no one knows what I've been through in these three years, from panic and anger to finally accepting it all with calmness."

  "Maybe it's not so bad to be an ordinary person. My family is focused on cultivating, and I will eventually inherit their cities."

  "But the dishonor to the family is something I cannot bear."

  "Heaven, why did you give me the unparalleled talent of Xiao Qingwan and then take it away?"

  "I want to become an immortal!"

  "I don’t wish to prove anything; I just want to reclaim what I once had!"

  Han muttered under his breath, "Becoming an immortal? Who wouldn’t want that?"

  But he could already see through Xiao Qingwan’s true desire. This wasn’t about immortality. It was about reclaiming her lost talent.

  She had once been a genius, but now, she was a shadow of herself. Anyone would be frustrated by such an unfair fate.

  Three years of being a failure was a long and agonizing period. Accepting reality didn’t mean one gave up on reclaiming their potential.

  Unfortunately, Han had no idea where Xiao Qingwan was.

  “Where is Tianbei?” Han thought, perplexed. He had never heard of such a place before.

  Not even Lu Qingmo knew of it, and Han had studied geography extensively.

  Unless Tianbei was one of those hidden regions known only to a select few.

  The writing on the wish paper vanished, signaling the time for Han’s reply.

  After a moment of thought, Han knew exactly what to write.

  "Xiao Qingwan, I once read a story about a legendary figure."

  The sentence seemed familiar, but Han didn’t think too much about it.

  "A long time ago, there was a person named Xiao Xiao, a bright and beloved child. When he began cultivating, he quickly stood out, showing immense talent..."

  "...His genius was renowned, and the whole nation heard of it. But at the age of twelve, Xiao Xiao's cultivation was inexplicably lost..."

  This response would likely be as much as Xiao Qingwan needed to hear, a story that might rekindle some hope.

  Later, Han sighed and reflected on how this cheat was starting to make him into something of a motivational speaker.