LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 1:
Chapter 1: The Death of the Master, The Mistress Passes Down a Technique:
Heavenly Azure Continent Continent, Eastern Domain.
Qingshan Town.
Qin Family.
The ancestral hall of the Qin family was draped in white mourning banners. The clan members, dressed in mourning attire, stood with their heads lowered in grief, the atmosphere heavy with sorrow.
At the front stood three individuals: a young man, a beautiful woman, and an elderly man.
They had been mourning for a long time before they finally raised their heads, their eyes filled with reminiscence as they gazed at the memorial tablet on the offering table.
The person being honored today was Qin Ren, the head of the Qin family.
The elderly man beside them was Qin Zhong, the Great Elder of the Qin family. Ever since Qin Ren’s passing, the burden of the family had fallen entirely on his shoulders.
“Madam, life and death are determined by fate. You mustn’t grieve too much,” Qin Zhong sighed as he turned to the beautiful woman, trying to comfort her.
Her name was Gu Shuqin, the widow of Qin Ren.
Upon hearing his words, the beautiful woman continued to stare at the memorial tablet. Tears glistened in her eyes as she softly replied, “I understand, Uncle Zhong. You don’t have to worry about me.”
Though she said this, anyone could hear the tremble in her voice, the grief in her tone.
She was clearly in deep sorrow.
After all, she was only in her forties, which was still considered young in the world of cultivation. Losing her beloved husband at such an age was a devastating blow.
The young man standing beside her sighed as he watched her sorrowful expression.
His name was Lin Yuan.
In his previous life, he was an ordinary man from Blue Star. However, an accident took his life, and he was reborn into this world.
Although he had successfully transmigrated, his eighteen years of life had not been smooth.
His parents had gone missing when he was young, leaving him an orphan. Fortunately, he was adopted by a kind couple.
At the age of fifteen, he participated in the Cloud Mist Sect’s examination. Due to his slight talent for cultivation, he was accepted—but only as a servant disciple.
He had thought he had finally made it and would rise to greatness.
But he soon realized that being a servant disciple was nothing like being a real disciple.
His days were spent carrying water, cooking, and doing mundane chores, earning only a single spirit stone per month.
The work was exhausting, and the reward was pitiful. Several times, Lin Yuan had worked himself to the point of collapse and wanted to quit.
But in the end, he endured.
As hard and grueling as life was as a servant disciple, at least there was a chance for promotion. If he left the sect, he might never have the opportunity to cultivate again.
He had been reborn into a world of fantasy. How could he resign himself to being a mere mortal?
Fueled by this determination, he endured for two years.
As the saying goes, the heavens do not forsake the diligent.
At seventeen, he was fortunate enough to catch the eye of an outer sect elder, who took him in as an official outer disciple.
That elder was none other than Qin Ren.
Lin Yuan had thought that his long-awaited rise had finally begun—that he would soar to the top.
But barely a year had passed before his master perished.
Lin Yuan was speechless.
Where was his protagonist’s luck?
Why was he so unlucky?
Qin Ren wasn’t the strongest, but he was still an outer sect elder.
Now that he was gone, Lin Yuan had lost his backing. Life in the outer sect was bound to become much harder.
Qin Zhong looked at the beautiful woman, hesitated for a moment, and then sighed. “Madam, you should know that there are three great families in Qingshan Town: the Lei family, the Xie family, and our Qin family.”
“The three families have always been in competition. When the family head was alive, there was balance. But now that he’s gone, our Qin family has lost much of its strength. It won’t be long before the Lei and Xie families try to swallow us up.”
His voice carried deep exhaustion.
News of Qin Ren’s death had spread quickly. The Lei and Xie families had already begun scheming to carve up the Qin family’s assets.
As the Great Elder, Qin Zhong wanted to support the family. But his strength was lacking—he was no match for the leaders of the other two families.
Gu Shuqin understood the meaning behind his words and spoke directly. “Uncle Zhong, are you hoping that I will help the Qin family resist them?”
“Yes.”
“The heads of the Lei and Xie families should be around the same strength as my late husband, correct?”
“Yes, they are both at the Condensing Core Realm.”
(Cultivation Stages: Body Refining, Vein Opening, Condensing Core, Qi Gathering, Origin Pill, Dao Platform, Purple Mansion. Each stage has nine levels.)
Gu Shuqin smiled bitterly. “I’m only at the Vein Opening Realm. How can I possibly be their match?”
Qin Zhong stroked his beard. “You may not be as strong as them, but you are still a disciple of Cloud Mist Sect. If you step forward and issue a warning, they might hesitate to act against us.”
“Uncle Zhong, you think too highly of me. I may have been in Cloud Mist Sect for a long time, but I am merely an outer disciple. I have no influence. Why would they fear someone like me?”
“Then… do you know any elders?”
“I do.”
“Then ask them to help us.”
“…”
Gu Shuqin fell silent, her expression helpless.
The world of cultivation revolved around benefits.
Even good friends wouldn’t help without something in return.
If she were to ask those elders for aid, she would have to pay a price.
But what could she offer?
Aside from her own body, she had nothing left.
A self-mocking smile appeared on her lips as she sighed. “Fine. I will help the Qin family through this crisis.”
Hearing this, Qin Zhong was overjoyed. “Thank you, madam! The family head was truly fortunate to have married you!”
Gu Shuqin waved a hand dismissively. “We are all family. No need to be so formal.”
With that, she turned and walked toward the family head’s chambers. “Yuan’er, come with me.”
“Yes, Mistress.”
Lin Yuan followed respectfully.
Inside the bedroom, Gu Shuqin sat on the bed, her delicate face filled with hesitation.
Should she really do this?
If she did, she would betray her late husband.
But if she didn’t, the Qin family would be in danger.
She was trapped between two impossible choices.
Lin Yuan stood quietly by her side, observing her internal struggle.
Based on what she had said earlier, she intended to help the Qin family secure a foothold in Qingshan Town. But her strength alone wasn’t enough, which meant she needed external support.
And to gain that support, she would have to offer something in return.
But in her current state, the only bargaining chip she had left was…
Lin Yuan sighed in pity.
Gu Shuqin was stunningly beautiful, her figure voluptuous. Among the outer disciples, she was one of the most admired women.
Even though she had been married, that had never stopped suitors from pursuing her.
Now that Qin Ren was dead, those who had long coveted her would only become bolder.
Thinking about his beautiful mistress having to sell herself for the sake of the family, Lin Yuan felt an ache in his heart.
She should have spent her life happily with his master.
Why did fate have to be so cruel?
“Yuan’er…”
Gu Shuqin suddenly spoke.
Lin Yuan snapped out of his thoughts. “I’m here, Mistress.”
“I will pass down a technique to you. Study it well.”
“A technique?”
Just as he was about to ask what kind of technique, a stream of information flooded into his mind.
In an instant, he knew the name of the technique—Yin-Yang Creation: The Great Reversal of Heaven and Earth.