Divine Wilderness Dragon Emperor

"I will become a great Sword Dao expert one day." When it came to the Sword Dao, Shangguan Wan'Er was filled with confidence.

Just as her master had said, she was a natural-born Sword Dao prodigy and was destined for greatness on its path.

At the same time, a hint of reminiscence surfaced in her eyes.

Only she knew the hardships she had endured to achieve what she had.

When she first entered the Beiming Sword Sect, she cultivated diligently, determined to make a name for herself.

She even braved the Beiming Sword Lake and obtained an inheritance.

The Beiming Sword Lake was a perilous place where many had lost their lives.

Anyone who emerged from it was, without exception, a Sword Dao prodigy.

It was because of this that Shangguan Wan'Er was accepted as a disciple by an expert of the Divine Wheel Ninth Layer Realm.

After more than a year of cultivation, she had finally broken through to the Celestial Pill Realm. Her Swordsmanship was now so powerful that few disciples in the Beiming Sword Sect could compare.

It was safe to say she was now held in high regard within the Beiming Sword Sect.

But...

She sighed softly to herself. After a glance at Ling Fei, she pushed the thoughts away.

"You've reached the Celestial Pill Perfection Realm? So fast!" Surprise flashed in Ling Fei's eyes. Back in the Great Tang Empire, Shangguan Wan'Er had already displayed extraordinary talent, grasped many of the mystical principles of the Sword Dao, and was hailed as a Sword Dao prodigy the likes of which hadn't been seen in eight hundred years.

That was why the Celestial Emperor of the Great Tang Empire had looked upon her so favorably.

But even so, for her to have reached this level in just over a year was still beyond Ling Fei's expectations.

"I've focused my entire being on the sword, so naturally, I improved a little faster." Shangguan Wan'Er smiled, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. She then gazed at Ling Fei and chuckled.

"What about you? How have things been? I hear you've been causing quite a stir in the Southern Wilderness lately!"

"Me?" Ling Fei's eyes narrowed. "This past year at the Lingyun Sect has been all right. It's just that there have been a few… incidents whenever I've ventured out."

A sigh of resignation escaped him.

He was ambushed on his way to the Dongze Ruins.

He was surrounded and attacked in the Falling Star Mountain Range.

All of this was because he had obtained the Pill King Inheritance and revealed his talent for Alchemy.

But because of this, Ling Fei also received exceptional treatment within the Lingyun Sect, which was how his strength could improve so rapidly.

Otherwise, how would he have had the chance to obtain an inheritance in the Dongze Ruins, or the opportunity in the Falling Star Mountain Range to acquire the Ao Qian Dragon King's True Dragon Essence Blood and forge his Dragon Body?

It was, as they say, a double-edged sword.

Shangguan Wan'Er already knew all about Ling Fei's exploits.

As Ling Fei spoke, she too sighed with weary understanding, knowing how difficult his path was.

The pressure this young man before her endured was no less than her own.

She gazed at the young man and sighed inwardly, unsure of what to say.

As a Martial Arts Cultivator, she knew the path of Martial Arts was arduous. This was especially true for those like them from humble beginnings; to grow strong, they had to endure countless trials.

But when she thought about their conflicting allegiances, Shangguan Wan'Er's heart ached with sorrow.

Shangguan Wan'Er suddenly reached out her delicate hand, brushed the hair from Ling Fei's temples, and simply gazed at him.

Ling Fei's heart skipped a beat.

He shot to his feet, grabbing her delicate hand. In one smooth motion, he pulled her from her chair and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

He knew, in that moment, that she felt the same.

This only strengthened his resolve to be with Shangguan Wan'Er.

Caught in his sudden embrace, Shangguan Wan'Er froze. Her heart hammered against her ribs like a frightened fawn, and tension seized her body.

But before she could react, Ling Fei's lips were on hers.

In that instant, Shangguan Wan'Er froze completely, her mind going blank.

A moment later, she pushed the young man away with her delicate hands.

Yet, she found herself yearning for the feeling of a moment ago.

'If only I could stay in his arms forever...'

But all she could do was sigh to herself.

'At least, not now!'

"Wan'Er, what if you left the Beiming Sword Sect and came to my Lingyun Sect?" Ling Fei's gaze sharpened as he spoke to Shangguan Wan'Er with utmost seriousness.

When they had met in the Falling Star Mountain Range but couldn't truly be together, the idea had already taken root in his mind.

He just never had the chance to ask, nor was he certain she would agree.

But today, he couldn't hold back any longer.

He knew that if they missed this chance, it would only become more difficult for them to be together in the future.

"Leave the Beiming Sword Sect?" Shangguan Wan'Er was taken aback.

"Don't you want to be with me?" Ling Fei frowned, his gaze fixed on the young woman before him.

Her expression made his heart sink with a little disappointment.

He truly didn't want to be separated from her.

"I do!" A glint appeared in Shangguan Wan'Er's eyes as she saw the hopeful look on Ling Fei's face. "But... how could I possibly leave the Beiming Sword Sect?"

"After all, it's the Sect that raised me. If I left, it would be an act of betrayal." A look of helplessness crossed Shangguan Wan'Er's face.

Even after learning of Ling Fei's feud with the Beiming Sword Sect, she had never considered leaving her Sect.

"Betrayal?" Ling Fei's eyes hardened. "But my feud with the Beiming Sword Sect is irreconcilable. If you don't leave, how can we ever be together?"

Ling Fei felt a deep sense of helplessness that things had come to this. After long deliberation, he had concluded that the best solution was for Shangguan Wan'Er to leave the Beiming Sword Sect.

Otherwise...

It would be utterly impossible for them to be together.

"But to leave the Beiming Sword Sect..." Shangguan Wan'Er frowned, a clear look of reluctance on her face. The Beiming Sword Sect had the Sword Dao inheritance that was most suited for her.

There, she could become a true expert of the Sword Dao.

Only by becoming strong could she control her own destiny.

The decision to leave the Beiming Sword Sect was just too difficult to make.

"If you come to my Lingyun Sect, you'll receive the same level of priority training," Ling Fei said, his face full of hope.

But that was all he could say. He couldn't force her to choose.

Shangguan Wan'Er took two steps back, her long lashes fluttering. Seeing the expectant look on Ling Fei's face, she couldn't help but lower her head, remaining silent for a long time.

In the past, Shangguan Wan'Er had been focused solely on the sword.

It was only after meeting Ling Fei that her heart began to wander.

After their meeting in the Falling Star Mountain Range, she had become even more determined to grow strong.

If she wasn't strong, she wouldn't even be able to control her own fate.

And so, she had her own ideas about what she needed to do.

She no longer wanted to be controlled by any person or circumstance.

That feeling of powerlessness was too much to bear.

'Perhaps the Lingyun Sect has a Sword Dao inheritance as well.'

'But I've already reached the Celestial Pill Realm and found my own Sword Dao. To change paths now would be like starting all over again.'

'Besides, even if one starts learning from childhood, there's no guarantee they will find a Sword Dao that's truly their own.'

That was why she wasn't in a hurry to leave the Beiming Sword Sect. At least, not yet.

Seeing Shangguan Wan'Er hesitate and retreat, Ling Fei's heart ached.

He knew she was wavering.

"Ling Fei, don't be rash. We have time. We're both geniuses. As long as we cultivate diligently and become true experts, no one will be able to control our lives." Seeing Ling Fei's frown and crestfallen expression, Shangguan Wan'Er's gaze lifted. "At that time, we can leave the Southern Wilderness together for a much wider world. How does that sound?"

"The future?" Hearing this, Ling Fei's frown deepened. "Who can predict the future? I want us to be together now."

The future felt too distant and uncertain.

No one knew what might happen.

'If we can't even get together this time,' he thought, 'what's to stop something else from influencing her decision later on?'