Chapter Seven: Secrets of the Past

After surviving the calamity, Qi Fei looked at Bloodshadow True Lord, whose face was twisted in grief and fury. A chill ran through Qi Fei’s heart as he recalled that Bloodshadow True Lord had previously mentioned having been the victim of a vile plot that ruined all his martial cultivation. It seemed that this devil had indeed suffered a terrible betrayal and loss in years past.

Sure enough, Bloodshadow True Lord began to speak slowly, “Forty years ago, I was the personally taught disciple of the Sect Master of the Profound Heart Sword Sect. In my youth, my martial arts had already reached the eighth tier—Life and Death Bridge—envied by all within the sect as a genius among geniuses. Unfortunately, I was blind to character and befriended a traitor within the sect, which led to the loss of all my martial cultivation.”

Qi Fei waited quietly for a moment, noticing the hatred on Bloodshadow True Lord’s face as he seemed lost in memories of the past. Qi Fei then asked, “Master, does that traitor still reside in the Profound Heart Sword Sect? Now that you have mastered the mysteries of the arcane arts, have you sought vengeance?”

Bloodshadow True Lord’s expression grew bitter as he shook his head. “All these years, I have retrained in the demonic path’s secret methods and reached the realm of Transformation, yet I am still no match for him. In those days, he was my fellow disciple, his martial arts only slightly beneath mine. Now, he is the Sect Master of the Profound Heart Sword Sect, with martial prowess likely at the level of Grandmaster.”

Qi Fei frowned, muttering, “If that man is now the leader of the Profound Heart Sword Sect, seeking revenge would mean making an enemy of the entire sect. That would be a difficult path.”

“Even if it means falling into eternal damnation, I will have my vengeance for this blood feud,” Bloodshadow True Lord replied, his emotions surging with towering hatred. Qi Fei couldn’t help but ask, “Could it be that the traitor not only destroyed your cultivation but harbored other grudges against you?”

Bloodshadow True Lord laughed bitterly, then spat out with venom, “Grudges? On the eve of the sect’s grand competition, Luo Yunxiang knew he was no match for me. To unsettle my mind and seize the sect’s rewards, he secretly poisoned and murdered my poor wife and children.”

Bloodshadow True Lord’s raw emotion and the story of his past were convincing; Qi Fei could not help but believe him. Moved by sympathy, Qi Fei sighed inwardly—how pitiful that such a hateful man also had his share of suffering.

“Having lost your family so suddenly, Master, your mind must have been in turmoil. Was it then, during the competition, that Luo Yunxiang took advantage and destroyed your cultivation?” Qi Fei inquired.

With a cold snort, Bloodshadow True Lord replied, “The competition was meant to stop before harm, with our master and the elders overseeing. Luo Yunxiang could never have ruined my cultivation there. The night before, he sought me out and shamelessly confessed to killing my wife and children. In my fury, I tried to kill him but ended up alerting the whole sect.”

Qi Fei was surprised. “Since that was the case, why didn’t you inform the elders of his evil deeds? How did it come to you losing all your martial cultivation?”

“Luo Yunxiang always acted the perfect gentleman, well-liked by all in the sect. I, on the other hand, was aloof, focused solely on training and oblivious to worldly affairs. I was favored by our master, which made me arrogant and made many in the sect resent me. Luo Yunxiang feigned friendship, and I mistakenly trusted him. After the incident, he turned on me and accused me of practicing demonic arts and murdering my own family.”

Qi Fei was aghast. “How could anyone believe such a thing? That villain claimed you killed your own family—who would believe such nonsense? Was Luo Yunxiang mad?”

Bloodshadow True Lord sighed. “You don’t understand. Some who walk the demonic path will murder wife and children or consume their own offspring in pursuit of power. Luo Yunxiang was far more cunning than you imagine. Such an outrageous accusation caused a huge stir in the sect. In those days, the world’s foremost righteous sect, the Heavenly Dao Sect, was nearly destroyed when it was revealed that an elder had been consuming disciples’ blood to cultivate. Afterwards, the sect closed its gates and never recovered. So such slander was not unheard of.”

Qi Fei was outraged. “They’re less than beasts! To think such inhuman creatures exist. No matter what power they gain, they’ll face retribution.”

“My word against his, but Luo Yunxiang played the part of the grieving friend, urging me to repent and not stray further. With my family murdered and the villain feigning sorrow, my rage got the better of me. During questioning by the elders, I lost my composure. No one but our master believed me. Everyone else sided with Luo Yunxiang, convinced I had practiced evil arts, killed my own family, and sought to silence Luo Yunxiang.”

Qi Fei’s sense of justice was inflamed. “How could they be so foolish? With no evidence aside from Luo Yunxiang’s words, how could they believe you had practiced demonic arts and killed your family?”

Bloodshadow True Lord smiled bleakly. “If Luo Yunxiang truly had no evidence, and with our master on my side, who would have dared harm me? But then, several disciples stepped forward and swore they’d seen me in the wilderness consuming villagers’ blood to practice forbidden arts.”

“I was already consumed by hatred. With those petty men twisting the truth, I was left speechless, desperate to tear them apart. That day, in the grand hall of the Profound Heart Sword Sect, I lost my reason and fell into Luo Yunxiang’s trap. When the elders tried to seize me, I lashed out in rage and was forced to betray the sect.”

Hearing this litany of misfortune, Qi Fei was filled with deep emotion. “Since you left the sect, Master, how did you come to lose all your cultivation?”

Shame flickered across Bloodshadow True Lord’s face. He sighed, “That day, it was only because our master intervened that I escaped with my life. I regret not knowing when to endure. Had I surrendered, our master would have cleared my name. Instead, I implicated him. Luo Yunxiang’s master, the Grand Elder, always opposed our master. When our master openly helped me, it stirred much resentment. Afterward, he was forced to relinquish his position as Sect Master.”

Qi Fei felt genuine sympathy for Bloodshadow True Lord’s tragic past and tried to console him, “Master, you mustn’t blame yourself. Bearing such a heavy grudge, who could have endured in your place?”

Bloodshadow True Lord sighed softly and continued, “After betraying the sect, I hid in the mountains for days. When I had calmed myself, I dared not act rashly again and resolved to remember this grudge, waiting until I was strong enough to challenge the Profound Heart Sword Sect as an equal. But Luo Yunxiang was not done with his schemes. Half a month later, when I returned to my hometown, I found the entire village razed to the ground—over three hundred men, women, and children slaughtered without a single survivor.”

Qi Fei had wandered the chaotic world for years and thought he’d seen all manner of wickedness, but the slaughter of an entire village ignited a blazing fury in his heart. He thought to himself that Luo Yunxiang was truly devoid of humanity. If he ever gained the power, he would personally see this venomous beast destroyed.

Bloodshadow True Lord sank into grief once more. After a long silence, he continued, “It felt as if the sky had collapsed. I knew full well this was Luo Yunxiang’s trap to lure me out, but I could not restrain myself. I could not wait another moment.”

By now, Bloodshadow True Lord was weeping bitterly, unable to speak for a long time.

Even though Bloodshadow True Lord did not recount what happened after, Qi Fei could imagine the old man’s miserable fate—driven by hatred, he had charged into the Profound Heart Sword Sect recklessly, lost all his martial power, and was lucky to escape with his life. The human heart is unpredictable; in the future, he himself must take this as a warning—never trust others lightly.

Amid his sympathy, Qi Fei could not help but think of his own parents, who had died tragically under the trampling of rampaging armies. For a moment, a profound sadness welled up in his heart.