Looking back at a continent far above everyone.

"My master."

It has been almost a month since Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Sect Zheng Jie disappeared, to the confusion of everyone. To his sect, to his friend, to his ally, even to his enemies.

There has been a few change within the Heavenly Court itself. It's said that after that banquet, a few masters have mysteriously "disappeared". The one who disappeared all have a decent standing within the cultivation world. After all, the one who is invited to the Royal Banquet could not be normal.

And yet, one by one, they disappear.

Among them is the Heavenly Saint.

According to custom, his sole disciple, Lang Li takes the reign in controlling the sect. Only in a month time, a lot of things have changed. Even though nobody believe that the Heavenly Saint really did go and die, the Heavenly Sword Sect obey Lang Li's order all the same.

Contrary to expectation, Lang Li was extremely controlling. Nobody know where that girl get her confidence and competence from, all the same she is still the Heavenly Saint disciple, she has the right to do that.

The first thing she did is to tighten control on the branch sect. Even in the lower continent, orders have been passed down. Back when Zheng Jie was in charge, he was really hand off about Sect matter. With an eye for choosing people, he chose those with good characters and let them take care of matter within the sect. The other branch sect is almost completely foreign to him. He prefers that they deal with their own matter, only reporting back if something has really happened.

Lang Li's policy was the complete opposite. She wants stronger control on the loosely connected sect, even the branch sects from the lower continents. Soon enough, a letter will be sent to all sect masters of the branch sects within the Nine Cloud Kingdom. With this control, what she wants to do with the lower continents is beyond everyone.

The change in her demeanor is unclear to everyone except herself.

As the disciple of the Heavenly Saint walked down the path of the Sword Saint manor toward Zheng Jie's living space, she felt the cold.

Before that, Lang Li has never felt the cold within this desolate place. However, now she feels the coldness biting down on her being. Without utilizing her cultivation, she may even be harmed, just like the sky, the earth and everything within the radius of the Sword Saint manor.

Within the 100,000,000 km radius surrounding the Sword Saint manor, there exist no living being. Not even bugs or vegetation.

The air is clean, the Qi is concentrated, it is good for cultivation.

However, nothing live within that absolute space.

With a coat, Lang Li went to where the cold is concentrated the most.

"My master..."

Lang Li touches some old canvas within Zheng Jie living space. Removing the binding, there are various paintings within the room.

It seems before Lang Li became the disciple of the Heavenly Saint, the Heavenly Saint used to draw.

It's a story from a very, very long time ago. It was all the way back when the Sect master himself was still just a disciple. He has a strange habit of putting everything on painting. Practice, he needs not. His talents seemingly come from nowhere.

Among the paintings, perhaps the most central color is red. The Sect Master used to love the color red within his paintings, red, red like blood, red, red like lipstick, red, red like a woman on her wedding day.

However, as a practitioner, even back then, the sect master did not draw women. It leads to unwanted desire he said, indeed, when a prodigy painter draw, he puts his entire being upon the canvas.

The Sect master only draw landscape, building and other beautiful scenery.

There was only one exception to the "do not draw woman" rule. But it was only one time, and the significant was lost to him.

However as the years pass, suddenly the Sect Master left the canvas behind. Sealing his drawing pen, the Sect Master does not draw again.

Concentrating on his cultivation, he said this

"Attachment only lead to more attachment, it is better to let go of the past."

The painting immortalize a scene and frozen it in time. Indeed by stopping, the Sect Master has let go of the past. However, that was not what he means by letting go of the past.

Indeed the Heavenly Saint does not care about his old paintings any more, however someone has taken liberty with preserving the artwork.

How Lang Li knows about these painting is a secret.

Well, not so much a secret to herself. It was the same reason her demeanor has changed.

Remembering the Royal Banquet within the Heavenly Court almost a month back, the disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect Sect Master has accepted a cup of wine from the Heavenly Queen herself.

At that time, immediately Lang Li realized that something was wrong. Her inner desire and yearning was brought to the forefront, and the heat in her body rise significantly.

It did nothing.

The criteria of choosing inheriting disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect may not consider talent, but it considers character.

Even though she was a "talentless" girl, Lang Li's temperament is the closest to the Sect Master when he was starting out.

Because of that, she could not be consumed by her own desire. However, the one who is after her is very powerful, extremely so. She was afraid that even if she runs back to her sect with the Heaven and Earth gate, even the best disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect could not stop the enemies. No, the only one who could bring a stop to this is the Heavenly Sword Sect Sect master.

However, when she manages to run back to the Sword Saint manor, Zheng Jie was already gone. There was no one to stop the tragedy that was about to happen.

Because Lang Li herself would not give in, the person currently standing inside the Sword Saint manor is not Lang Li. She has been replaced by a completely different person with the same body, same face, same manner, but a completely different mind.

And that stranger Lang Li is currently perusing the memento of the Sect Master.

Suddenly her eyes widen, fear completely capture her. Strange emotion resurface within Lang Li's body.

It was because the person who is standing behind her is the one she has to fear the most from.

Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Zheng Jie.

Zheng Jie appears out of nowhere.

Her advance mind was thinking a million different thing, all with the conclusion that he would realize what happened to his prized disciple and she would die.

However, the Sect Master, looking like he has just been through a desperate life or death fight, did not see through her.

He could not see that there is anyone other than his disciple, Lang Li within the room. He could not see through her.

"What are you doing here?"

Lang Li bows respectfully to her absent master and greet him.

"Disciple Lang Li greet master. Your disappearance has caused some small disturbances within the sect. Every day, I have been here, awaiting your return."

"I don't need anyone to await for my return."

Instead of being offended by his disciple thinking that he was not strong enough to get out of the situation he found himself in, the Heavenly Saint judges that Lang Li was reasonable and sent her away.

"I will explain later, but now you should return to your place and rest. You must have had a hard time with the sect in my absent."

So saying, Lang Li walks away. With one quick glance back, Lang Li left the room. She has a lot of questions, some, she could not ask Zheng Jie.

Unaware of his disciple thought, the Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Sect Zheng Jie immediately turns on the System Interface and look for the Heavenly Dao Discussion.

Immediately after his return, to everyone's confusion, the Sect Master has one thing to say.

"Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Zheng Jie: Shi Xiang, perhaps you should talk with your fiancee again."

Zhang Yating, who has been avoiding the Heavenly Dao Discussion for the last few days only has question marks in her mind when she sees the message.

"Huh? Who is this guy?"