Chapter 274: Rain of Fate

Crash, crash…

Rain began to fall from the sky, its icy droplets washing away the thick stench of blood.

A pale silhouette shimmered, radiating a soft, ethereal light—as if starlight were sprinkling down from the night sky.

Li Che glowed with a gentle radiance; his eyes filled with tender pity as he reached out and softly touched little XiXi’s head.

In the illusory realm forged by his Dao Essence, little XiXi only appeared to be one year old—a truly delicate little being.

In Li Che’s memory, the days when XiXi was this tiny had long since faded.

Yet this time, through the transmission of will via the Feilei Chess Piece, Li Che saw a vision of XiXi as a child once more.

XiXi sat cross-legged on the ground, her head tilted upward as if gazing at the light.

Her eyes were as dark as ink—like a bottomless, murky pool ready to draw in souls.

Li Che regarded her calmly, locking eyes with her.

XiXi’s eyes began to ripple with emotion.

“Daddy…”

Murmuring softly with a pained smile on her lips, XiXi spoke.

Li Che gently ruffled her head.

“Daddy’s always here.”

Li Che’s heart ached with compassion.

When it came to character, little XiXi was profoundly affected—what could a five-year-old truly know about inner resolve?

“If you’re tired, if the trials become too much, then just give up—Daddy will protect you as long as I’m here, so you need not fear anything.”

Li Che tenderly massaged XiXi’s head with care and affection.

Slowly, the dark hue in XiXi’s eyes receded—as if the awakening force within her was being subdued by her own will.

The turbulent black pool beneath her gradually stilled, and the spreading, seductive black patterns on her skin began to writhe and fade.

Clarity returned to XiXi’s gaze. She rose from the ground, arms wide open, and leapt into Li Che’s embrace.

“Daddy—” XiXi thought she might never see her parents again.

Although she knew it was all an illusion, anger and pain still burned within her.

“XiXi will grow strong enough to protect you both! Whoever dares to hurt you, I’ll make them pay!”

Looking up with a determined expression on her tiny face, she declared her resolve.

Perhaps at that very moment, XiXi finally understood what she needed to protect.

Her heart was pure—she simply did not wish to be separated from her parents or see them hurt. This was the sole obsession in the mind of five-year-old XiXi.

“XiXi must pass the trial! I need to become stronger!”

“When I grow strong, I can change fate, and keep you safe from harm!”

XiXi said this with earnest determination.

Li Che’s glowing form broke into a soft smile.

He ruffled XiXi’s head once more.

“Daddy is always watching over you.”

“Watch our XiXi—see how strong she can become!”

At last, the deep sadness that had long marred her face melted into a brilliant smile, like sunlight piercing through clouds, dispelling darkness and ushering in the warmth of spring.

At Feilei City, City Lord’s Residence.

The relentless rain pounded the eaves, splattering like bursts of vivid, blood-red flowers.

XiXi stood up. With a flick of her fingers, countless black flames surged from her left arm, rolling and churning at a scorching pace that instantly evaporated the falling rain.

Taking a step forward, sparks—black as night—leapt into the air.

Although the intricate patterns from the Nine Nether were gradually fading, the residual power contained within XiXi still endured.

XiXi felt that force as though it revealed another mighty presence hidden within her.

“Hmph! XiXi is who she is—in this world, there can only be one XiXi!”

“XiXi… is the apple of Daddy and Mommy’s eye!”

XiXi’s hand gripped a spear-like weapon ensnared in twisting black flames, resembling a mutated version of the Purple-Flame Serpent Spear.

In one swift motion, a Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel spun into high-speed rotation.

Supporting XiXi’s body, it transformed into a streak of black lightning that shot out of the City Lord’s Residence.

Outside the residence, one figure after another emerged, shrouded in the dense aura of death and decay. Among them, a childlike figure with a piercing laugh stood out—the Spirit Infant Cult Leader!

With a crackling sound, the entire Feilei City began its sacrificial rite—the ground splintered, and the bricks of the City Lord’s Residence shattered into pieces.

Li Che had witnessed a similar scene before, and at this moment, it resurfaced in his memory!

At the eerie Bizarre Temple, the three-eyed Spirit Infant burst forth directly from within the City Lord’s Residence, its overwhelming divinity raging like wild tentacles.

All around, the young Spirit Infant from the Lingying Sect, clad in adult robes, floated in the air, accompanied by a cascade of crashing sounds.

XiXi dashed out of the City Lord’s Residence.

She immediately faced an intimidating lineup!

“Kill!”

XiXi angled her spear, standing high in the sky atop a solitary Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel. With her chin lifted and her small belly held out, she eyed the nefarious members of the Lingying Sect below.

With a tremor of her spear, storms and rains exploded around her!

In an instant, XiXi transformed into a blur of light, surging towards her foes.

Li Che’s radiant figure quietly trailed behind her.

XiXi was on a killing spree.

And Li Che watched as she fought.

XiXi thought, if you want to kill, then let’s do it together!

Within the Tiny Cosmic Niche,

a veil of mist began its endless swirling.

At the center of the circular White Jade Stairway, the statue of the Ancestral Patriarch from Qianyuan Divine Sect trembled slightly.

His eyelids fluttered; in the next instant, the Patriarch’s eyes reopened.

The light above him dimmed, as if half of it had been devoured by some colossal force.

A surge of pain and confusion marred the Patriarch’s expression.

Among these children—

there was even a Golden Devourer Beast!

Unbearable!

The Dao Essence they had just absorbed from their nascent shells was being returned so quickly?

Truly, in this world nothing comes for free!

He even suspected—

that the tea egg’s shell was all part of the enemy’s scheme—

yet from the Patriarch’s eyes streamed beams of light, sweeping across the faces of the children seated on the White Jade Stairway.

Some cried in pain, others fell into madness, anger, despair, or wild joy—

emotions ranged from ecstasy to desolation.

This test of inner resolve was crucial for the children; it measured the steadfastness of their true hearts.

If they could stabilize their resolve now, they would face future trials—when shattering the Celestial Nucleus and forging the Cosmic Soul—much more easily.

Even when confronting the terrifying trials of inner demons in the Divine Catastrophe stage, they’d be better equipped to resist.

This third trial was especially designed for Lü Taibai’s direct disciples. He intended to cultivate the potential future Young Sect Leader, so the test was naturally harsher—particularly the trial of resolve.

Lü Taibai needed to be sure of the inner strength of his future disciples before designing their training regimen.

Boom!!!

The swirling mists around the White Jade Stairway began to thin gradually.

Clearly, the trial of inner resolve was drawing to a close.

Beneath the White Jade Archway,

spring rain fell in a steady, gentle patter.

In the midst of rumbling spring thunder, silver hair danced wildly as Lü Taibai slowly retracted his gaze from the firmament; his eyes sparkled as though lit by brilliant sword-like gleams.

“Heavenly portents—”

“This is no ordinary trial of resolve,”

“Perhaps this time… Lü will take on an extraordinary disciple.”

Lü Taibai leaned back in his chair, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

“Good enough—”

After all, Qianyuan Divine Sect indeed needed a standout disciple to carry its banner.

But who could this disciple be?

Lü Taibai’s eyes swept over the children within the Tiny Cosmic Niche—each bearing a unique expression.

Though they were all very young, each harbored an unusual story.

Then suddenly,

Lü Taibai’s gaze fell upon XiXi.

A slight smile appeared.

Once etched with pain, XiXi’s brow relaxed and a bright, joyful smile spread across her face.

It was as if—

in the trial of resolve—she had encountered something that brought her pure delight.

Among all the children wracked with agony and struggle,

XiXi’s beaming expression was unmissable.

Lü Taibai’s own smile deepened in response.

“Is it you?”

“Little one—”

Lü Taibai couldn’t help but feel a surge of hope for his new disciple.

If it truly were XiXi…

he could already picture his wife’s jubilant, wide smile.

Thinking of her, Lü Taibai’s gaze dropped slightly; his silver hair fell across his face, softening the line of his upturned lips.

Leaning back in the Grand Master’s chair, Li Che’s ink-black robe rippled gently in the spring breeze.

Strands of his dark, vigorous hair danced in the wind, a few clinging to his cheek.

His eyes shimmered deeply—as if half of his spirit were woven into the image of a Cosmic Chessboard, while the other half stayed grounded in reality.

The Mud Pellet pressed between his brows vibrated slightly, as if recalling flickering memories from the Dao Essence realm.

Using the Feilei Chess Piece, Li Che retraced the illusion that XiXi endured, watching every moment with growing intensity.

It was as though he were living another life. Had he not awakened his Dao Fruit because of XiXi’s birth, perhaps the illusions XiXi experienced would have been the doomed fate of his family.

The power of his Dao Essence allowed him to glimpse an entire lifetime—a cycle of calamities destined for XiXi, in which Li Che and Zhang Ya would both perish.

Overwhelmed by sorrow and anger, XiXi seemed to awaken another will from deep within her soul—a will that Li Che interpreted as the resurgence of a past life’s spirit.

“XiXi’s past life?”

Li Che’s finger tapped the armrest of his chair as his brow furrowed.

This was unexpected…

Could it be that this trial of resolve had accidentally awakened the will of XiXi’s past life?

Fueled by extreme anger, that dormant will—like a monstrous entity—had been unleashed.

Had Li Che not intervened and allowed that will to seize control of XiXi’s body,

the unique essence of XiXi might have been gradually suppressed and transformed.

His fingers bunched tightly on the armrest, leaving indented marks as if he might crush it to powder.

“Is this the will buried deep within XiXi’s soul?”

“If so… will XiXi still be my beloved, sweet daughter?”

Li Che’s eyes drooped slightly.

It was clear that he must help XiXi suppress this reawakening will—a force perhaps too formidable,

a will that had emerged from the depths of the Nine Nether, as terrifying and oppressive as a collapsing mountain, ranked among the highest even in the Temple Spirit.

And so, Li Che felt the weight of immense pressure—

yet pressure was all it was. No matter how great, he had to help XiXi suppress it, even if it was like a second XiXi hidden within her soul—

for Li Che only desired a naïve, carefree, and joyful XiXi.

That will thrived on sorrow and rage, fueled by bloodshed—

how much suffering would XiXi have to endure before it fully emerged?

Li Che vowed he would not let her suffer!

He pondered how best to subdue that will.

At the very least, he must ensure that it would not overtake XiXi—

a father’s duty, to worry for his daughter.

It was only natural.

On the vast expanse of the White Jade Grand Plaza, spring rain fell in a steady, gentle cascade.

The celestial omens unfolding in the sky stirred many; even some powerhouses of eminent families were perplexed by these phenomena.

Within the Su family carriage, Su Daoling, the current head of the Su Family, slowly withdrew his gaze.

“No wonder Lü Taibai’s disciple selection trial can summon divine omens—even a prodigy capable of causing such phenomena. But who might it be?”

“An inner resolve that can summon such celestial omens must be one of the rarest of pure hearts.”

“Is it the heart of an innocent, the heart of violence, or perhaps a heart turned cold?”

Su Daoling’s eyes sparkled with thought.

No matter which, it signified that this prodigy’s inner resolve was exceptionally pure. Once matched with a fitting training method and regimen, their cultivation would soar at an unimaginable pace.

“Does Su Li stand a chance?”

With a sigh, Su Daoling recalled that among the many prodigies in the Su Family, only Su Li had scaled the White Jade Stairway, remaining within the Tiny Cosmic Niche as one of fifteen prodigies.

Huang Jianjiu’s childhood friend, Zhu Qing—

a bloodline so promising that even Huang Jianjiu’s heart longed for her, had emerged from a distinguished family. At merely eighteen, she had stormed out to join the illustrious ranks.

With remarkable talent, after Su Wuming married Zhu Qing, Su Li was finally born ten years ago.

In truth, Zhu Qing’s potential had long been drained by Su Wuming until hope was nearly lost; yet, he still exploited her to the last drop.

Su Wuming cherished his son Su Li dearly—alas, Su Wuming died at the hands of Huang Jianjiu.

Perhaps this very hatred would allow Su Li to emerge triumphant in the trial of resolve?

The spring rain quietly pattered on the roof of the carriage, its sound hushed and tranquil.

Inside the carriage, Su Daoling busied himself with work. Lacking experience as the head of the family and overwhelmed by the aftermath of the Su Family massacre, he had a mountain of tasks to manage.

Then, suddenly,

a murmur rose from outside the carriage.

“A prodigy has awakened! The first to awaken is doomed to be eliminated!”

Someone shouted.

By the order of awakening, one could deduce that after the resolve trial, the surviving prodigies would proceed to the Temple Trial—with only three allowed to pass.

This meant that once one reached the Temple Trial, the path to becoming Lü Taibai’s final disciple—and eventually the Young Sect Leader of Qianyuan Divine Sect—was one step closer.

—

Becoming Lü Taibai’s final personal disciple—even the chance to become Qianyuan Divine Sect’s Young Sect Leader—

that was the prize!

For a moment, Su Daoling found his current tasks dull. He set his work aside, pulled back the curtain, and stepped out of the carriage. His gaze fell upon the White Jade Archway,

where a lattice of intertwining sword light formed a dazzling curtain.

Within that radiance, the fifteen prodigies seated on the circular, dragon-bone-like White Jade Stairway began to awaken one after another.

The first to awaken was Yue Linghu.

Yue Linghu opened his eyes in confusion, his mind still foggy, submerged in an illusion crafted by Dao Essence.

He found it hard to tell which was real and which was but an illusion.

Glancing around, his heart suddenly tightened.

Even Ao Qingqing—she too had her eyes closed, tears streaming in profound pain and struggle.

She was still fighting in the trial of resolve…

This showed that in the trial, Ao Qingqing had persisted longer than even Yue Linghu.

“I can’t believe I’m the first to be eliminated…”

Yue Linghu trembled helplessly, overwhelmed with despair.

At the center, the statue of the Ancestral Patriarch seemed to come to life, its gaze swiftly descending.

Yue Linghu felt the world spin around him.

In the next moment, he was whisked out of the Tiny Cosmic Niche, landing hard on the damp ground beneath the White Jade Archway.

The icy rain drenched his clothes and trousers.

With countless eyes fixed on him, Yue Linghu felt his body grow numb with cold.

Disoriented, he trudged down the White Jade Stairway and returned to the carriage.

Yue Weizheng lifted the curtain, surprisingly unperturbed.

“Not bad.”

“It was merely a test—to see if you could truly become Lü Taibai’s disciple. There was never any real hope for you.”

Yue Weizheng said flatly, a remark that stung Yue Linghu deeply.

Everyone thought his talent was lacking—even his own father.

Yet Yue Linghu was at a loss, for even Ao Qingqing had endured the trial of resolve longer than he had.

Amid the commotion, Yue Linghu barely had time to mourn before the second elimination was announced.

“It’s Ning Caihe of the Seven Treasure Divine Sect!”

“And the third eliminated is none other than Tie Shancai, the son of the Luocha Princess from Divine Capital!”

Awakening from the trial of resolve felt like merely the beginning for Yue Linghu.

One by one, the prodigies stirred, their eyes slowly opening amid the swaying.

After Tie Shancai came Yang Yi, and then followed Zhou Peng.

Zhou Peng, having been ejected from the Tiny Cosmic Niche, stood in the spring rain, retrieving a small steamed bun to steady his nerves.

He glanced back at the scene within the niche.

“Sister Yun’e is still holding on… if she reaches the Temple Trial, she’ll have a chance.”

Zhou Peng knew all too well the burden carried by Yun’e, and he fervently hoped for her release.

His eyes then moved to XiXi.

Compared to the agony and struggle on everyone else’s faces, XiXi’s smile was disarming.

It left Zhou Peng at a loss for words.

“XiXi has Daddy and Mommy, and so many people who love her—but Yun’e… in the balance between XiXi and Yun’e, I still hope Yun’e can hold on at the Temple Trial.”

Zhou Peng sighed.

As for him,

he patted his chubby belly. After all, he was the pride of the Zhou Family.

After Zhou Peng’s elimination,

the number of prodigies remaining inside the Tiny Cosmic Niche dwindled steadily.

Next, much to everyone’s surprise, the prodigy from the Tian Dan Divine Sect—Gu He—awakened!

Gu He opened his eyes with a daze, scanned his surroundings, and sighed softly upon seeing many still enduring the trial of resolve.

He took a pill and swallowed it down with a crisp sound—only to be ejected from the Tiny Cosmic Niche in an instant.

Alas… not a trace of Dao Essence responded to him.

On the circular White Jade Stairway within the Tiny Cosmic Niche, the remaining prodigies defied expectations.

They were: Gongshu Wéntian from the Gongshu Family, Lü Qingxuan—number one in the Dragon Child Register, Yun’e of the Yun Family, Xuan Yue from the Xuanfu Divine Sect of Qingyun Dao, Ao Qingqing of the Dragon God lineage, Jin Taisui from Da Li, Lu Chi the Prince of Divine Capital, and Li Nuǎnxi, daughter of Elder Li from Shendiao Ridge.

Eight prodigies in all!

Among these eight, several were unexpected.

On the Grand Plaza, as the spring rain intensified,

cracks and booming thunder between the leaden clouds made the pure rain fall ever colder.

All eyes were fixed on Qiankun Space, filled with tension and curiosity.

The main point was—

among the remaining eight prodigies, two were of a different race!

Jin Taisui and Ao Qingqing!

One from the Da Li Great Witch lineage and the other from the Dragon God lineage—

this was truly unforeseen.

Yue Linghu stared at Ao Qingqing with a conflicted expression—how could this little Dragon Maiden perform so exceptionally in the trial of resolve?

Inside the carriage,

the Princess clenched her hand; her long lashes trembled. Even she could not help but be visibly moved at that moment, her emotions stirred beyond measure.

Time trickled by under the cleansing spring rain, unnoticed until finally,

another prodigy’s eyes opened.

A cry boomed!

“It’s Xuan Yue! Oh, and those two different races are still holding on? Even Xuan Yue of the Xuanfu Divine Sect couldn’t persist—what a pity.”

Xuan Yue opened her eyes and was expelled from the Tiny Cosmic Niche.

In the first trial, she had excelled and earned a wisp of Dao Essence power, only to have it stripped away.

Xuan Yue stuck out her tongue nonchalantly, hardly bothered.

“What a pity.”

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at XiXi on the White Jade Stairway.

“My dear little disciple of Grandmother! XiXi, Senior Sister, keep going—carry this strength like Xuan Yue and persevere!”

Xuan Yue clapped her small fists excitedly.

Though she had suffered much in the trial of resolve, she quickly managed to forget most of it.

Soon after, another prodigy awoke, drawing a collective groan from the entire plaza.

It was none other than Lü Qingxuan, number one in the Dragon Child Register.

Lü Qingxuan stood straight, his posture rigid, his fingers so tense it was as if his nails were digging into his palms.

His performance in both the innate talent trial and the trial of resolve was mediocre—

despite being first in the Dragon Child Register of Qianyuan Divine Sect, why was he only average?

Had even the top prodigy of Qianyuan Divine Sect been eliminated?

The tension grew ever more palpable!

Could it really be that the two different races would finally advance to the Temple Trial?!

Many martial folk from Daocheng, who had rushed over, broke out in sweats from nervous palms.

Even the elders beneath the White Jade Archway, who normally maintained impeccable composure, now showed a slight change in countenance.

Elder Fang Hanshu kept reading his book as ever.

But Elder Zhao Fangzhou and the others couldn’t hide their somber expressions as Lü Qingxuan was eliminated.

“Gongshu Wéntian, Yun’e, Lu Chi, and Li Nuǎnxi—surely they can hold back Jin Taisui and Ao Qingqing?”

“How can these two different races persist so long in the trial of resolve?”

“If a different race manages to enter the Temple Trial, it would be extremely dangerous—

“If a non-native were to claim the position of Young Sect Leader, the consequences would be dire.”

Blood boiling, Martial Saint Elder Zhao Fangzhou fidgeted uncomfortably.

“Another prodigy has awakened!”

“Who is it?”

“It’s Lu Chi, the little prince from Divine Capital!”

Zhao Fangzhou gripped his beard, his eyes narrowing.

Inside the carriage on the Grand Plaza, Mo Lao sighed quietly—what a pity indeed—

for Lu Chi had lasted much longer than Mo Lao expected.

But alas, he could not persist any further.

Within just a few breaths after Lu Chi’s exit…

Ao Qingqing collapsed onto the White Jade Stairway, drenched in sweat and with tears streaming down her face.

In the trial of resolve, she seemed to relive the tragic life of the Dragon Queen.

In that moment, she finally understood her aunt’s pain—her madness, her self-imposed cruelty…

Tears flowed uncontrollably, yet she knew she had once again disappointed her aunt.

She could not advance to the next round.

Tearful beads fell one by one onto the White Jade Stairway.

Perhaps her fate was bound to mirror her aunt’s?

Stifled despair left her gasping, her eyes devoid of light.

She looked over at XiXi—her aunt had wanted her to defeat XiXi, but… she simply couldn’t do it.

Watching XiXi pass the trial of resolve with a beaming smile, she wondered why XiXi could be so joyful.

Why?

Ao Qingqing felt a deep, burning envy.

Both Lu Chi and Ao Qingqing were expelled from the Tiny Cosmic Niche.

Lu Chi’s eyes turned cold as he stood at the entrance of the niche—a flash of pain evident in his expression before he turned away and re-entered the carriage.

“I simply cannot forget—”

He turned and left, retreating into the carriage.

“Mo Lao—let’s go.”

“Time to return to reality.”

“We’ve ultimately let the National Master down.”

Lu Chi’s calm voice echoed, “I must now face what is destined for me…”

“Your performance was truly impressive, Your Highness.”

Mo Lao consoled him.

“I will report your deeds faithfully to the National Master—”

“Thank you, Mo Lao.”

With those parting words,

the Carriage Master pulled the reins and drove away from the Qianyuan Divine Sect Mountain Gate.

Lü Taibai’s gaze lifted from the carriage.

At the same time, back on the Grand Plaza,

Li Qingshan sat on the carriage shaft, watching in the distance as Lu Chi’s carriage shattered through wind and rain and sped away.

From beginning to end—

Lu Chi never once looked back at his former master.

On the White Jade Stairway,

only four prodigies remained.

Gongshu Wéntian, Jin Taisui, Li Nuǎnxi, and Yun’e—

just one more elimination would decide which three would advance to the final trial!

Who will it be?

Who could it be?!

The spring rain roared louder, its fury unrelenting.

Even Li Che could not help but open his eyes wider, pouring half his gaze onto the scene illuminated by sword energy at the entrance of the Tiny Cosmic Niche.

For a moment, all was hushed.

Then the heavy, unyielding rain pounded even more fiercely.

Suddenly,

a sound like shattering echoed through the air.

In an instant, Gongshu Wéntian—seated cross-legged on the White Jade Stairway—trembled violently, his face etched with disbelief and desperate horror.

Then, he abruptly flung his eyes open.

Gasping for breath, he panted heavily.

He quickly turned his head toward XiXi’s direction.

Images flashed in his mind of the illusion during the trial of resolve—the fierce magical battle with Li Nuǎnxi.

Back then, Gongshu Wéntian had nearly defeated Li Nuǎnxi and subdued his inner demons!

But then—

Li Nuǎnxi suddenly transformed!

Her body became covered with dazzling black patterns, as if she had emerged from a sea of blood and death in the Nine Nether!

Within the illusion,

Gongshu Wéntian felt his legs give way—overwhelmed by the oppressive might that seemed capable of felling the very heavens—

forcing him to kneel, drained of the courage to even resist.

It was clear—

she was on a whole different level!

In a cold, disdainful manner, XiXi fixed her gaze on him, as if pinching his already fragile spirit.

Then, with just a single fingertip,

she erased him from existence.

Gongshu Wéntian awoke, feeling as if he’d experienced a cataclysmic nightmare.

Yet deep in his mind, a lingering doubt remained.

“This isn’t…”

He had never seen Li Nuǎnxi like this in reality!

Why would such a monster appear in the trial of resolve?!

Is it that reality always preys upon the meek?!

Li Nuǎnxi—

Who exactly are you?!