Shen Yuan felt surprised by the revelation but didn’t press further with questions. Instead, he quietly waited for Xia Yunqiu to continue.
There was an indelible gloom on the refined face of Xia Yunqiu, but her expression lacked any hint of loss. It was as if she was merely stating a fact.
“The Hoe Family of Heaven Traversing Sect is also a lineage of great antiquity, which has always retained teachings regarding the Spirit Energy Tidal Surge and the Tianyun Sect. These teachings were crucial in surviving the previous two eras of Spirit Energy depletion.
However, three hundred years ago, the Family Head of the Hoe family believed that the so-called teachings of the Spirit Energy Tidal Surge and the Tianyun Sect were baseless, and given the Hoe family’s foundation, they should seek high positions within Great Xia’s Imperial Court. As a result, the Hoe family moved en masse into the Imperial Capital.
After arriving at the Imperial Capital, it took the Hoe family decades to secure its footing, but without a solid base within the court, the once great family fortune rapidly declined.”
“A little more than two years ago, based on the ancient teachings, the Hoe family detected signs of the resurgence of the Spirit Energy Tidal Surge and sought the heritage of the Tianyun Sect.
But most of the precious Tianyun Sect heritages were destroyed during the relocation, leaving only a very small part intact, which included some basic cultivation methods and Fortune Borrowing Methods.
The Hoe family Head thought this was an opportunity for the Hoe family to rise again and thus used the Hoe family’s influence to align with the Great Xia 5th Prince, helping him in his quest for the throne.
As long as the 5th Prince could ascend to the throne, the Hoe family could borrow fate to return to its former peak.
Unfortunately, the Hoe family’s all-in gamble, using the force of the entire clan, failed. They got entangled in the 5th Prince’s treason, and the Hoe family was exterminated to the third degree of kinship. Only because I carried the Imperial bloodline was I spared from calamity.
Thus, the Tianyun Sect’s lineage was nearly severed, and I, who had learned a portion of the Tianyun Sect’s inheritance, became the last inheritor.”
Xia Yunqiu spoke calmly, but Shen Yuan could sense the tumult hidden beneath her seemingly tranquil words.
“Though I carry the blood of the Great Xia Imperial Family, my mother was not a concubine who entered the palace. Rather, I am the daughter born to Emperor Xia at an unanticipated feast.
After my birth, the entirety of the Hoe family overflowed with joy, believing my mother could enter the harem and that the Hoe family would become relatives of the emperor.
But for more than a decade, Emperor Xia never acknowledged me, and I have never received the title of Princess from beginning to end.
Because of this, my mother passed away in melancholy, and although there was much dirtiness within the Hoe family, they treated me fairly well and managed to raise me to adulthood.
Even this Enlightenment Pavilion was established with the aid of the Hoe family’s resources, and many of its incomplete texts also came from the Hoe family’s ancestral land.”
“After the extermination of the Hoe family, His Majesty seemed to finally remember my existence and ordered me to be brought into the palace to live.
Inside the Imperial City, the princes contending for the throne regarded me as a remnant of the 5th Prince, simply because I was the only one with the rights to inherit the Hoe family’s legacy.
Pressure from all sides followed one after the other. I tried desperately to discard the Hoe family’s legacy, but in the end, I could not fend off the covetous wolves. They believed that the Hoe family had more precious heritages hidden by me.
As the great grotto heavens blessed lands entered Jing Province, the princes could no longer contain their greed. The incident at the Enlightenment Pavilion today is just the beginning.
Once the Enlightenment Pavilion collapses, they will rip off their last pretense and consume the last bits of the Hoe family’s legacy.”
Xia Yunqiu’s words gave Shen Yuan a rather complicated expression.
A sect that had been handed down for tens of thousands of years had fallen prey before the great trend of the resurgent Spirit Energy Tidal Surge, all due to absurd reasons.
As for Xia Yunqiu’s family affairs, they had become a tangled mess.
Emperor Xia exterminated the Hoe family to the third degree of kinship, and as the sole survivor, Xia Yunqiu received a large fortune.
If she were just a common person, even if Xia Yunqiu had the right of inheritance, she wouldn’t be able to receive this wealth, but carrying the Imperial bloodline, none dared openly to embezzle from her.
However, because Xia Yunqiu had the reality of the Imperial Family but not the name of a Princess, several princes of the Imperial Family coveted her inheritance.
Being children of Emperor Xia themselves, the princes had status, power, and maternal families far beyond what Xia Yunqiu could compare to, not fearing that Xia Yunqiu, who lacked even a princess’ title, could pose any threat to them.
They even gradually eroded the Hoe family’s estate, out of fear that their unseemly greed would provoke Emperor Xia’s wrath, rather than out of concern for Xia Yunqiu’s capabilities.
At that moment, Shen Yuan suddenly remembered that when Xia Yunqiu introduced herself earlier, she called herself the 9th daughter of the Great Xia Imperial Family, not the 9th Princess.
Looking at Xia Yunqiu with a hint of complexity in his gaze, Shen Yuan said softly in a sigh,
“For tens of thousands of years, the Hoe Family of Heaven Traversing Sect has steadfastly followed their own path, not frivolously contending for humanity’s fate, thus they were able to continue their ancient lineage.
Yet within just one year of the resurgence of the Spirit Energy Tidal Surge, they met their end trying to seize the fate of the Mortal Emperor.”
“It seems that the Hoe family’s incomplete inheritance has mastered the Fortune Borrowing Methods, but has not realized the destiny of Heaven Traversing.”
“The destiny of Heaven Traversing.”
Xia Yunqiu murmured softly, a thoughtful glint flickering in her eyes.
“Thank you, Daoist, for imparting your knowledge, Yunqiu has learned much.”
Shen Yuan merely shook his head, the doctrines of Tianyun Sect were quite extraordinary, and what Shen Yuan mentioned was nothing more than the superficial methods documented in “Ziwei Enclosure Fortune-telling.”
Yet, within the current inheritance of Tianyun Sect, they were already extremely important methods.
“I have past connections with the elders of your sect, no need for such courtesies.”
Having learned of Xia Yunqiu’s experiences, Shen Yuan had a change of heart.
The matter of humanity fate was not something that only Xia Yunqiu could undertake.
As the last descendant of Tianyun Sect had fallen to such a state, Shen Yuan had a kindness left by Hoe Changzai on him; it was not necessary to involve Xia Yunqiu as a pawn in the game.
After some contemplation, Shen Yuan still gave the choice to Xia Yunqiu herself.
“I came here with the original intention of finding someone bound by the fate of humanity, but I didn’t expect to encounter the inheritance of an old friend.
Intervening to save Enlightenment Pavilion was a minor matter, but ultimately, Great Xia and the grotto heavens sacred ground will have to completely turn against each other. Gong Buyu, as someone from the grotto heavens sacred ground, her deterrence won’t last long.
Should there be another crisis, Enlightenment Pavilion will be in danger.”
In honor of the kindness left by the old friend, I won’t stand by and watch the doctrine of Tianyun Sect be extinguished. I can give you two options.”
“The first option, I can send you out of the Imperial Capital, and either support you in joining a sect from the grotto heavens sacred ground, or help you reestablish the doctrines of Tianyun Sect, whether it is Emperor Xia or the various princes, none will be able to interfere with your actions.
The second option...”
“I choose the second option!”
Xia Yunqiu didn’t hesitate to speak out even before Shen Yuan had finished speaking.
A look of surprise briefly crossed Shen Yuan’s face.
“I haven’t even said what the second option is yet.”
Xia Yunqiu bowed respectfully to Shen Yuan, then spoke earnestly:
“Today, the Daoist has helped Yunqiu protect Enlightenment Pavilion, enlightened me about the cause and effect of the passed-on method, and is even willing to escort Yunqiu away from the Imperial Capital. Yunqiu truly has nothing to offer in return.
Actually, with Yunqiu’s identity as the daughter of Emperor Xia, if willing to give up everything, keeping my life would be certain.
But Yunqiu doesn’t want to flee the Imperial Capital in disgrace, nor does she want to give up this Enlightenment Pavilion that she built through hard work.”
In the noble and elegant woman’s eyes before him sparkled an indescribable flame, and that almost imperceptible humanity fate gathered around her.
“If the Hoe family had been exterminated simply due to backing the wrong faction, I would not have bothered with the rights and wrongs involved. It would have been nothing more than the cost of losing a bet.
However, I know very well, as does everyone on the Imperial Court, that the so-called treason of the Fifth Prince was just a farce.
Emperor Xia killed his own son due to his incompetence, yet had innocent people accompany his son in death. This was not a power struggle for the throne; it was a despicable play.
I want to stay in the Imperial Capital, maintain Enlightenment Pavilion, and as the last descendant of the Hoe family of Heaven Traversing Sect, I want to question Emperor Xia!”
As Xia Yunqiu’s words echoed in the deserted twelfth floor, Shen Yuan could clearly sense the humanity fate surrounding Xia Yunqiu was slowly increasing.
On her person, that dignified, noble aura grew more intense, and the golden-red color in her eyes shone even brighter.
“I’m well aware that I’m struggling to protect myself at the moment, all those thoughts are just illusions.”
“The Daoist is my only chance. Since the Daoist wishes to intervene in the humanity fate, I am willing to impose on my identity as a member of the Great Xia Imperial Family and as the last descendant of Tianyun Sect, to ask the Daoist to enter the fray on my behalf!”

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