Yu Zhao arrived at the Archive Pavilion as daylight broke. The sun pierced through the clouds, casting a golden sheen over the building.
It was still early, and the area outside the pavilion was deserted. She stepped lightly up the stairs, her face brightening with a smile when she spotted the elder seated by the entrance. Bowing respectfully, she greeted in a clear, cheerful voice, “Elder Gu.”
Elder Gu, unlike his usual demeanor of reading intently, sat upright with a solemn expression, as if he had been waiting for her. When she greeted him, his stern face softened slightly, and he raised his hand to cast a barrier around them.
“Have you truly decided to re-cultivate with a new technique?”
“Yes,” Yu Zhao replied firmly.
“The Bright Moon Over the Sea Technique is a masterpiece created by Master Qing Yan himself. Among water-based techniques, it is unparalleled. Are you really willing to give it up?”
Yu Zhao nodded emphatically, her resolve unwavering.
Elder Gu, though not a man of many words, inquired repeatedly out of concern for her well-being. To abandon her previous cultivation foundation and start anew was no trivial matter—it required the utmost caution.
If it were anyone else, perhaps even he would have looked at her with disdain. Yet Elder Gu was a maverick who never trusted hearsay. He relied on his own observations, and Yu Zhao was far from the despicable figure rumors described.
The gossip seemed exaggerated, which made him wonder—who was stirring the pot and fanning the flames? The motive was clear: whoever benefited the most likely orchestrated the slander. But the majority chose to turn a blind eye and delve no deeper.
“Elder Gu?”
Lost in thought, Elder Gu was pulled back by Yu Zhao’s voice. He shook off his scattered musings and looked at her with a hint of pity. “I had no intention of meddling in the affairs of Lone Moon Peak, but you’ve caught my eye, little girl. I’ll lend you a hand.”
“Thank you, Elder Gu!” Yu Zhao expressed her gratitude sincerely.
“Don’t thank me just yet.” Elder Gu stroked his beard thoughtfully. “You must promise me that today’s matter will not be disclosed. Only the heavens, the earth, you, and I shall know.”
Yu Zhao understood his apprehension—offending a Nascent Soul stage cultivator like Master Qing Yan was not something he wished to risk. She pledged earnestly, “I swear, no one else will learn of this.”
Satisfied, Elder Gu retrieved a thin booklet from his sleeve, placing it on the table before him. With a glance, he motioned for Yu Zhao to take it.
She hesitated before extending her hand. Seeing that Elder Gu did not stop her, she picked it up. The cover was blank—an unnamed manual.
Her nerves tightened as she opened it. Upon seeing the contents, her eyes widened in surprise. This was not a water-based technique as she had expected but rather the memoir of a senior cultivator.
The narrative began with the senior recounting, in her own voice, how she defeated a treacherous Dao companion.
This… was entirely different from what Yu Zhao had imagined.
She looked at Elder Gu, puzzled. He nodded at her, signaling her to keep reading. Reluctantly, Yu Zhao turned her gaze back to the text and quickly became engrossed.
The author, who called herself Bright Moon Hermit, was a cultivator born with a single water spirit root. Like Yu Zhao, she initially joined a sect but later chose to leave due to her dislike of its constraints.
During her travels, she saved a male cultivator of similar rank. The two journeyed together and, over time, developed deep feelings for each other, eventually becoming Dao companions.
Just as Bright Moon Hermit thought they would be the epitome of love in the cultivation world, her husband suddenly turned on her, attempting to take her life.
He had been cultivating the Path of Emotional Detachment, which required him to first experience deep affection before severing it—culminating in the ultimate step: killing his wife to achieve enlightenment.
Overcome with shock and fury, Bright Moon Hermit fought back with everything she had. In the end, she watched the man she loved take his last breath.
In that moment of heartbreak, she attained enlightenment.
“The Path of Emotional Detachment severs the seven emotions and six desires. It is a path of the heart. Killing one’s wife for enlightenment is selfish, inviting karmic consequences. To cultivate is to temper the heart.”
Through adversity, Bright Moon Hermit gained profound insights and spent a century creating her own technique—the Illusory Tides Technique. The memoir concluded with the technique’s method.
Yu Zhao was mesmerized.
Bright Moon Hermit’s life was filled with twists and turns, stirring both admiration and longing. This memoir offered Yu Zhao not only inspiration but also clarity.
In her past life, her emotional entanglements had led to a tragic end. This time, she was determined to avoid repeating the same mistakes. Severing attachments and cultivating the Path of Emotional Detachment seemed like the ideal choice.
Her hesitation faded.
Yu Zhao resolved to cultivate the Illusory Tides Technique, but as she read further, her expression grew serious. The memoir was incomplete. It only contained instructions for the first three levels, suitable for her current stage, but the later chapters were missing.
Elder Gu, noticing her reaction, remarked, “The memoir was obtained by a senior of her sect long ago and was already damaged. Were it complete, it would reside on the third floor, beyond your reach.”
“Think carefully, little girl. Do you still want to pursue this path?”
Yu Zhao clenched the booklet tightly. Based on the details, she surmised that Bright Moon Hermit had at least reached the late Nascent Soul stage, if not the same Deity Transformation stage as her master, Qing Yan.
If the technique were whole, she would have accepted without hesitation. But with its current state, progressing beyond the Golden Core stage would be difficult, if not impossible. The further she advanced, the greater the limitations.
After a long internal struggle, Yu Zhao’s eyes shone with determination. “I’ve made up my mind. I will cultivate it!”
The Illusory Tides Technique was the only technique she knew of that could rival the Bright Moon Over the Sea Technique. Having already forsaken one pinnacle technique, she refused to abandon another.
Moreover, there was still time before she reached the Golden Core stage. With luck, she might find the missing chapters and complete the technique.
Elder Gu waved her off. “Since you’ve decided, go prepare yourself.”
“Elder Gu, I am deeply grateful. If the opportunity arises, I will repay your kindness.”
“If you truly wish to repay me, forge ahead with all your might. Show me how far you can go.”
“I will give it my all!”