Love Travels through Time (My father who traveled through time and space to cultivate immortality came back to pick me up) - Chapter 2
Chapter 2: The Tian Kuang Sword
The most critical detail is that Xiang Haikui’s death was utterly undignified.
When it comes to entering the path of cultivation, the earlier, the better.
Shortly after her arrival, her father helped her establish her foundation and spent half a year stabilizing her realm.
Once she adjusted to life in the cultivation world, he entered seclusion.
Previously, he had suffered severe injuries and had been expending his energy continuously.
A period of secluded cultivation was essential for recovery.
A few days later, while Xiang Haikui was cultivating, she broke into a sweat and decided to take a petal-infused bath in her room.
Suddenly, a ghostly figure appeared behind her.
Before she could react, the figure viciously grabbed her hair, tied up in a bun atop her head, and shoved her face into the bathwater.
Under the pressure of that hand, her dantian was sealed, rendering her unable to unleash her spiritual energy.
Yet, having established her foundation, she struggled for a full ten minutes before blood flowed from her eyes, ears, and nose, dyeing the entire tub red, and she finally drowned.
When Xiang Haikui awoke from this nightmare, her forehead was drenched in cold sweat.
The fear of suffocation and the despair of death kept crashing into her mind.
She couldn’t help but curse, “Fu*k! Perverted freak!”
However, something felt strange.
To infiltrate the heavily warded City Lord’s residence, sneak into her room with its specially secured entry seals, and evade the guards her father had assigned to protect her, the assailant must have been of extraordinary cultivation.
If they intended to kill her, a simple flick to her forehead would have sufficed.
Why go through the effort to brutally torture her to death?
“Who the hell did this?” Xiang Haikui had never seen the assailant’s face, which left her infuriated.
“As the victim, you must know more than I do,” Yin Changli commented.
His words implied that he, too, didn’t know.
“But I suspect this has something to do with Xiang Tianqing.”
“W-What?” Xiang Haikui was incredulous.
Xiang Tianqing was the biological daughter of her father’s current body.
Back then, the original owner of this body was being hunted by demon cultivators.
While fleeing with his newborn daughter, both were on the brink of death.
With his final strength, the original owner sealed Xiang Tianqing to preserve her life.
When her father transmigrated into the original owner’s body, the latter retained some consciousness and begged him to take care of Xiang Tianqing.
As a father himself, with a cherished daughter of his own, and having taken over the man’s body, Xiang Heng, being a responsible and honest man, readily agreed.
He detoxified, unsealed, healed, and meticulously raised Xiang Tianqing, never concealing his true identity.
As for Xiang Tianqing, knowing from a young age that her biological father had died, she still regarded him as her real father and insisted on sharing his surname.
“Why would she want to kill me?” Xiang Haikui couldn’t figure it out.
Was she unwilling to share her father’s love?
Or was she worried about competition for the family fortune?
Yin Changli, seated behind the desk, rested his chin on his hand, his phoenix eyes slightly raised.
His gaze never left Xiang Haikui’s face, observing every shift in her expression.
He was making his final decision.
But that didn’t stop him from answering Xiang Haikui’s question: “She didn’t kill you. The force behind her wants you dead. Xiang Tianqing’s origins aren’t simple. She’s the daughter of a noble family from the Upper Realm, here to gain experience…”
The Upper Realm?
The world above the cultivation realm—that was the celestial realm.
Xiang Haikui understood.
Xiang Tianqing was originally a heavenly fairy who descended to undergo tribulations.
From Yin Changli’s words, it seemed that the noble families in the celestial realm often sent their descendants to reincarnate in the lower realm, where they would slay demons, vanquish evil, and build merit.
Upon returning to the celestial realm, these achievements would serve as their foundation and a measure of prestige.
It was a good thing in principle.
However, opportunists could be found in any era.
For instance, the faction backing Xiang Tianqing sent servants to secretly protect her in the lower realm and even mapped out her future path.
Where there was no merit, they would fabricate it.
Thus, the assailant who drowned her was paving the way for Xiang Tianqing.
The target?
Her father, Xiang Heng.
The assailant intended to torment her, forcing her survival instincts to surge in the face of suffocation.
This would alert Xiang Heng, who was in seclusion not far away within the city.
After seven days of seclusion, Xiang Heng’s internal energy would be cycling through a major meridian.
Coupled with the demonic poison he had previously accumulated while detoxifying Xiang Tianqing, suddenly interrupting his seclusion would almost certainly lead to him going berserk.
In a frantic rush, her father arrived, only to see his daughter lying naked, drowned in a blood-stained bathtub—a second devastating blow.
She could only speculate.
Moments later, the fortune-telling brush tapped her forehead again, confirming her suspicions.
Her father lost his mind on the spot.
Unable to find the culprit, he massacred half of Silver Sand City, the very place he had once risked his life to protect.
Then it was one city after another…
On the Central Continent, no one could stop this madman.
In desperation, they summoned one of the three most renowned Sword Sovereigns of the era.
However, by the time the Sword Sovereign arrived, someone had already ended the demon.
It was Xiang Tianqing.
Even though he no longer recognized kin, her father still had an impression of the daughter he had raised, leaving him unguarded.
To eradicate evil and uphold righteousness, Xiang Tianqing killed her own father in the name of justice.
Her reputation soared overnight, and she caught the eye of the Sword Sovereign, who took her as a disciple.
Her path to “merit” was long, but the journey between father and daughter ended there.
Xiang Haikui stood in a daze, her mind blank, for a long time.
No one disturbed her.
When she finally composed herself, she hurriedly expressed her gratitude to Yin Changli.
“Thank you, Senior, for saving my life!” she said earnestly.
Yin Changli asked, “You believe it?”
Xiang Haikui nodded.
“I do.”
Based on the behavior of the people involved, she could tell this wasn’t a fabricated illusion but a genuine projection of destiny.
If Yin Changli hadn’t intervened, the events he described would most likely have occurred.
Yin Changli was mildly surprised.
She had accepted everything so quickly and even adjusted her mindset.
Then he found it amusing.
After all, wasn’t this why he chose her?
He’d noticed her thick skin and carefree attitude in the first place.
“That makes things easier,” Yin Changli nodded.
“You may lack spiritual roots, but I have a divine sword called Tian Kuang (Wild Sky) that can be cultivated even without spiritual roots.”
“Xiao Bai,” he signaled the tun tun mouse.
With a soft “plop,” the mouse spat out a sword from its food pouch.
With a loud clang, the so-called “divine sword” fell to the ground, resembling a drunkard collapsing in a heap.
It flopped around like a fish washed ashore, flailing weakly.
No matter how Xiang Haikui looked at it, this sword lacked the dignity of a divine weapon.
Besides, was this even a sword?
It was long and unwieldy, consisting only of a silver-white blade and a pitch-black hilt.
A black flood dragon coiled around the blade, its tail forming the hilt.
Without a guard, and despite its intricate craftsmanship, it resembled nothing more than a fire poker adorned with a dragon.
How was she supposed to cut anyone with this?
“This Tian Kuang was something I acquired in my early years but has been idle for a long time. If you can awaken its spirit and make it recognize you as its master today, I’ll take you to meet a swordmaster who will initiate you into the way of the sword. In 100 days, you’ll be reborn.”
As Yin Changli mentioned the swordmaster, he pinched the bridge of his nose.
“That’s all I’ll do. Afterward, you’ll take the exorcism medicine I give you and return to your father. Remember, don’t tell him about any of this.”
Xiang Haikui nodded.
“Understood.”
Otherwise, his concern would only make it harder for him to succeed in his seclusion.
Yin Changli added, “While your father is in seclusion, you must do everything you can to survive until he purges the demonic poison and emerges…”
People from the Upper Realm can’t easily descend and can only send avatars to possess cultivators in the lower realm, significantly limiting their power.
Once Xiang Heng expels the demonic poison, the forces behind Xiang Tianqing will find it much harder to act against him and will likely give up and seek another plan.
The sheer volume of information left Xiang Haikui feeling sluggish, needing time to process everything.
So the bigshot’s plan was to give her 100 days of intense training and then send her to confront the same assailant who had easily drowned her?
After some thought, she considered asking: once her father completed his seclusion, could she just go into hiding?
Probably not—either she wouldn’t be able to stay hidden, or they might have a second plan in place!
In the end, it seemed best to stick to the strategy and face things head-on!
Even the esteemed Yin Changli believed she could handle it, so why should she doubt herself?
“Senior Yin, I have a question.”
“Ask.”
What Xiang Haikui couldn’t figure out was this: according to her father’s accounts, this bigshot wasn’t known for being particularly kindhearted.
Seeking his advice, acquiring cultivation techniques, or obtaining treasures always required some kind of transaction.
No exceptions.
Yet here he was, suddenly intervening to save her life, gifting her a sword, and even finding her a teacher for a hundred days of intensive training.
Wasn’t this a bit too indulgent?
Could it be… he had a crush for her dad?
Yin Changli noticed her sneaking a glance at him and grew curious.
“Ask.”
Xiang Haikui pursed her lips and shook her head.
Yin Changli’s voice turned a bit colder, though he was still smiling.
“Ask.”
His smile sent a chill down her spine.
She realized something—Yin Changli, despite his refined and gentle appearance, seemed to smile frequently, but it wasn’t because he was happy.
His lips naturally curved upward.
When he was even slightly displeased, his tone paired with that smile was utterly terrifying.
Left with no choice, she braced herself and asked, “Why are you helping us? You’re being so kind—it doesn’t seem like the stories about you.”
“That’s it? And you had to hesitate over that?” Clearly, her question failed to pique Yin Changli’s interest. “Because it benefits me.”
Xiang Haikui: ?
Yin Changli explained, “I was curious about Xiang Tianqing, so I calculated her future as well. To my surprise, it seems she plans to get involved with me somehow.”
Xiang Haikui’s eyes widened in shock.
Yin Changli tilted his head slightly, his gaze piercing through the roof as if looking at something far beyond. “The Heavenly Dao, without my permission, keeps trying to push women onto me. How many times has it been? Every time, it loses, yet it never learns its lesson.”
Xiang Haikui: …
This was truly a master single by sheer willpower.
Returning his gaze, Yin Changli pointed to the sword on the ground.
“Alright, time is short. Quickly awaken Tian Kuang.”
Xiang Haikui immediately crouched down and approached, attempting to pick up the lifeless Tian Kuang Sword.
It was extremely heavy.
She used all her strength, but the so-called divine sword didn’t budge an inch.
The tun tun mouse spat out a glove.
Without asking any questions, Xiang Haikui picked it up and put it on immediately.
Sure enough, she was able to lift the Tian Kuang Sword with ease.
Yin Changli: “Go on.”
Xiang Haikui was puzzled.
“Go where?”
Yin Changli: “To awaken Tian Kuang, it needs to think you’re bold enough. Go outside—this is the territory of the beast clans. Just go and slay a few, preferably the fierce ones.”
Xiang Haikui: ?
Right now, Tian Kuang felt like a lifeless object in her hand.
Even if it came to life, she didn’t know a single sword technique.
Wouldn’t she just get torn to shreds?
The tuntun mouse gave her a meaningful look, seemingly hinting that their master wasn’t exactly the most patient of individuals.
Sure enough, Yin Changli chuckled and said, “Miss Xiang, you’re not my only option, you know.”
Xiang Haikui shuddered and immediately turned to leave, carrying the sword.
Chop! Isn’t it just chopping the beasts?
She’d already died once—what was there to fear?
As she thought this, the Tian Kuang Sword in her hand seemed to tremble slightly.
It turned out this sword really did like bold people.
Just as she was about to leave the palace, she paused mid-step.
Turning back, she asked, “Senior, must I slay a beast? Could there be another way?”
Yin Changli replied, “All I care about is awakening Tian Kuang.”
Great! That was exactly what she needed to hear.
With that, Xiang Haikui marched back into the hall with her head down.
Before the astonished eyes of the tuntun mouse and the fortune-telling brush, she suddenly raised the sword and pointed it directly at Yin Changli, who was seated on the throne.
With a booming voice, she declared, “Who are you trying to scare here, you idiot?!”
Silence fell.
Crack.
A clear sound echoed.
The Tian Kuang Sword in her hand had awakened.
It turned out, in Tian Kuang’s understanding, a woman bold enough to point a sword at Yin Changli and scold him was far more daring than one who went out to slay beasts.
