Chapter 1  

◎Punishment Kneeling◎  

“Let her kneel outside the hall and reflect properly! The Barren Sea is such a desolate place—she didn’t want to go herself, so she coaxed Zhao’er into swapping with her. All her cleverness is spent scheming against her own sister. What kind of elder sister behaves like this!”  

The snowstorm raged, piling three feet of snow.  

Zhuoying knelt in the biting cold wind, hearing every word of the furious scolding from inside the hall.  

The young girl’s face, as delicate as a white-drawn peony, showed no expression. Upon hearing the words, she merely tucked her stiff, itching fingers deeper into her robe.  

“Your Majesty, please calm your anger.”  

The Empress’s gentle voice sounded from within the hall.  

“Princess Zhuoying has been frail since childhood and truly struggles to endure the harsh cold of the Barren Sea. Why not send her to the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace instead? With the Immortal Spiritual Energy there to nurture her, she might not only recover her health but also learn Magical Arts. In the future, she could return to assist Your Majesty.”  

At the mention of “assist Your Majesty,” Emperor Que’s expression darkened with wariness.  

His eldest daughter, though born frail, had recognized words at three, composed poetry at five, and by ten, had caught the eye of the Confucian Immortal, the Utmost Subtlety Sage, leaving the palace to become his disciple for eight years.  

Unfortunately, her weak constitution prevented her from practicing Magical Arts, so the Sage could only teach her the Four Books and Five Classics.  

For a girl to study the Four Books and Five Classics was truly unseemly.  

Moreover, every time she returned to the palace during those eight years, she would offer advice on state affairs, repeatedly dissuading him from declaring war on the immortal realm, insisting it would end in defeat.  

And now, everything had unfolded exactly as she predicted.  

Emperor Que gazed beyond the Altar of Heaven Worship.  

He had ordered the people to burn down the temples of the immortals who once vanquished demons for the mortal realm. In retaliation, the immortal realm sent a hundred days of heavy snow to punish the mortal world, forcing the human emperor to abandon his ambitious dream of becoming the supreme ruler of heaven and earth.  

Each snowflake, seemingly weightless, pressed heavily upon the shoulders of the Yong Dynasty’s people.  

It extinguished their desire to conquer the immortal realm and forced them to consider picking up their rusted hoes to rebel against the emperor behind the palace walls.  

The Yong imperial family had reached the end of its rope.  

To express submission to the immortal realm, he had no choice but to offer his two daughters as hostages to appease the heavens’ wrath, biding his time for a chance to recover.  

The woman kneeling outside the hall remained composed, her expression obscured by the snowstorm, but Emperor Que could see her heart.  

His daughter was mocking his incompetence.  

“Father! Mother!”  

A bright, youthful voice called from outside, easing the tension in the hall.  

Zhuoying, her eyes lowered, lifted her gaze slightly.  

The figure in crimson paused as she passed by, noticing Zhuoying’s frost-laden lashes and bloodless face. Zhaocui’s expression flickered with guilt before she hurried into the hall.  

Seeing her daughter’s clothes damp with snow, the Empress rose quickly to brush them off.  

“Child, why didn’t you use an umbrella in this freezing weather? And why run so recklessly…”  

“It’s because I heard you punished Sister,” Zhaocui said anxiously, clinging to the Emperor’s sleeve. “Father, I wanted to go to the Barren Sea myself. Last night, I begged Sister to agree to swap with me. You’ve wronged her.”  

The sky was overcast, the east wind howling.  

Zhuoying’s hands and feet had long lost sensation, but she had always been adept at enduring pain. Apart from her utterly bloodless face, there was little sign of the agony she was suffering.  

When it became unbearable, she distracted herself as she had in childhood—by counting the coins in her Mustard Seed Pouch.

By the time she counted the twentieth Spirit Stone, the Empress was earnestly advising Zhaocui not to let fleeting emotions cloud her judgment.

The Human Emperor was even more blunt:

—The Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace chose your sister. Why do you think I took the risk to send you in her stead? Isn’t it all so my precious jewel could live a long life and attain immortality?

By the seventy-fourth Spirit Stone, Zhaocui deployed her most effective tactic—tears streaming down her face like pear blossoms in the rain as she sobbed:

—What’s the use of a long life? Since I was little, you’ve only ever shoved fine clothes and delicacies at me. You’ve never cared what I truly wanted!

By the hundred and twenty-third Spirit Stone, the Human Emperor and Empress showed signs of relenting.

Seizing the advantage, Zhaocui lavished praise on Chen Ye, the Barren Sea Young Lord, extolling his unparalleled genius and future greatness—how he might one day unite the Four Seas Water Domain and rival the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace itself.

The two hundred and fifteen Spirit Stones in the Mustard Seed Pouch were soon counted to the last.

Just as Zhuoying was about to start recounting, a palace attendant finally summoned her inside.

“—Zhao’er mentioned that the Barren Sea Young Lord once studied under the Utmost Subtlety Sage. Do you know him? What’s his character like?”

Warm incense wafted through the hall, punctuated by the occasional crackle of charcoal.

Before Zhuoying could answer, a violent coughing fit wracked her chest, painting her pale face with a sickly flush.

After kneeling in the snow for an hour, the sudden warmth made her stiff limbs ache with an unbearable itch.

A flicker of complex emotion passed through the Human Emperor’s eyes, but no words of comfort came. He merely gestured for a seat.

Once seated and somewhat recovered, Zhuoying’s face—cool and impassive, so like her father’s—betrayed nothing as she stated matter-of-factly:

“Senior Brother possesses exceptional talent in cultivation, a steady and reserved temperament, and striking features. Though the youngest son of the Barren Sea Lord, he enjoys his father’s particular favor. After accomplishing several remarkable feats in recent years, he was formally enfeoffed as Young Lord. His future prospects are boundless.”

Hearing this, the imperial couple seemed somewhat reassured.

“If we can truly secure this marriage alliance with the Barren Sea Young Lord, it would indeed be far better than sending her as a hostage to the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace.”

“But the Barren Sea’s stance…”

“How could they possibly disdain my precious jewel, the legitimate princess of Great Yong? Once the armistice is formalized, we’ll erect hundreds of palaces, temples, and shrines dedicated to the Barren Sea immortals across the mortal realm. They’ll be overjoyed.”

While humanity received protection from the immortals, the celestial beings relied on mortal worship to strengthen their Immortal Roots and advance their cultivation.

These hundreds of sacred structures would indeed constitute a substantial dowry.

Seeing the imperial couple soften, the snow-skinned, flower-like maiden finally smiled through her tears.

The Human Emperor feigned displeasure: “Truly, a daughter grown is a daughter gone.”

Zhaocui linked arms with both parents, sweetly declaring:

“I always knew I had the best father and mother in the world.”

The trio stood together not as emperor, empress, and princess, but as the most ordinary family. The typically stern-faced Human Emperor indulged his daughter with a tender pat on the head, like any doting father.

But Zhuoying knew—he was Zhaocui’s doting father, not hers.

No true father would neglect his five-year-old daughter, forcing her to learn that bribing the matrons with coins was the only way to get fed.

No father would ever fear his daughter’s intelligence so much that he would poison his own child from infancy, condemning her to a life of sickly weakness.

By the charcoal brazier, Zhuoying, chilled to the bone, tried to inch closer to the flames.

A stray spark landed on the back of her hand, instantly branding it red. She gazed at the mark but didn’t withdraw her hand.

The hundred-day snowstorm in the mortal realm would soon end with the peace agreement and the princess being sent as a hostage.

But from birth to death, she would likely never know what warmth felt like.

–

Noon approached under gloomy skies.

Outside the walls of the Great Yong palace, envoys from the Barren Sea immortals had arrived early to wait.

Zhaocui stood atop the city gate tower, showing no reluctance or sorrow about leaving the palace as a hostage. Instead, she stood on tiptoe, eagerly scanning the crowd for any sign of Young Lord Chen Ye.

Soon.

Her wish would soon come true.

Hadn’t she risked death to steal the immortal clan’s Sacred Object and turn back time precisely for this moment?

In her previous life, after being sent to the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace in her sister’s place, she hadn’t lived the life the emperor and empress had promised.

Endless days of cultivation stretched before her, though she had no interest in spiritual practice. During her long years as a hostage, only the appearance of Barren Sea’s Young Lord Chen Ye had brought a glimmer of hope to her bleak existence.

But the immortal realm was vast—the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace resided in the highest heavens, while the Barren Sea immortals dwelled in the ocean depths.

Each day separated from Chen Ye by heaven and earth filled Zhaocui with regret over obeying her parents’ arrangements, fantasizing about getting a second chance.

By fate’s design, she learned of a time-reversing Sacred Object in the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace.

Zhaocui rubbed the bracelet on her wrist.

Heaven had indeed favored her.

“Yue Nu, you saw the Young Lord during last year’s New Year’s Eve too—help me find where he is…”

Her maid had been searching just as long, but the sea of indistinguishable faces below made it impossible to tell.

Finally spotting a sedan chair bearing the Young Lord’s insignia, her joy was cut short by a cool voice behind her:

“He didn’t come today.”

Zhaocui bit her lip and turned back resentfully.

“His sedan is right there.”

Zhuoying’s gaze remained placid, offering no reply.

It was indeed his carriage, but none of Chen Ye’s trusted guards accompanied it—meaning he’d come to the mortal realm but ultimately chosen not to appear.

The reason wasn’t hard to guess.

Having learned mid-journey that Zhuoying wouldn’t be the one going to the Barren Sea, he likely feared she might seek his help. Rather than refuse her face-to-face and damage their rapport, he’d simply avoided the encounter.

Such was his ruthlessly pragmatic nature.

Seeing Zhuoying understood Chen Ye better than she did, Zhaocui’s eager anticipation drained away. Her almond eyes fixed intently on her sister.

After struggling to contain herself, she finally voiced the question that had haunted her past life.

“Elder Sister, you grew up with the Young Lord and trained together as master and disciple… did you ever…”

At this, Zhuoying suddenly smiled—an odd, faint expression that transformed her usually cold features into breathtaking radiance, arresting enough to steal one’s breath away.

Dazzled by her sister’s beauty, Zhaocui’s thoughts scattered in panic.

Even if Zhuoying had no feelings, how could Chen Ye in her past life have spent days and nights beside such a luminous beauty without ever being moved?

Zhuoying observed her sister’s flustered distress with quiet comprehension.

Deep within those pitch-black eyes lay a thousand indescribable emotions, tormenting Zhaocui to no end.  

In the end, the pale, sickly woman merely uttered two faint words:  

“Guess?”  

Zhaocui nearly burst into tears from sheer frustration.  

But the past life had turned to dust, and Zhaocui could no longer demand an answer from Chen Ye of that lifetime.  

In this life, to Chen Ye, she was nothing more than a stranger he had briefly encountered last New Year’s Eve when he escorted Zhuoying back to the palace.  

“It doesn’t matter,” Zhaocui forced back her tears, putting on a composed front. “No matter what, I’ll live well in the Barren Sea. Sister, you must take care of yourself in the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace.”  

In her past life, it was only after she went to the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace that she learned how Zhuoying had offended many immortals there over the years, all to help Chen Ye seize the position of Young Master.  

For example, Xie Cexuan, the Young God of War from the Thunderclap Directorate of the Hall of Heavenly Kings.  

In their past life, he and her sister had been bitter enemies, clashing countless times over the years.  

However, her sister had mostly schemed behind the scenes in that life and never directly confronted Xie Cexuan.  

But after today…  

Zhuoying studied her quietly for a moment before suddenly speaking:  

“Zhaocui, do you hate me that much?”  

The bluntness of the question caught Zhaocui off guard.  

She had never considered it before.  

But now that Zhuoying asked, Zhaocui suddenly remembered—Zhuoying was her only sister. In their earliest years, the two of them had once shared a time of closeness and warmth.  

When had things begun to change?  

Was it when their mother whispered in her ear, over and over, that Chishui Zhuoying was nothing but a lowly bastard, that she and her sister were worlds apart?  

Or was it when she made mistakes, and their father only ever blamed her sister, while she could do no wrong in his eyes?  

The question seemed too complicated for her, and Zhaocui didn’t want to dwell on it.  

“Sister, how could I ever hate you?”  

Zhaocui stepped forward, earnestly grasping her hand.  

“Just like I told you last night—all I want is Chen Ye. Sister, just let me have this one thing. If you grant me this, I swear I’ll do everything in my power to make it up to you in the future. Please?”  

Her tear-filled eyes shimmered pitifully, enough to make anyone sigh at the sight of such an innocent, devoted young woman.  

Unfortunately, the words Zhaocui had whispered in her ear in their past life still echoed clearly.  

—The Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace is utterly heartless! I spent ten years there as a hostage, living a life worse than death!  

—Who would’ve thought the Barren Sea immortals would now rule the Four Seas Water Domain, and you’d become the Young Master of Fate, second only to the sovereign, standing by the Young Master’s side day and night… Sister, I envy you so much.  

Zhuoying had been reborn last night. Not long after she awoke, Zhaocui had knocked on her door and proposed they switch places.  

At that moment, Zhuoying understood—she wasn’t the only one who had been reborn.  

And this younger sister, who believed she alone had been given a second chance, seemed determined to rewrite her own fate.  

Even if the cost was shoving her innocent sister into the den of wolves she herself had desperately avoided.  

Zhuoying lowered her gaze, concealing the excess emotions in her eyes.  

“The Barren Sea immortals excel in battle but lack resources. Right now, they’re in the midst of a power transition, fraught with danger. Though Chen Ye is already the Young Master, until he officially ascends as sovereign, his position remains unstable. Are you sure you won’t regret this?”  

The bitter cold had long drained Zhuoying’s strength, and after kneeling in the snowstorm earlier, her body was utterly exhausted.  

No sooner had she spoken than her frail, wind-threatened figure bent over, coughing violently into her sleeve.

Zhaocui instinctively reached out to steady her, but then hesitated mid-motion as if remembering something.

She lifted her chin slightly, eyes brimming with boundless anticipation for the future.

“Of course not. No matter what happens, the Young Lord and I will live in perfect harmony till our hair turns white. We won’t disappoint Sister’s kindness today.”

After what seemed like an eternity, Zhuoying finally suppressed her coughing fit and glanced up at her.

That wasn’t what she meant.

Though Chen Ye was currently the Barren Sea Young Lord, he had numerous brothers.

The Barren Sea’s gradual decline over the years was entirely due to internal strife.

In their past life, it was she who convinced Chen Ye to unite his brothers, avoid infighting, and bring the Barren Sea together—leading to their eventual unification of the four seas.

Zhuoying slowly raised her eyes, watching goose-feather snowflakes drift down onto the totem of the Barren Sea’s immortal clan.

Chen Ye. Chen Ye.

She repeated the name silently, grinding each syllable between her teeth before swallowing it whole.

Zhaocui was on tenterhooks, terrified that Zhuoying might change her mind and compete for the chance to go to the Barren Sea. But she didn’t know—

In their past life, as the Barren Sea’s Young Master of Fate, Zhuoying had schemed and strategized for him, surviving countless assassination attempts over a century while bearing the brunt of public scorn.

What awaited her in the end wasn’t a wise ruler and loyal ministers, but a fate of being too accomplished for her own good—dying at the hands of the person she trusted most.

This time, Zhuoying would rather endure what she called “a fate worse than death” in the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace than return to the Barren Sea.

Without her painstaking assistance, Zhuoying wanted to see whether the man her sister was so desperate to marry could still achieve his grand ambitions as he had in their past life.

BOOM—!!

A deafening roar from the distant heavens shattered Zhuoying’s thoughts.

Everyone looked up simultaneously.

The envoys from the Supreme Purity Heavenly Palace had arrived.

Author’s Note:

Auspicious start to the story!

It’s been a while since I last began a new work, so I’m a bit rusty. Trying my best to get back into shape! As usual, red packets will be given out for the first three chapters~

A few content warnings upfront:

1. The male lead appears early but has significant plot presence. I’ll do my best with the romance arc!

2. The female lead is the strategist type while the male lead is more direct—they’re strong in different areas. Since this isn’t a story where the female lead completely overshadows others, there’s no “strong female lead” tag. Please note this.

3. This is my brand of xianxia—meaning the settings follow my rules. I don’t recommend applying concepts from other works here.

4. Not all female characters will get along. Major antagonist female characters will have their own arcs and won’t be made excessively miserable just for catharsis. Proceed with caution if this bothers you.