Volume I: The Emperor's Sword Chapter 110: The Sect Traitor

In terms of age, Yun Que could certainly address Si Ruonan as "Sister."

As for the phrase "I have returned," it referred to his return from the life-and-death struggle with the Yaksha. Of course, the words could also be interpreted as the inner voice of Si Chen. This double entendre from Yun Que unlocked the emotional shackles that had imprisoned Si Ruonan for years.

After a simple bandaging, Si Ruonan’s condition improved significantly. The black doll, resembling a small figurine, sat in the shadow at her feet, curled up and carefully avoiding the sunlight.

"Sister Nan, are you a disciple of the Treasure Artifact Sect?" Yun Que took out the ancient jade slip, intending to return it to her; it belonged to her, and he had no intention of keeping it for himself. As for the name "Treasure Artifact Sect," he had never heard of it.

"My master once said that if affinity is lacking, even the greatest treasure cannot be protected," Si Ruonan said with a bitter smile. "You were able to escape the Yaksha’s clutches, so you must have great affinity. Take this *Heart Sutra of Artifact Manipulation* as a gift."

Yun Que’s expression turned serious upon hearing this. Anything Si Ruonan considered a supreme treasure must be immensely valuable.

"It wouldn't be proper for me to keep your sect’s treasure."

"You are my younger brother; what difference does it make whose hands it is in? I will be angry if you refuse again."

"Very well then. If you have any other treasures, Sister Nan, feel free to give them to me as well. I won't turn anything away."

"That’s more like it," Si Ruonan smiled faintly. "If Si Chen were alive today, he would be about your age. You two are truly alike—mischievous yet sincere."

Yun Que chuckled, his youthful face bathed in the sunlight.

"Sister Nan, what is the *Heart Sutra of Artifact Manipulation*? Is it a manual for forging?" Yun Que asked.

"Something like that. It is the supreme treasure of the Treasure Artifact Sect. Within it are recorded not only profound forging techniques but also the sect’s unique methods for manipulating artifacts."

Si Ruonan explained in detail: "The 'Hundred Artifact Array' I used earlier is one of the formations from the *Heart Sutra*. Unfortunately, the opponent was too powerful; the innate power of the Fire Yaksha is highly resistant to formation arts. Had it been a Foundation Establishment or even an early Golden Core expert, the Hundred Artifact Array could have restrained them for a very long time."

"The *Heart Sutra* includes not just the Ten-Artifact and Hundred-Artifact arrays, but also stronger ones like the Thousand-Artifact and Ten-Thousand-Artifact arrays. When cultivated to the pinnacle, one can even seize the magical tools and treasures being wielded by others out of thin air."

"Beyond that, the *Heart Sutra* contains clues to several legendary forging treasures. These treasures are mysterious and unfathomable. Most have long been lost, and even those that remain in the world are treated as guarded secrets by major sects, off-limits to outsiders."

"However, there is a catch: these mysterious forging treasures require special methods to activate, or they remain dead objects, useless and impossible to utilize. The *Heart Sutra* is the key to unlocking these treasures."

As Si Ruonan spoke, Yun Que grew increasingly astonished. This unremarkable jade slip held such immense secrets!

The *Heart Sutra* offered three major benefits.

First, the way of artifact forging. Forging skills are of vital importance to practitioners. With modest success, one can become an Artifact Forger. The status of an Artifact Forger in the cultivation world is unparalleled; along with Alchemists, Talisman Masters, and Formation Masters, they are known as the four most lucrative professions.

Second, the techniques for artifact manipulation. Using magical tools to form arrays was an unheard-of method. Although it didn't stop the Underworld Yaksha, Yun Que was certain that Si Ruonan’s previous Hundred-Artifact Array could absolutely trap and kill any Foundation Establishment cultivator. It was a tool for crushing those of the same rank! Of course, the prerequisite was having enough magical tools.

Third, the clues and activation methods for legendary forging treasures. This might seem useless at first, but acquiring a single legendary treasure is equivalent to striking it rich overnight—it is an invisible asset. Most importantly, the *Heart Sutra* contained the methods to drive these mysterious treasures.

This was where the real value lay! If a sect possessed a legendary treasure but no one knew how to use it, Yun Que would have plenty of room to maneuver—he might even have a chance to claim it for himself. After all, a treasure is only a treasure if it can be used. No matter how powerful or precious, if it cannot be activated, it is nothing more than a dead object, useless junk.

Great stuff! Yun Que toyed with the jade slip, his lips curling into a smile.

Si Ruonan was bewildered. How did this brother, who moments ago seemed so bright and sincere, suddenly learn to smirk like a rogue?

"I’ll keep it for now, and if you need it, Sister Nan, just ask!" Yun Que happily tucked the *Heart Sutra* into his storage ring. Setting aside whether he would study it, it would certainly be a powerful tool for swindling others. Before, he could only trick individuals, but now, he had the confidence to swindle an entire sect.

"Sister Nan, why did you leave the Treasure Artifact Sect, and where did this talk of the *Heart Sutra* being a 'curse' come from?" Yun Que asked curiously.

"It’s a long story..."

A look of reminiscence appeared in Si Ruonan’s eyes as she slowly recounted her past. She had been the personal disciple of the Treasure Artifact Sect’s leader. Possessing exceptional talent, she was highly valued by her master and enjoyed a smooth cultivation journey, living carefree in the sect with her younger brother, Si Chen. The Sect Leader had groomed her to be his successor, often teaching her the forging arts from the *Heart Sutra*. Si Ruonan had achieved high proficiency in forging, and despite her young age, her skills were already peerless among her generation in the sect.

However, this smooth sailing did not last long.

When Si Ruonan was twenty, a great tragedy befell the Treasure Artifact Sect. The Sect Leader was assassinated. On his deathbed, he handed the *Heart Sutra* to Si Ruonan and told her to flee immediately. The culprit was within the sect—it was the Sect Leader’s own junior brother, a powerful elder with immense authority.

In her panic, Si Ruonan originally wanted to seek justice for her master and expose the murderer. But before she could act, she was horrified to find herself branded a scapegoat, framed as the assassin and a traitor to the sect. A mere true disciple was no match for an elder who had been plotting for years.

Si Ruonan had no choice but to take her brother and begin a life on the run. Had the Sect Leader not severely wounded his junior brother on his deathbed, Si Ruonan would never have even had the chance to escape. Even so, she was hunted by sect elites all the way, only narrowly shaking off her pursuers after several brushes with death.

She had hidden her name and lived in deep mountains with her brother. She had even blended into bustling cities, hoping to avenge her master and clear her name. But a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator could never topple an entire sect, and after her identity was exposed once, it led to the death of her brother.

With no other options, Si Ruonan had to seal her brother's body and flee to a distant land, eventually arriving in the Yan Kingdom. In Yan, she encountered the sect’s pursuers again, but managed to survive by using Hu Tieshan, whom she had just met, pretending to be a married couple. What started as a ruse turned into genuine affection; they became husband and wife in truth and even had a child.

After giving birth, Si Ruonan grew increasingly fearful, waking up from nightmares every night. She was terrified that her husband and child would meet the same fate as her brother because of her. Thus, she chose to leave.

Alone, carrying her brother’s corpse, she left without a word and hid in Changliu Street in the imperial capital of the Yan Kingdom, becoming a low-profile artifact forger.

All these years, Si Ruonan had lived in guilt. She spent her time gathering various materials, eventually setting up the "Spirit Resurrection Array" to revive her brother. She had hoped to summon his lingering soul from the Underworld so they could reunite, but she had accidentally summoned an Underworld Yaksha instead. Had Yun Que not arrived, she would never have survived.

Listening to Si Ruonan’s story, Yun Que felt a wave of emotions. It turned out that Hu Tieshan, the stingy "Great Yan’s Number One Sword Forger," was just like Luo Xiaoyu—an old tool in the hands of fate.