Firmament Sword

”Huh? What? You... Your name is Xu Luo? Why? I thought it was Luo Tian.” Xie Yurou stared at Xu Luo in astonishment. She had never imagined that ”Luo Tian” was just an alias.

”When I first entered Baihua City to take care of that matter, I couldn’t use my real name. I just kept using that same name when I came to Celestial Brilliance. It’s an alias, but one I’ve used before.”

Xu Luo looked at Xie Yurou apologetically. ”I’m sorry. I couldn’t tell you before. I had my reasons...”

”I... I’m not blaming you. I understand.”

Xie Yurou’s heart ached as she looked at Xu Luo. She might not have much life experience, but she was exceptionally clever. She could imagine that whatever forced a man to hide his identity could not have been a trivial matter.

So, while she was surprised to learn Xu Luo’s true name, she didn’t believe for a second that he had intentionally deceived her.

’Otherwise, why would he tell me now?’

”Let’s just keep this between the two of you for now... I don’t want the name ’Xu Luo’ getting out just yet,” Xu Luo said. ”Give it some time. I’ll eventually have my real name replace ’Luo Tian.’”

”Don’t worry, I won’t tell,” Xie Yurou said, looking at Xu Luo with affection. She was overjoyed. ’Only a few people know about this... It means he really cares about me!’

”Young Master, rest assured, Xiaohong won’t tell either!” Sun Xiaohong was also delighted, perhaps even more so than Xie Yurou.

After all, everyone in Celestial Brilliance knew that Xie Yurou and Luo Tian were in love and meant for each other—they were a couple.

’It was only right for Xu Luo not to hide things from Xie Yurou, but he didn’t hide it from me either! That means he considers me one of his own!’

Xu Luo said, ”Seeing this letter from my second brother today has made me decide—it’s time I started to reveal my true identity! I want all my brothers to know that I am here! That I am Xu Luo!”

Xie Yurou thought to herself, ’It seems this second brother he mentioned is extremely important to Brother Luo. When I meet him in the future, I must be on my best behavior and not show any disrespect.’

As Xu Luo began to read the letter, an angry expression suddenly crossed his face. He muttered, ”Xuan City... the Jin Family!”

Then, Xu Luo read the part where Xu Jie mentioned Liu Ruyu and described how they had met. A smile graced his lips as he thought, ’So those two... they finally ended up together. That’s wonderful!’

In the letter, Xu Jie wrote that he planned to travel far and wide across Xi Hezhou and proposed that he and Xu Luo meet during the Xi Hezhou Grand Competition.

Xu Luo set the letter down and let out a long sigh, his mood lifting immensely.

Looking at the two women, Xu Luo explained, ”This second brother of mine, I’ve known him since we were kids. The five of us became sworn brothers, vowing to share both fortune and adversity. Four of us are now in the Divine Domain, but we’re all scattered and have no way to contact one another. I’m so happy to finally have news of him. Come on... let’s go celebrate at the Ancient Dao Pavilion!”

”Wow, that’s wonderful!” Xie Yurou exclaimed happily. ”What are we waiting for? I’ll go get Qianqian, and we can all go together!”

Sun Xiaohong looked worried. ”I heard that only Direct Disciples... and members are allowed in there. It... it probably wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go, would it?”

”What’s inappropriate about it? When you’re with your Young Master, who would dare to stop you?” Xie Yurou said with a smile, glancing at Sun Xiaohong.

Xie Yurou then went to get Su Qianqian, summoned her personal airship, and the group set off, flying toward the main city.

On the airship, Xu Luo told Su Qianqian about his second brother’s letter. Su Qianqian was pleasantly surprised and delighted that Xu Luo had been able to get in touch with one of his sworn brothers.

Xu Luo then told Su Qianqian about his decision to gradually go back to using his real name, Xu Luo.

Su Qianqian still had some reservations. She looked at Xu Luo and said, ”Going back to your real name... that in itself isn’t a problem. I’ve noticed that people here in the Divine Domain don’t seem as... fixated on your past as they were in the Lower Realm. But you entered Celestial Brilliance under a false name. If you try to switch back now, I’m afraid many people will use it as an opportunity to attack you!”

”Yes, Qianqian has a good point. Especially now, during a critical period of the Annual Competition. If you suddenly revert to your real name, many people will claim you joined Celestial Brilliance with ulterior motives!” Xie Yurou said softly. ”I was thinking the same thing just now. Honestly, I think... the name Luo Tian is great. It’s powerful! As long as those of us close to you know the truth... that should be enough.”

Sun Xiaohong felt the same way. Looking at Xu Luo, she said, ”No matter what you’re called, you’ll always be Xiaohong’s Young Master.”

Su Qianqian looked at Xu Luo earnestly. ”If you’re set on restoring your name, you should at least... wait until after the Peak of Jiuzhou competition!”

Xie Yurou added, ”It wouldn’t be too late to go back to your real name once you’re in a position where you’re in complete control of everything!”

”Or... you could just be Luo Tian in this world!” Su Qianqian said with a smile. ”A name is just a label. Is what you’re called... really that important?”

”Besides... since you used the name ’Luo Tian’ in the Lower Realm, I’m sure your eldest brother and the others will know it’s you if they hear it!”

Xu Luo thought about how Su Qianqian was once known as the Su Celestial Maiden and was equally famous on the Ancient Race Continent. He laughed and said, ”You’re right, I was overthinking it. In this world, I am Luo Tian!”

The airship slowly descended outside the main city. After the last incident, Xie Yurou had matured considerably and learned to be more low-profile.

The three peerless beauties accompanying the dashing, elegant young man created a striking scene, causing everyone on the street to turn and stare.

When some people recognized Xu Luo, they couldn’t help but start whispering amongst themselves.

”Look... that’s Luo Tian! The biggest dark horse of this year’s Annual Competition!”

”So that’s Luo Tian, the Head Disciple of the Medicine Garden? He’s so handsome! And the women with him are breathtakingly beautiful, aren’t they?”

”Shh, keep your voice down! Do you have any idea who those women are?”

”The one in the long purple dress is the noble lady from the Heritage Xie Family, Xie Yurou!”

”You mean she’s the noble lady from the Xie Family? The one Yu Tianjie himself declared was a perfect match for Luo Tian after losing to him in the ring?”

”That’s right, that’s her! And do you see the woman in the white dress beside her? That’s Su Qianqian, the Direct Disciple of the Scripture Pavilion’s Chief Grand Elder! And the one in red is Sun Xiaohong, Luo Tian’s Maid!”

”Why would he bring his Maid along?”

”You dare look down on that Maid? She took first place in this year’s Outer Sect Annual Competition! I heard that many of the older generation’s top figures want to accept her as their Direct Disciple!”

”It seems Luo Tian’s arrival really has changed a lot of things. At the very least... the Medicine Garden, which has been in decline for years, is making a comeback because of him.”

Xu Luo’s expression remained calm, but the three young women by his side were a bit shy, unused to being the focus of so much attention.

Soon, the party of four arrived at the Ancient Dao Pavilion, where Zhao Hongzhang, having already been notified, was waiting by the entrance.

The last incident had left the Ancient Dao Pavilion’s Chief Shopkeeper, who also hailed from the Medicine Garden, with a profound and wholehearted admiration for Xu Luo. He had beaten up a young master from a Heritage Clan and caused a huge scene, yet not only did he escape punishment, his fame had skyrocketed. And because of him, that very same young master had been exiled to a distant Border City. The result had shocked everyone.

”Zhao Hongzhang greets the Medicine King!” Zhao Hongzhang bowed to Xu Luo with great solemnity.

Xu Luo quickly returned the gesture. ”Medicine King” was just a title, and the man before him was a respected senior from the Medicine Garden.

”Please, this way!” Zhao Hongzhang gave a slight nod to Xie Yurou, Qianqian, and Sun Xiaohong, acknowledging them with a simple greeting.

The Chief Shopkeeper of the Ancient Dao Pavilion was a man of no small status. The only person he truly deferred to... was Xu Luo.

”Medicine King, there’s another group of guests at the Ancient Dao Pavilion today,” Zhao Hongzhang whispered to Xu Luo.

”Oh?” Xu Luo glanced at Zhao Hongzhang.

Zhao Hongzhang continued, ”They’sre disciples from some of the other major sects in Xi Hezhou. All exceptionally talented young people.”

”I thought outsiders weren’t allowed in Celestial Brilliance?” Xu Luo asked, puzzled.

Xie Yurou explained from the side, ”Disciples from sects we’re on friendly terms with are allowed to enter Celestial Brilliance, either for cultural exchange or to trade. They can’t access the core areas, but this city is open to many of our allies.”

Xu Luo nodded in understanding.

As the leading Supreme Great Sect of Xi Hezhou, Celestial Brilliance might be the most powerful, but it still needed allies. As the saying goes, one hand cannot clap alone.

”They can do their thing, we’ll do ours,” Xu Luo said, understanding that Zhao Hongzhang was giving him a heads-up, likely frightened by his talent for stirring up trouble.

Zhao Hongzhang then led Xu Luo and the others into the innermost courtyard of the Ancient Dao Pavilion.

It was a chic and elegant space with a wonderful ambiance.

Upon their arrival, several beautiful maids began serving exquisite dishes with practiced grace.

Xu Luo and his companions took their seats, drinking and chatting merrily about everything under the sun. The atmosphere was very relaxed.

During the meal, Sun Xiaohong said she needed to step out for a moment. Xu Luo and the others thought nothing of it and continued to enjoy the fine food, talking and laughing happily.

After a good while, Sun Xiaohong still hadn’t returned. Xu Luo’s eyebrow twitched. A sense of alarm suddenly rose in his heart; at his level, he often had a premonition of danger.

’But what danger could there possibly be here in the Ancient Dao Pavilion?’

’In all of Celestial Brilliance, was there anyone who didn’t know who his companions were?’

’Sun Xiaohong might just be his Maid, but she was the winner of this year’s Celestial Brilliance Annual Competition for the Outer Sect!’

’She was guaranteed a spot in the Inner Sect and might even become a Direct Disciple. People would be falling over themselves to get on her good side, so who would dare to offend her?’

Su Qianqian noticed Xu Luo’s concern and stood up. ”I’ll go check on her.”

Just then, a faint commotion drifted in from outside, followed by Sun Xiaohong’s angry voice.

”Let go! What do you think you’re doing?”

”This is Celestial Brilliance! It’s not a place for you to run wild!”

”I’ll warn you one last time: get out of my way, and I’ll pretend this never happened. You’re not from Celestial Brilliance, and making a scene here will do you no good!”

A glint flashed in Xu Luo’s eyes. He stood up and said to Xie Yurou and Su Qianqian, ”Let’s go take a look.”