Chapter 1076:

She was unaware that because of her, a slight move in one part could affect the whole situation.

Winds and rains gathered from all directions, converging toward him.

At the sacred mountain of Difei, where immortals dwelled, the gathering of sages was complete.

A mountain need not be tall; with immortals, it becomes divine.

About ten men and women, each dressed and bearing uniquely distinct, arrived—some in haste, some leisurely, some soaring through the air, some limping, some strolling, and one even riding an ox.

From the south came a young scholar of refined appearance, carrying a cotton satchel filled with scrolls of calligraphy and paintings, their ends protruding—some of purple sandalwood, others of white jade—clustered together like arrows bristling from a quiver on the battlefield.

From the west came a child astride a black ox, sitting cross-legged on its back, his features delicate as a painting, yet his eyes dark and unfathomable.

From the north came a bald monk draped in a golden kasaya, radiant and benevolent, his smile warm as sunlight.

From the east came an elderly man dressed as a wealthy merchant, huffing and puffing under the weight of a massive wooden case. Yet with every breath, wisps of snow-white energy coiled like slender serpents from his seven orifices.

From the northeast came a young woman of bewitching grace, three blades hanging at her waist, her expression solemn—both valiant and alluring, a natural enchantress.

From the southwest came a towering man with the bearing of a celestial general, shouldering a long lance, his smile brimming with irreverence.

From the northwest came a hunched old man, short in stature yet wielding two unsheathed swords, their aura piercing the heavens.

From all directions of heaven and earth, it seemed only the southeast remained unoccupied by those entering Difei Mountain.

Zhao Ningshen gazed into the distance, his expression grave, murmuring, “So soon?”

Qi Xianxia frowned. “Could it be that the anomaly of the Dragon Pool’s Purple Gold Lotus has revealed the secrets of heaven?”

Zhao Ningshen pondered briefly before nodding. “Possibly.”

Bai Yu chuckled. “Are these the banished immortals from that grand celestial descent?”

Having cultivated his Dao for years, Zhao Ningshen’s perception was as sharp as any grandmaster of Qi refinement. He saw through the truth at once. “Some are. Others have been planted here long ago.”

Bai Yu glanced sidelong at the young girl. “Then is she the keystone of this formation?”

Zhao Ningshen sighed. “Close enough. With his level of insight, he should have seen through this scheme much earlier.”

Bai Yu laughed heartily. “Ah, him? He might even be enjoying this. Besides, given his temperament, he’s always more patient with women—whether he likes them or not. The world isn’t just full of scholars, after all; there are also those born with tender hearts. And dragging things out, letting attachments weigh him down—that’s never been his style.”

Suddenly raising his voice, Bai Yu asked, “Isn’t that right?”

Zhao Ningshen and Qi Xianxia both tensed as if facing a formidable enemy.

For Xu Fengnian had returned unnoticed, only revealing himself after Bai Yu exposed his presence.

Unintentionally, Xu Fengnian now stood to Zhao Ningshen’s northwest, while the young Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain was positioned to his southeast.

Trapped at the “center of heaven and earth,” Xu Fengnian spoke slowly. “Buddhism speaks of the ten directions.”

Bai Yu, utterly unperturbed by the impending battle, grinned. “Clearly, this has nothing to do with Buddhist cosmology. Everyone knows the Xu family of the northwest has always had ties to Buddhism.”

Ignoring Bai Yu’s mockery, Xu Fengnian cut to the heart of the matter. “Zhao Ningshen, do you seek to reopen the Heavenly Gate?”

Zhao Ningshen shook his head. “This humble Daoist seeks only to find the One.”

Xu Fengnian scoffed. “Setting up a brothel and calling it a shrine.”

Unfazed, Zhao Ningshen remained calm, awaiting the storm to rise.

Xu Fengnian mused aloud. “Many hate me, but few could orchestrate something like this. The one who abandoned the imperial court to take the second seat in the Zhao Gou faction… Jiang Fuding? Using the Xu family of Guanhai County as bait, pulling strings with old Northern Liang spies, and dangling Xu Baozao as a decoy—truly meticulous planning.”

The girl, kept in the dark all along, felt as though she were lost in a fog. Yet the suffocating pressure from all sides finally made her realize that something monumental was about to happen on this small peak of Difei Mountain.

Above them, clouds gathered and churned, shafts of light piercing through like a grand curtain suspended between heaven and earth—a sight both breathtaking and ominous.

In the tranquil stream at the mountain’s base, fish leaped frantically onto the banks, refusing to return to the water.

Xu Baozao approached Xu Fengnian timidly. “What’s happening?”

Cornered like a turtle in a jar, Xu Fengnian bore no resentment toward her. He smiled gently. “Just focus on training with Qi Xianxia from now on. Leave the rest alone.”

Her gaze fell. “You’re abandoning me, aren’t you?”

Xu Fengnian was both amused and exasperated. “What nonsense is this? Is your little head filled with mush?”

Her nose twitched, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

A maiden’s first love may not run deep. Her first thread of affection may not be strong. She may not even truly understand what love is—or if she even likes someone at all. Yet that untouched innocence, seen through the eyes of one who has weathered countless storms, is profoundly moving.

Bai Yu chuckled. “Meeting Xu Fengnian is the greatest misstep on the path to immortality.”

Qi Xianxia, who was half a mentor to the girl, sighed softly. “Such fleeting emotions can’t withstand scrutiny. I only hope it doesn’t tarnish her pure sword heart.”

Surrounded by formidable figures, Xu Fengnian teased, “You’re not falling for me, are you?”

Xu Baozao blinked, then declared firmly, “I’d sooner fall for a ghost!”

Bai Yu raised an eyebrow. “Did I misjudge?”

Just then, two streaks of light—one from the south, one from the north—swept into the mountains like a spring breeze dispelling winter’s chill.

One was the ever-vigilant Purple-Gowned Lady of Huishan, while the other was Jiang Fuding himself—the mastermind who should have remained behind the scenes, watching the clouds drift by.

Xu Fengnian wasn’t surprised by Xuanyuan Qingfeng’s appearance. Over the years, she’d never missed a spectacle, and Difei Mountain was practically next door to Huishan’s Great Snowy Summit. With her current cultivation, arriving in an instant was no feat. But Jiang Fuding’s brazen entrance was unexpected.

Jiang Fuding settled onto a small bamboo chair, then gestured invitingly to Xu Fengnian.

Taking a seat, Xu Fengnian asked, “First your family fell from grace, then you rose to sudden wealth. Couldn’t resist flaunting it?”

Though only in his thirties, Jiang Fuding’s temples were already streaked with white. He smiled. “How petty do you think I am? I merely wanted, at long last, to sit as your equal. Before the final judgment, there are things I must say.”

At the mountain’s base:

The ox-riding child still sat cross-legged as his black ox drank from the stream. He pointed and traced patterns in the air like a village boy doodling nonsense.

The young scholar with his satchel of scrolls sat on the southern bank, idly sketching dragons on the water’s surface with a twig.

To the north, the golden-robed monk scratched his bald head, sighing. “If words can solve it, don’t resort to fists. Ah, how I miss Brother Lotus and Junior Brother Dragon Tree—they always loved listening to my sermons.”

On the eastern bend of the stream, the portly merchant shrugged off his massive case with a relieved exhale. Where his breath touched the water, thunder erupted.

The towering black case stood by the shore as the man stroked it tenderly, his gaze complex. “Old friend, we meet again. Seventy years is a rare lifespan for mortals—for us, it’s been a whole lifetime apart.”

Looking northwest, he smiled. “After the Spring and Autumn Era, our school shattered. Only two remained—one became governor of Liu Province, the other oversaw the construction of Jubei City. Both achieved greatness, far surpassing this old ancestor.”

Clearly, this unassuming man was a Mo School Grandmaster of unfathomable seniority.

At the mountain’s foot:

The three-bladed enchantress, the lance-bearing titan, and the dual-wielding elder stood shoulder to shoulder—though their alliance was brittle at best, barely masking mutual disdain.

The path lay before them, yet none advanced.

For they still lacked one key player.

Even with nine undisputed martial grandmasters assembled at Difei Mountain.

Xu Fengnian grinned. “I’m curious—who’s the grand finale in this elaborate show?”

Jiang Fuding rested his fists on his knees, smiling. “Care to guess?”