Under the very nose of the Celestial Master’s Mansion, such a commotion quickly drew the attention of Longhu Mountain’s cultivators. Soon, several Daoist adepts arrived in succession. However, no noble figures clad in yellow or purple robes appeared first. The three Daoists who arrived earliest were all middle-aged, and while they might not seem particularly old to common folk who imagined Daoists as ageless beings, they were seasoned cultivators nonetheless. Like Master Bailian, these three were also outsiders to the ancestral Daoist sect of Longhu Mountain, yet their cultivation was profound. They were Zhang Wenhao, Xue Jieqi, and Chen Quanyong. Ever since the father-and-son immortals ascended together, the prestige of the Celestial Master’s Mansion had gradually waned. These three cultivators had begun to show signs of shouldering half the burden of Longhu Mountain’s legacy.
Among the three, Chen Quanyong arrived last. He saw his two companions standing at a distance from an unnamed deep pond, while a young nobleman knelt nearby, seemingly scrubbing bloodstains from his robes. Chen, though the most learned among the three, had the lowest cultivation level and dared not act rashly. He carefully stepped across the damp ground soaked by the pond’s waters and approached Xue Jieqi, who had lived in a hut on this mountain for over a decade. Xue whispered softly, “As I suspected, a senior cultivator perished here. When I arrived, the elder was attempting to ascend in a single breath of Dao, heading north toward Mount Difei, but was intercepted by that young man…”
Chen’s eyes widened in shock. Forgetting decorum, he interrupted his longtime companion, asking in astonishment, “According to *The Precious Lü of Xiangfu*, ascending as a rainbow is one rank below ascending upon a dragon, yet far superior to riding a crane. Even if the hidden elder wasn’t truly ascending, to think of blocking his path—should you and I join forces, we still wouldn’t dare attempt such a feat.”
Xue’s expression turned peculiar as he cautiously replied, “It was a black rainbow. As it began to rise from the bottom of the pond, reaching several zhang into the air, that man tore it back down with his bare hands, shattering it nearly completely. Only a strip of black light, about an inch wide and a foot long, managed to escape toward Daxueping.”
Chen furrowed his brows. A black rainbow was certainly no auspicious omen; ancient texts often associated it with ill omens.
At last, Zhang Wenhao, some distance from the other two, finally spoke, “This humble Daoist of Longhu Mountain, Zhang Wenhao, dares to ask if you are indeed the Prince of Liang?”
The young nobleman stood, most of the blood washed from his clothes. He nodded slightly, smiling as he asked, “Is Zhao Ning Shen not here on the mountain?”
Zhang’s expression grew complex. He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and solemnly said, “If the Your Highnesswishes to descend the mountain now, this humble Daoist will personally guide you. But if you intend to ascend, I must, with all due respect, attempt to stop you.”
The young prince, having already eradicated Zhao Huangchao, smiled faintly. “No need to see me off. Deliver my greetings to Elder Zhao Xituan.”
Zhang exhaled in relief, deeply bowing. “This humble Daoist will surely convey your words. Farewell, Prince of Liang.”
Though the words seemed respectful, they were in essence a polite dismissal. Yet the young prince, notorious as he was, seemed unfazed and simply turned to descend the mountain.
Xue Jieqi, the most forthright among the three, had long held resentment toward the Northern Liang King, who had once challenged Longhu Mountain as a mere prince. Even after witnessing the young prince’s terrifying feat of slaying a man and then tearing apart a rainbow, he still harbored his own schemes. Observing the situation and the flow of energy, he judged the prince to be in a weakened state, his forces exhausted after prolonged battles. Xue couldn’t resist the rare opportunity before him. He didn’t intend to seriously wound the now-powerful Northern Liang King, but rather to avenge Longhu Mountain’s humiliation. He couldn’t allow Xu Fengnian to come and go as he pleased, as if the absence of the great immortal Qixuanzhen from the Demon-Slaying Platform meant anyone could parade about and show off.
Thus, Xue Jieqi took a step sideways, blocking the prince’s descent.
Before Zhang Wenhao, said to be just a step away from the Finger-Sky Cultivation Realm, could even shout a warning, Chen Quanyong saw the Northern Liang King vanish in a flash. Xue’s body was suddenly lifted into the air as if struck through the head by an arrow, landing nearly upside down, his skull impacting the ground with a sickening thud before collapsing lifelessly.
Zhang rushed to Xue’s side, crouching beside him and channeling a steady flow of energy to stabilize his erratic pulse. Chen noticed that Xue’s face had turned the color of gold foil, sickly yellow, his aura in a terrible state.
Zhang’s voice was filled with anger. “The entire world knows that Wang Xianzhi intends to fight this man to the death. If Xu Fengnian has come to Longhu Mountain, let alone the possibility of having defeated Wang Xianzhi, even if he merely received Wang’s final mortal battle, can’t you see that he is not someone we can afford to underestimate? If we provoke him and he lashes out in desperation, storming the Celestial Master’s Mansion and wreaking havoc, damaging Longhu Mountain’s foundation, how could we, three mere outsiders, possibly bear the consequences?”
Soon, younger Daoists gathered, including a few clad in yellow and purple robes. Seeing the scene, they were at a loss. Without further explanation, Zhang instructed Chen to report the incident to the Celestial Master’s Mansion while he carried Xue to a secluded area for treatment. If Xue were to suffer lasting damage, it would inevitably affect his cultivation path. The outsiders on the mountain had always supported one another, and with the recent signs of renewal, they had hoped to unite and ascend together. Now, after such a disaster, there was a real fear that they might all fall into despair and stagnation.
Xu Fengnian descended Longhu Mountain and then ascended Huishan. The Xuanyuan Clan had recently surged in prominence within the martial world. A woman in purple had first reached the pinnacle of martial arts, becoming the first female Martial Alliance Leader in centuries. Later, she intercepted Wang Xianzhi, and though her cultivation temporarily suffered, she advanced significantly in a crucial aspect of her cultivation, making Huishan increasingly bustling with travelers and martial experts alike. At the entrance archway leading to Niuniugang and Daxueping, a new “Sword-Relinquishing Stele” had recently been erected, somewhat akin to the wall at Wudi City. Any challenger who lost a duel would have to leave their weapon behind upon descending the mountain.
Xu Fengnian walked leisurely along the mountain path. The martial world was full of eccentric figures, and he himself wasn’t particularly conspicuous. A woman, clad in a white fox fur despite the late spring, walked beside him. Ahead, a bald, muscular man dragged a massive horse-chopping blade up the mountain. Xu’s purpose in ascending was mainly to ensure that Zhao Huangchao, known for his cunning and hidden retreats, had no remaining tricks. The black Rainbowthat had escaped had ultimately ended up at Queyuelou Pavilion in Daxueping. Though Zhao Huangchao was undoubtedly dead and could never rise again, Xu wanted to personally confirm that the Rainbowwas reduced to ashes. Additionally, he intended to strike a deal with Xuanyuan Qingfeng. Xu had recently fought two major battles—against Wang Xianzhi, and Zhao Huangchao, both of whom were terrestrial immortals. It was no wonder that Xue Jieqi of Longhu Mountain had mistaken him for an easy target. At present, Xu’s physical form, once enhanced by the rare Gao Shulu essence, was nearly depleted, and his spiritual essence was severely damaged. The former was irretrievable, but the latter was like a dry pond in drought—though empty now, it could still fill with rain. This was the unique insight Xu had gained after repeatedly entering false realms. If true realms were like a sheet of Xuan paper, then false realms were like the layer beneath. Writing upon the top layer would leave an imprint on the second, much like rubbing a stele. Now, even though Xu was gravely injured, the momentum he had gathered after defeating Wang Xianzhi and slaying Zhao Huangchao had coalesced into an immense, powerful force, drawing him toward a specific destination.
Suddenly, the four characters “Seal the Mountain, Turn Away Guests” echoed from Daxueping, quickly spreading across Huishan. Countless martial artists who had come seeking fame grumbled their way down the mountain. Some who had only reached halfway turned back in confusion but still respected the formidable aura of the purple-robed woman of Huishan. Everyone speculated that something significant must have happened on the mountain. At first, many martial artists had hoped that a high-ranking expert might dethrone Xuanyuan Qingfeng from her position as Alliance Leader. Later, they realized that though a woman ruling over the entire martial world was unusual, if she truly possessed exceptional skill and was said to be of unparalleled beauty, draped in purple robes that captivated the world, perhaps it wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Eventually, people began to wish for her to ascend even higher, becoming the undisputed number one under heaven. In the eyes of those well-informed in the Liyang martial world, Wang Xianzhi, the self-proclaimed “Sixth Under Heaven,” was certainly doomed after leaving Donghai’s Wudi City—there was no doubt about that. Yet, Wang’s ascension was also inevitable. For an entire cycle of sixty years, the martial world had been Wang Xianzhi, and Wang Xianzhi had been the martial world. No one could imagine what the martial world would look like without him.
Wang Xianzhi was the undisputed number one under heaven, and thus, the martial world was naturally divided into two eras: before and after Wang Xianzhi’s departure.
Perhaps due to the clan leader’s personal decree, many high-ranking guests of Huishan, whose status had risen along with the clan’s, personally took charge of driving away visitors. They did so with cold, unyielding faces. Some martial artists, relying on their skills and backgrounds, initially refused to comply with such arrogant treatment, but after suffering defeats at the hands of the chief guest Huang Fangfo, they grumbled and retreated down the mountain. Xu Fengnian, moving against the tide, drew curious glances from many, most of whom mistook him for a naive newcomer to the martial world. Only those who left the archway last noticed that the purple-robed woman herself stood beneath the arch, an unprecedented sight—she had come out to personally greet a guest?
Xuanyuan Qingfeng stood on the first step inside the mountain gate, gazing at the familiar figure of the Northern Liang ruler.
Though others might not know the truth, she had always suspected the truth, and now she had received confirmation.
She said calmly, “Rest assured, that Daoist is dead. As for why he came to Huishan before his death, if you wish to know, you might as well fight me. Only if I lose will I tell you.”
Xu Fengnian leaned against the stone pillar of the archway, his hands tucked into his sleeves, gazing at the vast river beyond the mountain. He sneered, “You truly are a shrewd businesswoman. If you defeat me, you’ll be the undisputed number one under heaven. Who would dare challenge your position as Alliance Leader then?”
Xuanyuan Qingfeng looked at his slightly hunched back and remained silent for a long time. Then, lifting the hem of her skirt, she sat on the step and asked, “How did you do it?”
Xu Fengnian slid down the pillar and sat on the ground, exhaling deeply. He finally had a moment to catch his breath, thinking that this must be what people meant when they spoke of feeling like a different person from the past.
Suddenly, Xuanyuan Qingfeng said something cryptic, “There was once a painting on Huishan that looked very much like you. I’ve also heard that you resemble your mother, the sword immortal. I finally figured something out, and I laughed for days.”
A dark, mocking smile curled on Xuanyuan Qingfeng’s face.
Xu Fengnian said calmly, “Your parents’ generation settled their debts long ago. If you insist on meddling, I won’t mind sending you on your way.”
Xuanyuan Qingfeng burst into laughter, “A paper tiger, still trying to scare people?”
Xu Fengnian frowned, abandoning the idea of making a deal with her. He stood and glanced at her once. “In the future, keep an eye on Jiang Fuding of Wudi City and Yu Xinlang, who has gone north. Wang Xianzhi placed great hopes in both of them, bestowing upon them a portion of his remaining fortune before his death.”
Xuanyuan Qingfeng remained silent.
After a moment’s hesitation, Xu Fengnian said, “Longhu Mountain has likely already secretly thrown its support behind Prince Zhao Zhu, the heir of the Yanche Prince. Even if the Celestial Master’s Mansion lacks the courage, that Master Bailian will certainly bet on Zhao Zhu. If you dare to take a gamble, Zhao Zhu is a good choice. In the future, the martial world will become increasingly entangled with the imperial court.”
Xuanyuan Qingfeng remained expressionless.
Xu Fengnian descended the mountain twice in a single day.
Alone, he set out for Wudi City.
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