This main hall, usually desolate, was today packed with Chief Mo Cheng of Sword Sharpening Peak, Zhou Lihai of Jingyang Peak, Qin Heng of Chen Ming Peak, and other seven Chiefs, even Qi Yuancheng of Hu Ji Peak, who had been in seclusion for thirty years, emerged from his retreat.
Yuan Feng's gaze swept over the swords at everyone's waists, and he suddenly felt that these spiritual weapons, forged from thousand-year-old profound iron, now seemed as dull as common iron.
Seven Chiefs gathered to welcome a guest? Giving her such grand treatment?
He stared at the dew stains on Mo Cheng's sleeves; this Peak Lord of Sword Sharpening Peak, known for his cold demeanor, had clearly rushed here through the morning mist.
Chief Tao Shuyang of Yuanming Peak lightly shook his wide sleeves adorned with crane patterns, assuming a dashing and uninhibited posture as he laughed:
“Master’s profound insight is naturally sound, but even if Immortal Maiden Yun is a heaven-blessed genius who breaks through to Spirit Transformation, she is still a junior in front of all the Masters present. In my opinion, we should find someone of similar age to accompany her, and I, Tao, am willing to take on this responsibility. Furthermore…”
He deliberately drew out his words, then snapped open his folding fan: “The Immortal Alliance has long said that a bright moon should be accompanied by myriad stars. Since I have not yet found a Dao companion, I should naturally do my utmost for the Sect’s marital alliance.”
“Hmph!” Chief Zhang Shaoyang of Bingyang Peak burst out laughing on the spot, “Immortal Maiden Yun could slay a Spirit Transformation cultivator while still in the Nascent Soul stage. Now, in a competition of the same realm, what does Martial Brother Tao have to compare with her?”
“Those of similar age naturally understand each other’s hearts; what does the depth of cultivation matter?” Tao Shuyang gently fanned himself, the cinnabar mark between his brows shimmering under the sunlight.
Mo Cheng of Sword Sharpening Peak raised his sword-like brows upon hearing this, and the surrounding Peak Lords also showed strange expressions. “Similar age” with a difference of nearly three hundred years?
“Everyone, quiet down.” Yuan Feng True Lord rubbed his temples, interrupting the farce, his gaze sweeping over this group of fellow disciples, each with their own intentions: Mo Cheng was a notorious martial arts fanatic, Qin Heng had a Spirit Transformation Dao companion at home yet still came to join the fun, not to mention those with many children…
“This Disciple heard that Immortal Maiden Yun’s zither music can assist in battle formations, so I specifically came to seek guidance,” Mo Cheng stood with his sword, his heavy profound iron sword leaving cracks on the bluestone slab.
“I am here to propose marriage to Elder Fairy Su Yan,” Qin Heng straightened his back with righteous indignation, and behind him, Lu Ran immediately puffed out his chest, as if he could already see his fiancée’s carriage.
Qi Yuancheng interjected sarcastically, “She’s not your Master, so what kind of marriage proposal is this? The messy affairs of the music cultivation lineage…”
“It’s a marriage approved by the elders, so what does it have to do with Martial Brother Qi?” Qin Heng retorted, “On the other hand, your Disciple, Zhang Gao, I heard he can’t even recognize all of Fairy Su Yan’s zither scores?”
The disciples of the two peaks immediately drew their swords, Zhang Gao and Lu Ran exchanged glances across the air, their waist-worn swords buzzing.
“Achoo.”
A sudden sneeze broke the stalemate. Qi Yuancheng’s face instantly darkened: “Senior Brother Qin, you’ve taught your Disciple well, daring to…”
“My Disciple is not for you to lecture,” Qin Heng’s spiritual power surged around him, but he also looked at Qing Feng in confusion. How could a Foundation Establishment cultivator fail to control his breath?
The young cultivator bowed his head in apology: “This Disciple’s cultivation is shallow, and the turbid energy invading my body disturbed the elders. I am willing to accept punishment.”
Yuan Feng True Lord waved his hand: “No matter, just don’t be disrespectful in front of our esteemed guest.” With that, he looked meaningfully towards the auspicious clouds gradually approaching outside the mountain gate.
In the morning light of late spring, Qing Feng silently retreated half a step, maintaining a humble posture with lowered head and bated breath.
He secretly grumbled about his Master’s rash decision; that elder, whose actions were erratic, had actually agreed to the bet.
If Senior Brother Lu Ran truly lost, would he really have to hand over an already decided marriage? At that time, he feared he would be held accountable by the enraged Fairy Su Yan.
Hidden among his fellow disciples, the young cultivator’s gaze drifted towards the end of the sea of clouds.
Years of cultivation indeed felt like sand slipping through one’s fingers, especially when entering meditative cultivation, the passage of time was almost imperceptible.
Although his cultivation progress was not rapid, he had smoothly broken through to the fourth layer of Nascent Soul, and now the illusory fifth lotus petal was faintly visible, still requiring diligent cultivation.
This task of welcoming Yixian Palace fell to Purple Rock Peak purely by chance.
This mountain gate, known for its pure Yang cultivation methods, had always been a gathering place for male cultivators. Disciples who had been immersed in masculine energy for years naturally paid special attention to the world's most beautiful women.
Even if there was no chance for a connection, being able to witness the demeanor of the top-ranked beauty on the “World-Shaking Beauty List” was a worthy topic of conversation.
Qing Feng originally did not wish to participate in this grand event, as for him, quiet cultivation to nourish his soul was far more valuable than rising early to admire beauty.
But considering the behavior of his Sect’s group of reckless men, he ultimately gave up half a day of tranquil cultivation to come and assist.
When ethereal immortal music drifted down from the heavens, the disciples’ spirits were instantly invigorated.
Amidst the rolling mountains, thousands of rays of light shone, and a twenty-four-zhang dragon-headed cloud boat broke through the cloud waves and arrived gracefully.
The gilded array patterns inscribed on the boat body flowed incessantly, as if a true dragon was soaring through heaven and earth.
When the cloud boat descended onto the Sword Testing Platform, the Yixian Palace disciples emerged in a continuous stream. Although their ice-silk robes with cloud-thunder patterns made them appear extraordinary,
All color was lost the moment a certain figure appeared. All eyes were captivated by that unparalleled elegance, and it was as if only that graceful silhouette illuminated the sky between heaven and earth.
Yun Qingrao, standing in the center of the main hall, seemed to possess her own spotlight barrier; where she stood became a world unto itself.
As her glazed eyes shifted, stars seemed to twinkle and fade, and her plain white gauze dress was faintly visible amidst the spiritual mist.
The cultivation world habitually used “celestial maiden descending to the mortal world” as a comparison, but when the young woman’s gaze lightly swept over everyone, the cultivators present suddenly realized that the so-called celestial maiden should be measured by the person before them.
“Yun Qingrao of Yixian Palace, greetings to Yuan Feng True Lord.”
A voice like clear springs striking jade brushed past their ears, and several young disciples with insufficient self-control actually crushed their teacups on the spot.
Qing Feng, hidden in the crowd, secretly clicked his tongue. The successor of Cihang Jingzhai was indeed as described in the storybooks; this alluring yet not demonic charm was simply a dimensionality reduction strike against male creatures.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his Sixth Senior Brother’s infatuated state, and Qing Feng used a sound transmission talisman hidden in his sleeve to rouse him.
If his quasi-Dao companion were to see him like this, Purple Rock Peak might gain another medicinal human specimen.
“Yixian Palace is actually willing to let its Sect Master’s chief disciple come personally.” Yuan Feng True Lord lightly waved his wide sleeve, and the fragrant mist of spiritual tea circulated between them. “For this Immortal Alliance Assembly, is your esteemed Sect perhaps changing its approach?”
“My Master often says that the Beast Taming Sect’s ‘Supreme Void Sword Canon’ is profoundly mysterious,” Yun Qingrao lightly tapped the table with her fingertip, and the tea formed a Taiji diagram. “As for your esteemed Sect’s ‘Non-Contention Sutra,’ after True Lord Xuanwei ascended, are there still successors who can comprehend it?”
This sudden shift in topic caught everyone off guard, and dozens of gazes simultaneously pierced towards the corner.
Qing Feng, who was secretly eating spiritual fruit, almost choked. He had merely picked up a wordless heavenly book in the scripture pavilion a month ago, so how did he suddenly become the target of all eyes?
Elder Qin Heng lightly coughed to break the tension: “My unworthy Disciple accidentally entered the Sword Mound the other day and had some fortuitous encounter with Master Ancestor Xuanwei’s Relics .”
“The Dao of Non-Contention, at present, is indeed…” Yuan Feng True Lord stroked his beard in contemplation, suddenly sensing an abnormal fluctuation of spiritual energy within the hall.
He looked closely and saw several young disciples staring blankly at Yun Qingrao, repeatedly agreeing, clearly having fallen for her “Heavenly Sound Enlightenment” technique.
Yun Qingrao lightly shook her wide sleeve, dispelling the musical charm: “True Lord is discerning. Nowadays, various sects emphasize combat and neglect the Dao heart. This junior seeks to read the ‘Non-Contention Sutra’ truly to study the method of maintaining tranquility.”
She spoke earnestly, yet as her eyes shifted, the spiritual flowers on the table bloomed in competition. This behavior sent shivers down Qing Feng’s spine. This was not borrowing a cultivation technique; it was clearly bringing the entire Yixian Palace’s influence to suppress the scene.