The upheaval in the Yuntian Domain years ago took place right outside this Ziyun City. The Sea-Covering Kunpeng nearly flattened half of the Ziyun Realm into a plain, but it couldn’t break through the defenses of the flying peak at the time. The Qingdi Peak held on until the Kun-Lai Sect Leader arrived to assist. It was said that someone with the power of a Human Immortal was protecting Ziyun City back then. Otherwise, the battle between the two powerful beings, even just the aftermath, could have easily turned this place into a dead zone.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

At that time, all the surrounding flying peaks were engaged and couldn’t come to the rescue. Those who delayed them, besides the spirit demon clan of the kunpeng lineage, were the local branch of the Ziyun Dao. If it weren’t for this, with the capabilities of flying peak at the time, even if their spiritual stones ran out, they could have still escaped without issue. After the battle between the Xing Dao Master and the Sea-Covering Great Sage, neither side mentioned the matter again, as if it had been left unresolved.

During the hasty retreat and the ensuing chaos, nearly a hundred scattered disciples were left behind. In response, the peak master of the Wenjian Peak, An Xian, stayed behind in the Yuntian Domain’s Ziyun Dao to handle the aftermath and search for the whereabouts of these disciples. Over the years, in addition to searching for the disciples, An Xian also had the task of investigating the true story behind the events of that time.

“But with Peak Master An’s personality, can she really uncover any deep secrets?” You Jia shook his head, expressing doubt. However, given his cautious nature, he only dared to whisper this.

Feng Qingxiu had nothing to say. The complexity of this place far exceeded that of Qingqiu. The elders would handle the major matters, and his priority was ensuring his own safety. As for You Jia’s request for him to accompany him to see Peak Master An, Feng Qingxiu could only express his sincere regret for being unable to go along.

“Come on, show a bit of loyalty to your fellow disciples.” You Jia stretched out a few extra tentacles to shake him, wearing a look that said, “I can’t believe you’re this kind of person; I’ve totally misjudged you.” “You’re the Sect Leader’s apprentice, Peak Master An won’t do anything to you.”

“Let’s clarify the situation,” Feng Qingxiu asked gently and thoughtfully, “Why is it that all the disciples of Wenjian Peak are going to see Peak Master An, but only you are afraid to see her? And why do you need to drag me along? Is it really not just to use me as a meat shield? If admit this frankly, maybe I’d go with you.”

Of course, I won’t say it outright. You Jia silently grumbled to himself but responded with a sincere tone, “How about this: I’ll tell you some things about our Sect Leader that no one else knows, in exchange for your help.”

“Eh, how could you know such things?” Feng Qingxiu’s curiosity was piqued, but he still asked skeptically.

“I’m Headline Jia after all.” You Jia was full of confidence. “Here, let me tell you a little story. Did you know that our Sect Leader has a secret spouse?”

Feng Qingxiu was stunned, his tone naturally turning cold: “You better watch what you say. If you’re making this up, there will be serious consequences.” I definitely won’t let you off easily.

“I’ll only say one thing,” You Jia whispered. “The Sect Leader has a lot of clothes, and each time they’re of a different style. They’re always the latest trend in Kun-Lai, and some new styles of his clothes have even become widely imitated. Do you think the Sect Leader makes these clothes himself? Moreover, he’s even turned down the annual clothing offerings from the Yuzhi Peak.”

Of course not, thought Feng Qingxiu, knowing that his master never touched a needle and thread. Suddenly, a person came to mind: “Could it be Senior Brother Yang who made them?”

“No way. I heard that in the tenth year after becoming the sSect Leader’s unofficial apprentice, Senior Brother Yang angered the Sect Leader over some matter. The Sect Leader personally told him never to appear before him again,” You Jia whispered, looking around to make sure Senior Brother Yang wasn’t nearby before continuing. “I heard that Senior Brother Yang even refused to apologize, saying something like ‘You’ll regret it someday,’ and was locked up for three years in solitary confinement by the Sect Leader.”

“What was the matter?” Feng Qingxiu’s curiosity was now fully aroused, and he couldn’t help but ask.

“Ah, no time, I need to see Peak Master An now. I’ll tell you next time.” You Jia turned away sadly and prepared to leave.

Feng Qingxiu remained silent for a moment, then quietly followed him. I really want to know. Could Master really have a spouse? If so, why haven’t I seen her? Why hasn’t Master told me…?

Feng Qingxiu suddenly felt very unhappy, a tightness in his chest making it hard to breathe. Unintentionally glancing back, he saw his shadow curled up, sobbing. 

…Feng Qingxiu decided to give his shadow a good beating later.

You Jia, now satisfied, led Feng Qingxiu down the flying peak and into Ziyun City, heading straight to the northern end of the city where a seven-story pavilion stood. The pavilion was ancient and simple, with an aura of invisible sword energy naturally emanating from it. Disciples in golden robes were constantly entering and leaving.

Feng Qingxiu noticed that the disciples entering had an expression of grim determination, while those coming out were in small groups, supporting each other—just shy of being carried out horizontally…

Seeing You Jia approaching, the disciples of the Wenjian Peak who were about to enter stopped in their tracks, watching him with hopeful eyes as he entered the pavilion.

Even You Jia’s face carried a sense of tragic resolve.

As they ascended the steps, the inside of the seemingly small pavilion, which appeared to be only a few dozen square meters from the outside, turned out to be far more spacious, with a vaulted ceiling that rose ten meters high. The walls around them bore countless sword marks, each one imbued with a different sword intent. Though not as terrifyingly sharp as the Sword of Calamity at the Broken Sword Cliff near Haijing City, the marks exuded a steadfast and relentless determination.

A woman sat at the main seat in the hall, leisurely taking a swig from a wine pouch.

Feng Qingxiu had never seen such a unique woman.

She was dressed in a white short tunic with long pants and boots, her slender waist cinched by a belt. Her short hair was held up by an old jade hairpin, a drop of water lingering on the corner of her lips, and her expression was somewhat dazed. She had a broad forehead, a high nose bridge, and her features were dignified and majestic. When she saw You Jia enter, her aura condensed, and with just a glance, she exuded the presence of an emperor, compelling one to bow their head.

Compared to her imposing presence, her stunning beauty was almost easy to overlook.

“The usual rules: take one of my strikes, and you can go. If you can’t, come back in three days,” she said casually. Her voice was deep and magnetic, making one’s ears tingle. And when she mentioned a strike, there wasn’t any sword drawn—she just extended a long and slender index finger.

“Peak Master An, this is Sect Leader’s only apprentice, Senior Brother Feng. He’s admired you for a long time. You should meet him first. The test can wait,” You Jia flinched at the sight of that finger and instinctively hid behind Feng Qingxiu.

An Xian nodded and fixed her sharp gaze on Feng Qingxiu, scrutinizing him from head to toe with a piercing look.

“Formless Sword.” Her gaze flickered slightly, and the sword marks on the surrounding walls resonated with her sword intent, producing a faint sword hum, as if it were an ancient song. Then, she suddenly extended four fingers, and her sword intent burst forth, instantly triggering Feng Qingxiu’s sword energy protective barrier.

In that moment, both You Jia and Feng Qingxiu could only see a sky filled with white light, and they had to close their eyes to avoid being hurt by the sword intent.

Fortunately, it only lasted for an instant.

She withdrew her hand, sat in the main seat with a faint smile, and there was a deep red mark on her fingertip, as if it had been cut by a thread.

“Since you brought him here, you don’t have to receive my sword strike. Let your father come instead. Now leave,” she lazily said to You Jia. Ignoring You Jia’s relieved expression, she turned to Feng Qingxiu and said, “Your sword is very good, but unfortunately, it’s not yours. You can stay, I have something to say to you.”

You Jia patted Feng Qingxiu’s shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry, the Peak Master won’t do anything to you. She doesn’t kill people.”

Then, You Jia quickly left.

Feng Qingxiu was speechless for a moment, feeling a bit awkward.

“You’re here to ask me about the investigation, aren’t you?” An Xian got up and walked to his side. She was very tall, no shorter than Feng Qingshou. “In the past hundred years, Ziyun Dao has shown no signs of movement, but I still found some clues. During the turmoil, over ten disciples were captured by Ziyun Dao and sent to the Central Continent. They all carried the Cloud Talisman Dao Seeds.”

“I’m not here to ask about that,” Feng Qingxiu smiled wryly. “I just came to meet the Master of Wenjian Peak.”

“Then relay to the Sect Leader what I’ve said,” An Xian showed no more courtesy because of Feng Qingxiu’s identity. “The Cloud Talisman Dao Seeds are one of Kun-Lai’s three greatest treasures. They can be planted into the sea of consciousness, hiding a cavernous realm within the body, forming a self-sufficient cycle, and strengthening oneself. They obtained them but couldn’t replicate them, so they only got a piece of farming land. Most of those disciples have already joined Ziyun Dao, and those who didn’t submit were killed, and their seeds were extracted. Over the past century, the Sect Leader has also obscured the heavenly secrets. A few decades ago, I secretly infiltrated the Central Continent, killed those disciples, and took the lives of over ten Ziyun Dao elders in the Demigod and Synthesis stages as compensation.”

Feng Qingxiu was startled: “Are you alright?”

“Of course, I’m fine. Do you think I’m just a figurehead as the Peak Master? Additionally, I’ve discovered that Ziyun Dao has shown signs of movement again recently.” An Xian raised her hand and tossed him a scroll. “Take a look.”

Feng Qingxiu opened it and found that it was a portrait of himself.

“This is something I intercepted from a Ziyun Dao undercover agent. They’ve probably been keeping an eye on you for a while. From now on, don’t leave the flying peak alone. I’ll escort you back.” She stood up and said, “As for You Jia, who is unreliable, you should look after him a bit.”

“Looking after fellow disciples is my duty,” Feng Qingxiu said with a serious expression, nodding. “Thank you, Peak Master An, for seeing me off.”

“No need. Let’s go.” Peak Master An took the lead out of the Sword Pavilion. “Qingqiu is just a small place. The Yuntian Domain is where the real danger begins. From here on, the Sect Leader’s protection range is no longer in effect. The heavenly secrets he divines can’t easily reach here. You need to shed the Kun-Lai disciple’s halo and take this place seriously. In the Ziyun Realm, many lone disciples can easily disappear if they’re not careful.”

“Then why did I just see a Wenjian Peak disciple walking alone in the city?” Feng Qingxiu asked worriedly.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“They’re walking alone, but someone is secretly protecting them nearby. If a cultivator tries to rob them, it’s a case of thieves robbing thieves,” An Xian said calmly. “This is the only way they can fish up some extra resources. Sword Peak is the poorest, after all. They don’t have anything to trade with, so they have to earn it this way.”

“…It’s impressive they came up with this baiting method,” Feng Qingxiu said sympathetically.

“They didn’t come up with it. I did,” Peak Master An said.

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The Xing Dao Master, Ji Yunlai, had always known that Qing was a Great Celestial Demon King, a great threat. Therefore, even though Qing had been subdued by him multiple times and was now completely harmless, Ji Yunlai never let his guard down. 

Celestial demons could always hear the deepest calls from within people’s hearts, taking advantage of any opening. Thus, Ji Yunlai had early on forbidden Qing from listening to people’s hearts at will.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Yun, do you hear someone calling for help?” Qing asked as he lingered around Ji Yunlai, who was sitting on the yin-yang fish symbol.

Ji Yunlai’s heart skipped a beat. For a divine consciousness to actively be sensed by Qing, just how powerful must it be? 

Using a divination technique, a spark of insight flashed in his mind, revealing a child, far away, desperately calling for help—not for himself, but for his father.

“If you want to save them, then save them,” he said to Qing.

***

Qing knew it was far, but he didn’t expect it to be this far—tens of thousands of miles away. But as a celestial demon, the other’s divine consciousness was so strong that it was like a star in the night sky. He still found them.

In the dead of winter, with snow almost as high as a person, a father and son huddled together under a withered tree and rocks, holding each other tightly. 

The child, dressed in a tattered coat, looked about six or seven years old, emaciated and purple with cold. However, his eyes were bright and full of hope.

“Save my father!” the child called out silently.

Qing picked up the child and infused him with spiritual energy to keep him warm, then regretfully looked at the other person on the ground. 

The father had a gaunt face and was only wearing a single layer of clothing. His body was completely stiff, with his legs bent unnaturally and cloth strips tied around him for the child’s safety.

Feeling a bit sad, Qing sighed lightly. With a flick of his finger, a wisp of the man’s soul slowly appeared, manifesting in the void with the man’s image.

The child opened his mouth, but only managed to utter a few incoherent sounds, tears streaming down his face.

“I am from Kun-Lai. I will take this child back to Kun-Lai for treatment. Do you agree?” Qing asked gently.

“Thank you, Divine God! Thank you, Divine God!” The soul knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly. He was so emotional that his soul almost dissipated. “My son has had a hard life. He was born paralyzed and mute. I intended to take him to Kun-Lai for treatment, but I accidentally broke my leg on the way. Fortunately, we met you!”

“What is this child’s name?” Qing asked.

“Yang Fu,” the ghost immediately replied but then hesitated. “Fu refers to wild grass, a lowly name for good health. Please, Divine God, give him a new name.”

Qing was momentarily at a loss. He didn’t know how to name people.

Ah Yun, Ah Yun!

He immediately pushed the responsibility to Ah Yun.

“No need to change the name given by his parents,” Ji Yunlai decided, intending to deal with Qing later. He glanced at the child in his arms and said calmly, “However, his destiny has changed. Add the character ‘Yin’ to his name, similar in sound to ‘Fuyin,’ which symbolizes light, to extend his life.”

“Thank you, Divine God,” the soul said, kneeling and kowtowing again.

After one last look at the child, who was still crying, Ji Yunlai waved his hand. A transparent figure of the child appeared, at first surprised by his surroundings, before rushing towards his father with a cry.

“A soul shouldn’t be separated from the body for too long. You have a quarter of an hour to say your goodbyes,” Ji Yunlai said coldly.

“Father!” the little soul cried, hugging his father and weeping. His soul was almost solid, incredibly strong.

Hearing his child call him “father” for the first time, the ghostly father hugged his son, crying and lamenting. Qing was also moved, so he hugged Ah Yun sadly in his mind.

Ji Yunlai casually locked him in his small dark cell.

One quarter was very short.

The father smiled at his son returning to his body and gratefully went off to be reincarnated.

The child silently asked, “Thank you for saving me. What is your name? I will repay you one day.”

Ji Yunlai did not reply, only taking him to Qingdi Peak.

***

Bai Liu found a severely ill child in his room on his chair.

And he also saw the Sect Leader, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time!

The Sect Leader merely glanced at him, and Bai Liu immediately promised not to reveal the child’s identity!

The Sect Leader offered no explanation and simply turned and left.

Bai Liu immediately checked the child.

He discovered four problems: First, the child was already ten years old but malnourished, hence his small size. Second, his spiritual root was the best of the best, but overly strong. The spiritual energy absorbed by the root was so dense it had almost solidified, causing it to clog the meridians in his head, resulting in paralysis. Third, the meridians in his brain were extremely fine and small, requiring careful treatment that needed consultation with Ruge. Fourth, how to explain to Ruge that this child’s treatment couldn’t be charged…

***

Day by day, over six months, Bai Liu and Yimeng Ruge finally cleared the meridians in Yang Fuyin’s body. 

Yang Fuyin went from being completely paralyzed to moving his fingers, then to moving his hands and wrists, then his arms, sitting up, walking, and finally speaking.

He was born extremely intelligent, learning all the characters within a month and even imitating the handwriting he had seen. After participating in a few dissections with Yimeng Ruge, he became so adept that he even surpassed Bai Liu.

Seeing that he was better, Bai Liu went to Zhaoyue Peak to ask how to deal with the child.

The Sect Leader’s reply was to send him to the lower school.

***

Soon after, the 34th Kun-Lai Dragon-Phoenix Selection students met their life’s shadow, an experience that they would never forget.

Yang Fuyin was sent over by Bai Liu, but he was the most extraordinary prodigy in Kun-Lai’s four-hundred-year history.

Even the teachers were stunned by his learning ability and his capacity to infer new knowledge from one instance, leaving his peers without any sense of existence.

When he graduated, the peak masters of Kun-Lai nearly dueled each other for him.

In the end, Yang Fuyin chose Taiyi Peak.

Yet within ten years, the elders of Taiyi Peak were crying and begging to have him transferred out of their peak.

Having a photographic memory was no longer his limit; he could even read different books with each eye simultaneously and draw all of the Taiyi Peak’s talisman seals with his eyes closed. None of the elders could withstand his endless questions. When it came to seals, there was nothing more the elders of Taiyi Peak could teach him. 

But there was someone who could teach this once-in-a-millennium talent. That person was the Sect Leader of Kun-Lai, the Xing Dao Master.

***

Under the joint recommendation of the elders of Taiyi Peak, Ji Yunlai agreed to teach him, but refused to take him as an apprentice. Yang Fuyin finally entered Zhaoyue Peak of Kun-Lai.

***

At that time, Ji Yunlai was busy deducing the secrets of heaven, so he entrusted the task of teaching to Qing. Qing was delighted and taught him with great seriousness. The difference between Qing and Ji Yunlai was so vast that Yang Fuyin didn’t need to guess whether they were two different people. It was certain—they were definitely two souls! No need to speculate!

Qing candidly admitted that he was a celestial demon, a weapon of the Sect Leader. The simple and lonely celestial demon Qing soon fell for Fuyin’s kindness, and Yang Fuyin became his first friend.

Later, they once talked about this topic.

“Isn’t Master your friend?” Yang Fuyin asked, puzzled.

“No, he’s my wife,” Qing replied with a hint of shyness.

“Are you sure you mean Master and not the pile of dolls you’ve stashed away?” Yang Fuyin asked bluntly.

“Fuyin, if you ask like that, can we still be friends?” Qing asked, visibly upset.

***

“This is a letter I received. If you like it, you can use it for reference,” Yang Fuyin said, as he handed over the pink letters sent by various female disciples from different peaks. He didn’t intend to throw them away but decided to put them to good use instead.

“Apprentice, you’re the best,” Qing said happily, taking the letters to read.

“You’re so useless. The stones you wrote on, you should give them to Master!” Yang Fuyin said, clearly exasperated.

“I did,” Qing replied, lowering his head in disappointment. “He read them and just returned them to me without saying anything.”

“Could it be that it wasn’t expressive enough?” Yang Fuyin tilted his head, and then patted his second master on the shoulder in consolation. “Next time, I’ll help you edit it, and it will definitely be touching.”

However, Yang Fuyin’s talent wasn’t in writing, but that didn’t stop him. He paid a hefty sum to hire someone to ghostwrite a love letter. 

Qing cherished it and carefully transcribed it before presenting it to Ayh Yun.

***

The next day, the love letter was slammed down in front of Yang Fuyin. Xing Dao Master Ji Yunlai made him stand outside Zhaoyue Peak and read it aloud for three days straight.

One Qing was already troublesome enough, and now there was another one! He had to make sure they both learned their lesson!

Yang Fuyin memorized the faces of everyone who watched him during those three days, and later took leave to deal with each one of them.

The entire Kun-Lai Sect dared not mention the incident again. Qing, who was complicit, was confined to a small dark cell. After being released, the revolutionary friendship between Qing and his apprentice grew even deeper.

***

“Yuzhi Peak has a new needlework technique. I’ll bring you a copy,” Yang Fuyin said, handing him a jade slip.

Qing immediately took it and began studying it carefully, paying particular attention to the floating needle and reverse needle techniques, nodding from time to time, clearly benefiting greatly. The apprentice beside him also presented a dozen exquisite pieces of fabric.

Qing accepted them all at once, looking quite pleased. “Also, help me keep an eye out for new clothing styles. If you don’t understand anything, feel free to ask me.”

“You’ve already made a whole wardrobe for Master. Be careful not to anger him by making too much,” Yang Fuyin said, regretting having reminded Qing that, in addition to making clothes for the dolls of the Sect Leader, he could also sew for the Sect Leader himself.

“Why would he be angry?” Qing couldn’t understand. “I asked him, and he said I could make as much as I wanted.”

Yang Fuyin was momentarily stunned and didn’t know how to explain. He then requested ten days off, claiming he needed to go to Taiyi Peak to conduct a talisman seal experiment. Qing, of course, agreed.

***

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

When Ji Yunlai came out of his heavenly deducing, he found that in addition to his outer robes, his wardrobe now contained nearly a hundred new undergarments. Each one had various styles and colors, and the defensive seals on them were all painstakingly sewn by hand, with great care and top-quality materials. 

They even came in matching pairs.

But this didn’t make him happy, especially when Qing, beaming with satisfaction, informed him that he had personally tested each piece to ensure they were all very comfortable…

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Although minor issues kept occurring, the journey of the flying peaks proceeded without any delays. Soon, they flew past the thousands of miles of Qingqiu and arrived over an expansive forest. 

It was autumn here, and the dense forest was a riot of colors, with long rivers like a web dividing it into countless pieces. Flocks of birds flew out from the trees, circled the sky, and then disappeared back into the forest. 

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Unlike the small hills and mounds of Qingqiu, this region was extremely flat, with hardly any visible undulations. The clouds in the sky carried a faint purple hue in the glow of the setting sun, creating a dazzling scene.

The flying peaks moved northward, against the path of the migrating birds. Some bored disciples on the flying peaks stood by the railings, gazing out at the distance and chatting softly.

Yan Ling was one of them.

He looked at the boundless forest, his expression complex. 

Things had seemed off ever since two years ago.

As a current disciple of Ziyun Dao, one of the three great sects of Central Continent, his soul had merged with this body after his unexpected death, allowing him to be reborn. During the time his soul was adrift, he accidentally acquired an ancient cultivation method that allowed him to consume the flesh and blood essence of others to enhance his cultivation.

After his rebirth, under the nurturing of Bai Liu, the Peak Master of Qingdi Peak, his cultivation advanced rapidly. Just as he was about to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, Bai Liu suddenly fell victim to heart demons. Although the Kun-Lai Sect Leader forcibly removed the heart demons, restoring Bai Liu’s sanity, his soul and spirit was severely damaged, leaving him on the brink of death.

At that moment, Yan Ling had intended to devour Bai Liu to achieve his breakthrough, but the latter, being a powerful Synthesis cultivator, only allowed him a drop of demonic bane blood before he scattered into ashes.

It was then that Yan Ling realized that without Bai Liu, he couldn’t afford the expensive pills and spiritual herbs sold by Kun-Lai. Qingdi Peak also came under the control of Yimeng Qingnu—a figure so powerful that Yan Ling decided to avoid her and leave Qingdi Peak altogether. He tried to quietly consume a few spirit demons, but he slipped up and was nearly caught by the Mountain Patrol guards. In desperation, he joined the Kun-Lai expedition, hoping to find an opportunity on the way.

But instead, he was caught by a group of fox demon spirits, who almost drained him of his yang essence through various temptations… reducing his cultivation from the late phase of Nascent Soul down to the mid-phase! 

Had it not been for the impending departure of the flying peaks, those foxes might have continued to cling to him—an absolute nightmare.

Upon returning to the peak, penniless, he had no choice but to borrow a few spiritual stones from a kind and accommodating unaffiliated cultivator named Zhou. He then secluded himself in one of the retreat rooms on the flying peak for nearly a month, barely managing to stabilize his cultivation base and prevent further decline.

After emerging from seclusion, he learned that the flying peak was approaching the Ziyun Region within the Hundred Realms of Yuntian.

The Ziyun Region—he had only heard about it from his family’s patriarch during his time in Ziyun Dao. Never did he imagine that he would set foot there one day.

Born into a prominent family within the Ziyun Dao sect, Yan Ling had heard since childhood about how, ten thousand years ago, the four great sects of the Central Continent formed a formidable alliance, each balancing and checking the other. However, one of these sects had a disciple who specialized in the study of fortune but was dismissed as heretical by the rest of the sect. In anger, he left the sect and wandered the world. Before his life span ended, he passed on his knowledge of fortune to a young man.

This young man went on to establish the Great Xuan Immortal Dynasty, which prospered immensely. Eventually, he amassed all the human world’s fortune within himself, becoming the founding emperor.

Over the next millennium, Great Xuan recruited unaffiliated cultivators from all over the world and began to wage war against various sects. The four great sects repeatedly attempted to predict the outcome but found that Great Xuan was favored by the heavens and was unwilling to engage in direct conflict. Reluctantly, they abandoned their ancestral lands and prepared to migrate to the Outlands.

However, the Outlands were already dominated by powerful spirit demons, and after years of searching, they found that the fox clan of Qingqiu was the weakest among them. They initially planned to migrate to Qingqiu but realized that its proximity to Great Xuan made it unsafe, so they sought another prosperous location.

At this point, Great Xuan learned of their plans and launched an attack on one of the sects, the one that the cultivator who had originally taught the emperor the way of cultivating fortune belonged to before leaving.

This sect was annihilated by Great Xuan, its legacy destroyed, while the other three sects took the opportunity to flee. One of these sects was Ziyun Dao, where Yan Ling was born.

And the place where Ziyun Dao migrated to was the endless plains beneath the flying peaks right now.

They named the place Yuntian Ziyun Region.

Should he return to his sect?

Thinking about the hardships of being an unaffiliated cultivator, he made up his mind almost immediately.

Yes, he would return! He couldn’t join the Kun-Lai Sect officially, so returning to Ziyun Dao was his only option. Ziyun Dao was not some nouveau riche like Kun-Lai; it was one of the three great sects with a legacy spanning hundreds of thousands of years!

Yan Ling hesitated. In the past two years, he had focused solely on his cultivation in Kun-Lai, failing to gather any significant intelligence. It would be better to secretly contact his sect and look for opportunities. 

If he could accomplish something great, he would return as a hero of Ziyun Dao, showing these Kun-Lai hicks what true Central Continent elegance was.

As he watched the flying peaks gradually approach a massive city, bustling and prosperous with a population of hundreds of thousands, his heart swelled with emotion at the sight of the grand “Ziyun City” characters inscribed above the city gate.

Back then, Ziyun Dao had migrated tens of thousands of people to such a remote outer region, taking three full years to reach their destination, bringing along the elderly and the young!

They spent the next ten thousand years thriving here, creating the only human stronghold in this outer region.

Looking at this city, its prosperity rivaling that of major cities in the Central Continent, Yan Ling thought, this is what a true immortal sect should be like. Kun-Lai is nothing more than a bunch of upstarts with money!

***

Feng Qingxiu looked at the massive city, carefully guiding the flying peak to land in the forest outside the city, alongside nearly a hundred other flying peaks.

“Can such a small human settlement really have what we’re looking for?” This was the first time You Jia had come here. He shrugged, looking at the distant city with mild disdain. “It’s not even as big as the northern corner of Haijing’s mainland city, let alone comparable to Sea City.”

“Sea City?” Feng Qingxiu asked curiously. He hadn’t heard of that place before.

“Haijing City has both a mainland city and a seafloor city. You probably visited the mainland city, but Sea City is underwater. I’ll take you there next time,” You Jia said proudly. “The underwater city spans tens of thousands of miles, with half of the Western Sea’s aquatic clans living there.”

Feng Qingxiu nodded in agreement, thinking that his master would surely love to visit such an intriguing place.

The talisman seals at the base of the flying peak shifted, and soon the peak landed smoothly. Almost simultaneously, hundreds of flying swords shot out from the city, slicing through the air with purple energy trailing behind them like clouds reaching toward the heavens, and charged right toward them.

Feng Qingxiu was puzzled, wondering if this was an attack or something else. Then he saw the purple swords crash into the protective barrier of the flying peaks.

The previously invisible barrier rippled, and then countless bolts of lightning flashed out, instantly striking the sword-wielding cultivators, who fell to the ground like dumplings into a pot.

“One hundred years ago, when I came to Yuntian Domain, the flying peaks still had a visible yellow protective shield. Those cultivators rushed up like this, suddenly stopped, and then Senior Brother Yang from Taiyi Peak just smiled. The wards struck with lightning and electrocuted them all,” Huang Wei said with a suppressed laugh. “Later, Senior Brother Yang improved the wards, citing that the shield affected the view. Now it’s much more concealed and consumes far less energy.”

“And these people are?” Feng Qingxiu glanced at the name on the city wall and had already guessed the answer.

“People from Ziyun Dao. This sect migrated here from the Central Continent a thousand years ago and returned after the fall of the Great Xuan Dynasty, though they left a branch here. These are the native disciples of Ziyun Dao, and they look quite young and impetuous,” Huang Wei said slowly. “Don’t worry. Senior Brother Yang is always measured in his actions; they won’t die.”

Feng Qingxiu nodded, gave some instructions, and began the transactions. Lately, things had been rather calm, which made him feel uneasy. It’s always best to stay vigilant.

***

Yan Ling hadn’t walked far after descending from the flying peak when he saw Bai Liu’s daughter, Bai Yue.

“I won’t go! I don’t want to see my mother! Senior Brother Yang, please let me go, for my father’s sake, don’t take me to see her,” Bai Yue cried pitifully, trailing behind a black-robed cultivator.

Thinking of how much Bai Liu cherished Bai Yue, Yan Ling, who was already penniless, felt a surge of resolve. He stepped forward, blocking the cultivator’s path, “Who are you? Let go of Yue’er.”

“Senior Brother Yan!” As if finding her savior, Bai Yue immediately grabbed Yan Ling’s sleeve, almost burying her head in his chest, trembling like a fledgling bird seeking its parents.

“Bai Yue.” The handsome cultivator said calmly, “Let’s go. Peak Master An has been waiting for you for a long time. If she finds out you’ve been dragging your feet, you know her temper.”

“Peak Master An?” Yan Ling was moved and asked in a low voice.

“Yes, she is my mother, the Peak Master of Wenjian Peak, An Xian,” Bai Yue said with grievance.

“She isn’t kind to you?” Yan Ling comforted her out of habit, “Don’t be afraid, take your time and tell me.”

Bai Yue gradually calmed down and sobbed, “Mother… Mother is very strict. She can’t stand weakness or incompetence. I’m always afraid of her.”

“Don’t worry, a mother won’t hurt her child, and I’ll be with you.” Bai Yue’s mother was actually a peak master; Yan Ling felt a surge of excitement. Thinking of the benefits he’d gained from Bai Liu, and considering that getting close to a peak master was his best shot at returning to Ziyun Dao in glory, he couldn’t help but feel more eager.

“No, you don’t understand, my mother…” Bai Yue anxiously said, “My mother is very strict. She will be strict with you too.”

How strict could she be? As long as I can control you, won’t she have to accommodate us both?

Yan Ling chuckled softly, “Don’t worry. As long as I’m by your side, if she wants to hurt you, she’ll have to step over my dead body first!”

“Senior Brother Yan…” Bai Yue was deeply moved and cried in his arms, “Thank you.”

“There’s no need for thanks between us,” Yan Ling comforted, stroking her long hair with a slight roguish smile at the corner of his lips.

“Alright.” Bai Yue nodded, taking a few deep breaths to steady herself. “Senior Brother Yang, please, take me to see my mother.”

“Okay.” Yang Fuyin nodded and turned to lead the way.

A soft chuckle echoed in Yang Fuyin’s right eye, which was a thought from Qiu Yuansheng: Senior Brother Yang deliberately waited for Yan Ling to appear. You intend to take him with you, don’t you?

Yang Fuyin responded indifferently: Of course. He drank Bai Liu’s blood, so naturally, An Xian will return the favor tenfold.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Qiu Yuansheng chuckled twice: It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Peak Master An’s Heaven-Turning Sword. I miss it… I’ve heard that Peak Master An has been investigating the events of a hundred years ago in Yuntian Domain, trying to uncover what really happened back then… But it might be hard to find answers in Ziyun Dao’s territory, right?

Yang Fuyin nodded: Whatever you say, then it’s the case.

Qiu Yuansheng fell silent, lost in thought about another matter while still in captivity.

If I’m not around, will this plan involve the High Priest himself making a move this time?

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When Feng Qingxiu entered meditation at night, he dreamed again. 

He dreamt of being in a grand hall filled with monsters and evil spirits, sitting on a yin-yang fish symbol, talking about something. Then he heard a faint cry for help.

A cry, weak and tender, sharp like the wail of a fledgling bird, or like the desperate scream of a dying person clinging to life.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Ah Yun, did you hear the cry for help?” He heard himself asking his master.

He saw his master sitting upright with closed eyes, then calculating something with his fingers, calmly saying, “This child is despised by the heavens, not allowed to live. His death is imminent. He is still ten thousand miles away. You, as a celestial demon, can hear infinite hearts, so naturally, you can hear his dying cry for help.”

“But he’s crying for help. If you didn’t hear it, that’s one thing, but since you did, how can you not save him?” He saw himself clinging to his master, rubbing against him.

Then he was slapped away.

“If you want to save him, then go ahead.” He heard his master say indifferently.

“Actually, Yun, you also want to save him, right?” He heard himself ask with a bit of smugness.

Then his master opened his eyes.

His vision went black, and he woke up.

Everything in the dream quickly became blurry. He only remembered that he seemed to be talking to his master and was extremely disrespectful to him… Oh heavens above, how could I dream of such things?

This world is too terrifying.

Feng Qingxiu calmed himself, pressed the paper figurine of his master against his chest, and felt an immediate sense of peace and tranquility, then got up to wash up.

Even though he was already at the Golden Core stage, where the body cleanses itself and doesn’t require food or washing, old habits die hard. He could do without food, but going without washing up still felt strange.

After retying his long hair and tidying himself up, he finally left his room and went out into the elegant and refined small courtyard.

Compared to most disciples who lived in single dorm rooms within the flying peak, he, as the Peak Master, was able to live in a spacious courtyard where there were small bridges, ponds, rock gardens, and other signs of a different status.

His small courtyard was often a popular spot where guests came to leech off his internet connection.

However, today, the courtyard was not lively at all.

Because sitting at the stone table in the courtyard was a young man in black, playing with a jade amulet. His expression was playful, his fingers long and beautiful, with fingertips even more exquisite than the jade in his hand.

His appearance wasn’t stunning, but there was a natural elegance about him, like an endless landscape, growing more pleasing the longer you looked.

Feng Qingxiu greeted politely, “Senior Brother Yang.”

“I don’t like you calling me Senior Brother Yang,” the young man raised his head, his tea-colored eyes looking at him. “Call me Fuyin.”

Are we that familiar? Feng Qingxiu thought inwardly but still held his ground, “Is Senior Brother Yang here to use the internet as well?”

“I knew about it since the Ghost Ruins and used it a few times already. I’m here to see you,” Yang Fuyin stared into his eyes with a deep expression, “How are things between you and the Sect Leader now? Have you angered him?”

What the heck? Feng Qingxiu was genuinely a bit annoyed now, “Senior Brother Yang, please watch your words. The Sect Leader treats me very well. I am always careful with my words and actions, never causing trouble for my master, let alone angering him.”

“Is that so? He isn’t afraid of you causing trouble… it was just thirty years in Seclusion, yet such a big event occurred,” Senior Brother Yang lowered his head, having basically divined some information in his mind. He also felt somewhat helpless. As soon as he came out of Seclusion, he heard that the Sect Leader had taken in a new official apprentice and personally designed a new flying peak for him. The useless junior brothers at Taiyi Peak didn’t inform him of such a big event. After casually dealing with those idiots, he had been ready for a long time to come and give this little seducer who had taken his target position a lesson. But the result was too unexpected.

That demonic aura, that temperament, that handwriting, those stitches… it better not to mention it anymore!

“What exactly happened? But this time, it’s tied to Su Wan, it must be related to that incident from a hundred years ago,” Senior Brother Yang habitually muttered to himself, then shook his head, stood up, and handed him a design, “This is the latest design. I’ve prepared the materials and sewing techniques; you  prepare it yourself.”

“Prepare?” Feng Qingxiu picked up the design and found it was another clothing design, with meticulous penmanship, each detail broken down perfectly, with layers upon layers, all luxurious and beautiful, looking incredibly comfortable.

“Although the Sect Leader doesn’t celebrate his birthday every year, as the head disciple, you definitely can’t forget. Isn’t it proper to make a new outfit for Master?” Yang Fuyin said matter-of-factly, “How long has it been since Master’s wardrobe was updated?”

Or have you reverted to only daring to make clothes for dolls?

Feng Qingxiu thought he made a good point but still found the design he offered very annoying. Then he remembered that the other was almost the Sect Leader’s apprentice too. Was this a special visit to provoke him?

So he returned the design, “He’s my master. I’ll handle it. No need for your concern.”

He expected the other to get angry, but the other just smiled more deeply, nodded, and said, “Alright, I was just giving a little reminder, so I won’t disturb you further.”

After saying that, he turned and left.

Feng Qingxiu saw him out.

***

Yang Fuyin turned and headed for Danding Peak.

Qiu Yuansheng was trying a new pill formula when his spiritual sense suddenly tingled, and he instinctively wanted to flee.

Only to still bump into the young man in black while rounding a corner.

The other looked at him, his expression gentle, and said softly, “There’s no one on the flying peaks who can hide from me.”

“Senior Brother,” Qiu Yuansheng said helplessly, “Please don’t do this.”

“A hundred years ago, you didn’t leave any trace,” Senior Brother Yang looked at him calmly, “This time, you didn’t leave any trace either. In fact, even when I sent that spirit demon soul back, I might have died in the fox’s mouth.”

“Senior Brother, I have no idea what you’re talking about!” Qiu Yuansheng said with a wry smile.

“You’re too good at causing trouble for others. But I thought about it, and out of the ten thousand Kun-Lai disciples who went on the expedition, besides you and me, no one else could have done it so flawlessly… Don’t mention others. I remember everyone’s actions and records in Kun-Lai, and that person is far away in Haijing. There’s no third person who could have done it.” Yang Fuyin referred to the last of the Kun-Lai Seven Talents, but that was a name they didn’t like to mention.

“Senior Brother, I’m not taking the blame for this. If there’s nothing else, I need to continue my research on new pills. You know how much I love alchemy, which is why I refused to join Taiyi Peak.” Qiu Yuansheng said, trying to placate him, “You don’t have to hold a grudge for so many years just because I turned down your invitation back then.”

“You certainly would have refused because I was on Taiyi Peak. If you had joined, it would have been too difficult to get things done. Otherwise, Taiyi Peak would have been your first choice, and a hundred years ago, you wouldn’t have failed because you didn’t know about the flying peak’s second defense.” Yang Fuyin said indifferently, “So you after the first time you saw me at Taiyi Peak you immediately refused.”

“Then what’s the point of blocking me now? I haven’t done anything to offend you.” Qiu Yuansheng said helplessly. He had tried so hard to avoid him, but still couldn’t shake him off.

“The next stop is Ziyun Dao in Yuntian Domain. You’re bound to cause trouble again.” Yang Fuyin suddenly smiled, “I originally wanted to have a good fight with you, but after seeing Junior Brother Feng yesterday, I don’t feel like fighting you anymore.”

Qiu Yuansheng’s heart tightened, and he threw a poisonous pill, turning to flee.

But he was still a step too slow. As Yang Fuyin said, any flying peak was his home ground.

Numerous talisman seals suddenly flashed in the void, and Qiu Yuansheng disappeared into the seals.

And in Yang Fuyin’s gentle tea-colored right eye, there was now the image of Qiu Yuansheng, who sat helplessly on the ground, sighing.

“After crossing Ziyun Dao, I’ll let you out.” Yang Fuyin chuckled lightly, “I wouldn’t want a little skirmish to affect Junior Brother Feng.”

During his studies under the Sect Leader, it was mostly the Second Master who taught him. The Nine Paths of Talisman Wards were all personally instructed by him, so he naturally knew what the Second Master sought in his heart.

The Second Master had finally gained the opportunity to coexist in the same plane and belong to the same race as the Sect Leader. 

Who knows what the Sect Master had sacrificed for this.

How could I let you stir up trouble again and delay important matters?

Even if imprisoning you leads to conflict between Taiyi and Danding Peaks, I will bear the consequences.

The favor of those years has been remembered in my heart for a long time, and having the chance to repay it fills me with untold joy.

Though ten years of teaching was brief, it was enough to benefit me for life. How could I let an unstable factor like you cause any more disturbances?

No matter how clever and resourceful you are, if you manage to transmit any plans while still imprisoned by me—

I, Yang Fuyin, would definitely take my life on the spot!

***

Soon, the news that Yang Fuyin, one of the Seven Talents from Taiyi Peak, had captured Qiu Yuansheng, the head of Danding Peak, spread across all of the flying peaks.

Qiu Yuansheng was highly respected, being a natural-born genius who led the improvement of various medicinal pills on Danding Peak, benefiting the entire Kun-Lai. Many of the elders on Danding were eager to protect and cherish him.

Within less than an hour, both inside and outside the gates of the two great Elders, Bai Shuixian and Yan Zhao, were filled with disciples from Danding.

“Is this picking on the softest persimmon?” Bai Shuixian asked angrily, “They can’t handle the Yang brat himself, so they dump the problem on us.”

“Definitely. The elders who went to Taiyi Peak before were all dealt with by Xiao Yang, so no one dares to go up there anymore,” Yan Zhao said in a low voice. “But we have to deal with this matter; Xiao Yang has gone too far.”

“Of course I know he’s gone too far. But are you going to say something?” Bai Shuixian asked.

“Can I break his Nine-Curved Heavenly Water Ward? Or can I beat him in a fight?” Yan Zhao refused. “Even when he was at the Nascent Soul stage, his wards were enough to trap us for several hours. How long has he been in the Demigod stage now? He just said that he’s only keeping Xiao Qiu for twenty days, which doesn’t seem like a big deal. He’s already promised not to harm Xiao Qiu.”

“What about the disciples at the door?” Bai Shuixian asked helplessly.

“Watch me.”

Yan Zhao stepped forward and told the disciples outside, “We are aware of this matter, and indeed it is Yang Fuyin’s wrong. He said there was a misunderstanding with Qiu Yuansheng and intends to detain him for a month.”

The disciples of Danding were furious and began to denounce the eldest senior brother of Taiyi Peak.

“In response to our protest, Xiao Yang has shortened the time to twenty-five days.” Seeing that the disciples were still unsatisfied, Yan Zhao softly added, “After further strong rebukes, he reduced it to twenty days.”

The disciples finally showed some satisfaction, but still demanded the immediate release of Qiu Yuansheng.

“I’m currently continuing to criticize him and will definitely have him release Xiao Qiu as soon as possible. But you must give me some time—after all, the Sect Leader isn’t here…”

The disciples acknowledged this point, realizing that with the Sect Leader away, much depended on Taiyi Peak.

“So, everyone should return and wait for news. I will make sure he releases Xiao Qiu as soon as possible,” Yan Zhao reassured them.

After much appeasement, they finally persuaded the Danding disciples to leave.

Only then did the two elders breathe a sigh of relief, their expressions grim.

“Why did Xiao Yang capture Xiao Qiu?” Bai Shuixian suddenly asked.

Yan Zhao shook his head; he was also deeply puzzled by this.

“It would be great if Xiao Bai were here. Unfortunately, there’s no one who can persuade him now,” Bai Shuixian said bitterly. In all of Kun-Lai, the only ones Xiao Yang might listen to, aside from the Sect Leader, was Bai Liu, who had once saved his life.

“I’m not worried about Xiao Qiu. Xiao Yang has always known the importance of things. If he says twenty days, it will be twenty days, and he won’t harm Xiao Qiu. The main issue is that we’re about to reach Ziyun Dao. How are we going to explain Bai Liu’s matter to An Xian?” Yan Zhao said helplessly.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Let Xiao Yang do it. After all, I heard he’s already collected all the things An Xian wanted.” Bai Shuixian had no interest in informing An Xian of this matter and decided to let Xiao Yang, who had caused the trouble, handle it.

“What a mess,” Yan Zhao sighed, feeling that he too might soon end up with white hair like the Sect Leader.

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The amber contained a very intricate tiny ward. It looked small but had an expanded interior. The little fox’s soul could easily move around inside it and it could also block the innate fire from the sunlight, preventing it from harming the soul.

Feng Qingxiu observed the ward’s structure and found that it was indeed a true legacy of his master. Many of the techniques used were strikingly similar, simple and neat. In comparison, although the elders of Taiyi Peak could also create similar wards, the difference was akin to the difference between an outstanding student and a mediocre one—one was merely qualified, while the other achieved full marks.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Su Wan was pacing restlessly in the courtyard, taking the form of the little fox.

She had quickly returned to Qingqiu earlier, intending to restore her daughter’s soul. Given her speed as a Great Sage, this should have been a matter of just going back and forth.

However, upon returning to Qingqiu, she discovered that the great spirit demons she had stationed to guard her daughter had already taken the little fox’s body to the next stop of the flying peaks to look for them.

The Yuntian Domain was extremely vast. Although Su Wan was a Great Sage, she couldn’t find her daughter immediately. Her subordinates carrying her daughter’s body would not only avoid making a fuss but would also be cautious not to be discovered—being the child of Su Wan would attract too much trouble. A Great Sage wasn’t without enemies; on the contrary, after tens of thousands of years, a Great Sage had countless enemies. While they might not have the means to trouble the Great Sage directly, if they had the chance to cause trouble for the Great Sage’s daughter, they would certainly seize the opportunity.

Thus, Su Wan had to send out foxes to search secretly while waiting at the next stop of the flying peaks in the Yuntian Domain.

The spirit demon races followed ancient rules, with each race having its own territory. The Yuntian Domain was the domain of the Longshe (Dragon Snake) and the Fuhai (Sea-covering) Kunpeng, two powerful Great Sages.

This territory was vast, stretching from the bitterly cold lands of the human Northern Continent in the east, the boundless ice-covered northern seas in the north, Qingqiu in the south, to the Fire Domain in the west—almost larger than all human territories combined. There were countless fierce beasts and Great Sages roaming freely, so Su Wan did not dare to expose herself. The two Great Sages were said to be ancient spirit demons that had survived since the time of the Primordial Chaos.

“Primordial Chaos?” Feng Qingxiu, curious about these secret matters, asked.

“I’ve only heard about it myself, as it was a matter from millions of years ago,” Su Wan hesitated, seemingly trying to recall, and after a while, said, “I’ve heard that in ancient times, Pangu created the heavens and the earth, and later the world was divided among the Wu (sorcerer) Race and the Spirit Demon Race with great spirit demons running rampant. Then, there was the Heavenly Battle, which shattered the entire Primordial Chaos. Our current realm is merely a fragment of the northern part of the Primordial Chaos, floating in this corner of the void.”

“Ancient Primordial Chaos?” Feng Qingxiu was surprised. He had heard of the creation of the heavens and the earth and the creation of humans by the goddess Nüwa, but those were just legends. To think they actually existed!

“It is said that in ancient times, there were also Earth Immortals and Heaven Immortals beyond Human Immortals, beings capable of traversing the void and nine hells. Ancient bloodlines like the Kunpeng and Dragon Snake could survive for hundreds of thousands of years, but here, Human Immortals have only a lifespan of several tens of thousands of years,” Su Wan said sarcastically, “But those are all legends. I only heard about them from my elders. The Great Xuan’s founding ancestor once used the national fortune and Divine Way to break the celestial demons’ tribulation and became a Human Immortal. Later, he seemed to want to surpass the limits and left this realm to venture into the void universe.”

“Did he… succeed?” Feng Qingxiu knew the answer but still felt a bit regretful.

“I don’t know whether he succeeded or not; he never returned,” Su Wan seemed lost in thought, then said with bitterness, “You humans are all no good!”

Feng Qingxiu was somewhat helpless at this broad condemnation but still defended, “You can’t judge all humans based on the bad ones you encountered. Your spirit demon race is also quite cunning. You toppled the Great Xuan Dynasty and caused many deaths.”

“The Emperor and the High Priest had long had grievances. I just sowed discord a bit. Who knew the High Priest was so decisive, killing the Emperor on a whim?” Su Wan snorted coldly, “If it weren’t for him targeting me this time, I wouldn’t want to be his enemy.”

“Do you know why he is causing trouble for my master?” Feng Qingxiu wanted to know. The one using the little fox to threaten Su Wan must be targeting his master, not someone as insignificant as himself.

“It might be for a particular item. You should protect yourself well,” Su Wan was about to yell at him to vent her anger when the little fox in the amber squeaked. She immediately softened and said, “Do you want to take a look? Fine, I’ll take you.”

Then she ignored Feng Qingxiu and nimbly ran off from the grass.

Feng Qingxiu reflected on the events and confirmed there were no irregularities, then brushed off the fallen leaves from his clothes and continued to handle matters on the flying peak.

With Guan Yuli taking care of everything, things were well organized, and he found it very easy, usually just reviewing and approving the documents.

He felt a bit envious of Madam Guan’s ability to handle things well, having taken over from Qingnu.

He wrote the final “read” approval.

The he heard a knock on the door.

For a moment, he paused.

He hadn’t heard a knock on the door for a long time. Qingnu and You Jia were frequent visitors but had never learned to knock. Qiu Yuansheng never came, and Huang Wei and Ying An only used the courtyard to access the internet.

Madam Guan would always push the door open unceremoniously to deliver things—he had heard he did the same at Qingnu’s place.

So, no one had knocked on the door for a long time.

The door was not closed, and the visitor was just knocking on the door to alert Feng Qingxiu. He was dressed in black with his hair tied up, and his tea-colored eyes occasionally reflected tiny glimmers of talisman seals, like shooting stars across the night sky.

“Senior Brother Yang,” Feng Qingxiu stood up to greet him.

“Qing,” Yang Fuyin called him that.

“Huh?” Shouldn’t he be called Junior Brother Feng? Why just “Qing”? Feng Qingxiu was puzzled but still nodded.

Senior Brother Yang did not explain, only slightly smiling, “You are the Sect Leader’s only apprentice, so I came to see you. It was too noisy yesterday, so I didn’t say much.”

Yesterday, they were all scared away by you, and those who stayed shrank into a ball and didn’t dare to speak. You didn’t think it was noisy… Feng Qingxiu was at a loss for words and could only politely say, “Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother.”

“It’s my duty.” Senior Brother Yang walked over to him, observing Feng Qingxiu. He was slightly taller, but his gaze was calm and clear, not condescending.

Feng Qingxiu let him look calmly.

After a while, Senior Brother Yang lowered his gaze and suddenly laughed softly.

Feng Qingxiu waited for him to speak.

“Qing, I haven’t been this happy in a long time,” Senior Brother Yang walked to his desk, glanced at the “read” marks, and said, “Do you know who I am?”

“You are the Sect Leader’s unrecorded apprentice, the eldest senior brother of Taiyi Peak. That’s all I know,” Feng Qingxiu told him what he knew.

“I come from a very ordinary background. My parents were just farmers in a mountain ravine in Great Xiao State,” Senior Brother Yang jumped topics quickly, “But what’s not ordinary is that I was born with a single element spiritual root, the thunder root.”

“Senior Brother, with such a talent, you wouldn’t be troubled by your background,” Feng Qingxiu nodded.

“No, the reason for my thunder root is that my mother, just days before going into labor with me, saw that a heavy rain was coming and worried about the grain in the fields. So she went out to harvest with my father. It was crucial to harvest the grain before the rain because rice is prone to germination and mold. The harvest at that time was very important, so they couldn’t be careless,” Senior Brother Yang said mildly, “But just as they were about to finish, a thunderbolt struck my mother.”

Feng Qingxiu was shocked.

“My mother passed away a day later, but before she died, she desperately gave birth to me. Later, it was speculated that my rare root was due to this incident. But since I was young, I was paralyzed and could not live normally,” Senior Brother Yang said this as if it were unrelated to him, “The villagers considered the thunder as divine punishment and thought I was a sinner from a past life, so even my father who was unwilling to abandon me was driven out of the village.”

“After, my father sought medical help, and hearing that only the cultivators of Kun-Lai could save me, he traveled thousands of miles, spending over ten years, carrying me up Kun-Lai Mountain all the way.” Senior Brother Yang sighed softly, “How could an ordinary person possibly manage that?”

“But at that time, although I was paralyzed, my divine consciousness was naturally powerful, attracting a divine being with peerless spiritual power. He took me to Kun-Lai and had Peak Master Bai treat the excessive spiritual energy accumulation in my meridians.” Senior Brother Yang said softly, “I asked him for his name at that time, but he didn’t tell me.”

Feng Qingxiu still didn’t know what to say.

“When the Sect Leader taught me back then, many things were too trivial for him to explain, and the teaching was inconsistent,” Senior Brother Yang tilted his head and glanced at Feng Qingxiu, suddenly taking out a very soft piece of fur. “Junior Brother Feng, help me make a small cloak, this big.”

He took out a design.

Feng Qingxiu asked in confusion, “Isn’t this easy for Senior Brother Yang?”

“Of course! I drew countless designs back then.” Senior Brother Yang smiled calmly, “But my hands cannot handle needles, as it affects the sensitivity of my micro-ward techniques.”

So that’s why. Although Feng Qingxiu still felt something was off, he followed the instructions and made a small cloak. He worked swiftly and without hesitation.

Senior Brother Yang checked the stitches, his smile deepening, and after accepting the cloak, took out a small ornament.

“This is a gift—a defensive talisman I made. It has some defensive power and can be worn at all times. You can also sell it, but not for less than half the price of a flying peak, or it would be too much of a loss.” Senior Brother Yang was satisfied to see him accept it and nodded before leaving.

Feng Qingxiu sat in a daze for a while, still unable to understand why he had come and gone.

***

Taiyi Peak.

Yang Fuyin was playing with the miniature cloak and suddenly felt a bit nostalgic.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

I wondered how I could lose to an ordinary person.

So it turns out.

It was actually the Second Master.

It seems we have to start over.

Qing, you are becoming increasingly ineffective.

But this ending, Master, you must have put a lot of effort into it. You truly are not heartless and indifferent.

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Feng Qingxiu’s internet was forcibly shared, but the limited bandwidth clearly couldn’t support so many people. After much arguing and bargaining, it was decided that each peak could only use the internet for half an hour a day. Of course, Feng Qingxiu had one hour every evening that couldn’t be compromised. 

Everyone was smart enough to know the temperament of the Sect Leader, who was not an easy person to deal with. You Jia hung around the peak and wouldn’t leave, even though Deputy Peak Master You had dragged him back several times; he couldn’t be deterred from occupying the top headline. 

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Qingnu couldn’t help but mock, “If you put this much effort into practicing your swordsmanship, Wenjian Peak would have been yours long ago.”

“I have no interest in Wenjian Peak,” You Jia replied, soaking in the lotus pond of Zhuiyun Peak courtyard, his black hair loose, with only his head showing. “There’s no fun in it; anyone who wants it can have it.”

“Don’t say that, Deputy Peak Master You has high hopes for you,” Qingnu smiled. “Wenjian Peak’s peak master has been away for hundreds of years. Deputy Peak Master You is the backbone of Wenjian Peak, hoping you will carry on the legacy.”

“Stop it. Wenjian Peak gets the most new disciples every year; they don’t need me.” You Jia didn’t even lift his head, lazily replying, “All the most talented are at Wenjian Peak; who am I?”

“When you say that, don’t play with a sword with one hand,” Qingnu couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you still competing with your father? We’re about to reach the Ziyun Dao Realm in the Yuntian Domain; don’t let Peak Master An see you like this.”

Hearing the name Peak Master An, You Jia seemed to stiffen, snorted coldly, and slapped the water with his tentacles.

“Which peak master is Peak Master An? I don’t think I’ve seen them?” Feng Qingxiu asked, a bit curious. He had visited various peaks recently for the construction of his flying peak but didn’t seem to have met a peak master named An.

“Wenjian Peak Master An Xian, who has been in Yuntian Domain for a hundred years, doing something unknown,” Qingnu shrugged and then suddenly laughed softly as if she remembered something. “She loved to teach You Jia and his father the most. If she were here and You Jia still chased headlines like this, I’d respect him as a real man.”

“Teach them?” Feng Qingxiu was curious about this gossip he hadn’t heard before.

“When the Poison School ascended the mountain, Peak Master Shui Wugou took some children along. My uncle was worried and asked Peak Master An to check on them.” Qingnu laughed again. “Peak Master An, despite being a woman, did not get along with Peak Master Shui Wugou’s gentle and insidious nature, so she asked Wenjian Peak’s Deputy Peak Master You to look after them.”

You Jia coldly said, “Yes, and then he ended up in her bed, giving me a stepmother.”

Don’t their tentacles get tangled? Feng Qingxiu thought, imagining the Peak Master Shui’s jellyfish tendrils and Deputy Peak Master You’s squid tentacles, unable to visualize it.

“That’s right. By the way, Qiu Snake, you managed to convince those elders of the Alchemy School to ascend the mountain and managed everything neatly, making my uncle very relieved.” Qingnu suddenly turned the conversation to Qiu Yuansheng, who was diligently trying to browse the internet in a corner.

Qiu Yuansheng, who had finally managed to access a gossip webpage, was caught off guard and could only smile wryly, “Thanks to the Peak Master’s love.”

“Indeed, it was love. At that time, I was still in the outer sect, and it had been only over ten years since you had undergone the Mountain Ascension Ceremony, yet already becoming a hidden talent of Qingdi Peak, almost as famous as that eldest senior brother. The Peak Master invested most of the remaining resources in you, preparing to let you take over Qingdi Peak, but your ability to discard things after using them is truly remarkable.” Qingnu spoke softly, but her words carried a hint of killing intent. “You coordinated with the Peak Master Shui to ascend the mountain, saying you didn’t want to stay in a place of sorrow, and took away thirty percent of the remaining resources. That move almost crippled Qingdi Peak.”

She had been young and not yet proved herself at that time. Everyone had high hopes for Qiu Yuansheng’s talent and hoped he could help Qingdi Peak through tough times, but the cultivated viper turned and bit them, making the young Qingnu loathe this ungrateful person.

“It was a hopeless place. He refused to give up on those useless people, so our Alchemy School naturally left to cut losses early. Didn’t you also leave, Qingnu?” Qiu Yuansheng said calmly. “The Peak Master has passed away, and Qingdi Peak is almost extinct. The past is gone; we had no major conflicts before. As Kun-Lai disciples, why not reconcile?”

“Hah, no need.” Qingnu sneered. “But we can spar sometime, see what new alchemical talents you have.”

“Naturally, if there’s an opportunity,” Qiu Yuansheng politely nodded, deciding to find another place to go online. Here, Qingnu kept interrupting.

Suddenly, he sensed a slight ward fluctuation, immediately got up, and said to Feng Qingxiu, “I’ve disturbed you today, Senior Brother Feng. I have a furnace to check, so I’ll visit another day.”

Feng Qingxiu wanted to see him off but saw him leave too quickly.

“Why did he leave?” You Jia was also puzzled. Qiu Yuansheng had the worst internet addiction among them, yet he was the first to leave, which was abnormal.

Huang Wei smoothed a stray strand of hair blown by the wind, casually performed a divination, and glanced at the result, her fingers trembling, almost dropping her Net Charm.

“I have urgent matters too, Senior Brother Feng. Let’s play next time.” This senior sister didn’t even bother to walk, directly transforming into a beautiful bright yellow bird with a long tail and flew away.

Now, everyone felt something was wrong. The dark-clad youth Ying An shook his head, touched the small knife at his waist, and with his strong sixth sense, decided to follow the crowd. “I shall also take my leave.”

He then disappeared into a nearby shadow, unseen by anyone.

Only Qingnu and You Jia were left looking at each other.

Feng Qingxiu couldn’t make sense of the situation, so he remained vigilant, wondering if a great enemy was approaching, but there were no warning signals.

At that moment, he saw a young man in a black robe walking slowly from a distance, looking at the flowers and trees on the flying peak with an appreciative gaze.

Catching sight of him, Qingnu swiftly left; her speed was the fastest Feng Qingxiu had ever seen in his life.

You Jia in the water was a bit slower than Qingnu and was about to leave when he saw the black-clad young man glance over, his gaze landing squarely on You Jia’s head in the pool.

You Jia’s entire squid body froze, sticking to the pool wall, almost curling into a ball.

Damn it! Not a single person cared to help me!

Feng Qingxiu was momentarily puzzled. He was very familiar with the black robe on this senior brother, which had talismanic seals on the base, which glowed faintly in a flowing manner like water. This was the standard robe of Taiyi Peak, so this person should be one of the senior brothers from Taiyi Peak. Since he hadn’t seen him during the construction of his flying peak, he must have been in seclusion.

As the young man approached, Feng Qingxiu could see more clearly. He was a good-looking man, without an overly imposing aura. His long black hair was simply tied back with no accessories, but his hands under the long sleeves were extraordinarily beautiful and slender, flawless, and far more exquisite than even the best green onions or lotus roots, breathtakingly beautiful.

The young man stopped in front of him, gazed for a moment, then said calmly, “Feng Qingxiu?”

“That’s me,” Feng Qingxiu nodded.

“Yang Fuyin,” the young man introduced himself. “You can call me Senior Brother Yang. This is a gift for you.”

He extended a piece of amber with a small fox image inside.

“What is this?” Feng Qingxiu asked, puzzled.

Almost simultaneously, a foul wind blew, and a beast’s mouth appeared behind him, about to bite off his head.

The young man just turned his head, giving the beast’s mouth a mild glance.

In his clear tea-colored eyes, a talisman seal flickered briefly, and a large talisman ward appeared out of nowhere, trapping the fierce fox spirit demon inside.

Then it was gone.

Feng Qingxiu looked at him, bewildered.

“It won’t hold her for long.” Senior Brother Yang said calmly, his tea-colored eyes reflecting a fox shadow trying to escape. “This fox soul was intercepted when I was starting up the flying peak. Among the hundreds of flying peaks, only yours has a celestial fox, so I brought it to you.”

Feng Qingxiu touched his master’s paper figure, feeling more composed, and then nodded in acceptance.

Senior Brother Yang’s fingers were slightly cool, like the finest silk. When he saw Feng Qingxiu accept the small amber, he slightly curled his lips and turned to leave.

He didn’t say goodbye, leaving as quietly as he came, without taking away a single cloud, without leaving any trace of mundane air.

After a long time, when he could no longer be seen, a fox jumped out from the just-drawn talisman ward, looking ferocious as it snatched the little fox from Feng Qingxiu’s hand. This fox was clearly much larger than the little fox in the amber.

Feng Qingxiu only needed a quick glance to almost turn pale: “You, you are…”

“Hmph!” The large fox gave him a dark look, seemed to communicate with the little fox in the amber, and then left reluctantly.

Heavens!

Feng Qingxiu finally understood why those senior brothers and sisters ran away so quickly. Now he really wanted to run too!

That was Su Wan, the Great Sage Su Wan! Even if she was severely injured, even if she was the weakest among the great sages, even if her combat power lay in illusion and confusion, she was still a great sage!

Simply terrifying!

“That was terrifying!” You Jia practically crawled out of the pool on all fours.

The two Kun-Lai disciples huddled together, shivering.

“Do you now understand how terrifying he is?” You Jia asked Feng Qingxiu as they sat together weakly.

“How can this senior brother…” Feng Qingxiu felt immense pressure.

“You haven’t experienced his era!” You Jia almost tied his tentacles into knots. “He was admitted to Taiyi Peak with the highest scores. At that time, several elders almost tore Taiyi Peak apart fighting over him. But within a few years, those elders cried and wanted to drive him away. No teacher could teach him for more than three years. He could draw over four million talisman seals for the flying peak by himself. He’s simply not human!”

“Yes,” Madam Guan, who remained calm and hadn’t left, said peacefully. “Later, the Sect Leader personally taught him for ten years. The Sect Leader even personally admitted that if he hadn’t stopped taking apprentices, he might have taken him as an apprentice.”

“Back then, he asked Qingnu to gouge out his eyes, then micro-engraved the entire Kun-Lai spiritual ward on them before putting his eyes back in. It scared Qingnu senseless.”

“No one can keep up with his thought process, so he has a habit of talking to himself. If you can’t keep up, he will make decisions for you!” You Jia patted his chest. “And he’s the administrator of Kun-Lai’s internet!”

“Yes, he’ll cut off the internet at a whim,” Madam Guan added calmly. “The more addicted to the internet, the more likely they are to avoid him. For people like me, who are indifferent, it’s not a big deal.”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Feng Qingxiu was drenched in sweat and pressed his chest for support from his master.

“So, what exactly did he just give me?”

Thinking about his earlier actions, Feng Qingxiu looked into the distance.

“It’s something that can kill you!” a large fox suddenly said coldly next to him.

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