Such a significant disturbance, occurring right under the nose of the Tianshi Mansion, quickly drew Daoist masters from Longhu Mountain. However, none of the high-ranking officials in their yellow and purple robes were among the first to arrive. Instead, three Daoists in their forties appeared—an age not considered old for those believed to possess the secret to eternal life in the eyes of common folk. Like Master Bai Lian, all three were not members of the main lineage of this ancestral Daoist temple, yet they possessed profound cultivation. Their names were Zhang Wenhan, Xue Jieqi, and Chen Quanyong. After the father and son masters ascended together, the Tianshi Mansion's prestige subtly waned. These Daoists, however, implicitly demonstrated their ability to uphold a significant portion of Longhu Mountain's influence.
Among the three, Chen Quanyong was the last to arrive. He saw his two Daoist companions standing at a distance from an unnamed deep pool. Beside the pool, a young man, who appeared to be from a prominent family, was kneeling and scrubbing blood-stained clothes. Chen Quanyong, despite being the most learned among them, had the lowest cultivation level and thus dared not act presumptuously. He cautiously stepped onto the damp ground, still wet from the pool water, and slowly approached Xue Jieqi, who had shared the mountain with him for over a decade. The latter quietly remarked, "My suspicion was correct; a senior master indeed met his end here. When I arrived, the senior attempted to transform into a rainbow and flee north towards Dipei Mountain, but that young man intercepted him..."
Chen Quanyong was utterly stunned. Forgetting all etiquette, he interrupted his long-acquainted Daoist companion and asked, visibly moved, "According to the Records of Auspicious Fortune, ascending by transforming into a rainbow is a step below ascending on a dragon, but far superior to riding a crane. Even if that reclusive senior wasn't ascending, if we're talking about blocking his path, even you and I together would never be able to stop him."
Xue Jieqi's expression was peculiar as he cautiously explained, "It was a black rainbow. It had just begun to rise from the bottom of the deep pool, reaching several feet above the surface, when that person, with his bare hands, forcibly tore it back, almost completely shredding it. Only a black rainbow, roughly an inch wide and a foot long, managed to escape towards the Great Snowfield."
Chen Quanyong frowned deeply. A black rainbow—that could certainly not be considered an auspicious sign. Ancient texts often associated it with ill omens.
Zhang Wenhan, who had been standing some distance from Chen and Xue, finally spoke. "I am Zhang Wenhan of Longhu Mountain. May I inquire if you are His Royal Highness, the King of Liang?"
The young man stood up, much of the blood washed from his clothes. He nodded and, with a smile, inquired, "Is Zhao Ningshen not on the mountain?"
Zhang Wenhan's expression was complicated. He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and said solemnly, "If Your Highness intends to descend the mountain now, I can personally escort you. However, if you plan to ascend, then I must, for once, act beyond my capabilities."
Xu Fengnian, who had already eradicated Zhao Huangchao, simply smiled. "There's no need for an escort. Please convey my regards to Old Master Zhao Xituan on my behalf."
Zhang Wenhan appeared visibly relieved. He bowed deeply and said, "I will certainly convey your message. Respectfully, farewell, Your Royal Highness."
The wording, while seemingly respectful, was in effect no different from an order to dismiss a guest. Yet, the infamous young vassal king seemed unconcerned and proceeded directly down the mountain.
Among the three, Xue Jieqi possessed the most unyielding character and had long harbored ill will towards the King of Northern Liang, who, as a young prince, had dared to provoke Longhu. Even after personally witnessing his final maneuver—shattering a rainbow after a kill—Xue Jieqi still harbored his own designs. Assessing the situation and sensing the spiritual energy, he perceived the young vassal king to be in a weakened state, like a weary army. Xue Jieqi was unwilling to let this opportune moment slip by. His intention wasn't necessarily to gravely wound the now-mighty King of Northern Liang, but rather to appease Longhu Mountain's indignation. He would not permit Xu Fengnian to come and go as he pleased, as if believing that with Grandmaster Qi Xuanzhen no longer presiding over the Demon Slaying Platform, anyone could now brazenly display their might here.
Thus, Xue Jieqi moved one step sideways, directly obstructing Xu Fengnian's path down the mountain.
Then, before Zhang Wenhan, rumored to be but a hair's breadth from the Finger Profound Realm, could utter a warning, Chen Quanyong witnessed the King of Northern Liang vanish in a blur. Daoist Xue's body, meanwhile, inexplicably lifted off the ground, his head appearing as if pierced by an arrow, and he crashed down, almost headfirst in an inverted posture, before collapsing limply onto the ground.
Zhang Wenhan swiftly moved to Xue Jieqi's side, crouching down. He slowly infused a continuous stream of vital energy into him, striving to protect his turbulent heart meridian. Chen Quanyong observed that Xue Jieqi's face was ashen, a sickly yellow, and his complexion utterly ghastly.
Zhang Wenhan, furious, stated sternly, "It is known throughout the realm that Wang Xianzhi is destined for a life-or-death battle with this man. The mere fact that Xu Fengnian could arrive at Longhu Mountain—let alone the possibility of him defeating Wang Xianzhi—and that Wang Xianzhi entrusted his final earthly battle to him, indicates that even if he came to Longhu Mountain for revenge before that great conflict, how could you or I possibly underestimate him?! If we provoke this individual and he, in desperation, were to storm into the Tianshi Mansion, wreaking havoc and destroying the very foundations of Longhu Mountain, how could we three, as non-lineage members, ever bear such responsibility?"
Some junior Daoists, along with a few yellow and purple robed Daoists, gradually gathered behind them. Witnessing the scene, all appeared somewhat bewildered. Zhang Wenhan offered no explanations; he merely instructed Chen Quanyong to ascend to the Tianshi Mansion and report the full details. He then carried Xue Jieqi to a secluded spot for healing, concerned that if a lingering injury were to develop, it would inevitably impact his spiritual cultivation. The non-lineage Daoists on the mountain had always maintained solidarity, and just as new prospects were emerging, they should have collectively striven for advancement. Yet, after this great tribulation, he feared they might all become disheartened and lose their resolve.
Xu Fengnian descended Longhu Mountain and then ascended Hui Mountain. The Xuanyuan family now held an unstoppable momentum in the martial world. The woman in purple had first risen to the peak of the martial arts community, becoming the first female martial alliance leader in centuries. Later, after intercepting Wang Xianzhi, she found a blessing in misfortune: though her cultivation was temporarily impaired, she made a significant breakthrough in her spiritual realm, which was far more crucial. This development attracted an ever-increasing stream of visitors and prominent figures to Hui Mountain. At the mountain gate archway, a mandatory passage to the Great Snowfield of Gugang, a new 'Sword-Relinquishing Stele' had recently been erected. Similar to the wall in Wudi City, it dictated that anyone challenging the mountain who suffered a defeat must leave their weapon behind before departing.
Xu Fengnian walked unhurriedly along the mountain path. In the world of jianghu, filled with peculiar and eccentric individuals, he wasn't particularly conspicuous. Beside him walked a seductive woman, deliberately clad in a large white fox fur even in late spring, and ahead, a bald, burly man dragged a massive horse-slaying saber up the mountain. Xu Fengnian's primary reason for this ascent was to ensure that Zhao Huangchao, known for his cunning evasions, had left no lingering traps. The black rainbow, a remnant that had escaped his grasp, had ultimately landed in the Crescent Moon Tower on the Great Snowfield. Although Zhao Huangchao was undeniably dead and certainly beyond revival, Xu Fengnian, for caution's sake, needed to personally confirm its complete destruction. His secondary purpose was to conduct a transaction with Xuanyuan Qingfeng. After two consecutive battles—against Wang Xianzhi, needless to say, and Zhao Huangchao, both Land Immortals—Xu Fengnian had slain two formidable figures. It was no wonder that Xue Jieqi of Longhu Mountain had mistaken him for an easy target. At this moment, Xu Fengnian retained only a fraction of Gao Shulu's physique, and his soul and spiritual essence were severely depleted. While the former could not be recovered, the latter was like a dry pond in a drought: as long as the pond remained, even if temporarily without water, a few rains could eventually replenish it. This was a unique insight Xu Fengnian had gained after successive uses of his 'pseudo-realm.' If the true realm were a sheet of Xuan paper, then the pseudo-realm was the layer beneath it; writing on the top sheet would deeply impress, inevitably leaving an imprint on the second layer, much like taking a rubbing from a stele. Despite his severe injuries, the surge of morale Xu Fengnian had inadvertently gathered after defeating Wang Xianzhi and slaying Zhao Huangchao was truly magnificent. It was this very force that compelled him to travel to a specific destination.
The four characters "Seal Mountain, Turn Back Guests" suddenly echoed from the Great Snowfield, rapidly spreading throughout Hui Mountain. Countless martial artists who had journeyed there, drawn by its renown, grumbled as they made their way back down. Even some prominent guests and female heroes who were halfway up were utterly bewildered, yet they all sincerely feared the intimidating presence of the 'Purple-Clad One of Hui Mountain' and turned back without protest. Everyone speculated whether some extraordinary upheaval had occurred on Hui Mountain. Initially, many in the jianghu had hoped that a master would emerge to depose Xuanyuan Qingfeng from her alliance leader position. However, they later came to accept that while a woman had indeed ascended to the apex of the entire martial world, given her undeniable skill and formidable influence, coupled with rumors of her exquisite beauty and "world-toppling" purple attire, it wasn't so bad after all; it was, in fact, a rather pleasant topic of discussion. Gradually, they even began to wish that she would ascend even higher, ideally becoming the true number one martial artist in the world. In the eyes of the well-informed jianghu of Liyang, Wang Xianzhi's departure from Wudi City in the Eastern Sea meant certain death for that 'sixth strongest' who sought fame—there was no doubt about this. Yet, it was also a foregone conclusion that Old Monster Wang would ascend. Liyang had known for a full sixty years that the jianghu was Wang Xianzhi, and Wang Xianzhi was the jianghu. No one could imagine what a jianghu without Wang Xianzhi would be like, or what fresh scenarios would unfold.
Wang Xianzhi was the undisputed foremost figure in the world, and thus, the jianghu naturally regarded his departure from the mortal realm as a crucial turning point.
Perhaps at the direct command of the Xuanyuan family head, many high-ranking guest elders of Hui Mountain, whose status in the jianghu had risen significantly, personally took charge. With cold, unfeeling expressions, they vigorously expelled visitors attempting to ascend. Some jianghu men and women, who initially relied on their skills and background and were unwilling to tolerate such arrogant treatment, ultimately suffered at the hands of Chief Guest Elder Huang Fangfo. Only then did they grudgingly and sheepishly descend the mountain. Xu Fengnian, walking against the tide of people, drew curious and amused glances. Most perceived him as a naive newcomer to the jianghu, like a calf unafraid of a tiger. Only the last few individuals departing the mountain gate archway, at a distance, glimpsed a figure in purple personally standing beneath the archway—an unprecedented posture of welcoming a guest?
Xuanyuan Qingfeng stood on the first step inside the mountain gate, her gaze fixed on the Lord of Northern Liang, whom she could consider an old acquaintance.
While others remained unaware of the truth, she had already pieced together some of it, and just moments before, someone had informed her of the full facts.
She said calmly, "Rest assured, that Daoist is utterly dead. As for why he came to Hui Mountain before his demise, if you wish to know the answer, perhaps you should seize the opportunity and fight me. I will only tell you if I lose."
Xu Fengnian leaned against the archway's jade pillar, his hands tucked into his sleeves, as he gazed at the magnificent river vista beyond the mountain. He scoffed, "You truly are a shrewd businesswoman. If you defeat me, you would undeniably become the foremost martial artist in the realm, and who then would dare challenge you for the position of martial alliance leader?"
Xuanyuan Qingfeng observed his seemingly somewhat stooped back. After a long silence, she gathered her skirt hem, bent down, and sat on the steps, asking, "How did you do it?"
Xu Fengnian slid his back against the pillar and settled onto the ground with a sigh. Finally, with a moment to catch his breath, he thought, *this must be what they mean by 'like a lifetime away.'*
Xuanyuan Qingfeng suddenly uttered something perplexing: "There was once a painting on Hui Mountain that bore a striking resemblance to you. And I also heard that you greatly resemble your mother, the female sword immortal. I finally understood something, and it made me laugh for days."
The somber smile on Xuanyuan Qingfeng's face was remarkably pronounced.
Xu Fengnian said calmly, "The tangled affairs of your parents' generation have long since been settled by them. If you insist on interfering, I wouldn't mind seeing you off."
Xuanyuan Qingfeng laughed, holding her stomach. "You're just a paper tiger now; still daring to scare people?"
Xu Fengnian frowned, dismissing the idea of the transaction. He stood up, turned, and glanced at her. "In the future, pay close attention to Jiang Fuding of Wudi City and Yu Xinlang, who has gone north. Wang Xianzhi held great expectations for these two, and before his death, he bestowed upon each of them a portion of his vital energy and fortune."
Xuanyuan Qingfeng remained silent.
Xu Fengnian hesitated for a moment, then said, "Longhu Mountain has likely quietly shifted its allegiance to Zhao Zhu, the Crown Prince of Yanfu. Even if the Tianshi Mansion lacks the courage for such a move, Master Bai Lian will certainly place his bets on Zhao Zhu. If you're willing to take a gamble, Zhao Zhu is a promising candidate. In the future, the martial world will find it increasingly difficult to avoid the imperial court."
Xuanyuan Qingfeng remained expressionless.
Xu Fengnian descended the mountain twice within a single day.
He then journeyed alone to Wudi City.
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