A brilliant fire lotus bloomed before Li Fei, held at bay three zhang away by her Bronze Wall technique. As thousands of fire tongues lashed out, the glow of the Bronze Wall grew dimmer, on the verge of being consumed by the fierce flames. Li Fei could already feel the scorching heat of the fire lotus.
She transformed into a wisp of blue smoke and hastily retreated. Suddenly, she sensed a subtle wind movement behind her head. Tiny emerald leaves shot towards her back. She quickly turned, and several Tai’a techniques descended, their golden light shredding the leaves. At that moment, a fire dragon came roaring towards her. Li Fei erected the Bronze Wall technique again, and a spring rain began to fall gently, gradually extinguishing the rolling heat waves in the Martial Arts Hall.
The figure before her blurred, and Su Wan suddenly appeared in front of her, a second fire lotus spinning in her palm. She smiled, “I won!”
She took a step forward but suddenly realized that Li Fei had somehow erected an invisible earth wall three chi in front of her. She sighed and dispelled the fire lotus, dripping with sweat: “I thought I had won! Li Fei, your reactions are so quick.” She turned back to look at Deng Xiguang: “Senior Brother Deng, you didn’t restrain her at all! Wood element immortal techniques aren’t just about vine entanglement!”
Deng Xiguang spread his hands, his face full of reluctance: “How could I truly be harsh to Junior Sister Jiang? I’m a man who cherishes and protects women! I couldn’t bring myself to use my full strength even if you killed me.”
Su Wan frowned and shook her head: “Didn’t we agree to practice combat techniques together? Did you think this was just for fun?”
Ever since hearing that the disciples of the Sea Sect excelled in combat techniques, Su Wan had become interested. She had just broken through her second bottleneck a couple of days ago and was eager to find someone to practice with. As Li Fei was skilled in defensive techniques, she had reluctantly become the live target. Deng Xiguang was supposed to restrain her while Su Wan attacked. They practiced combat techniques for half an hour during the noon break in the Martial Arts Hall every day. Unfortunately, after several days of practice, Senior Brother Deng still couldn’t muster a serious attitude. Eventually, it turned into just her and Li Fei facing off, with Su Wan’s fire lotuses and fire dragons unable to hit her target, much to her frustration.
As they pushed open the doors of the Martial Arts Hall, they saw red leaves everywhere and distant, steep peaks. This was Nanshi Peak, where most of Wu Yue Yan’s martial arts halls were concentrated. Since the mountain sect disciples rarely engaged in combat practice, Nanshi Peak was usually quiet and rarely visited.
The three chatted as they walked, all wanting to hear about Li Fei’s trials in the Eastern Sea. No one wanted to fly on clouds, and Li Fei hadn’t finished her story last time. Deng Xiguang pestered her to tell more: “Junior Sister Jiang, last time you mentioned that several friends gathered at the trial grounds and then encountered a fierce beast. What kind of beast was it? Finish the story before we leave!”
Li Fei smiled and said, “It’s a fierce beast that’s said to only exist on the seashore, called Shen. It has no demonic aura and you can’t see what it looks like. It only spews mist to create various illusions for people, then absorbs their essence. The illusions created by Shen are completely indistinguishable from reality. Thinking back on it now, it’s still a bit chilling!”
Su Wan’s eyes lit up, and she asked eagerly, “How did you escape later? Oh, and what illusions did you see?”
“Shen creates illusions of what people desire most and fear most in their hearts. It’s different for everyone, depending on what’s in your mind.” Su Wan couldn’t help but ponder – the things one most desires and fears, if truly indistinguishable from reality, would indeed be difficult to escape from in an illusion. Deng Xiguang kept expressing his relief on the side: “It’s a good thing I wasn’t chosen! If I had gone, I would have been trapped in an illusion of beautiful women and pools of wine and meat, unwilling to leave even if it killed me!”
Both girls laughed in shock at his brazenness. As Deng Xiguang spoke, he gesticulated wildly. Suddenly, his toe kicked something quite heavy. He looked down and saw it was a disciple’s nameplate. He immediately picked it up, turned it over, and exclaimed in surprise: “This is… Junior Sister Yue’s nameplate?”
Li Fei and Su Wan hurried over to look. Indeed, the nameplate was engraved with Yue Cailing’s name. How did her nameplate end up near the Martial Arts Hall on Nanshi Peak? Had she been here recently?
Deng Xiguang looked around. Red leaves covered the ground, and the trees were sparse, but there wasn’t a single person in sight. He suddenly became excited, put the nameplate in his pocket, and said proudly: “I’ll return it to her personally later. She might even thank me for it.”
Su Wan looked at him with disdain: “Junior Sister Yue is a perfect match with Senior Brother Qin. Why are you trying to get involved? Do you think she’ll give you the time of day just for returning a nameplate?”
Deng Xiguang clicked his tongue and wagged his finger: “This is why women will never understand men’s hearts. Just being able to exchange a few words with such a beauty is already a good thing for a man.”
Su Wan laughed: “If you go to Zixi Peak, the gatekeeper might not even let you into the disciples’ quarters. One look at your shifty eyes and they’ll know you’re up to no good.”
Just as Deng Xiguang was about to retort, they heard a gust of wind above. As if summoned by their conversation about Yue Cailing, she descended right in front of them. Without even glancing at them, she bent down, searching for something.
Deng Xiguang hurriedly put on a fawning smile and said, “Junior Sister Yue, are you looking for your nameplate?”
Yue Cailing still didn’t look at him, coldly extending her hand: “Give it back to me!”
Deng Xiguang immediately handed over the nameplate with both hands, lacking any backbone. Su Wan, seeing that she took the nameplate without saying a word, was quite displeased: “Don’t you even know how to say thank you?”
Yue Cailing summoned a small white cloud and was about to leave when a gentle male voice suddenly sounded from above: “Cailing, did you find your nameplate?” As the voice faded, a young man wearing the robes of a direct disciple slowly descended on a jade-green flute. He was impressive and handsome – it was the long-absent Senior Brother Qin Yangling. Upon seeing him, Yue Cailing’s eyes reddened, and she turned her back, ignoring him.
Qin Yangling smiled and reached out his hand, intending to comfort her gently. Suddenly, he noticed one of the three people opposite was the exceptionally beautiful young woman he had met before but hadn’t encountered since. His outstretched hand immediately changed to a cupped fist salute: “This junior sister, we meet again.”
Li Fei coldly looked at him, then glanced at Yue Cailing who had her back turned behind him. Qin Yangling was very perceptive and, seeing the contempt in her eyes, immediately said softly, “This junior sister, may I know your name? I can’t keep calling you ‘this junior sister’ all the time, can I?”
Su Wan also disliked this person and immediately tugged at Li Fei’s sleeve, whispering, “Let’s go.”
Li Fei nodded, and the three turned to leave without a word. Li Fei had just summoned her small white cloud when she noticed Qin Yangling following at a distance. She frowned and said, “What are you doing?”
She glanced again towards Yue Cailing, who was still standing there alone with her back turned, her thin silhouette unexpectedly pitiable. How could he just leave her there unattended? She was about to speak when she saw Yue Cailing summon a white cloud and fly away without looking back.
Qin Yangling smiled and said, “Are you concerned about Junior Sister Yue? She just likes to throw little tantrums. Since you won’t tell me your name, I’ll have to follow you to see which peak you’re from.”
Su Wan said coldly, “Your lover left in anger, yet you’re here pestering other female disciples. Is that appropriate?”
Qin Yangling looked surprised: “Lover? How could Junior Sister Yue be my lover? I treat her like a sister, don’t say such things.”
Su Wan became angry: “Are you denying what you’ve done?”
Qin Yangling calmly replied, “What have I done with her? What do you mean by denying? I don’t understand. Please, junior sister, enlighten me on what I’ve supposedly done.”
Su Wan was at a loss for words, secretly regretting engaging with such a person. But they couldn’t leave either – how could she let Li Fei return to Zhuiyu Peak alone? What if this scoundrel followed her?
Suddenly, Deng Xiguang burst into laughter, spreading his arms and pulling both Su Wan and Li Fei into his embrace. He looked at Qin Yangling with a smug smile: “Senior Brother Qin, as they say, these flowers already have an owner. It’s not right for you to act this way.”
Flowers with an owner? Qin Yangling was astonished to see this somewhat shifty-looking young man with a beautiful woman in each arm, looking pleased with himself. The two young women even nestled compliantly in his embrace. What kind of world was this? How could such a rascal possess two beauties?!
Deng Xiguang laughed heartily as he flew away with an arm around each of them. They flew almost to Zhuiyu Peak before Su Wan looked back and said, “It seems he didn’t follow us. He probably went to find Yue Cailing.”
She then removed Deng Xiguang’s arm and smiled, “Senior Brother Deng, I didn’t realize you were so clever. We really must thank you this time.”
Deng Xiguang was so excited that tears streamed down his face. He raised his head to the sky and exclaimed, “I’ll never wash my hands or bathe again in this lifetime!”
The two girls laughed in shock once more. Li Fei, seeing that they were close to Zhuiyu Peak and that the afternoon cultivation time was approaching, immediately bid farewell and turned to fly back. Just as she was about to land on the corridor, she heard someone very close behind her, chuckling softly, “Oh? So you’re Zhao Min’s junior sister?”
Li Fei was so startled that she quickly landed on the corridor, immediately raising her defenses. Qin Yangling stood smiling on his jade-green flute, suspended in mid-air, carefully examining her. The more he looked, the more vibrant and charming she appeared – a different kind of lively loveliness compared to Yue Cailing’s ethereal beauty, one that made people instantly like her.
“What’s your name?”
He landed in front of her, advancing step by step. Li Fei raised her hand to attack, but suddenly his body flashed with white light, instantly shattering all her defenses. Was this the power of a direct disciple? She quickly retreated, summoning her small white cloud to fly away. He followed closely, reaching out to grab her arm, smiling, “Why are you running?”
Li Fei hastily made a turn to avoid him, making such a commotion, yet her senior sister hadn’t come out. That could only mean she wasn’t at Zhuiyu Peak. In her urgency, she simply stopped and turned back to look at him coldly, without saying a word.
Qin Yangling also stopped, seeing her clear black and white eyes coldly staring at him. He stepped back a bit and said with a smile, “Why run? Senior brother won’t eat you. I just want to know your name.”
Li Fei said calmly, “I am a disciple of Immortal Chongyi, my name is Jiang Li Fei. Now that Senior Brother Qin knows my name, can you please leave? I need to cultivate.”
Qin Yangling said, “You speak as coldly as Zhao Min. You’re alike. Your master and senior sister aren’t here. How can you cultivate all alone? Why don’t I give you some guidance?”
Li Fei coldly replied, “There’s no need…”
Before she could finish, suddenly a series of deep, prolonged howls came from the top of Zhuiyu Peak. They both instinctively looked towards the ice-covered, snow-buried peak. The howls were continuous, sometimes clear, sometimes intense. Waves of violent spiritual energy rippled down from the peak, pushing both of them off balance. Qin Yangling could barely stand by holding onto a pillar, while Li Fei was blown backward. She hurriedly summoned her small white cloud, but before she could steady herself, someone supported her from behind. Immortal Dongyang’s cheerful voice sounded above her head: “Little girl, your master is about to come out of seclusion.”
Li Fei was overjoyed. In a blur, she saw that more than a dozen elders had flown to Zhuiyu Peak, all looking enviously at the ice-covered, snow-buried peak. They had thought Chongyi’s seclusion would last at least several years, who would have thought he’d emerge after just three months? For those who had already become immortals, it was no longer so easy to break through bottlenecks in just a few months. Chongyi was truly enviable.
The howling continued for a full stick of incense’s time, and the spiritual energy fluctuations grew increasingly intense. The thick spiritual energy within a thousand li was stirred up ceaselessly. Dozens more elders and immortals gathered at Zhuiyu Peak, focusing intently on the peak.
Suddenly, the wind stopped, the snow stopped, and the spiritual energy fluctuations ceased. Everyone’s vision blurred for a moment, and then a man in white appeared standing in the corridor. His eyes were smiling, seeming to contain a vast, clear light that gradually receded after a moment. He cupped his hands in greeting to the surrounding elders, and laughed heartily – it was Immortal Chongyi.