The sky was pure blue, snow peaks stretched endlessly.

On distant peaks, snow that never melted year-round was covered; nearby, dark black mountain rocks were rugged and jagged.

Clear stream water flowed down from high places, passing between the mountain rocks.

A larger boulder lay across the stream, forcing the water to change course and flow around it from the side.

Standing on it and looking north, one could see the sacred mountain hidden in clouds and mist at the sky’s edge.

This was Fu Chaosheng’s third time coming to this place, and also the third time gazing toward that sacred mountain from afar.

After bidding farewell to Jian Chou initially, he had traveled all the way north, arriving at the Snow Region.

Compared to the Central Region with its abundant resources and suitable climate, this place had higher terrain and was much colder. Most of the high mountain peaks were covered with snow. But the sky was very blue, clean enough to intoxicate one’s heart.

He was not of mortal body originally, so he didn’t feel any discomfort.

It was just that after arriving here, he had been unable to find the person he was looking for, which truly puzzled him.

Back in the Extreme Region, he had already learned about the re-emergence of the Sacred Son Jiye from the Snow Region’s Esoteric Sect, so after handling matters there and returning to Shijiu Zhou, he had thought to come here first to seek out Jiye and see if he could resolve his doubts.

But unexpectedly, twice ascending the sacred mountain and entering the sacred hall, he had found no trace of him.

One must know, he still carried the Universe Eye and Space Eye with him.

The Esoteric Sect cultivators in the sacred hall all said Jiye was in closed-door cultivation within the sacred hall. But only Fu Chaosheng knew he wasn’t in the sacred hall at all—not even in the Snow Region, nor anywhere on this Shijiu Zhou land.

When the Universe Eye couldn’t observe something, there were only two possibilities.

One was that he truly wasn’t there. The other was that the Universe Eye saw him, but he himself couldn’t discern from it who exactly was Jiye, or even what was Jiye.

After all, the Universe Eye could only observe forms, unable to distinguish essence.

So at this moment, even someone as divinely capable as Fu Chaosheng could only stand here, gazing at that Snow Region sacred hall from afar, at his wit’s end.

“I always feel I must have missed something…”

He frowned slightly, his eyes that held transformation showing some contemplation, as if speaking to himself.

Because in this place, aside from himself, there was no one else.

But precisely in this place, seemingly right beside him, a rather weathered and dignified voice actually replied: “Heaven and earth’s creation is miraculous—you, a mayfly’s body, how much can you glimpse?”

Fu Chaosheng then lowered his gaze to the swimming fish pattern embroidered at his sleeve, and smiled: “I am naturally at the most minute place between heaven and earth, shallow and unaware of myself. Brother Kun possesses the four seas and nine heavens, being master of heaven and ruler of seas, supremely great and high. I imagine you’ve made some discovery?”

“What if I have made a discovery?”

That voice stretched out and laughed along, but the words spoken were quite irritating.

“I’m deliberately not telling you.”

“…”

It was definitely because he had called him a “salted fish” in front of Jian Chou that day, offending him.

Fu Chaosheng was somewhat speechless, but guessed he was deliberately saying this to provoke him into asking, so he was too lazy to inquire.

The clear stream was shallow, so he bent down to wash his hands with the stream water.

The stream waters of the Snow Region all originated from the surrounding mountains—melted ice and snow water that remained bone-chillingly cold even when flowing to this place.

Fu Chaosheng washed his hands while contemplating making another trip to the sacred hall to see where exactly he had overlooked something.

But before his hands left the water, a faint red drifting in the water suddenly caught his attention…

Like ink stains spreading in water, this faint red instantly dyed the area around his hands.

Fu Chaosheng suddenly frowned, raised his hands, and lightly sniffed. His pupils slightly contracted.

The scent of blood.

He stood up, following the stream beside the rocks, looking upstream. He saw deep red stream water flowing down between the rugged rocks, passing by his feet in the blink of an eye.

Had the new and old factions within the Esoteric Sect started fighting again?

But he remembered that when he had just arrived, the conflict between New Esoteric and Old Esoteric had temporarily concluded.

After pondering for a moment, he didn’t think much more and followed the stream upstream.

After passing several high mountains and crossing several valleys, ahead was a deep canyon. The dangerous peaks on both sides were like two long swords, while below was a shallow beach. Stream water flowed out from the other end of the canyon, and that deep red color had gradually faded.

Dozens of corpses lay across that shallow beach, blood covering the ground.

The moment he saw clearly, Fu Chaosheng was somewhat surprised.

Only because these corpses all wore dark-colored robes, not the mainly red and yellow monk robes that Esoteric Sect cultivators often wore.

Looking at them, they actually resembled Central Region cultivators.

He slowly walked over, passing through this field of corpses.

Originally a scene of carnage, but he was born with a “dawn birth, dusk death” fate, having witnessed countless deaths of his own kind. He viewed mortal life and death even more lightly.

Walking through, his expression showed no fluctuation at all.

However, when he walked beside a certain elderly man’s corpse, his steps suddenly stopped. His gaze lingered on a green wood token at the man’s waist for a moment, then he bent down to pick it up.

Blood-stained, even with a deep crack, but the two characters carved on it were extremely clear.

“Kunwu?”

If he remembered correctly, this was the Central Region sect of the same renown as Yashan where his old friend resided. Their sect master Hengxu had some capability.

Only, why would Kunwu cultivators be here, and even meet with mishap?

Fu Chaosheng turned this token over once, then casually threw it back onto the corpse.

This field held about twenty-some corpses. But when he walked to the end, the bloody scent hadn’t dissipated. Looking ahead, at the other end of the canyon’s shallow beach, more than ten people were actually lying there.

But their attire differed from this group of Kunwu cultivators.

Moreover, unlike the Kunwu side where various magical artifacts were scattered about, beside these people, there wasn’t a single sword.

Just as he walked over, by the stream’s edge, a figure with both feet deeply sunk in mud and sand entered his sight.

Different from the corpses lying around, he was standing.

Sky-blue robes made his figure appear even more tall and slender.

It was a young and handsome face, brows slightly furrowed, eyes closed, as if enduring some pain, yet also seeming merely asleep.

His raised right hand seemed to have once held a sword, while his left hand drawn before his chest formed a hand seal.

Looking at him, he seemed about to open his eyes the next moment and scatter sword light throughout the canyon.

But Fu Chaosheng knew this was just a lifeless shell. In Shijiu Zhou where reincarnation was severed, his soul had long since dissipated between heaven and earth.

This person would never wake again.

Splash, splash.

The stream water washed away, and a broken dark token lay between the rocks not far in front of him.

The two characters “Yashan” rippled slightly in the water waves, like a phantom…

At the edge of Lingzhao Peak, within the Affairs Hall.

Fourteen broken green jade life tokens lay quietly on the ancient, simple long table.

Sect Master Zheng Yao stood before this long table, looking at them without saying a word, his face showing no expression at all.

Behind him were Yashan’s four great elders: Biyan, Xihe, Haoran, and Qi Boyuan.

Within the entire hall, from the sect master to the elders to the various Affairs Hall disciples, not one person spoke.

Cold and oppressive.

Everyone felt a heavy stone pressing at their throats, unable to breathe.

A spiritual light descended from heaven, landing on Lingzhao Peak, at the Affairs Hall entrance.

Jian Chou quickly stepped in from outside and saw the current scene. For a moment, she actually didn’t dare speak.

It was still Zheng Yao who sensed her arrival, slowly turning around. He seemed to want to smile and greet her, but his lips just couldn’t curve upward. He only sighed: “Senior Sister has returned.”

“What exactly happened?”

Yashan cultivators carried their swords with them at all times—only death would send them back to the armory. Yet she had personally witnessed more than ten long swords returning to the armory!

What had occurred was already self-evident.

Zheng Yao glanced at her and simply stepped aside.

Thus, the long table behind him and the fourteen life tokens arranged on it appeared, falling into Jian Chou’s sight.

Each life token bore the name of a Yashan disciple.

But they were all broken…

Jian Chou looked at them one by one. Some she recognized, others were unfamiliar. With each name she saw, her heart sank a little more.

The leftmost life token seemed to have been touched by someone, placed somewhat askew.

On it was also written a name—

Yu Zhifei.

In that instant, Jian Chou’s hand hanging at her side trembled, her heart also quivering. She almost couldn’t believe her eyes.

This name…

How could this be possible!

Yu Zhifei.

The seventh disciple under Fudao Shanren.

When Jian Chou first entered the sect, she knew this Yu Junior Brother was traveling outside like Bai Yin.

His personality was free-spirited, and he carved his own path, not following predecessors’ routes. Instead, he formed his own school and forged his own sword, naming it “I Am”—truly a genius of his generation.

Even someone as sharp-tongued as Fudao Shanren, who found fault with even Qu Zhengfeng, would show a smile when mentioning him.

What kind of magnificent figure must he have been?

She had still been thinking that after returning to the sect, she would surely meet this junior brother whom she’d only heard of but never seen.

But who could have expected this?

She suddenly didn’t dare imagine what Fudao Shanren’s feelings would be upon learning this…

These sect disciples might still be somewhat unfamiliar to Jian Chou.

But as Yashan’s sect master, Zheng Yao remembered every one. Those young faces…

At this moment, his eyes were somewhat red: “They were the disciples sent to the Snow Region’s periphery some time ago to investigate the Esoteric Sect’s true strength. Junior Brother Yu was traveling outside and only joined them half a month ago…”

Snow Region, Esoteric Sect.

Jian Chou felt cold all over, even her lips trembled. After a long time, she hoarsely asked: “…Where is Master?”

“He already knows.”

Zheng Yao shook his head with a sigh, closed his eyes, his voice extremely heavy.

“This time, Yashan lost fourteen people, Kunwu lost twenty-three people—even one elder couldn’t escape. Just moments ago, Uncle Fudao received Real Person Hengxu’s thunder message and went to Kunwu first.”