The white-clothed woman slightly shivered. The girl who was not good at lying couldn’t help but glance in their direction, her expression quite panicked. Fortunately, Chu Zheng was in a state of extreme excitement and didn’t notice, only continuing to speak: “I’ve already arranged everything outside. Once I capture him and cut off his head, I can legitimately return to the country and ascend the throne. Su Ning, my great revenge will be avenged, and my days of suffering will come to an end.”

Tan Su Ning smiled desolately, her smile lonely and distant, saying softly: “Zheng, these two days with me – in your eyes, were they days of suffering?”

Chu Zheng knew he had misspoken and quickly said: “How could that be? It’s my fault – I said the wrong thing. The days with you are the happiest days of my entire life. I will remember every day here forever.”

“But you’ll be leaving soon.” Tan Su Ning sighed deeply, thought for a moment, grasped Chu Zheng’s hand, and said sincerely: “Zheng, can’t we just stay in the valley? With me accompanying you, don’t go out, alright?”

Chu Zheng raised his eyebrow and remained silent. Just then, urgent knocking suddenly came, interrupting their conversation. Miss Tan quickly stood up and called out: “Who is it?”

“Miss,” an aged voice said, “the descendants of all branches have come together, saying they have matters to discuss with Miss.”

“Oh,” Miss Tan looked at the wooden chest with difficulty, then said in a deep voice: “All of you come in.”

The main door opened wide, and about thirty-plus people walked in together, making the hall immediately seem crowded. Miss Tan said with some bewilderment: “Uncles and elders, I don’t know what matter would warrant everyone coming together like this?”

“Ahem,” an elder coughed and said in a deep voice: “Miss, next month is the Ministry Assembly, but Young Master Chu will be leaving soon. Young Master Chu has been in the valley for two years, providing much care and guidance to our Penglai Valley with righteousness reaching the clouds. We believe it’s necessary to hold the Ministry Assembly early, as a farewell ceremony for Young Master Chu.”

Miss Tan was kind-hearted and had never put on airs. Hearing it was for her beloved’s farewell, she nodded: “Very well, then I’ll trouble Grandfather Mu to prepare. Let’s hold it in three days.”

“Miss, time waits for no one, and we’ve already prepared almost everything. Rather than picking a day, why not today?”

“Today?” Miss Tan was stunned. Tan Sheng at her side suddenly said loudly: “Master Mu, the Ministry Assembly is the grand ceremony for Miss to assume the position of Valley Master. How can you decide so rashly without consulting with Miss?”

Master Mu’s snow-white long eyebrows furrowed as he said in a deep voice: “What place is Phoenix Cry Palace? Where does a lowly commoner like you have the right to speak? You don’t really think you’re surnamed Tan, do you?”

“Grandfather Mu, Tan Sheng is my brother, a child my father adopted years ago. You cannot speak like this.” Miss Tan said sternly.

Chu Zheng at her side suddenly smiled and stood up, walking to Miss Tan’s front, smiling warmly: “Su Ning, actually this was my arrangement. I wanted to give you a surprise, so I didn’t discuss it with you beforehand. Since I’m leaving, I must see you ascend to the position of Valley Master before I can leave with peace of mind. I didn’t expect it would make you unhappy. I’m sorry.”

Miss Tan was about to say something, but seeing him speak, her cheeks reddened. Thinking that he still cared for her after all, she was immediately filled with joy.

At this moment, a red-clothed rough man said: “Then it’s decided. Someone! Open the altar! Gather the descendants of all branches. In one hour, convene the Ministry Assembly!”

After speaking, he clapped his hands twice. Young men on both sides ran to various corners of the great hall, moving the corner lamps. Suddenly, a tremendous rumbling sound rang out, and the entire earth shook. Qing Xia and Chu Li were greatly shocked. Taking advantage of the surrounding commotion, they quietly lifted a corner of the chest and looked out.

They saw the magnificent golden hall suddenly split open. The four walls rose slowly like modern mechanical doors, leaving only the four massive pillars supporting the dome above. Young valley disciples came forward, moving all the tables, chairs, benches, carpets, and objects in the hall to one side, clearing the central space.

Phoenix Cry Palace already occupied an extremely high area. With this transformation, the view became open with wind from all eight directions. In less than half the time it takes to brew tea, it had become a massive open-air high platform.

The redwood chest was moved to a corner, surrounded by piles of vases and antiques, densely accumulated. Lin Mubo was also carelessly thrown aside like an object. Taking advantage of the crowd, Qing Xia and Chu Li opened the chest lid, crouched up, and hid behind the miscellaneous items without anyone noticing.

They saw banners fluttering in the valley. On the massive circular high walls, thirty girls in colorful clothes – purple garments and green skirts, with jade arms and fair legs – were dancing gracefully to lingering music. Their postures were captivating, charming yet sacred, with white radiance faintly emanating from their bodies. Their jet-black hair danced in the wind, displaying the transcendent purity unique to Penglai Immortal Valley on the ethereal divine platform.

Suddenly, a clear sound rang out high above – like a zither but not quite, like a se but not quite, with clanging melodies and magnificent bearing. A woman in bright red silk robes smiled gracefully, standing on the stone platform, holding a crimson divine sword, her head bound with fire-red silk ribbon bands that danced in the wind. Her body moved with the rhythm’s rise and fall, sometimes like a dancing swallow, sometimes like a pouncing lioness, full of healthy vitality and amazing strength.

At this moment, the bronze bell and giant tripod suddenly rang out loudly, divine ox drums thundered, colorful flames filled the sky, and the sunset glow all emanated dazzling light, reflecting the wondrous sights of the world. Countless long horns wailed in unison, giant birds soared and cried as if attending a magnificent feast. The sky was filled with five-colored auspicious clouds – the momentum shook heaven, the power was unparalleled.

Below the high platform, thousands of people stood or sat, all raising their heads to look up. The scene was grand and magnificent.

Though sudden, everything was obviously well-prepared. Miss Tan, caught off guard, didn’t even have time to change clothes. In her light plain white shirt, thin and delicate, with long flowing black hair, though she appeared to have a transcendent and carefree air of being beyond worldly concerns, she lacked any trace of noble, dignified elegance.

Qing Xia looked around and saw that on the high platform, an incense and candle altar had been set up. Five white-haired elders stood beside Miss Tan, several young men held cinnabar scrolls and sacrificial objects, surrounding them as the complex sacrificial ceremony unfolded.

At this time, the sky was dyed by the setting sun in complete fire red. The red-clothed woman leading the dance on the high platform slowly walked toward Miss Tan. This woman had bright eyes and white teeth, charming eyes like silk, snow-white bare feet, and a full head of fire-red hair. The corners of her mouth held a ghost-like smile that could topple nations as she slowly approached, extending a golden key from her hand to Miss Tan.

Though Miss Tan was also a beauty, standing next to this woman, she truly lost her luster, like an immature neighborhood girl.

Just as Miss Tan was about to receive it, suddenly someone in the crowd called out loudly: “Wait!”

Everyone turned to look upon hearing this, and seeing the sight, they were all greatly shocked.

The sun gradually set in the west, casting fire-red sunset glow across the sky like a goddess’s colorful robes, with flowing sleeves and sashes, ethereal as clouds. The distant sea of flowers rustled with the evening breeze, fragrance permeating everywhere, all shrouded in floral scents. The jade towers and pavilions flickered with emerald light, rising and falling, complementing each other magnificently, full of mysterious beauty. Artificial mountains and flowing water, courtyard layouts – everything displayed the stunning beauty of this paradise.

Phoenix Cry Palace opened and rose to become Phoenix Cry Platform. Under the reflection of lights, it was magnificent and dazzling. The ponds and emerald lakes outside the palace were covered by massive iron plates, instantly becoming level ground. People pushed forward various strangely-shaped instruments – some massive as houses, some small as tables and chairs, in thousands of bizarre forms, though their purposes couldn’t be determined.

Over a thousand valley people gathered on the high platform, heads surging as they looked up. Massive bells and giant tripods played together with solemn and heroic melodies. Flying birds soared into the sky with joyful cries, flowers scattered across Phoenix Cry Platform. Tan Su Ning in her snow-white long shirt stood on the high platform, clear and elegant, transcendent and otherworldly, like a fairy from a dream, possessing pure and unstained immortal purity.

The fire-red woman was just about to hand the golden key representing Penglai Immortal Valley’s authority to Miss Tan when a loud shout suddenly rang out. Everyone turned their heads toward the source of the voice upon hearing it.

“Wait!”

With light flowing robes and slightly spread wide sleeves, a purple-robed man with flowing hair sat cross-legged. His face was like fine jade, eyes like willow silk, lips like red cherries. A green silk sash loosely tied his robes at the waist, revealing half his chest. He sat on the ground with hair touching the floor, holding a wine pot made of green jade in his right hand. After calling out once, he raised his head and took a great gulp of wine, his appearance carefree and unrestrained. Seeing everyone looking at him, he smiled lazily and said: “Miss, are you about to assume the position of Valley Master?”

Miss Tan was stunned, frowned with confusion, and said: “Yes, but who are you? And why are you interrupting the ceremony?”

The purple-robed man laughed heartily, took another gulp of wine, and said: “I am Zhu Yuanqing, Chief Officer of the Northern Valley Mechanical Department. I believe Miss assuming the position of Valley Master is inappropriate.”

An angry buzzing immediately arose. Before Miss Tan could speak, Master Mu standing beside her suddenly shouted loudly: “Audacious! You’re just a minor officer, yet you dare speak nonsense at the Ministry Assembly. If you don’t explain yourself clearly today, don’t expect to leave safely!”

Hearing this, Qing Xia’s eyebrows lightly furrowed. Logically, such disruptive behavior should be directly expelled from the venue. Master Mu’s quick response seemed to protect Miss Tan, but actually gave this man the opportunity to speak. She raised her delicate eyebrows slightly, looking at Chu Zheng sitting calmly on one side of the high platform with a faint smile and composed expression, couldn’t help but worry for the kind-hearted Miss Tan.

Sure enough, just as Master Mu finished speaking, Miss Tan’s beautiful eyebrows lightly furrowed as she turned to look at Master Mu.