The wind wailed along the broken cliff.

The icy moon hung illuminating the scene, tree shadows swaying, as Zi Ye Wen Shu remained silent.

With his cold expression, as if ready to draw his knife at any moment, the two scholars named Qing Zhai and Zi Mo behind him couldn’t help feeling anxious.

Song Qian Ji showed no fear at all, and even smiled eagerly:

“Originally, no one in this world knows anyone else. As long as you’re willing, we can consider ourselves acquainted. I can even introduce myself.”

The words, once spoken, fell to the ground, almost splashing up waves of snow.

Meng He Ze thought to himself, why was Senior Brother Song acting so strangely tonight?

Was he deliberately trying to antagonize Zi Ye Wen Shu?

Ji Chen, however, wondered, these two have no grudges or enmity, and Brother Song views fame as passing clouds. He’s definitely not a petty person. Could it be because of… because of Fairy Qing Qing?!

Yes, how could he forget her? Miss Chen, I apologize, but it seems Brother Song still has Miss He in his heart!

Ji Chen couldn’t help but smile. Meng He Ze pressed his right hand on his sword and poked him with his left, irritably transmitting a warning:

“At such a critical moment, you’re still daydreaming?! The other side is about to draw his knife!”

Zi Ye Wen Shu finally spoke, asking: “What sword style do you practice?”

Song Qian Ji shook his head: “I don’t use knives or swords.”

Zi Ye Wen Shu looked at him, his gaze indifferent, but his tone serious: “No, you use a sword.”

Song Qian Ji was silent for a moment, neither lying nor evading: “Yes, I once used a sword!”

“Where is your sword?!” Zi Ye Wen Shu asked.

Qing Zhai and Zi Mo instantly became excited, knowing that as soon as this Song fellow answered, their Academy Monitor’s next line would be “Draw your sword.”

When two tigers meet, they must fight for supremacy. Daring to provoke him face-to-face with talk of “suppressing cultivation level, half a step behind you,” he needed to be taught a lesson.

“The sword is…” Song Qian Ji initially wanted to say “The sword is in my heart,” but the vase in his Purple Palace trembled, reminding him that now he only had the Immortal Spring, “the sword is at the pawnshop, I pawned it.”

Zi Ye Wen Shu’s expression changed slightly.

The night wind howled, making his black clothes flutter.

Under the other’s stern gaze, Song Qian Ji suddenly felt apologetic.

He knew how frustrating it was to have one’s fighting spirit interrupted, so he lowered his head and tugged at the tassels on his ceremonial robe sleeve:

“Weren’t we discussing exchanging information? Why bring up knives and swords?”

Ji Chen pouted, mumbling: “If you hadn’t traded your sword for Green Ripples, how would you have become an Element Formation cultivator?”

“Little Ji!” Song Qian Ji reprimanded in a low voice, “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Zi Ye Wen Shu had already heard: “It was you.”

At the Deng Wen Conference, He Qing Qing played “The Wind and Snow Battle Formation Melody” to help him break through.

Zi Ye Wen Shu had once heard by chance that He Qing Qing received a zither from someone, which led to her stunning performance.

“It was me,” Song Qian Ji could only nod.

Lights appeared in the distance, and the sound of snow being trampled was particularly distinct in the quiet night.

It was the patrol disciples from Hua Wei Sect’s Law Enforcement Hall, about to patrol this area.

Zi Ye Wen Shu said flatly: “Farewell.”

He turned and left.

The cyan-robed and purple-robed scholars hurriedly followed.

Qing Zhai angrily said: “He mocks us like this, why should we still tolerate him?!”

Zi Mo advised: “We’re guests at Hua Wei Sect, and it’s not good to see blood at a celebratory banquet. The Academy Monitor is considering the bigger picture.”

Zi Ye Wen Shu calmly said: “He meant no harm.”

The two looked back and saw Song Qian Ji standing in place, waving goodbye.

What did “he meant no harm” mean?

Just then, his shout traveled along the night wind: “Daoist Zi Ye, see you tomorrow!”

“Even wearing formal attire, he doesn’t look like a proper cultivator, just full of mundane impurities like an unaffiliated cultivator,” Qing Zhai was even angrier: “What exceptional skill at chess and books, what elegant demeanor, what quiet detachment, it’s all fake. He’s just a shameless pest! Offering unsolicited favors, either treacherous or thieving. Master, don’t be fooled by him!”

Zi Mo added: “Being a pest is minor, he might even be perverse. I heard he captured an assassin but didn’t kill him, keeping the person in Song Garden to torment day and night.”

Zi Ye Wen Shu suddenly stopped and turned to look at the two, his gaze like ice and snow.

The two were startled, their faces instantly paling, both bowing: “Academy Monitor, I know my mistake.”

“What mistake?” Zi Ye Wen Shu’s face was expressionless.

Qing Zhai wiped cold sweat: “In a moment of anger, I spoke wrongly about others behind their back, sinning the tongue.”

“What does the academy rule state?” Zi Ye Wen Shu asked.

Zi Mo said in a low voice: “Do not discuss others without evidence and do not discuss people behind their backs. Those who speak ill of others must themselves be ill-natured.”

“Extend your hands,” Zi Ye Wen Shu raised his scabbard.

The winter moon hid behind night clouds, and the snowy ground suddenly darkened.

Song Qian Ji watched the three figures recede into the distance, disappearing into the chaotic tree shadows, then turned with his hands behind his back:

“Little Meng, do you know where he’s staying?”

Meng He Ze replied: “The Qing Cliff cultivators all stay at Tai He Palace.”

Song Qian Ji stepped lightly: “Good, I’ll intercept him on the way tomorrow.”

This person was unresponsive to both soft and hard approaches and impervious to persuasion. He was blind to tearful pleas and firm against forceful coercion, harder than the ice at the edge of the continent.

But compared to facing Xian Jian Chen, Song Qian Ji would rather face this person, after all, in his previous life, he had developed a set of methods to deal with Zi Ye Wen Shu.

This method was not easy to imitate, but summarized in essence, it was just three words—having no shame.

Ji Chen immediately became excited, clapping his hands and shouting that it was interesting: “Intercept him, intercept him!”

Meng He Ze really couldn’t hold back: “Why is Senior Brother provoking him? Senior Brother didn’t use to like looking for trouble.”

Song Qian Ji smiled: “Finding a little trouble now is to avoid bigger trouble later.”

Meng He Ze didn’t understand, but still smiled: “As long as Senior Brother is happy.”

…

When Wei Zhan Yang knocked on the door, he had already been walking in the cold wind and believed his mind was clear.

But He Qing Qing’s shadow still lingered.

Strange, had this fairy cultivated some evil magic to bewitch people?

How was it that as soon as he saw her face, his heart wavered and his blood rushed to his head?

But Xian Yin Gate was a major sect, and the four words “prestigious and righteous sect” placed “prestigious” first.

He Qing Qing was also the only personal disciple of Fairy Jiang Yun, so there was no need to risk practicing evil magic.

While pondering, his knocking became slightly erratic, and the middle-aged man inside reprimanded: “What’s the hurry?!”

Wei Zhan Yang said softly: “Father, this concerns the rise and fall of our family’s honor, it cannot be delayed.”

The door opened, then quietly closed again.

Inside, there were sounds of an argument, a teapot breaking, a chair falling over, and finally silence.

“If she becomes the head of Xian Yin Gate in the future, then Xian Yin Gate will be ours. Both the kingdom and the beauty, I want them all.”

“This matter was decided by the family council, even the Patriarch nodded in agreement. How can you change it so easily?!”

Wei Zhan Yang picked up the fallen chair: “Father, rest assured, if there’s a broken engagement, we will be in the right and save face.”

The middle-aged man’s eyes flickered: “You want to scheme to make Chen Hong Zhu actively break off the engagement?”

“He Qing Qing and Chen Hong Zhu were originally together. Since Fairy He came to see me, where did Chen Hong Zhu go, and who did she go to see?” Wei Zhan Yang smiled coldly, “Of course, Song Qian Ji.”

The middle-aged man was slightly surprised: “She has that courage?!”

“She originally didn’t. But Song Qian Ji is known for his romantic affairs and is skilled at seducing female cultivators.”

Initially, they had allied with Hua Wei Sect and the Zhao family, offering participation in the assassination of Song Qian Ji as a token of allegiance.

Now, not only was Song Qian Ji not dead, but he had also advanced to Element Formation, controlled Qian Qu, attracted followers from all directions, and his power was growing.

In the eyes of the cultivation world, he would sooner or later establish himself as a king.

Wei Ping, whom they had sent, had also not returned, now used by Song Qian Ji.

Wei Zhan Yang said: “If the Young Miss elopes with someone before the ceremony, we’ll write a play called ‘Red Candle’s Night Flight’ and spread it throughout the cultivation world. By then, how could Hua Wei Sect still have the face to break with us?”

The middle-aged man smiled: “No man in the world is willing to be cuckolded.”

Wei Zhan Yang took a deep breath: “To achieve great things, one must be ruthless.”

The middle-aged man fell into deep thought.

Wei Zhan Yang persuaded eloquently: “Father, the current situation is most favorable to us. Hua Wei Sect and the Zhao family are now deadly enemies with Song Qian Ji, with them at the front and us behind. We can attack when possible, defend when necessary, and plan gradually. Let them fight first, ideally until Song Qian Ji is severely weakened and Qian Qu becomes completely independent, with no connection to Hua Wei Sect.”

“Wei Ping’s influence on Qian Qu is already deep, and his identity hasn’t been revealed yet. When to expose it is up to us. As long as the timing is right, Song Qian Ji will kill him, and the two will become enemies. When Qian Qu falls into chaos, that will be our opportunity.”

A rich Qian Qu County with no connection to Hua Wei Sect;

A He Qing Qing with more power than Chen Hong Zhu.

Who wouldn’t be tempted?

“How confident are you that before the ceremony begins tomorrow, you can make Chen Hong Zhu actively break off the engagement?”

Wei Zhan Yang said: “Your son already has a plan.”

The middle-aged man closed his eyes briefly: “Then go do it. I’ll handle the Patriarch’s side.”

…

The zither music stopped in the bamboo grove as if a bubbling spring had instantly frozen, no longer flowing.

The woman playing the zither looked up and asked: “You went out?”

He Qing Qing looked at the woman without speaking, her gaze seemingly containing coldness.

Only when Miao Yan called her: “Senior Sister,” did He Qing Qing smile: “Yes, I returned late.”

Miao Yan hadn’t brought maidservants, only a zither. He Qing Qing had also returned alone.

White snow bent the green bamboo, occasionally causing creaking sounds.

Their first formal meeting was also in the bamboo grove of Hua Wei Sect.

At that time, the atmosphere was very lively, with only He Qing Qing out of place.

She didn’t dare refuse any goodwill shown to her, sharing the complete “Wind and Snow Battle Formation Melody” without reservation.

“Hong Zhu will be engaged tomorrow, don’t make her miss it,” Miao Yan said.

She had always been uninterested in others’ private affairs, but tonight she was unusually curious.

Perhaps because Chen Hong Zhu was also considered her cousin, or perhaps she was curious about whom He Qing Qing had gone to see.

“Junior Sister, this has nothing to do with you,” He Qing Qing smiled. “You have time, think more about your own situation.”

Miao Yan struggled to break through her heart barrier due to “The Wind and Snow Battle Formation Melody,” while Wang Shu was eager to suppress Jiang Yun and was increasingly dissatisfied with her favored disciple’s distraction.

The rift between master and disciple was visible even to outsiders.

Miao Yan was not angry at all. Her demeanor was noble and serene; in front of others, she never showed anger.

That was not beautiful.

She only calmly said: “Senior Sister, I believe your situation is more dangerous than mine.”

On the path of cultivation, He Qing Qing had indeed worked hard, with Jiang Yun’s support behind her.

But which talented cultivator who made a name for themselves wasn’t diligent day and night, studying with dedication?

Since entering the sect, Miao Yan had enjoyed the best resources, possessed the best talent, and still dared not slacken in her efforts.

Years of accumulation have led to today’s achievements.

If such a gap could be closed by hard work alone, then the sought-after immortal path would be a joke.

Miao Yan was certain that the other had used extraordinary methods.

He Qing Qing’s smile disappeared as she walked past her.

“I will find out,” Miao Yan said.

He Qing Qing understood what she meant.

Time had passed quickly; she had taken a master’s, learned new techniques, and obtained new magical tools.

That melody was like a straw—she had climbed ashore grasping that straw, and the straw’s mission was complete.

She ran forward desperately, occasionally looking back, only able to vaguely see that person’s shadow standing in the moonlight.

Only Miao Yan still lived in that snowstorm, trapped within self-drawn boundaries.