As soon as Song Qian Ji appeared, everyone greeted him amicably and presented the formation materials they had brought.

“We independent cultivators have meager resources, Brother Song. Don’t look down on these two items; see if they’re of any use to you,” said Liu San.

“This is Formation Master Li. He arranged the protective formation at the cave entrance before. We invited him tonight; Brother Song, see if he can be of assistance to you,” said Old Zheng.

“We of the Flower Stream Sect don’t study formations. We obtained these few formation materials by chance and have no use for them, so we might as well give them to Daoist Song,” said Sect Leader Hua.

Song Qian Ji smiled slightly, knowing full well that each faction was certainly holding something back, yet they spoke as if they were giving their all.

In truth, it didn’t matter whether they were formation masters or what materials they brought.

He could adjust the formation according to the cultivators’ varying levels of power and their numbers, roughly controlling the number of spirits that entered the formation.

However, the three female cultivators from the Celestial Sound Sect looked worried and continued to gaze at him hesitantly after presenting their formation materials.

Since they didn’t speak up, Song Qian Ji didn’t actively inquire.

That night, though the number of guards increased, the battle was more intense than the previous night.

The spirits, unwilling to be outdone, summoned more of their kind. Only before dawn did they reluctantly cease their attacks.

After a night of bitter fighting, the cultivators were extremely exhausted, yet their injuries were minor. Overall, they gained more insights and benefits.

Thus, they were spirited and still had the energy to joke and tease each other.

“See you tomorrow night. I’ll bring wine for everyone.”

“With Brother Song’s formation, perhaps they’ll disperse by tomorrow night.”

After everyone dispersed, Song Qian Ji shouldered his snowblade and ambled back.

The three from the Celestial Sound Sect exchanged glances, seemingly having finally made up their minds, and blocked his path.

Mu Xia bowed first and said softly, “May I ask what Daoist Song said to Senior Sister He Yun last night?”

“What happened to her?” Song Qian Ji asked.

“After she returned, she neither spoke nor moved, ignoring everyone who talked to her. Our sect members are very worried about her.”

Song Qian Ji was slightly surprised.

Meng Zhi hesitated and said, “Could Daoist Song come with us to see her? Perhaps your guidance might help her.”

Song Qian Ji found it somewhat strange: “I remember your sect’s Fairy Miao Yan is also in the cave.”

“Well, Senior Sister Miao Yan is indeed there…”

Song Qian Ji said, “Since Fairy Miao Yan is there, she can surely resolve her confusion. I am not a sound cultivator, much less a member of the Celestial Sound Sect. My presence would be of little use.”

Given Miao Yan’s position in the Celestial Sound Sect, what difficulty could there be in counseling a young junior disciple?

Unless He Yun refused to listen to her.

The three were in a difficult position, hemming and hawing.

A female cultivator from the Flower Stream Sect hadn’t gone far. Yin Zhu turned back and laughed, “If you want to invite Daoist Song to your place, just say so directly. Why make up such excuses?”

Everyone burst into laughter. Qing Zhai and Zi Mo were too embarrassed to laugh, pulling Song Qian Ji away, one on each side.

The three from the Celestial Sound Sect’s expressions changed slightly: “Nonsense, de—”

Having fought side by side, the words “demon woman” couldn’t be uttered. Seeing Song Xun being pulled away by the Green Cliff people, they could only leave in anger.

Song Qian Ji returned to Zi Ye Wen Shu’s ice chamber to rest. As soon as he entered, a storage pouch flew at his face.

Song Qian Ji opened it and looked, feeling somewhat caught between laughter and tears: “What’s this, payment for my hard work from the Green Cliff Guardian?”

“You lack formation materials,” Zi Ye Wen Shu said.

“You think that if you give me these, I won’t need to ask others?” Song Qian Ji tossed the storage pouch up and down. “Flowers I plant myself, I nurture, water daily, and turn the soil. If they fall ill and wither, I naturally feel distressed. But wildflowers and grasses are everywhere in secret realms, drifting with the wind, and I merely sigh for them. Whether planting flowers or setting up formations, one must first invest before cherishing and protecting.”

Zi Ye Wen Shu thought for a moment, slightly frowning, his gaze seemingly accusatory: “You deceive people again.”

Not lacking formation materials, yet requiring offerings from all sides.

“I do deceive people,” Song Qian Ji threw the storage pouch back and laughed. “If you want to learn how to deceive people, I can teach you for free. But your tongue isn’t agile enough; I’m afraid you won’t be able to learn.”

Zi Ye Wen Shu said no more, flipping open a register with a rustle and bending down to write rapidly.

Song Qian Ji laughed for a while, then suddenly realized: “Could it be that when you can’t out-argue me, you curse me in your diary? What kind of hero curses people on paper!”

…

Outside the ice chamber, the Green Cliff crowd was still waiting for Qing Zhai and Zi Mo to share their experience.

Zi Mo said, “Once inside the formation, don’t panic. Follow Senior Brother Song’s instructions in everything, and you’ll certainly gain something after a night. After leaving the formation, there’s only one thing you must be vigilant about.”

The Green Cliff crowd was on high alert, with some even taking out paper and brushes to record notes.

Then Qing Zhai said, “At critical moments, you must step forward and decisively… help Senior Brother Song fend off romantic advances.”

Four days passed this way. Relations between the factions eased, and the tension that had been on the verge of exploding completely dissipated.

They even began bartering and haggling, seemingly content with their situation and reluctant to leave.

“I’ve accumulated quite a few beast pelts. Let’s go trade with the Celestial Sound Sect for some healing pills.”

“Bring our spirit herbs and exchange them for some talismans from the Green Cliff scholars.”

“During the day, go to the independent cultivators’ cave to drink and eat meat, then to the Celestial Sound Sect’s cave entrance to listen to the qin for meditation. At night, take turns guarding the formation, and exchange insights every other day. It’s truly a blessing in disguise.”

The sound cultivators from the Celestial Sound Sect spent two hours each day employing the Celestial Sound Technique to help the wounded regulate their spiritual energy.

At first, some were reluctant: “Senior Sister Miao Yan, if people from the Flower Stream Sect come to listen, should we still play?”

Miao Yan said, “You’ve already seen that formation—glory for one is glory for all, harm to one is harm to all. Now, only by improving our strength together can we find a way out of this predicament.”

“Senior Sister, do you want to help them, or…” Liao Hua summoned her courage and said, “Help that Song Xun? Senior Sister has been deliberately getting close to him lately. Could it be that you have feelings for him? He’s just an independent cultivator with no family or sect support. Even if he has some real ability, as long as he has no intention of making a name for himself, he’s not worth Senior Sister’s special attention.”

In the minds of Miao Yan’s followers, Miao Yan deserved the strongest partner—not just strong in talent or cultivation, but more importantly in status and power.

Miao Yan surveyed everyone’s expressions, frowning: “Are you trying to instruct me?”

“We wouldn’t dare defy Senior Sister,” Mu Xia said as diplomatically as possible. “It’s just that Elder Wang Shu once said that if Senior Sister found the composer, it might not be a good thing for Senior Sister.”

Miao Yan said coldly: “Whether it’s good or bad, can’t I discern for myself? Do I need your guidance?”

These words were severe, a rebuke.

Everyone fell silent, feeling that Miao Yan was far less gentle than before. It seemed that since returning that day, she had never again shown her most perfect smile.

Song Qian Ji hadn’t noticed any “deliberate approach” from He Yun at all, merely regarding her as a junior who occasionally came to seek guidance.

Because he was in charge of the formation, all factions wanted to get close to him, often sending him wine, meat, Daoist robes, and peony flowers.

But with the Green Cliff scholars standing guard around him, often when He Yun had just greeted him, she would be interrupted.

Until the fifth night, when the cultivators entered the formation and took their star positions.

Suddenly, the earth shook and mountains trembled as if a dragon was turning in the earth. Ice spikes and shards rained down from above like a rapid shower.

Song Qian Ji’s heart stirred slightly.

After waiting so long, it had finally come.