“Look, the sun has risen,” Xian Jian Chen said. “The Western Heaven isn’t far now.”

Since entering the depths of the snowplain, they had only each other to talk to. Most of the time they didn’t discuss cultivation or worldly affairs, but instead exchanged idle chatter and stories about the four master-disciple pilgrims journeying west to retrieve scriptures.

Song Qian Ji narrowed his eyes slightly: “Eighty li from here is the Ice Fracture Abyss. Beware of the whirlwinds above the deep chasm.”

The Ice Fracture Abyss was also known as the Snow Plain Crevice. Whirlwinds formed at its unfathomable depths possessed powerful suction that could drain cultivators of their spiritual energy. According to existing records in the cultivation world, no cultivator who had fallen in had ever returned to the world of the living.

“You even know the location of the Ice Fracture Abyss?” Xian Jian Chen asked suspiciously. “From the Sea of Death to the edge of the continent, have you traveled this route before?”

“Perhaps I walked it alone in a dream,” Song Qian Ji said, gesturing to Xian Jian Chen. “Get on the sword.”

The two mounted the Shadowless Sword and set off again.

Xian Jian Chen clicked his tongue in admiration: “Not bad, kid. After fighting for so long, you can still fly. You’re sturdy and reliable—good quality at a bargain price!”

Song Qian Ji had run out of patience with this old freeloader: “I have the ‘Undying Spring’ with me, so my wounds can gradually heal themselves. Who knows what kind of injury you have that even the Undying Spring can’t help with.”

“Do you hear something?” Xian Jian Chen scratched his ear.

Song Qian Ji: “It’s the Undying Spring. I just praised it. When it’s happy, it rewards me by knocking against the Pure Bottle a few times, making a crisp sound. When it’s unhappy, it also knocks against the bottle as a warning.”

“Like keeping a cat. Wait, it’s not just that sound—there’s something else,” Xian Jian Chen said, puzzled.

Song Qian Ji listened carefully, the smile in his eyes suddenly fading as his expression darkened: “It’s the sound of a zither.”

The zither notes resembled flowing water, light wisps of smoke, or fluttering white butterflies, traveling over mountains and across ridges, carried by the north wind.

The melody traveled far, melodious and enchanting, indicating the player’s profound mastery. Hearing such beautiful music anywhere would captivate one’s heart and soul, inspiring endless admiration.

But this was the snow plain, the last place where someone should be playing the zither—or where anyone should be at all.

“What piece is it?” Xian Jian Chen asked.

Song Qian Ji sighed: “Ambush from Ten Sides.”

Xian Jian Chen made a motion as if to jump: “Since it’s already an ambush from ten sides, Master will leave first. I believe you can handle it yourself.”

Song Qian Ji grabbed him back: “Leave the sword with me!”

“You want more? Aren’t seven enough for you to use?”

As they argued, the Shadowless Sword flew faster and faster, and the zither music became increasingly clear and urgent.

It was like a hundred thousand troops surging forward, smoke rising on all sides, with an army at the gates.

The weather was clear, with excellent visibility. Under the blue sky atop a snowy mountain, a solitary figure sat playing the zither, wearing a cyan dress that flowed like the sea, wide sleeves fluttering in the wind, surrounded by flowing wind and swirling snow.

Xian Jian Chen laughed: “Ambush from Ten Sides, but there’s only one person. And she’s a beautiful immortal lady.”

The Shadowless Sword hovered in place. Song Qian Ji gazed at the familiar figure: “For Ambush from Ten Sides, one person is enough. What need is there for thousands of troops?”

He had stopped here again, at the place where he had died in his previous life.

The melody was different, the person was different. The snow plain remained the same as before, with the scenery resembling that of years past.

Xian Jian Chen shouted: “Fair lady playing the zither over there, let’s negotiate! We’re in a hurry. Can we come back to listen after we finish our business?”

Song Qian Ji: “…Do you think that will work?”

“I think it’s at least worth a try,” Xian Jian Chen stroked his chin, his expression extremely punchable. “Even if your Seven Wonders Zither hadn’t been damaged in Blood River Valley, could you play better than her?”

As soon as he finished speaking, the zither music abruptly stopped, and the player looked up.

A somewhat hoarse voice sounded from afar: “When Senior Brother Song taught me the Wind and Snow Battle Formation Melody years ago, my cultivation was low and my zither skills insufficient, so I couldn’t play the entire piece. Now my musical cultivation has matured, and my abilities far exceed those of the past. This Ambush from Ten Sides was the last piece my master taught me. Senior Brother Song, how do you find my playing?”

Song Qian Ji evaluated: “Not bad. Your zither skills have indeed greatly improved, capturing eight-tenths of the melody’s true essence.”

Xian Jian Chen was speechless.

Then he transmitted his voice with a sarcastic tone: “Well done! So this was your doing. Why did you write the Wind and Snow Battle Formation Melody when you had nothing better to do back then?”

Song Qian Ji coldly laughed in his transmission: “How many enemies have you brought upon us, how many troubles have you caused along the way? What about the Zhao Family Ancestors and those people from Hua Wei Sect earlier? Whose doing was that in the past?”

Knowing he was in the wrong, Xian Jian Chen kept quiet.

He Qing Qing stood up with her zither, like a young student submitting her exam paper to her first teacher: “What of the remaining two-tenths? Where am I lacking?”

Song Qian Ji shook his head: “Eight-tenths is already sufficient. The moon waxes only to wane; there’s no need to strive for perfection.”

He Qing Qing smiled: “If one cannot achieve perfection, what’s the point of playing this zither? If one cannot reach the summit, what’s the point of living this life?”

The strings of the “Nine Heavens Pendant” zither in her arms vibrated on their own, sending out streaks of brilliant purple light that surrounded her, as if in agreement.

Song Qian Ji let out a light sigh and spoke frankly: “It’s a pity that you didn’t want to meet me here, nor did you want to play this piece. Naturally, your zither heart is unsettled, lacking the final two-tenths of skill.”

He Qing Qing was startled: “I…”

While playing the zither, countless thoughts had indeed been racing through her mind, clattering like chaotic falling snow.

Until Song Qian Ji appeared. Suddenly, the world became extraordinarily quiet, even the howling wind couldn’t be heard, and in an instant, it was as if rain nourished a hundred valleys, with thousands of flowers and grasses sprouting from the earth.

He Qing Qing bit her lip and stubbornly said: “How do you know I didn’t want to? Do you understand me better than I understand myself?”

Song Qian Ji’s tranquil gaze gradually became sharp, like a keen sword unsheathed:

“Miss He, since our parting at the Three Lives Stone, have you obtained what you wanted?”

He Qing Qing murmured: “At the Three Lives Stone, I saw us standing together, but it turns out it was for this moment, this place.”

She gripped the Nine Heavens Pendant tightly with her ten fingers, then suddenly raised her voice: “I am now the Alliance Leader of the Immortal Alliance!”

“Alliance Leader Immortal Lady!” Xian Jian Chen laughed, pointing at Song Qian Ji, then behind them: “This person looks normal, but he just went on a killing spree, causing rivers of blood and forests of white bones over there. His murderous nature hasn’t subsided yet, so I advise you not to block our path.”

He Qing Qing’s aura changed slightly.

With her as the center, the surrounding snow transformed into snowflakes, rising from beneath her feet and returning to the sky, forming a snow tornado that connected heaven and earth: “Sword Immortal, King Song. I come not to block your path, but to request a decree from King Song…”

Xian Jian Chen sensed trouble and transmitted: “That string of red beads in her hand has absorbed Xu Yun’s power. Why not strike while her spell isn’t complete?”

Song Qian Ji remained motionless.

He Qing Qing continued: “I don’t wish to conquer Thousand Channels. This war has no winner; both Thousand Channels and the Immortal Alliance have paid sufficient prices. Today’s meeting on the snow plain is for peace talks. I request the entire cultivation world to witness this.”

With that, she waved her wide sleeve, and eighteen blood-red beads flew upward with the snow tornado, their extraordinary radiance covering an area of ten li.

A vast, majestic power, almost like the origin of heaven and earth, was drawn out by the red beads. The clear sky seemed to be torn open, revealing a chaotic void that was neither black nor white, with countless interweaving colors flowing through it.

“Is this necessary?” Xian Jian Chen jumped up: “Do all you young people like to make such a big commotion?”

Song Qian Ji sternly said: “You’re using power that doesn’t belong to you. You will inevitably suffer its backlash!”

He Qing Qing smiled: “Even if it’s not mine, I can still use it. There’s nothing in this world I cannot accomplish anymore.”

She used the red jade prayer beads as a medium, utilizing the power of the Sky-Supporting Tree to open a passage.

At the same time, far away in Thousand Channels Prefecture in the Western Continent, it was nighttime.

From Thousand Channels Prefecture to Hong Fu Prefecture, and even the surrounding swamps and miasma forests, a great wind suddenly arose.

The wind was extremely bizarre, not blowing from east, west, south, or north, but truly descending from the sky, as if the heavens had opened a giant door, releasing cold and violent currents of air.

Thousand Channels was protected by formations, but outside them, sand and stones flew, with rolling dust clouds.

The cultivators felt an inexplicable palpitation, as if drawn by some powerful force, and looked up at the night sky.

The night curtain rapidly faded, turning silver-white.

It was like a long scroll slowly opening, or a mirror covering the night sky, with an endless snow plain spreading overhead.

At present, this area had gathered the Immortal Alliance, Thousand Channels, and various reinforcements for Thousand Channels—almost all the fighting forces of the entire cultivation world were here.

Such an unusual phenomenon deeply shook the spirits of both cultivators and mortals alike.

It was a shock that words could not describe.

“What’s happening? Is this an attack technique from the other side?”

“Don’t panic, follow orders!”

Soon people could see the figures in the wind and snow. Three people stood in confrontation: one with exceptional beauty wearing a luxurious cyan dress, another wrapped in a black cloak with a weary and impatient expression.

The last wore only a thin white robe, but when the people of Thousand Channels saw him, they could see no one else, instantly erupting in cheers:

“It’s King Song! King Song is in the sky!”

“King Song, we’ve defended Thousand Channels!”

“Everyone stay calm, this is the snow plain near the edge of the continent. King Song isn’t in the sky; he can’t hear us speaking!”

The walls of Thousand Channels towered high. Previously, it seemed that standing on the walls would allow one to pluck stars from the sky. Now it seemed that with just a reach of the hand, one could brush away the snowflakes on Song Qian Ji’s clothes.

The person who had been separated from them for so long, who had several times been rumored dead, finally appeared before their eyes again.

The three atop the city wall watched for a moment before turning their gaze toward He Qing Qing.

Meng He Ze: “What is she trying to do? Has she gone mad?”

Wei Zhen Yu coldly smiled: “I think she’s very clear-headed.”

Ji Chen tried to hold back but couldn’t: “If only we had known this would happen, back at Blood River Valley…”

Above Hong Fu Prefecture, the Qing Cliff cloud ships occupied the sky. Young disciples gathered on the deck, exclaiming:

“We’ve been watching the black gold carriage the whole time and didn’t notice any movement!”

“Everyone thought Alliance Leader He would come to negotiate with Academy Supervisor Senior Brother, but she went to the snow plain instead.”

“Lower your voices, Senior Brother is practicing with his blade. Don’t disturb him.”

Zi Ye Wen Shu had already put away his blade and was gazing at the silver-white sky and rustling snow.

The Immortal Alliance cultivators in the Poisonous Miasma Forest were initially shocked into silence, then became even more excited than the people of Thousand Channels. They rose on various flying magical treasures, wishing they could fly into the snowy plain in the sky:

“Alliance Leader He has gone to the snow plain? She went alone to intercept the Sword Immortal and King Song?”

“Since Alliance Leader He can open a passage allowing everyone to see what’s happening on the snow plain, it shows she’s more powerful than the previous Alliance Leader! She is now the strongest in the world! But when did Alliance Leader He become so formidable? Disciple Yuan, do you know?” a Hua Wei Sect elder asked curiously.

Yuan Qing Shi’s face was deathly pale, fortunately, the snow was bright white above, casting a silver-white glow on everything below.

Why had He Qing Qing’s cultivation advanced so rapidly? Why had his master turned to ash after death?

The answer he wanted to ignore was torn open across the entire sky.

Under the questioning gazes of everyone, he heard himself say quietly: “Since Alliance Leader He has Ascension Pills, it’s not strange that she has other cultivation secrets. Once the situation stabilizes, the Alliance Leader will surely not treat everyone unfairly.”

The Immortal Alliance members accepted this reasoning. He Qing Qing had obtained mysterious opportunities, truly destined by heaven.

“Alliance Leader’s demonstration of this divine ability must be extremely taxing. Is it merely to show her strength?”

“If she can let everyone see her defeat Song Qian Ji with their own eyes, the morale of the Thousand Channels people will surely scatter. With no more faith to enhance their formation’s power, how could Thousand Channels not fall? How could Meng He Ze and Wei Zhen Yu possibly resist then?”

“The Alliance Leader’s move is truly brilliant. If word had leaked beforehand, Thousand Channels would have spared no effort to divert forces to stop her. Now, even Zi Ye Wen Shu can do nothing but watch like the rest of us.”

“Long live the Alliance Leader! Long live the Immortal Alliance!”

Under the gaze of countless spectators, a cyan silhouette moved on the snow plain.

He Qing Qing said: “I come to negotiate peace with only three conditions. As long as King Song agrees, the Immortal Alliance will immediately withdraw its troops, and I will immediately make way for you two to pass.”

Xian Jian Chen scratched his ear: “Let’s hear them.”

“First, the Immortal Alliance has traveled far to campaign and needs spirit stones as compensation. Second, Thousand Channels must henceforth pay three hundred million spirit stones as a tribute to the Immortal Alliance each year. Third, the outer walls of Thousand Channels must not expand in the future.”

Xian Jian Chen: “Wait! Although this master doesn’t understand the twists and turns of sects, how is this different from ceding territory and paying indemnities?”

“Even if I unify the cultivation world, Thousand Channels will still be King Song’s Thousand Channels. If this matter is settled today, Thousand Channels and the Immortal Alliance will live in peace for five hundred years. This war should not continue. If you agree, then clasp hands with me.”

He Qing Qing gazed only at Song Qian Ji.

Song Qian Ji’s expression remained calm.

“I don’t agree,” he said. “I ten thousand times don’t agree.”