Chapter 41

Xiao Yu slowly lowered his hand, though he still kept his head tilted, gazing at the water mirror suspended in mid-air with a faint hint of a smile in his eyes. In that instant, his sharp, heroic, and well-defined profile seemed to soften.

The elders merely glanced at him before they were struck dumb with astonishment. Once they regained their senses, they dared not stare, their minds churning with wild speculation. Could it be that he had something to discuss with the Sect Master? But if he did, surely Su Zhen’s graduation trial would have to be postponed? After all, there was no reason to let the affairs of a young junior interfere with the deliberations of the Immortals.

"Right." The handsome man in black robes suddenly stood up and looked back at them. The elders, who had been avoiding his gaze, immediately lowered their heads, falling silent as cicadas in winter. They were not young, and as members of Lingxiao Peak, they had all heard rumors of Zhaohua Immortal’s past. These rumors did not come from idle gossip but from the personal experiences of their own masters, making them all the more terrifying.

"If you wish to offer praise, you may do so," Xiao Yu said unhurriedly. "But do not disclose her true cultivation realm to others. Let her reveal it herself when the time comes. Understood?"

The elders were left speechless. They did not truly understand, but they understood the command well enough, so they all bowed their heads in acknowledgment. Xiao Yu vanished from where he stood.

At that moment, Su Zhen still stood amidst the snowy mountains. Chongyun Immortal had just sent her a telepathic message, informing her that the trial had successfully concluded and pointedly letting her sense that the divine consciousness covering the area had been withdrawn. Su Zhen was in no rush to return. She slightly expanded her own consciousness, probing into the depths of the Qianyu Mountains, and soon found the familiar boundary gate.

In the deep, cavernous grotto, the stone walls were lit by ghostly flickering flames. Black-purple miasma drifted across the ground, and the boundary gate shimmered within the haze. Suddenly, the vortex within the gate surged, and several figures burst out.

Su Zhen tried to retract her consciousness immediately, but there seemed to be a force field around the gate that clung to her intent, dragging out the process. Consequently, she caught a glimpse of a group of Thousand-Vehicle Sect demonic cultivators leaping out—most of them were familiar faces.

After landing, the group turned and bowed to the last person to emerge. That man wore ornate robes draped with fox fur, his white curly hair half-tied, and his appearance was exceptionally delicate and refined. His cheeks were as pale as snow, his phoenix eyes lowered, his nose bridge elegant, and his lips a bloodless, pale pink. He appeared physically frail. The demonic cultivators surrounded him, bowing with utmost reverence.

Suddenly, the white-haired man tilted his head slightly. His gaze seemed to pierce through layers of rock and stone, through the withered forest filled with falling snow, and fixed upon the person tens of miles away. Su Zhen recoiled abruptly and left without looking back.

There were many demonic creatures around the Qianyu Mountains, clearly because this area held a rift to the Demon Realm. As the number of rifts grew and boundary gates appeared, the number of demonic cultivators had also increased. Now that the Thousand-Vehicle Sect had discovered this gate, in a few years, this would become another of their strongholds. Seeing them there was not surprising.

Su Zhen returned to Lingxiao Peak and went to the courtyard behind the Mingxin Hall. Chongyun Immortal’s eyes were filled with satisfaction. The other elders wore varied expressions; some looked at her with admiration, some seemed to be appraising her, and others even showed traces of fear. Su Zhen guessed that Xiao Yu must have said something—if any of them had spoken out of turn, he certainly would not have been pleasant about it.

"I apologize for the trouble, Sect Master," Su Zhen said with a bow.

"The trial has been passed, and the elders have reviewed your daily performance without objection. You may now take your oath." Chongyun Immortal handed over a scroll overflowing with spiritual energy.

Su Zhen took it with both hands and slowly unrolled it, reading the dense text. It included requirements not to transmit sect techniques to outsiders, various sect secrets that could not be revealed, prohibitions against misbehavior after graduation, harming the innocent, or associating with those wanted by the Immortal Alliance. Although she had seen this in her past life, she read it carefully once more to ensure everything was in order.

While the requirements seemed numerous, the curse-oath itself only restricted the transmission of sect techniques. In other words, if you did other things and weren't caught, it didn't matter; if you were caught and managed to escape, it would merely result in a bounty. But if one leaked the techniques, the oath would trigger a backlash—usually resulting in death or maiming—and the Sect Master himself would be alerted.

Su Zhen pricked her finger and signed in blood. As she felt a power connect to her primordial spirit, the curse-oath began to form. This process required some time, so she simply listened to the Sect Master chatting with the elders.

"Hmm? The Qianyu Mountains are truly interesting. One group of experts has just left, and another, even more formidable, has arrived," Chongyun Immortal laughed. "When Junior Sister Su returned, I sensed a disturbance there and took a look. Can you guess who it was, fellow disciples?"

***

Su Zhen’s graduation was now a settled matter. Regardless of their private thoughts, the elders stopped staring at her and turned to other topics with the Sect Master.

"More formidable?" Elder Luji frowned. "The followers of the Dharma God mostly hide in the Demon Realm, buried in their secret vaults all day. As for those who can walk freely outside..."

"The only ones left are the two High Priests," Elder Zhishi said, stroking his beard. "I heard Lin Jian was defeated by Cangming Immortal and has yet to recover, so perhaps it is Ye Xin? That person is cunning and treacherous..."

Su Zhen quietly put away the scroll, listening as they discussed another of her masters from her past life. Although there was no formal master-disciple bond—strictly speaking, it was merely a superior-subordinate relationship—that person had indeed taught her much, and they had often explored various techniques together. Though named 'Xin' (Joy), he appeared cold and frail, yet his nature was exactly as the name suggested, and deep down, he was a typical, fanatical follower of the Dharma God. He possessed an extreme, maddening longing for all profound and unknown powers. Today’s distant "gaze" would surely have repercussions.

Su Zhen handed the scroll to the Sect Master, the corners of her mouth curling upward.

"Very well." Chongyun Immortal accepted it. "I assume you have no desire to remain in the sect and take up a post?"

Su Zhen shook her head. Given her abilities, she could have been an elder in her past life if she had wanted to. But being an elder came with a mountain of trouble; besides having to take on disciples sooner or later, one was required to return to the sect whenever summoned by the head of the peak. It was much more convenient without such a position.

Many people took posts in the sect for the benefits. Elders could freely browse the forbidden books in the Ten Thousand Scroll Tower, enter the secret realms within the peaks, and have priority access to sect artifacts that matched their attributes. Even for those who weren't elders, lower positions like lecturers or administrators had their perks. Those with meager resources who were afraid to venture out into the world were often willing to take these jobs for a salary, accumulating wealth over time to purchase or craft better magical treasures. Su Zhen, of course, needed none of this.

Chongyun Immortal was not surprised. He then asked, as if casually, "Will you be participating in the Immortal Alliance Trial?"

Su Zhen thought for a moment. "Does the Sect Master have any instructions?"

"If you wish to participate, you may. If not, I was going to ask if you would be willing to serve as a guard. It is no matter if you decline; this should have been asked by your master."

Su Zhen naturally understood what he meant. Major sects would dispatch Seventh-Realm cultivators to secretly guard some of the participants—mostly young people who were weak, unlucky, or assigned to dangerous missions and lacked decent experts in their teams. The guards usually followed in secret, intervening only if the youths called for help or were in mortal danger.

Su Zhen pondered, "I apologize for the inconvenience, Sect Master. If the sect is short on manpower, I shall certainly contribute." She was simply being polite, as she knew the Tianyuan Sect would never be short on people.

Chongyun Immortal nodded. "I understand. You may go, Junior Sister."

Su Zhen took her leave of the Tianyuan Mountains and went directly to Yangdu, an Immortal City in the Eastern Region. Familiar with the process, she visited several merchant guilds, paid some spirit stones, and posted bounties for several rare materials. After purchasing everything she could, she went to Weiyun Peak to enter seclusion.

Over the next few months, she received a steady stream of messages regarding her bounties. Every time, Su Zhen went out without hesitation, haggled briefly, and made her purchases. By the time the new year turned, she had gathered half of what she needed.

The Tianyuan Sect also began a new round of grand competitions. Although the goal was to select participants for the Immortal Alliance Trial, the internal competition naturally came with its own rewards. For most cultivators, even if they couldn't secure a spot in the Alliance Trial, as long as their ranking wasn't too low, they would receive a share of spirit stones, so everyone was eager to participate.

As spring arrived, both the inner and outer sects of the Tianyuan Sect became bustling with activity. Weiyun Peak was lush with green, and light shimmered across the horizon. Halfway up the mountain, a dozen arenas were lined up, each shrouded in heavy barriers. Dozens of people were locked in chaotic battles on the outer platforms, their cultivation levels at the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages. In the center, the matches were one-on-one, featuring cultivators at the Golden Core stage or higher.

Once the hour of Chen passed, the presiding elders waved their hands to call a halt. Even those locked in intense combat were forcibly pushed apart by powerful spiritual energy. Most people were happy to step down.

"Hurry, hurry! The matches at Lingxiao Peak are about to start."

"Why the rush? They won't decide a winner anytime soon!"

"Who cares about the winner? It's a rare chance to see the Seventh-Realm big shots compete. I've never seen them truly fight before!"

"Indeed. When the senior sisters and brothers took us out for training, they were always just watching from the sidelines, and their occasional strikes were over in a blink..."

"But they are all fellow disciples; they wouldn't fight to the death, would they?"

"Who says they have to fight to the death? When Seventh-Realm cultivators fight for victory, they use real skills and weapons. Isn't that excitement enough?"

The audience called to their friends and colleagues. Some helped down those who had just finished fighting, while others were already impatient to move. Several who had been heavily injured while coming off the platforms were coughing up blood while taking pills, forcing themselves to prepare their flying swords, only to be dissuaded by those around them, saying there was no need to rush, as there would be more than just one or two matches.

"Today is just for the True Immortal stage. Later there will be Profound Immortal, Earth Immortal, Heavenly Immortal... well, no Golden Immortals; Golden Immortals cannot participate."

"There aren't many Heavenly Immortals either, given the five-hundred-year age limit. We don't have anyone in our sect who reached the Heavenly Immortal stage before turning five hundred." There had been such people in the past, but they were all over five hundred now, such as the Sect Master himself.

"There aren't many Earth Immortals either; the Pei siblings will surely steal the show again."

"They are the Sect Master's disciples; how could anyone else compare? If you're even a little bit lacking, the Sect Master won't even look at you."

"Are you all stupid? Our sect only has competitions for the True Immortal stage. From the Profound Immortal stage and up, the number of people doesn't exceed the quota, so they don't need to compete at all."

"Ah, I see."

From the hour of Chen, cultivators from the other seven branches arrived from all directions, gathering at the summit of Lingxiao Peak. Floating above the vast square in front of Mingxin Hall was a massive arena. The arena was forged from spirit stones, a hundred yards square, its surroundings shimmering with golden light, with faint, flowing runes visible. Layers upon layers of barriers surrounded it—some for absorbing spiritual energy, some for isolating pressure, some for shielding sound—all of the most complex varieties.

"Who is in the first match?"

"It's Senior Brother Jiang, isn't it? He only just reached the True Immortal stage last year. It’s no surprise that he’s in the first match to show off, given how rare it is for the sect to have a new Immortal Lord."

"Isn't it determined by drawing lots?"

"It is by drawing lots, but, well, those who know, know."

A tall, slender figure suddenly appeared on the arena. The person wore white, possessed a cold and stern temperament, and held a frost-white longsword. The blade was slender, with clear, icy brilliance dancing on the edge, like water ripples beneath a layer of ice. Though separated by layers of barriers and despite the arena's great size, the surrounding audience were all cultivators; as they rose into the air to watch from a distance, they could capture every detail on the stage.

"It really is Senior Uncle Jiang."

"Senior Brother Jiang has received the true teachings of the Master of Weiyun Peak..."

"And then he was defeated by someone a hundred years younger and a realm lower than him?"

"You! Who knows what foul arts that Su person used! I heard she didn't even draw her sword at the time; perhaps she used some sort of curse talisman..."

"You’re just bitter that Su Zhen defeated you back then..."

"Nonsense! That was just a slip-up! Besides, when did Su Zhen defeat him? Even Su Zhen herself said it was just one exchange. How could she have the ability to defeat her senior brother in one move?" The man spoke with a smug face. "Besides, Senior Brother Jiang is an Immortal Lord now. Even if Su Zhen has some tricks, she wouldn't dare court death..."

His words came to an abrupt halt.

By now, over ten thousand people had gathered above the square at the summit of Lingxiao Peak, and more kept arriving from afar. The sky was filled with flowing clouds and dense spiritual pressure, to the point that cultivators with lower realms could hardly bear it and were forced to distance themselves.

Jiang Wang was already on the arena, and everyone waited with bated breath for the other person to appear.

"Who exactly is the Senior Brother's opponent?" Liu Yunyao, accompanied by a senior sister, was also watching from afar. The person with her was a named disciple of Yuchen Immortal, and knowing how much the master valued Liu Yunyao, she was very polite, even casting a vision-enhancing spell so Liu Yunyao could see more clearly.

"Senior Brother Jiang knew he was in the first match, and the other person knew it too. Since they didn't coordinate beforehand, perhaps they aren't familiar with each other?" the senior sister speculated.

Liu Yunyao nodded hesitantly, thinking that her Senior Brother didn't have many acquaintances, and after the lots were drawn, he clearly hadn't gone out of his way to find his opponent. The opponent hadn't done so either. Perhaps they didn't care?

Liu Yunyao was about to speak when she suddenly gasped, "Who is that?!" Why did they look so familiar? No. That was impossible, right?!

Amidst the exclamations, a figure appeared on the arena. The person materialized like a ghost, their spiritual pressure perfectly suppressed, and no fluctuations of spiritual power leaked out during their movements. The audience was struck with terror. It was one thing for the lower-realm cultivators to be shocked, but even the Seventh-Realm experts were now incredulous, many Profound Immortals and Earth Immortals looking on in confusion.

That must be a True Immortal stage cultivator on the stage; how could this person hide their aura right under their very noses?

Jiang Wang’s heart sank. If he hadn't seen the person appear, he wouldn't have known someone was there. Such a situation usually meant the opponent was of a higher realm, yet this was a True Immortal competition, and his opponent could only be a True Immortal—this was even harder to accept. Of course, the opponent seemed highly skilled in concealment; if they specialized in that, it wouldn't be difficult to deal with. After all, he had defeated such righteous cultivators and killed such demonic cultivators before. In the True Immortal realm, every strength had its corresponding weakness.

However—when he saw the appearance of his opponent, he was so shocked he nearly dropped his sword.

"Su Zhen?!"