Chapter 34 A Few Things from the Past After that day, a vast expanse of smoke rose from beneath Frostblade Peak…

On the Four Spirits Peak, the main hall was deathly silent, except for the sound of blood falling, which clearly rang in the ears of everyone below the stage. It was so faint, yet at this moment it was deafening.

A woman dressed in snow-white stood before the lifeless body, slightly raising her eyes. Her icy gaze swept over the silent crowd, sending shivers down their spines.

She held her longsword, wiped away the blood, and said calmly, "Elder Lin arbitrarily altered the sect's mission, causing the various regions to fail to receive timely assistance during their crises, which worsened the situation. This is a grave mistake. Now he is to be beheaded and his head displayed to the public. Does anyone have any objections?"

The crowd fell silent, some exchanging bewildered glances, their eyes filled with fear.

—What a joke! Even if there are objections, the blood is still warm, who dares to speak up!

The elder was already at the Nascent Soul stage, yet he hadn't sensed Yan Xueya's killing intent before she drew her sword. After the sword flashed, he was powerless to retaliate, and his head fell to the ground in the blink of an eye.

Her strength has probably reached the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, and she is only one step away from breaking through and ascending to immortality.

After the commotion a few days ago, the most senior members of the sect, including True Monarch Mingji, who had been in seclusion for a century honing his skills, finally emerged today. The younger generation finally understood why a seat in the main hall had always been empty for the past hundred years—it was reserved for this god of war who resided deep within Maoyue Valley. The entire sect knew about this, and today, with bloodshed in the main hall, everyone was instantly filled with fear and dared not utter a word.

The young men who had previously participated in the incident were also rendered speechless. They lifted their legs in shock, only to find that their bodies were instinctively intimidated by the oppressive aura emanating from the person in the hall, and they could not move an inch.

Seeing this, Yan Xueya sheathed her sword, her voice still cold: "A province is in turmoil, yet you dare not pay any attention to a single whisper, ultimately reporting it as a minor theft. You are truly capable. Little by little, it adds up. Mortals and cultivators coexist under the same sky. If an avalanche occurs, I'd like to see how you manage to remain unscathed."

When they were classmates, Si Changxi once said, "Although it is impossible to completely quell all the chaos in the world, we should still do our best to help."

After she finished speaking, she sat back down in her chair, but someone put a hand on her shoulder. She didn't need to look to know who it was. Yi Xiaohan's voice rang softly in her ear, unable to suppress his excited fighting spirit, "Yan Xueya, spar with me."

“I use a sword, you use a knife, sparring is pointless. Your fire elemental root is too pure, your spiritual power is too hot, I find it suffocating,” Yan Xueya glanced at her and said lazily.

"Your excuse is too..." Before she could finish speaking, Yi Xiaohan was suddenly tapped on the head without leaving a trace. She looked up angrily and met Ruan Luoying's smiling peach blossom eyes, and quickly fell silent.

To outsiders, it appeared as if True Monarch Cangling had simply patted True Monarch Lanqiu's head as he rose, a gesture that suggested an enduring friendship. The woman in green casually walked to the seat that had once belonged to the sect leader, sat down with composure, and produced a token in her hand.

"Alright, if everyone has no objections, then let's disperse. Lately, you've been having people gather here early in the morning all the time. Anyone who didn't know better would think something terrible had happened to Taihui."

After this, the intricate and entrenched system within the sect's middle ranks also needs to be dealt with, so it seems that Gu Yufeng will have no peaceful days ahead. Ruan Luoying's sigh was barely audible, and her sorrowful gaze swept over the other three, with only Chi Yueying returning her a sympathetic look.

"If you are ever too busy, you can call me for help."

“Little Chi is still the best.” The two communicated through spiritual energy. Ruan Luoying smiled brightly, which made Chi Yueying’s face flush. She quickly looked away.

She was the youngest among them, and had the most nicknames in private. Yan Xueya often called her Jiuzhi, Yi Xiaohan called her by her full name, and the sect leader loved to call her Yueying—only Ruan Luoying always called her that. Her voice was gentle, and every time she pronounced a word, it sounded like an affectionate nickname, which made people's hearts flutter. This had never changed since they met.

The token was issued, and the transfer of power was clear in an instant. Seeing the crowd disperse, Chi Yueying suddenly spoke up: "That student who was following behind Lin He'an just now, let's keep him here for a while."

Lin Yuqian, who was drenched in cold sweat from the shock of the scene just now and was afraid that she would be implicated because of her surname, froze and stood still, not daring to turn around to look at the people in the hall.

After the scene was cleaned up and everyone had left the main hall, Chi Yueying called her again, asking her to come to her side. Lin Yuxian had no choice but to lift her foot and climb the steps. The few breaths seemed to stretch out to a year per step. She even thought about how she would die, her lips trembling and turning white.

Perhaps in another world, she and Chi Yueying share a deep bond as master and disciple; it's just that in this life, she's unfortunate, always losing because of her forbearance. If there's a chance for a change, she'll definitely stop tolerating anyone from now on.

However, Chi Yueying did give her a chance. After the boy walked to her side, she pondered for a moment and asked, "What's your name?"

"Yuqian." She paused. "Her surname is Lin."

Upon hearing this, Chi Yueying remained silent, as if she were lost in thought.

At this moment, Yan Xueya, who was standing to the side, couldn't stand it anymore and spoke up: "Chi Jiuzhi, this child is about to faint. We can't wait for you to think slowly. She is the disciple whose inner sect identity was taken by her brother. It is clearly recorded in the file. However, Lin He'an has been hiding her for a long time and has fooled her with a fake identity."

After saying that, she sighed. Her coldness vanished, and her features were gentler than they had been a hundred years ago. Compared to the immortal venerable on Frostblade Peak whose reputation could stop children from crying at night, she seemed more like a dignified elder.

"You're too indecisive, always making me do things for you; before, when the great formation was set up, no one could survive, but now, people can just crush you without knowing what's good for them... Never mind, you have the same personality as this guy you like."

"Alright," Ruan Luoying raised her hand. "Don't make things too difficult for Xiao Chi. She's young, and her heart isn't in this, yet a bunch of people love to nominally become her students..."

Lin Yuqian listened blankly—Zhongyi? Xiaochi? Too young?

Are they talking about the Nine-Branched True Lord?

Before she could even turn the corner, she felt a warmth in her hands and realized that Chi Yueying had lifted her hands up.

She ran her fingertips over the thick calluses on Lin Yuxian's fingertips, then slowly stroked her hands as if to replace her gaze, and said softly:

"Translucent as jade, with a delicate heart... it's a good name."

Meanwhile, inside the Cangling Palace, the sunlight was bright and clear, reflecting on the still water. Three young students sat around a long mahogany table, chatting happily.

The sun shines exceptionally brightly today, and the Guyu Peak is like spring all year round, with colorful wildflowers blooming everywhere. Shen Lixia takes a deep breath, feeling intoxicated by the fragrant air. She wonders what kind of magic this place possesses that allows one to experience the transition from spring to winter in just two days.

"Master Xueya has actually taken on a disciple." Tang Huairou took a sip of tea. "She hasn't taken on any disciples for hundreds of years, or even longer. I joined the sect late, and at that time I only heard that True Monarch Mingji was in seclusion. I never imagined it would be for so long, so long that everyone had almost forgotten about her."

"Does Senior Sister Tang know the reason?" Qiao Yanshen asked.

Tang Huairou looked down at the tea in her cup. The new tea leaves were delicate, and after being scalded, they sank and floated in the water, struggling to escape, before finally releasing their fragrant essence. She hesitated for a moment, thinking that her junior sisters would find out sooner or later, and since she was now a disciple of True Monarch Mingji, she should know about her master's past. So she slowly began to tell the little bit of old history she knew.

Originally, Yan Xueya's personality wasn't as cold as it is now. Frostblade Peak wasn't originally covered in frost and snow as its name suggests; rather, the climate was normal, and the winter snowscape was extremely beautiful. Icicles hung from the branches like magnificent lanterns, and the fine snowflakes sparkled. During the New Year, all kinds of activities were held there, and people could even have a fun snowball fight on a whim. She heard Ruan Luoying say that back then, the sect leader and the four immortal venerables would personally write couplets, and the disciple who won the snowball fight could take one home to paste on their door and share in the joy.

"That sounds much more interesting than it is now... Ouch!" Shen Lixia was interrupted halfway through her sentence by Qiao Yanshen tapping her forehead, immediately silencing her. She then nestled next to him, sipping her tea with a pained expression. Seeing this, Tang Huairou grabbed the sugar jar from the side, added two pieces of rock sugar for her, and continued speaking.

At that time, the sect was not like it is now. In addition to the fact that there were immortals guarding all directions and the sect leader was not away for long, there was another reason, namely Yan Xueya and her personal disciple.

Tang Huairou still remembers the regret that welled up in Ruan Luoying's eyes when she talked about this student.

At that time, none of the other immortals had direct disciples, but Yan Xueya was the only one who was favored by her. Therefore, all the disciples in the sect called her Senior Sister.

When Frostblade Peak is mentioned, everyone first talks about Yan Xueya, and secondly about the senior sister whose sword intent burns to the heavens. Senior sister, senior sister—anyone who suffers injustice can go to her; no one can defeat her. Even if you defeat her, there's her master, True Monarch Mingji. The aristocratic families dare not act arrogantly, and scoundrels tuck their tails between their legs. The two are a fusion of ice and fire; their daily sparring involves a clash of scorching and icy auras, breaking through the barrier and reaching Valley Rain Peak, nearly destroying the Azure Spirit Palace several times.

At this point, Tang Huairou smiled and said, "When Master said this, he was still a little angry. It seems the scene was indeed spectacular."

Qiao Yanshen had spent his childhood in the study, reading stories to pass the time. He vaguely guessed the ending of this past event and couldn't help but lower his eyes.

"Until the Second Three Races War broke out, our eldest sister perished in the Demon Realm. After that, you should have heard that Aunt Xueya went deep into the Demon Realm alone with her sword, and countless elite demon soldiers perished wherever her sword intent reached. After the war, she went into seclusion in Maoyue Valley and never took on any more disciples or attended any apprenticeship ceremonies. Our eldest sister became someone that none of her disciples could ever mention again."

After that day, a vast expanse of snow fell at the foot of Frostblade Peak, never to melt, and there was no more day to welcome spring.

After finishing her story, Tang Huairou sighed, "My two junior sisters must take good care of themselves. When Master heard the news of taking on disciples, she told me she never wanted to see Aunt Xueya so heartbroken again..."

The two people opposite remained silent, their hearts heavy, unable to say anything, and could only nod.

After drinking tea for a while, Qiao Yanshen asked, "Aside from Master's matter, does Senior Sister Tang know anything about a Celestial Venerable in the sect named Chang Yi?"

Tang Huairou blinked, not without surprise, and said, "Changyi? —Isn't that the sect leader's nickname?"

Both of them were startled.

Although they had guesses about the young man's identity, imagining him to be an extremely powerful Immortal Venerable, they were surprised to learn that he was actually the sect leader. However, since he hadn't revealed it, he must have wanted to keep his return to the sect a secret, so they shouldn't disclose it either.

Little did anyone know that Tang Huairou had followed Ruan Luoying for a long time and had picked up some gossip from her master. When they mentioned Chang Yi, she immediately started talking: "You must have heard it from Aunt Xueya, right? The sect leader's name is Chang Xi, surname Si. He is of the same generation as the four current Immortal Venerables and is the most outstanding disciple of their generation. I heard that his current cultivation level has reached the Refinement of Emptiness."

“Refining to the Void, shouldn’t that mean one should ascend to immortality?” Qiao Yanshen seized upon the point of doubt.

"Well... it's probably because the Sect Master has the world on his mind," Tang Huairou shook her head. "Junior sisters may not know, but the Sect Master's frequent absences from the sect are not due to numerous affairs, but because he is hunting down a demonic cultivator. That demonic cultivator is named Liu Huajianjun, whose blood is extremely heavy, slaughtering countless sects to cultivate evil arts, his cruelty is beyond description. As a righteous person who cares about the common people, the Sect Master's hatred for this person has become an obsession, and only by personally killing her can he break through the barrier to ascension."

As soon as he finished speaking, a green bird flew in through the window, a letter wrapped around its leg. Tang Huairou took the letter, and the others read its contents together.

"The Second Domain's Duan Shui Sect has been massacred by demonic cultivators, and the situation is extremely critical. We earnestly request your assistance."

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Author's Note: Master's Little Secret